Round 1, Init 17
Ami and Yeen double move forward, circling from the backside. He will cast Divine Favor into Yeen.
Mahdi swoops speedily, to get to a position of some defensibility.
"Otah, get over here! I'll make us all swifter-- Pent's prayer is on its last legs! Or done. One of the two." Mahdi meta-states.
Round 1, Init 9-
AC = 13
HP = 72/72
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = None
Pent looks down on Otah, but not so much as he's normally done, while the dwarf was standard dwarf height. The gnome sets the dwarf-turned-ogre to memory, as he is truly a new sight for bored eyes.
While he does, he chugs the Carpet forward to the central pillar, and tucks himself behind it.
Otah?
Amiamble prods Yeen forward, ever faster. Mahdi circles the courtyard, making sure he's out of slinging distance. Otah GMPC bids as the mage instructs, and bolts forward on bigger, but still stumpy legs. Pent takes cover at a more central pillar. Aldebert keeps apace of his brother halfling.
The fire giants look on from their perch on high, but they do not descend from the ziggurat to confront the unknown danger.
Aldebert, going last anyway, waits to see what some of the others do before he acts.
Round 2, Init 17
Ami stops when the giants do not come forth to attack and Otah is so far out of position. Loading his slingstaff, he lets loose with with a stone at the red giant.
to hit;
damage.
Yeen paws at the ground, anxious for combat, but also held back by Ami's uncertainty.
ACs: Ami: 27. Yeen: 28+5+4=37 (barkskin, mage armor)
HP: Ami:91/91+0 temp; Yeen: 132/132 + 0 temp
Ami:
[ dice]1d20+12+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee, feast)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+7+1[/dice] to hit; (slingstaff, melee, feast)
[ dice]1d6+2[/dice] damage.
Yeen:
[ dice]1d20+18+1[/dice] to hit; (bite,feast)
[ dice]1d6+9[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+19[/dice] CMB to grab
[ dice]1d20+19+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,feast)
[ dice]1d4+9[/dice] damage.
[ dice]1d20+19+1[/dice] to hit; (claw,feast)
[ dice]1d4+9[/dice] damage.
Lvl 1: 3/8 used (DF*1,EE*2,AibBub*0,LibCom*0)
Lvl 2: 3/7 used (barkskin*2,CMW*0,Bull*0,RE*1,Grace*0)
Lvl 3: 4/7 used (mag vest*2,MCaE*1,InvisPurge*1)
Lvl 4: 2/7 used (AirWalk*0,DivPower*0,Grove,FoM)
Lvl 5: 0/6 used (CLWmass*0,FlameStrike*0,DispEvil*0)
Lvl 6: 1/3 used (ColdIce*1,StoneTell,MassCMW)
Extend Rod: 3/3 used (mag vest*2, barkskin)
Yeen.: Mage Armor,Barkskin,Resist Fire 30. MCvEvil. Airwalk.
Ami: .
Round: 2, Initiative: 17
Conditions: Endure Elements (24h), Magic Vestment (1/12h), Hero’s feast (1/12h, +1 attacks & +4 poison (morale)), Barkskin (+5), Resist Energy Fire (30, 1/40m), Mirror Image (8/9m 1 image)
Weapon Equipped: Greatsword
GreatSword Attack BAB +12/+7/+2, Str +2, Focus +1, Magic +1, Size +1, (Power Attack -3) Damage Str +3 (1.5x), Magic +1, (Power Attack +9 (1.5x)) (Crit 17-20)
Summon Mount: 2/2 (Full round)
Smite Evil: 4/4 (Swift, +4 attack, +11 damage, +4 AC)
Lay on Hands: 8/10 (Swift, 6d6 healing +1d6 if not blinded, fatigued, diseased, or poisoned)
Pearl of Power (first) 2/2
Spells (caster level 9, concentration +13, DC 14+)
1) Bed of Iron, Hero’s Defiance,
2)
3) Angelic Aspect, Good Hope
- - -
Gretiem Lord of the Green
HP: 65/65 +12 temp (DR 5/evil) AC: 29 (F24/T15) (included: mage armor +4, shield companion +1)
Fort: 10 Reflex: 10 Will: 6 (SR 15, Resist Cold, Acid, Electricity 10) CMB: 13 CMD: 26 Move: 40’
Conditions: Mage Armor (1/12h), Hero’s feast (1/12h, +1 attacks & +4 poison (morale)), Resist Energy Fire (30, 1/40m), Shield Companion (+1 AC, +1 saves included)(1/9h)
Smite evil (swift, +0 att +10 dam) (1/1d)
Tricks: Aid, Air Walk, Attack x2, Come, Defend, Deliver, Down, Fetch, Flank, Flee, Get Help, Guard, Heel, Hunt, Menace, Sneak, Stay, Watch, Work
Bite Attack BAB +7, Str +5, Amulet +1 Damage Str +7 (1.5x), Amulet +1
Aldebert, having already waited too long, double moves toward the stairs while his brother throws little rocks at the giants. He ducks as he passes in front of Amiable lest he get beaned in the head by a stray stone.
Round 2, Init 9-
AC = 13
HP = 72/72
Weapon Equipped = +1 Light Crossbow
Condition(s) = None
Pent hears the mage promising that hasty hasty, and finds himself inextricably pulled towards Mahdi, imagining the frustration of remaining bound to stand on a Carpet that will not receive the same boon, but happy nonetheless, as his leg hairs stand on end in anticipation.
"....right, well, literally the only person near enough to me to grant speed to is Pent," Mahdi says with an eye roll. "In that case..."
Mahdi steps out from behind his cover and explodes a second shower of white light around both giants.
Blinded by the light, the fire mage seals the giants' fate- given the painfully long blindness and initial injury, the next moments are swift, and deadly, if you're a blind fire giant.
One of the giants stumbles from his platform at the top of the ziggurat, falling injured and prone at GroOtah's feet, who finishes him off decisively.
The other giant tries to maintain his position, uncomfortable with shifting about, which only makes it easier for the halfling riders to bridge the distance, and mount the stairs. Before too long, the second giant lays dead at the top of the courtyard centerpiece.
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Pent grouses heartily, as the haste is tucked back up Mahdi's arse, right alongside the stick that on Sarah's faith alone the gnome knows exists.
"Oh, sure, go ahead and decide on a more practical approach to the confrontation. I'm sure the hasty speed wouldn't have proven any more advantageous, given the circumstances. Not at all. Zippiness is overrated, underwhelming. Best save it for another time, when I'm nowhere near you, and won't benefit from it in the slightest."
The Carpet elevates in the courtyard, obscuring the sulking gnome, but you can still totally hear him and his muttering, as he makes sure that the distance between you and him is matched by his volume, keeping the complaints at an even, audible level.
Otah pauses for a second and stifles a laugh as the Golden Bull defecates a pissed off efreeti.
"Mahdi, you're a dad!"
Charging forward, he lifts a humongous Zenzirad into the air, slamming it into the fallen foe.
When the fight ends, he looks around without moving. "What is this place? This thing? Who is that?"
Aldebert cleans his blade and nods to Otah, "Some sort of torture device I guess. Nasty business. Dunno who the victim is."
He'll quickly search the dead for keys or anything useful before looking around the large room. "Anyone have suggestions on where to next? This place is never ending!"
He heads in the direction of the single door to the north, after checking the open passage or niche or whatever.
Ami watches as Yeen tears out the neck of the fallen giant, patting the cat on his head for the good work. He looks around at the steaming load of bull around the statue, shaking his head.
That was a good fight. Brave is my brother.
Ami looks around, then follows Aldebert to the north.
Perception @ door
Examining the large set of stairs, Aldebert and Amiamble can see that they descend to a landing 20 feet down, before turning to the left, and continuing to descend.
Moving to the northern door just to the left of the stairs, you find the Hammam of the Bayt. The air in this bathhouse is acrid with stinging fumes. In the center of the chamber roils a pool of yellowish liquid. A fine network of cracks covers the walls, floor, and ceiling. Large windows provide a spectacular view of the city, but these do little to freshen the air. Curtains partially block dressing alcoves to the east.
From your previous encounter with the dripping ceiling, you know the pool to be filled with liquid Living Brass. From your brief inhales, you reasonably assume that creatures alien to this plane will likely find extended exposure hazardous to one's health.
Ami tries to keep Yeen from smelling too many of the airs from the room, unable to stop the cat from sniffing even the most awful smelling of vapors. Finally, he trots his cat away from the doors and near his brother.
”It smells like rotten eggs in there,” Ami explains. ”Not sure we need to explore in there, but maybe we do.”
Aldebert will avoid the molten brass for now, "Do we want to descend again? See where this goes? Or try another door on this level yet?"
He's a little disoriented and wonders what the best choice is. "Let's keep trying doors on this level I think. We can always come back."
He'll move to the next door unless his brother has found a way to examine the bathhouse safely.
As Amiamble considers his way forward to investigate the bathhouse, Aldebert takes a moment to investigate another door, along the west side of the courtyard.
The wall above the west door in this chamber bears a colorful fresco with writing incorporated into the design.
Curious multi-linguists in the party will be able to translate the Ignan writing: "Welcome to the House of al-Bazan. May the grace of flame bring you good fortune.”
Upon opening the door, Aldebert finds a familiar chamber, through which salamanders fled, and kobolds were accrued. Just to the south of this room stands the Kitchen. From your courtyard perspective, this section of the Bayt appears to be a guest 'house', kept to entertain and accommodate visitors to the grand Bayt, while preserving a degree of privacy.
Aldebert continues flinging open doors off the Main Courtyard, proceeding to the southernmost single door, adjacent to the Guest House.
This simple parlor seems to have been searched, but sometime long ago, for a thick layer of dust covers everything. A trail of fresh, huge humanoid footprints crosses over the floor from the northern door to the western one.
From the Courtyard, you have a large set of stairs descending to the floor below, at the north, and a large set of double doors to the south. Also, to the east remains another section of the Bayt, with several doors which represent at least six separate, smaller rooms. At least smaller than the Courtyard, but who knows, really.
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Mahdi translates the Ignan with a snif whilst they explore, his robe's sleeve over his face to keep from inhaling too many fumes. His skin may tolerate fire to some extent, but his lungs are still wholly human.
"Hrmf. I want to go over those little magmins. Gods know what alarm they've raised now, but it might not be too late to stop them from releasing new trouble on us. Damn those giants. I wasted far too many of my magics with them, but there's nothing for it. Otah, let's go see about those magmins..."
Mahdi stops in his progress to hover over the dead efreet with a few conflicting emotions dancing over his face.
"...I imagine you would have been no better than most of your kin; the enemy of one's enemy is not always one's friend," he mutters to the corpse. "Still, I am sorry I freed you merely to send you to your death, you poor bastard. I wonder what your story was..."
Mahdi looks the body over for any clues as to identity, but if he finds none, he shakes his head and flies back to the door the magmins fled through.
As you ascend into the open air above the ziggurat, you rise just high enough to see what awaits on the next higher floor.
This huge roof walk extends from the gatehouse to the palace, its eastern face a crenellated battlement overlooking the Sea of Fire far below. To the west, the rooftop looks out over the palace courtyard, while a number of guard shacks, turrets, and garderobes top the walk. Yet the most impressive sight here is the one-hundred-foot-tall pyramid of ancient tarnished bronze that stands in the northern half of the rooftop. A wide stair rises to the pyramid’s apex, where a small temple with a double-peaked roof stands. Statues of draconic, four-armed female centaurs stand at each corner of this top platform, keeping an eternal watch over the surrounding area.
Mahdi takes his time looking over the severely-mutilated efreeti, neck muscles ripping from several insertions, fingernails entirely snapped off, skin seared deeply, though none of them mortal wounds in and of themselves.
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Pent returns to the Courtyard below, watching Mahdi muse over the mutilation, and Aldebert looking through smaller doors.
"Looks like the floor above us is an open roof walk. Plenty of guard shacks, turrets, and another huge structure, this one, a pyramid, standing 100' high. Looks like there's a small temple at the peak, that I'd be curious in which to take a peek."
"Oh, and there's a fire giant with a hound. Oh, and a horn. He's got himself a horn on his hip. The hound has no horn, so doesn't appear to be as horny as the giant."
When it's clear the team will back Mahdi on the play, everyone returns to the door through which the magmin fled, only to find it shut tight, barred to easy passage. The sounds of skittish steps can be heard, easily.
Amiamble finishes with the stink room, then wanders over to his brother.
’What do you have, Mah-dee?” Ami asks the fire mage. ”What did you learn?”
Uncertain which direction to go next, Ami waits to see if others have good ideas.
"The best I can do to the giant is charge him, hope to catch him before he gets that horn off, but I doubt I'll make it in time. If Mahdi can't do anything, I think we just plan for a big fight. Mahdi?"
"It's a pretty big Bayt. We can take smaller bites, if you want, and open all doors on this level, or we can bolt up the stairs to the roof walk. There was a set of stairs leading up, if you're game. Otherwise, that set of double doors, or the stairs down are suitable choices."
The gnome points from on top, indicating the exit signs from the Courtyard.
The room was relatively sparse, from your glimpse through the doorway. Possibly a storage room of a sort? It being adjacent to the stables, it would be a reasonable assumption...
"Let's finish the doors on this level, ending with the double doors. If we find nothing of note, I suggest we go down first. Maybe clear out the guards he's going to summon with that horn - in small bite sized groups instead of all at once."
He heads to the next door.
He heads to the next door.
Ami nods at his brother and goes to the doors he thinks his brother is thinking of. When others are ready, he will open the doors.
Otah nods along with Amiable while finishing his marshaling of the magmin. "It's a good plan. Let's hope there's not too much still dwelling here."
"Can you tell who the temple is to, Pent?"
"All I could see were statues of strange creatures, like gargoyles waiting up top. Oh. I didn't think about gargoyles until you inquired. And we've dealt with gargoyles before, so you'd think that would have rung a bell or two. But it didn't. Just looks like adornment. I was more interested in what was moving, as opposed to what was background."
The intrepid Bayt boys continue choosing and opening doors on the same level as the stables and open courtyard.
A series of doors awaits, and you find several quiet doors which swing open easily enough. This room feels cozy enough for a fire giant, if that fire giant didn't mind the stench. This chamber reeks of uncured hides and features rough, rust-red furs on the floor, bed, and walls. A whip lays out on the bed.
These relatively smaller chambers appear to be empty, but have the now familiar stains and smells of hellhounds. These two doors can be easily barred from the outside, so are likely used as kennels.
This leaves you with three rooms in this section of the Bayt, which seem to have noises coming from behind the doors. You have the magmin room, which appears to have doors on the north and south side of the bigger storage room. There is a set of double doors, leading further east, as well as the sound of metallic banging coming from the southern door adjacent to the kennels.
How do you proceed?
"Let's deal with these magmin, if they have not already fled."
He goes up to the door, nods to his brother, and waits for the others to be ready. When they are, he flings open the door and peers inside.
EDIT
Aldebert finds the door barricaded against entry. He shrugs, "They've barricaded themselves in. I say we leave it for now. If they stay in there we don't have to fight them, and that's OK by me."
He moves on to the next single door, and repeats the process...
Aldebert opens the southern door, revealing a fire giant hard at work over his forge at the southern part of the room. He doesn't appear to hear you open the door...
Ami and Yeen enter the room, strolling in as if on a Sunday pounce-about. He addresses the giant forgemaster.
"Hey," Amiamble asks from behind his scarfed face. "You think we should have slaves or not? You like the gnolls? Shouldn't we kill *all* the spawn of Lamashtu dead every chance we get?" Ami asks, wondering and certain his brother will come save him should things go badly.
*Bang* *Bang* *Bang*
The blacksmith doesn't turn around, and the longer you stand in his presence, the more your teeth rattle from the unrelenting drop of the hammer.
Ami looks through the door to shrug at Aldebert. He raises his voice and speaks again.
Aldebert shrugs back at Ami. As nothing else seems to be happening, he gestures for him to return to the group.
When he does so, he suggests, 'Let's leave him alone too. He's not going to bother us even if an alarm is raised. He's focused..."
He'll head back out and toward the double doors to the east. If everyone agrees, he opens them, greastsword at the ready!
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"He might be deaf," Mahdi points out. "That clanging of the hammer would surely destroy my eardrums if I heard it day in and day out. Let us make sure nobody else is about, and then I might wish to return here and see if we can catch his eye."
He follows Alde to the other doors.
Ami leaves, ready to follow whomever is leading to the next thing.
”You know, Catrenrae can probably fix your ears...just saying...a good god will fix all sort of ailments, if you have enough faith...and money,” Ami mumbles to the giant on his way out.
Mahdi's suspicions appear to be confirmed, as both Ami's inside voice and outside voice fail to garner the giant's attentions. Presuming you don't wait a substantial time for the giant to turn to other work, and eventually turn his eyes upon you, you manage to retreat in peace, closing the door behind you, also presumably.
Aldebert opens the double doors to the east, which stand partially ajar. The strong smell of animal odor hits you as soon as you lean your heads in. In this large chamber, you can see several hellhounds, and three nessian warhounds, all chained to the walls, of what must be the Bayt's Kennel.
There don't appear to be any Kennelmasters about, unless you count the deaf forgemaster...
Pent maintains his position in the center of the hallway of several doorways. He watches as the doors are flung open, and flinches each time, expecting some kind of giant-in-the-box to spring more conflict and pain upon them, When none seem to come, Pent begins wondering more about the other double doors still waiting for them on this floor, as well as the expansive courtyard on the floor above...
Not wanting to kill dogs in their kennel, Aldebert quietly closes the door.
”OK, I think this section is as safe as it’s going to be. Let’s try that other double door shall we?”
Ami leaves the deaf giant alone, but does shake his head at the encounter.
”Yes, Brother. We should leave the hounds be for now. If we have reason to want to end them, I do not know it now.”
He follows his brother to the double doors.
The dwarf strides along with the party, impressed by the blacksmith's focus until Mahdi's explanation. "Wonder what he's making."
As each door opens, Otah readies Zenzirad, but is glad that at least the creatures found behind each of them are content in their own existence and not trying to end his.
As the party reaches the double-doors in bull room, he pauses as the party readies and will then open the door...
Noble Aldebert crosses the Courtyard once again, targeting the large set of double doors at the southern end. Ferocious Amiamble follows close behind, as does Stalwart Otah. Bringing up the rear are Sagacious Mahdi, and Vivacious Pent, who watch intently as the set of double doors swings open more easily than one would expect for their magnitude.
A covered pavilion composed of twisting brass columns inset with ivory and precious stones encloses a cushioned throne at the center of this huge circular audience chamber. Less ornate chairs sit on smaller extensions of the central pavilion to each side, while giant curtains composed of fine brass links cover passageways on either flank, with a third, smaller one to the east. Fire pits shimmer with barely contained heat, and a deep pit is visible beyond the throne.
Seated upon the central throne is a translucent, clean-shaven dwarf clad in expensive robes, eyes aglow with a hellish light.
The creature is a vengeful spirit known as a Darnoc. It is Chaotic, it is Evil, it is Undead, and it is Incorporeal.
The dwarf remains seated, and points to the floor before you.
Pent eyeballs the throne squatter, unable to assess it for its genuine nature, though he's pretty sure being both translucent and domineering is an unfavorable combination.
The gnome waits from on high, watching the halfs below, and wondering what they'll do with themselves, as he swears he just watched them shiver with unrequited confrontation with unaudible artificer and chained chompers, alike.
Aldebert rides Gretiem into the room a little ways to see the dwarf better and speaks, ”I do not know you sir, and am not in the habit of bowing to random strangers.” He nods his head out of respect and continues, ”Who are you? And what are you doing here, if I may be so bold as to ask?”