Little Green II

[Monodominant]

You can tell that the creatures before you are Caryatid Columns. Constructs created as guardians. You have heard that they are an archaic construct, very rarely found in the world today. They take the form of beautiful, alabaster women that spend the ages as inanimate statues only to become conscious when the area the protect, or the orders they have, are broken.

They fight till the end and are formidable opponents should one be using traditional weapons as their stony skin and abilities can break every weapon that strikes them. Even magical weapons are in danger of these special sundering. Other than that, they have the hardness of an object and usual construct traits.

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By the way... I guess your breath is an effect that also works on objects right? Otherwise it says that if it needs to take fortitude, they are immune to it (unless if that effect would affect objects).

Also, does sonic damage bypass hardness?

After you answer I will resolve actions.

[planswalker]

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yes, my breath weapons also effect objects, so they're not immune to them.

Sonic damage in general ignores hardness, yes.

[Monodominant]

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Ok! There was a big discussion in the past about hardness on objects and hardness on creatures and how that worked but I dont care to go too far into such RAWering so lets go with that.

Your sonic attack causes some parts of both statues to crumble to stone as the harmonics of your breath destroy their cohesion.

Jana takes a step back and casts Mage Armor succesfully.

Meanwhile the Sister unsure of what these creatures are, casts a protective spell on herself and takes a step back.

Unfortunately for her the ability of the Caryatid with the blade is quite high and she cleaves at the woman delivering a tougher blow once again.

Your own enemy takes a step forward in order to push you back and to stop you from being able to catch both of them in your breathing cone and not harm your allies at the same time. Given the fact that behind you is a staircase leading down that would be the case unless if you give advantage and high ground to her.

She then attempts to cleave you in half but once again you dodge out of the way with ease.

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Attack 1
(1d20+12)[21] - crit (1d20+12)[29]
damage (1d10+9)[16] - crit confirm (1d10+9)[12]

Attack 2
(1d20+12)[21] - crit (1d20+12)[28]
damage (1d10+9)[18] - crit confirm (1d10+9)[16]

[planswalker]

LG will take that step to the side.

He will take a step back and go invisible.

[Monodominant]

At the other side of the corridor the two ghost halflings join in the fight. They glare ugly glares at the statue that is completely unaffected.

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Ghosts basically cant do much to something immune to ability damage ...

It seems that this though attracts its attention long enough and the Caryatid swings her massive bastard sword in two quick cuts towards Erik. The first one passes right through him and there is a smile on his lips, but the second swing seems to actually meet the spiritual part of him and he wails in pain.

The priestess takes another step back, and summons a Warhammer made out of pure glowing white energy. The weapon flies towards the Caryatid and strikes her but only manages to do a small nick on her bust.

Jana on the other hand draws her special chimes and plays a few loud notes. This seems to cause a bit more damage on the Caryatid.

Things though look more grim for them as the second Lady Statue, the one that had been facing you, turns and attacks them as well now that you have disappeared. She manages a blow on the priestess who is starting to look fairly wounded.

[planswalker]

LG will re-position himself so that he can hit both again without hitting his allies, and blasts them with another sonic breath for fort dc 22 - (6d6)[25]

As the invisibility fades, he says to Jana "Look, if we can't beat these statues and it comes down to just you, run to the other passage and get out of here. Tell [Mr Grafty] about what we've found and get him to put an expedition together."

[Monodominant]

Your second sonic attack, along with the hit from Jana and the nick from the Priestess's weapon actually completely destroys the second statue. The pieces crash on the floor with a thud.

The two hafling children take quick steps back seeing as they cant harm the constructs and the Priestess along with her spiritual weapon, both attack the remaining Caryatid.

Faced with these attacks and you positioned behind it seems the construct is uncertain whom to attack. In the end it turns once again towards you and charges but uses the momentum for a blow designed to cause more damage.

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Power attack for 4

(1d20+10)[14] - crit confirm (1d20+10)[21]
damage (1d10+17)[20] - crit confirm (1d10+17)[24]

Unfortunately the blow is far too wide and far too high but you have the sense that had it hit it would have been devastating.

[planswalker]

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devastating is clearly a... relative term.

LG will blast it with fire for ref dc 22 - (6d6)[20]

[Monodominant]

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Well at 17 to 20 it crits (improved crit on bastard sword) and 44 points of damage would be pretty devastating :D

The fire doesnt cause as much damage as it would at another creature but combined with the damage it has received already it destroys it completely.

[planswalker]

"I HATE fair fights..."

[Monodominant]

The Sister gives you a weary smile and uses her own spells to cure some of her wounds.

Jana though has noticed something more.

"His blade passed through you! I saw it! And you didnt die!" she says pointing an accusing finger on Eric.

The young halfling turns to you with a pleading look.

[planswalker]

"Indeed so. We're lucky that happened. Did you want him to die?" bluff - (d20+24)[34] diplomacy - (d20+24)[33]

He does his best to be direct and honest while passing it off as some strange coincidence to be looked at after they've exited the temple.

Secret message to Jana use of bluff - (d20+24)[33]

LG tries to pass a secret message to Jana through subtext, body language, and glances.

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Indeed so [you're smart. You can figure out why]. We're lucky that happened [since he's our friend]. Did you want him to die? [hint, hint: he's already dead, please don't alert the priestess]

[Monodominant]

Jana is about to complain and retort when she stops herself and simply frowns.

"I guess you have some magic tricks up your sleeves as well then!" she says as she softens up.

The Sister looks at the scene curiously but given that she was being cut multiple times during the attack on the ghost she didnt really see what happened and remains silent.

[planswalker]

"Anyways, through sheer process of elimination, the thing that's plaguing Jana sleep should be just up ahead. Let's finish this madhouse and get out of here."

LG will lead off down the passage.

[Monodominant]

The temperature continues to drop as you keep going down the staircase.

At first you think that just around the corner you will reach the bottom but it proves to be just a small plateau and then the staircase continues.

And continues...

And continues...

You are starting to actually feeling tired of descending and your breaths are misting in the frozen air. Your companions. the non-ghost ones at least, are now really feeling the cold and the priestess is forced to use one of her blessings to keep them from freezing.

And the staircase continues...

And continues...

You are at the point where your knees are starting to hurt from the steady pounding of your feet on hard stone when finally you INDEED see the bottom. On their own accord the light-sources the others need go out. You are plunged into darkness though you can see and feel the surrounding space and the last few steps that lead to the floor.

[planswalker]

"If you cannot see in the dark or the cold can bother you, probably best if you wait here until we stop the source of this blackout. Ghost boys, I'm all for keeping your secret, but I desperately need your help. Things have been getting progressively nastier down her. Jana, hold out your belt of healing for me to grab. I may need it down there. I know that I just laid a HUGE load of revelation on everyone, but please just follow along with me for now and I promise we can explain everything when we're out of the dark and cold. Sister, please stay with Jana and protect her." diplomacy - (d20+24)[31]

LG does his best to use tone of voice to convince everyone to follow along as requested while he takes charge.

[Monodominant]

The Sister raises to the moment and simply nods. She does try though to shed some light in the situation (10 xp to myself for this pun) by creating a continual light blessing.

Light is indeed cast from this spell but it is by far not what it is supposed to be. It feels very soft and as if any moment it will gutter it. It feels as if the very presence of it, offends the darkness all around you.

Jana prepares the belt and tries to put up a brave face while the 2 ghosts do the same. Despite them being dead they kind of feel that this place carries much nastier things than them.

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Since I have it ready, this is this area:



You are currently at the beginning of 1.

There is a low passage leading south, so there isn’t much trouble deciding where to go.

[planswalker]

LG will take the belt. "I promise, we will hash out the whole mess once we're on the surface. Explanations will be given."

He leads the two ghosts to the intersection (2) and give a cursory glance down each direction.

[Monodominant]

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On a side note, this place is bigger than on the map... 1st edition gave maps to give you an idea, not for tactical ala 3.5/4rth representation.

You have come but 40’ south down the passage. The 10’ wide walls of rough, black volcanic stone widen here where four passages meet. The ceiling, only about 12’ high in the passage, is domed here to a height of about 20’. As you enter this area, there is a strange iron gonging, and then all is silent again, but you all feel something strange.

Before you the walls seem to waver and turn purple. A voice of incredible basso-sort speaks out of nowhere:

“LOOK ABOVE YOU TO KNOW YOUR FATE.”

You cannot resist an upward glance. The ceiling is of transparent, seemingly infinite purple. Swimming through this universe of violet hue are glowing black runes. You start feeling a burning sensation in your fingers despite the cold, you can tell this feeling originates at the area where you got the puncture wound from the box carrying the little rods.

In a moment you can actually understand them (the runes):

“Those whom I find unfit I place on my left,” say the first
set.

The next set states:

“Those who succeed I place on my right.”

Lastly:

“The chosen may come before ME!”

The ceiling quickly fades to black, and all is normal - if there is such a thing in this place - once again.

[planswalker]

LG will worry about Lady Tiamat's lease on his soul being violated later. He'll take advantage of the runes now.

"Ghost boys, one of you go left and scout out the room. Another of you go right and do the same. We regroup here in five minutes. If someone doesn't make it back, the other two will go after him together. I'll take the central path."

True to his word, LG will go invisible and sneak forward down the central path.

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taking 10 on move silently for a 29

[Monodominant]

The halflings proceed to do as commanded.

You walk towards the central room.

This place is over 40‘ across and about as high. The rough igneous rock from which the chamber was hewn is featureless except for inlaid stone symbols on each wall surface save the north where the passage enters.

The symbols are the familiar two step pyramid, reversed.

[planswalker]

LG pokes around looking to see if there is anything to be found.

[Monodominant]

The room is completely empty and devoid of any furniture or anything else for that matter. Its not time that has perhaps ruined and rotted what could have once been here but rather you feel that it was designed to be empty.

The one thing that does happen is that when you pass in front of the symbols they light up with a dark purple color. When you move away they become dimmed again.

[planswalker]

LG will touch one of the runes on a hunch.

[Monodominant]

Touching one the symbols causes a 10‘ radius circle in the exact center of the chamber floor to turn a translucent, faintly glowing purple color.

You sense a tinkling of magic in the atmosphere as if something further is needed.

[planswalker]

LG will ponder for a moment to see if he can identify what sort of effect he's triggering and what sort of lore surrounds such an effect.

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spellcraft - (d20+22)[32]
knowledge arcana - (d20+15)[18]
knowledge religion - (d20+15)[16]
knowledge history - (d20+15)[19]
knowledge nature - (d20+15)[20]

[Monodominant]

Through your past knowledge and experience you dont come up with an answer of how to figure out this room.

You consider that so far you have found a series of items that are sacred to the Forgotten God and progressively these have helped you advance closer to the location you are now.

You can imagine that at the time that the temple still functioned series of priests, acolytes and high priests went about in a ritualistic life dedicated to Tharidzun. As such ritual and items of importance would play a pivotal role in how to advance even further.

This along with the fact that the other 2 rooms might prove to have some clue or something useful comes to your mind.

[planswalker]

LG will keep this information in mind as he returns to the intersection to wait on the ghost boys.

[Monodominant]

A couple of minutes later the halfling that went to the right side returns.

The one that went left doesnt come back in the next few minutes...

[planswalker]

"Okay, buddy, briefly describe what you found and then we're going down the other tunnel to find out what happened to the other guy."

LG was privately glad to see that his plan worked and SOMEONE ELSE got to be the first to face danger.

After getting a description of the place from ghost 1, he leads him to retrieve ghost 2.