Hinagiku attempts a second time to pull the wikkawak rogue to the ground - this time she is successful, sweeping him off of his feet with an outstretched leg. Once he is on the ground, she rains down a series of jabbing blows, besieging her adversary until two vicious shots land.
One of the wikkawaks manages to climb out of Xanderghul's pit and regain sure footing on its sloping edges. Despite being covered in wounds from the pit's spiked edges, he pulls a crossbow bolt out from his face and then attempts to attack Variska, but she deftly dodges backwards from his weak, unskilled blow, a wry grin appearing on her lips.
Xanderghul is up!
Xanderghul spots another wikkawak halfway up the the shadow pit, climbing against the spikes. In order to prevent the wikkawak from climbing as fast as he otherwise might be able to, Xanderghul launches a sticky, cloying, debilitating ball of shadow at the wikkawak, hoping to envelop him and slow him down. Then, he reloads his crossbow just in case he might have to use it again soon.
Xanderghul's spell wraps the climbing wikkawak in shadows, slowing his ascent up the walls of the spiky pit.
Val spins around. "I'm getting sick of how many of these things there are," she mutters. "But at least they're not all that skilled." She slashes at the wikkawak that managed to escape Xanderghul's trap, planning to finish it off before it can do much. With a sudden step she ends one wikkawak's life with admirable style. She spins around to address the other one - she lets fly her fickle missive, trusting it to deliver her message of torment and woe...
Ehren looks at his finger with a scowl, annoyed by his needless expenditure of energy. It did not help that the spell he lost was one of his most powerful. A shame, really - after the mishap with Brae-Hagen, he had hoped to put it to use against these wikkawaks.
"Téigh síos an poll, ná lig aon cheann acu éalú!" he commands the monkeys, gesturing at Xanderghul's deadly trap. He feels bad, knowing that he is asking many of them to climb to their deaths. However, the situation called for them to use any advantage they could get.
"Go down the pit, do not let any of them escape!"
Without any regard for their own safety, they pour into the spike pit, their weak minds unable to grasp the fact that it is a mere construct of shadow. Latching onto the wall spikes to their own detriment, they relentlessly harass the wikkawaks attempting to escape. The wikkawak at the bottom of the pit is covered in monkeys and falls unconscious from the collective force of their bites and scratches.
Left without a fairly expendable option to use in combat, and unable to move without risking a nasty spill into the spiked pit, Ehren conjures a ball of snow and throws it at the nearest wikkawak. He knew of their resilience to cold, but even their thick fur could not fully resist the spell's chill. His shot brings this fight to an end with a vicious wallop to his enemy's center.
Isilme is up!
"Let us get moving, the remaining one in the pit will have to deal with the monkeys and pit before he can do anything, and even if he survives, he will likely be too wounded to pose a threat. The sooner we get to the crone, the better"
Just in case, before she gets moving, Isilme calls forth her ability to detect magic and scans the wikkawaks that they had dispatched just in case they might have any sort of magical items on them, then gets moving. "Ayavah, it is clear out here, just mind the pit when you come outside. The ground is sloped near it."
The last wikkawak in the pit attempts to climb out, but his grip slips and he falls back down. He is impaled all over with spikes, but is still twitching... the monkey swarm makes short work of him.
Variska nods, wiping her bloody sword on a wikkawak's front. "Alright. Let's get moving, then." She winces, gripping her bleeding stomach wound for a moment. "Ugh. Anyone have a healing potion?"
"O-Okay! calls Ayavah, She carefully moves out between Ehren and Xanderghul, then, pressing her back against the stone wall of the menhir building, edges herself away from the pit and to Isilme's side. "Wow. You guys cleared them out pretty fast." She peers down into the pit full of impaled wikkawaks and monkeys out of curiosity. "...Ew."
Combat ends!
Round 72
1. Hinagiku (EE, Blur [96], Disoriented (-2 att), 2 bleed)
2. Xanderghul (EE, longstrider, -1 STR, -3 CHA)
3. Valaria (Blur [90])
4. Ehren (greater longstrider, EE, -3 STR, -1 CON, -2 CHA) + Mad Monkeys [76]
5. Isilme (EE, -1 STR, -3 CHA, -4 CON, Blur [95], Exp. retreat [102], Arcane Pool [79]) <---- You're up!
6. Variska (Wounded, fatigued, 2 Bleed), Wikkawak #5 (Blue, Wounded, 15' up, Entangled/Concealment)
7. Ary (EE, longstrider, fatigued, blur [92], Grazed)
8. Ayavah (1 NL, -3 STR, -2 CON, -3 CHA)
Xanderghul nods, heading out after Isilme. "So, if I'm understanding our objectives correctly, we should head around to the south, through the open area, until we reach an entrance to the inner castle area that we're trying to reach."
Ary nods, "I do... but only if time is of the essence. If we can take a moment to mend your wounds, it will go more easily; the potion I have should be saved for dire emergencies. Not that bleeding out isn't one." She says as she moves over to her allies side and focuses for a moment, recentering herself.
Xanderghul pulls the stopper from one of his potions of cure light wounds and hands it to Variska. "Let me know if you need another." he says.
Variska smiles at Xanderghul. She washes the potion down in one quick gulp, and the wound in her stomach heals over and stops bleeding. "Thanks. I needed that."
Hinagiku pulls out her own wand and presses it lightly against the wound in her side, healing her own bleeding.
Round 73
Xanderghul shrugs. "No sense letting somebody die of a bleeding wound at the cost of fifty gold," he says. "Plus, you're a pretty good fighter. Better than I would have thought, actually. Although I guess you have to be pretty decent to get hired for a trek all the way up here."
He begins to walk, briskly headed towards their next objective, mentally reviewing the spells he has remaining, situations that he might use them in to their greatest effect and the likely challenges ahead. "Where did you train, anyway?"
Ehren exits the menhir building, cautiously peering into the pit as he does so. Seeing that the wikkawaks have met their timely end, he gestures at his monkey swarm, allowing them to return to from whence they came. Somewhere warmer, he presumed.
While no longer mesmerized by the menhir's pull, driven by purpose, Ehren focuses on the matter at hand.
"Seeing as we already took out the guards, we should probably take the main gate that we passed by. I expect to see more wikkawaks no matter where we go at this point."
Variska shrugs, waiting for the others to decide which direction they wished to go. "After my parents died, I moved to New Stetven out east in Brevoy. I worked a number of odd jobs - was a barmaid for a year or two, then assisted a merchant - but I wasn't really good at either of those things. I met this guy - he ah, dabbled in some less lawful lines of work - and he helped train me. Worked with his crew for awhile, made some good friends. We had a falling out though, so I struck out on my own. Been offering my sword to whoever's willing to pay the gold."
She wrinkles her nose. "What about you? Did you go to some kind of Crusader-Wizard school, or something? Never was smart enough for that kind of stuff. Couldn't even handle the bardic magic my folks could do, er, no offense," she adds, eyeing Isilme warily.
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Xanderghul chuckles. "A story as classic as any other. No, I did not train with the Crusaders." He turns to her, walking backwards as they proceed, a wild look in his eye and his hands gesticulating. "I am from the Abyss, and I learned my magic there. Woke up with a book of it in my hand, and had to learn on the fly or die trying."
He smiles, turning and shrugging. He regards Variska with a much gentler look. "I thought I was awfully special until I met this crowd. You should hear some of their backstories. It gets downright ridiculous sometimes. You should ask Isilme to regale you with hers when we get out of here. Truly, an entertaining tale."
Variska blinks a few times. "Er, wait, what? So you're a demon? I thought only demons live in the Abyss." She pauses for a moment and then bursts out laughing. "Ah! I get it. Hahaha, you're pulling my leg. Good one."
She glances between the faces around her - an aasimar elf, a kitsune, two tieflings, a half-drow and a kellid. "...Yeah. I bet there's some good stories to tell with this group."
Xanderghul raises his arms, a smile on his face. "Do you think I am a demon?"
"Dunno." Variska shrugs. "I've heard demons can make themselves look like anything. Crusaders have some wild tales to tell. Doesn't matter to me. You guys are a considerable upgrade from the white-furry people who brought me here."
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"I'd prefer to take the skywalks. It helps keep us out of sight and moving quickly, and reduces the likelihood we wind up surrounded by Polar Bears. We'll need to keep an eye on the skywalks in case they've been tampered with, since the Wikkawaks know we prefer them." Ary says, nodding towards the way they'd come.
"I used to be a tall blonde farm girl. Then I took a Hezrou to the... everything. But I got better. We should hurry."
Ehren grimaces at the idea of crossing the skywalks, but nods his head. "There was a short skywalk leading to the structure in front of the lower castle. Descending there would put us right where we need to be. Unless you want to look for some other point of entry, that is."
Val laughs. "Xan's not a demon, he's just an assh*le." She nods at Ary's suggestion. "It will probably be easier to infiltrate from above as long as we're quiet. If we're lucky, we can get straight to their leaders without running into too many more guards."
Isilme laughs at Val's comment, adding "It is true, he is that. That not being a demon of course. We would hardly tolerate the presence of a demon within the group, Also, we do have quite a few stories to share, perhaps when we return to our encampment we can share some, assuming you decide to remain with our forces."
Turning to Ary, Val and Ehren, she says "Very well, the catwalks it is. Once we arrive at the tower Ehren mentioned we can slow down and approach the entrance to the building quietly. Until then, I suggest we move quickly and worry less about stealth. The sooner we get there, the less likely the crone will have been warned."
Round 87!
Traveling as a group, the heroes head back up to the siege walls and cross the skywalks out of the upper castle. They come to a small watchtower and carefully go down a set of poorly maintained stairs back to ground level. Behind them is the lower castle - a small fortress that rests on a small ledge that projects from the mountain's face. The fortress consists of a small, single-story dome surrounded by a massive bunker. The crumbled remains of a large, round tower sit closer to the edge, though the top of the tower has been refitted with bone frames stretched with skins to serve as a crude roof.
No wikkawaks are to be seen.
"Val, come check the door with me. Everyone else, wait an all clear before approaching the door. After whispering, Isilme rounds the tower and begins approaching the doors ahead of her once Val is alongside her. As she moves, she keeps a close eye on the surrounding area and the doors, trying to make certain there are not being watched.
"Once it is clear, Ary, Ehren, can you check and see if there have been any recent entries to the building?" she adds in a whisper as she moves towards the door.
"On it." Val steps forward and takes a careful look at the entrance to make sure that they're not going to run into some awful trap just by trying to go in.
Xanderghul chuckles at their comments about him, adding, "Yes, of course I'm not a demon. Far more than just demons come from the Abyss. The Abyss is an infinite, living place. And it is older than nearly all of existence, or so I'm told. Even I'm not that old."
"But enough of that. What Isilme says is appropriate - stories are for camp."
When they get to the front door, he makes sure to ask whether or not it's locked, and he keeps an eye out for lookouts or other guards that might come up and interrupt their incursion.
Round 89!
The group advances to the lower castle's front entrance and check the door. Xanderghul, Valaria, and Isilme each scrutinize it, with Isilme being the most careful of them. None of the three find anything unusual about it. With that confirmed, Valaria tests the door, and finds it to be unlocked. It opens to a large, circular chamber, reinforced with stone pillars. This room is in disarray, and shafts of sunlight rain in through the ceiling. Chunks of rubble are strewn about the floor. The wikkawaks have scrawled profane graffiti on the walls and carved vulgar images throughout the room. No one in the group can understand the words, but the paintings tend to show primitive and disturbing images of a hideous, rotting, anthropomorphic bison and people attacking and devouring one another.
The room is completely empty of life. To the sides of the room are two closed doors.
There are no tracks or signs of entry, other than the pushed snow around the door indicates that it has been opened and closed enough to keep the snow near the doorway clear.
Actually, there are three doors - one is carefully hidden as part of a large, defaced triptych of Iomedae, Torag, and Sarenrae - wear marks around the edges indicate that it is a secret doorway, and a well-used one at that.
"Xanderghul, Val, come have a look at this secret door," she says, pointing out the entrance hidden in the triptych of Iomedae, Torag, and Sarenrae. "It seems well used, perhaps this is the way we should go? Ehren, Ary, does it seem wikkawaks are coming and going through here?"
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Xanderghul develops a look on his face that continually morphs between smile and grimace as he walks around the room, examining everything and seeing the rather disturbing art pieces.
"I always vote to enter the secret door first. It always has the most interesting things inside, regardless of whether or not it is truly the right way to go," he says, going up to examine the mural of the three goddesses. "Man. Religion is so important to you mortals. It's goddamn everywhere. Even freaky yeti-men have gods, and they have heathens as well."
He examines the room with detect magic, especially the secret door, just in case.
Round 92!
"Religion helps us make sense of life," Ayavah says softly. "It gives you a reason to live when you don't have one."
There is a thick layer of dust on the ground here, but no evidence of the wikkawaks' passage - not even white fur.
Isilme looks over the secret door, feeling along its edges, and finds no indications that there are any mechanical traps attached to it. Before Xanderghul can check the door with Detect Magic, Hinagiku, who stood at the door to keep watch, whispers through message urgently.
"There are more coming for us. Three, riding the white bears,"
Initiative!
Initiative Order!
1. Wikkawak Rider #2 (Red) + Polar Bear #2 (Red)
2. Valaria
3. Isilme (EE, -1 STR, -3 CHA, -4 CON, Blur [95], Exp. retreat [102])
4. Ehren (greater longstrider, EE, -3 STR, -1 CON, -2 CHA)
5. Xanderghul (EE, longstrider, -1 STR, -3 CHA)
6. Wikkawak Rider #1 (White) + Polar Bear #1 (White), Wikkawak Rider #3 (Green) + Polar Bear #3 (Green), Variska (Grazed, fatigued), Ayavah (1 NL, -3 STR, -2 CON, -3 CHA)
7. Hinagiku (EE, Blur [96])
8. Ary (EE, longstrider, fatigued, Grazed)
"Daagaan daan agaan!" exclaims the forward rider, spotting Hinagiku through the open doors. "Huukhaan sheklac Ugmitok! Kec daal kel dhuul kel!"
"Ugmitok....that was the name of the druid woman," whispers Hinagiku.
The wikkawaks push their roaring polar bears through the deep snow and towards the heroes, screaming battlecries as they go.
Valaria is up!
Val sighs. "Of course there are more of them..." She steps forward to be ready to meet the riders when they inevitably get inside to try to kill them. "Well, can you get that door open? Or do we need to clear out our new friends again."
"No tracks in the snow... but they wouldn't leave any." Ary says via message, shaking her head. "None in the dust that I can see, either."
Ehren frowns, having expected to run into the polar bears sooner or later. It was a shame, really. If he had more of a way with animals like other druids of his clan did, they could potentially avoid having to dispatch them.
"We can't have them chasing after us. We're going to have to do this the hard way."
Isilme is up!
Isilme wastes no time opening the door, thinking it better that they have a place to head into, even if they cannot close it before the wikkawaks enter. It was unlikely, after all, that their bear mounts could head down the passage, and even if they did, they would be seriously constrained by it. "It would be better if we could keep them out of here somehow. I believe we would benefit from being able to search the entireity of this place without their interference. But failing that, we will be better off forcing them to dismount and chase us down the secret passage."
Isilme slides the door open, revealing a narrow stone stairway that goes down into the darkness.
Ehren is up!
Ehren looks out through the doorway, scrutinizing the incoming wikkawak and considering Isilme's words. After a brief moment he nods in agreement. "All right."
With time being of the essence, the druid rushes back to the door, murmuring under his breath and placing a hand against its solid stone surface. Right away the door begins to bend and flex with unnatural fluidity, before abruptly slamming shut. The stone door then continues to flow outward, fusing its edges to the castle wall and causing its open seams to vanish. By the time Ehren's spell has finished taking effect, it is almost as though there was never a door there at all - just an oddly textured wall.
"That should hold them off. If we want to be extra careful, we can seal the next one as well."
Round 93!
Now that a solid barrier is between the heroes and their objective, the wikkawaks cannot get to them. ...For now.
The stairs lead downwards to a wooden door, barred with an iron lock.
The lock doesn't appear rigged in any way.
Combat Ends!
"Okay, we hurry, yes?" says Xanderghul. He gets down in front of the lock and peers at it. "Seems like a pretty simple lock. Somebody get over here and stick their tools in." Xanderghul offers advice and pointers on unlocking it properly as somebody works at popping the lock.
"Excellent work Ehren, that should buy us time." she says before walking down the stairs. At the end she examines the lock along with Xanderghul. "I suppose this is as good a time as any,"[smaller] she says, thinking aloud. Walking over to Valaria, she begins scribing the now all-to-familiar rune for bravery as she casts heroism upon her.
Thinking for a moment further, she continues, whispering softly as Val comes to work on the lock. [smaller]"Worry less about the details. Let our Lady Starsong guide the picks like she guides our feet along the path. This too is merely another few steps on the trail we have laid out before us."
"I'll get right on that. Give me a second..." She pulls out her tools and gets to work opening the door up. With a combination of help from Isilme and Xanderghul, she's able to pop the lock in a single try, letting the iron lock click open. "And... got it. Let's go."
While Valaria works on the lock, Ehren takes a moment to activate one of his pearls of power, recovering one of the spells he used in their previous battle.
Thud! Thud! Thud! As Valaria works on the lock, the heroes can hear the wikkawaks outside attempt to break in. With Isilme and Xanderghul's help, however, she makes quick work of the lock.
Initiative!
Initiative Order
1. Hinagiku (EE, Blur [96])
2. Ayavah (1 NL, -3 STR, -2 CON, -3 CHA)
3. Ehren (greater longstrider, EE, -3 STR, -1 CON, -2 CHA)
4. Ary (EE, longstrider, fatigued, Grazed)
5. Wikkawak #2, Wikkawak #3
6. Valaria (Mythic Heroism)
7. Variska (Grazed, Fatigued)
8. Xanderghul (EE, longstrider, -1 STR, -3 CHA)
9. Wikkawak Priestess
10. Isilme (EE, -1 STR, -3 CHA, -4 CON, Exp. retreat [102])
11. Wikkawak #1
Valaria opens the door, only to find two wikkawaks standing by it, ready and waiting for her. Though she hears them scuffling into position as she opens the door -
she is too slow to react in time. Scything through the air, their axes intersect her path and cut deeply into her flesh.
Further into the stone-walled chamber is another wikkawak, each standing in front of a female wikkawak wearing intricate fur robes adorned with various animal bones. Her eyes narrow at the heroes' incursion. "Dar an daan ghaakec or den akorec?!" she screeches. "Muul magaan daan krogmot dhal'daal? Haar daal! Haa- goka Ooboshu fm'latgh goka!" As she continues to screech, her voice suddenly changes, her words becoming strangely garbled.
Round 95!
Hinagiku is up!
Hinagiku eyes opend slightly wider as she watches Valaria doge around to try and avoid being cut down by axes. However, at the very other end of the group, she stays where she is, knowing that she cannot run through all her companions to get to the fight. Instead, she grips the holy symbol hanging from her neck and invokes Irori’s help. Blue-white wisps form around, closing the wounds of all who are surrounding her.
Ehren is up!
Isilme listens to the priestess switch from goblin to another language. As she continues on in the gutteral, halting speech, Isilme remembers snippets of the language Aklo. It also occurs to her that it is among the languages known and favored by Wendigo. "She may be calling the Wendigo, We need to keep her from completing whatever she might be doing."