listening carefully Love steps oh so softly deeper into the cloud. His hands lightly touch the walls of the entry passage. Are they rough stone? Handholds, ledges? A way to add a dimension to this fight?
Dolgyrm's forceful bolt extinguishes the life of another of the ghouls - leaving the three first to join the combat destroyed before you.
The other three ghouls charge forward to replace the fallen, insensate to any regret shown at the loss of their kin. Etched on their face is merely hunger...
Ghoul on Khepri: for
Ghoul on Khepri:
Ghoul on Padrym:
...and yet again the companions defences hold reasonably firm, but the first ghoul to charge at Khepri stays unexpectedly low to the ground and manages to strike through his defences and bite a gobbet of bloody flesh from the paladin's thigh.
To it's left you see a series of lever controls that likely connect to the portcullis and other apparatus. The walls are hewn stone - rough to the touch, but their shape was carved from the stone with care.
Round 3: XX, Ghouls, Cynara, Khepri, Feigr, Lowfield, Dolgrym, Padrym
Round 3:
With the approach of the remaining trio of ghouls into range, Cynara again channels positive energy at them.
Looking to conserve some of his resources, Dolgyrm focuses on his Flaming Sphere and moves it toward the ghoul that was already wounded by his previous magical attack.
Flaming Sphere Damage
Ref DC 16 to avoid damage.
AC14 HP 34/34
Reflex:
Will 1: 2: 3:
Between the righteous fire of Cynara's energy and the arcane of Dolgrym's - the injured ghoul is left blackened and bereft of the necromantic force that animated it's limbs. The other two ghouls are seared by the outpouring of the power holy... but fight on.
Round 3: XX, Ghouls, Cynara, Khepri, Feigr, Lowfield, Dolgrym, Padrym
Round 3
HP = 39/39
AC = 20/12/19
Speed = 20'
Weapon Equipped = Magatha
Arrows = 20/20
Arcane Pool = 3/3
Magus (Bladebound) Spells(CL 4, 7 melee touch, 4 ranged touch):
2 Glitterdust (DC 14)
1 Shocking Grasp (x2), Enlarge Person (DC 13)
0 Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation (DC 12), Light
Status Effects = Shield, Mirror Image (1)
"Magatha will drink the blood of the fallen!"
Padrym puts Magatha to work on the latest ghoul to threaten him.
Feigr looks on helplessly, but hope lifts as the ghouls fall.
Khepri's muscles tighten and he finds himself unable to to move and can only look on helplessly.
Paralysis
Second Fort Save
Magatha drinks deep as the axe clefts through a forearm to lodge in the ghoul's distended belly. As it goes down Padrym has to heave to pull Magatha free from the crumpling body and maintain his grasp.
The sole surviving ghoul tears hungrily at the paladin whose muscles burn with the foul poison that was upon it's maw...
Claw: for
Claw: for
Bite: for
...sharp claws and teeth easily finding their way into the weaknesses of his armor and making his every sense blossom out with pain as blood mars the hands and maw of the ghoul.
Round 4: XX, Ghouls, Cynara, Khepri, Feigr, Lowfield, Dolgrym, Padrym
HP 11/36
AC 16
Effects paralyzed
Lay on Hands 7/day Used - [0]
Smite Evil (2/day) Used - [0]
Round 4:
I'll probably regret this.... The oracle steps past the paralyzed paladin in front of her, but in her solicitousness for his condition is unable to manage an effective attack on the ghoul.
Round 4
HP = 39/39
AC = 20/12/19
Speed = 20'
Weapon Equipped = Magatha
Arrows = 20/20
Arcane Pool = 3/3
Magus (Bladebound) Spells(CL 4, 7 melee touch, 4 ranged touch):
2 Glitterdust (DC 14)
1 Shocking Grasp (x2), Enlarge Person (DC 13)
0 Acid Splash, Detect Magic, Prestidigitation (DC 12), Light
Status Effects = Shield, Mirror Image (1)
"Come here beast!"
With a roar Padrym steps up and attempts to end the last ghoul.
Magatha drinks deep in the sickly and poisoned blood of the undead as a ribcage is cleft asunder. The ghouls that assaulted you have been ended... but there is still a sense of danger in the air.
Round 4: XX, Ghouls, Cynara, Khepri, Feigr, Lowfield, Dolgrym, Padrym
Dolgrym will hold any action until another threat presents itself.
With the death of the ghoul the chamber goes quiet and you are left cautious and the prickling hair on the nape of your neck suggests that eyes still lay upon your skin... though no owner presents themselves yet.
The first thing Khepri will do when he can, is lay on hands
HP 24/36
AC 22
Effects paralyzed
Lay on Hands 7/day Used - [1]
Smite Evil 2/day Used - [0]
Feigr shivers as the feeling returns to his extremities and he gradually regains control of his body. He shakes his hands and legs loose and then grabs for his shoulder where the ghoul sank its teeth into him. "That was unpleasant." When he pulls his hand back trailing blood, he adds, "Ugh, yes, really not good. I guess that was a terrible idea to have the one with the spell to remove ghoul paralysis get bit by a ghoul. I shouldn't be too much worse for wear though when you all are ready to move on." He looks around. "Speaking of which...what happened to Love?"
hp 28/35 (all three temporary hp expended)
Conditions: 1 day incubation
As you pause you hear a brief scuffle within the smoke filled alcove. There is the sound of scraping steel, twin grunts and sighs and a clatter before all goes still.
"Did you all hear that? Up There in the alcove. Do the rest of you feel well enough to go check it out with me?"
"Aye, I'll go first."
Padrym moves quickly into the alcove.
Cynara follows. "Feigr, I'll want a better look at that bite before much longer. Those jaws were filthy."
"........" Love lets out a barely audible grunt as Padrym's foot finds something soft.
As the smoke gradually clears from the alcove, you find a cloth swathed humanoid slumped in the corner - it's chest decorated by one of Love's daggers buried to the hilt and the dwarf in question prostrate upon the floor before it. A short sword that glistens wet and a nick upon the scout's arm betray the reason for Love deciding to take an impromptu nap.
The alcove has some levers and contraptions along one side that based on your observance likely connect to the portcullis and cage doors around the room.
"We've made some ground, but I think we need to get Love out of here. I've used most of my spells, and who knows what those undead bites are going to do?"
"Bah, bite looked ok to me. Hurts a bit, but not too bad. I suppose you all can take another look once we get back to camp. But, I suppose you're right that we should surface given Love's condition and our dwindling resources. Let's check this alcove out and then we can check the rest of the room when we have an opportunity to return."
"Let us shut these portcullises and take Love back to camp, as Dolgrym says. We've slain the first of what are sure to be many."
Padrym takes the head off the humanoid before gathering it's gear onto it's body and wrapping them all in a cloak.
"Did the ghouls have anything we should take back with us?"
A few arcane gestures and he gazes about the chamber and hallway.
Once the group is ready to head out he will carry the creature with. If nobody is able to assist with Love he will also sling him over his shoulder.
As Padrym moves to pick up the cloth swathed humanoid it's form crumbles under his fingers and he is left with only the robes that hid it's form. In addition it bore twin curved short blades and a light crossbow. At the creatures waist is a small satchel with several crystal vials.
The ghoul do not bear much upon their bodies apart from rags. However one of the destroyed females had a golden ring upon her finger.
"I can help you with Love. Let's collect those other things and we can check them out when we get to camp." On the way out, Feigr asks Padrym to pause so he can look at the portcullis to see if it can easily be dropped and raised again when we return. If so, he'd be for dropping it.
"Now why would it crumble?"
Dropping the portcullis is the easy part - removal of Love's spike and the grating should slide into place easily enough. But the mechanism to control it lies within the chamber and not without. It could be sabotaged if the desire was there... but even then would be unlikely to prove a tangible barrier to anyone determined to broach it.
Padrym does not know of any specific creature that would fade to dust and appears as this one...
"Well, now there is an interesting question Padrym."
Cynara idly walks around the room, touching levers and leaning close to peer at them. "Before we leave, it might be wise to examine the places where the ghouls were kept. My guess is that they're normally confined, but were released to deal with us. So there may be more of them still caged around this chamber, which we could safely put to rest without risk to ourselves."
....muzz ak.....
Love mumbles as he is lifted onto Fegir's(?) shoulder.
Khepri says, "I'm ok with looking around a little more before leaving. I had some wounds, but not concerned with whatever else the ghouls may do."
Khepri will look around to make sure there are not any more confined. He will use a lay on hands for his light nimbus and will use the extra light in his quick look around.
Know. Dungeoneering
Know. Engineering
Dolgrym examines the remains and the porticullus, seeing if he could find any clues to shed a light on the subject.
After a short period of imitating a particularly lumpy sack of potatoes Love comes back to the land of the mobile... albeit with a fierce headache and the lingering taste of cloves upon his tongue.
Between Dolgrym and Feigr's musings on the corpse, a greater sense of understanding is garnered. The dead one that turned to dust is a Dark Stalker, a race of humanoids that preys in the areas of shadow and blackness. They favor stealth, short blades and poison as their tools of trade. While not known to willingly engage with the undead, they are resourceful creatures and may well have formed other truces or alliances.
You recall that it was a creature of this ilk that slew Resdern also. Generally upon death they explode in fire or physical sound.
The chamber opens up before you - the cells line the walls curving Southwards on the walls both to the East and the West, and there remains the structure lying roughly 50ft and directly South from the entrance.
All the while you cannot shake the uneasy feeling that you are being watched.
"Dark stalkers? Seems like a strange group to find here in Tar-Urkatha. I was expecting undead. Not them." Feigr racks his memory to see if he can dredge up any tales of dark stalkers from the history he knows of Tar-Urkatha.
"If you're determined to take a look through those cells now, let's stick to the edge of the room. There is something about that structure that bothers me and if we're not prepared to tangle with more foes now, I'd rather avoid it."
Padrym nods at Feigr's wisdom and moves to Love.
"Are you alright to continue Love? I've seen men poisoned in the Ninth and there's no shame in recovering at camp."
Especially if we're at risk for it.
Love shakes his head before paling and raising a hand to his temple.
"I'm fin...ow! That stuff packs a wallop." He shakes his head again, more carefully this time.
"Yeah, I'll be fine. I see you got him. Good work. They are nasty pieces of work, Stalkers."
Love stands, brushes off some dust and replaces his dagger.
"I am ready to press on. We should check the cells. Without tall dark and toxic here anymore it won't take the rat men long to pick this place clean. We should see what there is to see." He looks around the group trying to gauge how battered the party is.