Kaduk tumbles out of harm's way and brings his axe to bear on the barbarian lady with devastating effect, killing her instantly.
The rest of you advance on the surviving orc and bugbear. Marius strikes the orc a deadly blow, but it keeps standing out of sheer ferocity.
The orc and bugbear strike back, but you easily parry their powerful but clumsy blows, the orc being visibly winded.
Your turn.
Kaduk looks at the melee nearby, hoping for a quick victory. Meanwhile, he puts away his greataxe and arms himself with his sap. He then keenly waits for an opening gap.
I hope we can get that orc alive.
Kwin will delay, watching the way that the barbarian was fleeing in case the noise is drawing any attention.
Marius positions his sword and thrusts at the orc again.
Marius lunges at the orc, who seems to have most of his fighting spirit, and backs away slowly. Kwin watches the other doors for fear that there may be more monsters about, while Kaduk looks for an opening.
Gideon and Avendryl delay. The bugbear deals Marius a glancing blow for 8 points of damage, while the orc fights defensively, backing into a corner.
You are up.
Seeing an opening, Kaduk rushes to grab it, although he knows a lot can go wrong. Weaving amidst the flurry of battle, Kaduk attempts to flank the bugbear's position.
"Thamat akur dungan kharwanmu, kho pular!"
Taking advantage of the flank provided by Kaduk, Avendryl strikes out with his blade.
Attack: (flank) [ooc]if attacking the orc, -2 flank, +1 naturalist)
Damage:
As Kaduk tries to tumble past the hulking brute, it brings its morningstar to bear on him with devastating effect, hitting for 11 points of damage.
Avendryl still manages to hurt it but it is still going strong.
Marius, Gideon and Kwin to go, then the monsters.
Kwin will move to L19, and let loose on the bugbear with a telekinetic bolt.
To hit touch attack
Damage
"As I'm sure you've noticed, orcs have a profound strength that must be accounted for!" Gideon's helpful advice comes a bit late. He aims his bow to fire upon the enemy.
Marius strikes with his sword at the bugbear.
Gideon's arrow and Kwin's magic bite into the bugbear, but it refuses to give up. The orc sighs and again advances to attack Marius, but they are both sluggish from loss of blood and fail to connect.
Your turn.
Avendryl strikes at the bugbear again.
Attack:
Damage:
Kwin will stay where he is at and fire on the bugbear with another telekinetic bolt.
To hit touch attack
Damage
Marius swings at the bugbear again. "Can I get a bandage?"
Kaduk's vision blurs with the last hit. Summoning his last reserves of strength, Kaduk retreats to the hidden room and falls, dying.
Stabilizes!.
Gideon stops yammering about the orcs and rushes to Kaduk's side. "I'm afraid I don't have any ability to heal you." In lieu of assisting the half-orc, he shoots an arrow at the bugbear, hoping to bring it down.
[ooc]2/5 Bardic Performance Rounds remain.
Marius takes the bugbear down and Gideon's arrow finishes off the orc (unless you particularly want him alive).
You manage to scrounge 5 gp and 25 sp off the fallen monsters. The orc leader also has a bag with 15 gp, 33 sp and 61 cp. He also carries a small brass key. Perhaps more interestingly, one of the orcs is wearing banded mail and the bugbear chainmail. The bugbear also wielded a masterwork longsword.
I think we need to get Kaduk out of here so we can get him to a healer! Maybe we should take this orc flunkie with us as well to question? I'll leave that up to you folk that would actually have to do the carrying.
Do we want to cover up any traces of this fight so we don't have a tribe of orcs or bugbears chasing us? We could hide the bodies in there Kwin says, pointing to the secret passage. He then casts a Presdigation to clean up the bloodied masterwork longsword, and then gestures to the area of the fight to indicate that he could do the same for the whole scene.
Stemming the blood from his arm, Marius comments, "Where'd the healer go? Perhaps we should retreat so I can get this looked at.Take the sword Avendryl. I'm sure there'll be more."
As you drag the unconscious half-orc out of the dungon and hope against hope that your healer was not eaten by a monster, you run into a young elven priestess.
Valynie first spotted a man decked in religious garb moving away from the ruin . Having nothing to do , she has been quietly looking to see if he was pursued but, after a time , she was ready to shrug and move away when she spots the group coming out . She then smiles to herself and approach.
'Had troubles inside ? You do know there are no bounty on orcs around here?'
'Had troubles inside ? You do know there are no bounty on orcs around here?'
He is a comrade who proved himself overly brave. We were taking him back to civilization for mending of his wounds, along with some others among us.
May I be so bold as to ask your business here, alone in such a dangerous region?
" Dangerous region ? It all depends how fast one can move ... Given your group , you must be adventurers rather than brigands and for once luck will be with you . I have a soft spot for fools and adventurers. "
So saying , Valynie comes nearer
Channeling healing
After the healing energy washes over him, Marius sighs. "Thank you dear madam. My name is Marius deBlack Forge. Blacksmith by profession and swordsman by destiny. What brings you to these parts."
Kaduk's eyes flicker open. Still aching from the previous blow, Kaduk sits up.
We won that one eh?
His eyes fall on the young elven female.
Hello, I assume you are responsible for treating my wounds? Thanks!
Noticing his surroundings, Kaduk asks Are we going back in or headed back to rest? Not much we can sell though right now.
" I'm here by whim."
Valynie smile at Kaduk first words :
[b] "Such an honest and open cupidity... It so happen I have nothing planned for the next year or so. Do you accept new members ? " (/b]
channel healing
Our alliance is quite newly formed, and as such is still subject to changes. I cannot speak for all, but I for one would welcome you; you've shown in mere moments that you can contribute and earn your share of any rewards we recover.
Kwin moves before her and bows deeply. Kwin Avassar. A pleasure.
"Valynie. Are you on a mission or just looting ?"
"Valynie. Are you on a mission or just looting ?"
Would our answer change your mind about working with us? To be truthful, we each bear our own reasons for delving into this region, many of which we frankly have not yet discussed. What I can tell you for certain is that the men gathered before you have shown themselves brave and loyal in what we have faced so far, as is proven by our victory and our the lengths we were prepared to go to for our fallen companion before your timely intervention.
I'm not so fickle as to change my mind that fast : It takes me at least five minutes . So shall we go back inside ? We'll have time to speak some more later on "
I'm not so fickle as to change my mind that fast : It takes me at least five minutes."
I take it you're going back inside, and I'm going to assume that you let Kwin clean up your mess.[/ooc]
Marius nods, "Let us be off."
Not to seem so impolite, could you heal me up some more? It still smarts from where I got hit before.
Gideon watches the exchange with curiosity, writing furiously in his journal.
He shakes the hand of the new member and introduces himself. "I am Doctor Gideon Davenport, expert in humanoid and near-humanoid culture. I do adore speaking with elves. Your inherent intelligence and longevity makes for quite fascinating conversation!"
You swiftly make your way back to the throne room, passing the bodies stashed in the secret corridor. As you open the door you notice a small crowd of monsters. A hobgoblin and an orc oversee two kobolds that are busy hanging a tapestry sporting a crudely painted spider symbol of Rovagug on the wall behind the throne.
They look equally surprised to see you as you are, so let's roll for initiatives.
Initiative:
To Gideon with a point of asperity : "Do you consider elves as humanoïd? "
Initiative :
"let the kobolds live ! "
Initiative:
Initiative
Walking back into the Delve, Gideon excitedly speaks to Valynie. "Most cultures have their own name for the general common shape we biped mammals share: elvenesque, dwarfish, and the like. Please, take no offense to my terminology and humanocentric viewpoint."
As the monsters are focussed on getting the tapestry up straight, the burly orc and hobgoblin grunting commands to the kobolds, they are slow to react as you emerge from the secret door.
You can all act before they do.
Gideon is more prepared for combat, pulling his bow out as he runs into the corridor for a clean shot. He fires off an arrow at the hobgoblin, hoping to skewer it while flat-footed.