Merlin! up there. is it possible there is something guarding this cache of potions?
Quite possible, Krar.... Be wary as you enter.... Do any of you want light cast on your weapon?
Upon learning their next intention, underwater adventuring, Radsworth is somewhat disheartened. He spends some time with Professor Solomon trying to research spells that would be effective for such an environment. He requisitions a scroll of Touch of the Sea, then discusses with the others.
"I have a spell meant specifically for Derrik, Krar, and Koran. It allows full mobility underwater. For anyone that wants to shed their armor, I can augment you with arcane shielding. Outside of this, my usefulness underwater will be hampered greatly."
1st: Touch of the Sea x3, Shocking Grasp x2
2nd: Reach Spell Shocking Grasp, False Life, Blindness
3rd: Summon Monster III x2
Derrik looks around.. an odd feeling of.. familiarity sweeping over him. Is what Merlin says true? I feel.. comfortable with this place.. as if I've been here. Lulled into sense of wonder about it all.. the information all too mind-numbing and to him a bit ironic.
His musings cease.. as his trained eyesight catches movement ahead even during his most distracted times.. his eyes settle ahead and his hand grips tight upon Dawnbringer.. it beginning to glow like a torch.
" Up ahead it seems we might have a guest as Krar has said... be wary.. and Prepared my allies. Rad... Stick close to Kate. "
He creeps up to the structure Shield and axe in hand.
Somewhere in the distance, a lone bagpipe begins to play a mournful dirge, the strident notes echoing over the foggy loch and amid the craggy hills....
The stair that climbs to the open archway 20 ft up the ivy-clad front of the keep is broad enough for two to walk abreast, and the dark archway itself is about 8 ft wide and 12 ft high at the point of the arch. The space beyond is pitch dark.
Marching order as the party climbs the steps, please....
Hmmm.... I know that dirge.... You all fetch the potions.... You'll find them inside a coffer down in the cellar.... I'm going to go find that piper and see if it be someone I know.... I'll meet you here when you've retrieved the potions....
Without another word of explanation, Merlin turns northward and strides off, quickly seeming to vanish in a fast-rolling bank of fog blown in suddenly off the lake....
I wont be much help underwater either. merlin do you have any scrolls or potions that could be helpful other than the under water breath potions?
I wont be much help underwater either. merlin do you have any scrolls or potions that could be helpful other than the under water breath potions?
(Earlier, in answer to Mephos' query)
There may be a few other items of use stashed away in the cellar with the potions.... It's been over 16 centuries since I last checked, though....
Derrik and Koran lead the way up the stairs to the open archway, followed by Krar and Dwayne Lee, then Grimm and Kate, and finally Radsworth and Mephos. Acceptable marching order to all?
As Derrik and Koran pass under the archway into the dark hallway beyond, they are on high alert, and thus prepared for the ambush awaiting them....
Initiative, please!
The hallway beyond the entry archway is 10 ft wide, with a ceiling 20 ft high and perforated by a dozen small murder holes, and runs 20 ft east to another dark, open archway at the far end.
Clinging like spiders or monkeys to the corners near the ceiling just inside and flanking the archway are a pair of halfling-sized, dark-gray, scaly humanoids with long, rubbery limbs more like tentacles than arms and legs, ending in scaly claws that grip the stone walls with uncanny dexterity....
Derrik readies himself for the onslaught
Initiative
Initiative
Initiative
Krar!
Grimm!
Dwayne Lee!
Derrik!
Chokers!
Kate!
Koran!
Radsworth!
TBD: Mephos!
Eeeeek!
As the ambush is sprung by the chokers, The Fierce Ones storm the hallway, unsurprised, and the distant bagpipe dirge becomes an urgent fugue-like melody, suddenly joined in counterpoint by a high, shrill penny-whistle, and then a distant drumming takes up the rhythm, and then the hauntingly-gorgeous singing of a soprano voice takes up the melody, intoning an ancient Gaelic battle-chant....
Krar reacts most swiftly, and though he cannot currently see any enemies from his starting location on the stairs behind Derrik, he can pass through Derrik's square into the hallway without provoking AoOs from the flat-footed chokers, and make an attack against either choker, depending on whether he moves into the northern or southern square in the hallway....
After Krar and Grimm:
Dwayne Lee dashes past Derrik, Koran, and Krar, moving 20 ft into the hall, almost to the far archway.... Perception ....where he notices two more chokers clinging in the corners!
He fires his AR-15 at the one in the northeast corner.... ....dealing 10 piercing and bludgeoning damage! The choker shrieks in pain!
As soon as Grimm sees the unusual creatures, he recognizes their actions as an ambush. He launches a fire bomb from his bandolier precisely at them.
As soon as Grimm sees the unusual creatures, he recognizes their actions as an ambush. He launches a fire bomb from his bandolier precisely at them.
[Dice=Fire bomb] 1d20+7
[Dice=damage] 3d6+4
Grimm lobs his fire bomb back into the southeast corner of the hallway, directly hitting one of the chokers, which bursts into flames, shrieking and falling to the floor to writhe briefly before expiring with a bloodcurdling scream....
krar runs into the hall and slashes at the closest choker.
move action into hall.
standard action to two-handed attack
free action to rage
free action to take his hand of his sword
swift action to enter snapping turtle style
Derrik storms in like a metal-clad beast of destruction focusing his efforts on the same Choker Krar assaulted, swinging the glowing Dawnbringer in a sickeningly wicked arch.
But misses by a wide margin
krar runs into the hall and slashes at the closest choker.
[dice=attack]1d20+10
[dice=damage]1d8+7move action into hall.
standard action to two-handed attack
free action to rage
free action to take his hand of his sword
swift action to enter snapping turtle style
Krar's temple sword slices deeply into the choker in the northwest corner of the hall, drawing a screech of pain....
The choker in the northeast corner attacks Dwayne Lee....Claw , Claw ....but Dwayne Lee evades the choker's swings....
The choker in the northwest corner attacks Krar....
Claw , Claw ....
Slashing Krar for 5 damage, and grabbing fails....
The choker in the southwest corner attacks Koran....
Claw , slashing for 5 damage and grabbing vs CMD 22 ....
Slashing Koran for 4 damage, and grabbing hold of Koran's throat!
Right you are, sir.... Edited....
Kate fires her revolver at the choker in the southeast corner.... ....dealing 2 damage! The choker squeals!
Koran!
Radsworth!
Mephos!
Eeek! Eeek!
Koran bites and claws at the creature restraining him.
mephos raises his hand and shoots forth a ray of fire.
Koran bites and claws at the creature restraining him.
[dice=bite]1d20+10[dice=damage]1d6+7
[dice=claw 1]1d20+5[dice=damage]1d6+5
[dice=claw 2]1d20+5[dice=damage]1d6+5
[dice=crit?]1d20+10[dice=damage]1d6+7
The choker shrieks as Koran chomps down on its arm, the shriek briefly rising in pitch as the wild rager's claws rend the choker's sinewy body, and then the monster falls silent forever....
mephos raises his hand and shoots forth a ray of fire.
[dice=ranged touch]1d20+5[dice=fire damage]4d6
The choker at the southeast corner of the hallway is incinerated by Mephos' fiery ray!
Only the choker in the northwest corner still clings to life and the wall, and both tenuously at best....
Seeing that his comrades are quickly eliminating the ambushing chokers, Radsworth opts to conserve his arcane energies for potential later threats. He steps back down the stairs a few feet to give his more martial allies room to fight.
Krar!
Grimm!
Dwayne Lee!
Derrik!
Chokers!
Kate!
Koran!
Radsworth!TBD: Mephos!
Eeeeek!
Rinse and repeat! Eeeeek!
Round 2!
krar runs across the hall cutting off the chokers means of escape.
Grimm launches another bomb at him.
Grimm launches another bomb at him.
[Dice=Precise bomb] 1d20+7
[Dice=damage] 3d6+4
Grimm steps through the archway, looks up, sees the nasty little beast clinging in the corner, nails it with his firebomb, and it explodes in flames and falls to the stone floor, dead and burning.
The hallway is clear. It runs 30 ft east to another dark archway, which itself opens into a spacious chamber 50 ft wide and 20 ft from east to west, with a great fireplace in the east wall, and open doorways to chambers flanking the entry hall.
It is dark and gloomy, and a moldy smell hangs in the air in the chamber.
A stairway connects the three interior levels of the keep, situated just north of the archway that opens from the entry hall into the chamber. It ascends to an upper floor and descends to a cellar.