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"It seems rather risky summoning a demon!", Edwin declared. "They're notoriously unpredictable!"
He muttered an incantation and raised a shield of force. Things seemed to be getting out of hand!
While Xervish is engaged with the demon, Zendara casts detect magic and looks around for magic and valuables they could take with them.
Zendara checked and all of the glassware smashed including the large blue vase you suspected was the phylactery. When Zandara cast her spell her senses were initially overwhelmed, Xervish lit up like a Christmas tree, as did the elemental and the demon. Several books detected as magical as did a discarded staff in the corner of the room and the broken shards of the blue vase.
The battle continued apace with the demon tearing shreds off the elemental which slammed the demon so hard its head smacked back at a strange angle. Yet the demon just laughed and turned its back on the demon and strode towards Xervish whose eyes turned large and shouted a defensive spell yet it went awry and rather than slowing the demon, it turbo charged it!
Zendara retrieves the staff, a large shard of the blue vase to study, and starts gathering up the magic books.
"It's getting dangerous down here!", Edwin declared. With a thought, he activated the power of his boots, and ran to the northeastern staircase, and up the stairs. He figured that there might be something interesting on one of the tables there.
Xindyra helps Zendara in gathering items, keeping a watchful eye, as far as is possible, for signs of urgency of running away.
Zendara whispers to her friends that the wizard tried to cast Slow, and instead accidentally cast Haste.
The battle continues with the demon ripping into the elemental with frightening speed and unabashed savagery. Bits of smoke bleed off it in a dozen places surely it can't take much more, but gamely it batters the demon, knocking it back several paces and ripping disgusting black feathers from its torso.
Xervish notes Zendara's light fingered approach to his property but sighs and darts towards the staff. Picking it up he whirls on the demon and with a whispered word a fireball streaks out to envelop the demon, detonating with a dull WHOOMPH! But to Xervish's disgust the magic just fizzled as it struck the demon, "AIIIEE! CAN NOTHING WORK?!"
While this is going on Zendara manages to collect several heavy books.
Yukarii knew they needed to get out of there and seeing the lich pluck the staff out from Zendara's grasp. She suspected that they would want that staff and that only by the demon and lich being dealt with could they get it. Yukarii made a decision and pulled her kukri as she moved around the fighting t try and keep the lich from moving away from Zendara with the staff.
Edwin quickly scanned the books on the table, scooping up the one that seemed most valuable. He was beginning to suspect that Xervish was not going to willingly move on from his undead state, and might have to be "helped" along.
(fail)
Zendara puts the books in her pack, looking around for anything else they should take
As she is looking, she asks,
Do you guys know whether we can still get out of this painting if Xervish dies? Do we need to go soon, or do we have more time?
Sheltering behind the upturned, Xervish remarked "Ah finally a question that counts. No, this little demiplane will go evaporate with my passing, I doubt you'd enjoy that."
Moments later the demon's wicked claws finished rending the elemental and with glee it fell upon the lich. Unable to control his magic, a rather outsized Xervish raked skeletal fingers across the demon's hide leaving trail of blood. Despite his defiance the demon's bird like voice laughed horribly, "Enough play, time for you to pay for your insolence!" Nobody in the room was under any illusion over how this was going to end.
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Yukarii realized that, with the loss of the elemental, the staff was likely lost to them too. The demon would rip Xervish apart and she knew she couldn't take it from him by force. She had time for one thing before she needed to flee from the painting and called out, "Xervish-san, you are doomed now, toss me the staff so it won't be lost!" Yukarii quickly headed towards the portal out after giving Xervish a moment to toss the staff to her, and trying to catch it if he did, then got the hell out of dodge.
Zendara yells to the others
Get out! Get out now!
Then she attempts to tumble around the fighting to get the gryphon statuette that she just spotted.
After she grabs it, and anything else easy to grab on the way out, and after she makes sure everyone else is out, she exits the portal.
Edwin heeded Zendara's warning. He grabbed what he could and and hurried down the stairs, then ran for the exit.
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Xervish glances at Yukarii with a strange vulnerable look before staring at his skeletal fingers and shuddering, "Your words are truer than you know, I'm for the fire after this and there's nobody to blame but me."
The demon's claws blurred as it shredded into Xervish sending gore flying and he sneered, "Your fate was sealed the day you sold your soul to the Githyanki little mage. Their sects worship gods even I abhor!"
Zendara worked her way around the fight managing to pocket the small figurine before hightailing it out of there.
Xervish was wielding the staff in both hands and smashing the demon with it, making a ringing noise which set your teeth on edge. Despite his defiance the demon's attacks where washing over him like the tide coming in. Flecks of demon blood splattered everywhere mixing with shredded bits of lich but demon just laughed knowing it was taking him down!
As the party started pilling through the portal, the demon batted the staff aside and grabbed Xerrvish by the neck and it started squeezing. Xervish smacked it over the head so hard the staff bowed but the vrock was implacable. It kept squeezing and squeezing until the bones in Xervish's neck shattered.
A shockwave went through the room, scattering everything and blurring the air. The walls and the floors started to loose cohesion and a sound like the end of the world rung painfully in your ears. Before your eyes the demiplane started to dissolve into chaos and the final thing Xervish did before cackling demon tore his head off was to throw the staff after you through the portal. This was followed by a huge explosion which burnt to crisp a square shape in the opposite wall!
As you picked yourselves up you took stock of the findings:
Crafted from bronzewood with brass bindings, this staff allows use of the following spells:
Burning hands (1 charge)
Fireball (2 charges)
Wall of fire (3 charges)
Level 1: Charm Person – Comprehend Languages – Cultural Adaptation – Detect Secret Doors – Enlarge Person – Fabricate Disguise – Floating Disk – Magic Weapon – Obscuring Mist – Ray Of Enfeeblement – Reinforce Armaments – Shield
Level 2: Bear's Endurance – Brow Gasher – Burning Gaze – Darkvision – Disfiguring Touch – Eagle's Splendor – Hidden Presence – Make Whole – Mirror Image – Stone Call
Level 3: Beast Shape I – Daylight – Fireball – Fly – Protection from Energy – Resinous Skin – Resist Energy, Communal – Voluminous Vocabulary – Water Breathing
Level 4: Enervation – Familiar Melding – Remove Curse – Shout – Wall Of Fire
Level 5: Break Enchantment – Cloudkill – Cone of Cold – Ooze Form I – Wall Of Force
^^both fails if trying alone, but as aid rolls, if someone else rolls better, they could work for that.
Looking through the books in the aftermath of surviving, Zendara says
Oh! A spellbook. Do we know anyone who can learn spells in this way?
The force of the blast knocked Edwin to the ground. After confirming that he was indeed still in one piece, he picked himself back up and waited for the ringing in his ears to subside. "That was quite the experience!", he declared.
He held the griffon statuette in his hands and examined it carefully; he finally reported, "This can turn into a full-sized griffon twice per week, for up to 6 hours at a time." In answer to Zendara's question he examined the book and replied, "I can learn spells this way. There's some quite useful spells in here too!"
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With the collapse imminent and the lich refusing to toss her the staff right then Yukarii fled the area, getting outside and turning to see the end of the fight. On a sudden thought Yukarii pulled out the other lich's phylactery to toss it through the portal just before it collapsed.
Yukarii was shocked to see Xervish actually toss the staff to her just before it was ended and she reached out to catch it. With the end of the lich Yukarii bowed to where the portal had just been and said, "Xervish-sama, yoku yasunde kudasai."
In the aftermath of the devastation Yukarii looked at the two items they had, the staff first since she was holding it.
Yukarii recognized it for it was, a staff of fire! The high-priestess of the temple of Norala kept one of these. She would only bring it out when a particularly dire undead incursion would happen and it was considered a sort of holy relic. She held it with reverence and said, "This staff can be used to spray a short cone of fire, toss a ball that explodes into a large area of flame, and to create a barrier of fire to ward off foes."
Wow... yeah, that was crazy. says Zendara.
After Edwin identifies the figurine, Zendara takes it back, saying Thanks for identifying it for me. That's amazing. I'm glad I took the time to get it, though we were cutting it close. You keep the spellbook, since it is useful to you.
When Yukarii explains what the staff does, Zendara says wow again. That should come in handy for you as well.
Anything else we need to do here, or should we go back outside and find our friends?
Edwin replied to Zendara, "I think we need to check on the chained skeleton. I hope that we've relieved his suffering, but I want to make sure."
Zendara nods at Edwin.
Good idea. Let's go check.
She starts back down, but then pauses.
Waaait... wasn't the other picture...
She checks the other picture on wall that had activated with the password, trying to see whether it still has a portal attached to it or not.
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The other picture still leads to the same lonely air elemental haunted peak. You're not at all sure what kind of reception you'd get if you walked through.
"No time like the present. Best we make ourselves scarce before that demon finishes with the lich and decides to do us in as well."
Edwin told the others, "I'm going to try disarming the fireball trap on this metal case. I'm going to go down the stairs were there's more room to do it; I'm afraid of damaging something in the explosion if I mess up. You probably want to keep well back!" He descended the stairs to the 3rd floor and chose a spot well away from everything else. Then he set about trying to disarm the trap. Just before he made the final adjustment, he uttered the nonsense phrase "Melenkurion Skyweir", in case that was actually the command phrase.
Responding to Xindyra Zendara says
I think that the demon and lich are gone with that collapse... but I wonder why this other portal is still open. I was thinking it was the same sort of thing.
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Yukarii considered the remaining portal and the question of why it had not closed with Xervish's second death. The only thing she could come with was, "I think the one he died in was supported by him. This one," she gestured at teh one with the elementals, "may be sustaining itself or a portal to an actual place that was made permanent and does not need Xervish-sama to maintain it "
To Edwin's amusement the nonsense phrase was indeed the command word and he was able to safely open the metal case, revealing a slender aspen wood wand and a hand written note.
I can only assume I have been destroyed. As much as the thought of what awaits petrifies me, lichdom is a curse and I regret my churlish actions every waking moment. I don't sleep which means there's no respite, except the final one. If that was by your hand, then you have my eternal gratitude.
I do have one last request, I treated my apprentice appallingly because he was one of them. Please he didn't deserve his fate, release him from my curse. This wand was crafted with that very purpose in mind, it uses the same command word as everything else.
Xervish.
Edwin retrieved the note and read it aloud,
"Dear reader,
I can only assume I have been destroyed. As much as the thought of what awaits petrifies me, lichdom is a curse and I regret my churlish actions every waking moment. I don't sleep which means there's no respite, except the final one. If that was by your hand, then you have my eternal gratitude.
I do have one last request, I treated my apprentice appallingly because he was one of them. Please he didn't deserve his fate, release him from my curse. This wand was crafted with that very purpose in mind, it uses the same command word as everything else.
Xervish.
"Let's go do what Xervish asks, and free that poor apprentice! He will have been in agony this whole time!"
He turned and raced down the stairs to the room where the skeleton was held by the magic chains.
Yukarii heard what Edwin had found and as he raced off called out, "Wait Edwin-san! I have the phylactary here!" It seemed she was too late though as hewas already gone. Yukarii sighed and said, "We should catch up to him." With that Yukarii quickly began to follow after Edwin.
On one level, Zendara really wants to go through the second portal, but she realizes that the air elementals would also probably kill her. There had to be a reason it was here though... something on the other side that mattered. Maybe a castle with glorious treasures, or... or, nothing. It didn't matter. She couldn't go through alone. She'd die.
She reaches for the frame of the picture, wondering if she can turn it towards the wall at least, or maybe break it, so it wasn't a hazard for anyone else finding this place. Hmm...
She barely registers that she is up here alone, figuring she will have plenty of time to catch up with the others.
The party makes its way backdown stairs to where the skeletal mage lies slumped as far as the chains will allow. He stirs when you enter and his eerie disembodied voice begs you in Githyanki, "Please release me from this torment!"
Edwin activated the wand, trying to alleviate the skeletal mage's suffering. Here goes nothing!
Yukarii caught up to Edwin just in time to see him start using the wand and cried out, "Edwin-san! Wait!" She was panting from trying to catch up to the speedy ratfolk. She pulled the cloth wrapped phylactery out of her pack and opened the bundle then set it on the floor near the lich. "There Edwin-san, now use the wand."
Edwin pointed the slender wand at the ugly brutish looking spikes Yukarii had placed on the floor and whispered "Melenkurion Skyweir!" A greenish beam shot out from the wand which caused the spikes to vibrate violently. The vibrations stated with a low sound which got higher and higher before shattering.
The skeletal mage cried out wordlessly with the destruction of the phylactery. You rushed back into the prison room to see him slowly dissolving into mist from the feat up. Glancing at you the mage spoke, his lilting disembodied voice echoing for perhaps the last time.
Our scientists studied it but truth is not be found there. My people have a thousand cults most of them vile. I believe one of our anointed ones recognised it and deemed it holy. A vindictive woman, she was called Belxranthar. It was whispered she worshipped the most depraved being imaginable. A being with a thousand names. I know but one, Nylarthotep the Crawling Chaos, ender of worlds. It is he who sent this darkness here."
As the skeletal mage spoke his body slowly disintegrated before your eyes from the bottom up, the process isn't finished yet but it won't be much longer.
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Yukarii began to speak in the language of the dead to the apprentice, "It is done, we your master has been destroyed and you are now able to cross over as well. May Norala's blade slice cleanly so she may gather you into her embrace."
Edwin found the mage's mention of the writhing darkness disturbing. "Where can we find records of the scientists' observations?", he asked urgently.
The mage nodded at Yukarii's words and replied to Edwins question, saying "Dr Ar'vaakn lead the investigation. He worked at the Imari school of Engineering in the metaphysics wing."
As he spoke his ribcage stared to crumble away, perhaps leaving time for one more question.
.
As the mage faded away Edwin tried to get it one more question, "We saw a sea urchin shaped blob of utter darkness on the amphitheater roof, in the center of town. Is that the writhing darkness that you speak of?"
It took him a moment to respond and the wave of disintegration reached his sternum before he spoke. His eerie voice replied, "Yes. Xervish found a way to awaken it briefly. It flared to three times its current size before collapsing under it's own... Gravity? The blast sent a spherical wave of perfect darkness that drank all life in a radius of four thousand yards. Nothing could stop it, not stone nor metal nor spells. The perfect embodiment of elemental evil."
And with that the remainder of his ribcage disintegrated to the point that his arms no longer supported his body. His skull fell the floor and shattered into a thousand pieces which evaporated into naught but dust and lost memories.
After turning the picture around and nothing happening, Zendara comes down in time to witness the last words of the skeleton.
That doesn't sound good. We should definitely stay away from that thing.
After offering a prayer for the mage, Edwin addressed his companions, "Is there anything else we should do here? Or shall we return the rest of the team outside?"
There's that other portal upstairs if you think it goes somewhere... but we would probably have to fight elementals.
Defeated, Zendara says
Yeah, I didn't think so. Let's go.
She exits the tower.