Cecily squeezes Tandyn's gauntleted hands and offers him a weak smile.
"Well, I...I suppose. Yes. I am not so fond of losing control though. Everything Terendelev taught me was in service of not losing control. Besides, it's so...messy! Where do you think their baths are, in this facility?" She looks around as if expecting to see a steaming copper tub in the corner.
"Lightning? I can't say as I have ever been struck by it, but the spark from running barefoot across a plush carpet hasn't hurt since my...since the ritual. Nor have candles. Well, or that dwarf's campfire. Is that normal for the...the tainted, then?"
"I don't know if I could be a clanliege, I don't know that I'll have time beyond my duties as Baroness. Less so once I become Marquess."
Ahmose stands silently straight as Thawm's Droplets of Healing coat his blue scales.
All those revealing details of everyone was certainly informative. Thanks.
The Blue-scaled Kobold then readies to continue exploring, gesturing to Dorek to lead the way.
Anevia, Horgus, and Aravashnial all collectively take a step back both from Cecily’s carnage and Aroden's insane ramblings. Horgus gives a nervous laugh, ”A nice hot bath would do us wonders right now. I’m nearly desperate enough to head back to that awful pitling lake. Cecily, once we reach the surface I will have a servant draw one for you.”
Dorek opens the door:
A muted roar echoes down the walls of this hallway. Near the eastern end, the worked stone give way to natural cave walls, just before the hall ends at an open shaft. Hanging over the edge of the shaft is a knotted rope, the other end tied to an iron spike driven into the ground. The shaft drops down 40ft before ending at an underground river.
"I can use my magic to catch any who fall. Well, the first one who falls, at any rate. Let us hope that none of us do.
Anevia, are your arms strong enough that you can make the climb down without the use of your leg?
Aravashnial, do you require assistance to descend, or do you think you can climb the rope down once it is in your hands?"
Ahmose peers into the Shaft Chamber. He sees the rope. He sighs.
Suppose just the wind made that noise. We should explore that most Southern door in the Common Room before jumping down there.
The Alchemist just waits.
The Blue Whisper does begin setting up Caltrops in front of the Shaft....
"Maybe we leave this hole for later also?" Thawm suggests, hopeful.
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Strangely, Aroden's bizarre tangent does not seem to faze Dorek in the slightest - he barely glances in the mage's direction as he speaks of possible worlds and ten-thousand year godhoods. However, he does furrow his brow as the other survivors draw back from the strange mage. "W-what's wrong with you three? You act like you've n-never met your g-gods before." He shakes his head, turning back to the door. "I s-swear, I will never understand S-southerner ways..."
"This is all great information, but perhaps I should clarify: I intended to talk about tactics and advice for when we fight. Let me retry. Let's pincer our opponents - that is, try to be on opposite sides of them. You may help someone else land a blow. Granted, it takes a clear head to see the opportunities at times, but it's worth it. Also, feel free to let me be the first one to walk into danger. I have a responsibility to be the first one in and last one out, and I invite you to plan around it if that helps."
Dorek grins. "I'd like to s-see them try and h-hit me! They've b-barely so much as s-scratched me save with their m-magic!" He nods at Tandyn. "I'll go w-with you when you g-go ahead. I'm s-stealthier than you, and I k-know where to hit someone when they turn their b-backs. My m-mother was a healer, s-studied anatomists' b-books and everything."
When the door swings open, he cautiously moves forward to the edge of the chasm, peering in, then drawing back with a shudder. "I've n-never had a problem with h-heights, but there's something n-not right about this place. L-let's check the other r-room first, then go down h-here. D-don't want another one of those g-god callers sneaking up on us, d-do we?"
Tandyn removes a gauntlet and systematically presses the remaining blood and dirt off the baroness's gloves.
When its his turn to be hit with a barrage of fire, he pays special attention to his burn wounds as they burn away. "Truly amazing work Thawm."
"That's a very kind offer Aroden. It sounds like we're heading back to the remaining door on this level and then perhaps the rope ladder. If they lead down to the same place, it should be easier to descend but your spell could still help."
He begins walking back to the common room. "Would someone mind unjamming this lock?"
When the door opens, Tandyn proceeds to the foul-smelling door and waits for everyone to arrange themselves. "You all may want to take a deep breath before I open this." Taking his own advice, he opens it.
Cecily sighs in okeasant anticipation of a future bath, hardly able to consider being clean again. "That would be most noble of you, Lord Gwerm." But then fantasy starts to become reality as Sir Tandyn gallantly cleans her gloves off, as much as the situation allows. She blushes furiously. "A..and most noble of you as well, Sir Tandyn."
She regains her composure and continues after a moment. "Ah, I can carry someone again down the rope should I need to, but I would prefer to do that after we ensure that the bottom is safe. The door is perhaps safer now, but I will stand over here." She backs up, eager to avoid the stench.
"Would someone mind unjamming this lock?"
Dorek steps up again, pulling his tools from his bag. He examines the lock for a moment, grimacing. "What the h-hell did you d-do to this thing, Ahmose? L-looks like there's g-glue in here!" He steps back, shaking his head. "The l-lock's done for - I can o-open it, I t-think, but it will be u-useless afterwards. It's a s-shame - decent w-workmanship on this t-thing." He puts his picks back in his bag, pulling out an awl in their place, and begins prying at the lock casing, trying to work around whatever the little kobold has done to it.
After a moment, the door lies open, and Dorek steps back to stand alongside Tandyn, watching as the warrior strides forward to open the next door.
Ahmose just smiles.
Tandyn opens the door after Dorek cleans up the glue:
This narrow hallway slopes downward steeply. The walls are stained with foul-smelling streaks of refuse. A mound of rotting garbage lies heaped at the far end of the hallway.
Tandyn stares at the mound of rotting garbage his eyes darting around searching for anything of use. After a few seconds his eyes begin to water. After a few more they start to sting. He closes the door, walks several paces, and releases his breath.
"You could hide a king's ransom in that. Dorek, would you care to check where that ladder goes?"
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Ahmose peeks into the doorway.
Dorek claps a talon over his nose, grimacing at the foul smell from the refuse pile. "W-why did we g-go in here again? T-there's nothing in here, and if there is, I'm n-not getting it - l-let's move on." At Tandyn's request, he looks nervous for a moment, but after a moment, he reluctantly nods, descending the ladder. "This has to go s-somewhere - it c-could be the way f-forward."
Dorek manages to silently creep down the ladder and spies two Mongrels with crossbows watching for intruders, he manages to stay mostly hidden by the lip of the cave.
The air in this cavern smells of damp and mold. Water glistens on the walls, and collects in a stagnant pool along one wall.
Aroden casts Detect Magic and concentrates on the pile of filth.
Ladder is 10ft.
Aroden detects no magic.
The Blue-scaled Kobold seems to be fiddling with an Alchemist's fire while staring at the hole Dorek went down.....
Cecily tries to wait with patience and composure, while itching to punch more bad guys and also while trying not to smell anything coming out of the garbage chute.
She is reasonably convincing.
"See anything? Why'd you stop, Dorek?" Thawm whispers.
At the sight of the crossbow-wielding guards, Dorek freezes, glancing back up the ladder at Thawm and the rest of the group as the aasimar whispers to her fiendish counterpart. "Guards - t-two of them, with c-crossbows. If we w-want to fight them, I'll t-try to get behind them - w-wait thirty counts b-before following, unless you h-hear the sound of screams." He grimaces. "...P-probably mine. A-anyway, if you hear s-screams, come down as s-soon as possible."
He tries to get to a place of safety, where the guards cannot as easily see him while his allies decide what to do with the newfound information.
Tandyn joins the small gathering near the rope ladder and makes a "What's going on?" gesture at Thawm.
"Ambush." Thawm explains with a whisper, counting down internally.
She switches to her fingers at the end.
Ahmose quietly saunters next to the pit. The Blue-scaled Kobold peering down at Dorek, while tossing an Alchemist's fire from hand to hand....
Dorek waits for a moment when the guards are faced away from him and dashes towards the barricade. As Thawm whispers to her companions the guards turn and aim their crossbows at the ladder and say, ”We can hear you! Throw down your arms and surrender!”.
Round 1
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<-------------
Tandyn rushes forward to climb down the ladder.
His sword and shield clang loudly as they get in the way. Halfway down the ladder he jumps down to the floor and moves into position.
Thawm sighs, realizing she whispered too loudly.
As Tandyn charges down the rope ladder, Dorek leaps up from his cover, springing over the guards to land behind them, his claws flashing out and into the first one's unprotected back.
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Dorek digs his claws into an extremely surprised mongrel while Tandyn struggles with his armor and the ladder. The mongrels shift position to try to attack the sudden rogue, dropping their crossbows in the process. Dorek however is too slippery to nail down. The mongrels yell, They're attacking!
Cecily leaps into action and down the hole...
...lands on her feet and carries forward into the mongrels without even slowing down. She seamlessly crouches into her combat stance and lashes out at the most accessible enemy.
Aroden foresees... less than stellar success.
He moves to the ladder while drawing his sword and then leaps down.
He sticks the landing! And then moves out of the way of the ladder.
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Thawm watches Cecily's amazing jump and tries to jump down as well!
In spite of her much more intact dress, she manages to stick the landing.
After stepping to the side to get everyone except Dorek out of the line cone of fire, she casts Burning Hands (DC 15).
"Sorry!" she explains.
Ahmose jumps yelling bloody murder down the hole!
Source Advanced Race Guide pg. 133
Some kobolds are born with wings that, while too weak for actual flying, do allow them to fall at a very slow and safe pace. A kobold with wings can use them to glide. It can make a DC 15 Fly check to fall safely from any height without taking falling damage, as if using feather fall. When falling safely, it may make an additional DC 15 Fly check to glide, moving 5 feet laterally for every 20 feet it falls. This racial trait replaces crafty.
The Blue-scaled Kobold lands flat on his blue-scaled kobold face!
Ouch! How embarrassing! Hope nobody seen that....
Ahmose then crawls away into a corner ...
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"I apologize for the delay, Dorek. Perhaps I should have jumped like everyone else..." Tandyn watches Ahmose land on his face and grimaces. "Well, Ahmose everyone else. *ahem* Almost everyone else."
He steps up and swings at the mongrel on the right.
"I apologize for the delay, Dorek. Perhaps I should have jumped like everyone else..."
Dorek grins. "D-don't worry - there's no..." He is interrupted by Ahmose crashing loudly into the floor with a torrent of cursing. "...Anyway, t-there's no n-need to worry - I'm d-doing well. G-give me a m-moment..."
He springs over the sentries' heads, landing on the other side and slashing at one of the crossbow-wielders, though his awkward landing makes his strike go wide.
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The party descends into the chamber with varying amounts of success…
Thawm coats the area in destructive fire but the mongrels manage to escape the worst of it, the same cannot be said for the barricades as they begin to smoke and burn.
Cecily and Tandyn eviscerate one of the mongrels while the other dodges Dorek’s claws.
The far door opens revealing two more mongrels; the farthest one takes careful aim and puts a bolt into Dorek’s chest.
Another door farther in opens and a woman in a chain shirt and wielding a glaive regards the situation mirthlessly.
Thawm grabs her chest, roughly where Dorek was just shot, as the bolt gets pushed out of his chest by the tissues beginning to knit back together.
"Ow ow ow." she explains.
Thawm gets up next to the barricade that is slightly less on fire and tosses a blob of acid at the one that just opened the door.
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Ahmose glares longingly at the burning barricade beside Thawm with a bit of jealousy.
Guess my job is for f#*$ing anyone to just do. S#&!. Next I might be f*!+ing healing asshats around here too.
The Blue-scaled Kobold seems determined to do just that as soon as he learns how to share....his own toys not those of others.
Ahmose turns cold and calculating blue eyes at the remaining Mongrelman in the burning barricade room.
The Alchemist checks his watch.
Aroden tries to cloud the mind of the mongrelfolk blocking the doorway (Red).
Daze again, Will DC 14.
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Dorek winces as the arrow sinks into his chest, stepping to one side of the doorway for cover, his claws flashing out at the warrior as he enters. Unfortunately, with his suboptimal depth perception, he misjudges the distance to the mongrel warrior, his claws slicing furrows through empty air.
At his failure to do anything meaningful, he scowls. "Oh yeah? W-watch THI- OW!" As he tries to do another one of his jumps, the horns sweeping out to either side of his head get caught on the doorframe, and he falls back, rubbing his skull. At the same time, a flash of pain passes through Thawm's life link, as though someone had attached immense levers to her skull and pulled on them hard. Glancing back at the healer, the one-eyed rogue gives an apologetic grimace. "S-sorry about that!"
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"Ow!" Thawm explains. She holds her forehead and looks at Dorek incredulously.
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Did I cloud the mind of Dorek by mistake? Is this some spillover effect from the awesome power of my mind?
Ahmose looks on at his companions thinking they really don't need his help in floundering about as he did flying ...
Ahmose stands, brushes the dirt off his shoulder and walks closer to the burning barricade. He actually tiptoes around them to tap Dorek directly on his shoulder.
You gonna get in there and murderhobo some Asshat cultists?
Cecily winces at Dorek's failure to make it through the door and self-consciouslt taps her own horns. "Were you born with those or did they grow in of late?"
She steps into the gap, only afraid of the flames in terms of what they'll do to her remaining clothes (are those starting to be a concern?) and she lashes out at the lone mongrelman in their midst.
Tandyn rushes to the door and closes it.
"Another one with a glaive... If we get an opening, let's gang up on her. "
The Blue-scaled Kobold looks up at the Paladin.
May need line if sight and a bit of not a door shut in my way. Just my first thought.
So what actually happens when the Player cleans his spectacles is....
Seeing in quite plain view the ugly mongrelman Asshat cultist just looking all creepy-like at Cicily's dress, Ahmose (being a true kobold of honor) stands up and tosses the Alchemist's fire already previously in hand at him!
May need line if sight and a bit of not a door shut in my way. Just my first thought.
"Think of the door as a big shield. And thanks to Aroden, I think someone else may have to come open it."
Thawm’s blob of acid threads the needle of Dorek’s horns as he slams them into the door frame, the acid arcs down and splashing the mongrel in the face.
Aroden a short second later once again pits his will against a weak mind, shutting down the mongrel with ease.
The remaining mongrel in the room weaves from Cecily’s jab but her cross catches them on the chin. Then Ahmose lights them on fire, spraying burning liquid around the room and dropping the mongrel in a heap of burning flesh.
Tandyn closes the door to give the party a moment of reprieve.
Through the door you hear the stern voice of the woman speak in a foul language:
A spectral glaive threatens any who might try to enter.