Linah disembarks and carefully starts down the pier after testing the sturdiness of the structure. Once the vapors hit the paladin's eyes start to water and she begins to cough heavily. Linah turns and makes it back to the deck of the ship and out of the fumes in haste. "I need air! What kind of foul place is this?", she pants between coughs.
Khaz begins to cough and hack, then waves the fumes away with her hat. "Those are a bit...pungent, aren't they?"
Sekathral loses his breakfast, plus most of the previous night's rum, over the side of the pier
It takes some time for Linah to recover and the paladin almost empties her stomach a few times. "I am sorry. I was caught off guard", Linah says slightly embarassed after loosing control in such a way. She dampens a piece of her headwrapping with water from her waterskin and fastens it again, with the wet part covering her mouth and nose. "Do you think that is a warning, a ward or just a accidental by product?"
"That's what happens when a dragon turtle farts, mate", groans Sekathral, inbetween retches. "Kyson should have been more polite to the ****er"
Kyson doesn't answer the Turtle...aloud.
Even if you did eat me, you'd still be an empty shell.
"That was very brave...violent reaction against the ship and its crew."
Kyson snorts. It wasn't *that* brave. I was standing out of reach and protected by my goddess from his breath.
"No, I just wanted to see if he was as empty as everyone thinks...to know if we dealt with a creature with honor. It turns out that we are, however...I'm not sure it was worth it."
Kyson snorts and focuses on disembarking and avoiding the toxic air (no, not Seka's breath).
Fort
Kyson is ready to go in.
Soggy planks ascend the sloped floor of the salt-encrusted grotto. Refuse and broken crustacean shells litter several shallow pools near the walls, making easy meals for a small flock of sickly gulls roosting in the cracked walls. A 10-foot-wide opening in the southern wall has been closed off by a rusty iron gate.
A short-snouted, 15-foot-long squat reptilian creature, with a massive 8-foot sail on its back, on the far side of the room begins barking and roaring as you approach. Its flesh is thick and crusty and large shingles of excess growth hange from its sail.
You think it's a dimetrodon, a type of dinosaur.
You're sure it's a dimetrodon, a type of dinosaur, but it doesn't look right. It has some sort of ailment or something causing the issues with its hide.
Kyson hides stands protectively behind Linah, keeping an eye and distance on the creatures.
"Maybe we can scare them off? Seka, did you bring that canon?"
"Sort of"
Sekathral pulls out his two pistols and spins them around.
"Ugly sod, in't he? I can fire blanks at him to scare him off or just blast him. Up to you"
"Sort of"
Sekathral pulls out his two pistols and spins them around.
"Ugly sod, in't he? I can fire blanks at him to scare him off or just blast him. Up to you"
"Is it supposed to look like that?" Khaz asks. She has no real knowledge of such things, but finds its appearance concerning.
"how do we know that shooting blanks at it won't just make it angry?"
While having recovered from the awful fumes Linah still looks a bit pale. "The creature does not look well. My guess would be that it is a sentinel so I am left wondering if it is possible to scare it off. There should be a way to pass it, but perhaps that would require one of the lords of dread. It is also possible that bark is meant to work as an alarm. Either way we need to get past it. I would prefer if we could avoid harming it. I will approach, be ready.", Linah says and moves forward carefully her arms held in a non threatening manner.
Linah moves forward slowly, but before she can advance far into the cave, four lizard-like humanoids wrapped in bandages approach, shuffling forward slowly along the sandy cave.
"May Laogzed gnaw you slowly," the first rasps in Common, as two others move to calm the big dinosaur.
"You too, mate, you too", replies Sekathral, surreptitiously holstering his pistols "You got what we've come for?
Linah is just about to talk back but eases and follows Sekathral’s lead as the elf pirate steps in. She moves her hand from the hilt of her scimitar and awaits the creatures response.
Know (religion)
Kyson's face scrunches up.
"Did you say, 'Leggo Zed'?" Kyson asks. "And, are you hurt? Do you need help?"
Neither of you have heard of Laogzed.
"No, we do not have more pearls. We just gave you the last one and told you it would be some time before more are ready for you!" the leader snarls back at Sekathral.
"We are not hurt. We have been blessed by Laogzed," it rasps.
Sense Motive -
Kyson listens dumbly to their answers, trying to rectify what they say with what he sees.
"What can you tell us of Laogzed? How can we be blessed?" Kyson asks.
"Laogzed is the great devourer. His Embrace spreads naturally from his followers and blesses each as we grow fortunate."
Khazmia tries to make sense of what the inflicted ones are saying, but only comes up with, "but that looks more like a plague than a blessing."
Kyson gathers his courage to speak again.
"Did you guys make the black pearl with the terrible powers?"
Sekathral hisses and elbows Kyson in the ribs.
"Terribly good powers, my friend means. Anyway, many more of you here?"
Linah tenses some more and reluctantly readies to draw her scimitar. The current line of questioning felt to on the point to have the rouse last for much longer. She finds some comfort in the news that no new pearls is ready for transport, but inside she realises that it doesn't mean much. The Crimson Fleet all ready have enough to cause considerable damage. She tries to move into position to see past the foul looking lizardmen hoping to get as good of a look as possible while she waits to see if Sekathral can talk his way past the guards.
"No," the lead creature responds hesitantly. "It is just us. We trade the pearls."
"Where do you get the pearls? We need you to stop either making or trading the pearls. It...it would be better for you to stop doing that, forever," Kyson says with as much warning as he can put in his breaking voice.
Khazmia:
Kyson:
Linah:
Sekathral:
Zstelian:
Antagonist:
Zstelian's actions are enough to provoke the troglodytes into action as well. One of them barks a command and the huge lizard leaps toward Kyson, its jaws snapping just short of the startled cleric's face.
One of the troglodytes joins it, clawing at Zstelian, who ducks under the claw as the stench threatens to overwhelm.
Another of the troglodytes takes up position in the room and calls out a prayer to Loagzed.
It's casting divine favor
The other two retreat, both intoning prayers, and Zstelian feels his muscles start to stiffen.
It's casting bless
It's casting hold person
T1:
T2: Divine favor (+1/+1, 10 rds)
T3: Hold person
T4: bless
round 1, Init 18
Khazmia takes aim at the space between the closest to lizard people and their creepy pet, then calls upon her memory of the brilliant sun of her long gone homeland.
Round 1, init 18
Sekathral slips behind the dinosaur attacking Kyson, giving it both barrels from pistol 1, then houses it and draws his rapier.
Even though she had anticipated that the group’s words would eventually provoke a violent response, Linah is surprised by the the speed of the dinosaur as it launches itself at Kyson. The paladin just has enough time to register its jaws shutting close next to Kyson. ”Kyson, get back!” she shouts and steps up to engage the reptile.
Round 1, Ini15
Kyson prays to Sarenrae that the dinojerk doesn't eat him as he runs away. Kyson runs about 20' behind Linah.
Kyson casts Bless, giving his side the power of Sarenrae to counter the assuredly evil banes of LegoZed.
Sekathral: 18
Khazmia: 18
Kyson: 15
Linah: 9
Zstelian: 9
Antagonist: 24
Sekathral tries to slip past the creatures to get behind the guardian dinosaur, but misjudges his distance and suffers a ripping bite from the oversized beast as he gets in position to unload his gun on it.
Khazmia's spell then sets it up for Linah and Zstelian to finish it off, the beast collapsing under the combined weight of their blows.
Kayle claws at the closest troglodyte, but its tough hide fends off her claws and she flaps away before it can land a counter attack.
Sekathral, already bloodied by the dinosaur, doesn't realize until too late the second troglodyte has an easy path to him, and its claws and teeth find a home in the elf's flesh.
The two troglodytes in the other room begin casting and Zstelian feels a tremor of fear run through them.
Dino: 40
T1: 14, blinded 1 round
T2: Divine favor (+1/+1, 10 rds)
T3: Hold person
T4: bless
Round 2, Init 15
Fort save - sickness
Kyson breathes deep as he watches his butchers butch.
Ayep, all they needed was Sarenrae's light behind him. Me. Behind. Them.
Kyson draws his shield (move) and puts it on (move).
"Look out behind you!", Linah calls out to Sekathral. She hurries up next the elf and aims to place herself between the troglodytes and her companions. She reaches out with her free and and channels a wave of healing energy into Sekathral.
HP 6/43
Torn to shreds and barely on his feet, Sekathral lashes out at the trogdolyte
Sekathral: 18
Khazmia: 18
Kyson: 15
Linah: 9
Zstelian: 9
Antagonist: 24
Sekathral slashes the nearest troglodyte, its greenish blood splashing on the rocky floor, as Linah rushes up to heal him. Despite its injury, the troglodyte slashes Sekathral again with its claw, opening up another gash in the elf.
Zstelian and Kayle close on the nearest foe, their combined blows putting it down, though it continues to breath laboriously on the ground.
Behind them Kyson pulls his shield and Khazmia launches a second burst of sunlight, this time toward the two troglodytes in the back. They retreat deeper into the caves, moving slowly as they feel their way.
T2: 6, Divine favor (+1/+1, 8 rds)
T3: 9, Hold person, cause fear, blinded 1 round
T4: 9, bless, cause fear, blinded 1 round
That's plenty of spell casting for now, I think." Khazmia readies a dispel magic, ready to counterspell one of the casters.
Round 3, Init 15
Kyson moves up (next to Zstelian) and fires a ball of fire at the trog in combat with Linah and Seka.
touch to hit (bless, combat);
damage.
AC: 21 (4 armor, 3 dex, no shield yet)
HP: 83/83
Air Walk: -
Delay Poison: 22 hours
Light the Candle 1/9 used
Channel (5d6) 0/5 used
Heroism 0/10 rounds used
Blessing of Fervor -/11 rounds
Bless 11 minutes
Rod Extend 1/3 used
Rod Reach 0/3 used
Wand CLW 0/50 used
Left hand: Shield
Right hand: empty
Linah spots a opening in the troglodytes defenses and pushes the attack with a furious attack.
Sekathral: 18
Khazmia: 18
Kyson: 15
Linah: 9
Zstelian: 9
Antagonist: 24
Sekathral slashes his foe and steps back, still badly hurt, as Kyson, Zstelian and Linah converge on the remaining troglodyte. Clearly badly hurt, he fights back, though his wounds obviously hamper his attempts.
At the back of the cave, the two remaining troglodytes rub their eyes, trying to clear them.
T2: 54, Divine favor (+1/+1, 7 rds)
T3: 9, Hold person, cause fear,
T4: 9, bless, cause fear,
Round 5
Kyson delays, waiting for the yahoos to finish the trogs.
Linah removes the troglodyte’s head with a swift cut and moves forward to engage the two remaining enemies.