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'Unless we somehow seal it in, this thing is clearly a threat to anyone on the island.' Again surprised that the pathfinders would rather speak to such a monster than slay it, Elathras nods to Axton and translates.
Feeling like he needs to scrub his skin until it turns bright red, Elathras looks towards Elena then Umazura, and asks; "Ladies, does that sate your curiosity?"
"Yes, and thank you for translating," Elena says, and briefly smiles at the hellknight in gratitude. It fades when focuses her attention on Stink afterwards. "To be honest, wanting us to kill all others of its kind for payment is not really what I was hoping to hear from it, or something I feel inclined to do either. Maybe you're right, and that it's too inherently evil or dangerous to leave be - despite or perhaps because of its unusual intelligence."
She glances at Umazura and Axton to see if they had an opinion on what to do with Stink now.
Shrugging, "As I have previously stated, I've no qualms in sending this creature back to the Abyss. It is a devil that does not belong on this plane and I have no objections to Elathras sending it - or any of its ilk - back from whence it came."
'I'm glad they see the threat that this devil can pose.' Nodding, first to Elena then Umazura, Elathras turns to the creature.
"Thank you for your explanation. We are not interested in disposing of your kin for you. Also, I am not willing to leave you here as a possible threat to the mortal realm. Do you have a way to return to the hells where you belong, or must I send you there?
Elthras & Bharak dispose of the Lemure.
His 'treasure' consists of 35gp & 3 small garnets with 50gp each.
Dragging the body out of the small room, Elathras dragged it back the way they came tossing it in the hallway then closing the door they came through.
Pointing to the two doors "Let's spike those doors just in case." Pointing into the small room "We can bolt the door here and rest." He looked around the group to see if they liked the idea.
Parking his Polearms in a corner he removes his pack. "I'll take the middle watch, so anyone with spells can rest straight through."
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"I'll take first watch then," Elena says, agreeing with the plan. Truth be told, she thought it was probably safer to leave Stink's body in the room with them, so that whoever came across the scene of carnage wouldn't instantly know the person responsible probably took over his old room and was hiding there.
Yet, as it were, Stink's stink was unbearable.
Once the doors to the devil's small old room have been boarded up again, she glances around the room, the gunk on the walls grathere here from perhaps centuries of solitude, the blood stains on the floor and the jury-rigged patched together planks holding the outside world back - with the proespect of everyone having to huddle up for pure lack of space.
She chuckles. "So cosy in here, wouldn't you say?" she quips. "The lodgings seem to fit our profession exactly! Reminds me of early training, when the Master of Swords took us to an abandoned ruin to 'study' it, then left and locked us initiaties in the dark for a night. Of course, Aram Zey was with us, invisble, but we didn't know that at the time. I thought I could hear someone move around where we couldn't see - perhaps him- and it scared us quite good, but it was a valuable training excercise in the end. Looking back, those were fun days. My brother was still an initiate, too..."
She opens her pack and takes out a bit of food. "So, I know cooking was out, but to celebrate our first outing into locked lands I bought some fresh food this morning. A bit of milk, fresh bread, some cheese, some syrup and a bit of food. If anyone wants to share, it's probably best eaten tonight, before we go onto rations."
Taking out chronicle again, Elena writes down the day's events and explorations. From the 'battle' against the mites and giant spiders to the only real threatening one being the demon at the statue thusfar. But also to the discovery of the, in her mind, amazing pool of seemingly infinite restorative energy. The image of the drawn forgotten runelord had a page of its own, and she wondered if she should add images of the others along the story too...
She shook her head. Perhaps best to try it on herself first, to make sure she could do them proper justice. In the light of the candle and propped against the wall on her bedroll, supprting the chronicle on her knees, she tried to draw her image from a small mirror, focussing on that earlier inspiration granted her by Shelyn...
Hm... a decent attempt? It seemed to bring out her nice features without being overly self-induldgent or embellishing, and felt reasonably accurate. Well, it would serve as a reference point at least! It was only like her... fifth serious drawing or such.
Staring at it, she wondered if this image would outlive her, the way way that painting of the runelord had outlived its creator for thousands of years. It was... almost scary to think about. Yet, if so, she wondered what future generations would think of her? What titles and notes might be added to this work below her image. She could see it now, nestles in the archives of the grand lodge, and once opened below this drawing it would read...
"Self-protrait of Elena Neidhardt. Believed to have the highest kill count in her order's history, and a good contender for many other faiths besides. She is revered mostly by a splinter cult which claims assassination is the purest form of art."
Blushing, she quickly closed the tome, and wondered if she shouldn't REALLY consider hanging back more in the fights...
After an uninterrupted rest you move on. Heading to the salty door.
C15. The Sea Stair
The salty tang of the sea fills the air of this chilly room. Wall carvings showing soldiers marching to war are encrusted with salt, and a descending stair in the center of the room is filled to nearly floor level with sea water. A thin layer of blue energy shimmers across the surface of the water in the stairwell.
A door is closed to the East and the stairs down are behind that field of blue energy.
What are you doing now?
Catching a few more hours of sleep after his watch, Elathras rolled out from between his blankets, then quickly gathered he bedroll and tied it to his pack. As he finished putting his armor on, he heard Elena's offer of breakfast. 'Fresh milk and bread sounds better than the hardtack, jerky, nuts and dried fruit I brought.' After attaching the final vambrace, he lifted his pack. "Fresh milk and bread sounds good, I have some raisins we can add." He smiles, "And I have a bit of sugar too."
After admiring the low relief sculptures in the room for a moment, Elathras turns from the salt encrusted wall. Pointing towards the door with his polearm. "If we are going down the steps, I'd rather open that door first. I don't like the idea of someone or something that close behind us."
Walking over to the top of the steps, he looks to the others. "Does anyone recognize this blue energy field." Curious about the field, he draws an unlit torch from his pack and tosses it onto the blue field.
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"Fresh milk and bread sounds good, I have some raisins we can add." He smiles, "And I have a bit of sugar too."
"Sounds great!" The Shelynite smiles brightly. "All we have to do is add eggs and we could make Andorran Toast." There's a second of silence as she catches herself, chuckles once and proceeds to rub the remaining sleep from her violet eyes. Then she stretches her arms above and gives a slight yawn. "Except, we can't, because making a fire in a dungeon is a bad idea. I knew that! Just have to wake up fully. And I think I'll start with some nice breakfast..."
Walking over to the top of the steps, he looks to the others. "Does anyone recognize this blue energy field." Curious about the field, he draws an unlit torch from his pack and tosses it onto the blue field.
Now indeed fully awake and walking with her breached spear in the hand as usual, Elena peers at the energy field and tries to gauge what she can from it.
"I wonder if this field, whatever it is, is keeping the water from flooding the floor. While I am curious to take a peek below and water breathing magic exists, I'm not strong enough to use it more than once. Might be best to leave it be either way for now?"
The torch goes through the energy field and floats soggily in the water.
Elena detects that the field is magic.
Further testing reveals that anything solid can pass easily through the field without harm, but liquids cannot. Even those in containers such as flasks or vials are stopped by the barrier.
What now?
"I think we should explore other parts of this level before trying to venture down those steps. Perhaps it's keeping more than than flooding water out."
Nodding, Elathras turns from the water. "I think Axton is right." He points towards the door in the corner. "Let's start with that one." He inspects the door carefully for traps, then asks Elena, "Do you see anything we should be worried about?"
The door is unlocked and not trapped.
C16. Underwater Observation
A spiral stair rises from the center of this otherwise empty chamber
leading up to a domed chamber some twenty feet above.
What serves Magnimar as a cove and harbor was actually a freshwater lake many miles from the ocean during the time of Thassilon.
The upper room of this underwater tower was built to give the arcanists a place to relax and look out into the waters of the surrounding lake, something like an underwater observatory. Three permanent walls of force
serve as windows that look out to the west across what is now Outcast Cove. The view is somewhat murky, and seaweed growing up from the sides of the tower serves as billowing curtains that sometimes block the view.
Looking out the windows you can see a wreck laying on the sea bed close to where you are now. .
Treasure: A successful DC 20 Perception check reveals a hidden slat in the sill of the central window, within which sit two very well-preserved scrolls of water breathing, leftovers from a larger stash once used by the arcanists to come and go via the sea stairs in area C15.
What are you doing now?
"This is doubly impressive. That the ancients built this place, and that few, if any, in Magnimar know about it."
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The shelynite gasps in delight and runs to the window, staring at the view behind in wonder. Apparently, the murky water bothered her vision less than might be expected."This is amazing! This way, we can see, like, the entire bay from here - from under water!" she says, eyes shining with excitement as she reaches for her chronicle. "And just look at that beautiful sunken ship just below us! Who knows what could be on it. I could probably make a really great sketch of this view for-"
In the motion of leaning down further to peer into the depths below them, she seems to hesitate and looks at the window sill her hands rest on. "...Wait, something is off. Everything here is so well-preserved but the symmetry here is just... wrong . I wonder if...
She tries to move the plank, and sure enough, it reveals two scrolls. Once unrolled, Elena recognizes them as scrolls of water breathing through her ability to Read the contained magic. "These... these contain that spell I was talking about earlier!" she exclaims, surprised. "Water Breathing. You can have someone breathe in the ocean for hours. We could use this and see what's on that sunken ship! Well, at least two of us, anyway. And I could cast another spell that would have a third go with us for four minutes or so, if we want to risk either."
She glances around for the others' opinions, but from her demeanor it is very evident she would like to investigate the ship near the earlier 'diving hatch' the group just passed.
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Water Breathing: The transmuted creatures can breathe water freely. Divide the duration evenly among all the creatures you touch.
Moving into the underwater observatory, Elathras pauses, disconcerted with the fact that if something happened to the walls of force he would be under thousands of gallons of water in plate armor. Seeing the room was clear of any beastly threats the hell knight hovered near the steps they had come up.
Smiling at Elena's reaction to the observatory, Elathras chuckled realizing how very opposite they were. His ears perked up when she read the contents of the scrolls. He began thinking about the effect the salt water would have on his armor, he'd need to almost immediately take it off and dry it. But seeing Elena so excited he didn't want to spoil it entirely. When she glanced at him, he shrugged, which was almost imperceptible in the armor. "Once we emerge from the salt water I would need to remove and dry my armor. So could we finish inspecting the rest of the building and then come back to the sunken ship?"
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"Once we emerge from the salt water I would need to remove and dry my armor. So could we finish inspecting the rest of the building and then come back to the sunken ship?"
"Oh, right! I um, didn't think of that in the moment. Thanks," She gives the recently chuckling hellknight a brief, yet warm smile. "In that case, shall we then backtrack a bit and go down one of the other paths first? There's two hallways to the left just passed."
"Aye then. Let's finish on dry land first." Bharak said, not feeling too keen on breathing underwater. It just seemed far too unnatural.
Relieved that the others saw the logic in waiting, Elathras quickly proceeded back down the steps and out into the room with the magical covering and staircase. Once everyone was out of the observatory he shut the door, making sure it was secure. Breathing an audible sigh, he wiped the sweat from his brow. Gesturing back the way they came. "Shall we take the first left back in the hallway, continue going clockwise?" Hefting his polearm, he began to move that direction, waiting for Bharak to take point when he came to the turn.
C17. Defective Trap
This chamber is bare save for a statue depicting a regal looking woman wielding a ranseur—she stands in a battleready pose, with the tip of the ranseur aimed at the northern entrance to the room
As you reach the room the statue splutters and smokes for a round, launching a fireball at the northern entrance!
Bharak automatically spots the trap and you avoid the first fireball. But the statue resets, to pass the room it must be disarmed.
What are you doing now?
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Having pressed herself flat against the wall to avoid the spell, Elena very slowly and carefully glances around to the statue and finds it seemingly ready to fire again. "Right... that's unfortunate. Bharak? Can you disarm it? We could also take the other path, or maybe find something we could use as cover against the spells thrown our way. Or just quickly run past with each of us and take the hit? I can probably heal everyone who gets hit."
"Maybe." The dwarf said. "Magical in nature, but even that has rules on how it is bound. I should be able to...or at least if I can't, I can hopefully get away without losing my beard in the process. Still, I'd keep a distance while I work on this."
Axton flinches at the fireball, and moves back out of range while Bharak addresses the trap.
"Water, now fire. Will we see air or earth?"
Seeing the fireball launch from the statue Elathras paused. 'Elena may be right, if Bharak cannot disarm it we may need to go back.' Nodding as Bharak told them to keep their distance, Elathras watched as the brave dwarf began to deal with the ancient trap.
C18. Hall of Fleshwarping
A line of pillars runs down the center of this hall, between which lie the ruined remains of what was once an immense magical laboratory. Crumbled tables, broken stone urns, rusted cauldrons, and ancient fragments of broken glass lie scattered throughout. The northern wall depicts a vast mural of armies of deformed monsters and demons gathering on the shores of a mountainous island. Above, a woman’s face has been carved into the mountaintop, and an immense bridge arches out from just
below this woman’s face. Below the mountain, at the end of a side view of a tangled network of caverns, lies a vast underground vault in which an immense monstrosity of tentacles surrounds a central fanged mouth; within the mouth glares an angry red eye.
The mural on the northern wall depicts the armies of Bakrakhan on the shores of what is known today as Hollow Mountain.
The monster that dwells in the caves deep below is a representation of one of Runelord Alaznist’s most powerful allies, the nascent demon lord Yamasoth.
Which way now? The stairs to the west or the door to the south?
Looking upon the northern wall, "Fascinating. The armies of Bakrakhan upon the shores of Hollow Mountain. At least, that is what it is called in this age." She then takes a moment to study the hideous creature painted below the mountain and can only shake her head. "Unfortunately I've no idea what kind of creature that represents. A little more time, a little more study... possibly; but not today." Looking up and glancing at their options, "The southern door, perhaps?"
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After Bharak deals with the trap, Elathras pauses, grasping the statues ranseur tugging on it to see if it would come loose as well. Smiling he shrugs. "Thought it was worth a check."
As they move into the room with the pillars Elathras pauses trying to identify any of the monsters, but not finding that he recognizes any. Looking at Umazura as she describes the who and the where, Pausing he asks, "The hollow mountain on Rivenrake Island?" As he asked he moved past the broke laboratory equipment, taking a position where he could watch both door and steps.
As Umazura recommended the door, he nodded, moving closer to the door inspecting it for traps or locks, asking, "What do you think Bharak? Look good to you?"
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"I'm unfamiliar with that name as well, Uma. Does that place hold some kind of special significance today?" Elena asks, surveying the ruined laboratory in front of them...
...As well as the painting of the malformed army. "I wonder what they were doing here. This site is massive , and a painting of a mass of malformed beings in the back of it is rather chilling. Were they making monsters here ? If so, out of what? Of ordinary people?" She shudders. "And what does that make the healing fountain we found earlier? Did they use it to heal those undergoing transformation here...?"
She quickly turns to the exits. "I hope I'm just overthinking things. Let's take either door and put this place behind us, please. I find it very unsettling to say the least."
The door is untrapped and unlocked, behind it the passage splits into three ways to travel. The western passage gives you a earthy, damp smell.
Which way now?
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As they move into the room with the pillars Elathras pauses trying to identify any of the monsters, but not finding that he recognizes any. Looking at Umazura as she describes the who and the where, Pausing he asks, "The hollow mountain on Rivenrake Island?" As he asked he moved past the broke laboratory equipment, taking a position where he could watch both door and steps.
Looking over at the cavalier, she nods. "The very one, Elathras," she responds, turning her attention back to the mural.
"I'm unfamiliar with that name as well, Uma. Does that place hold some kind of special significance today?" Elena asks, surveying the ruined laboratory in front of them...
...As well as the painting of the malformed army. "I wonder what they were doing here. This site is massive , and a painting of a mass of malformed beings in the back of it is rather chilling. Were they making monsters here ? If so, out of what? Of ordinary people?" She shudders. "And what does that make the healing fountain we found earlier? Did they use it to heal those undergoing transformation here...?"
She quickly turns to the exits. "I hope I'm just overthinking things. Let's take either door and put this place behind us, please. I find it very unsettling to say the least."
Umazura responds while gazing at the wall painting. "I hope you are too, Elena, I hope you are too. I fear some of your questions are ones we really do not wish to know the answers."
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Making their way through the southern door, "Now we've three ways to travel. Eastern path?" she suggests randomly, having no strong preference for any direction.
Turning, Elek listens as Elana hypothesizes as a shudder runs down his spine. He had trained his whole life to fight monsters, it seemed unfathomable that someone might make an entire facility to create them. He looks from Elana to Umazura. "If Elena turns out to be right, we need to make sure this place cannot ever be used that way again."
Following Bharak through the southern door, they pause at the three-way split, Elathras nods, "East it is." Pole arm in hand, he follows along down the left hand hallway.
Axton listens attentively to talk of these ancient places. He must learn more! Surely he can glean some sort of information to further unlock his magical potential!
"Erm, yes. East is fine."
The door is once again not trapped or locked.
C20. Rift Siphon Labyrinth
The walls, floor, and ceiling of this curving corridor are sheathed in rusty plates of iron that have been bolted in place. Scorch marks mar this armor plating at periodic intervals, and the gnawed fragments of blackened bones are scattered here and there. Row after row of tiny runes have been etched into each iron plate.
This entire room is a complex magical item, and radiates strong conjuration magic.
A PC who can read Thassilonian and succeeds at a DC 20 Knowledge (arcana) check can deduce that the entire chamber is built to be some sort of device to focus planar energies, with the layout of the walls and their rune-infused iron plates designed to create a thin spot between the planes at the center of the maze.
The entire thing is known as a rift siphon. Before Earthfall, the arcanists could alter the other plane to which the rift siphon was focused, so that they could more easily draw planar energies in to aid their work.
A PC who succeeds at a DC 20 Knowledge (planes) check confirms that the rift siphon is currently focused on Hell.
A lot to unpack there. What are you doing?
As they move into the room, Umazura looks curiously upon it and her eyes begin to glow a soft blue. Spending several moments in study, "My my my, this room is truly something to behold in and of itself. This room in its entirety is a focus for planar energies. The room has been purposely designed to create the thinnest of spots between planes. It is what's called a 'Rift Siphon'. Before the time of Earthfall, arcanists could alter the other plane to which the Siphon was focused so as to draw from the planar energies to aid them in whatever it was they were doing. And lo and behold, of all the planes this one is focused upon...," she pauses, the blue glow fading from her eyes as she turns and looks to the others, "...it just so happens to be Hell," she states clear and plainly.
”Sounds…bad.” Bharuk said. ”I, for one, don’t want to go into the Hell room.” He finished, resting his hammer on his shoulder.
The rift siphon can be closed relatively simply, as a successful DC 25 Spellcraft check confirms. By prying no fewer than 10 iron plates from the walls (no two of which can be closer than 10 feet apart), the entire device can be ruined. Prying an iron plate from a wall requires a successful DC 24 Strength check (up to two people can work together on this)—destroying an iron plate (hardness 10, hp 10) also works.
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Umazura lets out a soft chuckle at Bharak's words. "I couldn't agree more, Bharak," she responds with a smile. "I will say I'm not entirely sure exactly how it operates. Does it transport you to said plane if you walk within it? Is there something that must be done to activate it? Questions I should know the answers too but do not, although, I feel I should," she says, mindlessly chewing on the fingernail of her index finger in thought.
Standing near Bharak, Elathras listens as Umazura explains the purpose of the curved corridor they were in. Realizing that it wasn't only the Chelians who had an unhealthy interest in 'Hell.' He gestures down the corridor. "Until we know more about how it works, should we turn back and look for more information elsewhere?"
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"But... no, we can't just leave this, right?" Elena responds, hesitating at first, but more firm when she seems to make a decision of sorts. "Yes - who knows what this room could do in the wrong hands! Sure, we only saw low ranking devils so far, but if they were able to come through here, who is to say something worse couldn't follow, if a strong enough caster managed to abuse it? Now, if only..."
Elena's brows furrow in deep concentration, eyes peering intently at the device, taking note how it was made from the many iron plates and the countless runes inscribed upon each of them. While she didn't know how the runes worked as well as Uma did, she didn't have to. All she had to do was find a weakness of sorts. Thus, she whispers a prayer to Shelyn and concentrates, trying to look for any irregularities in the energy field. The magical light of it all is blinding and she winces, stumbling back a pace.
But she keeps looking, and eventually notices something! "There! You see?" she exclaims, eyes lighting up and pointing at one of the looser plates on the wall. "Uma, Axton, can you sense it too? The energies of the room seem distorted there. I think that for all its complexity, it depends on each and every one of the plates to firmly anchor it. So... all we'd have to do is either destroy or pry loose enough plates with enough space between them, so it falls apart."
She glances mostly at Uma for confirmation, as she primed the woman the most knowledgable one of the group. "...Right?"
Nodding and smiling, "You would be correct, Elena. I will say prying these plates loose will require a great amount of strength and would prove very difficult to remove. I believe destroying them would be our favorable option," she suggests.
Bharak smiled at the revelation. ”There’s nothing a determined dwarf with a hammer can’t do.” Taking a step forward he said ”So destroy them? Aye. Coming right up.” Glad to have something concrete to do, he went to work.
Bharak went to work. He didn’t try to accomplish the task in one swing. Rather he went to work with the practiced ease of someone who knew how to use a hammer, getting into a rhythm as he went to work.
Bharak hammers the first plate into shards clattering on the floor, you all feel a slight sensation as it breaks, a tiny tingle as if some energy has been discharged?
Keep going. :)
'Ah so this would be where the devils are coming from.' Listening to Elena, Elathras begins to understand, nodding in agrement, Looking from Elena back to Umazura as Elena seems to be deep in thought. Looking quickly towards the spot she points at as Umazura confirms Elena's theory.
Nodding he understood, Elathras smiles as Bharak declares the effectiveness of 'Dwarves and their hammers.' As the dwarf, true to his word, shatters the first plate, Elathras, points at the next plate, "That one two?" Not wanting to be outdone by the dwarf, repeatedly Jambs the tip of the cold iron ranseur under the next plate trying to break it loose.
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Seeing Elathras and Bharak waste no time at all, Elena draws her Glaive and tries to help. The keyword being 'tried'.
After almost a full minute of straight hacking away at another plate of ancient metal as hard as she possibly could, she pauses to catch her breath, panting. To her credit it was decently damaged, but it was also clear that she wasn't nearly as strong as their frontliners. "I *gasp* I don't suppose anyone would care to relieve me of this burden? I fear your local healer isn't quite built to smash through ancient artefacts by herself, sadly," she admits, grinning slightly.
The noise of your attacks on the iron plates has drawn attention, there is a howl from the centre of the maze and the scrabbling of claws as a crazed Hellhound comes running towards the commotion.
It used its actions to get to you so the party may now act.
"A hound from Hell that one. Watch out for its breath or you will get burned," Umazura warns. "The quicker we dispatch it, the better."