Smoking Out The Bandits

[Scott308]

Crobeus - Human Paladin

"Uh, heads up. We may have a problem." The paladin draws his sword and starts moving toward the others when he sees Magdal nock an arrow as she backs away.

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


He retreats, following the others, "What kind of head was it? Human, or humanoid?"

[GreyWolfVT]

Pimlan reaches for a javelin as he hears the warning of potential trouble.

[shaidar]

Stobart retreats with the others.

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

Quite adept with a sling at the coconut shy, he could have tried a few heads as target practise. One head is not there. I presume it didn't just grow legs and walk away. So I am thinking more 'whack-a-mole' hole in the ground? They retreated by wriggling back into a tunnel. I need to investigate that niche a bit more closely.

Crabgrass: half-elf Concealed doors: Careful inspection vs 1-3 [1d6]=2

I will gesture to Dubricus regarding the heads and the empty niche. "Let's wait a moment and if the head pops back up, cast your Sleep on it and we can capture whoever spies on us."

I have in mind actually to take the kobold head (or an orc, goblin, hobgiblin or gnoll if one is used as a trophy as I speak those languages. I know I speak common too but I am not fingering a human skull) ... and using my metal hand, plunge it into the skull from the neck base and try to manipulate the jaws up and down like a ventriloquist puppet head.

I am thinking of using it to fake a figure peering down any tunnel or hole and saying "hello, what's going in ere then?"

[OGRE MAGE]

Heads Up
The Caves Of Chaos
Late Morning, Mostly Clear

Those on the trail notice the folks by the cave suddenly stepping away and readying weapons, causing Crobeus to begin approaching them.

Stobart, Renna, Magdal, and Mienhardt all back away from the cave and its disgusting niches, starting to make their way back down the rocky ravine. Crabgrass does not flee, instead poking his hands and head into the recently emptied void in the rock. When he inspects the niche closely, he finds a black towel or rug of some kind hanging down from the ceiling at the back of the small hole. The flap feels loose in his hand, as if he could push it in like a doggy door, hinged at the top but free on the sides and bottom.

Dubricus stands at attention once he is brought in on the plan, looking around at the other heads in the niches nervously. He sticks his hand into a small pouch on his belt to pick out a live insect or a pinch of sand.

They both wait for a moment to see if another head will replace the missing trophy, but nothing else shows itself from behind the black flap. Crabgrass looks at his mechanical arm and then to all of the other severed heads nearby within easy reach, a sly smirk developing on his face.

Actions?

Magdal (R1) AC:7 12/16
Crobeus (P1) AC:3 8/10
Pimlan (F1/T1) H-L AC:6 4/9
Dubricus (M1) AC:8 5/5
Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 7/7
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 5/5 MM/MM
Renna (MU1/C1) Elf AC:4 9/9
Skratch (T1) H-O AC:6 8/8
Stobart (C1) AC:5 10/10
Dredd (F1) H-O AC:3 13/16

[Scott308]

Crobeus - Human Paladin

When Crobeus catches up to those moving away from the caves, the Paladin attempts to get some idea what spooked them. "What's going on, and why are they still there?" he asks, gesturing toward Crabgrass and Dubricus.

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


"There was a head in that hole ..." He points with his staff at the ledge Crabgrass is fiddling with. "It's gone now. No idea if it was human or humanoid. I think they intend to capture whomever that head belongs to, if it reappears."

[hedgeknight]

Dredd

The Half-Orc, seeing the others retreating, gets his spear ready and follows the Croebus and Pim to meet up with them. He listens as Meinhardt explains what is going on.

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

Just a flap, not a tunnel. Okay if room enough only for a head to poke out then, a head can poke in.

Firstly I will cast my Sanctuary spell upon myself to give a basic protection. Then using a niche head as a grisly prosthetic hand puppet, put it through the flap.

Speaking in orcish, "I spy with my little eye, something beginning with ... "

I post a check in case you ask one. I can imagine using my metal arm to be a little more difficult.

I am hoping that any violent response will go on the head I hold and I can confirm any living person is on the other side.

Crabgrass: Dexterity 6 vs check [1d20]=13

[Scott308]

Crobeus - Human Paladin

"No, no, no, no, no! It'll come back with reinforcements! Whatever lives there knows we're here and is getting friends. They're not poking their head back out of that hole! What do you know about these caves? Could they come out of one of these other caves and get behind us?"

Not waiting for a response, he starts toward the cave, gesturing frantically to Crabgrass and Dubricus to get away from the cave. "They're getting more! We should leave!"

[hedgeknight]

Dredd

Croebus' panic is infectious and Dredd wheels around to check their backs. His spear is ready, his eyes peeled, his ears...unplugged?

[gurusql]

Renna

"Agreed, Crobeus that is why we moved away from the entrance. Of all the caves it could be the bandits lair, since there was writing in Common by the entrance, but that is not proof."

[Darithe]

Magdal

"Not proof," Magdal agrees, "but certainly quite likely." She remains on the defensive expecting attackers to emerge at any moment.

[GreyWolfVT]

Pimlan "Poke it in the eyes next time then it won't be able to see to find it's friends." he realizes he just said his thoughts out loud rather than in his head.

[OGRE MAGE]

Lending A Hand
The Caves Of Chaos
Late Morning, Mostly Clear

While the others retreat back down to the ravine floor level again, they meet up with the folks who just arrived on the scene. Crobus shouts for Crabgrass and Dubricus to get away from the cave entrance, but the one armed half-elf seems to have his own ideas.

All of the talking and shouting rouses the suspicion of the same lanky fellow who watched the groups antics the last time they came here. An incredibly tall green-skinned creature emerges from a cave opening across the ravine floor, on the opposite side of the stream. The huge beast just stands there under his trees watching you. In fact, he appears to be counting your numbers, possibly weighing the idea of coming over to say hello, but so far staying put where it is in front of his cave.

troll.jpg (26.59 KiB) Viewed 76 times

Crabgrass casts a spell on himself before plucking one of the severed heads from a different alcove, shoving it beyond the black flap through the recently vacated niche which formerly held a human looking head. As he starts to speak in orcish, he feels something grab ahold of his arm. When he tries to pull his arm back out of the hole, he is held fast, stuck right where he is. Dubricus looks shocked by this sudden development, constantly peering down the 20 foot drop towards the others on the ground. "Is now a good time to cast my Sleep spell?"

Actions?

A cave (1).jpeg (63.48 KiB) Viewed 76 times

Magdal (R1) AC:7 12/16
Crobeus (P1) AC:3 8/10
Pimlan (F1/T1) H-L AC:6 4/9
Dubricus (M1) AC:8 5/5
Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 7/7 Sanct:3
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 5/5 MM/MM
Renna (MU1/C1) Elf AC:4 9/9
Skratch (T1) H-O AC:6 8/8
Stobart (C1) AC:5 10/10
Dredd (F1) H-O AC:3 13/16

[Scott308]

Crobeus - Human Paladin

Very tempted to let the idiots get themselves killed and save himself, the Paladin knows he has made it his mission in life to protect those who can't protect themselves, and these two clearly fall into that category. Climbing up the ledge, he tries to figure out why Crabgrass and Dubricus are still there as the situation threatens to spiral dangerously out of control. "What are you doing?" he hisses at the pair. "We need to go!"

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

"Someone has grabbed hold of me! Sleep them!" he advises Dubricus

Caught himself, he resorts to his Shocking Grasp but cannot seem to summon much arcing power in his casting, to zap those who restrain him.

Crabgrass: casts Shocking Grasp [1d8+1]=2+1=3

[hedgeknight]

Dredd

Ignoring the two idiots, Dredd continues to watch their backs. Seeing the troll emerge from the cave gives the Half-Orc a sinking feeling. "Uh, guys...lookee over there!" He points with his spear. He then grips it with both hands and snorts. "I guess today is as good a day to die as any."

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


"How should we know?! Can you even see what grabbed him?" He responds, a bit annoyed, to Dubricus. "I am going to climb up to the ledge above them, get an overwatch on anything coming out of that cave," he says to those around him. Meinhardt then moves a few feet off the line of the cave opening and climbs to the ledge directly above it.