Spasi nods with Rhesus who was *totally* thinking exactly what Spasi was thinking, for sure. Totally.
Know (Arcana or Religion) to ID statues?
Between Bibic and Spasi you are able to identify 5 of the 6 statues, and the remaining statue's identity, if not name, can be inferfed from the rest
Statue #1: Alaznist, Runelord of Wrath
Statue #2: Xanderghul, Runelord of Pride
Statue #3: Runelord of Greed.
Statue #4 Belimarius, the Runelord of Envy.
Statue #5: Krune, Runelord of Sloth
Statue #6: Zutha, Runelord of Gluttony
Statue 7; Sorshen, Runelord of Lust
"Dunno, ain't really my thing. Guessing Spasi's gonna want that one with the haunch though. The Lady is probably Sorshen yeah? Probably the guy with the rose is the Lie."
"Excellent idea Rhesus."
Bibic looks at his companions and sighs. "...I guess I'll do it then huh?"
Bibic puts his bow away and hugs the two statues, hugging the lady first and hoping for the best.
Spasi watches, noting Bibic's groping hands and watches for any good reach around butt clasps.
"Yeah, that's a good one Bibic. Nice form."
Clement presses his palm to his forehead and shakes his head as Bibic gropes the statue with Spasi's guidance.
He then realizes he can't resist prodding Spasi.
"Maybe... maybe you should work The Lie at the same time? Count of three? Otherwise it might not work?"
When Sorshen's statue is embraced, a golden light begins to radiant from part of the floor and when the Runelord of Greed's statue is embraced, a golden mist rises to fill the illuminated area.
When you step in You are each transported to a small octagonal room. The rooms begin to pulse with golden energy and after a brief moment it stops and the room's door opens into an adjoining area.
Bibic has a herosim going, (dispelled)
Bibic feels his magics pop as he shifts into the new space. He quickly draws his bow, knocks an arrow, and listens for potential enemies in the near vicinity.
Clement slugs Rhesus in the shoulder.
"Hey! Some of my magic stopped protecting you. So, be careful."
"Ah c'mon! I was just getting some! For the love...of...what happened to my spells!? WHAT THE PIDDLESPOT!?" Spasi looks around, checking the area for magic and trying to figure out what is going on.
Know (Arcana)
Rhesus shrugs as the uncomfortable stinging leaves his skin.
"It's fine Clem. You're magic makes me itchy anyway."
Rhesus waits while the others bemoan the loss of their magic.
The adjoining room (M2b) is devoid of furnishings. The floor of its two wings is decorated with circular snake mosaics. A 3 foot tall post capped by a horizontally aligned wheel protrudes from the center of each mosaic. A bit of investigation suggests that turning the wheels would cause the floor mosaics to rotate.
Spasi reapplies both his spent spells, disappointed to have to 'waste' magic. He hopes they are close to the end of this puzzling bordello of lust without any actual lust, but his hopes might be in vain.
"Hey Clem, does it look to you like these snaky mosaics might move around? Might be we can twist them? Whatcha think?" Spasi says, walking about.
False Life - temp hp
Know (Arcana)
Clement eyes the mosaics, but his brain continues to ponder what just happened.
"Wait, we were cleansed of diseases? Why would a bordello of lus..."
Clement catches himself.
"Ohhhhhhh."
Smiling to himself that he caught on he gives Spasi some encouragement.
"Yeah, you should twist them. Totally safe. Rhesus and I will be ready if something pop out. You've got the experience for twisting things and getting things to pop out... am I right?"
Clement shoulders Rhesus and gives everyone a terrible smile in the silence that follows.
He waves his hand.
"Yeah, turn 'em."
Bibic puts his bow away, walks over to the wheels, and examine the floor mosaics. He tries to work out in his head what it might look like with various turns of the wheel. In the end, he just gives it a try.
As he turns the wheels, if he can see any patterns he tries to match the patterns. Feels a little like it's sort of random though, so Bibic just gives it a whirl in that case.
When Spasi turns the wheel the whole room vibrates with the loud rumble of stone grinding on stone. The snake mosaic turns a full rotation without any apparent effect.
A short while after the clatter begins, the fourth door in the room opens (M2c) and a beautiful woman in gleaming full plate and drawn steel steps out. "What's this then? Sorshen's latest pawns? Her newest playthings? Well, let me welcome you to this cursed place with all you deserve."
Combat
16 Clement
12 Bibic
12 enemy
10 Rhesus
9 Spasi
AC 24/10/24
HP 96/96
F11/R3/W2
Round 1, Initiative 12
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 25/25
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 13/18
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +5, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +2, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (First: 5/5)(Second: 1/3)(CL 7, Con: +10, SR +9, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
2) Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
Bibic begins to inspire courage on his allies as he readies his bow for action (I assume it was put away as I messed with the room).
Round 1 Initiative 16
"Plaything? Wut?"
Clement looks around briefly before realizing the woman in plate is referring to their foursome.
"No, we, uhh.. aughhh!"
Clement ducks below one of her swings.
"Why are the women hear so angry and always trying to-- auughh!!!"
Clement ducks again, bringing his shield around to protect Rhesus and himself.
"--- kill us??"
Clement quickly weaves the gestures and words for additional defense together, hoping to not share too many of Rhesus's upcoming wounds.
"Yes her playthings, to use and order about as she wishes. I won't stand for it any longer. She is beyond me, but her minions are not!"
She move and takes a swing at Clement,
AC 24/10/24
HP 96/96
F11/R3/W2
Round 1, Init 9
"Lady, we're tired of fighting you and your other womens. Leave us alone and we'll leave you alone. Just let us get what we came for and you can keep this place."
Round 1
Rhesus attacks.
"You don't hit Clem!"
Round 2 Initiative 16
Clement, recognizing a large wound on his abdomen, immediately sets to blaming Rhesus.
"Reese! You need to dodge those, this one hurt!"
As he recognizes that Rhesus is largely unscathed, and the woman is glaring at him, he adds, "Oh."
Bringing his shield back around, Clement swings at her, but working to amplify his defense more than inflict harm.
for
Round 2, Initiative 12
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 23/25
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 12/18
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +5, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +2, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (First: 5/5)(Second: 1/3)(CL 7, Con: +10, SR +9, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
2) Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
Bibic continues to inspire as he shoots the tall woman twice, hoping to pierce her thick armor. He lends his voice to the others, ”Serioiusly lady, we’re just here for a simple artifact, and all your troops keep attacking us. We don’t care what you’re doing here - we have our own mission. Do your thing in peace, or die at our hand.”
Overmatched and battered, the woman throws aside her sword. With a cry of anguishes, she drops to her knees and says to Rhesus, "Just end it already. Be quick about it, before you mistress finds out."
AC 24/10/24
HP 29/96
F11/R3/W2
Overmatched and battered, the woman throws aside her sword. With a cry of anguishes, she drops to her knees and says to Rhesus, "Just end it already. Be quick about it, before you mistress finds out."
"About time one of you had some sense. What are you doing here? Why such hostility - you lot attack with no hesitation. Quite rude."
Spasi seems confused as the woman surrenders.
"How come you can surrender, but all your underlings seemed to want to die despite us nearly begging them to talk or surrender!?! Man, I'll never understand women!" Spasi exasperates.
"So...why are you here? And how did you get in here? We had to do all this crazy stuff...kissing that and hugging this...you don't want to know where my tongue as been..."
Rhesus does indeed hold off as the woman surrenders, but his hammer is still ready.
"We don't want to know where it's been either."
Clement straps his mace back onto his belt and juts his chin at the woman while rubbing his wounds.
He looks to Bibic, who's always had a way with words - likely something to do with his elven heritage.
"We accept your surrender! We'll let you live too. We're here simply looking for something for our employer, right Bibs?"
(+2 from Clement)
"Absolutely we'll let you live, get up and chat a while won't you?"
The woman raised her head, "You truly are not one of Sorshen's creatures?"
She rises shakily to her feet, "I am Orianna, formerly of the Queen's Guard of Korvosa. When Queen Ileosa was disposed, I fled the city along with the remaining remnants of the Grey Maidens. I brought them here, following rumours of treasure unplundered. We sought to find magics and monies enough to retake our fair city from the usurpers. Sorshen found us and promised to lead us to victory. We fortified our position and searched out playthings for the Runelord. Some of my own served similar fates. Sorshen, she is very.....rough with her toys. She sent us to recruit the swamp witch Maroux and told me to slay her, when we returned carrying Maroux's refusal to come here. The witch had always treated me and mine fairly, and I felt that her death was unwarranted. I was lucky to leave Sorshen's presence with my life. For my disloyalty, I was banished to these chambers and therein came my salvation. Forgotten, I slowly came to realize that my actions over these last months have not been wholly my own. I believe that I was magicked by Sorshen to do her bidding. She had no intention invading Korsova, she has no intention ever leaving this place at all. She just wants you use us up until we are husks. It is a fate worse than death...."
Bibic really feels for her, "Hey, that really sucks. So why don't you just leave? Can't you get out?"
"We found our way here, maybe we could give you instructions and you could go out the way we came in huh? How would that sort you?" He looks to his companions for agreement.
"Yeah, yeah, what the elf said," Spasi agrees with Bibic. "I also that the Queen was disposed by an arching elf of great power. I wish we had someone like that with us."
Clement scratches his head.
Huh? I thought the Queen was diposed by a powerful follower of Pharasma?
He readily, and cheerfully adds to Bibic's comments.
"Yeah, definitely *not* working for Sorshen. Although it sounds like if we bump into her, she might be charming us to do her bidding? So, she's actually awake? A Runelord? Wasn't there something about another Runelord wakening somewhere? Sandpoint or something?"
Rhesus shakes his head.
"Well that's it then, we can't take on this Sorshen. One look at her and Spasi is going to stab us all in the back. But not you, right Clem? Anyway, why don't you head out and talk to the witch, we'll loot as much as we can before we get out of here. What'cha think guys?"
"Yeah, yeah, what the elf said," Spasi agrees with Bibic. "I also that the Queen was disposed by an arching elf of great power. I wish we had someone like that with us."
"Yeah, I heard it was a pseudo dragon - carried the day. It's amazing what you hear when there's no one to contradict it." Bibic says with a smile.
"I agree with Rhesus, let's get what we can and get out while the getting's good. We can't take on a Runelord. No way. That's just crazy."
He pulls out his Shard and tries to see how close they are to the next one, knowing it doesn't work like that, he tries anyway.
"Unfortunately, the only way to get to the lower levels is through Sorshen. THe magic in this room cannot return you from whence you came. If you rotate the serpent mosaics so that their heads face each other, a portal opens that will take you to Sorshen's private chamber. There is another portal that can be accessed from there that takes you back down below."
"If you would face her, I will stand at your side. Perhaps together he have a chance at succeeding in defeating her."
Clement, normally easy-going, hesitates ever so slightly, remembering the woman was just trying to murder him.
"Hmmm..."
Spasi claps his hands together, showing his agreement.
"Sure, let's go take care of her," Spasi says, trying to help the woman to her feet. "Besides, what are the chances this is a real Runelord? We'd be dead by now if it was, right Bibs?"
"Maybe we should go up a bit tricky like. Me and Bibs will be invisible? That should make it interesting."
"It can't be the real Runelord, it just can't. Let's beat this pretender into the ground shall we?"
He heals the woman with them, hoping it's not a mistake.
Then just before entering, he casts Heroism on himself and, the round the door is opened, he begins inspiring the party.
Clement nods.
"Agreed that it can't be a full runelord, right? I mean if it is, maybe we can talk to her and stuff so she doesn't disintegrate us?"
"Dunno, don't sound like we should give her a chance to talk or she'll make us do what she wants."
Healed up and prepared for anything, you spin the floor mosaics to activate the portal to Sorshen's chamber and with a brief prayer to the goodly Gods, you cross the threshold. You find yourself in an domed, oval, white marble chamber with a ceiling of polished silver peaking twenty feet above. A pair of mosaic snake patterns decorate the foor to the north and south. Polished black marble pillars rise up along the edges of the room, metal manacles hanging from their inward-facing. To on side of the room, an upraised platform sits a foot above the rest of the room. It is strewn with furs and blankets and at its back near the wall sits an enormous bed.
From the pillar closest to the bed, hangs a dead Gray Maiden. Her body has a strangely brittle and dry look to it, though it still beats obvious signs of torture.
Reclining on the bed, is the woman herself. Sorshen rises with feline grace. Her voluptious body is wrapped in the thinnest gossamer and leaves little to the imagination. "Oh this is a delicious surprise! Greetings new supplicants, you've arrived just in time. My latest lover lost her appeal when she lost her life. Perhaps you can keep me entertained a bit longer? And Oriana, my love, this is unexpected. Am I to take your return to my boudoir as indication that you've had a change of heart since our previous.... conversation?"
Round Surprise, Invisible
While others talk (or not), Spasi invisibly moves away from the group...about 30' in some direction, trying to avoid getting caught in a blasty blast.
hp 28/28
AC 18
F8R3W1
Gore: +9 (1d8+12)
gore to hit;
damage.
Surprise Round
Weapon Equipped = Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 25/25
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Adamantium Salted Arrows = 10/10
Ghost Salted Arrows = 10/10
Reptile Bane Arrows = 5/5
Bardic Performance = 10/18
Shard Major Image = 1/1
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +5, Dex +3, Weapon Focus +1, Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2), (Deadly Aim -2)
Bow Damage Mods: Composite Bow +2, Bow +1, (Deadly Aim +4)
Bard Spells: (First: 5/5)(Second: 1/3)(CL 7, Con: +10, SR +9, DC: 13+)
0) Detect Magic, Light, Mending, Prestidigitation, Read Magic, Spark
1) Cure Light Wounds, Feather Fall, Grease, Unseen Servant
2) Cure Moderate Wounds, Glitterdust, Heroism
Bibic heals the Gray Maiden of all her injuries in anticipation of the coming fight.
Bibic, continuing his performance, looks for a weapon on the woman. Seeing none, he panics and tries a single shot as he 5’ steps toward/into the room. He turns visible immediately after shooting and wonders if he should have held onto that a bit longer...
Round Surprise
Rhesus moves in for a quick strike.
Round 1
Clement takes time to mend his own injuries while Bibic begins healing the maiden.
Clement shrugs.
"So, we're just going to attack? Well we have about 6 minutes or so to make that decision for this to work..."
Clement observes as Rhesus gives the women little chance to continue her dialogue.
Oh yeah, that's right. Any talking and she'll warp our minds.
Clement pauses to ensure the maiden is actually aiding them against the "Sorshen" that sits in front of them before mirroring Spasi's actions and working his own spell.
Oriana moves in and strikes, "Die!"
She tries to cast a spell, but messes it up.
AC: 20/14/16
81/129
F8/R10/W14
DR5/cold iron or good
(bunch of spell resists)
Round 1 Init Rhesus
Rhesus is amazed that the woman withstood his best pounding, but she is a Runelord after all, two swings is to be expected.
Round 1
Smoke billows at the "Sorshen"s feet as a pale-furred dog steps forth, its fur shimmering as if it just stepped out of Elysium.
Clement grins at the product of his angelic heritage.
"Oooh, a puppy! Get 'er!"
The dog snarls and moves in to assist Rhesus and Oriana.
for with trip CMB
Clement pays little heed to the wolf's missed strike, stepping ahead himself to see how effective his mace might be.