Rilee blinks several times as she considers Sabrina's suggestions. "That's a really good idea, actually."
She bites her lip as she considers the ramifications of Olympus doing holy damage with his beak and talons. "Mr. Blakros? About those reagents, do you happen to have any diamonds?"
Argor nods, "Most certainly. Several spells and incantations require their properties."
"I'd like one, then. One with the approximate value that would be appropriate for a restoration spell."
Then she nods in Sabrina's direction. "Her suggestion, the amulet enchanted with holy power. Can you procure one?" Next, she removes her headband, passing it to him. "And one with double the enchantment than this one. You can have this one and I'll make up the difference."
"Very well, I shall see to the remaining acquisitions. Please, enjoy your reprieve in Absalom while you are able. If you need a good meal, I would be honored if you would make your way to the Ivy District to my restaurant, the Golden Raven. Although, Sabrina, I would appreciate it if you would take a less magnanimous form. The floors were just repolished," Argor says before his feet float from the floor and he begins to float from the room.
__________
A messenger locates you all, wherever you have managed to roam in the City at the Center of the World, and informs you that your presence is requested back at the Sanctum. When you arrive, it is a bee's nest of activity. Several Ulfen men, as well as what appears to be knights of Abadar, stand guard while priests of the same faith are unloading several stout chests from wagons and carrying them inside. William ushers you to enter as well. Once inside the storefront, you see the chests being set to the side of the room, while Argor and Arryn review the selections of items that were requested.
"Welcome back," Arryn says with a smile as you enter, causing Argor's eyes to look up from the wares as well. "We have good news! With some persuasion and negotiation, we were able to acquire everything on your list!"
"Indeed," Argor adds, "and in some cases, it was not an easy task. Nevertheless, the Sanctum prides itself on providing the best results in the business. As for the remainder of the wealth you have gained from your heroics," he gesture towards one of the chests. An Abadaran priest opens the lid and reveals rows and stacks of lustrous silver trade bars, each stamped with an image of a massive fortress overshadowed by a sphinx. "Platinum Sphinx trade bars, straight from the vault of the Abadaran temple. Most of those will remain with me to disperse to the individuals who sold the items, but a small portion of them are yours."
"Yes," a man wearing gold and white robes, with a large gold key dangling from a chain around his neck chimes in, "when Lord Blakros here approached us with your tale and artifacts, we were more than happy to pay a bounty on many of the items to insure they would not fall into the wrong hands and harm others ever again."
"And finally," Argor says as he steps over to Rilee, Rutai clinging to his shoulder. He removes from a pocket a small wooden box. Folding back the lid, he reveals a small but beautifully cut diamond sitting atop black velvet. "This particular gemstone should meet your needs. The clarity and cut are magnificent, and should focus the energies of magics well," he comments as he gently places the box in her hands.
He turns and steps back to the others, "Is there anything further we can do for you prior to your return to harms way?"
"Where has that Hound- Oh, I think that's everything, Lord Blakros; thank you so much for getting everything together as quickly as reasonably possible," says Setsuna as she realizes that Elvis has vanished at some point. He had been sitting silently in a corner for most of their meeting with Argor and staring into space, and when Sabrina had carried him to lunch/dinner like a sack of flour, he had started whining like a wounded dog.
As they wait for the Hound Archon, Setsuna finishes packing the smaller Bag of Holding with all of the group's goods; she also pulls out her Rod of Lesser Extend Spell, casts two buffs empowered by its magic, and then stores the instrument away.
"Hey, Setsu, you seem a little light on brawn; the only thing standing between you and an army of giant meatshields is your tiny gal pal and Rilee's old buzzard. Hows about we... I round up a posse to help you? I don't think those giants will feel so smug after tussling with me, Big Ben, Handsome Honey, and Windy~!" Sabrina proposes as she flexes her enormous muscles.
"...I really appreciate the offer, Sabs, but I fear for Zoli and Eugeni if we delay any longer. While I deeply appreciate how quickly Lord Blakros arranged everything, I rather... foolishly hoped that we would already back there by now, and we only have a little time left with Elvis," answers Setsuna with a depressed sigh. "Besides, while you always seem to have the right spells prepared, I don't think any of your friends or the other editors of the Chronicles were expecting to go fighting giants today."
"...Point," Sabrina Right admits. However, the Left head continues on, "Maybe we could-"
"Sabrina, I'll be fine! I know that you worry about me, but I'm much stronger than I was when I set off on my own."
There is a long moment of silence between the two sisters.
"Okay," says Sabrina quietly. Both of her heads. "A year ago, you would've jumped at my offer like a man dying of thirst would for a canteen of water. However, now... now... I can see why you would turn it down. Very well, Setsu. I respect your decision."
Setsuna can tell that there is a massive "Even if I don't really agree with it!" clause that her twin left out, but she knows that Sabrina is (mostly) being sincere.
As if on cue, Elvis stumbles in through a nearby door.
"I... ain't nothing... but a Hound dog..." he mutters quietly, his stare a thousand yards away and his voice trembling. The archon throws the bigger Bag of Holding on the ground and silently gestures for Rilee and Setsuna to get inside. He then more politely hands Setsuna her Ring back.
"Have you found a safe spot for the trip back?" asks a confused Setsuna as she slips on her Ring again.
Elvis nods quietly.
"...Okay. Well, it was nice meeting you, Lord Blakros. If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I would love to return some day and meet the others. Sabrina, I'll see you later. I promise to visit soon."
"Later, Setsu! You two, Rilee!" replies both of her sister's heads.
Setsuna and her twin hug before the former departs.
After Elvis teleports the party's divine casters back to the safe spot and pulls them out of the Bag, Setsuna decides to dismiss the Hound; while he can beat an ogre in combat, she doubts the same holds true for a stone giant.
"Alright, Elvis, you can go. I truly appreciate... Is everything alright, Elvis?"
"I ain't nothing but a Hound dog... snoopin' 'round the store. I ain't nothing but a Hound dog... Poor kid was bleedin' on the floor. I ain't nothing but a Hound dog... cryin' all the time... cryin' all the time... cryin' all the time... cry-"
Tears streaking down his cheeks, a weeping Elvis promptly vanishes back to Heaven.
"...Wat."
5th - 0/5
4th - 1/7
3rd - 1/8
2nd - 2/8
1st - 0/8
After exchanging her coin and the items, Rilee wild shapes into a small falcon and takes to the skies of Absalom for a while, then returns to the Sanctum's eaves. She roosts there for several hours, resting while the business is conducted.
She shifts back, when the store owner presents all their items. She takes the objects she chose -- the cracked ioun stone that still manages a wobbly orbit over her head, a copper amulet with a symbol of Irori proudly in its center, and an ornate headband made from petrified wood.
When Mr. Blakros shows her the beautifully cut diamond, a surge of memory strikes her. She remembers graceful hands lined with age, delicate instruments for cleaving off tiny facets of gemstones and setting the dazzling stones in beautiful metal. She gasps softly, and in the place of those old wrinkled fingers, her soft, young feminine hands reach out and accepts the stone. "Harddwch carreg ei gyfateb yn unig gan yr enaid sy'n gwisgo hi," she mutters under her breath.
"A stone's beauty is only matched by the soul who wears it."
Then she blinks and looks up. "Wow, that came out unbidden. I don't even know what I said just then." She takes it and gives it a kiss. Thinking of the stone's beauty that would have to be sacrificed if she ever needed to bring her friend back, it made sense. Something so lovely would have to leave this world in order to bring her friend back.
"Well, thank you. I do appreciate the efforts you have made to make sure our needs are met. Perhaps we'll meet again, and I can try to repay your kindness," she tells the floating man.
Then she turns to Sabrina and gives her a big hug. "Goodbye, grandchild! Best of luck to you! Thank you for your suggestions!"
"You are most welcome, Rilee, Child of the Storm. I would be honored to make your acquaintance once more. If, by chance, you happen upon something academically significant, I would be honored if you would let me know," the mage replies before bidding the group farewell.
Rilee goes off with Setsu despite Zoli's protestations. Turning to Eugeni and Conna, she says, "Hmmmph. It's not like anything dangerous could happen here in this nefarious giant's tower while they go shopping.
"...Well, I guess we'd best rest up while they're out. Conna, you must be exhausted too, eh? Do you think this is a safe spot to camp? I want to make sure we always have someone up to keep watch; are you up for splitting watch with Eugeni and me? If not we can just take turns."
Conna assures you that she can keep you safe and hidden enough for the two of you to rest peacefully. She leads the two of you to the back passage from where she spoke with you, and seals off the far side. "Nobody should be traveling through there, and none approach my cavern for fear of my husband's spirit. Rest well," she says before turning back to her chamber.
Hours later, she wakes you, "Your friends have returned."
She guides you to the tunnel that leads deeper into the earth, and wishes you luck in defeating Mokmurian. She indeed does cast her blurring magics on each of you before you depart. The tunnels wind and weave for hundreds and hundreds of feet, long enough for Conna's enchantment to dissipate without a need for use. The workmanship of these tunnels is distinctly different from that of the tunnels above or the giantcraft of Jorgenfist itself.
The gradual change from natural cavern to worked stone is finally complete after the long, spiraling descent into the depths. Where the walls meet, hard angles have been polished away to smooth but tight arcs that somewhat soften the transitions from wall to wall or to floor or ceiling. With no hard lines defining edges of rooms, the place seems subtly alien.
As she listens and looks for danger, Setsuna's pointed ears reflexively twitch. After a second, she realizes that the shadows in the cave are... borderline nonexistent. In fact, it might as well be daylight.
This weird change in her perception throws off her focus.
Rilee gives Olympus a huge hug when she returns, then excitedly passes the amulet over the bird's great head. "There you go, big guy. You'll be a terror to all the evil creatures down here."
Then Rilee goes into the dire bear cave and hits them each with the charm animal spells she prepared that morning. Two of the three bears respond to the spell, and she coaxes them out of their den, and gives them lots of affection. "There we go, fellows! Who's a big, fuzzy ball of fur! You are! And you!" After spending a few minutes with them figuring out the tricks they've been taught, she has them pretty well behaved while under the spell.
"Aren't they wonderful?" she says, beaming. She throws her arms around one of their shaggy necks and scratches behind his ears.
The tunnels Conna points towards are dark. Rilee peers ahead with her darkvision, but looks back at her animal companions. "I guess we're back to me, Eugeni and Setsuna leading the way, or we need to use a light source. Or, that wand you had us pick up in Absalom, would you be willing to use it on Olympus and my two new friends?"
Setsuna easily activates Zoli's new wand and gives her the blessing of darkvision to Zoli and Olympus.
"There you go."
Zoli nods to Rilee's question. "Sure, I can share my wand with your new friends."
As they make their way past the last of Conna's light, she lets out a cooo of marvelment. "This is what it's like, seeing in the dark, eh? I love it! I mean, I'd miss color but how cool is it to be able to see without any light at all. And to be able to sneak a bit ahead without stumbling in the dark or giving my position away!"
Walking a bit further in, she says, "Hey! Can you tell? This is totally Thassilonian design. See how that star motif there is similar to the ones we saw at Thistletop? And the Catacombs under the the Glassworks? Only they didn't have these trippy rounded corners. Don't they make everything seem weird!?!"
Zoli--excited to make use of her ability to see in the dark--leads them down the hall. She finds an abandoned alcove and a cave-in that blocks the hall entirely. After poking around at it, she points out, "This was done intentionally. I wonder if they were trying to keep something out...OR IN!?!" The latter she says in her most dramatic voice.
Moving on to the other hallway, she goes a bit ahead, but waves the others toward her quietly when she sees light ahead. She steps into the chamber...and feels very strange.
Those with line of sight on her can tell that she's suddenly halved in size. In a higher-than-usual voice, Zoli calls out, "Whoa!! This room's super super trippy. I feel like it was trying to mess with my head...and suddenly it's like the room got twice as large."
Just then she sees a massive giant appear. "Ooops, time to work! One sec, guys."
She whips the icy blue scarf in her off hand with panache, and starts to swing with her scimitar.
Her first swing is incredibly wild--clearly disoriented by the change in size--but her second slices into it's leg, drawing blood.
__________________
Should anyone try to attack Zoli, the ermine on her shoulder gives her a guiding chitter and nudge, helping her to avoid getting squashed.
AC 29 (and 31 vs the first three attacks against her, thanks to Grettela’s ermine insight.)
HP 75/75
Luck 20/20
Panache 4/5 (-1 from scarf)
Charmed Life 2/4 (-2 for two saves in this room)
Luck o’ the Scene 1/1
Lessons of Chaldira 1/1
False Life 1/1
Wand o' Darkvision 46/50
Grettela’s HP 37/37
Active effects
Darkvision 3 hrs duration (since entering caverns)
Shield other: will divide damage aimed at Zoli with Grettela (familiar)
A pair of double doors stands in the southern wall of this room. The floor is made of glossy, polished black-and-gray marble. To the east, what might have once been another exit has long since caved in. Yet nothing in the room compares to the curious effect that its walls have—looking into the room, it’s bizarrely impossible to judge the chamber’s exact dimensions. Any wall looked at directly remains stable, but through peripheral vision the walls everywhere else seem to stretch away into impossibly infinite gulfs, as if the room itself were somehow “unhooked” from its own physicality. The sheets of pale light that flicker across the walls only add to the disorienting effect.
As Zoli steps into the chamber 15 feet ahead of the group, she grasps her head momentarily and sways as if dizzy, shrinking right before your eyes! Now the size of a common house cat, she looks to her left and dashes that direction with her scimitar!
The giant roars with pain as it prepares to retaliate with its club. As it raises it up to swing, the runes on its body flare with blue energy, and it suddenly is moving much faster! As the runes fade, a new one seems to magically appear on his left forearm. It swings its club in a flurry, but only manages to strike her once!
Setsuna activates her Ring of Invisibility and then flies into the room to see what the ruck us, keeping to just under the ceiling to allow the bears and her friends room to move.
And suddenly, the world becomes much larger.
Zoli and Grettela grimace in concert as the club connects with her shoulder. Ooof, better not make a habit of allowing him to do that!
Then, noticing the runes, she calls out, "Hey, look at how they're glowing! What's up with that?"
Getting the hang of it, she connects twice with her scimitar--once drawing a pained moan as it digs and twists into the giant's groin.
______________
Should anyone try to attack Zoli, the ermine on her shoulder gives her a guiding chitter and nudge, helping her to avoid getting squashed.
AC 31 (and 33 vs the first three attacks against her, thanks to Grettela’s ermine insight.)
HP 72/83
Luck 20/20
Panache 5/5 (+1 from crit, -1 if parries)
Charmed Life 2/4
Luck o’ the Scene 1/1
Lessons of Chaldira 1/1
False Life 1/1
Wand o' Darkvision 46/50
Grettela’s HP 26/37
Active effects
Darkvision 3 hrs duration (since entering caverns)
Shield other: will divide damage aimed at Zoli with Grettela (familiar)
Rilee moves forward, the magical energies washing over her harmlessly. She studies the giant and answers Zoli. "They're runeslaves! Manipulated by magic, made stronger but dumber. Immune to pain, you can only put them out of their misery."
Then she looks at the reduced halfling. "You're so cute!"
Eugeni moves into the chamber as well, and immediately begins wrenching as he struggles to deal with the strange effect this room has on the mind!
As the group looks over the room free of apparent threats, a giant sized metal horror leans out from the wall and belches forth molten slag from its abdomen all over Eugeni and Rilee!
The creature then lashes out at the minuscule Zoli, chomping away at her with both mouths and claws! Zoli can feel the heat from the creatures innards wear on her Armor, but the mithral seems to still be fine.
It then steps back into the wall, leaving not a trace of its presence!!!
__________
Zoli winks in response to Rilee's comment. "You think being pocket-sized suits me? It's kind of fun, I admit."
Zoli shouts, "Gaaauugh!" as the metal monster chews her and spits her out
"What is that thing? I don't much like getting bitten and clawed by it. Rilee, can you do that spell that makes my skin all barky?" After a moment's thought, she adds, "It doesn't make me flamable, does it?"
She calls on Chaldira's good fortune to protect her, and then readies to attack it if it burst back onto the scene.
__________________
Should anyone try to attack Zoli, the ermine on her shoulder gives her a guiding chitter and nudge, helping her to avoid getting squashed.
AC 34 (and 36 vs the 2nd and 3rd attacks against her, thanks to Grettela’s ermine insight.)
HP 52/83
Luck 19/20
Panache 5/5 (-1 if parries)
Charmed Life 2/4
Luck o’ the Scene 1/1
Lessons of Chaldira 1/1
False Life 1/1
Wand o' Darkvision 46/50
Grettela’s HP 9/37
Active effects
Fighting defensively: +3 AC, -4 to Hit
Darkvision (3 hrs duration, since entering caverns)
Shield other: will divide damage aimed at Zoli with Grettela (familiar)
Reduce Person (duration: ???)
Reach +5’ (6/10 rounds)
Eugeni finds himself thinking a lot during the rest in Conna's cave. He knows that they all might die the next day, and finds himself longing for a personal connection. He was a grown man who had never known a woman, thanks to his canine appearance. Now he was with a beautiful and powerful elven vixen, and he could feel death breathing down his neck. Thinking of Setsuna, he finds his britches to be uncomfortably small during the long wait for her return. No more b&#*!$%*, no more fear, Eugeni. You've got to make a move, or die a virgin. She wouldn't dare reject you after all you've been through together. Maybe she's just too scared to make the first move too. It's not like she's had a normal life from what she's told you. He spends the rest of the time working himself up to do something when the girls return.
As Rilee goes off to work her magics on the bears, Eugeni approaches Setsuna, pulling her aside.
Eugeni finds Setsuna absentmindedly playing with her cloak of shadows. It seems thicker and denser than before. The darkness dances like fire around the Oracle's slender hands.
"Hey, hun!" Setsuna greets happily as Eugeni approaches, earning a tender smile from his girfriend. As always, she listens intently to him.
"Hey, can we go somewhere private for a few minutes? I want to talk to you before we rush off into danger again..."
"Sure!" Setsuna chirps. When Eugeni leads them to a more secluded spot, the Oracle asks carefully, "Is this about me... disappearing in the middle of that heated battle? ...I'm so sorry. That general had a potion that let him see me, and I was worried about being pulped against the wall like what happened to our allies at Hook Mountain, so I panicked. Leaving like that was kind of... cowardly of me. It won't happen again, Eugeni."
"What?" Eugeni asks, confused. "No, not at all. I don't think of you as a coward, Setsu. The opposite actually. I just wanted to tell you how much it means to me to have you at my side as we fight for Varisia. And...and...aw s@$#. I don't know how to say so I'll just say it. We might both die in the next few hours. I've never been with a woman before, and I've never felt for a woman the way I feel for you. I don't want to die without knowing you all the way...knowing you in that way."
Eugeni blushes furiously at his admission. He steels himself, certain that she will find the request too forward, or too strange being in a cave, or just too fast or wrong.
Setsuna turns as red as a ripe tomato. Before her brain start working again, she seems to literally stall for a few seconds.
"...I, uh, think I get what you're saying, hun," the Oracle manages to say after a bit of silence. "I kinda feel the same way; I was just too nervous to say anything, so..."
She looks awkwardly to the side before gently taking Eugeni's hand.
"Just be gentle. I'm a bit... inexperienced with these sorts of matters."
At that remark, Setsuna turns so red that she could be mistaken for a Tiefling.
******
"Eugeni?! Hun?! Are you okay? ...Oh, sweet Desna, I broke him!"
Setsuna is not entirely sure what happened. There had been a... spike during their... most intimate moment and then stars. She had literally felt her Divine Spark surge with power and then briefly blacked out.
When the Oracle woke up, Eugeni had been laying on the ground twitching, his limbs flopping about, shortening and enlongating. His tusks and teeth were erupting into demonic fangs, as rows of horns sprouted from his forehead and fell out to dissolve into sulfur on the floor of the cave. He did not appear to be conscious, but was moaning in pain. After a few moments he subsided back to his normal form. Waking up, he had a haunted look in his eye. "What..."
"What just happened. One minute we were there on the floor, together...and then...they were tearing me to pieces, eating me! That thing behind you...so big.......so....alien...."
"Guys, you should know something. I saw Ameiko's shamisen back there in one of the garbage piles. I think they have her in here somewhere. If she's still alive...we've got to make sure we find her."
Eugeni moves into the corner away from Setsuna and Zoli, ready to shoot at the metal thing if it should appear again.
...Time to nip this problem in the bud.
Sensing that this enemy could prove to be extremely problematic and annoying, Setsuna flies a circle to maintain her height and charges a Plane Shift spell on her casting hand; she then begins to contemplate the horrible places she can send this foe.
In most cases, if you don't discharge a touch spell on the round you cast it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the spell) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round until the spell is discharged. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates.
Some touch spells allow you to touch multiple targets as part of the spell. You can't hold the charge of such a spell; you must touch all targets of the spell in the same round that you finish casting the spell.
Zoli scratches her head as the metal monster disappears. "Huh! You know, I think that thing reminds me of an old dwarven legend: the Scanderigs, or 'forgefiends'. They are supposed to be native to the Plane of Earth, but sometimes make their way through subterranean portals onto the Material Plane, where they gorge themselves on rich and relatively uncontested mineral veins. A forgefiend might live quite happily inside a mountain's heart for centuries, only causing trouble when the ore runs out or interlopers attempt to mine its territory.
"From the tales, I gather that forgefiends are particularly feared in many dwarven societies. In addition to their penchant for destroying deep forges, they are often portrayed as boogeyman-like figures for frightening dwarven children and instilling good smithing habits—for it is said, 'For every scrap of slag you waste, a scanderig is making haste. Those who use excessive ore find forgefiends scratching at their door!'
"Anyway, in the stories their armor's tough to pierce, and fire and poison can't hurt them at all.”
She stands steady for several breaths, waiting for the forgefiend to return, and then finally says, "Uh, hey Rilee, while we're waiting, could you tap Grettela and me with that wand of yours? These matching bite-marks are kind of cool, but I don't think they're in fashion this season."
AC 31
HP 82/83
Luck 19/20
Panache 4/5
Charmed Life 2/4
Luck o’ the Scene 1/1
Lessons of Chaldira 1/1
False Life 1/1
Wand o' Darkvision 46/50
Grettela’s HP 33/37
Active effects
Darkvision (3 hrs duration, since entering caverns)
Shield other: will divide damage aimed at Zoli with Grettela (familiar)
Reduce Person (duration: ???)
"Can someone else get the door? I'm holding a spell, and I can't touch anyone or anything without it discharging. And I'd rather not send any of us to Hell."
Rilee taps Zoli, her ermine, and herself several times each with her wand. "Probably should have bought another one of these while in Absalom," she mutters as she spends most of the wand's power to heal them up.
She nods at Zoli's explanation about the forgefiend. "Huh. Strange, so it's not specifically an ally of Mokmurian's? Okay. Hopefully, it's had its fun with us."
Then she considers Zoli's earlier request. "All right. Here you go." She chants, then touches the diminutive halfling, imbuing her with additional toughness. Then she spends a moment to recall the spell in her mind thanks to her pearl of power and does the same for Olympus.
With Setsuna unable to touch anything without discharging her spell, Rilee shakes her head and moves to the door. "All right, get ready." She whistles to Olympus, grunts to the bears, and gets them ready to go. Then she throws open the door.
Zoli grins as her skin grows tough and barky.
"Thanks, mom!", she teases.
Zoli grins as her skin grows tough and barky.
"Thanks, mom!", she teases.
"Use it wisely!" she says with a wink.
Eugeni follows the bears through the door. "Whatever it was, I hope Rilee's right."
Runes are carved in bands along the walls of this chamber, which is unnervingly lit by a reddish glow from the slowly burning flames in a shallow firepit in the center of the room. An immense iron cauldron, its side emblazoned with an etching of a seven-pointed star, stands above these flames. Smoke rises from the cauldron’s unseen bubbling contents, and a halo of human bones and scraps of what might be dried flesh lie scattered around the cauldron’s three-pronged base. A stone statue the size of a giant, its body carved to look like a muscle bound figure with its head carved like a skull, stands near the cauldron. As the first bear enters the room, it's skull head turns to face it and it moves to attack! It slams two stony fists hard into the unsuspecting bear's head and body, eliciting a pained roar of defiance from the bear.
Rilee winces in sympathy as her bear friend is slammed. "Big statue! What is it?"
"It doesn't matter; it's going to Hell," Setsuna's disembodied voice says as she flies over to the statue and discharges her spell on it.
Even though her invisibility breaks, Setsuna stills instinctively attempts to mask her presence; somehow, she seems to just vanish into the shadows.
...Wat just happened?
Setsuna can feel the magic discharge, but the statue does not travel to Hell as intended. It remains here, steadfast in its attack on the group.
Eugeni growls, unable to see. He runs forward, leaping light across the backs of the bears, before vaulting off the rump of the foremost bear to sail over the skull beast's head.
(54 feet)
(need to beat its CMD)
While flying through the air he artfully rolls, avoiding the reach of the enemy? and landing lightly on both feet. He hops back to put his back to the wall, and fires an arrow at the thing.
33 to hit for + (if giant)
Zoli looks quizzically at the animated statue, but can't make much sense of it.
"Huh, there are lots of plays where statues come to life...but the only pertinent detail I remember is always assume statues want to kill you!
"A little late for that tidbit, so I guess it's time to see how it likes the taste of Baern's Breath!"
With that the tiny halfling runs along, tumbling to stay safe, and swings her tiny scimitar at the statue's tender bits.
__________________
Should anyone try to attack Zoli, the ermine on her shoulder gives her a guiding chitter and nudge, helping her to avoid getting squashed.
AC 37 for first 3 attacks, then 35 (29+2 reduced(DEX+size)+4 barkskin; +2 bodyguard for first three attacks)
HP 82/83
Luck 19/20
Panache 4/5 (-1 to extend reach; +1 for crit, if confirmed)
Charmed Life 2/4
Luck o’ the Scene 1/1
Lessons of Chaldira 1/1
False Life 1/1
Wand o' Darkvision 46/50
Grettela’s HP 33/37
Active effects
Barkskin (110 min duration, since just after fighting giant in weird carnival room)
Darkvision (3 hrs duration, since entering caverns)
Shield other: will divide damage aimed at Zoli with Grettela (familiar)
Reduce Person (duration: ???)
Rilee urges the bears to attack, then whistles to send Olympus in as well.
As the group moves in and assaults the massive statue, the Forgefiend reemerges from the wall beside Rilee, now that she is isolated, and lashes out at her! She avoids its largest mouth, but both claws and its smaller maw tear into her!
The statue lets out a pulse of magic, and Olympus and one of the bears begins moving slowly. It then slams its fists again into he wounded bear!
__________
Zoli--unable to see down the hall--calls out, "Rilee, you OK back there? What's happening?"
Meanwhile, she keeps hacking away at the massive stone foe with her tiny-but-deadly blade. "Ungh. I'm making progress on this thing, but I hate the feel of scimitar on stone."
______________
Should anyone try to attack Zoli, the ermine on her shoulder gives her a guiding chitter and nudge, helping her to avoid getting squashed.
AC 37 for first 3 attacks, then 35 (29+2 reduced(DEX+size)+4 barkskin; +2 bodyguard for first three attacks)
HP 82/83
Luck 18/20
Panache 4/5
Charmed Life 2/4
Luck o’ the Scene 1/1
Lessons of Chaldira 1/1
False Life 1/1
Wand o' Darkvision 46/50
Grettela’s HP 33/37
Active effects
Luck +2 to hit, damage, saves
Barkskin (110 min duration, since just after fighting giant in weird carnival room)
Darkvision (3 hrs duration, since entering caverns)
Shield other: will divide damage aimed at Zoli with Grettela (familiar)
Reduce Person (duration: ???)
"NO! It's baaaack!" Rilee shouts as she retreats around the corner. Then she blows a whistle to recall Olympus back to her. Despite moving slower, the great bird flies back over the head of the golem and lands with a challenging screech.
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After witnessing Rilee's reaction, Smol Setsuna sighs, flares her wings, and then rockets off to Plane Shift the weird creature harassing the group; she manages to discharge the spell with no resistance.
It begins to fade away but snarls and clenches its teeth and remains on the material plane.
...Oh for the love of Desna! Setsuna groans mentally as she once again wills herself to hide in the shadows.
Eugeni feels his blood rising as he hears of the forgefiend's return. His vision goes red as his skin ripples and flexes. His muscles swell and his limps deform into aberrant flexing shapes. He screams...and screams. Then the arrows fly.
miss,miss,hit,miss,crit,miss
The forgefiend slips back into the stone wall, a malicious chuckle emanating from its core.
The statue continues to batter the same bear, whose legs begin to grow weak from the strength of the blows.
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