Eponine leads the way, Brock next with Wren and Sophy right behind him while Victor brings up the rear. The tunnel is only about five feet wide forcing the group to travel single file. Wren's magical glowing spheres flow down the tunnel ahead of the elf in a lazy northeasterly direction, more north than east. After going about a hundred feet a second tunnel branches off to the right.
If Eponine's low light vision doesn't see any variation down either direction, she'll continue straight, bypassing the branch off for now.
Eponine decides to keep going and bypasses the side passage and continues on for about another hundred and fifty feet. On her left a second passage splits of to the west while the main passage continues in it's north easterly direction. Each of you feel the eerie chill of underground creeping into your bones.
Sophy clutches her glowing crossbow like a life preserver. She desperately wants to speak to break the silence and the tension but is afraid of what her voice might sound like echoing down here -- and of what might hear her.
Noticing as they surpass a second passage, Victor can't help but ask, "Miss Eponine! Why did we not go down that passage back there?! Do you see any sign of...anything, yet?!" He asks in a loud whisper.
Brock sees Sophy clutch the crossbow and whispers to her, "If you'd like me to go first, just say the word." Brock scans the passageway ahead over Sophy's head with his darkvision, loaded sling in one hand, weapon in the other.
Eponine will go down the second passage, to the west.
Victor, I don't have any idea where any of these lead. If you have a better guess, let me know and I'll be glad to go with it.
Brock sees Sophy clutch the crossbow and whispers to her, "If you'd like me to go first, just say the word." Brock scans the passageway ahead over Sophy's head with his darkvision, loaded sling in one hand, weapon in the other.
Eponine is good with the order, though she is willing to let Brock take the lead if he feels strongly about it (like she could stop him!). Eponine will resist letting Sophy or Wren pass her in the order.
As the group turns and heads down the western passage they step over bricks scattered on the tunnel floor. The tunnel to the west must have been sealed up until recently. The passage continues on fifty feet then takes a sudden turn to the north and Eponine leads them approximately another hundred feet to where a cavern opens up on her right.
Eponine adjusts her grip on her rapier and steps into the small chamber, sparing a quickly glance over her shoulder to reassure herself that Brock is still there. She'll slowly make her way across, trying to see the other end.
Brock follows, eyes scanning the darkness 60' ahead, looking for ambushers.
Sophy peers around the corner into the blackness, suddenly realizes the easy silhouette she is providing by standing there with her glowing crossbow for anyone waiting in the darkness, and quickly withdraws back into the hallway, letting the glow from the crossbow seep around the corner.
Victor, I don't have any idea where any of these lead. If you have a better guess, let me know and I'll be glad to go with it.
"No...no, you are doing well, do not mind me, I was just....uhh....nevermind." He quits while he's ahead. "I really do not know where I was going with that." He mumbles to himself as he decides it's probably best to just keep quiet.
Eponine steps into the chamber and slowly makes her way across. Brock is right behind her and cries out a warning, but she must have been to busy scanning the floor for traps and is caught unaware as a horribly deformed humanoid, hairless and emaciated, lurches out of the shadows. Its unnaturally long arms end in three-fingered talons, and its legs bend like those of a dog. A writhing network of bulging veins form dark blue patterns across its pallid skin. But worst of all is its face—its nose is little more than a pair of slits, and its eyes are bulging and red. The lower jaw splits in half at the chin into two wretched arms that end in tiny three-fingered hands to either side an open gullet with a lolling tongue. It swipes at her with its nasty claws, but luckily she ducks under its dangerous grasp.
Initiative
Brock curses himself that he could not react sooner, but is thankful that Eponine was not hurt. He drops his sling and moves to Y13, where he brings his hammer down on the freakish-looking creature.
Initiative
Brock curses himself that he could not react sooner, but is thankful that Eponine was not hurt. He drops his sling and moves to Y13, where he brings his hammer down on the freakish-looking creature.
The Surprise Round:
If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a standard or move action during the surprise round. You can also take free actions during the surprise round. If no one or everyone is surprised, no surprise round occurs.
5' step:
You can move 5 feet in any round when you don't perform any other kind of movement.
The Surprise Round:
If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a standard or move action during the surprise round. You can also take free actions during the surprise round. If no one or everyone is surprised, no surprise round occurs.5' step:
You can move 5 feet in any round when you don't perform any other kind of movement.
Brock steps into the fray and bashes the creature on the head. It glares back with hate in it's blood red eyes.
Sophy hears the commotion and pokes her head back around the corner. She raises her crossbow but doesn't have a clear shot and is afraid of hitting Brock or Eponine; she has obviously proved herself no great marksman. "Victor," she cries out, "quickly! It's some sort of ... thing!" She steps out of the way, keeping her crossbow leveled, in case the thing gets past Brock.
Sophy moves farther along the tunnel hoping to get a clear shot at the raging creature when suddenly another rushes at her from a passage just a bit further north of the chamber. Having her mind set on shooting the creature in the room she is caught off guard. It swings its massive arms at her, the first claw ripping into her flesh as she bats the second away with her crossbow.
With a howl of rage the creature in the room turns its attention to the half-orc and strikes with it's razor like claws and it's wicked bite. Brock pushes the creature away avoiding the mutated jaws of the thing, but in the process is slashed by one of it's claws.
Round 1
Victor's eyes go wide as he notices the malformed creature strike Sophy. "NO!!!" Victor yells as he moves next to her. "Back out of here, Sophy, I will try and distract it!" He tells her as he fires an arrow at the creature.
"Here I am you disgusting beast!" He yells at it hoping to draw its attention away from Sophy.
Victor rushes to Sophy's aid, but his arrow bounces harmlessly of the creatures thick skin and hardened muscle.
Eponine will step to AA14 and thrust at the creature.
To hit
Damage
Wren can't find a target for any of her spells, so he 5' steps forward to y9. "Move back here, Sophy. Let Victor take that thing on."
Brock swings his weapon again at the creature.
Eponine steps deeper into the cavern and stabs the creature deep in the gut causing blood to spurt out over her. It shrieks in pain and turns its ugly stare upon her.
Wren cries out and moves closer to the fight, "Move back here, Sophy. Let Victor take that thing on."
Brock drops his earthbreaker down upon the creatures head, smashing its skull. He and Eponine watch it crumple to the earthen floor lifeless.
Sophy shrieks in pain and alarm as the second creature steps out of the darkness and claws at her. She sees Victor's arrow whiz by her and hears the others calling out for her to withdraw. Seeing Brock crush the other monster out of the corner of her eye, she carefully moves into the cavern where he and Eponine are.
Sophy runs towards Brock for protection as the creature advances. Seeing fresh meat not running away, it slashes at Victor with both its wicked claws. Luckily, he is quick and avoids the blows by ducking and weaving.
Round 2
Victor, relieved that the creature is concentrating on him instead of going after Sophy, pulls back another arrow and fires.
"Victor, stop being a hero and move back. Bring it toward us!"
Eponine moves to Y11 and ready an action to attack if it comes within range. Victor, fall back! I have Sophy covered!
Why did I not think of that? Victor thinks to himself. Oh wait, Sophy is over there, that is why. He then thinks quickly of where to move. "There is no place to fall back! I will move over and give you some space to smash it, Brock!" He tells Brock and then responds to Eponine, "I do not want it to come too close to you ladies!" He says as he steps to his left.
Brock grunts and moves up to X11 to engage the second horror, but mistimes his swing.
If Wren can get line of sight on the creature, she will fire off a Ray of Frost at it.
Attack to hit ranged touch while firing into melee
Damage
Victory draws back his bow and fires an arrow straight into the chest of creature. It responds by looming over him and biting down on Victors shoulder. Victors armor holds tight and the jagged teeth fail to puncture through as Victor smells the things foul breath. Pushing it off he steps to the left to make room for the others to fight.
Eponine moves to protect Sophy while Wren tries to find an open shot for her magical attack, but Victor stands in the way.
Brock moves up and attempts to pound this one into the ground like the other but his blow only smashes the ground.
Sophy is unable to see anything, as Brock steps between her and the monster. She backs up to stay out of range and brings her crossbow to bear on Brock's back, determined to get off a shot if the creature breaks through.
Sophy ducks back into the chamber, the corpse of the first creature reeking of a foul odor in its death. The living thing lashes out with it's claws at Brock, and then attempts to bite the half-orc with its malicious separated jaw. It howls with rage as the warrior blocks and avoids all three attacks.
Round 3
Victor, shaking off the bite of the creature before it cuts through his armor, draws another arrow and fires again.
Another arrow plunges into the creatures chest and it howls in agony and rage. It swings it's long arms, claws extended, trying to rip Victor's head off his body. Blood runs down Victor's neck from several nasty gashes.
Victor, attempting to dodge the creatures attack, fails this time as he is unable to avoid the nasty creatures claws. He grunts in pain as his blood pours freely from his neck and face, soaking more of his clothing with it and infuriating him at the same time.
Brock looks at the creature in disgust and as it claws at Victor, he screams, "That is enough spawn, time to send you back to the hells from whence you came!" He swings his weapon again, certain to not mistime his swing this time!