Pherenike drops her weapon and departs as everyone else follows Mus'ad and Myron's lead, rushing up the stairs.
Mus'ad carefully opens the door on his left and scans the room. It is a bedroom. Quite large. I don't see the Div but another door is open to the balcony across the room. Wary of being surprised and bitten again, the Pahmet stands ready to strike.
This spacious room has entrances in the southern and eastern walls. The aged remains of dressers, a large bed, and a divan lie in ruins. The husk of large hornet’s nest, gray, papery, and devoid of life, occupies one corner of the ceiling. The spaces in the northeast and northwest corners appear to be closets. Their wooden doors have all but fallen off their hinges, and heaps of disintegrated fabric mingle on the floor. Between the closets stands a single lacquered dresser covered in dust.
Rakara is very unhappy about the current turn of events. She does not feel comfortable being without the stability of a group and while The Scorpions promised the structure she craves it became apparent very quickly that they could not deliver.
At the words of the departing fighter Rakara turns to Dumah, I don't fancy another round of interviews. What do you say about a practical application? With a grin that looks more like a hideous grimace to those who don't know better she heads off towards the building indicated.
"I think I will fare much better with a skills demonstration." He smiles in what he thinks in a fierce grin, but really it is just more endearing than anything.
We'll look for an obvious way in, perhaps the woman left a door open in her hasty departure?
Even as Dumah closes toward the danger, his thoughts seem to wander. Did he do everything he could against those ghouls? They'd disappeared, dragging paralyzed victims down tunnels he couldn't follow through. But had he done everything he could? His thoughts turn again toward the pending engagement.
Kheled, knowing he can do little to help in this battle put his crossbow away and draws out his spear.
Damned creature. Is anyone hurt?
Elrisiel follows after Kheled, warily looking around for the div.
Myron pauses on the stair, uncertain about how to proceed.
"If the Div is still around and ready to put up a fight, we need that flail, and someone who can wield it. Mus'ad, would you like me to fetch it for you? It will certainly be more effective than your hammer."
Mus'ad nods his head in the affirmative as he continues to watch for the Div.
Myron hurries back down the stairs to retrieve the fallen flail.
With Mus'ad keeping watch on the upper floor, Myron retreats back down the stairs, past the others, who wait in place as he goes to retrieve the weapon.
Myron makes directly for the abandoned weapon, but as he bends over to pick it up...
...he feels jagged teeth sink into the back of his neck, before tearing free, spraying blood upon the sand! Myron spins to see the Doru Div materialize directly above him.
Before he can even cry out in pain, he feels the effects of the Div's venom coursing through his blood, threatening to cloud his mind and judgement!
The taste of your flesh is pleasing to me half-man! It is a pity the feisty one left so soon. No matter, I shall hunt her down tonight! the Div gloats in his raspy voice.
Up on the second floor, Mus'ad curses at the sound of Myron being attacked.
The venom takes hold and the normally stalwart halfling feels doubt creep into his thoughts.
Init 17.
"Stay behind me! Just yell for me to stop if you spot a trap or ambush!" Dumah keeps moving toward to building.
Elrisiel waffles, trying to think of something useful to do.
Rakara nods in acknowledgement of Dumah's instructions and with eyes and ears peeled follows.
Ahh! It bit me! Help!
Injured and with his wits clouded, Myron stubles back, flailing his weapons in a defensive pattern, hoping to buy some time for Mus'ad and the rest of the group to aid him.
Kheled moves to L/11.
Sorry evil bastard. I wish I has the ability to destroy you here and now.
He then lets out some healing, excluding the creature.
Channel
Myron calls out for help and waves his weapon at the Div, trying to keep it at bay as Kheled rushes to his aid, sending forth a wave of healing energy. The wound upon Myron's neck stops bleeding, and the flesh mends slightly but it does not disappear entirely.
Elrisiel stands upon the stairs, unsure as to what to do as the Professor joins Kheled in the hallway. In desperation, the Professor attempts to distract the Div with a magically laced joke...
Who does the pharaoh talk to when he's sad? His mummy!
...but the Div is not amused.
Mus'ad rushes down the stairs from the floor above, as the Div bites at Myron again...
...but the halfing is easily able to avoid a second wound.
Sandstone walls ten feet high enclose the property, affording those who once lived inside some privacy. A two story stone house is visible beyond the walls, adjoining the rear wall of the compound. You approach a pair of tarnished bronze gates hanging partially open in the center of the southern wall. A pair of statues flanks the gate. Dusty hieroglyphs are carved into the wall at eye level to the left of the gate.
Stepping through you find yourself in a dusty, sand covered small courtyard. To the east and west stand pairs of columns, once brightly painted and now bleached from the sun, which support stone archways leading to other section of the property. Tarnished bronze gates hang open under both arches. To the north, a small flight of steps leads up to a pair of closed ornate doors in the south wall of the house between another set of columns.
Through the western arch you see the remains of a recently killed large centipede. To the east a dead mangy dog lays in the sand, flies buzzing around it in the morning sun.
Hearing the screams coming from inside the building Rakara suggests to Dumah, Maybe we should run, I don't think being fashionably late is going to impress.
"Agreed. Let's keep an eye out for that weapon she mentioned; I suspect we may need it." Just in case they don't spot it, he'll ready his falchion as they run.
Even though he is unable to wield it himself, Myron knows that the blessed flail is the best hope against the Div. Keeping his defensive posture, he drops his sling staff and reaches down to grab the flail, ready to fend off the inevitable attack from the flying head.
The venom from the second bite clouds and confuses Myron's mind further.
Myron retrieves the flail but takes another nip from the Doru for his efforts.
Kheled moves up behind Myron and casts Resist on him.
El literally has no idea what to do, and decides to just not make herself a bigger target.
Rakara also pulls out her cold iron falchion as they run towards the building.
Kheled moves up behind Myron and bolsters his immune system with divine help as Elrisiel remains upon the stairs, ready to defend herself.
Holding nothing back, Ahkenaten shifted to get a better view of the Div before trying another of his spells... staring intently at the Div trying to force it to acknowledge him at the exclusion of everyone else...
...but the Div ignores him once again.
Rakara runs up to the door opens it and runs through.
The southern door bursts open and in rushes a large half-orc woman brandishing a falchion. She sees a woman standing upon a staircase to her left and catches a fleeting glimpse of a dwarf who dashes away up a hallway.
Mus'ad ignores the new arrival and makes for Myron and Pherenike's weapon, which he grabs from the halfling as he moves into the doorway with him.
The Div cackles as it zips in to bite Mus'ad...
...and sinks its teeth into Mus'ad's flesh, ripping a nasty gash in his arm. The fresh venom begins to work on Mus'ad's mind immediately.
Myron's head keeps spinning, and he struggles to think clearly. He pulls his second kukri from its scabbard and slashes at the Div, hoping to distract it so Mus'ad can put the blessed flail to good use.
Dumah charges into the building, looking for the battle. Hearing it coming from the north and the west, he hesitates for an instant before seeing the female on guard at the starts to the west, he heads that way.
Double move to P13.
Help arrives! Rakara shouts as she enters the room and looks around for the source of the screams.
Feeling palpable relief that the latest creatures to enter the room are not immediately trying to kill the group, Myron responds.
Help is most welcome. We are fighting a Doru Div. You will need to wield blessed or cold iron weapons to harm it. Beware, it has a venemous bite. There's also a Varghouile on the loose somewhere.
Even with his mind addled by the venom coursing through his veins Myron manages to swing his kukri with enough effectiveness to successfully drive the Div towards Mus'ad and the blessed flail.
El continues to stand at the top of the stairs, staff held defensively.
Kheled tries to distract the Div through his incessant talking then places a Guidance on Mus'ad!
If you would just die then we could be on our way, I mean its not like you have a point to your life, you are an evil flying head. If only I have a two handed sword I would cleave you in two I mean seriously!
Myron pushes the Div closer to Mus'ad as Kheled taunts the Div and bolsters Mus'ad with another minor spell.
Elrisiel maintains her position upon the stairs as Ahkenaten again tries to get the Div's undivided attention...
...but once again the Div ignores him. The Professor cringes as he realizes he is too drained to cast any but his most minor spells.
Meanwhile, at the front entrance, Dumah rushes into the foyer, turns towards the stairs and into the hallway.
Not sure exactly where the fighting is taking place but hearing plenty of noise coming through from the archway in front of her, Rakara goes straight though hoping that between her and Dumah someone will quickly enter the fray.
As she moves into the archway she immediately sees the dire straights the group is in and moves in to strike.
Raising her falchion she slashes at the hovering creature.
The newcomer rushes headlong into the fray, swinging her cold iron sword at the grotesque foe but misses badly.
Mus'ad steps back and takes his own swing...
...and he makes contact, but the Div is tougher than it looks, and the head of the weapon bounces off.
Mus'ad continues to fight the venom in his system.
The Div, confident in its ability to avoid the blows aimed at it, and not fearing the spell casters in the slightest, continues to harass Mus'ad...
...diving in and dodging Mus'ad's defensive strike before biting the hard pressed dwarf once more. As yet another dose of venom is pumped into his system, the proud Pahmet continues to fight on.
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In an effort to create an opening for his allies, Myron launches a flurry of slashes with his twin kukri, knowing that he has little hope of doing actual damage.
Kheled casts bless then shifts to open up more space.
El continues to stand at the top of the stairs, staff held defensively.
Dumah rushes forward, taking the spot that Kheled just abandoned. Flachion raised high, he cries out to Saranrae "Dawnflower, give me strength!" When he closes in, he strikes out with all of his might.
Move, swift action to smite on the Doru Div, standard action to attack with power attack and smite.
To hit
Damage
Myron changes tactics, going back on the offensive, but fails to land a blow upon the crafty adversary.
Kheled steps back and casts a spell, ing the entire group, as Elrisiel continues to stay out of the fight.
Ahkenaten shifts to give those martially inclined more room to maneuver while offering words to in his allies. New and old.
The second new arrival rushes to the groups aid, but fails to bring his sword to bear.
Cursing at her inability to hit the elusive little creature the first time Rakara again swings at the thing.
But again her blade fails to find her foe.
Hmph, maybe help hasn't arrived. She grumbles to herself. I don't think this interview is going to well.