Griswald sees the man is trying to pull out a weapon so he tries to wrestle he cultist to he ground.
Kyra goes into her cell and casts her Light spell to ensure that her powers are available just incase one of her fiends needs the healing touch of the Bright Lady.
Griswald's grapple provokes AoO because he doesn't have improved grapple. The cultist scores a critical. Griswald's AC is only 11 (dex 12). 16 against the cultist's CMD is not enough.
Kyra casts her spell without problems.
The cultist draws his rapier and slices Griswald's arm with a deep cut, fending off his attempt to grapple. He then pierces the side of the hero's stomach for a severe hit.
The cultist doesn't attempt to flee and continues the attack next round.
Evlar remains in his cell, looking confused.
"I didn't want it to come to this... you shouldn't have drugged and locked us up. It doesn't like being locked up..." the bloodied half-orc says as he begins to let the beast out
"You forgot to take these weapons..." The beast growls
Nivel will stay at his doorway in case the ruckus attracts more attention. He'll try to stay at the door and listen for anyone approaching and also try to keep the door closed (if it opens inward toward him, that is).
The cultist pierces Griswald's shoulder, who changes into beast form and delivers a huge blow to the side of the masked man's head. Wounded, the priest tries to fend off the next claw and bite attack and Griswald senses that he must be wearing some form of body armor under the robe, because his next attacks are unable to penetrate.
Hearing the battle, Kyra moves closer, notices that Griswald is severely wounded and quickly heals him.
There's still nothing to be heard beyond the eastern door. It can be opened by pulling from where you stand now.
The cultist utters a scream of rage and launches into what seems like a desperate final attempt to bring Griswald down.
Griswald growls back at the cultist.
"I'll eat your heart for that blow..."
Nivel will hold where he is, still worried that the sounds of battle might bring trouble.
This time Griswald is quicker than his opponent and his claws rip the robe and part of the leather armor underneath to shreds. The cultist falls against the door, unconscious and barely alive.
If there's anyone in the area beyond that door, there's little doubt they will have heard the battle.
The beast looks about to finish the killing blow but hesitates and Griswald shifts back to his half-orc form, falling to his knees. He begins to drip blood all over the floor.
Quick! Search the body! Take anything useful! Nivel will unlock any cage that holds people (if he hadn't already). Nivel will then crack open the door to see if anything is going on in the other room/hallway/whatever is behind the door.
Aside from his gray robe and an iron mask, the cultist has 2 potions of cure light wounds, a smokestick, a masterwork rapier, a sap, +1 studded leather, 2 sunrods, thieves tools and 10 gp.
All cell doors had been unlocked already before the encounter.
The key which the cultist used to unlock the west door is still inside the keyhole.
Firyin strips off the armor, quickly putting it on Gris.
The one I was standing near during the battle. I'll take the thieves' tools also. If no one else can use the rapier I would grab it as well. Someone should put on the robes and the mask.
[ooc]Apologies for absence. Took made the 3 day weekend holiday into 6 days. I'm back.[/b]
Kyra goes into a field medic role. She pulls Gris up, allowing some of his weight to be placed on Kyra's body frame. "Someone help me get him into one of the rooms."
With Griswald lying in one of the beds Kyra begins to speak "Bright Lady, in order to do your bidding I need this man to help me." Kyra then unleashes a wave of positive energy.
Kyra notices that some of the wounds have closed but not enough. She then asks for the potions that the cultist had. She casts detect magic on it. She opens one potion and smells it. "Here....drink this....it should help you feel better."
You strip the body of all goodies, basically leaving the guy half naked lying near the door, and get back to the cells area to heal Griswald.
Nivel opens the eastern door, which leads to a small chamber used as some kind of storeroom (see map). It quickly becomes apparent that your armor and weapons are all lying on a table there and your backpacks have been put in another corner! There's no light source in the room.
Realizing there must have been a fight with one of the cultists, Evlar is freaking out: "What are you doing?! They are going to kill us all!"
Here, quickly! Check your things before you put them on, make sure all is in order. Nivel will put on his armor and weapons and then find the backpacks, checking his contents. As he does he looks to Elvar and says, I'm sure this is part of the initiation, to test our resourcefulness. If you don't want to come, that's fine. We'll leave you here. Just shut up! Don't blow the test for the rest of us.
Griswald turns to Evlar, "I don't like being stabbed..." At least this elf didn't see what killed him...
Griswald will take off the new armor and put on his old armor. "Can anyone wear this? I don't know if you need this armor to pretend to you are a cultist, but acting is not my specialty."
Kyra casts a Light spell on her finger. She goes to her equipment and begins to check it to make sure all is in order. She dismisses her Light spell only to cast it again on the scabbard of her scimitar. She begins to dress herself with her equipment. She whispers to the others "Let us make haste. I ... ahhhh .... do not wish to fail this test."
Once she is done she goes to Elvar and asks "How long have you been in here?"
You recover all your equipment. Nothing seems to be missing.
Evlar doesn't cool down: "A test?? How do you know this is a test?? We were supposed to meditate!!" To Kyra, he replies: "I was just with you guys on the meeting to apply for becoming a member and then we had our free meal and.. the next thing I know is we are here."
He looks frightened and doesn't move from his cell.
"This is how I meditate."
Evlar doesn't say anything anymore and remains in his cell, his hands covering his face and looking through his fingers.
Right as you finish putting on your armor, you hear a voice calling out: "Dolan, are you there? Dolan?!"
The muffled sound makes it clear that the voice is coming from behind one of the doors (d0 or a2).
Not a word out of you then! Nivel points to the elf. He'll then don the cloak and the mask of the fallen cultist. This might get ugly. Nivel will try to figure out where the voice is coming from and call out from behind the mask with a quick, Yeah!
Following Nivel's command for silence to Evlar Griswald stands menacingly next to the elf with his axe out.
Kyra remains quiet as she stands looking to either door and putting her index finger to her lips. "Shhhh"
Nivel quickly puts on the robe and mask and he and Kyra move a bit closer towards the doors (see map).
The voice says: "Is everything ok there?" It is coming from behind the most left door (a2).
Evlar remains quiet, bowing his head down further, as he remains sitting on the ground in his cell.
Kyra knows that she can not say a word, knowing full well that a woman's voice would give them away. Remaining quiet, she lifts up her hand towards the door and focuses on Detecting Magic through the door (a2).
Yeah, fine. Nivel will cal out just loud enough to be heard but will not move close to the door in an effort to muffle his voice.
Kyra focuses on detecting magic, which is not easy from her position because of the stone wall and the door being thick and reinforced with iron. She still thinks there could be a faint magical aura right behind the door.
The next thing you hear is someone trying to put a key in the keyhole. The key being still on the door from your side, prevents this.
In a meditative posture, Morg simply asks... What happens to the hole, when the cheese is gone?
Nivel will try to be proactive and move to the door and open it just a crack. Get a first aid kit. One of the our new guests panicked and hurt themself. Nivel will have his rapier armed but hidden behind the door.
Morg wonders about the mental capacities of those he's thrown in with. Why would you... EVER show your hand? Or maybe they are right and this is akin to some gang initiation.
There is little for him to do anyway. He has no ability, strength and his spellbook is gone. Easy to act useless, when you are.
Nivel opens the door just a little bit and sees a cultist in black robe in front with two others, one in gray and one in white robe, standing behind (see map).
The one in black robe thinks for a moment and says: "I see.. that is troubling news.. we must not let the others be disturbed in their meditation by an unstable element.." He doesn't hesitate and opens the door completely.
Upon seeing the body, he shouts: "WHAT? He managed to escape as well? How did all this happen? Explain yourself, Dolan! Why didn't you come see me right away?"
Nivel conceals the rapier for the moment. I had to be sure the others were secured. Nivel will hold his ground.
With the talking Griswald realizes he is armed and armored. He quickly throws the white robe over his armor.
I doubt this will work... but worth a shot. It is either this or put a few more down.
Stepping aside, the black robed cultist asks the other two to check the body and says to Nivel: "We will take care of him." The two cultists grab the body and pull it into the next area (see map) where there's more space, turning it on its back. There's a moment of silence as the cultists look at each other and the leader in black lifts his hand as to make sign to the others to not say anything. He then asks Nivel, while removing Dolan's key from the keyhole: "Dolan.. would you mind taking off your mask for a moment?"
Not at all. Nivel will wipe off the mask and then step back toward the party. Like I said, we need a first aid kit.
The man in black robe again looks at the body and the one in gray says: "He's gone." The leader addresses Nivel again: "You've got guts. Killing one of us and putting up a show. We could have used someone like you."
It looks like he's going to cast a spell directed at Nivel.
Since Nivel doesn't have any way to know what the spell is he will quickly run around the corner to the north, dodging out of line of sight before the spell can be cast (if he can).
Griswald yells, "Nivel back in here!"
Griswald will move to the door F3 unless Nivel is there. His goal is to stand in front of Nivel if he ends up retreating.
While Nivle's "show" was going on, Kyra will load a bolt into her crossbow.
I will move around the corner to the north (F1) and ready an action to attack the first enemy to move within my reach.