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"Bless you, Omen." Rogan whispers. "But we may want to search for a defensible position, or somewhere to hide." He glances over his shoulder at Edgrin and the kobolds. "We've been heard. A patrol of some kind is coming."
Rogan stifles a chuckle as he crouches defensively and trains his bow down the hallway, waiting to see if anyone approaches.
Rogan holds his arrow at the last second as he watches the bat sweep back into the air and harmlessly into a nook in the cavern ceiling. He grins at Omen. "You show much compassion for one with orc blood coursing through his veins. You continue to surprise and humble me, my friend. I don't believe any of my preconceptions of you have proven true." He pauses and then grins wider, tipping back his hat, "Much to my delight."
Rogan lifts his bow quickly to fire. "Eyes up - big bat coming down!" Initiative: 1d20+4=12
Rogan smiles at Omen. "That's why I like you. Edgrin, we'll take the crevasse."
Spoiler: I'm not sure yet. We are going to wait until the baby arrives, because right now I'd be doing everything by myself. We're thinking probably mid-august. I will definitely keep you in mind, though. And I know what you mean about 4.0. Not a huge fan, either. I'll miss you at the table... you and your handsomeness...
Rogan nods and unshoulders his bow. "I'll lead. Edgrin, ask the kobolds if they would be so kind as to point out any traps they are aware of as we proceed. Noctem, let me know if you smell anything out of place." He places an arrow to his bow and steps to the door. "Let's go."
Rogan thinks for a while before responding, his lips moving slightly to the words as he runs through them in his mind. "I think of nothing... helpful. What we have done is worked so far. When they... come with us?... at least we can protecting them. Yes?"
Rogan briefly steps outside, looks up and down the hallway, and then heaves the suit of armor up and into the room. He returns for the axe after laying the suit of armor out on an empty bed for closer inspection.
Rogan quickly backs away from the door, looking around frantically. His eyes settle on one of the stone beds. "Omen, Edgrin, help me move some of these beds in front of the door. This bolt won't hold for long." He glances back at the door. "I'm not sure how to kill this thing."
Rogan quietly wakes Edgrin from his slumber with a gentle shake of his shoulder and raises a finger to his lips as the halfling awakes. "Wake one of the kobolds and ask them where this other door leads." He whispers. "Something is coming, but I don't believe it is intelligent. If I am wrong, however, we may need to use it as an escape. Quickly and quietly, if you please." He returns to the wall with the door, but does not return to his previous position. He stands back from the crack a few feet and peers out into the hallway beyond, waiting for the source of the sound to slog into view.
Rogan sits casually on one of the stone beds, stroking the long, dark fur of the wolf whom he did not choose so much as the wolf chose him, and listens to the soft sounds of Omen's ocarina, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. As the half-orc ends his gentle tune, Rogan stands and walks to the doorway, bolting it and peering outside at the hallway beyond. Seeing the wounded boy in Omen's arms had stirred something deep within his soul. Up until that moment, the reality of their situation had not fully saturated his consciousness. These were children. He didn't know what he had seen at the forge, wrapped in chains and belching smoke from a half-rotted face. What being could possibly do what they were doing to these kids? Such malignant evil and hatred he had never seen before, even in the outlaw bands he had seen so often in the past. The disdainful acts of outlaws often stemmed from a profound self-centeredness. This was something far worse. There would be no sleep for him for now. Too much was at stake.
Rogan grins as he watches Omen's plan unfold. "Your idea, Omen. Take him out. I'll see if I can soften him up for you." He adjusts his aim and lets fly his arrow.
Rogan nocks an arrow to his bow and draws a bead on the hideous apparition before him. He looks to Omen, waiting for him to open the floodgates of combat, should he so desire.
Rogan thinks for a moment before answering. "Second time you speak truth. My arrows are... still sharp and my hands are not tired. My power has not left me, so I may... still fight. But your power is, um, setting as the sun? Kimi will not this night sleep - for many nights not sleep. Her..." He pauses for a moment, his face contorted slightly as he thinks. And thinks. Finally, he says in common, "Innocence," before returning to orc, "is defeated." He looks to be composing himself for a moment before continuing. "Today yet we should find other child. Tomorrow we slaughter the ones who have done this, if not made sooner. Put wounded with guarding children. Noctem can be front line, and I if have to."
Rogan glances at Omen, "I think that will meet our needs. Do you agree?"
Rogan looks around at the group of unlikely allies. "You speak truth." He says to Omen in orc. Then he turns to Edgrin. "Can you ask our fellow warriors if they know of a location we could rest for the night? Somewhere safe where we will not be disturbed."
Rogan doesn't wait for an answer before pumping two arrows at the snout of the beast before him, smoke still whisping from its nostrils. Attack Rolls: 1d20+7=12, 1d20+7=22 Damage Rolls: 1d8+1=3, 1d8+1=7
Initiative, should it be required: 1d20+4=11
Reflex Save: 1d20+7=25
Rogan begins to react as soon as the flame appears in the corner of his eye. He shouts a quick warning and dances back on his feet lightly, The flames lick his face with their heat, but do him no harm. He swears softly as he looks at the singe mark on the brim of his hat, then swears again, louder this time, as he sees the beast responsible. He levels an arrow at it's eye and says in a less-than-steady voice, "Omen, what in the hells is that thing?" I quit the game.
Rogan advances behind Omen, an arrow drawn and ready. Noctem places himself at the rear, ready to attack anything that threatens them.
Rogan stops and turns to Kimi. "Young lady, I do not know what lies in wait for us in the next room. If it is what I suspect, however, we are all in grave danger. The only reason that we continue on is to rescue your friend. Since it is your friend we are rescuing, and since I cannot guarantee your safety here, I leave it up to you what you and your comrades will do. You may stay here with Edgrin and Noctem, or you may come in with us and face whatever is holding your friend. If you choose to accompany us, however, you must listen to me very carefully. Protect your friends, Kimi. Do not attack unless your friends' lives depend on it. And if I tell you to run, run as fast as you can for the exit with your friends and do not look back. Get into the woods and get your bearings by the sun. Head south until you hit a road, then follow it west. It will take you home."
Rogan begins nodding before Omen finishes. As he concludes, Rogan looks back at the children and stumbles once more over the harsh orcish syllables. "I think about that... already. Is not a circumstance I do not know of. My... idea is if we are slaughtered, the slaughter of them is happening. If it - shows us? - that our slaughter is coming, they must run. They may be slaughtered. If they do not run, they will be slaughtered. My brother can hide the young ones from animals. Use your power as you... determine." He turns back to Noctem. "Hide the cubs from their enemies, Brother. And prepare to feast on the flesh of fiends. Our lives may depend on it."
Rogan ponders this for a moment, and then responds somewhat haltingly in orcish, "You are... correct. But I will, um, no let this happen. If our slaughter is... clear... then I will send my brother and Edgrin to... to help them get safe away." He pauses a moment, then says in common to Edgrin and Omen, "Have you any wards against fire, or some other spells to protect us from the hell-powers of a fiend? I have a ring that will protect me somewhat from fire, but beyond that it is a matter of hitting it harder and faster than it can hit me."
Rogan nods once as Noctem finishes relaying his observations. "Noctem tells me there is a combined scent of sulfur and canine in the air, Omen. If this dwarf or these scale-skins have a hound of their own, our scent may already be detected. Perhaps the children should stay here, if there is a half-fiend in the next room."
Visibly frustrated that both of his arrows missed, Rogan again sets his sights on the camouflaged kobold and lets fly with two more arrows. Attack Rolls: 1d20+7=14, 1d20+7=19
Noctem stays put.
Rogan calmly nocks an arrow to his bow, gives Noctem a calm, "Guard the children, Brother," and lets fly at the camouflaged kobold. Before the arrow has hit its target, he has sent another speeding after it. Attack Rolls: 1d20+7=16, 1d20+7=12
Noctem stands in front of the children, ready to maul anyone who dares get close enough. End of my turn.
Rogan, upon hearing Edgrin's warning, grabs his bow from his back and an arrow from his quiver, but fumbles his bow momentarily, reacting slower than he would have liked to the unfolding combat.
Rogan looks to Omen. "It would seem they can be reasoned with, by my estimation. What say you?"
Rogan places his bow on his back and returns the arrow to his quiver. "Tell them we're willing to help, so long as all current prisoners being held for sacrifice are released and this business of seizing children, or anyone else for that matter, comes to an end."
"We can try. I see no reason to kill them if they may be persuaded to end this evil. However, if they will not be reasoned with, I have no qualms about ending the discussion permanently."
Rogan puts his bow and arrow away, snakes his left elbow around the door with his back flat against it, and slowly pushes it open. "Kimi, call your friend. He's trying to hide in the shadow of the altar." He whispers to the girl. DM
Spoiler:
Rogan gestures for the others to approach cautiously. When (if) they come forward, he will gesture into the room and speak, "I believe we have found Savram. However, I also believe he may be in grave danger - if those skeletons are anything like the skeletons you and I ran into earlier." He looks directly at Omen as he speaks the last sentence.
Rogan looks apologetically over his shoulder, then advances the rest of the way to the doors. 1d20+9=21. With barely a sound he eases flat up against the door that's ajar, peering intently into the space beyond and listening for any sound.
Rogan nods, then makes his way quietly to the door that is slightly ajar. 1d20+9=10 . Halfway up to the door a small piece of flagstone on the floor breaks loose as Rogan shifts his weight onto it. The sudden shift forces him to lose his balance completely and he spills into a heap in the middle of the hallway. The piece of flagstone clatters off down the hall and the arrow he had drawn sails into the door that is still shut with an audible thud. Pulling himself ingloriously into a crouch, Rogan pulls another arrow taught and waits to see if anyone or anything heard his commotion and comes to investigate. 1d20+11=14
"I would not come between such a fierce warrior and her friends." Says Rogan, in all seriousness, but with a slight smile dancing at the corner of his mouth. "I say we let them come. I have seen such ferocity amongst the badgers and bears of the Churlwood when their dens and their children needed protection." He looks at Kimi, "I believe your friends are in good hands when you are with them." He directs the remainder of his conversation at her. "My brother -er, my wolf, Noctem, will be honored to fight beside one so brave. Fear not his bite." He lifts the tip of his hat, revealing a bright twinkle in his eye. "It's his breath you have to watch out for." Then he takes one final look around the room, waiting for the children to finish donning the armor, lending a hand where needed, if allowed, but mostly trying to stay out of their way. When it appears that they are done, he turns to Omen and Edgrin, nodding once at Edgrin. "Lead on, good sir. I will guard our flank." He nocks an arrow to his bow. DM
Spoiler: 10-4, J-rod. Email received. Changes shall be made. FYI, I gave Noctem a full profile. I included the purposes I trained him for.
Rogan checks his bowstring and a few arrows. He pushes two of the arrows that hit home in the kobolds through their bodies, eyes the arrowheads for a brief moment, and then drops the bodies back to the ground as he finds the arrows to be useless. He looks from Omen to the children and then back. "I have heard that druids can send messages to one another or third parties through animals. Is it possible for you to inform Kimi's mother that she is safe by such means, or are these things the whisperings of the ignorant?" DM
Spoiler: How does Noctem cast his spells? Does he have spell level progressions? Are they spell-like abilities, and if so, how often can he cast them?
Spellcraft Check: 1d20+5=16 Rogan removes his hat and holds it respectfully at his chest, bowing his head slightly. "It is as my associate has said. My name is Rogan Tane. Young lady, I believe your mother is looking for you." He smiles slightly, returns his hat to his head, and begins searching the body of the kobold leader. Perception Check: (Taking 10)1d20+11=21 He looks up briefly at the halfling. "Any information that you have on these wretches would be appreciated."
Rogan quickly takes stock of the situation, then quickly shouts to Noctem, "Protect the Small One and the girl, ignore that skale skin for now." Handle Animal: 1d20+9=20 (Free Action) Rogan takes a quick 5 foot step to H8 (free action), and sends two arrows streaking from his bow, the first headed at kobold 1, the next headed at kobold 2.
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