The hound archon is unable to penetrate the snake-man's thick skin, but Valgrim cuts deep and Vug's bomb blinds him. He staggers backward and mutters a series of hisses and sparks, conjuring another huge fire elemental.
You are up again.
Valgrim ignores the elemental and focuses both of his attacks on the snake-man, moving 5' closer to him and keeping the flank with the Archon!
Valgrim drops the salamander, and you can let the hound archon cover your retreat until the elemental expires (it won't pursue as its last orders were "Guard me").
A rush of superheated air flows from this room like the heat from a forge. Glowing hot coals cover the room’s floor. A pair of copper double doors lets you enter. A small chest of black stone sits in the far corner of the room. The salamander carries the key, as well as a finely crafted longspear covered in runes.
The chest itself (which is not trapped) is made of a black stone (basalt) bound together with red gold, copper, and rusted iron, and weighs 300 pounds all by itself, 450 pounds with all its contents. It contains 2,300 gp, a knitted copper drawpurse containing 300 pp and 2 large honey-golden topazes (both worth 600 gp), and a narrow brass scroll case containing a wand of invisibility (9 charges). The chest also contains four thick crystal decanters of an efreeti brandy called scarlet ambrosia (worth 200 gp each), all four cushioned in a small portable bar of hammered brass.
There are no visible exits.
Valgrim asks Bubba or Vulcan to check for magic among the treasure and then he stores the rest inside his bag of holding.
If no secret passage, Valgrim continues following Allustan's tracks going right at the intersection.
Bubba detects for magic, then takes his usual [lace in the marching order.
Following Allustan's tracks, you turn right at the intersection and, after duly checking for traps, enter the pair of double doors at the end of the corridor. You find yourselves in a large chamber, 30 feet wide and 45 feet across.
This two-tiered hall shines with purple light from four large chandeliers. A large black sphere hangs between them. The chandeliers seem to be sculpted with small humanoid figures in silvery metal. A second-floor gallery with arches and spiralstriped pillars runs the length of the hallway to a second set of large double doors. The black tile floor absorbs the light from the chandeliers, and even sound in this chamber seems muted and dull.
Perception:
"Whoa, whoa, guys. Yeah, those are not black tiles on the floor, that's a black pudding. A very very big one. So let's avoid that, if we can. Hopefully, Allustan didn't go that way or he might have been eaten by that. What do we know about black puddings?"
Vug's eyes perk up. "A black pudding, you say! I wonder if I can safely get a sample..."
Allustan's tracks continue towards the doors to the left, clear of the pudding.
"We should be able to air walk past it without a problem, if Allustan was able to do so," Vug comments distractedly as she rummages in her pack, hoping it contains something like a spoon with a very, very long handle.
"Vug, leave it alone! I'm sure it will attack you if you touch it and again, it's very very big. Let's go find Allustan. This way." Valgrim heads toward the doors on the left, avoiding the pudding at all costs.
Vug whispers to the black pudding: [d]"Hey good looking! We'll be back to pick you up later!"[/b] She carefully air walks after Valgrim, trying not to disturb any air currents.
"Seriously Vug, there are things best left un^@@##ed with." Vulcan mutters casting a flight spell on himself before taking to the air to cross the area
The 10 feet wide passage behind the doors turns abruptly left after only a few feet, and then slopes gradually downwards into a large chamber.
This rectangular room has small columns around the edges that partially hide the carvings along the walls. Pale white light glows from two large wheel-shaped chandeliers, casting overlapping shadows throughout the room. Blue metal double doors stand at the top of a flight of stairs
opposite the main entrance, guarded by two warrior figures with raised double swords, as well as a single doorway to the south and double doors to the north, also guarded by warrior statues.
All this is eclipsed, though, by the enormous purple seven-legged spider that squats in the middle of the room, though.
Nature:
Vug whispers to her friends. "Be careful -- this weird thing is a Leng spider. It can cast spells and its bite can drive you crazy. Maybe we can parlay with it, though."
"Excuse me, Mister Spider: have you seen our f-f-friend come through here?"
Valgrim whispers back: "What is their general nature? Are they usually evil, Vug? Cuz you can't trust them, if they are!" Valgrim holds his axe ready for battle.
The spider is wearing a rather ill-fitting piece of cloth stretched over part of its head.
As you call out to it, the spider turns a number of glaring eyes in your direction and speaks in a raspy voice that somehow is immediately intelligible. "And who might you be, and who is your friend? I'm not used to visitors, and I can't say I care much for them either. Thieving scum, that's what they usually are."
'"Thieving scum! That we are certainty not! We are actually gladiators of some renown, and as my good elf here said, just looking for out friend. An older fellow, have you seen him?"
Bubba's oratory is dazzling but the spider remains inscrutable. "Well, I might or I might not. But I am also looking for a ...friend of mine. You will recognize him quite easily, for he just happens to be dead, although he lacks the good taste to lie down and rest in peace. If you should be so kind as to correct that little inconvenience and bring his carcass to me, I should be much obliged. He goes by the name "The Marquis of the river", and you'll find him somewhere here below."
Valgrim marvels at Bubba's confident and convincing cadence when he speaks. Maybe we can avoid combat. Not that I mind destroying undead, but why are we going to do this huge spider a favor? Better let the others do all the talking.
"So then you will let us pass in peace? Other than by name and the fact he is dead, how will we recognize your undead 'friend' if we happen to encounter him?"
As Bubba speaks to the huge spider, Feres moves to stand next to the half-orc bard and clasps his shoulder, imbuing him with a touch of the Dawnflower's glory.
The spider softens as Bubba continues to ply it with his silver tongues. "Ah, he's a ghoul, you know, you know the kind, sickly skin, dressed in outdated finery, you can't miss him. Since you ask so nicely, he absconded with something of mine, a little trinket from this tomb. I would very much like you to return it. As to your friend, if he's an old wizard, he's just a few doors away to your right. I think he's trapped in some kind of magical bubble. Now would you be so kind as to help me bring back my possession? The passages around here are a little cramped for me to get around comfortably.
"Thank you so much for the information. We will be back with your trinket shortly I'm sure."
Then to the party: "A few doors to the right. Shall we?"
Valgrim only nods his head but continues looking for Allustan's tracks to make sure he is not being led into a trap and leads the party away from the huge spider.
Allustan's tracks lead into this room but then they get difficult to follow. You'll have to trust the spider for now.
Gingerly passing the spider and keeping a healthy distance, you notice that it has collected a hoard of valuables. Ascending a set of stairs at the end of the room you enter another chamber, approximately 30 feet times 25 feet. The only visible exit is a pair of doors to your right.
A small statue of an armored Wind Duke, his left hand resting on a sword, his right held up to shield his eyes, stands at the far wall of this room as part of a small shrine. The statue seems to be made of gold, with sparkling blue gems for eyes; a beam of bright light shines onto the statue from above. The walls are carved with bas-reliefs of Wind Duke servants bowing and soldiers saluting. An elaborate carpet covers the floor, but it is badly worn and the colors have faded—only small patches of the complete pattern remain.
"Anyone want to check f-for magic?" Vug suggests as she stands by the door, still floating above the ground.
Vulcan swiftly mutters an arcane word as his eyes glow a silvery blue.
While Vulcan checks for magic, Valgrim will look the place over, paying attention to traps, hidden enemies, anything out of the ordinary, etc..
Feres casts a minor spell to bestow a bit of the Dawnflower's divine guidance to Valgrim as the dwarf checks for traps.
The walls radiate faint transmutation. Valgrim can't find anything in particular, except that he's able to pick up Allustan's trail again.
"Let's wait to loot until after we've found Allustan and made sure he is safe." Valgrim eyes the sparkling blue gems with some greed. He follows the wizard's trail.
"That sounds like a wise plan, Valgrim. I'd like to find out from Allustan what he hoped to find here."
The room beyond the doors is vaguely egg-shaped and about 40 feet across, with a narrow stairway leading down at the far end.
This room is full of flickering bluish light and a breeze that smells like thunderstorms. The floor slopes down toward the center from all directions, like a funnel. At the bottom crackles a sparkling globe of lightning. A metallic spike protruding down from a stone block in the ceiling touches
the very tip of the globe’s upper curve. Inside the globe floats a familiar human figure, a man with a long dark beard wearing torn and stained red robes. You seem to have found Allustan, but he's not moving.
"Well, there's something you don't see every day," Vug opines as she tries to identify the effect.
Spellcraft and Knowledge (arcana): take 10 for a result of 29
Valgrim sighs when he sees Allustan. "By the gods, there he is. Hope he's still alive and how in the nine hells did he get himself caught in that globe?" Valgrim screams out Allustan's name to see if he reacts. The dwarf turns to those more knowledgeable than he in magic for answers. "Vug, you may have to summon another horse to test this room out before walking inside."