"This small box will be useful to Hajar, warning him if the Dawnflower disapproves of any of his actions.
The headband will likely benefit someone mentally, though I cannot tell in which way.
This first necklace will allow the wearer to throw balls of magical fire, which will be a very potent weapon, and if there are no objections, I'll hold onto it and use it from range.
Finally, this last necklace will allow one to call upon divine magic to heal or bless himself or the party."
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"I highly doubt Tortoiseshell will do anything that displeases Miss Sunshine, he is a Paladin afterall." Scoffing more at the assumption that the Paladin will do wrong rather than Bartan's statement she happily snatches the periapt and prayer beads while he's fiddling with the other items. Lowering the necklace about her head she'll begin speaking again "How mentally? Like sanity wise or Bwaugh... Whoa, that feels... Differant."
Hajar nods in thanks to Yazi, even though her colloquial use of Sarenrae's name seems close to blasphemous.
The Fire necklace may prove useful in the coming battle with Xulthos.
"Not knowing anything about this Xulthos myself, do we have any reason to believe he will be resistant to fire? If not, it will likely be my main offensive against him, as my spellcasting has dwindled throughout the day."
Satisfied that his ritual should appease the spirit, Khayal speaks up.
We should get moving, no need to dawdle here.
"Contrary to popular belief," Dhavyn answered Yazi, "daemons are not just harmed by silver, but by cold iron. And it may be necessary to bless the weapon first. Most daemons have extraordinary good resistances to all kinds of assaults - electricity, acid, hot, cold, the works. Massive overall damage is the only way to defeat them. Lesser outsiders may not be proof against spells, which is my main hope. But there are reasons they hate holy clerics, and good paladins, so much, compared to ordinary folk. All daemons have a common goal: bringing death, destruction, and pain to mortals. They eat souls, and stop at nothing to sate their hunger for them. "
The western crypt passage ends in an elaborate stone door bearing a life-sized symbol of Sarenrae, except that where the symbol’s head should be is nothing but a blackened scorch mark. The door stands very slightly ajar.
Hajar notices the defiles symbol and makes a sign of warding unconsciously with his left hand. Mistress of the Dawn, help me stay firm and steadfast. Xulthos will fall. he prays silently He uses his Sarenrae gifted sight to check the area for evil auras
Bartan is ready when the rest of the group is, his scroll of ray of enfeeblement in hand and his new necklace of fireballs around his neck.
The door is not trapped, and it stands slightly ajar. There is nothing but darkness therein. The air is damp and cold, and moist.
Khayal nods his head, ready to start the fight.
Hajar says I believe the door is safe to use. Be wary, Xulthos is close... he approaches the door with the intention of going through.
As Hajar spreads the doors wide, the light from the two sorcerers dimly illuminates the room. This chamber stands in stark contrast to the craftsmanship of worked stone of the rest of the crypt—instead, here looms a vast cavern. The air is damp and cold, and moist, writhing roots hang down from the ceiling twenty feet above. Puddles of reeking fluid dot the floor, and at the far end a jagged upthrust lance of stone rises from the ground to form a steeply-sloped platform.
Standing upon the upthrust stone shelf is a towering muscular man in bronze breastplate wielding an immense wicked-looking greataxe - Kardswannt the janni! But with eyes black as night, instead of the other Kardswann's red pupils.
Everyone in the room hears a dry, inhuman laughter from the far end of the room. A voice in your minds speaks with a croaking rasp. "Many years have I languished in this foul place, trapped here by the wards placed by your Pactmasters. Endless decades have I endured the whispering spirits of the wholesome dead, cursing my captors, hating the world I could no longer corrupt. When the Templar came eight weeks past he walked through the walls. The red-men’s seal remained intact, since it can only be touched by a 'human born of human woman'. But you, you have been through the seals, and my long captivity is finally at an end. But before I go, I will kill you one by one until the last of you willingly allows himself to be my slave.” The genie rises from his rocky shelf. “Which one of you, I wonder, shall that be?"
If you still have detect evil up, the needle is burying itself in the "red zone". Oh yeah. Definitely evil.
Init:
Bartan moves up to just behind Hajar.
Most important question for Bartan: what elements is he resistant/immune to?
He'll then ready an action to cast ray of enfeeblement as soon as the genie gets within 30 feet of him.
Strength penalty, <-Fort save DC 11 for half.
Xulthos, you take the form of one who is precious to me. Face Tempest fiend! Hajar raises the blade over his head in a ready stance.
Khayal will rush forward swords at the ready (double move) towards the genie, I finally face a worthy foe. Spill your foul blood on my blades.
Khayal ran forward. Avenka took a deep breath, giving a barbarian yell, following after the fighter, her eyes wide as she spun her flail up to speed
Daemons from the Ultimate Magic PRD: immune to acid, death effects, disease, and poison, and all are vulnerable to good and/or silver weapons. They have resistance to cold, electricity, and fire.
Xulthos jumps off of the rocky ledge, and a mysterious buzzing emanates from the giant.
Fail: you are confused as long as you are within 50 feet of Xulthos until he stops the effect.
Save: you take a -1 penalty on all attack rolls, skill checks, and saving throws while you are within 50 feet of Xulthos until he stops the effect.
Dhavyn starts making strange bubbling sounds from where he is.
the buzzing beats into Hajar's brain confusing him!
Hajar shakes off the effect and charges!
For the Sun and the Fury! Hajar shouts
With all the humans charging at him, Xulthos only smiles as Hajar's smite from Tempest affects him as well as Yazi's greataxe .
Init:
Sarenrae blesses Hajar and he attacks Xulthos again.
Even in his confusion Khayal knows what to do and rushes in.
"Ah!" the daemon cried out. "Sensation! After so long a time! Even pain is better than boredom!" The genie then lifted off of the floor, until he was flying fifteen feet above everyone's heads! "But let's not make it so easy on you." he quipped.
The janni hovered near the ceiling, where the roots dropped from the ceiling above. The buzzing sound emanating from Xulthos was louder than a shout now, and the giant said "A servant of the sun harlot, a girl that smells like dog-fur, and two pitiful fighters. Boring!" Xulthos looked over at the Bartan and Dhavyn, still by the wide double doors. "Magic-users! And human! Perfect! Just what I need to break the seals!" the giant announced. "But let's take care of these whelps first." The giant pointed a hand at the four below, and a twisting pattern of subtle, shifting colors wove through the air towards the grouped adventurers.
The room you are in begins to fade away, showing a large worked chamber perhaps forty feet square. Two rows of three marble columns flank the main walkway leading from east to west. A series of low, curved stairs at the opposite side of the room leads to a large concave recess in the western wall, with an elaborate throne perched at the top of the stairs. What was before was hallucinatory terrain - an illusion!
Xulthos himself changes as well, the muscular janni becoming an immense insect-like fiend, with huge claws, a multi-eyed face with slavering mandibles, and a long serpentine tail tipped with chitinous blades. His wings are nearly transparent, and he moves with an almost hypnotic grace, his wings droning and light reflecting off his carapace in a dazzling display.
As soon as Xulthos came close enough to the two sorcerers, Bartan let loose with a ray from his hand, striking the creature. "Ah!" the daemon cried out again. "Eh?" Xulthos dropped a foot in his flight towards the doorway. "Oh, you're a strong one. I'll be using you as my puppet, little man." the outsider snarled.
Bartan sees through the illusion (barely), and curses the insectlike devil. "Lady Irez shows me your true form, fiend!"
Hajar resists the magic and says I see you Xulthos! The Lady of Dawn guides my hand to your doom!
Dhavyn continues to burble with incoherency.
Ignoring the droning, Avenka growled as Xulthos took off before she could hit him. Keeping her flail spinning, the barbarian woman followed the genie as he flew over everyone's heads.
Avenka lets the flail fall by her side. She looks at all the colors surrounding her and her friends and says "Pretty..."
ROUND THREE
Init:
Xulthos kept flying using his massive insect-like wings, the source of the heavy droning filling the chamber. "You're annoying." he announced to the paladin and fighters. Looking south, the daemon cried out "Rise, my minion! I know these weaklings did not kill you. Come to my side and deal with these interlopers! Make yourself useful for once!"
The outsider turned and lowered himself to be face-to-face with Bartan. "Now then, don't you want to be my friend? I could use a healing potion." he asked the spellcaster.
Hajar attacks the nearest creature +3 to hit and damage if it's Xulthos
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Bartan ignores the hypnotic stare of Xulthos and pulls out a harrow card.
=> The Waxworks (Chaotic Evil, Constitution)
He then casts ray of frost, even knowing that he probably will not beat the fiend's resistance, and tosses the card with the frost gathering on it.
(with Reckless Aim)
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