Vanthor, newly arisen from the astounding healing given by Dojen, strikes forth to seek vengeance on the demon that easily laid him low moments ago. He uses amazing initiative to move into combat. Calling forth the power to smite this evil foe he strikes out as best he can.
to confirm the attack.
He uses 2 legendary power points to try to succeed on the second attack and to confirm his critical attack.
Knowing that Vanthor is safe for now, the warpriest leaps through the barrier, heedless of the danger. He comes through the chaotic swirl stunned to see the lifeless form of the Queen. Sensing there is still a chance to save her, he gives thanks for his father's most recent gift. Dojen kneels down taking a deep inhalation as he visualizes taking the spirit of Galfrey into himself. He leans to the bleeding form placing his lip to hers and exhales a divine breath into the Queen.
"Thank you for saving my life, all of you." the Queen says after being healed, and after having the blanks in the story filled in. Hearing that Vanthor was brought low as well, but survived, she reaches into her pack and begins to rummage round for something...
"I know I have more in here...somewhere...ah ha! There it is!" and out she pulls a small blue velvet bag with gold drawstrings.
She opens the bag and retrieves a hexagonal medal with a white castle on a field of red with gold trim. Handing it to Vanthor, she says, "Normally there is more ceremony for this but...In honor of your exceptional vigor and for rejoining the fight against a demonic foe that had nearly extinguished your inner light, I award you this Righeous Medal of Vigor. May it serve you in times of need as you have served the Crusade!"
Before the party separates to start the Ritual, the Queen channels to heal both her and any other injured members of the party.
Moving with caution the Saviors of Drezen move through the portal again following the near disastrous first attempt at dispelling the Fane. Setting up a defensive position in the initial room Arueshalae moves forth with stealth to quickly survey they closest rooms in the area.
Sickened from the crossing, Rue still moves forward as she fights to shake of the bile rising in the back of her throat. She stops to gather herself before leaving the group for deeper investigation. As she rest herself just at the mouth of the passage leading out of the arrival cavern, she notices 8 web filled alcoves at various heights along the crystal covered walls. She relates this new information to her group silently through her mental link.
Arue concentrates to inform the rest of the party what she believes is in the next room. This gives her hope that for the immediate future there will be no attacks coming from there being that the demon hating spiders occupy it.
Irion flying higher in the chamber takes a position to provide cover fire if needed.
Dojen takes a position near the rear of the party, ready to provide support as needed.
He thinks to himself, We just got here and I am already exhausted. Have never had to handle so much divine energy so quickly before.
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As Rue steps quietly into the room, she sees 8 extremely long segmented legs unfold from each of two web filled alcoves. Following suit, she sees 2 large arachnid bodies attached to those same legs emerge, each tinged with blue and black.
The spider creatures, known as bebiliths, are huge, each the size of an elephant. They don't seem to fully notice or react to Rue, other than to climb out of their alcoves.
Just to the east she can make out the mouth of another tunnel that seems to bear south east from her current location.
As soon as she see's the legs of the huge arachnids, she knows what they are. As a young succubi, she witnessed several demon's lives end slowly to these creatures, and she respected their skill and cunning.
Knowing she has just a moment at best before the bebiliths will notice her, she darts forward and crouches among the sharp crystals of the 20 foot tall central mound. She shifts form to that of a dark slayer, a much smaller creature that allows her to fit more easily among the varied lengths of the crystals. She can feel her agility rise as a result of the shift and she holds her Starbow at the ready should an opportunity arise to use it.
She can feel the bebiliths move even though she can't see them. They are so very close. They don't advance, they merely shift, as if waiting for something. Did they notice me? she wonders to herself. If so, why have they not attacked?
Knowing Irion is among the cavern's crystals high above, silently watching and doing his best to remain hidden while also ready to shoot at a moments threat, gives her comfort. Suddenly she realizes something, "Why did they come out, if they didn't notice me? They noticed YOU!" the last comes out as a mental blast to Irion and the others. "They are intelligent, but don't trust them. They are very cunning."
Almost before she finishes her thought, a new mental voice registers in the minds of the party, this one both alien and menacing. "Say your prayer and pass through."
Everyone knows the new voice is that of one of the bebiliths.
The warpriest grabs Vanthor by the arm. Locking eyes with the holy warrior, he urges, "We must close the portal now. Should we fall, our enemies would still have easy access to our world. There is no question of this! Come my friend, let the others hold them until we can join them." With that, Dojen moves back to the portal.
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Hearing the desperation in the human's plea, Irion realizes the truth of his words. He's right! Disruption of the Fane has to be the priority. It may not stop our enemies, but it would cause a significant problem that would take time to solve. Time for others to take up the quest should we fall.
Rue, when this starts, don't take more than a few shots. The Queen will need your skills and counsel. No matter what happens here, you have to get back through the Fane before it closes. I love you my sweet."
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"You are mighty. We watched the Ibaheniel attack you and then jump through the energies. Only you returned to this side. Either you made peace, or you destroyed him. Now say your prayer and pass through." comes the mental voice of one of the bebiliths.
To Irion's mind, after studying the creatures with his experienced eye, the bebiliths seem to be tensing, imperceptibly so to a less observant hunter.
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With a blur of movement, Irion lets fly with his shafts, each one finding their mark deep in the body of the closest spider.
The first two arrows find critical weak points in their target, and the next two bury deep in the creature's carapace with visible fissures spreading outward from the impacts. Dark ichor leaks from each wound and the spider wobbles on its many legs but before it can fall, Irion continues to pull and loose several more arrows, this time adjusting his aim ever so slightly toward the second arachnid.
As the next 4 arrows land, they produce a loud crack and 3 soft sounds as the first shatters the carapace surrounding it's impact and the next 3 sink into the moist flesh beneath. The second bebilith dies before the first finishes falling to the ground. Both creatures lie dead, having never even had a chance to do more than twitch.
"Well that was impressive lover." Rue says playfully with a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her lips. Then more somberly she adds, "But you are right, we had best get on with this, and that means I need to get to the other side. I will be with all of you through my blessing should you need my help. Be safe my loves, and come back to me."
She waves her hand once in a sort of mock salute, smiles at the team briefly and quickly leaps through the rift.
Weathering the energies of the rift with sheer fortitude, Rue shrugs off the nauseating feeling and says to the Queen, "Well your Majesty, I am ready if you are!"
<---***--->
Once everyone is in position and ready to begin the ritual...
"Alright everyone, let's close this rift for real this time!" and with that she thrusts her copper page into the rift...
...at which point the rift itself begins to shudder and darken.
Knowing that he will be well defended by his friends in case anything should happen Vanthor raises the parchment into the Fane. He holds his shield in his left hand prepared for defense.
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Rue Goes down to one knee but keeps hold of the page and continues to concentrate.
Rue still struggles but through some well of inner power forces herself to maintain concentration.
Finally Rue falters, but quickly gathers herself again.
Rue finds just a bit more resolve hidden in her inner well of power and fights off the evil washing over here.
Rue very nearly faints from the power of the rift.
The darkening rift threatens to overcome the heroes as it actively seems to fight the ritual seeking its death. It shudders and shifts, pulses and moans until it finally grows completely black and suddenly emits hundreds of bolts of lightning that fill the air up to 40 feet from the rift... But the at that very same moment, Dojen releases his dispel magic spell and the Queen her dispel evil spell into the rift...
... and the portal emits a sound not unlike several thousand death shrieks.
and the portal suddenly implodes, leaving behind a solid wall where the energy once was. As the wall solidifies both Rue and Vanthor are forcibly thrown from it though neither sustain any injury as a result. The rift has been destroyed and with it the copper pages from the Lexicon of Paradox.
Despite the obvious danger they are in and the great toll the party took Vanthor calls out in victory. "The blows of the enemy only hardens our resolve." Clasping Dojen in a friendly embrace as he laughs out loud.
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When the lightning ceases and the rift is closed, the abyssal cavern is plunged into darkness. Only Irion and Vanthor can see because of their natural dark vision. The solid wall of the cavern, where the rift once was, appears to be forming crystals even as they watch, though these are only pale reflections of true nahyndrian crystals.
Irion stands on his flying carpet, still near the ceiling of the entry cavern, and he looks out across the second cavern where the bebiliths were slain. He can just make out the exit from that room due east from his position, though he can't see more than a few feet beyond.
Irion takes the lead to check out what is ahead .
Vanthor leads the rest through the north section of the room to make sure there is nothing else to challenge them. Vanthor scans the room looking for possible enemies. .
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As the group traverses the abyssal cavern, passing the dead bebiliths as they go, they take notice of a section that falls away to a depth of about 40 feet where a bubbling lake of crystal magma seethes and churns with growing crystals that rise to the top like foam, only to be consumed shortly after, once again becoming part of the magma.
Not stopping to take in the strangeness of the crystal magma, Vanthor tries various paths, urgently looking for any sign of an exit. Eventually he sees a sign of dim light down one winding path and he leads the group in that direction. After a short time the light grows brighter, and soon the party finds their exit.
As the group leaves the cave, they find they are at the base of a spire-like barren pinnacle of black rock that extends for miles into the sky above. A narrow trail leads away from the cave but quickly becomes overgrown by jungle after a mere 200 feet.
The softer ground here shows tracks that Irion can follow, though he can't follow them for long as they lead to and from the edge of the jungle and then disappear, likely from something that can fly.
The isle itself is covered with steaming tropical jungles pierced in a dozen places by spires similar to the one nearby. Fiendish rocs and other flying monsters can be seen leaving caves near the peaks of these pinnacles and movement can be seen in the jungles below.
As the group surveys their surroundings and they describe to Rue what they are seeing, she recognizes the island as Vasglar. Vasglar was a demon lord of jealousy, ruined cities, and loss. She knows the island was remote and savage, and that while it was not inhabited by societal demons, it was home to the more bestial kind.
As Vanthor takes in Rue's knowledge he spies a small clearing less than a mile away with what seems like white columns rising just above the surrounding trees. He suggests the party travel there by flight, keeping low over the trees to avoid the larger flying creatures in the skies above. It doesn't take long with spells and a magical carpet to get the entire group to the outskirts of what they discover was once a shrine of some sort.