Neils jumps out from behind the rocks and rushes the nearest guard. With a swing of his crackling blade he sends a wave of pure force at Sventa in an attempt to knock her out.
Christaph will then step in, hoping for the best & take a crack at the other's guard head with his quarterstaff trying to knock him out.
Neils, wielding his blade awkwardly, misses the remaining guard, but Christaph's quarterstaff is more than able to finish the job. The second guards falls unconscious at their feet.
Before heading into the mines I'll tie up the guards & gag them & I'll ask Neils to make sure the knots seem proper & tight enough. Then ask him to drag them somewhere out of sight.
As we get ready to enter the mines, observant people may notice a crystal with ectoplasmic legs comes walking out from somewhere under Christaph's cloak & climbs up to his shoulder. If anybody looks at him questioningly he will say, "It's my crystal. He can see in the dark & may be useful in helping to navigate the mine."
As both guards lay on the ground unconscious, the caravan guards are able to look through their possessions if they desire.
- sap
- short sword
- light crossbow
- 20 bolts
- scale mail
- heavy wooden shield
- 10 gp
With the guards now out of the picture, the caravan guards can see the mine gates are locked with a simple lock and chain.
Furthermore, the caravan guards now have free reign to loot the items around the mine entrance.
- 6 Zerathi chisels* and 3 Zerathi picks*
- a dorjes of detect psionics (27 charges)
- a power stone of sensitivity to psychic impressions
- There is also a mining cart containing approximately 400 lbs of phrenoric ore
Squirm shakes it's head and rubs it's eyes for a moment before blinking a few times and surveying the scene
"speedy work! These two out for a count now then?"
Punctuating it's question with a soft kick to the nearest guard
"We should move quickly and get under ground."
Christaph will help himself to 20 bolts.
"We have found here 20 Gold pieces. How are we going to split this among the three of us? I suggest 6 GP each, & the other 2 go into a 'group fund' to be used as seen fit by the majority of the group, making this system of splitting valuables to be our standard method. Do you two agree?"
Christaph will not take any of the picks because they are too heavy, but he will take as many of the chisels as he can. He suggests that maybe Neils can carry the picks? They most likely are valuable and can be sold. He will suggest dividing the chisels to 2 each. Christaph will certainly pick up the dorje & power stone. He would like to keep the dorje but is open to discussion & he offers the power stone to anyone who wants it, but will keep it if no one else wants it. He is being very careful to not touch the ore.
Christaph will also activate his 'free' force screen and keep reactivating it every time it expires.
Christaph will also ask Neils to carry as much of the loot as he can, especially the 2 crossbows as those are probably the most valuable by weight comparison. We can probably sell them back in the town.
Squirm grabs the nearest guard by the ankles and impotently tries to pull him into the mine entrance
"We should get these bodies out of sight sharpish... I might need a hand though..."
Neils will assist with moving the bodies, and afterwards will tie up the two guards using the chain and lock - after relinquishing them of the key of course.
As Christaph starts to loot the guards Neils coughs "Sorry, but you'll have to carry that yourself if you're trying to take it. I'm a hero; I don't make a policy of going through the town guards pockets."
I'm a hero; I don't make a policy of going through the town guards pockets."
I'm a hero; I don't make a policy of going through the town guards pockets."
Squirm picks up a chisel that has fallen from one of the unconscious men.
"everyone's a craftsman in this town... Odd."
Pocketing the tool, squirm takes a small stone from a breast pocket and holds it before his face, the hand drops away and the stone begins to glow with a pure white light, it slowly orbits the little man's head. Squirm turns to Neils
"well, my well rested friend, I suggest you lead on."
Finding the key, Neils unlocks the simple lock and it plunks to the ground. Gently pushing the gate makes a barely audibly squeal as they open inward.
The mines beyond the gates are well-maintained and expertly excavated. Wooden beams reinforce the tunnels every 5-10 feet. There are no light sources within the mines, though a full lantern sits near the main gates. The humidity is quite high in the caverns and the odd pool of clean water dots the corridor floor.
Despite the humidity, the temperature is unnaturally even and pleasant in all of the tunnels – characters who prefer cool environments believe it to be cool and refreshing, while characters looking for warmth will feel it most comfortably.
The passage here splits into two exploratory tunnels. Fragments of a marble-like substance still occasionally dot the hewn stone walls.
"everyone's a craftsman in this town... Odd."
"Ok, so here's 10 Gold pieces for you Squirm & 10 for me. Maybe we should just hide all their weapons in the crates over here instead of taking them with us. ... Nice Light Squirm! Though it kind of makes you a target as well."
Christaph will gladly take the middle position in the marching order as he picks up the lamp and lights it.
"I suggest we check this first passage on the left, though that depends on what we can see farther down this passage straight in front of us when we shine this light down there as well."
Neils nods at Christaphs directions and heads to the front of the group, ready to intercept any would-be threats. Before they enter he takes a small pill out of his belt pouch and quickly swallows it.
As the group enters the mine, the entire party is on the lookout for anything potentially harmful.
The entire party spots an oddly shaped glyph on the wall. The intrepid adventures know it is some sort of trap.
"Ok, I suggest everybody stands back. I'll try to deactivate this."
Unsuccessfully disabling the Shrieking Alarm, a wave of energy envelops the Caravan Guards. Everyone stares at each other, stunned for a few seconds before recovering. As they look around, shaking off the ill effects of the trap, they can hear an ear-splitting braying emitting from the glyph. The trap triggered, they are free to continue to explore the mine should they choose to.
As the caravan guards explore deeper into the mine, they come into a wide chamber.
This large chamber shows signs of habitation,though the furnishings are crude at best.
Two of the antlered creatures, hanoshafyr as the local call them, seem to be standing on guard duty. They turn to look at the group, as if scanning for something.
They eyes go wide as they grip their clubs and advance in a threatening manner.
"These creatures in here? Now I know something's up for sure!"
Neils moves into the cave with his psychic weapon raised. He waves it menacingly, filling the air around him with static, before delivering a thunderous blow to one of the beastmen, cleanly cutting the creature into two equally portioned venison steaks. The scent of scorched meat and ozone fill the air while Neils momentarily considers an alternate universe in which he was a world renowned chef, rather than a illustrious hero.
Trying to resist the mental incursion of the Psion, the red hanoshafyr grimaces in pain as the psionic suggestions overloading its beastial mind.
Neils moves forward and adopts the martial art maneuver that is said to have roots in the bloodlines of genies. Imbibing his blade with psychic energies, Neils slices the hanoshafyr in two.
Squirm scampers into the room ready to batter either of the creatures, but he skids to a halt at Neil's horrific display of prowess
"You are beaten beast, throw down your weapons! You cannot prevail here!"
[dice=Intimidate]
Though the hanoshafyr doesn't understand what the dromite is saying, the universal language of aggression is understood. The hanoshafyr may be cowering in fear, but its animal instincts take over and it moves to club and gore Neils.
Missing badly with all its attacks, the hanoshafyr growls in beastial rage.
Neils manages to avoid the beastmans attacks and goes to deliver a strike of his own, but it flies hopelessly wide.
Squirm darts forward his horrific tentacle lashing out towards the creatures face
But in the gloom his touch flies well wide
Christaph will once again focus his mental energies on the hanoshafyr sending a Mind-thrust at it.
The scene repeats itself as the Psion once again muddles the hanoshafyr's animalistic mind before it advances again to club and gore Neils. No longer cowering in fear, it lashes out.
This time the club cracks into the soulknife's shoulder momentarily causing it to go numb.
Christaph is a bit upset that he does not seem to be causing much damage. He again focuses his mental energies, taking a little more time to feel like they are strong as he can make them and once again sends a mind-thrust at this resistant Hanoshafyr.