Remy is beginning to flag as her wounds take their toll and her ki reserves run low. Nonetheless, she grimly continues kicking and punching!
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The two spellcasters inside the cage masterfully evoke their incantations, disassembling the outer two runes. The rune of wrath remains hanging in the middle of the room, but quickly begins to vibrate, exploding outwards into a thousand small shards.
The explosion clips the crawling flesh on the ground, which eventually stops moving.
Azlanist's voice echoes in the circular hall, "Well done. Emerge, my apprentices, and accept your reward.".
Another abyssal runestone materializes in the center of the room.
Remy throws herself to the ground, rolling away from the exploding shards. She rolls back to her feet and stands there, panting, her skin covered with numerous acid burns and cuts from the creatures' claws. "Ugh, that was rough. Nice job, everybody."
She makes her way to the abyssal runestone and takes it out of the air, eyeing Maga Sorsh. "We'll hold onto this for now. If you prove yourself trustworthy, we may let you have it after we finish our business here."
She then turns back to her friends. "I'm almost at my limit for the day. I think we should find a safe place to rest before pressing on."
Fergus cleans the gore from his axe and himself.
He turns to Remy, I mean this as a compliment. There is no one I would rather be knee deep in mounds of acidic flesh than you! he says in a rare display of levity.
”Likewise!” Remy laughs, pleasantly surprised by Fergus’s joke. She clasps his arm in friendship.
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Maga looks happy, as the cage lowers, allowing him to step to freedom. He reaches out to the runestone, and grumbles when Remy takes it for herself. "I guess I should thank you, adventurers. It was unlikely that I would have survived if you didn't come along. Now, the life of my people are in your hands."
He turn to Maddie and Flik, looking them both over, "You seem as if you've exhausted your magic. It wouldn't be wise to continue in your conditions."
"Where do you wish to rest? I cant admit I know my way out of this mountain. I recommend one of these halls, they are well defendable, besides, I would not recommend we venture deeper, we might get lost and into more trouble..."
”Let’s go back to the warrior hall. As long as nobody yells out ‘you know what,’ I think it will be safe enough.”
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The group is quite easily able to make their way back through towards the warrior hall. The hallway there essentially a dead end, the rubble providing security from any flankers. You are able to make a makeshift fire, which casts dancing waves on the chamber.
You are unsure of what time of day it is, all this time underground has made it difficult to keep track. You share the rations around, and make for some little small talk with your new companion, who watches Remy carefully throughout the night. "I appreciate the save back there. What do you plan to do with your runestone? Why did you come all this way?" He inquires hoping for one of you to answer.
”We are here for an important task vital for Varisia’s future. We’ll tell you more as you continue to prove that you can be trusted,” Remy says, watching Maga Sorsh just as carefully.
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"I see, straight to the point. Well, hopefully i can earn by watch by taking the first shift. I've spent a long time resting, time for me to put myself to good use." He pauses, waiting for everyone's reactions, "It's fine, you can stay up with me, muscle lady. I wouldn't want to upset you."
He sits down closer to the entrance, and starts to go over his gear. "I've lost so many men getting here, only to be stuck with a bunch of children..." Only those paying attention could really hear his muttering.
The rest of the day goes by very quickly, the time down inside Hollow Mountain is only relative to how much attention you keep. Your fatigued bodies from the relentless trials and tribulations, and your thoughts are with Audrahni and Alustria who didn't make it down with you.
...
As you all eventually cycle through your resting shifts, you find that nothing else stirs inside this floor of the mountain. Strange echoes sound throughout the time, but nothing threatens the group.
Still tired, you have recovered enough strength to continue.
"So, what's the plan? I bet the portal you came through collapsed behind you like it did with us. We will need to find another way out." Maga suggests, only trying to be helpful.
"We think there's another portal nearby," Remy tells Maga after her daily stretches and katas to focus her ki. "But there's also another portcullis that we bypassed earlier. I think we ought to check what's behind it before we transport ourselves to another level entirely. What do you all think?" she asks, turning to her companions.
"Yes, I'd ike to explore before we move on. There are many dangers here, but the past also has many useful treasures--it would be a shame if we eft behind something interesting or vital."
Borgol raises his shield to cover himself against the worst of the blast.
He sighs and then says, "I can't say I enjoyed that - I hate the thought that we're going to do it again... so I second the idea of resting, if only to be able to reset myself enough to channel Erastil's power again."
Once the decision is made to rest, Borgol takes a breath and draws in the power of the Stag God one last time before letting it out in a healing wave.
....
During his shift on watch, Borgol does what he can to keep an eye on Maga, his mind still locked on Maddie's prophetic warning... especially after his offer to take watch with Remy.
...
Borgol finishes his prayers and then pushes a sliver of the holy light of Erastil that fills him into his shield.
He then takes a handful of dried meat and fruit to break his fast, nodding in agreement with his companions before taking a sip of water to wash things down. "Agreed... Plus, we'd hate to learn the hard way that the key to the next challenge was up here somewhere."
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With the deision made, you pass back through the room with the pool of water. As you move through this room, the water glows blue, but nothing more.
Turning out of the crumbled hall way, you eventually bust your way through the portcullis which you skipped over the day before.
Complex mosaics in strange patterns adorn the floor of this long, vaulted hall. A set of six statues of robed warriors stand within raised niches along the north and south walls. Each statue is made of white marble and brandishes exotic weapons as it looks down with contempt. A bronze gate bars an exit to the west, its face adorned with the rune of wrath.
Detecting magic in the room, Maddie and Flik determine the statues are of exquisite workmanship and radiate a moderate aura of evocation magic.
You see a staircase leading up at the end of the chamber.
Maga hangs down the back.
”Borgol, Flik, can you check to see if the statues are trapped?”
If the way ahead is safe, Remy suggests taking the stairs.
Borgol nods, and moves forward to assist Flik in searching for traps.
Flik will look around for traps.
Good call! Fergus nods as the trap is found.
"Yes, nicely done," Remy says. "Disable the statues and let's proceed."
"Now, let's see. Everyone stand back!"
Flik starts talking to himself a bit to focus.
"The last portal was a one way trip. Let's take the stairs first. We can always come back this way later," Remy suggests.
"Agreed. I prefer to know where I'm going!"
Borgol nods in agreement, "I'd rather keep the uncontrollable teleportation to a minimum. Just on principle."
"I find that to be a good principle," Remy agrees, giving Borgol a smile.
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"Hmph, it seems i have been saved by those who know what they're doing. Haha." Maga makes a joke, as you start making your way up the flight of stairs further into the dungeon. "So the azlanti who designed this place weren't mad men, seems they used the standard means of getting around the place. Thank the lords for that!"
It only takes you a few moments to make your way up the flight of stairs, Flik's magic light proving extremely helpful to fight off the dark shadows of the long corridor you find yourselves in. The hallway is unremarkable, and ends in a solid wall.
You've been adventuring in such places for long enough, to know that there is no way that could be a dead end. Remy observes a small lever made of stone, which when pulled reveals a storage room.
This room has an air of punctilious efficiency, with mahogany cabinets against the wall containing carefully filed and regimented scrolls and papers. Additional scrolls and papers lie atop a desk in the center of the room, along with a lit oil lamp and a small plaque bearing a short line of text.
Those of you who read thassilonain, can see the plaque has the words 'Augus Premm' engraved.
A pale, slight man with thinning hair seems to sit behind the desk. He does not notice you standing in the hallway, and continues to gather and sort the scattered scrolls and papers on his desk. "No, no, no. That's not right at all. Those stupid bureaucrats had their A's and the F's all in the wrong order!"
Flik's eyes gleam at the sight of all that ancient documentation.
Remy does not understand the man's words. "What is he saying? Flik, Maddie, can one of you try to talk to him?" she asks quietly.
If my cousin was here.\, he could speak to him. Fergus says as the thought of his cousin and how he is faring is making him sad.
Borgol watches carefully, How old must this man be? Maybe he's undead?, then wishes he had asked Erastil to allow him to understand.
If Flik and Maddie remain silent, Remy will shrug. "Maybe he understands Varisian? It's an older language." She will cautiously approach and try to greet the man in Varisian.
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The man is unexplainably busy, so much so that he completely ignores any advances made by Remy or the group. Inevitably, Maddie translates, however to no avail.
Remy moves closer, to try and get the mans attention, but he quickly grabs her hand, "How dare you interrupt me, can't you see i'm busy! All this paperwork isn't going to do itself!" Suddenly, he flies into a blind rage. "No no no, this won't do! I have to start all over again now!" He flurries, as he grabs a piece of parchment and tears it in half.
Remy feel's the cut of the parchment on her flesh, as if somehow the piece of paper he tore was her own skin.
As soon as she feels the pressure on her skin, Remy somersaults away, avoiding the haunt's effects. She huffs as she gets back to her feet. "Rude!" she declares.
Assuming no further attacks come her way, she scoffs. "Let's just leave him alone." She leads the group past the specter to the door on the far side of the roomm.
"It's a haunt! A spontaneous necromantic generation. Too weak to make an... ick... but still strong enough to have autonomy. Hmmmm... I wonder if it's caused by the soul detonating upon death, should the aura be in a sufficiently traumatic mode that the mind and abla can't contain the ka as it destabilizes, that might work. But then it would just fade away. Does it become self-sustaining? I suppose if the thaumaturgic conditions are just right...." she trails off into more incomprehensible magibabble.
Remy glances back at Fergus in his heavy armor and frowns. "Hmm... On second thought, he might notice if we try to sneak past him."
She listens to Maddie's long-winded explanation. "A haunt? Will positive energy make it go away? Maybe Borgol and Fergus should channel a few times so that it's safe to proceed."
Borgol says, "If it's undead, I would assume I can affect it with energy - but I'm rather limited in power and finesse."
"Hmm," Remy says. "Alright, let's try this. I'll go up and make the guy angry again, then hopefully dodge his attack. As soon as he does his thing, everybody rush past through the door. That way I'm the only one exposed to danger. You can patch me up afterwards if I get hurt. Ready? Let's go!"
The monk rushes forward to enact her plan, opening the door and preparing to dodge through it when the haunt activates.
When Remy enacts her plan, Fergus will hustle through last as he is slower and could take a hit from the haunt if needed.
Borgol says, "Before we do that - Maddie, if you know what this is, is there a way to grant it peace without fighting it.. ... appease it somehow? Disarm it? Or, for that matter, just make him calm enough to leave us alone, if only for a while - as much as I'd prefer the permanent solution."
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Borgol has a good idea, and let's Maddie think on it.
Maybe, if you help the spirit to order the papers on it's desk in the correct alphabetical (thassilonian) order, it might put the spirit to rest. But to get close, you must convince it that you want to help.
...
Remy's plan works. Right as the spirit decides to have another fit of rage, the monk slips past allowing her team to follow suit. You rush into the next room to find Eight desks face one another in this chamber, the wooden chairs all crumbled to the floor with age. Abstract metal artwork is affixed to the walls: half-moons, serrated blades, and ragged triangles, their edges once sharp but now covered with rust. A disordered clutter of papers litters each desk, and doors are on the east and west walls.
As you begin exploring the room, suddenly one of the art pieces on the walls gets hung off its hook. and is thrown towards you.
Remy winces as the art batters Borgol. "Damn! More haunts? Keep running!"
The monk leads the way to the exit across the room.
Fergus follows the monk!
Flik hurries through the dangerous area!
Maddie tries to stop for a moment to study the manifesting projection, only to find herself dragged along by Remy before she falls behind.
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You keep rushing forward into the next corridor, looking to escape the hauntings on these halls. Maga runs behind the group, ducking his head as another book goes flying towards him. "Ehhhhh, is this how you got in? Maybe we should look for a different way out." He jests, trying to make light of the situation.
You instantly turn the corner, leading further into the complex. There are three wooden doors at this oddly shaped intersection, in addition to a narrow hall headed south. The floor is set with an abstract circular mosaic, some of it fading but most of it still brilliantly colored. The remains of what may have once been a four-armed humanoid built of bronze plates and iron gears lies in pieces on the ground, while splatters of blood decorate the floor nearby.
"Great, more doors. And what on earth was that thing?" Maga points at the collection of gears on the ground.
"We came in another way. This area is new to us," Remy tells Maga. She squats down to examine the ruined construct and the blood spatters. "Another guardian, perhaps. The blood looks fresh. Somebody else came this way recently. They may still be nearby."
After taking a moment to harden her skin and make sure Maddie has given her mage armor, the monk looks at the doors.
"Let's try this one," she decides, opening the western door after letting her allies check for traps.
"Mechanical automatons? This complex is full of surprises."