City of Broken Dreams: Life's Bazaar

[Baerdog7]

Angelo Rinaldi

Angelo waves Kate off.

No, that's okay. I've got parchment and ink as well. I guess after all my whining about not wanting to get lost, I should at least be the one to draw the map.

[Toxic Avenger]

Katherine takes another long look at each hallway in turn, wanting to make sure that she hasn't missed anything. "No, I wouldn't have called it whining, Angelo. It is a legitimate concern." While taking off the goggles, she turns to face the cleric. With a wink and a grin, she adds, "And thanks for offering to draw the map..."

Kate leans in closer to Rilian as she returns the goggles. With a smile, she replies to his question. "Of course, Rilian. Why would I mind? Four eyes are much better than two..." She points toward where she saw the crack in the wall, and briefly describes its location and orientation. "So...do you see it? Or do we need more light?"

[Rei_Jin]

Once Rilian puts the goggles on, he too can now see the crack, once it's pointed out to him.

After a few moments of study, he thinks it might be a concealed door, built into the wall for an unknown purpose.

[Taren]

Rilian nods and blinks as he sees the crack in the wall. "I-I think we should check i-it out. This smells funny." He starts forward towards the crack, hoping the group will follow him.

[Toxic Avenger]

"Oh, yes. Absolutely." The tone in Katherine's voice is quite serious, though it also suggests that a part of her is actually enjoying the intensity of the situation.

Kate follows behind Rilian, keeping an eye out for anything and everything that may pop out of the shadows...

[PhoeKun]

"Whenever you're ready, lead the way..."

Erica stands near Rilian, ready to proceed. To be truthful, she felt useless right now. Exploration, search, and door opening were not things she could do. And at this moment when time meant everything, all she could do is stand there and wait for something to whack.

But when it comes, she is going to whack it but good. Of that much, she's sure.

[Rei_Jin]

The hunters approach the crack in the wall, they would have missed it without the goggles. Rilian searches the crack, and it is indeed a door, although a cunningly disguised one.

A whistling sound issues from the door, and carries with it an bitter smell. Was that acid on the breeze?

[Toxic Avenger]

Katherine's nose wrinkles slightly at the bitter smell, but it doesn't seem to bother her otherwise. She puts her ear up against the door for a moment while she holds a finger in front of her lips.

[Rei_Jin]

Straining her hearing Katherine can hear a slight breeze on the other side of the door, and a strange sound as of a thick liquid slowly boiling.

Gloop!

Gloop!

Gloop!

[Toxic Avenger]

Pulling away from the door, Katherine whispers, "I hear something cooking in there. As to what, I don't know. We can probably bet that someone is in there, though." She grips her longspear with both hands as she looks at both Rilian and Erica. "So...shall we find out?"

[PhoeKun]

Erica nods to Katherine as she reaches back with her right hand to grip the hilt of the greatsword hanging on her back.

"Go ahead and open it."

[Toxic Avenger]

Katherine nods and leans her longspear against the nearest wall, freeing up both hands. She then pulls (pushes, slides, stares, telekinetically forces, etc.) the door open as quickly as she can.

[Rei_Jin]

The door swings open to reveal a purpose built room. It seems to have been once used as an alchemy lab, and perhaps it's being used again. There is a bench on the far (North east) wall, with beakers and glass tubes set up on it, one of them is a red liquid slowly bubbling by itself with no heat source apparent underneath it.

There's another table in the centre of the room, but this one is overturned and damaged. Lying in front of it is an unmoving, dark skinned humanoid with hooves instead of feet, and some debris from the table. The debris seems to compose mostly of glass, bits of cloth, a few used tindertwigs, and other discarded refuse. Maybe there was a fight here...

A five foot wide tunnel in the west wall leads into darkness. Against the opposite (east) wall stands a cabinet, its doors set with jagged shards of frosted glass. It looks like someone smashed through the glass to reach the copntect within. Mounted to the ceiling is a web-shrouded wooden fan connected to some gears and a rope belt that crosses the ceiling and disappears into the north wall. The fan turns slowly, allowing a little fresh air into the room, which otherwise smells quite strongly of acid.

[Dhavaer]

As Lady Ydresse enters the room, she first glances up at the ceiling before moving to kneel beside the fallen humanoid.

Spoiler

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Checks to identify humanoid:
Knowledge: Local: (1d20+6)[21]
Knowledge: Arcana: (1d20+7)[9]

[Toxic Avenger]

Katherine picks up her longspear once more before moving into the room. After taking a good look at the room - in all directions - she follows along the wall to the left toward the tunnel. On her way there, she takes a mirror from her pack, which she then uses to peek around the corner.

[Rei_Jin]

The humanoid is a skulk, the same species as the creature the hunters encountered in Keygans back room. It is dead, but the cause of death isn't obvious.

The tunnel goes straight ahead for 20ft then turns to the left (south)

[Taren]

Rilian pauses. "Are y-you all ready? I-I think it's s-safe to a-assume that the t-thing that killed t-this one is somewhere f-further ahead. L-let's press on."

[Toxic Avenger]

Katherine stashes the mirror in one of her pockets for easier retrieval later on. "Right. It's either further ahead, or behind us. You heard Keygan...those things hide like a black cat in a coal shop, so each room and each tunnel we pass by without checking it over increases our chances of getting ambushed from behind...or missing the right turn. And we already pretty much passed over those first tunnels we saw..."

After her blue eyes quickly sweep the room once more, Kate asks, "Can I see Keygan's map, Rilian? Thanks." Katherine takes a look at the map for a moment, and then she checks the walls of the room starting from north of the tunnel. When she gets around to the table, she looks - but doesn't touch. And when she gets to the cabinet, she opens the doors with the head of her longspear before taking a quick look inside.

[Rei_Jin]

As Ydresse is examining the dead skulk, the rags at her feet start moving as a cool breeze blows through the room. Suddenly, the rags swirl up, taking the form of a humanoid, and striking at her, seeking to rap themselves around her.

Spoiler

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The clothing succeeds in a touch attack against Ydresse, and is attempting to grapple her. I'll need a Grapple check, and once this is resolved I'll get initiative from everyone, as well as actions. It gets a surprise round, because, well, it did surprise you all

[Dhavaer]

Grapple check: (1d20+4)[21]

[Rei_Jin]

The rags try to gain a grip on Ydresse, but she struggles, twisting and turning to evade it. It howls a scream of frustration, and lunges at her again

Spoiler

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Ydresse - Initiative 20 - ?
Rilian - Initiative 13 - ?
Erica - Initiative 12 - ?
Katherine - Initiative 9 - ?
Raggamoffyn - Initiative 7 - Attempting to grapple Ydresse
Angelo - Initiative 6 - ?


Sodi - Initiative ? - ?

[PhoeKun]

Erica startles as the rags come to life, tensing up at the sudden attack on her comrade. But, she wastes no time with someone in danger, stepping behind it to put it between her and Ydresse, hefting the large sword off her back and bring it down on the rags in one motion. Not the most graceful stroke in the world, but certainly effective...

Spoiler

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Attack (-2 if flanking can't be achieved): (1d20+6)[17]
Damage: (2d6+4)[6]

[Baerdog7]

Angelo Rinaldi

Angelo stops his perusal of the room upon seeing Ydresse being attacked by the clothes. He rushes over, attempting to get in a flanking position, and swings at it with his mace.

Spoiler

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Initiative: (1d20+5)[6]
Attack: (1d20+3)[6] (-2 if unable to flank)
Damage: (1d8+1)[3]

[Toxic Avenger]

Katherine spins around to locate the source of the horrid howling. After a very brief moment, the wide-eyed look on her face transforms into a look of grim determination as she springs into action. Spotting a clear path to the floating rags, Kate rushes in just close enough to thrust at it with her longspear.

Spoiler

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If Katherine can charge it, good...if she can flank it, even better...if she can both charge and flank it... Excellent!

Move (or charge), Attack with longspear (10' reach)

Attack roll (-2 if she can't flank and charge, -4 if she can't do either): (1d20+5)[14]
Damage: (1d8+1)[4]

[Dhavaer]

Lady Ydresse steps free of the raggamoffyn, hurling her glaive aside and drawing her sword. Seizing it in two hands, she swings the blade in a wide slash.

Spoiler

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Initiative: (1d20+6)[20]
Free action: five foot step back (assuming she is in raggamoffyn's square).
Free action: drop glaive.
Move action: draw longsword.
Standard action: attack: (1d20+4)[10]
damage: (1d8+4)[12]

[Taren]

Rilian gasps at the sight of the odd moving clothing, drawing his rapier, yet also skeptical about how much use it'll be. He moves to flank with Kate if possible, or merely to attack if not possible.

Spoiler

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Attack: (1d20+4)[9]
Damage: (1d6+1)[6]
Sneak attack damage: (I'm pretty sure these guys can't be sneak attacked, but just in case it doesn't hurt to roll anyway. I like rolling.) (1d6)[4]

[Rei_Jin]

Ydresse throws her glaive behind her and draws her longsword in a fluid motion, slicing at the rag monster and going through it cleanly, unfortunately causing it no distress. Rilian attacks it, lunging with his rapier and barely misses hitting Ydresse as his hand seems to go through the monster, not even touching it.

Sodi, seeing his allies attacking without success, moves his hands in a complicated and eye watering fashion that causes a bolt of force to fly forth from them, striking the beast, whilst Erica swings her greatsword in a wide arc, stepping into the fray. She also hits the beast a mighty blow, but it moves with the weapon at the last second, minimising the harm. Katherine stabs at it vainly with her longspear, hoping to protect her friends but failing to inconvenience this unknown foe.

The rag monster lunges again, this time for Erica and starts clutching at her chest, seeking a hand hold. It finds one, and wraps itself around her, covering her in rag tag clothing and loose materials. Only her mouth, nose, and one eye is now visible through the clothing, and her friends can see a panicked look on her face.

Angelo, seeing this turn of events, gasps and tries to attack the rag monster with his mace and to avoid hitting Erica, missing completely.

Spoiler

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Ydresse - Initiative 20 - In melee with rag monster, longsword in hand
Rilian - Initiative 13 - In melee with rag monster, rapier in hand
Sodi - Initiative 12.5 - 30 feet from the rag monster
Erica - Initiative 12 - Being grappled by the rag monster, greatsword in hand
Katherine - Initiative 9 - In melee with rag monster and 5ft back, longspear in hand
Raggamoffyn - Initiative 7 - Grappling Erica, 11 damage taken so far
Angelo - Initiative 6 - In melee with rag monster, mace in hand

[PhoeKun]

Erica struggles wildly against the suddenly tight and constrictive fabrics, a look of sheer terror plainly evident on what's visible of her face. She clutches desperately at the parts wrapped around her head, trying to free at least that much of her...

Spoiler

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Action - Escape from a Grapple
Opposed Grapple Check: (1d20+4)[14]

Work. Just work. I'm not getting raggamoffyn'd, darn it!

[Taren]

Rilian's eyes widen. "E-Erica!" He presses forward, letting his rapier drop as he tries to pull the creature off of her face. "S-she can't breath!" He attempts to wrestle with it, raising his voice. "S-someone grab a torch! It's j-just cloth! As s-soon as I-I get it off of her, b-burn it! F'sking for g-gods sake, b-burn m-me too i-if you have t-to!"

His pulse was racing. Not now. Things couldn't get bad again after everything was just starting to look up in his life. "F-for her sake, I w-will not fail!"

Spoiler

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Well, time for something stupid. Rilian is attempting to grapple the Rag and pull it off of Erica. Yeah, I know it's a long shot. Ok, magical roll time go!

Grapple Check:(1d20+1)[15]
I dunno if I need another for an opposed grapple check yet, but here it is if I do:
Grapple Check 2: Electric Boogaloo! (1d20+1)[10]

Well, let's hope that dumb luck succeeds where I usually fail!

[Dhavaer]

Ydresse pauses briefly, caught off guard by the rags' strange attack. Then she lunges forward with her free hand and yanks the rags as hard as she can.

Spoiler

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Standard action: grapple (1d20+4)[16]
If necessary: grapple: (1d20+4)[5]