"Ok little brother , I'll call you crazy ...
The first thing to do is to open this amphora and check what's in it ! Let also the magickos amongst us do their things to know what's that thing . If we determine the contents can be moved to one other recipient , let us do so . If we determine we can destroy the contents by burning them , that would be also a solution but it would deprive us of travelling to Vesh obviouly . Your choice .
Now we don't know if this amphora is detectable by other means than visual . Maybe if it does protect a portion of a titan , titan's spawns are drawn to it and separating us from it would be a bad bad idea .
Now the walkway is indeed a good idea as long as stay near an exit if things go south. Let us remember than a patrol of veshmen has been destroyed by these things and even if the have stricken back , running might be a good option. the wise warrior lives to fight another day. "
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"Another vote for calling you crazy, I'm afraid." Maro says to Amon. "I don't believe that this item should leave our physical grasp."
"I would prefer not opening the vessel. Whatever is contained within, could be dangerous to the town if released." 'As well as to our own immediate health...,' he thinks to himself.
Examining the vessel, there doesn't seem to be any latch or opening. The heavy lead amphora is etched with a writhing, serpent-like pattern that seems to move in your peripheral vision, making you queasy. Chardun's blood-dripping wreathed scepter symbol is stamped onto its face.
Amon:
In short order, Amon, Maro, Dusis and Galwynn have the stairwells blocked and secured, ranged weapons at the ready and the amphora on the floor, ready in the event of a hasty retreat. Belsameth's moon casts cold blue light through the windows, cutting the darkness into unsettling shapes. Despite the long day, none of you feel fatigued: the threat of imminent danger being more than enough to shake off your weariness.
In the dead of night, the amphora begins to tremble and quake. Chardun's leaden symbol blazes purple-blue and you all watch in startled horror as ghostly chains spring from the floor around the vessel, multitudes of them winding together to form the shape of a man. You stare, stunned, as the chains shift to become flesh, hair, robes. A man in white regalia stands before you, his sandaled feet and the bottom of his robes soaked in blood and powdered bone. He wears a crown of laurels like a conquering hero, a bloody scepter in hand and chains rattling at his belt. His countenance is terrible to behold.
Will saves:
Incantator Maro:
Amon Goethe:
Dusis:
Galwynn:
Incantator Maro turns his head from the vision of Chardun, refusing to be cowed by the conquerer of his homeland. Dusis flinches, closing his eyes just in time to avoid locking gazes with the Divine sending. Amon and Galwynn, unbidden, fall to their knees before the god's image, transfixed by his terrible presence.
"Fools.", he says in a voice dripping with arrogance and malice,"Flee this place, for the spawn of the Hag are upon thee."
This command finished, the vision dissipates into ghostly chains once more and drifts away like smoke. The amphora sits on the floorboards where you left it, no different than when the Vigilant first entrusted it to you.
Galwynn and Amon:
Amon gathers up the vessel and is about halfway down the stairs before he hears the Riverhouse door creak open. In the moonlight, the young paladin and his new comrades can see a reptilian humanoid step into the Riverhouse flanked by two more of its kind. It is more slender than an elf, yet taller than a human. Dressed in loose robes, you can make out the glint of the moonlight off of its jewelry and the slim scimitar in its hand. Its snakelike eyes burn with sorcery and when its gaze settles on Amon, it points with its blade and hisses something to its companions in its blasemphous Titanspawn language.
Asaath:
Serpentfolk initiative:
Galwynn- 23 (?)
Amon, Dusis and the Asaathi- 17 (Amon- move and drop amphora, full defense; Dusis-?)
Incantator Maro- 16(?)
Galwynn raises his bow and unleashes an arrow at the first beast through the door. "In, Tanil's name, you will not have this artifact," he shouts.
Tanil graces Galwynn's shot with unerring accuracy, striking the serpentfolk in the shoulder. Its blood smokes and hisses around the arrow. Ignoring the pain, it utters several arcane phrases as its comrades advance toward the stairs and the retreating Amon. It finishes with a flick of its wrists as the other serpentfolk pull the barricade away ; the amphora in the young paladin's hands grows slippery in his grasp.
Dusis fires on the spellcaster with his shortbow, doing his best to follow Galwynn's lead.
And while it was a fine shot, the creature's grotesque grace allows it to dodge the missile by a hair's breadth.
The serpent-man doesn't even seem to notice Maro's spell.
Asaathi will save:
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Hopefully still within five feet of wherever the Amphora ends up , Incantator Maro silently calls upon Belsameth the Trickster to enshroud him in layers of deception , while holding shield and sword at the ready and saying with soft conviction, "Death! Death upon all who defy the will of the gods!"
An oily wave of darkness that feels chill and damp howls forth from his body, sluicing harmlessly over Amon, Dusis and Galwynn, and seeming to concentrate on the bodies of the serpent men.
"I said you shall not have this artifact," Galwynn shouts again as he unleashes a bolt of flame at the serpantman spellcaster.
Ok time for stupid action :)
Dusis will jump down and move towards the caster drawing his heavy flail as he goes .
Given his success with the jump, he will strike the caster if he can
Att
Possible crit
Galwynn- 23 (Firebolt)
Amon, Dusis and the Asaathi- 17 (Amon- retreat to center of the balcony; Dusis-jump to ground level)
Incantator Maro- 16(channel negative energy)
A flickering ball of fire flies from Galwynn's hand toward the serpent-man, who dodges the missile with unnatural grace.
Keeping the slippery amphora in his tight grip, Amon rushes up the stairs with the other two serpent-men in hot pursuit. Dusis leaps into a stack of crates, crashing to the floor below in a spray of splintered wood and pillows, of all things. The Albadian berserker runs headlong at the serpent-man spellcaster, who narrowly sidesteps his attack.
One of Amon's pursuers blows a long, shrill note on a horn from its belt as its comrade strikes out at the paladin with its scimitar.
Scimitar:
But the powerful blow glances off of Amon's armor. The hornblower throws a javelin at the paladin point blank, not being particularly careful about missing its cohort.
Javelin, with penalty for throwing into melee:
Meanwhile, the serpent-man spellcaster takes a deep swig from a gourd at its belt, coughs and spits a glob of acid phlegm at Dusis.
Ranged touch, reflex half damage:
Waves of oily blackness uncoil from Incantator Maro, seeping into the party's opponents.
Will saves: Wounding two of them seriously, including the spellcaster.
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Maro steps to be within hands-reach of Amon, although not in such a way to risk an opportunistic strike from one of his pursuers. He calls out again, "Feel the night seep into your bones and consume you from within!" and another wave of darkness pulses forth, howling past his allies and seeming to coalesce around the Asaatthi. Amon, in particular, feels a chill and the sensation of skeletal hands scraping along his armor, sensing great frustration from whatever forces are being summoned, as if they hunger for his soul, but are being denied...
DC 13 Will save for 1/2
Dodging the serpent-man's wad of phlegm, Dusis swings his flail down on its skull with tremendous force, knocking it to the floor where it lays still.
Perception
not seeing anything new , Dusis utters a cry of victory and attacks a lizardman
Attack Damage
Galwynn- 23 (Mage Armor)
Amon, Dusis and the Asaathi- 17 (Amon-melee attack; Dusis-move, melee attack)
Incantator Maro- 16(channel negative energy)
You can all hear the chiming of an alarm bell from Trela and the hue and cry of combat. It seems you may not be the only ones with your hands full.
Galwynn speaks some arcane syllables, lifting a piece of cured leather. His clothes spark and smoke, wreathing him in a cuirass of flames.
As Dusis runs up the stairs, Amon batters through the Asaathi's guard to give him a vicious slash. Dusis swings a powerful blow at the other serpent-man, who dodges aside gracefully. The barbarian's flail pulverizes a section of the railing. The spawn of Mormo renew their assault, a flurry of blade, fang, tail and claw.
Full attack vs. Amon (scimitar, bite, claw, tail slap):
Corean shines his benevolent gaze upon his servant; Amon's blade seems to be everywhere at once, parrying the Titanspawn's every attack.
Full attack vs. Dusis:
The Albadian berserker ducks a clumsy swing from his opponent, catching the blade on a studded leather pauldron. Acting on instinct alone, he ducks and weaves around the creature's fangs and talons even finding room for another swing of his flail.
Maro spits an oath to Belsameth as crawling darkness spreads from his shadow, spreading through the warehouse. They pointedly slither around Maro, Dusis and Amon.
Asaathi saves:
Though the tendrils of night only brush the serpent-men, it is clear that both are unsettled by the black caress of Belsameth.
Dusis' AoO
Dusis' normal attack
Dusis'possible critick
" And these are the terrific serpentmen we must flee ? "
With his magical defenses in place, Galwynn raises his hands and sends a bolt of blue energy at the serpentmen.
Galwynn- 23 (Ray of Frost)
Amon, Dusis and the Asaathi- 17 (Amon-melee attack; Dusis-melee attack)
Incantator Maro- 16(channel negative energy)
Galwynn's ray of frost strikes home, spreading a rime of frost on the serpent-man attacking Amon. The asaathi parries the paladin's powerful swing with its own scimitar before dropping the blade and diving for the amphora under Amon's arm.
Grapple vs. Amon's CMD 16:
He manages to grab the lead urn and maintain a tight grasp.
Dusis' strike on the serpent-man's clumsy opening is deflected at the last minute, though it leaves the creature open to a follow-up attack; the flail's head smacks into its shoulder. Hissing, the creature turns its full attention to the barbarian.
Full attack vs. Dusis:
Still shaken from the Incantator's shadows, the creature has another poor showing.
Saves vs. Maro's channel negative energy:
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"Die, damn you!" Maro says, having snapped out of whatever state he was in, and begun to appear concerned that the creatures are not dead yet. The darkness pulses forth from within him again, like a faint surge of black blood from a dying heart, again, sliding around his companions to harm only the serpentmen.
Dusis will strike again his adversary
The young paladin impales the serpent-man on his blade while it tries to wrest the amphora from his grip. It coughs and gags sticky, smoking blood onto the paladin's breastplate before crumpling into him.
Galywnn's arrow flies astray, shattering the window at the opposite end of the Riverhouse. Amon shrugs aside the corpse of the asaathi, striking out at his companion. The serpent-man parries the paladin's blow with his scimitar just in time to duck under Dusis' flail. Using the same momentum, it dives recklessly for the amphora under Amon's shield arm.
Grapple vs. Amon's CMD:
But the paladin pushes him back.
Maro's shadows once more slither over the serpent-man, leaving him diminished.
Dusis tries again to stike the creature but is prudent not to strike Amon at the same time , too prudent ...
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Maro is well past annoyed with the lack of appropriately impressive results from his dark channeling, and gives it one more attempt, with a muttered, "Just die, gods-forsaken snakes!" Snake-like itself, the darkness coils around the standing Asaatthi, and seeps into the dying bodies of the others, while ghosting across the forms of his allies to no affect.