Semenya says through the Message spell, "Appario, we've got a narrow corridor here, and it looks like it's made by claws. There's something that I think is a stairway going up. Come on down - Eklektos has his Wayfinder lit for the cat..."
"My recommendation is to check out the stairs, as that's the likeliest exit point if we have to leave, or place for reinforcements to come if they do."
Appario is happy to have light if it is offered.
Going down the steps and seeing the layout of the tunnels, he agrees that the closer steps should be approached first.
Still moving somewhat quietly, Appario will take lead going up the stairs at C10/B11.
Derek grins as Appario moves off.
"Going alone again you diva? We really need to talk about who plays what role when we get the chance you know, you are not going down there without me."
Derek will join Appario.
:
Very well, under the direction and hand hold by those who can see, Appario and the others will make their way to the northside stairs in the dark.
With those who can see in the dark guiding those who can't, everyone gets to the brief northbound tunnel and the staircase there without incident. The staircase ends at a jagged hole in what appears to be floorboards, but something lying on top of the hole is blocking further access.
While moving, Eklektos and Semenya can see that the wide southbound tunnel continues for about 30 ft. before opening into a larger room. There are sounds and glimpses of several creatures moving about in that room.
"Semenya, what now?" Appario whispers, not seeing anything in this dark.
Derek grins in the dark, displaying rows of white teeth before whispering.
"Fear not my diva friend, if anything comes at us, I'll make sure you don't strain yourself overmuch."
He then gives Appario a friendly nudge.
"In fact, I'll use my powers of persuasion and convince them it's a simple case of mistaken identities. We are in fact down here looking for your long lost sister, as you are in fact the illegitimate son of the current queen of Cheliax. Ah, but she is rather young, try to look a bit less...adult, if you please?"
Appario turns toward the voice in the darkness, quick to recognize the origin.
"You shouldn't sneak up like that on me in the dark, friend, you might find my sword betwixt your ribs. From what I hear, it's hard to take an encore with a sword in one's ribs."
Appario awaits Semenya's direction while wondering what color Derek's teeth are. It's dark and he can't see.
Semenya will look up the stairwell (her darkvision goes to 120') - anything of note?
Perception
The object blocking the hole appears to be a single large piece of polished wood, like you would use to make a table.
"Appario, it looks like it's not a door so much as an improvised barricade. Want to come up and take a listen? Do we want to try and go through it or block it from this side and explore further?"
"Well, we know we have some opponents down the hall, right? Should we hit them first before opening up this stairway? I don't see well down here so this is your call. I'm tempted to bust out a sunrod...this tough. You tell me."
"Before we tackle any particular group of foes, it might be prudent to ensure that we won't have others at our backs. I'd recommend we make sure we know what lies behind before we venture ahead."
"Good idea, Eklektos...just one question, which one is the one in front? We should go to the open room, right? Not the stairwell, yeah? I think we go to where you guys saw bad people. Point me."
"The front is whichever way we choose to travel. I'd recommend going to the open room before we try opening this door, but we should make sure nothing lies down the other open passage before we move against any potential foes."
"Whatever we do, let us do it quickly, or our course may be decided for us, the fickle gods that watch our play are not know for their patience."
Appario will begin to quietly rummage in his backpack for a sunrod.
Whispering to the others, "Stay quiet for now. I'll be back in just a moment. If things get bright, attack whatever you can."
Moving off into the darkness, Eklektos will quietly head for the small South-west passage to check for any potential opponents down that way. As blind as the others, Theron follows.
There is a short branch leading to a staircase about 15 ft. down the passage. The small passage itself goes straight south for about 50 ft. before turning sharply to the east. At the point where it turns, the stonework changes; it looks like it's carefully mortared rather than the rough carved-out look you've seen everywhere else down here.
Eklektos hears the sound of what sounds like several dogs past the turning point, and can also see two dogs pacing at the end of the passage. The dogs look rabid, and their eyes glow.
"Appario, we have a blocked way here, and we have two branching corridors to the south about 30 feet away. I can lead you by the hand - do we want to explore to the south, try to force the blocked way here, or what?
Hold on to the sunrod until we know we need it, but keep it at hand."
Returning to the others, Eklektos whispers, "The small passage connects with some sort of structure. The passage is mortared instead of clawed out. There are some nasty looking dogs down there, though. I'd suggest we retreat for a bit so we can come up with a plan for how to handle this. Being down here too long is dangerous."
Whispering back to Eklektos, Appario says, "Can you take me to these dogs and give me some light to see? I'll make work of them and then we can move on."
"I can take you there. You and Theron and I will take care of the dogs. Everybody else, be prepared for what may come after us." Moving away from the group with Appario close behind, Eklektos moves down to the corner of the small corridor then picks up a pebble. Enclosing the pebble in his hand so its effects won't be seen, he casts . Then, leaning out, he'll throw the pebble down the corridor and squeeze himself against the wall. "Go!"
Appario follows on padded foot, sword raised, eyes adjusting to seeing again.
When he sees dogs, he charges.
The dogs start barking loudly when the lit pebble is thrown down the corridor, then they begin moving in your direction.
Initiatives:
20 - Appario
12 - Dogs
11 - Eklektos and Theron
Resisting the urge to warcry, Appario charges.
AC: 17
HP: 16/16
Weapon: Bastard sword and shield
Status:
Effects:
Lay on Hands: 0 of 3 used
Smitten today? No.
The big dog yelps in pain as Appario's sword cuts into its hide, but it doesn't flee. Its eyes shining unnaturally, it lunges for Appario's throat and attempts to bite.
The dog's teeth sink into Appario's throat, dealing 10 damage. The dog then attempts to trip Appario as a free action.
The trip attempt is unsuccessful.
The second dog circles behind the first, appearing to relish the idea of getting its chance at Appario.
Positions:
P1
Q1
R1
Theron slides forward like a dark shadow against the wall, getting in close behind Appario, then letting out a fierce roar in an attempt to cow the dogs into flight or submission.
Eklektos, hearing the roar, curses and turns to prepare for an attack from the other direction, trusting Appario and Theron to be able to handle the dogs. Into the Message, "Be ready for company."
Both dogs appear to have been shaken by Theron's resounding roar, but they stand their ground.
Feeling the dog rip out his vocal cords, Appario realizes that he probably doesn't need them anyway.
With a croak, he calls upon Abadar for aid.
Swift Action: Lay On Hands: healing.
Take a 5' step back to O1.
AC: 19
HP: 8/16
Weapon: Bastard sword and shield
Status: Throat torn out. :(
Effects:
Lay on Hands: 1 of 3 used
Smitten today? No.
Appario's second slice drops the dog in a pool of blood. The other dog follows Appario, trying to finish what its companion started.
The bite is thoroughly ineffectual, barely even scraping Appario's armor.
Behind the second dog, Appario sees a third and fourth dog move towards the corridor, and can also hear someone yelling "Go see why those dogs are making so much noise!"
Positions:
N1
O1
P1
R1
S1
to hit;
damage.
Edit: Confirming Crit:
The dog yelps in pain as Appario's sword continues to hit the mark, but it doesn't drop.
Semenya sees two figures that appear to be tieflings attempt to move silently into the wide corridor and set up some sort of crossbow ambush for anyone moving into that corridor. It doesn't appear as if they've noticed either her or Derek.
Eklektos hears the sound of a crossbow winch being slowly wound up somewhere to the southeast.
Eklektos, hearing the additional dogs barking and the winch on the crossbow cocking back, whispers into the Message spell, "Can anybody see anything?" Eklektos steps forward , then begins preparing a spell.
Theron, anxious to get at the dogs and impatient for Appario to move, tries to squeeze past Appario and the dog attacking him in order to get at the new opponents.
AC 15, touch 13, flat-foot 12
Status Normal
AC 15
Spells Consumed Entangle
Status Normal
The dog cowers slightly away from Theron as he passes by, seemingly too shaken up by the big cat's earlier roar to take advantage of the situation.
Theron's bite misses, as the dog manages to dodge out of the way just as his jaw was about to snap shut.
Position changes:
now in Q1
now in F9
Initiative Order:
23 - Tieflings
20 - Appario
16 - Derek
12 - Dogs
11 - Eklektos and Theron
9 - Semenya
3 - Ostengo
The tieflings in the southbound tunnel settle down to wait, crossbows at the ready and loaded, for whoever comes into the passage.
Theron hears a door being opened, and a voice exclaims "The dogs are in a fight in the tunnel! Ostengo, come quick!" A tiefling appears in the corner of his eye at , and it sounds like more are on the way.
Appario again rips with this sword into the dog.
AC: 19
HP: 13/16
Weapon: Bastard sword and shield
Status:
Effects:
Lay on Hands: 2 of 3 used
Smitten today? No.
Derek wishes fervently that he could see what was going on, just now he cannot see anyone to target with either spell or blade, and until Semenya tells him something, he will just stand still and wait for a chance to react.
Appario's vicious swing takes out the second dog, which falls to the ground with a low whine.
The third dog bites at Theron, as does the fourth after moving to .
Both attacks miss the agile cat.
Theron, in full jungle cat mode, viciously rips into the dog in front of him.
Eklektos finishes casting his spell, summoning a giant centipede into the corridor ahead next to the Tieflings. It immediately tries to take a bite out of one of them.
Theron's claws rip huge gouges into the dog, but it's still standing.
The centipede takes a bite of dark flesh out of the tiefling. The tiefling takes on a greenish hue as a result of the poison coursing through its veins.
"Appario, Eklektos, we've a pair of Tieflings on the wide corridor to the south - they've got ready crossbows." (This is through the Message cantrip).
"They don't seem to have seen us yet. I'm going to make it sound like the card players you dealt with earlier are coming down the stairs we came down, and to let Derek cast without being overheard. That noise coming up behind you on cloven feet is my spell, not reinforcements on your flank."
Quietly, to Derek, "Two tieflings are at the end of the wide corridor down to the south, about 55 feet away. I suspect they hear the fighting. Think you can cast a Sleep spell and get them from that information, and softly enough that the murder of dogs won't give us away?"
Semenya will move to E7 (half move to preserve Stealth) if she thinks she can get away with it, leading Derek by the hand.
She'll also cast Ghost Sound, timing the cadences of her spell with the sound of the fight, making the Ghost Sound spell sound like the voices and footsteps of the card players, b$&+*ing about the damned guard dogs being noisy.
If Derek manages to cast his spell, she'll be holding her loaded crossbow for next round to shoot any of them that make the saving throw versus Sleep.
As Semenya and Derek make their way carefully to and , a single crossbow bolt comes flying out of the darkness towards Derek.
The bolt misses wildly, hitting the wall behind Derek. Almost immediately afterwards, Semenya's ghost sound comes into effect.
Tiefling #1:
Tiefling #2:
Tiefling #3:
Tiefling #4:
Vethamer:
Tiefling #5:
Tiefling #6:
Tiefling #7:
Ostengo:
Semenya, Eklektos and Derek can all hear a brief whispered conversation featuring four different voices:
"What were you shooting at, I didn't see anything?"
"I saw something move up there, I'm sure of it!"
"Bah, it's just the guardpost coming down to see what's going on."
"I know what they sound like. That isn't them."
Then, a withered, gravelly voice: "Silence! Get rid of that centipede and let me handle the thinking."
Appario hears a similar whispered conversation on his end:
"Ostengo, we have reinforcements coming!"
"Good, then we can flank the enemies!"
A withered, gravelly voice answers also here: "Yes, I hear them. Now be quiet and get rid of that light!"
Derek whispers back to Semenya. "Not possible dear lady, without the guiding light to aid me, I cannot finish the casting as I cannot see the targets, but I'll start now and we can see what happens."
A humanoid figure dressed in cloth wrappings and walking with a jerky, shambling gait appears behind the dogs at . The figure lifts a withered hand and points. An energy missile darts from its fingertip, striking Theron. It deals damage.
Then, the light emanating from Eklektos's thrown pebble suddenly winks out, and the corridor is again completely dark. The sound of a crossbow being fired can be heard, and a bolt comes at Theron.
Following the attack, Appario and Theron can hear the sound of a door being opened and closed directly to the east.
The centipede takes its AoO against the tiefling that fired at Derek.
The two tieflings closest to the centipede drop their crossbows and draw short swords, and proceed to attempt to hack the centipede to pieces.
Someone says "Go!", then two other tieflings appear at and . Spotting Eklektos, they each fire their crossbows at him.