Beyond the stone door

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Beyond the stone door

Post by patransom »

Esias and Aeless move to strategic positions, and, since she receives no objections, Leenah opens the door.

Beyond the door is a vast cavern. At the opposite end of the cavern is a large stone obelisk, perhaps 15 feet tall, a miniature version of the one atop the hill. Chained to the obelisk, and quite unconscious, is a 10 year old boy whom Oldin immediately recognizes as Amon Leayh [Am on the map]. Sharp needles have been inserted at various places on his body and tiny droplets of blood drip from the insertion points to the floor at the base of the obelisk.

Near Amon stands a man[P on the map], dressed in fine robes of red and black. As the door is opened, the man chants and gestures and a shimmering wall of magical force appears at your end of the cavern [Rainbow line on the map], entirely blocking access. The man smiles an evil grin.

The whole cavern is lit with an eerie red glow, which seems to emanate from the floor at the base of the obelisk where Amon's blood has begun to pool.
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Post by TheGreenLabrador »

Moving to 1208, to see the contents of the room.

"Anyone have a guess as to whether this wall can be passed, as the fire one before?"
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Post by Icefire »

Move to 1610 and pull out my bow.
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Post by CGM3 »

Esias steps to 1310 and launches an arrow into the magical "wall", aiming to one side to avoid hitting anyone (to see if anything happens).
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Post by valinor »

The half-elf moves near Esias(1208) as silently and trying to hide his presence and peering inside the cavern chamber finding a query.

OOC: Move Silently 7, Hide 7
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Post by shai-hulud »

Oldin runs to the wall and begins banging his fists against it, shouting in a vile language that probably never reaches the other side of the wall. After a couple of seconds, he regains his composure, looks down to his book, and begins praying in a whisper. To those who are close enough to him, his prayer is in celestial and is a plea for Seker to intervene and cast away this wall with his purging fire. It is a plea for Seker to right this wrong, and allow victory of the just.
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Post by whtknt »

Rúadhnait charges the wall, testing the strength of the barrier by hurling her shoulder against it. If (as I expect) she comes away with a bruised shoulder for her trouble, she scowls and glares at the man on the other side whilst pacing angrily back and forth before the barrier. She occasionally pauses long enough to hurl accusations of cowardice and questionable lineage at the smirking figure.

If by some chance she gets through, she will charge the man and attack with her spear.
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Post by CGM3 »

valinor wrote:peering inside the cavern chamber finding a query.
I got your query right here :mrgreen:
SELECT Name, Class, Level, Weaknesses FROM NPC_Characters WHERE Location = "Beyond the stone door" AND EnemyFlag = True ORDER BY Name, Level, Class
If you want to look for your quarry, I can't help you... but I think it's the guy next to the obelisk. :D

(And the moral of the story is, never give an old database programmer that sort of straight line! :lol: )
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Post by Galaphile »

Brand moves to 1511, waiting to see if Oldin's prayers bring down the wall.
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Post by Sunbolt »

"Sorry about the inconvenience. This wall won't harm you - but I do have to prevent you from keeping me from clensing the demon from this poor boy in whom he's taken shelter.

There's so much I suspect you have not been told.... Or are you knowingly here to see him rise to power?

The father of this innocent vessel is more than my political enemy, you see. He's an unwitting servent to a vast evil that inhabits the boy. IF you are the just and good heroes that I believe he sent for, then you'll find what I'm doing will leave the essence of the boy untouched and the evil will be drained from him, so I can send it back to the hell from which it came.

If not, if you are here pretending to try to free an "innocent" (With this - the 6'2 man dressed in robes gestures to the child's form the lies sleeping peacefully on the table) in the hopes of unleashing a great evil on the world - as I suspect at least one of you is.... Well then - you will not be able to enter, not be able to stop me, and you will find that Phatem Rablil is quite the formidable opponent.

I will stop this foul demon from torturing this boy and devouring his soul in the name of his own self-proclaimed glory. A true hero would help me. But then you've all been fed so many lies about me and "my kind" that I'm sure you'll never believe me.
That's why I disintigrated the stairs and placed the ring of fire to deter you. You might notice that I kept the heat on the inside so as not to damage anyone.

But then - you likly also faced other challenges to get here - the only creatures powerful enough to stand against this demon are the wearwolves that I recruited. They live in balance with the moon and the natural world - and are reviled and feared - but they will work towards ridding the world of the abomination that is this beast. They would have torn the chilrd asunder to get at the thing that's inside him - only that would have freed it to find another host.

Only my bindings - only the powers of Natch-Ur - can remove the taint from the boy without freeing it into the ether to strike another unwitting child. But then, that's why those manipulated by this foul denizen and it's like have soiled the name of my kind.....

The decision before you is not an easy one. I have no doubt that one among you has the magic to destroy my wall.... but then what? I can not allow you to have the boy - will you choose violence to stop me from freeing this boy's soul? Will you continue on the quest you've been sent - and to hell with the world? What does that make you - to choose such a course?

Or else - will you choose to help me? Or if not - at the least allow me to finish, you will see the boy awake unharmed and ready to return home with you. The only danger to his health now - is if you distract me with violence during the most difficult part of the ritual which is about to come....

Restrain those that would comit violence here - and you shall see the demon banished and the boy safely awakened! Of this you have the word of Phatem Rablil!
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Post by patransom »

If you haven't guessed, Sunny is playing the role of Phatem Rablil :lol:
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Post by Sunbolt »

patransom wrote:If you haven't guessed, Sunny is playing the role of Phatem Rablil :lol:
ooc
And for quite some time now ... behind the scenes....
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Post by CGM3 »

At the opposite end of the cavern is a large stone obelisk, perhaps 15 feet tall, a miniature version of the one atop the hill. Chained to the obelisk, and quite unconscious, is a 10 year old boy whom Oldin immediately recognizes as Amon Leayh [Am on the map]. Sharp needles have been inserted at various places on his body and tiny droplets of blood drip from the insertion points to the floor at the base of the obelisk.
With this, the 6' 2" man dressed in robes gestures to the child's form that lies sleeping peacefully on the table.
OOC: Okay, I'm now confused. Is the kid bound to an obelisk with needles jabbing into him, or lying peacefully slumbering on a table?

IC: Esias will attempt to discern the truth of Phatern's words (Sense Motive +8 ) or disbelieve if he's suddenly seeing a different scene (Will +2 ). (And if it matters, Spot +8 )
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Post by patransom »

Sunny just took some poetic license. There is no table; the boy is bound to the obelisk with small needles jabbing him. He does look peacefully unconsious, though
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Post by shai-hulud »

Oldin recomposes and calls to Phatel Rablim in High Viridian. (OOC: PMing Oldin's comments to Pat and I don't recall who else knows High Viridian, so please PM either Pat or me).
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Post by CGM3 »

patransom wrote:Sunny just took some poetic license. There is no table; the boy is bound to the obelisk with small needles jabbing him. He does look peacefully unconsious, though
Ah, like the suave villain who has the hero whipped, beaten, and chained painfully spread-eagled to a wall, then asks indulgently, "I trust you're comfortable?"

Lives in a world all his own...
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Post by patransom »

Validating a little early, as I have a rather busy afternoon ahead of me

Esias finds that his arrow bounces right off the wall and Ruadhnait likewise finds it impenetrable. Oldin pounds on the wall with his fists, and after cursing in infernal for a bit, turns to prayer. His prayers show no signs of weakening the mystical barrier. Who knows how long this obstacle will last? [Rhetorical question, quite obviously]

As the rest of you move into position, the robed man makes a speech appealing to you not to interfere with his efforts to purge a demon from the Shah's son. Is he telling the truth? Have Oldin and the Shah been misleading you?
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Post by TheGreenLabrador »

Vulan looks to Oldin, praying, and then to the man.

"What proof do you offer that this boy is possessed? We cannot stand by and have you butcher him before our eyes without further proof. How did you come by this knowledge?"
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Post by valinor »

Aeless examines the shimmer's of the wall for its height and compares it to the ceiling's height.

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Post by Sunbolt »

Tailor wrote:Vulan looks to Oldin, praying, and then to the man.

"What proof do you offer that this boy is possessed? We cannot stand by and have you butcher him before our eyes without further proof. How did you come by this knowledge?"
This gets Petal's attention. "A sensible question!" When you see a boy killing small animals and drinking their blood - what conclusion do you draw? When you see him keeping live spiders, mosquitoes, leeches - and eating them whole - what conclusion else can there be? He thrives on the blood of innocents - and it is only time before he turns to taking it from humans by the bodyfull. Only by draining the boys blood till he is on the verge of death while continueing the bindings can I pull the demon from the boy and into the obelisk! Do not worry for the boys health - if there is but one drop of blood remaining in him - even the simplest of healing spells can restore him to health - but such small amounts of blood will not give the demon enough strength to hold his place - and once in the obelisk - I will disintigrate it the way I did the stairs - the very essence of the demon will be gone forever from this world. He might have enough power to reform in his native abyss. Destroying a creature from another world is difficult even in the best of times - but banishing it in this fashion will leave it so weak that the other denizens in that world should naturally finish what I have begun here.
Again, and this is no threat but a very real consequence of the choices we are about to make - the only thing that will cause the boy to die is if you attack me and we battle when we should cast the healing spell on him - at the moment the demon is trapped in the obelisk. The boy will recover from death's door - but the demon will be gone. ... unless we are foolish enough to be caught up in our own prides that we allow the boy to perish... It's what many of my kind have suggested. To be rid of the demon at any cost - they suggested a fast beheading while the boy is chained here. That would work, too - you see. At least in ridding the world of the demon. Anything that removes his blood will do. But in the end - I am unwilling to sacrafice this innocent child! Why else would I stand here waiting, monitoring the child, talking with you - when I could just end this threat outright?
Please - I know the lies and mistruths you've all been told. I know how much you hate those of my faith who have been so intent on results they've allowed the means to be downright gruesome! But mine is a faith of tolerance, of perspective, and of free will. As I've told your priestly friend - it's difficult to police some people in such a faith - but in this I offer you my solemn word - this boy will only die from my actions if I'm attacked!
Wait and you shall see the boy returned to you alive.
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Post by shai-hulud »

Oldin gasps, slackjawed, at the Prelate's response, both to Jiam and to his own query in High Viridian. His voice shaky, Oldin calls out, "This man is insane! He believes in his heart that his monthly ritual which draws the power out of budding sorcerers for his own selfish gain is actually a ritual to save his victims from their torment. His mind cannot cope with the evil that he is doing! He truly believes that he is helping the boy. He believes that Amon will live! My order has attempted to help free many of these victims, some successfully, some not. And none of the victims that had been unsuccessfully saved have ever survived. There have been followers of Seker who have done evil, and I am sure that there are followers of Natch-Ur who do good, but this ritual itself has but one selfish end... The death of their victim grants them Natch-Ur's secret power.

"I have known Amon all his life and I can attest to the FACT that he does not kill small animals. He does not drain their blood. He does not keep insects and spiders. These are all the mental creations of a madman. Poor Phatel, what horrors Natch-Ur must have put you through! Seker's cleansing flame will draw away your pain! Seker's cleansing flame will grant you rest." Oldin returns to praying that the wall will come down so that he can save Amon from the madman before him.
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Post by whtknt »

Rúadhnait grows visibly more outraged. It is obvious that she does not understand the greater concepts and large words being bandied about. She knows only that the child she has been tasked with saving is in obvious danger. In her frustrated rage, she continues her verbal assault upon Petal.
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Post by valinor »

Aeless having observed the whole situation they're all in and steps out of the shadows and walks(1111) to state, "Well, if that is the case then we weren't aware of the situation, though if you were that powerful why the pretenses and trying to seclude yourself and your henchmen trying to kill us? If you were in the right, then you should give us a way to try and prove the whole thing wrong."

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Post by CarnageCJB »

Move to 1411.
Jiam addresses Phatel in an attempt to reason with the man... "It is well believed that Natch-Ur is a false god, full of lies and deceit. If, however, your master is truely full of goodness, I must agree with my companions. Why the secrecy? I have healing potions in quantity upon my person, and if you have any proof at all of your claim, I will gladly give them up, or do what else I can to save the boy's life."
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Post by Icefire »

Leenah stands quietly listening to all of the conversation.
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Post by Galaphile »

Brand looks towards Esias, "Esias what do you think?"
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Post by CGM3 »

Esias frowns at Brand's question as he watches the scene before them, nocking another arrow. "That fellow seems t' believe what he's sayin'," he answers the knight, "but does'nae make him right. In the Smoke Mountains, if you string somebody up the way he's done Amon, belike you'll start a feud wi' his kinfolk, if your own don't hunt you down first as a madman; I cannot think this is any way t' treat a child that's to his betterin'."
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Post by patransom »

The Natchai Prelate, Phatem Rablil, continues his efforts to convince you that you should allow him to continue his ritual. He seems to have an answer to all your objections and, in any case, that magical wall blocks your access …

Then, as the arguments continue, the wall simply disappears! But it seems the Prelate was ready for this eventuality, and immediately casts a spell. A silken strand flys from his hand and sticky mass of webs appears, extending from floor to ceiling an encompassing the area where most of you are standing.

Leenah and Jiam are entangled but not stuck [this means you can move out of the web as a full round action with a strength or escape artist check, how far you get depends on how well you roll. You can also choose not to move and make an attack or do something else, but, being entangled, you have -2 to attack rolls and -4 to DEX]

Brand, Oldin, and Ruadhnait are totally and completely stuck [this means you need to make a strength or escape artist check before you can do anything else at all]

Vulan, Esias, and Aeless are behind the web and can act normally, but moving through the web could put them in a situation similar to the others.
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Post by patransom »

Oh and, by the way, while your discussions have continued, the red light emanating from the floor where Amon's blood has been dripping has been growing brighter and brighter ... the whole cavern is glowing red now, especially the obelisk.
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Post by Icefire »

Leenah attempts to get free and if she does move towards 1617.

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