Ryan tries calling down Abadar's divine retribution as he see JJ fall to the ground. "Abadar strike this foul creatures down who seeks to destroy those who follow you."
or
DC18 Will for 1/2 damage and to avoid being blinded
Staying where he is, Juraan tries his bow on Nabthatoron again:
Seeing his shots do naught to the abyssal creature, Maxim barely has time to curse before he hears his own ribs crack under the pressure of the demons's pincer!
"Hell's Teeth... the damned thing can see me!"
Cursing his lack of options, the dwur decides not to waste further bullets on something he cannot damage!
He holsters his empty pistol before attempting to sneak toward with an inert JJ stands;
:
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Marigold magics fizzle when trying to attack Nabthatoron, but her spiritual ally whips the demon and the force opens a deep wound through its left leg.
Ryan blasts Nabthatoron with holy power, but the divine energies does not seem to penetrate the magical defenses of the demon.
Juraan second arrow is again deflected on finding the huge outsider without he even noticing it.
Maxim attempts to stealth through while JJ lays stunned in the Vault room.
Seeing there is not much he can do from the floor, Alek stands up while saying "Beware the unseen mark! Beware the eyes that kill! By treachery and deceit shall the true Lord fall and the false Lord rule!" when he does, Nabthatoron takes the opportunity to bash at him with his pincers.
The reckless paladin falls to the floor unconscious.
It is then that Kikinnin, who has passed broadly unperceived by the Lord of the Demonskar, and seeing the fall of two great Cauldron warriors, takes grasp of his axe once more. That is enough about angels and demons, magical mirrors and ancient bloodlines. The sinewy dwarf, forged in the rocky Malachite Fortress and the darkest corners of Cauldron, reclaims back his place and jumps to his destiny over the distracted Nabthatoron. Backed by Abadar's strength and the good spirit of his father Pocca Rouradont, the dwarf seems to fly while his ancient dwarven axe shines with holy power. The swing is unexpected and the cut clean, splitting in half the injured demon. When the dwarf's arm completes the trajectory of his gesture the Lord of the Demonskar falls over the sand, divided in two pieces, forever defeated. Spellmason's duty finally completed. The eyes of the ancient glabreazu still looking in horror at the brilliant ratcatcher.
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"It's all in the balance of the head, Kik. You have to respect its weight, and lean back as much as it wants you to follow. Be resolute- don't let its momentum carry you. You're its master, not the other way 'round."
Young Kikinnin waits for his Far to help him pick up the Axe. He takes no small comfort from feeling Pocca's beard rest against the back of his own neck. When the elder's arms circle his own, only then does he lend his own strength to grasping the too-large body of the handle. With Pocca's grip above the knob, the no-beard knows the Axe isn't going anywhere his Far doesn't want it to swing.
"Now, when you've told the Axe where it's going, don't let the doubt creep in. You need to see it through to its end. You can't lose your purpose, because the Axe will sense it. Nothing worse than an Axe that gets lodged, and won't pull free. In that moment, you're just as stuck, and as good as lost."
He almost feels it, feels his Far's beard against his own neck, feels Pocca's arms grasp his Axe just as strong as he's grasping it. When the blade finds the Nab's side, there are two dwarves leaning back, two dwarves shouldering the blade's shear through meat and bone. For the memory of his youth, and better times, Kikinnin doesn't want to leave the moment, even as Nabthatoron slips to the floor in two pieces.
Kikinnin stands over the dead thing, closing his eyes, and whispering a hushed thanks to both Pocca and Abadar.
When Maxim views his bror cleave the mighty demon in twain, he stops, lost in his awe of the holy warriors prowess.
The wizard can only nod in pride as he walks to Kikinnin, clapping his shoulder with a hard smile;
"Mighty bror. Truly. I ain't got the words..."
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Kikinnin opens his eyes to look over at the hand clasping. His blurred eyes watch as Pocca fades away, leaving Maxim to assume the role of family in the moment.
"That was divine intervention, if I've ever seen it." Kikinnin wipes his blade of demon blood, turning to nod to the blond beard.
"Now, let's see if Alek will be better for the knowledge that the creature didn't survive this confrontation."
Kikinnin turns to the better healers, and waits to see JJ and Alek returned to them.
Eventually JJ comes around, shaking his head.
"Oh my..." he says, staggering to his feet.
"I'm so glad you are here Kikinnin." He looks around the room, and toward the sand.
"Let's just hope 'here' is not too far from Cauldron. Wow, defeating Nabthatoron !"
Noticing Alek once more the worse for wear, he hurries over to his uncle, checking him out. Blue light spills from the youths hands coursing into his uncles battered body...
He can't help but look once again at the dead demon. "Just as well I didn't go through that door earlier..." a shudder runs down his spine at the thought of it.
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Marigold stares down at what remains of the defeated Nabthatoron for a long moment, silent. Then she looks up at Kikinnin and with possibly the most serious expression she's even worn states, "I'm glad you're on our side, Kikinnin." She doesn't even stutter, not once.
Then, seeing that JJ is already tending to his uncle she turns her attention to Maxim and attempts to infuse with him healing power. It's made a little trickier than usual due to his flickering magics.
"Hold st-still...!" she exclaims, finally managing to tag him on the third try.
A few seconds after Nabthatoron's defeat, JJ feels his limbs tingling and the young man resumes moving once again.
Suddenly, Alek franticly motions for JJ to draw near his eyes wild and blood frothing at his lips.
As the staffman reaches him, Alek grabs onto one of his legs and looks deep into JJ's eyes "JJ... we made it..." He suddenly grows calm and a strange aura of peace settles over all of you as a voice, not his own, issues from his gaping jaw "There is naught left for you in Cauldron, heroes! To return is to enter your own graves and to bring doom upon all you love! Trust the sign of the Smoking Eye if you wish to save them all!"
For all those of you who met with the celestial, you all recognize the voice of Nidrama.
With this cryptic and final prophecy, Alek collapses into a strange coma.
Only a heal or greater restoration can save him now.
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At Kikinnin's words Maxim flashes a hard grin, clapping the warrior once more on the shoulder;
"Hell's Teeth! Almost made a believer outta me bror!"
At the administration of healing he nods in appreciation;
"Much abliged Lil'Miss... tho' I do find it a mite harsh how Surabar and my bror go nose-to-nose with yon demon and I get my ribs popped, whilst the pair o' them have ner' a scratch! Maybes its a message from above to start fillin' them alms bowls! Har!"
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"Grandmother?" asks JJ, astonished.
He leans over the stricked paladin, celestial light continuing to drip from his fingers as he frantically tries to do what he can for his uncle.
And while the light indeed heals the broken mans body, his mind... is further gone.
"Alek...." he cries out, before bursting into tears.
As the demon is cut asunder by Kikinnin's blow, calm settles somewhat around the companios. Ryan begins by tending all of the minor scrapes and abrasions, channeling Abadar's mercies once more.
Before moving to directly help the stricken Tercival. Yet before he arrives Nidrama's message is heard from his mouth.
Knowing Alek is bad but not exactly how bad, Ryan takes time in Prayer to Abadar, before attempting Restoration on the paladin. Once he remains in a coma, Ryan concedes for the moment. "I have access to stronger magics should he pass from this life into the next, but what ails him and keeps him in this state is beyond my abilities at this moment."
Kikinnin finishes cleaning his Axe, sheathing it, and pulling a smaller axe out, for grim work. He leans over Nabthatoron, and separates its head from its shoulders. He lets the blood drain from the skull of the strange creature, before figuring a way to bind it and carry it back to unbelieving eyes. He's tired of speaking truth to power, and fighting for it to be heard. A macabre trophy like this one should serve its purpose.
When it becomes clear that Alek won't be walking back with them, the black beard inquires. "Can you still do that jump magic with him being unconscious, Ryan? Won't do to leave his body here. Just not sure where we're supposed to go, now."
"If Nidrama is suggesting that we'll find our deaths upon return to Cauldron, do we use Redgorge as an outpost? And she's speaking on the Smoking Eye..." Kikinnin bites his upper lip, thinking.
"There's no denying the might of Kikinnin with an axe! Well done.
"I might as well have thrown pebbles at it.
"Now we have to find a way back to where we were.
"It shan't do cauldron much good if we can't get back.
"And find a way to get Alek back to his old self.
"Hopefully too, we won't leave here empty handed either."
Juraan will proceed to search the room for any valuables:
Juraan examines the environment. Four pillars support the ceiling of the square room. Along the northern wall an arcade allows access to the outside. The stone door, broken by the fail in its magics and Nabthatoron's strength, is partially open but has choked by the sand that entered during its opening. The sand has spread into the room, covering half of the floor.
There are runes engraved in the walls. They look pretty similar to those in the Hegemonic Plate.
Researching among the sand, Juraan finds a human skeleton and a mundane iron pickaxe near its outstretched arm.
Paying attention to the runes you understand this text is related to the spell weavers language. The language is also reminiscent to Ancient Osiriani.
The clothes of the skeleton are mostly consumed, but checking a couple of metallic pieces remaining, and the pickaxe, you agree the culture of this person was Osiriani.
Osirion is an ancient Kingdom in northern Garund continent. About 1500 miles of the Eye of Abendego. Where Cauldron's island is located.
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"Interesting stuff these runes.
"Related to e spell weavers' language.
"And has some similarity to ancient Osiriani too.
"Funny thing too is that this long dead fellow with the pick was Osiriani.
"Does this mean we're near or in Osirian somehow?"
Kikinnin continues to bite his upper lip, but now he's looking back and forth in frustration between the fallen Alek, and Juraan's new discovery of where they might have ended up, on the other side of the Starry Mirror.
"We're where?"
"Well, we MIGHT be in or near Osirian, judging from the long dead fellow with the pick.
"Which would be inconvenient. And more than a little.
"Since that's about 1,500 miles from where we started.
"Bad as it is, it is far less inconvenient than being in the Abyss."
[color=blue]Please let me know you can hear me!
I want to be sure we are still on the same plane.
I have some good news and some not-so-good news.
The good news is Nabthatoron has just been destroyed.
Praise the gods!
Kikinnin struck the most telling, and killing, blow.
The less inspiring news is that we are not sure where we are.
We might be somewhere in Osirian somehow.
Better the abyss, where we feared we might have been …[/color]
As Marigold swiftly kneels down and helps Ryan examine the now silent Alek, her expression grows grim.
"W-we need powerful m-magic to help him now," she finally says. "Divine h-healing or a m-mighty restoration spell would work b-but both of those are beyond m-my power..."
"I think you are right Juraan. Either we are a long way from home, or the dead guy was.."
JJ wraps his arms around his uncle. "We can't just leave him here, but we can't take him with us either. " he looks to Ryan.
"How far does Abardar let you travel like that? I think Kikinnin is right, we can't risk Cauldron, but the Cauldron army is wanting to attack RedGorge, so I'm not sure that is safe either..."
Getting up he stops around. "And this smoking eye, comes up again. We don't even know what it is, how are we supposed to trust it? Was that even Grandmother? It sounded like her voice but... voices are easy to impersonate."
He kicks at the wall. "After all this, I'm starting to distrust everything. Nabthatoron certainly seemed to think he'd been deceiving Alek. What is someone else is pulling our strings now?"
As dead paladin's corpse addresses them with the voice of the matriarch of Surabar's line, Maxim's brow furrows at the fell portents spoken.
He listens to the others, then adds his own thoughts;
"Ware makin' any decisions. Like Surabar sagely says the demon itself suggested the Alek's had been manipulated, could be the voice o' Nidrama... Could be it was someone else. Smoke and mirrors have been the one constant in all this affair."
The gun-mage strokes his beard as he mulls the implications of not returning to Cauldron;
"We're Cauldron's Watchers right? Not Redgorge's... An I ain't fer trustin' this Chisel mob neither. I for one will try and return, got too much business to attend to, too many responsibilities not to... Not that it presently matters if we're 1500 miles from home."
He grimaces as the reality of the distance settles in;
"Best we git to gettin' to know the lay of the land here in Osirian, then we can fix ourselves passage home, wherever that now is..."
"We better start by seeing what's outside this room.
"Best place would be the other side of the door Nabthatoron broke down."
Juraan then moves up the opening the sand has been coming through and has a look through the hole that was once a door:
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'Nabthatoron?' the communication pauses for a few seconds 'Yes, I can hear you. That is an impressive deed in fact. Are you sure of this? Osirion is really far away. Have you found Alek Tercival?'
Although the sand covers almost all of the entrance, Juraan is able to dig space enough for an exit.
Outside he finds the structure is an ancient ruin placed among a rocky formation almost hidden by centuries accumulation of sand.
The time is evening and the Sun is starting to weaken its rays.
JJ wiggles his way out to join Juraan.
"Wow... this place is .... different."
He gazes around, taking in the sights in the vanishing light.
"If it is getting dark, then maybe we should rest up and set off during the daylight. But if it is a desert... then that might not be a good idea either. I guess we need water."
He looks around for signs of tracks, or paths that might lead to a well.
[color=blue]I'm so glad to hear you!
At least we're not as lost as I feared.
It was Nabthatoron, yes. Huge, dog's head, six arms, extremely nasty.
And now dead thanks to Kikinnin, JJ, and Alek Tercival.
Yes, we found Alek. Alive. But he's in a magic slumber for now.
That happened just as soon as Nabthatoron was destroyed.
Marigold and Ryan will find some way to rouse him, I'm sure.
Might be best to keep quiet about Nabthatoron for now.
No telling how Cauldron's enemies might take advantage of that news.
As to our whereabouts; our best guess for now is Osirion.
We found the remains of someone long dead in Osiriani clothing.
All we know for sure is that we're in a desert somewhere.
I'll tell you more once we know more.[/color]
Getting outside with JJ, Juraan has a look around to see if there's anything he knows that might confirm if Osirion is where they really are:
"I agree, JJ. We should find shelter and water first and foremost.
"If this is a desert, we'd best be indoors at night.
"Blistering hot by day and eye-watering freezing at night."
Before wandering off with JJ, Juraan will shout back at the others:
"Well, we are in a desert among some ruins and it's almost sundown.
"JJ and I will scout for some shelter and water.
"I'm guessing it could get freezing cold here at night."
Juraan will also help keep alert to help JJ as best he can to find shelter and water among the ruins:
Kikinnin doesn't thrill to a march across a desert. He knows full well there's magic in the Watchers that allowed travel from Vaprak's Voice to Cauldron, and he expects that more travel should be possible by the blinking.
"Why aren't we trying to jump ourselves back, again? Don't you just remember where you want to go, and go there? If we need to petition Abadar for the traveling magic, I'd be alright just sitting here, and waiting."
Ryan followed the others outside, taking in the possibility that reaching home was going to take a while.
"Perhaps it could be so easy, we can be home in a week or so, but I don't know where a point is that within 900 miles from Cauldron that's also within that distance from here. I have to know where we're going, pretty well to hit it. Otherwise we're just taking a blind drunken shot in the dark and just might end up in the middle of the ocean. "
Turning to JJ and Juraan, " I can create water if we need it in the morning, make sure your canteen can hold it. Haven't done it in a while but should be able to make about 16-18 gallons, as well as making it comfortable for us all to walk in the heat tomorrow. "
"Excellent, Ryan! At least we don't have to worry about thirst."
Then, to reflect Kikinnin's sentiments:
"I'm just as keen to get back home with all speed.
"But the route we took seems to be one way only.
"The way back might be elsewhere these ruins.
"Since we're here, like it or not, we may as well look.
"Gods willing, we may well find something useful to bring back.
"Nabthatoron was, apparently, imprisoned here for an age.
"That was something requiring an abundance of magical power.
"Who knows what other powers might have been left behind here?
"Hopefully something that can help us back in Cauldron."
"And" adds JJ.
"We might find out more about this smoking eye. It seems to get a mention whenever anything bad is around. So it is either protecting us - poorly... Or is the mover and shaker behind our troubles. Either way I think it is high time we had a talk with it. "
Maxim nods in agreement at the various assertions and thoughts on their way ahead;
"I've got my miniature hut enchantment readied also... Should we need to hunker down as we journey or as Ryan ferries us back piecemeal, best we use the hut as it at least allows an even temperature an' folks outside can't see in."
The gun-mage loads his standard pistol with a flare cartridge as the group mull their direction;
"Flare cartridge will keep things honest at night... Apart from that how much rations y'all packing'? I got me 7 days worth... jerky, spiced nuts an' such. Nothin' fancy."
He is in a slumber? How did that happen?
Has he withdrawn from his challenge? If not you have to make sure he is willing to withdraw the challenge.
Once we are sure he is not coming around challenging Terseon or any other, I can talk with Jenya and she might be able to stop the Guard Captain.
Although now the temperature is high, Juraan knows the desert at midday can easily kill an unprepared traveler. During the night though, the low temperatures are freezing, but Maxim's shelter will easily protect the group from that.
The ruins in this enclave are similar to the spell weaver architecture you observed in Varprak's Voice. The number of structures is way smaller though, and most are collapsed, but Juraan is able to spot an entrance to a not totally destroyed one in a ledge on the cliff, fifty feet over the groups heads. There is a small path through the cliff to reach it, but it will likely take an hour or two following the not direct route.
"I agree, there's g-got to be some quicker way to g-get back home than walking," Marigold remarks, peering out of the ruins and squinting against the sun. "Let's s-search what we c-can here first before we start making p-plans on walking home."
JJ swarms up due to his cCloak of arachnida
"Looks like the quick way up." says JJ, pointing. After a moment however he hauls himself back. Looking up he grins and then starts up the cliff face. The lad moves with supernatural ease, his cloak billowing out behind him as he swarms his way up.
At the top he looks for a place to secure a rope to help the others up.
JJ climbs up the cliff with ease, like a human spider. Once up, he tights a rope around a rock and lets the other extreme to fall down.
With the rope its just easy for everybody to climb up the cliff until you reach the old ruins encased within the cliff itself. A short flight of stairs ascends to a stone door in the mountain. The stone door is half broken and lets see a dark interior protected from the rays of the sun.
JJ shivers for a moment. "I feel like a cat just walked over my grave. I hope everything is okay back home.."
"Wow, this is really old. The style... is from Osirion’s golden age. And the craftsmanship... I wonder if this is a royal tomb?"
Ryan is thankful for JJ's efforts to assist them all in climbing to the ledge above, reaching the ledge he glances towards the structure ahead.
"Well to be perfectly honest I'd rather not walk 1,100 miles myself either, just need to get closer to home for this to work, but that will take time. Something this place seems to have seen plenty of. One way to find out JJ, however aren't the old royal tombs typically booby trapped. Try not to become the booby."
"If my great grandfather imprisoned Nabthatoron here, it must have been for a reason. And if there is a hint about what trouble clouds caundron to be found here... well.. we gota take it." says JJ.
He peers into the darkness as he tries to make out any traps that might be present.
He is in a slumber? How did that happen?
Has he withdrawn from his challenge? If not you have to make sure he is willing to withdraw the challenge.
Once we are sure he is not coming around challenging Terseon or any other, I can talk with Jenya and she might be able to stop the Guard Captain.
[color=blue]Alek didn't say if he would withdraw or not.
But he's in no shape to do anything right now.After Nabthatoron's death, Alek spoke in another's voice and told us not to return to Cauldron.
Something about trusting the Smoking Eye. Whoever or whatever that is.
As soon as he said that, Alek went into his slumber.
His mind seems to have been addled earlier by the hags disguised as archons we killed.
For now, we will explore the ruins here and see if there's anything that can bring us back a lot quicker than a fifteen hundred mile hike.
[/color]
Once among the ruins, Juraan recognizes the style.
"These go back to the ancient height of Osiriani glory.
"Strange that it seems connected to Nabthatoron somehow."
Juraan then brings out his ioun torch and tries to see what he can in its light.
Marigold waits as JJ and Juraan inspect the darkened doorway into the ruins, occasionally casting fretful glances back down towards the ruins where they'd left Alek.
"I h-hope it's safe to leave him there f-for now..."
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Maxim moves to JJ's shoulder in surveying the ruins;
:
As the young swordsman and Professor extol the characteristics of an epoch age, the gun-mage arches his eyebrow curiously with a grin;
"These Osirani royals... Jes' how rich were they? We talkin' wiping their regal asses with gold leaf papyrus rich?"
The dwur slides his magical goggles into place as shadows the group's pathfinders, adding his own eyes to the mix;
:
"Anyone spot anythin' untoward you let me know... See if I can't disable the trap afore its sprung!"
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"Rich? They had an entire empire. In 'Professor Tchowns and the Mummy Khufuu' the old Pharaoh had Khufuu encased in gold....before he was dead. Of course the professor and his lovely assistant Penelopy.. who, because it is so hot in the desert, doesn't wear much.. Anyway they find the mummy.. and then it animates and seeks it's revenge on them, as it turns on Tchowns is actually the far distant descendant of the wicked pharaoh...." JJ rattles on. After the first sentence it becomes apparent that much of his knowledge comes from ... unreliable sources.
It's paramount then that you make sure then he is wanting to withdraw his challenge. Only then I can try to manage the tense diplomatic situation with our allies.
Water gurgles in fountains set at either end of this crescent-shaped chamber. Fourteen columns support the vaulted ceiling, and the walls are polished to a smooth finish that reflects and scatters of JJ's ioun torch.
These fountains replicate the effect of a decanter of endless water exactly as that one in Orak's bathhouse.
In some temples where the inner deeps are reserved for the members of the order, a comfortable entrance is reserved for pilgrims and petitioners as a safe place to take shelter until a they are acknowledged to visit some of the clerics or monks.
"well.. the water problem is solved!" smiles JJ
"Not that I wouldn't have been happy with the water you can summon Ryan. But no need to bother the gods for something we seem to have in abundnace."
Nodding Ryan agrees with JJ's comment about petitioning the gods for frivolous request. Looking around the room, he offers.
"This chamber was likely created to let petitioners rest comfortably while waiting for one of the monks or clerics who stayed here."
:
Maxim takes in the grandeur of the room, which adds credence to JJ's wild conjectures on the wealth of the ancient Osirani...
He pauses at the fountain with a nod to himself;
"Huh. Reckon the same magicks that were used by Otik at his bath house are in evidence here... Endless water. Fill yer boots... or canteens..."
Juraan walks into the chamber after JJ
"Well, finding abundant water is a good start.
"Wonder why this place would've been abandonded?
Juraan looks down the opening across from the doors and tries to be alert for any sounds coming his way …
"S-sometimes the rulers of these empires sh-shift as much as the s-sands do," Marigold replies as she gazes around in wonder. "C-could be that whatever r-ruler or g-god this was meant for f-fell out of favor."
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Kikinnin follows along, a growing sense that they walk a deadman's lands, and worries less and less about getting jumped, and more worried about their ability to find a path home, where dependable food and drink may be found.
"I enjoy a history lesson as much as the next, uh, archeologist, but I'd really like to hear something favorable, regarding our return to familiar climes."