As Selter enters the inner gate, Bo realizes the danger. Unfortunately not in time to stop him from triggering the trap. Once again the gatehouse collapsed into a pile of rubble!
Roof Collapse Trap:1d20 + 20 ⇒ (1) + 20 = 21
And somehow Selter escapes unharmed! Looking around the motte's yard only shows Chelish corpses, their arms and armor smashed and broken.
Male LG Nagaji Scaled Fist 12 | HP 90/90 | AC 23(27)(32)(36), T 22 (26), FF 20(24)(29)(33) | CMD 41, FFCMD 38 | F +13, R +14, W +14 Init +3/7 | Perc +2/4 | Stunning Fist Uses 13/13 | Ki Pool 13/13 |
"Let'ss keep going..."
Narayan cheerfully takes the lead in triggering the next roof collapse. ;-)
A gaping hole in the motte appears to have collapsed the outside wall of the southeast corner of the tower exposing several rooms across all three floors. The steep front stairs that lead up to the timber tower’s door are covered in blood stains and the front door of the tower has been smashed in from the outside. A thin tendril of smokes wisps its way skyward from the tower’s chimney.
The steep stairway up to the entrance rises 6 feet above the ground of the hilltop. The tower appears to be mainly composed of massive tree trunk logs sandwiched with tar. The doors hang open, showing a ruined entryway with a fallen portcullis on the floor between walls set with arrow slits to either side. Part of the eastern wall is collapsed into the massive crater, with rubble scattered across the blood-stained floor.
Male LG Nagaji Scaled Fist 12 | HP 90/90 | AC 23(27)(32)(36), T 22 (26), FF 20(24)(29)(33) | CMD 41, FFCMD 38 | F +13, R +14, W +14 Init +3/7 | Perc +2/4 | Stunning Fist Uses 13/13 | Ki Pool 13/13 |
Narayan's feet stay low the ground as he advances, lightly skimming over the rubble surrounds him, despite his mass.
Narayan opens the door to what appears to be the main hall of the timber tower. It contains a large table made of an enormous tree cut in half lengthwise and laid down on the floor. The table is framed by two long wooden benches along the side and two stylish wooden chairs at each end. A fireplace stands against the north wall and two sets of stairs frame the fireplace, rising up to the second floor. There are a dozen or so corpses here, most of which are seated at the table, and all of which are missing their heads. Atop the fireplace is draped a large flag of Cheliax.
"Do you think whoever killed them positioned them like that?" Not-Trixie asks worriedly from the doorway. "It seems very unlikely that everyone just..." Her voice trails off in thought.
One thing is almost instantly obvious to the party: the bodies at either end of the long table are orcish, skeletal, and NOT missing their heads. So it is no surprise when they leap up to attack.
Trixie recognizes these skeletons to be much the same as those encountered in the corn fields as Sithiss deals a crushing blow to the easternmost one. Bo snaps off a shot but fouls his stance, causing the arrow to strike the ceiling. The other skeleton closes with Selter, swinging bony hands in silent rage. Both hands dig painful tears into the druids scales.
Male LG Nagaji Scaled Fist 12 | HP 90/90 | AC 23(27)(32)(36), T 22 (26), FF 20(24)(29)(33) | CMD 41, FFCMD 38 | F +13, R +14, W +14 Init +3/7 | Perc +2/4 | Stunning Fist Uses 13/13 | Ki Pool 13/13 |
Narayan's face clouds in anger as Selter is mauled by the skeletons, and he hurls himself into the fray in answer!
Selter steps along the wall and swings at the unnatural thing, Sssmasssh!
club att 1:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (18) + 13 = 31, if hits, club dam 1:2d6 + 7 ⇒ (3, 5) + 7 = 15 club att 2:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21, if hits, club dam 2:2d6 + 7 ⇒ (1, 3) + 7 = 11
female Animal Companion, stegosaurus, Default Command is to 'Guard Selter', AC:36, FF:31, Th:14, HP 58, F8/R11/W4(+4vsEnch), Perc +9, Init +4 (evasion)
Sithiss hisses in frustration trying to clamber onto the table to get to the remaining foe. Probably just crushing the table with her mass, double move over the rubble into position to flank.
While using the Snake Style feat, when an opponent targets you with a melee or ranged attack, you can spend an immediate action to make a Sense Motive check. You can use the result as your AC or touch AC against that attack. You must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed.
The arrows smash into the skeleton, but its claws barely pause as they swipe at Selter again and again. Another bloody gash is torn through scales, spattering the floor with fresh stain.
As the bones hit the floor, Not-Trixie makes a shhhh noise and points at the ceiling. "Something upstairs, shuffling steps." she whispers. "Given the number of undead we've seen down here, I wouldn't be surprised if it was zombies. Or worse." Nervously she looks for a stairwell or other means by which an undead horde could descend from the chamber above.
Male LG Nagaji Scaled Fist 12 | HP 90/90 | AC 23(27)(32)(36), T 22 (26), FF 20(24)(29)(33) | CMD 41, FFCMD 38 | F +13, R +14, W +14 Init +3/7 | Perc +2/4 | Stunning Fist Uses 13/13 | Ki Pool 13/13 |
Narayan nods in surprise and bounds up the stairs to go find the undead horde!
The increasing heat and humidity of the stairwell is explained as Narayan climbs into a kitchen where a roaring fireplace heats a large cauldron. A smell like heavy body odor assails your senses, stomach turning levels of badness. It wafts from the boiling cauldron as white froth causes the humanoid heads within to bob like macabre apples.
The figure in front of the cauldron turns, looking at you curiously. "Visitors. Hello." A crown of flowers grows out of the orcs head and other petals are apparent under the filthy leathers he wears. "Are you from the sky?"
Male LG Nagaji Scaled Fist 12 | HP 90/90 | AC 23(27)(32)(36), T 22 (26), FF 20(24)(29)(33) | CMD 41, FFCMD 38 | F +13, R +14, W +14 Init +3/7 | Perc +2/4 | Stunning Fist Uses 13/13 | Ki Pool 13/13 |
Narayan tilts his head in confusion. "No. I am-" **cough** "-I am from Quain. I warn you, thiss cauldron sstinkkss of foul necromanccy. If that is sso, I will not permit it."
"No necromancy. I cook for the flowers. They come from the sky." The orc nods. "I was Krug. Now I am Krug. The flowers told me so. They come from the sky."
Ssself not from sssky. Ssself has been to sssky asss old-old bird. Isss interesssting. Hasss orc been to sssky? Doesss orc want to go to sssky? What isss orc cooking?
Not-Trixie doesn't say anything, but watches the orc carefully. Flowers... from the sky? And he said 'Krug' twice as if he had changed, but the word was the same... Is he being controlled by something? A plant parasite perhaps?
"Krug did not come from sky. Krug came to crush Chelish rabble." Trixie detects no suggestion of compulsion on the orc, suggesting any change made to him was instant and not ongoing. The flowers he speak of are nothing she has heard of, but the description is maddeningly vague. "The flowers came and told Krug was Krug. Now I cook the Chelish."
