Caladaer steps between the tables, directly across from the corridor so he has a clear view of it. "Move out of the hallway, quickly!"
Golloriel takes a step back and yells to Berta. "Berta! Come to me!"
Andakos steps out of the corridor and next to the first table. His tail grabs a shield extract as he moves. He turns to face the corridor, drinks the extract, and waits, spear at the ready.
|
Berta looks to the door, then at the others. She bites her lip. Can she trust this elf? He's been nothing but a proper bastard since this whole task started. But he knows his magic, and if she's going to retrieve Gaekhen's body to return him to the ancestors, she's going to need his help.
By Desna, you stupid boy. Why did you come here? Why did you have to leave?
She fights back tears, takes a breath, and releases the door, rushing down the hall to stand by Golloriel.
Berta runs out of the corridor to stand beside Golloriel, whose touch encircles the barbarian in an aura blocking evil magic and creatures.
Just as her foot passes out of the hall, Cal barks an incantation, and the ten-foot length of narrow corridor explodes with a wild, tangled mass of spiderwebs. The second he does so, the door bursts open in a show of wood splinters that catch in the webs. The cluster is too dense to clearly see what just entered the room, but whatever it is, it's tall and lumbering, with an asymmetrical outline that is only the vague suggestion of a humanoid, and is easily a foot taller than the average human male, towering at some 7 feet in height. Whatever it is, it's practically scraping its head against the low ceilings of the Warrens.
It utters a shriek that is entirely inhuman and seems far too high-pitched for such a bulky creature; whatever it is, it begins making its way through the webs.
ROUND 1
[color=green]
Andakos (23/23 hp)
?? (0 dmg)
Berta (39/39 hp)
Caladaer (23/23 hp)
Golloriel (33/33 hp)
[/color]
Andakos fights the instinctual need to take a step back from whatever monstrosity is in the web. His entire self is screaming at him to set that web on fire and let whatever is in it burn.
But if it is Gaekhen, or what used to be Gaekhen, he thinks that returning a pile of ashes to his people would be a bad move.
Instead, he waits.
"Berta! As soon as you can see it, tell us if it's Gaekhen!"
As you ready yourselves for whatever this thing is, an unholy wave of hideous, foul stench roils down the hallway from the previous room, making you all gag and cough.
Most of the group fights it off, but Berta doubles over and begins vomiting from the gods-forsaken smell.
The figure tears through the webbing, lumbering forward through the sticky terrain, until it tears out with a bellow to stand before you.
It is a gruesome amalgamation of parts, the green-skinned arm of a half-orc roughly stitched to the torso and left arm of a large human man with dark skin and many scars. A head sits at an odd angle, poorly sewn to the ragged stump of the human neck. Two separate legs of differing lengths--one slender, lithe, and feminine, the other thick, powerful and short, probably a dwarf male--give it a clumsy gait as it roars in your faces, murder in its dead eyes. It carries another arm, which looks to be human, almost like a makeshift club. The arm is bronzed in tone and bears several tattoos all along its length.
This is a carrion golem. They are crude, disgusting creations that lack the potency of their flesh golem counterparts, being made of rotting corpses and having lower-grade thread in the stitching and cheaper runes powering it. Like most lesser golems, it is powered by a bound elemental, which usually go berserk after extended combat. This one seems to have reached that state already.
Like all golems, carrion golems are immune to most magic, specifically any magic that can be rebuffed by Spell Resistance. Because carrion golems are made with un-preserved, rotting parts, they carry disease in their attacks (usually filth fever) and exude a hideous stench that turns even the hardier of stomachs.
You recall that some magics do still affect carrion golems, but in unusual ways:
- Instead of damaging the golem, fire or cold magic of any sort directed at it slows it, as the slow spell, for 2d6 rounds (no save).
- Gentle repose causes the carrion golem to become stiff and helpless for 1d4 rounds (no save).
- Animate dead causes the golem to shudder and tear apart at the seams, dealing 1d6 damage per caster level (no save).
- Instead of damaging the golem, electricity magic speeds it up, as a haste spell, for 2d6 rounds.
It turns to the nearest person, which just happens to be Berta, and sends one massive fist down at her head. She just barely manages to bring up the earth-breaker to deflect the attack.
As soon as she sees the creature, Berta points feebly at the arm the creature is holding. "G... Gaekh...hukrkk.." She promptly vomits again from the smell.
For Andakos, this creature is mortifying for an altogether different reason. The severed head sitting atop the abomination, sewed roughly in place with crude thread and magics, is instantly familiar. The weathered, tanned skin is now ashen and blue from death, and his wisp-white horseshoe of hair splays at odd angles, and his jaw hangs slack in his face, but it is definitely, unequivocally...
...the head of Gaedren Lamm.
ROUND 1
[color=green]
?? (0 dmg)
Andakos (23/23 hp)
Berta (39/39 hp, nauseated 1 round)
Caladaer (23/23 hp)
Golloriel (33/33 hp)
[/color]
"Carrion golem! Resists magic but cold and fire make it slow! Diseased!"
Andakos stabs out with his spear as the thing emerges from the corridor, then takes a step to the east, grabs his tangleburn bag from his fancy new haversack, and tosses it.
He conjures an acid dart and fires it at the thing, then moves to the back of the room, putting several tables between himself and the creature.
Golloriel moves around the table and attacks the abomination with her spear.
Literally every attack hits. The tangleburn bag smacks the golem in the legs, causing it to wobble and drop the severed arm it was holding. Good thing, too--because it immediately ignites in flames. It bellows at the sudden burst of fire. Because it's nonmagical, the fire sears its necrotic flesh just fine. Andakos and Golloriel's spears both dig into the creature, but don't seem to do as much damage as they aught to .
Berta continues to vomit, but stands her ground, possibly hoping to keep the creature's attention on her and off everyone else.
The golem continues burning, which seems to make it even angrier. With a wrench and a bellow, the creature shatters the solidified goop around its feet purely by flexing. A toe remains lodged in the tanglefoot muck; it appears not to notice.
ROUND 3
[color=green]
Carrion Golem (10 dmg)
Andakos (23/23 hp)
Berta (39/39 hp, nauseated 1 round)
Caladaer (23/23 hp)
Golloriel (33/33 hp)
[/color]
The golem broke out from the goop immediately, but Andakos is still satisfied to see that alchemical fire is effective against this thing; he wasn't 100% sure it would work.
Berta is still struggling with the stench, so Andakos moves astride the charred derro body and makes a couple of quick jabs with his spear, hoping to divide the golem's attention.
He knows his spear isn't super effective, but he still thinks he can hurt the golem more with it than his gauntlet; plus, he doesn't have to get any closer to the terrible smell that is overcoming Berta.
There isn't much that Caladaer can do that this monster won't be resistant to, so he fires another acid dart.
Golloriel notes that her spear didn't do much, so she drops it, draws her mace as she rounds the table, and swings it at the creature.
The attacks keep coming, but the creature simply ignores them. They don't even manage to pierce its toughened, leathery hide. It beats on its legs and chest, and finally manages to put out the flames.
Then it turns its attention to its first victim, and swings one misshapen fist at Berta and one at Golloriel. Both find purchase on their intended targets and crack bones under the unbelievable weight of their swings.
Both can see the rotting limbs they were struck with were exceptionally unclean...
You think you might be alright for now, though you're definitely going to feel very dirty after this.
ROUND 4
[color=green]
Carrion Golem (16 dmg)
Andakos (23/23 hp)
Berta (30/39 hp, nauseated 1 round)
Caladaer (23/23 hp)
Golloriel (22/33 hp)
[/color]
Andakos tries to distract the beast from Golloriel.
Then he tries to put the point of his spear into the thing's chest.
Caladaer tilts his head at Berta. He had thought before that she was speaking Celestial during battle, but now he is sure of it. Odd.
Anyway, acid dart!
Golloriel reels from the big stinky fist that almost put her on her rear end in one shot. She considers retreating, but then she recognizes the spear technique that Andakos is using: he's keeping the beast off of her! A paladin in Skelt had been training her on that trick. Emboldened, she swings her mace again.
Both spear and mace hit home, as well as Cal's third acid dart. The creature is definitely looking the worse for wear.
Mindless with fury, the golem lashes out at its two targets again. This time Golloriel easily sidesteps its clumsy swing, partly thanks to Andakos' distraction. Unfortunately, Berta isn't so lucky. She just manages to catch enough of the blow on her armor to keep it from caving in her sternum, but it still leaves several shattered ribs.
As the fist comes back up, one of the scales in her armor slices open the wrist of the arm, and a splatter of hideous, rotting black ichor spills right into Berta's mouth. She gasps instinctively, sending the ichor further down her throat into her lungs, causing a coughing fit and another dry heaving bout. She recovers more quickly this time than from the stench but that was definitely, unequivocally, without a doubt, very bad.
All the while, Gaedren's severed head lolls and wails atop the golem, his milky eyes somehow radiating hate and fury. Andakos can't be certain, but it feels like those dead eyes are following his every move...
The carrion golem looks ready to fall; seams have burst all over it and its rough, leathery hide has been bashed and punctured all over.
ROUND 5
[color=green]
Carrion Golem (49 dmg)
Andakos (23/23 hp)
Berta (20/39 hp, raging)
Caladaer (23/23 hp)
Golloriel (22/33 hp)
[/color]
They have this thing on the ropes. Berta looks much worse for wear, but they can deal with that later. This time he tries to keep the golem off of Berta.
Then he stabs again with the spear.
It's working. Why change?
Only one left...
Golloriel asks Sarenrae for her blessing once more.
Andakos can't quite penetrate its defenses with his spear. Perhaps the dead eyes of Lamm are throwing off his game.
Fortunately, Caladaer is under no such distress, and manages to fire a blob of acid directly onto the creature's battered and ripped chest. The acid eats away the last of the golem's defenses, and the entirety of the chest and abdominal cavities are suddenly laid bare, spilling rotting guts and strange herbs, oils, and embalming fluids all over the floor, spilling across both Berta's and Golloriel's feet. And OH SWEET MERCIFUL GODS, THE SMELL...!!
COMBAT OVER!
Another round of gags and retches follows, until the air in this room finally clears a bit, leaving a destroyed golem and a severed Shoanti arm covered in rotten ichor.
|
|
Berta picks up the arm, gently wiping away the filth and gore, muttering something under her breath. She doesn't bother to hide the tears now, simply repeats the prayer over and over in its rhythmic, musical cadence, as she pulls a large piece of gray cloth embroidered with symbols along the edges from a bag on her hip, wraps the arm gently within, and slides it into the bag. You realize it's not a very large bag, but the large Shoanti man's arm disappears into it with no trouble.
She finishes her prayer, then glances sheepishly at the others. I hope I got that right.
If asked about the bag, she shrugs. "It is not mine. It belongs to Thousand Bones. He loaned it to me to aid in recovering Gaekhen's body."
Golloriel covers her nose and mouth with a cloth, then examines the golem's various parts (being careful not to touch them). Then she checks Berta, trying to diagnose anything she may have picked up from the creature.
"Hmm. I'm not sure what this is. We may need to visit a temple." While she is with Berta, she pulls out her wand and heals her up.
Andakos concludes that Berta probably has cooties.
Andakos concludes that Berta probably has cooties. "Come here, Berta. Circle-circle, dot-dot. Now you got your cootie shot." He smiles his unnerving smile. "All better!"
-----
Andakos isn't able to suss it out either. "These golems usually carry filth fever, but I can't be sure about this one. A temple will be able to tell us for sure. In any case, let us know right away if your condition changes."
He looks down at the golem, particularly at Lamm's head. He doesn't know what he expected to find down here, but this... this he could have never predicted. He thinks about Trell, and Maelis, and Destriant. And Zellara. Back to when all this started; it was all because of Lamm. And now he is dead.
He should feel ... something ... right? Relief? Vindication? Joy?! Instead, he just feels hollow.
Maybe it's because he knows they aren't done down here. Someone created this beast. Someone put Lamm's head on it, presumably Lamm's own son.
Finish the job. Plenty of time for feeling things after that.
"Everyone okay to keep going?"
|
|
Berta wipes her cheeks, smearing some of the golem guts on her face. She realizes what she's done and blanches. It's... ugh. It's everywhere. This is never going to wash out, I'm sure of it.
She pulls out a canteen and pours it over her hands to try and wash away some of it at least, then wipes the grossness off her cheeks. "This is the most disgusting place I have ever seen. I am ready to go, yes."
During your inspection of this room, you also found another secret tunnel. There is also the room from which the golem came, and the open tunnel to the southeast that leads to a fork.
Caladaer approaches Berta. He knows that she doesn't like him (and, if he is being honest with himself, he understands why), so he moves before she can stop him: he speaks a simple command word and his hand glows white. He passes his hand over her arm; as he does so, the gore and filth simply disappear. After the arm, he moves his hand to her other arm, but just holds it there and looks at her, eyebrows raised. He says nothing, but his expression says should I continue?
Cal works quickly to minimize the amount of time either of them feel uncomfortable. When he is done, the job is not perfectly done -- there are still trace amounts of nastiness in some of the folds and crevices of her armor -- but it is a far sight better than it was before. He doesn't expect her thanks, so he simply changes the subject quickly, and asks her a question in a language the others do not understand.
Golloriel holds her breath as her father approaches Berta, never knowing what to expect from the man, but it has been becoming increasingly difficult not to expect the worst. Then she has to stop her jaw from dropping as he quietly helps her clean herself off.
No one knows him better than she does, and times like this, she feels like she doesn't know him at all.
She is about to say something into the awkward silence when he suddenly speaks to her in a language she doesn't know, but which sounds oddly similar to Sylvan, which he taught her at a young age. What is he up to?
Andakos doesn't speak the language Caladaer spoke to Berta, but he can identify it easily enough: Celestial. Something about it touches something primal in him, and not in a good way. He has long ago learned how to manage the taint in his blood, but he can't prevent the discomfort, the sense of opposition that he feels as Cal speaks. He doesn't generally waste his time with the 'why' of the matter -- that is a pointless road to travel -- but not for the first time (or the last), he wonders how far back the taint entered his bloodline.
Tearing himself away from distracting thoughts, he returns his attention to the strange happenings in this room.
|
|
Berta blinks at him, returning the response in Celestial.
[color=blue]"I am... touched. By Desna. I do not understand all of what it means yet, but I was given gifts of magic by her. The price is that, in battle and... other times of stress, I lose languages. All of them. All but the language of the Spheres. I cannot understand other words. I... do not know why."[/color]
Her face reddens again and she addresses the others. "We should check this room for anything of use. Then we must decide between the tunnel and the secret door."
Cal nods and considers the matter closed.
He turns to Andakos. "I don't have much left, but I can continue."
Golloriel nods. "I am nearly tapped out as well, but I can go a little longer. Andakos, Berta, come here."
She reaches out to the two, closing her eyes for a few seconds, and two ethereal tethers appear between her and them. It lingers for a moment, then fades from sight. "I have linked my life force to yours. If you become injured, some of my vitality will restore you. Do not worry about me: I will be able to keep myself alive, and I can break the tether at any time with a mere thought." She stows her mace, then picks up her spear and nods to Andakos.
Andakos nods to Berta and, covering his mouth and nose against the stench, examines the room that the golem emerged from.
A quick but thorough glance around the store room reveals nothing of value that has survived. Jars, vials, beakers, crates, and other various sundries used by the derros--and, presumably, Rolth--now lie in a ruinous pile strewn across the floor form the golem's berserk rampage. Nothing in here of use has survived the onslaught.
Peaking behind the secret door in the north wall, you see a short hall that ends in a dead-end, presumably another secret door.
Andakos drinks his heightened awareness extract, then enlists Caladaer's help to examine the secret passage.
Seeing nothing dangerous in the tunnel, you follow it into the next room, eyes peeled for danger and find yourselves in some sort of library. Two wide, freestanding bookshelves furnish the room, shelves filled with row upon row of carefully arranged scrolls and tomes.
A cursory glance over the titles reveals mostly treatises on necromancy and the art of golemcrafting, but there is also a number of books on various diseases and plagues as well.
While not terribly portable, they do appear to be valuable.
They would sell for around 300gp if you can haul them out.
There is only one exit from this room aside from the secret door: a rickety wooden door on the west wall.
Among them of more portable interest are two scrolls.
There is a scroll of identify and a scroll of command undead.
Andakos picks up a few books, looking at the titles, scowling, and quickly replacing them one by one. "These books are on foul topics, but they are valuable. There is still some room in the haversack, but I don't know if I can carry all of them."
+1 traps
Caladaer feels his heart quicken once he realizes what these books are about. He begins putting them in his pack, weight be damned.
Andakos lets out a nervous chuckle. "Slow down, Cal. We aren't sure if we can carry all of these books, so let's spend some time picking the most valuable ones."
Caladaer shakes his head, but stops putting books in his pack. "I do not intend to sell these books, tief-- Andakos. They are relevant to my studies."
Golloriel feels a twinge of dread, though she isn't sure why. Surely a wizard must study his opposing schools so that he understands how to fight them. It makes sense. But something about his demeanor... he seems maybe too eager?
"Dad, he's right. Let's slow down and take the time to search the room properly."