X-COM: The Fourth Dimension IC (D&D 4E)

[Inspectre]

Akamenos looks up from the bomb for a moment, as if you had just interrupted his train of thought.

"I will need a minute or two to disarm this device safely. I would prefer for some peace and quiet while I do so."

As if giving a lecture, the tiefling arcanist continues.

"The device operates by mixing those three vials of liquid into a central chamber and igniting them. Removing the chemicals should disarm the bomb, however, the vials are notoriously unstable - part of the bomb's defense against tampering, I suppose. If I'm not careful, the vial will empty into the central chamber when I attempt to remove it. That being said, any of you should be able to do it with the proper tools."

Akamenos nods at Cinder's toolkit, and then pulls out two vials of his infusion, handing one to Cinder and one to Ferrum.

"I'll join you when I can."

"I'll stay here as well in case the drow doubles back. None of us should be alone until we know they are all dealt with."

Khitan declares.

Spoiler: Disabling Bombs

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Arcana or Thievery DC 20, 2 Successes Required. 3 Failures and . . . well, this will be a real short operation, won't it?
For each round you spend on the check itself, you gain a +1, up to a maximum of +10. (In other words, you can try to roll each round, or wait up to a minute and get a +10 bonus to the check).

(Where is the diminished party of four heading first? If you're going after the drow, are you going through the guest rooms' secret passages, or going around through the kitchen which also has an entrance back into the former torture chamber turned alchemical lab?)

[Grey_Wolf_c]

"the vials are notoriously unstable - part of the bomb's defense against tampering, I suppose. If I'm not careful, the vial will empty into the central chamber when I attempt to remove it. That being said, any of you should be able to do it with the proper tools."

Akamenos nods at Cinder's toolkit, and then pulls out two vials of his infusion, handing one to Cinder and one to Ferrum.

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

"Thanks, Aka," says Cinder, pouring the vial over herself. The wound closes further, but it is far from gone - the drow's arrow did a number on Cinder, clearly. "I'm ready to go - I'll survive. As to where to go, I was thinkin' to follow the passage to the kitchen, but If I remember correctly, there are a billion ways out of there. He could easily give us th'slip. But there's only one way up, so lets circle to the stairs, and check the kitchen from there. If they have a bomb set up, we'll hear it, and we have a chance to catch 'im before he joins the rest of 'is group."

[Deadline]

Dagrun, Dwarf Cleric

Dagrun nods, "All right then, let's get to it!" He reloads his crossbow and motions to his spectral ancestor. The ancient warrior spirit marches silently in step with him as they head for the stairs with the rest of the group.

[Surrealistik]

Kaeravak replies to the flurry of back and forth with an off-hand nod, his eyes continuing to focus on the upper floors with clear apprehension, weapon at the ready.

"Sounds like a plan; don't like the idea of leaving Aka and Khitan alone, but we've cleared out most of the vermin here."

Finally tearing his attention away from its anxious vigil, the pyromancer curtly addresses the remaining pair:

"Secure the entrances to the room as best you can; we'll continue our sweep of main floor and regroup later."

[Inspectre]

Akamenos's only answer is a non-committal grunt as he continues to examine the Stonebreaker.
Khitan nods in answer to Kaeravak's question however.

"We'll make sure they don't double back and try to escape this way. If we encounter the enemy, you'll be sure to hear it."

Circling around to the stairs, the group cautiously approaches the dining hall, the kitchen beyond, and the secret door that connected the kitchen to the torture-chamber-turned-alchemy-workshop.
It seems entirely possible that there were other hostiles on the floors above, but for the moment at least, the set of double doors at the back of the balcony that led to the rest of the second floor remained shut.
That was a good thing, although it did mean that danger could still be coming from any direction.

The door leading into the dining room, and the kitchen beyond that, still hung open after the kobolds had barged through them to join the battle in the foyer.
Even through the doorway, it was clear that the dining hall was a complete mess - several tables were still overturned, and those that were not were covered in scraps of food tossed haphazardly everywhere - the kobolds had been dining well on X-COM's well-stocked larder.
From the current position outside the dining room, not much of the kitchen could be seen, but it appeared to be just as much of a mess.
The secret door leading into the workshop, however, was definitely still closed.

The door that connected the foyer with the brig hallway - which had been kept a brig, albeit under-used except in the rare case of a trainee having a too-wild night on the town and needing a night stay to clear their pounding heads - was likewise shut. Whether the door at the other end of that hallway leading into the workshop was also closed was impossible to tell from the group's current position.

There was a peep hole allowing those inside the workshop to spy out on those in the dining hall - another hold-over from the drow ownership. No doubt the pervy bastards had gotten their jollies off on watching their guests argue amongst themselves over where their comrade had disappeared to, while he was being tortured only one wall away from them. That meant that approaching from the direction of the dining hall was likely to result in the drow (and however many friends of his were in the workshop) from being able to see you coming. There wasn't, as far as any of you knew, a similar peep hole looking out into the cellblock's hallway, but then having the door open would serve a similar purpose.

[Deadline]

Dagrun, Dwarf Cleric

Dagrun looks over the dining hall and shakes his head. "Messy little buggers," he mutters under his breath. He looks down the hallway leading to the cell block and then back to Cinder and Kaeravak. "Well ye two, which way do we go? We've got at least one drow sneakin' around here in the shadows, but we can't catch him just standin' here. Do we head down that way?" he motions toward the hallway.

[Surrealistik]

Kaeravak nods, frowning at the copious mess created by the kobold's dinner raid, communicating in hushed tones, careful to not be overheard.

"We continue the sweep of the main floor, circling from the guest quarters counterclockwise along the passages to the Briefing Room; let's be quick about it though; I don't want to risk being caught unawares by another bomb."

He gives the room a final scouring once over before turning to address the squad.

"We can cover more ground if we split up; it's tempting with their forces ostensibly cleared from the ground floor, but I wouldn't risk it."

Spoiler

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Perception: (1d20+0)[17]

[Inspectre]

With Kaeravak's suggestion of sweeping the rest of the floor in a counter-clockwise pattern, starting at the guest rooms, to the alchemy workshop/former torture chamber, to the servant quarters, and ending at the briefing room the most sensible plan put forth, the team decides to go with that. Rather than split their forces up any further with Akamenos and Khitan dealing with the already found Stonebreaker Bomb, the team decides to stick together.

Ferrum does decide to make one addition to the plan, however.

"If we all go following after the drow, he can just lead us on a merry chase through the manor. I will go up into the kitchen to guard that door, and maybe if he's looking out those peep holes I can keep his attention on me instead of you guys."

His mind made up, Ferrum goes stomping north into the dining room, and from there into the kitchen beyond. No immediate harm befalls him, although the drow could simply be biding his time.
Entering the secret passage behind the guest rooms, Cinder avoids setting off any kind of trap, and the rest of the trio that is all that's left of the team piles in behind her. Carefully glancing around the corner, Cinder sees that the other secret door leading into the former torture chamber is hanging open. If the drow was still in the workshop and paying attention, he would easily be able to see the team when they swung out into the corridor to approach the chamber to the north. However, Cinder is able to confirm that the drow is back there - because she can hear a whispered but heated conversation in Elven. Sounds like three separate voices. She can also catch a glimpse of what appears to be another Stonebreaker bomb within the room, a large hole cut into the floor of the room . . . and the prone form of a tied-up female drow!?

Spoiler: Perception DC 20

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You notice the drow hidden behind the open doorway leading into the chamber, watching the hallway for your approach.

You can make out the conversation going on between the drow clearly enough to understand it - if you speak Elven.

Spoiler: Speak Elven

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"Come on boss - just let me throw open this door in that . . . that thing's face out in the kitchen right now. I've never mentioned one of whatever he is, and I bet he'd make for an interesting duel!"

"Forget him - whatever he is, when this place goes he'll be buried beneath tons of rumble on the Cathedral District below. Let him dig his way out of that if he wants - we're leaving. Now."

"Are we seriously going to leave Elmi and Devinius behind!?"

"Their fault they're not here right now! They want to take their time, they can deal with these interlopers, whoever they are. We, meanwhile, are leaving - I want to be far away from here before the Stonebreakers blow. Can't collect payment if you're dead, and Bavinon has promised extra from taking on this side job of dropping the whole manor down onto to the Cathedral District. Our cut of that being split only three ways just means a bigger take for each of us."

"And the Commander here? We're . . . just gonna leave her behind as well?"

"Damn straight we are! After the fuss she made over this operation in general, Bavinon isn't going to question us if we tell him she conveniently wound up dead during the attack. And putting her severed head right next to a Stonebreaker that's about to go off is just the kind of insurance I want to make sure that death sticks!"

"Yeah, okay I guess . . . but . . . why not sell her to the Goodwill Ambassadors? With a body like that she'd fetch a high price and -"

"And you want to be looking over your shoulder for the rest of your centuries-long life!? Waiting for the Commander to come back and extract her own price for the little vacation you just sent her on?"

"Nobody's ever come back from a Goodwill tour, boss!"

"Nobody's come back *yet*. We're a lot longer lived than the surface worlders. Give it time - and even if you're right, there's always a first time. Are you willing to take that chance for some coin? Because I'm not - an Ambassadorship will just piss her off - I want her *dead*! It's the only way any of us will ever be safe if she wakes up again."

"Give it a rest with that Ambassador plan, you're starting to piss me off along with the boss! You wanna do her before doing her in, then be my guest but hurry up! I'm with the boss on this one - the further we're away from this place before it gets turned into falling rubble the better!"

Battle-Map

Spoiler: Tactical Considerations

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You guys may arrange yourselves on the map either within the secret passage, or in either of the guest rooms - the eastern guest room currently has no one in it, and the secret door there is closed (else the drow would be able to see you) - move action to open.

Roll Stealth with a +2 bonus if you want a surprise round, although you will likely need to spend it either moving or opening a door. DC is 17 to not be noticed by the drow guarding the door.

Area attacks within the workshop may be ill-advised, between hitting the captive drow on the floor, and more importantly, the Stonebreaker bomb itself. Either one may not die instantly from a single stray shot, but given the amount of AoE damage Kaeravak puts out things I would advise restraint.

The dark square with a green border around it is a hole in the floor, leading down into the webs supporting the manor (presumably). It seems you've found at least one of the drow's ingress points into the facility, as that definitely wasn't part of the design plans - they must have cut their way through.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

"Kae, Dagrun, I can 'ear three of 'em drow bastards. I can't seem 'em, but there's a 'ole in the floor. I be thinkin' that's their in-an'-out. If we wan't to stop 'em, and figure out who's the broad tied to the bomb, I be sayin' we need to 'it em, and 'it 'em now"

Spoiler

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Can the peek holes be used for shooting?

[Deadline]

Dagrun, Dwarf Cleric

The old dwarf nods quietly and raises his shield in preparation to rush into the room and take down the Drow. He mutters a quiet prayer, and a moment later the familiar dwarven ancestor spirit fades into view. It too hefts its shield and warhammer, taking up position next to Dagrun.

[Inspectre]

Spoiler: Stealth

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(+2 Distraction Bonus from Ferrum included)
Kaeravak - (1d20+7)[16]
Cinder - (1d20+15)[34]
Dagrun - (1d20+1)[2]

vs. DC 17, Success = Surprise Round . . . for what's it worth having no targets and starting at the end of a long hallway.

CINDER GETS A SURPRISE ROUND!

Spoiler: Initiative

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-Bad Guys-
Drow Leader - (1d20+5)[7]
Drow Fencer - (1d20+6)[11]
Drow Stalker - (1d20+8)[11]

-X-COM-
Kaeravak - (1d20+2)[21]
Cinder - (1d20+6)[25]
Dagrun - (1d20)[11]

(DC 20 Perception to notice the Drow at the doorway - otherwise he is invisible, and the other two are out of sight within the room behind and thus also technically hidden. Cinder has already failed her Perception check to notice the drow in the doorway.)

Battle-Map

Spoiler: Initiative Order

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Cinder - 25
Kaeravak - 21
Dagrun - 11
Drow Fencer - 11 DELAY
Drow Stalker - 11 DELAY
Drow Leader - 7

CINDER HAS SURPRISE ROUND. THEN EVERYONE IS UP!

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

"That's what I like to 'ear. Get Ready to fly, Dag"

With no target visible, Cinder aims blindly, assuming that there will be a guard next to the secret passage - as indeed she would insist on having were tables turned. Hoping that might cause him to poke his face out, she gives the drow a second to react, then sends a second set of darts before showering Dagrun in her faerie dust, helping the dwarf catapult forward.

Spoiler: Actions

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Surprise Action: Sly Flourish@ DS2
To Hit AC - (1d20+6)[13] (inc. CA and -5 from invisibility; ignores cover)
Damage - (3d6+7)[16] (inc. Sneak Attack)

Regular Turn:
Minor: Perception
Perception - (1d20+6)[17]

Standard: Sly Flourish@ DS2
To Hit AC - (1d20+6)[14] (inc. CA and -5 from invisibility; ignores cover, Add 5 if the Perception was above 20)
Damage - (3d6+7)[21] (inc. Sneak Attack)

Move: Pixie Dust @ Dagrun: Dagrun can Fly 6 as a free action
Hide: stealth - (1d20+13)[23] (not sure if I can do this when the move action doesn't actually move me, but might as well throw it in; also, in case Dagrun would rather not fly)

[Surrealistik]

"Well not like we can leave em be to go and detonate the place."

Kaeravak grits his teeth, mounting up on the door by Cinder, dagger clenched tight in a battle ready grip.

"Ready when you are."

****

Taking to cover by the second doorway, Kaeravak leans out from the frame to take his shot, careful not to present more of a target than absolutely necessary. With a practiced flick of his implement, a burning fusillade races down the hall, darts of flame twining about each other until they explode amidst the doorway and beyond in rapid sequence. Amazingly the drow bomb is spared, blast wave halting inches from the unstable device.

Spoiler

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Round 1

Move Action: Move to designated position. Stealth: (1d20+5)[14]

Standard Action: Ignition
Attack vs DS2 Fortitude: (1d20+8)[24] (+2 CA? May be other stealthed targets?)
Hit Effect: (1d10+10)[14] fire damage.
Effect: Burst creates a zone until the start of Kaeravak's next turn. Creatures that enter or end their turn in the zone take 2 fire damage, and can only take this damage 1 / turn.

If a hit target survives:

Free Action: Hellfire Heart
Effect: The enemy takes 6 fire damage. Until the start of your next turn, it has a -2 penalty to the attack rolls of attacks that include you as a target


Contingencies:

Free Action: Infernal Wrath
Trigger: Kaeravak takes damage from a creature within 10 squares of him
Target: Close burst 10 (triggering enemy within the burst)
Effect: Kaeravak deals 1d6+6 fire damage to the triggering creature.

[Inspectre]

Coated in Cinder's powder, Dagrun rockets down the hallway. As the powder's powder fades, the dwarf uses his own legs to continue his charge, getting right up into the mouth of the doorway. The flames summoned by Kaeravak curl painfully around the dwarf's feet, but his charge manages to reveal an important detail - namely, that there was in fact a drow right next to the doorway, and where the other two drow where within the room.

"Ach, ye backstabbing bastards! Have a taste of dwarven steel!"

Dagrun shouts as he brings his weapon around through the doorway at the drow door guard. Unfortunately, the hammer only smashes chips of wood out of the door frame.

Behind him, the dwarven ancestor begins lumbering down the hallway as well.

Spoiler: Dagrun

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Free: Fly 6 squares down the hallway
Move: Move 4 squares down the hallway, taking 2 Fire damage in the process. The Spirit moves 5 squares as well (it requires an actual move action, so the free flight doesn't trigger its movement I believe).
Standard: Warhammer versus Drow Stalker
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[15]
Damage: (1d10+1)[6]

[Inspectre]

The drow nearest to the doorway sputters in surprise as the doorframe near him gets shot into splinters by Cinder, before Dagrun's warhammer pulverizes another section of the wood.
Once he overcomes his surprise, however, he is swift to react, dropping a smoke bomb and tumbling through the ensuing cloud to disappear. He reappears a moment later on the other side of the bomb (clearly trying to use it for cover) as he snaps off a shot at Dagrun. As the dwarf recoils from the shot, the drow takes a shot with a second hand crossbow over his shoulder at Kaeravak as he peers around through the secret doorway at the far end of the hallway to get ready to take another shot.

Spoiler: Drow Stalker

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Minor: Darkfire Cloud
Move: Stealth: (1d20+12)[23] (Beats Dagrun's passive perception, so he doesn't get an OA). Drow does take 2 Fire damage from moving through the zone though.
Standard: Handcrossbow vs. Dagrun (if it hits, he gets a second shot, which he will take at Kaeravak.)
To-Hit: (1d20+8)[24]
Damage: 13 (Automatically crits due to Dagrun not being able to see the Drow).

Two-Fisted shooter proc vs Kaeravak
To-Hit: (1d20+4)[18] (-2 Cover, -2 Penalty)
Damage: (1d6+7)[8]

[Inspectre]

The other two drow, although not quite as fast as the one guarding the door, nonetheless finally react to Dagrun crashing through the door.

"Finally, some more action! I was starting to get bored with this place!"

The drow watching the far secret doorway exclaims as he draws his rapier with a flourish and races towards Dagrun.
Upon reaching the dwarf, the drow gives a mocking bow as he feints at the dwarf with his rapier.

"Come on, stumpy legs. Let's see how well you dance!"

Spoiler: Fencer

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Move: Move
Standard: Move, into Kaeravak's fire, taking 2 Fire damage.
Minor: Mark Dagrun

"Ugh. Idiots. Just kill them and by done with it!"

The group's leader snarls as he walks towards the hole in the floor, snapping off a crossbow shot at Dagrun as he goes. The bolt hits just below where the other drow's bolt did, biting deep into Dagrun's flesh and causing the dwarf to bleed profusely.

Spoiler: Leader

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Move: Move to near hole in the floor.
Standard: Fire at Dagrun
To-Hit: (1d20+9)[24]
Damage: (1d6+5)[9]

Although muffled by the intervening walls, and doors, it's clear that Ferrum had heard the explosions.

"I'M COMING GUYS!"

The reforged satyr yells as he moves up to the secret door in the kitchen. (Ferrum will join the battle at the start of the next round.)

Spoiler: Initiative Order

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Cinder - 25
Kaeravak - 21
Dagrun - 11
-----------------------
Drow Stalker - 11 DELAY
Drow Fencer - 11 DELAY
Drow Leader - 7

CINER, KAERAVAK, and DAGRUN ARE UP!

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

Cinder doesn't bother answering the taunts of the drow instead readying her spikes, waiting for the stupid cloud to peter out so she can take a shot. With time to prepare, she concentrates, letting the darts be coated in her toxin - enough to give the drow a bit of trouble for a few seconds, and her enough time to get out of the line of sight of the damn crossbows.

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard: Ready: Sly Flourish @DF1/DS2/DL1 (in that order, based on who is visible)
Trigger: Darkfire cloud dispels
To Hit AC - (1d20+11)[22] (inc. CA)
Damage - (3d6+7)[20] (inc. Sneak Attack)

If hit: No Action: Strike from Shadows
Effect: DF1 is weakened, and Cinder shifts 1 to the left (west) and hides
stealth - (1d20+13)[25]

[Surrealistik]

When a barrier of impenetrable darkness suddenly materializes between Kaeravak and his targets, the psuedo-tiefling growls with frustration, face soured with contempt.

"Typical drow cowardice! Looks like we'll just have to smoke em out."

Charging towards the enemy position, the pyromancer's hands become replete with raging flame that intensify with each step. Finding a suitable angle, the living torch clasps his fingers into a fantastic fusion of incendiary might that surges off his white hot dagger, forming a globe of annihilation that seethes through the darkness and into the unseen beyond. Reaching the end of its stability, it airbursts into a spectacular pyroclasm, obliterating one of the drow as tendrils of flame dart out to savage another, narrowly missing.

Spoiler

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Round 2

Move Action: Move to designated position. Stealth: (1d20)[5]

Standard Action: Ignition
Free Action: Elemental Escalation
Attack vs DS2 Fortitude: (1d20+9)[15] (+1 from Bloodhunt)
Attack vs DL1 Fortitude: (1d20+8)[13] (added as a target due to Elemental Escalation)
Hit Effect: (2d10+10)[19] fire damage.
Effect: Burst creates a zone until the start of Kaeravak's next turn. Creatures that enter or end their turn in the zone take 2 fire damage, and can only take this damage 1 / turn.

Free Action: Elemental Escalation Shift 1 square. Stealth: (1d20+5)[6]

Contingencies:

Free Action: Infernal Wrath
Trigger: Kaeravak takes damage from a creature within 10 squares of him
Target: Close burst 10 (triggering enemy within the burst)
Effect: Kaeravak deals 1d6+6 fire damage to the triggering creature.

[Deadline]

Dagrun, Dwarf Cleric

Suddenly plunged into inky darkness and suffering from a pair of expertly aimed bolts, Dagrun grimaces as he lashes out with his hammer once more at the space in front of him, hoping to connect with the drow who had recently been standing there. He then hefts his shield and takes a moment to fight back the pain of his wounds and center himself. His ghostly ally marches resolutely forward to stand at Dagrun's back.

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard: Attack with Warhammer (at a -5 penalty?) - (1d20-1)[0]
Damage: (1d10+1)[5]

Minor: Second Wind

Move: Move Einherjar

[Inspectre]

Kaeravak's explosion, despite not being within the cloud of darkness, nonetheless somehow manages to dispel it - perhaps with the death of the drow who created it? (No, it was just his turn up next ).

Whatever the reason, the cloud of darkness dissipates just long enough for Cinder and Dagrun to get a glimpse of the rapier wielding drow assaulting Dagrun, which is long enough for Cinder to sink a poisoned crossbow bolt into his flesh. Dagrun also takes a swing, but his blow goes wide, although it does force the drow back enough for the dwarf to catch his breath.

"Damn interlopers!"

The rapier-wielder grunts, ripping Cinder's bolt out of his shoulder before conjuring up another cloud of darkness. Dagrun hears and feels his assailant lunge forward and retreat rather than see it as a result. Having just caught his breath, Dagrun is narrowly able to turn the blow aside (hurray +2 defenses from Second Wind.)

Spoiler: Drow Fencer

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Minor: Cloud of Darkness
Standard: Riposte Strike
To-Hit: (1d20+10)[18] (+2 CA due to Dagrun being unable to see the Drow)
Damage: (1d8+7)[13]
Hit: If Dagrun attacks the drow, the drow may make a Riposte strike against him as an Immediate Reaction. He is also Marked until the end of the drow's next turn.
Move: Move towards the exit.

[Inspectre]

As the drow flees, Dagrun takes another wild, blind swing with his warhammer.

Spoiler: Dagrun AO

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To-Hit: (1d20-1)[9]
Damage: (1d10+1)[5]

From his position by the exit hole, the drow leader snaps off another shot, and then jumps down out of sight with a mumbled "forget this!"

Spoiler: Drow Leader

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Standard: Shoot at Dagrun
To-Hit: (1d20+9)[15]
Damage: (1d6+5)[9]
Move: Jump down the hole, exiting the combat unless people want to try and give chase.

A few moments later, the secret door leading into the kitchen smashes open, and Ferrum comes running in. He nearly collides with the drow rapier-wielder.

"I'm coming gu - HEY!"

(Ferrum probably won't be much of an impact on this fight as it's nearly over - how convenient, no? )


CINDER, DAGRUN, KAERAVAK ARE UP!

[Surrealistik]

Kaervak storms into the workshop, heedless of the darkness shrouding his entry. Though blinded by enveloping shadows, the deft, albeit nonetheless audible footfalls of the remaining drow proves an unmistakable contrast to Ferrum's thunderous movements.

"Tell you what drow, I'm feeling generous today, so I figure I'll give you a break: lay down your arms and surrender or join your friend as a pile of ash. Limited time offer, and you'd best pick fast, cause it's been a long day and I can't vouch for my patience."

Spoiler

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Round 3

Move Action: Move to designated position. Stealth: (1d20)[6]

Free Action: Intimidate: (1d20+6)[25]

(If the drow fencer does not surrender)

Standard Action: Ignition
Attack vs DF1 Fortitude: (1d20+8)[16]
Hit Effect: (1d10+10)[14] fire damage.
Effect: Burst creates a zone until the start of Kaeravak's next turn. Creatures that enter or end their turn in the zone take 2 fire damage, and can only take this damage 1 / turn.

Contingencies:

Free Action: Infernal Wrath
Trigger: Kaeravak takes damage from a creature within 10 squares of him
Target: Close burst 10 (triggering enemy within the burst)
Effect: Kaeravak deals 1d6+6 fire damage to the triggering creature.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

With no enemy in sight, Cinder scuttles forward along the corridor wall, making sure to stay well hidden.

Spoiler

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Move: Move, and hide
stealth - (1d20+13)[19]

Standard: Move, and if the previous hide is a roll <10, hide again
stealth - (1d20+13)[32]

[Inspectre]

The drow's only reply is to spit at Kaeravak, who engulfs the dark elf in flame a moment later.

(Nice Intimidate check, but the drow wasn't quite Bloodied yet. However, that has convinced him to run away, should he survive Dagrun's blast that I'm making on Deadline's behalf).

While the blast doesn't incinerate the drow completely, it does seem to convince him to join his leader in running for his life. Seeing the drow at last after the darkness around him starts to dissipate, Dagrun summons a blast of divine fire to fling at the back of the drow's head.

"Oh no you don't!"

Spoiler: Dagrun's Attack

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Sacred Flame
To-Hit: (1d20+5)[17]
Damage: (1d6+4)[5] Radiant

The blast sears the flesh of the drow's face, prompting him to stagger and cry out in agony, but he doesn't go down, slapping at the flames from Kaeravak's blast clinging to his legs as he stumbles his way over to the hole in the floor, diving down into it head-first. Silence reigns in the room now, save for the relentless ticking of the Stonebreaker counting down towards destruction.

"That it? We win already?"

Ferrum grunts, although for the moment at least, no more threats materialize to challenge that assertion. There is still an enigma confronting the group, however, in the form of the half-naked drow woman tied to the Stonebreaker by several loops of thin spidersilk rope wrapped around her midsection. It's clear by the bruises on her forehead and the bloodstained bandages wrapped around her left shoulder that she's been in a fight, although the clingy lavender chemise (conservative by drow standards) she's currently wearing conflict with that idea - perhaps the pile of discarded weapons and armor in one corner of the room were hers? The drow certainly didn't trust her as while only a few strands of the rope tie her to the bomb, the rest of it was put to good use stringently binding her arms and legs in a cocoon of webbing.

"So, uh . . . we getting Akamenos in here to disarm this one too? What are we going to do with the lady here? She certainly doesn't seem to be any friend of theirs, although I don't recognize her as X-COM either."


Some hidden facts about the lady drow - necessary skill checks are part of the spoiler tag., with associated DCs for each.

Spoiler: Perception, DC 15

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Did you make your check, Grey_wolf?

Spoiler

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While the drow woman's shoulder has been expertly bandaged, she has several other more minor wounds that have been left untreated - a scratch on her arm and a gash in her side that has left the chemise there bloodsoaked. These could be properly treated with a DC 10 and DC 15 Heal check respectively. The wounds suggest that either she got into a fight after her shoulder was bandaged, or whoever treated her wasn't interested in treating those wounds for some reason.

Spoiler: Insight, DC 20

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Did you make your check, Grey_wolf?

Spoiler

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Although she appears to be unconscious, you see just the hint of movement under her eyelids - she's probably awake and listening while trying to assess the sudden change in her situation.

Spoiler: Streetwise/History, DC 25

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Did you make your check, Grey_wolf?

Spoiler

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You don't recognize the woman, but you are familiar enough with drow society to suspect that she may be part of the nobility, based on the quality of her gear and the precise shade of her skin. If so, there should be a very small, barely noticeable brand behind her right ear that should confirm this - the mark of the House that she belongs to.

Kuroi/Wymmerdann/Bluydee/Scylfing

(Welcome to X-Com! We'll be starting you guys off just a tiny bit from the others. Probably meet up with them in a post or two unless you go in the completely opposite direction for no discernible reason? )

It was supposed to just be a relaxing evening, or what passed for an evening down here in the city of eternal night, Dudinnas, city state of the Drow. Situated above an underground lake, the drow capital city strongly resembled a tiered wedding cake made out of spider webbing and buildings. That first impression was not entirely inaccurate, but rather than perfectly circular layers Dudinnas was more a series of rough triangles layered on top of each other, impaled through the middle by a central stone pillar and anchored to a set of seven smaller pillars arrayed around the central one. The entire city and part of the surrounding lake below it was permanently lit up by patches of bioluminescent fungus, shedding all of the colors of the rainbow depending on the artistic taste of the cultivator and the minerals they used to fertilize it with.

X-COM's training facility was located on the second-lowest level, in an isolated corner that was once a minor noble house, only one of many amongst all the other noble manors, administrative buildings, and (largely abandoned) temples. The city was not exactly friendly to outsiders, although the drow had been quick to realize that without the protection of their now-dead goddess Lolth, outside support was necessary for their continued survival. Since then, they had been aggressively open to foreign investment, and exporting their unique brand of goods and services up to the seedier areas of the surface world.

While officially the training center's policy was that recruits were not to go outside the training facility without proper escort for any reason, it was a fairly open secret that such a policy was not enforced barring any incidents occurring in Dudinnas due to X-COM personnel. Don't get caught, in effect, and more than one person has theorized that this was a de facto means to test recruits and see if they could display the necessary discretion for field work. And if a recruit got into trouble in Dudinnas or disappeared, well . . . that tended to be treated as the cost of operating a base inside of the drow's home, and X-COM tended to cut its losses over wayward recruits.

The need to have a "safe" locale for X-COM recruits to mingle with the city gave rise to The Tavern - known by the citizens of Dudinnas as The Crimson Nightcap Tavern. An enterprising drow, the owner realized that this building full of outsiders to the city needed a place to come and blow off steam - and with most of the level of this city inhabited by snobby nobles, and with minimal foot traffic due to its relatively remote location to those without business down here - he was quick to adopt an "all outsiders welcome" policy. The Tavern had since been adopted by X-COM as the de-facto place to go for drinks or to simply relax outside of the facility, and more outsiders from above who heard of the place also trickled in to donate their business. Which pissed off to no end the handful of drow clientele who had been giving their patronage to the tavern first.

They were all over there in their usual corner, sulking over their drinks, while several other tables were inhabited by a multitude of guests from across the world - tieflings, dwarves, and kobolds being the largest in number. As far as you knew, the four of you were the only X-COM agents within the tavern, although it would be fitting if there was some member of security here to discretely keep an eye on things. Yet while the bar was willing to cater to any number of outsiders, there was one thing the clientele was *still* not wiling to tolerate.

The catcalls and half-mumbled threats from the table in the corner drew your attention to the door, where a tall she-elf had entered. Even after all these years, the drow still opened their city to their fairer-skinned cousins from the surface only begrudgingly, and any elf out on the streets without heavy escort was in danger of being dragged into a dark alley and having a series of unpleasant things be done to them. The she-elf for her part barely even paid the threatening catcalls any mind as she scanned the bar, and then made a beeline straight for your table. Without being invited, she sits down at your table, and after spending a moment examining all of you, speaks with shocking bluntness.

"So, I'm not sure that there's a sign and countersign for this particular contingency, so I'm just going to come out and say it. I'm Elise Vallen, head researcher for X-COM, here to take over the training facility. I assume that you all are X-COM? Do you know what's happened to the facility? When my companions and I arrived here the facility was dark and seemed to be uninhabited. Did something happen?"

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

"Bloody $%&#in' cowardly drow. Them bastards could've 'least 'ave the guts to defend their damn bomb. Oh, well, their problem, not mine. Them who paid 'em to blow up the place won't be too 'appy to 'ear they didn't get it done. Them bastards are gonna be runnin' for a lon' time, now."

She takes a quick look around the place, taking in the prisoner and the bomb, and flutters over to them. "Dagrun, th' girl drow is 'urt - nasty wound on the shoulder got fixed, but I'm thinkin' that her drow-'friends' then 'it 'er a few extra times a-fore they tied 'er to the bomb. Be careful of 'er, though - I ain't trustin' them bloody drows, not even those that just got stabbed in the back by my enemies. I'll take care of the bomb. You can take care of the girl."

Spoiler

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Cinder will need two minutes to disarm the bomb (1 minute per thievery check, I have +20 for a DC 20) before or after the short rest (I mean, I suppose she can skip the short rest, but I'd go into the next fight without two encounter powers).

[Deadline]

Dagrun, Dwarf Cleric

Dagrun scowls at the drow woman but nods to the pixie and moves over to the drow woman, taking care to make sure his movements are slow and easy to follow. When he gets close he notices that she's awake, and he quietly reassures her, "Take it easy now lass. Let me check those bandages and see about changing them. Yer bleedin' through in a couple o' places." He keeps a wary eye on her as he works, trying to make sure that she doesn't stab him in the throat with a hidden blade. Doing so means that it takes him longer than it should to check her bandages, find her untreated injuries, and treat her.

Spoiler: Actions

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Dagrun will do what he can for the drow woman, but he's going to be very cautious around her.

If relevant, here's a Heal check: (1d20+10)[29]

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Cinder Ashborn, Pixie Harrier

Cinder takes her eyes off the bomb for a few seconds, enough to point out where the drow is bleeding from - a bad scratch in her arm, and a deep wound in her side.

Spoiler

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Deadline, it seems you need two checks, but thankfully the first is a DC10 that is an auto-success for you. The other (the side wound) was a DC15 that was plentifully covered by your check

[Bluydee]

T-0, Warforged Tactician

T-0, was, of course, not having a good day. He wouldn't admit it, of course, as his superior metal chassis had no need for such feelings, and yet, he felt the closest thing his intelligent mind has to annoyance.

His plan, if any could be called simple, was simple. The last part of training these such "X-COM" operatives had was here- that much, he retained after the crippling attack to his empire. Therefore, after sneaking his way into a research center near his island, and receiving the proper upgrades to this, frankly, outdated and horribly clunky body by their pathetic R&D division, he would wait in their local gathering place, approach the X-COM recruits, have them escort him to their main base, where then he would download and assimilate all the information they had to offer before rebuilding his army and driving off this Far Realm threat in the way of his world domination.

But of course, X-COM had to be attacked and disbanded, and set his plans back months. Of course, there was no time to mourn his beautifully crafted, ingenious plan, and so he decided to wait as he would've normally. Any remaining stragglers would have to travel here, he reasoned. It had been easy to masquerade as one of his pitiful cousins sent to help this specific facility, with "emotions" and "feelings". Feh. He sat with these recruits, waiting for them to leave so he could follow when a "researcher" came to ask what happened to the facility.

"Statement: I am not informed of the current state of affairs of this center, as I have just entered here."

[Inspectre]

The drow woman is deathly still as Dagrun approaches, but once he addresses her, one eye snaps open, revealing a purple iris only a few shades darker than her chemise.

"Mrf mhmm ma mrm."

The drow woman grunts, her words muffled into nonsense by the strange fact that her lips do not part at any point. A low growl issues from the woman's throat after this happens, and a closer inspection of her lips quickly reveals the source of this difficulty - her lips have been hastily sewn shut by some thin spidersilk thread. The drow you had just chased off evidentially were both really scared of, and really didn't like this woman. In her current condition and bound as tightly as she was, however, there was little to fear from the woman despite Dagrun's

However dangerous she was normally, bound as tightly as she was Dagrun had nothing to fear. That was, of course, assuming that her bonds didn't have some sort of release knot, or that she was palming a small knife somewhere - the drow were insane, evil, and cunning. It would be just the sort of plot they would come up with to tie one of their members to a bomb in order to get a group of sucker "rescuers" to lower their guard. That being said, the woman's wounds were real enough - the scratch was barely more than that, and already starting to scab over.

The gash on her side was considerably more serious, however - it was still oozing blood, and in another couple hours the woman would have bled out if shock didn't manage to put an end to her first. Dagrun's brought people back from the brink with far worse injuries, though, and he swiftly manages to clean out the injury and bandage it. To his healer's eye, it looks like a stab from a piercing weapon - perhaps the drow fencer's rapier - that came in straight in from the side, before the woman pivoted away enough to get her armor to deflect the thrust enough that instead of skewering her through, it merely tore a sizable chunk out of her side instead.

The woman stoically endures Dagrun's treatment, shifting as best she could to allow him to treat her wounds, and only wincing once as Dagrun' cleaned out her side. That left only the bloodsoaked bandages covering her shoulder, although several loops of the spidersilk rope binding her arms also went over the bandages, helping to hold them down. Without cutting the bandages apart, it would be difficult to remove the bandages without cutting those loops of rope first - although even without those loops her arms would still be helplessly bound, just less excessively so.

"Mumph mer?"

The drow woman sighs, rolling her eyes.

(DC 15 Heal to change the bandages on her shoulder if you cut the ropes, DC 20 if you don't.)

[Dacia Brabant]

Asher, Cindersoul Genasi Warsmith

There was a bald-headed man in the group who sat quietly, starting into a mug of the warmest drink they could make in this place (it was passable). His complection was very nearly as black as their hosts in this city, but from his build he was clearly no elf, and from the deep red lines that burned as they coursed his skin he was clearly no human either.

He didn't bother look up from his mug as the woman addressed them, even when she introduced herself as their commanding-officer-to-be, but when she mentioned the inactivity at the facility he did finally look up, his red pinpoints for eyes narrowed in an apparent frown.

"Not that I'm aware of. I haven't been here long enough to darken the place, but when we left it seemed normal."