+2 morale bonus vs. transmutation spells, +2 resistance bonus vs. poison
For a moment, Praxim leans over Thordak’s head and takes a good sniff before he shakes himself free and nearly throws up at the thought.
Rexil grabs the floating evoker and nearly licks her face before he too throws off the effects of the haunt.
Everon frowns, pushing down the malignant thoughts creeping into his mind. He glances over his companions to make sure none of them fell prey to the foul magic, then scans the room for such magic.
Thordak looks to the others a moment with a blank stare. Sniffing as he draws his finger across the bottom of his nose, he takes a moment to wonder what the weird hunger feeling was about. "Well that's just creepy weird. Kinda twisted too. And... well, weird. Just sayin'." He then looks down at the over-sized hammer. "On the bright side, look at this fine weapon we just found! I'm fairly certain this smasher might just come in handy," he states confidently as he picks it up and sheathes it.
*Endure Elements
*Longstrider: +10 move
*Magic Vestment: +3 AC
*Heroes' Feast: (Everyone) 14 temp hp; +1 morale to hit; +1 morale Will Sv; +4 morale v poison and fear
Can I Channel Energy?
[dice=Fort]1d20+14 +2 morale bonus vs. transmutation spells; +2 resistance vs. evil
[dice=Will]1d20+19 +2 morale bonus vs. transmutation spells; +2 resistance vs. evil
There are two doors in the living area. One to the east which leads to the porch of the cabin and into the raging blizzard, and one to the west that takes you further into the cabin.
Thordak heads over to the eastern door and stands in front of it, curious as to how bad the blizzard is now. He again possesses the urge to go outside. Why? Because that's what you do when there's a door that leads to the outside. Ultimately deciding not to, "Fine. It's probably still fairly cold out there anyway. We're goin' through this door, lot!" he declares, going through the west door.
Tomaru flees the room and takes refuge in the hallway. He's bent over in pain while reaching in his pack for some rations. "This place reminds me of the Foxglove Mansion. There is an evil here that has not passed on. We need to take care as we enter each room."
"This place reminds me of the Foxglove Mansion. There is an evil here that has not passed on. We need to take care as we enter each room."
The door is stuck, and it groans as Thordak pulls it open. A shot of cold air rushes in to the living area as he walks through the opening.
This bare-floored room has a series of iron hooks suspended from the rafters. The window in the far wall looks out over the edge of the cliff and, unlike others in the cabin, has no glass or shutters — only a tight lattice of iron bars. Snow blows into the room through the bars. Against the far wall sits a four-foot-tall mound of bones — dwarven bones, by the look of them.
Thordak goes over to inspect the bones. Shaking his head, "Ya know, I wonder what it was that killed 'em all. Especially right here in this room. I mean, that had to have died right here, right?" he asks, shrugging. "A trap maybe?"
"Totally a trap." Tomaru is ready to channel energy.
”Clearly none of you have frequented a cannibal’s meat locker before,” Praxim says grimly.
Thordak slowly turns his head around to the elf with a raised eyebrow. "Ya know, I'm almost a bit afraid ta ask. So with that bein' said... I don't think I will." He turns his head back around, shaking it the entire time. "Nope, don't think I will. Just safer," he mumbles.
Thordak goes over to inspect the bones.
It is obvious even from here that these bones have been picked clean, and in many places, ar scraped and gnawed by humanoid - possibly dwarven - teeth.
...Aurora's swallowtail butterfly necklace hangs from the neck of the dead dwarf.
A whirling storm of shadowy forms rises up and surrounds you, their moans of agony deafening. The horde of emaciated dwarves reach out and grab you, impossibly strong. White teeth flash as they move in to eat you alive.
With nothing else to do, Praxim grabs his holy symbol and channels energy into the area around Thordak, channeling to harm undead.
Will save DC 24
Tomaru had readied to Channel Positive Energy and will do so now.
Thordak's eyes go wide as he begins to flail wildly. "WHAT IN TORAG'S NAME?!?! KILL 'EM!!! GET 'EM OFF ME!!! DON'T LET 'EM EAT ME!!!" he roars as his blood spills from multiple wounds.
Positive energy bursts forth from both Praxim and Tomaru. The wave of power fills the room, and as it expands, the faint silhouettes of a dozen emaciated dwarves can be briefly seen before they dissipate. Thordak slumps to the floor, bleeding from a half dozen horrific wounds.
The bones remain as they were...unmoved.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Thordak swings wildly a couple of more times after he falls to the floor. Finally taking a moment to notice the attacks have stopped, he lies there a moment panting. He then looks back to the bones and quickly scoots backward, before stopping and drawing a sleeve across his face to wipe some blood off. "What in the bloody Nine Hells was that?! Did you lot see that?! This is insane! This place needs ta be burned down to the ground! And THEN those ashes need ta be burned! And then those ashes need ta be buried in the deepest hole ever! What kind of sick and twisted cabin is this?!" He props his arms upon his knees and leans his head down upon them. "Blast I'm gettin' to old for this," he mutters.
Taking a deep breath, the dwarf rises. Sniffing, "Well that wasn't fun. And ya know what's weird, it's like they never moved. I mean, look at 'em," he points, a dumbfounded look upon him. "You lot saw it, right? They were all attackin' and bitin' and tryin' ta eat me. How in the world did they go back ta that as if nothin' happened?" the dwarf asks, scratching his beard in thought. Coming to no conclusion on his own, he simply shakes his head. "I don't get it. This place is nothin' but a freak show anyway. Let's keep movin' before we ALL get eaten." Thordak is just about to move out before he pauses and looks back to Tomaru. "I could use a bit of that healin' of yours, lad. Those things got me pretty good."
"Of course. I'm not feeling my best either." Tomaru channels energy again. This time to heal.
"Maybe you should get out the room for a bit. I'll look around to find out some more."
There is nothing to note either in the bones or in the rest of the larder. As you finish sifting through what is left of these unfortunate dwarves, there is suddenly a sound from deep within the cabin.
A knock. It sounds as if it's coming from the door at the base of the tower, back through the cabin and down the stairs. It's barely audible over the sound of the storm outside.
"Anyone else think it odd that at least one of the dead dwarves has returned home in this horrid weather?" She casts Protection From Cold on herself.
"It does seem rather strange." Tomaru casts Resist Energy on the group. "Can you cover yourself, new guy, or do I have to cover you?"
"Of course. I'm not feeling my best either." Tomaru channels energy again. This time to heal.
"Maybe you should get out the room for a bit. I'll look around to find out some more."
As several of his wounds heal up nicely, the dwarf still shows a great number of wounds still prevalent. "Thanks, lad. And you don't have ta tell me twice."
Just as he's about to walk through the door, he hears the knock along with the others. Rolling his eyes in annoyance, "Who in the blazes is knockin' on our door? Last I checked, we didn't invite anyone over." A thought then occurs to him as he looks to the others. "Should we answer it?"
"But this isn't our home, Thordak. it would be rude of us to answer the door."
"You know, that makes a lot of sense, lass," he says, nodding emphatically. Although the dwarf does retrieve his weapon and readies himself just in case the uninvited guest decides to let their self in.
<knock>...
<knock>...
<knock>...
The knocking continues from down below - the door at the base of the tower. As if some lost traveler was seeking shelter from the storm.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Become a bit irritated, "Ya know, lass, I'm startin' ta think we ought to find out who's that gently rapping, rapping at our main door. I'm sure 'tis probably just no one that's tappin', tappin' at our main door. 'Tis as simple as that and nothin' more. And no way that's a raven, at least not at our door, for too cold would be the raven, and it'd be nevermore," he concludes in a matter of fact manner. And then a couple of moments later the dwarf's face contorts in a way that clearly expresses a high level of confusion. "Wait... What?! Where in the Nine Hells did that come from?! Okay, this place is starting ta blasted get ta me. I'm answerin' the door before I start singin' show tunes or somethin'." Barring somebody stopping him, Thordak grips his axe and slowly makes his way back downstairs, one careful step at a time as he remains on high alert.
Tomaru readies another use of Channel Positive Energy.
"Thordak, wait. Allow me to summon a servant to get that instead. You are, after all, far to vital to the group to risk like that."
If he does wait, Lym will cast Summon Monster VII and bring forth a Bone Devil to go open the door.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
<knock>
<knock>
<knock>
Lym's summons appears, listening carefully to it's orders.
"Impudent mortal, You may call me L'Noor." it hisses at Lym. "Let me see then, what this noise is, this mystery explore. Thy hearts be good, and this I abhor; yet cowards you must be, for 'tis the wind that raps against the door. The northerly wind, and nothing more."
And it sets off down the stairs.
Everon involuntarily stiffen at the bone devil, just as quickly scowling and shaking his head. Let it be, it's just a trap checker...let it be...let it be... But the helm kept warming and squeezing, and Everon groaned and put a hand to his temple.
Praxim will bond with his bow to add seeking, evil outsider bane, and holy to it.
Rexil, painfully hunched over in the tiny hallway, will hold his club tighter and prepares to head back into the cramped stairwell.
Thordak pauses a moment and looks back in thought before simply shrugging and returning back to the top of the stairs, curious as to what Lym is calling forth this time.
Raising an eyebrow at the creepy looking devil, he watches it make its way downstairs. Turning to the others, "Okay, it's official. This place is nutty. It's even gettin' to the helpers you lot keep callin'." Thordak chokes up on his longaxe to get a better grip. "Which tells me that whoever - or whatever - is knockin', ain't stoppin' by ta have tea." Thorak then begins back down, following not so close to the bone devil, keeping himself about twenty feet behind it.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The knocking stops.
The hellish beast, self-monikered L'Noor,
strides with purpose across the wooden floor.
'till it reach the portal of the cabin shut.
With force, it draws open the oaken door.
To find nothing awaiting in the snow afore.
In disgust, it turns to Thordak dwarf, "twas the northern wind, nothing more..."
"Wait a moment, won't you?" Lym is still a bit cautious. The knocking had paused once before.
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Thordak nods to Lym. "You got it, lass." He then turns his attention back to the devil and the door. "That thing is weird, and not much more. And who in the blazes would call themselves L'Noor? Not me, no way, that's for sure. And if really 'twas the wind and nothin' more, then how is it knockin' at our main door, not only one time but, nearly four?" The dwarf scratches his head as he finds it truly curious. He then furrows his brow before shaking his head as if trying to get rid of something. "I swear if we don't get out of here soon, they'll be plantin' me in the nuthouse."
"I don't think I can take any more."
"Of this damnable knocking at the door."
”The next person to speak in rhyme, is getting shot in record time.”
Pause
Pause
”Oh, hells.”
The bone devil's head snaps around, staring at the empty space beyond the open cabin door.
"Something more..."
A loud crack followed by a mighty hammering sound suddenly fills the cabin as its walls begin to shake and groan, almost as if the structure were giving up its purchase on the cliff edge and sliding off.
Outside, the blizzard has driven visibility to zero. Far away, the otherwordly howl echoes in the mountains
Floating above the ground, Everon is undisturbed by the hammering. "Well, I just popped in here so I don't know what has been explored yet. Are we heading outside?" Lightly garbed he doesn't seem disturbed by the idea.
Praxim keeps his feet but spends this “round” activating his celestial plate armour and rising up in the air.
Rexil also keeps his footing and grips his great club tightly.
"Blast! I'm thinkin' it's time ta go!" the dwarf yells as he heads straight for the open door and dives through it. He lands in a perfect tumble as he rolls himself right up into a standing position and turns to watch the spectacle of the collapsing cabin.
When did Thordak become so freaking dextrous?
Tomaru activates his Boots of Speed (70' move) and runs down the stairs.