Adventures in New Ganthar III

[ilinares]

Asoryala is still peering intently at the box, then reaches out and runs a finger slowly over one of the etched symbols.

Drawing her hand away, she steps back a pace, shaking her head.

"Another illusion," she pronounces. "Shroud must have believed we would never interfere with the prison of the First Vampire. Although how he made it so plausible... I would speculate he has seen the real thing. As for this, however, a mere lead box, easily bypassed."

Reaching into her pack, she rummages for a moment before producing a furled scroll. Cracking the wax, she opens it out and begins to read the incantation upon it.

The illusion dissolves before your eyes as the structure it overlays buckles and warps. The top of the box opens out like the petals of a flower, before the entire structure melts down and contracts to a solid foot-wide cube.

Spoiler: Gunn - Mindsense

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The moment the solid wall of lead is broken, your Mindsense flares a warning - for within the box is an ancient Outsider, its thoughts full of malice and a fell intelligence. (Int 22).

The sight within is stupifying: mounds of coin and metal bars, most likely gold despite the difficulty in identifying it in these colourless conditions; jewels and statuettes and other artwork; wealth enough to make even the most spiritual among you feel a twinge of covetousness. Three objects enjoy pride of place, clearly so important the horde on display is a mere backdrop: a metal burial casket; a hinged silver box on a pedestal; and an apparently nondescript helm, ancient in design but untarnished, mounted on a display stand.

There is no time to do more than cast an eye over this sight, for abruptly you are under attack.

Your foe is humanoid, around the height of an ogre but built more like a graceful elf, with a pair of powerful feathered wings, flesh like burnished bronze, eyes of blazing fire, and long flowing hair like spun gold. His whole body radiates light, and - impossibly - colour; his silver armour gleams with an opalescent sheen, while the massive greatsword he carries with negligent might blazes with red and orange fire.

For Theo in particular, his appearance gives a moment's pause. This undeniably angelic figure bears a startling resemblance to the archangel Tariel; and yet its expression is twisted with pure hatred, an expression singularly ill-suited to that heavenly countenance.

Spoiler: Initiative

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I rolled 28 for initiative, so I'm going to go ahead and post its first actions as I don't think any of the PCs can match that. For some reason I seem to be getting fantastic rolls for Initiative and rubbish rolls for everything else...

The angelic warrior speaks a word full of venom, and thrusts its hand with fingers splayed out towards the closest of you - which happens to be Asoryala. A point of intense darkness manifests in her chest; she screams in agony, as every part of her is pulled irresistibly towards that central point. You hear bones audibly crunching, as her body collapses in on itself, until her equipment and a tangled mess of ruined flesh fall to the floor.

It is a brutal, horrific death - and from the look on the Outsider's face, it fully intends the same for the rest of you.

[gallagher]

No... Theo muttered in shock, seeing his close ally and faithful adviser crumple lifelessly to the floor. Theo gritted his teeth and snarled at his foe. You will pay for that!

And he charged into the gruesome enemy, waving his allies forward at it. Glowing with the aura of angels, Theo swings the relic sword with the might of Charis.

Spoiler

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Swift Action: Law Devotion, +5 to Attack
Standard Action - Radiant Charge. If I hit, +6d6 damage and I gain DR 10/- until my next turn.
Also, Rosalind has Shield Other on me, I believe.

Let's test his defenses: no power attack this time. Ancient evils probably have high AC.

Attack: (1d20+26)[32]
Crit: on 19 or 20 (1d20+26)[39]
Damage: (2d6+7)[14] [roll]+2d6[/roll] holy +(1d6)[2] electric + (6d6)[21] radiant charge damage
crit: (2d6+7)[15]

[Timble]

Hesa immediately goes silent, his mind on the upcoming fight. He expands in an instant, but to only half of his maximum size.He strikes out with the full reach of his glaive to strike the angelic monster.

Spoiler: Full Attack

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Expansion augmented to take a swift action. Large for 9 rounds.
20ft Reach with large deep crystal glaive.
(1d20+19)[34] for (2d8+13)[26]+(2d6)[3] Deep Crystal + (4d6)[16] Psionic Weapon
(1d20+14)[19] for (2d8+13)[26]+(2d6)[9] Deep Crystal
(1d20+9)[16] for (2d8+13)[19]+(2d6)[4] Deep Crystal
I'll need to know how many hit for the deep crystal PP cost.

"Yara! Don't give it another chance to kill! Seal it!" he shouts. If it killed Arysola in an instant, what could it do to Yara, or any of the other weak casters?

Yara nods. "Damage it while you can. I can probably hold it for only a few seconds."
She holds on to the power until everyone has acted, before sealing the angel in a sphere of ectoplasm.

Spoiler: Wall of Ectoplasm

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Readies the power to go off when everyone else has acted.
Section of wall has 30hp and hardness 5. Strength DC 21 to break. Dispel DC 28.

[ilinares]

The fallen angel - for surely that must be what you face - turns its gaze to Theo as he barrels to the attack.

"Champion!" he exults, his voice like the sounding of celestial trumpets, melodious and appealing. "I knew you would come! I knew my patience would be rewarded! Die, then, and may the Traitor Goddess's hopes die with you!"

He lashes out with his greatsword before Theo can close the distance, his greater size affording him superior reach.

Spoiler: Greatsword attack of opportunity on Theo

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Natural 20, 38 vs AC to confirm, 23 damage plus a further 24 if confirmed.

Some supernatural force reacts to Theo's approach, slowing his movements and giving the fallen angel time to catch the High Priest's blows on the strong points of his armour.

Hesa faces no such impediment - but the fallen one is fast, avoiding all but one of the psychic warrior's blows. Even that blow seems less effective than it ought to be, the Outsider's immortal body unsurprisingly more resilient than a mortal's. Even as the blow is dealt, it begins to heal before your very eyes - but a drop of incandescent silver blood falls to the flagstones, eliciting a cry of rage from your wounded foe.

Spoiler: OOC

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I believe Perseus and Gunn need to act before we resolve NPC actions and the Wall of Ectoplasm.

[esorscher]

Unable to fully comprehend all the intricacies of the situation unfolding, and the implications their witnessing has on the religions his allies worship, Gunn finally reaches the irreversible decision that the world would be better off without the gods and their inscrutable mysteries. He casts Haste on himself and fourteen of his closest allies, beginning with Perseus, Theo, and Hesa. Perseus then charges the angel with his beloved Brunhilda.

Spoiler: Perseus

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Rage, reckless charge (-4/+4), full attack, leap attack, power attack -5/+15, haste (+1)

AC 26

(1d20+21)[31]; (1d10+28)[34]
(1d20+21)[37]; (1d10+28)[29]
(1d20+16)[27]; (1d10+28)[32]
(1d20+11)[23]; (1d10+28)[37]

[ilinares]

For all Perseus's speed and might, the fallen angel is agile, its armour sturdy. Only one blow finds a gap in his foe's defences - but Brunhilda bites deep into the angel's skin, runes shaped from fiery energy flaring into existence as they have when fighting demons before. Compared to Hesa's glaive, Brunhilda seems remarkably effective, as though whatever trait allows this being to resist damage does not apply.

Rauthus and Lydia spring to the attack, each striving to land a telling blow. They might as well have picked a fight with the wind.

Lothrain pauses a moment before entering the fray, to call down the blessings of Relath on you all.

Spoiler: Recitation

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2 luck bonus to AC, on attack rolls, and on saving throws for 13 rounds

Natalia hangs back, clearly reluctant to draw the fallen angel's attention. She does however start an incantation, although it has no immediate effect.

The fallen angel turns its eyes to Yara, reacting to Hesa's words.

"You think to contain me?"

He raises his hand, dark energy gathering there just as it did when he slew Asoryala - but at that moment, a spherical wall of roiling, translucent ectoplasm manifests around him.

It lasts just a second or two, before the Outsider smashes free with a bellow of effort; but it is enough to disrupt its concentration on the spell it would otherwise have cast.

Round 2

[gallagher]

Theo winces at the blow as he attempted to deliver one of his own, but almost in an instant feels some relief. Rosalind's magics weren't completely expired, it seemed. The rest of his team rallied with him to disrupt and destroy the wicked, angelic enemy and Theo knew that he had to move to surround it.

Theo acted quickly to utilize a power that he rarely had cause to use. In an instant, he turned invisible and hurried flank the demon, and attempted once more to cut into his enemy before reappearing.

Spoiler

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23 damage to Rosalind, 24 to Theo (5 of which is in the delayed damage pool). with temp HP, Theo is at 119 (which will be 114 at the start of my next turn). Cloak of Deception gives me greater invisibility until the end of my turn, so I strike against his flatfooted AC.

I will use foehammer to overcome DR. Because of my stance, I and anyone I flank with hits for an extra 6 damage.

Attack - (1d20+29)[47]
Crit - (1d20+29)[38]

Damage - (7d6+14)[38]
Crit - (2d6+14)[16]

Knowledge Religion and The Planes, respectively, to discern who I am fighting. (1d20+10)[29] and (1d20+1)[19]
Additional Know(R) because I dont know what he means by "Traitor Goddess" - (1d20+10)[23]

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Theo's knowledge checks

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There are whispers in the annals of your faith that, when Charis swore Herself to neutrality and thus abandoned Her former noble nature, some of the angels loyal to her were affected as well. Torn between their oaths of loyalty to Her and their fealty to the Heavens, some found themselves in an impossible position, and were faced with a choice between deeds which they regarded as unconscionable and breaking their vow - both actions an angel is incapable of.

The outcome was that they ceased to be angels becoming the first true Fallen in millennia. Some accepted their fate, but a few blamed Charis and swore revenge, becoming twisted over time into creatures of evil. You suspect the being before you is such a one - a thought reinforced by the reference to your "Traitor Goddess" - but you can recall nothing of its abilities or weaknesses.

Theo rushes around his foe, confident in his invisibility - but the Fallen turns to him with a cruel smirk, eyes seeming to glow an eldritch purple through the haze of distorted light around Theo, and lashes out with his greatsword once again.

Spoiler: Greatsword attack of opportunity on Theo

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25 vs Theo's AC for 18 slashing damage

Theo in turn strikes out with the Sword of Tariel, a powerful cut that parts the Fallen's armour and flesh from right shoulder to left hip. The Sword blazes with holy flame, causing the Fallen to groan in pain and something akin to longing.

It is a telling blow, but not a disabling one.

[esorscher]

Gunn begins inspiring courage among his allies to his maximum effect (+4d6). Perseus repeats his maneuver, focusing on accuracy rather than damage.

Spoiler: Perseus

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Rage, Recitation, Haste
AC 32 (32!)

(1d20+24)[37], (1d10+13)[19]+(4d6)[9]
(1d20+24)[44], (1d10+13)[14]+(4d6)[14]
(1d20+19)[26], (1d10+13)[14]+(4d6)[23]
(1d20+14)[19], (1d10+13)[14]+(4d6)[9]

[Timble]

(Well, my computer mysteriously recovered... Hope it lasts)
Hesa keeps up the attack, with his newly boosted speed.
"You go after our weakest members coward?" he roars at the angel. He could take it's wrath better than Yara could, as could Theo and Perseus. Better to keep it's focus on the immediate fight.

Spoiler: Full Attack

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(1d20+22)[33] for (2d8+13)[25] + (2d6)[10]
(1d20+22)[35] for (2d8+13)[22] + (2d6)[7]
(1d20+17)[29] for (2d8+13)[18] + (2d6)[7]
(1d20+12)[31] for (2d8+13)[19] + (2d6)[5]
And Hesa's initiative is before when Gunn Grants the 4d6 fire

"I'm going to try and save power," Yara notes. She still had plenty left, but she'd need to save some for an escape.
(Readies Wall of Ectoplasm again for only if the angel starts to cast a spell)

[ilinares]

The Fallen twists from one assailant to the next, its blade a whirling lattice of steel. Its defence is skilled, parrying the majority of your blows - but against so many skilled warriors, his defence cannot be perfect, and several strikes find their way through.

He cries a frustrated "No!" as slashes from Hesa and Perseus tear gaping wounds in his flesh, making the floor slick with radiant blood. He grimly fights on, evading strikes from Lydia and Rauthus, then raising his free hand as Lothrain readies his blade. The Arbiter shakes his head, eyes momentarily unfocused - then shakes off the effect to deliver a series of blistering blows. The last finds a gap Perseus had opened in the Fallen's armour, the thrust biting deep into immortal flesh, stopping only when the guard strikes metal.

The Fallen shrieks in sudden fear, silver blood bubbling at its mouth. He falls, gradually going still. Death, at last, has claimed one who thought himself eternal.

Natalia finishes her spell, and a summoned fiend appears with a flash of light and odour of brimstone: a hulking humanoid, covered from head to toe in plated armor, appears to move in a forced and jerking manner. You quickly realize that its armor is in fact bolted into its flesh, held fast by metal spikes penetrating the bone.

Stepping to her creature's side, she looks down at the body of your foe. "Ah. It seems you are not needed after all, dark one."

Spoiler: Experience

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8,000 xp.

[esorscher]

Relieved, Gunn inspects the items within the room, continuing to inspire his allies in case there is more combat to come. As he inspires, he casts Detect Magic, to better identify the items. He also looks to see if there are any other chambers leading away from this one.

[Timble]

"Shroud's champion wasn't much harder than Shroud himself," Hesa says, but quietly. They'd taken a casualty in this fight so pretending to be jovial wouldn't be suitable.

"Does someone want to gather Arysola up for the journey back?" Yara asks. "We can work on resurrecting her after we finish here."
She moves over to the pile of gold and treasure, manifesting Detect Psionics to pick out items of interest.
"I presume one of those three items is the phylactery. Theo, if you want the honour?" she says, gesturing towards the pedestal. "That is, if Shroud really stuck his most important item on a pedestal rather than hiding it."

[esorscher]

“We were well prepared, and lucky. Do not tempt the gods.” Perseus cautions.

[gallagher]

Theo thought at the death of Asoryala, and a solitary tear escaped his eye. I will carry her back for a proper funeral. He said without inflection in his voice, so grim in the face of the loss of his stoic ally. We do not resurrect our fallen, for we join our Goddess at Her side and aid in Her watch.

He studies the helm briefly, attempting to see if he could recognize anything about it. Any of these things may in fact be the phylactery, and so he attempted to cast Locate Object (searching for phylacteries in general, for he had never witnessed Shroud's soul-container) to see if it would turn up anything. He then prayed to Charis, only in his head, for a safe journey for Asoryala and inspiration on her behalf to determine what magic remained protecting the lich's soul remains. All the same, he waited for Yara's attempt at discerning the magical nature to find some result before consulting the rest of his party. I do not doubt that there is more here at play, other magical defenses. Does anybody have a means of discovering it, before we attempt to touch the evil before us?

[ilinares]

"Relath granted us victory," Arbiter Lothrain assures Hesa, "and for that I give him thanks. But I would heed Perseus. There are malicious gods and other forces in this world, who would hear your words as a challenge."

Natalia smiles. "For once, I agree with the Arbiter. Oh, not about Relath - that's manifestly nonsense. No, that we tempt the gods when we make light of our enemies. I suspect your words will be rewarded with the challenge you crave. Personally, I'd rather not be nearby when they are."

As they are speaking, Gunn is investigating your surroundings. The room you are in proves to have one exit other than returning from whence you came, a door leading to another winding staircase up into the highest level of the tower.

A brief inspection of the wealth on display allows Gunn to form a fair approximation of its value - somewhere in the region of 200,000gp. Given time and access to his black market contacts, the crime lord is confident he could add 5-10% to that figure from careful resale of the artwork and gems.

Scouring the room with magic confirms that only the three prominently displayed objects, and the Fallen's sword, are magical. The latter is swiftly identified - a +3 greatsword. The armour, it seems, is part of the Outsider's body and cannot be removed.

The metal box has a strong aura of necromancy. There is an active magical effect surrounding it, but separate to it, which registers as strong conjuration with the Teleportation subschool.

The casket also has an aura of necromancy, but also of conjuration - this time with the healing subschool. Both auras are overpowering.

Finally the helm has a strong auras of enchantment and divination.

Theo's locate object spell points to the pedestal holding the small box.

Natalia notices the direction of the Champion's regard, and contemplates the small object. "This is the most common design for a phylactery," she notes. "But Yara may have a point. After all this effort, the illusions and traps, to have it on a display stand like this... Did he really believe no one would get close? Or does he have one last deception for us?"

[Timble]

Spoiler: Psicraft on Auras

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Taking 10 on each one, total of 24 each roll.

"Yeah, having the phylactery here would be kind of odd, but Theo's spell pointed towards the pedestal..." Yara said. "Assuming the box isn't the phylactery... could the real one be inside the pedestal or something can fool the locate spell?"

[esorscher]

Gunn starts scooping the various non-magical wealth into his Handy Briefcase, making a mental note to buy another extradimensional space with some of the proceeds, as he finds the satchel nearly bursting at the seams by the time he is done. "I'll take care of this for us," he says, making a show of counting up the representatives for the purposes of dividing the shares. He leaves anything that detects as magic untouched, wary of traps. "Natalia, could you summon something that might activate any touch-based traps on these objects?"

[ilinares]

"Either is possible," Natalia replies to Yara. "Locate Object is a relatively low-level spell, and so can be deceived by higher level magic.

"And a concealed compartment in the pedestal, lead-lined... It could work. Make a show of a well-protected target, at the point to which all divination spells powerful enough to foil countermeasures will converge, so your enemies think they have destroyed it... Yes, I think that would fit well with what we know of Shroud."

At Gunn's question, she looks pointedly at the hulking devil she summoned a minute earlier. " That would be your cue.

"The rest of us should leave if we're going to try this, in case there is a blast radius. Also, what if the trap teleports the phylactery away on contact?"

[esorscher]

"An excellent point," Gunn says with a nod at Natalia's question regarding teleportation, "Which begs me to ask--how were we intending on destroying this thing, anyway?"

[Timble]

"The box does have a separate magical aura, that of teleportation. All other effects seem to be native to the objects." Yara notes. I'm going to try dispelling the area to get rid of it. Well, clear the room."

Spoiler: Area Dispel

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(1d20+20)[40]

"I think it should be safe for your creature to test out the objects now."

[gallagher]

Theo let's Yara take the lead and exits the room. After her attempt, he offers his opinion.

Try grabbing the other ones first. Theo offers. If he did indeed suspect Intruders, he may have protected it with magics disguising those auras. He would have wanted us to go after the box first, and I never want to act in alignment with what my enemy wants.

[ilinares]

Proving once again her talent at countering enemy spellcasters, Yara disrupts the delicate warding magic around the pedestal. In doing so, she also dissolves an illusion upon the box; to Gunn's sustained detect magic, it no longer registers as a magic item.

Theo's locate object cannot now detect a phylactery in its range.

The summoned devil dutifully picks up the helm, and the casket, to no ill effect. It delivers both to Natalia.

Returning to the fake phylactery, it removes it from the pedestal and moves to place it on the floor, presumably intending to crush it underfoot. Unfortunately, in doing so it triggers a simple mechanical trap, unaffected by Yara's precautions: a trapdoor in the floor opens, sending both devil and pedestal plummeting. From the sound of repeated impacts, mechanical grinding, and receding roars of rage, it seems there is a series of such trapdoors, perhaps all the way to ground level.

Theo's locate object spell abruptly locks onto a phylactery within range: down through the hole into which the devil just vanished.

[Timble]

"Why does anyone work for you..." Yara whispers as she sees the devil disappear down the hole.

Keeping a safe distance from the hole, she tries to peer down into the trap.
"Are you alright?" she calls down the hole. The amount of summoned creatures sacrificed on the journey was approaching ridiculous.

On hearing of the new phylactery position, she looked confused.
"The trap leads to the real phylactery? Or another fake... Well, we need to check it out."

Holding out her arms, she forms a being of ectoplasm. A winged figure the size of a dog appeared in her arms. Yara extended her arms so that the construct dangled over the pit.
"Goodbye little one," she says, even though the ectoplasmic being wasn't even sentient.
With those words, she drops it into the pit, hoping that it's wings would keep it alive.
"If the traps are still active, we'll know."

Spoiler: Astral Construct 1

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Small.
Flight speed 20(Average)
Buff: +5 HP
HP: (1d10+10)[19]
AC 18 Touch 13 Flat 16

[dantiesilva]

Sister Rosalind had been very silent as of late, her thoughts distracted by the while fake, message about the first vampire Melchizar. It is only when Yara once more shows how talented she was and reveals that the phylactery was indeed a trap that the young priestess snapped out of her daze. "I am sorry everyone, the mention of Melchizar has unnerved me slightly not because I feared facing him, but because I do not know what I would have thought if HE had served this lich Shroud." the priestess of the Lovers admits turning to Yara. "You did a really good job their Yara, that is twice you have been a key help to stopping this lich from attaining divinity." the priestess of the Lovers says with a kind smile.

She then watches from the small safety with the others, closing the wound she had taken earlier, as the devil falls into another of his traps. "I am happy that was not one of us, though it still pains me to see another suffer such a fate." she notes, her angelic wings allowing her to fly above the hole and look down. "He will not feel anything unlike the other correct?" Sister Rosalind asks Yara as she holds the construct above the hole.

Spoiler: Spell

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Using Cure Minor wound

[Timble]

"Thank you," Yara replies to Rosalind. "Though, for all we know Melchizar is waiting down below!" she says with a small laugh.

"Don't worry. The construct isn't alive. It's just ectoplasm that is animated by my power," Yara says, peering down the hole at the plummeting construct. "Still feel kind of bad about it."

Back in the safety of the corridor, Hesa gets Theo's attention.
"I want to apologise for what I said after the battle. I didn't realise your tradition of not raising the dead. I made light of that fight, and I'm sorry for that."

[dantiesilva]

"That is true Yara, however before I was not sure what I would do if I found him. The thought of Melchizar serving Shroud is a very real possibility. And if that becomes the case I will do what I can to either hold him at bay for the rest of you to continue on, or return him to the Mother's side. If that happens Yara I am trusting you to make sure the others get out of here alive." Rosalind says in a bit more of a hushed voice doubting Theo would approve of her decision to stay behind if the first vampire did arrive as their enemy.

[gallagher]

Theo mutters a prayer over Asoryala's body while he grimly awaits the constructed and summon trapfinders to do their unpleasant duty. He tries to graciously and gingerly lay her body in his bag of holding, knowing that he would need both arms to fight and trusting that the deceased priestess would forgive him.

Hells, she would probably approve of the prudent move. He thought in dark humor.

All is well, Master Hesa. There is nothing to forgive. Theo replies. He preferred to keep his concentration on the task forward, and otherwise kept silent until it was time to press on.

[ilinares]

It is a tense, but brief wait as the construct searches the depths of the newly-opened chasm. Natalia passes the time by inspecting the two objects now in her possession.

"This is a burial casket, it appears," she notes, looking thoughtfully at Rosalind. "I'd say the design is from your homeland, though rather antiquated - I believe it has been your practice to cremate the dead for generations. That seems suggestive, under the circumstances.

"As for the helm, it is not an object I recognise; we would do well to get Elder Abrogar to venture an opinion."

Lothrain, for his part, kneels in prayer while intermittently scowling at the Priestess of Valacles. She seems either not to know, or not to care.

Rauthus watches Theo store Asoryala's remains, his expression grim. "She has been in the Temple for centuries," he notes soberly. "She was always there, slightly apart from the rest of us, part of the fabric of the temple. I can't say I was close to her - I don't think she let anyone in like that - but I don't know what we will do without her."

Yara's construct reappears at that moment. It is intact, indicating that the passage is not dangerous; and judging from the time it took, you believe it made its way to ground level and back. Unfortunately, as a mindless automaton formed of animated ectoplasm, it can give no account of its adventures.

Lydia steps up to the chasm, fingers touching a talisman in the shape of a feather at her throat.

"I guess there's nothing for it," she says with a rather inappropriate grin. With a wordless whoop, she leaps into the open trapdoor and vanishes from view.

[Timble]

Yara sends the psicrystal and the construct down the hole after Lydia. The psicrystal would be able to report on what was down there through their link.
"Does everyone have a way down?" she asks.