Nicatha stops for a moment. Her silver eyes swallow up Skaar's gaze for a moment before she touches his arm and closes her eyes.
"The spirits whisper to me that you were touched by the divine. That it was this encounter that made you more. Some might call such things accident. I call them plans. The spirits prefer not to take a direct hand in mortal affairs after their great compact, though lesser spirits are not bound tightly to that compact. But they often set the stage for mortals to do things that they want -- punishment and reward, push and pull. Do you know of any spirits interested in you, Skaar? Who did the priest worship?"
The tiefling shakes her head. "I have no idea. There is a lot to tell about what led us here and I don't really want to stay here to explain it. Suffice it to say, this place was abandoned when we found it and it definitely wasn't in this condition. I knew it belonged to one of the necromancer, but he kept to himself. Perhaps his research has something to do with...all this. If I had to make a guess, that would be his ring."
"I don't know. All of 'em mebbe. He kept an undeclared shrine for folks to worship at. He was one of the only men in Brassport with the balls to stand up to Horrace's thugs. Even when they were bashing in his skull, he didn't stop fightin'"
A pile of ancient bones, surrounded by dust occupies the final room of the upper chambers. Somewhat regal clothing lies around the pile. It is faded and moth-eaten.
Gregario finds nothing evil in this room.
"Down there is the source of the corruption flooding this place, be ready for something nasty."Sādhanā says ominously, advancing cautiously behind the Paladin.
The hallway below stretches for about 30 feet before stopping abruptly at a large iron door that has amazingly withstood the ravages of time.
Arista stands at the ready, her weapon in her hand.
Alethiro had been rather quiet of late, lost in contemplation over Drago and what he might do when he finally catches up to him. Have I really hunted him all these years, just to let him go? And what about what Ixen said? Has Aliethia returned as an undead abomination? When the group came upon the door, the Elf snapped out of his thoughts. Raising his Holy Script in his hand, he said, "Pharasma guide and protect your servant." A flash of white energy washed over the Cleirc, the Goddess' blessing sheilding him from what was to come.
The door opens with a loud, grinding creak. Beyond lies a dark chamber, a faint light coming from deep within. An eerie silence overtakes the room.
Sādhanā utters a brief arcane phrase, a silver shield shaped glow settling over her before fading. She nods to Gregario as he sets himself against the door.
"Just a little more..." you hear a serpentine voice say from the shadows. "Hrm, it looks like we have company."
A large, cracked hourglass surrounded by arcane sigils dominates the back wall of the room. A pile of glowing sand, seeps slowly out of one the cracks in the structure. Marcus is tied up near the pile of sand, beaten and half-conscious. Next to him stands a serpentine-looking humanoid, one of the familiar plague masks on his face. Gathered in front of him are nine lizardfolk, weapons at the ready.
"So you've come to subjugate us again?" the serpent man asks. "Useless trash...it appears you were unknown to the owner of this mask."
He removes it and tosses it toward one of the corners. "Anything you have to say for yourselves?"
Touching his Holy Symbol, Alethiro says, "Goddess, give my strength." The Elf's arms grow more powerful as he readies himself for conflict.
"As a matter of fact, yes, there is something to say. Whatever wickedness you had planned ends here, along with your lives. Sarenrae guide us and give us strength!"
Arista holds her scimitar aloft as she cries out to her Goddess for guidance. She and her companions feel a holy and inspiring light surround them.
Initiative:
The serpentfolk touches himself, who now appears distorted.
Round 1: Serpentfolk, Sādhanā, Cyna, Alethiro, Sienna, Lizardfolk, Arista, Gregario
Disturbed by the sight before her Cyna quickly takes aim at the Lizardfolk within the room.
Startled and sitting bolt upright, Drago thought, "Alexandros? No it can't be." The young Dhampir then recalled what happened after slaying Mother. Closing his eyes and letting out a resigned sigh, he continued thinking, "Is it some sort of family curse that if we kill each other, the slain haunt the living?"
Eyes narrowing, the Anizari utters arcane words as her hand traces patterns in the air, her body shimmering before splitting into 6 shifting images of herself, all wielding a deadly black blade.
Alethiro squeezed past Cyna and moved in front of one of the Lizardmen. Raising his weapon above his head, the Elf brought it down with full force.
Cyna and Alethiro fail to strike against the lizardfolk. Sienna sends out a ray of flame against one of the unengaged lizardfolk.
;
The other lizardfolk surround Alethiro and the front line of the group.
; ;
; ;
;
;
;
;
;
;
Round 1: Serpentfolk, Sādhanā, Cyna, Alethiro, Sienna, Lizardfolk, Arista, Gregario
Arista raises her scimitar and strikes out at the lizard man directly in front of her.
Gregario cuts down another lizardfolk, while the serpentfolk approaches Alethiro, readying his dagger for any who approach him.
Round 2: Serpentfolk, Sādhanā, Cyna, Alethiro, Sienna, Lizardfolk, Arista, Gregario
With enemies closing in, Alethiro took another swing at the lizardfolk that bit at him.
Failing to connect with his strike, the Elf took a step back into the corner.
As the lizardman dashes forward with a vicious strike, one that appears to land solidly until the image explodes into motes of light.
As one, the five remaining images turn, bringing identical black blades to bear on the man before them.