Molasbar touches Aurie and Shathee on the shoulder and murmurs an arcane syllable. He whispers "If you whisper to me, I'll be able to hear it within a hundred feet or so."
"Much appreciated", Shathee whispered as he began making his way forwards to the hallway, keeping his eyes sharp for any signs of movement along the way.
In the darkness of this place, he felt himself feeling the most at home in this huge city since he'd arrived via boat. Just like the dark alleyways and attics of Katapesh. His steps grew lighter and more eager as he moved forward in the darkness moving ahead of Aurie.
After Molasbar shares his spell Shathee moves up to the far corner with Aurie right behind him. He sees a towergirl standing guard, a second is on the floor behind her apparently resting. A hooded lantern sits on a fountain giving off the light.
Shathee holds his hand up holding up 2 fingers and then snaps his arm forward. He quickly darts out from the darkness, trying to take the guard by surprise.
Aurie follows hot on his heels.
Shathee comes surging around the corner and is upon the towergirl before she can even react.
Leylia barely catches Aurie's sudden move into action, dashing to keep up with her as he lays down her luck.
Rheagar crashes forward, his armored dwarf frame making a ruckus around the corner as he surges ahead. Longsword flashing in the dark, he adavances, but still out of sight of the combat.
Everyone rushes forward to close the distance with Shathee.
Round 1
Shathee 19/19 <<<
Molasbar 22/22 <<<
Rheagar 27/27 <<<
Towergirl uninjured
Aurie 26/26
Leylia 20/20
Rheagar steps to his left, pointing at the tower girl in the back with his blade and ordering, FALL!
Shathee stabs the unexpecting Tower Girl, thrusting the silvered blade into her flesh and then dances around the injured woman to get beside the one laying on the ground to prevent her from rising.
The towergirl manages to dodge Shathee's attack just before he dances past her. As she seems ready to turn to face him Rheagar calls out his command "Fall" and she does just that, landing on her back with a loud whump. The girl on the ground moves in reaction to the sudden noise of the attackers and opens her eyes.
Round 1
Shathee 19/19
Molasbar 22/22 <<<
Rheagar 27/27
Towergirl uninjured
Aurie 26/26
Leylia 20/20
Molasbar comes around the corner, nocking an arrow as he does. He raises his bow and shoots the arrow at the closer tower girl.
To hit , damage .
Molasbar's shot goes wide. Both women not liking their chances being prone at the hands of multiple armed assailants say in near unison, "I surrender."
Round 1
Shathee 19/19
Molasbar 22/22
Rheagar 27/27
Towergirl uninjured
Aurie 26/26 <<<
Leylia 20/20 <<<
Round 2
Shathee 19/19 <<<
Molasbar 22/22 <<<
Rheagar 27/27 <<<
Towergirl uninjured
Aurie 26/26
Leylia 20/20
we accept, stan down. Goo thing you cat-burgling lasses got your own rope. Aurie replies.
Both the women on the ground show their hands. The one who was armed drops her shortsword.
The hall dog legs to the north with an apparent opening to the east about thirty feet down before it opens into a room.
Rheagar looks satisfied at the outcome of the fight as he secures the two tower girls with their own ropes. Okay, we’ve got enough forward momentum to keep going. Let’s press on!
Rheagar sees the momentum slowing down and pushes forward. Where the hall doglegs he finds a collapsed stairwell leading up. The only direction is straight ahead. Moving up to the next opening he finds a stairwell leading down.
Shathee assumes that anything close by would have heard them, so he continues quickly with Rheagar. Seeing the only passage is down, he takes up silence once again as he quietly descends the stairs aiming to see where the passage downward leads.
Shathee, followed by the others at varying intervals, makes two turns on the stairs before coming to a landing. The stairwell opens on a large square room twenty five feet to a side with several exits. To the north, the exit quickly turns to the east but Shathee can see no further that way. An east facing exit runs nearly to the extent of Shathee darkvision before ending at a wall. He thinks there is a room at the far end but cannot be positive. Last but not least is an exit to the south. Due to the angle of view he cannot see anything down that way beyond the exit itself. The room is lit by a single everburning torch on the north wall.
Molasbar assumes any of these Tower Girls could be a wererat. He follows along behind with a cold iron arrow in his bow. He keeps a close eye on them as he listens to any updates coming from ahead through the message spell.
Shathee holds up his finger to his lips as he glances behind him. He peaks out and slips to the right, hugging the wall closely as he peers around. He keeps a close look out across the hallway before chancing a quick glance over his shoulder down the southern corridor behind him.
Shathee moves and glances down the southern hall. There is an opening on the west wall about 15' down the hall and the hall itself turns east after 50'.
You hear talking coming from the southern hall. Sounds like idle chit chat complaining about the accommodations
Shathee listens closely around the corner and picks up the voices. He catches Aurie's eye and nods his head while pointing down the southern hallway. He gently slides across to the other side of the opening and allows others to make their way up to the top of the stairs before proceeding down the hall.
Shathee nears the edge of the western opening when he hears the chit chat stop and one of the women whisper, "Did you hear something?"
Seeing Shathee pause and look around for something Rheagar freezes in place, waiting to see what the scout has found ahead of them...
Shathee holds up his hand to indicate the others to freeze where they are. He'll then point towards the hallway with his blade indicating that they should prepare to get the jump on anyone who comes that way.
Aurie nods
Shathee gives a big, this-is-gonna-be-fun smile back up the hallway. flips his blade around in his hand, concealing the blade against his forearm as he grips the hilt. He takes a deep breath before stepping out confidently, and loudly, into the lighted doorway.
"My apologies for interrupting ladies," he begins in his heavy Qadiran accent, "but would you be interested in hearing about the church of Sarenrae?"
The three women stand and draw their weapons. "Who are you and how did you get in here?" One of them asks.
with the redemption angle again? I mean, technically its not wrong.
Aurie casually and disinterestedly walks up behind Shathee.
Cliff notes version: This place is a somewhat incidental prison for demons. Redemption good, Bloodshed bad. Any kill here counts as a sacrficice, and from the whole wrath theme... to many options, with a few exceptions all the demon lords are pissed all the time.
If any of your members suddenly got more powerful, but also strongly associated with a specific sin and a bit nuts. She pauses to emphasize her next words. . Note sure if you even have any cold iron weapon to fight her if or when she transforms.
Now, if you ask yourself if what we speak is true, we gave away surprise to talk, if we wanted you ded we could have jumped you...
"But we haven't killed anybody." one says.
"I've heard of Sarenrae, goddess of peace, right?" another one says.
"You haven't answered the question, how'd you get in here?" the third questions.
"The remainder of the Tower Girls below us and have surrendered. They are bound and awaiting the completion of our capture of your leader. They will be released once Ayala has been captured. As to Sarenrae, she is a goddess of redemption, but peace may be a bit of an overstatement. Fire cleanses, but it also burns away. So, would you like to seek redemption from the path Ayala has lead you on?"
Shathee twirls the silvery shortsword in his hand as it slides out of concealment. "We would gladly accept you standing down, but if not we have a large crew that can help burn away as well."
There is of course the violence option
Aurie performance an impressive display with her hefty looking Falcata
Would not recommend it. She pauses
I am a serpent runner, you, while skilled, are thieves, nothing dishonorable about being a thief as far as I am concerned, but you dont train to fight every day and you have less experience fighing. We also have an Iomedean Cleric coming up, who is religiously forbidden from harming those who surrender, unless they are actively and willingly consorting the demons, the undead or hell, which you arent. She pauses once more
Iomedae being the goddess of having a stick up your arse, righteous smiting of demons and honorable combat. She chuckles
Redemption is nice, but seriously, I doubt we will offer pursuit if you slip your bonds later, which I reckon you to be pretty good at.
The tower girls make no attempt to attack and they back up joining each other at the far end of the table. "Help! we have intruders." One of them yells and the other two take up the call. Then to Shathee and Aurie they say, "I'd recommend you leave, others will come." They seem to be very cautious about tackling you on their own.
Oh well, prepare the boinking.
Aurie moves in, but since there is no surprise whatsorever I think we are in initiative.
Rheagar readies himself down the hallway, Clever thought that young man had... May the Inheritor guide my blade and actions this day. he thinks to himself, drawing his blade.
Initiative
Molasbar nocks an arrow as the discussions break down. We've already had more luck than expected with talking; I guess this was bound to happen.
"Surrender really was your best option..." Shathee says trailing off as he steps forward.
Round 1
Aurie 26/26 <<<
Leylia 20/20 <<<
Molasbar 22/22 <<<
Shathee 19/19 <<<
Towergirls uninjured
Rheagar 27/27Leylia 20/20 <<<
Aurie moves in, in an almost dancelike fashion and strikes the northernmost girl.
Aurie will, if attacked, Parry Riposte twice, only the first strike actually strikes back, the second is just a parry
Parry Riposte:
Parry:
No damage because I can strike back only once per turn, I can parry as often as I have panache points and Attacks of opportunity
Aurie's blade finds purchase and draws blood.
Round 1
Aurie 26/26
Leylia 20/20 <<<
Molasbar 22/22 <<<
Shathee 19/19 <<<
Towergirls seriously injured -7 / uninjured / uninjured
Rheagar 27/27Leylia 20/20 <<<
Shathee quickly darts across the room, mirroring Aurie's movement, to prevent being flanked as he brings his blade down across the surprised girls. "Lay down arms whenever you are ready," he offers, truly sorry they didn't take him up on his offer of surrender.
Hearing the clash of weapons, Molasbar darts forward. When he sees the three Tower Girls, he sends his arrow at the one in the middle.
To hit , damage , cold iron arrow.
Rheagar barrels around the corner, closing rapidly with the tower girls, Aye that's right! Drop it, an' you'll live. Resist and you'll find out what happens in judgment.