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Cutting it is causing problems. Zibini thinks blunt force might work better, and conveniently that's just as easy when launching looser rocks--though easier outside, when the rocks aren't chipped off of larger stonework.
Still, he spots a suitable rock to fling and follows it up with a punch of force before his power overwhelms him.
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Fanzofarmenod places a forbidden ward onto Mavenee as Raj's arrow and Horus' claws rip through the hand, sending more pus streaming into Mavenee's face.
Zibini's rock misses as it flings well overhead, though the psychic burst seems to batter it slightly. Mavenee fights tooth and claw as their hind legs rear up and begins stratching the undead hand free.
Slipp offers a little bit of healing as Enforcer severs the fingers off of the hand and finishing this madness for good.
With the crawling hand defeated, you can investigate the body and the obsidian finger on the altar. The bag under the body holds a dagger that’s more rust than metal, shards of a broken bottle, and a journal written in Cyclops.
Some of the items have withstood the ages. The crawling hand wears a glittering gold ring on its pinkie finger, while the corpse has a silver and gold amulet around its neck, depicting the sun and moon.
On the hand you are able to procure both an Obsidian and a Slate finger that will require translation.
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The summoner feels weakened. As the hand slowly takes the life out of Mavenee, Martin starts to lose control of the bond they have. The eidolon is not too slow to evade the pus discharge from the hand. As the party takes the hand down, both the summoner and the eidolon collapse from exhaustion.
Realizing that the dangers have been taken care of Martin slowly stands and rushes to Mavenee. "You did great, Mavenee. But for now, we need to rest." He makes some gestures with his hands and the runes on their forehead begin to glow. The eidolon returns to her plane while the summoner takes his rest.
"Thank you for all of your aid!" He addresses the party. "We would have gone down sooner were it not for your quick thinking. You have our gratitude!"
He takes out the potion he got from the Society and gulps it down.
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"Indeed..." Raj agrees with Slipp, keeping his bow ready for a while. Only when a couple of minutes have passed and the hand nor the corpse are not showing any sign of movevement, he relaxes.
Then he moves over to investigate the room. He finds the sack and starts going through the contents. "More Cyclops writing. Does someone want to read?" he passes the journal for the others. He looks closer at the dagger, although it is probably completely unusable.
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Taking a little bit to heal you head further inot the complex.
After the corridor winds for about a hundred feet, it opens up into a T-shaped room. Stagnant water pools in places where tree roots have pierced the ceiling. The floor is decorated with a huge mosaic depicting a conflagration, the dark smoke of the fire rising to form storm clouds pierced by lighting. At the back, the room narrows to an archway, sealed with a lattice of branches woven together. A smooth dark gray stone protrudes from the lattice.
The mosaic is a dedication to the might of Urxehl, demon lord of storms, natural disasters, and trolls. The lightning-struck storm clouds can be identified as Urxehl’s religious symbol.
When approached, the lattice of branches seems to quiver. Close inspection suggests a pattern in how the branches are woven together. There is already one finger, made of basalt, inserted in the lattice, along with four slight openings in the weave where more of the stone fingers found in the other chambers could be inserted. The openings fall in a line, with the basalt finger already inserted in the first opening. The basalt finger, like the other stone fingers, is covered in runes in the Cyclops language.
The barrier can be opened by placing the stone fingers into it in the correct order.
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Slipp plays around with the phrases in their mind for a bit.
"We have some sentence starters... 'Our ego gone, this gift blessed' and 'now our lord resplendent on his throne'."
"The other sentences could follow these..." They quickly check the finger already in place to check where in the rite, for sure this is a ritual of some kind, it is likely to be.
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One by one Raj begins to place the fingers inot the relief. First the Basalt, then the Flint, then Slate. Each one causes the branches to squirm a bit as in discomfort.
It isn't until Raj places the Obsidian finger that the barrier writhes violently before expelling all stone fingers. Lashing Vines fling thorns to everyone in the room.
Raj quickly realizes he had the first three correct and flips the order the the Obsidian and Crystal. Placing all the stones correctly causes the barrier to unravel as the branches curl around the stone fingers and retract until flush against the arch, allowing you to access to the room beyond.
Beyond the gate is a dark chamber, dimly illuminated by a red spark. When drawing closer it becomes clear that the spark comes from a fist-sized gemstone, affixed in the forehead of a large figure—a troll—sagging on some kind of throne. An earthy, piney scent pervades the room and tree roots hang down from the ceiling. A thick layer of fine dust makes it clear no one has been inside in quite some time. Tree roots wrap around the figure on the throne, securing him tightly, though the roots expand slightly to expand with his shallow breathing.
The red stone shines more brightly as you discuss your options, as the troll's body stiffens and tries to sit up straight. Though as you watch, you realise that now that the body has moved the left arm sits at a strange angle, as though it had been left behind inanimate as the trolls body moved. Looking down at the right leg, it stays stuck held by the roots, as though it has been broken, held in a totally unnatural position. The stone continues to shine spasmodically as you hear ...."It has been ages since anyone has come to visit my Chamber. Why are you here?"
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Fanzofarmenod looks around with some bemusement, thorns falling around him. "I suppose I'm not an expert in cyclopean poetry after all."
As the troll and stone move, he listens to the stone's query, and responds, "Curiosity? Curiosity. Oh, and serendipity! We were looking for a lost fellow, but if you've been left alone, I would guess he hasn't visited you. But now we have your audience! Shall we prepare a toast to serendipity, chance meetings, and new acquaintances?"
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"The trolls are gone you see." The gem seems to flare as it speaks. “You mean other than Naxath and I here having the time of our lives? Are you familiar with the saying ‘you scratch my back, and I scratch yours’? Metaphorically speaking. I don’t have a back. And I doubt Naxath would even feel it if you scratched his. I’ve been down here for
thousands of years with only this empty shell for company. I never asked for this. To make it simple, I want out.”
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"of course," You feel the gem seems to be a bit playful. "I am afraid I can't answer much more until I am outside though. I contain knowledge of a lost civilization and this troll facility that I can share. I just wish to see the world."
Fanzofarmenod
Raj
⠀⠀Horus
Zibini
Martin
⠀⠀Mavenee
Impulse-7
⠀⠀Enforcer-571-294
Slipp
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The information is not accurate. The object is trying to hide something and may be a potential threat. I vote for the liquidation of the object.
At the same time, Enforcer 571-294 takes a step forward, clearly ready to implement the proposal. However, it is obvious that this is not an emotional impulse and robot will not do anything without the command.
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"It chooses not to tell us. For me it sounds like it has something to hide." Raj says to the others.
"I say we should not bring the stone to surface. Destroying the stone could set the Amkha free. So safest to leave the gem here. There are Vigilant Seal members in the city - they can decide how to best contain the gem and the being within."
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You sense a great amount of distress and sorrow from the gem as you decide to leave him be for the next team. "If you leave me, I can do nothing to stop you, though you leave me in a place of Abyssal power, still waiting for the ritual of the cyclops to end. And I have never seen the forest, just it's roots, it would have been such a pleasure." The gem goes dark and inert once more.
Naxath's mouth moves, but the sound you hear comes not from that mouth, but from the chamber itself. A deep throbbing voice, that attacks you minds and your ears, this sounds much different than that of Amkha. "DESECRATORS OF MY HOLY PLACE! FEEL MY WRATH!" as there is a huge explosive burst of abyssal energy sent through the building. The temple feels as though the very sides of the temple and the roots are trembling and pulsing with the abyssal energy. The forest floor is about to fall on the temple, about to bury it under the dark brown earth, the huge red body of tree trunks, and the flaming red thick roots.
Naxath, with Amkha still held in its forehead, crumples in a heap, face down on the stone temple floor. Naxath's fate is sealed. Urxehl is angry at the desecration of his temple.
As you look back, seeing the temple start to be destroyed under tons of rubble, you start to run, your own lives are in danger if you hang around too long.....
You try to run, but the roots hanging down seem to have a life of their own, as you attempt to pass by what was previously the magical gate made of branches and roots. The roots bash and smash into you....
──────────
BOLD IS UP!:
──────────
➤ Fanzofarmenod
➤ Raj
⠀⠀➤ Horus
➤ Zibini
➤ Martin
⠀⠀➤ Mavenee
➤ Impulse-7
⠀⠀➤ Enforcer-571-294
➤ Slipp