"Tekmin! Hang in there!" Herok looses another couple of arrows at the goblin ghoul, again using the holy symbol on his bow to bolster his protection afterwards.
HP 29/40; Ursividae 15/20
AC 18
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped: 1st: ill omen [x], phantasmal minion [], soothe []; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [], paranoia []
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
Wherby sighs as Tekmin has again gotten himself into trouble. Blasted boy, always underfoot! Perhaps the ghoul might not be so happy to fight if he suffered a little more of his own medicine, however.
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Seeing the bolas are having an effect, Ximble draws another pair and aims low. After the bolas leave his hands, he deftly weaves a spell and taps into his fey heritage to will into existence a healing mist that envelops Tekmin.
Tekmin bashes the spellcaster again as he gets to his feet, then Ximble sends him sprawling back to the ground with another bolas strike! Tekmin brings his frying pan down hard on the goblin ghoul's head, a critical hit, following up with another strike that finishes off the foul foe!
Herok moves over to Tekmin. "Hold still, please, Tekmin. Let me bind your wounds, then we'll continue investigating these tunnels."
Herok sets about treating Tekmin's wounds.
"Thanks, Herok. Those ghouls have a mean bite," Tekmin says. "I probably am the tastiest. I still smell like pepper from this morning's breakfast."
Once you are ready, you investigate the adjoining chamber that the spellcaster emerged from. A large flat-topped boulder protrudes from the floor in the southwest corner of this roughly circular room, its sides smeared with symbols drawn in blood, and its top supporting a large bundle wrapped in a filthy shroud. Three exits lead from the chamber, but unlike those to the northeast and south, the one to the northwest has been barricaded mostly shut with timbers and slabs of driftwood.
The wrapped bundle sitting atop the impromptu altar contains Nualia’s disarticulated skeleton, readily identifiable by its left arm: the bones are black and the hand appears as a large talon. The goblins weren’t particularly gentle when they hauled her skeleton from the coffin, but the remains are whole.
Wherby picks up the wand, frowning as he studies it briefly before stuffing it under his belt. "We should find someone to hold on to this, put it to good use," he mutters.
"Well, there's poor Nualia," he says sadly. He looks around to see if there's some way to bring her back with a little more dignity than the goblin ghouls used to haul her here.
"You're welcome, Tekmin."
Herok studies the symbols on the side of the rock. "Symbols of Kabriri, the demon lord of ghouls. That's the temple Grizmere, that necromancer ghoul we fought a few months back, was looking for. His notes said there was might be one hidden somewhere in the hinterlands around Sandpoint, although the one we fought him in was dedicated to Abraxas. This looks far more like a makeshift shrine than a temple, but given the history of ghoul problems in the area, I can't help but wonder whether that temple actually exists."
Herok starts attempting to re-wrap the body as best he can to transport her remains with better care than the goblins had.
"I can pick her up, but it seems a shame to haul her through these tunnels," Tekmin says. "Should we take her topside now or explore here first? I'm certainly interested in whatever is behind there, he points to the barricaded door.
"Let's bring her back home," Wherby grouses. "That's what Father Zantus asked us to do. If he wants someone to search these tunnels, he can find some adventurers!"
When you return to the surface, Father Zantus helps you clamber up out of Nualia's grave. The priest is relieved that you were able to recover her remains so quickly. "Thank you, my friends. I will ensure that these bones stay safe until Audrahni arrives."
"But you say there are are more tunnels down below? I would ask that you keep exploring. If you can map out the chambers beneath the boneyard and ensure there's nothing dangerous still within, I would be most appreciative."
"Yes, lets! Something nasty is sure to move in if we don't seal off those tunnels," Tekmin agrees. "Master Crick, do you know a spell to shape stone? Or to create walls? I'm sure it would be simple for you."
"We can do that. I agree that it's important we make sure there isn't anything else hiding down there."
"Of course I don't know a spell like that!" Wherby snaps back. "That's adventurer magic! I just have my simple hedge tricks."
Once he realizes the annoying little halfling is certain to go run off back to the tunnels, he resigns himself to following. If he lets the boy die, he'll never hear the end of it!
"Great idea! A hedge would hold them for a good, long time!" Excited at the possibility, Tekmin heads back toward the tunnels.
Down in the tunnel, Tekmin puts his shoulder to the barricade.
Tekmin shoves down the barricade in a single attempt! The walls of the cave on the other side of the baricade and its timber supports bear scorch marks, while the charred bodies of three goblins lie sprawled on the floor. To the west, a partially dug out alcove has revealed a flagstone wall with a narrow crack that opens into another chamber, within which a faint fiery radiance flickers.
A horribly burned goblin ghoul lets out a shriek as the barricade comes crashing down! He falls to his knees and wails, "No! What have you done? You'll angry up the fire monster!"
Indeed, a roar of fury comes from beyond the crack in the wall!
Before you can react, a creature arrives and peers through the crack. It is a fearsome, goat-headed demon! It stands 3 feet tall, and it has glowing red eyes and flaming hooves. The demon draws magical power from within and launches a ball of flame into the chamber you are in. It detonates in a massive fireball!
The goblin ghoul shrieks, his burns worsening, though he still stands!
"I've got the demon, you get the goblin!" Tekmin shouts as he ducks through the crack in the wall.
He swings at the fiery creature, hoping to stop it from launching too many fireballs at his friends.
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for
for
Ximble does what he can to annoy and hinder the goat-man as Tekmin closes in to give it a taste of the good ol' frying pan. He draws a pair of bolas and aims at its hoofs! "Bleating Hells, that bastard's actually on fire!"
HP 21/40; Ursividae 20/20
AC 18
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped: 1st: ill omen [x], phantasmal minion [], soothe []; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [], paranoia []
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
Wherby lets out a cry of pain as his skin blisters and burns from the fire. Pulling out one of his herbal remedies, he downs it and ducks behind a wall.
Herok cries out in pain as the fireball engulfs him, showing clear signs of being burnt when the fire dissipates. Although he appreciated Tekmin telling them to focus on the goblin, it seemed more interested in cowering than fighting. He instead focused on the fire demon, trying to figure out what it is.
Herok cannot identify the fiend. His arrow misses the mark, but Ximble successfully trips the creature! Tekmin is quickly upon the fiend, bashing it with his frying pan! The burned goblin ghoul shrieks and leaps through the broken barricade, scurrying to safety!
Bleating angrily, the demon stands, parrying Tekmin's reactive strike with its burning sword. It then strikes back, scoring a critical hit! As Tekmin falls, the demon squeezes through the crack in the wall to stand over his fallen form, snorting hot smoke from its nostrils!
HP 21/40; Ursividae 20/20
AC 18
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped: 1st: ill omen [x], phantasmal minion [], soothe [x]; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [], paranoia []
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
"Tekmin!" Wherby cries as he glances out to see the young fool fall. This is why you need adventurers! That thing is going to kill all of us!
Still, despite his conviction that they absolutely should not be doing this, he's not going to let the halfling die. He knows he'd never hear the end of it!
He quickly casts a spell, as Ursividae moves into the other room.
Tekmin wakes up with a groan, but he's feeling oddly calm about seeing the fiery create standing over him.
He quietly closes his hand around the grip of his weapon, then springs to his feet and swings at the deathly creature!
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for
Well, the demon had come through the wall. Inconvenient, that. Herok cast a spell to ward himself from fire, then loosed another arrow at the demon.
Ximble moves up to assist Tekmin. He quick draws his switchscythe and attacks the demon! He misses, though, as does Herok, but Tekmin delivers another blow with his frying pan!
The demon slashes at the halfling again, scoring a hit, but Herok's glimpse of redemption keeps Tekmin from going down again, and the weakened demon is unable to land a follow-up hit.
HP 21/40; Ursividae 20/20
AC 18
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped: 1st: ill omen [x], phantasmal minion [], soothe [x]; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [], paranoia []
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
Wherby shakes his head and casts another spell, this time focusing on the demon. He glares at it as the spell settles on the fiend.
Knowing that he was not in the best position to be using his bow, but Tekmin was down again, Herok cast a spell to try and get the halfling back on his feet, since his frying pan seemed more effective. He then launched another arrow at the demon.
"Stop lying down on the job, Tekmin!" He grabs his frying pan and stands, shakily, again. With a windup, he attempts to wallop the demon.
for
for
The demon resists Wherby's evil eye, but it succumbs to his ill omen. Herok and Tekmin both miss, but Ximble scores a precise strike and follows up with a critical hit! Boiling blood sprays on the gnome as the demon staggers under the assault.
Though badly wounded, the fiend continues to fight. It slices at Ximble, but misses due to the bad luck Wherby inflicted upon it! Snorting angrily, the demon breathes forth a cloud of thick black smoke!
Tekmin coughs and chokes on the smoke, then tries to clear his lungs before he attacks.
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Unable to do anything to disperse the smoke around the demon, Herok shifted his feet to a more comfortable stance so he could better utilize the force of his bow, then fired a couple arrows at the biggest target in the smoke.
HP 21/40; Ursividae 20/20
AC 18
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +10
Hero points: 1
Focus Points: 1/2
Spells prepped: 1st: ill omen [x], phantasmal minion [], soothe [x]; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [], paranoia []
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
"Get out of there Tekmin!" Wherby cries as he tries to peer through the gloom to cast needle of vengeance on the creature. "It's going to kill you!"
Both Herok and Tekmin hit the demon through the smoke. Wherby hexes it, and as it tries to attack, the pain overwhelms its mind. With a whimper, the demon collapses to the floor. The smoke disperses a few moments later.
Tekmin pulls out his handkerchief and waves the smoke away, "It's like that time you offered to make omelets, Master Crick," the halfling observes.
When the smoke clears, he looks around the room a bit more, trying to figure out why it was walled off and why a fiend was stuck inside.
Tekmin peers through the crack in the wall that the demon squeezed through. A fire burns within a seven-pointed star carved in the ceiling of the small room beyond, casting light that fills the area with a flickering radiance. Two wooden doors sit in the southwest corner of the room, while just before the crack, a low stone altar made of marble sits. The top of the altar holds a silver bowl with a slender-bladed knife balanced atop the bowl’s rim, its point aimed toward the west.
"I didn't offer to make omelets! I was making myself one, and you showed up and took part of it!" Wherby grouses.
He looks around, grousing at the scene in front of him. "What is all of this now?"
In the meantime, he pulls out poultices as Ursividae comes to his side to glare at everything.
It doesn't look like the blade is pointing to anything in particular. Wherby has no idea what the religious iconography signifies.
"Well...someone has been busy. Do you suppose these doors are trapped?" Tekmin resists the urge to test the edge on the dagger. "And can we do anything about this burning star? It shouldn't be burning under the graveyard."
Herok bandages up himself and Tekmin, before moving to Wherby.
Once that was completed, Herok took a look at the altar as he, too, tried to determine the significance of the bowl and knife.
"I would think the fire would be magical in nature - it has likely been burning for some time."
Herok isn’t able to determine the significance of the altar or implements.
The crack in the wall is too narrow for most of you to pass through, so you follow the tunnel to the north. The low-ceilinged, wood-braced tunnel comes to an end at a stone wall through which a four-foot-diameter hole has been burrowed. The rectangular room beyond is lit by flickering flames at the center of seven-pointed star carvings on the east and west walls, while to the south, a pile of stone and rubble lies on the floor in front of a wooden door and under an open trapdoor in the ceiling. Goblin arms and legs protrude from the rubble.
"Well. It's certainly not in good shape down here." Tekmin carefully stows his equipment and starts clearing away the heavy rocks.
Ximble nods energetically when Tekmin spits hot facts. "Yep yep, tis why you get a dwarf contractor when you want something done underground and not a rabble of goblin ghouls. Now, let us be careful before we end up on the list of contractors to avoid ..."
You clear the rubble and move through the south door. It opens onto a 5-foot-wide hall that runs west and east. Several doors exit the hall to the west, while to the east, the corridor opens into a small room which should be on the other side of the room you spied through the crack in the wall.
The north and west walls of this chamber are carved with hundreds of runes, all radiating out from a seven-pointed star with a flickering flame burning at its center. Now and then, a little sputter of sparks showers out of these flames.
A wooden door in the northeast corner of the room has been adorned with a single rune carving that looks vaguely like a horned, fanged face. The runes on the walls are prayers, written in Thassilonian, to Abraxas, the demon lord of forbidden lore and magic.
Alert for hazards, Ximble realizes that the sparking rune is actually a trap. The magic is faltering but still dangerous.
Herok considers the sparking rune, and decides that perhaps a prayer to Erastil can further deplete its magic. He begins reciting prayers, focusing on the rune as he does so.
Seeing that his first prayer didn't seem to have had any effect, he began another prayer to try and drain the magic from the sparking rune.
That one seemed to have a greater effect, and the rune began to grow dull.