Lackspell will approach the shrine with his sunrod so any interested folks can get a good look at it. Not being much of a one for religious things, he will examine the altar (and particularly the water) in an attempt to understand it.
Oh, this is absolutely unholy water. No question. Bad juju.
Lackspell wrinkles his nose in distaste ....
It's funny, I have to deal with all manner of strongly odorous substances in alchemty, but nothing really smells quite so bad as unholy water. It just smells wrong somehow.
He shrugs and turns away to face the door, holding out his sunrod to share the light.
The door is closed, but anyone who goes near the door can go ahead and make a Perception check.
Varak would only glare at the sight of the unholy water. He wished to see the basin and water destroyed, the foul liquid an affront to everything he and his religion stood for. For now though he'd hold off, not wanting to set off a trap or alert an enemy to their presence. He would return though to cleanse this place after.
Ren, you detect no traps.
Arkon, beyond the door, you hear faint chanting in a soft, high pitched voice. You can't quite make out the words, but the cadence is certainly ritualistic.
This huge room looks like nothing more than an immense underground cathedral. Stone doors stand to either side of the main en trance, but beyond this, the walls are carved with strange, spiky runes. In the center of the room is a large pool, with a ring of polished human skulls balanced on stone spikes arranged in a circle around the deeper midsection. At the far end of the room, a pair of stone stairways leads up to a pulpit on which sits a second pool, this one triangular and filled with churning, bubbling water that looks almost like translucent lava. Yet while wisps of what look like heat and steam rise from the strange orange liquid, the room itself is deathly cold.
This room is magically lit, allowing you to see everything without need for a light source. Near the farther pool, a small, winged demon notices you come in and shrieks at you in a rage.
"How DARE you defile the Mother's sanctum?!"
She produces a small dagger and slashes her own wrist, allowing her blood to drip into the pool. In seconds, one of the same kind of creatures you fought near the entrance forms from the pool and exits, and it is clearly menacing you. You do notice that the pool's light diminishes notably.
Time for Initiative!
Go ahead and roll for me, gang!
Varak would watch the small creature shrieking at the group's invasion into what she had called her 'mother's sanctum'. As another one of those earlier creatures birthed from the pool though, as well as still thinking of the unholy water, he knew she needed to be stopped.
Aaand Praetor Initiative;
- Initiative Order
- Demon
- Creature
- Varak
- Ren
- Lackspell
- Arkon
- Praetor
- Chrona
The quasit flies up into the air, and casts Hold Person on Praetor.
Praetor makes a save...
And is just fine.
The creature moves toward you, though it doesn't move all the way. It stops on the southern stairs.
Varak is next.
Calling out a blessing from his deity, Varak would channel protective energies into his own body. With the warding of protection now against all evil, Varak would move forward, intending to. Lock his enemy on the staircase from approaching any closer and allowing his allies to focus down the flying enemy that had summon it.
Lackspell glances back and forth between the two threats.
Which one? Umm, if in doubt, pick the big one I suppose...
He moves forward to just behind Varak and swiftly prepares one of his bombs and lobs it at the large creature.
Varak casts a spell.
Ren's attack misses.
Lackspell's bomb hits perfectly.
Praetor will move to the creature and attack;
Between Lackspell and Praetor, the creature is destroyed!
Chrona and Arkon, you're up!
Arkon, that's a hit, and a good amount of damage.
Chrona, the creature attempts to make a save;
And does so, but still loses three points of Strength.
High above you, she begins casting a spell. That's her whole round.
You're up, everyone!
A 13 will not hit.
Lackspell draws his crossbow and fires a bolt at the flying spellcaster...
... but the bolt flies past the creature to crash against the ceiling and then clatter to the floor.
With then creature on the ground vanquished by their powerful teammate, Varak would move towards Ren. Wanting to aid in her attacks against the tiny flying villain, the reptile priest would call for a holy blessing, allowing the bow to strike down all evil.
Ren, before I resolve that, I'd like to remind you that under the house rules we have Deadly Aim available to you as a combat option. Do you want to use it?
Okay, I just wanted to remind you that it was an option in case you forgot; but if that was your intent we'll go with what you did.
It FAILS it's Concentration Check, and loses the spell!
Chrona has an action, as does Praetor.
Praetor will activate Smite Evil, then draw his javelin and toss it at the demon.
And he hits!
It's not happy about that! Chrona, can you bring it down?
It's not super great at fort saves, but;
Yeah, nope, it's Dazzled.
It's injured, and as a last ditch effort, flies into the middle of your group. It lets forth a terrible, otherworldly shriek! Each of you must make a Will Save, DC 12.
On a failed save, you are Frightened for rounds. If you are successful, you are Shaken for 1 round.
He does look shaken however and takes an involuntary step backwards away from the creature before steeling his nerve and coming to a halt. With shaking hands he will reload his crossbow and shoot at the creature again.
Lackspell sees Ren's look of fear and horror and watches as she dashes back out of the room into the unlit hall. For the briefest moment he is unsure what to do. Then he cries out Ren! and dashes after her.
Arkon, your swing hits, but your acid doesn't seem to be doing much of anything against the demon. You do damage, but your blade doesn't sink in as much as you think it should.
Lackspell, you can catch up with Ren. Ren, now that you've basically run from the creature, you don't have to keep fleeing; you're far enough away. If it comes closer you will have to keep booking it though.
The creature did have to come to ground level for that and it is in melee range.
Chrona and Varak will get turns, and Praetor will absolutely swipe at the critter since he has Smite Evil up;
And the Paladin will do what Paladins do, and absolutely decimate the demon. His sword cuts it clean in half; Ren, the source of your fear is gone. You are all out of combat; the room is empty, though you can certainly examine it.
|
Lackspell finds Ren huddled in a dark corner of the room, tears silently running down her face.
When she sees Lackspell she launches herself at him and hugs him around his chest.
What... what are we doing in this horrible place? This town seems filled with things that should not be! she softly whimpers to him.
Varak would flinch, head shaking furiously as his head was filled with the terrifying shriek. At first, he sought to resist it, but slowly the smaller creatures cry would dig into his mind, tuggerong memories of a far more frieghtening cry that lurked there. He could almost swear the red scaled beast that skated his clan was hidden somewhere in this room, the fear in him bubbling to the surface and causing him to try and hide much as he had when he was younger. It wasn't until his friend slated the winged demon that Varak could finally shake off his fear, his terrifying memories returning to their tomb and leaving the priest attempting to catch his breath.
Akron had startled Varak upon first finding the frightened war priest, warning at first a hiss from Varak's more animalistic instincts. He quickly caught himself, embarrassed but taking his companions hand in order to rise from his low, crouched position.
"I...apologize. Thank you for finding me. The demon latched onto some...rather uncomfortable memories of mine,"" he said, grateful to his companion as he straightened himself out.
Lackspell looks astonished as Ren hugs him, but then he wraps his arms around her and holds her gently.
Look at her... so scared ... and how she shakes ... she is right, it is these places... the tunnels under the island affected me much the same. She saved me then, I must try to help her now...
You... you are right Ren. These places are terrible. And the things the hide here are horrors beyond anything I ever thought to see. But ... together we can face these things. We can win through. And together we can do things that those poor people in the town above could never do. When we were in the tunnels under the island my fear almost broke me. But you saved me. You held my hand and told me the darkness is better faced together. And you were right. Come back to the rest of the group with me Ren. Together we will be safer.