Bibi connects twice, but is frustrated with how small the "wounds" are.
Carrufikus casts a spell that completely heals Norocs current wounds, but the leeches continue to squirm out of his flesh.
ROUND 4:
Volluk: For Belcorra
Bibi (56/56): Hit
Carrufikus (68/68): Heal
Peldur (70/83, 3d6 Persistent): Go
Elena (48/48): Go
Tal (52/66): Go
Noroc (58/58, 3d6 Persistent): Go
Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Volluk: 50
Used:
level 4 - 3
Level 3 - 1
Tal attacks with the smoking sword once again, moving to flank with Peldur and provide the monk with the same.
Tal concentrates, maintaining the fire...
CRIT... + ... Doubled! Do I get double the fire as well?
Noroc moves over and launches a beam the color of moonlight and cold as a desert twilight.
Tal's slash goes right through the creature! He leaves behind the largest trail of burning slugs yet. The wound is large enough that it'll take more time to heal than the last few.
Noroc's spell strikes true. He doesn't see the flash that comes with harming a fiend, but he freezes plenty of its body! He also finally shakes off the spell!
Peldur continues to struggle, failing to connect as the slugs continue to emerge.
ROUND 4:
Volluk: For Belcorra
Bibi (56/56): Hit
Carrufikus (68/68): Heal
Peldur (60/83, 3d6 Persistent): Miss
Elena (48/48): Go
Tal (52/66): Crit
Noroc (45/58): Hit!
Location: Belcorra's Retreat
Volluk: 80
Used:
level 4 - 3
Level 3 - 1
Elena repositions herself once more, being careful to ensure that her staff's magic does not strike her friends. "I found this item within the confines of this place. The magic within is grim and dark. It's fitting that is used against you, Volluk."
She points the staff, and dark tendrils once more pour out. The magic is cloying, as if grasping for Volluk as it flows toward them.
Elena lashes out with another spell. The tendrils connect with, and nearly instantly overwhelm, Volluk!
His final screams are broken up and unintelligible. The horror continues though, as Peldur continues to erupt all over
"Well done, everyone! Desna be praised that we survived that one. But Peldur, please rest and stay still until I can figure out what is the matter."
Carrufikus attempts to determine what will help heal Peldur to whole.
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We know what's the matter. Poor guy got slugged!!
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We know what's the matter. Poor guy got slugged!!
Bibi, I'm ashamed of you. Peldur is clearly leeching precious resources.
Talborel goes to Peldur to see what might be done.
Tal knows this isn't a spell of Elven make, but one of some other macabre necromancy. Both Tal and Carrufikus know that unless Peldur can shake it off himself, it'll take a counter spell to stop.
Noroc tries a dispel magic.
Noroc tries, but to no avail.
The gnome healer begins assessing the best way to help his patients. He starts by casting a full round channel of Heal II on everyone.
Carrufikus then begins tending to the wounds of Peldur using what traditional healing arts he knows.
”This is not going to be easy, but don’t worry my friend. I’m not giving up on you.”
Elena can't stop it. Carrufikus can't either. Eventually Peldur overcomes the spell by sheer force of will, though he pays a heavy toll.
Bibi (56/56)
Carrufikus (68/68)
Peldur (41/83,)
Elena (48/48)
Tal (66/66)
Noroc (58/58)
With a final flex of every muscle that can be flexed, Peldur forces the maggots to shoot out of his body like shrapnel from an exploding grenade. He staggers a step or two before regaining his composure.
He checks himself over for any long term damage.
It looks like all that remains is the horrible memory of the feeling...
Noroc searches the chamber, trying to avoid random leeches.
The walls of this large chamber are hung with grisly paintings depicting various spectral beings cavorting among ruined neighborhoods, overgrown swamps, and foggy graveyards. Three large overstuffed chairs pair with small end tables, upon which sit empty wine glasses. To the south stands a cluttered writing desk with its own chair, while a large iron tub to the west is visible between standing screens depicting shadowy marshes.
Noroc adds his eyes to the search, when he hears a faint scream come from the painting on the eastern wall.
Noroc opens his mouth to speak when he freezes, then turns slowly toward the eastern painting. Please tell me I'm just hearing things and not...
He slowly moves over to investigate.
Elena confirms that the painting is not magical, and no other screams issue forth...
Noroc finds that the painting on the wall swings outward. Furthermore he finds a false stone that hides a key....
Noroc is wise enough to set Bibi to work on the secret door and the hidden key.
Noroc is wise enough to set Bibi to work on the secret door and the hidden key.
Bibi winks at Noroc, then checks the area for traps.
Confident that it's not trapped, Bibi snags the key and uses to open the door.
The walls of this circular chamber are smooth and gray. A flickering, nauseating ribbon of pale blue light churns in the center of the room. Where the light touches the ceiling, the stone bubbles as if it were infected flesh. Below, the light bathes a screaming, thrashing dwarf bound onto a metal table, his body covered in blisters!
"Let's save that poor dwarf! This torture is intolerable!"
Carrufikus looks around to see that it is safe and then instinctually moves up to the dwarf and begins to treat his wounds.
Bibi recognizes a possible distraction when she sees one. Trusting Carrufikus to look after the dwarf, she immediately scans the room for hidden threats...
...before turning her attention to the light and how to block or stop it.
Arcana: +2 (U)
Athletics: +10 (E)
Crafting: +9 (T)
Deception: +10 (T)
Diplomacy: +10 (T)
Intimidation: +10 (T)
Lore (Roseguard): +9 (T)
Lore (Brewing): +9 (T)
Medicine: +2 (U)
Nature: +1 (U)
Occultism: +9 (T)
Performance: +3 (U)
Religion: +1 (U)
Society: +9 (T)
Stealth: +13 (E)
Survival: +8 (T)
Thievery: +13 (E)
Oh, that looks painful, Noroc says as the gnome and halfling rush past him. Impetuous...
He moves into the room himself, not at all sure how he can help but willing to do so, and at the very least trying to guard against nasty surprises...
Elena does what she can to recall what she might have read about the blue light. Perhaps it's something that she read in The Whispering Reeds.
Tal has Occult at +9. He'll also recall what he knows.
Tal doesn't trust it because how in The Nine would this Dwarf get down here. And we just happen to be walking by to hear the scream? Nah. Trap.
Perception
The ribbon of light is likely a manifestation of Gauntlight’s growing power. This eerie light churns in a 5-foot-diameter burst at the room’s center, and you're both confident that it would harm anyone who touches it. It looks like it's simultaneously healing and harming the dwarf within...
Bibi is confident that she could likely unlock the manacles, but not without touching the ribbon of light.
With no one moving to do anything about the light, Bibi grits her teeth, gives Otari's SneaKey a little twist, and jumps into the light to free the dwarf.
Bibi does her best, holding on as long as she can. She works as long as she can until the light begins to pierce her flesh.
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Bibi makes progress, and then yanks her hands out fast enough to feel NO pain! She goes back in and
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W0000T Whosyerthief?!?!
While Bibi is fast, she's not accurate this time, and doesn't feel like she made progress. She tries again:
<--use Halfing Luck (once daily save reroll)
The dwarf falls to the ground, free of the torture and gasping for breath. He gets a "thank you" out before pulling him up to a seated position. He's in pretty rough shape.
Carrufikus steps up to the Dwarf an casts Heal III on him.
"Reinvigormend!"
|
He looks much better, though the spell doesn't heal the psychological damage. "Thank you. My name is is Lasda. Lasda Venkervale. I had given up hope. It's a miracle that you came."
"Lasda, it is so nice to have found you! I spoke with your mother, Brelda. She has never given up hope and will be so relieved to welcome you home. Let us get you there safely. Once you are better, we would like to hear your tale of how you got here."
Suddenly the party feels the air change. The psychological electricity that permeates the Gauntlight ruins lets go a little. Lasda is healthy enough to tell his story now if you'll listen as you walk out.
A hooded Volluk abducted Lasda just over a year ago for nefarious experiments while the dwarf was on one of his customary predawn walks from the Rockfish up to the graveyard. Volluk kept Lasda a prisoner in one of the cages in the northwest room. "A woman calling herself Belcorra
imprisoned and tortured those lacking the qualities she sought for "fleshwarping" experiments or arena battles in the levels below. That was me. Eventually, she determined that my stubbornness could be useful, and used me to harness the Gauntlight's power. I've been there ever since, hoping to simply die."
He pleads, "Please, take me home and let me never see this place again."
Noroc listens intently, angry at the circumstance and glad they (hopefully) put an end to Volluk. But one part of Lasda's story gives him pause.
What do you mean, "harness the Gauntlight's power"? What was Belcorra trying to do?
"I don't know. It sounds like she wants to make this thing into a massively destructive weapon. From the sounds of things, she thinks the Gauntlight has the power to destroy the entire city of Absalom."
Elena sighs. "That is an illusion we will need to divorce Belcorra from. And it's confirmation of something we all assumed: Belcorra has returned."
"Can you describe Belcorra to us?"
”Lasda, did you ever notice any vulnerabilities that Belcorra had? Did you learn anything that would help us in our battle against her?”