"This creature is a greater barghest. It has the ability to shapechange into a goblin or a wolf. It has a few spell-like abilities and magic is needed to injure it."
Iolana casts confusion on the Barghest.
Ayako concentrates and focuses on the Barghest as Tyrando pincushions the killer and the bug
A Spear of Light flies from her fingertips and her Rod glows as she focuses more energy into harming it
+17=52
An evil creature struck by the spear takes 1d8 points of damage per two caster levels (maximum 5d8). An evil outsider instead takes 1d6 points of damage per caster level (maximum 10d6) and is blinded for 1 round. A successful Will save reduces the damage to half and negates the blinded effect. This spell deals only half damage to creatures that are neither evil nor good, and they are not blinded. The spear has no effect on good creatures. DC 17 Will
Sebastian isn't playing Mogmora's game of chase and turns his attention to the giant mantis on the left.
It takes three of Tyrandro's arrows to kill the Red Mantis assassin. Then he hits the same giant mantis that Sebastian injured with his last shot, killing it too.
Mogmora is assaulted by spells from both Iolana and Ayako but he somehow resists them both. However, Ayako's spear of purity still manages to sear some of his evil flesh.
Mogmora touches his fingertips together to form a triangle and blows through them a cone of despair that causes great sadness in all of you. The mindless insects are unaffected.
From the corner where Cinnabar is hiding, out of the corner of your eye, you glimpse her vanish from sight. You deduce it was more an invisibility effect than teleport but aren't able to tell where she ends up.
The two remaining giant mantises continue to focus all their attacks on Tyrandro. He takes two more hits.
"I feel gnawed on. Could you spare a healing? I'd take care of your unwanted pet for you." Tyrandro suggests to Ayako. He sends a couple arrows flying at that thing Iolana called a barghest.
Fluffy follows through the narrow path to see where the others went.
Mushu oinks in dismay that the nasty bugs separate him from his mistress.
Ayako attempts to cast Cure Critical Wounds on Tyrano
Sebastian circles around to the next mantis and stabs it through the carapace causing it to leak green fluids onto the cavern floor.
Tyrandro puts two more arrows into the barghest and it can take no more abuse. Mogmora falls backwards with a thunderous boom and splattering a wide swath of the brain-shrooms.
Tyrandro has one arrow remaining and kills the injured mantis again.
Then, the doors to the east open and out steps a black-skinned, red-haired woman in studded leather. She looks over the carnage that your inflicted on the enemies and shouts, "What's going on here?! Infidels! I will claim your souls in the name of Achaekek!"
She then blasts all four of you with a burst of pure evil that threatens to weaken and daze you.
She then quickens another spell calling upon the strength and wisdom of her deity.
"Who are you?" Iolana asks the other woman who just appeared. "Nevermind I'm sure you aren't friendly. She is affected by the barghest's spell. She casts rays of ice at the woman.
The spell slams into her, but skitters about the fractures in Ayako's mind. Ayako's face seems to crack open and flicking tongues lap out, blunting the spell
Whatever is peering out from Ayako's head is unassailable and cackles as it gibbers at the woman in an unknown tongue
She still feels horribly weak though and staggers under the weight of her gear.
The cleric dodges two of Iolana's cold rays but the third hits her squarely in the chest. The cold hurts her but not as much as expected. She must have some outsider blood or other elemental resistance.
The Red Mantis leader reappears near Sebastian at the base of the stairs. Her body then begins to grow and contort. Her weapons meld into her arms and become a mantis' claws and her legs split and extend into insect legs. Soon she is fully a blood red giant mantis.
The last mantis continues its instructions and claws at Tyrandro again. One more claw manages to slash him.
Ayako moves 5' away from the giant mantis and then casts Wall of Stone so it surrounds the newcomer cleric that has weakened the party.
Tyrandro is annoyed by the mantis clawing at him so he shoots it. Once it is done he turns to the one threatening Sebastian.
Fluffy moves on.
Iolana casts Magic Circle against Evil on herself. "I hope this helps at least a little."
Dark blots flash before Sebastian's eyes from the blasphemy and he stands dazed and unable to act.
Tyrandro kills the last giant mantis with his first arrow then turns his remaining attacks against the transformed assassin. He hits her once and she wobbles unsteadily near death.
The cleric moves down the stairs, her feet walking on air rather than touching down onto the stone. She casts a spell and extends her hand to touch the red mantis. The assassins wounds rapidly heal and she looks good as new afterwards.
Iolana surrounds herself and the party within a magic circle against evil.
Ayako casts wall of stone and successfully traps the cleric within.
The assassin turned mantis slashes Sebastian twice with her claws. Iolana's magic circle flares to life and blocks one of the attacks. The other gets through and in addition to cutting Sebastian, it pulls him in close for the mantis to try to bite him. However, Sebastian squirms out of the way of the mantis' mandibles at the last second. The mantis releases its hold, dropping Sebastian back down onto his feet.
"This sucks." Tyrandro sighs as the half dead monster suddenly is in pristine condition again. "I should have gone after it while it was close to death."
As Tyrandro missed with two out of three arrows the last time he decides to go for quality over quantity.
Fluffy closes in and ends up next to that tasty looking bug.
Ayakp's otherworldly babbling reaches a crescendo as she directs her words at the transformed killer
Iolana lets rays of cold fire at the creature that used to be Cinnabar. "This is a horrible place. I guess that's why it's called Deathhead."
Mushu eagerly awaits a meal of giant bug
Sebastian stabs the red mantis in the eye and it screams and ear piercing screech.
Tyrandro hits with all three of his arrows.
From within the stone dome you hear the cleric casting a spell but since you can't see inside, you are unable to determine its effect.
Iolana hits the mantis with three ice rays and that's enough to end the assassin's threat. The mantis screams one more time and reverts back into human form. The woman lays dead on the ground.
"Will she stay inside and starve to death?" Tyrandro asks. But he keeps his bow at the ready to shoot any enemy that still dares to raise.
Fluffy is disappointed that this tasty bug reverted to human. He turns to check out the other dead mantises but they simply vanish. His stomach growls in disappointment.
She might be able to dispel the magic or destroy it with force, we need to tend to our wounds and get ready for another attack. Who is injured? Mushu! No!
Mushu slinks away from where he was trying to nibble on the former mantis woman.
"Shall we go in, or wait for her to come out again?" Tyrandro asks nodding at the large door with the mantis decoration.
I believe the wall has to be smashed down The longer we wait the more magic and allies she can call upon
"I have an idea." She casts Fly on Tyrando if he accepts it. "Can you get an angle to attack?"
I can summon an earth elemental to go under the floor and attack
You smash a hole in the wall of stone, prepared to attack the enemy cleric, only to be surprised to find it empty.
With all enemies finally defeated, you can also look into the room to the east.
Six stone pillars support the roof of this T-shaped chamber. The walls are decorated with incredibly detailed paintings of immense mantis-like monsters destroying towns with various forms of architecture. Strangely, the scenes constantly evolve, playing out an eternal scene of slaughter. The most impressive feature in the chamber is a towering stone statue of a four-armed mantis to the west.
The barghest Mogmora has no treasure on him.
Cinnabar, the Red Mantis Assassin leader, has: mask of the mantis, potions of cure moderate wounds (2); +2 mithral chainmail, +1 sawtooth sabre (2), boots of striding and springing, ring of protection +1, and 8 pp.
Removing Cinnabar's mask, you find that she is in fact quite beautiful, with strawberry-colored hair.
The other Red Mantis Assassin, is just a standard one with the same gear you've seen before: potion of bull’s strength (2), potion of resist fire, alchemist’s fire (2); +1 leather armor, +1 sawtooth sabres (2), daggers (4), cloak of resistance +1, mask of the mantis, and 27 pp.
Who here is wounded? We have a loose cleric who is no doubt alerting the others.
Ayako taps herself with her wand
"So we will run into her later again." Tyrandro sighs. Taking a look into the large room Tyrandro is impressed. But as there is s door leading on he takes a look into the other room where Cinabar came out from.
Pondering the might of the vanished cleric he asks "Do we need to make sure this red mantis isn't brought back to life?"
If they want to raise her, they will need most of the body. We could shove her into our sacks.
BWEEE!
No, Mushu. Plus you are too small
"We could feed her to Fluffy, but that's not civilized. He'd also get heartburn." She follows Tyrando as he examines the rooms. She gathers up the equipment that she can carry.
How about we disguise ourselves as Mantis? Sebastion and Tyrando could be our captors and we could attack with surprise. We have enough of these bloody suits.
Fluffy looks disgusted at Iolana for that suggestion.
"You just want to look more badass. Admit it." Tyrandro replies to Ayako with a smirk.
Mushu puts a mantis mask on himself with his mage hand and trots around. He is The Red Pig!
How long does the evil spell last with the Str reduction?
How about we disguise ourselves as Mantis?
You check the room to the north wear the assassin leader was waiting first.
Three large stone vats sit in alcoves in this room. Each is big enough to hold a human, but apart from a strange blue residue caking the insides of each, they are empty. A cot and a writing desk sit amid the vats—awkward additions of comfort in what once seems to have been a strange laboratory.
An investigation of the materials on the writing desk reveals the majority of the notes to be concerned with training exercises, prayers to Achaekek, and detailed illustrations of anatomy and the best methods of delivering fatal coups de grace or sneak attacks.
To the east:
Six stone pillars support the roof of this T-shaped chamber. The walls are decorated with incredibly detailed paintings of immense mantis-like monsters destroying towns with various forms of architecture. Strangely, the scenes constantly evolve, playing out an eternal scene of slaughter. The most impressive feature in the chamber is a towering stone statue of a four-armed mantis to the west.
This room radiates illusion magic. When Boule described this area to you, he said there was a regular door to the north and a secret door to the south, but neither is visible to you at the moment.
Tyrandro searches the room and the desk. On finding the sheet of parchment between two drawers he states "That's well hidden for being just another training sheet."
Ayako casts Detect Magic on the paper
I will examine the room with the illusion magic
The paper you found is protected by a secret page spell which hides the true message on the paper. To reveal to contents of the page, a special word must be spoken. Comprehend languages combined with true seeing also works. Or a successful dispel magic will remove the protection.
Ayako is unable to determine the exact spell masking the eastern room but knowing it is an illusion, she is able to feel around. The only things real within the room are the columns. The murals and statue are not actually there. Ayako can also feel where the door to the north is located. Finding the secret door, requires a high perception check, with a better chance if the illusion can be dispelled.
Ayako tries to dispel the magic on the paper
But fails. This is beyond my ability to dispel
"First things firts, let me take a look at the paper." she casts Dispel Magic on the paper.
Iolana pulls out a scroll and moves to the south end of the room. She reads the scroll and casts Detect Secret Door.
Iolana dispels the magic on the paper and the message changes. The new message reads:
Cinnabar—
Agent Koriantu’s reports of your progress in Korvosa paints a very different picture than that you’ve presented previously to the Crimson Citadel, and we are displeased you have downplayed the facts. In particular, we find the disruptions inflicted on the operation by the adventurers you claimed would be ”simple matters to resolve” to be particularly worrisome. If the agents under your command can defeat these adventurers in the Cinderlands as you promise, well and good, but should they continue to act as flies in the ointment, I shall be obliged to relieve you of duty and lead the operation myself. The Blood Mistress is already unhappy with the, shall we say, sloppiness your agents have exhibited to date, and if I am forced to step in to take command of a continually faltering operation, one would hope for your sake that you have not survived this latest mishandling of resources. Any pains inflicted upon you by your simple little adventurers would feel as a lover’s tender caress compared to my ministrations. Trusting you will do what is needed, and may you walk in blood.
—K
Iolana's detect secret doors spell also successfully locates the hidden door on the south wall which leads to a narrow staircase dug through the stone that wraps around to the east.
"It looks like we fulfilled someone's wish." Tyrandro jokes.
Well it looks like we actually saved her some suffering, shall we continue? Ayako gestures to the now revealed doorway.
"Uhmm, no. I don't feel like moving on yet. How about I get the special Mushu treatment first?" Tyrandro replies.