At the other end of the cavern, two irregular-shaped humanoids are chuckling to themselves in Undercommon while playing some sort of game involving a rat, a hammer, a pair of pliers and a wooden maze. They haven't seen you.
Juliet pulls some hardtack from her beltpouch and leans against the wall, chewing absently while Gehenna moves off into the darkness. Juliet knew one thing for sure - she wasn't going to be any use, blundering around in the darkness. Also, she wished she'd brought water.
Anyone know what they're gabbing about? Lorick whispers.
Gehenna returns quietly to report that the passageway winds for several more feet, before opening out into an irregular shaped cavern; she estimates that it's around 40 feet by 30 feet at its longest/widest.
At the other end of the cavern, she saw two irregular-shaped humanoids chuckling to themselves in Undercommon while playing some sort of game involving a rat, a hammer, a pair of pliers and a wooden maze. They didn't see her.
Don't seem like necromancers. That's fer sure. Might be guards though. We should make sure they don't raise an alarm. Maybe rough em up for info
"Irregular-shaped? That sounds a bit odd," Vaen quips, thinking on it. "Goblins perhaps? They are not exactly known for their symmetry of form."
Juliet hefts her blade and peers down the hall. "Whatever they are, sounds like they can be stabbed. And they like playing rat-hammer-maze, they ain't angels. Lets get in there, quick and dirty. Lorick can take one for questioning."
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"Just scavengers, by the sounds of it."
"Agreed," Gehenna whispers back to Juliet.
"If they're not bad people they'll run, or beg for mercy, or... something," Gehenna makes a dismissive shrug as she says "or something," not looking the least bit conflicted.
"If they are bad people then I'd rather have the jump on them."
Realising that the torches you have make a surprise approach almost impossible, you decide for speed - and distraction.
It works.
Running down the passageway, you burst into the chamber, catching the two beings completely by surprise. As they stop and look at you, startled, you see what Gehenna's darkvision failed to spot: they have blue skin, and yellow hair. Other than that, they are squat and short, like some sort of deeply perverse halfling.
These pale-skinned dwarf-like creatures are derro, a degenerate and evil creature of the underground.
These pale-skinned dwarf-like creatures are derro, a degenerate and evil creature of the underground.
Derro are afflicted by a form of racial madness that gives them delusions of grandeur and a sadistic streak a mile wide. Of course, though other creatures realise this, no derro is capable of recognizing he is out of his mind. A derro is so confident of himself that this manifests as a defence for magics that attack an individuals willpower, against which their deranged minds would naturally have little defence.
These pale-skinned dwarf-like creatures are derro, a degenerate and evil creature of the underground.
Derro are afflicted by a form of racial madness that gives them delusions of grandeur and a sadistic streak a mile wide. Of course, though other creatures realise this, no derro is capable of recognizing he is out of his mind. A derro is so confident of himself that this manifests as a defence for magics that attack an individuals willpower, against which their deranged minds would naturally have little defence.
Though their madness-induced high charisma make derro natural spontaneous casters, they are also highly adapted to a life of stealth and subtefuge. They have the ability to take advantage of unaware or distracted foes to place a telling blow, are natural poison users and suffer no risk of exposing themselves to the toxins they employ, and have a racial knack for staying quiet and hiding from view.
These pale-skinned dwarf-like creatures are derro, a degenerate and evil creature of the underground.
Derro are afflicted by a form of racial madness that gives them delusions of grandeur and a sadistic streak a mile wide. Of course, though other creatures realise this, no derro is capable of recognizing he is out of his mind. A derro is so confident of himself that this manifests as a defence for magics that attack an individuals willpower, against which their deranged minds would naturally have little defence.
Though their madness-induced high charisma make derro natural spontaneous casters, they are also highly adapted to a life of stealth and subtefuge. They have the ability to take advantage of unaware or distracted foes to place a telling blow, are natural poison users and suffer no risk of exposing themselves to the toxins they employ, and have a racial knack for staying quiet and hiding from view.
Derro are capable of creating some minor illusory magic and are themselves quite resistant to magic. They are vulnerable to sunlight, but need to stay exposed for hours for this to be damaging to their health. It is possible for derro to be cured of their madness, but only through the use of the most powerful of magics.
Smirking, Juliet nods to Gehenna. "Oh, they're bad people. Ever heard of a priest of Erastil hanging out in an ossuary, bludgeoning rats to death? Yeah, me neither."
-----------------------------
Juliet skirts around the blue-skinned creature and puts her blade between its shoulders, the quick in and out.
"Vaen, finish it!"
With everyone else moving faster than him. Lorick moves to whichever of the surprised rat botherers isn't dead yet and tries to knock them out.
Action One Move to whatever spot is open that can get a flank if possible.
Action Two Flurry
Add two to attack if flank achieved.
Ok, this is what the hell?
Heeding Juliet's call to him, or at the very least intending to, Vaenathis moves quickly, his curved blade coming down pm the blue-skinned humanoid as soon as he is close enough to attack.
Derro 1: 12
Derro 2: 7
Evelyn's acid splash and Lorick's attacks miss; everyone else connects with the blue-skinned beasts, who cry out in pain but remain standing. The one between Lorick and Vaen steps away, before making an insane (and obsecene) series of gestures; suddenly all of the lights go out; the torches do not work in magical darkness. Only Gehenna can still see.
The other one, cackling madly and gleefully to itself, stabs repeatedly at Juliet; one of its strikes hits her.
Can anyone see in this! Where'd the little bleeder go? Lorick calls out.
Assuming that Gehenna lets Lorick know and he will have to spend an act to move to enemy but if not still rolling three attacks.
First Attack
Second Attack
Third Attack
Evelyn panics as the darkness descends on the room and she quickly reaches for an innocuous flask hanging at her hip.
"Back, quickly! Everyone move back!" she shouts, waiting for as many of her companions to clear the darkness before lobbing the vial and covering her eyes.
Cursing as the world goes black, Juliet has but one word to say. "Sshh!"
Trying to hear where her enemy is moving, the singer stabs twice, and then backs away, hoping to get back to the hallway.
Hearing Evelyn's shout Lorick moves towards her, assuming that whatever she's doing she wouldn't do on her own location.
Gehenna takes a step forward and resists the curious instinct to squint as she peers into the greater darkness before her.
Seeing what Evelyn is reaching for, and the party's retreat, she does her best to indicate the positions of the pale blue creatures and then readies herself for any incoming attacks.
Action 1: Step up next to Evelyn.
Action 1: Aid Another?
Action 3: Ready an attack against the first enemy to enter striking range.
Heeding Evelyn's call, Vaenathis moves back in an attempt to exit the area of darkness, trying as best as he can to avoid any incoming blows through hearing mostly.
Everyone falls back toward Evelyn and away from the magical darkness. Only Vaenathis fails to emerge.
Evelyn's fungal stun vial goes off with a flash; there is a screech of pain from within the patch of darkness, which flickers and vanishes.
As normal light is restored, you see both creatures on the floor, moaning and scrabbling at their eyes; you also see Vaenathis' torn and bleeding body. One look is enough for you to know that he is dead.
"No!" shouts Evelyn as the darkness clears. She immediately rushes forward and claws at the form of Vaenathis, desperately pulling him aside.
Meanwhile, Sir deGrey wordlessly marches forward until he stands looming over the one of the two creatures.
"No! Vaenathis, no!" says Evelyn, her voice beginning to sob as she shakes the elf weakly "Gehenna you damned witch, do something!"
There is a resounding thud that echoes through the chamber as Sir deGreys hammer falls on one of the vermin, further punctuated by Evelyn's choked crying.
It seems like the fights over pretty much. Sir deGrey is hammering to death one of the creatures. I'd do the other too but I recall wanting one alive.
Juliet strides forwards, nostrils flaring, and puts Spite's tip under the creature's neck. She thinks for a second about keeping the creature alive, but then looks over to Vaen's broken body. This one didn't deserve the honor of being their prisoner.
"Oi! You hear me? Shut your blubbering and stop squirming!"
Lorick kneels next to the Elf and, helplessly, hopelessly, checks for a pulse. This is going to kill his mother he says to no one in particular.
Gehenna turns her head away darkly as the others approach the scene. She had seen the murderous act quite distinctly through magical veil and now desperately sought to expunge the memory of it from her present thoughts.
Instead, she bites her lip nervously and continuously pans her vision over the various dark portals surrounding the room, knowing danger would not depart from them as swiftly as Vaen had.
Juliet crouches next to the others, and gently places her hand on Evelyn's shoulder. "Yeah, it might. No mother should outlive her child. Let's find this Rolf and make him pay. We'll drag him off to meet your family, kid."
Juliet's sad, sure, but there's another niggling thought, worming its way into her brain. I backed out of that darkness too. It could have been me. She shakes her head, but it's still there. Better you than me, Vaen. Better you than me.
"No..." she pleads weakly, balling up Vaens clothes in clenched fists. The rest may not be able to see it but thought is creeping into her head. She threw the vial into the darkness, and now Vaen was dead. There was no way to tell what had happened but she couldn't shake the idea that maybe she had...maybe he was dead because of that.
Eventually when someone removes her she falls back in line sullen, dried blood still caking her face. Sir deGrey hovers nearby his charge but is otherwise silent as well.
Exploring the room, you find the only way to continue is either back through the passageway you came from, or a set of stairs leading down.
Stairs down... these things were guards then maybe. We should head down. Take care of this fast before they figure out what's going on.
Cleaning Spite off on the corpse of one of the creatures, Juliet nods, her jaw set in a firm line. "Finish 'em quick is fine by me. You want point, like before?"
Payback is a b!@@+. An angry b~*$~ with a pointy sword... or an headless knight.
Look forward.
"Action is better than being taken off guard. We should... finish this task as quickly as possible. I'll do my best to espy any danger in the dark."
The stairs lead you back into a passageway, which ends in another room; this one contains three wooden tables, their surface stained through with dried blood. To your left is a 10-foot wide hutch with wicker doors, opening into a straw-lined cage.
At the far end, another of those blue-skinned creatures is attaching some sort of small, winged beast to a corpse lying on the table. Intent on his work, he only notices you when your torchlight illuminates him. Blinking in the light, he cries out in an unfamiliar language - but the tone of astonishment is all too clear.
No mercy Lorick says shortly. He wasn't inclined to it anyway after what happened to Vaen but what the little blue demon was doing to the corpse convinced him that it was in league with their target.
He moves in easily over the benches in the way and standing on one, kicks out at the little blue one hopefully leaving enough space for Evelyn's guardian and Juliet to come in and attack the blue one as well.
The thing is at the perfect height for Lorick to go down into a graceful and picture perfect leg sweep that catches it right in the side of it's head with a sickening crunch.
Act One Move onto bench NW of blue thing.
Act Two Flurry
Good attack rolls... I'm... so happy *sniff*
Vaulting onto and over the benches, Juliet heads to the other side of the creature, sending Spite quickly towards the creature's neck. Sadly, the singer stumbles a bit as she moves past, and her blade pierces merely air.
"Blast and avast!"
act one: move 30' to the space directly to the east of the blue guy
act two: stab!
Evelyn motions in a catatonic stupor, matching the headless demeanor of her protector.
deGrey moves in to flank and smash.
Evelyn casts acid splash
Gehenna follows her fellows into the fray, but stays just outside of the clamor. Instead she tries to identify the strange winged-beast while preparing to defend herself.
Action 1: Move within 10ft of the fight.
Action 2: Ready action to attack anything that comes into range.
Free Action: Knowledge check on the winged-beast.
Juliet and Sir deGrey miss with their attacks; Lorick's attack connects soundly but doesn't drop the blue-skinned monster.
With a screech, the thing draws its weapon (a nasty, corroded-looking short sword) and stabs back, ineffectually.
At its screech, the birdlike thing withdraws its proboscis from the corpse and flies at Juliet, latching on to her and sucking greedily from her veins.
Lorick crouches on the bench and lashes out with his hands and elbows at the little monster.
Switching to swatting at the fly if the blue skinned monster goes down.
Lorick blurs into motion, and when he's done both the blue-skinned humanoid and the blood-hungry beast are dead.
Juliet stumbles a little as Lorick swats the blood-sucker from her, the duelist suddenly dizzy. Holding her hand to her neck to staunch the blood, she smashes her boot heel down onto the creature, sending green goo oozing from the creature's carapace.
Then, she crouches and begins going through the blue one's pockets. "Bastards. We need to make sure no one else ends up like the guy on the table here. They all die. Every. Last. One. Down the tunnel to the west?"
Wiping his hands on his tunic Lorick nods Yeah we keep going
Gehenna, ignoring the imagined pain, glaces over the gruesome workshop and wonders what sort of mad logic was at work here. She nods in ascent to her companions intentions to move on, but notes to herself with some satisfaction that the broken from of the blue-skinned creature does not elicit the same fearful response as a human corpse might.
The passage to the West leads you to a long corridor, the walls and floor encrusted with dozens of yawning skulls, mouths opening into dark holes in the walls.
It is silent.
But not for long.
About 10 seconds after you enter, some of the skulls turn to face you, mouths gaping wide as they spew vile, stinging, necrotic fluid at you all...
ATTACKS ARE RESOLVED AGAINST TOUCH AC
As if that weren't enough, three skull-topped, silver and bone skeletal serpents slither out of the walls, mouths agape to strike...
But instead of striking, they stop short, swaying back and forth. The effect is hypnotic.
Gah, traps, we need to watch out for traps! Lorick says as a few drops splash onto his arm.
Unimpressed by the dancing snakes Lorick lashes out with a quick succession of kicks and crouching punches.
Take 'em out fast
Using as many of three actions as possible on attacks.
Attack One
Attack Two
Attack Three
The skull-serpents sway, hypnotic, and for a second, Juliet stands, unable to move, her head wagging a little with the creatures' movements.
But just for a second. Shaking it off, the singer springs forward, stabbing twice quickly at the closest creature's head.
"Kid? What we looking at here?"
Evelyn sobs in agony as acid now burns at her already shredded flesh. Her pained crying stops as she takes in the skeletal forms of the snakes, calling to mind how long it has been since she has seen her family.
Sir deGrey is not as distracted and marches forward with his hammer at the ready
Gehenna identifies the creatures as some sort of undead/construct hybrid, and correctly deduces that they're vulnerable to bludgeoning damage. On that basis, it is a simple matter to reduce them to splinters.
The corridor is silent; the spitting skulls have evidently done their work and there is no repeat of the trap that got Evelyn.
Moving on, you come to a door, hanging off its hinges. Inside, all is chaos: what was evidently some sort of alchemical laboratory is in ruins, tables upended and jars smashed, their contents strewn across the floor.
Another one of those blue-skinned creatures is in here, muttering to itself as it clears up. On seeing you, it stammers in shock and confusion, evidently torn between whether to flee or fight. Ultimately, that could spell its doom: he/she/it who hesitates is lost, after all...