"Let's get up there for a closer look." Theodora urges from the bottom floor.
I'd wonder if she was a good witch or a bad witch, but in this place there's probably only one kind.
Damion will push up into the room and try and see if there are any traps
Petracleus has his blade ready as Damion moves through the trapdoor into the room above...
Daimon climbs up the trap door, and finds himself in some kind of laboratory. This is a large oppressive room with a low ceiling of heavy beams. This room is lit only by the dim afternoon sunlight filtered through two leaded glass windows in the south wall. Steel lattice work covers both windows. The room is filled with a haphazard collection of tables, shelves, and cabinets that stand throughout the room, their legs seeming to barely support the glass jars, bottles, and other accoutrements that fill them.
Theodora follows Daimon up and starts to look around the cluttered room, "I bet whoever was in here is hiding."
Clambering up after Theodora, Petracleus looks around a little - his inquisitive mind drawn somewhat to the contents of the jars and bottles that litter the room...
Verran will trickle in behind the group, having been lost in thought for awhile. He keeps his grim countance as he looks around the room despite fully suspecting what goes on here.
After a few moments, everyone climbs up the trap door into the room above. Now that you're all in the room, you see that there are two doors on the northern wall. Both are of heavy wood and are ironbound.
Nobone notices any sign of the creature Daimon described in this room, but Theodora is pretty sure that she just heard the sound of a wooden chair pushed along a stone floor from behind the door just to her right.
"Psst, there's some sound behind that door." Theodora says quietly to the others, pointing at the door to her right.
She waits only a second before moving to that door and attempting to open it, apparently not wanting to wait for a trap check.
Wincing at her lack of caution, Petracleus moves with Theodora - prepared for whatever may be on the far side of the door.
Countessa keeps a watchful eye on the door, calling to mind a spell.
Gently humming to himself, an old marching tune that has sprung from the depths of his memory for some reason, Petracleus taps out a heartbeat rhythm on the pommel of his sword...
"Well... that's one way to check for traps."
Green-glowing wisps of steam bubble up from a fat, black cauldron in the center of this dark, oppressive room. Surrounding the cauldron are three tall, wooden stools. The room otherwise appears empty.
Surprise Round
As Theodora opens the door, she finds it empty of enemies, but she hears an odd, distant sound of female voices chanting.
As the chanting concludes, three young women appear standing around the cauldron, holding hands.
Round 1
Caught unaware by the sudden chanting, Theodora attempts to resist the effects but fails.
As the incantation stops, Theodora feels a strange and very unpleasant sensation throughout her body. She feels her body twist and her flesh churn as she shrinks down to the floor... turning into a toad!
"Witches! They've turned her into a newt!"
Charge the nearest (being careful not to step on Theodora!)...
(power attack,charge) vs flat footed
(power attack)
(x2 if crit confirmed)
Impulsive, and appalled at the sight of his new companion being transformed so casually, Petracleus charges with Damion...
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Countessa casts haste on herself and her allies!
...hit
...hit
...hit
Monster Stats
Khyristrix: AC 25; hp 121/113
Trina: AC 16; hp 26/38
Afina: AC 16; hp 15/38
Jikzahl: AC 20; hp 56/56
Round 1
After seeing his friend literally turned into a toad, Daimon rushes into the room, attacking the nearest witch. The ferocity of the attack surprises her; she raises her arms in defense, and the half-orc's blade cuts deeply into the flesh of her arms. She cries out in pain as arterial blood spurts forcefully from her arms. She still stands, but seems a bit woozy.
Petracleus follows on Daimon's heels, stabbing another witch through the shoulder. She seems a bit better off than her companion.
The witch that Daimon slashed staggers backward and casts a spell. Her bleeding stops and the wounds knit back together.
The witch Petracleus stabbed back herself into a corner and casts a spell. With a crackle and a clap of thunder, a bolt of lightning shoots from her outstretched hand, striking both Petracleus and Daimon.
The third witch in the room chuckles to herself and says, "You should surrender yourselves to us now. It will be far easier on you."
She then casts a spell, while locking her gaze with Petracleus.
As the fight proceeds in the other room, a very large black cat suddenly appears from thin air beside Verran. As soon as it appears, the cat flattens its ears, hisses, then leaps at the cleric, biting and raking with its claws.
Countessa then moves to a point where she can see all of her friends, and then casts a spell.
(evasion!)
Damion will take a 5 foot step after his witch, "Stand still!"
(haste, power attack)
(haste, power attack)
Suspecting the cat might be a significant threat to her life, the toad formerly known as Theodora hops under a nearby table to hide.
Countessa, without missing a beat, intones another spell and a ray of fire leaps from her extended hand towards the cat.
Silhouetted for the briefest of instants within a corona of tungsten white, Petracleus staggers backwards... his hair singed slightly and the smell of burning cloth coming from his tunic. His heart vengeful and petty, he starts to sing a witch-hunters song that he heard in his youth... he knows, deep down, that the song was often used to whip a crowd into a fury when putting an innocent on trial - but now, with his vision blurred, his teeth on edge and his friend transformed into a frog, he cares not.
...hit
...miss
Round 1, Continued
The first witch's magical lightning arcs through Petracleus, yet Daimon manages to duck out of its way completely.
Frazzled from the lightning, Petracleus turns toward the other witch, finding the mellifluous sound of her voice unnaturally alluring...
...but he quickly snaps out of her attempt to ensorcell him.
Countessa's haste spell goes off.
Celowyn hears the sound of lightning and rushes into the room, nocking an arrow as she moves. She shoots at the witch that hadn't yet been wounded. The arrow strikes her, but seems to bounce off harmlessly.
Ireena moves to attack the cat that magically appeared and attacked Verran. She slashes at the beast and connects with her blade. The cat hisses as foul-smelling black ichor oozes from the wound.
The toad that had been Theodora hops into the shadows under a bookcase and holds very still.
Verran smashes his mace down at the cat, but it nimbly leaps out of the way, and the ball smashes into the floor, sending chips of stone flying.
The burning sensation where the cat scratched him abates.
Round 2
...hit
...hit
Monster Stats
Khyristrix: AC 25; hp 121/113
Trina: AC 16; hp 26/38
Afina: AC 16; hp (-16)/38
Jikzahl: AC 20; hp 48/56
Daimon follows the retreating, wounded witch, and stabs her through the abdomen, pinning her against the wall. She weakly raises her hands and opens her mouth as if to cast a spell, but blood pours out and she then slumps over, dead.
Petracleus then raises his free hand and begins singing a rousing song of bravery and valor.
The witch that had summoned magical lightning begins casting a spell.
The other witch turns her gaze on Daimon and casts a spell. She says, "Lay down your sword and surrender to me."
In the other room, the cat contiues its attack on Verran, mauling him slightly. The wounds burn oddly.
Countessa summons a beam of magical fire that she directs at the cat, but it manages to leap out of the way.
Countessa voices another spell. A magical arrow leaps from her hand towards the cat. The head of the arrow drips a deadly acid!
(ranged touch)
Drawing his shortsword and wielding a weapon in either hand, Petracleus steps in to attack the witch who caught him with the lightning, "You will pay for that crone..."
...and all the while, his song lilts through the room.
"Well... hello there cutie. Do you come here often?" Damion lets go of his sword, leaving it pinning the witch to the wall, and sidles up to the alurring creature before him.
Toad-o-dora remains hidden under the desk, vainly hoping she could more to assist in her current circumstances, all the while fighting down the urge to emit a ribbit.
Verran scowls at the pesky feline creature in front of him. There wally only seemed like one appropriate action. With a snort, he swings his mace at the clearly evil cat.
"Bad kitty!"
...miss
...miss
...miss
Round 2, continued
Celowyn, using her magical speed, fires a volley of arrows at the witch that just ensorcelled Daimon. One of the arrows grazes her.
In the other room, Ireena continues to fight the cat. The creature moves with unnatural speed, as it becomes more and more apparent that it's not really a cat.
Theodora hides under a shelf, suppressing the urge to croak.
Verran also tries unsuccessfully to smash the cat-that's-not-a-cat.
Round 3
...miss
...miss
...miss
...fail
...success
Monster Stats
Khyristrix: AC 25; hp 119/113
Trina: AC 16; hp 21/38
Jikzahl: AC 20; hp 48/56 (DR 5)
Dretch: AC 14; hp 18/18 (DR 5)
Daimon, leaving his sword embedded in the corpse of the dead witch (and the masonry), smiles at the witch as he complies with her command. He raises his arms in seemingly-mock surrender, as if this were some kind of erotic game.
Petracleus stabs the witch casting a spell in front of him, but doesn't seem to have broken her concentration, and she keeps casting.
Countessa fires a magical dart at the cat-thing, but it dodges.
The witch fighting Petracleus completes her spell. A red pentagram of magical light appears in the air, out of which steps a squat, bloated, ugly creature with too-long arms that end in wicked claws. It immediately attacks Celowyn, slashing at her chest, but its teeth and claws fail to penetrate her armor, merely tearing at her tabard.
At that, the witch makes an evil expression and hand gesture at Petracleus.
The other witch casts a spell at Celowyn. She recoils at the witch, looking around frantically, dropping her bow. She puts her hands on the side of her head and screams in terror, but then seems to snap out of it, visibly weakened.
Looking disappointed that Celowyn still stands, the red-haired witch looks at Daimion and says, "Stay right there, and we'll have some fun later."
Finally, the cat-thing's mouth contorts into an evil-looking grin, and it suddenly blinks out of existence!
Barely noticing the effect of the crone's spell, Petracleus dances and cuts at this wizened foe...
...and still his song - telling of the infamous witch trials of his homeland - echoes through the room.
"So...you want to get out of here? Grab a drink or something?"
Countessa, grumbling, moves to where she can see the thing threatening Celowyn, loads her crossbow and levels it. Unfortunately, the shot strikes the door frame instead of its intended target.
Noticing the cat disappear, Toadora puts herself in a defensive posture in her hidden position under the furniture.
...possible hit
...miss
...possible hit
...success!
...hit
...hit
...success
...hit
...vampiric touch
Monster Stats
Khyristrix: AC 25; hp 127/113
Trina: AC 16; hp 21/38
Jikzahl: AC 20; hp 48/56 (DR 5)
Dretch: AC 14; hp 14/18 (DR 5)
Round 3, continued
Suddenly finding herself fighting a summoned... thing... hand-to-hand, Celowyn drops her bow and draws her black-bladed longsword, slashing at the beast as she draws. She cuts the thing in the abdomen. Black ichor bubbles and fizzes from the wound, fouling the air with its stench.
Ireena scans the room, looking for where the now-invisible cat may have gone. Seeing a shimmer in the air, she moves toward it, slashing at it with her sword.
Theodora delays.
While he can't see the thing Ireena is trying to fight, he moves to where he can try to affect it. He sweeps his open hand through the area, connecting with it. That touch grants him a burst of insight. "That thing is no cat—it's a quasit! I bet it's the familiar of one of the witches!"
Round 4
Daimon tries to make small talk with the witch, and he thinks he might be making progress!
Still singing, Petracleus attacks the witch with two swords. The blade of his rapier catches on a human skull on a shelf, and his shortsword is deflected by some sort of invisible barrier.
Countessa fires her crossbow at the monster fighting Celowyn, but manages only to hit the doorframe.
The monster continues its attack on Celowyn, clawing at her sword-arm. It draws blood and Celowyn grimaces in pain.
Ducking Petracleus' attacks, the raven-haired witch casts a spell, then takes a small stoppered bottle from her pocket and holds it out to Petracleus, as if to hand it to him. "For you!"
The red-haired witch then gazes at Daimon with bedroom eyes as she casts a spell. Her hand glows with pulsing energy. "How about a kiss?" She then steps toward him, and embraces him, kissing him deeply. Daimon finds her flesh to be cold and clammy, as some of his life-energy drains into her. As she kisses him, her features shift, revealing her to be a hideous, green-skinned hag with scraggly white hair. She cackles evilly.
Taking the bottle, Petracleus smiles blankly and drinks the lot...
Mmmmm, yummmmm!!!!
Countessa frantically reloads her crossbow and fires again. This time her attack goes wild and she ends up shooting the ceiling.