Axton studies the doors trying to block off the eerie green glow and strange wind. After a moment of consideration, he turns to the others.
"While not fully opened, these doors need to be resealed. We fortunately interrupted Ardathanatus' ritual to open the doors thanks to our unexpected surge of violence. (Good job, team!) Magilast knows that we'll need two Doomsday keys to do so. Ardathanatus was carrying one, so unless one of us has an extra on their person, I think we need to hope that we come across another somewhere else in this temple."
"After we secure all of this." Bharak said, wide-eyed at the haul they had found. "
Horacalcum..." The dwarf said, awe in his voice. "This is worth a king's ransom! It is the rarest of all sky metals. The fact that there is an entire suit made out of it? The sheer amount of gold this would take to make means that we'll likely need to negotiate an exchange for it's value, in goods or services." He smiled, as he ran his fingers along the shard of greed, which was safely contained in his way finder. "Throw in the adamantine plate as well?" He let the question happily hang, as he thought about how much gold they had just stumbled upon.
.
.
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You seal the Doomsday door again and breath a sigh of relief, even only slightly ajar it was an creating a very unpleasant sensation.
What now?
”We got what we came for.” The dwarf said. ”I’m fine with walking on out, by teleporting back up there. But we can also fight our way out, leave none alive. Can make a good profit that way. I’d usually be all for it, but I’m also happy to just secure our earnings here.”
Silviana ponders their options. "We do not want to leave enemies behind that could reopen the door or start the ceremony over again."
Vhane shrugs nonchalantly, "Doesn't matter ta me either way."
"We have demonstrated that we are very competent at killing the monstrosities in this temple, and I think it would go well for us to say that we did not leave any terrors behind.
"In the unlikely event that we bite off more than we can chew, converge on me, and I will return us to the floors above with the same magic that brought us down here.
"Now! There is only one door out of this room, and there's a good chance that the creatures beyond are looking for us in the wrong direction!"
The doors to the south are locked but not trapped, the Doomsday keys open the doors without any problems.
E12. FINAL GUARDIANS
The walls of this T-shaped junction tower nearly forty feet overhead. To the north, a pair of double doors, each fitted with a skull-faced lock, stands tall and imperious, while to the west, a collapsed flight of stairs once led down to deeper levels.
A more serious problem is the two stone Golems set here as guards, they turn to face the doorway as you open it but don't advance.
What now?
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"They're not attacking. Is it because they're only instructed to attack anyone approaching this door? Could we leave without issue?"
”I’d think so.” The dwarf said. ”Youre the mage. But I like the idea of the golems, mindless as they are, guarding the doomsday door. It makes me feel better about leaving it while we travel back.”
"I got no problem in leavin' 'em be," Vhane states plainly, shrugging.
Silviana jumps, startled by the golems, and eyes them warily. "It would be good if we did not have to fight them," she agrees, nervously following the others.
Axton casts mount. A dark brown horse appears next to Axton.
"Hey, Carl. Been a while. Um, you've met Bharak; this is Lt. Vhane, Ryn, and Silviana."
The horse doesn't respond. It just looks at Axton.
"YAH!" Axton smacks the horse's flank, sending it running past the two stone golems. Axton watches to see what happens.
The two Golems ignore the sacrificial steed. Their attention seemingly fixed on the eastern double doors.
What now? It is looking like the Golems are set to stop people entering the Doomsday temple.
Satisfied, Axton invites Bharak to lead the way past the stone golems.
Silviana cocks her head at the horse, but refrains from addressing him. When Axton explains his perspective, she muses curiously, "So... Carl is not a real horse? He's sort of the idea of a horse temporarily made flesh? Or is he real and running around somewhere when he is not brought here? If that's the case, I like to think the real Carl doesn't feel what happens to his shadow when he is here."
The door to the east is not trapped, but again the Doomsday keys are needed to unlock it.
E11. KANDAMEREUS'S TOMB
Four large bronze braziers send flickering orange light through this large crypt. A single sarcophagus sits over a dais near the middle of the west wall, its side decorated by the carving of a skull-faced moon. A set of double doors stands to the southwest, each bearing a skull-shaped lock.
Standing in the center of the room is a tall Mummy dressed in the robes of a cleric of Groetus. He turns to look at you and speaks.
"Stop! I have questions for you."
What are you doing?
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Silviana narrows her eyes at the creature. "An undead guardian dressed as a priest of Groetus," she remarks to the others in Common. "I will try to keep it talking while you get in position to slay it."
Vhane smirks. "Would ya believe that mummy has questions for us?" he informs the others who don't understand. "That's a new one on me. I never even realized they talked."
"The lass is askin' it what it's doin' here. This ought ta be good." Vhane rests his crossbow on his shoulder, waiting to see how this is gonna play out.
At the sight of the towering mummy. Ryn cracks her neck, rolling her shoulders and shifting her weight onto the balls of her feet as she turns her head to glance at Sylviana, responding to the undead creature in some long-dead language. She gives a slight, nod at Vhane’s commentary, not taking her eyes off the creature.
"Magilast doesn't know him," Axton explains as he watches the exchange with interest. "Something about them all not being part of a club."
The undead High priest studies you. "Answer my questions and we can part peacefully."
He then asks you 5 questions.
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1. "What became of Thassilon after the end of the world?"
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2. "What became of my temple of Groetus after the end of the world?"
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3 · "Has the world recovered from the apocalypse that destroyed Thassilon?"
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4· "Is my lord Groetus still worshiped in this day?"
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5· "Do you accept the inevitable?"
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Priests of Groetus know that the world will one day end and the Doomsday doors will open. They don't need to force it to happen.
What do you say to his questions?
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Silviana does her best to answer in Thassilonian . She casts enhanced diplomacy each time before she speaks.
Silviana doesn't know what specifically happened to Thassilon after Earthfall, but she can describe the things she likes about the world currently, and she launches into an adjective-filled account of her favorite things. "I particularly like the smell of the world after it rains, and I love watching flying creatures flit about the air. The feeling of walking, especially when on a journey, is just lovely."
Silviana frowns. "I think... I think it became a place for followers of all religions to gather and work out their differences in peace. It's called Windsong Abbey. We've certainly seen evidence that all sorts of deities were worshipped here."
Silviana nods excitedly. "Oh yes! Varisia is a bounteous place, full of beauty and ugliness both. We are lucky to live here."
"He is," she says hesitantly, after thinking a moment. "I do not know any followers of Groetus, but I know that they are here. I remember seeing a picture of his moon-face symbol in a book of faiths."
"No, I do not accept that all things must eventually die," she says sadly. "For those who live a fulfilling and good life may stay forever in paradise beyond this mortal existence. And those whose ends were wicked and stifling will suffer eternally when their souls are carried away to their fates in the planes beyond the material."
Axton raises an eyebrow and nods approvingly at Silviana's eloquent answers. He decides (with a fair amount of effort) to keep his silver tongue locked away for now.
Barak had no idea what anyone was saying. But nobody seemed hostile...yet. So he bided his time and kept his peace.
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The High priest listens to Silviana and nods approvingly. "I thank you for your honest words."
He waves his hand and the door to the next room opens, within 4 Mummies stand ready to attack. The Priest speaks to them.
"Your services to our lord are no longer needed."
He repeats this in the other two rooms that were guarded. 10a, 10b & 10c. He then leads you though the rooms, disabling the Guardians until you reach the stairs up.
There he nods to you politely and returns to his chamber to resume his watch over the temple.
What are you doing now? A couple of areas left to explore on Abbey level 3 if you wish? Notably the Hag in D11.
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So what now?
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"Aye, basic guardians? The lot which can be dealt with peacefully when this place is resettled? Fooking with them is like breaking a door. It just makes things harder later. But a hag? Assuming we win, it'll be a good deed for the world."
You are standing outside D11. Your quick look earlier found soul jars, a clear sign the room is being used by a Night Hag.
What are you doing now?
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"Right. Likely a Hag inside, who knows we are here and is ready for us. I'm for kicking the door down and cutting her head off. So everyone ready to cast their spells, say their prayers, and get this done?"
Silviana nods. "Another blessing of fervor, coming right up!" she laughs.
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The door opens.
D11. GATHUSPIAS DEN
This room seems to contain only old empty crates, folded sacks, and upturned clay vases of various sizes and shapes. Sitting on a table near the northeast corner are several strange jars containing what appear to be coils of blue mist.
When the door opens Gathuspia casts Confusion on the party.
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01-25 Acts normally
26-50 Does nothing but babble incoherently
51-75 Deals 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand
76-100 Attacks nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject’s self)
The party can now act!
Vhane rattles his head to clear out that odd feeling within it. It doesn't feel like it's gone but it doesn't seem to bother him... for now. He fires at the hideous creature!
As the magic energy washes over his mind, Axton blinks and shakes it off.
"That spell only slowed us down earlier; it didn't stop us! Try something a little more direct!"
Axton eyes the back of the room the hag has let herself be cornered in, and casts black tentacles far enough back that the hag still has to contend with them, but that still allows Bharak and Ryn to reach her.