OOC: NPC'd by DM Jim
Khidrath had been following the patterns and the lines, and shook his head at Laerwen's question. "I don't think a sacrifice is required.  It looks more like disturbing the basin will trigger the door... and let the blood and whatever else might be in there out."

Shivering again, Laerwen backed away and turned to face the other direction.  All of this gave her a very creepy, very bad feeling, and she couldn't wait to get out of here.

Rothilio stomps over to the fountain.  Easy enough. he states and kicks the base of the fountain.

"Now your talking," Borin agrees and follows over to aid in removal of the falling stream of round stones by placing his shield in the path of the falling stream and having them angle off onto the floor instead of where they should go. Therefore making it able to clear the area.

OOC: *chuckles* Subtle...

It didn't take long for something to happen under the attention of the dwarven duo.  With the flow of the stones interrupted, a glow began to rise in the runes on and around the basin.  The light began to flow across the floor toward Khidrath's 'door'.

A moment later, the door itself faded from view.  Behind it, standing in a steady drip of what appeared to be fresh blod was a bloated humanoid figure.  The eyes of the figure snapped open, but were blood red and dripped steadily.  The iron tang of blood flooded out strongly into the room and the creature shuddered and took a step forward.

OOC: Let's have initiatives with your next actions, please.

"Look der. It never stops down here." Borin says as he turns to face the cretaure and ready himself for combat. Thus allowing the stones to resume there normal flow.

OOC: Init: 4

Gah, but you are an ugly one. Gorm steady my bones, so I might stand with him! Rothilio prays.  A divine power flows over him, and he makes his way to interpose himself between the bleeding thing and the other.

OOC:
Init 13
Standard: Use Divine Vigor for 6 temp HP and +10 ft/round
Move: Move between the thing and the others.

10:04, Today: Rothilio Hammerholder rolled 13 using 1d20. init.

"Here's hoping that thing'll burn," Elodeir mumbled, and raised his hand toward the monstrous being, as a burst of flames erupted around it.


OOC: Use Fiery Burst (see the bottom of my character sheet if you need the details on it), targeting the creature.  16 fire damage, Reflex Save DC 16 for half.
14:49, Today: Elodeir Nightjewel rolled 13 using 1d20+3. Init.
14:51, Today: Elodeir Nightjewel rolled 16 using 3d6. Fiery Burst.

Laerwen wanted to move to stop the dwarves, a terrible feeling settled deep inside her stomach.  But she knew she was no match for two dwarves in a battle of strength.  So it was she resigned herself to the knowledge that something terrible was going to happen for them messing with the basin and stones.  Sword in hand, Laerwen turned to face the creature with a worried heart as she studied it before making her decision as to what to do.

Khidrath takes a few steps backwards toward safety as he carefully aims his crossbow at the terrible creature and releases a bolt.

OOC: Initiatives are:

Rothilio      13
Elodeir       13
Khidrath      12
Laerwen        9
Borin          4
Monster        0

Rothilio called on Gorm and stepped forward. OOC: I put you in your starting position.  You can pick where you want to move to for this round, and then pick up with your next round's actions.

Elodeir called on the fire that dwelled in his mind, siphoning off a tiny portion of his stored power to release a burst of flame.  The flaming orb darted toward the creature, but its ponderous form turned at the last second, and the orb struck only a glancing blow that left a raised welt of red across the thing's skin.

Khidrath's bolt struck and punctured the thing's skin, sending a gout of blood upwards that looked all out proportion to the force of the bolt.

Laerwen thought back to her temple training and remembered a few facts.

Borin prepared himself for combat. OOC: If you want to pick up movement for this round now that you have a map, feel free, then go ahead and pick up the next round as well.

The dripping creature shook its head and trudged forward, heading toward Khidrath, still apparently feeling the pain from his bolt. Its meaty fist hammered the rogue, leaving a bloody smear across his clothing and bruises within. OOC: It moves to E2 and lashed out, doing 12 points damage.

The map above is from the start of the round.  I'll get back on track with a current map with my next post.

Borin grunts and charges the creature trying to smash his shield into him.
Ending location: D3

Rothilio takes a step up, plants his heels into the ground, and swings his ax overhanded.  Ugly bugger. he says with a wide grin.

Move up to E2 and attack.  19 to hit, 9 damage, 1 acid.

23:07, Today: Rothilio Hammerholder rolled 9 using 1d8+3. Damage.
23:07, Today: Rothilio Hammerholder rolled 19 using 1d20+6. To Hit.

"By Lathander, what is that thing!?" Elodeir mumbled out loud, before focusing on some of the arcane power burning within him.  Suddenly, his eyes turned a bright, fiery orange, and as he muttered some words in a language he didn't really know, he pointed a finger towards the creature, sending dual rays of fire, burning it badly.

After making the decision to attack with her sword, feeling this creature was beyond her turning abilities, Laerwen moved forward with her sword gripped in her small yet deceptively strong hand.  Standing off to the side of the others, she swung that sword back and then down, trying to bury it into the bloodhulk's gut.

Move to C2
20:55, Today: Laerwen rolled 8 using 1d8+2. Damage.
20:55, Today: Laerwen rolled 16 using 1d20+7. Attack. 

OOC: I've gotten some new mapping software, so the tags for the cells have changed.  If I've messed up your position, just let me know.

Rothilio's axe bit deep, sending a spray of blood into the air.

Both of Elodeir's bolts seared into the blood-covered flesh of the monster.  The flash of his spells also revealed a doorframe carved into the stone of the alcove that had held the walking corpse.

OOC: Khidrath NPC'd by DM Jim
Khidrath stepped back and snapped off another shot with his crossbow.  Blood fountained as the bolt struck.

Laerwen's blade struck as well, and once again blood sprayed from the creature.  It was fairly slow, but was obviously soaking up a remarkable amount of damage.

Borin slammed in with a whirling display of axe work and shield smashes.  The creature staggered back and fell to it knees.  A moment later, it staggered back upright, waving its arms wildly in its own defense.

OOC: Initiatives remain:

Rothilio      13
Elodeir       13
Khidrath      12
Laerwen        9
Borin          4
Monster        0

OOC: Wow! Someone with a lower Init then me. I'll wait until one or two players post before I do...

"Burn," Elodeir muttered under his breath, and quickly moved up to the strange creature, reaching out to touch it with his hand - just as he cast a spell, causing his hand to light up in flames. . .

Bloody creature. Wasting my time blocking da door." Borin says as his axes seems to whirl into action as if it was part of his arm.

Laerwen again struck at the creature with her sword.  She knew that her hits were pretty much inconsequential compared to that of the others, but it was all she could do, at the moment, to help.

22:43, Today: Laerwen rolled 5 using 1d8+3. Damage.
22:43, Today: Laerwen rolled 17 using 1d20+7. Attack.

OOC: Rothilio NPC'd by DM Jim
Rothilio swung with his axe, but slipped on a puddle of blood and flailed wildly to keep his feet, missing his attack.

Elodeir slipped into the middle of the fight, flames bursting from his hands.  In a hissing cloud of smoke and steam, his fire burned deep into the thing's face.

Khidrath slipped even further to the rear of the party as Laerwen's blade struck again, finishing the creature off and sending yet another fountain of blood high into the air.

The bloodied figure stiffened then tottered over, falling with a splat onto the stones as its body deflated like a blood-filled balloon, slicking the stone floor with stinking red fluids.

"Lets see what is behind dat door dat it waz try to stop us frum seeing," Borin growls.

Khidrath grumbled, but he didn't really want to argue with the dwarf or his axe.  He set to work, his probes and picks stroking over the blood-wet stone.

A moment later, you heard a click and a self-satisfied chuckle from Khidrath the chuckle cut off with a "What in..." as a virulent purple glow spread to cover the tiefling.

ELSEWHERE
Alana reflected as she slid over the piles of gold that perhaps even the treasure she'd been promised wouldn't do her any good.  It sure wouldn't do poor Roland any good, and he'd been the one doing the promising.  She'd seen the dragon's claws gut him like a fishwife gutting a trout.  A moment later and it had bitten the head off the little priest who'd always been going on about how Mask was the best protector for those who earned their living in the shadows.

Darting down a side passage, she hoped for freedom, but only a few running steps brought her up against a stone wall, and behind her she could see the flicker of fire in the beast's gullet as it prepared to roast her alive. Why did it always have to be fire...

Suddenly, a purple glow surrounded her, though she knew she hadn't touched anything new that would have set off a trap.  She felt as though she was being thrown down a long hallway, and saw a human with glowing eyes hurtling back in the direction she was coming from.  Still, she seemed to be moving away from the fire.

BACK IN UNDERMOUNTAIN
Before any of the others could react, Khidrath's body winked out of existence.  A split second later, a female hafling with wild blonde hair flickered into being in the spot that he'd just left.  She held a golden cup in her hand, and her other hand was raised in a gesture that looked as though she had been trying to ward off danger.

Alana blinks and looks around, squinting and looking at each individual around her, scrutinizing them closely before sighing and relaxing. "What a relief, apparently those stories about little gray men with big eyes that pluck you up and do unspeakable things to your hindquarters are just the ramblings of drunken hobos. I was worried for a second there." she says pleasantly, dusting herself off nonchalantly, like she hadn't just been about to be incinerated to a greasy cinder. They didn't need to know about it, after all.

Borin growls as he points his waraxe at the new arrival, "Wut did you do wif  our locksmith? And how dare you try and take da treasure we have been fighting fer." His well armored body and spiked shieled blocks any lanes of escape.