Returning to the branching passage Alma leads the way south. The weeping stops, but from the darkness the sound faint footsteps and scratching can be heard.
The passage opens up into a natural cavern. The ceiling disappears into the darkness and the stone worked walls turn into rough rock sides. A faint sickly odor grows stronger further into the cavern. Not the smell of unwashed goblins, but a smell of something rotten.
"This is the smell of death. Alma, are we alone in here?"
Detect Evil
He walks slowly into the opening cavern. With a small prayer to Imodae to sense the evil that seems lurking. Readying his blade to strike anything that may strike.
Moving in cautiously the light from Alma's sword casts shadows dancing back and forth across the room and across the cavern overhead. Nooks and rock formations reflecting the light at odd angles.
Ahead at the edge of the light is some kind of altar. Chained to one side is a man in only a loincloth. Scabs, cuts, and bruises cover his body. The man is unmoving. On the other side tied to the altar with ropes is a dwarf in a similar condition though looks to be at least partially conscious. The dwarf is also gagged. Farther back in the darkness the sound of many small creatures can be heard, rats?
Concerned with the strong sense of evil, speaking in a hushed voice, "There is great evil coming from the altar. We are not safe here."
Pausing for a moment. He then slowly walks towards the dwarf; ready to defend himself. Upon reaching the dwarf, he uses his glowing long sword to edge the gag out of his mouth. Barely over a whisper, Alma speaks directly to the dwarf, "Sir, who are you? Why are you chained here?
Detect Evil on the Dwarf
Alma continues to scan the area, wary of the evil in the room.
As Alma moves up to the altar two small creatures drop down from the rocky ledges above landing next to Warren and Markov.
A tangle of scaly avian limbs furiously beats double pairs of vulture-like wings, they peer about with a fiendish looking horned skull-head. Each holds a small spear in clawed hand.
Trom spits on the ground to remove the gag's fetid taste from his mouth before speaking in a fervent whisper. "Perhaps I'll tell ye when we get out of here. Untie me and let's go"
Alma strikes down on the ropes with his glowing sword.
Warren steps towards Markov to avoid flanking and swings at one of the demons.
Attack:
Damage:
Warren attacks the gaav that dropped down next to him. Despite hit the creature squarely the blade seems to refuse to cut into the devils skin and leaves only a minor scratch.
Each of the creatures lets out a billowing cloud of foul vapor from its horned head. Warren and Markov are enveloped by the nauseous fumes.
Irina turns her gaze on the uninjured devil, willing it to fall asleep.
Will DC 15
The nightmarish creature standing next to Markov falls to the floor unconscious.
Fort:
Alma, it looks as though I cannot hurt these creatures. I suggest you ask your god for aid against them.
As he finishes speaking, Warren steps over the sleeping creature and cuts its throat.
Damage:
No and no, although if you use LoH while you are sickened, it will remove the condition.
Warren steps over the sleeping creature and rams his blade through it.
The devils remains unmoving, a black ichor pouring from the grievous wound.
Markov looks ill, having breathed in some of the fumes.
Markov steps further away from the other gaav and fires a bolt at it. .
The remaining creature flapping awkwardly charges towards Irina with its spear held before it.
The spear catches her in the hip.
Warren runs forward to the unconscious man and heals him.
CLW:
"Nnnnh!" Irina cries out, her face going white as the spear skewers skin and muscle and slams against bone.
She grips her morning star and levels her gaze at the devil, willing it, too, to fall asleep.
The second devil falls asleep in front of Irina.
Alma cuts the ropes free of the dwarf as Warren runs over to heal the man chained to the altar. The man comes awake with a groan.
The dwarf works the words of a spell to heal some of his wounds.
A tiny red skinned winged humanoid with the tail of a scorpion appears next to Markov, its tail lashing forward to strike him.
The stinger does not penetrate Markov's leather armor though.
Warren moves back to the new opponent and cuts at it.
Attack:
Damage:
Irons will back away from the downed devils, whimpering slightly as the spear point dislodges from her flank. She presses a hand against the wound and wills the injury to close.
Heal hex on self: It seems her will has faded slightly and her hand still comes away bloody.
After freeing the druid, Alma quickly moves to aid Irina .
With the foul demon immobilized, Alma seeks to send it back to hell where it belongs. he drops his longsword and shield and wields his great sword.
Alma taking advantage of the demon's prone position raises his great sword
for a forceful blow.
[ooc]Silver Blade if that helps bypass any DR]
Trom steps forward and mutters and incantation. A hyena appears next to the scorpion-tailed monster.
Alma's blade strikes the creature, but the edge feels dulled, unable to cut deeply.
Warren moves to defend Markov, but the tiny imp laughs maniacally at him as his swings passes overhead.
Markov steps away from the creature, leveling his crossbow at it.
But is unable to inflict any damage on it.
Trom begins an incantation.
The imp steps back away from Warren and disappears from sight.
The prone devil leaps back to its feet and launches itself into the air, flying 30' over Trom's head. It lets out an angry hiss as it does so.
What kind of evil is this that I cannot make bleed? Alma thinks to himself in frustration.
As the devil gets back on his feet Alma strikes at him again.
Irina pulls out a tanglefoot bomb and hurls it up at the devil.
Touch attack:
Fire damage: and is entangled.
Attack:
Damage:
Staring up at the creature, Warren speaks slowly and clearly, his words laced with magic and power. Come back down from there.
Alma and Warren both inflict superficial wounds on the devil as it takes to the air.
Irina hurls a tanglefoot bag at the flying beast.
Sticky strands burst from the bag as it erupts, hampering the creatures ability to fly.
Warren commands the creature to come down in a voice empowered by his deity.
Summoning is a full round action, the hyena will appear at the start of your next turn
Markov loads another crossbow bolt but does not fire, the other worldly protections on the devil making it unlikely it would hurt the creature anyway.
At Warren's command the vulture like devil drops to the ground, falling prone. It lashes out at Trom with its spear.
Trom takes a minor wound from the attack.
Irina touches Alma, infusing him with healing.
Alma cries aloud "Imodae, grant me the strength to smite this evil beast!"
Smite Evil
Alma charges the devil
Warren pivots and rushes back the other way, swinging his blade again. This is too much running for a fight.
Charge attack:
Damage:
Hyena
Attack:
Damage:
Trip:
Attack:
Damage:
Trip:
Trom
Alma clumsily swings his greatsword as the gaav drops from the air, mistiming his attack the blade whistles through thin air.
Warren has better luck in connecting, but is unable to pierce the creatures protections.
The hyena proves more successful than both, its teeth finding hold on its second attack and tearing away fetid skin. The wound oozes with a pus like liquid.
Markov readies an action to take a shot if the devil moves out of melee.
The beast breathes its noxious fumes on Warren.
It then stands up.
The imp appears again, this time behind Irina, laughing evilly.
It stings her in the shoulder.
Fort:
She trains her sleeping hex on the imp.