As the birds swarm around her Natasha swats them away keeping them from her face.
Droguk attempts to shoo away the annoying birds...
and manages to do enough to avoid him losing sight of the woman. Droguk moves out of the swarm, heading straight for the blue skinned woman with his sword in hand.
LOL nvm ^^
Natasza shields her eyes while walking forward, away from the birds.
"Tough, squish as many as possible!" she says while taking her spear and yelling at the woman.
"Stay away from me, you @@@@. If you come closer, I'll gut you like an ice fish!"
Kobad sends a sphere of flame streaking across the room where it hits the white haired woman. She cries out in pain as it burns her skin. Distracted by the fire she has no warning of doom descending upon her as Droguk rushes up and buries his great sword in her. She falls to the ground without a sound.
Back in the swarm of ravens Tough flails about striking one bird after another. When their mistress falls their thick mass begins to separate until it loses cohesion altogether. The birds circle about the room and begin flying out the windows. In a moment they are gone.
As the blue woman falls, Droguk looks up and moves toward the mirror. As he does, "One of you check the woman for anything of use," he says as he forces his blade down upon the mirror, bringing another loud crash within the tower. Making his way back across the room, he looks at the three doors a moment. Shaking his head, "How this place makes me hate doors." Taking a deep breath, "Let us try this one."
Cyrus blinks a couple of times as Droguk charges past him and drops the woman. "Well. OK then." he says simply, then proceeds to search the woman.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Searching the womans still warm corpse you find,
A scroll
Leather armor
lt wooden shield
dagger
a shortspear of masterwork quality
A small key that appears made of ice
A wooden holy symbol depicting a trident
A silver necklace with a star-shaped ice diamond worth 500gp
84 gp
Opening the northeastern door you find an angular room filled with dozens of stacked crates. Several miniature dollhouses stand atop high shelves.
Curious, Droguk busts open the nearest crate to see what is inside.
The dry wood of the crate splits easily spilling corn and other feed upon the floor.
Staring at the food a moment, he turns and steps back out - shutting the door. "Nothing of use. Only food and tiny homes that seem to be built for a child." He looks to the other door across the way and moves to it, opening it.
As Droguk leaves the room Natasha steps in and gives it a look over detecting any magical presense in the room. Also wondering to herself if the doll houses have any purpose.
When you open the second door you find another angular room. This one is furnished with two bookshelves, a chest and a comfortable looking bed heaped with blankets. A mobile of ice crystals carved to resemble birds hangs from the ceiling glinting in the light from frost-covered windows.
Seeing the chest, Cyrus gives a low grunt. "Someone should really get some training in picking locks with actual lockpicks...not greataxes." the ranger remarks. Knowing there's little point in putting it off, he moves ahead of the others and, just for giggles, tests to see if it is even locked in the first place.
Happily Cyrus finds the chest unlocked. Unfortunately however you find that it contains only womens clothing and other common sundries.
"Hmm. Well that was kind of anti-climactic, wasn't it? At least it means we don't have anything new to carry around. Still...seems strange that she wouldn't have some secret store or something..." he says aloud, checking the bottom of the chest for a false bottom or something before searching the rest of the room.
Cyrus releases a frustrated sigh. "Sheesh...I need a break from this. I'm getting paranoid." he says as he shuts the chest, not bothering to put any of the garments back into it.
"Unless someone else wants a look around, I say we keep on rollin'. This seems like some kind of aviary, which I suspect means we're at the top of the tower. We only have one floor we haven't tried yet...and I suspect the last portal, the western one, will take us there."
Droguk nods to the ranger. "To the last portal then." He then moves back onto the previous portal.
The newest ice-key in hand, Cyrus leads them back to the previous room with the three portal entries, taking a deep breath as he looks at the arch, then back to the others. "They might be waiting for us on the other side. Be ready. I'm sure they've saved the best for last." he warns, and holding his falchion in his primary hand alone for the moment, he waits until everyone is squeezed into the archway before attempting to activate it.
"I have one more spell that will harden your skin and make it less susceptible to blows penetrating it.. Who would like to receive it, since Tough seems more inclined to protect me now that I am weaker."
"You take it, Droguk. Given your size, you're more likely to draw attention to yourself as a target than I am."
Natasza walks up to Droguk, and examines his body for a good place to let nature's blessing fill his body. She looks and finds a very old scar, and feels it resist her touch more than the flesh around it.
"Scarred One, you will feel less, like this here, but you will not become impervious. Be careful..."
Natasza thinks about her words, and adds: "Or kill them quickly enough." after thinking about the big man's rage.
The rest of you.. I have a spell that will cause vines to creep up and entangle anyone in the area. I use it to slow down my prey when I feel the need to hunt, but I have little knowledge when to use it on people. If you desire it, let me know and I will place it somewhere useful.
Be wary though, the vines know no difference between friend and foe, and it might slow you down as much as our adversaries."[/b]
"There isn't any telling what we are going to face on the third floor of the tower. I would say to target archers to begin with; if they are less able to use their bows it will free us to attack others in the room. Assuming Nazhena is our enemy, I would say avoid targeting her. If Nazhena isn't there, whoever the strongest person in the room is...do not target them with it. If you do, when Droguk and I move in, we will be entangled with them and that will possibly do more harm than good."
Natasha pulls down one of the houses and checks what is inside before following after the others.
+1 jeweled silver dagger whose handle resembles the head of a blue eyed wolf
A jade bracelet of Tian sovereign dragon (worth 175gp)
A pair of porcelain dolls (worth 40gp each)
A silver medallion decorated with sapphires (worth 100gp)
A gold signet ring K:History DC 18 (with the signet of the Jadwiga Tashanna dating back to the Witchwar 500 years ago) (worth 250gp
Three blue quartz crystals (worth 100gp each)
After looking through the doll house and placing it back on the shelf Natasha joins the others. Still attempting to build trust she holds out the items to the others "There was some hidden treasure you missed. We'll sort it later, let's move on with your plan."
"Huh. Well how 'bout that. I was right after all...just didn't know where to look. Thanks, Natasha. You're right; we'll sort it after this is over. Everybody ready to go?"
You make your way back down, a shiver running down your spines as you once again submit to the ice teleporter. With purpose you return to the alcove that failed to activate earlier and once again cram yourselves within. This time when Cyrus enters the now familiar feel of ice covering you does come and you are whisked to a new location.
When your vision clears you see a large room with a translucent image of a globe hanging suspended in midair, slowly rotating in place above a summoning circle.Lines of arcane energy glow across the globe's surface, faintly humming with power as they connect multiple endpoints in a radiant glow bright enough to illuminate the domed ceiling overhead. Many tables and shelves covered in books, maps and large scrolls line the room's circular walls and a large ornate mirror hangs between two open windows to the west. Twin ice sculptures of demonic fiends flank a bubbling cauldron in an archway leading into a deep alcove in the southern wall.
Near the cauldron stands a bearded man in fine fur lined robes. He looks at you, unsurprised at your appearance. "Fools" is all he says before spitting out arcane words. The cauldron bubbles and churns sending splashes of water flying to strike the ground.
Meanwhile to suddenly become aware of the white and black goat near the man when it bleats a challenge and charges Cyrus.
The attack lands true when the beast buries a horn in the rangers leg.
Nadya wastes no time. Springing free of the alcove she nocks an arrow and lets it fly at the man.
The shaft strikes him solidly but he ignores the pain and continues to chant.
The barbarian remains still as the gnome works her protective magic. He nods in thanks as they ready to use the next portal.
"AAh!! Damn goat!! Cyrus curses, but he maintains his mind enough to know that this animal is not the biggest threat in the room. Ignoring it and taking any further headbutt it may give, he darts past the animal, heading straight for the bearded man, his falchion raised above his head as he tries to strike at his foe before he has a chance to finish his chanting.
"What..." Natasza says, without quite knowing something is afoot. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up, and she had this feeling she was missing something.
Cyrus attempts to move past the feisty animal but it seems too stubborn to let him go and tries to butt him in the legs.
Cyrus easily manages to dodge the blow however which sends the goat itself down to the ground.
Natasza steps past the goat, her brand new spear in hand.
She had half a mind to calm the goat down, but Tough would not have it.
The mighty beast steps up, and gores the goat to his tusks before using his weight to slam it down into the ground.
He hoots, and the small gnome is quiet for a second while her spear falls to the ground.
Then she realises there is danger ahead, and she readies to throw a pebble at the enemy, waiting for the right time.
Cyrus swings as he dodges leaving a deep wound across the animals back. Not stopping his movement he continues forward and strikes the bearded man.
The power of the blow grievously injures the man and he can't help but lose focus on his spell casting. He recovers quickly however and, stepping back a bit, raises his arms and takes to the air rising twenty feet up.
Back at the alcove Tough gives the downed animal no chance to rise when he charges forward. In the wake of his brutal attacks the goat lays dead on the floor.
Natasha quickly looks around the room before things descend into chaos once again.
Seeing the man she recognizes him but quickly thinks back on anything relevent to the current situation.
As he lifts off and starts to fly she shakes her head to herself thinking, This won't do.
She gives the man an evil look and motions some sort of symbol with her hand as she looks at him.
Natashas stare draws the mans attention for the first time. A flash of surprise flashes across his face and quickly twists to anger, "Traitor!" he bellows.
Droguk moves forward and draws out a javelin as he does, launching it at the hovering spell-wielder.
As the missile soars into the not-so-distance, it is easily seen clanging off the wall and falling harmlessly to the ground. Droguk stares at it a moment before looking back up at their opponent. "That could've gone better," he deadpans.
When Droguk steps forward a tiny fey creature takes to the air from a nearby bookcase. "Remember me you big bully?" it calls out before tracing arcane symbols in the air in front of it.
Kobad steps out of the alcove with flames surrounding one of his hands. They swirl and tighten until the form an almost perfect sphere which he sends flying at the bearded man.
The spell strikes the man with enough force to slam him back into the nearby wall. As he regains his balance is is clearly shaken.
Nadya follows up with another arrow.
Another arrow hits home drawing blood once again.
Droguk snaps his attention toward the fey creature, his eyes narrowing.
The fey begins to cackle madly as it's spell takes hold. Before your eyes Droguk begins to shrink to the size of a tall halfling.
"Hahahaha...not so big now!" he taunts
Even seeing Droguk suddenly shrink to a size that could best be described as "pint," Cyrus is fully aware of the greater threat posed by the flying man.
Pulling his throwing axe he took from the blonde giantess earlier from its position tucked behind his belt, he yells loudly,"Yo, ugly! Catch!" at which time he rears back, heaving the weapon end-over-end with all his might at the enemy floating above their heads.
Again an attack flies true this time gashing the mans leg. Beaten and bloodied he scowls in rage. "This is not over!: he spits out at you all before flying down and out an open window.
Natasha moves toward the window as the man flees and yells behind him "You are the traitor here! Supporting Elvana in her crazy plans, distrupting the natural order that has been here in Irrisen for over a milliniea. No you are the traitor and you will pay for your crimes."
She turns her attention to the fey and shouts at the creature "Bah! You are just waisting our time here and will be punished for it!"
Natasza sees the man jump, and starts to think. Why couldn't she fly? Her masters taught he, but she found it too unnerving to crawl into the skin of a beast.
She suddenly jerked, and remembered something else. She started to chant and humm, and blew between her hands. The air became thicker and thicker, and she looked at Cyrus.
"Don't let them interrupt me."