Seal leaves the daemon quite wounded and with a snap of her mousy fingers Rissi finishes it off in a blast of fire.
It seems the daemon was probably tasked with guarding some of the locked cells here but currently none of the cells are occupied.
"I can drink and run if we need to. There is a lot to explore here."
Sealman will continue to race to the east if the group is willing to do so, drinking potions along the way to regain health.
Seal runs down the hall and opens a door to the east, finding behind it a small room. Two vast double doors, each ten feet in width,
stand in the southern wall of this barren chamber. The face of each black stone door is covered with tens of thousands of tiny runes carved in an eerie, spidery script. The runes seem to writhe and slither about when not under direct observation.
Rissi looks at the floor, intrigued. "This... *chhh* could be important. Perhaps related to the convergant planar phenomena. Do you mind if I stay and study this, *hisss* friends?"
I speak aklo
... and that was an underwhelming spoiler. I guess our group can open it up.
Rissi tries to decipher the writing on the doors but does not realize until too late that doing so would taint her mind and the minds of the rest of the party in a horrifying way....
You feel yourselves being pulled into the door but are now trapped, individually, in a dark corridor seemingly with no end. And when you turn around, you see your greatest fear....
Rissi nods in approval as the magical hallways close around her mind. A sensible defense: quite effective against lesser minds. The ratfolk takes a deep breath and begins chanting humming invocations - words that tap into the magical underpinnings of the universe. Carefully, she forms her thoughts into a pure, powerful focus, an arrow of awareness to pierce the walls of reality.
"No! Not you! But I'm trying to come save. Put down the knife. We weren't going to eat you, just sheer you for wool. No Catorce, No!"
Sealman pops out of the Maze with more sweat beading around his brow then after any fight the party has been in. After giving himself a few moments to compose himself, Sealman nods to the northwest (blue arrow).
"Try the large double doors? There might be giants."
16 charges.
Lucian emerges from the maze, all too glad Rissi's intellect was able to guide him out.
Luckily Rissi is quick to discover the trick of the maze and pulls everyone out with her before fear overcomes anyone's mind! You find yourselves shunted onto the other side of the door. The plain stone walls of this long room are lined by a variety of tables, boxes, crates, and cylinders. Some are made of stone, but others appear to be composed of metal. Strange winding cables protrude from some to connect to others. All of this clutter seems to focus upon a large metal framework constructed at the southern end of the room, where strange currents of energy dance and shimmer within a strange ring of stone. Now and then, these currents coalesce into shapes—images startling for their familiarity and yet totally alien. The image revealed is of a massive city of towers and gigantic monuments set in a mountain valley at the foot of a huge peak—Xin-Shalast, as it would appear from this high mountain vista. The city beyond the energy curtain is very different, however, in that its towers and buildings are ablaze with light both magical and mundane and the great central road and surrounding streets teem with tens of thousands of giants and humanoids of all descriptions. The sounds and even the smells of this strange metropolis waft through the image—an image that is, perhaps, trying to be an open window.
Twelve creatures work in this room, fiddling with and apparently fine-tuning the device. Vaguely human shaped, these monsters appear to wear twitching yellow robes, turbans, and veils.
The horrific alien creatures seem prepared to defend their work and do not like that you have intruded on their project....
(Aklo)"Ah greetings *squeak* Denizens of Leng. I assume rational discourse is not feasible for creatures of your predilections, so instead let me offer you a bit of color to *chhh* light up your day"
Brown Poison, They're immune
White Sent to another plane! Will save negates
Black 80 electricity, reflex halves
Red 80 electricity, reflex halves
Orange Poison, They're immune
Fuchsia Roll Twice!
Fuchsia 80 electricity, reflex halves
Fuchsia Poison, They're immune
Yellow 80 electricity, reflex halves
Green Will save or Insane!
Purple Will save or Insane!
Teal Sent to another plane! Will save negates
Cyan Poison, They're immune
Blue 40 acid, reflex halves
She quickly follows the initial blast of color with a quickened fireball from her wand.
fire DC 26 halves
"Like shooting... errr, cloaked things, in a barrel, eh Seal?"
The dragon blooded cloaks himself in greater invisibility before gliding into the room.
Sealman nods in agreement with Kufieno.
"You set them up, I'll knock them down. Anybody else notices there is no is privies here? I think not pooping will make you angry, thus evil. OK, who wants to die first?"
Flying into a rage, Sealman and Thunderpuss move into the room. Seal begins his whirling circle o' death, attempting to cleave White, Black and finally Red.
Thunderpuss leaps up onto the White outsider, trying to knock him down with his mass.
Rissi sends two to another plane, drives another two insane, electrifies another four, and then burns with acid. To add injury to injury, she then hits with a fireball and kills another.
Kufieno slips into the room as Seal swipes two of them to the side and puts them out of the fight.
The denizens move quickly to surround Seal . The two in the back begin to levitate above the ground.
DRed:
Orange: 20 dmg
Yellow: 60 dmg
Green: 8 dmg, Insane!
Purple: 20 dmg, Insane!
Cyan: 20 dmg
Blue: 47 dmg
Lucian focuses his thoughts and weaves a spell for the room to burst with light!
Kufieno swipes at one of the Denizens at it moves away from his hidden position.
vs. flat footed
plus plus -2 hit 1 rd
If it has an abjuration effects up, add +2 to hit and damage
Kufieno then quickly flies over to strike again at the the same Denizen.
vs. flat footed
plus plus -2 hit 1 rd
If it has an abjuration effects up, add +2 to hit and damage
Rissi launches a trio of scorching rays at the nearest Denizen.
She quickly snaps off another firebal as well, bathing two Denizens and, unfortunately, Miana.
fire DC 26 halves
As the remaining denzines close, Sealman stands ready for them, giving each one a chop as they get within range.
Completely surrounded, Sealman gently allows Isoult to fall to the ground and draw his old faithful dorn. Keeping in short stance, Sealman goes straight Hudson on all these Aliens.
"Come on! Come on! Come and get it, baby! Come on! I don't got all day! Come on! Come on! Come on you bastard! Come on, you too! Oh, you want some of this? Fock you!"
Thunderpuss joins in the carnage, trying to take down one of these devils.
Lucian blasts the one in the back, helping out his fellow suli who then moves up and starts kicking some Leng butt. Kufieno and Seal start tearing through the Denizens and Rissi keeps dropping them like flies with her fire spells. When the dust settles, you realize that with the death of each Denizen the magic of this place has been seeping out as well and the illusory metropolis filling this room is slowly disappearing.
Lucian inspects the strange machinery, wary of any resurgence of its magic. "Is this the Leng Device the spiders spoke of? How do we disable it? Rissi, any idea?"
Lucian starts looking for a way to shut down the device but it seems the deaths of the Denizens has already caused a significant change in its working: the image in the window shifts, growing distorted and warped. Soon the image vanishes altogether, transforming into a gut-churning vortex of spinning lights and sheets of energy.
Unfortunately for you, this disruption in the fabric of time quickly draws the attention of an ancient and powerful monstrosity from the dawn of time itself. With a blast of noxious mist and a blood-curdling howl, a great beast leaps through. The Thing from Beyond Time itself is a 14-foot-long creature capable of shifting in and out of reality. The creature is only vaguely shaped like a hound; its feet end in large razor-sharp talons and the enormous maw set under its bulging black eyes is filled not only with weirdly transparent teeth, but a long bladed tongue capable of lapping away the minds of those it cuts.
"Wait, I can answer that! BIG!"
Kufieno takes to the wing and glides in, hoping his invisibility will shield him.
plus plus -2 AC hit 1 rd
If it has an abjuration effects up, add +2 to hit and damage
Miana lands a set of kicks on the beast, but has trouble penetrating its ethereal hide to cause enough damage. Kufieno's short sword seems far more effective and leaves a nice hole in the thing's side.
The large hound raises up and attacks Miana, even going so far as to lap at her with its disgustingly long tongue...
Lucian gazes at the thing for a moment, utterly disgusted at its very existance. Shaking his head, he looks away. "Not sure what that is... Rissi, do you?"
In doubt, Lucian casts a flaming sphere to incinerate the hound.
"A Hound of Tindalos - a elder specimen - a creature that moves in a bizarre way through time and space. This *chhh* creature is resistant to all physical harm save that from weapons both piercing and magic, and immune to poison as well." the wizard quickly squeaks.
Not particularly concerned with the fate of the machinery in the back of the room, the ratfolk simply lobs more fireballs into the far back.
spell perfected quickened fireball off a wand using staff-like wand
fire DC 26 halves
spell perfected maximized fireball off a wand using staff-like wand
60 fire DC 26 halves
Kufieno focuses on doing what he can to take advantage of his invisibility, and to drop the beast before it can hurt Miana further.
vs. flat footed
plus plus -2 AC for 1 rd
If it has an abjuration effects up, add +2 to hit and damage
vs. flat footed
plus plus -2 AC for 1 rd
If it has an abjuration effects up, add +2 to hit and damage
vs. flat footed
plus plus -2 AC for 1 rd
If it has an abjuration effects up, add +2 to hit and damage
plus plus -2 AC for 1 rd
Sealman lacking any piercing weapons desides to draw out his large greataxe. When in doubt, just do more damage. Still raging, he flies while drawing the weapon and tries to smash through any defenses the aberration may have.
Lucian's ball of fire has minimal effect on the quick-moving Hound. Rissi's fireballs are once again very potent, although Kufieno has trouble finding purchase and only strikes with his mace, which is not the weapon of choice against this beast. Seal strikes hard and true but the Primeval Hound fights on!
The beast was already severely wounded and Miana's punches are just strong enough to send it back to the dark recesses of its home plane!
As the battle winds down, Sealman tries to catch his breath. His breathing becomes more and more labored. His eyes widen and looks toward Lucian for help. He opens his mouth but nothing comes out. Seal's hands become rigid and the greataxe falls to the floor with a loud clang. Hand out reached, Sealman appears to be frozen in place mouthing help.
Thunderpuss curls up around the dwarf's legs, nudging him to pet him or to at least move.
Lucian approaches his dwarven friend and lays a soothing and healing hand over his many crippling scars.
Sealman's limbs begin to move. He starts to rub out his cramped muscles before picking up his weapons strewn about the room.
"Thank you, Lucian. And to think, that the worse is yet to come."
"That should do it. You're welcome, always a pleasure to knit your wounds!" Lucian laughs heartily.
"As always, we appreciate you being the bulwark between us and *squeak* physical distractions." Rissi turns to study the machinery. "What is it we saw here? The world as it was, as it could be? Perhaps a parallel reality overlayed upon this one." She reaches out with her magical senses, particularly with an eye to seeing if the machine can be put to useful purpose before destroying it.
Rissi tries to study the machine but it is too late; it had already started breaking down as the Denizens were killed and now that they are gone, it seems the life essence that was feeding the device has also departed and she can not discover how to recreate or fix the device. But then again, it would probably be best not to probe too deeply lest you wake the denizens of Leng again....
---
Moving to the end of the hall, you inspect a small room that you missed earlier. It seems to be only a small storeroom with a significant hole blasted into it from the outside. Inside guarding the chamber is an androgynous creature with pale green skin and tear-stained eyes.
It quickly moves to block the door and swings at Miana:
Lucian seems flabbergasted. "Wait, but you're a planetar, right? You're one of the good guys! Why are you attacking us, we're here to destroy Karzoug and bring peace to Varisia!" the oracle protests, speaking in Celestial. Then he notices something. "My friends, he seems reluctant to fight us - don't attack him, I'll cast a pacifying spell on him!"
Lucian casts euphoric tranquility, then moves into the room to touch the planetar and deliver the charge.
The wizardess stays her hand, but keeps eyes focused upon the dangerous creature.
The fact that what ever this creature is, isn't a giant nor harmed Thunderpuss is staying Sealman's hand. But once given the word, Seal and Isoult will dance with this denizen.
Lucian shows the planetar he has no wish to harm him, extending the charred palms of his hands in front of him in sign of peace.
"We would like to parley with you. We have no wish to harm a celestial being, even more so as I am helped on my quest by one of Desna's holy messengers. We're on the same side here, as we intend to bring Karzoug's demise and bring peace to Varisia. Are you under some sort of compulsion? Is there anything we can do to help? Send you back to your plane, perhaps? We'd like to avoid unnecessary violence, both for your sake and ours."
As Lucian's magic washes over the angel, he only opens his mouth but no words come out. He shakes his head and fresh tears well up in the planetar's eyes. He mouths something again, trying to be as clear as possible: BANISH! ME!
"Please accept to be sent back to Nirvana to continue your crusade against evil, mighty planetar. May you find peace in your heart."