Revisiting The Caves: Pt.2

[OGRE MAGE]

I’m gonna need to see an action from Crabgrass and at least the Save from Haldric before I can update here again.

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

Wants to run but knows turning away will give an advantage to anyone attacking him. Plus, he fears that leaving to flee down the ledges risks abandoning Rida & Haldric.

He tries another tactic, one that worked before, swinging his mace to defend himself (poorly, I rolled a 9 to hit)

Crabgrass: mace attack: [1d20]=9 damage [1d6]=1

and taunting,

"You might hatch those plans, but you'll never hatch the dragon egg. Only I know where that is." he says, hoping that will cause them to consider letting him live a bit longer.

[ravenn4544]

Haldric continues also to help.

Save vs spells (15) [1d20+7]=5+7=12

[OGRE MAGE]

Back To The Road
Third Time Blues
Early Evening, Clear

As the others seem intent to escape this dangerous situation alive, Rida and Haldric continue running towards the robe clad priests currently surrounding Crabgrass on the ledge outside the bandit cave entrance. Hearing the final intonations of the priestess’ prayer as they close in, they both suddenly freeze in their tracks mid stride, unwillingly Held in place by powerful divine magicks.

Obviously outmatched, Crabgrass decides to use the most powerful weapon he possesses, offering these priest’s information in exchange for a few more moments of life. Bringing up the dragon egg stays the hand of the black robed man about to bash him with his mace again, his eyes actually widening at the words. He quickly looks to his accomplice to gauge her reaction.

With her targets both secured, the female priestess in rich red robes turns to address the quick thinking Half-Elf. Even with her hood covering the upper portion of her face, this woman is clearly very attractive. She answers in a sultry tone. “You can relay that information to our superiors. They will know the best way to handle someone like you. Now, put your weapon down on the ground before you hurt yourself, and come with us.”

She motions for the black robed man to secure the pair stuck in time behind her as she awaits a response from Crabgrass. “Your options appear limited.”

Cobb, Loyn, Bugs, and eventually Meinhardt, who took the river path, reach the trail through the woods without incident. No one detected other threats along the ravine floor, and the path to escaping with their lives appears clear ahead.

Actions?

Rida (F2) AC:2 4/13 Held
Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 1/7 Sleep/SG/DM Sanct/CLW/CLW
Haldric Hammerheart D (C1) AC:3 12/12 CLW/Light/CLW Held
Bugs Donato G (T2) AC:3 15/16
Loyn Shortbeard D (F1) AC:5 9/12 Torch
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 4/5 MM/MM/Sleep
Cobb (F1) AC:6 14/14 Torch

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

Dying ignobly serves no purpose except as an inglorious promotion to the afterlife. He looks about, reckoning an empty head niche awaits should he resist further and he is not alone. Rida & Haldric ran to help him, futile now held by the spell of the priest. They could be slain where they stand.

He tosses his mace and sack of liberated goods over the ledge away from him. "I guess we will come quietly." he answers, sullen at his folly and capture, hoping to get some chance to escape later.

Crabgrass: Charisma 6 vs check [1d20]=7

[Hotgoblin]

Loyn-dwarf runner

Loyn gets to the road, looking around for his friends,“I’m wasted on cross-country!” He’s bent over huffing and puffing, trying to catch his breath…“They’re left to their fate! I don’t think we have the resources to attempt a rescue right now, thinking we’ll need to regroup with the others at the keep! Maybe we can get help from gnolls as well!”

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


Meinhardt stops just inside the tree line at the head of the trail and peers back from behind a large trunk to see what these evil priests plan do with their friends.

[Rex]

Rida

Stuck.

[Monsieur Rose]

Bugs

"Are they coming?" Bugs slows to a trot and turns to look behind. "Maybe they didn't hear me call out. Let's give them a moment."

IF he can see the happenings, he will scowl and swear but not rush to be caught as well. "Did you see that? Crabgrass tossed something over. Maybe I should go get it?"

[ravenn4544]

Haldric is stuck motionless in the clutches of her spell. His eyes are the only things he can move and they dart rapidly from robed figure to robed figure.

[OGRE MAGE]

Back To The Road
Third Time Blues
Early Evening, Clear

Those who made it out to the trailhead turn and watch the fate of their friends who remained behind to aid the beleaguered Crabgrass.


The male priest in black robes watches as his captor tosses his gear over the side of the ledge before forcefully stuffing a cloth sack over his head. "That remains to be seen."

The female priestess in red robes moves to her pair of held statues and starts wrapping cord around their arms and legs, essentially tying them both together, before also bagging their heads with cloth sacks as well.

Crabgrass is shoved from behind in that direction where all 5 of the figures unite together on the ledge for a moment. The robed figures stare and point in the direction of the trail where the rest of the party is hidden. Cobb shakes his head from side to side. "I don't even wanna wonder what will happen to them. We stayed in there too damn long, didn't we? We were obviously outmatched. Why didn't they just run away with the rest of us?"

Actions?

Rida (F2) AC:2 4/13 Held
Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 1/7 Sleep/SG/DM Sanct/CLW/CLW
Haldric Hammerheart D (C1) AC:3 12/12 CLW/Light/CLW Held
Bugs Donato G (T2) AC:3 15/16
Loyn Shortbeard D (F1) AC:5 9/12
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 4/5 MM/MM/Sleep
Cobb (F1) AC:6 14/14

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


"Perhaps." He responds to Cobb. "However, we had to retrieve whatever information we could find as to their plans. They will certainly clean up everything after we leave. At least we know there are a group of halflings associated with the bandits."

He shrugs in response to his second question. "I have no idea why they attacked. I'd like to see which cave they take our friends, though. Loyn is right, we can't help them now without reinforcements. Wait, did you say ... Gnolls?" He peers quizically at the dwarf.

[Rex]

Rida

Bound.

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

Complies reluctantly.

[Hotgoblin]

Loyn-Dwarf Fighter

Loyn shakes his head,“We now have another reason to come back!” He says to Meinhardt,“We had a run in with the Gnolls, they sort of kidnapped us when searching for Bug’s Da! We made a deal with them, they’d let us go, if we helped clean out the undead in their cave here. I’m hoping it won’t have 3 fresh undead!” He looks around to see if anything is heading toward them, if not he starts off briskly toward the keep.

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


"The enemy of my enemy is my friend ... indeed."

"That probably explains where they are planning to take our friends, too. We need to warn Sabine and the Keep. These evil priests could raise a literal army of humanoid undead!" He quickly follows Loyn down the trail.

[Monsieur Rose]

Bugs

How far away is the package Crabgrass tossed?

Bugs looks over at the departing Loyn. "Uh? Boss? Maybe we try to see where they go? And I'd like to grab that package."

Sorry for the delay

[OGRE MAGE]

Back To The Road
Shall We Make It A Fourth Time?
Early Evening, Clear

As the group watches from the safety of the trees, Loyn mentions the arrangement his crew made with some renegade gnolls in exchange for their lives a few days ago. He hopes they don't find their waylaid friends in the same condition as the zombies they encountered around here upon their eventual return.

The robed priests drag Crabgrass and the pair of tied and tethered prisoners into the cave where the dead orcs were found (C), eventually returning again with only Crabgrass held tightly in their grasp. As they begin walking their way back along the second tiered ledge again, in the opposite direction of the hidden crew, Bugs thinks about sprinting back out in the open to retrieve whatever Crabgrass tossed over the ledge. Cobb places his hand on the greedy gnomes shoulder just before he takes off running, pointing across the ravine floor at the huge Troll who is also making his way across the ravine again to retrieve another dead body it can munch on. "You sure you want to do that with the big nasty still out there?"

While the Troll drags another dead bandit by the ankle back to its cave, the priests move along the ledge past a copse of trees and another cave mouth (I) before walking up one more ramped tier and entering an open cave mouth at the very end of the ravine. (K)

Actions?

CoC layout.jpg (138.17 KiB) Viewed 728 times

Bugs Donato G (T2) AC:3 15/16
Loyn Shortbeard D (F1) AC:5 9/12
Meinhardt (MU1) AC:10 4/5 MM/MM/Sleep
Cobb (F1) AC:6 14/14

Crabgrass (MU1/C1) H-E AC:7 1/7 Sleep/SG/DM Sanct/CLW/CLW Prisoner
Rida (F2) AC:2 4/13 Held
Haldric Hammerheart D (C1) AC:3 12/12 CLW/Light/CLW Held

[Quonundrum]

Meinhardt


"If I may suggest, Cobb, with those priests busy with Crabgrass and that big nasty brute with its next meal, we may not have another opportunity. I am more concerned about Rida and Haldric, though. Why were they left behind in that charnel cave? I fear if we leave them now, we shall return to find them risen as zombies."

[Stirling]

Crabgrass

Hooded and bound, he can do no more than shuffle along, listening in to whatever orders, commands and conversations are spoken and taking in the aroma of his surrounds; stinking dead, fresh air, his own sweaty fragrance.

Separated from Rida and Haldric, he is not sure who's fate is going to be more reserved or special.