(OOC: I'm just a bit confused, do we need to choose a door, and if so, are there two choices or 6, or is there a sword to attack?. Does Sparhawk get a sense for where the undead presence is from?, also with the Chalice, he has Blood sense:You can sense the presence of any creature with blood within 60 feet, even through walls)
(ah ok, am I able to attack the sword directly with my eldritch blasts. I'm also assuming the sword disrupted the Contact Patron spell?)
<I don't think so. It's just talking. Mocking you, taunting. Talking is always free in my games, as long as it's not a specific mechanical effect or otherwise narred (e.g. silence spell>
<in #3083, the warlock patron kind of answered about the doors. There are six of them; do with that what you will. The sword in question is pictured in the same post, held by Drelnza. Its probably close by, maybe on her person. I mentioned it for overt clarity, above the table. I don't think it's hiding what it is, a sentient weapon, hungry for your blood, or perhaps, your corruption, but it isn't dancing around like a character from beauty and the beast. If you want to find the source of the voice, I'd say make a roll of some kind. I'll tell you plainly, it's an object, nkt a vreture, so targeting it with some spells is possible, i suppose. It does feel a bit meta-gamey based on what you've seen and heard up to this point, though>
As you converse with Drelnza, the empty chalice feels strangely heavy in your hands. You look down to find that it has begun to fill, not with fresh, red blood, but with a thick, syrupy black liquid that glints with a dull, cold sheen. A coppery, metallic scent fills the air around you, but it isn't the smell of a fresh cut. It's the stench of an ancient, stagnant pool of rust and decay.
An icy coldness spreads from the chalice up your arm, and you instinctively know this is not the warmth of life. The chalice is singing to you of corruption and hunger, and the liquid filling it is a desecration of the lifeblood it normally holds. The cup is not registering the blood of a living creature, but something else entirely—a powerful and malevolent echo of it.
“I believe it is time to open a door.” Sparhawk says as he moves toward the door that will sever the woman’s chains. As he does so, a black horse of fire and shadow appears next to him, and he mounts it, gracefully. A man who has spend much time in the saddle.
“Meet Faren, some would call him a horse, others, a nightmare” (summon Nightmare from chalice)
"Who or what said that?" Tenebril asks as he shakes off the haze that had overcome him while he was trying to contact his patron. "I've never had that happen before. Was it due to this place? Or from whatever said that?"
Tenebril will follow Sparhawk's lead and head towards the same door. He's still a bit nervous after what happened so he'll ready an action to cast EB at whoever/whatever tries to attack them first.
In addition to Drelnza's sword, Heretic, the treasures on display in the sanctum include the following:
Six decorative wooden screens (1,000 gp each)
Two carpets (750 gp each)
Two inlaid stands (250 gp each)
Four porcelain vessels (500 gp each)
A crystal bowl (1,000 gp) filled with assorted gems worth 10,000 gp in total
A silver tripod brazier worth 300 gp
Sparhawk raises the Hierophant’s Chalice, its silver rim catching the violet light of Daoud’s Lanthorn. A pulse of divine energy surges through the chamber, and the air grows heavy with the scent of ozone and burning myrrh. The runes on the dais flicker—then stutter.
A distant whinny echoes, hollow and strained, like a memory trying to claw its way into reality. For a moment, the shadows twist into the shape of hooves and flame—but then the sanctum pulses. A low hum rolls through the marble, and the illusion collapses. The summoning fails. The chalice dims. The nightmare cannot enter. Drelnza watches, amused. “Did you think I would leave the door unlocked?”
Sparhawk nods in understanding. Sparhawk moves 15 feet away from his companions, but not closer to the center.
"It appears that you have made your choice, my lady. By your actions, I take it you are now my adversary." He says more as a statement than a question. "To release you from your prison here, will then require me to destroy you in this plane." He looks at Drelnza, giving her a chance to counter his conclusion or for the battle to begin.
(His next 15 feet of movement is toward hand to hand combat with the witch (10 feet away with his reach: Hold Action: Attack Drelnza on her answer or any aggressive action).
Kos is totally confused by the chaos of the situation.
"Wha... wha... what's going on?"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The chamber hums with latent power. Violet light from Daoud’s Lanthorn spills across the alabaster dais, casting long shadows that twitch unnaturally.
Tenebril hovers near the edge of the sanctum, wings folded tight, eyes narrowed. His fingers curl around the sigils of an Eldritch Blast, held taut like a bowstring—ready to fire the moment he senses an attack.
Above him, a gemstone on the gleaming lantern pulses once, then flares. The air thickens. A column of divine flame erupts from the ceiling, engulfing Tenebril in a roaring pillar of heat and light. His cry is swallowed by the sanctum’s wards, but the blast echoes in the minds of all present.
The spell fades, leaving Tenebril scorched but standing—his held magic now loosed in reflex, arcing toward the dais.
Drelnza doesn’t flinch. She bends, graceful and deliberate, and lifts Heretic from its resting place. The blade hums with hunger, its voice a whisper in the minds of the living. “Ahhh… blood and fire. We begin.” Drelnza turns, her gaze settling on Koselig. Her voice is calm, almost tender. “You’ve come so far. You’ve seen so much. Wouldn’t it be easier… to trust me?” A subtle pulse ripples through the sanctum—no flash, no incantation. Just a twist in the weave. Koselig’s breath catches. His grip slackens. The world feels… clearer. Drelnza’s words ring true, her presence familiar. Trusted. Unless he resists, the charm takes hold. “Protect me,” she says softly. “They don’t understand what’s at stake.” Heretic gleams in her hand. The lantern flares again. And the sanctum waits, watching.
<Tenebril.. I dont know, fires EB, I guess? Kos make a DC 17 Wis save against charmed. Tenebril, roll Dex DC 17 (i think) save for ½ of 17 fire plus 12 radiant damage>
<At this point in the initiative, Sparhawk and Kos are up. If he still wants to move hither and yon, Sparhawk can do that, or he can do something else.>
"A rightful place awaits you in the Realms Above, in the Land of the Great Light. Come in peace, and live beneath the sun again, where trees and flowers grow."
— The message of Eilistraee to all decent drow.
"Run thy sword across my chains, Silver Lady, that I may join your dance.”
As the paladin moves forward, he say in a stern yet disappointed voice:
"You have caused harm to this world and to the worlds of others with your actions. You have abused your power. Balance must be restored. My heart is the agent of justice, my sword the instrument of vengeance (VOW OF EMNITY)
Sparhawk swiftly attacks twice: (Advantage) 24 to hit, damage: 14+8 trip + 5Radiant Trip attack DC17 str save or knocked prone) (27 damage)
second attack: 19 to hit, 10+8 Radiant, (PER chalice, sanguine smite radiant damage on each attack) (18 damage)
Sparhawk init 14.
(OOC: I'm just a bit confused, do we need to choose a door, and if so, are there two choices or 6, or is there a sword to attack?. Does Sparhawk get a sense for where the undead presence is from?, also with the Chalice, he has Blood sense:You can sense the presence of any creature with blood within 60 feet, even through walls)
<I don't think so. It's just talking. Mocking you, taunting. Talking is always free in my games, as long as it's not a specific mechanical effect or otherwise narred (e.g. silence spell>
<in #3083, the warlock patron kind of answered about the doors. There are six of them; do with that what you will. The sword in question is pictured in the same post, held by Drelnza. Its probably close by, maybe on her person. I mentioned it for overt clarity, above the table. I don't think it's hiding what it is, a sentient weapon, hungry for your blood, or perhaps, your corruption, but it isn't dancing around like a character from beauty and the beast. If you want to find the source of the voice, I'd say make a roll of some kind. I'll tell you plainly, it's an object, nkt a vreture, so targeting it with some spells is possible, i suppose. It does feel a bit meta-gamey based on what you've seen and heard up to this point, though>
As you converse with Drelnza, the empty chalice feels strangely heavy in your hands. You look down to find that it has begun to fill, not with fresh, red blood, but with a thick, syrupy black liquid that glints with a dull, cold sheen. A coppery, metallic scent fills the air around you, but it isn't the smell of a fresh cut. It's the stench of an ancient, stagnant pool of rust and decay.
An icy coldness spreads from the chalice up your arm, and you instinctively know this is not the warmth of life. The chalice is singing to you of corruption and hunger, and the liquid filling it is a desecration of the lifeblood it normally holds. The cup is not registering the blood of a living creature, but something else entirely—a powerful and malevolent echo of it.
“I believe it is time to open a door.” Sparhawk says as he moves toward the door that will sever the woman’s chains. As he does so, a black horse of fire and shadow appears next to him, and he mounts it, gracefully. A man who has spend much time in the saddle.
“Meet Faren, some would call him a horse, others, a nightmare” (summon Nightmare from chalice)
"Who or what said that?" Tenebril asks as he shakes off the haze that had overcome him while he was trying to contact his patron. "I've never had that happen before. Was it due to this place? Or from whatever said that?"
Tenebril will follow Sparhawk's lead and head towards the same door. He's still a bit nervous after what happened so he'll ready an action to cast EB at whoever/whatever tries to attack them first.
In addition to Drelnza's sword, Heretic, the treasures on display in the sanctum include the following:
Six decorative wooden screens (1,000 gp each)
Two carpets (750 gp each)
Two inlaid stands (250 gp each)
Four porcelain vessels (500 gp each)
A crystal bowl (1,000 gp) filled with assorted gems worth 10,000 gp in total
A silver tripod brazier worth 300 gp
Sparhawk raises the Hierophant’s Chalice, its silver rim catching the violet light of Daoud’s Lanthorn. A pulse of divine energy surges through the chamber, and the air grows heavy with the scent of ozone and burning myrrh. The runes on the dais flicker—then stutter.
A distant whinny echoes, hollow and strained, like a memory trying to claw its way into reality. For a moment, the shadows twist into the shape of hooves and flame—but then the sanctum pulses. A low hum rolls through the marble, and the illusion collapses. The summoning fails. The chalice dims. The nightmare cannot enter. Drelnza watches, amused. “Did you think I would leave the door unlocked?”
Sparhawk nods in understanding. Sparhawk moves 15 feet away from his companions, but not closer to the center.
"It appears that you have made your choice, my lady. By your actions, I take it you are now my adversary." He says more as a statement than a question. "To release you from your prison here, will then require me to destroy you in this plane." He looks at Drelnza, giving her a chance to counter his conclusion or for the battle to begin.
(His next 15 feet of movement is toward hand to hand combat with the witch (10 feet away with his reach: Hold Action: Attack Drelnza on her answer or any aggressive action).
Kos is totally confused by the chaos of the situation.
"Wha... wha... what's going on?"
6
3 9 7
2
The chamber hums with latent power. Violet light from Daoud’s Lanthorn spills across the alabaster dais, casting long shadows that twitch unnaturally.
Tenebril hovers near the edge of the sanctum, wings folded tight, eyes narrowed. His fingers curl around the sigils of an Eldritch Blast, held taut like a bowstring—ready to fire the moment he senses an attack.
Above him, a gemstone on the gleaming lantern pulses once, then flares. The air thickens. A column of divine flame erupts from the ceiling, engulfing Tenebril in a roaring pillar of heat and light. His cry is swallowed by the sanctum’s wards, but the blast echoes in the minds of all present.
The spell fades, leaving Tenebril scorched but standing—his held magic now loosed in reflex, arcing toward the dais.
Drelnza doesn’t flinch. She bends, graceful and deliberate, and lifts Heretic from its resting place. The blade hums with hunger, its voice a whisper in the minds of the living. “Ahhh… blood and fire. We begin.” Drelnza turns, her gaze settling on Koselig. Her voice is calm, almost tender. “You’ve come so far. You’ve seen so much. Wouldn’t it be easier… to trust me?” A subtle pulse ripples through the sanctum—no flash, no incantation. Just a twist in the weave. Koselig’s breath catches. His grip slackens. The world feels… clearer. Drelnza’s words ring true, her presence familiar. Trusted. Unless he resists, the charm takes hold. “Protect me,” she says softly. “They don’t understand what’s at stake.” Heretic gleams in her hand. The lantern flares again. And the sanctum waits, watching.
<Tenebril.. I dont know, fires EB, I guess? Kos make a DC 17 Wis save against charmed. Tenebril, roll Dex DC 17 (i think) save for ½ of 17 fire plus 12 radiant damage>
<sorry. The DC for the flame was actually 20. Looks like we can catxh sparhawk in that flame column, too>
<At this point in the initiative, Sparhawk and Kos are up. If he still wants to move hither and yon, Sparhawk can do that, or he can do something else.>
(Yeah, 5 for the Dex save so Tenebril takes the full force of the flame)
Eldritch Blast 1: 17 attack, 14 damage
Eldritch Blast 2: 30 (nat 20) attack, 21 damage
Eldritch Blast 3: 26 attack, 14 damage
(I'm assuming repelling blast would not work here)
Kos' WIS: 6
As the paladin moves forward, he say in a stern yet disappointed voice:
"You have caused harm to this world and to the worlds of others with your actions. You have abused your power. Balance must be restored. My heart is the agent of justice, my sword the instrument of vengeance (VOW OF EMNITY)
Sparhawk swiftly attacks twice: (Advantage) 24 to hit, damage: 14+8 trip + 5 Radiant Trip attack DC17 str save or knocked prone) (27 damage)
second attack: 19 to hit, 10+8 Radiant, (PER chalice, sanguine smite radiant damage on each attack) (18 damage)