Crystal Quest Aftermath, Part 23
3/4/06
RetCon: Loot searching doesn't have a chance to happen.
Some discussion ensues about various effects that could be used on the bag of Matro's Fingers - mainly in the sense of Sarai using them as a spell component. The idea of slicing one of the fingers with the Godslayer is also floated, in the hope that it would somehow harm Matro, but for now it is turned down.
After investigating the Scepter for a few minutes, Akili learns about a new function fire its blade up to 40 feet, if braced against an object.
Pleased with his discovery, he decides to check on his 8-Ball some more, finally determining that travel to the plane of its origin could be hazardous - potentially even worse than, say, the Negative Energy Plane. This is a fortunate discovery, as he was becoming very tempted to go just there. He discusses the possibility of turning it into a weapon - that is, targeting someone else to transport them to that plane - with Sarai. She considers this, then asks if the 8-Ball will work for someone else. Akili replies that he doesn't know, and if she wants to try. Sarai says, "Sure." He hands it over, then asks how it works. Akili thinks about this for a few minutes, explaining that it depends on what she wants to happen, adds that using the Gate function is dangerous, and then concludes that the best way is simply to shake it and turn it over. She does so.
(Paul erases the Tallies from Sarai's character sheet, and scrawls something new under Feats: Chaos Spell *cast chaos mage spells via components*)
Sarai has an epiphany. The message floating up from the 8-ball reads: Try adding some components.
Akili watches Sarai with much wariness as she pulls out a tie-dyed pebble from long ago, and repeats the process. The message this time is 'Yes'.
Right in front of Sarai, the big stone bleacher section in front of her rumbles, then splits open, and a big metallic object comes popping up, kind of rectangular-shaped. It is about 5'x5'x10' tall, and is mostly made of granite, but there is a metallic door with several runes upon it. There are a collection of little horizontal slots in it, and one of them starts pouring fourth little slips of paper.
Akili tilts his head, and comments, "Now the question is, is it a second one... or the same one brought here?" Of course, there is no good answer to that question, but others want to know what it is.
Akili observes, "I guess you have your answer, Sarai." To her, it felt like casting a normal spell, except more... fun, or freeing. Akili thinks a moment more, then points out that using the ball that way himself drains him of his magical capacity for the day. Sarai ponders this, knowing that her magic doesn't work that way.
Andune and Sarai spot a headless body of Salervan, with a head tucked under its arm, running towards the doors at the pit of the arena. Andune announces what she's seen, and Sarai doesn't hesitate, using that old living-blood-soaked crossbow bolt as a component as she activates the 8-Ball again. Nothing visible appears to happen, and he makes it through the doorway into the hall.
Initiative begins. Atheele dashes down the bleachers, and fires an arrow at the fleeing Salervan, and hits, although he doesn't fall.
In the midst of action, Akili suddenly realizes that he learned to tap the 8-Ball directly for magic, rather than using his own internal stock. But mentioning that will have to wait.
Therath draws his own longbow, and fires his own single shot, but misses.
Oy-aht orders her Hound Archons to give chase.
The realization strikes many that the running Salervan is the one that was decapitated by the Godslayer, whom is still remarkably active for taking over 291 points of damage, and *should* be dead, were he mortal. This causes Kenlow to roar, "WHY WON'T YOU DIE!?!"
Sarai checks her Salervan stone, and it is mostly vivid red, with just a hint of blue.
Kaira also sprints towards the opening, but can't quite keep up with Salervan.
Akili spreads his wings and dives towards the doorway, easily making it to the hallway, and attempts to follow Salervan by sound. He manages to figure out where he headed, and quickly catches up.
Kenlow swoops down, and follows after Akili, also reaching Salervan, and attempts to yank the head out of Salervan's grasp with Air, but fails.
Salervan then shouts, "Unwanted accident! Bastard child of the enemy! You think you could actually defeat a creature of Matro's own intention!?" Kenlow shouts back, "Perhaps not, but I'll give it my best shot!"
Oy-aht uses Long Step to move directly into where Salervan is, and pummels him.
Salervan backs up, sticks his head back on, and hunkers down.
Akili is attacked by someone who popped up behind him, not making a sound, and is struck three times by a big blade for 38 damage. He staggers, but doesn't fall.
Atheele runs closer, sees the larged plate armored foe wielding a bastard sword in one hand, and fires an arrow, but it deflects off of the armor.
Andune casts her Dimension Door spell, and instantly moves inside the contested area where Akili, Salervan, Kenlow, and such are gathered.
The doors at the end of the hall burst open, and four of the big bone cats enter, starting to attack, and hit a few.
Akili, still reeling, backs up, defends himself, and casts Wild Shield. He is surrounded by twirling strips of cloth-like material that are thin, but several feet long, and silvery, from his point of view, although through Spellcraft, he expects they look different on the other side.
Sarai activates her Haste boots (actually, the remains of her rollerblades with the wheels cut off), and charges the armored guy with her sword. It is a well-aimed hit, but it still glances off of his armor.
Oy-aht casts Magic Circle against Evil, and gives herself, Andune, Akili, Kenlow and Keira bonuses against their attackers.
Kenlow whips out Godslayer again, yelling, "This time I'm going to draw and quarter you!", furiously slashes at Salervan, and criticals for a massive 116 points of damage. His return stroke misses, but surprisingly Salervan is still alive, and seamlessly headed once more.
Atheele finally enters the fray, and tosses the tanglefoot bag at the now-stationary Salervan, which bursts and spreads ropy glue all over him..
Therath also draws close, announces, "Who wants barbeque?" and chucks a vial of alchemist's fire at the plate-armored warrior, and promptly explodes, setting him on fire.
Kaira, in bear form, attempts to grapple Salervan in an attempt to rip the ring off of his finger, hoping that it has something to do with his ability to still be alive, but misses.
Salervan then attacks Kenlow, and hits, but not very hard.
The burning armored guy ignores Akili this time, and swings at Therath, connecting for another wad of damage.
Andune steps up and attacks one of the cat golems with her adamantium blade, and connects.
Akili steps up to the piller, braces the Scepter, and uses the extended blade, punching through his armor for 16 damage, and retracts it.
One of the cat constructs comes up to Andune and attempts to hit her, but the Magic Circle Against Evil keeps it firmly at bay.
Another one comes up to Akili, swings, and the twirling strips completely entangle the bone cat, completely protecting Akili... which is good, because he's unwittingly wandered out of the Magic Circle's spell range.
An explosion abruptly bursts in front of several party members, including Kenlow, Oy-aht, Therath, Atheele, and Kaira. Kenlow partially dodges it, but it does 31 points to the people that don't dodge it. No one seems to notice where it came from, although Atheele guesses it came from someone they can't see yet.
Therath steps up with his spiked whip and strikes at Salervin's nether regions, but it falls a little short. Grimacing, he attempts to whip up to the balcony railings overhead... and unfortunately fails that one too, narrowly avoiding falling on his butt.
Sarai attempts to invent a spell on the spot involving the use of brimstone and flaming metal, adds one of her lighting-struck crossbows, and casts it. The bolt flings from her hand as if normally fired from a crossbow, and unerringly seeks out the burning warrior, striking him for another 12 points.
The warrior turns towards Sarai again, and connects twice, one being a critical blow. She also staggers, looking badly hurt, but she's also still standing.
Salorvan swings at Kenlow again with his scimitar, and twice connects again.
Kenlow has noticed Kaira's attempt to gnaw off the ring, and this time tries to slice off the arm in question, but Salervan yanks it away just in time, and his second strike also misses.
Andune strikes again against the cat creatures, and critically strikes one with her blade.
Akili is then attacked by one of the cat creatures, and all three blows land, as he's outside of the ward. He staggers again due to another 42 damage, and barely defends against the grapple.
Oy-aht, Keira, Therath, and Atheele have to save again from a burst of cold damage.
Oy-aht casts another spell to heal most of the party by 26 points. (There is a collective sigh of relief from the players), and harms undead creatures. Salorvan FINALLY topples.
Kaira attacks one of the cat creatures, and connects with both hits, although it resists part of her blows, and she entangles it in a grapple.
Akili steps back into the Magic Circle's effect, concentrates on defending himself once more, and casts Wild Shield as his last controlled spell. A wall of quickly growing, dense leafy undergrowth (potatoes!) appears between himself and the flaming warrior.
The hound archons then step up and strike the grappled bone cat, hitting it several times.
Atheele aims upwards and starts firing arrows at the caster up on the balcony. Being that the caster is evil, and the bow is a Holy Bow, he deals some serious beat-down.
Deprived of a Salervan to kill, Kenlow leaps up out of the fray and tries to land up on the balcony where the evil magic caster is. Successful, he swings his blade with superb skill, and the caster's head flies off, falling on the ground below.
Kaira holds the grapple, and strikes the pinned cat creature a couple more times.
The blazing warrior attacks Sarai, which is the only one he's currently in a position to attack, and he decks her. She falls down unconscious, dying but not dead yet.
Therath successfully climbs up his whip, he has a cocked arrow to fire at the headless Salervan, reconsiders, and fires at the warrior instead, but misses.
Oy-aht casts another healing spell for another 27 points, which restores Sarai.
Akili, seeing Sarai's fall, leaves his cover - although he keeps up his defense with the plasma blade - and casts Cure Light Wounds on Sarai, further helping her recover.
Atheele fires more arrows at the plate-mailed annoyance, and some of the arrows puncture through his plate. He suffers a lot more damage, but is still alive.
The archons strike the grappled cat yet again, resolutely chipping it into shards.
Andune turns to face the same flaming warrior, and fires a lightning bolt at him, FINALLY dropping him too.
The pinned cat is finally destroyed, and three cats turn and finally flee, but no one chases after them.
Before the party takes shelter, they scope for loot. Sarai's stone is bright blue.
Scimitar+3 x2 Heavy Steel Shield +3(+5) x2 Longbow+2 Longbow+1 Full Plate +1 Full Plate+3 Bastard Sword +3 Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds x7 Greatsword+3 x2 Chain Shirt+3 x2 Breastplate +2 Longsword +1 Shortbow+1 Heavy Steel Sheeld +1 Ring, Protection +1 x2
Kenlow combs his memory, then presses two hidden buttons in the pillars, and a secret stairwell opens in the floor. The party follows him through the tunnel. After about five minutes, he reaches the panel that will allow him into his old chambers, but he's not 100% certain they're unoccupied. He finally opens the door, and the room is entirely rearranged from what Kenlow remembers, but it is entirely empty. Atheele pokes around for secret exits, and finds a couple... which are two of the five that Kenlow points out once he realizes what Atheele is doing.
Under the bed, there is a secret panel that slides back, and in a pit is a treasure chest... this is immediately familiar, and so they want to make sure another undead creature isn't about to assail them. Or a Mimic. Andune investigates, and confirms it's a trap. She handily disables the poison dart trap, and in fact is able to keep it with her. Atheele then takes out the box.
The chest contains 21,000 gold pieces, and another 1,350 were looted from the troops out in the ampitheater. Akili also checks out a cloak, which ends up being of resistance +4. It gets handed off to Kaira.
When the party finally retires into the rope trick, Akili stays below for just a minute to test his chaos die to try to decipher its divination abilities. Something is coming up the hall, and Akili pauses briefly while halfway up the rope.
There's a bit kind of scary goofy lizard-thing walking on its hind legs, stiffly wobbling in his direction. He kind of asks Akili if there's something he can help with. Akili pauses, and warily asks him what he can do. The guy says, "Well, uh... need any cities destroyed?" Akili Grins Widely, and asks Kenlow for directions. They explain where Matro's core city is, and the thing nods agreeably, and wanders away. Akili closes the panel, then shimmies up the rope trick and brings the rope up with him.
Kenlow locks the panels that be secured, then everyone retires out of sight.
The game is paused here.