Mirinde's keen hearing picks up the distant rumble and she sets down her wine glass. "How strange. Did any of you hear that? It sounded like a rumbling." She rises to her feet and strides to the entrance, "It must be coming from outside."
"I heard it too. Let's go check it out."
The man follows the elf to the door.
Clancy regards his mug almost ruefully. "Maybe one night of rest at a decent inn would have been nice. As opposed to the terrifying thrill of a new adventure. Ah well..." He rises to his feet and grins at Roscoe and Zathra. "Coming?"
You rise to your feet and begin to head to the door, but before you get far, the entire inn begins to rumble and shake! Tables rattle and candles sputter, and the inn's patrons cry out in surprise!
Suddenly, the inn begins to sink into the earth! The inn doesn't fall in, though--it is drawn forcefully and quickly by a force, like an occult hand dragging the building deep into the earth. The east end sinks first, then the entire building begins to slide!
REF
Roscoe quickly dodges sliding chairs and tables and finds himself sitting on the former wall of the inn.
"What the? Did someone hit the down button"?
He tries to make his way towards a window or door to see what is happpening.
Mirinde barely manages to stay on her feet as she stumbles after the halfling. "This event does not bode well for future business," She says wryly.
Degan is struck by debris and falls to the ground. He doesn't even have time to cry out. And he isn't moving.
Degan manages to avoid the falling debris.
Clancy is taken utterly by surprise and is unable to keep his feet, slamming painfully into the wall that is apparently... sinking? "I thought this only happens to ships!" He screams out, his voice tinged with panic despite his efforts to try and keep calm. The idea of being swallowed up into the ground, suffocating slowly as dirt fills his mouth while he gasps for air... The cleric tries to look through the window or door to see what is below, and maybe why they seem to be sinking into the ground...
Zathra shouts in surprise as she tumbles through the air, smashing into the wall beside Clancy. "By Crom! What in the hells is happening?" she groans.
The other patrons, along with the inn's staff, all careen across the room, most of them becoming injured in the process. A few weep and scream, cradling broken arms and legs.
The inn continues to slide into the earth. The wagon wheel candelabras bank up against the thatch roof, which begins to burn. Finally, the inn comes to rest on its side, defying physics by not crashing and erupting into a thousand pieces. The air inside is choked with dust and debris, and the roof is on fire!
Outside, you can hear several voices chanting, the sound reaching a crescendo a moment after the inn comes to a rest. As you get to you feet, two foul-looking men in ragged robes clamber in through the sideways door. Their faces are elongated, their ears are pointed and have moved up towards the tops of their heads, their eyes are a sickly yellow, and their front teeth are prominent and jutting. They wield man-catchers, pole-mounted pincers, and they stalk toward the broken and hopeless patrons with a wicked gleam in their eyes!
Before you can react, they attack. The first one jabs his weapon at the injured innkeeper. It closes around the man, the spiked interior of the pincers threatening to further hurt him if he doesn't comply with their movements. The other enemy fails to hit the barmaid.
The cleric opens his mouth to answer Zathra, but can only cough as the stirred up dust gets into his throat. At least they aren't sinking any further... and then those strange, fearsome looking beasts burst through the sideways door and fall upon the staff before anyone can react. "Hey! Leave him be!" Clancy cries out, rushing to assist the barkeep who has been pinned by the exotic-looking weapon wielded by one of the monsters. "Help her!" He calls out to Zathra as he readies his warhammer and summons magic to hopefully paralyze his foe. An ethereal grey mist surrounds the hammer as he swings it at the creature!
= Success! Hands and melee weapon attacks paralyze targets on a successful hit for 5 rounds.
12-13: The cleric's hands and melee weapons are charged with the energy of paralysis. The cleric makes a normal attack this round if it hits the enemy takes normal damage and must make a Will save vs. spell check DC or be completely paralyzed for rounds.
14-17: As above, but spell duration is rounds instead of a single round.
+ Will Save vs DC 16 to avoid being paralyzed for 4 rounds.
Mirinde squints in the dim light as she glances up at the burning roof, "We have to get out of here!" She cries out. Turning her attention to the strange arrivals she decides to summon some allies here...
Roscoe rumbles forward to engage the creature attacking the barmaid.
"Hey. Pick on someone not your size"!
Axe 1
Edge 1
Axe 2
Edge 2
Degan tries to slip away in the confusion, hopefully finding a good hiding spot from the creepy men.
Zathra is angry about the turn of events. Very angry! She lets loose a battle cry as she rushes the man holding the innkeeper. The point of her polearm smashes his nose as it goes through his rat-face, exploding out the back of his head! The mutant man goes limp and drops his man-catcher.
The second rat-man seizes up as Clancy bashes him with his hammer and paralyzes him! Roscoe moves in and easily cuts the robed man down with his axes!
"Folks! Climb out through the door! Women first, men help them up and out!" Clancy bellows out to those trapped in the building as he quickly scans the corpses of the rat men. If the fire is spreading, he snatches the robes from their bodies and does his best with them to stamp out any flames hampering their escape.
Mirinde is more than happy to escape the death trap that was formerly the Inn, but caution prevails here. Hold! Let me make sure the area is clear first!" She finishes moving to the side door and peers out to make sure no other foes are lurking.
Degan is not sure about this "men helping the women out first" idea... he can say it is just because there could be threats outside as Mirinde indicates, but he really wants to get out of the inn.
He draws and loads his crossbow while waiting for the elf to report back.
Clancy discovers the mutated rat-men wear symbols of a snarling, horned rat. The cleric recognizes it as the symbol of the devil Chytivox, the Crawling Lord! The Order represents the most extreme and repugnant ideals of Law—oppression, slavery, and a merciless survival of the fittest ethic. The cult thrives on conflict and cannot abide Neutrality.
Looking out a window, Mirinde can see an enormous cavern illuminated by burning torches jammed into fissures in the walls. A few hundred feet away, nearly a dozen hooded figures stand in a semi-circle around a towering idol of a six-armed rat, each hand holding a burning flame.
They are far enough away that you should be able to evacuate the inn’s patrons without attracting their attention...
Mirinde frantically waves the patrons over to the door, "Hurry! No one is watching! Make your way out of sight once you have exited the building!" She will wait for the other patrons to leave before she exits the Inn.
Clancy hears Mirinde and moves toward the elf, glancing out the window at the scene in the enormous cavern. He sucks in air between his teeth in a surprised hiss and whispers to Mirinde. "They are worshippers of Chytivox, the Crawling Lord. Dwelling right below the inn, it appears. We must deal with this infestation or they will surely spread, turning the locals into slaves. And that will only be the beginning."
Once the others are made aware of the cultists and their rat god, and as the last of the patrons are escaping, the cleric shares what he knows of Chytivox with everyone. "Getting clear of the inn won't be enough, I'm afraid. We should deal with this cult so that they cannot terrorize the locals. This is only the start. But I ask you all, should we clear out now and regroup outside? Or charge in now while they're not expecting us?"
Degan is troubled by Clancy's words.
"I suppose someone must deal with them, and if you wish to do that, then I can help.
But I don't charge in anywhere. If you give me a few moments, I can try to sneak up on them, so that when you boldly charge in, I can strike unnoticed. I'll try to find a spot about forty feet before them, so that if they come for you I can strike from the shadows."
"Well I hate just chargin in... but if they're standing around that thing chanting we may be pressed for time".
Roscoe begins to move forward trying to keep to shadows and cover, but intent on interrupting whatever they're trying to do.
"Oh, and keep in mind they might need a sacrifice to complete the ritual which would explain the attack on the inn".
As the inn’s staff and patrons cower a safe distance away from the burning structure, Degan moves quietly to get closer to the cultists. He makes it there unseen. Up close, Degan notices one of the robed figures seems to be leading their chanting, a normal-looking human woman in a breastplate. She stands behind a stone slab altar, foul with dried blood.
Clancy nods at Degan and Roscoe. "A good point, perhaps they believed their assassins would take care of the patrons and so aren't in a rush to head over. They might even be expecting a delivery, which means we'll have to move quickly before they become suspicious. Get in place, we'll follow shortly. If it looks like you're seen, we'll move quickly."
As the thief and the halfling slip away, a thought occurs to the cleric and he grins. "Perhaps we can make them think that all is well... Zathra and I could don the cloaks of those cultists and pretend to have captured Mirinde with the man catcher weapon. That might get us close enough to launch an attack before they realize anything is wrong."
As they talk over plans, Clancy will cast a spell to hopefully bring Justicia's blessing upon him.
14-17: +1 to attack & damage rolls, saves, skill & spell checks for 1 turn
As the magic takes hold, Clancy flushes a bit as a heavenly chorus begins to softly sing in his presence. "Hopefully their chanting and the distance between us will keep them from hearing that until we're rushing them." He apologizes to the others. He thinks for a moment, then asks. "Would either of you like the blessings of Justicia? If she allows it, of course."
Mirinde considers the cleric's plan carefully, before nodding slowly. "Yes, a good way to catch them off guard...but before you 'capture' me I wish to further aid our plans and befuddle theirs." She then prepares her spell here...
The caster summons one mundane animal of up to 2 HD, or two animals of 1 HD or less.
"I would be...honored to accept your blessing Clancy."
Clancy smiles at Mirinde, then calls upon Justicia - sending an additional prayer just before he casts the spell. "I know she follows a different path than my own, but she has proven herself a good and firm ally. I ask humbly for your generosity in granting this favor to your servant."
But the spell fails to take hold and he can only wince and apologize. "It would seem that my patron disapproves of my action. I am sorry."
Notes:
+1 to attack & damage rolls, saves, skill & spell checks for 1 turn
Disapproval 2
Mirinde casts her spell, and a cloud of chittering bats appears, flying about the cavern in front of the group.
Seeing Clancy's spell falter on Mirinde, Zathra waves the cleric off. "Do not tempt your goddess's further disapproval. I will rely on my might alone. Amun Tor, guide my thoughts, and Crom, guide my blade!"
With all preparations in place, you begin to rush toward the chanting cultists. Only when you get within 60 feet does the lead cultist finally cease her chanting and point a finger at you. "In the name of the Crawling Lord, kill them all!" she shrieks.
Up close, you can see that her hair is in braids, and a live rat with glowing red eyes is tied by the tail into each braid, giving her a crown of living hell rats! The rats squeak and squirm, hissing at you!
The priestess draws a shortbow and fires a poisoned arrow into Clancy's side!
The other cultists shout and rush towards you, baring their ratlike fangs! They make it into melee range of your front rank.
Of course, none of them notice Degan hiding in the shadows nearby...
Roscoe firms his resolve and dashes in like a rabid wolf, swinging both hand axes with fervor.
Handaxe 1
Edge 1
Handaxe 2
Edge 2
Mirinde motions for the bats to harass the cultist leader before she draws her own dagger, swinging clumsily at her foe!
She hisses at the cultist, "Perhaps you should consider a new occupation, else you become a dying corpse!"
As he charges toward the ceremony they've interrupted, Clancy winces as the priestess's arrow pierces his side, but the cleric does his best to ignore the pain and the foul burning that emanates from the wound.
= Success!
As Clancy engages the front rank of cultists, he again calls upon Justicia to grant him the ability to paralyze his foes - for the priestess is a terrible threat and though he hopes Mirinde's bats and his hidden companions will make life miserable for her soon, he doesn't like the idea of them fighting her alone.
= Success!
12-13: The cleric's hands and melee weapons are charged with the energy of paralysis. The cleric makes a normal attack this round if it hits the enemy takes normal damage and must make a Will save vs. spell check DC or be completely paralyzed for rounds.
14-17: As above, but spell duration is rounds instead of a single round.
A grey mist coalesces around the cleric's warhammer and he swings at the nearest cultist!
+ Will Save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for 6 rounds!
Notes:
+1 to attack & damage rolls, saves, skill & spell checks for 1 turn.
Targets hit by Clancy's warhammer during the next 4 rounds must pass a Will save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for 1d4+2 rounds.
Degan steps out from the shadows and stabs a cultist!
"Clean strike to back. Inflict +2d6 damage with this strike."
Zathra shouts a battle cry as she thrusts her polearm forward!
Roscoe misses with his axes, but Zathra lands a good hit, impaling one of the cultists. Clancy smashes another foe with his hammer, then Degan steps out of the shadows and backstabs a third! Mirinde slashes Clancy's opponent, then the swarm of bats descends on the cultists with a vengeance! All three wounded foes go down as blood flies from the bats' critical bites, and the remaining three cultists are temporarily stunned!
"Grr! Two can play that game!" the high priestess of the Crawling Lord shouts. She enacts a summoning spell of her own--
--grimacing in pain as blood pours from eyes. But the spell is a success. The flickering flames on the statue dim for a moment, then with a puff of smoke and brimstone, a rat devil appears! The rat devil is 10 feet tall, with six arms, mottled fur, insane red eyes, and the whiff of hell about it. It shrieks as it lashes out at the bat swarm, teeth gnashing as it destroys several of the flying mammals.
If the cultists are still blocking his progress, Clancy swings at another, trying to get through these foes so that he can reach either the priestess or the devil rat she has summoned!
BUT...
If the cultists are stunned and not blocking his progress, the cleric heads straight toward the priestess, shouting out a challenge as he swings his warhammer at her head!
+ Will Save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for rounds!
Notes:
+1 to attack & damage rolls, saves, skill & spell checks for 1 turn.
Targets hit by Clancy's warhammer during the next 3 rounds must pass a Will save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds.
Degan is never one for a fair fight. He will gladly take advantage of the bats' incapacitation of the cultists, and try to strike one down.
or
Blow pierces foe’s kidneys. Inflict +3d3 damage with this strike, and the foe is stunned for 1 round.
Mirinde points at the bat swarm to focus upon the hell rat while she draws her bow, sending an arrow at the priestess.
;
Zathra holds her polearm in a defensive position as she stabs the nearest cultist. As the rat-man falls, she moves up to threaten the rat devil and keep its attention!
Determined to make up for his last embarrassing performance, Roscoe renews his vege-matic flying axes attacks.
Axe 1
Edge 1
Axe 2
Edge 2
The remaining cultists fall as Degan, Clancy, and Zathra take them down! Roscoe moves up alongside Zathra to face the rat devil, managing a lucky strike. Mirinde’s arrow is foiled by the priestess’s armor.
The bats swarm harmlessly around the devil. The priestess hefts her bow again and fires another poisoned arrow that grazes Clancy. The rat devil lashes out but doesn’t hit!
Degan will fall back about 20' (to some cover if he can find any), sheathe his dagger, and draw his crossbow.
Mirinde keeps targeting the priestess, hoping to score a lucky shot here.
Dang it! My lucks gotta change soon.
Roscoe drops his hand axes, draws his shortbow and shoots.
"Spread out! Make it move to hit us"!
Shortbow
Point of arrow
And his incredible run of bad luck continues as the bow string snaps and the arrow falls uselessly to his feet piercing his left foot on it's downward path
= Success!
Another arrow clips his arm, and Clancy is able to ignore the foul venom that coats the tip of the projectile - and though the gash along his bicep isn't deep, still it's yet another injury suffered.
Clancy decides to ignore the devil rat for a moment and charges the priestess with a battle cry, swinging his warhammer at her head!
+ Will Save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for rounds!
Notes:
+1 to attack & damage rolls, saves, skill & spell checks for 1 turn.
Targets hit by Clancy's warhammer during the next 2 rounds must pass a Will save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds.
[dice=Fort Save]1d20 +2 +1 = Success!
Another arrow clips his arm, and Clancy is able to ignore the foul venom that coats the tip of the projectile - and though the gash along his bicep isn't deep, still it's yet another injury suffered.
Clancy decides to ignore the devil rat for a moment and charges the priestess with a battle cry, swinging his warhammer at her head!
[dice=Warhammer Attack]1d20 +1 +1
[dice=Warhammer Damage]1d8 +2 +1 + Will Save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for [dice=Duration]1d6 +2 rounds!Notes:
+1 to attack & damage rolls, saves, skill & spell checks for 1 turn.
Targets hit by Clancy's warhammer during the next 2 rounds must pass a Will save vs DC 16 or paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds.
Zathra jabs her polearm at the devil's eyes, but misses by a wide margin!
Mirinde, Roscoe, and Zathra all miss with their attacks. As Degan falls back, Clancy charges at the priestess. Some of Roscoe's luck rubs off on the cleric, guiding his hammer to connect with the crazed woman's face in a crushing blow! She resists the paralysis spell. The bats swarm ineffectually around the rat devil.
The priestess shrieks something unintelligible at Clancy, and the hell rats in her hair squeak angrily as well! She drops her bow and draws a club as she swings on Clancy, but her wild swing leaves her off-balance!
Meanwhile, the rat devil attacks Zathra. Its teeth sink into her shoulder, injecting her with a fever toxin that causes the warrior woman to bleed from the eyes and mouth!
Mirinde knows the bats would not last much longer against the rat-devil so she decides to chance some magic here...taking her dagger she scratches the symbol of the Lady in Blue on her forearm enough to draw blood as she calls forth the fell energy!
Roscoe screams in rage and frustration and charges at the beast.
Hand-axe 1
Edge 1
Hand-Axe 2
Edge 2
"Die you abomination".