The Dragon Empire IC, Part III

[Archemist]

Azrin chuckles softly, then feels bad about it. He's not sure what's up with this door - "It doesn't seem to be magic, Sir, but it sure is annoying."

[RandomWombat]

Edmund hears the sound of muffled laughter through the door, causing it to vibrate a little more in tune with the laughter until it stops. It sounds like whoever it is is pressed right up against the other side of the door.

[H. Von Studley]

Undeterred, Edmund uses Azrin's message spell to communicate back to the group.

"There's definitely someone in there, pressed up against the other side. Quickly, stick the board on again and kick the door in. I'll hold it open this time."

Ed shifts his body out of the way to make room for someone to kick it open. As soon as it opens, he'll grab the gauntlet attached to the handle and hold it open for the others.

[Aeryk]

River catches the Captain's wave, and returns to the group in time to see Ed's embarrassing fumble through the door. Frowning a little, and hoping that Ed hasn't injured himself (physically at least; his pride might be a different matter). He is quick to grab the board and kick the door in, with a little more caution than Ed used hopefully.

[RandomWombat]

The door opens again when River attempts to kick it open, but unlike Edmund he is ready for it. Ed is dragged along with the opening door by his face, but then finds himself and the board both separating from the door. Inside of the door is a stairway leading down into darkness, which Ed finds himself about to fall down after being released from the adhesive door. The hobo board tumbles down as well.

A piece of string hangs from the ceiling just inside the door, over the stairs. It is attached to the ceiling by small metal loops and continues downwards, running taut. At the last metal loop before the string hangs down, a wooden bead is attached to the string, preventing it from being pulled through the loop the other way.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Edmund: DC 12 Reflex save not to fall down the stairs.

Spoiler: Azrin Passive Engineering

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The string is part of something Azrin recognizes. It is a simple mundane alarm system; when the string is pulled, a bell it is attached to at the other end rings, alerting the owner to the break-in. The string can be operated manually by a guard or attached to something - often a door or window - and trigger when it is opened.

[H. Von Studley]

Spoiler: OOC

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Possible redemption/not further embarrassing himself save: (1d20+3)[6]

EDIT: Uh oh.

So no sign of whoever was laughing on the other side of the door?

[Archemist]

Inside of the door is a stairway leading down into darkness, which Ed finds himself about to fall down after being released from the adhesive door.

A piece of string hangs from the ceiling just inside the door, over the stairs. It is attached to the ceiling by small metal loops and continues downwards, running taut. At the last metal loop before the string hangs down, a wooden bead is attached to the string, preventing it from being pulled through the loop the other way.

Azrin quietly adds via whisper, "Watch out for that string, it looks like a door-bell ringer or something... actually, if it'd been stuck to the door just now they probably know we're here already." He will attempt to follow the group inside, but more gracefully, perhaps.

[RandomWombat]

Edmund tumbles down the stairs for a long ways before coming to a stop in near-pitch darkness. As he comes to his senses, bruised and battered, he suddenly feels like there are hot coals in his boots.

Azrin files in after Edmund, and presumably River and Olivin follow?

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Edmund suffers 3 nonlethal damage and 1 lethal damage from the fall. He feels a searing pain in his feet, and suffers 1 fire damage.

The area at the bottom of the stairs is in darkness.

[H. Von Studley]

Ed curses to himself and stumbles to his feet. Ignoring the pain in his feet for the moment, he hastily casts Light on a copper coin and throws it out in front to illuminate the room ahead.

[brandnewb]

Seeing his Captain begin falling down the stairs Olivin hurrys to keep up. Hoping that if ed is falling into the jaws of combat then he will be there to help him fight.

[Aeryk]

River follows, checking the Captain to make sure he has no serious injuries, then takes a few cautious steps ahead, watching for more traps or potential foes.

[RandomWombat]

As the others descend the stairs, the door slams shut behind them. They arrive as Edmund tosses out a glowing coin, casting dim light and long shadows across what looks to be an out-of-use wine cellar. Out-of-use that is, except for the dolls lining the shelves, hanging from the ceiling by string, or sitting up against the walls. In the middle of the room is a small end table, with a gnomish clockwork music box on top and a cloth doll (shaped like a little girl) sitting with an arm draped over the box. Without any apparent outside input the box opens and starts up. Some dolls are cloth, some are porcelain. There is even a pile of discarded mannequin parts lying in the corner.

There is a tunnel to the left of the stairway, leading away into the darkness beyond Edmund's light spell.

Edmund feels the burning in his boots intensify for a moment before fading altogether. Olivin and River experience a similar feeling as they arrive, a blistering feeling like the soles of their feet being dangled over a bonfire.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Ed takes 3 fire damage.
Olivin takes 2 fire damage as he enters the room.
River takes 3 fire damage as he enters the room.

[Archemist]

As the others descend the stairs, the door slams shut behind them. In the middle of the room is a small end table, with a gnomish clockwork music box on top and a cloth doll (shaped like a little girl) sitting with an arm draped over the box. Without any apparent outside input the box opens and starts up. Some dolls are cloth, some are porcelain. There is even a pile of discarded mannequin parts lying in the corner.

"Well, now that's only mildly creepy. Step it up, Missy," Azrin says to the doll on the table.

He doesn't seem to notice the foot-pain the others are having. He does look around with his magic-detecting sight, though, to see if any of the dolls or the music box are more than they seem. And then down the hallway, also.

Spoiler: knowledge: gnomish music boxes

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History, maybe? (1d20+7)[19]

[H. Von Studley]

Spoiler: OOC

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Well that's super creepy. Especially with the music box. Perfect timing for Halloween though!

Edmund exclaims softly as the pain in his feet continues. Gritting his teeth, he puts down his shield and warhammer and pulls off a boot to examine his foot.

After a moment he mumbles an incantation through gritted teeth and healing magic eases the worst of his wounds. Satisfied, he puts his boot back on and picks up his things, then walks over to Azrin.

He stares around the room at the dolls arrayed before them. "Agreed. Even for a secret cult of devil-worshippers, this is a bit much."

He walks around the outskirts of the room, careful to avoid touching or walking directly underneath any of the dolls where possible. As he moves he casts Light a few more times to completely illuminate the room. After a careful look to make sure nothing sinister is hiding in the shadows, he picks up the copper coin, throws it down the hallway and advances through the basement.

"Come on, let's find that tunnel. The others are waiting for us."

Spoiler: OOC

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Ed casts Cure Light Wounds, spontaneously converting his prepared Bless spell, as well as casting Light a few times.

CLW: (1d8+5)[7]

[RandomWombat]

Spoiler: Azrin

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Three of the dolls glow dimly with magic that sends a chill down his spine. Infernal. Two of them are on the shelves and the third is the one perched on the music box.
Some of the mannequin pieces also glow with magic. They feel more like magic weapons.

The music box is a mechanical contraption invented by King Rockafella soon after clocks and pocketwatches were patented and became common in the mountain cities. There's a small xylophone-style instrument inside operated by wound clockwork. They are quite complex on the inside for such a simple function. People have begun experimenting in using similar clockwork to make guns that hold more rounds.

[Archemist]

As he moves he casts Light a few more times to completely illuminate the room. After a careful look to make sure nothing sinister is hiding in the shadows, he picks up the copper coin, throws it down the hallway and advances through the basement.

"Come on, let's find that tunnel. The others are waiting for us."

"Uhh, hold up Sir, some of these dolls are evil dolls. That one, that one, and that one..." Azrin points the three out. "I know we're supposed to be keeping a low profile but if you could smash those with your hammer quick before we go, I'd feel much better." Azrin nods quickly while talking, in his slightly superstitious fashion.

[H. Von Studley]

Edmund frowns slightly at the delay, but curiosity overcomes him. He casts Guidance again quickly and strides back over to the gnome. After a moment he turns in place, scanning the room with his own Detect Magic spell.

"I see what you mean. Any idea what the magic does?"

Spoiler: Spellcraft

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Spellcraft (with guidance): (1d20+8)[13]

EDIT: Another crap roll? I think Ed is losing his mojo.

[Archemist]

"I see what you mean. Any idea what the magic does?"

Spoiler: Spellcraft

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Spellcraft (with guidance): (1d20+10)[18]

Azrin attempts to answer the Captain's question...

Spoiler: Spellcraft

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(1d20+10)[18]

[RandomWombat]

As they puzzle over it, the dolls stand up on their shelves and the floor. The mannequin pieces on the floor start rattling.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Neither roll turns up more info.

The party can roll Initiative.

[Aeryk]

River clenches his jaw as his feet burn, but the feeling passes, and he ignores it. He looks distastefully at the dolls, then as they begin to move he instinctively crouches into a fighting stance.

Spoiler: Initiative

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(1d20+5)[12]

[brandnewb]

Olivin is distracted by the pain in his feet, he bounces back and forth in response to the pain. It is nothing compared to being whipped by an orc, but that does not make it comfortable.

Due to this he is not ready as he intended when the dolls start moving.

Int: (1d20)[14]


Edit: added stats

Spoiler: Olivin

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Olivin Instance
human Lore Master Fighter Lvl 5 N
HP 58 / 60 Speed ft Init 0
AC 14 Fort 7 Ref 1 Will 2
CMB +12 BAB 5
Whip +1 14 (1d3+7, x2)
whip+1 pwr attack 13 (1d3+9, x2)
whip+1 trip&disarm 18 (nil, x2)
cat whip 13 (1d4+6, x2)
cat pwr attack 12 (1d4+8, x2)
cat trip&disarm 17 (nil, x2)
Str 20 (5) Dex 10 () Con 16 (3) Wis 10 () Int 14 (2) Cha 7 (-2)

[RandomWombat]

Spoiler: Initiative

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Dolls - 21
Mannequin: 17
Party - 15

The doll on the end table stands up and points at Azrin, giggling. Its voice is like a child's echoing up from a deep well. The doll on the shelf nearest the tunnel stands as well, and points and giggles at Edmund. The last doll, on a shelf opposite the tunnel, hops down and jogs up to River, punching him in the shin.

Reassembling themselves, the mannequin parts in the corner of the room come together into a twisted form. The creature has four gangly limbs, each of which is tipped with long, wickedly serrated claws. A mannequin head is perched atop the torso in the middle of all of this, sprouting from between its shoulder blades. A crack in the face of the mannequin's head reveals a glowing red eye inside. The thing bolts with frightening speed towards River, twirling as one of its claws whips out and rips into his chest.

In a burst of brimstone and sulfur, a black and red badger-like creature erupts from thin air in front of Edmund. It screeches in incoherent rage and begins savaging the captain with tooth and claw. The wounds it leaves behind burn with a profane fire, eating away further at Edmund's flesh.

River and Olivin continue to experience their feet being blistered by hot coals, but it eventually fades.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Doll 1&2 cast spells. Azrin and Edmund must pass DC 13 Will saves. On a failure, they start giggling uncontrollably and cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components this round. Azrin's passive Spellcraft identifies this as the Giggle spell.
Doll 3 attacks River, who is hit due to AC penalties from the blistering feet. He is hit for 3 damage.
The mannequin charges and critically hits River, dealing 14 damage. River is suffering a 1d6 damage bleed effect until it is removed.
A creature appears out of nowhere to attack Edmund. Azrin identifies it as a Fiendish Wolverine. It attacks Ed with a bite and two claws, and activates Smite Good. Edmund suffers 12 damage total.

River continues taking damage, and suffers 3 fire damage and 2 bleed damage.
Olivin continues taking damage, and suffers 2 fire damage.
Both of them are suffering a -2 penalty to AC, ability checks, skill checks, and saves until their next turn after this one. They may spend a full-round action this round to negate the penalties.

After Hell (quite literally) breaks out, it is now the party's turn. Here is the map.

[Archemist]

The doll on the end table stands up and points at Azrin, giggling. Its voice is like a child's echoing up from a deep well.

Azrin casts his shocking cloud spell and draws his musket. "I'm afraid I'm all out of curatives, Mister River!"

A small cloud appears around the mannequin and zaps it.

Spoiler: OOC

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Aggressive Thundercloud: It gets a Reflex save DC 15 or takes (3d6)[11] electrical damage.

Also, is it me, or are both campaigns aggressively pursuing TPKs at the moment?

[H. Von Studley]

Ed clenches his teeth and staggers back under the weight of the wolverine's vicious attacks. The wounds continue to burn from the otherworldly magic. A desperate laugh starts to bubble up from his stomach, but he fights it back, wondering at the strange magic.

He falls back next to Azrin, lifting his shield and intoning a new spell. The iron amulet around his neck glows white for a moment as row upon row of iron scales ripple out from Edmund's chest, spreading quickly to cover every inch of skin - arms, legs and face. The dark heavy metal moves seamlessly as he rolls his shoulders and works his jaw experimentally. Pleased with the flexibility, he closes his iron fingers around the warhammer at his waist and faces down the wolverine.

He calls out to the party, an odd metallic ring in his voice. "Try to keep some distance between you and the mannequin - don't give it time to attack with all its claws. Be ready to fall back and hold them at the stairs if things get dicey!"

Spoiler: OOC

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Mannequin monster is awesome. Careful not to get stuck inside full attack range though. Eating an AoO might be preferable to all four claw attacks.

Ed will 5' back to Azrin and cast Ironskin. Then he'll draw his warhammer.

Spoiler: Stat block

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Edmund Grimace

Chaotic Good Human Fighter/Cleric (ECL 5)

HP 29/46, Initiative +4, Speed 25, BAB 4.
AC 22, Touch 12, Flat-Footed 20, CMB +8, CMD 20
Fort+8, Ref+3, Will+6
Masterwork Glaive +9 (1d10+6)
Throwing Axe +8 (Melee) +6 (Thrown) (1d6+4)
+1 Orcsbane Warhammer +9(+11) (1d8+7(+2d6+2))
Shortbow +6 (1d6)
Chain Shirt +4 (Light)

Effects Defending Bone DR 5/Bludgeoning (20/25) 5 hour duration - cast prior to entering temple;
Ironskin (+4 enhancement to Nat Armor)

Spells (CL5): (L1) 2/4, (L2) 1/3
(D1) 1/1, (D2) 1/1

Maneuvers (IL3):
Encouraging Roar

Abilities: STR 18, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 15, CHA 10

Special Abilities: Channel Energy 3/3, Ferocious Strike 3/5, Touch of Glory 2/5.

[Aeryk]

River gasps in pain as the claw rips through him, his vision begins to dim from shock and blood loss. After the recent blow to the head during the fight with Fortuna and her men he hadn't had any time to recover. With his remaining strength, and hoping to fight another day, River manages to say between laboured breaths, "Sir, I *gasp*... can't go on!", as he retreats toward the cellar entrance, holding his hands to his gushing chest. He pushes against the cellar door, "Orville! Help me!"

Spoiler: OOC

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River takes the withdraw action, and 2 bleed damage, leaving him at only 2 hp.

Edited to add: Moving through Olivin's square, so as not to draw an AOO from D3.

[brandnewb]

Olivin sees the desperate situation River is in and steps up to slow the dummy down. He swings his whip around attempting to bring the legs out from under the creature.

Trip Attempt (1d20+18)[35] Olivin will move within 15ft of the critter. It will provoke a AoO when it trys to stand back up.

[RandomWombat]

River starts seeing spots in his vision and turns around, bolting up the stairs. As he reaches the top, the door by some miracle decides to open, revealing a flabbergasted Orville and the hobo, who has retrieved his sign. Orville hurries in onto the landing and grabs some bandages from his toolbelt, beginning to apply first-aid and wrapping them around River's bleeding chest. The hobo wanders past them and down the stairs.

Olivin lashes out with his whip and throws the mannequin off its feet as Azrin calls up his thundercloud. A hollow growling noise echoes through the crackling lightning as the creature is zapped. The creature stands up and moves out of the cloud, flicking out one of its claws to cut Azrin on the shoulder and leaving a smooth, bleeding wound.

Stepping back, Edmund reinforces his defenses. From the shelf beside him, one of the dolls jumps down and dropkicks him, but he doesn't even feel it through his armor and metal skin. The wolverine lunges forward at the same time, but its claws and teeth slide harmlessly off of the smooth metal scales. The doll on the end table with the music box keeps pointing and giggling at Azrin, while the last steps closer and takes two swings at Olivin. He dodges one of the punches, but the second barely clips his foot and stubs his toe.

"Is there a wizard in here?" the hobo asks as he steps down the stairs into the room.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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River withdraws and flees up the stairs, nearly dead.
Olivin trips the Mannequin. The dim light conditions provide concealment unless one possesses darkvision, but the attack still hits.
Ed steps back and casts Ironskin on himself.
Azrin conjures a thundercloud around the mannequin. The mannequin is zapped for 11 damage.

Orville applies First Aid, stopping River's bleed effect.
Hobo enters the room.

D1 casts Giggle on Azrin. DC 13 Will or be unable to speak or cast verbal spells for 1 round.
D2 attacks Edmund and misses.
D3 5-foot steps and attacks Olivin twice, dealing 1 damage with one hit.
Mannequin stands and 5-foot steps, attacking Azrin for 4 damage. Azrin is suffering 1d6 bleed.
Wolverine 5-foot steps forward and full attacks Edmund, but fails to get through his metal skin.

It is the party's turn. Azrin will take 1 bleed damage this turn. Here is the new map.

[Archemist]

The creature stands up and moves out of the cloud, flicking out one of its claws to cut Azrin on the shoulder and leaving a smooth, bleeding wound.

"Is there a wizard in here?" the hobo asks as he steps down the stairs into the room.

Azrin tries to resist the urge to laugh, but this takes the cake and he fails. Azrin steps back between his larger friends and makes some gestures to try to give the mannequin some bad juju. (It probably deserves it, in the grand scheme of things.) He moves the cloud back onto it, too.

Spoiler: OOC

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Azrin is down to 8 hp and 3 pretty useless spells (he wasn't planning on much combat this morning). Nonetheless, Will save: (1d20+6)[12]. Even not being able to speak, he can still step back, Hex (Misfortune) the Mannequin, and move the cloud. He'll step diagonally behind Ed and Olivin. Mannequin DC 15 Will save or must roll twice and take the worst on everything this round. And a DC15 Reflex (possibly including the Misfortune effect) or (3d6)[9] damage.

[H. Von Studley]

Ed stands strong as the wolverine scratches ineffectively at his iron skin. He glances back as the hobo enters the battle and calls out desperately. "No! Get back!" As before, something triggers within him and his shout is infused with ki, lending strength to the party.

Seeing Azrin in trouble as the mannequin closes in, Ed steps across to cover the gnome's retreat, dropping his shield and warhammer and drawing his glaive. He holds steady for a moment, waiting to see if Olivin will trip the creature again, then brings the polearm down hard in a vicious overhead strike.

Spoiler: OOC

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Ed initiates the Encouraging Roar maneuver. Allies within 30' of Ed get +2 to all attack and damage rolls for one round.

Ed then 5' steps right to where Azrin just moved from, drops the hammer and shield and draws his glaive. He then delays his standard to see the outcome of Olivin's action, then attacks regardless (but hopefully against the prone AC, if B decides to trip).

Attack (PA and FS): (1d20+11)[17]
Damage: (1d10+16)[21]

Spoiler: Stat block

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Edmund Grimace

Chaotic Good Human Fighter/Cleric (ECL 5)

HP 29/46, Initiative +4, Speed 25, BAB 4.
AC 20, Touch 12, Flat-Footed 18, CMB +8, CMD 20
Fort+8, Ref+3, Will+6
Masterwork Glaive +9 (1d10+6)
Throwing Axe +8 (Melee) +6 (Thrown) (1d6+4)
+1 Orcsbane Warhammer +9(+11) (1d8+7(+2d6+2))
Shortbow +6 (1d6)
Chain Shirt +4 (Light)

Effects Defending Bone DR 5/Bludgeoning (20/25) 5 hour duration - cast prior to entering temple;
Ironskin (+4 enhancement to Nat Armor)

Spells (CL5): (L1) 2/4, (L2) 1/3
(D1) 1/1, (D2) 1/1

Maneuvers (IL3):
Encouraging Roar (expended)

Abilities: STR 18, DEX 14, CON 14, INT 10, WIS 15, CHA 10

Special Abilities: Channel Energy 3/3, Ferocious Strike 2/5, Touch of Glory 2/5.

[brandnewb]

Olivin does indeed attempt to trip the creature again. And this time he moves within 10ft so that he can take an AoO when the time arrises.

5 ft step & Trip (1d20+18)[22]