Little Green II

[Monodominant]

"We dont know... we actually were the kids of one of the builders of this place... maybe the Archpriests cursed us to stay trapped here after he left promising to bring back help when he realised what the temple was for..." Eric says.

"We havent seen anyone for as long as can remember though... the upper parts had been raided many times by various creatures but few ever found the passage in the under-temple... I believe there is a further level even more down but we never got past the dog so we cant tell you much about it!" adds Toby.

"Ah and there is off course a lady Annis somewhere around here... she also got trapped somehow! She is even scarier than the old priest and the dog!"

After your discussion, 'morning' comes quickly. Jana and the priestess wake up and once again you can see from Jana's haunted look that her sleep was not restful. Dark circles have started forming around her eyes...

You manage to destroy all the pillars and for a few moments the place somehow feels more hospitable and warm... as time passes though it returns to its previous state.

Opening the first sarcophagus requires... a Reflex save.

[planswalker]

Spoiler

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raise your hand if you're surprised at the trap...

reflex - (d20+7)[23]

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

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I raise my hand!

What happens next is not so much a mechanical trap as a suprise.

The sarcophagus is filled with a gooey, gruesome and thick liquid from which a series of worms lunge at you along with a cloud full of spores.

The smell and sight is very disturbing and you thank Tiamat that you manage to pull away from this horrid infestation before the worm-like creatures with the razorsharp claws get at you.

[planswalker]

LG will begin to burn them while signaling for the rest to stay back.

ref dc 22 - (6d6)[21]

[Monodominant]

It doesnt take long to destroy the nest. Inside the sarcophagus, after you have cleaned out these parasites, you can find the completely eaten bones of a human body and a series of items like a death mask and other such jewelery but are completely ruined due to their contact with the slimy creatures.

There is one thing not destroyed and that is a small flask made from a weird iron like material. There is liquid in the flask.

[planswalker]

LG will store the flask away for now. Time enough to experiment with what it could be when they're back on the surface.

LG will open the lids on the other two by pushing them with his arm decoration known as his quarterstaff. He ensures that he burns them all to a crisp before looting it and proceeding to the next one.

[Monodominant]

None of the other sarcophagi have anything living, or unliving, in them. Bones and jewelery that has been ruined by time is mostly what is in them. It seems that indeed these were the last High Priests of this temple given what you know. For some reason it seems the dog you fought kept the last High Priest from being buried here.

Overall still surviving there are 2 golden masks with jeweled eyes, a few platinum bracers and a scepter that radiates magic. Other than that, all sarcophagi have a similar flask to the one you found already. Two of them though have completely dried out, leaving the total number of the ones that still contain some kind of liquid to 4.

[planswalker]

LG will loot it all for now to be sorted through back on the surface.

With Jana's consent, he will lead them onwards.

[Monodominant]

You advance past this room, the final resting place of the Priesthood of Tharidzun, to a small corridor.

Unlike most areas you have crossed so far this corridor is tight and low ceilinged. You, Jana and the halflings have little problem to pass through given your height but the Sister does face some problems.

After around 5 minutes of walking you arrive at what appears to be yet another shrine.

The passageway divides to pass east and west of a huge ovoid pillar spanning from floor to ceiling. This column is more than 10‘ thick and slightly longer than 20’. In the exact center of its (east and west) face is a recess. In this alcove is a black statue of a shrouded, man-like figure.

Water seeps down the face of the figure, running drop by drop as if they were tears, coursing along the chest to a trough made by the arms, and then into a bowl. The water has left a slight deposit of reddish mineral over the years. The basin is filled, and a steady drip from it falls on the statue’s feet, seeping away to who knows where.

At the feet of the figure is another small statue, a spherical shape with many ray-like projections from it. This statue has a hollow place atop it which resembles a small bowl or dish. There are green and black objects in the dish and small holes around the dish.

There is no obvious exit from this room.

[planswalker]

"Anyone have a thought on what to do here that's more sophisticted than me destroying one of the alcoves to find out what'll happen?"

[Monodominant]

Jana approaches the whole edifice carefully.

"Well... this whole scene reminds of a fountain I read about once. You made offerings and the Gods would see to it that you would return there afterwards... supposedly it was a nice place where you wanted to actually return to!" she explains.

She does not touch the statues but she proceeds to search the room.

The Sister eyes the obviously religious statue with mistrust and casts a couple of spells before turning to you.

"A mix of magic and evil is present in the aura all about this shrine. It might have once been truly powerful and though I still feel the traces as a bad taste in my mouth but much has subsided... the... tears especially seem to have some power..."

[planswalker]

"Well, Jana, unless you think you can figure out how the fountain operates and safely overcome it, I think I'd prefer to turn this thing to rubble. Worst case scenario, we have to manually find the hidden door and I get to exercise my breath creating an entrance."

[Monodominant]

Jana approaches the statue and looks at it carefully. A few moments later she seems a bit dissapointed.

"I cant figure anything out unless I touch and I really dont wanna touch it... still I can try something else..." she says and takes out her coin pouch.

She selects a few silver coins and tosses them in the little dish next to the other greenish objects.

For a few seconds nothing happens and then a slow rumbling is heard from the statue and the walls around you. After the rumbling stops, nothing has changed.

"Hmmm... I guess the whole... sacrifice coins, cause I guess thats what those green black things are, is part of it but it needs an additional element. That might be drinking the tears or placing something in those funny looking holes..."

[planswalker]

"Let's avoid imbibing evil water if we don't have to. Try one of those flasks we picked up from the crypts."

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

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Intelligence check.

Jana takes out one of the four flasks you mention.

Spoiler

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never mind this spoiler
(1d4)[4]
never mind this spoiler

"Ok... what do I do with it?" asks Jana.

"The contents of the flask are obviously magical by the way... and powerful magic too..." says the Sister that is still using her augmented sight.

[planswalker]

Spoiler

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is LG as dumb as planswalker - (d20+3)[17]

"For now, just set the flask unopened in the thing."

[Monodominant]

Jana places the flask as directed.

You wait for a few moments but nothing happens.

Spoiler

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Hehe its not a matter of intelligence... merely a matter of not having 100% visual of what our characters see and experience.

As you become impatient and have time to analyse the details, you realise that the little holes around the basin correspond to something you have seen. They appear exactly like the little cold rods you found in the underground bone room.

[planswalker]

LG will try inserting one of the rods he picked up from the hole.

[Monodominant]

The rod fits perfectly and it clicks in place. The cold effect seems to leave the rod and makes the water in the little basin mist as it becomes colder very fast.

There are 5 more rods in the box and there are 5 more holes around the statue.

[planswalker]

Catching on, LG has Jana put the flask away and puts his rods in the holes.

[Monodominant]

Jana lifts the flask from the now misty water and goes to place it at her backpack. In doing so she touches the liquid...

For a second time freezes as her features contort into a mask of horror and a black shadow passes through her eyes. At the same time you notice a few cuts and scrapes as well as blisters and marks dissappear from her skin as if completely healed.

She opens her mouth as if to say something but the only thing that comes out is a whisper.

"Tharidzun..."

[planswalker]

"Dammit, not now. Not to her." LG says, absolutely frustrated. "Priestess, see if you can keep her from hurting herself or others while I take care of this thing." LG hurries to place all the rest of the rods.

[Monodominant]

The Sister of Salvation, and suprisingly the two ghost halflings, all rush to Jana's side. You are certain its concern you see in all their faces.

The older woman takes Jana by the hand and whispers a few encouraging words before putting her hand on the top of the girls forhead.

Jana seems as if in a trance, slowly whispering the name of the Mad God and with a feint smile on her face. Eventually the Sister places her other hand over the heart of the girl and channels a blessing upon her. Jana jumps back and her eyesight clears.

She looks around her and blinks.

"Wow!" she says as she looks at all of you.

Meanwhile as you are placing its rod in its place the water grows colder from their effect. When the final rod is placed the water freezes deeply and completely and it seems the temperature drop is so severe that even the trickling water and the tears freeze in place.

All you need now is to give an offering to the small cup in front of you...

[planswalker]

Knowing just the sort of offering that mad cults always wants, LG will cut his hand and drip his blood as the offering.

[Monodominant]

The drops of blood freeze before they even hit the now frozen water surface.

For mere seconds they seem to float in the air as if even gravity has frozen. They then resume their normal 'activity' and they splash on the cup making a surreal bloody ice picture.

The rumbling you had heard before starts again and you find yourself thinking the name Tharidzun. It comes uncalled for and unbidden at the top of your mind but if you choose to, you can suppress it before saying anything.

As the rumbling fades the obsidian wall to the left and right of the room you are in is raised. You can see how difficult it would have been to actually break it down even with your sonic breath given the thickness and type of material.

Never the less you are now granted 2 more possible way to advance.

The one to the left is a narrowing corridor, like the one that lead to this room, with a downward slope. At the end of your vision you see an arch made from entwinning statues of two naked, robust women. Past the arch there is a staircase leading further down.

The one to the right is a rather large room with what you immidiatetly recognise as a teleportation circle along with numerous wards and protections carved around it. You now see how the high priesthood, and those chosen by them, could leave this place given that no actual exit to the outside world now exists.

[planswalker]

LG chooses NOT to sound like a deranged cultist.

He motions for the party to proceed down the passage with the statues.

[Monodominant]

Spoiler

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Dont say I didnt give you a way out now that you have so much loot!

The group follows you down the narrow passage. Not as narrow as before so you can walk side by side but still much less spacious than the rest of the temple.

You have reached the arch and can see that the staircase after it is made from black and white tiles. The black ones seem to be basalt while the white ones seem to be blocks of ice.

Indeed the temperature here is noticably colder, approaching the temperature of those rods. It is not bothersome yet but you can imagine that if it gets much colder you will need a source of heat or warmth given that none of you actually has winter clothing.

[planswalker]

Spoiler

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Indeed, but even though he won't admit it yet, LG's willing to risk his life for jana.

LG, with his cold resistance from his items, will press on. "If any of you need to turn back from the cold at some point, go ahead and do so."

[Monodominant]

You have just crossed the threshold of the arch when the trap manifests itself.

The two statues animate into beautifull flowing, stone women wielding bastardswords two-handedly. One of them turns to face you and the other turns to face the combined team that was behind you. The statues are back to back and look down on all of you with single minded determination.

In your case the first swing passes just above your head and you thank Tharidz... Tiamat for her mercy in your being a halfling. You can see that the sword is obviously magical from the gleaming blade.

In the case of the others the Priestess gets a bastard sword wound almost on the chest.

Spoiler

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Initiative. They are going at 7 so give actions if you act first.

Knowledge check (whatever is relevant for Constructs)

[planswalker]

Spoiler

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arcana for constructs, among other things.

knowledge arcana - (d20+15)[33]

initiative - (d20+4)[13]

if he goes first:

LG will step to the side and use his sonic breath on the statues, angling it to catch the statues on the edge of the effect so as to avoid hurting his allies.

fort save dc 22 - (6d6)[23]

Jana will activate her mage armor effect.