Legacy of Fire

Game Master Megan Robertson

Amon checks the other statue.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 7 + 1 = 19

Sonya smiles inwardly. It is good to see she has some humility to her. I was expecting her to fight me on the Dawnflower's touch, a stubborn resolve to "tough it out."

Come, I believe the others wish to inspect the far statue.

Silena nods and walks over regarding the statue.

She grimaces slightly, ".. I think that is a forgone conclusion. There is no worship of Nethys taking place here. We Kuthites are all about embracing suffering... but to place an enchantment ...like that ward upon the environs of your temple is foolish and more importantly accomplishes nothing. Yes to guard a passage, entryway, or door, perhaps trap a chest or other container that a thief might seek to ransack yes. But to place the ward in such a place - a statue that need not be touched at all and can be easily avoided is.. stupid. So I believe this refuge has been trapped for the purposes of creating a killing ground... not the worship of Nethys. Something other than the faithful stalks here. Likely ALL the statues bear a similar enchanting ward.. I'd council against touching them.. and remember they can be used to harm any foe we encounter in battle... or harm us should be be forced into contact with them. We should avoid combat in this chamber."

Silena looks about the chamber her violet eyes piercing the darkness...

"Let us leave this room and search the passageway to the south {left/bottom of map}... it is at least 10 feet wide and not a bottleneck like the passage to the west {straight ahead/left of map}. We should avoid being pinned in..."

Amon, the statures appear to be all the same in terms of construction, they just depict different figures - lesser known spirits of destructive magic, or so you've been led to believe by those more versed in religious lore.

Avoid touching them? Thanks, Beartrap! I will heed the warning, gratitude for the demonstration. Noble of you to sacrifice your hand so. Bwahahah.

Calain continues to follow Amon, finding the absurdity of the womans words quite amusing. Like a gladiator recruit lecturing on the dangers of a sword after being stabbed. Some things you should just know.

Are you going south as Silena suggested, then?

Jengren is following the group in which ever direction they travel. Chuckling to himself Beartrap...clever. Now...now Calain cut her some slack, she is trying to help out."

Amon continues south.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 7 + 1 = 23
DD: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (18) + 11 = 29
Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Silena fell into step behind Amon, casting guidance upon him as he passes.

"If the fool has not the wit to understand the value of what I have discovered and postulated about the nature of this non-longer temple but lair of some sort... far be it from me to correct him. I just wish since he had not the courage himself to test the unknown magics of this abode that he would at least remain silent and let everyone think his is a fool ... and not know he is..."

Silena hefts her spiked-Chain and moves to Amon's left flank following him at a distance of 20'ft her darkvision piercing the darkened corridor to the south...

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Calain smiles as she walks past, she was determined to clank along in her banded mail behind the sneak. Not the best move but her sound and the Light on Calain's armor should provide plenty of distraction to whatever might otherwise spot Amon.

Calain slows a little to come close to Jengren. Speaking quietly, more so any enemies ahead would hear her first over his own voice.
The woman reeks of self importance. I shall enjoy seeing her humbled when opportunity presents. She was lucky the damn statue didn't come alive and crush her outright. Beartrap shall be her title until she earns a name commanding any respect from me. Aligned goals or no, she is a spawn of a race of thieves and assassins. It would take much for me to see her any different. And pretty Woman seems to be a healer anyway. We don't need a sadistic torturer with us.

Jengren nods, "Beartrap it has a ring to it, and I agree we need to keep an eye on her, but let us not prejudge her intentions. I am willing to give her the benefit of the doubt. She has proven useful at least as a trap finder." He chuckles. "Be watchful but give her a chance to prove herself."

Heading south, the wide passage turns to the left, right again and opens out into an even bigger chamber. A foul, metallic miasma assails the nostrils here. This vast chamber is clearly some sort of ominous worship hall. Frescos upon the walls and dozens of columns depict the terrifying power of magic, as radiant figures destroy entire worlds. Massive pillars support the chamber's lofty ceiling, each covered with complex glyphs and designs. Between each column, glass lamps hang from chains of green copper, radiating pallid, bluish lights that pulse and flicker in unison. At the room's southern end, the temple's alabaster altar gleams in the erratic blue light, its pedestal carved in the shape of winged, scale-covered bulls.

There isn't anyone in here, apart from you lot that is.

Silena gazes at the frescoes and pillars frowning slightly, "Gah... destruction without purpose... what's the point? Maybe a failing of these worshipers of Nethys who constructed this place... they focused on only one aspect of magic. Magic can create as well as destroy. One would wonder why they only depict one side of magic's might?"

Silena casts detect magic and pans her vision about the chamber... pretty sure what she will find...

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

The lamps and the altar itself are magical, Silena.

A ghostly figure appears from nowhere and glides up to Calain, offering a ceramic cup half-filled with a brownish-red silt. (The cup is solid, with actual substance.)

Silena will pan her vision around to the ghostly figure detecting for magic upon the figure or offered cup... but makes no comment.

Kno {Religion}: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

She tries to determine if the ghostly figure is undead or some sort of unseen servant variant spell in operation...

Calain backs up a step and into a ready stance.
Calmly he waves away the spirit, but keeping his Nodachi in hand.
Keep your cup spirit, I want nothing the dead can offer.

Silena steps over giving Calain a neutral glance first and she extends her gauntleted hand to accept the offered cup if the spirit will hand it to her.

"It may not be a unquiet dead... though there is wisdom in mistrust, but the Midnight Lord has.. 'blessed' me with Death's Kiss... the undead hold little threat to me."

Jengren watches the events unfold and instinctively pushes hit ssleeves up his forearms revealing his dancing tattoos, while waves of of electrical current begin to roll through his body.

Know Religion: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20

{Silena will ready an action to use her 'Death's Kiss' domain ability if the ghost-like spirit attempts to attack her.}

knowledge: Religion 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

Sonya thinks, and Amon is certain, that the figure is not undead, more likely some remnant of an unseen servant spell. Silena can detect faint glimmerings of magic around it.

When Silena reaches out, the figure hands her the bowl and vanishes.

Silena will cock her head slightly in regarding the bowl and its contents in her hand.

She mutters, "...what a time for me to not have a detect poison in mind."

She walks over to Jengren showing the bowel and its red silt contents and asks, "...what do you think it is? Seems odd for the Refuge of Nethys to have a unseen servant handing out random refreshments... after all this time. But perhaps it is just an obsolete permanent enchantment simply fulfilling its set actions. Though why only one offered bowel when there are several of us? Maybe it is some magical powder that reveals the hidden?"

Silena examines the contents with her running detect magic... but makes certain to not touch the contents!

She will smell the contents and try to identify if it is medicinal mixture of some sort.. or just rotted and desiccated food.

Healing: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (2) + 6 = 8

Jengren looks at the bowl Silena has presented, "Seems to be a permanent spell but the contents of the bowl I do not know. It could be poison, then again it could be a waters from the fabled fountain of youth." He pauses, "I have no way of telling if it is, in fact, poison."

Jengren will detect magic on the bowl and contents.

Samuel watches the scene with the eye of a recorder, taking mental notes to write down in his journal at the end of the day. "Whatever it was, it is clear that magic still lingers here. We need to be careful; not all magic is that benign."

The contents of the bowl are not magical.

Silena ponders the redish silt, "...hmm.. not magical. Is it perhaps some incense or somesuch?"

Then looking around at the room, "...or perhaps a distraction?"

"We should search this room carefully."

Silena sets the bowel down and moves to the left of the chamber beginning a careful search... mindful not to touch anything radiating magic.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

{Maybe I'm missing something but we're gonna need more than a few words to make any determination. And the dice roller will NOT roll anything in double digits for me!}

Sonya moves to the bowl examining the silt. She dealt with a variety of healing ointments as well as poisons at the temple; hopefully this is one she recognizes.

Heal check 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

If she recognizes it as poison she will not do the following.

Moving to her backpack, Sonya produces a waterskin and takes a sip before pouring the contents out on the floor. Once the bag is empty, she carefully pours approximately half of the silt into the container and secures the cap.

Sonya eventually realises that the silt in the bowl is desiccated red wine!

Silena prowls around, but sees nothing more than has already been described.

Here's a map for you!

Silena will work her way to the south and examine the temple's alabaster altar that gleams in the erratic blue light and, its pedestal carved in the shape of winged, scale-covered bulls.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

She will not touch it but will try to verify its religious significance.

Kno {Religion}: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (10) + 5 = 15

Silena will also try to peering into the little attached room to the east of the alter alcove...

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Silena nervously mutters softly in annoyance, "This place is a ambushers dream.. there are too many alcoves and shadows to watch at once..."

...all the while she is still panning her Detect Magic about the massive shadowed chamber.

Which room are we currently in 4 or 5? Thanks

{ Room 5 }

Sonya finishes filling her waterskin leaving the bowl in front of her half empty half filled with the silt. Sonya casts Create Water into the bowl allowing the conjured water and silt to mix together. She then takes the bowl and carries it carefully to the center of the alter and places it there.

I believe this is nothing more than aged wine.

You all look around. Grim and disturbing, this temple represents the darker side of magic, the unchecked power that possesses the godking Nethys in his destructive aspect. In this place, it appears that the priests of the All-Seeing Eye celebrated magic's destructive potential, even as they hardened themselves against power's allure.

The carved designs upon the pillars are no mere decorations: arcane casters examining them can tell that they form a sort of ancient magical formula.

Silena advances cautiously on the altar, taking care not to touch it. (Wise lady!) It is perfectly clean and polished with sculpted serpents around the base. As Silena gets within ten feet of the altar, one of the serpents seemingly comes to life, a medium-sized viper slithers out to attack!

Surprise Round

Serpent attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21, damage 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2, plus a Fortitude save, please.

Silena, & the rest of you for that matter, may now react: initiatives, actions & rolls, please.

Silena is indeed surprised when the scultped serpents come to life! Are they actual serpents or made of stone?

Fort Save: 1d20 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 5 + 1 = 11
* {+1} Guidance

Silena gasps in pain from the bite... "uwhaa!" but does not slow her reactions...

However... it is obvious she is shaky upon her feet as venom races through her young body...

She steps immediately in front of Sonya {as she was right near the alter setting the now liquified wine bowel down} to forestall any serpents moving to attack the lovely oracle desert flower and spins her spiked chain in a deadly arch pirouetting gracefully to strike back at the offending serpent!

Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 1 = 14

Move Action: Move to interpose for Sonya - up to 20'ft!
Standard Action: Attack w/Spiked Chain 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18
Spiked Chain - Damage: 2d4 + 3 ⇒ (2, 3) + 3 = 8

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

After Silena moves in front of her, Sonya reaches out to the bite mark, attempting to remove the poison, entrusting Silena to keep her safe.

Heal to treat poison, if I exceed the poison's DC with my heal check Silena will get a +4 to her next saving throw. 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Initiative1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Calain reacts quickly, closing with the serpent and chopping down with his nodachi.
2 hand power attack 1d20 + 7 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 7 - 1 = 14
Damage 1d10 + 6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 3 = 13

Init: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

initiative: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Jengren reacts by instinctively releasing an electrical ray a the snake,

TA ray: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 12;damage: 1d6 ⇒ 4

He remains towards the middle back of the group.

Current AC: 16

From Surprise Round

Silena - Venom damage: 1d2 ⇒ 2 Con.

Round 1

Snake initiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

The snake strikes at Silena again.

Snake attack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4, damage 1d4 - 1 ⇒ (3) - 1 = 2

Jengren and Calain are the first to react. Jengren looses a bolt of electricity which crackles around the base of the altar just missing the snake... possibly because Calain has just chopped its head off!

The snake's body drops limply to the floor. Silena's chain rips into it, doing further (if futile) damage.

Sonya steps up to Silena (hopefully avoiding whirling chains!) and lays a hand on the bite mark. Silena feels a warmth countering the chill effects of the venom.

Combat Over!

As everyone gets their breath back, you are able to see that the snake carvings at the base of the altar have not moved... the live snake just seemed to appear there at the base of the altar. Odd. You cannot see any hole out of which it might have come.

Venom mechanics: The venom is DC13, so Sonya's healing has worked. Silena, the effects will last for 6 rounds, you need to make a Fortitude save for each round (one, of course, has been made and failed), but you have the +4 bonus from Sonya's healing. At least the second bite didn't connect so you only have one lot of venom to contend with. Any further failed saves means an additional 1D2 Con damage.

Silena Fort Save: 1d20 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 4 = 17

[OOC: With the treat injury-poison portion of Healing skill... I've always thought if some one makes that roll and their patient gets a second fort save... if the patient makes it I've always thought it was as though they made the first save and take no further damage? I'm not sure if that negates the initial damage. Most poisons if you make a certain number of saves consecutively the poison is negated. Just asking... any one know for sure?]

Silena stumbles to lean her back against a nearby pillar but watches the snake closely to see if it vanishes from sight...

"That appeared suddenly... perhaps it was summoned... their may be a spellcaster here..."

my understanding is it only gives a bonus to your next save but does nothing retroactive.

[OOC: Ok, I wasn't sure. Thanks. I don't know if I even get a chance to stop the damage before the potency fades]

Silena... slumps to the floor, back against the pillar... her breathing becoming erratic as she fights the poison slowly trying to kill her ...

"{gasp}.. ah..{gasp}...!"

Spiked chain held loosely in her hands... she trembles slightly and sweat beads her inky black brow...

Silena's pretty violet eyes become unfocused... and her vision blurred..

{Losses 2 more hp from con damage}

Sonya quickly moves to Silena's side.

I'm sorry I couldn't get to you quick enough.

Her hands trembling, Sonya examines to wound to see if Silena is in need of more aid.

Silena lifts a un-spiked gauntlet hand to Sonya's face... smiling tiredly and surprisingly her touch is a gentle caress of affection, "{shhhuush!}..d-don't be..fearful sweetling..for me... 'death comes for a-all ~ eventually'..d~ don't ..concern yourself... desert flower. Y..-Yyou have h-helped greatly...{gasp}... I have endured Far worse... and will endure more... I-I'm sure.. I ....{gasp}.. just need... to..f-fight it ...through. I-i'll be... fine. G-get...behind C-calian... The..p-arty..{gasp}..will..need.. y-your healing ...skills... I...must f-fight.. this ...alone...~you can do no more."

Silena tenderly takes Sonya's trembling hand briefly in her's to squeeze it in reassurance... proving her warrior's strength is still vital...

Her breathing is still labored... and her skin has taken a ashy palor.. from its rich inky hue... but she seems to have gotten her trembling under control... somewhat.

She lolls her head to gaze up at the pit fighter, "C-calian.. don...d-don't let your guard down...{gasp} that s-serpent.. may have.. b-bbeen ssuumoned. Protect Sonya... t-there.. is an alcove.. to the ...e-east of the a-lter... get a ligh-t... there may be.. hostiles ...hiding there..."

Sonya draws out a spell and lays hands on Silena again. Closing her eyes in concentration. [spoiler=Spellcraft DC17 to Identify] Lesser Restoration, well beyond Sonya's ability.

Focus your mind, you've seen the scroll a hundred times and even cast it. Remember the words, focus your mind and let it out.

Silena can feel the warmth of divine magic seeping from Sonya's hands but no effect comes from it. Disappointed in her own weakness Sonya withdraws her hands producing her wand once more and touching it to Silena.

This is all I can do for now. But I will become stronger.

Cure Light Wounds 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5

Calain looks down at the formerly smug Half drow.
Similar to one might look at a animal dying by the side of the road.
Jengren, you have proven your worth and I know you are a smarter man than I. If you honestly believe she is useful, I will carry her out of here with us, spiked armor be damned. I do not at present feel she is worth the burden so you decide. Being in here is not what we were employed for so we can get her to camp or let her lay here or continue on and let her endure her wounds, hell, she probably considers it worship. What say you?

The snake's remains shimmer and vanish. It does indeed look like a summoning, to those who understand such matters.

Sonya's eyes flash with a fire unseen as she locks her gaze with Calain.

Calain! Her injuries are what I was employed for, so you will let me tend to them as it is my job. She was injured only because she dropped her guard to defend me. In case you've taken enough blows to the head that you do not understand, that means she acted honorably. She just acted with far more honor than I've seen from you, so you will stop looking down on her!

You are powerful, I will give you that but your power means nothing before the fury of my god. So, unless you wish to be crushed by a girl a third your size your new job is to find a way to keep that mouth shut.

Silena has displayed no fear or reservations, she is valuable to the group and our employer." There is pause. "Her talents will save our lives one day." He states with confidence.

A simple nod of approval to the bold oracle.