Exploring the Arrivals Hall

AK510-39 Cool Summer End Week 3
[Charon Guiding, Shale Resting, Cycles Watching]

Cogaday (Night)

Todd, Tim and Bob decided to press on to explore their new surroundings.
They left the survivors in the large chamber under the protection of Sir Eagon Del Fuego, Sheriff John Appleby and Ivellios Tharanaian.
They entered a corridor and were not surprised to find a set of three prison cells. The level of magic being used here would make any incarceration highly effective and was commonly used in Church prisons and Draiocht research labs. As they passed the doors, they slammed open and three red shapes moved to attack. The four-armed, red-skinned xills had large insect mandibles, filled with teeth that were covered in toxic ichor which dripped onto the floor.
The battle was over quickly. While the xill were expert grapplers and almost managed to paralyse their opponents with their poisoned bites, they were no match for Bob, Tim and Todd. Todd managed to stab his opponent in the belly with his recently acquired adamantine dagger. The runes along the blade glowed appreciatively as he plunged it into the xills entrails.
Vedic Tanner crushed his opponent's skull with his mace and Bob stabbed his through the neck with his blade. Todd moved to search the body. Much to his surprise and dismay, the bodies disappeared!
"Must be summoned creatures," surmised the Vedic. "That means the summoner must be hiding around here somewhere."

The Vedic realised that they were going to be hard pressed to continue their exploration given the number of wounds they had sustained over the course of the day and decided to hold an impromptu ceremony and appeal to the Chosen to aid them.
All three explorers fervently chanted the "Prayer of Vedic Tanner" and Vedic Tanner Read from The Book Of Creation.
Croi, Seilig and Glick answered their prayers and a whisp of divine power reached them. They were granted the boon of a months rest in an instant. Their wounds were healed and their energy returned. Their magical and martial abilities were increased and they were infused with divine toughness. Delighted with the favour shown them by their Gods they set off once more.

As if in balance to the boons granted to them, they were attacked by a Fiendish Rhino which charged down the corridor towards them.
With a quick flick inspired by Glick, Todd hurled a tanglefoot bag down the corridor and incredibly the tough alchemical goo stuck to it and held it fast! It struggled with the goo and began to rip it apart. Then Vedic Tanner closed and railed upon it with his mighty mace and Bob Charmer struck it with several arrows. The Rhino tried to gore the Vedic but he anticipated the attack and turned it with his shield. Todd, showing off with the reckless abandon of a true Glick follower, tried to tumble past the Rhino. The beast gored him as he tumbled past. Todd howled with pain as the beast's powerful muscles drove the horn through his side. He twisted to avoid being impaled against the wall and rolled to his feet behind the beast. A small trickle of blood on his lips, he returned the favour as he stabbed the beast. His blade found a weak spot in the rhino's hide and sliced into an artery. Blood began to pour copiously from the wound.
The beast bellowed and Vedic Tanner's mace cracked his skull while Charmer's arrows found it's heart. It fell. Moments later, it vanished. "Stupid Summoned creatures", spat Todd bemoaning the fact that it couldn't be searched for valuables.

They pressed forward and entered a chamber at the end of the hall that was particularly well fortified. Waiting for them with an evil grin on it's face was a Kyton. They had faced one of these before and thought they had it's measure. The room was covered in chains and the devil called them to attack.
The chains sprouted barbs, blades and spiked balls and they all lashed out at Todd. The Kyton was a master of chains and Todd's leather armor was no match for them. Soon he was baldy cut and bleeding. He retreated and called upon his magic to render himself invisible. Bob and Tim had engaged the Kyton but his fiendish skin was so tough that their weapons were having little effect. Worse still he seemed to be regenerating. Cuts closed and bruises vanished before their eyes. Tanner called upon Tine to heat the chains and burn the Kyton but at first this seem to have no effect. The Kyton grinned and his face changed to that resemble Ethan's. "Why did you let me die?" Ethan asked. This was Fallen magic the Vedic realised but the face of Ethan Namer on the Kyton's body was disturbing nonetheless.
The Vedic called forth a Mace of Croi which sprang into existence beside the Kyton. It opposed the magical weapon with it's hellish power but the Vedic's power was stronger and the mace struck it with a resounding blow, that it's hellish skin could not turn. It howled in pain. The Vedic smiled.
Charmer struck with another volley of arrows and caught the Kyton's attention. It lashed out at him with it's chains and all four struck true. Charmer was slashed and bludgeoned by the chains but he stood undaunted before the Fallen devil.
Todd snuck into the room with the stealth of a mouse. But the Kyton had incredible powers of perception and sensed his approach. The Vedic evoked another Mace Of Croi and it too struck true against the creature. The creatures chains lashed out at him but clashed harmlessly against the strong magical metal of Setanta's ancient armor. Todd lunged at the creature, his smoking rune-covered dagger glowing with green menace. The creature had sensed his attack though and instinctively turned away from the blow, the blade glanced off the creatures iron hide. The devil glared at Todd who had appeared out of nowhere now that his temporary invisibility was spent. The chains lashed at Todd and knocked him unconscious. The Kyton pressed the attack against Charmer, resolving to deal with the troublesome cleric once the more vulnerable foes had been dispatched. The ranger was badly injured by the chains that battered and slashed at his body and he was forced to retreat.
The Vedic stood alone against the devil. He was enjoying himself. After weeks of overwhelming odds in battles against enemies who were also followers of the Chosen, it was nice to stand toe to toe with a single opponent. Tim knew where he stood with the fallen: over their dying bodies caving in their skulls. And this devil was no match for Tim Tanner. The Kyton did seem pleased with itself now that the others were defeated. Foolish, thought Tim, very foolish.
The Kyton's chains lashed out at the cleric with unprecedented ferocity in a metal storm of blades and barbs. The Vedic stood firm against the attack. Setanta's armor and shield protected him. The chains, which had been slowly heating since the battle was joined, began to glow red hot and burned into the creatures skin. The devil had endured worse and glowered at the Vedic, "You will die here today priest!"
"No, I don't think so," replied the priest as he commanded both of the Maces of Croi to attack. They struck true and battered the devil.
It's hate filled confidence began to waver, "Die!" he screamed and sent another wave of chains at the Vedic. Again they had no effect.
"We've been through this," the Vedic calmly explained as if to a new acolyte, "It is in fact you who are doomed. The Fallen are not tolerated on Talamh".
He hammered the devil with a rapid series of blows from his mace, while the Maces of Croi attacked and the chains burned. Finally one of the Maces of Croi struck the creature a killing blow, striking between Ethan's replica eyes and it fell to the ground and disappeared.
"Who needs healing?" the Vedic asked casually as he found his badly wounded companions collapsed against the walls outside.