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Somewhat of an impass has been reached. There doesn't seem to be any
feasible way across the lava cavern, and the party probably aren't strong
enough to try another direction.
The ring that claimed to have all the properties still isn't
showing any of them, and the group return to check out the sphere room,
hoping that they might be able to figure out something about the ring
there. The ring still isn't talking, but when Chest jumps up into the air,
he remains there. He appears to be able to fly.
Everyone quickly returns to the ledge above the lava cavern, and, unsure
of how long the ring will last, send Chest flying across the cavern (after
the last of Synd's healing spells has been cast upon him) as soon as the
timing of the bursting bubbles of lava permits.
Chest crosses safely to the ledge on the other side, and is seen
to open a door. He delays on the ledge a little too long, and seems to be
burned by some of the spray from the second bubble. With that, he goes
through the door.
The rest of the party wait five, then ten minutes, and without
anything better to do, decide to rest up and meditate for the next eight
hours. Indeed, eight hours later, there is still no sign of Chest. Synd
had meditated for some 3rd and 4th level spells, but wasn't sure if she
was going to get them, or only as part of the recharging. As it happens,
she got the fourth level spell she was looking for. Synd prepares to cast
'dimensional folding', and explains that it will create a shimmering disc
in the air, that, when stepped through, will teleport those who step
through to the far ledge. She also casts 'moment' in the hope of improving
her chances of casting the following spell, but the 'moment' spell
fizzles.
Completing the spell, the air turns hazy, and the far ledge can be
seen through the disc. Synd steps through, followed by Sinema. As luck
would have it though, Synd had actually failed to get the spell, and from
Sinema's point of view she walks forward towards the edge of the ledge
over the lava. Sinema reaches forwards just in time to yank Synd back from
falling to a fiery death. This really isn't good. With no healing spells,
the party aren't really strong enough to try another direction for another
weapon, but that seems to be the only option.
I'kanta decides to give the wand (also found in the sphere room) a try. He
points it out over the ledge, and presses the button on it. The air
shimmers about 5ft out from the wand, but nothing else occurs. He decides
to try it again, this time on a coin, just to see, but the wand appears to
be spent. After much debate, the party decide to try one of the other
corridors. Again deciding randomly, the party head down the left
branch. Just in case, I'kanta makes a little arrow on the plinth of the
defeated lion statue, indicating to Chest, in case he returns, which way
the group have headed.
About 30ft down the corridor, Sinema plunges beneath the water. Telar and
I'kanta step forward, and realise that he has fallen into a pit in the
corridor, and being in plate mail, probably will not be swimming back up.
After Telar spends a round fishing around with a staff, I'kanta removes
his backpack, and plunges in after him. About two rounds pass before
I'kanta's head appears at the surface, takes a breath of air, the dives
back down. Again a couple of rounds pass, but this times I'kanta surfaces
with Sinema in tow. Telar hauls him up and out of the sink hole, and keeps
his head above the foot of water at ground level so as that Synd can tend
to him. Synd goes to minister a potion of healing, and thankfully
remembers to rid his mouth and lungs of water before she does
so. Nonetheless, the potion seems to have no effect. Synd realises that
she will need to get at Sinema's chest to revive him, and therefore his
armour must be removed. Unsure of whether she has just killed Sinema by
ministering magical healing (the potion) and not restoring him with it,
Synd calls for Telar to remove Sinema's breastplate. Some hesitation
occurs as whether to cut off the straps with a dagger, or remove it
properly. Figuring he's a gonner, Synd says to take it off properly.
Several rounds later, Synd is able to check Sinema's condition.
Now realising that she should have just torn the armour off and
gotten to him sooner, Synd has a go at reviving him. She flukes
it. Coughing and spluttering, Sinema agrees that they should have just
ripped the armour off if it was going to give him a better chance of
living, but nonetheless he's alive, armour intact.
After a time, with I'kanta able to swim and help people across, the sink
hole is crossed, and the party progress down the corridor. In due course
it turns, then straightens up a bit, leading onwards, this time with what
seem to be copper walls. Wary of the change in scenery, Telar heads up the
corridor on his own with the lantern. After a couple of feet he notices
the lantern getting hot, after about twenty he begins to feel his armour
and longsword heat up too, and he returns to the corner that's not between
the copper plates.
After much backward and forwarding, and Telar getting singed, and having
no light source other than a metal lantern, a plan is devised. I'kanta
decides to cast the 'light' spell (as read from Roderick's spellbook) upon
his staff, and for himself and Telar (having removed his armour and all
metal items) to cross the corridor. Synd and Sinema wait and the corner,
and the other two head off down the corridor.
As I'kanta and Telar enter the room at the end of the copper walled
corridor, they are beset by ghouls. Both immediately go to flee back down
the corridor, but I'kanta is hemmed in, and is soon hit, paralysed, eaten,
and ghoulised. Telar hastens down the corridor towards Sinema and Synd,
with about 8 ghouls following him. Synd, recognising the ghouls from the
weird painting room, immediately tries to turn them. She succeeds, and the
8 that were following Telar retreat down the corridor. The three that
stayed to attack and ghoulise I'kanta, along with the ghoulised I'kanta,
however, were not affected, and in the next round they shamble down the
corridor. Synd tries to turn this new bunch of undead, but fails.
The ghouls close to attack, and Telar manages to hit, but not fell
one of them in the first round. Synd is clawed at and missed, and Sinema
hits, and kills one of them. Next round the party aren't so lucky, the
ghouls get in first, and Telar is hit, and paralysed.
Sinema keeps up the attacks, but fails to hit just as often as he
does hit. The ghouls keep up the attacks too, but Synd and Sinema are
lucky enough to resist the paralysation for a couple of rounds. Synd hits
one of the ghouls in successive rounds, but her wooden sap does pitiful
damage. With only one ghoul left standing, Synd is hit, and paralysed.
Thankfully, in the next round, Sinema attacks first, and finishes
the last ghoul. Sinema is left standing up to his ankles in water, two
paralysed party members standing beside him, the eviscerated corpse of a
ghoulised party member at his feet, and whole room full of ghouls about
50ft away, with no idea of how long the paralysation will last, how long
Synd's turning will last, or for that matter, how long is left on the
twenty hours of empowerment.
Sinema decides to wait. After about an hour, Synd and Telar come
to. Figuring that there isn't much time left at all on the twenty hours of
empowerment, the group take action to deal with the ghouls. Sinema
possesses a potion of extra healing that the bought at The Market, and he
duly quaffs it. The potion works to maximum possible effect, and Sinema
starts thinking a lot more positively about the party's chances. Synd
passes her potion of extra healing to Telar, and he quaffs it, not to as
good an effect as Sinema, but useful nonetheless. For the hell of it,
Telar drinks the potion that was found in the sphere room, but it doesn't
have any noticeable affect. Telar is going to go up to the room to try to
spark off a fight with the ghouls before the empowerment runs out, and
Synd has three options as she waits at the bottom of the
corridor. Roderick's wand of 'magic missiles', a 'moment' scroll, or to
try to turn them again. She opts for the turning.
Telar heads up the corridor, and, spotting the ghouls, rushes back down to
the corner as they give chase. Synd presents her holy symbol, but the
turning fails. The last three members of the group, standing at the
corner, are swamped by about 8 ghouls. Synd is the first to be hit, and
despite her high chances of resisting the paralysation, fails. Telar and
Sinema battle on, but Sinema's usual prowess isn't present. Telar is the
next to be paralysed, the ghoul even remains to eat away at him 'till
Telar is ghoulised too. Sinema, sensing that he isn't going to win this
one, decides to flee. Throwing the paralysed Synd over his shoulder, he
charges through the ghouls. He is hit twice, but the first blow was
enough. He is paralysed where he stands, and the remaining ghouls begin
their feast.
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