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Charles tries to press the assault but the Cyclopean giant is just too close for comfort and Charles isn't able to break through its defenses.
Natalie burns the creature's chest once more with twin scorching rays as Jack is able to narrowly down the giant with a series of well-timed arrows. The feathered arrows riddle it's massive pectoral as it falls to it's knees on onto its face in the dust caked ground.
- Potion of CSW (2)
- +1 Hide Armor (Huge)
- +1 Greatclub (Huge)
Charles (72/111)
Aishe (7/66)
Natalie (65/65)
Jack (20/66)
Aishe takes a moment and heals herself.
Looking to the others, Jack feels the healing waves of his magic wash over him, but feels drained afterwards.
"Everyone ready to continue?"
He quickly casts greater magic weapon on his bow.
Aishe casts another minor healing spell then nods, ready to continue.
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The domed ceiling of this chamber rises eighty feet overhead. In the center of the hall, a thirty-foot-high egg-shaped structure stands on the floor. Stone stairs climb the side of this domed structure, ending before a stone wall chiseled to resemble an immense eye, circled with strange runes glowing with an eldritch light. The stairs and eye are mirrored on the opposite side of the dome. Tiny stars roil across the top of the structure, their light projecting strange constellations on the ceiling overhead. Much of the northeast corner of the chamber lies in ruin, collapsed by obvious cave-ins, but three other exits remain—doors to the east and west, and a corridor leading southeast.
A flare of light sweeps through this oval chamber, blazing from a large, singular crystal resting atop a six-foot-high silver pedestal in the center of a raised dais. Two large statues face the pedestal, holding up large, curved swords that nearly touch the chamber’s ceiling.
Aishe reads the runes and cringes. ""Only by blinding yourself to the world around you can you see the way forward to the Eye of Serenity." That's pleasant" She looks up at the Eye and says, "It appears that, in order to enter the Eye, a supplicant must purposefully blind himself. A blindfold or closing one's eyes is not enough; the eyes must be open and uncovered, but unable to see..."
Charles wrinkles his nose in distaste.
"Let's consider that as a last resort, then."
He then moves to check the other rooms.
"Ya know, maybe we just have a decent nights sleep. Me, for one, is not interested in that kind of boozo adventure! I mean as pumped out as I am."
Investigate the room we found.
Let us go north!
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Dozens of crates fill this small storeroom, the air heavy with the smell of incense.
The cyclops seers stored special incense called irthaval here as a means for readying visitors to the Eye of Serenity. The incense has lost much of its potency over the years, but when used in quantity, it can still produce its original effect. Irthaval incense is an addictive, mind-altering drug that causes temporary blindness. The storeroom holds enough remaining incense for 8 preparations.
Putting them into their bags Jack goes back and opens the door to the south
"That's...not right." Aishe looks to the others, to see if they have a way to counter the obviously magical darkness and/or silence.
Detect Magic
"Folks, what now. This room is really mighty mojo?`"
"I don't like the looks...or, rather, the lack of them...of this room. While we could go feeling around on the floor for anything of value, I would just as soon leave whatever is in there to starve rather than give it such a tasty morsel as myself."
Charles nods.
"That's probably wise."
He then moves to investigate the last corridor.
Charles nods in the direction of the doors.
"Jack? Do you think you can do something about those?"
Looking at the doors Jack shakes his head. "Apart from your kind of lockpicking, no. I am a faithful of the Lady of Piratry, not a thief! Ok, thats debatable, actually I am, but I have no talent in picking locks!"
Charles shrugs.
"Well then, I guess we will just have to beat the doors down!"
He then sighs ruefully.
"This will probably take a while..."
He then moves to try and start battering his way through the doors.
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With no way through the door but with force Charles begins to hack at dig at it with his trident. It takes several long minutes but eventually the door splinters open enough to fit a full-sized man to squeeze through.
Several urns, chests, and strange relics fill this ancient vault. They all seem born of a bygone age, ancient artifacts of a distant time.
Inside the vault are several items that rest on large shelves around the room.
- A net that seems light and sticky to the touch.
DC 26 Spellcraft:This is a Net of Snaring
- Pearl of power (3rd level),
- A strange golden rod
DC 25 Spellcraft:Rod of wonder
- Potion of neutralize poison,
- a scroll of divination,
- a wand of summon monster IV (23 charges remaining),
- a gold necklace worth 500 gp,
- an expensive vase worth 750 gp,
- nine pearls worth 100 gp each,
- 4428 GP (1107 gp ea)
Aishe studies the two items and explains that they are a net of snaring and a rod of wonder.
Looking at the items a genuine smile is on Jacks face. "HA, this is how I like it!" Although nothing is particually useful to him, it is still a nice find.
Natalie nods appreciatively at the horde of items, stocking up on the divination scroll and summon monster wand, as two items that mgiht be particularly useful.
"Right then. Well, it looks like that's it for this location. Shall we see what else the island has to offer?"
Aishe nods to Charles, "I'm game; let's tame the wilds that might well be our new home..."
"Agreed. Let´s move on!" After all is packed Jack smiles at the others and prepares for leaving.
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Leaving behind the Cyclopean Ruins the group backtracks through the Great Stone Bridge and further up into the aerie. Progressively higher hills lead into this mountain, which provides a commanding view of the island’s northeast coastline. Gullies from the runoff of tropical rainstorms form navigable pathways up the sides of the peak.
A flock of pteranodons has established nests here at the island’s highest elevation, feeding on fish gleaned from the ocean. But like most of the large fauna on the island, they have nearly been hunted to extinction by the cyclopes. Only a dozen or so pteranodons remain, and they fiercely defend their habitat.
With high-pitched screeches they swoop down where Jack easily picks them off one by one with his bow.
One nest holds the remains of a prior victim—a castaway who washed ashore far too weak to defend himself against the pteranodons. They tore him to pieces and carried his remains back to the aerie to feed their young. A finger bone from his right hand still wears a magical ring.
Past the Aerie the island leads further into swamp territory as the ocean's waters begin to mix in.
A dense, overgrown swamp stretches beneath this mile-long cliff. Colorful birds make their nests among the foliage, their mating calls echoing across the expanse.
Looking across the desolate swamp it looks to contain little of interest.
Aishe shows the ring to the others, in case they can fathom its purpose.
Natalie immediately checks the ring for herself, to determine what abilities it might have. Successful, she informs her friends that its a ring of Improved Swimming.