"None of that!" Tekmin swings his frying pan at the witch and tries to grab on to her.
for
for and Grabbed on a hit. (DC 23 to Escape)
Herok adjust his aim slightly, loosing two more arrows at the Goblin who did not seem interested in surrendering.
The goat bleats in anger as his world grows dark. Wildly, it bites and headbutts in the direction of the goblin that did this to him!
HP 53/53
AC 20
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +12
Hero points: 2
Focus Points: 1/2
Spells prepped: 1st: enfeeble [], ill omen [], soothe []; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [][]; 3rd: invisibility sphere [x], slow [x]
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
"This is just going to come around to hurt yourself," Wherby grumbles -- though it's not quite clear who he's talking to at first. He gestures and sends a rock flying toward the goblin witch.
Minargul dodges Herok's arrow, but Wherby's projectile strikes her. Ximble trips the witch but fails to follow up, nor does his goat. Tekmin lands two hits, though, the second one a critical strike that fractures her skull! Minargul groans and goes limp.
Tekmin gathers the witch's goods. "Ack, this smells disgusting!" he notes, as he packs away the incense.
He pokes around the witch's chamber, looking for secret doors or hidden chets. Disregarding good sense, he pops his head behind the taxidermied creation behind the altar, looking for hidden entrances.
Tekmin does not find anything hidden in this room. There are no exits except the way that you came in.
"Master Crick, do you have any more magic that might hide us?" Tekmin asks. "Or are we fighting our way out?"
Herok takes care to lift up Minargul's hat, looking to see if she has a list of the Shrilltooth's names under it.
There is nothing underneath the witch’s hat.
"I think that's a clockwork key," Wherby mutters as he looks around, before he's brought to attention by Tekmin's question.
"Any more?!" he sputters. "That's powerful magic! I'm no Vashta Denaria, throwing around magic like it's nothing! And I need to rest first anyway. That was exhausting! Maybe we can use that incense, though."
"Oh, I've always liked clockworks! My neighbor had a clockwork spy, but it was broken," Tekmin relates. "Just rocked back and forth and repeated the word 'potatoes.' Still, pretty impressive!"
"Maybe it only pretended to be broken! ..." Ximble gives Tekmin a serious look - he must truly believe what he said to be true or at least seriously worth considering.
"Say, what if we tell the goblins-next-door the truth? Maybe they won't bother us if they hear we took care of their witch?"
"I'd say it's probably a 50/50 chance. We might at least be able to try and convince them not to attack us while we take care of Ripnugget. I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a few minutes. Ximble, can I treat your and your goat's burns?"
The gnome attempts to sit still as Herok attends to his wounds. "We should try the intimidation route. What do you say Wherby? Are you up to the task? A pinch of magic mixed with a dash of your characteristic grumbling should suffice, I reckon!"
"I suppose it has a better chance than us trying to fight them," Wherby grumbles.
He waits until everyone is ready, then takes a deep breath and calls out.
he calls out.
Panicked shrieks and whistles answer Wherby's cry. You can hear the sound of scuttling feet on stone which rapidly recedes. When you return to the throne room, you see it is empty, save for Shrilltooth's skeletal corpse which still slumps in the seat. It would seem that the Whistlefangs have abandoned their "haunted" lair!
"Ha! Well, you showed them, Master Crick."
Tekmin pokes around the throne room, checking for hidden caches beneath the seat and secret doors behind the throne. He pokes the goblin leader's head and searches its tattered clothes for goodies.
The majority of the decorations on the walls are trophies taken by Whistlefang goblins over the years. Most are broken and ruined, but six bloody spears are all well maintained. One of them is in fact a +1 striking spear.
Tekmin discovers a well-hidden secret door behind the throne!
"Just like in the stories!" Tekmin is overjoyed at this development, and barely waits for the others before pushing open the door.
Herok grunts at the Whistlefang's grisly trophies, but sets himself up next to the secret door. He carefully considers his options as they prepare to open it and face a reanimated Ripnugget.
The secret door leads to a long corridor that opens up into a large room. The walls of this ten-foot-high chamber are of white stone with redwood paneling running along the lower two feet, trimmed in gold. Glowing flames flicker in sconces on the walls, giving the chamber bright illumination. The floor is polished red stone, with a large inset gold seven-pointed star inlaid in the floor. Wooden shelves filled with books, tablets, and scrolls stand in the room or sit against the walls, while a wood desk heaped with additional books and scrolls sits to the north. To the east and west, three steps lead up to ten-foot-wide alcoves, in each of which sits a black stone platform edged in gold runes and adorned with another gold inlaid seven-pointed star. Two hideous dead bodies of twisted sinspawn lie in a heap on the eastern platform.
Four living sinspawn are scattered about the room, looking through the numerous books and scrolls here. Standing in the center of the room is a very angry-looking undead goblin! He wears a rusted breastplate and grips a dogliscer that is wreathed with flickering flames. Upon spotting you, the goblin screeches in frustration. "Those foolish Whistlefangs! I told them that if I was interrupted, they'd all be burned alive!"
He squints and looks closer at you. "Wait... You're adventurers, aren't you? You must be the latest batch of heroes from Sandpoint. Well, this time, things will be different. This time, Ripnugget will prevail, and you will perish! Sinspawn! Attack!"
Ximble directs his goat to go munch on one of the sinspawn and then, with a flick of the wrist, retrieves a pair of bolas and throws them at the goblin's ankles.
Well, it looked like the were going to be outnumbered, and Ximble had already sent the goat in. Herok cast a spell, then reached out and touched Tekmin's back. "This will help you avoid the harm of Ripnugget's flaming sword." He then shifted his stance to better use his bow in close quarters.
HP 53/53
AC 20
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +12
Hero points: 2
Focus Points: 1/2
Spells prepped: 1st: enfeeble [], ill omen [], soothe []; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [x][]; 3rd: invisibility sphere [x], slow [x]
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
"See, I warned you! I told you they'd think we were adventurers!" Wherby grouses, sure he's about to die horribly.
He quickly glares at the closest sinspawn, and then casts a spell.
"Adventurers?! We're saved!" Tekmin looks behind himself for the adventurers, but with everyone else springing into action, he joins in the melee, running up to the goblin with the flaming sword.
for ,
Wherby hexes one of the sinspawn and instill paranoia in it. Ximble manages to trip Ripnugget with his bolas, sending the undead goblin sprawling. His goat narrowly misses the sinspawn. Herok wards Tekmin against fire, and the halfling rushes in to bash Ripnugget with his frying pan!
"Ouch! Who brings cookware to a dogslicer fight?!?" Ripnugget grunts in disbelief. The goblin takes another hit from Tekmin as he regains his feet. "Bah! Die, little longshanks!" He slices Tekmin's belly in a cruel critical hit, yanking out bits of flesh as he pulls the blade free!
The sinspawn Ximble's goat attacked returns the favor. Two of the other sinspawn move to assist Ripnugget, biting at Tekmin. The paranoid sinspawn, though, moves in to attack Ximble instead.
Critical Success: The creature is unaffected.
Success: The creature is sickened 1.
Failure: The creature is sickened 2.
Critical Failure: The creature is sickened 2 and is clumsy 2 for 1 minute.
Both Ximble and his companion involuntarily retch when the Sinspawn attack and overwhelm them. They retaliate with hoof and pick.
HP 53/53
AC 20
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +12
Hero points: 2
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped (DC 21): 1st: enfeeble [], ill omen [x], soothe []; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [x][]; 3rd: invisibility sphere [x], slow [x]
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
Wherby concentrates on maintaining his hex, sweat starting to bead on his forehead, and casts another spell, this time on the other sinspawn.
Tekmin looks down in dismay at his midsection, "Oh, my guts!"
He's not in much shape for sinful thoughts, instead his tiny halfling mind is full of rage!
"How dare you!"
He continues swinging the frying pan at Ripnugget, ignoring for now the pain in his belly.
for ,
for ,
The pain in his guts is too distracting to score a hit, and he holds back bile as he centers himself.
for ,
"Tekmin!" Herok yells. Once again calling on Erastil, he casts a spell of healing upon Tekmin before loosing an arrow Point-Blank into the Sinspawn attacking Ximble.
Ximble's goat finishes off the paranoid sinspawn with a strike from its horns while Ximble himself eviscerates his attacker with his scythe! Wherby hexes one of the sinspawn attacking Tekmin, and Herok shoots that one after healing the halfling. Tekmin swings on Ripnugget but fails to hit him.
The undead goblin cackles, taking a moment as he raises his dogslicer high. "To me, Stickfoot!" he shouts, leaping into the air. A ghostly giant gecko manifests beneath him, and he lands on its back, ready to continue the fight from the back of his phantom mount!
The two remaining sinspawn bite at Tekmin again!
Tekmin tries to smack the mounted goblin with his frying pan and grab on to him.
for ,
for ,
for ,
HP 53/53
AC 20
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +12
Hero points: 2
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped (DC 21): 1st: enfeeble [], ill omen [x], soothe [x]; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [x][]; 3rd: invisibility sphere [x], slow [x]
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
Wherby continues to concentrate, maintaining his spells. "Madness," he mutters as he tries to soothe the worst of Tekmin's hurts. Though he's probably just prolonging the poor halfling's agony until they all die horribly at the ghost's hands.
Seeing that Tekmin is in trouble, Ximble calls upon nature to shower Tekmin with healing rain. He then directs his goat to steer them into the fray.
Herok continued trying to keep Tekmin on his feet as he fired another arrow at the closest Sinspawn.
Ximble's goat attacks the wounded sinspawn, then Herok takes it down with a critical hit, his arrow burying itself in the monster's neck! Tekmin swings at Ripnugget, landing a solid blow.
"Die! Die! Die!" Ripnugget shouts, eyes burning with red flames. He slashes at Tekmin, striking him twice.
The last sinspawn steps to flank the halfling.
HP 53/53
AC 20
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +12
Hero points: 2
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped (DC 21): 1st: enfeeble [], ill omen [x], soothe [x]; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [x][]; 3rd: invisibility sphere [x], slow [x]
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
Wherby, almost out of spells, scowls as he turns his attention to the last two combatants. Sustaining his evil eye spell, he tries to make sure the sinspawn and Ripnugget won't continue to work together.
"My friends are taking down your minions as we speak!" Tekmin squeaks at the violent goblin.
for ,
for ,
for ,
Tekmin was getting hammered, so Herok continued praying to Erastil to keep him up before firing an arrow at Ripnugget, since he was clearly the most dangerous threat.
Ximble directs his goat to focus the Sinspawn and they both lay into the foul abomination!
Ximble's goat gores the sinpsawn, taking it down. Only Ripnugget remains. Ximble moves in to help Tekmin, landing a hit on the undead goblin. Tekmin swings wildly, unable to connect, but Herok's aim is true as he scores a critical hit!
"Argh! BURNINATE!" Ripnugget shrieks, leveling his dogslicer at you. His spectral gecko mount rears up as a huge gout of flame bursts forth from the goblin's blade, engulfing Tekmin, Ximble, and his goat!
Cackling, he slashes with his blade again!
Ximble gets overwhelmed by the flames but by eating most of the flames, he might've saved his companion.
Tekmin, barely standing, weathers the blast.
But, Ripnugget's follow-up attack knocks the halfling unconscious. His frying pan clatters to the ground and his bright blood spills on the ground!
HP 53/53
AC 20
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +12
Hero points: 2
Focus Points: 0/2
Spells prepped (DC 21): 1st: enfeeble [], ill omen [x], soothe [x]; 2nd: blood vendetta [], paranoia [x][]; 3rd: invisibility sphere [x], slow [x]
Cantrips: daze, detect magic, ignition, guidance (innate), shield, telekinetic projectile
Effects:
"Damn it, Tekmin, I TOLD you you were going to die doing this!" Wherby grumbles. Almost out of spells, he resorts to one of his basic cantrips, sending a chunk of stone toward Ripnugget. Then he casts shield on himself.
Tekmin was down, but it was obvious they had to take down Ripnugget before he could do anything about that. Herok casts another spell, asking Erastil to bless him with Heroism, as he fires an arrow designed to deliver a chilling blow to Ripnugget. He didn't know if it would help, but given his fiery nature, it just might.
Wherby's projectile fractures Ripnugget's skull, leaving the undead goblin disoriented. Ximble's goat manages to land a solid hit, then Herok fires a heroic shot directly into Ripnugget's chest! Icy energy splatters the fiery goblin, and with a prolonged shriek, his spectral gecko mount vanishes and his body falls limply on the floor. The baleful red light in his eyes fades away, then his skeletal body crumbles to dust, leaving only his armor and weapon behind.
The collection of books, scrolls, and tablets in this room are somewhat well preserved and, taken as a whole, the collection is exceptionally helpful in researching matters relating to ancient Thassilon, but the books are maddeningly damaged and missing parts.
Herok runs over to Tekmin, stowing his bow, and then channels healing energy over the group to provide the benefit to Ximble and his goat, as well.
Ximble aids Herok by conjuring a cloud of healing mist. It envelops the halfling's body and mends some of his most grievous wounds. "Is he okay, Herok?", Ximble asks. There is a hint of trepidation in his voice.
Tekmin sits up, woozily, "Did we win? Am I alive?" The halfling gets to his feet, wounds closing from his friends' magic, and a quickly regains his good humor. "I knew we could do it. I suppose that adventurers would have managed it without the brush with death."