Chapter 3: Third time's the charm

[drpete]

Date: Skullmont 13, 9:10 am
Season: Early Fall
Weather: Cold and Clear
Moon phase: Waxing Gibbous
Location: Red Door

Rested and refreshed, their business in town taken care of, the wakes up on the 13th, and heads up the stairs. You approach the tower of Nilus, the apeman, and he watches you impassively as you go past from the window of the tower, but he doesn't interfere or come out to interact with you. The bloody mess outside of the door smells of rotting flesh, and flies buzz around it. A crow is pecking at the severed head above the tower door.

You get up to the Red Door, and you find it slightly ajar. There is some dried blood on the door handle.

Ok, so I jumped the gun, since everybody seems mostly done. Please finalize any gear related things by this weekend. Also, please let me know if someone was going to pay the 5 gp to start the recruitment process for more mercs.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr pushes the door open a little further and tries to hear past the wind and ambient noise outside to the interior of the mountain.

"I wonder if this belongs to one of the group that tussled with our new tower guard? Stack up, let's go find out."

Added the oil, bolts and war hammer. Subtracted 2 for the bolts, 10 for the oil and 5 for the merc advertising.

[Lamech]

Steel has his crossbow at the ready. Once more into the mountain. "I really hope whats ever in there doesn't start organizing. It'd be pretty crappy if they organized a counter attack.

OOC: The only thing Steel might have had left to do was pass the mask onto someone else.

[drpete]

Lamech, if you are entering the dungeon with your crossbow ready, where are you leaving your bag? It requires two hands, as does the crossbow. This is a primary reason people usually don't lug their gear in giant santa claus bags .

[bobloblah]

Dear Santa,

I have been Lawful all year, and for Christmas I would like a Ring of Protection, a Potion of Healing, a Rod of Lordly Might, and the Eye of Vecna. Thank you!

[drpete]

I think wanting the eye of Vecna immediately puts you on the naughty list.

(Edit: noticed spellchecker was worried about Verna's hand)

[Zorroroaster]

image.jpeg (64.89 KiB) Viewed 1106 times

[drpete]

You start to head down the stairs. You can hear the telltale squeals and grunts of orcs, and the crashing of metal on metal coming from the room below.

Ranulf can make out some words in Bestial... "Close it! Come on!"

I'm assuming Steel just follows, crossbow over his shoulder, for now.

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr loads a bolt and holds his crossbow at the ready. He takes a tentative step down, muttering to himself.

"I've got a bad feeling about this."

He only takes the one step in, looking back at the others.

"What should we do? Let them fight it out? Rush in and attempt to provide aid?"

[kalstone]

Solaine sighs. "I suppose we should go to their aid. I don't think we should rush in though. Let's get an idea of the situation first." She gives her pole-hammer a few short swings, trying to get used to the weight. It's clearly a struggle.

[drpete]

As you come down the stairs, you see a group of four orcs clustered around the door east of the stairs, in the north wall. The door to the guard room where Galen found the mirror.

Two of the orcs are pulling on the door, trying to keep it closed. The other two see you, and level their spears at you. One of them squeals to the others, in bestial:

"Heads up, we've got company!"

Image of an orc:

orc.jpg (1.03 MiB) Viewed 1088 times

[barkman]

Randolpho sticks a sling ball into the sling, and starts to swing it, hoping to fire one into the pair of orcs before the front line charges, if they decide too. "Do we fight?, talk or retreat?"

[bobloblah]

"Is it me, or are they trying to keep that door closed?" asks Brother Galen with a scowl.

"Best ready the spears, girls..."

[Zorroroaster]

Torgyr lifts his crossbow.

"I'll let this do the talking for me."

Initiative: [1d6+2] = 4+2 = 6

Crossbow: Attack (10+): [1d20+2] = 11+2 = 13, Damage: [1d6] = 5

[drpete]

Randolpho sticks a sling ball into the sling, and starts to swing it, hoping to fire one into the pair of orcs before the front line charges, if they decide too. "Do we fight?, talk or retreat?"

Barkman... does Randolpho have a sling...? It's not on your sheet. Remind me when you got one? Are you done editing what you are carrying?

For the rest of you, it looks like combat is starting. The orcs are not reachable this round without charging. I'm assuming that people are entering the room, unless you tell me you want to stay in the stairs. My default assumption would be that those of you with missile weapons are shooting at the orcs, like Torgyr, and the others are doing nothing (aka, not charging), unless you tell me otherwise.

[bobloblah]

He got it from party storage. Just needs to add it to his sheet.

[drpete]

Ah, right... please update that, and figure out stuff like where the monster parts end up. Thx.

[kalstone]

Solaine holds her position, swinging her pole-hammer at any orc that gets within range.

[barkman]

Randolpho follows Torgyr's lead and lets fly with the sling stone.


Initiative:[1d6+1] = 6+1 = 7
Attack: Sling [1d20+1] = 16+1 = 17
Damage: Sling: [1d4-1] = 1-1 = 0 (should be 1, really?)

[drpete]

Round One

Following Torgyr's lead, you let loose on the orcs. Torgyr downs one orc (5 damage!) and Randolpho downs one (3 damage!). The remaining two orcs abandon the door, and run toward the double doors in the south end of the room. One howls out, in bestial:

"Oh crap! Run!"

Steel and Ranulf let off shots that miss the orcs.

The door in the north wall slams open. Several black skeletons start to stream out of it!

The orcs are in charging range now, and several (more than 4) skeletons are entering. Actions?