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Bharash
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Hands on his swords, Bharash heads through the door and starts down the steps with a rumble of “Could get nasty if those walls fail, but there’s not much I can do about them.”, getting about half-way down before he calls out “Hey, you down there. Before anyone else gets seriously hurt, might be worth finding out if they need to. Were you the ones who attacked the apartment building on the surface?”
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Narrator GM
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There were several moments of silence then a high pitched and squeaky reply echoed through the dark and smoke. “Uhh… No! We not attack! You leave!” Came the unintelligent reply.
Bharash couldn’t see through the smoke. No light source existed beyond the opaque barrier and without any air movement the smog simply hung in place like a trapped cloud.
“Go away. Many of us. You die. Go away!” The same voice echoed across what must be a rather large underground hall.
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Bharash
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“Well damn.” Bharash growls in surprise, stopping his advance and holding up a hand to the others before drawing in a breath, coughing on the smog and calling back “Maybe. But a lot of you would die too. I don’t want to kill any of you if I don’t have to.” – he lets that hang in the air for a moment, then adds “The guards you had in the sewer loosed their bolts at us, we didn’t attack them.”
“We’re here because something was stolen from us and that building was attacked. Send over someone we can talk to without shouting, call off the attack and maybe we can come to an agreement.”
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Narrator GM
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There was a lot of chittering Bharash could hear echoing back across the chamber. It sounded exactly like what one would expect from a pack of rats having a conversation.
“You wait there. Someone come.” Was the response that echoed back.
—
Back in the sewer the stone wall had cracks spider webbing across it. It shook every few seconds with an impact of something trying to break through.
[Private to Vogh: Vogh could sense several of the ratmen had left the other side of the wall, and the intelligent creature had also moved out of her range. Two much less intelligent ratmen seemed to be on either side of the wall and she could guess what their job was.]
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Vogh
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With Bharash heading down the stairs some, Vogh followed soon after. She also let her lights flow down the stairs lighting the way. She knew Bharash wasn’t probably going to like it but the ratmen and Bharash could see in the dark and she couldn’t.
For now, she would let him do the talking but she would be ready with her mind to detect any threats. “We should all get on the stairs and close the door again before the swarms come.” She spoke telepathically to the group.
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Belie
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Belie didn’t need urging twice to move away from the stone wall which might collapse; however, he did share Deacon’s concerns about getting caught between two enemies. At least they currently had a way of escape back how they came. Leaning around Julia, who separated them on the narrow step, the rogue waved and caught Deacon’s eye before speaking, “Can you strengthen that wall, or make another one?”
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Julia Graymantle
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Julia didn’t have a way of shoring up the wall and said as much quickly as she passed Belie to head down the stairs.
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Deacon Havenhold
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“No I do not have another memorized. I also do not have a spell remaining to trade for another. I can use a Wall of Force from Yaeshla but that would not last long enough to allow us to go forward very far and would allow enemies both to the front and to rear,” Deacon said.
“I should deal with them here and now as I have their fellows otherwise we invite disaster leaving foes behind and in front, a force divided can never truly survive,” Deacon advised.
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Belie
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Belie nodded at Deacon’s response, “Well old man, guess it’s forward, after you.” He gestured for Deacon to step into the stairwell and then followed. Then the rogue pulled the door closed behind them. He tapped Deacon on the shoulder while fishing out his lock pick set again, “Can you magically seal this door?”
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Bharash
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With the swirling fog blocking his darkvision – and indeed, normal light beyond a relatively short distance – Bharash doesn’t mention Vogh’s lights, but instead calls back to the group “Try not to kill anyone , but if you’re attacked, feel free to light them up.” before turning back to the space ahead of him where the Ratkin are and calling out “Alright, you’ve got a couple of minutes. We’ll hold here, wait for someone to negotiate with. But understand, we’ve barely started fighting yet. If this turns uglier than it is, a lot of people are going to die who don’t have to.”
“You think they’re planning anything nefarious?” he then asks of Vogh, before explaining to the group “Those iron grills took a lot of work to put up. This door, too. I don’t think they’d have done all that then invited the surface to come down here and start killing folks unless there’s more going on than just a theft. On the other hand, I can definitely see them shooting anything that came down the hole from the house full of demon mutants if they happened to live here… Doesn’t take more than a little risk to find out if we’re actually on opposite sides.”
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Deacon Havenhold
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“I know a spell that could but I lack the gold dust necessary to cast the spell thus I cannot magically bar it, Deacon responded to Talin while taking a moment to examine the door, his murky eyes playing a bit of a trick on him so he reached out to confirm it was metal not wood.
“There is no guarantee that they do not have a key. I think it would be best to deal with them now before we allowed them to cover both sides of us, I can teleport out but I can’t carry all of you with me. I need to get Getaway soon as I can, that would allow it but not Teleport,” he again advised.
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Vogh
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Deacon as Bharash said, they might have a key out there. Certainly not the swarms but there is that intelligent ratman out there. Belie stick one of your picks in the lock to secure the door, will you? Vogh said in their heads.
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Narrator GM
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Top of Round 9
Vogh’s mind sensed an intelligent ratman walking toward them through the smoke before she could see him. Piercing red eyes gazed back at them through the fog, swirling around the pure white snout ending in a pink nose as an albino ratman neared them.
In stark contrast to it’s pure white fur, this ratlord wore pure black metallic armor which actually seemed to soak up the light around it. He squinted against the glare from the dancing lights and looked Bharash up and down. Both the greaves, cuisses, gauntlets and vambrances were the same matte black and looked like they were twisted to form a pattern like coiled snakes going up his arms and legs. His breastplate bore a spike which looked like twisted and writhing serpents as well, and pauldrons bore spikes as well.
One hip had a sheathe containing one of the smaller versions of the explosive weapons. His other hip had a pure white horn capped at one end, and a rather nasty looking short sword, serrated on one edge.
The beastly humanoid walked like one confident and versed in combat, not like the scampering and skulking of the others they had faced before. Stopping in the midst of the now swirling haze he looked the group up and down.
In another shocking turn, the ratmen spoke clearly with perfect Common. “You have broken into our home, and killed many of our friends and allies outside. We may resemble vermin to your eyes, but life is still precious to us. You mentioned something was stolen, and a house above, we know nothing of either. We do not get along with those of your kind… You are outnumbered greatly. If you leave now, I will command my kin to stand down and you may pass safely.”
[Private to Bharash: Bharash noticed something odd about the way the creature said “my kin.” It was almost as if the statement was “forced” and not geniuine. Like it pained him to call the others “kin.” I rolled a Nat 20 for Bharash’s sense motive.]
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Belie
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Belie was still at the top of the stairs with Deacon and worked to lock the door back. He used an older pick and stuck it into the lock in an effort to prevent anyone unlocking it from the opposite side.
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Julia Graymantle
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“Deacon? Where does your spell tell you the item is?” Julia asked Deacon as they waited to find out what they all would do next.
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Deacon Havenhold
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“Down the stairs and onward,” Deacon said matter of factly, “That is all I know, I am not sure how much further it is. We did not attack until beset by your friends, and they perished after ignoring my warnings.”
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Bharash
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There’s a fairly stark difference between the night-clad Ratman warrior and Bharash in his still-gleaming silver plate (spattered a little around the greaves and sabatons of course) but the peaceful, if threatening nature of the confrontation could be a mirror for the way the big Dragonborn first looks to either side before rumbling back “This is your home?” and wordlessly fishing a gold coin out of a belt pouch and huffing on it to shine it up. Still without comment, he sets it on any convenient nook in the stone as a luritas-gift before facing the ratlord once more.
“Let us be clear.” he states, holding up his hand, his tone even and calm “We don’t live in the house upstairs. We had an item stolen from us, and we investigated its whereabouts. The trail led there, where someone had assaulted the residents, cocooning many of them and turning them into demonic insect-like monsters. Several humans were there also, as well as golems and lastly, the hole into your territory.”
“We fought the attackers, arrested the humans and tried to save some of the transformed residents… And then we dropped down into your territory. Where immediately your kin loosed thunder upon us, without challenge. Then the rodent swarms. We fought, until the first chance we got to speak with you. Which is where we stand now, face to face and man to man.” at which point he snorts softly, glancing back at the party with a somewhat affectionate quality to his expression before looking again at the Ratlord, a faint smile on his face “Now trust me, I know something about working with those who have no impulse control and having to clean up their messes… And I’m the last person to think ‘having a decent nose instead of a weird flat-looking face’ makes you a monster… But we came for what was stolen, and perhaps some answers and you can’t tell me that someone didn’t notice the hole opening up in your ceiling.”
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Narrator GM
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One would think the ratman was snarling at first, but looking at the rest of his body language revealed he was actually smiling. Much like Bharash’s lipless grin, this creature shared a similar jovial face.
“Indeed…” He said, looking around Bharash to the “flat faces” up the stairs. Focusing on Bharash once more he continued, “We were aware of the strange ones above, which is why we had guards. They have been hostile against our kind, so we started shooting first.” The white ratman shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“Regarding your item, we do not go to the surface. It is too dangerous for our kind. Indeed we can hardly leave our home except to hunt for food and gather what resources we can. None of us have taken anything from the surface, nor had dealings with any surface dwellers. Please, leave us be and I will tell the warriors to stand down.”
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Bharash
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“And that’s just good sense. Now, we’ve no quarrel with your kind, and I don’t mean for us to intrude any further upon your home, nor am I accusing you of theft… But… Huh, actually remind me to talk to you about that whole ‘gathering resources’ thing in a minute, when we’re done with this – we might be able to help each other.” he states, looking thoughtful and then shaking his head before returning to the point “Anyway, stolen goods. Plus sneaky bastards from the overworld. I expect you’d know if the ones that did that dug down or dug up, and you might know where they’re from. In addition, we know roughly where the stolen item is…” – here, he turns to Deacon and asks, hopefully – “Can you give us a distance and direction?”
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Deacon Havenhold
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“Deacon points down the hallway past the stairs, that way, how far I do not know,” Deacon responded to Bharash.
He decided to leave the talking to his Dragonborn friend, the ratmen seemed to have taken a liking to him. Deacon had wondered for a moment if there was still a bounty on ratmen tails, well this wasn’t really the time for that.
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Talin
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With the others making their way down the stairs, Talin joined them and watched the back and forth between the dragonborn and the ratman.
He considered speaking up, but the two seemed to have a solid mutual respect for one another and he instead tried to pick up any subtle clues about the truthfulness of the ratman or any signs of hostility from the other ratmen in the room.
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Narrator GM
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The ratman looked past Bharash to Deacon and shrugged in response. “I can tell you that the humans created the hole which led them into our sewers from above. Why they wanted to come down here I do not know, perhaps an escape plan?” Jerking a thumb behind him he again shrugged, “There is a whole world down here, new sewers, old sewers, tunnels, even entire caverns filled with buildings and ancient stuff. But I assure you, that the few rooms of our home here do not house any stolen good from your world. Perhaps you need to go around us. There are tunnels on either side of our gates which lead that direction. Try those and see where your tracking leads. I will recall my warriors, and make sure the tunnels are clear to prevent any further accidents.”
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Vogh
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Vogh spoke openly this time to everyone, “If this leader is able to do as he says and if the item is indeed on the other side of their domain then we should take their offer. What do you all think?”
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Talin
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Talin speaks up, “Would you have one of your people guide us around your territory so that we do not accidentally invade once again? We mean you no harm and would like to avoid further incidents.”
12:03, Today: Talin rolled 23 using 1d20+8. Diplomacy.
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Narrator GM
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The ratman looked Talin and Vogh up and down, thinking over the request with scepticism evident on his face. Finally he nodded. “Yes. I can arrange that. Zark is a good scout, he can lead you, but his command of your language is not so good as mine. Zark!”
His name sounded more like a bark than a label, but a skulking ratman scampered through the smoke a few moments later. Zark sat on his hind legs, more animalistic than this leader which stood before them. He balanced with both hands on the ground while squatting next to the albino. They chittered back and forth in their own language and Zark eyed the group and up and down warily, but ultimately nodded in acquiescance. The ratman turned and spoke through the smoke, again in their own tongue then faced the group again.
“All my warriors have been recalled, and the swarms sent back to their nests. If you leave through the door, take a left and an immediate left, to head the direction you intended. Zark will make sure none of our kind attack you.”
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Bharash
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Bharash and the Ratlord may seem to have established a solid rapport, but that certainly isn’t a reason in Bharash’s eyes to monopolise the situation, which is why he steps to the side when the others start joining in, having all caught on to the fact that they’re now talking instead of fighting (he rather trusted that they would, but even so it’s worth being sure of) and his main contribution in the next few moments is to state “Actually, how about Zark and the others go up to the main tunnel and walk along it. Deacon can point to the direction of the thing, and they can triangulate. That’ll give us a sense of how far we need to go.”
He then gives it a moment and offers the Ratlord his hand, “I’m Bharash.”, waiting on the other mans introduction before going on “You mentioned that you’ve trouble getting supplies here? I couldn’t help but notice your people used thunder weapons. And put up that door and grill. That means you’ve got pretty good metalwork and at least access to good alchemy supplies. Well…” – he glances up and back, as if at the hole in the tunnel – “I know where there’s a way into the sewers that’s convenient for the shops. You think you and yours would be interested in setting up a little trade station?”
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Narrator GM
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The ratmans was shaky about approaching the group, glancing side to side with a bit of worry on his face but he finally stepped forward tentatively and shook Bharash’s offered hand. “Possibly. All of my people are very on edge right now, so let’s wait a while before attempting anything of the sort. So you’ll all go now and your person can point where your item is and move around us here?”
He shifted his weight from one leg to the other with a bit of nervousness when asked about the weapons and other items, offering a simple explanation. “There is much down below, deep below, that few can find but my kind.”
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Deacon Havenhold
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“This seems reasonable to go around if there is a way lead on,” Deacon said. He really didn’t want to expend more power than he already had today against the ratmen. He might need some of that power later. He would surely need time to recharge the staff after today.
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Julia Graymantle
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This albino Ratman had surprised Julia. He seemed intelligent and wise to make a deal. It knew that even if they defeated her group, they would lose many more in the process and so it was better to strike a deal. Julia smiled at the thought of a possible peaceful solution to this. “We should move quickly then while Deacon’s spell lasts.”
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Talin
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Talin was ready to follow the rat man’s suggestions but he waited to see if Vogh would take the lead or how they would set-up their marching order. Vogh was a more than capable scout, as was Belie, and with Bharash following quickly behind them he didn’t have to worry about someone catching Vogh too off guard.
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Belie
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Belie looked down at the group from the top of the stairs with one eyebrow raised. “So… Unlock the door again?”
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Vogh
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Vogh turned back to Belie and his question, “Yes, please open it Belie. I would like Bharash to follow right behind Zark and then you Belie. I will be next followed by Deacon, Julia, and lastly Talin bringing up the rear. Deacon make sure to speak to me on the direction to head so I can relay it to Bharash.”
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Narrator GM
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The small ratman had clear plain in his eyes, but apparently his fear of the Calling’s members was less than that toward the albino leader. Zark scampered past them, sometimes walking like a biped, other times on all fours as he ascended the stairs and rounded the corner. “Dis wayz.” He spoke with a small impediment.
Indeed the small ratman led them to the first corner where Bharash and Belie had hidden only a few minutes before and took a left. He scoweled at all the dead rats choking the sewer water, but one look at the group replaced his anger with fear. Zark moved quickly, pushing the group a bit beyond their comfort zone on the slippery and narrow ledge. His clawed feet and familiarity with these tunnels seemed to give him an advantage at keeping his footing. That and the ratman likely didn’t see falling in putrid water as the travesty the group did.
Another left turn after the little jog which Bharash had discovered earlier led them on a long stretch of sewer, unbroken by any side tunnels for quite a distance. Deacon sensed the item to be on his left, and ahead of them as they moved. When they did finally reach an intersecting tunnel, Deacon informed the group they had passed the item, that it was still on their left and down…
The group had traveled several hundred feet down the sewers until reaching the left turn, so they could safely assume the stolen item might be back in the ratmen’s home, or it could potentially be below their feet unbeknownst to the ratmen. After all, labyrinth of sewers, tunnels and caverns beneath Ptolus were why the Delver’s Guild existed.
OOC: Roll 2 balance checks each, DC 10. If you fail, you fall in the water. That includes a nat 1 if you cannot fail a DC 10.
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Bharash
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“That’s fair enough. I’m in no hurry to fight you or yours if we don’t have to… But if we do… That door of yours isn’t thick enough to keep me out, and those thunder-guns aren’t enough to stop me.” he states, meeting the eyes of the still-nameless Ratlord as the two shake hands, a certain quiet steel entering his tone before he releases the others grip and notes “Frankly, I’d rather make friends down here than corpses. So I hope this goes smoothly.”
With that, he greets Zark happily enough and heads up to the main tunnel skipping along the ledge with the sort of effortless comfort that three hundred pounds of big damn’ lizard in another hundred pounds of arms and armour should absolutely not be moving with with noting to the smaller rat “We didn’t want to hurt them, but we didn’t have much choice. I hope it doesn’t have to happen again.”
[Private to GM: For the record, if Zark should dive for the water (well, mostly water), consider Bharash to be holding an action to grapple him. Trust, but verify as a B-movie actor once said. ^_^]
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon walked along, he kept a watch on where the vibes from the skull came and as they walked along it became clear that the ratman had led them away and had been lying. Deacon was well skilled in balance and thus it was not difficult at all for him to stay on the edge and avoid the sewage.
He should of known better than to trust a ratman.
“You witnessed my power Zark back as we left the place of the skull. All the rats cluttering the sewers, that was me. I can sense the skull. You have led us on a wild goose chase, think you so little of your lives?” Deacon challenged the ratman leading them his voice cold and even.
“Now go and get me the skull and bring it hither, lest I go and smite all your people until none are left,” he commanded the ratman.
20:36, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 31 using 1d20+11. acrobatics – balance.
20:36, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 26 using 1d20+11. acrobatics – balance.
20:45, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 3 using 1d20+1. Intimidate…I need to work on this skill.
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Narrator GM
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The ratman cowered under Deacon’s gaze, bowing on all fours and pointing is face to the floor, which unfortunately meant the deaf wizard couldn’t see anything the beast said. [Private to not Deacon Havenhold: “Pwease doonut kwill me!!! I donnut know oo no skull!!!”]
[Private to GM: Remember to start having the skull move away from them.]
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Talin
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Talin sensed Deacon was berating the rat guide and he deeply considered casting a spell that would petrify the rat so deeply it would tell them exactly what was happening. This didn’t make sense. They had killed quite a few of these rat men before suddenly being open to a truce and guiding us around to the other side of their territory.
Something didn’t feel right, but he didn’t think this guide deserved to soil himself today. Maybe another day, he hoped their would be one for them both.
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Vogh
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As Zark led the away and through the sewers Vogh had her mind on wide alert for any ambushes.
Vogh easily kept her balance as the ratman led them at a fast pace. After the third turn to the left Vogh was getting suspicious of what was happening and told everyone as much in their heads,“I am not sure you all can feel it but it seems to me that this ratman is leading us in a circle. Bharash be ready to cut the thing down if it tries to flee. If we return to the door I have a plan that may work. Deacon you scared the thing pretty good he asked you not to kill him. “
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Julia Graymantle
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From near the back if the group Julia calls out to the cowering Zark who had just asked us not to kill him, “Zark there is something you aren’t telling us. You may not know about this skull but there are other items that are ours that we have come for and all signs show they are in your territory. Perhaps if you tells all that you know of your home down that stairs, that we just let you go!”
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Narrator GM
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Still cowering, the pathetic Zark spilled all the nothing he knew. [Private to not Deacon Havenhold: “You say lead you… Zark lead you! I not know nuting about no skull! Cannot kill me when I not know nothing! Zark not the leader! White one say go, Zark go! We go back… You ask white one? Yes? Donnut kill me!”]
The little ratman finished speaking and waved the group back the way they had just came from, toward the iron door.
He stopped at Julia’s words, clearly contemplating and debating in his small mind.
[Private to not Deacon Havenhold: “What you want to know? I donnut know nothing…”]
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Julia Graymantle
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“I want to know how many ratmen are down there. I also want to know besides your albino leader are there other leaders?
Is anyone there that isn’t a ratman?
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Narrator GM
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Zark wrang his furry hands together as he looked up at the woman.
[Private to not Deacon Havenhold: “Many of us. Many. Many. Yes…”]
The group could see the pain on the rats face in contemplating answering about leaders. He looked at each of them, especially the hulking bharash and swallowed hard.
[Private to not Deacon Havenhold: “Not just rats… Others. They order the white one…”]
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Vogh
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Vogh relayed the information to Deacon. “So it seems that we have more than just rats down there to contend with.
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Deacon Havenhold
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“What besides rats do they have,” Deacon asked Vogh.
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Narrator GM
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Zark shuffled nervously. Clearly he feared his master’s masters. “Human. Elf. You all look da same.” He shrugged noncommittally. When asked how many he shrugged again but cowered under an angry stare then held up 4 dirty, clawed fingers.
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Narrator GM
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Fearing his life was finally at an end Zark dove toward the water in an effort to escape.
(Bharash, use your action and catch him, kill him, bind him, whatever your readied action)
—The group deals with Zark—
Once more the group stood before the solid steel door which was so out of place in this sewer. Belie took the lead and moved up to the lock once more. Beside him, the stone wall Deacon had conjured still stood, albeit worse for the wear from the pounding it had received while the rats were trying to break through. It sat silent now, no shaking or further cracking.
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Belie
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Belie produced his picks and set to work again. The rogue worked quickly, but those near him could tell something was wrong by the look on his face and his frustrated movements.
[Private to not Deacon Havenhold: “Vogh… Tell Deacon he needs to magic this door or something. This lock is… I don’t know. It’s like it’s resetting itself while I’m picking it?! I’ve never seen anything like this before. It didn’t do this last time…”]
Indeed, after Belie’s lock picks reached a tumbler and pushed it up, he moved onto the next, only to have it reset. Clearly something magical was fighting back against his efforts.
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Bharash
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Zark’s perhaps predictable effort to launch himself into the ‘water’ to escape is intercepted when the ratman is still more or less horizontal in flight, as an enormous gauntleted hand clasps him by the scruff of the neck and lifts him back up to Bharash’s eye-level… Where the Dragonborn holds him for a moment before rumbling “If I wanted to kill you Zark, you’d be dead by now. You know that, right? So understand that I’m not your enemy unless you make me your enemy. Now, the ‘white one’ plainly doesn’t care about you or your people, I could see that even before he sent you out to delay us… So what is he to you and your nest? Where did he come from, and what does he want?”
—
00:34, Today: Bharash rolled 30 using 1d20+17. Oh no you don’t (held grapple).
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon examined the wall barely noticing what Belie was doing at the moment. Why had they stopped pounding against the Wall of Stone? Was there another way around truly and Zark had just mislead them?
Was the skull and other items still where he though, he took a moment to see if he could still locate the skull.
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Narrator GM
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Deacon indeed sensed the skull was beyond the door, it had not moved during their half circuit of the sewers. Looking at the wall he also knew these water and refuse tunnels beneath the city ran in a grid pattern. Except in areas where tunnels had to be redirected around immovable spots, buildings with basements, collapsed areas, etc, typically the tunnels were like roadways with square city blocks between them. Clearly this section had something inside it other than dirt and stone.
—
When bharash caught the ratman midflight, he might have regretted it, as Zarks bowels released in pure terror. More excrement was added to the slow moving water beneath where the hulking dragon man held the rat aloft.
“I dunno! I dunnoknow! The ratman wiggled in Bharash’s powerful grasp in fear. “Whites always smarter than the rest o-us. They always lead. He is smarty smart smart! Listens to the peoples and does what they say! Lemmego!”
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Deacon Havenhold
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“The skull still remains beyond, as it was before the deception,” Deacon informed the others. Looking down he noticed that Belie was having trouble with the lock.
He placed a hand on his friends shoulder, “I’ll take care of this. I will need a minute though.”
He’ll take out his spellbook and expend a point from his arcane pool to change an admonishing array for a Knock spell.
Assuming he is not bothered once he has the spell prepared he’ll restore the spellbook to his pack and then cast Knock on the door.
11:15, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 33 using 1d20+28. Check for Knock vs the Lock (11 (Level) +7 (Int) +10 (Knock)).
So if it’s a Simple, Average or Good Lock it’s unlocked, if it’s an Amazing lock I failed 🙁
Arcane Pool: 3
Staff has 7 charges now
SPELLS PREPARED:
0: 4
1: 4 + 2
2: 4 + 2
3: 4 + 2
4: 3 + 1
5: 2 + 1
6: 1 + 1
0: Detect Magic, Read Magic, Ghost Sound, Detect Poison
1: Grease, Shield, Magic Missile, Magic Missile, Feather Fall, Ray of
Enfeeblement
2: Splinter Spell Resistance, Locate Object,
Admonishing Ray, Admonishing Ray, Scorching Ray, Scorching Ray
3: Gloomblind Bolts, Gloomblind Bolts, Dispel Magic, Summon Monster III,
Haste, Locate Object
4: Summon Monster IV, Summon Monster IV, Evard’s Black Tentacles,
Mage Armor II
5: Stone Wall, Teleport, Teleport
6: Summon Monster VI, Disintegrate
SPELLS IN EFFECT:
Mage Armor II
Locate Object
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Belie
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Belie watched Deacon, making sure not to disturb the wizard in his casting. His eyebrows raised as the lock clicked open. Cocking his head to one side with a smile the rogue asked Deacon, “Well… What do you all even NEED ME for?” The mirth in his eyes let deacon know the man was not offended, as magic was limited in a day, while lock picks were not.
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Bharash
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“Zark. Zark… I haven’t hurt you, have I? So relax…” Bharash replies, holding him out over the wa… over the fluid, so that he doesn’t get any more spattered than he has to, “Now, I don’t mean to either. But you know that when we came down here, your people attacked us and we killed some of them. We didn’t choose to hurt them. So I want you to tell me about the people the white one talks to. Anything you can think of.”
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Narrator GM
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Zark raised both hands in the air. “They people. Like you. Well… Not YOU, but them.” He pointed his about toward the others. “They not talk to me. Not important. They not live with us. Have their own nests. Powerful people. Magic. Weapons. Very dangerous. Better we all just run away…”
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon smiled, “Try the door now Belie, I believe it should be unlocked.”
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Bharash
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“Better. But your people won’t, will they Zark?” Bharash replies, sighing and then moving to set the ratman down on the step, albeit without letting go of the back of his neck, “Look. Zark. We’re going to go into your nest. We’re going to fight anyone who gets in our way. We’re going to find out who attacked our people, and who stole our stuff. Help me to hurt as few of your kind as I can, because you’re only my enemies if you make yourselves my enemies.”
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Narrator GM
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The ratman hung his head. “Peoples not care about rats. We don’t fight, we die. You say we fight, we die. So dying is happening.” Then a lit went off behnd his eyes after jerking his head up to meet Bharash’s gaze. “I show you secret way in, you let me go?!”
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Belie
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Beside the door, hand on the ring Belie pssst’ed toward Bharash. “Hey! Bee! Deacon unlocked the door. Are we going in or what?”
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Vogh
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When Zark said he knew a secret way in, Vogh looked at him hard to see if he was lying or stalling for more time. “One moment, Zark here says there is a secret way inside, instead of the front door.” Vogh says to the others in their head.
23:01, Today: Vogh rolled 27 using 1d20+7. sense motive.
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Narrator GM
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“Yes. Yes. Secret door the peoples put in! I show you and you let me go? Yes please?!”
He seemed genuine. You can add this to your next post, whomever, but he will not show you unless you all agree to let him go after he shows you the door. No guiding. Just showing door and leaving.
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Bharash
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“Nope.” Bharash states with a certain amount of amusement, before clarifying “I wasn’t lying before Zark. I’m not going to hurt you unless you try to hurt me. If you can help me not kill your people, I’ll not kill them. And I’m going to let you go, unhurt either way. So it’s really just up to you.”
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Narrator GM
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The ratman nodded enthusiastically and pointed back the way they came from. “At the bend. At the bend! Where we turn. Door there. There door. There is a door there! Secret. Hidden. Heard the people say of it, but dunno where it goes. You let me go and I’ll run away. Find a new pack. No more Peoples. Not you. You good peoples. But no more of THOSE peoples!”
He will happily lead them back to the turn Bharash first discovered when trying to find a way around and slaps his hand against the wall right where the right turn happens, on the same side the ladder dropped them down on.
[Private to GM: Have skull move away from them once the battle starts.
Have black orcs be part of the reinforcements.]
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Talin
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Talin took the lead following the rat man. He watched him closely and when the rat man put his hand against the wall, Talin brought the hilt of his large blade down on the rat man’s head with a fierce blow.
OOC: I can roll to hit, but this felt like a nonlethal coup de grace. I will totally do whatever you want boss.
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Bharash
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Bharash keeps his hand on Zark as they walk back to the point where the ratman’s describing, stating as he goes “You don’t have to run Zark. I’ll do my best not to kill your people down there and hopefully there’ll be enough of the nest left that you’ll be alright afterwar…”, which of course is where Talin makes his attempt to knock the little chap out and how that goes is going to determine how Bharash reacts.
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Vogh
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Vogh sees Talin knock Zark out cold with SolarSong and though she didn’t mind, she knew that Bharash had offered the thing freedom. She hoped he wouldn’t react too harshly but back to the matter at hand.
When Zark showed the group where the secret door was, Vogh took a look and was able to see the faint outline of where the secret entrance is. She then looked to Talin and said, “Well now, I wonder how it opens? We could ask Zark, oh wait no we can’t he is unconscious!”
Vogh began to look for a way to open it.
17:14, Today: Vogh rolled 19 using 1d20+16. perception check.
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Narrator GM
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Vogh pushes the door open, which was a heavy stone with nearly silent hinges, clearly of newer construction than most of the rest of the area. However, beyond the door is an old section of tunnel which ends just a dozen or more feet beyond them. A small room seems to have been formed by the collapsed section, with a hole in the floor that sports a nearly brand new wooden ladder descending into blackness below.
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Talin
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Talin knew he’d crossed a line with Bharash but he was a little surprised that Vogh was upset too.
“I get it, but I didn’t gut him, I knocked him out. He’ll be fine in a few hours, I’m sure.”
“If it makes you feel better, I can go down the ladder first as penance. Or bring up the rear.”
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Bharash
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Bharash sighs heavily and gives Talin a hard sort of look before rumbling “I know why you did that, and that’s why I’m not going to pick you up by the scruff and dunk you, but I hope you understand that I’m very unhappy with you.” before turning and setting the rat down on the cool stuff, arranging him in a fairly comfortable position – as best he can – before turning back to the door “Best if I go first. I’m tough, dangerous and not too bright. Traps are the one real danger. Oh! And I mean to try and use non lethal blows on the normal ratkin. Be nice if you could do the same.”
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Talin
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Talin nodded in clear understanding of both of Bharash’s implications.
He followed behind the dragonborn and hoped his companions would forgive him. He knew he’d never forgive himself if one of them snuck up behind Vogh or Deacon and dispatched them.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon asked Belie, “Did you check it for traps before you open it?”
Deacon being deaf was completely unaware of what was transpiring down the way as he was watching Belie and the door.
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Belie
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Belie nodded his head and faced Deacon square to make sure the wizard could understand him. “Yes. But I think we’re being left…” He pointed back to show the group walking away from them and around the bend, then shrugged. “Apparently they want to try a different entrance the rat is showing them.”
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Vogh
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Vogh waited for Deacon and Belie to catch up. They knew that there was a secret door and that Zark was showing them.
Once they were altogether Vogh motioned for Bharash to begin the decent down. Vogh still had her dancing lights and would follow after Belie went and as usual Talin brought up the rear.
Vogh kept searching for intelligent life forms as she descended the ladder.
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Belie
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“Why did Deacon open the door if we aren’t taking that way? Did the rat tell you what’s down here, or are we just winging it?” The rogue ask with some trepidation.
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Bharash
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“Do we ever know what we’re doing?” Bharash asks happily, before taking his feet off the ladder to brace them on the outer rungs, opening his hands a little and using it to let himself slide down into the dark, blithely prepared to take the risk of egregious traps and sudden, horrible death if that’s what it takes to get through this.
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Narrator GM
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Bharash made it down the ladder without incident. Behind the ladder was remnants of a caved in tunnel, clearly this being the end of the line. Turning around, the tunnel before him stretched off beyond his vision. This area seemed considerably older than the sewers above. First, where he stood seemed to have never been a sewer at all, but rather a roughly worked tunnel. Debris littered the rough ground, with the walls roughly hewn stone mixed with stone blocks at intervals. These must have been put in place to shore up weaker sections of the earth when the original tunnelers worked the area. This stood in stark contrast to the newer sewers above, which were consistent walls and ceiling of stone blocks. The air felt old, musty and like it hadn’t been disrubed for a long while.
Above his head, which was not a great deal of space, wooden beams held up sections of stone and worked blocks like the patchwork of the tunnel’s walls. Two sets of beams were sistered to one another nearest where Bharash stood, one set of newer wood directly beside old and rotten wood. Someone had spent the time to shore up this tunnel.
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Bharash
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“Tunnel, one open route. Looks improvised, with recent work.” Bharash reports, briefly regretting that he never got around to securing a set of leather-wrapped truncheons that he could reliably use to render people unconscious without quite as much risk as working with the backs and sides of his blades.
That said, he ducks and starts to move forward along the passage, feeling his way carefully as he keeps an eye out for possible deadfalls or traps.
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Talin
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Figuring he owed Bharash for knocking out the rat man, Talin followed behind the dragonborn quickly and made his way down the ladder.
Once down the ladder, he quickly cast Dancing Lights and he looked about as his eyes adjusted to the light.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon followed Belie over saying, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
He watched as Bharash climbed down and now Talin was going down. Deacon wasn’t even sure if this was a way to the skull. He wasn’t sure the other way was either. He looked down with his darkvision.
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Narrator GM
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The last of the group to descend pushed the secret door closed behind them, then followed into the tunnel below.
No dimension of the tunnel was consistent. The ceiling would bow up and down as would the floor and then the walls were terribly inconsistent as well.
Occasionally the rotten wooden supports had new beams beside for strength. But more often the old were left to bear the burden of the earth and stone above them.
The tallest of the group could stand erect most of the time, but on occasion the roof would slope down or the floor hump up and force them to duck.
Deacon’s spell showed him that the skull was still deeper below them than their current depth, and still to their “left.”
The group found a few left and right turns, but none of them were more than a few places, and all ended in collapsed dead ends.
Eventually Deacon informed them that they stood parallel to the skull, still at a higher level though, and no “left turn” had presented itself yet.
The group had to either forge ahead and hope to find a connecting tunnel that wasn’t collapsed, or return they way they came.
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Bharash
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“Let’s press on a little, if we haven’t triggered a trap so far, it’d be a shame not to give them a chance to catch us all.” Bharash states cheerfully, from where he’s acting as the living version of the cadaver-on-a-stick detection system he earlier employed.
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Julia Graymantle
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From near the back of the group, Julia wondered more times than a few that they were tricked once more. Deacon kept saying that the skull was deeper and to his left and so far there hadn’t been any way to get there as each passage was collapsed. Julia watched as Vogh and the others had checked the collapsed areas in case they were fake but nothing showed to them. So, when Bharash commented that they go further Julia agreed. “Yes, let us go till we can at least find a different direction.”
So, the skull still shows to the left and we have gone how far? Have we gone farther north than we did in the sewers?
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Narrator GM
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OOC: At this point, judging by the fact that you’re “parallel” / next-to the skull, you probably went a little further in the sewers above, because there you actually passed the skull’s location.
The group continued forward and found an intersecting tunnel which went both left and right while their current tunnel continued forward; however, both directions of the discovered sections seemed in worse shape than the one they had been traversing. The one to the right even had some collapsed dirt and stone which partially occluded a section of the passage.
Going to the left seemed like it would send the group circling back, and keeping the skull on their left, but the tunnel was rickety at best. Continuing forward could send them almost anywhere.
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Talin
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Talin didn’t like any of this. He felt trapped, like, well, like a rat in a maze…
He held his tongue and regretted his choice now, but only a tiny bit. He wasn’t sure Zhark was really going to help them, in fact, it looked like the little rat was leading them on a wild goose chase.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon wished they’d used the door Belie had unlocked rather than this way. This way was not being very productive. Deacon looking at the walls and ceilings did not think this tunnel could take the power of a lightning bolt. He wasn’t sure what the others were saying but they kept going this way so he’d go too. If only he knew a passwall spell, they might could get to this skull faster. or maybe a stone shape spell to reshape the walls. He’d have to look for such in the library next chance he got.
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Bharash
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Bharash has a tendency to be the most practical member of the group – he’s always the one with a mind for not getting on the bad side of the city watch, looking out for random citizens and decrying the need for poison needle traps in the porridge.
It is therefore perhaps all to easy to forget that, as an Adventurer! He’s basically a seven foot tall nine year old boy with a severe inability to assess risk, which is why he’s strolling on into the dark passage witha big grin and a perpetual hunch, humming quietly to himself and generally looking excited about the possibility of running into something that’ll try to kill them.
Again.
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Vogh
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When the group came to the intersection Vogh asked what they would all like to do. The left seemed like the most natural way but it could be just another dead end. “I think we should just head left since it is to the left. Deacon, keep a read on that skull, and if it turns up that we passed it then we should just head back to the door you will need to unlock again.” Vogh said in everyone’s head.
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Narrator GM
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Shortly after the group turned left the tunnel began to slope down. Debris littered the ground, some from crumbling walls, some from the ceiling lossing dirt into the open expanse. Rocks and clumps of wet earth were scattered all over the walkway. After several paces the decline increased to a slight ramp, but enough to be noticable, clearly they were descending deeper into the earth. Deacon realized they had once again come alongside the skull to their left and were much closer to its depth, albeit still slightly above. The air became even more stale and moist. A few trickles of water ran down the walls, puddlingin places, and in others following the downward slope into the blackness beyond their sight and light.
They had past the point where the skull was on their left several paces when Bharash in the lead noted the slope turned into a flight of stairs which descended even further. Furthermore, the heat of the air around them was increasing.
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Vogh
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Vogh was happy with the change in elevation. It meant that it was possible that they might be going in the right direction. The stuffiness of the place though lent her a fact that there probably weren’t many that came through this way. “Bharash looks like we may be getting closer. Keep going and when we find the first left we need to take it and then we will see where we are at.” Vogh kept all talk in the heads of the others so Deacon could hear and it not have a chance to alert any would-be listeners.
Gm according to the map if the others agree I think you can move us to the spot I have placed the Dancing lights.
[Private to GM: As always, I have my mind searching for life.]
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Narrator GM
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The stone walls of this place had to be ancient. Even the smell of the air felt centuries old. Descending the stairs raised their body temperatures too. Everyone began to sweat with the rising heat. Moving down the hallway, the group saw several alcoves. The first held a pair of statues which had been smashed beyond repair. The next some broken pottery, and a skeletal hand which was roughly the same size as Bharash’s big paw. A black onyx pillar covered in scars and slashes but nothing else of note occupied the final alcove until they found two mostly complete skeletons of what looked like oversided orcs in a room with a cage and what the group thought was another smashed statue.
Backtracking they turned and felt like they were actually heading toward the skull for once. A strange intersection which resembled the capital letter “I” brought Vogh’s mind in contact with large number of bats in a room beyond.
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Bharash
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Giving a thumbs up, Bharash keeps leading the way, in accordance with any directions he receives from the better informed bunch behind him – the main change in his demeanor being to grin more widely and get more excited as it starts to be obvious that they’re beginning to explore a proper dungeon with skeletons and cobwebs and everything and it’s fairly obviously all he can do not to let out an excited little squeak.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon had cast detect magic and examined each of these alcoves and the room with the cage in it to see if anything magical was about. He continued with the party lingering only long enough to get results from each area, as soon as he was sure there was no magical aura he moved on with the rest of the party. If one was detected he’d take time to isolate it and find out more about it.
The heat was bothering him a bit. That was something he needed to look into, he needed an endure elements spell for such adventures, there hadn’t really been much need for it until now in the city but it seemed that perhaps it was something he had overlooked. A communal version, he wondered if there was such a thing. He had a communal darkvision but not memorized, he’d need to start preparing it for those that couldn’t see in this darkness.
He was mostly waiting to see what would happen and where he could help.
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Vogh
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Vogh followed third in line so she could get the maximum distance for her mind probing.
As they came through and saw the dead orcs she had wondered what killed them but that couldnt be found out now so she continued on pushing Bharash with her mind based on what Deacon felt.
When they went through the I intersection and she finally sensed the bats Vogh told the others through her link. “I sense a lot of bats to the left of us in the next passage. It feels like a swarm possibly. I can give your weapons the ability to burn them if you like? If they agreed she began her draconic inspiration and pushed them forward for battle.
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Narrator GM
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Nothing glowed with magic in the ancient tunnels they walked. The stones comprising the ceiling, walls and floors were all oversized blocks, unlikely to have been carried or lain by dwarf or man. Each stone must have weighed several hundred pounds. Nearly the entire tunnel system seemed to be on a decline, albeit slight. Deacon could sense they might yet be on the same level as the skull he was tracking, give or take a few feet. At the four way intersection they were likely several feet deeper than even the base of the stairs they left behind, and continuing deeper into the complex, meant going deeper into the earth as well. Everyone was sweating at this point, moisture rolling down their faces, backs and hands.
OOC: The bat swarm will attack as soon as the first person steps in line of sight to the room with the big bat in it. Again, that’s a swarm not a giant bat. I just couldn’t find a token.
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Belie
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Belie wiped a sleeve across his forehead and retrieved a full water skin from his magical backpack. “What is the deal with this heat?! We’ve been far deeper in the earth than this, like with the gnomes, and it was nowhere near this hot?!”
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Talin
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Talin held SolarSong out and felt Vogh’s incantation enchant it with fire. He’d felt useless with the rats, so this would mean he could do something productive.
“Maybe the building furnace is kept beneath the ground? Or maybe there’s something else going on here. Either way, we’ll have to endure a bit longer.”
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Bharash
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“That’s a big metal grate they had, and the door. Could be a forge.” Bharash points out before looking back at Vogh and grinning “Fire swords are kind of cool, not going to lie… Or is there something we can do to drive them off? I mean they’re just bats, right?”
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Vogh
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“If it is possible to skirt around them we will but normally swarms aren’t very intelligent and just attack what they see. I would like for you to be standing in front in the case they decide to attack us, that is, if, we can get by.” Vogh smiled when Bharash had said something about his blades. He never had mentioned it before, of course, that was in the heat of battle.
When Vogh could see the tunnel leading straight ahead but also to the left, she knew that perhaps Bahrash was right. “The bat is to our left, try to just head straight Belie. Bharash cover us!”
When the group hit the bend to the right, Vogh pushed her dancing lights out ahead and into the space just a bit to the left of the corridor ahead.
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Narrator GM
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Luck was with the group, dashing across the opening quickly allowed them to reach the opposite side of the opening without bats swarming around them. The tunnel opened up to twice the width of what they had been traversing. After moving past the room filled with bats hanging from the ceiling the group could smell something horribly rotten. A mixture of blood, rotten flesh, and metal filled their nostrils as they moved down the corridor. In addition, as they neared a four way intersection, everyone felt like the heat increased several degrees. Everyone’s mouth felt like it was full of cotton, with all the moisture evaporating.
Straight ahead was a tiny room, and to the left a slightly larger, but equally empty room. To their right the tight fitting, reddish hued stone blocks they had been walking on appeared to be completely destroyed. All the stones were broken up, mixed with bare earth, and twinges of rusted red. Mixed into the debris and rubble were bunches of metalic pieces which looked like broken, ripped, rusted and destroyed remnants of armor and weapons.
Just walking across the obviously large room’s space would prove difficult. It would be all too easy to turn an ankle, or possibly even catch a foot in the broken stone, not to mention falling among pieces of rusted and broken metal would proove quite painful.
[Private to GM: https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…ings/undead/warsworn
https://2e.aonprd.com/Images/Monsters/Warsworn.png
An enormous animate mass comprised of dozens of armed and armored corpses undulates forth, like a living siege tower of steel-girded flesh. Where this mangled army of broken blades and rent flesh passes, the ground is torn and soaked in blood.
Remember to describe the completely broken and shattered nature of the floor, gore and muck between the torn up stone and dirt ground. Also remember the disgusting smell of decay and opressive heat.
Discarded weapons and armor all over the place, most of them broken.
1st Round: Animate 7 medium weapons
2nd Round: Throw scrap ball +12 (2d6+12)
3rd Round: Telekenesis slam Bharash toward the corner (DC 21 Will save)
4th Round: 4 slams +21 (2d6+12 plus energy drain)]
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Talin
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Talin sent his lights further into the room so they could see ahead. It was nice to have the ability to illuminate multiple areas at once. He wondered if there was a way to get a third set going…
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Narrator GM
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Talin’s floating lights revelaed more of the same. Something had completely destroyed the floor of this room, and left it smelling like piles of dead and rotting carcases. There were likely dozens of weapons and suits of armor that had been completely destroyed and discarded in the space, stuck between broken stones, stabbed into the earth below where the stones once lay. With the moving illumination the group could also see bits of gore mixed in with the destroyed floor, a finger here, what might have been an arm there, half a crushed skull, and more.
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Bharash
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“This is so cool… What do you think, someone warped the room with a spell during some kind of heroic battle?” Bharash asks, advancing to the edge of the area of utter destruction and going to one knee so he can pick up a piece of shattered stone and look at it with all the enthusiasm of a colossal dork coming face to face with a new big-headed inaction figure of some popular adventurer.
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Vogh
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Vogh wasn’t far behind to enter the area where the stone floor had been ripped to shreds. She watched as Bharash picked up a piece and looked it over. “Or, some large beast tore through this area and found that unless it dug through the sections we just went through it had to turn about. I suspect we may find out soo what it is or was.”
Vogh looked over the scene and tried to determine how fresh it was, and where was that disgusting flesh smell coming from, she didn’t know. Vogh had stopped using her draconic inspiration once they were past the bats. It made it a bit more difficult to sense her surroundings while singing.
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Julia Graymantle
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One they came to the room with the broken floor and Bharash led them in as he looked over the stone, Julia decided to see if there was evil afoot.
Cast detect evil range of 60ft.
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Narrator GM
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Nothing jumped out at Julia immediately, but she could feel the taint of evil on the place.
Bharash’s inspection revealed none of the nastiness was terribly new. One strange find was a dessicated forearm which was covered in black skin, but it was so thick that it couldn’t have been drow. The time had broken down much of the tissue, but enough remained of the grizzly scene for him to deduce.
The always vigilant warrior also started to notice a few pieces of arms and armor that were not completely destroyed. All of them seemed blackened with age or rotted blood, and most were crafted in a macabre style of sharp points and spikes
Anyone with a twinkle in their eyes for shiney, would also notice a few gold coins scattered about the area, crushed into the earth and trapped between stones.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon looked over the signs of destruction. He was trying to decide if the bits were just deposited here or if this was really where they were destroyed. In essence was it a garbage room, or a makeshift mausoleum long forgotten.
He noticed Julia concentrating, so he decided to cast detect magic himself on the room. Nothing so far had been magical and it appeared this was long ago so magical remnants of the battle were unlikely. Perhaps some small treasure of interest remained here though.
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Narrator GM
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A faint glow emanated from something small nearly at the edge of deacons vision at the far side of the room, directly across from the entrance. He was fairly confident it was a small dagger with a minor embumment.
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Belie
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After the others had inspected the room, Belie followed Voghs requests to check for traps. He was happy to report nothing was immediately present around the entrance but only the gods knew what the stones in the room could be hiding.
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Talin
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Talin watched as the others scanned the room for magic, evil and traps. Good stuff to scan for in advance of entering. He gripped Solarsong with both hands now, ready for anything that might step out to meet them from the shadows as he quietly asked, “What now?”
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon pointed towards the magical glow he’d found, “Belie makes us a path to there checking for traps. There is something magical over there perhaps a dagger, I’m not sure until we can get there and uncover it.”
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Vogh
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Before anyone had entered Vogh looked to the ceiling of the room. What did it look like? Were there markings? Did it look normal? Any scrap marks on the sides of the walls? Any holes in it? All were important facts she wanted to know.
Vogh sent the dancing lights down to the other end hoping to reveal whatever was that way.
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Narrator GM
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Vogh’s inspection of the ceiling revealed that it was higher than the corridor they currently stood in. There were scrape marks on the ceiling, but only a few. None of the stones appeared greatly damaged to her eye. Like the floors and walls, the blocks which comprised the roof of the chamber were very large. No holes were visible either, just a solid roof to the chamber with the tighly fit stones.
However, there was nothing normal about what Vogh’s lights revealed in the far corner of the chamber.
OOC: Roll Fort Save DC 10 or vomit.
An enormous pile of mangled corpses, no single body was distinguishable in the mass of rotting flesh, blood and organs. Amidst the mutilated mass were bits of arms and armor sticking out. The smell was nearly unbearable. It seemed this mass grave was not new in the slightest, and the oppressive heat seemed to be worsening the decay.
As Bharash noted near the entrance, many of the body parts appeared to have black skin. Even from this distance those in front could make out that much of the conglomeration seemed to be comprised of orcs, some with black skin and others not. It was impossible to tell the number of bodies which were contained in the heap.
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Talin
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Talin held back his bowels as he felt himself gag at the sight and smell of the mangled corpses.
Once Belie had cleared a path of traps, Talin would make his way to the south east corner of the room where he noticed an opening. He would stand looking down the corridor, ready to defend his allies from any potential flanking ambush.
OOC: I’m not clear on how much trap finding Belie has done yet or I would have moved my character in roll20.
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Bharash
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It would be a lie to say that Bharash has seen worse, but his stomach is a long way stronger than most and his response to the sudden exposure of the charnel-house at the far end of the room is to abruptly stand and draw his off-blade, grimly stating with little of his earlier delight “That’s not been left like that for long. Not in this heat. It’d be a puddle under a heap of bones unless something was maintaining it…”
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Belie
———————————————————–
Belie looked at the group, disgust clear on his face. “Are we still going through here? Something made that pile and I’m not terrible excited to meet it…” He gulped hard to keep his stomach’s contents in place.
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Vogh saw the pile of flesh and blood and wanted to puke but she kept her insides, inside for the moment. “That is disgusting! But, yes we need to head this way, Belie. Keep checking for traps ahead will you please.” Vogh said in a whisper since she was behind him. She then wiped away the beads of sweat gathering on her forehead with her forearm.
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Belie
———————————————————–
Belie moved fifteen feet, slowly picking his way on the best rocks and spots to prevent himself from falling, while also checking the ground for anything more sinister than the room already was. After thirty feet, moving toward the opposite entrance into this room he had found nothing. Like High, he used the sleeve of his tunic to wipe away the sweat.
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
Julia looked at the jagged stones and metal and body parts and didn’t really want to go across to the other side, but Vogh was adamant about it to Belie. Julia watch Belie checking for traps and since he hadn’t found any to where he was, Julia said to Vogh. “Help me get out to where Belie is, please. I don’t think I can do that on my own. I never really was good at climbing and jumping stuff as a child and it stuck with me.” She smiled meekly with her last comment.
Rolled on Roll20 and made the DC15 check with the aid of Vogh for 30ft. no falling!! Phew!!
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Talin
———————————————————–
Talin followed Julia and though he nearly faltered, he felt the floor giving beneath him and pushed off in time to leap to sturdier ground.
OOC:
16:59, Today: Talin rolled 32 using 1d20+16. Acrobatics 2.
16:58, Today: Talin rolled 18 using 1d20+16. Acrobatics 1.
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Vogh took Julia’s hand and moved forward avoiding anything that was sharp or looked uneven which could make them fall. “Just follow in my footsteps and you should be good.”
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Bharash
———————————————————–
“Huh. Best thing to do would be to cross in a couple of groups, with someone covering the…” Bharash starts to state before turning away from the corpse-piles to face the party.
This generates a low ‘dong’ sound as he drops his helmed head into his free hand and sighs, “Or, y’know, we could string ourselves out across sixty feet of unsafe floor and wait for one of the undead cadaver-beasts that are absolutely waiting under there to animate and shamble towards us, then improvise messily?” before rolling his shoulders and moving up to the edge of the uneven section of floor, waiting for the first part of the group to make their way to safety before he moves out to join them.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
Despite Bharash’s fear of an undead thing, seven weapons among the rubble rose up to attack the friends. The weapons flew of their own accord and swiped at each of them. Everyone reacted quickly, having already been on their guard moving through the dangerous room.
Medium Animated Objects, 1 on each person, 2 on bharash. AC 14, 31 HP each, hardness 10
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Bharash
———————————————————–
Watching Bharash move through a battle is always a thing of unexpected, brutal beauty expressed with grace and style that seems entirely out of proportion with the sheer size and mass of the silver-kin warrior… He turns as a spear rushes up out of the mass of wreckage to lunge through the space he was occupying, then ducks as a sword whistles low overhead in an effort to slash through his head at visor-height. Counter-attacking, his off-hand-sword rises and falls through the line of attack of the spear, looking to turn the weapon into a cloud of splinters and wreckage, while his empty, dominant hand lunges for the grip of the sword, seizing it from the air and turning it against its kin with short, vicious chops.
—
With his off-hand: Hit for 20, 18 & 13.
After hardness, that’s 21 damage.
He gets three attacks with his main hand. The first is a Disarm check of 26.
This provokes an AoO.
If he succeeds, he grabs the weapon.
Then he twats the other weapon with it.
He hits both times, doing 1D?+6 damage each time.
18:56, Today: Bharash rolled 12,8,6,6,9,1 using 1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8. Off-hand weapon.
18:58, Today: Bharash rolled 9 using 1d20. CMB (Disarm).
18:59, Today: Bharash rolled 36 using 2d20 with rolls of 17,19. Attacking the second weapon with the first weapon.
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon moves back into the hallway about twenty five feet away and casts scorching ray against the animated sword attacking him.
OOC:
I have accidentally deleted my token 🙁
The red D is where I am I went straight back and then diagnoally into my current square
All three rays vs the animated object.
21:35, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 15 using 1d20+7. Initiative.
21:33, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 25,17 using d20+8,4d6. Scorching Ray, Touch Attack, 1st Ray. (hits)
21:34, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 23,10 using d20+8,4d6. Scorching Ray, Touch Attack, 2nd Ray. (hits)
21:34, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 9,13 using d20+8,4d6. Scorching Ray, Touch Attack, 3rd Ray. (misses unless the bards are boosting me 🙂 )
Arcane Pool: 3
Staff has 7 charges now
SPELLS PREPARED:
0: 4
1: 4 + 2
2: 4 + 2
3: 4 + 2
4: 3 + 1
5: 2 + 1
6: 1 + 1
0: Detect Magic, Read Magic, Ghost Sound, Detect Poison
1: Grease, Shield, Magic Missile, Magic Missile, Feather Fall, Ray of
Enfeeblement
2: Splinter Spell Resistance, Locate Object,
Admonishing Ray, Admonishing Ray, Scorching Ray, Scorching Ray
3: Gloomblind Bolts, Gloomblind Bolts, Dispel Magic, Summon Monster III,
Haste, Locate Object
4: Summon Monster IV, Summon Monster IV, Evard’s Black Tentacles,
Mage Armor II
5: Stone Wall, Teleport, Teleport
6: Summon Monster VI, Disintegrate
SPELLS IN EFFECT:
Mage Armor II
Locate Object
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Talin
———————————————————–
Talin lashed out with solar song and though he made contact, he wasn’t sure if his attacks were doing much good.
OOC: I did 3 damage to mine.
20:47, Today: Talin rolled 13 using 2d6+6. Damage attack 2.
20:47, Today: Talin rolled 9 using 2d6+6. Damage attack 1.
20:46, Today: Talin rolled 28 using 1d20+10. To hit attack 3.
20:46, Today: Talin rolled 19 using 1d20+15. To hit.
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Vogh was quite happy with herself and Julia for making it out to the middle of the room without incident, but that was short-lived as the weapons strewn about the room suddenly became animate. Vogh found herself ducking as an axe sliced at her head trying to take it off. She presented Serenity and Calmour at the ready and swing the two blades with ease. Trying to cut down the axe.
09:10, Today: Vogh rolled 24,22,26,18 using d20+9,d8+16,d20+9,d8+16. so, did 20 points of damage to the axe.
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
Julia didn’t have much in a way of a melee weapon so decided that she should just fully defend herself against the mace that attacked her.
Full defense for Julia.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
OOC: Sorry Bharash, it was just 1 roll so I did it for you so we can move forward.
14:42, Today: Narrator GM, on behalf of Bharash, rolled 7 using 1d20+3 ((4)). Will Save DC 21
After Bharash snagged one of the animated weapons from the air and proceeded to cut a chunk out of the other, Deacon blasted the one nearest him after retreating to a safe distance, everyone else was parrying the flying tools and doing a bit of damage to each.
The next thing the group noticed was a huge dragonborn fighter flying across the room, landing in a painful crash precariously near the pile of corpses and parts. Bharash felt like a body-building stone giant had smacked him in the back with a small building. (8 dmg & you’re prone) To make matters worse, he landed on a pile of broken and rusted metal pieces of armor and weapons. Deacon, nor anyone, saw the invisible attacker which could hit their biggest member with so much force.
Top of round 2
[Private to GM: https://www.d20pfsrd.com/magic…spells/t/telekinesis
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…ings/undead/warsworn]
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Belie
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Belie had been so focused on picking his footing carefully and checking for anything dangerous the oversized axe which rose up and swiped at his head nearly caught him off guard. Nearly. The agile rogue leaned back, avoiding the clumsy chop of the living weapons. Seeing the others also beset by weapons he drew his own rapier and swatted at the axe to see how it would react. Then his attention was forcibly drawn away as the hulking dragon-warrior was hurtled through the air!
14:59, Today: Belie rolled 23 using 1d20+9 ((14)).
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Talin
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Talin swung solar song back and forth connecting twice again, but clearly just barely bypassing the hardness of the weapon he was trying to take down.
Seeing Bharash fly across the room made him realize that the weapons in front of him were the least of his worries, but he had to deal with the imminent threat first and then he could move on to the invisible one.
OOC: 4 more damage to my weapon (after hardness)
16:26, Today: Talin rolled 14 using 2d6+6. Damage 2.
16:26, Today: Talin rolled 10 using 2d6+6. Damage.
16:26, Today: Talin rolled 26 using 1d20+10. Attack 2.
16:26, Today: Talin rolled 18 using 1d20+15. Attack 1.
16:25, Today: Talin rolled 22 using 1d20+7. Initiative.
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Bharash
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With splinters and shards coming off the weapon he’s fighting and the one he’s captured made smoothly helpless in his grip, Bharash looks up to crow “Okay, tell me you all saw tha…” a half-second before something hits him hard enough to kill half a dozen men, pitching him through the air like a rag-doll…
…on the bright side, he has something resembling a soft landing* as he splats into the base of the corpse-pile, then falls back out of it onto the uneven terrain but he’s patently out of things for a moment or two as he lays there, grunting “Yeah, so I totally called the ambush. So… What do people think. Like, evil ghost or some kind of angry living spell?” and struggling to find the motivation to get back up again, although with nothing currently attacking him he takes the opportunity to lie there and gather his breath before looking to pull himself to his feet – still clinging to the struggling sword in his main hand.
—
18:42, Today: Bharash rolled 14 using 1d20+10. Initiative.
Mostly just standing up really, not sure there’s anything nearby for him to hit.
[Private to GM: * Flying forty feet through the air would have to be the equivalent of like, a forty foot fall. For it only to do 2D6 damage, he had to have had a soft landing. Continuity is maintained by his then falling out of the pile onto the floor. ^_^]
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon was well pleased as the weapon melted under his assault. Animated Objects though was a concern. His Admonishing Ray and Gloomblind bolts would be useless against them as they were not living.
He noticed Bharash grab one of the weapons and then noticed the big guy was flung across the room. They were called animated objects for a reason. Grabbing one was rather foolish.
Now if Bharash hadn’t grabbed it Deacon could have taken out maybe two of them. Still the big lug had perhaps damage the one so maybe he could take it out with a magic missile from Yaeshla.
OOC:
To bad I’m deaf and can’t see Bharash I have a theory…..
19:31, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 14 using 5d4+5. Magic Missile from Staff of Yaeshla.
19:31, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 14 using 5d4+5. Magic Missile from Staff of Yaeshla.
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Still dealing with the axe before her, Vogh decided that a bit more damage was needed to deal with the hardness of the animated objects. Vogh once again began her draconic inspiration in everyone’s head. Everyone wielding a weapon adds fire damage to their attacks.
Vogh then struck out at the axe before her again, hitting it hard destroying the thing as it dropped back to the floor.
Start Draconic Inspiration 5d6 fire damage to all who go AFTER my initiative.
08:53, Today: Vogh rolled 27 using 1d20+7. initiative.
09:00, Today: Vogh rolled 15,19,16 using d20+9,d8+16,5d6.
Hit AC15 for 35 damage.
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
Julia had defended herself defensively against the mace that was trying to hit her. Things turned for the worse as suddenly Bharash was flung across the room landing hard in the rubble. Not knowing what it was that had done it, Julia wondered if it was invisible so she stepped away from the mace and prepared to cast a spell. “Bharash, what did you see?” Julia asked trying to get him to finish his sentence.
She cast a spell that would reveal any invisible objects surrounding the area around her. (55ft radius) Cast Invisibility Purge
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Belie
———————————————————–
Belie turned his attention back to the floating thing attacking him after seeing bharash launched. He swished his rapier left, then right, then lightly touched the axe which was clumsily trying to attack him. Fire raced over the edges of the steel and the weapon fell from it’s floating position to lay still on the ground, warped and hot.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
Vogh’s dragon fire inspiration song gave each of their blades a rush of flame which destroyed the weapon Belie, Talin and Vogh attacked. Deacon’s magic likewise dealt with his floating quary, and Bharash was still holding the weapon he grabbed before being thrown.
Talin was next to be attacked. The bard, like Bharash before him, felt like a charging dragon head butted him from behind. Flying through the air he landed very close to where Bharash currently lay, contemplating the meaning of the universe. (11 damage) He too landed on the rocks, broken steel and shattered bones.
[Private to Talin: Narrator GM, on behalf of Talin, rolled 16 using 1d20+7. Will Save DC 21]
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
Nothing magical showed to Deacon’s sight, except the few remaining floating weapons. Nothing evil jumped out to Julia, except the evil of the whole place and the pile of dead bodies. Vogh and Talin had encountered black skinned orcs before. And most of the others had heard tales of their ancient creation by the skull king.
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Bharash
———————————————————–
“My stylish and graceful disarm, undertaken on a floating sword.” Bharash replies as he sheathes his off-hand blade and offers his hand to Talin to help him to while grunting and looking over the corpse pile, a grimace on his features “Something sure seems to want us over here… Anyone know anything about angry ghosts?”
===========================================================
Narrator GM
———————————————————–
The final floating weapon tried to stab at Julia, but to no effect as the woman was able to dodge its clumsy attacks. However, the excitement didn’t end there. Large rocks floated up from the far side of the room (top right on the map) out of the detritus and flew toward the group! One grazed Julia, the woman already defending herself, was able to twist away, just barely being scraped on the arm (1dmg). Vogh’s magical armor proved itself worth the money when one of the heavy stones smashed against her, but did no damage, and Belie dexterously dodged the incoming missiles.
[Private to GM: Have inv. pyr. lady reach out to deacon and tell Vogh there is an intelligent being close.
Remember to put someone else in the prisons that could be a tie back to them later AND spread tales of their ability.]
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Talin
———————————————————–
Talin was angry and yelled out loud, “There is some damned invisible mage in here making a fool of us all. Well, not any more.”
He waved his hand and cloud of glitter fell covering a 20 foot area in the corner of the room farthest from his allies. If he were invisible, that’s where he would hide.
OOC: Glitterdust. The first of many until he finds this attacker
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Dodging the debris coming at her, Vogh gave a solemn thanks to the Brothers Feek for their wondrous craftsmanship.
Vogh had never really done much fighting against ghosts by this point in her life. It just wasn’t something she ran into, so when Bharash said something about it she responded, “No, I never fought ghosts before. I am not even sure that is what it is. I still think that someone or something is making the objects do this.” Vogh though couldn’t sense anything intelligent which lent a little credence to Bharash’s ghost theory.
“Talin, if there is a mage he is hiding from my mind as I don’t sense anything near us. Save your spells.” Vogh said as she stepped 5ft and stuck the blade that was still trying to hit Julia. Serenity connected right at the hilt, the fire from her blade cutting through the blade like butter, severing the connection between it and the blade itself as both pieces dropped to the ground.
08:52, Today: Vogh rolled 22,19,19,29,23,16 using d20+9,d8+16,5d6,d20+9,d8+16,5d6.
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
When her spell was completed Julia could tell that there was nothing near her that was hidden. I changed the color of Julia’s invisibility purge to red. Julia then dodged some rocks that came her way and the blade before her as well.
“So far I don’t see anything invisible but then again I don’t think I can see down into the southern part of the room currently.” Julia moved 15ft to the south and stopped right next to Belie and tried to sense anything invisible further south.
09:07, Today: Julia rolled 19 using 1d20. forgot to change the name.
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Bharash
———————————————————–
“Well me either, but since I don’t have anything to hit, wild speculation seemed to be the order of the day.” Bharash answers with surprisingly good cheer for a cadaver-juice spattered figure who just got thrown across a death trap off a room as though he were little more than an unwanted pup, “Seems to fit though, right? Horrible deaths, no graves, objects hurling themselves at us? I mean I’m no book wizard but it’s a good story.”
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon no longer able to see the enemies moved forward down the hall just short of the room. Seeing the weapon still attacking Vogh he rose the staff once more and called forth another wave of magic missiles to strike the weapon.
14:15, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 15 using 5d4+5. Magic Missile from Staff of Yaeshla.
14:15, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 18 using 5d6. extra fire damage if still going.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
Everyone’s fears were realized as the pile of corpses gathered together and rose up before the group. Vogh’s mind still couldn’t sense intelligence, but the malevolence of the creature as it took shape certainly glowed brightly to Julia’s vision. An enormous animated mass comprised of all the armed and armored corpses in the pile undulated upward. The piles formed into a sort of living siege tower made of steel-girded flesh.
With a sickening sucking noise, four appendanges of twisted muscle fibers, organs, blood, tissue and body parts lashed out, two to each of the men before this disgusting beast.
DC 26 frightful presence Will save for everyone except Deacon unless you are immune to mind-affecting fear effects. Failure results in being shaken: –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Neither Talin nor Bharash were surprised when the piles of flesh became a monster, thus each of them dodged the first pods of mass which slapped out at them with surprising quickness and force. Even with their successfully dexterous movements, they were still splattered with disgusting gore as the pseudo-pods lashed out. Like the air around them, the ichor was hot on their already sweating flesh.
However, neither warrior was able to dodge the second attacking arms which smashed into them with unnatural strength. Beyond the power of the beast, the broken bones, and twisted steel stabbed into them, and to each of their horror; they felt their very life forces being sucked from their bodies!
21 dmg to Talin and 22 dmg to Bharash
Each of you experienced energy drain, losing 1 level.
Please take that loss into your next attack calculations, loss of feats, spells, base attack bonus, etc.
No mouth existed to make a noise, but the slurping sound of rotten flesh wetly sliding across organs, mixed with the grating of steel on steel made everyone who could hear the awful cacophony’s hair stand on end. Each of them was hot, sweating, and every breath brought with it the reminder of sickly death.
[Private to Deacon Havenhold: Deacon felt Dora Maycey, Majordomo of the Inverted Pyramid Headquarters, trying to contact him through his thought stone.]
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Bharash
———————————————————–
Thus far, Bharash has been more or less sanguine about the situation – he’s not felt he was in real, life-threatening danger and his natural Dragonborn resilience of spirit, coupled with the ingrained confidence of a well-trained warrior has seen him through to this point without problems…
…which means that his sudden, harsh ejaculation of “Tiamat’s Tits!” as the enormous corpse-mound animates and surges to the attack, accompanied with a tangible aura of nightmarish horror and life-sucking hunger is all the more remarkable for the edge of fear it carries.
Fear that does not, however keep him from striking back as he grounds his borrowed sword underfoot and both falcattas fly free, whirling through the air with exquisite speed and force to start trying to hack enormous bloody chunks out of the swinging limbs seeking to crush him, albeit with somewhat less than their accustomed grace and power (but with awesome-looking pinwheels of flame leaving after-image arcs in their wake) as he howls “Don’t Jump Out On A Man Like That You Jumped Up Sausage Meat Bastard!”
—
Okay, Bharash attacks at 20/20/15/15/10/10, all for 1D8+12 (the first blow of each pair does +2D6 to evil things). Being shaken and having a negative level knocks 3 off those.
To-hit Damage
31 15+2D6 v evil, +12 Fire.
32 19 +18 Fire.
16 16+2D6 v evil, +18 Fire.
31(c) 42 +18 Fire.
10 16+2D6 v evil, +17 Fire.
10 13 +14 Fire.
18:23, Today: Bharash rolled 10 using 1d20+8. Scary!
18:37, Today: Bharash rolled 14,3,15,7,4,4,19,2,3,4,9,1 using 1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8. Choppy, choppy, choppy.
18:41, Today: Bharash rolled 19 using 1d20. Critical threat.
20:38, Today: Bharash rolled 12,18,18,18,17,14 using 5D6,5D6,5D6,5D6,5D6,5D6.
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
OOC: Yes Bharash you add 5d6 fire to each attack that hit.
Julia saw the disgusting piles of flesh come to life and form into some sort of flesh beast and swing its appendages at Bharash and Talin. The thing scared Julia to the core. She could sense immense evil coming from the thing but had no idea what it was. A number of things ran through her head to do and since she couldn’t cast her admonishing ray at it thanks to Vogh’s comment so she decided to enhance the other’s attacks.
02:08, Today: Julia Graymantle rolled 19 using 1d20+12. will save failed.
Cast Prayer- Gains +1 luck bonus on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saves, and skill checks
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Vogh
———————————————————–
As the flesh piles began to move and form into some sort of beast, Vogh looked on in horror as it used its now formed appendages at weapons that struck both her lover and her companion.
She saw Julia cast a spell as three rays reached out and pounded the flesh beast. Vogh had thought she read something about such a beast before in her studies. She thought it was called a Warsworn, but this was a bit different than what she could remember. “That thing is an undead beast called Warsworn.”
Not knowing what to do at first, Vogh just decides to cast haste on her companions to quicken their movements. Vogh contemplated changing her music as well but decided that for now, the fire was the best thing.
Cast Haste
Move 15ft towards the beast
02:21, Today: Vogh rolled 18 using 1d20+15. Will save failed
02:28, Today: Vogh rolled 22 using 1d20+15. acrobatics check
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon looked as the thing took shape, it was a thing of darkness. He took a moment to see where the skull was, had the thing been used to create this. That thought haunted his mind but just a second.
[Private to Dora Maycey: “Ms Maycey, it is a pleasure to hear from you again, I am in the midst of a battle at the moment, how might I help you?” Deacon sent back to Dora.]
Deacon looked on and saw the negative energy consuming Bharash and Talin. It was obviously using some sort of energy drain, most undead had such and it looked undead but it could be a construct.
Deacon knew that he could summon something that might help. Deacon called upon his summoning power for the first time really today. Three spheres of bronze and copper with a single central eye appeared before this monstrosity. Each had two wings that held it aloft with clawed hands and each one carried a single blade. Their tiny forms seem almost comical but they immediately begin their attacks.
Cast Summon Monster IV
Summon 1d3 Arbiters, (Summon Neutral Monster option)
21:22, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 2 using 1d3 ((2)).
Note they are augmented with Augmented Summoning
Oh and there are actually 3 of them, I have Superior Summoning which adds 1 to my roll.
21:26, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 19,3 using d20+9,d3+2. 1st Arbiter Attack on Thing.
21:26, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 29,3 using d20+9,d3+2. 2nd Arbiter attack on thing.
21:27, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 23,4 using d20+9,d3+2. 2nd Arbiter Crit Confirmation roll.
21:27, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 10,5 using d20+9,d3+2. 3rd Arbiter attack on thing.
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…e/inevitable-arbiter
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Talin
———————————————————–
Typically Talin would consider casting a spell or performing some dazzling display to cause his enemies to tremble in fear. But now, he knows pure damage is needed so he lashed out with Solar Song in a display of hasted, fiery rage at the pain and drain he feels.
OOC: I didn’t add any fire damage and I rolled a crit but I don’t know if that applies here.
06:54, Today: Talin rolled 10 using 2d6+6. Damage 3 (no fire).
06:53, Today: Talin rolled 24 using 1d20+10. To hit 3.
06:52, Today: Talin rolled 10 using 2d6+6. Crit damage (no fire).
06:51, Today: Talin rolled 14 using 2d6+6. Damage 2 (no fire).
06:51, Today: Talin rolled 12 using 2d6+6. Damage 1 (no fire applied).
06:50, Today: Talin rolled 28 using 1d20+15. Confirm crit (if applicable). 06:50, Today: Talin rolled 34 using 1d20+15. To hit 2.
06:50, Today: Talin rolled 29 using 1d20+15. To hit 1.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
The beast had no mouth to roar with, but splattering gore and flesh from the two holy weapons ripping into the undead thing confirmed they were indeed hurting it. Bharash and Talin were covered in gore from their attacks, rotten entrails, blood, muscle fiber and gore dripped from their own armor as they splattered into the beast with their magical weapons. It’s unnatural hide rippled in fury as all four pods lashed out at Bharash, who had hurt it dearly. Four tubes of bone, skin and metal lashed out at Bharash, all four connecting with the powerful Dragonborn, like a slapping machine left, right, left, right!
Bharash: 4 Negative Levels + 73 damage
Narrator GM rolled 60 using 4d20 (15,16,15,14)
Narrator GM rolled 25 using 8d6 ((1,5,4,5,2,1,4,3)).
[Private to Vogh: Vogh felt the touch of an intelligence at the very edge of her telepathy. She sensed a manticore and figured it must be down the hallway opposite the one they entered from.]
[Private to Deacon Havenhold: “Oh My!” Dora sent back. “Why did you connect with me then?! Are you in danger?!”]
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Bharash
———————————————————–
The thing wearing the flesh of the dead is terrifying, powerful and exists in a state of hate beyond the touch of fear… It’s powerful enough to slaughter intruders by the dozen and it’s attack was launched on someone who couldn’t run and couldn’t back down – the first because of unstable fitting and the second simply because his friends are behind him.
With blood, flesh and ash raining about him, Bharash pushes into the reach of the creature, screaming his defiance – a decision that costs him as his armoured body is pounded upon by unnatural limbs and black sorcery that send him back and onto one knee, blades crossed to catch the last blow and turn aside it’s soul-hunger, if not it’s brute force.
Battered, wounded and terrified, Bharash grins fiercely and forces himself back to his feet with a low snarl, spitting “That all you got?” as his swords go to work once more, tearing through corrupted flesh and plunging deep into the carcass of the thing doing its best to kill him, a kind of dreadful strength seizing the massive Dragonborn as he carves deep, determined to end the thing no matter the cost.
Four saving throws, three failures. -6 to all attacks accounted for in the rolls).
To-hit Damage
32 18+4 v evil, +23 Fire.
38(31c) 17+22 Fire (before critical tripling).
25 21+6 v evil, +23 Fire.
32(21c) 17+7 v evil, +16 Fire (before critical tripling).
31(31c) 20+19 Fire (before critical tripling).
23 23+3 v evil, +21 Fire.
23 20+20 Fire.
16:15, Today: Bharash rolled 28 using 4d20 with rolls of 2,6,3,17. 13 or higher!
17:25, Today: Bharash rolled 14,3,20,2,19,2,18,5,15,8,15,5 using 1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8,1d20,1d8.
17:30, Today: Bharash rolled 26 using 3d20 with rolls of 9,3,14. Critical threat(s).
17:26, Today: Bharash rolled 23,22,16,19,21,20 using 5D6,5D6,5D6,5D6,5D6,5D6.
17:26, Today: Bharash rolled 4,7,3 using 2d6,2d6,2d6.
18:48, Today: Bharash rolled 7,6 using 1d20,1d8. Haste attack.
18:48, Today: Bharash rolled 6,23 using 2d6,5d6.
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Talin
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Talin swung Solar Song at the bloody mess but was unable to cut past the gore and find a soft spot.
OOC:
16:29, Today: Talin rolled 26 using 1d20+12. To hit attack 3.
16:29, Today: Talin rolled 23 using 1d20+17. To hit hasted attack.
16:29, Today: Talin rolled 19 using 1d20+17. To hit attack 1.
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Vogh
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Vogh wasn’t sure what she wanted to do. She was providing all the fire for the weapons with her song, but she wanted to join in the fight. The only thing was she would have to get close enough and when she did, it would strike her as well.
Another thing that bothered her was that she could sense another intelligent creature coming their way. She could sense it was a manticore. Not an easy adversary to say the least. While she kept up her song she called out to the others, “There is a manticore coming from the southeast.” Vogh then decided to cast another spell to aid her friends.
Cast good hope
M/Level +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls.
So, if you rolled already and needed +2 to hit I just put you over, don’t forget to add the +2 to damage as well.
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Julia Graymantle
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Julia could only watch in horror as Bharash was battered by the undead beast. She could see his strength waning. Julia had just the thing he needed but it would take a bit before she could help him. Julia used her power to heal to give anyone that needed it a boost of health. “Just hold on Bharash, I have something for you!”
channel Energy
23:54, Today: Julia Graymantle rolled 31 using 9d6. heal to anyone near.
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
[Private to Dora Maycey: “I’m fine right now, you did save my life though so I felt a duty to respond promptly” Deacon sent back.]
Deacon watched things were looking bad but not grim. The three Arbiters continued to attack another landing a hit this time. It was sad that only one now and then seemed to find an opening he had picked arbiters knowing that they could not be energy drained, hoping that the creature would direct attacks away from Bharash but so far that had not worked.
He rose the staff and discharged another magic missile into the beast. It was about all he could do at the moment as his other spells were less useful and well a lightning bolt or cone of cold would hit his friends as well.
OOC:
19:26, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 29,4 using d20+9,d3+2. 1st Arbiter Attack on Thing.
19:27, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 16 using 5d6. 1st Arbiter Fire Damage.
19:27, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 16,4 using d20+9,d3+2. 1st Arbiter Critical Check.
19:27, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 15,4 using d20+9,d3+2. 2nd Arbiter attack on thing.
19:27, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 10,4 using d20+9,d3+2. 3rd Arbiter attack on thing.
19:32, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 18 using 5d4+5. Magic Missile Damage.
So 38 from me and the arbiter that hit 🙂
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Julia Graymantle
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When the undead creature fell dead Julia made her way over to Bharash. “I can restore your health back, it looks like my healing just didn’t do it. It will take me a few moments though. Everyone, watch the southern passage while I patch up Bharash here.”
Begin casting restoration which will take 3 rounds.
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Vogh
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“Correction, there are actually THREE manticores coming this way, prepare to face them.” Vogh said as the other two manticores stepped into her range. “I am going to try and talk to them. If I remember correctly, being that they are intelligent that they know the common tongue.”
Vogh reached out with her mind to her friends and the three manticores that were approaching them, “Greetings, my name is Vogh Kath. Now I know that you heard something from that room with wretched heaps of broken ground and clumps of bodies. I want you to know that the foul undead beast has been destroyed by myself and my companions. I am not sure what your relationship if any was with the creature, but the perverseness of it had to be destroyed. I would rather not get into another fight that doesn’t need to happen. If we can I would like to talk with you. You can reply directly to this link I am speaking to you now.”
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Narrator GM
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A masculine presence entered her mind, “Did any of you die fighting the beast? If so, we would be happy to bargain with you for their new corpse. Or if you have any fresh meat…”
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Vogh
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Vogh relays what the Manticore said in return to her friends. “No, none of our group died, but if you want fresh meat, the creature has lots of it. If that is not to your liking, I know of some ratmen that are not too far from here. You could come with us if that was something you desired instead of this creature’s flesh.”
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Narrator GM
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“Rotting and fetid carcass are not to our liking. Nor are the furry rat beasts that are so plentiful in these tunnels. Fresh human is preferred, and on special occasions, elf is a particularly tasty treat. Especially young elf. They are so soft and succulent.” The three creatures were moving cautiously close to the group in the big chamber with the now destroyed chaotic beast of corpses.
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Vogh
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Vogh once more related to her friends and added, “They are approaching us and should be here soon. Should I tell them if they aid us it is said there are 4 humanoids not ratmen that they can have?”
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Bharash
———————————————————–
Bharash comes down from his rather uncharacteristic rage and slows to a panting stop, breathing heavily as he sways back and forth in his battered, horribly soiled armour for a moment before drawing himself up staunchly and delivering a concussive kick to the heap of rotting flesh, accompanied by a growl of “And stay down!”
Of course, what this mostly achieves is to spatter anyone in the general vicinity with finely diced cadaver gibs, after which he snorts heavily and turns to eye to the passage that the manticores are supposed to be taking, growling at Julia as he does so “Don’t… Bahamet’s Balls woman, stay where you are, woman the floor’s still a deathtrap, you’ll just hurt yourself. I’ll live!”
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
The manticores were moving very slowly toward the group, down the tunnel which the group could not see far into.
[Private to Deacon Havenhold: Dora imparted back through the thoughtstone’s telepathic link, “By all means, take care of yourself and contact me when you’re safe and able. If you need aid, the Pyramid tries to protect their own, if their own aren’t being too careless with their lives.” With that, she ended the connection.]
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
When Vogh made the suggestion about the four men whom they don’t even know yet, Julia said back, “I don’t think that is a good plan Vogh. One, I am not for sacrificing people to monsters. Two, why don’t we just see if they will go for normal food. We have that one item that we tried to use with the dragon that one time. Why not ask them if we offer them a bunch of food instead. I am certain there is meat that comes in this item. If not then we just defend ourselves if they attack.”
Then aloud Julia says to Bharash as she made her way to him cautiously. “You have no choice to receive Lothian’s blessing.” With that Julia finally made it to Bharash and as her spell came to completion she tossed the diamond dust over his head. As it fell with sparkles upon him it seemed as if the dust itself was sucking the very death from Bharash. IN short order, Bharash felt back to normal as all of the draining had been healed.
I am not sure if your wounds are healed though. I did 31 already and not sure what you have left.
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
“They wouldn’t accept such a deal I’m sure, they might on the surface agree to such but then they’d just betray that,” Deacon sent back to Vogh.
Deacon thinks about moving down to look down the southeast tunnel but remembers the nasty floor and wonders how he might get around the floor.
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Belie
———————————————————–
Belie had been mostly ineffectual through the altercation. Bharash and Talin, both bigger men than he, had been tossed across the room then were waylaid by the disgusting abbaration. Now Vogh was telling them about manticores, mythical creatures he had never encountered, but had also never heard good things about them. The rogue shook his head, looking around the room at the ceiling, the carnage, the broken arms and armaments and more, while his friends decided their next course. He also looked longingly back at the way they had come. If this thing was here at the opening, what horrors could be deeper still in this complex?
[Private to GM: Remember to put someone else in the prisons that could be a tie back to them later AND spread tales of their ability.]
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Bharash
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Bharash growls softly, tossing his head as the uncanny lassitude of the drained life-force is replaced by a combination of positive energy and diamond dust… He doesn’t look too happy about it, but he does at least rumble a grudging “Thanks.” as he wipes down his swords and starts to dab ineffectually at his armour with a scrap of cloth that does nothing more effective than smear some of the red he has on him, cheerfully noting “Well, it’s safe to assume that if this is a back door, no-one’ll be expecting anyone to come this way!”
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Vogh was kind of along the same lines of thought as Bharash. “Julia, heal Bharash. We are going to kill these manticores. I have a feeling that we are on the right track. I would want to guard my entrance with creatures that will actually guard it.”
Vogh prepared then by casting good hope on everyone. “Talin cast haste will you?”
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
To Julia, it looked like Bharash’s coloring was back to somewhat normal at least but there was blood everywhere on him. “That gore on you isn’t all your own, is it? I am going to heal you some more Bharash so you are ready for the manticores when they come.”
Julia reached out and sent some healing magic into Bharash’s body.
18:23, Today: Julia Graymantle rolled 30 using 4d8+11. cure critical wounds.
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Talin
———————————————————–
Still feeling a bit of the effect from the slam that hit him, Talin moves to be next to Julia for when the manticores come. As Vogh asks for him to caste haste he says, “We are hasted already, but that may end soon. Alright, I will, I guess.” He said the last under his breath. First Vogh wanted to talk to them and now she wants to kill them.
Talin then cast haste on everyone giving them the quickness to kill the manticores quicker.
Cast Haste.
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Belie
———————————————————–
While the group was discussing fighting yet another thing, Belie carefully picked his way around the room to see if this disgusting beast had anything of value in the destroyed floor and broken weapons.
First, all of the weapons which attacked the group were non-magical, but all were usable if somewhat worn. One strange thing was the sword Bharash now held. It was a completely black steel with serrated edges and an oversized grip. It was terribly balanced, with a much heavier blade than would be normal for a weapon of this size. Bharash figured this meant the weapon was crafted for a much stronger fighter than an average person.
Another blade had a wide, curled cross-guard, adding just enough weight to make sure the blade sat firmly in the owner’s hand and protecting those same hands as well. The cross-guard had an ornamented owl head on each side, this was clearly a weapon not meant to be wielded by a commoner.
A very short, wide, barbed blade made of copper with a matching wound grip which was at one point wrapped in ordinary leather, but the wrapping was currently in tatters. The other few weapons were mundane and uninteresting.
However, much to his delight he also found several items of value. He collected 215 gold pieces, 28 silver, and 36 copper. However, all of them would have to be reminted or melted down as they were gnarled, scratched and defaced.
A Masterwork Light Steel Shield had some scratches, but seemed still in good order (100gp in current state). He found two rods which the casters would quickly discern were magical in nature. The first was covered in rippling water waves (Wand of Create Water), while the second had engravings of plates of food and goblets (Wand of Purify Food and Drink)
He also recovered a few gems, some scratched, some in good shape. Black Pearl (400 gp), Bloodstone (35 gp), Jade (120 gp), Topaz (400 gp), Topaz (500 gp) and a Tourmaline (120 gp).
Belie did find one masterwork weapon still in good shape, a simple shortsword (300gp).
Finally, he also recovered a few miscellaneous items. An old backpack which contained a bag of pitons, and a bag of common spice, a hammer, glasscutter, bolt of canvas, box of charcoal, a set of flint and steel and 2 chisels. He also found a solid black, stone, holy symbol of a black hand with a finger broken off.
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Bharash
———————————————————–
Bharash – equipped liberally with thick, armoured scales rather than skinny, semi-translucent skin – largely improved in colour because the first thing he wiped off was his face, but he’s at least looking more upright when Julia leans over to poke him a second time, earning herself a half-hearted swat and a “Hey!” in the process.
Visually speaking, the magic does nothing of course – because of the aforementioned blood, armour and scales – but he seems to soak it up readily enough, grumbling as he does so “It’s mostly the thing I landed in… And if you think it looks bad, imagine how it feels. It’s soaked into the aketon and it squishes every time I move.”, sounding more put out by that than he is the mostly blunt-force trauma he took being rattled around like a particularly put-upon bell.
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon motions to the southeast passage and tells the Arbiters, “Look down the tunnel and see if they are coming.” He knows that with their truespeech they can understand him.
He was considering trading a Gloomblind Bolt for Fly, but was not sure he had enough time to do so before the manticores would arrive. He could use the staff to levitate he supposed but that would be slow work.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
Picking his way carefully Talin was able to grab the magical dagger Deacon had previously pointed out.
The flying spheres of bronze flapped over to the room’s exit and peered into the darkness. Their vision allowed them to penetrate the complete blackness of the tunnel. One of them turned back toward Deacon, it’s central eye unblinking while flapping metallic wings which squeaked slightly through the motion.
Seemingly from nowhere, as the creature lacked any discernible mouth, a metallic and stiff voice answered the wizard. [Private to not Deacon Havenhold: I see no creatures, but this entire are is tainted with chaos.]
After answering, the living construct looked at each person in the group and it’s lidless eye twinkled and shifted it’s hue from a deep blue to a reddish hue.
[Private to not Deacon Havenhold: All of you have chaos in you… Except you it seems, warrior. Are you all unaware of the ravages of chaos? Surely you understand the benefit of law over anarchy. Perhaps with my limited time with you all, we might be able to explain to you the glory of law and order.]
It spoke with extreme diplomacy, almost as if it felt sorry for the group.
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Vogh almost laughed at the irony of the little metallic being telling her that it can explain the glory of law and order. “Deacon I suggest you control your summons or get rid of them for another type that will not try to read us the book of law and order. Apparently, they didn’t see anything down the passage though which is a good sign.”
Vogh searched for the manticores with her mind to see if they were retreating.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
The manticores had not moved away, but neither had they moved much closer to the group. It seemed the hallway ran on for a ways beyond their lights and dark vision.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
With no one else speaking, and the group looking around for what to do, the living construct took that as a sign he needed to continue preaching. (I’m leaving this for Deacon to see just because, even though he can’t hear it)
“An ancient philosopher Juan Jack Reistleou argued that people are born free but they must willingly give legitimate authority to their government through a “social contract” for mutual preservation. In theory, citizens come together to form a society and make laws, while their government implements and enforces those laws. Laws are supposed to protect the people of society either individually or collectively. Laws exist for five basic reasons. Here are the five major reasons why laws are needed for society to survive and thrive, and why chaos is wrong.”
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
“Vogh are we going to keep going forward then? I have Bharash pretty much all patched up.” Julia said as she looked over the gore on him, “But he’ll for sure need a bath!” Julia couldn’t help but laugh as she said the last part.
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon saw that their lips were moving but he didn’t seem to understand them. It was also a language he didn’t know so he couldn’t read their lips. He looked distastefully at the floor. He really didn’t want to have to cross this floor of refuse.
Deacon answered Vogh, “They are the most effective things I can summon against a creature that can drain life energy. Chaos is on the rise, their words might contain clues we might not otherwise get. Though my limitations on communication is a problem I’d not really anticipated. It is always important to study all things rather than limit oneself to a single subset”
Deacon kept them at the entrance to the hall and commanded, “Vogh says there are three manticores down that way, can you tell how far away they are?”
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Bharash
———————————————————–
“My mother always said that freedom without limits was just a word.” Bharash (of all people) answers, eyeing the little floating metallic thing with a slightly askance air as he finishes batting at the cleric and muttering something about ‘laundry maid going to earn overtime tonight’ “But I don’t see a whole lot of ‘people’ making up the laws in these parts. Mostly it’s the man with the big hat in the high tower, accompanied by a lot of heavily armed folk who take a dim view of anyone else making laws or using force to impose them.”
He does however offer her his arm as he starts to try making his way out of the corner he was thrown into and over to the group, pausing only to recover the heavy-bladed chopping sword he snatched from the air, examine it, shrug and tuck it into the straps of his pack for later examination.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
In response to Vogh the construct turned to her. It’s wings batted the air much too slowly to keep it aloft merely based on air flow, its flight seemed as much magical as mechanical.
“We can see 60 feet in pure blackness, but there is nothing other than hallway to our sight.”
With Bharash’s statement it turned to him, its eye softly shifting between blue and red. “I’m not familiar with the man in the big hat or the tall tower. Regardless, life demands order. Nature self regulates. It’s only reasoning beings which require law be taught, and enforced. Chaos only brings destruction.”
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Vogh
———————————————————–
“Deacon, dismiss them now. They are more of a distraction than an addition to our numbers. We need to make a decision right now, with we push forward or we move back to the Albino Ratman and figure this all out. Since the manticores aren’t advancing at the moment we have time to discuss.” Vogh asked the group wanting to not doddle anymore.
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Bharash
———————————————————–
“Eh, pure chaos would wreck stuff but pure order only brings snowflakes. You’ve got to have a little bit of a spark in the world, otherwise we’re all just rocks falling downhill, right?” Bharash asks, continuing to pick his way through the debris-field as he goes on “But the ‘man in the big hat’ is a metaphor” (who’s been teaching Bharash big words?) “for whoever is in charge of a society. The high tower is another metaphor for the socially isolated structure they rule from, separating them from those ruled.”
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon didn’t know what was going on since no one was explaining what the constructs were saying but he shook his head again at Vogh’s introduction to dismiss them. He simply mentally responded to her, “Let’s just give them something to do.”
With that he told the flying machine creatures to continue down the hallway until they encountered the manticores then return to report.
[Private to GM: Hey Deacon. Narrator here. Sorry to post for you but I figured this was pretty benign.]
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
The constructs obliged, although the central one which had been speaking took a moment longer to depart down the corridor than the others. Moments later a shrill shreak which sounded more akin to metal scraping against metal preceeded the sound of more metal crashing against stone.
Moments later only two arbiters flew back into the room, twice as fast as they left. One of them addressed the group in a different voice than they had heard before. “The manticores have been discovered down the corridor. Eventether has been slain.”
[Private to GM: Narrator GM 4d20,2d6 ((10,4,3,13,2,2,2,6)).
The talking arbiter was killed
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…al-beasts/manticore/
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…/manticore-advanced/
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…re/manticore-boreal/
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…manticore-poisonous/
https://www.d20pfsrd.com/besti…/inevitable-arbiter/
Reminder: have someone associated with the quaan use andrecite in front of the party.]
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
When two of the three came rushing back and said that Eventether was slain, Deacon didn’t know what was happening. Though he could imagine that the other had encountered the manticores and had been killed. It only made sense, unless it was trying to philosophize with manticores. That would be a conversation Deacon wished he could hear. Hell, he just wished he could hear!
“Vogh I think we should get the manticores.” Deacon said in the mind link with the bardic woman.
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Vogh
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Finally, some movement thought Vogh. The arbiter had been dispatched and it was the manticores fault. Vogh had to wonder what such creatures were keeping safe. First the nasty flesh monster and now manticores? It certainly would guard the back door to the place for sure.
“Yes, let’s advance. Move slowly so that we don’t get hurt here but we need to make the hallway at least before they decide to move forward.” Vogh said with finality in her voice.
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Julia Graymantle
———————————————————–
Though Julia couldn’t see if Bharash was hurt any further and the big Dragonborn was too proud to say he needed help, Julia decided one more pray wouldn’t hurt him. So before he headed off at Vogh’s urging she touched him on the arm releasing the power of her spell. Once more healing power of Lothian poured into Bharash. “Hopefully, that will do you some good Bharash.”
21:11, Today: Julia Graymantle rolled 33 using 4d8+11. another heal on Bharash.
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Talin
———————————————————–
Having taken a bit of damage from the slam of the monster, Talin was a bit injured but it was more like he was missing a small portion of his being and not actual damage.
When Vogh said to move forward, Talin picked up his spot in the formation, which was in the back. He would wait for everyone to advance before he took moved forward cautiously. For now, he would hold off on casting the haste spell again as Vogh had requested.
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Bharash
———————————————————–
Bharash grumbles good-naturedly under his breath at Julia as she pours even more energy into him, although as before he soaks it up like a sponge, which implies that it was in no way wasted… He takes her as far as he can over the broken ground and then settles into the lee of the corridor, where he takes a deep couple of breaths and – after touching the shield-patterned ring on his left hand – draws steel again in order to be ready to fight, before commenting to the two floating creatures “Bastards, I sort of liked the little fellow. Are we going to go and do something about them, or what?”
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Vogh
———————————————————–
Vogh replied to Bharash through the link, “Yes, we are going to take care of the manticores. My thought is there has to be something interesting here for there to be so many creatures defending.”
Vogh then moved down so she could sense farther down the corridor while sending her dancing lights further as well.
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Belie
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“Son of my Mother!” Belie cursed under his breath as his foot slipped and he hit the floor uncharacteristically ungracefully. The rogue touched his arm and the cut there from some shard of metal. The wound was minor, rather, his pride was far more injured. “I’m fine.” He shook his head in self-deprecation. (Rolled a 1… 4 dmg *eyeroll)
Moving into position, he kept his floating shield in front of him as always, and his beautiful rapier drawn.
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Narrator GM
———————————————————–
The dancing lights illuminated first a left hand turn, then a right off the main tunnel they were all currently looking down. Vogh could sense the creatures were just beyond the range of her lights, and they actually began to retreat further down the tunnel as the magical illumination moved forward. As the lights reached their location, a hail of spikes flew from the darkness at Vogh, Belie and the two floating arbiters.
One spike flew true and stabbed directly into the floating eye of the arbiter on Vogh’s left, sending it crashing to the floor only to dissipate into smoke as it returned to its own existence. The other took a nasty stab from one of the projectiles and nearly faltered in the air from the damage (it’s down to 6 hp). Belie and Vogh were able to dodge several of the flying spikes, as a few others clattered off their magical armor.
Vogh felt a sharp pang as one spike made it through her protections, then immediately the wound felt like it was on fire! (Not a crit. But close. Pick a location on your body for the write up. 6 dmg + 4 fire dmg.) Her flesh sizzled at the burning touch of the tine stabbed in her skin. It resembled bone in its smooth texture, but posessed a heat which quickly faded after the initial injury. More spikes than the group could count flew from the darkness of the hallway from the beasts only Vogh could sense beyond the light.
[Private to GM: 07:13, Today: Narrator GM, for the NPC MA, rolled 27,13,19,10,16,13,20,9
using 1d20+10,1d6+7,1d20+10,1d6+7,1d20+10,1d6+7,1d20+10,1d6+7 ((17,6,9,3,6,6,10,2)).
07:14, Today: Narrator GM, for the NPC Boreal, rolled 26,12,5,22,12,5,28,15,5,13, 14,6
using 1d20+8,2d6+5,1d6,1d20+8,2d6+5,1d6,1d20+8,2d6+5,1d6,1d20+8,2d6+5,1d6
((18,1,6,5,14,2,5,5,20,6, 4,5,5,6,3,6)).
07:14, Today: Narrator GM, for the NPC Poisonous Manticore, rolled 12,6,16,10,17,11,20,9
using 1d20+8,1d6+5,1d20+8,1d6+5,1d20+8,1d6+5,1d20+8,1d6+5 ((4,1,8,5,9,6,12,4)).]
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Vogh
———————————————————–
When Vogh got hit by the spike in the thigh she called out in pain. [Private to GM: You will pay with your life creature. I had thought you to be wiser than this but you will die just as the flesh beast died. Vogh called out to the three creatures.]
Pulling the burning spike out of her thigh, Vogh began to sing in the heads of her companions.
Vogh then moved next to Bharash.
Inspire courage +5 attack and damage.
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Talin
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Talin wished he has a way of dealing with the drain he felt but since he didn’t he had just waited to see what would happen next.
Suddenly, chaos broke out as spikes came flying from the darkness dropping an arbiter and wounding his love.
Figuring the fight was on Talin cast the spell to hasten their actions as the previous had now dropped. He waved his arm to Deacon to get down to where they were so he wasn’t so exposed from the rear.
Cast Haste
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Deacon Havenhold
———————————————————–
Deacon saw Talin wave to him hurriedly and so Deacon obliged and made a double move to get down to where they all were. The hastening effect aiding in his movement.
Deacon didn’t like the fact that two of his arbiters were already killed but they had served their purpose so far, he thought.
Deacon knew that with Vogh’s song going, more fighting was about to happen especially since she was already hit.
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Julia Graymantle
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Smiling as Bharash accepted the other healing grudgingly, Julia said, “By the sound and timber of thos song I would think so. Time to kill some manticores.”
Julia would move closer as well so she could fall into the formation they always used in dungeons.
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Bharash
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“Alright. On three!” Bharash rumbles, deep and loud and clear, before adding “One!” and rolling straight out of cover to charge up the hall, not even pretending to take any kind of shelter as he attempts to close with the enemy at the same time as he emits a loud, ringing battle-cry and seems to loom distressingly large, his strides seeming to carry him across the flagstones with horrifying speed – horrifying at least, for anyone or anything he’s bearing down upon.
—
Okay:
Bharash has a base move of 50′. Haste adds +30′ to that.
If the enemy is within 80′, he’ll run up to them.
If they’re in 160′ he’ll charge them.
If they’re further than 160′ in a straight line, he’ll run.
If there’s not a straight line involved, he’ll double-move.
He’ll rage as he charges, gaining a size category and effectively providing line-of-effect cover for those behind him.
For the next 9 rounds, he has a shield spell running.
His AC is 37. 32 base, -0 for his suddenly being large, +1 for haste, +4 for shield.
If he reaches someone, he hits them:
45 to automatically hit, 28 to confirm a critical.
20 damage, +6 if they’re evil.
60 damage, +18 if they’re evil if confirmed.
And then
20 fire damage if it’s running, 60 if confirmed.
17:06, Today: Bharash rolled 20,1,6 using 1d20,1d10,2d6. Charge and slash.
17:07, Today: Bharash rolled 3 using 1d20. Critical threat.
17:10, Today: Bharash rolled 20 using 5d6. Not sure about the aura.
Not knowing where he ends up, I’ll leave positioning to The Boss.
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Narrator GM
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Much to Bharash, and everyone else’s, surprise, he never reached the enemy. Unfortunately, the charging warrior discovered too late in his haste for battle, that the floor he was pounding across was not entirely stable. Furthermore, it wasn’t all real…
The heavy dragon warrior took a fateful step forward and plunged beneath the stone floor, which revealed the illusion for what it was.
Thankfully his magical ring arrested his deadly descent to a slow fall, but he had a ways to go.
[Private to Bharash: The shaft is 40 feet long and the full width of the hallway. It’s all smooth stone. Not cut. Smooth. And 100 feet down. Your ring of feather fall protected you from plummeting to a very painful ending.]
OOC: He made it about 20 feet into the hallway before dropping down. The illusion is still there. You don’t know the distance that the floor is false and you cannot see Bharash below the illusionary floor.
No reflex save to catch the edge. His momentum alone carried him over with no way to twist back. But he’s got his ring of feather fall.
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Vogh
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Vogh moved forward while motioning the others forward as well. “Bharash let me know if you are alright when you get to the bottom. We will decide to fight or come down once you say.”
“Deacon send something over there to harass those manticores while we figure this out.” Vogh then said to Deacon.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon thought what would be best to send over there before beginning his spellcasting. Then it came to him. He hadn’t summoned one of these before but no time like the present he thought to himself.
Deacon began his summoning spell and when it was finished 2 bralani azata appeared next to him (where the blue x’s are). With a command, he told them, “Welcome, I have a battle for you to test your skills. There are 3 manticores down the corridor somewhere. There is a pit trap that is 10ft in front of me and goes for some unknown distance. Fly over to the end of the hall and attack anything that attacked them.” Deacon pleaded to their will of battle and wanting to prove themselves.
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Talin
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Talin thought that if they knew how long the pit was that they might be able to bypass it easier. One way to do expose it would be to cast his glitterdust all over the area. The dust would land on the solid ground and fall through the illusion.
Cast glitterdust using the blue circle as the radius and where it is cast.
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Bharash
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Bharash vanishes into the illusory depths with his battle cry turning into something that sounds rather more like “Wheeeeeee!”
On the way down, he picks up a bit of rotation as he falls, spinning slowly forwards woke counting under his breath.
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Narrator GM
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Talin’s dust showed them the truth of the illusory floor, revealing roughly 40 feet of the hallway floor to not really be there. The opening spanned the entire width of the hall, with no ledge or handholds.
In response to Vogh’s mental touch she received back, “Greater than you have tried puny one. You’re in my home now fleshling.”
Vogh could also sense that the monsters kept retreating from their lights as the group advanced.
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Vogh
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Vogh hoped that Bharash would be okay where he is. She would help the others deal with the manticores for now.
“Deacon can you do that Dimensional thing that you did to get to the other side? We are going to have to trust that Bharash is okay. Once we deal with the manticores we can go get him. Talin and I will Dimension door to the other side. Belie you can spider walk right?”
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Deacon Havenhold
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The question was easy to answer but he also had another thing he could do which he thought would be better so that he didn’t have to waste one of his arcane points. So, he answered back, “I have a better idea, I will ask Yaeshla to use her levitate ability and then I can take Julia with me. You and Talin dimension door.” Assuming it was good for Vogh, Deacon then asked Yaeshla, “Yaeshla, can you cast levitate on Julia and me?” He asked as he held her before him.
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Bharash
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Bharash, who hasn’t done anything of the bloody sort continues to fall until he actually arrives wherever it is he’s going, at which point he’ll be able to fill people in on the small details that they’re totally ignorant of, like ‘how deep is it?’ and ‘are there spikes?’, little important trifles like that.
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Deacon Havenhold
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After Deacon had given the Bralani the request to attack the manticores down the corridor and that there was a pit. Cokwaunant Inko and Pepel Kymlenmi knew exactly what they should do. They immediately turned into their wind form and then moved out over the pit to the extent of their speed. “Let’s see what we can do against these evil beasts.”
They didn’t come out of their wind form at first as they wanted to see what they might do against the enemy while in wind form.
ooc: Can’t attack this round as it is standard action to change to wind form and then their movement.
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Narrator GM
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We’re a little out of sorts on our initiative so to clarify, now Bharash is at the top of the round. Someone else can put us in order. It doesn’t really matter since I have the monsters going last anyway.
So Round 1 is Bharash starts his fall. Deacon casts his summon and they act on his initiative flying down the way. Belie moves over to the group and agrees to use his spider climb boots to cross safely. Bottom of round 1, my monsters get to attack again.
Top of round 2 Bharash, and the bards I guess since they free fell for a bit, will reach the ground, and I’m posting about that below. Then you all do your crossing stuff. Then my monsters attack again. So after this post we will be at the top of Round 3, with 3 people 100 foot down, Deacon, Julia and Belie all on the far side of the hole.
Agreed? Make sense?
Bharash floated down easily 100 feet, and landed shortly before the bards came dropping rapidly after, free falling but then enacting their magic to touch down gently.
The heat that far down was stifling. The trio had already been sweating, but now the water flooded from their bodies. It was getting difficult to even draw breath as each intake felt like they were inhaling from a blacksmiths forge at full flame.
Looking around everyone noticed several bodies in various states of decay, from a black skinned orc barely bloated in death, to skeletons free of any flesh. Atypically, the more recent corpses seemed undisturbed, with no bite marks or chunks missing, but wore no armor and had no weapons about them.
Everyone could hear a faint chittering coming from down the half dozen different dirt tunnels all around the room, each bored into the hard packed earth and clay. The area they stood in was no longer cut stone, but rather a circular room with walls of rough cut and uneven dirt. A hole roughly ten feet across, located near the center of the sixty foot diameter room, dropped into darkness.
Spinning to their back at the sound of rustling the group saw an insectile monster with four legs, a strange propeller-shaped protrusion at the end of its tail, and two long, feathery antennae.
Roughly 5 feet long and likely weighing more than Talin, the creature cocked its head to either side, chittering at them through small mandibles. It looked the group up and down, wagging both antenna back and forth while remaining at the mouth of the tunnel.
—
Above their heads, Deacon and Julia levitated across the hole and touched down on the other side thanks to Yeshlas magic. Belie enacted the magic of his boots and climbed across the wall to join them. Unfortunately, with the bralani in cloud form, that left the three of them to face another barrage of spikes.
Attacks against Deacon that might have hit, 1 for sure miss. The last number is fire damage from the spikes being burning hot, like Vogh took.
26,16,6,
23,11,5,
24,8,2
Attacks against Julia
24,8
25,8
Julia needs to deal with the poison in the spikes if either of those did hit her. Fort DC 19; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Con; cure 1 saves.
One spike hit Belie and was a hit almost a crit. 9 dmg.
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Belie
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Belie tried to duck behind his shield, which thankfully blocked a couple of the spikes flying from the manticores tales. Unfortunately one made it through, to painful effect. The rogue grunted and spun with the force of the projectile hitting him in the shoulder. He quickly pulled the smooth bolt from his shoulder and tossed it to the ground. Tossing his magical rapier to stab into the stone, vibrating from the impact but otherwise unharmed, the rogue drew his bow and an arrow from his magical quiver. In the same motion he knocked, drew and loosed the arrow at the biggest of the beasts down the hall. The arrow flew straight and true, stabbing into the manticores own shoulder.
“How do like that you son of four whores?!?!” The rogue uncharacteristically cursed at the beasts.
[Private to GM: Include a sword of the great harrowing from Dragon magic book. It actually hurts bharash, Vogh and Talin. They try to sell it, but this pisses off House Dragon. Perhaps Lord D. requires they quest to find the sword and bring it back to him for destruction.]
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Bharash
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Landing lightly on the dirt floor, Bharash takes a moment to look around him, hands on the hilts of his weapons before blinking at the weird bug-monster and letting a broad grin pass over his features, rumbling “Well <D-Notice> me if that isn’t the most adorable little <D-Notice>…” then grimacing as he glances up before muttering something and trying his best to concentrate.
He hates telepathy.
‘Is this thing on? Stupid <D-Notice> spell anyway. Uhm, the hole. Fairly deep, took me a good eight or nine seconds to hit bottom. It opens up, and I’m in a big, round room with a dirt floor, lot of dead <D-Notice>s. Looks like they died from the fall though, nothing’s eaten them and the only creature down here is this adorable whiskery bug-thing with a funny spike on its tail, it’s got burrows. I should be alright while you finish the Manticores.’
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Vogh
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Vogh watched the others cross the pit to make sure they got across before doing her dimension door. She then tried to communicate with Bharash, but there was no word back. He must have gone out of range. Vogh pushed her dancing lights out further to get a better look of what was beyond the manticores.
Bharash my range is 100ft for the telepathy, so she wouldn’t answer you. I forgot about how far it was. So, you will have to do it alone for now.
When Vogh saw that the others got hit by more spikes, Vogh cursed again. Damn manticores… She quickly grabbed Talin’s hand and used her Dimension door. She could see that the corridor went further beyond the manticores and so she aimed her door just on the other side of the last manticore.
Cast Dimension door.
Updated Roll20 with my tokens.
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Talin
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When Talin came out of the dimension door he saw the backside of the manticore before him. He was ready to kill the thing and so with a 5ft step which put him in range to use SolarSong he swung his blade which was still hastened by his spell.
SolarSong flared up as it sliced into the evil manticore adding power and strength to the power of the strike.
HIT AC34 for 30, AC32 for 30, and AC25 for 24
07:46, Today: Talin rolled 34,30,32,30,25,24 using d20+23,4d6+14,d20+23,4d6+14,d20+18,4d6+14.
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Julia Graymantle
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Julia got hit by the two spikes and immediately she felt the burning sensation of poison seeping into her bones. She turned and saw that Deacon and Belie too had been hit by the spikes. “Oh my Lothian, does that hurt! I will heal us quickly while you two deal with those manticores!”
09:36, Today: Julia Graymantle rolled 36 using 10d6. channel.
09:33, Today: Julia Graymantle rolled 10 using 2d20. both failed.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon felt the bite of the spikes as they all hit him. The burn was internal and something that would need to be taken care of quick. Thankfully, Julia had already healed most of the burning and the injures would soon be taken care of he knew. As he saw Talin and Vogh appear on the other side of the manticores without Bharash, he worried about what happened to the Dragonborn. He hoped he was okay.
Deacon also saw the Bralani ahead of him and hoped they would do something soon. Just as he thought that it seemed to him that each of them used an ability to push air into the manticores.
Each of the blasts hit the first two manticores pelting them with the wind.
07:58, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 13,13 using 3d6,3d6. whirlwind blast for each. Reflex DC 17 half
Deacon himself added to the slams on the biggest of the manticores. Yaeshla use your magic missiles on the biggest manticore.
08:01, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 12 using 5d4+5. some sorry rolls that was
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Bharash
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Gone out of range or, of course, died on impact. One of the two.
Either way, Bharash spends a few moments waiting for a response before swearing sulferously and looking around the pit he finds himself in, in case there’s a door or other means of egress from it, not that he’s dramatically hopeful.
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Narrator GM
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— Bottom of Round 3 : Above with the Manticores —
The front, and biggest, of the manticore beasts weathered the stinging blasts from the bralani, then the stabbing magic missiles. The other two dug claws into the stone and roared. The front creature was larger than most of his kin. He posessed a vaguely humanoid head, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon with the iconic tail ending in those long, sharp spikes. His roar promised death to the creatures which attacked him, unfortunately in their gas state, he could do nothing against them, so instead he charged down the hallway! With the stones shaking from hundreds of pounds of lion flesh pounding the ground, this ones shout rang out, “Teelas! Get in here now!” [Private to GM: Teelas Jaggedhorn, Minotaur] It closed with the group and sunk impossibly powerful teeth into Deacon’s flesh. (10 dmg)
While the wind stung the beasts, it also created a problem for the bards. It seemed the very air around the smallest of the creatures, which had been between the two, was poisonous. Vogh and Talin both had that deadly air blow over them. (Cloud of poisonous gas: This inhaled poison affects any creature that breathes. Save Fort DC 19; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Str damage plus sickened for 1 hour, cure 2 saves. Two consecutive saves reduces the sickened condition to 1 minute.)
This small manticore also had a mostly humanoid head, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon. However, its jaws and tail spikes driped with poison, and a green toxic substance oozed from its pores. Opening its mouth, the beast spewed forth disorienting mist of contact poison. Spittle splattered all over the flying gas clouds of creatures. (Fortitude save (DC 19) or suffer the effects of the poison. Failing the save results in 1d6 point of Intelligence damage, 1d6 point of Wisdom damage, and the creature is confused as per the spell. A successful save halves the ability damage and negates the confusion effect. The confusion effect lasts for one round per HD of the poisonous creature.)
Suffering SolarSong’s vicious slash, the third, and strangest of the beasts whirled on Talin. White-furred, now matted with her own blood, she had a humanoid head which might have been beautiful on a woman, the body of a lion, and the wings of a dragon. Her tail ended in long, sharp spikes which glowed with heat. The lioness lashed out at the bard with everything she had with a feral roar, and a burst of heat from her fury.
Talin blocked one claw, then another with mighty swings from SolarSong. Each time the creatures claws scraped the swords magically enhanced steel, he could feel extreme heat coming from the sharp bones. Unfortunately, this was no dumb beast, her claw attacks failed to open the bard up for her vicious bite attack. Her teeth clamped down on Talin’s arm and he felt like she lit his skin on fire! (14 dmg + 6 fire)
Top of Round 4. Everyone can act. Bharash is below.
Bharash looked around and noted 5 extra exists from the room. All burrowed tunnels similar to the one the inquisitive creature was blocking. However, he was also hearing sounds echoing up from some of them, he couldn’t be sure which. Maybe all of them. There was also the hole in the center of the room, less than two strides away from him, but gods knew where that led.
The big warrior heard an voice echo down the shaft from above. “Bharash!!! Are you alive?! We could sure use your help!!” It was Belie. The mind-talking stuff might be limited, but a man could still shout.
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Belie
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Belie stepped back from the charging Manticore, leaving his rapir stabbed into the ground. He deftly knocked and fired two arrows in rapid succession, hoping he didn’t miss and hit the bards down the hallway. The rogue was nervous and trying to loose arrows faster than aiming at the big beast barreling down the hallway towad him and the casters. Both of his arrows went horribly arround the beast. Vogh and Talin had both arrows shatter on the wall behind them!
Belie rolled 15,5,12,6 using 1d20+14,1d6+4,1d20+9,1d6+4 ((1,1,3,2)).
Rolled a 10 on Crit Fail chart and only missed, nothing worse!
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Vogh
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Vogh moved 5ft to her front left hoping she would avoid the poisonous gas but it was everywhere, she just couldn’t see it. The poison didn’t really affect her though and so she put her swords to work against the injured manticore. Her first strike on the manticore took the tail right from it. Vogh followed right behind with a backhand slash opening a gaping wound on its flank. Her next strike came across the creature’s neck almost severing its head from its body. The third strike killed it where it stood. “This puny one just killed your woman, Teelas was her name?”
AC36 with crit check of 30 for 21 or 49, AC27 for 26, AC31 crit check 18 for 24 or 45, AC16 for 27
21:10, Today: Vogh rolled 36,21,27,26,31,24,16,27 using d20+17,d8+20,d20+17,d8+20,d20+12,d8+20,d20+12,d8+20.
21:11, Today: Vogh rolled 30,28,18,21 using d20+17,d8+20,d20+12,d8+20. crit checks.
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Talin
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Talin coughed as the poisonous gas was blown his way. But thankfully he was able to fight through it though not as well as he would like. He sidestepped 5ft to his right the move would let him be able to flank the creature. Talin saw Vogh drop the larger of the two manticores so he switched to the smaller one. He then swung SolarSong again and again at the smaller manticore. Talin’s strikes were even more deadly than were the ones on the larger creature. SolarSong fileted the flesh from the back of the smaller one as it cried out in unearthly pain he swung again slicing down cleaving the smaller manticore in two.
Talin was breathing hard now. He looked to the Bralani who slammed the head of the creature with its wind attack once more. Talin would need some healing to get rid of his pain. “Vogh, I am hurting inside and out.”
AC28 for 27, AC43 with crit check of 25 for 30 or 58, AC38 with crit check of 31 for 25 or 51. added 2 to hit for flanking. If the other is dead then just subtract 2 to hit for each strike on the other one.
20:44, Today: Talin rolled 26,27,41,30,36,25 using d20+21,4d6+14,d20+21,4d6+14,d20+16,4d6+14.
20:45, Today: Talin rolled 23,28,29,26 using d20+21,4d6+14,d20+16,4d6+14. crit checks.
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Deacon Havenhold
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One of the Bralani begins to cough repeatedly but composes himself and decides to transform back to his normal form. He then moves to attack the big guy that just passed him, defending Deacon.
Standard action to transform back and move action to move close.
The second Bralani begins coughing wildly and becomes confused it looks around and decides to attack the manticore to his right.
21:32, Today: Deacon Havenhold rolled 12 using 3d6. Reflex DC 17 half
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Julia Graymantle
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Julia had options here. She could aid in the battle with a spell or she could aid by healing. She thought the best thing would be to kill the thing first since the others didn’t seem too injured as of yet. So Julia began casting her signature combat spell. The admonishing ray had done her well in other fights so she cast it again here. Three rays shot from her hands directly at the large manticore.
Cast Admonishing Ray- ranged touch attack on the big manticore.
AC25 for 14, AC24 for 15, and AC21 for 21.
21:35, Today: Julia Graymantle rolled 25,14,24,15,21,21 using d20+11,4d6,d20+11,4d6,d20+11,4d6. admonishing ray.
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Bharash
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“I knew that <D-Notice> spell was no use! I’m here!” bellows Bharash up the hole, keeping an eye on the creature in the burrow-mouth as he does so, hopefully adding “It’s about a hundred feet down, give or take. Big room, dirt floor, lots of bodies, no weapons. Nothing looks to have disturbed them either. And a… thing… Adorable, kind of like a really big aphid. With whiskers. And a funny twirly tail.”, irritably knowing full well that half of what he’s shouting won’t actually be heard over the sound of the fight.
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Narrator GM
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The creature eyed Bharash up and down, moving closer. But then it squealed, about faced and started fleeing down the tunnel away from him. The big warriors instincts told him to move, and not a second too soon because the lifeless body of a big manticore crashed down the tunnel he just descended and slammed into the dirt floor, sending up a choking cloud of dust.
— above —
Seeing its mate and child slain by the humans, then feeling the stinging pains racking his body, the big manticore flew into a rage! Flinging its huge body forward the beast thought to take Deacon and Julia down with him. Belie barely dodged the things heedless bull rush. Deacon and Julia both allowed themselves to be pushed back and saw the creatures eyes go wide as it plunged down, alone, and they hung in the air, levitating.
Yaeshla chuckled in her child like voice. “Well that was foolish.”
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Bharash
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“<D-Notice>-Balls!” echoes up the shaft from somewhere far below, just ahead of the enormous wet ‘slap’ of several hundred pounds of dying feliform killer impacting on dirt at terminal velocity, although the scrabbling that follows as Bharash rolls further clear of the shaft and into shelter where the dirt chamber doesn’t have an open pit over it is less clearly audible.
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Narrator GM
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Top of Round 5
Bharash avoided becoming minced manticore mush, which scared away the one creature that had been observing him. However, the disturbance attracted three more of the things. All of them looked at the dead manticore, then at Bharash. They felt the air with three sets of antenna then started to move forward the big warrior.
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Deacon Havenhold
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Deacon was certainly glad he had made the decision to use levitate for him and Julia for when the manticore crashed into them to push them into the pit they just moved out across the pit and didn’t fall. Deacon’s grin widened as the creature fell to its death far below. He only hoped that Bharash was okay and that it didn’t land on him. It frustrated Deacon that he couldn’t hear what had happened.
With the manticore far below now, Deacon used the wall to guide himself back to the solid part of the hallway. “Well done everyone. Now we need to see how Bharash is doing. Oh and when we all get back together I know I could use some more healing. That thing took quite a bit of flesh from my arm.”
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Vogh
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Vogh heard Bharash from far below, but from her position, she didn’t understand him. Vogh had stopped her music once more and moved to where the others were. After asking if they knew what Bharash said, Belie had told her he was around 100ft down with some creature. Vogh knew she needed to get down there to bring him back. Thing was, it would use her last dimension door for the day. “I am going to go get Bharash and return right here.”
Vogh stepped off the ledge then and plummeted 75ft down approximately, and then activated her feather fall. At about 50ft she said to Bharash, “I am coming down! Be right there.”
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Narrator GM
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Top of round 6
Bharash saw Vogh float down, and not a moment too soon. The trio of antenna waving creatures was closing in on him slowly, and to make matters worse, he felt a trembling under the ground beneath his feet.
—
Above, the four remaining friends were starting to clean themselves up when everyone tensed and looked to the tunnel to the right, immediately after the hidden pit. The sound of clattering hooves echoed down the tunnel, and a few moments later a huge minotaur, holding a war hammer that probably weighed more than Deacon and was taller than Julia, burst from the darkness. The great beast’s horns nearly touched the ceiling and his eyes blazed with hatred as he saw the dead manticores down the hall. His brown fur glistened with sweat, and his bovine nose was wet as he sucked in and blew out breath from the exertion of running.
“What have you done?!?!” He bellowed in rage at the group.
—
Vogh and Bharash below heard the strange voice yelling.
—
Belie held his bow in hand, glancing the steps away to where his rapier was still stabbed in the mortar, then his wide eyes fell on Talin silently asking the bard what to do.
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Talin
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Talin wasn’t the honey-tongued talker that Vogh was but he said a few words to the Minotaur heading their way. “We were minding our business when these things attacked us. We had just killed that flesh monster back behind us and we’re licking our wounds when they attacked. If they were your friends, I am sorry!”
Diplomacy check of 12 LOL that is laughable.
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Narrator GM
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The grief on the creatures face was obvious as he looked over the two bodies. He looked left and right then asked, “Where is Ptegula? The other manticore? Biggest one? He is the father and mate and called for me… Where is he?”
Adjusting his double handed grip on the over five foot long hammer’s handle. The head of the great weapon was about the size of talins entire torso, smooth on each side. The entire handle was a matching metal to the head. Metal plates covered most of the bipedal bovine’s body. Either the armor was made for this big bull, or he got the armor from something very similar in size to him. He carried no pack or traveling gear.
“They attacked you? And what do you do when someone walks into your home? Offer them biscuits?”
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Bharash
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One of the propeller-things was sort of cute, if Bharash is being completely honest but two of them are gently disconcerting, three are sort of alarming and four are out and out unsettling… When you throw in the rumbling sensation of something else going on, something underfoot…
…well, suffice to say that Vogh’s shout keeps him from drawing steel and he calls back “Good, because little whiskers has family, and they look hungry. We’d better get going!” as he darts back out from where he was sheltering and moves to where he can hope to flat-out catch the descending Vogh rather than let her hit dirt.
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Vogh
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Just as Vogh touched down in the dirt-filled room she saw the crushed remains of the male manticore who thought it so smart as to challenge Vogh and her friends. With a shake of her head she said briefly, “You should have taken my offer, now look at you, all dead and all.”
Vogh then looked up and noticed the 3 other creatures advancing on them both. “Okay time to get out of here Bharash.” Even as she said the words she was casting the spell to whisk them away. As she finished she touched Bharash on the shoulder and poof, they were back up at the top of the pit where she knew it was clear.
I have edited r20 and Bharash you are able to take any action if you want when we appear.
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Talin
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Talin understood what the minotaur was trying to say, “Normally, when someone is trying to figure out a solution for passage through an area they aren’t expecting to be attacked either and that is what they did. They attacked us first. We tried to reason with them but I guess it is hard to reason with evil beings.”
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Narrator GM
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The minotaur’s eyes flared with rage and he started to take a step forward, but in that moment Vogh and Bharash appeared out of nowhere and he blanched at their appearance. Big, hulking, muscled, armored and double sword wielding Bharash was still a head and a half shorter than the bull, likely weighed a little less, but he was far more imposing than the squishy humans (and elf) who stood before him just moments prior. His cloven hoof touched back down on the stone floor from where he had picked it up, solid black eyes shifting left and right, taking in the group.
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