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Daehalya presses onward and leads Nicholo down a long hallway that splits into two directions. continuing east she opens the door into a Trophy Hall.
This trapezoidal room seems to be a trophy hall. To the north and south of the door, several humanoid skulls are mounted on stands. In the northeast corner looms a huge, white-furred, horned humanoid, while to the southeast sits a diorama of a strange city surrounded by six stone spires. The largest display is to the east: an immense flickering image of shadow and smoke that looks vaguely like a whale—a whale with tentacles and far too many eyes.
(Skulls) Each of these skulls has been altered so that the top can be removed, as they once belonged to all the gatewalkers, their minds have been long harvested. Each skull is accompanied by a plaque bearing the gatewalker’s name including Bolan Nogasso, the rebel Oaksteward whom you met at the beginning of your journey.
(Furred Humanoid) This white-furred, horned humanoid is a statue of a saumen kar, whom you recognize from you nightmares moents before. It sends momentary chills down your spine in fear it may move once more.
This final image is an illusory object of a statue of Osoyo—or at least, as close to Osoyo’s shape as one could get. Examining this display causes you to feel an almost overwhelming sense of déjà vu combined with the sensation of being watched.
"Osoyo!" Daehalya breathes out as she sees the whale, as certain as she's been of anything in her long life. She shudders at the skulls. Ritalson was worse than she could have ever imagined.
She glances at the strange model: "the Nameless Spires," she informs the others.
She glances among the skulls to see if there are any others she might recognize, her stomach clenched as she looks for Ezgara, Onye and Donkey's names.
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Seeing the skull of The former OakSteward gone bad, Nicky lets out a huff of disappointment.
Awe man. Now here I have been recalling all our adventures at the behest of the evil Ritalson. I was this close....
He hold up two fingers - the index and thumb- super close together- almost like they were pinching an invisible pebble.
To saying that at least we did GOOD works even at the puppet master.
I was almost positive we helped people- like those captured gnomes, and lifting the curse, and the star metal.
While we really were the good guys- and I can sleep well at night over our actions. I feel like a tool at this moment.
I stare at Bolan's empty chrome dome- and I feel like a tool.
He looks to the others-- and absorbs what the Nameless spires are/might be. He looks at empty heads, knowing that Ritalson took Powers or took important ID from them. Ritalson will be powerful.
Ritalson needs to be taken down! We need to get to the Spires. We need to do SOMETHING about Osoyo. We should also alert the residence of the manor about all of this. They should see the proof. They should see the deception. There's three Gatewalkers up above that are on a brain eating dinner menu. Maybe they can help us research that huge library for source material. The library that would take a full day of research if only one of us did it. What are your thoughts peeps?
Alvarius whispers a quick spell to help him detect the presence of magic in the area. "Before we wander somewhere else, let's make sure nothing was missed."
Seeing Nicky look about, the wizard also gives the space a cursory look.
"More than enough for Onye Dawon to condemn Etward," he growls behind his mask in agreement with Nicholo. "The heads of Onye Dawon and the tribe are not for harvest."
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Alvarius finds nothing further of use in this chamber. Leaving the Trophy Room behind you head to the south where you find the Triple Vault. A solid iron door sits in the southern wall. Instead of a typical handle, the door features a single wheel in its center. At the center of the wheel is a dial numbered one to fifty.
Daehalya, having deciphered the complex diagram understands exactly what she needs to do with this lock. The wheel on each door is immobile until a correct combination is entered on the dial at its center. Further complicating matters is the fact that if one of these three doors is open, the other two won’t open at all. She enters the found combinations with ease and as the last door is open she is able to follow back and open the other two for everyone to follow along.
Inside a fifteen-foot-wide cylinder of glass plates reinforced with iron looms at the center of this room, reaching halfway to the thirty-foot-high ceiling above. The cylinder stands fifteen feet tall, filled nearly to the brim with murky green liquid; through it, a shadowy shape can be seen floating deeper within. The cylinder is topped with a large metal hatch, sealed with eight chains pulled tight around circumference. Each chain’s far end is affixed to a different stone pillar near the room’s edge. Between the door and the cylinder is a wood and metal workstation from which three levers protrude. A small wooden coffer sits atop the workstation.
The three levers are unlabeled.
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What is this place, and what do we thing is inside that murky green liquid. Where's something inside, as I saw something swimming or floating.
I'm going to see if it can communicate with higher forms of intelligence. I'm going to send out mental messages.
Nicky sends out strong thoughts of Who are you? We come in peace, and can maybe get you out. Can you hear my thoughts o'pickled being in the swamp slop?
Nicky looks around to see if he notices anything odd. The levers are not labeled, so he stays away from pushing one of them down.
Can one of you determine which lever does what? If not, I put my vote on the middle lever. What's everyone else's guess and vote?
Magnifying glass and Pursue a lead.
Ignoring the levels for the moment, Daehalya lets Nicky draw her attention to the liquid. She peers more closely, trying to figure out what it might be, though keeping her distance for now.
She shrugs at the tiefling's question, however. "It's hard to know, considering what Ritalson is apparently capable of. Nothing good, I'm sure."
She'll see if she can get any sense.
"Should the tribe do anything?" the catfolk wonders out loud to the others. He places a hand upon the glass.
"Good question, Onye. We don't know what's in there, but I can't help but wonder if what's in there is good news or bad news for us. I'd rather know the answer to that before we touch any levers. I can think of one way to find out."
Alvarius walks over to the glass cylinder and knocks on the glass.
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Looking over the levers and mix of chains Daehalya is able to tell that the central lever should cycle the strange fluid in the tank through a giant filter. The other two levers are much more confusing.
Onye calmly places a hand against the glass and is slightly startled when Alvarius knocks on it with his heavy bones. There is a moment of silence followed by a quick moment of terror as the creature in the tank smaches back into the glass where Alvarius knocked. tiny stress cracks are left where the creature slammed into.
"Maybe we shouldn't touch it again," Daehalya suggests. "I can try cycling the liquid, but I don't know if that will help or hurt."
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Seeing the stress cracks in the glass, Nicky is kinda freaked.
We'll we give it a boney love tap, and it responds with a gorilla slam.
I agree with Daehalya-- maybe we don't touch the thing. We should pull that middle level that cycles the liquid. See if that helps. Shouldn't do anything crazy. But it has a chance to give us more information to make better - informed -decisions.
Nicky nods for D to flip the central lever.
The catfolk snatches his hand back from the glass with cat-like reflexes.
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Nicky inspects the middle lever. Looking at it for fingerprints or signs of recent use. Then he thinks to himself. Maybe I can use the same deductive reasoning to determine which level is *least* used.
Nicky speaks up on what he finds for his observations.
Waiting on you Daehalya to pull that lever.
He also slides out the rapier, ready for combat - because he doesn't know what else could be happening in a room like this.
The amurrun prowler backs away from the glass tank. He growls quietly under his mask as he considers the situation, "Should the creature be left to the creature's slumber? Contained?"
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A massive fifteen-foot-wide cylinder of reinforced glass and iron dominates the chamber’s center, rising fifteen feet from the floor but stopping halfway to the vaulted ceiling thirty feet above. Inside, the container is filled nearly to the brim with a murky, greenish liquid, its surface swirling sluggishly. Within the depths, only a shadowy, shifting bulk can be seen, suspended in its eerie suspension.
A heavy metal hatch crowns the cylinder, bound tight by eight thick chains that wrap around its circumference like bindings on a prison.
When Daehalya pulls the middle lever, a mechanical groan echoes through the chamber as gears grind. The liquid begins to cycle and churn, filtering itself until the contents grow clearer.
What emerges into view is horrific, a tangled, pulsating mass of raw flesh, tufts of white fur, bone, and writhing limbs. Fingers and toes twitch independently, teeth and half-formed faces leer out from beneath layers of muscle and sinew. Horns pierce through at strange angles, jutting from skulls buried inside the mass. It looks as though four saumen kar had been violently fused together into a single grotesque chimera of meat and hair.
As it floats in its milky green soup, the abomination’s many eyes and half-formed heads shift in unison, scanning the chamber with a dim, unsettling awareness. After a moment, it realizes something, or someone, is missing.
With a sudden, violent motion, the horror begins to thrash against its confines, the murky liquid roiling violently. The reinforced glass shudders as the creature’s bulk hurls itself against the cylinder walls, chains clattering on the hatch above as if straining to hold.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Onye
➤ Nicholo
➤ Daehalya
➤ Alvarius
The Guest
"We've made a huge mistake!" Daehalya calls out, pulling the lever again in hopes of refilling the liquid. "Someone try the costume we recovered!"
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"We've made a huge mistake!"
No s@$#!
Nicky replies. He also knows the group is in trouble and Daehalya speaks wisdom.Nicky puts the mask on his face. Trying to become the Sauman Kar.
◆ to identify this sewn together monstrosity.
◆◆ interact with object - making sure to be in the Sauman Kar outfit and activate the headdress (mask).
Maybe a different lever will help! Try Lever 3!
◆◆◆ Use the third action to interact the costume. If that was accomplished in the second action. My third action is: raise buckler
AC 26 if buckler is raised.
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Daehalya tries to recycle the liquid again to make it murky. Unfortunately cycling the level just causes the already filtered water to filter again, becoming really clear.
Nicholo puts the outfit on but this seems to have no immediate effect from the strange beast. He watches in terror as the heavy fists smash into the glass and raises his buckler.
Alvarius studies the thing intently, trying to figure out what damage this amalgamation of parts might do. Beside hit them hard, of course.
He then takes several steps back, erecting a magical barrier to hopefully protect himself should the thing break free.
The amurrun backs away from the aquarium. "Retreat behind Onye Dinta," he says. "Onye Dinta will block the abomination's path." He chants the foreign prayer that summons the powers of the spirits of creation. He glows and becomes indistinct as he transforms into a giant lion.
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Onye calls for a tactical retreat as the beast within smashes against the glass and tries to force the lid open.
The beastputs some force into its blows as more cracks form along the glass. You know in just a matter of time it will be free.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Onye
➤ Nicholo
➤ Daehalya
➤ Alvarius
The Guest
"I hope we're not too late," Alvarius says, raising a magical shield as he too beats a retreat.
Daehalya throws the other two levers -- hoping for the best -- and then joins her companions in walking out of the nearest gate.
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Alvarius and Nicholo rush for the exit as Daehalya flips the remaining two levers before doing the same.
The eastern lever causes the chains wrapped around the cylinder’s lid to relax and retract so the lid unseals and springs open.
Pulling the western lever tightens the chains and causes the lid to drop down back down and seal the cylinder back shut once more.
Daehalya breathes a sigh of relief as she realizes she was this close to pulling them in the opposite order.
"I think so," Daehalya says, glancing back to see if Onye is following.
The giant lion's mane crackles with flames as he roars at the creature within the tank. Then he squeezes backwards into the hall.
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Onye squeezes back into the hallway. You are nearly to safety, as the strange creature crouches low in the liquid and launches its mass at the chained lid trying to break free of its constraints.
The lid swings up a few inches and back down stressing the stability and integrity of the container. With one more powerful blow to the glass it bursts open. A wave of foul smelling liquid crashes into the room keeping the creature off balance as it comes tumbling out falling prone.
It slowly gets to its feet and as it does the creatures body begins to shudder, much like a Mogwai before its transformation. The sound of flesh tearing fills the chamber as the creatures body splits into four smaller, but identical grotesque frames. Almost like a four saumen kar had been merged together into one mass of meat and hair.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Onye
➤ Nicholo
➤ Daehalya
➤ Alvarius
The Guest
"Damnit Onye! We were leaving it be! Hold up!"
Counting on Onye to delay a moment, Alvarius moves closer before casting a spell that quickens the giant lion's limbs.
Daehalya retreats to give Onye a chance to squeeze out, ready to defend her companions if she must.
The lion continues to squeeze back into the hall. There he crouches, ready to punish anything that comes into the smaller hall.
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Onye crouches low, ready to pounce on the prey as Daehalya readies herself as well. Alvarius uses some powerful magic on Onye to help speed his movements up as Nicholo puts all of his weight into shutting the first door just as Onye gets through.
You hear the door click and one f the strange mutated beasts slam into it from the other side.
You believe you have at leasta few minutes before they are able to burst free. What do you do?
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Well...... now what?! Do we head up top and warn the mansion to evacuate? DO we retreat and close the secret doors to hope that it doesn't find a way out of this labrynth? I'm thinking the four stooges are ..... well just mutated stooges . Most people think stooges come in only 3, but there's in fact cases where there's a fourth stooge.
Back onto my point. DO we think we can back out of this place and fool them? If not, what do we do before this door gets broken down?
Daehalya shakes her head. "I don't think it's safe to just let them roam. I think we need to outsmart them. I think if we can fall back, find a way to fight them one on one, that will be safest."
"Fight smarter, not harder. Agreed. Let's give them a choke point so we can strangle them with it."
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Retreating to safety the group tries to set up a defensive position, redy for the creatures to regain their footing and break down the door.
The door shifts off the rail a bit as a clawed hand is able to sneak around the adges and begins peeling it around creating a gap large enough to pass through as the creatures come pouring out into the corridor.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Onye
➤ Nicholo
➤ Daehalya
➤ Alvarius
The Guest (Red)
The Guest (Green)
The Guest (Yellow)
The Guest (Blue)
The lion’s black mane blazes momentarily like stoked embers and lightning crackles in his eyes a moment before he pounces on the reanimated beast emerging through the doorway. He bites and tears in a fury.
Ally gains Resist All 10
Concealed to that Strike with a DC 9 flat check
HP 83/83
AC 25 (+1 vs. traps), deny advantage, cold resistance 3
Fort +11, Ref +17, Will +12 (+1 vs. traps)
Hero Points: 1
Deviant backlash DC: 5
Effects:
Daehalya sweeps her staff to try to knock the oncoming attacker down, then follows up with a straight-on jab. She's slightly distracted by trying to make sure no others make it through the gap.
Critical Success You precisely discern the target's strategy, gaining a +2 circumstance bonus to AC against the creature until the start of your next turn and a +2 circumstance bonus to your next saving throw against the creature before the start of your next turn.
Success You deduce the gist of the target's strategy; as critical success, except the circumstance bonus is only +1.
Failure You fail to discern the target's strategy and gain no benefit.
Critical Failure You misinterpret the target's strategy and take a –1 circumstance penalty to AC against the creature until the start of your next turn, and a –1 circumstance penalty to your next saving throw against the creature before the start of your next turn.
Expecting that this could be a drawn out fight for the group as they try to keep the creatures pinned in the hallway, Alvarius decides that some sort of physical barrier is needed to keep the odds in their favour.
With a rasping incantation and a flourish of bony fingers, Alvarius traces necromantic sigils in the air. The ground trembles as a rotting hand claws its way free, followed by the hunched form of a newly risen zombie. Hollow eye sockets gleam as Alvarius undead servant arrives on the battlefield.
Hungrily, the shambling zombie attempts to slam a fist into the Guest.
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Let me hold the door!
Nicky screams as he tries to close the door between the Guest and the other guests.
He looks like a native creature, as he's still wearing his cloak of the coyote - greater. Hoping to trick it or catch it off guard (as I am in flank).
◆ Interact - Door.
◆◆ Devise a strategem.
◆◆◆ Attack.
Flank. Off Guard.
Piercing - Precision.
As the Zomblie shambler comes into being. It gives Nicky a great idea on how to properly attack the Guest.
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With the strange chimera-like cretures spillng into the room the group sets into action. Onye frightens the first one through as he roars inches from its face before biting into one of its arms, breaking it and rendering it useless.
Nicholo screams as he tries to push the door shut, but it is no use. He quickly devises a strategy and stabs his rapier through the gap underneath the beasts eye.
Daehalya is unable to trip it in such tight quarters but manages to catch it under its jaw, dazing it. She tries to get a read on the creature but grossely misnterprets its intentions.
Alvarius causes the ground to shudder as he pulls bones from long lost bodies and raises a zombie to help defend the group. Its lumbering arm misses as it is just getting used to it body.
The beast shoves the zombie back against the cage and stays on it, clawing deep into its chest.
The beast grabs ahold of the zombie and rips it in half throwing both hunks against the floor and wall.
The beasts continue to spill into the room attacking Daehaly and Onye.
Daehalya could have taken a far more grievous wound but Onye quickly steps in protecting her as he reaches out swiping at the Beast.
Onye and Daehalya take some deep wounds but overall the Beasts seem to be in far worse shape.
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Onye
➤ Nicholo
➤ Daehalya
➤ Alvarius
The Guest (Red)
The Guest (Green)
The Guest (Yellow)
The Guest (Blue)