"This no Great Gate," says Choom. "Work from Control Room."
If Trose cannot find a trigger for this, and Choom believes it is not a trap, let us continue to the control room.
The party head gingerly under the portcullis, but nothing happens. They begin to draw closer to the light, which seems to resolve into a room. From this angle and distance it is hard to see what else is in the room, but an everbright lantern burns in a black iron chandelier in the middle of the ceiling.
As the party progresses, up the corridor, a couple of heavily-armoured kobolds peer round the corner of the room and goggle in horror at the oncoming warriors.
Listen r4+3=7; init r9=9.
Cool.
(As well as the skill and initiative checks, don't forget to place yourselves on the map.)
I thinking:
b5 ceshto
c5 arek
d5 ez
e5 gnarly
f5 janosz
g5 lightbringer
c6 bool
d6 trose
e6 choom
f6 rod
g6 runzyl
Thoughts?
As the kobolds emerge, Runzyl quickly turns to Lightbringer. "Push them back!"
Gnarly whips up his crossbow and opens up on the nearest kobold. One bolt bounces off its armour but the other hits it in the leg, causing it to yelp.
The Tharashk retainers sprint past their friends and bears down on the armoured kobolds, intending to knock them away from any levers that might drop the portcullis.
(Trose's target is pushed back 15' to N6, Janosz's 15' N5. Janosz could not actually charge as he was behind LB.)
The two kobolds are forced back. At the threshold to the room, Janosz and Trose find two more surprised-looking kobold guards. The room seems to be at the confluence of a crossroads, with passages heading north, south, east and west. There is also a strange, milky orb about a foot across, attached to the east wall of the chamber by an iron claw.
(Two new kobolds are at P3 and P8, the orb is on the wall by P4.)
(Now Runzyl.)
Runzyl, following in Trose's wake, bounds forward with reckless speed and delivers a powerful slash at the kobold Trose pushed back.
Runzyl's blow clangs off armour, leaving the kobold shaken but unhurt.
(Now Arek, then Ez.)
Arek takes a 5 foot step to D6, and readies an action to try to stop the portcullis from falling, should it be activated (if it doesn’t look like something he could attempt to hold back, he would position his greataxe held up on the floor beneath it, so that it wouldn’t fall all the way, allowing it to be lifted or crawled under).
Ezreal hustles down the center of the corridor pulling one of his wands free as he goes. Just before the second portcullis, he stops and leans against the wall to angle around Janosz and blasts one of kobolds with a crackling electrical burst.
The kobold yelps as Ezreal hits it with an orb of electricity, but it staggers on. It and it's companion move to flank Runzyl, while a third attacks Trose. The last, standing by the orb, leans close to the peculiar device and begins yammering in Draconic, before moving to attack Janosz. The room is filled with martial shouts and cries of pain.
(Since Ez can understand it: "Intruders in guard room 1! General alarm!")
(The guards in N5 and N6 move to M5 and M7 respectively and attack Runzyl with their halberds. One hits - 5 points of damage. The one in P8 moves to L7, attacks and misses Trose. The one in P3 moves to L4, swings at Janosz and hits for 7 points of damage.)
Meanwhile, Choom moves up and, his crossbow in his hands, nervously watches the unfolding combat from behind Trose. He fires at the kobold guard attacking the Tharashk scion but simply hits the wall.
(Move to J6. Misses his attack on the kobold in L7 by miles.)
(Now LB.)
"We're about to see how organized they are. Get ready for whatever they can throw at us!"
(LB, then Gnarly.)
Lightbringer hefts his blade and jogs down the corridor, muscling his way past Ezreal and Janosz and into the guard room, taking a powerful swing at one of the armoured kobolds.
The kobold falls under Lightbringer's blade, its helm (and the skull inside) crushed.
(Who wants to do Gnarly?)
(EDIT: damn! Serves me right for not looking at the map while posting. Apologies to LB, thought he hit the wounded kobold in M5, not L4. LB's target is now wounded but still standing. Again, apologies. Maybe Gnarly can rectify the situation.)
Gnarly moves up the corridor and fires again at the kobold he hit before. Two more quarrels are fired - one flies over its head, the other is deflected by its armour. "Tough little buggers!" he snarls in irritation.
(Gnarly moves to I5, rapid shots the kobold in M5 and misses both times.)
(Now Janosz and Trose.)
Spitting blood, Janosz swings his flail at his tiny assailant.
Seeing an opportunity, Trose slides by his opponent and shivs him in the kidneys.
Janosz's furious blow flattens his target. Trose slides his blade between the plates of armour protecting another, which staggers but does not fall.
(Kobold in L4 down.)
(Now Runzyl.)
Surrounded by friend and foe alike, Runzyl clenches his teeth and whirls about, lashing out at the foes on all sides like a hurricane of blades.
Runzyl's blades smite two of the remaining kobolds, but neither falls.
Move to k6, morningstar on the fool in L7,
r18+3=21 damg 8!!! WOOOOOOOT!!! First hand to hand hit EVAR!!!
(assuming....meh...)
Ceshto joins Arek at the portcullis, ready to catch or jam it if it should drop.
Meanwhile Ezreal slings his pack over one shoulder, digs and eventually comes up with a vial of ink. The mages takes aim and cocks his arm back for the throw. The vial flies end over end all the way across the room towards the embedded orb.
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Move to k6, morningstar on the fool in L7,
r18+3=21 damg 8!!! WOOOOOOOT!!! First hand to hand hit EVAR!!!(assuming....meh...)
A silence falls briefly immediately after Rodergo's hit on the kobold warrior's shoulder. It seems as if reality has altered somehow, the spheres no longer turning in exactly the same way. Eyes bulge in surprise, a hush decends. A pregnant moment, after which nothing will be the same again....
Then the kobold snarls in broken Common, "You die!" at the priest, and normal service is resumed.
Ceshto joins Arek at the portcullis, ready to catch or jam it if it should drop.
Meanwhile Ezreal slings his pack over one shoulder, digs and eventually comes up with a vial of ink. The mages takes aim and c**@* his arm back for the throw. The vial flies end over end all the way across the room towards the embedded orb.
Ezreal's vial of ink covers the orb at his deft throw across the melee.
The kobolds bravely hold their ground and strike at the intruders to their realm. However they fail to connect any forceful blows.
Choom, meanwhile, snipes again at one of the kobold fighters but his bolt simply snaps on impact with the floor.
“Everyone move into the chamber, in case those gates come down,” orders Lightbringer loudly, before stepping over the dead kobold to reach one of the others, swinging his blade savagely as he goes.