Grog apparently has the constitution of an Ox, and feels no ill effects from the poisoned bite.
With a quick shift to a flank with Ol' Grog, Ed Earl say,"Ok beastie, time for you to die and go back to whatever hell spawned you, before you bite anymore of my compatriots."
He follows his challenge up by bring his greatsword down upon the creature.
On Going Effect: Escape Route, all allies, 5 rds; Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant;
Ed Earl deals considerable damage to the Z'Kthorplu, but the foul beast remains standing.
Renee
-------------
Red (-9, 1 head blinded 3 rounds)
-------------
Ol Grog & Charis
Zira & Carlaya
--------------
Blue & Green (-31)
"Miserable beasts, enemies of all dreamers! Let Desna be your bane!" Renee, filled with holy wrath, pulls a couple of cold iron arrows from his quiver and sends them flying toward the hound.
Renee unleashes a double shot right into the Z'Kthorplu, taking a good large chunk out of its health. It should consider itself lucky it had some temp HP.
It growls, crimson saliva dripping from its jaws.
---------
Red makes motion to move into flank against Ol Grog.
The hound proves too nimble to properly hit.
The hound recovers some health from biting into Ol Grog's arm.
----------
Ol Grog & Charis
Carlya & Zira
----------
Blue (-27) & Green (-31)
Grog gets bitten again and he roars with indignation, but once again the toxic saliva seems to have no effect on the sturdy dwarf.
He lurches away before swinging his hammer up and down in a great arc towards the northern hound. Like a meteor the hammer impacts *something* before rebounding and being smashed down again with terrible force.
With Green's critical demise, it staggers for a moment, before breaking down into a disgusting goop of half molten flesh and bones.
Grog swings his hammer against Red.
Both attacks are dodged, the latter of which at the very last moment.
Charis
Zira & Carlya
-----------
Blue (-27)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The Maiden skirts into range, cursing herself for missing the hound.
Coordinating with Grog, she gives a quick kick right between the beast's legs.
"Let's finish it off!"
The monstrous hound makes an awkward noise, as a sudden boot to the balls presents itself.
Zira & Carlya
------------
Blue (-27)
Carlaya bursts into laughter as Charis and Grog crush the creature's masculinity. She steps back and with a flash, launches another two arrows at blue.
"Ugh, these things are ugly enough to throw off my aim! Get 'em, Rags!" Carlaya says as three more arrows fly into the trees.
Rags swings around Zira and opens its fangs wide in an attempt to grab the dog's neck in its jaws.
Chip has lost his buddy Dale, after one of Carlaya's arrows misses.
Rags bite lunges at the hound, which ducks aside.
Zira
-----------
Blue (-27)
Zira steps away and casts another grease.
The hound remains where it is.
With 2 more in the way, the Z'Kthorplu decides to go for the archer.
It steps closer to Carlaya.
Its jaws bite her in the leg and arm.
==================
Ed Earl & Renee
----------
Red (-4, 1 head blind 2 more rounds)
----------
Ol Grog & Charis
Zira & Carlaya
--------------
Blue (-17)
"Mademoiselle Zira, ze hounds do not seem to care of your spells! If you have magic that would aid us instead, it would be appreciated."
Renee takes a few steps backwards, and fires a few arrows towards the blue Z'Kthorplu.
With vast amount of adrenaline coursing through his veins, Ed Earl sees an opportunity to bring his name to new levels of fame or bravery, at least in his mind.
Lowering his sword to an angle to bring it up through one of the Z'Kthorplu heads, he charges forward.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
On Going Effect: Escape Route, all allies, 4 rds; Banner: +4 vs fear & +3 to hit w/ charge, all allies, constant;
Renee puts an arrow in the neck between the heads, his second arrow misses its target.
Ed Earl on the other hand, makes a charge, jamming his sword through the one head still capable of sight. As he does, it hits the other head as well, killing the monstrous hound creature.
-------------
Ol Grog & Charis
Zira & Carlaya
--------------
Blue (-39)
The Maiden steps aside to let Grog and Ed charge again. She simply advances on the hound, hoping to finish it off quickly.
A swing and a miss. The visions are fading away...
Seeing The Maiden step aside, Grog sprints towards the remaining hound, bellowing a warcry, "FOR THE ALE!"
His hammer falls short when he trips on an exposed tree root.
Both Charis and Ol Grog swings their weapons at the Z'Kthorplu, butthe beats dodges both attacks, letting out an angry gurgling sound that sends crimson spit at both of them.
Zira & Carlaya
Carlaya steps back, holds her bow horizontally to show off a little and lets arrows fly.
Rags darts its head around the creature's face to distract it, then chomps for its neck.
"Good boy, Rags! Squeeze 'em!"
Carlaya's double Arrow puts the Z'kThorplu in a disabled state, after which Rags wraps things up, squeezing the last bit of fight out of the creature.
Combat over.
"Hmpf." The Maiden puts her longsword away and readies her whip. "This must be why the town guard never returned."
She pulls out a wand. "I can help you close your wounds. I could not have dealt with those things without your help."
Kackred from the exhaustion, Grog takes a long swig from his hip flask, grimaces and pours some of the potent alcohol across his wounds to clean them. He downs the rest of the whisky and mutters, "Where'd em beasties come from eh? I'm all chewed up now."
He looks around to see if he can find out where they came from.
Old Grog finds the tracks easily.
By the pattern, the Z'Kthorplu were seemingly keeping to the northern part of the forest's clearing, but in close proximity thereof.
Anything or anyone coming through, would be an easily spotted prey.
The carcass of an adult boar lies against a tree.
The horse tracks ahead indicate 4 were able to ride off.
Carlaya rubs the bloody wound along her arm and looks at The Maiden. "I could use a touch of healing, miss. I've got my own wand too, so don't you worry, I'll be sure to repay the favor. What do you say?"
She moves over the tracks and kneels to examine them. "If four rode off, perhaps they're still alive."
"A fair trade, Carlaya." Charis begins to use the wand against the half-elf's wounds.
Once that's complete, she turns to the rest of the party, she looks down the path. "I'll be right behind you. Let's go." She takes the opportunity to slip into the undergrowth and follow slowly.
She keeps her eyes out for any ambushers or hidden traps along the way.
Renee brings out a healing wand from his wrist sheat, and uses the magic to close his wounds. "Everyone all right, or in need of healing? This foe was merely a distraction, and the greater evil awaits us in the tower. So we should press on!"
Grog asks, "Ken ye lend me a hand?"
Once the worst of his wounds have been heated the old dwarf sighs, "Ah thankee! Guess I'd better take point eh?"
Carlaya breathes deeply as The Maiden's wand closes up her wounds. "My thanks, miss. As I said, my deal still stands. If we're to make it through this watchtower alive, my wand belongs to all of us equally." She holds out the leaf-covered stick for all to see. "Except you, Rags. Don't be a wimp and get killed, okay?"
Rags doesn't understand a word and simply slithers around her ankle as he does so well.
The rest of the trek is without hindrances, the trail of the horses doesn't stray from the path.
After walking another hour and a half, the density of trees becomes less thick, and you reach the other side.
It is what the woman said, a large plains lies before you, with the river to the west.
A 60 feet wide ruin of the former watchtower lies ahead, with two 22 feet wide expansions.
Ten years ago the trade port city of Kharum was founded by several families.
Lying east of Palin's Cove, the watchtower used to provide a number of scouts and some mediators, who would give warning to Kharum, when animosity between Palin's Cove's industrials and nearby dwelling druids would come to a rise again, and might threaten the trade route between Palin's Cove and Kharum.
According to some bards' rumors, the watchtower was one day destroyed, from within, leaving it in the state is is today. That was about 5 years ago.
None know, to this day, what transpired. But with all occupants dead, it couldn't have been an inside job.
What remains of the gate's heavy doors, hang slightly ajar.
The forest is a nice change of pace from the city. Reminds me from when I was younger... She feels the luck of the gods fade away.
As she approaches the tower, she can't recall any major facts about the tower. She takes a look for any ambushers or traps that may be at the entrance.
Ed Earl follow just behind the Maiden of Jewels, keeping a watchful eye open for any attackers or defenders.
Grog produces a flagon from his backpack and pours himself a quart of what appears to be thick stout the color of black iron. "A little light refreshment, hic" mutters the Dwarf as he inspects the tower. He mutters darkly about, "Shoddy stonework", before his eyes flick around searching for tracks.
The stonework differs from dwarven craft, but on closer examination, it doesn't seem all too shabby, as far as a non military structure goes.
Once past the doors, the two smaller expansions each have a dusty door in them.
There are no apparent traps present, that you are aware of.
Behind some crumbled stone supports, at what would have been the center of the ground floor, lay 4 soldiers.
Apart from sweat beads, they seem otherwise unharmed.
"Hmm?" The Maiden peeks at the four soldiers. "Completely unharmed. You'd expect the soldiers to be worse off. I'll set up a distraction in case this is a trap. None of it is real."
Far out of earshot from the tower, Charis prepares an illusion leading into the entrance, up to the center. Outside of the tower, the illusion erects walls of earth and stone, forming a makeshift hallway.
Grog found the soldier's tracks riding up to the gate, and entering on foot. Some prints indicate they moved towards the center, where they lay currently.
....leaves the question....where are the horses?
"So, are they alive, then?" Renee inquires, but is not yet going to check them up close. The half-orc agrees with Charis - something's not right here.
Renee chants a quick prayer to Desna, and casts See Invisibility.
Renee turns his head around to get a good 360, but nothing invisible is watching the group.
Carlaya surveys the area again, kneeling down to see if she can pick up any tracks that Grog might've missed.