The space around Iradyiel is getting crowded as the party congregates about him, attacking the trunk-monster for all they can. Iradyiel himself is now almost bent double within its maw, straining to escape but with blood welling from his wounds, he's clearly in mortal danger.
In his aid, Achahut runs in to attach, and both her and Francis rain down savage attacks on the creature’s hide leaving bloody lacerations in their wake. But this is not without consequences - as Francis' oversized jaws clamp down, his face and jaw are themselves ensnared by the monster's adhesive grip !
Undeterred, the remorselessly crushing of Iradyiel continues ...but seemingly the barbarian's exhertions are enough at least for it to fail to constrict him in its acidic grip.
Round 2
Aza: ???
Iradyiel: fails to free himself… again !
Monster: grapple / constrict / acid
Francis: claw, claw, bite for 11 damage: jaw is now stuck
CT: double move
Pious: ???
Vedic: ???
Achahut: move, and attack: heavy pick is not stuck
Mimic – 30
|
Chest Thumper summons up the power of nature, the ocean below him and the rock around him. He channels this energy into Iradyiel to knit back together cracked bones and burned skin.
Francis lets out a grunt of surprise and distress as he finds himself stuck.
Now, fear for himself adds to his anger against the strange creature. Fortunately, his claws are free and he continues his assault that way, now trying to free himself as much as Iradyiel.
Vedic and Array both moved forward, firing simultanious blasts of frozen energy at the creature.
Aza, wincing as she feels her spell fail against the strange creature, follows Vedic forward, conjuring a globule of magic pain in her fingers as she does so, before hurling it at the creature.
Swinging his sword overhead in an over telegraphed two hander. Pious begins to chop into the creature.
As the front line engage the monster, the party’s ranged magic contingent hustles forward in support. A barrage of sizzling ice and corrosive acid projectiles arc through the air, but without a single hit on either their target, or (fortunately) their allies. It might even be this which puts off Pious’ swing; a huge overhead chop which connects but connects weakly with its horny hide, and sticks fast. .
Francis, adhered by the jaw to the top of the chest rakes it with one claw - the other misses entirely. CT bestows the hollering, bleeding barbarian with divine healing. As he does so , the creature emits a echoing gurgle; whether this is in frustrated hunger, satisfaction with the results of its sticky ensnarements, or pain, it is not possible to say…
Round 2
Aza: move, misses w acid orb
Iradyiel: fails to free himself… again !
Monster: grapple / constrict / acid
Francis: claw, claw, bite for 11 damage: jaw is now stuck
CT: double move
Pious: swings, misses, weapon is now stuck
Vedic & Array: both move and miss…
Achahut: move, and attack: heavy pick is not stuck
Round 3
Aza: ???
Iradyiel: ???
Monster: ???
Francis: claw, claw, for 9 damage
CT: CLW on Iradyiel
Pious: ???
Vedic: ???
Achahut: ???
Mimic – 39
Vedic and Array continued their barrage.
With her acidic orb failing to find its target, Aza draws upon a different spell in her arsenal, pulling her fear for Iradyiel into her hands and uttering a whispered command before releasing it onto the strange chest beast. If this thing can actually be frightened, I'll eat my hat, she thinks to herself.
Pious let's out a grunt of discomfort as the chain that tethers his weapon pull right about his waist. Then a chuckle. The sound is not pleasant, the utterance of a mad man.
"You are so desirous of the Sword of Aroden fiend. But it is not for you to have, merely to feel it's kiss."
With that he wraps the chain round both hands and pulls hard.
When the sword fails to be released he redoubles his effort...
Pious and Iradyiel continue to try to free Pious’ sword and Iradyiel himself from the creature, without success. Array’s cold blast seems to cause some damage this time, as the monster flinches from its impact. Aza casts her Cause Fear spell without conviction, and rightfully so: it has no visible effect on the voracious chest. Meanwhile, it continues to mangle and digest Iradyiel, . Achahut, horrified by this whales a massive blow deep into the rear of the chest lid with her pick, but loses it in the process.
The monster is now looking decidedly battered, oozing green blood and flailing injured tentacles about weakly…
Round 3
Aza: Casts Cause Fear but ineffectively
Iradyiel: struggles ineffectively
Monster: om nom nom
Francis: claw, claw, for 9 damage
CT: CLW on Iradyiel
Pious: struggles ineffectively
Vedic: fires away ineffectively
Achahut: wallops monster with pick
Round 4
Aza: ???
Iradyiel: ???
Monster: ???
Francis: ???
CT: ???
Pious: ???
Vedic: ???
Achahut: ???
Mimic – 51
A few moments after the creature dies, the adhesive effect which had captured Iradyiel, Francis, and thew weapons of Pious and Achahut releases its grip. This creature, whatever it was, carries with it a whiff of alchemical magic in its nature, and that glue-like secretion is unlike any you have ever seen on a natural animal.
|
|
Francis flails at the creature a couple more times, even after it stops moving, though he stops and pushes until his mouth pops free of the creature.
Seeing that Iradyiel is in no immediate danger, Chest Thumper moves to his brother to check on him. He is relieved to discover that the ape is completely unharmed.
"That thing was very weird. Do you think it's what created that tunnel from the water or do we need to be on the lookout for another threat?"
He looks to Vedic. "I'm sure that you can make something out of that glue, can't you?"
He settles down, patting Francis as the group regroups.
"I think our next stop definitely has to be Pridon's Hearth. Aza's wand has to be almost out of magic. I'd like to go straight to the Sky Temple but it's just too dangerous."
He looks to Achahut. "Your people wouldn't happen to have canoes or anything stashed around here? I'd rather not hike back across the jungle if we can go around. The water should be relatively safer."
"Interesting idea." Vedic said, looking at the corpse of the strange creature. His ears twitched in thought.
Iradyiel opens the concealed door behind the dead mimic, to reveal a dark and dusty corridor behind (. As the stone door slides smoothly open, the resultant waft of air whips up a billow of dust from the stone-flagged floor: this corridor has not been used in a long long while. The party eyes Achahut, who wide-eyed shakes her head; "This is unknown to my people - we have never found this..."
The stonework here was clearly designed long ago by giant-sized peoples - it is imposing in its scale and age. Could this be a relic of the ancient Ghol-Gan Cyclopean empire? Peering up the corridor, which runs from the concealed door off to the east, you see it leads about 40' into the gloom before ending in a collapsed stone doorway. Beyond the collapsed door, a large space beyond is oh-so dimly illuminated my a shifting magical light, although from this distance no other detail is visible.
|
|
Chest Thumper barks a laugh as Iradyiel opens up the door and casts a glance at Vedic, wondering how the elf will feel. He admires Iradyiel's resilience. He came very close to being eaten by this thing and is still obviously battered by the encounter but is already looking to explore further.
His hackles rise as Achahut confirms that her people had never discovered this place. That's not the disturbing part. The disturbing part is that there is light within, which means that whoever left this place left powerful enough magic that the light continues to burn even after decades of being closed off.
He looked to Aza. "Can you use the wand on Iradyiel before we go in? And maybe Vedic? I can heal one more time but I want to save it in case I'm the only one able to get to someone in an emergency."
Francis doesn't even notice the room. He has his mouth wide open and his tongue hanging out. He's rubbing his palms over it to wipe away the taste and shaking his head, slinging drool around as his mouth waters to clear the clue away.
It's one thing to take a bite out of anything. It's another to have to taste something gross for several seconds, if you're not going to eat it.
He glares at his brother, occasionally, blaming him for dragging him out of the jungle to face these weird creatures.
"Ah! Y-yes," Aza nods to chest thumper, fumbling in her robes to pull her wand from its resting place. The new passageway's sudden appearance had briefly distracted her, the wonder at seeing something so ancient suddenly be rediscovered filling her mind with both worry and wonder. She brings the wand to Iradyiel first, and then Vedic.
"Well?" Achahut looks around at the others, confused, "Are we going to explore this, or..."
A bellow, echoing and resonant, roars out from within the cavern at the end of the corridor. The pale magical light does not alter, but shadows do - something LARGE is stirring inside...
Roll for initiative!
Round 1
Monster: Roars, other secret actions...
Francis: ???
Iradyiel: ???
Pious: ???
Aza: ???
CT: ???
Vedic: ???
Achahut: ???
"Appreciated," Vedic said as the healing energy flowed through him. He was just setting up some sample jars when the roar echoed through he tunnels.
"If that is an option, yes." Vedic said. "Depends on how high the ceilings are."
"If that is an option, yes." Vedic said. "Depends on how high the ceilings are."
The corridor (and the basement you stand in) is giant; the roof is vaulted but 12' tall in the centre. It would be easy for Array to stay out of reach of any medium-size creature.
It was not; but you can surmise that whatever made the noise was large, and that the noise was an unintelligible roar, not language.
|
|
All this may be moot as they may not have time to make any plans or preparations before whatever is in there comes rushing out, but Chest Thumper looks to Vedic.
"I believe I can flush it out if you are ready, Master Vedic. If Iradyiel, Francis or Pious position themselves on either side of the entrance, they can pin it in place as it comes down and the rest of us can pile on it, as needed, keeping at range, if we like," he says.
But he also calls down the hallway. "If you can understand us, we mean you no harm! Speak or come out slowly and we will not assault you."
'Unknown to her people? Didn't they ever open the trunk?' Looking at the lizard incredulously Iradyiel asks, "Didn't your people ever notice the monster trunk?"
Nope. Achahut was at the north end of the room with Vedic and Aza, whilst Iradyiel explored to the south. The trunk/mimic burrowed in from the sea, after the lizard folk were last here.
Pious, showing a startling ability to follow wise council, positions himself to one side of the opening. Pausing only to gather a gauntlet of dust and stones from the floor. With a silent nod to whoever takes the place on the other side he waits.
Array flew tot he ceiling and Vedic took a step back to stay clear of the people with weapons. "Ready. If it cannot reach us without effort, do not engage. Let array and I whittle it down."
The party gather to form a bottleneck at the entrance to the secret door; beyond them, down the corridor: several heavy footfalls, then silence. Nothing approaches down the stone-lined corridor from the chamber at the end...
Round 1
Monster: Roars, other secret actions...
All: preparation at the outside of the secret door...
Round 2
Monster: Silence...
Francis: ???
Iradyiel: ???
Pious: ???
Aza: ???
CT: ???
Vedic: ???
Achahut: ???
Array slipped through the door, hugging the ceiling and checking the passage.
The previously secret door is 12 tall by 10' wide. You can swing it shut if you like - just tell me.
Array swoops inside the corridor on the other side of the secret door, to find it empty. Thirty feet away at the end of the corridor lies the shattered stone door, hanging in the doorway into a much larger chamber beyond. Silhouetted in the doorway is a large figure, it's red glowing eyes looking up the corridor at Array. More than this Array cannot pass on; it is dim lighting at best, plus Array cannot communicate easily from a distance.
Array halted, then decided to go back.
"Looks like we do this in our more... traditional fashion." Vedic said dryly.
|
|
They say you're never more than 6 feet from a spider. Whatever is down that corridor is about to find that out, first hand.
"Let's see if we can make things uncomfortable enough in there to drive him to us," Chest Thumper says.
He moves to the side so that he can see as far around the corner as possible then focuses through his connection with nature. From dark corners an tiny cracks spiders come out of hiding. It is only one or two at first but they keep coming and coming until they form a billowing mass covering a wide expanse of the floor.
Leaning slightly round the secret doorway, CT is able to target a spot on the wall 30' away, in the main corridor leading to the broken door. He sights the eruption of spiders emerge from the wall and floor, and instantly moving as one, skitter down the corridor to the east, out from his vision.
He leans back, concentrating on maintaining the spell, and listening hard.
Nothing. No shout of alarm, no noise of movement. You sense your spell is still active, but that's it.
A minute passes. Still nothing.
|
|
Nature can be cruel, and so can Chest Thumper. They have been assaulted by enough packs of tiny creatures that almost killed them that he is expecting to enjoy inflicting it on someone else.
There is a cruel grin on his face for the first quarter minute. Then, when nothing happens it fades to confusion before finally turning to frustration.
He releases his concentration on the spell then waits another quarter minute for the creatures to disperse again, before turning to his companions.
"Something very strange is going on. They should have attacked anything living in there. Unless it is flying somehow and they couldn't reach it." He is clearly dismayed.
"Maybe Iradyiel has the right idea. We could just close the door. But there must be something of value down there. Folks don't hide chambers behind secret doors if they don't have something to hide."
"Perhaps and illusion? Something meant to scare away intruders?" Vedic posited.
Pious moves in behind Iradyiel, sword drawn and shedding it's flickering light.
"unto the darkness I strode but the light of the Lord was before me and it held me. For His is divine and true."
It seems that the fact that there is little darkness to stride is unimportant to Pious. He still carries his fist of dirt.
|
|
"They should be going about their lives again, Master Iradyiel. I have to focus to keep them together and I released them, but I will do what I can if they have not run off," Chest Thumper replies.
He gestures and hoots at Francis to follow Pious but keep a little distance. No need to bunch up when there might be something in there capable of striking several of them at once with fire or ice or lightning.
But the ape does not listen.
"Well, I'm going with them. Sit here and wait, if you want to."
The half-orc takes the spot a few feet behind Pious, his axe at the ready.
Rounding the corner, the party move up towards the shattered door at the end of the corridor. Beyond the door, silhouetted in the dim light beyond, they see something looming in the darkness: a statue perhaps, inside what appears to be a dimly-lit chapel or shrine.
Vedic, at the back, is trying to deal with an agitated Array. It seems to be trying to tell him something important:
From a distance of 15 feet away, you can see that the door is made of heavy stone and has been shattered from its hinges, lying at an angle in the doorframe. There’s no way to open it as such. You could attempt to either heave it out of the way or squeeze through the gap .
One other option would be to blast the door, but you might want to save that for the silent skeletal looming figure on the other side of the door. It is giant sized, and bearing armour; light shines off a green-coloured metallic breastplate.
Aza shivers at the sound of 12000 spider legs scuttling towards whatever had made the howling sound, but felt some comfort that Chest Thumper was controlling them. However, his report that they had not found anything was certainly less comforting. She leans heavily on her staff, taking a few halting steps forward to get into the hallway behind the group. Could it have possibly just been the wind? She sticks to the back of the hallway, the bulk of their frontliners not allowing her to see what was beyond the door...
"I'm not following. Spell it out in the dirt." Vedic said to Array.