Pizazz's Ravenloft and Beyond

Lionel Wisdom Save: 27

Regardless of the result

As Mordekai is inevitably dragged away from the statue, he tries his best to utter the incantation of Dimension Door, but finds himself thoroughly gagged and unable to form the words.  He looks at Lionel, torn between an angry glare and the wild-eyed panic of someone who knows there's nothing they can do about their onrushing demise.  Then, assuming he gets to 40ft from the statue, he'll screw his eyes tight shut, and (insofar as he can move) brace for an unknown but anticipated death.

Lionel, you drag your ally, kicking and screaming as it were, tied up, out of the room with the statue and out of the darkness.  As you get to the ledge just outside the room, you find Ulthan there.  He is...drawing arrows and firing them into the darkness as quickly as he can.  He flinches as he seems to be hit by something, but you can't see anything.  

Mordekai, make a Wisdom DC 16 saving throw (or die).  Lionel is nearby so you get +3.  

There's a loud cracking sound from the broken ledge you're now all standing on.  There's a particularly loud crack and then you're all in free fall as the granite gives way and plummets 30 feet to the temple floor below.  Ulthan, Lionel, Mordekai, you each take 16 falling damage. (unless you do something to prevent the falling damage)

DC16 WIS save: 12

Given that Mordekai is tightly bound and gagged, he'll be taking the full fall damage! lol

If an action is allowed - Radiant Soul and flying. Mordekai in his arms should be fine (btw, would not layers of the rope soften the fall? :) not sure Lionel can do something about Ulthan, though.

Ulthan smashes the ground and not that surprisingly the first thing escaping his lips is "hrmpfh". Then he bolts for the exit up the stairs at a full run with apparently full intent to just run out of here.

Lionel grabs Mordekai as the rock crashes to the ground, his brilliant wings emerging to keep them aloft so they don't smash to the ground. (no damage)

Mordekai, you're keenly aware that the statue had ensnared your mind and you're now free of its influence.  But...you are still tied up and dangling in the air.

Ulthan boots it out of there, fleeing across the open temple floor. 

Meepo walks out to the edge of where the balcony was a few moments earlier and looks about, "Meepo no like statue no more."  He watches Ulthan flee and shakes his head.  "He good at running at least." 

Ismark again emerges from around the large statue, glancing about in the darkness.  He seems to be holding his throat with one hand, and his blade with another as he limps forward squinting in the darkness, staying near the wall for cover.

Mordekai shakes his head, and looks up to Lionel, a little embarrassed. He tries to talk, but the only sound to be heard is a gagged mumble. 

Getting a hint of returning sanity in Mordekai's eyes, Lionel freed tiefling's mouth. (Obligatory "don't go anywhere" remark) Then he flew back to Meepo and brought him down as well - together means together (unless Meepo insisted for everyone to return to the statue). Only then he looked around, hoping Meepo can free Mordekai in a meantime, and called for Ismark once again, not sure if the one he is calling was the real man (and not the enemy) or his hallucination. On the other hand, Ulthan shot at something and ... run away? Lionel shook his head and called again: "Ismark, if it is truly you - come and join us."

Looking around, Meepo decides to stay put as he has a good vantage point of the area below from up here.  "Thought warrior dead..." He says, nodding to the wounded man nearby.  "You friend or magic illusion?  Mordekai, you tell if disguising self?" 

Ismark approaches, and you see his throat is covered in dried crusted blood and has a ripped piece of cloth tied around it that's soaked in red.  He looks tired, near frozen, and exhausted....though he grips his sword firmly in one hand as he approaches in the dark.  He glances down at Kasimir's dark shape in the darkness, then over at the group, wavering slightly on his feet. 

"I can't tell.  Normally, I'd say his appearance reflects the warrior we've seen him to be - having clearly fought to the brink of death and treated his own wounds.  But the fact that he's not spoken alarms me.  Also, grateful as I am for the earlier intervention - and Lionel, I must sincerely apologise for the harm and frustration that I inflicted on you in the process - can someone untie me?"

Ismark is now at the group.  He stands there looking....exhausted, bloodied, and...continues to hold one hand across his bloodied throat.

Lionel was actually slowly removing/relaxing  the ropes to free Mordekai (that can now also try to wiggle himself out of it too) and stopped doing it only for a moment - to look at Ismark with his now glowing eyes and to ask: "What happen to you?" He answer was obvious, yet, Lionel did not want to admit it. ( Divine Sense )

Ismark, looking pretty pitiful, takes a moment to clumsily sheath his blade, and then points up across the room to the arrow slits on the fare side.  He makes some motions at his body, and then tilts his head to one side and closes his eyes briefly.  Then he open his eyes, and points across the large black room towards the hallway on the far side and makes an "eye open" motion with his hand by his face, and points his his throat, and draws a line across it.   Done his "explanation", he stands there breathing with an obvious and awkward wheeze. 

Mordekai completes untangling himself from the rope as the explanation takes place, and is just standing up as Lionel activates his Divine Sense.

Lionel extends his senses through the murky evil that fills this whole place.  Barely surprised, Lionel senses rebound back from Ismark in disgust...he is not Ismark, but an evil fiend. 

(Have you been figurative or literal here? Not sure if Lionel "sensed" devils before, but with vampires and their spawns he is quite familiar, should be able to recognize, no? )

Literal. He is literally a demon / devil....he is not undead. Your divine sense lets you know this.

(You know, I have a feeling this place is very evil!)

"You... they turn you into a fiend. I am sorry my friend. You followed your destiny but I was the one who failed to protect you. If the true Ismark is still inside that mutilated body... would you want me to end your suffering?"

Ismark stopped trembling and stood a touch taller, letting his throat go.  With a pop he vanishes. (Meepo, you're unable to counterspell it as....it seems as if he didn't cast a spell....this creature can teleport innately.)

From across the empty space of the temple you hear a voice echo through the space, perhaps coming from the arrow slits on the far side of the room.  (Mordekai, you think you see a figure behind them, moving...but it's too far for anyone else to see...).    "Oh oh, did you misplace your sword? Nothin in that skull but air and bravado I suppose...good luck in the temple....I'll see you around."  

As soon as Mordekai spots the moving figure behind the arrow slits, he unleashes two Eldritch Blasts, and says to Meepo and Lionel, "Do we follow? Can we handle this fight?"

Attack: 22 Damage: 10

Attack: 11 Damage: 10