Spitting out the foul fog, JJ tries to clear the way for Kikinnin to deal with the larger threat that appeared just before the fog.
Fog or no fog, Alakast can smell demon blood. It strikes out again and again, acting almost of its own accord in the young mans hands.
Blessing of speed - extra attack from fervor.
Extra +20 to hit and damage from FT/terrain mastery
+1 to hit and damage from prayer
+2 to hit and damage from outsider bane
+2d6 to damage from outsider bane
+2d6 damage from holy.
+1 to hit and damage from fighting outsiders. (astral terrain mastery)
-5 to STR gives -2 to hit and either -2 or -1 to damage, depending on whether it is an offhand attack or not.
Total is +22 to hit and +22+4d6 to damage (+21+4d6 for off hand attacks)
If Alakast gets stuck he'll just continue his flurry with fists (improved unarmed fighting so no AOOs and doing lethal damage)
Attacks vs yellow, and then blue.
If both go down he will 5' step up to the square that blue was in and then continue against light blue.
AC = 36/15/35
HP = 264/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel(Divine Bond- Holy/Speed/Flaming)
Condition(s) = Blessing of Fervor, Prayer
Smite Evil = 7/7
Lay on Hands = 17/17
Divine Bond = 3/4
Kikinnin waits tensely as both acid fog and farastu surround him and JJ, marking the bloated one in his mind, though he currently can't see it. He presses through the fog , expecting the big thing will have remained on the stairs. If so, Kikinnin bestows Abadar's Ire on it, expecting to engage it without another lungful of acid air.
Marigold's Round 4
Marigold also barrels through the fog , following along the wall until she manages to reach fresh, non-toxic air and then moving forward to get a better view of the chamber and her allies.
______________
Used to the demodands environment, JJ endures the fog like if he was feeling home. Spinning around with his staff, he strikes once and again, in fact it is like Alakast can smell the demodand blood and JJ could fight just as good with the closed eyes.
Just a few seconds later, the three demodand lay in the ground, well, over the other demodands, opening the way to both Kikinnin and Marigold.
With a clear path, Kikinnin emerges out of the fog and marks the stairs' fiend with Abadar's might.
Marigold follows in over the slime and out of the acidic fog.
Maxim, with a clear shot to the demodand does something heroic sure!
"Well done JJ, let's keep up the fight!" Nidrama touches JJ with an aid spell.
The fog continues burning JJ's and Nidrama, although the staff-fighter withholds all the damage with ease.
The bloated demodand looks back at Kikinnin and laughs "Ah madness! To Skullrot you come with such blackness, but you will here find your ultimate sadness!" he signs in good mood while producing a quickened acid arrow that flies over towards Kikinnin.
The blob of acid impacts the dwarf's armor and burns a bit on his chest.
While Kikinnin is still to deal with the acid the demodand smirks and flies over to him with his bat-like wings.
The strike is true and further burns with acid.
If that was not enough, his stench is horrible and Kikinnin and Maxim must endure their bellies to not spill out everything.
"Thanks Gran! smiles JJ.
The youth, blessed by Marigolds speed and with the gift of free movement, races through the slime filled room and up to the acid-friendly Demodand.
Alakast sings for its blood as he launches a single mighty stroke.
AC = 36/15/35
HP = 237/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel(Divine Bond- Holy/Speed/Flaming)
Condition(s) = Blessing of Fervor, Prayer, Smite on Fiend
Smite Evil = 6/7
Lay on Hands = 17/17
Divine Bond = 3/4
While Kikinnin is still to deal with the acid the demodand smirks and flies over to him with his bat-like wings.
"Nice of you to join me." Kikinnin wiggles his Axe, before wielding it, several times over.
edit:
Maxim holds onto his breakfast and shifts in the air to allow himself a clearer shot, before blasting the corpulent foe!
Marigold's Round 5
Opting to keep her distance from the ugly demodand, Marigold fires a ray of searing light from her palm!
With awesome freedom JJ runs over the slime and jumps midway to strike the overgrown demodand with a mighty blow of Alakast. The staff pushes down the creature crackling with goodness and JJ feels bones breaking.
That happens all while Kikinnin steps forward in the air and swings his axe, once, twice, thrice, severs the right arm, then strikes true in the belly opening the creature to see its interiors.
As the vowels start to come out, Maxim's shot just bursts into the creature's head, which blows up sprawling demodand brain all around, muting in an instant the creature's soft singing.
Despite its mighty vitality, Hexavog cannot cope any longer, and as his mass is being reduced to demon-pulp, Marigold puts a ray of bring light through the body, just outright killing what remains of the beast!
The room fills with noise as the skeletons hanging in their cages crackle amused as their warden dies putting an end to their music torture.
bracers ofarmor +7
amulet of natural armor +3
The only way forward seems the set of stairs to the west.
JJ eyes up the amulet somewhat covetously. "Anyone else able to use that? It is a bit better than my own one.."
Kikinnin looks towards the stairs, expecting more skulkers any moment. "Best equip, JJ. You're usually faster in front the foes than any of us."
The black beard looks over his shoulder, making sure they're clear from the balcony side of the room. "Everyone ready? There's plenty more to overcome. I can't decide if Adimarchus is chained up on a higher or lower floor..."
Maxim looks o'er the carnage and loot with equal satisfaction.
"My Bror has the right o' it. Best ye wear it."
The gun-mage looks to the others;
"Ain't got no magicks that'll help with our path. We can flip a coin I reckon. Deeper or Higher, can't see this jaunt being a party..."
JJ takes the improved amulet. Then, looking at his grandmother, offers her his old one.
"This may help you next time you wade into a room full of demons.." he offers with a smile.
"P-probably deeper...it's usually h-harder to escape from under-g-ground," Marigold posits as she readies to follow Kikinnin and the others. "Then again, this m-might be the one p-place in the cosmos where it d-doesn't really m-matter."
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"Thanks JJ. You have become a true warrior, even over my own skill." Nidrama accepts the amulet being offered by JJ and poses her hand over Alakast "I have noticed no one has really taught you on how to use Alakast though. Spellmason Surabar was one of the greatest alumni in the Magaambya, a true disciple of the Ten Magic Warriors. Seven centuries ago I gave him a vision and charged him with the task of settling the region and driving out the demonic taint in the Demonskar, and for so I blessed his staff. But the staff was a powerful device of magic where he put his knowledge of the arcane and natural traditions even before that. I know you have been studying hard in the Bluecrater Academy for a while now. And while you maybe do not have the patience for magic of your ancestor, you only lack the command words to activate Alakast's full potential." the deva explains JJ the command words that will allow Alakast for now on to cast any cantrip from the wizard and druid list at will, and protect him with both magic circle against evil and heroism while the staff is held.
Meanwhile, Kikinnin and the others makes it up the stairs.
The fiendish howls are loudest here, in the asylum's heart. This room sits at the base of a twenty-foot-diameter shaft that soars up into darkness. Balconies with iron railings line the walls at higher levels.
Perhaps to your surprise, there is no stairs going down, everything in the tower appears to point upwards.
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JJ smiles at his grandmother and then activates the protections that it offers him.
"Guess I don't need to be scared of the dark!" he grins, casting a light spell.
"I'm a wizard, Maxie!"
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Maxim's brow furrows at JJ's emulation;
Maxie... Hell's Teeth.
"Yup. Surabar the Magnificent indeed. Joinin' the exalted ranks o' Leomund, Bigby and their ilk..."
He flashes his golden capped teeth, and beckons JJ to pathfinder for the group;
"Lead on o' Master Mage."
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Kikinnin watches Nidrama and JJ discuss the new attributes of the young man's weapon, glad to have its strength, and in good hands. "Don't drop it, JJ. It's my greatest fear, losing Eldgammel in the middle of a fight." Reinforcing his grip, Kikinnin makes his way to the closest set of stairs rising to the greater heights of Skullrot.
"Stay close, and let's raze this place to the ground." The black beard begins his ascent to the next floor above them, his feet not touching the stairs, only using them for guidance.
"M-Maxie...haha! Catnip and Maxie...n-now we just need nicknames for the r-rest of us," Marigold laughs, the brief moment of levity doing wonders for her soul. She moves to follow Kikinnin, filled with a renewed sense of determination.
JJ extends an arm to his grandmother and leads her up the stairs. "I think those of me who can't fly have a bit of climbing to be doing."
Kikinnin frowns in confusion, before chortling at the memory of Marigold's ordination of JJ. "Marigold knights Catnip... Catnip knights Maxie... if we're going 'round in circles, then Maxie knights me, and I knight Marigold." The black beard looks back and forth between his namor and namee, shaking his head with a smirk, before heading up.
You make it up to the second floor. It is widely open to the lower floor where Hexavog was living.
Each of these balconies has a four-foot-high spiked iron railing strung with chains. Some of the spikes have skulls impaled on them.
A corridor with cells depart from each of these balconies.
Parting from the balconies, these wings of the asylum contain six cells each. An arcane locked iron door bars each cell. The cell itself contains a screaming prisoner bound in magically treated spiked chains. Some of the creatures, the ones known to have strong jaws, also wear iron masks with a narrow mouth slot for feedings. The chains also bind the creatures to the floor, walls, and ceiling.
Each cell contains a single insane creature. Some of the creatures appear calm, while others are raving mad. The chains prevent them from leaving the cell's confines or attacking you though.
Among the prisoners are balor and hezrou demons, hamatula, cornugon and pit fiend devils, slaads, yugoloths, demodands and even fallen angels and guardinals.
Over the howling and muffled sounds of the creatures wearing masks, you also overhear the heavy steps of some jailers in the floor above you.
"Who built this place?" muses JJ, somewhat creeped out by the whole undead feel to the grim edifice.
"It was miles high on the outside... I hope we don't have to walk all the way up."
He gazes at the fallen angels, and then back at his grandmother for a moment.
"Can they be helped at all?" he asks.
Nidrama ponders the question "They are mad. But even if we cure that madness, these were considered dangerous criminals even by fiends themselves."
Kikinnin passes several cells, examining the inhabitants, chiseling the circumstance into the walls of his mind's halls. "I had no idea places like this existed. Now I know, and I don't think I'm better for it."
The black beard takes to the next floor, as long as the stairs continue to climb. He does take a moment to look over the railing, over the balcony, just in case there are flying vermin taking to the higher floors.
"While we're still hot, eh?" Kikinnin waves Eldgammel Glowing, and presses their ascent, content to leave the prisoners behind them. For now...
"Why leave them here, rather than put them to some final rest? Send their souls to Phrasma to be judged and recycled... or I know you are all different from mortals do you get judged if you die?"
"Um, I'm n-not opposed to that idea b-but I think it'll n-need to wait a l-little longer," Marigold says, gently. "We d-don't want to tire ourselves out b-b-before we finish what we c-came here to finish."
Sadly JJ nods. "If we don't succeed then what happens here might not be too important. If we do... well... we'll have time enough on our side."
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Maxim eyes JJ curiously;
"Send 'em to the Boneyard? Seem to recall we gave clemency an' some respite to Embril from her madness. Could be we can afford some o' these wretches the same?"
The gun-mage turns his gaze to the cells occupants;
'Dangerous or no. Havin' creatures such as this owe ye a favour can be... profitable. Besides reckon they'd all like to get their claws on their gaolers, so why not ablidge 'em? Save us doin' the bladework?"
Kikinnin pauses to regard the unexpected probation council. His desire to root out Adimarchus sits back in the saddle, as the black beard debates the tactical dynamics of Skullrot. Looking into one of the cells, seeing the madness behind the beady eyes of only one of the prisoners is enough for Kikinnin.
"It's too risky. We let one out, hells, let several out, and we light a fuse on a powder keg that might explode elsewhere, or go off in our hands before we can throw it." Kikinnin looks to Maxim, interested in hearing his bror's thoughts. "Do we want to worry about threats at our back, if they have a sudden change o' heart?"
The black beard eyes the stairs headed up, but waits.
Maxim shrugs with a resigned nod;
"Iffin' we planned to send 'em to the Boneyard, least they would take some o' the guards with 'em. We'll be havin' to put 'em down regardless unless we just leave 'em to rot. My thinkin' is they take out some guards or get taken out themselves. Whatever's left standin' makes fir easy pickens."
Kikinnin tugs on his beard. "Alright, how do we do it, so we're not caught in the crossfire? Do we have anything to hide us from sight while the prisoners and guards have it out? Should we pick winged demons, so they fly up first?" Kikinnin looks back from the cells to the balcony, and back. "I'm fine with trying, we just have to be fully prepared."
JJ nods to Maxium "If they can be cured. I agree. I'm not sure that an immortals madness can be fixed the same way a mortals can... But you are right... this place must be getting to me. We need to try to fix them if we can. At least the angels... the demons... I think madness is their nature"
His face turns sour as using the inmates as cannon fodder is discussed.
"Now it is affecting you all too. If we are to try and heal them, that is fine. Merciful death I understand as well. But to send them off, insane, to try and kill the guards for us... that is wrong. We have not had any real difficulty with the daemons we have met so far."
Nidrama listens your discussion to a point, then placing her hands over the hips she comments "The mortals. Maybe. As for the others... we outsiders have no soul. Immortals, yes. But end the energy that give us live and there is no more trips to the Boneyard or Pharasma's judgment. We already did that, and so long has passed that we have even forgotten about our past lives."
"I will voice up Kikinnin's worries here on how can we set those prisoners free without them attacking us at first sight, they are not only mad, but utterly evil and treacherous, plus they have sure ditched bad feelings for long in their jail." the angel tries to explain herself "For I am to bring peace to this place, it can backfire us, I suggest to try finish our main mission first before taking any risk"
Kikinnin nods as Nidrama states it plain. "Let's get going, then. The jailers are free, and need neutralizing." He gives one more look over the balcony, then heads back to the stairs, and up.
JJ nods and gives Alakast a nervous spin. "Right, onward and upward then!" he agrees. Still, the cries, cacles, laughter and sobs seem to unnerve the young man. He grips Alakast close, glad of its reassurances in the fell tower.
"It'll b-be okay," Marigold says as she gives her brother a pat on the arm as she moves to follow the others. "We'll m-make things r-right, one way or another. It m-might take some t-time, but we'll get it d-done."
After a few minutes have past, JJ recovers the strength previously sapped by the demodands.
With the question temporarily settled, Kikinnin walks in the air in the middle of the open structure with Nidrama following him flapping her angelic wings. The rest of the party makes it up through the stairs into the third floor.
There you find the jailers, what seems a fiendish crone with black scraggly hair and pebbly, midnight blue skin. She carries a black jug filled with edible brown sludge that she serves to those prisoners who need to eat and drink—although the outsiders imprisoned here don't.
Pacing the howling halls with her, there are two flesh golem bodyguards, chanting merrily. The two flesh golems are lumbering, apelike brutes with sunken black eyes and skin made of stitched humanoid faces.
As the crone sees you making it up into the floor she hisses interrupting the golems' chanting "So, this is the reason the prisoners are getting nervous... you don't belong here but I will soon have your flesh added to Dark Myrakul's collection, he will be pleased to me..."
There is an obvious fiendish taint on the crone.
You know the crone is an annis hag. They are slightly resistant to non-bludgeoning weapons. Although as other hags the annis has certain magic, they are the more physically focused among them, being the more dangerous to go toe to toe with.
Their claws can rend flesh if they manage to hit with both of them.
You know well the basics on flesh gloems, sturdy and resistant to stunning, bleeding and similar effects, they are also immune to magic, except for spells that ignore spell resistance, but cold and fire slow them, and electricity heals them.
They are slightly resistant to non-adamantine weapons.
Although Kikinnin is a bit slower to react than the golems, he will be able to go if he wishes, as they kind of await orders from the crone.
Any master of locks with a cunning mind can appreciate even at a distance there is a good chance to put into test the theories on unbound prisoners inter-fighting on those tight corridors.
Maxim sets his jaw with chagrin, but says naught else on the moral conundrum presented.
The gun-mage eyes the shambling hulks and their crone handler;
"Yonder are Flesh Golems. They're sturdy an' resistant to stunnin', bleedin' and the like. Worst yet they're immune to magic. Cold an' fire'll slow them, and ware fir electricity heals them. Only Adamantine weapons are assured o' a cuttin' edge on their stitched hides!"
He holds position loading 2 Adamantine cartridges into Smaug's barrels;
AC = 36/16/35
HP = 264/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel (Holy, Flaming, Speed)
Condition(s) = Divine Bond
Kikinnin closes his eyes for a moment, losing his sense of how high up he is, should he find himself falling of a sudden, while a dim glow backlights the Servant of Abadar.
"I'm blessed, much obliged, Abadar."
The black beard understands he's about to take some pains, but he knows the healing waits on the other side, to soften the memory of the rips and rends.
He takes his time gaining the upper floor, rising and falling over the railing, setting himself down next to a pillar. He eyeballs the golems, aware they're just meat, mostly. The truly evil hag skulking behind them is his main interest, but she'll have to wait, while her fleshy walls are razed before her.
Hoping the creatures are as slow as they appear, JJ draws his massive bow and fires at arrow at the crone.
A flaming arrow flies across the void and into the evil crone.
Marigold's Round 1
"ಬೆಂಕಿ ಅವರನ್ನು ನಿಧಾನಗೊಳಿಸುತ್ತದೆ, ಅರ್ಥವಾಯಿತು," Marigold repeats with a nod. "ನೀವು ನನ್ನನ್ನು ಸೋಲಿಸದಿದ್ದರೆ ಒಂದು ಸೆಕೆಂಡ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಹಾಯ ಮಾಡಲು ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗಬಹುದು!"
"Fire slows them down, got it."
"Might be able to help with that in a second, if you don't beat me to it!"
But for now, she cautiously advances forward a few paces before granting another blessing of fervor to herself and everyone she can reach.
As Marigold can act before Kikinnin, she manages to place her fervor blessing on all of the party.
Then, Maxim loads his gun with adamantine while Kikinnin positions himself in the balcony, Abadar blessing him with extra healing.
Meanwhile, JJ steps to the railing to have a view of the crone, and puts an arrow in between the flesh golems that strikes Slouva, still flatfooted. She growls in pain despite the arrow does not deal as much damage as expected .
Nidrama flies over the railing of the balcony casting a spell to empower her flaming blade.
The flesh golems then move faster than anyone expected, one reaching for the angel and the other for the dwarf.
Both dent their defenses leaving bad bruises on their skin.
"Yes, you deal with the flyers, I fly to flail the meat of the backers!" with an astonishing speed, the crone walks around the stairs section and reaches the rest of the party.
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Marigold's Round 2
Though startled by the hag's swift approach, Marigold still manages to make a strike with her seldom-used longspear!
She then takes a step back and adopts a defensive position as she begins to cast a spell...
...and envelops herself in an overwhelmingly powerful aura!
"તમે ઓસીપીટસના શાસક સામે તમારા પંજા સહન કરો છો! તે તમારું પૂર્વવત્ થશે!"
"You bare your claws against the Ruler of Occipitus! It will be your undoing!"
______________
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AC = 36/16/35
HP = 264/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel (Holy, Flaming, Speed)
Condition(s) = Divine Bond, Blessing of Fervor
Kikinnin regards Nidrama for her presence on this side of the tower, facing off against her own fleshy golem. A metaphorical image passes across the back of the black beard's eyes, as both he and the once angel become lumberjacks, each with their own tree. He wonders who will finish felling their oaks first...
In his enthusiasm to finish before Nidrama, Kikinnin swings wildly at the last.
JJ drops his bow, resecuring his grip on Alakast.
"Right..enough of this."
[dice=damage]1d6+17+2d6[/ooc]
The hag blocks with ease Marigold's spear, who pierces through the magical defenses and suddenly becomes ominous on her presence, emanating all the power of Occipitus. The hag can only but bend and vow in front "I beg your pardon. I did not know. It is all the responsibility of Dark Myrakul." she babbles while trembling in the floor.
The golems though, seem utterly immune to the magic.
They are not immune to Kikinnin's axe though, whom as a Cauldronite lumberjack, cuts through the hardened flesh, leaving terrible marks chop after chop. Despite this, the terrible resistance of the creature ensures it is still standing after his swings.
JJ comes in and gives a knock at the prostrated hag, who receives it stoically, not wanting to unplease the ruler of Occipitus.
Nidrama accepts Kikinnin's challenge, and starts to swing her greatsword at the golem in front, her blade bursting in flames as it does so.
And although not as effective as the dwarf, the deva gives her own good fight at the golem, the blade bursting in flames as she cuts through one of the ears.
Maxim does something heroic!
The golems keep silently fighting as they attack with both hands this time.
With a mighty strength, they strike once and again, leaving Kikinnin without air in one of their strikes. While Nidrama is very badly hurt, her angelic resistance absorbs part of the non-evil slam punishments.
On her side, Slouva shakes her head trying to get out of Marigold's influence "I... I think I fear more Dark Myrakul than you little ruler!" she does remain prone still in front of you.
AC = 36/16/35
HP = 194/264
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel (Holy, Flaming, Speed)
Condition(s) = Divine Bond, Blessing of Fervor
"Glad to have you at our side, Nidrama. Your bladework is fierce!"
Kikinnin barely has time to speak words, when he's taken twice by the golem's mighty mauling. He almost forgets to petition Abadar for a battlefield dressing, but the construct's deadliness keeps him centered.
The healing is a little lighter this time, so Kikinnin gets to it, not interested in another round of slams, trading blow for blow.
edit:
"More fool you." says JJ as Alakast works its terrible wrath on the foul hag.