Barak moves behind Durin to peer into the room. "Ah poor sod, to be tormented in this hell hole." saying a short prayer in Dwarven. "we'll lay this unfortunate soul to rest when the immediate danger is over" with that Barak moves to the door behind him attempting to show stony resolve to the group despite his mournful feelings. "Ok ready?" he says as he shoves the portal open...
Opening the door, Barak revealed a tower; a wooden stairwell running along the outer edge of the room, leading up 40 feet in total to a trapdoor in the ceiling of the room. The stairs are damp and slippery, with no railing; and 8 feet above the door Barak entered, the stairs also appeared to go to a door leading to a narrow parapet outside. Arrow slits open off the stairs at regular intervals.
The dark, dank room was also host to another of the Poison-bearer Ghouls, stood on the stairs one level up from Barak; with a bestial snarl, the Undead took advantage of his long spear's reach to strike him through the doorway, the metal tip of the simple weapon glistening with green toxin, perhaps coated with the Ghoul's own venomous spittle...
The sudden strike was a little too swift for Barak and he was stabbed in the shoulder by the spear, the toxin failing to overcome his tough body.
Marcus- 23
Lord Vincent- 20
Durin- 15a
Poisonbearer Ghoul-15b
Barak- 15c
Arachiel- 15c
Kirilarien- 14
Zanzu- 13
Khun-Duhn- 12
Zanzu waits outside, "Well what we gonna do about it then Durin?, Guys?"
Khun-duhn moves toward his companions and tries again to cast a spell to imbue Zanzu's claw with magical power - but is thwarted by his wolf-like muzzle.
Arachiel stepped into the room, his upraised heavy shield blocking the jab of the Ghoul's longspear above without any real effort on the part of the Paladin.
Zanzu asked the group his question, positioning himself near the door.
Round 4-
Ordered Initiative-
Marcus- 23
Lord Vincent- 20
Durin- 15a
Poisonbearer Ghoul- 15b
Barak- 15c
Kirilarien- 14
Zanzu- 13
Khun-Duhn- 12
Active Effects-
Magic Circle against Evil emanating from Khun-Duhn
Inspire Courage +2
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Round 4
Marcus can't precisely see whats happening in the tower stairs but the situation is simple enough.
Ware what may be behind that side door. If there is one creature here in the upper levels there will be more.
The wizard rushes through one of his reliable summonings, a hound archon appearing next to Khun-duhn.
(heroism) vs DC 19
At Marcus' command the celestial reaches past the oracle to try and open the western door.
(ic, cover (?))
The door opens easily; but it was apparently trapped. A bent wooden pole had been tied back behind it and was released with great force into the door's opener. Loosely attached to the poles were giant hedgehog quills; which were flung into Khun-Duhn and the Hound Archon like projectiles from a Halfling sling staff...
The quills were flung into both the celestial and Khun-Duhn, piercing the armour-like hide of the hound as well as the latter's armour. The large quills that pierced their skin were coated in some kind of slime; which seemed to immediately induce paralysis... Khun-Duhn resisted the potent effects of the slime but the archon succumbed to it, freezing in place.
The door opened revealed a corridor beyond; and a room directly opposite the door; visible through arrow slits. Both the corridor and the visible room were festooned with the dried viscera of past victims, like garlands at a festival and displayed in a similar proud fashion. The stench was near-overpowering. The arrow slits looking out onto the battle platform and into the central corridor were veiled by gauzy screens of cobwebs, somewhat obscuring vision into the darkened rooms beyond.
The unfortunate Hound Archon was immediately fired upon by two Ghouls with crossbows, each with a poisoned crossbow bolt. Frozen in the doorway as the celestial was, the Ghouls' volley found an easy target, but neither bolt pierced the Hound's tough skin. Each Ghoul swiftly reloaded its crossbow, licking their spittle and pus-filled faces in greedy anticipation and frustration as they switched their aim to khun-Duhn.
Marcus' winces as the events play out.
At least you can hide behind it..
Durin is still staring at the skeletal remains when all hades breaks out in the hallways behind him. He steps out into the hall and moves to rejoin the others at the intersection. What have you guys stirred up now? Seeing two doors open and commotion in both, Durin asks, Which way?!
Left door!
The Ghoul above Barak and Arachiel took another stab at the crossbow wielding Dwarf, but this time the ranger was ready, angling himself so the spear struck him on his breastplate.
Round 4 (14)
Taking cover behind the frozen celestial and Khun-duhn, Kiri draws her healing wand and attempts to provide some succor to the oracle.
vs DC 20
healed
Durin is still staring at the skeletal remains when all hades breaks out in the hallways behind him. He steps out into the hall and moves to rejoin the others at the intersection. What have you guys stirred up now? Seeing two doors open and commotion in both, Durin asks, Which way?!
In response to Marcus, Durin moves across the door opening, poking his head in, to get a look inside the room before taking up a position beside the door.
"Go for the two in the room I'll deal with this fella." Barak moves into the room attempting to duck the wild spear thrusts of the ghoul above.
Planting his feet and wheeling his crossbow to fire at the now exposed ghoul.
Barak unloads a bolt directly at the ghouls ankle shattering the joint and pinning the creatures foot to the floor
Unable to harm these creatures Zanzu just shouts, "Who's got a weapon I can use to hurt these things?"
"I'm sure my friend up here will give you his longspear momentarily." Barak shouts loading another bolt and lining up for his next shot.
Barak took another longspear hit to his breastplate as he manoeuvred into the centre of the room before taking his devastating crossbow shot.
Taking a quick peek into the foul corridor, Durin spotted another set of arrow slits from a room to the south, close by to a door leading into it.
Zanzu slips into the door following Archchiel, "Right there's something for me in there, oh good. I'll try and help then..." he says as he enters, pointing his ring at the ghoul above, (superhero style). "Go my friend." he says as he activates his ring sending a force at the ghoul, its head seems to take the shape of a common barnyard animal.
A ring of the ram has a setting crafted to resemble a ram's head. The wearer can command the ring to give forth a ramlike force, manifested by a vaguely discernible shape that resembles the head of a ram or a goat. This force strikes a single target, dealing 1d6 points of damage if 1 charge is expended, 2d6 points if 2 charges are used, or 3d6 points if 3 charges (the maximum) are used. Treat this as a ranged attack with a 50-foot maximum range and no penalties for distance.
The force of the blow is considerable, and those struck by the ring are subject to a bull rush if within 30 feet of the ring wearer. The ram is Large and uses the ring's caster level as its base attack bonus, with a Strength of 25. This gives the ram a Combat Maneuver Bonus of +17. The ram gains a +1 bonus on the bull rush attempt if 2 charges are expended, or +2 if 3 charges are expended.
In addition to its attack mode, the ring of the ram also has the power to open doors as if it were a character with a Strength score of 25. This usage expends 1 charge. If 2 charges are expended, the effect is equivalent to a character with a Strength score of 27. If 3 charges are expended, the effect is that of a character with Strength score of 29. A newly created ring has 50 charges. When all the charges are expended, the ring becomes a nonmagical item.
The wolf-headed oracle growled in frustration as he repeated his spell a final time on Zanzu, managing to get all the vocal components out without fault this time. Zanzu's right claw was imbued with magic as he finally achieved his aim.
Zanzu entered the stairwell room and aimed his magical ring at the Ghoul- the barnyard animal head made of force struck the Ghoul unerringly and crushed it against the wall of the room with a fatal blow; even managing to shatter part of the wall and sending both splintered planks of wood and an battered undead corpse alike out to Durin's feet. In the unlikely event that the Ghoul had survived the blow after Barak's crossbow bolt, it certainly had not also survived the fall.
Round 5-
Ordered Initiative-
Poisonbearer Ghouls- 24
Marcus- 23
Lord Vincent- 20
Durin- 15a
Barak- 15c
Kirilarien- 14
Zanzu- 13
Khun-Duhn- 12
Active Effects-
Magic Circle against Evil emanating from Khun-Duhn
Inspire Courage +2
Zanzu's right claw enchanted with Magic Fang
Hound Archon paralysed until further notice from DM.
Map-
Notes-
Action-
Poisoning their bolts with their own venomous spittle, the two Ghouls fired through the firing holes at Zanzu, having noted their bolt's total ineffectiveness against the archon's skin. One of the bolts ricocheted off the door frame near Zanzu but the other flew and took him in the shoulder, narrowly missing the back of the Tengu's neck...
Their shots taken, the Ghouls moved a little further away from the arrow slits and paused to reload their weapons once more.
The archon's body fought on to resist the paralysis effect of the slime in its bloodstream, but the toxin proved too virulent, too potent... The archon did not move, the only sign of its bodily struggle gleams of sweat rolling down its canine face...
Round 5
A swirl of images, Marcus moves in front of Zanzu.
Rolling a small ball of something unpleasant looking in his palm, the wizard incants, and a small fiery pea flies from his hands through the arrow slits and explodes into a ball of flame that engulfs the room beyond.
DC 18
With an apologetic look at Zanzu the wizard then teleports back to his original location.
Poisonbearer Ghouls- 24
Marcus- 23
Lord Vincent- 20 Inspiring and following group.
Durin- 15a
Barak- 15c
Arachiel- 15d
Kirilarien- 14
Zanzu- 13
Khun-Duhn- 12
Moving into the corridor, Arachiel strolled through the grim place and found a door leading north into the room where the Ghouls were firing from...
As the ghoul is blasted through the wall, landing at his feet, it confirms Durin's instinct. Turning to face the wall, he swings his hammer into the adjoining section with all his strength...
One of the Ghouls saw the fireball coming early enough to partially take cover against the wall, while the other reacted too slow. Both were singed and burnt by the flash of flame, but neither seemed to be dissuaded from the fight.
With two solid swings of his adamantine hammer, Durin created another entrance at the north end of the corridor. The wall looked to be about 4 inches thick; were his hammer not made of the utterly unyielding metal Adamantine, he would likely have needed more than two blows to smash through it.
Map (Updated to Barak's Initiative)
Revised Initiative-
Poisonbearer Ghouls- 24
Marcus- 23
Lord Vincent- 20 Inspiring and following group.
Durin- 15a
Barak- 15b
Arachiel- 15c
Kirilarien- 14
Zanzu- 13
Khun-Duhn- 12
"Shout if you need me, I'll keep the stairs covered"
Zanzu moves under the archers arrow slits, then keeping low he looks round to see if there was a way forward to attack the archers.
Khun-duhn nods his thanks to Durin as he hefts his horsechopper and steps through the opening created by the dwarf, taking up a defensive stance once through the new "doorway".
Arachiel opened the door, only to fall victim to another of the traps. Much like the Hound Archon, he saw the whiplash motion of the pole set behind the door as it flung large hedgehog quills at him, released by a tripwire snapping as the door was opened. The quills punctured his armour in a few locations and the Aasimar's blood began to line the inside leather of his full plate; but the stout warrior managed to resist the slime now coating his wounds.
Having made entry, Arachiel beheaded the Ghoul mid-reload, its crossbow clattering to the floor beside its burnt body and singed head. Zanzu and Khun-Duhn made entry into the room via Durin's new door.
With only a single Ghoul left fighting, the fight to win the tower seemed all but won.
That is, until a giant, goblin-like form entered the corridor Arachiel was in. The creature was a hulking, hirstute figure; clad in breastplate and wielding a spear coated in green slime in both hands. Far more muscular and larger than any true goblin and with a fierce glint of mental agility in its eyes; it was apparent to Arachiel that the Master of the Tower had seen fit to reveal himself. The large form seemed to be somewhat insubstantial, as though the creature had only a tenuous connection with the material plane. In order to enter the corridor, the creature had simply walked through the wall, rather than using the door.
Only currently visible to Arachiel, the large, goblin-like foe...
The creature sneered at you in contempt as it spoke a word of power; but just as your will crumbled and you began to see the foe in a positive way, Lord Vincent's oratory brought you clarity and purpose; you shook off the effect, albeit barely.
Round 6-
Ordered Initiative-
Master of the Tower- 25
Poisonbearer Ghoul- 24
Marcus- 23
Lord Vincent- 20
Durin- 15a
Barak- 15b
Arachiel- 15c
Kirilarien- 14
Zanzu- 13
Khun-Duhn- 12
Active Effects-
Magic Circle against Evil emanating from Khun-Duhn
Inspire Courage +2
Zanzu's right claw enchanted with Magic Fang
Hound Archon paralysed until further notice from DM.
Map-
Notes-
Hound Archon treated as Helpless due to Paralysis and therefore doesn't take up a square.
Master of the Tower has 10 foot reach (and is thus currently threatening Arachiel). Knowledge (Planes) check most appropriate as well as Spellcraft if you are trained in it.
Action-
The remaining Ghoul stepped up to the doorway to assault Arachiel, abandoning its crossbow in favour of claws and teeth. The stout Paladin's shield and armour held firm against the onslaught, braced as he was for such an attack.
Durin, unaware of the newest threat, joins the others rushing the ghoul room through the opening in the wall. Moving up behind the remaining ghoul, Durin smashes it over the head with his hammer.
|
"Our true enemy has shown itself!" the paladin calls out, requesting aid from his companions as he steps away from the ghoul and toward the master of the tower.
(power attack, inspire courage)
(fire, power attack, inspire courage)
(power attack, inspire courage)
(fire, power attack, inspire courage)
(damage applies to the first successful strike, Will DC 17 for half)
Zanzu, seeing his friend the paladin being pursued by the remaining ghoul, takes the opportunity to call to Kuhn-Duhn, "move there" he points to a position for his big friend to attack the ghoul. . He waits for Kun-Duhn to move and act, before he scappers off, flapping his wing and dancing and jumping round to the otherside of the ghoul. Once there he slashes the ghoul with his magic claw.
Khun-duhn follows Durin's example and advances close enough to the ghoul to strike with his horsechopper in an attempt to pull the creature off its feet.