Ignoring the boom of a detonating cultist, Wendell scratches his chin, "Is it possible that the Life Transference spell operates differently in the context of this ritual? Based on what we saw, it looked like they were feeding this beast's energies into the gems. Perhaps the corruption to the elemental binding spells enabled the creature to function as the 'caster'? Disturbing as the possibility of someone finding a way to cheat the spell's requirements might be, it seems the easiest answer. It also means that the sooner we can bleed off the energy, the better."
The dead cultist's body turns to stone and errupts in a violent explosion of sharp and heavy debris, causing 10 damage.
(5 damage on a successful save of 14 or higher)
[5 damage taken - Guan Hao at 35 / 40]
Guan Hao leaps back from the exploding body, not quite fast enough to avoid shards giving him some nasty nicks across his face and arms, and spits some ugly curses in Giant.
Ignoring the boom of a detonating cultist, Wendell scratches his chin, "Is it possible that the Life Transference spell operates differently in the context of this ritual? Based on what we saw, it looked like they were feeding this beast's energies into the gems. Perhaps the corruption to the elemental binding spells enabled the creature to function as the 'caster'? Disturbing as the possibility of someone finding a way to cheat the spell's requirements might be, it seems the easiest answer. It also means that the sooner we can bleed off the energy, the better."
With a concerned glance toward his companions, Elaric quickly ascertains that everyone (save the cultist) survived the blast and, though bruised and bleeding, appear likely to continue surviving for the foreseeable future.
Returning his attention to the arcane puzzle at hand, he motions toward a set of sigils carved around the nearest of the two gems. "What do you make of these?"
Arcana check: 19
(If arcana is 15 or above) Investigation check: 25
Wendell swears, "It's the damned shadow-wolf all over again! They were making this... thing go planar. Earth plane this time. It would have probably been too much for the monster on its own, so they were keeping it alive with Life Transfer. They spread it out among the whole group of cultists to cushion the blow and make sure it wouldn't kill one of them by mistake. I have no idea how they planned to control the thing when the process finished though."
Wendell swears, "It's the damned shadow-wolf all over again! They were making this... thing go planar. Earth plane this time. It would have probably been too much for the monster on its own, so they were keeping it alive with Life Transfer. They spread it out among the whole group of cultists to cushion the blow and make sure it wouldn't kill one of them by mistake. I have no idea how they planned to control the thing when the process finished though."
Nodding in agreement, Elaric adds, "I'd come to the same conclusions. If we want to know any more, we'll have to find the leader's lair. A ritual this complex could not have been created from memory - it took time and extensive planning. The leader must keep written notes somewhere nearby."
Turning to look at the gems, the Elf continues, "On the bright side, it should be a simple matter to dissipate the excess planar energies in the gems if we do so simultaneously."
Identical runes in both circles briefly flare as the wizards concentrate. With a sudden whip-like CRACK, the two gems expell coronas of yellow energy before seeming to darken, leaving only a small mote of cloudy light in the core of each gem. Elaric walks once about the northern gem's rune circle, eyeing it critically before announcing, "They should be safe, now." Without hesitating, he reaches out and picks up the fist-sized gemstone.
As the Elf neither explodes nor disintigrates, it seems his assessment is correct: the gems are now safe to touch.
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Dex saves for Balasar, Guan Hao, Gong, and Skoth, please!
Ignoring the boom of a detonating cultist, Wendell scratches his chin, "Is it possible that the Life Transference spell operates differently in the context of this ritual? Based on what we saw, it looked like they were feeding this beast's energies into the gems. Perhaps the corruption to the elemental binding spells enabled the creature to function as the 'caster'? Disturbing as the possibility of someone finding a way to cheat the spell's requirements might be, it seems the easiest answer. It also means that the sooner we can bleed off the energy, the better."
Guan Hao's Dex save: 17
The dead cultist's body turns to stone and errupts in a violent explosion of sharp and heavy debris, causing 10 damage.
(5 damage on a successful save of 14 or higher)
Balasar's dex save: 14
With advantage from his Danger Sense trait: 19
[5 damage taken - Guan Hao at 35 / 40]
Guan Hao leaps back from the exploding body, not quite fast enough to avoid shards giving him some nasty nicks across his face and arms, and spits some ugly curses in Giant.
Gong' save: 6
Skoth's save: 10
10 damage to Gong and Skoth
With a concerned glance toward his companions, Elaric quickly ascertains that everyone (save the cultist) survived the blast and, though bruised and bleeding, appear likely to continue surviving for the foreseeable future.
Returning his attention to the arcane puzzle at hand, he motions toward a set of sigils carved around the nearest of the two gems. "What do you make of these?"
Arcana check: 19
(If arcana is 15 or above) Investigation check: 25
Balasar, Gong, Guan Hao, Mady, and Skoth may make perception checks and, if the check is 15 or better, an investigation check.
Mady's Perception check: 21
(If perception is 15 or better) Investigation check: 17
Arcana: 16
Investigation: 22
Perception for Gong: 17
Investigation (if Perception is 15 or higher): 14
Perception: 21
Investigation: 5
Perception: 8
Investigation: 16
Skoth's checks:
Perception - 11
Investigation - 16
Wendell swears, "It's the damned shadow-wolf all over again! They were making this... thing go planar. Earth plane this time. It would have probably been too much for the monster on its own, so they were keeping it alive with Life Transfer. They spread it out among the whole group of cultists to cushion the blow and make sure it wouldn't kill one of them by mistake. I have no idea how they planned to control the thing when the process finished though."
Nodding in agreement, Elaric adds, "I'd come to the same conclusions. If we want to know any more, we'll have to find the leader's lair. A ritual this complex could not have been created from memory - it took time and extensive planning. The leader must keep written notes somewhere nearby."
Turning to look at the gems, the Elf continues, "On the bright side, it should be a simple matter to dissipate the excess planar energies in the gems if we do so simultaneously."
Elaric walks across to the northern gem. "Ready?"
Arcana checks for both Elaric and Wendell.
Elaric's Arcana check: 12
Taking position at the southern gem, Wendell cracks his neck and takes a deep breath, "Ready."
Arcana 23
Identical runes in both circles briefly flare as the wizards concentrate. With a sudden whip-like CRACK, the two gems expell coronas of yellow energy before seeming to darken, leaving only a small mote of cloudy light in the core of each gem. Elaric walks once about the northern gem's rune circle, eyeing it critically before announcing, "They should be safe, now." Without hesitating, he reaches out and picks up the fist-sized gemstone.
As the Elf neither explodes nor disintigrates, it seems his assessment is correct: the gems are now safe to touch.