"They tasked us with your deaths and the return of one, alive. That was our "ticket" to an audience with Tribitz. Who knows if he'd actually honor the bargain, though."
"One alive...the rest dead. The question is which of us will have the biggest bang and how close can we get the "dead"?"
"I think that depends on our opening salvo. I would imagine noone would look askance at us carrying the "bodies" of our victims. One over each of Meathead's shoulfers, perhaps another carried by Malcolm or myself. The other question depends on your skills; arcane spells, divine magic, blades or arrows? We have some of each, and Felicitas is quite adept at increasing our combat effectiveness, while I can aid in defense fairly readily."
Teran speaks up, "I prefer making myself invisible, then flying near the ceiling where I can hide in the stalactite and use my spells, like a wall of fire and lightning bolts. I could boost some abilities before hand."
That is followed by Vertek, "I work best in the shadows not as sack spuds over a shoulder."
"Well, if you believe you can sneak in alongside us, more power to you. I don't know about their detection magic and countermeasures, but this hobgoblin seems like quite the paranoid fellow. Our team, along with some summoned allies, may be sufficient to hold off their moods and engage their chieftans, but the mix of powerful divine magic and a magical fighter type means unpredictable results."
"Chaos and it's best."
"Though just a spearman, I will add to the chaos, as seen in the crawling eyeworms of the Void."
"I think this will be an interesting alliance... and a lot of chaos!"
So let Teran cast a spell to determine a few locations to try to have the meeting occur in. We can stir the pot tomorrow."
"We'd you pick him up at?" The drow cleric asks about Meath'd. The begin ogre entertaining himself by smashing small bugs popping them in his mouth which is followed by licking a giant salt stick.
"We encountered a clan of ogres who felt they deserved our belongings more than we did. Meathead here turned out to be the wisest of the bunch and chose not to die unnecessarily. He has aided us in our journey greatly, especially with guiding us to the goblin city."
Meanwhile Meath'd cracks the one of python fangs and sucks the marrow out, his fat tongue wiggles in. this seems to entertain him as he releases it and lets it stick on his tongue. He moves it around in the air playfully.
"Loads of wisdom there, I see." She chuckles.
"To enjoy those fleeting moments of pleasure in between life's battles ...yes, much wisdom. "
"A wise ogre, like a 'small' mountain or 'mild' winter, must be taken in relation to its norm. But he has proven to be a true and constant companion, nonetheless."
Teran steps up after casting her arcane eye comes over and reports her findings:
"Well if we try to set up a meeting on the docks we would face those enemies on the ledges, but we'd have to limit the access from the side passage that Prudol's troops would come in from. Of course, the water would help us unless they have boats and there is an access to the underdark. I like that."
He pauses, "Then there are those stepping stones, attacking in the other half of the caves could provide escapes route."
"I'd trust Meath'd with my life. I'd slit your throat for a copper piece." That's what Desmond wanted to say, but instead he leaned against the wall and casually swept the room.
Grung watches Meat'd with interest.
That one'll eat anything
Kind of glad I didn't kill him after all.
"Well where do you suggest this grand battle take place?"
"The dock area with its overlooking ledges seems like a decent spot. There was a waiting area like space where they had us sit last time as well, a wide open space with plenty of ingress/egress points. I will have a wall of stone spell prepared as well as some creation magic, hopefully that will suffice to limit their reinforcements access."
Hey boss, mind patching this up when you are done?
"Boss? Ha. Of course, Grungsdi. Come closer."
CSW
"Either place works. So how do you want to approach this...Terran will go invisible and fly while Vertek will work the shadows."
"Ok. Let's hope for the waiting gallery, with the stepping stones room as a fallback. By any chance, does anyone have an available fly spell? Navigating the water will be difficult, and I would appreciate the increased mobility it would afford me. Sound off if you are injured, there won't be time to take care of that before we engage the goblins."
I'm ready.
"Rather than carrying one of us, let's have you capture two and walk us out....loosely tied."
"That sounds fine. Malcolm, Grungsdi, care to take point? Then our "prisoners", Meathead, and the rest? Remember, our primary target is Tribitz, but don't discount his minions. Who knows what fell powers their demon lord grants them."
Grung stretches and takes the lead.
Anyone got a spell to make me tougher?
Malcolm steps to the front.
"Yes, Grungsdi, but the duration is short. Perhaps you should take this instead, that way you can be sure to be affected as soon as possible."
Karnog hands Grungsdi a potion of bear's endurance.
Drink now?
"Again, if we could not all charge immediately that would be helpful. My explosions and tentacles take up space."
"Uh...no. Like I said, the spell will only last for a few minutes. I would hold onto it and drink it while Kalim, myself, and anyone else with big area magic prepare our battleground. Like Kalim said, we want to isolate Tribitz from his backup, prevent more from coming in, and take down or prevent the ranged attackers as much as possible. Stay close, keep in cover if possible, and let's focus our attacks on as few enemies as possible to bring them down fast and hard."
Karnog looks over the whole group and says a brief blessing in Dwarven.
"Any last minute questions?"
Grung loads his sling
Looking around Feliciats casts Heroism on herself.
The group emerges with it's two prisoners: Zerna the cleric and Filtau the fighter. You see the docks are packed with gaurds and there a large boat 20 feet off shore. On the boat are lined royal guards and you can make out the robes of at least three clergy members.
within the dock area you see there are four archers on the ledges and ground troops lining the cavern.
*Red haloed = archers on raised ledged
**yellow haled = ground troops
***teal haloed = troop officers
****light blue haloed - Purboks and his officers (just off the board now to the north)
On the ship: you really don't know this yet but I'm putting it up now for ease of communicaiton.
* yellow haloed = royal guards
**Green haloed = underpriests
*** White haled = Torbitz
RA:
Order:
Grung
underclerics
yellow ground troops
Torbitz
red archers
Meathead
Feli
Des
Drow Allies
Purbok
Malcolm
Karnog
Kalim
One of the goblin ground commanders approaches, "So you bring back two filthy night crawlers....guud guud, his holiness b'happi with them in pits."
As we walk in Grung downs the bears endurance potion.
On the walk there, Kalim downs a potion of Protection from Arrows and casts both Shield and Mage Armor. He does not pray. But he knows what he must do.
A 10 ft. high natural rock platform stands in the northwestern and southwestern portions of the cave. Two rope ladders are hung, allowing for easy access to its top. Those rope ladders are pulled up.
"Gimme filthy nightcrawler scum....yous fat one bring to me." He points to Karnog.
Another voice rings out. "Who presents themselves to His Holiness, Torbitz, to be graced with wealth, praises and good fortune, or do you choose death and your sacrifice to the ruler of them all Orcus. Your plotting and scheming is known, for our eyes and knowledge extend throughout this wondrous city. You think we are blind and your nasty nightcrawling scum the only ones capable of arcane seeing?"
"If you are asking that question it belies your confidence in success. A truly powerful ruler does not threaten or cajole; he commands and acts. The question is: how many of your followers will follow you into the clutches of your demonic master today?"
Yea!
When Tribitz spoke, Kalim looked around the chamber to see where the voice was centered. The lighting, leveling, and layout of the area made it just too difficult to pinpoint. Unable to unleash a sneak attack, he changed strategies.
He twirls his staff around with practiced efficiency, faster and faster, seeming to stretch further every time. As he did this, he spoke. "You will not die for your god today. You will die for me. ALL OF YOU!"
Desmond tries to look unimpressive. He stands in the shadows hunched over, eyes sweeping the troops and mind memorizing their positions.
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Yea!
RD 1: Underpriest.
The two priests on the boat casts spells.
Magic circle protection from good was cast.
The priest on the docks steps up five ft and releases a channel of negative damaging energy.
Will Save DC 15. All PCs are effected.
"Drop to your knees and swear alliance to Torbitz, do so and live."