In a burst of action spurred on by Val's magic and Jim's song, Oliver, Justinius, and the singing pirate all land telling blows. Oliver just barely manages to penetrate the devil's chitinous skin but his arrow slices through something important and a cold blue-black ichor begins to flow down it's chest. Zenovia, too, just barely makes it through the armor plating but opens up another dark, chilling stream on it's hip. By the time Justinius raises his sword the fiend is already wavering. With one well placed thrust he opens up it's guts and spills its entrails on the floor, causing it to collapse lifeless where it stood.
The cave is empty except for layer upon layer, upon layers, of writings and macabre doodles etched into the walls. It would take days of careful work to discern anything intelligible is the jumble of overlapping carvings, but it all seems to be the depraved work of an extremely bored fiend.
The hallway that lead to this cave continues for another sixty feet with two more caves radiating out to the right. The first is only ten feet further, the second very nearly at the end of this passageway.
"Very well fought, gentlemen!"
Justinius take a moment to be sure the creature is dead, then casts Shield before motioning to the nearest cave.
"Shall I take the lead on this next one?"
Valanthe examines the creature, checking for magical auras.
"Rimy, are you ok? Do you need healing?"
Val does not detect any lingering spells or other magical effects on the defeated fiend. It's spear was attuned to it but with it's death that aura has begun quickly fading.
"It's naught but a scratch, Val, but if'n it makes ye feel better, feel free.
"Knock yerself out, Justinius."
Rimy sheathes Zenovia and gives the slain fiend one last look before stepping back out into the passage.
With Jim's blessing, Justinius moves to the next cave. Shedding his light into the closest cavern, but staying in view of his companions.
The second cave is ten feet wide and tall and twenty feet deep. It ends at a room that has been broken into long ago. The room looks to be some kind of ancient storage room, its contents long turned to dust. It is ten feet by fifteen feet with a door to the right.
Valanthe, with a swift movement of her wrist, lets a wand pop out on her hand.
"Let me take care of that."
She uses the wand to cast Cure Light Wounds on Rimy.
After that she "resets" her Spring Loaded Wrist Sheath.
While they walk through the cave, Oliver whispers loudly: "Does not anyone else think it is strange that a spawn of hell has been residing in that cave for who knows how long?"
...
"Better make sure we do not miss anything that might be right in front of us." Oliver casts detect magic and looks around the storage room.
The cave leading to the small room has no aura but the whole man-made structure the heroes have just entered seems to be warded with some effect to preserve it and protect it from the decay of time. Oliver does not detect any other auras in the room (except, of course, those coming from his allies).
Justinius stands guard where he is while the others search the room. Waiting patiently for them before entering the next cave.
"Looks t' me like he was supposed t' be guardin' this passage rather'n drawin' on the walls."
The small room remains bare save for the few heaps of long decayed remnants of whatever had been stored there. The lone door on the far side remains undisturbed. One cannot help in the momentary pause but to contemplate it's loneliness: here it has stood alone since time immemorial, and now that men draw near once more it can do naught but stand and wait...
Or maybe the strange mantis-devil used it this morning, who knows? One thing is for sure though, that door isn't opening itself.
Justinius moves cautiously up to the door, checking for traps.
Then casts Divine Favor and pulls the door open.
Oliver stands poised, ready to attack anything villainous that may lie in wait on the other side. Sir Reginald appears equally ready to take on any what comes his way.
"Careful my friend" He says as Justinius moves to the door. I imagine this place will be full of surprises."
"I imagine this place will be full of surprises."
"That'd be nice, as I'm expectin' naught but more demons, devils, 'n deranged descendants o' this town's high 'n mighty."
With great anticipation, Justinius swings the door open. Behind it he finds an empty hallway that turns quickly to the left. Following it, the heroes find that after sixty feet it turns back to the right. Coming around the second corner they can make out some kind of statue in a small chamber ahead, and beyond that more hall leading to another door.
Valanthe looks for magic in the statue.
Justinius will advance to within 10' of the statue and examine it. Also using Detect Evil.
Justinius stops mid-stride, about fifteen feet from the statue, when he instinctively realizes that there is a magical trap in place around it...
The statue does not detect as evil but there are several magical auras on it.
Now that the statue is more clearly visible, it is revealed to be of a beautiful and intense woman wearing an elaborate breastplate and brandishing a bejeweled ranseur. The polearm is clearly not carved of stone like the rest of the statue but is made of metal and inset with real gems.
Cautiously, keeping one eye on the statue, Justinius attempts to disable the trap.
"One moment everyone, there's some kind of snare here."
Noticing a slip of the hand, possibly due to his divided attention, Justinius takes a deep breath and summons his mythic power to help him overcome the trap.
Valanthe seems alarmed when Justinius advances towards the statue.
"Be careful, it is trapped, with evocation and transmutation magic on it. The ranseur is magical too. Probably will try to attack you!"
She looks at the statue and starts to recite an old Varisian song.
"The beauty of wrath lies in the bottom of the Varisian sea, under the waves the hate queen lies, her perfect face lost forever. Alaznist was her name, a ranseur the symbol of her dominion."
(competence) to
"Aye, beauty 'n wrath lie in the sea, but 'tis Besmara that her name be!
Lad, this Alaznist 'tis some silly lass what drown'd - so just relax, you're too tightly wound!"
Valanthe can't avoid to smile at Rimy's song.
Justinius smirks a little at Jim's song. I always thought of myself as 'coiled' like a snake, not tightly wound!
As usual, the frosty pirates encouragement steadies the hand of the young palidin, and he seems to get the best of the trap.
Justinus does, indeed, get the best of the trap and clears the way through the chamber. Now able to see it up close, the statue is seven feet tall and of exquisite craftsmanship; carved from red marble it depicts a strikingly beautiful but, at the same time, monstrously enraged human woman, Alaznist, with a ranseur that looks like it would be equally at home in a fine museum or in the hands of a great general. From here the heroes can also see another hallway that branches off to the right and disappears up a staircase.
"I'm afraid I have been only partly successful in dealing with this threat. It seems the statue is still capable of causing harm"
Justinius continues, still admiring the fine craftsmanship.
"I can attempt to further disable it, but we should be prepared for combat if I am unsuccessful."
Valanthe holds her hands to her chest.
"Be careful, may Desna bless you."
The runelord Alaznist...and...! Oliver eyes the gilded ranseur with awe followed by disapproval.
"Would it not be more prudent to let the statue be? I do not trust anything in this place and such a prize would surely bring both blessing and curse not to mention the trouble in procuring it."
"..Not that I doubt your abilities, of course." The ranger appends while drawing his bow and aiming it center mass of the statue.
"My fear is that, given the close proximity to the city, even if we do not disturbe the statue, someone else will. And they may be much less prepared to deal with it than we."
"I didn't come down 'ere with a plan fer wastin' time nor fer takin' 'alf-measures; I say we do whatever we gotta do t' put an end t' this place once 'n fer all."
'Specially if that means not leavin' behind perfectly good loot!
"Jim, if you would be so kind, another song may help me concentrate a bit" Justinius sheathes his swords and begins to work on disabling the statue for good.
"Jim, if you wanted to be across from me, in case this thing makes a move, we will have it in a bad spot already. Oliver, if you wanted to knock an arrow and give it a half draw, that might be prudent."
(competence) to
"Traps 'n spells can go t' Hell when Redarm's in the room,
His keen eyes 'n fingers deft are any ward's certain doom."
With a few well-placed tools, and a sharp blow to the statue's wrist, Justinius disables the trap's other trigger and slides the beautiful ranseur free of the stone hands which have held it for countless years.
The now inert statue stands at the intersection of the original hallway which continues straight ahead and another passageway which branches off to the right.
Valanthe looks at the weapon with gleaming eyes.
"It is a beautiful thing. And magical. Anyone using it can attack as under the effect of a Haste spell!"
Valanthe peeks on both exits (right and in front), using her magical Darkvision.
"What do you say? I think we check the right passage first."
"Sounds like a plan, Val." Justinius says, taking a position ahead of the others but waiting for everyone to be ready.
"Sounds pretty, but I wouldn't want Zenovia gettin' jealous."
Jim shrugs at the suggested route. "One's as good as the other t' me."
The pirate walks up and makes his way down the right hall, not bothering to look if anyone's following him.
Justinius stays even or just behind the burly pirate as they make their way.
Valanthe take a wand out of her Handy Haversack, and applies it to herself.
After that she will hustle after both of them.
"That was nicely done Justinius...I knew you could do it" Oliver says as he eases the tension on his bow.
"I wonder... how many others have tried to take that weapon from its wielder...and failed"
...
I am inclined to agree with Val. You guys go ahead, I'll keep an eye out behind us. We certainly do not want any of the cretins down here sneaking up on us."
Jim begins rumbling a chanty to himself under his breath...
"Oh the waves may roll and the wind may blow,
And the ship may rock and the timbers bow..."
Jim and Justinius lead the way to the right past the statue and up a short staircase. When the hall levels back out into flat ground there is a passageway that branches off to the right and a second stair case straight ahead. The passageway travels thirty feet then takes a sharp left hand turn. Whatever is at the top of the staircase cannot be seen but a sound like a trickle of water falling into a pool can be heard echoing down the stairs.
Calling back to their archer sentry, Justinius says "Oliver, we have arrived at another fork. Would you advance your position to cover us from here?" Then, to the others, "Up the stairs to the sound of that water gets my vote." He says with a grin, before treading lightly up the stairs.
Valanthe keeps behind Justinius, holding her burning holy symbol, illuminating the way.