[IC] The Crucible

[Armored Walrus]

Trying to take the heat off of Kyra, Atas maneuvers behind the swarm and swipes a swathe of destruction through the storm, stomping on a few stragglers as they scatter from his blade. He nearly disperses the swarm with this one attack. Freed up by his actions, Kyra darts toward the Rat King and swings her dwarven hammer at him once again, ignoring the few rats that try to attack her as she dashes away. Her hammer swings in a wide haymaker, and lands squarely in the Rat King's temple. His head deforms slightly, and he collapses bonelessly to the ground.

Atas, unfortunately pays for his aggressive positioning as all the remaining living rats converge on him. The dragon rats closes its jaws on his abdomen, dripping molten saliva down his side. He bellows in agony and then gives up consciousness, sinking to the ground with his eyes rolled up to their whites.

Spoiler: OOC

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Atas attacked rat swarm that was on Kyra, doing 12 damage. Kyra moved to Rat King and destroyed him. Dragon rat attacked Atas and crit for 15 damage, rendering Atas unconscious. Shaena and Cass are up.

[Derjuin]

"Atas!" Cass shouts, watching in horror as the rat-beast clamps its jaws down on the monk. She whips the wand about once more, aiming another bolt of power at the largest of the rats before dashing toward her fallen ally. "Don't be dead... don't be dead," she mumbles under her breath as she runs.

Spoiler: OOC

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Eldritch Blast
(1d20)[20] + 6 Attack = 26 Crit!
(1d10)[8] + 4 Damage + 6 Crit = 18

[Armored Walrus]

The dragon rats tumbles backward with the force of the blast and lies, twitching, on the goo-covered floor.

Spoiler: OOC

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Dragon Rat dead. Shaena up.

[Azktor]

Kyra

Kyra fueled with rage that is making her whole body glows, spreads even further into the magical Warhammer that she uses to strike furiosly against the rat king, shouting "FEEL THE FURY OF THE 'RATSMASHER'!" she says mentioning the warhammer that she names at this second, followed by "THIS IS FOR NIBBLES! UOOOAAAARRRR!" she goes on a rampage against the rat king, killing him.

[Armored Walrus]

With Atas' prone form surrounded by maddened rats, Shaena desperately fires another blast into their midst, hoping to drive them away before they do further damage to the monk. Combining the baleful power of her hex with the force of the blast itself, she decimates the swarm. Only stragglers remain, which promptly abandon their erstwhile meal of elven flesh and scurry into the cracks and crevices of the cave.

Atas lies on the floor, breathing harshly and clutching his blood-slicked and charred side. The "Rat King" burbles a few last breaths, gazing up at Kyra with eyes as alert as poached eggs. Bodies, and portions thereof, of rats spasm in their death throes, scattered across the floor around the larger form of the dragon rat, like the most horrific game of jacks, abandoned by some monstrous child.

Spoiler: OOC

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Here's a death save for Atas, although I expect it to be irrelevant shortly. (1d20)[2]

Slowly, eyes that have been scanning the room for further potential threats begin to take in the details of the room itself. Glass tubes with misshapen rat-like fetuses suspended in liquid, jars full of pickled organs, anatomical charts for both human and beast, and vials of liquids litter the tables. A miasma of chemical and metallic scents fills the air, and the muted rush of the underground stream issues from a tunnel in the room's eastern arc, a path half-heartedly boardwalked with splintered, unevenly spaced planks.

Spoiler: EXP

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Take 125 EXP for this fight.

[ncpunkin]

Luna closes the distance between her and Atas, like mother lioness would to a hurt cub. She drops to her knees and throws a lingering rat high into the air from where it was gnawing at Atas' wound. The charred portion of his body made her recoil a little, but then with as much focus as she could muster, "Na Naegra" She draws along his body with her wand and what feels like the last of her strength flows into the wound as she tries to close the open arteries and mend together his charred flesh.

Spoiler: Cure Wounds

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(1d8+3)[11]

[kladams707]

Shaena, knowing her ally is in good hands with Luna given her own personal experience, begins shuffling around the lab just looking at everything she can get her hands on.

[Armored Walrus]

Atas' breathing smooths out as his wounds knit, and he looks at Luna briefly before lying back to catch his breath.

Shaena, meanwhile, does a quick inventory of the tables. There's enough equipment and raw material here for someone who knew what they are doing to create a number of useful concoctions, and she's sure it's all worth something if carefully removed from its subterranean resting place. Among the equipment and reagents, she also finds a double handful of completed compounds that can easily be slipped into a few pockets or pouches.

Spoiler: OOC

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This is a fully-functioning alchemy laboratory. If you take half a day to pack it away securely and move it out, you can probably get some significant coin for it. You'll probably need to bring down crates and straw or something. The reagents are enough to put together a nice supply of potions (350 gp worth). Mohander could make one basic poison from these ingredients. Easily lootable items include 10 empty vials and stoppers, four vials of acid, three potions of healing, and two alchemist's fire.

Straightening from her patient, Luna sifts among the mess until she finds the staff that was the focus of Atas' tussle with the Rat King. The staff, made of light, bone-white wood, bulges at the top with a carving of a mass of rats, all tied together by the tail.

[miinstrel]

Mohan "Think we should tell our employer about all this?" Mohander inquires of the group as he collects the numerous bodies into a pile, sweeping them along irreverently with his boots. All together they make an impressive stack, the dragon rat's massive head refusing to be buried by the dozens of lesser beasts. When the corpses are out of the way, Mo joins Shaena at the table. Picking up some of the diagrams he gets a disgusted look on his face. "Burn the notes," he suggests, throwing the papers indelicately. "Nothing good comes of whatever this madman was doing." Spoiler: OOC Show Added the acid/potions/alchemists fire to "the cart"

[Azktor]

Kyra

Kyra still on the adrenaline of the battle did not even notice Atas was down, she turns around and comes rushing towards the monk "ATAS! ARE YOU OKAY?" she is worried, but that is quickly followed by Luna's healing magic. She notice the color comming back to her friend - at this moment her muscles start shirinking down and her tattoos stop shinning - she smiles relieved "Is this fainting every single combat part of a monk's training? I'm sure dont get it." she says with a teasing relaxed voice.

Now more relaxed she whisper something into the air "Thank you father, your advice sure saved our asses today."

[ncpunkin]

Luna leans/sits against one of the tables as she runs her hand along the staff's many tails. At the mention of burning the notes Luna interjects,"I think we should save his research." Luna pushes herself off the table and moves next to Mo, "Even though he was mad; there is research here that links him to the old gods. That may prove fruitful in the hands of the Summer court."

Luna begins to collect what she can of the old rat king's notes, "Not to mention it is probably very intesresting reading material." She looks back to Mo.

[miinstrel]

Mohan "Turning men into monsters is of no interest to me, but I certainly won't stop you from defecating on your mind," the ranger replies coolly, shifting his attention from the papers to the vials. If she wanted to succumb to the same madness that befell this fool so be it. Unstoppering some of the vials and carefully sniffing the substances, Mo sets a few together. Grabbing a mortar and pestle he starts grinding up some of the components and mixing them with a liquid or two and a few pinches of something from a small pouch at his waste, a caustic smell emerging from the bowl as he continues working the contents. Spoiler: OOC Show Do you want a check of some sort for making the poison dose you mentioned? Here's a d20 if yes... (1d20)[19] RE: the 350g worth of potions I will leave to someone else. Mo wouldn't have the know how for those.

[ncpunkin]

Luna would go about gathering the rat king's notes, research, and ramblings. Once she collects as much as she can in her pack she goes back to check the entrance for any more rat creatures.

Spoiler: Perception

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(1d20+5)[22]

[Derjuin]

"I don't know if there was research into the old gods, so much as trying not to be driven mad by them - which he was clearly not successful at," Cass mentions, approaching Kyra and Atas and touching each once briefly, celestial power from her patron flowing through her and mending what few wounds might be left. "I suppose it's not really my business, though maybe the alchemy writings and reagents could be useful." She glances over to Mohander pointedly, watching him mix various things together.

"We might be able to move some of this stuff with us," she says, looking over the alchemy lab. "Or we could try to upsell it to the bartender for his plans."

[kladams707]

Shaena chimes in with her thoughts on the notes. It's certainly no interest of mine regarding actually continuing his research, but as Luna says, there's plenty of knowledge to be gleaned even from the darkest regions of a mad man. Though perhaps not too much in practical applicability if one can't maintain their sanity... she trails off.

[ncpunkin]

Luna smiles, more to herself, as she comes back from her lookout,"I've often wondered what it would feel like to go mad, perhaps I'll get my chance." Luna was more apt to sit and watch everyone inventory all the Rat King's supplies. Once they were done they'd find Luna poking the rat king with his staff, "You gave us quite a fright, your highness." Luna's attention would turn back to her comrades when they were ready to proceed back up to the surface.

[miinstrel]

Mohan The work seemingly done and the usable resources gathered, Mohander assumes his position at the front of the group once again and treads carefully across the broken and soggy boards leading out of the chamber. As he walks, the rats in the cages above come to mind. Their tortured squeaks ringing in his ears from when they found the talking white one. There was no need to put the rest down, they'd die of starvation soon enough. And die they should... this loon's tampering with nature doomed them to the sword. Perhaps it's false confidence, but he doesn't attempt to make his presence unknown, just scouts ahead to see what's next in this damp labyrinth and hopes the end is in sight. Spoiler: OOC Show Perception if needed: (1d20+7)[8]

[Armored Walrus]

Mohander's footsteps squelch on the sodden boards until they give way, the crunch along the gritty pathway. Reaching a bend, he peers around the slick rock wall and hears the faint sound of a rushing waterfall. He can make out the frothy underground stream ahead, flowing chaotically in his direction, but it disappears down a narrow gorge before reaching the tunnel in which he stands. Wherever the water is crashing pooling, it's well below this level, judging from the sound. A narrow, flat precipice angles off to his right on this side of the gorge.

While he's inspecting the scene, what he had previously thought was a rock raise a slick, grey pseudopod out of the water in his direction. Not knowing what he's seeing, Mohander pauses, trying to assess what's happening, when his mind is suddenly assaulted by a flash of extreme sensory input; It's as though a blinding light, piercing scream, burning touch and foul smell all hit him at once. When the fit passes, he gathers his wits about him once more.

Spoiler: OOC

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You were surprised! Fortunately you rolled a 21 and it rolled a -1, so it only gets the one attack and now you get to act. You made your save, so you take 5 psychic damage. On the map, the thing is just barely visible at the upper right quadrant of your vision.

Meanwhile back in the cave, Atas mutters unintelligibly, still momentarily stunned by the damage he'd taken. As Cass moves around the group, offering encouragement, Atas' torch gutters out on the laboratory floor.

[miinstrel]

"Hrrrrnnnnnhhhh," he mutters as the blow doubles him over in surprise. Mo staggers back into view, holding his head and wincing. Once he's back in the rat king's lab he leans heavily against the nearest table and shakes the sensation out of his head. The others look concernedly at him. "Nothing that way," he lies, hoping Kyra doesn't charge ahead to try and kill whatever massive thing just wracked his mind from the darkness. "We should go back. Collect our coin and get back to the light."

[ncpunkin]

Luna notices Mo's brush with something, but nods her head in agreement, "Agreed and let's make haste; The sooner we can breathe fresh air the better." Luna takes the point on the ladder and climbs into the rat king's bedroom; shield first. She peaks out from under the shield and does a quick 360 look around for safety. Once she is sure it is clear, Luna hops up onto the disgusting floor, and stands with her wand in hand while stowing her shield. She lights the flame at the end of her wand and quickly collects the mad king's writings.

Once everyone is ready Luna takes up the rear as they begin to backtrack.

[Azktor]

Kyra

Kyra nods agreeing to Mohander, she is busy talking to Atas and helping him out to stand this moment. She look to the others and says "Thank you Cass and Luna for the healing. We fight well, my clan would be proud of us - would be proud of me - tonight! Let's go have our well deserved spoils now!" Kyra is completely unaware of what is happening to Mohander right now.

She starts heading outside carrying Atas, looking for Nibbles at the end of the stairs "Nibbles? Are you there? We did it! We killed your evil master!"

[Armored Walrus]

Making your way tiredly up the stairs and out the demon door - which opens freely from this side, you're momentarily startled by a giant, boar-snouted, bear-like rat that confronts you at the doorway. Mohander quickly realizes this is still the one he had taken control of with the rat potion.

White fur gleams at the intersection of the floor and wall, and Nibbles 'voice' fills your heads.

"Rat King. .
dead?

This. . is good."

Further conversation with Nibbles reveals that he hopes to also leave these caves and experience the wide world, but he does raise the question as to what you will do with the other experiments in the cages.

Spoiler: OOC

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Interact with Nibbles to the extent that you're interested. He is essentially offering to become someone's familiar. When you're done with Nibbles, let me know and I'll move you to the surface to tell your story to Tordif and, presumably, rest up.

[miinstrel]

Mohan Mo reaches forward and scratches behind the giant rat's ear, a little unsure of just how long his control over the creature would last. At Nibbles' question he looks at the little thing for a moment, eyes narrowed in thought, before stating, "All non-talking experiments die," and looking at the rest of the group for agreement.

[kladams707]

Mohan Mo reaches forward and scratches behind the giant rat's ear, a little unsure of just how long his control over the creature would last. At Nibbles' question he looks at the little thing for a moment, eyes narrowed in thought, before stating, "All non-talking experiments die," and looking at the rest of the group for agreement.

As long as we have the notes, I have no objection Shaena says. A lot of information could be gathered from them. But I kind of have a feeling that might not be palatable to others here... she trails off, shrugging.

[Derjuin]

"I have... no particularly strong feelings towards saving them," Cass chips in, helping walk Atas up and through the door. "Except for Nibbles, I suppose, and the ones that can talk, like Mo said. I think I've had enough death and rats for today, though," she says, then nods to Kyra. "If you want to bring Nibbles with you, I've no quarrel. Seems like it even wants to go with someone, and you've quite a bond with it already."

[Azktor]

Making your way tiredly up the stairs and out the demon door - which opens freely from this side, you're momentarily startled by a giant, boar-snouted, bear-like rat that confronts you at the doorway. Mohander quickly realizes this is still the one he had taken control of with the rat potion.

White fur gleams at the intersection of the floor and wall, and Nibbles 'voice' fills your heads.

"Rat King. .
dead?

This. . is good."

Further conversation with Nibbles reveals that he hopes to also leave these caves and experience the wide world, but he does raise the question as to what you will do with the other experiments in the cages.

Kyra

Kyra listen happily to Nibbles, she quickly describe the battle to him and how she wanted to help Nibbles. She end saying "Nibbles want to explore the secrets of the world if us? We would gladly take you with us!" Kyra looks around for approaval of the rest of the group, but she already know her answer, she quickly grown fond of this weird ghost-mice, it just reminds her of her long gone brother - Khitan - for some reason.

"I have... no particularly strong feelings towards saving them," Cass chips in, helping walk Atas up and through the door. "Except for Nibbles, I suppose, and the ones that can talk, like Mo said. I think I've had enough death and rats for today, though," she says, then nods to Kyra. "If you want to bring Nibbles with you, I've no quarrel. Seems like it even wants to go with someone, and you've quite a bond with it already."

"Thank you Cass." She says nodding back to Cass she turns back to Nibbles and Mohander "What would you like us to do with the rest of these rats? Now that the Rat king is gone do you think they would attack people? I don't want that to happen." it is odd and out of character how gentle Kyra is talking to Nibbles, like she is talking to a little kid.

[Armored Walrus]

Nibbles doesn't seem to care much one way or another what happens to the other rats. While the rest of you agonize over the decision, he noses in the crevices of the cave, looking for tidbits to scrounge.

[miinstrel]

Mohan "Leave 'em. They'll die on their own soon enough," Mo suggests. He takes a torch and leads the group back toward the small basement hole that began this adventure.

[ncpunkin]

Luna has her head on the staff looking exhausted, but still with a hint of energy. At the mention of leaving right away, Luna hops up, "Yes! Grand idea." She steps off in the direction of the tavern, "This was the right way wasn't it?" she muses as she walks.

[Armored Walrus]

Retracing your steps, you arrive without incident in the cellar of the Foaming Flagon, bruised and bloodied. It's early afternoon when you stumble into the common room, and Tordif sets down the mug he'd been polishing and hurries up to you.

"The job do be done, then? There do no be any more monsters under my inn?"

Spoiler: EXP

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Take 150 exp for successfully completing the quest to Destroy the Rat King. Also, let me know what you want to accomplish during your short rest, and I guess it's probably time for you guys to discuss where you want to go from here.