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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 1978126" data-attributes="member: 143">Unfortunately for the nagas, they have a low Caster Level...* * * * * Chapter 311With Fario, Dannel, Mole, Hodge, and now Arun ensared by the charming gaze of the nagas, and none of the creatures as yet even slightly injured, the situation looked pretty grim for the companions. But as tides in the sea both rise and ebb, so to do the tides of battle often turn on the smallest point of fate. In this case, that point was Fellian’s dispel magic.  The half-elf’s spell, centered on the base of the stairs, filled the entire hall with an invisible surge of magical disruption that sundered the spells holding the companions.  Or at least most of them; the clashing eddies of power were unpredictable, and both Hodge and Mole remained trapped in the grip of the nagas’ power.  But the others were freed from the cloying enchantment, and the auras of displacement protecting the ugly monstrosities likewise shimmered once and faded, revealing their true locations.Arun roared in anger as he realized what had happened to him.  His sword had been knocked from his hand by the enfolding wrap of the creature, but he shook his arms free of its grasp with a violent surge of strength, loosening his grip on his shield to free both hands.  The naga turned its head toward him, fat gobs of poison dripping from its jaws as it snarled at its prey.  Arun wrapped one arm around its long neck, and as its head snapped inward he cocked his gauntleted fist back and smote it with a powerful blow to the face. That got its attention. On the far flank, Beorna’s foe lashed out at her, snapping at the templar’s face with its envenomed bite.  But it still suffered from the lingering effects of Zenna’s waves of fatigue spell, and the templar was easily able to avoid its attack.  The same could not be said for the naga, as Beorna unleashed a full attack upon it that left it flapping in three bloody segments upon the stairs. Arun’s foe drew back in pain, hissing as blood dripped from its shattered face.  But the naga still held the dwarf in its grasp, and it lunged at him, sinking its long fangs into the arm he raised to block.  Unfortunately for the naga, the chance of a dwarven paladin suffering the full effects of its venom was next to nil, and Arun was quick to tear his arm free, ignoring the pain of the vicious wound.  An arrow slammed into the naga’s neck a foot below its head, and even as the creature turned toward this new threat, a second followed, and then even as the first still quivered in the wound, a third.  The naga’s head gyrated in pain as blood oozed from the three deep punctures, even as Fario and Dannel kept up their barrage.  Finally, its agonized motions drew the head within Arun’s reach, and the paladin reached up, snared its head in his muscled hands, and twisted.  With a snap, the naga’s neck broke, and its body fell limp. The last naga had not been idle while its companions were being destroyed.  Uttering dark syllables in the language of power, it conjured a swarm of angry, fluttering bats at the foot of the stairs, enveloping Zenna and obstructing the aim of Fario and Dannel.  It then drew back, intending perhaps to slink away, or shroud itself in a protective cloak of invisibility.  What it got was a pair of scorching rays from Zenna, who stepped forward from the shrieking swarm, her hair in disarray, blood dribbling down the sides of her face from shallow gashes.  But her concentration was absolute, and the two blasts struck the naga’s body squarely, the flames flaring out around it in a painful embrace. Now completely sold on the idea of flight, the naga did finally cast its invisibility spell.  But it was too late, for Fellian was ready with his invisibility purge, and when the naga reappeared Beorna was close by, her face an implacable promise that was soon fulfilled by her bloody sword. With the deaths of the last of the creatures, the lingering charm holding Hodge and Mole snapped, and the two looked around in confusion that quickly changed to abashed embarrassment as they realized what had happened.  Hodge’s face twisted into a look of disgust as he stared up at the head of the nearest naga, dangling over the edge of the stairs, as he tried to reconcile the thing’s horrid features with the blind adulation he’d felt for it only moments ago. “Don’t feel bad,” Dannel told him.  “Their magic got most of us.”“Bah,” Hodge replied, but he gave the thing a wide berth as he cleaned his axe and slid it back into the loops of leather that held it in place across his back. “So where’s Vhalantru?” Fario asked.  “After that battle, I’m sure everything in the house know’s we’re here.”“Maybe he’s not home,” Mole said, hopefully. A cloud of steam rose from one of the burning tapestries as Zenna cast a create water cantrip, dousing the flames from the earlier fireball that still burned along the walls.  Dannel helped her, stamping out the burning remnants of a tapestry that had fallen beside the door to the guardroom where the half-orcs had been quartered. “Should just let the place burn,” Hodge suggested.  “Better to come back and sift through the rubble later.”Once she was satisfied that her spell had had the desired effect, Zenna turned toward Hodge.  “How many reasons do you want for that being a bad idea?  First, it’s unlikely that even if Vhalantru is here, that a fire would kill or even injure him.  Second, there may be leads here that we need to find.  Third, there’s no guarantee that a fire wouldn’t spread to half the city—that’s all we need, right now.  Fourth, those statues—she pointed back down the hall—were once living people, and we may be able to restore them.  Fifth—““We get it,” Dannel said.  “Let’s continue our search.”“Stay alert,” Arun said, unnecessarily, as they pressed on from the ruin of the once-fine hall.  They elected to remain on the first floor for now, rather than head upstairs.  They explored several rooms, including the guardroom where the half-orcs had congregated.  Even that room was fairly uncluttered, with just a few trinkets, copper and silver coins, and a couple decks of cards and dice on the long table surrounded by simple wooden benches against the far wall.  The whole house seemed static and lifeless, like a museum rather than a place where people lived.  Even House Rhiavati had been more vital than this place, with servants and furnishings suitable for use, not just viewing. They found a wine cellar just off the guardroom, with walls of unadorned stone rather than paneled wood.  It was a testament to the authority of Vhalantru that the place was dusty and rather neglected even with the presence of a half-dozen half-orc mercenaries just one room over.  Mole took a look at a few bottles as she gave the room a quick once-over.  Finally, she returned to the middle of the room, staring at the blank wall to the right of the entry. “What is it?” Arun asked. “You don’t see it?” Mole said.  When the others shook their heads, she licked a finger and lifted it up.  “There’s a slight current of air here.  And that wall,” she said, pointing at the blank face of plain stone.  “No dust.” Dannel and Zenna both nodded, but Hodge only shook his head.  “So?”With an exasperated sigh, the gnome walked over to the wall and stuck her hand through it.  “So, it’s an illusion, silly.”  She stuck her head through the barrier, creating the unnerving appearance of her headless body sticking out from the wall. “Anything?” Fario asked. “Just a small room,” she said, stepping entirely through the illusion.  Sound was not blocked by the figment, so they could hear her voice as she continued to speak.  “Nothing but...” She was cut off with a startled yell.</blockquote>

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