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Chest Thumper waits a moment after Iradyiel forces the door open a bit more, impressed, not for the first time, by the half-elf's strength.
He gestures and hoots insistently toward Francis to get the ape to join them. He'll follow Iradyiel or Pious into the room and try to get Francis to come, too.
He has no more success in getting the ape to do what he wants than he did last time.
"You are a stubborn, stubborn <growlsnort>," he says to his brother, the insult untranslatable.
The cyclops skeleton paces aggressively on the other side of the door, swinging its huge taloned hands in impotent anger. It appears to be unable or unwilling to interefere with Iradyiel as he gradually attains some purchase on the huge stone door. Twisting, heaving, he topples it over, and it crashes to the ground splitting into three chunks in the process. As the terrific crash reverberates in the enclosed space underground, the party are able to make out more of what lies ahead.
A giant skeletal cyclops (this is what Array was trying to convey - one eye not two) stands guard in the center of what appears to be a shrine or chapel to some long-forgotten cyclopean god. Heavy dust lies on all surfaces, barring a gust of dust raise into the ir by the fall of the stone door. Stone tablets the size of tabletops line the basalt walls, each engraved with meticulous script. The room in partially illuminated by the flickering light of two small glowing points orbiting a large stone statue at the far end of the shrine, of an imposing single-eyed giantess.
"Ioun torches. They are not dangerous." Vedic said, with a gesture toward the orbiting lights.
The cyclops paces angrily in the chapel, awaiting your next move...
"Give me a bit." Vedic said. Array came back, Vedic cast Light on it, and sent Array back down to illuminate the cyclops skeleton.
He watched it seethe for more than a minute.
The undead creature is not something you recognise from your studies: it appears to be no more potent than a normal skeleton, but its Cyclopean heritage and immense age may have given it unique capabilities. Certainly, it appears to be unintelligent, and bound in its behavior to act within certain limitations. It has not (for example) attacked you yet, despite your breaching the secret corridor and pushing open the chapel door..
"It seems to be unintelligent. It is odd, certainly, but I do not think it has the capacity for advanced thought, such as planning, recognizing us once we leave it's sight, or anything else beyond the purpose it was animated for."
"We could rest nearby with little danger."
'That room is too interesting not to at least check out.' Looking from Vedic to the others. "I understand the need to replenish spells. We could rest in the other room. but do we take the time?"
He Gestures toward Achahut, "We're supposed to be going back to town, then hunting the Lizard Folk. Can that wait while we explore?"
He shifts from foot to foot, trying to not show his excitement. Pointing toward the skeleton. "That temple in there, or whatever it is, is the type of find that would guarantee my acceptance into the Pathfinders, who knows they may even...." He looks expectantly to each of his friends.
The cyclops skeleton paces angrily in the chapel, awaiting your next move.
Watching it now for a short time you note its movements are repetitive and its angrily glowing red eyes seem to lose some of their threat as you realise this has no inherent intellect of its own. It is a remnant, a relic from a covilisation long lost to the mists of time.
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"The fight with that...whatever it was up there has left us all tired, I'm sure and I suspect we are poorly prepared to face this thing. My most powerful spell had no effect on it and I assume the same is true of Vedic and Array since they are not blasting this thing with cold," Chest Thumper says.
He watches the thing warily. "I can't say I'm looking forward to sleeping anywhere near that thing, but I think that getting a good night's rest and properly preparing to face it may be our best idea. Nature hates these abominations and it will take little effort for me to harness its power to help deal with it once I've been able to attune myself again."
"But, as much of a hurry as we are in, I don't think we can ignore the significance of this place. Even beyond the value of just finding it, it may have more information about the temple that we're going to. We're going to need to be as prepared as possible when we get there."
Assuming no one objects or argues the point, Chest Thumper will head back down the tunnel. He stops reluctantly in the underground chamber. The open sky and more distance from the cyclopean abomination are quite inviting but he has had enough of being exposed to rain and more threats.
"I have a strong suspicion that it will be unaffected by any kind of cold energy." Vedic said. "That is a common trait among skeletal creatures."
Following Chest Thumper back down the tunnel, Iradyiel, adds, "We should still set our regular watch, I don't want surprised by anymore of those Chest-monsters." He then throws himself on his bedroll and is fast asleep.
The Papaya Knights retreat from the shrine, down the corridor and through the secret door. Closing it beehind themselves, they head back into the tower's basement to rest and recuperate from their wounds. Their rest is fitful and disturbed; several times each is woken by imagined noises in the night, either the noise of the seawater swelling and falling in the tunnel to the north, the skittering of small insects in the darkness, or a more nightmarish threat of being suddenly woken by heavy rending blows from a giant one-eyed cyclops.
In the event the night passes without event - though the morning allows Francis to discover the source of the skittering noises. From a passageway into the rock to the east, a host of small baby-mimics has emerged. No larger than a child's fist in size and a pasty yellowy-brown in colour, maybe a score of more have spread from an egg sac in that cave's wall and scattered across the main basement walls and ceiling. Some of them have already made their way into the watery tunnel to the sea. None are harmful although one drops ambitiously onto Francis from the roof before being brushed away, and another has digested a small hole in Pious's coat. A third causes some hilarity when discovered 'hiding' disguised as a perfect, albeit miniature, copy of Aza' left boot.
In the morning, once fed, prepared and readied, they return to the chapel. At the sound of there advance, the skeleton returns to his watchful patrol, sweeping angry glowing eyes across their number, almost daring them to enter the hallowed room...
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Chest Thumper starts at almost every noise, paranoid about the threat they've left down the tunnel. Francis never saw the skeleton so he is unafraid and sleeps more soundly, which comforts Chest Thumper and he is able to settle down, eventually.
There is something...cute about the mini-mimics, despite the fact he knows they will all grow up to be strange, savage predators. But there is important work to be done so he pays them little mind.
Francis does not like small things, any more, particularly ones with teeth and flicks the one on him away with a hoot of dismay and probably a little too much force.
Chest Thumper goes back to the surface to re-connect with nature, watching the sun as it gets further and further above the canopy of the jungle. He also spends some time feeling the tide below and, studies and gathers several rocks, unusual for him.
When he has renewed his magic, he joins the rest at the doors once more.
"Tell me when you are ready. I need a few seconds to prepare I have something to help you, Master Iradyiel," he says.
Aza's sleep is somewhat restless - even with some certainty that the skeleton wouldn't leave its chamber and assault them, it was still unnerving to have it stamping around like an angry lizard in an invisible terrarium. The next morning's vaudeville routine with the small mimics did little to calm her nerves, but when she was able to laugh, she did feel some of the shadows shake off from her psyche, tripping over herself in an attempt to pull the mimic off of her foot as it attempted to bite it off with underdeveloped teeth.
With the rest and preparation, she felt much more confident in the upcoming combat. With a breath, she renewed her air barrier and stood behind the rest. There was little in way of spells she could cast at this creature, especially with her more powerful abilities affecting an area, but she could at least give her team's attacks an edge. "I'm r-ready," she mutters, getting prepared to cast a blessing on her allies alongside Chest Thumper's spells.
"I recommend we soften it up with ranged attacks to start and let it come to us. Once it closes, our close range fighters converge."
Vedic held out a bandoleer of tanglefoot bags and alchemist fire for whoever wanted one.
Go go go - let's not delay.
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Once everyone seems ready, Chest Thumper takes his position at the front of the lines, with Francis toward the back, though those spots may flip once the skeleton comes charging at them.
He also hands Aza one of the stones that he's enchanted. "It should do more damage than it seems," he says.
As though to prove his point, he pivots and flings one of the remaining stones at the skeleton pacing like a tiger in a cage.
Aza gingerly hefts the stone in her withered hand (already feeling clumsy with her damaged nerve endings), but, feeling the magic power present in it, she gives it a whirl, hurling it forward at the massive creature.
"I am sensing fate her my friends, God calls to me and this place is special. all men have their place, and I. Their place is written their name I will buy you some time, use it wisely, you are watched by divinity. You walk with me always, in His footsteps."
With that Pious make a slow and respectful swordsman's salute at the gathered party, turns, and charges headlong at the monster, chanting Aroden's blessings as he does so, channelling his God's fury into the abomination with little heed to his own welfare.
After a very restless night, Iradyiel avoids the small creatures, still surly about the whipping their mother gave him the day before. When he notices Chest Thumper picking up stones, he readies his sling and bag of lead bullets; agreeing with Vedics plan. "Ranged attacks is a good idea Master Vedic."
When they are near the door, he nods in agreement with Aza, turning to Chest Thumper, "I am ready too."
I never totally understand what Master Shephard is trying to say, I like his salute it's very … OH NO!" Attempting to discern Pious' prayer, he smiles at the salute, but almost drops his sling and club as the swordsman charges the monster. Looking from Chest Thumper to Vedic, He looses the lead ball from his sling.
Vedic stared, flat and expressionless as Pious charged forward in exactly the way Vedic had just asked the group not to.
He waved a tossed a handful of sand in the air and called down a rain of boulders, hoping that it wouldn't hit Pious, but figuring that if it did the zealot had no one to blame but himself.
Array, having nothing else to do, hovered near Chest Thumper and waited for a chance to help.
It seems odd, surreal even, to be facing such a terrifying foe pacing back and forth, glaring at them with its one red glowing eye, and to be plotting its destruction out loud in front it. Yet that is what they do, and on a synchronised ”1, 2, 3 !” a salvo of missiles are let fly at the cyclops. Iradyiel and CT’s stone miss or make no impact on the armoured monstrosity. Aza’s, much to her surprise, impacts heavily direct on the forehead, fracturing the skull with a mighty impact, and spitting stone fragments to both sides.
Which is when, as has happened before, Pious sends the plan awry. With a shout of righteous fury, he charges directly into melee, dodges a sweeping rake from the skeleton's fist as he closes and then Vedic’s arcane powers pepper the room with stones from above. Pious almost disappears in the hail of bludgeoning debris, yet emerges bloodied but still standing, swinging wildly at his foe and hammering its ribcage with a crashing blow. Blind to the damage it has taken, the enormous cyclops hammers into the lone warrior, pummelling him once, then twice with its heavy fists. Staggered by the first, he is caught off guard by the second - there is a sickening crack! as it connects. To the hooror of the Papaya Knights behind him, the mad inquisitor instantly folds and topples to the ground amidst the rubble.
Achahut starts into action, a roar of lizard battle fury in her throat, and a returned glint of suicidal zeal in her eyes - she too charges into the room!
Surprise round
Aza hits, CT and Iradyiel miss. Vedic casts Stone Call, Pious throws himself into danger, again.
Round 1
Monster: claws x 2, downs Pious
Francis: ???
Iradyiel: ???
Pious: ???
Aza: ???
CT: ???
Vedic: ???
Achahut: CHARGE!
The Last Keeper = 5 + 11 + 9 = 25
'No. No. No, that was not supposed to happen.' Horrified that Pious has charged forward, paying the price for his hubris. Iradyiel loads his sling and fires again. Hoping that Achuhut does not pay the same price. Once he fires, he asks, "Master Thumper, Are we moving back so it's long reach cannot attack us as we continue with our ranged attack? Or are we moving in and attacking with clubs?"
Vedic made another gesture. A gaping pit opened beneath he giant's feet.
Aza holds back a gasp as Pious rushes in, and despite his display of skill, is still swatted aside by the creature. With Achahut following, it takes Aza a good second to try and hold herself back from doing the same. She had to help, but she doubted she could do much from out here. Growling, she waits to see if Vedic's pit will take hold of the beast. If so, that could give her enough time to heal her allies...
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"This is my last stone, Master Iradyiel," Chest Thumper answers regretfully, showing it to his companion. "But we should see what else Master Vedic has up his sleeve before we follow Master Pious and Lady Achahut's example."
He also waits to see if the skeleton is going to fall into the pit, the tottering creature too unsteady a target for him to hit at the moment.
He frowns as well, as shocked as the rest at Pious' behavior. The man is brash, no doubt but this feels different. Almost as though whatever spirit, whether it be Aroden, some devil, spirit or even just his own delusion, has told him that this is the place of his final sacrifice.
It feels like a waste to not plow in while the skeleton is distracted by that charge but Vedic is right, rushing in is not always the best course and much better to control the battlefield when you can.
"If Achahut falls, though, Francis and I are going to help her. Pious has rushed to his fate for his own reasons which we will likely never understand but she is simply fighting the best way she knows how."
The party holds its collective breath (except Pious, who is breathing his last, and Achuhut, who is yelling fiercely) as Vedic's spell creates a yawning chasm at the cyclops' feet. It slips, performs a comedy cartoon scrabbly-feet dance on the edge, and crashes down ! A clattering thimp echoes upward from the hole; enough to cause Achahut, briming with bravado, to slow hercharge to a more cautious approach across the boulder-littered floor to the sloping edge. She turns, unable to approach closer, and looks quizzically at the others: "What now?"
Round 1
Monster: claws x 2, downs Pious
Iradyiel: sling shot, karooms off the skeleton’s armour
Pious: CON save to stabilise…
Vedic: Create Pit
Aza: ???
CT: ???
Francis: ???
Achahut: attempted CHARGE thwarted by terrain and pit…
The Last Keeper = 5 + 11 + 9 = 27
Vedic was still holding his bandoleer full of alchemical bombs. He gave it a small shake to remind everyone near him that he had it. "Fire," he said simply.
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Chest Thumper nods at Vedic's words but speaks to Iradyiel. "As we knew he would, Master Iradyiel, Master Vedic has a plan," he comments.
He has the stone in hand and, now that the skeleton has fallen into the pit, he flings the last of the stones that he's enchanted at it, hoping that he gets as good a result as Aza did.
The corded muscles in Chest Thumper’s arms wind up then release as he hurls the enchanted rock at the Cyclops with lethal speed. Even with the partial cover provided by the pit, the rock connects heavily with its chest, shattering bone before ricocheting upward onto its cranium, eliciting a comedy ringing bell-like noise on impact.
In return, the Skeleton sweeps up several of the rocks summoned by Vedic’s ‘Stone Call’ spell, and hurls one back at the party, targeting the half elf barbarian. Clearly this was not something Iradyiel expected - the rock, a chunk of basalt as large as his head, catches him square in the midriff almost knocking him to the floor.
Round 1
The Last Keeper: claws x 2, downs Pious
Iradyiel: sling shot, karooms off the skeleton’s armour
Pious: CON save…
Vedic: Create Pit
Aza: ???
CT: Stoning
Francis: waits
Achahut: attempted CHARGE thwarted by terrain and pit…javelin throw
Round 2
The Last Keeper: I can do rock-hurling, too… CRIT !
Iradyiel: ???
Vedic: ???
Aza: ???
CT: ???
Francis: ???
Achahut: ???
The Last Keeper = 5 + 11 + 9 + 9 = 34
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Chest Thumper reflexively flinches away from the rock as it comes hurtling toward him. He is relieved when it doesn't hit him. Less so when it plows into Iradyiel.
"Monkey flanker," he mutters, his jaw dropping in shock.
"If this thing can hit us at a distance we can do more damage up close. Lady Aza, keep Iradyiel in the fight! Francis and I will do what we can!"
He hoots, grunts and growls at his brother, gesturing toward the giant skeleton.
Francis actually listens to him for once. He comes into the hallway and starts toward the skeleton though does not get past the front line fighters.
Even as his brother is moving forward, Chest Thumper concentrates on a force of nature he rarely taps into. He stares at his open palm for a few moments, muttering to himself, or the spirit of the world and waving his other hand over with strange gestures of his fingers.
Abruptly, a tiny flame forms and he closes his hand on it.
Rather than extinguishing the fire, though, that seems to make it grow and it bursts free of his fist, forming a long, curved blade of fire.
"Uooffff." Grunting as the boulder hits him in the sternum, knocking him almost to the ground. 'Blast, that must have broke ribs, I hope I'm not bleeding inside.' Iradyiel stumbling, regains his feet. Blood trickling from his mouth, he reloads his sling, swirling it over his head, he releases the lead ball at the pitted skeleton. His timing off from the injury he arches the lead ball over the things head.
"Throw. The. Fire." Vedic said sharply when Chest Thumper ran forward and Iradyiel resorted to a sling. "Skeletons do not care about sling bullets."
Vedic was still holding his bandoleer full of alchemical bombs. He gave it a small shake to remind everyone near him that he had it. "Fire," he said simply.
"Throw. The. Fire." Vedic said sharply when Chest Thumper ran forward and Iradyiel resorted to a sling. "Skeletons do not care about sling bullets."
"I-I've got my own," Aza mutters in response, rushing forward with soothing light glowing in her palms. She moves behind Iradyiel, touching his back and sending a splash of positive energy his way.
The Papaya Knights continue to rain missiles ineffectively at the skeleton in the pit, despite Vedic’s ill-explained shouting from 20’ back up the corridor to “Use the fire!”. In return they receive another powerfully-propelled hunk of rock; this time it hits Achahut as she aims a javelin. The blow knocks the weapon away and catches her a glancing blow to the bony.
After this, the creature attempts to climb out from the hole, heaving itself up and out of the shaft but failing to progress all the way out.
Round 2
The Last Keeper: I can do rock-hurling, too… CRIT !
Iradyiel: sling - miss
Vedic: ???
Aza: CLW
CT: casting…
Francis: double move up
Achahut: hurls javelin
Round 3
The Last Keeper: rock-hurling again – loving this !
Iradyiel: ???
Vedic: ???
Aza: ???
CT: ???
Francis: ???
Achahut: ???
The Last Keeper = 5 + 11 + 9 + 9 = 34
Achahut = 7
"Hey, the skeleton is trying to climb out." Seeing the skeleton trying to climb out, Iradyiel loads his sling and fires again.