A pair of orcs blunder past the party in the night but are no more observant than Dol, Char, and Maq. Maq catches sight of them at a distance as they move away from the party's site and head North.
Morning. Party's action.
Will look for any reasonable way to cross the lava and signs of Deadeye's passage. If we can't find either will go back to the orc room and examine that passage.
As you approach the lava the heat intensifies and you all begin to sweat. The lava does flow from one side of the cavern to the other side and is 20 feet across at its narrow point and about 40 feet across at its widest. There are no obvious ways across other than a spectacular jump or flying. As you search your side of the lava you spot a humanoid form climbing out of hole in the ground on the far side about 100 feet away. As the humanoid stands you recognize him as the wererat (hybrid form) that you fought in the great cavern. He is carrying a large bundle over one shoulder and a particularly large direrat follows him out of the hole. The wererat locks gazes with the party and starts to laugh.
"Well hello my persistent fellows, do you really wish for death? You rush towards it with such determination! I would love to stay and play but I have deadlines to keep, but I'm sure the orcs will provide you with plenty of entertainment in my place!"
Act like I can't hear him and mouth/motion for him to come closer. If he does drill him with an arrow.
Assuming all of that falls through (given my amazing bluff skillz), Let's head back to that orc cave and see if we can find a tunnel to take us to the other side of the lava so I can get a crack at Ratty McRatterson.
Any actions Maqej?
Keep an eye out behind us...
"Nice try my dwarven friend, do your best not to get killed by the orcs and their pets! It would be more satisfying if Ben gets to see me kill you."
He shifts the large bundle he is carrying to his other shoulder and walks quickly away.
The party heads back to the Orc cave and views the entrance from a safe distance about half an hour later. A night has passed since you were last here, if other orcs live below they have likely found the dead bodies you left behind.
Rest up to get full health/power and then head down.
Try and be as quiet as I can.
The party rested near the lava flow so everyone is at full hp and spells.
Char:
Need perception and stealth from Maq.
here they are
As the party approaches the entrance a second time you once again see the flickering light of a fire. You hear a voice speaking in orcish.
Whispers to Maqej and Char, Maqej, can you get up there and blast them with your rainbow spray? I'll be right behind you to clean up the mess. Char, how about a blessing before we go to work.
Catch Char's bleessing, then let Maqej rock them to sleep with his spell power and kill any that stay up.
Sneak up and blast them with a color spray
Sneak up and blast them with a color spray
[dice=perception]1d20 + 6
[dice=stealth]1d20 + 3
Char delivers a blessing to the party.
Maq sneaks up and hesitates for several moments as Dol waits anxiously wondering why he doesn't strike, when all 4 of the orcs are positioned within the potential cone of his spell, Maq blasts them knocking them down to the ground. Dol and Char swarm into the room and help deliver a quick death to the unconscious orcs.
The room is furnished the same as when you last saw it, but the previous blood stains have been mostly cleaned up. The four orcs are outfitted with studded leather and great clubs. There is a nice looking backpack sitting on sole table.
Quietly-Great job Maqej! Maybe we should have you in the front from now on and I'll hang out in the back!~smiles.
Look through the backpack quickly whilst keeping and eye on the remaining entrance to this room. Once I get a sense of what's in the pack, I take it and move forward down the hallway.
You find nothing in the pack.
The hallway is about 5' across and 8' high, smells a bit of urine, you figure from the worg. The passage leads more or less in the direction of the lava. There is a side passage to the left at about 25' down the passage and the entire passage turns to the right at about 45'.
Maqej, maybe you can see if this pack is magical at some point, eh?
Check out the side passage:
when i get a chance, cast detect magic on the pack
The side passage is short and leads back up to the surface where it ends by a rocky outcropping that pretty much hides it from view. You figure the worg that attacked you during your previous visit could have used this passage to get outside and then sneak up on you from behind.
Maq determines the pack is a handy haversack and his magic also reveals a secret compartment with 2 potions: levitation (lasts 3 minutes) and resist energy fire 10 (lasts 30 minutes).
That's a lucky find for us Maqej! Not sure where scum like these would have found such a valuable item, but I'll not be the one to refuse Desna's gift. Why don't you or Char take it as it should allow you to carry significantly more than you otherwise would. I don't want to brag, but everyone knows the Dwarves are the pack mules of the Dark and giving me that pack would be like giving fire to a dragon.
Go down the remaining passage headed towards the lava.
I'll carry it.
Dolgrin moves stealthily down the hall but misses a pit trap. He breaks through the surface and starts to fall but his ring powers on and he floats to the bottom 30 feet below which is set with spikes that he easily avoids. The trap covers the entire width of the hall but is only about 6 feet across.
Char will lower a rope for Dol. There is nothing handy to tie it to but Char and Maq can hold it while Dolgrin climbs. DC 8 climb check. Jumping over the pit is a DC 6 jump check.
Dol roll climb first, then everyone can make jump checks.
Upsydaisy! Come on you guys, you can totally make that jump!
here goes
"Hmmm, I don't know about this."
"That wasn't so bad, come on Dol."
Let's go.
Stone floor, no real tracks, though the party see tufts of fur that Dol instantly identifies as from worgs and the whole place smells of orc.
Once over the pit the hallway turns to the right as mentioned several posts back. It then continues 60 feet ahead to a 4 way intersection. So you have a choice of going back, going straight ahead, going left, or going right. Dolgrin's dwarven instincts tell him that the lava river is to the left, but not yet close.
Let's go left. It'll take us towards the lava. I hate to leave the rest unexplored, but the place reeks of orcs and if we get trapped down here we are going to be in the pot for sure. Maqej? You know the drill... Let's go.
Keep an eye out behind us...I know.
As Dol makes the turn to the left he is immediately confronted by a worg that was coming down the hallway.
Initiative rolls for the party please, if you beat the worg go ahead and post your action.
Fire of an elemental burst
So excited, I shoot into the ceiling.
TONGS!
After it nearly kills me I attack:
Cleave!....
Maq reacts without thinking to the presence of the worg and fires off a ray that slams into the passage wall.
The worg snarls in response to the ray and lunges forward. The worg and Dolgrin trade blows, Dolgrin is bit for 10 points but the worg is battered for 11.
Char reaches out towards Dolgrin and he feels healing energy course through him. The worg snarls again in frustration as it sees Dolgrin's wound partially heal.
Maq is up.
W: -11
D: -5
Fire off elemental ray 2
Hit by Maq's ray the worg lashes out in pain at Dolgrin scoring a glancing blow.
W: -15
D: -12
Dol's up.
I just hate the smell of these thing...
Distracted by the stench of the beast Dolgrin' flail casts wide of the mark.
Char places a Fortune Hex on Dolgrin, next round roll 1 attack, save, or skill twice and take the better roll.
Maq is up again.
Fire off another elemental ray 3
Maq's ray goes wide of the worg nearly clipping Dol as he and the worg do battle.
The worg opens its mouth wide and flames shoots forth at Dolgrin and the rest of the party. DC 16 reflex save for 1/2 damage.
W: -15
D: -22
C: -10
M: -10
Dol is up, remember you have fortune hex to use this round.
NOW they breathe FIRE?!!!
Now all I need is some butter and we could have some dwarf fricasse!
Cast elemental ray 4
man, these things are scary.
Fortune hex attack:
...whatever...
Dolgrin and Maq are confounded once again by the worg unable to break through its defenses.
None of you have never heard of a fire breathing worg before but you do recall some that breathe frost and know that can't do it often, maybe prolonged time in an area with lava has created a new breed?
Char reaches forward to heal Dol again.
"Quit foolin' around and take the thing down Dol!"
Just after the healing energy of Char's spell washes over him the worg rips into Dol again.
W: -15
D: -23
C: -10
M: -10
Party's action.
Elemental ray 5, if needed
I'm already working on my next character: Summoner synthesist!
This time Maq's ray blasts into the beast's shoulder leaving a gaping wound. Given Dol's inability to connect, Char takes a desperate shot with her crossbow striking the beast in the chest. It goes down but it still looks to be breathing raggedly.
Party's action.
W: -29
D: -23
C: -10
M: -10
CDG on this vicious mother f%%&er!
If it survives DC 44 to not die...