Hell's Medicine Part 3
Hell's Medicine Part 3
Player DM: Xenarchy
The Party
Karl - Human Ranger/Rogue 6
Garthos - Human Fighter 4
Arissa - Human Sorcerer 5
Shaelyn - Storm-dwarf Fighter 4
Jinks - Gnome Bard 4
Purchases
Arissa - Vial of Holy Water (25 gp)
Encounters
Encounter 1:
Zurghath the Mindreaper, Possessed War Golem - CR 6
3 Feral War Golems - CR 1 ea.
Encounter 2:
Tiramor Dylliar, Elf Wizard 7 - CR 6
The Scene Begins
For the last few months, wargolems around the city have been becoming increasingly violent and hostile, fueled by a magical oil derived from the blood of fiends. The intrepid adventurers have encountered a few of the dangerous golems themselves and have gathered the name and address pointing to its source. At long last, enough information has been gathered to pin down the origin of the Fiend's Oil. A letter from Valadhiel, an elven wizard that studied the samples of oil recovered, has been included in the documentation collected by the party.
The letter describes the arcane properties of the oil and its effects: That it bestows war golems heightened strength and stamina at a cost to their sanity and is highly addictive. To living creatures, it is a dangerous poison. What is most worrying is mention that the damaging effect on the minds of the golems appears to be preparing their bodies for some final transition - the nature of which cannot be known from the limited information.
The location is nestled away in the upper class districts of Alexandria, far from where one would suspect a drug operation to take place. The owner of the house is an elf by the name of Tiramor Dylliar, an alchemist of moderate reknown. His favoured underling, a brutish fellow called 'The Cur' was captured by the party and given to the watch. All the pieces are in place. All that remains is to confront Tiramor himself and shut down his lab.
Arissa had several preparations to make; purchasing holy water, and sharing what she knows about the 'fiend blood poison' with Garth. As the group begins to gather on the streets of the upper-class districts, she seems ready... confident and warm. "You may have been right to insist I stay my hand," a remark to Karl. "Really I would have spent so much extra time pursuing this same information, when we now have it much more readily. This 'Fiend's Oil' is aptly named and ridding the world of it will be wonderful. I... do worry for those who will have to adjust to no longer having it, though."
"We should make sure to secure a sample to bring to the Altheans," Karl suggests in low, quiet tones as he walks with the others, keeping an eye on the street for anyone paying untoward attention to them as they make their way into the upper districts, "If they don't already have one... maybe they can help the poor bastards through withdrawal. I wish I knew an easy way to take down a golem without killing it, since this isn't their fault..."
Valadhiel nods, "Well, that will be something for the artificers to deal with, I think. It will be difficult, considering how would a withdrawal even work for a war golem, but..." She shrugs a little, "Hopefully we can put a stop to it tonight, I'm not particularly keen on letting this continue." She has, at least, traded the ruby slippers for more practical boots today.
Shaelyn peers over at Karl, "Can't you just bolt the chopped off bits back on and flip the power switch?" in regards to nonlethal methods of dealing with war golems. "Either way, I'm not getting paid to think too hard about it. All I know is they're dangerous."
Jinks has so much glittery golden things that he couldn't possibly sneak anywhere and it's a wonder that he can walk through certain parts of town without being rolled. So many rings that they overlap and click-clack when he wiggles his fingers, chains that dangle between studs in his ears and a ring in hsi nose. And that crown! His smart little coat with all the buckles and pips and its high collar muddles the noble image, giving it a military twist. "-- and that is why you don't try to make peace with the kobolds. You must crush them. Without mercy. Drive them beneath your awkwardly-large tallman bootheel and then go for their wives and children. Your hair looks ridiculous when its burned, by the way." He's walking with Garthos and still hasn't tired of giving him 'I told you so' speeches.
Arissa holds up a hand, index finger raised at Karl's concerns. "You may leave that to me. Or rather, you may leave the most difficult part to me... the gels I create can make it hard for them to stand or to hold weapons. How you subdue them from there is up to you, but I can at least enable you to do so." Her mood dims somewhat as Jinks arrives, but she doesn't make any hostile remarks or give him any obvious trouble. Instead, Valadhiel gets her attention. "Everything you have said seems sensible enough. Regardless... the aftermath may be best sorted out later. Our immediate concerns are just and right, and worth tending to regardless."
"I'm sure not all of them are that bad." Garth retorts to Jinks. "But I did say I'm sorry for not takin' your word for it, there." For about the fifth time. And also, one could swear his left eyebrow is a little shorter than it should be. And he has new clothes. The old are full of holes. "Let's just focus on the job at hand, yeah?" he asides to the gnome. "Tell us about these golems, would ya?" he inquires with the rest, having nodded them a greeting.
"Yes, the job." Jinks says, grinning that wolfish grin. "I have discovered this wonderful ottoman that will complete my furniture empire and the merchant is not going to hold it for verymuch longer."
"This... oil," Karl offers back to the others--not having contributed to the kobold conversation quite purposefully, "It's like a drug. It makes them crazy, they're drooling slime and butchering people at the drop of a hat. I've still got scars." He rubs a hand over his chest, grimacing at the memory, "So we find the guy who's making it, stab him in the face, call it a day."
Valadhiel nods, "Well, I will shoot him from a distance, but the general principle applies Karl." She smiles faintly, then glances over Arissa, "I'm not sure how helpful the Altheans will be for this... but it definitely wouldn't hurt to have them look into it."
"Really you worry overmuch about physical comforts and luxuries," Arissa's disapproval for Jinks is quiet in tone, but obvious nonetheless. Then Karl's words net some surprise from her. "You would put him to the sword, then? See him dead even though we are within the city? This seems at odds with how you spoke to me last time we faced such a situation..." She's not angry, but outright confused.
"Well, if he's makin' a bunch of golems suffer and wanna kill everyone, I reckon he might deserve the sword." Garth says, after a moment of pondering. A glance at Jinks has him shake his head a little. "Don't talk about furniture. That shelf thing took entirely too long to set on the elevator." He doesn't seem to have much else to offer to the group. He's there to smash heads - so he simply walks along.
"I know several of the constructs. Humble folk. Salt of the earth. They do a hard day's work and don't even ask for breaks -- you can't beat tha in a workforce." Jinks sniffs, leaning back an muttering at Garth for the latter half of that statement. "It's a shame someone would exploit their naïveté like that. Clearly, they must be stopped. We wouldn't want every drug to get a bad name. Laws have a habbit of interfering with recreation as it is." He shrugs and smiles at Arissa, offering her a wink and a shrug, "I would invite you to lounge and sample a fine wine with me before you close your book on that, miss. You can't worry enough on material things."
Tiramor's Manor
The site is there before the party after an hour's walk. It's a respectable manor with a lovely courtyard and many trees. A row of well-kept shrubs stand in a row either side of the front door. There are four figures guarding the entry, all war-golems. Three appear agitated and restless, each with various weapons. They pace back and forth in front of the door, occasionally stopping to spasm violently. A fourth war golem stands ahead of them with arms crossed and is much different from the others. A dark and regal presence exudes from this one.
Valadhiel arches a brow, murmuring, "Guess there's some additional customers, judging from the twitching." She shakes her head a bit, glancing at the others.
"How do ya wanna handle that?" Garth asks the group, mostly addressing Karl, Arissa and Valadhiel with the question. Seems he's delegating the leadership duties to them, today. "Just hit 'em hard, or try and be nice first?" Yeah. Because the golems will totally listen. Totally.
"I say we chare 'fore we loose the first strike." Shaelyn grunts to the others. "I don't like the looks of that calm one."
"Let's try and bluff our way through," Karl suggests quietly, moving to step into the courtyard, one hand raising to lift his hat up a bit in a respectful motion and calling out, "Good evening! We've got some business with Lord Dylliar, and were wondering if His Alchemicalship was willing to take some visitors tonight." Sigh. Karl. Always with the talking first.
"If we think some of them to be victims, we may as well try to deter them... though I do not know if we can get through with mere words. You... ahh!" Arissa starts to protest as Karl goes ahead, bracing for the worst...
Bluff checks vs sense motive: GAME: Jinks rolls Perform/sing: (17)+12: 29 GAME: Karl rolls Bluff: (18)+5: 23 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+12: (20)+12: 32
"Visitors? Be honest, man!" Jinks says with a laugh as he slaps Karl on the back with a beringed finger. "Business. We, my kind sirs, are here on business."
Garth... manages not to gape at Karl as the huntsman just plows right into it. He doesn't say a word. Not a WORD. He's a terrible liar, himself, so he simply keeps silent and looks gruff so as to not blow the whole thing sky-high right off the bat.
Garth... manages not to gape at Karl as the huntsman just plows right into it. He doesn't say a word. Not a WORD. He's a terrible liar, himself, so he simply keeps silent and looks gruff so as to not blow the whole thing sky-high right off the bat.
The calm golem grasps its weapon - an elaborately bladed trident - and its eyes glow with pinpoints of red amongst darkness. Its abyssal voice claws into the minds of Karl and Jinks, the thing not speaking by its own voice, "I know why you have come. You will fail and my brothers will feast on your entrails." The three other golems snap to attention and growl with the sound of gears grinding against each other.
Initiative
No surprise round.
Round 1
GAME: Valadhiel casts fireball. GAME: Valadhiel rolls 6d6+3: (23)+3: 26 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+5: (19)+5: 24 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+0: (2)+0: 2 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+0: (2)+0: 2 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+0: (5)+0: 5
Valadhiel blinks, "Well, so much for negotiation..." She smiles faintly, then casts a small spark in the direction of the golems. It flickers, then explodes directly behind the leader, incinerating the back three rather nicely, though their leader seems to escape some of the blast. The other three look operative... but decidedly weaker, as the elf then draws out her bow, seeming quite ready to finish the Wizardly Negotiations among the burning bushes.
Jinks begins Inspire Courage.
"Oh, now my brain tastes like a succubus'..." It's probably good that Jinks trails off to scrabble back and around the fence after the telepathic monster speaks in its head. He pulls the recurve from the straps on his back as he moves and then begins to sing. The words are clean and melodious, woven with arcane energies plucked from the weave that bolster his allies in their acts. "Tears of joy at the birth of a brother / never alone from that time. Sixteen years through knife fights and danger / strangely, why his life, not mine."
Shaelyn attacks Zurghath. GAME: Shaelyn rolls 1d20+7: (8)+7: 15
Shaelyn grunts, "Told ye we shoulda charged." to the others, and then she hauls a Javelin up from over her back. She hefts it back, and then hurls it towards the obvious leader of the golems with mighty force- a little too much force, it seems, as it sails over him and slams into the already ruined door of the manor, lodging in the wood.
GAME: Arissa casts Obscuring Mist.
Arissa only gets to follow half of a conversation... but she does see its ending; the war golems are getting ready to fight. Her eyes glaze over fully gold, giving her a dazed and distant look not too unlike those of some of the war golems involved in this whole matter... with the exception that she has a beaming smile, and begins swaying and twirling about in sync with Jinks' singing. She joins in, chanting excitedly in Celestial while getting some distance from the fence and retrieving her magic rod. After a few seconds of this, brightly sparkling gold mist - so bright that it's hard to see very far into it - arises in the area around her!
Zurghath uses Telekinesis on Karl. GAME: Karl rolls Will: (11)+3: 14 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+8: (10)+8: 18 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d6: (4): 4
The horrifying voice speaks, now audible to everyone, "You will be crushed. You will be burned! I have claimed this hollow vessel and you will not take it from me! Soon, my brothers will come to dwell in theirs and this race of golems will be ours!" The golem readies a viciously spiked shield in one hand and gestures with the trident. A force like an invisible hand grasps around Karl and launches him through the air. He sails into one of the shrubs Valadhiel's fireball blasted. The landing is unpleasant.
Karl gets out of the bush and attacks a feral golem. GAME: Karl rolls 1d20+12: (16)+12: 28 GAME: Karl rolls 1d10+9: (6)+9: 15
"That isn't--" The words don't get out of Karl's mouth before he's suddenly seized by a great, unseen hand and hauled up into the air with a grunt, and flung aside to crash into the bush. He tumbles to one side, rifle brought up and a shot snapped off that holes straight through the head of the nearest golem, sending the frothing thing crashing to the ground. Louder, he shouts out, "That isn't a golem anymore!"
Garthos attacks Zurghath. GAME: Garthos rolls 1d20+4+5+1+1+1: (13)+4+5+1+1+1: 25 GAME: Garthos rolls 2d6+15: (4)+15: 19
"Whatever it is, it's goin' down!" That'll be Garth, as he shoulders his way past the dwarf and gets his arse in to the fray. The sword comes loose from its scabbard as he jogs forth, bringing it with a resounding CLANG agains the metal. A piece of plating goes flying, spinning off into the grass, revealing a roiling darkness underneath.
The feral golems attack Karl. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+5: (7)+5: 12 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14
The remaining two savage golems charge into Karl, eyes blazing and limbs flailing out with sharp implements. They froth and scream in grinding voices, their minds decayed by the hellish oil.
Round 2
Valadhiel attacks Zurghath. GAME: Valadhiel rolls 1d20+11: (3)+11: 14
Valadhiel moves quickly out of the sparkling cloud, bow coming out as she then nimbly sidesteps to the edge of the fence. She then takes a single shot at the golem, but the arrow twangs off the armored figure without much effect.
Jinks attacks a feral golem. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+10: (14)+10: 24 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3: (2)+3: 5
The fence is too tall! It completely blocks his ability to see what the hell is going on. "Westside skyline crying / fallen angel dying." He continues to sing as he moves around again, keeping his head low and his bow in hand. His little nimble fingers pluck an arrow from his quiver and he nocks and draws in one fluid motion. The little, needle-like arrow makes a high-pitched whistle and takes one of the trouble golems through the faceplate. It hits some alchemical processor and there's a little, green-grey explosion before the thing twitches and falls over. He winks at Karl.
Shaelyn charges Zurghath. GAME: Shaelyn rolls 1d20+8+2: (17)+8+2: 27 GAME: Shaelyn rolls 1d10+3+1: (4)+3+1: 8
Shaelyn scowls in annoyance at the creature, "Golem or not, I reckon its time to put it down." She says, stepping forwards as she draws her axe and then breaking out into a run. She leaps at the last moment, swinging the axe down to bury itself in the creature's chest plate, before she wrenches it free with the horrible sound of metal-on-metal and a rather more fleshy Shlorp.
GAME: Arissa casts Magic Missile. GAME: Arissa rolls 3d4+3: (6)+3: 9
Within the 'holy fog', Arissa hears the horrific voice taunting them and she is undeterred. She calls out: "Did you know? I let one of your kind escape once, as I valued the safety of those it had harmed over pursuing and killing it." Her mind flashes back to her encounter with an imp in the Veyshan deserts. "This time, I am under no such constraint!" She leaps to the edge of the mists, peering out to spot the apparent demonically possessed golem. It's hard to see her within the sparkly fog, but she's still twirling about and beaming cheerfully as she thrusts a palm at the presumed demon speaking to them.
He's met with a trio of gold-white magic spheres; they swirl around and above Garth to avoid him on their way to the target, staggering it and nearly knocking it over!
Zurghath uses Shadow Evocation to cast Fireball. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 10d6: (31): 31 GAME: Arissa rolls Will: (8)+6: 14 GAME: Arissa rolls Reflex+4: (17)+4+4: 25 GAME: Garthos rolls Will: (16)+4: 20 GAME: Garthos rolls Reflex: (4)+3: 7 GAME: Valadhiel rolls Will: (6)+4: 10 GAME: Valadhiel rolls Reflex: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Jinks rolls Will: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Jinks rolls Reflex: (6)+7: 13 GAME: Shaelyn rolls will: (13)+2: 15 GAME: Shaelyn rolls reflex: (16)+5: 21 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Arissa for 15 points. 16 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Garthos for 6 points. 35 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Valadhiel for 15 points. 18 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for 31 points. -9 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Shaelyn for 15 points. 28 remaining.
"You will not end me here, you sacks of flesh! You are worthy only to be hosts of the most low of my kind!" The ranting war golem steps back carefully, evading Shaelyn and Garthos and evokes a hellish blast of heat. The assault is on the mind itself, breaking through perception to impose its painful reality on several members of the party, while others see what it truly is and are harmed less badly. Jinks, however, takes the full brunt of it and falls unconscious from his burns.
Karl attacks a feral golem. GAME: Karl rolls 1d20+12: (6)+12: 18 GAME: Karl rolls 1d10+9: (4)+9: 13
"Taara's tits!" An oath spit out as the feral, rabid golems claw at Karl, and he backpedals swiftly--a grin flashed over at Jinks as he takes one of them down, followed by a sudden flash of hellish flame. He pauses for a moment, eyes widening, then snaps off a quick shot that cores the golem coming for him. "Everyone still-- ah, hells, Jinks!"
Garthos attacks Zurghath. GAME: Garthos rolls 1d20+4+5+1+1: (15)+4+5+1+1: 26 GAME: Garthos rolls 2d6+15: (2)+15: 17
Garth follows after the dark golem, a touch too late. Shadowy wisps of the flame existant mostly in the mind gently coil away from his body and armor. "Yeah, you just keep talkin', pretty. Stand still, now!" the man taunts, bringing his sword around in one of his trademark savage blows. It skitters across the plate of the golem, lessening the impact, but it is still enough to overload its mechanisms and cause it to collapse in a clattering heap and lie still.
Combat Ends
Jinks is sprawled out on the ground, clothing and ornamention in perfect shape. His ears and nose bleed from the illusory trauma. The little guy looks almost innocent when he's not ambulatory and groping everything appropriately sized.
"Ach!" Yelps Shaelyn as the firebakll strikes her, and she brings up her shield arm to shield her face from the illusory flames, even going so far as to stumble back from the heat. She turns back to the group, "I'll stand guard out here, make sure no golems looking for a fix sneak up behind you." she informs them then. She then heads back towards the gate to hold it against anyone who comes.
(Shaelyn had to leave at this point)
The war golem collapses over and its eyes dim. A black smoke pours out from the rents in its plating, coalescing in a vaguely winged, humanoid form above. The figure is torn and worn thin, barely holding together. The bright light of the sun shines down on it and it hisses painfully. The smoke fades, then is gone entirely.
Valadhiel blinks, "Jinks!" She looks a bit surprised that the gnome went down, and glances over at Arissa, "I have a few healing potions, if that is necessary..." Her eyes flicker at the building, "I suspect the need for subtlety is over."
Karl's gaze lifts towards the smoky figure that rises into the air, his fingers curling around the trigger of his rifle as he brings it up... but then, no, it's gone. The hunter shakes his head slowly, declaring darkly, "A fiend. This 'oil' is well named," he mutters, already jogging over towards his fallen comrade, "Is he alive?"
GAME: Arissa rolls Use Magic Device: (14)+13: 27 GAME: Arissa used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Arissa rolls 1d8+1: (5)+1: 6 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for -6 points. -3 remaining.
Arissa takes shelter behind the fence, but is still scorched and cries out in pain. Yet before she can make much of a retort to their attacker, he's cut down! Arissa emerges from her cover, hurrying over to kneel by Jinks with a wand in hand, tip pointed at him. "Karl!" A call as she prepares a wand in her other hand, though she's momentarily distracted by the miracle they just saw. "That was..." She looks inspired, in any case, then abruptly looks back to her work on Jinks. Val's offer is declined softly; "I brought these so that lives might be spared, and the wounded readily brought to full strength." Gold light pours out of the wand tip, stabilizing Jinks even as she admits: "However... my control over them is not complete. I would have others use these for a time."
Garth looks up at the shadowy figure, his eyes narrowing and grip on his sword tightening as he crouches, still battle-ready... but a moment later, it fades again, and after a glance around, he sheathes the weapon. "Is he alright?" he asks of poor, maimed Jinks, striding in the direction.
Valadhiel shakes her head, "The illusion hurt him badly, but... he'll live, I think." She glances at Arissa, "I... well, it isn't something I normally do, but I could use a wand of healing myself for him. Or the rest of us. I know that blast shook me up, despite its unreality."
GAME: Arissa used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Karl rolls 1d8+1: (5)+1: 6 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for -6 points. 3 remaining.
Karl drops down to a crouch beside the unconscious gnome--reaching up to accept one of Arissa's wand, sweeping it in an arc and then touching it to the man in a wash of healing energies. "Wake up, you loudmouthed gnome," he mutters, "No laying down on the job."
Arissa has apparently brought enough for most of the class; a third wand is retrieved and held out for Valadhiel to take. "He yet breathes. Even though you say the flames were false... sometimes an untruth can hurt far more deeply than any reality. Regardless, we can set ourselves right and proceed."
Jinks jerks awake, bolt upright. "TohellswithyouCoyoteI'mnotsingingforever!" He's shouting and scrabbling a little bit, tripping back onto his ass when he trips over the bow he'd dropped. "Oh. Oh, hello. Why are you all looking at me like that? I don't go for tallmen."
"He seems fine to me. Just a little out of it." says Garth with a small grin, bending down and offering a hand to Jinks to help him to his tiny gnome feet. "Ya took a pretty bad one, there. Thought ya were a goner for a moment." he explains, mildly. "Demon's gone. I think." he adds, glancing behind himself to where the shadowy fiend vanished.
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+4: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for -12 points. 15 remaining.
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+4: (6)+4: 10 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Arissa for -10 points. 26 remaining.
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Valadhiel for -8 points. 26 remaining.
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+4: (5)+4: 9 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for -9 points. 22 remaining.
Jinks hums quietly, slowly standing up with Garth's help. He blinks and makes sure he still has all of his rings, his crown, and so on. The gnome sighs and wipes at the blood on his face, smearing it through his goatee. Once he finally is all back together he starts to sing, pulling at the weave and knitting arcane energies into healing magics. His rings begin to glow brilliantly as he lays hands on himself, then Arissa and Valadhiel. He bends when he's finised and snatches up his bow, then a few of the arrows that fell out of his quiver when he was knocked over. "Well that was entirely unpleasant. Coyote was sitting there... laughing, the bastard. 'Bad Luck, eh?' he smirked. I was about to punch him in his little wet nose when -- kabam -- here I am!"
GAME: Karl rolls knowledge/the planes: (6)+2: 8 GAME: Valadhiel rolls knowledge/the planes: (11)+11: 22 GAME: Arissa rolls Knowledge/The Planes: (10)+2: 12
To Valadhiel only: 'It's clear now. The oil does damage to the place where the golem's soul resides, slowly eating away at its being until 'killing' it and replacing it with the will and power of a demon.'
Valadhiel hmms, "That's it." She glances at the ruined hulk of the war golem leader. "The oil rots the repository of the soul for the war golem, eating away at its sanity and will... until it can then be possessed by a demon." She shudders slightly, "Monstrous. These fiends must be eliminated." That, comes out with iron determination, as the wizard looks at the house, barely noticing the healing of her wounds.
GAME: Valadhiel rolls 1d8+1: (6)+1: 7 GAME: Arissa used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Arissa for -7 points. 31 remaining.
As the last of the healing is done, Karl's reloading his rifle. "Alright," he says grimly, turning his gaze towards the manor-house, "I'm sure they know we're here by now, but let's go have a little talk with Master Dylliar, shall we? I have all sorts of things I'd like to discuss."
"Lemme know when we're good to pay our demon-consortin' friend a visit." Garth asides, his gaze now on the house, as if suspecting something horrible and slavering is going to come out of it at any second. "I'll take the lead, unless one of ya prefers to do it." he offers. Suicidal much? But hey, he considers that part of his job.
Valadhiel smiles faintly, "I'll stay in the middle. I didn't use most of my magic, intentionally." Her eyes glint in amusement, as she seems to have kept things in reserve just for the abominations responsible.
Arissa starts to explain, but the others inform Jinks well enough. "...As they said." Her head tilts back, eyes closed as healing pours into her body; it feels great and she makes no secret of that... but does snap back to reality as Karl speaks. "Indeed! This wretch seeks to invite so many beasts of hell to reside in our world where they do not belong! I would not see everything reduced to gradual ruin if his plan succeeds." Like many others, she's quite focused at this point...
The Lab
Garth marches right on to that door! He grabs the doorknob - he doesn't die horribly - and gives it a go - this also does not result in death. The door rattles, locked. "Yep." he says. "Anyone good at pickin' locks or am I smashin' this down?" he asks his companions.
Valadhiel shrugs slightly, "I didn't prepare a spell for that, so..." She smiles faintly, "Unless we have a lockpick, I suggest doing it the old fashioned way."
"I have a lockpick," Karl admits, loosening the bracer he's wearing but suggesting, "Give it a kick anyway. Might be faster."
"Might bust the mechanism, but if ya say so." Garth says, lifting one heavy boot off the ground in preparation of giving the door a nice, solid kick!
GAME: Garthos rolls Strength: (8)+5: 13
Jinks shakes his head, "I'm a gentleman. People usually let me through doors when I ask nicely." He smiles and stands back a safe distance while Garth fidgets with the knob. He watches while he kicks the door, too, and smiles -- bow at the ready.
THUD. Garthos' boot impacts the door. Nothing at all happens save a tiny shudder of the sturdy wood. That did not work as planned or advertised!
GAME: Karl rolls Disable Device: (16)+13: 29
"I've got it, then," Karl allows--shaking out the roll of leather from his wrist, metal tools in fine positions, and he crouches down beside the door. A few quick, deft twists of them in the lock, and it turns over. They're put away as he steps back, suggesting, "You first."
Garth stands back a step to allow Karl to work his proverbial magic, and when it is done and there's that satisfying 'click' of the lock being undone, he does indeed retake his position at the head of the group and goes about opening the door and stepping inside the possibly demon-infested manor carefully.
Inside is the fine furnishings of a manor of this standing. There's another obviously locked door across the hall, and much of this entryway leads to other parts of the building. It's all rather nice and many of the pieces of fine sculpure sitting on pedestals are small enough that they might fit in a gnomish pack.
Valadhiel keeps her bow in one hand, though it isn't nocked as she prefers to keep her other hand free for spellcasting, if necessary. Her eyes flicker back and forth, looking around cautiously. "Not quite what I was expecting..."
A chemical smell seeps from the gaps around that locked door.
"He is an alchemist," Karl whispers, stepping in with the others, pointing his rifle at that locked door, "Maybe he's so used to the sound of explosions he didn't even notice."
"We should endeavor to keep this building intact." Jinks offers casually as he walks amongst the tallmen. "If we kill the owner and he has no next of kin, the structure will go to auction. I would not mind moving to a nicer neighborhood -- I have a couch that would be brilliant right there!" He points at one corner of the room as they pass through.
Jinks was just almost-dead three minutes ago. He's now talking about finding a nicer place to live. Gnomes.
"Drugs sell. Ain't much of a surprise." Garth notes to Valadhiel, clearly not all that impressed or surprised by the opulence of the place. "I'll let ya work the lockpicks again, shall I?" he inquires of Karl, gesturing mildly at the locked door.
GAME: Karl rolls Disable Device: (18)+13: 31
GAME: Arissa casts Bless.
Arissa comments to Jinks, "We may worry about where we live once we have ensured there is a place to live at all. If his plan were to succeed to its fullest, demons within possessed steel might infest the whole world and there would be little point in luxury. However..."
A bright smile forms, as Arissa produces a magic rod, held high overhead. "Since we are facing hell's wretches, it seems only fitting that the heavens watch over you!" A chant in Celestial follows, the rod's tip lighting up... and then an explosion of gold-white light engulfs the group, imparting divine courage to them!
Karl searches for traps. GAME: Karl rolls Perception: (12)+11: 23
Karl crouches down in front of the door, the lockpicks at the ready again--sliding into the lock, this one takes a little more time and finesse before the tumblers click over. "Alright," he finally says, after a few more moments of checking out the door, "Looks like we're ready, then..." A glance back to the others to be sure they're ready, and then he opens the door, stepping sharply to the side.
Initiative
Tiramor casts Fireball. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 7d6: (22): 22 GAME: Garthos rolls Reflex: (4)+3: 7 GAME: Karl rolls Reflex: (18)+13: 31 GAME: Jinks rolls Reflex: (5)+7: 12 GAME: Valadhiel rolls Reflex: (3)+7: 10 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Garthos for 22 points. 13 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for 22 points. 0 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Valadhiel for 11 points. 15 remaining.
"Ah! Intruders!" comes an elven-accented voice. A man in a stained alchemist's smock and a gas mask and goggles has been waiting there, partly cowering behind a table covered in glass beakers and tubs of bubbling fluid. He has been ready, aware of his house being entered and launches a purple-hued fireball into the group. It burns them, Karl able to avoid entirely. "My curtains!" the elf exclaims, watching them erupt in flames. So much for a nice place to live.
Round 1
Garthos attacks Tiramor. GAME: Garthos rolls 1d20+4+5+1+1+1: (16)+4+5+1+1+1: 28 GAME: Garthos rolls 2d6+15: (11)+15: 26
"..."
Garth looks down at his new shirt, which is now JUST AS CHARRED AS THE OLD.
"..."
Garth looks up at the elf, masked as he is. And he bares his teeth.
"That was a BRAND NEW SHIRT, YOU ASSHOLE!" he bellows, leaping into the room. He skirts around the table, unleashing a furious yell as he thrusts the greatsword forward, ruining the elf's smock and causing blood to spray all over the equipment. Yep. He's angry.
GAME: Arissa casts Summon Monster II.
Arissa winces as the others are engulfed in flame, counting herself very fortunate to not be amongst it. When Garth goes rushing into the room, she stays where she is... but doesn't plan to entirely abandon him. Instead, she begins softly and slowly 'singing' in Celestial as a white circle forms on the floor in front of her, magical rune designs swirling around within it...
Karl attacks Tiramor. GAME: Karl rolls 1d20+13: (1)+13: 14
It's a good thing that Karl ducked out of the way of the door's entrance before he opened it, because a ball of roaring flame came through it a moment later. Karl was fine. Why? There was a door between him and the fire. "Oh, Reos's breath, not again--" He tumbles in through the door, bringing the rifle up to fire...
...oh. It seems his rifle didn't have cover. A clump of char is hit by the bullet, and it goes off in a random direction, shattering glass.
GAME: Valadhiel casts scorching ray. GAME: Valadhiel rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 GAME: Valadhiel rolls 4d6+3: (11)+3: 14
Valadhiel chants rapidly, moving into the room as she takes up a position behind Garthos. Taking advantage of an opening, she launches a bolt of fire... which would impact with deadly force, if the flames didn't seem to just ripple over and ignore the enemy wizard. The elf narrows her eyes, "Alright, new plan."
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+4: (8)+4: 12 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for -12 points. 12 remaining.
Jinks almost blacks out when the concussive, scorching force of the fireball blast slams into him. He grits his teeth and manages to stay on his feet, growling out a verse worthy of a Khazad skald before his wounds begin to knit. "Coyote, you bastard. Let us take him alive. I'd like to kill this prick slowly..."
Tiramor casts Wall of Fire. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 2d4: (3): 3 GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d4: (4): 4 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Garthos for 3 points. 10 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Valadhiel for 3 points. 12 remaining. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Karl for 4 points. 41 remaining.
"Get back! Argh, this will take me weeks to rebuild!" The angered wizard reels from the blow and coughs. He's severely wounded and still manages the strength to cast a spell. Invoking in the eldritch tonge, a wall of licking flames erups along the width of the room, heat blazing out at the party. Lots of important-looking things on the table boil, shatter and melt.
Round 2
Garthos delays.
"WHEN I GET YA, I'M GONNA WRING YOUR SCRAWNY NECK!" Garth screams through the roaring wall of fire. Sweat is beading and rolling down his face and bare arms from the heat it is emitting. "Ya got anythin' to help out here?!" he asks his allies, hesitating for a moment. He's not in the best of shapes, and that looks painful to cross.
Arissa's fire elemental attacks Tiramor. GAME: Arissa rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10
Arissa readies to cast Resist Energy.
Arissa's 'sing chanting' continues, and the circle slides along the floor to enter the next room. A small, vaguely humanoid shape of fire emerges and rushes into the flames to strike at Tiramor, but comes up just short! Arissa then calls to Jinks, "You shall do no such thing! Taking him alive solely to torture him would degrade you to his level and you must not do that." Finally, she yells after Garth: "Come to me! I have a blessing that will see you through well enough!" She then hurries next to the door, hands readied as she continues chanting in Celestial, waiting...
GAME: Arissa casts Resist Energy.
...And there he is. Arissa is ready as Garth steps nearby. A triumphant shout follows as Arissa places her hands upon him, the air rippling around the man before she steps back and explains: "Only the most intense of flames could harm you now! Go forth!"
Garth turns at Arissa's call, jogging back to the sorceress. He looks completely lost as the spell takes hold, but obeys the second command as well, moving back where he started, close to the wall of flickering flames, but not yet stepping into it.
Karl leaps through the Wall of Fire. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 2d6+7: (12)+7: 19 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Karl for 19 points. 22 remaining.
Karl attacks Tiramor. GAME: Karl rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25 GAME: Karl rolls 1d6+3: (3)+3: 6
All these magical protections. All this worry about how to get through the wall.
Karl isn't going to have none of that.
A breath's taken in, and then he runs straight for the wall leaping up on the table and through it with a roar of defiance, averting his face as he crashes through it, "ANGORON!" He comes through blackened and smoking, bringing the rifle down to drive a bayonet of cold iron into the wizard's arm, "You think a little fire is going to stop me? I'm KARL FUCKING MATTOCK you demon-loving sonuvabitch!"
GAME: Valadhiel rolls 1d8+1: (6)+1: 7 GAME: Arissa used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Xenarchy damaged Garthos for -7 points. 17 remaining.
Jinks attacks Tiramor through the wall of fire. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+9: (10)+9: 19 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d100: (63): 63
Wall of Fire damage. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d4: (3): 3 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for 3 points. 9 remaining.
"Fire." Jinks says, looking at the shimmering wall of heat. It's so bad it's distorting his view of the actual fire. He pushes forward until the wall finds him, grimacing, and draws back on his bow. The missile flies into and through the wall, but exits blackened and charred to snap into powder against the magical barriers protecting the wizard. "Did I get him!?" He wonders.
The fire elemental gets an attack of opportunity. GAME: Arissa rolls 1d20+4: (2)+4: 6
Tiramor casts Acid Arrow at Karl. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9
Tiramor ducks back, slipping out from Karl's reach and almost taking a blow from the fire elemental. He's having trouble maneuvering between his wall of fire and the alchemy benches. He drops the concentration on the wall and it starts fading, but isn't gone yet. Evoking another spell, he launches a burst of acid at the rifleman but fails to land it on him.
Round 3
The fire elemental attacks Tiramor. GAME: Arissa rolls 1d20+4: (12)+4: 16
GAME: Arissa casts Resist Energy.
The fire elemental continues to hiss and flail at Tiramor to little effect, but it at least shows no lack of tenacity as it pursues him. Arissa places a hand on her own shoulder as she continues her chants, then the air ripples around her and she too moves into the room...
Garthos moves through the wall of fire. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 2d6+7: (4)+7: 11 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Garthos for 1 points. 16 remaining.
Garthos attacks Tiramor. GAME: Garthos rolls 1d20+4+5+1+1+1+2: (6)+4+5+1+1+1+2: 20 GAME: Garthos rolls 2d6+15: (7)+15: 22
With protections in place and some of his previous wounds sealed, Garthos valiantly - not as valiantly as Karl, but valiantly - leaps through the magical wall, flames trailing from his form and making him look like some fiery beast from a nightmare.
"I am... really... REALLY sick... of the fire stuff. REALLY sick." he growls at the wizard, baring his teeth and thrusting the sword forward. The blade goes into the wizard's gut... and comes out the other side, crimson. It is then pulled back with a snap, leaving the elf to crumple to the floor - not yet dead, but soon to be, considering the damage to his internal organs.
Combat Ends
Karl attemts to stabilise Tiramor. GAME: Karl rolls Heal: (4)+2: 6
"I want to know where this crazy Gunakhar-loving sonuvabitch got all this--that was a fiend've some sort out there, he has to've made some sort of deal," says Karl as the wizard goes down--on one knee, he's trying to feel for a pulse and find something to use as a bandage, but really, he's not good at this.
Stabilisation check. GAME: Xenarchy rolls 1d20+1: (11)+1: 12
Moments after the wizard is unconscious, his wall of fire evaporates.
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+4: (1)+4: 5 GAME: Xenarchy damaged Jinks for -5 points. 14 remaining.
"Seriously? Ya wanna save this evil demon-fuckin' bastard?" Garth is a little unsettled by this, obviously, and it is all too clear on his face. Far as he's concerned, a death by bleeding on the floor of his disgusting drug lab is exactly what the guy deserves.
GAME: Arissa rolls Use Magic Device: (19)+13: 32 GAME: Arissa used a Wand of Cure Light Wounds.
As Karl works on saving Tiramor's life, Arissa blinks in surprise... then walks over to be near him, wand in hand as she presses its tip to his body. It glows, stabilizing his breathing... and she pulls the wand away, smiling to Karl. "He will live." Then to Garth, "I do not know why Karl wished to spare him, but I am sure he had a reason and therefore I have made it so. Hopefully he will tell us why? Nonetheless I trust him for the moment."
Jinks looks around at all the fire damage as he sets to healing himself once more. "What an absolute shame..." He mourns, stepping further into the lab and having a look around. "So what, exactly, was he mixing alchemically to allow passage from the Hells into a host?" He's a hobbyist so he goes to look at the kits and any notes that might've survived the conflagration.
GAME: Jinks rolls Craft/alchemy: (16)+2: 18
To Jinks only: 'It's hard to make out the totality of the process (especially with half the lab destroyed) and you don't think you could replicate it, but it looks like he had found a way to use the blood of demons to make something akin to a gradual binding spell applied in repeated doses. In simple terms: A drug that leads to demon possession.'
"That," replies Karl dryly, pulling some rope from his belt to start tying the wizard's hands securely. Very securely. Fingers and all. "Is exactly what I want to know, Jinks... this wasn't your ordinary, every-day evil plot. And I'm not letting our only source of information die until we know where this madness came from."
Arissa blinks several times, surprised at Karl's reason. "Oh my. I had thought you were seized by a sudden thought of mercy even for a wretch like him... but now I see your designs and they are sensible enough." She gives a nod. "I would like to know as well, as this was a plot to bring many of the denziens of hell into our world and who knows where it would have stopped?" She shudders briefly at the thought, then smiles and makes a curtsy to those nearby. Arissa speaks in a soft, grateful voice. "Regardless, we have averted that. Through our efforts we have foiled a demonic invasion in subtle guise, so you have made the world that much safer and better. Thank you very much."
"Oh my." Jinks says, smoothing at his goatee. He's climbed up onto a stool and pushes scattered notes around. He lifts a corked tube sealed with dark wax, then flicks at some crushed powdery leafy substance with a dagger. "This is a smart fellow. Adept with magics, at least. You were correct to keep him alive; Alexandria should put him to work." He licks a fingertip, pokes it into the powdered substance and then tastes the slightest amount. "Conjuration magics mixed with alchemical applications. It essentially 'summons' part of a demonsoul into the golem to grant it the powers. There are just... side effects."
"Jinks," Karl's response is rather flat, "I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that suggestion about putting him to work for the sake of keeping our relationship cordial." A look up to the others, "We need to search this place, see if he left behind any log-books or journals, or... papers that might shed light on this madness."
"That I can do." Garth concedes, sheathing his weapon and commencing the no doubt long and arduous work of riffling through an elven madman's belongings in search of things that might be relevant to piecing the mystery together.
"What?" Jinks wonders, turning to look back at Karl. "Under supervision of course. With some guidance and collaborative efforts he can manage constructive advances in an attempt to pay of his debts to society." He shrugs and tosses the sealed vial to Karl. "If you were just planning on killing him why would you bother saving him now? That's likely babau blood. Refined. Valuable."