Round One
Idiah, you may make an attack of opportunity against AC 18 (even though you haven't acted yet this round). The centipedes deal 6 points of damage, and the bites require a Fortitude saving throw, please from Idiah to resist the deadly venom.
Idiah, you need to make a second, different Fortitude save to avoid being overcome with nausea. If you avoid the nausea, you can attack.
Fortitude vs. venom: 1d20+4=17. Fort vs. nausea:1d20+4=22; AOO v. bugs=1d20+1=2
Idiah itches as the centipedes bite her , but the creepy crawlies don't nauseate her at all; she's seen much more disgusting movements from her past life as a camp follower. She swings clumsily at the cawlies with her axe, but fails to hit them -- she's just been distracted by the arrow shot from the trees.
Round 2
The centipedes biting through her boots manage to to strike a vein. Idiah is desanguinating rapidly, feeling her own blood sucked out into the bellies of the rotten-smelling creatures. Ick!
Seeing Arien holding out his hand, she decides it's a good idea to try to move away from the swarms, but first she takes another swipe at the bugs.
I rolled another 1. She misses spectacularly again!
Idiah moves east 30 ft. as a move action. Hopefully that will get her out of range.
Also, anther Fort save and another nausea save:1d20+4=18; 1d20+4=21. It looks like she isn't poisoned or nauseaus.
Priapus stands and walks 5 ft away from the swarm of centipedes at a right angle and starts to sing Inspire Courage +1 vs charm and fear, and on attack and damage rolls
"Some things in life are bad
They can really make you mad
Other things just make you swear and curse.
When you're chewing on life's gristle
Don't grumble, give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best...
And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...
If life seems jolly rotten
There's something you've forgotten
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps
Don't be silly chumps
Just purse your lips and whistle - that's the thing.
And...always look on the bright side of life...
Always look on the light side of life...
For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin - give the audience a grin
Enjoy it - it's your last chance anyhow."
"For life is quite absurd
For life is quite absurd "
Idiah thinks, That's a very catchy tune...Great, now I'll hear it in my head all day.
I call out clearly. "Have any of you faced such foes before?"
"We used fire once to keep back a plague of snakes!" Merian shouts, pulling centipedes out of her armor.
Kael will investigate the area around the cave and just inside the cave if it appears safe.
I hurriedly tear off my pack and begin to rummage through it, tugging anxiously at my chin.
"Come on, come on, come on - Oh perfect spite! No torches! Have you any?"
"I am sorry I do not.
Wish that I did. I did.
Next time I am in town.
In Town.
For life is quite absurd.
For life is quite absurd."
All of you are out of the swarms.
225 experience apiece for everybody but Kael.
Kael,
The cave is clearly man-made. (These surface people couldn't build a realistic cave if their lives depended on it.) It curves after a few dozen feet, so you can't quite see down its length, but it heads in the general direction of the castle. At this distance, it would either have to dip and go under the wall, or head straight into or through the wall.
back away from the swarms still singing
After several more seconds, during which another handful of centipedes appear from within her armor or out of her hair and are thrown aside, Merian shakes herself, clearly trying to regain her composure. Then she crosses to Idiah, examining the bites she took and shaking her head. "I'm afraid those things might have been poisonous," Merian says, still trembling slightly, "but if they were, I can't do much about it. I can do something for the bites, though." She lifts her holy symbol out of her shirt and presses it gently against Idiah's arm, murmuring a brief prayer. Idiah's wounds quickly begin to close. With a smile, Merian steps away again, then does the same for herself.
"It seems this would be a good entrance for us but I would like to know where the gate is too."
Kael and Brother Seamus will go look for the main gate but we will not approach. We are just going to spot it from its relation to the cave. After that we will head back to the group.
"Thank you, Merian. Your prayers really do work miracles!...I don't think that those crawlies managed to poison me, though. I didn't feel any venom when they bit me." Idiah smirks, glad that she kept her cool against the bugs, even when they unnerved the demon-fighter.
Kael and Brother Seamus will go look for the main gate but we will not approach. We are just going to spot it from its relation to the cave. After that we will head back to the group.
After a bit of investigation, it looks like the main entrance has been buried for years, perhaps decades. The cave is, more property, a tunnel, leading either to the gate itself or, angain, perhaps dropping down and going under the wall.
Kael, as you and Brother Seamus turn to make your way back, surreptitiously avoiding the gaze of any watchmen, you see up ahead of you a wondrous sight: the rest of the party is hooting and hollering, jumping all around and gesticulating wildly. You hear Priapus' song as well. If there are guards on the walls, they've certainly seen your comrades.
We will hide and see if guards appear.
Priapus will walk around looking to see if there is any other obvious danger.
"Is there anything else?"
Priapus will start scratching his arms where he crawled through the bushes.
I spot Kael and Brother Seamus aghast at our frolics, and nervously cease my hooting.
"oh, um, hi guys.... so um find anything useful?"
We will hide and see if guards appear.
I spot Kael and Brother Seamus aghast at our frolics, and nervously cease my hooting.
Unlikely, Valtiro. Make a Spot roll, against DC 23. Kael and Brother Seamus are very good at hiding.
"oh, um, hi guys.... so um find anything useful?"
No one is there yet to hear your words, but...
...from the lands near the castle, you see a small cart, pulled by a donkey, slowly make its way towards you. There are at least two passengers, both human. They make no attempt at stealth, and one waves at you all from a distance.
Kael
Kael and Brother Seamus will follow as close as we can and still stay hidden.
Merian turns to watch the cart approach with a mixture of curiosity and wariness, tightening her grip on her shield but leaving her sword sheathed for now.
Idiah holsters her axe; she walks over to where she dropped her bow and arrow and picks them up. She is about to return the arrow to her quiver when she sees the cart approaching from near the castle and decides to have the ammo on hand.
Damn. I guess I continue to holler obliviously then. Except now I'm hollering to get the attention of the people in the cart.
Priapus will wave back and smile blissfully all the while making sure his weapons are secure and at the ready.
"oh, um, hi guys.... so um find anything useful?"
Idiah says, "No. Did you find anything?" She scratches at her monstrous bug bites, mirroring Priapus scratching at his poison ivy rashes.
*scratch scratch scratch*
" No nothing much, really."
Priapus looks up and as if noticing the wagon for the first time coming slowly the parties way.
"oh, I wonder if they are nice? or have breakfast? You know cause we were taken away from an awfully nice farmstead were a nice lady was going to cook us food, for a nice attack of bugs and plant life."
"I could've done worse than a steak breakfast, it must be said."
The two men are dressed in loose-fitting yellow robes, tied with simple, unbleached hemp belts. Each wears a silver pin over his left breast, in the shape of a sunburst. They appear to be fit and in excellent health.
The man on the left, shaven bald and six inches taller than his companion, shows you his palms in a short bow. "Greetings, brothers and sisters under the sun. We saw you making your way to the castle."
The other man grins, showing several missing teeth. He's heavier-set with tufts of dark brown hair around his ears. "'Tis true. We thought we'd come out and greet ye, an' see if there were any way we could see t' yer needs, or elsewise assist ye in yer travels."
Kael
The men following behind these two are also wearing yellow robes, but both you and Brother Seamus can hear the soft flow of chainmail on one of them. They both carry crossbows -- the man on the left has a heavier one, knocked and ready to fire; the nearer one has a smaller one, with silver traceries. It's unloaded, but he's carrying a bolt in his other hand. They each have shortswords at their belts as well.
Kael,
Somewhere in between.
Brother Seamus whispers, "Dost thou think them merely prudent, or something more sinister?" He looks behind him, checking if he can see anyone sneaking up on you, who are sneaking up on the men in yellow, who might be sneaking up on the rest of the party.
The two men are dressed in loose-fitting yellow robes, tied with simple, unbleached hemp belts. Each wears a silver pin over his left breast, in the shape of a sunburst. They appear to be fit and in excellent health.
The man on the left, shaven bald and six inches taller than his companion, shows you his palms in a short bow. "Greetings, brothers and sisters under the sun. We saw you making your way to the castle."
The other man grins, showing several missing teeth. He's heavier-set with tufts of dark brown hair around his ears. "'Tis true. We thought we'd come out and greet ye, an' see if there were any way we could see t' yer needs, or elsewise assist ye in yer travels."
Kael
** spoiler omitted **
Merian steps forward, watching the men warily. "In the name of Iomedae the Inheritor," she says, "I greet you both. Have you just come from the castle? You are... not who we expected to find there."
Idiah stops scratching and nocks the arrow, not exactly threatening the people in the cart, but not letting down her guard either. She lets Merian be the "face" of the party.
~priapus will stand behind Idiah, where his view will be the best, and it will be easy to take cover.~
"Hello how you folks on this nice warm day? Did ya see all the bugs? Man I didn't think they were ever going to go away. Oh, and watch out for the Poison Ivy, I will be scratching for weeks Because of it I think."
~Smiles broadly
Aldan, the insignia would suggest that these men worship some solar deity, most likely Sarenrae.
The bald man nods indulgently at Priapus. "Understandable. We tried tilling the land out here back when we settled in the fortress, and found much the same as you. The soil is rich, but it's too dangerous to tend the fields here."
To Merian, "We have been recovering the lost chapterhouse of our order for some months now, but our vows include an oath of self-reliance, so it is hardly surprising that our presence is unexpected."
His companion seems to be a simpler man. He turns to you and asks, "Who might ya been expectin'?"
Idiah, the men pull the cart to a stop perhaps 50 feet away from you. Perhaps they're being cautious, but they might also be hiding something.
The bald man nods indulgently at Priapus. "Understandable. We tried tilling the land out here back when we settled in the fortress, and found much the same as you. The soil is rich, but it's too dangerous to tend the fields here."
"Oh I bet. Did you try planting foods that the local wildlife don't like. I would plant radishes. I bet they don't like radishes. I don't like radishes. But sometimes food is food. So why did you settle at the fortress, especially if the farming is so, dangerous? Or do you like danger? I sometimes like danger but only when it isn't really dangerous. Like a good story. Are you wearing armor under those robes? Because if you are not I suggest you get some. The wolves out around this way, are hella mean."
To Merian, "We have been recovering the lost chapterhouse of our order for some months now, but our vows include an oath of self-reliance, so it is hardly surprising that our presence is unexpected."
His companion seems to be a simpler man. He turns to you and asks, "Who might ya been expectin'?"
"Orcs," Merian says bluntly. "Orc slavers." Something is not right here... If the girl's story is true, then these men must be lying... but if they are telling the truth, then the girl's story is a lie...
"Orcs," Merian says bluntly. "Orc slavers."
The small man looks startled. He demands, "What do ye know 'bout--"
His larger companion places a calming hand on his shoulder. "And well should you be concerned. There are indeed orcs in these hills; some of them had set up camp in the fortress's basculade and fired arrows down upon us a couple minutes each evening till we drove them off.
"We're sure they left through underground passages. My advice would be to take care near any caves you might see. Keep a healthy distance, unless, as your warlike attire suggests, you are in a hunting mood."
Are you wearing armor under those robes? Because if you are not I suggest you get some.
"Why, of course not."
Kael
One of the to rear men breaks off, heading left and circling clockwise around the party. The other bend down and loads a bolt on his crossbow. They are both taking pains to be stealthy.
"Orcs," Merian says bluntly. "Orc slavers."The small man looks startled. He demands, "What do ye know 'bout--"
His larger companion places a calming hand on his shoulder. "And well should you be concerned. There are indeed orcs in these hills; some of them had set up camp in the fortress's basculade and fired arrows down upon us a couple minutes each evening till we drove them off.
"We're sure they left through underground passages. My advice would be to take care near any caves you might see. Keep a healthy distance, unless, as your warlike attire suggests, you are in a hunting mood."
Merian's eyes narrow as she studies the two men.
Idiah, still facing the men in the cart, asks, "Arien, do you recognize these monks as brothers of your order?...Arien?"
Sense Motive (untrained): 9
Idiah completely believes the monks' story, but she is curious to know if Arien recognizes the monks.
The moment seems to stretch...
Kicks the dirt waiting for something to happen.
Merian's eyes narrow as she studies the two men.
Merian, it seems clear to you that they are delaying you, trying to keep you here as long as possible.
Idiah, still facing the men in the cart, asks, "Arien, do you recognize these monks as brothers of your order?...Arien?"
Idiah, you turn to Arien to see him staring at the two men, in a quiet fit of some kind, trying to get his emotions under control. "I recognize the one on the right, I --"
At that, the smaller man smiles and says, "Come back, have'e? That's right considerate of ye, and ye've brought us some more stock, as well."
The bald man next to him looks appalled. His voice turns a shade harder. "Malric, we didn't invest in this cover story so you could blow it thirty seconds after we meet anyone. In another couple of minutes, we'd have had them giving up their weapons and walking into the courtyard unarmed and uninjured.
He turns to you as he pulls a loaded crossbow from the wagon. "We can do this one of two ways. We can shoot you with Wasp Venom, a poison that locks your muscles, and haul all your bodies to the Dark Market, or you can let us have the escapee there and, um, that one (he says, gesturing at Aldan) and be on your way.
Kael, Brother Seamus turns to you and whispers, "By Juniper and cantrips! We've found our slavers."
Idiah thinks, Oh no! They were lying! She is not about to give up without a fight, though. An arrow already nocked, she shoots at the slaver who is speaking with her shortbow. Attack: 1d20+4=21.