Keep on the Shadowfell

[Dyrnwyna]

"Let us proceed to the doors near the goblin torture apparatus. If there are goblins left there, it disturbs me that they might put that room to use again," Dyrnwyna suggests. She waves her fingers and conjures a sharp, clean scent that can't quite hide the stench of decaying goblins, but covers the worst of it.

prestidigitation

[Frivry]

"Let's go clean this keep." Frivry says when he follows his companions in the direction decided.

[pat512]

Downstairs or upstairs? Discuss.

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

I vote we clear the upstairs first.

[Rhianis]

I vote for downstairs. I'd like to get closer to the evil priests sooner.

[Gran Rey]

Gran would choose down aswell. The quicker the priests (if they are down there) are dealt with the quicker we can move on

[Dyrnwyna]

Dyrnwyna wants to clear the upstairs first. She's a bit OCD like that.

[pat512]

Frivry -- tiebreaker!

[Frivry]

We should down the stairs.

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

"Very well," says Quinn, deferring to the power of the majority. "But don't ye blame me when a flood of skeletons or somethin' comes down the stairs to eat us...or whatever skeletons do."

[Gran Rey]

"I think your thinking of wight or ghoul, and so types of zombies, Quinn" Gran smiles as they make their way down.

"I've never seen a skeleton eat anyone, but nothing impossible"

[Rhianis]

Rhianis chuckles dryly.

"Indeed! Or the skeleton would at least find it difficult to keep his meal in!"

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

"Anythin' with teeth can eat ye'," argues Quinn. "I don't care if it's a zombie or a skeleton, it can eat ye' just the same and I don't want it behind me!"

[pat512]

The party makes their way to the staircase without incident. As suspected, the terror runes are now inactive.

Torchlight can be seen flickering from below, but there is no other sign of life (or undeath) at this point.

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

"Somethin's down there to be sure," says Quinn and then covers up the light of his sunrod with his left hand.

In more of a whisper he adds, "Think they're expectin' us?"

He waits at the top of the stairs for Gran to advance before taking any actions.

[Rhianis]

"Perhaps they have been too busy with their dark rituals to have noticed us. Unlikely, but one can always hope."

[Dyrnwyna]

"If Ninaran was any example, they will be easily distracted from their rituals," Dyrnwyna sniffs disapprovingly. "I do not think we can count on them to be so easily disposed of. Alas."

Dyrnwyna, too, waits for the others to go first.

What's our marching order these days? Gran up front, I assume. Rhiannis and newly-ranged-Quinn at the back? Dyrnwyna in the middle. Where's Frivry? In the front?

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

I'm ranged but not that big of a range. I would recommend:

Gran
Frivry
Quinn
Drynwyna
Rhianis

If the stairs are big enough we could go down in rows of 2 as well. Basically, I would like to have Frivry in melee a bit more so we can take advantage of flanking and use his sneak attack more often. We're going to need to since I'm not much of a damage dealer anymore.

[pat512]

Quinn Quartzcutter wrote:

[ooc]If the stairs are big enough we could go down in rows of 2 as well.

The stairs are 2 squares wide.

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

Then lets go down:

Gran | Frivry
Quinn | Drynwyna
Rhianis

[pat512]

As your steps sound on the stairs, you hear movement below. Before the room comes into view, you hear a harsh voice call out, "Shadow seeks shadow!"

Let's go ahead and roll initiative as you decide how to respond. (Just in case.)

[Rhianis]

That doesn't sound friendly. Kill him!

1d20+2=9

[Frivry]

Initiative: 1d20+5=8

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

"From the ground, some magic was found," replies Quinn, trying his best, though without much success, to not sound like a dwarf.

1d20+0=2 Initiative

[Gran Rey]

Initiative 1d20+2=15

[Dyrnwyna]

Dyrnwyna waits tensely to see what the response is to Quinn's password.

initiative 1d20+6=13

[pat512]

The room below falls quiet, then one voice calls out in a guttural tongue,

Frivry:

Spoiler:

in Goblin, "Someone tell Kalarel that Ninaran is slain!"

Everyone else:

Spoiler:

You hear the names "Kalarel" and "Ninaran"

Map forthcoming

[pat512]

Map at the usual link.
Gran
Dyrnwyna
Rhianis
Frivry
Quinn

[Gran Rey]

Gran grips his glaive and moves slowly forward

Move L20; Total Defense

[pat512]

Gran:

Spoiler:

The stairs descend into a large, torch-lit chamber. Two human-sized creatures stand near the entrance. Big, pointed ears stick out from under their helmets, and sharp teeth glitter in their mouths. They wear scale armor and hold heavy shields and flails. They seem to be waiting for you. A third is to the northeast. There is an open-sided pit in the center of the room.

Gran only, Perception DC20:

Spoiler:

About seventy feet behind the guards, in a smaller room to the north, a steel cage holds a spider the size of a pony. Two more humanoids are working at the cage.

Dyrnwyna, Rhianis

[Gran Rey]

"Well this looks like it's going to be fun."

Fran smiles at the two guards "I'm guessing me asking you nicely to through down you're weapong and surrender is out of the question"

Failed the check

[pat512]

One of the guards laughs and answers in Common, "Come down here and ask, human."

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

When his password fails to work Quinn looks around at the rest of the group and shrugs.

"Well....it was worth a try," he says and then brandishes his holy symbol in anticipation.

[Dyrnwyna]

Dyrnwyna, tiring of the standoff, fires a jagged orb of force at one of the guards. It explodes in his face, injuring both guards.

force orb vs. H2 hits reflex 22 for 10 force damage. If that hits, secondary attack vs. H1 hits reflex 17 for 8 force damage. rolls

[Rhianis]

"Then it's time for them to meet the dark gods they so cherish!"

Rhianis rattles off a series of incantations.

Minor: Warlock's Curse on H1
Standard: Eldritch Blast on H1
Attack 1d20+4=16 vs Ref
Damage 1d10+3=8
Curse Damage 1d6 =1

[pat512]

Dyrnwyna and Rhianis need to move to at least rank 21 to have LOS on the opponents; so far, only Gran can see them due to the slope of the stairs. Sorry that wasn't clear.

[Rhianis]

No problem. I'll move to L20 then do my castings then.

[Dyrnwyna]

And M21 for Dyrnwyna

[pat512]

Dyrnwyna's force orb hits both hobgoblins, tearing jagged wounds.

But as Rhianis moves down the stairs, H3 barks a command and the two leading hobgoblins move forward in formation, executing a devastating coordinated flail attack on the warlock.

Readied actions, Formation Strike -- allows a shift with the attack under certain conditions. -27hp to Rhianis

Rhianis was interrupted after his move, so still has his standard, but now is in melee.

Rhianis - standard
Frivry
Quinn
Gran
Dyrnwyna
H1, H2
H3 (not acted yet)

[Frivry]

Frivry moves to stand near Rhianis (M-20) and uses his sword to stabs the hobgoblin (h2).

Sly Flourish sword attack: 1d20+7=25, 1d6+9=10

[Rhianis]

Rhianis screams as he is flailed into shreds.

Can I use Misty Step as my standard and move away? Would there be AOO?

[pat512]

Rhianis wrote:

Rhianis screams as he is flailed into shreds.

Can I use Misty Step as my standard and move away? Would there be AOO?

As I read it, Misty Step (class feature) is only when a cursed enemy dies. But you can Fey Step (race feature, which is probably what you meant) without triggering OAs.

[Rhianis]

Then it's time to fey step my slim elf buttocks out of there!

Standard: Fey Step to L23 (top of stairs)

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

"Don't worry Rhianis, I've got ye'!" yells Quinn, who then calls upon the healing powers of Moradin to aid the warlock.

Quinn then moves further down the stairs and unleashes a swath of blinding divine light as a blast in front of him. His enemies are burned but his allies are inspired.

Minor Action: Healing Word on Rhianis; Rhianis may spend a healing surge and 8 extra hit points. Rhianis also gets +3 to all defenses against the next attack made against him.

Move Action: Move to L22

Standard Action: Divine Glow vs. H1 & H2; 15 vs. H1's REF and 15 vs. H2's REF for 9 radiant damage. On a hit or a miss, Gran, Drynwyna, and Frivry get a +2 power bonus to attack rolls until the end of my next turn.

[pat512]

Even as the bloodied Rhianis teleports out of harm's way, Frivry rushes in, striking a powerful blow against H2. At this point, H3 moves in and, with the aid of hobgoblin tactical training, is able to hit Frivry with his flail -14hp to Frivry.

Quinn brings the blessings of Moradin to Rhianis's grievous wounds, and sheds a light bathing his allies in the warm glow of Moradin's grace, though it has no direct effect on the hobgoblins.

At this point, the door to the northeast bursts open and three more hobgoblins rush into the room, one equipped as the first ones (scale armor, heavy shield, flail), and the others less well (H5, H6: leather, light shield, longsword).

Everyone's had a chance now to try at the DC20 perception from 16 hours ago

Gran - +2 to attack
Dyrnwyna - +2 to attack
H1, H2
Rhianis - +3 defense vs next attack
Frivry - +2 to attack
H3
Quinn
H4, H5, H6

[Dyrnwyna]

Dyrnwyna fails the perception check with a 14. I was thinking about moving forward and using color spray on these guys. Attacking will vs. soldiers is good, and dazing them will give CA for Frivry, which is also nice. However, I'm a bit leery of getting between them and our defender. I could use an AP and thunderwave them away after color spray (which has the additional benefit of separating them; they're harder to hit when they're close together, but if it misses, I'd be in trouble. Besides, Gran goes first. We might consider backing away up the stairs, and letting them come to us a few at a time. That would also bottle them up in the stairway, as opposed to us being bottled in the stairway.

[pat512]

Brief pause for strategy discussion, preferably IC, before I move for Gran.

[Quinn Quartzcutter]

"If we're gonna' retreat back we need to do it now. These hobos are a lot more organized and well armed than the other stinkin' goblins! Sitting on these stairs ain't gonna' work though!"

[Dyrnwyna]

"I agree. This position is not advantageous. We should fall back," Dyrnwyna nods.