Kar thinks carefully about his prayers in the morning, but in the end he decides to leave them as they are. He puts on his armour and checks his sword, then joins the rest.
"Yeah, I agree we don't have much other than starting at the statues room" he says, "though we still don't know why some statues moved while others didn't. We might find new friends there today."
"Kargoroth, we will put our faith in you."
"We should seek scrolls to undo the medusa's gaze, in case our measures fail."
"The statue room seems our best bet for hunting the creature."
A little asking around determines that there are some scrolls available for purchase in Blingdenstone but none of them will help with your stone problem.
Beast bond 120 gp
Bestow curse 400 gp
Blink 400 gp
Create food and water 420 gp
Create or destroy water 126 gp
Cure wounds 120 gp
Dawn 1280 gp
Feather fall 120 gp
Fireball 400 gp
Flame arrows 400 gp
Green-flame blade 20 gp
Hex 120 gp
Infestation 20 gp
Jump 120 gp
Produce flame 20 gp
Sanctuary 120 gp
Shield 120 gp
Shocking grasp 20 gp
Sleep 120 gp
Storm sphere 640 gp
Sword burst 20 gp
Tasha's hideous laughter 120 gp
Having done your best to prepare, you head back to the cavern with the animated statues since that forms your only lead. You cast a few spells then enter, sure you will find more trouble soon.
Later
Galinndan advances carefully, ready to bring his hunter's mark to bear on the next foe who reveals itself.
The gnome wakes up in the morning. Whatever reverie he was in last night was gone with a surge of new energy. "Medusae, medusae... What can I do to help stop such a thing?" He begins to tinker on his working sheets, mixing solutions and at some point in that hour getting distracted and making a little rock toy.
Marching alongside his companions, he makes plenty of not very keen observations. In fact you would hardly call them observations and more just idle chatter due to an innate fear of silence.
"... And that is why I really believe that the egg had to have come first! There would be no other way!" Looking at the confused faces of the others he offers up a little tool, "Oh whoever goes in first I have something for you!" It looks like a little box, shoddily made. "Just keep it on your belt or something."
He takes a moment to concentrate on the box and puts a piece of sooty metal over his ear.
d6 Effect
1 - Healing. The drinker regains a number of hit points equal to 2d4 + your Intelligence modifier.
2 - Swiftness. The drinker's walking speed increases by 10 feet for 1 hour.
3 - Resilience. The drinker gains a +1 bonus to AC for 10 minutes.
4 - Boldness. The drinker can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw they make for the next minute.
5 - Flight. The drinker gains a flying speed of 10 feet for 10 minutes.
6 - Transformation. The drinker's body is transformed as if by the alter self spell. The drinker determines the transformation caused by the spell, the effects of which last for 10 minutes.
Divination cantrip
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute
You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends.
Kar leads the way, ready for any unwanted movements by the statues. "I think there are less statues on the right, we should take that route in case they start moving. Follow me! For the Morninglord!"
At Kargoroth's words, Galinndan reconsiders.
"North it is. We throw the dice."
Given the chance to prepare, Odak walks over and picks up a rock and mumbles a few words over it before popping it in his mouth and swallowing. Then he pulls a rubbery mushroom from his pouch and eats it as well.
After coating himself in stone and strapping on his shield, Odak indicates ”Hmmm hold on..,”. He sticks a finger into his mouth seaming trying to accomplish something specific. He dislodges something from his teeth, he pulls the Medusa goggles down over his eyes replacing his magic goggles. ”Ahhh, got it. I’m all set.”
Odak, sniffs the gnome's experiment and thinks it smells overly sweet but is willing to take a swig. "Whats the worst that could happen eh?
Professor Rankle Boomtop looks surprised. "Uh well... I actually didn't expect anyone to take it but... At least you don't have extra legs; though you look a little faster. You see the last time someone drank---" He stops himself and pulls out a pad of paper, "Just let me know how you're feeling every 20 minutes or so. Please and thank you."
You know the following about medusae.
Petrifying Gaze: When a creature that can see the medusa's eyes starts its turn within 30 ft. of the medusa, the medusa can force it to make a DC 14 Constitution saving throw if the medusa isn't Incapacitated and can see the creature. If the saving throw fails by 5 or more, the creature is instantly Petrified. Otherwise, a creature that fails the save begins to turn to stone and is Restrained. The Restrained creature must repeat the saving throw at the end of its next turn, becoming Petrified on a failure or ending the effect on a success. The petrification lasts until the creature is freed by the Greater Restoration spell or other magic.
Unless surprised, a creature can avert its eyes to avoid the saving throw at the start of its turn. If the creature does so, it can't see the medusa until the start of its next turn, when it can avert its eyes again. If the creature looks at the medusa in the meantime, it must immediately make the save.
If the medusa sees itself reflected on a polished surface within 30 ft. of it and in an area of bright light, the medusa is, due to its curse, affected by its own gaze.
You head into the chamber, preparing yourselves for trouble. Soon after you enter, some of the statues spring to life and attack, just as they did last time.
Most of you are ready for this and spring into action!
You certainly here the clanking footsteps of the statues but you also hear softer footsteps coming from near the northern edge of the chamber.
”Bah, more? Blasted statues! Tha one is standin’ where we found Boomtop. Dey be sly tricksters now.” Odak says pointing left.
Rankle knows a thing or two about medusae and their gaze. "Well get your guard up fellas! If you see it and it sees you you might end up like one of these stone dolts here! 30 feet should suffice if you really wated to get technical..." He looks at his mirror that he purchased; "Also get some light in here! If it sees it own reflection it can fall as easily as us!" He looks nervous, whether it was here or not worried him and the gnome did not want to end up petrified again.
He sneaks up to Myras and attaches the box to his hip; giggling a little.
As the party advances through the underdark to return to the cavern, Myras hums a tune to try and lighten the mood and convince everyone, including himself, that they're not heading face-first into a life-or-death situation. He loads and draws his crossbow once the dim light of Blingdenstone fades behind them.
"...stare not, lest ye stand
stuck in the stone-gaze
marred by medusa's curse
many a brave fool's bane!"
He just barely has time to finish his verses before the party springs into action once again.
He walks through the town for a bit looking for a mirror before trying to settle in for the night.
Hearing nothing out of the ordinary and seeing the advancing statue to his west (purple), Myras fires a crossbow bolt and shouts a word of encouragement to the front line. "For the mourning gourd, or whatnot!"
"Odak, Cyrus, Help me with this statue before it saunters over here and clobbers me!"
Kar fixes his attention on the statues. He thinks it's important to clear them before the medusa appears. For now, he's keeping his goggles safe - he'll use them when time's due.
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With his head covered by a sack, Cyrus takes a shot towards what he hopes is a statue. "Whatever appens down ere, don let me urn into one of these tings." He grunts from under his sack.
Galinndan holds a chunk of crystal before his eye with one hand, the other grasping his stronger blade.
Galinndan rushes towards the nearest statue, trying to lop its head off!
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Realizing that fighting these creatures with these goggles on is going to prove difficult, Odak steps in front of Myras and calls forth his abilities to control earth to harm the blurred statue that he sees through the crystal goggles.
Only Galinndan manages to land a blow this time and the statues lumber into position, whirling their limbs in counter-attack.
Cyrus, blind to the world, is easily struck once (7 dam) but somehow manages to evade the second blow by dodging blindly. Galinndan is subjected to six attacks and dodges all but is struck by a lucky shot (crit for 9 dam). You also hear a female voice shriek in Undercommon "You dare defy me, Neheedra, servant of Ogremoch's Bane! You will crumble before me here and become my servants!" Two arrows fly down a narrow passage and one luckily strikes Galinndan between all the statues. The arrow itself wounds him but its poison is much worse (6 piercing and 9 poison damage).
Cyrus drops his bow and reaches for his blade, swinging wildly in front of him.
"Oh my oh my oh my!" He hears the slithery voice in the corridor and decides that his choice earlier will pay off. "Take this you bad statue you!"
He throws a weak vial but without anything to splash off of, its damage seems a lot less exciting than he hopes.
Kar advances, and decides to try to crumble one of the statues that's in his way, so he can reach the new challenger and quickly defeat her.
Galinndan starts to stagger and tries to focus on slaying the statue threatening Kargoroth.
"Focus on one at a time if you can!", he calls, ignoring the boasts of what was surely the medusa.
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Hearing the snarl and the thud of the arrow, Myras shouts a word of healing around the corner to Galinndan. Myras trembles slightly out of fear of what the hideous creature might be with such a chilling voice.
He then fires once again at the statue to his West.
Finally he lifts the crystal from his pocket to cover his eye, closing the other eye.
Nobody can manage to damage a statue for the time being as all attacks miss and the statues shake off both spells. It begins to dawn on you that you can't take on this army of stone with your eyes closed. You'll probably need to deal with the medusa first so you can fight the statues unhindered. The statues and the shrieking medusa drive this point home! The statues clobber Galinndan and Cyrus quite effectively (21 dam to Galinndan, 20 to Cyrus). The wood elf barely keeps his feat until two more arrows zip toward him, one striking him in the side. "You'll die before my glorious beauty!!"
"Stuff it ye old hag!" Cyrus grunts through the pain of being clobbered by a stone fist.
The Professor hears the horrid medusa and knows full well that it is coming. He looks to the others, "I'll be right back! Don't you worry about old Boomtop!"
He moves past the statue in a reckless manner, there was one shot to trap this medusa. . Whether or not it hit him he was certain his gnomish endurance would help him make it to his destination. Then proceeds to dash a little further with his mirror held where his face should be.
Kar finally notices the medusa. However, he knows letting his comrades drop won't take his endeavour anywhere safe, and decides Galinndan has to play an important role in this combat.
Crouching and touching him, he instills some life in his dying body.
Galinndan awakens, hears the shrieking thing, and *knows* what he must do. With one hand holding the crystal tightly - and not before his face - the elf draws upon the power.
He becomes as a blur, zipping past the now-slow motion statues, driving his blade at the medusa!
Seeing Rankle and Galinndan rush forward, Myras is more than a little concerned. The Gnome's protests did not make him feel any less inclined to think they were doomed, surrounded by heavy-hitting statues and pursuing a dangerous monstrosity. Even so, he knew they didn't have many opportunities to try what they were about to do, so he'd better act fast. As the Gnome rushes into the dark cavern, Myras whispers a verse in his ear.
Myras turns the corner to his northeast and sees the foul creature's writhing tufts in the shadowy cave. He mutters something in Elven(Drow)) while reaching out in its direction.
Beneath the skin of the four knuckles of his outstretched hand a faint glow begins to appear. You see light pool there atop his hand like water collecting on a dripping pipe, only skyward as opposed to downward. This light then separates into four orbs which he projects toward the Medusa. They hover 5 feet above her and combine faintly into the figure of an elf.
He then ducks back behind the corner for fear of locking eyes with the (now illuminated) horrifying creature.
Growling in frustration, Odak summons forth the shadowy axe that has helped him through many scrapes in these tunnels.
Lashing out at the statue as he follows Boomtop to flank the Medusa.
for
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Odak completely smacks one of the statues and Cyrus finishes it off. Unfortunately, a new statue animates to take its place! (new purple) Meanwhile, Galinndan rushes around the statues to attack the medusa head on!
The medusa shrieks in anger as the wood elf strikes her. She whirls and stashes her bow, drawing her sword and hissing "It will be face to face, then! Die!" Galinndan feels his flesh starting to feel like stone.
The medusa can't quite see the mirror yet, though Rankle seems to have a plan and Myras is providing the illumination. Her statues, however, rush forward and continue bludgeoning senselessly with their stony limbs. One attacks Odak and three surround Kargoroth! But only one of them lands a small strike (8 bludg to K).
The professor turns the corner and shouts at the top of his lungs. "Hey you! Yeah you! The one with the hissing hair and awful aim!" Holding the mirror aloft in one hand, in the other he pulls out a hose that spills out a toxic sludge at the medusa; hoping to draw its ire over to him.
"Two can hit and run!" He shouts as he turns the corner again, holding the mirror as high as he can reach his little arms.
st-level necromancy
Casting Time: 1 action
Range: 60 feet
Components: V, S
Duration: Instantaneous
A ray of sickening greenish energy lashes out toward a creature within range. Make a ranged spell attack against the target. On a hit, the target takes 2d8 poison damage and must make a Constitution saving throw. On a failed save, it is also poisoned until the end of your next turn.
At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 2nd level or higher, the damage increases by 1d8 for each slot level above 1st.
Kar decides their friends need help right now, and he's stuck there with the statues surrounding him, which will only bring doom to the poor paladin. He risks being beaten now in exchange for a different paradigma, and escapes the terrible position he's in.
He reaches the medusa and asks for otherworldly help before striking, trying to cause some damage and make his risky maneuver worthy.
[ooc]Bonus Action: Channel Divinity (Vow of Enmity) vs Medusa (Adv to attack rolls, which should cancel the goggles giving Disadv)
Rankle hears a shriek of anger as his blindly-fired ray manages to strike home. In undercommon, the medusa shrieks "You tiny pest! I'll shatter your statue to..." and then the words are cut off but he can't see why.
Kargoroth, who is looking, see the medusa's constantly wriggling snakes stop moving and freeze in place as her entire form holds still and turns a shade of grey.
Kar is about to risk his own life so as to help his companions, but when he realises Boomtop's plan actually worked he instead focuses on finishing the statues before they can cause further damage.