Laro waits for the bat to descend and attacks it.
Aelerie's eyes widen in surprise as the giant dire bat descends upon the group, the beating of its leathery wings almost deafening to her as it draws closer. Struck by the uncomfortable thought that the bat looks more than capable of carrying one of them off, Aelerie slides a quarrel into her crossbow and takes aim at one of the gigantic, flapping wings.
Virdel invokes a blessing upon the party, extending it to the children as well. Then he draws out his crossbow, ready to fire!
Javell whips out a dagger, sending it flying at the descending bat.
Albus tells Whisper to hide.
DC 15. Whisper to hide.
Albus prepare to grapple the bat as it descends into range to bind its wing so it can't fly away.
Combat Maneuver grapple
Albus leaps when the Bat is in range and grapples a wing.
CMB vs CMD with any modifiers. I'm unsure about bless applying.
Whisper whines, not willing to leave Albus' side. Aelerie and Javell's attacks hit and wound the bat deeply. It's descent goes awry as it screeches in pain and ends up in a strong grasp by Albus which allows Laro to stab it deep. The large bat dies in Albus' arms and goes limp.
Just as the group relaxes at the end of the threat.
Javell is suddenly assaulted by what he thought was a stalagmite he was standing next to! One stony claw cuts through his defenses and a maw opens from the stalagmite that clamps down hard on Javell's shoulders!
Eyes open up and wings unfurl from the back of the stone that has turned so deadly. It cackles as it tastes Javell's blood.
Aelerie, you know that this is a Gargoyle! Evil creatures that are almost undetectable in stony environments if they don't want to be found. They can fly, you need magic (or attuned) weapons to even hurt them and they are vicious.
Mikra screams, while Savra and Jurin gasp, Kimi holds her dagger out at the monster that hurt Javell in front of her.
Dire Bat: Dead
Javell: 8 Hp damage
Laro gasps right after relaxing as Javell is attacked. He takes a step toward the stalagmite that grew teeth and a mouth and attacks it, opposite Javell. "What in Cayden's worst drunken nightmare is that rock with a mouth?"
Laro's first slash causes a large crack to appear on the menacing rock. His second slash is even better aimed than the first one but seems to do far less damage that Laro would have thought.
Javell's knees buckle under the assault, but his starknife comes round and slams into the creature's stony flesh, enchanted runes blazing into existence.
"It's a gargoyle! Only magic or enchanted weapons can pierce its rocky hide," Aelerie supplies, curiously forgoing magic in favor of loading and firing another crossbow bolt.
Albus drops the now dead weight of the bat just to see Javell bit by stone. He seizes his Greataxe and attempts to slice it up.
To hit target. Critical on a 20. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage., Power Attack -2 Hit +3 Damage, Bless.
Damage Weapon Attunement, Power Attack
To confirm a critical if rolled. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage., Power Attack -2 Hit +3 Damage, Bless.
Damage from critical X3, Weapon Attunement, Power Attack
Albus swings his weapon hearing Aelerie too late to stop.
The group reacts quickly to the sneaky threat, everyone lands a strong hit and Albus' axe is enough to turn the gargoyle into splintered dust. It doesn't even have time to scream as it goes down.
It seems like each of you have a connection to your favored weapon now that was able to cut through the gargoyle's innate defenses.
Aelerie notes that the ruby doesn't even start glimmering as it did when the group put down threats in the Droskaran basement.
"Hmm..." Aelerie taps on the topmost facet of the ruby. Not even a glimmer. A theory comes to her mind, one involving a direct correlation between the amount of evil they cleanse from each level and the brightness of the gem, and thus the power released from each successive visit to the altar. If that's true, we might have a long ways to go down here. ...Or maybe Torag's patronage is at an end for us. But as interesting as testing her theories was to the fledgling scholar, Aelerie knows that their success here will be measured by something more important. For now, she stows the ruby away in the pocket of her skirt and keeps both hands on her crossbow.
"Everyone keep a lookout. Gargoyles are almost impossible to spot in stony environments so the more eyes we have searching, the better our chances. You too, kids. If you see anything moving, let us know, okay?"
The kids nod, Jurin muttering Those were the flying things I was talking about
The cavern seems clear of any other life, it goes south quite a way but the only exit is to the north.
Virdel sighs with relief as the others quickly dispatch the monsters. He uses his wand on Javell's wounds.
"Yes we cannot trust even the stone walls here. We must be more cautious than ever!" He does his best to peer down the length of the cavern.
"Good job turning that thing to rubble!" Laro says as the gargoyle is dispatched. He watches Virdel heals Javell. "Looks like south is the way forward. Unless anyone objects I'll head down that way now." He then disappears into the shadows.
Albus says, "Yes let's continue on."
Albus does his usual careful looking about. Passive Perception unless an area draws special attention.
Javell ensures the kids are safe, bringing up the rear with one hand on his dagger belt.
Laro goes north as the rest of the group trails behind. They move through a narrow passageway that goes North East, the larger members of the group finding that they have to squeeze through.
Soon though Laro finds the passagway opening up into a large carven filled with rocky overhangs and jutting boulders. Before he even gets into the cavern though they can all hear shouting.
Work FAST FAST! OR LEKMEK SMASH SMASH SLAVES AGAIN! FIND SHINY GOOD GOOD FOR VREGGMA! comes a Draconic shout. It's a harsh screeching rage filled kobold sound and Laro can make out a some kobold slaves that look quite like Kibbo and Jarrdreg working away. They're not being stealthy at all but Laro can't really tell anymore than that in the cover filled cavern.
Javell doesn't detect any dangers from the rear.
Laro heads back to the group. "There are kobolds in the room ahead. At least one master and some slaves. The master was yelling at them and threatening to "smash the slaves again". I'll introduce him to my sword when you all get up there. I'll move ahead and wait to make sure they can't attack you while you can't move well."
Albus nods in agreement with Laro's plan. "Okay, I'll be ready to back you up when we are seen."
Albus will move up and out of the crevasse when he can, greataxe in hand. He steps aside, quietly, to let the others out prepared to come to Laro's aid if needed.
Armor check penalty and Medium Load penalty.
Aelerie fights down a sudden feeling of claustrophobia as the line through the passageway stops. "Yes, okay. Just be careful, Laro." Once the line starts moving again, the arcanist breathes much easier. However, in her haste to leave the constricting passage, her entrance into the cavern is somewhat less than subtle.
Laro easily loops behind the mining crew and gets a good long look at Lekmek, he is short for a kobold, with spindly little chicken legs that contrast bizaarely with his tremendously muscled upper body. His face, squat and mean, sits on broad shoulders and thick python-like arms which are themselves perched on his wobbly little stick legs.
Unfortunately as Albus comes out of the tight passageway his axe brushes against a loose rock in the wall. It falls and rolls noisily right at the mining crew.
Lemek and the crew, as one, look at where the rock came in and see Albus standing there with his axe. KILL KILL KILL! OR I KILL Lemek screams waving his pickaxe around.
The slaves, without even pausing, raise their own pickaxes and charge!
The slaves fear of Lekmek seem to give them wings and they charge at Albus who is still at the mouth of the passage.
There are six of them and they all move as one towards the ranger, three of them manage to get to him.
None of them are able to get past Albus' stalwart defense even though he is surprised by the kobold's swift response. The slaves seem dismayed though as Lekmek screams for blood behind them KILL KILL OR I SPLIT WEAK KOBOLD SKULLS! the foreman continues screaming.
"Albus, avert your eyes," Aelerie warns, digging a pinch of ground mica from her component pouch. "Pöly, joka loistaa kultaisen valon, varastaa vihollisen näky." The dust sails over Albus's head in a brief arc, gradually getting brighter and brighter as it spreads to cover the group of kobolds.
Turning to look back to Javell, Aelerie asks, "Switch places?"
Five of the kobolds clutch their eyes and variations of screams of Can't see Master! are heard by the group.
LEMEK NO CARE! the cruel slavedriver screams back SWING AT SOFTSKIN LONG SHANK. BRING DOWN AND STAB STAB
Javell takes the full round to make his way into the melee if needed.
Albus pushes forward trying to get out of the passage past the blinded Kobolds. Holding his axe defensively in front of himself he will try to push back on any kobold that stands in his way until he is free to maneuver and the passage is clear.
May need a STR roll for that.
STR
or it's an attack (repositioning sort of ?).
Deft Maneuvers may apply.
Seeing his chance to end this encounter by taking out the slaver, Laro stealthily approaches and tries to attack him and misses completely.
The halfling moves to the incensed mining slave driver and his swords flash. Neither hit, and Lekmek is so focused on the large humans in front of him that he doesn't notice either...
With his axe Albus is able to yank one of the blinded kobolds around putting him one step deeper in the cave and surrounded by five blinded kobolds and one sighted one. Lekmek is behind one of the blinded kobolds and Albus can see that Laro made a very dramatic advance on Lekmek with blades whirling!
Aelerie is out of sight behind the passage and Javell has managed to take her place.
Virdel opens with an invocation on the group, then draws his crossbow.
The heroes spend a few precious seconds getting themselves reoriented in the tight and difficult kobold tunnels
OUT OF WAY USELESS SLAVE Lekmek screams again and the kobold right in front of him cringes away as Lekmek advances on Albus and swings!
Hitting the ranger and drawing forth quite a lot of blood as the enraged slavedriver gets through the young ranger's defenses.
The four other blinded kobolds flail wildly around them
Nothing does any damage though.
The one sighted one attacks Albus also
But it barely misses
Albus 11
Laro steps up behind Lekmek and attacks him with both of his swords. As he attacks he yells out, "Slaves if you want to live drop your weapons! I'm going to turn Lekmek into a pincushion." in draconic.
Laro's first swing slashes deeply at the foreman who screams at the sudden attack at his back. It's a sound of rage rather than pain or fear though. The slave kobolds around him cower at the sound rahter than Laro's words.
Albus, seeing Laro come up behind Lekmek and stab him, takes the opening that gives and does an overhead swing on Lekmek to avoid catching on the crowd around himself.
To hit target. Critical on a 20. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage., Power Attack -2 Hit +3 Damage, Bless, Flank.
Damage Weapon Attunement, Power Attack
To confirm a critical if rolled. Weapon Attunement +1 Hit and Damage., Power Attack -2 Hit +3 Damage, Bless, Flank.
Damage from critical X3, Weapon Attunement, Power Attack
Albus follows Laro blow with a solid hit from above biting deep into the shoulder with a spray of blood falling on the slaves.
Albus's axe slices deep into Lekmek's shoulder badly wounding the already hurting kobold.
Javell sends a dagger at Lekmek as well
which just hits the kobold, and only because of Lemek's confusion from the first attack that hit him.
Albus 11
Lekmek 39
The sword stab, axe slash, and dagger are just enough to put the screaming kobold down. As he dies his last scream are KIIIIIIIIILLLLLLLL!
As the kobold's voice fades the one sighted kobold yelps Lekmek dead! Lekmek dead! and drops his pickaxe. The other five yelp in surprise as they flail around.
Listening to the sounds of a battle she can't partake in does little to soothe the nerves and anxiety Aelerie feels in the cramped cavern. Mercifully, some of the tension eases when she hears the kobold's cry and the clatter of some heavy metal item hitting the stone floor. With the fight seemingly over, Aelerie nearly bowls Javell over as she squeezes past him and into the cave.
After a much needed breath of fresher air, Aelerie draws herself up and addresses the blind kobolds in their language. "Yes, Lekmek is dead. Drop your weapons and I'll give you back your sight. Refuse, and join him."
A bunch of crude picks clatter to the floor as the kobolds threw themselves at Aelrie's mercy Please please, soft skin, please give back eye sees is the general trend of their wailing.
The children and Whisper make their way out of the passage way as well. The other three have to cooperate to pull Jurin through who comes out red faced and huffing. Did we find Hollin? he wheezes.
Virdel follows Aelerie into the room and upon seeing Albus' wounds, quickly draws his wand. "Thank you for your bravery once again, Master Albus!"
Albus endures another wound as he is getting all to familiar with being sliced up. "Thank you Master Harg for your aid again, and it's not so brave, after all jumping in is better than to die in a trap." To Jurin he says, "No, young Master Kreed. It's never that easy, just a mine with slaves and a late slave master. We will continue on soon."
To the slaves, "Stand aside and give us no trouble, have you seen a soft skin taken through here?"
Albus cleans up the ax a bit and checks out the room and the body of the late Lekmek.
The kobolds shake their heads and cringe as they huddle together No no just soft skin spawn running and chased by warriors
That was us! Kimi says with a note of pride in her voice.
When no helpful answers are forthcoming from the kobolds, Aelerie asks a different question. "Then where are your Mighty Shaman Jekkajak and Great King Merlokrep?"
The kobolds cringe at the names. One of them, perhaps the bravest points at the tunnel heading north from the caverns rather than the one going west That way, through slurk kennels, then many many kobolds before great throne room. But no Say Mumpo tell!
The kobold thinks about what it's said for a bit then adds Also forget Mumpo say Mumpo name.
It thinks a bit more and then points at the kobold next to it That one is Mumpo! at which point the two kobolds start bickering.
"Look, can we just keep going? I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of listening to all these kobold arguments. Mumpo says we need to go north, I say we do so. We can always come back."
"Look, can we just keep going? I don't know about you, but I'm getting tired of listening to all these kobold arguments. Mumpo says we need to go north, but I don't believe he's being truthful, maybe leading us into a trap. I say we go west, like the rest of them are saying."
Virdel hones in on the speaker, trying to figure out what his intent is.
Both Javell and Virdel get the feeling that Mumpo is being truthful in his directions. Not about him not being Mumpo though. He's lying there.
Virdel, you get a bit of flux from Mumpo's most ardent desire. Until very very recently his most ardent desire was to not get hurt by Lekmek, now... it seems like his most ardent desire is shifting to surviving the crazy soft skins while also not getting punished by the Great King Merlokrep.
Laro looks back and forth and says, "North it is then." He then looks a Mumpo and says "Not Mumpo, I suggest you and your friends not bother us nor warn your fellow kobolds about us coming to attack them. Go back up the way we came and wait there. The burning chain dwarf is dead so you don't have to worry about that and most things are dead up there too, other than the three stooges, Lukko, Jarrdeg and Kibbo." he says in draconic. Laro then begins to move to the north.