The swashbuckler looked into everyone's faces to check if they were ready. Without seeing any hestitation, Kadrian opened to the door, as quietly as he could, and looked in.
Kdarian tries the door to find it locked. The look appears to be in good shape and will require some finesse or some muscle.
Rak watches Kadrian's attempt to open the door, then offers his suggestion. "I can lend a shoulder to help get that open; I don't think any of us pick a lock." He steps over to the corner away from the direction Algon and Akuleh went, peering down that side of the building before returning. "Though, there may be another door down that way; maybe we should check the whole perimeter, and make sure we can't find an open door or window before we make that kind of noise."
Kadrian looks down at his dwarven friend and nods. Keeping low, the swashbuckler slowly begins to check windows and doors on the west side of The Glassworks for any open window or door.
Algon turns to Akuleh when he feels the other's hand on his shoulder. An odd sensation passes from the point of contact, feeling similar to his summoner's magic and yet somehow different. It gives the golden warrior a feeling of confidence; one, perhaps, he lets go to his head for a moment. Nodding thanks to the Shoanti, Algon says, "Something is amiss inside. Gather the others. We go in at once."
Focusing on the feeling Akuleh has bestowed upon him, Algon takes a half-step back, bends his knees slightly, and brings his shoulder to bear against the door with the full weight of his body.
The door strains against the force of Algon's body and seems as if it will resist the strength of the outsider when suddenly the lock snaps and the door swings open. Had Algon exerted force for half a second longer he would have charged forward into the room from his own momentum but as it stands he holds his ground, standing in the door way.
Inside the room, a wheelbarrow sits against a wall here, and shelves on the walls contain additional reagents to create different colors of glass (manganese for clear glass, cobalt for blue, tin for white, untreated glass is green, while a high quantity of any reagent makes black glass). A safe on the floor hangs open. There are several doors leading out of this room, all of which are currently closed.
There are two doors along the wall to Algon's left. This is one door to his right and a set of double doors ahead of him.
Receiving Akuleh's summons, Kadrian, Rak, and Izbela make their way to the open double doors.
Thanking Algon as he walks in, the swashbuckler, not familiar with The Glasswork's layout, listens at the closed single door for what might be on the other side.
Izbela enters the Glassworks after Kadrian, cradling her new crossbow in one arm as though she expects that she'll be needing to use it soon. She kneels down next to the open floor safe and looks over its contents, or lack thereof.
Algon stands just inside the doorway and rolls his shoulder for a few moments. The door had put up more resistance than he had anticipated; the last thing he needed heading into a potentially hostile situation was for his sword arm to be weakened. Once the lingering ache has faded, Algon draws his greatsword and moves to listen to what's behind the double doors.
Hearing the crash of the door falling to Algon's strength, Rak hustles around the corner of the building with the others, trying to keep up. He follows Kadrian and Izbela in. He gives the various reagants on the shelf a curious glance, but quickly moves to cover the remaining double-doors to the south. He puts an ear to the right door, listening for any threat. He instinctively uses his expanded senses to search for evil behind the door.
Akuleh presses his way into the room after the others and quietly closes the door behind them. "Best not to leave our backs open if we can help it," he mutters to Izbela. "Friends, do you hear anything?"
As the others listen at the doors for any signs of life or threats, Akuleh checks the floor around them for tracks of any kind, hopefully excluding their own.
No sound emanates from any of the doors except for the set of double doors nearest Algon. Almost everyone can hear or feel the rumble of what must be the facility's furnace. Rak's magical sight continues to function but still yields no results. Nothing remains in the safe except dust, although is would appear a few small objects of circular design have been removed.
Kadrian looks confused and anxious.
"Damn! I'm not sure which way to go?"
Looking to his friends, the swashbuckler poses the question, "Should we keep following the sounds? I think perhaps we should. What are your thoughts?"
"I'm guessing it's safe to assume that none of you know the layout of this place, right?" Rak looks around and shrugs his shoulders. "I think that's best, Kadrian. We don't know that the sounds will lead us to Ameiko, but we have to go somewhere. Let's see if we can't find that furnace." He looks to the double doors at Algon's post.
"I am as much a stranger to this town as you are, Rak. I will have to rely on Kadrian and Izbela to guide us if they are able. As it seems they are not, I agree with Kadrian that we should follow the sounds, and perhaps that will lead us to this furnace you speak of. Either way, we should remain on our guard. I feel a great uneasiness about this place and this situation."
Kadrian nods to the eidolon next to the double doors.
"Algon, if you would be so kind..?"
Izbela shakes her head in answer to Rak's question. "Lonjiku isn't the sort to offer tours of his factory to the public, I'm afraid."
Sensing Kadrian's agitation brings a slight frown to Izbela's lips. Although she is fairly certain that Ameiko has made a favorable impression upon Rak and Akuleh in their brief time in Sandpoint, she knows that Kadrian has reasons far more personal for wanting to ensure Ameiko's safety. But whether he still carries a torch for Ameiko—as many in town believed—or they were simply lifelong friends mattered little at that moment. Setting aside her own feelings, Izbela lays a hand on Kadrian's arm and tries to offer him assurances. "But we will find her. If we have to break down every door in this place and scour every room, we will." So saying, she readies her crossbow and nods to Algon, signaling for him to proceed.
At the group's indication, Algon—much preferring the head-on approach as opposed to sneaking around and trying to catch one's enemy unaware—shoulders the double doors wide open and lets his momentum carry him a few steps into the room. Once the golden warrior is clear of the doorway, he immediately adopts a defensive stance with his greatsword at the ready.
Rak shakes his head in amazement as the eidolon bursts through the door as if it were a paper screen from Tien, and not the stout Varisian construction that it in fact was.
"If I'm ever making you mad, Bela, please give me warning before I cross any lines. Algon is quite the protector."
Despite the gravity of the situation, Rak's comment earns a soft chuckle from the summoner. "Oh, Rak. I can't imagine that day will ever come. And even if it did, you would have nothing to fear," Izbela assures the Dwarf with a fond smile. A smile that turns into a mischievous smirk an instant later. "Not from Algon, at least."
A furnace burns along the southwest wall of this room. Marble tables sit in the chamber, used to work raw glass into usable shapes, with nearby wooden tables cluttered with various tools of the trade. The building's furnace rumbles loudly. The main furnace burns at the southern end, a large chamber that utilizes alchemy treated wood that burns with a hot blue light.
Numerous human bodies lie in various stages of dismemberment. Centralized in the room is a group of several goblins. Some wield dog slicers while other munch on arms, legs, and broken glass. They all appear to be standing around something.
Kadrian bursts through into the larger room. Looking around, the nobleman sees the mutilated corpses and is disgusted.
Drawing his rapier, Kadrian spits, "You bastards! You filthy pigs will meet Pharasma this day!"
Recalling Akuleh's advice from earlier, Izbela nods to him and Rak, indicating the double doors. "You two go on. I'll bring up the rear and make sure nothing sneaks up behind us."
"What is this evil work?!?" Rak rushes into the room as fast as he can, taking a position opposite Algon, with his new rapier and shield both at the ready. Seeing the ruined bodies all about the place, Rak is overcome. "This is beyond the norm even for goblins!"
Having been listening to these creatures converse amongst themselves for the last week, he puts together what he hopes to be an effective battle cry. "Платићете за ужас који сте овде учинили! Кајден ће ми помоћи да те пошаљем у своју пропаст!"
"You will pay for the horror you have done here! Cayden will help me send you to your doom!"
Akuleh moves ahead of Izbela, turning to her as he does. "Good. Stay behind me. Your strengths are best used from a distance. I shall help our friends against these vermin!" The Shoanti raises his hand high above him and calls out in a loud voice, "Ancestors, guide our blades!" A burst of light explodes out of his hand and fills the room, washing over his fellow defenders and infusing them with power.
The goblins, emboldened by their recent antics, charge forward. Two swing rusty dogslicers attempting to cut into Algon and one manages to draw blood. Another goblin tries to smack Rak with a piece of molten glass but ends up breaking in on his shield. The rest of the goblins rush forward and hurl glass beakers and flasks that they had been using for gods know what. Glass rains down all around but only manages to crash into the floor sending shards of broken glass all across the floor.
Each time a creature moves into an area covered by caltrops (or spends a round fighting while standing in such an area), it runs the risk of stepping on one. Make an attack roll for the caltrops (base attack bonus +0) against the creature. For this attack, the creature’s shield, armor, and deflection bonuses do not count. If the creature is wearing shoes or other footwear, it gets a +2 armor bonus to AC. If the attack succeeds, the creature has stepped on a caltrop. The caltrop deals 1 point of damage, and the creature’s speed is reduced by half because its foot is wounded. This movement penalty lasts for 24 hours, until the creature is successfully treated with a DC 15 Heal check, or until it receives at least 1 point of magical healing. A charging or running creature must immediately stop if it steps on a caltrop. Any creature moving at half speed or slower can pick its way through a bed of caltrops with no trouble.
Recoiling as the glass shatters on his new shield, Rak ponders a complaint about scratches, but focuses on the task at hand. No time for jokes today. He presses forward, keeping the shield between him and the goblin nearest that arm. He studies it over the crest of the shield, seeking an opening to take advantage of; he strikes with the rapier.
HP 15/19
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 dex, +1 shield) 13 vs. caltrops
Fort: +4, Ref: +1, Will: +6
Conditions: bless, studied target, zest for battle
Melee (mwk rapier): +7 (+1 BAB, +3 str, +1 mwk, +1 bless, +1 studied target)
Melee Damage (mwk rapier): 1d6+4 (+3 str, +1 zest for battle)
Izbela nods her agreement to Akuleh's words, not needing to be told twice to stay behind the Shoanti. Stopping just inside the doorway, her look of determination turns to one of horror as she glimpses the evil the goblins have wrought. "Monsters... You monsters! How could you?!" she shouts, feeling anger and despair in equal measure. On the precipice of losing her composure, the ancient wisdom of Akuleh's ancestors washes over her, focusing her emotions toward one deadly purpose.
Bringing her crossbow up to her shoulder, the summoner leans around Akuleh and takes aim at one of the goblins in the rear , trying to thin out their numbers from the back while her companions attack their front line.
Algon sneers down at the goblins, the scratch he receives from one barely garnering his notice. "You will pay with your lives for the blood you have spilled here," the golden warrior pronounces, neverminding that the vile creatures likely couldn't understand him. They would.
With a quickness belied by his size, Algon sweeps his blade in a brutal arc before bringing it down on the head of the goblin before him.
Kadrian notices events are starting to bottleneck, so the swashbuckler sheaths his rapier and pulls out his crossbow, arming it with a bolt, and stands on the nearby table for a better vantage.
Rak rapier misses the goblin's eye by mere inches, however Algon's greatsword splits the next goblin's skull in half down through the neck and into the collar bone. It flops over dead which only serves to enrage half of the remaining goblins, and entertain the rest. Some shout insults while others giggle and point until Izbela's bolt soars through the air and strikes one right in the shoulder. The others cease laughing as their illusion of safety in the rear begins to evaporate.
Akuleh moves further into the room and readies his spear. He lowers the point between his companions and thrusts it forward and stabbing at the goblin .
The goblins continue their assault, mainly against Algon. The one still standing and wielding a dogslicer manages to spill more of the outsider's blood. Another swings hot glass at Rak but is unaccustomed to such a weapon. The remaining goblins hurl more glass into the fray but don't manage to actually hurt anyone.
The swashbuckler takes aim at Goblin1 with his light crossbow and fires.
And misses. Kadrian quickly reloads his weapon.
Akuleh lashes out at Goblin7 with his gauntlet, trying to turn the goblin's already oddly shaped head concave if he can.
Rak shifts his attention to the goblin in front of him, trying to keep pace with Algon and press forward into the Foundry. He looks for an opening, striking forward when he sees one.
HP 15/19
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 dex, +1 shield) 13 vs. caltrops
Fort: +4, Ref: +1, Will: +6
Conditions: bless, studied target, zest for battle
Melee (mwk rapier): +7 (+1 BAB, +3 str, +1 mwk, +1 bless, +1 studied target)
Melee Damage (mwk rapier): 1d6+4 (+3 str, +1 zest for battle)
Izbela feels a grim sense of satisfaction on seeing her bolt hit home and bring the goblins' evil laughter to a stop. She slides another bolt into place and takes aim at the wounded goblin once again.
With one goblin's attention split between him and Akuleh, Algon presses their advantage and brings his greatsword to bear in a vertical chop, attempting to cleave the little green menace in two.
Kadrian's bolt misses wide of the mark but Izbela's strike true. Where Akuleh's spear finds no target, both Rak and Algon lay out there foes, spilling their blood across the stone block floor of the glassworks. The goblins all laugh maniacally as the fight rages on. Rak's rapier buries itself deep into the chest of a goblin who cackles and slashes back at the dwarf with a broken shard of glass. The remaining goblins throw themselves into the fray and all target Algon. The tactic pays off for the goblins as more of the outsider's blood coats their weapons.
The nobleman aims at Goblin1 again with his crossbow and fires.
Noticing the eidolon becoming overrun, Kadrian drops his crossbow and draws his rapier.
"Stay strong, Algon!" Izbela cries out as more of her guardian's blood is spilled. Shifting her crossbow to her other arm, Bela retrieves her Harrow Deck and selects the topmost card, empowering Algon with the otherworldly magic.
Algon's golden eyes glow red and ghostly briar vines materialize over his gleaming armor as Izbela's magic takes hold. Pain fuels a rage the likes of which the warrior has never felt before and he revels in it, swinging his blade viciously at the goblin that dared to draw blood from him.
Rak steps over the dying goblin at his feet, closing on another of the goblins, trying to help keep the mass of them off of Algon. His blade-work with the new rapier is showing rapid improvement as he becomes used to the lightness and precision of the weapon. Balanced by the increased protection offered by the shield he can hold, he is starting to really come into his own with the new gear.
HP 15/19
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+5 armor, +1 dex, +1 shield) 13 vs. caltrops
Fort: +4, Ref: +1, Will: +6
Conditions: bless, studied target, zest for battle
Melee (mwk rapier): +7 (+1 BAB, +3 str, +1 mwk, +1 bless, +1 studied target)
Melee Damage (mwk rapier): 1d6+4 (+3 str, +1 zest for battle)
The fight becomes a bit more crowded, so Akuleh draws his morningstar and swings it at the goblin directly ahead of him.
___________
Kadrian's bolt buries itself halfway up the haft into the goblins chest yet still it just cackles with glee, blood gurgling up and out it's mouth as it does so. The other heroes fight on to a stalemate against the goblins. The goblins strike back and again draw blood from Algon. The numerous nicks and cuts begin to add up, both enraging and slowing the outsider.
Kadrian leaps from one table to another to join the melee around the eidolon, attacking Goblin4.