Wrath of the Righteous - Worldwound Incursion [IC]

[Kallimakus]

Spoiler: OOC

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Sounds like diplomacy.

The dwarf's outline flickers, and he takes off towards you. "You'll never take me alive!" he shouts, a mad glint in his eyes as he rushes close. He extends his hand and sends out a dazzling wave of colours with a word, covering Esper, Hesper and Luna.

Spoiler: OOC

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Make Will saves (Luna rolled 18 and passed).
You can roll Spellcraft as well

[SpoonyMage]

Esper was so taken back by the attack that she couldn't even defend herself from the mad assaulter. Shocked the last thoughts she'd have before succumbing to the spell was that he wasn't evil and why would someone not evil act in such a way. Placing a foot back to prepare herself and raise her sword she'd find her body wouldn't move. No muscle even twitched before everything went white.

"What's going on. I can't move....I can't see...I can't....but he wasn't evil....w..hy."

Falling to the ground esper would lose all consciousness.

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 10/10 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 4/2/6
Diplomacy/Bluff +9 | Knowledge Religion/History +6 | Knowledge Planes +8 | Perception +9 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 6/7
Effects:  None 

Ok, DEFINITELY hostile. Let's see if we can't use magic to force him out of that mindset.

Luna uses one of the abilities granted by her goddess...one that does not require waving her arms around or speaking specific words of power or prayer. "Peace be upon you, my friend. We are not here to harm you. Can you not see this is just a misunderstanding?" A wave of power, not unlike a spell, washes over the dwarf...and keeps on going. The dwarf's resistance to magic serves him well indeed.

Spoiler: ooc

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Use Charm Person SLA on the dwarf.

[Kallimakus]

The dwarf ignores the success of his spell, his form still blurring and flickering. He turns to the ones standing, shrugging off a charm spell from Lunalesca. There was little doubt now that this dwarf was hostile. Kreedic and Ylby were spared the dwarf's spell, but of the three affected, only Luna remained standing. From behind you, you hear the others reacting.
"That was a spell. Color spray, if I am not mistaken. Not cast by Kreedic either. Go, I can follow along the wall." Aravashinal says.
"What are they doing" Horgus asks, rounding the corner and witnessing the scene. "There's nothing down here but mad and corrupted. Kill it before it gets a chance to do that again.
"But... it's a person" Emilie says, beside him. "I can't just..."
"Kill it before it kills you" Horgus snaps.
Emilie focuses for again, doing her chant. She summons a pair of connected weights and sends it at the dwarf, but it sails right past.

The dwarf rushes at Emilie and Horgus, past the unconscious people on the ground, drawing a knife as Anevia finally rounds the corner.
"You!! You must die!" he yells
Horgus, with his face pale and knuckles white, draws his blade. "D-dont take a step closer!" he says, "I'll strike you."
The dwarf doesn't halt or even slow down. Horgus closes his eyes and thrusts his sword forward. A shimmering protective enchantment flares up but parts before the blade. It finds a home in the dwarf's chest. He screams like a lunatic, pushing Horgus back and mustering his will for another spell, which fizzles out.

Emilie gestures again, calling back her weapon which wraps around the dwarf's legs. Anevia drops her crutch and draws her bow, loosing an arrow that lodges itself next to the hole left by Horgus' blade. The dwarf starts yelling something in dwarvish, any lingering traces of reason gone. His struggles lead him to topple over. Despite his words earlier, Horgus' own hesitation costs him the opportunity to attack.

Spoiler: OOC

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I had Kreedic ready an action to attack if an ally was attacked. He ended up out of reach though. It is the PC turn.
The mad dwarf mage has taken 17 damage, and looks pretty hurt.

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 10/10 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 4/2/6
Diplomacy/Bluff +9 | Knowledge Religion/History +6 | Knowledge Planes +8 | Perception +9 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 5/7
Effects:  None 

Luna curses beneath her breath. Damn dwarven resistances...fine, time for more firepower.

She walks up next to the prone dwarf, and once again a bolt of fire races from her outstretched hand down at the enemy! "FIRE ARROW!"

Spoiler: ooc

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Walk up to dwarf. Point blank use a Fire Bolt.
Attack - (1d20+2)[12]
Damage - (1d6)[5]

[Kallimakus]

Between the attacks of Anevia, Horgus and Luna, the dwarf falls down, unconscious.
"Are those two alright" Emilie asks, gesturing at the two that fell victim to the dwarf's spell.
"They should come to soon" Aravashinal says, leaning to the wall. "Assuming all that happened was the spell I recognized, and the enemy didn't finish them off"
Anevia stows her bow and bends down to retrieve her crutch.
Horgus eyes the prone, unconscious dwarf, his eyes drifting between the dwarf and the bloody point of his blade. "What are you waiting for? Aren't you going to finish it off?" he asks, looking around.

It doesn't take long for the others to come to, though it takes a while yet to regain their senses and strength enough to stand.

Spoiler: OOC

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Possibility of a new character arriving soon are high. Provided that Qwanch replies at some point.
Everyone is pretty much recovered. I do not believe anyone took actual damage in this room.

[NikolaTesla]

Kreedic had been worried about the color spray spell; it was a potent spell, one of the one's he had worked on in his studies back in Hermea and then had suddenly mastered around the time his draconic powers began to manifest. After the first spell he took a ready position, ready to counter spell should the dwarf try that trick again, but the dwarf just rushed, leaving Kreedic out of position. "Teach me to hesitate and be reactionary instead of just dealing with the problem" he thinks to himself. He comes up behind the dwarf, arms just starting to turn scaly, but a bit of fire hits the dwarf and it falls down in front of him. Fire. Such a practical thing.

"Nice job with the sword Horgus! Sorry he got between us though, I was worried he'd fire off another spell and wanted to make sure I could deflect it." He nudges the dwarf with his foot. "I'm somewhat inclined to just leave the fool, once we relieve him of any dangerous things he has on him...

[Kish]

"Gugh," Hesper says, rising to her feet. "Being suddenly attacked by a dwarf mage was unexpected. Wonder how long he's been down here. Is he still alive?"

On receiving an affirmative answer from anyone, she says, "We should find out if he knows a way to the surface--but we should tie him up first."

[SpoonyMage]

~Esper sleeps like an angel~

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 10/10 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 4/2/6
Diplomacy/Bluff +9 | Knowledge Religion/History +6 | Knowledge Planes +8 | Perception +9 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 5/7
Effects:  None 

Sighing, the cleric busies herself with tying up the crazy dwarf. "Well, at least no one was hurt. Everyone, great job for not panicking. You all stood firm and took down this maniac." She looks at Horgus as the man asks about executing the dwarf. "That should not be our first action. First, we need to question him to see what he knows. Then, we kill him only if he shows no willingness to be civil. He seems to think we're after him for some reason. Maybe NOW we can clear this misunderstanding."

[SpoonyMage]

Having regained her senses and picking up her fallen gear Esper would swallow her pride. She was embarrassed by the fact that she fell so easily and beforehand couldn't even hit the creature with her bow the room before. Worried that faith would be lost in her she'd double down on her paladin beliefs to compensate.

"Killing him just because he doesn't want to be civil isn't a valid enough reason and is paramount to an evil act in of itself. He is tied up, helpless and has his gear taken off of him. While we are at it tie up his hands as well with my rope so he can't weave any signs. We should try to get him to renounce his evil ways and repent, to make a vow to Sarenrae.

Yet if he has no interest in redemption, and still holds glory in slaughter and death, then we may preach swift justice delivered by the scimitar's edge.

I will search the area, if I can get some help while someone interrogates him when he wakes."

[Kish]

Once the dwarf spellcaster is bound, Hesper gives him an unfriendly look, to which he is of course entirely oblivious. "Emile or Aravashnial, can either of you conjure water to wake him up, by chance?"

Once he is awakened by some method, she speaks to him.

Spoiler: Dwarven

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"Do you know a way out of here? To the surface?"

[Zhentarim]

Diamond Clearstone

On small stumpy legs, carrying his pistol in his unarmored hand and a dagger in the other guantlet-clad hand, Diamond Clearstone’s green eyes darted about the room, fear obvious on his dirty face. Clumps of sod hung in his red unruly beard, and his gunsmith work outfit which seemed to be made out of untanned soft leather, was torn and tattered in several places. The dwarf’s backpack was stuffed and appeared heavy.

“Friends or foes?” the Dwarf said, his gun shaking.

[Kish]

"Put that thing down before you kill somebody," Hesper says to the new arrival. "That depends on who you serve." She moves to one side of the prisoner so that if the new strange dwarf fires his weapon in her direction, it won't hit any of the others, and if he fires it in the direction of any of the others it won't hit her. Her weapons remain undrawn, for now.

[Kallimakus]

"I fear I cannot" Aravashinal says, standing to the side and leaning to his staff.
"Likewise" Emilie says. "Isn't that something for godly types? like Esper? or Lunalesca?"

You will be able to get the dwarf to awake soon enough. However, he is not very helpful. He raves about being caught, forgets what he is asked or even what he was talking about mid-sentence. He struggles against the bindings and unleashes strings of dwarven cursing. It seems pretty clear that he isn't all there, and what parts remain are not interested in making friends.

"Hold on" Anevia says, having wandered over to what passes for a campsite. "The campfire is still warm. The room should be filling with smoke."
"And that helps us how?" Horgus asks, his voice showing how little he thought of Anevia's opinions.
"It means that there is a shaft upwards for the smoke. With any luck, it will be our way out as well."

She is correct. Above the campsite is an opening in the cave roof. Large enough to admit a person, certainly. Using your torchlight, you can see that there are pitons and carved handholds there, but it is out of reach. Even an amazing jump would be hard-pressed to reach it. However, if you could climb the adjacent wall, you might have an easier time.

Spoiler: Loots

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The dwarf bore two scrolls and two potions, as well as his dagger and a light crossbow with 10 bolts remaining in his quiver.
In a pouch on his person you find carefully hoarded coins, 8 Platinum and 7 gold.
Around his camp you find another bedroll, enough rations for all of the group to eat once, as well as a worn spellbook and a 6-inch tall marble statuette of some spear-throwing humanoid.

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 10/10 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 4/2/6
Diplomacy/Bluff +9 | Knowledge Religion/History +6 | Knowledge Planes +8 | Perception +9 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 5/7
Effects:  None 

Luna ends up creating the water that wakes the dwarf up later when the group will be ready to question the prisoner. But for now, she looks at the newcomer warily. "Whoa there, watch where you point that...umm...wand? We are merely lost travelers trying to get back into the surface. Do you know this dwarf here that tried to kill us?"

[Zhentarim]

After hesitating a moment so he could listen to the two women speak, the dwarf said “I serve Torag as a dwarf and blacksmith, Abadar as a merchant, and Erastil as a marksman. I serve the city of Kenebres and its crusades when I provide arms and alchemicals at low prices. I do not know the dwarf over yonder. In fact, y’all are the first souls I’ve seen in a day. I was demonstrating some of my wares at that bar called “The Last Electruum” when I heard a commotion and saw demons swarming the streets. Then there was a great dragon and a big demon fighting and then the ground opened up. Next thing I know I’m underground in a dead-end cavern. Who do you serve? An enemy to the evil that put us here will be a friend of mine.”

Diamond does not lower his gun yet. Its obvious from his expression he doesn’t want to fight, but will defend himself if the situation escalates.

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 10/10 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 4/2/6
Diplomacy/Bluff +9 | Knowledge Religion/History +6 | Knowledge Planes +8 | Perception +9 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 5/7
Effects:  None 

"Yeah, we're all against the demonic invasion, trust me." The cleric squints at the dwarf newcomer. "Wait, I've seen you around before. Yeah, I stopped by at the Last Electruum before I joined the festivities. You were trying to sell some alchemical ointments that were supposed to keep mechanical parts working frictionless or some such. I just thought you were a snake oil salesman. Diamond, right?"

[NikolaTesla]

"Here we go with the pontificating again..." Kreedic mutters under his breath. He busies himself rummaging through the dwarf's pack. He tosses the nonmagical stuff over his shoulder carelessly, then settles down to examine the magical stuff while the others interrogate the dwarf. When yet another dwarf voice echoes through the chamber he scrambles to his feet though. Was that a gun in his hand? So uncivilized...

"Don't be too quick to revoke the snake-oil salesman status Luna." He then calls out to diamond. "This moron here with you?" he says pointing to the captive dwarf on the ground.

Spoiler: Spellcraft Rolls with Detect Magic

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Scrolls: (DC 20 + Spell Level)
(1d20+8)[27]
(1d20+8)[24]
Potions: (DC 15 + Caster Level)
(1d20+8)[16]
(1d20+8)[20]
Misc Magical Item (Spear Dude?)
(1d20+8)[17]

[Zhentarim]

Diamond visibly relaxes considerably. He puts away his dagger and his gun. He leaves the guantlet on his left hand worn, however.

”Ah, yes. I’m horrible with names, but I remember your face. You are that beautiful maiden who spent so long watching me demonstrate my tools. What I have here in my holster is a pistol—a weapon that makes a lot of noise and can pierce any armor within 20 feet. I have a portable forge, an alchemy set, a gunsmith kit, and some travel supplies in my pack since I was planning on a day trip for raw supplies after I tried to get some cash on hand from my pitching at the bar. Not many people understand the craftmanship behind a well-made gun. It’s art! You are right, by the way. I’m Diamond Clearstone, Gunsmith of Kenebres. I came this way because I heard y’all fighting. I don’t know this dwarf you have tied up here, but I had to be sure I was helping the right people. For all I knew, y’all could have been agents of the abyss and the bound dwarf over there could have been a survivor like me. We should take the tied-up dwarf to the surface with us—some fresh air could do him good. I think there are enough of us to stand on each other’s shoulders and get at least one of us to the surface. Up there, I’m sure one of us can make way to the city stables and use rope from there to help the rest of us climb up.”

Diamond looks at the well-dressed nobleman.

“Do you have a good idea of where things are in the city?”

[SpoonyMage]

Esper was disappointed that the mad dwarf wasn't willing to repent and be saved but clearly evil was set to far in his heart. Harding her soul Esper would take the solem task of being the one to dispatch the evil one; following the tenants of her deity.

"Forgive this poor soul and if it is seen fit to reincarnate him in life that he shall be born righteous and a tool for good."

Turning to the newcomer she made sure to keep an ear on everything being said but as she took time she remembered seeing the newcomer before and knew him to be of good reputation. Using her Detect Evil to make sure just encase she'd welcome him and and extend pleasantries.

"Welcome. It's good to meet someone not trying to kill us down there. As long as you're a good shot with that their....thing, you'll be a fine addition to this."

Esper would remain very calm and matter-of-fact after killing the dwarf before speaking. She would however speak in a generally cheerful but frank manner none the less. The truth was that Esper, while not an idiot or unwise, was still what some would call below average her personalty quark was more of a way to hide her lack of "mental aptitude" than anything.

[Kish]

Hesper frowns as Esper casually kills the captive, but she looks at Anevia and says, "That's clever, Anevia, but I can't think of any means of getting all of us up there."

[Kallimakus]

"I... I admit it will be tricky." Anevia says, looking down at her splinted leg. "But it's not like it'll be an impossible climb. Just a leap of faith..." she trails off.
"I'm not exactly an accomplished climber" Horgus says.
"I would need a guiding hand every step of the way" Aravashinal says. "Not like I can see the handholds"
"That puts a damper on that plan I suppose" Anevia concedes. Maybe we could get a rope tied above?"
"Bah. Climbing a rope is physically impossible" Horgus says.
"No it isn't" Anevia says. "Can any of you climb the wall and get to the shaft. The pitons should hold the rope. And we might be able to lift Aravashinal up there"

"The shaft itself won't be hard to climb" Emilie observes. "Once you get there, it should be easy. Can any of you climb?"
"If I had use of my other leg" Anevia says.
"Same. I can't pull myself up like this"
"We can't be stuck here" Aravashinal declares. "There must be something we can do." He gets an idea. "I have a spell that could help" he says, excited. "I can pick one of you up and lift you through the opening. ...Provided somebody tells me where it is"

[Kish]

"I can climb, if someone holds onto my backpack. Luna? Oh, that will be safer."

Hesper looks to make sure that it's feasible that Anevia and Emilie can climb up the shaft if they reach it. She won't explicitly volunteer to be the one levitated, but will acquiesce if what she's already said is taken as doing so.

[Frosty]

Lunalesca
HP: 10/10 | AC: 19 | Init: +2 | Fort/Ref/Wil = 4/2/6
Diplomacy/Bluff +9 | Knowledge Religion/History +6 | Knowledge Planes +8 | Perception +9 | 
Resources:  Channels 5/5, Fire Bolt 5/7
Effects:  None 

The aasimar thinks on the predicament. "Hey, how long does this levitation last? Can we use the person being levitated as basically a ferry service to the top? Wed have to make multiple trips of course."

[Zhentarim]

Turning to Horgus, Diamond said ”I’m sure the crusade ahead is going to be long and difficult—when we get up there, I know we will need all the help we can get. Would you be willing to offer some of the coin from your coffers to our crusade?”

[NikolaTesla]

As the conversation about the exit continues, Kreedic and Ylby suddenly seem to realize what's being discussed and turn to look at each other, and odd expression on their faces. Then there's a mad flapping of wings and flailing arms as Kreedic tries (unsuccessfully) to grab the tiny dragon as she flies out the exit, he himself ending up on the ground.

"You could at least take a rope and tie it for the rest of us ya selfish lizard!" Kreedic yells after her in draconic, pounding the ground with his fist. He sighs, an exasperated expression on his face as he gets up and faces the group. "It would be best if we saved your levitate spell for someone with injured limbs, but if it comes down to it we can always tie a rope around them and drag them up. Not the most dignified of scenarios but it'll work..." he thinks for a minute, then his face brightens and he snaps his fingers, slipping off the backpack.

"I've got a better idea! Aravashinal, you levitation lasts a few minutes but can only affect one target right? So cast it on this backpack! It's plenty sturdy to long as those in armor remove any sharp edges around the straps. We can get everyone at least into the mouth of the exit, and if we work efficiently we might even be able to get those with injured limbs to the surface with it. he stands underneath the opening and yells up to Ylby in draconic. "Hey! How far underground are we!"

OOC: Assuming nothing ate her up there feel free to continue as if she responded. We don't know the exact number but we do know that it's likely less than 100ft based on what Kalimakus said about the amount of rope we had relative to what is needed to get out. Note that Kreedic does not have his rope on him; the only gear he took to the festival was a dagger and his scroll case.

[Kallimakus]

Ylby flies to the top of the shaft. It merely leads to another cavern. More tunnels, though these look like they've seen travel at some point.
Horgus listens to the question. "Assuming there's any left of either. I have no love for Demons." he says.
"The problem with my levitation spell is that it is not a precise effect. Or rather, it is. But without sight, I need to be careful of how I move whoever I cast the spell upon. It can be carelessly undone by the subject if they should be frightened for example. Imagine that I pushed you up towards a sharp rock. Is the roof sharp? No matter. Should you feel that you might not want to be lifted at a pointy thing, the spell will be undone. You need to accept it." He smiles a bit at the suggestion of using a backpack. "Aha! That is a great idea. It will be secure, it cannot undo the spell, and it can be given to different people. It will work for sure!"

It does, but there is a problem. The shaft runs up at an angle, which means that he cannot levitate the backpack down the whole way. You do manage to coordinate things well enough that everyone gets to the start of the shaft. You need to pick up Aravashinal and Emilie with the rope as the spell runs out, the former because he cannot see and thus guide himself to the shaft very quickly, the latter because she has some arm-related problems with the backpack, and would honestly prefer the rope to get her to the start of the shaft.

Up above, more tunnels. You emerge into a dead end, and the corridor still inclines upwards. It is suggested that you should still wait for everyone, that splitting up is a bad idea. It takes the more handicapped members a long while to make it up the shaft, but they manage it safely. After a brief walk, you find yourselves in a new expanse. The tunnel opens into a large cavern, about seventy feet across. Cylindrical rock formations along the walls arch up to make a dome like chamber, but the walls and floor are riddled with cracks. At the center of the cave, a stone tower that may once have reached the fifty-foot-high ceiling has collapsed onto its side. You see a few shapes moving in the shadow of the tower.

Spoiler: OOC

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You can roll Dungeoneering to try and determine your depth underground
If you wish to approach the end of the tunnel with stealth, feel free to roll

[Kish]

"There's someone up there. Hopefully friendlier than the lunatic was." She heads toward the shapes.

[Frosty]

Luna frowns. "My ability to move quietly is...atrocious, especially in this armor. Guess we will scout ahead. Let's try to see what we're dealing with here."