Wrath of the Righteous - Worldwound Incursion [IC]

[Kallimakus]

There's no trap on the door, but you hear scrabbling, something moving behind the door. It doesn't sound like a mongrelman. Or even bipedal. More like some kind of creature trapped or contained there.

[Kish]

"Hrm. That...does not sound worth dealing with." Hesper steps back and walks over to inspect the north door.

Spoiler

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Perception on the north door: (1d20+6)[9]

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 17/17 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 5/2/7
Diplomacy/Bluff +10 | Knowledge Religion/History +7 | Knowledge Planes +9 | Perception +10 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 6/7
Effects:  Bless 

"Agreed. Let's save it for last if we really want to explore afterwards." Luna follows Hesper north, and does her own checking of the door, and then listening for sounds.

Spoiler: ooc

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Cast Guidance, Search the door for traps: (1d20+11)[30]
Cast Guidance. Listen at the door to try to detect whatever is on the other side: [roll]1d20+11[/roll]

[Kallimakus]

The North door is quiet. Not a sound, and certainly no sign of traps. Everything appears to be clear. The door is even slightly ajar.

Spoiler: OOC

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There are enemies in the room. The Perception DC is 15, which means that Hesper and Luna miss the Surprise round

(1d20+3)[14] Enemy initiative

[Zhentarim]

Pistol still drawn, Diamond follows the others. He attacks if he sees anything demonic.

[Frosty]

Luna is ready to step in and explore the northern room.

[Foryn Gilnith]

Esper stands somewhere to the northwest, shield slack but still fastened in place. The task of investigation is best left to those of keener eyes (and frankly, of keener mind) - her own vision would be better served loosely scanning the surroundings in case something strange happens.

Spoiler

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Perception 14 fails.

[Kallimakus]

"By the power of our dark masters" two voices chant in unison, dark magic flaring from either side of the door that the group is going through.

As the group moves in, they are beset upon by a pair of women, one assailing Luna (who opened the door) with a swing of a scythe, the other levelling a glaive in a more defensive posture. Both are wreathed in a dark aura and bear a silver demonic rune on a chain around their neck.

Even as they move, your allies start to take action.
Aravashinal chants a quick spell, his hand glowing. "My magic will boost your prowess" he says.
Emilie conjures another spear, but has no good line of attack at the moment.

Spoiler: OOC

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(1d20+4)[11] Scythe attack
(2d4+3)[8] Scythe damage
Knowledge (religion) for each of the two symbols. It's PC turn.
You stand at a choke point. The enemies (and all of you except Luna) have cover against any attacks at this time. You will either need to push in or lure the enemies out of position.

Aravashinal can give Heroism (+2 to attacks, saves and skills for 1 hour) to a willing person.

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 17/17 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 5/2/7
Diplomacy/Bluff +10 | Knowledge Religion/History +7 | Knowledge Planes +9 | Perception +10 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 6/7
Effects:  Bless 

Blocking the scythe with her shield, the cleric moves back in order to give the paladin room to move to the door. Before she lets Esper move up, however, Luna lets loose a torrent of fire from her palms. "FAN OF FLAMES, BEEATCH!"

Spoiler: ooc

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5ft step back, then cast Burning Hands (Reflex DC15 for half): (1d6)[3]

Spoiler: MAP

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[Foryn Gilnith]

Leading with her shield arm, Esper moves into the space Luna vacated, reaching out to bludgeon the demonically gifted woman nearest the room before swiftly returning her arm to a guard position close to her body. "Drop your weapons! It is not too late for mercy."

Spoiler

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Attack 20, damage 8, as per discord.

[Kish]

After Aravashnial casts his spell on her and Esper steps up and attacks, Hesper says, "If you can summon something in the room with them and tell it to attack the demon cultists, that would be a good idea, Aravashnial," as she moves into the room and ducks behind the scythe-wielder.

Spoiler

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Moving to the square two west and one north of Esper and attacking the scythe-wielder. (1d20+8)[26] Critical threat check (on an 18-20): (1d20+8)[27] Damage: (2d6+1)[6] Critical damage: (1d6+1)[2]

[Kallimakus]

As Luna backs away and frees the line of fire, Diamond lets loose with his firearm, with a sudden bang and a cloud of smoke. The bullet impacts on the wall behind the demon cultists.

The scythe-wielder goes down to the blows by Hesper and Esper. She falls to the ground, bleeding to death.

"Perish!" the other one shouts, calling upon the power of Deskari in a wave of fell energy.She takes a step back, against the wall, with her glaive held out against any willing attackers.

Spoiler: Channel Negative Energy

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(1d6)[3], Will DC 11 half

"For Kenabres!" Anevia calls out, loosing an arrow at the cultist.
"Attack the cultist" Aravashinal says calmly. The Earth Elemental he summoned earlier surfaces next to the cultist, striking out with a stony fist.
"Take this!" Emilie shouts, casting a spear at the cultist
"Yeah!" Give it to them!" Horgus calls from the back, not attacking

Spoiler: Allied damage rolls

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(1d6+1)[5] Anevia
(1d6+4)[6] Aravashinal's elemental
(1d8+3)[5] Emilie (1d20+5)[23] Crit confirm (1d8+3)[10] crit damage?

The cultist is pummelled, put off balance, and then pinned to the wall by a spear. Both opponents are out of commission

[Kish]

Hesper pauses to search the bodies. "Two fewer human cultists down here, anyway."

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 17/17 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 5/2/7
Diplomacy/Bluff +10 | Knowledge Religion/History +7 | Knowledge Planes +9 | Perception +10 | 
Resources:  Channels 4/5, Fire Bolt 6/7
Effects:  Bless 

The cleric smiles as her allies help finish off the pair of enemies here. "Do a quick search of their bodies, and then let's move! We should defeat the enemy before they have a chance to group up! Here, I can heal us all from that attack."

With that, Luna glows a golden white again before pulsing out a wave of positive energy, healing everyone.

Spoiler: ooc

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Will save against Negative Channel: (1d20+7)[23]
Channel positive healing: (1d6)[3]

[Kallimakus]

The elemental speaks to Aravashinal in Terran, before disappearing from the plane. "There are a few rooms downstairs. Four mongrelmen and a human cultist are there. To our right is a sluice. There is supposedly "treasure" down there. Up ahead is the way up, but the elemental could not scout it further."

Spoiler: Loot

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2 potions, four scrolls and 2 vials of unholy water;
2 Mwk chain shirts, mwk glaive, mwk scythe, dagger, 2 spell component pouches, 2 silver unholy symbols (of Deskari and Baphomet, 18 gp.
Getting the chainshirts off if them will take a while.

[Kish]

"Only the healing potions would be useful to me," Hesper says. "Treasure? Hm. We already decided not to go down, but we can tell Chief Sull what to expect there. Think it's worth looking at this sluice with treasure before we go up?"

[Frosty]

Lunda is glad to see potions and scrolls for the taking. She suddenly has an idea. "Hey, I've got a GREAT idea. If there's only 5 enemies left, who may be trapped down in the lower room, why don't we wait by the ladder and hit them as they come up? And, in the meantime, we can have one of us run bac to the good mongrelfolk village, and request some backup. If we can reinforce, but the enemy can't, AND we can possible starve them out, it's a good situation for us. I don't want to just go straight to the surface. These evil cultists could make a lot more trouble for our new friends down here."

[Kallimakus]

"But we're so close" Anevia says. "I say we push on."
"I can understand your haste, but making sure we are not pursued from behind would be safest" Aravashinal muses.
"I... We should head to the surface" Emilie says.
"As long as we get to the surface, I don't care either way" Horgus says. "I could make a run for the village and bring some of the..." he hesitates "people back. As long as you swear not to ditch me!"
"We've been down here for days" Anevia says. "We can't wait long enough to starve them out."
"The support of the mongrelfolk will be more beneficial in the long run" Aravashinal counters. If we could convince them to turn on the cultist"
"You heard what their boss said, they're committed." Anevia says.

Emilie turns to Luna. "They can stay down there for days. We could drop the ladder back, but they'll be suspicious."

[Kish]

"I don't think we have the time or the ability to deprogram demon cultists. And just dropping the ladder back down and waiting for them to swarm mindlessly up it would not help. Some of Chief Sull's people might have an idea. Let's take Horgus up on his offer; they'll at least have some input."

[Frosty]

"First, you can't swarm up a ladder. It just doesn't work. We can kill them one by one if we need to. Secondly, we don't need to starve them out. We can FLOOD them out." To emphasize her point, Luna creates 4 gallons of water out of thin air, using a minor spell. "I can do this ALL day long. But yes, Gwerm, take one other person with you and head back to the village and see what Chief Sull suggests."

[Kallimakus]

"Fine" Anevia says.
Horgus takes Emilie along, as she is not burdened by blindness or broken leg.

The water flows down the hole, and it doesn't take long before there are noises of alarm down there. They also hear a woman shouting.
"What do you meant there's water coming from above? I swear to the..." her voice grows more quiet. Moments later, more snippets follow.
"...Well FIND OUT!"
"What do you meant 'the ladder's gone!?'"

"Umm..." a tentative voice sounds from below. "Guys? Enough messing with us. You know how Hosilla gets when she's mad"

[Kish]

"Is Hosilla one of the cultists we killed?" Hesper calls back sweetly. "Those of you who are still alive--I believe that's just the ones down there--should surrender."

[Zhentarim]

Having had something in his eye. Diamond missed a large chunk of the scene which had unfolded before him. Choosing not to explain or admit why he hadn’t assisted in taking down the two opponents, he chose to simply watch to see what the others did.

[Frosty]

Luna sighs. If the enemies below didn't know that the people up here are hostile well, they do NOW! "Alright LISTEN UP! Who is down there still? We want to resolve this situation with no one else getting hurt if possible, but you have to do as we say."

[Kallimakus]

"Will you guarantee us passage away?" the raging voice says, more gently. "Dying would not suit us"

[Frosty]

Luna shouts back, "How do you feel about reconciliation with the other mongrelfolk and living with them? If it were possible, would you want to? I understand that your former leader sided with the demon cultists because she thought the crusaders had no chance of winning."

[Zhentarim]

Diamond nods at Luna’s wise words.

[Kallimakus]

"Champions of righteousness?" the woman's voice calls. "Too timid to come down and face us?"

"In exchange for a free passage, I have something that you might find valuable. Or rather... Something people like you would rather see untainted..."

[Kish]

"Considering the odds that you would have not tainted anything like that already if you had it and could...I'd call that a tiresome bluff," Hesper replies. "And we have far too many responsibilities to grandstand by responding to your taunts."

[Frosty]

"Yes, no more insults. If you want to show us that you have something to give us, then do so. One of you climb up and show us the item. I give you my word as a uhh..."Champion of righteousness" that I will not harm you. In fact, Wenduag is currently unharmed and treated well."