Yridhrennor turned and headed back for the shaft.
Worried about additional threats, Steave moved for the unopened door to the party's south.
Theran joined Yridhrennor in heading back for the shaft.
Galin joined Yridhrennor and Theran at the bottom of the shaft.
Abelard will follow Steave to continue investigating down here as the others go to help out Saito.
One cultist bolted but the other stood fast against Saito, hammering on him with a cudgel. Saito returned the favor with a slash across the cultist's chest.
Yridhrennor, Theran, and Galin, hearing the din of Saito's battle, started for the shaft to come to Saito's aid.
Worried about foes in closer reach, Steave and Abelard looked to the door to their south.
Wounded, the cultist that had stood firm fell back on the door and reached to open it. The other threw open the door to the wider caves and darted through.
He's taking total defense and opening the door. His AC hops up as noted above
Saito brings his blade down in an overhand chop.
But his blade misses its well defended target.
Theran will climb the ladder.
Yridhnreoor activates the scale to fly up to the floor with Saito.
Steave steps to the door and attempts to open it.
Saito pressed his attack, putting all his strength into his strike. It proved too much strength for him to turn the blade when the wary cultist feinted and then parried the blow on the side of his cudgel.
Yridhrennor invokved the power of Terendelev's scale and rose to the top of the shaft on a billowing silver-white cloud.
Down below, Steave threw open the door on the south end of the dining chamber and found a kitchen. Old blood stained the floor. Barrels filled with scraps of fur and fat sat against one wall, emitting a foul stench.Two long, stone slab tables covered with skinning tools and piles of freshly butchered meat crossed the floor. Beyond them, two wooden racks held drying animal skins.
Theran began climbing the shaft's ladder, making good progress.
Galin follows after Steave, rapier still in hand as he warily looks around
Steave attempts to Detect Evil inside the kitchen for anything hidden Evil, "looks like a kitchen."
Steave invoked his divine senses. They reveailed no taint within the kitchen.
With him, Galin spotted a finely-made knife.
"We can return if we intend to loot the pantry for supplies. Let's go help Saito." Steave suggests.
Abelard nods, and follows Steave, drawn toward the sound of yet more fighting.
Wounded, the cultist that had stood against Saito firm fell back on the door and reached to open it. The other threw open the door to the wider caves and darted through.
Saito pressed his attack, putting all his strength into his strike. It proved too much strength for him to turn the blade when the wary cultist feinted and then parried the blow on the side of his cudgel.
Yridhrennor invoked the power of Terendelev's scale and rose to the top of the shaft on a billowing silver-white cloud.
Down below, Steave threw open the door on the south end of the dining chamber and found a kitchen. Old blood stained the floor. Barrels filled with scraps of fur and fat sat against one wall, emitting a foul stench.Two long, stone slab tables covered with skinning tools and piles of freshly butchered meat crossed the floor. Beyond them, two wooden racks held drying animal skins. He invoked his divine senses, but discovered no taint of evil about the kitchen. Galin spotted a fine knife amid the cutlery.
Theran began climbing the shaft's ladder, making good progress. Seeing no foes left before them below, Abelard turned and made to follow him.
With the other cultist fled into the tunnels, the one still facing Saito looked uncertainly between him and the door, before hurling himself at the crusader one last time. His cudgel knocked aside Saito's blade and struck hard enough to rattle bones even through the crusader's warding.
Grinning, eyes wild, the cultist then wheeled to flee. He ducked Saito's seeking steel and vanished to the north.
miss
Severely wounded Saito lowers his blade and returns to the other wounded, figuring he had better wait for back up as if he falls his crippled wards would follow fast.
Steave double moves toward the ascending tunnel.
Theran climbs up, hoping he'll be in time.
Theran climbs up, hoping he'll be in time.
[dice=climb]1d20+6
[dice=climb]1d20+6
Saito returned to the people in the party's charge, whom Yridhrennor had just joined.
This is a really bad idea... Yridhrennor and Falfaeren walks through the door into the other room.
This is a really bad idea... Yridhrennor and Falfaeren walks through the door into the other room.
Yridhrennor entered the room that Saito had just left. He found nothing more than mongrel cultist corpses.
Down below, Steave turned and made for the shaft. In it, Theran made slow progress up the ladder.
Galin follows the rest of the group back up the shaft, reaching the ladder and beginning to climb,
Galin started his own climb on the ladder. Haste and the weight of his gear worked against him, making for a slow ascent.
Mindful of the difficulties in climbing while blind and in full armour, Abelard calls on the power of his patron to aid him with the attempt.
He slips, but catches himself, muttering a heartfelt prayer of thanks as he ascends the ladder.
With the other cultist fled into the tunnels, the one still facing Saito looked uncertainly between him and the door, before hurling himself at the crusader one last time. His cudgel knocked aside Saito's blade and struck hard enough to rattle bones even through the crusader's warding.
Grinning, eyes wild, the cultist then wheeled to flee. He ducked Saito's seeking steel and vanished to the north.
Wounded, Saito fell back rather than risk pursuit and ambush that would leave his charges vulnerable.
"This is a really bad idea..." Yridhrennor said as he and Falfaeren walks through to the site of Saito's battle. They fought nothing save bodies.
Down below, Steave turned and made for the shaft. In it, Theran made slow progress up the ladder. Galin and Abelard joined him, also finding the climb a hard go with all their gear.
Saito stays with the crippled, too wounded himself to join the hunt but he relays what he has seen quickly and concisely to his friends as they come up.
Theran will finish his climb and begin to head toward the fight.
With the other crusaders arriving up top and keenly conscious of his own wounds, Saito warned them of the cultists and their path of retreat as they passed.
Yridhrennor cast about the site of the crusader's past battle, then withdrew to a less exposed position.
Theran concluded his ascent and started after the cultists.
Below, Steave began his own ascent of the ladder. Despite his shield and armor, the crusader made good time.
Galin continues to climb the ladder,
In short order, Galin climbed past Steave and Abelard to reach the top of the shaft.
Abelard continues to climb the ladder, muttering prayers under his breath as he does so - or at least, you would assume that they're prayers: he's a paladin, right?
Saito held his ground, warning the other crusaders as they arrived that cultists remained ahead and minding the party's wounded charges. Yridhrennor, past Saito, cast about the scene of his battle for hidden foes. Finding none, he too withdrew to a safer position.
Theran, Steave, Galin, and Abelard all ascended the ladder. The blind crusader has less luck than most, the weight of gear slowing his ascent.
Saito and Yridhrennor remained guarding the crusaders' charges. Steave continued his climb, reaching the top of the shaft.
Theran begins to go after the fleeing enemy then stops. "We shouldn't separate. That's what started this in the first place."
New Badguy AC: 17, T15, F16
Shaft Climb DC: 5[/ooc]
Theran held his position, advising others to do the same lest the crusaders become further divided before the enemy.
As the last one to reach the top of the shaft, Steave asks the room, "What's our status? Any injuries? Any threats?"
Galin looks around, I'm fine, and I don't think there are any threats at the moment. Anyone hurt?
"Just a scratch. Not worth bothering with."
"I am pretty wounded." Saito admits.
This was just like the battle of The Three Hills when Thinvoss held the line against the hordes of the Whispering Tyrant! Yridhrennor's eyes fill with light and he smiles widely. Isn't this exciting
You're not the one who almost died, you deranged elf! Falfaeren spluttes as he limps about the ground. We should have stayed back in the library! This is no place for a scholar! You are too young, yes. MUCH too young to be let loose among such brave and powerful warriors as these. Why, if they hadn't been as quick with their swords, or skilled.. you... you...
But they were! And are! And you'll be fine, it's not that bad. The raven shoots him a fierce look. Besides, I'm told that many people find scars attractive. Think of the story you'll be able to tell with those! You will be quite fetching, I think. They'll lend you an air of danger and daring.
I suppose there is that. The raven doesn't seem quite so convinced.
Yridhrennor smiles at his slightly mollified friend and examines Saito's wounds. Oh dear! These are dreadful! I don't... I'm not that skilled in healcraft, but.. um... perhaps, uh... Someone else has the skill or power to tend to these?
He pokes and prods the wounds a bit, but his hands shake and he keeps losing the ends of the bandage he tries to tie. The sight of blood.. um.. I'm... He blushes and looks at the ground embarrassed. Perhaps, yes.. someone else?