Tai Leng almost gracelessly kicks the floating monkey in the face and tries to shove it under.
Wounded and outnumbered, the two last "monkeys" try to escape. The smaller one jumps into the putrid water and joins his bigger kind in dicing underwater and swimming away.
- - -
The escaping monkey(s) flow against the water current, turning around the next corner to the right and disappearing from sight.
After swinging his sword and almost falling into the water, Cyrus glances at the other two. "You don't look too well. Here, let me ease some of your pains."
Brother Cyrus causes grievous wounds to one of the fleeing monkeys, but not quite enough to kill it.
Tai Leng and Eitylen feel better... Although Eitylen still feels a bit nauseous.
Brother Cyrus warily looks about him.
"So where to next?"
"Let us track down the human voices. Anyone down here can't be up to any good. Us excepted, of course."
Leng heads off that way.
As Tai Leng turns around the corner, he sees the pipe ends up in a large gallery, where two more otyugh corpses rot... And three men "talk".
One of them is a tall, blond, muscular guy wearing rags. His body is full of scars and tribal tattoos. He stands knee-deep in the sewer water, apparently unbothered by its foulness.
The second one looks like a beggar, has a hooked nose and a almost completely bald head. He's on his knees, bleeding from his nose and mouth. His face and body covered in cuts and bruises. His body is shaking, and he cowers every time the man at his side speaks or approaches him.
The man next to him wears a long, black coat. Still impeccably clean. His eyes are completely black, but his skin is as white as chalk.
"WHERE IS IT?" demands the pale man.
"I=It should b-be here..." shivers the bruised man. "M-Maybe i-in a-another ga-galler-"
his words are interrupted by a backhand slap from the pale man.
"THIS IS THE THIRD TIME! DO NOT TEST MY PATIENCE!" roars the pale man.
"I-I'm not! I s-swear!!!"
"YOU WORTHLESS...!"
At this point, a couple meat monkeys come running towards the blond man, who raises his eyes from his own reflection and stares at Tai Leng.
"Sir..." he says, almost whispering.
The pale man turns around and sees the tian martial artist. He then grumbles to himself and rolls his eyes.
"Of course your little critters failed to do their job..." the pale man says, staring angrily at the blond man. "Tch! I should've brought your sister."
The blond man says nothing, but seems bothered by those words.
"I have no time for this..." the white-skinned man says, before turning to Tai Leng "Leave us, stranger. Do not meddle with that which does not concern you."
Cyrus steps out and focuses his divine perception though he has a feeling he already knows what will be the answer.
"Halt! The obvious abuse to that man alone speaks of your character, but it is clear there is something criminal going on here. Surrender and you'll be tried fairly!"
"Don't surrender, and I get to beat you up. Just in case you were wondering about the alternatives."
The pale doesn't look impressed by the threats.
"Tch... Even if your laws held any meaning to me, I very much doubt any of you is a recognized law-enforcer." he says with scorn in his voice. "In any case, I have no time for your platitudes... This man owes me, and he shall pay."
Saying that, he grabs the bruised man by the neck and speaks to him.
"Where?" he says, with an obvious threatening tone.
"M-Maybe o-on a d-d-different nest?"
The pale man grips harder and groans in frustration.
"WHERE?"
"N-No more than a couple hundred feet! I-I'm sure I hid it somewhere around here!" replies the bruised, cowering man.
Tai Leng, ignored, shrugs and does a flying spin kick on the pale man, knocking him to the ground. He follows it up with a stomp.
"I did tell you to stop."
Brother Cyrus
Eitylen
Tai Leng
Pale Man
Blond Man
Cyrus sighs. They always do things the hard way.
He charges down and jumps into the air before bringing his sword down on the "Bigger Monkey."
Cyrus adjusts his stance as he flounders off the monkey.
Brother Cyrus severely wounds, but doesn't kill the "monkey".
Eitylen seizes the surprise to move a try to finish the injured monkey
Eitylen kills the "bigger monkey"
The pale man stands up slowly .
"Peasants..." he whispers. "I have no time for this!" he adds before turning to the blond man. "Take care of this. Maybe what's left that carcass of yours might still be useful for something..."
After saying these words, he grabs the bruised man by the neck one more time and chants incantations. Shadows flow from the walls and envelop the two of them, then melt into the ground, leaving nothing behind.
Left behind, the blond man groans... Then extends his arms outward. A second later you see his tendons extending several feet away and digging deep into the two monkeys and the otyugh corpses.
They shamble for a second, then slowly stand up...
All of this seems to take a heavy toll on the Blond Man, who bends over in pain as he coughs quite the amount of blood.
[dice=Initiative ("Monkeys")]1d20+2[/dice]
- - -
- - -
"Repent thy service to evil!" Brother Cyrus holds his blade aloft and a vaporous white fire emanates from it. He swings it at the blond man and as it closes in proximity, the fire flares seeking it's prey!
Brother Cyrus misses his attack. Even in pain, the blond man still managed to dodge the blade.
Tai lands a solid palm strike, but curses as the man flees.
"Try to take this one alive! There's clearly some greater plan!" he shouts, jumping down to land an axe-kick on the man's crown, followed by a knee to the chin.
Tai Leng hits the pale man before he leaves... But the attack doesn't seem to have any effect other than annoying the enemy.
A fraction of a second later, he jumps into the sewer water and strikes the blond man... Making him gush even more blood from his mouth.
- - -
- - -
Eitylen kills the "bigger monkey"
5-ft, picking up dagger (provoking an AoO) and attack the otyugh
One of the reanimated otyugh tries to take a bite at Eitylen, but the elf is too quick for the creature. He safely enters the water and recovers his dagger.
Bleeding and shaking, the blond man falls to his knees... But then lets loose a creepy giggle and quickly looks up, coughing a spurt of blood at Brother Cyrus' face and chest!
Although surprised, the Paladin quickly avoids the viscous liquid! As it touches the water, you hear a fizzling sound, not unlike cold water touching hot metal. The blood on his wounds and skin start bubbling as well. He smiles.
Meanwhile, the bigger "monkey" is back on its feet (paws?), and assaults Brother Cyrus as well.
The smaller "monkey" charges Eitylen .
...But misses by a mile.
The otyughs approach... Shambling even more than the creatures who guided you here. The stench from their mouth makes the smell on the docks feel like spring flowers.
One of them attacks Eitylen.
Eitylen evades most of the attacks, but the creature gets a lucky hit with one of the tentacles. Still, the elf manages to avoid the worst of it.
The second monstrosity goes after Tai Leng. It steps forward and and attacks with its abhorrent maws!
Even Tai Leng's martial training isn't enough to save him from the vicious attack, and he soon feels the pain of many crooked fangs sinking into his skin and muscle.
- - -
- - -
Eugh. Cyrus recoils in disgust but continues to try to cut down the Blond man.
His wounds begin to seal as well.
Leng does not let the monster break his focus, and he aims two quick jabs at the blonde man's face.
[ooc]I'll use my
Brother Cyrus slashes the blond man, spilling boiling blood on his blade and himself.
Tai Leng's first strike has no effect, but he compensates on the follow up, hitting the enemy right in his heart.
Both warriors realize that despite his sickly appearance and behavior, the blond man is tougher than the seems.
- - -
- - -
Eitylen try to cut down the otyugh
EDIT: I forgot this
- So, uhm, forget the feint and the sneak attack I guess.
Eitylen's dagger digs deep into the flesh of the reanimated otyugh.
A few feet away, a creepy spectacle is about to begin...
The blond convulses one more time, laughing and coughing blood all the while... A second later, four tendrils made of nerve and muscle sprout from his chest and stomach and slash around, hitting Brother Cyrus and Tai Leng.
Two slashes cut through the warriors' defenses... But the one in most pain is still the blond enemy... Although it doesn't seem to bother him.
The smaller "meat monkey" assaults Eitylen again.
He deals some damage, but can't get the most from any of its attacks.
His bigger friend strikes at Brother Cyrus.
The bigger "monkey" gets a lucky break and lands every hit on the paladin!
Lastly, one of the reanimated otyughs strikes Eitylen, while the other focuses its attention on Tai Leng.
Eitylen is pierced by monstrous fangs, but manages to avoid the creature's tentacles. Meanwhile Tai Leng deftly avoids every single attack aimed at him.
- - -
- - -
Brother Cyrus buckles slightly under the numerous blows but grits his teeth and steels his resolve.
His divine healing tries to keep pace with the wounds incoming.
Brother Cyrus' slash drops the enemy... Even in his final moments, he still seems unbothered by his wounds. Still, the other creatures remain active and hostile.
Leng steps in and gives two quick punches to the undead Otyugh.
The damged eitylen move back and try to finish the monkey
Despite his efforts and skills, Tai Leng's punches fail to cause any damage, and instead simply get his fists full of whatever goo permeates the creature's hide.
The otyughs gargle blood and mucus, almost as if laughing at Tai Leng's failure. Even the skinless "monkeys" shriek gleefully.
Meanwhile, Eitylen tries to trick the smaller "monkey" into lowering its defenses...
...But it doesn't work. The skinless critter remains wary of the elf's blade, although not enough to avoid the attack. It's deeply wounded, but not dead.
- - -
The blond man's corpse gradually dissolves into the sewer water... Organs float away while blood and bile mix with the already putrid liquid...
But that doesn't stop his "minions".
One of the otyughs goes after Eitylen.
...But its attacks fall short (if only by a fraction of a second, in some cases)
The other continues his assault on Tai Leng.
The creature doesn't cause major damage, but manages to grasp Tai Leng by the shoulder.
The bigger "monkey" attacks Brother Cyrus.
...One of its claws finds its way to the Paladin's flesh. The stinger is useless, though.
Displaying unusual cunning, the smaller monkeys retreats, making a point to move all the way around Eitylen before finally running away through the sewer tunnels.
- - -
- - -
- - -
- - -
Cyrus looks a bit worried for his friends, but focuses on cutting down the Bigger "Monkey".
Brother Cyrus manages to kill the "monkey", but the battle is not over yet... The two reanimated otyughs remain a dangerous threat.
- - -
Leng redoubles his efforts, lamenting that the undead have no Ki network for him to track or disrupt.
Tai Leng compensates for his recent misses with two direct blows, one of which is devastating enough to pierce all the way to the creature's guts.
The otyugh roars in pain and anger, but still stands.
- - -
- - -