The kobold hisses angrily as it shrugs off Bowen's attack. It moves backwards and to the left, out of sword range, and as it moves it pulls out a strange weapon, a three pronged barbed hook on a length of chain. The sharp end of the weapon whips past Bowen's cheek.
The creature is ten feet away from Bowen and fifteen from the other two. It's back is to the wall and chairs and tables will prevent a charge from either Rall or Arla.
Rall attempts to leap over the chairs and under the nasty hook-chain-claw thing.
He attempts to attack the kobold but is still dizzy from the acrobatics.
longsword (1d20+4=9, 1d8+3=5)
Rall attempts to leap over the chairs and under the nasty hook-chain-claw thing.
He attempts to attack the kobold but is still dizzy from the acrobatics.
longsword (1d20+4=9, 1d8+3=5)
Rall moves easily into position next to the kobold, but after all his fancy diving and jumping, his sword fails to come even close to the creature.
Bowen back pedals out of reach of the whirling chain trying to figure what his next move should be.
Rall moves in close, Bowen backs away and delays for a bit...
As the kobold moves back towards the wall, Arla will move towards it again, trying not to get caught up with the chairs or get hit with the flailing weapon. As soon as she gets close enough to attack, she stabs at the kobold with her spear.
Arla's attack: 1d20+3=19, Damage: 1d8+2=6
If there is room for Ash, he will dart under the tables after Rall leaps over them, following the rogue. Still defending Rall, the dog attempts to sink his teeth into the reptilian creature.
Attack of Opportunity: (1d20+4=6)
Arla moves in, past the Kobolds whirling chain, and stabs her spear blade into the kobolds small body. His weapon clatters on the floor and with a gurgle, the scaled warrior slumps to the ground, dying.
"We're saved!" shouts the halfling.
"Do you hear that Mikra!" shouts the half-elf girl, "We're saved!"
"But what about the other's Kimi?" asks the boy who crawls out from under the table.
"Our thanks," says the halfling, all smiles, "Don't worry Mikra, I'm sure that we will be able to find the others very quickly." Suddenly his face changes as if remembering something, "Oh! Chloe! She's probably still in the hall!"
"Our thanks," says the halfling, all smiles, "Don't worry Mikra, I'm sure that we will be able to find the others very quickly." Suddenly his face changes as if remembering something, "Oh! Chloe! She's probably still in the hall!"
Rall slaps himself on the head. "Is Chloe, by any chance, invisible?"
Then, remembering the other kobold he vaults over the chairs and back out into the hallway.
"No!" shouts the halfling excitedly, "The other way!"
There is another hallway exiting the room to the north, directly across from the one the three companions came through. There is also another, smaller room, connected to the southwest corner of this room. There is no wall seperating the two rooms. They are only partially seperated by a barren and dusty countertop.
"No!" shouts the halfling excitedly, "The other way!"
There is another hallway exiting the room to the north, directly across from the one the three companions came through. There is also another, smaller room, connected to the southwest corner of this room. There is no wall seperating the two rooms. They are only partially seperated by a barren and dusty countertop.
With adrenalin fueled agility, Rall stops mid stride, spins around and follows the halfling out through the other hallway. "Where is she?" Rall asks worried.
Exiting the room to the north, the hallway continues uninterrupted for about twenty feet. There it 'Y's to the North and to the East. To the North, Rall's light reveals a set of opened double doors only ten feet further down the hall.
The hall continues into darkness to the east, well past Rall's magical light. The two children follow slowly behind Rall and the halfling bard.
"We lost both Chloe and one of the boys that way," says the halfling pointing into the black depths of the hallway, "Chloe was hit by their poisoned spears. The boy was dragged off by some demon. There was another youth that made it back up to this level with us from the depths below, but he ran on ahead of us just before Chloe fell. I'm surprised you didn't encounter him."
Bowen inspects the Kobolds body with the chain looking for anything that may help them in their journey.
After going over the contents Bowen raises and turns to the bard, "Have you seen the ghost of the Dwarf? Or perhaps you know something about these ruins we find ourselves in."
Arla follows after Rall, the halfling and the children, calling Ash back to her side again. As they move, she watches around them cautiously, searching for anything that might jump out of the shadows at them.
"How many of you were brought here?" she asks the children. "Do you know?"
As Bowen examines the kobold's body, he finds some small clay vials on it's belt similar. The vials are similar to the one the kobold was dipping his javelin in. Other than the vials, the kobold has only his weapons and armor on his person.
As Bowen examines the body, the others leave the room to the north.
"There were five of us," Kimi tells Arla, "Hollin is still below, Jurin was dragged off by the demon and Savram ran off and is probably hiding somewhere."
"You saw the ghost of Glintaxe," says the bard to Rall in hushed, fearful tones, as Bowen comes up behind them with his question, "I thought that was just a story told to frighten lovals. They say his ghostly form clad in his Mithral Armor can still be seen to haunt the dungeon were he died. His Battle-ax was magical you know. So this is where Druingar the Glintaxe went to meet Pharasma?" The sweaty faced halfling looks around him fearfully.
"There were five of us," Kimi tells Arla, "Hollin is still below, Jurin was dragged off by the demon and Savram ran off and is probably hiding somewhere."
"Could you lead us to any of them? Do you know which way the demon went with Jurin or where Hollin is below?"
Both Kimi and the halfling point down the hallway to the east.
As the group slowly moves eastward, their footsteps echoing in the hallway, they see a bound figure ahead on the floor, barely stirring.
Bowen rushes forward to examine the body before helping it.
Bowen rushes forward to examine the body before helping it.
Chloe's eyes stare straight ahead, unblinking as the tall Shoanti comes into view. They're a shocking color of blue, even in the dim light that filters past him. Her arms and legs still ache, held rigid by the paralytic poison coursing in her veins. And she can't quite find her voice yet.
'By Desna...at least he's not a kobold!' she thinks. Her fingers twitch behind her back and then Chloe consciously wiggles her toes inside her boots. 'It's starting to wear off!' she realizes, 'C'mon...untie me! Hurry, before we lose any more of the children!' She tries to say it aloud, but manages only a weak murmur.
"Does she live, Bowen?" Rall asks. "We have no time to waste nursing her. We have to find the other children."
Bowen pulls his dagger as he checks her heart beat then cuts her binding careful not to cut her.
"I believe she was the victim of that kobolds jar," Bowen raises one of the jars that he pilfered from the kobold.
As the body comes into view, Arla rushes forward and kneels beside the woman, on the other side to Bowen.
"Ash, stay with the children for now," the druid says, signalling the dog to stay close to the children and halfling. She then turns her attention to the woman, checking if she is alive, and if so, the extent of her injuries.
"Does she live, Bowen?" Rall asks. "We have no time to waste nursing her. We have to find the other children."
Chloe vaguely hears another voice behind the tall Shoanti, but it offers little comfort. 'Nursing her?!' she mentally fumes, 'If I could move, I'd give him a real injury to nurse! It's just paralytic poison, silly! It'll wear off soon!' But unable to convey any of that information, she can only gaze imploringly at Bowen.
Bowen pulls his dagger as he checks her heart beat then cuts her binding careful not to cut her. "I believe she was the victim of that kobolds jar," Bowen raises one of the jars that he pilfered from the kobold.
'Exactly!' Chloe mentally urges, 'Listen to the big fella! He knows what he's talking about!' Relief floods through her as she can feel the bindings loosen. 'Maybe with the blood flow increasing, it will help?' Unfortunately, her arms stay locked in place despite the absence of the ropes. 'By Desna! Will this stuff ever run its course?!'
Arla rushes forward and kneels beside the woman, on the other side to Bowen. "Ash, stay with the children for now," the druid says, signalling the dog to stay close to the children and halfling. She then turns her attention to the woman, checking if she is alive, and if so, the extent of her injuries.
'The children! They found them?!' Chloe's excitement grows, 'Thank heavens! Now get me back on my feet and let's get out of here...before more kobolds come after us!' Her head moves slightly as she struggles to look past Arla and the big dog. 'Edgrin...Kimi...Mikra...' she counts, but then realizes they're still missing the others.
"Savram?" Chloe finally manages to form a spoken word. She looks at Edgrin, "Where's Savram?" She lifts her arm and grabs at Arla with a sense of urgency. "Savram ran...don't lose him, too."
"Which child to save first," says the halfling looking both east and west.
The other two children stand behind the halfling, looking frightened, though Kimi is trying to hide her obvious fear.
"Which child to save first," says the halfling looking both east and west.
"Savram...went that way," Chloe points, "I was running after him when I got nicked by one of those accursed javelins." She wobbles unsteadily to her feet. "I'm not sure I'll be much good at running again anytime soon, though..."
She waves her hand and murmurs something in Sylvan, "Estreya-nuit..." causing a dim radiance to illuminate one of the bracelets on her arm.
"Savram can't have gone far," she tells everyone, "And I don't think we're ready to face whatever hauled away Jurin. I fear he may be lost to us...much like Tyran." She gives Edgrin a grim and sympathetic smile. The halfling bard had done much to lift their spirits, but little could offset the loss of another member of the Gray Eagles adventuring band.
She then looks at the newcomers hopefully. "The name's Chloe, by the way. It's very good that you found us. But there's more of us to save. These damnable kobolds are everywhere. Can you help us?"
"I think Chloe is partially right about trying to save the child here though I think we should be a bit more thorough in our dealings with the denizen of this floor before going further. I don't want to have to run a 'fire storm' with the children in tow and us hurting from hard battles with a demon below."
"I think Chloe is partially right about trying to save the child here though I think we should be a bit more thorough in our dealings with the denizen of this floor before going further. I don't want to have to run a 'fire storm' with the children in tow and us hurting from hard battles with a demon below."
"I'm afraid Edgrin and I have little we can contribute," Chloe explains, "We were lucky to escape with our lives. And we wouldn't even have that if you hadn't come along.
"The last time I saw Savram, he was running just ahead of me. I don't know if he ran headlong into trouble or found a way out. But Jurin...the poor boy...I have no idea what that thing was that hauled him away. We were powerless to stop it. Edgrin thinks it might've been a demon of some sort. A terrible, horrible, fearsome thing...
"Perhaps we should get these children to safety first?" Chloe suggests, "Kimi, Mikra...and Savram if we can find him...could escape this place and wait for us while we come back and look for Jurin, Hollis...and Tyran."
Arla stands up again as Chloe staggers to her feet, her concern giving way to relief as the other woman appears to have escaped major injury.
"The name's Chloe, by the way. It's very good that you found us. But there's more of us to save. These damnable kobolds are everywhere. Can you help us?"
"I'm Arla", the druid replies to Chloe. "We came here to try to find the children. I just hope we're not too late for the others.."
As Bowen and Chloe suggest looking for Savram first and keeping the children they have found safe, Arla nods. "It sounds like there are far more dangers still to come. But where would be safe enough? It's far from the town, and the forests around here are filled with danger as well.."
As Bowen and Chloe suggest looking for Savram first and keeping the children they have found safe, Arla nods. "It sounds like there are far more dangers still to come. But where would be safe enough? It's far from the town, and the forests around here are filled with danger as well.."
"Edgrin has done well protecting and guiding them...even when I...fell behind," Chloe replies, "If he could find a place for them to hide, and stay with them, I would come back with you. I don't want to abandon Tyran or the other children if we still have a chance of saving them. And with all of you involved, I think our chances are much better now. At the very least I can help you in exchange for saving my life. I just need to arm myself again."
"It's going to take more than magical lights to save those children. What else have you got?" Rall asks but then doesn't stop to listen for an answer. "So, we look for this Savram first."
"I can watch the children," says the halfling, "but it is certain that we will need a defensible location. Have you found any place like that yet?"
Arla thinks for a brief moment, considering where the best place would be to hide.
"There is that room with the altar and the benches upstairs.. we stopped there when Rall was hurt earlier. The door can be barred from the inside with the benches - I think that may be the best option."
"It's going to take more than magical lights to save those children. What else have you got?" Rall asks but then doesn't stop to listen for an answer. "So, we look for this Savram first."
Chloe frowns as the man turns away without even waiting for an answer...or giving his name. 'I've got enough fey-wild sorcery to turn anyone iniside out,' she silently notes, 'And if this place wasn't crawling with poisonous kobolds, maybe I could have made more of a difference. I'm sorry, Tyran. We'll come back for you. But we have to save the children first.'
"I can watch the children," says the halfling, "but it is certain that we will need a defensible location. Have you found any place like that yet?"
Chloe smiles reassuringly and looks to Arla or Bowen for an answer.
Arla thinks for a brief moment, considering where the best place would be to hide...."There is that room with the altar and the benches upstairs.. we stopped there when Rall was hurt earlier. The door can be barred from the inside with the benches - I think that may be the best option."
Chloe glances at Rall, assuming that must be the man Arla named. The tough Shoanti didn't look like the kind to get hurt all that easily.
"Is it close?" Chloe asks, "Can we take Edgrin and the children there quickly and then return?"
Bowen unbuckles his klar and sets it aside along with his scimitar as he removes his pack. Pulling out the dwarven short sword he offers Chloe the pick of his scimitar or the short sword. "Just till we find your own equipment you can use either of these. No point in having a weapon not drawing enemy blood."
After she picks her weapon he puts the pack back on and rearms himself with his klar and the remaining blade.
"Shall we go then?"
Arla thinks for a brief moment, considering where the best place would be to hide...."There is that room with the altar and the benches upstairs.. we stopped there when Rall was hurt earlier. The door can be barred from the inside with the benches - I think that may be the best option."Chloe glances at Rall, assuming that must be the man Arla named. The tough Shoanti didn't look like the kind to get hurt all that easily.
Rall's face burns red at Arla's comment and Chloe's judgemental gaze. 'Why won't this group just accept my natural role as leader?' he wonders.
"Yes, let's get the children up there and return quickly. Is there another way to get up there without passing by the fire creature?"
Bowen unbuckles his klar and sets it aside along with his scimitar as he removes his pack. Pulling out the dwarven short sword he offers Chloe the pick of his scimitar or the short sword. "Just till we find your own equipment you can use either of these. No point in having a weapon not drawing enemy blood."
Chloe picks up the Shoanti's scimitar. "Arma arcana," she murmurs a few brief words of power and then gives it a few twirls to test the blade. It traces a shimmering arc through the air. "This will do," she nods, "And I'm eager to spill some kobold blood with it."
"Shall we go then?"
"Yes, let's get the children up there and return quickly. Is there another way to get up there without passing by the fire creature?"
"Fire creature?" Chloe asks, "You mean the demon of smoke and metal? I'm not sure. If you haven't encountered it, I assume there must be a way to retrace your steps. I must admit, it was easy for Edgrin and I to get turned around down here. Even moreso for the children. Let's see if we can find Savram quickly...he can't have gone far. Just down this hall a little ways, I think. Then, we can take him, Kimi, and Mikra to safety with Edgrin to keep them company before we come back..."
'Ah, so now, she thinks SHE's the leader,' Rall grumbles to himself.
"Lead the way then," Rall says trying to hide his sarcasm.
'Ah, so now, she thinks SHE's the leader,' Rall grumbles to himself. "Lead the way then," Rall says trying to hide his sarcasm.
Sense Motive check... (1d20+6=7)
Utterly oblivious to any perceived hurt feelings on Rall's part, Chloe gives a nod and sets off down the corridor in the hopes of finding Savram. The light on her bracelet casts weird shadows across the dwarven designed hallway, and it isn't the first time she wishes her fey heritage had somehow loaned her an elf's keen eyesight in such conditions.
"Savram?" she whispers, hoping that the boy can still hear her, "This way!"
Arla glances at Rall curiously as he turns red, not realising that she had embarassed the sheriff with her comment. As Chloe suggests looking for Savram first, she nods her head and follows after the woman, the light from her uncovered spear mingling with that cast by the bracelet.
Actually the boy Savram ran into the same room that the recent battle with the kobolds took place in (he was with the other three) but he ran out the southern door when the others took up a defensive position. This is the same door that Rall and company entered. In other words, somehow, Rall, Arla and Bowen managed to miss the boy when they came north. Backtracking would be the logical way to find him.
Though who knows, continuing east might lead to him as well. :)
Your call, explore east or head back west and then south? I'll try to get a map up this afternoon if I can.
Backtracking would be the logical way to find him.
Chloe leads the way according to the last known direction she remembers the boy taking.
Rall follows Chloe, grumbling quietly.
Holding his short sword and klar Bowen gets ready to go then thinks better then puts his weapons away and removes his bow knocking an arrow.
"Keep an eye and ear for the ghost. It may do better to remove his presence if need be."
The party moves back into the room they just left. The dead kobolds still lie where they fell.
As Chloe leads the way resolutely through the room and into the hallway on the other side, with no real idea of where she is going, she stops when she realizes there is movement south of her. A hissing and crackling noise announces the presence of something. A something that is coming towards the group, slowly moving up the stone hall at them.
Bowen's intuition was right. It is the ghost of Glitteraxe. His armor floats eerily above the floor. His magical glowing axe still hovers threateningly. As he floats towards them, smoke curls softly from the floor in front of him, threatening and ominous.
Seeing the ghost Bowen says a war prayer as he draws his bow then releases it, cursing at his hasty shot.
"Desna's stars!" Chloe exclaims, backing away from the ominous apparition, "I hope Savram didn't fall to that!"
Resoulte in her desire to save the boy, she then decides to approach within thirty feet of the ghost. Touching the birthmark on her shoulder, she calls upon the holy power of Desna to hopefully drive it back.
Initiative check... (1d20+2=15)
Channel positive energy... (1d6=2) 1d4+3 = 6 rounds
As the group comes face to face with the threatening apparation, Arla takes a slightly nervous step back before trying to steel herself again. "Ash, stay with the children," she says to the dog quietly.
Holding out a hand, the druid quietly chants a few words. A bright flame bursts into existance in the palm of her hand, although it doesn't seem to burn her.
Rall decides to determine if this ghost can be hurt by normal weapons. He fires an arrow at the creature while trying to think of something paladiny to say, "Back you ... wraithful ... wraith-like ... ghost!"
initiative then longbow attack and damage. (1d20+2=18, 1d20+3=23, 1d6+1=5)