The Dragon Empire IC, Part III

[RandomWombat]

Azrin conjures a cloud of mist, providing cover from the enemy crossbows. He scurries away back into the doll room, to the edge of the fog cloud, where he smells sulfur again. The floor bubbles just outside of the fog and he sees a long shape rise up out of it, slick with black sludge like swamp muck. A pair of yellow reptilian eyes open up. The creature's back is covered in jagged ridges and tough scales. A low rumble from the creature's throat announces its displeasure at Azrin's presence. Someone moves up alongside him, and he notices the hobo in his peripheral vision moments before the reptile bolts forth with shocking speed. It latches onto his leg with strong jaws, teeth digging into his body. He feels an alarming familiarity with this situation.

In the opposite direction, River goes through the fog down the hallway with Olivin behind him. The two of them reach the edge of the fog and two bolts are let loose by the crossbowmen that had been taking aim, both going wildly off from hitting either of them. Instead the bolts pierce the porcelain bodies of two of the dolls hanging above the hallway, which explode in a spray of clear liquid. Where the liquid flecks their skin they feel it burning them. As they recover from the surprise, they see two lumps of flesh taking form in front of them. They grow and take shape, gaining vaguely human faces that sag with folds of fleshy fat and tumors. From the ends of the creatures' arms emerge black nails.

The four crossbowmen reload and take aim as the two flesh lumps flail at River and Olivin with their claws. Olivin reacts quickly, tripping his foe before it can lay a finger on him, and River barely evades his attacker. Before they can relax, another volley of arrows come, laying down fire on them. One of the bolts hits a flesh lump instead, snapping as it impacts the creature's body. Two fly past them in the smoke, and the last grazes Olivin on the arm. Behind the firing squad, the two cultists begin chanting over their candles yet again, calling forth some other insidious creature to aid them.

One of the hanging dolls swings on its string from side to side, giggling as it points at River. River feels a familiar sensation in his feet as they begin to blister as though he were on hot coals.

Edmund hears chaos erupting through the fog, but cannot see anything beyond Orville, who comes up to him. "What should I do?" the guardsman asks.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Asmodean Footsoldiers 3&4 take their readied actions, shooting disguised acid flask traps above River and Olivin.
One of them explodes above River for 5 acid damage and hits Olivin for 1 splash acid damage. River may make a DC 11 Reflex save to reduce the damage by half (to 2).
The other explodes, but isn't directly above either of them. Both River and Olivin take 1 splash acid damage.

Two fleshy creatures appear before River and Olivin. Neither of them know what they are.
One attacks River with both claws. One swipe nearly hits him, but concealment negates it.
The other attacks Olivin, but misses both barely due to being prone.

A large reptilian creature appears in the doll room. Azrin has never seen its kind before.
The creature charges him, and bites him for 7 damage. Azrin is grappled by the creature's Grab ability.

The four Footsoldiers reload and fire again. The flesh creatures provide soft cover, and one of them is hit by accident, but takes no damage. Two bolts miss, one due to AC and the other from concealment. The last hits Olivin for 2 damage.
The Asmodean Cultists both begin casting another Summon Monster spell. River and Olivin have seen them do this already, so they can guess well enough what it will do.

Another evil Doll reveals itself, casting a hex on River. River takes 2 fire damage. He will suffer more damage and a -2 penalty to AC, ability checks, skill checks and saves for a few rounds unless he takes a full-round action to stomp out the magical fire.
The Doll is hanging from the ceiling and is treated as flat-footed.

It is the party's turn. Here is the map.