Take Two...

[Zhym]

Arqos frowns in frustration. The evil servant of the Other has escaped before Arqos could even damage it! He consoles himself with the knowledge that the Messenger will no doubt return at some inopportune time. Then he chastises himself for that thought. It is unworthy of a Disciple of Azor to hope for the Messenger's return or to seek glory in defeating it. The world is brighter without the Messenger, and that is good. If the Messenger returns, Arqos will do what needs to be done.

On hearing that the party has new foes from the west, Arqos pushes these thoughts from his mind and rushes forward to the attack. He hopes that the spell casters will fall back to safety and make way for his attack. If they do, he will wait at the eastern base of the rock pile and attack the skeletal creatures there. If not, Arqos will try to make his way to the front, wherever that is, and attack.

Sunfire vs. evil (THAC0 12): [1d20+4] = 12+4 = 16 Dmg [1d8+4] = 8+4 = 12 (S/M) [1d12+4] = 11+4 = 15 (L)
Sunfire vs. evil (THAC0 12): [1d20+4] = 12+4 = 16 Dmg [1d8+4] = 2+4 = 6 (S/M) [1d12+4] = 4+4 = 8 (L)
THAC0 is still 9 while the potion is in effect.

Strategy suggestion: Vorsyin, Hollis, Lorath, and Flambeau pull back (fighting retreat or whatever) to just in front of the east wall of fire to give the fighter types room to charge the monsters—or to force the monsters to climb over the rocks to get to us, instead of making us climb the rocks to get to them?

[Zhym]

Gaerys retrieves the shield that the Messenger stole from him after he had taken it from the giants fair and square. He follows Arqos and attacks from the second rank with the borrowed spear—leaving room, he hopes, for Ethan in the front rank of battle.

Spear +2 (THAC0 12): Hit: [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15, Dmg: [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3 (S/M) [1d8+2] = 5+2 = 7 (L)
Spear +2 (THAC0 12): Hit: [1d20+2] = 10+2 = 12, Dmg: [1d6+2] = 6+2 = 8 (S/M) [1d8+2] = 1+2 = 3 (L)

[saalaria]

Hollis again holds his symbol aloft and calls upon the Gods to send the (hopefully) undead away

[OGRE MAGE]

Flambeau

Seeing Hollis attempt to turn these unusual undead, the High Cleric of R'hllor will throw his hammer at the closest adversary that doesn't flee.

Firesledge [1d20+6] = 17+6 = 23 Damage [1d6+4] = 6+4 = 10 + [1d6] = 6

[Magnus]

Little entertainment between the turns here, check this out:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iYSugtOG0l ... e=youtu.be

This is an amazing illustration of what a bolt might look like.

[Computer +1]

Vorsyin wants to drop back and let the fighters fight the undead. If pressed he will cast Burning Hands, if not he drops back.

[Magnus]

Date: Autumn, 432 ca., Campaign Day 10
Time: 12:40.12
Weather: 53 degrees
Location: Steading Dungeon - Rockpile/SE Hallway

************************
Magic in Effect:
Prayer - cast round 5 (60' radius'+1/-1 to rolls)
PfE 10' from Arqos
Wall of Fire - Cast Round 7
Wall of Fire (west) - Cast Round 11
Arqos - potion of super heroism - Drank Round [9]
Silence on MGC
**********************************

From their high ground, the party takes initiative against the horrid and mysterious rot fiends.

Flambeau is the first to act...hurling his hammer at the closest foe. The blow connects solidly in the midsection of the foul creature. Expecting to hear a "crack", he instead hears a muted "poof" as if the hammer hit but a goosedown mattress.

Lorath and Vorsyin retreat back down the east side of the rockpile. The wounded mages are wise to avoid the battle.

Believing these foes to be a form of unlife, Hollis calls to the Old Gods to send the creatures back. His calls either go unheeded by the Gods or unfelt by these creatures...they remain unaffected.

From the south, the fighters converge forward just as the rot fiends hover up the rockpile and begin to crowd out the party. One moves into the space formerly occupied by Vorsyin, while another stacks behind it in reach of Hollis, and the third lines up against that cleric. The air turns thick with the smell of mold as innumerable spores drift off of the creatures and corrupt the surrounding air.

Hollis, Flambeau, and Arqos (see below) save versus poison each, please.

Two of the fiends converge on Hollis, each scraping at him with a pair of long blackened claws. The cleric's formidable defenses serve him well - mostly - he blocks three attacks with his shield. A fourth, however, rips across his face and throat. Hollis is dizzy from bloodloss.

Hollis - 16 DAMAGE! NATURAL 20 and max damage rolled! OUCH!

Argos scales the rockpile, and meets a rot fiend head-on. Sunfire vaporizes pieces of its tattered cloak, while scorching through moldy bone. The creature gives no indication of pain but is clearly damaged. It responds in kind with twin slashes from its filthy claws. One screeches across Arqos's armor, while the other digs into a small gap between the plates of his armor.

Arqos - 5 damage.

Gaerys is frustrated to see that there is no room for him to join the battle. He remains looking up at the fight from below. Olaf and Ethan, for their part, are more content to watch the party's southern flank - especially given that they are but a moment away from a struggle with their most deadly foe yet, who has escaped somewhere to the south.

DECLARE ACTIONS!


MAP:
________________________
Rf Rf A ... V L
Rf H F G E .O .

Bold = up on the rocks
Lines: Dungeon walls

Sorry - not in a position to make a pretty map ATM.

****************************
HP:
Vorsyin: 18/49 [-1 level...let's sort out the XP afterwards]
Gaerys: 33/69 (!)
Hollis: 8/52 (!!!)
Lorath: 3/40 (!!!)
Ethan: 71/71
Olaf: 6/75 (!!!)
Arqos: 107/114
Flambeau: 54/75

[Zhym]

Arqos avoids the effects of the mold and brings Sunfire down on the seemingly un-undead skeletal mold creature.

Save v. poison (6): [1d20] = 14 (+2 if vs. evil)
Sunfire (THAC0 12): [1d20+2] = 15+2 = 17 Dmg [1d8+2] = 6+2 = 8 (S/M) [1d12+2] = 5+2 = 7 (L)

[Zhym]

Gaerys paces at the base of the rock pile. If anyone retreats from the top of the pile, he's ready to swap places and attack.

Spear +2 (THAC0 12): Hit: [1d20+2] = 9+2 = 11, Dmg: [1d6+2] = 1+2 = 3 (S/M) [1d8+2] = 1+2 = 3 (L)

[OGRE MAGE]

Flambeau

Save vs Poison (10) [1d20] = 6 Drat!

Seeing Hollis badly hurt by these foul creatures, and knowing Gearys is waiting to attack, (and not feeling too well at the moment?) Flam will attempt to grab Hollis and pull him out of the battle while doing a fighting retreat in hopes that the fighters can finish off these horrid monsters.

If he can get far enough from the battle he will ready the components he needs to neutralize his new affliction. (hopefully before he becomes......dead)

[chap126]

Olaf, Fighter

Olaf will continue watching the southern flank.

[saalaria]

Hollis retreats from combat - fighting withdrawal.
"Gaerys you are welcome to take my place!"

[Magnus]

FREE FOR ALL MODE IN EFFECT -- WILL NOT WAIT FOR ALL PLAYERS TO POST TO MOVE THE GAME FORWARD

Date: Autumn, 432 ca., Campaign Day 10
Time: 12:45
Weather: 65 degrees
Location: Steading Dungeon - Rockpile/SE Hallway

************************
Magic in Effect:
PfE 10' from Arqos
Wall of Fire - Cast 12:40.
Wall of Fire (west) - Cast 12:41
Arqos - potion of super heroism - Drank 12:41
Silence on MGC ??? [12:39]
**********************************

At so it was that with sword, spear, hammer, and mace, the party brought down the foul rot fiends -- the Dusanu! The three moldy skeletons were left smashed to pieces at the top of the rockpile. The party had not suffered any further injuries...the only lingering...issue...being the slight cough Flambeau cannot shake after inhaling a cloud of fungus spores that had wafted from the body of the rot fiend.

The party took a moment to take stock of their surrounds:

dungeonassault (2).jpg (182.23 KiB) Viewed 1546 times

The party had smartly protected its flanks with well-placed walls of fire. The only path forward was a narrow hall proceeding south east towards the area marked as "natural caverns" on Tanner's map. Approximately 40' feet down that hall, it began to fill ankle-deep in rubble left from the excavation of the odd stone door through which the Messenger escaped (by way of slipping through its cracks in gaseous (?) form). The door itself was a archway 10' tall at the top and about 12' wide at the base. It had no visible knob, handle, or even surface on which to push inward. It was obviously heavily adorned with carvings and relief work, but the soot left by the Messenger covered it too thickly to discern any detail. The suit of armor "vacated" by the Messenger still lay on the ground, covered with a thick layer of soot.

Another 10' or so feet further, the hallway slopes downward at a sharp 40 degree angle, into darkness.

The party was in somewhat of an odd position - some members were at near to full strength - if not enhanced. The party had a respectable array of magic still at their disposal, even if most (or all?) of their healing spells were depleted. Other party members remained a hit away from certain death.

Arqos's pendant burned with a steady heat - the Lord of Light, at least, wanted the group to finish its assault.

The party was left to plan its next steps.

[Magnus]

HP:
Vorsyin: 18/49 [-1 level...let's sort out the XP afterwards]
Gaerys: 33/69 (!)
Hollis: 8/52 (!!!)
Lorath: 3/40 (!!!)
Ethan: 71/71
Olaf: 6/75 (!!!)
Arqos: 107/114
Flambeau: 54/75

[Zhym]

Yay, we're back!

"The Messenger must be destroyed at once," proclaims Arqos. "The Lord of Light commands it."

"But I do not know how to get past that door except by bashing it down. I will try that if needed, but perhaps others have ideas? I also have a holy elixir of healing. Whoever needs it may have it."

[OGRE MAGE]

Flambeau

Arqos! I think I might need your healing touch. I believe I am developing a disease from breathing the air of those foul creatures.

[Zhym]

Unless there's strong opinion otherwise or signs that Flambeau's symptoms are turning into more than a mild cough, I'd suggest we wait to have Arqos cure Flambeau's disease until after we've taken care of the Messenger, since time may be of the essence in finishing it off.

[OGRE MAGE]

Ok. Flam has a potion of gaseous form if you think that will help getting past that door. Otherwise I got nothing.

[Zhym]

It would help get past the door, but there's no way to get out of gaseous form until the potion expires.

Blasting the door with a lightning bolt might be the best option.

Or someone with low HP (and thus out of the combat) could use the potion to scope out the room and report back...somehow.

Also: anyone wanna touch the armor?

[saalaria]

"I agree with Arqos - lets get after the monstrosity before it escapes. Time is of the essence!"
He turns to Olaf
"My lord you should have the healing draft. I can cure Lorath somewhat with my weakest healing prayer but he and I should remain our of combat for now."
With that Hollis the cleric approaches Lorath and prays:

Cure Light Wounds [1d8] = 6