How long will you be waiting before you go after the grimlocks? Or will you be turning back?
As Vug declares her tonic ready you collect yourselves and carefully descend to the cavern floor. The rope bridge still hangs where it fell, making it easy to enter the tunnel, which wends its way a long time before you come upon a deserted chamber with three exits and signs of recent grimlock habitation. A quick search eliminates two of the tunnels which lead to now empty rooms, leaving only one passage.
This must be where the grimlocks went, so roll for initiative whenever you are done preparing.
As Vug declares her tonic ready you collect yourselves and carefully descend to the cavern floor. The rope bridge still hangs where it fell, making it easy to enter the tunnel, which wends its way a long time before you come upon a deserted chamber with three exits and signs of recent grimlock habitation. A quick search eliminates two of the tunnels which lead to now empty rooms, leaving only one passage.
This must be where the grimlocks went, so roll for initiative whenever you are done preparing.
Valgrim leads with his darkvision, so he is in front. He holds his greataxe in one hand and a handaxe in the other, should the need for a ranged weapon become necessary.
Once she's over the ruined bridge, Vug drinks her new tonic and draws her bow.
init:
Vulcan follows, staff at the ready.
Initiative
The long passage through the rocks winds down and down, deeper into the
ground. It curves ahead like a spiral. The air grows musty and sickening with the scent of rotting flesh. Eventually, the passage opens into a wide cavern, where it ends at the top of a short cliff that stands ten feet above the cave floor below. From ahead, the dim glow of a lantern or small fire casts a dull, red glow.
The grimlocks at the far side of the cavern carry longspears and some sort of bronze masks. They don't seem to take any notice of you as of now.
Vug Vang and Vulcan can act first, then the grimlocks, then Valgrim, Bubba and Feres.
Vug throws a stink bomb at the grimlock in W16.
touch attack w/ PBS:
damage w/ PBS:
5 splash damage (Ref DC 14 for 1/2), nauseated for 1d4+1 rounds after leaving cloud (Fort DC 14 negates)
Vug's bomb hits the grimlock and knocks him out. The grimlock in W15 is left retching, but the other one manages to avoid the cloud.
Vulcan is up, then the grimlocks.
Vulcan delays. The coughing grimlocks throw some ineffectual javelins and then the others close in, planting two vicious axe blows in Valgrim's face, sending him reeling for 15 points of damage.
Your turn again. All of you can act. Bubba starts by making an impromptu speech about the virtues of shining a light in dark places, filling you with courage and determination.
Seeing Valgrim take a vicious beating from the two grimlocks, Feres raises his holy symbol and invokes the power of the Healing Flame. A warm radiance flows outward from the symbol of Feres' goddess, washing over his companions but excluding the two grimlocks beyond the end of the passageway.
A shard of ice seems to launch itself from Vulcan's extended finger, to bite into Valgrim's attacker then simply evaporate.
"Lots of grimlocks here!" Bubba begins to chant.
Valgrim screams in pain at the hits, using the pain to power his attack as he brings his greataxe down to bear on the grimlock with cover first and then the wounded grimlock in front of himself ():
Assuming she has the other healing wand, Vug pulls it out and gives Valgrim a boost of healing energy.
CLW from wand:
"Hang in there, old buddy -- you don't want it to say I was killed by a measly grimlock with a javelin on your tombstone, do you?"
Valgrim smiles at Vug's comments, as he feels the healing energy close some of his wounds. "No, me elf lass, definitely don't want that, but we still got a boatload of more grimlocks reaching for more javelins and I still haven't seen their leader!"
Valgrim hews down the two grimlocks before him, but now their leader appears, axe in hand and hell-bent on revenge. He strikes Valgrim a devastating blow for 18 points of damage. Then the other grimlock takes advantage of the situation and manages to hit for another 11.
To make things worse, the other grimlocks seem to be advancing.
Your turn.
A big one too!"
Bubba casts grease on squares T15-U16.
"If this spell works, don't attack the grimlocks, but get Valgrim back on his feet!" Feres calls to his companions.
"Oh Holy Sarenrae!" Feres intones. "Grant these servants of the Rough Beast the blessing of your calming peace!" With the symbol of his goddess held before him, the stout priest casts a spell to calm the grimlocks in the cavern and bring a pause to their aggression.
Vug cries out "Noooo! Get back up!" as she uses the healing wand again.
As Feres casts at the grimlocks and Vug revives Valgrim, Vulcan dashes forward, words rattling of rapidly as he completes his spell, hand slapping down on Valgrims shoulder a moment before the injured warrior winks out.
Oh, and Bubba maintains Inspire Courage for 1 more round.
The grimlocks both slip on the suddenly slick floor and then a preternatural calm ensues. Both the grimlocks on the ledge start to laugh as the rage leaves the chief.
On the floor of the cavern too the grimlocks stop, bewildered by the unfamiliar emotion of serenity. Only the last one remains furious, yelling something probably not very nice at his companions.
Valgrim is up, conscious again but prone (and invisible). His axe lies beside him on the floor.
Vug whispers "F-f-f-father, how long will this trance last? Maybe we can retreat a little and get them to attack one at a time instead."
"Retreat back ten feet and I will grease the floor of the passageway."
In the prior round, Valgrim got up and picked up his axe (no AoO).
The strange-looking grimlock in the back (he's got red hair and what looks like huge staring eyes in contrast to his blind friends) hurls what must be a stream of insults and a spell at you, incensed at the lethargy that has overtaken his companions.
Then the air about you explodes into a cacophony of noise. Vulcan, Vug and Valgrim take 2 points of sonic damage (Fort 16 for half and to avoid being stunned for 1 round). The grimlocks before you snap out of their trance, but they are both stunned.
You are up.
Vug whispers "F-f-f-father, how long will this trance last? Maybe we can retreat a little and get them to attack one at a time instead."
"I'm afraid it will last only a few more seconds ...," Feres begins to reply, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Then the red-haired grimlock casts its spell, snapping all of the affected creatures out of their trance.
"... or less if someone causes them harm," Feres finishes with a sigh.
Fort save:
Vug winces, but manages to keep a hold of her bow and wand. She retreats back 10 feet as Bub suggests, hoping that the invisible dwarf is all right.
Feres raises his holy symbol again and invokes the power of the Healing Flame. A warm radiance flows outward from the symbol of Feres' goddess, washing over his companions but excluding the two grimlocks beyond the end of the passageway. Then, as Bubba suggested, Feres backs down the hallway fifteen feet .
Vug also stows the wand of CLW for the moment.
Valgrim then cleaves again, this time raging and power attacking, aiming first at the wounded barbarian grimlock then at the grimlock with cover:
Valgrim kills the two prone grimlocks, then makes a dignified retreat.
Vulcan and Bubba still to go.
Bubba stops talking and casts grease on the first ten feet of the passageway.
The grimlocks don't seem to be following you - at least not now. What's your plan?
Valgrim stops raging so he is fatigued for 2 rounds. Through bated breaths, Valgrim says "if I get some healing, I'll run back in."
Feres gives Valgrim a few taps with his healing wand.
"Here, Valgrim, before you go running back in, let me cast a spell to grant you the blessing of Sarenrae's protection against evil forces. It will make you harder to hit, and will protect your mind from the spells of that grimlock spellcaster. But it will only last for three minutes."
"I'll also cast a shielding spell on myself, and I'll use one of the Pearls of Power to cast Sarenrae's blessing on our entire party. Both spells will also last for three minutes. Then I suggest we take the battle to them will all haste."
Vug offers Bub a tanglefoot bag.
"I don't know if you've ever seen one of these, but it's a big bag of glue. If you can throw it at the grimlock who's casting the spells, it might make it more difficult f-for him."
"Very good, I will give it a try."
Bubba will dismiss the grease when the party is ready to move.
Fort save
None of the grimlocks is in a position to really take advantage of Vulcan's stunned condition. They withdraw to the far end of the cavern.
What is your plan?
Vug suggests that Valgrim stay slightly (5') back from the entrance so that the grimlocks can only face him one at a time. She'll pepper the grimlocks with arrows, assuming they're within sight.
Once healed and buffed, Valgrim will rush back in, jump down the 10 feet, and make his way toward the red-haired grimlock.
Vug laughs as she sees Valgrim charge in. "Well, that's one way to do it, I guess. But some day he won't be coming back, I f-fear..."