This is days after your last fight, so you are all at full health, full spells, etc.
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Rova's shot goes just over the hag's shoulder, but Unset successfully grapples her!
Skaraja curses and tries to wiggle out!
With no success! She curses again. She tries to cast a spell.
She send a few bolts of energy right at Unset. "Nightmare! Attack this one who dares lay hands on me!"
The flaming horse creature trots over the bushes and tries to attack Unset!
Unset is beat up, but still grappling his target. Initiative!
She sighs heavily. "I was just having fun tormenting him...sending him nightmares before murdering people! It's gotten a little dull by now. But I certainly can't have you messing with my heartstone. Give it to me, or I will take it from your dead body." Initiative:
Initiative!
Spoiler:
Rova and Kennari agree that this strange woman is a hag, but they disagree as to type. Kennari thinks that the blue skin indicates a sea hag (immune to polymorph, weak to cold iron), while Rova thinks that the fact that she is riding a nightmare indicates a night hag (immune to sleep, resistant to mental damage, weak to cold iron).
Unset checks the grating, finding nothing unusual, as Rova pulls a glittering gemstone on a chain out of the urn. Moments later, you hear frantic trumpeting from Thkrull as heavy hoofbeats suddenly sound outside. There is a terrifying-looking woman with blue skin here to see you. "Well, well, you've found my heartstone fair and square. I would trade you the mortician's soul to get it back; I've had enough fun playing with it."
Rova checks the urns, finding most of them empty, except for one containing ashes where she also catches a glimpse of something shiny.
You head out back to the embalming lab. This chamber has a strong odor of chemicals and decay. A long, brass table stands by the south wall, and at the foot of it, a stained iron grate is fixed in the floor near a pair of barrels and a bucket. The north wall holds a work table with a variety of unusual implements, including a large syringe with tubing attached to a glass tank filled with a cloudy fluid, and a large number of surgical instruments, some still showing bloodstains. The back wall of the chamber is covered in shelving that holds hundreds of urns of clay, stone, and metal as well blank nameplates in brass, and even a few gravestones that have yet to be inscribed with names of the deceased. What do you do?
"I'm in there frequently, performing embalmings, but I don't really know what to look for as a cause of haunting."
"It's in a separate building, just outside."
You head back to Kerrick and make good time, only being on the road for a few days. Your newest members of the circus are fitting in nicely. Opper Vandy invites you over for another fancy dinner, but he barely touches his food, instead refilling his glass of wine. "I just don't know what else to do. You searched the whole house before. You don't think there could be anything in the embalming lab, do you?"
You return to Turpin Rowe and perform your circus to a week of full houses. The Stump Festival complements your schedule nicely, and many of the visitors for the lumberjack games eagerly come see your shows in the evening. On your last scheduled day in Turpin Rowe, you receive a letter from Opper Vandy. "My dear friends, I did everything you said to do. I donated all the money, but the dreams and the deaths keep happening. Please, if you come back to Kerrick you must help me. I am still haunted! Yours,
Would you all like to narrate your circus performance here. or just move along?
As an angry xulgath shakes her fist, you head back to town and prepare for your next circus performance!
As you go back down the shaft, you feel...light. You soon realize that you can fly while in the light directly emanating from the orb! You make it down to the ground and exit back through the secret entrance. A xulgath standing on a platform high above you starts shouting and starts tossing bombs down, but the distance makes it easy for you to dodge.
You all feel the warm glow of the blessing from this aeon orb! The only thing at the top of the shaft is the aeon orb. Going all the way back down the shaft will lead you to the room with all the mirrors. There were two sets of staircases out the back of that room, as well as the regular front entrance to the temple, but you have accomplished what you came here for, so it's up to you if you would like to keep exploring the tower.
Unset is pretty sure that the flat block was originally an altar to Aroden, but that someone has been using it for a more gruesome purpose recently. Unset leads the way to the top of the shaft, with Thkrull carrying everyone else behind. As you reach the top, you see the aeon orb! As you get close, you feel it grace you with its reflection! REFLECTION OF LIGHT RESONANT REFLECTION 10
Your eyes are imbued with an inner light that is not visible externally but that provides you with darkvision and the ability to distinguish color in darkness. You can also focus this inner light to manifest as a brilliant beam of energy from your eyes. Activate [two-actions] envision; Frequency once per day; Effect You cast searing light as an innate divine spell, heightened
Rova treats everyone's substantial injuries as you look around the room. Among the odds and ends is a small satchel holding 13 pp, 50 gp, 50 sp, 89 cp, and two emeralds cut in spiral patterns worth 250 gp each. Most of the alchemical materials here are valueless, with the exception of a moderate salamander elixir, a greater acid flask, and a greater antidote.
Kennari treats Prisms's injuries as Unset pummels the remaining xulgath mightily! Rova works on Thkrull's injuries as Thkrull and Prism take the xulgath down!
The shaft widens into a circular chamber 40 feet in diameter with a corbelled ceiling that rises from 10 feet at the edges to 20 feet in the center. The room shows signs of habitation, with the remains of a cooking fire and a scattering of scorched bones, including two reptilian-looking humanoid skeletons that are almost fully intact and propped against the walls. A flat block of stone, like a table or altar, is crusted with blood. Several clay jars of foul-smelling liquid are clustered at the base of the bloody block. The chamber’s only exits are the illuminated shafts leading upward and downward.
Prism hits the remaining xulgath twice! Kennari heals her from afar. The last xulgath looks at you all with grim resignation as the tides have suddenly turned in your favor. The xulgath attempts to rend Prism again.
Unfortunately, even with Kennari's magical armor, the xulgath tears apart Prism's shoulder.
Initiative!
Unset's first punch drops Blue, who was gravely injured. He moves into position by Red. Rova and Thkrull both hit Yellow, taking them down as well. Prism looks a little better after Rova's medical assistance.
Initiative!
They all take some damage, with Blue taking the most. Blue is at death's door! Red tries for another Rend.
No rend, so tries for a third strike.
Initiative!
Everyone struggles to hit these xulgaths! Prism heals up a little. Yellow yanks the arrow out of their foot.
They swing into the shaft, easily hooking their claws into the plants, and try to bite Kennari!
Blue flexes the hooks on their claws and attacks Unset!
Initiative!
Red nimbly avoids the worst of the electricity while Yellow takes a full zap to the face. Red tries to rend Prism, though the flanking doesn't help as much as they'd hoped.
They can't manage to rend her, so they try for a third strike instead.
Initiative!
Unset hits Blue twice. Rova misses Yellow, but Thkrull gets it with a foot stomp. Prism gets one good attack on Blue. Both xulgaths starts dripping blood from their injuries. Yellow tries to rend Thkrull!
And succeeds!
Blue attempts to do the same to Prism.
And also succeeds.
Initiative!
They're looking injured, but so are you! Kennari is up.
Each of the xulgaths takes some damage from the blast of electricity! Red clambers over to flank Prism.
And misses twice. Initiative!
Did Rova and Kennari ever level up to 11, or just miss updating your tag lines?
Unset initially stumbles, but leans into the motion to duck under the xulgath and connect with a sucker punch. Rova places an arrow perfectly at another xulgath while Thkrull gets it with a mighty foot. Secret check:
Rova doesn't know much about these unusual xulgaths, but she does notice the hooklike barbs on their claws.
Prism slashes at Blue three times.
Prism misses terribly. Yellow takes a step, then bites and claws and Rova!
The bite hurts a lot, but the claw thankfully misses. Blue stretches out the hooks on their claws, making the barbs easier to snag on skin, then attempts to rend Unset!
This xulgath also gets one massive hit and a miss. Initiative!
Kennari up!
With Unset's advance scouting, you all scramble out of the shaft, ready to attack! Initiative:
Initiative!
Unset, silent as the grave, pokes his head over the opening in the shaft. The shaft widens into a circular chamber 40 feet in diameter with a corbelled ceiling that rises from 10 feet at the edges to 20 feet in the center. The room shows signs of habitation, with the remains of a cooking fire and a scattering of scorched bones, including two reptilian-looking humanoid skeletons that are almost fully intact and propped against the walls. A flat block of stone, like a table or altar, is crusted with blood. Several clay jars of foul-smelling liquid are clustered at the base of the bloody block. The chamber’s only exits are the illuminated shafts leading upward and downward. Three xulgaths with unusually long, hooked limbs stand guard in here. With Unset's incredible stealth, you get the drop on them.
Unset scrambles up and approaches the opening halfway up the shaft. There seems to be a chamber here.
I'm going to properly pause us this time, as I will be traveling this weekend for a celebration of life for my mom, and I don't know if I'll have time to post. If you decide on where to proceed from here, I can move you along on Monday or Tuesday. I don't anticipate any other pauses for the next few months.
Rova and Kennari treat everyone's injuries as you help with some of Niksi's initial measurements of the crystal and mirrors. You look up the shaft toward the aeon orb. It's about 300 feet straight up, though you see a widening at the halfway point. The shaft is 10 feet wide and vines growing along the walls of the shaft provide good purchase; a successful DC 20 Athletics check is required to Climb the interior of the shaft. There are also two stairwells at the back of the room, each leading upward.
Niksi needs to step away from the game for a while, so the character will engage in some magical research. Niksi is welcome back at any time if real life calms down.
Unset wriggles out of the creature's grasp and returns the choke slam with a powerful uppercut! Rova lands an arrow perfectly in the xulgath's shoulder. The xulgath wavers as Thkrull misses with a foot, but a careful stab from Prism and a spark of electricity from Kennari are enough to make the creature fall to the ground. It's quiet. Niksi goes over to the crystal and looks up. "The crystal is is redirecting the light from the aeon orb. This is...like nothing I've seen before." She stops speaking and starts taking notes, pausing to make make magical measurements periodically. "The reflection of magic through light...I think I need to study this in much more detail. Are you able to finish your work in the tower without me?" With everyone's assent, Niksi begins taking notes for what will surely be an impressive treatise on magic.
Sorry, Dennis and I were tag-teaming a toddler and a con this weekend. We should be back to normal now!
Niksi heals some of Prism's injuries and keeps defenses inspired.
Unset hits with two fists, and Rova just barely connects with a mighty arrow!
Kennari creates a big spike!
The xulgath reaches a claw toward Unset!
And then tries to grab him!
And then choke slams Unset, letting Prism fall limply from his grasp.
Initiative!
Rova hits with her first arrow while Prism hits with her first attack.
The creature reaches out to claw Prism.
They lift Prism high into the air and then slam her down!
Initiative!
secret check:
Unset can tell the large crystal isn’t magical, but it is precisely cut to reflect the light from the shaft upward in several dazzling beams. The beams of light keep the room brightly lit. Beyond that, the purpose is difficult to determine.
You pause to treat your injuries, and continue down the corridor. The center of the tower is occupied by a massive domed chamber, 60 feet high and with four large alcoves. Each alcove houses a defaced statue of Aroden. Corridors lead out of this room in each of the north alcoves and one between the two south alcoves. In addition, a 10-foot diameter shaft pierces the apex of the dome. Dozens of silvery mirrors float in the air in a series of concentric rings, slowly rotating in opposite directions. A pedestal in the center of the room supports a large, multifaceted crystal. A beam of bright light extends through the shaft in the dome above and strikes the crystal, where it is refracted into hundreds of rays that bounce across the room, creating a kaleidoscope of colors on every surface. The chamber is not empty. The strangest xulgath you've ever seen stands ready for you. His four enormous arms dwarf his tiny head, making him appear almost headless. Can that guy even see over his jacked shoulders? Initiative:
Initiative!
While the creature avoids the worst of Kennari's scree, the damage from that, Kennari's critical fist, and Thkrull's foot stomp are enough to make the statue crumble! Out of combat!
Yeah, I'm feeling ready to go again. I'll move us along tomorrow.
Thanks for the update! Why don't we target then as our return to play?
Thanks for your patience as well as your kind words, everyone; I know it's been a lot more than a week. I am starting to feel a little more functional, so hopefully I can start us up again soon.
I am so sorry to have left you all hanging. My mom suddenly passed away last week. I am still traveling, and, frankly, haven't been up to GMing. I'm going to keep the game on pause for another week or so.
Unset hits on the reactive strike, and again on his first attack, thanks to flanking. Rova hits twice, though her second shot can't get through its stony skin. Thkrull avoids the worst of the ceiling rubble and then gets a foot right into a weak point on the creature's knee! You see stone crumbling away. His tusk chips away a little more. Prism is thrown off by being shoved, and struggles to connect with her sickle. Niksi keeps up both offense and defense. The creature attacks Thkrull, who hit it so hard!
It then pokes at the ceiling again.
But misses the spot it was aiming for. Initiative
Niksi keeps boosting offense and defense! Unset succeeds at tumbling and gets to pummeling! He is successful, hitting twice, though the creature resists some damage. Kennari tries to hit it with earth.
The earth hurts! Rova is certain that it's not any elemental she's ever heard of! Thkrull's trumpeting is impressive, but the creature is unaffecting. Prism manages to hit once, chipping off some stone and enfeebling it! The creature whacks at Unset once!
It hurts! It then begins an inexorable march forward.
Prism tries to stop him!
He pushes her forward! Thkrull tries to stop him!
Thkrull holds him in place! Prism and Thkull both take some damage.
Unset can take a reactive strike as the stone creature moves. It tries to hit the ceiling again.
Rubble falls on Thkrull and Prism! bludgeoning, DC 27 Reflex save Initiative
Niksi starts up songs to boost offense and defense!
Rova, at home among the plants, easily hits the creature with an arrow, though its impact is blunted by the stony skin. Prism and Unset rush up and Prism gets in one sneaky stab. Kennari tries to target it with cold.
The creature tries to resist.
And is able to avoid the frost. It punches at Unset, then Prism.
It then attacks the ceiling above Thkrull!
But it doesn't seem to get just the right spot that it wanted. Initiative
Kennari recognizes a stone bulwark. It is resistant to physical damage except adamantine and resistant to spells except cold, water, and earth.
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