No magic is detected by Maqej.
Dolgrin is able to harvest 30' of filament which functions just like silk rope.
About the time you take a break for food, you locate some water seeping through the cavern ceiling, the water tastes of minerals but is safe to drink. You are all able to refill your water skins.
Char: Maqej, we were attacked yesterday before you could answer my question.
Char: Dolgrin, how did the orcs catch you and how long were you held?
~to Char~I was foolish. While on a scout to identify the strength and position of an orc tribe that had been encroaching on my Clan's reach I was captured trying to rescue some surfacers. It was a stupid and unneeded risk-I owed them nothing and they meant nothing to the Clan; I should have let them both die. They did eventually anyways.
My kind don't usually last long in the 'service' of orcs, but this tribe seemed to be strangely focused on keeping me alive-apparently so I could suffer more. I wasn't called on much to dig and craft, but they found endless ways to design new punishments and tortures. Each time they left me alone just enough to heal so I could once more be subject to their vice.
I'm not sure how long they kept me in chains. I can't imagine it was more than a few weeks, but it felt like many months. Finally, one day when I was out on a labor detail, there was an earth shake and the collapsing rock killed most of the guards. My fellow slaves and I overwhelmed the remaining guards and while the rest of the prisoners fled I made my way back to the caverns of my captors to reclaim my gear and seek my vengance. Gear I got, but vengance eluded me as most of the orcs were fled or dead by the time I got back. I have no idea what happened to them.
After that I began to make my way to what I thought was home and that's where I met up with you lot.
Ah yes, while most ifrit's have some natural resistance to flames, I don't believe that they can walk in lava. I don't seem to have that. Fire burns me just like it would you.
Ah yes, while most ifrit's have some natural resistance to flames, I don't believe that they can walk in lava. I don't seem to have that. Fire burns me just like it would you.
So are you saying YOU have some natural resistance to flames but you can't walk on lava or you don't have any resistance at all. If you don't, that'd be too bad because that's a useful skill to have in a pinch. Nothing like shrugging off a fireball or some other wizard flames. Not to mention the things that breathe or spit fire down here. My real question is, if I give you a good rub will you grant me any wishes?~grins coyly~
Char rolls her eyes at Dolgrin's attempt at humor and you get up from your meal for the second half of your days trek. Grug is strangely quiet and contemplative.
Perception and survival rolls for the afternoon trek.
Char:
~taking point once more~
All depends on where you rub me Dolgrin...
You believe the prone human is sick, unconscious or dead based on his unresponsiveness. You believe the child/small human is no threat. The big guy looks like he could probably swing that club pretty well, but you are reasonably certain you could take him, and with the help of your companions it would be even more certain.
(this breastplate is killing me!)
When the other 3 get up to me tell them what I have seen. Based on my last encounter 'helping' surfacers I'd just as soon bypass them as anything else and I'm having a hard time keeping my cool as I remember what happened with the orc sorcerer.
Dolgrin has stopped, the group catches up to him, he explains there is a group of 3 humans up ahead. See his spoiler above for the details.
What do you do?
~once my 3 compadres are fully briefed~
As ugly as I am, I'd guess I'm the least likely to scare humans down here. I just want to get by this lot and maybe exchange information and that's it. Could be a friendly group, could be that one with the club just beat the crap of the one on the ground. Either way I don't really give a shale.
I'll go up real nice and friendly like. No sneaking for me, I want their attention fully on me. The meantime you three take up positions ready to support me in case things go in the pot. Good?
If none object or propose alternate plans I wait for them to get ready and then move forward quickly to the humans position. When I get within what I think their earshot would be I speak out in common, Haloo there surface dwellers. Dwarf traveler coming in and passing through. I try to assess their mood and what happened to the prone human. Once I'm within 10' of the one with the club and able to get a 'readied' reach attack I stop and try to trade information.
Going to wait to hear from Grug and Maqej before moving forward.
Not sure what to do. I thought it was already done. Dwarf went up and talked and I am watching closely to see if I need to act.
Sorry, a little under the weather.
I will ready an elemental ray, while keeping an eye out for the unexpected.
As Dolgrin speaks out, a torch flares in the hand of the small human, the light dazzles him for a second. He approaches closer, the small human is clearly a young boy who shouts out: "Who are you? What do you want?" He turns to the large human, points at Dolgrin and says: "Watch!". The big man stands up and takes his club in hand, his eyes carefully tracking Dolgrin, but he makes no overtly threatening movements. The interplay between the boy and the big man strikes you all as strange. The other man remains unmoving on the ground.
Dolgrin: Make a Heal check.
Party's action.
I approach slowly from the darkness, hands up. "We may look different, but we mean you no harm."
-ha, not much better-
•Minesight: Dwarves with this racial trait increase the range of their darkvision to 90 feet; however, they are automatically dazzled in bright light and take a –2 penalty on saving throws against effects with the light descriptor. This racial trait replaces darkvision.
Not sure if a torch qualifies as bright light?
Is the small human controlling the one with the club?
Other threats in the area?
Otherwise let Maqej do his thing; keeping my DD ready for a reach attack if things go sour. +5 diplolmacy is a sight better than -2, but a nice strike from a chain flail will tend to balance things out in the end.
I continue paying close attention.
It is obvious to Dolgrin that the prone human is dead, the torch light confirms this, revealing quite a bit of semi-dry blood beneath the dead human, you can't as yet tell where the wound is located. (Torch doesn't count as bright light except for the initial lighting, because you had been in total darkness)
The boy is glancing quickly back and forth between Dolgrin, Maqej, the big man, and the man laying on the ground. He is shouting out again: "Who are you? What do you wa..." when he notices the blood, he turns away from you, the tears start up again, he appears overwhelmed with grief. With the boy no longer paying attention to him the big man sits back down.
None of you see any other threats in the area, but you realize that the light to some extent, and the crying to a greater extent could be a signal to predators that any easy meal awaits, assuming there are any predators in the area.
Char: "Maqej, didn't you grown up among humans, can you calm the boy down and see what he can tell us?"
Char walks up to the big man with her empty hands spread wide. "My name is Char, what do they call you?" The man gives her a blank stare.
Dolgrin, Maqej, and Char get close enough to see the source of the blood is slashes across both the man's wrists, a dagger lays near his right hand, the wounds have the appearance of being self-inflicted.
Grug hangs back, keeping a wary eye out.
Party's action.
~to the group~This is no concern of ours. Let's be on our way before something comes for its next meal.
Thinking to himself, 'Stupid brat dosen't have the sense to keep quiet. They deserve what they get; idiot surfacers.'
~look for a way past this group to continue to the room with the passages to the North; as well as keep my eyes open for the inevitable creatures coming in for a snack~
continued sense motive on the humans in case they decide to get frisky
If you would like to tell us what happened, we will offer what aid we can...
Continue watching party and behind for anything.
sniffling the boy looks at Maqej and says, "I don't know, everything was fine when we went to sleep, now there's so much blood, my Da is he ...dead?"
More sniffling, then: "My name is Ben and this is my uncle Donos, he hit his head real bad when he was a kid so he don't really talk. We had to come hide in these caves cause of all the snow, my Da said everybody would be headed this way."
~to himself 'Ahhh Torag's left nut! Are we opening a damned child care service now? We have got to MOVE!'~
~out loud Maqej-they can come if they want but we have to move. NOW. The lad's braying is sure to attract visitors we don't want or need.~
Moves to the far side of the room and watches the entrance to this area hoping that Grug is keeping a solid eye on the back.
Was the dwarf loud enough for me to hear and focus on the back?
Darrkvision: I feel like I am holding things up. For game's sake please roll perception/survival/etc for me so I do not hold up the game.
Agreed you are posting to another campaign, which one...
JM. Sorry for what is about to occur...feel like I have been misunderstood as a role player and more. So now here it is!
Grug Gronk moves swiftly in to the room. He uses his greatsword to remove the head off of the sorcerer who is young and cannot control his powers. Then I shall plunge my sword in the big man's heart.
Moving the game forward
Grug: There is only one sorcerer in the area and that is Maqej but I take it that you are attacking the young boy.
The boy watches in horror as the big hobgoblin with the greatsword strides forward to attack him, but Ben manages to duck under the wild swing. He points at Grug, shouting "Get him!" to his Uncle Donos.
Donos takes a vicious swing back at Grug, but it misses as well.
Party's action.
~in his mind 'Ahhh, sweet Bolka's clit! I just KNEW these hobgobs would be a problem!'~
Sense motive to see if Grug is being controled by some outside force
Move action to get a flanking position on Grug as he deals with Uncle Donos.
Standard action reach attack (from 10' away; will get AOO if Grug moves towards me)
Blast Grug! Have you lost your feeble little mind? Leaving this lot to their fate is one thing; killing kids is quite another. Stand down or I will put you down!
Whoa, hold on Grug! Just because he controls Donos, doesn't mean he's evil. Or is there something else you sense?
"Were you raised in an ORC den Grug??!! What are you doing?"
Casts "daze" on Grug.
Grug need to make a DC14 will save or you will be unable to act for 1 round.
Grug: All your companions have turned against you, the thought goes through your mind that maybe it was a bit dishonorable to attack a child and to attack after a parley had begun. Could all your companions be wrong?
The little boy doesn't look nearly so fearsome up close as he did from further away. He is unarmored and unarmed, and since your great sword nearly took his head off, he has obviously pissed his pants.
Make your DC 14 will save or be dazed by Char. If you make the save, take your full action.
If you don't make your save you will not be able to attack, but you could still manage to speak a few words.
Grug turns and sprints back the way he came and it is his fervent desire to reach the surface.
Full defensive mode, however I do that!
Grug sprints back towards the surface into a group of nasty looking supersized dire rats. The two closest to him attack. The rest of the party springs into action as he yells out: "dire rats!!!"
Grug takes 9 damage.
Grug you have 2 dire rats snapping at you, you see more further up the cavern in the direction of the surface, they are coming your way.
Dolgrin/Maqej/Char/Uncle Donny/Ben. A sprint will get you a melee attack this round at the cost of -2 to your AC next round. You are about 40 feet from Grug and 2 dire rats. At least 3-4 more appear to be coming your way at the 60-90 feet. You can't see any further than that.
Party's action.
~to himself 'Yer freaking kidding me! First hobgobo here goes crazy; now we run into a pack of feral dire rats. Desna must be taking the day off...'~
~to the boy 'Ben", apparently~Lad, I'm sorry that hobgob lost his little mind. I'm no angel, but his behavior should not speak for all of us. Tell your Uncle to watch out against these rats and I'll do what I can to keep you safe in debt for the action of my 'companion'. Stay behind me.
~move action towards the fray (20') with DD ready at reach (10' range)~
OIY! Rat-stink! Come and get some!
Any rats come in range
Next round move up another 20' with weapon still at ready using rolls above if OK.
cast mage armor and move 10 ft closer to grug
Run through/around/by the rats in total defense....+4 AC
Grug tries to run through/around the rats, enabling flanking attacks by the rats. Two of the rats bit into his flesh.
Grug takes 6 damage and falls to the ground unconscious.
With Grug no longer a potential threat, Ben calls out to his uncle "Kill rats!"
Donos moves forward with surprising speed for such a big man and swings his great club at one of the rats on Grug, crushing its skull despite a glancing blow, the rat lays on the ground twitching. The three other rats turn from their potential hobgoblin feast to face the new threat.
Party's action.
Char bolts forward and casts stabilize on Grug. He remains unconscious but stable.
~move action towards the fallen Grug(20') with DD ready at reach (10' range); have moved 40' now and should be able to get a reach attack in; would love to have my last roll...~
~see if there are any other threats besides the 3 remaining rats~
Reach PA
Rat stew here we come!
Fire an elemental ray at a rat
Another rat is crushed by Dolgrin, the third is severely injured by Maqej's ray. The last one runs off followed by the injured one.
Char: Dolgrin, Maqej, I can heal Grug, but don't want to chance him attacking someone or running off again before we can talk with him. Maybe we should take his weapons until we can clear this up? What do you think?
action: Dolgrin and Maqej
I think that might be a wise idea. He might just panic again and run for the surface, but I'm hesitant to tie him up. That might do more damage.
~keeping an eye on the boy and his uncle~
~to Char He's more your kin than mine Char and I swore no oaths to his name. I'd just as soon leave him here, but we may need his blade and he has proven handy in a pinch. Let's take his weapons until he wakes and see how he is then. If he is no longer crazed then mabye we give them back to him. If he wants to run off to the surface again, well, that's his choice and I wish him the best.
If time and the boy permit try and figure out what killed his Da.
The three of you remove and hide Grug's weapons. Donos and Ben move down the passage and around a bend in the cavern, out of sight. Then Char places her healing hex on Grug.
Grug regains consciousness and has 5 hit points. Char, Dolgrin, and Maqej look on with concern.
Char: "Are you okay Grug? Why did you try to run away? There is only death for those who go to the surface now."
Action Grug, Dolgrin, Maqej.
Dolgrin, you have not had an opportunity to closely inspect the body of the dead man yet.
Aware of Grug I go and examine the body.
~to the group~Keep an eye on him and where the lad and his kin went; heck just keep your eyes peeled before anything worse than cave rats comes a' calling. I'm going to try and figure out what happened to his 'Da'.
If needed: