As the plant things make their presence known, Rennyn moves to the attack...
...carving into one of them immediately, flames exploding from the wound and setting it on fire.
Draeven mirrors Rennyn's actions and moves to engage the other plant creature...
...landing a hit of his own.
The sorceress instantly calms as she feels the connection to her power return. Seemingly just in time as frozen plant-like creatures rise in front of both Rennyn and Draeven. Anara backs up a step to look at going around for the flank but is surprised to find that there is a plant creature that way as well.
Facing the nearest monstrosity of nature, the sorceress pulls her fist to her side, in a slow and controlled manner and that fist flares to life in a ball of fire. With a jabbing motion, Anara punches in her opponent's direction and sends a glob of liquid fire sailing toward it.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
Swords flash in quick succession sending plant matter flying and practically splitting each plant stem to root! The unknown foliage reacts to the assault predicably. Thorny maws gape wide and with a violent intent, mouths full of thorns sink into the warriors thighs and calves! The bites are quickly followed by two quick exhalations filling the air surrounding both Draeven and Rennyn with sharp burs! The seeds pierce into the warriors skin, clinging to both in the cold environment! As the air clears, there's little remaining of the plant standing before Rennyn that is not covered in flame!
+
+
+ +
+ +
Anara's conjured ball of fire engulfs the plant thing to the south! The animated foliage shudders then shambles her way. A mouth full of thorns and fire opens wide then exhales violently showering the area around the sorceress in tiny sharp burs! The spray catches not only Fenra, but also (maybe) Sharadei! When the air clears, Anara's conjured flames have smoldered out and all three girls are covered in clinging frigid burs!
+ +
Fail!
Pass!
Thing2A: -29-4-5+1
Thing2B: -48-7-5-5-5-5+1 Fire (5) continues to Round 11
Thing3: -14-5-5 Walks it off.
Shar moves almost before the thorns leave the creatures maw avoiding any damage.
But the cold seems to envelope her.
Seeing her sister in immediate danger Shar moves in quickly to attack.
A#3
Her study disturbed by the shock of an icy blast of cold, she looks up to see Sharadei and Anara engaged with some kind of snowy plant creature as well as another approaching from the north. Quickly shifting her focus she studies the creature instead while firing off a volley of magical energy directly at it.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
The ranger's blade slashes into the cold plant thing, nearly tearing it in half yet somehow the resilient creature holds itself together!
Thing1: -13+1
Thing2A: -29-4-5+1
Thing2B: -48-7-5-5-5-5+1 Fire (5) continues to Round 11
Thing3: -14-5-5-36+1
Drawn by the fair oracle's attack, the third plant thing sways as its roots carry it toward the source of pain. Fenra sees the thing's thorny jaws open followed by another blast of frigid burs! More of those tiny spores cling to the oracle's skin and clothes sending shivers!
+ +
Hearing the commotion within, Spivey flies to the threshold, Hey! What's going on? I thought you guys took care of the walking stoneheads already? Wait, what? Those aren't statues! Walking plants now?! What kind of place is this?! Say, those things look familiar, Spivey snaps her fingers twice to think of the name, Coala..Colatha...Calathgar!! Yeah, that's it! Nasty pieces of work if you try to take cuttings off them. Wow! It's been a while, have you tried fire? Never mind, I can smell it now. They love the cold, something about it makes them grow. OH! Careful they don't spit on you. Ahh, they did already? Walk that off. Good thing you found out early, they don't spit like that too often and knowing you guys these Calathgar won't get another chance.
Rennyn barely notices the minor wounds inflicted upon him, the sword blocking all of the cold, as he keeps his focus at the task at hand...
...putting the foe before him down before stepping to his left to assist Draeven...
...slicing into that plant creature with ease as well.
Draeven suffers similarly in silence while pressing the attack...
...cutting the plant creature down where it stands before turning and charging the enemy engaging Fenra...
...but fails to land a blow on it.
Get back! Shar snaps at her sister while continuing to hack at the impossible plant.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
The smell of freshly chopped vegetables, mixed with a now pungent vinegar hangs in the air. The remains of the two plants dispatched by Rennyn and Draeven wilt and crumble into a patch of powdered dust at the champ's feet. The sorceress witnesses a similar fate befall the chopped plant before her.
On the other side of the tower, Draeven and Sharadei take up positions around the remaining Calathgar. Surprisingly, the plant ducks, then dives out of the way of Draeven's sword before dipping and dodging around Sharadei's own weapon! Like a corned animal, it lashes out at Draeven with a tendril, slapping the big man across the upper thigh with what feels like a cold wet towel! Then, with it's mouth doing its best imitation of a cat hissing silently, the calathgar inches away to the corner. As soon as it's tendril like feet touch wall, the plant thing starts to climb up and out of danger!
Thing1: -13+1
Thing2A: -29-4-5+1
Thing2B: -48-7-5-5-5-5+1 Fire (5) continues to Round 11
Thing3: -14-5-5-36+1
Rennyn joins the others attacking the fleeing plant creature, climbing into the air as he approaches to match the creatures height before slashing at it...
...carving into its body twice.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
With the last of the threatening Calathgar's dealt with, the rest of the group settles in to wait as Fenra sets back to work deciphering the crystals set in the panel. Not content to let the oracle do all the work, Anara impatiently peers over Fenra's shoulder whispering advice. It isn't long before Fenra learns each of the crystals can be activated if pressed. The first half of the puzzle is, what do they activate?
As the two women work, within the central chamber, the pulsing blue veins of the dark walls mostly continue their chaotic rhythms. Twice the pulses coordinate, the last of these pulsing for five beats! Laughter and muffled cries of approval follow, Yes! Yes, my child! Make it yours! Your master awaits!
After many long minutes , Fenra and Anara unravel what it is the crystals are intended to do! First, is the deactivation of the field within the chamber blocking the normal function of the arcane, divine and mystical energies so abundant in Golaria. Fenra is certain this blocking field does not travel the entire length of the tower's interior! The effects of the field only affect as much as the first 10 feet of the tower's height. Anything higher and all magical enchantments should work as intended. The second function of the crystal panel is the conjuration of a runed platform capable of levitating those standing upon it to the top of the tower! What remains to be solved is in what order to activate the crystals. Figuring this out will take more time but is it only a matter of finding the right combination!
Rennyn stands watching and waiting.
Giving Fenra a little more space to concentrate on the pattern, the sorceress steps into the center chamber again and immediately feels the room's effect dampen her magic. "I'll let you know when this shuts down."
Fenra continues to study the crystals, trying different combinations. She works seemingly from intuition, but there is a logic to her method.
As she works she mutters to herself but occasionally engages the others. Spivey and Rennyn, can you make sure everyone is in tip top shape? I would love to give a hand but I think I've almost got this. She continues, engrossed in the flowing lights.
Shar looks over her injuries but lacks even the most rudimentary skill necessary to treat them.
Rennyn takes the time Fenra spends examining the crystals to meditate and refocus his energies. As he does his pearly white Aeon Stone circles his head continuously, mending both his body and his spirit. After a few minutes he feels his airwalking spell expire. He is firmly terrestrially bound once more.
At Fenra's prompting, Rennyn opens one eye. Give me a few minutes and I can see what I can do. His gaze moves from the fair oracle to Sharadei, trying to gauge her condition.
Draeven's temper mellows after a moment with no more apparent threats. Although banged up himself, he says nothing and begins stalking about, making sure nothing sneaks up on them while the others puzzle out how they are to move higher into the tower. The spell upon him granting the ability to walk upon the air fizzles out around the same time Rennyn's does.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
With little else to do, Spivey sets to work tending to 'owies' as she likes to call them.
Meanwhile, Fenra's intuitive logic eventually pays off. Coming up with the patterns needed to activate the panel's crystals, Anara quickly feels the rush of arcane energy return and the icy floor beneath begins to glow. Strange writings and patterns emerge to form a glowing disc at the bottom of the central chamber. Then the crystal panel begins flashing; slowly at first, then quicker.
Certain this is the platform function of the panel, Fenra directs the group to position themselves within the glowing runes. It is a tight fit. The glowing patterns do not fill the chamber interior completely and there is a gap all around; wide enough for someone to squeeze off the forming disc if they wanted. No sooner does the party step onto the glowing circular pattern than a platform of alien force slowly rises above the icy floor and lifts the group off the ground! Although quite stable, there is nothing but the glowing patterns comprising the round platform preventing the party from falling back to the icy floor below!
Soon the disc rises comfortably through the centre of the chamber and another blue ring high above, approximately 100 feet up, shines to indicate a second floor of the tower.
Within the chamber, the blue veins pulse up the shaft chaotically and the soft sound of several beating hearts becomes more audible the higher the platform goes. Like an echo of one heart, the sounds begin to coordinate midway and the walls of the chamber pulse as one heart! Gleeful laughter ensues. There is definitely someone on the second level...
As the platform rises, nearing the voices, the sorceress draws on her inner reserve and materializes whisps of shadow vapor in the air around her. As they take form, the shadows wrap themselves around Anara's form; twisting it...
As the platform lifts them up to the next level Rennyn turns to Fenra and bows. The circlet on his head glows softly for a moment and the oracle feels a connection form between herself and the paladin. If we are to be successful up here, we are going to have to keep you safe for as long as possible.
He then takes Suishen in both hands and readies to face whatever horrors await them on the next floor...
Draeven keeps his head on a swivel, watching for danger as the platform floats upward.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
The platform rises amid pulsing walls. Above the half way point, they synchronize once more! This time the pulsing veins are holding their pattern and the entire chamber grows brighter. Suddenly, there is a dramatic change in air pressure as though the shaft is subjected to a shock wave from high above! It feels like a slap of air sending ears ringing from the blast. From outside, the howling cry of a Morozkos can be heard buffeting the tower walls!
The glowing ring of the next level looms closer and closer. The maniacal laughter of an old woman fills the air as a man screams in pain. The veins from the shaft begin to converge near the top of the shaft becoming four throbbing arteries at the ring. Clearing the edge to the next level, the platform slows to a gentle stop revealing a chilled, frost covered chamber reeking of decay and excrement. Three of the veins traverse the cold floor, up the walls of this hexagonal chamber before converging back into the central shaft 50 feet above. A fourth artery continues its way up the east side of the shaft to disappear with the others at the top where a blue sphere of light ripples. The hexagonal shaft containing the platform is open to this chamber on three sides, the other three sides continue up to the blue sphere another 200 feet above. To the northeast and southeast, two hexagonal portals stand in the walls, filled with featureless opaque crystal. More crystal panels are set within these walls.
On the west walls is a large mural. The decoration is an image recognizable as the map of the Crown. Dozens of painted black dots scatter the landscape; some are labelled in what Anara and Fenra recognize as abyssal runes. But there is no time to decipher these!
Standing 11 feet tall and about 900 pounds each are three frost covered trolls! Each bare the demon lord Sithhud's unholy symbol upon their chests. Their sickly, cracked icy flesh is of a cerulean pallor. Trophies of bone and flayed skin hang from randomly placed hooks piercing their grotesque bodies! To the north are the remains of their meals; humanoid and animal bones and one half eaten man! To the south, an aged woman stands before an old man chained to the wall. The woman holds an ear in one hand, a wicked looking knife in the other! Somehow, this old man is non other than Tunuak! Desna has smiled upon the group and caught these creatures off guard! Trolls and woman alike turn to see the group arrive...
As the platform reaches the next level and the disgusting trolls are revealed, Draeven lets out a battle cry and lets his battle lust boil, before leaping into the fray immediately to take advantage of their surprise. He dashes past the troll on his right and slashes at it with his acid dripping blade...
...slicing into the tough hide, the acid sizzling in the wound.
Thanking Spivey for the warmth of her magic and Rennyn for his protection, she indicates that she is confident that this is some kind of magical lift that will transport them higher and that she can trigger the magics.
While they travel up Fenra gathers herself, and calls a blessing to her and the party.
As they continue their ascent she strengthens the divine gift.
Feeling the healing warmth flow through her, Sharadei smiles and gives herself a little shake, appreciating the absence of cuts and bruises. Stepping onto the platform she keeps her weapon to hand. The slow ascent allows her to focus herself drawing the weight of the earth into her. As the platform continues to climb and the voice becomes more clear, she readies herself as best she can in the cramped quarters.
As the platform stops, the creatures on this level barely have time to register the party before Sharadei, taking stock of the creature before her, leaps forward and attacks it.
The shock of seeing Tunuak almost causes Fenra to falter in her casting, but she continues, drawing her hands in a circle around her that spreads out like a glowing ripple in a pond before disappearing.
Bless 1 minute 10'
Circle of Protection 1 minute, 10'
Rennyn isn't surprised at all to see Tunuak, but spares him no thought before joining the others in pressing the attack. Stepping off of the platform to catch a troll between himself and Draeven, he brings his sword arcing down from high guard...
...carving into the thing's chest with a deadly stroke of his blade, fire exploding from the wound, before following it up with a second upward slice that catches the staggered creature under the upper arm.
As the troll topples over dead, Rennyn turns and calls out to those remaining on the magically summoned disc, Get off of the platform and behind Draeven! as he motions with his sword to coral them to the right and away from the remaining trolls and old woman.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
Spilling from their two blades, foul blood and gore spray across the room adding burning troll flesh to the putrid smell of the chamber!
Sharadei's falchion adds to the growing mess, spattering the map with troll blood!
Muttering what sounds like a warning, Anara steps off the platform, her shoes squish squishing through troll entrails and gore.
Roaring with displeasure, the two remaining trolls raise hatchets! Specks of spittle fly from their mouths as they shout their revenge upon the ranger! The troll Sharadei wounded sweeps a thick leg toward her and catching the ranger behind her ankle, she is knocked to the ground! The ranger's quick reflexes save her from a following bite! But not fast enough to avoid the other troll's hatchet! Cold steel slashes across the ranger's thigh lancing her with pain! Then another swing of the hatchet finds her shoulder!
On the other side of the chamber, dark words roll from the old woman's tongue. Gesturing with the raised knife, a blast of ice cold air shoots from her hands to fill the chamber!
Heeding Rennyn's command, Spivey makes a beeline for Draeven's side.
Tr: 17+acid+2 bleed (Failed) + Frightened 2 ... +75+fire+3 (Dead)
O: 28-15
Platform: Round 4/8
Rennyn spins in response to the troll taking Sharadei down and savaging her with its hatchet, stepping forward to retaliate...
...his blade slicing the monster's forearm. The fire blackening the skin along the wound track.
The blast of cold gets Draeven's attention. He turns towards the spellcaster and begins stalking in her direction. As he reaches the first troll blocking his advance he swings his sword with murderous efficiency...
...hacking it down where it stands (barely breaking stride as he moves on the old hag).
The frigid blast tousles Rennyn's hair but Suishen protects him from any actual harm. Knowing who the actual threat remaining in the room is, the paladin rushes the old woman and attempts to end her as a threat to his comrades...
...his blade finding purchase in her flesh.
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
Draeven feels the satisfactory tug on his sword's edge as it cuts deep into the troll's side. Entrails spill to assault the big man's senses yet the beast does not go down! Leering at the barbarian, the troll roars defiantly forcing Draeven to finish the job. Another thrust impales his blade to the hilt into the troll's brain cavity!
Marking the old woman, Rennyn rushes past the third troll. Not completely lacking in intelligence, the troll swings its hatchet toward the charging champion catching him in the sword arm!
The troll's efforts do not dissuade the elf who moves on to savage the old woman. Feeling Suishen's bite, the old woman spins with the attack, but despite the wound, she does not fall...not yet. Flashing in anger, the old woman's eyes find Rennyn as flames threaten to set her alight!
LL:
WH: -79 + (-12 Persistent)
The trip turns out to be fortuitous for Shar as she slides under the wave of cold that hits the others. Almost like a spring, she pops back up and steps towards the next foe to attack. Her first strike is powerful but she slips on a bit of blood and her second swings wide.
Concentrating on her spells, Fenra's reaction time is glacial. As she takes the full blast of the cold she notices a faint glow that seems to divert some of it along a direct path to Rennyn.
Shaking off the numbing, she ignores the call to move to the side to ensure that her allies are still within reach of her magic. Concentrating she extends her blessing then proceeds to ward Rennyn from the hag.
Bless 1 minute 15'
Circle of Protection 1 minute, 10'
Forbidding Ward - sustained
Reeling from the blast of cold, Anara manages to catch herself and stay on her feet. Damn this cold! As she refocuses on the battle, the sorceress is relieved that her twin recovered quickly from the attack and managed to avoid the worst of the hag's blast expertly. As Shar leaned into the third troll, Anara launched a vile curse intended to tilt the fight in her twin's favor .
Waiting the few elongated seconds to see the effects of her curse, Anara finds enough time to take a closer look at the hag, digging deep into her memory for anything she had come across that might help here
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
LL: -38+15
WH: -79 - 17
(Persistent ends)
Auto Fail
Anara finishes the last few words of her spell and notices the troll's eyes shift from cross-eyed to straight and true! The troll shakes its head, scratches at the scab forming over the ranger's attempt to wound it, then swings the hatchet at Sharadei's head! The troll sees the sharp blade head strikes true... but there's no blood. No delicious brains. The troll squints as its brain organ works hard. Giving that up, it swings its hatchet again this time cleaving the annoying woman's arm at the shoulder! But the arm does not fall. Stupid arm. And where's the blood? These puny humans are full of blood! Blood should come! The troll snorts and changes tactics. Reaching for Sharadei it feels a finger thrust into its nose! Nothing. It tries again, mining the other nostril and is rewarded with a juicy morsel!
While the troll busies itself, Anara turns her attention to the old woman. A memory of old Finnighan arises. The tavern was dim and musky but Finnighan's tale of seductive women lurking in the forests north of Kalsgard had caught her attention. These women only looked young and vivacious, but were really old and wizened hags. One tale tell way of spotting one of there hags is to look for their footprints. Hags seemingly walk on air and rarely leave tracks. They also aren't very good at getting out of the way of stuff
Now, everyone knows hags are unpleasant cannibals who strive to entrap humanoids in schemes, create mistrust and strife from within. The hags then enjoyed picking off their prey one or two at a time, heightening the fear and anger of those who remain. The hags then revels in the scene of chaos and destruction left behind.
The only way to rid the world of them is to burn them at the stake! Some things never change. Finnighan mused that if there were no sources of fire, these hags probably don't take too well to cold iron. An odd thing to speculate as the hags he was describing thrive in the cold, but then Finnighan seemed to think hags were some kind of fey.
The old woman cackles as she backs away from Rennyn. You're too late! She's already found the key! Hee!Hee!Hee! Anara looks to where the hag moved and only sees the hem of her tattered robes swaying in the cold air. The old woman's hands reach behind, touch the wall and proceed to climb. Where the old woman claws at the wall, patches of frost fall to the floor revealing the icy surface below, She's found the key and the Master will come! Oh yes! He will enter our world and avenge my sacrifice! Hee!Hee! With one hand on the wall to 'support' herself, the old woman reaches into her rags producing a small bottle.
Spivey leans towards Anara, I'm just thinking out loud here, but if that's Tunuak, and he's chained to the wall, is he still evil? I mean, that woman cut off his ear. She's clearly not on the good guy side; I give her another 6 seconds. But cutting off someone's ear! That's not something friends do to friends, is it?
Unable to reach the hag retreating up the wall, and with a troll still standing in front of him, Draeven charges it, blade first...
...plunging the weapon into the thing's torso before violently ripping it out the side. The troll folds and collapses to the floor disemboweled.
Rennyn doesn't hesitate when the hag retreats up the wall, dropping a hand from Suishen, he draws and throws his spear with lightning fast speed. Each time the spear is hurled it immediately returns to the champion's hand to be thrown again...
Seeing the Troll do an almost comical ballet misses as it attempts to strike her Shar doesn't even have a chance to retaliate before Draeven all but dismembers it in a frenzy of motion.
Hearing Rennyn's call she instead turns to see the crazy old woman scurrying up the side of the wall! With one motion she drops her falchion and draws her bow. Sighting the woman carefully she fires two rapid shots. But as the woman slips slightly on the icy wall her second shot goes dangerously wide.
A#3
Fera sends a beam of pure holiness streaking into the hag.
Bless 1 minute 20'
Circle of Protection 1 minute, 10'
Forbidding Ward - sustained
As the hag begins to spider her way up the wall, Anara sees her twin take a step back and drop her blade. The sorceress knows what will be next. Pulling substance from the darkness between the folds of her robes, her magic materializes a shadow form bow in her hands for long enough to fire a single projectile. With practiced synchronicity, Anara focuses on her target and pairs her sister's movements as, together, they lift bows, take aim and release. Anara's projectile was little more than a blur of shadow form as it raced Shar's arrow to their prey.
The pincushioned hag seemed very much neutralized as a threat. The sorceress pondered Spivey's question before responding. "Maybe, but it's impossible to know at this point. Could be he was duped into helping and then turned into the necessary sacrifice."
Quickly changing her focus to what was presumably the last remaining enemy in the room, Anara cut straight for the captive . "Well, well. Look who we have here." Remembering their previous interactions, there is little warmth in the sorceress' words as she looks over the exiled shaman's physical condition .
Land of the Linnorm Kings |The Crown of the World - Aganhei Path | Boreal Expanse | Storm Tower
Moving over to examine everyone's favorite Shaman, Anara can see his left ear is indeed missing. The wound is fresh, but there is no sign of the man's ear - presumably the old woman still has it? Heavy chains bind Tunuak's hands. The bindings dig tightly into his wrists partially cutting off circulation to dark red hands. There is evidence of him being subjected to a severe beating; his right eye is swollen shut, dark bruises cover the left side of his face and his breathing is short with a wheeze.
Projectiles hurl across the room at the old woman. Pivoting her body left and right, she cackles as shafts strike the frost covered walls, . One of Sharadei's arrows does manage to strike home and Rennyn notes some of the vile woman's blood on his spear tip, but now where near as much as hoped. No! No! No! Hahaha! Quaffing the glass bottle in her hand, she flies across the room to the central shaft where she once again claws her way up the wall to the top of the chamber!
Spivey watches the drama unfolding, Tough bird.
Success. No mental damage, FF to Sharadei's attacks
WH: -79-17-9-10-6+22