"A place of safety seems reasonable and wise, to my mind," Iggie says" and the bed does seem to be more restful than it would otherwise seem... And while I cannot make those of us less than gifted with stealth any more stealthy, I can make one of us significantly faster for a brief time once, or cast a magic mist that obscures vision so as to better surprise the fiends. Of course, they can most definitely use it against us, as well!"
Zo nods in acknowledgement. "Let's find out what Rhade sees; his eyes are sharper than mine. Then we can try to circle around the other side of them." She gives Gregori a glance with a touch of sympathy in it. "I don't expect this will prove too long a delay. There can't be much left to this level and certainly nothing that slowed the kobolds down until they got back to that room."
You can be pretty sure that the kobolds know your party is there. You have not been particularly quiet (what with the combat and all) and have been speaking to each other as well. In addition, you are carrying lights, which the kobolds can see, even if they can't directly see you now, being in a different room. You guess there are at least five of them in that room, judging from the voices.
Zo peers out into the central hall; she has been through it twice but was in a hurry both times and didn't take the time to examine it.
Reexamining the central hallway (to the west of the room you are currently in) reveals what you had spotted before: kobold tracks going between the entrance to the south and the other bedroom to the west. Zo also notices a closed door leading to the north from here. No tracks lead that way.
Reexamining the central hallway (to the west of the room you are currently in) reveals what you had spotted before: kobold tracks going between the entrance to the south and the other bedroom to the west. Zo also notices a closed door leading to the north from here. No tracks lead that way.
Zo goes ahead and examines the closed door, looking for traps. It's always good to have options about which way to go, especially when you might be in a hurry later.
"Ignacious do you remember all those coins Zo I think found in that pit that aberration was lurking inside when we first approached this place, Did you leave those behind or bag them?" Rhade asks Ignacious thoughtfully.
Ignacious huffs. "Leave money simply lying about? Am I a goblin, man!?! Of course I brought it along, where it is far safer and more likely to be useful."
"Ignacious do you remember all those coins Zo I think found in that pit that aberration was lurking inside when we first approached this place, Did you leave those behind or bag them?" Rhade asks Ignacious thoughtfully.Ignacious huffs. "Leave money simply lying about? Am I a goblin, man!?! Of course I brought it along, where it is far safer and more likely to be useful."
"You sure I mean there was an awful amount of coins out there far too much for any one person to carry, I mean with noone between us and the front door anyone could run out there and grab the lot after all you never know whose listening in at the moment now can you?" Rhade shrugs.
Gregori opens the northern door, confident that Zo made sure that it wasn't trapped. It opens into the middle of a rectangular, 30' by 15' room. A long wooden table occupies the center of this room, surrounded by a dozen plain wooden chairs. Human skeletons, wearing the rags of fine dinner attire, occupy four of the chairs. On the table in front of each chair sits a golden dinner plate, accompanied by a dusty glass goblet and dull silverware. A large stone fireplace looms in the north wall opposite you.
The room has four other exits: two to the east and two to the west. Your guessing that the northern wall of the room is built right up against the mountain.
Gregori opens the northern door, confident that Zo made sure that it wasn't trapped. It opens into the middle of a rectangular, 30' by 15' room. A long wooden table occupies the center of this room, surrounded by a dozen plain wooden chairs. Human skeletons, wearing the rags of fine dinner attire, occupy four of the chairs. On the table in front of each chair sits a golden dinner plate, accompanied by a dusty glass goblet and dull silverware. A large stone fireplace looms in the north wall opposite you.
Zo lowers her crossbow. Even if the skeletons animate, her bolts won't be much good against them. Curiously, she contemplates the skeletons, murmuring to herself, "...murdered by the man in the fifth chair?" There is no trace of horror or disapproval in her voice, merely curiosity.
"Watch out for that fireplace in case there's another giant bat waiting,"Rhade points out.
"Just don't lose your new dagger again," Zo tells him before returning her attention to the room. "We should avoid the table until we've taken care of the kobolds. They came through here without suffering any ill effects, but the table is also undisturbed. No need to fight kobolds and undead at the same time -- or to find ourselves caught between two enemies when we've gone to some trouble to do the same to the kobolds."
There are no kobold tracks in here. The room seems undisturbed.Perception (1d20+6=23)
"No tracks," Zo points out. "And I saw none in the other bedroom. So how did the kobolds get in there? Maybe up the stairs? Which means there must be another set going down..." She looks at Gregori. "Be wary. This keep has more secrets than it seems."
Initiative:
Ignacious: 15+3=18
Zo: 7+8=15
Father Meghdad: 12+1=13
Creatures: 11
Cordelia: 5+2=7
Gregori: 7+0=7
Rhade: 1+4=5
"Damn! She's ensorcelled! Cordelia, is there anything you can do?"
Gregori Rushes forth to attack the creature, sword flashing.
"Snap out of it!! We're under attack!!"
Cordelia spys the Harpy and calls back to Gregori, "not unless I can maybe disrupt it's concentration."
She conjures a tiny ball of flame into her palm and hurls it towards the Harpy, but flies over its shoulder.
Lesser Orb of Fire (Ranged Touch Attack) on Harpy. (1d20+3=9)
The Paladin curses loudly. "Damn! She's ensorcelled! Cordelia, is there anything you can do?"
"Sweet sounds of silver! That music is heavenly!" Ignacious moves through, past his companions and even walks directly past the harpy who ignores him completely, making his way most of the way to the fireplace where the heavenly sound is emanating from.
Zo suddenly stops thinking about tactics, and her face takes on a distant, puzzled expression. "That sounds like.... But she died so long ago.... It can't be," she murmurs as she approaches the fireplace to look up the chimney.
Shield and Sarenrae's holy scimitar in hand, Father Meghdad steps out in front of the creature. "Go back to the Abyss, spawns of darkness!" The blade cuts a deep gouce in the harpy's leg and it screeches in pain.
The harpy makes a mighty swing with its club, aiming at the Father. To its surprise, it misjudges the angle and the club bounces off the door frame and smacks it full in the face. Its nose is bloody and looks broken and the harpy looks very unhappy. Immensely frustrated it continues swinging wildly at the cleric and manages to scratch him its back talons.
On the far side of the dining room, the second harpy continues its captivating song as it drops down out of the chimney and sidles towards its entranced victims.
Cordelia spys the Harpy and calls back to Gregori, "not unless I can maybe disrupt it's concentration." She conjures a tiny ball of flame into her palm and hurls it towards the Harpy, but flies over its shoulder impacting with a dull flumpf on the back of the fireplace.
Gregori Rushes forth to attack the creature, sword flashing. "Snap out of it!! We're under attack!!" His skill guides the blade true and it connects with the vile creature's chest, making a bright red mark.
"Dad...?" Rhade mutters as he sheathes his dagger and holding his longsword loosely he walks after Ignacious trying to look into the room and see if he can spy his father. For a moment he wonders if stepping between the Father, Gregori and the strange creature they are interacting with is a safe idea, but then he decides that the music is simply too wonderful to miss.
Initiative for Round 2:
Ignacious: 15+3=18
Zo: 7+8=15
Father Meghdad: 12+1=13
Creatures: 11
Cordelia: 5+2=7
Gregori: 7+0=7
Rhade: 1+4=5
"Then we just have to make this quick!"Gregori yells as he strikes again, this time harder than the last.
Will: 1d20+5=22
"By Abadar's Vault! What is going on here!?!"
"Really is that what this place is called? Funny I was wondering why my dad would be anywhere near any place without a major population..." Rhade mutters back confused as he tries to listen to the singing.
Iggie takes a step backwards (five foot step away from the Harpy) and attempts to blast the offensive harlot with Abadar's dissolving spirits!
Attack (acid dart): 1d20+5=9, 1d6+1=7
"Waken, you fools! It is not what it seems!"
ROUND 2
Iggie takes a step backwards (five foot step away from the Harpy) and attempts to blast the offensive harlot with Abadar's dissolving spirits! The blast impacts on the wall above the harpy's head, dissolving the stone and sending showers of pebbles onto its bird-like head.
"Not her ... but like her," Zo sighs, as she settles into her place at the feet of the heavenly creature, a look of serenity not untouched by sadness on her face.
Father Meghdad shoulders his way past the paladin and enters the harpy's lair. "You shall not keep us from our holy duty, beast!" he hollers in his loudest voice. He misjudges his opponent's position, and his scimitar swings wild, a blow easily avoided by the harpy.
The harpy still crouched in the large fireplace continues its siren song, not perturbed that one of the humanoids has escaped its compulsion.
The creature near Father Meghdad and Gregori winces from the pain of its wounds. It backs up slightly so as to be out of reach of the cleric's scimitar and instead focuses its attention on the paladin. The intervening doorway combined with the paladin's skill and armor turn away all blows, and Gregori escapes injury for another moment.
Cordelia once again draws up the power of her celestial lineage and targets the more distant harpy captivating her companions. Her shot is blocked again and she curses loudly.
"Then we just have to make this quick!" Gregori yells as he moves into the gap left by the harpy and strikes again, this time harder than the last. The creature is taken aback by his violent advance and tries in vain to block it. The paladin's longsword buries itself deep in the creature's sternum, its life's blood bursting forth and covering the human in carnelian ichor.
"Really is that what this place is called? Funny I was wondering why my dad would be anywhere near any place without a major population..." Rhade mutters back confused as he tries to listen to the singing.
Initiative for Round 3:
Ignacious: 15+3=18
Zo: 7+8=15
Father Meghdad: 12+1=13
Creatures: 11
Cordelia: 5+2=7
Gregori: 7+0=7
Rhade: 1+4=5