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”"As I see it, every day we choose to delay our social call is another day for Ulreth to take umbrage.”
Zzvkgrogk watches Chaance go off to take her chaances at the gambling hall and shrugs.
He shakes his head. ”Ulreth isn’t like that. If he were, he would not be so well respected. He would be feared.”He follows the others to Emelia’s. ”Sorry, I am not good at this. Should we get flowers or something?”
”We’re not yet sure ma’am. All we know is that he was alone when he fled from deeper in the complex.”
Zzvkgrogk shoots Yambul a look of shock. ”Oh, no, no Cook Boy,” he says slowly and deliberately, trying to make eye contact with the young warrior so that he can catch on, for no one wants to think of their loved ones dying alone. ”We’re sure his companions were with him and did everything in their power to save him.” Something must have really frightened him…
””I uh, borrowed his armor, but I’m happy to return it to you.”
”Uh,” the Ratfolk adds hastily, ”it’s really clean…”
He quietly listens to Rhoreen's soothing attempts, occasionally breaking his silence with a slurp of his cool beverage, secretly wishing he had a straw.
I should just borrow one from the Foundry.
He wanders home to occupy his mind with chemistry and alleviate the sense of loss he feels.
Shield
Heightened Awareness
True Strike
Hits: 13/13
AC 16, touch 14 (+3 dex, +1 racial), flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 racial)
Laser Pistol Charges: 5/10
Brown nanite hypogun charges: 7/10
Wand of Cure LIght Wounds: 50/50
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Rūha stays outside while the others go in to talk with the Otterbies. Or at least, that's her original intention. When she catches some of the servants hiding and staring at her, she sighs and follows the rest of the group in - making sure her name tag is clearly visible for any enterprising bodyguards to read before jumping in to defend their charge. Hopefully they could read.
With the Otterbies, she adds "I am sorry we have to bring you this news. He was brave to have gone down into those caves as he did. But they are as dangerous as you can imagine." She closes her eyes briefly, thinking back to the ice cold cavern of brown mold "If it is any consolation, despite the condition of his body now, his death itself was likely a painless drift into sleep."
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The young woman's eyes are crystalline as Yambul explains Gerrol's run away and death, she seems at the point of breaking but Rhoreen and Zzvkgrogk's intervention, and specially Rūha, softens the hit.
"Please, retain his armor." Emilia answers Yambul "It pleases me to know it is put to good use, and it was no family heirloom or so."
Bazlundi Otterbie looks at you "In fact, I want to repay you for bringing back the body of my daughter's fiancé. The Otterbie family has long controlled the most relevant blacksmithing organizations in Torch and we count with an armory of fine weapons. If you are in need of one, please, pick up the one that best suits you."
If you accept, you will be directed to an armory at the lower floor of the manor. It is well stocked with masterwork versions of all basic martial and simple weapons "Please, pick one each of you."
The receptionist looks quizzical when Chaance asks about Garmen Ulreth "You are new around, aren't you?" and seeing she goes serious about it, she points to a man having a conversation and drinking with a woman in the counter next to the statue "There" he’s a garrulous man with a full beard and sparkling eyes, and he’s a bit on the lecherous side.
Chaance learns a few rumors during her stay around the tables "Jhestine over at Tempting Tonics is hoping to sell all of her stock so she can leave town—my wife says she’s taken a lover in Chesed and is moving north!" a young brunette boy tells her after a just some greetings. Other people join the conversation and explain the Council is hiding the truth, but without the Torch the town will soon fall into chaos "Yes, I also heard there was some assassination near the Foundry just yesterday. Things are getting very bad around."
She also shares a snack with a couple of lads from Iavendeigh who have come to Torch for supplies and have found their stay expanded because of the torch crisis. They explain her about the reclusive village of Erastil farmers at the southern border of Numeria "We have a large production of vegetables, but we are having troubles with water being toxic as of late. We were hoping to find some help here in Torch"
Finally Garmen Ulreth seems to notice the constant stares of the elf, and approaches her with a wide charming smile "Oh, you must be Chaance. What you are doing exploring the caves below Torch is a generous audacity. Please, just accept the chips as a gift for that work for the city."
He laughs when Chaance suggests he knows everything in Torch "Just what a responsible citizen must know about the city he lives in. It is not too rare for elves to stop around on their journeys, so if your brother has been in Torch, his name might be in our reception books... of course there is privacy concerns an all, but I might be forced to slip that point for someone to whom I might owe a favor" the man smiles and stares at Chaance silently.
”Pick one, each of you.”
Rhoreen nods and when the party heads out will go down and pick something out.
"We forge on other metals too, but we only have a stock of steel weapons, if you wish some other metal, you will have to wait as my workers only do that under commissioning" Bazlundi Otterbie answers Rhoreen's concerns "Of course, if you wish an adamantine one, that is a bit more costly for us, and so I can only offer one such weapon to you, instead of one for each of you. Such a commission will happen only if Torch's flames come back of course. Without them we are kind of stuck on adamantine forging."
Yambul looks down at Emilia and smiles, ”Thanks for the armor miss. I’ll put it to good use I promise. I’ll wear it with respect.”
When Mr. Otterbie offers access to their finer weapons, he smiles broadly. Armor and a weapon! He can’t believe his luck. He fidgets a bit, as young men do, while he waits for the rest of the pleasantries to be completed so he can go pick a weapon.
”Oh, there were others too who couldn’t be here with us now. May they stop by later sir?”
Rūha thanks the Otterbies cordially and heads down to the armory. Along the way, she nudges Yambul and offers "Weapons will do me little good unless they have something to protect my hands. Do you want to pick a second one for yourself, in place of mine? Flexibility cannot hurt."
"Just what a responsible citizen must know about the city he lives in. It is not too rare for elves to stop around on their journeys, so if your brother has been in Torch, his name might be in our reception books... of course there is privacy concerns an all, but I might be forced to slip that point for someone to whom I might owe a favor..."
There it is. The 'ask'. This is a man who exerts his influence by ensnaring individuals in 'favors'. Chaance adjusts her chip stack, a little uncomfortably. "I don't imagine you owe many people favors, master Garmen, but I must ask- how might it come to pass that you owe me a favor, so that you might allow a review of your reception books?" The chips in her hands suddenly feel a bit heavier.
...
Eventually, Chaance places a single bet, either taking her lumps or taking her win, and cashing out, before departing for the Foundry, and a good night's rest.
”Oh, there were others too who couldn’t be here with us now. May they stop by later sir?”
"Oh, sure! Send your friends, my assistant will help" Bazlundi Otterbie explains nodding to Yambul.
Rūha will find no one knows what are those handwraps or how to made them, but Bazlundi's artisans will gently accept commissions for monk exotic weapons on the base craftsmanship treaties.
Garmen Ulreth smiles seeing Chaance talks his language "We understand each other pretty well. Look, someone has been stalking one of my properties as of recently. I do not like meddlers and would like to know who is this person and inform him he is not welcome and should stop this behavior. That would certainly gain you a favor."
...
Chaance places her chips on the roulette and... she actually wins when the ball stops at 6 black, doubling her chips!
A horned man approaches her slowly sitting by her side "If you do not risk you cannot win, eh? Well played."
The man offers Chaance a drink "It seems you could enjoy a drink after a hard day..." he points back before asking "I saw you talking with the boss here. Do you work for Mr. Ulreth?"
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Rūha thanks the Otterbies cordially and heads down to the armory. Along the way, she nudges Yambul and offers "Weapons will do me little good unless they have something to protect my hands. Do you want to pick a second one for yourself, in place of mine? Flexibility cannot hurt."
”Oh, I’ll get a falchion today, that should be enough.” says the foolish young man. "But that's really cool of you to offer." he smiles, "Very cool."
"Oh, sure! Send your friends, my assistant will help" Bazlundi Otterbie explains nodding to Yambul.
Yambul politely thanks the man, and everyone else too, probably even a servant or two, before heading into the blacksmiths fully intending to obtain a spanking new falchion. I mean sure, his is less than a year old, and a fine example of the model, but he’d heard of the skill and craftsmanship of the mighty works of Otterbie family.
And then he sees it.
It’s off to the side. Not really meant to be among all these fine weapons. Likely a practice blade for a budding apprentice. But it was perfect. The shape, the tiny bit of gold filigree at the edge of the blade. Just amazing.
He had to have it, and he claimed it without a second thought. His very own masterwork chef’s knife.
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”If you are in need of one, please, pick up the one that best suits you."
”Oh, thank you Sir Otterbie, that is most generous of you!”
He follows the others into the armory and is immediately attracted to a beautiful shield. He picks it up and tries is on for size, nearly flinging it to the floor in the process.
He gingerly and respectfully sets it back on its stand. ”I never could get the hang of those…” he mutters, disappointed. He ends up trading his longspear for a masterwork longspear.
... I wonder if Chaance is enjoying herself a the Silverdisk, or if she is in the process of setting things on fire… He considers for a minute, a look of great contemplation on his face. ... or both...
Shield
Heightened Awareness
True Strike
Hits: 13/13
AC 16, touch 14 (+3 dex, +1 racial), flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 racial)
Laser Pistol Charges: 5/10
Brown nanite hypogun charges: 7/10
Wand of Cure LIght Wounds: 50/50
"We understand each other pretty well. Look, someone has been stalking one of my properties as of recently. I do not like meddlers and would like to know who is this person and inform him he is not welcome and should stop this behavior. That would certainly gain you a favor."
Chaance considers the proprietor's offer. "I will see what I can do. Your offer is reasonable, I think. Then again, this person bold enough to stalk might be dangerous enough to want to avoid a path-crossing. You know that I've minimized my risk investigating Khonnir Baine's disappearance by allying myself with those not here tonight. Perhaps you'll owe more favors, should the others consent to join me rooting out your stalker?" The elf feels like she's close to over-asking, so she refrains from further rationalizations. She does, however, ask about which property, permission to explore, and what the stalker may or may not look like.
...
When she hits Black, Chaance smiles. She leans over her new stack of chips, and removes them all, save one for the croupier and his kind dispensation of luck. She heads to the cashier's cage, and cashs out her chips, asking for the smallest number of coins platinum, hopefully? so she can minimize her risks leaving the Silverdisk with such a windfall.
...
"If you do not risk you cannot win, eh? Well played. It seems you could enjoy a drink after a hard day... I saw you talking with the boss here. Do you work for Mr. Ulreth?"
"On any other hard day, I'd agree, master..?" Chaance offers the moment to the tiefling to introduce himself properly. "My name is Chaance. Your drink is a kind offer, but I'm going to return to the search and hopefully rescue of Khonnir Baine tomorrow, and I'll need my full senses, undulled. As for Garmen Ulreth, I do not. He's a learned man, and learned men can be good sources of information, eh?"
Chaance regards the horned man with a mixture of interest and wariness. She's seen a tiefling before, but hasn't spoken with one, let alone one so quickly in her face, with decent winnings in her pocket mere moments before...
Rūha, a little puzzled that the Otterbie's artisans were incapable of producing ordinary strips of cloth, settles for a light crossbow to replace her javelins. It certainly seemed like it should be easier to point and shoot than throw the little spears.
"That's fine if you want to work with others, as long as you can keep them on check" Garmen Ulreth passes a note with the address, it seems a warehouse not far from here "Here"
...
The tiefling smiles "Name is Hyrsek Caio. I have heard about this Khonnir Baine rescue." Hyrsek eats a couple peanuts "Well, that's a pity. I am looking for a man too. One that was obsessed with alien technology." the brimstone-scented breath reaches Chaance from the close distance "Name is Therace. Would like to know where is he gone. This should round up that hoard." the tiefling throws three extra chips and stares Chaance with a mischievous smile as he walks away "Good luck. Chaance of Kyonin."
...
With the three extra chips, the receptionist exchanges the chips for a couple platinum coins, after some comments on going away while winning.
You all wake up refreshed the next day. Val has prepared a well stocked breakfast, perhaps with Yambul's help, for those of you sleeping at the Foundry or paying a visit on early morning.
After breakfast, you visit the temple where Joram is still working on more containers. He uses his rod to cast another extended breath water blessing on you "Bring Baine home. But stay safe."
From there you are free to have last preparations before heading down the caves again, or perhaps you wish to take another different path completely for the day.
Yambul will totally help with breakfast. After all, he needs to break in his brand new chef’s knife, for such a wonderful tool deserves to be used, and used well! So he starts his day, as is his wont, chopping up vegetables, frying eggs and meat, and generally enjoying himself, sweating away in the kitchen.
He joins the party though, bringing the last plate of food for himself - after of course having served Val. ”I think we’re definitely on the right track. I’ve one more purchase this morning, but I can pick it up on the way to the church for our water breathings.” he goes on to explain, ”Those doors are really hard to open. Might be I still can’t do it, but a crowbar will give me some leverage that I lacked yesterday. Might make a difference - that’s science that is.” he grins.
He wolfs his food down, though there was a lot of it, and is eager to get going. Though he had the last plate, he’s likely the first finished, and so he waits impatiently a moment before digging out a small handbook from his medical kit. He pours over it as his leg hops up and down seemingly of its own volition in his youthful impatience.
When they approach the caves again, Yambul suggests, ”I think we’re on the right track, but do we want to try the card thingies in the first door we couldn’t open while we’re here? Maybe it’s a shortcut.”
”I think we’re on the right track, but do we want to try the card thingies in the first door we couldn’t open while we’re here? Maybe it’s a shortcut.”
Rhoreen finishes her breakfast and turns in her plate to the dishwash station.
"If the doors won't open to one of our key cards, then we'll hope the crowbar works," Rhoreen responds to Yambul as she double checks her backpack again to ensue that it's water tight. "But yeah, I'm excited to try it out first. It'll be good to see how the cards work."
Rhoreen leaves her newly awarded longbow near her bunk, as she has yet to buy arrows...or even really learn how to shoot it. I bet I'll be good at it if I just practice. Chaance makes it look so easy. If she can, I can.
Much like last time, Rhoreen will often frequent Light spells but won't feel the need to be as close to Yambul now that he has his own light.
After getting a crowbar, and with the advantage of your water breathing, you dive back into Black Hill caves and find your way through the tunnels to the skulks' place, where surprisingly, you are still tolerated.
The group tries the brown cards in the gremlin caves' door, and although they seem they might work, the door is totally blocked from the other side and refuses to be opened.
You make it back where you fought the Ghelarn the day before and finally set feet on the openness of the dark desert.
At first glance, this cold cavern presents a strange and disconcerting vista—that of a desert valley under a starless, night sky. A stretch of sand covers the ground, a vista broken here and there by bits of strange, spiky shells or contorted, dead fronds that look like branches.
Looking up, your light is won by the darkness at some point and the only thing you see is blackness everywhere.
Without any sort of wind, the trail you found yesterday is still perfectly preserved and easy to follow to the west.
You notice a the bright blur of a light very far to the southeast, like a star in the horizon. It is approximately at your same height.
"It's huge down here. Bigger than I thought it would be. And does this seem...arid? to you all?" Rhoreen asks, smacking her lips with parch.
Perception
"You guys see that low hanging star over there?" Rhor points to the southeast. She'll let others go first in case there are more Ghelarn around here.
Rhor will take a minute to look for tracks that are not on the light path.
Survival (untrained)
"Quite the cavernous space. Perhaps it even takes up much of the interior of the hill... Which would suggest digging down from the top of Black Hill would pierce this cavern's ceiling." Rūha thinks back to how tall it seems the Black Hill is from the outside, then looks up into the dark. With the ceiling of the place out of view, it almost seems like a desert on a dark, cloudy night.
Ruha moves smoothly across the surface of the sand, steady despite the shifting surface. She heads out toward the light on the 'horizon'. "I see it too. An option to orient ourselves. Perhaps it is a light fixture of some kind."
Zzvkgrogk wakes somewhat early, refreshed by his experimentation on the now preserved beetle glowy eyes, and the sheen of his new longspear. He heads down to the Foundry, slaps some gold (6gp) into the till surreptitiously (This place needs to survive in our absence…) and helps himself to one of the shinier straws that he can find.
One for the road.
He quietly wanders over to where Yambul is preparing breakfast to make sure that there will be sufficient amounts of blueberries in the troop’s pancakes for the journey ahead. To be sure, he slips extra berries into the batter when the Cook isn’t looking, and includes a couple of canyonberries (In the event that Chaance has gambled her senses away. Canyonberries – a sure-fire hangover cure.).
He sizes up Chaance when he encounters her at breakfast or thereafter, and grunts loudly in greeting while observing her response.
The group tries the brown cards in the gremlin caves' door, and although they seem they might work, the door is totally blocked from the other side and refuses to be opened.
Zzvkgrogk shrugs. "Maybe they are for other doors -- you know -- further in the .. uh … mountain…”
Finally, they reach the subterranean desert.
Zzvkgrogk grunts. He looks about and finds the trail from before, than looks toward the distant "star" on the horizon. He frowns.
A stretch of sand covers the ground, a vista broken here and there by bits of strange, spiky shells or contorted, dead fronds that look like branches."It's huge down here. Bigger than I thought it would be. And does this seem...arid? to you all?"
”It just seems oddly visible to me until it isn’t…” Straining to see beyond the total darkness. ”It looks like another world, like it was pushed up from below – as if used to be under the water!”
He looks around briefly for another path with Rhor. ”It does seem odd that there is only this starry beacon… unless it is something else…”
He hurriedly starts to follow Rūha.
”I too think we should go investigate that light.”
Shield
Heightened Awareness
True Strike
Hits: 13/13
AC 16, touch 14 (+3 dex, +1 racial), flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 racial)
Laser Pistol Charges: 5/10
Brown nanite hypogun charges: 7/10
Wand of Cure LIght Wounds: 50/50
Usually outside there are always some background noise, from animals or people chattering, and down the caves, there is the strange weird echo of little water droplets or the almost negligible noise of the wind going through a natural chimney. But here below, there is just no sound, only an utterly strange and alien silence.
Finding no other trail, you advance yourselves a bit following the marks from the previous expeditions.
Just at the edge of the dim light a set of bones half-buried on the sand suddenly stand up, the sand grains slipping down to the ground, revealing a humanoid skeleton, just it has four arms instead of two.
It stumbles in your direction, it's teeth cackling, but Yambul is able to react before it reaches you.
Some of the bones are marked with signals of having received mighty smacks before.
Trying to run in the sand is difficult as the feet sink deeper than usual.
Even small children know about skeleton stories of dread and fear, terrible undead creatures that come to torment the living, well known to need bludgeoning weapons to break the bones or a priest to burn their bones in holy energy.
But this one has four arms. Weird.
Weapon Equipped = Falchion
Conditions = water breathing (1/5h)
Falchion: Attack: 2 BAB +4 Str +1 Focus (-1 PA) Damage: +6 Str (+3 PA) Crit: 18-20x2
Chef’s knife: Attack: 2 BAB +1 MW +4 Str / +2 Dex Damage: +4 Crit: 19-20x2 Range: 10’
Studied: (skeleton) (move/immediate; +1 att, dam, bluff, knowledge, perception, sense motive, survival)
Prestidigitation (1/1)
Yambul, based on his past experiences, would have drawn his falchion after passing through the skulks (no need to draw down on them).
So he 5’ steps in front of Zzvgrogk to protect their leader as he studies (move, +1) his opponent and readies an attack should it close!
- - -
"Heads up everyone - skeletons! And they've extra arms and everything!"
The four-armed skeleton strides over towards Yambul, its mandible clacking as teeth hits with each other, the claws disposed to tear down the living flesh, and as it reaches Yambul's position, the Kellid smashes it down with a mighty strike that breaks the bones in multiple pieces.
The bones fall inert over the sand.
Despite this, you hear more bone crackling and sand grating dreadfully approaching from the eastern darkness.
At the edge of your low-light vision, in dim light, you spot to the east the beginning of a large dune of sand , and north of there, another skeleton has stood up from the sand.
Whatever it is, it is away of your darkvision.
Round 1, delay until after Yambul
Rhoreen pauses, her hand going to the skymetal totem-wand around her
"I think I hear another skeleton to the north. Might even see it...there?" Rhoreen points to the north.
"We can't be sure how many of there are of them out here. Should we move back to the tunnel so we cannot be surrounded?" Rhoreen asks, uncertain.
Round 1
”Over there, another one! It’s over there!” Zzvkgrogk cries, advancing and shooting to the northeast.
He looks over his shoulder at Rūha. ”I’m sorry!!!”
PEW pEW peWWwwwww! The Device echoes.
For
"Awgawk!" he cries hitting not much more than the dune, hoping that the fire at least lit up the vicinity of the creature long enough for others to spot it.
Shield
Heightened Awareness
True Strike
Hits: 13/13
AC 16, touch 14 (+3 dex, +1 racial), flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 racial)
Laser Pistol Charges: 4/10
Brown nanite hypogun charges: 7/10
Wand of Cure LIght Wounds: 50/50
"That's fine if you want to work with others, as long as you can keep them on check. Here."
Chaance accepts the note, nodding to the man who owns the Silverdisk. She can't tell exactly whether Garmen is suggesting the warehouse investigation is better as solo reconnaissance or as a team stakeout. She quickly understands that the decision isn't her own, once the others are informed of her interaction with Ulreth.
"...Good luck. Chaance of Kyonin."
Chaance doesn't discourage the tiefling from rounding up her winnings, marking the three coins as forget-me-nots. The second, and last, time she's been given chips, as a test of moral pliability. She convinces herself she's at least not failing the test, for now. Careful. Those are both slippery slopes, one called Mount Garmen, the other the Horns of Hyrsek...
...
Chaance enjoys her meditation, enjoys the breakfast provided, then further enjoys the Otterbies at the behest of Yambul, where she spends a very small amount of time talking with a very knowledgeable assistant. She secures a longbow of laudable construction, thanking the family for their generosity.
Her debriefing will keep until later. She imagines it will only distract, while they strike out for the second time in as many days...
...
Chaance doesn't see what the others do, but she's less concerned with distant pinpoints for the time being. She's only glad there are other sets of eyeballs better than hers.
The elf at least understands the skeletons will succumb to blunt arrows better than the standard issue, so she waits her turn, and rolls the wood of her new bow, enjoying its feel.
AC = 15
HP = 16/16
Weapon Equipped = MW Longbow
Condition(s) = Water Breathing
Chaance readies her bow, and blunt arrow, and waits for a threat to loom closer, before she takes her shot, preferably within 30'.
Ruha is lost for a moment, staring as the skeletal creature disintegrates after Yambul's killing blow. Rhoreen's mention of a second skeleton brings her back to her senses. "Whatever they are, they seem adequately malevolent." She offers wryly as she steps up to stand with Zzvkgrogk. "Nothing to apologize for." She considers the nature of these skeletons.
But is apparently a little frazzled. With only the small pool of light from the rest of the party, she doesn't spot the other skeleton approaching. She can only ready herself to receive it...
Round 1
Rhoreen takes total defense, her eyes scanning for more foes.
Weapon Equipped = Falchion
Conditions = water breathing (1/5h)
Falchion: Attack: 2 BAB +4 Str +1 Focus (-1 PA) Damage: +6 Str (+3 PA) Crit: 18-20x2
Chef’s knife: Attack: 2 BAB +1 MW +4 Str / +2 Dex Damage: +4 Crit: 19-20x2 Range: 10’
Studied: () (move/immediate; +1 att, dam, bluff, knowledge, perception, sense motive, survival)
Prestidigitation (1/1)
Yambul peers into the darkness, his ioun stone only eliminating so much of it.
"I think I hear another skeleton to the north. Might even see it...there?" Rhoreen points to the north.
"We can't be sure how many of there are of them out here. Should we move back to the tunnel so we cannot be surrounded?" Rhoreen asks, uncertain.
”Thanks for the direction! Bah! There might only be two. I say we swat ‘em now, but if they keep popping up, sure we can fall back if you want.”
Yambul moves up to be as in the way as possible of an attack from the direction indicated (move). He again readies his own attack for if the skeleton chooses to close - hoping he again is the target.
- - -
Zzvkgrogk moves forward and shots in what is darkness for some and dim light for others. Upon the fire beams you spot a silhouette next to a dune despite the shots land far from target.
The rest of the group mostly advance and awaits the skeletons to approach. As Yambul does so, the edge of the dim light reveals the skeleton at the edge of the dune.
The undead charges over with a sudden surge, Chaance's arrow bouncing on the bones without harm , but when it reaches Rūha, she delivers a precise blow exactly on the skull that breaks into pieces. The skeleton collapses, bones hitting the four-armed woman due to the inertia of their charge.
This does not end the danger, as more and more four-armed skeletons come flocking to your position as if driven by a shared vision and the hatred desire to end with your lives!
Round 2, Init 19
Rhoreen smugs as she was correct, that there were many more skeletons out there. And again she counts the number of arms on each one, her eyes flickering to Ruha for a moment.
”Are these your people, Ruha? What is going on?” Rhor asks, getting ready to protect herself if she is attacked.
HP: 14/14
AC: 12/12/10
Lay on Cats: 0/1 used
Rod of Regret: 0/3 used
Wand of SM1: 8/9 left
Open spell slots:
Left Hand: nothing
Right Hand: nothing
Sage Advice: (0/10 used)
:
[ dice]1d20+2[/dice] ranged to hit;
[ dice]1d4-1[/dice] blunt damage
She casts a very simple spell at Arturo.
”I can do it myself!!”
[ dice]1d8+1[/dice] CLW
"Now we fall back!" laughs Yambul uneasily.
Round 2
Zzvkgrogk takes aim on the purple to the south.
EW Ew ewewew!
For
For
Shield
Heightened Awareness
True Strike
Hits: 13/13
AC 16, touch 14 (+3 dex, +1 racial), flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 racial)
Laser Pistol Charges: 2/10
Brown nanite hypogun charges: 7/10
Wand of Cure LIght Wounds: 50/50
Ruha's voice is strained as she responds to Rhor "No more my people than any malevolent skeleton in a dusty tomb is yours. Which is to say, they're a bundle of negative energy animating a set of bones. Nothing remains of what they may have once been. Nothing important at least." She backs up, following Yambul's suggestion, covering Rhor. In case any of the skeletons catch up, she readies to strike out.
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”But…but…what are their bones doing here? You’re…uh…different…than what we usually see around here, Ruha,” Rhoreen gulps at the much larger woman(?) and goes on, hoping to not get eaten or beat up…but there are things she needs to know. ”How are you here? And how are they here? And old and dead?”
Zzvkgrogk pulls the trigger and beams of fire erupt from his device putting the bones of his target into fire! The joints between bones burn and they collapse to the sand.
Rūha moves back and covers Rhoreen from any approach.
The half-elf remains frozen defending herself, trying to understand the situation.
The bones have clear marks that they have been beaten before, each of them having at least a couple mortal marks.
AC = 15
HP = 16/16
Weapon Equipped = MW Longbow
Condition(s) = Water Breathing
Chaance weighs the suggestion of retreat with the success of her companions beating the skeletons down as they arrive. She produces another blunt arrow, and nocks it against the new weapon, more interested in learning its balance than downing the Yellow skeleton approaching.
"I really should practice more with blunt arrows. I can't lead the skeletons as easily with the heavier head. Right, I'll leave you to it, then."
With another arrow lost possibly retrievable, the elf steps back, and allows the others their space.
Rhoreen looks around for more foes.
Weapon Equipped = Falchion
Conditions = water breathing (1/5h)
Falchion: Attack: 2 BAB +4 Str +1 Focus (-1 PA) Damage: +6 Str (+3 PA) Crit: 18-20x2
Chef’s knife: Attack: 2 BAB +1 MW +4 Str / +2 Dex Damage: +4 Crit: 19-20x2 Range: 10’
Studied: () (move/immediate; +1 att, dam, bluff, knowledge, perception, sense motive, survival)
Prestidigitation (1/1)
Yambul moves again to get in front of Zzvkgrogk, ”I think it’s time to fall back sir.” he mentions as he passes. He readies another swing for any who may come his way, though he feels he’s about to be massed and wishes he was faster.
- - -
Chaance arrow really falls short. The skeletons cackle in their advance.
Finding the four arms of the skeletons not too appealing, Yambul also falls back.
Feeling the fresh meat the skeletons try charging over the sand, some stranding on the sand, one being smashed to pieces as it reaches Yambul's position, but two manage to reach the cook and Zzvkgrogk.
Yambul dodges the first one, but the ratman falls on stepping back and is clawed!
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AC = 15
HP = 16/16
Weapon Equipped = MW Longbow
Condition(s) = Water Breathing
Unhappy with her performance thus far, Chaance rolls her neck, training the next nocked arrow on Zzvkgrogk's new acquaintance. The largish figure is easy enough to target, sight-wise, she just needs the blunt head to fly true.
"Careful, Zzvkgrogk. We don't know what diseases they may carry."
Zzvkgrogk, Zzvkgrogk, Zzzvv, Zzz..v, Zzzzz...
"What about 'Sizzle', Zzvkgrogk? Would that be an appropriate nickname? It's also the sound your weapon makes when it hits." The elf looks quite proud of herself.
Weapon Equipped = Falchion
Conditions = water breathing (1/5h)
Falchion: Attack: 2 BAB +4 Str +1 Focus (-1 PA) Damage: +6 Str (+3 PA) Crit: 18-20x2
Chef’s knife: Attack: 2 BAB +1 MW +4 Str / +2 Dex Damage: +4 Crit: 19-20x2 Range: 10’
Studied: (skeleton) (move/immediate; +1 att, dam, bluff, knowledge, perception, sense motive, survival)
Prestidigitation (1/1)
Yambul studies the white skeleton on him a moment before swinging!
(studied) (studied)
He’ll then 5’ step back a bit. Ideally where Zzvkgrogk is now (he goes before me in init).
"What about 'Sizzle', Zzvkgrogk? Would that be an appropriate nickname?"
"Sizzle? What's wrong with saying his name, <*sound*>?" Rhoreen makes a sound like a chicken plucking out the putrefied eyeballs of a trout left out in the afternoon sun.
Rhoreen likes the nickname, but is also happy to continue using Zzvkgrogk's real name.
Round 3, Init 19
Rhoreen moves up a bit to harass the foe near Zzvkgrogk, harnessing her skymetal totem against the foe (or the other one, or no one if none are left standing).
HP: 14/14
AC: 12/12/10
Lay on Cats: 0/1 used
Rod of Regret: 0/3 used
Wand of SM1: 8/9 left
Open spell slots:
Left Hand: nothing
Right Hand: nothing
Sage Advice: (0/10 used)
:
[ dice]1d20+2[/dice] ranged to hit;
[ dice]1d4-1[/dice] blunt damage
She casts a very simple spell at Arturo.
”I can do it myself!!”
[ dice]1d8+1[/dice] CLW
”How are you here? And how are they here? And old and dead?”
Ruha narrows her eyes "If you work that one out, I would certainly like to know the answers as well." The words have a bit of bite to them, with the normally level-headed kasatha stressed out by the whole situation. With Yambul forming a firm-ish front line, Ruha advances to stand side by side with him. She extends her fingers and drives them hard toward the white skeleton's skull.
Round 3
”I think it’s time to fall back sir.” he mentions as he passes.
”"Careful, <sound>. We don't know what diseases they may carry."
With a couple of flicks of his right ear at all the noise around him, Zzvkgrogk takes a 5 foot step away from the skeleton next to him, and out of Yambul’s way.
Pew-pew-ew-ew-ew…
For
For
Shield
Heightened Awareness
True Strike
Hits: 9/13
AC 16, touch 14 (+3 dex, +1 racial), flat-footed 13 (+2 armor, +1 racial)
Laser Pistol Charges: 0/10
Brown nanite hypogun charges: 7/10
Wand of Cure LIght Wounds: 50/50
"Sizzle? What's wrong with saying his name, <*sound*>?"
Chaance smiles and nods as the half-elf demonstrates the finesse necessary to fully pronounce the ratfolk's appellative. "Personally, my tongue catches on the middle consonant, and the lack of fricatives is vexing."
"And 'Pew-Pew' sounds belittling. Very close to 'Pee-Yew'."
Chaance's arrow flies true, its bludgeoning head breaking the left rib-cage, the creature continues its advance nevertheless.
Seeing Zzvkgrogk's retreat, Yambul steps forward swinging at the skeleton, the hard bone nearly deflects the blade, but with the precarious balance the charge left it in, the Kellid destroys what little remained from the bones. The skeleton collapses to the sand ground.
Seeing this Rhoreen has to step forward to deliver her skymetal powers on the next closest skeleton.
The skeleton resists, but is stolen a bit of good fortune nevertheless.
Rūha comes in and delivers a good punch at that same skeleton. Despite all, the creature survives the hit.
Zzvkgrogk shots his fire device, which beams cross the air with a characteristic sound. Whether he goes for the one covered and engaged by Rūha, or shots at the one approaching with a clear line of shot, the skeleton manages to just avoid the fire this time.
Insensitive to their colleagues fate, the other two skeletons keep their fight. The white attacks Rūha in front, looking to grasp and tear down her neck.
The four-armed woman seems not surprised by being attack from four sides at the same time, and very skillfully blocks all of the attacks.
Another skeleton keeps approaching going for Zzvkgrogk.
But the ratfolk jumps back, this time his feet responding properly to the sand, avoiding the danger.
AC = 15
HP = 16/16
Weapon Equipped = MW Longbow
Condition(s) = Water Breathing
Chaance doesn't like the proximity of the remaining skeletons. Too much risk here. Especially Sizzle.
She circles the skeleton threatening the ratfolk, and takes another shot, wondering what it's like to disconnect the skull from the spine.
Weapon Equipped = Falchion
Conditions = water breathing (1/5h)
Falchion: Attack: 2 BAB +4 Str +1 Focus (-1 PA) Damage: +6 Str (+3 PA) Crit: 18-20x2
Chef’s knife: Attack: 2 BAB +1 MW +4 Str / +2 Dex Damage: +4 Crit: 19-20x2 Range: 10’
Studied: (skeleton) (move/immediate; +1 att, dam, bluff, knowledge, perception, sense motive, survival)
Prestidigitation (1/1)
Yambul studies the skeleton on him a moment before swinging!
(studied) (studied)
He’ll then 5’ step again to put his body between Zzvkgrogk and danger.