As Rellios eases back, he decides to take advantage of the relative anonymity to pull an oil flask and throw its contents slightly ahead on the stairwell.
His comrades dashed inside the huts, Rellios will try to stick close to wall...his senses looking for either movement from the stairs or the flap of batwings that might indicate the approach of a winged attack.
Four minutes (and Hru's 'shield of faith') come and go before you hear the flapping of wings. The batriders do not come from the direction you might have expected. They've flown up over the top of the spire and are diving straight down at you. The goblins are standing up in the stirrups and leaning back as far as they can, javelins ready in hand.
ROUND 1
Hru
Klyndak
Three batriders
Clareg
Rellios
Without a word I slip back a step into the hut and with a grip on my warhammer I use it to focus my arcane eye.
And then, when that is done, I step out and fire at one of the batriders, the first one I see.
The batriders are using the same tactics as on the bridge: flying down and attacking with a javelin; flying up and pulling the javelin out; and only grapple when someone is close to an edge, which none of you are.
One of the batriders slings a javelin at Hru and hits despite his defensive stance.
Klyndak kills the batrider targetting him before the javelin can be thrown.
Rellios takes a javelin in the shoulder.
The archers on the stairs have yet to make an appearance.
The now riderless bat that was targetting Klyndak flies up and begins to circle the spire.
As my crossbow bolt strikes home, I cry out, "Fly away 'ome little mouse,"
Then I make a fist and gesturing at another of the flyers, I let fly with a telekinetic attack.
It misses.
"Why can't I seem ta ever be hittin' with that fist," I mutter to myself.
Clareg, lacking an effective range weapon, uses his axe to cut the cord from the javelin stuck in Rellios' shoulder.
Despite the wound, Rellios steels himself and takes a bowshot at his passing target.
Bowshot (1d20+3=21) Damage (1d8=8)
The shot flies true - piercing the rider and hopefully felling him.
Yep. Attacks in Round 1 and Round 2.
Yep. Attacks in Round 1 and Round 2.
Then, hopefully having dispatched the rider he targeted - Rellios turns and fires at the remaining rider:
Bow Shot (1d20+3=10) Damage (1d8=2)The last shot whizzes past the rider, his quick turn evading Rellios shot.
The last rider sees his allies fallen and flaps off, circling the second spire and does not return into view.
The three archers appear and make co-ordinated attacks with their short bows against one opponent -- Clareg All three hit. They then skedaddle back up the stairs out of view.
The three archers appear and make co-ordinated attacks with their short bows against one opponent -- Clareg All three hit. They then skedaddle back up the stairs out of view.
Hru attempts a grab at the javelin dropping his sword to one hand, but misses
I move out of the hut and draw out my warhammer, shouting commands.
"Priest, lay off that rope and be takin' care of Clareg! Rellios, be preparin to cover us, we be chargin' those archers! Clareg, ye be 'elpin' the orc blood with that Javelin!"
Heedless of further Bat-itude Hru leaps to Claregs side and laying ahold of him chants in orc lowly "Gorum heal your servant, for he must fight again."
"Priest, lay off that rope and be takin' care of Clareg! Rellios, be preparin to cover us, we be chargin' those archers! Clareg, ye be 'elpin' the orc blood with that Javelin!"
"Alright. And watch out for the oil on the bottom steps. Mislaid plans and all that," he utters.
As soon as Rellios begins moving out to cover me, I begin moving up, careful of the oil on the first step. As soon as I have a clear line on a goblin, I charge up and attack, confident that Hru and Clareg will be right behind me.
Charging attack: (1d20+2+2=22)
Damage from Warhammer: (1d8+2=6)
"Death fer the goblins! Glory fer us!"
The three archers appear and make co-ordinated attacks with their short bows against one opponent -- Clareg All three hit. They then skedaddle back up the stairs out of view.
STR check (1d20+3=6)
Hru attempts a grab at the javelin dropping his sword to one hand, but misses
As the bat flies away, the javelin's rope jerks taunt, dragging the hut over, knocking over the iron brazier full of hot coals onto one of the straw mats and setting fire to it. The stone balcony is unlikely to sustain any damage but a piller of dark smoke rises from the balcony.
As Klyndak charges up the stairs, three goblins fire arrows at the dwarf. Only one of them hits and even then just barely so.
Klyndak's hammer swings upward pounding back one of the goblin's heads and sending the lifeless body for a 500' plunge.
Rellios' shot goes wide but he is also racing up the stairs.
The goblins dodge your attacks and withdraw into an opening off of the smaller balcony -- the landing platform if the guano covering the platform is an indication of its use.
Rellios has now just reached you.
Clareg is with Hru. What is Hru doing?
Assuming Kylndak's too much in the midst of all this for a decent bow shot, Rellios will switch to his swords and take an attack on the goblins as well.
Rapier (1d20=15) Damage (1d6+2=3)
Short Sword (1d20=13) Damage (1d6+1=4)
I think with the goblins having initiative, your having to shoot, switch weapons and move up 30+' of stairs, the gobbos are going to get the chance to withdraw to the chamber off of the landing platform.
Your attack will be usable but only after you confirm you are following them into the chamber.
Also, please disregard the bowshot thing - I had posted my melee attack first, but then it didn't show up. Then yours did instead; so I went and rewrote it not realizing it had posted...bloody confusing.
"Shall we be goin' in after them," I ask and as we wait for Clareg and Hru to catch up, I cast a wee enchantment on the elf's thin sword.
"Shall we be lettin' the other two 'ave the 'onor's of leadin' the charge," I ask Rellios.
"Thanks! Should make fighting in the dark an easier task," he says with a wolfish grin.
Hru stares at Clareg for a sign of life.
Hru stares at Clareg for a sign of life.
Hru stares at Clareg for a sign of life.
"Don't ye be gettin' all lovey-dovey on me ya big edjeet. I only closed me eyes 'cause yer breath made me wince. ... Where the 'ell did Klyndak go? I gotta be stayin' wit 'im."
Clareg and Hru have barely climbed halfway up the stairs when they hear three loud 'SsssssPOPBOOOOM's from the balcony they just left. Straw, dust, and other debris showers the balcony and the stairs beneath them but they are unhurt by it.
"There be goin those casks," I mutter, "I never was a findin' out what was bein' in 'em."
"Get up 'ere lads, ye be 'avin' the 'onor of a leadin' the charge agin the two gobbos within!"
Once you are on the landing platform you can see the wide-mouthed chamber. Remnants of the outer wall that would have divided the landing platform from the chamber have recently been knocked down.
Several long dark stalactites hang from the roof of the chamber. In the far corner you can see what appear to be riding harnesses. There are three corridors leading off of this chamber. The goblins are not in sight.
The floor is slick with guano and you can hear a steady hissing sound from one of the other rooms.
Barring a charge from my comrades, Rellios will very quietly move toward the first hallway to the right. Pause a moment to discern any new activity in the room, then glance into the corridor.
Stealth (1d20+6=10)
Perception (1d20+6=14)
Hru moves in and if the stalactites are bats he'll behead one on the way towards the corridor on the left. "Gorum"
I move in behind Hru and Clareg, hammer at the ready, prepared to charge any goblin that shows itself.
As the stalactites detache from the ceiling of a chamber hewed from the rock by dwarven stonecrafters and fly towards the party, Hru attacks one.
The bats fly at the party and bite at both Hru and Rellios. Hru is unhurt but Rellios suffers a nasty bite -- but a mere nip given the creatures size.
Hru tags the bat with his greatsword, giving it a nasty gash.
ROUND 1
Rellios
Bats
Klyndak
Hru
Clareg
Rellios:
The hissing is coming from some strange contraption that is steaming and boiling and has metal pipes travelling over hot flames and pipes filling casks. Several goblins work away in here oblivious to all that is going on. It is tremendously noisy and distracting once you get closer to it.
"Pests!!" cries Hru as he wheels about, he throws his back to the wall on the left and casts a quick glance to the left towards the leftermost corridor before confronting any threat.