Late the next morning you emerge, rested and fully healed, with a full complement of spells.
All is as it was previously. The doors remain closed.
Occa blows two stoneskins and protects Gilstrock and Angst.
Occa says, "Sorry about that dispel magic, Salaam. I didn't intend to get you in the area...I guess I need to practice my basic common sense casting again."
Darian stretches. "Occa, your mansion spell is even better than your place in Sandas. Well, I guess I'm ready to resume my duties as scout. Occa, want to take care of the doors or should we let Gonzo play with them?"
Darian draws his frostbrand.
Occa says, "Probably me. Be prepared."
He goes invisible, casts flight...takes to the air and then knocks the door.
Op Code stands beside the door, with long sword in hand, ready for action.
The door springs open, revealing a chamber (octagonal shaped: right wall runs southeast for 110', east for 20' (double doors), northeast for 100', north for 40' (40' wide double doors), northwest for 100', west for 20' (double doors), and then southwest for 110').
Before you is an enormous chamber. It is octagonal-shaped, with doors in the north, south, east and west walls. The east doors are particularily impressive, being 40' wide and adorned with the image of a snorting dragon. The north, south and west doors have bas reliefs of flames, waves and blowing winds on them, respectively. Just inside each door is a 10' wide balcony.
The actual floor of the chamber lies some 50' below the doors. The floor is littered with bones in enormous piles...dwarf bones. You surmise that when the dragons took over these great halls many years past, this was where they tossed the remains of the vanquished. Rising up from the centre of the floor some 30' is the smashed remnant of a buttressed pillar. You get the impression that perhaps this chamber was bridged, once.
The roof of the chamber must be far above you...and in darkness. You cannot tell how high the ceiling is above you...for you cannot see it. Hanging down from it, though, each some 25' out from an angled wall, are four glowing globes, suspended by lengths of black chain. The light they cast is a strange, garish blue-white in colour. You note with surprise that any members of your party who thought that they were invisible are easily seen under this strange illumination as a ghastly, translucent form. The globes are shielded such that none of their light is directed upwards.
Hanging suspended over the centre of the chamber by another chain is a fifth globe. This one, though, is dark, and sheds no illumination.
The entire place is silent...silent as a tomb.
Darian whispers. "Make a bet that the dark globe is a sphere of annihilation?"
"Occa, can you send a wizard's eye up towards the ceiling? Let's make sure no one's lurking up there."
"Woah," Gilstrock says. "Freaky."
He looks about uncomfortably. Looking back at the others, he says, "You suppose somebody's watching us from up there? Should I float up and have a look?"
Darian whispers harshly. "No!"
"I'm sorry, Gilstrock, but if it is a sphere of annihilation, then anything that touches it is instantly destroyed and there's no recovery. Stay away from it and let Occa use a wizard's eye. Safer."
"Oh yeah? Hmm," Gilstrock says. "Maybe we should test it."
Angst asks, "Can not the mages decide if it is a aninilation sphere?"
Darian shakes his head. "I can't tell and I'd rather not try to exert any control over it, if I don't have to. We don't want it coming this way, if I screw up."
Putting down his spear, Gilstrock takes his short bow off of his shoulder and nocks an arrow in it. He pulls it back and fires it at the dark sphere.
"Go ahead, I'll keep an eye out for whatever is going to attack us."
Darian carefully looks down trying to see if there's anything lurking down there.
Gonzo immediately tests this new light to determine if his skills are equally thwarted by the garrish light, ducking into any shadows suitable for hiding.
Gonzo is still able to lurk in his usual fashion.
Occa flies back into the corridor a bit and upward to close to teh ceiling. He then sends his wizard eye into the chamber and upward. He will not have it go near the dark sphere.
"This stinks of a trap. We should hurry through this room if possible."
"It does stink of a trap, but hurrying through it might not be wise. There's more than one door out of this place. Do you really want to accidentally spring the trap our next time through when we might be less alert?"
Cannon Fodder says, "Think there are undead in here?"
Darian shrugs. "Who knows? But, wouldn't bet on it either way."
"Think that we can shoot the chain holding that black sphere up, having it fall into the floor? If it is a sphere of anhillation what might happen?" asks the bard.
Darian pauses for a few moments. "I don't think we should try that. Everything I 've ever read about the sphere indicates that whatever touches it is destroyed. So, dropping it to the floor, assuming that it doesn't float on its own or anything, would mean that it would eat it's way through the floor and continue on down."
"Now, if we believe some theorists, there is molten rock far below the surface. Thus, you'd create a hole into that stuff and provide an avenue for it to come up here. In addition, the sphere would continue to move towards the center of this world absorbing everything it touches."
"Now, if we continue that hypothesis, you'd kill us all by inviting the molten rock up here and probably kill the rest of the world when the sphere absorbed all the material below the surface thus causing the world to implode."
Jesse scratches her head,
"I guess that would be a whole lot worse than breaking the staff?" she asks.
"Um, yeah... But, that's only if my hypothesis is correct which is based on things I read in a book which may or may not be true."
"You all might be upset if I were to try wouldn't you?" she asks oh so innocently...
Darian nods. "I think a lot of people would be quite upset if things worked out the way I hypothesized. Besides, what's the gain in trying?"
"However we will never know unless we try." replies Jesse. "Is that not how progress in science is made?"
"What's science?"
"Now that is a loaded question." replies Jesse. "Alchemy, search for the philosophers stone, things like that. They call themselves scientists, seeking rich patrons to give them lots of money to do what they call 'research', and attend 'conferences' where they share what they have discovered with other 'scientists'. From what I gather, however, it is mostly an excuse to drink and carouse. In fact, from what I have seen of research, it is mostly that these people want to drink and party, and not have to do real work." replies the bard sagely.
"Jesse, you're starting to scare me. Please stop."
"Must be my roots, are they showing?" she asks no one in particular. "Its been a rough couple of months, and well, things seem too quiet here. That bothers me."
"Agreed, but let's not go making up additional trouble, okay? We've got less than three months to finish our task."
"Besides, I want to spend our free time getting to know you better, not working on destroying the world."
Jesse smiles and kisses Darian on the cheek.
Darian smiles and blushes.
"Why do we only have three months or am I jumping in on a conversation that was not meant for my ears?" Salaam asks in a curious tone.
"Haven't we mentioned this a few times already? We've got to the end of the year before Tiametlet overruns the world with her dragons and destroys it. Or something like that. Occa understands it better."
Salaam looks over to Occa. "Care to explain, don't forget I have been away for awhile?" the cleric says.
Occa says, "It probably isn't attached to the chain if it is a sphere. It would destroy the chain. A sphere won't move of it's own accord so it could be close enough to the chain to look attached. If the chain is destroyed it should stay there....the only way to move one is via mental energies. Even that is a risky business."
Op Code inquires, "How do you get rid of one of those spheres then, Occa?"
Cannon says, "Looks like this is a central place that goes to each elemental area. Didn't we come from the air area?"
Gilstrock's arrow bounces off of the globe. It is not anhillated.
Darian shrugs. "Guess I was wrong. I wonder what it is..."
"So much for a sphere of anhillation," Op Code remarks. "Do you suppose it is some kind of reverse crystal ball in which someone or something can watch the whole room from a safe vantage point?" he inquires.
Stepping away from Occa, Salaam intones, "Oh great Thoth, please grant me sight beyond mortal sight."
Occa reports:
The chamber comes to a point some 150' overhead in the centre. The chain suspending the dark globe is anchored to the ceiling at that point. The walls are adorned with carvings of dwarves, xorns, gargoyles and other underground creatures. Several balconies or ledges are up near the ceiling, partially hidden by the carvings. However, they are deserted as far as your eye can tell in the darkness.
Occa says, "Well, shall we pick a door and move on? Something may or may not attack us, but there is only one way to find out."
"Darn, my wizard eye ran out!"
"Can anyone scan the room for evil or undead?"
"Let's try the north door. And I can't scan for either..."
"But, Salaam just asked his god for true seeing. I presume that takes care of both of those."
"The room is constructed mostly of illusions, the globes radiate magic as do the doors." Salaam remarks. "I do not sense any evil, though with the evil we have been up against, it could be masking itself."
Valdar finishes eating a timbit.
"How do we get over to the north door?" he asks. "Climb down into all of those bones and make our way across? Or do you want to do the flying thing like we did at the air barrier?"
"So, what is real?" asks Darian to Salaam.
Occa says, "Our enemy is to the East. Let's not go North, but let's do go East. Salaam, how long does your true sight last? Everyone, keep an eye out for secret doors...we need to find one."
He then says, "Let's do the fly thing. I can cast another and so can Cannon Fodder. That will be three..we three can shuttle people across. Who else can fly? Gilstrock you can hold onto someone and be towed across as well...maybe you can hold onto Gonzo."
"That sounds like a good idea. I have a fly spell in repetoire now, so I can help with the transfer."
"Great. I will take BrightAxe and tow Gilstrock and Gonzo. If we encounter something, Gilstrock can try to take both Dwarves and I will blast whatever it is we meet."
Cannon Fodder says, "I will carry someone...Aaargh!, I guess."
Occa says, "Okay. Darian, you carry Jesse. Salaam, you can carry whoever is left...Valdar can you carry anyone else?"
"No...my flying pack is single person only."
"Well, I can try to carry two people. Op Code, perhaps?"
"Ready when you are," Op Code tells Darian.
"Let me hold Jesse first and then we'll try to add you. If that doesn't work, I'll make two trips."
Jesse stifles a giggle.
"I don't have fly memorized," says Pharian, who's been looking distracted.
Occa casts fly on Salaam.
"Salaam, scan the bodies below for magic or life as we fly over...might find something of interest."
"Will do!" he says as he enjoys this spell. "Occa, is this a third rank spell? If so, can I scribe it from you ?" He asks as he practices a hover and flies around a bit, almost like a giddy child.
"Salaam, you can scribe spells from me. I know up to fourth order spells and since I learned most of them from Occa, Valdar, Pharian and Stiff, the least I can do is share them with you."
"I appreciate that, Darian, at our next resting place, I would like to do so." Salaam notes.
Salaam also notices four secret doors: one flanking each side of the east doors, one on the east side of the north door, and one on the east side of the south door.
"Perhaps we should go through one of the secret doors."
Occa says, "How about the secret door outside the East door. Perhaps the one to the right of the door as we face it."
"I agree," says Pharian.
"I thought that all of the secret doors were on the floor. Aren't they?" Op Code asks.
"Why do I not trust these ledges?" comments Jesse. "I think that those secret doors are more interesting... shall we try to open with, say with a lightning bolt?" the bard offers.
Darian looks at Jesse with surprise. "A lightning bolt? I always thought you were more subtle than that, dear. But, since Valdar can't carry anyone, he can try to find the opening before we start ferrying folks over there."
"I can be subtle, when I want to... however, I have a very bad feeling about this, something down to my toes... and I think that those doors make me very nervious."
"I've a bad feeling as well, but not form the doors. I'm afraid there's something here with us."
"Occa, can you send a cloudkill down to the floor here to prevent any nasties that might be there from coming to join our fun?"
"Yes, I could, but I think Salaam would notice any evil down there with his sight...so, I don't think there is anything down there. Still..."
"Can a cloudkill affect the undead? Salaam, what if you try to turn the bones down there? If there are any undead down there, will they be affected?"
"Worth a try," says Pharian. "But I doubt that there are any undead here. This dungeon hasn't had many."
"True, but an undead dragon down there wouldn't surprise me in the least."
Occa casts cloudkill and moves it through the bottom of the area.
The 40' wide cloud of sickly yellow gas moves slowly over and through the piles of bones, before disapating about three-quarters of the way across.
That done, Occa, Cannon Fodder, Darian, Salaam and Valdar take flight. Occa carries Brightaxe and tows Gilstrock. Cannon Fodder carries Arrrgh!. Darian takes Jesse, and Salaam takes Gonzo. Angst, Op Code and Pharian wait back at the doorway for the next shift.
All goes well, until the fliers are about half way across, at which time four of the piles of bones seem to explode, as four kelubar demodands launch themselves upwards at you!
Suddenly Cannon Fodder becomes snow...and Arrrgh! drops out of the sky, landing in a pile of bones some 50' below. Fortunately his stoneskin saves him from being hurt.
Salaam's fly spell is also ended unexpectedly, as is his true seeing. The high priest drops like a stone until he remembers his winged boots, and is able to bring his fall to an abrupt stop. Gonzo, though, is unable to hang on through all the varying g-forces, and lands in another pile of bones near Arrrgh!...also taking no damage.
Darian's fly spell is dispelled next, and he and Jesse fall to the bone-covered floor. There, he discovers the hard way that his stoneskin has also been dispelled, as he takes 24 hit points of damage from the impact. Jesse is unharmed.
Finally, Occa succumbs to the barrage of dispel magics from the demodands...and drops like a stone...taking 26 hit points when he hits bottom. Brightaxe lands beside him...and takes 15 hit points.
Gilstrock remains hovering in the middle of the chamber. Valdar flies nearby, while Salaam floats some 10' above the floor.
The demodands swerve and lock onto Valdar, Gilstrock and Salaam...while the last one lines up on Occa.
Occa shouts, "You want some of this? Come one!"
He opens up on the demodand coming toward him with magic missiles.
His first spell blasts into the demodand.
Pharian begins unloading his magic missile spells on the demodand on Gilstrock.
His first spell bounces right off the monster.
Darian jumps up and casts two magic missiles at the one on Occa.
His spell also bounces right off the slimy hide of the creature.
Op Code unleashes his two magic missile spells at the demodands.
His first spell bounces off of the demodand targetting Valdar.
Jesse begins to cast lightning bolt, aiming at the one on Occa.
"Darian, watch our backs," she calls as she begins casting.
"Jesse, target the one on Occa. We know he doesn't have a stoneskin!"
"Pharian, target whichever one! Op Code, protect Pharian."
"Way ahead of you!" Op Code calls back.
Gilstrock cries, "You think you can drop us like flies! Perpare to taste a little frost!"
The demodand screeches to a stop just outside of the range of Gilstrock's sword, and shoots a ray at him instead. The fighter ducks and it misses him.
"ITS CLOBBERING TIME!" Salaam bellows most uncharacteristically.
Suddenly the demodand vanishes, and Salaam's hammer swishes harmlessly through thin air.
Jesse begins to laugh at Salaam's uncharacteristic outburst.
Occa also giggles at Salaam's outburst despite the rush of the huge wall of demodand approaching him.
"Brightaxe, protect Occa."
BrightAxe tries his best to attack while placing himself between any demodand and Occa.
Valdar dodges the incoming demodand at the last instant, releasing a flurry of missiles into it.
Occa, realising that the demodand will be on him before he can cast a second missile spell, instead speaks a word and winks out of sight. He reappears atop the shattered pillar in the centre of the chamber and immediately begins casting another spell.
The demodand, meanwhile, swerves and instead attacks little Brightaxe. The dwarf's axes bounce harmlessly off of the monster's slimy hide, though. The demodand claws at him for 5 hit points, then bites for an additional 12. On top of that, the acid from the bite burns him for 3 more hit points.
Darian tries his luck again with another magic missile. This one gets through, and blows a hole in the demodand's rear end.
Pharian also releases another spell of missiles, and makes a humongous wound in the demodand on Gilstrock.
Op Code's second spell does not affect the demodand on Valdar.
Valdar, floating upwards as his demodand stops to come after him, looses another volley into the demodand.
There is a crackle of released energy, as Jesse's lightning bolt goes off. It's an impressive bolt but it only strikes the monster a glancing blow, off a shoulder. Still, the demodand shrieks in agony, near death.
As soon as Darian and Jesse finish casting their spells, he grabs her hand.
"Come on, let's join the others."
He draws his sword and runs across the bone covered floor to help Brightaxe.
Pharian casts his third magic missile spell...and seven more sparks of energy streak from his outstretched hand and blast into the demodand on Gilstrock. The monster is badly hurt.
Valdar also lets loose a third spell of five missiles...but these bounce off their target.
There is another crackle of electricity...this time from Occa...as a second lightning bolt hits the demodand on Brightaxe, blowing it to pieces.
Pharian releases a fourth spell...but this one does not bother his target.
Angst mutters, "Blast why do I never bring a bow, and I really need to practice flying."
He readies himself for any creatures that head towards the group awaiting pickup.
Suddenly you see a movement above you. Looking, you see four derghodaemons floating down out of the darkness above to join in the fun.
Gonzo tumbles to his feet cursing with dwarven fervor, grabbing anything large enough to hurl at the new danger. Upon acquiring large projectiles, he hurls (using his giant strength) them at the derghodaemons attempting to annoy them as well as damage them if possible. He does this as rapidly as possible, filling the air with bones and anything else he can pick up.
The bones bounce harmlessly off the suspiciously stony hides of the daemons.
"Hey youse daemons... comon down here, I'll show youse how ta make red daemonaid... or iz ya blood yella den wez kin make norma' daemonaid! KARUMBA!" shouts Gonzo.
"Ppppppth!" answers one of them.
Gistrock sheathes Thawbeaker and tries to stab the creature with his spear. The weapon bounces off of the monster's stoneskinned hide. The demodand grins at the fighter, then suddenly closes, clawing and biting. None of the attacks can penetrate Gilstrock's stoneskin, but he does take 5 hit points of acid damage.
Jesse grabs her wand of magic missiles and begin to pump lead into the bad guys as quick as she can. "Go ahead punk... make my day." she says in a low, menacing tone as she lets loose with the wand.
A missile strikes the demodand trying to engage Valdar.
Angst joins Gonzo in throwing anything at the descending hordes until they can be attacked by him with his swords.
He does not have long to wait, as two daemons drop into the doorway from above and attack the rangers! Both get lots of attacks to begin with...but these ones seem to have been hasted as well. However, none of the one's attacks get through Angst's stoneskin. On the other hand, none of his attacks can penetrate their's, either.
Darian looses a lightning bolt at one of the descending derghodaemons.
His spell bounces right off of a derghodaemon. It, though, notices the annoying elf and suddenly vanishes...to reappear between Darian and Jesse, taking them completely by surprise and attacking both simultaneously! Darian dodges very well...but one claw still rakes him for 12 hit points. Jesse is saved by her stoneskin.
Occa aims a lightning bolt at the last daemon...dropping straight for him. The bolt gets through and hurts the monster, but not fatally. But, like the last one, this annoys the daemon. It vanishes...reappearing atop the pillar behind Occa, its claws a deadly, hasted blur.
Occa dies almost instantly, his body shredded into a hundred little bloody strips that spray across the chamber.
Looking at the four derghodaemons, Salaam shrugs and says, "Thoth, KILL 'em," as he casts a Holy Word.
All of the demodands suddenly vanish.
The daemon on Darian and Jesse vanishes. The derghodaemon that just did Occa stands and laughs at Salaam. The other two - on the rangers in the doorway - are out of the area of effect of his word.
Op Code squares off with the second derghodaemon in the doorway...but not before it attacks him. However, neither can penetrate the other's stoneskin.
Gonzo targets the derghodaemon who raspberried him - the one who just killed Occa - with one of the magical sling-stones he obtained some time ago, flinging it with giant strength and attempting to really piss the fellow off or kill him with the force of the blow.
It bounces right off his hide.
"Yee've sprung a leek ya piss-poor excuse fer one o yer race... youse couldna sneeze wid out pissin' yer pants... comeon down here and lets take a really close look atcha afore youse dies."
The daemon laughs at the dwarf...then teleports over to attack him.
Gonzo abliges him with weapons blazing.
Pharian heaves a lightning bolt at the derghodaemon on Op Code. The spell bounces off the creature.
Three derghodaemons remain. One is attacking Gonzo on the floor of the chamber. The other two are back in the doorway, battling Angst and Op Code, respectively.
Pharian spits a curse and starts unloading more magic missiles at the creature that just shredded the arch mage.
His spell bounces off the creature without effect.
Jesse also continues with the magic missiles.
Her spell is equally ineffective.
The derghodaemon attacking Gonzo is unable to penetrate his stoneskinned hide. In similar fashion, the dwarf is unable to hurt the daemon.
Darian heals himself, casts haste, ages a year, and then runs over to assist Gonzo, intent on attacking the daemon with his frostbrand.
Darian's sword is likewise turned by the daemon's stoneskin.
Angst continues to attack his creature as fast and furious as possible.
"Dammed cowards having to attack a poor defensless mage from behind."
"So what's your point?" asks the daemon.
The hasted daemon is the faster, though, and as the ranger's stoneskin expires, the monster tears into him. Angst is torn up for 19 hit points...as his weapons continue to be turned by the daemon's magical protection.
Likewise, Op Code's protections fail, and he is hurt for 39 hit points...while his own weapon continues to be useless.
Valdar has grabbed Gilstrock and moved over closer to the rangers and Pharian, towing the fighter along as well. Completing a spell, he is disappointed when nothing happens.
In frustration, he floats behind Gilstrock and swats him across the derriere. Gilstrock yelps - as is his habit - as he goes floating towards the daemons attacking the rangers.
Salaam drops out of the sky and swings his hammer at the daemon on Gonzo. Again, its protections save it.
Down below, the mush that was Occa is slowly beginning to regrow.
Jesse continues to use her wand, and a missile gets through!
Angst's weapons are still ineffective, as the daemon somehow manages to miss him with all ten attacks.
Op Code is not quite so lucky, as he takes another 21 hit points.
The daemon on Gonzo this time divides his attacks between the dwarf and Darian. The elf takes 10 hit points, the dwarf 10 as well.
Salaam, attacking from above, still cannot get through.
Gilstrock attacks the daemon on Op Code while Valdar flits in and attacks the one on Angst. Neither of their blades penetrate.
Salaam, Gonzo and Darian are battling one daemon on the floor of the bone-filled chamber, near the centre. Jesse is a short distance away, as are Brightaxe and Arrrgh! Gilstrock, Valdar, Angst and Op Code are fighting the other two daemons in the west doorway to the chamber (remember it is 50' above the floor). Pharian is with them as well.
Darian keeps whacking at the demon. "Die, already!"
The elf is hit three times while he connects twice and manages to dispel the stoneskin on the daemon in the process! Darian suffers 33 hit points. The daemon, already injured by a barrage of magic, is none too healthy, either.
Gonzo is struck twice for 21 hit points.
"KAAAAAAAAAAARUMBA!!" shouts Gonzo, and a dwarven grin of glee crosses his face as he hacks away at the daemon, looking for the gore of death upon the creature... "Demonaide anyone?"
The dwarf easily cuts the monster down with one swing of his sword.
Salaam turns and flies to the aid of the others in the doorway.
Op Code continues to fight, if nothing else but to be a nuisance to the daemon.
Pharian pulls out his long disused rope of entanglement and attempts to ensare one of the demons. The rope snakes around the daemon on Op Code, trussing it up like a vision out of a Caterina fantasy. The ranger and Gilstrock flail away at the helpless monster...and the latter's final swing pierces its flesh and kills it.
Angst still attacks his foe while giving him a lecture on the finer points of morality and fair play.
"I will hit you eventually and when I do you will pay heavily for such cowardly tactics. You could have faced him in the front."
The daemon laughs, exposes himself at Angst and tears into the ranger, catching him thrice for 31 hit points. Angst still cannot penetrate the stoneskin. Valdar tries with equal luck.
BrightAxe casts his cure light upon himself for 2 hit points.
"Does anyone have anything that we can kill these guys with?" asks BrightAxe, "We may have to consider a retreat."
He goes over and gathers up the regenerating piece of Occa.
Jesse curses, in troll, and continues to pepper the monsters with her wand of magic missiles. This time the missile fails to affect the last daemon.
It does, however, bring down a rain of no less than twelve magic missiles upon the bard from high above in the darkness. She suffers 41 hit points and has the wand blown out of her hand to boot.
"Ha-ha!!" chortles the nefarious voice of Razamataz. "Now that the warm-up acts are almost finished, it's time for the main event!"
One derghodaemon remains, on Angst and Valdar.
Angst continues his hacking.
"Another coward who knows not the meaning of honour," he says, then adds, " I could do with some help here."
Indeed he does, as he suffers another 22 hit points from the monster and drops dead...shredded to ribbons.
Darian sheathes his longsword and heals himself.
"JESSE!" Salaam sobs outloud, a look of pain on his face.
"You're damn right, you cowardly demon loving bastard!" Gilstrock calls. He looks around, trying to locate Razamataz.
"Can you save it for another time? We're a bit tired right now." says Darian.
"You're gonna be a bit dead in a minute!" snaps Razamataz.
"Oh, I see... Not capable of taking us out when we're fully rested. One of those who can only prey on those that are weakened."
"Stiff, I hope you're watching because we could sure use your help right now!"
"That overblown, giant-screwing windbag won't help you today!"
The voice is coming from far above, in the darkness. You cannot see the enemy.
"I see... You're afraid of him..."
"Oh! So you're trying to goad me, are you?" yells Razamataz. "Well guess what? It worked!"
Suddenly more magic missiles rain down on Darian, vapourizing him on the spot.
Jesse, meanwhile, has whipped out her new cittern and begins to play, casting an obsurement spell.
Gonzo melts into the shadows and awaits the "main event"... looking for an opportunity that will serve best for his abilities.
Valdar has taken wing again, leaving Op Code to deal with the daemon. Floating over the ledge, be casts a spell upwards.
The remaining ranger attacks...and his blade penetrates the derghodaemon's hide! Stinking blood oozes out.
With a howl, the daemon turns his attention to Op Code.
Gilstrock moves to where he believes he is beneath Razamataz.
"Somebody throw me a light!" he calls to his companions, as he draws Thawbreaker (which does not glow).
Pharian hands him something.
Gilstrock tucks it into his pack and starts to levitate upwards with his boots as fast as he can. He leaves his spear behind, and goes up holding Thawberaker in his right hand.
A mist rises up on the floor of the chamber around the bard, obscuring everything. Once the fog is up, Jesse grabs her wand and moves away to prepare for another assault.
Arrrgh!, who has been standing around with a glazed expression on his face, proceeds over to the west side of the chamber. Brightaxe follows. However, the exit is some 50' above them.
Valdar's spell goes off, and suddenly the top portion of the chamber is illuminated by a brilliant light. Now, you see that the walls of the chamber rise to a peak some 130' overhead. Encircling the chamber some 30' below the top is a ledge, adorned with fancy stonework and carved gargoyles. Standing directly above the west entrance on the ledge is Razamataz.
"Damn you, Valdar! I knew I should have let the drow kill you decades ago!" he shrieks, infuriated at being discovered. He unloads two more magic missile spells into the mighty elf lord. The first spell wounds Valdar, but the second bounces right off him and rebounds at Razamataz! Fortunately for the arch-mage, he has some sort of protection up which stops the returning missiles some 5' from him.
"A retreat may be in order," mutters Valdar, echoing Brightaxe's words of a moment ago, as Razamataz's features contort in fury.
Right now, Op Code is battling the last derghodaemon alone, while Pharian is beside him. Valdar hovers behind the battle, while Gilstrock is some 20' overhead, and rising slowly towards a rendezvous with Razamataz. Gonzo is lurking on the chamber floor some 50' below; Jesse, Arrrgh! and Brightaxe are also on the floor, below the west entrance, now. Finally, Salaam also hovers, near Valdar, debating his actions, now that he can see the enemy.
Pharian casts a minor globe of invulnerability around himself and Op Code as well, if possible.
"Get back down here, you boneheaded barbarian," he yells up to Gilstrock. "You can chop him up another time. We had better get out of here."
Then, following Jesse's lead, he casts a lightning bolt at the ceiling above Raz's head.
"Arrrgh!" Gilstrock says, chafing at how slow his levitation takes him upwards. "If I can just get within striking range of him, that bastard is TOAST!"
[missing messages... the party evidently drive Razamataz off and beat a hasty retreat back to the camp.]
Jesse shakes off the lingering effects of her recent encounter, slowly, and looks around. "What happened? Where is Darian?" she asks softly, her voice heavy with sorrow.
"Now that must hurt," Salaam muses as he contemplates casting a heal spell on the arch-mage, but reconsiders, afraid of what his divine powers will do when interacting with Occa's magic. "Jesse, I am sorry about Darian, we will find a way to bring him back, I promise." Salaam says as he tries to comfort the young bard.
Jesse just sits there, dumbstruck... not moving... not speaking anymore... her face locked in sorrow and pain.
"When you are finished," Pharian says to Occa's head, "we need to have some serious strategy discussions. Our old plan of wandering through the dungeon and fighting everything we encounter doesn't seem to be working so well anymore."
Orlon asks the returning group, "What did you guys run into? You look like a bunch of wrecks."
"We ran into Razamataz and a gang of daemons and demodands," says Valdar in a weary voice, "Razamataz was merrily blowing people away, until Pharian and Gilstrock started showering him with lightning bolts and arrows. Razamataz is a coward at heart...I remember that from his days with this party. He always tried to get others to risk their necks...instead of risking his own. Once we started to threaten him, he took off."
"Let me help if I can." Orlon starts the process of healing the surviving members up. He then casts resurrection on Angst and Op Code.
Both rangers reform before your eyes...and live.
Angst and Op Code suddenly live again, finding themselves in base camp with Orlon standing over them. The rest of the party is present, save Darian. Occa lies on the ground nearby...an even more disgusting sight than usual, as the flesh, muscles and connecting tissues slowly and painfully grow back over his exposed skeleton and organs. He is conscious, and makes moaning and gurgling noises.
"Where's Darian?" the cleric asks the others.
"Darian was killed...vapourised," the elf lord Valdar says, "Stiff, could you wish him back? I don't think Occa is up to it."
"I have a sense of forboding... as if one who was once here will be back... no, make that two... Thoth has shown me a portent for good that these two will come to aid us. I will meditate further on this." Salaam says cryptically as he goes to his tent and prays.
Jesse watches Salaam go and then wanders off to the woods, her lute with her. Soon you hear haunting melodies, filled with sadness fill the air.
Finally, Occa is able to speak.
Stiff wishes Darian back to life. The elf appears, to find himself back at base camp. Also, however, a second person appears, too! A man of noble countenance, who you all know well and surely have missed desperately since he was taken down by the mind flayers, thousands of light-years from here:
Al the paladin.
It is noontime on September 27th. The skies are partly cloudy, and the temperature is about 60F. Altogether, a very pleasant, early autumn day.
"Can someone tell me what happened after I was killed? And only one of you, thanks," says Angst, sitting up, after Orlon has raised him and Op Code.
Occa says to Pharian, "No kidding. We need some strategies. Something like 'Protect the arch mage should be top of the list since I should have been able to take those things out!" He frowns and says, "I need to set up a new contingency."
"I have to agree," says BrightAxe. "An Archmage should never be out of range of two fighters in our group. Errr... two fighters with weapons that could actually damage these creatures we're facing," he admits bashfully.
"We really need some type of reconnisance," he finishes.
"Yes, I agree," says Valdar, "But we must not allow ourselves to become paralysed by caution. That is the other extreme, and it would be just as bad. We must be getting close to the heart of this dragon matter for them to send their arch-mage after us."
Darian looks around. "Guess we survived? Hi Al."
Jesse returns, throws her arms around Darian and gives him a super duper no fooling hug.
Darian smiles, and says, "Miss me?"
Jesse kisses Darian on the cheek, "Try not to do that again, it gets me worried." she says softly.
"Didn't really expect that kind of reaction. And I thought if I was attacked, that I'd be able to heal myself quickly enough. I didn't really count on magic missiles killing me beyond the reach of my ring of regeneration. No one ever told me that was possible..."
"We just need an arch-mage on call to take care of Raz, that's all..." he says, in reply to Occa's statement.
"What do you call Occa?" asks Valdar.
"We need more light on the subject and have to take new paths, make our own way through the dungeon. If the expect us to go north, we go south... or we go north, but through walls rather than the inviting doors." replies Jesse. "Would a wall of stone spell help us create a bridge or two in that room, making it easier for us to walk around, rather than floating like helpless targets?"
"Ah, to hell with your theories!" Gilstrock says.
"What we really need is for me to get within one Thawbreaker-length of Ratamatamotanatapatazap," Gilstrock says. "Give me thirty seconds and he will be mincement!" Gilstrock swings Thawbreaker through the air a few times in an imaginary combat with the hostile mage to make his point.
"First, you have to get close to him Gilstrock." replies Jesse, "and do you not think that he will have all the protections that a mage can have. Add to that he could dimension door away from you, and then attack you from a distance. We do not doubt your abilities, but we need a rapid method of dealing with him."
Jesse asks, "What happened with the lightning bolts on the stonework? I got knocked out before I saw what happened. Perhaps a stone to mud spell below him next time, or a disintegrate, or something similar ...attacking the ground he is standing on... rather than him directly."
Occa says, "Well, we could try that. Stiff, could we use your crystal ball? Gilstrock, Al, Stiff and I could teleport in wherever we find him and try to reduce him to a fine paste."
"I want a chance at him as well, Occa. Now, who has my equipment? I kind of feel a little silly standing here not wearing anything."
Brightaxe hands over his equipment.
"Thank you." Darian looks over all his equipment to make sure everything is still there and begins to get dressed.
"Hey!" says Pharian to Occa, noticing Al standing there blinking. "Now that you're an archmage, you better be careful what you wish for!"
He then answers Jesse's and Angst's questions. "The lightning bolts knocked loose some stones on Razamataz's head. It didn't hurt him, but it might have saved our hides."
"That right," says Pharian next, concerning Occa's suggestion to spy on Razamataz. "We need to take him by surprise, instead of the other way around."
However, when Stiff scrys for him with his crystal ball, he sees nothing. Perhaps the enemy arch-mage has some sort of way to protect his privacy.
Occa says, "Okay, folks, let's have a couple suggestions on what to do next...shall we go on in the dungeon, head back to Sandas and maybe trade with Guido or level the guild, or what?"
He waits for some answers from the others.
"I'm for levelling the guild," Gilstrock says. "But if that's not an option, then I guess we should just go back into the dungeon and save the world."
"If we only have a few months left to deal with the dragons, I think that leveling the guild, while an interesting diversion, might waste too much time." says Jesse. "I think that we should just continue in the dungeon as quick as we can... I'd rather have this job done before we level the guild."
Pharian seems to agree.
"Much as I'd love to level the guild," says Pharian, "I think we need to deal with the damn dragons first. Levelling the guild can be our little reward for ourselves if we survive our current project."
Angst starts flitting around the camp...sometimes high, ofttimes low, trying to watch where he goes.
"Whee this is....oof!"
Angst hits a low branch.
He feels that it will take him about two weeks to fully master the art of flying.
Angst then says, "Well I definately need some weapons that will hurt those creatures, although these are nice weapons they just don't cut mustard against the foes we are up against now. Does anyone have some that can help?"
Valdar shakes his head.
"It was not the quality of our weapons that was the problem, Angst," he says, "It was their stoneskins that stopped us from hitting them. We need a way to quickly dispel them...otherwise the fighters in our party are useless."
You spend the rest of the day recovering, regenerating, healing, praying, memorising and planning.