Degan pops out from cover.
Against his better judgment, Degan runs into melee to stab the contruct that Clancy hit.
Zathra rushes out from behind the boulder to support Clancy. "Crom!" she shouts as she thrusts with her polearm!
Clancy empowers his hammer before swinging it at one of the constructs. He just misses, the weapon clanging harmlessly off its emerald body!
Zathra charges in beside Clancy and attacks. Her polearm drives straight through the chest of the rough-hewn construct, causing it to shatter into a thousand emerald fragments!
Istevan narrowly avoids fumbling with his crossbow. Degan's blade scrapes against the other construct's armored body, while Roscoe and Mirinde both miss. The construct slices Zathra with its sword!
Mirinde shifts her target to the other construct, hoping to destroy it before it could raise the alarm.
Clancy feels the hammer alter course just slightly even as he swings a wild miss, and though it's damn close it just skims off the metallic-like surface of the guardian. Shifting his weight, the cleric prepares to bring the weapon around once again before watching it shatter spectacularly beneath Zathra's heavy blow - though he winces as he sees her take a terrible wound from the other.
Twisting his body, he tries to bring that one into the arc of the metal head of the hammer whistling through air with deadly purpose...
Blessed (+1 to attack rolls) for 1 turn (10 minutes)
...but in the act of suddenly switching targets he fails in spectacular fashion and...
Eager to prove himself (and hoping nobody noticed the gaffe with the crossbow), Istevan charges into the fray:
"Don't forget Istevan. I've got your back".
Axe 1
Edge 1
Axe 2
Edge 2
In his haste to join the fight, Istevan failed to notice the halfling until the last moment. Twisting his blade to avoid injuring his companion, Istevan finds a crack in the emerald armour and leans his weight into it.
Roscoe lands a good hit, and his good luck rubs off on Istevan, who is able to drive his blade through the emerald statue's midsection! As he pulls the weapon out, the construct falls to the ground, transforming into a man of flesh and blood! He coughs up dark blood as he labors to breathe. "Thesdipedes... knows the word..." he gasps out, then he groans and lays still as he dies.
The great door is carved from solid pewter, intricately engraved with elaborate designs. It is set with a single large keyhole and locked.
Degan silently thanks whatever gods there might be for his unexpected survival.
He gets out his tools and begins working on the door.
"Got it," he says quietly.
Degan unlocks the door, allowing you to enter the citadel. This large hallway measures 20 feet by 50 feet and ends at another large door. The walls are completely tiled with mosaics illustrating the deeds of a great, green-robed sorcerer. The images show the emerald enchanter battling dragons and demons, reading spellbooks, inscribing scrolls, consulting ancient mummies, gazing into a crystal ball, and so on.
"It seems our host has an overinflated sense of his own ego," Mirinde comments wryly, "We should attempt to locate Thesdipedes first."
Istevan frowns at the wide corridor: "Smells like a trap to me..."
Not really expecting much to come of it, Istevan grabs some fist-sized hunks of nearby rock (or emerald guard) and skips them down the hallway, looking out for tripwires and the like.
Clancy holds the man's head gently as he expires, then speaks a quick prayer over his body. "If he was trying to aid us with that bit of knowledge, perhaps he is serving this sorcerer against his will." He explains to the others as he rises to his feet and approaches the door. The cleric grins at Degan when the thief picks the lock, clapping him on the shoulder when the job is complete. "Well done, we'd have likely alerted those inside if we'd have had to break it down. Perhaps the sorcerer hasn't yet been alerted. We can hope, at least."
As they enter the hallway, he gazes upon the murals and shakes his head at the hubris of it all. When Mirinde speaks, he smiles and nods. "No doubt, perhaps it will work against him. He likely thinks himself too powerful to be thwarted by the likes of any mere mortal. I agree, we should find this Thesdipedes quickly. I would like to know what 'word' he knows that might aid us." Advancing down the hall just behind the others, Clancy heeds Istevan's warning and keeps a sharp eye out behind to make sure nobody tries to sneak up on them.
Istevan frowns at the wide corridor: "Smells like a trap to me..."
Not really expecting much to come of it, Istevan grabs some fist-sized hunks of nearby rock (or emerald guard) and skips them down the hallway, looking out for tripwires and the like.
Inspired by Istevan's amateur efforts, Degan will attempt to Find Traps in the hallway.
Degan does not find any traps in the hallway. You cautiously proceed down its length. However, you haven't gotten for before a brisk breeze blows at you from the walls, then you see a strange sight. The wall tiles begin to detach at various points and float through the air, carried on the rising wind. Soon there are eddies of tiles swirling about the room. They converge into a whirling cyclone at the end of the hall, then suddenly form into the shape of a man—a man composed of thousands of shifting, moving tiles! It begins to move towards you!
"Achk! What is happening here".
Roscoe throws one of his trusty axes at the Tilosaurus, then pulls forth another getting no closer.
Handaxe 1
Edge 1
He also looks around to see if the missing tiles revealed any secret passages or doors.
Clancy steps in front of the group, intending to take the brunt of the attack alongside the warriors. When it closes in, he swings his warhammer at the golem!
Blessed (+1 to attack rolls) for 1 turn (5 minutes or so left?)
Mirinde briefly wonders whether this tile golem could be made to server her before she lets loose an arrow at the thing before it closes with the warriors!
Seeing Degan’s meticulous approach to trap-finding, Istevan grunts: ”Never did have the patience for that.”
As the tile-creature appears: ”*sigh* Figures…”
Zathra moves in alongside Istevan. She fights defensively as she jabs with her polearm!
Most of your attacks fail to hit the tile golem, but both Istevan and Zathra deliver solid blows, shattering some of its component parts and causing it to "bleed tiles" and lose some of its mass!
Its polychromatic body shifts and churns as the tiles re-aggregate. More tiles shiver, shake loose from the wall, then fly through the air toward the golem to partially rebuild its damaged form. It slashes at Zathra with the edge of its tiled hand, but the barbarian's armor turns the attack aside!
Mirinde decides her arrows would be of little use here, and decides to sacrifice a little of her energies to recall her summoning spell!
"Is this thing healing itself?!" Istevan's tone is somewhere between appalled and impressed.
"Well that's not fair." Clancy grunts sourly as he swings the heavy warhammer again. The irony of his comment is lost on the cleric, who often heals himself and his companions during a fight.
Blessed (+1 to attack rolls) for 1 turn (5 minutes or so left?)
Degan doesn't want to risk hitting his allies with a ranged attack into melee, but he is also leery of getting into close combat with a dangerous foe.
Instead, he will try to grab any loose tiles from the wall and stuff them into his pack, to prevent them from flying to rebuild the construct.
Roscoe goes in both axes whirling.
Hatchet 1
Edge 1
Hatchet 2
Edge 2
Zathra makes a wild swing that leaves her off balance!
The summoned boar scores a critical hit but the golem cannot be stunned. Clancy, Istevan, and Roscoe all land their attacks, shattering tiles. Degan begins prying more tiles from the wall.
The golem draws another batch of tiles to itself, this time waving its hands theatrically and sending the tiles hurtling toward Istevan! They tear at his skin, puncturing his body. The golem follows up with a slash of its hand, and Istevan falls!
Istevan's face adopts a look of inevitability as he crumples to the floor.
Clancy can feel the intense energy of the tile blast spray past him, directly into Istevan! The warrior falls when the tile golem chops him down with its bare hand, and the cleric doesn't hesitate. "Justicia, restore life to our fallen companion!" He calls out, then touches the man on his shoulder as he adjusts his grip on the warhammer for a moment or two...
Degan realizes that taking loose tiles from the walls will do nothing to impair the golem's abilities.
He reluctantly draws his dagger and moves to stab the construct, missing wildly.
Mirinde stares daggers at the tile-construct before she sends another arrow at it!
Roscoe continues his usually futile attempt to break up all the tiles holding this monstrosity together.
Handaxe 1
Edge 1
Handaxe 2
Edge 2
And for some reason tile dust gets in his eyes and he swings at nothing.
Groggily, Istevan regains his feet, gives his head a shake, and taking in the situation, gradually realizes that the battle is still on.
Still swaying a bit from the creature's attack, Istevan's swipes weakly in its direction, but his attack does not connect.
Zathra's previous fumble causes her to miss by a wide margin. Roscoe and Istevan both miss also, though Mirinde scores a solid hit.
The golem pulls more tiles off the wall and sends them flying, this time targeting several of you. Degan and Roscoe avoid its wrath, but the rest of you are battered by the tiles! It then slashes Istevan again!
Clancy barely keeps his feet as the hard tiles blast into his chest - thankfully his armor absorbs most of the blow, but the cleric can feel at least one broken rib, maybe two. "Damn, that thing is tough." He gasps, then swings his warhammer again, but slips on a loose tile and falls hard on his backside, knocking the air out of his lungs!
= Fumble!
Blessed (+1 to attack rolls) for 1 turn (5 minutes or so left?)
Mirinde cries out in pain as the tiles slash her but she gamely takes aim and fires again!
Degan falls back out of range, counting himself lucky to have escaped the tile blast.
No sense pressing my luck.
Dang it! I've got to help my friends survive this. Come on axes... don't fail me now.
Hatchet 1
Sharp Side 1
Hatched 2
Sharp Side 2
Still swaying from his brush with death, Istevan can't manage to get his shield up in time and is blasted again with tiles. His skin and clothing are both looking a bit ragged, but seeing his new companions are sticking it out, he fights on gamely: Sometimes mercenary life is not much fun...
While Clancy and Istevan fumble about, Mirinde's arrow finds its mark. Zathra stabs her polearm at the tile golem, then Roscoe finally hits with both of his axes! The few remaining intact tiles in the golem's aggregrate form clatter to the floor as the construct loses its integrity. You have emerged victorious!
Mirinde gasps in pain as the adrenalin of battle wears off. She slowly walks over to the pieces of the tile golem and begins to examine them closely. "These could prove of some value."
Clancy lowers his head briefly, giving Justicia silent thanks in allowing him to serve Her for yet another day. Then he rises painfully to his feet and takes a long look around at the others. "This wizard is well-protected by creatures that are not flesh and blood, it seems. I am concerned that my spells will not affect these things, though at least I can heal - if Justicia deems that I should. Who is in need?" The cleric attempts to treat himself as he waits for others to speak up, and though he as it first unsuccessful in the attempt, he is able to tend to his wounds with his second try.
= Failure! Disapproval = 2
3 HD healing (maximum is 2)
”Both Istevan and I are in rough shape,” Zathra tells Clancy, holding a hand to her wounds.
"M+*%*!&#+&!$!" As the golem drops to the ground, Istevan sets down his sword and shield as he struggles with his armour.
Blood seeps from cuts all over his body: "With your help, Justicia has already brought me back from death's door. On the other hand..." Istevan trails off as he continues to unbuckle and rebuckle his armour.