Looks like I have 1 CLW left
"Yes, Bruthazmus. I thought he was going to be trouble for awhile, and then he disappeared. I wasn't surprised that he left. He resented that Nualia was more powerful than him."
Orik leads you back to the room with the stairs and gestures to the northern door.
Beyond the north door is a long hall with ornate double doors on the left wall. The torchlight flickering across their carved faces make the lurid figures seem to writhe. The scenes picture a menagerie of females of various races birthing monstrosities into the world.
At the far end of the hall is a door that is slightly ajar. Beyond this door is a small room with walls covered in mostly unintelligible graffiti. One picture portrays the cliff-sided island of Thisteltop from the side. The stockade is clearly pictured on top. In the center of the island - under the structure - is a circle containing a huge goblin with a knife in both hands. Snakes come out of the goblin's eye-sockets and its mouth is filled with huge teeth.
Oh Ok then let's do the study then the chapel, I'll take 20 on searching the doors for traps. That gives me a 21 search.
The door leads to a room with a large table in its center that is covered with papers. Among them you find several sketched maps of Sandpoint. There's also a list of goblin tribe names with numbers beside them. Mosswoods, Licktoads, Birdcrunchers... the numbers are a little alarming.
"She's got allies from as far as the Fogscar mountains," Shal remarks, looking over Yod's shoulder. "And some of these arrows show Licktoads - southern swamp goblins - attacking the town from the moors. The threat south of the town may be greater than we'd reckoned."
There's also a few notes that mention the Catacombs of Wrath under Sandpoint's Glassworks. There are sketches of "Sinspawn" - the split jawed monsters you fought in the catacombs, as well as a name for the fallen quasit - Erylium.
A stariway opens on the east wall of the room that leads to steps up to the stockade (these are the ones he and Lyrie used to come up).
In the next room there is a desk, a chair, and piles of brushes and shovels. Beside the desk is a concealed door that is propped ajar with a rock. Beyond the concealed door is a rough stairway headed down.
The desk has a small stack of books on it, one of which is certainly a wizard's book of spells. Another contains descriptions of several of the regions most famous ruins from the old kingdom. Another describes archaeology method. Two others are in a language none of you knows.
Notes consist mostly of sketches of old kingdom architecture. Several of the subjects of the sketches lie scattered about the chamber. Someone's been cataloging the ruins.
Great lots more Goblins coming, I guess I'll have to learn to cleave some day.
So lots of papers and books and drawings but nothing to kill, on to the Chapel then.
Everyone stay back just in case I miss any traps on the chapel doors,
if any doors down here will be protected it would be these.
I shove the notes and papers in around my person...wherever I happen to keep these things. Someone back in town would be interested in all this, and I don't particularly want to come back later for a visit.
"Are there ways we can tell what goblin comes from what tribe? Seems that would be useful information."
Sari holds the torch and keeps up with the others. She misses the wide open spaces her family's caravans usually occupy.
"This fascination with dark places some beings have is rather unnerving."
"Are there ways we can tell what goblin comes from what tribe?
"Of course. Sometimes its hard because the tribes are close kin, then you have to read fetishes and such. But its very simple to see the difference between Licktoads, for instance, and these highland goblins with the long noses. Licktoads look more... toady. Damned treacherous creatures in a swamp."
"The Mosswoods are nearest and dearest to my heart. Definitely the most numerous. They look really just like this lot to me. The fetishes they wear are wooden, though. Hopefully they're being massacred by cavalry somewhere this morning."
"All the goblins we faced here were Thistletop goblins - loyal to Ripnugget, and apparently to Nualia. There were some bird-cruncher goblins out by the shaman. And you found the remains of their leader Koruvus."
Yod finds no lock or trap on the heavy wooden doors. The door yields to a push with a mild groan. Beyond the door is a pillared hall that leads to a chapel with a short dais in its center. Atop the dais is a jet black alter. Braziers hang down by long chains from the chapel ceiling, boiling forth streams of musky smoke that coat the floor in an eerie, ankle-deep layer. At the back of the chapel is a ten-foot statue of a pregnant female that has the head of a jackal. She holds two kukris (exotic blades) in arms extended above her head. One blade flickers with blue light, the other red.
Perhaps oddest of all the sights of the room are two massive black hounds floating in the air above the altar. As the door opens they turn the wretched faces to the sound. Their eye-sockets are smoldering black ruin.
Oh well it's ben fun traveling with you guys!!
Oh well it's ben fun traveling with you guys!!
I'll move to 11,14 and hide 13+9=22 and defer my attack till something comes within range
Yod puts his back to the closed door and does his best to grow skinny.
"Die, you abomination!"
Cha's blade makes contact with the monster, but its hide turns the blow sending the shock of impact down the druid's arm.
Sari takes two giant steps forward, and casts magic missiles at the lovely doggies.
"I'm really getting tired of being a dog catcher. I don't even like dogs...present company excluded."
The black of the monster's hide seems to swallow the twin missiles. It yelps in pain, and its voice seems to come as much from within your head as from without.
Shal turns the corner, levels her longbow and sends a shaft flying straight into the same hound. If the monster felt the blow, however, it did not show it.
Orik charges through the doors and ducks through the columns to come up on Cha's left flank. His bastard sword is held high, poised for a killing thrust.
Eberk runs headlong toward the fight but cannot quite make it into the fray... on account of his stubby little legs and whatnot. He curses his short-strided forebearers.
The hound that everyone has targeted launches itself at the charging Orik but is turned away by the shield. Orik staggers from the force of the blow but is unharmed.
The second dog closes ranks with its companion as is descends to the floor. It let's out a terrifyingly loud howl that brings water to everyone's eyes.
Will save 20+1=21
Each of you has passed your save. Nevertheless, both Shal and Eberk drop their weapons to the ground and hold the sides of their heads in pain.
I'll move to 6,15 and take a whack at the dog in 5,14
Atk 17+7=24 Dmg 7+7=14
Yod's swing should have taken the monster's head off, but instead it only phases the creature for a moment. It shakes off the blow and renews its assault on Orik and Cha.
"Back to where you came from beast!
"Yod, it's a demon...like the quasit. Use Spice!"
Sari looks at the fray in the room. "Man, there's a lot of testosterone in there! Do we help them Shal, or just watch the show from here. Oh, what the hell. I don't like to let the men have all the fun! Let's see what this here wand can do."
Sari waves the wand of missiles around until something shoots out. She is aiming at the same dog as before.
Cha cuts in viciously but the hound's abyssal hide again turns the blade. Cha senses that only a perfectly placed blow has a chance of doing any real damage to this abomination.
Sari's missile streaks into combat, startling everyone and causing the demon dog to yelp in pain. The glowing dart carves a furrow in its hide that trails a black fog rather than blood.
It's yelping causes both Shal and Eberk to break and run. You fear that poor Ishah might get carried away by the panicking dwarf but she manages to squeeze by and comes over to stand by Sari. She whines and dances on the spot, clearly waiting for the chance to attack the otherwordly canine menaces surrounding her master.
Orik commits fully to his killing stab but the nimble monster leaps over the blade and hovers there in the air as it returns the attack. Its jaws close on the fighter's outstretched arm, mauling his flesh and nearly tearing away the grieve.
'Damned witch-spawn mutt! Joker take thee back to hell!'
The second monster darts in like a viper and latches hold of Yod's ankle. In a flash it has twisted its body around towards the thief's other leg in an attempt to take him down.
Str chk 13+5=18
I'll drop the morning star and draw the cold iron dagger, then attack the one trying to trip me.
Atk 15+8=23 dmg if any 2+5=7
Yod connects with the glittering blade, but it fails to penetrate the dog's hide.