No ifs or buts, the Ogre and the reinforcement Orcs are advancing up the passage after Elwita, Brick and the others.
So some conflict will happen regardless if you hang about or you can trigger more crossbows / javelins / slingstones / cleric spells at them as they come.
"There is some magical dweomer in the room you sent us too, which magically paralyzes anyone who enters" - Edel returned to the intersection to inform Blodgett, loud enough for everyone of his companions to hear - "How can we get past it? We cannot simply stay here and fight - we will be overwhelmed eventually"
Then focusing on Brick, Elwita, and the situation at hand, Edel reasoned that if the stench was drifting south from the northern passage, some unseen air current favored their position. Murmuring a harsh incantation, he thrust out his hand, and a reeking green cloud churned forth, rolling hungrily down the tunnel’s dark throat, toward the southwest.
So that is the plan, a stinking cloud as far behind Brick and Elwita, down the southwestern tunnel. between them and the pursuers.
Last edited by Edeldhur on Mon Apr 28, 2025 10:53 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mortar will attempt to pull the closest unmoving member inside the room back towards him to see if separating them from the immediate area will have any effect on their paralysis.
Will go to the enrance to the crypt (but not in it) and search for a way the enchantment might be avoided or removed. "It must come from somewhere or someone"
The action once more splits in two as parry members prioritise different strategies.
Edel, forewarned of the advancing Orc reinforcements, dashes back down the crypt steps to the fork in the passage and casts his Stinking Cloud spell behind the retreating rearguard pair, Brick & Elwita. At once a cloud of extra nauseous sewage filled fumes and revolting stenches fill the passage.
Several of the Orc guard are overcome but just on the fringes of the advancing group are the Ogre and lead Orc. They succeed to shake of the distressing, vomit inducing poison and still charge towards those readying actions.
The Ogre, a hulking misformed grotesque with bulbous features and spade like hands merely grunts at the minor irritant of the crossbow from Brick that strikes him. -2hp. He pulls one of the support struts out of its fixture, using it as an improvised nailed club.
"I'll cut him down to size." cries Elwita, glad at last to wreak her wrath upon some Temple inhabitants. -4hp, the dwarven warrior-Icon dodging under the Ogre's strike.
The Orc guard behind him triggers a bolt at the cleric Vennar, the shaft thudding into his Aspis shield.
The Stinking Cloud should hold back those who failed Saving Throws for another couple of rounds, enough time perhaps to slay the opponents who made it through.
Next ActionsVennar, Brick, Elwita are committed to this melee. Edel to decide actions.
Meanwhile, Olleg, Jacupo & Rogger remain frozen in an enchanted paralysis. Mortar does not have arms long enough to grab the nearest victim of the stasis to drag them free. He has little time to loop a lasso. Galadria cannot locate any device that might be powering the Hold, certainly nothing visible on the steps.
Durrant, holding forth his arcane divining rods, through which he conducts his Detect Magic investigation, bravely climbs one step forward, then another and finally ascends properly into the Crypt chamber.
The mage shrugs of the enchantment that tries to snare his mind as much as his body, resisting the temptation to give in to the all consuming desire to become statuesque as a dread paralysis threatens him.
Once he stands fully in the room, an unseen pressure seems to blow out, like a candle snuffed. The effect is to suddenly quicken the held back kinetic energy pent up in those afflicted with the Paralyzation. As the spell is dissipated, they each fall to the floor or collapse over the nearby stone coffer.
GM's resolutions:
the actual effect in place is the Illusionist spell 'Paralyzation'. The spell description is as follows:
The Paralyzation spell enables the spell caster to create illusionary muscle slowdown in creatures whose combined hit dice do not exceed twice the total level of experience of the illusionist. If the recipient creatures fail their saving throws, they become paralyzed, and a dispel illusion or dispel magic spell must be used to remove the effect, or the illusionist may dispel it at any time he or she desires.
While I cannot divulge too much more, suffice to say that the spell limits are 10HD or levels of experience combined of the victims. Which we have here with those held, including two Orc guards. My reading of this description seems to sway me to the opinion that the spell duration is in perpetuity, ie until dispelled, though I am of the mind to say that such is not the intention and that a duration should be made or other ways of dispelling the effects. I came to the conclusion that once 11+HD of experience were present within the area of effect, then the spell as a whole becomes nullified until physically cast again.
Hope that makes sense ... I might not get it perfectly right but this seems to make sense to me in gameplay terms.
With no threat of being Held in magical subjugation, Mortar & Galadria can also pile into the Crypt.
The interior of the small crypt is unremarkable, with faded murals on the plastered walls, a stained glass window high on each face depicting the sun, moon and stars in various settings; sunrise, sunset, midday and midnight. The old oak beams of the vaulted ceiling are in need of repair with loose and missing tiles in the rafters. A solitary stone coffer is in the centre of the room. It is large enough to entomb a human but the interior is empty save for cigarette butts, broken glass and tossed away oddments. There are large scuff marks on the floor to the left of the coffer, indicating it may well move if pushed in that direction, to cover the descending stairs. A closed door provides the alternative entrance and exit.
Next Actions for Olleg, Durrant, Galadria & Mortar (in the Crypt with Jacupo, Rogger & two Orcs).
His magic mostly depleted, and unable to provide any further assistance, Edel retreats into the side tunnel leading into the crypt, and urges his companions to do the same - "Retreat toward the stairs..." - he beckons them - "Has anyone seen Blodgett? I don't see him anywhere?"
Retreating trough the side tunnel to join the others in the crypt.
"As soon as the remaining are back, we slide the stone heavyweight back in place" - he informs.
