Varian takes a moment to move up next to his companion and casts lead blades on his lucerne hammer.
The Crone slips away from Sunny, and steps toward her workstation.
She claws at Zed as she moves. Blood continues to stream from her nostril.
Zed grunts as the poisoned nails almost claim him. He shakes his head, silently swinging his morningstar again.
The old hag hisses with wild eyes like a raging owlbear... "If you be Doyle's dogs... know this... Gilvorgionne has made her choice. While we strip away your sanity like flayed flesh, she has flown to the fort of the Black Arrows... those who would be your allies shall fall to her charms!"
Her chest caves with Zed's strike... her broken body swings with his follow through like a wet hanging towel.
Zed wipes off his morningstar, taking no great pleasure in killing the hag. "I doubt that was a fake warning, let's get downstairs quickly."
Sunny quickly uses what ever free (cleani-ish) material is at hand for Zed's wounds,
"Aye, t'would have been better ta try takin' her intact, but she was mean..." Suny adds thoughtfully.
She nods in agreement with Zed's comment, after a quick look around for shiny, that is. (^_~)
Gromsch makes a small step backwards while taking a small vial from his belt and throws it at the left creature . The vial explodes forming a green stinking cloud which dissipates after a few moments.
Zed sees the light from downstairs, and hears the sound of fighting.
Sunny looks around the room filled with staves, wands, and other arcane equipment... though who knows if their crafting has been completed.
The vial sails through the air as Varian steps up.
The cloud which forms around the target moves to envelope Varian, as well as the two invisible powder-coated creatures.
He is able to move in.
The serpentine necks of the abominations convulse, and they let out bubbling frothing screeches.
They are both stuck in a fit of vomiting.
As she scampers along to catch up with Zed, Sunny deftly pulls the hag's shawl/over-robe/cloak from the body and hands it Zed when she catches up with her friend...
Seeing his Suny and Zed appear, Corum is less concerned about collateral damage. Corum uses his rod to fire another fireball to catch the serpents too. The room erupts in another fiery blast
Corum's earth creature tries to grab again at the same spot.
Seeing his air creature appear, Corum has a whirlwind appear around the two unseen creatures.
Whirlwind (Su) Some creatures can transform themselves into whirlwinds and remain in that form for up to 1 round for every 2 HD they have. If the creature has a fly speed, it can continue to fly at that same speed while in whirlwind form, otherwise it gains a fly speed equal to its base land speed (average maneuverability) while in whirlwind form.
The whirlwind is always 5 feet wide at its base, but its height and width at the top vary from creature to creature (minimum 10 feet high). A whirlwind's width at its peak is always equal to half of its height. The creature controls the exact height, but it must be at least 10 feet high.
The whirlwind form does not provoke attacks of opportunity, even if the creature enters the space another creature occupies. Another creature might be caught in the whirlwind if it touches or enters the whirlwind, or if the whirlwind moves into or through a creature's space. A creature in whirlwind form cannot make its normal attacks and does not threaten the area around it.
Creatures one or more size categories smaller than the whirlwind might take damage when caught in the whirlwind (generally damage equal to the monster's slam attack for a creature of its size) and may be lifted into the air. An affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 10 + half monster's HD + the monster's Strength modifier) when it comes into contact with the whirlwind or take damage as if it were hit by the whirlwind creature's slam attack. It must also succeed on a second Reflex save or be picked up bodily and held suspended in the powerful winds, automatically taking the indicated damage each round. A creature that can fly is allowed a Reflex save each round to escape the whirlwind. The creature still takes damage but can leave if the save is successful.
Creatures trapped in the whirlwind cannot move except to go where the whirlwind carries them or to escape the whirlwind. Trapped creatures can otherwise act normally, but must succeed on a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell. Creatures caught in the whirlwind take a –4 penalty to Dexterity and a –2 penalty on attack rolls. The whirlwind can have only as many creatures trapped inside at one time as will fit inside the whirlwind's volume. The whirlwind can eject any carried creatures whenever it wishes as a free action, depositing them in its space.
If the whirlwind's base touches the ground, it creates a swirling cloud of debris. This cloud is centered on the creature and has a diameter equal to half the whirlwind's height. The cloud obscures all vision, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. Creatures 5 feet away have concealment, while those farther away have total concealment. Those caught in the cloud of debris must succeed on a concentration check (DC 15 + spell level) to cast a spell.
The room erupts in another fiery blast.
(O_o)
Sunny "Eeeks" and runs away from the explodey, burny fire.
When the flash of flame clears, you see the creature closest to Gromsch has become visible.
It is an abomination like the two behind, but you see the spider body sloughing off, and two arms burst from the serpentine neck. The hands quickly reach for the edge of the hole in this invisible floor coated with scorched flour.
By the time she loses her grip, she has fully morphed back into a human form... which you see - through the invisible floor, falling down into empty black below.
Their outer body must have been some type of symbiotic summoned organism.
The two slightly charred snake-necked spider creatures shake off the effects of Corum's enhanced ball of fire.
The club-like tip of their pincers unfurl into gesturing hands. They chant in a harsh breathy tone.
"From the dark.. from infinite hells.. a pox from where true madness dwells..."
They then scramble to opposite sides of the room.
From the edge of the door-way she's retreated to after the nasty fire Sunny throws two things.
One is the stuff she took from the figure upstairs to Zed....
The other is a smoke bomb/pellet at the critter on the right.
*BAMF!*
Any spell cast by anyone in fireball requires concentration DC 20+spell level for one round.
The fireball leaves a disruptive barrier to spellcasting for a bit.
Varian walks across to K7 and strikes at the spider/hag with his lucerne hammer (reach weapon), trying to interrupt her chanting.
Varian's hit splatters a good portion of its spongy spider outerbody... The hit is too late to stop the hex, but it is now within Varian's striking distance, and nearly backed into the corner.
Despite finishing the supposed pox, Corum seems to shrug off the effects of whatever had been directed towards him.
The other of the pair looks down at the bundle Sunny tosses, and sniffs fearfully as a cloud of smoke envelopes it.
Corum is confident the others can handle the visible threat.
He chants and causes a burning spray of fire to engulf the invisible one.
The beast turns visible... screeching and flailing, the spider body sloughs off... the hag within clings to the edge.
She continues to hack and dry heave from the nausea, but looks like she may be able to pull herself up.
The target at I12 should have taken take splash damage too:
splash Weapon Mastery: Additional Splash Square: I12
Aditionally, the direct target of a bomb doesn't gets a ref save against the damage.
Anyway, the smoke disappeares in the moment of Gromschs next action.
These bodys around them seem to be summoned.
Gromsch throws another vial at the now visible hag (I12) this time the vial only explodes.
The hag barks an exclamation... the explosion blasts her as she was trying to pull herself up. She falls... likely dead.
The abomination in the southwest corner steps outside of Varian's reach, and casts a quick spell.
The one near the east wall emerges from Sunny's smoke, and charges straight for Gromsch. The hag-thing bites into his shoulder.
Though it looks as though the long neck would allow it to bite at range, it chooses to get in close as it sinks its teeth into him.
lesser rejuvenate eidolon
Varian moves up 5 feet (to L6) and strikes at the hag again
Sunny concentrates on the bug thing that's closer for the moment.
Then she closes the distance under the cover of said puff.
Corum waits for Gromsch to defend himself. If Gromsch's assailant is still up, Corum fires three force bolts hitting it.
Gromsch makes a small step away from the abomination (F12).
Then he takes another Bomb and throws it at the abomination near him.
Varian's strike splatters the spongy spiderlike shell... it dematerializes in seconds leaving behind the wet hag which was within.
She moves to get out of the cloud as Sunny's smoke envelopes her.
She then begins to gesture.
"An arrow that burns... will pierce his flesh..."
The fused abomination in front of Gromsch loses its outer body as well... it sizzles into nothingness in the flames of his bomb.
The hag glowers at Gromsch as Corum's bolts of force slam into her.
She dashes out of the cloud toward Corum, stops, and gestures...
"He will suffer...waking ataxia..."
[
Sunny runs to where she can get across the hole.
Maybe this summon protected you. But now this will take your breath
Gromsch throws another bomb at the hag between him and Corum.
Corum attacks the closest active threat (moving if he has to) and fires a ray of acid.
The acid hits and sizzles dramatically.
The hag drops after screeches of pain from a fire and acid one-two punch.
After the flames die down, you neither hear or see any obvious threats.
There are two hag corpses here, and one upstairs. The stone staircase from which Zed and Sunny came, continues down into darkness.
Zed nods. "Good work. We cleared the upstairs, let's go check the downstairs."
Varian casts detect magic and scans not only the corpses, but the entire room as well.
"I agree, Zed, but let's not leave anything behind for potential other foes to grab and use against us."
Corum quickly casts detect magic to determine if there is anything magical radiating on the fallen.
There is a fair amount of arcane energy throughout the entire house, but a few items stand out.
The hags each have a ring and bracers with radiate magic.
The two rooms in the northeast each have a spike in the ground in their centers which radiate magic as well.
Varian collects the ring and bracers from the hag closest to him and carries them over to Corum, who might be able to tell what they are via spellcraft.
"The spikes might be some kind of trap... what do you propose we do about them? Leave them for now?"
"That was some amazing teamwork there."
Corum carries the bracers and rings downstairs AS he ids them for magic. Feeling and agreeing with Zed's urgency to quickly explore the house.
The rings are identical. Plain black niobium
The bracers are identical. Black knobby bark-like textured leather.
The spiral stone staircase descends into darkness. A darkness which seems impenetrable to light. After several steps you pass through the black like going under the surface of water...
Under the illusory darkness you see blueish light emanating from below.
You also hear a faint frantic voice.