IC Droaam Expedition - Benejeseret

[Duke of URL]

Knaath

No bloodshed if it can be avoided... The flind moves after the cleric, trying to silence him before he can rouse anyone else.

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Move: Close to cleric
Standard: grapple - (1d20+10)[27], attempting non-lethal damage
Free: (whispers) "Silence, or I shall be forced to really hurt you."

[Benejeseret]

Initiative

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Maosh, then Knaath, then the Cleric who remains flatfooted till his turn. Maosh cannot charge, but sliding down the ladder can be part of normal movement with no movement penalties.

Maosh is up

[Nomad5]

Maosh (Pre-Round 1)
HP=44/44, AC=18, Touch=10, Flatfooted=17

I like guards with no tongues... Maosh considers the jump, but hearing the creaking of the ladder under his mass, he decides against the aggressive attack.
"Block cave."

Move: None
Standard: Move down ladder to landing.
Free/Swift:

[Benejeseret]

Round 1

Maosh, causious of the structure holding them over a cavern unending, remains slow and purposeful in his decent. He even has tme to carefully creep along the ramp leading to the lower platform.

Knaath causes a slight sway and shiver along the structs. The Flind's quick pounce catches the collar of the scrambling cleric. The gnoll flails, grasping at the railing. The larger Flind throws an arm around its throat. Knaath whispers directly into his ear as the cleric's eyes bulge.

Although one clawed hand vainly scrapes at Knaath's grip, the other snakes to a lether belt to take up a small curved dagger. In the struggle, the dagger plunges backhanded to Knaath's thigh. Leather straps of his armer deflect the thin blade.

((Summary, cleric is grappled and now armed. No damage to report yet. Back to Maosh who is about 10' back and 5' up, then Knaath for normal rounds))

[Nomad5]

Maosh (Pre-Round 1)
HP=44/44, AC=18, Touch=10, Flatfooted=17

Seeing the cleric well in hand, Maosh does not rush, making sure to not unbalance the structure. If possible he moves toward the cave to cautiously see if the commotion has alarmed anyone.
{Conditional} If the fight is near the entrance, then he will risk looking in the cave, otherwise he will go near and listen.
Otherwise he will move to the fight.

Move: Move as above.
Standard:
Spot: (1d20+6)[25]
Listen: (1d20+5)[23]
Hide: (1d20+1)[21]
Free/Swift: "Dump him over. He no scream."

[Duke of URL]

Knaath
HP 56/56; AC 23, flat 23, touch 11

Ignoring the dagger, Knaath tries to use his superior position to squeeze the cleric into unconsciousness.

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Free: (whispers) "Drop the knife! If blood is shed, I will show no mercy!"
Standard: Grapple - (1d20+10)[24] to Damage - (1d3+7)[8] (nonlethal)

[Benejeseret]

Round 2

In the grasp of the Flind, the gnoll struggles to breathe. The sclera of his eyes turning a murky red. His black arm still tries to slash backward at Knaath, but the overpowering hold offers no targets for the blade.

At the cave entrance Maosh can hear a soft humming. The throat offering the tune is dry and raspy. He can also hear the soft snores of at least two other bodies.

As the gnoll struggles he kicks out. A clawed foot shatters a plank of the railing. Splinters chitter and cascade down the rock-face. Maosh here's "Hrkk!" as a form inside suddenly awakes.

[Benejeseret]

Maosh (NPC'd)

Following Knaath's lead, the ogre moves toward the sounds from inside to quite them. He finds two clerics just rising. A meaty hand helps shake off any sleepy grogginess by roughly grabbing one of the new clerics in a choke hold. He turns to Knaath, "More tongueless ones."


{Maosh is now grappling as well for non-lethal damage. There is a third cleric as well. Knaath is up}

[Duke of URL]

Knaath
HP 56/56; AC 23, flat 23, touch 11

The flind winces slightly as the gnoll manages to make some noise. Damn... this is going to get tough. He focuses on finishing off the cleric in his grip.

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Standard: Maintain Grapple - (1d20+10)[25] for nonlethal Damage - (1d3+7)[9]

[Benejeseret]

Round 3

Both of the clerics struggle in vain against the brute power of the trespassers. Each slashes with their daggers, but your thick hide and armour keeps the blades from flesh. The cleric in Knaath's grip begins to weaken in his grip but keeps up the struggle.

Then you feel the tug. A cold indrawing of air and you can feel your very lifeforce itself quiver. This sensation is just enough to alert Knaath to the coming danger. With its hand pulsing with dark energies the final cleric slips around Maosh and lunges at the warchief. The Flind manages to dodge the first swipe, but the cleric and his dark energies rears and prepares to swipe again.


((heh, lucky you. The cleric managed to fail his touch attack and the other two rolled poorly as well))

[Benejeseret]

Maosh (NPC'd)

The ogre tries to slam his prey against the wall of the cave.

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grapple (1d20+12)[22] for (1d3+5)[6]

[Duke of URL]

Knaath
HP 56/56; AC 23, flat 23, touch 11

Now letting anger wash over him, Knaath tires to finish off the cleric in his grip before letting loose on the one behind him.

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Once the first cleric succumbs, Knaath will use lethal force (including any AoOs generated) against the other cleric.

Standard: Maintain Grapple - (1d20+10)[19] for nonlethal Damage - (1d3+7)[8]

[Benejeseret]

Round 4

The cleric's eyes roll and it collapses into Knaath. However, the sucking darkness swirling around the other's form gives the Flind little time to think. With a quiet rustle the first cleric slumps to the ground as Knaath spins to meet the next lunge of the dark-wielder.

The body at his feet gets in the way. Claws dig into the sprawled red robes, binding Knaath's right foot as he tries to swivel. With a startle the Flind finds himself off balance and nearly tumbling over the railing. Darkness pooled around the cleric's hand snaps in a the opportunity, striking the Flind across the shoulder. Knaath feels a horrendous chill as parts of his life-force is stripped.

With a snarling growl the ogre slams his entangled foe twice more into the cave wall. Small dust and chips rain down on the combatants. Though battered, the cleric in Maosh's grip slashes out with its dagger without success.

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I rolled Knaath's AoO and it was natural 1.

Knaath is inflicted with 5 magical damage

Maosh is still grappling and harming his opponent.

Knaath is now beside the free cleric and it is back to Knaath's turn

[Duke of URL]

Knaath
HP 51/56; AC 23, flat 23, touch 11

Instead of showing anger at the touch of magical energy, the warleader smiles maliciously. "I tried not to kill any of you... but since you prefer it this way, I'm going to let myself enjoy it."

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Standard: Attack - (1d20+12)[23], Damage - (2d4+11)[16]

[Benejeseret]

Round 5

The cleric, coming down for the divine high of energy, suddenly realizes that he is alone facing the Flind. Nostrils flare and pupils dilate. It tries to scramble back but is met by the flindbar. The weapon slams against the cleric's cheek, twisting the gnoll as it smacks to the far cavern wall. Spitting out blood and a few teeth it staggers a few steps.

To its right the ogre has pressed his foe into the ground and is repeatedly punching the bloodies gnoll into unconsciousness. At each swing, a flick of water cascades down the ogre's arm and hits the floor as mud. The sight of the liquid, and the crystal that it beads from, enrages the last gnoll who rushes back at Knaath intent on bull rushing him right off the platform's edge.

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Knaath gets an AoO as the gnoll bull rushes him. Include the attack and the damage as well as the opposed str check it case it proceeds.
(1d20+2)[16] is the clerics str check.

Moash took a minor scrape from the gnoll he fights (2 HP) but then knocks the cleric out. Maosh is free to act now that you're back, once Knaath's AoO/bull rush is resolved.

[Duke of URL]

Knaath

Seeing the charge coming, the Flind merely smiles and lashes out again.

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AoO: Attack - (1d20+12)[24], Damage - (2d4+11)[13]
Bull Rush; Str - (1d20+7)[8] (if necessary)

(( Edit: Natural 1? Sheesh. I hope the AoO does the job first... ))

[Nomad5]

Maosh (Round 5)
HP=42/44, AC=18, Touch=10, Flatfooted=17

Maosh grins as he hears Knaath give into the bloodlust. This will be a good day.

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Move: Wield club.
Standard: Attack last cleric with club if in range (flanking bonus?), or look for incoming if not:
Attack: (1d20+7)[24] for Damage: (2d8+5)[15]
Free/Swift: --

[Benejeseret]

Despite the seething hatred in the eye of the oncoming gnoll, it learns that mind cannot always overcome matter. The warchief pivots backward over his left leg. This bring the arc of the flindbar coming down over the right clavicle of the cleric. Bones crunch at the connection.

The broken form continues with its accelerated momentum with a great smash to the back from the ogre, sending it crashing onto and through the rickety wooden railing. With a throaty whimper the dark form tumbles into the darkness below.

You are left with two unconscious cleric. They way inward is clear.

[Duke of URL]

Knaath

"Well, I was going to let them live, but now I'm angry," Knaath says calmly to Maosh as he casually delivers a fatal coup de grace to the cleric he had grappled with. "Now where to?"

[Nomad5]

Maosh

Shaking stray water from his arms as if sweat, Maosh motions to the two incapacitated gnoll-mutes. "How angry?"

After shaking a lot of water away and not really realizing that there is just as much replacing it, he looks further into the cave speaking softly. "Now, we find hag."

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Some rolls in case they are needed:
Hide: (1d20+1)[13]
Move Silent: (1d20+5)[24]
Listen: (1d20+1)[17]
Spot: (1d20+6)[20]

[Duke of URL]

Knaath

"Angry enough. Lead the way."

[Benejeseret]

The cavern is short and as cramped as it was before. The candles along the walls are extinguished. Maosh is uncomfortable squeezing but nothing more.

As you come to the small pool room, you see the following. The Hag is slumped backward amongst her willow pile. Her right foot dangles out over the small pool that shimmers slightly as if catching the moon, yet the cavern has no cracks overhead. All around the trinkets on the walls lightly clack and twist in a breeze without direction.

The hag is in a deep dream state. The noise of combat did not wake her, nor does any attempt you make to rouse her.

[Nomad5]

Maosh

Maosh squats down as he had before in this chamber, but pushes forward this time. "Seer. I come as you ask. Seer, we come. We have crystal." He pushes himself closer as he speaks, up to the edge of the pool where he stops to gaze into the pool under the hag's foot, studying deeply for a moment.

When the hag does not respond he sits back to think or wait, not knowing which will end first. "How we wake her? Splash water? Give crystal?" As he talks he absently shakes his arms again, splashing water from the crystal about the room.

[Duke of URL]

Knaath

"I had assumed that you knew what to do when we started this..." He sighs. "If the crystal is what she wanted, then I suggest giving it to her."

[Benejeseret]

As Maosh glances into the pool he sees a swirl of images around a central pair of deep blue eyes. A dreamscape of images swirl past the shimmering orbs that seem to follow your movements around the cavern. The eyes brighten as the crystal approaches.

[Nomad5]

Maosh

Maosh unslings the crystal from his back. "Maybe it wants the crystal," he says, pointing at the pool. He continuous to unravel the crystal. "At the temple, they teach us the ways of Droaam. I learn we get big by standing on others." Maosh changes his voice a bit, as if imitating someone else, "He tell us to find others great, and bind with them, until it is time."

Finishing the unwrapping of the crystal, Maosh takes the crystal securely in his hands, glances up at Knaath, and approaches the hag slowly. "Seer, we bring crystal." He shakes the crystal lightly over the seer and lowers it until it is touching her.

[Benejeseret]

((He touches the Hag?))

Despite the dramatics, nothing happens.

From the pool there is a distinct eye roll from the watery image.

[Nomad5]

((Yes, he's not the brightest bulb in the box.))

Maosh

"It no work. She want crystal, but no take." Being crouched down close to the pool, he sees the frustration in the eyes within the pool as they mock him. "What? You want crystal?" He extends the crystal out with one hand quickly, bumping the hag to the side and breaking the surface of the water with the other end of the crystal.

[Duke of URL]

Knaath

"Uh... is that a... good idea?" Knaath starts speaking, but not before Maosh acts.

[Benejeseret]

Maosh hears something tear. It is not so much hear, as feel. And upon recalling the sensation later the ogre will remember it as a sensing, rather than true feeling.

But something has torn. The wrenching backlash of shattered wards and planar seals screams across the senses. Then poured forth the water. From the small pool surging upward a sea of water that slams you aside as dolls.

The torrent pulls you along its path, ripping through the tiny cavern roots and smashing past the wooden support struts. After but a few second of feverish, drowning terror you are free of the water.

And free-falling past the destroyed platforms following the arc of the water tumbling into the utter depths of the cavern.

Foam, water and spittle seems to hang in the air around you. It not for the rushing cliff face a few meters away the sheer oddity and serenity of the scene could be peaceful.

As you tumble and scream a flicker of movement is seen in the depths below. A wall of water has already filled the cavernous depths and rushes up to meet you. You plunge into the icy water in a burst of bubbles.

Breaking the surface is difficult as the entire face of the water is surging upward. Over the deafening roar of the water is the grating slam of deep rock. The few times your head breaks the water you can see the stars far above, and the cavern wall flanking rumbling and closing overhead.

Blackness threatens to overtake your mind. Conscious seems fragmented in the turmoil as you crash around, waves bearing you to the surface and then crashing over you once more.

Then the water brightens. You have just been flung over the cavern walls and thrown upward by the force. Everything splashes down into a muddy sea of silt and the remnants of the broken camp.

Grabbing hold of a floating barrel, the darkness finally overtakes you and you slip into unconsciousness.

***********************************************

The dawn light breaks over the new sea. The cawing of birds is what awakens Knaath and Maosh now washed up upon a shoreline.

((more to come))