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"We are too few and too far from home to make war. Still, perhaps you will make the opening we need...I will give you some supplies; you are on your own from there. Bolgus!" She gestures, and the other boggard rustles around among some gear against the wall. He produces a few items, and hands them to the woman in the pool. She holds up the first item, a vial, and says "this one will make you small" . Holding up the second, another vial, she says "this one will make you disappear" . Holding up a wand made from a pale length of dried and hardened vine, she says "this will heal you" . "And these" she says, holding up five badges made from chipped stone, glowing mushrooms, rodent teeth, and a sticky brown substance that might be mud, "are boggard friend badges! If you make it below and find our kin, show them these."
Bolgus shows you around the rest of the boggard-controlled area on this floor, which consists of a kitchen that has been ransacked and repurposed as a sleeping area, and a few musty chambers that were once ancient bedrooms. Neither have anything of interest.
"Excellent! It is good to have allies in this grim place," he says as he accepts one of the badges. "I shall wear this with pride!"
"Thank you Bolgus. If you see my Mother pass through this way let her know we went below for her." He thanks the Grippli looking to the stairs leading down into the darkness with a renewed hope that his Mother is still alive.
Puddins will take the wand of heal.
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The stairway down extends a total of about a hundred feet, moving generally down and to the west, with a few landings along the way. It emerges into the top half of a large, forty-foot-high chamber that is brightly lit by flickering flames inset into small silver-lined nooks. The carefully controlled light artfully illuminates several painted frescos on the opposite wall. This tall gallery hosts finely crafted depictions of a horned and hooved giant in rusted full plate accomplishing great tasks of utter destruction, with the last in the series showing some sort of ritual. Part of the wall in the southeast corner has caved in somewhat, but the hallways exiting the chamber to the north and south are still intact. To the west, a massive fifteen-foot-wide iron door seals the passage beyond; sharp spikes and blades of rusted metal cover the entire surface of the door.
As you make your way down the steps in the room, you hear some shuffling of feet by the base of the staircase, on the southern side. Glancing over the railing, you see the terrible faces of two more of the humanoids with strange triangular mouths, clearly disappointed that their attempts to ambush you were not successful.
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Puddins rushes in, hoping to take one by surprise. (30' movement).
Stride.
Cast Weapon Surge.
Attack Red.
Henry pushes past on the stairs as he makes his way to the bottom. "Gross, what are they?"
HP 35/35
AC 17
Spells: 1st 4/4 | 2nd 3/3
Focus: 1/1
Demonica moves up next to her sword sister and adds a strike of her own.
Otoro heads down and fires a watery blast at blue.
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Otoro fires a blast over Puddins' shoulder, striking the remaining foe and slamming it against the wall.
Finding their footing, the cornered creature slashes at Puddins with its halberd!
Puddins manages to deflect the first attack just enough to avoid a crushing blow, though the spike of the halberd still bites into her. She deflects the followup attacks, though, avoiding further harm.
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Otoro makes it snow in the back of the room before blasting blue.
Bireilli hops off of the stairway to land behind Puddins. He slides his wooden sword into his belt and pulls out the cold iron hammer, which he throws at the remaining demon. "Take that!"
Puddins Steps closer and tries to hit the beast.
and again
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Before you stands a massive iron door, covered in spikes, blades, and copious amounts of rust and even splashes of what looks like dried blood. To the north is a smaller, unadorned door. To the south, it looks like part of the wall has caved in, but the hallway beyond is still accessible.
Along the walls, the frescos show dramatic scenes.
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Henry shrugs, "Any way is as good as another. Big door?"
Bireli rubs his hands together as he stares at the rusty door and its many spikes and rods. "It can't be any harder than repairing Granny Whit's clock from Tian Xa, can it?" He removes a leather case with a set of tools designed for fine work and tries to do what he can with the door.
Otoro does his best to help Bireli.
"Maybe it can be harder," he says with a laugh.
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Having a little better understanding after his first attempt, Bireli manages to carefully unscrew the rune-covered rods. He nearly drops one at one point, but just manages to catch it and avert disaster.
With the rods disabled, the massive door surprisingly swings open at a light touch. The vast chamber within is bathed in a flickering blood-red light cast by four torches burning on the northern, southern, and eastern walls. The light illuminates two intricately carved columns depicting snarling demons that rise to the ceiling thirty feet above. To the west, stone stairs lead up to a dais covered in the brown stains of dried blood. A twenty-foot-tall rusted iron statue of a demonic horned creature looms on the dais, holding an oversized pickaxe in one hand and the head of a horned fiend in the other. One horn on the statue's head appears to be missing, with only a jagged stump remaining. Glowing red gemstones sit in the eye sockets of the looming statue. A smaller figure made of brass and steel is positioned in a posture of kneeling supplication before the immense statue .
You hear the sounds of figures lying in wait (and doing a poor job hiding) around both corners inside the room!
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?
Puddins grunts at her companions.
"No sense in charging in like fools. Make them come to us."
Puddins casts Magic Weapon, and then Shield.
Reaction:
Puddins will use Shield to block the first attack that hits her.
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[spoiler=GM Screen]
The kneeling brass figure in the center of the room whirs to life, standing and turning to face you. As it does, you see that it has been made in the likeness of Runelord Belimarius! It waves a brass wand that seems mounted to its hand, casting a magical effect that washes over itself.
Suddenly, a dagger flies toward Demonica from an unexpected cultist, one who actually hid well! She draws another dagger even while the first flies.
Demonica is unprepared, but the dagger still clatters harmlessly off her armor.
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Henry looks around to the brass figure. "It's alive!" He tries to hex the brass runelord as he tosses a few sharp metallic slivers into it.
HP 35/35
AC 17
Spells: 1st 4/4 | 2nd 3/3
Focus: 0/1
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Henry's hex seems to have no effect on the clockwork figure , but that doesn't protect it from the needles he sprays across its frame. Some of the needles bounce off its hard outer surface, but others manage to find weak spots and do damage .
One of the cultists, seeing combat breaking out, screams and rushes around the corner toward Puddins, dagger raised high and ready to attack!
Puddins manages to dodge the first attack, but only her magical shield prevents the second one from drawing blood!
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?
Otoro catches himself running recklessly into the room and decides to take advantage of his power from here holds his ground and fires a cold blast at the clockwork creation.
Otoro follows up with some snow.
Demonica steps up to attack Blue.
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Demonica steps up and cuts down one of the cultists in a single blow! The cultist in green rushes around the corner, taking her fallen brethren's place as she swipes at Demonica with her dagger...
...ineffectively.
The cultist in purple, meanwhile, rimed in frost, screams in rage and scrabbles through the frost toward the nearest target, a look of frenzy in her eyes.
Despite her rage, however, she, too, misses the mark.
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Puddins steps in and swings twice at Green.
"Move away from my sister!" Bireli shouts in challenge to the frenzied cultist. He steps easily onto Otoro's snow. There he raises his shield and swings the wooden sword at the man.
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Puddins swings twice, but the cultist before her is just able to jump out of the way of both blows. Bireli, though, manages to catch the frenzied one with his wooden sword!
The clockwork figure's wand glows again, the energy washing over it, and those of you wearing metal armor feel a force pushing against you .
The cultist in red flies into a similar frenzy, then reaches around the corner to stab at Bireli .
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Bireli gasps as the cultist stabs him deep in the shoulder.
Demonica lashes out at Purple twice, then recharges her spellstrike.
Otoro steps up and heals Bireli before firing a cold blast at purple.
Henry steps inot the room sending his darts inot the cultists as they begin to block the path. "Fools, laying down their lives for nothing."
HP 35/35
AC 17
Spells: 1st 4/4 | 2nd 3/3
Focus: 0/1
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Demonica cuts down the purple cultist with her first strike, then turns and slashes into green . Otoro, meanwhile, heals Bireli then blasts the same cultist . Henry's blast at green doesn't quite connect however .
The green cultist flies into a frenzy and attacks Demonica, enraged by her strike!
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"HEY! Leave my friend alone!"
Puddins swings at Green
She then casts Guidance on Demonica.
"Thank you, Otoro!" Bireli hastily shouts as he composes himself and turns his attention to the cultist beside him . He keeps his shield raised and fences with the cultist back and forth around the corner with his wooden practice sword. "You will not corrupt this island!"
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After cutting down the cultist, Puddins rushes toward the clockwork figure, smashing into it with her immense sword!
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The clockwork figure staggers back a step, then activates its wand once again. A dizzying swirl of colors washes over Puddins, which the figure quickly follows up with a strike!
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature is dazzled for 1 round.
Failure The creature is stunned 1, blinded for 1 round, and dazzled for 1 minute.
Critical Failure The creature is stunned for 1 round and blinded for 1 minute.
Puddins manages to dodge the blow!
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Puddins grits her teeth and squints very very hard.
Otoro charges up and unleashes a melee blast of cold water.
"No point on talking anymore." Henry isn't sure how he can damage this mechanical construct much and decides to just puncture it will dozens of small holes.
HP 35/35
AC 17
Spells: 1st 4/4 | 2nd 3/3
Focus: 0/1
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”Oh! I thought we were letting it come to us!” Bireli says and charges after Puddins with his shield raised. He swings at the magnetic statue.
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[dice=Will Save] 1d20+9
Puddins grits her teeth and squints very very hard.
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Otoro blasts the clockwork figure, battering it. Henry tries to do the same, but his needles mostly fly wide of the mark. Bireli dashes behind the figure, but even with advantageous positioning he's unable to connect.
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