Sheridan peers into the room, then looks Ngai up and down. "I mean, the metal cow looks like fun... the sharp chairs less so. Did that chair draw blood? The bird might be asking for more than they're letting on."
Stone peers about the room with a keen eye. There's an iron chair at the north of the room with a skeleton in it. When his eyes turn that way, the Crow gives a small laugh and says, "Good eye, friend! You found her! Sadly, she left me and our work together a long time ago. I've been bound to this room, unable to leave! But I suggest you use your eyes more wisely! Look at our dark mutual friend. She sat on the chair and is completely fine! Nothing more than a pinprick. If you all will just shed a tiny amount of blood, I promise I can help you! Otherwise, you'll never find the answers you're looking for!"
The raven responds to Sheridan,
"Oh, no no no...sir. All I ask for is just a few tiny drops of blood. The life is in the blood, you see. There's no need for death, here! This is but the humble request of a master-less servant, unable to perform anything resembling the task left for me. This is really more symbolic...please show me this kindness, noble citizens!"
Ngai jumps up with a yell. "Yowch! Ow ow ow ow ow...." She hobbles in a small circle, furiously rubbing her bum.
Turning to the bird and reaching for her sword, Kane's words stop her. She subsides with a burning glare at the bird... but her hand is still on her sword.
Replying to Yantri, she says, "That hurt a lot, damn it. Not feeling so great, but I'll muddle through I guess. I want to kill that damn bird though."
Yantri frowns and nods at Ngai. "I'm inclined to agree. Anything that's asking my friends to bleed for a task that's been set to it in a place like this ... I think we need it dead more than we need any help it could offer."
She moves in and off to the side so that her line of sight to the raven isn't obstructed by the party. As she passes Brother Stone she speaks quietly, "I think that Ngai could use some of that healing now whether she's willing to ask or not." When she's in position Yantri lets Brother Stone and Kane continue to engage it, but keeps her musket aimed and ready to fire.
[spoiler=Kane]It's hard to decipher because the dim aura is fading as well as overpowered by a second aura of evocation coming from the cleric. Though you know that it's nothing more than his light spell on his pendant.[/ooc]
The bird quickly chimes as the conversation leans further against his favor.
"Fine! Twist my beak, why don't you! What you seek lies behind a secret door...right there, against the wall." Using his beak he gestures to the eastern wall, just north of the door you came through. Then he forlornly adds, "Alas, it is locked with an ingenious device none but my master could disable. However, the key to unlock it is right there on the table with her other work persuasion tools. Consider this my gesture of good faith, worthy visitors!"
"Nobody?" Sheridan approaches the indicated wall. The keyring comes out of Sheridan's belt, his fingers fanning the tools until he finds a pair of fresh probes.
As Sheridan moves toward the door, the raven lets out a shrill giggle and vanishes completely!
Yantri's scowl grows deeper as the Raven disappears. "You were right Ngai, we should have taken care of it when we had an easy chance to." Yantri's musket never leaves her shoulder as she scans the room for the vanished foe.
Yantri scans the room...and notices the displacement of dust that reveals generally where the raven must be, and where he's heading. And he's heading right for you!
+Poison
The raven had turned invisible and Yantri lost sight of him for a few seconds. By the time she noticed the displacement of dust signaling where he might have been, he was already attacking!
She could see him now, only he wasn't a raven anymore, but another winged creature. Still tiny, but with a devilish-looking pointy tail which he used to stab her. The creature was now a red-skinned nuisance.
Bold may act: Kane, Sheridan, Ngai, Stone, Yantri
Harzogopas
Global Condition: None |Global Condition:
Kane HP: 7/12 - AC: 12/12/10 Status:
Sheridan HP: 10/10 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Ngai: HP: 9/13 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
(HP: 13/15 - AC: 14/10/12)
Stone HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Yantri HP: 8/11 - AC: 16/13/13 Status:NPCS:
Harzagopas HP:? - AC: ?
Damage received: 0
Yantri snarls at the flying pest as she stumbles back a step back before taking her shot and then scrambling to reload Penance.
Yantri stumbles back and hastily shoots but misses, her musket round lodging straight into the wall.
Global Condition: None |Global Condition:
Kane HP: 7/12 - AC: 12/12/10 Status:
Sheridan HP: 10/10 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Ngai: HP: 9/13 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
(HP: 13/15 - AC: 14/10/12)
Stone HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Yantri HP: 8/11 - AC: 16/13/13 Status:NPCS:
Harzagopas HP:? - AC: ?
Damage received: 0
She grabs her sword anyway, eager to end this devil's life. She's intellectual enough, however, to know it won't take much effort slay this creature. For once, she doesn't shout or turn green before attacking. Deftly swerving around the cleric, she swings her mighty Greatsword.
But the little cretin just giggles a little as he dodges out of the way and Ngai's sword smacks hard into the stone floor.
Harzogopas' turn!
The tiny creature responds in kind to Ngai, apparently wishes to draw even more blood.
As he moves in to attack, his tail swinging wickedly, Ngai pulls up her sword and tries to maneuver it for some close-quarters combat.
Yep.. That'll work!
Not a critical hit, sorry.
Almost simultaneously, Ngai's sword slices the Harzogopas' chest as his tail whips around, stabbing her leg. He gives a small shriek, taking 8 points of damage. The bloodrager, however, feels the venom enter her veins. It immediately begins affecting her.
Bold may act: Kane, Sheridan, Ngai, Stone, Yantri
Harzogopas
Global Condition: None |Global Condition:
Kane HP: 7/12 - AC: 12/12/10 Status:
Sheridan HP: 10/10 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Ngai: HP: 6/13 - AC: 16/12/14 Status: Poisoned, 2pts Dex damage: -1 penalty
(HP: 13/15 - AC: 14/10/12)
Stone HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Yantri HP: 8/11 - AC: 16/13/13 Status:NPCS:
Harzagopas HP:? - AC: 26
Damage received: 8
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Kane growled as the creature turned hostile and attacked! Waving the piece of paper he was using to read the magical energies of the room, the symbols changed, before glowing brightly. The paper flew from his hand, before attaching to his chest magically, a soft blue glow outlining his figure. "Ngai! Stay back! I'll handle this one!" Kane said, taking a five foot step closer to the creature and hoping his new presence will coax it into turning it's attention on him. All the while, he tried to recall what he knew about a creature like this. It looked like a devil... so...
Harzogopas turns to Kane and irritatedly speaks, "Keep your distance, Wizard! Did you seriously think I couldn't detect goody-goody magic? I'm not fool enough to attack someone warded against me!"
"Detect this!" Sheridan is around the tangle of bodies and support beam, and bearing down on the creature in seconds.
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"Good! It shall make my task of dispatching you all the easier! Beware! Our friend here is an imp! If you have weapons of silver or aligned with the forces of good, now would be the time to draw them! Sheridan! Do not waste your fire on him, if you have any!" Kane earned, readying his axe to put the little devil down!
"Gah, this space is too tight for proper work." With so many allies packed around the imp so closely Yantri drops Penance on the nearby table and pulls out her machete. Her grip and stance are competent, if not inspired as she makes a lunge at the malevolent devil.
Stone’s eyes blaze with fervor.
”My first test!”
”And the herald said, “a devil will be revealed unto you!”
”Let the fury of your righteous anger be exemplary, and let countless souls be returned and preserved to the Heavens through the purifying fire of your weapons and strength of your unyielding faith. Through these actions, the world shall be purged of these blasphemous perversions!”
The cleric’s bastard sword, created in the image of Ragathiel’s own blade, seems to growl as it flashes in the light emanating from the glow holy symbol about his neck. The sword was a holy symbol in and of itself, a tool of General Vengeance’s Heavenly Host in the eternal war gainst the Hordes of Hell!
In seconds, Harzogopas and Ngai are surrounded. The flamboyant Sheridan somehow managed to land on the other side of the room, swinging his sap at the Imp, missing and nearly smacking Ngai in the face. Yantri set down her precious musket, whipped out a wicked looking machete and swung at the devil. It nimbly dodged her so that she also nearly sliced open Ngai's kneecap! Luckily no contact was made.
Though the same can't be said for everyone's favorite Cleric. With eyes afire with righteous indignation, and his creed as his cry, he furiously swung at Harzogopas. The trickster's eyes widened in horror as he shouted, "Wait! I have-", but it was too late. Stone's sword sliced clean through from clavicle to hip, severing Harzogopas in half!
COMBAT OVER
Ngai, you are no longer poisoned, but you still will suffer the -1 penalty until at least 1 point is healed.
Global Condition: None |Global Condition:
Kane HP: 7/12 - AC: 12/12/10 Status:
Sheridan HP: 10/10 - AC: 17/13/14 Status:
Ngai: HP: 6/13 - AC: 16-1/12-1/14 Status: 2pts Dex damage: -1 penalty
(HP: 8/15 - AC: 14-1/10-1/12)
Stone HP: 10/10 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Yantri HP: 8/11 - AC: 16/13/13 Status:NPCS:
Harzagopas HP:-14/16 - AC: 17
Damage received: 8+22 Status: Dead
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Kane lowered his axe, inspecting Stone's kill and nodding. "Nice clean cut. Perhaps a wise decision not to hear what he had to say. Devils are notorious twisters of the truth." Not that Kane will admit he was vexed at what he WOULD have said. Just had to hope it wasn't important.
Looking around, Kane stowed his axe at his hip before pulling out his book and looking up at the plaque on the wall. Anything of value in the room, he wanted a decent recording of. If not for his records, than perhaps for later use! "Miss Ngai, how are you feeling? Imp poison can be highly detrimental... might I suggest Master Stone have a look at the wound? I should like to get a record of a few of the objects in here. Might prove fruitful for the local records keeper of Belhaim."
Ever the academic...
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"I am caught once again without holy water." Stone mutters.
The cleric makes the sign of Ragathiel, kneels, and wipes down his blade with a square of cloth.
"Thank you for guiding my hand as your tool and servant. I felt your eyes to fall upon me and your wings to shield us."
He stands up and puts away his sword.
"Those of our order are willing to offer mercy to those enemies who seek absolution and renounce evil, but that was a true devil created to serve its grand master The Arch-devil Asmodeus. The Lord of Hell whom offered his hand in brotherhood, and then performed the first act of treachery, murdering his older Brother Ihys with a great spear."
"Devils give nothing out of friendship, kindness, or for free. He injured one of my companions. I needed nothing from it other than a test of my faith."
The cleric gestures.
"I suppose it's secret is the door over there or some item of value for which it wished to buy its life with. Either way we will find it or we can do without what it would have cost us."
"If the rest of you can search the room and check for enchantments I will see to Ngai if she is willing."
Putting her machete back in it's sheath and picking up Penance Yantri looks over the musket to make sure it's still in good operational order. Satisfied, she turns her attention to the rest of the room and shudders a little. "There's evil still in this place whether that devil is gone or not, though I'm not sad to see it gone from this world. Too much of the evil that's left was made by the people who lived here though. Can't say I'm sad that they're gone now as well."
Patting Ngai's shoulder reassuringly as she goes past, with cautious movements and being careful to avoid the torture devices scattered about, the dwarf begins to carefully examine the room for anything dangerous or interesting.
Sheridan tries to open the secret door he saw before, hoping it wasn't an illusion.
”He also said there was something on the table Sheridan.”
Sheridan, you approach the door that's made of the wall itself, and easily open it. It wasn't locked at all!
Yantri sees lots of dangerous things: the iron chairs (one of which contains the remains of the Harzagopas' master), devices meant to stretch and twist a person's limbs, creations of cruelty, and machinations of malice.
Really, the only thing that's interesting...
Ngai will slowly draw herself together, leaning on against the wall for a moment. "I'm sorry, my wounds are quite severe. Please wait a minute before proceeding."
She'll draw deep breaths, focusing her anger, and channel the spirit of the green for about a minute, then rest for another minute while the group is doing their investigations.
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Sheridan stops in front of the door and looks at Stone expectantly. If he catches the cleric's attention, he'll indicate Ngai with his eyes and cross his arms, insistent on blocking the doorway until his friend is taken care of. As the seconds pass, and Ngai begins to recover on her own, he'll give Stone a withering stare before turning and stomping down the corridor without a word.
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Seeing Sheridan he throws up his hands in innocence. "Didn't I just say I would tend to her if she's willing?! Ngai, don't waste your---oh come on seriously?."
He secures what's in his hands and gets ready with his holy symbol.
"It would be so much easier if people could just say when they needed healing and that they accept the Grace of the Heavens, <<<mutter, mutter, mutter>>> Ready or not, here it comes."
Ready he intones, "Ragthiel, let us feel your eyes upon us, your wings shield us, and give your servants healing."
The cleric uses a healing burst healing everyone on the party heals the following HP.
"Thank you Brother Stone, I appreciate the blessings of your God. I was worried that if I petitioned for healing it might precipitate an argument - I am glad to see that is not the case."
Ngai reaches down to re-light her torch, grips her sword in her other hand, then smiles at Sheridan to show that she is ready.
Sheridan quickly glances at everyone else, to ensure they are ready, and then heads through the doorway. From the room, the corridor bends left, left, and left, taking you North, West, and then South. The floor drops away here as the corridor turns east, though a seven-inch-wide ledge continues along the south wall. The walls are very smooth, offering few handholds. The remainder of the passageway is filled with a five-foot-deep trough filled with foul-smelling, thick green sludge.
What does each of you do?
Still unreasonably spiteful and as impatient as a lit fuse, Sheridan points down the hall, indicating the pit. "There is a narrow ledge, and some kind of viscous fluid. Probably a pit of acid. I could scout ahead, but I don't think we have any choice but to cross." Sheridan takes a couple pieces of chalk from his pack and tosses one down the hall into the sludge, watching for a violent reaction between acid and base.
Ngai thinks back to the rooms from which they came...
"Was there anything we can use as a pole to prop against the far wall as we inch along? Maybe we can break apart some of those fiendish torture devices?" She mimes scooting along the ledge, using a pole as a cane against the far wall to keep them up against the ledge wall, hopefully avoiding a fall.
At her query, the party thinks back to what they've come across. Some might suggest the bed frames from the barracks, but then they realize they were all rotted and would probably crumble apart before they could even be brought here. The mechanical devices would have to be disassembled or broken apart, which would take time, potentially hurting the party's own gear, and might not even work. One way or another, though, everyone concurs that this is the only path left to take.
Sheridan tosses in a piece of chalk, and rather than immediately sinking, it bounces a little bit and rests on the surface. For a moment, nothing happens, maybe 10 seconds or so. Then, you start to see bubbles forming around the small piece of chalk as it begins to react with the sludge. It's a couple minutes before the chalk is dissolved completely. What lies before you is definitely acid. And while it was probably extremely potent once upon a time, it seems to have congealed and weakened over the course of many years.
Yantri, having taken time to look over the last chamber joins the group now to consider the passage forward. Looking at the narrow ledge she frowns.
"What if we used some rope to try to make this safer? The first making the trip would probably have to try on their own, but if they carried the rope leaving one end here with us, they could act as an anchor at the other end, the rest of us would have it as support to keep from slipping in as we went. Those walking along would be inside the rope relative to the liquid there and could use it a bit like a railing? It' be ideal to have something to attach it to on this end if we can find it, but if not the last person would have to make the trip without support as well. It'd still maybe help those in the middle move safely."
Yantri pauses to frown and think some more before continuing. "Regardless of that, there's also a big heavy bronze plaque back in the last room that historians might find interesting. There's no way we'd want to take it through this way, but if we came back later it might be of interest to someone back in the city. For right now, unless it would float in this acid and we could use it as a raft (but I have to think it'd sink in this stuff,) I'm inclined to leave it and remember that we might want to come back for it later."
Ngai nods at Yantri's words. "I agree, good thinking on the rope bit." Looking around at the group, Ngai turns to Sheridan, "I guess one of us is first and one of us would be last. What do you think would be best? I worry a little about a person being on their own on the other side of wherever this goes, but the two of us would probably fare the best."
Uncoiling the rope out of her pack, she continues, "What do you reckon? You want to go first or last?
"And whichever of us goes, maybe one of the spell casters can place a light spell on the rope so that vision will be clear the whole way down?"
Sheridan watches the chalk bounce off the surface, and immediately looks like he has an idea, turning well before the chalk shows any sign of dissolving. Yantri and Ngai begin to talk about their strategies, and the ifrit nods along very seriously. He runs his fingers through his hair, intensely focused on performing patience before blurting out, "I could probably just run it."
He smiles and looks to Ngai, then looks sheepishly at the floor. "Like, it's not water. It's that thing between water and earth, like marrow that's left to cool. We'd sink if we stood still, but as long as we really beat feet down the hall, there's a chance we won't even get wet. It's not sticky. The chalk bounced."
"That's an interesting thought, but I wonder if that bouncing from the chalk might have been more like a rock skipping on water, and in part due to chalk not being particularly dense. Let me check something right quick."
Yantri heads back to the last chamber and grabs something at least 6 inches long on the table the raven had indicated a key would be. She tries not to think too hard about what it was used for previously, but when she rejoins the group she uses it to prod the acid, testing for surface tension.
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"Ah... Thank you, Stone, my good man! I feel fit enough to take on a whole tribe of kobolds!" Kane continued jotting down sketches of the room, following along and detailing additional notes alongside his pictures.
At little wrapped up in making sure his notes were complete, Kane kneels down to observe the green goop, putting away his book and rolling up his sleeve. "Ah... a shame I did not wear my spelunking clothes today... but I suppose I do have finer outfits back in my room. If I may? I may actually be better suited to address this."
Rolling up his sleeves, Kane revealed a number of runes running along his forearms, and judging from their length they run all the way the full length. He reached down to the caustic goop, the runes glowing a pale green as he pushed a hand in. If his theory was right, this was acid... albeit, quite congealed. And his protective runes would shield him from this.
Some of it, anyways.
Stone watches Kane's experiment intently.
"Well, that's one way to test it I guess."
The Cleric says with curious amusement.
"You wizards and your experiments. Heh, Heh, Heh. The runes and aura color suggest Resistance Magic I assume? Or are you seeing if it is a carnivorous form of slime?"
He waits for the wizard to respond before he raises his voice a bit to be sure all the party can hear him.
"Everyone, I am halfway through my healing gifts for the day. I still have granted spells at my disposal, but I would like to save those for combat should we encounter it."
He looks everyone over.
"Everyone is at full health I am assuming?"
"Ngai, how is the devil's sting affecting you?'
The wizard's hand easily breaks the surface and plunges into muck, somewhat ruining Sheridan's "just run" theory. However, when Kane's hand emerges, it appears to be fine. No flesh has been eaten at, no fingers lost (or extra ones added).
Yantri then comes scuttling back to the bend in the hallway with a wicked looking tool in her hands; essentially a long iron rod that ends in a flat ring, and the Common letter "C" attached in the middle.
She then pokes at the surface and, either from the weight of the object or the force used to poke it into the sludge, it also easily breaks through the surface. When she pulls it out, some of the substances "clings" to it for a moment before falling back in to the pit.
After about six seconds or so, a tiny spot on the iron is smoking ever so slightly, but then stops.
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Pulling his hand out, Kane studied it, before smiling at the runes as they glowed with power, tying his cloak up at his waist before standing up.
"Of a sort, Master Stone. On my last trip to the north, we excavated the tomb of an Ulfen warrior, and he was covered in runic blessings. I'll spare you the details, but in short, I have replicated their power with a degree of success. Luck is with us today - this acid seems to have congealed over time - it's much less dangerous than I expected." He nodded at the branding iron as it smoked. "Still caustic, but not as badly as I feared. It means I can help everyone cross safely!"
Pulling up his boots, Kane waded into the goop, motioning to the ledge along the wall. "If you're willing, I can brace everyone along the walls as you sidle along the edge. I should be able to keep everyone from falling in. One at a time, of course."
"That sounds like an excellent plan. I can cover you with the crossbow, I would think Sheridan would be our best bet for our vanguard in this endeavor, but whatever you all decide. However, did we in fact do a thorough search of the room and see anything on the table which the devil was trying to direct our attention to? He may have just been trying to distract us I suppose."
Acrobatics DC 12 (then DC 17 for the green slippery part)
Climb DC 25 (Because it's way harder, 1 successful check will work for entire crossing)
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Sheridan takes his position at the start of the ledge and waits for Kane to join him. "Should we hold hands, or, uhm..." Heat blooms in the ifrit's face and he turns and starts down the corridor.
The party disappears around the corner, and Sheridan stops again to wait for Kane to catch up. "So... words, huh... d'you have a paper for cleaning that stuff off in case something-"
Sheridan takes a step but wasn't quite prepared for how slick the extended ledge turned out to be.
Sheridan takes 1 point of Acid damage.