Chamber 6-1: Sanguinary

Stepping into the glowing portal, there is a moment of weightlessness, followed by the nauseating sensation of spinning and twisting until, quite suddenly, you hear a loud POP! and find yourself standing next to the portal, but in an entirely different room. This new chamber reeks of hot grease, dried blood, and sweat.

Ambrose and Joryn are standing together, as well as three other seemingly disoriented male adventurers: a dwarf, half-elf and a human.  What the hell?!? What hijacked their teleport? This isn't the corner bazaar!

A treacherous stairs leading to a trio of cultists,
who clearly wish to end your lives. Click for larger version.

Quickly taking in the details, your adventurers' eyes take in three areas to the chamber; a lower area (where you are), a steep stairs leading to an upper area (20’ above the lower area), and a jailed cell in the back of the upper area. There are a number of reinforced wood doors as well. The view of the upper area and jail is obstructed by a half-height wall. 

Behind you in the lower area, mounted above the northern door is a fragment of a massive crystal ball. It's roughly the shape of a shield. There seems to be a blurry image within, but the details are very difficult to make out.  

Dark robed figures move around in the area above, pointing weapons at those of you in the lower area and whispering to each other in a foul, horrid tongue.

  

Meanwhile....

Tharl is trapped on the far side of that steel door. 
Click for larger version.

Tharl does not find himself standing with the others. For some reason, the human shaman is instead witnessing the events unfolding from within a jail cell at the southern rear of the chamber. A single locked steel door stands firmly in the middle, blocking his escape. The light of the nearby torches outside the cell illuminates his immediate surroundings. 

At the back of the cell is a fountain of water. You see set about the lip of the fountain three cup-like indentations, each a different color (sanguine red, dirty yellow, sea blue). Mounted above the fountain like a trophy is a three-headed hydra statue... and it's beginning to move!

COMBAT!
The cultists were expecting you...

(Surprise Round)
One of the cultists (A) kicks over a large cauldron of boiling liquid, which floods down the stairs towards you. The liquid looks oily/greasy, and smells the same. The stairs is now coated in its greasy shine.

The other two cultists (C) level crossbows at you and fire! One is deflected off of Smudge's leather armor, but the other sinks into Ambrose's shoulder. The pain forces the wizard to drop momentarily.
Tech: Miss on Smudge, but a hit on Ambrose for 17 damage. Ambrose down to 11 hp, is bloodied and falls prone.

In the cell, the hydralith animates all three heads, and begin to bear down on our intrepid shaman...
Tech: The hydralith cannot attack during the surprise round. But soon, my friend, soon!
  
OOC: Out of the frying pan (week 5) and into the fire (week 6)! Tharl, you get the impression that the hydralith is going to be able to attack you regardless of where you stand in the cell.
  
New dungeoneers, please introduce yourself in your post.

Clearly, there's a lot going on in this chamber. Feel free to hit me up with questions to grind-at-saveversusdeath.com, by @MilwaukeeJoe on Twitter, or by questions either here or in the OOC tab.

Good Luck!
MilwaukeeJoe
  
Round 1 Initiative
16 Tharl
12 Travok
11 Mika
09 Ambrose
07 Joryn
06 Smudge
05 Hydralith
04 Cultists