Caution is the name of the game as the party thoroughly investigates this level of the dam in the hopes that they can find the source of magic to fix Skull’s Crossing. Another cursory glance over the replica reveals that the dam isn’t suffering from physical damage or lacking a physical part; it seems that over time the magic sustaining the mechanisms has waned to be point of being ineffective.
On the other side of the central chamber is another pool of putrid, murky water. Despite their best efforts searching along the perimeter, they don’t locate any hidden doors or signs of magic. All the while, Fyn and Trace are detecting for magic and evil respectively, and still not receiving anything other than the pings coming from south of the double doors obstructed by hundreds of skulls. Having exhausted their other options, it’s time to address those pings!
The pile of skulls doesn’t prove to take much effort to clear; in a matter of minutes there is a wide-enough opening to allow clearance for the door to swing open. Fyn, reckless as he is, opens the door to reveal a narrow room with alcoves on the east and west. Each alcove is marked with a faintly glowing orange circle of runes. To the west is a pile of crimson ash and the eastern ring holds what appears to be the corpse of a devil. Both alcoves are blocked off by iron portcullises, controllable by a nearby lever.
As the rest of the party piles into the room, Fyn determines that, although slightly faded, the circles were created by an exceptionally skilled caster. Believing it was the Peacock Spirit, Fyn kneels in reverence and awe.
The devil begins to stir.
Even though it appears to be trapped behind the portcullis, the party isn’t taking any chances that this devil isn’t going to devour them, especially knowing that the runed circles could have only been made by a powerful being. Thus begins a dialogue with the devil, who goes by the name Avaxial, yes?
The devil speaks rather vaguely, but it is clear that he doesn’t want to give up too much information without a guarantee that the party will release him back to the Hells. He apparently knows how the dam functions, namely since he has been here for thousands of years. Enslaved by Karzoug, Avaxial is still harboring resentment and anger, even going so far as shattering his own wrist by slamming the ground in frustration.
Obviously the party is skeptical. Most of the skepticism is stemming from Trace, who is fighting back every urge to just put this devil into the ground as quick as possible. The others are a bit more open to the idea and eventually decide to bite.
According to Avaxial, his ‘friend’, who is the pile of ash in the other circle, died just over fifty years ago. That circle, now vacant, needs to be occupied by a living being at the same time that another living being is present in his circle. The dam uses the life-force of these two beings to power its mechanisms.
Having the information that they need, Trace calls for a small meeting just outside the door to seriously consider the implications of releasing a devil back into the world. Instead of following, Fyn closes the door and stone shapes the runes into a long, thin bar that he smashes with a crowbar. With a bright light, the magic dissipates. Avaxial thanks them and teleports away.
Trace is furious. He can’t believe that Fyn would do something so drastic without carefully thinking of the consequences. The jury is out on the rest of the party, since ultimately they have probably saved Turtleback Ferry in the process.
Fyn summons a hound archon and a giant wasp, which enter the two circles. There is a pulse of energy as their life-force is drained, but the sounds of rushing water can be heard beyond the confines of the stone walls of the dam. Success?
The party rushes upstairs to view the fruits of their labors. But something is amiss; the doors that they had opened to one of the other rooms are now closed, and Trace hears faint, childlike sobbing coming from beyond the doors. Unable to ignore it (and perhaps trying to course-correct after the devil debacle), Trace throws open the door to see a child with its hands chained, crying on the ground. Beyond him are two other children whose arms are chained together. Trace rushes up to see what’s the matter and a pair of brutish barbarian-looking types step out from around the corner.
With a mighty yell, the woman brings down her two battleaxes, snapping the chains that bind the two children together, and a fight is on!
The children run forward, clinging to our party with fear and pain in their eyes. There’s something supernaturally draining about their embrace, but it doesn’t seem to have any lasting effect. Initially, the party tries to subdue the children to protect their innate innocence at Trace’s insistence. The paladin also wants some answers and implores the group to keep the others alive.
Fyn loses his voice after being clawed by one of the children and is forced to shoot acid darts instead of using spells that require verbal components. After his voice is forcibly removed, Fyn notices that these children aren’t completely…typical. In fact, something seems visibly off with their faces, and they smell strangely of undeath. Krask confirms the suspicions that these aren’t human children by sending an arrow straight through the forehead of the nearest one, splitting a mask that was covering a zombie-like face. These are known as attic whisperers.
As the party whittles down the remaining opponents, Trace tries to strike non-lethally and knock out one of these assailants. He manages to strike the woman down, but Krask is just too dang strong and his arrows obliterate the man wielding the greataxe.
Sounds like somebody needs to start talking…
Have we seen the last of Avaxial? What are these slavers doing at Skull’s Crossing? Will Trace be able to reign in the morality of this party?!
Image Source: Avaxial by Paizo Inc.