The door to the west seems safe enough, and Cepsihir quietly opens it. Beyond is a long hallway, lit by torches along the walls. The hallway extends perhaps 50' and then turns left, widening into a room before narrowing again. The group advances advance quietly, Cepsihir in the lead, and turn the corner. The room has faint bloodstains on the floor, but it otherwise featureless. Farther down the hall there is a door on the left wall, and another terminating the corridor ahead.
Cepsihir listens at the door on the left wall, and hears a very faint scraping noise, and an even-fainter low groaning sound that rises and fades. This door is locked, but does not appear to be trapped or warded in any way.
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Cepsihir nods at Pavanna in acknowledgement. He points to the locked door, cups a hand to his ear, and scratches his left palm with his right claw. Cepsihir follows up by pointing at himself, and mimes as though he were picking a lock.
Once the point is across, Cepsihir points at his eyes, then at the door to the South, wanting to press on.
Cepsihir opens the southern door quietly, revealing a chamber beyond. The room's main feature is a stout wooden ladder in the corner, anchored and leading up to a trap door in the cieling. There are some bits of broken furniture scattered about, as well as piles of clothes and rags. Ahead, the corridor continues east, still lit by torches.
As you examine the room more closely, you find several outfits of undoubtedly dwarven style amongst the rags, probably enough for 3 individuals. They are among the most recent additions to the piles of material strewn about the room, but you find nothing else of interest.
Continuing down the passage, with Cepsihir in the lead, you come to another room which shows more recent signs of life. Here, the furntiure and chairs are in reletively good condition, and several casks and kegs are piled against the walls.
Examining the room's contents, the casks are cheap brandy, with a couple of large kegs of ale, obviously relatively recently delivered to the inn. The northern door is also locked, and Cepsihir hears nothing through it. Based on your explorations, there is obviously a central block to the cellar yet to be explored beyond the locked doors.
As you regroup and decide your course of action, there is a slight grinding sound, and a section of wall in the northwestern corner of the room suddenly swings outward! The room beyond is not lit, but the torchlight reveals a large, misshapen humanoid in the portal, with distorted limbs and a skin almost like molten wax. Hovering behind the creature is a large insect of some sort with a bloated humanoid torso and face. The insect-man's face distorts in rage, its two-foot tongue flicking out like a serpent's, and the humanoid blob lets out a wordless roar!
Initiative order is Scorpions, Pavanna, the fly, Diana, Cepsihir, the Blob-man, Krystiana, Ossok. There is no surprise round, so Round One has begun!
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"A pair of devils! Draw silver and kill the flying one first!"
Cepsihir will wait for the creatures to move from the room so he can attempt to flank one with an ally. During his move, he will draw his scimitar and use his Spell Strike ability to deliver a charge of Chill Touch (2/3 remaining), and hopefully a sneak attack, with his scimitar.
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Pavanna looks at the devils and smiles briefly. Clearly displaying her holy symbol of Asmodeus, she says "Hold yourselves before an agent of Asmodeus' will. We can come to some form of mutually beneficial deal, I am certain of it."
Diplomacy:
Round 1
A wand appears in Scorpion's hand, and he invokes its magic. Dropping the wand, he moves up to the devil.
From behind Scorpion, Pavanna speaks to the creatures, first in the Common tongue and then in a complex, dark-sounding language. There is a flash of recognition from both of the devils, and some unseen communication between the two seems to occur.
The Fly flitters back into the darkened room beyond, watching intently but making no overtly hostile actions.
Diana readies her bow, wondering what the creatures are.
Cepsihir waits for an opening.
The Blob gives a low howl, and clearly wants to attack Scorpion, but restrains itself for the moment, presumably under some silent command from the Fly.
Krystiana prepares to leap into the fray if hostilities break out.
Ossok readies his greataxe, waiting to see how things progress.
End of Round 1 - declarations for round 2, please. We are still treating this as combat since various spells with durations are active.
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Krystiana says to Diana, "उसके बारे में मेरा विश्वास क्षणभंगुर है. हम एक अनुबंध किया है पहले कदम की जरूरत है."
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Pavanna responds to the creature's question, "We are here in search of dwarves. Were you bid and bound to guard them, or to simply guard this place? Addas has bid us as welcome guests, inviting us under her roof, filling our bellies with her food, stabling for our animals."
Hissing omoniously, "ਮੈਨੂੰ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਡੇ ਭੈਣ ਕੇ ਕਾਫ਼ੀ ਸਵਾਗਤ ਹਨ ਭਰੋਸਾ. ਉਹ ਤੁਹਾਨੂੰ ਡਾਊਨ ਮਾਰ ਅੱਗੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਨਾਲ ਪੀਸ ਮਾਰ." and gestures towards Krystiana and Diana.
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Round 2
Scorpion waits, ready to attack if the situation turns hostile.
Pavanna continues to speak to the devils.
The Fly is about to respond to Pavanna's overture, when there is a shimmering in the air around her. Reality is torn open and a rain of hundreds of spiders pours through the gash, swarming over Pavanna and Cepsihir! The Fly smiles wickedly at Pavanna, and she hears the voice in her head: Sorry, dearie, but you'll need more than a silver tongue to get past me!
Cepsihir:
Pavanna:
Scorpion swings his greatsword at the blob devil, but misses.
Diana steps forward for a clearer shot and fires two arrows at the blob devil. Both arrows bounce off the creature's rubbery hide and clatter to the floor.
Cepsihir staggers out of the spider swarm, overwhelmed by the sheer number of arachnids crawling over him. He maneuvers past the chairs to back up Scorpion.
Krystiana charges forward and attacks the blob creature with her flail. the weapon is able to reach around the open door somewhat. Unfortunately, the weapon's head bounces off the devil's rubbery flesh.
The Fly laughs silently, and shifts its concentration to Scorpion. The floor becomes suddenly slick with slime, and Scorpion and Cepsihir find themselves fighting for balance. Scorpion maintains his balance, but Cepsihir's feet go out from under him, and he winds up flat on his back.
The Blob howls in rage and tears into Scorpion with both of its claws. Both claws leave red gashes across Scorpion's chest, and the devil howls with what may be pleasure.
Ossok looks at the crowd by the door, then back at the spiders. He pulls a flask from his belt and hurls it at the spider swarm. The flask explodes in a ball of fire, singing Pavanna but setting most of the spiders ablaze. An acrid smell begins to fill the room. Pavanna takes 1 point of fire damage, and the spider swarm takes 6 points of fire damage.
Pavanna, you still have your action for the turn.... we'll model this by putting you at the front of round 3 instead.
New initiative order: Pavanna, the swarm, Scorpion, Diana, Cepsihir, Krystiana, The Fly, the Blob, Ossok.
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Reflex save - Cepsihir: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20 Reflex save - Scorpion: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10 Scorpion maintains his balance, but Cepsihir's feet go out from under him, and he winds up flat on his back.
Cepsihir spends some time beating some stray spiders off of him, quickly turning his attention back to the fray.
Fine mess this is.
Cepsihir will position himself to get into a flanking position that requires the least danger (), imbue his scimitar with arcane energy, and swing at his foe.
No, sorry.
Round 3
New initiative order: Pavanna, the swarm, Scorpion, Diana, Cepsihir, Krystiana, The Fly, the Blob, Ossok.
Pavanna fills the room with the fell power of the Nine Hells.
- takes 2 damage
- takes 4 damage
- takes 4 damage
- takes 4 damage
The spider swarm is devastated by the energy blast, and the few survivors scuttle for safety up the walls and into small cracks in the floor.
Scorpion (NPC) swings his greatsword again at the blob devil. Again, the creature's rubbery hide prevents damage.
Diana fires a pair of arrows. The first one goes wide, but the second one sinks up to the fletching in the creature's forehead. There is a burst of foul odor and ichor from the creature, and it deflates almost like a balloon and crumples to the floor. It lays unmoving, oozing a greenish slime from the wound.
Cepsihir dances over the greased floor and through the opening created by Diana's arrow. Approaching the Fly, he closes his eyes breifly and imbues his sword with arcane power, and then slashes at the devil. - does not confirm. The fly recoils, wounded and surprised by this sudden turn of events, even though he seems resistant to Cepsihir's weapon.
Krystiana sees the changing situation and charges towards the door. unfortunately, she slips on the greased floor blocking the entranceway, and falls prone. She tries to pick herself up off the floor but slips again in the magical ooze.
The Fly snarls with rage, and snaps his jaws at Cepsihir ineffectively.
Ossok turns to Pavanna with a snarl. "Careful, little lady... Ossok not like that." He produces a wand from his belt and invokes its magic upon himself.
End of the round - declarations for Round 4 please!
Round 4
Pavanna draws a scroll and watches the action.
Scorpion charges through the opening and attacks the Fly despite the dim light in this chamber.
Diana maneuvers for a clear shot and fires a single arrow. The Fly dodges it, and focuses its gaze on the aasimar. Missed me, whelp of heaven!
Cepsihir tumbles past the Fly, seeking a flanking position. The Fly snaps at him as he moves past, drawing blood and leaving a sticky acidic residue on Cepsihir's arm. Badly injured, Cepsihir nonetheless reaches his chosen position and attacks, narrowly missing.
Krystiana tries to extricate herself from the slime-covered floor, but the foul-smelling goo prevents her from standing.
The Fly, realizing he is surrounded, tries to clear a path to an exit. He tries to bite Cepsihir again, misses, and flies off into the room.
Seeing the Fly drop his guard, Cepsihir and Scorpion both attack the fleenig creature. Alas, both attacks miss, and the Fly heads farther into the dark room.
Ossok (NPC), thinking quickly, drops his wand and tries to jump over the greased area and into the room. He continues into the room, circling around to cut off the fiend's escape route, and swings his greataxe. Again the Fly dodges, and laughs silently. Fools! You will all die here!
End of the round - declarations for Round 5 please!
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"Pavanna, this one could use Asmodeus' blessings!"
If Cepsihir receives healing prior to his turn (), he will continue to engage in melee, seeking flanks but certainly giving the Fly a wider berth.
If Cepsihir does not receive healing, he will shift 5' to give himself a better view of the Fly and cast Acid Splash (+6 ranged touch attack).