You awaken to find yourself standing inside a cage. Not a cage made of steel, but one of invisible force. The wind howls, causing the tall grasses around you to bend over, for trees to flex, for dirt to blow, blinding you.
In between your eye blinks as you wipe away the dirt, you take in your surroundings. four others stand like you, 20 feet apart from each other, each locked within a single cell. 40 feet away, equidistant to each of you, sits a large table strewn with gear. swords, shields, armor, potions, scrolls, and more all sit in the open. Along with these items sits torches, rations, wine skins, jugs of ale and wine, flour bags, salt, the list goes on and on.
beyond that, 300 yards away, you see the side of a large hill, overgrown with grass and trees. Yet its the gaping dark maws that draw your attention. From one of these openings, 20 strange, corrupted creatures begin to pour out from the hillside opening. Standing tall, strongly muscled, hooves and paws for feet, humanoid hands, large swords and thick shields bound in steel held easily in each. They issue forth, howling for blood and shrieking for meat.
From the entrance of another opening a lone figure emerges...at least you think its a figure, for its form is that of a shadow. It stands easily, longsword in hand. The sword glows brightly even in the glare of the overhead sun, as if pushing back the light from the orb above.
you blink and suddenly the figure is no longer standing by the opening, instead it is found running effortlessly amongth the ravenous horde of twisted creatures. In the space of a several hearbeats they cover the first 100 yards, and show no sign of slowing down.
Behold your doom! Survive this, and you shall have a just reward! the same voice that spoke earlier speaks again, and just like that, the walls to your cage dissapear, allowing you freedom to move, yet removing the only source of protection against the oncoming slaughter that is about to occur.
"Well that doesn't seem like any fun at all. I think I'll skip it if you don't mind."
Reaching into his component pouch, Walay pulls out a small wad of gum arabic with a single eyelash sprouting from the top like an antenna.
"Ta ta for now."
The gum dissolves into a spray of glittering black dust that swoops into the wind, obscuring line of sight from Walay's person. As the dust disappates, Walay himself is gone.
Gorthug, encased in a field of force that he couldn’t get out of, shrugged. Why resist? Why try to sneak away if he couldn’t even get out? And why complain? ”Sounds like fun. When do we start?”
Rashed shields his eyes deftly as he comes to, the dirt not so unlike the shifting desert sands he's lived in for many years. The horde of approaching monstrosities, on the other hand, are rather unusual, as are the cages of force and the other figures near him. With a casual flick of his arm to shift his shawl and cloak, he draws his scimitar, the blade shining in the sunlight. "Stand fast, friends! Such creatures of darkness are no match for the truth of day."
He steps forward, eyeing the horde and chanting a prayer just loud enough to hear. His eyes meet the strange creatures and he spreads his arms wide. "If any among you would come in peace, or accept that I mean you no harm, stand down. I swear upon my life you shall not be struck down, should you choose against violence. This I offer now."
The creatures howls for blood suddenly cut off, replaced with howls of questioning and concern, unsure of what to do next. Their pace slows down, from a dead sprint to a light gallop. Although 200 yards away, the wind shifts and almost instantly you can smell these creatures. its the smell of pulling a dead rat from a sewer drain that subsided off of baked beans and rolled in boiled cabbage and rancid meat, while half submerged in rancid water thats downstream from the local large scale butcher. It not only assaults your nose, but you can taste the stench, making all of you gag.
as they slow, the strange shadowy humanoid continues running for a moment, and seeing its host shirk back, pivots on a foot with incredible grace and agility. Its sword whips across the face of one of the creatures, and the creature takes three more steps before its stride falters. With a slowness seen in the haze of combat, the top part of the creatures head slides off like a watermelon shorn in half at a traveling circus. the body, without a brain, trembles and then stumbles, falling to the ground as great gouts of blood spurt forth from the open wound.
the humanoid pivots again, points its sword at you three, and simply howls a blood curdling cry, and as one, the monsters howl in fury, picking up the pace.
- Pass!
Seeing far too many items to identify in the available amount of time, Walay begins democratically grabbing random magical items that seem interesting and shoving them in his bag of holding for later inspection. He focuses his efforts on scrolls, potions, wands, rods, rings, and items that might carry arcane abilities (anything that would possibly fall under the Wondrous Item category). He avoids weaponry an armor knowing most of it would be of little use to him; and also avoids any magical means of storage knowing that it may be unwise to shove such an item into his bag of holding.
After spending 2 rounds doing that (4 left for creatures to arrive, 6 left on invisibility) Walay turns and begins moving away from the oncoming creatures, putting the others in the middle. As he does so, he draws his wand Ashes and holds it at the ready.
Like Nona always said, "The smart let the brave die first."
Round 1
Round 2
Gorthug raised his hands and began to laugh. Waves of Arcane energy radiated around him as he gathered power. Orbs of force surrounded his hands which he began to throw at the approaching foes. Roaring out prayers to Gorum he attacked, again and again, his holy symbol glowing as he did so.
Thadeus helps himself up using his Greatsword and looks around. Seeing the approaching horde of monsters he smiles “I always loved a good bloodbath” he takes a step forward and raises his massive greatsword onto his shoulder.
When he smells the putrid stench of attacking army he wrinkles his nose and glares ahead, seeing such a large army coming. He readies himself using his memories of battle and calling upon the divine power he can wield.
Round 1 He casts bull strength on himself
Round 2 He casts iron skin on himself
Round 3 He casts deadly juggernaut on himself
+2 to hit and damage
+5 to AC
4 HD Kills count towards juggernaut spell
Rashed's nose rankles at the scent wafting on the wind, and he sighs as he sees the figure with the sword barely break stride. The others might falter, but it seems that one is beyond surrender. He eyes the horde as best he can, trying to determine any information about them, and brandishes his scimitar. With a prayer, the weapon burns even brighter in the sun, the light flashing along the fine edge of its blade.
Finally, when the creatures seem poised to run him down, the man surges forward with a shout. "If not redemption, purity!" He rushes headlong toward the shadowy humanoid, his scimitar an arc of radiant sunlight in his hand, and leaps into the air with a slash of the blade.
Raz waits on Zorgax to be at the same initiative: 6
Round zero (in cage): cast detect magic
Round 1: grab as many good items as I can
Round 2: same as round 1
Round 3: same as round 1
Round 4: cast fly, draw bow
Round 5: cast shield, move up
Round 6: cast divine favor, move up, swift: animal focus: tiger (+2dex)
Round 7: swift: hawkeye, move: fly around tactically, std: shoot something
rd 7 shot:
Round 3
As Gorthug channeled the energy, it took the form of an ethereal crossbow. Every time he pulled the trigger a bolt would fly out. After impacting, the ghostly bolt vanished and reappeared back in the crossbow. The devoted of Gorum laughed as he laid down the hail of fire.
-
Before leaping into the fray, Rashed first draws his bow, nocking arrows with expert precision and grace. "Sarenrae grant a swift cleansing of your soul," he whispers, and lets loose a flurry of arrows.
Rashed charges as above; based on his understanding of the creatures, the scimitar will actually be +1 flaming keen, which means the attack roll is 31 and the damage is 35, 6 of which is fire damage.
Thadeus seeing the horde sprinting and closing fast, steels himself uttering a few prayers before combat, mumbling to himself “Gorum bless my blade so that I may continue to fight and win glory” along with other prayers. His sword begins to glow a sickly shade of red as if it hungers for blood. And then bursts into flames just before he attacks.
Round 4 He uses his destruction blessing on himself.
Round 5 He uses his war blessing on himself (+1 to AC chosen) and sets himself up to close the gap next round.
Round 6 He sprints forward and begins to hack at the closest of the weaker enemies, he also activates his sacred weapon giving his weapon flaming and another +1.
Bulls strength +2 to attack and damage- 7 mins and change
Ironskin +5 AC, and FF -7 mins and change
Deadly juggernaut -7 mins and change
Destruction Blessing +4 to dam, 8 rounds left
War Blessing, +1 AC, and TAC 9 rounds left
Sacred Weapon 7 rounds left
The fury of combat starts well before the melee can start, with Gorthug hurling balls of energy, fire and ice, long distances at the oncoming horde. With the tight mass of the foes pressed together, Gorthugs bolts of energy begin to take a toll the monsters that close. First one, then a second, then three, four, five, more, he bolts hit home, dropping the monsters one by one.
Walay, being a bit too careless with his pickings, triggers a hidden magical trap that envelops him in a magical binding that saps attempts to sap the energy not only from his body, but from his being as well. his body begins to fold as the mystical energies begin to take hold, only to suddenly be pushed back by his desire to want to live and loot once again. the energy sputters and then fails, leaving him with not a scratch on the body, but a painful lesson to be subject to.
Rashed, his attempts at diplomacy thoughly rebuked, unlimbers his longbow, and adds to the deathtoll, dropping another 4 of the pitiful creatures that blindly obey its masters beckoning.
with a final bellow the creatures, once numbering 20 now number 7, slam into the group of prisoners, only to be easily cut down. The strange figure, made of shadow and grace, holds back, watching the carnage that is. As the last of the beasts die, the shadow-man turns and runs away, and just as suddenly it appears, it suddenly vanishes between one step and the next.
Zorgax is surprised that the creatures went down so quickly. He now puts away his bow and gauges whether to summon Trox or resume looting the table. In the end he opts for a mixture of both.
Calling down, Zorgax says (in common): "I be down to talk, soon, I call a friend, first"
Zorgax starts making slow rounds (because hovering is difficult) at about 20' altitude, about 10' away from the table). He draws his falchion so as to be combat ready, and starts muttering in apparent concentration. As he does so, an image starts to form directly under him. After some rounds, it begins to look decidedly feline, but monstrously so.
Raz, who is a hawk, in the meantime, keeps flying by Zorgax's side, but a few times during Zorgax's ritual, makes a dive to pick up an unattended item off of the table, to bring to Zorgax's backpack.
Zorgax's summoning ritual takes 10 rounds. As soon as he is done, the image suddenly takes ectoplasmic form. Zorgax flies down onto the big warcat's back with a content grin.
Thadeus looking around at the dead creatures, looks cheated and angry that the creatures died so easily ending his sacred weapon ability . He walks over to the table of items and begins to look for anything that might be useful. He priorities items in the order of; weapons, rings, amulets, and then other random material.
Bulls strength, iron skin, and deadly juggernaut are still active for another 7 mins]
7/9 Blessings
Sacred weapon 6/7
Oh yeah, perception!
Having finished off the monstrous figures with his new companions, Rashed spends a moment in reflection and silent prayer, and then sheathes his blade. The heavenly fire is concealed, but he knows it is yet ready should it need drawn once more.
Approaching the table, the man smiles as he sees the others picking over its contents, and one apparently summoning a beast of some power. "Sarenrae's light upon us, my friends," Rashed says. "I take it you also were brought here to fight or be killed?" He extends a hand in greeting. "Rashed Al-Amin. I hope to have a prosperous journey with all of you. Together, I've no doubt we can survive greater perils than this first trial."
Once introductions are made, Rashed will also examine the table, although he has little understanding of magical things--if he spies anything that is apparently or obviously useful, he will examine it closer, albeit with an untrained eye.
Well, since the danger has passed, might as well take some time to inspect my finds.
Sitting down away from the others, while still invisible, Walay begins pulling the items that he had nabbed from the table in his rush looting and works to identify them.
While still invisible, Walay draws a goblet from his bag and fills it with red wine, drawing an owl feather from his spell component pouch to stir it. The wine evaporates into a strange yellow mist that floats up and seems to absorb into his eyes as he examines the items arrayed before him.
[ooc]yeah, that's the thing. I saw you disappearing. So when I'm done with my owb things, I might start to wonder whether you dimension doored or turned invisible, and might cast see invisibility. Not yet, though. [/b]
To answer GM's question. Perception is for grabbing items that seem most useful to me.
I've spent 3 full rounds on grabbing items. And my familiar had 11 rounds to snatch good items
headband of intellect +4
Bracers of Armor +5
ring of sustenance
ring of transposition
ring of blinking
amulet of wound closure
amulet of natural armor +3
amulet of the planes
amulet of fortitude +4
A sudden explosion erupts from a little distance away from the group.
you grab a total of 15 items. 3 swords, a couple shields, 7 potions that look like potion of cure serious wounds, 2 scrolls and a small box engraved with runes.
the table looks pretty picked over, but you do see a mace with Sarenrae's holy symbol as the head upon the business end.
"Really? 'I prepared explosive runes this morning?' Can't we be more original than a practical joke?"
The voice floats out of the air, the rest of you know the general area that it came from; the middle of that crater, obviously.
Waylay moves to a different location before settling back down and working on identifying the potions that he didn't get to yet since he was rudely interrupted.
but to react to the runes goign off Thadeus is going to back away from the table, ”it looks like we’re going to be dealing with a lot of traps maybe these “gifts” look risky” he says.
Rashed turns swiftly toward the explosion, his hand falling deftly on the hilt of his scimitar, but he doesn't draw the blade. After a moment, he nods to Thadeus and eyes the table sidelong. "Indeed. I've little doubt our 'benefactors' have much at heart besides our own best interests." So saying, he begins to examine the various objects very carefully.
”Or they plan to take them back off our corpses. Pass me that amulet of armor. I’ll see how safe it is.” The half-orc held out his hand...
”Spent a lot of time looking at those shinies you grabbed. So, what’s the verdict on them?”
Zorgax, now clearly more comfortable, directs his ectoplasmic Warcat a little closer to the group. The warcat no doubt was an intimidating beast in life, but now, as a phantom, it exudes threat.
Calmly, clearly used to being in a cutthroat group, Zorgax states: "So, we all, and the invisible guy who just exploded, are being pitted against each other, but we have to work together first, right?"
Zorgax laughs.
"I don't know about you people, but I resent being a plaything.
However, I don't really see how we can escape. Do any of you see a way to fight our captors?"
Thadeus looks at the the orc talking to him with the warcat and looks just bored with the talk, “Well we know that somebody is watching us and wants us to kill ourselves either fighting each other, in this dungeon, or if we don’t do either, themselves. Obviously no one wants to be here, or be manipulated but we need each other to get through the dungeon. I say we worry about killing each other till the end, we’re gonna need as many people as possible to get through this dungeon.” looking around for the invisible man that talked earlier and blew up he shouts out “That includes you Mr invisible man with all your trinkets and baubles”
"I'll be with you in a minute. These baubles aren't going to identify themselves, and one or more of them may have the key to getting us out of here. I have already found at least 1 possible avenue, although it means certain death."
Walay continues his study of the potions that he procured...attempting to discern their effects.
"assuming we can't fight our captors, we're forced to play their game. Perhaps we could all state our usefulness, so that we can start by culling the weak? That would save time.
The exploding man can identify items. That's useful. I've got some more that need seeing to. He's got a bit of a goblin nature, though, hiding like he does with his prizes. That's something to keep in mind.
I and my beasts can fight, of course, use some magic granted to me by the ancestors, and quite good at reaching places that are hard to reach. My animals can scout, too. Also, I'm smart." This last statement is not made as a boast, but more matter of factly, like someone would say "I'm a cook". In Zorgax's orc tribe, being smart was sort of a job description, to deal with 'smart things'.
"So what can you people do?"
Zorgax is still talking in an entirely friendly way, and seems completely nonplussed that the outcome of this conversation could very well be a bloodbath.
”I kill things.” Gorthug said this, and an ethereal Greatsword appeared in his hands. ”Near or far, Lord Gorum has given me the tools. Luckily for everyone here I see no reason to kill any of you. Not when it is clear that the last man standing won’t make it out alive either. I don’t take kindly to being threatened or used.”
Thadeus listens eyeing the group around him with a look of interest. After hearing gorthug talk he says “I too know gorum though on different terms. I fight and I survive, I’m able to cast some spells and aid with a little bit of divine help. I can heal with focused touch and bless weapons with magic. But I don’t know if we should kill someone even if they are weak, even the weak aid us testing the waters.... so to speak”
-
An impressed sounding voice echoes across the air, still disembodied.
"Ah, a kinetic blade. That's handy, never being disarmed. If you are like other kineticists I have read about some of these items might be of use to you. Let me finish up with the potions and then we can talk."