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Radnor nods, "Okay, promise you aren't a shape shifting horror of some type? Right then! So there's another one of these stinkers is there, I'm going to plug up my nose, can't hurt right?"
Producing a dagger he trims a little fabric from his sleeves, wads it up and shoves it up each nostril, are you ready Balenar? Let me help you get your armour on."
The compass if a wayfinder. It is the essential accesory for a pathfinder. Not only does it function as an unerring compass, it will also provide illumination for those darker areas. This one has a special compartment for a ioun stone as well, though haven't yet garnered the wealth to procure one.
These reptiles beat me up, but they haven't tortured me. I am grateful for your offer of healing, but as this point some rest would do me better. And knowing that troglodyte chieftain has been defeated.
The fourth level of the tower does not yield anymore secrets or treasure. The final, topmost level is completely intact, though the eastern hangs over precariously and looks unstable. To reach the fifth is going to be a considerable greater challenge.
Balenar retrieves his items, and is grateful for the help of the heroes. The picks up his climber's kit from the chest. . This may come in handy if we are to climb all the way up. The outside stone wall is smooth, so it may be tricky getting up there - this may ease the task.
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Radnor nods his thanks to Balenar as he begins to rummage in the climbing kit emerging with pitons and a mallet. Stripping off his armour again he begins hammering pitons into the wall every few feet, moving up carefully to hammer more until he has formed a rough, but usable set of footholds.
Once up if not immediately threatened he chants and gesticulates, and after a few seconds a dull grey horse appears. He secures a rope to the horse's saddle, tests it and then lowers it down. As the others ascend he begins pulling on his armour and gives them first to get up a sheepish grin as he gestures to the straps on the back of his armour,
"Can I be a pain again?"
Once armoured up, he leaps astride his horse grinning hugely.
As the bard overhears the monk asking for healing, he speaks "Allow me..", and touches the gash in the monk's arm while casting an incantation.
Radnor manages to reach the fifth level of the tower without much trouble, and his - somehow puzzling - display using the horse as a rope anchor is quite effective for allowing the other heroes a passage up.
The top-most floor of the tower has a ledge running along it's entire length. The heroes are standing on the eastern side of the northern flank. The eastern flank look unstable and dangerous. There's a door on the north face.
A great sense of density comes over our heroes, as they take one last look out over the Cairnlands. Unbeknownst to them, their nemesis, the druid leader of the Troglodytes, is doing the very same thing, pondering over the great empire he is going to build. Together with his faithful companion, Snapjaw, Tasskar the troglodyte druid has taken over the fallen fortress as a base to conquer the Cairnlands, the inner sea, and then the world! All humankind will tremble under the odious rule of the Troglodyte king!
Upon finishing that thought, the rattling of adventurers climbing the tower can be heard. A few moments later, an eagle swoops into his room, and veers straight toward the small crocodile on the floor.
Radnor hears a screeching of the eagle, a snapping of jaws and a fluttering. Then, no more flapping can be heard, only a munching sound remains.
Combar order:
Any character with init > 13
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Trog
Croc
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PCs with init 13 or less
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Remaining initiative:
[ooc]I'm posting a move for Renli. Renli, you can post your own action if it occurs before my next post (which will be after Radnor's move)
Negi, Xan-Tei and Renli move on up, and Xan-Tei even finds the time to fire off an arrow in the direction of the crocodile. A trickle of blood colours the otherwise white hide of the albino.
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Renli
Negi - Moves up
Radnor
Xan-Tei - Fires arrows
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Trog
Croc (5)
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Aliben
Aetherys
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Radnor mounts up, not quite managing to spring effortlessly into the saddle and having to take a few seconds to adjust himself. He rides into the room, heading in the direction he heard the squawk, stops within a lance's length of the crocodile, and summons an eagle behind the reptile. But to his dismay the creatures scaly hide proves too thick for the bird, despite the distraction of the summoner's looming lance.
As the heroes scramble into the room, spiders creep out of every nook and cranny, every seep and and every crack. They all come together to form a massive swarm in the middle of the room.
Snapjaw, meanwhile, snaps at Radnor's eagle. When the bite misses, the poor bird is hit by a slap of the tail. Another fowl dinner for the croc. The druid, meanwhile, keeps mumbling, as a flame appears in his hand.
Those who can hear it over the sound of clanking metal and arcane incantations hear the tower creak precariously. Soon, this sound is drowned out by the inspiring songs of Balenar
Going out tonight to break some things
'cause that's the kind of songs we sings
Put your clothes on fire, then your hair
We're kind of ugly, but we don't care
Shoo-be-do-be-do-da
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Renli - Moves
Negi - Moves up
Radnor - Moves, summons eagle
Xan-Tei - Fires arrows
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Trog - Cast spell
Croc (5) - Snap at Radnor's eagle
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Aliben
Aetherys
Renli
Negi
Radnor
Xan-Tei
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Aetherys moves into the room and casts a grease spell under the feet of the crocodile and its troglodyte master in order to make them fall.
Grease
School conjuration (creation); Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (butter)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one object or 10-ft. square
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Save see text; SR no
A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
The spell can also be used to create a greasy coating on an item. Material objects not in use are always affected by this spell, while an object wielded or employed by a creature requires its bearer to make a Reflex saving throw to avoid the effect. If the initial saving throw fails, the creature immediately drops the item. A saving throw must be made in each round that the creature attempts to pick up or use the greased item. A creature wearing greased armor or clothing gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Escape Artist checks and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple, and to their CMD to avoid being grappled.
Aliben deciphers the incantations of the druid as a 'produce flame' spell. He then proceeds to cast a grease - while Aetherys casts a protection spell on herself.
Though both creatures stumble a bit, both manage to stay upright.
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Aliben - cast grease
Aetherys - cast shield
Renli
Negi
Radnor
Xan-Tei
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Trog
Croc (5)
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Radnor vaults from his horses back onto the throne, the wads of cloth stuffed in his nostril managing to keep him from vomiting, and thrusts his lance down over the throne's back aiming for the odourous druid's lower extremities.
Radnor jumps up the throne. Having the chance to get a closer look, it is clear this object is part of the original design of the fortress, not something the druid placed here. It is stone, and it is heavy. As Radnor jumps onto it, he it sure he hears a cracking, and stone fall off down into the abyss below. Unphased by this, Radnor strikes the druid with his lance, and strikes true, almost impaling Tasskar.
This eastern side it at risk of complete collapse. Put some more weight on it, and it'll come crumbling down.
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Aliben - cast grease
Aetherys - cast shield
Renli
Negi
Radnor - just a little sting
Xan-Tei
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Trog (32)
Croc (5)
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Xan-Tei fires a volley of arrows at the croc, but they skid wide over the greasy surface. Renli runs down the hall and fires an arrow at the crocodile as well. This one does connect. Negi then valiantly moves down the hall and call out the croc, who can only muster a smirk.
The mass of creeping doom is scuttling around, looking for food, and finds it up north, where Aetherys and Aliben have just cast their spells. The mass moves up and engulfs both casters in hundreds of tiny biting horrors.
The crocodile bites and slaps at Radnor, but the Summoner is nimble enough to avoid both incursions. As the crocodile tries to move, it promptly slips and tops over.
The druid takes a step out and throws a ball of flame at Radnor, producing the vilest draconic curses while doing so. The flame connects with the summoner: the pain, the burns!
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Aliben - cast grease Takes 3 dmg
Aetherys - cast shield Takes 6 dmg
Renli - Fire bow
Negi - Moves and challenges
Radnor - just a little sting Takes 4 damage
Xan-Tei - Fires arrows
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Trog (32)
Croc (8) - Prone
Swarm
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Aliben - acid splash
Aetherys
Renli
Negi
Radnor
Xan-Tei
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"I hate spiders!" Aliben does his best to flick them all off him but with every one he removes, 5 more climb onto him. Though his body managed to mostly resist their poisonous bites, it still left him feeling rather unwell. He retreates away from the spiders as far as possible to stand next to Renli south of the stairwell as he brushed off the remaining spiders.
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Radnor glances down at the squirming crocodile, clearly tempted to take a stab at it, but in the end elects to use his last summon bringing an eagle in behind the druid. The bird of prey manages to land a single claw slashing the injured druid's side and leaving a bloody trail.
The summoner then hops down from the throne taking a position where he can take the opportunity to strike at the crocodile when it attempts to rise.
As Aetherys is engulfed in the mass of spiders, she gets bitten pretty badly. She manages to escape the bulk of the swarm, flicking off spiders just as she saw Aliben do. Moving through the tower, the poison is moving through her veins. A vile paralysing venom makes the world seem just a bit heavier now.
Radnor swiftly hops off the throne.
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Aliben - Run away!
Aetherys - Run AWAY!
Renli
Negi
Radnor - Summon eagle, hop on over
Xan-Tei
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Trog (32)
Croc (8)
Swarm
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"Ugh! You're mine now!" Bracing himself against the stink as best he could, Negi approaches the crocodile and strikes.
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Xan-Tei's arrow zooms in on the soft underbelly of the crocodile, past Radnor, who stands guard over it, and left of Negi, who is about to strike with his lance. The arrow hits, as does Negi's lance strike. The creature, enraged, tries to get up. In doing, Radnor sees an opening to strike, and strike true! It leaves the crocodile motionless on the ground.
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Aliben - Run away!
Aetherys - Run AWAY!
Renli
Negi - Strikes croc
Radnor - Summon eagle, hop on over
Xan-Tei - Fires arrow
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Trog (32)
Croc (Down)
Swarm
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Renli, taking a step to the side to get a clear shot, releases another arrow. Sadly, it goes wide.
The carpet of spider, meanwhile, has set its sights on Xan-Tei, making him the latest victim of the mass of crawling horrors
More and more spider starts to crawl away form the swarm now - it seems to be losing strength.
The troglodyte, seeing his faithful companion slain by the summoner, throws a ball of flame at him.
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Aliben - Run away!
Aetherys - Run AWAY! roll another save
Renli - Misses
Negi - Strikes croc
Radnor - Summon eagle, hop on over takes 8 damage
Xan-Tei - Fires arrow takes 3 damage; roll 2 saves
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Trog (32)
Croc (Down)
Swarm (Dissipating)
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Aliben
Aetherys
Renli
Negi
Radnor
Xan-Tei