Iacobus moves closer to the bars, attempting to get a better look inside the room where the noise was originating earlier. Embedded into the floor of this chamber is a ten-foot-diameter granite emblem of a faded gold and white longsword. Four passages lead out of the room in different directions. The portcullis blocks the southern exit, and a sturdy wooden door leads west. A ladder in the southern corner of the room leads upward, and a small chest and decrepit bookshelf face one another from opposite walls. Further to the north a short hallway ends in a door to the north and another to the west.
As the group moves into positions around the corridors, Johan feels a numbing sensation spreading through his hand. The sensation becomes a sharp pain which quickly travels up his arm, causing his muscles to twitch and spasm against his will.
Sasha, unaware of Johan's difficulties, creeps down the corridor, Galor padding softly behind her.
Sasha moves forward into the hallway, creeping towards the center room that Iacobus had recently observed. As she makes her way forward she hears an audible click from beneath her feet, a quiet indicator of the danger about to befall her and Galor. With a loud clank..clank...clank a series of hidden bear traps slam together in the hallway, along the fifteen foot length, ending in the corridor she originated from.
The halfling grimaces as the trap catches her by the foot, biting deeply into her flesh. Galor, the second in line, quickly jumps back at the sight of the first trap, narrowly escaping being caught. The final trap closes in the empty hallway, no victim to claim.
"Argh! Should have been more careful! Uh, Bel? A hand here, please?"
Corentin steps up past Sasha to guard the trapped halfling against any impending attack.
"Quickly Bella." he states in his soldier voice.
Bellanie lets out a gasp as the trap snaps on Sasha and thinks to herself Stupid... being overcautious caused your friend to get hurt instead. she moves forward careful to avoid any un-triggered traps to help Sasha loose. She looks to Sasha before she begins to work "Sorry. Hold still I will get you out."
Finch cringes at the sound of the trap snapping shut onto Sasha's foot.
"I don't like this. I don't like this one bit. Someone doesn't want people snooping around."
Bellanie moves forward, displacing Galor as she quickly works on getting the trap removed from Sasha's foot. Working at the device with her tools she manages to disable the springing mechanisms and disengage the jaws, which fall to the floor.
Just as the trap falls free, a flurry of motion erupts from the other end of the corridor. As two hidden figures step forward from the shadows, striking at Corentin as he protects Sasha's flank as she is released from the trap.
Both attacks fail to land, glancing off of the knight's solid armor. Standing before him, its leathery skin dried and covered with puckered warts, is a man-sized creature with thick talons at the ends of its fingers. Around the corner stands a shifty looking half-orc wielding a flail.
Both of the combatants strike out at Corentin, trying to penetrate the man's defenses...
Corentin continues to hold off the attackers until a claw scrapes across his face, tearing into his cheek and flinging blood against the wall.
The creature before you is a flood troll.
You know that flood trolls share a similar aversion to fire and acid as their more commonly encountered kin.
Corentin is staggered by the powerful blow and barely holds his feet. Realizing that they must find better round to fight on he does his best to lead a fighting retreat.
"Back, hold at the intersection. Shoot through the gate..." he calls as he pulls back. His words become fainter as the culmination of his wounds overcomes his adrenaline and will power and he falls into darkness.
Sasha shouts in frustration, "Galor, get out of the hallway! Everyone else back up! Bring them to us!"
Can't believe I was so careless!
The wolf follows directions, backing out of the corridor. Sasha keeps herself between Bellanie and the foes.
"This isn't good!" Finch mumbles to himself.
"May the morning mists cover our retreat," Finch murmurs in druidic, as he rushes into the hallway. Thick fog begins to form around him, making it hard to see.
"We're in no shape to fight! Johan! Help me carry Cor out!"
Johan moves up and lets an arrow fly, the missile sinking deeply into the creature. Corentin falls back just as Finch calls up a mist, filling the hallways with a thick fog.
Bellanie standing behind Sasha, is unable to see anything in the recently formed mist, and retreats back the way they came, hoping to find a better position to fight from. She carefully makes her way through the corridor, stepping to Johan's side and waiting for an opportunity.
Iacobus, losing sight of the enemies through the portcullis, and hearing the warning echoing through the halls from Corentin, moves back to stand with the party, finding the cavalier collapsed on the ground. Calling to Kurgess, Iacobus places a hand upon the man's chest, channeling holy energy into him.
Sasha feels the mists push towards her as the clawed opponent steps forward, lashing out with its bloodied fingers. She lashes forward with her longsword, the blade biting into the rubbery skin of the creature before her. Its claws rake out, digging deep lines into the halfling's skin and ripping her with gruesome wounds.
Bellanie waits in the mists hiding around the corner for one of the foes to approach.
"Everyone, out! We'll have the advantage if we can lure them into the open. Our numbers mean nothing in tight hallways like these." Finch calls out to his allies, himself moving towards the stairs. "I'll hold the mist up."
Finch moves forward and stands his ground in total defense, hoping to give his allies a chance to head out.
The party begins to fall back as Johan releases another arrow, which goes shooting through the mists and clanking into the wall beyond. Finch steps forward, ready to hold the line, the mists swirling around him as he does so. Sasha and Galor fall back into the entry room while Iacobus pulls Corentin's prone form back towards the stairwell, calling again to Kurgess to bolster the fallen man's strength.
The troll, fresh blood from the halfling staining its fingers, continues its press forward, slashing out at Finch with its claws. The first claw catches nothing but air, but the second claw slashes into Finch and drives him back with the force of the blow, tearing into his skin.
A slam can be heard from ahead in the room, and the sounds of footsteps up above can be heard on the ruined wooden floor.
Johan falls back into the entry room where he finds Iacobus and Corentin as well as Sasha and Galor.
Sasha, still staggering under the weight of her wounds, readies her longsword to make a final stand in this room.
Finch steps back into the fog, and draws his scythe, ready to strike at the foe if it advances into the fog, judging best not to give the troll a chance to cut Bellanie off from the rest of the party.
"!" Iacobus calls forth, bequeathing what aid he is able.
Corentin's eye flutter open as the god of strengths divine energies heal his wounds. Looking about he takes stock of his surroundings and quickly discerns that the party is still in danger though he can see no combatants. Rising he draws a dagger and asks "Where are our foes? Where are Bella and Finch?"
As the others make for a retreat Bellanie moves to do the same.
The party, minus Finch, make it back to the entry room of the lower level, the thick fog still swirling around some of them and obscuring their vision. Up ahead, the troll continues its advance, skin puckering around the arrow and sword wounds, knitting itself back together. Finch sweeps his scythe towards the creature in a mighty arc, but the blade catches only mist, his aim off. The troll strikes at Finch once more, claws flashing, but both attacks fail to land, the druid beating back the attack with the haft of his weapon.
More footsteps can be heard overhead, thumping heavily above and heading west.
Sasha remains at the ready.
Bellanie tries to stay out of site watching the stairs in case anyone comes from that direction.
Secure in the knowldge that his companions have regrouped in the more open room, Finch falls back, doing his best to avoid any attacks.
The troll follows Finch down the hallway, making its way through the mist and fog, running into a very prepared group of combatants as weapons and arrows begin pounding into the creature. However, only Corentin manages to score a solid hit on the creature, which returns the strike in kind. The mist and fog do their part though, and the claw goes wide.
Bellanie waits to try and get better positioning while shouting to the others "Draw it away from the stairs."
Johan, already firing through cover, fires once and moves back to see through the bars.
Apart from the traces of fog and mist in the room ahead, Johan doesn't see any activity from that direction.
"! !" Iacobus bellows as he strides forcefully toward the loathsome troll, leading with his fist.
Sasha takes a 5-foot step to flank the foe (also providing Iacobus with flanking, and directs Galor to move to give Ballanie flanking. Both then attack the troll viciously, Galor going for the legs.
(if attack is successful)
With the troll next to him Corentin stabs at the beast.
Clearly his balance hasn't quite recovered from his recent unconsciousness though.
"We need to deal with this one quickly and get upstairs. The other is either flanking us or escaping!"
Johan fires an arrow into the fog, his shot flying wide and missing the target. Iacobus, bellowing a call to the Strong Man, punches the troll square in the nose, drawing forth the audible snap of the creatures nose as the attack breaks the monster's facial cartilage. Sasha and Corentin strike at the creature but it fends off the attacks with ease, preparing for its own counter. Bellanie, unable to find the proper angle for attack, stabs out with her dagger, hoping for an opening. The blade strikes true and drives deeply into the knee of the troll, eliciting a howl of pain from the creature. Darting for an opening to further press the attack, Bellanie tumbles through her allies and takes a position a bit further away from the fight, ready to step in and strike.
The troll, looking bloodied and starting to slow from its wounds, lashes its claws out at Iacobus, who most recently caused it harm. The divine protection of Kurgess holds true, and the claws are deflected away from the warrior, failing to find purchase.
Pressing the attack Corentin stabs again.
Sasha and Galor press the attack, hoping to keep the thing off-balance.
(if attack is successful)