Gregor grunts. Mighty nice of you all. hhuh watch out for those ahhh axes though.
Gregor is looking after Father Kerndrew darting away when the next blade is swishing down from the ceiling this time slicing along the door to finish anybody crashed by the falling bronze.
Unable to move he is can only wait for the blow, but at the last secoond a click is heared from inside the room. The blade stops and then slowly retreats up into the roof. Shortly after the sheet of metal also retreats upwards freeing Gregor.
Gregor stands painfully up and scoots inside the room...looking at the ceiling....simply says Thanks for that
"Yes! Exactly there Kerndrew!" Shalissa shots and hold her breath as the axe almost chops Gregor's head.
"Thanks Sky Father" smiling in a much better mood she approaches and lends her hand helping Gregor up "Come. Let's go. We do not need to wait here for the trap to activate again. Let's go through those doors at the other side"
Waiting for the front-liners to open the doors north, she smiles again "I only want to see your own axes swirling" and casts guidance on Gregor.
Davor quickly scans for any traps on the door and opens it.
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Judging from this cathedral-like chamber’s decor, this area must have once been a significant temple dedicated to some vile god. To the west, a few steps lead up to a shrine presided over by a ten-foot-high statue of a beautiful, fanged woman, save that instead of arms she possesses two upraised bat-like wings and instead of feet her legs end in talons. She looms over a glistening altar of blood-red stone that seems to weep blood into a trough below; this trough of blood runs the length of the room before disappearing to the east through a set of bronze bars in front of a wide opening in the wall that drops away into darkness. Stone pillars support the roof 25 feet above, and two dry fountains sit opposite each other against the walls in the middle of the room. Three large alcoves, one to the south and two to the north, contain complex wall carvings. The entire chamber feels unnaturally cold, and from time to time strange disembodied whispers slither through the air.
On the opposite site of the room in front of one of the alcoves your eyes are immediately drawn to a creature like you have never seen before. The figure reminds you of a lizardman but with much slighter build and a serpentlike head coming out of her bright red robe. The Woman(?) is holding a small notebook and seems to have reading some inscription on the wall, buthas now turned towards you.
"You! What are you doing here?"
Gregor steps to the side, behind one of the columns and pulls the last cure light wounds out his belt pouch drinking it down. After he feels the potions curing effects easing the pain in his back as it knit back muscle and bone. He smacked his lips together and answered Why my dear we've come to kill you!
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Davor moves up between Gregor and Father Kerndrew. Why skeletons again? He mutters the words to a spell.
"Just to set the record straight, this would be your natural form and you are the creature that pretended to be Ieana, a woman from Varisia. You charmed the captain and got him to kill the crew and sink his ship?"
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"What? who cares for some rotten ship and its vain captain? I am on the cusp of making the greatest discover of the last thousand years. OTo solve a mystery your fragile race has not been able to solve since the sky fell so long ago. Why don't you come over and help me clean and decipher this inscription instead of mourning for some monkeys in a nutshell."
Make a will save DC 17.
ON failure you believe this to be a very reasonable request . You put your weapon away and walk over to the spot I marked with a scroll. Once there you will start cleaning away the plant material and dirt covering the inscriptions very carefully.
On success you only feel a slight nugging at your mind, but brush it off easily. Unless you roll a critical success or a make a spellcraft DC 18 you are not aware what just happened.
Before getting out of the trap room, Shalissa would have healed, at least partially the team.
---
Shalissa observes marveled the ancient hall "That cannot be blood, must be waters flowing through the red sand of this mountain"
Then her eyes rest on the serpent humanoid staring at the party "I beg your pardon Father Kerndrew... it seems the woman was indeed a vile viper that had the Captain ensorceled..."
"Do not hear her Davor, you already know how her guidance to the Captain ended" the elf mutters a few words casting bull's strength on Kerndrew.
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"I see now why Iomedae brought me to this place! All this time I thought it was woe and misfortune, but there's a bright purpose here. And that's to end yours!" Father Kerndrew steps in front of Davor, then over to the nearest skeleton, using his shield to bash it with the enhanced strength Shalissa has provided.
Kerndrew steps up and blows the first Skeleton to pieces with his massive shield.
Seeing the Iomedean stepping aggressively against her Yarzoth turns toward him and smiles. "I see! You want to fight for a cause. Very well Ydersius will provide you with one. Fight for me little Paladin."
A change comes over Father Kerndrew's demeanor; his boisterous Iomedean boasts disappear as he begins examining his companions with strategic intent.
Subjects resist this control, and any subject forced to take actions against its nature receives a new saving throw with a +2 bonus.
"What are you doing Davor?! You do not need to obey her!" Shalissa shouts in surprise as the half-orc starts walking towards the wall pointed out by the priestess, not noticing the domination taking hold on Kerndrew.
Oh Farg!. Gregor said when he saw Davor walk towards the wall at the suggestion from the snake woman. Then when she ensorcelled Father Kerndrew he gave a heavy sigh. Darged Fate! Well heres to it! Shalissa see what you can do to get these two out of their problem. Im going after the snake! with a quick release he dropped his pack where he was and with an axe in either hand, he spun and started running straight towards the dias. He ran past Father Kerndrew, hoping this might jar him out of his state, and past the Skeleton and coiling his legs he leaped over the channel of red blood like flow, landing on the dias next to the snake woman. Howdy Ma'am. Care to make this easy on us and just give up?
Davor swiftly starts working on his tasks jumping over the river and taking out a piece of cloth from his pockets and carefully removing the lichen from the inscription.
Gregor meanwhile noticing the danger coming from the scholar is rushing over towards her.
Seeing the battle joined the Skeletons rush into battle, but being unsued for so many century they struggle with ccordinating the Bones and sinews.
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Davor swiftly starts working on his tasks jumping over the river and taking out a piece of cloth from his pockets and carefully removing the lichen from the inscription.
"Who shall I fight for you? Shall I continue to rid the room of these intrusive skeletons?"
Davor very carefully scrubs at the inscriptions on the wall.
When Gregor rushed past Kerndrew the paladin takes a half-hearted lounge but is too late to hit the rushing fighter.
When everybody else is just waiting unsure whats happening, Yarzoth stares surprised at the Iomedaen and demands. "KILL HIM", while pointing at Gregor.
Then the serpent takes a step back and begins casting.
Summon Monster
Gregor ignores the Skeletons pressing the advantage, taking a step forward he swings both axes while saying Oh now you dont ya Fargin Bratch Eating Dung Crawler. but it was hard swinging around the altar, the difficulty hampering his swings.
Battle Axe and Hand Axe- +4 to Hit BattleAxe 1d8+2. +4 to Hit Hand Axe 1d6+1 both 20/x3
Father Kerndrew senses that something about this impulse to attack Gregor seems wrong, but can't quite summon up any reasoning that makes any sense, and so he dashes after the warrior he was straining to release from a devious trap just minutes before.
He speeds up as he approaches the blood river, knowing that he'll need everything he has to leap across in his heavy armor. Whether it's the skeleton in the way or just his natural lack of grace may never be known, but the paladin lands squarely in the river, all of his clothing immediately soaked through and now deep red.
"No! What?!" Shalissa shouts in shock as Kerndrew chases behind Gregor "You do not need to do what she tells you! The skeleton here..."
Negating frustrated with the head as Kerndrew leaves her alone with the skeleton, the elf tries to rush behind the Father trying to avoid the animated bones in front.
Unable to stop Kerndrew, she halts at the middle of the room "Oh gosh! I think she made to him the same she did to the Captain. Davor, leave those walls, we can scrap them later!"
Raising her holy symbol she channels the energy of Gozreh to affect the undead "Father of Lightning, clear the path for us, bring the peace to these undead!"
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Looking at his handiwork Davor is quite pleased with his effort, Now only 2 more lines and Yarzoth can finally finish her important discovery.
Gregor tries to keep the pressure up on the serpent woman, but the statue keeps getting in the way.
When Yarzoth shouts the command, Father Kerndrew rushes forward to stop Gregor from attacking his mistress, but he slips in the Blood stream and can barely keep his balance.
Shalissa rushes after Father Kerndrew bowling over the skeleton in her way, who wails helplessly after her. When she realizes she can't keep up with the other she calls out to her god to even the odds. A Mighty wave of air rushes forward from her and carries the skeletons with it, crushing them against various walls.
When Yarzoth finishes her spell 2 vipers appear on next tio the altar and attack Gregor. He brings his arm up in surprise to defend the attack and feels a small sting.
When he looks up he reallizes the poison was an fast acting hallucigen because now he ssees three Serpent woman standing behind the vipers.
On Failure you are poisoned, take 1d2 CON damage and make another check during your turn.
Feeling rather good about his work, Davor continues carefully clearing the lichen. Something does seem odd about the noises behind him, but he's used to focusing on his work with almost any kind of distraction....
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The snake woman backed up and two vipers appeared in between her and Gregor. He saw Father Kerndrew bearing down on him, jumping into the flow of blood read water and Davor was still scrubbing away at the wall. Fortunately enough, Shalissa caused the Skeletons to fall with a burst of holy energy. One of the Vipers bit his leg and he saw The snake woman moving her hands and acting like she casting spell and a couple more images came up.
He glanced down at the snake bite and brushed the snake loose with a flick of the hand axe before the venom could be injected.
Then not wanting to lose his advantage he tried to leap over the snake. The snake lunged at him causing him to come up short, so he slashed out with his battleaxe. Luck wasnt with him however, as the axe struck the tiles of the altar.
Davor. Snap out of it. I could use your help!
Trying to press his advantage Gregor tries to jump over the altar but can't quite get the height. After landing back where he was, he crashes his handaxe onto the vipper sitting on top of the altar and kills it with one blow.
Davor continues his cleaning and discovers a new picture next to his lines of text. This one looks like it is showing a city in the jungle.
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Davor hears his name called.... "Yes, yes, yes. Just a little bit longer. I've got to do this. You could help me you know. This is a big job!" But the wall still has lichen covering the important text and pictures. He adjusts his position and continues his careful scrubbing of the dirt and vegetation.
"Gregor, you're going to need to stop that. This aggression will not stand!" Father Kerndrew puts his arms behind his words, though he at least uses the flat of his blade to do so.
"Father Kerndrew!" Shalissa shouts horrified by what the paladin is doing "She is the enemy! What has she done to you now?"
Understanding something is wrong with Kerndrew, Shalissa steps up and casts the only spell she has that might help "Peace back, do not let the evil take hold on you, remind your code" she steps forward while casting protection from evil and touching the paladin with the magic.
Davor continues "happily" cleaning the wall. "Where did all this mess come from? Has anybody cleaned this in a year or more? Gotta be careful so I don't damage the writing. I wonder what this means? I need to learn this language. I wonder if Shalissa can read it. She knows a language or two that I don't!"
Feeling the voice in his mind commanding him to stop Gregor in his murderous rage, Father Kerndrew strikes him with the flat side of his sword. Unfortunately The Ranger moves at the last possible second so the blade strikes him in the head with considerable force, knocking him almost out.
Then finally Shalissa can catch up with Father Kerndrew and the touch of her hand seems to lift the evil spell on him immediately. ()
Fearing Gozreths Aura permeating from The Paladin, the remaining viper attacks gregor once more but missing again.
The Serpent Woman continues touse her protective magic to prepare for the battle.
[ooc]I think technically Davor still has one more round to clean, but I award him an additional success for his funny posts, so he is finished and can take part in battle again.
"Oh Davor, it is not time, the serpent woman is causing trouble" Shalissa says heart-taken while going around the column and launching a spark or electricity at the priestess.
Gregor watched as the snake woman moved in triplicate further away, and with only 1 viper between him and her, he knew what to do...then Father Kerndrew hit him in the back of th head with the flat of the blade, almost knocking him to his knees. He saw stars briefly and then tried to leap over the snake to his right front, since the statue to his front made it very hard to do...then he pivoted and attacked the woman.
As Shalissa's spell of protection washes over him, Father Kerndrew's face changes; a whirlwind of emotions can be read, running from disappointment, to confusion, to realization, to shock, to pure existential fear, and then finally--as his eyes fall on the priestess--to simple, direct anger.
"You! You'll pay for that! Iomedae as my guide--if she'll still have me--I'll see you to Pharasma's Boneyard personally if I have to!"
He darts up the steps to deliver her a vicious and vengeful blow.
Gregor exclaims: "Why did it have to be snakes?" when he once more can't overcome his fear and is forced t turn on the viper once again, beheading the beast in one swoop with his battleaxe.
Finally released from the evil priestess, Father Kerndrew steps up and delivers Iomedaes judgement on Yarzoth and leaving a huge cut in the upper torso.
In the meantime Shalissa sends an arc of lightning across the room but it is pulled of target by all the metal suddenly around the priestess.
Finally coming to his senses, Davor glances around, pulls his knife from his belt and charges the evil snake woman. "Those are my friends you evil slithering B!#(H!"
[dice=Acrobatics to cleanly cross the channel of blood?]1d20 +10
Finally aware of the ongoing battle Davor joins the fray and strikes Yarzoth across her back.
The Serpent turns towards The attacking Paladin striking with her poisonous bite.
You take 1d2 STR damage and must make another Fort Save in your turn.
You need two consecutive saves if ou fail the fist check.
"Aw! Yeah Davor!" Shalissa exclaims excited the half-orc joins the fray.
Without a clear shot to Yarzoth, she steps back and starts summoning "I can also bring an ally, your god has no power any longer in this plane of existence!"
With a pointed nod to Davor, Father Kerndrew steps to the side and pauses briefly to allow the half-orc to mirror his action to gain the flank, then strikes.
Davor continues jabbing with his dagger, side-stepping with Kerndrew to gain flanking.
Now that the battle is finally joined for good, Davor and Father Kerndrew fall into there practiced routine and attack the Preistess from both sides. But the snewy body seems to be quite accomplished at avoiding the incoming blades and both miss wildly.
With the path cleared, Gregor is fianlly able to step up and slashes at one of the blured serpent images sorrounding the statue. As soon as his axe connects the images disappears though, leaving the Prietesss unscated.
Feeling secure in her protective spells Yarzoth continue to bite after the hostile paladin trying to take him out of the battle.
You need to make another Fort Save DC 17+2 during Yarzoths turn.
If you make it I rule this as the second consecutive save so you will be free from all poison.
If you fail, you have now two doses of poison in you making the DC 19 and the damage on fail double, while resetting your concecutive save count back to 0
You can make the Save on your initiative at the end of your actions, so any additional strength losses would only come after you have attacked
"Father of Lightning give us an industrious ally able to stop the serpent charmer!" as Shalissa completes her casting, a celestial giant ant materializes over the statue.
With her ant legs climbing over the statue, she tries to bite and grab the serpent priestess.
With the ritual finished, Shalissa tries to spark the serpent, but as there is no clear shot from her position, she instead waits and readies an action. If the priestess tries to escape, she sparks her once there is no cover and shooting to melee penalties for Shalissa.
Father Kerndrew feels the additional poison begin working more in his system, further eroding his strength even as he presses his attack harder on the serpentine priestess.
Davor growls at his terrible miss, and adds, "Your magic can't protect you forever! You're surrounded and we will kill you!"
Gregor smiled at the insidious snake creature, even though his guts turned at the reptilian countenance he struck out. he was having a hard time with it though and missed both times.
From all sides the hits now rain on the priestess who is no longer able to escape the precise hits and bleeds from various wounds.
When you think you have her cornered and are preparing for the final blows, she touches the face of the statue with her bloodied hand and instantly turns translucent.
You watch in awe as she begins to fly towards the ceiling.