Well, at least let's do as Finn suggests and wait until after we have explored some more to make that decision.
Said something in a spoiler.
Ardanto is a little better not much
Keeper:
It was one hit point I healed, not an intelligence point?
Ardanto looks at the poor wretches and groans, "Is that.... is that how me will end up?" he shudders and looks at them with pity but stays none committal on if we end there life or let them live.
Ardanto
Silently as a mouse whisper returns to the group from exploring the beach. She had snuck off while the others where talking in the hall about the door. No one noticed her venture off and she moves back into the group like a ghost.
Despite her reappearance Whisper remains deathly silent, her eyes slightly averted from the group as yet again the discussion amongst them appears to be the subject of killing people.
I think so.
Ardanto nods his agreement.
The group moves with care to avoid the cages and their howling occupants You make your way down a slightly curved hall to a sandy-floored cavern that seems to be some kind of trophy hall. The centerpiece seems to be a massive reptilian skull some six-feet long mounted on a wooden display. Other trophies line the walls-nameplates from ships,battered sea chests, mounted sea monster heads and weathered figurehead. Each doughtless carrying some kind of sordid history of theft and betrayal.
At the re-appearance of Whisper the warforged seems to brighten up, and Snem does so as well. He nods deeply, nearly bowing as to greet her.
Later: Guard slowly wanders foreward, along the north side wall of the cavern, keeping to the others, but not saying a word.
Finn searches around a bit.
"Daurros, can you try to detect any magical auras in the room? Everyone be on your guard; even though these mad creatures don't seem very stealthy, they can still sneak up on us."
Hearing Finn asking for the detection of magic, Guard thinks of his ability to detect evil and focuses on it, turning slowly.
Toxim, unsure who the newcomer is, and seeing that the others don't seem to surprised by her sudden appearance, nods to her in greeting. He assumes that she was around the entire time, and is impressed at her skill at stealth.
He looks around the room at the assembled pieces as well.
Making a search check and adding a knowledge local as well to see if I can discern anything about some of these items.
Daurros nods at Finn, and begins scanning the room with detect magic. He'll also inspect the trophies, trying to see if there are any rare creatures or valuable items present. And he'll try and identify the skull in the center of the room.
Shyly and with a tiny smile Whisper returns the nod she's given by the man she doesn't know before instinctively stalking towards one of the sea chests and having a look over it.
While most of the things lining this room seem to be junk from the skull to several shark jaws, jars with parts of odd things floating within and large teeth. There are also nameplates and old figureheads. Among all this a few things stand out , one is a leatherbound collection of charts and maps it is both thick and ancient looking, pinned in common with an older flare that went out of style long ago. The other thing is three battered sea chests in one corner.
Daurros /gaurd
Having found nothing out of the ordinary, Guard moves on, keeping to the left, to the next opening, staying silent.
Before entering he looks over his shoulder and waits for the others to keep up.
Ardanto will take the bundle of charts and maps, carefully storing them in his back pack. "You never know if one is treasure map," the raging head ache and confusion having subsided somewhat in the last few minutes, making his speech clearer and less slurred.
He eyes the chests and sidles up to Whisper, "Wanna check them out while it is all quite?" he asks with a goofy grin.
Ardanto
They look to be sea charts, lost of em, old ones of many diffident makes and styles. The look to cover a lot of area. One glace is enough for you to know what a treasure you have for a seamen such as yourself. Good, reliable, and detailed sea charts are worth more then gold .
Whisper gives a tiny nod and small smile at Ardanto's words before kneeling herself in front of one of the seachests, carefully examining it before touching it.
whisper
The chest look unstrapped but the locks look like god ones
Whisper looks thoughtfully at the lock on the seachest before looking to Ardanto and talking quietly "This is a good lock.. I can try to open it, but we may need to wait until a time when we're sure there aren't weird enemies around.." She tells him before digging out one of her lockpicks and setting to work. Making the occasional small surprised sound as she does well with a combination of skill and a little luck.
Seeing that Whisper rather opens a chest than move on, Guard moves over to her, to shield her, just in case anything unpredictable happens.
whisper
the first chest open a and you are greeted with coins of many types , silver , gold and copper from many nations and lands. A small brooch with an emerald setting lays on top.
Whisper smiles brightly at Guard as she notices him keeping an eye on her before looking between him and Ardanto. "I got lucky opening it, these are amazing locks.. maybe I should try the other two later.. so I can take the time, or maybe find the keys.. they're good locks.. I'd rather not break them" After what for her is a flurry of speech she blushes and looks away to the treasure "If that's okay.."
"I agree; we should see if any villains remain here before we start filling our pockets with gold. We won't be able to spend it if Vanderboren springs another deadly trap on us..."
Finn listens for any suspicious noises again.
1d20+13=22
Guard, what has this Vanderboren done to you to deserve such ire from Finn and the rest of you?
"I agree; we should see if any villains remain here before we start filling our pockets with gold. We won't be able to spend it if Vanderboren springs another deadly trap on us..."
Finn listens for any suspicious noises again.
1d20+13=22
"Yes, we can worry about gold after we've turned Vanderboren into one of these piles of acidic goo. Whether he's turned into one of these creatures or not."
To Toxim, Daurros explains: "Our employer, Lavinia Vanderboren, wanted us to find and bring her brother back to her. In the course of looking, he lured us to an island dungeon, sealing us inside with a horde of undead. Had Lord Thoven here not already been trapped down there himself, we likely would have met our end."
"Yes, Vanthus outraged a good woman, stole her rightful inheritence, then left us for dead in a cesspit full of the unliving. And now he seems to be mixed up in some sort of foul necromancy that created these monsters. I think that's enough reason to wish to see him punished for his crimes."
"Don't forget the encounter with the Lotus Dragon... We were following a hint to were his hideout should be and ran into a group of assassines or something. Made it out alive, but had some fights in there too. Not much of a trace of Vanderboren too."
The group heads left fallowing Guards lead and ends up in some kinda of maze like area with many offshoots and passageways yet Guard stays left always near the wall. Not to far into the area you hear them, moving in the darkness, with snares ans howls not human. The they come upon you at once from the many passages from the front, side and behind howling with lust for flesh.
They look eerie , all blood soaked and flesh hanging loose from self mutilation , yet they come with a age and great howls and fall upon you like beasts
Init
Snem==25
Daurros=25
Whisper 22
Ardanto=21
Finn=21
Toxim=21
Thoven=21
Guard=20
Savages=8
You forgot me.
Toxim will take a step to stand beside Thoven and attack.
Roll to hit, damage, and sneak attack
1d20+4=22, 1d8+2=5, 1d6=1
Snem is surprised to find them surrounded again, but follows his instincts, and blasts at the one nearest to him and Guard, hitting the Savage straight:
Soul Blast with Essentia, round 1 (1d20+9=23, 1d6+3=9)
Guard is, as always a bit slower to bring his hammer up, bringing it down hard on the Savage that Snem hit:
Warhammer attack, Round 1 (1d20+5=20, 1d8+3=5)
You forgot me.
Toxim will take a step to stand beside Thoven and attack.
Roll to hit, damage, and sneak attack
1d20+4=22, 1d8+2=5, 1d6=1
"Silver Flame blast them to hell!" Finn curses. "I can't use my spear! Daurros, Whisper: step back and give me some room to fight."
Assuming they give him some room to step backwards, Finn retreats a pace and strikes out with his longspear.
1d20+4=12 1d8+5=13; 1d20+4=22 1d8+5=9
spend action point for extra attack: 1d20+4=18 1d8+5=6
Finn
Ardanto squeezes into past Guard and places his back to the wall attempting to land some blows on the creature south east of him. He emits a stream of curses as he does so, more in frustration that his weapons are partially ineffective than anything else.
Longsword +4 (1d8+3 19-20) and Throwing Axe + 4 (1d6+3 *2) (1d20+4=22, 1d8+3=8, 1d20+4=16, 1d6+3=8)
He lands two good blows, but once again the majority of the damage is turned aside by the beasts unnatural protection.
Daurros steps back a bit to allow Finn room to maneuver. He casts daze on the closest savage. This time, he tries to watch the creature's reaction, to see in what way the spell affects it.
Snem blasts the savage taking away large parts of it's skin , yet it seems unphased by Guards blow. Daurros try's to Daze the savage lunging for Finn but it seems to have no effect upon the thing. Whisper out of rang of any of the creatures stays back as Ardanto moves forward to meet the charge hitting the savage with two mighty blows. Fin with a fast strike takes on of the savages down at 10 feet and before the body even starts to boil he whirls behind Ardanto to stab at the foe engaging the fighter, killing it with a fast strike. The thing try's to bit Ardanto one last time but is knocked side by his ax as it starts to boil The fighter manages to jump out of the boiling bloods path as it falls to the floor.
On the other end of the cave Toxim rolls behind the savage attacking Thoven and stabs at it but it pays the wound little mind. And as thovens misses with his rushed back swing the thing pounces upon him, but fails to breach the clerics armor. Back in the front Guard, easiyly fends off the blow of his attacker
Daurros
Snem relies on his single way of attacking, blasting at the savage as before, but missing this time.
Soul blast with Essentia, second round. (1d20+9=13, 1d6+3=5)
Guard tries a different approach, after he sees that Ardanto fell his opponent: He simply hides behind his shield, blocking the way of the savage, depending on Snem to do his best to kill the creature in a short ammount of time.
I'll try to flank him for the attack bonus and sneak attack damage, then take a swing.
Attack then damage then sneak attack damage
1d20+4=12, 1d8+2=8, 1d6=1
Note: the to hit does not include flank bonus please add +2 if I get the flank
Ardanto hesitates for a moment, "Hey guy's I not get injured!" he smiles triumphantly and steps past Guards raised shield to aid Shem.
Longsword +4 (1d8+3 19-20) and Throwing Axe + 4 (1d6+3 *2) (1d20+4=8, 1d8+3=10, 1d20+4=6, 1d6+3=7)
In his celebration he losses focus and the man-beast-thing easily evades his weapon blows, his axe striking the wall instead of the creature. The smile fades from his face and his brow furrows in determination.
Guard thinks he sees an illusion as Ardanto sneaks in front of him. #
He can't be serious. ... No, he's serious, but he can't be that dumb. the warforged thinks.
"You want to get hit, don't you? You wish to feel pain? HOW BOUT I HIT YOU IN THE HEAD? WOULD THAT HELP YOU?!"