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Bharak, whatcha doin?
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On the surface Bharak looked incredibly competent, with his blades singing through air and flesh alike. In truth, the show of skill and steel was a team effort, born from many a battle where working together had left the group alive and their foes dead. Moving perfectly aligned with Elena’s magic, his own strength and her divine power guided his weapons exactly where they needed to be.
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Bharak steps up and cuts down Orange & Red who were already wounded.
Silence falls over the room.
B1. SPIRITS CELLAR
The odor of beer permeates this huge room. Several crates, barrels, kegs, and racks for wine fill the room-many of which have been opened, emptied, upturned, and shattered. The floor is littered with glass shards and corks and strewn with loose coils of rope.
The main cellar of the abbey, where the local production of beer had been aging since the first, merry days of ecumenism, has sadly been ransacked and drained almost completely dry by the skulk mercenaries . Only a dozen bottles and a few casks survive intact.
Loot:
Composite longbow + 1 (6),
Inubrix arrows (60).
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What are you doing now?
With the fight over almost as soon as it began, Bharak went west. He
Luckily, when sneaking along he had an advantage on staying low to the ground. He was fully prepared to then head south if there was nothing of interest in the coming room.
B2. BREWERY
This room contains wooden tubs, stone vats, and all the equipment necessary to brew beer, including a large copper kettle and an enclosed cast-iron stove, both connected to the ceiling by wide metal pipes. The equipment has been fitted with strange alchemic implements, including a tall keg that has been split in half vertically and resembles an upright wooden coffin.
As Bharak sneaks in he immediately sees the Clockwork Golem standing in the center of the room!
What are you doing? It hasn't seen Bharak, or reacted to what happened in B1.
Bharak motioned for the group to ready themselves. Then, sticking to the shadows, he crept around to the flank of the construct. Just as it was about to be alerted to his approaching comrades, he struck. His blade into its leg, causing a cog to fly free.
There is a loud clang as Bharak strikes something metal in the room. What is everyone doing? You all beat its initiative so everyone goes.
Rage (+2 AC) with Elena’s Buffs
15-20 Crit range (On a critical hit from a spine flail, the victim must succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save to resist being permanently blinded by the blow.)
The golem staggered forward. While not sentient in any true sense, it was still knocked off balance. Waiting to hear Elena’s voice ringing out, Bharak moved in tune with it. Blow after blow rained down onto the back of the golem’s knees as he sought to force it to the ground.
Bharak works out his sadness on losing his fighting partner, it sounds like a sadistic smithy as he hammers the Clockwork golem to fragments on the floor.
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The passage off the room heads south, what now?
”Whew.” Bharak ran the back of his hand across his brow. ”So much for stealth.” He smiled apologetically. ”Lets push south. See what else is waiting for us.”
Vhane looks stoically at the construct that's now scattered in pieces. His crossbow resting on his shoulder, he heads south after the others.
The passageway goes south for 10' before it splits to an eastern passage as well.
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Which way now?
Having not seen the golem before Bharak destroyed it, Axton marvels at the destruction.
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For a moment he thought about apologizing for the quick victory, but stopped himself at the foolishness. They were alive and that was what mattered. When it became clear that no foes were coming he lead the group on…
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B3. Cistern
This room features a twenty-foot-diameter circular cistern filled with water. A five-foot-wide walkway rings the cistern, while above, a single narrow hole leads up to the surface.
You have passages heading south, and up ahead of you a door.
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What are you doing?
He led the group further to the east, until they came to the doors to the north. These were carefully opened…
The door to this room is frozen over?
Opening the door requires a strength check to break the ice.
What now?
It took a moment, but Bharak was able to slowly break through the ice…
Bharak manages to break the ice crusting the door, it scrapes open into a chilly room as he shakes his frozen fingers back to life.
86. Ice Room
The air in this room is quite cold, and frost cakes the floor, ceiling, and walls.
At the four corners of the room stand ice encrusted statues of four very long-haired humans, two men and two women, whose arms are outstretched along the walls.
Several crates and barrels lie stacked against the room's walls.
What are you doing now?
Axton uses detect magic to detect the obvious magic, but hoping to find out more about what's causing the ice.
The four statues in this room radiate moderate conjuration magic-each one constantly siphons frozen air into this room, reducing the temperature to a frigid level.
What now?
"I think... let's leave this room alone for now. Until we determine what its purpose is."
Axton pulls an iron spike and hammer from his supplies.
"Close the door, and hammer this spike into the floor right in front of the door, so that it can't open without us hearing someone break it down. Just in case something is summoned after we turn away."
Bharak quietly went about doing so, trusting his comrade’s expertise. Once finished, he led the party south.
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"Did he just steal my hammer?"
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B7B. PIT TRAP
This is the lower area of the pit traps in areas A6 & A16 above. Fresh brick walls have been erected to seal off the pits from the rest of the dungeon-the walls can be smashed with relative ease if yo wish to?
B8. LUMBER ROOM
A faint smell of seasoned birch and a stronger musty smell of dust permeate this room, where large stacks of lumber, together with heaps of billets, boards, and charcoal are stored. A layer of dust covers everything here.
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You continue exploring the circuit of passageways and reach an larger, open area.
B4. LITANY ROOM
This room is decorated with the frescoed life-size images of singing clerics of different faiths gathered in vaulted chambers.
The chanting flowing out of each singer's mouth in the frescoes is represented by floating notation marks that rise toward the ceiling over the head and fall back around the feet.
Parts of the Fresco's on the walls are actually Skulks using their ability to blend into their surroundings to pose as part of the fresco. There are 6 Skulks hiding in here waiting for you to enter.
Percption rolls please folks.
Bharak stepped carefully, on the lookout for any mechanical or magical traps. He was oblivious to the danger he was walking into…
"Did he just steal my hammer?"
Narrowing his eyes as he looks in, Vhane relaxes and calmly turns to the others and says in a matter-of-fact tone, "We got six skulks in there. I think they're tryin' ta blend in. Ta their credit, I just barely saw 'em." He double-checks his crossbow, making sure it's loaded.
Bharak froze, and gave a slight nod to the crossbowman for his keen eyesight. If he had walked into an ambush it would have been as humiliating as it would have been dangerous.
”Start blasting them then. I’ll hold the line should they be stupid enough to charge.”
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"Not that hard to see. The six Skulks are posing as figures from Neo-Abadarran art style while the fresco's themselves are more retro-Desnan. The perspective and disruptions of dead spacing completely clash with their intended hiding. They are a living atrocity against art."
She rolls up her sleeves. "And so they each deserve to die."
Her eyes shine through from behind the Abbes' veil - but what speaks then is a far more sinister voice than her own. "The Mother of Monsters does not look kindly upon your tresspass. She thanks you for your sacrifice."
Then, four many-eyed and moutheded aberrations spawn into the room which immediately begin eating the skulks alive.
Gibbering mouth 2, vs Red > Green if red dies.
Gibbering mouther 3, vs Blue > Yellow if blue dies
=Gibbering mouther 4 vs Purple
If any skulks survive this barrage of attacks:
The four gibbering mouths then use their free action once/turn ranged spittle attack to strike at any remaining one. DC 20 fort save (augment summons increases DC of 18 to 20 since con-based/+4 con) or they are blinded for 1d4 rounds.
She rolls up her sleeves. "And so they each deserve to die."
Her eyes shine through from behind the Abbes' veil - but what speaks then is a far more sinister voice than her own. "The Mother of Monsters does not look kindly upon your tresspass. She thanks you for your sacrifice."
Axton stares wide-eyed at Elena.
"I was going to summon little angelic balls of light, but I like your idea much better."
Axton digs out his wand of lightning bolt in the unlikely event that he'll need it.
Bharak froze, and gave a slight nod to the crossbowman for his keen eyesight. If he had walked into an ambush it would have been as humiliating as it would have been dangerous.
”Start blasting them then. I’ll hold the line should they be stupid enough to charge.”
Nodding, Vhane takes aim and fires several bolts off.
True to his word Bharak held the line should there be any charge. He was abit too relaxed, though, as he suspected that they’d catch the creatures by surprise. Therefore there was no need to rush.
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Vhane pots Purple.
Elena's art critics devour Red, Orange, yellow & Blue.
In an anticlimax Bharak steps in and ends Green's misery.
All dead before they realized it. What are you doing now?
Loot:
Composite longbow +1 (6),
Inubrix arrows (60). .
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You head for the south door.
B5. OBSERVATION ROOM
A faint, flickering light illuminates this room from an alcove in the western wall. Within the alcove, a luminous globe floats in midair above a stone pedestal. A flight of stairs leads down to the east.
The globe in the niche is an ancient creation of the Groetan cult-when anyone approaches the alcove, the globe shimmers and takes on the appearance of a moon with a skull-like face leering from its surface.
With a
successful DC 15 Knowledge (religion) check, a PC can identify this as a depiction of the god Groetus .
If a divine spellcaster approaches within 5 feet of the glowing globe,
its glow increases in radiance from dim light to normal light.
A successful DC 25 Knowledge (religion) check enables a PC to recall stories of similar icons in Groetan temples . These strange objects served primarily as tokens of respect for visiting clerics and other divine spellcasters. This check also reveals that these icons were said to serve as windows through which powerful priests of Groetus could look out upon the world.
B7A
Another pit trap above. If you fall you end up here.
B12. CLOAKROOM
This room is furnished with two rows of benches and hangers.
Two cloaks, one colored a bright red and the other a dirty russet brown, hang from pegs set in the north wall. A huge mound of furs lies in the south section of the room.
A large Giant lies snoring on the pile of furs.
This muscular giant has dark gray skin and fiery red hair. Its lower jaw bears sharp fangs, and it wields a huge, primitive spear.
Sleeping Giant. What now?
Room after room they went through, with Bharak leaving it to the learned to piece together what they were seeing. It was only when they came to the sleeping giant that his forte was needed. His blades were enchanted to transform, and he extended them significantly. Without malice, nor remorse, he efficiently sought to ensure that the sleeping giant never woke.
Bharak slips over and tries to end the Giant.
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The Giant awakes with a yell of pain.
Anyone else doing anything before we go to initiative?
The globe in the niche is an ancient creation of the Groetan cult-when anyone approaches the alcove, the globe shimmers and takes on the appearance of a moon with a skull-like face leering from its surface.
If a divine spellcaster approaches within 5 feet of the glowing globe, its glow increases in radiance from dim light to normal light.
As the glowing skull light brightens as Elena draws near, Axton explains that they are looking at a depiction of Groetus. After considering for a moment, Axton says, "They say that in some Groetan temples, his priests use lights like that for surveillance."
Axton casts detect magic on the globe to see if he can tell why school of magic powers it.
Bharak slips over and tries to end the Giant.
[dice=Massive damage save] 1d20 + 15; .
[dice=Blinded save] 1d20 + 15;The Giant awakes with a yell of pain.
Anyone else doing anything before we go to initiative?
"Ooh, not quite, Bharak. Try that again!"
Vhane aims his crossbow and fires at the giant!
Vhane hits with his bolt.
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Treasure:
The red cloak, embroidered with rainbow hued spirals and fitted with two golden clasps, is a piece of very fine clothing worth 180 gp,
The russet brown cloak is a Cloak of resistance +3,
In addition, the Giant carries a bag containing 5500gp in miscellaneous jewelry, gems, and coins.
What are you doing now?
You clear the room and move towards the next one. B10. However Bharak detects another three Skulks hiding in the room. Koriah can only see two. Lt. Vhane can't see any of them.
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Surprise round again. What are you doing?
”Right! A good job lads. Light the fookers up again.” The dwarf prepared to move in if any survived the coming onslaught.