Inside a feed bin, you find a wand and a pair of ballet slippers. Both emanate magic.
Tucked in the back of the room is a large canvas tarp rolled around something. It seems to be the source of the smell.
Argus nods back toward the room where they came from. "Go. T-take those to R-R-Ray. I'll l... l... look around more."
Once Dellan has left the room, Argus cautiously raises the tarp using the tip of his glaive.
Ray finds two locks on the western door. He begins to work on the top lock, and it just falls off with the barest of effort. It seems it was just nailed on.
The other lock looks quite a bit more formidable.
------
In the stable, the tarp unrolls as Argus examines it. A truly frightful stench of decay assaults Argus's senses.
Argus fights off the nausea that he feels overcoming him, covers his nose and mouth, and examines the corpse that he found. It is an odd creature: it has a mastiff's body, a feathery ruff, and a crocodile head. The head is missing all of its teeth.
"P-perhaps you should all s... see this," Argus calls, the concern and curiosity in his voice quite evident.
|
Dellan hands off the items to Ray, then heads back to the stable and examines the creature.
Dellan frowns. "Esobok. One of the psychopomps. They eat undead, if I recall correctly. I doubt Pharasma would be particularly pleased with these fey if She knew they were killing Her servants and stealing their teeth."
Ray kicks the supremely-locked door in frustration, though not with much vehemence. "Bloody fey," he grumbles, snatching up the items irritably from Dellan and going over both of them slowly and purposefully, studying every inch of the items and their magic auras for clues as to both their function and their history.
He pockets the wand. "Curative magic. I'll keep hold of it in case Dellan goes down."
He holds up the slippers. "These let you move normally through hindering terrain for several minutes, once a day. Useful for any of us, really. Who wants them?"
Argus glances at Dellan and frowns. "I c-can't help but feel l... like the B-Boneyard is in d.. d... disarray. Opp-posing psychop...pomps, fey that disregard Pharasma's w-will... And adm...m...mittedly, us. Strange." He leans on his glaive as he walks back out to the main room to check on Ray's progress, then nods at his explanation of the slippers. "Very y...y... useful, Raybin."
Ray puts away the wand and moves to the double doors. Before inspecting them, he focuses inward for a moment. Strange gray-green wisps of ethereal energy zip around his scalp before disappearing into his closed eyelids. When he opens them again, there is a strange gleam to them.
He then checks the double doors. Assuming he finds no traps, he opens them up.
Amanteia takes up her usual spot at the rear of the group and concentrates briefly. The familiar burst of shimmering, protective energy surrounds her.
Ray senses no historical significance to either item, but they both carry a recent aura of petulance and frustration.
Ray opens the door. This ornate room spans the entire width of the palace. The north end consists of a floor-to-ceiling stained-glass mural of skeletal knights with halos surrounding an angelic figure. Globs of metal and bits of teeth affixed to the stained-glass angel give it a repulsive appearance, with a mouth far too wide and teeth attached to its fingertips. On either side of the stained-glass mural are two delicate archways. From the room beyond comes the faint sound of flowing water.
The southern wall of the room contains two alcoves and a double door. One of the alcoves contains coat hooks and boot racks, and the other contains old furniture.
Ray slouches over to the west. "Said it yourself, kid. Pharasma doesn't give a s#$+ about that kinda thing. She only cares about maintaining the Cycle."
He stops and takes a gander into the doorway to the northwest.
Argus gives a noncommittal grunt as he moves southeast to check the alcove.
Bob flies in through the doors and settles on Ray's shoulder, with some kind of weird, green-black worm in his beak, which he slurps down greedily. The tiniest, faintest wail of agony can be heard before suddenly cutting short. [color=blue]"Sorry, got hungry. What'd I miss?"[/color]
"Tooth-stealing fairies. Lots of blood." He continues looking around cautiously.
Bob stamps his little bird feet on Ray's shoulder. [color=blue]"Aw, man! I miss all the fun stuff."[/color]
As Dellan approaches the mural, it... moves. The stained glass angel's eyes lock with his and its already repulsive visage twists into a grimace of rage. It detaches itself from the wall and moves to attack.
Basically just an animated object. Usual construct traits. Since it's glass, it's vulnerable to sonic.
Argus (21/21 hp, 1 dex damage)
Raybin (14/14 hp, 1 dex damage)
Amanteia (15/15 hp)
Dellan (16/16 hp)
Mural...? (0 damage)
Bold may act.
Ray draws his sword and moves out to the left. "It's going to be really hard to damage this thing," he tells the others. "Don't suppose anyone knows how to scream loud enough to deal actual physical harm? No? Didn't think so."
He swings out as hard as he can.
Argus nods his thanks to Dellan, then steps back into striking distance with the ungainly glaive.
Amanteia loads her crossbow and takes a step away from the fray.
Ray and Argus both miss the angel in their surprise at being attacked by a mural. The angel turns to Dellan and claws at him twice, hitting with the first. The glass slices into his flesh like ... well, glass, drawing a spout of blood from his chest .
Argus (21/21 hp, 1 dex damage)
Raybin (14/14 hp, 1 dex damage)
Amanteia (15/15 hp)
Dellan (11/16 hp)
Stained Glass Angel (0 damage)
Bold may act.
Ray begins to wonder if one of them isn't secretly a pugwampi in disguise.
Argus whispers a prayer of forgiveness to Shelyn for having to destroy a stained glass picture, even if it is trying to kill them.
Amanteia doesn't feel an abundance of confidence as she aims the crossbow, hoping she can avoid hitting Dellan and Ray.
32/36 hp
The fragile glass shatters easily, doing perhaps more damage than Ray would have expected, given his experience with constructs.
It again swipes at Dellan twice and again makes contact on the second one . Dellan's blood has begun to pool at his feet.
Argus (21/21 hp, 1 dex damage)
Raybin (14/14 hp, 1 dex damage)
Amanteia (15/15 hp)
Dellan (6/16 hp)
Stained Glass Angel (4 damage)
Bold may act.
Seeing Dellan struggling, Argus steps up so the oracle is in reach. It means he won't be able to swing again with his glaive for now, but Dellan needs the help.
He reaches out, whispering a prayer of healing to Shelyn, and places a rough, callused hand on the young man.
Ray continues trying to take advantage of the flank, but he just can't seem to land true on the creature, glancing off its weird angles and sharp edges.
32/36 hp
Everyone misses. It's rather sad.
Mr. Angel has Dellan's number, though .
Argus (21/21 hp, 1 dex damage)
Raybin (14/14 hp, 1 dex damage)
Amanteia (15/15 hp)
Dellan (4/16 hp)
Stained Glass Angel (4 damage)
Bold may act.
Argus steps back and swipes at the animate glass again, hoping to end this fight before it cuts Dellan to ribbons.
"Dammit," Ray growls. "Dellan! Get out of there and heal yourself before this thing tears you to shreds!"
Amanteia sighs and loads up a magic missile.
21/36 hp
Hey, you did some stuff that turn! Unfortunately, so did the angel, turning its wrath on Ray .
Argus (21/21 hp, 1 dex damage, +2 AC)
Raybin (7/14 hp, 1 dex damage)
Amanteia (15/15 hp)
Dellan (12/16 hp)
Stained Glass Angel (15 damage)
Bold may act.
Ray basks in the irony of dying on the very same plane of existence as the goddess of Death as he swings wildly for his life.
Argus, seeing the serious damage the party is taking, jerks his head back toward the doors. "Close one of the doors and head through! I will block the way! Go!"
Amanteia knows she is useless in this fight. She obeys Argus's order (but only because she wanted to do it), stepping through the eastern door and closing it behind her.
17/36 hp
Ray knocks more glass off of the (probably) once beautiful stained glass angel. It has taken a decent amount of damage but seems like it can still go for a while.
It swings its two claws at Raybin again, thankfully missing this time.
Argus (21/21 hp, 1 dex damage, +2 AC)
Raybin (7/14 hp, 1 dex damage)
Amanteia (15/15 hp)
Dellan (12/16 hp)
Stained Glass Angel (19 damage)
Bold may act.
Ray nods to Argus. "I like this idea. Less getting stabbed for me." He backs cautiously away from the creature and follows Dellan, then takes up a spot beside the door and waits for the glass angel to make its way inside.
Once the others are out of the creature's reach, Argus swipes again and then steps back, forcing the glass angel to come to him.
Amanteia falls back next to Dellan.
13/36 hp
The angel gives chase, playing right into Argus's hands . It rakes him across his chest with both claws .
Argus (14/21 hp, 1 dex damage, +2 AC)
Raybin (7/14 hp, 1 dex damage)
Amanteia (15/15 hp)
Dellan (12/16 hp)
Stained Glass Angel (23 damage)
Bold may act.
Argus snarls as the mithral plates of his armor darken with splashes of his blood. He steps back again and swings at the angel.