The Scribbler's Rhyme, Part II (Friday, Abadius (I) 24th, 4708 AR)



The Scribbler started combat by casting summon monster VI to summon 2 babaus. While these summoned monsters engaged his foes, he cast righteous might and quickened divine favor. He then entered combat, casting a quickened spiritual weapon to attack Tsela. The Scribbler was joined by a glabrezu demon who reversed gravity in the antechamber and stranded those who couldn't fly. The heroes banished the demons and killed the Scribbler.

The heroes then continued their exploration of the shrine. There was no illumination in the shrine itself (with the exception of the Shrine of Monsters and Madness).

The entire dungeon was warded by a strong abjuration aura. Every time someone came to an intersection, there was a chance he took the route opposite form the one intended.

Shrine of Monsters and Madness. Although portions of this cathedral had collapsed, leaving mounds of rubble on the floor and crumbling walls, the chamber retained its sense of menacing awe. Four black stone pillars supported the arched roof forty feet above, and on the floor between them the image of a three-eyed jackal seemed to glower from striations in the stone itself. This image glowed with a soft rusty light that illuminated the entire room from below. Alcoves to the north and south contained statues of a jackal-headed pregnant woman. Each clutched a pair of kukris crossed over her chest, and a reptilian tail winded down around her taloned feet. To the west, what might have once been a stone pulpit featuring other statues seemed to have been partially buried under an ancient collapse. The walls of this room were densely decorated with hundreds of scribblings and sprawling runes.

This shrine stood empty and deserted. The caligraphy decorating the walls with prayers and invocations was more intricate and careful. Another stanza of the Scribbler's rhyme was inscribed at the base of the middle statue of Lamashtu in the northern wall.

Battleground. Blood was this cavern's decor; swaths of it lay spattered on the wall, and pools had congealed and began to rot on the ground. Bits of flesh lay scattered as well - whatever happened here, it ended poorly for many.

In order to determine the location of the key to Runeforge, the heroes had to discover stanzas of the Scribbler's rhyme and arrange them in the proper order:

"If magic bright is your desire, to old Runeforge must you retire!
For only there does wizards' art receive its due and proper start.

Each stone the grace of seven lords, one part of key each ruler hoards;
If offered spells and proper prayer, take seven keys and climb the stair."

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Races of Varisia

From the reclusive elves of the Mierani Forest to the orc-blooded interlopers from the Hold of Belkzen to the Varisian wanderers from whom the region takes its name, diversity and conflict characterize the varied cultures that make Varisia their home. Height and Weight Although the races of Golarion are fundamentally the same as those presented in D&D, there are some slight differences in height and weight. Most notably, those of elven blood are taller in Golarion, and the fey-kindred gnomes are lighter. The details of all races are presented  online  for ease of reference. Humans Three distinct human societies dwell in Varisia: the expansionist colonists of Cheliax, the tempestuous tribes of the Shoanti barbarians, and the enigmatic Varisians. Chelaxians: Beyond the Mindspin Mountains and far to the south lies the cosmopolitan heresy of Cheliax. Once an empire of unquestioned might, the death of the empire's god Aroden allowed the rise of a diabolical aristocracy
Read more

Undead Lords

For every type of undead, there exists an undead lord, a being of great power that commands the lesser of its kind. They are powerful creatures that inspire awe and fear in those they rule. Undead lords constantly project an aura that functions as a permanent desecrate spell. In addition, channeling energy is harder. Undead lords ignore damage from most weapons and natural attacks. Wounds heal immediately, or the weapon bounces off harmlessly. They can take normal damage from energy attacks (even nonmagical ones), spells, spell-like abilities, and supernatural abilities. Magic weapons can damage undead lords normally. Undead lords are extremely dangerous opponents. They are stronger, tougher, and more intelligent than the ones they command. As such, they are rarely encountered by chance (and rarely encountered alone). Most maintain a lair far away from civilization where they plot and plan, sending their minions on missions to further their goals. Undead lords are less easily a
Read more

Dog, Riding

Image
Riding dogs s are animals. An animal is a living, nonhuman creature, usually a vertebrate with no magical abilities and no innate capacity for language or culture. Animals have low-light vision. Animals breathe, eat, and sleep. Larger dogs (known to Small races like halflings and gnomes as riding dogs) include hardier breeds such as huskies, mastiffs, and wolfhouds. A riding dog can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he is a skilled rider. Riding dogs can detect approaching enemies, sniff out hidden foes, and track by sense of smell. Riding dogs can identify familiar odors just as humans do familiar sights. Riding dogs can detect opponents by sense of smell. If the opponent is upwind, the range increases; if downwind, it drops. Strong scents, such as smoke or rotting garbage, can be detected at longer range. Overpowering scents, such as skunk musk or troglodyte stench, can be detected at even longer range. When a rid
Read more