The party descends on the imperiled Wizard. Dakk's bomb goes off just ahead of a pair of charging furry death. The swarm is dealt with in a matter of seconds.
With burning rats all around the pair he steps closer. Bone and smelly flesh crunch under his boots. "'Ow many years did ye spend at ta Academy? They ne'er taught ye to avoid bein' surrounded?" He claps his hand hard on the wizard's shoulder, the other hand tight on his cross bow just in case "Let's get ye to Vuzi and ha'ye looked o'er"
"'Ow many years did ye spend at ta Academy? They ne'er taught ye to avoid bein' surrounded?" He claps his hand hard on the wizard's shoulder, the other hand tight on his cross bow just in case "Let's get ye to Vuzi and ha'ye looked o'er"
I only spent three, though I suspect they were worth about ten to a normal person. And then there were all the years with my father and private tutors before that, and my occasional private studying afterwards. And very little of it was with Rappan Athuk in mind.
In any case, he takes a few heavy steps, I should be alright. There's slightly less skin on my shins, and my pants are ruined, but I'll be fine in the morning. My clothing, on the other hand, will only be fine after I prepare a mending spell. Unless someone else did already?
He prods a rat at his foot, looking over the others. I think the best thing to do now would be to walk away before more show up. The holes are all over the place, so the flames probably wouldn't get them all. And then they'd pop up at various different places to bite us from behind, better to descend and be done with it.
Maglin moves towards the larger building. You notice, however, that he's now taking special care to always stay near the middle of the group.
Dakk. Something itches at your mind. Something you wanted to look at...
Marco grabs the two rats he had speared with his bones and raises them up [b]"this should help with food"
As the excitement starts to dwindle the Dwarf starts to feel like he's missed something, something just on the tip of his tongue. He looks back at the well, and then to the nearby stone buildings. Was it the torch?
Vuzi shakes her head at the wizard. She reaches out and mends his pants while doing a quick heal check on him. He looks fine to her. She makes sure he walks in front of her as they move away from the rat holes.
Maybe I should treat him like child and make sure he stays with us or I could let Rappan Athuk take care of his education for us.
Ignatzia takes a brief moment to admire her handiwork with the rats before she goes back to join the others. Good to know that the thing works She thinks to herself as she begins to return to the large mausoleum.
"Well, I'm ready to get moving. Just so everyone knows, with a little time I have a way to break down doors that Simon here can't pick, along with a one time use device that can unlock a door instantaneously." She informs everyone as she levels her crossbow at the front entrance of the mausoleum, ready to engage with anything that might come out of it.
Hangs back a bit. He tugs at his burnt beard. Dalkk peers at that Rat Holes and walks back to the well, seeing if the make shift trip wire is still there.
Jogs back towards the party, crossbow in hand, before falling too far behind. He is unable to shake the feeling that he missed something. He seems distracted as he rejoins everyone at the mausoleum.
He approaches L'nshpad and retrieves a rack of 5 Durable Crossbow Bolts. Still looking around he absent-mindedly passes it off to Ignatzia. "Ye shot well lass.. this will last ye longer, just pull 'me out ta rack and they'll fit yer crossbow all ta same." His words sound shaky and distant "Aboot time we crack dat door open yeah?"
Vuzi keeps her longspear in hand. She keeps watch as the group goes back to opening the door. "Simon you can open de door ya?"
After the 'fight' is over, Simon quickly inspect the rats, looking for some sickness or the like that. He doesn't want Emily to get sick from eating them after all.
If nothing serious stands out, he will nod to Emily (who starts to enjoy a snack) before looking at the others.
He flinches a bit at the brute first-ork-aid and makes a mental note to not let Vuzi perform non-magical heal on serious wounds. Seeing that the wizard is not actually harmed, he just smiles at the two.
Then his gaze meets the two bone-fragments that have nailed two rats to the ground, then to Marco. His eyes are full of curiosity and interest.
"Those are from you, aren't they-iii?
How are you doing this-iii?
Does it hurt-iii?"
++++ At Vuzis question ++++
Simon nods. "Yes, I probably can open it. Just give me a little time-prrprr."
With a last gaze at Marco, he returns to the Mausoleum and starts to work on the door.
"Frchh. It's a stubborn lock. I will need some more time for it-grrr."
On his way over to the mausoleum Dakk stops by the Dwarf statue. It is a life-sized statue of a dwarf on a 4 ft. by 4 ft. stone block. He looks to have been a great warrior, and dwarven runes adorn the front of the pedestal.
A close look reveals that this is rather large tombstone seems to have been visited frequently. The dwarven runes read “Blessed is he who spares these stones/And cursed be the man who moves my bones.” Examination of the base of the statue reveals a small compartment that is easily opened. It is not trapped. Inside is a magical iron key.
"yes, they come to me.......... the rest of that isn't relevant to our tasks..."
As Simon makes his way to the final mausoleum, he suddenly breaks off course and stumble towards one of the graves - a grave that seems freshly dug.
As her master suddenly breaks off course, Emily starts to hiss and growl, drawing attention to the unexpected situation.
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After reaching the grave, he starts to circle it, then suddenly stops after reading the name on the grave.
"Ehhh, can someone tell me whether I am dead or alive-meewii?!
Here ... Here's my grave-grrhrr.
But I feel alive ... Vuzi you know about the undead-iii?
Am I an undead-iii?"
Vuzi shakes her head at the wizard. She reaches out and mends his pants while doing a quick heal check on him.
Thanks for fixing my pants. I was apprehensive about wandering around with my shins out.
Inside is a magical iron key.
Maglin concentrates, the magical blue of his eyes swelling up until there is no white left.
"Ehhh, can someone tell me whether I am dead or alive-meewii?!
That's probably not the first grave with your name on it. It might be the first that is intended for you, but you are still very much alive. I wonder how deep they dug, and if they buried anything down there. Considering that they seem to be making a threat on your life I doubt they have left us anything worth digging up.
Seems to me like they're trying to scare us while also revealing that they know your name. Who have you told that? Maybe someone from town is sabotaging adventueres. Otherwise they found out using magic, which doesn't tell us anything other than that there is a magic user down below. we already knew that.
Maglin: the magic is conjuration (teleportation) with an unknown trigger.
Vuzi moves over to the grave and the gravestone. She takes Simon's question very seriously. "No vu are not dead. I did not see you die this day. It's a cruel joke I think." She casts Detect Magic on the headstone and the grave.
Wraps the key up in multiple layers of cloth and tucks it securely into one of the bags on his person. "I know it been checked 'fore, but maybe ye can focus yer glowing eyes on the statue it came from too. I ne'er did well in history, e'en dwarven, but maybe ye would know him?"
He wanders over to where the group is gathered. He doesn't have much aptitude that could be of use here. He does get in close to see the headstone though and examine that. "Well tat's interestin'... I been spellin' yer name wrong."
Ignatzia's face pales at the sight of a gravestone with Simon's name on it- albeit not for the same reason the others might be worried. It would be incredibly unfortionate for her last name to be revealed to anyone in the shackles, including present company.
"This is nothing more than the trickery of demons at work. It is best ignored or avenged at the nearest opportunity. I choose the later." Ignatzia says with a seemingly uncharateristic level of determination as he she continues moving towards the building she hopes houses the entree center to Rappan Athuk.
After the words of the group, Simon shakes his head - if it was soaking wet - and bows to Emily.
"It's alright, Emily-purrprurr.
Our new friends say I'm not dead, no need to worry.
They say it's some kind of trickery-frchh.
You want to find those who did this-iii?
So do I-grrrch!"
He stands back up with new found energy, leaving 'his' grave behind, continuing his way to the mausoleum.
"Thank you, for your kind words-purrr.
Ready to go down there already-iii?
I'm sick of this treacherous graveyard-frchh.
And... Dulkk: Where did you get that key from-iii?
Maybe it can open the door to the mausoleum?
I can open it my way, but it will be quicker if we use the key-miaur!"
Shakes his head at furry friend. "Nah, I dinnae think that best. Mags said it has a teleport spell on it. Trut' be said we might be best to bury the slagged key and leave i' at tat. Wit' all ta dangers and warnin' we had aboot teleportin' off I tink it be bes' if'n we dun use it til we're sure aboot it. Ta Plinth read
The stone itself is completely ordinary
As youall approach the door and the key is produced you feel a tingle at the back of your neck, but that's all the warning you get as four of the Gargoyles animate and attack! Two attack Simon and two Cain as two more from either side round the building for a total of eight attacking stone monsters! Their eyes glow green and menacing.
The surprised Cain and Simon are both hit twice with hard stone claws!
Assuming Knowledge is a free action
[i]Move Action: Steps towards Ignatzia and Maglin
Standard Action: Throw a Tanglefoot/Minor Sickening Bomb at the Floor (AC 5 per RAW) that Cain is on while using Precise Bomb Feature to exclude the same square from Splash Damage .
"Any insight 'ere Magsy?" He looks towards the Elf, "Move yer arse up next to Vuzi for Brigh's sake!"
My insight is to pull back and try to bunch them together, Maglin replies. He seems a bit calmer than he was with the rats, and his left hand reaches into a pouch on his belt. He begins to chant a complex pattern of sounds that seem to elude understanding, making a large, exaggerated hugging motion at the ground next to him. He takes a few steps north.
Vuzi pulls a wand out of her backpack and activates it. The entire party feels Blessed.
As Vuzi's bless washes over him Dalkk is reminded of good vs evil, "Vuzi! Be these foul ugly piles o' slagged stone evil or merely ill-tempered?"
Simon goes with the swing and takes a step back to stand beside Emily and getting away from the creature in his back.
With a loud hiss he pulls out his two kukris. As he carefully strikes the one on his left, his fur starts to get some darker areas that form several darker stripes over his whole body - likewise Emilys fur starts to get some lighter areas in the same way.
"Why do stones not remain stones in these lands-iii?
Why do they walk and even fly around and attack people-frccch?!"
[EDIT]
Emily does not need any commands from Simon.
These creatures - weird as they are - are attacking him.
That's reason enough to attack with all she got!
1:
2:
3:39
4:6, entangled, -1 sick
5:3, -1 sick
6:3, -1 sick
7:
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Two of the gargoyles dodge the flames from the bomb rather well. The third is in worse shape, but that isn't saying much as the damage seems superficial at best.
Vuzi blesses as Maglin summons and the Cats move in on an isolated monster.
The Cats move in on an isolated gargoyle and strike as one in a flurry of claws and steel! They tear into the gargoyle and inflict several wounds (15 damage over 3 attacks). The other two focus on the still flat-footed Cain,
The gargoyles then strike back! Two attack Simon inflicting more light wounds. Cain weathers a battering and stands with only a few scratches (15 damage over 3 attacks as well).
On the flanks, the gargoyles close rapidly. One joints the assault on Cain, who is now holding three attackers at bay, one flies in behind Emily, and a third engages Vuzi! The fourth takes a longer route and looks to be aiming at Malgin!
To say the least, Ignatzia was caught off guard. She hadn't expected to encounter any sort of resistance or ambush on the outside, and it took her a moment to prepare for combat. Araqueil seems to be prepared for things, however. "You will rue the day you were brought into the world when we were done with you foul creatures!
Seeing the relatively vulnerable half orc with two enemies next to her along with an opportunity to cause some havoc on the enemies, the Hellknight shouts out a warning to her ally "Vuzi, withdraw!" before she focuses her mind bending powers on one of the gargoyles, uttering some incantations in a dark tongue.
She focuses her will on enticing the gargoyle into lashing out at it's ally with all of it's strength and might.
The Gargoyle lands several bone-ratling hits all over Simons body, causing him to caught blood.
"This ... doesn't look good!"
With fierce glance around, he decide that he MUST get rid of the gargoyle
right before him, to get abrief respite to call forth some of his magical
powers.
He let his weapons dance all over the stone-body of the enemies, hoping that he
and Emily will be able to finish it off this round.
Emily feels the pain of Simon and tries her best to get rid of that stubborn storn quickly. She uses one of those special tricks, Simon taiught her as she
was still very young. If she uses her dangerous maw in the right way, it can
really distracts an enemy.
Maglin's voice becomes strong and harsh, so that it sounds almost like he's spitting out the words.
Go there, between two of them.
He points at the gargoyle between Vuzi and Cain.
The heap of stones turns its back on the gargoyle above Emily, not caring if it gets hit. Shambling towards the gargoyle, it rears up on hind legs and then leaps forward the last few feet, bringing both arms down in a two handed blow.
Satisfied that the earth elemental knows what it's doing, Maglin looks at Dalkk for a moment. You'll be bigger in a moment, he says quickly, before beginning to chant again. Ai fina thilu, luthen lealoth thilu, he cries, touching his limbs one by one with his left hand. Finally, he touches his hand to his forehead, at which point Dalkk suddenly grows to twice his size.
Satisfied that the earth elemental knows what it's doing, Maglin looks at Dalkk for a moment. You'll be bigger in a moment, he says quickly, before beginning to chant again. Ai fina thilu, luthen lealoth thilu, he cries, touching his limbs one by one with his left hand. Finally, he touches his hand to his forehead, at which point Dalkk suddenly grows to twice his size.
Vuzi takes a step back. "Simon I see vu are hurt. I vill try to assist in a moment. Perhaps ve should get in de open doorway? She activates her draconic heritage and her arms glow with white electricity.
She stabs at the gargoyle to her right with her longspear.
Yells out as bones stretch. He steps forward to the mausoleum door. It being wide enough for his new form is one of the few pieces of good news today. He steps around Simon and sees one green gargoyle blocking half the door. He shouts "Yer in da way Slag Stone". He reaches out and tries to Reposition the Gargoyle to take his place, so Dalkk standing in the doorway.
The now giant dwarf roars out to his Allies "Der's no win left'n ta fight 'ere, e'eryone get inside now!"
Edit: Can't edit map on mobile, but if that worked I am dead center in the doorway sticking 5ft out either side of the door, blocking it entirely but allowing allies to squeeze through
Cain weathers the blows surprisingly well, his body and mind more durable than most
He shouts as his bones expand, over one arm turning into a sword and over the other arm something vaguely resembling a shield before stabbing at the closest rock monster with his bonesword
1:
4:14, entangled, -1 sick
5:13, -1 sick
6:3, -1 sick
7:
8:
Simon and Emily find a groove and a hole in the gargoyle's defenses. The first gargoyle, which didn't look that wounded, goes down to Simons' first attack. The cats then turn their attention to the gargoyle flanking Emily and tear into it, managing to take it down as well!
On the other side, Cain and the summoned earth elemental (mainly Cain) put up a downright heroic effort holding the line. They manage to attract and hold the attention of all four gargoyles on that flank!
Vizi's strike misses, as does the elemental's.
Dalkk grows to huge porportions (even for a dwarf) and throws one of the gargoyles out of position! It has to travel back in order to get it's attack in. (Both Dalkk and Cain may take an AoO on that Gargoyle)
In the back line, Malgus is in trouble. The flanking gargoyle reaches him and takes a swipe! (you take 4)
The attacks of the monsters aren't completely blunted by the defenders. Cain takes a two more hits, one of which comes within a hair's breadth of taking out an eye (14 total over those two, and barely avoided a crit), and the earth elemental absorbs another three before collapsing into dust!
Marco swings widely, trying to land solid enough blows while wracking his brain to see if he can remember a weak spot, in between hits he slowly backs up
Dalkk feels confident about landing a punch but thinks it's little more than perhaps a slight distraction to the Golem. "Ye' best be ready to get your are in 'ere Cain!"
Vuzi goes into full withdrawl, and moves to get next to Dalkk. "Simon get close if you can so I may heal vu." She stands with her spear ready just in case.
Simon hesitates for a short moment - leaving the elf alone out there, seems like a very dumb idea, but his body tells him, that retreat is a very good idea.
So he grawls a short "Down. With me." at Emily and enters the mausoleum after passing Vuzi and the giant Dalkk.
Knowing well that Dalkk will soon take the brunt of attack, he lays on a hand on his leg and begins to chant a very old rythm that reminds you of secluded clans. From where he touched the dwarf, his skin begins to change. It seems like it turned to (still flexible) thick bark.
Scans the battlefield and counts off as allies run around his legs. He glances down to his hands that turn stiff and brown, then crack into wooden bark. He looks down further to see the gray feline touching him. "Ach thar be a good kitty. It gives me an idea to boot."
He looks back out and to the field of flying stone monsters and allies spread thin. "Should either of ye be interested, the crossbow on me left is loaded wit' o' smoke bolt. Might provide a distraction." He lets out a shrill whistle, trying to call L'nshpad inside.
His left hand reaches across his belt line. He kisses his bottle of mutagen and it starts to glow. A few words of thanks are said to the goddess Brigh before he knocks back the mysterious liquid. The bark skin becomes even denser and changes several shades darker. At the same time his stance becomes looser. He shrugs his shoulders and his fave becomes one of acceptance. "Dis gonna hur' me real bad, but I'll hold'm, ye git ta' rest o'em inside."
-Edit-
L'nshpad takes off into a run, loyal to the command, and nearly clips Dalkk who steps out of the way. His large size struggles with the crowded room but with cooperation from the friendlies manages to work his way inside and out of the way.
Ignatzia's command takes root and the gargoyle attacks his ally!
Maglin recoils from the gargoyle, jumping backwards to avoid a serious mauling. Before it can close the distance he shouts a stern command, alga vuli, one hand closing his eyes, the other outstretched and limp. And then he vanishes.
And then he vanishes again, reappearing just north of Ignatzia.