The Cold Room

**The Cold Room** is the forty eighth episode of *Another Bad Side Quest.* The party awakens something within the icy walls and floors of the Cold Room and have to fight their way out.

## The Cold Room

### **Synopsis**

**Pre-Show Shenanigans**

* Zach was in a mild accident getting home tonight and is alright, but as he can't join Ian will be the puppet master of Sterling

### **Part One**

As the party, alarmingly lined up in the hallway between the previous room and the room, saw several Chill Haunt rise from the ground, began to shuffle as people take up positions for combat, with Bo using his reaction to cast *Seer's Reaction* to to raise his initiative. Seren plucked a sunflower from his staff and crushed it as he cast *Fireball* on the four chill haunts, which bolstered the creatures instead of damaging them, then cast *Shillelagh* on himself. Alaerith, slipped his way from the far back of the group to the front, and on Seren's warning that fire was no good, pulled a chili pepper from the components borrowed from Sterling, used it to cast *Dragon's Breath* on himself, breathed lightning on the two nearest chill haunts, with one who managed to resist the brunt of while the other took the full brunt of lightning energy, but regardless seemed naturally resistant to.

Quincy, near the back of the line as well, levelled *Panache* on Yashani's shoulder and fired twice on the chill haunt nearest to Alaerith, which naturally seemed to resist the bullets. Bo, knowing was more effective close range, moved between the two of the chill haunts at the front of the room, slashed against the weaker of the two with *Passus,* while activating *Torment* to enhance the second strike with radiant energy at the cost of his health, then cast *Sanctuary* on RX, causing incorporeal puppet strings to appear at his joints and told Yashani and Alaerith this was something he learned from the Skein Witch while telling RX not to be worried about them. The chill haunts moved, with one who passed through the wall and appeared between Sterling and Quincy, another advanced on Seren and Alaerith and the remaining advanced on Bo. Two of them activated *Shivering Touch* on Bo, as Bo used his reaction to activate *Temporal Points* to his defence and cause one of the attacks to miss, and resisted the cold wave washing over him. One missed Alaerith with it's *Shivering Touch* as Seren used his reaction interpose the attack with his shield, while the last one struck Quincy and failed to resist the wash of cold that washed over them.

Yashani, with her trained movement, vaulted over Quincy to the chill haunt near them, struck them twice with her new staff *Umbra,* then punched it bringing the creature to an end as it shattered. RX readied himself to dodge as he ran past the chill haunt near Alaerith and Seren, as the undead used it's reaction to attempt to strike him but failed to resist *Sanctuary* which prevented the attack, made his way to the two chill haunts near Bo and tried to get their focus on him. Sterling moved to the nearest chill haunt and cast *Vicious Mockery* on it as he mocked it's lack of hygiene. Seren missed the chill haunt near him with his staff, then cast *Spiritual Weapon* creating his spectral tree on the other side of it and smacked it's head with it. Alaerith cast *Shocking Grasp* on the chill haunt in front of him, though it naturally resisted the lightning. Quincy failed to resist the wave of cold once more before they moved behind Sterling, cast *Hex* on the chill haunt causing lightning to come from the ground and crush it slightly, to the sight of Seren, Yashani and Alaerith who saw the magma in their hair light up when their magic was cast, then fired twice on it with *Panache* while activating *Sharpshooter* to enhance both blows, though it naturally resisted the bullets and seemed to be immune to the necrotic magic, and growled in annoyance before the cold washed over them again.

Bo slashed one of the chill haunt with Passus, while activating *Anti-Magic Strike* to enhance the first strike and activating *Torment* to enhance the second strike with radiant energy at the cost of his health. One chill haunt attempted to activate *Shivering Touch* on Sterling, as Quincy used their reaction to activate *Gambler's Taunt* to nullify the attack and bringing it's attention to them instead. One activated *Shivering Touch* on RX, which became diverted to Bo due to *Sanctuary's* protection, along with another who did so to Bo, despite Sterling using his reaction to cast *Silvery Barbs* to attempt to distract one, but resisted the cold wave again as RX used his reaction to activate *Protective Field* to deflect some of the damage and Bo used his reaction to activate *Sainted* *Reprisal* to strike back with radiant magic. Yashani leapt over Quincy and Sterling to get to the chill haunt near them, struck it with one of her two blows with *Umbra*, then activated *Flurry of Blows* to strike it twice more and bring it to an end, as Alaerith used his reaction to activate *Soul Drain* and channelled it's dying energy to heal Quincy.

RX asked Bo to remove the strings from him and after being told no, slashed the chill haunt near him while activating *Psionic Strike* to enhance one of his slashes and forced the creature to the wall, causing *Sanctuary* to drop from him, then slashed the other near him. Sterling cast *Vicious Mockery* on the chill haunt near the wall as he insulted it's lack of balance, then retreated to the wall near him and asked Yashani for help. Seren approached the chill haunt near Bo, struck it with his staff lighting it up with radiant energy though the fire energy also bolstered it, then struck it with his *Spiritual Weapon*. Alaerith moved to the chill haunt that RX shoved, blasted it with *Dragon’s Breath* as it took the full brunt of lightning magic, then activate *Metamagic :* *Quickened Spell* to cast *Shocking Grasp* on it, though it naturally resisted the lightning of both spells.

Quincy, still shivering moved *Hex* to the chill haunt in front of Bo and Seren, stomped into the room in annoyance, fired on it while activating with *Sharpshooter,* though once again resisted the bullets and was unphased by the necrotic magic, and failed to resist the wash of cold that washed over them again. Bo activated *Temporal Points* to Disengage, moved to the chill haunt near Alaerith and slashed at it with one of his two strikes while activating *Torment* to enhance the second strike with radiant energy at the cost of his health. The chill haunt activated *Shivering Touch* on Alaerith, as Quincy levelled *Panache* on Alaerith's shoulder and used their reaction to activate *Gambler's Taunt* causing it to finally fall, while Alaerith flashed back to when Tabernacle doing the same move not that long ago. The last chill haunt activated *Shivering Touch* on Seren, but managed to resist the cold wave. Yashani approached the remaining chill haunt, struck it with *Umbra* twice, and missed with her attempted punch at it's head. RX stepped up and with ease slashed through the last of the chill haunt as it sunk back into the ice.

As the room around them quieted everyone, but Quincy, heard several thudding noises coming from the hallway they had come from. Sterling asked the group if they heard that before he peaked around the corner and into the hallway, saw nothing and readied himself to cast *Vicious Mockery* and insult the first hostile thing that came. Seren made his way up the hall to listen more closely, identified the sound was of ice grinding against ice, readied himself to dodge as he waited, had his *Spiritual Weapon* follow after him and, with his prior cast *Detect Evil & Good,* still active detected that the half orc woman in the tomb of ice was Neutral Good. Alaerith activated *Life Drain* using her Ruined Moon mark to help heal Quincy at the cost of his own health. Quincy, still wracked with shivers, followed the buddy system established earlier followed after Seren up the hallway though remaining behind him at his request to be careful, and prepared their action to shoot the first hostile creature that moved into the hallway as the cold wave washed over them again. Bo followed suit stopping behind Quincy, activated *Temporal Points* to move further ahead of them, saw a shifting mass of ice in the room they had originally come from and warned Seren of an ice monster as he activated *Divine Healing* to rewind some of his wounds.

The first ice elemental, seeing Bo, sprinted for him as two others appeared out of the walls and followed suit. The first creature struck him with one of it's two claw attacks, as Bo used his reaction to activate *Battle Maneuver : Riposte* to strike back while activating *Torment* to enhance the second strike with necrotic energy at the cost of his health, and one of the others failed to activate *Encase in Ice* on him.

### **Break!**

Two combats tonight! Grab a snack as we head into the next battle!

### **Part Two**

Yashani looked down the hall, saw Bo being crushed against the wall by the ice elemental and, knowing she couldn't make it to him to be helpful and hearing Quincy's plea, instead activated *Hand of Healing* and simultaneously activated *Physician's Touch* to heal Quincy and stop the cold wave that had been affecting them as warmth took it's place and made her way after Quincy. RX followed up the hall, saw Bo, asked first if he wished to fly and when Bo agreed activated *Telekinetic Movement* to pull him away from the ice elemental and closer to Seren at the front of the line. Sterling moved up behind Yashani, told Bo he needed him to move faster and cast *Haste* on him from the back of the line in the hallway.

Seren moved past Bo to face the ice elementals, struck with his staff, very grateful to see they were vulnerable to the fire energy though the strikes splintered ice shards into Seren, commented that fire was good this time, then cast *Sanctuary* on himself and told the others to stay behind him as he held them off. Alaerith, hearing fire worked on these creatures, drew some of the flames around him to in front of Seren, warned the group that he wasn't sure if this would work as he muttered

*"Forces of nature, draw forth a servant from the power of flame and grant me aid!"*

causing the fire to spark as a Blistercoil Weird appeared in with a roar, then asked to confirm that it would listen to him and on confirmation asked it to take care of the ice elementals. Quincy, surprised by the sudden appearance of the new, friendly-ish elemental and hearing Seren's words to not move past him, tried something new as they popped open *Panache*, loaded a *Cure Wounds* bullet in the chamber, explained to Yashani it was probably a bad idea but was better to test it on themself, shot themself in the foot, found they were healed instead of hurt and excitedly told Bo the bullet they made together worked as Bo called back he was a little busy.

Bo used his *Incorporeal Movement* to move through the group and ice elementals to the other side of this fight, failed to activate *Captura* on one of them as the limbs didn't quite find purchase, struck the nearest ice elemental twice with his blade, while activating *Torment* to enhance the second strike with necrotic energy at the cost of his health, then cast *Sanctuary* on himself. The ice elemental near Seren and the Blistercoil slid back into the wall of ice, as the Blistercoil used it's reaction to miss to slam it while Seren used his reaction to fail to grapple it, and reappeared half leaning out of the wall in front of Yashani. The elemental struck Yashani with it's two fists, as Quincy activated *Gambler's Taunt* to nullify the attack and bring it's attention to them instead. The two elementals in front of Bo failed to activate *Encase in Ice,* which was diverted to the Blistercoil due to *Sanctuary's* protection, and the remaining elemental slashed the Blistercoil twice, but the *Heated Body* of it's flaming form reacted to it's slashes and burned it back. Yashani, angered at the creature that attacked her from the wall, activated *Rage,* threatened in Primordial that it shouldn’t have done that and after the ice elemental responded *"boo hoo"* back bludgeoned it once with one of her two smacks with *Umbra* as the strikes splintered ice shards into her.

The Blistercoil, barely standing after the slashes, used it's flaming liquid like form to move through the two ice elementals, burning them both due to heat and setting them on fire, then slammed the one that struck him as the flaming fist caused it melt till it was half it's original size, though the strike splintered ice shards into it. RX, seeing the ice elemental in front of Yashani, decided to do his best to return the wall to its original, smooth form as he slashed it with one of his two strikes with his sword while activating *Psionic Strike* to empower his slash with lightning, then activated *Action Surge* and slashed it once more bringing the elemental to an end. Sterling moved up the hallway and finding he couldn't see the creatures that were being fought hugged Quincy as they seemed like they might still be cold. Seren bludgeoned the ice elemental with his staff in a burst of radiant and fire energy, causing *Sanctuary* to drop as the strikes splintered ice shards into him, then struck it with *Spiritual Weapon*. Alaerith asked if the creature he summoned was helping and after being told it was, noticed a nearby spot of purple and black ice on the floor and though he couldn't figure what what it was exactly knew there was probably something unnatural about it and decided to leave it alone.

Quincy removed the still clinging Sterling attached to them, walked to Seren, fired two shots at the ice elemental near him, then activated *Deed : Bite the Bullet* to regain some health. Bo activated *Captura* on the ice elemental leaving it *Restrained*, then activated *Passus* and slashed the nearby elemental twice while activating *Torment* to enhance the second strike with necrotic energy at the cost of his health, while avoiding the Blistercoil still close by to it. The ice elementals felt the continuing fire burn them before the one in front of Seren missed in it's attempt to slash him twice, while the one in front of Bo activated *Encase in Ice* on him causing ice to appear around his feet leaving him *Restrained*. Yashani, still pissed off about the ice elemental that attacked her from the wall activated *Step of the Wind* to dash into the fray at the end of the hallway, struck the ice elemental near Seren with *Umbra* and even as the strikes splintered ice shards into her shattered it into ice, then attacked the remaining elemental as it likewise splintered ice shards into her. The Blistercoil moved in and out of the ice elemental’s space to set it alight once more before it slammed down on it with a fist that caused the ice to shatter and melt around it.

The party gathered into the room now as that were no longer any combatants and Seren, seeing Bo trapped in ice and the ice slowly climbing up his legs, tried to break Bo free with his staff, found it didn't stop the ice, then tried to cast *Shape Water,* but found it didn't work either. Bo punched the ice while activating *Anti-Magic Strike* and found it had no effect either. Alaerith called down from the hall to ask what was happening as it was silent and Yashani explained Bo was stuck. Sterling, followed by Alaerith, made their way to Bo and cast *Dimension Door* Bo to teleport him out of the ice, but found that he alone vanished and Bo was still stuck. Alaerith asked the Blistercoil to melt the ice without hurting Bo and after slamming it with flaming fists damaged the ice enough to let Bo break from his restraints. Quincy confirmed that the elemental in front of them was a friend and Alaerith explained it was listening to him. Sterling asked if it was friendly and when Alaerith explained that friendly wasn't the correct term, but that it did listen to the one that summoned it the party was happy to accept not needing to prolong another fight. RX went with Sterling back into the room with the broken merchant’s cart and tried to poke around looking for anything useful, but found nothing other than broken, empty wooden boxes. Alaerith pointed out the discoloured ice in the back that was unnatural and Sterling found it was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

Down the hall, Seren pulled Yashani and Bo aside, cast *Cure Wounds* on Bo as he seemed to be fading in and out and Bo thanked him for it. Seren told Yashani, loudly enough that everyone could hear it, that while her mask had a powerful aura he did not believe it to be harmful. Yashani noted it had a warmth to it, that if Sterling was right then a piece of her mother was with her and was comforting and Seren agreed he might be right, but that they would see. Seren asked Bo to follow him and led him, followed by Yashani, into the room with the ice coffin, while Quincy decided to followed Sterling and RX to make sure they didn't touch anything. Seren noticed an odd patch of ice, pointed it out to the group, found that it looked like a tunnel, but at the bottom had a light, with a very small opening, that appeared to show signs of a sun and cloud. The trio looked back at the ice tomb with the half orc woman, noticed the curliness of her hair, the ornateness of her robes with a gold trim and that she had two claw-like scars over one eye. Seren noted that she had a strong aura of good from her and when Yashani asked if it meant that she lived said he guessed so. Seren looked around the room and noted that the room was surprisingly pretty well maintained. Seren asked Bo if he could reach in to the ice to possibly get the woman’s attention and, though Bo couldn't go incorporeal and corporeal selectively to pass through the coffin and touch her at the same time, managed to reach in and waved a hand in front of her eyes causing the woman’s eyes to open and the ice to shatter around her.

1. ↑ Usually difficult terrain, but the *Ring of the Sandrunner* allowed him to pass with no trouble.
2. ↑ Using *Sharpshooter* to bypass the cover the hallway was giving the creatures.
3. ↑ Using his *Fighting Style : Protection*
4. ↑ At this point, Haelley learned the save she had failed nearly 10 times was only a DC 13, stood up and left the camera frame for a minute
5. ↑ Jeremy used one of the group's abilities to use a die from their *Power Pool* to summon an elemental that amount or lower. See "On the Meta" as we decided ourselves to be a *Secret Cabal*.