Desert Of Fate

Game Master Michael Talley 759

There is an audible shifting noise after the discharge of electrical energy. Thankfully it seems like it will not go off again as the low humming sound is no longer present

Well as soon as the dwarf is done healing we keep pressing forward

Riggar will gather everybody around him,

Gorum, give us the strength an power to overcome our enemies!

channel 1of 3: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Sunset nods in thanks for Riggar's efforts, then looks towards the direction that the party was moving.

"Lets continue..." She says and gets into position to advance again.

Indeed, it will have to do for now. let's move
current hp modified.

"That's a bit better. Let's go deal with those mangy mutts"

still I can't believe I missed some posts O_o

As you come to the end of the corridor there are two levers that blend very well with the wall on either side of the door, however the door doesn't appear to be locked and the large room seems very empty with a doorway itself on the other side as well as a chest. what would you like to do? However a very audible thump can be heard within the room even without entering.

Hum interesting, i wonder what these levers are for? Should we go inside check on the doors to our left and right and the chest before we pull them? or do we pull them before we do all that?

Sunset eyes the levers and the room.

"The whole thing stinks of danger and trapping mayhem..." She says.

"If there's a way to work the levers without maybe getting killed, then yes, lets give t a try."

note to self, hire Thief....

ok then i'll go in first toward the door and see what happens?

Sunset frowns but moves to stand beside the levers so as to potentially deactivate any trap.....

Not to self, should have made a rogue. Anyone got Mage hand available or unseen servant

Riggar will move to take the other lever that sunset doesn't take, war hammer in hand should something happen

Not I yet. My Magus side hasn't kicked in. :(

As Gloin makes his way across the large chamber the thumping noise can be heard below him after he is half way across but nothing seems to happen to him.

did you want to go the chest or wait for your companions?

Utarah waits fretfully. "Hurry up dwarf!" he calls softly. He positions halfway between his comrades, his crossbow at the ready.

Sunset is not moving from the levers. Hoping she can move them and hence prevent loss of Dwarven life... :P

Gloin will move to the door in the other side of the room. and if possible will open it.

Seeing Gloin reaching for the door handle Sunset calls out,

"Look out for mechanisms! Don't forget the 'zap' trap behind us!"

I am looking, i am looking...

DM can roll my perception for traps if needed....

As Gloin opens the door, several howls can be heard beyond it, very high in pitch like several women and children beyond, an arrow easily misses thudding into the door itself. But beyond you is a Gnoll Warren with several women and children.

Sunset raises an eyebrow.

"Well...at least the door is safe..." She mutters, even as she strides forwards to support Gloin, though she does not draw her sword upon sight of the...women...and...pups....

And of course, now is the time that the trap would be sprung. :P

Amusing Sunset, you seemed more concerned about the door than my well being. saying while he smiles at her and with that statement:

Swift: get weapon in hand via weapon cord. Move up to Gnoll and strike when ever its gloin's turn to act

Warhammer:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 71d8 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Oops! Sorry, yah, completely miss-read the scene!

Sunset's eyes narrow as she takes in the scene (Properly read through, this time) and she steps to the side of the door-jamb peering around its cover.

Perception:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

i Believe you eyes are not seeing clearly Sunset. The Gnoll is their Jailer and these Woman and Children are Humans hostage, food or sacrifice that were taken from the oasis. I mean to kill the Gnoll and free them, and if we are lucky the Sheiks daughter is with them. But i don't believe we will be that lucky.

Sunset had it right. Gnoll warren with GNOLL women and chrildren, ie Pups Sunset can see the lone female Gnoll among them with a bow, her quiver already out of arrows as she stands proud among those that move to try and hide within the room.

Arf my bad then. Please Everyone scratch that last post by gloin. He would have gone after the adults with the Blunt of his weapon (Subdual Damage, going for the K.O) seeing as they are armed and not wanting anyone to raise the alarm when he is gone

I know that sunset, i have no intention to kill them.

Seeing that the lone female Gnoll is out of arrow he lowers his weapon in a stand by stance.

Addressing the Gnoll
Can you understand me?

Oh...

Still wary, Sunset peers around the edge of the door, watching for anything untoward to emerge from the...kennel...

"Hearing the cries and sudden odd speech coming through the door, Utarah moves forward towards the door. "Don't do anything rash if they don't want to fight. I can help persuade them to talk peaceably."

Rash? oh well Utarah she nodding tower the archer did fire an arrow at me. I sure hope we have a language in common.. he finished while raising his shoulders.

The gnoll archer lowers her bow and surprisingly speaks out in common.

"So the furless ones wish to speak for once? I shall listen, but I will not help."

The others seem to back away into corners of the room, it seems the only one with any fight in her is the female in the center with the bow and even with no arrows she holds herself with some strange level of dignity, she also appears to be a fair bit older than the others as well.

Well we can do things by ourselves, so we are all set in that department. We are here to retrieve humans that were taken by members of your tribe. Especially a young girl. If you want to tell us where she is captured and the layout of the temps that is good if not, well we will find her ourselves. The only thing i'd rather you not do is raise the alarm for now.

Gloin will start to concentrate on Detect Evil (Sp). And if you think its appropriate roll diplomacy

but its that guy's decision. He is the one that will negotiate pointing toward utarah

Seeing that she is not going to get shot full of arrows, Sunset steps around the edge of the door and begins to do a serious head count.

"It would be just as easy to count the ears and divide by two..." She mutters as the 'Pups' mill about.

How many fems and pups are we looking at?

Utarah advances forward, putting his crossbow away. "We mean you and your children no harm. If I had my way we would claim the captives and leave in peace, without any bloodshed. Your raiders attack the sheik's camp and started this. So please answer my questions.

Where are the captives located? Is there any way of getting them without bloodshed? Why did your men attack the Shiek's camp? Who is the magic wielding leader here?"

Utarah is casting Hypnotism (DC 16 will save) on the gnoll, using Spellsong to disguise the casting as a move action so no one can perceive it(at least without beating his oratory check with a perception check). Also I'm solely targeting her, so she takes a -2 on the save. Basically that fascinates her and makes her friendly for the purpose of one non combat related request/bargain. It's basically a limited version of suggestion, with the suggestion being: answer my questions. It lasts 2d4 rounds.

Diplomacy roll(oratory) 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

Spell duration 2d4 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4 rounds.

Roooo utarah your a sly devil aren't you? So that how you get the girls....

Gnoll Will save1d20 - 1 ⇒ (9) - 1 = 8
Gloin: You do detect evil from the Gnoll with the arrows but it is not a very strong or powerful aura.

"They are below, We attacked to make a point on the furless ones that this Oasis should be ours by strength of numbers. The Magic furless one... he says he seeks the power of the first wizards, he wanted into our home and to be safe, he offered his power to us as a Genie for three tasks in exchange into the great room of the first wizards."

She seems to sigh and moves to sit on a near by rock as though the use of the bow had been too much really for her.

"As for bloodshed....you will most likely have it anyway from my late mate whom the magic man brought back to his prime... Warchief Hukar... he will fight to keep his new prize" she looks at Gloin when she says this. "The third wish is his...to have power over the oasis chief, the magic man said he needed the daughter for this."

Sunset: Your count of this rooms gives you about 8 birthing females and at least 24 children at various ages milling about the room, the one addressing the group, the 9th female adult seems actually too old judging from her fur pigment to give birth.

Raising then dropping his shoulders Gloin turn his head toward everyone Well, looks like we know where to go next, guess we better hurry if we want to save the girl. When we get there i'll take on the chief, while you deal with the rest. Utarah you should try to interrupt the magic man while he tries his stuff.

Sunset nods "We shall indeed thwart the schemes of this 'Magic man'." Sunset says, looking at the Elder Gnoll. She looks calmly to this elder.

"With your males decimated...What will be the standing of your tribe?" She asks her.

I guess the young ones will have to fill in their shoes sunset. But staying here so close to the oasis probably won't do.

To the Gnoll "I am sorry that things must end this way. We will give safe passage to you and your young pups, and I shall speak to the Shiek that you are not hunted in exchange for this information. I shall say a prayer for your mate, and we shall hunt this Magic Man who brought trouble to us all. Perhaps next time we meet there might not be blood."

He turns to his comrades. "Let us ascend and end this trouble."

"Perhaps we shall see." she looks to Sunset slowly "My tribe will likely have to raise the new males to be leaders with their small females we should be able to continue on, however most likely another tribe will take us in, except for me as I am too old to be of use to another tribe."

The female Gnoll gestures to the others and they begin to pack a few things around them.

"They shall wait here...if you live, They will leave with our Tribes Pups, if you die... They will remain. Beware of the ancient tombs traps... the magic man has helped to restore many of them."

Let's get going then, shall we?

"Great, more traps. Looks like we've got some 'special' thanks to dish out to who ever this 'Magic man' is..." Sunset replies, though she does nods in agreement about moving on.

What about the levers? The lady know what they do?

Riggar- the old Gnoll woman warns you not to touch the Levers, as it seems you didn't activate either trap by pulling them.

The stairwell to the lower level takes some time to get back too, and the corridors are unusually silent. Is the group ready to make their way down,Although their are still two areas known that haven't been explored, merely passed over. A locked room and a passageway that lead further down a hall.

No lets look into the room and the passageway. i do not want to have things coming from our backs

Indeed, I want no additional surprises from this point, let us investigate those areas"

Right then, lets go explore these passages.

Lead on lads an lasses, I ant sure which way to go. I was focused on the sounds o battle I wasn't paying no attention to other passages around me. Riggar replies to exploring the areas, weapon and shield at the ready just in case.

Returning to the room that you had all been at before entering into the descending chamber to the lower levels. You find the other doorway and the hall that you had avoided earlier. The door has a few runes on it, but they appear to be the same age as the temple itself, and while the door shows signs of beatings and other assorted afflictions, it does not appear to have been opened.

Detect Magic on the door. wait 3 rounds and if nothing try to open it.

Well looks like i am going to try and open that door. Stay back in case of a trap.