Artemus notices that this isn't a normal basilisk, but one infused with diabolical blood. Thankfully, it is regular sized at least.
Init Order (bold = up)
Faeros
Artemus (standard action remaining)
Reptile
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
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[b]I am fine with moving in but my thought was to try to ID the creature type simply on the statues. I think I need a save save at +4, right? also what else to I know about basilisks in general and this one specifically? Do I know you can fix people with their blood? Do I know the range of their gaze? I note that the room is set up so that to see the creature you need to pretty much be within 30' Will decide what to do based on what I know. [/ooc]
Faeros, now aware from the others about the threat, prepares a blindfold to practice some blind archery.
Artemus waits, thinking of a strategy to deal with the trapped basilisk.
The devilish basilisk waits, pawing at the crystalline wall after noticing the party around the corner.
Init Order (bold = up)
Faeros (blindfolded)
Artemus
Reptile
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
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Art summons lantern archons using a 4th level summoning. The tiny archons swarm the earth bound creature, blasting it with their beams of force. After their summoning he moves back outside of the "viewing" area.
LG Small outsider (archon, extraplanar, good, lawful)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +4 Aura aura of menace (DC 13)
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 15 (+4 natural, +1 size; +2 deflect vs. evil)
hp 13 [17] (2d10+2) [2d10+6]
Fort +4 [+6], Ref +3, Will +0; +4 vs. poison, +2 resistance vs. evil
DR 10/evil; Immune electricity, petrification
OFFENSE
Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Ranged 2 light rays +3 ranged touch (1d6)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd):
At Will—aid, continual flame, detect evil, greater teleport (self plus 50 lbs. of objects only)
STATISTICS
Str 5 [5], Dex 11, Con 16 [16], Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 10
Base Atk +2; CMB -4 [-2]; CMD 6 [8]
Feats Improved Initiative
Skills Diplomacy +5, Fly +14, Knowledge (planes) +3, Perception +4, Sense Motive +5
Languages Celestial, Draconic, Infernal; truespeech
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Gestalt (Su)
Nine lantern archons can fuse together as a full-round action, becoming a single Large entity that is more powerful than the individual archons that make up its parts. Looking like a whirlwind of dancing firefly lights, the gestalt has all the powers and abilities of a Large air elemental plus the following: archon, good, and lawful subtypes; archon traits (aura of menace DC 16); 2 light rays (2d6); DR 5/evil and magic. The archons can remain in this form for 2d4 rounds. When the gestalt separates back into individual lantern archons, its remaining hit points are divided evenly among them; if it had less than 9 hit points, some of the component archons die when the gestalt ends.
Aura of Menace (Su)
Any hostile creature within a 20-foot radius of an archon must succeed on a Will save (DC 13) to resist its effects. The save DC is Charisma-based, and includes a +2 racial bonus. Those who fail take a –2 penalty on attacks, AC, and saves for 24 hours or until they successfully hit the archon that generated the aura. A creature that has resisted or broken the effect cannot be affected again by the same archon’s aura for 24 hours.
Light Ray (Ex)
A lantern archon can fire beams of light to damage foes. These light rays have a maximum range of 30 feet. This attack overcomes damage reduction of any type.
Augment Summoning: Items in brackets [] represent the spell being cast by a character with the Augment Summoning feat.
It takes less than half a minute for the archons to bring down the tainted basilisk with a barrage of holy light. Artemus hears, It is done. in his head, his newfound allies informing him of their success and thus safe passage into the rest of the room. It takes little time for Nilfyr's polearm to smash the crystalline barrier, allowing the archon's freedom.
The only thing of note inside are a pair of basins, one filled with food and the other with rare-cooked meat. Both of the basins radiate conjuration magic that Artemus surmises provides food and nourishment to the now slain basilisk.
Continuing further, there is a passage to the west that seems to go on and on for a while. The party notes it, but leaves it be for the time being
Pressing on, the party comes across the end point of the Spire fountain stream, the water disappearing into a deep cleft in the rock. The garden path crosses the stream via a small footbridge and continues to another cave mouth to the northeast of the group's position.
On the shore ahead, two shriveled drow warriors lie dead amid the weird foliage. They are still attired in dark mail and their weapons lie on the ground.
Nilfyr doesn't wait long as to make his point as the closest of the two corpses rises up as half-elf approaches!
Init Order (bold = up)
Faeros
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
Zombie
Artemus
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|
It takes less than half a minute for the archons to bring down the tainted basilisk with a barrage of holy light. Artemus hears, It is done. in his head, his newfound allies informing him of their success and thus safe passage into the rest of the room. It takes little time for Nilfyr's polearm to smash the crystalline barrier, allowing the archon's freedom.
The only thing of note inside are a pair of basins, one filled with food and the other with rare-cooked meat. Both of the basins radiate conjuration magic that Artemus surmises provides food and nourishment to the now slain basilisk.
Continuing further, there is a passage to the west that seems to go on and on for a while. The party notes it, but leaves it be for the time being
Pressing on, the party comes across the end point of the Spire fountain stream, the water disappearing into a deep cleft in the rock. The garden path crosses the stream via a small footbridge and continues to another cave mouth to the northeast of the group's position.
On the shore ahead, two shriveled drow warriors lie dead amid the weird foliage. They are still attired in dark mail and their weapons lie on the ground.
Faeroes fires an arrow at the zombie before it can get any closer to Nilfyr; his arrow shoots through the body, but instead of blood or bodily fluid, a stream of horrific bee-like creatures swarm out from the body, spilling over Nilfyr!
This unusual swarm is a family of hellwasps, intelligent vermin common in the depths of Hell. Their stings attack the joints and ligaments, causing horrific pain and limiting the victim's movements. Their small size makes swatting at them nearly pointless.
Hellwasps resist fire and require good-aligned strikes to fully harm them. Their most vile trait is that they can inhabit corpses or helpless victims, moving the body at its whim, effectively dominating the poor soul until the hellwasps eat the victim alive from the inside.
Init Order (bold = up)
Faeros
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
Swarm
Artemus
The bugs try to move through the wind, but Nilfyr's magic keeps them rebuffed. In response, the swarm of bees seem to form in the shape of a fist with a single finger extended upwards.
They then begin to burrow inside the other corpse which slowly begins to rise...
Init Order (bold = up)
Faeros
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
Swarm
Artemus
The lightning destroys the swarm's corpse shell, killing some of the bugs as well. However, with the windwall still in place and no other bodies to carry it across, the swarm is easy picking for the mephits' and archons' energy attacks. A dozen seconds later, the swarm is dispersed.
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The lightning destroys the swarm's corpse shell, killing some of the bugs as well. However, with the windwall still in place and no other bodies to carry it across, the swarm is easy picking for the mephits' and archons' energy attacks. A dozen seconds later, the swarm is dispersed.
"Let's check out the building!"
Thunderstealer will shape back to human and open the door.
Thunderstealer decides to be the big, beaming face of the party and opens the door!
Carved scenes of cavorting nymphs adorn the walls of this stately marble bathhouse. Three luxurious porcelain basins are embedded in the floor, each enameled with golden patterns of flowering vines. One tub is dry and empty, another filled with black sludge, and the last filled with softly steaming water.
In alcoves along the east and west walls, two-foot-tall stalagmites pierce the floor and radiate heat. There is a door in the north wall.
Two women sigh exasperatedly after the door opens; dressed in simple linens, the two both cry out, "Finally! We are saved!"
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Niflyr, who has over time become significantly less trusting of anything or anyone he finds here, does his best to judge the womens' intent. "Before you declare yourselves free and escape to the surface, could you explain to us how you got here, and what we're seeing in this room?" He indicates the tubs and stalagmites with his gaze.
The blonde woman steps closer to Nilfyr sighing in exasperation at his words. "We were taken, in the night from foul monsters to be used as playthings for...", she begins to tear up before continuing. "... a wizard named Nhur Athemon."
The other woman, a brunette, nods at the first's words. "Yes, we've been down here for three weeks, taken from the town of Thornkeep. I'm Nimmi and this is Tyala."
Tyala plops down on the ground, seemingly exhausted, as Nimmi continues. "The pool to my left is a bath. We were told to use it to keep ourselves... fresh... for whatever bastard Nhur has in mind."
"The other one has some sticky stuff that doesn't smell safe."
Tyala looks up at Nilfyr, pleading, "Please, you have to get us out of here!"
Nilfyr's casting magic causes the women to shriek as he starts his spell. Nimmi hides behind of the basins in a panic. Meanwhile, Tyala gets up in Nilfyr's face, slapping him in the face. "The f'ing hell! What are you trying to do to us, you bastard!", she shouts at Nilfyr.
Artemus then tries to calm them, checking their motives with questions, but Tyala answers his questions correctly, even though she has to think about it for a couple of them.
"I told you, he cast a spell on us that keeps us to this room unless physically carried out.", she sighs back at Nilfyr.
Lyr tells you in your head, Bad! They are bad, bad women!
As Artemus buffs himself, the two women sigh, demonic wings seemingly unfolding from their backs. "A shame, you will have to be made into playthings.", Tyala comments.
Init Order (bold =up)
Faeros
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
Nimmi
Tyala
Artemus (prot from evil)
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As the conversation develops Faeros monitors it for untruths and hidden agendas. .
Faeros, almost seeming unsurprised by this development, moves in front of Artemus before studying the blonde one and unleashing a single arrow.
(heroism, study, point blank, deadly)
What sort of creature of the abyss is this? He calls to Artemis before trying to recall for himself.
Upon seeing the wings and personalities of these foes, both Artemus and Faeros realize: succubi. While they aren't the most physically imposing, their natural compulsion skills and demonic resistances can take down the even the most mentally prepared foes. In particular, beware their embrace and gifts as they can drain the life force or personalities of their targets. As with most demons, cold iron or good weapons are required to fully harm them and lesser spellcasters will find it difficult to land magic against them.
Nilfyr's blade moves faster than the demon can react and she hits the ground hard, blackened blood spilling from a savage wound from his follow up.
Faeros follows up with a strike at the other one, striking her hard with an arrow that she pulls out with a flinch on her face.
Nimmi, panicked, moves her hands in an arcane pattern...
She then disappears from Nilfyr's sight
Unfortunately, he does not recognize this demonic magic.
Tyala then points the bloodied arrow back at Faeros. "I command to you turn your violent tendencies against your friends! I shall take care of you.", she shouts, Faeros feeling his head get heavy...
But strong is his faith and resolve, and he shrugs off the attempt to assault his mind.
A scowl appears on her face as she shouts, "Vixigoth, kill!" A gaunt, nearly skeletal figure rises from the black pool, the pungent tar dripping off its frame. Metal longspear in hand, it strikes at Nilfyr!
Nilfyr feels his body pushed, but his armor protects him from the surprise strike.
The acidic demon is a babau, a stealthy striker adept at aiming for weak spots. Their skin is highly caustic, harming those who strike it and even damaging weapons that strike it, too.
Init Order (bold =up)
Faeros
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
Nimmi (48 damage, ???)
Tyala (9 damage)
Acidic demon
Artemus (prot from evil)
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[b] Demons, and more demons! May judgement descend onto all of you![b]
Faeros calls a [i]Bane[i] against evil outsiders and unleashes a volley into his same target, switching if it is destroyed.
(same as before + bane and rapid. If he has to change targets from the studied one, decrease attack and damage by 2)
Faeros' battlecry is the lead to a trio of arrows that strike the demon's dual hearts spot on. She falls down lifeless.
Artemus calls in the archons to fire their light beams at the prone Vixigoth!
The flurry of light beams pierce the mud, leaving it silent in the angels' assault.
Init Order (bold =up)
Faeros (bane outsider)
Nilfyr
Thunderstealer
Nimmi (48 damage, ???)
Artemus (prot from evil)