"Okay fine, we'll leave the shield. I guess you're right, it'd be pretty obvious if that got moved or went missing," Ashton agrees as he and Kat follow the others back the way they'd came. He attempts to do what he can to help put things back like they were.
Perception:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
"No need for me to try this sneaky stuff - I'll just zip back into Kat's head once we're almost back to that first reading room," he chuckles as the others do their best to make a stealthy return.
______
Ashton will return to Kat's consciousness once the group is almost back to the room we started in.
"Hey, nice shield," Ashton points out. "That lion on it looks just like the Guardian from earlier. Wonder if he'd appreciate having it around to look at?" he asks, half-joking and half-not.
"Priceless?" Ashton asks, looking at the chests rather wistfully. "You sure we can't bring back even one souvenir from here? With all of this stuff down here they'd never miss it..." he adds, hopefully.
"No? Fine...let's get on with it, then..." he sighs as he too joins the search of the room.
Despite the tenseness of the situation (or perhaps because of it), Ashton whistles a jaunty tune as he begins helping search through the books and papers within the room.
"Hey, sure...maybe we'll find the granddaddy of all maps down there," Ashton responds, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Too bad it'll probably try to strangle one of you or something."
"But sure, let's check it out," he continues with a sigh. "I'll even open it this time, if you want me to."
Ashton can't make that Perception even on a 20, sadly.
Fort (DC 11):1d20 + 1 ⇒ (19) + 1 = 20
"Ow, dammit!" Ashton swears as the books turn their fury on him and Gaeldrung. He quickly takes a step back out of the mass and once more attempts to knock some of the offending literature out of the air!
Slam vs. Book Swarm:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 Damage:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
Slam vs. Book Swarm:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16 Damage:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
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Ashton takes a diagonal 5 foot step to stand between Gaeldrung and Alessio.
"Uh, right-o," Ashton nods and flits over to the room with the large desk and smug-looking portrait. "What are you lookin' so smug about?" he muses aloud as he begins looking around.
Perception:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
______
Add a +2 to that check if it applies in this room too.
"Whoops - let's try not to make it too obvious that someone's been poking around down here," Ashton points out as he straightens some books. "And we've still got two more rooms to have a look at! We'd best get to it."
"Yeah, what she said," Ashton adds, a little less concerned about speaking quietly. "Hopefully there aren't many more doors after these, though - this place is plenty big enough," he grumbles as he too looks around for anything of interest.
"Yeah, uh...you know how those demons are, they'll do their demon thing while Taldor's faffing about over silly crowns..." Ashton adds, feeling very much out of his depth on this one.
"Guess I'll help you guys in the main archives," Ashton shrugs. "Most of this stuff is beyond me though so I don't know how much use I'll be," he adds as he begins scanning shelves for anything that might be of use.
"Hey, it's a hidden message," Ashton points out after realizing what the pattern on the wall actually is. "It's tricky, you almost have to not be looking for it. But it says, 'Our monarch's virtues are our own'."
He shrugs his ghostly shoulders. "Not sure what that means exactly but I'm sure it'll come up at some point while we're down here."
Although he doesn't really expect it, Ashton keeps his ghostly eyes open near the rear of the group should anything decide to try creeping up behind them.
"Sure thing," the phantom replies. "Heck, if looking around is all I need to do then that'll be the easiest job you and I both have had in some time," he chuckles as he joins the search.
"Hah! I like you already," Ashton grins at Gaeldrung. "That's a good way to look at it, since from what I've seen these things never go according to plan. At any rate, don't worry about me - Kat hides me inside her mind when it's a good idea to do so, so I won't need any of those potions or card-things."
At first, nothing happens. But then, the pale, fuzzy outline of a person begins to form from seemingly nothing at all. It quickly solidifies into the form of an armored man, probably in his late 20s or early 30s.
"So we'll be skulking around a library, eh? Sounds like if you lot play your cards right then Kat here shouldn't even need my help," he comments with mild amusement.
"Wait, that's it? Don't get me wrong - I'm as happy as anyone to be done but I'm still not sure what even happened..." Ashton mutters, shaking his head.
Holy moly, that thing's got some serious reach apparently!
Ashton ducks as the creature suddenly whips a tentacle at him, missing him by only the slightest of margins. "The...? Okay, that's just not right!" he exclaims, still unable to do much but step forward another pace and hold his defensive stance.
Ashton takes a 5 foot step forward and goes total defense again. Current AC is 18.
"Quit your damned shrieking!" Ashton snarls as the sound echoes all through the tiny cavern. As Fauxish exercises some amazing athletic prowess in order to take the fight to the creature Ashton hangs back, ready to step up should the monk falter.
"Rainbows can't swim - what kind of question is that?" Ashton responds to the voice as he moves forward to offer Eldren some backup. Once he reaches the alchemist's side, he adopts a defensive stance and waits for the strange creature to come to him.
Ashton moves to his current map position and goes [i]Total Defense[/]. His AC is now 18 until his next turn!
"Yeah...it's strange," Ashton says, shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot. "Maybe it's just uh...phantom hunger pangs? I've heard of such things before though I think those had to do with people who'd lost a limb..."
"Apparently it has a taste for people," Ashton responds, cautiously prodding the remnants with his mostly-ghostly foot. "If you're wanting my opinion, I say we pack up our friend over there," he nods at the now-stable former host, "and make like a tree and get outta here."
"Use the damned pesti-herbicide!" the phantom yells as Theoden becomes the plant's new plaything. He steps forward and attempts to rip the offending creature free of his companion.
"Okay...is this a zombie?" Ashton asks, eyeing the corpse shrewdly as he moves forward to intercept it, going one way around the spring in anticipation of the others circling around the other. "It looks like one, except for being covered in vines!" he adds as he adopts a defensive posture.
Ashton moves to his current location and goes Total Defense. His AC is now 18 until his next turn.
Hoping that Theoden can finish settling the lid in place Ashton sidesteps around the nearby morlock, hoping to get into a flanking position if he can. He then lashes out at the creature once more.
Unable to completely close the distance to the remaining centipede and not wanting to risk clogging the passage should more trouble show up, Ashton advances only a short distance before adopting a defensive posture.
Moving to current map position and going total defense.
Ashton will move to where he can attack the construct, then do so.
Construct is Dead:
Towards the closest of the little gremlin-like creatures. "Not sure what you are, but I can't let you keep throwing darts like that. Very rude, you know!"
"I'll try and keep them occupied, you lot try and bring them down!" Ashton calls as Theoden is forced to withdraw after taking another heavy blow. Though he's aware that it's not likely to do much good, he swings his fists again at the spirit in front of him.
"Oof!" Ashton grunts as the spirit catches him a hard blow on the chest. "At least death...or whatever this is...has its' benefits," he remarks wryly as most of the damage is simply absorbed by his own ectoplasm.
But Theoden's cry of very real pain sobers him quickly and he tries once more to strike at the closest ghost.
Ashton is still targeting Green unless Theoden or someone else kills it first. If so, he'll switch to Blue. Also have no idea where I got 12 HP from since even HeroLab has it worked out like it's supposed to be. Adjusted now; sorry!
"Right...not every day that you get to see a ghost-fight," the phantom chuckles as he obligingly moves into the circle of grasping branches and attempts to help Theoden.
Ashton laughs, a surprisingly human sound even though his voice echoes ever so slightly. "I like him already - not about to look a gift horse in the mouth eh?"
Relaxing his stance somewhat, he offers a respectful nod to Eldren and the others. "Like Katarina said, I'm here to help. I act as a protector of sorts. But since it sounds like the people of Dunhob jump at every shadow, I'll need to keep myself out of sight while we're stomping around there."
