"Nominate?" Indrick asked, staring at the cleric in bafflement. "Why?" He had jumped slightly when enterig the room, surprised by the booming voice like everyone else. While he did admit the gem was a tempting prize, caution told him that he may be happiest if he just avoided the damned thing. Mysterious magic items made him nervous, and he had little desire to set one off the wrong way...
"AH-CHOO!" Bladecatcher unleashes a mighty sneeze; fairy dust must have irritated his sinuses.
He gives the altar a skeptical glance as he enters the room. "Bah! First glowing fountains, now glowing rocks." He makes a an orcish warding gesture against the evil eye, and skirts around the periphery of the light, moving to his right.
"Who's getting nominated for what now?" Tochi asked and, like the others gave a small flinch as the voice boomed over his head too. Taking a few moments to assess the room and the look on Baris' face toward the gem and he frowned.
"King Fatmouth didn't say anything about this room, but we don't know who this gem belongs to, mortal or God. It's not wise to begin stealing from someone who we're depending on for information, and I'm not even going to get started on stealing from Gods..." the loot already in his pack was another matter; that had been the spoils of war, from enemies that had tried to ambush them. Now that they had agreed to assist King Fatmouth, the goblins had become pseudo allies to the young fighter.
With reluctance he stands up, then crouches down, "For the group then." Keeping his eyes down, he inches forward in a slight bow while crouching. Pretty hard for most, but a monk, let alone a halfing can pull it off. He gets up to the gem, 5 feet away from it, then raises his head. He looks at the words on the wall and sees if he can read any of it. If nothing happens and doesn't understand the words. He meekly says,"Greetings voice, what is this all about?"
You all see flames leaping out from each of the statues, completely blocking your vision of Baris! Everyone in the room is just out of the paths of the flames, but you can feel the searing heat and wonder what has happened to your friend.
"S***!" Tochi exclaims as he drops his pack to the floor behind the him and runs into the flames to try and rescue Baris. He left his pack behind in order to preserve the loot they'd already gathered and he'd promised to protect, but an ally is far more important than gold. He tries his best to run as fast as he can and weaves through the flames, though he knows it's gonna hurt.
She admitted that it was probably rather judgmental of her, but Wilhelmina would not have chosen Baris. Anyone could "act" humble, but the gods looked on the heart. Still, just because the statues erupted flame didn't mean Baris had been proud. Something else could still be going on.
Mina had to shield her face from the intense flames that came so close to her, but once she discerned that she was not in the fire, she knew that Baris was in trouble and that she had to act. Shouting so she could hear herself over the flames, she clutched her divine focus and cast the orison Create Water, pointing with her other hand toward the ceiling above Baris' head so the water would appear from above and rain down.
She would be ready to cast the spell again to create more water if necessary, as many times as it would take until it became clear that Baris either could or could not be saved.
For in his Lawful nature, he would likely just leave things as they are.
He saves!
Likely before anyone has a chance to do anything, Baris jumps away towards that door. Reflex save with an acrobatics check to see how well I can jump and tumble to that door.
If I get burnt some or not at all:"Oh, ah, oh, hot... am I on fire?"
If I get burnt a lot:"Ahhhh, it burns, no not like you Tochi, it really burns, Mina please ease my pains!"
Baris manages to get away from the fire completely unscathed! Within seconds, the fire disappears and water splashes down onto Tochi, who is still lying there, slightly singed but not harmed beyond repair. The red gemstone sits on it's altar, still emanating that red, magical glow.
The pain was intense and Tochi felt only a little shame in having fallen because the rest of his world was white hot misery. Even breathing was unbearable through the heat and his eyes watered every time he opened them but once he'd fallen prone he could make out the watery image of Baris just as the halfing agilely jumped away from both the flames and the gem.
Though being burned hadn't caused Tochi to cry out because he had been so focused on saving Baris, when Mina's water spell fell on him the contrasting temperatures did cause him to holler. The water felt like icy needles on his skin where ever he'd been burned and it took him several agonizing moments to bring his feet underneath him to stand.
He looked to the unharmed halfling and back up to the gem and made a disapproving grunt.
Baris hops over and helps Tochi up then says,"What Tochi? Thank you for charging in and trying to rescue me." Baris bows.
Observing everyone's antics, Sefyr looks on puzzled. Why didn't you take the gem Baris? Wilhelmina can you help Tochi? Are you going to be okay?
Sefyr begins an incantation and focuses on the gem.
The gemstone lifts into the air and floats over to Sefyr, who winces when she touches it because it radiates heat. But before she can drop it, it immediately cools, and the light goes out from it.
"I'll be fine." He says as he once again settles his halberd on his shoulder after noting how singed it looks. His frown doesn't leave his face as Sefyr summons the gem to her hand using her magic. He finds it all the more distasteful to steal this gem because of the fires it caused. Without a word to voice his opinion on the magical artifact or to give a chance to Mina to heal him he turns and walks to the southwest door where Bladecatcher stands.
Seeing her spell came too late to cause anything but more discomfort didn't faze Wilhelmina this time, because she knew what she had done was the best thing she could have, not that she didn't feel for Tochi's pain having been suffered in vain. If he seriously did not wish to be healed, though, she could hold on to her powers. However, "Those burns are still going to give you trouble. Let me at least salve them so they don't flare up in the middle of the next encounter." Taking out her healing kit and the aforementioned ointment, she went up to him and motioned for him to let her examine him.
Once she either had a chance to look at Tochi or was rebuffed, Mina would also want to take a look at Sefyr's hands.
Then she would be ready to move on to the next room. "I feel we should wait to examine the jewel until we've gotten it safely away from here."
"What? Wait I-" but Wilhelmina was already applying the ointment to the areas of his face and neck. It stung and he winced, but only for a moment as the residual pain from the burns began to subside. "I don't want you to waste your resources on me..." He said under his breath so quietly that more than likely only Mina would have heard it, since he hadn't really meant for anyone to hear it at all.
He offered up the palms of his hands to be treated as his face had been. "Thanks, Mina." He still felt sheepish for his rash behavior and so wouldn't raise his eyes from the floor.
Tochi and Sefyr's wounds both respond well to the treatment.
"Well, I.. it just didn't seem right... I thought it was another shrine like the fountain, I guess I was wrong. Why would someone put something like that up there? Just a trap for the greedy?" Baris ponders on the scenario, then begins searching the walls hoping to find a hidden niche, lever, or something out of place. "Wait Sefyr, why didn't you try to do that in the first place?"
Before he could argue his way out of being the test subject of the mysterious gem with the booming voice, Baris leapt into action. When the jets of fire erupted, Indrick had a reaction very unlike that of the fighter: he simply yelped and jumped away from the scorching bursts of flame. Luckily, matters were quick to settle down, allowing Indrick to cautiously peek out.
"Er..." No. No, he wasn't going to say anything.
Sefyr studies the gem carefully. Somewhat distractedly, Oh, the spell? Forgot about it, and thought it might be best to take a lot at it up close. Mainly forgot. Didn't seem sacred like the pool.
If Baris finds nothing hidden on the walls or floor. Also looking for more writing. Then he will move to the next door and listen.
If he hears nothing he will attempt to open the door, what does he see inside?
"Anyone got some fire to burn some spiderwebs, or should I start up some of my torches? I predict a pretty big spider ahead..."
Giant spiders were about what Wilhelmina expected sooner or later. For fire, though, "I've just got that torch I left in the first room. I could always go back and get it." It sounded like that would be a good thing for her to have again, so she needed only to hear the okay from the group to go get it. Then she would come right back.
MAP 5
Thick webs hang from the corners and ceiling of this room. Dozens of tiny spiders crawl about on the webs, but they’re far too small to be the source of the large webs.
Baris goes back with Mina so that he can get his pack, then pulls out one of his torches, flint and steel. He lights the torch up and puts the flint and steel back in his pack.
He goes into the room, crouched ready for anything keeping his eyes and ears open, he hugs the North[top] wall until he can peek around the corner. One hand holding his Kama the other holding his torch.
Tochi picks his pack back up and once Baris and Mina have returned he accompanies Baris into the next room, his halberd at the ready, and trying to take a closer look at the spider webs.
Surprise Round:
Baris
Tochi
Spider
1st Round:
Indrick
Baris
Bladecatcher
Tochi
Spider
Wilhelmina
Sefyr
Out from the shadow a presence emerges, ready to strike!
Tochi had been trying to discern what sort of spider might make such a large and complex Web, when out of its depths leapt the massive creature that called it home. While not the intended biggest spider that Tochi had read about in the myriad of tales (and no doubt some of them exaggerated the size of the monsters) this spider was still big enough to be comparable to himself and stood over him as it raised its too front most legs and clicked its long and dripping fangs.
He let out a cry of both mild surprise and to muster his own courage as he swung his halberd over his head and brought it down across the hairy carapace of the beast, putting as much of his strength and power into the swing as possible.
Baris sees the vile arachnid spring forth from its nest. He quickly jumps into action, screaming at this new foe, "Aaaahhhhhh...vile thing!"
Next Round... Baris strikes forth with kama and knee, in a flurry of blows. Slashing and smashing into the arachnid's abnomin, making it spurt blood and other fluids from the wounds.
When Baris leaped into webs behind the spiderwebs behind the spider, only to find that they are quite sticky.
The spider, which Tochi so vividly described, reached over with those razor sharp fangs and...
And sinks them in deep! You feel a burning sensation around the area of the bit but it goes away shortly. The spider backs into the corner, waiting for you to come to it.
Baris struggles to get free of the webs, "Ehhh, why so sticky? Webs shouldn't hold me like this...Arggghh!"
Squealing with joy in his small halfling voice, "Ha, ha.. I am free, now feel the pain of my blade!"
Baris steps forward tentatively after recovering quickly from the webs, and strikes at the Arachnid.
Ah! Spider! Spiders should not be that big!
Indrick scuttled away from the spider, allowing a clear shot at the creature. With a quiet prayer, he let an arrow from his bow fly...
...and proceeded to completely miss.
An arrow whizzes through the air, going over the top of the spider! Baris lunges at the spider and is deflected ninja style by the terrifying arachnid's front legs! It's mayhem people!
Tochi let out a strangled grunt as he felt those cold hard legs of the spider wrap around him and the fangs punch straight through his hide armor in the back of his left shoulder. He waited to feel the heat of the poison course through his veins and instead only felt his own blood trickle down his body. He'd been incredibly lucky; either this spiders venom was weak, or it had recently used its supply on other prey. But if he took another hit like that he'd be a goner.
He dropped his halberd to the floor and pulled his shield from his back. "All heroes ever do is die!" his mother's voice echoes in his head.
He pulled his war hammer from his hip, the weapon was old and worn but sturdy. "Your father hasn't been seen or heard from in nearly a year, I won't lose you too!"
"You won't lose me." Tochi whispered below his breath in a wheeze as he spun the war hammer over his wrist and prepared to charge.
With a bellow, Bladecatcher surges forward, axe held high, a crazed look in his eyes.
As Bladecatcher runs up to the spider and swings, the spider ducks and and is barely missed by the blade.
What have I read about spiders?
Sefyr flicks her wrist and sending a flashing beam of light at the creature's eyes, trying to avoid hitting her companions.
Even though Wilhelmina had totally been expecting to see a huge spider, the sudden appearance of the hairy monstrosity still shocked her into crying out, "A tarantula!" and not being able to react for several seconds.
When Tochi walloped it with his halberd, she had hope, but then it bit him and he dropped his halberd in favor of his shield. Then everyone else started swinging wildly and missing.
Mina knew what she had to do. Her hand began to glow with holy energy that spread through the air to her companions as she prayed, "Old Deadeye, Bless our hands that they may strike true!"
Tochi had been preparing to wallop the spider with his war hammer, but then when Baris leapt from the creatures Web and swung wildly at the thing he landed squarely between Tochi and his target. Bladecatcher quickly closed in, closing off Tochi's other possible avenue of attack. To get around he halfling would leave him vulnerable to the vicious fangs once again. He glanced at the webbing he would have to wade through to get to the other side of the spider and decided that was not a wise course of action either. Keeping his weapon at the ready, he kept himself ready to attack if one of his comrades made way. He felt some of the strength return to his arms and heard Mina's words. He hoped that with this blessing she had placed on them perhaps they could take this thing down.