Hammurabi is surprised at the voice and mumbles into his gag with astonishment. He quickly pulls the gag and blind fold off to assess his environment, then rapidly, he begins to work on his ankle bindings.
Hammurabi says a silent prayer to his benefactor of this good fortune.
"May the feathers on your wings shine with the sun's radiance my feathered god"
Hammurabi:
After his silent prayer, he looks confused into the eyes of the cultist who untied him, as if he was constipated, he has a "but why" look on his face. Never one to look a gift horse in the mouth he continues to scramble to shake off his bonds.
Indo steps across the corner of the pit and leaps past the asp man and his unconscious companion . He rounds the southern corner also, swinging the temple blade at the cultist still near the intended sacrifice.
Be still and you might yet live! commands the big wizard. Even better, sacrifice yourself!
Uh oh. I think Hammurabi's post was written same time as mine. He wasn't free when I started.
Is that right? if Indo sees the cultists try to free him, I'll focus on the leader. If you feel Indo doesn't notice a significant change, well..the cultist goes down. I hope.
Round 2:
Seeing that Indo is unaffected by the sleep spell, Bedu mumbles a few words to daze the asp-man closest to Indo, but the creature seems immune. "Take out the spellcaster someone!" he shouts as he scoops up his dropped scimitar. Liet swings his mace at the cultist that rushed him, hitting her with a glancing blow. Behind the cultist, the asp-man steps sideways and flicks out his blade, which uncoils like a long snake towards Liet, but fortunately misses the priest. Pindara casts another spell, blasting the asp-man with a ray of frost. The crazed cultist, her face contorted in rage, swipes again with her dagger, its curved blade slicing into Liet's arm.
Shaking off the magical sleep before it can take hold, Indo steps across the corner of the pit and leaps past the asp-man. It flicks out its urumi as Indo goes by, but the blade slices through empty air. Rounding the southwestern corner of the pit, he sees that the captive's hands have been freed and he's trying to untie the rest of his bonds, but one of the cultists is standing suspiciously close. Unable to accurately gauge the situation at a glance , Indo decides it is better to be safe than sorry, and swings his temple sword at the cultist. Hammurabi rips off his blindfold and gag, and quickly goes to work on the ropes around his ankles. Finally freeing them, he looks up just in time to see a tall tribesman carve his blade through his benefactor. With a choked-off cry, the cultist half-turns, then topples into the pit, her hood falling back to reveal a young blonde woman with wide, terrified eyes. A long, echoing scream follows her descent into darkness.
"I know, father, I'm trying!" Skittle calls to the empty air as he draws his kukri. He steps inside the asp-man's reach, his kukri slicing deeply through the creature's scales. The asp-man drops its sword, both hands flying to its belly in a futile attempt to hold in its entrails. With a long hiss, the creature collapses to the floor in heavy coils.
Lotus:
Across the pit, the cloaked man turns to face Indo, gesturing with his hands as he casts a spell.
We'll pause here for Lotus and Indo to make some rolls before moving to the next round. Updated map is here.
Attack of Opportunity: Melee Attack +6 (BAB +1, Dex +4, Morale +1) / Damage 1d6+3 (Str +2, Morale +1) / Sneak Damage 1d6+3 (Str +2, Morale +1) (1d20+6=25, 1d6+3=9, 1d6+3=7)
Critical Hit!? (1d20+6=16, 1d6+3=5)
Seeing the cult leader sinking into concentration for another spell, Lotus takes her opportunity to find a weak spot in the tissue of his back. Satisfaction can be seen on her face as she appears again, the invisibility potion coming to an end with her attack. Her sword comes out again at the front of the enemies chest.
Seeing Lotus spring out behind her adversary, Indo makes brief eye contact with the hostage and steps around him to strike the spellcaster. He approaches from opposite Lotus' direction, if possible.
As the cloaked man begins casting another spell, Lotus suddenly materializes out of thin air behind him. Raising her sword, she plunges it into his back, its tip emerging from his chest. He stops in mid-chant, looking down in disbelief at the sword in his chest, but he does not fall.
End of round 2. Post your actions for the next round. Indo, I'll use your last posted action for this round.
Hammurabi looks into the eyes of the young cultists as she falls to her doom, genuine saddness fills his heart.
Mouthing the words "I am sorry" Hammurabi raises an outstretched arm and from his finger tips forms a winged serpet made of black liquid, drops of the creature fall to the floor and the tiles steam with smoke, "Fly true and taste your target oh protecter of the jungles" Hammurabi cries as the fluid sepent flies towards the closest Asp-Man.
Acid Splash ranged touch attack=15; Dam=1.
The black winged serpent flies past the pit and looks to bite the nearest Asp-Man
The Rogue blows a hair out of her eyes from her efforts. Then, surprised to see the cloaked man still standing with her sword protruding from his chest, she quickly pulls it back attempting to do the same amount of damage going out as in. Die already! she exclaims.
Pausing in surprise for only the briefest of moments, Skittle glances at his kukri and at the serpent-man crumpled at his feet. His eyes roll up toward the ceiling and he yells, "Thank you, Father!" Taking a quick look around to check on the others, he draws a dagger from his boot and throws it toward the other snake-man standing opposite Liet & Bedu.
Round 3:
Bedu steps forward to attack the remaining asp-man, but his wild slashes have no affect. Liet has the same luck against his cultist, unable to get past her defenses. With a cry of "Thank you, Father!" Skittle hurls a dagger at the asp-man, embedding it in its torso. The asp-man responds with a strike at Bedu, but the dwarf's armor protects him. Pindara launches another ray, this time at the cultist. Though severely wounded and staggered, the cultist once more tries to attack Liet, but her wild swipes miss, and the strain of the activity proves too much for her constitution. She falls to the floor, apparently unconscious and dying.
Surprised that the caster is still standing, Lotus twists and pulls out her blade, exclaiming "Die already!" Indo flashes the former captive a glance, then steps around him to attack the cloaked caster, but the man's armor deflects the blow. Hammurabi, the captive, casts a spell, and a winged snake dripping acid flies across the room to bite the asp-man.
The cloaked man, as soon as he is freed, immediately turns to withdraw, holding off attacks with his temple sword. "You cannot defeat The Queen with Burning Eyes so easily! She will still claim your blood as sacrifice, fools!" he spats before running through the door to the east.
End of round 3. Bedu's inspire courage has ended, so no more morale bonuses. Post your actions for the next round. Updated map is here.
Hammurabi looks to Indo and Pindara, "Now is not the time for hellos and long thank yous, your brethren still fight a snake-man, my name is Hammurabi, and I am indebted to you all" With that he unleashes another black bird at the remaining threat., the acid bird splutters against the edge of the pit.
Indo barely acknowledges the freed sacrifice. Catch up to me as soon as you are able! he yells, heading out the same door as the cult leader.
I'm with you Indo! Lotus replies to the big man as he runs after the cloaked caster.
I'm with you Indo! Lotus replies to the big man as he runs after the cloaked caster.
Bedu backslashes at the aspman again stepping five foot in front of Liet.
"Help the others, Skittle and I can deal with these."
Scimitar backlash =16, Damage 8
"Go Indo get him!"
Skittle picks up his short sword without taking his eyes off the asp-man. "Yeah, I think this one'll make us a nice pair of boots, Bedu," Skittle grins.
Round 4:
Bedu steps in front of Liet and swipes with a back-handed slash of his scimitar. The asp-man falls to the floor, defeated. "Help the others," Bedu tells Liet. "Go Indo, get him!" Liet runs across the room and grants Lotus a noble blessing: "Let the glory of the god-kings guide your blade," he intones.
"Now is not the time for hellos and long thank yous, your brethren still fight a snake-man, my name is Hammurabi, and I am indebted to you all," the captive says as Skittle stoops to pick up his fallen sword. "Catch up to me as soon as you are able!" Indo shouts as he and Lotus run through the door after the fleeing priest. "I'm with you Indo!" Lotus responds. Nervously, and a bit more slowly, Pindara follows the two into the next room.
The current map is here. If you go into the next room, you can read the following spoiler.
Heading into the next room (Lotus, Indo and Pindara):
As Lotus and Indo run in to flank him, a sibilant voice issues from the darkness. “Who dares to come unannounced before the Queen with Burning Eyes? Prepare to meet your doom!” From the darkness, two shapely female humanoids dance into view. Draped in flowing silks and veils, the dancers are lithe, elegant and completely identical in their movements and appearance. In fact, it looks as if there are two copies of the same creature. Her body is covered in fine blue-green scales and a scaled viper head sprouts from each arm where a hand should be. Bright crimson eyes glow like burning coals above the veil that hides her face. The rhythmic motions of the dancer's body are strangely hypnotic.
As the dancer comes into view, the priest steps to the side and quickly gulps down a potion. A moment later, Pindara runs through the door and comes to a halt behind Indo .
Map of the next room is here. The entire northern half of the room (from Indo northwards) is considered shadowy illumination and provides concealment, unless you have darkvision or low-light vision.
Bedu will follow next round. He tries to work out who is wounded and may need healing urgent.
"Is anyone badly hurt by these foul creatures?" he shouts after the retreating backs of his comrades.
Humurabi picks himself off of the ground and joins the chase for the cuktist!
Lotus moves with Indo into the next room and chills come over her. She tries to shake them away but she remains affected. She still moves forward to come behind the priest and make another attack against his unprotected back while Indo threatens from the front. Her sword once again tastes the sweet flavor of his blood as it sinks through the protection the priest has.
Skittle nods to Bedu and says, "C'mon," as he retrieves his dagger and resheathes it. Following the others, he heads into the next room, but as he cautiously enters, he turns north, and tries to use the distraction provided by his friends to help him slip into the shadows.
uh oh.
Assuming he can, Indo steps around the corner and attempts to finish the priest. I don't know your crimes, he says to the mysterious snake women,but I witnessed his. Leave this be and do not risk your life.
Hammurabi feels the hypnotic sway from the queen with the burning eyes, and he finds the inner strength from his winged serpent protector to shake the horror off.
[http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1831629/]Will Save 22[/url].
Skittle will wait to enter the room behind Bedu & Liet so he can use them for cover to slip into the shadows.
Stealth (1d20+11=26)
Will save
(1d20+5=7)
Round 4 (continued):
Lotus and Indo run into the next room after the cult leader. Lotus tumbles past him to flank him with Indo, but before they can take any action, the serpentine dancer makes her appearance. Lotus and Indo stare slack-jawed at her, fascinated by her sinuous dance. Hammurabi follows after them, but is able to resist the hypnotic sway of the snake dancer's movements. The cult leader steps to the side and drinks his potion. Pindara follows the others into the room, but she too is transfixed by the Queen with Burning Eyes.
End of Round 4.
Round 5 (part 1):
Bedu hurriedly follows his companions . "Is anyone badly hurt by these foul creatures?" he asks, ignoring the entrancing dance. Lotus and Indo sway in time to the dancer's movements. She dances out of sight between one of the room's short walls, and a sibilant chant fills the air, filling everyone in the room with fear and doubt.
Will save DC 12 (fear/mind-affecting):
Current round 5 map here.
"The queen with the burning eyes, will not capture me again so easily" Shouts Hammurabi as he fights off the fear effect
Will Save 14.
"May the mighty feathers of the rainbow serpent surround and protect their humble servant"
A brightly multi-coloured feathered coat grows from Hammurabi's shoulders and embraces him into a protected covering that glows a soft hue
Round 5 (continued):
"The queen with the burning eyes will not capture me again so easily!" shouts Hammurabi. He casts a spell, and a brightly multi-coloured feathered coat grows from his shoulders and embraces him. Skittle slips into the room behind Bedu, and vanishes into the shadows.
The cultist gestures and chants a few words. Faint black energy coalesces around his hand as he reaches towards Indo and brushes his arm before stepping around the wall into the northern half of the room.
Failed Fort save:
End of round 5.
Post your actions for next round. New map here.
Bedu hardly notices the chanting. He moves up and around the back of the foul sorcerer.
"Wake Indo and Lotus someone!"
As the dwarf barber nears he fakes a small trip and then stumbles forward slasking out at the man's inner thigh.
"Drokkin' Lamashpoo!"
Hammurabi moves 15 feet north to stand in the NW corner of the room, then launches a telekentic fist at the cultist
ranged touch attack=19; damage=3.
Skittle emerges from the shadows to intercept the priest as he comes around the wall, slashing with sword & knife.
two handed attack
(1d20=13+2-1=14, 1d6=5+1=6,
1d20=1+2-1=2, 1d4=4+1=5)