The Lost Sanctuary

[crazydave]

"It's a bit outside my area of expertise, but I can try..."

umgubgbop_1-20+5 = 8

1-20

[at]

The magic is far beyond Brenner, though the style of it is similar to that seen in the sunken city.

What he can be sure of is that no simple fire destroyed it, and that the path of the destruction began from the outer edge.

[at]

"Why would the naga still be here if the ward was broken?" asks Moriana.

Vadania recalled the last seal, the lesser demon left behind to guard the passageway from the Steadlands against anyone seeking to follow the trail. But this place led to nowhere but the portal and the city beyond had not been corrupted as the monastery had. Was this perhaps a trap?

[crazydave]

Brenner will muse about how elaborate of a trap it would have to be in order for that to work. Whoever set the trap would need to know the exact movements of the party. Either a powerful oracle, the reciever of some kind of prophecy, or a hidden observer.

To make sure, we're looking at a portal of light, right?

[at]

Feb 7, 2024 15:09:00 GMT -5 crazydave said:

To make sure, we're looking at a portal of light, right?

Yes

[harknail]

Vadania asks, "Are all the seals broken? Or just the outer ones? Perhaps the snake men were not yet finished."

[at]

Brenner needs no second look to answer Vadanias question - all of the seals have been pierced. Though there yet seems to be magic here and the light of the staff seeps into what remains of the seals around the portal.

[crazydave]

Archibald will look around for a small rock or pebble and toss it into the portal, to see if anything happens.

[at]

Archibald finds that some of the cracked warding circle can be lifted out, but decides against it and finding no other suitable material in reach he instead opts to throw a copper coin from his pouch towards the portal.

There is a slight ripple in the light but no flash of energy or indication of a trap or barrier. The coin simply vanishes into the portal.

[harknail]

Vadania will check out her sometimes glowing hammer, to see how it reacts to the portal.

Then she will search her backpack for something substantial than a coin, that she would mind losing. She selects of her trail rations, wraps one end of a rope around it in multiple directions (so it doesn't slip out from being tied), then tosses it into the portal, waits a moment, then tries to drag it back.

[at]

The hammer glows as brightly here as she has ever seen it, a clear indication of arcane magic - though whether from the portal or the twisted maze that surrounds them is impossible to say.

It takes only a moment for Vadania to prepare the rope and throw it through. The portal does not cut it off nor does Vadania feel any pull against her as she reels it back through - the rations appear intact, but covered in fresh blood.

[harknail]

Vadania is happy that the rope trick worked, not so happy that there is so much blood there. This changes what she was planning on doing next.

She says to Nerra, "i'm going to stick my head though to look around. If something tries to pull me in, pull me back out."

Once Nerra has a good hold of her waist, Vadania will try sticking her head into the portal for just a moment to get a quick glimpse.

[at]

Vadania leans through and is met mostly by darkness, some kind of open area lit only by the portal itself. The swirling energy around her does little to aid her senses but she can see the source of the blood well enough - the last of the naga lay here, torn apart not far from the portals threshold.

Feeling that whatever did this is still lurking nearby Vadania quickly withdraws.

[harknail]

Vadania explained to the others, "The blood is from a dead Naga, I didn't see anything that would have killed it. Let me check that will be able to come back..."

She will use a second level spell slot to cast Summan Nature's Ally to summon l8iPFbKLp_1-3 Wolves. Then send them though the portal with instructions to come right back.1-3

[at]

The summoned animals are wary of the portal, but Vadania is able to coerce them through. They return momentarily later and unharmed, one dragging a piece of naga with it perhaps thinking that was the purpose of Vadanias instructions.

[harknail]

Vadania ask the rest of the team, "So this is a two-way portal. Shall we go through and see what's going on on the other side? Something dangerous apparently, this might be what we were looking for."

Always looking for a fight, Neera nods in agreement with a smile.

[at]

Moriana reaches for her scrolls. Whatever the nature of what on the other side of the portal this does seem like a good time to prepare for the worst.

[crazydave]

Brenner will cast Conviction (mass), granting everyone a +5 morale bonus to saving throws for the next 90 minutes.

He will also cast Bull's Strength on Neera, giving her a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength for the next 9 minutes.

[at]

"I can shield us against fire or frost, but not both" announces Moriana, "which does the book suggest?"

Vadania looks to the book once more but can see little guidance on the subject. It would seem they would have to decide for themselves.

[crazydave]

"In my limited experience, fire tends to be the element of choice for many mages and demons. Better than 50/50 odds, I'd say," says Archibald after thinking for a moment. "I need but a moment to meditate to fully prepare myself; is everyone else satisfied with their preparations?"

Speaking of that, Archibald will take a full-round action and fully refresh his maneuvers.