"Yes I knew how the switches work. Like I said, I've been down here awhile. Ask me anything you'd like. The monster is just trying to turn us against ourselves."
Before you get a chance to ask any questions, a door between dimensions opens at the end of the hallway and the sphinx-creature steps through.
"You think you can escape me that easily? Now that I've found you, there is no escape. I am master of the labyrinth."
Iolana pulls out her wand of Cure Moderate Wounds, and taps herself with it. Then she draws her wand of slow.
"Who is lying here? Master of the Labryrinth. Why are you attacking our acquaintance? He appears to be a friend of ours. Is he something other than he appears to be? A human male.
"A strong assumption, that this thing is only trying to attack Vencarlo." Tyrandro comments. "How about we end that thing together and discuss the other topic after that?"
Ayako searches her mind once again to try to understand what this creature is
That works Ayako. The information on the creature is in my previous post.
A darksphyx! They are resistant acid, cold, electricity, and fire. Plus they need blessed weapons to harm Ayako casts Align weapon on Sebastion's weapon.[/b]
Iolana cures herself and Ayako aligns Sebastian's weapon.
"It's not just after me. It's after us all! We're trapped in this corner; the switches don't work twice in a row. We'll have to fight."
Vecarlo moves behind the group and throws one of the javelins he was carrying at the darksphinx. The javelin transforms as soon as it leaves his hand into a lightning bolt that shots through Tyrandro and Tunstall before hitting the sphinx. The lightning washes over the sphinx's spell resistance and leaves it unharmed. "Oops. I had no idea it would do that. I thought it was a normal javelin."
Somehow I don't think Vecarlo is being entirely honest with us.
Really? You had no idea?" She looks unconinced as she fires off a set of four magic missiles at the creature.
Fluffy winces.
"That's it. I'm going to watch as the Sphinx takes Vencarlo apart from the back. Fluffy, heel!" Tyrandro moves past Iolana into the next room.
Fluffy follows.
Ayako casts Align weapon on Tyrando, blessing his weapon of choice for goodness.
Sebastion? Ayako queries.
Sebastian steps up to stab at the sphinx. His blessed weapon pierces the creature's defenses.
Tyrandro backs up into the next room.
The sphinx retaliates with a flurry of attacks against Sebastian. It's first swing is a critical hit but Sebastian manages to fend off the remaining four.
Iolana tries a magic missile but the sphinx's spell resistance protects it. Ayako aligns Tyrandro's weapon to good.
"Let me prove that I'm on your side. I'll protect Sebastian."
Vencarlo moves up and stabs the sphinx as well. However, his weapon isn't aligned and doesn't hurt it fully.
Iolana casts Acid Pit below the Spinx like creature. If Vencarlo falls, I don't think I care. "Sebastian let them fight it out." She taps herself with her wand of cure moderate again.
Ayako casts Cure Serious Wounds on the wolf
All this suspicion and talk of betrayal was enough to make Sebastian's head spin. It had been obvious at first that this darksphynx was just trying to divide them and turn them against each other; he thought the others were clever enough to see through such a flimsy trick. The lightning javelin was strange, though. He had never seen Master Orisini use such a weapon before, but desperate times called for desperate measures. But how could Vencarlo be so foolish as to throw such a thing so close to his own allies? And even as he moved up to defend Sebastian, there was something strange about the way he fought. Certainly, there was skill in the thrusts, but something tugged at the back of Sebastian's mind. Altogether, it was enough to drive him to distraction, and his own attacks on the darksphynx resemble those of a talented novice.
With his bow appropriately prepared Tyrandro asks Iolana to take a step to the side so he can shoot.
Sebastian is too distracted to hit. However, Tyrandro puts an arrow through the creature's eye and another into its chest. It clutches its wounds and screams in pain. The sphinx is badly injured after the assault.
The sphinx tries to retaliate against Vencarlo, but half-blinded, it can't hit at all.
Sense Motive on Vencarlo: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (2) - 3 = -1
Iolana summons a pit beneath the sphinx and it tumbles down inside. It lets loose one last scream as it falls before the impact snaps it's neck. Although resistant to acid, the pool is still strong enough to slowly melt the flesh from the corpse.
Vencarlo steps away from the pit and brushes off his hands. "Well I'm glad that's over. Shall we make our way out of here now?"
Iolana stays ready just in case Tyrando has something to say to Vencarlo that will end it bloodshed. Something is just not right about this.
Ayako heals Tyrando with her wand.
Tyrandro readies his bow for the next shots. "Sebastian - now you have five seconds to come up with a nice childhood memory you have that includes Vencarlo that he can finish telling to prove who he is. If not he is next to go into that pit."
Angrily, Sebastian turns on his heel to face Tyrandro. Feeling sick, battered, bruised, and overwhelmed, he's finally had enough of the other man's imperious attitude. "Apologies m'lord, I must have missed the part where I take orders from you." Despite his own growing misgivings about the situation, he steps up to block Tyrandro's line-of-sight. There was sense in the plan, but he didn't have to go about it Tyrandro's way. "Master Orisini," he says, still glaring at the arrow. "How did you lose your fingers?"
Ayako taps Sebastion.
Perhaps demonstrating a particular skill of Master Orisini? There is a difference between knowing and doing
"Master Orisini," he says, still glaring at the arrow. "How did you lose your fingers?"
"How did I lose my finger? Mmm...Let's see. Who cares? This charade is gone on long enough." Vencarlo's form shifts into that of a beautiful black haired Vuldrani woman. Sebastian recognizes this woman as Vimanda. "You always were too gullible. The perfect puppet. I thought if I could trick you into escaping with me, I could use you further. But I see that I won't be able to. Unfortunately for you, tools that worn out need to be discarded. The darksphinx wasn't able to stop you, but I will." She shifts forms again to an attractive humanoid woman with the head of a fox. In this form, she is graceful, elegant, and confident, and she exudes a dangerous sensuality. "Ah finally, I can shed these filthy human skins. It doesn't matter if you see me in my true form now; You won't live to tell anyone."
Well, you certainly help your case with tossing that javelin, rather suspicious that electrocuting those who would be your puppets didn't cross your mind. Really, you knew all along what that javelins would do.
Ayako gives a small chant, aiding her allies blows
As soon as it becomes clear that his suspicions re true Tyrandro lets fly the readied arrow.
And follows that up with a full volley of them.
Shocked, Sebastian whirls around to see that the person standing behind him is no longer Vencarlo Orisini. Rather, it's nearly the last person he would ever have expected - the sultry Vimanda Arkona! Her insults dig deep and wound his pride. He's not sure which is worse, being used or being discarded. "Vimanda-!? What are you doing here?" The 'discarding' of her 'filthy' human jolts Sebastian to his senses.
After wasting precious moments in bewilderment, he finally steps aside for Tyrandro to take his shot at the (admittedly alluring) fox-headed woman that Vimanda has transformed into. "What have you done with Master Orisini, you deceiving witch?" Sebastian demands. Standing so close to the edge of a pit, Sebastian has to be careful of his footwork, forcing him to forgo some of his more effective techniques.
Iolana swiftly expends a use of her sorcerer's robes. The ripple with power and ice shards fall from them and disappear. She then casts four Magic Missiles at the fox woman.
Sebastian stabs Vimanda once. His enchanted weapon pierces the rakshasa's strong damage resistance.
Tyrandro fires a number of shots but with Sebastian in the way they all go wide.
Avoiding Sebastian's notice, his silver dagger emerges from his pack and transforms into a hideous, red-eyed serpent that bites him on the neck.
"Haha. Since the beginning, I've been spying on you and you had no idea. With you carrying that dagger. It was easy to learn all of your plans and to track your location. It is a shame I couldn't use you to dispose of Glorio first but I'll just have to do it on my own. Once you and him are out of the way, I'll use the seneschal myself to help overthrow the Queen."
Made up of smoke, blood, and gold, raktavarnas are the least of the rakshasas—they are born not from humanoids, but from the souls of rakshasas who failed utterly in their previous incarnation and who are thus reborn from a serpent’s egg.
These terrors drift through society, passing from hand to hand as weapons or strange tokens from foreign lands, curiosities brought home by traders and emissaries and given to leaders as tribute. In this manner the raktavarnas gain entry into corridors of power throughout the world, and what they see, their foul masters know. A raktavarna’s servitude to a master ends only when its master decrees, or (more commonly) upon the master’s death. Little disconcerts raktavarnas more than having no master, and when they are cast adrift in this manner, they seek a replacement as soon as they can.
They have DR/good or piercing and SR. They can change shape into small hand-held objects and their master can see through their eyes.
Ayako casts bless.
Iolana's magic missile is deflected by the rakshasa's spell resistance but Iolana cleverly infused the missile with her cold element and Vimanda is stung by the cold.
Vimanada's feet magically lift off the ground and she flies backwards and comes to a stop hovering over the acid pit.
She points a finger forward and shoots rays of fire at Sebastian and Tyrandro. Both men are struck and their flesh burns on contact.
"That's a raktavarna, a subspecies of rakshasa. A raktavarna’s servitude to a master ends only when its master decrees, or (more commonly) upon the master’s death. Kill her and it stops." Iolana casts Acid Arrow at Vimanda. She also activates her Sorcerer's robes again. She misses and curses in as many languages as she knows.
Ayako taps Sebastion with her healing wand
Sebastion, I still have Iolana's flying magic, I can carry you over the pit. Or we can spin the room using the levers.
Shooting the Rhashasa doesn't go too well. He asks Iolana "Can you end her flying magic to drop her nto the pit?"
"Ack!" Sebastian cries out in pain as something bites his neck. Frantically, he tries to pull the thing off of him.
Sebastian is far too busy to spend much thought on what Vimanda's plan might have been, trying to use them. But it seems Vimanda is far too busy gloating to spend much thought on her positioning, leaving herself wide open to an attack as she flies off the ledge. Fortunately for her, Sebastian is far too busy dealing with the serpent still stuck on his neck to make much advantage of it.
Sebastian screams in pain as the acrid smell of burning flesh and hair fill the air. Still struggling with the serpent, he reaches for the dagger, but it isn't there. Frantically, he grabs for something,anything, to try to kill the creature. His hands find a silver-blanched crossbow bolt, and he doesn't hesitate to use it.
The wand in the back from Ayako quickly heals the damage caused by the fire; with luck, it wouldn't even leave a scar. But the smell of his own flesh burning off his face would leave its own mark, and it would no doubt haunt his dreams for some time.
Sebastian and Tyrandro both have trouble hitting their targets.
The raktavarna tries to bite Sebastian again but without the element of surprise, Sebastian easily blocks it aside.
Iolana also misses Vimanda. Ayako heals Sebastian.
Vimanda continues her magical assault from the air. She fires four magic missiles, two at Sebastian and two at Ayako.
Tyrando! Help Sebastion kill that dagger so we aren't distracted Ayako taps herself with the wand.
Iolana slides over to Tyrando pulling out her wand of Cat's Grace. "I may have something, but I think I'll help your attacks first."
She taps him with it.
Sebastian stabs viciously at the the thing that used to be his dagger, skewering it repeatedly.
As he doesn't hit that woman anyway Tyrandro does as requested and shoots the silvery thing, whatever it is. "I don't know what it is about that fox woman, but my arrows seem to just bounce off of her."
The raktavarna is not a powerful foe and Sebastian destroys it with his first strike. Unfortunately, Vimanda is too far away for him to continue any further attacks against her this round.
Tyrandro fires four more arrows at Vimanda. One comes close but he still isn't able to hit yet.
Iolana boosts Tyrandro's Dex to aid his accuracy.
Ayako heals herself.
Vimanda senses Sebastian's thoughts and urges him on. Vimanda casts a spell and speaks to Sebastian in a honeyed tongue. "Jump across. You can do it. You can reach me if you stand on the other side."
"That was a Suggestion spell." She fires another Acid Arrow at the creature. Her spell goes wide. She moves closer to the action.
Tyrandro starts counting arrows. "You said you have something to drop her. What are you waiting for? To kill her with arrows and blows will take forever."
Vimanda's sorcerous eyes lock with Sebastian, and the passing thought of crossing to the other side suddenly becomes his fervent desire. Running toward the ledge, he hurls himself through the air towards her, baring his teeth. "Here I am, darling!"
Sebastion, No! Iolana, is there anyway to end that pit spell? Knowing that she will have a difficult time using her magic, Ayako nevertheless sends small tendrils of shadow at the creature
You pin the target’s shadow to its current location, causing the target to become entangled and preventing it from moving farther than 5 feet from its original position, as if its shadow were anchored to the terrain. Each round on its turn, the target can attempt a new saving throw to end the effect as a full-round action. A flying creature can only hover in place or fall while entangled in this manner. This spell automatically fails when cast on a creature that doesn’t throw a shadow, and it ends if the creature is entirely in an area with no illumination.
DC 16 will
"I wish I could end the pit. I have a wand, but I'd have to get through her resistances Tyrando. I'm not sure I can do that. It hasn't worked so far."
I'm a little confused. Vimanda is suggesting that I can actually hit her if I jump and stand on the other side. Is that true? According to the map, it looks true, and the jump ought to only take a move action with a speed of 70 feet/round. If so, that's way better than trying to grapple.
Sebastian leaps across the pit and comes very close to hitting Vimanda but she dodges in the air at the last moment.
Tyrandro finally plants two arrows into the woman while her back is turned. She howls in pain from the good-aligned arrows but still has a lot of fight left in her.
Iolana tries an acid arrow without luck.
Ayako tries to bind her with a shadow trap but also has no luck.
Vimanda lands next to Sebastian and strikes him with an open palm.
Ayako recasts Blessing of Fervor for another 8 rounds.
"It is worth a try. Because if it works it would become much easier for us. And if not you only lost a try to spit a little acid at her. Which hasn't worked too well until now." Tyrandro comments to Iolana while shooting.
I'll give it a try. I'm about to drag out that Wand of Wonder. Though that could make things exponentially worse." She pulls out her wand of Slow and points it at Vimanda. Saying the trigger word a bright light flies out and reaches her. She moves closer to the action.
Though the edge of the pit is precarious, hours of footwork practice with Master Orisini saves Sebastian from his recklessness.
Sebastian is caught off-guard by Vimanda's close-quarters strike; he would have never expected such vulgar brawling, even from such a deceptive creature as Vimanda. He pays for his naiveté. He fails to parry the strike, and some foreign energy invades his body. But though his muscles seize for a moment, he is able to resist the full effects. "The fox-head suits you. You're just full of nasty tricks!"
Despite the danger, there's something thrilling about crossing swords with the sultry rakshasa. In such close quarters she couldn't hope to get a spell off safely. Martial combat has an honesty that magic lacks, a certain nakedness to the hard edge of steel.
"Your love of trickery has undone you," Sebastian says, grinning as he thrusts and feints, drawing the duel out for his own amusement. "You had me bewitched, you know? There was never a need for deception; I would have been your willing slave!" Master Orisini had often said Sebastian's greatest weakness was his love of combat, but the admonishments fell always on deaf ears. Even now, something in him enjoyed the fighting more than it feared the pain it would inflict, and he can't bring himself to strike with enough intention to put an end to the delicious tension.