Though Harakhty had become used to many of the features of civilization, loud explosions weren't something with which he was at ease. As the cannonball ripped through the building, he reflexively hopped to the side, covering his eyes with his hands, nearly bashing himself in the head with his buckler. Taking them away, he saw Skaar standing across the blast hole. Maybe his motives are better than I thought.
They entered the hallway. The greenskin's assessment was accurate; there was really no way to tell where anyone was, let alone their target. As Skaar went through the process of breaching the rooms, Harakhty used his eyes and ears.
Cyna followed Skaar through the building trying not to think of the odds of any of them being hit by a cannon ball. "We need to get out of here soon before any of us end up a permanent part of the building."
"Bloody hell!" Aurelea utters brushing shrapnel and dust off herself.
"There's got to be a secret way out of this place and he's probably trying to use it now. We need to find that."
You open the door to a bedroom. You see a woman laying on lavender satin sheets, her clothing torn off and discarded on the floor. A thin cut along her neck mars her attractive skin, the blood on her dried long ago. A chair occupied by an emaciated man sits in the corner facing the bed. He has been tied to the chair with a length of rope and his eyelids have been removed. It looks as if he died from starvation.
There is nothing else of note in here, the closet and chest have been gone through already.
Skaar thrusts a shoulder into the locked door and is immediately assaulted by a skeletal-looking man. He futilely pounds his fists against the orc's chest before collapsing in a heap. Spittle runs down the man's crusty beard. He murmurs unintelligible things about rats and cultists.
Skaar shook his head in disbelief. This was bad stuff. He hadn't seen shit like this since his time in the army. Was this Kabir another Blackwater?
No, not another one. Never again.
The big orc moves to the next two doors and broke them down as well.
Looking in the room Cyna couldn't help but think the worst. "They made him watch...?" she turns away and tries to focus on the sickly man on the ground pushing the disturbing images from her mind.
This mad dog needs to die. Drago thought looking on the scene.
Dead, maimed, starved, driven crazy ... this nation was one of malice and pain. Cyna rushed in to deal with the gibbering man, but Harakhty was almost looking through the situation with a second set of eyes. How did a place like this even sustain itself?
They would soon find out, he hoped.
Aurelea begins shaking with rage at the sight of the tortured woman's corpse and the man that appears to have starved.
"I am going to enjoy killing this bastard!"
Cyna looks over the man and tries to help him up, but, as she puts her hands on him, he goes limp. Checking for a pulse, she finds none. He looks almost serene though there are drying tears upon his thin face.
Skaar opens the door to another bedroom, this one occupied by two smaller beds with blue sheets. There are toys scattered along the floor, but there is no one in here.
Skaar breaks in the last door in this hallway and finds himself face to face with a snarling wolf. Behind the wolf, stands another cultist. Unlike the others you have encountered, this one has a more seasoned look about him.
Initiative:
Round 1:Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty, Wolf
Skaar is shocked to find a wild animal on the other side of the door but quickly answers the wolf with a snarl of his own.
The big orc balls up a ham-sized fist and throw a punch at the wolf.
Hearing the wolf snarl, Drago raised his crossbow, but couldn't get a clear shot from where he stood. So he squeezed past his comrades to opposing door, , and took a shot at the cultist.
Drago pierces the cultist with a bolt and Skaar makes a clumsy attempt to punch the wolf.
Round 1: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty, Wolf
Aurelea surges forward alongside Skaar, drawing upon the magic within herself she reaches out to her sword, once again feeling that almost aware twinge as the blade drew in power.
She strikes, blade darting forward viciously at the wolf.
Leaving the lost cause where he lay Cyna moves to the door and attacks the beast.
Harakhty wondered at the presence of the wolf. Almost certainly tamed, hopefully they would not need to put it down...
The cultist was another story, however. Immediately when the opportunity presented itself, the Vanara fired.
His shot going stray, however, Harakhty set about reloading his bow. These confined quarters would not be kind fo them if the cultists came about in any significant number...
W hp:10
Cyna makes a successful strike against the wolf. The cultist takes a step back and fires a bolt at Skaar, while the wolf attempts to bite Cyna.
;
; ;
Round 2: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty, Wolf
Skaar eyes go wide as the cultist levels the crossbow, but the muscle-bound orc proves too slow as yet another crossbow bolt slams into the meat of his shoulder. With a grunt of pain, the big greenskin narrows his gaze on the offending cultist before focuses on the beast before him again.
With his good arm, he throws another massive punch at the wolf savaging Cyna.
Seeing the Orc take a bolt to the shoulder, Drago loaded his crossbow, aimed and fire again at the cultist.
Drago's second shot misses the cultist, but Skaar's fist finds its target and knocks a fang loose.
W hp:3
Round 2: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty, Wolf
As the wolf pulls Cyna to the ground, Aurelea steps forward with a growl of her own thrusting her blade into the animal's back to aim for the heart.
Aurelea puts down the wolf with a clean strike, while Stephen punctuates his curses with a minor but effective attack.
The cultist drops his crossbow and pulls out two wicked-looking handaxes. A smile crosses his face as he charges the orc.
;
;
Round 2: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty
Skaar curses as the cultist's weapon draws another wicked gash across his ribs.
Unable to get a clear shot into the fray, Harakhty waits with his sights on the cultist.
Cyna attempts to crawl away from the skirmish.
As Cyna tries to escape from the melee, the cultist's eyes shift downward to take a passing strike at the ranger.
;
He then resumes attacking the two opponents in front of him.
;
;
Aurelea falls to the floor from the cultist's attack. "Surrender and your companions may live."
Harakhty trains his sights on the cultist, waiting for the right moment to shoot, but none comes.
Round 3: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea (stabilization check), Cyna (stabilization check), Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty
Skaar watches helplessly as another ally is cut down.
No! Nobody else is dying before me!
Despite his multitude of bleeding wounds, the big orc throws himself at the deadly cultist with a roar.
Worry gripping him like a plague with the bloodshed all around him, Harakhty began to panic. Two of their count were on the floor, Skaar not looking far from it himself.
"Stop this madness!" He shouted to the cultist in a last, futile plea.
Not seeing a whole lot of options, Drago drops his crossbow, pulls a scroll from his case and rushes through the doorway to get on the other side of the cultist.
Drago rushes past the cultist, who takes a swipe at the sorcerer.
;
Skaar tangles up with the cultist, while Harakhty takes an ineffective shot. Aurelea stops bleeding, though Cyna continues.
The cultist swings his hand axe at Skaar in order to break free.
;
He shoves the unconscious orc to the ground. "I've already beaten three of you. And, from the looks of it, the strongest among you. Lay down your arms and this won't have to go any further. Your energy is spent. This is your last chance, else I will kill you."
Round 3: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty
Harakhty shook his head. "It is you who should surrender."
Harakhty steps back and protects himself with holy light.
Round 4: Drago, Skaar (stabilization check), Aurelea, Cyna (stabilization check), Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty
Seeing the big Orc go down, struck Drago with a fear he hadn't known before. He stepped back and threw what offensive magic he had left.
Drago's spell fails to have an effect on the cutlist, who steps forward and swings his axes at the dhampir. "You should have taken my offer."
;
;
Round 4: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty
Stepping North a tad, Harakhty lets loose a shot through the doorway.
"Only a coward runs from a challenge," Harakhty taunts, attempting to bait the cultist back towards him.
Harakhty's shot misses and the cultist pays little heed to his challenge.
Round 5: Drago, Skaar, Aurelea, Cyna, Stephen, Cultist, Harakhty
Some need to feel pain to change. If only my aim were better...
There was a reason he wasn't the hunter, but he could still try.