Oh, are you sure? 'Cause we've got, like, 90 people in there, I think?
Yeah, um.... It's a 12-screen movie theater.... I think we can squeeze 'em in somewhere!
Todd grins at Daisy....
I don't like hanging around here. We should get moving.
Mahatma nods to Koran, and places his trunk in Levinson's hand, suddenly becoming his miniature marble figurine form once again, resting lightly in Levinson's palm.
What do ya think, compadres? Should we take the refugees to the movies, or what?
MJ scratches his chin and looks to the others....
anywhere is better than this god forsaken place.
this is not the best place for this conversation. We are too exposed.
"Still, I'm loathe to leave this tower unmolested for even a short while. I will go with the majority opinion."
Radsworth pulls one of the CLW wands from his pack.
"Why don't you take this one Arthur, it's rejected my attempts to use it anyhow. I hadn't noticed your wounds until now. Even the strongest wall can crumble a chip at a time."
And this wall has been bein' chipped at for a while now.
Koran slaps derrik heartily on the back. But even as he jokes around the others can tell he is on edge.
Right! Let's move the party inside, to the office where our merry band of space cadets is playing the biggest, weirdest game of Twister ever....
MJ heads back inside....
Once back in the relative cover and safety of the ground floor office where the 90 refugees sprawl about on the floor, The FOs consider their next move. Should they keep the refugees where they are until they have defeated all enemies in The Silver Tower? Or, should they entrust the refugees' safety to Todd Smith and his friends at the Royal Palms cinema a few blocks to the east?
BTW, here are Chesterfield's stats for your info, Radsworth....
Chesterfield, top hat of mental superiority +6, Lawful Good; dedicated to defending the human race; Intelligence 20; Ego 30; acts as any kind of greater metamagic rod 3/day; acts as any bag of tricks 3/day; Knowledge (arcana, history, local, nature, religion) +15; can cast fly 3/day;
allows the wearer to ignore the penalties of one prohibited school of arcane magic, chosen when spells are memorized each day.
And Mahatma's stats for Levinson's info....
Mahatma, marble elephant figurine of wondrous power that summons an albino elephant with the advanced template, Int 20, Ego 28, Lawful Good, with Knowledge (arcana, history, nature, planes, religion) +15, and can cast haste 3/day, heal 3/day, fly 3/day, and greater magic fang 3/day.
I'm okay with sending these people off to the theater with Todd and Granny Smith. I think they would be safer there than they would be here, and we wouldn't have to leave team members to watch over them....
A sound argument, sir.... I agree with this fellow here....
Chesterfield tilts in MJ's direction briefly before straightening up on Radsworth's head....
What say you, my Lady Levinson? Do you trust these people you rescued to guide so large a group to safety? asks Mahatma in his small, tinny voice....
Whether you send these people along with us or not, Granny and I would like to return to the theater as soon as possible.... My father will probably have a search party out looking for us soon.... We were taking a walk on Main Street when we were abducted by those creeps you just killed.... Dumb of us, I know.... Won't be taking any walks by ourselves again....
Radsworth frowns, remembering Lido Key and the small community they had set up there when he first arrived to the team. Splitting up their power was a terrible idea, it endangered the Fierce Ones and that was unacceptable. Unfortunately...
"I agree with MJ. Splitting our power puts us at unnecessary risk. Either we encounter an enemy at less than full power or a small number of us are at risk to be overwhelmed. If not us, who remains to fight the enemy? Just remember, we run the risk of another Lido Beach massacre, any time we gather survivors without a guardian."
"Lido Beach Massacre"?.... Sounds terrible....
Daisy looks uneasy as she tries to imagine whatever horror her new companions faced on Lido Beach to earn such a title....
Yeah, sounds like you guys have seen some terrible things happen to survivors you've encountered....
Radsworth nods, then removes his hat as a force of habit. He quickly realizes he's groping a living creature, then replaces it on top his head with a muttered apology.
"Lido Beach was our first mission. The team was much different then, only Koran, Derrik, and I remain. We were salvaging supplies and came across a large tribe of cannibals inhabiting resort hotels. After subduing them, we found they were being influenced by some of Cthulu's minions. We liberated them, established law... I even adopted the youngest of them. We left after a joyous celebration. When we stopped in to check on them again, not even a month later... a large number of the population had been killed in an attack... heads on spikes...women missing..."
He sighs.
"We brought the few survivors back to our initial base, but were tracked through a spell put on Koran. We were attacked and more people died. When we fled to the tribes...we abandoned any hope of establishing Lido as an outpost of humanity. It was a lesson well learned. It's also what drove us to your people, Daisy."
I would hate for that to happen to these people.... But I think you are right about not dividing our strength, Professor Radsworth.... We should escort them to the theater as a group, and inspect the theater's defenses....
Koran growls quietly when Radsworth mentions Lido and walks a good distance away from the group.
Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a better option. We need to press forward... Todd how well armed are your people?
The professor reaches down to her side and grabs her revolver. After reloading the fired chambers, she looks between the heirloom and the young man.
Take the people back with you to the movie theatre and keep them safe. As soon as we have finished here, I'll come back to check on you all.
She hands the weapon to Todd, I expect to get this back. Be safe, and do what needs to needs to be done to protect these people. They are in great need of kindness and protection now.
Derrik lets out a sigh.. knowing that if he attempted to continue in his current state there was a good chance he would no longer rise. He takes the wand that Radsworth offers and seems to easily use the magicks inside.
At the mention of the Massacre he tenses and leans low
" That was my fault.. when I was much weaker.. and one of the reasons.. I must become stronger and stronger. so that evil's minions.. will think twice to strike at innocents. I must atone for every life lost there. Todd.. Tell your people that there is a group, our group, Who opposes this master in the Silver tower. and that one way or another.. It will be liberated. And He will be Destroyed. That there are people who still care... Go to your people. become something more.. you have already showed the courage of a great warrior. "
Derrik draws Excalibur and grips it tight
" Fierce Ones.. Are you ready to assault this place once again? "
MJ claps a hand on Derrik's shoulder, grinning with inspiration at the modern-day knight-in-shining-armor's words....
Hell yeah!! Let's kick some ass, King Arthur!
Todd accepts the revolver from Levinson, and looks at it reverently....
I'll put this to good use, ma'am, and guard it with my life until you come to reclaim it.... Thank you!
At Derrik's inspiring words, Todd seems to straighten up and swell with pride until he is an inch or two taller....
Thank you, sir! I will tell my people that The Fierce Ones won't stop until they've brought the evil monsters and their cult the doom they deserve!
Todd and Granny Smith patiently herd the large group of traumatized refugees away eastward toward the theater, bidding The FOs good luck and Godspeed.
The FOs resume exploration and clearing of The ST, returning to the east stair and ascending back up to the second level....
lets go. i shall scout ahead.
Yingzen moves ahead of the party, keen eyes scanning the shadows....
The others assume their usual marching order....
As the party approaches the spacious offices near the north end of the second level, they can make Perception checks vs DC 15....
Derrik seems to be in deep thought quieter than his normal ways. Though sense sharp as ever.
(No more than 15 min have passed since the last fight.)
Derrik hears voices coming from the large room ahead....
It sounds like at least two human voices, discussing the fact that the "Great Shark" and his "Barracudas" failed to return from their mission to assassinate the thorns in the Dread Master's side in the Everglades, and that said thorns likely relocated to another secret base somewhere....
As The FOs draw nearer, one of the voices seems somewhat less than human--deep and gravelly, almost a bestial growling....
The Great Shark was an unworthy fool, and a coward! He and his so-called "Barracudas" were all cowards who skulked in the shadows! Let me find out where these "thorns" are hiding, and I will flay them alive and feast on their flesh, in the name of Dread Cthulhu!
A woman's voice speaks next:
Is that so, Great Kraken? How do you intend to find them? They left no trail around their abandoned base in the Everglades, as though they'd flown away....
GRRRRRR!! Do not doubt that I will find them, wench! The Great Stingray will find them in his scrying pool, sooner or later....
Perception check to detect The FOs approach
*SNIFF-SNIFF* A group of armored strangers approaches! Ready yourself for battle, wench!
Initiatives, please....
Initiative
Initiative
Initiative
*SNIFF-SNIFF!* GRRRR!!! I smell 'em, too, master!
*SNIFF-SNIFF!* ARRRRRRRG!!! I smell Tengu! Fresh meat!!
Initiative
Sounds like they're on to us, fellas! Heheh!
Initiative
Mikey, you're enjoying this a bit too much, I think!
The element of surprise lost, Radsworth decides to use a bit of the magic he had been holding in reserve. He starts drolling the words of transmutation, incantations each ending with the start of the next. On his initiative, a haste spell is bestowed upon his allies within range, to include at least Derrik, MJ, and Koran in that order.
A hasted creature gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
All of the hasted creature's modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject's normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature's jumping distance as normal for increased speed. Multiple haste effects don't stack. Haste dispels and counters slow.
" There are at least two, possibly one of the Women from before and one other.. I assume a brute.. be prepared for more if need be.. Lets rout them like the filth they are "
Derrik Readying himself for imminent combat as they enemy had seemed to notice their presence as well.
This will be a battle to remember!
Argh, you can't takes five steps around here with out stepping on some cultist or another!
[dice=Initiative]1d20+2
Argh, you can't takes five steps around here with out stepping on some cultist or another!
The barghests are evil outsiders....
During the time of sitting around, once Kepler's buffs wore off, Levinson dismissed the eidolon in favour of another approach.
Out of spells to buff Kepler, the summoner turns her attention to other sources of fighting power reaching out into the ether and planes beyond.
Following a deafening crack of lightning, a figure appears beside the cultists crouched on the ground before slowly rising to its massive height. A human-like figure with a head of a great black dog stands garbed like an ancient Egyptian warrior and carrying a shining great sword in one hand.
The Augmented Hound Archon emits a crushing aura filling the room.
Derrik!
Great Kraken!
Mikey Jay!
Radsworth!
Daisy!
Cultist!
Levinson! Hound Archon!
Barghests (2)!
Kailin Kros!
Koran!
TBD Yingzen!
Eeeeek! Eeeeek!
he speaks quietly to the group
I shall join the shadows and strike
Yingzen seems to vanish in the shadows beside a work station that forms one side of the open doorway the enemies will likely come through, positioning the Tengu swordmaster for a deadly sneak attack....
(Yingzen can stealthily move to the shadows beside the door as a single move, allowing him to ready a sneak attack against any foe that comes past his hiding spot, if he wishes....)