
Kieran Crane |
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Kieran takes his place on the bed nearest him. He rummages through his pack retrieving a worn journal, a quill, ink, vial, and blotter; then quickly sets about his writing.
Lenore,Not sure if you heard word about what happened in Kenabres by now but be thankful to know that me and Cid managed to pass through the worst of it without harm. Course, that shouldn’t be a surprise. Can’t say for certain why, but the silver dragon singled out us and a handful of others from the crowd and got us underground safe enough. Not so dangerous down here as up there. A worthy group, we are. Strong but not without shortfalls. I think we can manage each other well enough so long as we keep a common enemy.
I write this from an underground city. Crusaders buried in time and dirt. They know their duty and have the discipline to see it through. Never in my life have I seen anything like it. The city is a patched up garrison from the old crusades, inhabited mostly by ‘mongrelmen’ and gnomes and a mix of other refuges. Stones in the roof of the caverns shine like stars. There’s times I look up and forget I’m underground. There’s a statue of a woman with eyes carved from the same stones. Her view lights up the whole place. Breathtaking.
The captain in command has given us provisions for a time and will be guiding us back to the surface. Shouldn’t be long before I can get this letter delivered. I’ll write another when I get back top. These letters and journals are the closest I can get to seeing you and the boys. Not habit no more. Necessity. I love you, Lenore. Tell the boys their father is thinking them. I’ll see you all soon.
Your devoted husband,
~ Kieran
Kieran folds the paper in thirds, seals it in wax, and then stows it safely in his bag. He looses another sheet to his lap and begins a second letter. Erec, it began, though Kieran hesitated to continue. Instead, his mind turned to the vision the scales inflicted on him: the vulture clutching a glowing brand in its talons; Erec strapped to an alter, screaming as the abomination gleefully plunged him again and again, futile pleas for his father to rescue him. By the time he returned to the present, his only written word was absorbed into the ink that had bled out of his pen. Taking it as a sign, Kieran disassembles his materials and packs them away.
In his rummaging, the sack of scales had managed to slip out and clank onto the floor. No better time than now, I guess. Course, you silver s$#% stains know it too, he thinks as he stares at the scales. He leans over to scoop them up and carries them to the middle of the room.
”Y'might, all, wanna take a look at these. Silver scales. Come from the dragon, most like. Enchanted, they are, but... well... Guess y'all can see fer yerselves what they's worth.” He drops the bag at his feet, steps back, continues. ”I didn't like what I saw when I touched em,” his countenance showing signs of falter, ”That... Y'take a risk with these. That much I know.”

Jaeger di Angelo |

Jaeger casts his eyes over the room eyeing the bunks. "Looks ta be rather cozy, no?" He says with a grin. "Nothin like sleepin under tons and tons o' dirt an rocks above us."
He says as he throws himself onto one of the bunks dragging Ethyra along for the ride.
After Kieran speaks Jaeger sits back up. "What you mean enchanted scales?" He says as he walks up and grabs a scale to get a closer look.

DM Corerue |

Lasciel
Ga'Tul smiles toothily at you and rubs her chin with one hand as she digests your name. Lasciel~" She draws it out, much to Lomar's frustration which she notes and stops annoying him quickly. "I shall not forget it and I save my best for the interesting ones I meet. I am sure however we'll meet again real soon, so keep your wits about you and your weapons sharp."
With that Ga'Tul rises and leaves you all in the pool with TawnGarth.
For those who watch her go they find she has gear that suits her interesting body setup. Extra slots for her arms and extra weapons to match, by the time she is equipped she is quite intimidating to say the least. From the bathes she heads straight to where you all entered from and is soon lost from view.
Jaeger
DC Will 12 Jaeger
The moment he touches the scale he is driven to his knees in utter pain, so much so that it robs him of his breath.
You see the Storm Lord standing over you, driving you out of the skies and smashing your back into the buildings of Kenebras. Your spine shatters in that instant and despite the pain you saw the plight of a handful of young mortals and found the strength to save them. The last thing you feel is the Storm Lords blade severing your head from your silver scaled shoulders.
You felt no regret for sparing so few...
Your vision darkens and then bursts with heat and flame. Your slammed to the ground, nearly crushed under the weight of some abominations clawed feet. Your clothing is gone, your skin is cut and burned and your surrounded by thousands of others who are being whipped, tortured, skinned alive... Suffering a thousand miserable ways to die, over and over again.
However your eyes turn upward to the thing that pins you to the burning earth. "This sinner will do nicely..."
It rams a pitchfork through your back, one of the barbed tongs breaking through where your heart should be. But you don't die. It hefts you with ease and lays its weapon over its shoulder, leaving you to dangle like a scarecrow on a post. Swinging painfully as it walked off in a direction you couldn't see. Its spiderlike legs crushed other people beneath it, its weight was so great that some of those it stepped on burst like smashed grapes beneath a brick.
It was like some of your nightmares but your awake, it seems to happen in an instant and leaves you with a cold sweat on your brow...
You are unable to talk about what you witnessed, physically stopping yourself (IE your mouth shutting of its own accord) when you try to speak of it. Similar actions will be stopped by you subconsciously.
Failed Will save incurs 3 Non-Lethal Damage
Cid
Tawn sighs. "You are too the point, a good and a bad trait for this moment. I am not sure what drives these demons as we have only see the lesser for some time. You met Ga'Tul, The Death Guard are going to attempt to press through the conquered tunnels and create a path to an underground citadel known as the Crossways. If we can take it and hold it we will be able to gain access to more pathways. It is our hope to restore and control a safe route to the old cities. However it will force us to control the route to... The Lost City..."
All the scales save for one have been assigned spell powers, there was one for every member in your group. Please assign them as you will and note that if you carry more then one, then both scales will cease to function.
Please make a spoiler or special note of which one you chose and its associated spell power.
As for the one that remains unassigned I will let you make the decision of, if any, carries it personally or if it is given to an NPC.
Please let me know of your decision. I will press forward in 48+ hours. Monday night alaska time
I am heading back to work after 4 weeks off. I am broke as all get out so I have to work really hard this week. Part of my punishment is I had to have 4 weeks off completely so I lose 5 days of this hitch and only get 9 days pay which is a significant loss. Blargh.

Seren Tyddewi |

I am slightly dazed by all of the experiences and just watch quietly but when we get to the bunks I am able to fall back on routine.
I disrobe carefully, pull a slip over my body and carefully clean my weapons, armour, clothes and equipment.
As I am wiping down my boots, I watch Kieran drop the scales in a pile and rush forward to Jaeger's side, "What's wrong?"

Ethyra di Angelo |

Jaeger casts his eyes over the room eyeing the bunks. "Looks ta be rather cozy, no?" He says with a grin. "Nothin like sleepin under tons and tons o' dirt an rocks above us."
He says as he throws himself onto one of the bunks dragging Ethyra along for the ride.
After Kieran speaks Jaeger sits back up. "What you mean enchanted scales?" He says as he walks up and grabs a scale to get a closer look.
Ethyra rolls her tired eyes while smiling at her silly husband, "well when you put it like that, it sounds lovely. It keeps the heart rate up like a good workout while sleeping, because the mere thought of all this dirt caving in on us will keep you a little.....paranoid! I'm sure it does wonders for your health, energizing for sure. Good night my love," she wraps her arms around him extra dramatic then pecks him on the cheeks "hope we don't get buried alive and turn into nom noms for the worms."
---------- Touch the scales they said, it will be fun they said....
Upon seeing Jaeger fall to his knees, Ethyra feels her heart stop. It had to be bad to have knocked Jaeger down. With shaking hands pumped with adrenalin and a voice concealing her panic, "Jaeger! Tell me what is going on, what is wrong?"She places a hand on each side of his face to lift his eyes up to her own, hoping that maybe if he saw her it would help some how.

Cedeleon "Cid" Reave |

Cid perked up at the opportunity. This mission had many potential outcomes, one of which he believed would be rallying the surviving drow and gaining them as an ally. If for no other reason, sinking bolts into the demons' black hearts was motivation enough.
"The mission is practical enough," said Cid, masking his excitement. "Give me permission to accompany the Death Guard. I will see this task completed for all of our sakes."

Jaeger di Angelo |

Will: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (16) + 1 = 17
Bluff: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (4) + 10 = 14
Jaeger's vision returns to the here and now. His hands drift over his chest quickly finding no marks that match the ones from his vision. Ethrya's worried expression pains him more than the illusionary wounds ever could have. "I'm ok chère. Just didn't expect dat it show...." He started to try and explain et when he tried to explain what he'd seen he suddenly couldn't speak his mouth shutting of its own accord. Jaeger has a moment of confusion as he finds himself unable to speak of his vision. He recovers quickly smiles wrapping his arm around Ethyra as if nothing had happened.
"It was nothin I'm fine bebelle don ju worry about ole' Jaeger. Kieran is right tho des scales seem to convey some sort of power from deem."
Bebelle=baby/sweetheart

Kieran Crane |

"I ain't equipped in figurin' out these types a mysteries," Kieran admits. "Would that one a you'd be able make sense of it all. Seven scales, seven survivors - don't feel like a coincidence."

Lasciel |

Sitting up, Lasciel takes in the commotion with the scales. Wrapping the blanket around herself, more because it seemed approriate at the moment than modesty, the climbs out of bed passing over to where they all stood around the scales.
Her eyes widening at the sight of the silver dragonscales, calling to something deep within her, she picks one up.

DM Corerue |

Lasciel
Touching the scale takes your breath away...
They were a story of 1 part left alone and two parts tragedy. She remembered the day her parents departed Kenebras and the night they called to her from the Worldwound. She arrived too late to stop their deaths, too late to beat back the demons that had surrounded them and their party, too late to stop these strangely gifted children from being orphaned mere weeks after their birth.
So silently, she had watched them grow up, from the shadows sometimes or out of the edge of her great eyes. She took the guise of a nursemaid or volunteer helper often as they were growing up. She helped to calm them during the worst thunderstorms and taught them bits of language and broadened their young minds with stories of adventurers and actual legends forgotten over the course of her long draconic lifespan. It felt sometimes like they were hers now, completely.
They were never far from her notice and a one time she was forced to come forward, full of righteous wrath to protect them when she caught wind that the Inquisitorial Office planned to do something terrible to the twins. She nearly destroyed their garrison when they tried to deny her audience with the Lord Inquisitor, when she finally reached him she nearly crushed the life from him in a fit of rage.
She used his body to break his own desk in half as she demanded his blood oath that he and his foul cretins would never raise a hand to those orphans unjustly. Swearing on every god of light she knew that if they broke that oath that she would destroy their order to the last man without remorse or mercy. Her wrath was legendary and when he finally stopped pissing himself he swore...
By the gods he swore...
The rest of them gave their oaths quickly, like the cowardly cretins they were, she remembered the unjust burnings of witches and supposed cultists before she put a stop to it. She wouldn't stand idle when they threatened those under her protection this time. When she left, she left the Lord Inquisitor a broken man, it took him nearly a year to recover as she forbade healing magic to be offered to him. From that day forward she tasked Denison to assign a man to watch over them...
Tedren.
That was his name, a good man, a solid man family man. He took to the Orphan's quickly, always the first face they saw when they were in trouble and the first one to bail them out quietly when needed. She was thankful to have him taking care of them, it freed her up to stare across the wound...
She grew distant from them as they grew into adulthood, they were never far from her mind but they were near grown and not in need of a nursemaid or tutor. She was torn between the lose of what she had come to care for and the premonition of a looming darkness hanging over Kenebras, she couldn't comprehend it completely but it felt like something was coming, as if the whole city sat on the edge of an open grave waiting to swallow them all whole and sadly she didn't know how many she could save when this battle came. Only that she had to try and save them at least...
She owed them that much at least...
Everything becomes jumbled, the attack of Kenebras, the frantic flight inot the air to face her hated foe. Only to find that he had grown [i]stronger and she had grown weaker since their last battle...[/i]
You see the Storm Lord standing over you, driving you out of the skies and smashing your back into the buildings of Kenebras. Your spine shatters in that instant and despite the pain you saw the plight of a handful of young mortals, the Orphans among them and with every ounce of your resolve you saved them. The last thought as they disappear from your view forever was how beautiful Lasciel had become...
A heavy pang of regret was the last thing you feel as the Storm Lords blade severed your head from your silver scaled shoulders.
Goodbye...
My children...

Cedeleon "Cid" Reave |

"I see," responded Cid stoically. "When the time comes, I will be ready and better prepared. I rebelled against my kind in order to free them from a culture that praises tyranny and discord. Liberating the settlements would see my mission completed." Feeling as though he said too much, Cid awkwardly pauses for a moment before speaking again. "If nothing else, Tawn'garth, I will retire to my meditation. Your hospitality has been more than sufficient."

Lasciel |

Lasciel falls to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she lives Terendelev's last memories. Sobs wrack her body as she weeps uncontrollably, overcome by the revelation of the impact the great silver dragon had had on her and her brother's lives.
She simply clutches the silver scale to her chest as she cries rocking gently back and forth.

DM Corerue |

You find yourself standing in the graveyard of Kenebras. The smell of freshly dug soil fills the air and as you look around you the surreal moment suddenly hits home. Hundreds of freshly dug graves surround you and you see a funeral that was occuring right then. Three wrapped bodies were being lowered into the earth careful, they bodies were the size of children probably no older then six or eight years old.
Their grief striken family stood sobbing nearby, behind them the burning husk of several buildings as Kenebras appeared to still besuffering from the after shocks of the attack. Before you could do much else your eyes are drawn to a creature towering over a grave some distance away from you.
It's form was distorted, as if it was being torn between different realities, its clawed hands were at its sides. In one hand it held a dozen roses and in the moment you noticed it kneeled before the grave and set them on the fresh earth. When it stood it turned towards you and despite its shadowy, blurred appearance you could see the tears running from its eyes.
It stalked out of the graveyard, no one took notice of it but you and as it left several shadows rose up. Seeming to come from every grave and appeared to run after the creature, they were like humanoid shadows. Save for the fact they were devoid of form and radiated a coldness in their passing...
You will be unable to speak of this moment to anyone, same thing as Jaeger and the rest.
Your standing in what could only be a prison, for all intents it appeared to be a human-made prison save their were demons stalking around you. None payed attention to you, save for one demoness in particular. She was chained to the wall inside of one of the cells and looked at you with a pleading look in her eyes. Her wings were torn and bloody appearing as if someone had cut the membrane off of them with a jagged or blunt knife. The bloody remains of wings lay scattered on the floor by her feet.
A tall demon stood before her cell, its four arms and massive serpentine tail made you shiver with fear as it spoke in the foulest language you'd ever heard. It was the same type of language that you had heard from your husband before...
You hear the quiet sobbing of a child nearby, he too was in one of the cells where he sat in a tight ball. As if he were trying to disappear or go unnoticed. You notice something else then looking down you see the most beautiful butterfly resting on your hand. Its wings were slowly waving out and up again. Out and up again. Its colors shifted and its wing pattern changed before your eyes save for it always appeared to have the Sun, a crescent moon and two shooting stars in every pattern.
As you watched the beautiful butterfly a voice whispered in your ear...
"Choose one..."
You will be unable to speak of this moment to anyone, same thing as Jaeger and the rest.

DM Corerue |

Will post more as I have time, apologies again for the wait!
Please let me know which scale each of you takes and note it in a spoiler or however in your character sheet. Please place your decisoon in the Discussion board so I know it is done. Those scales are each a 2nd level power so they are very useful to have. :)
If you have ne more playful banter/rp to do then please let me know when you guys bed down/where for the night(day?)

DM Corerue |

Cid
Tawn'Garth nods and leaves you to your small bed she pauses at the door and nods to the latch. "My girls will be curious and may pester you some if you leave the door open. unlike some in the village I scrounged around for a suitable door and put a latch on it. I hope you get some rest, we'll need it for tomorrow."
With that she turns and shoos off her girls, who's curiosity got the better of them and, like their mother, their ability to blend in had hidden them until now. Their curiostiy broke their focus and now they were very visible...
Let me know what you do before beginning your meditation. From there we will continue! Thanks!

Seren Tyddewi |
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I stare blankly ahead, lost in the vision, and as it progresses I grow even more still and rigid: every muscle tensed beyond straining; my heartbeat a steady pace but pounding against my chest like waves against the shore.
The one clear sign of my feelings is a steady line of tears flowing down my face and gathering in damp stains on my shift, like a statue of a saint from which, one day, tears seem to spring unbidden.

Cedeleon "Cid" Reave |

Their curiosity and fear is understandable. The drow are not the friendliest sort, and what friendships are made usually have an alterior motive attached with it.
"Her skepticism is rational and wise. My kind are to be feared but I assure you; I walk a different path than my kin. If you wish to come in, I will spare a few moments. No doubt you have questions, as do I." After a short pause, he adds "My name is Cedeleon. I am a hunter. And who might you be?"

Ethyra di Angelo |

"Mi amor," she takes a moment to relish in a simple embrace, "don't tell me not to worry, it causes premature greying of my hair and wrinkles..."She could feel deep in her core that there was something not quite right with her beloved. "What are you not telling me?" She thought. She felt a flutter in her chest? she would drop it for now.
---------------************----------------*************----------------
Upon touching the scale she is sent into a dark vision that will forever haunt her. She was surrounded by what appeared to be a prison. As the images progressed to that of a wounded demoness and frightened child, her heart sank. The vision ended with the painful words choose one She blinked away the ominous images but the butterfly lingered, slowly fading into her thoughts. Desna, forgive me, I am taking after my husband on this one. I have chosen. she let out a small gasp and tried to focus. The room was still hazy as if she was still shaking it off. As the small prayer closes, the fog of the vision is fully lifted and the feelings are realized. She went to speak to Jaeger but it was as if the words could not be spoken. Where her lips failed her, her eyes came through and they spoke of trouble. They searched Jaegers face until finally they locked with his. It was then she understood. They were both trapped in a silent prison. She gave him a slow nod, acknowledging their dilemma.

DM Corerue |

Cid
You talk to thin air for a moment finding yourself alone before a voice answers back in undercommon. "Chel. That was Di, shes too young to understand and it is clear you are different. Or... I will leave you to your meditation." The voice comes from nowhere for a moment before you notice the ripple of movement as she adjusts her position. It's the oldest girl and when she sees you noticed her she drops her innate camouflage and opens her eyes. She changes topics quickly as she starts to walk away but suddenly stops midstep. For a moment she stands stock still, eerily so at the edge of the door, and when she speaks again her voice is as quiet as a whisper. Her head leans back and she sways from side to side...
[/i]"A silver scale awaits, foretelling pain and woe. The path doth take you, to where the four hands of darkness cries. To a place where justice dies. The shadows will lead to places where death rules the way, but the way is shut and guarded by hate. So tarry scant and marvel gaze within the maze to come but fearful of the cl..." She staggers, shaking her head before mouthing a quick apology and vanishing to some other part of the small home. Her little hooves clicking on the stone floor as she makes a hasty retreat.
Moving ahead~
Other then the strange words she left you with your meditation was more or less uninterrupted and surprisingly it was quite peaceful in the quiet silence of the Darklands...
The rest of the group
All of you sleep well for the most part, for those of you troubled by the scales vision you find sleep hard to come by but awake fully rested come morning.
Lasciel dreams of the times their favorite tutor visited and awakes in the morning with misty eyes, she sees that even her brother Lomar appeared saddened but didn't speak a word of what he dreamed off. Quickly pulling on his mantle and rubbing his tears away before Kieran or the others could see.
Jaegers dreams were of nothing. For once he simply awoke, his rest undisturbed...
Seren found her self standing before a that grave once more, everythig was shaded in greys save for the flowers that lay on the grave. The roses were the most brilliant reds she had ever seen...
Ethyra dreamt of the butterfly that appeared to still be on her hand, its patterns ever shifting. The stars, the moon and the sun of the far traveler...
Kieran's rest wasn't undisturbed, he awoke in the dark. He'd fallen asleep in the chair by the table in back apparently, he groped for a lantern staring into the inky black that was the lightless depths. He heard movement off to his side and before he could utter a word he was slammed in the face with a blunt weapon...
Kieran awoke with a jerk, finding himself still laying in his bunk. He was uninjured, save for his heightened breathing as the shock of the dream had his blood pumping. He found the lantern they'd left burning low on the table in corner was still lit. After barring the door he returned to his bunk and got a little more rest.
A sharp wrapping on the door wakes those of you who didn't already wake up before it. Kieran translates what the voice on the otherside of the barred door says before whoever it was leaves. "Ole Tawn is waiting outside the garrison for us."
Outside the garrison
Tawn'Garth and Cid stand full clad, however Tawn'Garth looks concerned. Behind them stand ten hardened mongrelmen crusaders, each of thema different collection of races, heights and builds but all of them are suitably armed to the teeth. Seeing you all gathered before her once more she nods to each of you. "Captain Sull wasn't able to speak with me so for now you all can follow me and my men to the Crossways. We will be following in the wake of Ga'Tul and her Death Guards. She was supposed to have sent word back but none of her men have been seen, so prepare for the worst."

Lasciel |

Lasciel glances over at her brother. Knowing him as she does, she understands his need to deal with the visions and the dreams internally, coming to terms with things when he was ready. As they'd always done, she gave him his space to cope.
Nodding at Tawn'Garth's words, the angelborn sorceress steels herself for what might lie ahead. "We stand with you Tawn'Garth. We'll find them."

DM Corerue |

Tawn'Garth nods and swiftly leads you all towards the entrance of Neathholm. On your way there some of you hear the catcalls of the Three sisters again, promises of soothing your wounds and much more. You pass far more crusaders then before, this time however you see many are badly injured. Tawn'Garth stoically pass them by, her focus on completing the mission before her.
You pass the hidden guards and find that even her their appears to be more of them. Whatever was going on was severe enough that it required these underground crusaders to be out in force...
Once you were away from the safety of Neathholm and its heavily defended tunnels you were forced to once more light torches to be able to see.
Let me know if you decide to Not light torches. Rolls will be required to avoid Non-Lethal damage from slips, bumps and bruises along the way from stumbling in the dark behind your darkvision bearing companions.
Actually, I will have to wait there and see what the decision is. Sorry. :(

DM Corerue |

No answer - Moving on~ Above 50 with light, below no light...1d100 ⇒ 21
Also Anevia, Horgus and the Blind elf are not with you on this one...
The group decides to go without light, much to Tawn'Garth and her men's approval. Sadly for those who are forced to hold onto their fellows shoulders as they walk in the pitch black, it proves a daunting, troublesome and painful task. The walk seems to go on forever as you stumble through the dark, until finally the sounds of rapidly approachin footsteps can be heard ahead.
For those of you with Darkvision
Some of you Choose who volunteers to be guides for Kieran and Ethyra please~ are forced to aid your non darkvision capable companions along as you walk through the tunnels.
At first you passed by a couple tunnels that led off and away from the main road to Neathholm as you come to understand it. Eventually these side tunnels disappear entirely and for a long Long time you walk into a well worn passageway. This tunnel is strewn with the bones of the fallen which crunch noisily, at times, under foot. Tenacious blood smears still stain the walls from battles fought long ago, yet there appears to be no sign of a struggle recently. Only the well worn path and the tell tale marks of recent passage not too long ago.
Everyone (With those with darkvision explaining to those who can't see) ;)
When the hurried footsteps started t echo from up ahead you readied your weapons along with the Mongrelfolk and were pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be Mongrelfolk crusaders who approached from up ahead.
Their armor was battered and their faces smeared in blood and gore as they stumbled up to your group. "It was a trap, bastards lured us in and attacked us from all sides. We only just broke through so some of us could get away to get help." They look at your group as if waiting for an answer or to let them pass so they can get to Neathholm.
?????: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (20) + 4 = 24
?????: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
1d20 + 13 ⇒ (4) + 13 = 17

DM Corerue |

Sense Motive Checks - NPC's: 10d20 + 2 ⇒ (8, 7, 4, 10, 12, 2, 7, 18, 5, 13) + 2 = 88
Sense Motive Party-Kieran: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25
Sense Motive Party-Cid: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3
Sense Motive Party-Seren: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (15) - 1 = 14
Sense Motive Party-Lasciel: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12
Sense Motive Party-Jaeger: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Sense Motive Party-Lomar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
Sense Motive Party-Ethyra: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20
Kieran - Despite not being able to see you can tell something isn't right by the tone of the Mongrelmen's voices.
Jaeger - You don't understand what they are saying but you can tell by the smears on their armor and their stances that these two are not wounded. Nor shakened...
Bottom line is, something doesn't feel right...

Jaeger di Angelo |

Jaeger assists his beloved wife through the lightless tunnels.
Jaeger eyes the two mongrelmen his eyes color shifting to a light grey with a darker band as he notices their faked wounds. "Deas ain't your crusaders Tawny dey wounds are faked." He says as he pulls Abyssion from its sheath. Abyssal"Drop de wounded bird act you two mooks ain't as good as ju think."

Seren Tyddewi |
2 people marked this as a favorite. |

Eager to contribute, I call upon divine aid to check assess our 'allies'.
"Shelyn's grace guide us: as beauty is truth and beauty is virtue, so reveal ugly hearts to me."
casting Detect Evil.

Cedeleon "Cid" Reave |

Hearing the tiefling's call to caution, Cid takes no chances with the would-be imposters and readies his wakizashi.
"One man can end a war with the power of deception. I would not put it passed demonkind to attempt such a trick. Explain yourselves if you want to live." Cid's eyes narrowed on the troupe.
Hey Cori. How many are there? Also, happy burfday to your son!

DM Corerue |

Tawn'Garth glares towards the two men as her eyes find the same as Jaeger. She raises her fist and her ten men spread out as best they can and level their crossbows at the two Deathguards.
The accused stand there, one appearing completely innocent while the other starts to sweat profusely at the many weapons and glares being leveldd at them.
You sense an evil aura off each of the two Deathguards. Its not overwhelming but it is there...

Kieran Crane |

Kieran tightens his grip on Lasciel's shoulder slightly. The attempted trickery compounded his uneasiness in dealing with the journey made, literally, by riding the skirt tails of a young woman. "Sumthin' happens, you'd be doin' me a favor by making those lights come back," he whispers.

DM Corerue |

The evil aura permeates all over their forms as they continue to argue with Tawn'Garth, who is looking more angry by the moment.
2d20 + 2 ⇒ (4, 16) + 2 = 22
Seren's glaive was in her hands as she growled. "They're evil permeates through their very being..."
At her words the men both become shockingly calm and the one that had been talking spreads his arms wide and smiles. Tawn'Garth's men unleash a full volley of crossbow bolts before they could do anythign else...
Readied Actions: 10d20 + 2 ⇒ (17, 2, 4, 17, 8, 10, 4, 10, 20, 3) + 2 = 97
Damage: 10d8 ⇒ (8, 7, 8, 8, 8, 2, 5, 2, 8, 8) = 64
Enemy stats
AC 15
Deathguard HP 16/32
Deathguard HP 16/32
Several crossbow bolts hit their marks, inflicting nasty injuries on the pair of Deathguards, however they are both standing. Grinning like lunatics as they both call forth dark powers...
2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5
REality warps all around your group and out of that warped space emerged five slavering bloated creatures that looked hungrily at the mongrelmen and mixed creatures before them. These creature's bloated frame shudders with each heaving step, yet despite its shape, the thing moves with surprising quickness.
Roll Initiative!
The Fight is in the enclosed tunnel, the five dretches and Death Guards are in front of you and you are all amassed in front of them. Due to the tight confines of the tunnel, a single (20-30ft) move is enough to get into close quarter combat.
Crusader Mongrels & Tawn: 2d20 + 2 + 6 ⇒ (6, 14) + 2 + 6 = 28
Demons and Deathguards: 2d20 + 0 ⇒ (19, 19) + 0 = 38

Kieran Crane |

Lasciel, you rock!
Initiative: 24