CHAPTER ONE: Into the Temple

[OGRE MAGE]

Miss Cleo is glad for the help, not wanting to accidentally poke her own eyes out doing physical labor. She holds the palm of her hand up to look at Schlovell, thanking him in a most uncomfortable manner. "I will stay and help watch ova dem wit you. I wont be much help to da others in my current condition."


Timmy Little agrees with the logic of Toldren and looks around for something to toss at the unmoving figure. He takes another peek around the corner to see if there are any changes since he last looked.

"You got a rock?"

[Starbeard]

Kid Crimson asks, "Who needs a rock," twirling the crowbar in his hand. He steps out from behind the corner and chucks the crowbar as hard as he can at the cloaked figure.

K.C. Init've [1d20-1] = 3-1 = 2, Crowbar [1d20-1] = 20-1 = 19, Damage [1d4-1] = 4-1 = 3
(Alright! I don't have the rulebook with me, so I can't roll on the critical table)

Beefheart gets sidetracked as he discovers that he can literally see the adrenalin coursing through his system.

[ybn1197]

Sitrus moves to stop the brazen Kid Crimson but is too late. "If we had the element of surprise its certainly gone now." He readies the shovel in his hands in case things turn to a physical battle but is ready to run away if magic becomes a viable form of retaliation from the cloaked creature.

Toross stands with the others outside the room but his mind is far from where they are. He is amazed that he can still hear without his ears and momentarily runs his hands along the sides of his head to see if only the outer ear is gone or if his whole ear has closed up.

[Starbeard]

Critical Chart: [1d4] = 3
'Stunning crack to the forehead. Inflict + [1d3] = 1 damage with this strike, and the foe falls to the bottom of the initiative count next round.'
Total damage is 4.

[coil23]

Toldren shakes his head in disbelief at the precipitous action and then readies himself for the worst. Quill, mouth agape, watches in fascination to see what happens to the still figure.

[OGRE MAGE]

Timmy waits at the corner with great anticipation, hoping that, if there was a trap, it has just been triggered.

"Wow! Nice throw, Kid!"

[kalstone]

Irakas also waits to see what happens. "I've got a bad feeling about this," he mutters.

[Norjax]

...

* Kid Crimson, impatient as ever, steps forth and hurls his crowbar at the seated, cloaked figure. The cooper’s tenacity improves his aim, and the bar strikes the head of the figure for 4 points of damage before bouncing across the stone floor. The shrouded form lets out a slow, painful moan as it tries to stand up and turn around, but can only manage to shift its seated posture. A slow, almost gibberish sobbing begins to emanate from the individual.

* Toross feels the sides of his head and determines that only the outer ears are missing. He still has the holes of his ear canals that are clear of any scaring or obstructions.

Map:

Actions?

...

[ybn1197]

Sitrus, feeling that any tactical advantage they had was lost and they had to capitalize on the 'now,' rushes into the room swinging his shovel at the creature.

Sitrus Attack: [1d20-1] = 20-1 = 19 Damage: [1d4-1] = 1-1 = 0
Sitrus Critical Hit: [1d4-1] = 3-1 = 2
Foe jabbed in the eye! Ugly bruising and inflict +1d4 damage with this strike.
Sitrus Extra Damage: [1d4] = 4

Toross, a little settled knowing that most of his auditory functions are working, follows Sitrus into the room and attacks with his staff.

Toross Attack: [1d20] = 5 Damage: [1d4] = 3

[OGRE MAGE]

Timmy rushes in behind the others, staying close to the wall as he enters the room. He doesn't go after the seated figure, but moves northeast, behind the pillar, to cut off any possibility of a retreat up the north hallway.


Miss Cleo keeps a one hand watch over the unconscious party members while watching the real action with her other hand.
"Me don't know what is happening down der, but me sense dat dis might be a diversion."

[Starbeard]

Kid Crimson, now weaponless, rushes into the room with a "whoop!" and prepares to tackle the cloaked figure after the others have done their pummelling. His intent is to pin the person down and cover his hand across the face, thus gagging the mouth.

K.C. Init've [1d20-1] = 4-1 = 3, Crowbar [1d20-1] = 1-1 = 0, Damage [1d4-1] = 1-1 = 0
(not sure if an attack roll is necessary, but I guess that evens out Kid's luck…)

EDIT for fumble roll: Kid Crimson fumble [1d4] = 2
'You trip but may recover with a DC 10 Ref save; otherwise, you must spend the next round prone.'
Kid Crimson Reflex save: [1d20-1] = 11-1 = 10


Beefheart dashes in and immediately slips to the right, positive that an enemy will be waiting in ambush around the corner. He flails his weapon about madly as he attacks whatever may or may not be there.

Beefheart Init've [1d20-1] = 18-1 = 17, Hammer [1d20+1] = 15+1 = 16, Damage [1d4+1] = 3+1 = 4

[kalstone]

"Here we go again," says Irakas as he leaps to attack before the figure can turn around.

To hit: [1d20+1] = 14+1 = 15
Damage: [1d6+1] = 2+1 = 3

[Griffith]

Schlovell can hear the action below and wonders if he should be helping. But he doesn't want to leave Hanout and Miss Cleo and the others unprotected. He waits and listens.

[coil23]

Toldren follows Timmy's lead and hurries behind the pillar (upper left of room) to cut off any retreat to the north.

Quill stays where he is so he can see both what is going on in the room withe the flurry of activity as well as those of the party still on the stairs.

[Norjax]

...

* Sitrus takes the initiative and rushes forward, into the room, and pummels the figure with his shovel, scoring an impressive strike to the head for 6 points of damage! The strike knocks the hood off of the figure revealing the mottled and bruised head of a man with his skin sewn and stitched into a horrific patchwork of repair. The dull, glazed-over eyes slowly search the roam and it continues to let out a gibbering moan.

* Toross follows suit and attacks with his staff, but cannot connect with the moaning, wobbling man-thing.

* Timmy runs into the room and takes a left, to a position behind one of the pillars carved with twisting scroll work that runs from the floor to the ceiling.

* Kid attempts to tackle the twisted man, but trips and barely recovers his balance.

* Beefheart makes his way in and flails his weapon around the corner and to the right, but swings at air and realizes no one is there.

* Irakas finds a position to the north and swings his sword into the creature for 3 points of damage. The decrepit man lets out a babble that resembles “why?” in the common tongue.

* Toldren joins Timmy behind the NW pillar.

* Egbert follows Beefheart into the room.

* The creature pushes his chair aside and produces a crude club from his cloak. He swings at Sitrus, but is unable to get through the dwarf’s defense.

Target selection = [1d4] = 3
Man Thing = [1d20-1] = 2-1 = 1, [1d4-1] = 3-1 = 2 dmg.

Map:

Initiative and Actions?

...

[coil23]

Toldren, peeking around the column, offers to the room, maybe we should just try talking to him...it?

[Starbeard]

Kid Crimson rubs dirt and blood off his scraped chin and collects his crowbar. "Well okay, but I say that guy's an evil cultist or somethin'. Hey you! Tough guy! Why'd you kidnap my little brother?!" He shakes and jabs his crowbar menacingly.

Beefheart hasn't gotten the memo, and continues his assault. He rushes to the centre of the room and kicks over the empty chairs, and looks under the table for enemies.

[OGRE MAGE]

Seeing the unfortunate man now surrounded, Timmy moves over to the next corner and has a look around in the northern alcove. He swings his crowbar back and forth, holding it out in front of him in case this place has invisible monsters hanging around.

"Perhaps we were being a little........hasty?"


Not sure what is going on down the stairs, Miss Cleo looks back and forth to the folks standing in the hall as she slowly drips water on the foreheads of the unconscious men, hoping to speed up their recovery. She chants softly under her breath and whispers strange, incomprehensible things into their ears.

[Pulpatoon]

Symond Berry sticks around to look after the unconscious.

Foul Ol' Amphelice trots down the stairs to check out the commotion.

[kalstone]

Irakas says to his compatriots, "I see an opening for a negotiation. I do the best negotiating."

To the figure, he says, "Sorry about all that ... uh ... unpleasantness. How about we start afresh?"