Faeros regonizes the hate-filled eyes belong to that of a wight whose deadly slams can drain the life force from those it hits.
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Unsure of what the creature is exactly but recognizing the family name Artemus steps back and expends two of his remaining arcane points to summon an earth elemental that immediately attacks.
N Small outsider (earth, elemental, extraplanar)
Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +4
Defense
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (–1 Dex, +7 natural, +1 size)
hp 17 (2d10+2)
Fort +6, Ref –1, Will +3
Immune elemental traits
Offense
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., earth glide
Melee slam +8 (1d6+6)
Special Attacks earth mastery
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 8, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 11
Base Atk +2; CMB +6; CMD 16
Feats Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
Skills Appraise +1, Climb +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +1, Knowledge (planes) +1, Perception +4, Stealth +7
Arrow and slam strikes the undead creature. It immediately swings at the large man next to him!
Thunderstealer feels a bit weaker as he feels negative energy fill his body.
"Yessss.", it hisses with glee.
Init Order (bold = up!)
Faeros
Artemus
Kalast Tynal - wight (17 damage)
Thunderstealer/Belcher
Nilfyr
for
for
for
And Belcher destroys the the wight in a flurry of bites and claws!
On the wight's body is a single gold chestplate. Nothing else of value remains in the tomb.
The party returns topside, doing their usual business of informing the Hellknights of their actions. While there were few things of historic interest outside of the old notes and history books, Lady Commander Druva is pleased with your success against the bandits. "So they were hiding within the Spire... interesting. No wonder we could not root out their lair. You have done the Fort a great service ending their attacks; the brands you mentioned will be useful in identifying them so they can face our crimes, although I would have preferred them returned here.", she sighs. "Nonetheless, there was a bounty on these Splinter bandits and you will be rewarded as such."
Profiting from their bandit hunt, Artemus purchases a rod from the local Signifier while the others make preparations and rest up for their next foray into the ever deepening dungeon.
It is eerily quiet as the group makes their way back to Splinterden, but the stairs near the core show no sign of activity in the two days you rested before heading back inside. Ready for the next floor, the party begins their descent...
An acrid nauseating reek fills the air at the bottom of the stairs - a musky reptilian stench. Everyone by Nilfyr takes it in stride, but the half-elf feels his stomach gurgling as smell sickens him. Approaching the bottom, the stairs descend to a small chamber of smooth, hewn stone lit by dim greenish light from two strange, torchlike devices on the walls. A metal door with a simple latch mechanism glows with a dim green light in the middle of the northwall. The walls and the ceiling are decorated with drawings and writings in bright colors. The depictions are abstract but somehow alien and disturbing.
Before the party can look around much more, a reptilian humanoid with mottled skin greets the party in Common after a simple bow. "We welcome you to Godhome. You wish to make sacrifice now, or visit? Take holy grub maybe?"
This is a troglodyte, typically territorial reptilian humanoids. They typically speak Draconic, and can attack with tooth and claw. They also emit a horrible odor that sickens
"I am Slaagh, greeter to those who come from the upper reaches.", the creature almost hacking slightly as it finishes its name. "This area is aptly named for our great lord, the Godbox, for it resides in this places and takes care of us all. For sacrifices, you will have to seek our great lord and offer it some metal, an suitable amount for each person or creature. Your sacrifice will allow you access to the tunnels below. For our grub, we have plenty to share if you wish to dine with us as long as you act with kind intent."
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Ah Slaagh, I am Artemus. It is a pleasure to meet such a well mannered troglodyte such as yourself. You must tell are there others of your kind here and are they as well mannered as you? And can you tell us where beyond the door the Godbox resides so that we might seek him and consider sacrifices. Oh, and can you tell us which metals it prefers?
"Yes, there are two tribes of us here; we share shifts with the resources our Godbox provides and otherwise live in peace. I can escort you to the Godbox if you wish to make your sacrifice. It prefers metals that it finds 'attractive', but any will do if it's a large enough weight.", Slaagh pointing to Nilfyr's polearm as a prime example.
"Very well, if that is your desire, then I will wait here."
Sounds like a fair price; could include a crowbar and a brass candleholder.
Nilfyr and Thunderstealer wait while Faeros and Artemus retrieve some spare metal. About half an hour later, their Pathfinder allies return with their loot. Nilfyr finally adjusts to the reptilian smell, his stomach now under control.
"Are you ready to make your offerings? If these two wish not to sacrifice, you can do so in their stead. I will escort you now.", Slaagh opening the door and letting the party enter.
Two light-sticks are mounted on the walls of this chamber, and every surface is adorned with crudely rendered paintings. Passages lead north and east. A short corridor in the north wall leads to a larger room. In the middle of the south wall, there is a large door made of a copper-colored metal. It glows like the light-sticks.
He then takes the party to another room that contains a large stone vat in the middle of the eastern wall. It seems to be filled with a pasty, pink substance. Just north of the tub, a tall door made of lustrous, coppery metal leads east, and passages exit the chamber to the north and south. Three torchlike devices in the wall glow with a soft green light, as does the metal door.
Two other reptilian humanoids are touching up a wall painting. They look at the party, but seeing Slaagh, they otherwise ignore them.
"This is a gift from the Godbox, a delicious, food supply it grants us daily. With this, we have no need to hunt or kill for food." His clawed hand is outstretched towards the pasty pink substance in the vat, offering everyone some of it.
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Artemus casts Detect Magic before even entering the complex and examine different areas for arcane signatures as they pass. He takes an interest in the lights and lingers a moment at one, concentrating on it.
Lekewise at the vat of pink "food" Artemus studies it rather than eats it.
No I am not hungry at the moment and food should only be eaten when you are hungry. he says as he turns down the food, at least for now. What would be nice is a tour of your home on the way to see this godbox. Could you show us around to the different areas before we go and see this deity?
Slaagh raises an eyelid at Artemus' interest in the troglodytes, but accommodates his request. "Very well. This way we shall go."
Slaagh first takes the party north, to the living quarters of his northern clan. "This is where we rest and sleep." He points over to the fart northwestern most room. "That is where we drop our waste; the Godbox will not clean our refuse and thus we have learned to do so ourselves. The horrible odor coming from the chamber tells that while they may use latrines, the latrines do need to be cleaned every once in a while.
As you pass through the warrens, the party sees a pair of troglodytes around a female clad in some clothing and a ceremonial headdress. [b]"This is our priestess, Savisk. She directs our life with the Godbox." She looks at you, nods at Slaagh's comment, but otherwise ignores the party.
A bit further on, the party reaches a chamber that reeks of troglodytes and is cluttered with knickknacks and trash, including scraps of armor, tattered cloaks, worn-out boots, odd lengths of rope, and more. The walls and ceiling are covered with blue paintings and writing, and embers glow in a simple fire pit. A pair of troglodytes work near the fire, using broken daggers to slice two suits of leather armor into usable bindings.
The tour continues down an east-west hallway; Slaagh points out a room that bears a stone tub filled with crisp, cool water. A door made of copper-colored metal stands at its west wall. Three troglodytes are drinking the water, making strange hissing sounds as they do so.
Slaagh ends by taking the party to a room illuminated by two of the light-sticks the party has seen. To the north is a large door of a strange copper alloy which glows much like the light-sticks. The walls and ceiling are covered with indescribable troglodyte scrawling and paintings. In the northeast corner stands a tall cylindrical bell, made from the same alloy as the door. "Beyond that door is the exit from Godhome, but you must make a sacrifice before Godbox will open it."
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Art asks Slaagh about the armor the workers are cutting up. That is a good use for old armor Slaagh, but I wonder where do you get such things? Does the Godbox provide it as well?
He is also curious about the light sticks and will examine one. And all through the tour his Detect Magic has been active. Has he noted anything with a magical aura?
[ooc]I think it would be evil just to star
The only magic you've come across was on the priestess; she had a pair of magical items on her, boots and a vial.
"Those are provided by humans who foolishly try to harm Godbox."
"No, the Godbox does not attack others. It can direct others to do its bidding, though, if it must defend itself."
Slaagh nods before taking the party across the corner into a central room.
A hexagonal, metallic structure about ten feet wide and almost twenty-five feet tall looms in the center of this high-ceilinged room, emanating a greenish-white light. All kinds of gears and armaments are stuck to its silvery sides, including dozens of weapons, shields, and pieces of armor, as well as lanterns, buckles, and tools. To the north and south of the object stand two large stone statues, each depicting a troglodyte with its arms upraised in adulation. Four copper-colored metal doors lead out of this chamber, one from each corner of the room.
Everyone but Artemus notice that a strange force is tugging at their weapons and/or armor. Nilfyr feels that if he got any closer his gear may start going towards the large structure in the center.
"Oh great Godbox, these four travelers and their pet wish to make a sacrifice to you." While there is no response from the large object, Slaagh turns to the party with an announcement. "Please toss your offerings towards the floor near the great Godbox. Once enough of a sacrifice is given, then its sound will chime with appeasement and entry to realm below will be yours."
As Faeros gathers his brass and bronze items, he realizes that the pull affecting his arrow tips and blade is not reacting to the brass and bronze.
@Artemus: There are 5 magical auras coming from various items attached to the Godbox; however you can only see two of them, a +1 greatsword and a +1 heavy steel shield.
The 'Godbox' has several panels on it that look like empty inserts, something that could conceivably be placed in the slot.
The effect that is occurring seems to be some powerful super-magnetism and technological in nature. Only ferrous materials will react.
The few doors you've seen on this floor are made out of the same material as the Godbox.