Lesser restoration is a 3 round spell.
Bert puts another arrow into the sinspawn, grinning.
Karn's trident cuts into the sinspawn! An eagle then appears next to the flying woman but has trouble hitting her. Karn then begins another summoning spell.
With a quick retort Bert puts another arrow into Chanukrah!
Brelar uses the shard of pride to create a major image version of himself to shimmer into view standing next to Argust casting a spell on the dwarf. When the real Argust flies forward to attack the sinspawn, an illusionary double also bursts forth flying next to him, flying into a flanking position and attacking the sinspawn as well!
Argust says Fly? and then receives the sensation that he now has the ability to reach the woman. Dropping his bow and retrieving his greatsword, Argust approaches the villain!
Argust is hit by the spell but manages to shake off some of its effect! He then proceeds to attack!
for
Brelar begins to create images to confound the foe!
Argust flies up to the sinspawn and slices into her!
---
Chanukrah repositions herself in the air, drops her wand, and takes her guisarme into her other hand as she swings it in an arc down on Argust.
Argust flies a short distance toward his foe and gives a hearty laugh! I don't know what you're sayin' but I have a feelin' you ain't sayin' much nice! Argust then yells to his friends, I think I'm gettin' the hang of this flyin' stuff!
for
for
Not that bad off but I can always take your magics.
Argust cuts into Chanukrah twice.
Karn's eagles then finish her off and she falls to the ground!
"She was kind of tough. Sorry about pushing on; maybe we'd better just stop here and rest."
Bah, she wasn't so tough once I got on the same level as she was, ha! The dwarf seems quite happy to have both feet on the ground, however.
Brelar appears from his invisibility and begins picking through the wands. "Hmm, yes. Very interesting stuff. It had some very nice magics at it's disposal to be sure. Great work everyone! That would have been a lot worse for us I think." Brelar yawns, "Even slightly reinforced by these wands, I've really got almost nothing left should we face a threat like her or worse."
The party spends the night resting and the night passes uneventfully.
"This is supposed to be her 'inner sanctum--'" Bert makes scare quotes in the air when he says that, then continues. "--so I'm guessing there's going to be something more here besides sinspawn." And isn't it a good thing that we didn't face the sorceress sinspawn at the same time as the other four.... "Let's look around. I don't see any exits, but who knows?"
After searching the room a bit more thoroughly Bert finds a secret door in the wall to the left of the balcony at the far end of the room.
Brelar activates his wand of mage armor as the group presses on into the secret door.
"We should also try and figure out how the return trip from the inner sanctum works." Brelar notes.
"Let's see what else is in here before we get too worried. Unless you'd like to do some in-depth examination of the area we came out in?"
Argust gives a loud yawn after resting for the "night" and prepares for another day of adventuring with his friends. Whatever ya want, little guy. Just point the way, right Brelar?
"I'd feel better with the confidence to know I can go back when I choose."
At Brelar's suggestion, the party goes back to check out the first room. While examining it,
Brelar walks into the northern alcove only to disappear instantly!
This long gallery is striking and gaudy. The walls are painted a shimmering golden hue, with similarly gilt columns running down the center. Black marble statues of the same beautiful woman stand to the north and south--an inscription has been carved into each statue's base. Each statue holds out a hand as if in greeting. Rich tapestries hang on the walls at the center of the gallery, while set at intervals along the tiled floor are three great golden plates, slightly recessed. The ceiling is made of black marble shot through with a sparkling material.
All four statues are clearly Sorshen. The inscriptions at the base are identical and read (in Thassilonian), "By my touch may you enter the shining glory of my inner sanctum."
Bert is concerned about what magic might be there, and what may have happened to Brelar. He casts a cantrip to analyze it.
Bert notes a conjuration (teleportation) aura in the northern alcove. Bert confirms that it is a teleport spell.
As long as you are not under pressure (in combat) you can always take 10 though. Some special abilities and items (Lore Master, Burglar's Bracers, etc.) let you take 10 even when in combat or under pressure.
Hey! Where'd Brelar go? Argust asks in a panic. What did he say to disappear like that? I don't know the words this time!
"I didn't hear him say anything--we were looking around, he took a step into the alcove right there, and he was teleported away. It's definitely a teleport effect; I was worried that he might have been disintegrated, but that wasn't what the spell did." The halfling looks a little concerned, then gets a slightly mischievous (or perhaps manic) grin. "There might be some trap on the other end, but there's only one way to find out. Come on!" Bert tugs at the dwarf's sleeve and walks into the alcove, bow out and ready.
The rest of the party is instantly teleported to another room where Brelar is busy walking about looking at several statues.
This long gallery is striking and gaudy. The walls are painted a shimmering golden hue, with similarly gilt columns running down the center. Black marble statues of the same beautiful woman stand to the north and south--an inscription has been carved into each statue's base. Each statue holds out a hand as if in greeting. Rich tapestries hang on the walls at the center of the gallery, while set at intervals along the tiled floor are three great golden plates, slightly recessed. The ceiling is made of black marble shot through with a sparkling material.
All four statues are clearly Sorshen. The inscriptions at the base are identical and read:
"Find anything yet?"
Startled, Brelar looks around. "Oh! Hello there!"
Gesturing to one of the statues, "I touched one of the hands, and the two far plates started to glow with the same intensity as the middle one. I said the name of the artist but nothing happened. Maybe all the Sorshen's want to be touched? "
"Could be, if we all touch a different one at once. But maybe we should finish looking around the rest of the complex first, in case there's something else we could use. I'm still worried about that last servant of the Runelord."
"Shall we collect your clockwork friend and continue east?"
"I was actually thinking about that secret door back where we fought the sinspawn sorceress." He grins. "Say that three times fast. Anyway, secret doors are just inherently more interesting than plain old everyday doors. I mean, someone went to some trouble to hide it, and that usually means that it's not where they stashed their garbage."
"True enough, but we are standing right here..."
Argust blinks as he sees a new room before him. Brelar! I'm glad you weren't lost! The dwaf runs up toward his liege, obviously happy to see him safe. Whatcha talkin' about? Secret doors? Glowing things? It all seems so confusing. Noticing that the clockwork servant is still absent he then adds, We should get it! He's useful in a fight, ya know.
Brelar nods at Argust's excitement. "I am glad you were able to find me Argust. I was starting to become concerned myself."
Secret door? Aye, there could be somethin' worth findin' behind another one of them doors, Brelar. Maybe we could go check it out first before we end of lost in all these magic ones. Argust looks to his liege as a curious child might try to persuade a parent. Bert and Karn wants to go. Whatcha say?
"Let us return and speak the artist's name!"
The party works their way back through the magical teleportation to the grand ballroom and heads through the secret door to the side of the balcony.
The floor of this octagonal antechamber is decorated with a colorful mosaic depicting hundreds of interwoven, multicolored serpents intermingled with disembodied human arms. An iron-bound oaken door sits in the west wall.
What do the drawings mean? I'm gettin' a headache lookin' at 'em. Argust spies the door in the west wall. Looks like that's the place ta go!
"Something magic here. Brelar, you want to check it out first?"