,
Yelm stays behind and enjoys some bed rest as his broken ribs heal. As you return to the depths of the dungeon and proceed past the still-burning remains of the treant, you hear the noise of rushing water ahead.
On your right hand a huge stone has been dragged through the sand and wedged into a crack to block off some sort of opening, and beyond it passages branch off left and right.
So, left, right or ahead or do you want to examine the stone? It is too big for any normal person to be able to move it. Then again, adventurers are hardly normal in any sense of the word.
Listening by the stone (Perception 15):
Pausing as she tilts her head toward the stone so she can listen, "Do you here that? Something is scratching at the other side." She takes a long look at the rock sizing it up.
"I believe that if we want to clear this area we can't really leave this rock here and untouched", Lyria says and readies herself for an upcoming battle.
Mahaffy smile and then say
let me try something " He moves near the stone Hullo there !Would you be an ogre ?
"Right, 'cause that's suuure to work"
No answer is fortcoming, just more scratching.
Perception 20:
Perception
Perception
Putting her ear to the stone she frowns, "Sounds like the baying of a howler. Used to hear that out on the plains. Not sure though, could just be something moaning."
Perception
I think that would louder. some kind of undead maybe . Anyway , if it can not communicate , it must not be a thinking creature .
"Whatever that is, I don't like the idea of leaving it untouched and behind us, even though the passage is blocked now".
What you hear sounds like a howler muffled by a very large rock.
Roylenna favors the dwarf with a wrinkled nose when he asks the mystery creature if it is an ogre. Bored, she walks around the cavern looking for something more interesting than a rock.
Perception
Massive footprints there are, yeah. Looks like something large and with cloven hoofs. A Survival check or maybe Knowledge (something) might tell you more.
Knowledge (Arcane)
"Wow! Look at this, guys!"
Know. Planes
"So I'm thinking some cloven hoofed bastard, probably a minotaur, because that's just how our luck goes, put this here to keep the howler at bay. Which means that it's probably starving and will eat the next hapless person to move the rock if we don't take care of this."
"Don't some devils have cloven hooves? Or is that just imaginary stuff?" She looks around the cavern a bit nervously from where she stands, "Gregori, you can see bad stuff, right? I mean, you can see that it's bad? Do you? See any, I mean?"
Gregori smiles at Roylenna nodding.
"I know what you mean."
The Paladin's eyes take on a brilliant blue-white glow going pupiless as he scans the area.
Knowledge arcana
Knowledge Religion
Knowledge Dungeoneering
Knowledge local
Knowledge planes
Laughing out loud, "I don't think if a person could move this they would be very.......hapless Gregori." She begins to dig out some sand on this side so the rock will be easier to move toward us.
All you can figure out is that it could well be a minotaur, but it would be an unusual kind. This one has a tail. The size and build is consistent with a minotaur, though.
If you want to try to move the rock it's simply a strength check. At least two of you can use Aid Another if you like.
Looking over toward Roylenna, "You wanna make me big so I can move this thing?"
Roylenna looks doubtful, "I think I want to find the thing that put the rock there first, before we wear ourselves out on its pet."
"I agree with Gregori. We should take care of this creature before advancing on and looking for whoever put it behind this rock".
Well, it's a Strength 26 check to move the rock, so be my guest.
Mahaffy will assist ..
or not in fact ...
With only a little help from the rest of you, Ka'kara manages to push the giant boulder aside, releasing three very annoyed howlers.
Roll for initiative. I'll get a map up later today.
Init
Init.
Roylenna sighs with an "I told you so" attitude and prepares to do what she can.
Initiative
The dogs go on 12, so I Artival, Roylenna and whoever else beats 12 can act.
Artival steps back to K15, and fires a bolt of lightning at the howler at H1.
Ranged Touch Attack for Scorching Ray
Damage
The horrible smell of abyssal flesh burning spreads as Artival's bolt hits home. Roylenna conjures a ghostly hand.
Still waiting for initiatives from Ka'kara, Mahaffy and Gregori.
Initiative
Mahaffy will move to I12 and strike the howler at H1
I hit it ! I hit it ! (ok not for much but still ... )
Ka'kara is up, then I'll resolve Mahaffy and then the beasties.
Ka'kara attempts to stab the howler with her spear but catches the wall in the narrow confines.
1d20+10
1d8+16Ka'kara attempts to stab the howler with her spear but catches the wall in the narrow confines.
Ka'kara's spear attack misses and she tries to move back letting the dogs out. Mahaffy steps into the fray and hits the howler in the side. He gets stung by the quills for 4 points of damage and a Reflex 14 or it gets stuck. The howler snaps at Mahaffy, but the canny dwarf is too quick for it. The other howlers set up a fearful baying, echoing down the dungeon.
Your turn, all of you.
Gregori steps forward, blade flashing as he strikes.
"Time to shut these things up"
Lyria fires a bolt at a howler, scratching it.