Search Posts
"I suggest we continue to avoid the arena. There is an area northwest of here that I suspect leads somewhere. Let's go explore that way."
Elena moves with the others toward the area. When they come to the door she waits for Bibi and Peldur to do their thing.
"I wish I had more medical knowledge here, but dreams are not an area of expertise. Whatever it is, it's not good." Before leaving, Elena casts an Alarm spell, centering it around the girl's bed. She sets it to be inaudible, and gives the girl and her father the password so that they don't trigger it. " We'll be back tonight." "Friends, we have a dungeon to explore still. Let's return."
Elena is quiet. She listens as Carrufikus converses, his gentle tone coaxing what few details he can from Dorianna. She studies the bedroom, and looks over the various stuffed animals and other toys. All are oddities for a girl of her age. But not troubling on their own. Hearing the description of the "Motley Man", trying to recall whether it's something that's come up in her studies. Could it be a Nightmare spell? Is it from a childhood tale? Maybe there's a clue to be found in perusing the Whispering Reeds?
"I would say it's unusual enough to receive a summons from the mayor. We may have a dungeon to explore, but I can't help but think this might be important." "Plus," Elena adds, smiling. "I'm curious. Aren't you?"
Elena, who has very little coin and isn't much for gambling, simply settles down to watch and looks to get herself a drink.
"Yes. Let's go back and speak with them."
"Sparring isn't murder. You just want us to help arrange the match then? And then you'll leave, regardless of the results?"
"You are fighting your inevitable rest. Allow us to make this quick," Elena says, not really expecting the ghasts to see the wisdom to her words. So she hurls more lightning at them.
Elena casts a spell that targets both remaining ghouls, the magic manifesting as an arc of electricity that strikes out at the undead.
She then takes a moment to study these two, hoping to make some sense as to why they're here.
Elena smiles. "Certainly. An extra set of eyes is welcome. This won't take long."
The entire process takes Elena all of three minutes, as she is skilled at identifying magic.
Elena looks at the staff she's been carrying, having rarely harnessed the magic within. "Well, now feels like the right time." Waving the staff around, she speaks a command word. Necromantic energy flows into her, and with her will she mentally redirects it to a space near one of the fiends. Void energy fills the space, taking the form of a pox-ridden corpse: a festrog!
Fueled by instinct and hunger, the festrog lunges at the demon with jaw and claw!
Elena follows Peldur, whispering a spell that will help her detect any new magics in the area.
"This... thing... doesn't want to give up!" Holding the found staff, Elena strides forward with intent. "Perhaps a bit of necromancy will work to better effect." She speaks a command word, waving the staff at the creature.
Unable to make this strange monstrosity flee, Elena opts to hurl magical lightning at it. "If you won't run, you will have to rue that choice."
From afar, Elena raises her voice to issue a booming, magic-laden command. "Flee!" The spell attempts to force its way into the psyche of the monstrous creature.
Jif then speaks up, "Well, we just assumed there were two groups. Hard to square the circle of someone being kind to Augrael, but also killing everything that moves." "I suppose that is fair. Though you have to agree that it's not exactly easy for adventurers that look like us to not get treated with deadly force. The mitflits certainly didn't do a good job at welcoming us. Especially when their leader, Boss Skrawg, immediately dealt with us in bad faith. It's been nothing but constant threats since then." "All that said, we're here for Belcorra in the end. Stopping her from whatever she has planned against Otari and Absalom. Have any insights on what she's up to?"
Elena takes all of this in, shrugs, and moves towards the bar. She ignores Tal's flirting, because their preferences are their own. "What my friend the halfling said. Her name is Bibi, that's Tal, and trailing is Peldur and Noroc. I'm Elena, and yes we're adventurers. We're also friends to Augrael, who was beyond kind with us as we navigated this place. But rest assured, we're peaceful. More often it's violence, particularly from those who serve Belcorra, that finds us. Not the other way around. You'll have peace from us." She picks up on something said, and looks to get clarity. "You said that there was another group? What can you tell us about them?"
"Should we... knock?" Elena whispers, looking at everyone. She's unable to not be on edge, given how often things have tried to kill them.
Elena beckons Peldur to follow her, moving her hands through a simple detection spell as she approaches the secret door. "Let me make sure that there's no surprises of a magical sort beforehand."
Taking a risk, Elena once more recites a passage from The Whispering Reeds, looking to obliterate the incorporeal monster with her knowledge of Nhimbaloth's creations.
Paranoia fills Elena as the dark teachings of the book open her up to the Empty Death. Her gaze darts back and forth, as if she's spotted... something.
"One moment, Tal." Elena moves up to Tal, whispering arcane words. As she does so, the glowing ball of white light that normally hovers just behind her head disappears. Only to appear again in her hand. She moves it to be by Tal, says another word, and releases the light. "The light is anchored to you now. It should last until the morning unless I dismiss it."
"Give me a few minutes to consult my spellbook, and I can take care of that lever," Elena says, retrieving her book and flipping it open to a rune-covered page. "Stay alert. It won't be long." She then spends around ten minutes committing to her mind the gestures and intonations needed to conjure a telekinetic hand. "Ok, got it. Let me just do this..." Elena casts the spell, creating a ghost-like magical hand right by the lever. With a mental command, the hand grasps the lever and pulls.
"I would not make any assumptions about our afterlives. This poor creature was likely tortured, breaking its mind and soul and leaving it unable to move on. I don't know that any of us would stand to let that happen to another of us. I know I won't." Elena makes her way to the door then gestures down the hallway. "Our task to stop the malevolent creature behind this place continues. Let's check what's behind those double doors to the west."
Elena speaks a quick word of arcane protection, creating an aura that slows any attacks that come with five feet of her.
She then performs a now very familiar spell, hurling electricity at the dead foe.
Elena speaks a phrase from The Whispering Reeds a tome filled with darkness that she has taken to studying. Each word is a blasphemy that she directs at the incorporeal dead creature. A blasphemy that delivers pain.
The Whispering Reeds: Activate (2 Actions) command, Interact; Frequency once per hour; Effect You read aloud a phrase from the book and target a single incorporeal undead creature within 30 feet. That undead creature takes 5d6 positive damage (DC 27 basic Will save) as portions of their incorporeal being are consumed in patches of seven equally spaced holes. Each time you use this ability after the first in a 24-hour period, you are exposed to the Empty Death
"I would not take hope from this light," Elena says, grimacing at the dead morlocks on display. "The light was here so that they could best see how they would mutilate these poor creatures. I take no comfort in that." Nonetheless, she joins Carrufikus in studying the lanterns.
Elena considers prudence and speaks aloud a quick spell. One that will help her detect the presence of magic. She follows behind Tal, intent on warning him and the others should she notice anything.
Elena shrugs. "Alright then, leave you we shall."
Elena shrugs. "Seems our interests are aligned. Let's see about finding Jafaki."
Elena chuckles at the strange fortune when Tal puts the bottled air to use. "Look, everyone! A man now full of hot air!" It's clearly a joke, and she's nonetheless impressed by the ingenuity of the moment.
"Everyone back! Highly poisonous airborne spores!"
"A bottle, filled forever with hot air. Only a man would think this is a good thing." Elena grins as she says this, looking at Peldur, Noroc, and Talborel.
Elena first moves to get a better view of both creatures. Then, seeing how effective electricity was coming from the Desnan, she decides to hurl electricity at the mimics.
She is disappointed at how feeble her magic is in comparison. It's a rare moment of feeling inadequate for the wizard.
Elena moves into the room, sees Noroc holding a mimic, and knowing that the creature will not let go unless coerced... decides that she has exactly the spell for the situation. "Release!" she shouts at the mimic, pouring magic into the word.
"He really is. But I'm glad to let him have the win," Elena says back to Noroc, hiding her smile behind a hand. "If there's nothing else to see in here, I suggest we back out of this room and head to the door at the eastern end of the hallway."
Elena moves up to be beside Bibi and also works more electrical magic that she hurls at the two foes. The smell of ozone in the air gets stronger as she adds to what Carrufikus has already done.
Taking a page from her Desnan friend, Elena moves into the room and also hurls magical electricity!
"That seems likely," Elena agrees with Carrufikus. "Might be there's something in the pits to find. Or the levers do different things in different positions. Let's explore this room with care, mindful that there might be other pits."
"An obscure reference, but I suppose I take your meaning," Elena says in respond. "If you'll allow me to examine them, I may be able to quickly identify what magic they contain."
While Bibi works, Elena finally loses patience with the arcane mark upon her forehead. She calls forth abjurative magics that she directs at the offending symbol with the goal of dispelling it.
Elena smiles at the enthusiasm demonstrated by the arrayed youth upon their return, but is nonetheless mindful that there's more work to be done. To her friends she says, "I think a meal, early rest, and a quick start tomorrow is best. Agreed?"
"Sure. If anything it'll give me more time to study these pesky glyphs we seem to be sporting."
"I don't like it. Another thing that is a clear monster made by our foe in this place. I can place a magical web on it and we can try to destroy it from afar. Or would we rather sneak to the walkway and avoid it? Thoughts?"
"Do you need me to look at that bow? I just need a moment."
Elena, ever curious, will study the magical contraption. Her goal is to see if she can understand its purpose and method of activation.
Elena continues to hurl elemental magic at the worm, hopeful that she'll be able to do something to the squirming beast.
Having noted how nimble the worm is, she once more tries to freeze the robust worm.
Elena uses her magical might to turn the area around the worm bitterly cold, a rime of frost seeking flesh to chill.
She then retrieves a wand that's tucked into her belt, ready to put the magic within to use.
Elena empowers her next spell, wiggling fingers and changing her arcane intonations so that her next bit of magic, a blast of electricity, is able to reach both foes. "Take that!"
|
