Over the next minute, the crew of the Savage Kraken beat down the evil clones of Bryson with fists and claws and spells. The rest of the passengers fled screaming in terror into the surrounding swamp, only to reappear on the opposite side of the clearing confused.
When killed, the creatures dissolved into an inky black slurry which then evaporated, adding to the oppressive humidity already present.
When the action stops and the fear finally lifts away for the passengers to stop and take stock of what happened, you realize you are five people short.
.... when you all stop and take stock of what happened, you realize you are five people short.
"Awe... nertz..." Sunny swears.
Something is causing the troubles and Sunny wants to find and end it as soon as possible....
Always the most approachable of the crew, the passengers flocked around Sunny calling out questions she can't answer. "Where are we?" "How did we get back here?" "Where is the Professor?" "Did you see those things?" "Why did Mr. Bryson attack us?" They tried to keep clear of Bryson, still unnerved by the attackers appearances.
Settling them down, Sunny drew out of them that during the fight, when the passengers tried to flee through the swamp, some big ape like creatures appeared next to one of the refugees, grab them and then both vanish.
Always the most approachable of the crew, the passengers flocked around Sunny calling out questions she can't answer. "Where are we?" "How did we get back here?" "Where is the Professor?" "Did you see those things?" "Why did Mr. Bryson attack us?" They tried to keep clear of Bryson, still unnerved by the attackers appearances.
Settling them down, Sunny drew out of them that during the fight, when the passengers tried to flee through the swamp, some big ape like creatures appeared next to one of the refugees, grab them and then both vanish.
** spoiler omitted **
Sunny waves her arms and gently tries to 'Shush' and calm the clustered peoples.
"" She calls over the hubub of voices. As they settle and grow calm she continues.
"We went an' saved people's from tha' nasty, icky green stuffs! An' we saved people's form tha' stony bird peoples! We's is gon'a be savin' people here as well!" She declairs.
"There be monkeys in'a mist nabbin' foeks whut we's gon'a go check on an what ever t'is makin' mess with all our heads ta be sortin' but sort 'em we WILL!" Sunny finishes firmly looking to her companions.
"Now, stay t'gether an' we can be movin' at sortin' these nastys right out." Sunny tries to settle the crew into a defensive position so that she and her freinds can concentrate on dealing with the sinister forces arrainged against them.
With people circled and facing outwards with thier spears she moves over to Captain Ghirrak to let him and the others know what she's managed to see.
As she does so she glances/glares towards the talking display "I in't afraid a you none, neither..." She mutters.
Bryson looks around for more enemies. He sees only allies and the weak colonists. Why do they keep them around, he thinks. He shakes his head to try to make those thoughts flee. He's not keeping them from harm, he's keeping himself from turning bad.
"Anyone see where they went or were taken too?" he growls out, smoke still rising from his eyes and mouth.
"Anyone see where they went or were taken too?" he growls out, smoke still rising from his eyes and mouth.
With people (Hopfully) settled she skips over to Master Bryson at his called question.
"Them fuzzy monkeys done nabbed 'em an'.. um.. went way in't tha' mist?" Sunny quickly tries to describe what she's managed to see, though she's not quite sure what it was that she had seen. Even pointing to one of the spots where she noted a crew-person vanish into the mists. She looks to the more 'Magicaly' inclined people in the group.
"Uhm... maybe maigc can be helpin'?" She asks hopfully.
Sunny closes her large blue eyes and thinks really harder. (>_<)
When you focus on the sound of Marius chanting the words of the spell, the world twists around you. You have the strangest feeling that intending to go anywhere but that direction seemed to make your direction of travel inevitable. There is a twisting sense... then you are normal again.
There is no sign of the other castaways.
"There. We're out." Marius said. "Now all we have to do is find the lair."
Sunny is happy to follow along after her freinds.
Of course, 'we' most likely meant somebody else in this instance. Wilderness tracking would never be Marius' forte. Nevertheless, breaking free of the spatial geometry trap had provided a much-needed win over a hostile island, and he was sure he'd have a chance to contribute to battling the demons soon enough.
With the sharp senses of Bryson following all but imperceptible currents in the for and the detecting of subtle traces of Magic of Marius, the party travelled carefully through the mist shrouded swamp of Fogmire.
Until...
The oppressive, fog-thick jungle thins here before a low hill.
Above, a large spire of black rock looms, while at the hills' base, the image of two gigantic fanged baboon heads carved into the rock leers out at the jungle.
Their gaping maws reveal two caves that lead into darkness.
With the sharp senses of Bryson following all but imperceptible currents in the for and the detecting of subtle traces of Magic of Marius, the party travelled carefully through the mist shrouded swamp of Fogmire.
Until...
The oppressive, fog-thick jungle thins here before a low hill.
Above, a large spire of black rock looms, while at the hills' base, the image of two gigantic fanged baboon heads carved into the rock leers out at the jungle.
Their gaping maws reveal two caves that lead into darkness.
"Great.... more monkeys..." Sunny creeps fowards carefully,moving towards some bushes for added cover.
As she looks towards the place of the group's interest... and hopefully where her freind's have been taken to.
Just showed up on my page.
Bryson growls as he approaches the opening.
"They been following us. They been using the evil in me to watch me."
Sunny squints into the dark and gaping holes....
"Here..I dun't like tha' look a that one..." She whispers, indicating the left hand cave.
"Somit just seems... 'Wonky'... Maybe we should be careful an' be sneakin' in a right side one?" She uses the bushes to sneak closer to the tunnel she thinks is safer.
Burian is able to wave his wand of Cure Light Wounds over the party heal their various injuries.
Over Sunny:
Over Bryson:
It will also be quite a squeeze for Bryson's large form to go through the tunnels here.
Burian is able to wave his wand of Cure Light Wounds over the party heal their various injuries.
Over Sunny:
[dice=Cure Light Wounds]1d8+5
[dice=Cure Light Wounds]1d8+5
[dice=Cure Light Wounds]1d8+5
[dice=Cure Light Wounds]1d8+5
Sunny gives Master Burian a hug of thanks... (^_^)
"Um, there there..." Burian replied, awkwardly trying to pat Sunny on the back in a comradely fashion.
"Well then, shall we proceed?" He asked aloud to his companions.
Sunny bounces away with a giggle and a smile... scampering over to where she was observing the caves from the bushes....
"Hopefully they're not watching just now," Marius observed, "But let's be on our guard for ambushes." With luck, they might actually get the drop on their enemies, if they were overconfident enough in their trap.
He was definitely going to let the more trap-savvy people in the group take the lead going into the lair, but did periodically check for any malicious enchantments.
"Hopefully they're not watching just now," Marius observed, "But let's be on our guard for ambushes." With luck, they might actually get the drop on their enemies, if they were overconfident enough in their trap.He was definitely going to let the more trap-savvy people in the group take the lead going into the lair, but did periodically check for any malicious enchantments.
Sunny frowns "Uhm...we could maybe wrap Master Bryson in somit they dun't be able ta' see?" Sunny offers helpfully. "Like, when ye cover things in branches ta' blend in't tress an' stuffs...." Though a frown does form on her features as more thoughts cross her mind...
Bryson will shrink to his normal size (There's a time limit on his ability anyway).
"Won't do nothin' to help." He goes into the cave.
Moving cautiously, the party moved into the right hand fanged mouth and moved deep into the tunnel.
Up ahead, the passageway forks to the right and left, with both leading off further into the darkness. A faint dripping sound can be heard off in the distance, echoing distortions make it impossible to determine in which direction.
Sunny does her best to be all sneaky. Bare brown feet padding softly across the stones. Her large blue eyes looking every where both fascinaed by yet more new stuff to see (And hear and smell and feel) as well as wary of anything nasty waiting to snare her freinds or herself.
Bryson, sword in hand, follows the bloody hand print to the west.
Noting Master Bryson's interest off to the left Sunny pads over and treis her best to help out.
Doing her best to try and spot anything nasty that peoples might step into of bop their heads on.
(^_^)
Moving around the western corridor, you come across the crumbled and torn remains of the clothing and gear the kidnap victims were wearing when they were taken.
Moving futher, you find the natural caverns give way to worked stone and a short hallway ending in a pair of tarnished bronze doors.
The doors are engraved with scenes of all manner of demonic reptiles and simians tormenting human slaves, and the handles are made from the barbed tongues of fiends.
A pair of stone statues flank the door in niches carved into the walls.
These statues each depict leering monkey demons, their tongues dripping an o9ily red liquid that evaporates before it hits the floor below.
Beneath each statue is a tiny inscription written in Abyssal.
Sunny gently reaches out and puts a hand against the stone work of the emerging 'Hall way'.
"They done made people's spaces out'a tha' cave..." She peers around Master Bryson.
"Oooo.... they's some ugly monkeys..." She opines of the revealed decore.
"Oh! Looky! Lots'a metal jus' lyin' around." She points to the two big slabs of brass. (^_^)
"We can be makin' lots'a things out'a all that stuffs." Sunny seems happy more about the 'What' that the party has found and not the 'Why' of the images depicted.
"They tryin' to taunt me." Bryson pauses. "Taunt us."
"There's an illusion on the statues," Marius observed, "Most likely the dripping fluid. And significant transmutation magic on the doors. Holding them closed, I expect."
Sunny creeps closer to the doors and the two carvings.
Trying to work out what is real and what isn't. Looking for anything nasty hiding behind the illusion that might threaten peoples...
A strange feeling comes over you.
The dimensions of the space seem to seem to distort and subtly stretch away from you. The statues feel like they are alive, and only holding still to catch you by surprise.
You feel like, the only way to open the doors is with a sacrifice of blood. You feel like the others are conspiring to gang up on you to sacrifice your blood!
SR 20 (probably doesn't matter)
an additional +4 if it is a charm or compulsion effect.
Finally the tension ebbs as one by one you all realize there is no betrayal, and the statues are just statues.
But.
A close examination of the doors shows that grasping the barbed demon tongue door handles will pierce the hand that holds it, and blood will drain through holes at the base of the barbs. You have no idea how much though. You are pretty sure the doors won't open without the blood.
Sunny wrinkles her pert nose.
"Is all pointy." She indicates the barbs as she looks to her companions, "Who brung tha' soothin' kit an' wrappin's?" She ponders as she casts her mind back through her own inventory.
"Seems whoever made tha' knocky bits weren't a'feared a gettin' they self's scratched none..."
Bryson opens the door.
Bryson opens the door.
(O_o)
"GAH!" Sunny is shocked at Master Bryson's amazing show of bravery.
"Ye is bleedin'!" She rushes over to try and help staunch the flow of blood.
"Uhm... A splint, right? Is whut ye does fer bleedin', right?" :(
Bryson gripped the demon tongues, one in each hand. When he pulled, the spines bit into his hands with sharp pain, and blood flowed freely, greedily absorbed by the tongues.
Bryson takes damage.
You hear multiple metallic clanks as the locks disengage, and the doors slowly groan open.
Sunny hustled forward to staunch Bryson's injuries, but accidentally makes them worse; inflicting extra damage.