Using the magical link from the cantrip, Ealianne whispers to Aizu and Raznarr, "There are two guards with heads of a beast. I can create an glowing apparition out in the forest. Perhaps it will lure them out to investigate, then we can attack them well clear of the cave."
Aizu nods his head.
Ealianne closes her eyes a moment and concentrates. One hundred feet out in the forest beyond the hiding spot of Raznarr and the other Latern Bearers, a faintly glowing humanoid figure appears and moves about the trees. That ought to get their attention...
Not wanting to give away their position, Kestra will hold off on casting spells, instead probing her mind for any knowledge she may have on the creatures before her.
She will raise her bow at the ready, and will slowly draw an arrow in it, resting it at her cheek as she slowly inhales and exhales, awaiting the first strike of her allies and silently praying to Pharasma strength and for her allies weapons to strike true.
Anator merely waits to see if the creature's take the….bait.
Raznarr picks up his crossbow and sets his sights upon hearing the plan.
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the glowing humanoid figure moves about the trees to everyone else's left and immediately gets the attention of the two guards. A yipping squeal that sounds vaguely like a humans laugh escapes one at it rushes out to recklessly to investigate with. Flail in hand while the second moves much more cautiously, looking left and right with a poised spear ready to throw or stab, as it follows the first gnoll.
Kestra will release her arrow, aiming at the more cautious gnoll to the rear
Anator is quick, perhaps a little...too quick. He stumbles on the uneven ground...
Full Round Action: Charge!!!
[+3 Dex, -4 ACP]
[+1 BAB, +3 Dex, +1 Mwk, +1 weapon focus, -2 TWF]
[+3 Dex]
Raznarr looses a bolt at the foremost gnoll, which goes wide.
Kestra chooses to fire at the second, cautious, gnoll as her arrow buries itself in the gnoll's thick hide. Anator rushes towards the advancing gnoll drawing his blades and swinging as he approaches but the ground proves too slippery and his footing gives way causing him to overextend his stride and his blade swings wide missing the gnoll by several inches.
Aizubike shifts up behind the gnoll and buries his estoc several inches into the gnoll. Eilianne makes sure Aizubike finished it off before stepping into the cave and making sure it's clear. Raznar fires his crossbow at the rash gnoll but his quarrel goes wide, sailing well over the gnolls shoulder.
Alain steps up beside Anator and guards him while he regains his footing.
Not giving in to disapointment as his body does not obey his desire, Anator slices out at the furry creature, but his skills are still rusty...
Round 1
Full Round Action:
[+1 BAB, +3 Dex, +1 Mwk, +1 weapon focus, -2 TWF]
[+3 Dex]
[+1 BAB, +3 Dex, +1 Mwk, +1 weapon focus, -2 TWF]
[+3 Dex]
Inside the cave, Ealianne slinks toward the makeshift door, examining it carefully and looking for the source of the light.
Anator lets loose with a flurry of rapid thrusts, slashes and arcing swings but aside from scratching the gnolls armour and trimming off a few patches of fur Anator's blades find no way past the gnolls guard. Kestra takes aim on the remaining gnoll and fires but is unable to get a clean shot through Anator's dancing blades.
Eilianne moves farther into the cave and peers cautiously through the rough fence gate blocking the rest off.
Alain concentrates on the remaining gnoll and with a quick one two swing cuts it down before wiping his blade on the gnolls ratty clothing.
beyond the rickety barrier the cave moves downwards with a slight curving angle and you can see firelight reflecting and dancing on the cave walls. Every once in a while the light is partially blocked as something passes in front of the flames. You can also hear amongst the chanting of several gutteral voices muffled sobbing and crying. Another thing you notice is a body slumped against the rocky wall halfway down the tunnel. It's obviously not a gnoll.
Raznarr drops his crossbow and moves to the near gnoll while drawing his axe. Once close enough he heaves the large weapon upward at the creature as hard as he can.
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Aizu moves in on the next gnoll.
"Damn."
Ealianne quietly retreats from the cave to inform the group of her findings.
"I have found a door just inside the cave. Beyond it I can see a body on the cave floor. It is not one of these creatures. Beyond that several beings are around a fire. I can't see them around th curve of the cave tunel, but I hear, what I'm guessing, are more beasts... and they have captives!"
"Then it's time to go," Raznarr drops back to retrieve his crossbow. Hooking it to his pack, he limps into a sort of trot toward the aforementioned body to see if it still lives.
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Kestra will keep her bow in hand as she moves up towards the cave.
If they have captives, they are more than likely the ones that attacked that homestead. Do we give them a chance to lay down arms or do we slay them like the animals they are?
"Giving them a chance to surrender just gives them a chance to attack us while our guards are down. I say we go in as if this is an extermination."
"I agree. Slaughter them. I don't think anyone that takes a person slave... I mean, a captive, deserves to live." Ealianne is visibly shaken by the thought of the captives.
Kestra will huff at Aizu's response, replying shortly If that's what you really think, though perhaps we could be less callous... ans trailing off when she realizes the callousness of her own previous statement
The dead body lies beyond the barricade/barrier and deeper into the cave. How are you going to go through the barricade? Will you attempt a disable device to open it quietly, smash right through noisily or try something else? Alain remains quiet as he intently watches your discussion, leaving his opinions and observations to himself.
"I'll handle this, if there are no objections."
Aizu will search it for traps, then disable those (if he finds them) or the door (if not).
Anator likewise stands back with Alain, listening to the discussion on battle-ethics and tactical approach with some interest.
It takes Aizubike about two minutes to carefully cut and separate the barricade enough for Raznar and Alain to lift and pull it out of the way quietly.
The chanting is reaching a loud fevered pitch which allows everyone to slowly and cautiously make their way down the tunnel. When Eilianne and Aizubike reach the body a strange thing happens with their brooches. The brooches begin to glow faintly so they pause and look back to Alain confusion clear on their faces as they try to cover up the light.
Alain moves up to the body and his brooch lights up as well. "The brooch detects a wayward soul trapped in this body. And by the light I'd say a strong one. Guiding wayward souls onwards is another one of our duties." he removes his brooch and aims it at the body. The brooch lights up like a hooded lantern but only illuminates the body, wrapping it in a faint glow. As you watch the decaying flesh and festered wounds knit themselves together until the body is restored. "Odd. That doesn't usually happen." his comment is cut short as the body of the male half elf gasps loudly for air and Alain's hand shoots out to cover the half elf's mouth. He looks at his brooch for a second before he seems to realize something. "Easy lad. Welcome back to the lands of the living. Well, for a little while at least. I can explain what's going on later but right now you need to be quiet. We're in a cave, being quiet, trying to stop an evil ritual. If you feel up to it you can help us. If not sit here and wait for us to finish and I'll explain everything.". With that he clips his own brooch on the half elf and stands up, letting go of the half elf's mouth as he does so.
Welcome to the game. Feel free to act a bit disorientated. The last you can remember is surviving the attack with the necromancers minions but overtaken with fever and infected wounds you wandered the woods for days, or even weeks, insensate and delirious.
A flood of memories hit Camas.
Necromancer, battle, wounded, fleeing, infection, fever, death, and Pharasma.
He looks at the man standing over him and nods to indicate he understand. He sits up and takes in his surrounding. He sees the other party members and nods to each in turn.
He reaches up and takes the lantern brooch and looks at it. He then remember his conversation with Pharasma and what she asked him to do for her. He had agreed but had not asked for the exact details on how he was going to return to the land of the living. This is not what he expected.
If I am supposed to help these people there are a few things that I will need.
He looks up at the man who had spoken to him and whispers, "Where are my clothes?"
They're on ya, lad, Kestra will whisper with slight amusement, but again, be quiet. I'll stay here with you momentarily so my comrades can move forward, but once battle starts I'm moving closer to get better shots. If you want, that is.
Ealianne gives the risen warrior a wry grin and slinks away into the shadows. Before she does, she points at Aizu and Kestra.
Staying to the shadows, Ealianne begins to creep down the cave towards the flickering light of the fire. She stops as soon as anyone comes into view.
"The light from the fire is not allowing me to get very close and see what is going on," she whispers back to Aizu and Kestra.
Searching around Camas finds that he is still wearing his armor and his gear is next to him. He stands and stretches to warm up his muscles. He looks at the dwarf and says. "I will stick with you until I can get my head cleared. By the way my name is Camas."
Anator offers the half-elf a hand up.
"Well met Camas. Anator. [here inidicates each iin turn] Kestra, Aizu, Raznarr and the elusive Ealianne. Alain here is our....guide."
Anator looks after Ealianne's receding shadow, then back to Camas.
"Canst thou tell use more of what lies within?"
Camas whispers, "No. I cannot remember how I got here or where here even is."
After nodding to the newly resurrected, Raznarr makes his way forward ahead of Kestra, but far enough behind Ealianne to keep her from getting discovered.
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Aizu nods politely to Camas, then sneaks off after Ealianne.
Pleased to meet you, Camas. As far as I understand, we are within the River Kingdoms. As to specific areas, I'm unsure. Kestra will focus on the message spell and whisper to Ealianne Can you at least see what they are? See what kind of ritual they may be performing and where best to strike?
Anator nods to the newcomer.
"Well then, arm yourself, and stay guarded. Ye have the look of a warrior about you."
With that the warpriest moves off and supports Raznarr's position.
The central cave, just around the bend is roughly sixty to seventy feet wide in a tough egg shape. Peering around the room reveals two other entrance ways on the far side. The room itself is dominated by a twenty foot wide pit with a raging bonfire inside and around it dance six gnoll's in ritualistic garb. Four are clearly visible but the remaining two stand on the opposite side of bonfire. Leaving you only able to glimpse faint silhouettes as they move about in their ritual dancing and chanting unwholesome gutteral prayers. The rest of the chamber is clear of rubble or even rock formations.
From the rightmost passageway you can hear crying and sobbing from human voices and as you watch a pair of gnolls dragging out a person kicking and screaming towards the pit. The person appears to be a middle aged man and the two gnolls dragging him are odd, their fur is matted and misshapen with scaly growths visible in patches.
From the second, left, passageway you can hear gutteral, grunting noises which sound like dozens of voices speaking and arguing farther in.
Kestra will move forward slowly, her armor making more of a racket than she'd like, and will take up position to where she can see and fire upon the gnolls, and once again draw an arrow to her cheek, waiting for her team to move in before firing.
"We must move quickly if we are to save this man! There are eight of them and only six of us... seven if the warrior can help us. There are probably more of these dog-faced creatures nearby that may reinforce their numbers. Do we attack?"
Ealianne looks at the Latern Bearers intensely. "I can make my invisible and cause a distraction. But you must be ready to come to my aide as soon as I make myself be known. What say you?"
"You can count on it being seven" Camas says to the others. "It would be better if you made yourself invisible and came to our aid when we need it."
Intent on ending the evil ritual Camas drinks a potion before moving into the room.
"We are only slightly outnumbered, and have the element of surprise. I'm confident we can defeat them."
Aizu drinks his Long Arm Extract before moving in.
"Ok. I'll be using my magic calling forth fire as they move to engage. Let's do this!"
Ealianne pulls her wand from her Adventure's pack and taps herself with it. Then moves in with Aizu and Camas.
Strategy decided, Anator makes a quick obeisance, then calls on Pharasma's aid to protect and strengthen her Lantern Bearers, then advances with the rest…
Swift Action: One use of fervor to cast shield of faith as Swift Action. +2 deflection bonus to AC, so 21/15/18
Standard Action: Cast bless.
Move Action: Move with Ealianne, Camas and Aizu.