"I think those words are more than appropriate, Neya. But for now..."
Utar's voice trails away as the Graxx's door opening boot connects with the big, brass door. Knowing that's the voices appeared to be plotting something, and also knowing that you don't kick a door down and not expect trouble behind it, he readies his shield and holds the mace they found, behind his head, about to strike.
As Neya and Utar are about to agree to move on, Graxx kicks the door in. It swings open revealing a large chamber on the other side. This round room is approximately 60 feet in diameter with a vaulted ceiling 30 feet tall in the center. The majority of the room is a couple feet higher than the side that you enter from, and accessed by a pair of steps. At the far side of the room, a large idol carved from a single piece of pale green stone stands in a pool of black water. It is carved in the shape of a tentacle humanoid with the head of a many-fanged fish, and bathes the room in a sickly green light. The idol radiates with a faint, sickly-green glow, providing dim light in this room.
Yet another door can be found in the northern end of this room. This one is not made of brass, but of heavy stone. There is a mixture of sounds you can hear: clattering bone, dripping water, muted whispers. The smell of brackish water, blood, and rot is even stronger in here. Two pillars are arranged around the raised section of the floor. While they are too worn to be certain, it is highly likely that they were once beautifully carved. A number of calcified skeletons lay in heaps on either side of the pool. The body of a human male is slumped over an altar at the edge of the pool. Something that appears to be a wand is on the floor near his hand. A pool of dark blood has pooled and dried on the altar after running down its sides and front. It looks like, before it dried, the blood ran into the pool around the statue. This may be why the water is reddish-black. A second corpse lay partially submerged in the pool, his body bearing dozens of slashing wounds and feathered with the broken shafts of a few arrows.
Utar: This whole scene sparks your memory. Something you read in the book of cults last night. (Please give me a history check. You can do it with advantage if consulting the tome you still carry in your backpack.)
"What is going on in this place?!" Graxx says. He brazenly walks up first the second corpse partially submerged and drags it out of the water 10 feet onto dry land.
Feeling slightly uneasy at the sickly green light bathing the room and the sinister statue,something tugs at the back of Utar's mind. You've seen this before.
Dropping his guard, he shrugs his pack from his back and rifles through it looking for the book he had been reading, flicking pages this way and that looking for the correct passage.
Utar takes the time to dig into his backpack and pull out the book on ancient cults. Even though the cleric is not currently wearing the Helm of Comprehending Languages, his memory plus whatever basic Thorass he was able to recall are enough to guide him partially through the page once he finds the correct one. The many-fanged fish figure can be no other than Dagon, the Prince of the Depths. The text elaborates on how Dagon and his minions, who reside in the Abyss, were once known as 'those who sleep below' and bestowed nightmares upon those who swam in the Sea of Fallen Stars. In an attempt to achieve godhood, he began a campaign of slaughter against the shalarin --an ancient race of aquatic humanoids never actually confirmed to have existed-- until his plan was thwarted by the merfolk of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Despite his failure, a secretive cult was born to worship Dagon as a god nonetheless. They were hunted down over the years, and it is believed this cult was extinct. Utar further concludes that this must be the Jade Temple, where such cult used to gather. There is no doubt that his temple precedes any current events or actors around the Moonsea region, if not the existence of the city of Phlan altogether. There is some more information in the book, but Utar can not piece it all together in his current circumstances.
While Utar refreshes his memories, Graxx approaches the corpse that is halfway into the water. As he begins to pull it out of the fetid tank, he is surprised twice in the span of half a second: First, this male human body is wearing the black leather and chain shirt that the barbarian knows to be characteristic of a Black Fist foot soldier. Second, the body is still moving. The other body, slumped over the altar, also begins to rise and turn, letting out a gnarly growl. His soiled but clearly well made doublet displays the initials 'IS' on the left breast. Not only do these fresh corpses rise, but also the water begins to roil and churn as a couple of skeletons emerge from the filthy tank. The bloody water runs in black rivulets down their bones and drips from the tips of the arrows in their hands as they attack.
ROLLING FOR INITIATIVE:
Neya: 23;
Drazzim: : 17;
Graxx: 11;
Praxx: : 11;
Utar: 4 - I'm giving you disadvantage on the roll to account for you being on your knee reading a book at the moment;
"That's one thing you can say about this place... It can certainly keep you on your toes." Neya says as she nocks an arrow and looses it on the nearest skeleton (AO-74)
With lightning speed, Neya grabs and arrow and shoots it at the closest skeleton. The projectile bounces of a piece of armor scrap hanging from its clavicle. The skeleton's cranium slowly turn to face the monk. It seems it has chosen its target.
Graxx spits at the guard zombie's face and follows that up with a ruthless slash of his greatsword. The strike almost cleaves the fresh corpse in half, though some of the necrotic magic giving it undeath remains (Guard Zombie - CMD: 18).
Praxx then tries to add insult to injury, literally:
-> Guard Zombie's WIS saving throw {DC 13}: 16 - it doesn't look like the zombie understood the gnome's words.
Drazzim yelps while pointing to Igan's zombie: "Anyone mind if I cut this one down?" Before anyone can answer, the dwarf moves closer {AG77} and swings his favorite weapon:
-> Glaive (melee weapon attack with reach) vs. Igan's Zombie: Attack: 22 Damage: 10 slashing.
A large gash appears on Igan's chest (Zombie Igan - CMD: 10).
Utar scrambles for the newly acquired mace and his battered shield. Seeing the undead before the party, he advances to AI75, in front of the alter. His steps are sure and deliberate and his hand clutches his amulet.
As he moves he chants a prayer to Torm, his tone of voice the same as his footsteps. Over and over he repeatsrtge words until they become like a mantra.
"Torm, I call you here to this unholy place. Torm, I call you here to aid and protect my friends; aid and protect those who live on this island and aid and protect the city of Phlann. Answer me, as I answer you daily. Be with us now and drive out the foul undead."
(OOC Utar is using turn undead. DC is 12, any undead who fail the wisdom save must spend their turn moving as far away from me as possible.)
Utar's prayers are answered by a bright golden light, coming not only from his amulet, but also from Torm's symbol on one of the four faces of the half-orc's new mace. Utar can feel the power of the mace traveling through his body.
-> WIS saving throws {DC 12}:
Skeleton#1: 15;
Skeleton#2: 7;
Zombie Igan: 15;
Zombie Guard: 14.
The skeleton to the right side of the pool of water and the zombie Graxx almost cut in half screech in fear of the light. Both of these enemies lower their weapons. The other two don't.
Zombie Igan will move towards Drazzim, who is right there, and paw at him:
-> Slam (melee weapon attack) vs. Drazzim: Attack: 7Damage: 7 bludgeoning.
The dwarf's armor takes all the sting of the attack away.
Zombie Guard starts to move towards the door that you used to enter this chamber. He is slow a first, but it picks up some speed as it goes (dash). Its rushed move forces the large gash on its torso to flap open, giving plenty of chance to anyone nearby to finish the job.
(OOC: Graxx, Neya, and Praxx can all use their reaction to perform an opportunity attack on this very hurt zombie.)
Praxx sees his opportunity and pulls another Vicious Mockery 1 “That’s right! Run home to mother!”
Turn
Praxx pulls his lute and strums a quick tune and holds out his hand pointing toward the fleeing zombie still and casts another Vicious Mockery 1 “Stay for the show lipless!”
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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(@Lerus: Agents move around a lot more than those on scout duty. So, as far as Neya knows, the agent may have been a new face in town.)
"There's more than just water beyond that door."
Extended Signature
"I think those words are more than appropriate, Neya. But for now..."
Utar's voice trails away as the Graxx's door opening boot connects with the big, brass door. Knowing that's the voices appeared to be plotting something, and also knowing that you don't kick a door down and not expect trouble behind it, he readies his shield and holds the mace they found, behind his head, about to strike.
As Neya and Utar are about to agree to move on, Graxx kicks the door in. It swings open revealing a large chamber on the other side. This round room is approximately 60 feet in diameter with a vaulted ceiling 30 feet tall in the center. The majority of the room is a couple feet higher than the side that you enter from, and accessed by a pair of steps. At the far side of the room, a large idol carved from a single piece of pale green stone stands in a pool of black water. It is carved in the shape of a tentacle humanoid with the head of a many-fanged fish, and bathes the room in a sickly green light. The idol radiates with a faint, sickly-green glow, providing dim light in this room.
Yet another door can be found in the northern end of this room. This one is not made of brass, but of heavy stone. There is a mixture of sounds you can hear: clattering bone, dripping water, muted whispers. The smell of brackish water, blood, and rot is even stronger in here. Two pillars are arranged around the raised section of the floor. While they are too worn to be certain, it is highly likely that they were once beautifully carved. A number of calcified skeletons lay in heaps on either side of the pool. The body of a human male is slumped over an altar at the edge of the pool. Something that appears to be a wand is on the floor near his hand. A pool of dark blood has pooled and dried on the altar after running down its sides and front. It looks like, before it dried, the blood ran into the pool around the statue. This may be why the water is reddish-black. A second corpse lay partially submerged in the pool, his body bearing dozens of slashing wounds and feathered with the broken shafts of a few arrows.
Utar: This whole scene sparks your memory. Something you read in the book of cults last night. (Please give me a history check. You can do it with advantage if consulting the tome you still carry in your backpack.)
"What is going on in this place?!" Graxx says. He brazenly walks up first the second corpse partially submerged and drags it out of the water 10 feet onto dry land.
Graxx would like to investigate the body:
Investigation: 3
Feeling slightly uneasy at the sickly green light bathing the room and the sinister statue,something tugs at the back of Utar's mind. You've seen this before.
Dropping his guard, he shrugs his pack from his back and rifles through it looking for the book he had been reading, flicking pages this way and that looking for the correct passage.
History 14
(OOC With Utar, there's no way I'm not taking advantage if it's offered!)
Utar takes the time to dig into his backpack and pull out the book on ancient cults. Even though the cleric is not currently wearing the Helm of Comprehending Languages, his memory plus whatever basic Thorass he was able to recall are enough to guide him partially through the page once he finds the correct one. The many-fanged fish figure can be no other than Dagon, the Prince of the Depths. The text elaborates on how Dagon and his minions, who reside in the Abyss, were once known as 'those who sleep below' and bestowed nightmares upon those who swam in the Sea of Fallen Stars. In an attempt to achieve godhood, he began a campaign of slaughter against the shalarin --an ancient race of aquatic humanoids never actually confirmed to have existed-- until his plan was thwarted by the merfolk of the Sea of Fallen Stars. Despite his failure, a secretive cult was born to worship Dagon as a god nonetheless. They were hunted down over the years, and it is believed this cult was extinct. Utar further concludes that this must be the Jade Temple, where such cult used to gather. There is no doubt that his temple precedes any current events or actors around the Moonsea region, if not the existence of the city of Phlan altogether. There is some more information in the book, but Utar can not piece it all together in his current circumstances.
While Utar refreshes his memories, Graxx approaches the corpse that is halfway into the water. As he begins to pull it out of the fetid tank, he is surprised twice in the span of half a second: First, this male human body is wearing the black leather and chain shirt that the barbarian knows to be characteristic of a Black Fist foot soldier. Second, the body is still moving. The other body, slumped over the altar, also begins to rise and turn, letting out a gnarly growl. His soiled but clearly well made doublet displays the initials 'IS' on the left breast. Not only do these fresh corpses rise, but also the water begins to roil and churn as a couple of skeletons emerge from the filthy tank. The bloody water runs in black rivulets down their bones and drips from the tips of the arrows in their hands as they attack.
ROLLING FOR INITIATIVE:
THE JADE TEMPLE:
(Neya, Graxx, and Praxx are up first. Drazzim will go after that.)
Graxx will bonus action rage. The veins pop out of his neck as his skin turns red.
Graxx will recklessly attack the zombie with his greatsword. He swings wildly in a sweeping motion.
Attack(Slashing): 14 Damage: 13
Divine Fury(Radiant) Damage: 5
"That's one thing you can say about this place... It can certainly keep you on your toes." Neya says as she nocks an arrow and looses it on the nearest skeleton (AO-74)
Shortbow Attack: 12 Damage: 5
Extended Signature
Praxx stays back far enough to remain safe as the zombies stagger at the edge. He targets the zombie at AL-74 and casts Vicious Mockery.
Damage: 1 and yells “why does your face look like it’s been in a blender?”
With lightning speed, Neya grabs and arrow and shoots it at the closest skeleton. The projectile bounces of a piece of armor scrap hanging from its clavicle. The skeleton's cranium slowly turn to face the monk. It seems it has chosen its target.
Graxx spits at the guard zombie's face and follows that up with a ruthless slash of his greatsword. The strike almost cleaves the fresh corpse in half, though some of the necrotic magic giving it undeath remains (Guard Zombie - CMD: 18).
Praxx then tries to add insult to injury, literally:
-> Guard Zombie's WIS saving throw {DC 13}: 16 - it doesn't look like the zombie understood the gnome's words.
Drazzim yelps while pointing to Igan's zombie: "Anyone mind if I cut this one down?" Before anyone can answer, the dwarf moves closer {AG77} and swings his favorite weapon:
-> Glaive (melee weapon attack with reach) vs. Igan's Zombie: Attack: 22 Damage: 10 slashing.
A large gash appears on Igan's chest (Zombie Igan - CMD: 10).
Both skeletons prepare an arrow from their largely empty quivers. One completes its implicit promise to aim at Neya, the other one aims at Drazzim:
-> Shortbow (ranged weapon attack) vs. Neya: Attack: 8
Damage: 8 piercing.-> Shortbow (ranged weapon attack) vs. Drazzim: Attack: 23 Damage: 3 piercing.
Neya avoids the projectile launched at her with a simple flick of her neck. Drazzim is less nimble, getting poked on the arm.
(Utar is up next.)
Utar scrambles for the newly acquired mace and his battered shield. Seeing the undead before the party, he advances to AI75, in front of the alter. His steps are sure and deliberate and his hand clutches his amulet.
As he moves he chants a prayer to Torm, his tone of voice the same as his footsteps. Over and over he repeatsrtge words until they become like a mantra.
"Torm, I call you here to this unholy place. Torm, I call you here to aid and protect my friends; aid and protect those who live on this island and aid and protect the city of Phlann. Answer me, as I answer you daily. Be with us now and drive out the foul undead."
(OOC Utar is using turn undead. DC is 12, any undead who fail the wisdom save must spend their turn moving as far away from me as possible.)
Utar's prayers are answered by a bright golden light, coming not only from his amulet, but also from Torm's symbol on one of the four faces of the half-orc's new mace. Utar can feel the power of the mace traveling through his body.
-> WIS saving throws {DC 12}:
The skeleton to the right side of the pool of water and the zombie Graxx almost cut in half screech in fear of the light. Both of these enemies lower their weapons. The other two don't.
Zombie Igan will move towards Drazzim, who is right there, and paw at him:
-> Slam (melee weapon attack) vs. Drazzim: Attack: 7
Damage: 7 bludgeoning.The dwarf's armor takes all the sting of the attack away.
Zombie Guard starts to move towards the door that you used to enter this chamber. He is slow a first, but it picks up some speed as it goes (dash). Its rushed move forces the large gash on its torso to flap open, giving plenty of chance to anyone nearby to finish the job.
(OOC: Graxx, Neya, and Praxx can all use their reaction to perform an opportunity attack on this very hurt zombie.)
END OF INITIATIVE ROUND 1
THE JADE TEMPLE:
NOTE: The map above shows you where the turned zombie would end up if it manages to survive all opportunity attacks {AI67}.
(Neya, Graxx, and Praxx are up next. Each of them can also take an attack of opportunity before taking their turn. Drazzim will go after that.)
REACTION!
Seeing the zombie running her way in a blind panic, Neya draws her shortsword and attempts to strike it as it runs past.
Opportunity shortsword Attack: 17 Damage: 4
Extended Signature
Neya then sheathes her sword as she closes the distance to the closest skeleton and sends fists flying.
Unarmed Attack: 7 Damage: 4
Bonus Unarmed Attack: 18 Damage: 7
Extended Signature
REACTION:
Graxx will take a swing at the fleeing Guard.
Attack: 12 Damage: 13
TURN:
Graxx will move to the closest enemy alive(if possible) and dig his RECKLESS blade into their decaying bodies!
Attack: 21 Damage: 14
Divine Fury(Radiant): 5
Reaction
Praxx sees his opportunity and pulls another Vicious Mockery 1 “That’s right! Run home to mother!”
Turn
Praxx pulls his lute and strums a quick tune and holds out his hand pointing toward the fleeing zombie still and casts another Vicious Mockery 1 “Stay for the show lipless!”