|
Rastaf watches in awe as Kast gets a really cool tat.
He has no idea what to make of it though, so he breaks out his healer's kit and gets busy, taking some time to properly treat his patients.
Izo
Pachemu
Valena
Seamus
Kast
Koba
Rastaf
Everyone gains 20 hp.
Those still injured get a channel.
Izo is still down 47, iirc. There's a wand for that.
Raising an eyebrow as the weird mark appears on Kasts forehead…
Kast looks at Seamus immediately worries he has food on his face, scrapping off his chin and lips.
”Did I get it? Or is there blood? Where?” Kast will begin to wipe off his forehead as well. ”Did I get it?”
When he can finally see it, or if it drawn in the dirt for him, he will ponder upon it.
Know (Arcana)
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As the bodybuilder wizardress falls to the ground and the mark appears in Kast's forefront, a tiny smile draws in the dragon's face "The High Lady of Wrath is dead. Hail the High Lord of Wrath!"
Izomandakus and Pachemu thank Rastaf for his cares and breath relieved as their wounds all but disappear.
The red dragon points to Kast's forefront "It is the brand of Wrath. It is the personal mark of the ruler of these Halls of Wrath. And it passes from ruler to ruler as someone stronger comes and claims victory over the last one"
He will help Seamus, scanning for magic around.
Not for the first time, Koba is uneasy about this change. He eyes Kast carefully, and lingers on him for a while - no doubt detecting evil. Again.
Still, you find a lot of gear on the Highlady. Or rather piled around the ashes that was her body. Her gear remains magical when you leave unlike a lot of the other gear you’ve encountered so far. It’s clearly custom made by her for her and all of a theme in red and black and fire.
Wand of clairvoyance/clairaudience (32 chgs, 7,200gp)
Mithral Breastplate +4 (20,200gp)
Adamantine Ranseur flaming +1 (11,010gp)
Belt of physical perfection +2 (16,000gp)
Cloak of resistance +3 (9,000gp)
Headband of vast intelligence +2 (4,000gp)
Spellbook (4,000gp)
"It is the brand of Wrath. It is the personal mark of the ruler of these Halls of Wrath. And it passes from ruler to ruler as someone stronger comes and claims victory over the last one"
Kast grits his teeth. ”Brand of Wrath? Huh,” he grunts, trying to figure out what this might mean, both for himself, and for perfection. ”And you we can probably remove it? Huh.” Kast ponders, uncertain what to do with this unwelcome gift.
What if I were to get mad at Marigold? She is perfect, and I could not be mad at her.
There is one more set of teleportation pads. Do you try them? Or head back out to the next section?
Kast tries not to think about the brand on his forehead. It has a texture to it to be sure, and as fresh as it is, it itches a little.
"Well, guess, you can easily remove it by letting yourself be defeated" Izomandakus suggests a smile in his dragon face "Now see about the advantages, it gives you a kind of... aggressive look"
He looks at the statues around and the hall itself "Do you feel you can control what happens here now and give orders to the wrathful warriors?"
As the other set of teleportation pads is discovered, Izomandakus studies it carefully before activating it.
Kast pauses, thinking about his new rune and what it might mean. He will let others decide the path currently.
Val cleans off her sword. ”I say we check out the other teleporter, pending Izo’s investigation of course. Might as well finish off this whole section.”
Kast and Izomandakus spend a little time studying the rune in the floor. It’s a powerful ‘master circle’ which has two abilities - only one of which the Highlady, and now the Highlord, can readily utilize.
Kast, as Highlord, may, once per day, call a single creature as per Planar Binding (cl 15). Only one creature may be summoned at a time, though it remains up to 15 days as per the spell. It has not been used today, the demon having been summoned earlier in the week.
Second, any dimensional travel attempted while standing on the rune is subverted. Kast and Izomandakus aren’t sure exactly how it works, or where you’ll end up, but it’s definitely going to send you somewhere specific. It’s a lot like the teleport pads, but it requires a dimensional spell to activate it (dimension door, teleport - anything from the teleportation sub-school).
Let me know if you have any further questions about that rune, or if you want to activate it prior to entering the next chamber - which you certainly have time to do. There is room for everyone to stand on the rune at one time for the transportation option.
I'll move us on to the last chamber either later tonight or tomorrow morning.
You also know that the ceiling is an actual wall of fire spell. It's very hot up there!
"So you can call anyone from another plane here. As we are out of the Material Plane you could call that particular member of the Sandpoint's Guard that poses continuous obstacles to your growth in the organization. Perhaps a time in the Runeforge will teach him a couple of things..." Izomandrakus grins after studying the teleportation rune.
"As for the other effect... don't know, maybe we first should forge the Runeforge weapons before attempting any strange teleportation to an unknown place..." the red performs a dragon-shrug "For what we know it might move us to whatever place, perhaps Alaznit's resting place"
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Koba holds up his bow and compares it with the pole arm. ”This does the job for me sir. I dunno what I’d do with something that large and unwieldy.” He grins handing the flaming ranseur back to Seamus.
Izomandakus finds nothing different about this teleport pad when you get to it. It appears to be an exact duplicate of the others, save the destination of course which is as yet unknown.
He activates the teleporter, going in first with the rest of the party coming in waves behind him as before.
This long chamber is filled with two rows of wide worktables. The far end of the chamber contains three wide alcoves. The ones to the east and west are each filled with all matter of alchemical supplies and large barrels, while the one in the middle contains a single huge vat of what appears to be twitching, half-alive, foul-smelling flesh.
Working in the room, creating sinspawns no doubt, are the nine remaining warriors of wrath. They prepare weapons and spell components as soon as they see Izomandakus, though some longer term spells are already going (like mirror image and bulls strength) due to the alarm that was raised earlier. In the first round, they each cast displacement upon themselves and moved up toward Izomandakus.
Then they notice Kast step through.
As one woman, they grasp their blades in salute! Shouting in unison, in Thassilonian of course, they scream Then they all drop to one knee in total supplication. Well, each to their own knee of course.
The fanatics await their orders from the Highlord of Wrath. There are nine wrathful warriors.
As Izomandakus teleports into the room and gets a glimpse of the warriors he heralds "Halt there and witness the arrival of the new High Lord of Wrath!"
Of course he moves out of the circle for the others to arrive and then leaves all the spotlight for Kast to lead his new found army.
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Kast steps up (20') and moves to address his audience.
"I seek weapons to destroy those that would keep us here. I seek weapons that will kill those who seek to contain us. Which of you knows how to make or find these weapons?" Kast asks the assembled wrathkin.
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Their approach is a bit direct, but that's the sort of response you can expect. For hundreds, maybe thousands of years, all they've done is to shout acceptance at the Highlady. They are struggling with this change, but the old grooves run long as so they fall back on rigid training.
They do seem apologetic that they don't have more sinspawn for Kast's growing army. They are ready to fight for the cause! Whatever that may be - they really don't care.
Kast grunts, disappointed, but not surprised by the response.
”Then provide me with a single champion. We will only make an example of the best of you,” Kast offers coldly, and probably imperfectly.
He encourages the party to stand back and let his minions provide him with a single champion.
They all step up and volunteer to be your champion.
The fourth one seemed to jump up slightly faster than the others, but that could have just been a trick of the light.
”You cannot be *the* one, whilst others among you still stand,” Kast explains with irritation, now understanding wrath moreso with idiot followers like these.
When the fireballs, scorching rays, magic missiles, and shocking grasps die down, the slaughter slows to a crawl. True strike doesn’t help against displacement or mirror images, but at least they’re all hasted so the extra attacks help.
In the end, only one warrior of wrath still stands. Was it the fourth one? Hard to say in the melee that just occurred. Eight warriors of wrath lie dead - for the remaining warrior sees to it none are merely wounded.
”I shall serve as your champion!” she shouts, somewhat feebly considering her current physical condition.
While the warriors fight, Izomandakus observes distractedly the tables of the workshop, trying to understand what the heck these people are doing in here.
Meanwhile, the pixie Pachemu flies to the top of the first statue and looks at the battle entertained.
Izomandakus, it's clear from the flesh-pots they were creating sinspawn.
Leaving the flesh-pots with a bit of disgust, the red dragon just comments to Kast "A pity only one remains. It could have been perfect to let them reproduce and form up a corps of sinspawn to defend the Lastwall from the hordes of orcs and undead."
"Not sure that they can even leave here, DragoIzo," Kast replies, not enjoying the carnage or the outcome. "We need to end their miserable wrath-filled lives. Such abominations should never have been."
Kast will kill the remaining spawn and move to explore the area. He didn't like the choices offered, but he can try to make something of it.
Izomandakus nods and addresses the warrior so she knows what is going on "Well done Champion. You have earned the right to fight the Highlord"
Then let's Kast provide the wrathful death, and only intervene if things seem to go wrong.
Afterwards, look back to the teleport circles to the nexus room.
The last warrior falls quickly to the might and fury of a wrathful Kast and the abominations are no more.
Other then the fleshpots, which have no value to the sane and good, there is nothing here of actual value.
You can leave wrath, or try the large transportation rune in the Highlord's chamber.
Before taking any decision, Izomandakus produces the ingredients list from the bag hanging from his dragon neck and checks what it says for Wrath "Mmmm... Ashes from anything in the Hall of Wrath, I think the ex-Highlady remains will check on that, wouldn't they?"
Assuming the group agrees, he quickly flies back to collect the ashes, using his fire breath if necessary to create more ashes if the body parts are too whole "I think that will do it" and places the ashes back into his ingredients pouch.
"As for what next, I think I can activate this teleportation circle here, but I would prefer to press on the remaining halls while my magic lasts" the dragon sniffs, moving his neck as a warm up "I wanted to confront this place looking for answers, but what I have found I do not like at all. Now I only want to find those Runeforged weapons and destroy this place once and for all"
"Gluttony Halls next?"
Val casually throws up her hands. ”I have no preference.” She does not really feel good about a bunch of people being ordered to kill each other, but she cannot exactly think of another better option. She tries to think through it, but quickly realizes she is out of her depth. Best to just say it’s done and over and to move on.
Traveling a ways down the tunnel to the Ravenous Crypt of Gluttony, you eventually face a set of iron doors set deep into the stone. As none of you are gluttonous or lustful, exactly, none of you feel a particular pull in this area. The doors are locked, but not trapped as far as you can tell.
"Mmmm... Ashes from anything in the Hall of Wrath, I think the ex-Highlady remains will check on that, wouldn't they?"
"Gluttony Halls next?"
Kast nods, thinking that that's an excellent choice of ashes. He will make sure his magical protections are in place, renewing those that need it as they stand at the doors.
"'Mus? These doors safe to open?" Kast asks.
Before leaving the wrath halls, Izomandakus, really barely conscious, drinks the just found potions.
"Very good harvest they have here at Wrath, no wonder they could fight for so long"
---
Izomandakus casts again his shield spell "They will not take me this time unprepared" and adds a see invisibility one to the mix.
And touches his chest augmenting himself for a little bit.
Then scans the doors with detect magic.
+2 if within circle vs evil
+0 if within circle vs evil
Seamus finds nothing, and Izomandakus senses no magic on the doors, and of course the thick iron planks would prevent seeing anything beyond.
Upon opening the doors, you see a very fine looking entry hall. The ceiling of this circular domed chamber rises to a height of thirty feet. The walls are decorated with ten grinning skulls, each gripping what appear to be bits of flesh in their teeth. Seamus will tell you that the skulls are all doorknobs of a sort.
What tends to attract the eye though are the six Thassilonian mummies that stand in the room - desiccated and dried monsters clad in strips of ragged linen and silk. Their undead flesh is black and shiny, and similarly shiny black beetles clatter over, and in places through, their bodies. They attack as soon as the doors are opened!
Already though you know they thrive in this environment. It’s as if the very air they breath revitalizes them!
- - -
Upon catching sight of the mummies, you must each make a single DC 19 will save, or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds (you roll if you fail). These are powerful foes!
Will
Know (Religion)
"Mummies? Mummies? What does that have to do with Gluttony, Izo? Any ideas?" Kast asks, trying to figure out to fight them best.
DR 5/- and vulnerable to fire... so much fire...
Izomandakus frowns at the sight of the mummies, but he has seen what lays past the doors of life and remains firm. Pachemu's good spirit though is taken by these vile things and freezes on place.
"These things have been long here" Izomandakus points at the mummies "Let's make them burn!"
+2 if within circle vs evil
+0 if within circle vs evil
Well, for special attacks, they have mummy rot - a disease that you don't want to get and it's very hard to get rid of (remove curse, then remove disease).
You just experienced their aura (the fear save).
Rotten to the core...
Seamus steps back, drawing a flaming ranseur and swings as they close hitting pink twice!
The mummies shuffle as one to the door and reach out for Seamus!
Fort DC 16 or mummy rot
Fort DC 16 or mummy rot
The first swing pops an image while the second wallops Seamus once.
The mummies in the second row use aid another actions to improve the AC of the mummies in front of them.
Remember, if you haven’t already saved, upon catching sight of the mummies, you must each make a single DC 19 will save, or be paralyzed with fear for 1d4 rounds (you roll if you fail). Once you save, you don’t need to roll again (against these mummys anyway).
Val suddenly is reminded that gluttony meaning necromancy means there will probably be lots of undead here. Not an ideal situation for her. She begins stabbing at the mummy in front of her, probing for weaknesses.
HP: 122/122
AC: 35/18/27
Saves: F16/R17/W17 +2 will vs charm and compulsion, +2 fort vs poison and drugs, +4 fort vs alcohol
Hypnotic Stare:
Painful Stare:
Active Implanted Tricks 3/7 used): Mesmeric Mirror (Seamus, 1 image active), Mask Misery (herself, unused)
Hero Points: 2
Spells/Conditions: freedom of movement, apport object precast
0: (Dancing Lights, Prestidigitation, Mage Hand, Message, Read Magic, Ghost Sound)
1: 5/6 used (Vanishx0, Psychic Readingx1, Ill Omenx1, Faerie Firex0, Invigoratex0, Remove Fearx0, Eldritch Weaponx3)
2: 4/5 used (Mirror Imagex2, Placebo Effectx0, Lesser Restorationx1, Tonguesx0, Apport Objectx1)
3: 2/5 used (Sendingx1, Displacementx1, Major Imagex0, Invisibility Spherex0, Step Through Realityx0)
4: 2/3 used (Dimension Doorx1, Freedom of Movementx1, Tough Crowdx0
[ dice]1d20+21[/dice] to hit;
[ dice]1d6+10[/dice] damage.
"To burn them down to ashes Seamus!" Izomandakus sinks his hands on the spell pouch and produces a round ball of hardened tar he hurls just at the center of the new room смола васеина, the tar bursts when it crashes against the floor, which reverberates with magical waves, softening and becoming burning hot as the place transforms into a tar pool.
Anyone moving into the tar or beginning its actions inside the tar also burns a bit more.
Pachemu terrified freezes on place.
+2 if within circle vs evil
+0 if within circle vs evil
Round 1, Init 6
”Fire it is, then” Kast offers a very generous Flame Strike into the middle of the mummyhorde.
holy + fire
hp: 113/113
AC: 34/27/19 (always on shield, Barkskin included) +1 with MCaE +2 BoF + 2 Soul
Saves: F9/R14/W12* +7 vs. mind affecting
Furious Focus, GWM=+3, SoF = +4
Aroden's Verve: 0/0 used
GlitterBomb: 0/0 used
Extend GammaRadiation: 0/0 used
Extend Rods: 3/6 left
Quantum Leaps used:
Pathfinder Carry: 0/0
Think Really Hard: 5/7 left
1: 1/8 left
2: 7/8 left
3: 6/8 left
4: 2/7 left
5: 4/7 left
6: 4/6 left
7: 4/4 left
[spoiler=Kast's Pre Exploration Magics][ /spoiler]
to hit; (GMW)
magic cold iron damage
to hit; (GMW)
magic cold iron damage
[spoiler=Perfect Blessing Round 1/14] [ /spoiler]
Izomandakus’ fire attack!
vs DC 25 for 40hp fire
vs DC 25 for 40hp fire
vs DC 25 for 20hp fire
vs DC 25 for 40hp fire
vs DC 25 for 40hp fire
vs DC 25 for 40hp fire
Kast’s fire attack!
vs DC 22 for 13hp holy & 12 fire
vs DC 22 for 13hp holy & 12 fire
vs DC 22 for 26hp holy & 25 fire
vs DC 22 for 26hp holy & 25 fire
vs DC 22 for 26hp holy & 25 fire
vs DC 22 for 26hp holy & 25 fire
There are still mummies standing after the double blast. Rastaf?