Karethas waits until the sound is close and casts the Obscuring Mist as he described. Then he returns to the group and casts Bull Strength on Amir, Kzrira, and Faelar.
Normal AC: 18 Flat Footed AC: 15 Touch AC: 14
HP: 33/51
Inspired
Wincing from the pain Amir steps back to continue towards his group but continues to fight.
Karethas waits for the situation to change, ready to dismiss the fog when it seems prudent.
Amir continues weaving a flickering tapestry of gleaming steel as his twin blades move with incredible speed, a slash with Sholeh, a deft miss with Simin and then a deadly thrust with Sholeh once more and Amir steps back leaving a trail of blood both from his own wounds and his dripping blade. The mutant totters for four heartbeats and then falls forward to the stone floor.
Kzrira sends three swift arrows at the last murky shape in the fog while Faelar retreats to safety. Wisely it seems because there is a bellow of rage and the creature steps from the mist over its fallen brethren with three arrows sticking from its face and upper torso. In a blood rage, it falls upon Amir. A claw narrowly misses the canny rogue, but the other claw brushes aside his defenses and the misshapen maw fall upon him ripping flesh.
Kzrira growls as the gnoll slashes and bites Amir.
Stupid cur. Your supposed to respect your elders, not eat them.
She then once more fires three arrows at the gnoll.
Attack-rapid shot:
Damage:
Attack-rapid shot:
Damage:
Attack-haste:
Damage:
Although poorly aimed, all three shots hit (I hope) the gnoll. While they do not penetrate as deeply as in the past, all draw blood.
As Amir pauses to consider his life choices, Kzrira releases another flurry of arrows into the thing and it falls twitching to the ground. Karethas dismisses the arcane fog and all is quiet. The hall is clear other than the four large deformed corpses. There are three doors to the west and the passage where the gnoll abominations came from which leads east at the end of the hall.
Unless they changed form into what we just defeated, there are several gnoll warriors right ahead of us. We need to get Amir healed, and then move forward again. Lets check this door first though so that we do not leave enemies behind us.
Kzrira will continue to watch the passage ahead while searching the bodies of the malformed gnolls. She does this while Falear is healing Amir.
During the encounter I try to keep the morale up of the group by singing and once the situation has calmed down a little I take hold of the wand and begin to release it's energy, hoping to close all the wounds of my comrades.
Karethas quickly casts Detect Magic to pick up any potentially valuable items, and prepares to move forward.
Perception: <-- +2 more vs gnolls
--> searching the bodies for anything of use and/or value
Amir nods as Kzrira stands watch, methodically checking the closest door for things of concern before opening it...
The bestial gnolls have nothing. Not even weapons or armor. Falear quickly mends the terrible wounds suffered from the melee and Amir checks the doors in the hallway. Fortunately, none are trapped as the old rogue still seems a bit dazed from the savage encounter.
The nearest room appears to be a barracks. Several pallets of old furs and straw cover the ground with a pair of tables littered with half empty bottles of wine and a pair of dice. There is nothing of value besides a set of keys hanging near the door.
The next room appears to be a shrine to the Rough Beast decorated with scrawled spider-like images of a fanged mouth painted in dried blood. There are more mounds of stinking furs and a flat stone in the center of the room circled with rancid candles and covered with small bones and gore. Nothing of value here either.
The final room is locked, but one of the keys from the recently found ring works. The dark chamber within stinks of excrement and sickness.
The floor of the room is covered in moldy straw and sand and a pale form is seen cowering in the corner. Once the decrepit human in rags realizes that you are not gnolls, he begins pleading from a toothless mouth amidst a crusted beard. "Sayyid, please help me. Save me from these monstrous creatures."
There is something familiar about the voice and the wretched face squinting into your light and it takes you a few moments to place the man. It is Slow Idi, the pesh mage and slaver you first crossed paths with what seems years ago. You spotted him more recently in the Kelmarane market some months past, but he disappeared and life has not been good to him in the interim. He does not seem to recognize you and reaches forward with hands covered in lesions.
Disgust is quickly followed be a smirk on Karethas' face. "Forced captivity seems fitting in this case." With a frown his eyes fall to the scars on his own hands and he involuntarily flinches.
I look at Slow Idi and speak quietly to my friends, "Ummm ... he has contracted Leprosy ... best not to touch him unless you want it too." I take a step or two back.
Idi's mouth gapes and he stares at his own hands upon hearing Faelar's judgement. "No, this cannot be. The fiends have stolen my pesh and my slaves and now afflicted me with this disease. It is not too late though. Please friends, return me to Katapesh where I can be healed. I have powerful friends. I will reward you: gold, women, whatever you desire!"
Karethas eyes narrow as Idi speaks. He whispers to the others, "Though I want to sympathize with this man, he still claims intelligent beings as "his". Even in this imprisoned state he does not waiver from his selfishness. I say leave this filthy slaver to his own devices."
Kzrira whispers back to Karethas:
I have no love for this horrible man. However, I will not leave to die in this state. We should provide him with some food and water, and perhaps a dagger. Then we can send him on his way.
I agree that if he has contracted a contagious disease, however, that we should stay as far from him as possible.
She then turns back to Idi:
And, what would you have me do with your women? You may not remember us, but we have freed slaves illegally taken by you in the past. You are lucky that you will be allowed to leave here with your life. I will talk with my companions, but, if I ever see you or your horrid ways in Kelmarane again, it will be the last time you enter the town.
"That is acceptable to me. He can be on his way with some provisions, IF he agrees to never set foot in Kelmarane again."
Amir looks on as the others talk about Idi. Amir had no love of the slaver but Amir himself was not innocent of what the law sometimes allowed or tacitly accepted through inaction at the Nightstalls.
At the recommendation to send the slaver on his way the rogue merely nods as he pulls a sack from his magic sash as well as a water skin and a pair of rations, placing it in the bag and throwing it to Idi. Amir then flicks his left wrist and a dagger appears in his hand. The rogue tosses the dagger at the floor near the leper's feet.
Move quickly. May Abadar grant you his warm embrace or shepherd you quickly to arms of the Lady of Graves.
The afflicted slaver scrambles awkwardly to his feet and stoops to gather the supplies. He bows deeply and offers a phlegmy laugh that becomes a rattling cough. "Ah I remember, the elf and the harsh woman. I cursed you once, but you have spared my life twice now and I am grateful. Have no worry, Abadar willing that I reach Katapesh, I swear that I will never leave again."
"I have nothing to offer you, but my advice. Beware this Carrion King. He is a fiend from the darkest pit. He stands as tall as the foreign ogre that once fought in the market of Kelmarane and is favored by the One who is bound in far Gormuz. He took all my slaves and cut them to pieces to throw in the great charnel pit that surrounds his throne. Such a waste!"
"And something slithered beneath the rotting flesh in the pit. I do not wish to see what it is."
"Nor do we, Idi. Nor do we. Your advice may prove helpful and has certainly confirmed our decision to let you go in peace." After Idi has departed Karethas turns to the others, "We have a choice to make. Push on with what resources we currently have, or try to hole up in here. I can cast my dimensional pocket spell in the corner and we can hope that the gnolls do not see the rope it if they search for us. I have spells remaining to influence one more battle, but my help will be minimal in a protracted battle against many foes or against this Carrion King."
Kzrira looks to the others:
The Carrion King has been here for years, he will be here tomorrow. The question is where we can safely use your magic to provide us with safety.
We could stay in this room, and barricade the door from inside. I just hope that the gnolls do not have the ability to seal the room from the outside.
"I think trickery and deception is a better route here than the more straightforward approach. Let's say...we put it in the corner by the door, so they probably won't even notice it. We tie an iron ring right at the top and position it so that it looks like the rope is hanging from the ring. Then it looks like a rope to tie a prisoner to for torture. Amir, you are our master of deception, do you think that might work?"
Does the rope have to hang at all? Might we position this "pocket dimension" of yours so that it would seem a piece of rope sits on the floor?
"Not if we wish to be in the space. The rope needs to hang at least five feet from the floor to function properly."
What a silly rule. Clearly you wizard types have a strange of sense of what might be useful when creating these spells. The rogue's eye shines with mirth as he contemplates the situation.
Can we treat the rope or make it look dirty? I think that may help if we wish to make it seem innocuous.
Why don't we smash one of the doors so that it is broken and cannot be easily closed. And then we can position the rope behind the door. Who is going to check behind a broken door in a room they are familiar with?
The pesh mage departs and you are uncertain if you will ever see Idi again, but then he's proven resourceful in the past. Thinking quickly, Karethas performs the rope trick, creating a concealed space for you to hide. Amir disables the lock to the cell so that you won't be trapped, but you consider it unlikely the gnolls will bother to check in on a dying prisoner when dangerous attackers are about.
It is only after you all shimmy up the rope hidden in the dark corner of the cell that you notice the spell has gone wrong. Instead of a merely functional cranny, the interdimensional chamber is a spacious room complete with 4 bunk beds and a table already set with a warm and nourishing meal of roasted goat, flat bread, tangy sauces and wine.
Karethas I had no idea your skills had expanded so greatl as to offer us such fine accommodation!
Kzrira looks at the new expanded accommodations and lets out a sigh:
I still have to share with you smelly oafs though.
Karethas seems shocked when he enters the space, but quickly recovers. "I've just been holding out on you before. Don't expect this level of luxury next time."
Nothing disturbs your rest in the hidden hut; only darkness remains beyond the low doorway. You awake refreshed and feeling wiser and more skilled.
Amir certainly did not expect to become a sword master, but years of experience as a merchant have given him intuitive wisdom in predicting his opponents' moves and where to place his blades. More and more the twin blades feel like an extension of his arms.
Likewise, Kzrira feels a keen connection with Tempest. Though ever cool in her grasp, it quivers at times and mysterious gusts tug playfully at her hair. That along with her hatred of gnolls has made her truly deadly within Pale Mountain.
Despite or perhaps in response to the cruel vagaries of the wish warp, Karethas feels his skill as a conjurer has only increased under duress and studies his texts with confidence and assurance. Likewise, Faelar's hopeful voice instills strength in all as he croons to the stinking egg he recovered from the troglodyte pit.
Surely, the Carrion King will prove inconsequential before the combined might of Amir's guile, Kzrira's deadly aim, Karethas' puissant magics and Faelar's inspiration.
Kzrira smiles as she awakes and feels the smooth cool alien wood that make up Tempest.
Shall we go and find a few more of these ugly dogs which need to be turned into fertilizer.
Karethas snaps his spellbook closed with a smile, "Yes, and lets hope they are agreeable to such a transformation. I doubt it though." He quickly casts Mage Armor on himself and begins to gather his belongings.
Amir nods at the archer as he strings on his magical shoulder bag and pulls his everburning torch, passing it to the wizard. Amir then holds the point of Simin at the caster, Make her glow sadiqi
Amir listens at the door and then steps through holding his glowing blade aloft. The hall beyond is dark and still. The large shapes of the fallen gnoll abominations lie can just be made out undisturbed at the other end of the hall. No living foe can be seen.
There is an arch across from the cell door and beyond a row of columns, three parallel corridors lead away separated by walls only a foot wide. The floor is a tile mosaic of fiery motif and serpentine black shapes. The walls are carved in scrabbled script. It is hard to make out, but Faelar thinks it is a muddle of some dialect of ancient Kelish perhaps with Ignan and maybe some Abyssal words as well.
Amir frowns at the script Well that certainly looks inviting. Regardless they, at first glance, decided that what happened down here was worth leaving well enough alone. I suppose we will see what surprises are in store...
Amir ponders the layout of the area. At the north end of the hall beyond the dead gnolls is the door to the harem. Within the hall, all on the west side of the passage are, arranged north to south: the barracks, shrine to Rovagug and the dungeon cell where Idi was found. On the east side of the hall opposite the cell are three openings beyond the arch. This is where the mutated giant gnolls appeared to originate. Amir begins to wonder if these parallel entrances are some kind of labyrinth.
Knowing the basics of Kellish, Osirian and Gnoll, Kzrira peers at the inscription attempting the decipher their meaning.
Linguistics: <-- she maybe understands something?
I look at the walls with a face of confusion apparent, "Why would they mix up these scripts all together?"