"Take hope, lady. We will go to confront him forthwith. Take comfort from this, though..."
"We finish him tonight, then!" says Constantin with determination. "We have no other choice."
Tears of pale blue smoke drift from Vesoriana's eyes and dissipate when they run from her face as Kaz reaches out to offer her the badge.
Thank you. she says simply and humbly. I have no other words for you, nothing I can say can express the gratitude I have for bringing me my husband's badge of office.
Her hand reaches out to the badge and where she touches it there is a gentle glow of pale blue and a moment later a ghostly version appears on her dress, leaving the physical token in Kaz' hand.
Take it. Once the spirits here are quieted it will help you defeat more of my kind.
"We thank you, Lady."
Vala sighs, the sound heavy and weighty with grief for the task ahead. "I've no fire left to call upon today, though I believe Petros will lend us his swordcane a time or two. If Vesoriana's nemesis proves beyond that though, I've little to offer but for magics to help Zed recover."
"I'm ready," says Constantin.
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"Let us see this to an end, then!"
Zed cloaks everybody in hide from undead as they move forward through the secret door.
Back in the torture chamber, the worked stone slides aside to reveal an entrance to a short cavern that seems to have been dug directly out of the bedrock beneath the prison.
The rough stone walls of this natural cavern drip with moisture, leaving stagnant pools of water on the uneven floor.
The chamber is dank and damp, with standing pools of water in the crevices and lower portions. But wait! One of those pools isn't water at all! Up ahead, there is a Gray Ooze lurking in the way
As Zed and Raj lead the way, the inquisitor's boot comes down on what he believes is just a pool of murky grey water.
Ferramin is close now. Zed can feel him in every fibre and he knows now that he will never stop hunting him, not until one of them were destroyed. It is an admirable trait, to be so single minded, but if he weren't perhaps he would see that the grey water... is not water at all.
and
Success, Zed is grappled
The 'water' of the pool lurches up to meet the boot and thick, viscous tendrils of oozy liquid wrap themselves around the inquisitor's lower leg, burning the flesh there like fire!
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"Ahh! Look out!" Constantin shouts. He scrambles for one of his sling stones and telekinetically launches it at the creature.
"Maybe peanut butter." Zed suggests in one of his dark bouts of humor.
Vala gasps and points at the faux-puddle, revealing the threat for what it is.
As the ooze wraps around Zed, Vala sends a beam of pearlescent white lancing toward the creature, taking care to avoid Zed.
HP: 21/21
Negative Energy Resist 5
AC: 16 (12 T / 14 FF) (includes +2 from MI)
CMD: 12
F/R/W: +4/+1/+7 (+2 vs death effects, energy drain, negative energy, & necromancy)
Monstrous Insight used: 2/7
Wand of CLW: 14/50 remaining
Healing Hex targets: Raj, Kaz, Constantin
Prepared spells
Orisons (4) | DC 14: dancing lights, disrupt undead, identify, read magic
Level 1 spells (2+1+1*) | DC 15: inflict light wounds [ ] [ ], know the enemy* [ ], produce flame (CL4) [X]
Level 2 spells (1+1+1*) | DC 16: spiritual weapon [ ] [ ], tongues [ ]
Ongoing Effects
Monstrous Insight (1/10): +2 to hit, +2 AC vs grey ooze
Unsure of what he is facing, Kaz hurls a bit of debris at the blob.
Vala levels her finger and sends a beam of light at the liquid creature but it seems to have no effect.
It is very easy to strike but is quite tough and in addition produces acidic enzymes that harm creatures either when they are struck by it or strike it with natural weapons. The acid is particularly devastating to metal and wooden objects and can cause them to quickly disintegrate to nothing if the wielder is not careful (Reflex save each time it is hit or the weapon takes damage). Once wrapped around a creature, it seldom lets go and would rather just digest it in place (grab and constrict)
Constantin sends a telekinetic missiles at the thing but with Raj and Zed in the way the shot is practically impossible but as if to challenge that assertion, Kaz' stone strikes the blob and tears a tiny chunk of it away.
Raj brings his axe down on the thing, hoping to slice it from Zed.
Hit
Fail
The blade of the axe buries in but when it is drawn out it fizzes and hisses.
Zed tries to rip the accursed thing off of him.
Zed manages to shake his boot free of the ooze but as he does so he sees the leather is all but perished and an ugly burn has spread along his calf.
miss
The things lurches forward again, this time at Raj though the slayer deftly side steps the slower creature and it's tendril passes harmlessly through the air.
Zed scowls as their hiding spell drops. "You know I usually don't hold a grudge for unintelligent creatures, but I'll make an exception here." He brings down his tetsubo on the creature.
Kazamir steps back to maintain distance and sends another rock hurtling through the air at the ooze.
Crit immune
Zed slams his tetsubo down but is unable to land a telling blow. Rak is more successful however, his axe finding purchase in the Gray Ooze's thick surface.
Constantin launches another sling bullet with psychic force.
"Did anyone else hear that sizzling noise? Is it eating your weapons?"
The amorphous blob leaves a trail of fizzing stone behind it as it activates it's digestive juices. It lurches toward Zed but the inquisitor, now aware of it's threat, simply lifts his foot out of the way.
Damn creature. Whump!
Kazamir launches another stone.
Fail
Zed's tetsubo crashes down but as he raises it some of the residue clings and begins to melt through the wood of the massive weapon.
Vala fusses and frets from the back, wincing as the ooze lashes out at her young compatriots.
Constantin launches yet another sling bullet.
The ooze suddenly lurches upward, wrapping itself around Zed's throat and burning, burning, burning...!
He can smell his own flesh sizzling, feel the agony of it but tries to compartmentalise it lest he be lost to it entirely. But it is no use, the darkness of unconsciousness swallows him and the pain is so great, it is welcome.
Hit
Confirmed
and
Grabbed
Kazamir steps up as well, striking at the amorphous mass with his cane.
Also,
Raj kneels beside the inquisitor and scrapes away the last of the goo with the cursed axe.
He lives! Thank Pharasma's pale face! he exclaims with relief. Vala, can you help him?
Vala crouches beside the inquisitor, the pop of her knees unbearably loud in the cavern. She whispers a few words and begins to heal him as best she can.
Zed heals himself once more.
"Perhaps it would be best to come back later. That's the last of my magic for the day. My other magic was ruined by this creature."
Kazamir looks disturbed as he ponders what to do next. Finally, he sighs.
"I fear you may be right, Zed. I would hate to go against anything else with one of our most capable combatants to weakened. Is there another spent siphon you could draw upon?" "
Vala shakes her head as the others begin to speak of turning back. "We've come this far and we can't be sure how long Vesoriana will last. The horrors in the world aren't going to stop just because some of us are tired."
Zed grimaces, knowing the others will have to see what his ancestry allows him to do - what he must do in order to press on, in order to survive, in order to help these people. "We press on than. I'm sorry you have to see this." Zed takes one of the filled haunt siphons, opening it so the malevolent spirits start flowing out of the cap. Then with a determined expression he raises it to his mouth and tosses it back, consuming the spirits. As he swallows his wounds close.
Zed lowers the siphon, then steels himself and repeats the horrific process.