Nuveril's shoulders sag, as she drops out of her rage. Turning her back to the dead priest and the desecrated altar, she takes a long look out over the piles of skeletal remains that litter the church. She's here somewhere. With the others. Ask the bones.
Nuveril's hammer hits the hecuva's skull with so much force it shatters into pieces, the rest of the creature's body literally falling part in Sajan's grip.
Saranrae's church has been reclaimed.
Zeladiel snaps his fingers and the flaming sphere winks out with a sigh. He makes his way to the centre of the room and reclaims his arrow, then silently he begins searching through the many bones and bodies.
Perception:
With the undead at rest the church somehow seems less dark, less menacing than before. Even more so than the monastery chapel, the work required to restore and resanctify the place will be immense but even those of you with no divine inclinations feel that it can be done, as if the place is now simply waiting to be restored to what it was.
A full search of the building might take days but you give it a thorough examination. Behind the fallen block you find the altar, partly damaged and desecrated by what you can assume was the fallen priest. The trappings of the place are gone, right down to the candlesticks and tapestry rods. The gilt has been carved out of the mosaics and floor tiles. It seems as if the place was thorougly looted at some point after the battle here and before its occupation by the undead.
Most of the furniture and records have been destroyed or heavily damaged by fires that clearly raged inside. Many of the interior walls and doors are warped and blackened although it appears, as it did from outside, that the main structure of the church remains intact.
Its difficult but possible to derive some information from the remains. From the fragments of their clothing it does look as if these were once the townspeople of Kelmarane. If Almah's version of events of two and a half decades ago is correct, the townspeople may have fallen before the soldiers sent from Katapesh. There is little evidence of that though aside from the signs of the battle itself. They may have taken the bodies of their own with them as none of the remains bear the armour of the Zephyr guard or the red chitin of Katapeshi regulars.
The bones are of all sizes. Its hard to tell whether the smaller ones were children or smaller races.
The two doors lead to different sections of the church.
The south west section was living quarters. You find little here but dust, more bones and scattered personal effects.
The south east section beyond the double doors holds further worshipping areas, looted like the main part of the church. Toward the middle, a set of steps descend down about twelve feet to a heavy set of stone double doors. A flickering red barrier sits like a bubble around the doors, penetrating straight into the worked stone blocks around it and through the floor and ceiling as well. Its opaque but completely solid and slightly cold to the touch.
Dust sits in thick piles up against the bottom of the barrier. You could easily believe that noone has been here since it was placed here.
Again if Almah is right the interdict key can bring down the barrier and allow you passage through the doors although it does seem as if thats a one-way process. You will be able to enter the crypt. And whatever is down there will be able to come out ....
You've gained your bonus feat!
Blessing of the Dawnflower
As a reward for reclaiming her churches in Kelmarane, the Goddess has blessed you, allowing your channelled energy to affect creatures of fire.
You may channel energy to heal or harm creatures of the outsider (fire) and (fire) sub-types as per the Alignment Channel and Elemental Channel feats.
You've gained your bonus feat!
Blessing of the Dawnflower
As a reward for reclaiming her churches in Kelmarane, the Goddess has blessed you, infusing your fire bolts with a portion of your Goddess' divine energy.
Your fire bolts deal holy as well as fire damage. This has the effect of bypassing fire resistance. In addition, the fire burns especially harshly against evil creatures of fire and flame. Against creatures of evil alignment with natural fire resistance (ie not conveyed from a spell or item) your fire bolts do 1d8 damage + 1 per level of inquisitor (rather than +1 for every two levels).
You've gained your bonus feat!
Blessing of the Dawnflower
As a reward for reclaiming her churches in Kelmarane, the Goddess has blessed you, granting you a measure of inner peace and protection against effects that would take advantage of the rage within you.
You gain a +3 sacred bonus on saves against mind-affecting effects that rely on negative emotions (ie crushing despair, rage, fear) and confusion.
Grall feels bolstered by the days events, ready to face whatever lies behind these doors, Masters, may I get Oxvard, I want to grab something from our equipment anyways???
Nuveril spends some time searching through the skeletal remains but quickly loses any hope of finding halfling remains in particular; the dry bones are too scattered and broken, only the animated skeletons having hung together in any upright form and those now shattered. She takes some small comfort from not having noticed any Small skeletons among the attackers and doesn't mention it to the others in case they did; she doesn't want to know about it.
When she has given up, she approaches Linah and Khalid, speaking in a low and angry voice. "This betrayer, this ... Halruun, he was the shaman here? The pet of your Sun-Lady and dispenser of healing? And he is the one who brought ruin upon this place? He said he ... whispered words from his master to turn them against each other. His master is Xulthos?"
Linah's spirits rise as the fallen priest is turned to dust by Nuveril's blow. Like a stone has been lifted off her shoulders. She stows her mace and shield as she climbs up to the altar to join her companions. With one hand placed on Sajan and one on Grall she radiates a wave of healing energy that stops any bleeding and closes minor wounds .
"He was a priest of the Dawnflower and a priest is not a pet", Linah anwsers Nuveril, her soft voice carrying a slight hint of an edge. "I dreamt of this. Halruun turned from the holy light and was consumed by hate. I do not know for certain but it is possible that Xulthos planted that hate."
Linah looks Nuveril in the eyes, her face full of compassion. "Was your family apart of this assembly?"
"He was a priest of the Dawnflower and a priest is not a pet", Linah anwsers Nuveril, her soft voice carrying a slight hint of an edge. "I dreamt of this. Halruun turned from the holy light and was consumed by hate. I do not know for certain but it is possible that Xulthos planted that hate."Linah looks Nuveril in the eyes, her face full of compassion. "Was your family apart of this assembly?"
"I ... don't know," Nuveril looks away uneasily. "I remember nothing of any family before my mother-- ... my mother of the Lions found me. It could have been lying; it would be just like a Gnome to do so." It takes them a moment to realize that Nuveril considers any deceptive spellcaster a "Gnome." "But this place ... something about this place is familiar. How could it be so, though?" she demands. "I was found days from here in the wilderness, left behind by gnoll slavers who saw no profit in keeping an infant alive for the slave markets -- or so I have always believed. If I was born here...?" She shakes her head, angry at her inability to puzzle out the solution.
Almah, Garavel, Zantus, Haleen, Oxvard and Felliped join you at the church, the gnome darting looks at Nuveril.
Gods preserve us, Almah mutters at the sight of the remains of the townspeople.
Oxvard channels energy to heal the last of your wounds.
Channel
Channel
Almah passes the interdict key to Zeladiel as you stand before the barrier and Oxvard begins a long series of blessings you worked out the night before. At the end the priest of Abadar sags, exhausted.
"I ... don't know," Nuveril looks away uneasily. "I remember nothing of any family before my mother-- ... my mother of the Lions found me. It could have been lying; it would be just like a Gnome to do so." It takes them a moment to realize that Nuveril considers any deceptive spellcaster a "Gnome." "But this place ... something about this place is familiar. How could it be so, though?" she demands. "I was found days from here in the wilderness, left behind by gnoll slavers who saw no profit in keeping an infant alive for the slave markets -- or so I have always believed. If I was born here...?" She shakes her head, angry at her inability to puzzle out the solution.
"I can not imagine how you must feel. I will do my best to help you uncover the truth", Linah says hoping to offer the halfling some comfort.
Linah draws her scimitar and runs her fingers back and forth over the blade. The steel starts to glow softly spreading light around the cleric . Then she equips her shield before taking her place before the barrier, ready to face what lies beyond.
Nuveril returns Felliped's unfriendly glances. She is distrustful of Oxvard, allied as he is with the evil Gnome, and will not submit to his protective spell until the others have gone first and assured her she is in no danger from him. As the party gathers at the barrier, she gives a lingering look back at the bone-strewn cathedral where, if her family indeed lies there, she will never find them.
At Nuveril's hesitation and mistrust of Oxvard, Zeladiel murmurs quietly to her, "If he tries to cast anything other than the spell that protects you from evil influence, we'll tell you at once."
Zeladiel stands beside Linah, a silver arrow nocked and ready on his bow, upon which he casts a second light spell.
Conscious your magical protections are only going to last several minutes and you have no idea how large the crypt may be, you move quickly, co-ordinating your own preparations wth Oxvard's spells.
Haleen squeezes Grall's hand tightly, making a game but fairly attempt at concealing her worry.
As Zeladiel brings the small rectangular key near the barrier the flickering intensifies. As they make contact, the barrier vibrates once and then vanishes. Sajan and Grall try the doors, they move easily enough, revealing further stone steps leading down.
You take these descending a further twenty feet or so into a rounded stone-walled chamber a featureless stone door in the north wall the only apparent exit.
A ten foot diameter circle of mortared stones at the center of the room make the top of a well or shaft that descends into the earth. Next to the well, on a small pedestal, is a large gong. A short stick capped with a round pad of moldering leather dangles from a cord attached
to the gong platform.
There is no light here other than what you brought with you. The air is stale and cold.
Round -31
Grall ignores the gong and pit, moving to the next door and opening it unless someone stops him.
Linah whispers a prayer before decending down the stairs, moving the scimitar before her to light the way. She follows behind as the group makes its way across the room. The gong gleams from the light of scimitar is reflected as she walks past. She wonders what the gong is for before pushing her thoughts away and resuming her concentration as Grall opens the door.
Nuveril sidles up to Linah and Khalid. "What purpose does that serve?" she asks, nodding to the gong and well. "Was this not a shrine to your Sun-Lady before it was a prison?"
"I do not know. It is not a common item used in the worship of the dawnflower", Linah whispers back as if thinking that anything louder would cause something unknown to leap out of the darkness and attack them.
As Grall approaches the door he can see that it is clearly featureless, no knob or sign of an opening mechanism. It looks several feet thick, solid stone. He tenatively puts his shoulder to it but a few moments straining makes it clear that even with his enhanced strength nothing short of major engineering activity is going to force it open.
The shaft is thirty feet deep, the bottom visible when a light is brought near. Best as you can tell its a stone plug filled with nothing but a thick layer of dust.
Round -30
"The door will not open unless we announce our presence,"" Nuveril guesses sourly. "I doubt we have the advantage of surprise anyway; surely Xulthos felt his servant's destruction."
"I do not know. I is not a common item used in the worship of the dawnflower", Linah whispers back as if thinking that anything louder would cause something unknown to leap out of the darkness and attack them.
You have no idea about the gong specifically. Its not unknown though for the church to guard things of value (not necessarily monetary value) with protection, mundane and magical.
You recall Felliped's tale of rumours about treasures in the undercrypt although the timing of such might now seem suspicious...
Check to see if gong is magical? Sajan asks as he examines it closely, not yet touching it but scrutinising it with his eyes.
Perception
Kno: Religion
Therrre could be trrraps down herrre to keep norrrmal thieves out, we should be carrreful. Perrrhaps Zeladiel should use an arrow to rrring the gong?
Sajan notes that both gong and ringer are covered in dust. They haven't been touched in many years.
No pertinent information comes to mind.
"I think the ringer would be more effective, but I can spare an arrow."
The silver arrow seems to slide to one side and Zeladiel loads and fires a regular arrow at the gong, making sure it rebounds away from his companions. The silver arrow seems to slide back into place on his bow and he sweeps the room looking for a response.
You move back behind the well and Zeladiel shoots his arrow. Round -29
It hits the middle of the gong squarely and loudly, the gong echoing hollowingly around the room. Using the striker doesn't seem to have been necessary. Almost immediately the northern door begins to slide open with a faint rumbling and you hear a similar noise coming from the bottom of the shaft.
Your trying to make out the space beyond the door when a gout of pinkish, swirling vapor rushes out of the well, coalescing into three man-sized shapes, roiling fiery forms of winged angels with long hair and wings. The centre one is slightly larger than its fellows and they make a triangle around the pit. All three start toward you and you can feel the overwhelming heat coming off them.
Warm Welcome
Round 1
Initiative
Angels
Middle Angel
Grall
Nuveril
Linah
Khalid
Sajan
Zeladiel
Ordered Initiative
Middle Angel 29
Grall 21
Angels 19a
Linah 19b
Khalid 13a
Nuveril 13b
Sajan 12
Zeladiel 8
Edit: Effects
Protection from Evil (Nuveril, Zeladiel, Grall, Khalid)
Mage Armour (Zeladiel, Sajan)
Bull Strength (Grall, Sajan)
Cats Grace (Khalid)
Shield of Faith (Sajan)
Weapon of Awe (Khalid)
The middle angel moves first, surging toward Nuveril almost as if its rolling on the ground rather than using its legs. A fiery fist takes the flat-footed halfling squarely in the side and the barbarian feels her jerkin igniting from the touch.
Slam hit
Despite their angelic appearance their simply fire elementals obviously shaped by whatever magic binds them here as guardians.
They are immune to fire, vulnerable to cold.
Their touch can set their foes on fire and this extends to enemies using natural or unarmed attacks.
Told you to check for magic... Sajan says sullenly as things begin to go wrong.
Knowledge (Planes):
"They're not angels, just shaped fire elementals."
"They are accursed demons!" Nuveril corrects from within her shroud of flame.
Round 1, initiative 19b
Arms outstreched Linah prays for the Dawnflower to aid her and her companions through this battle . "Stand aside and let us pass! We are here to destroy the evil that lurks in these halls!", she commands the angles and moves to stand beside Grall .
Grall seems almost in awe of the creatures for a moment, when one of them suddenly strikes out at Nuveril, he reacts quickly, with a roar
he steps to K9 and attacks the fiery creature.
Or if Zeladiel says they're fire elementals before my action
Grall's unfamiliarity with the creatures shows. The creature flows away from a powerful down cut that may have removed the arm from a humanoid foe.
The two other creatures move forward to engage Sajan and Grall. The monk instinctively moves into one of his typical defensive stances which seems to worry his foe not at all. A fiery fist flows around his hurried block to slam into his chest. Grall sways back from his own attacker evading its strikes.
Slam vs Sajan hit possible crit
Slam vs Grall miss
Crit confirm confirmed
Linah casts her bless spell, raising her palm with the mark of the Dawnflower as she does. Her command rings out powerfully around the confines of the room .. and all three creatures halt in place, staying where they are and ceasing their attacks. Their attention seems fully focused on Linah.
Edit
Nuveril speaks her opinion on the "angels'" provenance as she swings back at the fiery demon, ignoring the flame licking at her skin. [ooc]Hammer damage Madu damage
Khalid feels Tempest's hilt grow cold as he hacks away part of the elemental's fiery mass.
The three elementals react instantly, returning to an agressive posture and seemingly ready to resume their assault on the group.
Zeladiel addresses the elementals in an inhuman crackling sounding tounge.
The elemental that attacked Nuveril turns its head toward the elf long enough to briefly respond.
We wait. We serve.
It turns its head back toward Linah.