"Right," Sverix murmurs, swinging his head up and trying to put a brave face on. "I'll keep watch. You can rest."
His facade lasts only a moment, though, before he hangs his head again. "I'm sorry I killed him and then just left all of you to clean up. I... I shouldn't have killed him."
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Horgus Gwerm blinks twice, seeming confused. "No, you did the right thing. As I said, trying to bring along a prisoner would slow us down, and it's imperitive that you get me to the surface as soon as is reasonably possible. We agreed it would be more merciful to kill him here than to leave him tied up to suffer. He cast that spell at us as soon as he appeared-- you have nothing to be sorry about."
After an uncomfortable pause -- Gwerm doesn't seem to easily fall into the role of reassuring somebody -- he says, "Well. I will get some sleep."
He heads over to his bedroll and tucks himself in.
If you look through the pile of items found both on the dead dwarf and in the room, you find a number of things. There are three potions, two scrolls, a dirty and rumpled cloak that is of rather nice make, a dagger, a light crossbow and several bolts. There's also a small sack that has some dried meat, preserved fruit, and moldy cheese in it. Carving off the mold, this should serve as decent ratios -- well, the humans and the elf can eat the fruit, it's not really your thing. In addition, there's a chipped 6-inch tall statue of a human throwing a spear; it looks like it might be reasonably valuable as an art object. Rounding the whole thing out is a spellbook. Looking on the inside of the spellbook, you learn that the dwarf's name was Millorn. There are a number of wizard spells scribed into the spellbook.
No, it was wrong, Sverixalint thinks to himself as Horgus turns to leave. But he recognizes the futility of arguing about it in the middle of the night, and doesn't push the issue.
While he's keeping watch, the young dragon amuses himself with trying to identify the potions in the pile, as well as the two he got from the strange dwarf-thing earlier.
He quietly casts detect magic on the rest of the gear to see if any of it is enchanted. Sverix also takes the little statue and carefully places it in his carry-sack--he was really getting a start to his hoard, now.
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The two potions from the odd dead maybe-dwarf found earlier are both potions of Cure Light Wound.
Two of the potions in the current stack remain unidentified. The third is a potion of Invisibility.
Obviously the potions and the two scrolls radiate magic. The cloak also radiates magic.
Sverix studies the cloak for a bit, trying to figure out what it does.
He makes a note to tell the others what he'd figured out in the morning. He turns back to keeping watch afterward... but not for long. Guilt eating at his heart, he turns to prayer, clasping at his holy symbol of Apsu with one claw while quietly pouring out his sorrow and guild to his god. His only concession to actually keeping watch is putting himself directly in the passageway into the room.
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The rest of the night passes without incident.
Sverix does not receive any direct response from his prayers-- but, then again, he is worldly enough to know that it is very rare to receive such, and that the purpose of the prayer is often served by the prayer itself. Still, at the end of it, he feels a little bit more at peace with his actions. Not enough that he's fully reconciled, but enough that he can move on with getting the others out of the caverns beneath Kenbares without being distracted.
The others wake up and clean up the makeshift camp. It's a bit challenging, as Anevia is willing to do everything but is hampered by her broken leg, the blind Aravashnial tries to help but mostly ends up just getting in the way, and Horgus Gwerm has to be prompted to do anything at all. Somehow, you all manage to get through it.
You head out of the other exit. A steeply inclined tunnel leads upward to the north, its walls lined with numerous nooks, handholds, and dozens of iron pitons that have been driven into the walls long ago. Even though the shaft leads upwards at a steep angle, all of the handholds make it no harder to climb than a ladder. Of course, a blind man, a woman with a broken leg, and a man more suited to an elegant carriage find even ladders a bit challenging, but again with your guidance and support they are able to get through it.
After climbing about 60ft, the passageway levels out and heads north for about a 30 minute walk at your reduced speed. Then The tunnel opens into a large cavern, about seventy feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arch up to make a domelike chamber, but the walls and floor are riddled with cracks. At the center of the cave, a stone tower that may once have reached the fifty-foot-high ceiling has collapsed onto its side.
From where you are about 35 feet away, you see two figures -- at least human in body plan -- bent over and digging through the rubble of the tower. "Crel, hang on, we're still here working!" one of them calls out, loud enough that you can easily hear him. You think that you hear a muffled response.
Let me know how you proceed.
Sverix doesn't hesitate, but rather walks forward and calls out, "Do you need help? I can help!"
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The two men turn around as you approach. At first, they look taken aback seeing a dragon approaching them, but as they see the colors of your scales, they seem to calm down. "Please! Can you help us? Our friend is stuck in the rubble; there's a particularly large rock."
As you get closer to the men, you see that their features are... odd. The one who spoke looks like this-- a tall thin man whose face blends the features of an attractive elven man, a lizardfolk, and a goat. The one next to him is a hunchbacked woman whose face is festooned with tumors.
All three of your companions have reactions to this. Horgus Gwerm reacts furst, putting a hand on the base of your wing and saying, quietly, to you (at least doing you the favor of not openly offending the two approaching) "Look at them! They're tainted with demonic blood! Don't trust them!"
Aravashnial, hearing what Horgus says, himself asks, "What do they look like?"
Anevia, in a curious voice, says quietly to the blind elf, "Humans, but with part of their features blended with... animals. Other races. Warped and distorted."
Aravashnial exclaims, "Fascinating! It's the mole people; I'd heard about them, but I guess they are real. Excuse me," he calls out to the men approaching you, "but could you tell us something of how you live down here? How long have you been down here? Generations? Or just this lifetime?"
The man with the elf-lizard-goat face speaks again. "Please, we don't have time for a lot of questions! Crel is trapped, and has been since yesterday! We need to get him out!"
Looking at it, you think that it will take a pretty substantial Strength check to lift the rock, and you're not surprised that the two people who were trying to lift it weren't able to by themselves. You could potentially get up to six people around the rock.
You might also attempt to dig him out by digging around the heavy rock blocking Crel in.
Sverix shakes his head slightly at Horgus, then says, "Yes, please save the questions for later, Aravashnial, we need to help! Though I think I have an idea."
Reverently he pulls Terendelev's scale out of his carry-sack and ambles forward on three legs. "I should be able to make the rock float with this," he states as he approaches.
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As you use the scale, a pillar of roiling clouds rises up from within the rubble underneath the big rock. You hear the person caught in the rubble exclaim "What the...!" followed by an impressed, "Woah..."
The pillar of roiling clouds lifts the heavy rock up on top of it. As it gets high enough, Lann and the other distorted person move forward to pull out their comrade. Crel is another person who appears to have his body fused with monstrous parts -- his left forearm is a long claw like that of a lobster's, his right arm is hairy, and his eyes bulge out from the side of his face like those of a fish.
As they get Crel free, you use the scale to lower the rock back into place.
"Impressive." Lann says. "Whatever that was you are using has great power. That was a very heavy rock."
In the background, Aravashnial is asking what happened, and Anevia fills him in. Horgus again says insistently, "Sverix! Don't trust them! They are demonspawn!"
This time, the three heard them, and grimace at him. However, Lann looks at you again and says, "You have our gratitude. I do not think we would have been able to get Crel out on our own, and we did not want to leave him here by himself. There are many various hazards in these tunnels."
Looking around, you see there are several tunnels leading out from this cavern.
Lann continues, "We set up a guard post here because it's a sort of crossroads. The most direct route back to our settlement, Neathholm, is that way..."
He points at a tunnel completely blocked by a cave in.
"...but I know another way. Come with us. Our chief will want to meet you, and reward you for saving one of us. You may also rest in our settlement. I noticed that some of your companions seem to have suffered serious injuries."
Sverix shoots Horgus a glare. "Not every red-scaled dragon is bad, and not every bronze-scaled dragon is good," he states, repeating something his mother would often say to him. "Unless we have reason other than the way they look, I will treat them just like any other people."
He turns back to Lann. "It's... something important and precious to me, and powerful," he states, holding up the big silver scale and then carefully stowing it back in his carry-sack. He continues in his best grown-up wise dragon voice, "We would be very thankful for a safe place to rest. There's a battle going on up above, and we fell down. We're all lucky to be alive... thanks to Terendelev."
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Lann starts at the mention of the name. "Terendelev? The Silver Dragon? What happened up there?"
Looking at your walking wounded, he says, "Wait -- tell me while we travel. We're going to take a roundabout route, so there may be some obstacles and wildlife. Let's be alert."
The three mongrelmen (that's what the Bestiary calls them, after all) together with you and your allies begin to head through caverns. Lann is eager to hear about what happened on the surface as you walk.
After about 25 minutes of walking and talking, you see that ahead, a wide chasm splits the tunnel floor. The floating rock dust in the air and the groans as the tunnel walls settle indicate that the tunnel split recently.
"Oh no!" Lann says as he sees this. "This is new. There is a way onwards on the far side of this chasm... but this is the second damage we've seen from the tremors. I hope that our home hasn't been destroyed!"
The chasm is 10 feet across, 70 feet long, and about 30 feet deep.
We can roleplay the conversation during the walk to the chasm, and then when we're ready you can start to talk to the others about the ways of getting all seven of you across-- including a blind person, and a person with a broken leg.
"Terendelev..." Sverix hesitates a moment, the shock of the scene still painful. "Terendelev... died. A huge horde of demons attacked, and she fought this enormous one back and forth... and she lost."
The little dragon hangs his head as he walks, almost mumbling as he speaks. "As she died, she cast a spell to keep us from falling to our deaths. And when we landed, I found one of her scales. That's... that's what I used to lift the rock. It still has some of her power in it."
From there he meanders into describing their perilous journey through the dark up to meeting Lann and his companions, though he mentioned only that they'd killed a crazy dwarf that attacked them, not specifically how it had happened. He was just wrapping up as they reached the chasm.
"Oh... well..." He considers the chasm. "I think I could get across. My wings aren't strong enough to really fly just yet, but I should be able to glide across. Ummm... we have that piece of rope, I could carry one end across with me. And then... I could use... Terendelev's scale to make a couple of us float. I think it has enough power for two more people today. They could pull themselves across on the rope... probably Aravashnial and Anevia, since they'd have the most trouble. Ummm... but for everybody else..."
He looks down the chasm. "Ummm... Horgus? Lann? Do you think you can climb? I can hold the rope for you, but it's not long enough to get all the way down..."
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As you are walking over, Lann expresses great sadness at the death of Terendelev. "When you fell-- a crack opened up in the ground? That would match the tremendous shaking we experienced down here, the tremors since, and the fallen caverns and things like that. A horde of demons...!"
He shakes his head.
As you come to the chasm, you make your suggestions. Horgus says, "Climb! I'm a merchant prince, not a spider." He seems a little shocked at the idea.[/b]"
After a pause, he adds in a quieter voice, "Is it save?"
Anevia says in an annoyed tone, "Buck up! I can do this with a broken leg. You can easily do it. Brace yourself against the wall as you climb down. You'll be fine!"
(Aside: how long is your rope? The chasm is 30 feet deep, 10 feet across, and 70 feet lengthwise.)
Lann, for his part, says, "The three of us can either work our way across, or climb down to the bottom, as you prefer."
"Ummm... how hard do you think it would be to climb? I don't really know anything about climbing," Sverix admits.
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(The chasm goes all the way to the wall. You could try climbing sideways across the wall, but that'd be just as hard as climbing down- harder, as getting the rope set up would be more of a challenge.)
"I should have some rope in my pack, " Anevia says. "I usually carry one with me, even to ceremonies...."
She fishes around in her pack and pulls out a silk rope.
"Oh! Sverix exclaims. "That makes it easy! We can hold the rope while Lann and his friends and Horgus climb down the chasm, then I can use the scale on you and Aravashnial and fly one end across, you can pull yourselves over, and then we can hold the rope so everyone in the chasm can climb up the other side! Don't you think that will work?"
He looks eagerly at the others, hoping for approval of his plan.
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Everybody agrees, although Horgus Gwerm seems a little grumpy about it. Still, he seems to recognize that in the absence of servants to carry a littler, or a carriage and a driver, that this is the best way to get across.
In short order, you're able to make the climb and/or glide across the chasm. Anevia rolls the rope back up and puts it back in her pack.
You walk another 20 minutes. Pretty soon, you can see that the winding passageway opens into another cavern/chamber ahead. Lann puts his hand on your flank. "Possible danger ahead. We don't come this way very often; it is the den of a fungal creature, a spore-cougher. A sort of fungus with legs and a big bulb on the top that spits out spores, and eats you when you're disabled."
How do you want to proceed?
"Oh... well, if lightning hurts it I can just blast it with my breath from a distance," Sverix states confidently. "We should be fine."
With that, the little dragon proceeds to lead the way onward.
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Lann looks at Sverix for a few minutes, nods, and says, "OK."
The tunnel opens into a circular cavern, roughly forty feet in diameter. Thick sheets of fungus grow in the cave, and several tunnels branch off. All of these save one in the north wall leadd ownward; the northern one leads upward. What appear to be two dead bodies lie on the ground in the middle of the cave, next to a strange heap of ropy green fungus.
"It looks like some others already tangled with it, and killed it for us!" Lann says with some relief. He points to the heap of fungus. "That was the spore-cougher."
Lann points down one of the exits from the room. "That is the path to Neatholm, our settlement," he says, and begins to head in that direction.
"Wait..." Sverix says, ambling over towards the dead bodies. "Shouldn't we check who did this? What if they're enemies? We should know who else is down here, right?"
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Crel, the Mongrelman whom you rescued earlier, says, "Yes, you're right."
Lann says, "Sorry, I'm just eager to get home."
You look at the two bodies. They are in armor, and prominently bearing the symbol of Iomedae on their tabbards.
"We've seen people like this before. There've been more lately. They've allied with another tribe of mongels -- a tribe that is, shall we say, much less welcoming than our own."
Searching the bodies, you find that one has a potion, the other a scroll. Between them they have 129gp. Each of them has a glaive and a spiked gauntlet. As a resident of Kenbares, you have seen a lot of Iomedae crusaders in your day, and it's a little surprising that they have these weapons. Typically, they'd be weilding the preferred weapon of Iomedae, the longsword.
For the potion:
For the scroll:
As you look, you notice that the dead body with the scroll has a clenched fist. Prying it open, you find that inside was a small brass object, shaped in the head of a bull, with tiny red gemstones for eyes.
Sverix looks over his finds.
He growls when he realizes what the little bull head is. "This one had a symbol of Baphomet! I think they're fake crusaders!"
He calms down a bit and adds, "They had a healing potion, too. Oh, yeah! I figured out that a couple of those potions we found earlier were healing potions, too. We have three now."
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"Cultists disguised as Iomedae crusaders?" Anevia cries. "That's abominable! That's terrible! I'd heard the rumors, but...."
The elf Aravashnail, meanwhile, says, "Yes, this is exciting; it's the first concrete proof I've seen...."
After a regretful pause, he continues "...er, that I've heard of that the cult of Baphomet, or the Temple of the Ivory Labyrinth, as they're sometimes known, has infiltrated Kenbares. It helps explain how the demons were able to get in for an attack how easily!"
Anevia looks at Aravashnial with a horrified expression. "Exciting? That's how you find proof of demonic cultists infiltrating our midst?"
Aravashnial, chagrined, says, "No, no, I'm sorry -- I'm always excited by the acquisition or confirmation of new knowledge. This is a terrible development, of course."
Horgus Gwerm says, "Can we be moving on?"
"We probably should move on," Sverix agrees. "But we'll have to be careful if there are fake crusaders around, especially if they're allied with some of the other people down here."
The little dragon looks to Lann to lead them onward.
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Lann leads you onwards. After about another fifteen minutes, you come to a circular, 20-foot diameter cavern. There are four mongrelmen standing here on guard. At first, they look very alarmed, picking up their weapons as they see a dragon stroll into their guard room. However, Lann says, "It's OK, they are friends. A tower collapsed at our post, and Crel was trapped beneath. Sverixalint, here, used magic-- magic granted to him by Terendelev, no less-- to free him."
This mollifies the mongrelmen on guard, who look at Sverixalint with a more impresed mien.
"I am going to bring them to meet the chief," Lann continues, and the others nod.
The guards open the stone door, and Lann leads your group through it. Beyond lies the settlement of Neatholm. A small, dark lake ripples in the center of this two-hundred-foot-wide cavern, the walls and ceiling aglow with thick sheets of luminescent fungi. In the center of the lake, over two dozen low stone buildings cluster on a rocky one-hundred-foot-wide island. Lights glow in the windows of the buildings, giving hesettlement an almost welcoming look. Rafts made of mismatched planks of timber bob along the length of a crooked pier at the lake's closest shore.
Crel and Dyra peel off from your group, leaving Lann as the only mongrleman guiding you. He heads you to one of the larger rafts, and takes you to the island at the center. There, he leads you to the largest stone building on the island's low peak, explaining to you that this is Chief Sull's house. Inside, you meet Chief Sull, a bloated and unpleasant-looking mongrelman. He has one ear that looks like a rat's, and a row of poitned teeth that also reminds you of a rat. One of his eyes is bulging and milky-white, and on his head is a mop of scraggly grey hair. You hear Horgus Gwerm make a low non-verbal sound of disapproval behind you, but by now he's figured out not to say anything.
Lann introduces you to the Chief. "This is Sverixalint, and his companions are Anevia, Aravashnial, and Horgus Gwerm. They came to us about half a day after the tremors. In the tremors, the tower at our guard post had fallen, and Crel was trapped underneath it. We were despairing of ever giving up, but didn't want to abandon him as we looked for help. Sverixalint was able to lift off the heavy stone using a magical levitation effect, at which point we had no trouble freeing Crel. They came with us the rest of the way."
The chief regards you. He says, in a pleasant and soft-spoken voice, "Thank you for freeing one of our people. We have a comfortable home here, but many of the other denizens of the deep, and the environment itself, can be quite hazardous. You are welcome to stay here as honored guests as long as you wish. I am curious, though: what are you doing down here? I can tell from looking at your bearing and mode of dress that you are surface folk, and were not planning on an expedition underground."
After a pause, he says, "And I can tell from the look on Lann's face that you know something of the tremors that have beset us recently."
He pauses to hear what you have to say.
Sverix again tells the tale of the battle above, his voice growing quiet as he again speaks of Terendelev's death.
"We... or at least I would hope to get back to the surface quickly, to see if... to rejoin the fight if it still rages," the little dragon continues bravely. He looks at his companions uncertainly. "If you don't have any healers who can help Anevia or Aravashnial, hopefully we can find some up above, too."
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Chief Sull looks quite concerned as you explain that the tremors were the result of a demonic assault on Kenbares above.
"Our people here -- we may be outsiders, and freaks, in the view of the people above."
He briefly glances at Horgus Gwerm, who looks away uncomfortably.
"But, we are the descendants of the warriors and heroes of the first crusade. Our ancestors helped drive back the demons when they first burst forth from the Worldwound. The demonic energies warped them, and warped their children, leaving us with the physical deformities that you see in all of us. But our hearts remain those of crusaders."
Aravashnail, the elf, can't contain his enthusiasm. "Then it's true! I had heard rumors that there were descendants of the First Crusade under the ground; now I have met some!"
Chief Sull nods sagely -- a gesture lost on the blind elf. "We want the demons driven back as much as anybody else. As you return to the surface, please bring this message with you: the mongrels below, the descendants of the first crusaders, will stand with you."
After a pause for your response, Chief Sull continues.
"Alas, while the hearts of those in Neatholm remain the hearts of crusaders, some mongrels were twisted inside as well as out. There is another tribe, a tribe of traitors. Unfortunately, this other tribe resides between us and the nearest access to the surface. You will have to move through their territory. But I would ask that you do more than that. You told me of the two cultists killed by the spore-cougher. This other twisted tribe of mongrels has been working with them. I have ignored them until now, but that time has passed. If demonic cultists have infiltrated the city above, they are a threat to us down here. I would ask that you take your obvious might and, please, deal with these cultists and the twisted mongrels that work with them. Destroy the traitors, and then bring word of us and our willingness to stand with you to the surface."
"You will? That will be great!" Sverix replies to Chief Sull's offer. He listens very solemnly to the rest of his words.
"I... I can try," Sverixalint says, hesitantly. "I'm a dragon, but still a small one, so I don't know if I can take on a whole tribe by myself... but I'll try."
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Chief Sull gives Sverixalint a lopsided smile. "You will do fine, I'm sure!"
He turns to the others. "Our healers can look to see if they can do anything about your broken leg. I fear there's nothing we're likely to be able to do about your blindness, however."
Back to Sverix, he says, "If you wish to rest here, you are welcome to do so."
Horgus Gwerm pipes up. "I will stay here while you confront the traitors. You can come back and get me for the trip to the surface when it is safe."
Do you want to spend any time resting here, or move right out? Healers in Neatholm will not be able to fully fix Anevia's leg. She can get to full hit points, and will be able to hobble without a brace, but her leg is going to require more serious attention. (She'll be at have movement speed and have penalties on things like Acrobatics.) She would be willing to go with you and help at that point. Aravashnial is also willing to go with you and help, but his spells are limited, and as a wizard, he's not going to be able to prepare more until he figures out how to get his sight back, or until somebody starts providing him with a braille spellbook....
"Well, I don't really need to rest now, though I'll probably have to come back and rest between attacks," Sverix says.
He looks over the others. "Ummm... why don't you all just stay here and rest? I don't know if I'd be able to protect you in a fight like this."
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Anevia says, "Sverix, you can't do this alone. What if you fall and need help? At the very least, you need somebody who can come back and inform the others! I am eager to get to the surface. I fear for Irabeth, and I want to find out if she's all right. I will help you."
Lann pipes up. "I will go with you as well," he says. "I saw what you could do to help Crel . It would be my honor to accompany you."
Aravashnial and Horgus Gwerm are shown to a guest room where they can stay while they wait. You and Anevia are also given guest quarters, where you may leave things you do not wish to bring with you.
Horgus seems to want to retreat from the sight of the distorted humans, and disappears into his room to lurk while waiting for you to get him out of there. Meanwhile, Aravashnial is eagerly interrogating them to learn as much as possible about them, and is comparing what he knows of the First Crusade with the traditions that the mongrelfolk have carried down from their ancestors.
You may make some minor purchases as well, if you wish, and if you have the coin for it.
Once you're ready to go, Lann leads you down a tunnel that winds generally to the southeast. Moving at a slow speed so that Anevia might keep up, it takes just under a half hour to get there. The tunnel narrows to five feet, the walls carved with picks and chisels.
(To be continued.)
Sverix thinks for a bit. "We should probably get as close as we can quietly. Then I can fight the guards with my claws and teeth while you both shoot arrows," he suggests.
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You sneak forward. You and Lann manage to walk quietly enough, but Anevia, unaccustomed to her broken leg, takes a misstep, has to stabilize herself against the wall, and sends a shower of pebbles flying.
Ahead, you see a small cavern bisected by barricades made of helped rocks and loose wooden boards. Beyond the barricades, a wooden screen covers the lower half of a tunnel mouth leading off to the east. There are two mongrelmen standing guard. "Did you hear that?" one of them says. The other stands up, alert.
Anevia and Lann both fire off arrows from their shortbows at the northernmost mongrel. In between the curves in the cavern and the barrier, they're shooting through cover.
Both arrows are deflected by curves in the tunnel.
The two mongrels ready attacks, but also start making a tremendous ruckus howling and shrieking. You can be sure an alarm has been raised....
Sverix is up.
Action Order
- Anevia
- Lann
- Evil Mongrels
- Sverix — Current
Sverix roars and charges forward, running straight up to the barricade. He jumps and grabs the top of it, sticks his head over, and breaths a bolt of lightning aimed to hit both of the mongrelmen.
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The two mongrelmen look suddenly alarmed to have a lightning-breathing dragon in their face, even if it's not a particularly huge one. Both of them look badly wounded by the blast, but both are still up.
Lann moves in behind you and fires his shortbow towards the mongrel that's farther from you, but the arrow is deflected off of the barrier the mongrel is behind. Anevia moves up more slowly and fires herself, but isn't able to make a clean shot with Lann between her and her target.
The mongrel behind the barrier that Sverix is looking over swings his club, solidly connecting with Sverik's head. Sverik takes 7 points of damage.
The other mongrel leaps the barrier he's behind, and gets in Lann's face. He swing his club at Lann, knocking your ally's bow arm and doing significant damage to him.
Sverix is up again!
Sverix snarls as he's hit, but rather than attack the one that injured him he turns to the one that attacked Lann, attacking with teeth and claws.
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Sverix takes a step and bites mongrel threatening Lann, who drops to the ground bleeding. He then turns and swipes with his claws at the other; the mongrel ducks under the first swipe, aided by the cover of the barrier, but the second one hits him as he's standing back up, and he falls to the ground bleeding and dying.
Anevia limps into the room. "They made enough noise that we can be sure guards beyond will be alerted. We probably don't have long."
You may only have a few rounds before more show up... if they do show up. What do you want to do?
"Here, let me heal Lann really quick," Sverix says. He pulls out his wand of cure light wounds and waves it once over Lann. He hesitates a moment, then waves it over himself, too.
He puts his wand back in his carry-sack. After a moment's thought, he goes and stands directly in front of the door. "Stay behind me and be ready to shoot," he says, not taking his eyes off of the door.
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Sverix moves to the door, Lann and Anevia taking position behind him. Moments after he gets to the door, the door swings open, as a mongrel behind it opened the door. The man's right eye (which looks human) goes wide, while the vertical snake-like pupil of his left eye expands horizontally. He shouts, "Dragon!!!"... and slams the door.
Let me know how you proceed.
Sverixalint jumps at the door, seeking to wrest it open.
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The door opens, and the mongrel who shut it is just behind it, looking very alarmed.
Opening the door was a move action -- you still have a standard action left. It was three rounds after the end of the last bit of combat (two rounds healing, one round getting into position), for purposes of tracking your breath weapon.
(Map is the same.)
Sverix sees the opportunity to use his breath again, but decides he'd best save it for greater challenges. Instead he snaps at the mongrelman behind the door with his fangs.
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Sverix bites the Mongrelman, who flinches when the door immediately reopens. Aneiva and Lann each try to fire arrows past Sverix through the door, but aren't able to get a clear shot, and both arrows bounce off the doorjam.
The mongrel in Sverix's face swings his club at Sverix, and is just able to connect in a way that the dragon's scales do not protect him; Sverix takes 5 points of damage. The mongrelman takes a five foot step back while the other one runs forward to take his place, also swinging his club at Sverix. Sverix, still reeling from the first hit, isn't able to fight off the second, and takes another 9 points of damage as the mongrel is able to slap Sverix right across the head.
14 points of damage later, Sverix is hurting. It's his chance to try to come back at them....
"Apsu!" Sverix growls, his brief prayer answered by a flash of healing energy from the holy symbol around his neck.
Then he tears into the foe in front of him with claw and tooth.
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Hitting with his bite and one claw, Sverix leaves the mongrel in front of him in a bad way.
Lann and Avenia both try to finish him off, but can't get a clear shot.
The mongrel in front of Sverix runs for the far door (withdraw action). He gets there, and reaches for the door handle, though whether to escape or bring allies is not clear.
The other mongrel steps back forward and swings his club again at Sverix. This time, he does not hit hard enough for the blow to do more than glance off of Sverix's scales.
Sverix is up again.
Sverix doesn't like the idea of reinforcements, so he inhales deeply and then exhales a bolt of lightning.
Then he slips into the room.
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Both mongrelmen manage to dodge the worst of the rather subdued bolt of lightning that Sverix breathes out. However, it's too much for the badly-wounded one at the far door; he falls over from even the glancing shock of the bolt.
Sverix isn't able to slip into the room; the doorway forms a hard corner that he can't take a five-foot step around. He'll have to get the mongrel to back off or go down in order to clear the doorway.
Lann and Anevia are still unable to get a clear shot off.
The mongrel, still wide-eyed from the shock of the lightning bolt, swings his club again, and connects with Sverix. The blow to Sverix's upper torso hits, doing another 7hp of damage.