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The shadow grasps ahold of Daehalya and completely disappears.
Nicholo looks around for what to do as one has vanished and another is paralyzed. Alvarius and Grundle don't hesitate and beat into the paralyzed foe with spells. Alvarius' force barrage leaves bruises as thestone from Grundle breaks the demons arm causing it to go limp.
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BOLD IS UP!:
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➤ Onye
⠀⠀➤ Uhu
➤ Daehalya
Shadow Demon (Red)
Shadow Demon (Green)
➤ Nicholo
Alvarius
Grundle
As the injured demon appears to vanish when it grabs Daehalya, the giant cheetah bounds over toward the paralyzed demon to attempt to maul it before it can break free.
"Well now, that went better that I thought. Though... you alright, Daehalya?"
Alvarius points west. "Looks like the flooring changes that way. Peculiar, right? I want to see what that's all about. We ready to move on?"
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I'm ready to move out. Let us go to the place that changes. Demons love change, and therefore the floors are demons.
Wait, that's not the correct rhetoric or fallacy I was trying to use. I was trying to use the Strawman fallacy. Let me try a different way of saying my intentions.
While Alvarius wants to go that way because he noticed something peculiar. *I* want to go that way because I am inclusive. I think differently minded flooring is okay. It's normal. We need to embrace the differently floored, and check out where they lead. Who knows. We might enjoy the differently floored experience.
Nicky grins.
Mind you all, I just TOLD you I was trying to give you all a fallacy - so you really shouldn't be paying attention to what I am saying.
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You head to the west and find a massive set of doors sealed shut. Time seems not to have touched the sturdy, watertight, impossibly clean iron doors blocking this pathway. Beads of condensation drip down the doors’ surface. From the other side come muted sounds of thrashing and churning water.
There is also bars blocking the path further west. Seems your way is blocked from proceeding further in this direction.
"I think I am OK," Daehalya says. She feels queasy, as if the demon tainted her with its touch somehow, but as she runs through a quick mental check, she can't find anything specifically wrong. Her limbs all seem to work as they should, and her thoughts seem clear.
"It seems we can't go any further this way. Perhaps we need to cross the river," Daehalya suggests. "We still need to visit the shrines before the cistern's door will be unlocked for us."
"Right you are. Well then, lead the way."
"Right, east is easier. I'm not in a rush to go for a swim anyhow."
Alvarius follows Nicky.
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Was the corridor collapsed before we got there or have we all been crushed?
"Here is a bridge to cross the river," the catfolk notes as they pass it. He makes sure that each of them are in full fighting condition before he approaches the door.
(Onye must eventually give up on Grundle looking like he is ready to fight anything.)
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This soaring cylindrical chamber appears to be the bottom of a massive, dried-up well. Along the southern wall, a humble, red marble statue stands watch over the empty chamber.
Sakuachi approaches the statue along the well’s northern wall "This must be one of the Shrines." Just as she reaches a hand out the god here, Waiixi— god of a famous god caller and clanliege named Sagiyas Howlingblood manifests as a phantasmal guardian.
Waiixi resembles a human-sized praying mantis with eight long legs made of variously colored glass. Where the mantis’s head should be is instead a series of interlocking stone rings that float roughly in the arrangement of a sphere. Each ring is carved with glowing Sarkorian runes that denote Domoran virtues like strength of will, forethought, and partnership with animals. "You must prove yourself worthy!" The phantasmal guardian launches itself into a frenzy of attacks.
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BOLD IS UP!:
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➤ Daehalya
➤ Grundle
➤ Onye
⠀⠀➤ Uhu
➤ Nicholo
➤ Alvarius
Haunt
HP 83/83
AC 25 (+1 vs. traps), deny advantage, cold resistance 3
Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +12 (+1 vs. traps)
Hero Points: 3
Deviant backlash DC: 15
Effects:
"It always has to be combat to prove yourself worthy," Daehalya mutters, as she hefts her staff.
She moves in toward the mantis, trying to sweep its legs out from under it before following up with a second blow.
"Onye Dinta recognizes that the spirit has good intentions," the catfolk says. He tries to reason with the haunt as based on the runes, it appears to be related in some way to the spirits of creation. However, just in case, he slings his kudu hide shield over his shoulder and pulls the other wooden masks from his belt.
The skeletal wizard instinctively conjures a ward to protect himself from physical harm.
A studied individual, Alvarius then recognizes the haunting and calls upon his repertoire of occult warding gestures.
"Back, spirit! Seek the beyond or direct your wrath elsewhere!"
"This seems to be a very subjective test."
Grundle also Shields himself.
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Daehalys knocks back two spectral owl-shaped entities as Grundle and Alvarius swiftly disable the haunt with several wards before shielding themselves.
Sakuachi acts quickly herself to appease the God within. She holds aloft her spear. "This was one of my most prized possessions. It was passed down from my Father."
The god in the well shrine peers down at Sakuachi , bows, and dissipates into a swirl of lightly glowing ethereal mist along with the spear as tribute.
The mist weaves a winding trail through the air to the small tunnel connecting to the central cistern. There, in a burst of light, the god unseals the channel, allowing stagnant water to quickly drain from the cistern into the well. As the room fills with water, the misty god swirls around the party and pushes them through the large open door from whence they came. Once everyone is out of the well, the large door shuts behind them and locks, creating a water-tight seal so the well can fill with water.
"I suppose all is well that ends well."
Grundle chuckles to himself.
Daehalya gives a small smile to Grundle at the pun. "Hopefully the rest of this trial will also prove to be a laughing matter," she says.
Checking to make sure everyone is ready to proceed, she leads the way to the bridge, ready to cross over.
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This stone bridge connects a balcony-like structure south of the aquifer to the tunnels and caves north. This wide tunnel of worked stone was part of an expansion project that was never completed. The northeastern corner of the chamber has collapsed into the adjacent tunnel, creating a natural ramp between this area and the aquifer.
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Onye notices something strange about the Red Clay that Nicholo misses but gets a gut feeling on that something is odd. Onye first notices a very elaborate baton, roughly a foot in length stuck in the clay. The other thing that seems odd is the clay seems to shudder a bit as you step into the room.
The clay all around the room seems to join it before going still once more.
"This cavern breathes with an unsettling vitality. We must tread carefully, for in disturbing this place, we may awaken whatever slumbers within its formless depths."
"You'll get no argument from me there, Grundle."
He looks at the baton. "I don't have the right magic prepared to retrieve that baton. Though I could summon something with hands that could try..."
"Perhaps this is the trial?" Daehalya asks. Absent anyone with magic like Grundle suggests, she carefully eases out onto the clay, expecting the worst.