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Despite it's silver hue, the turtle is just that, a turtle. One blow from Tomaru crushes the life from it...and any potential for a soup. Upon it's death, the shape of Ordikon returns, head caved in by the death blow.
Thordak coming back to see what all the commotion is, notices the dead mithral man. "What in the blazes happened here?" he asks, looking upon the dead guy. "Looks like ya killed 'im," he states the obvious, scratching at his beard in curiosity. Turning to the others with a blank look before looking back to the dead guy, he can only conclude with, "Well... um... good job! I guess. Not sure how ya did it but ya know, I'm fairly certain I don't be wantin' ta know. Anyway! Back to the long hallway. Time's a wastin' and I'm not gettin' any younger. Burnin' daylight, folks! Let's move."
So Thordak stomps back and forth from one end of the hallway of golden statues, and back, and nothing happens.
"I can use this for a spell component," Lym says as she hefts the pouch of diamond dust. "It'll be a good buff for Thordak. Tomaru, you want a second staff? Or maybe Veronica? The rod seems like a good fit for Thordak. The pearl... whatever. Let's get moving. Dwarves first!"
"Actually, I want the pearl. Maybe you take the staff, love."
Lym eyes the staff dubiously, but then picks it up.
"Well," she says as she turns the thing in her hand. "This… could be useful."
Thordak comes back and takes the rod and puts it in his pack. "Okay, we done here? Good. Let's go!" He then proceeds back down the hall for what he feels like is the umpteenth time. "Statues ain't comin' alive either, so, we're good," he declares as he walks past the statues once more.
As you pass through the gilded statues, you notice their faces show signs of surprise, anger, and fear. It's almost as if they were people who were painfully gilt while still alive...
Approaching the door you can see flashes of color coming through the cracks in the sill. The crisp burst of lightning and the red lick of flames would seem to be the culprit, although you can't be sure with this limited view. The closer you get, the more you notice the muffled sounds of thunderclaps, hisses, and shrieks; also coming from the room beyond.
"Well. That does not look or sound good. At all," Lym says.
Trying to peer through the cracks to see if he can see anything, "Yeah I can't make anythin' out. Well, should we knock?" he dwarf asks before bursting out in laughter. When he finally calms down and wipes a tear from his eye, "Oh man that was a good one. Man o man where do I come up with this stuff?" he asks himself, a proud look on his face. "Anyway," the dwarf draws out his longaxe, "so do I bust down the door and go in choppin' or sneak our way in and go in choppin'? Or do I just go in choppin'? As long as this ends with 'choppin'', I don't care how we do this. Just say the word, lass," he tells the half-orc, nodding with excitement.
Tomaru casts Summon Monster V for a Djinni. He asks the Djinn to scout the room and report back.
The djinn nods once, and disappears. Within moments, he reappears, a look of frustration on his face. "I cannot enter, nor see into, that room." he says apologetically. "There is a great power that blocks such surveillance from the Astral Plane."
"You are barred from entering or you can't do so from the astral plane? Did you attempt to enter using your (Gaseous Form) or just walking in?
If not, "Please try.
If so, "Then I thank you for your aid and your council. Please return home.
Praxim tries to detect evil through the glowing cracks around the door.
If the djinni is unable to enter the room and report back, Veronica will try casting clairvoyance to see what's behind the door.
The djinn, annoyed that Tomaru is telling him how to do his job, explains that he is unable to enter by any means.
There is no evil aura to detect.
Clairvoyance does not penetrate into the room.
It's as if whatever is beyond this door, the masters of the Vault of Greed didn't want anyone to see it...
"Seems like someone doesn't want anyone to know what's in there," Veronica says with a shrug. "I vote Thordak busts the door down."
After dismissing the Djinn, Tomaru agrees with Veronica. "It would seem that, unless we can find a key, a broken door is how we'll get in."
Nodding triumphantly, "It's like I always say... if ya can't beat 'em then bust down the door!" The dwarf then backs up and pops his neck on one side and then the other before focusing his anger right at the door. "I hate doors... I hate doors... I. Hate. DOORS!" he says as he charges hard at it.
Praxim casts divine favour and weapon of awe as Thordak prepares to breach the door.
The solid door cracks and groans, but does not break. Next time for sure...
How about an Enlarge Person on Thordak? Maybe Take 20?
Thordak backs up from the door, shaking the cobwebs from his head. He clears some extra running room, and revs himself up. The door shatters with a crash, shards of wood exploding into the room beyond.
Silver beams support a domed ceiling covered in polished darkwood panels inlaid with spiky glyphs. Most of the chamber’s floor ripples in an immense, forty-foot-diameter pool of deep blue liquid. Flashes of lightning and gouts of flame dance along its surface, punctuated by thunderclaps, hisses, and cacophonous shrieks. Vague shapes writhe in the currents below the pool’s surface.
Praxim just stands with his mouth gaping at the sight. He snaps himself back and scans the waters for evil auras.
”What in the known multiverse is that supposed to be?”
Give Lym Bit of Luck for that roll. Veronica too, if she wants to try it.
As he finally breaks it down, "Alright! Now we...," the dwarf stops as he looks around, taken aback by the scene. As he stares at it for what feels like an eternity, "Okay, um, well, it's different, that's for sure."
Veronica peers in the door and gapes at the scene. "That's incredible," she says. "Absolutely breathtaking. That's raw magic, magic in its purest form. It might be possible to recharge or repair magic items with it."
Tomaru produces a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. It has only a few charges left (4). "How often can it be used? Any drawbacks? Want to give it a try?"
"What I want to know; what turned those people outside into statues? There's sure to be some kind of guardian for this marvel."
Tomaru produces a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. It has only a few charges left (4). "How often can it be used? Any drawbacks? Want to give it a try?"
Veronica shrugs. "Haven't got a clue. I've never really seen anything like it before. Or heard of anything like it either. It could be totally harmless. Or it might drain our life energy as a means of recharging the wand. Or just about anything else. Might even cause Praxim and Thordak to confess their deep-seated love for each other." After a pause, she adds, "Though I suppose that last one's a bit far-fetched."
Praxim clears his throat. ”Well we certainly can’t risk that happening.”
The dwarf looks at the bard incredulously. "Seriously? That's... that's what it comes down to, lass? Bad jokes? And here I thought you were a pleasant lass. Turns out yer a lot like him!" he points demonstratively at the elf. He then perks up as a thought just hits him. "Hm. I'm guessin' that's probably why he likes ya," he concludes, nodding. "Makes sense I guess," he mumbles to himself. "Anyway, um, what was I sayin' again? Oh yeah! I remember now. Bad jokes and all that," he grins, relieved he remembered. "Okay, um, STOP IT!" he tells her, pointing threateningly, "Or I'll... I'll...," he pauses a moment as he thinks hard on what he'll do. Drawing nothing but blanks, "I'll bad joke ya back, lass! And YOU DON'T WANT THAT!" he states with as much ferocity as one can muster with such 'vile threats'. His eyes then cut back towards the pool, "Ooooo pretty. What is that thing again? I'm thinkin' we should touch it," he nods excitedly.
Veronica raises her hands in surrender. "You're right," she says. "That was a bad joke. I apologize. Won't happen again. However, I'm not joking when I say I really can't predict exactly what might happen if you touch that."
"Stay back everyone." Aurora will use Mage Hand to dip Tomaru's wand into the arcane goo.
The hand dips the wand downward. Greedy cyan fingers stretch upward while the pool shrieks and wails. A sharp flash of light, and the wand comes back, feeling stronger than before.
There are no other doors that can be seen.
”So what in here counts as talismans to keep us protected? Turning bad guys into turtles is fun an all, but the talismans were our purpose for coming.”
Can we try some other wands?
Wand of remove blindness/deafness 5 charges
Wand of remove disease 10 charges
Similar results: shrieks and wails, flashes of light, glowing wands. You can't help but feel that the pool is growing more and more - agitated - by the exchange of power.
”So what in here counts as talismans to keep us protected? Turning bad guys into turtles is fun an all, but the talismans were our purpose for coming.”
But naked stinky guy said we needed talismans to protect us when we entered the circle, which is why we came to the Greed side.
Perhaps some research in those books is in order.
We've cleared the complex. We might as well do as much research as we can.
"Maybe we should hole up somewhere and get some rest, eat, heal up and study, then tackle the rest of the complex in the morning?"
"Sounds like a plan to me. The room with the books is as good as any for resting. You can get started finding out what we need to use as these protective talismans, while Thorday, Rexil, and I clear away the dead things."
"Works for me to, lass."