Smacking himself on the head Felix stops casting the spell. The group has far more bashing weapons on hand than they had slashing ones and prepares to go in and fire from the doorway
Felix = 19
combat order is as follows:
group A: the flaming skeltons
group B: the whole party except Mickey
group C: Lissette
group D: Mickey
there is no surprise round as both sides are aware of each other.
Who opens the door?
Felix: you can go when I say your group is up. I post some basic enemy stats. so you can roll saves and such for the bad guys vs your attacks, and you know the AC so you know if you hit (or crit) or not.
this way you can add some flavor text for your combat posts.
Lissette:
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+1 deflection, +2 Dex, +2 natural)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +5
Immune undead traits
Channel resistance +5
skeletons:
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +2 natural)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune fire, undead traits
Weaknesses vulnerable to cold
turn resistance +1
Letha open the door to reveal a large room, completely cleared of any furnishings. there are 4 statues here, one in each corner.
Each statue is a scholarly individual each holding a parchment as though reading it.
The center floor of the room is blackened with ash as though a tremendous fire has burned the very stone.
heat from the burned floor permeates the room, of course the two flaming skeletons are not doing much to alleviate any heat.
along the far wall is a a lovely woman with very pale skin.
hovering about her is what appears to be a disembodied hand, only partially with substance.
The entire room seems to be permeated with negative energy
Though you have experienced a similar power you just are unable to pinpoint the exact nature of the magic.
Both of the flaming skeletons take up positions flanking the door ready to strike those that approach.
Heads up!. We found the one responsible for all of this insanity. Lissette! For harassing the lizard people. For capturing an umber hulk, and more importantly for chaining me up for two days to use as the umber hulk's bait I judge you worthy of destruction. By Cayden Caliean you are not going to be spreading your evil for much longer!
.
Felix had honestly been expecting to face just a few skeletons. Even though he had adjusted to the appearance of the master of the dungeon he realized that he really should be at least a little more cautious. He focuses on and tries to identify what kind of undead Lissette is and what the hell the hand floating next to her is.
Lissette is of no particular type of undead but rather someone that has chosen to become undead via some sort of pact. due the almost infinate variations a pact could have there is no way of definately know what she is capable of.
but there is most likely (based on evidence you have seen so far) only one seemingly obvious choice as to who she made the pact with. Orcus or one of his minions.
as for the hand, that seems something more arcane created.
Failing to see a non-suicidal way of hitting multiple skeletons, Tatsuo casts ray of frost at the one on the left.
Clearly a bit unused to using elements other than electricity, he barely manages to land a glancing blow on the creature. Well, at least it was cold, which they don't like?
Sora meanwhile moves forward to stand in the doorway, reaching her long neck out to also snap at the skeleton.
Sora's bite, though a solid hit, seems a bit lacking as well. As if it came close to greatness, only to fall short.
Felix's shot rings out and the bullet slams into Lissette's shoulder a small splattering of black ichor erupts from her wound.
Tatsuo balsts the first flaming skeleton with a ray. Its icy cold nullifies just enough of the fire aura to allow Sora to lash out and rip the skeleton apart. but unfortunately the flames still have enough heat remaining before they die out to burn Sora for fire damage.
Once the skeleton collapses to the ground. just before the fire goes out it explodes in a fiery blast.
fortunately no one was with the effect of the small grenade like explosion.
Lissette:
AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+1 deflection, +2 Dex, +2 natural)
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +5
Immune undead traits
Channel resistance +5
damage taken: 10
skeletons:
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (+2 armor, +2 Dex, +2 natural)
Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +3
DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune fire, undead traits
Weaknesses vulnerable to cold
turn resistance +1
#1 dead
#2 full
|
Conner moves charge the leader the beginning of the invocation allowing him to call down heaven's holy wrath on the fiend when he's infuriated by the gunslinger being quicker on the draw, so he thinks tactically and instead goes to take out the remaining burning skeleton trusting the heft of his magic weapon and his own resistance to fire to deal with the skeletons.
Conner moves in seemingly unaffected by the heat of the flaming skeletons with a single swing of his sword the skeleton explodes in a fiery blast. leaving nothing but ash and a rather surprised Lissette.
Conner takes no fire damage from the blast (assuming fire resist 5)
Letha is up
Letha moves in and lets an arrow fly, piercing Lissette with ease. more of the black ichor that is her blood spews from her wounds.
Lissette looks up with a hiss, and snaps her fingers and two of the statues that are holding parchments begin reciting the contents of the parchment.
the readings are each a spell scroll, the first is cause fear centered on Letha,
the second is Hold person centered on Conner.
Lissette casts Inflict moderate on herself.
the hand floating around her is a spectral hand spell
The magic of the scrolls flies toward Letha and Conner in the form of black waves of necromantic energy, but in the end, both Letha and Conner manage to break through any attempted enchantment cast on them.
Lissette also begins an enchantment of her own and the same necromantic energies entwine around Lissette closing the wounds she sustained.
Mickey runs into the room with his loose fitting robes trailing slightly behind. He takes a swing at emaciated ex-woman, which she dodges.
Felix takes one step into the doorway to get him into point blank range and, if Conner's awe inspiring slice hadn't ended Lissette's undeath, will try to follow up with a shot of his own.
The shot flies out true, as if guided by an unseen hand, and the slight spread of the shot slams straight into Lissette's skull. Copious amounts of ichor sprays out and, if Lissette survives the encounter, her ruined face will never be regarded as lovely again.
As Conner moves in, his great blade slamming into the undead witch throws her with such force against the back wall and in an instant the loud bang of Felix's musket echos in the room, and Lissette's head explodes covering Conner and Mickey with black Ichor.
Conner can feel the necromantic energy of the room fade away and the spectral hand vanishes along with Lissette.
Felix exhales with relief and murmurs a quick prayer of thanks to his deity for guiding his shot. He smiles at his rescuers. I'm glad you guys were here. Trying to take this thing on alone was a pretty dumb move on my part. Then he takes 20 to search the room thoroughly.
The room itself looks like it was once littered with parchments, but many of them are now burned away. thanks to the burning skeletons.
Lissette's body is all that remains.
The corridor to the south is an archway. a thin band of metal lines the entry way and it continues to run the length of the short hallway at a height of about 3 feet and they disappear into a doorway at the end of the corridor.
|
|
"Yes, yes it was," Conner says bluntly before continuing with "but it was noble and it worked out in the end, and that's what matters"
He then casts a few cantrips to clean up his face and wipes off his blade before checking the necromancer for any items, but first he detects for evil and magic before touching anything
There's an umberhulk about somewhere. And that demonic summoning back there has me worried. I think that passage south is the way to go. How much of the rest of this place have you explored?
Mickey seems thoroughly disgusted by the wash of blood.
He taps Conner on the shoulder when he sees him remove the too from himself.
"Could you..."
He gestures to himself.
with the destruction of Lissette, all traces of evil fade.
basic image of the hallway incase the description was confusing
among Lissette's belongings you find what appears to be a polished femur bone, a blood stained dirty Corsett, a small vile with some sort of black liquid inside, a plain gold ring (no inscriptions) and a bone scroll case, its seal broken and some rolled up parchments are inside.
Tatsuo waves his hand, cleaning the grime off of Mickey. "Well, that was easier than I was expecting."
He then studies Lissette's belongings.
"I'm guessing the femur bone is some kind of focus for her necromantic spells. Maybe these vials are as well?"
He then looks at the strange metal bands. "Any thoughts on what these are? I would guess they're for conducting electricity, but I'm not sure for what purpose. I could try zapping it if people wanted."
Everything detects magic mostly necromantic of all the parchments only one is magic.
I really think we should burn all of this before we move on
it is a scroll of POX PUSTULES:
School necromancy; Level druid 2, witch 2
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (leaves from a toxic plant)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one creature
Duration 1 minute/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; Spell Resistance yes
You inflict a painful, itching rash on the target creature. The target is sickened and takes a –4 penalty to Dexterity (this penalty cannot lower Dexterity below 0). The target can spend a move action scratching furiously at the rash to remove the sickened condition (but not the Dexterity penalty) until the start of its next turn.
Felix activates his Detect Magic as well and aids on the Spell check as best he can.
"This scroll seems to be for casting Pox Pustules. A rather nasty little disease. I think Mickey might be the only one who can use it though."
"Water would get everywhere."
He says flatly.
He nods thanks to the sorcerer.
"Don't know how."
He says when it's brought up he could use the scroll.
He shakes his head and shrugs.
Well we can leave it for later Felix examines the passageway looking for traps in particular.
Among the parchments with the magic scroll you find various notes.
they seem to relate to someone known in the notes as Pathfinder Dairoo.
________________________
pathfinder Dairoo was a renown explorer have discovered numerous ancient sites and detailing maps of thier location. much of his works were detailed in his journals which were handed down through the generations of his family line.
There are currently no known descendents of the Dairoo line, the last one was last known to reside in the village of Haanex.
______________________
There is what appears to be an old parchment, possibly torn from a book. that gives the location of a cave on this island. the notes on the cave are written in a very old script but it is readable (old common)
the notes indicate that the cave is the lair of a minotaur and he guards a very ancient spell scroll. a binding spell that is of old Azlanti origin.
there are newer marks on the parchment as well, (apparently made by Lissette.)
find the cave - √
get the spell - √
use it on that whore - √
marry Paytro
There are other notes explaining that she has half the map of Pathfinder Dairoo, but without the other half it is useless, find the sage Arowain. his friend Veoden in Haanex will know how to find him.
(this seem to be part of a letter that was supposed to go to someone by the name of Tur Radhkke)
(see other information in the campaign tab)
About the tunnel:
Upon closer inspection, it becomes evident the strip of metal forms a circuit, broken at regular intervals by 5 keyholes. The metal band originates to the right of the far door as a concave metal depression.
the metal that is used to make this band seems to be the exact same as the mtal that was used to make the elven ring that the party has.
that ring is a metal that when in the presence of daylight (natural or by spell) begins to humm like a soft melody. the ring gave the wearer the magic immunities of an elf. (the Elven Immunities racial trait as well as immunity to Ghoul paralysis) you also count as elf regarding feat and trait prerequisites as well as counting as an elf for things like favored enemy.
Jeironn goes to Felix. he hands him a silver key.
I have no desire of this anymore, I fear that it is more trouble than it is worth, I give my inheritance to you. turning to the rest, [b]I bid you farewell, may our paths cross again. and with that he takes his leave of the group.
Well I'd never say no to a demon, undead, and moster infested house. Felix says giving Jeironn a mock salute Thanks for freeing me back there
So this crazy undead woman had a bunch of plans in motion, she had that umberhulk she was planning on using to escape, and she found this binding scroll that apparently she's used successfully on some other lady... maybe that's what these keys are for?.. and this map too. I say we burn the necromantic stuff here and see what the keys do.
no they are two different maps
You have one map - the half map
and there is a second that shows the cave location on this island
Felix goes ahead and starts piling the remains of the skeletons and Lissette's corpse together in the center of the room along with the femur.
Toss over anything in there that's evil so we can light it up and be rid of it. He calls out to the others examining the rest of the items.
Felix smiles Sorry missed that. Just the bodies then. Stand back. Felix uses a torch and the flint and steel from his inquisitor's kit to set the piles of bones and Lissette's corpse ablaze, making sure to burn all of it on a spot where the flaming skeletons stood to ensure nothing else flammable catches fire.
He takes another swig from his flask and addresses the blaze. I know Cayden Cailean isn't going to have anything to do with your soul but I'm pretty sure what's happening to your body is far nicer than what's happening to it..
Once the fire peters out he turns around and says. Should we try the rings?
ok where is everyone getting rings? or bands?
again see the picture it is a single band of metal that wraps around the corridor and is attached to the wall.
"Most likely the bands are some kind of circuit. I'm guessing we're 'supposed' to put our silver keys in the holes to complete it. It could be a trap, but my guess is that it isn't since the keys were meant for us to inherit this treasure." He adds in a soft, bitter undertone. "And its debt."
He then continues, talking normally again. "We should also inform the lizardfolk of Lisette's demise, but perhaps we should wait until after we deal with his umberhulk." He pauses again, thinking. "On the other hand, didn't they mention some kind of beast that came out of the walls that they promised to help us with if we took care of Lisette? I don't know much about these umberhulk creatures, but perhaps that is what they spoke of?"
He pauses to see if anybody else has thoughts on this before continuing. "We should also be on the lookout for whomever Lisette bound. My guess is that it was the departed baron's second...or rather, I guess technically first, wife. I didn't know her, but we may wish to free her. Or her soul at least if she's dead. Although for all I know, her imprisonment might have driven her mad."
Felix nods at Tatsuo I vote for using the keys as well and makes sure his musket is loaded and ready to go. He also has Detect Evil up constantly right now.