[IC] The Cult of Brannulv

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara has a bad feeling about this.

So she turns to Lana and does the only rational thing, kiss her. Her eyes go a pale white for an instant then come back a full blue shade as the arms appeared over her shoulders. They appear different from last time; they are thinner, simpler, thin and yet muscular. Glistening lights and shades of pink, blue, and purple glisten in the semi-transparent form they possess.

Taara stared at Lana for a moment as if observing her then turned away to face the statue.

[Zergrinch]

Zarron gets an uncomfortable feeling at the pit of his stomach. He pokes his head through the door and viciously mocks the statue for being made of plain ordinary dirt!

==

Vicious Mockery. DC 13 WIS save to avoid (1d4)[2] psychic damage, plus disadvantage on next attack roll.

[Valmark]

Ghiso hits the wall with a painful thud, scrambling to his feet in very awkward fashion.
"The statue! Hitting it with thw crossbow weakened the circle yesterday! Not sure if magic works too" he called to the others stepping forward handaxe in hand (ha).

Spoiler: Ooc

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Ghiso will throw one of his axes! Just in case magic doesn't work. At the statue!

(1d20+5)[23] damage should be 1d6? (1d6+5)[9]

[Xihirli]

Lana lifted her shield, and pushed back the worst of the wind. The moving statue scared her, so she reached a hand up to the sky – which was there, she just couldn't see it – flashed Taara a smile, and tried a new trick.
Pale moonlight shimmered into being around the statue, glowing like the outside of an aquarium as an oceanic shimmer burned through the creature's being.
She also slammed her shield into the ground, and summoned a baby beluga spirit. It flopped around, floating in the air and radiating cuteness that invigorated her allies.

Spoiler: MOONBEAM!

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At the start of its turn it must make a DC 13 CON save to halve (2d10)[12] radiant damage!
Summoning bear beluga spirit, everybody gets 8 temporary hit points and has advantage on Strength Checks and Saves while they stay within 30 feet of the spirit I put in the middle of us. Shouldn't be a problem here.

[Izzarra]

Ghiso's axe is not deflected by a gust of wind, but it bounces harmlessly off of the golem's head and does not even leave a scratch.

Zarron's mockery does not appear to have any effect on the golem, but one of the circles pulses slightly.

Lana's moonbeam comes down from above but the circle flairs and the light dissipates unable to reach the golem where it is standing.

The golem moves forward leaving the circle without any apparent trouble. It picks up a large stone from the rubble left by the floor collapsing and throws it at Ghiso. It clangs off his shield, the heavy impact almost driving him back down to the ground.

[Valmark]

Ghiso hummed worriedly.
"Suddenly, I think we shouldn't stay here" he told the others, standing between the group and the golem "May I suggest getting out and checking if it chases?" he told the others.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Dodging, he'll only move away if everybody else leaves first.

[Xihirli]

Lana pulled the air, and the moonbeam shifted to block the creature's path to them. "Um... yeah, sounds good!" she agreed.

Spoiler: OOC

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I will step back... fifteen feet.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara watches the stone getting thrown and knocking Ghiso back, and Lana's spell fade. Although she, with her arms, would be the one person that could possibly damage this thing at the moment, she takes a step back. She immediately turns tail and runs, a little bit more complex emotion than usual on her face as her arms continue to hover over her shoulders.

[Zergrinch]

Zarron has no trouble running away like a scared little boy, because that is exactly what he is at the moment.

[Izzarra]

Once everyone evacuates from the room the golem returns to the center of the circles and resumes its vigil as if nothing had happened.

Spoiler: OOC

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The axe Ghiso threw can be retrieved without triggering the circles.

[Zergrinch]

"Um, let's just leave this thing alone. I-I don't think we can beat it," Zarron says nervously.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara silently peered into the room, wide eyed. She spied the statue and made sure it was still by looking at it for half a moment, before staring at Ghiso's axe and then Ghiso himself, looking at his arms, his face, his chest, his legs, back to his face. She stands in the doorway looking at him, her face neutral and her hands clutching her staff, while her extra arms were still hovering at the ready over her shoulders.

[Valmark]

"I agree. And contrary to what I initially thought, it won't leave that room" Ghiso nodded, looking a bit worried as Taara looked him over with two big spiritual (he had no idea what those were honestly) arms hanging around "I think it won't even re-activate. Wait here" he then went back to the room slowly, checking that the golem didn't move before retrieving his hand-axe and getting out still keeping his eyes on the statue.

When he was out, he put his axe back on his belt.
"I'm sorry to have put you all in danger. I thought those circles were a one time thing, but it seems like those are basically there to power up and activate the golem- so it's to be left alone but it's not actively harmful to people. I suspect there is a word to activate it against intruders, but luckily it doesn't look like anybody remains that knows it" he concluded. Finally, he addressed Taara.
"Are you alright? Danger's gone" he asked her and tentatively put a hand on her shoulder (the physical one) fairly sure he had never seen the elf act like that. And she wasn't possessed like Zarron.

...

Probably.

[Xihirli]

Lana, seeing something was up with Taara, moved to her side in case she needed hugs and love to feel better.

[Zergrinch]

Zarron heads off towards the room with the trap and the floating sphere, content that the rest of the party will be leaving the clay statue alone.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

As soon as a hand was placed on Taara's shoulder, her face changed into that of desperation, a flurry of astral punches launching towards Ghiso. One wheeled around upwards into his jaw, while the other simultaneously slammed into Ghiso's side. Luckily, however, Taara somehow missed both by just a few inches.

Spoiler: Rolls

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(1d20+5)[13] hit: (1d4+3)[7] crit: (1d4)[1]
(1d20+5)[15] hit: (1d4+3)[4] crit: (1d4)[2]

[Xihirli]

Lana gasped and jumped in front of Lana, blocking her off from Ghiso. "It's Ghiso!" she said, laying a hand on Taara's face. "It's me. It's La."

[Valmark]

Ghiso shut up and backed off, letting Lanitfat do her thing. He still kept his shield up ready to intervene if Taara attacked Lana too.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara's wide eyes follow Lana's movements perfectly and as she comes up to her and speaks, without moving her body the astral arms are there to strike. One attack to the jaw, one to the gut. The one to the jaw is a near miss that causes Lana to go off balance, and the other crashes into her liver.

Spoiler: Rolls

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(1d20+5)[8] hit: (1d4+3)[6] crit: (1d4)[4]
(1d20+5)[17] hit: (1d4+3)[7] crit: (1d4)[3]

[Xihirli]

Lana grunted and doubled over, but instead of fighting back she gave Taara a kiss on the cheek. "I'm not going to hurt you," she promised. "Come back to me, my Star."

[Gluteus_Maximus]

At feeling Lana's lips against her cheek, her eyes look at her wide with anger and aggression, and the arms wind up for another two attacks but her face falls to sadness and as the arms swing at Lana they disappear. Taara falls to her knees and immediately starts crying.

[Xihirli]

Lana knelt down to Taara and wrapped her in a hug. "It's okay. It's okay... I love you, my Star. You're safe."

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara stops to take a sharp breath and reaches out to hold Lana as well. She mumbles into her chest.

Spoiler: Lana Perception DC 15

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Taara is shakily mumbling in response to Lana's words: "It's not. It's not. She doesn't. You're not."

[Xihirli]

Lana gripped her close, patting her back. "Shh. Let me speak for myself, won't you? I say I love you. And I would know." she kissed the top of Taara's head. "Because there's so much worth loving in this wonderful woman in my arms."

[Valmark]

There was an hushed "Awww" as Ghiso stared at the two of them, rubbing his eyes that had gotten wet looking at the two's love. His familiar climbed on his shoulder and sniffed him confused and after a brief exchange of looks it did the same thing.

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara looked at her boo and struggled, but managed a small smile. "Yeah... I guess." she looked at Ghiso and saw him crying, but also his expression. She had not really hurt anyone, this time anyway. The last two times she killed someone and beat the other within an inch of his life. So this was... Progress? Maybe?

[Xihirli]

Lana kissed Taara. It was a gentle, sweet kiss, and she let it linger for a bit before breaking off. "What's left in the tower?" she asked the group.

[Valmark]

Ghiso cleared his throat, rubbing his face a last time, and Breasel did the same.
"A trap we haven't triggered, a sphere we haven't checked properly, and the... Last floor, I think? Not sure but it should be the last one" he explained, then looked around.
"And Zarron's gone ahead, now that I see. I think. I strongly doubt he went out"

[Gluteus_Maximus]

Taara received the kiss and smiled wider, though not as wide as earlier. She stands on tiptoes to try to reach for Breasel, holding the weasel in her hands if Ghiso allows.

"Um, I am sorry for attacking you all of a sudden," she said to him. "I hope you did not get hurt? Can we talk later?"

[Valmark]

Breasel seemed ready to scurry away seeing unfamiliar (it was born like half an hour earlier) hands reach out, but got a stern look from Ghiso and jumped in Taara's hands.
"You didn't hurt me- should have been more cautious myself, you were clearly on edge. Don't worry" he told her with a smile "And yes, of course we can. About talking" Ghiso turned towards Lana "Breasel said you're funny because 'you talked weird' before that whole deal with the golem"