Just be thankful no fast healing :)
Arcos scores another small burn with his ball of lightning and Talvek continues with his deft bladework and scores a larger cut on the binding near the creature's 'eyes'.
Well that was not very nice at all!
The creature steps over and lashes out again at Arcos and Talvek.
Arcos for miss
Talvek for hit (WILL SAVE?)
Hmmmm. Such a wealth of stories!
=== round 5 ===
13-Talvek(-4hp, -1 int) , Arcos ()
17-Lubella(-1hp, -1 int), Aldren(-1hp)
13+Creature(-14 hp)
Aldren steps up to the creature and attempts to aid Lubella.
DC10
I'll try to distract it!
Um...well...I tried.
Lubella danced around and harried the strange guardian from the other side. "Works for me!"
"Argh!" Whatever witticism he was trying to come up with slips from his mind as the tendrils score another cut in Talvek's flesh. He had wanted to do something, what was it? No time to think about it, just continue fighting, the muscle memory taking over - lunge, feint, parry, riposte.
Lubella dances into position for a quick strike, cutting the papers cleanly.
save will DC 16
But the creature tags her as she finishes her moves.
Talvek manages to pierce the tough tome again.
The creature is starting to look tattered.
=== round 5 ===
13-Talvek(-4hp, -2 int) ,Arcos ()
17-Lubella(-3hp, -1 int), Aldren(-1hp)
13+Creature(-21 hp)
Arcos steps forward and lashes out with a fistful of lightning again.
Talvek and Lubella feel some of their memories pulled from their minds.
Arcos steps forward with a handful of lightning, but cannot land a fist on the shifting creature.
The creature half laughs.
In a battle of attrition, I am afraid you will meet your demise. A pity actually.
A pair of purple ribbons lash out at Lubella and Talvek.
Lubella for
Talvek for
Only the first able to scratch the halfling (will save DC16)
=== round 6 ===
13-Talvek(-4hp, -2 int)
17-Lubella(-4hp, -2 int), Aldren(-1hp), ,Arcos ()
13+Creature(-21 hp)
Arcos, yet again, tries to hit the creature with a fist full of lightning.
Lubella kept pace with the creature, spinning and slicing the ribbons.
Talvek says nothing in reply to the creature's taunt, his thoughts a jumble. He is comforted by how efficient Lubella seemed to be against it, and does his best to help slash the thing to ribbons. Smaller ribbons, that is. Because it already has ribbons. Oh, damn it.
Arcos lightning fist again misses the dodging book-man as it savors Lubella's memories.
She twirls and slashes at the creatures' head, and almost connects with a vital spot...almost.
Talvek takes advantage of the distraction and pierces again the book-covering. This time skewering a binding and eye.
The creature drops with a gasp.
Ahhhhh. I am released. Fare well...
and with a flash of arcane light and smoke, the creature is gone.
=== out of combat ===
13-Talvek(-4hp, -2 int)
17-Lubella(-4hp, -3 int), Aldren(-1hp), ,Arcos ()
Very little of value remains on the shelves here—there are only a few dozen books left. In all, these minor tomes weigh 60 pounds.
Three of the smaller tomes appear to be relatively new and without dust. One with a title in Taldane, another in the halfling language and the third in Infernal.
Well, that was the strangest creature I have ever seen...I think.
Aldren scratches his head and looks at the rest of you and the minor nicks and cuts incurred.
It does not appear it did much damage with those ribbons. Everyone ok?
Lubella replied, "A few scratches is all. I feel a bit funny though; I don't know how to describe it — like I can't think as clearly."
She picked up each of the newer tomes had a quick look to see what they were about.
Talvek sighs in relief and sheathes his rapier. "I know what you mean. Like when you have a word on the tip of your brain, only now it feels like I have entire thoughts on the tip of my tongue... No, wait. The other way around. The words are on the tongue and the... ah, forget it."
The tiefling stalks among the bookshelves, tail lashing. He stops as he notices the newer tomes. "Hey, look. Why would they have a book in Infernal here?" He picks up the tome and leafs through it.
Lubella picks up the first tome, one written in Halflingese. Scanning the first few pages...
While Talvek reads through the darker tome, written in Infernal, as he reads a page or two.
Aldren flips quickly through all the pages of his book.
Hey! What gives? This book is entirely blank.
Lubella stowed her book in her backpack. She said to Aldern, "I dunno — maybe something's written in invisible ink? Just bring it along and we can look at it later. Ribbon-man said that he alerted the Asmodeans, so we better get a move on!"
She moved over to the doors and examined them.
"I'm going to cut the light while Red has a look through the doors. A bright light in the darkness would give us away if someone's watching." She sheathed her scimitar and waited for Talvek to open the doors and look out. She hoped that there was some sort of lighting beyond the doors, so she could sneak without needing a light to see where she was going.
The three stash the books and prepare to move on Lubella's direction.
Checking the doors, she finds nothing of note and hears no noise beyond.
Talvek checks and opens the unlocked door, and a long and wide stairwell down is seen heading east, terminating in a small room 30' below with dim lighting on the wall and a hallway leading to the south.
Lubella drew her scimitar and concealed it in her cloak, allowing just the minimum of light needed for her to navigate the stairs. She descended the stairs carefully, hoping that the enemy hadn't had time to organize themselves yet.
"Hm, I think this book is about me. How strange." Talvek gets briefly distracted by the tome, but returns to the present moment as Lubella calls for him to scout ahead.
Aldren follows Talvek and Lubella down the stairs. Nothing of interest is noted at the landing at the bottom of the stairs.
Looking south, Lubella is happy to note the hallway is dimly lit with distantly spaced light sources, so her blade is not going to cause much issue. Several doors are noted on the eastern wall of the hallway. at the very end, there is a turn back to the east of the main hallway. No occupants are visible.
"Looks all clear so far," Lubella whispered. She crept forward to the first door and listened for activity within.
Aldren moves to a point where he can gain a better view.
Psstt. Be careful.
Lubella notices a smaller hallway with additional doors.
She and Aldren do not hear or see anyone in the hall or beyond the closest door.
"I'm going to check out the side corridor," Lubella whispered. She sneaked along the smaller passageway to the intersection and had a look.
Lubella sneaks forward down the small corridor and listens at the door. She does not hear anything beyond it. She sees a small alcove and a couple more doors. This appears to be some collection of small dorm rooms or workshops.
Aldren silently (almost) moves up to a point where he can try to see the halfling woman, should she find trouble.
Lubella examined the alcove. Why would this be here? There must be some purpose to it.
Lubella pokes and prods at the walls and floor but does not find anything of interest.
Aldren notices there seems to be more light from down south and the larger hallway than emanating from any of these smaller rooms.
He waves to Arcos and Talvek and motions them to move up...
"I guess if the alarm has truly been raised, we need to check some of these rooms, lest we be surrounded," Lubella whispered. "We also have no idea where Nox is yet." She returned to the first door that she had listened at, opened it, and checked inside.
Talvek takes up position in the intersection of corridors, watching both directions carefully, and ready to come to Lubella's aid.
Arcos takes point next to Talvek, ready to support Lubella.
Lubella opens the unlocked door. A quick look inside reveals a 10-foot-square cell containing spartan furnishings of a bed, a trunk, and a desk. No occupants are evident, but the items appear neat and orderly and have signs of recent use.
Aldren moves a bit further south.
Psst. I think I heard something down this way.
Lubella moved semi-quietly down the wide hallway past Aldren, and looked around the corner at the end.
Talvek follows, weapon at the ready, passing by the closed doors with trepidation. He thinks it unlikely that foes are hiding in the chambers, but even so he keeps glancing over his shoulder.
Lubella moves south along the wide hallway. Aldren follows closely with the others, mace in hand.
Peering around the corner, she spots some dim light and but more as her nose is assaulted as the overwhelming stench of rotting flesh fills this wide, table-strewn chamber.
A web of barbed chains strangles its way throughout the room, supporting the decayed corpse of a man in drab robes.
At the center of the web, suspended above the flagstones by its black iron tendrils, rests a fistsized, twelve-sided box fashioned from wood and bronze. Wooden cases along the southwestern wall have been smashed and overturned. Small pieces of paper covered with notes are scattered throughout the room, as if someone’s been studying the strange tableau for days.
She also sees a couple of the Redactors similar to the four you encounted upstairs yesterday. But these are crouching behind the tables and appear to have spotted you, as they wait in ambush.
Lubella suppressed the impulse to gag and whispered, "Asmodeans, hiding in ambush behind the tables! I'll pretend I don't notice them."
Her face concealed by her bandana, she drew her scimitar to give herself more light, and walked into the chamber, acting as if she hadn't seen the hiding Redactors. She spoke aloud, "Ugh, disgusting! Who would do such a thing?"
"Ah, good thing you spotted them, now we can... ah, what?" Talvek scrambles to keep up with Lubella as the Sarenite cleric just strides into the room full of ambushing enemies. Ah, of course, she has a very clever plan, he just doesn't see what that is yet.
"Er, what is that? I've never seen a spider that size... or that shape."
Aldren hears Talvek and Lubella and motions Arcos to move forward with the others.
Lubella is able to spoof the would-be-ambushers, but seeing Talvek readying, they realize the gig is up.
Initiative:
=== Round 1 ===
15+ Lubella()
15- Redactors ()()()()
14 Talvek(), Arcos(), Aldren()
Lubella rushed to attack the nearest would-be ambusher. "Your handiwork, perhaps?", she asked, referencing the suspended body.
Lubella is just able to slash the waiting red Redactor before he has a chance to react.
No. It was his own fault. says green Belt as he moves into position, going around Lubella to setup a flank.
green on Lubella for DC11 Will vs stun
Stupid people going to places they should not be! grunts red belt who flurries at that point, after the cut to his arm.
red on Lubella for DC11 Will vs stun
red on Lubella for
None of their fists connect on the halfling. The other two of their cronies move up and take a fighting stance, waving their palms to summon Talvek to engage....
Bring it on, slum-boy!
=== Round 1 ===
15- Redactors (red -6)(green )
14+ Redactors (yellow - readied)(blue - readied)
14 Talvek(), Arcos(), Aldren()
=== Round 2 ===
15+ Lubella()
Aldren rushes up with his mace and tries to wack the orange belted Redactor.
The monk is ready and immediately kicks at the approaching cleric. But cannot stop Aldren's fury.
for
This is for my Mistress, you book-trash!!!!
for
The heavy headed weapon smashes into the knee and leg of the kicker.
=== Round 1 ===
15- Redactors (red -6)(green )
14+ Redactors (yellow -8)(blue - readied)
14 Arcos() Talvek(), Aldren()
=== Round 2 ===
15+ Lubella()
Lubella replied, "I agree — you really shouldn't be here. Surrender if you want to live!" She slashed again at the same enemy, then side-stepped to set up a flank for Talvek.
Ah, these were clever opponents, taking up advantageous positions and counter-attacking. They would have been far more effective, in Talvek's view, if they had used actual weapons rather than fists, but he won't point that out to them.
Moving to have his back against the wall, he lunges at the cultist now caught between him and Lubella.
"Oh, yes, I am so insulted. Is this the best you can do, or have all these books rotted your brain?" He then takes a defensive stance.
Talvek waits until Lubella can move into position. Once she has, he strikes, taking advantage of the distraction she causes.
His blade pierces the side of the hapless green Redactor.
He grunts in pain as the blade cuts him and then nearly crumbles as Lubella finishes her maneuver and slashes him behind the leg. He regains a bit of breath to hiss...
You will not...succeed against the ...nine gates!
=== Round 1 ===
14 Arcos()
=== Round 2 ===
15+ Talvek(-4), Lubella(-6)
15- Redactors (red -6)(green -14)
14+ Redactors (yellow -8)(blue - readied)
14 Arcos(), Aldren(-1)
Arcos advances into the room and slings some lightning at the Redactor that Lubella had nearly taken out.
Arco's blast hits the nearly dead Redactor with enough of a jolt to drop him into a twitching pile on the floor.
The remaining redactors try to rally and attack, one on Lubella and one on Aldren.
Red chants You do not know who you are dealing with!
vs Lubella for
vs Lubella for
Orange does not like the looks of the fray and calls out to blue.
Go get assistance!
vs Aldren for
vs Aldren for
Each lands one fist on their respective targets.
The remaining blue belted redactor retreats down the hall to the east, stopping at a set of double doors.
Aldren channels on the party, excluding the remaining thugs.
Mistress, hear my call for healing!
=== Round 3 ===
Aldren(-4), Arcos(), , Talvek(0), Lubella(-5)
Redactors (red -6)(green -prone/bleeding)
Redactors (yellow -8)(blue - retreats)
Lubella called out, "Red, Blue, stop that guy from calling for reinforcements! Yellow and I can handle these two."
She turned her attention back to the wounded Asmodean in front of her, and sliced at him with her blade.
Talvek rushes after the retreating redactor, barely managing to catch up with him.