Cole's first arrow once again flies wide, but the second lands close to the star knife wound from Serra. The creature jerks and spasms, consciousness slipping from his grasp as his blood begins to pool beneath him.
Grasker takes a posture of total defense, not wanting to try to negotiate from his position at the top of the rope onto a greased ledge in the midst of combat.
Round 4, Init 7+
Conditions:
HP: 21/22
AC: 18 (ff 16, t 13)
CMD: 13
Init: +3
Fort: +4 | Ref: +2 | Will: +1
Per: +0 | Know nature: +6 | Know planes: +6
Equipped: Produce Flame
Produce Flame: 27/30
Calistria's Presto-Changeo Trick: 1/1
Dancing Holy Flames: 1/1
Flare Holy Flames: 1/1
Big R's Holy Flameball: 0/1
Call upon Big R to protect/rejuvenate mount: 1/2
Call upon Big R to send assistance: 6/6
Scale = 0/3
full stats
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
AC: 20 ( touch 12, flat-footed 14) (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +4 mage armor)
HP: 10/10
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0
Acrobatics +6 (+10 jump), Climb +6, Perception +4, Sense Motive +4
Still a little shaken after his fall from the ladder, Beagan responds to Eli and bends over the fallen Graf, trying to ascertain how much of the potion actually made it down his throat.
The Gnome has to hold one hand up high and away from his body to keep the Big R’s Holy Flames from burning their mongrelman ally. "I'm not sure, Eli! He looks pretty bad."
Round 4
HP = 7/20
AC/T/FF = 14/11/13
Weapon Equipped = мировник
Speed = 30'
Arcane Pool = 4/4
Spells Prepared (CL 2nd; concentration +5):
1st (3/day)—frostbite
0 (at will)—detect magic, prestidigitation (DC 13), light, brand (DC 13)
Status Effects = None
Jurin tries to hit his foe, this time with feeling.
Round 4 Summary
Serra strikes out at the scythe wielding cultist viciously and warns him to stay down.
Grasker hunkers down in the mouth of the vertical tunnel, debating the merit of continuing through the grease.
Colelets out a barrage of arrows, one of them striking the scythe wielding cultist and sending him spiraling on his way towards Pharasma's boneyard.
Beagan checks on Graf below, but can't tell if he still lives or not; perhaps Ragathiel just doesn't care to know.
Jurin takes advantage of the scythe wielder's condition to use him as a safe place to step as he takes the fight to the glaive wielding cultist.
Round 4, Init 5
AC = 14
HP = 7/17
Weapon Equipped = War Razor
Condition(s) = None
Eli makes his way carefully across the grease, working his way to the corner, before returning the kindness to the cultist for his displaced scalp.
"We're almost through, master Beagan. There is still one of them, fallen in body as well as spirit."
Round 4, Summary B
Ely picks his way across the grease, slicing the remaining cultist's throat where he lays. Beginning to gurgle, he spasms, his spirit slipping away with his blood.
Eli's brows lower, concealing the whites of his eyes. He makes himself watch the blood pulse from the new opening in the cultist's throat. That was too easy, Lenore. Taking a life like that. The razor brought it home. I... I don't think I like the razor, my love. With the hammer, I'm kept at a distance. I like that better. Is that wrong of me? To want to break an opponent through bones, less blood?
Eli finishes his study, then stands more erect. "Beagan. It is done. Please tell us that Graf is still with us. His effort proved to be what we needed. I... I retreated, when I should have advanced." Eli proceeds across the grease a second time.
He thanks no one in particular to have avoided falling into the mixture of grease and blood.
Taking to the ladder, Eli descends, and takes a closer look at Graf. A shaking in his hands prevents him from closer inspection.
"Grasker, please."
Serra breathes again, happy to have survived another combat. This feeling of relief is new to Serra.
Serra keeps watch down the side hallway while others recover and come up.
"Kastor! Come here! We stand guard," Serra says, waiting for the ladder to be free enough for his squire to scamper up. "Did you have a question for me? In the middle of the battle?"
Serra waves Kastor closer so that he doesn't have to yell to address (and teach) his young squire.
"Yes, indeed. That was an old trick my ma taught me, Kastor. You'd like her. She was a nice woman with a pure, if mischievous heart," Serra says, remembering his mom, a woman he loved and adored. "She taught me that. And I've never forgotten it. It seemed appropriate at the time, young Kastor. Sometimes little tricks can turn the tide of a skirmish, which can turn the tide of a battle, which can turn the tide of a war, which can turn the tide of a nation."
Serra blows out all the air from this lungs, pausing to think.
"We knights have a responsibility to drive back evil wherever we find it. We must use all the tools at our disposal to defeat them...just like they will use all manners of magic, trickery, and deception to beat us. Kastor, as you grow as a knight, do not overlook any opportunity to learn new ways to defeat evil."
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Cole collects his arrows, climbing back down the hole to get any that may have skittered that way.
sigh...
He then takes a moment to adjust his arrows between his quiver and his pack. As he's doing so, he looks down at Graff.
"Is he going to live? He was quite brave."
Cole will then take up a guard position so the party can relax a little and prepare themselves as well.
The Gnome glares at the flames in his hand as they sputter out, muttering. "That's why one sometimes needs to charge in against over-matched opponents." Should have gone up there myself.
But then again, this one would feel the same way as me, wouldn't he? He understands the importance, the need, the duty... "Come on, Graf. You're our hope to salvage some life from this evil, demonic incursion."
Grasker climbs back down to take a look at Graf. Ear to his chest"He's alive, but he's probably done in for now." he calls back up.
@ Beagan: Though not entirely certain, Beagan is fairly sure he saw Graf's chest rise and fall at least once.
"Do we press on? We're a man down here. No telling exactly how far Hosilla's demons reside." Eli appears flustered, hardly accustomed to two-story battles.
Grasker solemnly considers things when looking at the fallen Graf. He covers the hand with the carved symbol in his own and makes a quiet vow. "I will see it through."
To the group, Grasker describes Graf's situation:"He will need healing and rest, as will some of you that fought above I image. If we have defeated the forces above this may be time to fortify some corner and regain our strength."
Conditions:
HP: 21/22
AC: 18 (ff 16, t 13)
CMD: 13
Init: +3
Fort: +4 | Ref: +2 | Will: +1
Per: +0 | Know nature: +6 | Know planes: +6
Equipped: Produce Flame
Produce Flame: 27/30
Calistria's Presto-Changeo Trick: 1/1
Dancing Holy Flames: 1/1
Flare Holy Flames: 1/1
Big R's Holy Flameball: 0/1
Call upon Big R to protect/rejuvenate mount: 1/2
Call upon Big R to send assistance: 6/6
Scale = 0/3
full stats
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +4
AC: 20 ( touch 12, flat-footed 14) (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +4 mage armor)
HP: 10/10
Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0
Acrobatics +6 (+10 jump), Climb +6, Perception +4, Sense Motive +4
Seeing Graf still breathing, Beagan is gratified, but he eyes Eli's bloodied head with concern. "Xanthos and I are about as whole and hearty as we get, so we'll keep an eye out. Did Graf say something about a demon maze?"
The Gnome remounts Xanthos and keeps an eye out for further danger, making sure nothing interrupts those tending to Graf and other wounded.
Serra continues his guard, his eyes going to his squire on occasion.
"Uh...that's a good lad. We can't save them all," Serra mumbles.
Serra waddles back a bit to address the party, still keeping an eye (and most of his bulk) on the hallway.
"Maybe we could rest right here. We can cover the hole and his hallway easily. We can even put the bodies in front of that door here," Serra points to the door down the hallway.
"Can we get Beagan and his noble steed up?"
* * *
When Beagan, Xanthos, and Graf are up, the party rests, setting watch and hoping for the best.
It takes some doing, but eventually Everyone, including Xanthos and Graf (still unconscious at the moment) are up in the room above. It's clear to see why the cultist's chose this place to make their stand. With only the hole in the floor and the single eastern passage it is easily defensible and not too uncomfortable. all things considered. Serra wanders down the passageway, finding a dire rat nest but the group is able to dispatch them easily, securing the space from the door to the east to the hole in the floor to the West.
Eli doesn't argue as he watches the others prepare to hunker down, and tend wounds. He opts for the floor, somewhat near to Graf's prostrate form. He pulls his backpack loose, and starts rummaging, before remembering that he has no bottle of applejack at his disposal. He pulls the backpack into his lap, and drapes his arms over it, in a familiar position. One that makes it likely to disturb his sleep should someone try and displace the backpack.
As he slips into sleep, he mumbles briefly. "Back... and down... always back and down...I'll have you every time..."
He absently consents to a later watch.
Serra breathes deep reflecting on the day in a manner that his father taught him.
"My father once read that 'A life unreflected is not worth living.' Do you know what that means Kastor?" Kast whispers to Kastor during their watch. "It means that we can learn a better way to act and figure out new truths through reflection. I ponder upon this day...and what we learned, Kastor."
"We learned that our comrades here are useful tools in the battle against evil. We saw that trickery and subterfuge are effective against evil. We learned that every little bit can turn the tide of a battle. Ponder upon this, Kastor. Learn the lesson well."
Serra will spend his watch, both keeping watch and looking over his mother's book of flowers, remembering her even as he remembers the teachings of his father.
Only a few times during his watch does he regret how much he's failed them and the potential he was blessed with.
He nods as Serra lists the days lessons, the weight of the day growing heavier still."I'll remember. I don't think I can ever forget." Kastor goes quiet, though he keeps watch as long as Serra is awake.
Cole, still relatively fresh (well as fresh as he ever is) offers to take first watch. He makes sure the rope is pulled up, but carefully coiled so a quick kick will allow the party to make use of it again in the event a retreat is called for.
After his watch he sleeps deeply, stone floor notwithstanding. He murmurs a bit into the pack he's using as a pillow, but it's unintelligible and quiet.
He awakens refreshed and ready to face a new day - and more evil cultists. He passes out the rations for those who don't have any of their own and takes stock of our supply. (I don't know who needs rations from Cole - he has 9 left.)
"Anybody hungry?"
The morning dawns... just as dark and bleak as the days behind it. Whatever sun rises doesn't reach the group still deep beneath the ground, but Cole shares his rations for breakfast and soon they are ready to move forward save for the still unconscious mongrel.
The door to the east is locked, but the key was found on one of the dead cultists.
Grasker still had a few channelings of divine healing, and would have used them before we camped out:
Serra wakes and pokes at his rations, trying to share with Kastor, but the young squire doesn't even want to touch the food this morning.
Eventually, he gives up on eating a good, full breakfast and reviews his mental map of the warrens.
"Looks like we have 4 ways to go: explore the area beyond the rat warren. Or back to the pantry. Or down the tunnel sluice. Or back to the east ...aka, back to Neathome," Serra says, waiting to decide where to go.
Eli throws on his backpack, heads down the ladder.
Once below, and suitably out of direct-line-of-sight, he takes off his backpack.
As Eli joins the others, he debates the course of action. "If we are clearing this place for the residents of Neathholm to be used as a forward outpost, I surmise we'll need to go all ways. For now, I suggest we understand how much more of this place is left to uncover." Eli points at the eastern door on the second floor, past the warren.
Graf wakes in the morning with the others, Grasker's healing setting him as close to rights as he is likely to be. He pokes the hole in the wall where the dire rats nested, but finds nothing. As for the door, he admits to knowing very little. "I've never been beyond this place. But my father said that the way to the uplands was this way and I have heard mention of 'Hosilla's Demons' as well. I do not think they were merely a boast."
"Graf...you say this way leads to the demons? And how far away do you think they would be?" Serra asks, making a note in his mental overview map.
"I think we should clear the pantry, explore the sluice, then return to Neathome. The mongrels there would both be happy to hear of our success and might seek to reinforce this area after our return and exit to the uplands," Serra suggests.
"Before we move, however, we should barricade this rathole for the time being. Might slow down any descending demons for a short while."
Graf considers Serra's questions before he answers. "I do not think they will be far. The Maze should be beyond this door, I think. But I do not now, not for certain." He considers the carving in his hand, and begins to work on it again; the thought of the group returning to Neathholm spurring his work while the rest consider what to do.
Jurin sleeps, but it is obvious he is troubled by strange dreams, stirring in the night and occasionally flinching as if to avoid a blow. When he wakes in the morning, he spends time reading a book of recipes before stowing it and preparing for the journey.
"Demons, really? What do you think the chances of that are? They'd hear Beagan coming if Cole and Grasker don't get the drop on them. We can handle some demons, Spasi."
The old man shakes his head and winks at Eli.
"Demons."
After the fight, it had taken a little maneuvering to get Xanthos up the ladder. Although an adept climber, his four paws weren’t exactly made for rungs. When it was his time to rest, Beagan curled his form next to his bunny wolf, who promptly disappeared when the Gnome began his soft snore.
Upon the awakening, the little paladin is rather upset when he sees no sign of the Big R’s holy steed. During soft, fervent oblations, practiced fingers carefully repaint the symbol on his forearms and then the rune on his forehead, and the mount reappears in a puff of flame and smoke. ”Xanthos! I’m glad the Big R deems my mission worthy enough to send you back, big guy! Losing you would be like losing my right arm!”
The conversation begins to sink in. ”You’re correct as usual, Jurin. If there be demons ahead, they’ll know this dedicated warrior is coming! We can’t leave those terrors behind us, not when the Big R sends us this kind of aid. Cathyra wouldn’t leave demons free to do their dastardly deeds! No Ma’am!”
Serra tries to explain again, not certain what Jurin nor Beagan want to do. He straightens his armor before he speaks.
"I think you are missing something...or I am. Both Chief Sull and Graf have pointed this way to the uplands. We will eventually have to face those demons. However, if go now, we will both have to backtrack if we wish to return to Neathhome and have whatever enemies lie down the Sluice behind us. If we are just bolting to the surface, we should go face the demons now, but if we mean to secure this place, wipe out the cult, and report back to Neathhome, we should act differently."
Graf eyes Serra oddly, then clarifies. "I don't think anyone is down in the Sluice. Fish, perhaps. But these were the last two that I expected to find, save for the demons...and perhaps, fish."
"Serra, I thought Graf was indicating the abyssal horrors weren’t far away, so I didn’t want to leave such a threat so close at hand." Wouldn’t be prudent.
"But I certainly don’t think we should bolt without returning to Neathhome first. They need to know what’s happened here. And obviously we can’t do that if we’re on the surface." Or dead.
"As long as I promise to come back to at least scout this out. No demon rock left unturned! Make sure nothing is baking in the oven that shouldn't be!" The battle bunny just rolls his eyes.
"So sure, what Serra said."
"We are not proceeding to the surface without our charges, Anevia, Horgus, and Arashnyel. Of course, we're not. But I am not risking their well-being by returning here with them, knowing demons lie ahead. No."
Eli straightens up, and nods at Jurin. "We are fully rested, are we not? No pantry, no sluice. We take the demons now, investigate the sluice and pantry at our leisure. Hosilla died yesterday, and we are unsure that the demons aren't now free to roam as they please."
Eli beckons all, and readies to open the eastern door, heading towards Hosilla's demons. "Oh. Before we engage..." Eli produces his scale. "Who requires their weapon to be more effective against demonkind?"
Jurin pats his sword.
"Wouldn't be the first time this sword has tasted demon blood."
"I’ve got some of that god-forsaken metal, on my arrow tips." His body tenses, face cringes, and fingers twitch as he speaks of it.
"I’m afraid Xanthos and I might not be as effective, although we can cause distractions to absorb some of their.. ahhh... attention. I'm, mmmm, seasoned in that regard, I can" probably "take it." Yeah, focus on me, not my friends, not the innocent, you demonic scum. Try to take me instead, and I'll make sure they’ll live to fight another day.
"I guess my sword could use your blessing, although I don’t seem to connect quite so often with it, despite my training, so only if you think it's worth it."
"Master Beagan, in the little time we've had, I've found you to be quite worthy."
Eli reaches down to touch scale to both blade and bunnywolf. "This should at least make you more unappealing to the demons we've been promised."
"Anyone else? Terendelev's Blessing is only once more today, I gather."
"My sword would benefit from the blessings of a dragon. Through this scale, may we destroy demons."
As for our plans, Grasker agrees with something not exactly said: "Serra is right, we cannot bolt to the surface and leave behind the other survivors of Neatholm. Once our fighting is done we can bring them along to the surface."
Looking at Graf's whittling he adds "And keep our other promises."
Eli nods to Grasker, and touches scale to blade once more. He then tucks it away, patting it appreciatively before doing so.
"May we destroy demons." Eli awaits the others to head eastward.
This large chamber must have once been a cistern for the sewer system. Walls made of identical stone blocks hold up a lofty ceiling reinforced with elegant stone arches, while the center of the room contains a more recent-looking structure made of brick walls that reach from floor to ceiling.
A sickly floral scent wafts on a faint current from within the room.
Serra listens to Ely's plan and his subsequent castings from his scale.
Spellcraft
Duly emboldened by Ely's actions, Serra gathers his gear, draws his starknife, and follows the party on to the be-demoned Maze.
I sure admire his certainty. Serra feels more certain, that's for certain.
* * *
Serra enters the cistern, immediately holding his nose from the scent.
Perception
Serra points out the discarded limb.
"Careful now, something strange is afoot."
Eli moves through the door, jogging left, trying to take in as much as he can on the first look. We're hunting, Lenore. There are demons afoot, and their time on earth is not long. Strengthen my arm, and I shall honor you with their destruction.
He keeps his lucerne hammer at the ready, signalling the next through the door to jog right.
While Eli is casting, Beagan chants a prayer asking the Big R to protect his holy mount.
Holding sword and shield, he taps Xanthos and moves forward, following Serra and Eli through the door, slipping to the right as directed.
His whispers to his comrades, pointing to the corner. "Is that foot real?"
Graf follows the others, a non committal "Probably" tossed in without even looking. "Hosilla would sometimes send... 'treats'...." His voice breaks off as he finally actually looks at the foot. One step, two, three. and he is there upon it, falling to his knees to cradle it against his chest in cautious hands.
"Anya!!!"
HP: 16/16 +17 temp
Weapon Equipped = Long Bow
Cold Iron Arrows = 30/30
Silver Blunt Arrows = 10/10
Conditions = Bolstered (1 of 19m)
Ranger Focus = 1/1
Child of the Crusade = 1/1
Silver Dragon Scale = 2/3
Bow Attack Mods: BAB +2, Dex +3, MW Bow +1, (Rapid Shot -2)
Cole looks at the foot uncomfortably. Hard to walk without a foot… but I doubt that’s the only damage done to poor Anya.
"Sorry about your friend Graff. Perhaps, if we hurry, we may yet find her alive." The words are hollow as he says them for he does not believe it either and he's a horrible liar.
When the party prepares to advance on these demons that we fear are before us, Cole will take out his scale and use it on himself.
He considers a moment, and decides to walk up to Grasker and use it on him as well. He leans in and whispers to him
Cole then urges quickness, "Let us hurry while we are so prepared."