It took a few days, and one of you was seriously close to death, but here you are, at the ruins. You can also see why no one had found it yet as it seems that its recently resurfaced through tectonic activity. the entrance seems to be two large stone doors that are closed, symbolic creatures are etched into the stonework depicting the battles that must have taken place centuries ago. Some shapes are so mangled you can hardly believe they're creatures.
Still though, the doors are closed. The land around you is cracked, dry earth and sand. Not a sound in the air, not a living thing in sight.
Vitrius surveyed their surroundings, taking in the strangeness of it all. While he was used to the silence, the fact that this ruin seemed to have appeared out of the ground recently was definitely unnerving.
"If this is not anomalous, I do not know what is. Let me take a look at those carvings, see if they make any sense." Vitrius walks over towards the doors and looks closer at the decorations.
Tes attempts to decipher the script utilizing all she knows from her past studies.
Knowledge History
Knowledge Arcana
Knowledge Nature
Knowledge Religion
Investigation
The area is as empty as you first observed it. Not even a breeze.
As for the engravings, you can see the past tribes of being cowed by monstrous beasts and giant behemoths. Only three figures stand against these titans.
The area is as empty as you first observed it. Not even a breeze.
As for the engravings, you can see the past tribes of being cowed by monstrous beasts and giant behemoths. Only three figures stand against these titans.
The door doesn't seem to be magically sealed, and judging by its construction and the stone its made of, it just needs a large amount of strength to push open.
There doesn't seem to be anything religious about the construction overall.
It could be your imagination, but there might be slightest or vibrations running through the ground.
"Ground buzzing. Like hit by big thing." Kick-lick says, looking around, "Eyes on horizon."
Tes turns to Kick, "I feel it too. Where it is coming from is what I do not know. It will take great strength to move these doors perhaps all together we can try it?"
"Yes. All together makes good, just like back in warren!" He smiles happily, and positions himself against the wall.
"Could it be the roil?" Kala En questions out loud when Kick-Lick mentions the ground buzzing. She conjures a wisp of mana to fortell the weather just in case. Druidcraft to check the weather for the day.
If the coast is clear, she'll set to work on the doors.
With the goblin's assistance in finding a crevice, Kala En conjures a line of seaweed to snake in and snag the other side, then pulls!
Kala holds out her hand and concentrates. Soon a golden orb appears (signifying clear skies as the weather prediction).
.
Phaerlin moves and begins trying to open the door with sheer physicality.
"These reliefs seem to tell the story of guardians against a great threat. This might be someone's tomb," Vitrius says as he places his hands on the door to help push it open.
Kala En will hold off on the thornwhip plan, and stands at the side opposite the vampires, ready to aid the cleric.
"What do you think Tes, can we pull these doors open?"
Vitrius and Phaerlin both attempt to pry the doors open, but even with Kala and Kick-Lick helping the heavy doors barely shift. You take a moment to catch your breath, confident you can get it with enough effort and ti-.
(sound of rapid rumbling in the far off distance)
Wait....what was that?
Those of you who sensed the vibrations and those who haven't are definitely feeling them now. You look off to the horizon, the direction opposite the Tower Tree Forest which is long out of sight, and can see...something. Something writhing, moving, and heading towards your position.
It's a sea, almost a literal see of writhing masses, bulbous shapes, and sharp tendrils. And then you it. One massive hulking behemoth, clawing its way towards you, its tail brushing aside the other smaller eldrazi as it rushes forward. There must be thousands led by this one giant.
You estimate you have about 2 minutes before the horde reaches your location. You estimate that at the pace they're moving, they are full out running with no signs of stopping
You can see the behemoth in the horizon arc its back and spew forth what looks to be pods. They arc high and land with squelching thud nearby. From these pods, creatures crawl forth prepared to attack.
"We go inside now!" Kick-lick screams. "Big persons open door quick-quick!" He readies his sword.
"Okay, this is not great. Kala's mind races, and miraculously recalls enough calculations to be confident in an estimate.
"Keep that sword ready Kick-Lick, but we've got a couple of minutes before they get here and we still need your help with the door."
"Vitrius, try not to worry about the monsters. Let their footfalls fade, may the wind guide you as it does me." Guidance on Vitrius, so he can add +1d4 on his next attempt.
Strength check
Intelligence
Borne by the strength of desperation, Tes begins to feel something shift...
Phaerlin will draw his blade and move to shield the rest of the party.
Tes heaves at the door once more, pouring all her fear and hopes into her strength. And then...
(the sound of stone heavily grinding against stone)
The door begins to open slowly, allowing enough space for a small humanoid to get through easily, though a medium humanoid would have to squeeze a bit.
There's a mighty roar in the distance and you watch as the eldrazi that spewed forth these vile creatures arches its back once more and spews forth another pod which lands nearby. Another Eldrazi crawls out of its pod as it claws at the membrane holding it back. The other Eldrazi nearby begin to close in on you, clearly bent on attacking.
Vitrius heaves with relief as the door opens. Rushing inside, he lets the others through before getting back on the door to close it.
"Once we get this closed, it won't hold them long! We need to find a place to hold out until this wave passes."
He will continue to hold the door closed against the on rushing wave of Eldrazi.
Kick-lick runs through, dropping his rapier on the inside and grabbing his shortbow.
It may not be the smartest thing, but Kala En is too curious to miss a chance to measure herself against an Eldrazi. She moves to stand before Phaerlin, seaweed whip forming and lashing out at the nearest monster.
On hit it is pulled up to 10ft.
Total Piercing Damage: 10
With an unexpected surge of mana, the whip she conjures is thicker with far more bristles than normal. The merfolk holds her shield with fierce determination as the conjured weapon disappears moments later.
Phaerlin will interpose himself between Kala and the Eldrazi spawn, extend his fangs, and say "Go. Now."
Tes will throw her javelin at the nearest creature.
Javelin Attack
Damage
"Who's next to get in!?"
While Tes and Kick-Lick miss their shots, Kala manages to wrap the thorn whip around a Eldrazi. With a flux of Natural magic she pulses the whip and it retracts its 15 feet of length in less than a second. And the Eldrazi falls apart into two separate, shredded pieces.
Another spawn reaches Vitrius and both Eldrazi make attacks on the nearest targets.
Eldrazi clamp down on your your flesh and rip at it with its saw-like teeth. The main is immense and the only thing hitting you with more fear than the Eldrazi clamping down on you, and the horde in the distance, is the fresh Eldrazi spawn that splats down nearby and starts clawing its way out.
Kala grits her teeth and she brings her bloodied hand back to grasp her coral totem.
"Land take you!" She yells, and the next moment, vines and weeds sprout from the barren earth , grasping at the Eldrazi.
Hoping this buys her allies some breathing space, Kala En then retreats through the open door to nurse her wounds.
Vitrius grits his teeth as racial memories flood into his mind of these creatures. Not wanting to be their puppets again, he spits out, "Have to hurry! Let's shut these things out!"
Waiting on actions from Phaerlin and Tes. Assuming Kick-Lick will attack anyone not friendly coming in.
Phaerlin will use his action to shove Tes through the doorway, then put his back to it until he can get through.
Once Kala moves through Tes is more than happy to receive the assistance from Phaerlin and leaps into the doorway, she turns back, "Phaerlin Kick hurry in!"
Tes will prepare to dodge out of the way now that her lone ranged weapon has been spent.
They hiss and squirm, clawing at the new greenery gasping at them, but the two Eldrazi in Kala's spell aren't going anywhere fast.
However, the last nearby Eldrazi rushes towards Tes, its teeth gnashing as it uses its mouth to pull itself closer.
But it misses as it attempts to lash itself to her and it screams with rage.
In the distance you can hear the most deafening roar since this battle started, and its one coming from miles away. Even those inside the temple can hear five new squelches as 5 fresh pods land nearby and more creatures start clawing towards you.
Kick-lick moves back a bit, and prepares his bow to fire on any enemy that comes through the hole.