The heroes take the door right next to the harem room. They enter a short hallway and then come face-to-face with a pacing human. He is ruggedly handsome, with a visage and demeanor that doesn't mesh well with smiles and laughter.
When he spots the heroes the man sighs with relief.
"Are you here to kill, Nualia? Because if so, then I surrender. Just please don't kill me."
Uirdir's eyes silently scan the man, judging his intent.
"You walk freely amongst this area and yet, I assume, you are willing to let the master of the area be killed by interlopers?" Uirdir states.
"Explain yourself." he demands, not knowing of this Nualia of which he speaks.
Sense Motive
Cowardly Goblin humper I guess...
The man keeps his hands up.
"Look, mate, the name's Orik. And I'm just a mercenary, okay. Some pretty lady pays me to bodyguard her and pays in platinum, well, I don't usually ask many questions. I didn't know she wanted to summon demons or burn down a town. I been to that Sandpoint place. Folks there treated me fine. I didn't want anything to happen to it."
"And what was I supposed to do? Fight off a small army of goblins by myself? No, thank you. But here you are, covered in goblin blood, so I'm guessing the coast is clear, or at least clear enough. And frankly I don't feel like dying for this crazy bint. So I'd rather just make a run for it."
"Now, you could let me walk on by like civilized folk. Or things can get messy. But, really, why bother? Ain't no profit in it for me. And yeah, you outnumber me, so you'll probably take me down, but believe, you, me, I'll make you earn it."
"So we're at an impasse. But like I said, 'Why bother?'"
Orik seems like he genuinely doesn't want to fight you. But you also get the impression that he's confident enough in himself to think he could put a hurting to you, if he needed to.
Well... tell us what you know of this place.. traps hazards and who else is hiding in this cellar. We might consider ye plea...
"Gesture of good faith? Fair enough. I'll be honest though I've mostly stuck to my room. Haven't explored much around here. Can you blame me? It's a goblin cave."
"But I can tell you that to the east of here there's some sort of wriggly monster. Didn't get much of a look at it, but I saw enough to know to get the hells out of there."
"If you head west, you can find that weird temple to Lamashtu. Only been there once. And that was more than enough for me. It's guarded by a pair of weird monster dogs. No idea what in the hells those things are, but they're loyal to Nualia. Saw 'em lick her hand and everything."
"Right, the 'hand' thing. Should probably mention that. Nualia prayed to her goddess and got some sort of demon arm now. It's weird, disgusting, and probably powerful. Personally, I don't mean to find out how powerful."
"There's Tsuto, a half-elf. Ain't seem him in a bit. Hope he's dead. Then there's Old Bruce - sorry, can't pronounce his name -- he's a hobgoblin. If he ain't in his room over there, then he's probably boffin' the Goblin Chief's wives again. I walked in on that once, because I thought he was being murdered. I'll never look at melons the same way again."
"And then there's Lyrie - what a rack on that one. Defies logic and gravity. She's some sort of wizard. Do you think maybe you could go easy on her? I've got a bit of a soft spot for tough women."
"There's a whole other level to this place down-below. Ain't been down there. And ain't enough gold in Varisia to make me go neither."
The elf snorts out a chuckle at the man's bravado. Coward through and through...
"Run along. My blade tells me that yellow blood isn't fit for its blade." Uirdir comments as the man finishes informing on his employer.
"We will give her your regards as you spend the coin from your service."
-Posted with Wayfinder
Bruin motions toward the exit with his crossbow.
"Yeah, get out of here before we change our minds," the cleric says while keeping his weapon trained on the mercenary.
Orik gives everyone a playful salute before walking out.
The heroes go from room to room...
This room is clean and well organized. A low dresser to the southwest has a stack of papers sitting atop it, weighted down by a large chunk of obsidian, while to the northwest sits a well-made bed.
On the nightstand are mostly rough drafts of Tsuto's plans to blackmail his father and to use the Sandpoint Glassworks as a staging ground for his successive attacks on Sandpoint.
***
This one-person bedroom shows many signs of having been lived in. The bed itself is rumpled and unmade, and a half-eaten meal of bread and smoked salmon sits on the nightstand. A few articles of dirty clothing sit at the foot of the bed.
***
While this bedroom is clean and brightly lit by an everburning torch lying on the nightstand, its spartan decor makes it unclear whether it's actually lived in.
***
This bedroom has a faint musty odor. The bed is covered with matted gray and black hair, and bloodstains mar the stone floor, while a morbid stack of birds' feet lies heaped on the floor by the side of the bed.
***
This large chamber seems to serve a dual purpose. To the north is a fine bed with silk sheets, while to the south, a desk and chair under a hanging lantern make a comfortable-looking study.
***
• everburning torch
Viro remains silent as the others question the bodyguard who has had enough of this stuff. He grabs the everburning torch as the group goes through each room in turn, and spends a while sticking his hand in it and giggling until he realises he needs both hands free to fight.
Viro sighs miserably as he looks over Tsuto's plans to blackmail his father and take over Sandpoint.
"Sorry bastard. I'm not going to cry at night in the slightest after I stab him in his damn kidneys."
With the southern rooms cleared out, Viro frowns.
"Well, I suppose our question here is if we want to deal with monster dogs now, or later. It may be a good idea to approach them prepared and not have them sneak up if we run into Nualia."
"You did stab him in his kidneys. Remember? Tsuto was Ameiko's half-brother. We killed him in the Glassworks," Bruin said in a tone one might use to describe the weather.
"Personally, I think I'd rather deal with the 'wriggly monster' first. That worries me a bit more than the dogs."
From the quiver of normal arrows, Alexei will re-fill his quiver before they meet Orik and explore the quarters. He eschews the elf-bane arrows, and is okay if we choose to destroy the things.
Alexei keeps his bow drawn and ready for action as they group clears the bedrooms and heads for the area with the wriggly monsters.
Alright then let's get to the wrigly monster I says!
"As long as I am able to investigate the runes and magicks of the fort, then I will kill anything..." Uirdir states with disdain, especially as he finishes. "As evidenced by tarnishing my blade with the blood of that gobliness."
Without further speech, Uirdir follows Beromar to the room of the wiggly monster, rapier at the ready.
The walls of this room are lined with small wooden cages. Inside each cage is a dirty mound of straw.
Viro sighs, and makes his way over to the west door, and quickly listens at it, having grown bored of exploring empty rooms.
"Everyone ready? Of course you are."
Stepping back, he yanks open the door, hiding against the wall.
Uirdir follows Viroleth with his rapier at the ready. "Ready when..." he starts as Viroleth yanks the door open. "Well, I guess that works."
Viro opens the door to find a room with crates, barrels, and mounds of miscelaneous refuse that lie heaped against the walls. To the north, the sounds of crashing surf echoes.
Well... no scary monster here! Must be behind the next door!
Beromar approaches the door and waits for Viroleth to open it.
His bow at the ready, Alexei looks over the shoulders of the others for any signs of trouble as they enter the next room with bated breath.
Viro groans.
"Well that wasn't particularly interesting."
Viro quickly checks the door for traps before swinging it open.
"Why are we chasing a scary monster?" Uirdir asks, sure that he thought their combined purpose was to find some lady or goblins or something.
He casually waits with them, not really expecting an answer, while Viro opens the door.
Alexei, who knows that the thrill is in the hunt, rolls his eyes at the strange elf while Viroleth gets the door open.
Viroleth doesn't spot any traps, but he does notice a tentacled creature hanging amidst the stalactites, reaching out for him. This dark blue creature has a conical body covered in angry red eyes and numerous tentacles, two of which are longer than the rest.
Uirdir: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Alexei: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Monster: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Viroleth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Viroleth lets out a manly yelp as the tentacle approaches, warning the others.
This is a tentamort, an opportunistic predator that lies in wait in caverns for prey to walk by. Its tentacles have stingers that are very poisonous.
"Viro!"
Bruin runs past the others to get a good look at the tentacled monstrocity hanging on the ceiling.
"Gods above, that thing is hideous."
He doesn't waste another second. He fires his crossbow bolt into it. The creature lets out a high-pitched squelching noise of, presumably, pain.
Uirdir sees the tentacled beast and decides to stay back with his rapier at the ready. "Perhaps we can lure it to the ground..." he posits as he readies a strike should it attack him.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!" shrieks Viro in the most unheroic manner possible.
After hearing Viroleth's scream, Alexei tries to crowd forward, but is stymied by the others in front. Leaning forward, he fires a shot through the crowd at the ceiling-bound creature.
Alexei's shot just misses the creature, but Bruin's aim is true. This angers the monster enough for it to switch its attentions to the smaller morsel.
It's tentacle arm moves to sting and then grapple the small priest.
But the deft halfling manages to just barely evade the creature's attacks.
Uirdir: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Alexei: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Monster: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Viroleth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Tentamort 34/39 HP, AC 17
"This thing is getting friendly. And I don't like it."
Beromar stuffs himself inside the room and swings his trusty hammer but he over swings once more and merely scrapes the ceiling.
Attack flank PA Damage
Viro runs straight for the tentacled thing before he vaults into the air, flipping forwards in an attempt to land on the other side of it.
After landing, he waits for one of his companions to get into range before slashing out with sneak attacks.
Beromar misses the creature on the ceiling, but then Viroleth springs past him and lands a vicious blow on it. The creature seems disoriented and moans oddly.
Uirdir: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Alexei: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Monster: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Viroleth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Bruin steps back to fire another shot. But it attracts the disoriented monster's attention and it once again tries to skewer the halfling.
But Bruin dodges successfully once more before firing. His bolt lands hard.
Tentamort 10/39 HP, AC 17
Uirdir moves deftly into the room, striding over the small dwarf and taking a place to his northeast. "I figured you'd have smashed it by now, Beromar." the elf quips before striking out at it.
Uirdir misses the creature with his blade.
With the LOS to the target a little clearer, Alexei steps forward 5' and unleashes a pair of arrows in rapid succession.
"What is that thing? It is certainly out of place here."
Alexei's first shot hits the amorphous monster, and in response gets it to shriek. The sudden noise and shift, causes the ranger's second shot to just barely miss.
The cornered and wounded creature attempts a desperate attack on Viroleth.
; Hit!
The monster can't sting the agile rogue, but it manages to slap him silly.
Uirdir: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Alexei: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Bruin: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Monster: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Beromar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Viroleth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Tentamort 3/39 HP, AC 17
Uirdir lashes out once more as Viroleth takes a swipe from the creature, leaving his nose bloodied. "Avoid the stinger AND the tentacle next time, Viro!" the elf yells out as his jabs with his rapier.
Beromar uses his positioning and the creature's momentary distraction to attempt to clobber it once more this time he swings upward with his hammer and whacks the monster with a sickening crunch.
Attack Flanking PA Damage
With a coordinated strike from Beromar and Uirdir, the hideous beast is finally killed. In fact, its body is lodged so deep on Beromar's axe that it comes loose from the ceiling and sits upon his weapon like a grizzly banner. It flops about violently until the proud dwarf can finally shake the dead beast off.
Well not so scary this monster I says... Beromar spits as he finally manages to dislodge whatever this beast was from his hammer and flick it against the wall.
Let's see if it ate goblins and left us some trasures shall we?
Perception
"Just a moment, Bero. I need to keep our friend's insides from coming out," Bruin said as he tapped Viroleth with his wand.
"OW! OWWWW!!" shouts Viro, ready to take his revenge, but a swipe from Beromar and the tentacle-thing goes down. He gratefully accepts healing from Bruin.
"Who keeps that in their living room?!" shudders the rogue. "Anyways, I'm feeling better. Let's move on."
Viro quickly cases the joint for valuables before pushing eastwards.
Beromar finds that the tunnel forks. To one side there's a door. The other leads to...
Dozens of strange dead bodies lie scattered about this room. Most are sea birds and ospreys, but there are six dead goblins here as well. Each body is literally skin and bones, as if all of the interior organs and muscles have somehow been drained away, leaving behind skeletons draped with leathery, slowly rotting skin.
#Loot
• +1 hide armor (made from dogs)
• mwk short bow (small)
Alexei looks over the well-formed bow, hefting it to test its balance and draw. It is quite apparent that well-crafted bow was not made by these goblin, but taken from some other worth owner. Unfortunately, it is not big enough for him to use, and he shrugs and hands it over to anyone else to peruse.
The brave hunter also turns his nose up at the dogskin armor, choosing to have a little less protection than those skins of friendly beasts as part of his personal effects.
Viro grabs the little bow, shuddering at the drained goblin corpses.
"I can use these, the little guys are easier to hide when you need... to hide a bow... for whatever reason."
Once the group has done exploring, Viro checks the door to the western hallway, and enters.
"The bow seems fairly well-maintained for a goblin. Might fetch a fair price in town if we can find a passing halfling hunter, but I have no interest in wearing doghide." Uirdir says, hanging the bow from his pack and tossing the armor to Beromar. "It is magical and can probably be scrapped for arcane essence by a smith, however."
Uirdir cracks his neck and readies his weapon as he follows Viroleth to the western hallway. "Hmm... I wonder if this floor is it? I thought there might be more, but maybe my research was wrong..." he remarks cryptically.
Beromar smirks at the Goblin armor. While he doesn't understand the obsession of surface dwellers with dogs he would rather die naked than wear something crafted by a Goblin.
Well I assure ye you will see me hairy arse before ye ever sees me in a Goblin armor... the Dwarf feels an urge to discard the item but thinks the better of it ... if this is magical it's worth a pretty penny ye don't toss that outta the window...
Well what ever ye been researching we be searchin a demon lady and I ain't leavin this place till either she or me stops breathin...