"Oh wow! Now I haven't seen something like that before. You don't think that's what happened to Anmuspi do you? My my my my. If we're goin' in there, I suggest we be really careful."
"Since this is a temple to the god of dragons, maybe there are some traps for enemies? With our wise Dragon Lady here, maybe we will be safe?"
Latro peers into the room, trying to see what he can see.
"Wait a minute. Someone want to come with me to the pool of blood that used to a goblin and hold onto my belt so I don't get sucked in?"
Latro makes his way over the pool of blood next to the statue to examine it more carefully. He waits until someone gets a hold of his belt, fearful that he might get sucked into the floor and vaporized.
A'loran will assist the halfing.
Letting go of his belt after he finishes. "this is most disturbing. It seems like the temple is protecting itself from creatures of evil intent. But that doesn't explain what happened to anmuspi. It does seem to only occur once in each area. Not that I'm suggesting it won't happen again. But I feel we'll have to delve deeper to determine the mysteries of this place. Hopefully we'll find our friends alive... but it seems doubtful
|
Kava raises her brow "I dare say that it is not the way of the Protector to crush people into a bloody puddle. As you might recall this temple was the prison of an evil artifact. I would say that that has more to do with the devil possessed armour and undead than Bahamut the dragon god" she says these last words harshly towards the halfling.
Sighing she turns. "I did not realise that Anmuspi might have met the same fate." She takes a momnet staring doen the corridor into the strange shadowstuff and at the puddle of goblin blood "We need to banish this evil." She throws her glow stick down into the blackness of the shadows.
Sighing heavily Rulf mutters to himself Well, I didn't get all dressed up fer nuthin.
He then hitches his britches up higher, turns his head to the side, hacks a cough and clears his nose. Runs some grubby fingers through his unkempt hair, absentmindedly picking the odd lice or two, settles his grip on his beloved Execution Axe and strides purposefully through the doors to the pool of blood to get a better look.
Kava launches her sunrod into the room (10 squares for an improvised weapon) and the room brightens somewhat. Though, the shadows seem to take a second too long to pull away from the light source.
Rulf ambles forward impatiently to study the blood.
"No disrespect intended Noble Lady. I know little of the ways of THE DRAGON GOD , and I was merely hypothesizing. Your idea that what's happening here might be related to an evil artifact definitely holds merit.
Thanks for the help A'loran, but there's nothing here to see.
Oh Rulf. You must have some adventurous halfling spirit in you. I LIKE IT!! BUT, let's be careful and move toward the doors at the far end. I suggest staying away from the shadows too!"
So saying, Latro moves into the room, careful to avoid any shadows and staying near the light.
Canas enters the room warily, staying faraway from the blood.
|
|
"I concur. Let us move, I can instruct you in the ways of the Protector young Mr Ciniri. Bahamut is the god of justice, protection, nobility, and honor. Monarchs are crowned in his name. He commands his followers thus: Uphold the highest ideals of honor and justice;
Be constantly vigilant against evil and oppose it on all fronts;
Protect the weak, liberate the oppressed, and defend just order.
So you see Mr Ciniri that he is not the god of some large scaled creatures far off, but the protector of us all ... " and so it goes didactically for a while.
"Latro, be careful with the other doors... they are radiating magic."
A'loran moves up closer to the door "lets see whats going on with this"
looking left and right about him Rulf notices the shadows and pointedly moves away into the light as realisation and latros suggestion dawn on him that he may be tempting fate.
I've had a bit of a look where that gobo was and I haven't a clue how he got sucked into the floor, so I suggest we not hang around here too long in case the beastie's still hungry.
Latro examines the doors for traps.
"Can we afford to take our time? A'loran says the doors radiate magic, so maybe there is a trap. I can look extra carefully and maybe find any traps."
Latro takes his time.
Eyeing the shadows warily, Rulf shuffles about always staying in the light all this talk about shadow monsters is startin to make me a wee bit nervous. Give me a good old fashioned flesh and blood creature any day, sumthin I can sink me axe in.
The party members cautiously move to the doors and begin their careful inspection. The shadows slowly close in behind them.
"These doors appear to trigger some other event. Perhaps the floor swallowing up someone. I'll try to disable the trap. Hopefully that will work and we'll be safe."
Latro pulls out his thieves' tools and goes to work disabling the door trap.
As Latro sets to work with his picks, a dark patch of shadows just beyond a nearby pillar begin to coalesce into a vaguely human shape nearly 9 feet tall.
A'loran
- Shadow Tendril - Reach 2; Attack vs Armor Class for damage.
- Shadow's Lash - Reach 2; the shadow guardian can make 2 shadow tendril attacks. If both shadow tendril attacks hit the same target, that target is grabbed. Up to 3 targets can be grabbed at one time.
- Dark Whirlwind - Shadow guardian shifts 8 squares and makes 3 shadow tendril attacks at any point during the shift. It can attack a given enemy only once, but it deals extra necrotic damage on each hit. Shadow guardian can squeeze as a free action as part of this power.
- Shadow Noose - Attack vs Fortitude; when Shadow guardian begins its turn with a grabbed foe, it can move the grabbed foe (and itself with it) up to 3 squares. If the attack misses, the guardian decides whether to continue its move by itself (which ends the grab) or to remain in place (which maintains the grab).
- Shadow Jaunt - Shadow guardian teleports 3 squares and becomes insubstantial until the start of its next turn.
- Steal Hope - If a grabbed creature uses or receives the benefits of a healing surge, Shadow guardian may make a shadow tendril attack against that creature. If the attack hits, it deals no damage, but Shadow guardian regains the hit points that the grabbed creature would have regained, the grabbed creature regains no hit points, and the healing surge is still expended.
"What in the name of Sehanine is that?! I'll keep working on this door. Someone make sure they have my back!"
Latro continues to work on the door, hoping to get out of the room before the large shadow creature can attack.
Latro keeps up his work on the doors.
"Almost got it. Just a little longer."
"oh my, Thats a Shadow Guardian, a large shadow humanoid. It has no weaknesses or resistance that I know of, and here are it's powers:
Shadow Tendril - Reach 2; Attack vs Armor Class for damage.
Shadow's Lash - Reach 2; the shadow guardian can make 2 shadow tendril attacks. If both shadow tendril attacks hit the same target, that target is grabbed. Up to 3 targets can be grabbed at one time.
Dark Whirlwind - Shadow guardian shifts 8 squares and makes 3 shadow tendril attacks at any point during the shift. It can attack a given enemy only once, but it deals extra necrotic damage on each hit. Shadow guardian can squeeze as a free action as part of this power.
Shadow Noose - Attack vs Fortitude; when Shadow guardian begins its turn with a grabbed foe, it can move the grabbed foe (and itself with it) up to 3 squares. If the attack misses, the guardian decides whether to continue its move by itself (which ends the grab) or to remain in place (which maintains the grab).
Shadow Jaunt - Shadow guardian teleports 3 squares and becomes insubstantial until the start of its next turn.
Steal Hope - If a grabbed creature uses or receives the benefits of a healing surge, Shadow guardian may make a shadow tendril attack against that creature. If the attack hits, it deals no damage, but Shadow guardian regains the hit points that the grabbed creature would have regained, the grabbed creature regains no hit points, and the healing surge is still expended.
So Latro, Hurry up with that door."
"Workin' on it boss, but all your yammerin' is making lose my concentration. I don't have to know what it does to know that it is one creature I'll be avoiding if at all possible!"
For the love of Kord, I knew we was askin fer trouble by hangin around here. Latro, lad, we'd be appreciatin that door open anytime about now. Rulf shouts as he makes his way around the pillar and casts his gaze upon the fell creature, while recalling the long winded lectures on the various types of undead Grundelmar used to rabbit on with tirelessly.
Rulf moves around the pillar and racks his brain for any religious significance of this creature. When that fails, he tries to stare down the shadow guardian, with no effect.
The shadows creature cuts across the hall, and strides down the western side lashing out with dark tendrils as it goes. It strikes at Canas, but misses. At the corner it snaps a shadow limb across A'loran's chest.
And it stops right in front of the eladrin, with one last tendril snapping in front of Latro's face.
By the doors, the creature tries to grab Latro. He ducks the first blow, but the second lash raises welts on his shoulder.
Canas rushes around to the back of the thing and lashes out with a bolt of fire.
"OUCH! Oh man. That didn't feel so good. I hope it didn't mess up my concentration. Somebody get this foul beast off of me."
"And I was paying attention A'loran. If this thing gets another tendril on me, I'm not going to be able to heal until we kill it. I'm almost bloodied now. Maybe some help with a surge while I work on the door, just in case it hits me again?"
With that, Latro turns back to the door and continues to try to work his magic.
As Rulf strides purposefully towards the shadow beast he makes a quick benediction May the divine power of mighty Kord knit yer wounds like a wellspring a life brings bounty where there were naught but ashen waste before. Sending his soothing prayer A'lorans way
Rulf then winds up to an incredible swing as divine radiance gleams from his axe. He brings it crashing against the baleful creature while calling out to Latro Don't worry Lad, I've got yer back, jes keep concentratin on that door.
"Thank you newcomer. Your healing words are most helpful. Now I can just...get...this...."
Latro's words trail off as he again concentrates on the magical trap.
Canas points his finger at the shadows and flames flare up around it, but the shadow guardian spins to avoid the worst of the fire.
Kava steps forward to engage the shadows, but her sword fails to cut the guardian.
"sorry Latro, I can't stand next to this thing."
A'loran slams his staff on the ground and the creature just stands there.
His face pale and worried, A'loran disappears and reappears and hurls a ball of magical energy that smashes into the wall beside the shadow guardian.
Latro scratches away the last of the magical wards, confident that he has disabled the doors.
A quick prayer to Kord and the pain in A'loran's chest eases.
Rulf strides forward and swings mightily, but his axe is deflected by shadowstuff.
A shadow limb snaps around Kava's waist, but she spins out it and avoid the second attack.
The shadow guardian makes a noise of frustration and then it becomes just a dark patch on the wall. It glides to the other side of the doors and reforms.
Once there it assaults halfling at the door, and suffers for it.
Despite Kava's challenge, both of the shadow guardian's limbs latch onto the halfling.
"Got it! The trap is...what the...? Owwww....OWWWWWWWWW! Get through the doors and save yourselves. Or drop this thing. But don't heal me now. Since it has me, it will heal and not me! I'll try to break free on my own and get clear. If I'm not able, hopefully it lets me go as when I go unconscious and Rulf can use his healing words on me."
Latro steels his resolved and struggles against the creature.
"Don't worry! I have a way to keep it from healing!", says Canas as he dashes forward and slashes his dagger at the thing, severing it's connection to life.
Canas moves to the center aisle and carves at the air, but the creature evades the spell.
Moving to stand beside the struggling halfling, Kava cuts ineffectively at the shadow guardian's arms.
Giving that up, she roars, engulfing the shadows in flame.
"oh great, It follows me. Stupid shadow thing."
A'loran again slams his staff ineffectively before trying to put some more distance between himself and the creature.
Latro struggles with all his mightand manages to squirm free.
"I'm free now. If someone can help me heal before this thing wrecks me again, I'd be greatly appreciative."