Omara sneaks up the stairs and takes a peek.
Perception
Omara emerges into the upper floor off the tower and the first thing she notices is that the bloodstains on the walls begin to run fresh like the lower floors did.
Úlf waits downstairs, beginning to bounce up and down on the tips of his toes, rotating the tight grip he holds on his greataxe back and forth as he waits eagerly for a signal from Omara that they can ascend to the upper floor of the fort.
Zal cocks an eyebrow at the fighter but otherwise says nothing and waits for word.
Runa takes this time to find a tidbit of food and feeds Tofa.
Lissa seems withdrawn and lost in thought as she waits with the others for Omara's return.
Omara returns downstairs. "It's the same mess on the walls up there as down here. But I didn't see anything that could be causing it."
Well it would seem to me that where this "mess" goes we should follow. Shall we climb the tower and inspect it thoroughly?
Runa shivers at the thought of the bloody walls, but she moves forward towards the steps.
"Lets get this over with and move on to helping Amieko."
"Yes yes! Let us stop walls from bleeding and be done with this place!"
You make your way up the stairs and sure enough the walls are bleeding..faces appear in the blood, agonised terrified faces screaming their death cries.
Will saves to speed things up a bit DC13
Ulf
Omara
Runa
Zaladrel
Lissa
Unfortunately most off you cannot with stand the shrieks and flee en-masse.
Zaladrel..you withstand the screams and can choose your course of action (you note a set of double doors that must lead into the rest of the upper keep) the rest are fleeing for two rounds.
First Zal will try to grab the closest person he can and try to use "Liberty's Blessing for a re-save. I tend to be in the front so I imagine its Omara, Ulf or Lissa. Regardless of that effort Zal will set his jaw and move to open the doors. While I am loathe to split up I must see if Desna's blessing can lead me to a way to safely pass.
Resave..
Zal grabs for Omara as she tries to flee past him but the dark skinned young woman tears away and follows the rest
He then moves across the room to the doors which are some 40' away.[move action]
Do you listen [full round action] or just open the doors [2nd move action]?
Úlf seems, for some reason, overcome by this second instance of the bleeding walls. Despite his earlier resolve to be done with this place, he wilts beneath the screaming faces in the oozing red liquid, turning to flee back down the steps as quickly and as eagerly as he'd ascended them, knuckles white from their death-grip on his weapon.
Once again Runa is confronted with an overwhelming fear and flees the area. Shame and anger war within her as she finally overcomes the fright and can think normally.
The fear wears off as you get about halfway through the Throne Room
Lissa growls under her breath once the enchantment wears off at her inability to master herself to save her friend. Her anger at this is only slightly lessened when she sees that almost everyone else did likewise.
Úlf's fluttering heart finally begins to calm itself as he reaches the throne room, and he inwardly curses his cowardice. What sort of Ulfen warrior was he?! Fleeing at the mere sight of some blood! His ancestors would be ashamed of him.
Refusing to give in to further despair, however, he turns, scowling deep lines into his face as he trudges back in the direction he came, intending to head back upstairs and do what he can to patch his heavily wounded pride.
Omara picks up her hat that fell off during her flight. She fluffs out the feather and puts it back on. She looks around, secretly happy to see she is not alone. With a deep inhale and a sharp exhale, she marches back up the stairs to rescue Zal from a fate worse than death.
Zal will be cautious in his approach and will listen at the doors first.
Zal
The rest off you march back towards the stairs. Surprisingly the blood remains merely old dried stains on the walls and the screaming faces do not put in an appearance
Runa and Tofa catches up with the others. She decides to cast a protection spell to make herself more difficult to hit.
Zal
Zal waits as the others calm down and return up the stairs gesturing for them to be quiet as they get back into position. HE will motion that he hears talking of some kind behind the doors.
At Zal's signal, Lissa silently draws her sword. She goes over the arcane phrases and gestures for her spells in preparation for a confrontation that will surely end in blood.
Úlf's will to fight recovered, he stands before the door Zal gestures to, his posture indicating he is well ready to charge anything that may be on the other side. He seems even more eager to leap into the fray than normal, hoping to restore some the honor and dignity he felt lost to him when he fled from the bleeding-face walls.
Omara?
Still waiting for Omara..
Nirthuus said to bot her in the OOC but not sure who else saw that, I know I have trouble getting those messages since they changed how long active dots last on the boards...
Omara listens with Zal nods in co=nfirmation that something is indeed there and then prepares to open the door for Ulf whilst motioning to the elf to stand ready with his bow..
Zal knocks and is ready as Omara indicates, nodding to Ulf and the others.
Ok Surprise round one action each
Omara opens the Door to reveal half a dozen of the Dire Corbies and your friend from yesterday
Ulf charges the nearest Corbie and the force of his blow neatly carves the bird-man in two
Crit confirm
Damage
Zal Shoots
Runa and Lissa to decide actions
I'll post initiative after the surprise round is resolved.
Runa attempts to sleep the leader uning her hex ability
DC-14 Will
about 30 feet
Save vs hex
Lissa yells at the assembled creatures and rips a glob of acid from beyond, calling it to the material world. With the blob firmly in hand, she lobs it at the nearest enemy.
:
:
Still waiting for Zal to post his shot but heres the initiative for...
ROUND 1
Zaladrel 18
Ulf 16
Boss 15
Lissa 13
Omara 12
Dire Corbies 6
Runa 5
Swearing to himself and seeing how busy the space is Zal gets out of the way of his more combat oriented party members and offers a blessing from Desna. Zal will also call on Desna to grant him further protection from the wily leader of these beasts who seemed a powerful foe previously.
Zal casts Bless +1 to everyones attacks and saves
Úlf gives a deep bark of laughter when his axe bites deep into the flesh of the corby, ultimately carving the bird-man into two neat pieces, the two halves falling messily to the floor.
He looks to the next-closest of the corbies and grins menacingly at it, giving a roar as he charges straight at the creature, looking for all the world like death itself, covered in the blood of the bird's former ally.
Lissa reaches into her pouch, pulling out a small bag of ground obsidian and a tiny candle. She lights the candle, mumbles a few words, and ignites the bag with the candle. Swiftly she tosses the now burning bag to the ground and begins to chant in a slow droning monochrome. As she does, the flames devouring the bag begin to sputter and grow, and a strange mystical energy begins to trace a burning red pattern next to the evil man.
A second dire corbie crashes to the ground as Omara moves to engage a third.
"Kill them, Kill them" the demonic creature in charge shouts though he makes no move to engage you himself
Masterwork Rapier Damage
. . Starknife
Omara merely nicks her opponent and then the Corbies strike back..
Three swarm Ulf hoping to bring down what is obviously the greater threat the last continues to engage Omara
Corbie 1 damage
Corbie 2 damage
Corbie 3 damage
Corbie 4
Runa will attempt to cast a hold person on one of the Dire Corbies attacking Ulf.
save DC-15
Zal will cast Protection from Evil on Ulf.
Omara continues to attack the corbie she has singled out for destruction.
Wearing him down!
Will save..
The Corbie targetted by Runa freezes in place as if petrified.
Round 2
Zaladrel 18..casting Protection from Evil
Ulf 16
Boss 15
Lissa 13
Omara 12..action taken
Dire Corbies 6
Runa 5
Úlf roars once more, this time the pain of the three blows delivered by the corbies mixed with his battle cry. Ignoring the corby that Runa cast her spell against, Úlf fixes his gaze on the bird-man that he targeted a moment ago. It is clear that he intends to finish off his foe with this blow and continue the stroke to the other corby that is still on it's feet.
Runa will approach the Corbie she cast hold person on and cut its throat.