"So far the ones screaming the loudest have determined when retreat occurs.  Though this may be biased by my mostly working guarding merchant caravans, when the one paying the bill starts screaming usually you listen."

  Kyle wonders how little free time Gilant will have if they take time to smack every moron upside the head, even limiting himself to his own kind.

OOC Style:  Rolled for once the fight happens.
Kyle Initiatives: 11
??? Initiative: 25

Outside of initiatives and Chris making a map, I'd assume we're all set.

In response to Shale's point, Angel says, "Just like every other race."

May nods to Shale, then chuckles from Gilant's request for first dibs to smack people. "I'll try to leave the backs of their heads in tact for you to smack, Gilant." she says only half-joking. She does intend to do as she promised if they face any gith. She then asides to the one member of the party that makes her feel big, "If it's time to run, I'll tell you to. With Kyle here, I trust I'll be able to hold off the enemy, follow you guys and still be OK."

(Initiatives:)
Angel: 19+5 = 24
May: 3+4 = 7

Combat Starts!  Things happen in initiative order from here on in.

  Sinruth looks up from a pocket watch as the GM Green light turns on, then advances down the hallway carrying his implied casting of light lantern.

  He comes to a stop at the north edge of the Mehirs room, eying the party across from him and letting the lantern clatter to the ground.  "Hmmph, looks like I need to pound some sense into my underlings.  You sure as hell's aren't a bunch of shifters."

  Sinruth cricks his neck, taking up his spiked chain in both hands (Say, aren't those the Gauntlet's you're looking for?).  "I'm out a few coppers betting against the Kobld though.  No loss, I'll just take it out of you when I'm done."

  Hmm, something is missing from this Boss fight... Ah, there we go.  Floating Subtitles.

---

  I moved the party up to the actual encounter rooms, so we wouldnt have yet another First encounter Turn with the Not-So-Epic result of both Monsters and PC's spending the whole turn moving through halls and stairs.  Alas, Sinruth couldn't skip that himself due to a designated start location.  Can't even pop off an AP to charge at party despite moving them closer.

  Sinruth
Move: To M9
Move: to O12
Minor: Whatever about Lanterns and proper two handed wielding of chains.

Sinruth HP: 185/185 (Bloodied 92)

May says, "There *were* shifters with us. They decided to move on to the next town."

Angel charges forward in anime-ninja fashion, going inhuman speeds and grabs hold of Sinruth, slamming him into the nearby Menhir. She throws her fist at his gut, immediately followed by her wrist, elbow and shoulder like some 4-hit combo and then backs away enough to be ready for another attack.

If this were a fighting game, even Sinruth's bar just budged by over a fifth!

---

(Move: from P21 to P13)
(Standard: Open the Gate of Battle v Sinruth. Hit(25)!)
 dmg: 28
(Free: Centered Flurry of Blows)
 dmg: 5, slide Sinruth from O12 to O13

Poor Sinruth. It's almost like having a good initiative doesn't matter. At least you got him ready for battle, though.

Sinruth HP: 185 - 33 = 152 and will take 1d6 dmg from Menhir on the start of his turn.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:18, Thu 01 Dec 2011.

Icarus finds a spot to snipe from and snipes!  The tiny ice arrow hits the Hobgoblin Chieftain in the neck, passes completely through, poking out the other side!

---

Move from R22 to Q20.  icarus stealth 1d20 +12 = 10 + 12 = 22  Minor Quarry.

Sure Shot v Sinruth 1d20 +10 >= 22
18 + 10 = 28 ... success

damage 3d8 +1d6 +8 = 6 + 2 + 6 + 3 + 8 = 25

reroll 2nd damage die 1d8=1

Sinruth HP: 152-24 = 128
This message was last edited by the player at 17:21, Thu 01 Dec 2011.

  Kyle is about to compliment Icarus on their graphic killshot, but then he realizes Sinruth is still standing and it apparently only annoyed the guy.  Maybe they are a well spoken undead like those Ghouls?

  Amidst all these impressive attacks,  Kyle... Does not attack, walking to a point where Sinruth is more easily visible and summoning that floating clockwork eye again.  Well, at least he's helping ensure they will get hurt more.

---

  Kyle
Move: Q21 to N20
Standard: Punishing Eye, placed at M15

Effects: Punishing Eye: Enemies within 3 of Eye do not benefit from concealment.  When an Ally attacks an enemy within 3 of Eye and Hits, Enemy takes Int(4) Psychic DMG. I can move Eye 3 as a Move Action.

Kyle HP: 33/33 S 9/9 V 8 Inf 2.

May rushes around one of the pillars and charges at Sinruth. As she hits him soundly with her gauntlet axe, Kyle's clockwork eye glares at Sinruth making his mind reel a bit. Still, as scary as the eye is, May is the immediate threat now as the little reptile growls at him.

---

(Move: P20 to L15)
(Standard: Charge from L15 to N13. Hit(27)!)
 dmg: 9 + 4 (Punishing Eye)

Sinruth HP: 128 - 13 = 115

Shale quickly invokes the power of his Stoneskin Cloth armor before having Blinky move up so Shale can unleash the illusory power of Phantom Chasm upon Sinruth, who shrieks in terror, as he believes that a bottomless pit has opened up beneath his feet, due to the illusion that Shale has put into Sinruth's mind. Sinruth falls prone and is temporarily immobilized due to the power of Shale's Phantom Chasm.


[OOC: Minor Action: Stoneskin cloth armor power activation, Shale gains 5 temporary hit points.
Move Action: Shale riding on Blinky moves up to O19.
Standard Action: Phantom Chasm (Vs Will): 1d20 +7 >= 12 -> 15 + 7 = 22 hits for 15 psychic damage, including the bonus from Punishing Eye.
Sinruth HP: 115 - 15 = 100HP left. Sinruth is prone and immobilized until the end of Shale's next turn.
Phantom Chasm now is a zone size close burst 1 centered on Sinruth's current position. Any enemy that enters the zone falls prone. This zone lasts until the end of the encounter.
And yes Shale plans to use Hypnotism to keep making Sinruth move back to the spot he is currently at which would prone him again every time he stands up.]

Gilant quickly places his curse on Sinruth before marching up to Sinruth as his sword begins to glow while shouting,  “How about I 'pound' you until you agree to become my underling!” as Gilant's blade crackles with Eldritch energy as his strike lands a devastating blow landing close to Sinruth's heart as the blade momentarily sinks deep into Sinruth's flesh searing it passing through a gap in Sinruth's armor before Gilant removes his blade.

Shale is quick to speak up, “I believe you mean our underling.”

Gilant chuckles cruelly, “Whatever. Having him clean up after Blinky would probably toughen him up.”

Blinky purrs at hearing his name mentioned.

[OOC: Minor Action: Place Curse on Sinruth. Due to Leather Armor of Dark Majesty Gilant now has +2 defenses vs Sinruth's attacks. (Stacks with prone penalty and May's mark penalty if that is triggered.)
Free Action: All damage dealt by the Sunblade is Radiant damage.
Move Action: Move to O14.
Standard Action: Eldritch Strike vs Sinruth (With CA) CRIT! extra crit dmg is 1d6->6 for a total of 36 damage with Punishing Eye factored in.
Sinruth HP: 100 - 36 = 64 (Bloodied) Gilant chooses to not use the slide aspect of Eldritch Strike as he wants Sinruth to stay where he is.
Action Point: Intimidate attempt on the now bloodied Sinruth with Free action: Arcane Mutterings being used to use Arcana instead of Intimidate. 1d20 +10 -> 19 + 10 = 29 this beats Sinruth's modified Will of 22 (12+10 for being hostile). Sinruth is 'Cowed.' The adventurer forces a bloodied monster to surrender, gets a monster to reveal a secret, or cows a monster into taking some other action. This skill is not mind control, so a cowed monster is unlikely to take any action that would cause immediate harm to itself. Gilant is trying to get Sinruth to surrender since he doubts the group will actually let him and Shale keep Sinruth as a minion.]
This message was last edited by the player at 04:15, Tue 13 Dec 2011.

  Alas, it seemed that Sinruth was a Solo in name only, lacking the usual important details most get with the title such as, oh, Fear Immunity.  Two thirds of their Hitpoints Gone in one round, even with some of the PC's using either At-Will attacks only or not attacking in the first place.

  "Aaaaugh wait why aren't you falling too?"  Sinruth takes this moment of clarity from his floor position to spit out a tooth...  Did anyone even hit him in the face?  Does it matter at this point?

  Meanwhile, Monster Intern shakes their head in disgust, checking out on the punchclock.  They only get paid for single round battles if the Monsters win.

OOC Style: Considering I'm hopeful that someday Peter can pull off just exactly these kinds of 'Intimidate = shut down end boss' antics someday, to these events I say 'Works for me!  Story time narrator's problem now!'

  Still, if we had any say in the following, Sinruth draws the line at cleaning up after displacer beasts.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:59, Tue 13 Dec 2011.

  "If not for what I'd seen people go through yesterday, I'd think this was a little unfair...  Oh who am I kidding, it's never unfair when it's in your favor."  Of course, this isn't entirely true.  The vicious one-sided beatdown he had just witness in their favor for once means he won't mean spiritedly suggest they force Sniruth to lick one of the freezing stones.

  "Maybe I can sleep through the next fight, but that would be unprofessional."  Don't be so hard on yourself Kyle, you added 12 psychic damage to the fight after all, that's just short of what May pulled of with said psychic damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:12, Tue 13 Dec 2011.

Icarus doesn't say a word, because he's trying to sneak.  What with trying to be a sniper and all.  He lines up his next shot, but hesitates for two reasons: One, prone targets are harder to hit.  Two, Kyle didn't attack.  Why didn't Kyle attack?  He has a crossbow.  He mentioned unfair in his favor isn't a bad thing.  From the looks of things, the magical gnome has convinced the enemy that he's falling...  Wouldn't now be the best time to finish this guy off?  Maybe people are having second thoughts that this guy even deserves being finished off.  Maybe this isn't one of the bad-guys at all.

---

OOC: Stealth Mod: 12.  Sinruth passive perc: 13.  Just need to roll a 2 to get CA.  Rolled a 1.  -.-  Ah well.  Combat over anyway, but still.  Game mechanics wise, Icarus is readying Two Fanged Strike.  I'd like Tim's chars a chance to react before I take back over Sinruth, but if it looks like either of them are going to hit him while he's down, he's let go of his weapon and raise his hands and say "I surrender!"

My brain is failing to grasp how things look to him right now...  He's falling in a bottomless pit, but still surrounded by exotic foes who are flying downward at the exact same speed but standing vertical like they're DBZ fighters who are used to fighting midair or something.  Even the gnome's mount doesn't seem phased by the pit...  Stealth pun!  Displacer Beast isn't phased!

Angel throws a kick at the seemingly coming-to-his-senses Sinruth, and Sinruth seems to take the kick like a man, while rolling with it a little.

---

Standard: Crane's Wings v Sinruth. Miss(15)

Attacking because Sinruth didn't surrender.

May swings at Sinruth, not putting much into it as she feels the guy is pretty much defeated. Her fail of a swing proves only to catch his attention. Nothing more.

---

Standard: Weapon Master's Strike v Sinruth. Miss(15)

...what's with my 15's?

"Hey!" Sinruth says, "Cut it out!  I said I surrender!"

He lets go of his weapon and puts his hands behind his head.

Icarus was juuust about to shoot him when Angel and May continued the attack.

"Nuh uh," he says, lowering his bow a bit, "No you didn't say you surrender.  And that weapon is still in your reach.  Someone take it from him, please?"

Even as quick as Angel is, May LOVES weapons. She was already reaching for it the moment Sinruth dropped it.

(OOC: Since this is out of pose order, I will obviously accept someone else taking the weapon before May does, but just had to stay in character for her. XD She collects weapons like I collect D&D books)

Shale has Blinky move forward a bit as Shale uses Mage hand to 'remotely' pick up the spiked chain when Sinruth drops it. Shale notices May is reaching for the spiked chain so Shale uses the mage hand to move the spiked chain up into the air as if taunting may with it for a few seconds before having the mage hand drop the spiked chain into May's hands.

Shale says, “I believe now is the time to restrain him, and let him move from that spot before the pillar kills him.” as Shale hasn't overlooked the fact that if the group does nothing but keep Sinruth where he is, the cold pillar will slowly kill him.

Gilant takes the silk rope out of his backpack and says, “If we are going to restrain him we can use this, unless someone has a better idea.” Gilant looks a bit disappointing in that the fight ended as fast as it did, but is content to know that none of the group got hurt since the fight ended as abruptly as it began. “But on the other hand, if he tries to cause trouble or resist being restrained, we could always knock him out and tie him to one of these pillars and wait for him to turn into an iceblock.”

It is obvious that while Gilant is ready for Sinruth to try and start more trouble, he isn't going to attack unless Sinruth tries something, and that if Sinruth does try something, Gilant won't be likely to give Sinruth a second chance to surrender.

  There of course was an important point of Gilant's intentions Kyle had professional issue with.  It was a waste of silk to use it on this guy where Hemp rope would work just the same for cheaper.  "Wouldn't this mean anyone who takes the time to tie them up, or untie them would also be hurt considering the effects on those things go out a ways?  No good to get yourself hurt just for the sake of easy access torture.  Not everyone has Magehand to work with, and even then tying someone up with one hand is a bit problematic."

  It remains to be seen if that last sentence saved the party from a paragraph or more of explanation for Mage hand's application to the task.

Once Sinruth is moved away from the pillar, Angel gets to work helping with restraining. She looks at Sinruth and asks, "Where did your raiders stow the museum pieces?" as that's pretty much the only thing to retrieve now. Even if the main reason for being here is to finish the badguys off.

May hopped a few times, playfully, apparently playing along with Shale's antics. Anyone's guess if Shale's enjoyment is lessened or enhanced by the fact May found it to be all in fun rather than annoying.

Sinruth grumbles when his chain is yanked and when he's bound, but he offers no real resistance.

"The gauntlets I'm wearing were from the museum," he answers, "The helmet is in the stone coffin in the room I came from.  The rest...  Go back where you entered from, turn left through the door, turn right to the room with the fountain, then just follow your nose past the pillars, turning right when you can.  They'll be in the chapel with the obelisk."

Once Sinruth is bound, Icarus relases his pull on his bowstring, but keeps the arrow nocked just in case.  He hovers quietly toward the hall beyond to take a peek.

"An empty room with a single sarcophagus ahead," he says, "At least that part of his story holds up."

---

OOC: I always figured mage hand can do what any normal single unskilled hand could do.  It takes a special feat for Tiefling to use their tails for thievery checks.  I'd figure tying a knot with one hand would at the very least take a thievery check.  So tying a knot with a single mage hand would be a no go as there isn't a feat for using it for thievery checks (that I know).

Shale grins that May seemed to enjoy playing with the Mage hand, but the gnome realizes that the time for playing is over and it is over for the time being.

Gilant, being ever the 'blunt and to the point' businessman, speaks up, “Well then let's get the helmet and gauntlets, and then get the rest of the items from the chapel with the obelisk he spoke of.”

Shale ask Sinruth, “Care to tell us what sort of creatures we'll face between here and the chapel?” as the Gnome assumes that if there are any enemies left in the area, naturally they will be between here and the chapel, since otherwise, wouldn't the group already have retrieved the items? Naturally Shale doubts Sinruth will answer, or answer honestly, but figures that it doesn't hurt in asking.

Gilant mutters, “Do you honestly think he'd tell us the truth, but if we come across anything especially troublesome, I wonder if he can order them to stand down, if not we could always just make sure that any would any one of us suffers, he suffers ten times more.”

  "You think I keep track of all the undead crap that was already here when we got here? Probably more zombies.  Plus that no help Gnome hiding behind more fleabags." Offense either intended, or he's just to oblivious to tact to realize.  We're just sort of filling in for Narrator here.

  Kyle's paranoia is competing with the desire for rare optimism.  They had just curbstomped the Leader of this batch of jerks.  What could be left that would be tougher?...  Teacup Tarrasques?  He wouldn't be that surprised if it was the case.

  OOC Style:  As we'd ICly want to avoid the 'Light eating room that heals zombies', our path takes us next to room 24, from it's south entrance.