"Looks safe or Is safe?"
I detected nothing like tripwires, pressure plates or other hazards that could spring a trap, so we can enter safely. There may very well be other dangers inside the room.
"By my troth, this may be the largest pile of gold I've ever seen!"
Durnolf dismounts and cautiously edges in to the room.
Garuneh keeps his scythe ready and heads into the room, scanning for danger.
Elizabeth is ready as she enters with them, looking at her rapier and wondering if it would be better to use a short sword.
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Durnolf walks into the entryway and is about to enter the room when he notices feathers fall silent before him. He furrows his brow then gives a nods with a mumble.
From around the corner, talon held daggers strike from the darkness.
Durnolf is scratched once by the attack. Flanking the door way he sees two crow-headed humanoids covered in black feathers. Their hands and legs end in powerful talons. They are cawing at each other.
"Cease and desist your attack at once! Kneel before me or face the legions of Hell itself!"
Aldous yells at the feathered assassins while casting silent image; a great swirling gaping "gate" forming against the back wall of the room.
knowledge local to identify the creatures.
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Heroes go first
Gunder moves forward to see whats happening. When he sees the first creature his eyes turn dark as he surrounds his enemy with the coldness of outer space.
Garuneh unleashes a blast at one of the creatures, intending to knock it back. "Stop your attack or we will slay you both!" he intones. (T2).
Elizabeth holds since she doesn't want to expose herself to the flanking attack.
Durnolf, suddenly cognizant of the fact that he and Ruckus have apparently been oozing blood since the last fight, do the courageous thing and beat a retreat to G56 with a withdraw action.
"They're just grave robbing Tengus, you can take them!"
Ah, yeah, that works.
Go get them Tina!as long as you arn't hurt too badly.
Elizabeth glares at the Tengu that she sees. Drop your weapons now or suffer the consenquences of our wizard!
Gunder, can you give Durnolf a little healing?
Gunder casts a spell on Durnolf
"There. Are you feeling better now, Durnolf?"
"Does anyone know a good chicken recipe?" he asks, loud enough for the Tengu to hear.
"Come forth and devour my foes, great devil! Accept the sacrifice of these feathered beasts and increase your power!"
Aldous continues concentrating on the illusion, which deepens and swirls. A vague, horned, humanoid shape begins to take focus in the background.
"Surrender now, tengus, and your deaths will be painless. Proceed in your foolish attack and you will know pain and suffering like you cannot imagine."
bluff
"Secure the humanoids!"
Elizabeth nudges Aldous. Don't say you will kill them, now they'll fight to the death.
My brother boasts to much! You will not die but you cannot be allowed to wander these halls anymore. The Pharesmians are claiming ownership so both of you must leave the way you came.
Garuneh notices Gunder's actions and withdraws. He takes a moment to heal himself, cognizant of the imminent danger.
"It would be a shame to leave all of that gold to the birdmen," he says to Durnolf and Gunder.
We arn't here to get rich, but to do a noble task!
"Of course we are, Elizabeth! But it wouldn't be very noble of us to let these grave robbers take all the gold. It is our duty to stop them. And to then take the gold with us. To protect it from future grave robbers."
Elizabeth wink-winks to Gunder to let him know she is pulling his leg.
"Hey, bird friends. How do you think you are going to get out of that room with all your gold? And how long can Tengu survive on gold? I mean, sure it's nice and shiny and looks good in your nest. But last time I checked you can't actually eat it."
I do belive he is right. We can send out for those nice dumplings from the market while you two nibble on your gold.
"Maybe order in a nice big poultry pie."
Durnolf takes a good look at Ruckus, dismounts , 5-ft steps closer to the door and takes a full defense.
Well I am not really up for carving up a couple of petty thieves. They don't seem any worse than Silvenous, just greedy. Let them get shanked by any traps.
"Can we close this door up?" Garuneh looks at the door and takes a count of torches.
An ex-door.
Well commit bloody murder over gold or not?
"Bloody murder? Hardly. More like urban pest removal. Besides, one of them stabbed Durnolf."
Aldous maintains the illusion for now.
So then since they won't come out we will have to go in then. I have no special items to throw in to help us.
"No need to hurry, Elizabeth. Lets at least wait till our Hireling Gustavo comes back with these dumplings. I don't want to kill any more grave robbers before lunch."
*wink wink*
"Hey, bird friends! What food have you got? Wanna swap rations? I have these delicious elf-cakes. They are delicious. And very nutritious too. I'd trade one of them against two of whatever you have."
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A reply comes from a different pitch of squawking. "We're fine. We're all fine here now, thank you. How are you?"
Echoing through out the hall. "Elf-cakes? Those are like eating air. Have you ever seen a fat elf?
Instinctively, Elizabeth turns her head to look down the dimly lit hallway as she hears something. From the shadows down the hall, a grotesque creature pounces onto the observant rogue.
Now before the party stands an other-wordly abomination. This human-sized entity has a perfectly formed and anatomically correct female human torso, but the resemblances end there. Its arms are unnaturally long and end in three wickedly curved talons. Its lower jaw splits into two monstrous halves lined with sharp teeth, below bulging red eyes. It glares deep into Elizabeth while its elongated tongue wags back and forth.
"Another hungry mouth to feed. How 'bout we all retreat and let our Tengu friends have a tea party with the newcomer?"
Gunder speaks to the creature in an encouraging tone, while nodding sideways towards the southern doorway.
"Go in there. There's good food for you."
He carefully watches the creature to see how it reacts.
"To base. Now.". Garuneh moves to flee.