Breaca picks up her pace, trying to catch up with, or at least come within shooting range if the woman.
As soon as Breaca stands on the polished section of floor, a pressure plate is activated - and she feels the stone give under her feet as it is.
A loud clunk is heard and a hidden iron portcullis which was recessed into the ceiling comes crashing down.
Once Breaca reacts however she reacts, Veryl runs up to the gate, scowling at it and the party's luck. He remains his ever-present air of calm, however, and first looks the portcullis up and down, analyzing its construction or any weaknesses it may have.
If this reveals no obvious way to re-open the portcullis quickly, bearing his analysis in mind, he begins to try to lift the gate (or otherwise manipulate it or its bars to allow them passage through), asking the party for help.
Kalig comes in behind and curses very rude unpleasant things in orcish.
If she can SEE the woman and she is not all the way to the end of the hallway beyond, Kalig casts fog cloud in the area of the hall in front of the woman. Her hope is by obscuring the woman's vision, it will slow her down.
If she CANNOT see the woman, she does not bother.
After that, if Breaca is hurt, she gives Breaca a goodberry to eat.
Finally, Kalig helps Veryl with strong-arming the door, if he needs this assistance.
Breaca curses. For a moment, she isn't sure what happened; she knew only that when a floor gives under one's feet, it was bad. A heartbeat later, the sound of iron banging made her look up to see the portcullis falling. Desperately she tries to throw herself out of the way, but is likely too slow as looking up cost her precious seconds....
Breaca notices the falling iron too late to escape and can't avoid it. On the plus side, she is able to use her strength to limit the force of the portcullis as it falls on to her. Despite this, the pain is still considerable.
Veryl considers the trap and his engineering knowledge says that for every trap, there is a re-set switch. Not seeing an obvious one, he stands on the trap again and the portcullis whooshes back into the ceiling.
Kalig administers a goodberry to Breaca immediately.
Grunting in pain and effort, Breaca manages to keep the heavy metal bars from slamming into her at full force. The weight was nonetheless excruciating and she cried out when Veryl puzzled out a solution and the weight suddenly lifted. She rolled onto her back on the floor and waved the others on after taking Kalig's berry. "Go.. get her. She can't be allowed to warn Nuallia. I will follow once i get my breath..
Veryl nods and continues to chase the woman, with one of his throwing axes in hand. If he gets within range of the woman he will throw one of his axes as soon as he sees her.
Veryl rushes forward and is presented by two exits one ot the left and one to the right. Both doors are closed and neither appears to more likely to be the route she took.
Kalig arrives and examines the floor for any signs of the woman's passage.
While Kalig works, Veryl opens the north door () and asks Miro to open the south ().
Cursing the setbacks, Horatio grips his temples and sighs. "Alright. Alright, we can still do this," he mutters. "Kalig, can you see where she went? If not, we may have to pick one and hope for the best."
After a moment, Breaca lurches to her feet, wincing as she does so. Grabbing her bow once more, she sets off determinedly after the others. I am going to be sore tomorrow..
Veryl opens the door and sneaks a ook inside. He sees a wide stone ledge of red marble lining the curving walls of this room, which is well-lit by four burning skulls that sit in each corner. Three chairs rest in the room, and both stone ledges are covered with books, scrolls, teeth, bones, scrimshaw artwork, jars of deformed creatures soaking in brine, taxidermied animals and limbs, and other strange objects. To the north, a large round fountain filled with frothy blue water fills the room with the gentle sound of bubbling.
No mage.
But there is, however, a young woman. You recognise her from the drawings you saw as Nualia. The best way to describe her is to suggest you start with the image of a beautiful woman with silvery-blonde hair.
Then imagine her exposed abdomen is covered in large and ugly scars. And finally her left hand is now a grotesque talon. In her left hand she holds a very, very large sword and by her side is a yeth hound.
The yeth hound does not attack, as if waiting for instructions from Nualia.
Now towards the back of the group and feeling battered and bruised, Breaca nonetheless gives a silent, feral grin. She steps so she can see between her companions and readies herself for the inevitable fight.
Horatio quickly takes stock of the situation. The quarry was gone, but their final target was standing right there. His breathing catches in the split second between the opening of the door and him taking action; he feels his heartbeat conversely slowing as the magic rises within him.
He begins speaking in Varisian, slippery syllables slithering over his tongue in a twisting litany, and throws out one hand, palm parallel to the ground, fingers splayed, drawing the hand upward in a quick gesture. As he does so, a pool of thick grease rises from the floor beneath Nualia and her hound, as slippery as any Sczarni tongue.
Horatio quickly takes stock of the situation. The quarry was gone, but their final target was standing right there.
Horatio casts a spell. Such a beautiful spell for such a dirty outcome.
The stone beneath Nualia and the hound is immediately covered with a layer of slippery grease.
Although neither falls as a result of this, it is clear that the action has effectively pinned them to the areas they stand in - less they risk falling.
A simple hand motion from Nualia and the hound opens its jaws and emits a terrible sound. It bays with all of the emotion you would expect from a hound from Hell.
Simultaneously Breaca lets an arrow fly at Nualia. It finds its mark and embeds in her left shoulder.
Miro panics, fleeing for the hills.
Are you saying she isn't the "big bad"? :P
Horatio quickly takes stock of the situation. The quarry was gone, but their final target was standing right there.
Having stuck her fingers into her ears as the hound began to bay, Merwyn pulls them free and wriggles her way forward to where she can see just around Veryl's legs. She speaks a few mysterious words and wiggles her fingers after which a dizzying spray of swirling colors erupts from her fingertips, filling the hound and Nualia's vision.
Merwyn casts a spell. The hound in particular seems to be affected by the effects although you suspect both have been.
I make it Kalig and Veryl to act. The a new round but...that's just Merwyn, Kalig and Veryl due to various spells
You know enough of Merwyn's spell to be aware that it must have had some effect on her. She's not unconscious. But she could be blinded and stunned, or just stunned. It's rather difficult to tell the difference. All you know is that she's not doing 'anything.'
Nualia acted in the first round but you wouldn't have seen what she did.
Kalig frowns. "Where are you all going?
Playing it safe, she casts aspect of the bear on herself, looses her shield and flail, and takes a step forward.
It somehow feels too easy, but drawing his sword, Veryl moves in front of Nualia, carefulto avoid Horatio's goo, and brings his sword down on the seemingly distracted woman.
Veryl swings his sword in a mighty arc and hits the woman with apparent ease. She's clearly shaken by the blow although it certainly didn't kill her.
The sounds of Breaca's footfalls grows faint as she continues to flee...
Grinning at the success of her spell, Merwyn takes careful aim at Nualia and fires her crossbow.
Haha.. nope.
Merwyn lets loose a bolt and with her confidence lifted by her previous success manages to hit Nualia in the thigh.
The hound still seems affected by the spell but you suspect Nualia will be fighting fit very soon.
Kalig moves up next to Veryl and thrusts at Nualia with her shield to knock her backwards onto the greased floor.
With a grim smile, Veryl swings his sword down upon the hopefully now-prone Nualia.
Breaca continues her flight.
Merwyn grins and claps her hands with delight as Kalig wallops Nualia with her shield. "Oh! Well done! she exclaims as her hands work to reload the crossbow.
Taking aim once more, she fires at the dog.
Kalig is able to crash into Nualia and knocks her on her derriere. Once down, Veryl is able to hit her with his sword but despite the accurate strike, is unable to inflict a lot of damage. She definitely looks badly injured now.
Merwyn fires another bolt - this time atthe hound but is only able to graze it and does no real damage.
Horatio and Breaca are still keeping well away from the action due to the effect of the Yeth Hound.
Still on the ground, Nualia casts a spell - although it's properties you are unable to be sure of - but you think it might be an effect to improve her failing health.