Sir Manfred flinches a little, looking at that hole.
"You have more courage than I, Milord Orlan. If Kamris will ring a rope for me, I will lower you down."
...Orlan follows the corridor until it comes to a dead end. A hole in the floor here smells of death. Looking down, he can see the dark surface of murky water and feel a definite chill.
"Hunh...that don't be lookin' good," the dwarf says aloud, then he realizes he's simply talking to Manfred and retraces his footsteps to find the others.
"Eh...don't be messin' with none o' that stuff, lass," he suggests, "I suspect nothin' good'll be comin' of it..."
Orlan gestures with a meaty thumb over his shoulder towards the passageway. "That be a dead endin' back there...literally, I think," he tells them, "A drop-off inta some murky water chilled with the stench o' death ta me. Probably somethin' the foul creature who lived here used to dump the bodies of dead creatures and what-not..."
He points back the way they came and says, "Looks like that's the only route to keep movin'. I suspect these goblins and their smelly beasts were patrollin' down here. Maybe they caught that snake-thing...or, well, who be knowin' the minds of goblins anyway. Where they came from is probably up. So we be goin' up...and if'n we find a leader among these goblins, let's be tryin' ta capture him so we can ask about me cousin. Maybe we'll be gettin' more information that way..."
Are you taking the outer spire stair up?
Sir Manfred diplomatically heards the rest of the company back to the outer stair and start to continue on up.
As difficult to herd as your average cat Yin carries on poking around for useful tidbits in the pouches a little longer before eventually giving in and following Manfred towards the stairs.
The outer stair continues up and around the spiral until it comes to an impassable spot. On the side of the spire opposite the bridge and facing the second spire, the stairs have been destroyed. The indentation of what may have been a 8' diameter boulder is visible in the spire here. The boulder would most likely have been launched from the second spire. The gap in the stairs is about 10' wide. The stairs continue on the other side of it but it would make a dangerous leap.
Approximately 40' above you, you can see a balcony jutting out from the spire and a broken bridge spanning the distance to the second spire.
Approximately 40' above you, you can see a balcony jutting out from the spire and a broken bridge spanning the distance to the second spire.
"Hunh...well, we either sprout wings so we can fly across that gap," Orlan observes, "Or we go rock climbin' again up ta the balcony." The dwarf removes his pack and starts rummaging for his rope.
There is no way to tie off a rope. This staircase is intended to be a dangerous climb for any unwelcome visitors.
Slowly, the entire rest of the party turned to look at Kamris...
"Well, elflin'..." Orlan regards Kamris, "Yuh be lighter and more nimble than most of us. Yuh be thinkin' yuh can make the climb up ta that balcony?" The dwarf scans the stone surface of the spire's outer wall, using his engineering skills to look for possible handholds that might aid the half-elf in such a climb.
"Or...maybe Manfred and I could use this here rope to sling yuh across ta the other side of the stairs," he suggests, "Then, if'n we sent Yin across to yuh, the both of yuh could probably haul me over. Then, the three o' us could probably bring Manfred across. Either way, this be a complicated obstacle fer us to be passin'..."
"Whaddya think?"
Kamris looks dubious at the plan, but sighs and relents. "I fear my strength may be too little, but it is said that one never tosses a dwarf."
He makes ready to attempt the plan.
Yin looks worried for her fellow Shoanti's safety as plans are discussed, pacing a little she thinks through possible alternatives, muttering a little to herself if she does so.
"Never learnt flight.. the stupid energy disk refuses to go higher than 3 feet.. need to get a book on polymorphy.."
"Well, elflin'..." Orlan regards Kamris, "Yuh be lighter and more nimble than most of us. Yuh be thinkin' yuh can make the climb up ta that balcony?" The dwarf scans the stone surface of the spire's outer wall, using his engineering skills to look for possible handholds that might aid the half-elf in such a climb.
"Or...maybe Manfred and I could use this here rope to sling yuh across ta the other side of the stairs," he suggests, "Then, if'n we sent Yin across to yuh, the both of yuh could probably haul me over. Then, the three o' us could probably bring Manfred across. Either way, this be a complicated obstacle fer us to be passin'..."
"Whaddya think?"
As you return to the room where you fought the dogs, you notice a long corridor sloping upwards. Orlan sees by the poor quality construction that it was made by either dwarves in a hurry or goblins that had studied under the best dwarven ... nah, dwarves in a hurry. It slopes upwards and reconnects with the broken staircase. The stair continues to spiral up and around the spire two more times before you see the balcony just around the bend.
As you return to the room where you fought the dogs, you notice a long corridor sloping upwards. Orlan sees by the poor quality construction that it was made by either dwarves in a hurry or goblins that had studied under the best dwarven ... nah, dwarves in a hurry. It slopes upwards and reconnects with the broken staircase. The stair continues to spiral up and around the spire two more times before you see the balcony just around the bend.
"Well...I'll be..." Orlan comments as he peers over the balcony at the broken stairs below, "And ta think I suggested yuh climb yer way up here when there was a perfectly-made dwarven stair on the inside. Well...almost perfectly-made. If I'd've built it, I would've made sure ta follow the seams better when joinin' the stones."
Orlan looks around for their next room or passage to explore...
As you return to the room where you fought the dogs, you notice a long corridor sloping upwards. Orlan sees by the poor quality construction that it was made by either dwarves in a hurry or goblins that had studied under the best dwarven ... nah, dwarves in a hurry. It slopes upwards and reconnects with the broken staircase. The stair continues to spiral up and around the spire two more times before you see the balcony just around the bend."Well...I'll be..." Orlan comments as he peers over the balcony at the broken stairs below, "And ta think I suggested yuh climb yer way up here when there was a perfectly-made dwarven stair on the inside. Well...almost perfectly-made. If I'd've built it, I would've made sure ta follow the seams better when joinin' the stones."
Orlan looks around for their next room or passage to explore...
Hold on, you're not on the balcony yet. You see the balcony "just around the bend".
Sir Manfred again diplomatically shepherds the party up the stairway towards the balcony.
"This is like herding cats!" Thinks Sir Manfred with exasperation. "How does Lord Orlan do it? Especially Yin!"
Manfred and Orlan herd the party up the stairs onto a wide balcony. On the balcony are several huts from which stream narrow strands of smoke. These are about five feet from the ledges. The stone bridge that crosses over to the other spire has been shattered. A temporary log bridge has been pulled back from the stone bridge but is obviously designed to span the gap. The stairs continue on the other side.
On the balcony, are three hobgoblins who are sitting and watching while five goblins torture a bugbear. The naked bugbear has a sack drawn tightly over his head and is clawing at it while the five goblins attempt to grapple and drag him towards the ledge.
The eight of them turn and look at you with great surprise.
Hold on, you're not on the balcony yet. You see the balcony "just around the bend".
Maybe we can save Orlan's earlier comments for after they've wiped this scum from the balcony then... ;)
On the balcony, are three hobgoblins who are sitting and watching while five goblins torture a bugbear. The naked bugbear has a sack drawn tightly over his head and is clawing at it while the five goblins attempt to grapple and drag him towards the ledge....The eight of them turn and look at you with great surprise.
Orlan laughs. Then stops.
He draws his heavy waraxe with a grin.
"Yuh're in fer the beatin' of yer miserable lives..." he says in the goblin-tongue, "Fer the Hammerfoe dwarves have returned ta the Spires. And yuh'll all be cast from these heights to fall upon the rocks below..."
His heavy boots pound the stone balcony of his forefathers and he brings his axe down on one of the sitting hobgoblins before he can even regain his feet.
Sir Manfred follows Lord Orlan's lead. He slams his bucket helm down, grips his shield and moves to another hobgoblin to makes a single attack.
Longsword attack (1d20+2+3+1=12)
Longsword damage if hit: (1d8+3=6)
Kamris calmly draws and fires.
Here is a rough map. There are four huts close to the edge, two on either side of the entrance to the bridge. The three hobgoblins are pretty much dead center. The grappling goblins on a blinded bugbear are closer to the bridge. (That's right, kids -- he's a BridgeBound Blinded BugBear). They've been trying to push him in that direction.
Utterly perplexed by the situation Yin watches the scene before her for a moment, trying to determine which needs burninating first; the goblins or the bugbear. 'Would the bugbear be a big threat if we freed it? Why are they fighting like this in the first place?'
The three hobgoblins -- including the two wounded by the attacks of Orlan and Manfred -- get over their shock pretty quickly. One bellows for help while they all stand to charge towards the party. Kamris' arrow kills one of the goblins grappling the bridge-bound bugbear. The other goblins spot the party and begin to leap off the bugbear in anticipation of their new prey, shouting in goblin "FUN!FUN!FUN!FUN!MORE FUN!FUN!FUN!FUN!FUN!" as they run towards the party. In their excitement, they have neglected to pick up weapons.
Sir Manfred continues his attacks on his Hobgoblin.
Longsword slash; Shield Bash attacks: (1d20+2+3+1-4=4, 1d20+2+3-4=3)
Kamris fires his bow
You may ask who will be hit
A goblin of course
Supreme bow strike of the heavens (1d20+5, 1d6=[19, 5], [3])
Still a little confused and intrigued by the scene before her Yin utters her spell and aims at one of the goblins, her fire ray flying a little inaccurately in her distraction.
Seeing Manfred having a problem with his hobgoblin adversary, Orlan feints another strike at the one he previously wounded and then pushes his shield forward to hold that one off. Then, with the practiced ease that only a true dwarven axe-wielder can manage, he swings his waraxe almost casually behind him...only half-looking and relying more on his overall battle awareness of where Manfred's opponent is standing.
Orlan's attack on Manfred's opponent... (1d20+5 = 25 to hit...with natural 20, 1d10+3 = 7 damage)
Confirm critical threat... (1d20+5 = 21)
Extra damage with x3 multiplier, assuming confirmed critical... (1d10+3 = 10 damage, 1d10+3 = 10 damage)
The dwarf feels the axe solidly connect and take off the hobgoblin's head in a single stroke. As the gruesome trophy tumbles across the balcony, Orlan bellows out to the knight, "Stop yer playin' with 'em, boy! Cut'em down!"
Then, he brings his axe back in line to defend against the other opponents. As his shield lowers just enough for his eyes to meet the wounded hobgoblin still standing before him, Orlan scowls with an anger-filled hate. "Don't be messin' with a Hammerfoe! I'll kill yuh sure as yuh stand."
Three hobgoblins attack Orlan and Manfred but none of them come close to hitting. They flail about ridiculously with their longswords. Orlan rewards one of them for the performance by removing its head.
The goblins rush at Yintarah and Kamris who have remained close to the stairs with the hopes of putting into effect what they'd been practicing on the bugbear. Only one of them manages to get a grip on Kamris.
Three hobgoblins attack Orlan and Manfred but none of them come close to hitting. They flail about ridiculously with their longswords. Orlan rewards one of them for the performance by removing its head.
The goblins rush at Yintarah and Kamris who have remained close to the stairs with the hopes of putting into effect what they'd been practicing on the bugbear. Only one of them manages to get a grip on Kamris.
Unarmed attack (1d20+2=13, 1d3+1=3)
Kamris tries to punch
There was no sword in his hand
The goblin is safe
Sir Manfred turns from the hobgoblin embarassed that Lord Orlan had to kill for him. He redoubles his attack on the third hobgoblin.
Longsword slash, Shield Bash: (1d20+2+3+1-4=22, 1d20+2+3-4=9)
Confrim critical longsword threat: (1d20+2+3+1-4=22)
Longsword crit damage: (1d8+3+1d8+3=16)
"That's more like it, boy! Show'em what's right!"
Manfred recovers his balance, remembers his training, and removes the sword arm of one hobgoblin. One hobgoblin remains but he realizes the odds are now against him. Four goblins pester Kamris and Yintarah, one of them is climbing up Kamris' leg.
ROUND 2
Manfred -- Acted
Kamris
Yintarah
Goblins et al
Orlan
ROUND 2
Manfred -- Acted
Kamris
Yintarah
Goblins et al
Orlan
Break free of grapple (1d20+2=11) [ooc]
He tries to break free
Will he shrug off the goblin?
Life is surprising
Hating the proximity of the goblins Yintarrah flicks the bottom of her her quaterstaff, that's usually little more than a glorified walking stick, up and at the wretched little humanoid in the hopes of knocking it away.
AoO (1d20+1=18)
Damage (1d6=5)
Spotting one of the goblins attempt to climb up Kamris' leg the young wizard gives a small unimpressed sound and takes a small step away from the goblins pestering her before launching a fire ray at the little pest attempting to grapple her friend.
Ranged touch attack (1d20+2=16)
Fire ray damage (1d6+1=6)
Yintarah knocks out one goblin with her staff and then blasts the one climbing Kamris' legs with her fiery ray. Kamris manage to brush away any of the fire that hit him.
Two goblins, a hobgoblin, and a bugbear who is trying to tear the sack over his head to shreds remain as possible threats. The two goblins attempt to grapple Kamris but cannot get a grip on the now prepared rogue. The hobgoblin, backing away from Orlan and Manfred, swishes his sword in their vacinity but, unwilling to expose himself to a counterattack, doesn't even come close.
The bugbear has pulled the sack off his head and looks concerned at the situation.
The hobgoblin, backing away from Orlan and Manfred, swishes his sword in their vicinity but, unwilling to expose himself to a counterattack, doesn't even come close.
Orlan presses after the retreating hobgoblin.
"Not so fast, ugly!" he challenges, his axe cutting a wide swathe in front of him.
Orlan's attack... (1d20+5=14, 1d10+3=13)
The cautious hobgoblin avoids a swing that would have split him in half.
Melee attack (1d20+2=3, 1d6+1=5)
Kamris draws his sword
His slashes meet nought but air
Can you say fumble?