Yelek tumbles down the shaft, landing next to his companions with a solid SPLAT .
Egg and Quint manage to make it about halfway down before the telltale Crack resounds again. Freezing in place they await the cascade of pain that's sure to come. After but a few moments, they note nothing bombarding them, and slowly make their way to the floor.
The room currently occupy is covered in six inches of muddy water. A single door leads out. The only light sources currently come for you.
Listening at the single door, you hear nothing come from beyond. It seems to be a standard door with no surprises. Beyond which is a hallway with another closed door, granting similiar results on inspection.
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Quint looks around and see's only a bit of light is seeping through the crack in the ceiling , John let me know before the magic light is set to expire on your cloak and I'll ready my lantern and some oil o.k? Quint takes sock of his companions, is everybody sufficiently healed? I don't want to open this door if we're not prepared..Yelek you mind taking lead again? Your eyes seem particularly adept to these conditions. Perhaps Pavo next in line? Quint draws his gun and loads it, I'll be next.. Quint says with determined resolve. When he thinks everybody is ready Quint grabs the door latch and says, Say when!?
When you open the door, the sickly sweet smell of rotting meat assaults your nostrils. The odor fills this perfectly square, low-ceilinged chamber. The east wall features a large bas-relief carving portraying a wide-eyed hag devouring her own hands. A single door stands closed opposite you.
In the southwest corner, slumps a bloated wormy corpse. The creature bears a remarkable resemblance to the villains you faced above. However, this one is covered in bite marks and missing its left arm.
The statue of the Hag suddenly locks it's icy stare on you.
You notice the relief where the statue resides has sigils carved into it. You are positive it's a trap triggered when something comes within 10ft of it. The trap is magical.
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John hears 'magical' and says, "hold on! Let me check that out before I get hit in the head again. Point it out please."
He moves up behind Yelek and when he isn't squeezing with anyone, casts detect magic. If he locates the presence of a magical aura (or auras) he will attempt to identify the school (or schools) of magic. If it is a magical item he will try his hand at figuring out that as well.
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Quint lets the Sorcerer squeeze past him and decides it may be more useful to have one of arcane talents near the lead. He spares a momentary disgusted glance at his firearm before swapping places with John in the marching order. If I had just passed that last exam! I would have been admitted to the academy arcane and would have some use! But, as it is..I must use this poor substitute for magic.. *squeezing his gun handle*until a year has passed and I can take the exam again! Quint can be heard mumbling to himself as he shifts position to rear guard of the group.
You spy two auras - Both compulsion. One of them is more powerful than the other.
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John sighs, "well... crap. There are several compulsion auras on the trap that was spotted by Yelek. I don't know exactly what the trap will do, but a compulsion spell forces the subject to act in some manner or changes the way its mind works. Some compulsion spells determine the subject's actions or the effects on the subject, others allow you to determine the subject's actions when you cast the spell, and still others give you ongoing control over the subject."
He thinks for a second, "If I had to bet, it was probably some sort of cannabalistic compulsion, considering our friends upstairs."
He looks carefully into the room again.
Pavo steps into the room and the statues eyes seem to lock onto him. Realizing the glare is a simple illusion, he relaxes and tries to inspect the evil of the room. Stopping in his tracks, as his gaze takes in the statue, the man stands stiff as a board.
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Pavo remains frozen in place for a ten count. He shivers as his senses recover. "Ah. I'm fine John, thank you. The wall is enchanted to scare, but I saw it for the illusion it was." He removes a gauntlet and rubs his temple. "I opened myself to the spiritual auras and was overwhelmed by the evil of this place."
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Quint's eyes widen at his companions unseen perils. Again he curses himself for not studying sufficiently hard to be accepted in to the academy. too much time with your hooligan smuggler friends in the Pesh dens! Quint chides himself. He then comes to his senses and move cautiously in to the room. Everyone alright in here?
Inspecting the door, you find nothing to fear. Opening it, you peer into the room you find this long, high-ceilinged hall is partially flooded with murky, stagnant water, and the sound of slowly dripping water echoes ominously throughout. A massive banyan tree has breached a large section of the south wall, and the tree’s enormous invasive roots now extend several feet into the hall. Long sheets of thick moss and other detritus cling to the twisted tree roots, forming a curtainlike barrier.
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John moves up, waiting for the signal that it is good to move into the next room. Standing by the bloated corpse he smiles and then chuckles as he says, "how's it going buddy? Come in here for a bite... here, let me offer you a hand... for shame, lying down on the job..."
Clearly amused by his own antics he is also keeping a close eye on the corpse and checking to see if there are any valuables in this corner of the room or visible on the corpse.
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Quint hesitant to do it... is never-the-less curious about the corpse and moves next to it keeping a close eye on it for any signs of movement or un-life as it were. If he see no signs the corpse is going to spring forward and attack him..Quint bends down and rifles through the corpse's clothes/belongings searching for clues and/or valuables..
You don't find anything of value. However, as Quint confirms this, he feels something wiggling on his left hand. Pulling it from the corpse pocket, he spies a tiny maggot crawling on him.
The corpse doesn't seem amused by John, as it lays there, continuing to rot.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Sticking his sword into the stagnant fluid, over half the blade disappears. Staring into the room, Yelek believes there's a gradual slope up towards the dry end. The roots hanging from the ceiling look sturdy enough to climb, though they are quite obviously soggy.
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Suddenly a writhing parasite ballooned to monstrous proportions undulates in the much. Leaping out of the viscous fluid, it's circular maw of spiral teeth fly towards Yelek. Though it comes up short, a bloated Spish resounds as the creature lands.
This is an advanced giant leech.
Has vermin immunities
Special Abilities: Attach --> When this creature hits with a bite attack, it latches onto the target and automattically grapples. In this condition, the creature can be attacked with weapons or grappled as normal.
Blood Drain --> Each turn that it ends attached to a creature, it inflicts 1 point of strength and con damage.
Egg
Quint
Leech
Yelek
Pavo
John
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Quint hears a startled serpentine hiss..followed closely by his other companions calls of alarm. Not an overly brave man, Quint never-the-less feels he has something to prove. His mind made up, Quint shoves his way past John and enters the stagnant water to see a horrid amorphous creature wailing around. He levels his gun as it whips it's appendages at Yelek making for a difficult shot...and he fires
Not wanting to sacrifice a second Quint rapidly reloads his pistol with an alchemical cartridge
Egg steps behind John in the corridor and spies the massive vermin. Thinking fast, he levels his bow and fires an arrow into the side of the beast.
Rushing into the room at the sound of battle, Quint pops a round off. The loud KRAck echoes throughout the chamber, but alas his aim goes wide, splashing harmlessly in the water.
The writhing flesh makes a burbling sound as it's head swivels towards Pavo. It gnaws on the flesh between his armor plates, burying it's head into the mans shoulder.
Egg
Quint
Leech
Yelek
Pavo
John
Egg
Quint
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John drops the rope and slips the sack off his shoulder, it lands on the floor with a small splash/clunk. Drawing his dagger he releases a guttural scream directed at the 'thing', hoping to at least put it off its game.
Special: You also gain a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks if you are larger than your target and a –4 penalty on Intimidate checks if you are smaller than your target.
Yelek slices the nasty bulbous entity in twain. As it falls to the ground in pieces, Pavo skewers one half and John scares the beasts ghost to hell.