|
Sue re-attempts the ritual from the beginning, and this time she is able to pass the first 2 glyphs unscathed.
Still further down the path, you encounter a third glyph. You still don't know how many stages there are to the whole ritual.
The runes denote that the right word to use in the ritual-phrase described by Exiel earlier is 'health'.
The glyph is shaped in the form of the Iobarian word for 'health'.
|
42 stops Exiel before he can move across the line. "We have someone who has already taken the effect of the spell. Most likely she want get effected by this one just like the last ones we've been across." 42 looks at Sue as he is holding onto Exiel's shoulder. "Sue, what do you say, are you willing to scout for us?"
|
|
Exiel walks right past the glyph, and as he does so, it flashes brilliantly. Exiel feels a curse attempting to take its hold on him, but his divine protection wards off the curse.
A little ways further, Exiel finds a final glyph just before a door. As he steps past the glyph, it blazes with dark energy again as a black fire engulfs Exiel...but even so he suspects that it could have been much worse.
The door beyond is locked, but the key that the mysterious maiden 'dropped' earlier fits into the lock, and it turns.
|
Taking a deep breath at the second-last glyph, Viscount Constantin Vladescu-Blakros says the words...
"I, Viscount Constantin Vladescu-Blakros, sacrifice my strength to the Three Who Are One."
..and then steps past it.
Continuing down to the final glyph, he pauses, clearly reluctant to continue, wincing as he waits to see what happens to 42.
|
Alden says "I, Alden, sacrifice my strength to the Three Who Are One." and steps past the second to last glyph. However, he gets to the last glyph and is as unsure of what to do as Constantin is. "Exiel, do you know what will actually happen if one of us completes the ritual, or are you just assuming 'something bad'?"
|
|
Exiel casts his mind back to what he learned from his knowledge roll.
"Traditionally, success results in a transformation into a crone at the end, whilst failure at any point results in swift and immediate punishment at each failed stage."
"I suppose being turned into a crone might not be the worst that could happen under the circumstances, but I don't think any of us here would actually like for it to happen!"
As 42 prepares to walk past the final rune/glyph, Exiel quickly issues a battle cry.
"Do not falter, my friends!"
|
|
Alden steps forward just before 42 does.
The sound of cackling fills the air as a dark wind issues from the rune. It swirls around Alden, contorting the battered halfling and bending his form over. He screams, and as he does, his voice becomes noticeably hoarse. After a moment, the winds subside, and you see a very rather different halfling before you. His back is hunched, his hair and eyebrows white, and his voice has gone all hoarse and crotchety...but his eyes gleam with new-found wisdom and intellect.
|
|
A character can not be younger than the minimum age listed on Table 7–1 of the Core Rulebook, or listed on Table 5–1 of the Advanced Race Guide, and must be younger than venerable, as listed on Table 7–2 of the Core Rulebook and Table 5–4 of the Advanced Race Guide. A character that ages past venerable, for whatever reason, dies of old age and is removed from the campaign. Characters do not alter their ability scores as a result of this choice.
|
|
"I got ya, gramps," Exiel laughs as he hoists Alden to his feet, shaking his head in disbelief at Alden's recklessness. Although, considering the battering he'd taken from the final glyph, he wonders which of them had been more reckless.
"I guess those are the choices then. Get burnt by dark flames or turned into a geezer."
|
|
A character can not be younger than the minimum age listed on Table 7–1 of the Core Rulebook, or listed on Table 5–1 of the Advanced Race Guide, and must be younger than venerable, as listed on Table 7–2 of the Core Rulebook and Table 5–4 of the Advanced Race Guide. A character that ages past venerable, for whatever reason, dies of old age and is removed from the campaign. Characters do not alter their ability scores as a result of this choice.
All conditions gained during an adventure, except for permanent negative levels, ability drain that does not reduce an ability score to 0, and conditions that provide no mechanical effect, must be resolved before the end of the session; if these are not resolved the character should be reported as ‘dead.’ Permanent negative levels, ability drain, and non-mechanical conditions being carried over to the next session should be recorded under the Notes section of the Chronicle sheet. An unplayable character should be marked as dead when reporting the session.
|
|
42 looks at the older man standing across from the rune. "I guess that's what will happen." 42 looks up to the top of the cave and sighs.
he uses an arcane point to recall the spell blink. He casts it, and as he steps across into the ethereal plane he dashes across the line
42 begins to wink in and out of existence on the material plane as he casts his spell. He blinks out, and reappears on the other side of the rune, having suffered no ill effect.
|
|
Constantin steps past the glyph, and it again blazes with dark energy as a black fire engulfs him, washing over him and wracking his body thoroughly.
Sue also steps past the glyph, but is able to weather the flames alot better.
As the flames clear, Sue is still standing, gasping in pain, but Constantin's body is blackened and motionless, the eerie black flames still licking at his lifeless form. You realise with heavy hearts that Artrosa has claimed a second ally from your group.
You take a moment to mourn Constantin's passing as the black flames eventually subside, then wrap his body in his cloak and put him in your hammerspace.
As you approach the door that Exiel unlocked with the maiden's key, you can make perception checks.
|
|
Exiel gasps in horror as Constantin falls before his eyes. He takes a moment to mourn Constantin silently before bundling up his corpse with Naala's.
"The fallen will not be left behind," he says stoically.
He turns glumly to the door and reaches out to open it, then stops and raises a finger to his lips instead.
"Sounds like giants, behind the door. At least two of them. We should be ready for a fight."
|
|
Exiel shakes his head, then looks his companions over, noting their injuries, as well as his own, grimly.
"I know the spell and can cast it with my own power. We should take a moment to heal ourselves up though. We're all pretty beat up.
As he speaks, he lays a hand on himself, channeling healing energy into his own battered body.
He also takes a moment to slip Constantin's ring onto his own finger, mindful that the group will still need a light source in this dark place.
"Our friend may have fallen, but he still lights our path. We'll see this through in his name."
If anyone needs help using a CLW wand, he will use it for them. He then waits till the rest of his friends are ready, and once he sees that they are, casts shield and divine favour on himself before opening the door.
|
|
42 watches as Exiel takes off Constantin's ring and places it upon himself. He closes hes eyes and listens to Exiel's speech.
After a moment, he gathers himself and nods. "To lose a companion is bad. To let his loss go in vain is even worse. We have to get out of here safely to honor his memory."
After he says that, he picks up Constantin's pack and starts to look through it. "Alden, exchange your cloak for his." He pulls out Acid Flask and Alchemist's Fire, 2 of each. Easily identifiable to him. 4 more bottles, 2 that are slightly cold to the touch and 2 that look like water.
Liquid Ice.
Holy Water.
He places each bottle out front, explaining what they are and how to use them.
He removes Constantin's armor and places it onto himself. He puts his armor onto Constantin's body. "Thank you my friend" he whispers.
He looks at Constantin's hat.
He looks at Constantin's glasses.
Next he sets a Hat and a pair of glasses on Constanin's body.
"I don't know if the hat can be useful, but those glasses are Eyes of the Eagle, they help with seeing."
|
|
The light from Constantin's ring pours into the room as Exiel opens the door. You are greeted by a strange sight. A withered cornfield extends in all directions beneath a waning moon in a starry night sky. Dozens of dead ravens lie strewn on the ground among the shriveled stalks. There are three other doors leading from this chamber.
Amidst the withered stalks of corn stands a bent and aged crone leaning heavily on a staff. She sees you enter, and notes the bundles on Exiel's back."Six there were that came, now but four stand. The Crone is not for the faint of heart or ill-prepared. But I am pleased you have come this far, Bearer of the Black Mantle. The cancer grows in the womb of the Crone. To face the Curse of Eons, you must have time on your side."
Having said this, she nods at the four of you and casts a spell. She begins to fade from view as she adds "do not let your guard down!"
As she fades from sight, so does the withered corn field, revealing a rectangular room formed from chiseled granite blocks. Carvings of lifeless cornfields adorn the walls, and withered cornstalks and dead ravens litter the floor. A simple sleeping pallet lies on the floor against the north wall, next to a small trunk and a nightstand holding a basin of fresh water and a few candles.
A thick, evil fog begins to fill the chamber as the dead ravens on the floor slowly rise from amid the withered cornstalks. Horrid shapes form within the cloying green mist, which pulses sporadically and with seeming voracity.
The dead crows animate and swarm together into a flock that surges over Exiel and Alden, biting and clawing at their faces and eyes.
Nauseated for the round.
Nauseated for the round.
The crows claw and peck at your eyes, blinding you for a few days.
Round 1 - Initiative
Crow
--------------resovled
Exiel
Alden
Sue
42
Fog
|
|
Exiel curses as the swarm...swarms over him.
He has no idea what the swarm of undead ravens is, but he knows enough about swarms to know that 42's spells would be the best for dealing with them.
"Fear and negative energy, I can deal with. 42, any chance you could chuck a fireball and catch both these amorphous things in it?"
Exiel moves into the room and casts divine favour on himself, Constantin's oddly-shaped but keenly sharp sword ready in hand. Hopefully, the gaseous-ooze would come for him and buy his allies time to deal with the swarm.
|
|
42 shouts at those around the bat things. "Make room!" He takes a 5 foot back and casts Fireball where the red 4 pointed star is at.
|
|
Alden is overcome by the ravens and staggers back whilst Sue delivers a flurry of blows at the raven swarm. They prove easy enough to hit, and each swing connects with several birds at once. 42 follows up with a devastating fireball.
The blazing inferno engulfs both the swarm of crows and the fog. The remaining crows are incinerated. The fog however still stands, or rather floats, and moves forward towards Exiel. He sees many half-formed phantom shapes within the fog, but stands his ground stoically. It then surges forward and reaches out towards Exiel with a tendirl of mist that glows purple with dark energy.
Exiel simply steps aside and avoids the slow tendril.
Round 2 - Initiative
--------------resovled
Exiel
Alden
Sue
42
Fog