Arc watches Johann closely as he muses about feeling differently. "That which we put under the most pressure has a tendency to break free, Monsieur Johann," he says. "Channel it in a productive fashion, and do not let your fear keep you from acting when you must."
Zagathoth raises an eyebrow at Johann's confession but offers no comment. Returning his attention to the brazier he offers, "If you have candles why not light one and we can throw it in? Or put it in with magic?"
The indigo crystal glows with a bright ultraviolet light...
Only the green crystal remains to be lit now to unlock the “deeper mysteries” of the lower catacombs!
Returning to the central chamber, the party now approaches the southwest archway, Fox scouting in fox form with a glowing fingerbone tied to his fluffy tail...
Quinlan lights a candle and with a raised hand carefully directs it through the air to light the crystal.
Zagathoth smiles as the crystal lights up. "Only one more now!"
Still wondering what the Gremlins might have had in store with that last one, the fox and his thrush begin scouting the final passageway.
As the little fox enters this rectangular chamber, he detects no sign of enemies or traps...
There is a wooden table here with four high-backed pine chairs around it. Atop the table are a pewter flagon of what appears to be ale, two pewter mugs (half full of ale), and a sheet of vellum with the now-familiar spidery script in Infernal, scrawled in red, by the same unholy hand that scribed the other documents previously discovered in these catacombs...
After scanning the room for magic Quinlan picks up the vellum and reads it aloud inf English.
"But we have one light left..."
|
Lucius reads the parchment along with Quinlan. "This is most disturbing. Let us complete our tasks here and return the letter to his Holiness." He pauses and then speaks again, clearly troubled. "The fact that the letter remains here concerns me however - if this '666' is the one who has scryed upon us before then he is more than capable of removing such evidence. We must be cautious."
Wow! His Grace Cardinal Lucius is wise! What if that letter is a trick to divert the fellas elsewhere while the Big Bad Guy does his dirty deeds here in Rome!? Twisted!
Good point! Worse yet, it could be bait for a trap, ya know what I mean?
Ya! It could be a big chunk o’ stale cheese set there to get the fellas to put their necks down for the steel chomper!
Pressing on, Fox scouts the ultimate ossuary of the southwest corridor...
This chamber contains the green crystal, suspended like the others from a silver chain linked to the twenty-foot-high ceiling, over a bronze brazier.
An inscription in English is graven on the wall behind the green crystal which reads:
The Green Crystal Flames can only be lit by that which normally douses it.
"So, water then?"
Quinlan uncorks his water skin. Using mage hand he pours it over the crystal from a safe distance.
"So, water then?"
Quinlan uncorks his water skin. Using mage hand he pours it over the crystal from a safe distance.
The water pouring over the contents of the brazier causes the alchemical substance the fuel is soaked with to combust, lighting the green crystal!
With all six crystals lit, the Catacombs San Callisto seem to tremor slightly. The sound of great tumblers rolling back can be heard from the south archway...
Returning to the central ossuary now, the adventurers are rewarded for their efforts with a full rainbow glow from the southern archway. They have unlocked the “deeper mysteries” of the lower catacombs, whatever those may be.
Scouting ascertains that after thirty feet of a ten-foot-wide-by-fifteen-foot-high corridor, the southbound way terminates at a pair of gleaming metallic doors, with a lintel stone above them inset with six glowing crystals—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and indigo!
The doors have been unsealed and thrown wide, revealing a stairway of hewn marble descending to the south into darkness...
|
"FINALLY!" As Johann peers into the gloom of the marble stairwell, he wonders what evil lurks beyond. Have they finally come to the end of their journey, at long last? Is it time to confront the Devil himself and save the world? He decides to keep these thoughts to himself. No need to scare the more squishy members of the group.
"FOX, AREN'T YOU GOING TO SCOUT AHEAD? I'M SURE THERE IS NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF."
"I can go first if you want, fox," Zagathoth offers while holding doomcresent at the ready.
The southbound stairs descend some hundred feet to a vault housing a spiral stairway that winds down into further depths...
The lower catacombs are accessed via a spiral stone stair that winds down some sixty feet deeper to a square chamber, thirty feet across, with a low (ten-foot) ceiling. A dark archway in the south wall opens into a corridor to the next chamber. The skulls and bones of countless long-dead Romans are heaped against the walls.
From the south can be heard the sound of a waterfall or fountain...
As the final crystal is lit, a magical alarm is triggered in the sanctuary of the Antichrist...
So... The interlopers have breached the Rainbow Gate... In under three days time... That means they are better than common rabble... But how will they fare in the lower catacombs? Even if my faithful minions and devious traps do not cost them life and limb, and they penetrate through the gauntlet of revelations, how will they hold to their faith after what they shall witness? Poor little lambs... Heading straight into the lion's den! Let us have another look at these trespassers...
Creeping up to a crystal ball held by a wrought-iron titanic raven claw, the Antichrist intones a divination to scry the antechamber of the first level of the lower catacombs, where the adventurers currently gather...
[dice=Perception]1d20+3
The bubble and splash of a fountain can be heard as the southern chamber is approached, coming from the Fountain of Blood on the south wall! A 20-foot-wide basin of rose quartz arcs ten feet out from the wall, and collects what looks like blood spilling from the wounds of a white marble statue of Christ crucified. As soon as the blood spills into the basin, it transforms into ruby red wine!
A dark archway yawns in the east wall...
Out of the shadowy corners of the chamber spring six skeletal champions in mail with longswords and wooden shields!
ANOTHER BONY BASH!! ROUND 1!! EEEEK!!
CARDINAL LUCIUS! cast shield of faith...
JOHANN!
SKELETAL CHAMPIONS!
OGON FOX!
QUINLAN!
ZAGATHOTH!
ARC!
BOGA!
OOH OOH AH AH AH!!!
THE SKELETAL CHAMPIONS MOVE IN TO ATTACK
[OOC]#1 vs CARDINAL LUCIUS misses!
#2 vs CARDINAL LUCIUS strikes for slashing damage!
#3 vs ZAGATHOTH strikes for slashing damage!
#4 vs OGON FOX strikes for slashing damage!
#5 vs JOHANN confirm critical hits dealing slashing damage!
#6 vs ARC strikes for slashing damage!
"Fall back!" the Ogon Fox cries as he feels the bite of a rusty sword. He retreats from the battle, careful not to open himself to further attacks at first and then moving quickly.
"SOMETIMES, YOU ARE A WISE FOX, FOX. TACTICAL RETREAT!"
Johann also retreats back up the stairs.
running again... I guess it worked last time... I think I can get one swing before I go...
Zagathoth snarls in frustration and brings doomcresent whistling around at the skeleton that attacked him.
,
,
After landing a solid blow, he attempts to tumble safely back into the hall with the others.
[dice=Int]1d20-1
running again... I guess it worked last time... I think I can get one swing before I go...
Zagathoth snarls in frustration and brings doomcresent whistling around at the skeleton that attacked him.
[dice=power attack]1d20+7, [dice=for]2d4+10
[dice=confirm?]1d20+7, [dice=for another]2d4+10
After landing a solid blow, he attempts to tumble safely back into the hall with the others.
[dice=acrobatics]1d20+8
Zag’s tremendous chop obliterates one of the skeletal champions!
Following Johann's lead, Boga shouts, "Fall back to inside the hallway! Force them to funnel to us!" Retreating backwards, he makes room for the others while uttering a short prayer that calls for divine protection on Zagathoth. "Protect him, Lord. Deliver him back to us."
[dice=Perception]1d20+11
Following Johann's lead, Boga shouts, "Fall back to inside the hallway! Force them to funnel to us!" Retreating backwards, he makes room for the others while uttering a short prayer that calls for divine protection on Zagathoth. "Protect him, Lord. Deliver him back to us."
** spoiler omitted **
"I believe the time has come to run!" Arc does his best to be supportive of the group's decision, though a small, sinister part of him is disappointed at the lack of ensuing carnage.
ANOTHER BONY BASH!! ROUND 2!! EEEEK!!
CARDINAL LUCIUS!
JOHANN!
SKELETAL CHAMPIONS!
OGON FOX!
QUINLAN!
ZAGATHOTH!
ARC!
BOGA!
OOH OOH AH AH AH!!!