When Rose touches the bas-relief with her shield, the halfling priestess is also transformed into dust and sucked into the mouth!
Parfin looks around the bas-relief now that he is closer, but doesn't really notice anything else of interest or that looks like it moves or release the bas-relief from the wall.
Kwin tries to approach the face himself. Is the resistance still in place, or does it look like it went away when someone touched the mouth?
Rose! Parfin looks into the mouth again. Kwin! What's happening here?!? Parfin will now try to break down the wall with his earthbreaker!
Jericho looks around stunned that two members of the party have transformed into dust! "Kwin, say something! What is going on? That does not look like teleportation to me."
Kwin opens his mouth to speak, closes it again, and then does speak.
"It does just look like teleportation magic. A strange and disturbing effect, but perhaps that is just to deter non-followers of Orcus from using it."
"Makes sense, it is deterring me from using it!"
Kwin tries to approach as Parfin tries to smash it!
The elf moves next to the bas-relief as Parfin's earthbreaker contacts the swollen face and the half-orc is also reduced to ash which gets inhaled into the sinister mouth!
Kwin looks back at Jericho. "It is my estimate that this is a teleportation mechanism, despite the ash methodology. However, I have no way of knowing where it leads and if that is safe or not. We have three choices as far as I can tell. First, join the others, wherever they may be. Second, wait and see if they find a means of returning back here. Third, return to Zelkor's Ferry and see if anyone else is game to help us delve here and try to find them. I would be inclined to wait and see, but I am open to the other alternatives as well."
"Well, I didn't hear any screams of agony from Parfin or the others as they were "disintegrated". So perhaps, it is just a fancy illusion of sorts. I trust your judgment. I am ready to proceed forward and join the others, if you wish."
Kwin nods grimly, and pulls on the mouth.
The elf is also reduced to ash, which is then inhaled by the mouth leaving Jericho all alone!
Jericho says a little prayer and does same as elf.
Jericho feels a strange rush of energy through his body as he reaches out to touch the bas-relief. He feels every part of his body tingle and expand as he is pulled into the mouth of the thing as it opens to swallow him!
After several, dark, lurching moments Jericho feels his body stop moving, and he sees Dobin, Rose, Parfin, and Kwin standing there is a strange room.
This room is a shadowy place filled with spiderwebs and the unpleasant feeling that unspeakably evil things have been done here. The stones of the wall are securely mortared into place, and the stones themselves have been painted black, although so long ago that it has begun to chip and peel slightly — the black flakes are all over the floor. This room contains two large iron disks five feet in diameter, set into a circle of mortared stones about a foot tall. On the top surface of each disk is the image of an arrow, cut deeply into the iron. Around the circumference of the disk there are four handles, as if the disk is intended to be lifted up.
The rest of you see Jericho appear on the northern iron disk in a flash of blue-green light.
Well, I don't think we're dead... right, Rose?
"Let's try to turn the one we appeared on. Dobin and Jericho, why don't you try it first? Then Rose, Parfin and I can do it next."
We'll have the two warriors try to turn the northern arrow 180 degrees, and then see if that sends them back to where we came from.
As Dobin and Jericho lift the disk, you realize that it will indeed turn however you want. There seems to be a groove underneath which the disk aligns with to come to a complete rest, but there seems to be only one position which the disk fits into place (its original position).
If that experimentation doesn't prove fruitful, then we'll try the same thing with the other disk.
We'll move down to the other disk and do the same thing. Kwin will cast Detect Magic and concentrate on the disk, while Jericho and Dobin pick it up and see if it turns like the last one.
After some experimentation Jericho and Dobin are able to confirm that the southern disk has 4 positions (SW, S, SE and E). The starting position of the disk was in the SW slot when the warriors begain. As Kwin watches, each time the disk is positioned into the groove, the conjuration field around the disk glows actively for about 2 minutes before going dormant again.
"It appears that these disks will allow us to teleport. The disk is charged with magic for about two minutes after you place it in a groove. I would guess (and yes, it is just a guess) that this disk that we appeared near would send us back to where we came from. This second disk I believe will send us to new destinations. So the question remains, do we go back and finish cleansing that diseased place, or do we see what lies beyond the new portals?"
Maybe you should point the arrows at each other? Parfin rubs his head, obviously confused by all the magic and trickery.
"Based on where we found the grooves for the disk to rest, I don't think we can make them point at each other. If we are going to see where this second disk leads, then we may as well be methodical about it. Let's start with it pointing this way. Then if we find it leads back here again, we can try this way, then this, then this." Kwin is pointing in a way that suggests we try the SW groove, then S, SE and finally E.
So we'll have the warriors move the disk around again to the SW to trigger the conjuration magic again. Then Kwin will tell the others "On the count of three, let's all touch the top of the disk with one hand. Have something ready in your other hand in case there is something bad waiting for us." Following his own advice, Kwin has his bow ready in one hand.
Does that make sense what I am proposing?
Heaving the disc about as directed, Dobin grumbles after each failed setting.
"Yer killing my back here! Can we take a rest for a moment?
After moving the southern disk back to the SW groove, the party touches the disk as Kwin suggests while he is certain the magic is active, but nothing happens.
How big is the disk? Could one or more of us stand on it? Is it flat, or concave or convex? Did we find any writing in the room that might give us a command word, or a clue to a command word?
The disk is 5' in diameter, it is basically flat (maybe slightly convex). You could certainly stand on it and could probably get 2 or 3 people at a time standing on it. Kwin is fairly certain that it is activating the magic when you move the arrow into a grove.
What's under it? Pick it up and see.
Kwin shrugs when Parfin suggests lifting it and then nods.
We'll try to lift and see if that does anything. If not, we'll turn it to the SW and then try climbing on it. If Jericho and Dobin are turning it, then the other three of us can climb on once its turned.
Jericho continues following the wizard's instructions and turns the wheel, confused out of his mind about all this arcana.
The burly warriors pick the disk up completely and Kwin, Parfin and Rose look under it but find nothing of interest. Growing frustrated, the disk is turned again to the southwest arrow, and the three climb on the disk and are instantly teleported away! Thinking quickly, Jericho and Dobin climb on as well and teleport to their friends!
Giant spiders have filled this room with webs, concentrating on
the teleporters. As everyone teleports into this room, they are covered in sticky webbing! There are two large floor-dials in this room, identical to the ones in the room you just came from!
Dobin - Ref: *stuck*
Jericho - Ref:
Kwin - Ref:
Parfin - Ref:
Rose - Ref:
Only Dobin manages to get tangled in the webbing, however!
Dobin - Init:
Jericho - Init:
Kwin - Init:
Parfin - Init:
Rose - Init:
GS 1 - Init:
GS 2 - Init:
GS 3 - Init:
Round 1
Jericho
Giant Spider #2
Dobin *entangled, DC 15 Str check or Escape Artist to get free*
Giant Spider #3
Kwin
Rose
Parfin
Giant Spider #1
Jericho is up!
Jericho steps off to the side and readies to attack a spider within reach.
One of the spiders moves over toward Jericho, who swings his readied attack against it but manages to only get web! The spider then lunges forward and tries to bite him!
*miss*
Round 1
Jericho
Giant Spider #2
Dobin *entangled, DC 15 Str check or Escape Artist to get free*
Giant Spider #3
Kwin
Rose
Parfin
Giant Spider #1
Dobin is up!
Since trying to get free will use up his Dobin's standard action...
One of the other spiders moves forward and spews a web at Rose! But the nimble halfling is able to avoid the sticky mess!
*miss*
Everyone else may act!
Parfin moves to smash the spider nearest the group, flying into a rage as he does so!
for
STR check:
"Come down, Dobin! We need you!"
Kwin casts Grease on Dobin's armor, hoping it will help him with his struggle.
Escape Artist:
Parfin moves up, despite the webbing and smashes one of the giant spiders!
Rose and Kwin aid Dobin so he can escape the webbing!
The other spider moves across the room toward Parfin and spews it's web at the burly half-orc!
*hit* *entangled DC 12 Str or Escape Artist*
Round 2
Jericho
Giant Spider #2
Dobin
Giant Spider #3 20 damage taken
Kwin
Rose
Parfin *entangled, DC 15 Str check or Escape Artist to get free*
Giant Spider #1
Jericho is up for Round 2!
Jericho attacks again!
Jericho nearly slices the spider in half! It manages to lunge back at him however!
*miss*
Round 2
Jericho
Giant Spider #2 - 14 damage taken
Dobin
Kwin
Rose
Parfin *entangled, DC 15 Str check or Escape Artist to get free*
Giant Spider #1
The rest of the party may act!
Finally freeing himself from the webs (with the help of his friends!), Dobin goes after the spider with a vengeance.
Attack-melee:
Damage:
Attack-shield:
Damage:
With the warriors engaged and one of the spider's down, Kwin decides to reserve his arcane power and launches an arrow into the fray.
Arrow shot at Dobin's spider.
To hit
Damage
Parfin tries to punch the spider near him!
for
Jericho attacks his spider on his turn.
Damage:
Dobin injures the giant spider with his sword and shield combo! Parfin struggles to escape, but the sticky mess holds him tight! Kwin and Rose have trouble with the webbing as well, foiling their efforts!
*miss*
Jericho slices into some of the webbing next to the giant spider, missing.
*miss*
Round 3
Jericho
Giant Spider #2 - 14 damage taken
Dobin
Kwin
Rose
Parfin *entangled, DC 15 Str check or Escape Artist to get free*
Giant Spider #1 - 9 damage taken
Party up!