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Garduk glances at the small hourglass and sees that the sand has almost all run through to the bottom. He frantically turns back to the tiles, staring at the pattern he has organized them in.
Could be a hammer, but what if it's not? Maybe if I worked at it I could make an anvil design, or a forge, or an axe, or a mosaic depicting the Quest for Sky.
Idiot! Why didn't I pay more attention to the tiles back in the present? Then I wouldn't have to guess! And why in the name of the Eye and the Hand didn't I let somebody else volunteer first?
Just a few seconds left...
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The sands run out just as Garduk places the last of the tiles.
Holugi looks at the tiles with a puzzled expression on her face. “Interesting.”
She peers at them a bit and makes some comments. “It has a good symmetry, no broken lines.” She makes a few other comments on it, then gives her reading of the tiles.
“Where the river flows, the wounded let go. Holding loosens a circular turning.”
Seeing that you are done, she then says “We need to go soon. I will just rearrange these now to honor Torag.” Saying that, she rearranges the tiles into a different pattern.
You continue through the Seers District.
This large cave's condition is strangely similar to that witnessed three millennia later: dirt and stony debris lie scattered across the floor along with discarded scrolls, bits of bone, and several jawless skulls. Crouched over the seven natural pools on all fours are seven humanoid figures clad in dusty, rust-colored robes. The seven sway back and forth in unison muttering an inaudible mantra.
When Kulga speaks, the hooded figures cease chanting and stand, which causes the hoods of their robes to fall back.
Each sage has gouged-out eyes partially filled with scar tissue from years of natural healing. Two also draw out jawless skulls with tightly rolled scrolls stuffed into their eye sockets.
One of the Seers intones “Some say the future is unwritten. I say it is written right here. Should others be enlightened?” It comes out more like chanting than conversational speech.
As any of them speak, the skulls are passed from seer to seer. It is almost like they are using the skulls to sense something.
One of the Seers with a skull comes forward and holds out their skull for you to take. “The future holds much promise for those who let the past guide them.”
You move on to the Temple District.
As your group approaches one of the shrines, you see three terrified dwarves in soot-stained robes being threatened by demonic figures, one of the fiends waves a gilded forge hammer as if mocking the captives.
“I defecate on your Torag, little priest! I spit in his eye, I call him a smoky, coal-sucking godling of sweaty tinkerers! Take your holy things, little quaking cleric. Throw this toy in the flames of your sacred forge, break the others on your anvil, and maybe then we'll shall wait to eat your entrails until after you're dead!”
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Kulga's eyes burned with fury as she stepped forward. "The hammer's not a toy. A hammer can level something unsound, or help forge together something new. It can destroy or build. This axe though," she ran the ball of her thumb along the edge, "is not for building."
These are the same goat headed halberd wielding demons you had met before.
Red charges Kulga, intent on impaling her on its horns. “I will break your axe and feed the pieces to these simpering fools!”
He needed to learn to watch his target when charging.
Bolded may act.
Round 1:
Red Goat
Chandrabha
Sha’ar
Kulga
Blue Goat
Orange Goat
Wolfgang
Garduk
Brayne
Kulga knocks the demon against the wall and it falls.
She then follows that up with two strong slices of her war axe, taking Red out of action.
Bolded may act.
Round 1:
Red Goat -47
Chandrabha -19 HP -3 Dex
Sha’ar -9 HP
Kulga
Blue Goat
Orange Goat
Wolfgang
Garduk -4 HP -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne -1 con -4 Dex
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With a swift shift of her stance, Chandrabha enters Grabbing Style, then draws her whip. She holds it at her waist, letting it uncoil lazily before flicking the grip up and pulling it back. The whip lashes out as the nagaji attempts to cause the blue demon to drop its halberd.
Chandrabha is almost successful, but can’t quite get the halberd away from the demon.
Blue goat calls out something in Abyssal.
Looking directly at Kulga, it says “You will die now.” You notice that what he says is not matching the movements of his mouth.
Then it swings with the halberd and tries to gore Kulga.
At least the halberd came close. Evidently the horns really aren’t that good as weapons.
Orange says something to Blue.
It then stomps forward to attack Kulga. It actually hits!
Bolded may act.
Round 1:
Chandrabha -19 HP -3 Dex
Sha’ar -9 HP
Kulga -10 HP, need Fort save
Blue Goat
Orange Goat
Wolfgang
Garduk -4 HP -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne -1 con -4
Round 2:
Chandrabha -19 HP -3 Dex
Sha’ar -9 HP
Kulga -10 HP, need Fort save
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Garduk's scarred face twists into a snarl as he steps into the room, and he barks something out in the demons' own grating tongue.
"jIQochbe'. Ha' jISaHchugh wa'DIch definitely bImejnIS."
Garduk yanks a miniature shovel out of his pouch. He growls, "Pudota reikään!" and mimes digging with the shovel, adding a bit of flourish with the shovel at the end.
Wolfgang hits Blue with one of his attacks, the other misses because of cover.
Kulga has no problems fighting off the effects of whatever it is covering the goat halberds.
She then smashes it with her shield, but misses with both of her axe swings.
Brayne provides a blessing to the group.
Then Garduk creates a big hole beneath the two demons.
Blue falls in, Orange just barely manages to avoid the same fate.
It takes some damage from the sudden stop at the bottom of the pit.
Bolded may act.
Round 1:
Bless active
Blue Goat 29 damage prone, at bottom of pit
Orange Goat 0 damage
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 2:
Chandrabha 19 damage -3 Dex
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage
In spite of the it having cover, Chandrabha attempts to disarm Orange.
Orange easily evades Chandrabha’s attempt to take its halberd,
Blue stands and then uses some magic on itself.
Orange steps between Sha’ar and Kulga so as to avoid falling into the pit. It then attacks Chandrabha saying “If you want this, let me give it to you blade first!” Once again, the mouth movements do not match the words.
The blade hits her hard!
Bolded may act.
Round 2:
Bless active
Blue Goat 29 damage, at bottom of pit, protection from good
Orange Goat 0 damage
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 3:
Chandrabha 33 damage -3 Dex, need Fort save
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage
Kulga hits once with her axe and then finishes off the Orange goat with her shield. As it falls, she steps over the body and away from the edge of the pit.
Chandrabha manages to avoid any ill effects that exposure to the halberd carries.
Bolded may act.
Round 2:
Bless active
Blue Goat 29 damage, at bottom of pit, protection from good
Orange Goat 54 damage
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 3:
Chandrabha 33 damage -3 Dex
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage
Brayne gives Kulga some divine guidance.
Bolded may act.
Round 2:
Bless active
Blue Goat 29 damage, at bottom of pit, protection from good
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 3:
Chandrabha 33 damage -3 Dex
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage Guidance
Wolfgang’s bolt hits and nearly finishes it off. The goat demon responds “I will find you and gut you another time. I’m immortal and have time!”
Bolded may act.
Round 2:
Bless active
Blue Goat 36 damage, at bottom of pit, protection from good
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 3:
Chandrabha 33 damage -3 Dex
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage Guidance
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“Good has never been our way! Bhaw-ha-ha-ha!”
It needs to work on the evil laugh. Too much of a braying sound.
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Garduk pulls a vial of clear liquid from his bandolier and hands it to Brayne.
"Try tossing this down and see how it likes it," Garduk growls quietly. "Or we could just wait ... hrmmm .... 24 more seconds."
Garduk looks across the pit at the dwarves who had been the demons' victims. "You all want to stay well back from the edge," he barks at them. [b]"But if you have any holy water, or anything heavy and sharp, you may as well throw it into the pit!"
The dwarven acolytes look across the pit at Garduk. One of them waves to the font and says “The demons already destroyed what little blessed water we had.”
Chandrabha touches her net, then decides against it. “The creature would just shred my net if I used that.”
Garduk gives some water to Brayne.
Chandrabha waits.
Blue goat laughs and says “Guess I will have to go back to killing the priests!”
It then tries to climb the wall of the pit.
“Where are the handholds!” it yells in disgust as it fails to get anywhere in its attempt to climb.
Bolded may act.
Round 3:
Bless active
Blue Goat 36 damage, at bottom of pit, protection from good
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 3:
Chandrabha 33 damage -3 Dex
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage Guidance
Chandrabha takes the crossbow and clambers onto Sha'ar, to fire from a better angle.
Sha’ar holds.
A crossbow and some ammunition are passed from Garduk to Chandrabha. She gets the crossbow ready.
Bolded may act.
Round 3:
Bless active
Blue Goat 36 damage, at bottom of pit, protection from good
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 3:
Chandrabha 33 damage -3 Dex
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage Guidance
Wolfgang misses because of cover.
Bolded may act.
Round 3:
Bless active
Blue Goat 36 damage, at bottom of pit, protection from good
Wolfgang 0 damage
Garduk 4 damage -1 Con -1 Dex
Brayne 0 damage -1 con -4
Round 3:
Chandrabha 33 damage -3 Dex
Sha’ar 9 damage
Kulga 10 damage Guidance