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Round 4
HP = 31/44
AC = 21/10/21
SR = 9
Weapon Equipped = Damn Scimitar
Speed = 20'
Lay on Hands/day = 5/5 (2d6)
Channel/day = 2/2 (2d6)
Smite Evil/day = 2/2 (+2 hit, +4 damage, +2 deflection AC)
Status Effects = Ash in Eyes
Lockjaw quickly touches himself in a Torag approved fashion before continuing the attack.
Tararr rushes back in to join Lockjaw with a powerful assault on the undead smith. The scimitar also strikes true this time and backed with sinew and conviction, it leaves a gaping wound. Karrak swings low for the enemy's legs, but he is stymied by the press.
Fortunately, the force hammer hits the damned dwarf and it staggers back under the combined assault. Its flesh is consumed by black fire and with a howl, the body crumbles into ash leaving the chains and the heavy hammer to crash upon the stone floor.
"What is goin' on in this,Karrak. Our own are turnin' on us."
Karrak shakes his head grimly. "An undead blacksmith...I have never heard tell of such a creature. Could be he was the victim of a vile spell or creature...or maybe he was cursed for his own misdeeds."
Karrak examines the smith's handiwork for any clues.
Lockjaw stomps on the ashes a few times for good measure.
"Damn bastard broke ma axe!"
A completed piece of breastplate armor rests on the anvil. It appears the smith was adding thin layers of metal to the surface which give a blotchy appearance. If you stare at it too long in the flickering flame of the hearths, the blotches almost look like bearded dwarven faces floating in mist.
The barbed chains that wrapped the haunted smith are still warm and look quite dangerous. A barb sticks into the sole of Lockjaw's boot when he stamps on the ashes. The hammer that the smith was using is very heavy and seems denser than steel.
Karrak spends some time concentrating on the hammer, the breastplate, and the chains in turn looking for magical auras.
Knowledge Arcana
Karrak's eyes widen as he lifts and studies the hammer. It is magically enhanced adamantine, the toughest metal known.
Chitleen sighs before hissing at Karrak "Try to remember this place is damned by your kin... jauntily greeting the undead will remain unwise hereafter. Think also... this smith was making armor likely not for itself. There is further evil that dwells and we would do best to not encounter it right now." casting his eyes around with hungry concern against shadows and echoes of their own sounds.
"This hammer is enchanted and forged from adamantine. Dare I say it is too strong for even Lockjaw to break?"
Karrak snorts at the elf's snide comments and stares into the breastplate trying to see if his eyes deceive him. Could the smith have captured the souls of dead dwarves?
He proceeds to the chains with caution, wary of any animate force left in them.
"Beh, ain't me keeps breakin' ma axe. Damn it. Lemme see."
Lockjaw will take the hammer and test it's weight.
The armor and chain have more complicated abilities which confound Karrak's ability to puzzle out. He can tell the armor radiates an aura of moderate conjuration, not necromancy. The spiked chain is hot to the touch and radiates moderate evocation.
"Chitleen, what do you make of these? I haven't seen their like. Anybody know how to use this spiked chain? It's not weighted right for my fighting style."
"I've used 'em in the past, but the elf may prefer it. If not, I'll carry it."
Raising an eyebrow and looking over the items Chitleen shrugs "I know no more than you... but I will retain my blade and bow for now. Take them, we should withdraw to a fasthold to rest."
Karrak is ready to camp if we don't have any unexplored passages at our back. He keeps eyeing the breastplate. "I am curious about this armor. Lockjaw, can you sense any taint of evil on it? If not, I would try it out on the morrow."
"Eh?"
Lockjaw looks over the armor and chain.
Lockjaw's blessed sight finds no evil taint upon the armor, however a faint lingering malevolence remains attached to the chain. The fires of the cursed smithy continue to emit a bitter smoke that irritates your eyes. It likely would not make the best location for easy rest.
"There be no evil on tha 'rmer, but tha chain is cursed."
Having passed judgement on the items he hefts the adamantine hammer thoughtfully as he gazes on the smithy.
"It be a curs'd thing, ta destroy a smithy. Torag would'na approve. Mebbe we can stop it 'til we take tha place back."
"Not here... the dead thing was making the armor for someone... someone who might come looking for it. We should withdraw a ways before we rest."
Retreating back to the dining hall, the adventurers use the heavy stone benches to secure the area and rest. Time is difficult for the elf to measure in the mountain fastness, but the dwarfs tell him that a night has passed and indeed he feels revived enough to prepare his formulae.
"So where to from here? We have these things and we have some idea of what's to come. Do we press on or what?",Tararr ask as they break down camp and re-pack rucks.
Lockjaw makes a final adjustment to his stone plate before testing the hammer once again.
"Let us find tha bein' tha 'rmer was fer."
"Ready to keep explorin'. We've got to lay these sprits to rest." Karrak gestures at his bag of skulls. He dons the mysterious breastplate, curious to see what it does.
Awakening slightly before the others and weary with blackened bags beneath his eyes, Chitleen tends to his ever-diminishing satchel of ittars and scents... occasionally muttering to himself. "Yes, yes... must keep walking, keep bleeding."
Though yet uncertain about the strange armor forged by the damned dwarf, Karrak can feel that it offers good protection with no ill effects. Stepping back into the courtyard, the ominous arrow slits still attract the eyes and was that faint whispering from beyond? With the dining hall and forges of the upper armory explored, only a final heavy wooden door remains.
It gives way with a heavy push. Inside, rows of stone beds are lined up like graves. Rotting sheets are draped over some and wadded on the floor here and there next to the lockers at the foot of each bed. A set of narrow stone chairs lead upward in a far corner.
Karrak spends some time in meditation and contemplation.
Level 0 (5/day):
Create Water
Resistance
Light
Guidance (touch: +1 competence 1 roll)
Detect Magic
Level 1 (4/day + 1 domain):
Prot. from Evil (Domain slot) (touch: 1 min/level, +2 deflection AC, +2 resistance saves; extra bonus against compulsion and evil summoned creatures)
Summon Monster I
Sanctuary
Liberating Command
Remove Fear
Level 2 (3/day + domain):
Barkskin(Domain slot) (touch. +2 natural armor. 10 min/level)
Spiritual Weapon
Silence
Summon Monster II
Mind still focused on the last chest that caused him woe, Chitleen is cautious this time. He checks over each and every of the lockers for any signs of nasty surprises...
Perception: take 20 for 34
Chitleen follows the elf closely ready beat any baddies heads in.
Lockjaw makes his way to the chairs, watching in case anything interrupts the search.
Chitleen gets to work inspecting the chests with Tararr huffing perhaps a little too close. Lockjaw sits on a stone bed and watches the proceedings. The lockers are unlocked and most look to have been quickly rummaged centuries ago leaving little other than a few scattered personal items behind.
Perception:
Perception
As Chitleen paws through the abandoned chests, Tararr is distracted by the sound of bare feet scuffing softly on the stairs. Then there is a fluttering sound and a ragged sheet flaps over Lockjaw grabbing and binding the paladin in a smothering embrace.
A second living sheet sweeps toward the berserker, but it is foiled by the dwarf's turn toward the stairs. It hovers menacingly over him and Chitleen. They note that the dingy blanket has a pattern of stains and a ragged tear that resemble dark eyes and a gaping mouth.
Chitleen
Karrak +1 underground
Lockjaw
Tararr
oh sheet!
The fetid blanket fails to further its hold on Lockjaw while its fellow beats a thread bare corner at the barbarian ineffectively. Across the room, a pale form skitters down the stairs and you all hear the slap of bare feet as a dwarf clad only in a tattered sheet silently charges toward you all.
Round 1:
Eyes drawn to living sheet and naked dwarf alike, Chitleen wagers the dwarf the more pressing threat. With practised yet still clumsy movements hand goes to satchel and an acidic missive is drawn and thrown...
Alkahest: for
Round 1
HP = 25/44
AC = 21/10/21
SR = 9
Weapon Equipped = Damn Scimitar
Speed = 20'
Lay on Hands/day = 5/5 (2d6)
Channel/day = 2/2 (2d6)
Smite Evil/day = 2/2 (+2 hit, +4 damage, +2 deflection AC)
Status Effects = Grappled
"Mmmph."
Lockjaw punches the cloak with his spiked gauntlet.
Karrak invokes Torag's blessing on Lockjaw in an attempt to free him from the grappling sheet.
HP: 30/30
Wearing mystery breastplate instead of masterwork agile breastplate
AC: 18 + ?
Channel Energy 4/4 remaining
Deflection Aura 1/1
Touch of Good 6/6
Level 0 (5/day):
Create Water
Resistance
Light
Guidance (touch: +1 competence 1 roll)
Detect Magic
Level 1 (4/day + 1 domain):
Prot. from Evil (Domain slot) (touch: 1 min/level, +2 deflection AC, +2 resistance saves; extra bonus against compulsion and evil summoned creatures)
Summon Monster I
Sanctuary
Liberating Command USED
Remove Fear
Level 2 (3/day + domain):
Barkskin(Domain slot) (touch. +2 natural armor. 10 min/level)
Spiritual Weapon
Silence
Summon Monster II
Seeing Lockjaw struggle with the blanket, Karrak calls upon Torag's might to free the paladin and Lockjaw breaks free moments later. The paladin spins and swings a heavy spiky fist at the blanket, but it is too fast.
Chitleen quickly prepares a bomb and sends it sailing at the newcomer. There is a crash and a wince worthy stink as the yet silent pale dwarf burns, but keeps coming.
Turning his attention to the thing masquerading as one his kind, Tararr roars into battle.
Tararr intercepts the badly corroded undead dwarf and makes short work of it. The sheet-shrouded form falls smoldering to the ground.
The sheet threatening Chitleen sweeps at the elf, who ducks aside and then is broadsided by a surprisingly heavy blow from another corner. It quickly wraps around the elf entrapping him in its fold.
Lockjaw's sheet leaps upon him beating him to the left and right though the paladin manages to avoid further entanglement.
Round 2:
Hissing in pain, Chitleen wrestles against the sheet to prepare another vial of alkahest... and smashes it against his forehead...