Ramious shakes his head at the woman, "Naw, I'm exhausted, haven't had a good rest in a while and I'm not doin it here. If you need help, then stick with me, come on. Leave those two nuts here to cool off and we can get out of here and decide what sorta prep we need to do to come back....come on, let's go!"  (he drags Bugs out of the room).  (Ramious has used up all of his spells, rages, and other abilities and has nothing but straight grapples, so he's determined to leave and go rest somewhere else, but he's happy for the Vampire to come with them.)

"Read this." Leon says, shoving a scroll into A's hand. "It will help calm all of us down a bit, which is what your new friend wants." He adjusts his position then, so as to block the entrance to the chamber, and to move closer to the exit himself. As he does so he activates the cube of force affect again, this time changing it to block only non-living matter from entering the cube. "Might want to get closer to Ramious and Bugs as well, so they can share in the calming affect." He informs A as he moves. (This assumes Bugs and Ramious have not left the platform outside this chamber already.) "You best read it quickly though, as I feel like I might do something bad to your new friend any moment, so please hurry if you wish to help me calm down..."

A should still have the warhammer, as she could not have reached the coffin before. The current movement should put A and Leon nearer the exit, with a barrier that the vampire cannot pass through now, and with A able to use her Calm Emotions scroll. Magic can pass through the cube freely now though.

(Bernard and Ramious are still outside on the platform. Actually, considering encumbrance, they are more likely in the door-frame.)

The vampire raised her brows. "A splendid idea. Your friends seemed a bit too stubborn and surprisingly agitated." She stopped her circling around Alyssa and watched the the girl taking the scroll with curiosity.

((Alyssa got scroll Calm Emotions ))

The bright blue hues of Alyssa's eyes were dulled and her shoulders slumped, registering the words with mixed emotions. The internal turmoil that stirred within her left a sense of numbness as she'd compute the incoming requests. Even though she knew it was right for her to take the hammer, the guilt that she was stealing it and was caught redhanded by her 'new' companion was overwhelming.

"Talk to him, sweetie," breathed out the vampire again and sniffed in the air, "talk."

As Cassandra had come closer, the cleric's eyes remained distant, but she tilted her head as she does. "I -" Goosebumps would pepper A's skin at the sense of the vampire so close to her neck. She'd swallow the gasp caught in her throat only inhaling her next breath when the others would break the heavy silence that hung in the air. It had been as if time stood still, when in reality maybe she was just paralyzed in place from her emotional conflict.

Alyssa would only break out of her frozen state when Leon would shove a scroll into her hand. Her eyes, still muddied, at least refocused for his words. She'd look to him and listen, pulling the scroll closer to her person. Timid hands start unraveling it. "I -"

The vampire raised her brows. "A splendid idea. Your friends seemed a bit too stubborn and surprisingly agitated." She stopped her circling around Alyssa and watched the the girl taking the scroll with curiosity.

Elven fingers would trace the words on the scroll as Cassandra encouraged her, providing her with some space. Alyssa's breathing was lightly laboured, but yet more free at the same time. She'd swallow and clear her throat, looking up to meet the gaze of her new friend. "I can sing for you all..." For the first time, the elf actually offered to sing. Something she normally kept very private to herself when not executing particular melodies specifically for channeling her magic.

Alyssa would look back down to the scroll as she'd inhale a deep breath. As she'd exhale, she'd close her eyes to shut out everything around her. She'd begin to build up a gentle melody focusing the magic from the scroll through her words. Starting softly and quietly, the cleric would start singing a pair of songs she felt deep within her soul that was getting swallowed by the darkness and the tide of the opposing forces fighting inside. As she poured emotions out, her voice would grow in volume echoing through the walls of the cave.

The melody was calm, and her words held no anger, but they flowed heavy with emotion. There are those times one just needs to belt it out at the top of their lungs to let it all out until they can truly be calmed. And that's what Alyssa did. So as she sang, her hands gripped tightly around the scroll in one and the warhammer in the other, until there was nothing left in her voice to give.

((We are out of the combat mode and there is no need for saves vs spell))

The melody quieted down - and nothing changed, seemingly: the cave/room remained the same, the mountain was still rumbling, the mud bubbles still popping with the soft boiling sounds, and the vampire was still standing where it was - near Alyssa, looking expectantly at Leon and others. Same "woman", if that word could be used to describe an undead creature. The only difference was the impression she now leave - the charm was gone, what was standing in front of you all was a monster, with the cold calculating stare, traces of blood on her hands and lips, radiating death like candles radiate light.

She did not seem to understand what had happen, still sarcastically raising her brow. "A pretty song. Does it mean you finally came to your senses, yellow one, and wanted to entertain me?"

"Not likely." Leon says with a glance to his companions. "You guys out of the thing's power now?" he asks over his shoulder. Upon recieving the answer he glances back to the vampire. checking on her reaction. Over his hsoulder he asks his companions. "There are bags of loot in the coffin here, but I think we have dealt enough with this undead creature, so I suggest we leave her here and return to our mission." He waits for an answer from the others prior to moving away though.

Ramious seems to pull Bernard along (since I'm not "carrying" him, just dragging him as part of my movement and the continued grapple, I think I can move fine with him?).

Ramious looks back into the room as he reaches the ledge with Bernard, "Nope! You guys wanna come with me, you can, but me and Bugs are out! Let's go bugs!"  

He glances to the mud spouts, trying to make the timing.  He glances at Bernard, "If you don't want to come with me, let me know now, if you struggle while we're in the air I don't want to accidentally drop you." 

He bends his muscular legs, grabbing Bernard tight, getting right to leap off and get to the far ledge.

Bugs shakes his head as he comes back to his senses and then winces.  He brings his hand back up to his neck and feels the blood.  "Yeah... let's go but Leon and A need to come too."

"Yes, if you leave without Alyssa, then I am not sure I can get her back across." Leon calls back. He looks to Alyssa. "Can you make the crossing or do we need to get Ramious back over here to help?"

"You take Alyssa, I still have one use of the whistle left.  That will get me across.  Plus she is lighter than me."  Bugs responds.

Ramious pauses just as he's about to leap off...and leans back, letting go of Bugs.  His internal feeling of urgency to flee the weird confusing situation with haste struggles against his friends all seemingly now....sane...and no more arguing and fighting...asking him to pause just long enough to take Alyssa. 

"Fine, but right now...let's go Alyssa..."  He holds out his hand for his friend...waiting for her to come to the edge.  He glances at all of his friends, Bugs, Leon, Cassandra, trying to figure out which of them will go crazy next.... "Cassandra, are you coming with? Let's get out of there. Can you get yourself across or do I need to come back for another trip?" 

Blue hues returned to the full vibrancy. Alyssa blinked away her tears, turning her face away to brush any away that fell to her cheeks. A soft sniffle could be heard as she’d correct her posture from her sense of vulnerability to return her guard. Gripping Whelm with both hands, the elf would gesture with it in response to Leon’s question about the loot. She had what she believed to be the most important, besides each of them. There was no interest in the extra riches. From this point forward, she would avoid any eye contact.

Letting out a bit of a defeated sigh, Alyssa shakes her head. “Unfortunately I did a terrible job at spell preparation today...” She’d shift uncomfortably and mutter an apology to Ramious when he’d have to look back for her to take her across. The elf would take his offered hand and remain silent. She’d focus on ensuring Whelm was secured and to not be more of a burden.

((It's a good question. I'd say the answer is "no": unless you are a vampire expert (and here you have to be a true expert), you do not know about the charm to begin with, so, nothing to be aware of. Also, Calm Emotions only temporary dampens the feelings - it does not even end Charm. Your memory is still with you, only reaction changed and not even to hostile, despite the slight changes in visuals. In RL your brains would now work overtime to rationalize - and succeed! - good relations with the vampire (for vampire it actually can be the same), in game - an awkward goodbye seems like a reasonable expectation.))

Everyone simply left, counting the eruptions of the geysers and moving across when time allowed. The vampire remained inside the room, looking surprised? "I can not come. I ... have to remain here." Her voice lost quite a degree of commanding tone. She stared at Whelm in Alyssa's hands longer than she stared at girl's throat before. Then raised her eyes and finally added. "That thing ... I need to keep it here too. Should I take it myself?" Cassandra shook her head. "No need. I know it will return". Her eyes met Ramious' "May be you will bring it back to me? I would like for you to come back, remember that." She stepped back into the room and magical darkness filled it in again. For a moment the grating sound from inside overcome the background noised of the mountain, then it got quiet.

The other side of the mud pit was exactly as you let it not so long ago - empty, silent, covered with splashes of mud. It seemed you could return to the sphinx and may be even undisturbed.

Ramious nods to Cassandra, "I'll remember."  Ramious swoops over to drop off Alyssa and his backpack.  Then heads back to take Bugs and Leon's bags, then them. 

After all the ferrying is done, he picks up his bag and stalks down the hallway to the turnstile. He looks to the others, "I'm really glad you all came outta there. I'm sorry about Cassandra though. I gotta go back and get her after I get some rest. Anyone got something for this turnstile thing, or should i just try to smash it?" 

(Glad I clairified otherwise I’d have made a fool of myself misinterpreting. I understood what we wanted with calm emotions but got a different impression reading the outcome. Sorry.)

Alyssa just remained quiet, head down, holding tightly onto Whelm, half expecting Rami to rip it out of her grip for Cassandra at some point. 

Leon likewise is quiet as they trudge back down the path towards the turnstyle. He could not believe things went so bad so quickly with the vampire. He had not been prepared for that thing, and that was something he would have to make sure never happened again. His companions depended on him for such things, after all they were mere material-plane folk, not Githyanki.

Ramious attempts to go backwards through the turnstile. If that fails, he tries pushing really hard. He asks Leon for assistance.

Athletics : 27

Leon will nod and move forward, helping to shove at the thing...

"Getting tired, are we?" Keraptis was silent way too long for his usual gleeful interjections and now seemed to use the opportunity to catch up on it. "Lady Cassandra does have that effect on people." You could be sure he was nodding to his own words. "Charming woman! I'm sure you think so too." (As a matter of fact, most of you did. Again.) "Was not easy to convince her to move here, you know? But I did it." The voice was bursting with self-admiration. The "ask me how" phrase hanged in the air. Keraptis even made a pause waiting for it. "Pff, serve yourself. Of course, letting her now to raise an army of her own minions would be unwise, you of course. So, I am glad, you returned. May be I'll let her have one of you later... Yes, that could be arranged, I think." The voice was full of enthusiasm again. "Well, don't let me keep you here - Blackrazor awaits! Two down - one to go!" And Keraptes went silent again.

The stubborn turnstile eventually gave away and the party could get through. The golems room, corridors - and finally the big puddle of suspicious acid. The danger was known well enough to get around and above. Silent sphinx did not even bothered to turn her head. You could just proceed to the last corridor.

"We going to find a place in here to take a rest, or we going to soldier on?" Leon asks as they reach the last passage.