This short hallway rises in slope to the east. Five feet from the western door the floor is polished and shiny, unlike the dusty floor elsewhere. On either side of the polished area, a pair of stone statues depicting stern men wielding glaives stand in alcoves north and south of this section of the hallway. At the eastern end stand two stone doors to the north and south, their faces carved with strange runes, and just past the doors, at the eastern end of the hallway, is a third alcove, in which a partially collapsed statue stands. The top half of that statue is missing, leaving behind a ragged stump of a torso.
"Don't step on that pressure plate where it is shiny, I think it brings down those metal gates!"
"So we just have to jump over the plate."
"Maybe I can jam them, give me a moment." Sparrow moves forward to sattempt to disable the pressure plate.
Brin stands ready to try and wedge open a portcullis with anything long and sturdy he can find before it closes.
Sparrow: as you fiddle with the pressure plate, you hear a scraping sound and realize you've blown it. The portcullises drop down in an effort to trap you within the cleaned area next to the statues.
Ref 15 to jump clear: let me know if you are jumping back or forward.
"Watch tbose statues!! Let me see if I can lift these things."
Brin, you can open the portcullises with a bit of strain (DC 20).
How do you want to advance?
You can jump the trap with an Acrobatics/Ref DC 5.
Once you've done so, you can take either the northern door or the southern door.
Brin barely jumps the trap.
He helps the others across with his large frame and they head through the north door. His shield is still in front.
Kaddoc barely clears the trap, "Onwards to adventure my friends!"
Sparrow follows along, still upset at herself for her failure at the trap.
You throw pen the north door, and find yourself in a large, oval room.
Wide stone ledges of red marble line the curving walls of this room, which is well lit by four burning skulls that sit in each 'corner'. three chairs rest in the room, and both stone ledges are covered with old books, scrolls, teeth, bones, scrimshaw artwork, jars of deformed creatures soaking in brine, taxidermied animals and limbs, and far too many other strange objects. To the north, s large round fountain filled with frothy blue water fills the room with the gentle sound of bubbling, in an odd contrast to the room's contents.
But, for now, you have other problems.
Before you stands a spectacular young woman, her beauty marred by the self-inflicted scars on her abdomen and the demonic, scarlet -and taloned- arm replacing what was once her left arm. At her side is a yeth hound.
"So, you've managed to get this far, have you." she chuckles. "Well, your little adventure ends here. A pity none of you fell to that little trap. Sooooo convenient, even though it cost me a few mercs and goblins to get past it originally."
She looks all of you up and down, sneering. "Why you choose to defend that horrific little splotch of mud town, I'll never understand. Like they'll ever really accept you - any of you. You, half-orc, do you really think they'll ever let you be more than another dung-sweeper, once they've forgotten the assault? And you, oh half-giant. Wait until you find out how they really feel about folks who stand out like that."
She looks at Sparrow briefly, then snorts, ignoring her, to turn to Alkaid. "And you...with your blood? Oh,yes, the Mother told me all about your heritage. Why fight it, why hide it? Revel in it! Join me and gain all the Mother's benefits!"
"I would not talk, Nualia. You turned your back on the heritage we share, I am sure your celestial ancestor would be ashamed of what you have done.
Those that know my full heritage either praise me or condemn me, though some do both."
"I have not hidden my true form, as I let people make their judgements based on my true form.
True I inherited my mother's figure, hair and eyes colors, but I also inherited my father's spirit and celestial blood.
And your "Mother" is a crazy bi*** I would never serve."
Brin looks at the lady and decides to charge her with his formed mindblade and make her hateful words stop.
If she is too far away, Brin concentrates and expends some of his powerful psychic energy
"Lady, stupid people need protecting too. I'm not here for them, I'm here for me. I don't need their cheers and applause to do the right thing. I see a rabid dog, I put it down and you're about as crazy as they come."
Init:
Alkaid
Brindolfin
Kaddoc
Sparrow
Nualia
Yeth Hound
Round 1:
Sparrow
Alkaid
Brin
Kaddoc
Nualia
yeth hound
On it's turn (if it lasts that long) the yeth hound will bay: DC 12 to negate.
As combat opens, Nualia touches the strange medallion around her neck (free action). Energy seems to flow from it. She then casts, defensively, and draws a bastard sword.
"I got the b*&^%!!"
Brin attacks Nualia with his mindblade.
If he hits, he tries to flip her to the ground.
"I'll take the her, since in a way, she's family."
Alkaid charges in for a grapple.
and puts her in a full neilson.
"So why the hatred for the man you very much raised you, cared for you?
I'm willing to bet "Mother" caused the unfortunate things to happen in your life, including that man who seduced you, and broke your heart."
With his companions taking on the big bad, Kaddoc heads for the hound,
Arriving back from Sandpoint with reinforcements, Cilyanka stumbles into the ongoing melee and stops to survey the current situation before deciding where she is needed
Idril sweeps in through the door after Cilyanka and stops, her eyes widening at the chaotic scene.
"What is all this? Where are the goblins?"
She looks around for hidden attackers.
Spotting the doglike creature, she tries to identify it ('cause THAT looks like a monster!).
Sorry I'm late, I brought help.
Etienne casts mage armor and draws his crossbow.
Round 1_____________
Gawks, as listed above.
Updated initatives:
Etienne
Alkaid
Brin
Kaddoc
Nualia
Cilyanka
yeth hound
Idril
Nualia twists in Alkaid's grasp, trying to escape and failing miserably, possibly because of Brin's blow.
Kaddoc's blow nearly cripples the hound, but it still stands.
I need DC 12 will saves from everyone.
Brin tries to resist psionically.
Brin concentrates and energy flows back into his psychic blade to be discharged at Nualia again.
"You should have let the lady pin you."
He hits the bad girl even harder than before.
Brin's blow hits the hound that was from Yeth.
For those of you who failed the Will save: You are panicked for rounds.
OK, NOW round 2:
Etienne
Alkaid
Brin
Kaddoc
Nualia
Cilyanka
yeth hound
Idril
Nualia will once more try to escape .
The yeth hound will try to bite Kaddoc. for plus (if it connects, by some miracle) a DC 14 will save or be shaken for one round.
Brin does hit the bad lady so hard, his skill with his sword allows him to follow it up and he tries to put her on the ground.
"The man who raised me? For his own glory? To produce the perfect, oh-so-pure nun for Desna? What I wanted didn't matter. What the stupid, superstitious local yokels did didn't matter, it was just testing. I bet he ordered her to make sure my baby died! She gave me something, I know it! Too much blood, to soon, it wasn't right...a gift from Mother, but they destroyed it! Let them suffer!
She is panting, ranting away, not even heeding the blows she's taken.
"Always praying, always kneeling, always reciting the texts, never getting them right, always being punished...well, now I get to do what I want, and this ridiculous celestial taint will be gone!
"Since you know of both my heritages.
You should know how I was both praised and condemned at the same time during my not only my childhood,
but also in my adolescence from those that knew my heritage."
"You think your childhood and adolescence was bad, Mine was much worse.
Those that focused on my celestial heritage raised the expectations high, and wanted perfection.
Those that focused on my demon heritage shunned me, blamed me, pulled tricks on me.
But yet, I found strength in Faith. Enough strength to not fall into sin, but also to save and redeem others from sin and darkness.
I may dislike the trouble and expectations of my heritages, but At least I accept my heritages, even my mother's heritage and try to better it."
"As a one texts says
Do not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.
On the contrary:
If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this you will heap burning coals on his head.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
"And you think doing what you want will help you, no it'll just condemn you.
For there exists the Law. Those that don't follow the Law get punished, in the afterlife life."
Nimbly dodging its attack, Kaddoc strikes at the hound
Round 2_________Init 9
Idril panics at the Yeth Hounds howl, turns and flees back the way she came screaming.
"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee............"
Full round action:
Double move away.
Fear gripping her soul at the sound of the hound, Cilyanka follows behind Idril. AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Aiming carefully, Etienne loads a bolt and fires at the Yeth Hound.
DEFENSE
AC 15, touch 12, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +3 natural)\
hp 30-18=12-10=2
Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +6
DR 5/silver
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +7 (2d6+4 plus sinister bite and trip)
Special Attacks bay
Nope, mutt is still up.
hp: 56-29=27
Nualia, while ranting, lands on her butt.
Alkaid pins Nualia while doing her lecture.
"I can feel some of your loss, but allowing evil to come within and control you is not the way.
There are Unwritten Laws that bind us in this life and the next."
Brin's trip causes both Alkaid and Nualia to fall.
Round 3_________Init 9
Idril continues to flee in a panic.
Full round: Another double move away.
"AIEEEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee............"