Leastrie swings at the creature in front of him, but misses.
Soth-Loren slides into a practised stance, and his sword flies true, tearing a gaping gash in the creature's side. Again, no normal creature could have survived such a wound, and yet the creature keeps trying to attack.
The knight reels backwards, badly wounded and bleeding from several places.
The other creature (Creature #2) moves in on Andrazi with both claws open wide. The nimble warrior evades the attacks easily.
Claw #1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14 - miss Claw #2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 - miss
Taking advantage of the creature's preoccupation with Soth-Loren, Ranvar manages to get past Creature #3's claws, and slips his dagger into a vital spot. (Add Sneak attack: 1d6 ⇒ 2)
Andrazi tries to shiv the creature in front of him, but can't find an opening.
Esmerelda comforts Aliera, speaking soothing words that give the velociraptor confidence. Renewed, the reptile moves around behind the battle, and leaps upon the creature from behind.
Bite: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21 - hit - damage 1d4 ⇒ 2
Keeping an eye on her companion, Esmerelda will check for other survivors, making a loop around the outside wall, checking in hiding holes, under desks, altars, behind large objects, etc.
20/20, AC:20, T: 11, FF: 19, CMD: 16, Fort +7, Refl +3, Will +5, Init: +1, Perc: +0,LG Human Male Paladin 2, Longsword +6 1d8+7 (19/x2)
Round 5, Init 17
His body begining to faulter, but not just yet, Soth-Loren will strike one last time at creature number 3 (or 2 again), the 5ft step down and left 1 square aftrwards.
Or if the monsters are downed before my attack, I will instead hold off a moment to see if there are any survivors, and Channel Energy to Heal Living. 1d6 ⇒ 3, using Selective Channeling to exclude monsters 2 and 3, just in case.
Leastrie slashes Creature #3, and the creature's eel-like body is severed from its lobster-like torso. It spasms wildly, its claws snapping at anything within reach... then it gives a final shiver and lays still.
(Random targets, clockwise from Ranvar...)
Claw #1: 1d3 ⇒ 2 - target Soth-Loren - 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9 - miss
Claw #2: 1d3 ⇒ 2 - target Soth-Loren - 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (18) + 2 = 20 - hits - damage 1d4 ⇒ 3
Soth-Loren sinks to his knees, bleeding from his many wounds. He looks up at Leastrie before falling over face-first onto the dead creature.
Soth-Loren:
Fort saves - 1 from last round which I didn't roll then, and 1 from this round
[ooc]Fort save #1: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 - fail - 1d2 ⇒ 2 Strength damage last round
Fort save #2: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22 - fail - 1d2 ⇒ 1 Strength damage this round
As you fall, you can feel the poison coursing through your veins.
I should still be up? At 0, but up. Plus don't I go before them? I'm confussed.
Yes, still up, for some reason I gave you 4 points instead of 3 in Herolabs. But you didn't go before it, the creature exploded in a flurry of violence with its dying breath when Leastrie killed it. To avoid too much retcon, let's say you can go now, and then again in your regular initiative order. Everyone else, you can restate your actions as well based on the new situation.
Leastrie steps back, ensuring Soth-Loren remains on his feet, and watches the situation intently. (OOC: delay]
Soth-Loren steps back, focuses inward for a moment, and then channels the healing energy of his god. A barely perceptible wave of blue-white light radiates outwards from his holy symbol, healing his allies.
Random target selection, clockwise from Ranvar: 1d3 ⇒ 2 - Andrazi
The last remaining creature throws itself at Andrazi with abandon, trying to overwhelm him with sheer ferocity.
Claw #1: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21 - hit! Damage 1d4 ⇒ 4 Claw #2: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8 - miss!
Andrazi:
Again, you feel a burning sensation from the wound as poisonous slime flows into your body.
Ranvar, seeing Leastrie has gone to aid Soth-Loren, remains in the fight, and stabs at the creature.
1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21 - hit! Damage 1d4 + 0 ⇒ (2) + 0 = 2
Andrazi steadies himself, trying to resist the poison flowing through his veins. [OOC: Fort save: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21 - success! No longer poisoned.] He manages to shake it off, and with his remaining strength drives his blade deep into the creature's torso, just behind the head. The head comes nearly off, and the monster begins to twist and turn, its claws flailing wildly towards its killer.
Spoiler:
Random target selection, clockwise from Ranvar: 1d3 ⇒ 3 - Andrazi
The room falls silent, save for the faint sound of sobbing from somewhere upstairs.
Esmerelda:
You can see that at the bottom of the stairway ahead, a man is holding up a small table as a makeshift shield, and behind him, farther up the stairs, two young girls huddle together, crying. They seem unhurt but badly traumatized by their ordeal.
20/20, AC:20, T: 11, FF: 19, CMD: 16, Fort +7, Refl +3, Will +5, Init: +1, Perc: +0,LG Human Male Paladin 2, Longsword +6 1d8+7 (19/x2)
"We meaneth thee no harm. The monsters gone from this place, and it is safe. I am Gar. Blast it. I am Soth-Loren, follower of the heavenly ways, and we are here to help.", he calls out to the sobbing.
Holding off calling on the healing rain until he can see if anyone else in injured.
Esmerelda bypasses the man, if possible, and heads directly to the crying girls, "Shh, it's ok, we got them all. Can you tell me what happened here? Are there more?"
The man holding the table looks up at you as you approach, then drops the table and buries his face in his hands. Farther up the stairs, two young girls, age about 6 and 9, are sobbing. They run to their father and hug him, and the man looks up at you again.
"Thank you, thank you for saving us! Those bleedin' Besmarans were going to feed us to the reefclaws, they were. But someone must've had other ideas... the reefclaws went straight at them instead. GUess the Pirate Queen wasn't satisfied with their sacrifice."
The man stands and offers you his hand. "I'm Josef, and these are my girls, Niana," he gestures to the older girl, "and Frelinda." Niana smoothes her long, tangled hair, and you can see the slightly-pointed ears which hint at a touch of elven ancestry.
Josef's gaze shifts to behind you, where the reefclaws and Besmaran cultists lie dead, and he shudders. "We owe you our lives... not that it's of much value. I have nothing I can reward you with but my thanks."
Ranvar:
The cultists are dressed as pirates, with "Napoleon"-style bicorne hats, ragged leather armor, and various bandannas, sashes, and trinkets. They carried rapiers, although one of them didn't even get his sword out of his sheath, while the other one seems to have gone down fighting. Each of them has a scroll case tucked into their sash, and is wearing a variety of earrings, bracelets, and pendants.
20/20, AC:20, T: 11, FF: 19, CMD: 16, Fort +7, Refl +3, Will +5, Init: +1, Perc: +0,LG Human Male Paladin 2, Longsword +6 1d8+7 (19/x2)
Kneeling down besides Niana, "How are you little one. I am Sothy.", holding out a hand and smiling. "Thou art safe now, little one, and what is thy name, young princess?"
"Worry not with that, sir, the knowledge that little princess Niana's safety is asured is all the "reward" we requireth."
"Nice words, friends... not ones you often hear in Riddleport. Again, our thanks." Josef glances sidelong at Esmerelda's visible Aspis badge, and his eyes widen slightly, but he recovers quickly.
"These Besmaran scum are after me wife, Ridelia." Josef leans closer so he can speak without the girls overhearing. [b]"She scarpered, about a month back, left us, and took off with a bunch of the Besmarans' loot, too, from what I heard. They can't punish her, so they decided we'd have to do for a sacrifice."
[spoiler=Ranvar}You figure you grab about 50gp worth of jewelry, but when you open one of the scroll tubes, it seems to be some sort of prayer to the Pirate Queen.[/spoiler]
Ranvar is rifling the dead cultists at the bottom of the stairs, expertly removing earrings, bracelets, and anything else of value. The rest of the group comes down the stairs with the rescued family and into the main room.
Then the girls catch sight of the velociraptor, and the screaming begins again...
Esmerelda begins having Aliera go through her various tricks, ordering the poor velociraptor here and there to help demonstrate her docility to the children.
"We'll take you out of here and send you on your way. You should be safe now since whatever's left of them seem to be dead." Andrazi tries to calm down the kids, but he does so poorly. "Relax, it won't hurt you. It probably couldn't hurt you if it tried."
20/20, AC:20, T: 11, FF: 19, CMD: 16, Fort +7, Refl +3, Will +5, Init: +1, Perc: +0,LG Human Male Paladin 2, Longsword +6 1d8+7 (19/x2)
I'll hoist the girl up on my shoulders, (if Josef allows it) as she screams at the tiny beast, attempting to make joking comments to ease her fear. Hoping to help Es win the girl's smile. "See, it is not s different from a lil' pup, young princess. It just seeks to play. Maybe it shall even let thee pet it? But thou must be brave."
Sense Motive:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20
Taking my Holy Symbol, as well as the intricate scroll case (faction mission) in my right hand, and the Asp Con badge in the other so he can see both for a moment, "Some things, father Josef," looking at the badge, and closing that hand, "art not as they seemeth", holding a single finger to his lips as if to say, silence.
"Why would these degenerates seek thine wife? And these bast, these "priests" would sacrifice thine daughter and thee to get to her? Not the wisest of ideas. How might we help?"
Yes, you are quite safe now and we will escort you out of here. Did you happen to see any of church members handling an object, sort of killing like a tricorne?
"You are as safe as you'll ever be, we just need some answers from you is all, and to make sure your safe of course. We would like for you to answer these questions the best you can as to aid us in helping you."
Josef looks at Soth-Loren's display, and nods in understanding. "I see... well, I thank you even more, now that I know I won't have to pay for it later. I'll be happy to answer any questions you have."
As Esmerelda entertains the girls, Josef explains his situation. "My wife, Ridelia, used to hang with the Pirate Queen's followers. She always was a wild one, gone for days at a time, but she'd always come back" He lowers his voice again, to avoid the girls' hearing. "But this time... I don't think she's coming back. She took off with a huge load of loot from the temple here - that's why it's closed up, the leadership's been hauled off to face the Pirate Queen's justice. The only Besmarans left here were these two, left as caretakers, and I guess they got bored. decided to show what devout followers they were, by coming an exacting revenge on Ridelia's family."
He looks back at the girls. "If you're looking for Ridelia, I can't help you... but my oldest daughter might. Ridelia took her to a tattoo parlor just before she left, put some sorta map on her back. But if you're looking for pirate hats, there's a bunch here - those two are wearing them, and there are a few more around the place. Take your pick!"
[OOC: the two dead cultists each wear a Napolean-style bicorne hat, and the small watchtower that the family hid in also have a couple of them. ]
20/20, AC:20, T: 11, FF: 19, CMD: 16, Fort +7, Refl +3, Will +5, Init: +1, Perc: +0,LG Human Male Paladin 2, Longsword +6 1d8+7 (19/x2)
I'll use Detect Magic to see if any of them (or anything else really) might have an aura, but not really going to study them. If so, I'll hand it over to Andrazi.
I'll actually take one of the nonmagical ones as a keepsake/trophy.
Leastrie helps the others search the temple and gather the hats.
Soth you have a good idea, I think we should gather and keep all the hats. We may need in the future to portray ourselves as yet some other person.
Niana allows Esmerelda to copy the tattoo, after asking that they head into the more private upper watchtower for privacy. The rest of the group finds a total of 4 bicorne hats, one of which radiates a faint aura of transmutation magic. Nothing else of value is found; it seems that most of the temple's goods were taken away with the higher-ranking clergy.
After again thanking you for saving their lives, Josef hurries his two daughters out of the Fish Bowl. You overhear him telling the girls that they will be going on a long trip, off to see the world. They disappear down the dark street, leaving you alone in the Fish Bowl with two dead Besmaran priests and three dead reefclaws.
The total gear recovered from the two clerics is as follows. Please tell me who is taking what.
* 2 suits of leather armor
* 2 rapiers
* 3 bicorne hats
* 1 magical bicorne hat - Soth-Loren identifies this as an example of Besmara's Bicorne - it improves your balance, and allows worshippers of Besmara to automatically float to the surface should they be submerged.
* 2 scroll tubes, each containing a scroll of cure light wounds
* roughly 90 gp of assorted jewelry - earrings, bracelets, necklaces, etc.
20/20, AC:20, T: 11, FF: 19, CMD: 16, Fort +7, Refl +3, Will +5, Init: +1, Perc: +0,LG Human Male Paladin 2, Longsword +6 1d8+7 (19/x2)
I suggest, for the moment, Esmerelda and I each take a scroll, (or can someone else use it?), and take a look at the drawing, seeing if there is anything strange about it, or any hidden texts.
Aftewards, I guess head to one of the other two locations? I don't really care which.
You take care of whatever healing is required, and head back out to the street, leaving five corpses behind. You head east along the river until you reach the ferry. For a mere 2cp each, plus 5cp for the "lizard", you gain passage on a flat-bottomed scow of uncertain seaworthiness. The crossing is swift but choppy, leaving you slightly queasy as you set foot upon the far bank.
To your left, a three-story inn dominates the skyline, a warm glow emanating from its many large windows. Inside, a rowdy crowd focuses on some sort of contest which seems to revolve around lifting trays full of ale over one's head and drinking the ones that don't spill. A sign above the door reads, "Publican House" - the most holy tavern-temple of Cayden Caillean.
A rather large lay-brother at the door watches you intently as you approach, a cudgel close at hand.
[OOC: Soth-Loren is at 10 of 15HP; everyone else is at full.]
