WotW: Call Forth Darkness IC

[Maugan Ra]

Victor's target flinches backwards, howling in pain as the shot slams into its torso. Quint's opponent, meanwhile, looks confused, it's protruding eyes rolling madly as it tries to work out why he can suddenly see too enemies where there had been only one.

[Maugan Ra]

(Summon post...)

[Thattaman]

Kydrak casts mage armour on himself. He draws his sword and waits for one of them to come at him.

[Maugan Ra]

The boggard chieftain backs away from the attacking undead, retreating some twenty foot as it hefts the great-sword in arms that suddenly feel strangely weaker. Snarling out a command in the odd language of its kind, it jabs a finger at Schtein.

The two boggards who had been delayed in their arrival obey their chief, bounding forwards to attack the Necromancer while he is temporarily bereft of his bodyguards.

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(1d20+7)[10] for (1d8+3)[11] damage
(1d20+7)[26] for (1d8+3)[10] damage

The chieftain watches, a calculating look in his eyes as he tries to work out where the skeletons are going to go.

Meanwhile, the boggard attacking Quint pursues the illusionist as best it can, trying to determine which of the visible images is its prey. (1d20+5)[18] for (1d8+3)[11] damage, needs above 50 on (1d100)[13] to hit.

Victor also finds himself under assault from his wounded opponent. (1d20+5)[15] for (1d8+3)[8] damage.

[Morbis Meh]

The strike that connects slams into the bone shield but only succeeds in diming the light surrounding Schtein. Annoyed he moves 5 ft out of the way of both of the Boggards and casts another spell directed at their leader, a line of darkness erupts forth from the necromancer's hands, seeking it's target. When Schtein moves, one of his body guards moves with him thus blocking the boggards from getting towards him and two unleash their attacks on the one that hit their master.

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So this is what I think the situation looks like now...
M
MB
MB
S
So Schtein is casting ray of enfeeblement on the leader touch attack!
(1d20+4)[9]
strength damage (1d6+3)[9]

Skeleton 1
Attack one (1d20+10)[25]
damage (1d6)[2]
strength damage (1d3)[1]

Attack two (1d20+10)[23]
damage (1d6)[2]
strength damage (1d3)[3]

Skeleton 2
Attack one (1d20+10)[18]
damage (1d6)[2]
strength damage (1d3)[2]

Attack two (1d20+10)[16]
damage (1d6)[2]
strength damage (1d3)[1]

Skeleton 3
Attack one (1d20+10)[27]
damage (1d6)[1]
strength damage (1d3)[1]

Attack two (1d20+10)[25]
damage (1d6)[1]
strength damage (1d3)[2]

[Razorstorm]

Victor's shield of force deflects the attack high enough for Victor duck and spin away, his coat whirling out around him. He stands up from his spin and takes aim not that the boggard attacking him... but at the Chieftain. He calls out words of fiery power, his left hand tracing a runic symbol in the air, which he then grabs, and smack onto his gun, the rune wrapping itself around the gun barrels, and he pulls the trigger. A tongue of flame blasts from the barrel and lances towards the Chieftain.

Attack

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Casting Scorching Ray through my Arcane Gun
No reload necessary since using a spell
Point Blank Shot +1/+1
Deadly Aim -1/+2
Versus Touch AC
(1d20+6)[13]
(4d6+3)[19]

Current Stats

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HP 22/29
BAB +3
AC 21
Touch 13
Flat-Footed 18
Initiative +5
Fort +4
Ref +6
Will +5
Grit 3/4

Memorized Spells

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1st Level
Mage Armor
Grease
Burning Hands (gun)
Abundant Ammunition

2nd Level
Knock
Scorching Ray (gun)
Cat's Grace

[Maugan Ra]

The chieftain staggers under the force of the blow, and there is a dull clang as the great-sword drops from his fingers onto the stone floor. The other boggards, even the ones fighting for their lives, pause and look over at the sound.

The chieftain clambers back to his feet with sluggish movements and tugs on the hilt of the sword, but he is still suffering under the crippling effects of the spell barrage and draining energy around Schtein's minions. He cannot even seem to lift the sword, and croaks feebly at you. His followers seem to hesitate, their confidence clearly shaken at the sight.

[Morbis Meh]

Schtein looks at the remaining Boggards and points out at them with a finger and says in a booming voice "SUBMIT TO ME OR SHARE THE SAME FATE AS YOUR LEADER."

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intimidate (1d20+8)[24]
please oh please be good...

[Razorstorm]

Victor quickly reloads and point his gun at the boggard that had been attacking him and glares imperiously down the barrel. "You heard the man. Submit, you pathetic pustule."

Intimidate
(1d20+8)[25]

[Thattaman]

Kydrak puts his sword to the cheif boggatfs neck and stares at all the surrounding boggards.

[Maugan Ra]

The boggards look at each other for a moment, then virtually as one they fall to one knee, spears held flat against the ground and heads bowed. The chieftain, seeing this, snarls in anger and reaches up with weak hands in an attempt to choke Kydrak, but his grip is little more than that of a young child's.

[Maugan Ra]

The boggards look at each other for a moment, then virtually as one they fall to one knee, spears held flat against the ground and heads bowed. The chieftain, seeing this, snarls in anger and reaches up with weak hands in an attempt to choke Kydrak, but his grip is little more than that of a young child's.

[Morbis Meh]

Schtein smiles "That's more like it! See how easy that was? Now to make the transition official and reduce conflicting loyalties..." He pulls out his fine crafted ivory dagger and walks over to the helpless chieftein and slits his throat ingoring his pathetic protests.

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Let me know if this isn't viable, I am just assuming that with a strength score of 1 the chieftein is considered helpless especially with him being over a heavy load.

[Maugan Ra]

The chieftain gasps, bleeds and dies on the mucky floor of the cavern. The other boggards seem entirely unfazed by this. One of them croaks out in a strangely accented voice,

"What... is your will, lords?"

[Morbis Meh]

Schtein looks down at the pitiful creatures and smiles "Well for starters I think it would be in everyone's best interest if we got acquainted with the remainder of your tribe for we are in need of answers and possibly a guide or two." He looks to the others "If that is alright with the rest of you of course?

[Maugan Ra]

The boggard nods in agreement, and without another word they rise and lead you deeper into the cave system. You pass through a large, echoing chamber half filled with a bubbling mud pit, before turning aside and entering a third chamber.

The cavern is by far the largest yet, perhaps a full hundred foot across at it's widest point, and illuminated by rows of flickering yellow torches that have been hammered into the rock face. There are half a dozen or so crude huts dotting the cavern, each formed out of mud and thatch and arrayed around a large, central fire pit. From the shadowy interiors of these huts emerge the rest of the boggard tribe, a full dozen of them, all clutching their crude weapons and gazing at you with obvious malevolence... but, seeing the absence of their leader, they make no hostile move towards you. Instead, they turn their gazes back towards the central fire pit.

Sitting by that pit in a cross legged stance is an elderly boggard dressed in furs. Simple talismans of bone and feathers hang from his clothes, and a gnarled old staff rests on the ground besides him. The boggard's skin has been covered with elaborate tattoos made from a strange, luminescent ink, and they seem to shift and twitch under your gaze. The boggard looks up at you.

"I am called Zikomo Hears-the-Father, shaman of the Bane Wogs tribe." it says in a harsh, creaking voice. "And you are the children of Thorns. I have seen you in my visions. You are here to restore this temple to glory, and bring the Father back from the Void."

[Comissar]

Quint examined the injury he'd sustained. It seemed pretty superficial, the blood flow was already all but quenched. If he hadn't acted as quickly as he did, he was fairly sure he'd be in a lot more pain right now.

"Yes, I believe seeing who else is here would indeed be helpful."

Following the frog-men back to their settlement, he notices the tattoo's on the Shaman. It takes him a moment, but he soon recognises them. A broad smile crosses his face as he realised what this meant. He couldn't, however, explain it in front of his allies. The deluded Boggards could be left to retain their belief's a while longer.

[Razorstorm]

Victor begins investigating the caverns, notebook in hand, sketching things out roughly. He's looking for offshoot, instabilities, things that seem like they'd lead elsewhere, intrusions of man-made structure (foundations, etc), generally getting a feel for the structure. He is generally uninterested in the disgusting Frog-men.

Engineering

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(1d20+13)[22]
Also, I'm not clear where this cavern is supposed to be in relation to the Horn. Underneath it?

[Morbis Meh]

Schtein appraises the wizened boggard and smirks over the markings "Why yes we are on a holy mission of the greatest importance and any assistance you and your people can provide would be greatly appreciated. Now can you tell us about this place, specifically the layout and possible dangers?"

[Thattaman]

Kydrak is clearly disgusted by this hole and looks around with no joy on his face. He sheaths his sword and approaches the toughest looking boggard. How would you like to be the bodyguard of a holy prophet? I will make sure you are respected ongst the tribe and if you serve me well then you will become my second in command. Or you can have same fate as your previous leader.

[Maugan Ra]

The boggard merely stares silently at Kydrak, occasionally blinking.

"They do not understand your tongue, wizard." Zikomo calls over. "Few here do, save for the occasional word. As for assistance..."

The shaman gestures to a nearby boggard, who scurries over and deposits a pile of tanned skins on the floor. Sketched onto each is a crude map of the cave system and it's environs, as well as a somewhat sketchier map of the temple above.

Then, Zikomo draws a small leather pouch from among the various other fetishes adorning his person. He casts it into the fire pit, muttering a phrase in a strange language that none of you recognize. The flames turn a brilliant blue color and rise hungrily... As do all the torches set around the perimeter of the cavern. In the central pit an image takes shape, a lean and cadaverous skull face with three eyes. A powerful voice rolls around the chamber, the foul language of the pit making the walls shiver.

(In Abyssal)

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"Seek the cave of blue slime, lest ye fail your master's charge. Sing the Dirges and claim the vigilant eye, and all shall tremble at thy feet."

[Morbis Meh]

Schtein grins "Oh a riddle, I must say I am rather fond of those! Zikomo, we shall take these maps and go ahead, but i ask that the four that brought us here come with us and act as guides. We may have a map but I imagine that they know these caves much better than we do.

[Maugan Ra]

"Of course."

The Shaman barks orders to the four boggards, who look rather unhappy about their assigned tasks. Still, in the wake of the magical demonstration Zikomo just put on, they're not going to disobey, and fall in around you without protest.

[Comissar]

Quint idly listened to what the frog man's conjuration had to say. He didn't understand a word of it, just something he'd have to ask a more linguistically inclined ally. Schtein's reaction to it was intriguing though. Unravelling word play almost always revealed something of use.

He walked over to Victor, examining the map over his shoulder. He pointed at something that caught his attention.

"Holding pens for what?"

He examines the map for a little longer.

"And I don't suppose anybody knows where we need to head to exactly to carry out our sacred duty?"

[Razorstorm]

"I think we should investigate this temple," he says to Quint over his shoulder, pointing to the spot on the map. "I can't tell from this map what leads upwards into the higher levels of the temple, but I'm sure that our new friends can take us there."

He stands up and walks over to the group by the Boggards. "How do WEEEE get up THHHEEEEERRRRE?" He says in a condescendingly slow affectation, gesturing broadly around to his companions, then pointing upwards.

[Maugan Ra]

"Stairs." one of them grunts, pointing towards where the maw leads out of the cave system. Presumably, it is referring to the outside way up to the various openings. If there is a way up into the temple from within the caves themselves, the boggards clearly don't know about it.

[Razorstorm]

"Well, in that case, I say we make a quick tour of their caves down here, and then explore the various entry points outside."

[Maugan Ra]

The boggards, compliant enough once they've worked out what you want, lead you on a brief tour of the cave systems.

Zikomo's temple is the second largest cave in the complex, and it has been converted entirely into the Shaman's dwelling place. Mad scribbles in luminescent oils cover the walls, and broken bones litter the floor in artistically arranged patterns. A crude alter sits in the middle of it all, stained with the blood of hundreds.

The bone pit appears to be where the boggards dump the remains of all their victims and sacrifices. There are literally hundreds of skeletons in there, jumbled madly together and left to rot.

The acid pool is a natural depression where bubbling clear liquid has pooled after flowing down from the Horn above. There is close to a hundred liters of potent acid there, and at a guess it is not so much natural as it is corrupted rainwater twisted by its passage through the unholy rock.

The mud pits fill up a third of the chamber adjacent to the village, and they boil with geothermal heat. Sections of the chamber have clearly been worked by mortal architects, for no reason discernible at first glance.

The cavern of blue slime takes it's name from a strange luminescent algi that has grown to cover the south wall. There is a small opening near the centre of that wall, no more than a few inches across, that appears to form a natural passage to somewhere deeper within the rock.

The section marked 'diamonds' appears to be a small, narrow antechamber covered in glistening ice and sparkling gemstones of a multitude of colors. The boggards give it a wide berth, though they barely seem conscious of it.

Would you like to investigate any of these areas more closely?

[Razorstorm]

The little scientist in Victor "squees" at the sight of a pool of acid! "Imagine a hooked chain attached to a winch up there, coming down to controls down here!" He said excitedly to his companions, pointing up to the ceiling, then over to a point on the wall, then down to the ground away from the pool. "You could hang someone by their hands and lower down to the acid as part of an interrogation. You can dangle them just close enough that their toes sizzle, and they writhe and wriggle to stay up in the air. But eventually they get tired, and then ssszzzzz! They'll tell you want you want to know when the their feet start burning."

Then he got another fabulous idea. "Oh, I need flasks. This stuff is expensive, not to mention handy! Makes a wonderful thrown weapon, and if you have a precision applicator you can just burn a lock open instead of picking it." He stands there for another moment, stroking his goatee and nodding. "I like this room!"

[Morbis Meh]

Schtein rolls his eyes "Not now, we have work to do and torture methods is the last thing we need to concern ourselves with. Besides I have much quicker and peaceful methods for interrogation... the dead don;t lie."