Bridge C Defense Point
Time Unknown

Some time later, the adventurers awoke. It wasn't morning, it wasn't still night, just the same eternal twilight in between the two. Perhaps it had been the raucous celebrations of the night before, or the battle weariness, or the strange half-light messing with their body clocks, but they woke up just as tired as they'd gone to sleep. There was a growing lethargy all around, talking less and acting slower. And it was surely getting worse.

They dragged themselves through their morning routines, and Allessandra healed them of the rest of their injuries using her renewed magic. Intent on scouting the mausoleum tower of the dread lich Mourel Duskwalker, they gathered at the new defensive position constructed in the room they'd seized from the undead the day before.

It was well defended, with archers and throwers on the balcony, more at the doors below, with beefy warriors blocking the bridge. Any undead who attempted to cross would be steadily picked off before they ever reached the wall of spears and swords.

The orcs had done some redecorating as well, with elven skulls mounted on spears propped around as a warning. The fact that undead were mindless and didn't care made little difference, nor that several elves had fought on their side.

Mister Wickers and Mister Lumpkin had been quietly reassigned to watch over another bridge. Antisocial to begin with, an elaborate and careful ruse had been developed to conceal the presence of elves. The greasy odour of burning flesh disguised the elf-scent well.



OOC: You begin on the bottom right end of Bridge C, heading towards the bridge Nexus structure.

They were surprised to find Duladora waiting there for them. The young half-elf historian was still just as haggard as she'd been when they'd found her, her silver hair dulled and stringy, her eyes still showing fear. But she held herself up well.

"I'm coming with you." she announced. "I know the star elf legends and their ways. You may need me." she said, as much to convince herself as the others. Her curiosity was warring with her sense of self-preservation, and had won by allying with necessity. She still didn't like it.

She was wearing hobgoblin leather armour, looking strange on a half-elf girl. It was the smallest size she could find, but she'd still needed to belt it up tighter. The bloodstains had been harder to deal. She had a knife, but it was clearly a defense of last resort.


OOC: NPC Rogue and Sage for you.

Gurgun nodded a tired greeting at the half-elven girl. He wasn't sorry for the absence of Nicodemus, whom he had found a coward and untrustworthy.

Depleted of magic potions Gurgun was as ready as he could be. Taking the lead across the narrow bridge, under the cover of the archers, he moves swiftly forward.

Slove turns to girl.
"If you can put up with one so ugly you welcome to stay by my side.  The others like to stand toe to toe with enermy.  Myself I like put load arrows in them at distance."

Slove leaves it to her.  Few female want be close to him that he sees no reason this one would be any different.  It would however be best for others is slove looked after her.

Looking towards the Nexus, Gurgun tries to spot any movement ahead through the incessant rain and wind.

OOC: Spot 17

"Uh, thank you. I'll just keep well away from everything, until you need me." Dula replied meekly.

Gurgun couldn't see much from here. The Nexus appeared to be an inverted three-sided pyramid; flat at the top, pointed at the bottom. The bridge they were on entered in the upper part, and the other two bridges seemed to leave at the lower part.


OOC: Bridge C is 40 feet high (above sea level), Bridges D and E are 20 feet high. The flat top of the pyramid is 60 feet above sea level. The Nexus seems about 15-10 feet wide on the inside.

Each bridge is 10 feet wide.

We go closer. Gurgun suggests, moving swiftly across the bridge.

Buffeted by the cold winds, they marched along the bridge towards the Nexus, careful not slip on the damp glass floor. The Nexus door was open; it was dark within, but appeared to be a small bare chamber. There were stairs descending in a triangular spiral, and slick with rain.


OOC: You're at the door. Listen checks, please, with a -4 penalty for the weather. Which wasn't so bad until Gurgun added it in. ;)

Listen (13)

OOC:
06:14, Today: Slove rolled 19 using 1d20+7. Listern.

14:07, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 9 using 1d20+8. Familiar Listen.

[Private to DM BadCatMan: Been kinda busy lately, sorry for not posting much.]

It all seemed clear. The adventurers approached the open door of the Nexus, and entered with Gurgun and Jorn side-by-side.

A gurgling growl to the side caught their attention. Turning, they saw a lone orcish zombie waiting at the first corner of the stairs, armed with a two-handed axe and wearing rust-spotted full-plate.


OOC: Orc Zombie Initiative 14, beat that and you may act

I assume the travelling order is Gurgun & Jorn out front, Slove and Garel behind, with Duladora some distance back. Garel seems to be AWOL.

Gurgun feels unfocused and still tired from the battles the previous day... or was it night? The appearance of the zombie seems to catch him by surprise.

OOC:
15:58, Today: Slove rolled 25 using 1d20+9. Initiative.

So is 25 high enough? he he

An I able move and fire at it without hitting others.

OOC: You could push past them and fire, sure.

Having let down his guard after the previous day's battle, Jorn had been too occupied in searching for treasure to react in time. The zombies caught him by surprise, even as his familiar squeaked a high-pitched warning;


10:02, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 7 using 1d20+2. Initiative.

Slove pushed his way through the group, an arrow nocked in his bow. He fired, striking the zombie in the head. [Slove NPCed. Bow attack 26, damage 8, Zombie slightly damaged]

Garel followed, and thought he'd try something different. From his belt he plucked a metal star-shaped object, with razor-sharp edges. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled it at the zombie, slicing across the head. [Garel NPCed. Shuriken attack 20 (rolled a 20), damage 1, Zombie slightly damaged]

Round 1:

Battle is too simple for map and stuff

The Orc Zombie is down a flight of stairs from you. The stairs are wet and slippery.

Initiative:
25 - Slove
14 - Orc Zombie
 9 - Garel
7 - Jorn
 5 - Gurgun

Rather than challenge his luck fighting on the slippery stairs Gurgun stands his ground and quickly loads and fires a stone from his sling. The aim is true and there is a satisfying thud as the bullet strikes home.

Attack 22, damage 7 (b)

"Agh! Another one of these foul beasts. Here Slove, lemme give it a go..."

Jorn moves forward and hurls his axe at the creature, sending it straight into the creature's chest;

[Standard] Throw Axe

20:27, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 9 using 1d6+3. Axe Damage.
20:26, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 22 using 1d20+5. Jorn, Axe Throw.

OOC: Huh, I forgot to run my orc last round. Okay, I'll rearrange the init order and add the move action now.


The orc zombie faltered beneath the wounding blows, but marched steadily up the stairs regardless. [Both attack hits, Gurgun deals 2 after DR, Jorn deals full]

It heaved the greataxe at Jorn, a heavy blow that slammed into the dwarf's armour, shaking him badly. [Attack 21, damage 11 @ Jorn]


Round 2:

Battle is too simple for map and stuff

Orc Zombie is critically damaged

Initiative:
14 - Orc Zombie
25 - Slove
 9 - Garel
 7 - Jorn
 5 - Gurgun
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:43, Sun 18 Apr 2010.

OOC: Ack, my bad. Alter Self has ended. Forgot to alter the values on my character to reflect the end of the spell. That blow should have hit.

OOC: Okay, I fixed my previous post.

Dropping his bow and pulling out his large sword with speed that seems impossible Slove goes in for kill or Unkill.

OOC:
15:23, Today: Slove rolled 13 using 2d6+4. damage.
15:22, Today: Slove rolled 14 using 1d20+9. attack with sword.

Clang! The heavy blade bounced off the heavy plate armour, not slowing the zombie in the slightest.

Gurgun makes a quick kick-punch combination, only to find himself having trouble finding the soft spots in the cramped quarters.

12:54, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 6 using 1d8+3. Damage.
12:54, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 20 using 1d20+6. FoB 2.
12:54, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 8 using 1d20+6. FoB 1.

With a final punch to the zombie's neck, Gurgun broke the spine, and it died a second death. The orc hit the stairs with a metal crash, and tumbled down with several more before it came to a stop on the next landing.

The full plate armour was an oddity on an orc. From appearances, they guessed that this had once been Guerik, the old leader of the mercenary force, whom Savera had spurned in favour of Thraka. Guerik had reportedly gone mad and fled the camp. Now they knew what had happened to him.

The stairs lead down in a decreasing triangular spiral. At the base, two doors lead off to the two remaining towers: right to portal control, left to the lich's tomb.

Ready? Gurgun asks. He gets ready to open the door leading to the tomb.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:34, Tue 20 Apr 2010.

Beyond was another bridge, twenty feet above the churning sea. At the other end was another tower. This one was circular around, and rose up into a great dome, apparently perfectly spherical. A smaller dome was perched on top. Before them was a pair of double doors.

Gurgun strains his eyes, trying to spot any defences or hidden dangers across the bridge.

Spot 10

All seemed clear.

Slove has a look.

OOC
09:29, Today: Slove rolled 17 using 1d20+7. Spot.

Still nothing.

The doors were still there, waiting.

Loading a stone in his sling, Gurgun decides to rush ahead; covering the distance to the tower in as short time as possible.

Cover me. He says to his companions before setting off.

OOC: Run @ base speed of 50'

Gurgun had a quick jog across the fifty or so metres of the bridge. The rain-splattered glass bridge...


OOC: Balance check DC 10 please.

I don't even have to make my own challenges, do I? :D

OOC: Balance 10 (8 if Gurgun still suffers the -2 penalty for this realm)

OOC: Yes, it does still apply. I only ignored the attack penalty, since none of the monsters had it incorporated. Sadly, this result only means you can't move for a round. :(


Gurgun skidded a bit on the pebbled glass surface, but managed to stay upright. Which was just well, for the crashing sea was twenty feet below.

A little more careful now, he reached the double doors that admitted entrance to the lich's tomb.

Armed with his sling, Gurgun once more scans his surrounding.
He feels somewhat unfocused though, and waves his companions forward hoping to react fast enough should some hidden danger suddenly present itself.

OOC: 14:21, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 14 using 1d20+7. Listen.
14:21, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 8 using 1d20+7. Spot.

The coast was clear, and Gurgun waved his companions across the bridge to join him at the set of double doors.

Duladora stole forwards and examined the doors while covered by the adventurers, and finally pronounced them to be safe. She ducked back and let the others slide the heavy glass panels open.

The room within was lost in darkness to those without night-sight. To those that did, there was a fair-sized anteroom, with glass benches against the two straight internal walls, while the third external wall curved around. A single door went off to the left, but another pair of double doors lay ahead.

It seemed quite empty.

Gurgun said nothing, but motioned to the left door. Moving forward cautiously he stopped in front of it; senses wide open to try and sense any movement on the opposite side.

OOC: Listen 10, Move silently 22

Gurgun heard nothing lurking on the other side of the door.

Checking that the team are in place, Gurgun opens the door as is his custom.

Gurgun found a small triangular room, bare except for a wide and shallow stair that descended to the level below.

And then music began to play.

It was a solemn and soulful tune, full of downbeat notes and haunting refrains, like a funeral dirge. It seemed to be coming behind the double doors in the anteroom.

Slove looks at others but says nothing.

Jorn's eyebrows twitched nervously at the sound. The dwarf did not like the atmosphere at all. Not one bit.

He drew his chain and moved forward, keeping a few steps behind Gurgun.

"Eh...y'think we should look behind that door...?"

Gurgun nods. Yes. Music make skin crawl, Gurgun wants to stop it. Closing the door to the stairs, the Child of the Passive Way swiftly moves to position himself by the double-door instead.

Nodding at the others to get ready he then slides the door open!

Gurgun slid the two doors open, revealing a vast dark hall. It was circle, though bisected where they entered, and most features were lost in shadow. Barely visible above, the ceiling was a great dome, with a second smaller dome at its apex. It was transparent, with faint light of stars spilling in.

Those with the ability to see in darkness noticed a glass altar at the room's centre, where perhaps  starlight from the apex dome would illuminate it. Looking up, the interior of the large dome was inscribed with hundred of ancient elven symbols, signifying death, the afterlife and strange funeral rites. [Darkvision. Speak Language: Elven]

The music was louder here, but there was no obvious source.


OOC: Spot checks, please.

OOC: Spot 17

OOC: And the rest of you to keep things moving.
19:49, Today: DM BadCatMan, on behalf of Jorn Brightcaller, rolled 7 using 1d20-2. spot.
19:48, Today: DM BadCatMan, on behalf of Slove, rolled 8 using 1d20+7. spot.
19:48, Today: DM BadCatMan, on behalf of Garel Astur, rolled 5 using 1d20+3. spot.
Uh, never mind then.


Though she stayed well clear, Dula peered over Gurgun's shoulder, impressed with the sight. "This is a ceremonial hall, where the star elves conducted their funeral services. The body would have been laid on that altar. Proper care and respect for the dead was very important to them."

[Private to Gurgun Nightwhisper: There appeared to be a dark object embedded within the translucent glass altar, though its rippling shape obscured what it might be.]

Gurgun approaches the altar, wondering of its function and what it is he may have seen embedded in it. He did not recognize it from his readings.

OOC: Knowledge religion 6

Slove watches.
He puts his mind to what he can remeber of such things.

22:55, Today: Slove rolled 8 using 1d20+3. Know religion.

OOC: It's an altar. :p


As soon as Gurgun crossed the threshold, the mournful music rose in volume, while orbs of pale light appeared and descended from the upper glass dome. These orbs flew around the room, rising and falling, ducking and diving and weaving around each other in complex and fascinating patterns. [Spellcraft 20: ghost sound and dancing lights. CL 20th.]

Then slender elven shadows appeared all around the room, standing free like those they'd fought a few days ago. Making no move to attack, they began to slowly dance in time to the music, gyrating their bodies and waving their arms around and up into the air. A sweeping procession lead them around the hall. [Will save DC 12 to disbelieve. Spellcraft 21: silent image. CL 20th.]


OOC: Please roll Spot, Listen and Initiative.

[Private to GM: Hide 17, Move Silently 30, 26/26 hp]

Garel was a bit taken aback between the lights, music and ghosts dancing.

Holding his quarterstaff in his offhand, he watched in semi wonder.

Thinking through his available spells was all he did as he watched and waited to see what the others would do.



OOC: Hold action-waiting to see if we are attacked before I counter. (Innit 7)

03:12, Today: Garel Astur rolled 7 using 1d20+5. Spellcraft DC 20 Ghost sound dancing lig.
03:11, Today: Garel Astur rolled 12 using 1d20+3. Listen.
03:11, Today: Garel Astur rolled 14 using 1d20+3. Spot.
03:11, Today: Garel Astur rolled 7 using 1d20+2. Innitiative.
03:09, Today: Garel Astur rolled 11 using 1d20+6. Will save DC 12.

Gurgun has no trouble seeing the elven figures for what they are: images and magical trickery. They are just images; look for who controls them!

will: 26
initiative: 10

Jorn stares at the magical display for a moment, before shaking his head;

"Typical elven mages. All that power and they spend it on dancing pictures."

19:09, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 17 using 1d20+8. Flit Listen.
19:09, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 28 using 1d20+8. Flit Spot.
19:07, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 28 using 1d20+13. Spellcraft Ghost Sound.
19:06, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 32 using 1d20+13. Spellcraft Silent Image.
19:06, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 7 using 1d20+2. Initiative.
19:05, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 18 using 1d20+4. Will Save.

17:01, Sun 16 May: Slove rolled 21 using 1d20+9. INITIATIVE.
17:00, Sun 16 May: Slove rolled 14 using 1d20+3. will save.
17:00, Sun 16 May: Slove rolled 11 using 1d20+7. spot.
17:00, Sun 16 May: Slove rolled 19 using 1d20+7. listen.
OOC: Slove, please remember to post your rolls.


The two had risen from their slumber against the glass altar, aroused by the drifting lights, by the sweet music, by the smell of delicious life. They stole, silent as death, around the funeral chamber, keeping to the far edges, to the corners, to the dark dancing shadows, creeping ever closer...

Jorn's seeing-eye bat squeaked a sudden warning, and that was all the warning they got as two of the dancing shadows seemed to detach themselves from the troupe. Then they launched themselves at the party, screaming with maddened rage. With only moments to get their guard up, the twisted claws only just missed raking across their skin. [#1 slam attack 15 @ Gurgun, miss. #2 slam attack 8 @ Jorn, miss]

They weren't shadows, they soon realised, but the animated corpses of elves in tattered robes with hands twisted into claws, skin pale and white, their mouths gaping with needle-like teeth, and with wild eyes that burned with utter hatred.


Round 1:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller

1, 2: Undead Elves

S: Dancing Shadows

Effects:

Darkness / Dazzling Lights: Between the darkness and the disco lights, everyone gets 20% concealment in the funeral hall.

Initiative: green if its your turn
26 - Undead Elves
21 - Slove
10 - Gurgun
 7 - Garel
 7 - Jorn
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:27, Tue 18 May 2010.

Gurgun manages to dodge and block the slam, then retaliates with a kick-punch combination. The kick really only lowers the guard of the undead, but the punch crashes right into its skull. Go back to your resting place; your time among the living is over!

OOC: Assign dodge to the undead I'm facing, 16:19, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 7 using 1d8+3. Damage 2.
16:19, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 23 using 1d20+6. unarmed FoB 2.
16:19, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 11 using 1d20+6. unarmed FoB 1.

Slove lets go with two arrows.

OOC
06:16, Today: Slove rolled 10 using 1d8+3. damage.
06:15, Today: Slove rolled 13 using 1d20+10.
06:15, Today: Slove rolled 21 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.

Mid-Round Update:

The undead thing flinched under Gurgun's fist, but it was surprisingly hard and tough, not like the zombies they'd faced already. [Miss (1-20): 71, Gurgun hits. #1 slightly damaged]

Slove let fly two arrows right over Jorn's head, one striking the other undead in the eye-socket, putting one blazing orb out. [Miss (1-20): 57, Slove hits. #2 moderately damaged]

Updates:

#1 slightly damaged
#2 moderately damaged

Initiative: green if its your turn
26 - Undead Elves
21 - Slove
10 - Gurgun
7 - Garel
 7 - Jorn

Garel had removed a shuriken from his belt pouch.

Attempting to throw, he realized he couldnt get a good shot and threw wide at the last minute.


12:59, Today: Garel Astur rolled 6 using 1d20+4. Throw shuriken.

Not expecting danger, Jorn was caught by surprise by the attack. His eyes widened at the sight of the undead elves, uttering a curse as they leap forward into the group and straight into his face;

00:19, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 24 using 1d20+9. Knowledge (Religion) Identify Elves.

The dwarf did a quick side-step away from his attack, muttering the words for transformation and protection as he did. The dwarf's flesh ripped and flowed, hardening into the tough scales of a Tren.

[Free]5ft to L10
[Move] Draw Spiked Chain
[Cast] Alter Self, transform into a Tren

And as suddenly as they had come, the undead creatures turned and ran away, disappearing back into the ranks of shadow dancers, obscured by the darkness and flashing lights, moving as silent as the grave. [Undead Withdraw, hide]


OOC: Roll Spot and Listen to try to locate them, but you suffer -5 Spot (due to strobe lighting) and -10 Listen (due to loud music).

Round 2:


1 and 2 are no longer visible

G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller

1, 2: Undead Elves, hiding

S: Dancing Shadows

Effects:

Darkness / Dazzling Lights: Between the darkness and the disco lights, everyone gets 20% concealment in the funeral hall. And Spot -5.

Music: Listen -10

Initiative: green if its your turn
26 - Undead Elves
21 - Slove
10 - Gurgun
 7 - Garel
 7 - Jorn

[Private to Jorn Brightcaller: "Wights are undead creatures given a semblance
of life through sheer violence and hatred. A wight’s appearance is a weird and
twisted reflection of the form it had in life. Wights lurk in barrow-mounds, catacombs, and other places thick with the aura of death, where they nurture their hatred. They seek to destroy all life, filling graveyards with their victims and populating the world with their horrid progeny." (MM1)

You recall that, as well as being Undead, Wights are quite stealthy and can drain the life from their victims, and those slain will rise again as Wights themselves.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:53, Sat 22 May 2010.

The dwarf managed to get a good look at the elven monstrosities when one of them assaulted him. Pulling away, the dwarf-tren hissed;

"Wights. This be a bad place to fight'em. Foul creatures be impossible to see or find, and their touch dangerous. There was this tale of a dwarf, Old Grimaxe, whose party was ambushed by wights while mining an old tomb. The next day the poor fella found himself surrounded by eight of the beasties, including three of his comrades who perished the day before."

Jorn squinted in the bright lights, waiting for the creatures to show themselves. The moment they do the dwarf attempts to blast them with his own version of glitter.

[Ready] Cast Glitterdust on the first wight to appear. If possible, cast it on both of them.

(Temp post until spot and listen resolved)
Slove Looks into darkness and shadows to see the creatures.

OOC:
11:19, Today: Slove rolled 19 using 1d20+7. listen.
11:19, Today: Slove rolled 20 using 1d20+7. Spot.

If he spot or hear any he fire his arrows.

OOC: Don't forget your Spot and Listen checks. First pair is free (a reaction), second pair will cost you a move action.
[Private to Slove: You see something in G3.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:43, Sun 23 May 2010.

Slove lets two arrows fly.

OOC:
22:56, Today: Slove rolled 12 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.
22:56, Today: Slove rolled 11 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.
(never going let my wife role for me again!!!)

Garel had been fooled by the dancing ghosts, lights and music.  One thing that hadn't fooled him was they were undead.

Raising his holy symbol he said, "By the power of Mystra, I command you to flee."


OOC: Turn undead.

02:40, Today: Garel Astur rolled 21 using 1d20+3. Listen.
02:39, Today: Garel Astur rolled 12 using 1d20+3. Spot.

OOC: Garel, feel free to roll your turning check and turning damage. [Private to Garel Astur: You don't see anything however.]

Others, you should have seen Slove fire in north-westerly direction.

Mid-Round Update:

If Slove thought he saw something, then he evidently missed it, for his arrows clattered harmless against the far wall. [both miss]

Initiative: green if it's your turn, dark green can still do more
26 - Undead Elves
21 - Slove
10 - Gurgun
7 - Garel
 7 - Jorn

Garel looks around and listens for any sound from the undead attempting to hide as he tries to turn them.



OOC: Maximum hit die of any undead turned 4.  Maximum number of hit dice of undead affected 10.  In a 60' radius of me...as long as they do not have total cover and i have line of effect, not sight.

06:00, Today: Garel Astur rolled 10 using 2d6+3.
05:59, Today: Garel Astur rolled 14 using 1d20+2. knowledge Religion bonus to Turn Check.

Mid-Round Update:

There was a distant hiss of fear as Garel raised his symbol of Mystra. He couldn't see the effect his divine power had on the wights, but in his heart he knew that he'd disturbed them greatly. [Turn Undead successful, both Wights turned]

Which however left them hiding in a darkened room, until whenever the effect wore off...

Updates:

Wights Turned

Initiative: green - your turn, dark green - can still do more
26 - Undead Elves
21 - Slove
10 - Gurgun
 7 - Garel
7 - Jorn
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:16, Tue 25 May 2010.

Listen: 8, Spot: 15

PM
[Private to Gurgun Nightwhisper: You see and hear nothing.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:14, Thu 27 May 2010.

Gurgun, not spotting any immediate danger walks over to the altar and takes a closer look.

Gurgun stepped closer to the altar, and found a solid block of translucent glass, just like everything else in this realm. The surface was mottled, and reflected the dancing lights with moonlight off rippling water. But what he'd previously thought was something embedded within was no longer there. Of course, he soon realised, it had been one of the wights lying behind the altar, its shape obscured by the glass.

Caught in the their hit-and-run tactics, the two wights were now stuck on run, and ran further away from the living things.

OOC: Spot & Listen checks please, as before.

Round 3:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller

1, 2: Undead Elves, hiding

S: Dancing Shadows

Effects:

Darkness / Dazzling Lights: Between the darkness and the disco lights, everyone gets 20% concealment in the funeral hall. And Spot -5.

Music: Listen -10

Initiative:
26 - Undead Elves
21 - Slove
10 - Gurgun
 7 - Garel
 7 - Jorn
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:29, Thu 27 May 2010.

Jorn grunted in annoyance, chasing after the fleeing wights. No matter how he tried he couldn't convince Flit to follow. Most animals tended to behave like that with undead...

02:47, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 9 using 1d20-2. Listen.
02:47, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 1 using 1d20-2. Spot.

Ready action a Glitterdust the moment someone points out the general area the undead wights are in

Slove moves into room behind the monk.
Ready with bow Slove fire at any undead he sees or hears.

OOC:
21:39, Today: Slove rolled 27 using 1d20+7. listen.
21:39, Today: Slove rolled 8 using 1d20+7. Spot.

OOC: Spot 8, listen 19 (-10)

We wait or leave? Cowardly undead angers Gurgun!

OOC: Garel did make the undead cowardly, Gurgun? :p
If you're moving into the room, then give me your position.


Garel followed after Gurgun, looking around and wondering if turning undead in a place they could hide would such a good idea after all. They'd had the same problem with that wraith in the floor too... [Garel NPCed. Moves to H9. Spot 18, Listen 13 after penalties]

Round 4:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster, H9
J: Jorn Brightcaller

1, 2: Wights, hiding

S: Dancing Shadows

Effects:

Darkness / Dazzling Lights: Between the darkness and the disco lights, everyone gets 20% concealment in the funeral hall. And Spot -5.

Music: Listen -10

Initiative:
26 - Wights
21 - Slove
10 - Gurgun
 7 - Garel
 7 - Jorn
 7 - Duladora

Dula called out from the place by the door to the bridge, unwilling to go any closer to the place where the undead lurked. "Can you, I don't know, turn some lights on or something?" she called out softly, afraid to distract them. It seemed a reasonable suggestion...

Gurgun has no torch or lamp. Never needed one.

The hobgoblin keeps looking for his elusive foes.

OOC: 11:23, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 22 using 1d20+7. Listen.
11:23, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 18 using 1d20+7. Spot.

The funeral dirge reached some kind of climax, rising in a volume to a loud drone but somehow becoming ever more miserable and heartfelt. Then all the floating lights went out, at once, plunging the room into utter darkness. Then, suddenly, blinding white light as they came back on, all at once.

Those who were quick observed the two wights, clutching at the walls in desperate fear, before the dancing lights resumed their maddening strobing. [Wights spotted in F2 and B10]

And as the light faded, a solid form materialized in the high cupola above the dome. The form of a dwarf. A falling dwarf.

Though moving rather slower than expected, he still touched ground with a heavy thud.


OOC: Balrok touches down in any square of the centre pentagram. Roll your initiative, though it doesn't really affect anything. We're still in a battle, even if the wights are out of it for a while.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:23, Sat 05 June 2010.

OOC: Initiative 15

OOC: Only Balrok needed to roll init, everyone else's old rolls are still fine.

DOH!

The minute the wights appear the bat spots them. At Flit's insistent squeaking Jorn spins around and fires a burst of flashing dust and glitter at the cowering wights;

[Ready action triggered] Cast Glitterdust on Wights, DC 15 or blinded, targets take a -40 to hide checks

OOC: Glitterdust only has a 10-foot radius and the wights are far apart (F2 and B10). Which one do you want to target?

OOC: Dang. F2 then.

OOC: I doubt they can be blinded since they're undead. Oh well.

With one of their opponents clearly outlined Gurgun speeds over and wacks it hard over the head.

OOC: Attack wight in F2. Quarterstaff attack (25), damage (8)

OOC: Undead can actually be Blinded. Even when they don't have eyes. :) This one wasn't however.

Gurgun, I'll place you in G3 to avoid the glitterdust.

Mid-Round Update:

The wight was revealed beneath the burst of sticky glitter, flashing and flickering beneath the dancing orbs of light. It was cowering helplessly by the curving wall, and was still when Gurgun pounded on its head. [W1 revealed in F2. Will 21 success, not Blinded. Gurgun hits, deals full damage]

Updates:

Glitterdust: 10-foot radius centred on F2 (top-left corner). Will DC 15 or be Blinded, take a -40 to hide checks

Gurgun in G3

Initiative:
26 - Wights
 7 - Jorn
21 - Slove
15 - Balrok
10 - Gurgun
7 - Garel
 7 - Duladora
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:34, Sat 05 June 2010.

Now able to see the creature Slove let lose with two arrows.  At one F2 we seen.

OOC:
11:02, Today: Slove rolled 5 using 1d8+3.
11:02, Today: Slove rolled 10 using 1d8+3. damage.
11:02, Today: Slove rolled 20 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.
11:02, Today: Slove rolled 24 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Sat 05 June 2010.

OOC: Which one are you shooting?

OOC: It says F2.

OOC: It does now that he's edited his post. :p

Mid-Round Update:

Both arrows struck the illuminated wight, and buried deep in its dead flesh. The wight screeched and died a second death, collapsing to the glass floor. [Wight #1 in F2 destroyed]

Updates:

Glitterdust: 10-foot radius centred on F2 (top-left corner). Will DC 15 or be Blinded, take a -40 to hide checks

Gurgun in G3

Wight #1 in F2 is destroyed

Initiative:
26 - Wights
 7 - Jorn
21 - Slove
15 - Balrok
10 - Gurgun
7 - Garel
 7 - Duladora

"Woaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" sputters the surprised dwarf as hurtles towards the ground, arms windmilling wildly.  He lands on his back with a loud clang! as his chain-clad form and veritable armory of weapons slam into the stone of the pentagram.  He groans once, more at the magical transportation than the impact.  "Vergadain's golden toehair," he curses mildly as he begins struggling to right himself.  "Uh course that unbeared mage'd teleport me fifty foot intu du air," he grumbles as he rolls over onto his stomach.  "Wadn't my fault his familiar looked like uh miniature dragon; he shuld make sure it don't surprise people nex' time."

The newly-fallen dwarf finally clambers back to his feet.  He is clad in black chain etched with lines and runes in gleaming gold, his hair and beard are deep red, done up in places with war-braids.  The dwarf dusts himself off, pulling a dwarven waraxe from his armory and eying the edge critically, then pulling a now-dented shield off his back with a grin.  "Broke me fall, heh heh," he says as he quickly pounds out the dent with a gauntleted fist.

All the while the dwarf seems oblivious to you and his surroundings, which does not mark him as the most alert of travelers.  As he turns into the light to eye his repaired shield, you can see why:  his face is marked with a violent scar stretching from his left ear to his left eye, likely leaving him half-blind and deaf.  The eye is covered by a black leather eye-patch set with a deep-red jasper that glimmers fiendishly in the artificial moonlight.  (More complete description in my details, if anyone wants it.)  When he finally looks around he is visibly surprised to see the group of adventurers standing nearby in full combat dress and pose.  (He wouldn't see any weights, I'm guessing.)  "Ho there!" he calls, "who are ye, and what in the Nine Hells are ya doin' in Vergadain's Lost Temple?"

He eyes you suspiciously and keeps his axe at ready -- as any good dwarf would when facing a full battle party which includes at least one elf -- but doesn't otherwise make any threatening moves.

---

I'm guessing Balrok wouldn't have the information necessary to take any combat actions this round.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:12, Mon 07 June 2010.

Moving with inhuman speed, Gurgun closes the distance between him and the newly arrived dwarf. Before you stands a burly hobgoblin, completely unarmored and carrying only a staff. Dwarf, you have come long way from lost temple. This be an elf realm, overrun by undead minions of an elf lich; Mourel. I am Gurgun Nightwhisper, a child of the passive voice, fighting the lich with all that are left of the living in this cursed Realm: Slove, Garel, Jorn. Duladora we have rescued and another group of orcs and hobgoblins are gathering for the final assault on the undead. Now give us your name dwarf, for we will be fighting together from now on! the hobgoblin says in a composed manner. His eyes dart here and there, clearly looking for something in the dark.

There is still one wight, we need to find and destroy it.

OOC: Spot 24

OOC: No, you wouldn't, Jorn.

BTW, the room is a perfect circle, I just couldn't make one with my maps.


As Jorn picked himself up off the floor, he realised it was some kind of grey glass, not stone. And no self-respecting dwarven temple would be built of anything else but good quality stone. The dancing elf-shadows and elven script on the dome walls and the altar also kind of gave it away, as did the fancy globes of light dancing and looping around the room.

Garel was still concentrating on the divine power he had unleashed to drive the wights off - or driven them into the dark to hide. With his silver stars of Mystra held before him, he marched into the room, towards where the wight had been glimpsed. "I have it pinned before me." he shouted over the loud elven funeral dirge.

The wight cowered against the wall, looking frantically about for a means of escaping the priest and his burning divine magic. But the walls were perfectly round, curving away on each side, effectively trapping it in place until it overcame its fear.


Round 5:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller
J: Balrok

W: Wights, turned and cowering, last known location

S: Dancing Shadows, minor images

Effects:

Darkness / Dazzling Lights: Between the darkness and the disco lights, everyone gets 20% concealment in the funeral hall. And Spot -5.

Loud Music: Listen -10

Glittering Dust: Yellow spots. Will DC 15 or be Blinded, take a -40 to hide checks

Initiative: green - you may act
26 - Wights
7 - Jorn
21 - Slove
15 - Balrok
10 - Gurgun
 7 - Garel
 7 - Duladora
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:13, Wed 09 June 2010.

Round 5

The dwarf eyes the hobgoblin suspiciously -- hobgoblins aren't high on his list of non-dwarves.  But what the monk says seems to comport with the elfish-ness of his surroundings.  "Son of a b%#%&!" the dwarf curses.  "That gud fer nothin' curlbearded mage teleported me into du wrong lost dungeon!  An' it jus' had tu be an elf dungeon!" he finishes with disgust, taking a hack with his axe at one of the illusionary elf dancers for good measure, though his axe of course sails straight through.  When the cleric mentions a wight, his eyes light up, but his anticipation turns to disgust as he sees it is simply cowering against the wall.  He lumbers over to it.  "Guess a cowardly, dead elf is as gud a target as I'm gunna get tu take out me frustrations," he grumbles, and his axe bursts into flame as he raises it high above his head, hacking down at the wight as he might a cord of wood.  "Name's Balrok," he says over his shoulder as he chops.  "Pleased tu meet ya, I suppose -- even if yer a goblin."

---

Round 5:

• [Move]:  to C9 (charge if possible)
• [Swift]: None
• [Free]: None
• [Standard]: Attack wight (charge if possible)

Attack: 17 (does not include a charge bonus)
Damage: 12

Initiative: 15

Effects:

• None

STATS

NON Rage, Bio Line 1:  Init +0, AC 15 / same / 10
NON Rage, Bio Line 2:  HP 70/70, Saves +10/+1/+5


RAGE, Bio Line 1:  Init +0, AC 13 (or 15 with shield) / same / 8
RAGE, Bio Line 2:  HP 80/80, Saves +12/+1/+9


10:29, Today: Balrok rolled 12 using 1d10+11. Damage (PA -5, +10 dam).
10:28, Today: Balrok rolled 17 using 1d20+5. Power Attack -5 v. Wight.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:10, Wed 09 June 2010.

Gurgun effortlessly keeps up the pace with the dwarf, at takes a swing at the wight. Strangely enough the hobgoblin doesn't quite seem to put his heart into it.

OOC: 22:04, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 6 using 1d6+4. Damage.
22:04, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 14 using 1d20+8. QS attack.
Not sure if that is a hit even.

Slove smiles at new dwarf.  This going to be fun.
"So let me get this right.  You hired a Wizard to use bad arcane magic to Turn yourself from a dwarf which you hate being into the elf which you always want to be.
However all you manage to do was get transported to elven land instead."

He then sends two arrows in direction of undead before adding to what he said.

"My heart goes out to you Balrok Elf-heart."

23:01, Today: Slove rolled 7 using 1d8+3. damage.
23:01, Today: Slove rolled 16 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.
23:01, Today: Slove rolled 20 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:06, Wed 09 June 2010.

Between a flaming axe, a mighty fist, a striking arrow and being stricken with terror of divine power, the wight didn't stand a chance. It hit the glass floor and lay still, never to dance or slay again. [All attacks hit, bar one one arrow (miss chance). Wight is slain!]


OOC: Battle is over! Rave lighting and music will end in around 5 minutes.

Gurgun steps away from the fallen corpse, at a pace the dwarf can keep up with. We must go down the stairs to face Mourel. Are you ready dwarf?

Balrok fumes at the man's scandalous insinuations!  "Turn meself into an elf?" he growls incredulously as he plants his foot on the twice-dead wight and yanks out his waraxe.  "Paerth!  I'd sooner turn meself into uh goblin ballerina an' dance around in a tutu den spend one second as a goldnosed elf!"  He eyes the edge of his axe, wipes it clean, then turns to glower directly at the man.  "Nay, I hired uh bad wizard tu use bad arcane magic tu teleport me to du Lost Temple of Vergadain and find me lost brudder.  But du dumb wizard teleported me here instead.

An' who in du Nine Hells is askin', anyways?  None of ye but the goblin has said who ye are!"

At Gargun's words, Balrok's dark look brightens.  "I dunno who the hell this lich is or why we're hackin' 'em up, but there ain't no way tu teleport back to du wizard who sent me, so hackin' somethin' up sounds like du next best thing on me agenda."

At some point Balrok will probably notice Jorn, and will greet him in dwarven, asking him his clan name, relatives, birthplace, etc.  Balrok will be glad to see there's at least one other dwarf in the group, and assuming Jorn seems like a decent enough sort and says he trusts the rest of the party, that will make Balrok more likely to as well.  (Jorn and Balrok might even know each other, since they are both from the Great Rift -- you interested in that, Jorn?)
This message was last edited by the player at 15:53, Thu 10 June 2010.

OOC: Jorn, not Jarl. He's generally around only on weekends, so you'd need to be a bit patient if you want to sort some prior knowledge out.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:22, Thu 10 June 2010.

OOC:  Whoops, thanks!  Fixed it.  I'll let Jorn take the lead on whether there was any prior association, and I'll just play along -- assuming that's OK with you, of course.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:50, Thu 10 June 2010.

Slove lowers his hood so the new dwarf can see his face.
What ever has happened to Slove it was very nasty.  Half his face is scared, burn somehow.  The other seemed to have also been effect but to a lesser degree.
Some healing must been used but somehow it was unable to put the elf’s face back to what it was.
Now the battle is over the new comer can hear Sloves voice is rasping, harsh.  Like someone cutting wood.

"I am Slove.  Elven hunter and follower of Solonor Thelandira."

ASlove winks at the dwarf and as last word before putting his hood up.
"I understand your secret brother elf."

Balrok inspect's Slove's face.  "Gud scar!" he says approvingly.  "Adds character.  Wanna see mine?" he asks, in the manner of warriors comparing battle wounds.  Regardless of the answer he flips up his eyepatch to show the empty socket of his ruined eye.  "Never really needed dat one anyway, I'm right-eyed, heh heh."  He elbows the elf conspiratorially.  "An' the girls dig 'em, ya know what I'm sayin'?  Wemen always love du scars!  Maybe ye ain't so bad, treehugger," he comments offhandedly as he flips his eyepatch back down--he seems to like Slove better now that he knows Jorn trusts him and that he is not the typical "prissy" elf.

Suddenly there was another flash of light, and then a fully-laden mule appeared, a foot above the floor. The poor animal dropped, just managing to remain upright. But the stress of planar travel, the strange floor that made its shod hooves slip and slide, the deafening loud strange noises and the lights flashing and moving all around - it was all too much for the simple beast.

Muley began to bray and whinny, to snort and scream, and in a blind panic tried to run, with hooves skidding. If not calmed, the mule would surely injure itself or others.

Someone calm the beast or Gurgun will wrestle it to the ground! This be your beast of burden Balrok? Gurgun exclaims, dodging to the side to avoid the flaying hoof.

"Muley!" Balrok calls, exhasperated.  "Dag nab it, ya dumb beast, calm down!  If yer can handle a giant dung beatle tryin' tu eat ya, a little elf fortress ain't gunna hurt.  Stand still now!"  Balrok will try to grab the mule's reins and keep it in check, but he'd never been very good at calming the beast, and seems to be making a mess of it now as well.

14:40, Today: Balrok rolled 4 using 1d20-1. Handle Animal.

OOC: I just realized Jorn was still in the form of a Tren, this ought to be good.

The dwarf wizard blinked at the appearance of the new arrival, then grinned widely as he recognized the stream of curses flowing from his mouth. Unfortunately, due currently being shapeshifted into a Tren, this only produced a large number of very sharp teeth;

"Balrok? Hah! The gods be playing a fine game with fate these days," laughed Jorn, though it came out as a hiss through his teeth, "how's the treasure-hunting business going? I hope those tomes I lent yer came in handy. I know those notes on elven religious lore I got in exchange certainly did!"

Balrok blinks dumbly at the lizard man, then the truth slowly dawns on him from the context of its words.  "Jorn Brightcaller??  Well I'll be a bearded nome!  I thought ye were a lizardman!  You an' yer damn shapeshiftin'; it ain't natural.  If Moradin had intended dwarfs tu look like lizards he'da given us scales an' heated caves," Balrok grumbles.  He switches to dwarven.  "What the hell are ye doin' here, and who are the rest of these folks?  Can they be trusted?"

In response the transmuter snapped his fingers, ending the spell. Scaled hides and claws were soon replaced by thick dwarven muscle and hair;

"Yer know, me master once said that if Moradin meant fer us to use weapons he wouldn've given us axeblades for fingers instead'o hand," answered Jorn, "magic's just a weapon, like any armor or blade. Them lizardfolk tough hides have saved mine more than once today.

With a glance at Slove, Jorn sighed,

<Dwarven>"Still haven' quite gotten over tha'paranoia I see. Not tha'I blame yer. How we got'er is a long story, one best shared over a fire and beer. And yes, they can be trusted. Even the elf. Especially the elf."

"Jus' cuz I'm paranoid don't mean der not out tu get me," Balrok mutters in dwarven.  Nonetheless, he seems much comforted that Jorn trusts the rest of the group.

His face also momentarily brightens as he considers having axeblades for fingers, but he quickly discards the idea.  "Moradin wouldn't do dat--it wuld take away free will," he notes in the tone of a theological discussion, "after all, den we culdn't pick whether tu use a hammer or an axe."  That seems to settle the thorny question in Balrok's mind.

OOC: So Slove, Elf Ranger and Cleric of a nature god, is untrained in Handle Animal. Huh. Anyway, NPCing him before the mule dies of fright.
17:05, Today: DM BadCatMan, on behalf of Slove, rolled 19 using 1d20. wild empathy.


Realizing that he was the one needed to calm the mule, Slove came over and took the reins from Balrok, who was having no luck at all. As the dwarves talked, he stroked its flanks, whispered to it, and generally tried to sooth it. It took a while, but eventually Muley settled down, though he was still skittish and frightened. He would need to be led back to the mercenary camp, to the care of the other adventurers, leaving only the hope that the orcs wouldn't get it into their heads to eat him.

Balrok will Intimidate the orcs into not eating his mule!  That is the only sort of agreement they'll understand, in his mind.

Can I do that?  I'd hate to have to try and kill them later for eating my pet mule!

Take 10 Intimidate:  17.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:54, Tue 15 June 2010.

They are too busy fighting the dead-that-walk to worry about your mule. Once Mourel create enough dead-that-walk to launch another assault, we all die. Let's stop him before that happens. Send mule back to camp, and tell the fey to protect it. It will not live if faced with the dead-that-walk. They will turn it into a shadow, or worse. Now, keep your axe ready dwarf; we go face Mourel.

Gurgun leads the way towards the stairs leading down.

I'm confused.  If for some reason we are not actually taking Muley to these orcs, Balrok will attempt to Intimidate anyway (this skill has to be useful for something!) by instead attach a threatening "note" -- a rough drawing of an orc biting a mule and getting his head cut off by a very tough looking stick dwarf, with a note in Common saying, 'Be nice to Muley -- or else!'  Then Balrok would follow Gurgun.

OOC: I imagine we'll let a runner bring the mule back. There's a deranged fey with a pet bear back there that should be able to protect the mule from any harm.

OOC:  OK, sounds good.  Thanks for the information.  I was unaware of the deranged fey and pet bear....

OOC: No, I don't think Mister Wickers and Mister Lumpkin will be the best choices for this... ;) Let's leave the mule with the ex-PCs.
Okay, quickly skimming over.


Being very careful, Slove led Muley out of the strange domed room, with the other adventurers following. Balrok found himself making a careful passage over glass bridges suspending above a churning wine-dark sea beneath a twilight sky, crossing between strange glass towers. One thing was definitely certain. He wasn't in Chult anymore. He wasn't even on Toril anymore, and this place most definitely had nothing to do with the dwarves.

An orc and hobgoblin advance party had seized the bride Nexus, and waved the adventurers through. The hobgoblins were suspicious about a second dwarf appearing, not from the stone circle, but they let him pass.

Back in the main camp, they left Muley with Nikolai and the others, who promised to keep an eye on him, while Balrok attached his note and made fierce glares at the hungry-looking orcs.

Finally, they'd trooped back to the domed dance-floor, finding the flashing lights and loud music and dancing shadows had all been switched off, leaving eerie silence and darkness.


OOC: Okay, carry on. The map of what you see is above. There are wight bodies to check, and stairs to go down.
This message was last edited by the GM at 09:49, Thu 17 June 2010.

Balrok will nonchalantly check the wight bodies.  He is always happy to loot the dead, but if there's anything that isn't obvious, he'll probably miss it.

Take 10 Search - 12.

Garel started to say something to Balrok as he moved to search the wight bodies, but held his tongue.


Looking around as they moved, he simply stayed with the party and looked around.

Gurgun barely looked at the corpses being more preoccupied with facing the lich.

OOC: Search 3

There wasn't much more to see in the funeral hall.

Balrok looked over the wights, once the corpses of elves. They wore ancient tattered robes, possibly those of wizards, or at least apprentices. One had a gold amulet around his neck, adorned with a constellation of stars.

"Stingy elves," Balrok grumbles.  "The Lost Temple this ain't.  Well, let's get movin'."  Balrok will stand, test the edge of his waraxe, ready his shield, then clump off through whatever doorway leads towards the lich.  He'll go first, watching carefully for traps as he goes (Balrok loves traps!).

Take 10 Search for traps:  13.  Take 20 if something looks suspicious:  23.  Add 2 if the trap somehow involves "stone"; Add 2 if Balrok is considered "underground".  This is Survival skill at a -5; I can find any sort of trap, even high DC ones.

Go down stairs. Gurgun instructs tersly, and follows close behind.

"Balrok, let me see that amulet."

Gaerl tried to determine what god or religion the amulet was associated with, or if it was.  He announced his findings if any to the party.


15:00, Today: Garel Astur rolled 25 using 1d20+6. knowledge religion -- amulet.

There didn't seem to be a religious significance to the amulet, just an astrological one. It depicted a certain constellation of stars seen in Faerun's night sky, though Garel couldn't even guess as its significance.

"The ancient star elves looked to the stars for their magic." Duladora explained as she examined it. "This may have been made in honour of this constellation, or it could signify a magical discipline that this... elf followed." She'd crept back into the picture after the wights had been slain and the funeral hall pronounced safe, and had proceeded to draw sketches of the artwork and take notes. She was rather relieved to find that the new arrival would take of traps.

The adventurers headed down the flight of shallows stairs. They came down into a triangular room, with one wall forming the arc of a quarter-circle. Against the walls they found a number of glass tables, each as long and as wide as a person. The place was cold and smelt faintly of death, but was otherwise empty.

Dula peeked in from the top of the stairs. "This must be where the bodies of the deceased were laid in state, where their families and friends could see them. They'd have lain here until their funerals or, uh, preparations were ready."
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:24, Sat 19 June 2010.

Balrok grumbles at the running elven narrative.  "Layin' yer dead on glass tables, starin' at du stars," he mutters as he examines the room, "no wonder du elfs are all dead, 'prolly died uh boredom."  He glances at Duladora.  "If I keel over durin' one of her stories, yu'll know it got me too, heh heh.

Maybe ye can be useful an' tell us du historic locations of elven burial treasure instead," he says, tapping on a glass table with his axe.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:20, Tue 22 June 2010.

"A magical discipline yer say?" started Jorn, his interest piqued, "perhaps I could'ave a look at that amulet?"

[Cast] Detect Magic, examine the amulet. While at it, look about the room, including the burial room for auras.

At Balrok's request, Jorn grinned and shook his head;

"Been there, done that. Quick summary: this'ere place's been taken'ver by a necromancer. Undead stalk the corridors. Treasure might be found, but I chance yer, between us, the orcs and the necromancer's minions most of this tomb been swept clean by now."

Dula pulled a face at Balrok's comments, and left the adventurers to their bumbling around.

[Private to Jorn Brightcaller: The amulet wasn't magical, or it wasn't any more.

However, after panning around the room, Jorn realised that there was active magic close by, not in this room but in a neighbouring area. Two auras, he sensed.

OOC: 2 Spellcraft checks, please]
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:59, Mon 21 June 2010.

19:03, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 25 using 1d20+13. Spellcraft 2.
19:03, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 22 using 1d20+13. Spellcraft 1.

PM [Private to Jorn Brightcaller: Two faint necromancy auras, to the south east.]

Once Jorn is done, and if there's nothing to be found in this room (DC 12 Take 10 search), Balrok will press forward.

Gurgun waits for the dwarves to finish.

NPCed

"Two necr'mancy magics, this way." Jorn said, gesturing to the south and west, according to arbitrarily determined compass-points.

That done, they left the room via a door in the north-west, and found themselves at the corner of wide L-shaped corridor. The right-hand corridor ended in a door, estimated to be nearly at the edge of the building. The left-hand corridor had a door close-by on the left, one further down on the right, and another at the very end.

Jorn pointed to the nearest door. "Necr'mancy's in here."

Gurgun say this is good. We finish this; Balrok get ready Gurgun will open door.
The hobgoblin waits for the others to line up before he does his push and drag routine used to open doors on this plane.

Balrok will inspect it for traps before Gurgun opens it.  Take 20:  23.

OOC: Whoops, sorry. I forgot a room. Just slipping it in. I've updated the map in the map thread. You're currently in area 45.


Duladora entered the room behind the adventurers, and pointed to a door she found in the opposite corner of the room, unnoticed in the darkness. "What's in this one?" she wondered aloud, and curiosity got the better of her good sense, so she dragged it open.

Inside was a small storeroom, but storing a ghasty contents. The walls were lined with up to fifty small niches. In about a dozen of them were bundle of elven bones, and laying on the floor were a few loose bones and a number of small silver chains. Dula picked one up and inspected it closely. "We've seen these chains on many of the walking skeletons... ah, they're used to tie the bones together when stored in these niches. This is an ossuary. It must be where Mourel the Duskwalker is getting his army from..." the historian deduced.

That taken care of, Balrok inspected the door, and pronounced it trap free, so Gurgun opened it. Inside was a a long semi-circle room, and directly opposite was a large box that seemed to be a furnace, all of opaque glass with a hatch door on the front.

Further down were two large opaque glass vats, the size and shape of coffins, with small furnaces built into their bases. Scattered about the room were several mortuary tables.

Suddenly there was a rasping voice, the words of magic, and a flash within one of the vats. [Spellcraft DC 16 - shield]

An elf sat up out of that vat shortly after, turning to gaze upon the explorers with a look of contempt. He was deathly pale, almost white; in fact, he was dead. The elf was dressed in once-ornate wizard's robes, turned black and grey and tattered. A strange spark burned in his eyes. This could only be the dread lich that the orcs and hobgoblins had spoken of.

"You dare defile the house of my master!" the dead elven mage hissed, enraged. "Where is the burning skull? Where are our armies?" he demanded.



[Private to Jorn Brightcaller: The necromantic auras coincide with the lich's position.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:27, Fri 25 June 2010.

Balrok scratches his head with the back of his axe.  "Are we talkin' or smashin' 'em," the half-deaf Balrok asks Gargun in a whisper so (inadvertently) loud everyone can easily hear it.

Are the vats made of glass or some sort of breakable material?  Do they look to be filled with liquid?  I'm trying to get a mental picture here.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:24, Fri 25 June 2010.

OOC: I thought we could chat first. ;) But feel free to launch into battle.

The vats are empty, and made of glass that is magically-strengthened, hardness 10. Everything in the tower is made of this glass.

"I believe this'ere be the source of them auras," hissed Jorn, "and the source of them undead. Found our necromancer I'd say. Now, I suggest we swiftly remove 'is 'ead from 'is skull, before it does the same to us."

Outloud, the dwarf answered;

"Them? Them be crushed to bones and dust. Or in tha'skulls case, just dust. wont'yer join em?"

[Cast] Alter Self: Tren

OOC: Jumping the gun here. Let's take him down! (Unless someone objects, in which I'll change my post.

This undead realm of yours is an affront to the binder. We here to stop this destructive reign. We detroyed your lieutenants, you may leave this plane or prepare to be destroyed yourself. The orcs and hobgoblins will soon be here to dispatch your minions.
Garel has those magic stones? This will be a good time to give to Gurgun. he adds in a low voice.

"My minions? My lieutenants?" the dead elf echoed, confused, then cackled. As he threw his gaunt skull-like head back, then could see a glint on his brow, as though a gem were attached or embedded in his forehead. "How wrong you have it. I am Kyjal Stardancer, just a humble servant of my master, and I will-"

Halfway through, Kyjal cut off his own grand speech, and spat out the words of a dreadful spell, seizing the initiative. A dark cloud of terror seemed to settle over Balrok. [Lich: cause fear @ Balrok, Will DC 13 or be Frightened for 4 rounds, success means being Shaken for 1 round]

Then he dropped back inside his vat, a strange move but it gave him cover and protection and his living enemies.


Round 1:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller
J: Balrok

K: Elf Lich, Kyjal Stardancer

Effects:

Frightened: Fearful of a creature, situation, or object. A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.

Shaken: Mildly fearful. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Initiative: green - you may act
19 - Elf Lich
19 - Gurgun
12 - Slove
10 - Balrok
 8 - Jorn
 7 - Garel
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:38, Tue 29 June 2010.

OOC: know religion: 17

Whispered as he is prepairing to cast a spell and looking at the Lich, Garel whispers barely loud enough for Gurgun to hear, "I have a better spell planned, one of you charge him."

knowledge religion/undead 22

12:41, Today: Garel Astur rolled 22 using 1d20+6. Knowledge Religion---undead. 
This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Sun 27 June 2010.

Balrok roars in rage as the lich attempts to assault his mind, his muscles and veins bulging as he shakes off the effects through pure stubbornness and adrenaline.  "Smashin' it is den!" Balrok says as his brain clears.  His waraxe bursts into flame, he deatches his shield in one swift yank and [drops it on the ground, puts it on his back, prefer the later if possible], raises his axe high above his head and sets his sights on the lich.  As Garel and Gargun argue about magic stones, Balrok takes a more direct approach.  "CHARGE!" he screams, and he begins barreling across the room towards the lich-in-a-vat.

I don't remember the specifics of the rules, but Balrok wants to break the vat.  I have hammers on my person if that would work better, or I could hit it with the side of my war axe -- I don't remember if "sharp" vs. "bludgeon" makes a difference.

I also don't remember the action required to detach and sheath a shield.  Obviously I don't want to lose my attack to do that, so I can drop it if I have to, but if it is, say, a Move action to remove it and a Swift action to sheath it, I'll do that.  If it is a Standard action to remove it, then I will leave it on and attack one handed.

---

ROUND 1:

INIT - 10

ACTIONS

• Move: Shield stuff
• Swift: Shield stuff
• Free: Rage
• Standard: Charge VAT

Attack: 15 v. Vat
Damage: 28 damage to Vat (subtract hardness from that)

EFFECTS

• Equipped:  Dwarven War Axe (two-handed)
• RAGE! (Round 1 of 9); 2/3 remaining today [effects factored into stats below]

STATS

NON Rage, Bio Line 1:  Init +0, AC 15 (or 17 with Shield) / same / 10
NON Rage, Bio Line 2:  HP 70/70, Saves +10/+1/+5


RAGE, Bio Line 1:  Init +0, AC 13 (no shield) / same / 8
RAGE, Bio Line 2:  HP 80/80, Saves +12/+1/+9


10:40, Today: Balrok rolled 28 using 1d10+19. PA-5 damage v. Vat.
10:39, Today: Balrok rolled 15 using 1d20+9. Two-handed charge w. PA -5 vs. Vat.
10:15, Today: Balrok rolled 22 using 1d20+5. Fear (+4 more if can rage).

(Actually I rolled a 24, as I forgot my dwarf bonus vs. magic; or a 28 if I can rage first since it is a Free action.)
This message was last edited by the player at 14:42, Mon 28 June 2010.

[Private to Gurgun Nightwhisper: It doesn't seem to be a real lich, they're more bony. :)  It appears to be some kind of lesser undead mage, and probably knows some magic.]

[Private to Garel Astur: It doesn't seem to be a real lich, they're more bony. :)  It appears to be what's called a deathlock, a kind of lesser undead mage, capable of some magic, particularly necromantic, and an ability to place necromantic trap-spells.]

Mid-Round Update:

Balrok charged along the glass floor, loosening his grip on his shield and hurling it aside as he rushed upon the lich's vat. His axe was raised high, ready to destroy the glass coffin. It came crashing down...

Suddenly the side of vat began to shine with a sickly light, and he briefly glimpsed a foul-looking twisted glyph. Then a hideous sickness began to fill him, his muscles locked up, and he found himself utterly paralyzed and utterly helpless. [Necro trap! (No save) Balrok is paralyzed for 8 rounds! Fort save 17, worse thing avoided]


Updates:

Balrok moved to D10, paralyzed for 8 rounds.

Initiative:
19 - Elf Lich
19 - Gurgun
12 - Slove
10 - Balrok
8 - Jorn
 7 - Garel

Gurgun pulls out a small flask and throws it at the undead. His aim isn't quite right though, and the flask breaks inside the coffin behind the crouching undead. Still, the flames are bound to sting it.

OOC: Move to C08, throw alchemist fire, 12, presumed miss, rolled 5 on d8, hit square right behind, undead take 1 damage.

OOC: Hello?

Gurgun, I'll count that as a direct hit since the undead is laying inside his vat-coffin.

Mid-Round Update:

Gurgun might have missed the undead mage, but he still managed to toss the pot of alchemist's fire into the confined space of sarcophagus. The pot exploded, flames erupting and igniting the deathless mage's moldy robes. A dry hiss of rage and pain burst from the vat. [Direct hit! Alchemist's Fire, 4 fire damage to Kyjal, now on fire]


Updates:

Balrok moved to D10, paralyzed for 8 rounds.

Gurgun moved to C8

Initiative:
19 - Elf Lich
19 - Gurgun
12 - Slove
10 - Balrok
8 - Jorn
 7 - Garel

OOC: Summer slowness?

Slove lets of two arrows at the creature.

OOC:
09:18, Today: Slove rolled 14 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.
09:18, Today: Slove rolled 13 using 1d20+10. Attack with arrow.

Can't see them hitting.

Leaning into the room, Garel looked at the undead.

Casting his spell and aiming it for the ground at the undead mages feet was his goal.

As he finished the words he looked on to see the effect and what the rest of the party was doing.

OOC: HELD ACTION.  Casting Silence on the ground at the Undead Mages feet right before he begins to cast, or after he moves if he decides to try and move to a safer location to cast.  Regardless, I will be casting it to stop him from casting and going right before him.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Tue 06 July 2010.

OOC: The undead mage is lying in his coffin/sarcophagus/vat, so his feet aren't on the ground. As you can cast silence on an object or point in space from a distance, I'll assume you place it on his vat.


Slove's two arrows flew harmlessly over the top of the lich's burning vat. [Miss]

With a dwarf's thought for his kin, Jorn rushed up and grabbed the stricken Balrok, and endeavoured to drag the warrior away from the undead's grasp. [Jorn NPCed. Moves and grapples Balrok, drags him back]

Despite being on fire, Kyjal knew not to waste any time. Forcing his mind to ignore the burning of his dry papery skin, he went into the rasping words of a spell... [Fire damage 5 to undead]

The Garel made his vat a cauldron of silence. [Readied action, Garel casts silence]

Kyjal faltered, then forced his voice through the cloying silence, breaking into sound again. The words and movements of his spell went on. Rising from his vat, a grey coruscating ray shot from his bony finger towards Gurgun, but the flames threw off his aim. [Kyjal: Will save 25, silence negated. Ranged touch attack 12, missed]


Round 2:


(Please ignore the second Jorn in G7)

G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller
J: Balrok

K: Elf Lich, Kyjal Stardancer, laying in vat

Effects:

Initiative: green - you may act
 7 - Garel
19 - Elf Lich
19 - Gurgun
12 - Slove
10 - Balrok
8 - Jorn
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:24, Wed 07 July 2010.

Gurgun moves swiftly south and strikes at the cowering (and burning) undead.

OOC: QS attack (2H) 16, Damage 10

Slove lets of another set of arrows.

OOC:-
23:50, Today: Slove rolled 6 using 1d8+5.
23:50, Today: Slove rolled 9 using 1d8+5. damage.
23:49, Today: Slove rolled 16 using 1d20+10. attack with bow.
23:49, Today: Slove rolled 29 using 1d20+10. attack with bow.

Mid-Round Update:

As soon as the ray left the lich's finger, Slove fired an arrow and put it right through the undead elf's arm. Kyjal screeched madly, and dropped back into the safety of his vat, the flames finally going out. The next arrow passed overhead. [Slove: first arrow hits, deals 9 damage]

Gurgun rushed upon the vat, his staff raised to thrust the butt down inside at the lich. Then the vat's side glowed, and another twisted glyph glimmered. Like Balrok before him, Gurgun felt himself grow dreadfully sick, and his limbs seized up, and he too became paralyzed and helpless. [Another Necro trap! (No save) Gurgun is paralyzed for 4 rounds! Fort save 22, worse thing avoided]

Updates:

Gurgun in C10, paralyzed

Initiative: green - you may act
19 - Elf Lich
19 - Gurgun
12 - Slove
10 - Balrok
8 - Jorn
 7 - Garel

I shifted Garel to his previous init place again, since either way he acts before the elf lich.
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:27, Fri 09 July 2010.

Jorn, now in the form of the Tren, rushes forward to threaten the lich. Once within range, the dwarf chants another quick series of syllablles, causing his armored form to suddenly expand greatly;

[Cast] Enlarge Person
[Move] D10, occupy squares C9-D10

Current Buffs: Alter Self, Enlarge Person
NOTE: Jorn now has 15ft reach

OOC: Note to self: in the future, avoid annoying traps.

Garel was aggrivated at what had happened thus far.  Two of their best front line fighters were paralyzed.   He knew that his spells could not free them, but he had to do something.

Stepping forward to enter the room, he began to cast a spell and reached out and touched Slove.

OOC: Five foot step into the room to G7.  Cast Hide from Undead on Slove and myself. (must be able to touch all those you wish to hide.)
This message was last edited by the player at 04:05, Tue 13 July 2010.

Balrok attempts to twiddle his thumbs but fails, because he is paralyzed!

Peering out of his vat, Kyjal's pale eyes narrowed as Garel cast his spell, but if he'd noticed the disappearance of the pair, he gave no sign of it. [Will save 25, sorry]

Right now, the gigantic dwarf looming over his sarcophagus was a much greater concern. Kyjal pushed back, moving to the far end, then flung himself over the edge to seek cover behind the vat. With an angry shout of desperate spellcasting, he flung his hand open at Jorn, like he had done to Balrok earlier, and the dwarf began to feel afraid. [Kyjal: 5ft step and move action to leave vat. Casts cause fear @ Jorn, Will DC 13 or be Frightened for 3 rounds, success means being Shaken for 1 round]

Round 3:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller
J: Balrok

K: Elf Lich, Kyjal Stardancer

Effects:

Frightened: Fearful of a creature, situation, or object. A frightened creature flees from the source of its fear as best it can. If unable to flee, it may fight. A frightened creature takes a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. A frightened creature can use special abilities, including spells, to flee; indeed, the creature must use such means if they are the only way to escape.

Shaken: Mildly fearful. A shaken character takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.

Initiative: green - you may act
19 - Elf Lich
19 - Gurgun
12 - Slove
10 - Balrok
8 - Jorn
 7 - Garel
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:16, Tue 13 July 2010.

With his usual silence Slove lets go very quickly at undead.

OOC:
22:56, Today: Slove rolled 10 using 1d8+5.
22:55, Today: Slove rolled 7 using 1d8+5. damage.
22:55, Today: Slove rolled 24 using 1d20+10. attack with bow.
22:55, Today: Slove rolled 21 using 1d20+10. attack with bow.

The arrows sped straight and true, past his allies and over the head of Balrok, then... thud! thunk! Kyjal Stardancer sprouted two quivering shafts from head and heart. He seemed surprised. "You... my master... destroy... you..." he choked, then pale eyes rolled back in his head and he dropped to the cold glass floor, dead again.


OOC: Battle's over!

Gurgun will recover in around 3 rounds (18 seconds), Balrok in 4 rounds (24 seconds).

When Balrok finally thaws out, he will grumble in dwarven about missing the fight and give the body of the undead creature a kick for good measure.  He will then proceed to search the room for treasure and traps.

Take 10 Search for traps:  13.  Take 20 if something looks suspicious:  23.  Add 2 if the trap somehow involves "stone"; Add 2 if Balrok is considered "underground".  This is Survival skill at a -5; I can find any sort of trap, even high DC ones.

Take 10 search for treasure:  12.  Take 20 if something looks particularly promising:  22.

Fortunately there were no more of the dreaded necromantic traps around the room.

The room was bare apart from the mortuary tables and the vats. On the undead mage himself, only two things presented themselves of interest: a slim wand carved of yellowing bone, topped with a black onyx gem; and a glittering clear gem jammed into the centre of elf's forehead. Prising it out was a gross business, but produced a wondrous tear-drop-shaped gem.

Duladora appeared once all had been declared safe. The non-adventuring archaeologist poked around the room, and explained her findings for the benefit of the curious. She peered into one of the vats. "I think the ancient star elves practiced maceration," she explained, crinkling her nose in distaste. "That's, uh, a process where bodies are stripped of flesh to leave only the bones. They would have placed their dead in these vats, filled them with water, and used fire magic to bring them to boil. The, um, waste products would go in that furnace to be incinerated, while the bones would be collected, polished, tied up in those silver chains, and stored in that ossuary we saw."


OOC: This game can be educational too. ;)

Slove looks at his bow and them draws another arrow.
The room maybe clear but he not going leave group unprotected.

Gurgun manages to produce his notebook once the paralysis lets him, taking careful notes of Duladora's findings, as well as adding his own observations and sketches of the (twice) fallen elf.

Nasty traps. is all he comments of the fight, nodding at Slove for his deadly accuracy with the bow.

"Apologies, Gurgun!" sighed Jorn, "if I had recognized the auras a bit quicker I could've warned yer about the traps." The dwarf dismissed the spell, shrinking back to his original size. The wizard then carefully picked up the gems and the wand, weighing them in his hands.


"Right. Anyone able to identify these? Or shall I just carry them in my pack first?"

The tear-drop shaped gem was just the right shape and size to fit in the talking glass heads back in the old library, just as the undead mage had done to himself. No doubt this gem stored information as well, perhaps of the arcane variety?

It was also clearly another of the famed King's Tear gemstones.

Post #393:
link to a message in this game

Post #569:
link to a message in this game

Balrok will lead the group to check the area marked "46" on the map, checking the door for traps, looking disappointed if he does not find any, then kicking it down and going in.

And sorry for my confusion on where we were going!  I'm straight now, I think!

Gurgun grins briefly, displaying an impressive row of sharp teeth. Balrok is an impatient dwarf, Gurgun likes that. Balrok go first and Gurgun will flank.

Gurgun follows very closely behind, sling loaded.

Balrok nods.  "Damn skippy I am.  Ya promised me a lich tu kill an' I mean tu find 'em."

They entered a room a lot like the one that they had just left. Glass tables on rolled were scattered around, and glass cabinets with transparent doors lined the walls. Peering inside one, they could see all manner of vises, saws, clamps, retractors, and knives. Other cabinents held canopic jars, vials and alchemical tubes and pipes.

Next to the cabinets were arrays of glass cylinders with tubing attached to them and coiled onto wall hooks nearby. Each tube ended in a large hollow needles, and bellows and pumps were also attached to the cylinders, some of which had darkly stained interiors.

Balrok will again inspect the room for traps, looking hopeful that he will find something more interesting than a magical rune.  Treasure hunter that he is, he will also watch for anything valuable.

Take 10 Search for traps:  13.  Take 20 if something looks suspicious:  23.  Add 2 if the trap somehow involves "stone"; Add 2 if Balrok is considered "underground".  This is Survival skill at a -5; I can find any sort of trap, even high DC ones.

Take 10 search for treasure:  12.  Take 20 if something looks particularly promising:  22.

P.S. - Balrok wouldn't be interested in elf history, so I'm not asking questions with him, but don't let me rush the rest of you.

Gurgun looks for hidden dangers, then looks through the cabinets for anything else of interest.

OOC: Spot 17, search 8

OOC: Balrok, we're in a glass tower above the sea. Nothing will ever be made of stone or underground. :p


Balrok looked around, but unless one wished to dissect, stuff or mummify a corpse, there wasn't much of use or value, except perhaps as curios to a scholar like Duladora.

He noticed an empty hook on the wall, meaning that maybe one of the cylindrical contraptions had been removed, at some point in the millennia that this place had existed for. It hardly seemed important.

A dwarf can dream, damn it!! :)

Balrok grumbles.  "Lich ain't here; nothin' but stuff tu make elf corpses, an' I prefer doin' dat with me axe, heh heh.  Let's move."

Balrok will head towards the staircase at 48 going down to 49, checking for traps as normal.

After taking some notes, Gurgun follows.

Balrok marched down the corridor, and slid open the door at the far end, revealing a twisting staircase down into the dark. Each step was transparent, so looking down was a dizzying experience.

Dula had backed off to wait anxiously at the far corner, her customary place. "Hey! What about this little room here?" She pointed down the other arm of the corridor, towards the door missed at the far end.


OOC: There's Area 47 still to be checked out on this floor, if you want to clear out level by level?

Gurgun grunts and rushes back up with superhuman speed. Knowing Slove has him covered with the bow he quickly opens the door.

Gurgun dragged open the door. It was another storeroom, the walls lined with niches, just like the ossuary earlier. What was different was a large block of ancient wood in the centre, a deep groove cut into the top surface. Peering past it, he saw the skeleton of an elf - the headless skeleton of an elf.

A movement above had him glancing up. There he saw hanging from the wall niches above an elven zombie, one hand clutching a long axe, while two strange red-hued elven heads. All three glared down at him.

Round 1:


I can't be bothered making maps for this battle. You're in the corridor going down from H and I. The door is at the top edge.

G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller
J: Balrok

Z: Elf Zombie, +10ft
H: Flying Heads, +10ft

Effects:

Initiative: green - you may act
25 - Slove
22 - Gurgun
21 - Flying Heads
20 - Garel
17 - Elf Zombie
10 - Jorn
10 - Balrok

Balrok would have tried to get in front by the door before the monk opened it, or open it himself, if Gargun would have allowed.  I just didn't get to post that in time.

Are they within reach?

OOC: Sure, Balrok and Gurgun are both in the front line.

They're 10ft up, meaning they're at least 10 feet away. So, out of reach.

Gurgun fires a sling stone at the zombie, while warning the other: Elf dead that walk up near roof! Slove better come in here!

OOC: Attack 8, damage 4

Mid-Round Update:

The stone bounced off some shelves.

Slove hurried to the door, but it was too late - the undead descended to attack.

The axe-wielding elf dropped off the shelf it had been clutching, the blade of his axe aimed at Gurgun's head. The clumsy attacked missed, however, and it landed before him, ready to fight. It was an elf and undead, of course, with grey as hard as leather, dressed in rags and a dusty chain-shirt. The axe he held was unusual for elves, but its purpose seemed clear: it was the axe used to behead the skeleton that lay on the floor. [Elf: charge attack 11, miss. Lands on floor in front of Gurgun]

The heads floated off the shelves, revealing themselves to be ugly crimson-hued things, with leathery bat-wings erupting from the sides, tentacles in place of hair, and mouths that opened hideously wide. Their eyes and the insides of their mouths glowed with a sickly green flame.



One swooped down on Balrok, jaws opening wide and snapping shut with jagged fangs, but the dwarf easily ducked the strike. [Head 1 bite attack 11, miss]

Then the other opened its jaws impossibly wide, and let rip a terrible shriek of pain and terror that sent shivers of cold through the listeners' bodies and caused those who saw the dreadful thing to became paralysed with pure fear. [Head 2 screams, Gurgun and Balrok - Fortitude save DC 12 or be Paralysed for 3 rounds (mind-affecting fear effect]

Hearing that frightful sound, Garel hurried down the corridor to join the others. With a quick prayer to Mystra calling for her blessing, he spread his arms wide, and everyone began to feel a little more courageous. [Garel NPC. Casts Bless, everyone gains +1 morale to attack and saves vs fear. Let it apply to the last save.]

Updates:

Bless: +1 morale bonus to attack and saves vs Fear effects

Initiative:
25 - Slove
22 - Gurgun
21 - Flying Heads
20 - Garel
17 - Elf Zombie
10 - Jorn
10 - Balrok

Balrok pulls back his axe to strike, only to hear the impossible shreek of the bat, which blows back his beard and throws his axe strike off course.  Yet the dwarf shakes off the fear without problem.  "I've had . . . more den enough . . . of bein' paralyzed," he roars!  Then readies his shield and moves into a position to fend off the creatures.

Axe swing - Nat 1, misses.  I'd like to shift or move into a position -- perhaps the doorway? -- to block the creatures from getting to our squishier party members and absorb all or as many of the attacks myself as I can.

STATS

NON Rage, Bio Line 1:  Init +0, AC 17 / same / 10
NON Rage, Bio Line 2:  HP 70/70, Saves +10/+1/+5

Gurgun snickers at the skulls attempt to frighten him. You are pathetic. I'll deal with big brother first, then rip you apart.

He then strikes quickly at the zombie with well-timed strikes of his quarterstaff.

22:25, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 5 using 1d6+3. Damage 2.
22:25, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 9 using 1d6+3. Damage 1.
22:24, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 22 using 1d20+7. QS, FoB 2.
22:24, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 18 using 1d20+7. QS, FoB 1.
22:24, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 29 using 1d20+10. will.

Assign dodge to zombie (+1 AC)

OOC: Since Gurgun acted out of order, I'll rearrange the init, which will make this easier.

Balrok, you're both blocking the doorway, so no problems there. You'll be able to AoO the bat-heads if they fly overhead.

Mid-Round Update:

Gurgun struck at the zombie with each end of his staff, right and left. The first went high, missing its head, and the second went low, striking it in the flank. But the staff only pounded dead flesh, and didn't nothing to harm it. [Gurgun: attack 1 misses; attack 2 hits, damage canceled by DR, no effect]

"Careful, it's a juju zombie, faster, tougher and smarter than the others we've faced!" Garel warned from his place behind.

Updates:

Initiative:
21 - Flying Heads
20 - Garel
17 - Elf Zombie
10 - Jorn
10 - Balrok
25 - Slove
22 - Gurgun
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:24, Mon 02 Aug 2010.

"And dem's vargweel's!" Jorn warned, hurrying up behind and whirling his chain around. "Their squealin' will scare ya stiff, and if they kiss ya, ye turn into one a' them!" [Jorn NPCed. Knowledge (Planes) 16]

He let fly the chain, and it shot over Balrok's head, smacking into in the vargouille that had swooped down upon. It caught the full force of the barbed end in its face, and dropped unconscious to the floor. [Jorn NPCed. Attack 23, damage 10, V1 knocked down]

Slove followed shortly after, nocking a pair of arrows to his bow. Stopping, he raised the bow and fired - with both arrows flying towards the back of Gurgun's head. Suddenly they twisted in flight, arced around the hobgoblin and impacted in either side of the zombie's head. [Slove NPCed. PBS, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot. Attack 26, 25; damage 8, 11. Total damage after DR = 9.]

The remaining vargouille pushed off its shelf and dropped to the ground behind the zombie, its wings opening and halting its fall, and it hovered up a short distance to get a better view. Though the first two had resisted its cry, it could still deal with the rest. The vargouille's dread mouth gaped wide and released another unearthly wailed that clawed at the senses of the approaching adventurers. But they too held firm. [V2 shrieks again. Garel, Jorn, Slove - Fortitude save DC 12 or be Paralysed for 3 rounds (mind-affecting fear effect). Garel 20, Jorn 25, Slove 16, all pass]

Garel drew one of his Mystran throwing stars, and flung it overhead. The spinning blade tore a gash along the vargouille's brow. [Garel NPCed. Throws shuriken. Attack 19, damage 4. V2 moderately damaged]

With a hoarse cry, the axe-wielding elf swung hard at Balrok, apparently eager to destroy a dwarf. The heavy axe blade caught him in the chainmail-girded shoulder, crunching down into flesh and bone. [Juju Zombie: power attack -1/+2, attack 20, damage 18 @ Balrok]


Round 2:

G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller
J: Balrok

J: Star Elf Juju Zombie, moderately damaged
V: Vargouille, #1 unconscious, #2 moderately wounded

Effects:

Bless: +1 morale to attack and saves vs fear

Initiative: green - you may act
21 - Vargouille
20 - Garel
17 - Star Elf Juju Zombie
10 - Jorn
10 - Balrok
25 - Slove
22 - Gurgun

Balrok roars as the axe blade catches him, then swings back hard at the dead elf.

14:08, Today: Balrok rolled 15 using 1d10+5. damage.
14:08, Today: Balrok rolled 23 using 1d20+10. Axe (1 handed) attack.

NON Rage, Bio Line 1:  Init +0, 17 / same / 10
NON Rage, Bio Line 2:  HP 52/70, Saves +10/+1/+5

Again Slove shoot two arrows at the creature trying take it down.

OOC:
22:26, Today: Slove rolled 9 using 1d8+6. damage.
22:26, Today: Slove rolled 30 using 1d20+13. attack with bow.
22:26, Today: Slove rolled 14 using 1d20+13. attack with bow.

Balrok buried his axe in the chest of the zombie elf, cracking open its ribs and spilling mummified guts. With a gurgle, it collapsed to the floor.

Slove followed soon behind, putting an arrow in the remaining Vargouille's forehead. Its eyes rolled back, and it too dropped to the floor, rolling into the corner.

After several seconds, the first Vargouille burst into green flames, followed by the other. In moments, both had incinerated themselves, leaving only a greasy smudge on the glass floor.

"An' stay dead dis time!" Balrok gruntss at the zombies.  He then examines his axe, even before his wound.  Seeing it is uninjured he nonchalantly wipes it on his armor to remove the ichor.  He then briefly examines his wound, grunting in annoyance.  "Gunna have'tu patch du chain mail," he grumbles.  He then shoves some cloth in the wound and calls it a day.

If no one else searches the small room, Balrok will oblige, though having a half-blind, half-deaf dwarf do the party's searching may not be the most effecient of endeavors.

There wasn't much to find anyway, for the shelves were empty. The zombie wore mouldy rags beneath a plain chain-shirt, and he'd wielded a long-handled executioner's axe.

Dula peered over Balrok's shoulder, once it was safe to return. She gasped at the scene: the axe, the beheading block, the headless skeleton. It had once been bound with ropes and had worn tattered robes. "An old elven mage. I wonder who it was?

"Was bein' du operative word der, heh heh heh," Balrok chuckles as he finishes cleaning his axe.  "Now, 'less I missed somethin', we're goin' down the stairs."  Balrok prefers not to leave any stone unturned that could result in an enemy at his back, but assuming no one pipes up about any more hidden nooks or crannies, or any other reason to delay, Balrok will tromp over to the stairs down to the next level.

Balrok will head towards the staircase at 48 going down to 49, checking for traps as normal.

OOC: Sorry for the delay, had written a post but must have forgotten to press "Post message".

Gurgun grows tired of fighting the underlings! Gurgun growls as they make their way to the stairs, kicking at the destroyed flying heads for good measure.
As they reach the stairs, the hobgoblin moves silently and swiftly ahead of the group, to scout out the opposition.

OOC: 50' speed, move silently 18

OOC: Since Gurgun went ahead with stealth, I'll assume he goes down the stairs first, followed by Balrok, with the others following.
19:54, Today: DM BadCatMan, on behalf of Balrok, rolled -3 using 1d20-4. move silent - That was a 1. :p


Stepping softly, Gurgun made his careful way down the spiraling stairs, with Balrok close behind, meticulously searching for traps. He might have made it down with out disturbance, except Balrok tripped on a step and all chainmail armour and many weapons clinked and clanked and banged as he collided with the wall.

"Kyjal. How goes the war?" came a voice, barely above a whisper, dry as dust and curiously stiff and emotionless.

The lowest level was in darkness, but Gurgun's night-sight pierced it as he rounded the stairs. Before him stretched a short corridor, ending in a larger, domed round room. The walls were lined with yet more of the niches used to store the bones and mummified organs.

At the far end, just beyond the limits of his vision, he glimpsed a large shape of strange and awful outlines - no doubt the source of the mysterious whisperer in the darkness.


OOC: You're in Areas 48 and 49 of the Lower Level of the last map in the map thread.

Gurgun halts the others with an outstretched hand and signs them to stay silent, before quietly retreating out of sight.

Then he waits.

Slove as usual follow carefull at back.

Balrok opens his mouth to yell back, "It's comin' tu yer doorstep!", but stops, grumbling under his breath, when he sees Gargun's outstretched hand.  Instead he stands impatiently behind the monk, trying hard not to tap his foot or make any more noise than is inevitable for a clumsy, fully-armed dwarf in heavy chain mail.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:40, Mon 16 Aug 2010.

OOC: LOL! Patience....

"Oh? Is that a dwarf I hear?" the voice responded, but if it was surprised it was hard to tell. "And you have allied yourself with the vile orcs and hobgoblins? That is unusual. After all, they are thugs and mercenaries who wish only to disturb my peace and steal my belongings, and I am sure that you are an honourable dwarf. Perhaps you should reconsider the quality of your friends before you count me your foe? I am sure that they have plenty of treasure hidden away..."

[Private to Balrok: Make a Will save DC 19 (+2 from racial bonus vs spells) or find this a very reasonable suggestion. ;) ]

Gurgun is a child of the passive voice, not a thug. Gurgun was transported here and wants to find a way out, not fight mindless undead. Gurgun has destroyed all your lieutenants, and is coming for you now. It is time to end your reign of death Mourel, and restore peace and serenity to this Plane. As for treasures Gurgun cares not of material wealth, and have found this plane to be close to empty of anything material except for your cursed dead-that-walk! So, will you return to the land of the dead? I'll make sure the mercenaries leave and will work to restore the library to its former glory and clean the place of unholyness. Perhaps one day the elves will want to return?

Gurgun says, while loading a magic stone in his sling.

23

Balrok feels the pull on his mind but resists it with little problem.  "Damn lich can hear what I'm thinkin' uh sayin'," he grumbles aloud.  Raising his voice, he addresses the undead:  "Balrok don't abandon them he's agreed tu help--even if dey are orcs an' hobgoblins, which I gotta agree ain't much fun tu work with.  Not only are dey ugly, but der menfolk can't drink, der womenfolk don't have beards, and dey stink up du mines somethin' aweful -- plus dat whole 'we're constantly at war with dem' thing, but I can't complain 'bout dat as much -- I think it's actually by mutual agreement so we both have somethin' tu kill, heh heh heh."  The dwarf pauses, having lost the thread of the conversation, then remembers.  "Oh right!  Yeah, not betrayin' me 'friends'.  I think I'll smash ye instead.  If ya wanna lay still, I'll make sure it's quick like!"

"And you, Gurgun Who Refers To Himself In The Third Person, are a hobgoblin, I take it?" Mourel switched topics effortlessly. "And you wish the restoration of my library. So do I. Sadly it was looted by enemies long ago. But the knowledge remains, in my brain. Perhaps you would care to sit with me, and listen and learn? You could be my scribe, and help me write a new library to rescue this ancient knowledge of mine."


[Private to Gurgun Nightwhisper: Make a Will save DC 19 or find this a very reasonable suggestion. ;) ]

Gurgun is taken aback slightly, lowering his guard and relaxing his broad shoulders. Oghma would approve. he replies.

OOC: Will save failed miserably ;-)

OOC: having read what suggestion does let me continue...

Thinking through the proposal from Mourel Gurgun continues. Gurgun needs to help Thraka and his war band leave this plane first, and Gurgun's friends also want to leave. Then Gurgun can scribe. Mourel tell us how to activate the portal.

"Or," Balrok says, helpfully trying to offer the monk a more dwarvenly palatable alternative, "we culd hack off his head an' see if all du library knowledge is in one of dose little gems we've been findin', eh?  Den we'd getta kill 'em and ye'd get tu write yer 'Ode Tu Dead Elves' -- win-win."
This message was last edited by the player at 16:27, Fri 20 Aug 2010.

"Yes, of course. I understand. But the portal will be too complicated for you to operate. I would do it, but I will require safe passage to the control centre. Bring this Thraka to me to negotiate peace. Alone, of course."

"Do not listen to the dwarf." the voice insisted. "I do not possess such a gem."


OOC: Obviously, roll Sense Motive. ;)

[Private to GM: Bluff 20]

Balrok snorts.  "He's lyin'.  If I know one thing its treasure, an' no self-respectin' leader's gunna let his minions hang on to those gems when he don't got one himself."

Of course, Balrok has no real internal lie-detect-o-meter....

18:06, Today: Balrok rolled 7 using 1d20. Sense Motive.

Sense motive: 24

Jorn thought for a moment, considering what he heard.

"Even a blind goblin can see this be a trap," whispered the dwarf, "still, there's nothing that say we can't turn it on'im. Personall' I'm fer luring him out of that lair of his. Who knows what other nasties he has lurking inside."

The dwarf shuffled carefully over to Gurgun, keeping his voice low;

"Tell'im we'll bring Thraka to negotiate peace- at the portal chamber itself. And that if Thraka comes alone, so should he. I'm not going to walk into the same room as a crazy necromancer and his half-giant orge skeletons escorts."

Gurgun stays silent for a few heartbeats. Jorn speaks wisely. If Mourel can operate gate, then we negotiate peace at the gate. Gurgun wants to send orcs and hobgoblins home, then draw from the knowledge of Mourel and rebuild library.

OOC: Are you speaking aloud or still whispering?

[Private to Gurgun Nightwhisper: The speaker seemed entirely reasonable and trustworthy. ;) And he seemed to be telling the truth about the gem. Though he does seem to have an ulterior motive.]

Gurgun speaks normally (not whispering).

The hulking shape at the far end of the room shuffled in place. "Impossible! It could be a trap. I do not trust these lesser beings." the whispered retorted. "If Jorn is wise, then he should go and fetch Thraka. At the very least, relay my words and see if he is receptive to peace." he said, quite reasonably. "Others of you may go with him, while Gurgun may sit by my side and learn of ancient lore."

[Private to Jorn Brightcaller: Make a Will save DC 18 or find this a very reasonable suggestion. ;) ]

[Private to Gurgun Nightwhisper: I'm calling in that suggestion now. ;) I guess my wording of it last time wasn't very specific.]

"The lich has a point," admitted Jorn, his tone grudging, "I can go back and fetch Thraka, see what he thinks. The rest of you could stay'ere and keep an eye on the lich."

His eyes sift towards the door, then away as his voice drops again to a whisper;

"'Sides, should Thraka not want peace, I could still bring'im here- with half-a-dozen soldiers in tow."

02:02, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 14 using 1d20+4. Will save.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:06, Fri 03 Sept 2010.

Balrok shakes his head firmly.  "We ain't splittin' up; dat's what he wants.  I say we go in an' bashem now!  If we ain't, though, we're all goin' wherever we're goin' tugether, or this nasty'll wait tell we're split then jump us."

Do what you must. Let Gurgun first learn from his wisdom.

The hobgoblin puts away his sling and produces his book and quill, and steps into the hall to face Mourel.

Gurgun is hear to learn now, dead-elf.

Balrok moves forward at Gargun's side, axe and shield in hand, ready to strike at the first sign of treachery from the elf--and Balrok is certain of treachery.

As Jorn wandered up the stairs to fetch Thraka, Gurgun and Balrok marched forward to meet the legendary Mourel the Duskwalker. Together their darkvision pierced the ancient gloom, bringing into view the deathless tyrant.

The aeons had not been kind.

The hulking, furry form they'd glimpsed was a great gorilla-like thing, grey-skinned with moldering white fur that hung in straggly clumps, around patches of bare rotten flesh. Four powerful arms emerged from its torso, two of which safely clutched to its belly a large glass jar, filled with murky water. In this a grey shrivelled lump floated and bobbed. It was a brain.



I may not be as handsome as once I was, but as you can see my brain and intellect are fresh and powerful as ever! The voice whispered, and it was surely coming from the brain. They weren't hearing the sound, the words were being inserted directly into their minds.


OOC: If I had my way, the girallon zombie would have its head replaced by the brain jar. :D

Combat seems inevitable at this point, but I'll start it later. Roll Init. If you beat 12 you may act. See Areas #48 and #49 in the map thread for a sense of the area (you're around the stairs, Mourel & Friend are at the other end).

Initiative:
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - Brain

Init 20

OOC: Just posting battle details and map. I've rolled Inits for the rest of you.

Round 1:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
G: Garel Aster
J: Jorn Brightcaller (upstairs)
B: Balrok

M: Mourel The Duskwalker & Friend

Effects:

Initiative: green - you may act
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:06, Tue 07 Sept 2010.

Mourel don't need dead ape anymore. Mourel has Gurgun now. Let ape rest and peace return to elf-plane.

OOC: Diplomacy 15

Did Jorn wander far?  Balrok wouldn't have let him go--that was Balrok's overriding concern, keeping the group together.

OOC: Jorn's player only has access on weekends, so we planned for him to wander back in a maybe two rounds. Your last post had you stepping forward with Gurgun. If you want to hurry back for Jorn, you could have him back a round earlier, but you wouldn't be doing much in it.


A hint of surprise edged into the toneless voice. Oh? You wish to serve as my mount? That is good. Come closer...

Sense motive (25)

"Jorn!  Get yer ass back here!  This chimp-fer-brains ain't lettin' us leave without a fight, an' it's startin' soon!"  Balrok glances at Gargun, wondering how the monk would take it if he simply charged the chimp-brain.

Does Balrok have any idea of how Gurgun would react if Balrok struck first?

OOC: Roll Sense Motive on Gurgun: 20 will get you a hunch something's up with him, 25 to sense an enchantment. Or you could ask him. :)


[Private to Gurgun Nightwhisper: Given that his existing 'mount' was a rotting zombie, this didn't seem like a good idea...]

Gurgun whispers to Balrok, hoping Mourel wouldn't hear: Stay fast, Balrok. We destroy ape, Gurgun will try and grapple it to remove brain jar; it should give Balrok and Slove opportunity to slay dead-that-walk.
Louder he replies to Mourel No. Order ape to set Mourel down, then destroy it so that Gurgun can pick up brain-jar safely.
the sling re-appears in Gurgun's hand, armed with one of the blessed stones.

OOC: ready action: fire stone at gorillon if it moves towards group. And if isn't clear from above Gurgun tries to hold back Balrok hoping to draw the gorillon closer before engaging in battle.

Balrok nods warily at the monk's instructions not to attack, but he does not take his eyes off the chimp, and keeps his axe ready.

Mourel was dubious. And why should I let a faithful servant be destroyed? I would be a poor master if I allowed that.

"This is getting us nowhere." Slove growled and raised his a bow, an arrow nocked. He left the shaft fly, and the head glanced off the glass jar, causing a crack. [Slove NPCed. Attack 24, damage 5 @ Mourel]

Fools! the brain hissed in outrage. Dead or alive, you will serve me! Attack them! The four-armed gorilla didn't do anything however, not yet.

Suddenly several feet of hard wood was cracked over Gurgun's head, sending him spinning. Turning, he saw Garel in some kind of daze, and readying for another assault.
As you see, I have already found a new servant. Mourel cackled. [Garel Dominated. Attack 26, rolled a 20. Critical confirm 14, fail. Damage 3 @ Gurgun]

Advance! Mourel spurred his girallon zombie into motion, and it made its ponderous way forwards. Stop! It came to halt at the mouth of the corridor, where its rotten bulk blocked all passage past.

The brain, sloshing around in its tank, shone with an eerie purple glow, and Balrok's own mind began to be wracked with agonies and madness. Ha! Ha! Ha! [Balrok, make Will save DC 16 or take 13 damage]

Round 2:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
J: Jorn Brightcaller (upstairs)
B: Balrok

Big G: Undead Girallon & Mourel The Duskwalker
G: Garel Aster (dominated)

Effects:

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker

Balrok bursts into a rage as he sees the fight is heading for combat.  "Now we're talkin'!" he roars.  He shakes off the assault on his mind and charges the brain-in-a-jar-carried-by-huge-evil-monkey, swinging down at it with his axe.  His axe glances off the jar (I think), but the dwarf places himself firmly between himself and his comrades, shield raised.  "No charmin' me, chimp-fer-brains--ya ain't me type.  Now, on the other hand, ye and me axe might get along real well, heh heh heh."


NOTE:  I rolled a 17 to attack, rather than a 15, if I'm remembering right that Charge is a +2 bonus--I forgot to add that in.  I'm still guessing that misses.

12:53, Today: Balrok rolled 12 using 1d10+7. damage.
12:53, Today: Balrok rolled 15 using 1d20+12. Attack v. Brain-in-jar.
12:20, Today: Balrok rolled 17 using 1d20+9. Will save (raging).

RAGE, Bio Line 1:  Init +0, AC 15 / same / 8
RAGE, Bio Line 2:  HP 80/80, Saves +12/+1/+9
This message was last edited by the player at 17:10, Fri 10 Sept 2010.

Gurgun goes for Garel instead, trying to stun him: still dazed by the blow however he feels clumsy and unbalanced.

18:52, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 9 using 1d8+3. Damage. (non-lethal)
18:51, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 14 using 1d20+7. Unarmed strike/Stunning fist.

Get your sword out and help Balrok! I'll hold down Garel! Gurgun roars at Slove, knowing the weakness of zombies against slashing weapons by this time.

Assign dodge to Garel
This message was last edited by the player at 18:44, Fri 10 Sept 2010.

OOC: I forgot to explain: the Brain (tiny) and the Girallon (large) occupy the same space, but you can target them separately. The Girallon holds the Brain Jar, and gives it Cover.

Balrok, you hadn't Raged before the spell, thus you can't use your improved Will save to resist it (unless you have an immediate Rage ability). It seems you failed.

Also, monkeys are not apes, and chimps are not gorillas. :p

Mid-Round Update:

Balrok barreled into the undead girallon, and it slammed a meaty first down on his head, juddering his bones. But he was a dwarf and that was his strongest body part, for Balrok more than others, and he soon shrugged it off. [Girallon: AoO, attack 30, damage 13 @ Balrok]

But the girallon quick moved the jar away, and Balrok's axe blade narrowly missed it. [Balrok: attack vs brain misses]

Garel might have been a cleric, but he was no stranger to the fighting ability of a monk himself, and he easily dodged Gurgun's blow. [Gurgun misses]

Updates:

Balrok Charged to H5

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel (dominated)
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker

OK.  I was trying to interpret the init order and thought I had time.  Since Slove acted before me on the Init order, and Balrok acted before the monsters, I thought Balrok would have time to rage after Slove fired at the brain and before the brain attacked.  But maybe that was just a "story combat start" and the monsters got to act first.

OOC: That was the first round, but you and Gurgun spent the whole time talking. :) In the Init list, PCs who are green can go in any order (I respond in updates according to either init order or whatever reads best as a narrative), but anyone I have to NPC goes last.

And don't forget to update your hitpoints.

Jorn returns to see the room in chaos. Most startingly of all however, was Gurgun suddenly engaging Garel. A quick look showed him the brain, the undead Girallon, and comprehension dawned on Jorn's scaled face as the fuzziness from earlier faded away, leaving only rage;

OOC: Assuming Alter Self still in effect...

"Mind control!" snarled the dwarf, "and on me'n my friends too! By Moradin's Axe I shall not forgive yer, you unnatural, foul creature..."

Pulling a wand from his waist the dwarf rushed over to Gurgun, quickly tracing a circle around the monk's head. There was a faint glow as the circle took shape and the warding sealed itself around Gurgun's mind.

[Move] To, draw wand
[Standard] Cast Protection from Evil on Gurgun

Jorn trotted down the stairs and past the melee with the possessed Garel, who pushed out his staff in attempt to strike him, but missed. [Garel AoO: attack 9, miss]

Reaching the hobgoblin, Jorn cast his protective ward, and Gurgun found his mind cleared of strange compulsions. [Gurgun: suggestion suppressed]

Slove was loathe to leave Gurgun alone to face and attempt to subdue Garel, but it was more important to deal with the undead horrors. With a scowl he tossed aside his bow and marched past, drawing his greatsword. Following close behind Balrok, he hacked his sword at the girallon zombie. [Slove NPCed. Drops bow, draws sword, moves to H4, attack 26, damage 12 @ Girallon

For his troubles, the girallon returned with a bone-shaking slam from one of its free arms. [Girallon: slam attack 26, damage 14 @ Slove, included in bio]

Keeping Gurgun at bay with the butt of his sphere, Garel prayed to Mystra, and was filled with her favour - if only the goddess could see this distant realm and what her servant was forced to put her blessing to. He moved behind Jorn, to disrupt the wizard's own spells. [Garel: defensive casting, Concentration 21, success. Casts divine favour. Moves to K5]

Meanwhile, Mourel's brain seemed to glare at Balrok, and again his mind was assaulted with wracking headaches. [Balrok, make Will save DC 16 or take 11 damage]

Round 3:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
J: Jorn Brightcaller (upstairs)
B: Balrok

G: Undead Girallon
M: Mourel The Duskwalker
G: Garel Aster (dominated)

Effects:

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker

Balrok pays no attention to the mental assaults; his mind is not so much prepared to mentally defend itself as so stubborn that it is like trying to mentally blast a stone.  He instead roars and attacks the overgrown chimp.

12:31, Today: Balrok rolled 21 using 1d20+11. Will save (rage, spell).
12:29, Today: Balrok rolled 9 using 1d10+7. Monkey damage.
12:28, Today: Balrok rolled 31 using 1d20+12. Attack vs. Monkey.

Gurgun tries to grab Garel, but it's a clumsy attempt doomed to fail.

OOC: Tries to initiate a grapple, Melee touch 9

Mid-Round Update:

Balrok slashed his axe across the gorilla-monster's leg, opening up the moldy rug of its hide and but slowing it not in the least. [Balrok hits, deals full damage]

Updates:

Girallon slightly damaged

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel (dominated)
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker

Jorn decides to hold back this round, given the cramped space of the corridor. Instead, the dwarf taps Balrok's shoulder with his wand, causing a faint aura to appear around the other dwarf;

OOC: Would a disarm attempt on the Gillaron work to knock the brain out of its hands?


[Standard] Cast protection from evil on Balrok as well.

OOC: Yes, Disarm is allowed.

As Jorn began his spell, the undead ape swung a fist at him, but the dwarf had the advantage of height - or rather, the lack of it - and dodged the blow, his spell going ahead. Balrok was protected. [Girallon AoO attack 16]

Change targets! Mourel screeched, seeing the dwarf hard to assault mentally, and the elf hard to hit.

Slove swung his sword again, but this time the girallon lumbered out of the way, unharmed. [Slove NPCed. Attack 15, miss]

This time it slammed a paw down on Balrok, but he shrugged it off; it was only his head. [Girallon: attack 18, damage 9 @ Balrok]

And Slove received the mind-wracking pain, but he shook it off with stubborn pride. [Slove NPCed. Will 20, success]

Meanwhile, Garel jumped at Gurgun, swinging each end of his staff in rapid succession. But the style of fighting was unfamiliar, and he missed each strike. [Garel: attacks 13, 6, miss]

Round 4:


Jorn in I5

G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
J: Jorn Brightcaller (upstairs)
B: Balrok

G: Undead Girallon
M: Mourel The Duskwalker
G: Garel Aster (dominated)

Effects:

Protection From Evil: (Balrok, Gurgun) +2 deflection AC, +2 resistance Saves vs Evil (ie, on everything). Blocks possession, enchantment (charm, compulsion), and attacks from Evil summons.

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel (NPCed)
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:26, Tue 28 Sept 2010.

I assume the 9 damage is to Balrok rather than Jorn?

Gurgun easily ducks under Garel's clumsy swings and throws himself at the charmed priest, grabbing hold of him and attempting to incapacitate Garel.

OOC: 21:35, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 18 using 1d20+10. Grapple check.
21:35, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 20 using 1d20+6. FoB, touch attack1.

OOC: Sorry, yes, it was meant for Balrok. I keep getting you two mixed up.

Mid-Round Update:

Garel knew the monk's hold, and wrenched himself out of it, slipping loose of his grasp. [Garel: OGC 23, success, grapple avoided]

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel (NPCed)
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker

Gurgun followed up with a second attempt.

OOC: 08:32, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 15 using 1d20+10. GC.
08:31, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 20 using 1d20+6. FoB 2/touch attack.

OOC: Garel rolled another OGC, 17, success. Sorry. :(

With rolls like this, what can I do...?

Balrok sees the monkey's swing coming and intentionally blocks it with his head, bashing the ape's arm out of the way with his thick skull to open a gap for his flaming battleaxe, which he buries in the creature's side.

"Comeon monkey-lips," he growls at the creature.  "Can'tya do bedder den dat?  At least aim for one of me vital organs," he says, making a rude gesture involving his nether-regions to demonstrate the only real potential target.

Attack:  28.
Damage:  14.
(This includes Power Attack at a -2 to hit, +2 to damage.)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:08, Tue 28 Sept 2010.

Mid-Round Update:

Balrok planted the burning axe-head into the girallon, but with so much dead flesh to hack through, it looked set to be a long, hard and messy task to bring it down. [Balrok: 9 damage after DR.]

And as he watched, the crack that Slove's arrow put in the brain's jar slowly sealed over, until it was if it had never happened. [Brain Jar heals]

Updates:

Girallon partially damaged

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel (NPC)
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:35, Wed 29 Sept 2010.

"Oh fer the love of-" spluttered Jorn, tapping Garel with the wand as well.

[Standard] Cast Protection from Evil on Garel
[Private to DM BadCatMan:
OOC: I shouldn't provoke AOOs from using a wand.

Activation: Wands use the spell trigger activation method, so casting a spell from a wand is usually a standard action that doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. ]

Garel wrenched himself away from the wand's touch, and forced the magic from his mind before he even knew what it was. [Will save 20, success. Protection from evil avoided]

Concentrating on his target, he raised his staff and whipped it around, cracking it across Gurgun's jaw, sliding off enough to avoid dislocating it. [Garel: attack 27 (rolled a 20), critical confirm 8 (rolled a 1). Damage 5 @ Gurgun]

With Balrok focusing on the girallon, Slove swung his sword at the jar, slipping through the girallon's arms and striking the glass. A great crack ran down the side, and thick liquid began to seep through. [Slove NPCed. Attack 21, hit, damage 11, +2 for FE. Mourel seriously damaged]

You dare! The brain glared angrily at Slove, somehow, but the elf shrugged off the psychic assault again. [Slove Will 22.]

Meanwhile, the girallon zombie followed Balrok's advice, and kicked a rotten gorilla-foot into his nether regions. [Girallon: attack 29, damage 9 @ Balrok]

Round 5:



G: Gurgun Nightwhisper
S: Slove
J: Jorn Brightcaller
B: Balrok

G: Undead Girallon
M: Mourel The Duskwalker, moderately damaged
G: Garel Aster (dominated)

Effects:

Protection From Evil: (Balrok, Gurgun) +2 deflection AC, +2 resistance Saves vs Evil (ie, on everything). Blocks possession, enchantment (charm, compulsion), and attacks from Evil summons.

Initiative:
20 - Slove
20 - Gurgun
19 - Jorn
19 - Balrok
18 - Garel (NPCed)
12 - Undead Girallon
 3 - The Brain Of Mourel The Duskwalker

"Shoulda...seen... dat... comin'..." Balrok gasps in a slightly off-pitch voice.  It is a testament to the dwarf's stamina (and chain armor) that he doesn't doubling up on the floor.  Instead he swings in the general direction of monkey and brain jar.  Unfortunately, his concentration is currently divided between the axe in his hands and the one a bit lower down, and his swing goes wide.

Missed.

With something getting very much like single-minded determinance, the hobgoblin continues to try and get a hold of the possessed cleric, ducking under the wildly swinging staff, and finally getting a good hold.

OOC: 21:38, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 25 using 1d20+10. GC.
21:38, Today: Gurgun Nightwhisper rolled 24 using 1d20+6. FOB 2, touch attack.

Deciding to leave the cleric to the handling of the monk, Jorn instead turns his attentions towards striking the jar. The great gorilla's arms deflect his strike though, sending the chain spiraling uselessly onto the ground;

12:44, Today: Jorn Brightcaller rolled 12 using 1d20+7. Attack Mourel.