Escape from / Assault of ... the Slavers Temple

[Rex]

Brick

Brick rushes to help his closest companion in melee.

Bastard Sword [1d20+2]=9+2=11 to hit [2d4+5]=4+5=9 s/m damage [2d8+5]=7+5=12 lg damage

[OGRE MAGE]

Mortar moves again as he shouts out to the orc in their uncouth tongue.

"You must stop the others from waking the sleepers. THEY NEED TO REST!!!"

He throws his dagger at one, despite his current unfavorable position.

Thrown Dagger Attack [1d20+1]=9+1=10 Dam [1d4]=4

[Edeldhur]

Edel

Bursts out of the Crypt, immediately flicking a Magic Missile at one of the remaining crossbow wielding orcs.

Magic Missile [2d4+2]=5+2=7

[gurusql]

Vennar

Vennar will attack the ogre again.

Morning Star: [1d20+1]=11+1=12 Dmg SM:[_2d4+1]=(4+4)=8+1=9 L:[1d6+2]=1+2=3

[Straither]

Memorial Garden: Crypt Siege.

Time: 4.05pm
Illumination: sunlight.

Memorial Gardens: random allotment 1-3 vs cemetery intruders [1d6]=4 no manifestations

Olleg: shield bash [1d20]=14 melee [1d20+1]=17+1=18 [1d8+1]=3+1=4Elwita: broadsword melee [1d20+1]=16+1=17 [2d4+1]=5+1=6

The Crypt fills with more smoke making any breathing inside all but impossible except for the undead Ogre Bullgryn and the enchanted medallion wearing Galadria. Vennar could try to stay inside and quickly slay the Ogre whilst it remains bound by the token whip coil, but the smoke would now be so dangerous to inhale that the cleric is forced to withdraw or endure injurious breathing difficulty.

Durrant offers the last of his lantern oil, throwing the flasks and lantern to pool in a fiery blast around the fiend and immolate it once and for all. Ogre gets slain.

With Jacupo they can shut the Crypt doors behind and exit into the cemetery garden where the Giant Ants summoned by the cemetery Haunt continue to harass the Turned zombies that fled into the undergrowth amid the headstones.

The ongoing melee combat is brought to a swift end with Dwarves Elwita & Olleg triumphing 2-0 over their Orcish foes.

Edel slays one of the Orc Watchmen on the walls with a Magic Missile, Mortar suggests his hypnotized minion quell the other remaining Orc guard from waking those who sleep. "By any means necessary, including using 'extreme prejudice'." Such is the coercion to 'let sleeping Orcs lie', the guard picks up his crossbow and shoots the other in the back before he can awaken the troop Sgt. He then can succumb to any further suggestion, such as joining the sleeping colleagues and doze off while on duty. Olleg can use his Jump feature on his ring to leap upon the walls and see to each guard in turn while others take stock of the situation.

It then means that with all current aggressors being put out of action, the characters can successfully break the Crypt siege and exit the Memorial Garden before Turned Zombies can reactivate their attacks upon the group.

In summary, a dozen Orc crossbowmen were slain or asleep. The six 'tool-shed' guards and Orc 'witchdoctor' slain, two Undead Ogres slain, eleven Orc zombie guards plus a zombie Esther were turned. Furthermore you drove off the robed Gruumsh priest and his guards except for the pikeman with Goran's head and also ignored the Harpy crones charmless singing; all achieved vs Rogger alone being slain.

A favourable result if you can make good on either escaping the Temple altogether or continue to assault the compound while you have momentum.

The double doors exiting the Memorial Garden stand open, here is a previous description on that area.

turns around the top of the corridor to the left into a passage that ends after thirty feet. On both sides are ornate double doors set into stone arched doorways. Each set of doors are covered in scratch marks and dried stains mark the flagstones between them, bloody footprints and a drag mark. Memorial Gardens is inscribed upon the panels of the left pair of doors, scrawled underneath in graffiti warning are orcish words that read as 'go beyond these doors and you will only be a memory ...'

The north set of doors are also open wide. This room may at one time have been some type of porch or antechamber, a twenty foot square room with a vaulted ceiling and another pair of exterior double doors that lead out into Highport. (These doors were noted by Mortar on his excursion around the Temple boundary at the very start of your reconnaissance. They are barred from the inside).

The room itself is a ramshackle chamber, cluttered with a variety of tools and junk. There are many hammers, chisels, axe handles, slabs of stone, and warped boards, suggesting it is used as a tool shed. The walls though are covered with many different types of holy symbols, some of evil and some of good religions. Most of these look as if they have been pegged or nailed in place. Several religious symbols such as pentagrams, ankhs and crucifixes have been drawn repeatedly upon the floor in lines of melted wax where extinguished stubby candles mark upon corner points.

The corridor looks empty, the Temple hierarchy must have been convinced they despatched enough resources to deal with you intruders. You tread warily, expecting the state of alert to be high.

Olleg: 15/33hp
Brick: 18/18hp
Mortar: 10/10hp
Vennar: 17/19hp.
Galadria 16/17hp
Durrant: 4/7hp
Edel: 11/11hp (14/14hp with Pallas the Owl:
3/3hp)
Elwita: 12/54hp.
Jacupo: 7/15hp

Spells available:

Mortar: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 0/3 x 2nd
Durrant: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd
Edel: DM & RM, any 3/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd

Galadria: DE cantrip, any 4/4 x 1st, 0/2 x 2nd lvl
Vennar: DE cantrip, any 3/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd lvl

Jacupo: DE cantrip, any 2/4 x 1st lvl, 1/2 x 2nd




Next Actions please.

[Edeldhur]

Edel

The Wizard takes a moment to recover his bearings - "Amazingly well done everyone" - he nodded to his companions - "Now we need to push through those doors. But first..." - his lips already going through another incantation.

Want to cast Detect Magic - not sure if I can keep it active (2 rounds/level, correct), and use it to quickly survey the downed foes - mainly interested in the pikeman and the witchdoctor, and taking care not to stray from the garden path. Once that is done, he calls Pallas to him.

[Rex]

Brick

Brick will do a quick search of the witch doctor for anything valuable or unusual looking.

[Rex]

Brick

Brick will do a quick search of the witch doctor for anything valuable or unusual looking.

Strength check (18/99, BBLG 35%) [1d100]=70

"I am going to need some help to move this."

[OGRE MAGE]

"Sleeeep........sleeeeeeeeep!"

Still invisible, Mortar will sneak out through the door to investigate the hallways outside this room, trying to regain his bearings of this place.

If the way back down into the lower chambers is clear, he will return to inform the others.

[corum]

Galadria


Will follow along with the group...

[Rex]

Brick

Brick looks around for Mortar. "Wheres Mortar?"

[gurusql]

Vennar

Vennar will get out of the smoke and after getting his bearings will follow the group.

[Straither]

Memorial Garden: Ruined Temple

Time: 4.06pm
Illumination: sunlight.

Memorial Gardens: random allotment 1-3 vs cemetery intruders [1d6]=5

Despite the end to immediate hostilities, a feeling of oppression and eeriness still pervades; large black Dire Squirrels and turned zombies tear chunks from each other, long creeper vines stretch ominously across the path like snares in waiting. Despite a lack of strong breeze, crooked boughs creak and sway.

Elwita joins Brick in lifting the heavy trunk from the smashed body of the Orc 'witch-doctor', (a tribal priest that mixes tradition Gruumsh worship with animistic occultism). Edel pulls what remains of the body free; an arm, upper torso, pancaked head and a gut wrenching trail of entrails.

Under inspection of the Detect Magic, the mage can note two items that radiate as enchanted. The man wears a gilded vambrace that fits from wrist bone to elbow, made of intricately fashioned iron with a coppery sheen. The other must be on the arm torn off the body and still under the tree trunk, so I need another bb/lg attempt to retrieve that.

The other item is a bizarre death mask, a carved bone decorated with scales, teeth and tusks, surrounded by a mane of exotic feathers.

I have put a picture of both items in the illustrations thread.

Durrant, Vennar & Galadria exit the Crypt and ward the group. Olleg sticks to his grim task of silencing the sleepers, ditching the dead bodies off the wall into the garden cemetery.

Jacupo tracks Mortar with his beady eye. The gnome steps into the Temple corridors, unseen. This is to his advantage for as soon as he enters and goes to investigate the area, Mortar immediately spots that several Orcs shelter within the toolshed. They hide behind cabinets, inside a wardrobe, under a table; trying to keep out of view but watching into the memorial garden themselves, intent on ambushing the first through the double doors.

You can hear their whispered muttering, readying crossbows to surprise any intruders. "Get that dwarf bitch ... I'll target that oaf, he's too big to miss .... vengeance for Didzy n' Kuntz n' Snarky ... beware those Spellcasters ..." and so forth.

You count six heads and can wave or gesture towards Jacupo to alert the party to the prepared ambush waiting for them.

Olleg: 15/33hp
Brick: 18/18hp
Mortar: 10/10hp
Vennar: 17/19hp.
Galadria 16/17hp
Durrant: 4/7hp
Edel: 11/11hp (14/14hp with Pallas the Owl:
3/3hp)
Elwita: 12/54hp.
Jacupo: 7/15hp

Spells available:

Mortar: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 0/3 x 2nd
Durrant: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd
Edel: DM & RM, any 3/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd

Galadria: DE cantrip, any 4/4 x 1st, 0/2 x 2nd lvl
Vennar: DE cantrip, any 3/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd lvl

Jacupo: DE cantrip, any 2/4 x 1st lvl, 1/2 x 2nd


next actions everyone.

[Rex]

Brick

"Help me lift it again so we can get the other bracer."

BBLG (35%) [1d100]=49

[Edeldhur]

Edel

The Magic User turned the curious mask around in his hands - "Intriguing..." - he whispered, then tried it on.

Figured we will need every single resource we can get our hands on, so I'll risk it
Maybe it is a useful item.

[OGRE MAGE]

Mortar does indeed signal his findings to the priest behind him as he continues his investigations towards the south.

[Straither]

Mortar does indeed signal his findings to the priest behind him as he continues his investigations towards the south.

Getting out of the way of any exchange of missiles and spells, Mortar can continue his invisible scouting whilst the others consolidate in the Memorial Garden. (I will await more actions there but can move you forward to describe what you see).

So there are more guards in the 'Toolshed' room, stationed as a back up force. Sheltering not just behind physical barriers such as cupboards and tables but also behind the hedge of protection that the multitude of holy symbols and candle wax drawn pentagrams must provide. Clearly the Orcs fear the yet-to-be exorcised haunting spirit that still resides in the nearby cemetery. You pass down the corridor, familiarising yourself once more with the Sundew room, Stables, Derelict room, Weasel Kennels and descending slippery steps to the lower level.

Let me take each in turn as you scout.

The prisoner cage wagon is still in the stables with some horses in their stalls. Two guards mull about behind the barred main barn style doors. (The other grooms from the stable make up the new toolshed retinue).

The Sundew room is open. The bodies of the slain Weasel Guards encountered earlier were resurrected as part of the Zombie rabble. The unbroken barrels of vinegary wine are stationed back in the side alcove. You go no further than the steps to the alcove.

The Derelict room is still an unstable mess, joists holding up the sagging ceiling and burnt out furnishings fill the room. At best, a place somewhere a solitary escapee might find temporary refuge; at worst a dead end at risk of caving in.

The slippery staircase is dark, smelly and quiet.

The Weasel Kennels are the last room. As noted this is a kennels. The 20'ft square chamber has some large straw filled pens which house the Giant Weasels and their kits. There is a central slab table used for dissecting caught rats and the like, corner cupboards hold collars, leashes and animal training chandlery. Two figures are in the room, they are sewing up slash wounds on a Giant Weasel that has a broken leg, bandaging and nursing it from gruesome injuries sustained.
In the south-east corner of the room is a narrow archway that has a metal grated door in it. Thus fresh air and sunlight come in the room from the outside courtyards. The Giant Weasel yips in your direction as you stand by the open door but the guards do not detect you, instead they comfort the creature thinking they have pricked it deeply as they attend to the wounds.

Unseen and undetected, you complete the scouting of this corridor section and can return to the others.

I will conclude their encounter with the guards in the toolshed before you gather back as a whole team.

actions Mortar you can add any other search points or just note returning to the others.

[gurusql]

Vennar

Vennar will try and help Brick.

BBLG [1d100]=57 (Yeah, no)

[corum]

Galadria

Sick of Orcs and unholy creatures she will follow Jacupo/Oleg... Mace ready to attack.

[Straither]

Memorial Garden: Cemetery breakout

Memorial Gardens: random allotment 1-3 vs cemetery intruders [1d6]=6 no manifestations.

Brick, Elwita & Vennar combine to lift the hefty fallen tree off the body of the Orc Witchdoctor and freeing the squished arm that has the paired enchanted Bracer. Durrant triggers his Ring of Telekinesis to manipulate the amputated limb to crawl forth and inch its way towards him.

A cry of alarm goes up! "Lookout!" shouts Jacupo.

Mortar warned the cleric who can perceived the invisible gnome via his augmented eye, that more crossbowmen wait in ambush. The alarm is heard just in time so as the uprooted tree is lifted high to drag the Witchdoctor's arm free, it can be just as quickly dropped to gain the benefits of extra cover (+2 AC). Just in time as a number of bolts are loosed and thud into the trunk shielding the exposed lifters.

Elwita wears partial plate mail (losing her cuirass breastplate during her Aspis torture) so I judge her as a modified AC5. b]Brick[/b] minus his shield and Dex bonus from lifting the trunk has AC4 from his banded armour. Durrant has his Shield spell in place which gives AC3,

Therefore AC3 / AC2 / AC1 vs the crossbow attacks.

"Get that dwarf bitch ... I'll target that oaf, he's too big to miss .... vengeance for Didzy n' Kuntz n' Snarky ... beware those Spellcasters ..."

I determined from the above quote to target two bolts at each figure in turn, so 2 vs Elwita next 2 bolts vs Brick and last 2 vs Spellcaster which I reasoned as Durrant.

Orcs: light crossbow bolts [1d20]=14 [1d6+1]=2+1=3 [1d20]=15 [1d6+1]=2+1=3 [1d20]=14 [1d6+1]=6+1=7Orcs: light crossbow bolts [1d20]=15 [1d6+1]=1+1=2 [1d20]=18 [1d6+1]=2+1=3 [1d20]=18 [1d6+1]=3+1=4

Whilst the warriors are shielded by the tree, Durrant seems more exposed and accurate targeting from two snipers means both shafts hit the Mage as he directs the arm. -7hp. It drops him to -3hp and he begins to bleed out upon the path.

Jacupo: Morningstar melee: [1d20]=16 [2d4]=4Galadria: mace melee [1d20]=1 [1d6]=4

Jacupo & Galadria lead the charge to engage them despite the dangers. One is slain, the others begin to rapidly reload or draw Polearms to melee with the two clerics.

Olleg slays another sleeping Orc on the wall but then with another combat ignited, he clambers down a vine clinging to the wall and runs to join the emerging conflict.

Edel dons the scary mask. (see private thread), feeling that it empowers him to radiate an aura of alarm and fear.

Olleg: 15/33hp
Brick: 18/18hp
Mortar: 10/10hp
Vennar: 17/19hp.
Galadria 16/17hp
Durrant: -3/7hp
Edel: 11/11hp (14/14hp with Pallas the Owl:
3/3hp)
Elwita: 12/54hp.
Jacupo: 7/15hp

Spells available:

Mortar: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 0/3 x 2nd
Durrant: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd
Edel: DM & RM, any 3/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd

Galadria: DE cantrip, any 4/4 x 1st, 0/2 x 2nd lvl
Vennar: DE cantrip, any 3/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd lvl

Jacupo: DE cantrip, any 2/4 x 1st lvl, 1/2 x 2nd


Next actions & attacks please

Mortar explores corridor but everyone else needs engage in this combat scene.