Wren will use her ability to heal Caspan or at least stop him from dying.
CMW
Emil nods approvingly as Pila finishes off the lieutenant. He rushes over to Caspan to see if he is still alive. He is horrified at the extend of the wounds and for a moment worries that he will not be able to revive him. Drawing on his most powerful prepared magic, he lays his hands on the the wounded man and sends a torrent of healing energy into him.
The wounds heal rapidly and after all the light fades, Caspan revives, coughing up blood, but alive. Emil sends a second burst of energy into him to try to bring him back up to his normal healthy self, but even after this second surge of golden light, serious wounds remain.
Wren contributes more but the man does not yet look completely well.
Emil then calls the wounded Thael and freed prisoners to draw near and he channels energy to provide a wave of healing that also clears up his own minor cut.
Thael's wounds remain, so Father Emil draws energy from a prepared first level spell to heal him the rest of the way.
Emil temporarily feels drained, but returns to normal quickly.
When the prisoners begin talking about the dragon, he asks "Do ya know if'n the drago is in the fort now?"
"We found another ranger in one of the other forts, but no others." Selde said softly. "More hobgoblins lie dead outside, but we should still expect to be outnumbered. I've no wish to fight the dragon, but we must kill their leader." Selde said with a sigh, having hoped the hobgoblin that had nearly killed Caspan had been the leader. Without a leader it will take them longer to regroup and track us."
”Can we escort those two out of here? I’m worried they might not be safe hiding where all these troops were. Someone might come check on them. Maybe we can just sort of take them back and show them the path to get to safety,” Wren says, worried about the two prisoners.
HP 64/64
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18, CMD 24 (+2 vs. dirty trick; +3 vs. trip); 25% chance to negate criticals
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3 (+1 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor (9 hp) 0/1
Martial Flexibility 2/6; knockout (DC 17) 0/1
Effects: Shield of faith (+2 AC), 5 mins
"My congratitudes, Emil" Caspan says. "Feel a lot better now."
At Wren's question, he shrugs.
"Can't they just make a run for it? Wait outside while we take out the rest of the hobs in here?" he suggests.
"I can't say either option is safe, but at least if they hide we are still nearby to help." Selde said softly in agreement with Thael.
Taking some rations from her pack, Selde handed them to the survivors. "Gather your strength for now and arm yourselves." Selde said with a wave towards the fallen hobgoblins.
"I think we've cleared out ev'ry building on this level except one ta the far south. Do ya know what's kept in that building?" Emil asks.
He will describe the safest way to leave the fort (the way the group came in) and recommends the prisoner's leave when the assault on the tower begins. "There's a large group of survivors from Phaendar nearby. They can help you recover an' stay safe."
Emil takes one of the alchemist fire flasks, removes his breastplate and tries on the magic one. He gives the keys to Selde to keep, assuming they may fit locks in the tower. He recommends anyone who does not already have a cloak of resistance take one. He hands Selde the potion of Cure Moderate wounds, since she seems to be the only one without one at present. He recommends everyone take one of the other flasks of alchemist's fire, the fighters take the potions of bear's endurance and bull's strength, and encourages Ageep and Milla take what they can use from the loot and get ready to leave.
"The kennel? That's the only building at the far end of the fort. We keep our wolves and dogs in there, though I haven't seen nor heard from them since the hobbo's came in."
"The dragon here? Aye, I believe that he is. I heard him come in two days back and I don't believe he's left since."
The two rangers take what they can and make their way west across the bridge and into the woods, looking for the survivors you told them about.
The door to the tower is unlocked and Caspan is able to push right in through the double doors. The corridor opens to the west and moving into that area the tower opens up to the north.
The lowest level of the tower bears several large holes knocked through the brickwork walls. The floor is a mess of splintered timber and rubble. Water dribbles steadily down the staircase to the north, passing through an open doorway and joining a stinking, filthy mess inside a privy to the southeast. On the far end of the tower sits a very thick, oaken door sealed with a crossbar.
On this level, the tower seems downright crowded. Aside from the four hobgoblins standing guard and growling in surprise once they discover the intrusion, a small herd of pigs - two enormous sows and nearly a dozen smaller animals - roots around the sodden mess that dominates the room. They scatter in a panic as their hobgoblin masters scramble to retrieve their weapons, left sitting on a table by the barred door. One hobgoblin guard even stands in the privy doorway, his lower armor half unbuckled.
Wren casts magic missile on the one latching his armor tight.
Damage
Caspan steps forward as he falls into a fighting stance again .
HP 64/64
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18, CMD 24 (+2 vs. dirty trick; +3 vs. trip); 25% chance to negate criticals
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3 (+1 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor (9 hp) 0/1
Martial Flexibility 3/6; knockout (DC 17) 0/1
Effects: Shield of faith (+2 AC), 5 mins; Boar Style 0/10 (deal bludgeoning damage or slashing damage with unarmed strikes; once per round when you hit a single foe with two or more unarmed strikes, you can tear flesh. When you do, you deal 2d6 extra points of damage with the attack.)
Just before the group enters the ground level of the tower, Emil quaffs one of the potions of Bear's Endurance. The liquid sends a sensation of warmth throughout his body, giving him more vigor for a few minutes.
While the hobgobs are scrambling for weapons, Emil evokes Erastil's spiritual weapon and the bow appears and sends an arrow of pure magical force at the nearest hobgoblin. Then Emil lifts his scythe and attacks the same enemy, yelling "FOR PHAENDAR!"
Pila follows Emil into battle to fight at his side, while the spiritual weapon fires again.
Poor yellow-skinned hobgoblin. Moments before, he was shoving piles of plump berries and wine down his gullet and remarking that while guard duty was extremely dull, he was rather enjoying raiding the Ranger's food supplies.
And then an arrow embedded in his belly. And a magical projectile smacked him in the chest. And then a scythes slices his belly open. Then a damned ferocious cat ripped his leg apart and wouldn't let go. If that wasn't bad enough, the damned invisible weapon shot him in the face again. Unable to do anything but struggled to reach for his battleaxe which was juuuust out of his reach, he screams in pain. Struggle as he may, he could not escape Pila's secured grasp of his leg.
Wren's missile slam into the blue-cloaked hobgoblin to the north who's pants are half around his ankles. Crying in pain, he stumbles forward to the table and picks up his battleaxe just as the green-cloaked ally adjacent t him does.
The other hobgoblin with green-ish hair on his back and a crowl of wood and berries strides forward to the bad-day-having yellow hobgoblin and cast a spell which healed some of his wounds.
The two pigs run about, one rushing towards Caspan and slamming into him while trying to make it to the door and the other turns and rushing back to the northern part of the room.
HP 64/64
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18, CMD 24 (+2 vs. dirty trick; +3 vs. trip); 25% chance to negate criticals
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3 (+1 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor (9 hp) 0/1
Martial Flexibility 3/6; knockout (DC 17) 0/1
Effects: Shield of faith (+2 AC), 5 mins; Boar Style 1/10 (deal bludgeoning damage or slashing damage with unarmed strikes; once per round when you hit a single foe with two or more unarmed strikes, you can tear flesh. When you do, you deal 2d6 extra points of damage with the attack.)
Caspan moves into the room, trying to stay out of the sudden cloud of stench. With one already badly hurt target nearby, he tries to knock him down to make it easier for the old man to finish off.
With Thael's spell obscuring her vision, Selde kept loosing arrows at the yellow hobgoblin.
Wren delays, knowing she’d need what was left of her magic deeper in the tower.
Emil steps to the side so that Pila can move out of the way of Selde's deadly arrows. Both keep up the attack.
The yellow-skinned hobgoblib's bad day just get worse. Selde's second arrow slams into his chest, inflicting great pain. Just then, Thael's spell fills the room with a horrible stench that envelopes all of the enemies. All of them fight through the the smell, except of course, for the yellow one. He starts choking and doubles over with severe stomach distress just when Caspan's leg sweep nearly takes him to the ground. He manages to stay on his feet, somehow, probably because this damn cat wouldn't let go of his leg. He again, somehow, manages to avoid all of its tearing at him, but he is so distracted by that he doesn't see Emil's scythe remove his head from his body. Pila lets go as the hobgoblin collapses to the floor next to her.
Emil's weapon shoots the green-haired hobgoblin in front of him, injuring it.
The two other hobgoblins come out of the cloud holding their breath and battleaxes, seemingly unaffected by Thael's spell. One moves to Selde and the other to Caspan, both landing their attacks.
HP 56/64
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18, CMD 24 (+2 vs. dirty trick; +3 vs. trip); 25% chance to negate criticals
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3 (+1 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor (9 hp) 0/1
Martial Flexibility 3/6; knockout (DC 17) 0/1
Effects: Shield of faith (+2 AC), 5 mins; Boar Style 1/10 (deal bludgeoning damage or slashing damage with unarmed strikes; once per round when you hit a single foe with two or more unarmed strikes, you can tear flesh. When you do, you deal 2d6 extra points of damage with the attack.)
Caspan grunts again at the blow, but then turns his attention to the attacker, knocking him to the ground and stomping on him.
"And stay down!"
As the Hobgoblin attacked, Selde maneuvered Nur in front of Thael to provide her brother cover. At the same time she rose and leapt from Nur in one fluid Motion, while also drawing and loosing and arrow before she landed.
"A job worth doin' ..." Emil mutters as he separates the unlucky hobgoblin from his head. Pila shakes her head to rid it of some of the blood on her face.
Emil concentrates his next attack and that of his spiritual weapon on the new foe who emerged from the stinking cloud. Then he motions for Pila to retreat just enough to give him room to step away from the cloud and draw him out where more allies can attack him.
Pila gets close enough to the hobgob by Nur that she attacks the new target with her usual gusto.
As it seemed the others taken taken care of the threat, Wren continued to delay casting any spells.
Selde gets hit as she moves, the hobgoblin slicing her with its axe again . Both Nur and Selde land their attacks in retaliation though, damaging the enemy. It swings its axe at her again, but misses this time.
Caspan sends his foe toppling to the ground and follows up with a few kicks of his boot, just barely missing the first and landing his second. When he tries to stand up he kicks him again a second time. Once back on his feet, he swings his battleaxe at the brawler in defiance, but his attack is so pitiful that he swings in completely the wrong direction!
Emil's scythe and weapon both land their attacks on the greenish hobgoblin.
The creature retaliates by sending a pulse of negative energy sweeping through the room, hitting everyone except for Wren.
Thael's spell would have hit had all of the combat not been happening around the hobgoblin, instead flying past and sizzling into the stone behind it.
Selde could feel the welts growing from where the hobgoblin had struck her, her spidersilk armor cushioning the blows. Fighting through the pain, Selde whistled for Nur to continue the attack while she loosed more arrows.
*Edit*
Just noticed the channel negative energy.
HP 54/64
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18, CMD 24 (+2 vs. dirty trick; +3 vs. trip); 25% chance to negate criticals
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3 (+1 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor (9 hp) 0/1
Martial Flexibility 3/6; knockout (DC 17) 0/1
Effects: Shield of faith (+2 AC), 5 mins; Boar Style 2/10 (deal bludgeoning damage or slashing damage with unarmed strikes; once per round when you hit a single foe with two or more unarmed strikes, you can tear flesh. When you do, you deal 2d6 extra points of damage with the attack.)
"Stop it, that itches!" Caspan complains as the wave of energy causes his skin to prickle.
He steps forward to trip his foe, before turning his attention to the hobgoblin that attacked Selde, though the first one continues to draw his attention.
The creature retaliates by sending a pulse of negative energy sweeping through the room, hitting everyone except for Wren. Negative Energy Damage: 4
Emil: DC 14 2 damage taken
Pila: DC 14 2 damage taken
Emil attacks the hobgoblin again, before stepping back, continuing to draw it out into the open where Pila can assist in taking him down.
Wren continues to delay, seeing the claws and other attacks seemingly having good success versus the gobbies.
The party executes their attacks with precision, systematically taking down one hobgoblin after the other in rapid succession. All three remaining foes drop to the ground at your feet, ending the brief skirmish. Searching the bodies, you find numerous items of interest:
As Thael's stinking cloud fades away and no further threat comes about, you take note of just how disgusting the muck on this floor is. As the two large pigs continue to run about the room, you see a few items of interest laying about. Digging through the muck, somehow avoiding the diseases and afflictions that surely lurk inside, you find a few surprising things:
The barred door beyond is also locked, but Caspan finds the key on the keyring on one of the fallen hobgoblins. This short hall leads to another barred door with a small inset window. Beyond is a mildew-stained barren room. Using the same key to open this door, you are immediately hit with an overpowering stench of human waste and filth. Inside he finds the source of the smell: fourteen Chernasardo prisoners! The prisoners are malnourished and filthy, and there are several corpses piled up in the back of the room.
One of the stronger-looking prisoners steps forward. "Oh, thank Gozreh. My name is Cobb Greenleaf. Who are you?"
"Anyone mind if I take this?" Caspan says, picking up the necklace after he realizes it's adamantine.
"I'm called Caspan Saal," he replies, looking around, his nose wrinkling at the stench. "Man, it stinks in here."
"Survivors from Phaendar." Selde said softly. Dismounting from Nur, the half-elf began to pull trail rations from his saddle packs and conjuring water for the prisoners.
”My friends are right. We are refugees from Phaendar. We were looking for the Rangers, hoping to find a safe space to hide from the hobgoblins. Although it seems like they hit you all hard as well..”
"We've killed <insert correct number> hobgoblins. Do you have any idea how many might be left? Are there any other prisoners in the tower?" After giving them a moment to collect themselves, Selde began questioning the survivors.
Emil gathers the prisoners near to give them the benefit of channeled healing energy, and moral support as he is able. He is weary and could use a rest and some time to recover. "We should escort these fine patriots ta safety an' rest a'fore returning ta deal with that troll an' dragon. They can't get reinforcements overnight, so I think we can pause our assault ta better bring the wrath o' Erastil upon 'em."
The prisoners are not not much help with regards to information on Ironfang troop strength. They explain that they were taken during battle and thrown in here and haven't been let out since. They have no idea what awaits you above.
Thought lacking equipment and malnourished, and several have injuries and infections that must be tended over several days, the Rangers say "We do not need safety. If you're staying to finish what's above, then just give us some weapons and we'll protect your flank. No one will come in through that door while you go up."
You ascend the stairs, hearts in your throats but bolstered somewhat by the fact you found more survivors. You reach the second floor of the tower and peek around the corner.
Most of the interior walls on this level have been knocked out and the resulting debris has been hauled away, leaving only a small room to the north. A stream of water pours steadily from the ascending staircase in the south end of the room to the descending stairs to the west. The only items here now are a few stools, an open chest containing raw meat, and a few coiled whips and spiked collars hanging on wall hooks.
A troll and two extremely large weasels occupy this level. The troll looks at you stupidly and speaks.
"Let's see what awaits, then," Emil says. He cleans the blood off of Pila before going up.
"'Ware those dire weasels," Emil warns in a quiet voice. "Once injured they fight like hell an don't let go once they sink their teeth into somethin'."
Know. Nature
Wren didn’t know anything else about the dire weasels.
As Thael talks, Caspan eyes up the big ferrets.
"Don't tease 'em," he mutts.
HP 64/64
AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 18, CMD 24 (+2 vs. dirty trick; +3 vs. trip); 25% chance to negate criticals
Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3 (+1 resistance bonus to recover from a continuing effect)
Unbreakable Survivor (9 hp) 0/1
Martial Flexibility 4/6; knockout (DC 17) 0/1
Effects: Shield of faith (+2 AC), 3? mins; Beast Hunter 0/10
|
Thael considers how best to deal with the troll. Whatever he said, a diplomatic solution hardly seemed likely.
But perhaps we can avoid combat.
"We are friends of the rangers that were held here. I imagine you work for the hobgoblins, and we have no quarrel with you. Most of the hobgoblins are dead. If you decide to leave peaceably, we will allow you to go," he says in his best giant dialect.