Azayzel ducks the flying iron, only taking some damage 1 fire damage (half, and then half again for Tiefling fire resistance) and then 3 bashing.
Ashi and Torith, are you still with us?
Even in her enraged state, the 'demon's appearance startles Ashi. It's strength and ferocity amazes her. Twisting and turning , she tries to roll with the cage that imprisons her, hopefully allowing it to pass over and not through her...
Alright, Azayzel and Ashi make it. You've been freed from your cages. There's nothing stopping you form heading east now.
It's round three you are free to act, including Torith.
The room to the east of the cage trap has an exit to the north, and open door to the east with Torith standing not too far in that room, sounds like he's talking to someone. There's a stone in the middle of the room, sitting in front of it is a burning pile of twisted iron cages with a screaming child trapped beneath them.
Torith tuns toward the child. His eyes glow red. Gritting his teeth, he attempts to pull the cages off the child
Azayzel looks around, confused over what has jus happened. Then shakes of the pain and rushes the door. "I don't know what's happening here, or what that 'thing' was, but we seem to have stumbled onto something strange down here."
Ashi throws off a piece of cage then looks sideways into the room, the screaming of the child piercing her mind, enraging her further.
With a growl , she runs into the room and begins to hurl pieces of cage from on top the child...
Filled with fury Ashi pulls the twisted metal debris and stone rubble off the child. Having been crushed and burned the child is in bad shape, but his injuries do not appear to be fatal.
Once the child is pulled to safety. Three men in leather armour, with scimitars in hand appear in the eastern door. Their armour all bears this on their chests.
"Ok, you three put your weapons down nice and slow. None of you need to get hurt here," says the man in the lead.
Torith attempts search his memories, looking for any mention of that symbol
Standing over the stricken child, Ashi looks at the newcomers through slitted eyes, her breath coming in bellows. She allows the rage to dissapate, as if it escaped her on her breath.
Taking one last deep breath, she looks down at the child, then back at the men, "None of you need hurting, either. Explain what just happened here." she says bluntly, noting the crest on their chests, making no move to remove her weapons.
Azayzel measures up the opponents, then does the same with the 2 Dragonborn Barbarians. He shows a content smirk. "Looking over the stature of our 2 groups, I like our odds! Perhaps you would like to re-evaluate your implied actions. You are correct after all, no one needs to be harmed needlessly. By who's authority are you acting?"
The Cult of the Black Earth appeals to those who draw their fortunes from the earth—directly or indirectly. torith has heard tales of these cultists in the mountains but has never faced them.
Ashi, scratches her brow and does not know the meaning of the symbol.
@Azayzel, make a charisma check, for intimidation, with advantage, and let's see how these guys react.
Torith shouts. These are evil men, members of a cult that destroys non worshipers Torith then breathes fire on the area in front of the men, to serve them a warning
A little surprised by Torith's rash action, "Would that be the cherry of top? Do any of you produce fire from your mouth? I ask again, are you sure you are committed to an altercation with us?"
The three men run from the room back through the east door.
That leaves you with the injured boy, a door to the north, the door to the east and the door to the west which you just came through.
Ashi crouches down beside the injured boy, looking at him quizzically. "Why did the demon want to injure you, boy?" she asks.
The little boy, perhaps 11, lies on the ground, his limbs a twisted mockery of how they should be, his skin burned and pitted from melting iron says: "Avenge me." Then he passes out, his breath ragged.
Ashi looks down on the ragged boy, a frown furrowing her brow, "Avenge you? " she asks the unconsious figure. Looking up at the others, she says, "Hardly the words of a boy. Something strange is going on here. I doubt very much, whether this is a real boy. Look at his injuries, no mere boy could survive such. I fear we tread in dangerous affairs. "
A middle-aged man in common looking clothes rushes in from the eastern door. This is the same man that Torith encountered in the room to the east. "Quick! Run! Get out of here! They're coming back to kill you!" he points back behind him, you hear the boots of half a dozen men coming towards you.
Torith walks to Ashi, and calls out to the rest of the party. I don't know about you, but I don't run from evils. I fight them. Is anyone helping?
Ashi frowns, then stoops and scoops up the boy.
"Come," she says calmly to Torith, "Do you fight stupidly? Against the odds. Retreat and we can fight your evils another time. We must discover what is happening here. We cannot do that if we are dead."
She motions to the man to precede her and begins to trot back out of the tunnel with her ravaged cargo.
At that point six men bearing the armour with the symbol run in, the same three form before and three new ones, plus the half orc from before.
This point you can turn and run, or you can fight and we'll roll initiative, but if you want to just run, you have to say so before we roll.
Torith looks confused and angry. He looks like he wants to object, then see's the boy in Ashi's arms. Motioning Ashi to go in front of him, he starts to run, but only after breathing fire on the area behind him to stop the men from coming
The blast of flame covers your escape as you flee form the tunnels. You escape back to the town above.
Roll a dexterity check for stealth if you want ot try to hide in the abandoned town, or let me know what other course of action you might prefer.
Ashi hurries up the ramp to the town. She then looks about for somewhere to avoid detection from their pursuers...
She see's a likely place, "Hurry, in here." she hisses to the others...
Tortih attempts to silently run after Ashi
Azayzel trips, but Torith grabs him by the collar and hauls him in to the loft that Ashi had found.
You pull the shutter closed behind you, and as you do you hear the voices of the cultists shouting outside. "Find them! Larrakh will put us on the altar next if witnesses escape!"
The ysearch the town, but thanks to the baking heat there are no tracks for them to follow. After about an hour they stop their search and return to the tunnels below.
The small boy groans and whimpers in Ashi's arms. You are uncertain how serious his injuries are, but as night looms you wonder if he will survive until morning.
Torith kneels down to the boy, closing his eyes and calling upon his divine power
The boy coughs and opens his eyes. "Thank you my strange friends, you have made an ally this day."
He tries to sit up but is too weak. "I guess I still need some rest. My name is Braelen and with your help I would like to rescue the townsfolk of Red Larch who, as we speak, are being sacrificed in the halls below."
We... At least, I shall help. On a side note, you seem mature for a boy your..... how old are you?
Ashi crosses her arms and regards the boy, "The townspeople, sacrificed you say? Dark times...." she mutters, "First, explain the demon that attacked you....and why."
"You have the right of it I cannot fool you. My name is actually Brealen Starmantle. I am an ancient being from beyond your world. I came here to try and stop the spread of the elemental cults, but I gave up too much of my power to enter your world. This has left me as a defenseless child. I know not why that demon attacked me. I suspect someone summoned it for some task and that I was a simple bystander. If the demon knew my true form it would surely have slain me, weak as I am in this form. It's up to you now to rescue the villagers. Every moment that passes there are more falling under the sacrificial knife of Larrakh, the Earth Cultist. If they succeed in sacrificing the entire town it will allow them to create a devastation orb, a weapon of incredible power. Please save the townsfolk." At that the child faints away.
Let's go at once! Torith peaks outside, looking for any cultists
Ashi shakes her head , "Such pain and suffering...for what? "
She then looks up at Torith, and says "Yes, once more downward. What say you Azayzel?"
Torith looks around and sees no cultists out on the streets. The town is once again abandoned.
Torith sneaks outside and heads in the direction of the tunnels
Heading over towards the entrance to the tunnels Torith sees there are now two guards stationed outside. The entrance is a cellar door behind a shed, so by sneaking around the shed there is a good chance the guards could be taken by surprise.
Torith attempts to sneak around the shed
Pretty good, torith is in position behind the shed, with luck he should be able to take both guards without drawing any attention.
Torith picks up a small pebble and throws it into view of the guards, hoping to attract their attention. He silently beckons for Ashi and Azayzel to come forward. He then draws his battleaxe and readies his shield
Ashi watches as Torith makes his way out into the town, keeping track of his progress.
Seeing his discrete wave, she gathers her gear, checks on Brealen once more, then makes her way to join Torith.
Ashi is less successful with her stealth, but the good news is that she draws the guards attention towards her.
Torith is able to slip up behind them and take advantage. Torith go ahead and roll an attack with advantage for your first round while i get the map set up.
Sorry folks. I've had some problems with the map. Let's just old school this for the time being, this is a simple two-on-two brawl.
Initiative:
Round 1
Torith comes out around the corner and slams the cultist in the chest. He's only wearing leather armour and he grunts from the impact, but he turns and glares at Torith with murder in his eyes.
Round 2
Toright and Ashi go get 'em these guys have a pile of HP but their AC is only 11.
Torith advances, his shield covering his body, than swings his axe at the Cultists chest!
Ahsi rushes forward, her axe raised high, eyes blazing at the chance to strike at these that would harm the innocents of this village.
Torith's bold advance draws attention but he misses the cultist.
Ashi swings in and and the thug hops back just in time to avoid the axe strike to his leather armour, but he's left winded by the dodge.
Going last are the cultist guards.
Each faces one of you, each has taken damage. They each attack twice with their maces.
Torith takes a hit, but Ashi's opponent had lost his footing and was unable to recover in time to strike effectively.
Round 3
You are up again.