DrK Wrath Righteous Reboot IC

[Spore]

Leonius Caela Telum Aasimar Cleric AC: 17 HP: 28/28 touch: 10, ff: 18, CMD: 14 Conditions: Blessing of Vigilance (Lesser Age Resistance, 24h), Seize the Initiative (0/7 used, targetting self and Gashur) The cleric's killing blow was low and uncalled for, but anger overwhelmed him. The aasimar sheathes his blade and simply asks Never make me slander my goddess ever again. He takes the obsidian symbol and the other holy symbols of the demon lords and throws them into the nearest fire. Then, as the group investigates the loot and trap door, he turns to Gashur. Do you have a minute? If he agrees, Leonius will turn a bit away from the group. Your disguise was formidable, and your 'acting' he accentuates the word was very... believable. I hope we do not have any issues regarding human flesh? Leonius was glad Gashur was on his side, and he knew not everyone shared Iomedae's sense of valor, but there were boundaries. He then advances towards the trap door, glancing into the darkness. Spoiler Show Not trying to go for interparty conflict, but Gashur is kinda scary IC.

[u-b]

Gashur is sure in no hurry. He takes out the wand, zaps two charges at himself, then comes to chat with Leonius. At the question, he just shrugs. "I've had sharp teeth since the youth and bitten many things. Humans are far from the worst, actually. Biting a robot is uncomfortable, even more so is biting an otyugh, but I have done both and am still here, alive and well. Admitting, I had to spit the stuff out both times. Demons are a mixed bag and I think I would not like the idea of biting a mimic, but as far as a roasted human's concerned - no, no problem at all."

Spoiler

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Wand of CLW: (1d8+1)[3]

[DrK]

As Gashur pauses to examine the scene he looks and spies a thin coating of a liquid sap on the surface of the chest (likley poison). Apart from that the room seems devoid of risk, the strange weedlike growths are still and the clockwork demon mannequin with a the clay jar in front of it stands still...

(Assuming Tali, Sierra or Leonius cast detect magic) in their magical sight the symbol on the wall glows slight, a mixture of abjurant and illusionary magic

[u-b]

Gashur explains his findings, listens to the spellcasters, asks them to clarify some things, then spends some more time observing the scenery. Then he proposes the people vacate the room and let him do some doings. If anyone else wants to do some doings, Gashur will vacate instead.

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(Assuming Tali, Sierra or Leonius cast detect magic) in their magical sight the symbol on the wall glows slight, a mixture of abjurant and illusionary magic

1. So, neither the bottle, nor the contents of the chest shine anything?
2. Does the chest feature a lock?
3. If so, is it internal or external?
4. Does the bottle with the liquid seem mostly or partially full?

[Starbuck_II]

Mong does his best to detect if any of the contents are magical with detect magic.

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Dang we have a lot of magic users. Cast Detect magic. Maybe read any strange designs on chests Runes.
Some random rolls
Perception - (1d20+3)[9]
Arcana - (1d20+4)[20]
Linguistics - (1d20+4)[17]
Local - (1d20+4)[17]

[DrK]

The two orcs crouched at the top of the stairs down the cellar continue to looks down. The magical auras are only present on the Bull's head upon the hall. The chest and the statuette and the bottle not showing any signs of being magical. From the top of the stairs its hard for Mong or Gashur to see what, if anything is in the clay jar. The poison itself that Gashur noticed appears to smeared around the rim of the lid of the chest ensuring that if someone lifted the lid the poison would touch their fingers.

[u-b]

Gashur thanks Mong, asks him to get out, then starts doing stuff.

First, he makes sure the floor near the table is soft enough. If it's packed earth, that would do by itself, but if it's stone or something, Gashur throws there something soft - the clothes from the corpses, the corpses themselves or suchlike. Then he carefully gets the bottle off the table and on that soft something using his polearm. Then he gets the bottle along the floor closer and finally takes it out.

If that goes all along the plan, the next thing to do would be to smash the chest's lock and use the spike of the hammer to lift the lid and look at the contents.

Spoiler

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Smashing the lock: (1d20+10)[24] for (1d12+10)[15] and so on vs a perfectly stationary target

[DrK]

Looking down into the cellar Gashur can see the floor is soft dirt underneath the vines and plants that have grown in part of it. Creeping down the stairs he leans forward with the outstretched polearm seeking to use the tip to prod the bottle over, but as gets within 15ft of the symbol upon the wall a high pitched voice seems to echo from the symbol of the wall.... "Ah hah hah, I hope you are among the slaves of Iomedae. I would hate to waste this personal greeting from the Horned one upon terrified peasant feedstock.."

As it finishes the strange voice cuts off and there is a slight clicking noise from the clockwork demonic figure that slowly raises its arms and brings them chopping down upon the bottle that cracks, billious vile ichor flowing over the sides of the table and splashing onto the floor in a viscous cloud of acrid smoke. The plants react immediately, matter, thorns and twigs rolling into vague humanoid figure that then release an ear piercing shriek driving a spike of pain into all of the parties's eyes and ears!




So a magic mouth trap activates when you get within 15ft of the table.
The clockwork statue smashes the jar of alchemical smoke (1d6)[2] acid damage and DC14 Fort save or sickened (1d4)[1] rounds
The alchemical liquid awakens the mandrogora

Surprise round: Shriek DC14 Fort or Shaken for (1d4)[1] rounds

Currently assume that only Gashur and the mandrogora are in the cellar. The cellar also has the cloud filling it to which the mandrogra is immune
Init:
ALL the players
then then plant

[u-b]

Gashur gets out of the cellar, coughing and shaking, and ready to smash the approaching thingie. "Let's face it right here."

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Fort vs sickened: (1d20+5)[11]
Fort vs shaken: (1d20+5)[10]
Will roll readied action and AoO when it comes to that.

[Spore]

Leonius Caela Telum Aasimar Cleric AC: 17 HP: 28/28 touch: 10, ff: 18, CMD: 14 Conditions: Blessing of Vigilance (Lesser Age Resistance, 24h), Seize the Initiative (0/7 used, targetting self and Gashur) Leonius is flabbergasted by the simple notion of some savage thing basically taste testing sentient creatures, demons, vermin and the like. He pauses for a moment outside and follows the investigating group inside. He can hear a shriek from downstairs but resists the creature. He draws not his blade but a sling instead and rushes downstairs. He was not a well trained melee combatant after all. Spoiler Show (1d20+3)[23] Ranged attack (-4 if into melee) (1d4+2)[3]

[Starbuck_II]

Mong draws his bow and readies a shot when the creature comes within view.

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Status:
AC: 18 () HP: 27/27
touch: 12, ff: 13, CMD: 19
Saves: +5/+4/+5

Readiedshot (1d20+5)[14]

[RCgothic]

"Leonius!" Tali cries as the cleric dashes into the cellar. She follows after him, managing to hold back a gasp of shock as she lays eyes on the creature below. After Leonius and Mong have fired she raises a hand and a horse appears between the creature and the party, answering Tali's desperate wish for an obstacle!

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Cast Mount (aka summon meatshield)

[DrK]

Gashur staggers out from the smoke filled scream filled cellar as the plant monster gives chase. Leonius hurls a sling stone that thuds into it and Mong lets fly with an arow that goes wide of the mark careening around the walls. Even as the beast reaches the top of the stairs it way is blocked as Tali summons a glorious white charger that rears up between the beast and the party. The mandrogra, still whining and screaming its high pitched wail lashes out with a little claw at the horse


Slam (1d20+8)[21] dam (1d4+2)[5]
- Poison Fort save (1d20+6)[22] DC 15 or Confused

[u-b]

"Ahh, damned horse!" curses Gashur who would have preferred less obstructions between himself and his target. The fact that the horse blocked Leonius from getting choked and eaten downstairs might be a good thing, but Gashur does not think that far. Instead, he tries to stab the thing somewhere in the head, between the floor and the horse.

Spoiler

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The thing does not climb up and the horse and/or the floor provide cover, so no AoO and +4 to the thing's AC.
Readied hammer: (1d20+11)[14] for (1d12+10)[18] piercing cold iron (including -1/+3 power attack; +1/+0 higher ground)
Again hammer: (1d20+11)[25] for (1d12+10)[15] piercing cold iron (including -1/+3 power attack; +1/+0 higher ground)

Will step with the aim to get flanking next turn while still remaining out of reach of the thingie.

[Starbuck_II]

Mong shoots a song to strengthen everyone.
Now for a little archery! To arms friends!

Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8pK6qmtllU

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Status: Ragesong (1 round), +8 Str/Con, +2 Will
AC: 18 () HP: 43/43
touch: 12, ff: 13, CMD: 19
Saves: +7/+4/+7

[Spore]

Leonius Caela Telum Aasimar Cleric AC: 17 HP: 28/28 touch: 10, ff: 18, CMD: 14 Conditions: Blessing of Vigilance (Lesser Age Resistance, 24h), Seize the Initiative (0/7 used, targetting self and Gashur) Leonius assumes a defensive position just behind the valiant steed. Spoiler Show full defense after dropping my sling and drawing my sword.

[DrK]

The horse rears up in panic as a claw rakes down it flank. Gashur smashes the hammer into the beast once smashing plant matter and breaking branches leaving an leafy arm hanging limply. Leonius takes up a defensive stance behind the horse as Tali and Sierra move in but keep to the far side of the room. As Mong bursts into song the horse neighs loudly and lashes out at the plant even as the plant beasts lashes at its flanks and haunches.



Raging horse hooves
(1d20+2)[18] dam (1d4+5)[9]
(1d20+2)[15] dam (1d4+5)[7]

Mandrogora vs Horse
claw (1d20+8)[25] dam (1d4+2)[4] and DC15 poison or confused (1d20+10)[21]
claw (1d20+8)[11] dam (1d4+2)[4] and DC15 poison or confused (1d20+10)[28]
bite (1d20+8)[19] dam (1d6+2)[3]

[u-b]

"Ho! Good horse?!" says Gashur with some surprise, apparently changing opinion. He thrusts the hammer's spike forward between the horse and the floor, trying to pierce the "head" of that wooden thingie... "Take that!"

Spoiler

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Hammer: (1d20+15)[26] for (1d12+14)[20] piercing cold iron (including -1/+3 power attack, +1/+0 higher ground, +4/+4 ragesong; cover to AC)

[Spore]

Leonius Caela Telum Aasimar Cleric AC: 17 HP: 28/28 touch: 10, ff: 18, CMD: 14 Conditions: Blessing of Vigilance (Lesser Age Resistance, 24h), Seize the Initiative (0/7 used, targetting self and Gashur) There is no use stalling! Attack! Leonius proclaims and pushes past the horse and into the cellar, fighting the vines. He moves inside the creature's vision, opening himself for attacks while watching his sides. Spoiler Show Moving downstairs, and intentionally provoking an AoO while fighting defensively. So AC is 19 for this. (1d20+3)[22] (minus another 2) (1d8+2)[4]

[DrK]

With the raging horse rearing up and lashing out angrily it stomps upon the Mandrogora as the pair of beasts claw and maul each other. Not for long though as Leonius and Gashur flanking the plant monster both slash out with blade and hammer smash and hack the plant into chunks and send it scattered in wood chips upon the floor. The rest of the shop now seems silent, a roiling cloud of smoke slowly dissipating in the cellar from whence it came...

[u-b]

Gashur is not too quick to descend back into the smoky cellar. Absent some artifical wind or the like, he'll just sort/pack the loot letting the smoke to disperse. Eventually, he gets down there and checks if anything else has changed. He plans to break the lock on the chest with one or two good hits, then use the spike to open the lid, then look inside carefully.

[DrK]

After a few minutes the noxious smoke fades and dissipates and Gashur is able t head down into the cellar. A quick blow from the hammer smashes the lock off the chest that is revealed to have little of value in it. There are 6 holy symbols in it (5 of Iomedae and 1 of Shelyn) all of which the eagle eyed orc can see are smeared in some of contact poison likley to trick the unwary. Looking at the marillith statue, the device appears to be clockwork in nature and intricate with cunning little pistons and gears that would be valuable if not for the fact its modelled on a demon!
worth 250gp if you found a collector with low moral standards

THe bronze head onthe wall appears non-magical now, the magical mouth trap having been activated. Looking around it seems that this is not the main hub for the Templars in Kenaberes, likely more of a safe house or cache. Leaving you the choice of the Tower of Estrodor the Nyserian manor to investigate next from the 3 locations identified in the letter to Hossila.

[u-b]

Gashur picks up the clockwork statue, collects some reasonable amout of contact poison on the spike of his hammer by scratching it around the chest, careful not to come even close to touching it anywhere, then declares we are done. His proposal would be to get the loot and the prisoner back to base first, before checking on that Tower of Estrod.

[DrK]

Its an couple of hours later the party is back out in the city. Dragging the prisoner back to the Defender's Heart Irabeth had been delighted with the capture and that the Topaz Solutions had been a true den of Templars. The savage glee with their destruction reassuring. As you head back out you know that the prisoner will be interrogated then likley hung as a traitor. THere is no mercy in Kenabers for those who would worship the demons.

Another 2 hours later you creep through the ruined city scape approaching the tall spire that is the Tower of Estrod, a few times here and there you see other survivors scurrying through the ruins or peeking from smashed windows. Where possible you speak with them, Tali's soft tones directing them to the Inn and the relative safety of the of the defenders. A few times you see in the sky flying beasts or demons flapping north to or west back towards the Worldwound as it seems many of the demonic forces are leaving, not wanting to hold the city.


Not all though you discover as you creep towards the Tower of Estrod and the square around it. This fortified tower of gray stone has long served as the city's museum, archive, and research center. Its upper floors have been completely destroyed during the demonic invasion, and a squat stump surrounded by heaps of debris is all that's left of this once dignified building. It sits in a wide plaza that spreads some 80ft from the tower (and the corona of rubble) to the houses and shops that are clustered nearby. Near the entrance you hear the sounds of screams within and a couple of gruff low voices laughing. Although out of sight behind a stout wooden double door that lies only slightly ajar its clear that there are followers of the WorldWound within and they have a prisoner of some sort for their sport.

[Spore]

Leonius Caela Telum Aasimar Cleric AC: 17 HP: 28/28 touch: 10, ff: 18, CMD: 14 Conditions: Blessing of Vigilance (Lesser Age Resistance, 24h), Seize the Initiative (0/7 used, targetting self and Gashur) Content with winning against the vile demon plant, Leonius' ire starts to cook once more as he sees the holy symbols and is told these are traps covered in poison. Those monsters do not stop at any length to debase themselves, neither body nor mind of sentient beings is holy to them. He gives the half-orc a side-eye as he finishes with his attack on the cannibalistic practices witnessed outside, but does not go further than that. Instead he stays silently. At the tower of Estrod however, he finally speaks up again Does anyone want to scout? My patience here is limited however. We can take more punishment than a mere prisoner, so I am glad to give up any advantage if it would save another innocent life. If there is any demon activity inside, pull back and beckon us. he says clearly looking at the scouts.

[u-b]

Gashur shrugs. "We can go in just like the last time, if you think you are able to handle it. Should work just as well." He spends a second charge from the scale, turning into a troglodyte again, and is ready to join the "fellow cultists".

[RCgothic]

Tali shudders at the sounds of someone being tortured. It brings back memories she doesn't want to relive, but at the same time gives her an immediate sense of urgency.

"Quick, take me in as your prisoner!" She suggests, clasping her hands behind her back. "I'll burn them the moment we get the drop on them!" she hisses with venom.

[u-b]

Gashur does not mind. With polearm in one hand and Tali's hands in the other, he starts to advance towards the tower. He does not plan to actually talk (to prevent orcish accent from raising suspicions about the troglodyte that he "is"), but does the next best thing, helping the guy that will talk have a good antourage - he makes sure Tali genuinely does not like being led, keeping her pain levels tolerable, but not easily so.

[DrK]

The heroes, a grizzled Leonius and a savage grey scaled troglodyte (Gashur) leading the "bound" Tali before them stride towards the ruined tower that now stands a mere 60ft high, the grey stone spire smashed at the top. The doors stand ajar allowing an easy view inside of the round base of the tower. The ground floor of the tower is now open to the air-a tangle of wooden supports above being all that remains of the building's upper stories. Two rubble-filled pools flank a central walkway that crosses to an open area with a few shelves, a desk and chair, and a flight of stairs leading down.

The sounds of the screams can be seen readily. To two of the wooden beams that once supported the roof a man is nailed, now quite dead. Strange tubes are jammed into his veins and lead ina tangle of disgusting red piping across the floor and snake down the stairs on the far side of the 50ft diamater tower. the screams come from a young woman in ripped and torn blue weathered robes who is being wrestled to the next of the pillars



Two cultists are holding to the the pillar some 30ft away whilst a 3rd one is clutching a hammer and bushel of nail in his hands. A snarled, "Hold her still you cretins she'll stop moving when we nail her to the damn timber." Another man snarls and punches the woman in the face, her eyes rolling back and body going limp... Before they can move much further the cultists with the hammer and nails looks at the door. seeing a grey scaled lizrd clutching Tali and Leonius he looks at him... "Who by the rotting sack of Zuggtmoy are you. Unless you giving up this piece of meat to Faxon you can get lost..."

[RCgothic]

Tali's eyes blaze with hatred for the cultists, and she fights futility against Gashur's hold, though somehow pulling forward rather than away. Realising her temper won't allow her to play a helpless victim, she instead rages against her supposed situation: "Get your filthy hands off me! How dare you treat me like this! Don't you know who I am? I spit on Zuggtmoy! And I'll spit on this Faxon too!"

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Bluff (1d20+7)[24]

The goal is to buy time and cause a distraction to prevent them actually nailing the young woman, and allow the party to get the jump.

As soon as Leonius and Gashur get within charge range she's going to drop the act and burn them. If it looks like they're not buying it, she'll hit them anyway.

Initiative for when that happens.(1d20+2)[12]13