The statue doesn't radiate evil, neither does anything else until suddenly, he feels two moderate evil presences beside him as two jackal headed statues suddenly animate and move to attack!
As the statues come to life, Othine points toward something written in Abyssal over the statue. "Great is the daughter of Heaven who tortures infants! Her hand is a net, her embrace is death. She is cruel, raging, angry, predatory. She constantly howls like a demon-dog." Then Othine cries "LAMASHTU, Mother! Accept my sacrifice" and stabs Soran in the back! for damage! By sheer luck, Soran steps an inch to the left at the moment and she misses!
Round 1:
Soran, Ferabras
OTHINE!
Mikail
STATUES!
Zolarus and Hoshiko
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Soran curses fluently as he sidesteps the surprise attack and drops his bow, desperately clawing for his rapier. His eyes barely roll back towards Ferabras as the tiefling urges restraint, and he takes a moment to size up his foe before lunging forward with his blade.
"I will do what I can, Fera!" the man calls out.
Ferabras swings at the statue, but the statue deflects his swing with its own falchion.
Soran's stab catches Othine in the chest and she grimaces, but then smiles. "Oh I'm not charmed, Paladin. I simply saw the truth: that madness and chaos hold the true path. That freedom is a lie and the only freedom we can ever hold is service!" Othine steps five feet back and murmurs a prayer to Lamashtu. She holds aloft a terrible unholy symbol and tells Soran: "Beg, dog. Beg for my mistress's forgiveness!"
Soran shudders, but he seem to shrug it off, only becoming shaken for a round!
Mikail too swings his mace at the statue, but it deflects the blow!
The two statues move to flank Ferabras and attack!
for damage plus unholy damage! and for damage plus unholy damage!
for damage plus unholy damage! and for damage plus unholy damage!
for damage!
Zolarus heals and lays a curse upon one of the statues!
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Soran steps in on Othine, following the woman as she steps back.
His rapier dances out, but it is obvious that he is missing his much more effective skill with the bow! He resets his feet and lashes out once more, but Othine just barely turns away from a lethal strike.
Mikail works with Zolarus to try and cover Ferabras' back, and he lets loose a groan as he sees the many wounds piling up on the big man.
Hoshiko cuts deeply into Othine, who cries out, but in... ecstasy?!? Soran follows up, stabbing Othine twice. She sways on her feet and falls, bleeding deeply only for a moment before becoming still and pale.
Ferabras swings three times, but only lands one blow! However, he encounters damage reduction and the wound begins to knit even as it is cut!
Mikail stabs the guardian, but encounters damage reduction and the wound begins to knit closed as soon as it's made.
The statues attack! One swings at Ferabras, the other at Mikail!
for damage plus evil damage!
for damage plus evil damage!
for damage plus evil damage!
for damage!
for damage!
for damage!
Remember: each successful attack causes 2 BLEED damage each round until healed!
Round 2:
Soran, Ferabras, Mikail
STATUES!
Zolarus and Hoshiko
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Hoshiko observes the fallen Othine for a half second to see if she is indeed truly out of the fight after she cried out in ecstasy from the delivered blow... if convinced the woman is down and out then Hoshiko moves to aid the others by moving to Mikails left flank and striking the white bordered foe...
Hoshiko swings, but her sword misses!
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Soran turns away from the fallen Othine regretfully, and picks up his bow. "I am sorry Fera!" he calls out. "Maybe they can resurrect her.. we will bring her out and treat her honorably!"
He strings his bow and fire a shot at the statue he can see between Mikail and Zolarus.
Mikail cries out as the heavy sword pierces his flesh and his blood begins to flow. He grits his teeth and swings his mace again, hoping that the combined might of the team can help crush the statues.
Zolarus punches the statue, but it does no damage! Soran fires, but his arrow dings off the statue! Mikail's mace hits hard, smacking a few flakes of stone off the animated guardian!
Only a single blow of Ferabras lands, but it carves away more stone.
The Guardians attack again, the red one chopping at Mikail and the other chopping at Ferabras!
for damage!
for damage!
for damage plus evil damage!
for damage plus evil damage!
for damage!
for damage!
Round 3:
Soran, Ferabras, Mikail
STATUES!
Zolarus and Hoshiko
Zolarus heals and lays his curse on a Guardian!
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Soran takes a step closer to the melee, and studies the statue before him.
He draws a special arrow from his quiver and lines up his shot and fires an arrow into the thick of the battle.
Mikail falls to the ground under the relentless attacks of the falchion wielding statue. His blood puddles under him in a growing arc as the little kitsune struggles to keep a hold a shred of life force..
Soran's arrow proves to do in the Guardian in front of him. It falls into a crumble of dust and rubble!
Ferabras carves two chunks out of the Guardian, who sways but still stands!
Hoshiko leans around the corner and her black blade slices deeply, cutting the Guardian into chunks of stone. Suddenly the room is silent, save for the breathing of the heroes.
Othine looks very much dead, judging by her blood loss. Her dead eyes stare into oblivion.
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Zolarus taps his wand on the rogue until he returns to full health and then himself.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Now that the violence has ceased, you are alone in the room dominated by the statue that Zolarus noticed is concealing a secret door. From deeper in the temple you can hear movement and noises, but for the moment you feel unnoticed.
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Mikail gets to his feet shakily, then with a sudden burst of emotion, he wraps his small fur covered arms around Zolarus' leg. "Thank you!! I really don't know that any of us would have survived as long as we have without your healing powers!!"
Now healed, Mikail turns back to Othine. 'Pity.. I wish your rapier weren't so sharp, Soran!"
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"It would seem that way, Hoshiko," Fera says sadly. "She must have been leading us on, knowing greater danger lay ahead and might be able to defeat us. What lies must they have told her to bring her to their dark faith? I do not believe we can succeed in our mission now, since we have failed to bring her back - but we can put an end to the cult that caused her death, and perhaps bring her body back when we are done."
Zolarus points out the trigger, and Ferabras can hit it, causing the entire statue to swing forward, revealing a small space behind it where a single medium humanoid can fit. On a small shelf is a sheet of paper, upon which is written a sermon. It's quite disgusting, extolling the virtues of Lamashtu and predicting a 'Night of First Blood' when slaves shall birth the young of Lamashtu. It's definitely graphic about this event.
The entrance from the south is covered by a heavy tapestry. The hallway beyond stretches to the West, East and South. To the West you hear heavy voices chanting hymns and prayers to Lamashtu. To the South you hear watery sounds of splashing and yips and yelps, as if from very young creatures. To the East you hear nothing.
Round 1:
Heroes
Foes
Ferabras carves into the gnoll, cutting a huge slash diagonally across his body! Zolarus aids Soran!
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Mikail sneaks back to the group and tells them all he saw before the group works out a battle plan. At first he thinks to take the creatures from two directions, but when no one else follows he changes his mind and returns to the group. As the doors fly open and the Pathfinders rush in, Sorans bow sings over everyones heads as Mikail follows Fera.
Mikail draws his rapier and stabs out