"That won't happen," Istas asserts, "And if it does, then it'll be the will of Pharasma to bring us all to her Boneyard. Once there, all our pain and suffering will cease as she passes us on to our just rewards in the Great Beyond. So, square your faith with the gods, citizen. And pray we succeed."
Heather also has 5 potions of cure light wounds..
Heather rolls her eyes behind Istas back and reminds herself to try and explain the meaning of tact to her Shoanti friend once they get out off here.
Before leaving the room, Istas pauses a moment over Rollo. She reaches down and touches the creature's forehead with the palm of her hand, closing her eyes in concentration.
"Sounds like voices and chains. Maybe more prisoners?" Emerion ventures, pulling his mask on.
As soon as Keliwyn and everyone is ready we go in as usual.
Keliwyn stretches, grateful for the healing. "That's better, thank you," he says. He prepares to enter the door with Emerion, diagnostic rod in one hand, rapier held back in the other. "Let's have a look," he says, nodding to Emerion.
Fina grips her new two-handed sword and nods to signal her readiness.
The door opens to reveal twenty foot long corridor lined with eight iron doors. Behind each door an afflicted citizen of Korvosa lingers. Although dirty, underfed, and weak, they seem to be in good health.
If the cells are locked Emerion gets to work on the first one.
Disable Device:
"We have need. And my Lady provides..." Istas reverently says to herself as she surveys the room.
While Emerion works, she walks the line of cells, visually assessing those gathered there.
"We're getting you out of here," she finally announces, "You've all been held here against your will. And we've determined the Queen's Physicians aren't healing anyone. Instead, they're the source of the bloodveil. There are others in the next room, too weak to move. We need you to take them with you. We'll show you the way out. The Korvosan Guard awaits just outside the hospice. Have them escort you to the church of Pharasma and tell them Istas sent you. They'll look after you there..."
"Far better than these charlatans..." she softly adds.
Heather breathes a silent prayer of thanks to Pharasma,Shelyn and Desna..as well as any off the other benevolent gods who might be listening.
Keliwyn works on the lock of the next cell. "We're going to at least free them. Watch out backs!" he calls out.
Disable device
Keliwyn and Emerion work on the locks and eventually all the prisoners are free. They are happy to be freed and celebrate with verbal expressions of gratitude, hugs, backslaps, etc. They are also most compliant to all your suggestions for getting them to the surface. Some are not enthusiastic about bringing the sick ones along, but five are willing to help carry the invalids. One of those five is sure she can't be touched by bloodveil anyway. "Everyone in my tenement died of bloodveil but I never had so much as a sniffle."
Fina watches the eastern double doors from F4. She warns off any of the prisoners who wander too close. She doesn't want anyone within armslength.
Istas:
"That must be why you are all here, you didn't get the bloodveil," Emerion deduces. "We found them trying to make a stronger strain of it upstairs."
"You'd best get out of here as quick as possible," Keliwyn says. "I do believe things are about to get ugly."
Heather organises the towns people and gets them on their way to safety..
"Tell the watch commander that we are making satisfactory progress" she tells the woman who spoke up
She then returns to the party and readies the wands of grease and hideous laughter.
"Very well then..onwards and upwards as my Great AUnt used to say"
DM:
"Let's see them safely back to the lift," Istas advises, "We know the path we took and it should be clear."
"Aye, that we will do," Emerion agrees. "Be careful on the glass floor ..."
So many Korvosans require at least two trips in the small elevator. The first group ascends. There is a long wait. Then the elevator returns. The woman at the controls smiles sheepishly. "It took a while until we realized someone had to drive the elevator back down for the second group."
The second group loads quickly and prepares to ascend. "Good luck. " "Gods favor you."
"One moment," Emerion steps into the elevator himself. "I'll ride it back down, else we'll have the devil's own time getting back up, should we be victorious."
With Emerion to pilot the elevator back down, the evacuation proceeds smoothly. The Guards topside ask him for a quick report, then send him on his way.
Istas, Lore Keeper:
"All right, now the ones in here know we are coming now, but they do not know when or how. On the other hand, we don't know what is beyond these doors," Emerion summarises the tactical situation. "Now we can do this two ways: We could crack the door, peek around it with a mirror or bore a hole in it, get some idea of what is to come. However, that will let them know we are coming and when and how.
"Alternatively, we could just kick it in and go for it. We might charge right into a carefully prepared trap, or we might catch them with their pants down even now - no-one can remain on guard for long, always ready to strike. It could take them a moment to react, draw weapons and the like.
"Istas, can your power to damage the walking dead work through barriers like this? If you used it before or as we strike, it would harm any of them close to the doors if it does. If I had any, I'd use them to soak an initial charge, so it could give us an advantage."
"I must be able to see the undead to call down Pharasma's judgement upon them," the priestess replies.
"If, however, you wish to know what awaits us, I can listen for the thoughts of the living through the door."
"Works for me," Emerion nods with a grin.
"We still have our disguises, for what that may be worth," Keliwyn chimes in. "Hmmmm . . . "he trails off, thinking. "Perhaps Emerion and I best rush in, with Istas and Fina chasing us? In the ensuing confusion, the two of us should be able to close with any key ememies as quickly as possible, and hopefully hit them before they know what happens."
"It could work, but we've been seen, they know we are coming," Emerion points out. "I think their value is questionably, and frankly I'd rather dispense with them."
"It does grate on me to see you garbed as those I willingly slay in my Lady's name," Istas adds. The priestess stares at the two rouges, giving the rather unnerving impression (rightly or wrongly) that she may have come close to attacking them by mistake in the general melee of their past few encounters.
"..and as I said, I can't cast in the coat so disguise is out of the question for me..I say we strike as hard and fast as we can//at least we can be fairly sure no more innocents will get in our way"
"Good," Emerion shucks off his robe. "Let's do this the old-fashioned way."
The party stands in the large central room above the writhing undead beneath the glass floor. At the end of the room stand the closed double doors which shelter the Urgathoans.
"Istas, can you use your spell to pick out their plan of defence?"
Keliwyn contemplates sheathing his rapier in favor of the oathbow lent to him. Hearing Emerion's suggestion, he looks up. "A good idea. Anything we can learn before busting through those doors will help us," he says.
Assuming Istas does indeed cast detect thoughts:
Istas stands before the double doors painted with life-size scythe wielding skeletons. She stretches forth her hands and frowns in concentration.
Heather stands ready for action.
"So..web..or something more offensive" she asks the others quietly as Istas concentrates then pulls her wand of Bulls Strength again and taps Kel, Emerion and Fina..
"Better safe than sorry" she whispers.
"Eight people," Istas finally opens her eyes, appearing somewhat haunted and uncertain. "The living ones, at least. They have some walking dead among them. Three skeletons. And four zombies. One other seems...different somehow. I'm not sure how to describe it. It was like listening to myself. Only louder and louder."
She looks at Heather. "I'm not sure that's a good sign. Either way, they're definitely prepared for us and alert now. Some are ready to fight. Others are scared. As they should be. Death comes for all of them tonight. And they should know the Pallid Princess can't escape my Lady forever. Just like they won't escape me. For in this moment, I am the hand of Pharasma. And so too are all of you."
"Maybe he was listening to you as you were listening to him?" Emerion suggests with a shrug. "No matter, Kelliwyn and I will go for the living ones," Emerion declares grimly, "if we can leave the skeletons and zombies to you, Istas and Fina. Heather, if you can tie down as many as possible, we'll work through them faster."
He takes hold of the door handle.
"Ready?"
Istas:
After Heather casts the bull's strength, Fina shakes the greatsword. "Thanks." She moves directly in front of the doors, but behind Keliwyn and Emerion. "Ready."
Emerion grasps the handle and pushes. The faces of the painted skeletons twist to face him and a sulphurous black cloud pours from their mouth as their painted arms and scythes swing from the door.
Scythe attack (Keliwyn) .. damage
Scythe attack (Emerion) .. damage
Scythe attack (Fina) .. damage
Fort save: Oh crap!
Second Fort save:
Wisdom Damage: Emerion fights his way through the fog in his head.
Initiative:
Fina tries to parry the skeleton's scythe but grunts as it cuts into her side.
FOrt save .. Wis damage
Fina Intiative :
Skeleton:
ZOmbies :
Others:
The black cloud obscures your sight. You'll have to step through it blind, or wait for it to clear.
Hearing Istas mention the undead, Keliwyn arms himself with the diagnostic club in one hand, and his rapier in the other. As Heather's spell takes effect, he feels his muscles stretch as new strength floods them.
Fort Save
Initiative
When the trap springs, Keliwyn ducks and twists to the side, avoiding both the deadly fog and the scythes wielded by the skeletons. Of course, the one door we don't check . . . , he things to himself.
"That <cough> wasn't clever," Emerion mutters. If the Skeletons are 'manifest' he counterattacks on his action:
Improved Feint (Bluff): If it beats their 10+Sense Motive or 10+attack Bonus (use the highest), they are flat-footed.
Attack (piercing, magic & silver): Damage: plus Sneak Attack
Despite the black cloud, Emerion's reflexes and aim are perfect. As the skeletal limbs and scythes fade back into the painting he lunges and finishes at full extension, his rapier forms a perfect arc and the tip is buried in the door through the painting of the right hand skeleton's ribcage.