Unable to see anything. Hexes might thus fail, but I know the rough location of the Serpents. Therefore, Greater Aggressive Thundercloud is likely my best bet, due to the continuous damage that has to go through Spell Resistance each time, Krowys thinks to himself.
Krowys, after approximately one second of quick thinking, pulls out a piece of bark of a tree struck by lightning, and casts Greater Aggressive Thundercloud, pointing at a spot where he knew the Serpent was last, and calling down thunder from the sky. Then, both he and Liber back out of the vision-obscuring area to get their grips.
Mirabelle: hp 172/172| | AC 25/24 (T16 FF19) | CMD 20 | Fort +19 Ref +18 Will +22 (+3 vs mind affecting) | freedom of movement, life bubble, mind blank, heroism, invisible, false life, mage armor | poisoned 5/6 rounds, 1 Dex dam, exhausted
Hollow Serpent 2 | HP 230; DR 10/magic and silver, fast heal 10| AC 31 T19 FF21 | Fort +15 Ref +18 Will +19 Channel Resist +7; SR 27 | Freedom of movement, undead traits | benefiting from desecration
Hollow Serpent 3 | HP 218; DR 10/magic and silver, fast heal 10| AC 31 T19 FF21 | Fort +15 Ref +18 Will +19 Channel Resist +7; SR 27 | Freedom of movement, undead traits | benefiting from desecration
Lazur Anil: hp 156/156 | AC 32/31 (T19 FF27) | CMD 34 | Fort +13 Ref +18 Will +15 (+1 versus enchantments; roll twice vs mind-affecting) | Immunities: Illusions | death ward, displacement, echolocation, freedom of movement, life bubble, overland flight, long arm, shield | poisoned, 6 damage
Ariston: HP 105/105 | AC 34 (T18 FF30) | CMD 27/23 CMB +13 | Fort +15 Ref +15 Will +23 (+2 vs charm/compulsion) | Resist: Acid/Cold/Electricity 5 | ring of force shield, life bubble, shield of faith, true seeing | exhausted, poisoned 5/6 rounds, 1 Dex dam
Giant Immortal Ichor 1 | HP 310; DR 15/-, Reg 10 (good spells, good weapons) | AC 34 T 35 FF 30 | CMB 23 (+25 grapple) CMD 36 (can't be tripped) | Fort +18 Ref +8 Will +11 | amorphous, immune acid, bludgeoning damage, electricity, mind-affecting effects, ooze traits, piercing damage; resist cold 30 | [slow
Creeping doom swarm 1 hp 60/60 | AC 18 T 18 FF 14 | Fort +5 Ref +7 Will +3 | Swarm traits, immune to weapon damage. Distraction concentration DC is 22
Creeping doom swarm 2 hp 60/60 | AC 18 T 18 FF 14 | Fort +5 Ref +7 Will +3 | Swarm traits, immune to weapon damage. Distraction concentration DC is 22
Creeping doom swarm 3 hp 60/60 | AC 18 T 18 FF 14 | Fort +5 Ref +7 Will +3 | Swarm traits, immune to weapon damage. Distraction concentration DC is 22
Creeping doom swarm 4 hp 60/60 | AC 18 T 18 FF 14 | Fort +5 Ref +7 Will +3 | Swarm traits, immune to weapon damage. Distraction concentration DC is 22
Krowys: hp 120/123 | AC 32/31 (T20 FF26) | CMD 27 | Fort +12 Ref +15 Will +15 (+2 v. Poison & Mind-Affecting) | Resist 5 Electricity | resist fire 30, life bubble overland flight | exhausted, poisoned x1, 1 Dex dam
... and Liber: hp 60/60 | AC 20 T15 FF 17 | Fort +12 Ref +15 Will +15 | SR 22 |
Mira grits her teeth and flies forward, into the teeth of the storm and the hollow serpents auras!
, pass
, fail
She shudders as her limbs begin to wither, adding to the strange palsy affecting her from the poison and the sheer, body wearying, exhaustion.
She incants and electrical energy begins to swell around her before erupting in a coruscating sphere for power!
, pass
, pass
The swarms are swept away and the bones of the Hollow Serpents are rattled.
Mira's stormbolts obliterates the swarms nearly as quickly as they come into being, and you can now see your enemies again. Between lifesense and normal senses, unfortunately, the hollow serpents can see or sense all of you. Both of them move five feet toward you and each in a clattering mockery of Draconic, utter the horrid wilting spell.
Ariston becomes a withered husk, every ounce of moisture stolen from his body. His corpse begins to topple like a dead tree as his soul leaves his body and ascends to meet Varan….
And then his dessicated hand twitches in a well-practiced, almost instinctual, motion… and the power of Varan pours life back into him. His deflated corpse re-expands with life as his soul is slammed back into its mortal shell. The priest even stops himself from falling with a quick step. The glare he gives the worms is utterly lethal and implacable… but first, his allies need care.
Ariston calls on Varan to bathe them in healing energy and tops it off with a secondary spell of healing.
HP: 86 / 105 | AC:34 / T:18 / FF:30 | CMD:27/23
Channel Energy (11): xxx
Quick Bit of Luck (3):
Bit of Luck (8):
Dimensional Hop (170’): 25’
Daylight (1):
Agile Feet (11):
Good Fortune (2):
Brilliant Spell Prep (1):
Boots of Speed (10):
Pearl of Power 4th (1):
Wand of CLW (50):
9th Spells
> Implosion: x
> Miracle:
8th Spells
> Holy Aura:
> Fire Storm: x
> Moment of Prescience:
> Stormbolts:
7th Spells
> Destruction:
> Holy Word:
> Resurrection:
> Spell Turning:
> <Brilliant Open Slot>:
6th Spells
>Antilife Shell:
> Word of Recall:
> Heal (2):
> Symbol of Persuasion:
> Find the Path
5th Spells
> Breath of Life:
> Commune with Plane:
> Life Bubble:
> Spell Resistance:
> Teleport:
> True Seeing: x
4th Spells
> Control Water:
> Freedom of Movement:
> Holy Smite:
> Neutralize Poison:
> Communal Protection from Energy (1):
> Restoration:
> Sending:
3rd Spells
> Aura Sight:
> Create Food & Water (2):
> Dispel Magic (2):
> Fly:
> Prayer:
2nd Spells
> Blinding Ray (2):
> Calm Emotions:
> Ghostbane Dirge:
> Locate Object:
> Spear of Purity:
> Spiritual Weapon:
1st Spells
> Bless:
> Murderous Command:
> Remove Fear:
> Shield of Faith (3): x
> True Strike:
Effects:
Ring of Force Shield = Indefinite
Shield of Faith
Life Bubble
True Seeing = 17 mins
STR -8
DEX -1
Lazur inspiration kicks in and he manages to miss some of the first spells effects but bears the full brunt of the second. He then studies his opponent for a quick second takes a step and unleashes a series of attack on the creature managing to hit it twice.
44 33
The immortal ichor, still slowed by Mira's spell, has a very uninteresting turn where it floats upwards, oozing through the openings in the grate until it reforms, hovering over the grate. And that's all it does.
"I have not healed yet while our group has been together, and given the presence of undead that would be harmed from the action, this might be the best course of action," Krowys monotones as he enters near the center of the group to cast Mass Cure Critical Wounds on everything except the Ichor. The thunder still rages on above the serpent's head as it crashes down with a sonorous BANG, with the Serpent seemingly unperturbed by the literal storm above its head.
"The Ichor might pose a problem for us, but we can exhaust our most taxing spell slots in concert with Mira to deal with it relatively quickly," Liber says (with more emotion than her spellcaster) as she hovers about the Aphorite's head.
Thanks all, back to back horrid wiltings is nasty. Now lets finish these things. I can probably deal with the ooze so dont feel you need to out yourselves at risk.
With that she flies upwards a little and breathes out a cone of bone dissolving acid over Lazurs head at the two serpents.
, pass
, pass
, take the lowest +18, fail
, take the lowest +18, fail
x1.5 for 67 damage
, pass
, pass
, fail
, fail
x1.5 for 51 damage
With an onslaught of spells from the party, plus Lazur's weapon skills, the two serpents crumble back into skeletal dust.
Lazur backs away and says to the party "I am unable to hurt my friend here. Can't we all just get along."
Ariston is running through the offensive spells he might bring to bear on the strange jelly creature… when he hears Lazur’s comment, ”Say what now?” Clearly, something was affecting the Investigator’s mind. ”Sure. I can understand that.”
He immediately casts a powerful spell on all his allies and himself…
HP: 86 / 105 | AC:34 / T:18 / FF:30 | CMD:27/23
Channel Energy (11): xxx
Quick Bit of Luck (3):
Bit of Luck (8):
Dimensional Hop (170’): 25’
Daylight (1):
Agile Feet (11):
Good Fortune (2):
Brilliant Spell Prep (1):
Boots of Speed (10):
Pearl of Power 4th (1):
Wand of CLW (50):
9th Spells
> Implosion: x
> Miracle:
8th Spells
> Holy Aura: x
> Fire Storm: x
> Moment of Prescience:
> Stormbolts:
7th Spells
> Destruction:
> Holy Word:
> Resurrection:
> Spell Turning:
> <Brilliant Open Slot>:
6th Spells
>Antilife Shell:
> Word of Recall:
> Heal (2):
> Symbol of Persuasion:
> Find the Path
5th Spells
> Breath of Life:
> Commune with Plane:
> Life Bubble:
> Spell Resistance:
> Teleport:
> True Seeing: x
4th Spells
> Control Water:
> Freedom of Movement:
> Holy Smite:
> Neutralize Poison:
> Communal Protection from Energy (1):
> Restoration:
> Sending:
3rd Spells
> Aura Sight:
> Create Food & Water (2):
> Dispel Magic (2):
> Fly:
> Prayer:
2nd Spells
> Blinding Ray (2):
> Calm Emotions:
> Ghostbane Dirge:
> Locate Object:
> Spear of Purity:
> Spiritual Weapon:
1st Spells
> Bless:
> Murderous Command:
> Remove Fear:
> Shield of Faith (3): x
> True Strike:
Effects:
Ring of Force Shield = Indefinite
Shield of Faith
Life Bubble
True Seeing = 17 mins
STR -8
DEX -1
The Immortal Ichor sees its ally-servitors fall as warding spells are chanted. It attempts to find another way to weaken your defenses, and a swirling purple mist surrounds you as it casts mind fog.
And apart from now coloring the air around you an odd shade of purple, the mind fog does absolutely nothing whatsoever to any of you.
Save your resources Krowys, let me deal with this stupid thing.
She taps her finger against her lip.
With that she casts two spells in quick succession, zips across the room, and pokes the blob in its jelly like substance. It vanishes with a "pop". Well, that's sorted, it can enjoy its existence in the positive material plane for the rest of existence, forever exploding and regenerating. Good thing too, horrible creatures.
, hit
, fail
That might not be entirely true, has it been sent somewhere else?
"As long as it wasn't sent to Axis, oh for Axis's sake the paperwork would be a nightmare if they knew we were involved in that!" Liber jokingly frets. "I believe that is that problem dealt with. Most of my spells would have been useless on it, so thank you for allowing me to save my resources," Krowys adds.
Lazur sighs deeply, "I am glad you took care of that. I had no way of dealing with it. I am going to need to make sure I have bludgeoning and slashing weapons available to use. What else is here?"
As Mira approaches the Giant Immortal Ichor, it lunges a pseudopod at her.
plus
The creature's unholy slime slaps the sorceress full in the face, causing her skin to burn and seethe for a moment and rendering her slightly disoriented.
Nonetheless as she had been fully healed before she attempted, she is still well enough to use her considerable magics to send the awful creature to another realm. As the creature *poofs* into another dimension, the light in the room disappears and she is left to see via darkvision.
Now that Mira is in the center of the room, she can see the grating has hinges and can open--although there is no discernable handle to pull the grating off. There is some kind of pattern in the floor beneath the grating but it is hard to see what it might be with the colorless view of darkvision and being blocked by the grating--but whatever the pattern is is definitely arcane in nature. Properly analyzing it will require removing the grate (whether that means you figure out how it is supposed to open or find another means of changing or moving it).
The room otherwise contains the remains of other cherufes and a nasty looking statue of a skeletal dragon's head on one end of the room.
Mira rejoins the group and slump down. That was unpleasant. There's some sort of magical effect under that grate but I cannot really see it without moving the thing which might well set it off, assuming its some sort of trap or symbol. I could disintegrate the grate to get access but before anything I could really do with some healing. That malignant blob hit hard!
Lazur sighs and says "That encounter was not pleasant. Hopefully we won't run into anything else that can zap us like that." He then pulls out his Ioun Torch and sets it spinning and his detect magic lantern. Heading towards the grate he says "I'll have a look at it and see what I can figure out."
Moving toward the grate he looks for traps and then ways to open the grate.
+ 61
+ 40
The priest jumps in, "Hold on, hold on! Let's take this a bit slower. I can help. First, who needs healing?"
"I'm with Ariston," the Arbiter resting on Krowys's shoulder says, "healing should probably come first, before you get into any other altercations or magical traps."
Lazur stops and walks back "Maybe you are right. I am not quite feeling myself but am a bit better."
Ariston weaves a quick succession of spells…
HP: 105 / 105 | AC:34 / T:18 / FF:30 | CMD:27/23
Channel Energy (11): xxx
Quick Bit of Luck (3):
Bit of Luck (8):
Dimensional Hop (170’): 25’
Daylight (1):
Agile Feet (11):
Good Fortune (2): x
Brilliant Spell Prep (1): x
Boots of Speed (10):
Pearl of Power 4th (1):
Wand of CLW (50):
9th Spells
> Implosion: x
> Miracle:
8th Spells
> Holy Aura: x
> Fire Storm: x
> Moment of Prescience:
> Stormbolts:
7th Spells
> Destruction:
> Holy Word:
> Resurrection:
> Spell Turning:
> <Brilliant Open Slot>: x
6th Spells
>Antilife Shell:
> Word of Recall:
> Heal (2): xx
> Symbol of Persuasion:
> Find the Path
5th Spells
> Breath of Life:
> Commune with Plane:
> Life Bubble:
> Spell Resistance:
> Teleport:
> True Seeing: x
4th Spells
> Control Water:
> Freedom of Movement:
> Holy Smite:
> Neutralize Poison:
> Communal Protection from Energy (1):
> Restoration: x
> Sending:
3rd Spells
> Aura Sight:
> Create Food & Water (2):
> Dispel Magic (2):
> Fly:
> Prayer:
2nd Spells
> Blinding Ray (2):
> Calm Emotions:
> Ghostbane Dirge:
> Locate Object:
> Spear of Purity:
> Spiritual Weapon:
1st Spells
> Bless:
> Murderous Command:
> Remove Fear:
> Shield of Faith (3): x
> True Strike:
Effects:
Ring of Force Shield = Indefinite
Shield of Faith
Life Bubble
True Seeing = 17 mins
Holy Aura = 17 rnds
Mira shakes off the effects of the poison and shivers. Well, that was unpleasant, many thanks Ariston. We dont want to be carrying around lingering injuries down here. Who knows what awful traps and monsters yet remain. With that she takes out a simple cure wand, Ariston, can you do the honours, that blob thing hit me pretty hard when I moved in on it.
Once she is restored he says, Lets have a better look around.
With that Mira returns to being invisible and sets to examining the rest of the room to see if there is anything beyond the grate that needs dealing with. She is particularly interested in the statue of the dragons head.
Seeing that Mira looks a bit worse for wear, the priest restores her with a pair of healing spells.
HP: 105 / 105 | AC:34 / T:18 / FF:30 | CMD:27/23
Channel Energy (11): xxx
Quick Bit of Luck (3):
Bit of Luck (8):
Dimensional Hop (170’): 25’
Daylight (1):
Agile Feet (11):
Good Fortune (2): x
Brilliant Spell Prep (1): x
Boots of Speed (10):
Pearl of Power 4th (1):
Wand of CLW (50):
9th Spells
> Implosion: x
> Miracle:
8th Spells
> Holy Aura: x
> Fire Storm: x
> Moment of Prescience:
> Stormbolts:
7th Spells
> Destruction:
> Holy Word:
> Resurrection:
> Spell Turning:
> <Brilliant Open Slot>: x
6th Spells
>Antilife Shell:
> Word of Recall:
> Heal (2): xx
> Symbol of Persuasion:
> Find the Path
5th Spells
> Breath of Life:
> Commune with Plane:
> Life Bubble:
> Spell Resistance:
> Teleport:
> True Seeing: x
4th Spells
> Control Water:
> Freedom of Movement:
> Holy Smite:
> Neutralize Poison:
> Communal Protection from Energy (1):
> Restoration: x
> Sending:
3rd Spells
> Aura Sight:
> Create Food & Water (2): xx
> Dispel Magic (2):
> Fly:
> Prayer:
2nd Spells
> Blinding Ray (2):
> Calm Emotions:
> Ghostbane Dirge:
> Locate Object:
> Spear of Purity:
> Spiritual Weapon:
1st Spells
> Bless:
> Murderous Command:
> Remove Fear:
> Shield of Faith (3): x
> True Strike:
Effects:
Ring of Force Shield = Indefinite
Shield of Faith
Life Bubble
True Seeing = 17 mins
Holy Aura = 17 rnds
Our heroes getting seriously hurt doesn't happen that often, so they reluctantly but only briefly pause to attend to various otherworldly insect bites and ooze bruises.
They then give the room a good explore, with Lazur looking over the grate and Mira examining the large statue in the room. For Lazur's part, he can see that the grate is made of an unusual steel alloy--which the cherufes would not be capable of making. Either the material comes from before the Cataclysm, or someone very unusual and very capable lives or lived down here at some point--and had some tie to the dragon. Perhaps Hrifgarders, like svirfneblin or duergar?
The grate seems to be designed to open on some kind of complex and half-covered hinge built straight into the floor. It is not trapped, but clearly it functions according to some kind of opening mechanism and any attempt to force it would likely break it.
It is made of, unsurprisingly, volcanic stone, but beautifully and so smoothly carved that it truly looks like some kind of exotic bone. The eyes, which almost appear to glow, are multifaceted, expertly cut rubies--each the size of a halfling's fist and at least worth 2,500 gp. They are merely decorative, and someone with either an appropriate tool or skilled with jewelry, art, masonry, or a similiar skill can likely remove them without issue. It is also possible to remove them without such skill but it may take more time and frustration. (The entire statue could also be lifted off its mount and taken, but it looks like it weighs about 200 lbs.)
Perhaps even more interesting is the black stone mount upon which it sits, about three feet wide and one foot all. Underneath the head, in the middle of the mount, is a third, ruby carved into a simple disc shape. Unlike the other two, it is not decoration, but embedded into the mount--it is a button, and it looks like it can be pressed.
All of you have seen enough dungeons in your life to add two and two and figure that the button likely opens the grate.
Mira also notices other images painted on the round statue mount, though they have no arcane function. One is of a skeletal dragon forcing four small dragons to kneel before it. Another is of hooded figures and lizards holding up a large claw-shaped object before what looks like hole in a wall (or at least some kind of dark blob).
"Perhaps you," Krowys says as he retches, "still have a use of a spell to remove poison?"
"This is... certainly something," Krowys says as he takes in the sights. Even if he was quite the powerful spellcaster, he didn't exactly live like Mirabelle did.
"I certainly do." Ariston uses a spell to eliminate the poison from Krowys's system.
HP: 105 / 105 | AC:34 / T:18 / FF:30 | CMD:27/23
Channel Energy (11): xxx
Quick Bit of Luck (3):
Bit of Luck (8):
Dimensional Hop (170’): 25’
Daylight (1):
Agile Feet (11):
Good Fortune (2): x
Brilliant Spell Prep (1): x
Boots of Speed (10):
Pearl of Power 4th (1):
Wand of CLW (50):
9th Spells
> Implosion: x
> Miracle:
8th Spells
> Holy Aura: x
> Fire Storm: x
> Moment of Prescience:
> Stormbolts:
7th Spells
> Destruction:
> Holy Word:
> Resurrection:
> Spell Turning:
> <Brilliant Open Slot>: x
6th Spells
>Antilife Shell:
> Word of Recall:
> Heal (2): xx
> Symbol of Persuasion:
> Find the Path
5th Spells
> Breath of Life:
> Commune with Plane:
> Life Bubble:
> Spell Resistance:
> Teleport:
> True Seeing: x
4th Spells
> Control Water:
> Freedom of Movement:
> Holy Smite:
> Neutralize Poison: x
> Communal Protection from Energy (1):
> Restoration: x
> Sending:
3rd Spells
> Aura Sight:
> Create Food & Water (2): xx
> Dispel Magic (2):
> Fly:
> Prayer:
2nd Spells
> Blinding Ray (2):
> Calm Emotions:
> Ghostbane Dirge:
> Locate Object:
> Spear of Purity:
> Spiritual Weapon:
1st Spells
> Bless:
> Murderous Command:
> Remove Fear:
> Shield of Faith (3): x
> True Strike:
Effects:
Ring of Force Shield = Indefinite
Shield of Faith
Life Bubble
True Seeing = 17 mins
Holy Aura = 17 rnds
Lazur having found no traps moves to the button found and pushes it. "Let's see what this does." he says, wincing slightly as he does so.
Mira examines the eyes of the statue and tries to remove them.
Assuming she secures them she heads over to the grate, waiting for it to open.
"Hopefully... pushing an ominous button of the sort does not lead to any dire consequences," Krowys adds in his usual monotone, albeit with an added wince as the button is pressed.
Mira pulls out her infiltration tools and manages to extract the eyes from the statue. In the hollow of the skull in the back she sees a glint: something else concealed within the skull. Removing it as well, it is a large metal key that would be plain looking, save that it is so black it seems to absorb the light around it. The top of the ring end of the key is joined by a silvery ball, whose glint is the only reason you spotted it at all. If you look at it with detect magic it radiates blindingly powerful conjuration magic, but you have--in your very experienced years--never seen its like.
Lazur hits the button, and the grate slides into the floor, revealing the subfloor below it, a 10 foot wide circle with a 6 inch drain hole in the middle of the floor, the stains of which suggest copious quantities of blood went down. The circle is inscribed with two different sets of various arcane runes, one set goes all around the edge of the circle, and another carved more roughly into the stone within the inner circle around the whole. The edge of the circle and the center of the circle are separated by a very deep groove.
Lazur, having spent some time as a forger, might be the first to recognize that beyond the two rune sets being clearly different, the set in the middle was clearly inscribed by an entirely different entity than whoever crafted the rune set on the edge of the circle. Between Lazur, Mira, and Krowys, the three of you can tell that the middle inscriptions were made much later than the ones on the edge. Furthermore, those of you with arcane knowledge can tell the middle set of runes involve a necromantic ritual. Fading magical auras lingering on the stone indicate said ritual was completed. One may reasonably speculate they had something to do with the ravener.
The external set of runes is more of an enigma. The runes here none of you have quite seen, and yet there is something annoyingly familiar about them. They are very carefully carved into the stone, with both raised and lowered edges and have different colored pigments poured into them that have somehow stood the test of time.
Krowys, with his particular talents, picks up certain patterns that are similar to Vargilder runes.
Krowys and Liber examine the runes as closely as possible exchanging silent stares.
Ariston shares a Bit o’ Luck with Krowys in his deciphering attempts and then adds his meager linguistic skills to the effort.
HP: 105 / 105 | AC:34 / T:18 / FF:30 | CMD:27/23
Channel Energy (11): xxx
Quick Bit of Luck (3):
Bit of Luck (8): x
Dimensional Hop (170’): 25’
Daylight (1):
Agile Feet (11):
Good Fortune (2): x
Brilliant Spell Prep (1): x
Boots of Speed (10):
Pearl of Power 4th (1):
Wand of CLW (50):
9th Spells
> Implosion: x
> Miracle:
8th Spells
> Holy Aura: x
> Fire Storm: x
> Moment of Prescience:
> Stormbolts:
7th Spells
> Destruction:
> Holy Word:
> Resurrection:
> Spell Turning:
> <Brilliant Open Slot>: x
6th Spells
>Antilife Shell:
> Word of Recall:
> Heal (2): xx
> Symbol of Persuasion:
> Find the Path
5th Spells
> Breath of Life:
> Commune with Plane:
> Life Bubble:
> Spell Resistance:
> Teleport:
> True Seeing: x
4th Spells
> Control Water:
> Freedom of Movement:
> Holy Smite:
> Neutralize Poison: x
> Communal Protection from Energy (1):
> Restoration: x
> Sending:
3rd Spells
> Aura Sight:
> Create Food & Water (2): xx
> Dispel Magic (2):
> Fly:
> Prayer:
2nd Spells
> Blinding Ray (2):
> Calm Emotions:
> Ghostbane Dirge:
> Locate Object:
> Spear of Purity:
> Spiritual Weapon:
1st Spells
> Bless:
> Murderous Command:
> Remove Fear:
> Shield of Faith (3): x
> True Strike:
Effects:
Ring of Force Shield = Indefinite
Shield of Faith
Life Bubble
True Seeing = 17 mins
Holy Aura = 17 rnds
Lazur helps Krowys and points out things he notices. He shines his lantern on them detecting magic and looking for any spell or arcane information about them.
+ 44
+ 32
+ 27
Liber looks at Krowys and just sighs, or whatever the equivalent for an Arbiter is. "Krowys, you look exhausted. I can tell this isn't your best work. When we finish this exploration, get some sleep, please."
While the group examines the runes Mira delicately extracts the key from its hiding place. Well, well, well, arent you a fascinating little bit of magic.
She pulls out a wand and activates it before casting another spell as she examines it.
keep highest +38+2+10 for 65
She turns to the group, Looks at this, it is extremely powerful, I wonder just what it is a key for? Do we know if Raveners have a phylactery like Liche's? Maybe it unlocks the doors to the monsters treasure vault. Thats probably down that horrible dark hole isnt it. She gives a little sigh. Anything about the runes there?
She glances back at the statue and the grate. These both look like they might be valuable. Remind me to polymorph them into a more moveable shape when we leave. Building a castle and domain is expensive.
Krowys puzzles over the runes, with Lazur providing insights on origin and Ariston on possible ritual purpose or use of similar colors and shapes in prayer. Liber frets over her master, perhaps understandably, but working together you are able to determine that it is both language and code. The runes must be, partially, based on Svirgol, the language of the Svirfneblin and the most common language spoken in the Hrifgard. But the colors and shapes also themselves form an additional mathematical pattern--the color for example is the color of the elements, and it takes awhile but you realize each has a value, such as air=1, water=2, etc.. The values of each color, shape, and rune in turn add together to create a final "value" of the rune.
The result is almost so simple it's ridiculous--once you figure out what each piece, shape, and embossment of the rune means, they add up to consecutive numbers: 1, 2, 3--though they are not in any particular order.
The magic you can detect associated with the runes suggests if you activate the runes (by touching them perhaps? Saying the number aloud in the correct language?) in order, this will in turn cause the stone disc to move in some way. Liber wonders aloud if her Truespeech might be adequate to speak the numbers with effect.
Meanwhile Mira analyzes the key. Given the overwhelming school it is associated with is conjuration, it is definitely not a phylactery. More likely, it has to do with portals or planar travel. Occam's razor suggests it is indeed what it looks like: a key, but to a door to somewhere Beyond. Knowing more certain what it does would either require a more powerful spell like legend lore or finding the "door" or object it is meant to open.
Lazur lloks at Liber and says "Sounds like a better idea than us trying to say 1,2,3 in Svirgol, if that is the right language. Want me to press them an you say it?"
Mira comes over and has a look at the runes.So, they make the disc move in some way, is that what we think? Might it give us access to some alternate area? Any idea if trying to go down this opening will set off some sort of trap?
"Here is to hoping your idea works, Lazur," Krowys says. After a few seconds of deliberation, Liber nods and, on making sure they time it right, says "One, Two, Three" in her Truespeech granted by her transformation into an Arbiter.
Mira comes over and has a look at the runes.So, they make the disc move in some way, is that what we think? Might it give us access to some alternate area? Any idea if trying to go down this opening will set off some sort of trap?
Lazur touches the runes in sequential order as Liber counts down.
At the last one touched, the room vibrates as stone and metal unseen grind together. The outer ring of the circle indeed begins to turn, causing the inner part of the circle being to part along barely perceptible cracks in the stone, some of which push downward. What looked like a simple drain hole for the grating gets pulled wider, stone lowers, and...
You are now looking at a circular stairway leading down... so far down, you cannot see where it leads.
It occurs to you that as you are already under the mountain, if you go much deeper, you may end up in the underdark realm known as Hrifgard. All things are unpredictable in the Hrifgard, including, sometimes, magic.
"Well, this just got more interesting." The cleric looks down the stairs, "Shall we?"
"To Hrifgard it is, given we are already under a mountain!" Liber adds with some modicum of emotion present in her voice, followed by what can only be described as an imitation of a sound a fox would make.
"Here is to hoping its famed unpredictability," Krowys adds, "does not affect magic to aversely."
Mira peers down the hole and then around the room. This seems like our only way forward if we wish to progress.
Before they head down she resumes being invisible and activates her wand of heightened awareness.
Hrifgard, unpredictable magic. Not a fan. I've always avoided the place but looks like there's no choice now. I miss Trer, three powerful spellcasters in a realm where magic isn't reliable. Lazur, I fear a lot of this might fall on your shoulders.
Lazur nods and leads the way down being mindful for traps or hazards. He looks back at the others and says "Here goes nothing."
+ 52