Marten nicks the Greater Water Elemental.
Zelera takes a 5' step back and channels to remove some of the battering the party is taking.
.
The party may act again.
"Ahh, that feels much better," Colwyn sighs.
"Shooting arrows ain't working, and that's about all I'm good at. Any ideas?" he calls to his allies.
Now hasted and in proximity, Marten starts hammering on the elemental ineffectually (as Falling Leaf just passes through it).
Niadroub Kliip digs out his trusty wand of lightning bolt and tests whether water conducts electricity.
Finally, he remembers his flaming sphere that's still over there trying to earn its paycheck.
At his arcanist's mental instructions, Waffles digs a potion of barkskin out of the handy haversack and flies it over to Colwyn.
"Show us how brave you can be!" the faerie dragon encourages.
Zelera casts Searing Light and hurts the elemental.
Niadroub's spells scratch at it.
Marten flails at it without effect.
The Elemental decides to remove the obstruction in its way and hammers at Marten.
The party may now act.
Niadroub Kliip receives divine inspiration, and he decides to try a magic missile spell.
Waffles tosses the final orb from the necklace of fireballs.
The burning sphere makes another appearance.
Marten turns his head, spits out a gobbet of blood, and renews his assault.
Tessara launches a trio of magic missiles of her own to assist.
"Well, let's see if this does anything."
Colwyn grabs one of the lumpy pouches dangling from his bag and hurls it at the watery creature.
.
Colwyn hears Waffles' telepathic voice in his mind.
"I think we're doing a great job, but my arcanist thinks otherwise. He says he can use a dimension door spell to teleport all but one of us out of here. And a potion of vanish to help whoever stays behind get a head start."
Things just kept getting worse.
First, his desperate Tanglefoot ploy had absolutely no effect on the watery bint, and now he was hearing Waffles in his head again.
"Fall back! Niadroub, get everyone to safety!" the baron calls out. He sucks in his breath before simultaneously speaking and thinking, "I'll take that potion, Waffles, thank you kindly."
You escape from the Elemental, it does not follow you once you leave the area.
What are you doing now?
Marten looks at his dented shield and says, "I think that was for the best, but how do we get around that thing? Zelera, can you banish it back to the plane of water?"
Zelera was relieved they got away from the elemental alright and set about healing those who needed it as they discussed their next move. When Marten asked if she could banish it she said, "Not today, I have not more uses of that prayer available. After I have a chance to rest I can give it a try though." She considered their options and asked, "Is there any place else we haven't explored here yet that we could do for now?"
"Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnope!" Waffles butts in to answer. He looks at her expectantly.
"Get to sleepin'!"
EDIT:
"It's getting easier to get a decent sleep in this place, and I find that quite distressing," Colwyn groans as he wakes from the party's latest campsite within the dungeon-like tomb.
If Niadroub does not make the suggestion, then Colwyn firmly encourages Zelera to prepare two spells capable of dismissing such summoned foes.
With the chance to rest up Zelera made sure everyone was healed fully before going to sleep. When she woke she did her prayers and received her god's blessings ready to deal with the next enemy before them. "Alright, I am ready. Let's go get rid of that freakish thing."
After donning his armor and combat gear, Colwyn shoulders his pack and, with a wolfish grin, says, "All right, let's pull the stopper on this watery wanker."
He scouts the way back, moving quickly but quietly.
W26. Pool Guardian
A burbling fountain and pool that stink of sulfur occupy the center of this chamber. A shallow channel cut into the stone of the floor passes beneath a pair of bronze double doors, funneling the foul-smelling water out of the pool to the east..
What now?
Marten lets out a sigh of relief when Zelera's spell banishes the water elemental
"So is that... temporary? Or is it back on its home plane for good now?"
Two sets of doors to look into, which way now?
"Aw, crud. Something summoned that thing, didn't it?" Colwyn says, shaking his head. "I'm not looking forward to whatever keeps something like that watery beast as a pet."
Colwyn scrunches his face and surveys the two paths ahead. He takes out a gold coin, briefly reflects upon the much leaner times in his life when he could only do this with a copper, and flips it to leave the choice to fate.
He points at the double doors dominating the northern side of the chamber.
"Go that way, then? I'm strangely fascinated why they built a set of doors with a stream running under them," he says, pointing at the small channel that feeds the pool where the elemental once dwelt.
"Eet's goone for good. Entil soomething soommons eet back. Eet's too stupeed to know what we deed for eet."
The surly arcanist nods in agreement with Colwyn's coin flip.
W27. Throne of Bones
This chamber stretches forward into darkness. A channel of sulfurous water runs down the center of the chamber into a placid pool tinged in red and surrounded by kneeling forms. Nearby sits a small stone shrine decorated with several freshly severed human heads. Just beyond this grisly altar, a hideous throne made of bones looms above the pool.
A DC 25 Knowledge (religion) check identifies the shrine as being dedicated to the Four Horsemen—the heads are recently “released” Varnhold victims. Their bodies are the forms huddled around the central pool, eviscerated such that their entrails are laid out in intricate patterns sacred to Vordakai’s daemonic overlords.
Of more concern to all of you is the withered, undead Cyclops seated on a throne overlooking the pool. The head slowly turns to look at you, a glowing red eye set in the socket. "You managed to fumble your way to me finally. On your knees and beg for mercy usurpers and I may let you become the first among my new empires slaves!"
What are you doing now?
"Maybe the stream under the door is for a lazy sewage system."
Of more concern to all of you is the withered, undead Cyclops seated on a throne overlooking the pool. The head slowly turns to look at you, a glowing red eye set in the socket. "You managed to fumble your way to me finally. On your knees and beg for mercy usurpers and I may let you become the first among my new empires slaves!"
Waffles flies over to land on Marten's shoulder.
"WOW! One of the undead cyclopes here who actually want to talk to us! But...
"Has that ever worked for you? I mean the part where you insult people and then they kneel? Is that intimidation or something? I'm just confused about how that's supposed to work. Because I don't think it is working!
"Okay, I have some advice: Instead of being insulting, try showing a healthy respect for your intruders! This will lull them into a false sense of security, and..."
Waffles prattles on, hoping to keep the undead cyclops' attention on himself instead of his arcanist, who quickly casts haste on the party.
Colwyn doesn't bother with any witty banter. He lets Waffles do the talking, and the baron instead darts over towards the nearby staircase, leaping over the channel of foul water, and takes cover by the stony corner.
"Got one with your name on it," he softly muses before attacking.
Colwyn lets fly with a silver-headed arrow that he carved the name "Vordakai" into the shaft during the previous rest, feeling quite clever at the time to be prepare such a literal and figurative barb. Of course, it would be quite ironic if this was not, in fact, the villain they have pursued for some time.
Waffles natters away.
Colwyn puts an arrow into Vordakai. It doesn't damage him as much as it should. .
Zelera casts Blessing of fervor on the party.
With this blessing, you call your allies to move forth and empower them to conquer and become victorious. Each round for the duration of this spell, each of your allies can choose one of the following bonuses for that round at the beginning of its turn (their choice).
Increase its speed by 30 feet.
Stand up as a swift action without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Make one extra attack as part of a full attack action, using its highest base attack bonus.
Gain a +2 bonus on attack rolls and a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves.
Cast a single spell of 2nd level or lower as if it were an enlarged, extended, silent, or still spell.
These effects are not cumulative with similar effects, such as those provided by haste or a speed weapon, nor do they actually grant an extra action, so you can’t use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round. Blessing of fervor does not stack with haste.
She then joins Colwyn in seeking cover.
Vordakai hisses in distain and casts a spell on himself with a gesture.
Quickened Shield
He then casts a spell on Niadroub & Marten.
Marten may now act. Then back to everybody else.
Marten cracks his neck to one side, flexes his shoulders outward, and then assumes an odd posture with his blade to one side and shield to another. He lets out a hissing breath and raises one knee, almost like a Korvosan dancer, bringing his right leg outward at an angle while his foot pressed against his other leg. Then he suddenly stretches into a forward lunge, shield and sword coming together with a clash, before he steps up to engage the cyclopean undead sorcerer.
Tessara hangs back and brings up a shield spell to protect against any errant missiles, magic or otherwise.