Havelockk begins to call on his arcane training, summoning a spell to freeze the canine attackers. As he readies the spell, he closes to ensure he is within range of his frozen spell.
Tarek runs toward the advance scout positions. He quickly closes the gap and is on one of the dogs in a flash. he raises his hammer ready to blud the canine foe before him.
Eloriand gives up his near perfect hiding spot to try and slow the dogs' assault. He draws his blade and takes a wild slice at the lead pooch, missing it.
Kat, suddenly realizing the dogs have sniffed her out, wisely withdraws from the charging mutts and high tails it to the main force. The lead dog snaps a bite at her backside, narrowly missing the rogue as she heads toward the heavy hitters.
As Kat withdraws, Caoilte charges past her drawing his blade and yellign a challenge to the attackign mongrels. He is able to reach Tarek's position and makes to bring down his powerful axe across the nearest dogs snout.
Isador takes a few steps to his left and lines up a shot with his shiny new composite shortbow. The fresh twine on the drawstring audibly strains as Isador draws back an arrow. With that familiar sharp eye, Izzy aims and fires a wicked missile of an arrow that whizzed by the front line combatants with an sharp hiss, hitting the westernmost dog on the hindquarters, causing it to yelp loudly, but not taking it out of the fight just yet.
The last dog finally gets with the program and darts toward the nearest humanoid, Eloriand fresh out of his hiding spot. The dog snaps his jaw of sharp teeth slovenly at Eloriand, but it misses Eloriand's arm completely
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As Tarek races past Kat he yells, Watch...out...for...the...dogs! A faint chuckle can be heard amidst his heavy breaths.
Tarek reaches the hounds, by Eloriand, and takes a swipe at the one to the west of his position. May Qi Zhong guide my hammer and bring a swift death to you, you stinking mongrel!
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A slight smile of satisfaction crosses Isador's lips upon seeing the arrow catch the dog's hind quarters.
He moves forward to get within 30 feet of the dogs to take advantage of his ability to fight in close proximity and also to try and hit a lung or other vital spot.
Eyeing the closest mutt, he draws back the arrow and takes a slow breath before releasing the string.
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I hope that Caoilte does not, but it might be funny to see him run around in circles with a with foaming beard. If they pee on you Caoilte, you better be looking for a bath, cause the only thing that smells worse than wet dog, is wet dog mixed with pee. OH!! better watch out for the dog poop as well. be nothing worse than slipping and sliding in a nice hot dog pile and messing up your armor.
Once I felt the cold ray launch i stepped forward, coming up on Eloriand's side, my gladius prepared to strike as I pulled from the energy within...pooling and then releasing some of the stored arcane energy into the forged carbon steel blade, feeling its weight lesson and its balance improve.
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I listen to the glorified lumber jack and my mind goes through a mental check list of bodily fluids that could be worse than piss....blood..., nope....brain fluid...nope...snot...nope...spit...maybe if not shared with a beautiful woman in a kiss...and then I say out loud...[b] oh by the love of Iommedae and Aroden, ....Caoilte...that is just plain NASTY....[\b]
I had heard of a lot of nasty things that folks did in private,and I just shake my head, prepared to lash and stab out.
The pack of wild dogs press their attack on the party!
The first dog to notice Kat reacts to the sudden appearance of Eloriand by trying to bite the half elf ranger. Eloriand left his right flank dangerously exposed with the last swing and the dog's bite sinks deep into Eloriand's side, taking a decent chunk from Eloriand's side.
Havelockk summons his arcane might and shoots a stream of frost into the fray! The mutt he targets moves out of his targeting range and what was an otherwise dead on shot misses its mark, leaving a steaming frost patch on the ground
Tarek draws on his powerful faith and brings his heavy warhammer down onto the wounded mongrel, caving in the dog's skull with a sickening crunch.
Eloriand grimaces in pain but attempts to fight off the hounds. His swing, no doubt hampered by his significant wound, misses the mark.
Kat fires of a shot into the scrum. She manages to nick the middle dog causing a tiny whelp of pain to emit from the beast.
Caoilte finally reaches the fight and slams his axe into the lead dog, cleanly slicing the mutt's head off.
Isador draws a bead on the last dog, missing it by a mere inch.
The laggard canine, losing it's pack members senses that it is overmatched. It withdraws and heads off into the debris of Cairnlands.
The battle won, the party now stands at the base of the Fallen Fortess.
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Kat shakes her head as she returns to the group, Remind me to never get between you two, she nods towards Caoilte and Tarek when things become physical... at least during a fight...
She takes a look at the nasty wound Eloriand took trying to help her and shakes her head again before holding her hands up. I have no talent with healing so it would be best if I stay out people's way. Instead I will take the time to scout the periphery of this place while attempting to not tromp through too many tracks.
The red takes a look at the pool of blood seeping into the earth under the stumpy neck of one of the dogs, Had I suspected we would have run into hungry mutts I would have definitely made sure to break in my new pack. As it was, they probably caught the scent of the leather baking in the sun and went Ooh, hey, cow! followed by Ooh, hey, KITTY! Om nom nom nom.
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Isador inclines his head towards Eloraind.
Are you alright? That bite looks pretty deep and, from what I witnessed in the Coins District, a bite is worse than a wound from a blade or arrow.
Glancing to Caolite upon hearing his thoughts on inspecting the stomach contents of the dogs.
Good idea Caoilte, I will take the other one. The quicker we get this done, the sooner we will get into the tower.
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Be wary near the tower! A section still looks fairly unstable! I'd hate to see someone take a nasty knock on the head, by a falling stone, and be out of commission.
Tarek then turns his attention to the male elf with the nasty bite. The beast did latch on to you fairly well. It is good you were wearing armor or he may have run off with a piece of you in his mouth.
Tarek examines the wound more closely. If you don't mind, I can offer some assistance with that wound? I fear it may become infected if we do not treat that immediately. Tarek removes his pack and rummages inside for a few ointments and herbs. I will apply a few herbal treatments just in case it is need. This may sting a bit, but after that bite I am sure you can handle it. Attempting a little bedside distraction, Tarek casually talks with the elf. I don't think I caught your name and maybe you can fill me on the rest of the group as well? I met Havelockk at the Paunch and Caoilte introduced himself, but the others did not get the chance.
I think that is about all I can do for any possible infection. That bite is far too deep for just a bandage. I fear if you go inside, with a wound like that, it will continue to bleed. We will need you on your feet and alert as possible. Tarek closes his eyes, lays one hand on his amulet and the other on the wound at the elf's side. He whispers a prayer, calling forth the power of his deity.
The wound looks to have healed well. Tarek examines the elf's side. It still may feel a little tender to the touch, but that should go away shortly. Oh, there is one more thing! Tarek hands the elf a small wad of leaves. Place this in your mouth and chew it. Swallow the juices, but not the leaves. You may spit it out after about an hour. It should help with any infection, just in case I may have missed something. Once we enter that tower, I may not be able to administer such focused care. Tarek then smiles slightly and lightly, but firmly, strikes the elf on the shoulder. Now up with you! You have been lounging for far too long. It is time to do some exploration.
Tarek then places all of his gear back in the pack and readies himself to enter the tower.
Caoilte and Isador examine the area the dogs were just before attacking the party. They see no carcass or other food. They mangey animals looked to have been ravenous, probably why they set upon the party in the first place
Tarek channels the power of his god into the wounded Eloriand. As the positive energy strikes Eloriand's wound, the once bleeding deep bite slowly evaporates into nothing, leaving a a few bite marks in Eloriand's armor, but completely uninjured skin beneath. With the healing magic applied, Tarek is confident Eloriand's wound is healed and poses no further risk of infection so he saves his readied healing pack for a future use.
Kat does a search of the perimeter and discovers no additional hostile forces in the immediate area. AS she does her lap, she examines the tower. She can see that is some 80 feet high and the masonry is of the finest quality. As she further scrutinizes the bricks, she notices that the masonry work is so precise, that the walls are nearly perfectly smooth making any attempt to scale the walls fairly difficult.
The tower looms ominously before the party now, a century old mystery opened to for the first time to the outside world.
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Eloriand, you look none the worse for wear and tear and is very fortunate that Tarek is with us to make sure that you don't suddenly break out in a white foaming beard and jibber on like a goblin at a bonfire
I sigh in relief, know first hand how dangerous a bite from a rabid animal can be...let alone any animal's bite that can sometimes cause the blood in the body to boil and to cook the brain of a man.
I remember a time....when our priests and healers were exhausted...and we had a legionary brought in to the hospital tent with a very advanced stage of rabies...he had lost all that makes him human, and his brain was boiled like a cabbage in a stew pot...a shame really becasue we later found out that had he come to his leaders, or to one of the healers rgiht away he could have been treated...instead..all we could do was administer him some poppy syrup and then as quickly and cleanly as possible administer him the last act....and set his soul free.
I look around the fortifications....they are truly impressive and would have been a real dastardly thing to assault...I look at the breach trying to see what could have breached while peering in.
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As soon as the battle was over, Eloriand immediately took off his pack and took out his healers kit. He knew he was in trouble and may need to make his way back to the city if the wound was as bad as he thought it was. Tarek approached and offered his help. In pain, Eloriand graciously accepts the strangers assistance.
As Tarek worked on Eloriand's wound, he asked about the names of the other party members. Eloriand pointed out each person in the party and spoke their name. As far as Eloriand was concerned, Tarek was a welcome member of the party and should know everyone's name. Before he knew it, Eloriand's wound had completely healed. Oh .... you are a god healer! I have never actually witnessed a god healing before. Thank you.
After Tarek helped Eloriand up off the ground, Eloriand retrieved his bow from where he left it lay. They walked back to the rest of the party.
Speaking to Havelockk, Yes, Tarek fixed me up real good. He is a god healer you know ..... no foaming white beards here.
Eloriand will attempt to continue his tracking effort near the entrance before the rest of the party tramples any remaining evidence.
If humans are involved the total would be 16.
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Tarek examines the towering structure and thinks back to his dream and what he could remember that may prepare him. He runs his hand along the smooth walls of the structure as if making sure it is real and not a figment of his imagination.
Tarek waits for everyone to gather in preparation to enter the tower. I would like to offer some divine aid, to those who wish it, before anyone enters the tower. It is not a powerful spell and it's duration is short, but it may give you a slight edge over anything that you may encounter as you enter. I need to lightly touch you as I bestow this blessing upon you. You may feel a slight surge of energy and an increased awareness, but there should be no unusual effects.
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Tarek, I would be honor to receive any aid in this venture amongst us...so long as it comes from a noble and true source..which I am sure it is...Aroden and Iomedae, whom I often beseech will not mind at all
I look the holy man in the eye and just as when we drank ale, I can see nothing but truth and honor in his ways...I pause and bow my head in respect...at least that is what I hope is communicated before venturing forth...awaiting his touch and blessing...
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I’ll accept your boon, Tarek. Caoilte says while looking at the tower. Turning to Tarek he says but if this turns out to be any sort of soul-stealing mumbo jumbo I’m going to use this. showing his axe to make your head look like my ass. He then smirks You can see what It’s done to Izzy.
So how are we getting into this thing? Through the hole in the wall? That’s what I’m thinking anyway.
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Isador shoots a quick smile to Caoilte after hearing the axe remark.
Come now Caoilte, there is no need for petty jealousy. Just because I am so much better looking than you doesn't mean that you need to get so testy.
He then turns to Tarek.
Thanks for healing Eloriand, it seems to have removed all signs of the wound.
As for the Divine Aid, I thank you for the offer but I will pass for now. Perhaps later we can discuss your faith in more detail but until I am sure that I am not risking my soul I will refrain from accepting aid from a foreign deity.
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Isador looks around the group and then back at Havelockk.
I think Red is already inside the tower having a quick look.
I suggest we wait here for her to report.
Unless of course we hear a lot of screaming and cursing... then I think You and Caoilte should charge in to save the day or clean up whatever is left after being pricked by Red's arrows.
Eloriand checks the area for tracks and discovers that there has indeed been traffic in front of the breach. At least one human, and his tracks lead to the breach.
As the party gathers, Kat slips into the breach to scout the area. She sees nothing out fo the ordinary, other than the fact that she is walking in a near ancient recently unsealed siege tower of unknown origin. Kat reports her findings to the party and they enter the tower en masse. Once inside, they fan out and search the perimeter of the courtyard.
Havelocck checks out the south chamber, but the way has been completely covered by rubble and is impassable.
There is a opening to a chamber on the north of the courtyard. Peering into the opening, all Eloriand can see is darkness.
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Tarek looks around the courtyard. Other than the recent activity, I wonder how long it has been since anyone has stood in this courtyard? He touches the stone wall and finds fascination with the architecture of the ancient structure.
It seems we have but one option to explore this tower. I think it is wise to continue letting the scouts examine the entrance and the safety of the structure. I will provide divine assistance to those who have accepted the offer just prior to each of you entering the doorway.
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Anybody see anything in there? Gimme a minute before all move in to light up my wayfinder. Caoilte moves toward the northern door with his shield and axe ready. Tarek, if you haven't figured this out yet, the general idea is to let the uglies run into me. I chop them and the rest of you chop them too. They get tired of beating on me, getting shot with arrows and watching Izzy do his hair. Then they die. It works.
Kat heads into the north wing, slipping into darkness.
The northern wing of the tower seems to have escaped the worst effects of the collapse, but rubble still litters the floor and everything is covered in a thick layer of stone dust. Thick cobwebs cloak the ceiling and hang down the walls like gossamer tapestries. A single archway stands open in the southwest wall.
As Kat crosses the threshold, she finds the room be to as dark as it appeared and the ground to be completely covered in rubble making movement very difficult. Once in the room, she hears a small hissing sound and is suddenly struck by a sticky stringy substance, a web! The web encases Kat, entangling her.
The battle begins!
Initiative
- Kat
- Eloriand
- Isador
- Tarek
- Havelockk
- Spider
- Caoilte
Initiative
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Balls of a... As she attempts to escape the webbing she lets out a flurry of colorful curses in a wide array of languages. The red ends it in common at a near shout with I The tone of voice carried through the archway conveys her loathing of the arachnids quite clearly.
As she attempts her escape she looks around to see if there are more than the one that ensnared her as well as if it would be more advantageous to try and lead it to the courtyard once she was free.
Tarek touches each of his companions on the shoulder and whispers softly. May Qi Zhong guide you and keep your senses clear.
He watches the female elf slip through the doorway and disappear into the darkness..And may the gods be with you as well.
School divination; Level cleric 0, druid 0
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 minute or until discharged
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes
This spell imbues the subject with a touch of divine guidance. The creature gets a +1 competence bonus on a single attack roll, saving throw, or skill check. It must choose to use the bonus before making the roll to which it applies.
I was looking under "casting spells" and the category of "holding a charge". I was not completely sure what they were describing but it mentioned this: "You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full round action." I wasn't sure if it was saying I could store up to 6 charges and release them on 6 separate friends or if I was not in combat that I could use 6 different touch spells on allies.
If Tarek can only cast once this round then he will follow the order of initiative and cast on Havelokk first, since at the time of casting he would be unaware of the situation taking place in the other room.