Ceobryrn finds that the symboly adorn what appear to be large tumblers, perhaps to operate something. The symbols are the same symbols that are on the parchments! The symbol from the statue adorns the top tumbler, the symbol from the Imperial Hall of Records adorns the middle tumbler, and the symbol from Quickfall Abbey adorns the third tumbler.
At that same moment, the party hears pained moans and chatter coming from the western door as it opens to reveal two derros and four mites leading some humans in chains!
Ag'Mira moves within 30' and releases a Slumber Hex on the closest Derro DC 16
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Ag'mira casts a hex, but the derro resists!
Henry punches his lance into the nearest derro, while Indy puts down the nearest mite!
Ceobryrn swings his blade, but misses!
Ellie then fores her musket, putting a bullet in the northern derro!
Vennoc darts forward and attacks the southern derro, but misses!
The derro step further in to the room, and one manages to stab Henry. The mites move up and attack, but both miss, while the third looks for an opening.
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Ag'mira steps up on the fountains walkway and extracts some sand from her pouch. Pointing at the mite in front of Ceobyrn she lets the sand slip through her fingers.
"Rest, dream, close your eyes and sleep my pretties."
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S, M (fine sand, rose petals, or a live cricket)
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Area one or more living creatures within a 10-ft.-radius burst
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
A sleep spell causes a magical slumber to come upon 4 HD of creatures. Creatures with the fewest HD are affected first. Among creatures with equal HD, those who are closest to the spell's point of origin are affected first. HD that are not sufficient to affect a creature are wasted. Sleeping creatures are helpless. Slapping or wounding awakens an affected creature, but normal noise does not. Awakening a creature is a standard action (an application of the aid another action). Sleep does not target unconscious creatures, constructs, or undead creatures.
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Heccan takes a few steps into the room and takes a position near Ag'mira. His eyes glow red and he flashes a wicked looking grin as he speaks to one of the blue creatures. My dear friend! How fortunate to see you here. Would you be so kind as to explain to your compatriots that we are not here to harm them?
School enchantment (charm) [mind-affecting]; Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one humanoid creature
Duration 1 hour/level
Saving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance yes
This charm makes a humanoid creature regard you as its trusted friend and ally (treat the target's attitude as friendly). If the creature is currently being threatened or attacked by you or your allies, however, it receives a +5 bonus on its saving throw.
The spell does not enable you to control the charmed person as if it were an automaton, but it perceives your words and actions in the most favorable way. You can try to give the subject orders, but you must win an opposed Charisma check to convince it to do anything it wouldn't ordinarily do. (Retries are not allowed.) An affected creature never obeys suicidal or obviously harmful orders, but it might be convinced that something very dangerous is worth doing. Any act by you or your apparent allies that threatens the charmed person breaks the spell. You must speak the person's language to communicate your commands, or else be good at pantomiming.
Henry and Indy miss the derro with their attacks!
Ag'mira begins a sleep spell!
Ceobryrn cuts into the southern derro, putting it down!
Heccan casts a spell on a mite, but it seems to resist!
Vennoc swings at the mite, but misses!
Ellie takes a step back and fires at the other derro!
Her bullet punches into the shoulder of the derro!
The derro attacks, but misses Ceobryrn, while the mites move forward and attack, but all miss.
Behind the mites, the party sees a seething mass of spiders surging forward!
Ag'mira's spell goes off and the derro and one the mites falls asleep!
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Heccan's eyes go wide at the appearance of the massed spiders. He looks about as if trying to decide something then he hears Ag'mira's voice and charge. He looks at her for a long moment, then to the mites and spiders. Hands shaking, he grits his teeth and steps forward. When he reaches the mite in front of him, be blinks his eyes which once again take on a reddish tinge. Heccan's lip curls and his demeanor darkens to something sinister. Keeping the mite at bay as best he can, Heccan stretches out both hands and unleashes his inner infernal power in the form of blazing jest of fire that burst forth from his hands.
The flames sputter as Heccan is unable to concentrate through the chaos of battle, clearly not being used being on the front line of combat.
School evocation [fire]; Level sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range 15 ft.
Area cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes
A cone of searing flame shoots from your fingertips. Any creature in the area of the flames takes 1d4 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 5d4). Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action.
Ceobryrn swings at a mite, but misses!
Ag'mira fires her crossbow, striking a mite, but the bolt doesn't seem to do any damage.
Heccan tries to cast a spell, but loses his concentration!
Henry attacks and takes down one mite, the Indy steps up and smacks the other mite into unconsciousness!
Vennoc, having nothing in his possession to deal with swarms, withdraws to the other side of the chamber!
Ellie retrieves a flask of fire!
The swarm surges forward, crawling all over Heccan, Indy, and Henry!
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Ag'mira moves forward presses her thumbs together and fans out her fingers toward the vile swarm.
"There is something burning in my heart
Spreading like a forest fire."
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range 15 ft.
Area cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance yes
A cone of searing flame shoots from your fingertips. Any creature in the area of the flames takes 1d4 points of fire damage per caster level (maximum 5d4). Flammable materials burn if the flames touch them. A character can extinguish burning items as a full-round action.
Ag'mira moves north after the party vacates the area and releases a spout of flame, burning up the swarm, mite, and injuring the derro!
The swarm disperses after the flames!
Heccan and Henry manage to fight off the poison of the spider swarm!
Searching the bodies, the party finds nothing of real interest.
Back in the hall, the slaves huddle against the wall.
Ceobryrn finishes moving the tumblers and with a final audible click the tumblers lock into place. Suddenly, the fountain begins to rotate and its stale waters drain rapidly. The grinding of the gears echoes off the stone walls, causing the ground to shake. As the fountain rotates, a spiral staircase appears where the fountain’s solid basin once sat. A slick staircase slopes down into Cassomir’s bowels, twisting its way down and around a deep cistern.
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Heccan draws a now familiar wand and taps its dark power to heal himself once again. He quirks a brow towards Henry and offers to use the wand on him if needed. Heccan is shaking a bit, clearly rattled from his brush with the swarm and the mites. I will say Henry, I do have a new found appreciation for you calvary types. I found my stint as a footman to be somewhat distasteful to say the least. Oh look, a secret passage. While I have had my fill of combat for a lifetime, I suppose our charge dictates we press on. Despite my misgivings, I shall steel myself for the trials ahead. I will take my inspiration from Vennoc, as nothing seems to phase that cold man.
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I will say Henry, I do have a new found appreciation for you cavalry types. I found my stint as a footman to be somewhat distasteful to say the least.
[b]"Well thank you, Master Heccan, what! I've found Indy to be a trusty companion and it's easier on my short legs, ho ho! What!"
"What? What? No! None of that bestial abyssal garbage for me, son, no no NO!" Henry shakes his head vigorously at Heccan. "I've got my own curing wand, if you'd be a dear, Ag'mira? I much prefer this type of healing, no disrespect to you, Master Heccan." Henry hands his wand to the witch.
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Ceobryrn frees the prisoners of any bonds or chains holding them and directs them up the stairs to the city "Head up the stairs to the city and search out the guards. We are heading deeper. If you have any information that you saw or overheard now would the time to tell us. the ranger looks hopefully.
Ceobryrn prepares to descend the fountain's staircase down, "Shall we go end the cult threat friends?"
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Heccan lets loose a sly grin as he sees that Ceobryn's words hit their mark with the former prisoners. He adds to the encouragement. Indeed, the worst is over fair citizens. Go forth and inform the authorities of what has transpired here. We may need the aid soon enough.
He nods to Ceobryn Yes my friend, I am about ready to be done with these miscreants once and for all. Lead the way and I shall follow. I will bring a sliver of the hells with me.
Speaking with the prisoners, you find that they all were an engineer, a
city planner, or a mason; that they were all kidnapped in the last week; and that they were led to believe someone named Dalirio was going to turn them into skeletons.
Having learned what you can and releasing the prisoners, your party descends into the dark spiral stair. An enormous room lies ahead, filled with dozens of family crypts decorated with family names, heraldic crests, and a variety of death-themed statuary. The walls, floor, and ceiling are made of smooth, polished stone, and the crypts are made of thick, square blocks of granite. A handful of statues stand throughout the room, though they don’t seem to be placed with any plan—some face the wall, some lie on their sides, and others are damaged beyond repair. The northwest quarter of the room is dominated almost entirely by a single large crypt. The name “Ismacco” is displayed across the front of the crypt.
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Heccan smiles warmly to the prisoners as they divulge the information. He nods once and runs a hand through his thick wavy dark hair. He turns to Ag'mira Yes indeed Ag'mira. It would indeed seem this Darillo is particularly difficult to keep deceased. I will use the time between now and our next meeting to dream up the various ways that we may dispose of him permanently. I like your idea of the pyre, but perhaps we could reduce him to ashes first then send the ashes to the pyre... Heccan smirks toward Ag'mira as he touches a ring on one of the finger on his right hand and it begins to glow with clear white light.
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Ceobryrn shrugs, "I've lost count of how many of the Dalirio line we have ended, hopefully this will be the last."
The ranger finds the statues to be odd and examines the closest one trying to determine is there is anything unnatural about them or how they where made, "Odd way to decorate a tomb, I've heard stores of creatures that can turn men to stone, I wonder if these where once living beings or just good carvings?"
Moving to the crypt, it stretches toward the room’s ceiling and two large, copper braziers flank its impressive floor-to-ceiling doors. At the building’s base, a faceless statue holds a gibbous moon aloft.
Opening the door, ornate carvings decorate the walls inside the Ismacco crypt, creating several stylized burial niches. Tall, marbled pillars stretch to the 20-foot-high ceiling, creating three alcoves that hold massive oak sarcophagi. At the rear of the chamber, stairs ascend into a basilica-like dome. A musty smell permeates the chamber, and several dozen torches burn brightly in wall sconces throughout the crypt.
As you open the door, a group of four cultists look up. "Get them!" The man in the back yells.
Ellie moves up and fires a shot at the closest cultist!
The bullet punches into the cultist, nearly taking him down!
The leader moves up and fires an arrow at Ellie, but misses!
Vennoc moves into the room, drawing his blade!
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Ag'mira moves into the room within 10' of the leader. She smiles as she rolls her hands in tight circles and mumbles the verse before releasing the storm of glowing energy at her foes.
"White and glowing, gaining speed.
Gathering specks with restless need.
Face crescendo, gravity shatter.
Enemies scatter, snowball splatter."
CASTING
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
EFFECT
Range 30 ft.
Effect cone-shaped burst
Duration instantaneous
Saving Throw Reflex half; Spell Resistance no
DESCRIPTION
You send a flurry of snowballs hurtling at your foes.
Any creature in the area takes 4d6 points of cold damage from being pelted with the icy spheres.
Ag'mira moves in and unleashes a cone of snow at the cultists. The leader dodges and avoids some of the snow, but the other three do not fare as well, all falling!
Heccan fires a frosty ray, but misses!
Henry attacks the leader, but misses! Indy attacks, but has no more luck than his buddy!
Ceobryrn fires a chakram, but it falls well short of the target.
The leader drops his bow and swings a flail at Henry, but misses!
Ellie moves in, looking for a clear shot, while Vennoc moves down and attacks, but misses as well.
Henry manages to strike the leader with his sword, while Indy misses again!
Ceobryrn's streak of bad luck continues, while Hecaan fires an errant ray.
Ag'mira puts a hex on the man. His eyes flutter and crashes to the ground, asleep!
Searching the men, you find a masterwork half-plate, +1 heavy flail, and a composite longbow with 20 arrows on the leader, while on the other cultists you find they each had just a chain shirt and a club.