Oorgatch chuckles as the Scarred One scares off the morlocks.
"Let's go back to the bar and heal up. I'll bandage myself a little here, and then maybe Yan can lay hands on me? That necromantic explosion was not nice."
'Chicks dig scars, and glory lasts forever!'
Yan will try to see if he's been able to make any new friends at the bar.
After healing Yan suggests they go back to the arena and head through the new double doors
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Back at the bar, the gambling Morlocks give you a wide berth and the Drider bouncer reminds you not to cause trouble.
As long as you order the occasional drink the bartender has no trouble with you hanging out.
No band at the moment and as before there are some dirty plates and such but no food on order.
To the Western door!
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The party hangs out for a few hours in the tavern, getting everything sorted out.
The morlocks calm down after a bit and figure Scarred One isn't likely to eat them or whatever other horrible fate he might threaten.
After close to 2 and a half hours of recovery Shadow Malice makes another appearance.
Ryta - Vocals
Nox - Lute
Gulzash - Lute
Kragala - Drums
One of the morlocks, perhaps the one missing some coin starts pounding the table and chanting in undercommon with the other morlock and bartender quickly joining in
[spoiler=Undercommon]
The band stops and the lead Ysoki strikes a pose at the front of the stage, looks to your group and asks "A warped brew challenge for Shadow Malice?"
Dare I ask… what’s “Warped Brew?”
Oorgatch looks to the bar signs, ”I think this place. And the band.
“What kind of competition is this?”
"A drinking contest... what kind?!? A performance battle!"
The two lute players strung together dramatically.
"We’ll each face off one-on-one. Each pair squares off with some kind of show: music, acrobatic tricks, displays of strength, whatever. Then we perform as two groups—mine then yours—and let the crowd tell us who’s the best overall!”
Each of them takes a moment to look your group over.
Gulzash, the xulgath lutenist locks eyes with Scarred One.
Kragala, the duergar drummer locks eyes with Sendoski
Nox, the caligni luteist locks eyes with Oorgatcgh
and finally the frontrat of Ryta locks eyes with Yan.
Yan leaps up onto the stage. I will show you something special, something that has not been seen in this realm — ever! An Ashavic dance. The duskwalker performs a sacred dance with his black scarf, a performance meant to guide those who've have lost their way on the River of Souls.
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Yan's greater experience gives him the edge over the haunting melody of Ryta's quite impressive driving singing voice.
Oorgatch locks eyes with Nox, ”So, you want to dance, do you?”
The young orc runs through his acrobatics drills, flipping and tumbling, though never drawing a blade.
Scarred One limps to the stage and looks around, seeing that there is no place for him to sit, he gets behind the bar and grabs a large keg, he lifts it
But as he sees Yan doing his boogie on the stage, he nearly slips...
But he tries to regain his footing, and he does so. He puts the keg on the stage and sits there. His rest of the performance is not that glorious but maybe some have appreciated his physical strength.
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Nox squares off against Oorgatch, playing a sad but driving tune on their lute.
That said, Oorgatch barely manages to come out ahead with their drills.
Gulzash plays a song reminiscent of fire. The bartender initially tries to keep Scarred One from behind the bar, but only puts up token resistance. While his performance isn't initially impressive he digs deep and holds that keg until the applause comes in
Finally Kragala goes on a crazy long drum solo, but Sendoski is not to be outdone, makes an impressive set of kegstands.
Ryta claps "Well done! Now for our final bout!"
Gathering the group of you on stage lined up against them for the final battle of the bands Shadow Malice performs an Energetic song to much applause before turning over the stage to you.
"Now you've shown off your various talents, but this stage is for performers, friends."
Looking at your lack of instruments, "Surely you're not acapella, lend em your instruments." she says, first looking at you and then to her bandmates.
They grumble a little bit but hand over the drum set and the 2 lutes.
Oorgatch grabs a lute and starts strumming, gently, to accompany Yan.
The noise he makes at least does not distract from Yan’s lead.
Yan gries to perform but these are hard acts to follow.
Scarred One just stand there looking pretty. His hunched back and limping along side with skin marked with scars and tattoos is what he brings to the band. He reaches for the lute but then retracts his hand. He is no musician, if his allies want to participate in this monkey business let them be
Yan does the best he can to salvage his allies lack of musical talent but things don't go well.
In disgust Shadow Malice takes their instruments back, insulted by your sullying them with your pretty awful performances.
With the drummer in a particularly foul mood grumbles under his breath about [smaller]"stupid pink and green skins..." and looks around ready to beat on your heads with his drumsticks is interrupted before bringing about violence by a 7ft tall muscular humanoid entering the room from the side door by the bar.
Belting out in a deep dirty voice "Ya already took their dignity, wouldn't be fair to take their lives too."
Lookin to y'all [b]"Why don't y'all move along, while I'm sure you could mess up the band, I'm sure Lallizanx and I could mess you up, and the bartender ain't too bad with a crossbow.
Next time.
Scarred One follows Yan and Sendoski back to the arena
After leaving in shame and defeat the party heads back around, past the room that Yan fell into. Past the spiral tower and statue guardian. Past the dino/Seguthi observation room, though the long hallway near the southeast lab, through necrotic goop covered arena from the slain behemoth and finally through the double doors to the west of the arena, leading to another big hallway running north/south.
This hallways seems to have been cleaned somewhat recently.
Scarred One look around the corridor ...
He pulls out a coin and tosses it
He turns towards southern door. "If no one have any preference let's follow fate"
Sounds reasonable.
Heading south you can smell a bit of brimstone from behind the door, as well as buzzing and perhaps some words in a harsh language none of you can understand.
Scarred One holding his shield opens the door ...
"Wakey-wakey" he says grinning
Opening the door reveals a stone chamber who's walls appear to glisten with blood. An iron maiden stands in one corner, while the other corner has a metal table bristling with nails.
In the iron maiden is a rather dead Morlock. Dozing near by is one of those disgusting fly devils, a Zebub. Poking at the corpse is another Zebub along with a tall infernal figure, with a particularly gnarly looking glaive that exudes palpable menace and that looks of similar construction to the one the Drider had.
The glaive wielding infernal figure kicks the sleeping fly, and although the words are infernal, you suspect they translate to something like
You were supposed to be on patrol, not napping you useless pile Calistra's chastity belts, now wake up and kill them.
Initiative:
Yan
Red Dot Prone Zebub
Scarred One
Bearded Devil
Sendoski
Oorgatch
Blue Dash Zebub
Not so fast.
Yan moves in, smites evil, and strikes!
Choose:
- The ally is unharmed by the triggering damage.
- The ally gains resistance to all damage against the triggering damage equal to 9. After the damaging effect is applied, the enemy becomes enfeebled 2 until the end of its next turn.
- Yan will make it stupefied 2 for the same duration if it's a caster or looks like one
Yan recognized the evil present in the bearded devil and leaps into action. His blade is not very effective, but the good damage burns deeply, making up for it!
The formerly sleeping, now kicked devil fly buzzes as it moves around to flank Yan, reaching out with its disgusting tongue and giving Yan some love.
Yan feels the infernal sting of retribution from the disgusting little fly devil.
Yan Smithing 81/99 (DC 18 fort)
Red Dot Prone Zebub
Scarred One
Bearded Devil -18
Sendoski
Oorgatch
Blue Dash Zebub
Scarred One is up!
"Here we go again. Ok, let's do this!"
Scarred One moves into the room and points at the bearded devil, from the ground vines eplode and try to grab the creature.
The infernal foe casually slices away the vines with his hellforged blade.
With Yan conveniently flanked the bearded devil swings its hellforged glaive.
Yan feels menaced, but missed, probably the preferable outcome.
Finally it attacks with its iconic beard.
Yan is not so lucky as it connects with its beard, the spikey hairs digging into Yan's flesh.
Yan Smithing 72/99 (DC 23 fort)
Red Dot Zebub
Scarred One
Bearded Devil -18
Sendoski
Oorgatch
Blue Dash Zebub
Sendoski/Oorgatch are up!
I read abut these beards in my Roseguard book!
"And what did you learn?"
Oorgatch rushes in, rolling past the vile flying baby bug.
He then stabs red-dots as hard as he can.
|
He then dodges through it again to regain panache, remaining in the flank.
Oorgatch does a good job tumbling through the fiendish fly, even landing a solid blow along the way!
The Devil gets hit by the Evil Eye and then gest crit in the head with some rubble. Although it does shake off a small amount before falling over dead.
The back fly devil vomits a swarm of rats all over Yan who proceed to take a few nibbles.
Initiative:
Yan 72*/99 (Ref 14, Ref 14)
Scarred One
Bearded Devil -18
Sendoski
Oorgatch
Blue Dash Zebub
Yan and Scarred One are up!
Yan avoids at least one swarm, and then inspires his allies:
=> Stance is a 10' aura.
He then raises his Shield.
Choose:
- The ally is unharmed by the triggering damage.
- The ally gains resistance to all damage against the triggering damage equal to 8. After the damaging effect is applied, the enemy becomes enfeebled 2 until the end of its next turn.
- Yan will make it stupefied 2 for the same duration if it's a caster or looks like one
Scarred One focuses on his geode and throws rubble at the swarm
Then he smites the swarm with his shield
Scarred One's scree takes out the swarm.
Yan continues his offense against the bearded devil and strikes another blow, the goodness matching with resistance to the scarf.
It then disapears in a puff of brimstone, appearing right behind Sendoski.
Growling in common to Yan. "Whenever you want to surrender I'll stop killing your friend."
Sendoski's defense is not as impressive, as the glaive sweeps into his legs, repositioning him deeper into the hallway and away from his friends.
Additionally, infernal worms immediatly infest the wound, attempting to devour Sendoski from the inside out.
Naught comments before hiding among Sendoski's clothes. "Infernal wounds are notorious difficult to heal, but also deadly"
Initiative:
Yan 69/99 Smiting (Fort DC 14)
Scarred One <1 action remaining>
Bearded Devil -32
Sendoski (30/57) IW 1d6
Oorgatch
Blue Dash Zebub
Sendoski and Oorgatch are up!
(+1 action from Scarred One prior to Devil teleporting)
Yan and Scarred One are up!
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Scarred One raises his shield.