Surviving the Gauntlet of Walls and claiming your second planet, you have teleported back to the Ashen Ambulatory, stepping out of the Scrying Mirror.
A new crusader joins you as well, teleporting in from the infernal stronghold gate.
OOC: Bjorn, please describe your new crusader.
Full-Length Scrying Mirror
A full length mirror is set into the crackling brimstone walls here. The copper frame is etched with a proverb in the Abyssal script: “No beauty without envy, no love without jealousy.”
By looking into it and incurring 3 points of blight, you many ask your reflection to show them one object or creature in the Fane, even if you have not seen it before. The mirror will show you the vision for one round before disappearing.
Marilith StatueThe statue is of a six-armed, serpent-tailed demoness (pictured) that smells of lilacs.
Font of Blighted Warding
You come close to the fountain and see that it is hewn from translucent precious stone, mixed with obsidian, in which quivering organs are embedded.
You may drink of this fountain to gain temporary hit points equal to your healing surge value, but each time you do so, you incur 1 point of blight. Like all temporary hit points, these do not stack with one another. The THP last until beaten out of you.
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A rusted iron portcullis blocks access through a wooden archway clutched by black vines. Chunks of petrified demon princes lie strewn before the gate. Beyond, a courtyard of dead trees is visible beneath the fiery underworld sky. A casual inspection of this rusty gate makes you think that this could be easily lifted.
Crucified Angel
The upper body of an angel has been crucified to a secret door here. The secret door is open to the Prison of Frozen Gods.
Succubus Mural
The image of a succubus has been painted onto the wall here. However, the wall is open, two halves rotated away at the center of the succubus painting revealing a short passageway and stairs leading up and out of sight.
Fountain of Blighted Haste
The teeth of pit fiends float in the grey water of this fountain. A marble idol carved in the likeness of a hooded figure wielding a trident stands in the center of the water.
Dungeoneers may drink of this fountain to gain an action point, but each time incurs 2 points of Blight.
Iron Portal
A huge square of rusted iron is bolted to the wall here. An ochre portal that reeks of acid swirls within the square. The portal teleports you to the Death Wyverns' Crucible.
Hourglass Keyhole
An obsidian hourglass-shaped keyhole is set into the otherwise featureless wall. It looks as if the key needed would be the kind that would fit in your hand, aka a "normal sized" key. Of course, one might be able to pick the lock if their skills are good enough.
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteTumbling across the sooty stone floor, the dwarf springs to his feet with a clatter of forged steel armor, his boots scraping across the well-worn flagstones. The bag containing the Onyx planet clutched tightly in his right hand, he lets out a hoot of victory before looking around, his good cheer fading quickly as he notices one of their ranks missing.
“Palim…?” His gruff voice cracks slightly as he grits his teeth and shakes his head, taking off his horned helm and holding it to his chest. “Be at peace, laddie, we’ll see y’soon nae doubt.” With a heavy sigh, he dons his helm and taps it into place before pushing the bag and planet into his pack and heading for the staircase to the Pleasure Crypt.
Near the bottom of the stair, he pauses and opens his pack once again, rummaging around in it for a moment before pulling out a round metal bottle and pulls the stopper out. He pours a small amount of the liquid within onto the dusty stone floor, the clear fluid trickling along the cracks in the stone and reaching the slowly flowing rivulet of lava, dribbling into the molten stone. In a blue-white flash and with a loud ’WHOMPH’ the potent alcohol ignites, crackling for a moment before it burns itself out.
Taking a swig from the flask himself, the dwarf twitches for a moment before swallowing with a wheeze. “Ah’ll no forget y’lad… Ah can but hope y’ve got me back fer what’s tae come…” Brandishing his axe, he returns to the desolate courtyard…
OOC: Just so I know for sure, you heading north into the Pleasure Crypts, or west to the Blighted Grove?
DeleteOOC: the Pleasure Crypts, there was a little copse of trees there with shrunken head fruit? It looked a bit like a courtyard from the picture you made.
Delete[Sciora]
ReplyDeleteAs the dwarf rounds the corner towards the northern exits to the ambulatory, a sudden shrieking note splits the air and less than a second later, an arrow thunks into the wall near Gardain's head. A tall, green-cloaked and hooded figure stands upright at the end of the hall holding a longbow, its string still vibrating softly, producing a pure low tone as it does. "Ah. Right then." The bow hesitates and lowers slightly. The string hand reaches up and pulls back the hood of the cloak to reveal an adult eladrin woman who fixes the group with hard green eyes. Sharply pointed ears rise up from the waving, unusually flaming red hair. "I guess you're not a band of lamias after all. You'd be the crusaders, I suppose? I'm Sciora. Sciora Moonshot."
In the moment of silence that follows, her eyes move over the group one by one. Until they finally arrive at the dwarf, where they widen in surprising recognition, and then narrow in anger. Her hand flies to her quiver, whips out an amethyst-headed arrow different from the one lodged in the wall by the party, and nocks it, string pulled back against her cheek. "Feybane! How did you get here?" Then, her lip curling into a cruel, mocking smile, "I figured you'd have caught fire from the inside by now, having had so much of that disgusting liquid you call a drink. I couldn't make a worse brew if I pissed in the still."
Then she turns deadly serious again. "Tell me why I shouldn't send you to the fey right now. This arrow can do that, you know. I'm sure plenty of its inhabitants would love another chance to square things with you, don't you?"
[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteLeaping back as the arrow sends shards of stone plinking off of his armor, the dwarf whips around, his axe raised and his shield brought up to cover his chest. His own eyes widen from under his helm as he spots the Eladrin, his shield drooping for a moment before rising back to buck at the tall woman’s threat.
“S-Sciora?! Hellfire an’ damnation what’re y’doing here?” He grits his teeth and spits into the lava towards the side of the walkway, a small peal of flame rising up from where it lands. “I dinnae think y’d ha’ th’ iron tae show up here…”
As she points the amethyst-headed arrow at him, he jumps aside, keeping his cold-iron shield between the two of them. “Gods damn it Sciora, t’is no th’ time faer our awn petty squabbles y’mad jenny! W’ve a false god tae deal with!” His cheeks flush visibly under his helm, nearly matching his fiery beard. “An’ I’d like tae think we could keep our past sep’rate from th’ task at hand?”
[Sciora]
ReplyDelete"Petty? You think what you've done is petty?! Your family- How many have you kill-" It seems almost as if Sciora's rage might overcome her, but she bites down on her words and takes a calming breath.
"Fine. Fine. We can settle this...later." After another deep breath, the eladrin lowers her bow and her face lightens as she addresses the rest of the party. "I'm sure you'll find me useful. My magic can turn my enemies into puppets and my arrows can confound the hardiest monstrosities. I've been around the world three and a half times and I'm willing to bet I know a thing or two you lot don't." And with another cruel smile for Gardain, "I just feel sorry for you that you've had to endure this half-pint. Has he managed to hit anything on purpose yet? I'm almost surprised his shield isn't made of parchment."
With a twinkle in her green eyes, she queries the rest of the party. "Where to, then, o brave crusaders?"
[Sciora]
Delete"Seems like some of you have seen some better times. Let me take a look." Moving towards So-tin and Kallista, Sciora pulls her cloak aside and retrieves some materials from a leather pouch attached to her belt. While she works her healing magics, she calls over her shoulder to the dwarf: "Don't even think about dumping those iron shavings on me, Feybane. I know your tricks."
After tending to the genasi and the tiefling, Sciora fills two vials with the foul-smelling hasting potion and packs them away in her belt pouches.
Tech: One Majestic Word each for So-tin and Kallista. They each can spend a surge and get surge+1d6+4 HP back. I'll also take two servings of blighted haste potion.
OOC: Sciora is a bard, by the way. So yay heals!
[Gardain]
DeleteHis hand halfway into his pouch and a sneer on his bearded face, the dwarf quickly snatches his broad, gloved hand from the depths of the bag, cold-iron shavings falling from the stained leather in a small flurry as he brushes his hands together, whistling innocently.
OOC: Hahahaha
Delete[Gardain]
ReplyDeleteRelaxing slowly, his tensed muscles uncoiling as the stress leaves his stocky form, the dwarf lets out a shaking sigh as he tentatively lowers his shield. The ruddy color also slowly drains from his face as he gestures up the stair with a cloyingly sweet and overly polite grin, his voice stiff and muffled by his gritting teeth.
“Please, Moonscoot, after you. I’d hate fer y’ego to o’er-balance and bring y’tumbling daen th’ stair wit’out a ‘HALF-PINT’ tae catch ye.” He rolls his eyes as the eladrin brags about her worldly experience to the rest of the crusaders, making an involuntary choking sound as her syrupy sweet voice washes over them. “Ah’ll turn a blind eye t’yer kin’s betrayal fer the time bein’ w’ve mare impartent business a’hand.”
OOC: If the flouncy bardess would take the lead we can proceed to the Pleasure Crypts
OOC: I've pushed the Pleasure Crypts post to the top and opened up the comments. Feel free to start posting there again.
ReplyDelete