Andraste and Jory run past the fallen bugbear and into the living quarters.
Andrazi slashes again at the dog(2) menacing him, scoring another hit.
Aelfward tries to maneuver around the two dogs to a position diagonal with Kyra to flank.
vs CMD
The rear dog chomps down on the Aelfward as he tries to move around and stops him.
for and will save
vs CMD
Aelfward is unable to flank the dog but does score another hit on the outwardly hound. The dog staggers with the blow, but continues standing.
-30, -12
It then turns, and using the last of its strength, tries to bite Aelfward again.
for and will save
As it just barely misses the warrior, it falls to the ground bleeding and spewing bile.
Raoul joins the other two by running into the bedrooms.
The second hound snaps at Andrazi with a snarl.
for and will save
but misses.
=== round 4 ====
22-Andraste - sickened, panicked (running)
20+Jory - panicked (running)
16-Andrazi
15-Aelfward
14+Kyra
14-beast 1
10-Raoul - panicked (running)
8-Beast 2
Andrazi almost severs the dogs throat but it flinches at the last second, sparing its miserable life a moment longer. The kukri does draw another cut on the beast.
The panic wears off on the running folks as they figure they are far enough away from the hounds.
Back in the chapel, Aelfward swings mightily but smashes the floor instead of the remaining dog.
However, with his attack, he forces the dog to back into Kyra, and she slashes it with her scimitar, which flares with a bit of flame as it cuts into the evil hound.
The last dog drops to the ground squirming.
*** End Combat ***
The two hounds are slain where they lay. As a reminder of the room...
Stone fonts containing frothy dark water sit to the
north and south of the eastern entrance to the room,
and twin banks of stone pillars run the length of the
long chamber. At the western end, shallow stairs
rise to a platform about two feet off the ground. The
walls surrounding this platform are lit by hanging
braziers that emit glowing red smoke, giving the
place an unnerving crimson lighting that throws the
bas-relief carvings of countless monsters feasting
on fleeing humans into lurid display. A black marble
altar stone, its surface heaped with ashes and bone
fragments, squats before a ten-foot-tall statue. The
sculpture depicts a very pregnant but otherwise
shapely naked woman who wields a kukri in each
taloned hand and has a long reptilian tail, birdlike
taloned feet, and the snarling head of a three-eyed
jackal with a forked tongue. The left kukri flickers
with fiery orange light while the right one glows
with a cold blue radiance.
An examination of the altar reveals smears of ash and
bits of bone. The glowing kukri's seem to be normal with just a continual flame effect of some sort. The only other door is to the south.
You do not see anyone else here and no sign of the strange woman described by the missing mercenary.
|
Jory finally picks up his bow and rejoins the group. His head is bowed and he seems unable to look anyone in the face. The shame of running seems to have affected him greatly. He can only nod and agree with the others.
Jory then takes to exploring in front again. He leads the way to the south door after exploring carefully.
The desire to say hidden from the sight of others inspires him to melt invisibly into the shadows.
While others check the altar, Jory with bow in hand moves to the south door and checks it before opening it.
Looking into the room, he sees:
The southern wall of this room is a bank of cells
with iron doors, six in all. The rest of the room is
obviously a torture chamber; a rack sits against the
far wall, an iron maiden stands to the north, and a
fire pit smolders below a spiky cage dangling from
a chain in the ceiling to the east.
There are no occupants to the room or any of the cells. Doors to the north and east are closed.
Continuing over to open the other doors, Jory finds the east door leads to the stair room (as would be expected).
The north door leads to a hall and into another room with an open door.
A dusty nest of rags, dog hides, and straw sits in
the northeast corner of this room. To the south,
a long workbench cluttered with pliers, hooks,
tongs, saws, and knives runs along the wall.
By now the rest of you notice the dwarf has wandered off to the south.
Andrazi joins Jory in the southern room. Between the two of them, they find Keys to the prison cells scattered among the torture implements on the southern workbench. Otherwise, nothing much else of value here.
The room does not appear to have been visited in over a week or more.
|
Al goes and catches up with Jory and Andrazi.
Kyra heals herself with a wand and Aelfward joins the others in the jail cell room. Jory does not find anything else of interest in the cells.
Jory finds nothing on the door to the north. Opening it he finds a 10x10 room.
The lower four feet of the walls in this empty room
are covered with crude drawings in mud, blood,
and paint. Most of the drawings show goblins
engaged in some sort of violence against humans,
horses, or dogs. One picture on the north wall
is at least three times the size and complexity of
the other scrawlings. This image shows Thistletop
from the side, the goblin stockade perched atop it
like a crown. A cave has been drawn into the center
of the image, and looming inside is what appears
to be an immense, muscular goblin with snakelike
eyes and a dogslicer in each taloned hand. If the
scale compared to the rest of the drawing is to be
believed, this goblin must be at least thirty feet tall.
There is a door to the west.
Opening the door reveals a short hallway ending in another, similar door.
Andrazi opens the next door to ease his frustration.
Within is a larger room with a couple of doors, but much more.
A large table surrounded by chairs fills much of this
room. A slate board to the north is covered with
scribblings in chalk, but the map of Sandpoint that
has been carefully inscribed on it leaves no doubt
as to the purpose of this room—this is doubtless
where the recent raid was planned.
Andrazi starts a detailed search around the room. Are the others joining or staying in the hall or book room?