Reflex roll
"AAAAAAAH! FAIL! I HATE YOU LIZARDS!!!!!"
Alwyn steps forward, intent on chopping up one of the annoying lizards.
"S*!+! Vethran, get back!" Illes throws himself against one wall so that part of the electrical blast is blocked, but the other hits him squarely leaving him spasming and gasping to breath normally.
CRUNCH!
Alwyn splats the lizard with his sword, and its flattened carcass lies amid a spatter of red on the floor.
Initiatives:
Lizards: 26
Vethran: 21
Hudak: 20+
Alwyn: 20
Illes: 18
Camlo: 17
Elisile: 6
For what it's worth...
1d20+10=13, 1d3+1=4
Camlo lets loose a bolt from his hand crossbow at the furthest lizard....
Camlo's hasty shot ricochets off the floor near the lizard's head and skids away under a crate. The lizard makes a break for it northwards.
"Not so fast, lizard!"
THUNK!
Alwyn despatches the other lizard as it tries to escape.
"I'm gonna enjoy eating them sumbiches."
"Where'd that crossbow bolt come from? Who's there?"
I'm a bald shoanti with no tattoos, a bastard sword, and a buckler.
I'm STRONG.
Elisile shivers in the aftershock of the electric charge, croaks involuntarily – she didn’t even have a chance to nock an arrow to her bow. Nodding in silent salute to Alwyn, she then turns to look at the small figure half sticking out of the barrel.
“Who are you?” she asks bluntly, but with no hostility – unless the fact that she appears to be a large, ugly, anthropomorphic toad wearing clothes and carrying a bow is hostile.
"And are there any more of these things around?" Alwyn kicks a lizard carcass over towards the halfling in the barrel.
The halfling stands as tall as he can to peer at the group of new comers as well as he can from within the barrel. He is carefully loading another bolt into his hand crossbow, whilst simultaneously going a deep crimson in the cheeks with the embarrassment of being caught in a barrel in a cave. Strangely he appears unphased by the boggard, either he hasn't noticed yet in the dim light, or the fact that no one else is shooting at it has given him pause.
"Ah, my, errrm, my name's Camlo, and I err, was in the ah, fort above when the ah, Ogres attacked. Luckily I found my way down, ah, here, and then the bloody lizard things started ah, coming for me, so I dived into the barrel, and ah, well, you know the rest. Errm, well, thank you for getting rid of them. I don't know if there are any err, more. But I'd guess so."
With crossbow loaded, he slings it over his shoulder, and begins the comical act of clambering out of the barrel.
Illes steps over and gives the little guy a hand out of the barrel if he wants it. "So you were one of Fort Rannick's rangers? Lucky you made it down here when you did."
Illes has the distinctive darker skin tone of a native Varisian and long dark hair that hasn't seen a comb in some time. His loosely open white shirt is covered by a lustrous fine-mesh chain shirt and he has a shield of the same material strapped over his back. A light scarf tied around his waist as a blue sash trailing to one side proclaim his faith in Desna's protection, while the rapier and whip are signs that her faithful know that she protects those who are protect themselves.
"Luck, fate? Who are we to know these things. But you are here now and we are about to see how coordinated those ogres are when we throw a little confusion into their day. How do you feel about that Camlo? It could be more fun than sitting in a barrel. Or you could get back to Turtleback Ferry back the way we came."
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Illes steps over and gives the little guy a hand out of the barrel if he wants it. "So you were one of Fort Rannick's rangers? Lucky you made it down here when you did."
Illes has the distinctive darker skin tone of a native Varisian and long dark hair that hasn't seen a comb in some time. His loosely open white shirt is covered by a lustrous fine-mesh chain shirt and he has a shield of the same material strapped over his back. A light scarf tied around his waist as a blue sash trailing to one side proclaim his faith in Desna's protection, while the rapier and whip are signs that her faithful know that she protects those who are protect themselves.
"Luck, fate? Who are we to know these things. But you are here now and we are about to see how coordinated those ogres are when we throw a little confusion into their day. How do you feel about that Camlo? It could be more fun than sitting in a barrel. Or you could get back to Turtleback Ferry back the way we came."
Camlo accepts the helping hand, revealing an average heigh halfling, around 2'10". He is wearing nondescript clothing, of dark greys and blacks, with none of the symbols of a fort Rannick guard, or indeed, any recognisable symbols.
"Ah, ermm, no, you seem to misunderstand. I was enjoying the rangers hospitality, such as it is, and relieving them of some of their hard earned coin when the beasts attacked.
"Although I err, could be said to know how to keep myself hidden. I would expect that ah, going outside alone at this emmm, point would be somewhat, shall we say suicidal" Camlo gives a weak grin. "I shall ah, tag along with you, if that is ok. I have weapons, and may be of some, ah, assistance?" At this Camlo reveals the previously hidden rapier he carries, as well as twisting to show off the crossbow.
Illes listens to Camlo's explanation and breaks into a smile, "You'd get along great with my sister. Can't remember how many times we had to break her out of some village sheriff's cells before she got good enough to manage do her thing without getting caught on her way out the door."
Illes laughs quietly, "But we're not playing around here guy. If one of us reaches for something and finds it isn't there in the middle of a band of pissed off ogres someone is going to die and we aren't having that. So if you are coming with us, you are going to keep your distance and should you go bumping or stumbling into any one of us just assume we aren't going to take a charitable interpretation of it? Right?" Illes winks and taps the hilt of his rapier for unnecessary emphasis.
Illes listens to Camlo's explanation and breaks into a smile, "You'd get along great with my sister. Can't remember how many times we had to break her out of some village sheriff's cells before she got good enough to manage do her thing without getting caught on her way out the door."
Illes laughs quietly, "But we're not playing around here guy. If one of us reaches for something and finds it isn't there in the middle of a band of pissed off ogres someone is going to die and we aren't having that. So if you are coming with us, you are going to keep your distance and should you go bumping or stumbling into any one of us just assume we aren't going to take a charitable interpretation of it? Right?" Illes winks and taps the hilt of his rapier for unnecessary emphasis.
Camlo starts to relax with Illes' story of his sister, and frowns at what follows.
"Ah, yes, my guild had a motto, back when I was part of a guild. 'Never bite the hand that feeds you.' They said. I have, emm seen these ogres, from a, ah, distance, they are a lot bigger than I am, and I would be quite stupid to cause people such as, eh, yourselves trouble, that could cause said ogres to have an errmm, better chance of killing me, eh?"
The Varisian grins, "Right then. Long as we are on the same page. I'm Illes and this is my cousin Vethran." He indicates the Varisian wizard. "The northmen over here are Hudak and Alwyn, Shoanti half-brothers. This hideous toad beast over here, Elisile, has seen better days as one of the elves. I reckon she'll have a few more of those days as a pointy eared silver haired tracker once that ritual wears off."
The Varisian grins, "Right then. Long as we are on the same page. I'm Illes and this is my cousin Vethran." He indicates the Varisian wizard. "The northmen over here are Hudak and Alwyn, Shoanti half-brothers. This hideous toad beast over here, Elisile, has seen better days as one of the elves. I reckon she'll have a few more of those days as a pointy eared silver haired tracker once that ritual wears off."
Calmo grins, and his shoulders relax with relief at being accepted. "I am very pleased to meet you all, I am sure we shall become fine, ah, friends. Now, please, don't let me hold up your, sorry, our urgent business any longer.
"I am afraid that in my haste to escape the ogres, I quite lost track of all direction, and will not be much use as a guide. I am quite certain though that there are no ogres in the tunnels as yet. Hopefully it will take the stupid beasts some time to work out they exist."
With this he hefts a small pack, and strides towards the centre of the group.
"Excellent. Welcome, Camlo." Alwyn puts down his sword and starts pulling off his leather armour. "Hudak, can you help me put on some real mail?"
Vethran merely nods to the halfling, allowing his cousin's introduction to suffice.
Elisi-toad nods her broad head at the halfling as introductions are made. While Alwyn changes his armour, she keeps an eye and ear out for any more lizards or other trouble. She also partakes of a healing potion.
"Let's root out the lizards before we proceed. Those of you who haven't downed their potions yet - this is the time to do it."
“East may take us back into the fort. North will take us further into these tunnels. I suggest we explore these tunnels completely and ensure that no threats remain before we begin our assault on the fort. In short, let us go north.”
The party marches north. After a few tens of yards, they reach another cavern. A deep ravine stretches across this cave, splitting the room in half. Geodes and veins of glittering minerals shimmer along the walls of the chasm, which drops away into the dark. A ten-foot-wide wooden bridge spans the gulf. The tunnel continues onwards to the north on the other side.
"Wealth. In the walls. Can anybody tell how much it's worth?"
"Well met, Camlo...we'll accept any help we can get to rid this place of these cannibal freaks."
"Don't worry about the wall crystals. If they were valuable, the rangers would have taken them long ago. The bridge is more important - does it look safe to you?"
"I can test her with a rope around my waist..."
'less somebody has some knowledge about that.
Hudak doesn't; all his knowledge comes from experimentin.
owell.....