Grumble, you won't be able to see him until he steps forward and casts.
No problem. Consider me waiting until then.
"Dunno who you be," he says..
"Damnation," the dwarf blurts, even as he hastily drops the business end of his crossbow by a foot. "All you beardless tallfolk look th' same t'me!"
1) If there is a grinding wheel, you haven't seen it. It's possible that there's one up on the third floor, but that seems unlikely. This is a pumphouse.
2) No, sorry to be unclear. The wolf's front paws went through the false stairstep and fell perhaps nine inches onto a bed of small, sharp needles coated with poison. He's still on the stairs, near the top, but that trap stopped his upward movement.
[ooc]Thanks.[/ooc}
The wolf will continue it's charge upstairs where he might be able to help find any evil-doer on the second level. Martaug will take a deep breath hoping any trap that Stooch had set off has not reset and moves in on Cale via the direction of the B side of the machinery. If he reaches the man unimpeeded, he jabs at Cale with the BlackSpeare's weapon. Martaug will try to position himself to allow Grumble a clean avenue of fire.
Martaug misses, and his wolf cannot seem to get hold of any recent scent up on the second floor.
Cale glances at Grumblenaught's determination, and turns to Valdisara's righteous fury, and his resolve falters.
His voice echoes down from the second floor as his lips move. "I'd be a damned fool to stay here and try to fight you all." The voice on the second floor fades, and comes out of his mouth as he takes a 5' step back and continues: "But mark my words: there are tales here yet to be told, and the first chapter, after I bargain back to my rightful form, will be to challenge you on more advantageous terms."
He casts another spell. This is a mind-influencing enchantment that requires a DC 12 Will save from everyone.
Martaug feels the slimy tendrils of magic sliding across his brain and barely musters up the resolve to throw them off. He lip curls in anger "We entreated ya ta handle dis wit' words, Trickles, not wit' force. You tol' us ta die. I'd say yer pissin' yer own fool life away, anyway. Or drippin' it away."
Will Save: 19 More of the coward's tricks...
If my Init is up (?), I'll just delay for now...
I yell down to everyone: "Cale truly down there?"
Cale casts another spell. This is a mind-influencing enchantment that requires a DC 12 Will save from everyone.
Grumblenaught rolls a 10.
Valdisara rolls a 9, even with her Paladin bonus.In his dripping right hand, Cale holds a crystalline stick, which glows an eerie yellow-green. "Here the mantle of the fire lifts its hood and reaches, higher than the embers which contain the spirits of the world who deign to bend their ear and serve the ..." The chant goes on, weaving a tale that grows deeper and darker, even as the gloing stick leaves a luminescent trail cycling in the air, growing and receding in rhythm with the chant.
"...upon the pyre of its lair, gouts of sulfur singe the skin and foul the air..." Yalka, Martaug, you each rouse yourself from the fascination to see Cale retreat to the windowsill behind him, still wrapping Grumblenaught and Valdisara in his dweomer. What could that hope to accomplish? Outside the window is a sheer drop, well over fifty feet to the ground below.
...the brand burns deep upon the flesh while, still asleep, the ancient spirits dream their cruel consumption of the air and fuel till now they, waking, heed the call..." He continues to back away from you, his sopping-wet foot resting on the sill, where Martaug sees, too late, another trigger thread bend and break.
Anybody doing anything?
Having a quick flash of the noose trap and the spear trap, Martaug drops to the floor. (Making sure not to pin his spear under him.)
Cale casts another spell. This is a mind-influencing enchantment that requires a DC 12 Will save from everyone.Grumblenaught rolls a 10.
Anybody doing anything?
Grumblenaught stares, rapt, as his erstwhile friend retreats.
I shrug off the mystic chanting trying to pester it's way into my head,
familiar with the effect such words can have on the weak-willed .
I'm slightly surprised when he seeks to retreat thru the window,
but he's obviously deranged and up to no good, so I launch into action:
Vaulting over the rail, I charge him, and seeing he's about to escape,
I decide to drop my spear and Grapple him: but I fumble my spear as I drop it!!! (Natural 1!)
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Having a quick flash of the noose trap and the spear trap, Martaug drops to the floor. (Making sure not to pin his spear under him.)
Grumblenaught stares, rapt, as his erstwhile friend retreats.
I launch into action: Vaulting over the rail, I charge him.
Excellent. Martaug: you drop just in time to feel something cut through the air just a foot over your head. You hear a quick snap, a yelp, and the shudder of something large and heavy hitting the machinery. A well-worn wooden cog bounces into your view, rolling to a stop a few inches in front of your face.
Grumblenaught, Valdisara: The mesmeric droning and waving lights deem to drift off. You're lost in your thoughts, wondering where they might have gone. Somewhere in the far distance, you hear the sounds of mayhem; surely it doesn't concern you.
Yalka: you charge down the stairs. You successfully drop your spear (it doesn't take a roll) and prepare to launch yourself, but a "spoke" timber that had been attached to the machinery above the window has come loose and swung down, striking Cale hard in his chest as he backs out of the window, as if it were a battering ram.
He goes out the window, arms and legs flailing unceremoniously, glistening with moisture. The beam ricochets back and plows into the machinery, wedging itself there and scattering bits and pieces of the pump around the room.
By the time Martaug gets to his feet and Yalka gets to the ground floor, Grumblenaught and Valdisara are shaking off the effects of the Hypnotic Pattern. There is no other sound in the place. The windmill is still turning outside, but there are no sounds of the water being poured out.
Grumblenaught, Valdisara: The mesmeric droning and waving lights deem to drift off. You're lost in your thoughts, wondering where they might have gone. Somewhere in the far distance, you hear the sounds of mayhem; surely it doesn't concern you.By the time Martaug gets to his feet and Yalka gets to the ground floor, Grumblenaught and Valdisara are shaking off the effects of the Hypnotic Pattern. There is no other sound in the place. The windmill is still turning outside, but there are no sounds of the water being poured out.
Grumblenaught shakes his head and blinks repeatedly to clear the remaining tangle of figments, before walking slowly (and quite carefully) over to the window and looking down.
"Yarp. That din't go quite like I had it thought out," he sighs only partly to himself.
Grumblenaught, you look down, and see nothing out of the ordinary. There's no trace of Cale, but if he fell into the river down below, he might be unconscious under the surface. (You folks had cut him badly, and that last trap caught him right in the chest, probably breaking a few ribs.)
On the floor besides you, you find a small booklet, bound in red leather. It has a leather strap, but that's untied at the present.
I skid to a stop at the window as my target is ejected from the room,
peering out to see what came of him. (watching river to see if he pops up)
Heaving with heavy breath as I recover from the intensity of battle, I grunt and add:
"Look like wet man go swim now.", unsure if he actually bit the bucket (or timber in this case),
but he seems to be out of the picture for the moment, at least.
I'll hand over the book to Grumble, since he was the one who knew Cale originally.
Do I notice anything else in this area where Cale was hiding? Perception: 20
"Blackspear seem leave big many traps.
So many traps seem waste of time if not expect bandits want take precious things...
You think should still explore whole building try avoid traps...?"
Yalka, you search carefully. The other window is also trapped, but there's nothing else notable.
--+--+--
A minutes after the fight, a familiar figure forms next to the broken machinery. The smoky outline of a small humanoid made of gossamer shadowstuff rises out of the hole in the floor. Its attention, initially, is on the pump machinery, when suddenly it realizes it's not alone.
Everybody make a Perception check, DC 15. If you make it, you can take a partial action during the surprise round. Grumblenaught and Yalka are close enough to attack the shadow directly; Martaug and Valdisara would have to move to attack.
Once you've determined your actions for the surprise round, check the spoiler for the initiative order in Round One:
Valdisara rolls a 19 + 6 = 25.
Martaug rolls a 16 + 1 = 17.
The shadow acts on 16.
Yalka rolls a 8 + 2 = 10.
Grumblenaught rolls a 6 + 3 = 9.
Martaug's 'wolf' companion rolls a 5 + 2 = 7.
Startled at the sight of the shadowy figure emerging from the floor boards (making the check),
I silently ready the "Darkspear" slung across my back as I step up to corner it between me and the others (flanking it if possible), and strike at it's hazy form: 10 to-hit, 10 dmg (not counting enhancements on the Darkspear or Flanking)
Grumble is still peering out the window when the figure emerges, turning around only after Yalka has leapt into the fray, blinking as his eyes re-adjust to the darkness inside the milltower.
Valdisara, shaken by the ease with which Cale removed her from the fray, launches herself headlong at the incorporeal figure, her blade descending wide and uncontrolled in a wicked overhand cut. 1d20+4=10, 1d8+2=8
Martaug stands eyeing the machinery trap that narrowly missed him and remains oblivious to the form coalleasing. It isn't until Valdisara launches into her attack that his attention is wrestled away.
Pretty much. Valdisara was far enough away from the shadow that she had to move close to it during the surprise round. I'm taking her attack roll as the attack she makes during Round 1. She still has a move-equivalent action, if she'd like to take it before the shadow gets to act.
Yalka, the shimmering on the speartip didn't last all that long; it had dissipated before the fight with Cale had begun in earnest. But it's good enough to hit! The shadow clearly felt that, but it's still active.
Valdisara's attack simply passes through the figure.
Martaug moves to flank the wraith-like figure keeping his spear up ready to block and his weight shifting between feet .
Valdisara was far enough away from the shadow that she had to move close to it during the surprise round. I'm taking her attack roll as the attack she makes during Round 1. She still has a move-equivalent action, if she'd like to take it before the shadow gets to act.
Val grunts in frustration as her blade passes through the creature without affecting it. With a muttered prayer, she waits for its attack.
The shadow comes to its senses as it realizes you are surrounding it. (Everybody can presume you've got the little guy flanked.)
He lashes out at Vandisara and hits AC 20.. He sticks his hand straight through your throat, and an sense of dread washes over you. Take 3 points of strength damage.
To everyone else, Valdisara's next breath smells like a rotting corpse.
Everybody's up.
"Yeh, I have had enough o' yer foolery!" the Dwarf blusters, setting his antiquated crossbow down as he wraps both heavy-knuckled fists around the haft of his boar-spear and moves to attack.
"!Maa Varnat! !Shaadaa Varnat! !Rantaka Kalzankazt!!!", I yell in an inhuman voice (Draconic)
as I whip my spear thru the creature's general area (Enraged), but to no avail... (unless a 10 hits)
"Kthuuchata domtree nundaius!" the shouted chant rumbles out of Martaug and he feels the Path of All Growing Things open through him and positive energy arcs from his finger-tips. He swings at the nebulous form in front of him, shoving his glowing hands into its torso.
.
Grumblenaught, is that the spear you left town with, or one of the Blackspeare's weapons?
Martaug, excellent! The shadow looks shocked that you were able to affect it.
Valdisara, you're up, and then the shadow.
Grumblenaught, is that the spear you left town with, or one of the Blackspeare's weapons?
Grumble declined somewhere back around here. Looks like Martaug has the second spear.
Valdisara utters a soft grunt as she feels her strength ebbing away. "Come, foulspawn! I do not fear you!" she says, hefting her shield.
The shadow smiles wickedly at Valdisara and turns towards Martaug, looking down at the area on its chest where the druid made contact. At this range, you can all tell that this creature takes the form of a halfling, rather than a human child, and that the darkness in that area has abated somewhat. The shadow mouths a silent curse at Martaug and reaches for him. It hits him in the right shoulder, draining 1 point of strength.
It then moves 5', straight up. It's now hovering about 8' off the floor. All of you can reach it with weapons, but it's out of direct touch range, and you no longer flank it.
Martaug involuntarily grunts as the strength is leeched out of his body. He grits his teeth into a nasty snarling smile and passes the spear to his main hand. "Yer gonna have ta try harder'n dat ta sap me'a my stre'th, li'l shade." He plunges his spear into the dark figure, hoping it hurts the hidious little creep.
Excellent. It's clearly damaged, but still coherent.
Nope. It hit Martaug (on April 20th) and moved up a few feet. Martaug attacked again, and we're waiting on everybody else.
Chris:
Once you've determined your actions for the surprise round, check the spoiler for the initiative order in Round One:
Valdisara rolls a 19 + 6 = 25.
Martaug rolls a 16 + 1 = 17.
The shadow acts on 16.
Yalka rolls a 8 + 2 = 10.
Grumblenaught rolls a 6 + 3 = 9.
Martaug's 'wolf' companion rolls a 5 + 2 = 7.
I don't know if the Shadow/Martaug posted out of order, but I guess it's Yalka's turn now(?)
Lancing out at the Shadow with lightning speed, twice in succession:
19 to-hit for 13 dmg, and 25 to-hit (Nat. 20!), for 9 dmg (20 to Confirm for 27 dmg!)
"Black-Spear, Black-Spear, What'cha gonna do when WE got the Black-Spears?"
The shadow fades away, its mouth agape in some strange agony.
You all have some background in military matters, even Martaug to some extent. You realize that the shadow has been acting as a scout for the wights, as a force to reconnoiter and make initial attacks. So, either the Blackspeares themselves will be along shortly, or else you have a temporary tactical advantage.
"Think is true end this demon?", I ask Valdisara, unsure if the demon is truly gone.
"Yalka think same demon we fight at Barn before... Wonder how long before Blackspears miss their friend..."
I check out the floor again, is there some sort of trap door or loose board?
"What standing round for? Tell what is in book, Grumblenaught."
If we're worried about Blackspears coming down on us in hordes, we might want to split up to search the rest of the place...?
Martaug shrugs "I tink we should search da place, but I ain't sure we should split up. 'Course, wi't all da traps, I don't tink we should all stand tageder, either. Do we wanna cut dese ropes runnin' da machinery? We don't have ta destroy it completely, just slow down da operations..."
If no one else volunteers, Martaug will head toward the stairs taking a path he's convinced people have walked before and head up to the second level. The wolf will rejoin his side.
Sure thing. Out of combat, with plenty of time, you can disengage most of the traps that are set around here. (And there aren't any on the third level.)
The second level looks to be the work area for the water pump. It's the place where you'd have the best access to the mechanisms. If you wanted to fix the pump, this is where you'd spend most of your time. There's also a nook to the south, which was once living quarters for a single person.
The third floor looks to have been storage and sleeping quarters.
Yalka, the mechanisms continue down through large ports between the second and first floor (indeed, people coming in the door on first floor can easily see through the large hole in the center of the ceiling to the far walls on the second floor) and in the floor of the place, leading deep under the local ground.
I'll accompany Martaug upstairs.
If the highest floor is dark/windowless, maybe I'll leave it to him with his Orcish sight to search that area for clues as to what's been going on here, while I search the 2nd story nook. How recent does it look like it was used, for one?
...I take the hole on the ground floor is wide enough to climb down, at least for the brave/fool-hardy?
Two problems with climbing down the hole in the floorboards:
1) It's not really large enough at this point. There are parts of the pump machinery which descend through the floor a ways, and about a foot of empty space around the edge of that machinery. (Right now, there's damage to the engine, and one of the gear belts has been pulled down below the pumphouse, so there are two holes, about 2' in diameter, which don't have any equipment running through them at all.) The shadow, being insubstantial, could easily pass through the floor to examine the equipment.
2) There doesn't appear to be a solid floor below there, at least as far as your lights or sight extend down the shaft.