Ghroth seems to be unsure about attacking the lizards. He looks at them as if confused by the situation until one turns on him. After kicking its assault back with one leg, he follows up by driving one claw down at it from above in an attempt to pin it to the ground. The first attempt misses, but when it tries to bite his arm, Ghroth sends it spinning with a powerful backhand.
Hannik doesn't exactly have a clear shot for her crossbow, so she summons a ball of acid and hurls it over Ghroth at a lizard.
,
Ghroth's punch flips the lizard on its back, but it quickly scrambles to regain its feet. Hannik's gob of acid splashes harmlessly on the wall.
Mulluq's eccentric attack puts the lizard on the defensive, and Jod impales it on his glaive.
Kira!
Kira again strikes out at the beast.
(-4 because not proficient)
Kira's attack is better this time, but the lizard shuffles aside just in time. It snaps at Rhok as he tries to dodge past it.
Ghroth hammers the lizard into the stone floor then punctures it with his tongue tentacle. Hannik holds back ready to call up another ball of acid.
,
,
,
,
Ghroth dismembers the last lizard in somewhat unnecessary fashion.
Ghroth's tongue continues to burrow through the spasming lizard until Hannik snaps at him, "Ghroth! Enough! It's dead!" and shakes her head in disgust. The amphibian horror slurps his fanged tentacle back into his mouth and looks around confused. "What? You want it dead. I made it dead. Very dead." He offers a friendly smile of crooked needle teeth.
"Well." Rhok looks around with a hint of a smile on his face. "I'd say that went quite well. Let's gather up the dead and see if they carry anything worthwhile - keys, maps, that sort of thing."
Jod moves into the room Sol has been watching to aid him in keeping an eye on the ladder. He waves Sol closer and whispers, "These are the only survivors, right? As far as we know?"
"Are we all still in one piece? I think we have done the job we came to do, but we should probably check around just to make sure. I expect any survivors will scatter now that we have taken their leadership out."
Mulluq stops and looks down at the dead around them with melancholy written on his face. "I sorry I had to kill as many of them as we did. I'm sure some of them had just been led away from the flock by the malicious lies of some of their more wicked brethren. Given more time, some may still have been saved." He says a quick, quiet prayer to Iomedae, before helping the others in looking over the bodies for anything helpful and securing the area against any lingering threats.
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Jod moves into the room Sol has been watching to aid him in keeping an eye on the ladder. He waves Sol closer and whispers, "These are the only survivors, right? As far as we know?"
"As far as we know, I guess." He frowns. "We don't know who or what is behind any of the doors." He kicks at the floor.
"It's a little early to declare victory."
"It's a little early to declare victory."
"I agree we must still investigate, to ensure the area is secure, and they have scattered. I believe our approach now should be different though, I see no need for more killing unless we face another group such as this. If we discover more, we should allow them to flee."
"If they have any sense, the ones down there," he points at the ladder, "are waiting to ambush the next person down and fight for their lives."
Mulluq stops and looks down at the dead around them with melancholy written on his face. "I sorry I had to kill as many of them as we did. I'm sure some of them had just been led away from the flock by the malicious lies of some of their more wicked brethren. Given more time, some may still have been saved." He says a quick, quiet prayer to Iomedae, before helping the others in looking over the bodies for anything helpful and securing the area against any lingering threats.
With a wry grin Hannik interjects, "Mulluq- I think the Lady upstairs is gonna let you slide on that one. You know, considering they've been killing and impersonating her priests and crusaders. She doesn't strike me as too forgiving for something like that."
She moves over to inspects Ghroth's wounds. They aren't bleeding, but something like an ectoplasmic ooze has filled or covered each one. "Those look pretty nasty buddy." She reaches up to take his chin in one hand, "That was amazing. You are truly a force of nature, but I think its time for you to rest now. We can handle it from here. Thank you again Ghroth."
Hannik dismisses Ghroth with a pat on his arm and begins a quick spell to scan the fallen cultists.
"Loot the bodies and then move on through the door? I don't care too much for the thought of climbing down one by one into a hole potentially full of desperate demon-worshippers unless we have no other options."
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Hosilla,
You will remain, for the time being, in Kenabres, but know this: the city’s days are numbered. Seek a place of safety — the underground den of your mongrel lackeys should suffice to keep you safe from the devastation to come. I shall assume command of Drezen shortly, and once Vorlesh has finished with the wardstone and Kenabres is no longer of interest to us, you are to return to my side. Excellent news regarding the salvage of Yaniel’s sword from the museum as well—bring it with you, for I believe this weapon could be quite useful once we corrupt it. Before you leave for Drezen, stop by the three safe houses (Nyserian Manor, Topaz Solutions, and the Tower of Estrod — the passphrase remains “I’ve new material for the archives,” for now) to ensure no evidence remains behind.
May Lord Deskari and Lord Baphomet watch over you!
S. V.
"Hmmmm... Now, what's this?"
"The letter is a nice find - we'll need to check those places out. But what does the key upen? And where is that sword?"
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"Excellent news regarding the sword... bring it with you?" Hannik trails off while leaning around Rhok to read the letter in his hands. "Well- Where is it? She hasn't run off to meet up with 'S.V' yet so this sounds like Hosilla over there, or at least her people have the sword."
"You guys know Yaniel? Kinda of a big deal around here. She more or less pioneered the demon fighting tactics in the earlier crusades. You know, the ones where we were sort of winning? A few years back she disappeared in the Worldwound. If the demons want her sword to corrupt it... I don't know what that means but it doesn't sound good."
"And this..." She points at the name Vorlesh. "Now we have a name. It sounds like this Vorlesh was the one who has been tampering with the Wardstone- and that he or she isn't finished yet."
With a wry grin Hannik interjects, "Mulluq- I think the Lady upstairs is gonna let you slide on that one. You know, considering they've been killing and impersonating her priests and crusaders. She doesn't strike me as too forgiving for something like that."
Mulluq nods, but still rebuts, "I do not doubt the greatness of Her mercy and grace in this task of removing the imposters within the church. It makes my heart no less heavy to know that it was due to the imposters' actions that I had to kill their misled followers. I bear no sadness, however, for removing those that despoiled Her great name with lies and deceit."
As to the plans, Mulluq listens before offering his thoughts, "If the hole is entered or exited via a rope or ladder, maybe we could pull it up to keep it blocked? Or possibly place something heavy over top of it? If we can not seal it somehow, or prevent passage, I say we examine it first. An open path to one side of us is threat capable of being used against us if we take a separate path that can be closed for our own safety."
"I do agree, we should take anything of use from the fallen. Iomedae, in Her glory and divine judgement, teaches that 'We should pick up the arms of the fallen that they may be used to better fight against those that choose to bring evil to this world'. I will carry any items I can to assist in this, maybe bringing them back to the mongrelfolk or to the surface with us. I personally, however, have no use for any of it."
Upon hearing of the contents of the letter, he grows concerned, and a little confused. "None of these names mean anything to me, but it is clear that we must stop this Vorlesh and 'S.V.', and even more importantly prevent whatever corruption they intend to perform over the sword of this righteous warrior Yaniel."
Kira nods along with Mulluq, pretty much agreeing with every word. The letter doesn't mean much to Kira either.
"And where is that sword?"
Jod remains near the hole in the floor. To Rhok's question, he shrugs his shoulders and points down into the hole.
