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[Mike M]

Val hasn't had need to lay low until the heat dies down since he was a child, and discovers soon enough that a temple devoted to a gid that stands fir justice and the betterment of mankind has precious little to occupy someone like him.

While rummaging in a storage room, he seems inordinately delighted to find a faceless mannequin draped in the vestments of a priest of Pelor and a box of decorations for some festival. Pulling a number of bells from the box, he affixes them to key locations in the dummy, and immediately starts running through the lifting drills drummed into his head as a boy. With rote muscle memory, he swipes the targets from the dummy in locations of increasing difficulty without disturbing a single bell, only to start again from the simplest level when finished. Now that he has something to occupy his time, the wait doesn't seem so terrible.

On the appointed hour, Val's routine has an especially nervous edge to it, though he remains as stealthy as ever. Upon completion of the last stage yet again, he is about to set the targets at their novice level position when he notices Tarkus gazing in puzzlement at the mysterious cube and in his hand.

"Well now, that's not creepy at all. Well we have the key and the location, but our benefactor neglected to mention whether we'd be welcome at this demon venue, or how the key works. Let's just hope it's all readily apparent."

 

[KittenMaster]

((I can't really think of much Sarm can do to drive this along, but I figure it's about time to post SOMETHING.))

Sarm eventually comes into the room, and notices that everyone is perplexed about something, and Val is talking about their next objective, "You say you have the key? What does it look like?"

 

[Jackben]

(Damn now I wish we'd have been present to find out what happened! Also I forget but I'm about 90% sure the portal was said to be a one way trip. So this next bit should be interesting!))

Down in the temple storage Tarkus watches Val go through his pick-pocketing technique while stretching his muscles via routine exercises. Pausing to take a break he lifts his arm and grunts in surprise. In his fist he holds a strange cube he doesn't remember picking up. Puzzled, he lifts the device to his face in confusion and picks out the scrawled note wrapped around it, handing it to Val.

As the cube's origin becomes clear, Tarkus sighs in relief. "Special key ours...but is one way?" As Sarm appears, Tarkus shows him the cube and gives it to Quintus to examine magically. Quintus state additionally reminds him of the urgency of their task.

"Time to say farewell thanks to Amriel. We should go now." Tarkus heads upstairs to gather his things quickly and prepare to depart.

 

[ThLunarian]

With only a street name to go on, the party approaches Amriel to help them map out a route to Coralheim Avenue.

The angel is unfamiliar with the name, so he brings the party to the library and finds an old map, separated into grids and parsed into an alphabetical list of streets. After some time to cross reference documents with a magnifying glass, finally Amriel puts his finger down on top of a tiny line with the almost-illegible street name scrawled alongside it. "There," he says flatly. "You must be careful. This is one of the most unsavory districts of the city. For whatever reason, the Lady of Pain's route only rarely passes through; because of that, chaos and anarchy are the rule of the day. You must stick together and stay strong, you hear?"

At this point it is late in the day, and judging by the distance, even riding the pegasi, it would take at least eight hours to make the trip; the party decides it would be best to wait until morning to leave.

((Spellcasters: Remember to prepare spells for the day, keeping in mind that you are about to encounter Demons. Your characters would know that demons are Chaotic Evil Outsiders, and almost universally immune to fire, poison, and disease. They speak Abyssal and mostly come from the Abyss - a hellish place with infinite layers. There are many different types of demons with different qualities; if you encounter a specific kind you can try a Knowledge Planes roll to learn more about that kind))

The next morning, after a grand breakfast, all four staff members in the temple see the party off. "It's been an honor serving Pelor's chosen," Amriel announces. "May you be safe and successful in your travels."

The flight is long, but mostly uneventful. Halfway through, the pegasi purposefully land somewhere to rest, and manage to nonverbally gesture toward a restaurant, suggesting that the party get something to eat. After a hearty lunch, during which Suvne purchases some extra food to give the pegasi (which they are very thankful for), the journey resumes.

Three hours and five numb behinds later, it becomes clear what Amriel was talking about. Everything seems somehow darker here. There are far fewer people in the streets - and the ones there seem to be skittering in jagged lines at erratic speeds. Here and there, a bloody corpse lies in the middle of the street. Occasionally, a mob is seen doing something either suspicious, or blatantly hedonistic.

The pegasi stiffen up as though they're nervous, but they are well-trained, and their flight performance is unaffected.

Finally, Coralheim Avenue comes into view. Hardly bigger than an alley, it is full of mostly dilapidated, abandoned buildings. Only one establishment seems even the least bit alive.

Made of hardened, blood-red clay, the building is chaotic even in its design, and it's amazing that the place is even standing. The front of the building has a jagged hole that seems to be the entrance. Above that entrance is a sign that seems to be scrawled in blood. Only Quintus can tell that it's written in Abyssal, but he can't read it.

This seems to be the place...

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Quintus strolls on inside, "Come on, let's hurry and get this over with."

 

[KittenMaster]

((Gonna look over my spell list and make the appropriate changes. I'll probably skip out on making Holy Water unless somebody wants to use it since it does have a weight value.))

Sarm shows up that morning decked in Suvne's previous set of plate armor that has been refitted for his build. Luckily armors are built more with practicality in mind and are gender neutral, so it doesn't look unnatural on him. When he visits his own Pegasus for the trip, he warns the mystical steed that he will be much heavier than before.

The trip and the stop by the restaurant are uneventful enough that they are a blur. When they get to their destination, he is greeted by not only a dreadful atmosphere but a crumbled society. "Even in a plane such as this there are those abandoned and left to ruin." He then directs his voice to Val, "Are there places like this in Ruby Keep, or any other city you've visited?"

As they approach the building, Sarm relaxes his palm on the top of his weapon but doesn't pull it out just yet. He does have his shield on his arm.

 

[Mike M]

"No, Sarm. Nothing like this at all."

Val has seen his share of seedy sides of town -- Hells, he grew up in one of the worst districts of Ruby Keep -- but such places were always at least populated by people native to the plane. They may have been despicable people, but there was still that frayed thread of commonality that allowed some degree of comprehension.

This place though... Val could only see unfathomable depravation.

Pulling his hood over his head, he follows Quintus to the door. "Let's get that key out, it may save us some trouble."

 

[ThLunarian]

When the party moves toward the door, the Pegasi flutter their wings and whinny - apparently their version of a farewell. They take to the skies and start their journey back toward the Temple of Pelor, leaving the party to fend for themselves. Of course, who could blame them for their early departure, considering the imminent danger of their immediate surroundings?

Stepping through the doorway isn't quite like stepping through a portal to another world, but it would be easy to make the mistake of thinking so. All five senses are assaulted immediately upon entry. The heat is stifling - certainly north of 100 degrees F ((38 degrees C)) - and the smell is some horrid combination of iron, sulfur, and putrefaction, which is so strong as to leave an impression on the taste buds.

The sights and sounds aren't much better. There seems to be something like a bar in the back corner, which is tended by a medium-sized creature whose features can't be discerned through the darkness. Another demon upward of 10 feet tall is standing near the middle of the room; three orcs with bright red skin and exaggerated horns protruding from multiple parts of their head are seated at a table off to the side. In front of each is a goblet. Their eyes seem to be lacking pupils and are solidly yellow in color. These orcs are markedly different from anything the party has ever encountered; all orcs from their home plane had either gray or green skin.

By far the most disturbing part of this place are the cages. Placed sporadically around the room - some in the middle of the floor, some against the wall, and others hanging by chains from the ceiling -, each of these cages contain one human being. None have any clothes; one or two are dead; all of the living ones are horribly mutilated in such a way as to prolong their suffering. Their screams and cries of agony fill the air, nonstop.

Everything - the walls, the floor, the demons, the orcs, the tables, the chairs, the cages, and the people inside - is covered with wet, sticky blood. In fact, it seems that something here (possibly an enchantment) is specifically keeping blood from drying.

((Everyone except Quintus (undead privileges), make a Fortitude save. If you don't make a 13, you are Sickened. If the situation leads into combat, that gives you a -2 penalty to pretty much everything, including damage. If you don't make a 10 on the save, your character throws up.))

Suvne begins to tremble, her knuckles white from balling up her fists. She squeezes the hilt of her blade harder than she's ever squeezed anything in her life; her face is full of anguish and anger, and her eyes are filled with vengeance. She looks to Sarm resolutely, as if to ask him for the signal.

The large demon approaches the party with stomping footsteps. It has inverted knees and hooves for feet; partially decomposed organs hang from it like trinkets. Its bottom jaw protrudes, with long, sharp fangs extending upward; although no eyes are visible on its head, it seems to be looking from the area where its eyes should be. A thick mane of messy, oily hair hangs over its head. Its normal skin color is tough to discern because it's covered in blood.

It looks directly at Tarkus, ignoring the rest of the party, and speaks to him in Orcish.

Spoiler

"You will take 500 gold for the hooded human. You will take 1000 gold for the cleric of Pelor. The unliving one, 2000 gold. The Paladin"

- It actually pauses to look at Suvne and seems to salivate a bit -

Spoiler

"You will take 5000 gold for that one. I will accept your tribute in the name of Gruumsh."

The creature's voice is terrible and deep, and though Tarkus understands what he says, even he is taken aback by the harshness of the accent; compared to Common, Orcish is a rough-sounding language, but the way the demon speaks it makes regular Orcish sound downright elven in comparison.

((Because this is a threatening situation, if Tarkus wants to translate anything to the party, he will have to actually take the time to do so in character, which could affect his interaction with the demon. Tarkus, if you want to speak back in Orcish, please use spoiler tags for it))

In the other corner of the room, there is another opening that could pass for a door. It seems to have a staircase leading downward; it probably leads to the basement that is supposed to contain the gate to Ravenloft.

 

[Jackben]

Tarkus nostrils flare as he steps through the doorway and his fingers immediately twitch, an impulsive desire to reach for his blade nearly overpowering his self-discipline. His eyes trace circles across the room, taking in each horrifying sight. The putrid smell of this place...the agony of the prisoners and the prevalence of some strange substance set his nerves on edge. His eyes linger just long enough to identify threats, attempting to not dwell on the soul wrenching destitution of this place.

Walking forward, his boot is pulled slowly from the floor with a sickening welch. Strange substance...is blood.

Fortitude Save: [URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3967198/"]1d20+12 → [5,12] = (17)[/URL]

As adrenaline beginning to pump into his own supply, he seizes up his ab muscles, settling his stomach still as a steel trap. The question of whose blood long abandoned in favor of a calm determinate mind, he steps forward as a large demon approaches him and speaks in the Orcish tongue. Narrowing his eyes as he translates the dialect in his own mind, the orc sets his gaze on what he can only assume are the demon's eyes.

He replies in Orcish:

Spoiler

"He-Who-Watches leads me elsewhere with tributes. For now they come willing, but in Ravenloft I gain more than gold. For the holy ones especially. And even one such as you will not want what the unliving one carries inside."

He remains still after his reply and does not turn to address the rest of the group.

 

[ThLunarian]

((Definitely going to need a Bluff check for that one. You will get a bonus for knowing your stuff and constructing your story well))

 

[Jackben]

Demon Bluff: [URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3967306/"]1d20-1 → [17,-1] = (16)[/URL]

((But will it be enough? I like how I get good rolls to bluff a carcass hungry demon that by all accounts deserves to be put to the sword in the worst way possible but not when, say, trying to stay balanced on a precarious minecart bridge ;p))

 

[Mike M]

Fortitude Save:  1d20+9=16

Val would not have thought it possible, but the interior of the demon's den is somehow even more terrible and alien than he could have concieved. Gods, how can a place such as this exist in the same city limits as the rest of Sigil? Up until this point, he had presumed from his observations that while he might not know the exact nature of the rules and regulations of Sigil, that certain universal constants surely applied. But what kind of rule of law can permit such unmitigated attrocity such as this? It is literally the most awful thing he has ever witnessed.

Clutching a ceramic vase, he empties the contents of his stomach into it, and then dry heaves nothing but traces of stomach acid as he observes his leavings mixing with the vile concoction of filth and offal already contained within the vessel.

 

[ThLunarian]

The demon looks Tarkus up and down. (Orcish)

Spoiler

"Then be gone from my sight before my appetite gets the better of me."

The demon's Orcish continues to be an indiscernible mess to everyone else, but after it escapes his lips he steps out of the way, leaving a clear path to the basement door.

As Tarkus, Sarm, Val, and Quintus begin to move forward, however, Suvne stays firmly in place, her fist still gripped like a clamp around her sword's hilt. Her face is flushed red, she is breathing very heavily, and her eyes scream to take action. Her gaze begins to fluctuate between Sarm and the demon, and it's clear that she's experiencing a crisis of conscience...

((Sarm, if you try to talk her down, roll Diplomacy and act it out. Not to say that you have to, but it's clear that that's probably the only thing that could stop her from going ballistic on this demon.

Other party members are free to try other methods that I may not have thought of; that just seemed like the most obvious out to me.

Also, sort of unrelated, but I just glanced at Suvne's character sheet and noticed that you don't have her Charisma bonus added onto her saving throws. Paladins get that automatically at level 2, FYI. Oh... Edit: Maybe you do and I'm reading it wrong. If that's the case, then nevermind))

 

[Jackben]

Tarkus inwardly breathes a sigh of relief and nods as the demon walks away. He gives the group a look of caution and whispers quickly in common. "He wanted to buy you all. Said bigger seller in Ravenloft. Should leave. Now" Before he can get too far, however, he sees Suvne still standing in much apparent inner-agony, several steps away. Eyes widening, he grits his teeth but holds his tongue for Sarm.

 

[KittenMaster]

((I just woke up and I haven't gotten roleplay written up and still catching up on what's going on, but I'm going ahead and posting to say that yeah, I put the Charisma bonuses in parentheses on my scrabbled sheet.

Gonna roll Fortitude as well, though I would have to roll a 1 to make 13, would that still qualify as being sickened?))

Chance to not roll 1: 1d20+12=22

((BTW I am under the impression you rolled for Suvne's Fortitude already?))

Sarm enters with the others into the unholy abomination of a setting, his expression immediately flaring with anger and harsh judgement upon the place. If anything, the only difference between him and Suvne at this moment is that his anger is controlled.

Just seeing the encaged and slain humans are enough to decide that the only thing that could keep himself from exploding is to keep everyone from becoming in danger at such a critical moment of their quest. He simply stands in front of Suvne and holds out a hand, saying to her in a low voice, "If you attack, I will follow in your actions and not stop you, but for now let Tarkus ensure that our attempt to recover the rod does not end here. We should let the Temple of Pelor know of this place."

Diplomacy: 1d20=6

((Welp... Everybody roll initiative..))

 

[ThLunarian]

((I forgot to consider Suvne's fort save, but at this point I'm going to roll with it and just give her an auto-pass))

Suvne meets Sarm's eyes, and though the fire does not leave them, a hint of apology surfaces. "Lord Sarm... I am sorry, but I cannot allow this.... THIS," and she spreads her arms out as though to gesture at the entire establishment, "to continue any longer."

She draws her sword from its scabbard and lets out a rage-filled battle cry, charging straight toward the ten-foot-tall demon. Her aim isn't the best while she's in this state, but she still slices a satisfying chunk of flesh out of the creature's leg. The wound oozes black blood; the demon responds with a fearsome roar, spinning around to face Suvne and backhanding her across the head with the back of its palm. The blow sends her reeling, stunned but not unconscious; she falls to the floor, just barely able to land on her hands. She takes no real damage, but at this point is still seeing stars.

The demon turns again to Tarkus and bellows in Orcish.

Spoiler

"Has Gray-skin lost control of his slaves? Did he ever HAVE it? Tighten the leash, half-blood, or I will TAKE it from you!"

After the demon finishes speaking, he stays still and looks at Tarkus like he's waiting for something - almost as though this is some sort of test. Without taking his 'eyes' off of the half-orc, the demon gestures with his head to Suvne, who is still struggling to regain her bearings and make her way up off of the floor.

 

[KittenMaster]

Sarm moves to help Suvne back up, and pulls out his weapon. He glares at the injured demon, wondering why a full fight hasn't broken out suddenly.

 

[Jackben]

Tarkus reacts quickly his eyes bulging with anger. He stomps over to Suvne and stands over her menacingly. Reaching down to down he attempts pull her up while screaming as loud as he can at her in Orcish, spit flying from his mouth. "YOU WILL STAND UP FOR PUNISHMENT." He pulls out his greataxe and turns to face the demon, his eyes flashing in challenge and lips curled in a smile. Orcish:

Spoiler

"I am a bad liar. But know this to be true: it has been too long since my blade has tasted demon blood. Let us see how your insides look on the walls for a change."

((Not sure if I can get away with all of that but there was no way I would have made a second bluff...I rolled an 8. Also here's a preemptive initiative roll.))

Initiative: [URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3968647/"]1d20+6 → [5,6] = (11)[/URL]

 

[DeadPhoenix]

((Note to self, start investing skill points into extra languages...))

((rolling init just in case his 8 fails Init: (1d20+7=24)))

 

[Mike M]

Val doesn't need to speak orcish (why oh why did he find it worthwhile to learn gnomish of all things?) to know that negotiations have collapsed. Drawing his rapier, he remarks, "Remind me to give you all lessons on the fine art of bullshitting. Presuming we survive this."

Remembering their encounter with the bone demon, Val isn't terribly keen at taking on a gaggle of that creature's ilk. "We're outclassed here. I say we make a run to the basement, try and slow them down or force them into a bottleneck..."

EDIT: ((Iniative came out to 8. Ugh.))

 

[ThLunarian]

Suvne looks up at Tarkus, still dazed from the blow and very confused that he is screaming at her in a language she can't comprehend, but accepts the help from him and Sarm all the same. She seems about to mumble something when Tarkus abruptly turns to face the monster with weapon drawn.

After Tarkus speaks to him, the demon emits a booming sound that could be interpreted as a twisted laugh, but there are actually Orcish words behind it.

Spoiler

"So the gray-skin consorts with humans! I will enjoy feasting the flesh from your bones!"

At that, the three red orcs off to the side stand up and produce scimitars with partially rusted, jagged edges, while the figure behind the bar erupts and surrounds itself in fire.

The big guy spreads it's fingers, and a long, knife-like claw sprouts from each.

((You guys won the initiative roll. Begin Round 1!))

 

[Mike M]

((Fuuuuu...

What's between the group and the door to the basement, and how far is it?))

 

[KittenMaster]

Sarm, being next to Suvne from helping her up would also be near enough to take the brunt of Tarkus' scream. Sarm stopped picking up comprehend languages whenever Evaneth was lost, but there was no way he could have predicted this Orcish conversation to happen.

Responding to Val's strategy, Sarm says, "At the same time, cramping ourselves may not be the best idea if they have a spellcaster." Considering the blood drenched creatures seem to be a magical effect, it is a possibility.

And then the fight breaks out.

Sarm's Initiative: 1d20+1=13
Suvne's Initiative: 1d20+4=9

((I got ninja'd by the DM again, so my next post will have my turn actions))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Fuuuuu...

What's between the group and the door to the basement, and how far is it?))

The path to the door to the basement is maybe 20 feet, and there are no obstructions in the way.

 

[Jackben]

While the rest of the group formulate a plan of escape, Tarkus roars a challenge to the room taunting all hostiles who can see into attacking him.

[[Come & Get It: Each enemy who can see you must make a Will save with a DC of your Intimidate check. If they fail the save, and are capable of attacking you without endangering themselves, they will attempt to do so either until you fall unconscious, or until someone else attacks them. If any of your targets make their will save, they are immune to any further attempts during that combat. DC: 15]]

 

[ThLunarian]

The face of every hostile in the room twists into an eager grin; they gladly accept Tarkus's challenge, and immediately focus their attention on him.

 

[KittenMaster]

((nvm))

 

[ThLunarian]

((I forgot to mention that, for this battle, Suvne has unlimited Smites. However, she will continue to fight until she's either rendered helpless or until all the bad guys are dead. So Sarm, if you control her, you basically have to attack with her over and over again))

 

[Mike M]

((Hold Person and grab Suvne, run for the exit with Tarkus bringing up the rear (get the key from him first), Quintus and Sarm providing backup?

Alternately, what are the limitations of the disguise powers of the Mask of Lies? Could Val mimic the Bone Demon in an attempt to intimidate the demons (not that Val even knows if they would be intimidated at all)?))

 

[KittenMaster]

((I was considering buffing Tarkus since he's planning on being the center of attention. The whole Suvne thing changes things though.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Yeah, the Suvne thing is the drawback of the failed Diplomacy attempt, plus her nature as a Paladin requiring that she defend the innocent and smite evil. If you had convinced her to leave things alone, she would have suffered penalties for not adhering to her code as a paladin.

You could certainly try that, Val. I'll let you use a Bluff check to sell it as though you're shedding your disguise as opposed to putting one on, and then do an Intimidate check. That whole process would take your entire turn though. Also, remember that this new demon is actually slightly larger than the guy you're turning into, so intimidating based on size alone may not cut it.

Knowledge Planes DC 15

Spoiler

The thing you guys fought was actually a Bone Devil. Devils and Demons are on opposite ends of the Law and Chaos continuum (even though they're both evil), and therefore despise each other with a passion.

))

 

[KittenMaster]

Knowledge: Planes: 1d20+6=24

((I haven't decided what I want to do for this turn, it's gonna help to know what Quintis can do, but can I go a head and pass along the info to Val?

I am thinking: Let Suvne attack one of them, since the rest will go after Tarkus, and then let Val do his dirty work.))

 

[DeadPhoenix]

K-Planes: (1d20+17=37)
((Of course I would get a nat 20 on the check i can't fail... anyways, I can roll for knowledge on the demon we are currently fighting?))

Quintus hopes to put an end to this battle quickly and casts Confusion on the red Orcs(and the demon if he is in range for that).

 

[KittenMaster]

((I just want to say to everybody reading this, including the lurkers that are closely following along, and my favorite moderators (which is every single one of them *doesn't want to be banned*), that if even one of us dies today, due to the inability to contain the situation well... I just want to make a formal apology such as this: Paladins suck, and should be a prestige class.

Anyway... I have no clue if Suvne is even in range of any enemies since it's confirmed she's moving with no hasted bonus. If anything can I just leave her actions up to you this battle since all I would be doing is rolling dice for her?))

Sarm is secretly half-relieved that there is an opportunity to fight these foul creatures, but knows that in practicality given the choice, he likely would have looked out for the safety of his comrades first to prevent them from becoming like the other victims and focused on retrieving the Rod of Pelor.

Watching Suvne rush into battle, he contemplates a move to try to keep her from running in too closely, but then realizes that with Tarkus' challenge, he is most likely in more danger than she is. If Val asks about what would happen if he turned into the Bone Devil, Sarm would tell him.

With that, Sarm walks next to Tarkus to aid him, and casts Divine Power. His muscles bulge within his armor and suddenly appears more comparable to Tarkus himself, but more disproportionately. He says to him, "I hope you know what you are doing, because I worry she does not."

((+6 Enchancement Bonus to Strength, BAB becomes 10/5, +10 Temporary Hit Points, lasts ten rounds))

 

[Mike M]

((Upon further reflection, Val would have the smarts to know that the gamble of selling himself as a Bone Devil in disguise would depend entirely on being able to speak Abyssal, which he doesn't))

Val breaks out in a run to the basement and hopes everyone else has the sense to follow suit. Realizing that escaping without the strange cube will do no good, he turns with hand held aloft and shouts, "Tarkus! The key, the key!"

((Moving maximum possible distance towards the basement possible. Presumably there'd be a check involved to catch it if Tarkus tosses it?))

 

[Jackben]

((I bet that'd be a standard action so it might have to wait for the next round. I chose not to use my move action so that the people that wanted to get away could. I forgot about the key.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Wow you guys. I must have done an amazing job describing this scenario if you are all THIS afraid to fight. I don't think you all have ever been more unwilling to get into combat before now, haha.

Tarkus can use his Move Action from the previous turn to toss Val the key, and I won't make you roll to catch it. That's more appropriate to require for low-level characters or long-distance passing; an underhanded toss halfway across a small room shouldn't be a problem.

Quintus: Your nat 20 will give you all you need for these guys. The big demon is immune to fire, poison, and disease; he has Spell Resistance of 18; he hits hard with his claws and will Rend whenever he can. He's fairly easy to hit and doesn't have any good defensive abilities. He does have some minor spell-like abilities that aren't particularly relevant to combat. He is good at intimidating.

The demon behind the bar is actually the stronger of the two. He has the same immunities as the big guy. He has various dangerous fire-based spell-like abilities, and he currently has an aura of flame around him that will deal fire damage to any adjacent creatures when they attack him. He has a Spell Resistance of 20. He also has a claw attack that isn't as strong as the big guy's, but if it hits, it can poison you, dealing Constitution damage.

Suvne performs a full attack action on the big demon and Smites on each hit. First attack: 30 to hit. Demon takes 15 damage. Second attack: 14 to hit; misses.

Two of the Orcs become confused. One of them forgets that Tarkus taunted him and has no idea what he's doing, and attacks the other one that's confused. That one attacks back.

The third Orc charges Tarkus: 25 to hit; 18 damage.

Large Demon attacks Tarkus, once with each claw: first attack, 32 to hit; 19 damage. Second attack, natural 1; miss.

Fire Demon casts Fireball on Tarkus, Suvne, and Sarm (the big demon is also in the radius, but he's immune to fire). Reflex DC 17. If you fail the save, take 34 Fire damage; if you pass, take 17 (and remember that Suvne's new armor reduces this by 10 either way). ))


Combat erupts spontaneously in this hellish torture chamber, as Tarkus and Sarm move to back Suvne up in her all-out assault upon this blight on the landscape of Sigil. Suvne's blade shines with supernatural sunlight as Pelor's power infuses it, cutting into the demon with a satisfying tear. Tarkus aims to goad his adversaries into focusing on him, which they gladly oblige; the large demon swipes at him with two claws, connecting with one and leaving a painful gash on Tarkus's midsection.

One of the red-skinned Orcs also makes it to Tarkus, screaming in Orcish

Spoiler

"TRAITOR!"

as it slashes at him with its jagged scimitar.

The other Orcs, thanks in large part to Quintus's Confusion spell, mistake each other for the enemy and begin fighting each other tooth-and-nail, effectively removing them from combat for the moment.

Val decides to make a break for the basement, shouting out for Tarkus to pass him the key; even in the midst of battle, the half-orc is able to lob it to Val, and he scales the steps in a hurry, only to find a dungeon perhaps even more grotesque than the scene upstairs.

Down here, most (but not all) of the human bodies are already dead, and rotting chunks of bone and flesh are scattered about the floor. There are various cages down here, but as Val makes his way around the room, the cube in his hand begins to glow - and a visible band of light extends from it, leading to one cage door in particular. When he gets close enough, the physical door actually opens on its own, and on the other side, rather than the inside of the cage, Val sees an eerily-calm outdoor scene, with some dead trees and a pitch-black, starless sky. Some strange music seems to be coming out, too, but he can't quite make it out over the din of battle and screaming above.

((Round 2 Begin))

 

[Jackben]

((The good: Tarkus took weapon specialization last time so he is at a whopping +20 to hit. Going to try a power attack here. The bad: That demon jester caster is doing a lot of damage as we are in a contained area and the ugly demon bouncer has immunity. The ugly: Tarkus is 47/101 HP. Anyway, is it possible for Tarkus to use a move action to pivot so that other melee can get flanking bonus?))

Tarkus fang-toothed smile quickly hardens into a battle-grimace as he faces a barrage of attacks from those who have answered his challenging call. His brow furrows and his muscles clench, his feet digging firmly into the muck-covered ground as the Claw Demon moves to strike. Deflecting a strike with his greataxe, one of the demon's terrible claws still manages to find its way through his armor to tear a gash that spills his blood onto the floor. Tarkus struggles to keep from falling to his knees and only manages to keep it together long enough to hear the familiar burning sound of a fireball.

Reflex vs Fireball DC 17: [URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3970793/"]1d20+7 → [14,7] = (21)[/URL]

Pivoting slightly to minimize the damage, his fresh wound is nonetheless significantly seared by the blast, charring the inside of his midsection gash. This time he is unable to hold back from letting out a painful roar, the agony of the blast causing him immense pain and coating his body in a thin layer of sweat as his adrenaline surges to overcompensate and keep him standing.

Spitting blood his breath comes in ragged strips as one of the red-skinned Orc's tears a gash in the charred flesh of his shoulder, a damaging blow that is but that of an insect bite compared to the throbbing pain already present. Tarkus takes a deep breath and grips his Greataxe, yelling as loud as he can in Orcish as he carries out a harried counter-attack against the demon.

Spoiler

Traitor? No...I AM FREE ORC! You who call One-Eye master sacrifice freedom...fo' power. Forfeit WILL for BLIND FURY. Live a pawn, die a slave!

Power Attack 1 (-5): [URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3970817/"]1d20+20-5 → [16,20,-5] = (31[/URL])
Power Attack 2 (-5): [URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3970817/"]1d20+20-5 → [18,20,-5] = (33)[/URL]

[URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3970826"]Damage Roll 1:[/URL] 1d12+12+10 → [2,12,10] = (24)
[URL="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3970826"]Damage Roll 2[/URL]: 1d12+12+10 → [1,12,10] = (23)

((Ain't that some shit. At least the poor ass rolls were saved for damage and power attack makes them more like regular damage.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Suvne will move into flanking position on the claw-demon on her turn, so next turn you'll have that bonus if you attack him. Whether you can flank vs the Orc depends on what Sarm does. Sarm is adjacent to both Suvne and Tarkus, btw; I assumed that Quintus backed away from the action when he cast Confusion))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Oh and Tarkus, btw, remember to factor in Sarm's bonuses that he gave you last round if you didn't already. Im not in a position to check right now. You may have done more damage and have more HP than you thought))

 

[Jackben]

((Oh and Tarkus, btw, remember to factor in Sarm's bonuses that he gave you last round if you didn't already. Im not in a position to check right now. You may have done more damage and have more HP than you thought))

((I thought he cast that on himself? Maybe I misunderstood))

 

[ThLunarian]

((I thought he cast that on himself? Maybe I misunderstood))

Oops, on reexamination you are right. I am the one who misunderstood. My bad

 

[Mike M]

Val wouldn't have thought it possible, but the basement is even more horrific than the main level upstairs. Fortunately, he's too much in the thrall of fight-or-flight response for it to register much with him at this moment. With the knowledge that the gate is open and waiting, Val returns to the doorway and bellows to everyone else, "The doorway is open! Move move move!"

((Total defense this round. I am sooooo not in the mood to deal with a pair of ten foot tall demons and three of their closest demon orc friends. Dodge bonus on big tall and everything-proof not currently on fire.))

 

[KittenMaster]

Sarm's Reflex: 1d20+5=11
Suvne's Reflex: 1d20+7=14

((I thought he cast that on himself? Maybe I misunderstood))

((Yeah, Divine Power works on oneself. I thought I had a decent buff for Tarkus but turns out I don't, so I'll just use my entire self to help you instead.))

Sarm groans as he fails to shield his face in time to take the heat of the fire, but persists in the battle with a cry to the beckoning behind him, "I'm sorry, Val! I am also obligated to put an end to this place!"

He will attack which ever creature is next to to him (preferably the Orc if that means that Suvne and Tarkus are flanking the Claw Demon) and then take a 5' step back. He hopes that his weapon will prove adequate for the task.

((If there's no valid target, let me know and I'll redo my turn))

Full Attack:
First Attack: 1d20+16=22, 1d8+8=14, 1d6=1 Electric Damage
Second Attack: 1d20+11=19, 1d8+8=12, 1d6=2 Electric Damage

 

[DeadPhoenix]

Quintus says to Val, "That's Clerics for you... You might wanna get a little closer here buddy." then moves within range to cast Mass Fire Shield. The chill version. Reduces fire damage by half(making it 0 if you save) and dealing 1d6+10 cold damage to anyone who attacks you at melee range.

((would have posted sooner but this morning my windows update and decided to stop working. had to restore it to factory settings... lost so much stuff, including fun stuff like bookmarks and programs i use everyday. anyways, back even though you probably never even noticed i was gone.))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Suvne performs full attack on Claw Demon with Smites: 27 vs AC; hits and deals 18 damage. Second attack: also 27 vs AC, dealing 16 damage.


One of the Confused orcs rolls a 6 on his d100 and charges Quintus. 17 vs AC, which I think will miss, but just in case it doesn't, it'd be 13 damage.

The other confused Orc rolls an 82 on his d100, and charges the one who charged Quintus. Hilariously, he also rolls a 17, and misses.

Non-confused Orc performs full attack on Tarkus: first attack, 16 vs AC. Second attack, 30 vs AC. Tarkus takes 14 damage. The Orc takes 13 cold damage from Quintus's Fire Shield.

Claw Demon performs full attack on Suvne: first attack, 26 vs AC, dealing 21 damage. Second attack: 30 to hit, dealing 17 damage. Rend attack: 12 vs AC, misses. Demon takes a total of 27 cold damage from the Fire Shield.

Fire Demon casts another Fireball, this time including Quintus in the range. DC 20 Reflex save again, but this time, after accounting for the Fire Shield, take 17 damage if you fail and take 0 if you succeed. Well played, Quintus; well played.

Since I happened to keep track of this as I was taking the turns, the party may want to take note that Tarkus is at either 33 or 16 HP now, and Suvne is at either 5 or 12 HP, depending on whether or not they make their saves for that Fireball. Sarm, if you want to heal either of them individually for a boatload, you will have to roll a Concentration check to cast defensively if you want to avoid opportunity attacks. Alternatively, you could back up and do a Mass Cure Light Wounds and spread the healing around while avoiding opportunity attacks.))

Quintus's spell creates an eerie, ghostly blue aura of cold flames around most of the party, giving them some degree of respite from the sweltering temperatures in here. Sarm attempts to engage the mentally-sound Orc, dealing significant damage but not enough to take it out; Val attempts to convince the party avoid combat, but his pleas for retreat fall on deaf ears.

As Suvne relentlessly hacks her holy-infused blade into the Claw Demon with Tarkus following her lead from the opposite side, the two mentally-impaired Orcs continue to act unpredictably; one of them randomly decides to go after Quintus, whiffing completely even though Quintus didn't see it coming. The other, clearly not done fighting his friend, chases him and ALSO fails spectacularly.

The Claw Demon decides that suddenly the little Paladin girl is either a bigger threat or an easier target than Tarkus is, and turns to unleash his terrible knife-like claws on her. He manages to connect twice, showing a total disregard for the strange aura of cold-magic that's biting into him as he does, but is unable to follow through, as she wrenches away before he can drag both claws through her at once for even more damage. He roars at her, this time in a language that no one can understand, but it sounds like it's probably Abyssal.

The Demon Jester, aware of the game-changing protective magic that has been employed but unable to do anything about it, decides his best recourse is to continue making things blow up. He points to the party, and another explosion of flame erupts around them - but this time, its impact is blunted significantly.

The orc that has been engaged with Tarkus doubles down on attacks, but only manages to connect with one. The effects of the cold damage are evident in the weary-looking creature, but he is at least still in fighting shape... for now.

((Val, if you want to charge up the stairs, you'll be able to reach and attack one of the confused Orcs on this coming turn. Begin Round 3))

 

[KittenMaster]

((Last turn I had Sarm take a five-foot-step after his full round attack so that I could try not to have him in a threatened square for casting this turn, and it doesn't look like anything walked next to him. Am I reading the battle log wrong?))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Last turn I had Sarm take a five-foot-step after his full round attack so that I could try not to have him in a threatened square for casting this turn, and it doesn't look like anything walked next to him. Am I reading the battle log wrong?))

((The problem is that you have to be adjacent to a teammate in order to heal them one-on-one, and that will be impossible to do on Suvne or Tarkus without also being within reach of a bad guy, since the Large Demon has reach because of his size.

Hopefully the battle map I drew out helps everyone get a hold on their positioning, since the description was almost even confusing for me, and I'm the one who wrote it))

 

[Mike M]

((Val has two potions of heal moderate wounds if he can get close enough to pass/toss them))

 

[ThLunarian]

((Val has two potions of heal moderate wounds if he can get close enough to pass/toss them))

((You can get to the top of the stairs and throw. Since the lines of sight to both Tarkus and Suvne are obstructed, you'd need to make a ranged attack roll versus an AC of 12 (standard AC of a square is 10, plus a Partial Concealment penalty from the obstruction) to get it to them successfully. Ranged attack roll = BAB + Dexterity modifier. So basically, roll higher than a 1))