Astra starts to head towards the double doors to the east.
Liz follows with the fothers
You enter the double doors and find yourself in the throne room. The room itself is split into two levels, with the throne of lopsided furs and junk on the northern level about 10 feet up. Sitting on the throne is a smiler with three birds perched on the chair, braided hair and a nasty grin. He touches the longbow at the side of his chair infusing it with magic.
Along the eastern wall are four orcs (that look weaker than the ones you just faced).
"Ah an audience. Who greets the great Birdfood? Oh and you have the audacity to keep your weapons... I guess you aren't idiots. You'd be surprised how many fools follow that rule. Hyahaha." He pats his stomach. "Anyway, what is it that you plebes want? I'm not hungry at the moment. Heh."
"Greetings, 'Birdfood'. My name is Astra Picard, of Torch. I would like to ask -- could you give us a rundown on the history of the Smilers? I'm not familiar with the events that led to the establishment of your group. Is there a religious factor that unites you all, or do you have familial ties with each other? How did you all come together?"
While Astra has them talking, I will detect evil on him.
Liz had her Scroll of Spectral Hand in her hand.
Will keeps guard over the doors leading in once everyone's inside. His orange eyes keep a close eye on the four Orcs watching over Birdfood, watching for threatening movements towards his allies. Considering they had to fight their way in here, he wouldn't be surprised if they ended up fighting their way out, or having to beat his 'royal guard' to get the answers they wanted.
"Well, the Smilers were founded about a thousand years ago, by a cleric of Zon-Kuthon. He met the God of Pain and was given a smile, one that burned on his face for the rest of his life. And so we Smilers honor this cleric and cut our faces so we have this smile. Hyahaha."
He throws his head back.
"I'm just f@%$@!$ with ya. We like to cut ourselves and eat people. Plus Soothe feels real good. I don't know how the f#%@ we were made."
Chakos feels a faint aura of evil surrounding Birdfood.
Syvlara stealths beside the door, readying her bow.
"That's interesting. So is this facial mutilation some sort of induction rite into the Smilers? Did you join the group as an adult, and it was done to you by senior Smilers? Or did you grow up in this peculiar culture and had the disfiguration done to you as a child already? Or is it something that you are asked to do to yourself? How have you managed to connect with so many similarly thinking individuals? You must realize that individuals willing to commit to this sort of lifestyle must be few and far between? Do you increase your numbers by forced conscription, or are new members actually genuine volunteers?" Astra seems to be caught up in her questioning, and probably isn't so much thinking about distracting as she is genuinely curious.
Liz pokes Astri. Astra, I don't think he would really appreciate you getting so nosy. Besides, you know.
"Well, aren't you a curious one? If you really want to know, I'll induct you into the gang, though I'm not a Smiler at the moment. Heh. I'll just slide this blade into your mouth and cut away the useless things, like your cheeks and your lips. That way you'll always have a smile on your face."
Birdfood motions to the orcs at the bottom with a flourish of his hand. "If you would, my bodyguards, kill them with as little damage to their sweet bodies as possible. Oh, and make sure to keep the chatterbox alive. I have something special in store for her."
He reclines in his uncomfortable looking chair and watches with a wide smile. The orcs sigh and grunt and heft their falchions menacingly.
1. Syvlara, Chakos
2. Orcs
3. Will, Elizabeth and Astra
As the orcs sigh, Syvlara shoots two of them.
HP 23/27
AC 15/15/14
Effects: Mage Armor(+4 ac 1 hour)
Hand of Apprentice:7/7
Liz casts Enlarge on Chakos so he can inflict major axe action
I will smite Birdfood, power Attack, and Charge him.
Not enlarged yet, so just normal damage.
Syvlara's first arrow strikes the wall, the other arrow strikes an orc in the throat and it falls down.
The three orcs charge at Will, Syvlara and Chakos (unless he's charged at the orcs or manages to find a way onto the platform). They swing at them with their falchions. Will and Chakos feel the blades dig into their flesh, cutting into Will's arm and Chakos' side. Syvlara can see the blade moving towards her neck and raises her arm and bow to dry to deflect the attack away her vitals. It cuts into her arm.
Birdfood laughs and scratches one of his birds on its throat. "I don't like eating my meat all cut up, but what can you do?"
So if I couldn't charge the leader, the. I'd charge one of the Mook orcs. Yours to decide which. But if I dropped one, then it couldn't attack. Also, it wouldn't take smite damage, as I wouldn't smite it.
Let me know who still got damaged, so we can track the healing needs.
I did still declare a smite against the head smiler. My modifed round 1 attack would have hit AC 23 for 11 damage against one of the mook orcs.
Either attempting to finish off the orc I started on in round 1 if needed, or moving to another one, with power attack going:
Enlarged my AC is down to a 19.
Chakos growls:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 26/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 21/32
Chakos - 22/35
The Life Link will make it:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 31/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 22/32
Chakos - 17/35
I will LOH myself for:
Making us:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 31/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 21/32
Chakos - 21/35
The towering human grunts as he throws his arms up to protect himself from the charging Orc, taking a cut along his arm. Dropping his arms, his eyes shift, now sporting black slits among the bright orange orbs. His body sways and moves unnaturally as he brings his arms up, jabbing quickly at the foe before him.
Attack:
Attack:
Damage:
"Ow! F****** Orcs!"
Syvlara takes a 5ft step back and fires an arrow at the first Orc, then one to Birdfood.
Chakos charges one of the orcs at the wall. He slashes through with his greataxe and cleaves through its head. It drops down dead. Afterwards Liz's magic touches the half-elf and he grows larger.
Will's sharp jab knocks the orc down. The blow to its neck was enough to snap it. Syvlara's arrow stabs through the orc's face, the arrow remaining part way visible on both sides of the creature. She fires another arrow at Birdfood who catches the ammo in his side. He laughs as it draws blood.
"Well, I guess you want me to join the party, too. I was going to surrender, but you want to feel my arrows deep inside you. Hyaheha."
As soon as he picks up his glowing longbow, his hawks dart towards the lower floor and strike at Chakos, Will, and Syvlara. The ex-Smiler points his bow at Chakos and fires. The glowing arrow slams into the larger half-elf's stomach. "Oh wait. I forgot. I was going to keep you alive. Oh well. Guess I'll just feed you to my hawks. Heh."
Attack:Regular attack is +10, +4 because Chakos counts as human, + 3 because he is using bane arrows (negating the +1 from magic composite longbow). Strength is 2, Dex is 3.
Damage: 2d6 because longbow with gravity bow cast on it, +2 from strength and magic weapon (1 is subtracted from magic weapon), +3 from human bane arrows-count as +3 arrows, +4 because Chakos is human, +2d6 because human bane arrows. That's correct, right?
Liz pours a healing potion down Chako's throat
We really need a dedicated healer, or those healing wands.
We had:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 31/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 21/32
Chakos - 21/35
I was given back 10 hp and then hit for 25. Will was hit for an unknown amount. Liz heals me for 8.
I heal Syvlara for 5 and take that damage myself.
So we have:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 31/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 21/32
Chakos - 9/35
I will LOH myself for:
So:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 31/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 21/32
Chakos - 15/35
I will now charge the chief, and power Attack. I figure that enlarged, I can reach him right?
Because Birdfood's throne is five feet from the edge of the rise, Chakos charges forward and slashes at the ex-Smiler with his large greataxe. Birdfood clucks his tongue after dodging the large greataxe. "Nice wing. That could have cut me in half. I'll have to return the favor. Don't worry though, when I cut you open I'll let you watch."
One of the hawks bites at Chakos as he runs by.
While he wasn't an expert in magic, Will could see that Birdfood had done SOMEthing to his bow. And he thought he heard that arrow tear through the very air when it was fired. Ignoring the hawk before him, he quickly moves up to join Chakos in combat, getting in to Birdfood's side, and throwing his arms under his own to trap him in a very firm hold.
Improved Grapple:
Damage:
You notice a door behind the throne area, there is likely a door outside connecting the two areas.
Birdfood grins at Chakos. He doesn't move away, instead provoking an attack from the large blue half-elf. "Maybe this arrow will put you down. Stupid drow. I've had your meat before. It isn't very good. Too dry and moldy." He fires his second shot at Astra. After he fires he says, "Oh, whoops. I forgot. I was trying to keep you alive. Oh well."
The arrow that feels like a large javelin stabs into Chakos chest. Birdfood's other arrow strikes against Astra's armor. She can feel the deadly pressure and force from the attack but it does nothing but make her pay attention.
The birds bite and claw at their targets, except for the one attacking Chakos. It instead flies over to Liz and tries to claw at her with its talon. The hawks attacks are ineffective, either snapping at air or tapping against armor.
Power Attack and Smite
And I'll drop to the ground.
If my action still goes before Birdfood's, I'll throw a Cure Moderate on Chakos.
Then after Birdfood's attacks, I will next Cure Light Wounds on Chakos.
In which case I wouldn't have dropped! Woot!
Syvlara's turn before the enemies attacked
Shoot 2 annoying birds
Syvlara's current turn
Disarm Smiler
Syvlara's arrows shoot the birds and two shafts protrude from their bellies. They remain flying and look rather pissed as they squawk at the elf.
She fires an arrow and knocks the longbow out of Birdfood's hands. "Well, aren't you a rather annoying elf. I'd eat your entrails, but elves are rather mild for my tastes. Heh."
Liz casts Scorching Ray at Birdfood
If Chakos is within 5' then Remove the +4 due to no precise shot
Liz casts Scorching Ray at Birdfood
[dice=Touch attack,Scorch]1d20+4;4d6 If Chakos is within 5' then Remove the +4 due to no precise shot
Which I'm not because I'm large with 10' reach.
The life link heals Syvlara for 5 more.
Power Attack and Smite
Ok, so we had been at:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 31/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 21/32
Chakos - 15/35
Will lost 1 hp
Astra healed Chakos for 18 (not 16, I get an extra 2 for EACH die you roll for my healing)
Chakos got hit for 22
Chakos got healed for 13
Syvlara got healed for 5 and Chakos lost 5
Chakos healed himself for 9
I believe we’re now at:
Astra - 25/27
Syvlara - 36/36
Liz - 23/27
Will - 20/32
Chakos - 28/35
Seeing Birdfood on something of a tall platform, Will made sure he had plenty of running room before catapaulting himself upward, landing neatly on his platform, and throwing his arms under the Orc's.
Climb check:
Liz fires scorching rays that strike the throne and the door behind Birdfood. He smiles at the wizard and gives her a wink.
Chakos slams his greataxe down, cutting a deep gash in the Smiler's shoulder until the limb hangs limp.
Will manages to jump atop the platform and grapples the disarmed Smiler.
The three hawks all move to Syvlara and peck and claw at her. One of the hawks manages to bite her shoulder. The others tear ineffectually at her leather armor.
Birdfood tries to escape from Will's hold but fails. "I don't like my food grabbing on to me. Get the hell off!"
I will try and thump Birdfood again.
Power Attack and Smite
"Get your foul feathers off me!" cries Syvlara. She then shoots two of them.
Chakos sends his greataxe down in a large arc, cutting a swath of blood across the Smiler. He coughs up blood but remains standing, held in the grasp of Will.
Syvlara's arrow catches one of the hawks in the face and it plops to the ground in a heap of feathers. The other hawk shifts its wings away to dodge the arrow. Seeing one of their brethren down, the hawks caw at Syvlara constantly.
Astra tries to climb after Will, seeing that he could use some healing.
If she reaches him in a single move action, she'll cast another Cure Light Wounds. If not, then she'll do so on the next round.
Will stands expressionless as he holds Birdfood in his grasp. He delivers a swift punch into his floating ribs, snarling on his ear and making it clear that he wasn't going to get away.
CMB:
Damage as part of Grapple:
Liz casts Jolt at a hawk
Will clutches onto the ex-Smiler and punches him in the gut. Birdfood's eyes glaze over, still smiling, as he slumps over, dead.
Liz's electric attack zoom past the hawk and hits one of the downed orcs. It twitches as the energy courses along its dead body.
Seeing their master dead, the hawks squawk loudly and fly out of the Palace through a hole in the ceiling.
That was brutal. We should strip him and get his corpse back to the steel hawks. Should we try checking out the rest of the place for goodies?
"May as well, since we're here." Will replies with a grunt after he tears off all of Birdfood's gear and items and hoisting his body onto his shoulder. He wasn't terribly thrilled at the idea of lugging this sad sack of flesh, but he wasn't in the mood to argue who should carry a corpse. He was fine just completing the morbid task to finish their mission sooner.