Zarabeta's page

Zarabeta's mind fills with inane questions of no relevance, and she keeps her mouth shut to avoid wasting any of their important questions on such irrelevant trivia as 'What do the trolls eat and where does their waste go?' and 'Is time flowing the same outside of this place so that we will return to the party long after everyone has gone home, or is it slowed or suspended so that we will return perhaps mere moments after we left?' and 'What madness could have taken a spellcaster of such power as to be able to create an entire world outside of our own to do so, then fill it with things of no value or import?' and 'Arael's missions seem to have us doing the work of the Dottari for them, could he have been possessed or replaced during his time of captivity and are we pawns in some deeper game?'

She bites her tongue and frets, using prestidigitation to change the color of her scarf from red, to blue, to yellow, and back to red again.

Zarabeta attempts to recall any description of this Crux they may have received, having thought of it literally as a crux, a cross-shaped item, the entire time...

"Traps / curses / guardian creatures protecting the Crux, or that we might be unleashing upon the town, or ourselves, by removing it, might be good to know before we have them blow up in our faces." Zarabeta adds, attempting to phrase her statement in such a way that the imp cannot interpret it as a question.

Zarabeta continues to attack whichever one remains standing, drawing a dagger and stepping forward to slash at her target.

elemental attack, including -4 to attack and damage 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20
elemental damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

dagger slash 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
dagger damage 1d4 ⇒ 1

"A trio of lesser fire elementals are attempting to set us, and by 'us,' I mostly mean *you,* on fire," Zarabeta says, in reply to Waifrin and Fiosa's query, having hesitated for a moment after swallowing an initial comment about their size indicating a lack of power, that might not be tactful in the presence of Fiosa.

Her water elemental continues to batter away at its target, and she chooses to fling acid at the same one, hoping to at least remove one of the three. The greenish acid flicks off of her fingertips and coalesces in mid air into it's typical serpentine form, before nimbly curving around the various figures adjacent to its target like a thing with a life of its own.

elemental attack, including -4 to attack and damage 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
elemental damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

acid dart, ranged touch, including -4 for firing into melee 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
acid damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Zarabeta hurls an acid dart at one of the fire elementals, and her conjured water elemental attacks the same one.

water elementals get -4 to attack and damage rolls on foes on the ground, so it's mostly useless here, but might as well have it do something, since there's no fire to extinguish

elemental attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
elemental damage 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4

Z's acid bolt, ranged touch attack, -4 for firing into melee 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
acid damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Fort 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Init 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

Zarabeta checks to see that the group has entered the room, and done everything they did to trigger the other three 'fear' tests (which is to say, nothing, that she remembers, other than entering the rooms...).

"We're here. Bring on the fear, little invisible imp. Or did we accidentally walk into the room of being scared of showing up too early for something and having to wait?"

Zarabeta draws out the components to summon allies from across the planes and begins casting a spell as they enter the room, hoping that a few small water elementals might be able to help quench whatever conflagration awaits.

1d3 ⇒ 1

The elemental will have +4 hp., and +2 to Fort saves, attack rolls and damage rolls, as it has +4 Str and +4 Con from her Augment Summoning feat. She uses her Genie Caller trait to make it last for 7 rounds instead of 5.

"Ooh, stirges, that's a surprise. I was expecting to be nearly drowned in sealed room filling with blood, or attacked by an ooze creature made of blood or something." Zarabeta says conversationally, not really getting into the spirit of 'exploring one's fears,' although her 'fear of being six hours late for dessert and arousing suspicion' is on the rise.

"Blood will clean off easier than scorch marks, might as well get to it." Zarabeta concedes.

Init 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

If she can do so before her allies are engulfed by the snakes, Zarabeta will send another flask of alchemist's fire into the mass.

ranged touch attack 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21
area effect fire damage 1d6 ⇒ 4

"Fear of being rich and bored, a thousand leagues away from the nearest Chelish port?" Zarabeta offers peevishly to the unseen voice. "Fear of being massaged with scented oils by strong-fingered cherubs while snacking on candied meats and warm spiced mead?"

Her eyes grow distant for a moment as she forgets the current situation and envisions that particular scene.

"Hah take that old Lob"

Nice one!

If the wounded one survives the Goddon's attacks, Zarabeta attempts to dissolve it in acid.

ranged touch attack from acid dart, -4 for firing into melee 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
acid damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6

Zarabeta steps back, to open up a space between herself and the others, and flings a flask of alchemical fire into the swarm of spiders, making sure to target a space not currently occupied by one of her allies.

5 ft. step and throw
ranged touch attack to hit the swarm, perhaps unnecessary... She will be within splash range so she'll take 1 pt. of fire damage as well. 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
1d6 fire damage 1d6 ⇒ 3

Wow, hope she didn't have to roll to hit that square... She might have just smashed the bottle on her forehead!

Fort 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Zarabeta is overcome by the sensation of hundreds of spiders crawling across her body, despite having steeled herself for this very thing, and is equal parts annoyed by the situation, and at herself for reacting with such lack of control.

Initiative 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12

Zarabeta fumbles for a flask of alchemist's fire, cursing herself for not having it already in hand, since she'd already noted that a spider swarm was the obvious result here.

Although it could just be an illusion of a spider swarm, I suppose... she ponders, which wouldn't be any easier or less magic-intensive than conjuring a real one, so what would be the point of using an illusion, for anything, for that matter?

"Can we find the source of the whiny little girls voice and kill it first?" Zarabeta says, at least half rhetorically (and half to hear how 'the voice,' which she suspects may be an invisible imp, reacts to this suggestion, or to being called a 'whiny little girl').

"Fiends being fiends, at least one of the exits is likely a chamber that explores the fear of abandonment, or those of shut-ins, who fear to leave their homes, while the 'abandon all hope' sign leads to something useful. Then again, perhaps exploring fears and overcoming them is a necessary step to prove oneself the master of this place and lead on to the treasury..." she mutters, beginning to second-guess herself.

"In the absence of any clue as to whatever madness inspired the design of this place, any decision is as good as any other, so yes, let's go up." Zarabeta says with a shrug, seeming more amused at this point by the irrelevance of any choice they make than her words might suggest.

Zarabeta offers translation, "The room to the left is marked 'fear of spiders, to the right, 'fear of snakes' and the center, 'observation.' Nothing exactly screams, 'treasure room...'"

"Indeed, given the lack of utility or even aesthetics most of these rooms have shown, whoever built this place was insanely rich, and, more on the point, insanely insane."

"Getting out of here may prove more troublesome," Zarabeta says softly, "But the fancy dinner party waits for no one, and it feels like we've been 'in the powder room' for hours..."

She will move as slowly and cautiously as possible, as she clambers down the slope, trying to keep her hands free and each gripping an opposing wall, if the chute is narrow enough, with no care for how undignified she looks, or concern for her clothing, since she can magically clean them later.

"I would suspect that the figure at the center of the chains is either long dead, an outsider with no need for food or drink, or in some sort of magical slumber that negates the need for sustenance, as that arrangement does not sound particularly well-suited for regular meals to be delivered..." Zarabeta posits.

"I am unharmed, thanks for asking... What the hells is that?" Zarabeta says, clearly shocked by the unnatural behavior of Waifrin's psicrystal, which I don't believe we've ever seen grow legs and wander off before...

Fort save vs. stench 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

The archon, a glowing figure of light, appears floating behind the ghouls approaching her companions, and immediately generates two pale golden rays of sunlight that track to any ghoul that seems affected by its aura of menace.

Aura of Menace, each hostile in 20 ft. of the archon must make a Will DC 12 save or suffer -2 to all attacks, AC and saves for 24 hours, or until it strikes the archon that generated the aura, which might make it slightly easier for the archon to hit them with its attacks.The archon has AC 15, 17 hp, DR 10/evil, Fort save +4 (+2 more vs. evil).

ranged touch attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
untyped damage that ignores DR 1d6 ⇒ 3

ranged touch attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
untyped damage that ignores DR 1d6 ⇒ 3

Zarabeta waves her dagger in front of her, attempting to keep the ghoul approaching her at bay.

Total Defense action, AC is now 19, counting Dex (+3), mage armor (+4) and Total Defense (+2).

initiative 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Zarabeta begins casting a spell to call upon aid from the outer planes.

summon monster III to summon a lantern archon, full round action

Knowledge (religion) 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

"Ghouls!" Zarabeta warns, "Undead, whose touch will freeze your blood and leave you helpless!"

Sounds good.

"It seems almost inevitable that something is going to heave up out of this sludge and attack us. Be ready." Zarabeta says, stating the obvious.

"Well, there's a room I would not include in my incomprehensibly expensive extra-dimensional snack chamber... A fetid pool of stank, occupied no doubt by something equally noisome." Zarabeta says dryly, as she pulls a scarf over her mouth.

She waves her hand in the air in front herself, and thin coils of scented smoke carry the scent of sandalwood, but it too quickly fades away to be replaced once again by the bog stench.

prestidigitation

"So, she-devil seems well and truly stuck. Shall we get moving?" Zarabeta asks, looking around for any place that might seem to be a good hiding place for the item Arael wanted from here, which she's guessing will be in some sort of treasure room, and not a jail for fiends.

Ah, found him.

"Vheed was the previous mayor, of which I know nothing more than that he was an arcane caster of nasty reputation."

Zarabeta summarizes for her companions, "The fiend says that she was imprisoned for failing to warn Dargentu Vheed of a plot against him fast enough, and that, if released she will punish him terribly for this injustice."

Does Zarabeta recognize this name? Or should I? Please don't tell me it's someone like the Mayor, and I'm being terribly absent-minded... :)

Knowledge (local) to know this name 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21

"There is magic to block dimensional travel, which could hold a fiend prisoner, but many lesser fiends do not even have the power to travel in this manner." Zarabeta says, her dry scholarly recitation making her nerves at this unseen source of these moans.

"And, given the nature of this places' designers, there's no guarantee that the prisoner hasn't been forced into a monstrous form, or is simply a tiefling of more than usually fiendish appearance, and no more dangerous or wicked than a fruit-vendor..."

"I am more concerned about the open cell. Someone, or something, may have escaped, and be stalking this place."

She leans near the door Marius peered into, and says in Infernal, "Speak you the devil's tongue? Why are you imprisoned here?"

Once she's landed, with a deftness that surprises her and is more the result of luck than skill, since she's never tumbled further than off the back of a horse before, she turns and does what she can to Aid others coming down.

Aid Other roll, taking 10, to help the next arrivals by reaching out and pulling them to the shelf. +2 to their rolls.

Zarabeta delays her action, waiting to see if Waifrin jumps, and Marius follows. If they do, she'll fling a bolt of acid at one shadow and then follow. If they do not, and return to the safety of the doors, she'll fling a bolt of acid, and then follow. :)

ranged touch 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
acid damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Acrobatics, if we jump 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18

Zarabeta wonders if the magic is a separate enchantment, or some property of this extra-dimensional space, hopping up a bit, just to see if she can feel if she settles to the ground more lightly.

"I would not recommend following the copper coin's journey. It seems likely that such a magic could well falter unexpectedly, and lead a fatal plunge."

"On the other hand, a descent into the depths leading to the true treasure, might fit with Asmodean doctrine as much as a cruel bit of trickery such as that..."

And Zarabeta sends another coiling serpent-shaped stream of acid forth at the remaining shadow.

ranged touch attack, +1 for inspire courage, thanks Fiosa! 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16
acid damage, +1 for inspire courage? 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Zarabeta readies an action to throw conjurered acid at the first shadow she sees, hoping to strike it before it's within melee range of someone, and her shot becomes that much more difficult.

Zarabeta is still heading for the door, and opens it if she has the movement / action left over, so that the others can attempt to move through it without slowing down.

Did Zarabeta's last blast either hit, or, if it hit, do damage?

Zarabeta moves back towards the way they entered this surreal space, as that's the only exit she's aware of, opening the door if she can reach it in a single move.

Another green coil of acid surges forth.

ranged touch attack, -4 for firing into melee 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
acid damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (2) + 2 = 4

Initiative 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10

Frustrated by her inability to hit the creatures, Zarabeta conjures more magical acid.

acid dart, ranged touch attack, -4 for firing into melee 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

acid damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Her frustration does nothing to improve her aim.

"We may have to retreat, if we cannot harm these creatures..."

Unsure if she can harm these shades, or strike them while they are engaged with her allies, Zarabeta turns her ability to conjure matter into the forces of un-creation, tossing one of her signature golden-green energy serpents hissing through the air at one of the creatures.

acid dart, ranged touch attack, -4 for firing into melee 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 1 = 11

acid damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

As to be expected, the serpentine rivulet of acid curls and swoops in the direction of the creatures, but finds no easy path to them past the broad shoulders of Marius, and Zarabeta is forced to disperse it into a faint green mist that leaves behind only a bitter smell before it impacts on his back.

"I do not recognize these beasts. Only that they seem to be quite real, and not illusions..."

Knowledge check as a free action to recognize these creatures, +8 if dungeoneering, nature, the planes or religion, +10 if arcana 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (8) + 8 = 16

Initiative 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

Zarabeta mutters an incantation that starts slow and increases in speed and pitch until it is an undecipherable whine, like the sound of an approaching mosquito.

haste on us for 5 rounds, +1 to AC, attack rolls, +30 ft. movement and +1 attack as part of a full attack action

Definitely no splitting up in the extradimensional Escher painting... That way lies never finding each other again!

Zarabeta continues to refresh her ability to see the auras of magic periodically, scanning the area for any other magical auras that might be easy to overlook against the already-magical background.

She will also run her hands along the wall as they reach various landings, as those would be the most likely places for their to be some sort of concealed entrance or illusion overlaying something instructive.

"There may well be an invisible walkway or stairway that leads to seemingly inaccessible goals. The creators of this place surely could have enacted such relatively minor magics..." she mutters aloud, attempting to look in all directions at once, reprimanding herself for squinting to see what she has just clearly stated might be invisible to the human eye...

Wonder tinged with jealousy in her tone, Zarabeta says softly, "No mere illusion, this is a fundamental transfiguration of space itself, to create a space outside of the world, with its own rules and nature."