Kowaru sighs in defeat as Baolo pronounces Nemien dead, and shakes his head. He stares at his hands for a moment, bright red with the man's lifeblood. "Another life snuffed out from our passing, like a candle's flame in a storm. I am sorry for this end, brother - may your next life be less profitable and more rewarding than this one was." He bows his head in meditation for a few moments, silently praying for Nemien's soul.
He then stands, and begins searching the back room for clues as well.
Perception:
While Aero looks at the dagger and the potions, Ialda takes a closer look at the wand. She was hoping she would innately understand its properties, like the previous wand they had found.
After regaining consciousness, Chez will look down at the slain mage and will shake his head and sigh. "Aye, Kowaru, his death seems so senseless."
As the others begin looking around for a way below, Chez will also assist.
Baolo searches the main room and finds nothing of interest. Chez regains about a minute later, but is stunned, just drooling on the floor and blind! Then the blindness fades and he is just stunned. After about a full minute, he is fine again. He also finds nothing of interest.
spellcraft .
Ialda picks up the wand to see if she can figure out its capabilities. "Oh, look here, Kowaru. Another wand that will give you magical protection. It's about as strong as the other one we found. Remind me to use one on you after we get done searching up here. I'd imagine down below, we won't get a welcome reception."
"When wi find di way down mebbe wi bettah bring dat body too. I'm gonna check in di back." Baolo goes back to check the door in back.
If he finds no traps or locks on the door, he'll do a thorough search of the room.
"Compared to the warm welcome we received from the wizard upstairs, sister?", Kowaru deadpans as he assists Baolo in searching both rooms.
Take 10 on a Perception roll to aid Baolo on both rolls. Gain a +2, sir!
On Nemien, you also found 2 keys, one of which appears to be a master key, that opens the doors. The door at G7-8 leads to a storage room, nothing remarkable about it.
Perception
Aeronniell adds to the thorough search of Nemien's home, giving particular attention to the floor, rugs or anything that would be a trapdoor downward.
Not noted for his searching skills, Chez will try to assist the others in searching:
Finding little of interest in the main room, Kowaru heads towards the back offices, checking the doors to see if they're locked, and then searching the room for...well, anything out of the ordinary, really.
Perception:
"Hmmm..." Aeronniell wonders aloud to herself more than anyone else, as she continues to thoroughly investigate the shop. She hesitates near the stuffed dragon wyrmling and gazes into its eyes for several moments.
Why do I feel like it's looking back at me?
"Be sure to check around the stuffed animals, maybe one of them is on top of whatever trap door we are searching for..."
Aero identifies the items as +1 dagger and a Potion of cure light wounds. The party searches the Taxidermist's Hall thoroughly and finds in what you assume is Nemien's room a locked chest under his bed. You also find a secret passage triggered by one of the panels, which slides the wall aside, revealing a workshop, with a set of stairs at the opposite end, leading down into darkness.
"Aha, looks like the trap door was here after all! Before we head down, I think now would be a good time to try out that wand, Kowaru. One shot with that will make you much harder to hit for about an hour. Anyone else need to do anything before we head down?". Once the group was ready, Ialda leads the group through the trap door.
"Ya mon, dat is a good plan. Nemien got me too. I'm a go heal myself before wi go." Baolo halts for a moment, looking over his wounds and says a brief prayer to Shimye-Magalla.
The party heads down the stairs, Ialda in the lead. At the base of the landing, the passage splinters, to the east and west. Moisture drips from the walls to pool on the rough floor and you hear the sound of water running in the distance from the east. 15 feet down to the west, a wooden door beckons.
Baolo trails slightly behind with an arrow nocked. His head and braids swing side to side as he looks for movement and listens intently. He whispers, "Mebbe east? Mek sure no one hidin'."
Ialda leads the group into the depths. "We aren't good at opening locks, so let's head east and save the door for later.". She slowly approaches the opening to the east, wondering about the sound of running water in the town.
Chez will remain upstairs, watching the front door of the Taxidermist's Hall, making sure no one comes to investigate or ambush you from behind. He also says he will do some searching, in case you guys missed something.
Ialda: As to your question about the water: The Hall is located in the Portside District of Eleder, so the sea is not too far away.
You follow a windy path underground to the west (toward the sea) for about 60 feet and then it turns north. 20' ahead a large tide pool takes up this room, the waters thick with seaweed and its bed clustered with a veritable carpet of red and black sea urchins. You see two submerged passageways branching out from this room, to the NE and NW.
Perception to check out the pool
Ialda turns to the group, "Looks like I'm taking a swim. I'm thinking to check out the northeast tunnel first. Anyone want to head that way with me?. Either way, she pulls her Longspear before slowly entering the water.
As Ialda approaches the pool, she is not surprised when two frightening creatures with blood-red spines come slithering out the water, resembling a lobster in the front and an eel in the back!
Initiative Order:
Aero
Reefclaws
Kowaru
Baolo
Ialda
"Hmmmm..." Aeronniell wonders to herself as she steps into the cavern, cautious that each step is carefully placed.
Kneeling, she tries to search for signs of previous passage.
"I wonder who else has been here, and how recently?"
Jovial voice: That's a good lass, always bein' careful!
Just like you taught me!
Aero spots humanoid tracks, perhaps as fresh as a couple of hours ago, the majority of them heading west, when Ialda's yell alerts her to battle!
"They don't look friendly... they look... hungry!"
Biting her lower lip in concentration, Aeronniell finds her bow in her hands in the blink of an eye, steps forward to line up her shot and lets loose an arrow.
The aquatic creature hisses in pain, as Aero's arrow penetrates its scaly hide, drawing blood, but it looks tough and vicious and still stands! The creatures see Ialda as a tasty meal and they both step up 5' to G9 and G10 respectively, and attack her, thankfully with no sense of tactics!
The first reefclaw lashes out with its lobster pincers, but the barbarian proves too agile for its slow attacks. It is clear the creature is sluggish on land.
The second reefclaw, however, appears took classes in ground combat, as it lashes the barbarian with its pincers, ripping skin and injecting her with foul venom twice! It also grapples her and constricts with each claw, causing more damage!
Fort save One
Fort save Two
Baolo holds his ground and releases a green-feathered arrow at the reefclaw that has seized hold of Ialda.
Ialda drops her weapon, knowing it wouldn't do her any good against the aquatic monster. She claws at the creature, trying her best to kill the thing so she could get loose from its 'embrace.'
Attack with Sorcerer Claws
Damage
Attack Two with Claws, if legal
Damage
Confirmation attempt, if legal
Damage
[ooc]Round 1
Kowaru steps back a moment in alarm as the reefclaws begin to tear into Ialda. His indecision quickly fades as he dashes towards the fight, striking at the monster that holds the green-skinned woman fast!
Move to H10, and attack the reefclaw that's got Ialda.
Attack:
Damage (nonlethal):
Seeing the creature inexplicably fighting on, Baolo racks his memory for information about the creatures.
Seeing Ialda work to fend off the crab grabbing her, Aeronniell directs her next arrow to finish off her assailant.
The reefclaw on Ialda continues its attack and constricts the barbarian:
The less wounded reefclaw attacks Kowaru twice:
Baolo scowls at the reefclaw savaging Ialda, "Why won' cha die craab?" He shakes his head, but then draws another arrow and launches it into the same reefclaw. "Shimye-Magalla, take dis craab to di boneyaad."
Baolo's arrow is true, but the creature on Ialda squeezes once more with its pincer, inflicting more damage on her, before falling lifeless to the ground!
Fort save
Ialda moves to help get the last monster off of Kowaru.
Claw Attack
Damage
Conditions: minus one to Strength, minus 12 hps.
Kowaru winces as the monster tears away some of the skin on his forearm, but slips away before it can slither around him as it did to Ialda. He lets loose a flurry of strikes at the monster, seeking pressure points to knock it senseless.
Non-lethal flurry of blows on the remaining reefclaw.
Attack 1:
Damage 1:
Attack 2:
Damage 2:
Current Spell Effects: Mage Armor (AC 20)
Ialda and Kowaru resist the poison and spit it out in disgust. Kowaru lands a strike to the last reefclaw, which like its brother, refuses to die!
Feeling the grasp on her loosen, the barbarian takes a swipe at the remaining enemy.
Attack
Damage
The reefclaw attacks the monk again twice, miraculously penetrating the field of force with both attacks!