Garroth replied to Sniths scolding tone by jutting out his jaw and making an annoyed grunt. Kicking the dirt near the goblin, he stomped a few paces away from the group, his back turned and arms crossed. "Pff, cant even kick a goblin. This Snith..."
With nothing else to do, he took to scanning the nearby area, alert for danger.
Ah, Sam one last thing after we get back to town I would like your assistance in scribing a scroll of Protection against evil. I probably won't need it any time soon but better to be safe than sorry. I will of course pay for the scribing costs.
In front of the door leading into the crumbling tower, there appears to be a cleverly covered pit in the ground, presumably an old trap.
There do not appear to be any footprints nearby
Hold there is a pit trap in front of the door we need to deal with it before we go any further. Does it look like we can get around it
There is about a foot gap around the pit and between the door. It shouldn't be hard to balance along it.
Romboldt ponders a moment. "Perhaps we should collapse it to be safe, so we know the consequences and don't forget on the way back."
Agreed. Possibly bridge it, in case of a hasty retreat...
It would probably be better to toss our goblin friend down the pit before crossing it if we're not planning on him surviving our expedition, since he knows nothing. Aliatris shoots an evil grin at the goblin.
Sam's got a good idea though. She says as the evil grin disappears from her face, looking back at her companions with her usual level of happy excitement. I second the bridging!
In Goblin:
"Oh nos! I swears I know nothing! We come from far away! Follow ravine to old citadel and reclaim it for goblins once more! For generations goblins tell tale of once grand kingdom here! But whole place is full of filthy drow, we couldn't get in! Ird was hatching brilliant big boss plans, and you come and kill whole tribe!"
The goblin then starts pathetically balling and weeping hysterically.
After a few minutes of searching and moving rubble aside, you are able to find something suitable among the rubble to bridge up the gap.
Snith also notices that while it would be a very tight squeeze, even for Ali, there does appear to be small, crude tunnels here and there throughout the rubble. It may be possible to dig these out and find another way into the citadel.
There are a few crude paths into the citadel and unlike the main door probably aren't trapped you guys want to try these instead of a frontal assault on what is apparently now a drow citadel.
Garroth grunted with displeasure. "Eeh, Id rather not spend my days diggin' holes in the ground. If I was interested in that kind of work I would be doin' that instead of treasure huntin'"
Edging along the foot wide edge, he opened the door, squinting into the darkness that his orcish blood had not seen fit to allow his eyes to pierce.
"Sides, how bad can the drow be? Lily livered elves is lily livered elves, right?"
Lily livered elves ho specialize in poison and assassination techniques.
Snith still follows along after grumbling and pulling out his bow.
The wolf ponders a moment before shrugging. [b]"Tempting as it is to try the alternate route.. I would think that most of these traps have been long since sprung or worn apart. Would be a shame to break our backs digging unnecessarily, or finding ourselves stuck in a hole when all hell breaks loose. Lets leave it as a plan B if we need it." He follows across carefully, readying his bow and beginning cautious inspection for traps.
The door appears to be stuck, but is either not locked, or the locks long ago stopped working. It takes a few moments of jiggling and pulling, but the door eventually creaks upon with a sudden whoosh.
It opens into a circular area cobbled with cracked granite, upon which sprawl four ancient decrepit skeletons, evidently slain in some skirmish long ago. One slouches against the western wall, the killing spear still skewering it and holding its bones to the stone and keeping it upright.
Three wooden doors lead off from this area. Above, a hollow tower of loose masonry reaches 30 feet, but the intervening floors and stairs are gone, except for a couple of crumbling ledges.
Romboldt takes a moment to look around as they step inside, eyeing the skeletons suspiciously and motioning for nobody to approach them as he notes whether or not they're armed. "I smell an ambush. Given the circumstances I'd say there's a good chance these four are the welcoming committee." Romboldt has long since notched an arrow in his bow, ready at a pindrop.
"Well, theres one way to find out." Garroth muttered, marching up to one of the skeletons and bringing his foot down on its skull.
"Looks like these guys are asleep on the job then." he said, grinning widely.
What is wrong with Garroth you don't stomp dead people to check if they are undead.
"Eeh, atleast this way, if they were undead we'd have one less to worry about." Garroth said with a shrug.
"Exactly! Never trust skeletons. They click and clack but never have enough music in their movement." Aliatris hangs back near Rumboldt, glancing about the room worriedly, "This whole place is...weird."
The skeletons appear to be just that, normal skeletons long ago slain. Whether they were killed as men or skilled as undead is unclear.
Three wooden doors are in this room: one to the direct south, one to the northwest, and one to the southwest. The ones in the corners appear well built, and in good repair, while the one to the south appears in very poor shape.
Their appears to be something moving in the rubble of the tower above you all, though it is cloaked in shadows and you can't make it out, or make out if it is anything to even really worry about.
Whatever was here is long dead... Let's move.
Catching a slight shift up above Snith whispers to the party.
Hold up there is something moving up above us. Be careful and keep an eye out for traps.
"Yeah, I saw somethin' too Snith." He looked about at the others. "Any of you magicians got some light that can reach up there? I'm not mighty keen on movin' ahead till we know what it is. Wouldn't want to get ambushed from behind."
With nothing else to do, he drew his weapon and shield, ready for anything.
You seasoned gents jumping at shadows, already? Take a moment for a gut-check and let's move.
The arcanist seems oblivious to his surroundings.
Ali takes a deep cleansing breath. Well at least it isn't skellingtons. Above us? Think its good old Ird comin' back to have it out with us? She cranes her head back as faaar as she can to squint up.
Whatever it is stays out of sight and appears to be making no attempt to come down any further, though it does seem comfortably positioned above the north west door. Still, you are unable to make it out at the current light levels up there.
Romboldt raises a brow as the party comes to a screeching halt over a small sound. "Little jumpy, guys?" The wolf chuckles, following their attention to the apparent source. He shrugs, then calls out loud enough for somebody to hear. "OY! Show yourself! You're 'sneaking' around up there is making my companions edgy, they're liable to open fire at a shadow down here!"
After a while of watching the party debate, the creature in the shadows grows impatient. It jumps from on high and attempts to latch itself on Garroth's smug face!
plus grab.
But it misjudges its jump and lands with a thud on the ground in front of the monk! It appears to be a grayish, hunched over wretch with strange long, pliable arms like tentacles with five wide, spiny claws.
Snith doesn'tt feel like firing arrows at this beast so he walks behind Garroth while drawing his dagger with one hand and a fraction of the might of his god in the other which he pours into Garroth.
Cut this beast down my friend with the skill of Erastil
Romboldt fires missiles! (Of the arrow variety. Approximately one of them.)
Sam withdraws. What manner of beast...
Sam, you can make a K. Dungeoneering check if you would like, to identify the creature.
Releasing a half startled grunt at the creatures sudden attack, Garroth stepped out of the way of its diving attack. Pulling back his sword arm, he brought the blade down in a low arch, attempting to sweep the creatures legs.
"Oh dont worry Snith, there aint gonna be much left in a moment!"
However the little creature nimbly jumped over the blade, as easily as a child skips a rope. Furious at the little show-off he moved with the blades momentum, spinning on the spot and attempting to cut the creature in half.
"Why you little...!"
This creature is known as a choker, a small aberration known for its penchant to strangle its victims; something it is generally rather good at doing. It has the ability to move very quickly and even can climb walls.
FFFFFFfish paste!! Aliatris brings up her hands fingers splayed wide, focusing on the creature, Hope this works! She begins moving her hands back and forth like a conductor her voice raised in a sing song ditty.
Blazes and mazes
Magic and hazes
All of these things for you
DAZES!!
Her hands fling out at the last bit towards the monster, willing its mind to become clouded
Round 1
Snith - steps up and places a hand on Garroth's shoulder, imbuing him with the goodness and skill of Erastil.
Romboldt - lets an arrow fly at the creature, just narrowly missing its ugly face!
Sam - steps back and studies the creature, recognizing it as a choker!
Garroth - flurries with his temple sword, attempting to trip the creature. The choker manages to stay on its feet, but all its efforts at avoiding the maneuver cause it to lower its defenses. Garroth's temple sword comes crashing down on its back, leaving a nasty wound and dealing 10 damage!
Ali -
Ali recites an empowered rhyme, gathering up her bardic magics and releasing them at the creature, attempting to cloud its mind. The creature winces at the mental assault, but manages to resist!
Ford - invokes his draconic heritage as his eyes glow a vibrant blue as electricity crackles from his hands. He points a single finger at the creature and emits a streak of thin electricity flies at the choker.
The jolt hits the ground just before the creature and fizzles out.
______________________________
Choker- Half dead and enraged at his poor luck, the creature rears up and leaps at Garroth's face, attempting to grab him once more!
Success! The creature latches onto Garroth and begins strangling the life out of him! (Garroth cannot speak). Garroth winces in pain as the creature strangles him and takes damage!
____________________
Snith walks around the beast to the other side flanking with Garroth drawing his dagger before trying to plant it in the beasts back.
Garroth don't bother trying to break free cut the beast down with your blade.
Anticipating its lunge, Garroth brought his blade around in a defensive slash, neatly severing one tentacle before digging into its neck.
The choker lays dead on the floor, no other sounds can be heard except the low hiss of bodily gases leaking out of the choker's neck.
Sam, being the local expert on chokers, know that these creatures are often fascinated with adventurers, and often collect trinkets and treasures from their victims. Most likely, there's a choker hoard up in the broken rafters of the tower.
Excellent response... I think I remember this species, the common name is "choker" and you can understand why. The are facinated with trinkets and "shiny", their precious.
I would not be surprised if it had some baubles secreted away up there. Anyone brave enough to go look? Sam raises a brow.