[4E] A City Alone IC I

[Gavran]

Sathris

Glancing askance at his commander, Sathris mutters under his breath as he shifts into a balanced status, resting his hand on the hilt of his blade. "Making friends already, huh...?"

[Nightgaun7]

The cavern echoes Kriv's booming voice. Stepping in, the acrid stench chokes the throat and makes the eyes water, but the dragonborn can see a few other tunnels leading off from this cavern, the mouth of a large pit on the far side of the cavern, and a small pile of loot - a rolled carpet and textiles, some small chests, a little heap of coins next to a few metal containers, the sort of thing one might quickly take from a foundering ship. A few bits of armor and weapons are arrayed to the right. Amphora and barrels, several large wax-covered wheels of cheese, and some sacks are on the left. Around the cauldron what seem to be magic circles are drawn or inscribed, though they seem old and no arcane glow emanates from them.

The sobbing is reduced in volume as a tremulous, feminine voice is heard from the pit. "H-hello? Are you the friends of the man that was just thrown in here? He said his, his friends would come right before they threw him in here with us! Marie, stop crying and see if you can rouse him. Please, help us out of here! I heard them say they were going to set a trap, they'll be back any minute!"

[Wdwune]

Hakka

As the thri-kreen lets Kriv and the more diplomatic allies to handle the situation of calming down the prisoners, his head twists as he looks around a safe spot at a higher ground on the cave.

Spoiler: OOC

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Perception check to search a higher ground spot from which snipe in case of an ambush:
· Perception: (1d20+14)[30]

If I'm successful, then I do the following:

Minor: Switch my stance to Aspect of the Lurking Spider (+2 Stealth, +5 Athletics (climb), +2 dmg vs enemies with CA)

Move: Climb up to the higher ground spot (making double move if necessary, and a Stealth check at the end of the whole movement).
· Athletics (climb): (1d20+17)[32] (12 base, +5 stance)
· Stealth: (1d20+14)[15] (16 base, +2 stance, +1 item, -5 movement)

If I have actions remaining, I'll do a minor action to switch back to the former stance, Aspect of the Pouncing Lynx (+4 initiative, +5 defenses while moving, +2 att on the first turn).

[Laserlight]

The sobbing is reduced in volume as a tremulous, feminine voice is heard from the pit.

DEN shifts back from javelin to gouge. "It Is Not Logical That Unit Sven Would Speak While Entranced Of Friends Following Him. Also Why Set A Trap In A Direction From Which We Are Not Coming Query. I Suspect The Speaker In The Pit Is Not The Harmless Prisoner Implied. Commander Kriv I Am Ready To Investigate At Your Order."

[Gavran]

Sathris

"Caution is smart, DEN, we know very little about the situation. But -" Sathris heads slowly toward the edge of the pit."- consider, we know very little. Perhaps whatever led Sven astray lost its potency. Surely this pit wouldn't be needed if the effect lasted forever. And the trap... who says it's for us?" He kneels near the edge of the pit. As he addresses the pit's inhabitants his voice shifts subtly to a warmer tone. "Hello down there. We'll be able to assist you, but if your captors are set to return so quickly... you'll be safer if you remain in the pit for now. You'll have to act as if nothing has changed, but be prepared for anything. Can you do that?" He scans the room, searching for a spot that would be hidden from the various entrances.

Spoiler: OOC

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Diplomacy if needed: (1d20+8)[16]
Be there mapness?

[Nightgaun7]

Spoiler

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There be mapness. I'll give the others a bit more time before more IC though

[Rakaydos]

Draj cautiusly waited, furthur back where he was less likely to be noticed.

[Meltheim]

Kriv

Looking down at the pit, Kriv waves a "go for it" gesture toward DEN. "Hakka, eyes open." he says, quieter than his initial bellowing. Looking back down to the pit, Kriv addresses Grigor. "Captain, do you see your man down there?" Then to the occupants of the pit, Kriv says, "My friend here has the right of it. Lay low and pretend nothing has happened. Do that and you might live. Fail, and I'll be sure to kill you myself."

Spoiler

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Good cop bad cop with Sathris. Here's an intimidate to further convince them to play along.

Intimidate - (1d20+20)[14](34)

[Laserlight]

DEN edges forward and looks to see who--or what--is in the pit.

Spoiler

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Total Defense, then Move.

[Nightgaun7]

As Kriv, Sathris and DEN gather round the mouth of the pit, they see a young girl stooping in the center of the pit, one hand raised to shield her eyes from the bright light of DEN's sunrod as she looks up to see who's come. She's neither a great beauty nor particularly hideous, but she is very dirty, clothed in rags and covered in scrapes and bruises. The pit, roughly cut into the rock, is wider at the bottom than at the top, the sides inclined to make it very difficult to climb out. DEN's sunrod casts sharp shadows around the bottom, making it difficult to see what is outside the cone of light spotlighting the girl. You can hear another woman's voice, murmuring "Come on, get up...wake up..." from under the ledge.

Hakka settles down on a small ledge just to the left of the way the squad entered the cave, and Draj waits near him. Grigor moves to join the others near the pit and his companion waits near the entrance.

All of a sudden, the cauldron erupts. A huge, billowing wave of heavy, noxious smoke pours out, rising up to the roof of the cave before beginning to settle down and out across the floor. From inside the smoke, you hear a howl of anguish that trails off into a rolling growl.

Spoiler

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The smoke pools in low areas. The light squares around the cauldron are the highest, the area around the hole is lowest. The smoke is indicated by the green line, which can be easy to miss. Areas within the smoke are heavily obscured for now.

Ending your turn in the smoke causes a save vs weakened.

Initiative order, should it be relevant:
Sathris - 26
DEN - 20
Hakka - 17
Kriv - 10
Draj - 7

[Laserlight]

DEN edges around the pit, trying to see whether our missing sailor is there, while staying out of the smoke.

[Wdwune]

Hakka

The thri-kreen nods at Kriv and hides as best as he can while he uses his four arms to draw his most usual crossbow. Once done, he changes his stance to prepare himself for any incoming threat as he secures the perimeter.

Spoiler: OOC

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Free: Multiple Arms, draw Swiftshot Crossbow

Minor: Change stance to Aspect of the Lurking Spider (+2 Stealth, +5 Athletics (climb), +2 dmg vs enemies with CA)

Move: Hide in my spot.
· Stealth: (1d20+19)[23] (16 base, +1 clothing, +2 stance)

Minor: Change my stance back to Aspect of the Pouncing Lynx (+4 initiative, +5 defenses while moving, +2 att on the first turn).

[Gavran]

Sathris

Spinning to face the cauldron, Sathris pulls a knife from his belt and stares intently into the obscured area. "What is this...?"

Spoiler: OOC

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Readied Action: Sly Flourish if something hostile steps out of the smoke.

Anyone wanna weigh in on whether a Readied Action counts for First Strike? :P I'm thinking probably not...

[Rakaydos]

While the others concerned themselves with the "prisoners", Draj stepped up to the firepit closer to the door, looking around for other possible attackers. He had one more big spell left, and no guarentee it was the right one for this job. Every bit of preparation mattered.

Perception (d20+5)[19]

[Rakaydos]

Also, Arcana on the cauldren and save vs weakened

Arcana (d20+20)[39]
Save vs weakened (d20)[15]

[Nightgaun7]

As most eyes turn to the cauldron, DEN and Grigor circle the pit. Neither see Sven, just the two girls, both now looking somewhat blank.

Smoke continues to rise from the cauldron, though it seems to be thinning at the edges as it settles and spreads. With Hakka and Sathris watching for any signs of a foe, Draj moves towards the cauldron to investigate.

The gnoll's snout wrinkles and eyes water as the acrid stench becomes completely overwhelming. Through his bleary eyes, he sees the cauldron as a slightly darker shape in the smoke, and then...did the cauldron move? He rubs his eyes and peers intently at the rim of the huge cauldron. Nothing, for a moment, and then a giant heaves itself up, cloaked in the black smoke. The low growl of earlier is heard by all, rising into a reverberating roar that rolls around the cavern. The girls in the pit scream, the sailor near Hakka swears and makes the sign of Valkur. As Draj backs away, the shape turns towards him and attacks. A massive hand punches claws deep into his belly.

As DEN sees this, he knows he should be moving to help his ally. He knows this. And yet at the same time he wants to jump into the pit. He struggles between conflicting desires for a moment, but the pit is so much closer, and he won't know if Sven is really down there until he jumps in...

Kriv hears something to his left and glances that way. He sees a stooped, bony woman with a massive thatch of white hair waving something around and making passes in the air.

Spoiler

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Draj is critted by a 32 and takes 21 damage.
These dice aren't rigged, I swear. Though the grey one doesn't like players much...

Turn 1: Sathris and DEN are up.

DEN is dominated. On his turn he uses a move action to jump into the pit unless no longer dominated. If he does so, he takes 1d10 falling damage.

Spoiler

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I think I have everything working right but if I slip up, as always, let me know. It's especially hard to keep track of everyone's triggered actions and passive bonuses. I have notes on you all, but still.

[Gavran]

Sathris

Glancing between the two disturbances, Sathris makes a quick decision and hurls his drawn knife in the human figure's direction as he moves to close the distance between them.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move: Walk to I19
Standard: Sly Flourish
Attack: (1d20+20)[24]
Damage: (1d4+12)[15]
Sneak Attack: (2d8+4)[2][5](11)

[Laserlight]

DEN looks from the pit to the cauldron, not really liking either choice.
Query to determine commader's intent. IF RAND(0,1) > 0.5, THEN pit, ELSE cauldron.

Spoiler: OOC

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Saving throw against Dominate: (1d20)[20](20)
if PASS, move around the west side of the pit, then charge to P11 and attack the cauldron--knock it over if I think I can do that, otherwise cleave it.
if FAIL, rather climb down into the pit than jump--DEN s a warforged, not a warfrog.

[Nightgaun7]

DEN stands at the edge of the pit, caught between paradoxical impulses from his logic center. The impulse to jump is nigh-overwhelming, but his programmed desire to protect his allies is putting up a stiff fight. Swift Sathris moves to attack this creature he assumes is bewitching his ally. His blade spins through the air and sinks deeply into the thigh of the stooped woman before him.

With a shriek, she cries, "Now the mother, now the maiden!"

Spoiler: Kriv, DEN

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With this utterance you recognize the three women as hags, evil female fey that possess both magical power and physical strength. They often form covens of three to gain even greater ritual knowledge. You know that there are different types of hag, but which ones you are facing you cannot say.

Spoiler: Draj

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Your training as a mage has prepared you well for this encounter. In addition to the knowledge that Kriv and DEN might remember with effort, you know that hags can change their shape to mimic that of other humanoids, so long as that form is female. They often lair in swampy or seaside areas, where their ability to breathe water and see in low light helps them evade enemies. As you glimpse Kriv disappear into the earth, you recognize his assailant as a green hag, beings that have a faculty with plant and earth magic. You recall that they are resistant to poison.

Kriv, attention split between the two emergent foes, is surprised by a light tap on his shoulder. As the rock sucks him down into the pit, he sees a fat, wrinkled face peering down at him and faintly hears, "Can't stand around up hear, dearie! It's dangerous!" He can't help but feel that the rock squeezing him is also quite dangerous, but before he can say anything he finds himself falling to the floor of the pit.

Sathris can't pay much attention to the strangled yep from Kriv's direction, as third woman appears from an offshoot and charges towards him. He reckons she would be accounted beautiful by humans; young, lithe, and wearing not a thing. But her appearance must be nothing more than a mask, for as she sprints towards him he gets a horrible, gut-wrenching feeling, as if he'll never be whole again. Her fingers stretch into claws and rake him; though the worst of the blow is turned by his armor, her attack still draws deep furrows across his skin. Blood wells up over his feathers.

Spoiler

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H3 has an Aura 3 with the following effect:
When an enemy within the aura spends a healing surge to regain hit points, that enemy regains only half the normal hit points.

Grigor springs to attack the hag that sent Kriv through the earth, but his flashing blade fails to land a telling blow.

Spoiler

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H2 moves to Q17 and attacks Kriv.
Kriv takes 19 damage and is teleported 3 squares to O19 (-3 elev) and falls to (-4) but seeing as it's 5 feet takes negligible damage.

H3 moves to E14.
H3 charges to H18 and attacks Sathris
Sathris takes 13 damage.
H3 shifts to F18.

Grigor charges to Q18 and attacks but misses.

Turn 1: Kriv, Hakka and Draj are go.

[Wdwune]

Hakka

The thri-kreen hunter's antennae could feel the presence of the three witches, even if the smoke cloud is too thick. Even if his intuition (or hive-mind) told him that the witches were at some way responsible for the monster inside the smoke, the latest was far too close and a more direct danger to everyone than the trio.

He decides to delay the creature while the rest of the team take care of the witches. He carefully loads and aims the crossbow, crouches, and pulls the trigger, putting more effort in precission than damage.

Then he attempts to hide back in his safe spot.

Spoiler: OOC

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Free: Load crossbow.

Standard: Disruptive Shot vs Thing in the Smoke
· (1d20+19)[38] vs AC (15 base, +2 CA, +2 stance, no cover/conceal penalty)
· Hit: (1d8+13)[21] dmg (8 base + 5 Draw First Blood) and target is dazed (save ends)
· Miss: Half dmg and target is slowed until the end of my next turn.

Free: Reload crossbow.

Minor: Switch stance to Aspect of the Lurking Spider (+2 Stealth, +5 climb, +2 dmg if CA)

Move: Stay in my spot and hide.
· Stealth: (1d20+19)[32] (16 base, +1 items, +2 stance)

[Meltheim]

Kriv

From out of the pit, suddenly a grappling hook comes flying. "Lady, putting me in that hole was your first mistake!" As he reaches out of the pit and pulls himself up, Kriv looks thoroughly pissed off.

"Letting me live will be your last mistake." Kriv swings his sword at the hag's face, hoping to get her off guard.

Spoiler

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Minor: Throw grappling hook out of the pit

Move: Climb up rope to P18 (DC 10 Athletics) (1d20+14)[18](32)

Standard: Intuitive Strike vs Green Hag

Attack: (1d20+15)[8](23) vs Will
Hit: (1d8+4)[2](6) damage. Until the start of your next turn, the next ally who attacks the target and has combat advantage against it gains a +2 power bonus to the attack roll.

[Rakaydos]

Staggering away from the creature that struck him, Draj circled the caldron, moving closer to the two hags by themselves. Weaving a powerful delusion, Draj cast dark strands over the two- hopefully enough to contain them until everyone had regrouped.

"Focus the Green one!" he bellowed, hoping his spell worked.

Move: walk to I13
Standard: Mirage Arcana- Burst 2 centered F17, +C19 (Architech's staff)
Zone is difficult terrain, and creatures inside grant CA. Zone lasts until end of encounter.
Vs WH: (d20+13)[21] vs Will (2d6+6)[15] Psychic damage
Vs BH: (d20+13)[28] vs Will (2d6+6)[11] Psychic damage
On a hit, the affected creature is Dazed, Cannot willingly leave the Zone, and cannot see (full concealment) creatures outside the zone. (Save ends all)

[Nightgaun7]

The white-haired hag waves her hands and chants in a loud voice, and a gleam is seen in the smoke. The shape steps out of the cauldron and moves towards Kriv and Grigor, picking up speed as the hag shrieks, "Behold the destruction of Great Hope! Our infernal drakeseed will be the ruin of you all!"

Grigor gasps, his face a mask of horror. The massive shape striding closer has the face of Sven, though twisted and reddened with a mindless rage, and eyes shining with the magic of the hag. His body is a mutated hulk, more than twice the sailor's original height. Skin stretches over bunching muscles, pulsing veins, and bones grown into dense plates with bloody spurs protruding. Ropes of saliva fly and dust rises as the creature that was once a man bellows and charges towards Kriv and Grigor.

Their former comrade fortunately seems clumsy in this new form, and Kriv is able to dodge the hands that try to bludgeon him to the ground.

Spoiler

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Not done yet, the old hag moves towards Sathris, weaving another spell. He slowly begins to feel a dull, throbbing pain. As he prepares to attack once more, the hammering in his skull increases commensurately.

Spoiler

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Sven charges to O15/P16 and attacks Kriv but misses.
Sven fails to save from Daze.

The wizened hag moves to D19
The wizened hag attacks Sathris and places him under a Pact of Choked Aggression.

Pact of Choked Aggression: EoE or until the hag or an ally attacks the target. While affected, the target takes 10 psychic damage the first time it hits a creature during each of its turns.

The sailor near Hakka is visibly shaken, but he gulps and moves forward nonetheless, boarding pike at the ready as he skirts the smoke.

Spoiler

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S1 moves to H10

Through all this, the smoke has been settling and spreading. Some of clings to Sven, flowing in his wake.

Spoiler

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The smoke now covers more ground. It only provides partial concealment now, but still causes the save vs weakened. Please make sure to account for its effects when taking your turn.

Spoiler

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Turn 2: DEN and Sathris are up.

[Gavran]

Sathris

Harried by the new developments, Sathris peels away from his initial target and carefully approaches the enemies near his captain. He strikes out at the hag, but is overwhelmed by the combined effects of the smoke, the psychic onslaught and shaken by the Sven-monster's appearance. His attack misses completely, but he recovers and shifts into a defensive stance.

Stay focused! Whatever that is it is not Sven anymore.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move: Walk to M18
Save vs Weakened: [roll0]
Standard: Deft Strike
Move to P17, provoking from Sven and the Green Hag. +8 AC, +4 NADS against.
Attack: [roll1] + 3 if OA'd.
Damage: [roll2] + [roll3] if OA'd.

Contingency: Will Swift Parry (+4 defenses, gain CA) to stop an attack made after my turn.

Will update the sheet post-resolution.

[Laserlight]

DEN

The combat machine does not shake its head as the Dominate dissipates, it merely hefts its blade and moves forward, circling the pit. "They Said Unit Sven Was In Pit." One might imagine, in his harsh monotone, the faintest hint of reproach: if you can't trust a scantily clad female prisoner of the monster, who can you trust? He strikes with the hook to the creature's knee, trying to pull it back to the edge of the pit.

Spoiler

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Move: from M21 around the left side of the pit to N17
Attack: Footwork Lure +15vs AC +2 CA from Dazed (1d20+17)[7](24)
Damage: (2d6+9)[4][2](15)
Extra dice if needed for for Brutal [rollv]3d6[rollv]
On HIT: DEN may shift one square (to M18) and slide the target into the square I left (N17).
Minor: none

He lunges and extends, then yanks back. The creature stumbles to the edge of the pit...

[Nightgaun7]

The green hag is too smart to fall for Sathris' ploy, but the mutated hulk with Sven's face lashes out at him. The rogue scrambles under the massive arm swinging at him.

The hag he tried to attack retreats slightly, clearly deciding that three people at arms length is too many, and says "Hold still, my pets!" while scattering a handful of seeds from a pouch at her side. As soon as the seeds touch the floor of the cave, they erupt into tangled, grasping vines that try to entwine whatever they touch

The naked hag, meanwhile, is held at bay by Draj's spell, gnashing her teeth and clawing at whatever illusions she sees.

Spoiler

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Sven takes AoO vs Sathris and misses.

Green Hag shifts from Q17 to R16.
Green Hag does a burst 2 centered on O18. Anyone hit is restrained, save ends. Miss gets you slowed.

DEN is hit
Kriv is hit
Sathris is hit (unless his NAD bonus lasts til now and can get him above 30)
Sven is hit
Grigor is hit

Beautiful Hag fails to save from Mirage Arcana.

Grigor fails to save from restrained.

Turn 2, Kriv Hakka and Draj.

[Wdwune]

Hakka

Even if he heard something about the monster being Sven, the thri-kreen hunter still needs to neutralize it.

He calmly aims at the monster, beyond the smoke screen, and pulls the trigger. A bolt crosses the plume piercing Sven's hide as Hakka reloads his crossbow. The monster falls down to the pit, his stance unbalanced by Hakka's shot.

"Smoke be bad," Hakka says to the sailor as he jumps away from the ledge to a more advantageous position. "Stay away from it."

Spoiler: OOC

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Standard: Clever Shot vs Sven
· (1d20+17)[27] vs AC (15 base, +2 CA, no concealment penalty)
· Hit: (1d8+12)[13] dmg (10 base, +2 stance) and slide target 2 squares south, into the pit

Free: Reload crossbow.

Move: Jump from the ledge, walk from U4 to N4, and hide behind the smoke screen.
· Athletics (jump): (1d20+12)[22]
· Stealth: (1d20+13)[29] (16 base, -5 movement, +2 stance)

[Meltheim]

Kriv

Relieved to have an ally by his side, Kriv faces the hag in a direct challenge. He bellows in the witch's face and makes a mighty swing with his sword, hoping that allies can help bring the creature down quickly.

Spoiler

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Minor: Dragonfear (close burst 5, centered on Q17, hits GH and Sv) - keyword Fear, if that matters

Attack GH: (1d20+11)[16](27) vs Will
Attack Sv: (1d20+11)[9](20) vs Will
Hit: Target takes -2 penalty to attack rolls and grants Combat Advantage until the end of your next turn.

Standard: Intuitive Strike vs GH

Attack: (1d20+15)[9](24) vs Will (add +2 for CA if Dragonfear was successful)
Hit: (1d8+4)[1](5) damage. Until the start of Kriv's next turn (round 3), the next ally who attacks GH and has combat advantage gains additional +2 power bonus to the attack roll.

Move: Shift 1 to Q19 (if I can, it's over a weird corner so let me know if I can't.)

Minor: Inspiring Word on Draj

Draj gets to spend a Healing Surge and gets the following benefits:

1. Healing Surge Value (15) + 2d6 + 7 hit points = 34 HP
2. Roll a Saving Throw
3. +1 bonus to attack with ranged/area OR +1 bonus to defend against ranged/area until end of my next turn.
4. Shift 1 OR gain +2 bonus to AC & Reflex until the start of their next turn

[Rakaydos]

Weaving his windspell once again, Draj carefully arced it around his fellows, as he attempted to drop both the abomination and the green hag into the pit. Even if he should fail, it should leave them open to his allie's attacks- if it succeded, however, it would buy the team time and advantage, letting them break away from the pit before the weakening cloud enveloped them.

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Howling Wall:
Vs Sven: (d20+13)[30] vs fort, Slow, slide to N19/O20 (Save to replace falling in pit with falling prone)
Vs Green Hag: (d20+13)[15] vs fort, Slow, slide to P19 (Save to replace falling in pit with falling prone in P18)
Push the air in squares N16 to Q16 north, hopefully delaying it's advance (DM's call)

[Rakaydos]

Contingency: if Sven saves from falling in the pit, action point to try again, same bonuses.

Spoiler

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Vs Sven: (d20+13)[19] vs fort, Slow, slide to N19/O20 (Save to replace falling in pit with falling prone)
Vs Green Hag: (d20+13)[30] vs fort, Slow, slide to P19 (Save to replace falling in pit with falling prone in P18)