(PF) maggie's Rise of the Runelords: Hook Mountain Massacre IC

[Bhaakon]

Brin just shakes her head at the latest excuse for disrobing. Now there were good reasons for that kind of things, but they were usually a hell of a lot more fun than sneaking through some dank, reptile-infested cavern. Didn't these people get cold? But Rico's question snaps her out of a daydream about a trans-arctic strip poker.

"Yeah, yeah. Just keep your breeches belted. No, really, keep your pants on." She glances at the others as she extracts the butchered fowl. "You remember what you all saw at the Grauls' don't you? And they were only half-ogre. Don't think you want to get the bigguns' blood up."

Finally, once she has the very dead chicken in hand, she shakes it in a manner she hopes the lizards will find enticing. "Here, scaley, scaley, scaley. I've got some nice thighs and breasts here for you. Much plumper than these scrawny birds. You don't want to eat these people; you don't know where they've been."

Assuming the shockers take the bait, she leaves them to their snack and joins Red on the other size of the tangle of passages.

[jamieth]

"Don't worry, miss Brin." Naya's voice is uncharacteristically somber as she tiptoes in Red's footsteps, "I remember... these creatures, they deserve no mercy. Hm... another door? One we weren't warned about? I wonder if that means even the Arrows didn't know everything there is to know about their fort, or... anyway. Now that we know the layout of the cave... there would be no surprise attacks from the back, as no way any ogre could cross that bridge... no reason to waste more time. Miss Avei, miss Rico, you need any protection spells? Miss Red, invisibility?"

Spoiler

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Even without the chicken, can't fail DC 9 Acrobatics, so.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Avei

Spoiler: Stats

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F N Lavasoul Ifrit Fighter (Dragonheir Scion) 7 / Brawler (Exemplar) 1, Level 8, Init 5, HP 72/72, DR Fire 10, Speed 20
AC 25, Touch 11, Flat-footed 24, CMD 23, Fort 11, Ref 6, Will 1, CMB +12/+7, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
+1 Trident (SELF) (M) +17/+12 (R) +14/+10 ((1h/R) 1d8+8 (2h) 1d8+10, x2)
+1 Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield (+10 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex, +2 Deflect)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 12
Condition Quite Wet, Irritated
Martial Flexibility 3/4

Avei hisses out from between her teeth, the sound like steam cascading from a closed pot of water as she stops pulling off her armor at Brin's instruction. "Fine," she whispers out, seething at the situation moreso than anything else as she refastens the few belts she managed to get off before following Red through the newly chicken-distracted crowd of lizards with a not-quite-quiet series of clanks. Hopefully this doesn't attract their attention, because not only does she not wait to see if the bird acted as enough of an incentive to leave them alone, she barely waits for her allies at the door before putting her boot into the wooden frame next to what passed for a handle. "Whatever you want to --- HAGH --- GIVE ME."

Spoiler: OOC

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Take 10 on Strength check to break, 14.
If that fails, draw weapon and start attacking it:
H:(1d20+14)[24] D: (1d8+19)[25]

[Miraqariftsky]

These poor damn bastards...

Moving as gingerly as flesh and iron permit
Rico threads her way through the squamous throng
Almost holding breath, to make her bulk fit
But finally, by care and by cunning, makes no move wrong
Beyond the clutch of clutches, there she emerges
Toward's Red's side, she marches
Stows the spear, unsheathes her wave-blade
And forth does swinging wade
But holds right before the hit
To exercise some good wit
Though who would build a fortress' door to outwards open
Still old training drives her to check the hinges, ere they begin
Then peers she through the cracks
And bends ear to the scouting's wracks
If beyond be clear, then crooks a finger at her friend
No need to waste the silence they've sown to so useless end
But if the door be locked beyond Red's skill
So Rico moves in for the door's kill
A humble front kick right near the keyhole
Sending her heavy boot-heel for that sweet spot's goal
And if still that avail them not
Almost axe-wise, swings her shot
Aiming to hew around the handle and lock

Spoiler

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Acrobatics Take-Tenning allowed? Fifteen, done.

Perception! Passive yields... a 23, or a 25 if giants/fiends are about.

If it comes down to whacking it away? Power Attack + 2-handed grip, let's see, hmm... 12 + 7 + 1 from weapon enhancement
Yeah. Saving the Rage rounds.

(1d20+14)[20]
(1d10+20)[22]

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

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GM has rearranged actions order to allow everyone's rolls to pass in the order that makes the most sense.

Avei's STR check vs DC 18 - failed
Technically, you need a bludgeoning or slashing weapon to sunder, so - Sunder check: passes; minus 5 hardness = 20 dmg, but not to the extent that Avei breaks the door properly

Rico's Sunder check - passes; minus 5 hardness = 17 dmg, finishes breaking door

Fortunately enough, the lizards seem happy enough to take Brin's advice. Though the nearest ones initially balk and hiss in alarm at the sight of Brin brandishing the chicken in one fist, curiosity at the unfamiliar meat quickly overtakes caution. Within seconds, the chicken carcass is swarmed by a tangle of flickered tongues and scaly bodies, with two of the biggest lizards already squabbling over its wings - leaving the rest of you to tiptoe past, trying not to step on any of the lashing tails and writhing bodies that flash across your path on their way to the chicken feast.

Having crossed to the other side, Rico stoops to listen at the door, battered ears pressed to the wood, pricked for the tell-tale sounds of ogre cant. As luck would have it, she discerns nothing but silence. Nor can she, despite huffing and flaring her nostrils repeatedly, scent their distinctive sour-piss reek. Though she picks up hints of something vaguely woody in the air, whatever's on the other side, it's not an ogre. Nor does there seem to be anyone alive and moving in there, at least.

The constable has no time to make report of her findings though. For no sooner has she lifted her head from the door, does Avei's metal-capped heel hack into the wood right next to the handle in a small explosion of wood chips. Though the door shudders at this assault, it remains firmly upright, leaving the ifrit to hurl herself at the door in a snarling fury of bared teeth and blazing gold eyes, her spear plunging easily through the heart of the wood like fire through withered grass. This display of martial temper, however, merely punctures a ragged hole in the door. It is only when Rico brings her waved-edge sabre to bear as well - the massive blade chopping through both handle and frame - that the planks holding the door shut give away, giving enough room for those of you nearest to the door to carefully shoulder your way through.

You're not sure what you'd have expected to find in the basement of Fort Rannick. A food cellar, perhaps. Or an armoury. This simple room (B36), illuminated by torches hung in the corners, might have once been some sort of storeroom - only that someone has gone through great pains to repurpose it. The air is redolent with sweet, vaguely exotic-smelling incense, and veils of multi-coloured silk that hang from ceiling to floor have been draped from utility hooks. Under your boots, the floor is strewn with luxuriant red throw rugs and sheets, and those of you who have entered can even glimpse a giant cushion next to a bookcase stacked with leather-bound tomes and wicker boxes. It looks almost like some sort of illicit pleasure-den, though you can't imagine why on earth the famed Black Arrow rangers would have had need of one like this.

Through the rustling silk veils, you can spot two doors - one in the north wall, and one in the west wall.

Perception DC 18

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You notice that the hanging torches, oddly enough, don't seem to be emitting any heat despite their bright flames.

Spellcraft DC 16

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To your inner eye, the torches shimmer with a faint bluish haze of the evocation school - these torches have had the Continual Flame spell cast upon them, which would explain their unquenched vigour despite being in an enclosed room. Whoever did this set-up must have had at least rudimentary magical training of some sort.

*****

Map

[Bhaakon]

Each kick and sabre swing and splinter of wood makes Brin cringe. "Well, at least there's a clear escape route when something comes to investigate this ruckus." She mutters, not so silently lamenting her traveling companion's hamfisted approach to...everything. A stark contrast to her sober-minded preference for subtlety and discretion.

Fortunately, the ogres seem to have more interesting things to do than looks for the source of suspicious crashing. That, or they couldn't fit into this part of the keep to search. That two of the three human-sized doors still hung on their hinges and fact that the room hasn't smashed to kindling by ponderous oafery implied the later. A fortunate happenstance, as this appeared to be a dungeon of an entirely more pleasant sort. The incense, the colorful veils, the fact that someone had clearly invested in torches that could burn indefinitely without producing heat or choking out the expensive perfume with wood smoke.

Brin cleared her throat. "Clearly this space has some sort of ritual importance. Let me get a closer look to see what we're dealing with. Why don't the rest of you...uh, listen at the other doors. Or take a look at those torches, I believe they're at least modestly supernatural." Her pronouncement completed, she begins digging through everything in the room. She knew an opium den when she saw one. Or something in the same vein. Either way, there was probably something in the room to fuel the victory celebration.

Spoiler

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Perception to search the room for a stash: (1d20+17)[29]
[K(Relgion) to identify if the room really does have ritual importance: (1d20+11)[31]

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Brin's Perception check

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Aside from a chipped plate with a greying chunk of what was probably once a slice of seed cake, a desultory search of the numerous throws and rugs on the floor turns up nothing. Rifling through the wicker baskets, you do find a silver comb, a bundle of incense sticks, several sets of pearl and emerald earrings, but also an assortment of neatly labelled herbs, feathers and sachets of powder - some spellcaster's back-up cache of material components, no doubt.

Brin's K(religion) check

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As much as the scene reminds you of the inner chambers in the more tawdry sort of Calistrian temples, there doesn't seem to be any pattern or familiar placement to the veils and sheets. Unless the ritual happens to involve taking a really good nap while rolling about in expensive fabrics. That much silk was probably worth a pretty penny to the correct buyer.

[Miraqariftsky]

"Summin' smells fishy 'ere..." Rico growls as she glares at the unexpectedly opulent room.

"Fer the sake o' ma'am Shalelu, mehopes this weren't a viper's nest. Though 'tis startin' ta damn well smell like it." Snorting harshly at the cloying scents, scouts out the new doors once again. First peering through the keyhole and cracks once again, then pressing her ear to the wood itself.

Once it is certain that there's nothing incoming, she uses the tip of her sword to lift all the pillows and rugs, give them a shake, then stack them in a semiorganized heap at the westward wall. That done, she lays out the wicker boxes one by one and checks their contents for any clues regarding the case, or even for any suspected contraband.

Likewise with the tomes, but on these, she with more care. Anything that has the slightest suspicious note, she tosses to the mages.

Spoiler

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Perception at 23-25.

Also check EVERY one of these damned books. I am personally suspecting that these books are fishy!

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Rico's Perception check

Spoiler

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Aside from a chipped plate with a greying chunk of what was probably once a slice of seed cake, a desultory search of the numerous throws and rugs on the floor turns up nothing. Rifling through the wicker baskets, you do find a silver comb, a bundle of incense sticks, several sets of pearl and emerald earrings, but also an assortment of neatly labelled herbs, feathers and sachets of powder - some spellcaster's back-up cache of material components, no doubt.

A quick thumb-through of the books reveals them to be mostly encyclopaedic in nature, focusing on the history and flora of Varisia. Except for the plain one bound in brown leather - The Jewel of Qadira. That one had turned out to be a fairly instructive (and explicit) erotic novel, with rather detailed illustrations. Probably best to keep that one away from Setsuna.

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

"That's not something you'd expect to see in the fort..."Naya whispers, peeking over her teammates' heads, "too secluded for living quarters... and way, way too luxurious for a prison... almost seems like some houses of pleasure back home... not that I'm very familiar with those..."the sylph blushes a bit. "Could it be... that someone set this place up for a forbidden romance of some kind? But to do so right under Rannick... too bad we can't ask the rangers directly... anyway... if I'm right, at least one of those door should lead into the fort itself. Whoever made this, should have cared about being able to get here... discreetely..."

[Desril]

Setsuna tried to not sigh too loudly at the crashing and smashing of doors. She was hardly one to oppose charging through, but if they were going to make this much noise they should've burst into the courtyard to deal with the ogres, Red could have opened it much more quietly. Still, what's done was done, and the princess wasn't one to linger over long on mistakes other people made...but nor was she well suited to investigation, and was largely left scratching her head in confusion at the room until Naya suggested a 'forbidden romance' which sparked her agreement, "That must be it! Why else would they have a room like this!" Nodding excitedly, despite knowing very little about the Black Arrows all told, Setsuna did know a lot about books, as she spent much of her childhood reading stories. "They are probably forbidden to have partners, and one of them must have fallen in love and built this place in secret," she decided, despite not having any real evidence to it.

Still, there was little she could do, so she was grateful that Brin pointed out the torches, as understanding magical effects was far easier than spotting hidden clues. Still, even as she moved to study the supernatural lights, she couldn't help but ask, "It does not look like there is much here of use...at least not right now. Should we just move to attack the ogres directly? The others may think we got lost if we take much longer."

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Spellcraft (1d20+10)[14]

[Miraqariftsky]

Shoving the damned book in Naya's face
Rico shrugs and groans with nary a touch of grace
"Keep it if ye will. Or with ye, Hellgirl. TCH! Dunno if there might still be some code or cipher or magical doodad in there."

Suddenly casts her glance about the accouterments all about
Eyes flashing, fingers snapping, snorting away her doubt
"Wait... waiiiiiitasec... Lookit alla this, yeah? Well... I ain't dismissin' yer theory neither, Hellgirl. Let's call yours the blessedly optimistic atween us, yeah? Methinks 'tis a fookyen whorehouse cultist den. That there Lucretia boat bitch, mayhap she's got a connection here?"

Scent of their quarry suddenly pricking her hunter's sense
Her respectful nod, to Red so lends
Hefting sword and shield
Towards the doors, does her attention field.
"Let's go, shall we?"

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

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Spellcraft check - failed

Setsuna's Spellcraft check

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For some reason, although you recognise the hazy aura around the torches to belong to the evocation school, the exact name of the spell eludes you, hovering just out of your memory's reach. Still, it's probably nothing dangerous; there's only so many spells that call forth light beams, and the chances of this one being a trap would be quite small.

Rico hunkers down by the eastern door, her battered ears fairly quivering as they strain once more to pick up the sounds of possible danger. Hearing nothing, she signals to the others to keep close, her trusty battle-table at the ready, takes a deep breath, then throws her weight at the door.

The eastern door is built of some heavy wood and bolted with iron, and even with Rico's hefty shove, it only jerks open a third-way before getting caught on a jutting paving stone - just enough to admit one of you at a time if you squeeze through.

Unfortunately for Setsuna's romantic hypothesis, the rooms beyond the eastern door quickly quash any suggestion of a hidden love-nest. For those who sidle in sideways, you find yourself in a large, unlit room that you recognise immediately as a prison - with two parallel banks of cells with iron bars, four on each side (B36a-h). Grimy and blood-splattered, the cells are empty save for some fetid straw mats and vermin-ridden blankets - the ripe sourness of unwashed bodies and rat spoor still heavy in the air. As you step forward into the darkness, you can hear the tiny beasts squeak in alarm as they scatter at your approach, heading for cracks in the stone walls.

Knowledge (nature) DC 14 / Survival DC 18

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At first glance, it would be difficult to tell how long it's been since anyone has been down here. But as you dodge some of the bolder rats as they streak underfoot, it occurs to you that rats only occupy a place where they have ready access to food. There's nothing edible in here that you can see, but if there are rats about, then surely some of these cells were occupied no more than a few days ago.

*****

For those of you who determine that there's little point in wandering around a rat-infested room that stinks worse than a midden, you swiftly try the north door - which is thankfully, unlocked - and find a flight of well-worn stairs, their planks dished in the middle, leading upwards. Peering cautiously into the dimly lit stairwell, you count one flight of stairs that leads to some sort of landing, and then another flight after that. Though you can't see any ogres, you can certainly hear them, as the faint strains of what sounds like drunken carousing filter down to you through layers of wood and stone.

*****

Map

[Bhaakon]

"Hidden Love nest? More like someone has a thing for whips and manacles." Brin observes, tone dry as a Taldan white. "Had, anyway. The outfit recruits from convicts and outcasts, eh? Can't expect a bunch of straight arrows." The evidence wasn't particularly convincing, but there was a moment's amusement to be gained in needling the tiefling's flight of fancy.

But only a moment. "Shall we take the stairs, or keep wallowing in rat turds?"

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

Naya barely registers her theory being crushed, as she is currently engaged with something that seemed very much in place in the love nest they entered through... and drastically out of place in the prison discoved nearby. Namely, Naya was flipping through the book Rico handed her... and gradually turned red from blushing. Some people, based, on Naya's apparel of choice - or lack thereof - assumed she lived a life of promisquity; that couldn't be farther from the truth. So, looking at the illustrations in the book, it was possible that Naya's internal temperature approached that of Avei. "A-ah, yes, let's go on..."she said weakly - almost whispered, "let's go on..."

[maggie_mcknife]

Red

Red takes a step forward, then hesitates as the others peers into the room beyond. Whatever was in there, it didn't smell too good. All the same, if nobody was screaming, then it probably wasn't worth braving the stink to poke around inside.

It'd been nagging at the back of Red's head that something about all this creeping about underground felt off - almost like going out to steal something, but then bringing all your friends along and going way too slowly and making a whole lot of noise while you were at it. And how on earth was one supposed to make a quick getaway if the way back was crowded with other people?

They were here to take back the Fort though, not steal things. Which meant killing ogres. She still wasn't sure how she felt about fighting something that could probably tear her in half as easy as look at her. But those things needed killing. That Graul house had made it quite clear. They had to move faster, before someone heard all the racket they were making and raised the alarm.

"Miss Naya... the stairs. Can you... use your invi- unseen power? To l-look ahead." Glancing at the sylph - what on earth did she look so flushed? - Red draws her kukri and gets to work on the ropes binding the nearest torch in place. The flames hadn't seemed to harm Setsuna, so it was definitely magical. And fire that didn't burn... yes, she could use some of that. Perhaps throw it in some ogre's face if she needed to make that quick getaway.

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

"S...sure, one moment..." Naya sticks the book deep - deep - into her extradimentional bagand quickly casts the required charm. "Remember, they could still hear you... don't move too fast, and absolutely no fighting..."Of course, Red knew these rules already. But repetition never hurt, and besides, it allowed her to distract herself from the book.

[maggie_mcknife]

Red

The odd torch stowed in her pack, Red flexes her fingers nervously as Naya prepares to speak the words of power, the sylph's delicate hands hovering in a circle just above her head. She'd asked without thinking. She'd never had this kind of spell cast on her before - she knew about sneaking, but how was she going to know where to step if she couldn't see her foot? But too late now. They needed to know what was up there, and fast. Except-

"W-wait." Easing her pack off her shoulders and drawing her kukri once more, Red steps to the nearest hanging silk veil and tears off a ragged strip of the shimmering fabric. Folding the strip thrice, she places the thin wad between her teeth and bites down hard - an old trick she'd learned from Chanda. Best to go fast, best to go silent. If she got shocked by anything up there, at least the feel of the fabric in her mouth would make it more difficult for her to scream.

She sheathes her kukri with a satisfying leathery whisper and then nods at the sylph, a grim light in her eyes. All right, now.

*****

GM post

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Many, many rolls made. Refer to Dice thread if needed.

It's hard to tell how long Red takes to scout ahead. For those of you who care a little more, you keep your ears pricked even as you examine your weapons, waiting and waiting for the guttural roar of an enraged ogre to echo through the Fort. If you stand a little closer to the stairs that Red had vanished up, you can pick up the distant grumble of voices conversing in what must be the Giant tongue, along with a higher-pitched, cracked voice that was definitely singing (or at least making a bold effort at it). This tuneless garble is punctuated every now and then by a disconcertingly faint but meaty slapping noise - whether of an ogre hand drumming on its tumid belly or some other sort of gross plaything, it is hard to tell.

Twitching your nose at the woody incense of the room you're in, you're first alerted to Red's return when the wad of silk she'd been biting - now flecked with spittle - reappears on the floor, flung roughly aside by some unseen hand. This is followed by a muted retching noise and the shudder of heavy breathing, a warm presence next to Rico's thigh.

Red's stutter has grown worse with some strong emotion, as she chokes on almost every other word, with the more observant of you noting the drops of sweat that fall to the floor by Rico's massive boots. Still, you manage to get most of the details out of her once you've managed to calm her down a little and ask specific questions.

She'd managed to check the rooms that weren't locked. There are at least seven ogres up there, on the first floor of the Fort, scattered across the different rooms. They'd been mainly asleep or quarrelling with each other (B24, B19), though one of them (says Red with a catch in her low voice) is dragging a headless humanoid corpse around and using its neck to smear blood onto the Fort walls (B18). There is a staircase that leads up to the second floor, but the door at the top is locked. The main doors to the Fort have also been smashed wide open (B11), and she could see several more ogres wallowing in the yard outside, though they'd seemed distracted by something cooking in a pit...

The smell of the ogres had been awful. But the smell of putrefying flesh had been worse. And she'd seen no Black Arrow survivors - not a single one.

*****

Map

[Miraqariftsky]

Noise shall rise if the whetstone were brought out
Not yet... not yet until true battle's shout
While waiting, carefully sets arms aside
Whips out her pad, with scribbling, time does bide
Cop at heart, the little piece of routine
Serves to calm her nerves with familiar's sheen
When Red comes stumbling in, but presently
Breath catches. Drops all else. Moves doubtlessly.
Rico wraps her arms about her dear friend
Holds Red in her warmth 'til trembling does end.

Rico massages her temples, ears flushed.
Snorts, says in a voice of cold rage yet hushed,
"Rush 'em an' crush 'em. We don't lettem assemble nor lettem prep any kind o' guard. Hellgirl, you an' me're fast 'nuff, we be the spearhead. Either pin or kill that one farthest down the passage. Ma'am Brin, Naya, blast away from the rear, if ye please. Red, Avei, iffen y'all fine fer it, take the middle stretch, stab 'em as they come out, protect our mages. Iffen y'all have any more ideas, we're all ears. Iffen y'all need any protection or mobility potions, I've got spares."

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I suddenly wonder. Around when did Rico stop using nicknames for peeps here? Only Setsuna's kept that "Hellgirl" moniker through all this, it seems.

[Bhaakon]

As much as she'd like to offer up some clever scheme, Brin just plain doesn't have one. The ogres are too numerous to take lightly, but too densely packed to pick off and too dumb to manipulate. At least the hall is narrow enough to avoid getting surrounded.

"I...agree. We can retreat down the stairs if it starts looking bad. They'll have trouble squeezing down there, and I doubt they're smart enough to let the lizards be."

[Desril]

Biting her lip, Setsuna listens to Red's explanation of the floor above, cocking her head to the side and moving her hand to rest on Maethilur's hilt. "It sounds like it will be hard for us to fight too though...if the hall is that narrow, the ogres can only fight one at a time...but we can only fight two at a time," she says with a glance toward the party, since most of them were more melee oriented. Turning toward Red, she continues with a suggestion of her own, "Maybe we should sneak ahead and hit the ogres from behind when they attack?"

[Ilorin Lorati]

Avei

Spoiler: Stats

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F N Lavasoul Ifrit Fighter (Dragonheir Scion) 7 / Brawler (Exemplar) 1, Level 8, Init 5, HP 72/72, DR Fire 10, Speed 20
AC 25, Touch 11, Flat-footed 24, CMD 23, Fort 11, Ref 6, Will 1, CMB +12/+7, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
+1 Trident (SELF) (M) +17/+12 (R) +14/+10 ((1h/R) 1d8+8 (2h) 1d8+10, x2)
+1 Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield (+10 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex, +2 Deflect)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 12
Condition Quite Wet, Irritated
Martial Flexibility 3/4

Avei grinned cruelly at their suggestion, nodding in agreement. "Yes; I can keep their attention long enough for you to come up behind them, at which point..." Pulling out her trident and twisting its hilt in her hands, the fire-blooded woman's smile turned from mere cruelty to clear bloodthirst. "There will no need to retreat."

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

"One moment", Naya raises her hand and quickly chants two more invisibility charms, for Setsuna and Red. "Just in case... well... I guess I'm ready. After you, Miss Rico, Miss Avei?"

[Miraqariftsky]

She leans upon her sword,
Point digging into the stone
Rico nods at Setsuna, in accord
She says, in a steel-cold tone,

"No objections, yer honor. Heck! Iffen yer goin' thattaway, quicker an' cleaner, might as well slit 'em throats where they lie snoring. Less trouble, eh? Tis a damned crappy thing ta do, but these're damned beastly buggers arredy wot think nuthin' o' rape, torture, murder an' eatin' people. Arright... whichever way y'all gonna take... You go first, I'll wait fer a count o' two minutes, then charge. Iffen we hear fightin' before then, I charge, with the rest of us comin' ta close the trap you sprung on 'em. Good nuff, y'all?"

[maggie_mcknife]

Red

"...'m... all right. Rico." Silently appreciative for the solid warmth of Rico's muscular arm, Red knuckles the sweat off her lip, rasping out a reassurance to her friend as best she can. She coughs once more in a bid to control her breathing, trying to clear the taste of bile from her throat, still grimacing. She wasn't going to be able to forget what she'd seen up there in a hurry. Never mind the smell.

And she was going to have to go up there. Again.

No other way for it. Running her thumb over the rosary on her wrist, Red exhales, her shoulders slumped, half-wishing she'd had something to offer prayers to the Lucky Drunk with. But being tipsy while up against those ogres- no, those monsters - would probably be a bad idea. She spits dryly and nods at Rico, her back of her throat still bitter, doing her best to ignore the quickening throb of her heart behind her rib bones.

*****

GM post

Setsuna and Red are invisible.

This time, all of you ascend the double stairs to the main floor of Fort Rannick together. With the sheer weight of armour (and table) that some of you bear, the wooden stairs creak loudly in discordant complaint underfoot. In fact, given the amount of noise that you all have been making with your forced entries through sundry doors, it's a wonder that no curious ogre has yet ambled by to investigate.

At the top of the stairs, you find a small landing (B22) cluttered with ruined crates, barrels, and a stack of smashed firewood - all heaped in a jagged pile in the corner. There's barely enough room for all of you to gather, but for those who are able to, you are able to peer under Rico's armpit or past Avei's shoulders through the door leading to the long corridor beyond.

You see what Red had meant about the smell. The place positively reeks with the sour ripeness of unwashed bodies and ogre musk, along with the distinctive choking stench that those of you more accustomed to the battlefield quickly identify as the smell of putrefying days-old flesh. Breathing the thick miasma in is nearly enough to make the gorge rise in your throats, the hairs on the back of your necks prickling.

This corridor, lined with doors on both sides with a single staircase leading upwards on the west wall, is in shambles. The stone walls are smeared with reddish-black gore, in some places forming messy graffiti-like characters. A tapestry with a pair of crossed arrows - likely the insignia of the Black Arrows - lies on the floor in a forlorn, shredded heap, coated with filth. Bits of armour and palm-sized chunks of flesh litter the floor, while bloated flies, mazed by the rain, buzz lazily along the walls.

At the other end of the corridor, you spot the source of the meaty thumps and off-key ululating. An open door (B18) frames the hunched, bulging back of an ogre, bellowing tunelessly to himself as he slaps his belly to keep time. Standing easily 10 feet tall, with naught but bristling bear hides fastened about his rotund belly and ceremonial horns jutting from crude leather spaulders, the ogre seems too busy with his own affairs to have noticed the six of you. With what you belatedly recognise (with a nauseating jolt) to be a headless, naked corpse held by the legs, the ogre cheerfully slaps at the wall before him, leaving swathe after swathe of splattered meat and brown blood. There's no sign of the other ogres, but they would surely come boiling out of the other rooms once you show yourself.

*****

Battle Map

[Miraqariftsky]

Constable Rico
HP 67/67 (14/14 Rage bonus HP)
AC 19/22
(-3 no shield, -2 Charge, -2 Rage, +4 Mage Armor potion)
*Jump potion also consumed, but don't know if it will come in handy.
Rage I/III, round 1/8

Is there need for trial
With beasts this foul?
Of Justice, 'twould be a betrayal
And the victims' souls shall ever howl.

No room for mercy, only wrath.
Righteous anger burns in her breast.
She levels her sword down the corridor's path.
Briefly kisses the brim of the shield to Cayden blest.

She shoulders her battle-table
And takes a deep breath
Then charges, as fast as she is able
Both hands on the hilt, promising swift death

Upon closing with her quarry, she bounds forward in a great leap
And slashes across its neck, hoping its head to reap

Spoiler

Show

(1d20+15)[27]
(1d10+20)[25]

edit! +2/+2 due to Ranger Favored Enemy: Giants.
Whew, almost forgot!

edit-edit!
Position at U-19

[Bhaakon]

Brin
40/40 HP
19 AC (14 touch)

Why am I always last in line? Brin fumes as she tries to line up a show between the bodies crowing the hall. At least Setsuna and Naya's lack of the stylishly voluminous robes typical of their talents was working in her favor for once. Yes, it was a bit annoying when they got all the attention in town, but blending into the background of the burlesque show would certainly work in Brin's favor when the audience was ten feet of lice-bitten, halitosis-ridden ogre.

"Duck, if you want. I'll try not to hit you anyway." She mutters as she looses for prepared arrow at the hulking monstrosity at the end of the hall, silently thankful that the meat slapping sound was just the beast hitting its own belly.

Spoiler

Show

I'm assuming it's a surprise round? If so, only use the first roll. If we're allowed to full attack, use both.

atk1:[roll[1d20+11[/roll] 17
dmg1:(1d8+2)[5] + (1d6)[3]


atk2:[roll[1d20+6[/roll] 14
dmg2:(1d8+2)[5] + (1d6)[5]

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

Naya ascends the steps towards the fort proper... and, for the first second, alsmot loses herself, now that she sees the ogres' business in person. Not that she didn't trust Red's description- - and if anything, the rogue's condition upon returning from the scouting spoke for itself - but a picture was worth a thousand words... That second, though, was enough to prevent her from getting into the range to aim the spell properly. The spell that required aiming, at least. So... that just meant she'd have to use some more magical oomph. In this situation, it was not even a question. Normally, she would've tried to conserve power... but getting the world rid of these... beings, it was worth it, at any cost. So, Naya launched a dense, almost tangible stream of electricity along the wall... luckily, the ogre was large enough that Rico being there posed no problem. Speaking of which... Naya knew the constable mostly by her reputation within the group, but had little chance to actually see her fight. Now that she did... properly angry Rico was a terrifying sight indeed. Spoiler Show Single move to either U8 or V8, depending on which will give me Rico-free LoS to the GK ogre. Lightning bolt for (8d6)[32] electricity damage, Ref 19 for half.

[Desril]

Setsuna
HP 55/55
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-Footed 19

Like Rico, a righteous fury and feeling of guilt for being too late to save the person...body...that the ogre was playing with. Unlike the constable, however, the tiefling was invisible, so no one was able to see the rage and disgust in her eyes, or how she charged at the same time as Rico. She knew the plan was to get into an ambush position with Red, but she couldn't just watch this...and the room the monster was in was opposite the party, so it would be good enough.

To everyone else's vision, as Rico leapt up to slash at the ogre's neck, there would be another cut that appeared across its belly going in the opposite direction, seemingly from nowhere, before Setsuna reappeared, her blade in hand, sparking with electricity.

Spoiler

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Glad Rico charged, because I was trying to figure out how to have Setsuna not, but since she did it doesn't matter if I follow!
Arcane Pool to make Maethilur Shocking and Keen
Charge! (1d20+19)[32] (includes +2 from charge and invisibility
Damage (1d8+8)[12] slash + (1d6)[2] electric

Also, I just realized that I never raised Setsuna's Dex for hitting level 8, woo for +1s to AC, to hit, damage, and initiative!

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Canines bared, Rico thunders down the corridor towards the ogre's round back, the floorboards creaking and shuddering under her bulk with each furious thrust of her powerful legs. The metallic tang of her shield's rim still blooming sharply on her dry lips, she gathers herself and takes the jump that will bear her down upon her prey.

Perhaps it's the sudden rush of silence following her charge. Or perhaps it's the prickling of the bristles on his warty neck. Regardless, the ogre - fool that he is - is so preoccupied with his macabre business, that he quite fails to register the danger to him until Rico is already mid-air, buoyed upward in a mighty leap. For a second, he pauses in mid-stroke, tattered ears a-quiver. The ogre grunts, the corpse in his fist slumping over bonelessly as he snuffles the air in suspicion, taking a slow step back away from the gore-smeared wall.

By the time it occurs to him to actually turn around, Rico has already fallen upon him. (And on him, as it turns out.) She hews at his short neck with a snarl, her toothed sword sawing through blubber and muscle, cutting off his howl of shock with a solid blow of her knee into his chest, smashing the fat lout back into the wall.

*****

Spoiler

Show

Initiative Rolls

Party
Setsuna: (1d20+10)[20]
Rico: (1d20+1)[3]
Brin: (1d20+9)[16]
Naya: (1d20+5)[16]
Avei: (1d20+5)[10]
Red: (1d20+6)[25]

Enemies
GK: (1d20+1)[13]
m: (1d20-1)[2]
n: (1d20-1)[16]
o: (1d20-1)[6]
p: (1d20-1)[7]
q: (1d20-1)[13]
r: (1d20-1)[4]

Surprise round (full actions allowed, only this once)

Initiative Order:
> 25 - Red
20 - Setsuna
16 - Brin
16 - Naya
10 - Avei
3 - Rico (already acted)

*****

Red
HP: 62/62
AC 24 (also currently Invisible)

Spoiler

Show

Double move to T14

Be safe. Clenching her jaw, Red tears her anxious gaze away from Rico's form as her best friend barrels down the corridor.

She hefts her kukris, the leather wrappings suddenly heavy in her hands, grimacing to herself. Right then. Best to make the most of Miss Naya's spell. There were at least six more ogres to take care of, and she knew where four of them were - lazing about, fast asleep. Taking a deep breath, she slips down the corridor as fast as she can go, keeping to the left wall.

*****

Setsuna is delaying her move.

*****

Brin and Naya

Spoiler

Show

Brin: move to V8
Naya: move to U8

GK's reflex roll: (1d20+3)[11] -failed

It wasn't the best shot Brin had ever made. While shooting an unmoving creature of that size ought to have been easy enough (even above the dull alcoholic throb at her temples), doing it with one very angry half-orcess waving a massive sword between her and her target wasn't going to improve her aim one bit. Indeed, her arrows zip past Rico's shoulder - the first one bouncing harmlessly off the stone wall just above the ogre's bowed head; the other lodging deep in one of his leather spaulders.

Judging from the ogre's mazed attempts to rise despite the blood gushing from the wound in his throat, Brin's arrows hadn't had much effect at all. To add insult to (non) injury, just next to Brin is Naya; the sylph's eyes luminescent as she chants softly, pulling forth ragged bolts of electricity from the air. Gathering her energies, Naya's eyes flash the colour of a burnished mirror as she channels the lightning down the corridor towards the visible half of the ogre, flash-burning his pale flesh with raw, ragged streaks.

*****

Setsuna and Avei

Spoiler

Show

Setsuna: Move to U19
Avei: Move to U12

Avei: double move double draw

The instant the dazzling lightshow of Naya's spell fades, Setsuna is off - racing to join Rico in the room at the far end of the corridor, squeezing past the sylph, doing her best to avoid slipping on the flesh gobbets littering the floor. Buoyed by her comrade's savage opening stroke, the tiefling barely slows as she strides through the open door. She fixes her keen gaze on the dazed ogre - unheeding of the gore-smeared walls and the workshop tools that lie in scattered ruin on the floor - and strikes.

A thin red line lashes across the ogre's porcine belly with lightning speed, matching the spurting gash at its bull neck. As the line slowly widens, parting bilious fat and weeping brackish blood, Setsuna fizzles back into sight - her lithe body crouched low, her black blade held at the ready before her face, bathing her white skin in an unearthly electric glow.

Meanwhile, Avei advances down the corridor much more cautiously than the others. Keeping one eye on the bloody scuffle ahead, she swings her shield into its place at her arm, her other hand already poised with her trident to strike, each step forward a deliberate, measured pace. These others were bold. Reckless, even. Leaving so much space open for enemies to come between and cut them off from each other. She wasn't sure if she'd have bet on this as a winning strategy. All the same, that priestess and the daughter of air were going to need some cover, and she wasn't about to leave this Fort without her dues in hand.

*****

Combat begins

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
16 - Ogre n
13- Ogre GK (no, he's not dead yet)
13 - Ogre q
10 - Avei
7 - Ogre p
6- Ogre o
4- Ogre r
3 - Rico
2- Ogre m

*****

Red (again)
HP: 62/62
AC 24 (also currently Invisible)

Spoiler

Show

Coup De Grace! - auto hit, auto crit
Damage: (1d4+7)[8] + (1d4+7)[11]
Crit Damage: (1d4+7)[10] + (1d4+7)[11]
Sneak Attack Damage: (2d6)[6]
Total: 46

This room, Red guesses, based on the splintered remains of bunkbeds and torn bedding, must have once been the Fort's barracks. The place is a shambles now though, with smashed furniture and pillows disgorging feathers all over the room - to say nothing of the flayed horse carcass that some ogre was likely responsible for spiking on the broken table leg.

The ogres had been snoozing the last time she'd crept past this room. There were four of them in here, their boarish bulks sprawled lazily across the remnants of sundry mattresses and planks, soupy drool spilling over bulbous lips as they snored and rumbled in uneasy sleep.

Red turns to face the nearest ogre - an apish mountain of flesh, his face obscured by the hollowed-out head of the poor horse that has been jammed over his oversized features, stretching the moist hide to near-breaking. Each snore that whistles out through his gnawed lips engulfs her in a haze of foul air, the thick stench that rolls off his ample body searing her nostrils, sending her guts churning. All the same, the sight of the shaved tree bough that rested just by the ogre's fat paw, its branches crusted with what looked like dried jerky, keeps her sober. That wasn't a good omen. She'd need to get this over and done with fast, before this bigfolk woke up and got her.

Fortunately for her, the ogre had fallen asleep on his back, exposing his otherwise stumpy neck. With a final silent plea to Cayden, Red steps forward, her mouth dry, her heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst. She'd never killed someone asleep before. Rathi would have said something about honour, no doubt. But Rathi wasn't here. And this was no place for her childhood dreams.

Her kukri shears through the veins of the ogre's throat on the first stroke, splattering her in in hot, viscous fluid. In front of her, the ogre jerks awake - too late - his eyes rolling in fear, spume bubbling through his mouth as he tries to raise the alarm, limbs flailing about in a wild flurry and a terrible, strangled burble forcing its way out of his throat. Another quick thrust of her blade clean through the wound in his neck is enough to do the trick, silencing him for good.

Red spits metallic blood that wasn't hers out of her mouth and steps away from the ogre's body. Dimly aware of the ogre's lifeblood still gushing in spurts from the gaping hole in his throat, her attention is now on the other three ogres in the room. Their companion's dying throes had been enough to rouse them and they are now blearily knuckling at their eyes, growling in increasingly frenzied and guttural Giant as the gravity of their situation dawns upon them.

Ogre r is now dead.

Red is no longer invisible. And is also in a room with three drowsy but angry ogres...

*****

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
> 16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
16 - Ogre n
13- Ogre GK (no, he's not dead yet)
13 - Ogre q
10 - Avei
7 - Ogre p
6- Ogre o
4- Ogre r
3 - Rico
2- Ogre m

It is now Brin's turn.

*****

Combat Map