"Who and what are you?" Cassian asks.
Gravlax frowns. "I guess I understand where you're coming from. I don't suppose" Gravlax motions to Zsz "she could just rip the info from your fully-resistant mind?"
Gravlax shrugs. "Oh well."
"Who and what are you?" Cassian asks.
She looks in the direction of Cassian's voice, "I'm Euphrixia and I'm a succubus, a child of the abyss." She purses her lips a little, "Technically before that, I was one of you, but I'm not one of the few that remembers the mortal coil of the soul that I was formed from."
She looks over at her still-oh-so-happy daughter, "Given my placement in the grand scheme of things, I was probably no more than a murderous trollop who slit her john's throats for a few extra coins. It would certainly explain why the abyss gave me this form."
She stops, "You probably meant in the here and now, who am I, not in the general play of the universe, didn't you? Sorry, its been a while since someone who had enough mental control to actually talk to has come through."
"I'm the caretaker of the Shrine of Rest and Fulfillment. I make sure the people brought there are happy and cared for until Izmiara has determined that they are ready to descend her rings."
"I'm also supposed to alert her to any intruders, especially a wandering and murderous celestial which we do get every now and then. But Selize already told her you're here and then was punished for inadequate security."
Gravlax frowns. "I guess I understand where you're coming from. I don't suppose" Gravlax motions to Zsz "she could just rip the info from your fully-resistant mind?"
Euphrixia shrugs. "She might. I don't really know and I suppose you'd know more than me what she is capable of." A pause and her brow furrows just a bit, "Or maybe not, since she was truly uncertain of your actions. You may have to work on your teamwork dynamics, but I've only just met you."
"But Selize already told her you're here and then was punished for inadequate security."
"I suppose that tells me that Izmiara's people skills need work. Or at least her management skills."
Gravlax nods. "Okay. Can you point us in her direction?"
Cassian prepares for violently-phrased no answer.
Gravlax nods. "Okay. Can you point us in her direction?"
She points down, "Down. There are four Rings in Izmiara's domain. Agony, obedience, seduction and ecstasy. Normally by the time someone gets to Izmiara, they are quite happy to be there."
Her hand moves down to rest on her belly, rubbing gently.
Cassian stares at the monster, fingers drumming on the hilts of his blades.
She has not lied in anything that she has said, although she has left a number of things unsaid. She seems neutral to the group taking out Izmiara. She does think that it is unlikely that they will be to do so, and she still fears Izmiara more than the group, although the group is the immediate danger.
Anything in particular Cassian is looking for?
"She have any weaknesses?" Cassian asks, walking around the side of her. There's no implicit threat in what he's doing, but he is presenting the succubus with a choice: watch him or watch the party. Or watch both and betray just how nervous she is.
Euphrixia turns, following the sound of Cassian's voice, but she can't quite keep her eyes from flicking back to the rest of group. Assuring herself that she knows where everyone is.
"Her weakness is her strength. She's insane. All of us that she's brought here, everything that's she has built. She doesn't truly care about any of it and, if she needs to, she'll destroy any of it."
"And does each level have a secret passage to the next like your buttons on the columns above?" Azhar chimes in, seeming fairly relaxed.
She shakes her head slowly, "As far as I know there is nothing secret about the passages from each of the rings." She motions to the stairs, "These are my private rooms, so normally people only come down here when I invite them."
Her hand moves down to rest on her belly, rubbing gently.
Gravlax's gaze lingers just a touch too long on this motion.
Then he looks over to Azhar.
"Down, then?"
The look on his face indicating that he is unhappy with either answer.
"Down, then?"
Azhar nods, his look agreeing with Gravlax's, "How many ways down to the next level are there? Where is the closest one? Is it inside or outside?"
"Other than teleporting, there is just the one entrance." Euphrixia says. She seems more happy about the group moving on than Gravlax and Azhar do. "And the entrance isn't in my shrine."
"Got it." Azhar says, "I trust the bouncers won't give us any trouble." he states more than asks of Euphrixia the succubus.
Cassian gives the succubus one last appraising look, and follows the rest of the group.
When the group gets to the door (assuming they go that way), the three eyeless humanoids turn towards the open door. In everyone's head,
When the group gets to the door (assuming they go that way), the three eyeless humanoids turn towards the open door. In everyone's head,
"Already had it when I came in," Cassian says. "But thanks for asking."
Azhar merely smiles and nods slowly. He looks expectantly in the direction they want to go.
Heading around the shrine towards the entrance tube Azhar and Rygel found, the ground drops away leaving a 25-ft gap before the next section of solid ground.
Azhar looks down, "Oh. Not quite as far as I thought. If anyone needs a hand, I can help." he turns to the others, apparently very confident in both his and Amaya's abilities to get down to the next level.
Which brings everyone to the top of the 10-ft wide shaft that leads deep down into darkness. Tarvi looks around, "Have you decided on fly or jump?"
"I can fly myself down, and could carry another, if anyone wishes," Zsz says.
Tarvi looks around, "Have you decided on fly or jump?"
"I see the merit in 'jump down, fly back.'" Gravlax says.
Azhar smiles and looks over at Amaya, "May I?" and unless she indicates otherwise he folds her into his arms and fairly glides to the landing, even slower than the moon's reduced gravity would account for. They both shimmer as they travel the 25' distance.
"Okay. One experiment down." he smiles at her again and makes space on the landing, but still close enough to catch someone just in case the vertigo gets them.
"Thank you for the offer though, Zsz."
Zsz will fly down, whether or not anyone takes her up on her offer.
Unless there are any objections to the plan, Tarvi waits until everyone is ready to jump into the 10 by 10 hole then casts as soon as everyone other than herself and Zsz are in free-fall. The group floats down the two-hundred foot drop.
The group drops softly into a natural cavern whose ceiling stretchs to a height of over fifty feet. The wide circular hole occupying the center of the ceiling through which the group entered is surrounded by a ring of fanglike stalactites. Two shorter, narrower passages lead away from the cavern to the northwest and southwest, and a fifteen-foot-tall shelf lies on the eastern wall.
The cavern itself is about 40-feet around.
Gravlax floats down with the crowd, and walks toward the shelf to give it a look-over.
Azhar joins Gravlax, beginning to shimmer again as he does so.
Bursting from the intersection of the ground and the wall three creatures emerge, their eyes glowing yellow in the darkness and just the hint of hard crystalline carapace in the dark. A pair of mandibles surrounds the vertical, tooth-filled maw of this giant, multi-eyed flatworm. Four long antennae stretch from its face, twitching and flailing rapidly. Along its spiny, chitinous body emerge four tentacles, grasping in all directions.
Tentacles stretch out, seeking prey.
;
;
;
All three targets are ambushed, the tentacles wrapping around the victim in preparation for dragging the unlucky soul to the maw of the creature dripping with acid.
Cassian -7; grappled
Mathalen -11; grappled
Mithra -11; grappled
Worms will either drag so they can bite or bite
Mathalen free self
amaya bardic
Fiosa - defensive, inch away from worm
tarvi, free brother
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S = 16-ft long worm/centipede things
A = Azhar
C = Cassian (w/Rygel)
G = Gravlax
Z = Zsz (flying)
Y = Amaya
F = Fiosa
M = Mathalen
i = Mithra
T = Tarvi (has flying active, not flying)
Dungeoneering
Escape Artist
Initiative
"Vulnerable to slashing and sonics," Cassian calls out from the tentacles, already attempting to slither from their grasp. "And spits acid!"
Gravlax runs toward the gaping maw, black blade clearly announcing his intentions.
AC 26(current AC:25), touch 14, flat-footed 22. . (+9 armor, +4
Dex, +3 amulet, (+1 if hasted)
50% miss chance unless can see or hit ethereal then 20%
hp 195 (15d10+45) Current: 195
Fort +16, Ref +16 (haste, enlarge), Will +10 (+3 charm/+4 fear)
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
to hit1: miss
to hit2: 58hp or miss
to hit3: miss or 24hp
Azhar moves 5'(probably to the corner) and attempts to unload on the monstrous worm, but his timing appears to be slightly off. His first blow passes harmelessly through it and his third bounces off it's crystalline carapace. His second, however, sinks deep, likely drawing it's attention.
Vengeance Strike:
Vengeance Strike: 60hp
Azhar delivers another lethal blow. His heavy blade passing through the creatures shell like a warm scoop through ice cream. "No Kitty for you!" (he states almost condescendingly to the fallen worm or he shouts, challenging the huge lunar monstrosity.)
Initiative:
Fort Save DC 26:
Gravlax runs toward the gaping maw, black blade clearly announcing his intentions. His black blade hacks into the creature, tearing hunks from the crystalline carapace.
Amaya uses Azhar for cover as she encourages everyone to kill the really disgusting bugs.
The tentacles of the somalcyot grappling Mithra tighten, drawing the cat within range of its acidic maw. As it does so, Azhar delivers a lethal blow. His heavy blade passing through the creatures shell like a warm scoop through ice cream. "No Kitty for you!" he shouts, challenging the huge lunar monstrosity.
Mathalen to is dragged closer before she has a chance to gain her footing.
Cassian is already close the the creature, who feels it's prey slipping away, and its maw clamps down on the rogue.
That will be the last meal the worm enjoys as Cassian slips free from its grasping tentacles and the worm turns to stone courtesy of Zsz, who is zipping a little higher in the air to keep clear of the terrestial brutes.
Magic flickers on Tarvi's hand and she glares at the stone beast, clearly still wanting to hurt the creature. But at the last moment she gestures instead to the worm about to nom on the cat.
Fiosa moves carefully to the corner, hoping to not get in anyone's way.
Azhar moves and attempts to unload on the monstrous worm, but his timing appears to be slightly off. His first blow passes harmelessly through it and his third bounces off it's crystalline carapace. His second, however, sinks deep, likely drawing it's attention.
Mathalen bucks and pulls against the tentacles, wild thrashing managing to draw blood from the creature but not free herself.
Soma Cass stone
Soma Grav -85,-98
Cassian -33
Mathalen -11; grappled
Mithra -11; grappled
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S = 16-ft long worm/centipede things
x = stone worm
A = Azhar
C = Cassian (w/Rygel)
G = Gravlax
Z = Zsz (flying)
Y = Amaya
F = Fiosa
M = Mathalen
i = Mithra
T = Tarvi (has flying active, not flying)
AC 26(current AC:25), touch 14, flat-footed 22. . (+9 armor, +4
Dex, +3 amulet, (+1 if hasted)
50% miss chance unless can see or hit ethereal then 20%
hp 195 (15d10+45) Current: 195
Fort +16, Ref +16 (haste, enlarge), Will +10 (+3 charm/+4 fear)
Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5
and if it's still up after the Vengeance Strike. "What does it take to kill these things?" if it survives, or "Tough bloody things, aren't they?"if it dies.
to hitVS: 27hp
to hit1: 62hp
to hit2: miss
to hit3: miss, 29hp, or 57hp
Haste: 3 of 10
Gravlax takes a step to the side, and presses his attack against the creature attempting to swallow Mathalen.
Fort Save DC 25
Will Save DC 25
Gravlax takes a step to the side, and presses his attack against the creature attempting to swallow Mathalen. Although he continues to hack away at the creature's flesh, the hungry moon beast still seems intent on its first meal in who knows how long.
Amaya, after seeing Cassian is free, continues her bardic abilities, happy to stay away from the perilously close tentacles.
Mithra's squirming manages to free her and she dodges out of the way of the creature's jaw.
The one grappling Mathalen seems closer to a blood frenzy as it's maw descends on her ripping wounds that are sealed by the acidic burn of the bite. She manages to tumble free during the creature's frenzy.
Cassian goes after the one entangling Mathalen, slicing at it with his mithral blade. And the worm lays still, blood oozing from the cuts in its body.
The worm that lost hold of Mithra shrinks, leaving a tiny mouse where the huge creature once was. Mithra takes her revenge. The mouse screams.
Azhar smiles at the cat and mouse. He's not usually one to see a tiny (or diminutive?) creature tortured, but...turnabout is fair play.