After hearing the chanting begin Odak decides that protecting Kaz is the first priority so he disengages and moves to protect the Paladin.
Myras stabs once again at the statue adjacent to him:
Hearing the whirling increase against Kar's reading, Myras cries out to the Paladin/Warlock: "Destroy that blasted spirit! Try again!"
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Waagic and Myras strike strong blows, each almost finishing off a statue. Waagic doesn't quite manage to knock a statue prone. Cyrus swings bravely but getting knocked unconscious seems to have thrown off his aim.
The cloud continues to make tiny rocky crystals erupt from the skin of Kargoroth and Rankle (5 piercing dam each). The statues lash out violently to protect their incorporeal master. Everyone manages to dodge them, except poor Cyrus who is still dizzy.
The gnome speaks again in Undercommon:
"Focus your blows on one statue at a time!"
He tries to do just that, even exhausting his ki to do so!
Still caught in the cloud and realizing his weapons have no effect he buckles down and tries to continue to draw its attention.
"You!" cough! "Go back to where you came from!" cough!
He quickly disengages. "Leave the statues! There is this big gas threat here and I feel like it may be our target!"
Myras steps out to an opening briefly. He then gazes toward the gaseous being damaging Rankle and raises his voice to a hideous screech, cursing the deadly cloud!
Enchantment
Level: 1
Casting time: 1 Action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V
Duration: Instantaneous
You whisper a discordant melody that only one creature of your choice within range can hear, wracking it with terrible pain.
The target must make a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, it takes 3d6 psychic damage and must immediately use its reaction , if available, to move as far as its speed allows away from you. The creature doesn’t move into obviously dangerous ground, such as a fire or a pit. On a successful save, the target takes half as much damage and doesn’t have to move away. A deafened creature automatically succeeds on the save.
At higher level
When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d6 for each slot level above 1st
Kar, hoping the scroll still manages to help them, keeps pressing on the strange elemental, trying to send it home for good.
Odak runs toward where Karg is hoping to assist but as he passes Cyrus laying on the floor, the dwarf’s face goes blank as he falls into some kind of flash back. Shortly, he shakes it off and dives to his knees sliding next his goblin companion.
Waagic damages another statue while Rankle runs. Odak stabilized Cyrus while Myras hurls his mind against the cloud's! But he finds nothing there. His spell passes through without managing to make any impact on the animated dust cloud. Four more statues step forward to join the fray, turning the tide against the brave heroes of Blingdenstone. Kargoroth concentrates again and calls on holy power to banish the cloud back to its own plane. The cloud swirls then with a loud disappears. The moving statues freeze in place, the life gone out of them.
The dust of the cloud and the broken statues settles around you in the darkness. Rankle and Kargoroth are left with rocky protrusions sticking painfully from their skin, making them look a little like Odak. The scars of this strange, deadly, seemingly-endless tussle in the dark will not leave you soon. Silent and noble, Galinndan stands where he risked everything to help his allies. And it paid off for you defeated the horde of moving stone, the legendary medusa, and an extraplanar creature. You feel more confident you can survive what the Underdark will throw at you.
The newly-arrived gnome almost launches another volley of blows but then halts himself.
It is done.
He turns to the surface gnome, the goblin, and the drow.
"Are there many of your company left standing?"
The Professor moves back to the others, "It is done yes? We did it! We did it! Well more accurately most of you did it I just helped!" It was his idea of modesty but telling the gnome that would just lead to an entire conversation about gnome ethics.
He sees the body on the floor and quickly moves down toward the goblin completely ignoring the new arrival, "Oh great job Odak! You did well to stabilize him but I can take it from here. Let's get you up in case of an ambush. Just wait, Old Rankle Boomptop is here to save the day yet again."
Working on a small device he realizes that there was another way to inject, one that was significantly more efficient and before he had the chance to confirm his theories his hands started their work.
Got overzealous. No need to tell him that though.
He eyes the newcomer. "All but one. Well actually he is still standing but well..." He face twists slightly, "The medusa got him good dwarf."
A nod.
"I see. A correction: I am a gnome of Blingdenstone, a deep gnome by your surfacer reckoning. Waagic Jadefingers. When I returned to the city and the Diggermattocks spoke of your work, I felt compelled to assist ye. The oozes *must* be stopped."
At talk of oozes, a slightly haunted look crosses Waagic's eyes.
He adjusts his goggles, "Right, gnome yeah. I very much knew that I was just testing you you see." He quietly adds, "Or perhaps I got some dust in my eyes. Need to note the long-term effects of such a thing."
Cyrus wobbles to his feet for the second time. "Did we get em all?" He asks with a mouthful of blood.
He then quickly channels a bit of magic to close a few more of his wounds.
When the big elemental collapses, Kar quickly runs to help his comrades. Checking that everyone is alright except from Galinndan, he recites a small prayer for him, ending with a martial salute in honor of the fallen.
"He behaved like a hero. He deserves to be taken care of and protected until a remedy can be found."
"Of course."
Waagic will walk up to accept one of the elf's spells.
"My thanks, surfacer. A pity about that one. But at least this threat is gone. We should seek out others to destroy."
You look around a little and find a chamber beyond the statue room. The adornments in this chamber would be more at home in a drow city. Spider-themed tapestries, fine zurkhwood furniture, and racks of expensive clothing fill the area, all of it old and rotted except for five spider-silk dresses on the racks. At the center of the chamber stands a zurkhwood throne, now empty. This must have been the abode of the mad medusa.
Looking at the room with the throne, Rankle examines the throne for anything suspicious. His goggle expands getting him a good zoom of the item, possibly seeing if there is anything hidden in it.
Rankle thinks there are no further dangers in this room but the dresses look valuable. He also happens to know they will lose the magic woven into the spider silk and fall apart if ever exposed to sunlight.
When Boomtop tells about the dresses - because Kat's sure he will tell - he can't help thinking that this kind of patterns would be out of fashion here anyways. Thank fact that they're magic Wales done interest, though.
"What kind of enchantment have they got on them?"
"Ye look like a drow but not quite.", notes Waagic when he gets a better look at Myras.
"Drow have some fine magics. Best that is all we see of them.", he notes out loud as he gazes about at the room.
Myras will gladly receive one of Kar's cures. He reaches out a hand to clasp with the half-elf paladin and feels enlivened. "Mmmmh that's just what I needed!" he adds.
He strides to the tapestries in the throne chamber and runs his hand gently along the fabric. He looks a bit conflicted and you can't tell if he is forlorn or bitter. He turns back to the group and says "I'm certain there are drow and gnome alike who would pay for some of these things, especially those fine garments we've found. Why don't we carefully pack them and haul them away?"
Turning to the newcomer deep gnome, Myras replies: "Indeed I am a 'Drow but not quite', as you say." He puffs out his chest a bit and raises his chin as he walks to the middle of the room. "In fact, I have been called one of the finest skalds in the Underdark." Winking, he adds: "Myras Hlaviir, at your..." he hesitates for a moment, before finishing with a toothy grin, "Acquaintance." He does a half-bow, half-pirouette, falling perfectly into the seat of the throne.
You gather up the valuable spidersilk robes and decide where to head next while conversing with your new companions.
Having a time to explain the silk robes Rankle looks excited as normal, "... so you see that is why there is a difference between robes and dresses and it is more than just function. Actually it has a lot to do with..."
He seemed to be back to normal, but decided for once it would be a better effort if he spoke to the newcomer.
"So... Waagic was it? What are you to do now that we've bested the evil medusa? I know I would love to have another gnome on board because to be honest sometimes these guys here can be mighty stuffy and I think that they don't always like it when I talk about myself but I can't help it I am so interesting!" He finally takes a breath, not realizing he inadvertently made it all about himself again.
"Ah, er... Waagic?" Kar clears his throat. "It was quite timely that you arrived to help. Pleased to meet you, I'm Kargoroth."
When everything is wrapped up, Kar comments on going back to the village. "I guess some rest would do us good, and done advice about our next step on top of that would be marvelous. What do you guys think?" he asks while patting the petrified Galinndan on the shoulder. "Comrade, we're taking you to safety."
Waagic replies to the group, giving the strange Myras a slightly lingering gaze.
"A pleasure. Yes, Waagic. I would accompany ye for the time being. I returned to Blingdenstone after encountering a horror and its ooze minions. I heard that your group was having some success against these creatures and I thought that ye might need a fist. Ye certainly seem capable. It's not many who would have survived that fight, let alone prevail."
"Return and report and rest. That is a sensible plan. I would not be much help hauling this one but I am happy to scout. I am fast and stealthy."
Eyeing the new robes carefully, Myras can hardly contain his eagerness. These were a rare commodity in his former home. He loves the look and feel of spider silk and attempts to determine what sort of enchantment they have on them.
”Anyone have any idea what sort of robes these are? I’d love to try them on!
Remembering the needs of the rest of the group, Myras adds: ”Ah yes, the poor Wood Elf. It would seem the advice in my heroic lay to the ranger was not taken to heart. Alas, we ought to haul him back. I’ll lend a hand!”
Myras doesn't know on his own but together you puzzle out that the robes are only magical to make them beautiful. They would not help in any sort of battle.
You return to Blingdenstone and find the city of deep gnomes busily preparing to battle the oozes. You inform Nomi Pathshutter, the earth elemental specialist, of what you've accomplished and she claps her hands eagerly. "That will help very much! With Ogremoch's Bane gone, we will be able to use our earth elementals to battle the oozes without them going mad! I've been authorized to give you this reward." She hands you a purse and a flawless diamond.
"The robes are only magicked to make them gorgeous my friend Myras. Though you would not need such things in battle." He scratches his head and looks at the stone ally, "Um well, I can help but I am not the stronges, nor the largest, and frankly I think that my work would be most wisely used doing something relevant, like studying the local flora and fauna." He wasn't scared of hard work but the gnome was tired and really needed to figure out how he could use the scrapes of bane on him to create more potent acids.
---
Once back at Blingdenstone the Professor gives a large bow, "No problem at all, now if you can point us to a place where we can get some stone removal magic that would be most appreciated." He owed the warrior who unfroze him that much.
Waagic gives a gesture of greeting to the specialist.
"Nomi. I will be accompanying them for now. What other matters need attending to, besides the obvious ooze incursion?"
Nomi nods enthusiastically. "A fine idea, Waagic! They are helping quite prodigiously and you could guide them. I know of one more way they could help, well two but the second is a little far-fetched. The Stoneheart Enclave is prepared to join the Diggermattocks whole-heartedly in the battle and efforts to re-settle Blingdenstone if we can cleanse one of our temples, the Ruby in the Rough, dedicated to Segojan Earthcaller, the svirfneblin god of deep earth and nature. Our earth elementals will become even more powerful and able to help us in the battle if this temple is cleansed." She pauses thoughtfully. "As for the second way, I'm sure you've heard the stories of Entemoch's Boon, Waagic. The legendary temple to a good prince of elemental earth, the counterpoint to Ogremoch's Bane. Rumor says that it was somewhere on the western outskirts of Blingdenstone but no one has been able to find it for generations. If we could find it, no doubt our elemental army would show the oozes a thing or two, no doubt."
"Dah second one sounds promising if yer askin me." Cyrus offers.
Rankle wrinkles his nose, "What do you know about this Boon? Is there anyone we can ask who can direct us to more resources? I adore an excavation, especially one that has stumped much lesser minds than I."
"I would be honoured to help with both. Having seen the power of Ogremoch's Bane, I would have its counterpoint on our side."
Kar agrees that helping the gnomes would be helping a great cause. "You are much generous and I agree to help you. I just don't know much of you, not enough to choose which task is better suited for me."
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"Hmm... I have heard ancient verse concerning the Boon of Entemoch, but attributed it to mythology. Imagine appending my — I mean our — name to a stanza!"
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After healing his own wounds Cyrus approaches the still form of Galinndan.
"Don worry pal, we'll come back for ye someday. Till then, bes' not let dis go ta waste eh?" Cyrus says before trying to free the rangers blade from Galinndan's stony grasp.
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You leave Nomi's workshop, intent on finding the legendary Entmoch's Boon. On your way across the deep gnome city, you see an elevated cavern near one of Blingdenstone’s main residential areas holding a variety of rocks and crystals in the middle of its bowl-shaped floor. Each crystal seems to be vibrating slightly, emitting a musical note. An elderly female deep gnome is slightly adjusting the positions of the crystals and placing pads or stones against their surfaces. The singing of the crystals blends together into an odd, haunting song. 8 deep gnome children sit quietly, hands in laps, around the crystals listening intently.
You head into the dangerous outskirts of Blingdenstone and begin searching.
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Leaving the workshop, Myras begins work on his stanza, a bit optimistic about their odds. When they approach the elevated cavern, he tries his best to harmonize with the resonant crystals, but they vibrate at relative frequencies he has not yet mastered. He does his best to chant in a dorian mode, eyes closed and exaggerating each alliterative lift. His footsteps look like the deliberate prances of dancers as he steps in time with his rhyme.
"O...........Boon of Entemoch, Blingdenstone's
Banner-bearer's foes crushed
Ogramoch the odious
obsolete and banished
stone warriors' strong lord
stifled in the cavern
to him who humiliated
high-born ranger Galinndan
Ohh, that was a brilliant line, if I do say so myself....
much shuddering and shame
shadowy misery
merciless comes the mighty hand
of Myras, bold and brilliant!
Brisling be the deadly bite
of Bleak Ogremoch's Bane!"
He winks at the others as he takes all the credit for their endeavors.
Kar has absolutely zero idea how he, a total foreigner, could help finding a lost temple where full generations of people haven't been able to. He takes an optimistic approach, though, and tries to set a plan for the search.
"Now, lemme think. There should be places related and people who know about the place, or at least what's told about the place. I cannot just ask around at random, though. Let's start with..."
Kar decides he will just rover around the place, having a close look and taking notes of everything that seems strange enough to fit his idea of a good place to start. He'll start asking around tomorrow.
Waagic chuckles at Myras' tune.
The ego of the drowling!
The Professor looks at the others out in the wilderness looking for tracks and such. "You know this could be more easily found if we actually took an eye and ear out for all of the signs around us... Notes... Books... You know those things that have plenty of information in them?" He gives a sigh as he pulls his pant cuffs up, "But if you insist, squander my talents."
He is entirely unhappy with their choice of action but knows full well that numbers provide value as well; though he is too busy complaining the whole time to provide any real help.
Odak stays behind in Blingdenstone, quietly considering his encounter with the cloud that killed many of his friends.