Gob Smash One

Game Master Tacticslion

Layla stands on the ramp in her cleats braced for frontline melee, ioun torch circling her head to aid with visibility.
I presume Sunny, Beylinda, and Stone are spread out across the ramp on the frontline with Layla, hopefully preventing any gobs from getting past us to our squishier friends.
As Eris mentioned before, I presume Eris and Ceru stand behind us, ready to use wands to heal us or make ranged attacks if we don't need healing.
Finally, I presume Ooze, Vitreous, Dijiron, Lulu, and Shaedo are slightly higher up on the ramp, making ranged attacks and/or tricks (possibly having already dropped some caltrops or something).

Please correct me if I'm wrong about anyone's position.

"Here they come! Let's get 'em!"

Layla holds a kukri in one hand, but uses the other to hurl a chakram at a gob as soon as it gets within 30ft.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 +any bonus for elevated height
Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6 +2 more if it's surprised

If it looks like any gobs will likely close to melee range within the next round, then Layla uses her move action to draw her second kukri. If not, then she prepares to throw another chakram.

His armored hand grasping the bow, his naked right arm drawing in a practiced motion. Any close to him hear an unsettling chuckling from under his (undoubtedly foul) breath.

Bow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10

On the way up to the ramp, Shaedo smirked deviously as she dropped poisoned caltrops right in the path of the gobbsies, soon to pursue the party through the mists. Now positioned a ways up the ramp, she presently begins her trickery.

Shaedo casts ghost sound to make the sound of a neighing horse and stamping hooves in the mists, as if the mists had spawned the very beast gobbies hate most right in the middle of the obscuring vapors.

ok where are we, what did I do? can i object? where is the map, I keep reading references to stuff I can't figure out where its coming from.

Where are we, what can be seen, what is my role? is the strom having any effect, will it turn me into something not so cute and cuddly?

Lulu, we're on a ramp heading up to the tower in the rain.
The map is in my bag, under my poncho.
17 goblins are running up behind us.
Most of us have turned to fight the goblins.
You're one of the ones farther up the ramp, away from the goblins, protected by those of us on the front lines.
So far your big hat is protecting you from the rain, although you may want to slip on your poncho, too.
Do you have a spell or something you can use to attack the goblins from a range of about 20-50 ft?

Laughing with excitement, Eris rides up the ramp, her approach completely lacking any degree of subterfuge (largely due to her hastily shouted war cry and the bright everburning torch she waved above her head). Once on the ramp, she immediately takes up position just behind the front line, remaining mounted with torch aloft, to better illuminate her allies' field of view.

This may make me more of a target, she thinks to herself, but it will most certainly be worth it if I can take some of the pressure off the squad.

With her left hand holding the torch above her head, Eris imperiously glares down at the closest approaching goblin. "Flee, worthless creature! For you have no chance against our righteous might!"

Wincing, slightly embarrassed by her own bombastic phrasing, Eris sends a quick mental message to the group. "Yes, I know that was a bit over the top. But honestly, do they look like the sort to appreciate a more subtle form of intimidation? Rather beastly creatures, actually..." She pulls a wand of healing from her belt and watches the goblin army.

Eris is attempting to Intimidate (demoralize) as a standard action. Note that this will fail automatically if the goblins do not speak her language (but that's okay, since in that case we will have learned something about them). Her DC is equal to 10 + the goblin's Hit Dice + the goblin's Wisdom modifier. (Intimidate: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24) She's will target the first goblin she sees; please disregard this action if no goblins spotted this round. She'll spend her move action to get into position (as noted above; pretty much just behind Layla) and draw a wand of cure light wounds as part of the move.

Ceru readies her shortbow, nocks an arrow, and shoots it at a goblin, and feels apologetic for the lack of drama her action contains.

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Damage, I think add 1 if they are flatfooted? 3?: 1d4 ⇒ 4

She also tries to make sense of their goblinish gibberish.

Crazy logic here: She speaks goblin, and she has a racial trait called "Magical Linguist." Which actually has nothing to do with translation, she just is good at working with weird magical languages, glyphs, etc. but in case they have some weird, magically augmented goblinish... IDK... if that follows, here's an intelligence check. If it doesn't follow, no worries.

Intelligence: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20

Lulu rides Rainbow up to the top of the ramp seeking shelter from the storm.

Pix hides inside rainbow's saddlebags having given up catching raindrops.

Once under some sort of shelter Lulu puts on her poncho. than finds a vantage point to watch the real warriors fight the goblins.

Crazy logic here: She speaks goblin, and she has a racial trait called "Magical Linguist." Which actually has nothing to do with translation, she just is good at working with weird magical languages, glyphs, etc. but in case they have some weird, magically augmented goblinish... IDK... if that follows, here's an intelligence check. If it doesn't follow, no worries.

[dice=Intelligence]20

As it turns out, this is exactly the sort of thing I mentioned earlier that I love... and it's always worth a shot.

While their language isn't specifically magical in the sense that it doesn't create magical effects that you have to worry about resisting (your particular area of expertise), you recognize enough of the way it works: it's a language based off of lots of technicalities, high emotions, and lyrical flow - in other words, it's an awful lot like a magical language, and was probably based on one. That and, of course, it seems to utilize excessively fine distinctions in the terms "gob" "gobble" (and, very likely, a few other similar phrases and bits of phrases) and various combinations thereof (probably with ludicrously subtle and nuanced inflection) to the point that you're pretty sure it's impossible to function without utilizing some sort of minor telepathic expression to give clues to intent. This argues strongly that it is a magical language, though not necessarily a particularly clever or strong magic - it just kind of teaches everyone what you mean to imply with a limited set of highly over-used memetic phrases. One of the strangest parts, though, is that it seems to rely on a syntax and structure that you are familiar with: goblin. It's almost like a one-year-old listened to some goblin, then replaced all the words with gibberish: it sounds kind of like they're trying to speak in goblin, even though they clearly aren't.

From the context and normal flow of goblin, you're pretty sure you've heard: lots of screaming, random panic, fear, confusion, maybe a curse or two, and some sort of rallying cry. No songs, though, which, you know, is not only excessively rude (for goblins), it's outright weird. Of course, these goblins look weird... for goblins, I mean.

Now is probably a good time to mention that these guys look far to gnobbly and lean to be normal goblins... they're clearly built differently, as hunched, thin, wrinkle-faced creatures that do have a passing resemblance to goblins, but seem far more... serious... than their normal kin, somehow. As if they lack the zest for life or existence that their normal brethren have, and were all business. Of course, they couldn't be that skilled - goblins aren't terribly powerful, and their natural insanity inanity (and stupidity) is what makes them almost as dangerous to themselves as to the rest of the world. It's what makes them goblins. If these goblins have become... somehow... rational... well... that's a chilling, chilling thought.

Either that or these are just weird tall-but-hunched mutants without a sense of humor. That's always possible.

Round 1

i can't access the battle map so DM please adjust if needed:

Beyling will move to melee combat with the closest goblin she sees (using arcane strike- swift).

Scimitar, Fighting Def: 1d20 + 7 - 4 ⇒ (16) + 7 - 4 = 191d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9

Current AC 23

Round 1

Sunny will use her position from stealth to sudy a goblin for 1 round in order to set up an assassination (her target would be a goblin leader / spellcaster hanging in the back line)

Since I may be away from the computer all day, I just wanted to share Shaedo's action for next round a little early.

Next round, Shaedo uses her wand of silent image to place an illusion on the tower itself. The tower soon be grows giant dog ears, nose and eyes, and begins writhing back and forth as if it were coming to life in the storm. As a gigantic hound. ~_^

Following on her illusion, for whenever Shaedo gets the chance:

Linguistics to imitate the stange gob-gobbie speech: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

Bluff: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21

Shaedo screams in her best imitation of mutant gobbie speech:
"The storm! It's bringing the tower to life!"
(Probably sounds more like a terrified "gobbie, gob gobluk, gobbie gorble"!)

Shaedo makes it clear to her party by telepathy that this is just a trick, just in case her illusion is overly convincing.

After the impressive fireball, "Wow! This "blue" stuff really makes alchemists fires exciting!" Vitreous shouts out loud.He doesn't realize all the coincidences that were involved in making the explosion huge and thinks the special poison vials are responsible.

As everyone else is heading up the ramp Vitreous follows and jumps off the donkey to be in the front ranks.The range on my pistol is very limited so I must stay in the front lines to be of most use in this battle.
Ride: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26
When a goblin gets within 20 feet, Vitreous fires his pistol.
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 vs. touch AC
Then uses a swift action to reload via his beneficent bandolier. Activating its magic with the short phrase,"Bullet number one, get in my gun!

Unable to access roll20 at work, seems I forgot my login. I'll try and figure that part out later tonight.

This would be my desired actions for round 1

Round 1

We appear to have this fight well in hand. Therefore I shall save my more powerful spells for when we are inside.

Dijiron fires a Ray of Frost at the same goblin that Layla is fighting.

Ranged Touch Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Cold damage if it hits: 1d3 ⇒ 3

As Shaedo becomes invisible, strangely, a long, loud mooing, like a loud cow, is heard emanating from Shaedo by her and her companions. (Incidentally, Shaedo, you suddenly realize - at least partially in-character - that your intelligence score is 14, whatever that means, and you can definitely tell what you're thinking... it's kind of weird, like an echo chamber.)

As Dijiron finishes utilizing prestidigitation on the catnrips, a sudden down-poor - centered rather exclusively on the hapless ratfolk - begins in earnest, far more than even the rain falling now on everyone else.

Initiative:
20: Dijiron, Shaedo
18: Eris, Layla
16: Ooze
14: Ceru
12: Vitreous
10: Lulu
9: Stone, Sunny
7: Bey

Events in Action

• When she utilizes her ghost sound, the most bizarre thing begins happening: music fills the night air, seemingly the very self-same dog and horse sounds Shaedo conjured forth blending into a melody.

  The howls of dogs and neighing of horses ring, but so do strange, almost monastic chants in... goblin (and in the strange pseudo-goblin tongue)... with the voices of dogs and horses... somehow... filling the air, and instilling a strong urge to sing or dance in all of you (no saves needed to resist: simply let me know if you do).

  (repetitiously sung to this tune, for the curious)

  "Go gob Gob liiiiiiiiiiiiin!
  Ob Gobble gob Go~obs, gooooooob!
  Go gob Gob Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiin!
  Gob'l lin Go~obs, goooooooob!"

  Those who understand the normal Goblin language can tell it goes like this:

  
  "We are Gob Smaaaaaaaaaaash!
  We smash some Go~obs, wooooooo!
  We are Gob Smaaaaaaaaash!
  We'll smash the~ese, tooooooooo!"

• As Dijiron looses his spell at Layla's intended target, suddenly, the mind of the goblin his spell slams into is suddenly opened before him like a very obvious, very stupid book. The sudden, rapid influx of information is somewhat shocking... the creature's natural ignorance INT score 8 combined with the instantly there thoughts Dijiron reads is slightly heady. A ratfolk?! it thinks, feeling itself collapsing from the wounds imparted by the fire, the sudden explosion of cold in its chest, and then the strange round blade the clearly-deformed dwarf-female placed directly into his face I thought we left the slaves at home! Are they the ones singing our death?!

  With the strange metal disk in its guts, - Who throws metal?, he wanders - it has just enough time to realize that such thoughts probably aren't the most important right now, - What is the freakish tall thing spouting about?, upon noticing Eris making her declaration - as it's pretty sure it's dying, before it's eyes close and it begins dreaming (with no small amount of sensation of "getting away with it") of very wide, blue-tinted goblin (his style of goblin) women with lots of strange dangling accouterments dancing just for him, as ratfolk fed him tasty rat-soup.

• The fletching of Ooze's arrow sprouts from a goblin's skinny fire-burned neck, as it, too, collapses into bleeding out, quickly, leaving it no time even to scream.

• Ceru's swift blade finds home in the next, with a precision that's almost uncanny - she feels how it's body moves, works, and the perfect way to end it, as, shocked, it blinks stupidly reacting slowly enough that her dagger ends its life, or near enough.

• Vitreous' blast seems to produce nothing but sound and fury signifying nothing, regrettably, though the sudden report brings the goblins faces swinging wide in surprise - some glancing behind at the fire instead.

• Lulu charges up the ramp at full speed, her hat flapping in the wind, staff brilliantly guiding her way, Pix huddled tight. She achieves the top of the ramp and sees a wide, shallow (but deep enough) cave with a large metal door, and a wall with enough holes to remind her of Vitreous' new pipe. She has time to see a horde of shining rats' eyes peering from the holes in her general direction, looking... hungry...

• Sunny waits as the first goblin close to her, but notices one that seems to be shouting orders (and one of the few that seems entirely unharmed) - and pounces. The light in his eyes is snuffed instantly.

• Stone takes careful aim, and with a rallying cry, "For DWARVES AND THE EMERGENCY-GENERAL AMITA NARAHARIIIIIIIIIII!!!!" he fires two bolts from his strange umbrella device at the goblin-folk. Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16 Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10, Damage: 1d10 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5, catching another healthy-looking specimen in its surprised face with both, causing the creature to shriek - or rather fail to - and crumble, thoroughly dead.

• Beylinda discovers the goblin's armor is... hardier than it may look, as her blade finding a mark due partially to the fact that the creature was completely unready for the blow; as she drops the squealing thing, though, she feels sure that it won't be as easy soon, as they realize that the adventurers are here.

As the goblins begin recovering from their shock, and falling over themselves (literally) onto the caltrops, reality sputters and spits in the spaces between your frontline and the goblins, or perhaps that particular patch of rocky earth creating the ramp somehow earned the wrath of the gods - all of the gods, at the same time.

Lightning, filled with every color of the rainbow (and a few that are missing), floods the area with brilliance and energy, causing all of the hairs on all of your heads to stand on-end, thrusting aside the rising fog, like a curtain being pulled back, giving clear sight to the front ranks of both your group and the goblins. In the brief moments where afterimages flicker in your view, some of the most alert of you notice similar strikes and gaps happening nearby.

Space crumbles in on itself, as an enormous - almost mindbogglingly large - bipedal beast, tremendously large legs, but minuscule clawed arms, teeth larger than your hands (much larger in some cases) repeatedly flickers, crafting loud booms, and pushing the mists back even further with every booming thunder pushing the gaps wider: those of you who know the ways of nature recognize a Tyrannosaurus Rex. You see similar things happening a few other places in the mists (most of which is lower than you are at present), where other large, terrifying creatures seem to be apparating in and out of reality with similar frequency and booming.

There is, for a brief instance, a solid, looming threat of muscle, teeth, and death; powerful and terrible; ready to devour you all - goblin or no - and right in between the two of you.

And then, stepping the caltrops, it just... pops, like a bubble exploding on a washed dish, vanishing just as thoroughly, and even leaving a similarly soapy-like residue. In the rain, too quickly to even react, the oily substance rises, turning into swarms of... swarms of really oddly colored centipedes. They seem discombobulated... but exceedingly angry.

What's more, the newly arrived tiny snowbanks begin gathering together, forming into animal or people-like shapes (or strange combinations thereof) as do the more numerous puddles and streams of water, and even rock and stone, surging into the various forms with purpose... dangerous purpose and fury... also, they seem really unhappy about the caltrops.

You have a moment where you see conjured creatures in other areas - as the goblins quickly pull out their powerfully-designed hand-held crossbows aiming in the general direction of the everything, before all chaos begins breaking loose...

The newly-formed elementals of rock, snow, water, fire, and lightning begin assaulting everything nearby - the centipedes, the goblins, and one small snow elemental even going after, though missing, Sunny, as a water elemental swings wide and misses Vitreous - as the centipedes, still rather stunned, swivel their heads - even those being beaten by the elementals, ignoring the creatures pounding on them - directly towards Eris, Beylinda, and Dijiron...

Round two may now commence. Your surprise round is over. Enjoy the madness.

Chaos reigns supreme all around the squad. Eris' jaw drops.

"oh my"

For a precious few seconds, Eris can do nothing but stare, shocked into silence. It seems like an eternity before she is able to collect her thoughts.

By the gods! This is entirely my fault! I ordered these people to fight--I thought we could beat the worst of the storm!

Eris keeps from panicking--barely--and tries to take control of the situation. "My friends, this storm is truly beyond anything we were prepared for. I advise a tactical withdraw--into the tower! Let this cursed storm smash the goblins for us."

Eris loses her move action, failing her save versus being completely flabbergasted. Her standard action will be to go into Total Defense (+4 Dodge bonus to AC; bringing her AC up to 19). She will hold her position until the squad is able to reach safety. She still has the torch in one hand and her wand in the other.

Sunny agrees, trying her best to get under cover and pretty much ignore anything that isn't immediately attacking herself or 'Horse'.

Perception:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13

Stealth:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

Diplomacy:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13

Handle Animal:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

With the thrill of eviscerating a goblin quickly replaced by the dumbfounded awe of experiencing ... all that ... Layla listens to Eris's orders and nods, but realizes that anyone who has dismounted wouldn't be able to outrun the angry centipede swarms. She also realizes that her own weapons would be useless against them. She mentals to the others,
"Vitreous, if you could use more alchemist's fire, or if anyone has any area spells that would be good against those centipede swarms charging right at us, use 'em now!"
Layla meanwhile sprints up the ramp toward the big door, joining Lulu, and figuring that if it's locked, she can hopefully use her own skill and tools to get them inside, or perhaps aid another in doing so, should Ceru or someone else skilled make it there first.

Round 2

Move action: Battle Dance, Arcane Strike (Swift), Fighting Def

Beylinda will take a 5ft step to reach next target

Scimitar: 1d20 + 7 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (13) + 7 + 4 - 4 = 201d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 4 = 12

Current AC 22

Round 2

"Are you sure Assistant Squad Leader Layla, seems to me running might be the better option? Oh wait, gotta follow orders this is a military operation! Yes ma'am!"

Vitreous grabs an alchemist fire off his bandoleer and then hurls it directly at the oncoming centipede swarm. He then turns and fast mounts Snuffles to make a quicker getaway. The alchemist fire overshoots the swarm explodes and causes minimal damage.

Move action: Draw alchemist fire from bandoleer
Standard action: throw at centipede swarm
Free Action: Attempt to Fast mount(DC 20)

Alchemist Fire attack: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9 vs. touch AC
Alchemist Fire damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1(50% more on swarm)
Ride for Fast mount: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Missed splash weapon: 1d8 ⇒ 5

Alchemist fire should land in the square behind the swarm causing minimum damage, if it is an actual swarm it would be 2 damage total.

Round 2

Shaedo originally intended to cast an illusion on the tower; however, after seeing the tempest conjure a swarm of elementals, swarms of centipedes and a huge scaly thing that could only be a dragon, she decides not to use her wand, for now. For all she knows, the tower may actually come to life!

Shaedo instead tries a straight bluff:
" Dangit! The stupid storm sent away my dragon! Time to summon another one!" She screams in her best imitation of mutant goblin.
Linguistics: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (10) + 7 = 17

Shaedo then begins loudly chanting horrific sounding phrases in Aklo, attempting to give the appearance of casting an unimaginably powerful spell. Just a trick, just a trick!
Bluff: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Shaedo holds her move action for a moment until things further develop.

Once Eris calls for retreat, she will begin riding toward the tower door. When a storm rages, a fox seeks her burrow. I agree, time to seek shelter, friends!

Slaves? Perhaps those were ratfolk tracks before and a warren has been enslaved by the goblins.

No, Shaedo, I heard the goblins thoughts instead. I'll spare you the broken syntax and numerous obscenities and summarize: there may be a warren of ratfolk enslaved by the goblins.

Dijiron lays down an obscuring mist down wherever it would affect the most goblins and the least amount of party members. He then steps away from the centipedes.

Do-be-do-be-doooo~...
Hm? What?
Oh, probably nothing. Nothing 'tall. Maybe.
Hm. Hm, yes. Oh how interesting. Oh my, that is fascinating. Oh, look at that one...

By the way, I need to own up to something: I made a mistake. It's true! I'm fallible! Who knew?! (HEY! QUIET, you in the back!)

While I meant "swarms of" above to be descriptive or flavor text, it really reads (upon revisiting it, due to seeing how people respond to it) as rules text, considering I even emphasized "swarms". To that end, I am suggesting the following: that I own up to it, and treat them as both a swarm or a dozen individual creatures, whichever is worse for the centipedes. To do otherwise would be unfair to you guys. You can target the individuals and kill them normally (reducing the HD/hp of the swarm for each dead), or you can target the group with area effects and deal +50% damage to all involved. You may alter your actions slightly based on this new information. My apologies.

I am processing the total events of this turn, placing actions in the appropriate order, and will post the summary after everyone has weighed in. Thanks!

When Lulu reaches the top of the ramp she takes in the scene. spinning around to see the chaos that is unfolding outside. she then takes not of a new threat.

she immediately grabs all of her clothes from her saddlebag from Rainbow. tossing them on the ground, the multitude of colorful clothes scattered all around her

for protection Pix.

She takes her staff and with a tap to the ground she makes the clothing form armor around her.

casting Cloth Armor as a swift action

she then spies the rats pointing her staff toward them

lets use all the colors Pix

ready action: as soon as many rats are in a 15' cone in front of her she will unleash a color spray

Once a group of rats are close the color of her clothing armor flies out in a rainbow of colors in a fan against the rats.

DC16 will to avoid the effect, unless immune, but she doesn't care she will cast it anyway...

Ceru heads for the ramp. Instead of nocking another arrow on her shortbow, which is what she was fairly certain she attacked, she pulls out an acid flask.

Ride to guide with knees, DC 5 IIRC: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

Round 2

There is a mighty screaming sound that rends the air, causing everyone's hairs to stand on end.

Events in Action

• As Shaedo uses her tricks to confuse the goblins and begins her Aklo-chant, the screaching is heard again - an enormous humanoid skull, larger than even your tallest party members with huge leathery bat-like wings surrounded by a black buzzing haze swoops down from the storm clouds above you, seemingly ready to devour your souls. As it comes close, a flash of lightning comes from no where that you can determine, really, and an enormous dragon (far larger than the skull), shimmering with a blue sheen and brilliant wings - very much akin to the one you have emblazoned on your gear - simply appears, with a terrible light within its open - and roaring - mouth. An enormous crackling blast simply erupts from the dragon's sleek jaw, washing over the skull with a surprisingly fine whining sound that seems to jar the creature and whatever strange black buzzing aura it holds, followed almost immediately massive gush of water, steam, and lightning, and (less surprisingly) a tremendous rumble of thunder, so loud it almost seemd as as if the destructive breath had not hit the skull but you, shaking the lot of you to the bone.

  Horridly, though bereft of its haze, the skull seems still intact (if worse for the wear) after the tremendous blast, and vomits forth from nothing a hideous gout of vile black energy, only visible during the frequent lightning strikes, washing over the dragon in the sky with hideous purpose and cruelty. The dragon resists and flies higher, as the two opponents square off in the skies above you, circling for another go.

• Even as the above occurs, Dijiron finishes his spell to successfully cast obscuring mist, but his fine nose detects a monstrously foul scent rolling off with the gray mists, while mists and steam pours from both his ears and those of his familiar.

• Eris' telepathic command runs through the ranks, and most all rather readily agree, as Eris decides to hold back the onslaught while she can, to see her people to safety.

• Layla backs Eris' command up, calling out to Vitreous to drop more fire on the creatures. She spins and sprints up the hill, achieving the top, followed almost immediately by Scrappy... to see a small horde of rats beginning to boil from a wall, a few even as large as Dijiron (and thus as large as Layla herself)...

• Ooze chuckles in delight at the chaos and mayhem, takes aim and looses again, aiming to kill more of these lesser goblins before fleeing - that weird tall lady is not the boss of him! Bow: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20 Damage: 1d6 + 5 ⇒ (4) + 5 = 9 "EEHEEHEEHEEHEEH!" he notes gleefully as the charging creature goes down.

  After loosing his shaft, he begins to take more stock of the situation and decides that maybe the tasty-looking worms will fry themselves more quickly if he moves away from them, and begins doing so atop Mange...

  Take 2 Ride check, auto-succeed to guide Mange.

• One of the goblins begins charging at Ceru, but quickly gets, a shaft through its tonsels from Ooze's bow, while another charging one is crushed by a mighty fist of solid rock.

• Ceru guides Thunderhoof to turn and charge up the hill, pulling out an acid flask as she does so. She arrives in time to see a chittering horde of rats preparing to surge against poor, defenseless Lulu!

• By now, the goblins all seem well and thoroughly confused - not to mention terrified... well, those that are still up. Dijiron picks up that the one goblin - feeling very cold now - is wondering who's shouting something about a humming a flagon: Don't they know music's a no-no? Dijiron hears from the goblin mind, Songs be death! it thinks as death closes in upon it rapidly.

• Vitreous' firebomb, though a bit wide, manages to singe a few goblins, as well as the rear of the swarm of centipedes, before leaping atop Snuffles, turning the creature about, and heading up the hill as fast as Snuffles can take him.

• The goblins, elementals, and centipedes all crash into each other in a deadly display of awful, as the chaos of the storm itself roils around them. They hear other titanic creatures clashing in the distance, and flares of bizarre magical energy rise throughout the mists to cause tremendous destruction on the plains. The snow elementals seem slightly dazed, as they and one small water elementals surge up towards the Gob Smash unit, leaving the earth elemental, the medium and remaining small water elemental, and the fire elemental (seemingly growing bigger in Vitreous' "gift" to face the golbins and centipedes, whom they proceed to wreck with a mighty fury.

• A horde of chittering rats - and three nearly as large as herself! - begin skittering towards her, as Lulu quickly covers herself, and pours out all the colors across the rodentia who begin swarming her direction, halting them entirely in their tracks. The rats - both dire and mundane - simply fall instead of completing a successful chage as they'd intended... but the magic doesn't end there. As the radiant spray continues, the light of the rainbow itself becomes... solid as it plays across their bodies, slamming into the diminutive creatures with excessive force... and turning many of them entirely to brilliant little statues, then shattering them! By the time her magical forces have finish playing themselves, out, the rats have, themselves, turned into a shattered, glittering array of solidified colors across the floor, leaving a lone exceedingly distressed, blind, stunned, and unconscious and (1d3 ⇒ 3) blue creature lying at her feet. Lulu uses Wild Suge Color Spray! It's Super Effective!

• Stone takes up the chant of goblin-slaying with gusto; "We are Gob Smaaaaaaash!" he "sings" (for a very loose definition of the word) as he looses two more bolts, his strange device automatically reloaded, though this time he aims at the centipedes threatening squad-commander Eris. "M'AM!" he cries, feeling inspired by the music, helmet flopping and certainly inerfereing with his aim, which is kind of almost directly in her direction, "I THINK YOU'D BETTER LEAVE NOW, TOO! M'AM!" Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 4 + 2 = 18 Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 + 2 = 17, Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 + 2 = 15, eviscerating two of the creatures outright. He turns his trusty steed to obey orders, as Stone is ridin' stone ridin' (on) stone, up toward the caves.

• Sunny turns horses and runs beside her noble Horse, encouraging all to get out and get to safety as fast as possible! She makes it up to the top of the hill in time to notice a large number of shattered gemstones and a single very unconscious blue rat in front of Lulu.

• Beylinda is assaulted by the swarm of centipedes who seem inhibited by their own tangle of bodies, the thrashing of the elementals and goblins, and the rather confusing firebombing behind them, to ensure that they manage to entirely miss the gracefully moving dancer.
  Entirely unfazed, Beylinda neatly steps beyond their grasp, as her blade nearly cleaves a small fire-scorched water elemental into two pieces, causing the entire thing to simply shatter into water-drops spraying across the battlefield.

As Gob Smash makes another powerful crash against their goblin foes in a furious storm, a dragon and winged skull flying overhead, some achieving the top of the hill, others not quite there, and a few remaining still at the bottom with the chaos, the storm churns, and the baleful sickening blue wall deep within the mists moves ever-closer...

Round 2 Complete. Please enjoy Round 3!

Positioning and Description Time

Positioning: Eris and Beylinda are currently about 80 ft. down from the top; Shaedo, Ooze, Dijiron, Vitreous, and Stone are about 40 ft. from the top; Layla, Ceru, Sunny, and Lulu (and their mounts) are all at the lip of the cave or are within it.

Description A (80 ft. down): Eris and Beylinda are adjacent to about five centipedes and two elementals. The remaining centipedes affix their eyes entirely on them, while the elementals have destroyed many, and are opposing the six remaining goblins.

Description B (40 ft. down): Shaedo, Ooze, Dijiron, Vitreous, and Stone are greater than half-way up the ramp, with a (currently) more-or-less clear shot up to the heights of Hightower. Hopefully, they can make it without difficulty.

Description C (in the cave): Layla, Ceru, Sunny, Lulu see the massive metallic door on the left, a large number of beautiful shattered gem-like pieces all around, and exactly one "living" rat. It is blue, unconscious, blinded, and stunned. I strongly suspect it won't be living for long.

The massive tor towers above the surrounding country, emanating a feeling of strange and terrible power, even by the standards of this highly unnatural storm. A few narrow ledges offer scant protection from the elements, but the primary entrance from the ramp opens to a cave about forty feet deep, thirty wide, and twenty tall. Embedded into the left-hand wall (left from the entrance) about half-way back in the cave, stands a massive, arched door of some sort of yellow-gray metal, taking the full 20 feet of the cave's height and stretching 10 feet wide. The cave slopes away from the doorway, directing any accumulated water out and away, keeping the cave from being soaked, although the mists and rain still spatter somewhat into the entrance-way.

The sturdy, powerful nature of the hill informs you all that, whatever space lies beyond the door, should be safe from even the mighty power of the Mana Storm. The construction seems quite sturdy, so the likelihood of collapse, even in severe conditions such as these, is exceedingly remote. The spellcasters and alchemists among you can tell that the metal, whatever it is, provides some sort of warding effect, even from the roiling chaos of the storm. Although it doesn't extend much beyond the door itself (as is evidenced by Lulu's spell), it's unlikely that the wild energies will affect the door itself... or much in the way of magic at all, actually.

It is exceedingly intricately carved, beautiful, yet somehow terrible. There seems to be very ancient intricate locking mechanisms intertwined with the carvings, apparently having once been hidden by less sturdy panels and decorations.

Mighty screeches and strange surges of energy are heard in the mists beyond.

Watching the rats, which she was just getting ready to attack, suddenly crystallize and shatter, Layla exclaims, "Nice work, Lulu!"

Layla then quickly turns her attention to the big door on the left, attempting to get it open, either by strength or with her thieves tools, whichever looks more appropriate. (Since she noticed that the dust tracks and scratches on the floor make it look like the door swings out toward her, she would probably try something like a pull just in case it's already unlocked, followed by a lock-pick attempt, followed by another pull, if that looks reasonable for what's on the door.)

She would likely try to enlist the aid of Ceru, Sunny, and Lulu in these attempts (or aid Ceru in lock picking, if Ceru's check is higher, or aid anyone whose strength check is higher.)

Strength: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5
Disable Device: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16

If it actually opens, she will mental to the group, "Door's open! C'mon in!" while peering beyond the open door to look for additional threats, her ioun torch still circling around her head.
If it doesn't, and if strength seems to be a deciding factor, she will mental, "We need some muscle up here to pull open this door!"

Sunny does her best to settle Horse for the moment,

Handle animal:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4

Then, noticing something blue on the cave floor, bounces over to inspect said rat.

Handle animal:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

"Here! This one's blue!" Sunny exclaims, completely distracted by the strangeness of it all.

The chaos of the storm continues to rage around her, but Eris manages to regain some of her self-control. She gawps at the dragon and the skull for a moment--thinking, Do I recognize that skull?--but her attention is pulled back to the battle before her as Beylinda gracefully dances past and cleaves one of the elementals apart.

"Remarkable fighting, Beylinda", Eris exclaims. "It's as though we face a hydra--for every creature we dispatch, the storm vomits forth two more."

But despite all its insanity, she thinks, there's almost a pattern to the storm, as though there are rules at play here that our limited minds can only grasp at.

At that moment, Vitreous' firebomb comes sailing over Eris' head, and she notices that as it lands, the fire elemental absorbs some of it, growing larger. Is that it? The storm adds and multiplies, makes things swell and--remembering the tyrannosaurus--burst.

It certainly seems to have an intensifying effect on our magic, as Shaedo pointed out. Can I try to use this to our advantage? Or is it too great a risk?

But even as Eris' cautious side is advising against it, her intuitive side is already taking over, putting her half-formed plan into motion. Her right eye glows brightly as she moves her hand through a complex arcane mudra. She plucks a snowflake from the swirling storm around her and whispers a few magical words to it, causing it to swell into a fist-sized ball of densely packed snow.

As she feels the wild magic start to pour into her spell, Eris quickly tosses the summoned snowball, hurling it toward one of the snow elementals. "Now let's see what that does, shall we?" Eris cackles, a slight hint of madness creeping into her laugh.

Round 3

It only seems that way Eris because of the swarm but we are effectively reducing their numbers

Maintain battle Dance, Arcane Strike, Fighting Def

Beylinda will move to her next enemy

Scimitar: 1d20 + 7 + 4 - 4 ⇒ (12) + 7 + 4 - 4 = 191d6 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 5 + 4 = 12

Current AC 22

Ceru dismounts by the door and assists Layla.

Disable Device Aid Another: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10

Overloading the elemental, you say? I suppose in this environment it could certainly work. I love your theory and would like to assist you in it.

Dijiron casts ray of frost at the same elemental as Eris assuming it live after her spell. If not he fires at another snow elemental. If there are none then he fires at a fire elemental.

After his spell, he moves 20 ft. towards the tower.

Aklo is an unsettling language just to speak, being the dark sister of Sylvan. Singing in it gives Shaedo the chills all over, lending some uncertainty and dread to her plan. Then she sees the skull, and it is as the maddened inflections of Aklo are given physical manifestation.
Yunoki, Hannya, you both taught me that the Dark Woods Tongue should be used only with great caution! Speaking Aklo in a place like this. Foolish kit!

Her terror is replaced by awe as a dragon appears and blasts the skull, the two then flying high into aerial combat.
Now that was a real.... what is going on? It was just a performance! Is the tempest singing along with me?

Shaedo feels a touch of hope as she gets an idea. "I sang in Aklo, now for the gentle sister, Sylvan!" She then begins singing, even if only to calm her own frightened heart. Still, motivated by fear, she sings with all her heart.

Shaedo begins a chant very similar to the one in Aklo, except this one is in Sylvan, and in a sense, the opposite. Rather than having the appearance of a terrifying spell, it sounds like the sort of song a fairy mother might sing to sooth a frightened child. Any who hear Shaedo and understand Sylvan, recognize the first verse of an old fey lyrical poem about a fairy queen who wards her glade with the power of her love. The first verse also mentions the champions of the glade, who are also empowered by the fairy queen's love.

Perform: Song: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

Shaedo sees Dijiron moving toward her on the ramp, and rejoices at that; however, Eris and Beylinda are still near the base of the ramp. Eris! Beylinda! Please don't linger too long. I'm waiting for you!

Shaedo holds her move action. She'll move if necessary, or if the skull makes another terrifying appearance. Otherwise, she is not leaving the others behind.

Riding Mange into the cave, out of the rain. Ooze is in a slightly panicked state, but seems to be enjoying it rather than truly afraid.

He rushes to the door and tries to pry it open. STR: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
Seemingly as an ant try to lift a dragon.

Lulu gives Layla a hug. Thanks, it was pretty, with all sorts of colors.

she looks at the living rat. she frowns I thought it would have been purple, purple tastes the best when you taste it just right. except on rats, they just are yukky no mater what color they are.

Lulu stabs the rats with the end of her staff.

suddenly the knotted bundle of cloth wrapped around Lulu's body drops to the ground as its color returns to it.

she gathers it all up and puts it away in her little bag, (amazing all of it fits)

Suny hesitantly reaches out and gently pokes at the rat after Lulu has done so with her staff,

"Yeah... but, I int' never seed a blue one afore..." She replies, still puzzled.

"Any one has any idea whut all that commotion were outside?"

Round 3

As the continuing chant in the strange golbin tongue rebounds across the land, outside, it begins adding a different sort of "rain" to the percipitation: something hard, but very light, begins clattering all around those out there, like hail made from ash. It lands everywhere and on everything, creating a disgusting crunching, crushing sound beneath the pounding of hooves and feet alike, and causes the hairs of your bodies to stand on end, as if by powerful static charge. In the brilliant lightning strikes, you can see that amidst the ashes are... flies, or at least parts of them. Very big, very dead disgusting black flies still burned, boiled, blistered, steaming and occasionally sparking with electricity - each of the more intact specimens about the size of two medium creatures' fingers put together... and horrid-looking. The rain of dead flies continues throughout this round before ceasing.

Events in Action

• As Shaedo sings her song of beauty and love a powerful glittering swirl of dust rains down from on high like stars falling from the heavens, settling atop the elementals, centipedes, and goblins, blinding them and outlining them even as the mist swirls about and covers them entirely. There is hissing roar as the massive skull rakes fangs across the dragon in the sky who simply backs away, seemingly doing nothing at this time, though apparently not terribly hurt.

• Upon hearing her musings to the group, Dijiron, agreeing with Eris, aims a ray of frost at the elemental and fires (causing a snowball to hit him from somewhere in addition to the sudden increase in flurries), quickly, before turning and rushing further up the path, coming to the lip of the cave. As he was distracted and in a hurry, he misses badly, the ray arcing only vaguely towards its target, but apparently lost to the weird magic of the storm, spiraling away into the wind for a moment, before seeming almost to take a life of its own: it jerks oddly, and spattering down into the ground (almost as if to get a firm grip?), it proceeds to lurch upward, slithering through the air like a snake in water to slam into the elemental twice, causing the creature to grow much larger and take on an icy sheen...

• ... just as Eris' telepathic statements roll over the network, while she cackles aloud and casts a spell at one of the snow elementals: a snowball. As she does so, there is a sudden increase in the flurries of snow all around her, a loud popping sound is heard as snowball hits her face from somewhere and she he knocked backward off of Inconvenience onto the ground; the now-icy and large former tiny snow elemental itself seems staggered for a moment, but, even as it seems unable to cope with the strange effects running through it, it grows into a huge elemental that fully hardens and turns to solid ice, shedding two new (though diminutive) snow elementals from the place the spell struck it. The remaining small snow elemental surges for Eris, its Halfling-sized form about to all slam into her at once...
  Eris is currently prone on the ground behind inconvenience. Additionally, though she can't see it yet, her hair has become snow-white for now. The ice elemental has become Huge-sized and is very, very staggered. There is a ray of frost hovering near it, ready to strike it again and again.

• Layla hurries over to the door and, finding it locked, begins working on it, with Ceru's expert assistance. Together (with Ceru's masterwork tools), they managed to hear the successful clicking sound of a burglary well done...

• Ooze rushes at the door. There is a substantially unpleasant-sounding clang-splat, as he vibrates away from the metal frame, continuing to vibrate faster instead of slower, until his form seems to... blur... (3d6 ⇒ (6, 3, 6) = 15)

• The goblins all fire on the earth elemental at the same time, attempting to take the monstrous form down. Several of them manage to hit before the creature smashes more of them into ex-goblin paste.

• Ceru and Layla are, together, able to unlock the the door, but it doesn't seem to want to budge...

• The last thought Dijiron picks up from a dying goblin is: I... didn't... get... a last... cake? Faith... is... a... lie... at which point the intelligence score - and what little mind it had - ceases entirely, though Dijiron suspects the magic lingers.

• Vitreous continues his full-out gallop toward the cave entrance, and decides to take his mighty gnome body to the task of the door! 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20 With a mighty gnomish "Heave!" he manages to pull the door wide open!

  "Door's open!" mentals Layla, "C'mon in!"

  Well, of course, my grandfather was a military man, after all! thinks Vitreous!

• The remaining swarm of centipede attack Beylinda (who is, after all, in their midst) and she feels the sudden sting of their jaws, fortunately warded against by her armor, as the bites fail to penetrate the carefully crafted defensive barriers.

  It's then that something strange begins happening with the centipede corpses... the all begin turning to face... away. Those with survival who can see them can tell they're pointing East for some reason... and it comes with the sudden, dreadful knowledge that they aim towards the Pit of Gormuz, the mythical resting place of the Rough Beast himself.

  Having grown greater, the newly-minted ice elemental staggers under its new height, while the snow elemental attempts to pummel Eris into paste. It is at this point that Inconvenience suddenly rears, then slams its horns toward the snow-pile, spinning and kicking its hooves at the creature Gore Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 Hoof Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13 Hoof Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 Gore Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 Hoof Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 Hoof Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6 instantly dispersing the thing. Inconvenience stands protectively before Eris, snorting a little.

• Lulu finds that the scattered array of clothes that became her armor suddenly become entirely new arrays of clothes with all different styles and colors from their previous ones! They're all so cute and pretty!
  Lulu now has different clothes with different colors - though still a variety of rainbow. Her actual outfit that she's wearing is unchanged, it is only those she used for the Cloth Armor spell. You can choose the new designs and styles.

• Stone holds his position with Shaedo. "M'am!! She's right, Squad-leader, M'am!! he screams in the storm and everyone's head, "I highly recommend a tactical withdrawal for the purpose of ensuring we complete our mission!! M'am!! At which point, he fires on the elemental attacking Beylinda! Attack: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 4 + 2 = 22 Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 3 + 2 + 2 = 16, Damage: 1d10 + 3 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 3 + 2 + 2 = 17, successfully disrupting the whirling flows of water necessary to maintain the elemental's form! It disperses!

• Sunny tries to calm Horse, who's not feeling it, thank you very much, after which Sunny goes and points at the now-blue (dire) rat. She can tell the thing is terrified, even in its sleep, ravenous, and confused... also unnaturally still attempting to attack things (though, of course, being asleep it cannot); almost as if it were being controlled somehow.

• Beylinda continues to calmly step forward and cleave into the centipedes, taking another head and watching as the entire shuddering corpse points itself toward the East. NEMO surges forward as well, incensed at the attack on Beylinda, thrashing into the swarm with a fury. Gore Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 Hoof Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (5) + 5 = 10 Hoof Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16 Gore Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Hoof Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8 Hoof Damage: 1d4 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8, crushing the remaining centipedes, and leaving nothing between the members of the W.D.G.F.F. first Reconnaissance and Strike Crew and the elementals.

It is then that an absolutely enormous rhinocerous - far too big to be normal, not that it was normal anyway -, skull bared, covered in sodden (smelly) shaggy fur, dripping with blue acidic pustules, and streaming shadows and blue fire bursts forth from the mists below, and furiously sprays everything nearby in a hideous vomitous spew, burning and consuming the last of the goblins in a wave of horror and death, and sputtering intolerable pain and diseases against the earth elemental, boiling the ground, water, and snow swirling around.

The mists then rise, rapidly and cover the lower part of the platform, enveloping everything and everyone in the lower area, as well as growing closer to those higher up.
Beylinda and Eris are now in an obscuring mist effect, and can no longer see clearly anything beyond 5 ft.

A powerful blast of air screams across the upper part of the landscape, nearly dislodging those higher up, but not yet in the cave (no one actually failed their saves, so, good huzzah!), as hail begins raining down - hard (lethal damage hard; your armor protects you... for now; it is very unlikely to continue to do so for long).

Powerful magical effects begin and winged skull flying overhead, some achieving the top of the hill, others not quite there, and a few remaining still at the bottom with the chaos, the storm churns, and the baleful sickening blue wall deep within the mists moves ever-closer...

Round 3 Complete. Please enjoy Round 4!

Positioning and Description Time

Positioning: Eris and Beylinda (and their mounts) are currently about 80 ft. down from the top; Shaedo and Stone (and their mounts) are about 40 ft. from the top; Layla, Ceru, Sunny, Lulu, Ooze, Dijiron, and Vitreous (and their mounts) are all at the lip of the cave or are within it.

Description A (80 ft. down): Eris and Beylinda are with their mounts and near several elementals... including an enormous one. The destroyed centipedes all turn towards the East, while the nearby elementals seem ready for bear. A curious note is that the elementals that were targeting other creatures who have fled up the hill did not chase them.

Description B (40 ft. down): Shaedo and Stone are greater than half-way up the ramp, with a (currently) more-or-less clear shot up to the heights of Hightower. Hopefully, they can make it without difficulty.

Description C (in the cave): Layla, Ceru, Sunny, Lulu, Ooze, Dijiron, and Vitreous have opened the massive metallic door on the left; there are a large number of very beautiful shattered gem-like pieces all around, and exactly one "living" (dire) rat. It is blue and probably dead (unless Sunny or Dijiron doesn't want it to be dead for some reason). I strongly suspect it won't be living for long.

The room beyond the bizarre door is enourmous: ninety-feet by ninety feet (and still twenty tall), with the entry door you peer from smack in the middle, vast, pitch dark... and dry. There appear to be all manner of fantastic arcane engravings in every piece, many dark, and brooding, others rambling and strange and, most oddly of all, no small amount of defacing - purposeful and recent - with strange scribbled images, similar to those goblins use. Oddly, the... inaudible hum as it were... of the storm seems entirely absent in this room. A new, more malevolent and purposeful kind of (still inaudible) "hum" comes from deep within the structure instead.

It seems currently entirely empty, though evidence exists of relatively recent passages of rather high volumes of creatures... most of which seem to have headed out, though there are an impressive number who have gone deeper within as well.

Three massive metallic doors — one each to the left and right, and one directly across from the entrance — similar to the one you just opened lead deeper into the tor. It's impossible to tell in the trample which of the three doors has been more frequently visited.

EDIT: It should be noted, that the last "living" things you see before the mists swirl up around the lower-areas include a large-sized earth elemental, a medium fire elemental, small water elemental, two diminutive snow elementals, and a huge (and exceptionally powerful-looking) ice elemental. Fire, earth, and water elementals are facing off against the rhinocerous, at present. The ice elemental and snow elementals seem focused on the humanoids and donkeys that dare be not-elementals in their presence.

Reads DM's narrative of events... (O_o)

Quickly removing her shirt Sunny gently wraps and bundles the blue rat inside (Deftly tying it snuggly tight to restrain the lil' beasty in preparation of when it wakes up.) before scooping said critter up and onto/into her saddle gear.

"Okeys...time ta' get inside!" She affirms and moves as quickly as she can to lead Horse, B-Rat and herself into some sort of relative safety.

So... part of her move effort is to secure B-Rat, thence get herself and Horse into shelter.

Quickly assessing the situation, Layla steps to the side of the door, just outside it, and motions those around her to enter,

"Hurry, let's all regroup in the center of this big, dry room! Try to keep it quiet, don't touch stuff, and keep an eye out for anything coming out of those three doors towards us!"

Layla waits by the door for the others to enter the tower and peers back out into the chaos, hoping to see Eris and company arriving. If she has the time to spare, she may pick up one or more of the shattered rat-gems on the floor at her feet.

Lulu heads inside, leading rainbow along.

Once inside, Pix, despite layla's warning zipps off to investigate. Pix flies up toward the ceiling and flying all around, leaving a tiny trail of blue and purple sparkles behind him.

Lulu, whispers (a little loudly) Pix...get back here, Pix! Right now.

Shaedo looks up and holds her hands out as the skies rain glittering dust. It's as if the fairy folk heard me. Oh, Hannya, you are a sly old vixen!

She watches the dust settle over the elementals and other monsters and mists settle over the base of the ramp. "But how shall they find their way?" Then inspiration strikes.

Eris! Beylinda! We have to go now!! Follow my lights!

Now hear me tempest... Shaedo casts dancing lights striving vividly to envision a trail of lights, many lights leading the way through the mists up the ramp to the tower door, through the storm. "Sing with me!" She geckers just as her casting is complete.

Her magic cast, next Shaedo reluctantly urges Ramsy up the ramp. "I don't like it either boy, but the weather is going tear this road apart no matter how well I sing."

As she reaches the mouth of the cave at the top, Shaedo looks back at the others below to see if they are following. The lights. Follow my lights! She cries out mentally again.

Then addressing the others entering the huge doors within the cave,
Everyone, Bey and Eris are still out in the storm! They may need our help!!

Layla hesitates at Shaedo's words, Eris's command to retreat inside the tower still ringing in her ears.
She tries mentaling,
"Eris, Beylinda, do you need our help out there?"

Oh, don't mind me. Bum-be-dum-bum-boom-budda-de-dum. What?

:-p

Of all the possibilites I considered, thinks Eris, lying on her back, slightly stunned, staring up at the swirling sky, a hunk of snow appearing from nowhere and knocking me from my mount was not one of them.

Still trying to clear her head, Eris' ungraceful attempt to scramble to her feet is rudely interrupted as one of the snow elemental spawnlings rushes at her! She cries out, throwing her hands in front of her face, certain that her frozen doom is at hand--but fate (and a certain stubborn donkey) has other plans.

Inconvenience tears the elemental to pieces in a startling display of donkey rage.

"Oh my." Eris blinks, rubbing snow from her eyes. "Well, you're certainly a much more noble mount than I gave you credit for. My apologies." The donkey merely snorts.

She pulls herself up by the side of her saddle, then sends a brief mental message to the squad. "We're alright, everyone. Be careful up there! We'll join you soon."

"Beylinda, darling, can you cover our withdrawal? I'm not sure if the elementals will follow us or not--they didn't pursue the goblins--but we should be wary nevertheless." Eris begins to make her way up the ramp, leading her donkey by his bridle, crushing dead flies beneath her feet.

"Eww! How disgusting--there's necrotic fly glop all over my new boots! No, Inconvenience, don't eat those!"

Dijiron follows Layla's advice and enters the center of the room. He sniffs the air to find anything out-of-place, especially more attackers. Taq joins him with his own super-smelling.

perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Taq's aid another Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21

We must cautious here. I am low on spells but what little arcane power I have left I will prepare.

I don't know what going to happen here, Taq. Remember our plan if we get overwhelmed. this is through the empathic link so I don't know if anyone can hear this.

Waiting for the others to join them, Ceru steps just outside the cave and readies her bow to shoot anything trying to take a swing at her comrades as they approaches.

Ready action: shoot first foe that attacks approaching comrade

Attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Well, that was unimpressive
Thanks for the reminder to add my MW Tool bonus!

Still feeling impressed with himself for shoving aside the door, clearly designed to keep the small folk out with its impressive weight and size, Vitreous saunters/struts (no one is really sure) toward the center of the room. Twirling his pistol on his finger in a showy display, he addressed Dijiron in a brash but quiet voice "Hey there, we didn't get a chance to really chat before this mission started. I'm Vitreous, gunsmith extraordinaire and before I set my sites on one of these fine ladies, I wanted to be sure not to step on any competition." He gives a very subtle flex of his left arm and keeps an eye roving about the room looking for signs of imminent attack, which he appears ready for.

Actions:
Move - walk towards center of the room
Standard - Ready to shoot a hostile