Round 2
Icabhod skewers a bulbous portion of the ooze that collapses inward like a rotten pumpkin. Lacking vital organs, the creature is not hampered by the loss.
Liraela strikes again and again the ooze dodges. Even without eyes, it can somehow sense incoming attacks.
Xallis casts guidance on Navia and she slashes at the creature on the ground. Her foot tears the plant to shreds. It immediately starts decomposing in a sizzling pool of its own acidic fluids.
With the ooze dealt with, you can now approach the building at the far end of the room.
Three rows of pews stand before a stone altar. A human statue stands atop the altar, its face and right arm broken off and shattered at the floor around it. Two smaller statues of women—each wielding a sword and shield—stand in raised alcoves in the southeast and southwest corners.
As you approach closer to the chapel, you hear the sound of a ghostly bell toll. Then a spectral image resembling the man who’s statue is on the altar appears before you. Silently he gestures towards a small tithing box at the base of the statue.
"Well, Bless my Soul!" The aasimar smiled. "It's one of Aroden's old temples!" The cleric looked up at the visage of The Last Azlanti.
"Long time, no see, friend." Trevor said, as he bowed to the statue. "And there's Arazni and Iomedae, as his heralds." The caydenite pointed to the two other statues in the corners.
As you approach closer to the chapel, you hear the sound of a ghostly bell toll. Then a spectral image resembling the man who’s statue is on the altar appears before you. Silently he gestures towards a small tithing box at the base of the statue.
Smiling, Trevor approaches the illusion with reverence. The caydenite takes out one of the vintage gold coin, holds it up to the illusion, and drops it in the tithing box.
"A small token of appreciation, care of Cayden Cailean of Taldor. Cheers!!"PLUNK!
"The god that was. It's a little suspect that his powers carry on, regardless what has actually happened. Keep your wits about you."
Tychus keeps a close eye on the scene unfolding before him, clearly not appeased by the appearance of Aroden's image.
Henrika looks distastefully at the pile of leaves and other vegetable matter and steps over it to approach the shrine. She doesn't let down her guard, and at Tychus's warning she looks about her even more suspiciously.
When Trevor deposits a coin into the box, a joyful tinkling of bells sounds out. Afterwards when the rest of the party begins snooping around and not making donations, a high pitched voice echoes from the rafters above. "Don't be shy now. A donation from each of you is required. Arrow-dean can see that there are one...two...umm... Arrow-dean will know when you've donated enough. You don't want to earn Arrow-dean's anger."
•This creature is a monaciello gremlin.
•A monaciello’s type is fey.
•Most often found in urban environments, this gremlin lives among humanity, taunting religious and scholarly organizations with its pranks. Monaciello gremlins are most commonly found in monasteries and cathedrals where they wriggle their way up from the sewers and catacombs to play tricks on the devout.
Trevor is visibly confused.
Henrika blinks. "'Arrow-dean?'" she repeats with a puzzled expression. "Are you trying to say Aroden? 'Arrow-dean' sounds like you've never heard it said, only seen it written."
The voice replies, "I said Arrow...Aroden. You just misheard. How dare you question a god!? You shall be punished!"
The image of Aroden vanishes and a cloud of golden particles rains down on top of you. The glitter gets everywhere and won't come off. Some of it even gets in your eyes.
Liraela, Tychus, Xallis and Navia are blinded for 3 rounds. After 3 rounds, the glitter effect fades completely as well, leaving no trace behind.
From above you hear the creature laughing.
Icabhod can't see anything!
"And there's Arazni and Iomedae, as his heralds." The caydenite pointed to the two other statues in the corners.
Navia shares an unspoken thought with Xallis, and he considers. "Are you more a fan of the classics, mister Trevor?"
The summoner and eidolon both rub at their eyes, stumbling in place and mumbling half-curses under their breath. "That wretched thing just glitter-blasted my eyes! That little..."
The duo recover from their shimmering blindness at about the same time. They try to follow the sound of laughter, hoping to pinpoint the petulant prankster. Navia's nose twitches as she attempts to locate the creature by a shift in the room's aroma.
Blinking the stars out of his eyes, Tychus regains his wits and composure.
"Damned foul creature, reveal yourself at once!"
He sweeps the room with his crossbow leveled, but no obvious threats jump out at him.
"As loathe as I am to flee from a fight, it is difficult to fight a foe we cannot see..." he says in a low whisper to his surrounding teammates.
"Indeed", Trevor answered. "Get the others to the door!"
The cleric once again beamed a smile to the heavens. "Great and powerful Aroden! Please allow me the greatest honor, in offering your magnificentness, a libation. Just as the clerics of old did!"
Trevor creates more caydenite water in his silver tankard, then holds it up in reverence to 'Aroden'.
"Great Aroden! Please accept this humble gift!"
”Alright, calm your t+~$ everyone. I’m coming down.”
A moment later a pudgy little monstrous man with sickly gray skin and wearing the white robes of a priest starts awkwardly climbing down from the ceiling. As he scales the wall, pausing and wheezing often he says, ”Hold on. This is not as easy as I make it look. I’m almost there.” When he nears the bottom, his grip slips and he falls the remaining distance, bounces once, then rolls to a stop at Trevor’s feet. When he stands up and brushes himself off, you can see that he is only two-and-a-half feet tall. He jumps up and takes the tankard from Trevor’s hand and sloppily downs the drink with half the contents spilling on him rather than getting in his mouth. He wipes his mouth with his robe’s white sleeve and slaps Trevor on the thigh. ”Ah. Good man. At least someone knows how to make an offering. A shame on the rest of you.” He points an accusatory finger at the party. His filthy fingernail is long and sharpened to a point.
Then he bows. ”You can call me Viecar. I am the high priest of this temple. I was appointed to this position by the immortal Dagio the Great. You would do well to pay your proper respects while in the rat’s kingdom, otherwise I will tell on you. And you wouldn’t want that.” Viecar gives a mischievous smile and you can see that all his teeth are yellowed and pointed.
•This creature is a monaciello gremlin.
•A monaciello’s type is fey.
•Most often found in urban environments, this gremlin lives among humanity, taunting religious and scholarly organizations with its pranks. Monaciello gremlins are most commonly found in monasteries and cathedrals where they wriggle their way up from the sewers and catacombs to play tricks on the devout.
Henrika quirks her own mischievous smile. "Indeed, a nasty surprise would be in store if you did that." she seems to agree with Viecar. "But we bring you a message from the immortal Dagio! He says he is going to ascend to the heavens, and he is leaving Cayden here--" she indicates Trevor-- "in charge, the same way Aroden left Iomedae in charge when he left. Fortunately, Cayden seems to be similarly well disposed toward you."
Liraela looks over at Henrika, laughing under her breath at the attempt. Was worth a shot, anyway.
"Uh, yeah. About him, why do you call him the immortal? Can he not be killed or something?"
Clearly we had just killed him, but he didn't seem to know that yet. Could rats like him come back from the dead? She's seen worse, she supposed.
Icahbhod thinks back on a certain dead rat and how this imp thing is in for a rude surprise.
"But we bring you a message from the immortal Dagio! He says he is going to ascend to the heavens, and he is leaving Cayden here--" she indicates Trevor-- "in charge, the same way Aroden left Iomedae in charge when he left. Fortunately, Cayden seems to be similarly well disposed toward you."
Viecar scoffs. "If he's Cayden, I'm Arrow-deen. The devout are all fools. And fools are easily parted from their coin. Its as simple as that, honey." He gives Trevor a toothy grin.
"Uh, yeah. About him, why do you call him the immortal? Can he not be killed or something?"
"Well, its not like I tried to kill him or anything, but he claims to has lived a thousand years, and who am I to question it. He says that he used to be a wizard's familiar. His master was obsessed with immortality but when he tried to cast a spell to achieve it, he ended up killing himself instead. However, by some bizarre twist Dagio ended up becoming immortal instead. Between you and me though, Dagio's a little bit coo-coo." Viecar twirls a finger around his head. "His master had some association with a circle or something and Dagio's been singularly obsessed with solving the riddle. But if you ask me, if he hasn't figured it out after a thousand years, he isn't going to. Still, he's not someone I want to cross, so we came up with an agreement. He can be king and I can be the high priest and we'll leave each other alone. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. This little chapel is much cushier than the sewer I crawled out of."
"But if you're asking if he can come back from the dead or something, I've never seen it. I think he's just really old."
Seeing as how Viecar appeared to be non-threatening (for the time being), Tychus adopts a more at-ease stance.
"Look, we don't want to be here as much as you don't want us to be here. We are simply passing through the area."
He rubs his chin thoughtfully.
"If you are interested in some coin, I'm sure I could offer you some in exchange for some useful information. What can you tell us of this floor?"
Tychus retrieves a gold piece from a pouch on his waist and lifts it up to the light, letting it glint in front of the creature a few moments before cupping it back into the palm of his hand.
"But we bring you a message from the immortal Dagio! He says he is going to ascend to the heavens, and he is leaving Cayden here--" she indicates Trevor-- "in charge, the same way Aroden left Iomedae in charge when he left. Fortunately, Cayden seems to be similarly well disposed toward you."Viecar scoffs. "If he's Cayden, I'm Arrow-deen. The devout are all fools. And fools are easily parted from their coin. Its as simple as that, honey." He gives Trevor a toothy grin.
Trevor simply returns the smile. "Wouldn't be the first time I've been called a fool. Likely won't be the last, either." The aasimar could go into detail about how that gold coin was one of ,many he just acquired. And in his eyes, Trevor gave the coin, spiritually, to Aroden; but the Viecar doesn't need to know any of that.
Navia stares down at Viecar, her lips curled into a faint snarl, talons tapping impatiently.
"A false priest in an empty temple to a dead god. Let me kill it." she pleas to her summoner through their mental connection. "Little wretched thing. It reminds me of the rat that put a disease in you. I want to kill it."
Xallis puts a reassuring hand on his eidolon's shoulder and shakes his head, then he turns to Viecar. "Yes, if faith is not your virtue, that is fine. I myself rely on my own skill more than the hand-outs of beings I sparsely understand. Perhaps we have something in common."
"Look, we don't want to be here as much as you don't want us to be here. We are simply passing through the area."
He rubs his chin thoughtfully.
"If you are interested in some coin, I'm sure I could offer you some in exchange for some useful information. What can you tell us of this floor?"
"What do I look like? A tour guide? Go figure it out yourselves. No one is keeping you here. I was enjoying a pleasant nap before you showed up." He waves his hand dismissively.
"You're right. I'm downright blasphemous. And it seems to me like you rely on your pet's skill. You know, I could use a pet. Want to sell her?" Viecar upturns a small pouch on his belt and dumps out a handful of gems, three potions, and an intricate key. The contents he pours out puzzlingly could not have fit in a normal pouch of that size. "I have all this. Oh, and one gold piece."
He scoops the treasure back into his bag. Then he trundles over to the tithing box. He tries to open it but it is locked and he growls in frustration. "Shoulda checked that first. No matter." He plops down onto his rump and straddles the box. Then he starts defacing the box with his dagger, trying to force it open. "Come on."
Malphene Trant sneers. "This creature disgusts me."
Viecar calls back while still jamming his dagger into the box. "You ain't much to look at yourself, dear."
Malphene Trant sneers. "This creature disgusts me."
Viecar calls back while still jamming his dagger into the box. "You ain't much to look at yourself, dear."
"AH! Perhaps it is time for us to rid ourselves from The Viecar's company?" Trevor diplomatically suggested. "Let us find our own way, as The Viecar suggests. Thank you very much for the show, sir. We'll be on our way."
The cleric silently prays the others will follow his lead and leave this creature to his own devices.
Henrika nods and follows Trevor, muttering to herself. "Let us depart, Dame Trant. It is no use wasting our wit or our steel on this creature, whatever it is."
Navia's hair-tendrils twitch and wriggle in reaction the proposal to sell her. Her muscles tense, her talons curl and uncurl. "Something about him. Hate. Hate. Want to kill."
Xallis simply shakes his head at the little creature. "I don't think you'd want to endure what it takes to have one like her tied to yourself. Unless you wish to be unraveled and reassembled by an extraplanar entity."
He shoots his eidolon another look. "Soon, perhaps. Not now."
"Promise?"
"That's up to the team to decide. Though you'll certainly be heard by them. I can promise that."
The eidolon slowly relaxes and nods, finally peeling her baleful gaze away from the Viecar.
"Regardless of Aroden's current state, I suggest not defacing holy belongings. It brings bad omens."
Tychus tenses his jaw a little bit, clearly not fond of the gremlin's actions. Not wanting to break line of sight with the creature, should the party decide to leave, he will do so while walking backwards. His usually passive face tainted with a hint of contempt.
You decide to leave Viecer to his foul business and head back out the way you came.
"Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out." Viecar exclaims. As you near the door, you hear the sound of cracking wood as Viecar finally forces open the tithing box. "Got it!" Viecar pockets the coin and starts hefting himself back up into the rafters.
Next you return to the round senate room. Without the key to the door, you take the secret door on the side instead. Coincidentally, the secret door leads to the same room anyway.
Dust-covered couches cover some of the walls in this rectangular chamber. Another door exits to the east.
"Let's hurry." says Imistos. "We must be really close now."
"Perhaps we can swing by later and pick up whatever he just 'got'. Before you protest, it's likely not rightfully his, and we'd definitely make better use of it." Liraela whispers to the group close to her, attempting to avoid alerting the nobles grouping with them.
"Good to see we didn't have to hunt down that key after all. Would've been a challenge to get the doors open a second time, that's for sure!"
She was good, but not that good.
Neither is it ours. Let him have his trinkets.
Thankfully, putting distance between them and the little monster does wonders for Navia's nerves.
Navia stops and holds up three fingers. "Others have been here. Not long ago. Two.... no, three at least. Humanish."
She takes in the aroma, checking for familiar scents.
"Some kind of sitting chamber?" Henrika remarks as she looks around. "Preparation for those speaking in the circular hall we just left, perhaps."
Navia stops and holds up three fingers. "Others have been here. Not long ago. Two.... no, three at least. Humanish."
She takes in the aroma, checking for familiar scents.
"Some kind of sitting chamber?" Henrika remarks as she looks around. "Preparation for those speaking in the circular hall we just left, perhaps."
"It could be", Trevor remarked, unsure.
Tychus kneels by the recent traces of activity, leaning on his crossbow in one hand, and touching the traces with his other. His sniffs his fingers, but his human nose can't detect anything unusual.
"Clearly we aren't the only ones who have made it down here. We best be on our guard, there's no telling friend from foe just yet."
"Some kind of sitting chamber?" Henrika remarks as she looks around. "Preparation for those speaking in the circular hall we just left, perhaps."
"Likely. And if the normal doors leading to the Senate Room are still locked, whoever was here must have used the other doors."
For fun, Tychus will try the doors leading to the Senate Room to see if they are still locked.
The doors between this room and the senate room are locked from this side as well. It is unlikely that whoever was in this room got any further in the direction that you came from.
Xallis ponders for a moment. "I have a feeling that we have sensible people on the other side of that door. Perhaps this one can be solved peacefully. If you'll permit me?"
On Xallis' silent command, Navia steps up to the door, turning her wrist and readying herself to knock on the door. The conjurer cups his hands around his mouth to help project.
"Hello! Is anyone there!?"
Navia wraps her knuckle against the door three times, and he continues. "I'm Xallis, of House Livara! We got lost! We need help! We killed the monsters on this side! Please, open up!"
When Navia knocks and Xallis calls out, you hear a shuffling from the other side of the door.
"Oi! We gots company." One voice calls out.
"Oh, thank goodness. We're lost and trapped down here. The door's unlocked. Come in." Says another voice.
Imistos says, "I recognize those voices. They are other servants that I worked alongside with."
Something about this doesn’t feel right to Liraela, she hadn’t liked how familiar the halfling’s story had been to her childhood ‘operations’. Hadn’t ever trusted the servant randomly ending up with a badge either.
That being said, she absolutely will not be opening that door.
”If it’s unlocked, why didn’t you try coming this way? Trapped behind an unlocked door?”
It’s clear she doesn’t trust this entire situation, and she calmly draws the fancy dagger from her waistband, prepared to use it if need be.
Liraela can't get a read on Imistos. He may be telling the truth or he may be a very good liar.
Wary of the door, Liraela takes a closer look but finds nothing.
”If it’s unlocked, why didn’t you try coming this way? Trapped behind an unlocked door?”
”We’re not… one voice starts.
Then another cuts him off. ”F&@~ it. Enough with the charade. Let’s just kill ‘em.”
Round 1
Initiative
18 - Trevor
17 - Xallis
17 - Navia
13 - Halfling Killer (Red)
13 - Halfling Killer (Yellow)
13 - Halfling Killer (Blue)
11 - Imistos
10 - Tychus
08 - Icabhod
06 - Liraela
03 - Henrika
02 - Malphene
You hear the sound of steel being drawn in the other room. Trevor and Xallis are able to react before they come through the door.
Imistos says, "I recognize those voices. They are other servants that I worked alongside with."
Round 1
Trevor moves around Dame Trant protectively, and draws his rapier at Imistos's neck."Servants that I worked alongside with", Trevor mimed. "Stand still! No false moves or you meet Pharasma before me!!"
Henrika turns to stare at Imistos, surprised by his apparent betrayal. She gives him a scornful and remorseful look.
She rushes forward to take a position next to Navia for when they burst through, her blade drawn.
13 - Halfling Killer (Red)
Xallis lets out a tired sigh. "By Nethys' multicolored danglers..."
His hand touches Navia's shoulder as he channels protective magic into her. Then, he takes a step back and draws his knife.
Navia bears a great big grin as she flings the door wide open, making a mock bow of invitation before also shifting to the side. Her leg rises, talons flexing in anticipation of the halflings piling into their little killbox.
Round 1
Trevor tries to threaten Imistos. He is unfazed but slowly puts his hands up.
Navia flings open the door and is surprised by an unsuspected trap. A score of daggers curtain the ceiling behind the door. With a whip-cracking sound, the fan of knives blast outward in Navia’s direction.
Three daggers fly at Navia; Two of the daggers are deflected harmlessly by Navia’s mage armor but a third gets through and pierces her flesh. A single dagger also is thrown at Liraela and catches her by surprise.
Then three halflings wielding rapiers come rushing through the doorway.
The first halfling runs forward and tumbles through the gap between Liraela and Henrika. Navia tries to claw and the attacker but is unable to catch the fast running man. The halfling stabs at Henrika but with poor accuracy.
Then then second halfling acts in a similar manner. He jumps between Liraela and Navia with his rapier extended towards Tychus. Again, the attack luckily fails.
The final halfling charges straight forward and stops in Navia’s kill box. He stabs at Lireala. The attack is more accurate than the other halflings’ but it is stopped by Lireala’s lamellar.
Imistos grins wickedly despite Trevor’s sword. ”Finally. You have no idea how tedious it was pretending to be a helpless servant. And you rubes fell for every lie I said. Now that I’ve reconnected with my allies, I’ll savor running you fools through. For Thamir Gixx!”
He draws his rapier and Trevor attacks.
Trevor slashes Imistos across the face and Imistos screams in pain. He sidesteps and tries to stab back at Trevor but the attack is ruined.
Round 1
Initiative
18 - Trevor
17 - Xallis
17 – Navia (7/13 hp) (Mage Armor 2 hr)
13 - Halfling Killer (Red)
13 - Halfling Killer (Yellow)
13 - Halfling Killer (Blue)
11 – Imistos (4 damage)
10 – Tychus
08 – Icabhod
06 – Liraela (12/18 hp)
03 – Henrika
02 – Malphene
Round 2
Initiative
18 – Trevor
17 – Xallis
Everyone’s up.
"So predictable. Boring. Try something better next time, if you live through this. Which you probably won't, if I have anything to say about it."
Liraela will stab out at yellow, the one that flanked itself. Convenient!
Henrika quirks an eyebrow as the halflings charge in. "Isn't that precious," she says sarcastically, as she swings her sword at the one who attacked her. "Pint-sized assassins! Who of us here knew that they come in pints?"
Icabhod curls his lip in disgust as the halflings attack. Treacherous slips! I'd rather take you all alive and ship you off to Thrune where you would learn proper suffering! He stabs with his rapier, flanking with Lira.
Tychus nimbly takes a step back and avoids the blow aimed at him.
"Shouldn't have done that.", he says, in a tone reminiscent of an adult scolding a child.
"Abadar doesn't take kindly to thieves."
"You traitorous little wretches!" Xallis takes a swing at one of the halflings, hoping to speed up this little brawl before they can do any more damage.
Navia keeps to her original idea, focusing on the target within her pincer attack. Two swift kicks come to drive those talons home.
Round 2
Trevor is engaged in mortal combat with the traitorous Imistos.
Round 1
Tychus takes a step back and fires at the halfling. His bolt is deflected by the halfling’s chain shirt.
Icabhod tries to stab the same halfling. This time, this halfling nimbly dodges out of the way.
Then, while the halfling’s attention is on Icabhod, Liraela stabs her dagger into one of the halfling’s kidney’s with a painful sneak attack. The killer can’t help but howl out.
Next, Henrika attacks the halfling flanked with Malphene. She catches him on the shoulder but his armor protects him.
”Traitorous skum!” Malphene shouts as she hops onto the dusty couch and swings her longsword at Imistos’ head. Imistos’ eyes go wide, dwarfed by the towering woman. He protects his face but is cut along his blocking arm. Henrika’s stare causes it to hurt even more.
The nobles near Imistos flee to safety further down the shadowy hallway.
Round 2
Trevor also takes a stab at Imistos with less successful results.
Xallis hopes to hit the wounded halfling but misjudges his size. The dagger goes right over the killer’s head.
Finally, Navia attacks the trapped halfling with two claws. One talon scrapes against his chain shirt but the other rips a tear through the metal also with a chunk of flesh.
The halfling behind Trevor takes advantage of Trevor’s attention on Imistos and stabs him in the back. ”Die!” Then he (5 ft.) steps around to flank Henrika.
The next halfling also performs a circular dance and (5 ft.) steps around to flank Liraela.
He stabs his rapier straight through Liraela's abdomen. Blood gushes out at the flanking halfling who seems to revel in the gore and Liraela collapses to the ground.
The last halfling attacks Henrika with deadly accuracy. Henrika creates a duplicate image of herself but still gets hit. Then the halfling also circles around into flanking against Trevor.
Imitos forgoes the sneak attack opportunity to take cruel revenge on Malphene instead. He stabs her and while the rapier is not particularly injurious, is laced with poison. The area around her wound blackens and Malphene feels her strength draining from her body. ”I’ll particularly enjoy watching you die, ogre.” Imistos spats.
Round 2
Initiative
18 – Trevor (9/16 hp)
17 - Xallis
17 – Navia (7/13 hp) (Mage Armor 2 hr)
13 - Halfling Killer (Red)
13 - Halfling Killer (Yellow) (6 damage)
13 - Halfling Killer (Blue) (4 damage)
11 – Imistos (8 damage)
10 – Tychus
08 – Icabhod
06 – Liraela (-1/18 hp) (Dying)
03 – Henrika (3/19 hp) (Mesmeric Mirror 1 image, 2 min)
02 – Malphene (10/13 hp) (Poisoned 3 rd) (-1 Str)
00 - Nobles
Round 3
Initiative
18 – Trevor (9/16 hp)
17 – Xallis
Everyone’s turn.