"Oh ay, s'that your bird?" Ben asks Walthus. Then, turning to whisper to Shalelu, he adds, "What's his problem?"
Ben approaches the bound goblin. "Hey, are you okay?"
Walthus shakes his head as he moves towards you. [b]Nah, that thing's been here...wasn't much help for us though, as we questioned it. He smiles widely and begins to whistle as he walks on past you and starts down the slope.[/b]
The goblin, unfortunately, is out cold and looks to be dying.
"We definitely will keep an eye on him. I doubt it's the last we'll see of him."
Ben produces his wand of cure light wounds from his belt. He unwraps it from its handkerchief (no point wasting such an expensive resource by accidentally bumping yourself with the magic end) and gives the unconscious goblin a pop of healing magic.
"Well, at least he won't die..." Ben had grown up in Sandpoint and knew what kind of trouble they could be. Still, it wouldn't be right to just let the little fella croak.
"So do you talk?" he asks the bird. "Anything you wanna tell us before we dive into this here cave?"
Smiling slyly as the claw scrapes across his hide, Gruhx tries to turn the next foe into a fine mist.
for
"Come on, come on," Tallvar mutters. He fumbles with his crossbow, considering shooting again, but instead turns toward Madir. He weaves a gesture with his hands while uttering an incantation, then places a hand on the man.
Madir gets back to his senses, his wounds closing up.
He turns to his healers as he tries to get up. "You have my thanks." When he sees the condition White is in, he turns silent for a bit. "But forgive me for squandering your healing so soon." He then moves to flank the skeleton as White attacks.
Tallvar's healing boosts Madir enough for the fetchling to stand up. The skeleton sees his opponent getting to his feet, and slashes down at him.
Gruhx swats another skeleton into dust. The big fellow seems to having a great time with this new form of "practice."
Oren let's loose another blast, but the darting skeleton seems one step ahead, and stays out of the way.
Eli, seeing Gruhx's effectiveness, merely continues to keep everyone healthy. Keep at it, big guy!
As Madir gets up to his feet, White roars back and scores a wicked hit, sending bone fragments flying.
The skeleton leader, seeming to find White to be the more dangerous foe at this point, slashes and claws at the tiger again.
The skeleton in the lead at the bottleneck attacks Gruhx again, perhaps in futility.
Eli
Madir and White
Boss
Skeletons
Tallvar
Gruhx
The goblin chief starts, and draws in a gasp. He blinks rapidly, then seems to remember where he is, and cries out in fear. Seems his psychological damage will remain for some time. Once focused, he seems to realize that you just healed him, and calms a bit. He speaks, but only in his native language.
Thank you. You not like the others - beat Gutwad and take Gutwad. That one crazy! He cut me, not even ask me anything!
The others, they go in cave, leave Gutwad here. You cut loose?
Shalelu snorts. Seems he thinks he's your savior, Ben.
Oren keeps up the barrage, though he seems to be doing little to hinder the undead creature.
Move Action: Gather power: 1 point of burn
Standard Action: Sand Blast vs. skeleton
The tiger falls to the ground, motionless...
Though his face acknowledges his companion's fall, he nevertheless stoically remains in combat with the skeletal warrior.
Ben snorts alongside Shalelu. "No chance, Mr. Gutwad. I may be compassionate, but I'm no fool. I'll gather my friends inside and then we'll decide what to do with you. They captured you for a reason, after all. I'll be talkin' to them, first. But rest assured none of us is gonna be cuttin' on ya like that other guy..."
"Alright, Shalelu, I'm running in to find out what kind of trouble Oren and the others are getting into. Will you stay here and watch our friend?" He tucks his wand back into his spring loaded wrist sheath, casts light on his scimitar, then enters the cave's mouth.
With his back to his companions predicament, Gruhx giggles maniacally. "An den dey was 2..."
for
"TEHEHEHEHEHE An den dey was 1!"
Tallvar raises his crossbow again, but stops when White goes down. He raises a hand and gestures toward the tiger, speaking a short incantation.
Tallvar uses his magic to bolster White's natural healing, and the tiger, though still out cold, is breathing.
Gruhx, now seemingly quite entertained, swats another creature into a pile of dust. The remaining creature, completely unaware of its folly, moves into his place in line, ready to greet its fate.
Oren's blast just misses the undead warrior as it shifts its stance to focus once again on Madir. Eli, seeing White fall, moves in as he pulls his scimitar. He roars a challenge, and swings at the much more capable skeleton. Amazingly, he hits, though his blade is mostly ineffective against the sturdy bones of the undead.
Madir moves to attack from the other side, but the obviously skilled skeletal warrior flashes its blade across, slapping the weapon aside.
The skeletal warrior, seeing this new threat, wordlessly moves in and takes its small sword in two hands to swing a mighty strike at Eli, slicing horizontally across in hopes to continue on towards Oren.
It hisses as Eli swats away the sword with his own, but then the creature slashes across with a claw.
Eli looks on in amazement, wondering how on Golarion he is not dead.
The last skeleton tries its best against the mighty Gruhx.
You rush into the dark cavern, passing under what looks to be a curtain of nettles that had been forcibly cut away from the opening, not doubt as they looked to have some fine thorns on them. Rushing in, you come to a branch fairly quickly, with a path heading straight in to the south and another branching off to the right, or west. You think you hear a booming voice reverberating off of the walls ahead...laughing perhaps? There is a small pool of still water ahead of you, making a bit of an obstacle in that direction.
Ben heads straight on (south) toward the voice.
Madir pushes through, hoping the next attack connects better.
Seeing the creature approach him, Oren uses his Pick to avoid getting hit as much as possible.
Full-round action: Total Defense.
With a mighty *THWACK* Gruhx reduces the last skeleton to powder. Glancing back to the others as he calls out "Awwl Done!"
The edge of the skeleton comes into view. "NO! MORE DEADS?! I's comes!" he calls, shoving his way through the narrow passage.
for
Gruhx sends another pile of bone dust flying, then merrily turns into the cavern, his massive form blocking up the opening once again.
Oren prepares for the creature's inevitable attack even as Madir swings again. The skeletal warrior just barely deflects the blow, but Eli uses the distraction to swing at the creature again. He somehow hits again, against all odds. The skeletal warrior looks quite injured, but manages to remain upright.
Ben resists the urge to call out, but wastes no time jogging toward the action!
Tallvar begins to move to try and get a line to fire at the skeleton, but he turns back to the corridor in surprise. Ben?
Looking back, you see that Beniamir Dimiri is running into the narrow passage behind the mighty Gruhx. You've seen him about Sandpoint, and know him to be a friend of Shalelu's, and thus Oren's as well.
The skeletal champion takes a step back wisely, perhaps seeing the imminent danger in facing off against a Trox on even ground. Not having many options left since his allies are gone, the skeleton slashes across at Eli with sword and claw, intent upon the creature that seemed to have done the most recent damage to it. Eli gasps and stumbles back, blood suddenly staining his white robes.
Eli
Madir and White
Boss
Skeletons
Tallvar
Gruhx
Ben's glowing scimitar casts a light into the chamber. "Oren? Tallvar? Woah! What is thaaaaat???"
Oren makes room in the increasingly cramped caverns for the Trox. He notices the newcomer as he blasts at the skeleton again, at the same time noticing Eli go down. "Ben?! What are... Eli!"
Free Action: 5-foot step
Move Action: Gather power: 1 point of burn
[b]Standard Action: Sand Blast vs. skeleton
Madir, steel-faced, attempts to attack the skeleton in the back as it assaults Eli.
"NO! BAD DEADY!" shrieks Gruhx as he squeezes into the cavern. Swinging wildly, he tries to dust his companions with the creature.
for
Beniamir
Eli
Madir and White
Boss
Tallvar
Gruhx
Ben casts a spell, producing a bulb of flame in his left hand . Combined with his glowing sword, he becomes a walking torch. He rushes into the chamber, prepared to help put down this undead abomination.
"Oren, you didn't tell me you were grave raiding!"
Tallvar stays still, waiting for a shot, and Eli stays back, ready to help. Oren's blast hits the skeleton full force, knocking it back and taking one arm cleanly off. The skeleton pauses, seeing the vast force before it, and raises its sword in front of it.
He then charges towards the biggest opponent in the room, his sword raised. The sword slashes across the mighty Trox and then cuts across Eli, forcing the cleric to stumble back, dazed.
Ben tumbles between Gruhx's overgrown legs to get near the skeleton. He lashes out with his scimitar, trying to cleave off its sword hand.
Feeling emboldened, Oren presses his attack, trying to put the thing down before it did any more damage.
Move Action: Gather power: 1 point of burn
Standard Action: Sand Blast vs. skeleton
for
Roaring with frustration, Gruhx lashes out again. "You no gud man!"
for
Madir moves to give the newly joining person some space, and attacks again!
Gruhx swings his mighty club as the creature comes in, shattering it into pieces even as the skeletal swordsman lands its wicked blow.
The chamber is empty and still as the bone fragments litter the ground.
"W-wow!" Ben stammers. "What was that? And why're you all here to begin with?"
He produces his healing wand. "You guys look a little worse for wear. Ha! Who wants a heal? Oh, and what's with the goblin tied up outside?"
Oren takes a moment to catch his breath once the creature is finally dispatched, then turns to Ben. "Clearing up a potential problem for the town. The real question is, what are you doing here?"
Putting his oar back in his pack, Gruhx takes a few deep breaths with his eyes closed. "No more? Wes dun? All is ok?"
Taking a moment to sit down, he opens his eyes and looks around. Smiling at Ben, he waves. "HI!"
"Shalelu thought you lot could use some help! Or maybe she thought I could use something to keep me out of her hair... Anyway, here I am!"
Ben waves his arm wide over his head. "Hiiiii Gruhx! Doing real good work, I see." He thumbs at the pile of bones that was an undead horror just a few moments ago.
"Say, have you run into a halfling named Walthus? Um, Proudstump. I found him outside this cave cutting into that goblin tied up out there. I shoo'd him off and healed the gobo a little. Shalelu seemed to know him, and said it was odd behavior. I'd have to agree... He disappeared off toward that goblin village."
"Widdle odd guy? Yea he like snakes and point us ta'ward widdle gobbies."
"Do you have healing magic? Could you heal her?" Madir asks, pointing at White with concern.
Ben uses his healing wand to deliver a couple of doses to the tiger. "Pretty girl," he smiles, giving her a few scratches.
4
16
Yawning, Gruhx smacks his lips a moment. "Watya wanna do NN-eext?"
Leaning heavily against the side of the cave, his eyes droop a bit. "Anytin gud from dusty dead?"
As you make your greetings in the now silent cavern, the large chest of jade and cherry wood beckons from the floor on which it lies. The skeleton commander had been sitting upon the chest, protectively, when you'd come in.
Interested in what the creature was protecting, Oren makes his way towards the chest, keeping an eye out for anything dangerous that may be set off.
[ooc]I'm just realizing now that we don't have any kind of skill-monkey."[/b]