Parity nods, but is lost in thought, a bit ruffled yet not sharing ... even removing his hand from Suishen as they travel.
Harlan looks with disgust on the trappings of torture but says nothing.
"Should we try to take them out now so they're not at our back, or would that just force the fight here?"
Malnival looks grim as he follows the others.
"And fighting the guards alerts the oni, allowing it time to prepare. Is there a way to circumvent?"
***
There appear to be no obvious exit from the cavern.
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Heng is deep in thought. Not being a particularly clever fellow it requires all his attention. Heng answers Parity, "As I'm sure you can hear, this is an unexpectedly large chamber with a waterfall and swine being prepared for food below. There appears to be a keep beyond a chasm with guarded bridges. I would guess that is our destination. So long as our ability to tread upon the wind still lasts, let us race overhead and attack the keep with haste."
"Guys, there may be a way around. At the top of that small keep to the south there's a bridge. If we take that to the east wall we can hug the ceiling and sneak across to the opening."
Does Harlan have another airways? I assume Mal is out of fly?
After casting the air walking spell on Malnival, you make your way across the top of the great cavern, stepping as quietly as a whisper on the wind. Being nearly a hundred feet over the floor, the hobgoblins below take no notice of you wending through the many stalactites on the ceiling. As you near the small keep, you catch the sounds of shouts and curses from within, mixed with a chorus of swine squeals, but it doesn't seem directed your way. There are no guards on the arched roof, and you reach the narrow bridge without incident.
The bridge ends at a narrow shelf of rock leading into a small corridor that descends steeply into the rock face. Pressing onward, the floor has been cut into crude stone steps, worn by years of use. The descent continues for about two hundred feet before opening up into another cavern. The thunderous roar of a waterfall greets your ears well before you reach the end of the stairs, and it fills the chamber with a near-deafening din.
The water falls from a subterranean river some ninety feet above and to the north, plunging into a cold, deep lake. On the far side of the lake stands a crooked pagoda, carved with the forms of twisted animals, as if in mockery of the pagoda outside, high above. A raised drawbridge hangs from the front of the pagoda, above which a wide balcony overlooks the cavern.
To the balcony?
"She must be in the pagoda. Do we have an easy way in? We could just walk over to that balcony."
NomadSage. How long has it been since the phase spiders. Need to check my buffs.
No alarms are raised as you fly up and over the underground stream and to the balcony overlook. This broad room has wide openings on its three facing walls. You see several barrels holding scores of arrows placed strategically for defense. The walls of this room are covered with carvings of bound prisoners being subjected to agonizing torture. Though no paint was used, the wood glistens noticeably where blood is depicted.
Opposite the balcony is a set of wide sliding doors, north of which is a staircase leading to the lower floor. The southern corner of the chamber, the natural stone takes over, breaking the room's symmetrical balance.
"They're downstairs, chanting and praying to the oni."
Harlan grips his crossbow tightly, the parade of horrors clearly getting to him.
"Let us end this maddness.
Parity will use Vanguard Tactics before we go through the door. +3 to initiative, concentration checks, and CMB for 3 rounds.
"Hmm, ah ... Ok"
As you start down the stairs, you see the room below is dominated by a large statue of a repulsive, strangely-goblinoid creature. The walls are covered in sharp hooks of all sizes and twisted shapes. Before the statue stands a female hobgoblin monk with long braided, white hair, overseeing a sermon of worship to five other hobgoblins. These wretches are wrapped in filthy bandages, poorly covering the rampant leprosy infesting their flesh. At the monk's feet is a human woman, bound, tied and hooded.
The female glances up immediately as soon as you start down the stairs. She points and screams a warning to her congregation.
Malnival cast Haste on the party.
Malnival hastens the party magically as the monk orders the lepers to attack. They move to the bottom of the stairs, fists raised. The female takes out a pair of nunchaku.
Round 1
HP = 62/73
AC/T/FF = 22/17/14 (25% ignore sneak/critical)
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Bolts = 38/43
Speed = 15'
Channel = 2/6 (5d6)
Oracle Spells Known (CL 10):
5 3/4 Cure Light Wounds, Mass, Break Enchantment*, Breath of Life*
4 1/6 Cure Critical Wounds*, Restoration*, Air Walk, Holy Smite*
3 3/7 Cure Serious Wounds*, Dispel Magic, Neutralize Poison*, Stone Shape, Magic Circle Against Evil
2 4/7 Restoration, Lesser*, Resist Energy*, Cure Moderate Wounds*, Shield Other*, Spiritual Weapon, Ghostbane Dirge*
1 6/8 Bless, Detect Evil, Detect Undead, Command*, Cure Light Wounds*, Burning Disarm*, Sun Metal*
0 Stabilize, Purify Food and Drink*, Create Water, Detect Magic, Mending, Guidance, Light, Spark*
* Save DC = 15 + Level
Status Effects = None
"Ninja lepers?"
Despite the improbability, Harlan wastes little time blessing the party.
"Go get 'em guys."
Assuming Heng and Kelda engage, Parity moves forward behind them and lunges with Suishen past them, channeling corrosive touch.
[spoiler=The Math]
,
Heng leaps into the fray with a roar, startling the two nearest lepers with his ferocious breath. After Harlan blesses the group, Kelda advances down the stairs. The hobgoblins holding there bash her with their leprous fists. She shrugs off the blows and counters with a chop from her blade.
Parity moves down the stairs, keeping his distance and lunging at the nearest foe, but missing with a clumsy swing.
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Parity continues to lunge with a full attack round, swift for arcane.
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Malnival surges forward attacking the hobgoblin on Kelda.
Attack:
Damage:
Keep attacking until I have à clear assist with the woman. Then shocking grasp attacks.
Round 2
HP = 62/73
AC/T/FF = 22/17/14 (25% ignore sneak/critical)
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Bolts = 38/43
Speed = 15'
Channel = 2/6 (5d6)
Oracle Spells Known (CL 10):
5 3/4 Cure Light Wounds, Mass, Break Enchantment*, Breath of Life*
4 1/6 Cure Critical Wounds*, Restoration*, Air Walk, Holy Smite*
3 3/7 Cure Serious Wounds*, Dispel Magic, Neutralize Poison*, Stone Shape, Magic Circle Against Evil
2 4/7 Restoration, Lesser*, Resist Energy*, Cure Moderate Wounds*, Shield Other*, Spiritual Weapon, Ghostbane Dirge*
1 5/8 Bless, Detect Evil, Detect Undead, Command*, Cure Light Wounds*, Burning Disarm*, Sun Metal*
0 Stabilize, Purify Food and Drink*, Create Water, Detect Magic, Mending, Guidance, Light, Spark*
* Save DC = 15 + Level
Status Effects = Haste, Bless
Harlan helps clear a path to the woman.
The prisoner sits, stock still, her entire posture rigid and at attention, trying to take in the sounds of battle and determine if her "rescuers" are helpful or merely another flavor of evil.
Malnival pushes past Parity to Kelda's side and engages the lepers. With a good swing of his scimitar, a chunk of diseased flesh hits the ground. The hobgoblin takes little notice of the deep wound and turns its fists on the elf. Malnival and Kelda both take solid punches from the foes.
The other lepers move to attack Heng, but he avoids their fists easily. The female monk drinks a potion, giving her form a blurred appearance, before she tries to somersault into the fray. Heng sees it coming, and times an opportunistic counterstrike.
;
Malnival preses the attack.
Primary
Damage:
Haste attack
Damage:
Secondary Attack
Damage:
Heng swings and misses the female monk as she rolls by to set up a flanking position. Nonplussed, he turns and attacks the opposite hobgoblin with a barrage of hasted hits. On the final punishing uppercut, the leper falls onto his back and does not move.
From the stairway, Harlan fires down on the second leper attacking Heng, pillorying it with three bolts in rapid fire.
Kelda, Parity and Malnival continue the melee at the base of the stairs. The leper dodges two of Kelda's sword slashes before she lands a good clip with the third backswing. Reaching through the gaps, Parity is again foiled by poor balance on the stairs. Malnival's scimitar is a blur as it quickly leaves bloody marks across his foe.
As if feeling none of their wounds, the lepers fight on with fanatical rage. Malnival and Kelda block all the leprous fists coming their way, while Heng is hit on a lucky punch from the side by the fifth leper charging into his fight. The other hobgoblin shifts to take up the flank, but, still shaken by Heng's roar, cannot fight effectively.
The female monk attacks with a nunchaku and a whirling flurry and sneaking a low kick into the mix, trying to drive Heng to the ground. As the nunchaku hits, it releases a shock.
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