Kythel moves forward with the warriors of the group to ensure that he will no be too far away if they require his aid.
Content to trust JJ and Kikinnin on the best way to proceed for the time being, Marigold trundles along near the rear of the group. She shivers, but the cold isn't the only cause for her discomfort. Of all the places they'd been, none were as disconcerting as this - not even Occipitus, with all of its ugly and sin out front for all to see.
So quiet...it's like a tomb. A tomb of ice...
And really, that's what it was, wasn't it? A tomb for all those who had perished as part of the spell-weavers' experiments, including some of their own kind. A tomb; icy, alien, unknowable.
"I h-hope we can f-finish here s-soon....I want to s-see the sun again..."
After some back and forth on the corridor and a quick examination of the room after the door, the group overhears sounds of casting to the west and approach to find out.
When JJ closes by, his ioun torch cast light and pushes back the darkness.
This room descends twenty feet below the level of the entry corridor and rises to a height of forty feet above it. A five-foot-wide walkway runs around the outside. This rectangular chamber is dominated by two large pillars, each made of what looks like gray necrotic flesh. The chill in the room emanates from these pillars, and now and again a tortured visage forms and then fades on a pillar's surface with a faint whisper.
Coiling around the nearest pillar a large serpentine creature made of pure bones seems to have anticipated your visit as it smiles at you with greenish eyes. On the walkway, a a half-orc female with a hellish look is already prepared to jump over you. The contour of both of them seems strangely displaced.
You overhear a voice booming in your mind What do you seek here? These are my pillars... intruders! without waiting for a response the strange creature says more arcane words and a field of rubbery black tentacles appear at the ground surrounding you, burrowing up from the floor and reaching for your legs!
Taken by surprise the Watchers are firmly hold by the black tentacles!
Marigold's Round 1
"!!!"
Marigold gasps with surprise as the black tentacles erupt out of the ground, holding herself and her friends fast in their clutches. She reaches down for a bit of magic, conjuring it for her brother JJ in an attempt to help him break free and defend himself...
______________
Marigold attempts to help JJ in an instant, but the tentacles grapple her tightly and push her ruining her spell.
JJ feels a moment of hope as he senses Marigold try to aid him. He tries to break free of the foul tentacles.
"Thanks Marigold, that spell worked a treat!"
He then advances carefully toward the half orc.
Kikinnin looks about, as he's snared by a animated black carpet. He frowns as he watches JJ disappear from the doorway. He does take a moment to call out in the boy's general direction.
"Nice job, JJ, getting free. I'll just hang round back here and cut my nails."
"One demon Kikinnin, I've got an undead dragon and a half orc here, that is two opponents. And you had a shield."
”Looks more like a snake, and half an orc. You’ve got this.”
JJ breaks free of the tentacles and goes in through the walkway finding himself toe to toe with the half-orc female.
Kikinnin attempts to recompose himself while the tentacles hold him tight.
The existence of nagas is debated, but stories from the Age of Serpents talk they were evolved versions of the serpentfolk, also known as yuan-ti. According to legend nagas are fiercely territorial and intelligent beings who delight being revered like gods by lesser races.
They are dangerous casters, and magic it is so natural in them that many take the way of the sorcerer. Their spellcasting ability is varied, many take the way of confusing the human mind, but some others prefer more direct ways to win their opponents.
Their bite is poisoning, able to drop quickly the Constitution of its victims.
This strange serpentine-like undead is a rare specimen, a bone naga.
A bone naga is a skeletal undead creature created from a naga by a spellcaster (usually of its own race). A create undead spell can produce a bone naga from any naga subject with fewer Hit Dice than the creator. Likely a powerful necromancer created this one.
Bone nagas are more resistant than normal nagas (more hit points), and their undead nature made them immune to many spells and effects, as well as coldness.
Their skeletal state gives them Damage Reduction vs non-bludgeoning weapons, and they do have a limited Spell Resistance.
They do have the ability to speak telepathically at 250' distance.
"It is a water naga!" calls out JJ. "But one horribly transformed... either by the spellweavers or the cagewrights. My guess is the spellweavers. "
He eyes up the half orc warily."And the orc has some infernal ancestry. So don't try fire against her... or cold if she is hanging out here. And Kikinnin, she may be some type of anti paladin so take care her blows against you may hurt more than normal..."
Marigold's Round 1, Cont.
"ಇದು ಮೂಳೆ ನಾಗ! ಶೀತವು ಅದನ್ನು ತೊಂದರೆಗೊಳಿಸುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಮತ್ತು ಇತರ ಮಾಂತ್ರಿಕರು ಅಂಟಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದಿಲ್ಲ!" Marigold calls out, her current position affording her a view of the serpentine creature in the chamber beyond. "ನಿಮಗೆ ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾದರೆ ಮೂಳೆಗಳನ್ನು ಪುಡಿಮಾಡಿ!"
"It's a bone naga! The cold won't bother it and other magics might not stick!"
"Crush the bones, if you can!"
Knowing that she won't be able to break free of the tentacles under her own power, Marigold tries to do what she can to ignore their pushing and squeezing as she attempts to cast another spell...
...and manages to do it! A ghostly figure appears in front of the naga, lashing out with a ghostly whip!
:
As the ebony tentacles enwrap Maxim, the gun-mage curses as his attempt to slip free is in vain...
"Hell's Teeth an' buckets o' fire! Ah'm held fast!"
Unable to do little else, the dwarf bides his time for another attempt to free himself...
JJ and Marigold successfully identify the enemies.
The halfling manages to bring into life a spiritual ally, but when this one tries to overpass the magical resistance of the naga, the spell ends dispelled.
Maxim is unable to force himself out of the tentacles.
Kythel does something heroic.
The half-orc moves over JJ "Xail says you are no Cagewrights. You die!" the words are spit at the young man while her great axe descends in a powerful arc.
The axe bites deep on JJ's right shoulder. JJ feels less pain than he would have expected, while a deep wound suddenly bleeds on Kythel's own shoulder!
The tentacles hold you tight on place, continuing the process of choking you to death.
The secrets of the Soul Pillars are not yours to behold the voice of the naga booms once more inside your mind and at the same time you hear in the physical world her words of arcane casting.
A bank of green fog appears over the black tentacles, its vapors feel dazing and pernicious.
stinking cloud
A wind or a dispel magic could bring that down.
Holding your breath will give you a +2 circumstance bonus against it . If you made the spellcraft check you can do it even on your first round save.
Marigold's Round 2
Recognizing the spell, Marigold manages to take a deep breath in and holds it as the noxious cloud billows out over herself and her companions.
This is bad, this is so bad, we've got to get out of these things!
Marigold tries once again to allow one of her companions to break free, this time Kikinnin...
...but can't do it.
Now unable to see the naga thanks to the cloud, Marigold tries a desperate move and flings a small ball of fire into the chamber where she last saw the creature.
______________
JJ winces as blue light spills from his wounds.
"What do you know of CageWrights? You're but an illinformed lacky." he sneers, before letting fly with Alakast at the woman.
"You can dish it out, but you can't take it?
I'm going to assume she counts as an evil outsider,
FE +4 to hit and damage
Alakast (evil outsider bane) +2 to hit, +2+2d6 damage
If she does not count as an evil outsider, then I'll just get +2 for her human heritage. Sad.
Glad that he kept his distance to avoid the half orcs full attack, JJ lashes out with his own fearsom volley of blows.
AC = 27
HP = 130/148
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel+3
Condition(s) = water breathing 19 min, resist energy 20 (cold) 12 min, bull strength 1 min, aid 8 min, divine bond +3 6 min
Kikinnin is too preoccupied with the tangles around his legs to watch the naga casting another spell.
The poison isn't too discouraging, at least in this moment, so he continues struggling obstinately against the tentacles, hoping to free himself and join the battle ahead.
No new words are uttered, as the reality of his situation, and the situation of the boy, sinks in.
Kythel is trapped and he knows it. He also knows that he has little training to cast under duress. His only option is to use what powers he has to aid his allies.
Channel Energy
As the healing energies wash over his allies, Kythel realizes it would be premature to do so once more, he opts to try and cast a spell but then the poison washes over him.
Fortitude Save vs. Poison.
The Poison overcomes Kythel and he coughs uncontrollably gagging...
Battling with the tentacles, Kythel raises Pharasma's symbol and everyone in the corridor is bathed by the positive energy that heals many bruises.
Unable to see through the fog, Marigold desperately directs the power of Heaven on the rough direction she last saw the naga. A loud noise raises as the fiery stars smack the soul pillar and the bone naga!
Unable to see the stars coming the naga is totally surprised by the fire!
JJ's wounds quickly disappear while he launches a swirling attack of blows with Alakast. The half-orc is not an outsider, but JJ knows to hit his human anatomy all the same. The young man strikes three times in different extremities, and when it seems he is going to fail, he feels the aid of the the released elven and dwarven soulds pushing Alakast to strike a fourth time in the half-orc chest!
Kikinnin resists the noxious gases, but they distract him enough that he is unable to free himself from the tentacles.
Kythel though fails to hold himself and starts desperately coughing and unable to free himself from the tentacles.
Maxim resists the worse of the stinking cloud and does something heroic.
With his mouth spiting blood the half-orc female shouts at JJ "Is that all?! Tell in Hell that Orgo sent you!" and she makes a descending powerful blow with her axe.
But she hits the wall while she is gaining potency from the back, which JJ profits to dodge the second swing.
The tentacles crush you tight once more!
From within the fog, you still listen the naga casting more spells, but apparently nothing happens.
"Tell them yourself. Your own incompetence and that of your 'friends' was your own undoing!" retorts JJ, glad that he managed to avoid the rather hefty axes blow.
I've seen what Kikinnin can do with a blade like that, I'd not want to end up like one of his opponents..
Changing his stance, the youth unleashes another flurry of blows on the half orc.
"Time to say hello to hell Orgo." he quips as blow after blow rain down on her.
+2 to hit and damage from FE
+1 to hit from those lovely souls.
Marigold's Round 3
Though pleased to hear that her little fireball impacted something, Marigold can't keep from inhaling some of the noxious gas that swirls around and begins to cough and retch.
AC = 27
HP = 140/148
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel+3
Condition(s) = water breathing 19 min, resist energy 20 (cold) 12 min, bull strength 1 min, aid 8 min, divine bond +3 6 min, grappled
Kikinnin continues to struggle in vain, against the poison mist and the viperous tentacles.
"I'm beginning to feel vexed here..." The black beard can't shoot looks to those in the Watchers who might turn their magics against the blasted black below, so he waits, and heartens to hear the boy still speaking to confidently.
:
Maxim girds himself to escape, then suddenly feels his stomach lurch as the noxious gas effects him...
:
Gritting his teeth, the gun-mage holds down his breakfast and sets about freeing himself...
:
... successfully wriggling free before plodding forward
Maxim fights the tentacles but cannot free himself.
JJ throws himself against the half-orc striking five times and leaving it dead at the walkway.
Marigold starts coughing, unable to do much. Same as Kythel.
The dwarves do just a bit better as their nature help them resist the poisonous gasses. Kikinnin though remains grappled in the tentacles, while nimble Maxim squeezes out and walks over the difficult tangle of black appendages.
The tentacles start to lose strength, but nevertheless they hold tight the group in the corridor, including Maxim who is grappled once more.
You hear a great shout but it is muffled, like if you were hearing it through a door.
Gritting his teeth, JJ rides out the horrid wave of sounds and launches himself to the top of the pillar!
Once there he smashes Alakast down on the Naga's head.
"LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE!"
He peers into the foul mist created by the Naga. "How are you lot doing back there? Building empathy with Ruben's dates?"
Marigold's Round 4
Hopelessly nauseated by the noxious vapors, all Marigold can do is struggle weakly against the binding tentacles.
______________
AC = 27
HP = 140/148
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel+3
Condition(s) = water breathing 19 min, resist energy 20 (cold) 12 min, bull strength 1 min, aid 8 min, divine bond +3 6 min, grappled
Kikinnin continues to serve as an unwilling sentry at the intersection of Karran Kural's long and dangerous hallways.
"How damn long will this magic last?! Can't see a bloody thing, and I can't pull even one foot free..."
Kikinnin rolls out low growl, to blow away the fog and blow off some steam.
"Keep talking, JJ!! We can barely hear anything, either. Just shouting, and it didn't sound like you..."
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"I'll try to distract it.." says the precariously balanced youth.
Then in a fit of bravado, he adds "Of course, after the way you handed that demodand by yourself, I think it's only fair that you get a rest while I get to play with the snake lady. The half orc is off visiting her father in hell, so we are getting some one on one time over here."
You only hear JJ very softly, like if he was talking to you through a door.
You only hear the party very softly, like if they were talking to you through a door.
JJ resists the worst of the naga's spell, while Kythel all of a sudden starts to bleed on his ears, product of the life connection he holds with the young man.
While Kikinnin, Marigold and Kythel keep coughing unable to fight back the tentacles... JJ leaps over the pit and clings on the Soul Pillar!
Fortunately for him, the naga's neck is not long enough to attack him in the flight and JJ's hand manages to catch one of the mouths in the pillar, while he makes foot on a couple of skulls. From there he sees the fall to the pit is around 20 feet long.
The young man holds Alakast with a single hand, demonstrating the staff fighting mastery achieved through numerous combats, and precisely strikes on her. The blunt shape of the staff is perfect for breaking the bones!
The tentacles squeeze the party in the corridor with renewed strength.
The naga turns to JJ and her voice booms in his head Your friends are already dead! And you go next!
The bony creature bites strongly on JJ but fails to strike the clinging man with her tail.
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"I can still hear them. Your lies show your own weakness serpent woman." cries back JJ. He winces as the teeth sink into him, more blue light spilling from his wounds.
He continues to bash at the naga one handed, trying not to look down to the inevitable broken legs that a fall would mean.
realises the youth.
Marigold's Round 5
Marigold can hear JJ calling out and manages to take some comfort in knowing that he's still alive and that at least one of their foes has been felled. Still, there's not much else she can do but continue to weakly struggle against the tentacles as her stomach roils angrily...
:
:
Once again held tight by the black coils, Maxim manages to hold onto his breakfast with a grimace.
The gun-mage focusses and pulls forth his trusty wand of magic missiles from his belt.
:
:
The tentacles tighten and hold him fast as the noxious cloud causes him to do little but retch and gag...
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AC = 27
HP = 128/148
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel+3
Condition(s) = water breathing 19 min, resist energy 20 (cold) 12 min, bull strength 1 min, aid 8 min, divine bond +3 6 min, grappled
The smell is becoming tolerable...
The inability to free himself is beyond intolerable...
Kythel ceases his useless struggles as he is both crushed and injured by the spell connection between he and JJ. He smiles knowing that he is at least contributing to the effort somehow.
Clinging from one hand on one of the pillar's skulls, JJ takes the best of himself to strike true once at the naga.
The rest of the group fails to free themselves from the tentacles while Maxim joins Kythel and Marigold on the coughing.
The tentacles hold their grip tight, further choking all of the corridor ones.
The naga bites and strikes JJ with her tail, profiting his lack of mobility while holding himself to the column.
JJ tries to resist the Naga's venomous bite...
"You'll need to try harder than that. Which will be hard with broken teeth." spits back JJ, his own anger burning as hot as the creatures own venom.
He continues to slap at the creature with Alakast.
"Come on Alakast, we can do this. The others are counting on us."
"Might be almost time for you to teleport away, along with what lackies you still have remaining. While you still can. But if you do, I'll track you donw and find you anyway."
AC = 27
HP = 128/148
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel+3
Condition(s) = water breathing 19 min, resist energy 20 (cold) 12 min, bull strength 1 min, aid 8 min, divine bond +3 6 min, grappled
Kikinnin spits some of the vile smoke from his buccals, before attempting, yet again, to free himself.
With his freedom, comes his movement, which drives him to enter the room, though he suspects that will also be impeded, by the sound of the boy's voice...
Marigold's Round 6
On seeing - or maybe just hearing - Kikinnin break free and head off to JJ's aid, Marigold gives a weak cheer...and then immediately retches a little more.
______________
JJ crashes his staff on the undead naga. It seems she also does not have an easy time holding herself climbing on the pillar.
Kikinnin finally decides it is time to join the fight and frees himself wading through cloud and tentacles. The dwarf finds Maxim on his way to the chamber.
Meanwhile Marigold, Kythel and Maxim can do little more than coughing.
The tentacles hold their grip tight, further choking all of the corridor ones.
Once more the naga bites JJ, this time on the shoulder, but the young man is able to deflect the tail with Alakast's help!
"I'm beginning to see why snakes are not popular house pets." says JJ.
As the Naga bites, he feels the venom injected deep into his arm and swoons for a moment. T
Then, reserves hidden deep inside flood out, as the youth feels the blue light within him pounce on the venom, neutralizing it before it can ravage his flesh.
"Enough of that" he snarls, smashing Alakast again and again against the horrid creature.
AC = 27
HP = 128/148
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel+3
Condition(s) = water breathing 19 min, resist energy 20 (cold) 12 min, bull strength 1 min, aid 8 min, divine bond +3 6 min, grappled
Kikinnin tries to enter the room...
Marigold's Round 7
Come on guys, I know you can do it...just...try to hurry...
Marigold continues to fight against the tentacles and the churning of her stomach but it's a losing battle at this point.
JJ bashes once more the naga and breaks a couple more ribs. The creature sissess bothered by the presence of the young man in her column.
You free yourself and walk decided into the room. At least you try, because 5 feet short of succeeding, you hit yourself with a transparent but rather solid, very solid field of force.
Maxim, Kythel and Marigold protest defenseless on the tentacles.
Concerned the work is not being done fast enough the naga points at JJ with her head and 2 rays of empowered fire burst from her eyes impacting on the tough staff-man.
Burn! Baby burn! the voice booms in your heads.
Marigld's Round 8
Okay, at least *something* is still happening out there!
It spurs Marigold to struggle a little harder against the tentacles, even though she's still too weak and nauseated to break free.
As the naga casts its spells, JJ lashes out with Alakast.
"Ouch!"
JJ profits the opportunity to strike true on the naga! Meanwhile he, who has walked the fires of the Plane of Fire, at least on page or imagination, deflects the worst of the flames interposing Alakast between him and the serpent-like!
The damage on Kythel is much less as well.
Marigold, nauseated, keeps struggling with the tentacles.
AC = 27
HP = 133/148
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel+3
Condition(s) = water breathing 19 min, resist energy 20 (cold) 12 min, bull strength 1 min, aid 8 min, divine bond +3 6 min, grappled
Kikinnin's had it with the constant impediments. Given an invisible wall in front of him, he sees no reason to retreat, and waste more time wading through the tentacles. "There's a wall here. Whatever's fighting with JJ, it's brutal in its tactics. Suppose that's what the ice devil was trying to do, separating us with walls of ice."
Kikinnin consoles himself by channeling Abadar's infusion of healing to the others choking in the smoke.
JJ becomes somewhat alarmed at finding himself somewhat without the support he was counting on..
And lets hope that sticks to just my friends, and not this odd column too
Aiming for the Naga's nose, he bashes her again and again.
"Take that. Now release my friends or go join your one in hell."
Kythel feels all of the blows to JJ as well as the fire as it burns him mystically from across the barrier.
Kikinnin's channel is a welcome reprieve from the damage his body is sustaining...