Pharris' hand goes out and twists as she signals her intent to move into the cluttered passage.
Then she realises there is a battle hymn going on behind her! Pharris moves forward taking care to look out for any snares.
"Come on, let's dance!"
Pharris, you hear nothing over the sounds that your companions are making behind you. The smell of bleach is starting to give you a headache. Make a spot check if you’re looking out for snares and such.
The short corridor, while cluttered, looks safe enough – but Pharris, as you approach the door at the end, you happen to glance up, and notice that a metal pail is balanced on the top edge of the partly open door, in such a way that it will certainly fall if the door is opened.
Pharris attempts to lift the pail down from this side.
She is tall and uses both hands to try to carefully disable the trap.
Although it’s a very crude and simple trap, disarming it is complicated by a number of factors; having to reach up to the top of the door, the cramped conditions in the corridor, and the fact that to properly reach the bucket from this side, one is almost forced to open the door – which is the very thing that triggers the trap.
Pharris almost gets it – but at the last moment her foot catches on a tunic that has fallen onto the floor. She slips slightly, pushes against the door, and the bucket comes crashing down.
Pharris tries to catch it, fully expecting the lot to tip over
her.
The bucket wins.
As they crowd into the room, Nicholai concentrates, and summons a small dimly glowing ball of blue light, dimmer than a candle, just bright enough to let them see the floor and not trip on anything. HE waves the slightly bouncing ball of light lower, below head hight, to keep it hidden.
He follows the others as they file slowly behind the amazon warrior in the front, crossbow at the ready, and spares a glance to make sure the Kobolds are right behind him. He throws them a quick grin before turning back to see Pharris trying to do something with the barely open door at the end of the short hallway. HE grimaces and winces as she suddenly stumbles on a bit of cloth on the floor, and he sees a bucket tumble past her grasping arms,...
As Laithe waits outside for Keildrithe to enter, his keen ears pick up a faint creaking sound from somewhere above his head. Looking up, he notices that one of the shutters on the small windows above is partly ajar.
Laithe grimaces, knowing that even now an imp could be flying out the window and either escaping or following them from behind, invisible to their eyes. Once inside he whispers to the group "I have a feeling they know we are here and are being watched. Let us stay on guard".
He does his best to close the warped wood of the doors behind them, so as to avoid as little attention from the street as possible.
Following Pharris down the passage, his eyes and ears strain to catch any sign of opponents, invisible or otherwise.
As he scans the room and corridor intently, Laithe sees Pharris start to remove the bucket and spots it slip from her grasp. He desperately dives forward, trying to knock her out of the way of danger, and hoping his own momentum takes them through door and out of the path of the falling liquid.
Laithe was somewhat distracted by the creaking of the window shutter (and concerned about the possibilities), but now he makes his way into the passage and begins looking carefully around. A split second before Pharris reaches for the bucket, he sees the situation – and also notices that the woman is about to slip.
Reacting more on instinct than conscious thought, the druid leaps forward, pushing Keildrithe and Alton aside, and barrels into Pharris, pushing her through the doorway, where the two of them end up sprawled and entangled on the cold flagstone floor.
In their wake, the metal bucket clatters loudly to the floor, spilling an acrid smelling solution over the floor at the doorway.
Laithe looks the two inches into Pharris' slightly shaken, almond, green eyes.
Smelling the acrid liquid, she smiles and breathes out, sweet and fresh, "thanks."
There is a bitter, acrid smell in the air of this large, high ceilinged room. The floor is dominated by six large stone vats, some three feet high, each filled with dingy grey soapy water. The ceiling is lost in darkness some thirty feet above. Halfway up the grey brick walls a rickety looking wood and metal platform encircles the room, with a short walkway extending out over the centre of the room. Three ladders in the corners of the chamber provide access to the walkway.
The room is dimly illuminated by several dozen tallow candles spaced around a narrow brick ledge that runs around the perimeter of the chamber about four feet above the floor. The area immediately by the walls is fairly well lit, but the spaces between the vats and the upper reaches of the room are cast in flickering shadow.
Laithe and Pharris have little time to take in either the room or each other’s eyes; there are multiple ~twangs~ and several arrows speed down towards them. One ricochets off a stone vat, one scores a glancing hit across Laithe’s arm , while the third buries itself deeply into his back .
Pharris stops smiling and goes green, her mouth begins to bulge and eyes start in horror at what she is about to do.
The girl vomits straight out trying desperately to avoid Laithe's eyes.
Laithe and Pharris have little time to take in either the room or each other’s eyes; there are multiple ~twangs~ and several arrows speed down towards them. One ricochets off a stone vat, one scores a glancing hit across Laithe’s arm for 2 points of damage, while the third buries itself deeply into his back for 9 points of damage.
Laithe gives a quick nod in response to Pharris' thanks before embarrassingly realising he is lying half on top of her. He starts to rise and is the middle of an apology when his back explodes in fiery agony as the arrow digs deeply in. The impact had the fortunate result of knocking him of Pharris just as she throws up.
Sickened: The character takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Sickened: The character takes a -2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
;)
Keildrithe curses as Laithe nearly bowls him over, and as the bucket drops with a loud clang, yet just barely keeps his balance . "Damn it, there goes the element of surprise," he mutters through clenched teeth. "No sense attempting to hypnotize our foes when they're already engaged in combat." He hesitates for a moment, wondering whether he should just drop his berdach and retrieve it later, or stow it in his pack now. The fear of forgetting or losing the ancestral item is too strong -- he opts to take a moment to unshoulder his pack and stuff the hand drum back into it, while simultaneously heading towards the door that Laithe and Pharris slid through . As the Karand prepares to sidestep the acidic puddle, he witnesses the arrows rain down on his companions. "NO!!! Laithe, Pharris!!!"
Alton sighs as he hears the bucket fall 'And the fun begins.' Taken by surprise, the small man is knocked to the ground as Laithe rushes past. Eyes watering from whatever was in the bucket, Alton scrambles to his feet as he sees the attack on his companions begin.
Pharris stops vomiting.
Another three arrows streak down from the archers on the walkways. Again, one bounces off the rim of a stone trough, one hits the ground a few inches from Laithe’s head, and one gashes Pharris’ leg below her chain shirt
Something is scratching at the other side of the door at the side of the room…
Alton sighs as he hears the bucket fall 'And the fun begins.' Taken by surprise, the small man is knocked to the ground as Laithe rushes past. Eyes watering from whatever was in the bucket, Alton scrambles to his feet as he sees the attack on his companions begin.
The second arrow striking so close to Laithe's head spurs him into action and he roles to the side and jumps to his feet. Assessing the situation, he dashes to his right, making his way to the ladder to the balcony and beginning to climb up.
As he goes he shouts to the others "Clear the floor if possible - I don't like the look of those vats!"
Kajetan moves into the room, I will choose to take a move action to avoid the puddle, he aims to finish in square D5 and crouch down by the Vat to get as much cover as possible, so a double move for me.
Fort save to avoid being sickened. (1d20+1=18)
The stench of the cleaning room stings his eyes and burns his throat, but he manages to control his breathing and is not overcome by it.
Pharris gets up and moves to the nearest shadowy wall by a walkway ladder, as she does she holsters the greatsword.
Nicholai blinks, then hastens after the others. He edges past the pool of foul liquid while waving his crossbow at possible targets. But the shadowy figures on the balcony provide dim targets at best, and he ducks behind a vat trying to get cover from the archers.
His eyes water and he coughs harshly, but manages to keep from breathing too deeply of the harsh air.
"It's too dark up there, I can't get a clear shot." He whispers to those included in the message spell. "But if I can see them at all, I can hit them. With magic. MAN that air is foul! But more importantly, I wonder if it's flammable?" He whispers while choking back a cough.
He places his loaded crossbow on the floor by his feet and flexes his fingers. "What do you need guys, covering fire, or light on the catwalk?" He whispers to Alton, Laithe and the bard.
The girl pats the druid lightly on the rear, "come on, let's take it to them!"
She takes a moment to look up at the archers. Then she follows Laithe up.
He places his loaded crossbow on the floor by his feet and flexes his fingers. "What do you need guys, covering fire, or light on the catwalk?" He whispers to Alton, Laithe and the bard.
Laithe ducks behind the ladder and registers Nicolai's request through the confusion of battle. "If you can give us some cover fire so we can get at those archers, that'd be great. Also, keep an eye on the kobolds and the box - we have to assume the imps will target them and the box, and we can't afford to lose it!"
The girl pats the druid lightly on the rear, "come on, let's take it to them!"
Feeling a pat on his rump, and figuring it could only be Pharris, Laithe turns and suggests. "Might be worth trying to throw them into the vats? If we are able, let's work together?"
Alton edges around the acrid puddle in the doorway and makes for the nearest support post, hoping not to get shot while he climbs.
"Certainly my fine fellow, cover fire it is. I'll concentrate on the ones farthest away from you." He whispers back to the 3 in the message spell.
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" He calls as he inches around the urn, looking for a figure on the shadowy catwalk.
"Ah. There you are!" He grins as he sees a shadowy caped form move slightly. He curls the fingers of his right hand as if trying to grab something from the air. In response the space inside his fingers begins to glow with a bluish-white light. Staying behind the urn, he thrusts his hand forward with a muttered syllable that slides through your ears without staying to be comprehended, and two pulses of blue-white light fly forward. The tiny balls of light rocket through the air buzzing like demonic hummingbirds as they twist and spin around urns, the walkway, and even each other before finally slamming into their target.
;)
She takes a moment to look up at the archers. Then she follows Laithe up.
It is difficult for any in the group without low light vision or dark vision to make them out in the shadows; but yes, they look like the same sort of creatures. A flick of thin tail here, a hint of twitching whiskers there – the archers are not human.
Keildrithe edges his way around the spilled acid, while whispering over his shoulder to the kobolds: "stay out of sight -- I'll stand near the door until Laithe and the others have done away with our foes" . The chemical stench from the room beyond overwhelms the country boy's lungs . His eyes start to water, and he doubles over, preparing to retch. He hugs the door frame and then the wall, stumbling back to where he came from . "Maybe... it would... just be safer... if I watched over you from... a place where I can see you," mumbles the bard to the kobolds between bouts of retching.
More arrows rain down from the balcony. One strikes Alton , one bounces off the vat near Nicolai and one thuds quivering into a post beside Pharris.
The scratching at the east door intensifies, and then the door bursts open, releasing a horde of dog-sized rats into the room. The vile animals spill into the chamber, climbing over one another in an effort to get to their prey, racing through the narrow ways between the vats and spreading around the room.
Several approach Laithe, Pharris, Nicolai and Kajetan, but the main group go for Alton. Several leap up to nip at the him where he has just begun to climb the thin pillar – only one hits
Pharris grabs the druid as the rats pour in.
"Let me take the archers. My sword can hurt them. You sort the rats."
"I am the blade, the blade is death, I am death!" she murmurs to build focus and adrenalin.
"Certainly my fine fellow, cover fire it is. I'll concentrate on the ones farthest away from you." He whispers back to the 3 in the message spell.
"Come out, come out wherever you are!" He calls as he inches around the urn, looking for a figure on the shadowy catwalk.
"Ah. There you are!" He grins as he sees a shadowy caped form move slightly. He curls the fingers of his right hand as if trying to grab something from the air. In response the space inside his fingers begins to glow with a bluish-white light.
And the small horde of rats bursts thru the other door and swarm into the room.
"Awwww, Rats!" Nicholai curses as he ducks back around the urn.
"Change of plans!" He calls out over the scrabbling of the multitude of tiny clawed feet, not bothering with the Message spell. "I'll take care of the sewer swarm, get the archers!"
Glancing around franticly, he slides the other direction around the urn as the rats charge.
Looking towards Kajetan and Keildrithe he calls, "If you'll be so good as to keep them off my @$$ ?"
And with a final grin he pops up enough to get his arm over the top of the vat, the golden stars on the knuckles of his blue gloves flash, the ball of blue-white light in his hand changes to a burning red, and Nicholai cries "Fuego! Venitas Fuego!" as a blast of flames wash over the four rats nipping near Alton's heels.
Pharris grabs the druid as the rats pour in.
"Let me take the archers. My sword can hurt them. You sort the rats."
Laithe nods to the warrior woman; "I'll cover you and follow you up soon." He let's go of the ladder and drops to the ground changing into wolf form as he goes, already snapping at the nearest rat as it closes in.
Nicolai steps up behind Alton (who’s attempt at climbing has been somewhat interrupted by the rats nipping at his heels), leans around the halfling and sprays fire at a concentrated group of rats, crisping four of them.
Laithe hops down from the ladder, changing to wolf form as he goes, and tears into the nearest rat, ripping it apart, then pouncing forward towards the next.
Pharris moves behind him, hastily climbing up the ladder and moving around the catwalk towards one of the ratman archers. The woman notices that the handrails to the walkways are very low and rickety looking – they do not look like they would offer much protection against falls if someone were to stumble against them… Pharris also notices another door, a very narrow one, off the catwalk .
Kajetan panics, two rats this close could be fatal to him. He struggles to retreive his crossbow and tries to bury a bolt into the nearest In his panic, Kajetan shoots the edge of the vat and misses the rat by miles.
Crossbow attack verses the nearest rat in e6. (1d20+2=4, 1d8=2)
A rat snaps at Kajetan as he loads his crossbow; it misses, but the oversized teeth are enough to unnerve the wizard, and his bolt goes wide.
Back in the other chamber, the kobolds hiss and chatter amongst themselves, before Raspit hurls a barrage of questions at Keildrithe: “What’s in there? Why did you come back? What’s that smell? Why do you look green? Where are the devils?”