So, what's the plan for crushing the Temple of Pain?

Kick down the front door and kill everything?

Sneak back in through the cemetery tunnel?

Run off with your cool new magical loot and stick it Flyspamon?

Go rogue and offer to help the Temple of Pain take on Flyspamon?

Back to the hunting lodge to see if you are tough enough to survive this time?

Run down to the gambling district and gamble for XPs?  Barlax's Life Force Casino reportedly has the loosest slots in town.

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 1):

Dreya thinks we should go back the way we came, or find yet another entrance other than the front door.  Maybe the cabin in the woods is another entrance, so we can try that again too, but that takes travel time when there are other entrances much closer.  Or perhaps we can try a two fold attack...some go through the tunnel entrance while others go through the front.

[OOC - I know the general rule is to never split the party, but perhaps this time it would be prudent to do so?] 

Anthony was thinking pretty much the same thing as Dreya, except for the splitting the party part. We sneak in another back entrance this time, I say. The same door might be risky, but it might be the only "side door."

Splitting the party seems unwise, but Cole would be amenable to resuming the search from the secret tunnel entrance with all party members.

[OOC: Seeing the majority of votes are to resume the charge through the tunnels as appointed party leader we will start with that.]

Seline leads the group back to the tomb and into the tunnels hoping to use all the knowledge from the entrance and exit from the tomb to get them back in with no issues.

Of course, it can't be as simple as just going back to the cemetery.  It never is...

As the party marches through the streets of Rotter, Anthony hears something from above.  Looking up, he can see what can best be described as a rift in the air maybe 10 feet above him.  He can see Oswald and a remarkably ugly orc shaman looking down at him through the rift.  The orc's eyes are rolled up back into its head as it chants and moves its arms rhythmically.  The shaman is pretty clearly performing a ritual to create and maintain the rift.

Oswald laughs deeply and cruelly.  "I'm coming for you wizard.  I'm coming for you now.  And there's not a damn thing you can do to save yourself."

The shaman slashes a hand in front of him and the rift abruptly vanishes, revealing ordinary sky.

Are you heading to the cemetery at night again or are you trying a daylight assault this time?

Dreya whips her head around, crazy mane of hair flying, as she trains her gaze towards the wizard. "What did you do to him, Only Anthony? How much did I...I mean did I miss alot when that frog guy had me?"

At the sight of Oswald, Anthony is initially filled with terror. He can feel a bead of sweat roll down the nape of his neck. But, as Oswald is finishing his sentence, Anthony has enough presence of mine to make an extraordinarily and atypically rude gesture with his finger at Oswald and his scrying partner before they vanish.

Anthony straightens up. "That was fairly crude scrying magic, friends. Nothing to be alarming. What it does tell us, though, is that the enemy is aware of our coming, so we need to plan accordingly. I say we enter during the day." His face betrays some fear, but one could hardly blame him.

When Dreya asks her question, he waves his hand. "I wounded him successfully multiple times with my 'Bolt of Inevitable Force' spell. He was quite resilient, as he survived the spell repeatedly. It is the danger of being a wizards--others may hurt him more, but he will remember the magical bolt and its source every time." He tries, with only moderate success, to stand assured as a more seasoned wizard would.

Cole shakes his head as the disappearing rift. Could they never catch a break? "No matter what time of day we go, they know we are coming, but day is probably safest." Cole agrees before sidling up beside Dreya, his hand on the hilt of Vera.

"Don't worry Anthony, we'll make sure Oswald has much more grevious concerns other than his petty revenge on you."

With a smile Seline says trying to lift the mood and hopefully strengthen the resolve of Anthony "Well we do seem to have attracted some attention and are making a name for ourselves. After all of this business with ugly mug is over we should come up with a catchy name for ourselves."
Seline's face taking on a more serious composure, "If we are going through the cemetery and the tunnels I'm not so sure if it will make a difference what time of day in relation to the sun being or not being in the sky. Do we know about what time of day that Oswald goes out scavenging for children, we could try to go in and clear the temple while Oswald's out. Or otherwise we could just set up a stake out and harry him at every attempt to steal children throwing bolts of arcane power at the ugly mug."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:05, Wed 30 Aug 2017.

As far as you know, Oswald has only snatched children at night.

Anthony shakes his head. "Unless we want to sneak in while he's out and destroy his lieutenants first, we need to in during the day."

Dreya shakes her head. "But...if you give beavers time, what do they do?" Eagerly, her gaze flits to each one of her friends. When five pairs of eyes blink back at her in confusion, she forges onward with her thought, bouncing in excitement on the balls of her feet. "They build their dam stronger before the next flood can come. Waiting even till morning seems... I don't know." Dreya shrugs a fur covered shoulder, one hand absently toying with the fox scarf about her neck. "Bad. Seems bad. To me, anyway. Why give beavers more time if we want the river to flow free?"

With a grumble, her gaze flits away to her still miss-matched boots. Ugg, she always fumbles words! She didn't have too much trouble when trading words with that frog...man...thing. Toeing the edge of a raised rock in the dusty street, she glances up at everyone. "Come on! Beavers!"

"I'm not too sure it makes any difference when we go,  so we might as well go now.  Since it's night,  Oswald might be out, making our job clearing the temple a little easier.  Maybe going in at night will keep Oswald from going out and nabbing more children. And, as Dreya so aptly said, Beavers!"

Jack is just as taken aback by the mysterious appearance from above. It's not entirely comforting knowing that Oswald is watching us this closely. "...well, we had to know they were expecting us and making preparations. At least now that's confirmed." Jack says, half thinking to himself and half speaking out loud.

Thinking further about what was said, he looks over at Anthony. Moving closer, he gives him a rough pat on the back. "Don't worry wizard, you won't have to do a thing to save yourself, we'll do the saving for you! That's what friends are for." Satisfied with his pep-talk, Jack continues the march, mentally preparing himself to cleave some bad guys.

Hearing Dreya's words causes Jack to perk up again. "Beavers! Yes, Beavers!" he agrees loudly and then is becomes quiet for a little to long a time before adding, mostly under his breath "I hate beavers." Addressing the Druid directly, he adds firmly, "Dreya, I think you have the right of it, the less time we give them to prepare, the better." Turning back to the rest of the group, Jack continues. C'mon everyone, no time to waste. There's evil that needs smiting. Beavers!!

"As long as we don't venture separate paths, I don't care when we go."

Anthony shrugs. "Fine. I'll go when we all agree to go."

Dreya nods enthusiastically. "And beavers have been building while we rested up already!"

then it sounds like the general consensus is to move  in through the temple at night hoping to clear out the lieutenants before the return of Oswald"

"It looks that way."

A nighttime assault it shall be.  Makes sense.  Everyone knows demonic powers are at their weakest at night.  Mwa ha ha.

Heading back to the cemetery, the party winds its way through the grave markers and mausoleums toward the kobold crypt.  Getting closer, you notice light, banging sounds, and harsh masculine voices ahead.  As you approach close enough to see the crypt, the obvious assumption appears to be correct: the light and sounds are coming from your destination.  The entrance to the crypt is lit by numerous torches and lanterns.  A crew of a dozen or so orcs appears to be working on the crypt.  Orcs exit the crypt, grab materials from a pile of supplies outside the entrance, and go back inside the crypt.  You can hear the pounding of hammers, scraping, the occasional snarl accompanying a hammered thumb, and you're pretty sure you even hear the sounds of an anvil in use.

The orcs have no idea of your presence at this distance.  What do you do?

Anthony looks trepeditiously at the others and then whispers, "Attack?"

Elwood whispers "I can cast Sound Blast in their midst, which would damage and stun at least some of them."

Whispering as much as he dares, Cole says, "Is sneaking past a viability?  Either that or sneak attack it will be our best bet to take down a dozen or so orcs without taking too much casualty ourselves. They seem just like works, if sneaking past is an option then we buy us some more time before our presence is discovered.  Just a thought." Cole readies Vera as he waits for his comrades to take action.

(Cole will attack only after Elwood casts sound blast.  If no pre-emptive moves are made, Cole will stay his hand for the time being, but remain at the ready to fight should the need arise.)
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Mon 04 Sept 2017.

In a whispered voice "We have the advantage of darkness on our sids, whilst they are lit by torches. An attack from range would surely thin out some of their numbers before we engage in melee combat."

With that, Jack readies his bow should the party agree to an ambush.

Just to be clear, these orcs are manual laborers.  They are not wearing armor or carrying weapons (at least not swords; several are carrying ordinary hammers).  Most are wearing overalls and construction hats.  Looking closely you notice the hats have "Int'l Brotherhood of Orcs Local 1312" stenciled on the back.

Don't forget that Rotter is a "free city" meaning humanoids are welcome and have the same legal status as humans and demihumans.

There is no way to sneak past the orc construction crew.  The crypt is relatively small with no room for sneakery.

Anthony holds up his hand and whispers, "Wait. They look like common laborers, not guards. Maybe we can scare them away instead?"

Dreya inches a little closer, squirming in between Just Jack and Simply Elwood to join the huddle.  "Can't we make a big scary sound? Or I can entangle? Or maybe make it really foggy right in the middle of them and then they would have to...uh...walk away from the area?"

"Just walk in and act like you own the place. They'll probably let us right by. If they give you guff, just say you'll report them to Oswald.  They know who pays their wages."

Elwood stares at Cole, digesting what he just said.  "I was thinking about casting Light on a stone, and then Anthony could possibly make it float around them, but perhaps Cole's plan is more straight forward.  We should probably try that.  I know Dreya speaks orcish; does anyone else?"

"I do?" Dreya replies, brow diving slightly in confusion as her gaze flicks up to the Cleric's. "Oh yeah, I do!"

Then she shuffles forward as close as she dares, peering out from around a grave stone as she listens to what conversation is being had between the workers.

Anthony considers and says, "I do like the idea of the floating rock of light. Scaring them away without a source is a good idea. I say we try that first. I can use a mage hand spell to manipulate the stone, and Dreya can be the disembodied voice speaking from it."

Dreya can hear the orc laborers chatting as they work.

[Language unknown:
"Mivor, Nteurevor.  Neio la pafo one hetino."

"Th o.  Onsel es stiwasion utble niecck erspa ni os iosa m sontinwhi ss tawiom e terdineve not str ivethuome out.  Bevor in ineingint ounounrut."

"Derwe ripr adee oveiv sta arewhihas thu Ntrecaitfo astbleble?  Ie Utunstnd, As io acmoca i evit ee m wi onitut ilma oulicaain."

"Esad, ho, wh.  Adwhwi reses adus.  En witla i p isunof cema his ulesca ithck eiort at etplfo."

"Dich, wi oreatiich a se.  Wa stielo trtibe."

"Nte p dipo adee ul ilchti ur hou to man o ant evropl ofna usnti orelarnti enpr ma adate ekevwa?"

"Of, tisa et Ble fo en nte he sanen tinatesta."]
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:10, Wed 06 Sept 2017.

Seline looking at the Orc larborers and listening to her companions she agrees "I think trying to scare them away is a good first attempt but lets avoid spending too many spells I have a feeling we may need them, the other option is we could bribe them to take a break, I think avoiding conflict might now will leave us rested for later."

[OOC: I say we go with the floating stone and if that doesn't seem to work while it is still floating Seline will walk up and say "hmmm that is weird pointing to the stone." Then offer One gold piece to each Orc if they go out of sight to take a break]
This message was last edited by the player at 20:38, Wed 06 Sept 2017.

"Well, I suppose the stone scare tactic could work, but like Seline said, we don't want to waste too many spells. If that doesn't work, arrows are pretty cheap."

Anthony nods. "Agreed. I will float the stone. Who will do the voice?" he asks, still whispering.

"Well seeing as how the only one of us that speaks orcish is Dreya, if she is willing to I'd say we let her, her voice may lend make it more creepy." Seline whispers back to Anthony

Elwood looks for a small rock ~10 feet away from the party.  Assuming he can see one, he'll point to it and whisper "I can cast light on that stone, so it won't show our position. Just let me know when everyone is ready."

"Wait!"  Dreya whisper's fiercely as she shuffles a little closer.  The deep grumbled voices WERE making sense!  Well, sort of.

Brow diving furiously, she whipped a look back over her shoulder, odd mane of hair flying about with the movement as she peered back at her friends.  "I...I understand them, like I understand the words...but I don't grasp everything.  One is talking about plaster...I'm not certain I even know what plaster is??  Uhh, their boss wanted to have their work done on the crypt finished by dawn but the dart traps aren't done yet.  Um...Then a couple of them are talking about some elf female they saw go into Lemon Gas's place.  And..."  Strangely, Dreya's face heats into a furious color as a blush rises to her cheeks.  "Um...I don't think you want to hear what they want to do to the elf.  Let's see...oooh!  Now they are talking about kicking kobolds about in a pit."

Dreya's mind whirls furiously.  "Maybe we are all over thinking it?  They are just city workers, right?  Besides, I told you before when some of us were at the cabin in the woods that orcs are just miss-understood.  Let's just go ask them what they are doing?"

With that, Dreya rises to her feet and moves around the gravestone she was hiding behind, waving cheerily at the working orcs, honestly and truly just curious about their toils.  The same gutteral language falls from her tongue as she strides forward.  [Language unknown: "Wh, prilch?  A hisatiere manallted!  Mo eklemima acen minc se entwh withourut has, diing asles ineble'wheica cang resis?  Ieeeanan, int rat i and seilte?
Stasa el wh bleureing asli pl but ivwaro ortencshe le eetene.  I unan ecnate!"]  Dreya offer's quite willingly.

Elwood faces the rest of the group and just shrugs. "Let's see what they say, and as Cole suggests, act like we own the place."  He then follows Dreya, trying to look as tough and mean as possible.

Anthony groans and stays hiding for now. He looks very unhappy with this turn of events, not that anyone can see him hiding around the corner.

Seline thinks to herself, she doesn't remember anything about Lemon Gas or even what a lemon gas place would be however to err on the side of caution she remains hidden back by Anthony, catching Jack she places about a dozen gold pieces in his hand and whispers "I expect these back if you don't use them, but if what Dreya is planning to do doesn't start working just bribe them with a gold piece each to take the night off"

One of the orc workers is just about to grab some materials from the pile outside the crypt when Dreya speaks up.  The orc looks irritated at first, but develops an impressive leer (no one can leer like an orc) when he takes in the sight of the druid.

[Language unknown: "Venar, iloer butthiven.  Ncllhi rona, pre hisnotain wasithort.  Tihe urriwh t oer aricst wefo ineil ivro mihais ca ati io hi?"  Sti ort con onpece i lestedhertioenc tr reaionore priv wasol linatehatwer intlarave ofniei menaveort a erom he.]

The orc nods his head toward a tomb off to the side.  So far, the other orcs working inside the crypt do not appear to have noticed Dreya.

As soon as her new orc friend had said that water was just okay even though ale would have been better, and good thing too since she didn't have any ale on her person, Dreya had started rooting around for her water canteen, bringing it forward and handing it over to the towering orc facing her.

His lewd suggestion didn't go past her...even a blind, deaf cleric would have understood THAT.  Cocking her head to the side, she replies, [Language unknown: "Us bepe siom...st...tean u nte th p m en ecpl on houul oerartmen?  Plesic we santicant eldiee noev?  M!  Ro T acion ithomeineavethu!  Wait sent evfo fillni rea usar a stiai tiwiet ek sanoerenc ounbleers ave sonainest ch rom tinwh dayle dima'moac int romtioder.  K fiic an erinel moeiei!"]  Thrusting the water canteen into his hands, she gestures toward the crypt the other orcs are still toiling away at with a jab of one thumb in their direction.  [Language unknown: "Nalaee hasol priou nce ll?" ]

As she hears footsteps draw near behind her, she quickly glances over her shoulder, a huge grin of relief crossing her fair features at the sight of the well armored cleric striding up.  "Hey, Simply Elwood!  You wouldn't happen to have any ale on you, would you?"

The orc notices Elwood approaching and looks crestfallen.  No nymph fun tonight.  However, his ears perk up when Dreya says [Language unknown: aneian]

[Language unknown: "Ardvenate, ta ropr?  O maio ainounhas!"]

The orc quickly walks over to Dreya and Elwood, smacking its lips and starting to drool a little.

Dreya roots around for some of her pre enchanted goodberries, handing a couple over. [Language unknown: "Ic it tohi undil nte rut?"]

Then she glances at the cleric. "Still asking about the work."

Jack accepts the coins from Seline, willing to try anything, but skeptical about bribing orcs. He waits cautiously to see what transpires with Dreya and Elwood before choosing a course of action, torn between coins for bribing and arrows for skewering.

The orc grabs the goodberries and mashes them into its mouth.  Its eyes begin to gleam in a very Snarg-like way.

[Language unknown: "P, atll meal, asati watha noteenrea.  No tioto eauhisard pr wese icica, hatoeriou ast capocket aveithmen, sheureoul ter ntiasthas n eeeau manundout earherers.   Tha sa pl redencill.  Samotrpr ati osme omwana entromous le us ss.  O adeve ant lo onemenera haseenwithas ngtho icse preonswittic k ei e kor andousove.  Thu, e ekme te hatss io p pahech sieeou?  Ndeverint plent tic fi artie."]

Anthony keeps a low profile, out of sight, listening to this whole business silently, waiting for a sign that it's safe to come out.

Dreya moved to almost pass over another berry, but before dropping it into the orc's large palm, she asks, [Language unknown: "Rom iv ort oveos pren oul?"]

Elwood whispers to Dreya "I don't have any ale, but I have some iron rations if they want."

Dreya looks perplexed as she looks up at the taller human.  "What are iron rations?" she whispers.

But then she shakes her head, though the perplexed look never leaves her face. "You can tell me later." Then turning back to her new friend, she smiled at him. [Language unknown: "Ne haoer i eeant p tifoit."]

[Language unknown: "Linncelin a manourpro.  Lespr Theoulomeonered Stiiveson ur Maesfi proticous n be lipout on lamiic.  Ill u ng ec tio wheourbut ing Ni ar anal iondta."]

The orc cups both of his hands and waits for Dreya to pay up.

Dreya turns to beam a huge smile up at the cleric beside her, and practically squeals.  "I got us in!  And all we have to do is pay in berries."  Dreya take the pouch of previously enchanted berries and upends it into the orc's cupped hands.  This was fantastic!  She could always make more magic berries later!  "Kobolds have a benevolent society?  That is who the work on the crypt is for.  Anyway, let's go, Simply Elwood, let's go!"

As the last berry plops into the orc's hands, she gestures toward the crypt and addresses the orc.  [Language unknown: "And wilar, chusha!"]

The orc looks suspiciously over his shoulder at the tomb, then hides the berries with his torso as he quickly gobbles them down.  His eyes roll up into his head for a moment as he lets out a contented groan.

[Language unknown: "O, dise.  Onnetr one outthiint.  Ol, osivit lesureain o men k son rat ndeut ivles, urce ee thepl ee ninatr lar ck wilouryin din ropaom stall lewiio.  Ingineeau hatsethouear thocomson hiwhi witinedin pl."]

The orc turns back to the crypt and waves Dreya and Elwood forward.  [Language unknown: "Omsi k u!"]

The orc leads the way toward the crypt's entrance.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:40, Sat 09 Sept 2017.

Still perplexed by the entire conversation that just occurred,  Simply Elwood simply followed Dreya, mentally noting where all the orcs are.

As he follows Dreya, Elwood turns back to the others and says "Dreya appears got us inside without any hassle."

Smiling excitedly as she follows her new orc friend, she waves over to where she knows the others are hiding with a 'come this way' gesture eagerly.

Is everyone going to follow Dreya and Elwood to their cruel deaths?  Err, I mean, is everyone marching to victory with Dreya and Elwood?

Seline nervously comes out from her hiding spot and begins to walk up to Dreya and Elwood hoping to just blend in like she has always been there

Anthony, openly reluctant, follows Seline...

Jack follows along with the others, more than a little skeptical about following orcs paid with berries. When there is a free moment, he returns the coins to Seline saying "Well I guess we found a cheaper alternative."

After several moments of quiet contemplation, he adds quietly "We'll probably all pay a higher price in blood soon enough."

Seline gladly taking the coins back mentally counts them as she places them back in her pocket more out of habit and profession then a lack of trust for her companion. She replies back to him in low volume as to not be overheard by the orcs "While I do hope you are wrong Jack, my gut is telling me that this will not end well. Hopefully with these orcs being dressed as simple laborers they wont put up much fight and after a few heads are knocked in we will be free to pass."

The orc does a double-take when he sees the rest of the party fall in behind Dreya and Elwood, but he licks the last of the berry juice off his fingers and rolls with it.  He leads the party into the crypt.

The interior is different from your last visit.  All of the walls around the sarcophagus have been stripped.  Orcs are busy at work installing new needle traps and recreating the wall façade.  All of the workers turn to stare as the party enters.

The orc who led you in says, [Language unknown: "Conearrea aromwh hatessing pa.  Neicnt was."]  The other orcs stare for a moment longer, then get back to work, ignoring you completely.

The orc turns to Dreya, says, [Language unknown: "To ngany ate elaspa o, atoune wene"], then heads back outside to grab the supplies he was after in the first place.

Dreya's head tilts as she watches her new orc friend walk back out the crypt to resume his toils. "I think he called me Berry Lips. Huh..." Then with a shrug, she turns and leads everyone on further into the depths of the crypt.

Looking very unhappy about this strange turn of events, Anthony nevertheless follows and keeps his thoughts to himself until the party is well out of earshot of the orcs...

Seline looking around "That worked suprisingly better than I expected it to. Lets take a few moments to look around and try to memorize the traps, then head on in"

In reply to Seline (msg # 69):

An excellent plan!  Seeing the traps in the process of assembly gives Seline a very strong feel for how they operate.  She is confident she can avoid or disarm the needle traps in the future.

As if he had been there the whole time and not frolicking in some far away city called New of York, Cole strides up and follows his comrades into the tomb of wonders.

Jack puts on a good face and pretends like nothing is out of the ordinary. 'Just another day of bribing orcs with magical berries so we can sneak into an underground crypt that they are installing traps in. Yep. Nothing to see here.' His mind wanders to frivolities and sarcasm as he smiles and nods.

"Good work Dreya. Color me impressed."

With that, he follows along as the group ventures further toward the temple of Pain.

Elwood looks around for any signs of undead kobalds or Snargs.  "Are they going to replace the undead creatures too?"  He then goes along with the rest of the group to the entrance towards the temple of elemental pain.

Anthony looks horrified at this. "Don't say that! That would be terrible." He shudders.

He looks ahead. "I suppose we should press on. We have to find our enemy and take him out, cut off the head of the proverbial snake." Anthony looks none too thrilled at this prospect, but he speaks with some conviction.

The party reopens the secret door and heads down the passage beyond.  Eventually, you can hear the growing sound of running water as you approach the underground stream.  As you carefully approach the chamber with the stream and the statues, you see the statues have been removed completely.  The alcoves where they once stood are empty.  Seline checks for traps, but does not find any.  However, as she starts to move past the first alcove, the dagger she received from Flyspamon's priests begins to vibrate in its sheath.  Taking a closer look in the alcove, Seline notices a rune carved into the back of the alcove that is partially hidden by dirt.  It looks to be a magical trap.  Walking past the rune will presumably trigger some sort of magical effect.

Seline stopping dead in her tracks begins to investigate the rune calling Anthony over to take a look as well "Anthony if you would be so kind to join me up here and take a peak at this, seems like we are expected and they have left us some welcome to the party favors, this one seems to be a magical rune and I'd much rather see if we can dispell or trigger it before we walk past it and get hurt."

Dreya lingers near the back, but constantly looking over her shoulder. She would rather not be taken by a frog guy again. So to busy herself, she brings her bow around to the front and readies an arrow. Just in case.

Anthony perks up and walks over to get a good view of the rune. His face immediately lights up. "Fascinating! Fascinating! Everyone stand back, must get a look at this from a reasonably safe distance...."

He begins to examine it from a few feet away, looking rather like a five-year-old examining a puppy or exotic bug...

Anthony recognizes the rune easily.  It is a fairly common magical trap.  Moving past the rune will definitely trigger some sort of harmful magical effect, most likely a directed explosion or blast of energy.  It can easily be "fooled" by pushing or throwing something expendable in front of the rune.  Throwing is probably safer since you don't know for sure how big the blast effect will be.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:14, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Inspect the rune.

---

Anthony relays this to the party. "I would estimate at least thirty feet of distance. Who among us feels confident that they can throw something past the rune safely from that range?"

Once she determins everyone is safely back, Dreya lifts her bow and fires an arrow past the rune, curious if that will work.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:04, Sat 16 Sept 2017.

Hearing talk of explosions and traps, and seeing the druid ready to trigger them with a bow, Jack quickly ducks for cover (at a safe distance), bringing his arms over his head and face, preparing for the worst.

As Dreya gets out her bow, Elwood steps a safe distance back and sticks his fingers in his ears.

Dreya fires an arrow past the rune while everyone else takes cover.  The moment the arrow begins to pass in front of the rune, boiling blood explodes out of the alcove at vast speed.  The arrow is slammed by the rushing blood into the wall over the stream directly opposite the rune.  The explosion was so fast, the arrow did not manage any forward progress past the rune.  The wall opposite the rune is covered in a thick coat of blood that is quickly rolling down the wall into the stream where the water sizzles loudly.  A two foot deep cloud of steam forms over the stream, although it is diminishing steadily as fresh water flows into the chamber.  The arrow itself is stuck to the wall by the blood.  Its shaft is coated in burnt blood and its head is somewhat melted.  The smell coming from the chamber is... unpleasant.

Inspecting the alcoves shows there are no further runes to worry about.

"Eeewwww!" Dreya shrieks, scrambling back to the others so quickly she stumbles, sprawling on her back ungracefully in the dirt while trying to cover her nose against the smell. Blinking up at everyone, she says with a voice muffled oddly by her hand, "Huh, it worked."

Anthony retches a bit but then nods. "Yes...it worked. Well, I think I will avoid using that spell, myself. Oh my." He shudders, then nods. "We should search the room further and then proceed."

"Just for safe measure," Cole suddenly spouts as he whips out his bow and shoots another arrow in the same direction Dreya had just shot.

Cole's arrow safely passes the alcoves and vanishes into the darkness of the hallway leading off the north side of the chamber.  There is a cracking sound as it strikes a stone wall deep in the murky distance.

Elwood prepares to embark towards the secret entrance to the temple of pain

Seline takes her spot in the lead slowly moving forward checking for any other new traps between the alcove and the hidden door after offering her thanks to aanthony, Cole and Dreya for helping deal the trap. If there are no other traps along the way Seline will inspect the door and listen at it

The party does not find any other traps and heads out of the stream room down the long tunnel leading to the secret door into the Temple.

Things are a little different this time.  As the dead end with the secret door comes into view, you see the door is wide open.  You can't hear anything from beyond the door.

Anthony frowns. "That looks ominous," he says, hanging back. "Perhaps they've placed a new trap for us?"

"Or they left. Ooh! Maybe we should have gone to the cabin! We can go there when we are done here," Dreya rambles on from the back, straining up on her toes to try and see around all the tall humans and semi humans. Why did they have to be so tall?

"I guess this is their way of saying that they're expecting us.  Maybe Seline can get a quick peek inside and let us know what's inside."

Seline takes a moment to steady herself, getting her body completely under her control, her breathing falling silent, her nerves relaxing she nods to Elwood in confirmation that she will do as he suggested and steps forward taking to the shadows. Pausing for a brief moment before going too far to allow her eyes to readjust to the darkness. Seline then slowly proceeds to the door moving as silent and staying as hidden as she can the whole time. The fact that the door is open isn't sitting well with her. She approaches the door checking for traps and right before she gets to the opening of the door she stops to listen and see if there is anything that she can hear before continuing forward to take a look.

Seline does not detect any traps as she approaches the door.  However, when she pauses to listen, she can distinctly hear the sound of wet breathing coming from beyond the door.  She doesn't know the number of breathers, but there are clearly several entities breathing beyond the doorway.

There is a light source in the room that spills out somewhat into the secret corridor.  It is possible the breathers have not noticed the light coming from the party since they have all hung back while Seline explores ahead.

Seline quietly retreats back to the party and relates what she discovered back to the party

Anthony frowns and wracks his brain to think of what creatures make a wet breathing sound.

Whispering as softly as he dares, "Perhaps we make our stance here, prepare an ambush of sorts.  Throw something to alert what is ever on the other side of that room to try and lure them out, rather than us rush in.  At least out here we can have some sort of preemptive attack, even if it's not a complete surprise." Cole silently unsheaths Vera and prepares to fight, whatever his comrades' decision is.

Reflecting back on the party's first trip to the Temple and the frog demony thing, Anthony thinks the wet breathing sound might be coming from more of the froggers.

The tunnel is only about 5-6 feet wide as it approaches the secret door.  In a fight in the tunnel, the party will have to line up in single file.  If you intend to lure monsters into the tunnel, keep in mind the PC in front is going to be the only one able to engage in melee combat.

The current marching order has Seline in front followed by Jack.  I assume Seline is in front to scout and will move back behind Jack when not scouting.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:03, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 14 using 1d20+5.  Contemplate what makes wet breathing noises.

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 22:12, Tue 19 Sept 2017.

With no grand ideas coming forth in Dreya's bumbling manner, she remains quietly being the others, constantly looking over her shoulder.

"If there are just giant frogs in there, I could cast Sound Blast in there and possibly stun them.  However, if there are any children in there, it would probably kill them."

OOC:  To the CK, would Elwood be able to cast that spell into that room from where he's standing?

Jack nods at Seline's information, keeping his words to a minimum.

Looking at the more magically inclined others, "Well, any sort of anti-frog spell will do, otherwise, I guess they just get the axe."

Jack checks himself, securing his weapons and gear, making sure he's ready to go when violence erupts. Gripping his axe tightly, he nods and awaits the next move.

OOC: If someone wants to cast a spell first, that's fine, or if Seline wants to try to sneak a peek into the next room, that's OK too. Alternatively Jack could just charge in. Regardless, he'll be ready to join the fray.

Dreya shrugs, then whispers from the back of the pack, "I can try to cast faery fire in there maybe, or entangle...maybe whisper the words under the door through the gap along the floor. That might be too silly though. Or maybe not even work." Nervousness is clear in the tenseness of her slight frame and the wideness of her striking amber eyes as she grips her bow with a white-knuckled grip.

In reply to Elwood (msg # 102):

Elwood is close enough to cast sound burst into the room if he wishes.  The spell has a 50 foot range.

Cole readies himself for whichever attack his friends choose.

Seline whispers "We should back down the tunnel a little further while we discuss as to not ruin any element of suprise we may have nor to allow our plans to be heard and thus ruined"

Once Seline is further down the hall she breathes deep and quiets that voice in her head saying that her next thought is folly and stupid. Whispering just loud enough for her party to hear Seline relies to them the thought she just had "Well if we want to plan an ambush I suppose I can be the bait if we need to lure them out"

[OOC Edited due to the correct information provided by the CK, thanks :)]
This message was last edited by the player at 19:03, Wed 20 Sept 2017.

In reply to Seline (msg # 107):

You actually are in a wider passageway outside the secret door than is available inside the stream room.  The path next to the stream is only a 3-4 feet wide.

Here is the original description of the stream room:

After about 15 minutes, you start to hear the faint sound of running water.  The sounds gets louder and louder for about 5 minutes until the tunnel opens up into a small cavern.  The path runs along the west side of the cavern.  Just to the right of the path is a stream flowing toward you.  The water flows out of the cavern through a channel cut into the rock with very little space at the top of the water.  The stream is about 5 feet across.  Your only clue as to its depth is a statute that has fallen into the water (more on that in a moment).  The water runs along the east wall, meaning there is not a bank on the other side (you could jump across the stream, but would just smack into the eastern side of the cavern).

To your left, there are three statues of armored soldiers standing in shallow alcoves cut into the west wall.  The statues are a little over 5 feet tall and burly.  The statues do not have weapons despite being armored.  To be clear, the armor (plate mail) is part of the statue (i.e., made of carved rock) as opposed to actual armor "worn" by the stone statues for some bizarre reason.  The alcove closest to the party (i.e., at the southern end) is empty.  The statue in the stream rests face down directly in front of the empty alcove.  You would say the statue likely toppled from the alcove, but the feet of the statue rest at the edge of the path rather than in the alcove itself.  If the statue toppled, it must have been pushed or dragged forward a couple feet in order to reach its current resting place.  The path itself is about 3-4 feet wide inside the cavern.

The stream appears shallow based on the statue.  The statue's head and torso are submerged, but its waist and legs stick up out of the water.  The stream can't be more than 1-2 feet deep where the statue is resting.

Anthony agrees with Elwood's plan. "Blast them," he says grimly. His face matches his tone as he nods in agreement. He clutches a dart nervously.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:19, Wed 20 Sept 2017.

Keep in mind a sound burst is going to be very, very loud.  Sneakery will pretty much be out the window at that point.  On the other hand, announcing your presence with authority is a noble undertaking.

"OK, I'm ready to cast Sound Burst, but we'll lose all suprise, and may end up attracting everyone in the temple all at once.  Perhaps I can cast Bless on us, and Dreya can cast faery fire in the room."

Dreya nods eagerly. Then when it dawns on her that she is at the back and everyone is facing the door, she whispers instead.

"I can do that."

The odd druid then readies herself to do do her best aiding her friends with this new plan.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:48, Thu 21 Sept 2017.

"Dreya and I will cast our spells, then we can go in an attack.  Just watch out for those tongues."  Elwood proceeds to cast Bless.

Cole grits his teeth and grips Vera in his hand as he prepares to attack whatever may come forth. This temple was starting to grate on his very last nerve at the thought of all those innocent children stuffed somewhere in here...it boiled his blood.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:50, Thu 21 Sept 2017.

The druid, rife with jitters, pushes through the group of fighters and spell casters that have become her friends until she is at the door. So...was she suppose to creep right up to the door open, cast, then get out of the way?   Maybe toss the spell in as one would toss a rock blindly around the corner?

Hmmm...Well, she thought to herself, hopefully I don't die.

Moving forward, she tries to make no sound as she approaches the open doorway. If she can, she will stay out of the light casting out into the entrance. The whole time she is creeping forward, she repeats the mantra cast and dive...cast and dive...even as she feels the tingle of the clerics spell wash over her. Once she is as close as she dares to the open doorway, the druid calls upon nature's grace and wills the magestic light of faeries to expand into the room before her. Then she tries to dive out of the way, making herself as small as possible beside the door and hoping she makes enough room with someone shouldering far greater armor than she to charge forward.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:04, Thu 21 Sept 2017.

Seline moves off into the shadows readying her dagger and waits to see what happens.

Anthony also waits and watches, clutching a dart in his hand. He breathes deeply and as quietly as possible, trying to calm his fraying nerves. Sweat drips from his long nose into his beard...

Just to be clear, the plan is to cast bless and faerie fire, then rush into the room and attack?

Faerie fire only affects creatures in a 10x10 foot area.  Dreya can definitely cast it into the room and even target it around the corner so it affects creatures she can't see (assuming anything is there).  I'm assuming she'll try to target the area where the wet breathing sounds are originating.

In reply to Seline (msg # 116):

Where does Seline want to be in the marching order?  The passageway is narrow, so you're pretty much stuck in single file.  A PC could move past another one if the stationary PC stands up against a wall.  There's not really a shadowed place to hide, although the lighting overall is minimal.

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 118):

That is correct. Bold and upfront is not Dreya. Not when battle involves pointy things.

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 118):

Correct

"Best to fight in the open where there's more room, rather than in this narrow tunnel." Looking toward Dreya he adds, "Just stay behind Cole and I after the fun starts. We won't let them get you."

Seeing the druid move forward toward certain peril to cast her spells, Jack follows closely behind. His axe is out and he give a reassuring nod, fully prepared to step in front of the druid and into the den of evil after the spell is cast.

'Man, I really hate evil frogs' he thinks to himself, in attempt to get psyched up for the approaching battle.

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 119):

If the door opens into the tunnel that the party is standing in she would hide behind the door and close it after the first monster walks through, otherwise she would place herself against the wall allowing the fighters to go past her

The door opens toward the party.  What is Seline going to do if the party rushes in as planned and no monsters come out?

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 124):

She would wait till the party decided their next course of action

After casting his spell,  Elwood takes sold of Margon's Mace, and will follow Jack and Cole into the room to battle the frog things.  "Margon, grant me the Flyspamon's blessing to fight these evil creatures" he whispers.

Elwood focuses on the divine might of Flyspamon and blesses the party.

Dreya ignores the cleric's chanting and casts faerie fire around the corner trying to target the quiet wet breathing sounds coming from the room ahead.

As soon as they are done casting, the party charges into the room with Jack and Cole in the lead, followed by Elwood.  Anthony, Dreya, and Seline (bringing up the rear) will not be able to enter the room until next round.

As the first 3 heroes sprint into battle, they see a room that has been heavily remodeled since you were here a few days ago.  The cages for the children have all been removed.  The floor is covered in a good inch of murky water that splashes around as the party runs through it.

The good news is the wet breathing sounds are not coming from froggers.  The bad news is the breathers are even more freakish.  They are some sort of humanoid fish.  They have the body of a strong and smooth-muscled human with the head of a fish.  They all wear clear glass helmets that seem to be filled with water.  When they breath, air flows into the helmets through some sort of vent at the top and foggy air flows out of the sides of the helmet through other vents when they exhale from flappy gills on the sides of their heads.

Five of these fish men are waiting for the party inside the room.  4 of them are outlined in pale orange fire and do not seem happy about it.  They are wearing ornate scale armor that looks very much like fish scales and carry tridents.  They quickly fan out in front of the charging PCs and begin stabbing merrily away with their fish forks.

Most of the fish men prove to be utterly incompetent in combat, but Fish Man #4 manages to skewer Elwood for 3 points of damage.

Jack takes a mighty swing with his axe and cleaves through Fish Man #1's glass helmet and most of its face.  Fish Man #1 falls to the ground, flops around trying to breath for a moment, and expires.

Cole, clearly freaked out by the bizarre fish helmets, takes a half-hearted swing at Fish Man #3 and misses badly.

Elwood channels his inner Margon and smashes Fish Man #4 for 10 points of damage.  #4 joins his friend flopping on the floor before beginning to smell of rotten seafood.

Meanwhile, back in the hallway, just as the remaining heroes are about to take their turns charging into the room, all hell is unleashed on the poor, unsuspecting, and cruelly exposed back of... Dreya!  Seline, standing behind the door as the other PCs storm into the room, sees Oswald suddenly appear out of nowhere and smash the druid's back with a massive mace and stab her with a long and wicked dagger.  19 points of damage to the druid.  Dreya crumples to the ground unconscious with blood slowly pooling on the ground next to her back.

The ogre shouts, "I'm coming for you, wizard!  You messed with the wrong ogre!"

The wizard might have piddled himself at this point, but Elwood's blessing gives Anthony just that little bit of protection from fear to allow him to attack despite certain and horrifying doom.  With Jack Burtonesque reflexes, the wizard hurls an ordinary dart and strikes Oswald right in the gizzard for 2 points of gizzard damage.  The ogre howls in familiar pain and rage!

Situation Report - Round 1:
Elwood is down 3 hit points
Dreya is down 19 hit points.  That puts her at -2 and falling.
Oswald is down 2 hits points to the gizzard
Fish Men ## 1 and 4 are dead
Fish Men ## 2 and 3 are still glowing with faerie fire

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
09:34, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 2 using 1d3.  Damage to Oswald's gizzard.
09:33, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 17 using 1d20+2.  Hurl ordinary dart at Oswald. I forgot to add +1 for the bless which turned this miss into a hit
09:33, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 21 using 1d20+5.  Try to react in time to throw dart this round.
09:29, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 8 using 1d8+1.  Damage to Fish Man 4.
09:28, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 19 using 1d20+5.  Attack Fish Man 4.
09:27, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 10 using 1d20+8.  Attack Fish Man 3.
09:25, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 9 using 1d12+2.  Damage to Fish 1.
09:24, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  Axe attack vs. Fish 1.
09:20, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 14,5 using d10+4,d7+4.  Damage to Seline's unsuspecting back.
09:19, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 17,15 using d20+4,d20+4.  Surpise attack on Seline.  The attack is actually on Dreya since Seline is hanging back behind the door waiting for the rest of the party to rush into the room.  I screwed up and rolled for Oswald before the party attacks.  Oswald was holding his attack until end of round when the party had passed his hiding spot.
09:15, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 13 using 1d20.  Land silently.
09:14, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish 5, rolled 4 using 1d20.  Stab Cole.
09:14, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish 4, rolled 3 using 1d8.  Damage to Elwood.
09:13, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish 4, rolled 16 using 1d20.  Stab Elwood.
09:13, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish 3, rolled 7 using 1d20.  Stab Cole.
09:12, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish 2, rolled 2 using 1d20.  Stab Jack.
09:12, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish 1, rolled 3 using 1d20.  Stab Jack.
09:01, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Monsters, rolled 4 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 18:12, Sun 24 Sept 2017.

[OOC - See! One tap and poor Dreya is down for the count!  And you all wonder why she huddles in the back of the group too scared to charge into the fray.  Love this game!  Nail-biting!]

Dreya's body grows colder with every sluggish thump of her heart.

Jack is momentarily perplexed as the figure of Oswald looms largely over Dreya. How he managed to hide his size from the perceptive party and their magic is a mystery for another day. Feeling somewhat responsible for instructing the druid to remain behind him, Jack lunges as Oswald and unleashes every ounce of anger and fury he stored up over the past weeks and attempts to hew as many body parts of the ogre as he can manage.

Time for another map.  D'oh!  At the moment, Jack, Cole, and Elwood are fully occupied fighting fish guys in the chamber.  Anthony is close to the doorway in the corridor.  Seline is behind the door and still in the hallway.  Dreya is turning into a corpse on the floor of the corridor.  The only PC in a position to get into melee with Oswald is Anthony.  Seline could potentially engage Oswald in melee if she shoves Anthony out of the way.  None of the PCs in the chamber could attack Oswald this round.  For that matter, none of them are aware of Dreya's condition.  The three PCs in the room fighting the fish guys are facing away from the Oswald situation.  They heard Oswald's shouted threats to Anthony.  The PCs in the chamber could decide to turn their backs on the combat with the fish guys (exposing themselves to a free attack) and try to force their way past Seline and Anthony, but that will not get them into a position to swing on Oswald in round 2.

I posted a new map that will hopefully clarify positioning.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:20, Sun 24 Sept 2017.

"Anthony please step to side so I don't catch you in this" with finishing that Seline casts Minor Dark Chaos as the shadow tendrils begin to form from her hands she positions herself to attack Oswald as soon as she can.

Dreya's condition unbeknowest to Cole, he continues on his current course of action and attacks out at one of the fish creatures as planned.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:43, Sun 24 Sept 2017.

In the heat of battle, Elwood barely registers the pain from the fishman's attack, and feels some sort of grim satisfaction as his own blow connects, leaving his foe lifeless on the floor.  However, the sound of Oswald's voice behind him sends a chill down Elwood's spine, especially since Oswald had made it abundantly clear on his intentions against Anthony.  Figuring that Cole and Jack can easily handle the remaining fishmen, Elwood calls upon Flyspamon's blessing to quickly casts Sanctuary on himself, and will head back towards to protect Anthony as soon as the spell casting is complete

OOC:  Elwood will use a Hero point to make sure he wins initiative.

Anthony is, if naught else, a logical fellow. Faced with near-certain death at the hands of Oswald, he takes the logical step. He utters a word of power and disappears from sight!

Unseen by the big beastly fellow, he backs up down the hallway a bit, saying nothing...

Our brave hero casts Invisibility on himself. :-) If he has to move before casting to avoid getting thwacked, he does; if he doesn't have to, he casts it and then moves quietly a bit back down the hall.

I guess Jack will just attack whatever is close then.

Elwood burns through a hero point to quickly leap into action.  He fires off a sanctuary spell and shifts toward the door and Anthony before the fish men are able to react.

Dreya bleeds some more.

Jack slashes viciously at Fish Man #2, but its scale armor deflects most of the blow.  It takes 4 points of damage.  Its gills flap wildly within its helmet as it copes with the pain.

Anthony utters an impossible-to-remember word of power, twiddles his fingers, and crushes an eyeball encased in clay in order to cast invisibility.  Oswald howls in rage as the wizard disappears.  Anthony quietly backs up into the room with the fish men, bumping into the retreating Elwood.

Oswald howls some more when Seline's chanting causes darky, smoky tendrils to form in her hands and she lashes the ogre with them for 6 points of damage.

Meanwhile, Cole somehow senses Dreya's plight and is filled furious anger.  He shoves Flyspamon's longsword into Fish Man #3's belly for 6 points of damage.  The creature does not die immediately, but is horribly wounded.

The remaining Fish Men stab uselessly at Jack and Cole.

Oswald is more successful in battling Seline.  The maiden ducks out of the way of the ogre's mace, but his long dagger jabs into her shoulder for 7 points of damage.

Situation Report - Round 2:
Fish Man #2 is down 4 points of damage.
Fish Man #3 is down 6 points of damage.
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline has taken 7 points of damage.
Dreya continues to bleed out and is at -3 hit points.
Oswald has taken 8 points of damage.
Bless and faerie fire have been in effect for 2 rounds.  Both spells have 22 rounds left.
Minor dark chaos and sanctuary have been in effect for 1 round.  Minor dark chaos has one round left.  Sanctuary has 3 rounds left.
Fish Men ##1 and 4 are dead.
Fish Men ##2 and 3 continue to glow with faerie fire.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
13:00, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 7 using 1d7+4.  Damage to Seline.
13:00, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 3,12 using d20,d20.  Attack Seline.
12:59, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish Men 3 and 5, rolled 3,5 using d20,d20.  Attack Cole.
12:58, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Fish Man 2, rolled 5 using 1d20.  Attack Jack.
12:56, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 6 using 1d8+3.  Damage to Fish 3.
12:55, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 13 using 1d20+8.  Attack Fish 3.
12:50, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswal, rolled 1,3 using d20,d20.  Save versus illusion.
12:47, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 4 using 1d12+2.  Damage to Fish 2.
12:47, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 26 using 1d20+6.  Attack Fish Man 2.
11:27, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Monsters, rolled 1 using 1d6.  Initiative.
11:27, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 4 using 1d6.  initiative.

---

In this sea of chaos, Anthony's attention is drawn by Dreya. He tries to get to her quietly, relying on his invisibility, and then kneels by her, trying to see if he can stop her bleeding quietly....

If needs be, use a Hero point to succeed at the appropriate roll to stabilize Dreya.

In reply to Anthony (msg # 137):

Getting to Dreya at this point would be extremely difficult.  Oswald is standing over her body in combat with Seline.  Anthony would have to get around Seline and then come right up to Oswald.  The odds of acting next to Oswald without being detected are extremely low.

Jack continues hewing at fish, hoping Oswald doesn't eventually cleave his way through the rest of the party.

Gritting her teeth and doing her best to maintain composure to not betray how much damage that dagger did to Oswald Seline thinks to herself "Of all the situations you have gotten yourself in and out of you are going to die at the hand of an ugly Orc thingy with creepy fish people and party members cutting off retreat path."

Pushing the negative thoughts from her mind noticing that Dreya hasn't gotten up Seline with renewed fury attacks Oswald once again with shadow tendrils. "First the wizard and now myself Oswald, you don't seem to have much luck with the arcane, we have no problem scaring that ugly mug of yours more and more, soon not even your mother will be able to love that face, let alone this disturbing heap of a temple you got going on"

Anthony risks being detected by Oswald. Though not fond of confrontation, he will not let Dreya die...

Let the chips fall where they may!

Uneasiness filling him, and rage steadily building, Cole slashes out at the next closest enemy.

Elwood rushes over to protect Anthony,  only to see the mage disappear before his eyes.  Seeing Oswald now direct his wrath towards Seline, Elwood touches Seline and casts Aid on her (trying to avoid the black tendrils attacking Oswald).  It is only then that Elwood sees the motionless body of Dreya.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:46, Tue 03 Oct 2017.

Anthony does his best to sneak up to Dreya without alerting Oswald to his presence.  Unfortunately, he bumps into the ogre's leg.  The wizard manages to bind Dreya's wounds, but Oswald's eyes widen in surprise as he realizes what is happening.  The vile wizard is within his grasp!

With a mighty swing of his axe, Jack cleaves Fish Man #2 in twain for 13 points of damage.

Seline whips her smoky tendrils at Oswald again.  The ogre dismisses one of the tendrils for the insubstantial mystical nothing that it is, but the other tendril slashes across his face for 3 points of damage.

Fish Man #5 bugs out.  He turns and runs out of the room through the door to the north.  Cole slashes it across its back as it flees for 5 points of damage.

Oswald ignores Seline and Elwood completely and swings wildly at where he thinks Anthony is hiding.  His gizzard pulses with rage as he connects with nothing but air.

Situation Report - Round 3:
Fish Man #5 has taken 5 points of damage and fled.
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline has taken 7 points of damage.  However, she also received 5 temporary hit points from Elwood's aid spell.
Dreya was stabilized by Anthony's heroics and is steady at -3 hit points.
Oswald has taken 11 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 3 rounds.  It has 21 rounds left.
Sanctuary has been in effect for 2 rounds and has 2 round left.
Aid has 23 round left to protect Seline.
Fish Men ##1, 2, 3, and 4 are dead.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
07:17, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled -9,-3 using d20-10,d20-10.  Attack Anthony.
07:15, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 5 using 1d8+3.  Damage to Fish 5.
07:15, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 28 using 1d20+10.  AOO on Fish 5.
07:11, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 5 using 1d8.  Temporary hit points to Seline.
07:10, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 7 using 1d8+3.  Damage to Fish 3.
07:10, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Cole Hiller, rolled 17 using 1d20+8.  Attack Fish 3.
07:06, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 12,9 using d20,d20.  Saves versus illusion.
07:04, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 13 using 1d12+2.  Damage to Fish 2.
07:04, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 22 using 1d20+5.  Attack Fish 2.
07:00, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 11 using 1d20+1.  Sneak up to Dreya.
07:00, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Monsters, rolled 1 using 1d6.  Initiative.
06:59, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 6 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

Anthony now does everything in his power to move away from the ogre, as quietly as possible, at least for the moment! He will move back into the room.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:48, Fri 06 Oct 2017.

Seeing that the fishies have fled or are dead, Jack moves up toward the entrance to the corridor. Hopefully his companions can draw Oswald into the room, but if not, Jack will wait his turn in line to fight the monster.

I have updated the game map to show the position of everyone at the end of round 3.  There is currently a bottleneck in the corridor with Oswald.  Elwood is blocking the doorway.  Jack and Cole will not be able to get at Oswald until Elwood, Anthony, and Seline get out of the way.  It's almost as if Oswald chose this location in order to force the party to fight him one-on-one.

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 147):

Ack! Not even mentioning poor Dreya! Alas, already forgotten by the CK!!!  LOL! Kidding.

Nail-biting action...love it!

In reply to Dreya (msg # 148):

Yeah, I relegated her to the end of round summary.  Life in Rotter is cruel, the way Crom intended.

Elwood looks at Dreya to see where her wounds are, but notices that her wounds mysteriously got bandaged.  Trying to avoid the ogre's insane flailing at thin air, Elwood shouts "Make way Anthony!", hoping to let the mage know his intentions so they don't bang into each other, then he hops over Dreya and moves south behind Oswald, and turns around to face him.  Elwood grabs Dreya and drags her into the room with Jack and Cole
This message was last edited by the player at 05:18, Thu 05 Oct 2017.

Whipping around and seeing the unconscious Dreya, Cole is enraged. Quickly, he darts forward, trying to get to Oswald as fast as possible.

(If Cole can attack this round he will follow as Jack is doing and try to attack. If he is still bottlenecked, he will be bouncing on the balls of his heels while he waits.)

Elwood is still aware of where the rest of the party is (accept for Anthony), and will try to move Dreya off to the west side first to allow room for Jack and Cole to go through the doorway.  He'll take Dreya into the room after they go after Oswald,  or if it's clear that they won't.

Seline says in a voice that is gravely and gritty facing Oswald "You will be rent asunder you little pitiful orc, you have chosen to follow a false upstart god, one who is not able to offer you salvation or save you, here you fall paying for your blasphemous sins with the currency of skin, blood and bone. You soul will be devoured by the void"

Finishing her speech Seline casts Dragon Bite taking on the form of a black dragon at Oswald

With the invisible Anthony backing up and Elwood dragging Dreya's not-corpse out of the hallway, there is no room for Jack or Cole to enter the corridor.  They bounce on their feet in frustration while Seline faces off with Oswald solo.

The illusionist shouts a mystic word of nonsense and thrusts her fist toward the ogre.  She morphs into the shape of a black dragon and snaps her teeth over Oswald's torso.  However, the ogre just laughs and says, "I'm on to you, illusionist.  Let me slip you something real."

Seline morphs back into her normal form as the ogre shoves his dagger into her belly and smashes her across the face with his mace.  11 points of damage.  Elwood's aid spell protects her somewhat, but it's not enough.  Seline falls backward and lands with a sick thud, blood starting to pool out from her back and face.

Situation Report - Round 4:
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline has taken 13 points of damage.  The 5 temporary hit points she received from the aid were used up by the mace attack.  She is at 0 hit points.
Dreya was stabilized by Anthony's heroics and is steady at -3 hit points.
Oswald has taken 11 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 4 rounds.  It has 20 rounds left.
Sanctuary has been in effect for 3 rounds and has 1 round left.
Aid has 22 rounds left to protect Seline.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:01, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 5,6 using d10+4,d7+4.  Damage to Seline.
16:59, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 17,15 using d20,d20.  Attack Seline.
16:53, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 13 using 1d20.  Save versus illusion.
12:45, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 3 using 1d6.  Initiative.
12:44, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

Anthony curses the party's luck and heads over to Seline, trying to keep her from dying, too. This was looking bad.

I'm going to assume Anthony is following the action described in the OOC thread rather than what is posted here.  If Anthony goes back into the corridor to get Seline he is just going to get in the way of the meat shields.  They won't know he's in the way until they trip over him since he's invisible.

Jack moves to the right side of the room and doorway, in an attempt to form a triangle around Oswald, with Jack on the East side, Cole to the North and Elwood to the West. Hopefully with better group positioning, Jack attempts to deliver some serious damage to Oswald with his axe.

Curse their luck.  Cole mentally chastising himself for not thinking to position himself at the rear as the party was entering the room.  Cole follows Jack, except he will veer to the left side as soon as he is able.  Once he is in position he will attack Oswald.

To be clear, no one can attack Oswald in melee from within the chamber at the moment.  He is too far back in the hallway.  Either Oswald will have to come into the room or a PC will have to enter the hallway before melee combat could begin.

"So you like attacking people who can't fight back, Oswald?  Time to get a taste of you're own medicine!"  Elwood then casts Spiritual Weapon, producing a floating mace that proceeds to start attacking Oswald.

Anthony surveys the situation and then swallows hard. He moves as far away from the door as he can get, raises his hand and utters words of power. He suddenly appears, and a bolt of energy slams into Oswald.

"Just DIE, why don't you!" he shouts, trying very hard to sound brave.

Move a ways away from the door, letting his allies block the way, and then cast Magic Missile at Oswald, which cancels my invisibility.

Dreya continues to drift in the nothingness of unconcsiousness.

I need a clear statement from Cole and Jack about their intentions.  Are either of you intending to enter the corridor to engage Oswald in melee?  Do either of you plan to stand to either side of the doorway within the room so that Oswald would have to enter the chamber in order for your PC to engage him in melee?

If Jack is staying in the room, then Cole will step aside as well and make their stand in the room.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:07, Wed 11 Oct 2017.

As I said earlier, Jack is in the big room, stepping to the side of the doorway.

In the room. Not in the hallway.

The whole idea was for everyone to fight in the room and not in the hallway.

If Oswald wants to hide in the tunnel, he can. Jack will wait for him in the room.

I understand that I can't attack him right now. That was the point. He can't attack me either. If he wants to kill more of us he can come into the room and do it.

Jack is in the big room.

Elwood is content to stay in the big room and twack Oswald at a distance with his spiritual mace.  He's probably sticking his tongue out to taunt the ogre.

As Jack and Cole take position inside the chamber on either side of the door, Oswald drops his mace, grabs Seline, tosses her unconscious body over his shoulder, and begins running back down the corridor toward the stream room!

Elwood casts spiritual weapon.  A glowing silver mace appears in the air and, with righteous fury, Elwood wills it to strike at Oswald's fleeing back.  The mace crashes into the ogre's shoulder (narrowly missing Seline) for 4 points of damage.

Anthony does his wizard thing and sends 2 bolts of yellow energy at Oswald.  As the energy bolts get close to the ogre, their trajectory bends so that, instead of hitting him squarely in the back, they crash into a ring on Oswald's left hand.  Sparks shoot off the ring and the ogre shakes his hand in pain as he runs.

Oswald yells over his shoulder, "Damn you all!"

Will you chase after the ogre to save Seline or go deeper into the temple to complete your mission for Flyspamon?

Situation Report - Round 5:
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline is steady at 0 hit points.
Dreya is steady at -3 hit points.
Oswald has taken 15 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 5 rounds.  It has 19 rounds left.
Sanctuary is no longer in effect due to Elwood using offensive magic.
Aid has 21 rounds left to protect Seline.
Spiritual weapon has been in effect for 1 round and has 3 rounds left.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
12:42, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 4 using 1d8+1.  Damage to Oswald.
12:41, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 23 using 1d20+6.  Attack Oswald with spiritual weapon.
12:34, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 6 using 1d6.  Initiative.
12:34, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

Burning a Hero point

Seline opening her eyes feeling very rough after the encounter with Oswalds mace. She cautiously draws her dagger, lining it up the vital point in his back with a cold calculating rage she plunges her dagger at the weak point in Oswald's back
This message was last edited by the player at 19:32, Fri 13 Oct 2017.

"Coward" Elwood mutters as he sees Oswald flee with Seline on his shoulder.  Calling upon Flyspamon's divine power once more, Elwood casts Command on Oswald and shouts "Die!"

'Never leave a friend behind' Jack thinks to himself before sprinting after Oswald and attempting to tackle him before he can get any further away with Seline.

Summoning the last vestiges of his courage, Anthony rushes forward and, uttering words of power, blocks Oswald's exit with a web. "Y...y...you will not get away, coward," shouts Anthony unsteadily.

Dreya is still a lump upon the stone floor.

Knowing that not many can chase after Seline in the narrow corridor, Cole hangs back to let Jack and Anthony commence with their actions. If both should fail, Cole will attempt to catch up and pull Seline from Oswald's hold if he is able to clear the crowded hallway.

Oswald darts down the corridor.  He is remarkably nimble for a creature of his size.  He has Seline bouncing on his shoulder, completely unaware that she has been faking being unconscious the whole time.  He is caught utterly unaware when Seline carefully plunges her dagger into the ogre's exposed back for 5 points of damage.  Oswald howls in pain and drops Seline as he continues to flee.

However, he only makes it a few more feet when Elwood's voice shouts out "Die!".  The ogre falls flat on its face and slides a couple more feet to a stop.  Oswald is a lifeless lump on the floor (much like Dreya).

Jack rushes up to the ogre, but his plan to tackle Oswald is moot.

Anthony's web spell fills the corridor beyond Oswald with thick webbing.  There will be no escape for the ogre this time.

Cole hangs back by Dreya's unconscious and thoroughly damaged body.

Situation Report - Round 6:
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline is steady at 1 hit point.
Dreya is steady at -3 hit points.
Oswald has taken 20 points of damage and is unconscious for the moment.
Bless has been in effect for 6 rounds.  It has 18 rounds left.
Sanctuary is no longer in effect due to Elwood using offensive magic.
Aid has 20 rounds left to protect Seline.
Spiritual weapon has been in effect for 2 rounds and has 2 rounds left.
Anthony's web spell has blocked off Oswald's (and potentially the party's) escape route.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
12:21, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 7 using 1d20.  Save versus command.
12:17, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Seline, rolled 2 using 1d4.  Damage to Oswald (base).
12:17, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Seline, rolled 17 using 1d20+8.  Backstab Oswald.
12:14, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 1 using 1d6.  Initiative.
12:14, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

Seline standing up on shaky legs looks at Jack "You have my thanks for coming to my aid, I wasn't sure how this was going to end, it was looking like a corner that I couldn't run myself out of no mattered how hard I tried. However we should quickly remove the head from the body and wrap it in something that way we can make good on our deal with the orhpans, seeing as your weapon is better suited for that kind of work, would you be so kind to help me with this?"

Awaiting Jack's answer, Seline uncorks her potion of extra-healing and drinks it.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:41, Mon 16 Oct 2017.

Elwood once again focuses on th he spiritual mace he conjured,  and proceeds to bash away at the (for now) unconscious ogre.

Anthony rushes up and yanks the ring off the ogre's hand. He also collects the ogre's club, while he's at it.

Dreya lies still and motionless, thoroughly great at accomplishing that at the moment.

Relieved that the brute has been dealt with, Jack takes a moment to breathe deeply, but the excitement of battle adrenaline is still in his voice when he speaks. "Nice Work Seline! Clever thinking under pressure. Glad to see you're still intact."

Shortly after, Jack perks up again, "What about the little one? Is she okay? Elwood, do you have any healing magic for her? Can we give her a potion?"

Once Dreya is attended to,Jack remembers Seline's suggestion regarding the Ogre. Waiting for the others to finish searching the corpse, he motions them to stand back as he prepares to cleave off the beast's head.

Assuming Jack administered the coup de grace on the unconscious Oswald, Elwood goes over to Dreya and casts Cure Light Wounds upon her.  He gently speaks to her "Time to get up. I believe you've had enough of a nap."

OOC:  I'll use 3 luck points to add to my CLW spell.

Seline's hand stops shaking visibly as she finishes drinking the health potion.

"Thank you Jack it was more of a luck of the draw that smash to the face left a terrible migraine that woke me back up, I just happened to get lucky enough to remember the situation and was hoping I could flank him, being kidnapped definitely not on my to do list, however can scratch that off the proverbial bucket list."

Running a hand across her face Seline's face sours with a frown as she wonders if there will be any permanent scaring on her face, that would definitely not be good for those in the profession of not being seen or remembered.

Is Elwood smashing with his spiritual weapon or casting cure light wounds?

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 182):

First and foremost, Elwood wants to make sure Oswald is dead.  Real dead, not Command dead, which really is just sleeping for 1 round.  If Jack decapitates Oswald in this round, then Elwood will tend to Dreya instead of using his spiritual weapon.  If not (like, everyone is high-fiving each other while Oswald is only unconscious), Elwood will use his spiritual weapon like a real steel drivin' man on Oswald's head.

Cole crosses to Jack and will help in the endeavor of cleaving off Oswald's head should Jack not succeed in severing this round.

Oswald jumps to his feet and spins toward the party as Anthony rushes up to try to steal the ogre's ring.  Ruh roh!  Oswald's fangs and tusks gleam in the low light as he smiles at his least favorite wizard.  The ogre jabs at Anthony with his dagger.  The wizard lunges out of the way, but that just puts him in the path of Oswald's massive fist.  6 points of damage to the wizard.  Anthony's attempt at thievery doesn't accomplish much beyond causing him to bleed.

Seline manages to hide her reaction to witnessing amateur thievery by chugging an extra-healing potion.  She is healed for 16 points of damage and is back to full health.  She feels fantastic.

Elwood concentrates on his spiritual weapon and sends it flying into the side of Oswald's head for 3 points of damage.

Jack charges down the corridor and shoves his way past Seline and Anthony in order to get to Oswald.  There is barely enough room in the corridor to allow him to wield his massive axe, perhaps explaining why he misses so badly.

Cole follows Jack down the hallway, but there is no room for him to approach Oswald.


Situation Report - Round 7:
Anthony has taken 6 points of damage.
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline is fully healed up.
Dreya is steady at -3 hit points.
Oswald has taken 23 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 7 rounds.  It has 17 rounds left.
Aid has 19 rounds left to protect Seline.
Spiritual weapon has been in effect for 3 rounds and has 1 round left.
Anthony's web spell has blocked off Oswald's (and potentially the party's) escape route.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:10, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 8 using 1d20+6.  Attack Oswald with axe.
17:07, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 3 using 1d8+1.  Damage to Oswald.
17:06, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Spiritual weapon attack.
17:03, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Seline, rolled 11 using 2d8.  Healing potion (I meant to type 3d8 last time).
17:02, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Seline, rolled 5 using 1d8.  Healing potion.
16:58, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 6 using 1d8+4.  Damage to Anthony.
16:58, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 10,1 using d20,d20.  Attack Anthony.
16:54, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 14 using 1d20.  Dex check.
16:54, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Die of Fate.
16:53, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 6 using 1d6.  Initiative.
16:53, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 3 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

Anthony gets out of dodge, trying to get away from the ogre.

Elwood strikes at Oswald once again with his spiritual mace.

Dreya is winning awards at how still she can lay upon the floor!

Seline carefully retreats back to Dreya and stands guard over her knowing that she can't heal Dreya but she isn't much help in the current fight so she will guard the druid's body

Jack keeps hacking until the ogre is dead and dismembered.

If there is an opening to attack Oswald that will not damage his comrades, Cole will take a swing at the big oaf, otherwise he will hang back and wait for his opportunity.

Oswald's right fist connects with Jack's's face for 5 points of damage, but his dagger misses.

Anthony is well clear of Oswald [see map for details], but scrambles further backward to maximize safety.

Elwood hammers the ogre one last time for 4 more points of damage.

Dreya continues to sleep through everything with Seline standing guard over her.

Jack gets his act together and viciously slashes Oswald across the chest with his axe for 8 points of damage.

Cole bounces on his toes impatiently just waiting for an opening.

Oswald's face is covered in sweat with blood dripping off his tusks into the pool of blood on the ground from his gaping chest wound.  His eyes bulge frantically as he realizes he has nowhere to flee and death is in front of him.  He tightens his grip on his dagger and snarls in defiance.

Situation Report - Round 8:
Jack has taken 5 points of damage.
Anthony has taken 6 points of damage.
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline is fully healed up.
Dreya is steady at -3 hit points.
Oswald has taken 35 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 8 rounds.  It has 16 rounds left.
Aid has 18 rounds left to protect Seline.
Spiritual weapon has been expired.
Anthony's web spell has blocked off Oswald's (and potentially the party's) escape route.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:10, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 8 using 1d12+2.  Damage to Oswald.
17:09, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 21 using 1d20+6.  Attack Oswald.
17:08, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 4 using 1d8+1.  Damage to Oswald.
17:07, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 20 using 1d20+4.  Hammer meet Oswald.
17:05, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 5 using 1d8+4.  Damage to Cole.
17:04, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 14,8 using d20,d20.  Attack Jack.
17:04, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 4 using 1d6.  Initiative.
17:04, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 1 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 16:39, Sun 22 Oct 2017.

Anthony screws up his courage, pulls out a dart and whips it at the ogre, hoping to contribute to the ogre's immanent death.

Just a mundane dart; spend a Hero point to automatically hit and hurt the SOB.

OOC: I have a question.  How did Cole get punched in the face by Oswald if Cole is in a position that doesn't allow him to be able to melee with Oswald (I assume because Cole is too far or blocked by his comrades)? The map even shows that Jack is between Cole and Oswald.  In turn, wouldn't Oswald be too far or blocked to be able to punch Cole in the face?
This message was last edited by the player at 12:01, Sat 21 Oct 2017.

Dreya's brow furrows the slightest bit. Will she finally awaken? But alas, she continues to warm the stone floor she lays upon.

His spiritual Weapon gone, and no room to engage Oswald with his mace, Elwood decides to go over and help heal Dreya. (Casts Cure Light Wounds,  adds 3 Luck Points to add to his roll)

Outstanding point!  Jack is the PC who got hit.  D'oh!  I'll edit the update.

Seline seeing Elwood heal Dreya will aid Dreya in standing up and gathering her surroundings. Looking at Elwood she says "thank you very much for helping her and traveling with us," Seline's brush with death seems to have caused a renewed appreciation for living

Jack shrugs it off and continues attacking.

With bated breath, Cole awaits his opening and will strike with visceral force once he is able.

Anthony hurls a dart down the corridor toward Oswald.  The throw is inhuman, nigh impossible.  The dart drifts side to side, up and down, steered by the slightest of breezes through the tunnel.  It narrowly glides through the twisting corridor, drifts under Cole's arm, over Jack's shoulder, and pierces deeply into Oswald's chest for 2 points of damage.  The ogre could not possibly see who threw the dart, but he knows.  Of course, he knows.  His hatred for Anthony's darts and spells will never die, will never diminish.  From the grave, he will pursue the wizard to the end of time, for revenge will be his.  It must be his.

Jack hacks at Oswald, but the enraged ogre easily bats the axe out of the way with a bloody fist.

Oswald frantically swings at Jack, but Anthony's dart tears into his muscles as he tries to hit the fighter, painfully slowing the ogre's strikes and giving Jack time to dodge.

Cole continues to bounce on his toes, waiting for an opportunity to unleash rage and death on the ogre.

Meanwhile, back in the chamber, Elwood kneels over Dreya's body where it rests in the shallow water.  Grasping her arm, the cleric opens his heart to Flyspamon's blessings and channels healing magics into the druid.  Dreya is healed of 10 points of damage.  Seline lifts Dreya to her feet.

As Dreya blinks her eyes and comes to her senses, the party can hear splashing from foes running toward the chamber from the north and the doorknob begins to rattle.  Reinforcements are here.

Situation Report - Round 9:
Jack has taken 5 points of damage.
Anthony has taken 6 points of damage.
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline is fully healed up.
Dreya is partially healed and now is functional at 7 hit points.
Oswald has taken 37 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 9 rounds.  It has 15 rounds left.
Aid has 17 rounds left to protect Seline.
Anthony's web spell has blocked off Oswald's (and potentially the party's) escape route.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:17, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 12,6 using d20,d20.  Attack Jack.
17:13, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 10 using 1d8+3.  CLW Dreya.
17:11, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  Attack Oswald.
17:09, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 2 using 1d3.  Damage to Oswald.
17:05, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 3 using 1d6.  Initiative.
17:05, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 4 using 1d6.  Initiative.
17:04, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 4 using 1d6.  Initiative.
17:04, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 4 using 1d6.  Initiative.
17:04, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative.
17:04, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

Anthony hopes his friends are enough to hold off the ogre; he moves away from any door, behind the cleric as instructed, and prepares one of his unerring missiles of power for the newcomers...

OOC: Cast Magic Missile on the first enemy that comes not wearing an obvious ring.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:49, Mon 30 Oct 2017.

"Stay behind me" Elwood says to Dreya, Seline, and Anthony as he faces the north door and casts Aid on himself.  With shield and Margon's Mace at the ready, and Flyspamon's power flowing through him, Elwood is ready to take on whatever comes through the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:34, Sat 28 Oct 2017.

If possible,  Elwood will position himself in front of the north door so only one creature can just get in the doorway to attack.

Taking up a position behind Elwood, Seline casts Dragon Armor upon Elwood.

"You know, if you could just pretend to be dead again, that would be great!" Jack grunts sardonically as he continues his dance of death with Oswald.

Even though he is doing nothing at the moment, Cole will continue to back up Jack by waiting for his opportunity to attack Oswald, should one arrive.

Looking around for a moment in confusion, Dreya tries to piece together everything that is different from when she remembers last. This...this is not the hallway.

Then the druid notices the cleric bodily put himself before she and the others while he moves towards the door where alarming noises are beginning to emanate from.

With a gasp, she darts forward just as the taller human nears it. Plastered up against his shiny armor, she reaches an arm around him enough to wave her hand at the door, casting Fire Trap and calling upon the magic borne of nature. Ducking back behind the safety of his form and plastering herself against him once more, the small human gathers already frayed nerves as much as she can.

"Be brave, be brave, be brave!" She chants to herself in a rough whisper. "What exactly is going on?" She then whispers to the Cleric's broad back.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:48, Tue 31 Oct 2017.

Slight change in positioning.  Watching Dreya cast some type of ward on the door, Elwood figures that whatever she did wasn't too nice, and steps back to a safe distance  (say 5 1/2 feet away).

Dreya rushes up to the door and rapidly casts fire trap on the door knob before running back to hide behind Elwood who waits a hopefully well-calculated 5.5 feet away from the door.  The cleric casts aid on himself.  The spell grants him 8 temporary hit points.

Seline casts dragon armor on Elwood.  The cleric now appears to be wearing gleaming plate mail.  +1 to Elwood's AC (subject to an intelligence save at CL3).

Jack swings at Oswald, but the ogre knocks the blow aside with his fist again.  Oswald's attacks are similarly useless.

Cole waits impatiently to start hacking at Oswald.

The doorknob begins to turn, then explodes, completely disintegrating the door.  A heavy mist or fog begins to flood into the room through the open doorway.  You can barely see another fish man slam into the far wall (launched by the explosion, no doubt) and slump to the floor.  However, your joy at seeing a smashed monster is short lived as a shark(!) swims through the mist into the room and charges Elwood.

Anthony fires magic missiles at the shark for 7 points of damage.  The blast does not slow the airborne shark, but it does knock it slightly off course so that its bite fails to connect with Elwood's juicy face.

Situation Report - Round 10:
Jack has taken 5 points of damage.
Anthony has taken 6 points of damage.
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage.
Seline is fully healed up.
Dreya is partially healed and now is functional at 7 hit points.
Oswald has taken 37 points of damage.
Shark #1 has taken 7 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 10 rounds.  It has 14 rounds left.
Aid #1 has 16 rounds left to protect Seline.
Aid #2 has 23 rounds left to protect Elwood and has provided him with 8 temporary hit points.
Dragon Armor provides +1 to Elwood's AC for 17 more rounds (unless monster makes an intelligence save CL3).
Anthony's web spell has blocked off Oswald's (and potentially the party's) escape route.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
17:30, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Oswald, rolled 13,4 using d20,d20.  Attack Jack.
17:27, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Shark 1, rolled 9 using 1d20.  Attack Elwood.
17:27, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Shark 1, rolled 16 using 1d20.  Intelligence save.
17:24, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 4,3 using d4+1,d4+1.  magic missile damage.
17:20, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Monster, rolled 16 using 1d20.  Dex save from fire trap.
17:20, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Dreya, rolled 7 using 1d4+4.  Damage from fire rune.
17:18, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 15 using 1d20+6.  Attack Oswald.
17:08, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Elwood, rolled 8 using 1d8.  Temporary hit points from Aid spell.
17:03, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Monsters, rolled 1 using 1d6.  Initiative.
17:03, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 2 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

Those in the room hear a rather undignified shriek from behind the now super shiny cleric from the slight druid, the sound borne from never seeing such a creature before. "By all the leaves in Rotter, what is that?!?" Her fright-riddled mind realizes how not humanoid it looks, and waves one arm frantically at the thing from behind the cleric while shrieking, "Hold still, you...you...creature!"

[OOC -Dreya casts hold animal upon the shark.]

If Elwood was a more intelligent person, being attacked by a shark on dry land might have caused some type of mental breakdown.  However, being one not too encumbered by the thought process, Elwood is more interested in the chance to use his new mace, and bashes away at the shark.  "You'll make a bunch of tasty fillets, you overgrown perch!"

Having never seen a swimming shark before Seline is engrossed in figuring out what is actually in front of her. "Well that is definitely new, who knew that sharks could swim through mist, I wonder if that is where the shark's ability to swim is coming from and it truly is swimming or has it learned the art of flying, oh that would be marvelous, in a terrifying manner."

After sending off her cast, if she can do a free action...

Seeing the cleric lift his mace high, she dances on the balls of her feet in fright as she points from behind the taller man at the shark as if she needs to make certain the human sees it. "Kill it! Kill it!"" the druid once more shrieks in an octive raised high by fear.

Anthony gulps through a dry throat and utters more words of power. Magic missiles fly and slam into the flying shark again...

Continuing to be Jack's shadow, Cole waits for his moment to strike Oswald, should it ever come.  The thought crosses his mind to retreat and help the others, but should poor Jack be felled, Cole would hate himself for letting Oswald get the slip.  He shall be vigilant, even if at the moment he is doing naught but dancing on the balls of his feet.

Jack continues his attack on Oswald, hoping to end things once and for all.

Sorry.  Ain't nothing free in Rotter.

Dreya casts hold animal on the shark.  It immediately freezes in position five feet off the ground, its teeth poised to snap at Elwood's head.  Its gills flap uselessly as it can no longer move.  Sad shark.  However, its breathless plight is short-lived.  Elwood slams his mace into the shark's skull, crushing it into sushi paste.  The shark's last movement is a death shudder, then it hangs upside down and lifeless in the air.

Seline stares at the dead shark in amazement.

Anthony is about to hold off on casting his spell, but begins chanting very quickly as shark #2 flies into the room.  Magic missiles strike it for 10 brutal points of damage.  The aquatic killer continues its charge toward Elwood, but it is blinded by the flash of the missiles and snaps on Shark #1's tail by mistake instead.

Cole continues to bounce on his feet while he waits for Jack to finish off Oswald so he can rush back to save the rest of the party from the frenzy of sharks.

With a mighty swing, Jack finally lands a killing blow on the ogre.  He plants his axe deep in Oswald's chest for 13 points of damage.  It will take a strength check to pull the axe back out.

Blood spits from Oswald's mouth as he whispers, "Tell the wizard... I'm not done... with him... yet."  And that is a wrap for the ogre.

Situation Report - Round 11:
Jack has taken 5 points of damage.
Anthony has taken 6 points of damage.
Elwood has taken 3 points of damage, but has 8 temporary hit points.
Seline is fully healed up.
Dreya is partially healed and now is functional at 7 hit points.
Oswald took 50 points of damage and died, alone and unloved.
Shark #1 is dead and floating in the air.
Shark #2 has taken 10 points of damage.
Bless has been in effect for 11 rounds.  It has 13 rounds left.
Aid #1 has 15 rounds left to protect Seline.
Aid #2 has 22 rounds left to protect Elwood and has provided him with 8 temporary hit points.
Dragon Armor provides +1 to Elwood's AC for 16 more rounds (unless monster makes an intelligence save CL3).
Anthony's web spell has blocked off Oswald's (and potentially the party's) escape route.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
09:15, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Shark 2, rolled 3 using 1d20.  Attack Elwood.
09:15, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Shark 2, rolled 2 using 1d20.  Save versus dragon armor.
09:11, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 13 using 1d12+2.  Damage to Oswald.
09:10, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Jack, rolled 19 using 1d20+6.  Attack Oswald.
09:08, Today: Castle Keeper, on behalf of Anthony, rolled 5,5 using d4+1,d4+1.  Magic missile damage to shark 2.
09:02, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Shark, rolled 7 using 1d20.  Save versus hold animal.
09:01, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Monsters, rolled 2 using 1d6.  Initiative.
09:01, Today: Castle Keeper, for the NPC Party, rolled 5 using 1d6.  Initiative.

---

"You'll regret leaving the ocean!" Elwood shouts as he attacks the next shark with Margon's mace.

Anthony shudders, like a ghost passing over him, but then regains his composure and launches even more magic missiles at the wounded flying shark!

Fooled once before, Jack pauses only momentarily before striking again with his axe, placing a carefully aimed blow at Oswald's neck. Letting the rest of his companions deal with whatever comes from behind, Jack won't rest until Oswald's head has been detached from the rest of his body.

Seline blinks a few times trying to regain her composure, she looks past elwood to see if there is anything more coming

From behind the wall that is the cleric, Dreya startles so harshly at the sight of the second shark that she practically jumps out of her skin.  This mist! It is nearly impossible to see what is in the mist beyond the doorway!  What if there are hundreds of such sea creatures?  Making a mental note to purchase a book on sea creatures once she is safely resting back in town, Dreya leans around the cleric to gesture at the door, calling upon the power of the fae to illuminate the area of the doorway and spill into what mist is on either side.

"Do you see anything, Simply Elwood?" Dreya whispers from behind his back.

[OOC - casting faerie fire and aiming for the space of the doorway so the area that is affected is what the spell can reach on either side of the door.]

Seeing that Oswald is probably dead, and Jack has things well in hand, Cole pivots on his foot and heads back to his other comrades, striking out at the closest enemy he is able to.

Spell casters should keep their spell slots.  I don't see a point to playing out the remainder of the fight.  Poor shark #2 doesn't have a chance now that the meat shields are done with Oswald.  Consider the shark filleted without any further damage to the party or resource loss.

Oswald is decapitated easily now that his neck isn't dodging Jack's axe.  The chamber is filled with a thick cloud of mist.  It's hard to see very far, but you don't hear any approaching enemies.

Your path back to the cemetery and the orphans is blocked by dense webbing.  Ahead is dense mist and unknown opposition.

Unwilling to shoot an arrow in such confining conditions, Dreya slips the dagger from the sheath on her thigh, gripping it tightly. If anything else swims out of the mist, she will be ready.

As her mind settled from the adrenaline induced by battle, she gestures at one if the slain restures.  "What...is that? Oh, and what did we exactly agree to do here? Just kill Oswald? Or clear out all the threat in this place. That way," Dreya points toward the misty darkness, "Is probably more bad stuff."

Anthony straightens up. "We were commissioned to rid this place of all elements of the Pain God. If there are more things that way, then that way we go."

He looks at Oswald's corpse and shudders. "Could any of you bless his corpse, or do something of the like? I fear he will come back to haunt us if we do not do something like that."

If you do that, you know he's going to lunge.  They always lunge.  Just sayin'.

"My obligation is to root out the evil that dwells here.  We can return Oswald's head when we're finished.   It looks like Oswald is only some sort of lieutenant, and if we don't put an end to this,  the evil that lies within here will only find a replacement for Oswald."  Elwood looks around and takes stock of the room and his friends.  "I can continue to fight on,  but I've used up my spells.   If we choose to rest before we carry on,  I do have some pitons we can use to spike a door.  Of course we seem to be missing one of our doors right now."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:27, Thu 09 Nov 2017.

Dreya perks up. "I can cast alarm, and we should be alerted to any that crosses into our...area? At least I think so." With her brow furrowing as she thinks on it further, she nibbled on her lower lip. "Yes, that should work. I think. I mean I think I am sure."

"I'm about halfway through my spells, however we may need to rest to have the cleric regain his spells. I can use the spikes to see if there is a way to set a trap on the door and those that don't need to rest for spells can stand watch?"

As the party discusses, Cole takes the time to wrap Oswald's head in some cloth and stuffs it into a bag. If no cloth or bag is available, he will try to find a way to rig the head up to a hook of some kind, to let it dangle from his leg.  The last thing he wants is to leave the blasted head behind and some ill creature rushes off with it before his companions can return to the head and deliver it to their charge.

"We set out to do more than just kill this lout. There's a greater evil at work here and we need to stop it. Collect ourselves, rest for a few minutes, maybe even get some healing, but we need to press onward and bring this temple to it's knees."

In reply to Cole Hiller (msg # 233):

Cole manages to secure the head in a sack.

"We should search Oswald and the others to see if there's anything useful on them."  Elwood examines the dead fishmen, looking through their possessions, seeing how their strange water-breathing apparatus works and where there are any weak points that would lend a tactical advantage.

Anthony looks a bit woozy as the party removes the ogre's head and leans against a wall. When the party speaks of resting, he nods weakly.

Seline will search Oswald both for any treasures but also for any keys or information on the temple such as documents or unique tattoos/scars on his body specially wrists.

The search for well-earned loot is semi-productive.  The most interesting bit of treasure is Oswald's ring.  It is made of gleaming silver (well, it would gleam if the room weren't so damn misty).  The ring has an amethyst gemstone mounted on it.  A close inspection of the stone reveals it is a minutely detailed representation of Anthony.  A very, very close inspection reveals it was carved so that Anthony has a stupid expression on his face.

The ogre's skin is decorated with a few tribal tattoos, but nothing extraordinary.  Other than the tattoo of Anthony's face with a bloody dagger stabbed into a cheek.

Oswald had a pouch (a large sack by human standard) hanging from his belt.  Inside, you find a large handful of gems as well as a couple scrolls.  The first scroll is written in a language none of you recognize.  The second scroll appears to have magical writing.  That one is going to take a read magic to identify.

The fish men don't have any treasure you can see.  The mechanics of their helmets is beyond any of you to understand, although if you take one home and invest a considerable period of time to study, it's possible you could figure out how it works.  You don't see any particularly vulnerable points on the fish men's bodies.  Their flesh seemed to be as vulnerable to hacking and slashing as any other humanoid's during the fight.

You don't hear any noise coming from beyond the chamber.  Yet.

Dreya is ready to cast alarm once everyone is ready to rest.

"Oswald really seemed.. ..obsessed with you Anthony.  Never a healthy thing.  He should have been more worried about Jack's axe."  If we're going to rest before moving on, we should determine turns for taking watch.

Elwood proceeds to carefully clean Margon's mace, softly incanting a prayer while he does so.

"I do not require much rest, I would be happy to take a watch, first if everyone prefers."  After securing the Ogre's head safely away, Cole leans up against a wall as he watches his comrades settle into place. His gaze seeks out the druid, worry creases his brow as he recalls her unconscious form during the midst of their previous battle. Seline had also come perilously close to death, the thought weighs heavily on Cole's mind as his gaze sweeps over all his companions.

Anthony shudders and nods. "Thus my worry about haunting. Such things do happen. I could use a rest, regardless of what we do with the body. We will need our strength to press further in."

"I could also take watch while others rested. I'm eager to continue on with the hacking and whacking, but I understand we need to be prepared for what may lie ahead."

Where does the party wish to rest?  Inside the chamber?  In the hallway just outside the secret door?  Back in the crypt?  Any special precautions beyond setting a watch and casting alarm on the doorway leading out of the chamber?

Okay, it sounds like the plan is fixed.

The party chucks the dead monster bodies into the interior hallway beyond the exploded door.  Elwood spikes the secret door so it can't be opened (easily, anyway) from the tunnel.  Dreya casts alarm.  I'm assuming the party will keep a watch throughout the rest of the night.

Dreya please provide the information required for the spell:

1. If the alarm is triggered, will it be mental or audible?

2. What is the password?

3. Will small animals set off the alarm?

Audible, with a password of wood nymph, and doesn't it have to be small animals? This weejend is opening weekend of deer huntinh, so I have been in my stand all day yesterday and today. I will look qt my players handbook when I am home.

Yep, the book says I summon a small animal.

Seline will look for a nice place to rest and attempt to get some sleep

Cole will take a watch if needed, and use the rest of the time to rest.

Elwood will rest, meditate, pray, and take his time at watch.

Anthony takes the last watch possible, needing to get a good night's rest now.

Jack will take whatever watches are necessary to let everyone fully recover (spells, hp etc.), getting a brief rest if there is time.

The party hunkers down as a fierce-looking squirrel runs into the chamber from the tunnel.  (How it got past the webbing is beyond you.  Magic?)  The squirrel has tiny cymbals tied to its back.  It offers a salute to Dreya, then heads into the corridor beyond the exploded door and begins its watch.

It isn't long before you can hear the quite clashing of tiny cymbals.  The squirrel runs into the chamber and hides behind Dreya.  A couple seconds later, a shark swims past the doorway in the heavy fog.  The shark's head swings back and forth slightly as it passes, but it leaves you alone for some reason.  It swims back past you again in about 30 minutes and you don't see it again.  The squirrel eventually stops trembling and resumes its post.

Eight hours after you settle in to rest, the squirrel marches back into the chamber and salutes Dreya.  It runs back to the corridor and disappears into the mist.

It's a new day.  The fog-mist is very thick at this point.  Visibility is down to a few feet at best.

Anthony rises creakily from where he was sleeping and prepares his spells in silence. Once he is done, he eats a bit of rations from his pack, drinks a small drollop of water (though he would like more--conservation is at the top of his mind) and then stands.

"Ready to go," he proclaims shakily.

"Well, that was odd. Did you guys see that squirrel? Anyway, it's time to get moving. I presume that the inhabitants of the temple still know we're here, so we need to be on guard. Shall we proceed back into the shark room and delve deeper into the temple?"

Outside of the tense moments when the shark 'swam' by, Elwood got some much needed rest.  After saying his morning prayers, Elwood adjusts his armor and other gear.  "Ready to go.  I'll take the rear.  Dreya, I promise you I won't rush to the front, leaving you, Seline and Anthony undefended again."

Seline wakes up, and begins her morning routine, a silent pray followed by preparing for the day ahead getting her spells in order. After that she stands in silence walks to the door and begins collecting the spikes laid down the night before listening to see if she can hear anything further in the chamber. If she can't hear anything once everyone is lined up she'll take her shared position in front so she can continue checking for traps, secret doors and listening for the bad guys.

After saying thank you and farewell to the friendly squirrel, Dreya brushes off her hide armor and makes sure her fur scarf is snug around her neck.

Suddenly, Dreya stiffens, brow diving as a thought occurs to her. Turning to speak out to her friends as a whole, Dreya rambles quickly, "Does anyone have a torch? I don't usually carry one on me, you see, since I, well, see really well without a lot of light. But...I want to try something with a torch. Before we move further. But I don't have one."

Elwood hands Dreya one of his torches

After starting the torch, the druid moves toward the end of the room where the fog/mist is a bit thicker. Then with purpose, she hefts the torch aloft, and waves it back and forth a bit to see if the heat from the flame disperses the fine moisture hanging in the air that makes up fog/mist. What is fog but fine droplets of water, after all?

Then looking back over her shoulder as she keeps the flaming end of the torch thrust towards the fog, Dreya asks, "Can you tell if anything is working?"
This message was last edited by the player at 01:53, Wed 29 Nov 2017.

Waving the flaming torch around in the thick mist does not appear to have any dispersing effect.  The mist near the torch is merely brighter.

With a defeated slump to her shoulders, she hands the torch back to Elwood with an embarrased smile.

Instead, she will stick a hand around the edge of the doorway where the mist is coming in from and where they all must go, and waves her hand about to cast faerie fire out into the mist ahead of them.

Anthony smirks and winks at Dreya. "Yes, curious that," he says drily.



Though this was directed at Dreya, Anthony looks quite happy about this.



The smile fades from Anthony's face. He waits with bated breath to see what happens to Dreya's hand when she sticks it into the mist.

Dreya sticks her hand around the cracked door jam and it... gets a little wetter from the humidity.

Cole stretches and cracks his neck before standing to his feet.  Giving himself a pat-down, seeing that all is intact, he takes in the fog before them and frowns. "This is going to be fun," the Ranger mutters as he sidles up toward the middle of his group.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:53, Fri 01 Dec 2017.

"Does anyone else have ideas about how to proceed or what to do about he soup up ahead? It doesn't look like waving is doing the trick." Jack says with a wry grin and a wink, imitating sticking his hand around the door like the druid.

"I suppose, for lack of a better idea, we could just wade on ahead and hope for the best, weapons at the ready."

Dreya peeks around the corner to see if her druid spell made anything visible in the soup.

Elwood will follow along with the group, protecting the rear.

Jack will take the lead, axe in hand, and get the party heading into the soup, attempting to make it to the next doorway and venture further into the temple.

Anthony follows the others, not slipping to the back but staying toward the back of the pack.

Seline places a hand Jack's shoulder pausing his movement before he takes the lead "I know this isn't the best solution and the preference would be to not have the fog, but I'll take rear when I can't follow beside you and if we take slow I can check for traps and I'd say every few minutes we pause and take a moment to listen and hear if there is anything different in the noises of the temple. I am used to sneaking where I don't belong." With a slight grin from her last sentence she pulls her hand off of Jack's shoulder letting him take the lead walking behind him.

Dreya's faerie fire failed to illuminate anything.  The corridor outside the initial secret door chamber stretches to the east and west.  As you may recall, a magical darkness hangs over the hallway eating light.  The light from your new magic weapons and, especially, Elwood's shield are doing a serviceable job of cutting through the darkness (certainly much better than what you dealt with last time).  The party's magical light sources shed bright light for about 30 feet surrounding the party.  The effect is lessened by the thick fog, but the darkness seems to be held at bay by the power of Flyspamon.

Which way do you want to go?  As you may recall, you went east last time and there was a door on the north wall a little bit down the corridor in that direction.

Dreya shrugs and then huddles amongst the men far more armored than she, and stays nere the back to bring up the tail end of the party with Elwood.

"So, do we go the way we kinda know? Or check that way?"Dreya asks as she waves a hand to the west.

"Perhaps we should check the door we did not investigate last time," Cole offers, his hand ready at Vera's sheath, his eyes straining to see through the thick haze wafting about them.

(OOC: Cole will position himself behind Jack, protecting those sandwiched between himself and Elwood.)

Seline looking to Jack "I think the room with the machine that we investigated last time might not be a bad place to start, I would imagine that they have been attempting to repair it if they haven't finished that yet, with Oswald's head cleanly separated from his shoulders and securely in Cole's possession I think once make sure that the infernal machine is destroyed and we finishing routing the scum we can rest assured that no one else will be turned to meat cubes here ever again. Just let me know which direction we should head in and where we want to start, I will head that direction to make it safe"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:43, Wed 06 Dec 2017.

Anthony nods. "I agree with Seline. That sounds like a thorough and logical place to start."

The party heads east toward the machine room.  As you reach the door to the machine room, the hallway begins to behave curiously.  It looks to you as though the hallway to the east begins to stretch and elongate away from you, kind of like a Stretch Armstrong.  The hallway narrows somewhat as it the stretches.  You can only see about 30 feet past the doorway of the machine room.  The hallway continues east past the limit of your light sources.

The door to the machine room is cracked open.  Looking in, you see that the machinery and cages have been smashed in devastating fashion.  Something very strong (and possibly very angry) went to town.  Bent and twisted chunks of the machinery have been ripped apart and tossed all over the place.

You do not see any exits from the room (other than the entrance).  Obvious courses of action would be to continue to explore to the east or you could head west for the first time.

The mist is still heavy and there are still a couple inches of water on the floor.

Anthony looks at the machinery. "I wonder if the ogre did this," he muses. He nods to the east. "I think we should finish exploring the east unless someone has a good reason to do otherwise."

Cole nods in agreement.

Looking into the room and seeing the destruction wrought upon the machine and cages, Seline gets an uneasy feeling in her stomach. "I really don't want to come across whatever did this if it wasn't Oswald." With a shudder she turns back to the party "Shall we continue east down the proverbial rabbit hole?"
Looking down at the standing water on the floor getting an uneasy feeling from that as well.

"We'll continue eastward, but only as long as it's safe. If there's some kind of weird magic going on here and it starts to get too tight, we turn around/"

Elwood agrees with the others about continuing down the east hallway.  "It's almost as if we're being discouraged from heading further in this direction."

With a shudder of unease, Dreya follows along. Are there any noises that seem odd?

Anthony follows the others east...

The party marches east.  A hallway branches off to the north.  Further to the east, visibility drops to nearly zero as heavy mist comes rolling toward you.  This appears to be the source of the fog you have been experiencing.  You also notice that the water is a little deeper as you go farther east and there is a slight east to west flow to it.

[Game map has been updated.]

Seline turns back to Jack "With the heavy mist and the sound of the party behind us walking in the water it is becoming more difficult for me to be able to make sure the path we are traveling down is safe, as for traps our speed will be reduced to a pace of a snail so we can take breaks for me to check for traps and listen for sounds ahead of us. With it being like a stream the water has to originate from something/somewhere so I think it might be wise if we take the branch to the north and see if we can find a back way to the origin of stream and mist, if we can take care of that it might allow us to get rid of some of this fog and water to make clearing out the temple safer if that sounds good?"

Dreya keeps one hand on the person in front of her, and tries to stay close.

Jack pauses and gives Seline's words of caution some consideration.

Glancing ahead, eastward into the mist he murmurs " I don't like the look of that."

He turns to the rest of the companions, waiting for everyone to catch up and assess the situation.

"Back to the north room, or further north down this passageway? Like Seline said, that might take us out of this unnatural mist and perhaps away from more fish-things. I would feel more at ease if we proceeded slowly, giving her opportunity to poke about for any hidden traps."

"I agree.  Wading further into this soup half blind could lead to catastrophe.  We should explore the north corridor."

"Let's head North, then." Cole concurs, keeping close to his companions and proceeding with caution.

Dreya feels around blindly for whoever is in front of her, hoping she doesn't grope someone too embarrassingly. "Who is in front if me?" the Druid whispers as loud as she dares.

While you are discussing options, you begin to hear the dull, distant sound of metal clanking against metal and stone coming from the east.

To east instead then!  Then, looking around and realizing she did not think that thought aloud, Dreya points towards the sounds while trying to hold on to someone with the other.  "That way, then?"

Anthony had been morbidly watching the water, half-expecting a lococanth or other watery evil to spring out of it, when the clanking of metal startled him. He looked around wildly and then nodded at Dreya's suggestion. "Yes! We should go after that sound!"

Seline looks back at the party her face betraying her confusion at the voiced opinions on rushing into the unknown in hushed tones Seline says
  "I still feel that we need to stick to the original thought of heading north, we don't know what is making that sound, it could be a machine causing this mist just as easily as a mechanical set of traps that I will have almost no hope of disarming in this fog but let me know which way we should proceed"
After saying her piece Seline focuses her attention at the water watching for ripples coming from down the hallway further to the east watching and listening for signs of something coming this way

Anthony frowns. "The thing that concerns me about that, Seline, is that something or someone might sneak up behind us. We must at minimum be vigilant on the rear guard of the group at minimum."

"I'd rather not go deeper into the mist where we can't see and whatever is there has the advantage. We can move into the northern tunnel and wait there to confront whatever it is that is making that noise."

Elwood listens to the clanging sound, trying to determine if it's getting closer.

In reply to Elwood (msg # 299):

The clanging does not seem to be getting closer.  It is hard to gauge the distance to the source of the clanging.  Your guess is that the heavy fog is messing with the acoustics.

You also note the clanging is not entirely rhythmic.

"I agree with keeping our original course for now. We know what lies that way, at least somewhat. Let us check it out and then proceed to investigate the rest of this godsforsaken place. If we make a habit of changing our course willy-nilly, we are likely to get ourselves lost."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:52, Fri 15 Dec 2017.

Anthony winces but nods his assent silently. He was certainly not going in a different direction if the rest of the party wanted to go north!

"Whatever is making that sound isn't approaching, but I get a bad feeling about heading into that fog.  I think we should take the north corridor and see if there's another way to there that would give us a better advantage."

Seline slowly begins making her way down the north path along with Jack, actively checking for traps, secret doors and listening for anything ahead of them.

You turn north, leaving the steam source behind.  You don't get very far before you come across something of interest.  About 30-40 feet down the north corridor, there is an alcove on the west wall.  Looking in, you see what is clearly a small shrine or altar devoted to some evil deity.  An offering bowl rests atop a small stone stand carved in the shape of humanoid figures writhing in pain.  The bowl and stand are stained an ugly black by old blood.  There is a fresh offering resting in the bowl.  It appears to be a bodily organ, but none of you can (or want to) identify it.  The organ inflates and deflates rhythmically.  Fresh blood oozes out of the organ whenever it deflates, creating a steady dripping stream of blood overflowing the bowl and running down the stand until it reaches the shallow water of the corridor.

There is a symbol made of black iron bolted to the back of the alcove.  (See map for illustration.)  You have seen this symbol on the front doors to the Temple of Pain above.

The corridor continues north into fog.

Who wants to mess with the shrine?

Anthony recoils at this sight, trying to keep his lunch in. He eventually stammers, "If you would like me to put a magic missile into that abomination, I would be pleased to." He stares at the pulsing pound of flesh with fascinated horror.

"I wonder what will happen if I pour holy water on it?  Might sound an alarm though."

Seline eyes it suspicously then moves a little further north so other's can interact with it. "Let me know when you are ready to continue heading north, you may want attempt to appeal to any god of good to assist in the cleansing of the alter"
As Seline moves forward she takes a place on the side of the corridor watching north for any signs of activity

A grimace mars the rugged plains of the Ranger's bearded face.  "I know not much of...magical things, but I know most items of an evil nature don't usually take kindly to attempts to abolish them. If you are going to tamper with that...thing, I will wait by Seline."  As Cole sidles up beside Seline, his hand settles over the hilt of Vera in waiting anticipation.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:35, Tue 19 Dec 2017.

Dreya, unsure of where to go although she knows she doesn't want to go near that thing, she moves to press herself against the wall. With hands wringing in nervousness and unease, she keeps her gaze cast down the way they had all just come. She can at least warn everyone if something comes at them that way.

(So while Cole and Seline watch to the north, Dreya will take up position oposite of the shrine to act as look-out to the south.)

Anthony shudders but nods at Saline's words. "That is wise, Seline."

He nods gratefully to Dreya as she watches their back as the party continues north.

"Just a thought, although we should remember this place.  I have a feeling this... organ may have some significance.  It may power some creature, or maybe all of this fog."

Elwood tries to recalls what he may know of rituals of a heart beating on it's own such as they're witnessing now.
This message was last edited by the player at 05:46, Wed 20 Dec 2017.

In reply to Elwood (msg # 312):

What does Elwood know about hearts beating on their own during a ritual?

"I don't know anything about this mockery of a shrine, but it certainly looks evil. Whatever it is doing can't be good. Could you exorcise it or cleanse it with holy water somehow Elwood? If not I could give it a few good blows with my axe. Whatever this thing's purpose, I feel like it should be stopped, along with the rest of this place."

In reply to Castle Keeper (msg # 313):

Elwood has some recollection about the symbol of the heart - not just love, but also the source of moving a body's life fluids.

"We should destroy this thing.  I'll first pour holy water on it, then maybe Jack can cleave the thing with his axe.  I think this thing is filling up this place with water."

Elwood pours Holy Water on the organ.

Anthony winces as Elwood tries to harm the thing but watches in fascinated horror...

Elwood's holy water falls onto the pulsating organ.  There is a thunderous sizzling sound and a cloud of black steam bellows up, obscuring your view of the altar.  You would think Elwood's natural reaction would be to step back, but for some reason he leans into the black steam just in time for a black, leathery tendril to shoot out of the steam and strike him in the center of the forehead.  The poor cleric is slammed into the wall across from the alcove and pinned there by the tendril with his feet dangling a couple feet above the ground.  5 points of damage to Elwood.

The cloud of black steam disperses as quickly as it formed.  You can see the leathery tendril is projecting out of the pulsating organ.  The organ itself looks like it has been significantly eaten away by acid (it apparently did not get along with the holy water) and is pulsing slower.  The organ is leaning a little toward Elwood as its tendril slowly crushes the cleric's head.

A blood curdling scream rips from the druids throat as the long tendril shooting from the nightmarish organ scares the life out of her. But with a great show of will, and although clearly terrified, Dreya whips out the dagger strapped to one thigh beneath her hide skirt, blindly, eyes-squeezed-shut kind of blindly, stabs out at the tendril stretching between her and the others.

Over and over she tries to hack out at the thing, while averting her closed gaze away.

[OOC - sorry guys, but a newbie at adventuring would probably have such reactions in my opinion. And hey! Bravery isn't easy for everyone!]
This message was last edited by the player at 00:13, Fri 22 Dec 2017.

Anthony, meanwhile, reacts without thinking--he raises his hand and a bolt of magical power zooms out and crashes into the tendril!!

Casts Magic Missile

You know what ol' Elwood would do in a situation like this?  I'll tell you what he would do.  He'd get out his mace and start pounding on that tendril like a drum.

Quick as a fox, Jack's blade attempts to strike at the tentacle and pulsing organ, keeping clear of Elwood. "I really hate this evil place!" he says through gnashed teeth, unable to better articulate his extreme distaste for all the surrounding profanity as his rage builds.

Cole pulls out Vera and slashes at the tendril whereever he sees an opening, being mindful of his compatriots.