Age of Ruin IC: When all your friends are dead

[Regwon]

Krashnix

Krashnix turns in the direction of Akim, but addresses everyone.

I am afraid the silence spell has already finished and I cannot cast another today. That is why we need to leave here as soon as possible. The man who found his way out just continued upwards until he reached the surface, yes? Then that is what we must also do. We must go up. Please lead on.

[Ozzy_G]

You follow the passage for about ten minutes, before seeing that it is coming to an end. In the darkness outside your dim light, you cannot make about what is at the end of the tunnel, without walking up to it and revealing yourselves to anyone who might be there.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

What fun...were I alone, this would be hard enough. Hmm...

Kizima fully loads her crossbow before lightly tapping Krashnix. She makes an agressive motion toward the empty doorway, and puts a mischeivous grin on.

Big guy runs in, gets there attention, then when they have their backs turned, Livina and I get the jump on them. If there's anyone in there, anyway. I'd like there not to be.

Spoiler

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Spot - (1d20+11)[13]
Listen - (1d20+13)[29]

Obviously, if I detect anything suspicious, those orders are delayed.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina nods and stands to one side, waiting for the others to go by. She cracks her knuckles nervously as she looks back into the pitch black.

[Ozzy_G]

While she cannot see anything, Kizima's sensitive ears pick up sounds: the rustle of clothing, the low hum of a large number of voices.

[Lycar]

"Can you hear anything ?" Akim asked in a nervous whisper.

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Listening carefully, Akim manages to catch the sound of low voices, but the others can't quite hear it.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

"There are people talking in there. And a fair number, if I had to guess. I think Krashnix should get their attention so the rest of us can take advantage of the distraction. It might work."

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina blinks.
"How...many voices? Think we can take them all? I'm at my best when I can get the drop on someone... maybe we ought to check first? Scout it out?"

[Lycar]

Akim Kar'zad

"I find your confidence in our abilities refreshing but wouldn't it be more prudent to try and find a way around those people ? Remember there may be 5 of us but only 3 are any good fighting."

Akim fidgets around with his staff nervously. Not only are they crawling through a dark underground passage, which would probably even more unnerving if illuminated, they are also heading toward several people who are probably going to sacrifice first and not bother to ask questions....

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Rego keeps quiet, looking rather worried.
The sound of voices increases, you can all hear it now, though you cannot make out words. There must be several people in there.
Oi, hurry up will you? A shout, clear above the buzz, a man's voice, cruel and powerful. We've only got twenty minutes before the sacrifice!

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina tenses up.
Are they getting closer?
aloud, she whispers
"Let's try and avoid them. That's a lot of people to kill..."

[Lycar]

Akim sounds worried. He whispers urgently "Are they coming our way ? It sounds like they are coming our way... we should find a place to hide, let them walk past us and slip by unnoticed. Just saying...."

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

As you wait, discussing it amongst yourselves, with Rego quaking in fear, the voices get a bit nearer. It's a good thing his two pack mules have cloth over their mouths, as is the custom in Qusa, or they might give away your position.
Then the voices all stop, except for one.
Right, now we've got the sacrifice, let's start preparing. Desa, fetch the book from downstairs.
Footsteps start coming towards your corridor.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Peachy. Hmm, if we can control the doorway, we'll have cover and numbers. And I don't think we'll have trouble with spells, either. Excellent.

"Soon as I shoot this guy," Kizima whispers as she trains her crossbow on the door, "I want Livina and Krashnix to cover both sides of the door, killing anyone who comes through. Everyone else, stay lined up along the walls, and help finish anyone who survives. As soon as you hear my crossbow fire. Seriously, between his probable torch and our light, we have no chance of hiding."

Spoiler

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Readied action: shoot the first person to step through the doorway.
Attack - (1d20+12)[28]
Damage - (1d8)[4]
Crit Confirm - (1d20+12)[16] (weapon range is 19-20)
SA Damage - (4d6)[14]
Initiative - (1d20+6)[12]

[Lycar]

Akim needs a moment to ponder, then he quickly grabs Rego's arm and pulls him with him, going to hug the wall and stay out of harm's way if at all possible. He does keep his staff ready though.

(Stick close to the walls ? Can do...)

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Rego flattens himself against the wall, looking terrified, as the footsteps get nearer.

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina sighs and pads silently to the door frame. She crouches down opposite Sir Krashnix, in wait for the hapless fool that walked through the door.

Spoiler

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Initiative - (1d20+3)[8]
Attack - (1d20+12)[18]
Sneak Attack - (4d6)[13]
Damage - (1d10+3)[9]

[Ozzy_G]

A young woman in black robes with a green lining is silhouetted for a moment in the faint light at the doorway. She looks shocked for a second to see you... and even more shocked when a crossbow bolt slices through her throat and out the other side. With a gurgle, she collapses lifeless on the floor.
Shouts come from further back in that room, probably about 4 or 5 people.
By Silarthis! Someone's attacking us! Kill the scum who dare defile the ritual!
Booted feet start running towards you.

[Regwon]

Krashnix

Krashnix nods silently, then walks over to the door, opposite Livina, and readies his mace. As he waits Krashnix mutters something under his breath and small licks of flame begin to cover the head of his mace.

Spoiler

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Initiative - (1d20+4)[7]
attack - (1d20+8)[10]
damage - (1d8+2)[5]
Fire damage - (1d6)[1]

[Ozzy_G]

A man runs through the doorway, holding a wicked looking dagger. He looks shocked to see how many of you are hiding in the darkness.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Kizima drops her crossbow as soon as the bolt goes into the air. As she steps toward the doorway, she brings her rapier to bear in front of her. She carefully advances on the cultist, merely blocking the doorway agressively while the others do the real fighting.

Spoiler

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Okay, so here's the deal.
First, I use a free action to drop my crossbow.
Next, I declare my Dodge on the mook in the doorway.
Next, move action to move and draw my rapier.
And, for my last action, I use my Combat Expertise feat for its full value of 5-for-5.
This brings my AC to 29 against this guy and 28 against everyone else. My touch AC against everyone else is 23 (my sheet evilly counts my deflection bonus as an armor bonus, so don't trust it). I will apply the attack penalties on my own.
Attack - (1d20+3)[6]
Damage - (1d4+1)[3]
Crit Confirm - (1d20+3)[21] (range 18-20)
And Livina gets Sneak Attacks against anyone who comes through the door thanks to Krashnix's flank, and all three of us get AoOs whenever anyone steps into that square.
You may roll mook's AoO against me if you think he's got a chance of actually doing something. But I want to make sure that my strategy is brought to its full potential. Is it too much to hope that they both have Combat Reflexes?

[Ozzy_G]

Kizima pokes her rapier at the man, but since she's really concentrating on parrying any possible attacks, he easily dodges instinctively.

[Ozzy_G]

Livina's foot smashes up into the man's chin, and with a crack his head snaps backwards at a sickening angle, and he falls backwards.

[Lycar]

Akim watches the demise of the first two cultists while calculating his chances.

(The lackeys aren't a real threat apparently, i just wonder if their priest is powerful... and.. what do we remember about explosive evocations. Lets see... line of effect required, effect can spread into areas out of line of effect of caster.)

Akim takes a bit to come to this conclusion but then will move to get 25 feet or so away from the others, hopefully outside the area of effect of any elemental evocations a priest of Silarthis might be able to.. evoke.

Also he will gently but firmly pull Rego along with him.

Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Rego stumbles nervously back down the corridor with Akim, pulling his pack mules with him. The beasts are skittish due to the smell of blood, but their ee-aw exclamations are muffled by the muzzles they wear.

[Ozzy_G]

Shocked cries echo from beyond the doorway.
Be careful, shouts the voice you heard before, don't go in there! It must be an ambush!
Then the tone changes to a chant. Silarthis, Lord of Lies, grant me the strength to smite your foes!

[The Great Skenardo]

Livina Lightfoot
Livina glances nervously at her companions. That sounded suspiciously like magic. They said the cultists of the old gods could call down great power from the heavens, sometimes. Still. The Mokai woman rolls her shoulders and ducks down, edging to the right, to peek around the frame of the doorway.
Always give a small target...

[Ozzy_G]

Peeking out, Livina sees a very large room with a high ceiling, not quite round.
There is a huge statue of a serpent on the opposite wall. In front of it, is a girl in a white shift, chained to the ground.
In front of her, and facing you, are a woman and two men. All of them are wearing black robes with green linings and holding brutal looking maces. The man in the middle is a tall, powerful looking man, and it is he who is chanting. They must be about forty foot away.

[Brickwall]

Kizima

Chanting? Oh, no, please don't tell me.

Kizima carefully inches toward the doorway. As she fully comprehends what is in front of her, she acts quickly. Tossing her sword to her left hand, she draws her mace, flips it around once, then hurls it at the central priest.

Spoiler

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Yes, that trick again.
Attack - (1d20+8)[28]
Damage - (1d4+1)[2]
Crit Confirm - (1d20+8)[11]
Sneak Attack - (4d6)[15] (if applicable, and since he didn't see me until I stepped forward, I think I caught him unawares)

Actions: 5-foot step forward (free action)
Draw weapon (move action)
Attack (standard action)

Here's hoping that shuts him up.