Zaborjca destroys the last sludgemonster!
Aygavan runs around the side, still looking for an entrance.
Aygavan finds a double door entrance!
Aygavan waves towards the party, indicating he found something. Like a ghost, he opens the door and creeps inside, trying to spot the mysterious summoner without alerting them to his presence.
You see a small, humanoid figure crouching in the darkness at a peephole on the far side of the building! He doesn't seem to have heard the door open and it looks like he is using some sort of spell-like ability!
Tocash wounds the bat, leaving it just barely maintaining its hold on this plane!
"The assist is appreciated, I'm barely hanging on, and it has me pinned." Maeve begins to conjure magical frost at her fingertips, before fumbling the spell.
The monsters keep attacking! Zaborjca blocks a blow while Tocash dodges two rays of light but the dire bat knocks Maeve unconscious! She falls to the mud, dying.
The members of the Golden Cartel continue to attack the light orb with impunity as it keeps targeting Tocash. "We will save you, Diobelians!"
"Damn... we got people down out here!"
Zab strikes out at the earth creature he'd studied previously, hoping for a quick kill so he can try to find a way to help Maeve.
Aygavan sneaks forward, whip at the ready.
His voice is low as he speaks softly to the summoner, "Listen here, friend. Your companions are far away, and I doubt your summoned beasties are smart enough to come in here and save you. Let them go, and things will go easy for you."
Tocash's well-placed missile finishes off the great bat this time! Zaborjca, unfortunately, fails to finish the earth monster in front of him.
The earth monster fails to land a retaliatory strike toward Zaborjca, stopped by the doughty shield. The light ray has nowhere to float but fires one more light ray at Tocash, lightly damaging him. Then the Golden Cartel agents cut it out of the air.
The halfling whirls to look at you then tries to cast a spell!
Stabilized.
The halfling casts his spell and a large pit opens up under Aygavan's feet!
Zab continues to press the earth elemental - aha, its guard is weak on the left, it lacks the normal reflexes of humanoids, feint high, shield low and STRIKE!
Zaborjca bellows a battle cry as his sword strikes!
Aygavan easily avoids the pit, tumbling masterfully out of the way of it. With that, he tries his best to trip the summoner by coiling his whip around the halfling's feet.
Zaborjca finishes off the earth elemental! There are no monsters left outside here. But you can hear the sounds of fighting coming from inside the building that Aygavan snuck into!
The halfling curses as he dodges your whip and sidesteps. Then his eyes glow green. Suddenly, fourth earthy creatures emerge in front of you, pounding you with their rocky fists! You are barely left standing!
Then three of the rocky creatures themselves fall into the pit, leaving the halfling cursing again and with one defender.
Everyone conscious outside the building here's Aygavan's voice shout from inside "The summoner is in here! I need help!"
You hear his whip crack and a yelp of pain from a voice other than his.
Zaborjca double moves towards the boat, shouting, "I am coming!", but is slowed by his heavy plate armor.
The earth summons moves forward, tries to hit you, but misses and then falls into the pit! The halfling tries to carefully cast a spell but fails!
Those outside the building hear loud thumping and muttering!
You see the open double doors into the building! Inside the building is Aygavan, a halfling, and a large pit with treacherous sloped sides all aroudn its perimeter between you and the humanoid combatants.
Zab full on runs into the building, skidding to a halt on his leather boots as he sees the enemies inside.
Aygavan tries again to trip the summoner, funneling all his mental resources into the task. Things had gotten serious, but he would not fail. He could not fail.
Rumbling sounds come from the pit. Aygavan manages to trip the halfling! The halfling then stands up, cursing. He steps back, casts a spell, and turns invisible!
The members of the Golden Cartel shout out "We have saved you, citizens of fair Diobel! Why do those Kortos Consortium fools bungle about in an abandoned building?"
Tocash whiffs!
As the halfling stands, Aygavan decides to repeat what worked so well last time. Lo and behold, it works even better, and he smirks as he feels the bite of his whip around the summoner's ankle!
With that, he too decides to try manhandling the little bastard. With overwhelming confidence, he grabs for the invisible form of the summoner with near-perfect accuracy.
"I told you, should've gone for the easy way."
Aygavan grabs a hold of the invisible troublemaker!
Aygavan smacks the halfling another good one!
Zaborjca lunges forward and lashes out at the elemental with his sword!
"What in the nine hells is this?!"
A priest rushes over, bearing a holy symbol of Aroden. "What from the Aybss is happening over here?" The agents of the Golden Cartel call out "We've rescued the citizens of Diobel from a monster attack!" The priest shakes her head "What about these?" She points to Ghorza, Maeve, and an unconscious citizen then grabs her holy symbol and lifts it high.