"Peb mus tam sim no! Peb khiav tam sim no!" the goblins screech, and run away. They flee down the mountain trail as fast as their little legs will carry them.
Helpful. Anton mutters
Tibideau lands gently behind Dantrian and his invisible eyes follow the fleeing goblins. "They don't have the stomach for battle!" he blurts out loudly right next to Dantrian's left ear, crossing his arms and shaking his head. "No point in trying to be nice to them if they don't want any help!"
"We should probably keep going. There's the matter of the little hound golem on the other side of the barrier." He pauses, feeling a bit thoughtful. "I suppose Dantrian and Janos could just push it off the cliff!" he suggests.
The witch walks up to Drosil, making a lot of noise so that his companions can sense his location. "You alright, bud? We're lucky to have such good medical staff!"
Janos, does the tower overlook the bridge? We can pick it off from there.
The barrier and door have been destroyed by Dantrian. Everyone can clearly see the flesh golem hound waiting at the far side of the bridge.
Drosil nods to Tibideau and smiles wanly, "I'm okay - not great, but okay." Hearing Anton's suggestion, however, he perks up. "What if the Beast has done something to grant us safe passage? He did specifically ask us to come to the castle, and I can't imagine that was for the sole purpose of killing us once we got here..."
I agree Drosil. Hopefully that thing was keeping the trolls at bay and this was as far as they got. Everything might be fine in the actual manor. But I'd still rather take position up there and cover you in case things go wrong. I think this place is making me paranoid.
Dantrian turns his head at the sudden sound of Tibideau in his ear, then slowly eases from his startled posture back into one more stiff. He shakes his head but holds his tongue, and a moment later begins brewing a quick extract.
As Anton suggests ascending the northern gatehouse towers, Dantrian strides toward the shattered gate house door and the bridge. Drinking the concoction he just brewed, he looks back at the others, "Shall I cross the bridge and see if the patchwork hound means to do us harm then?" His teeth gleam in the light as he glances to each of his allies.
HP: 52/52 + 8 temp
AC: 26 [11 T/ 25 FF] (+6 armor, +4 shield) +1 dex, +5 natural)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +6/+6/+4
Spontaneous Healing used: 5/35hp
Hero Points used: 3/7
Prepared Mutagen: Strength (darkvision, scent) [X]
Prepared 1st Level Extracts (3+1): cure light wounds [ ], shield [ ] [X], open [ ] [ ]
Prepared 2nd Level Extracts (3+1): ablative barrier [X], barkskin [X], false life [X], open [ ]
Prepared 3rd Level Extracts (1+1): thorn body [ ] [ ]
-Ongoing Effects-
shield: 7 minute duration
mutagen: 70 minute duration
barkskin: 70 minute duration
ablative barrier: 0/35 damage converted, 7 hours
Anton takes position in the north tower, watching anxiously with bow at the ready as the hunched but muscular form of Dantrian makes his way across the bridge.
I'll never get used to that... he whispers under his breath.
The Diva watches with some discomfort as Anton tries to talk to the goblins, she smirks as they shout some gibberish and then streak down the trail to Asomdeus knows where. Better that way, they probably had fleas anyway.
Follow Dantrian? Should I? Swallowing her dread, she strides after Dantrian-wolf's shambling form. Oh, this is a bad bad bad idea!
"I'll join you, Anton. If this hound attacks Dantrian, we can have half a dozen arrows in the air in an instant." Janos follows the Paladin up the tower.
In preparation for more combat, Drosil quaffs one of his healing potions, then hides in the shadows and waits.
As Dantrian moves further and further from the gate house, his shoulders progressively pull forward and lower to the ground. His hands open and close with the building tension as his pace quickens, his claws and teeth bared as one canine creature approaches another.
Tibideau flies silently and invisibly 20 feet above Dantrian, matching his pace on the ground.
One of the goblins carried a small amulet depicting a gagged skull, which he dropped as he ran away.
(religion) check:
Hunks of dubious meat (mostly local mountain goat) hang from meat hooks attached to an old staff among piles of timber. The staff looks like it might be magical. The trolls have collected several sacks of plunder, including a pair of bellows, a shovel, a sledge, a battered tankard, several pretty (but valueless) stones, 208 gp, and 345 sp.
There was also a torn and tattered blue uniform amongst the debris Dantrian smashed in the barrier.
Grork wore the mummified hands of 20 of his victims, and has thrust several needles through his flesh, three of which are actually fancy hatpins ending in tiny rubies, worth 75 gp each. He also carries a magnificent spyglass bound in gold worth 1,000 gp.
A slender stone bridge arches gracefully over a roaring waterfall
here, linking the gatehouse to a fortified manor house clinging
to the cliff on the far side. The bridge is 10 feet wide and has no guardrail. The arch is suff iciently high to provide cover for creatures on either end of the bridge. The flesh golem hound waits at the far end.
As Dantrian crest the rise in the bridge, the hound begins bellowing and barking loudly and aggressively. since he does not stop, it charges him.
Anton:
Drosil:
B'Yelka:
Dantrian:
Tibideau:
Janos:
Flesh Hound:
Party 13.8
Golem Hound 9
Hearing the aggressive hound approach Dantrian, Drosil rushes through the doors and nears the two combatants.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Hearing the guardian gives B'yelka the idea that a bit of in-tune music would be better. She sings a simple song about a bridge and an immortal knight, "None Shall Pass!"
At the sight of the hound charging Dantrian, Janos draws an arrow and releases.
Anton launches a volley of arrows from high in the tower but doesn't account for the high winds in the gorge and watches as they mostly sail wide of their target.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Dantrian pounces forward, drawing his mace as he does so. He brings the weapon crashing down atop the patchwork hound's meaty head with a low, satisfied growl.
HP: 52/52 + 8 temp
AC: 26 [11 T/ 25 FF] (+6 armor, +4 shield, +1 dex, +5 natural)
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +6/+6/+4
Spontaneous Healing used: 5/35hp
Hero Points used: 3/7
Prepared Mutagen: Strength (darkvision, scent) [X]
Prepared 1st Level Extracts (3+1): cure light wounds [ ], shield [ ] [X], open [ ] [ ]
Prepared 2nd Level Extracts (3+1): ablative barrier [X], barkskin [X], false life [X], open [ ]
Prepared 3rd Level Extracts (1+1): thorn body [ ] [ ]
-Ongoing Effects-
shield: 7 minute duration
mutagen: 70 minute duration
barkskin: 70 minute duration
ablative barrier: 0/35 damage converted, 7 hours
Oh, looks like they've probably got it covered for now. Besides, I'm right here if they don't. Tibideau decides to take the opportunity to finish repairing the damage done by the despicable trolls and their primitive weapons. Uncivilized, really. Stones. Might as well put a rock in a sock! Hovering over the hound and Dantrian, he whispers in Infernal and a small pool of brown blood appears in his hand. He smears it across his neck and forehead. A moment later, the blood sinks into his skin and slowly heals him.
Tibideau then takes the opportunity to ponder the gagged skull symbol on the goblin's amulet that they found.
He shakes his head in frustration. Silly symbol anyway.
HP 33/44
AC 18
Ongoing Effects:
Infernal Healing, 9 rounds remaining
Invisible, 6 minutesremaining
Flight Hex, 6 minutes minus 2 rounds remaining
Mage Armor, 7 hours remaining
Level 0: Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Guidance, Message
Level 1: Enlarge Person x2, Infernal Healing, Mage Armor,
Level 2: Cure Moderate Wounds x1, Glitterdust
Level 3: Dispel Magic, Summon Monster III x2
Hearing the aggressive hound approach Dantrian, Drosil rushes through the doors and nears the two combatants.
Hearing the guardian gives B'yelka the idea that a bit of in-tune music would be better. She sings a simple song about a bridge and an immortal knight, "None Shall Pass!"
At the sight of the hound charging Dantrian, Janos draws two arrows and releases them simultaneously. They both puncture the hound's hide. Then he fires two more, but the missiles bounce harmlessly off the golem hound.
Anton launches a volley of arrows from high in the tower but doesn't account for the high winds in the gorge and watches as they all sail wide of their target.
Dantrian pounces forward, drawing his mace as he does so. He brings the weapon crashing down atop the patchwork hound's meaty head with a low, satisfied growl.
Oh, looks like they've probably got it covered for now. Besides, I'm right here if they don't. Tibideau decides to take the opportunity to finish repairing the damage done by the despicable trolls and their primitive weapons. Uncivilized, really. Stones. Might as well put a rock in a sock! Hovering over the hound and Dantrian, he whispers in Infernal and a small pool of brown blood appears in his hand. He smears it across his neck and forehead. A moment later, the blood sinks into his skin and slowly heals him. Tibideau then takes the opportunity to ponder the gagged skull symbol on the goblin's amulet that they found. He shakes his head in frustration. Silly symbol anyway.
The hound jumps on Dantrian, trying to grab ahold of his leg. Dantrian swings his bludgeon at it again, but misses. The hound grabs ahold of Drantian's leg tightly.
================================
_________________________________________
Success
Dantrian's mace clatters to the stone as he turns into a flurry of claw and fang, savaging the hound even as it maintains a vice-like hold upon his leg.
HP: 52/52 + 8 temp
AC: 24 [9 T/ 24 FF] (+6 armor, +4 shield,
CMD: 19
F/R/W: +6/+6/+4
Spontaneous Healing used: 5/35hp
Hero Points used: 3/7
Prepared Mutagen: Strength (darkvision, scent) [X]
Prepared 1st Level Extracts (3+1): cure light wounds [ ], shield [ ] [X], open [ ] [ ]
Prepared 2nd Level Extracts (3+1): ablative barrier [X], barkskin [X], false life [X], open [ ]
Prepared 3rd Level Extracts (1+1): thorn body [ ] [ ]
-Ongoing Effects-
power attack: -2/+4
inspire courage: +2/+2
grappled: -4 Dex, -2 to attack rolls
shield: 7 minute duration
mutagen: 70 minute duration
barkskin: 70 minute duration
ablative barrier: 0/35 damage converted, 7 hours
Anton continues to struggle with the wind, especially now that Dantrian and the creature have become a clashing mass of tooth and claw
Janos lets loose another hail of arrows, though his aim is hampered by trying not to hit Dantrian.
Drosil runs past the hound and flanks with Dantrian, swiping at the beast with his dagger.
Drosil's dagger puts down the beast.
The arched bridge ends at a small cobbled terrace with a curious looking iron door depicting a scowling sun being devoured by ravenous clouds. To the left, two hundred feet below, a huge waterfall plummets into the depths.
Drosil investigates the door, searching for traps, a locking mechanism, anything out of the ordinary.
Drosil notices a hidden bell pull hanging by the eastern side of the door. Other than that, he doesn't notice anything amiss. But the door is solidly locked with a complex mechanism .
Tibideau floats back down to the bridge and lands behind Drosil. "You know, that fleeing coward of a goblin dropped a symbol of the Whispering Way. I wonder if he's a member? Or maybe he stole it from someone more important," he says to the group.
Perhaps they've been here. I wouldn't have thought they'd use trolls and goblins as their thralls but who knows?
Dantrian kicks the now still hound from his leg and offers Drosil a tight but genuine nod of appreciation. The yellow in his eyes slowly fades back to their normal brown as he retrieves his mace. "The Way? Here? I confess, I didn't expect that." He scratches idly under his chin as he speaks, his claws running through thick, white and silver fur. "Coming here may prove to be a boon in our pursuit of them after all."
Janos comes down to join the others on the bridge. "Likely they found the symbols and stole them. I seriously doubt the Way is using goblins to further its cause. They're too unpredictable and can't even be trusted with the smallest of tasks. Not something a secret, strategic organization would trust with its plans."
He looks at the closed gate. "Is it too much to hope Aaron and his father are safe behind these walls?" He turns to the closed door.
"Shall we ring?"
Aye. Well if we assume the golem dog was not of the Way, perhaps they never got through the front door. After the battle out here, it seems foolish to ring the bell... but still, I suppose we are guests here.
Anton reaches out and tugs on the bell pull.
Nothing happens.