Chp. 1 - Into the Shrine!

[Coleridge]

How many rounds does the fear last?

[Grognardsw]

How many rounds does the fear last?

Calto wouldn't know until the effect wore off. In this round 12, he is still horrifically terrified as in his minds eye giant multi-headed bats gnaw him while he runs, and flaming bats consume the forests of the world while raping Mother Gaia.

That said, some party members near the room noticed the bats disperse after Siavel was stunned.

[Coleridge]

Haha. Ok, so I assume Calto's action this round is to try and not pee his pants. Let me know if I need to roll for that. ...

[Dogma]

Same for Leomer please. Until the effect wears off...

Leomar runds from the room, a look of terror on his face and his arms flailing about his heads as if to wards off attacking bats. "Get off me you flying vermin! They want to bite me and drink my bloooood..!" Leomars cries die off as he runs down the corridor.

[GreyWolfVT]

Tabai does nothing of his own will until the fear has ended.

[Dram]

Kitchi get the mage out of harms way and begins to bandage him up. Someone cuff them scardy cats up the side of head. So they get there wits about them.

[OGRE MAGE]

Surge will assist in confounding the imposter Azoth.

If he feels that the dark priest is well under control, the weasel begins attacking any remaining low flying bats.

[Grognardsw]

The Chamber of Sacred Chitza-Atlan - Round 12

Outside the room, the stone statue, Blade Rain and Surge the weasel restrain the false-Azoth, who continues to yell in the unknown language. Azoth inside the statue is somewhat confident his possessed body is not casting spells, given he cannot move his hands and does not possess the scepter.

Kitchi binds Siavel's wounds, usings his native skills, herbs and salves. This stabilizes the elven magic-user.

Grindhelm the dwarf hands the scepter to the outstretched hand of the statue. Within the stone being resides the mind of the true-Azoth. As he grasps the scepter, Azoth again has those flashes of past Tamoachan. Crowds chanting for sacrifice before a ziggurat, a priest atop with writhing victims, an obsidian dagger plunging and carving out a heart... This rod is an evil thing.

Azoth focuses his mind searching for method of release from within the statue. It comes. He must have the false-Azoth touch the scepter at the same time as him, and overcome his will. The cleric of Noden realizes there are cruel means to distract and weaken his enemy's focus during the process.

The statue feels his magical slowness curse fade and now possesses his full speed and reactions.

Calto, Tabai, Leomar and Bruno continue to run, passing through the pit room and up the stairs which leads to the top of the ziggurat.

- Given false-Azoth is restrained, the party has initiative.
- Siavel is at -5 HP. He is stabilized by Kitchi, as per DMG p. 71 such wound binding stops the bleed out.
- HP status: viewtopic.php?p=180013#p180013
- Siavel's Slow duration left: expired.
- Siavel's Panguine Loyal Porter duration left: 22 rounds.
- Siavel's Thrasdrubal's Terrific Translator duration left: 14 rounds. (for talking with Tabai.)

[Inferno]

The Granite Guardian of the Gods:

The mind of the occultic sorcerer priest of the Elder Gods wondered momentarily what it would be like to reside within such an indestructable, immortal form... forever...

• No more weakness of the flesh...
  
  • No more need for endless words...
    
    • No more hunger, yearning, doubt, pain....
      
      • No more sickness, disease, aging, death...

He would live forever. Watch the ages of the earth's lifespan unfold before him. Learn what secrets will be revealed, at last, come the end of it all...

Grog, you said Azoth believes he has the solution. But if he wins in this battle of wills, does the enemy's mind return to this invulnerable powerhouse, to attack the party anew???

[Grognardsw]

Yes, he would return to the statue body. However, Azoth feels the statue, though strong, has taken so many hits from combat that it would very soon fracture from more. So it is a calculated risk.

[Inferno]

The Stone Sentinel:

Not without deep regret at what might have been, Azoth's mind consigns itself to return to the frail, weak, mortal shell that is his body.

The mute monolith, seeing that Blade Rain and Surge have the changeling restrained, freed one of his humongous hands to carve a message in the floor near Blade Rain:

• • "I am Azoth Al-Aziz.
    I shall now return to my true body.
    When I let him touch the scepter, please torment my true body without causing permanent damage.
    Once I am back in my body, I will say: "Yellow Mist."
    Do you understand?"

By then, the Fear in the others should have subsided.

After Blade Rain responded in the affirmative, and the rest of the party has returned and read its message, the craggy keeper will tightly hold the scepter while placing one end in the possessed Azoth's hand.
The dark cleric of Nodens steeled his mind for a battle of the wills. The prize: his own flesh and blood!

[Coleridge]

Cue the Star Trek fight music...

[Grognardsw]

Azoth please roll 1d20 twice.

[Inferno]

[1d20] = 8, [1d20] = 4
Low is good, right???

[Coleridge]

Whoever wins, Calto wants the hat.

[max_vale]

Alex 'Blade Rain' Vam; human male Fighter

Alex saw the message and nodded grimly while thinking; I REALLY hope this works; as he continued to hold down the possessed Azoth's body....

[Dram]

Kitchi - Watches the statue and Azoth in case they both attackone them starts to attack members of the party. Weapon ready.

[Grognardsw]

Azoth-in-stone and the false-Azoth grasp the scepter, their wills battling for supremacy of bodily possession. False-Azoth sweats and squirms in the grasp of Blade Rain, Grindhelm and Surge.

The dwarf punches false-Azoth hard in the stomach, taking the wind out of him, breaking the concentration needed to overcome Azoth-in-stone.

False-Azoth screams in frustration as his mind is transferred back into the statue, and the true-Azoth reclaims his body.

"Now destroy the statue!" yells Azoth, releasing the scepter.

Calto, Tabai, Leomar and Bruno continue to run up the secret stairs, soon emerging at the top of the ziggurat. The ruined bat temple looms. It is daylight outside and the adventurers squint from the bright light. Petrified, they rush down the ziggurat stairs.

Kitchi, who stated he was poised for action, can attack first. Others can state actions as normal. I'll roll for a possible surprise on the statue before initiative.

[GreyWolfVT]

we're going to end up at the bottom of this ziggurat and facing tons of savages soon... how long does this fear last? Until we're dead?

[Dram]

Kitchi- Seeing that Azoth has returned to his body attacks the stone statue. Swinging again at its knees


+2 Tomahawk
Tomahawk[1d20+3] = 14+3 = 17, sm [1d6+3] = 2+3 = 5, lg[1d4+3] = 3+3 = 6