JJ looks in disbelief at the pit.
"That was not there just before..." he says pointing at the pit as he peers into the decayed wonder.
Holding his staff fast, the young warrior waits for an expected attack.
Oopse sorry, I was assuming they were demonic spiders.
Dungeoneering it is:
JJ readies an attack against the spidertaurs.
Marigold's Round 1
Marigold steps up behind Kikinnin and peers over his shoulder, frowning. "Sp-spider centaurs?? I d-don't see anything..." she remarks, trying to look for these dreaded spidertaurs or anything else that seems amiss.
AC = 27
HP = 94/94
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
Kikinnin clasps Juraan on the back, as he stands back to see the grand doors open from the drakblood's ring and determination. "Well done, Juraan. Those doors would have taken a bit more time to shove aside, and you apply your magics efficiently."
Listening to the boy's reconnaissance report, Kikinnin begins to look about the small room, from floor to ceiling, where one would expect spiders to linger. Should something arise, he speaks up. Otherwise, he moves to the other side of the room, and readies to open the next set of doors with the same gusto as the first set.
Expecting ambush with JJ's wariness, the black beard keeps his shield up, and waits for the first sign of aggression.
Readying to action with JJ's warning, Ryan stands at the door ready with the others having missed helping them while he watched JJ climb the buildings exterior.
As JJ talks about what he didn't see earlier, Ryan grabs a piece of rubble and chunks it at the pit ahead.
Watching JJ climb the building and then readying up at his warning Ryan missed helping the others open the door, however when JJ states the pit wasn't there before he chucks a rock at the pit.
You identify the creatures as driders, spider mutated versions of drows who have the capacity to become invisible, are immune to sleep and have minor magical resistance.
Kikinnin advances towards the next set of doors, while holding his shield defensively.
When Ryan throws the rock, it fells down and silently crashes against the deepness of the hole's floor.
You instead see the rock just remains suspended on the pit, then observe the pit is just an illusion.
Kaurophon casts a spell and remarks "The doors were open when I came the first time. I do not like it"
shield
"Ahh... I recall from our trip in the Underdark... they were Driders. Drow/spider abominations. They are resistant to magic and can become invisible... So keep on your toes."
He steps carefully into the room, staying between Kaurophon and Marigold.
Maxim enters the cathedral, following his bror as he pathfinds for the group.
As he moves forward, the gun-mage instinctively draws his double barrelled pistol .
Upon entering he pauses, nodding grimly toward the "pit" centring the chamber;
"Ain't no pit there. Tis' but an illusion. What it hides I ain't sure.."
Wary of the magicks, the dwur skirts the "pit" in the opposite side to where Kikinnin stands.
:
He then pauses, loading his pistol with bullet and black powder as he notes the spell being invoked by the guide;
"Shield Kaurophon... Ye expectin' them long-eared spiders to start throwin' stuff?"
AC = 27
HP = 94/94
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
Kikinnin closes his eyes hard, then opens them again to stare at the rock remaining at the plane of the floor. "Why'd anyone want to trick our eyes by a pit that's not really there? We have to worry about more like that ahead?"
The black beard gets to the door, and tries to open it. He only hopes that the difficulty they had opening the first set of doors isn't mirrored in the inner doors of the Cathedral.
Marigold's Round 2
Marigold blinks hard and then rubs her eyes as she finally sees the 'pit' for what it really is. Shaking her head she begins weaving a spell of her own to hopefully let her pierce through any further illusions and trickery they might encounter before moving into the room after the two dwarves.
"ಕಲ್ಲಿನ ಮೂಲಕ ನಾನು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸಿ ಮತ್ತು ಬಾಗುತ್ತೇನೆ?" she asks as Kikinnin has some trouble forcing the inner door.
"Do I need to try and warp through the stone?"
______________
"Thanks for that, Kikinnin. I was starting to wonder if I'd have a good chance to make use of that ring."
"Well, better safe than sorry, I reckon."
Juraan then follows Kaurophon's lead and casts a spell on himself:
« מאַגע אַרמאָר » . .
"Those things JJ saw must be here somewhere!"
« זען ומזעיק » . .
Juraan will then look around, including upward, trying to see anything invisible:
"You are never safe enough when entering hostile territory" responds Kaurophon to Maxim.
The group steps into the Narthex of the Cathedral. While Maxim readies his gun, Marigold and Juraan, following JJ's advise, cast spells that let them pierce through illusions and invisibility.
Floating in the ceiling, just over the entrance room, there are a couple of humanoids with spider body observing the group's advances and with arms readied in casting position.
The pit is really an illusion and on its place there is just the normal floor.
Meanwhile, Kikinnin fails to force the next set of doors, but he founds the doors are in fact not stuck and they open almost alone on the gesture to remove the crowbar. As they creak open, they let you observe the magnificence of the sanctuary.
This room has a vaulted ceiling some sixty feet high at the apex, supported with buttresses but showing several gaping holes in the roof. Most of the floor is a sea of debris-collapsed archways, shattered glass, and broken pews-but a deal: path leads down the center of the room. Several large piles of debris still smolder and smoke. Where an altar undoubtedly once stood is now a rough-hewn statue, propped up on stones so it doesn't tilt like everything else in the cathedral. The statue depicts an obscenely fat biped with the head of a ram. Black silk hanging from nearby pillars gives the statue the appearance of bat wings.
An alluring woman with tiny horns, bat-like wings, and a sinuous tail stands in the middle of the corridor that leads to the statue. She is carefully studying a book that she holds in her hands in front of a closed door. On the middle of the space, a hissing snake-bodied humanoid with spines of crackling flame dancing along its blackened fiery-red scales is idly moving a flaming sphere from debris pile to debris pile. They turn towards you surprised by your irruption.
They can dominate and charm others and have resistance to magic.
They are known because legend tells their kiss is the most lustful experience a mortal can life, touching its very essence.
The fiery reptile is in fact a Salamander, fierce warriors and valued smiths from the Plane of Fire. They are immune to fire and vulnerable to cold. They have resistance to not magic weapons. Their tail is long, providing them with extra reach and able to constrict those who venture too close.
They are usually medium creatures though, which is surprising because this one is larger than usual.
Marigold's Round 1
Though concerned about the two creatures standing in the room beyond, Marigold finds herself more worried about the other present threat and conjures a swirling, scintillating wave of patterned light at a point up on the ceiling.
"ಜೇಡ-ವಸ್ತುಗಳನ್ನು! ಅವರು ಚಾವಣಿಯ ಮೇಲೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ!" she cries.
"The spider-things! They're up there, on the ceiling!"
______________
Maxim shifts to his left as Kikinnin pushes the next set of doors open.
As he clocks the large, scaled creature the gun-mage levels his pistol, aiming at the reptilian brute and calling forth his arcane power:
"Bliksem!"
Causing a spiralling streak of lighting to blast from his pistol;
:
He then moves hard against the wall, to gauge and prep his next move
"A succubus!" cries out JJ, unable to stop himself admiring the demonic woman's form. "I don't think that lightning bolt is going to hurt her Maxim. Nor will fire. Kind of hard to hurt with acid or cold too.. Luckily.."
JJ charges forward, his staff slamming into the lizard-creature blocking the path to the demon.
Juraan responds to Marigold: « ನಾನು ಅವರನ್ನು ನೋಡುತ್ತೇನೆ! »
He then points to the ceiling, casting a spell: « მჟავა ბურთი » . .
Uh-oh!
Marigold's pattern leaves one of the driders fascinated while the other one ignores the outstanding colors.
The large salamander barely dodges Maxim's lighting bolt, electrocuting herself on the process.
JJ charges over the lizard he has barely recognized as a salamander. His slam with Alakast is effective, with a burst of holiness that seems to harm the creature.
Juraan's quick reflex points towards the invisible driders up the ceiling and a big explosion of acid suddenly covers them. The ceiling is though 20 feet height and the ball impacts to over Kaurophon and Juraan himself!
"Ouch! What are you doing!?" the plane traveler protests to Juraan.
The driders seem unaffected, which fortunately helps not breaking Marigold's fascination.
Ryan does something heroic.
The non-fascinated drider makes some moves and casts a spell. The creature appears losing its invisibility. A large amount of web strings are born from the deepness of the pit filling almost the whole Narcex.
AC = 27
HP = 104/104
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
Kikinnin stands trapped within the sticky substance, decidedly unhappy that there is nothing near enough to strike at. His hand grasps at the handle of his Axe, and he fumes. When the black beard fumes, his Axe begins to fume as well.
He does his best to move from the webs, clearing the way for his friends to follow if they so choose.
Ryan moves over where he can see into the doorway, speaking the words "Invisibilitatem Liquet"
cast Invisibility purge - 10 minutes, 5' radius all forms of invisibility negated
Looking around Ryan is frustrated that he can't see what the others have found, "Well that worked a lot less better than I thought......" he ends abruptly as the area is covered in webbing, with a rolled eye he looks upward as he tries to step out of the way.
Damn! I thought I had more room to work with!", Juraan shouts, being badly injured by his own spell. And carelessness.
Not wanting to risk becoming stuck in the drider's webbing, Juraan tries another uses of his Ring of the Ram (3 charges, for 3d6), and aims at the drider that cast the spell:
Marigold's Round 2
Marigold somehow manages to duck the sticky webs and continues maintaining her concentration on her magic, trying to hold Red at bay until the group has at least had a chance to deal with Blue...
Kikinnin calms down and forget's about the strings restraining his mobility. His prayers to the spirits of Pocca Rouradont are responded with a flaming tongue that easily burns the webs around and opens a way through while the dwarven paladin moves out of the web!
Ryan steps into the web without getting stranded and casts a spell that quickly purges the invisibility of both driders!
Juraan avoids the worst of the webbing and uses his ram ring to burst at the first drider. The slam strikes at her and the impact has such a strength, she loses grip and falls to the ground prone.
The drider seems to ignore the web effects but suffers the sudden impact against the Narcex floor.
Marigold holds her rainbow in front of the other drider that keeps looking at it absorbed by the changing colors.
The succubus steps towards you while she makes some signs for JJ to approach. Her body language is not sensual but lascivious she steps while throwing the book uninterested "Such an interesting and sudden visit we have here Arrokh. Approach, approach my friend, no need for violence we can have a more civilized and exciting exchange"
The succubus signs are in fact the somatic components of a dominate person spell. She will require this full round casting and will only complete her spell after 1 round.
The salamander does not seem as interested to parley. Instead he steps back from JJ and moves his flaming sphere over the young man, then makes a gesture with his hand conjuring a sheet of fire over him that starts to burn!
The strong flames blocks the view and does not allow you to see what else happens with the succubus and the salamander or JJ, nor target them.
Kaurophon effectively avoids the web strings, then casts some magic missiles. The spell seems to pierce through the drider's magical resistance and the force impacts the prone one.
He then attempts to move through the webs into Kikinnin's path, and ignoring the illusory pit.
AC = 27
HP = 104/104
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = None
Kikinnin watches as the Wall of Fire lights up the entire Cathedral, and it gives him pause. Abadar, I trust Your protections. I stand before the fire, and would seek Your ward against it.
The black beard looks down on his Axe, burning red, and a similar red glow seems to extend from the Axe to the entire dwarf.
Only then does Kikinnin step forward, and alongside the boy. "You alright, JJ? You've certainly drawn the ire of their fire, eh?"
Marigold's Round 3
Marigold continues to stay perfectly still as she maintains her concentration on her spell, fearful that trying to move will only serve to entangle her in the thick webbing.
Though she doesn't understand the succubus' words, her actions and her magic prove much easier to divine.
"ಅವಳನ್ನು ನಿಲ್ಲಿಸು! ಜೆಜೆ ಅವರ ಜಾದೂತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಾಬಲ್ಯ ಸಾಧಿಸಲು ಅವಳು ಪ್ರಯತ್ನಿಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದಳು!"
"Stop her! She's trying to dominate JJ with her magic!"
Juraan stays where he is and tries doing something a bit less reckless: « פייַער קויל » . .
He puts the flaming sphere (fire damage, so can ignite the webbing in its square) onto the now-fallen drider (blue).
JJ nimbly avoids the flaming sphere, although the wall of flame obviously causes him some significant problems.
He steps up and lays into the salamander with all the fury of his staff behind him.
"I'll come and play in a moment, but your lizard is in the way." he explains to the alluring demon.
However the lad must have got some smoke in his eyes from the wall of fire, and the blows, while powerful, seem to be mostly off target, though with the heat shimmer it is hard to tell for sure.
As both JJ and Kikinnin shift to engage the salamander and succubus, Maxim follows in their wake only to baulk at the wall of flame and shimmering heat blocking his path!
"Hell's Teeth! Hotter than a Malachite furnace in here now! Can't see either o' them darned fools nor their dancin' partners no more!"
Wary the heat may ignite his numerous horns and cartridges of black powder, Maxim instead seeks to employ another tactic;
Calling on his magicks, the gun-mage utters words of power granting him the power of flight:
"Laten vliegen!"
Ryan spotting the wall of flame lighting up the inner sanctuary where JJ and now both of the brothers Malachite were, calls down divine flame of his own, beyond the wall of flame where he remembers seeing the lizard and succubus, trying to disrupt whatever spell she is casting.
cast Holy Smite, range 200', area affected 20' radius
Or
will save(DC17) for half, no blinding for evil creatures
Kikinnin casts a spell that allows him to move through the wall of fire without barely being damaged by the strong fires.
Marigold holds the drider fascinated in the ceiling, while staying into a safe area of the webs.
Juraan attempts a different strategy, and conjures a flaming sphere that penetrates the drider's magical armor and starts burning both the spider-like creature and the webs. It screams in desperate pain!
JJ steps out of the wall of fire and links four successive strikes with Alakast, three of them connecting on the overgrown lizard's body, very, painfully.
Maxim avoids the webs and cast a fly spell to more easily avoid the wall of fire.
Ryan calculates the proper distance and unleashes a blast of powerful holy energy that burns on them. He feels it does not have effect upon one of its targets, and he cannot see it, but the spell destroys the salamander!
Kaurophon helps Juraan with the drider with a new casting of magic missiles!
The missiles leave the drider in a horrible shape, but it survives once more!
The drider starts to levitate up and unleashes a lighting bolt towards Marigold, Maxim and Kaurophon!
At the other side of the wall of fire you hear the succubus sensually tell "Come to me my warrior, let me give you the most exciting bounty for your great defense"
AC = 27
HP = 102/104
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Flaming Burst on Axe, Resist Energy(Fire 20)
Kikinnin steps out of the Wall of Fire, puts out a gloved hand, and rests it on the boy's shoulder. "Steady, JJ. You've got your allies behind you, and a demon ahead of you. Keep your head on straight. Resist what she offers, no matter your urges. Abadar bids you steel your mind from her evil." An icy blue aura pulses around the black beard, which radiates outwards enough to include the boy.
Juraan moves his flaming sphere to use it to burn a path through the webbing for the others
Then, staying where he is, he tries to shoot the wounded drider down:
Marigold's Round 4
Although she manages to dodge the worst of the drider's lightning, the act of doing so is enough to break Marigold's concentration on her spell. Perhaps its just as well, as it sounds like there's trouble in the next room. But there's also webbing and fire. Lots of fire.
Luckily, as Juraan conveniently burns a path through the webbing right next to her she steps over to it and then....begins to rise through the air!
______________
As his spell takes hold, Maxim hovers slightly above the flooring. He then grits his teeth and heads upward attempting to fly through the gap in the ceiling;
"Hell's Teeth - here goes nuthin'!!"
:
The gun-mage surges upward to the ceiling...
:
... deftly avoiding the drider's webbing as his whiskers get singed from the heat of the fiery wall
Pushing on the airborne dwur attempts to float further down the buildings length, toward where the other holes lie...
:
Frustrated at the lack of options for JJ from his current position, Ryan sighs and turns his attention to the two problems still on this side of the firewall.
Taking a step forward it appears he will walk directly into the webbing, but appears right behind Karophon, taking aim he shoots at the wounded drider.
Dimensional Hop - 20 of 100'/daily
<sigh>
JJ ignores the now dead salamander. Why, it is no longer a threat and there is a lovely looking lady just ahead. With a smile on his face he moves forward toward her.
"Your warrior will happily accept any bounty from you." he says with a twinkle in his eye.
What of Sara? What of her?... what of who?...
Marigold stabs with her longspear the levitating drider finishing its life and disrupting its lighting bolt!
Kikinnin touches JJ giving him some extra resolve!
Juraan shots to the remaining drider stabbing one arrow on it.
Marigold steps into the cleared path and uses her power to start flying!
Ryan teleports to a clear spot in the middle of the webbing and shots at the remaining drider, but his bolt misses, entangled into the webs.
JJ comes to the lustful call of the succubus and she smiles and soothes his chin as he does "Are you kind and handsome, aren't you?" she then slowly moves her right hand behind the young man's head soothing his hair as she approaches his face to hers. The pull makes JJ find the lustful body of the demon that places her lips over his and makes her tongue into the man's mouth. While JJ feels the total excitement rushing up, his heart seems to break out of his breast, by when the succubus retreats JJ is so excited he feels fainting "And now my warrior" she points to Kikinnin "Kill the dwarf!!!" the demon looks confused when JJ keeps looking at her "Kill him!!!"
JJ seems dominated by the Succubus, although he does not seem obeying her last orders.
"This web is only causing problems" Kaurophon starts saying some arcane words and pointing to the web strings. As he finishes his spell the web abruptly disappears!
When the drider's fascination breaks it touches the mace and deeper darkness is borned from the weapon and everything becomes completely black in the Narcex even to darkvision!
Your True seeing allows you to see clearly despite the darkness. The drider clumsily moves through the ceiling to the northeastern corner of the room. The aberration probably does not see in the blackness by the way it moves.
Juraan moves his flaming sphere where it is, to prevent hurting his friends.
Despite not being able to see, he tries to shoot the remaining drider, hoping for a lucky shot or two:
AC = 27
HP = 102/104
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Resist Energy(Fire 20), Flaming Burst on Axe
Kikinnin circles the demoness, cautious of her commanding JJ, and unsure what his last casting did to protect the boy.
"Stop barking at the boy, she-demon. You are unwelcome on this sacred stone. If you choose to confront us, you are sealing your fate."
:
From above and beyond Maxim moves forward, past the first hole which is too close to the burning wall...
The gun-mage spies another hole in the ceiling and descends down , once again attempting to avoid the Drider webs draping the chamber's ceiling;
:
He deftly does so, landing softly in the chamber as he hears his bror's strong voice rumbling a warning nearby...
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JJ grins in a suggestive manner at her.
"I have come my lady! The travel was hard and the reward but brief.."
As darkness closes in Ryan steps back through the doorway into the Sanctuary, the fire wall warming his back without actually hurting him.
Once there he petitions Abadar for his power. "shine favor upon thy servant.."
cast Divine Favor, +3 damage and attack for 1 minute
Calling out afterwards [b]"Anyone know where it went? [/I]
Juraan makes a couple of shots into the darkness. No cries of pain are heard.
Kikinnin starts surrounding JJ and the Succubus, while Maxim lands close through one of the roof holes.
JJ just observes the demoness while Ryan asks for divine favor.
Marigold does something heroic.
"Enough hiding!" barks Kaurophon while he completes a spell and the darkness abruptly disappears.
The new dim light of the entrance leaves into sight the drider has moves to the other corner of the room.
Readying a bow, the drider shots at Ryan, who deflects the arrow with his shield.
The succubus smiles at Kikinnin "This is not your place. You better comeback home now, your friend is good here with me" her words having special magical power while she soothes JJ's head and further approaches the boy to her body.
Hearing Kikinnin mention "She Demon" Maxim holds position and loads pistol with cold iron bullet and powder , before retrieving a potion from his magical Bag of Holding
Cold shot and a Displacement Tincture should even the score when this parley goes south...
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Marigold's Round 5
Marigold continues to ascend up and through the hole in the roof above...
Marigold's Round 6
...and moves across the roof, descending through another hole just on the other side of the fiery wall.
______________
Ryan speaks a single word "praevolo" before walking up towards the drider against the ceiling.
Cast fly as standard action, before moving
With the darkness dispelled by Kaurophon, Juraan moves the flaming sphere to safely clear a path for him to enter into the cathedral.
He steps into the narthex and tries shooting the drider again::