Borgol shrugs, "Disgusting, but necessary. Although, I'm starting to lose track of which world we're ridding of evil at this very moment."
He takes a breath and says, "I have a bit of magic left, but I'm barely a caster. It's really up to the others if they feel that can continue - though we should heal up either way."
"I have enough energy left to push forward. Was anyone badly wounded?"
”I am no longer injured, thanks to Borgol. Once everybody is patched up, let’s try the wizard door since it’s closer. I think you need to attack it with magic. Maddie, if you’d be so inclined?”
"Sure! I just need a few minutes!" Maddie agrees eagerly. She sits down, cross-legged on a ledge and pulls out her spellbook. Around her, reality flickers with blue light as she pages through her magic.
At the door, about five minutes later, Maddie takes a deep breath and unleashes a cone of fire at the door.
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Remy collects the rune, and she feels a familiar energy course though her body. "What is this familiar feeling?"
You feel almost more angrier as you pick up and hold onto this runestone. You are more likely to snap at people, and become more less tempered.
You decide to take a few moments to rest before proceeding back into the room with the archway, as you intent to see what is behind the other door. Maddie swiftly cast's a low level incantation, and the fire scorches the wizard door causing it to lower - revealing a long corridor at the end of which lies a faint glow.
"Good. Come on, let's go," Remy says once the door opens. She taps her foot as Borgol and Flik make sure the way is clear, then leads the group down the long corridor towards the glowing light.
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The floor of this large, domed chamber is decorated with an intricate geometric mosaic. It, the walls, and the ceiling shine softly, all encased in what appears to be a layer of glass. A sphere of blue glass pulsing with an inner light is embedded in the north wall. To the south are three alcoves, the largest blocked off by black metal bars spaced fewer than two inches apart. Set into the wall at the back of this apparent cell pulses a second blue glass sphere.
Inside the cage, a man staggers to his feet. "Please...hh...hhe..llpp...m...m." Before he can fully articulate his phrase he bursts out, "No! Whatever you do, don't touch the glass ball! "
Remy carefully avoids the blue sphere and moves to look at the man in the cage. "Who are you? How did you get here?" she snaps.
Maddie looks around in wonder at the room, barely restraining herself from touching all the walls and obviously magical engravings.
Fergus will detect evil on the blue sphere.
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The sphere does not radiate any aura's.
The man in the cage limbers over to the edge of the bars, obviously exhausted and fatigued. "Please, do you have any food or water? And could you maybe do something with these bars? I've been in here so long i've lost my strength..." Obviously ignoring Remy's direct question.
”Before we do anything for you, you will answer my questions! Or would you prefer we left you here to rot?” Remy growls, obviously angry.
Flik detects magic on the man.
"You'll have to excuse our reluctance. We've been betrayed and surprised a number of times, you see. Now, tell us who you are and we'll see if we can help you."
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"Okay, okay lady, geez. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the haversack, did they?" he jokes, but then realizes how serious Remy is and his expression changes.
Flik can detect many a magical aura on the man. About him, there are numerous fairly potent auras tied to his sickle and amulet of natural armor and chain shirt. On his person, you also sense a few smaller energies of various powers coming from smaller vials which he holds along his belt.
The man continues, "I am sorry, i had come to terms with duying in this place. I never thought someone would come to my rescue. My name is Sorsh. I was on an expedition from Riddleport in search for an artefact that can save my people from the plague. I was separated from the rest of my team, and wound up here." He pauses, and scratches the back of his head with a tentacle protruding from his back. "Now it's your turn, any chance you can do something about these bars?"
Remy takes a step back as she notices the tentacle. "Uh huh," she says, clearly unconvinced. "Your team wouldn't happen to include the crazy cultists we've fought against, would it? Try again. And the truth this time."
Maddie steps back, rubbing her forehead.
”No! I’m not to trust you! Stop doing... whatever that is!” she yells.
Borgol blinks and looks at Maddie, then pulls back a bit from the man. "Sorry, mate, but I'm way more prone to trust the little girl's insights than your pretty words... at least not without a lot more evidence."
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The caged man looks amused at the party, "Ha...what? Stop doing what? Stop being caged up in this place? Not sure i can do that without your help, young lady. Hah!" He steps back, assessing the situation as if sizing you all on, before taking a more relaxed state and crosses his arms across his chest leaning up against the cell. "I am telling you the truth, well, most of it."
"My name is Maga Sorsh. Truth. I am here on an expedition. Truth. To recover an artefact. Truth. I was separated from my team. Also, truth."
He see's that there is no way out for him unless he gives you more information, so he resigns and sighs, "Those people you call crazy cultists, i would rather you use the term - desperate individuals. My men and i came here in pursuit of the artefact known as the 'abyssal runestone'....and judging by your unsurprised expressions i suspect you're here for the same prize. My men and i faced many trials to get this far, but most of them have perished. I believed i could face this trial of the apprentice myself, but I was foolish. My alchemical skills are obviously insufficient for the raw destructive energies that Azlantist requires from her wizards." He looks directly at Maddie, "But you, my dear. You...would do just fine." His smile is both wicked and honest, the man is hard to read as to his true intentions.
He continues, "You see, my people are plagued, our bodies deformed and minds distorted. Riddleport has become ransacked by a strange disease. We've started calling it the 'polymorph plague', and the term has sorta stuck. Hah. We have lost all hope, but my people believe that the runestone is the only way to fix the illness and return the city back to what it once was."
"Now, this was the whole truth, so please, let me out and help me overcome this trial. Please, you seem like good people..." he says that hesitatingly, "...can't you see my people have suffered enough loss. Help put at end to a calamity that will spread across all of Varisia if it is not stopped."
Remy listens to the story before turning to the others. ”I still don’t trust him. But I wouldn’t feel right just leaving him here to starve to death. What do you all think we should do?”
"No, even if he isn't all he seems, I don't think we should leave him behind. It wouldn't be right!" Flik frets a bit.
Addressing the man, he says, "I'd hate to see something terrible as you describe happening to Riddleport. Perhaps we can help you, but we need to find the runestones to do so. What can you tell us about this trial?"
Yes, we should free him. Fergus weighs in on the matter.
"Perhaps," Remy says. "Let's get through this trial first. You said your alchemist skills were insufficient for it. Is that how yo got trapped? What does the trial entail?"
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"This trial is that of the apprentice. Once you touch the globe, everything in the room is transported immediately into this chamber here...hence how i got trapped. But then the runestone appears in the middle of the room. It appears they react to certain schools of magic, none of which i can bypass with my alchemy. But perhaps your small friend over there would be able to make it work."
After a few seconds he adds, "Oh, and it also releases these horrible mass of squirming body parts which try to engulf you. But i can help deal with those..."
"Great. Just great," Remy mutters. "Alright, I guess we're doing this? Make sure you're all ready for a fight."
Once the other confirm they are ready, Remy will touch the globe to start the trial.
Borgol says, "Best you stay in there where's it's safe, alchemist. We'll work on freeing you when we're done."
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You make your preparations, and Remy touches the globe.
As the monk touches the glass orb, the whole room turns to glow an iridescent blue. Azlanists voice echoes all round you, "Will you rise to the occasion, my apprentices? Or is your will too feeble to pass this challenge. Prove yourselves worthy of my grace." The light suddently envelops Maddie and Flik, instantly teleporting them away behind the bars with Maga Sorsh, who claps his hands in excitement.
Remy, Fergus and Borgol are kept within the main chamber. The door closes behind you, the room creating an almost perfect circle.
A glowing red runestone with the marking ℇ materializes in the middle of the room, the red glow around it in clear contrast to the blue hue of the chamber, and move to harass the party.
Almost immediately, the walls around the fighters in the middle begins to melt, as the flesh from time long past begins to form in the room.
The swarm charges to the center of the room, capturing Remy and Fergus is a slew of grasping hands and gnawing teeth. They bite through whatever armor you are wearing like it's nothing, your skin melting away at the touch.
Round 1
! The Melted - tiny (yellow, pink)
@ Maddie (MA)
@ Borgol (REF (20))
@ Fergus -8 lethal (REF (20))
@ Remy -8 lethal -1 STR (REF (20))
@ Flik (-)
+ Maga SorshEveryone may act!
Surprised by the monster's sudden rush, Remy cries out and punches at the things engulfing her.
"Any ideas Maddie? I imagine that this will require us to demonstrate our mastery of the schools of magic!"
Recognizing the rune, Flik sends a swirls of dancing lights around it.
Borgol takes his longhammer in hands, trying to keep a bit of distance from the unknown creatures, and swings at the one holding Fergus - only pausing a moment in making that decision, Remy can get out their grip by herself.. probably.... Fergus is a little less slippery.
for
for
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The lower level incantation for Flik dances around the rune, but it does not react. Maga lets out a small laugh, "You're going to need a little more fire power than that, master dwarf." He plants one of his large man hands on Maddie's smaller shoulder and squeezes lightly, almost being gentle. "It is up to you, little mage. The power is inside you, i can feel it."
Borgol's blows deal a little of damage to the other swarm.
Fergus growls as the swarm stings his flesh!
He will in turn, attack the swarm!
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Maddie cast's magic missile, and the rune explodes as the small energy missiles touch the magical surface.
Suddenly, two more runes materialize on either side of the exploded rune. The one of the left, pulsating with a dark purple energy has a η etched into its front. While the other, glows a luminescent green with a ї inscribed.
The swarms, unbale to hit multiple targets keep gnawing at the paladin and monk.
Maga whispers into Maddie's ear, "Yes, that's right. Keep going!
Round 2
! The Melted - tiny (yellow -7, pink -18)
@ Maddie (MA)
@ Borgol (REF (20))
@ Fergus -23 lethal (REF (20), on acid)
@ Remy -19 lethal -1 STR (REF (20))
@ Flik (-)
+ Maga SorshEveryone may act!
Maddie peers at the new symbols, trying to identify them.
While Remy maintains her composure, she cries out in pain as the creatures' acidic sizzle begins to eat away at her exposed skin. "Argh!" she growls, lashing out again.
"One of those, I can handle." Flik casts silent image on the illusion rune.
"I can't get the other one. Hey, Mister Maga. Do you know any necromancy?" she asks.
Borgol swings the hammer again, pausing only at Remy's cry.
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Remy and Borgol (and eventually Fergus) continue to struggle agasint the swarm.
Round 3
! The Melted - tiny (yellow -30, pink -27)
@ Maddie (MA)
@ Borgol (REF (20))
@ Fergus -31 lethal (REF (20), on acid 1) May act twice!
@ Remy -33 lethal -1 STR (REF (20), on acid 1)
@ Flik (-)
+ Maga SorshEveryone may act!
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"Hey, Mister Maga. Do you know any necromancy?" she asks.
"I do not, child. But i am sure between you and your other little friend you can work this out. You are so close...!"
Almost instantly, the two runes flip over, and the familiar rune of evocation also appears in the middle of the room. The left most rune glows pink with the ℓ symbol, while the rune opposite is blue with the ḡ etched inside.
Flik casts hideous laughter on the lust rune.
Maddie channels magic into the Greed rune, imbuing it with the basic magics of flight, casting Levitate on the magic itself.
He will continue to attack the swarm!