Niccolo gestures and moves his shield of force to ward off Alystair's blow. The shield flares and then fades, but blocks the worst of the blow.
Shimmer steps back and blasts Alystair with her pistol.
Orion quickly patches up Niccolo and then closes Cirri's wounds also.
Red follows Shimmer and takes two swings at the sprite, but she easily flutters out of the way of both attacks.
at Shimmer AC 19 for slashing damage.
at Shimmer AC 19 for slashing damage.
With a look of concern on his decayed face, Alystair calls out to the Red skeleton, "Oh, just finish the little thing off and get over here and help!"
Cirri rinses the gore away and moves to flank Alystair. With Alystair off guard, her watery club smashes down into him with devastating results . Alystair crumples before the blow, uttering a harsh whisper "Curse you, now I will never gain my revenge." and then is still.
However, Cirri feels the ground roll beneath her feet and her stomach rise to meet it!
Glasha
Alystair Caskwater
Orion Oneiros
Shimmer
Red skeleton
Cirri Merryweather
➤ Niccolo Neska │
Black skeleton
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The wizard, seeing their primary foe go down is glad for a moment but then sees that the skeletons remain. They can still kill any of them and he points his finger and utters the spidery language of magic as a powerful blase of pressurized water erupts at his hand toward red
hydraulic push
Bludgeoning if regular hit
bludgeoning if crit hit
Cirri shrugs off the final curse of Alystair Caskwater!
The rancid mess over Niccolo is putting him off his aim, but his blast of water still smashes into Red and shatters the skeleton.
The last remaining skeleton takes aim at Shimmer, its arrow striking the investigator . It then drops its bow, strides up to Cirri and claws at her, but misses.
at Shimmer AC 19 for piercing damage.
at Cirri AC 17 for slashing damage.
➤ Glasha
Alystair Caskwater
➤ Orion Oneiros
➤ Shimmer
Red skeleton
➤ Cirri Merryweather
➤ Niccolo Neska │
Black skeleton
Cirri's watery staff strike skittles the final skeleton into a pile of bones!
Glasha
Orion Oneiros
Shimmer
Cirri Merryweather
Niccolo Neska │
As the last skeleton falls, there is an audible pop as the field of negative energy emanating from the cursed chamber bursts. The distant screams fall silent again, and the unnatural pressure in the air dissipates.
A quick search turns up the final pages of Alystair’s journal within the sarcophagus. They are frenzied writings mentioning a double cross, that it was all to complete her soul cage. That she was drowning them one-by-one in a pool of blood and offal. It goes on to state the soon-to-be lich had already turned several of his allies into her undead servants once the pool drained them entirely of vitality. Alystair laments that, in the end, he was the one trapped. There is no more following that entry. The completed journal seems to tell of a futile pursuit of the mage who would become the lich Hekoz.
Examining the room the skeletons came from, you find a burial chamber with the family crest of a dagger across a lush and growing field adorning each of the 6 plots. The caskets have been pulled from their slots in the walls and tossed haphazardly to the ground. A dusty, disused set of stairs leads up from the north of the burial chamber. The light seems a bit brighter at the top of the stairs.
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Cirri will fall silent as she reads Alystair's final journal. She observes the caskets and the family crest. The lich must have used them as part of her army.
The grief is too much for her as she weeps, unable to identify their family. "We- we should record the family crest. Maybe someone at the lodge can-" she sniffs and breaks off to wipe her tears.
Once she calms down, she looks at the stairs. "That's the problem with the quest for power. How many do you have to trample on your way to godhood?" She shakes her head. "I just want to research the past and help all of us learn how to work together. Alystair, you have justice, but not revenge..."
She stretches her wings in contemplation. "Yeah, let's go upstairs and get out of here."
Ascending the stairs you enter a dusty, little used chamber. The north wall has entirely collapsed. In the centre of the room however, the way back from the Netherworld is gleaming like a bright tear in space.
Cirri reaches out to the tear and as soon as she touches it the party is dragged back to the Universe! Bright, colourful light replaces the gloom you have spent the past hours in. As your eyes adjust to the change, you find yourselves back on the top step of the walk down into the ruined citadel. The sense of unease surrounding the ruin seems to have lifted and it now seems almost inviting. A short distance away your mounts are grazing patiently.
You are able to peacefully explore the ruin now. You proceed to unhurriedly record the Universe counterparts of the artwork you saw in the Netherworld.
The journey back to Absalom and the Grand Lodge in uneventful. When you arrive, Ambrus Valsin eagerly receives you in his office. He listens intently as you describe your journey, frowning when you mention the unexpected foray into the Netherworld and looking on you with pride as you describe your accomplishments there. He looks carefully over the journal when you hand it over, agreeing with Shimmer that it is likely the same enemy that Alystair and the earlier Pathfinders faced. When you hand over your collection of rubbings and other records of the artworks, he is almost beside himself with joy. "Congratulations Pathfinders! You have done an exceptional job here, overcoming unexpected obstacles with great skill and professionalism! You have countered an emerging threat to the Universe and for that we are all grateful! Thank-you."
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"I'm just glad Alystair has no reason to come back. He can rest, now..." Cirri looks peaceful for a bit. She hands the rubbings to the Venture-Captain.
"Well, I have much to study, like figuring out the dagger-shaped family crest. And of course my swim routine." She flexes her shoulder and stretches a wing. "If you want to ride the wind I can help!" Cirri hums to herself as she heads towards the library.