With Ryu's last attack the mongrel woman drops to the floor, bow falling from her limp fingers. After a long hard fought battle you all stand victorious even if you are panting and bloody.
On her you find ...potions of cure light wounds (3), wand of
longstrider (15 charges); mwk chain shirt, club, mwk longbow with 14 arrows, obsidian unholy symbol of Baphomet worth 30 gp, 51 gp
"I don't have my heavy hammer right now... Oriana, you want to do the honors with your morningstar on that symbol? If not, I'd be glad to use mine, but yours being magical might have an easier time of it is all."
Maelchar examines the items and nods at the find, casting detect magic...
"We've got some handy items here, especially that bow if it's an improvement on what you already have, good monk. The potions should be divided up among those who cannot cast the spell in case they get caught without healing handy from others I think."
As the enemy is felled, Zeriax stands momentarily watching it, until he is sure that the threat has been definitey handled.
Immediately after, he traverses to the corner of the room, making sure everyone is ok as he passes through, to settle himself behind the door, listening.
At Maelchar's words, Zeriax comments - "The bow seems to be an adequate replacement for the one I am carrying - I will accept it if the group deems it so. I admit that the arrows are also a most wondrous of finds, since they are hard to come by in the underground"
The southeast corner has a rope ladder leading down while the northeast corner has the door.
As the enemy is felled, Zeriax stands momentarily watching it, until he is sure that the threat has been definitey handled.
Ryu tears the weapon from the creature's jugular just as it falls forward to the ground.
He flings the weapon aside and leaps forward like a panther and lunges over the creature, grabbing the hair at the base of the skull, he lifts the head off the stone floor and smashes it face first into the stone floor again and again until the face is an unrecognizable pulp.
Covered in sweat and taking deep gasps of breath, he looks up at everyone, his eyes like black fire.
He hauls himself to his feet and kicks the broken corpse, then bends down to retrieve his sword which he picks up and cleans with some reverence.
He looks at the others and bows low and formally before them.
"Arigato for the healing," he says with respect.
Than he stands tall and wipes his forehead with the back of his arm, than grins suddenly.
"Hell, man, that was some kono kuso, you know?" than he laughs easily, as if all the tension in his body melts away simply by laughing.
Sighing easily, he looks around.
"Once we clean this floor out, than we head to the next level, neh?" he says, as that was their earlier plan.
He looks at the others and shrugs.
"Well, on to the door, right?" he says with a relaxed and easy voice and heads off to the north east door.
As he wanders off it seems as if he is ignoring the gear on the ground, as if it doesn't matter to him one way or the other.
"I don't have my heavy hammer right now... Oriana, you want to do the honors with your morningstar on that symbol? If not, I'd be glad to use mine, but yours being magical might have an easier time of it is all."
Hearing her brother, Mael, give instruction to destroy the unholy symbol, Oriana sends a swift prayer to Iomedae to aid her hand in the task and protect her from its taint.
"Yes, brother, I shall undertake its destruction."
Placing the obsidian unholy symbol of Baphomet on the rock floor, Oriana stands just far enough not to be hit by flying debris/shards and swings her magical morningstar and slams it down hard on the black surface of the cursed symbol. (If one hit is not enough, Oriana will smash it a second time with her morningstar until it is truly destroyed.)
Turning to Zeriax, Oriana reassures him quietly, "You will make the best use of the fine-crafted bow and its arrows. I have no issue with you claiming it."
"I have no issue with you claiming it."
As Ryu advances, he glances over his shoulder at the others.
"For gods' sake, boss, there ain't no one that cares if you take the poxing bow; it's all yours," Ryu says with an easy grin over his shoulder.
Seeing the others standing around debating over gear, he shakes his head and moves forward to the door.
"Come on lads and lasses and angels to boot! We got stuff to do and places to search, savvy?" and he moves on to the door with a relaxed way.
|
As Ryu bashes in the skull of the mongrel-woman, Garith looks on, slightly disconcerted... "Oh, my." but understands the nature of the action and needs say nothing else on the matter.
"Aye, Ryu. Shall we take up positions? by the door. Ria, care to take one flank, while Ryu takes the other and I shall open the door again," Garith says quietly, picking up his discarded scimitar, as to avoid alerting any on the other side to their exact plan. He lifts a finger to his lip indicating quiet to Ryu and gives him a conspiratorial wink.
He readies his scimitar and prepares to open the door after tactics have been discussed.
Pakak looks to the three, and nods, as they seem almost ready to open a door to who knows what again
"Aye, Ryu. Shall we take up positions? by the door. Ria, care to take one flank, while Ryu takes the other and I shall open the door again,"
Ryu grunts in affirmative and moves to Z:28 and looks to Garith.
"Let's do it, Mordrand-sama," he says with a nod.
Oriana heeds her cousin's order and nods in the affirmative. With magical morningstar in hand, she quietly moves to the side of the door at AA:29 and waits for Garith to open it.
Maelchar takes up position behind Garith, ready for the door to be opened. He nods his readiness to the others and stands prepared.
The door opens and a horrific waft of foul pungent air rolls out towards you all. Looking down you see a sloped floor leading into a small irregular shaped room. the floor of which is covered in offal and refuse. Clearly this is the trash pit of this group of mongrels. Looking closer down the slope you see what looks like a giant blob that appears to be feasting on the detritus flung down here. It pays you no attention as it continues its existence.
From the back of the room Horgus exclaims, Shut that door before you let any more noxious fumes in here. I think I am going to be sick. hurry, now!
"I think Master Horgus is right, we should just shut this door and move on... "
Ryu swings the door shut, thinking a moment.
"Looks like the little slimer'll eat all the garbage they leave behind... anyone know about slimes or oozes?" he asks the group, wondering where the mongrels got it, and if there are more, and how dangerous they may be.
"Lots of ropes going down, only one ladder going up. If we go up, chances are it'll be a faster thing to explore than all the ropes going down. Once we hit the ropes going down, I figure we can take those areas one at a time."
"Anyone for going up first?" he asks the others.
|
|
"I agree that ascending may be the most likely way out, and if not it is easier t fight from high-ground and we can see what is up the ladder," Garith days after he has shut the door, shaking the smell away. "That was unpleasant."
"Then let us check the rope that does not lead to the water. It could mean a path through these caves but it could lead deeper and it presents a further hazard." To the rope-ladder up!
Pakak prepares to help the three with climbing if they need it.
"We did commit ourselves to make sure that the threat for the inhabitants of Neatholm is removed. This means we should deal with that disgusting creature, though nothing forces our hand into immediate action against it. I agree with further exploration first. Upwards does seem the most correct option for the time being" - Zeriax offers.
"I will climb it first to scout for dangers ahead" - he adds, matter of fact, as he moves ahead.
There was a general accord to climb up the rope ladder and Oriana agreed it seemed to be the wisest route.
In low voice, she adds, "Zeriax has volunteered to climb and scout ahead. I am willing to follow him up the rope ladder, unless Ryu has decided he will climb after Zeriax." Oriana looks across to Ryu for confirmation.
"Eh, live and let live, neh? 'Sides, maybe it's just their version of a trash disposal thing, you know?" he says in a somewhat benign tone about a mindless little blobby oozing around eating refuse.
When he sees Zeriax thrust him aside and charge forcibly up the ladder, he shakes his head in awe.
"Wow; that takes balls o' brass to stick your head up in an unknown spot. I'd at least have a knife clutched between my teeth in a pinch."
He whistles tonelessly.
"Still, he's got guts, even for a Tian Xi boy," he adds with a wry grin as we watches the monk ascend above him.
Ryu will glance at the spellcrafty of the party.
"Any of you use a light spell on a pebble and toss it in the hole; we can at least see what's down there, and how far down it is - no harm, no risk," he says to the others.
The blob in the pit is content to live its life in the garbage heap. As such it is not really a threat to the Neathholm people as much as it could be a valuable resource.
+6 each [/dice]
Ryu
Maelchar
Pakak
So'rien
Oriana
Sir Garith
The ladder looks frail but it holds your weight and you are able to climb up it easily with the need for any checks. Peeking your head up above the top of the ladder Zeriax sees a rectangle shaped room with a hallway leading to the east. The room has an assortment of rags and old clothe strewn about. Just as Zeriax is about to descend his weight causes the rung to squeak just the slightest. It was enough however to cause something in the piles of clothing to notice. Peering out you see 2 pairs of eyes soon followed by advanced dire rats. (no knowledge checks you know what dire rats are)
Group is up. No need for climb checks but it is a 10ft climb upwards at 1/4 speed. Zeriax, since you are so close to the top there is no extra movement needed for you to get out. Also since Oriana indicated she would follow she is 1/2 way up needing effectively 20ft of movement to be up top.
Maelchar finishes his climb as a double move and pulls out his morningstar as a free action, standing ready to smack a rat or two if he gets a chance...
Maelchar, without QuickDraw you can't draw a weapon as a free action unless I am missing something else? Your position is ok still.
In an effort to draw the creatures away from his companions, and opening the possibility for them to climb up after him, Zeriax bursts into movement, dashing to the left side, trying to reposition himself, and preparing as best as possible for the attack.
"Oh, rats," Ryu mutters at the news.
Hearing Zeriax is in trouble, Ryu will double move to I:18 with his weapon ready as he touches down on the ground.
Oriana makes her way up the rope ladder behind Zeriax and she moves to I:21.
Oriana, mindful of the dire rat closest to her, casts Acid Splash directing it at the dire rat at H:23.
Pakak tries to help the others up, but when battle breaks out, he frowns again, "Maybe you three should back down the latter. We're bottlenecking again I fear."
+3/+5
+2 each
+3/+5
+2 each
Most of the group moves up the ladder to quickly aid the nimble monk scout. The monk in question takes a position of full defense to protect his vital areas of his body until help arrives. Unfortunately the rat next to him finds his way past his defenses for 5 damage. The other rat charges in at the smell of blood but misses you.
On the other side of the room Oriana flings a glob of acid that scorches the side of the nearest rat. Hissing and baring its teeth it moves quicker than Oriana is prepared for and takes a bite of her arm for 4 damage. Like the other rat on Zeriax the last rat, smiling blood, charges Oriana. It blood lust causing it to rush and miss horribly.
Angry that the dire rat had bitten her, Oriana draws her magical morningstar (move action) and attacks the creature at I:22 (is this the rat she previously hit with her acid orb? I'm hoping so.).
Oriana you are able to target the rat that you scorched earlier and finish it off with a well placed blow from the morningstar.
Ryu will move to G:16 to flank with Zeriax.
Seeing the monk assaulted with so such odds, he flashes the lad a wide grin.
"Banzai, neh Zeriax-san?" he says with eager enthusiasm.
He takes a poke at the rat with his blade to aid the monk...
"Are you okay, Ori? That looked like a bad bite!"
Maelchar takes a 5' step to H20 and attacks the rat at H21.
Ryu's comment manages to draw a hint of a smile from Zeriax, as he nods to the man across from him in understanding - "It is my role, master Ryu" - he states plainly as his foot rises lightning fast at the gigantic rat.
The attack fails to connect however.
"Are you okay, Ori? That looked like a bad bite!"
After she had finished off the dire rat which had taken a bite of her arm, Oriana turned to Maelchar, "It is a nasty bite, but I have killed the accursed creature. Once we are done exterminating these rodents, I will need you to examine my wound, brother."