Dumah brutally hacks down another assailant. The man's entrails spill out as he pitches forward onto the sand.
Myron gives chase, taking out his sling, and threatens the man thinking about fleeing.
With two of his group downed, Ahkenaten was in no mood for quips or responding with anything less than lethal force; particularly as the attackers seemed especially resistant to his magic. He reloaded and fired over the well at one of the ambushers, scoring a glancing blow.
Seeing that the fight seems well in hand, the musetouched elf hugs the wall and looks about for any other threats.
Seeing that there is still a man on the rooftop across the courtyard, Elrisiel hustles behind cover beside Ahkeneten.
Ahkenaten wounds the man in the doorway as Elrisiel joins him behind the well.
The man on the far building sends another arrow streaking down, this time at Dumah...
...but the arrow shatters on his breastplate, leaving him completely unharmed.
A moment later the man in the doorway steps forward and takes a swing at Dumah...
...but he easily sidesteps the clumsy attempt.
Kheled channels again excluding any enemies.
As Kheled sends forth another wave of divine spark, Rakara's eyes open and she inhales deeply.
Meanwhile the man in the alley drops to his knees and throws up his hands exclaiming, Mercy!
Dumah furrows his brow as the arrow strikes his chest and shatters. With a frown he starts towards the archer, only to be intercepted by another swordsman. He dodges the clumsy khopesh attack, and responds with a slash of his own.
Attack on the orange thug.
To hit
Damage
Alas, the thug parries better than he strikes, though Dumah takes advantage of the distraction to continue to slip around toward the archer that threatens them all.
Step to U22.
Dumah battles with one of the remaining ambushers while slowly making his way towards the archer.
Rakara groggily gets her bearings and reaches for her weapon while remaining on the ground.
Smart move. Lie down on your belly and spread your arms wide. Myron says to the surrendering bandit before taking a step back and snapping off a shot at the archer.
He swiftly reloads, ready to shoot if the kneeling man fails to obey.
Rakara rolls over in the sand and gathers up her weapon as Myron's sling stone smashes into the low wall the archer is hiding behind.
The archer on the far rooftop disappears from sight as the man in the alley complies with Myron's order. Seeing that he is the only one left fighting, the man engaging Dumah lowers his sword and requests, Mercy?
Four of the ambushers lay dead, two senseless, two surrendered and one fleeing. Kheled remains entangled in the net and Rakara is in rough shape on the other side of the well. Flies are already buzzing the bodies and blood soaked sand as the morning sun begins to ramp up the temperature. After such a frenetic few moments, you are suddenly acutely aware of the inherent stillness of the Necropolis.
Elrisiel slowly moves out of cover. "Wonder what they don't want us to discover," she ponders aloud.
"Let's ask them." Myron says, as he leads the injured bandit over to the well.
Once there, he gathers all the surviving attackers and removes any remaining weapons they might have. Then he ties them up and searches them more thoroughly, leaving the other party members to assist the injured and untangle Kheled.
Dumah of course grants mercy to the surrendering attacker. Dumah will lay on hands for Rakara, healing , to get her back on her feet. Once Dumah has helped Myron get the surviving attackers searched and restrained, Dumah will walk up to the three spots where the attackers had thrown or shot things down at them. He'll look for anything left behind or dropped at those locations that might help explain their motivations. When he comes back, he tells Rakara "I didn't see anything up there."
Kheled wearily gets off the ground and untangles himself.
I have little patience for assassins., he walks up to the man, angrily.
As I see it you have one choice if you want to live. You tell us everything you know, freely...speaking the truth and we let you live. Otherwise we will take you to our next crypt and let the undead feed on your body...slowly.
Intimidate
After the four prisoners are gathered, stripped of their weapons and secured with binds upon their hands the group gathers itself before the interrogation begins.
Not much to say really. Someone hired us to ambush anyone approaching some old temple down the way, one of the men replies, pointing in the direction you were heading before the ambush. We were to stop anyone from entering the site... by any means necessary. Obviously it didn't work out well for us.
Some worse than others, another man adds staring at the corpses of his fellow criminals.
Yet another speaks up, What do you really plan to do with us?
Kheled wearily gets off the ground and untangles himself.
I have little patience for assassins., he walks up to the man, angrily.
As I see it you have one choice if you want to live. You tell us everything you know, freely...speaking the truth and we let you live. Otherwise we will take you to our next crypt and let the undead feed on your body...slowly.
Intimidate 1d20+4
Dumah frowns at Kheled's threat. "I see no reason to provide succor to the enemy, or risk letting their numbers grown. We can either turn them into the authorities or release them with their pledge to find any honest path."
As the healing flows through her, Rakara offers a grateful smile to Dumah. After regaining her breath and swinging her falchion experimentally, checking for anything that may have escaped ministrations, she nods solemnly at Dumah and not wanting to hurt his feelings states,
I think I will follow your lead on the roof tops and see if I can spot any other would be ambushes or traps from the superior vantage. She searches the areas as well but also looks carefully around for any signs of other ambushers.
She leaves the interrogation of the prisoners, and the decision of what to do with them, to those more suited to those matters.
Who hired you? As Kheled said, what we do with you depends on your cooperation. So honest answers, not questions, should be your only concern right now. Myron says to the prisoners.
Sounds like someone is really interested in keeping the competition out of that temple. I have a pretty good idea who that might be, but lets see if these thugs can confirm it. he thinks to himself.
The first man to speak answers Myron again. I don't know her name. Rich Taldan lady with a big hat. Looked like her and her friends were another one of the teams working for the Pharasmins in here, he says with a shrug. That's all we know.
Just as I thought. I doubt there are two Taldan ladies in town who fit that description. I guess the Scorched Hand REALLY want to be the ones to explore the temple.
Myron does not say anything, but shoots a look at the other party members to see if they also recognize the description of Velriana.
"All right. I think we're done here. I say we march these rogues back to the gates and let the guards decide what to do with them." he says, not wishing to discuss the matter of the cheating competing team in front of the captives.
Elrisiel nods. "Best to move quickly, whatever we do."
The group marches the prisoners to the gate and turns them over to the guards there. The captain assures the Delvers that the men will be brought before the magistrate the following morning.
No doubt Velriana and the Scorched Hand hired those thugs so the could be sure to be the ones to explore that temple. They must know something about it we don't. Myron says as the Delvers head back into the Necropolis.
I suggest we approach the temple from another route if possible, and scout ahead to check if there are any more traps or ambushes. We should also keep watch behind to make sure we're not followed.
I have little left in the way of healing from Pharasma. I do have some magical energies left but we will likely need to be more careful. Perhaps we should stop and get a wand of healing before we enter....would seem prudent?
"Perhaps. I'm not opposed to contributing some gold towards a wand. On the other hand, time may be a factor here. I have a couple of healing potions, and some wound paste for a tight spot. Dumah is also able to use his divine energy to heal wounds, I believe."
"Indeed. The healing gifts bestowed upon me are not as potent as those of good Kheled, but I will use them as I can. I am certainly willing to contribute toward a reservoir of healing power as well; a prudent measure, to be sure."
Deciding against delaying any further, the Delvers head back into the Necropolis, this time taking a different route, and moving more cautiously and alertly. You make it to the temple shortly before high noon. The sun is starting to bake the sand and you can feel the heat radiating up at you as well as blazing down from above.
The temple itself is surprisingly large. Although the Sanctum’s central nave is symmetrical, the rest of the structure does not conform to traditional architecture, with wings and extensions on both sides that, except for the uniformity of the stonework, appear to have been haphazard additions. A large dome over the apse tops the roof at the north end of the temple. The Sanctum is windowless, and the temple’s exterior walls are carved with likenesses of the Nethys and other celestial figures. No other entrances are visible other than the main entrance.
No doors block the grand entrance to this building—a wide flight of steps leads directly up into the temple’s interior. Two humanoid statues flank the stairs, wearing black-and-white masks and holding quarterstaves. Just inside the entry, two rows of columns lead into the darkened interior.
Cast light on dumah, load crossbow...ready.
Unless Rakara has a reason to hang back, Dumah will walk in with her. When the light suddenly appears on him, Dumah glances around dully, before a smile grows slowly on his face and his eyes look skyward. "Our venture is blessed." he murmurs to no one in particular.
Dumah will walk in first unless someone indicates he should let them go ahead of him. He won't have any weapons out initially. If he is leading the group in, he'll glance back frequently looking for any signals from (what he considers) the more seasoned explorers as to which direction he should take them.
Rakara, perhaps you can take point, and check the ground for tracks and other signs of recent traffic. The rest of us will cover you. Myron says. He drops a bullet into the pouch of his sling staff and takes position in the front of the group.
Finally starting to realize what he is dealing with he stands next to Dumah, striking up a conversation.
Dumah, we need your help. When we question prisoners we should not be questioning each other in front of the prisoners. When I talked about feeding the prisoners to the undead I wasn't actually thinking about doing that.
It is called a bluff, meaning I say something that isn't true to try and get them to tell us what we want. Do you understand?
Elrisiel walks up to one of the statues. Leaning forward, she studies it until the party moves forward again.
Finally starting to realize what he is dealing with he stands next to Dumah, striking up a conversation.
Dumah, we need your help. When we question prisoners we should not be questioning each other in front of the prisoners. When I talked about feeding the prisoners to the undead I wasn't actually thinking about doing that.
It is called a bluff, meaning I say something that isn't true to try and get them to tell us what we want. Do you understand?
"Ah, yes. Yes I do understand. I apologize. I just didn't realize that you weren't being sincere. Though, perhaps you can find a different threat than the undead? They hold a particularly special-" Dumah stops, his face flush with anger and, for the first time in front of the others, frustration. "Regardless, I cannot condone deception. We can find other ways. Deception is a tactic for the dark forces; even amongst their numbers they revere those who excel at it. The Prince of Lies, indeed. We can find better-" Dumah stops, realizing he is starting to get preachy.
After recovering her strength and checking the roof tops, Rakara looks around idly while the others decide on a course of action. When they finally approach the main building Rakara, more cautious than Dumah, holds her hand up. Wait a second my friend, Myron is right, I should check this place for nasty surprises and see if there might be anything pointing to another ambush.
Rakara, with her weapon ready, enters the building cautiously. She examines the area for any signs of recent activity and old and new traps alike. She uses her dark vision for an initial scan then asks Dumah to bring in a little light for a more thorough search.
Elrisiel easily identifies the statues as those of the God Nethys himself. With Rakara leading the way, the group then procedes up the stairs and into the Temple itself.
Sunlight streaming in through the open entrance illuminates this large entrance chamber. Just inside the entry, two rows of columns lead toward an archway in the north wall, with the beginnings of a larger room just visible beyond. Two smaller passages open to the east and west. A few of you note the building appears to be in remarkably good condition for its age, especially compared to the other structures in the necropolis.
The wind has deposited a layer of dust and sand on the floor in this room. Although she spots nothing resembling a trap, Rakara does note that tracks are present in the sand. The tracks are fresh, less than 24 hours old, and it appears that at least four humanoids passed this way.
Just as Rakara relays her findings she catches movement in the back, and side passages, of the chamber. A half a dozen fleshless canine creatures emerge silently from the shadows of the pillars and archways. Something about their appearance leads you to believe these creatures are freshly risen. The bones aren't weathered from age. Red point of light fill their darkened eye sockets as they snap their jagged teeth and begin to move forward.
Two of the skeletal jackals manage to get the drop on Rakara, in fact, and leap at her from two directions...
...but the wily trap-finder easily ducks their clumsy attacks.
"Watch out!" Elrisiel calls to Rakara as the undead jackals jump her. She moves halfway up the stairs, retrieves a scroll from a scroll case at her belt, and patiently waits for an opportunity to utilize it to the most effect.
Elrisiel steps out from behind the statue she was examining and removes a scroll, readying it for use, just as another of the jackals throws itself at Rakara...
...but the half-orc's luck continues to hold as she sidesteps another snapping bite.
Myron skips up the stairs and snaps a shot at one of the jackals in the back.
Myron nimbly climbs the stairs and flings a stone at a jackal in the archway, but the stone sails past and echoes in the vast chamber beyond.
It and the rest of the skeletal dogs rush the top of the entrance, with one getting a chance at Rakara...
...who blocks the snapping teeth with her booted foot, and two attacking Myron...
...who too has little trouble avoiding the undead's snapping jaws.
"Rakara!" Dumah sees his friend in trouble, and trundles forward. He veers away from one of the dog-things to make sure he can get to Rakara's side. As he advances, he readies his earthbreaker, and then puts it to good use.
Move to X15 via Y14, readying his weapon as part of the move. He'll attack the yellow jackal.
To hit
Damage
He then glances to his right and notices Myron there. His puzzled expression says it all. When did he get there?
Dumah avoids a nip from one of the jackals as he moves in to position. His own strike likewise fails to find its mark.