NPX: Gates of the Shadowkeep

[Awesomologist]

Addis Qatur

Addis bends down and pulls a curved dagger from his boot, "I have a dagger should anyone need it. I'm not very good with it anyways, I favor my faith in the Raven Queen and my bow."
Addis stays in the middle of the group in order to better assist those around him.

[Durendal]

Harsk

After handing his battleaxe off to the kindly human, Harsk moves to the front of the group to inspect the drops of blood. He scans the area for any other clues to Grynde's disappearance, than focuses his efforts on the trail of blood. He digs deep into his mind for any inclining about what they are hunting...or being hunted by.

Spoiler

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Perception(1d20+7)[17]
Nature(1d20+7)[25]
Dungeoneering(1d20+9)[23]

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn takes the dagger from Addis. "Thanks. I'll be sure to get this back to you." He glances angrily at Davek as he asks him about the castles. "We've been over this. All I know is that one of them is mine and the other is Callos's."

[Nahal]

Davek

Returning Fizahn's glare with a neutral smile, Davek responds I know, but there might have been something that escaped your memory earlier when you were made owners, or something familiar about the layout. Anyways, obviously there isn't, so it's moot.

OOC: I remember we went over this before, but Davek's not a trusting type. will keep such things to a minimum.

[Naleh]

Retay

The barbarian pauses only briefly at the stairs. Blood is all the evidence he needs. Not bothering to ask for a weapon, he lopes up the stairs with the strange lizard-man and the man with the glowing shield.

[Koji]

Kazz

Kazz keeps her breath steady and deliberate as the little crowd proceeds. Small steps, that's the key. For the first time in living memory, she has been made to feel afraid, but by what? With no past experiences to draw from, she has trouble imagining what might come next. What kind of person would want to hurt a total stranger? Grynde didn't have anything worth taking. Her mind swims dangerously close to a pit of terror.

Best not to dwell on it. Focus on the here and now. Step...by step...by step.

[Knubs]

Kavri

So it was all heroic gumption coming over here, but then we spot blood, and everything stands still. Seems logical enough. Oh but there goes that big muscular fellow! Good luck muscular fellow! Kavri stalls for a few seconds, but with a sigh, a yearn for adventure gets the better of him. He follows Retay up the stairs exchanging his bow for his longsword. If everyone else is hanging back, I might as well be prepared. Maybe it will be fun, and I won't die. That would be pretty neat. "Come along ladies. Let's not waste time. I'm sure if something is waiting to kill us it doesn't wish to do so in a tardy fashion."

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

"I can use a dagger but not well. I think I'd rather leave it available to some one with more skill."

Tiriel starts to follow the first group but stops in front of the passage leading to the left. "Shouldn't we check down here first before heading up? Does anyone have a spare torch?"

[Dr._Bob]

The drops of blood are fresh, but small as if shed from pinpricks.

Retay, Mazom and Patash are the first to reach the passageway at the top of the stairs. The passage is 10 feet across, running straight ahead. Archways along the right wall open overlook an overgrown courtyard.

Fifty feet away, barely visible in the darkness, a giant humanoid shuffles slowly down the hallway. Grynde appears to be slung over its shoulder or strapped on its back somehow. The creature appears to be draped in vines.

...

The lower hallway is 10 feet wide. The hall runs directly below the passageway above. It has archways running along its right hall that opens into an overgrown courtyard.

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

In the lower passage, Elthan proceeds forward carefully, examining the courtyard for traces of Grynde while he is unsuspectedly lugged directly above Elthans head. He takes a few steps off from the path and eyes around. "I don't think he went this way; It doesn't seem like anythings been here for a while..."

Spoiler

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Passive Perception - 12; Anything immediately unusual about the courtyard? Anything hiding?

[Rodrick_the_Red]

Patash (Dragonborn Cleric)

Patash seeing Grynde on the back of the creature, advances brandishing his holy symbol and shouts "Release our companion or feel the wrath of Bahamut!"

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Patash will walk 6 squares (30') and if Grynde is not released and the creature is in range he will attack the creature using Lance of Faith range 5 squares (25').

Initiative (1d20+1)[8]
Attack (1d20+3)[17] vs Reflex
Damage (1d8+4)[7] Radiant
If the creature is hit Mazom gains a +2 power bonus on his next attack roll against the creature.

[Tanaar]

Darros

Darros accentuates Patash's command with flowing, arcane words, sending a humming bolt of silvery force energy down the corridor at the back of the brute's head. Honestly...does he think it'd just surrender after brutally abducting, maybe killing, a random person?

Spoiler

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Magic Missile
Attack vs Reflex (d20+4)[7]
Damage (2d4+4)[10]

[Callos_DeTerran]

Callos

It didn't take long as everyone returned from the open aired courtyard for the necromancer, no..that didn't feel right anymore. Former necromancer felt like it was right, the former necromancer drifted back towards the rear. It was without a shadow of a doubt that he was concerned about Grynde but the half-elf-turned-human had proven himself more then capable before and he trusted the other's abilities now.

More importantly...if something had grabbed Grynde from this doorway would that not suggest that something lurked behind the other as well? With as many people that were gathered in this place it seemed fool-hardy to focus all attention on one direction to ignore very possible threats coming from the other three.

Elthan seemed to be watching the lower corridor, everyone else seemed intent on going up the stairs...Callos drifted back towards the minotaur doors with his lighted stone held high, keeping in sight of the others at all times and never nearing too close to the doors.

[Zid]

Mazom

Mazom moves quickly after the humanoid, realising that stealth is impossible in the large group. He moves after the humanoid as fast as he can.

"Release him at once!"

Spoiler

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If the humanoid doesn´t release Grynde, Mazom will move at full speed towards him, and then use Eyebite if within range (10 squares). otherwise, he will move twice.

Eyebite attack vs will - (1d20+4)[15]If hit, Mazom is invisible to the creature for one turn
Eyebite damage - (1d6+4)[6]

[Koji]

Kazz

Kazz stays behind the forward guard, on the stairs. The lizardman's booming shouts from above confirm the presence of another entity in the building.

She gives a meaningful glance upward, then back at her allies clustered around the stairs and drifting into the lower hallway. Her heart thrums as the conflict reaches that teetering edge, and anticipation of victory or defeat begins to grow.

She waits until the fight has moved clear of the stairs, then drifts up after it to observe.

[Cejer]

Atoly Magivol

As Atoly reaches the top of the stairs he takes in the scene. Grynde is illuminated by the glow from Mazom's shield. Recognizing the rude human, Atoly snorts and moves back to the foyer floor, joining the other non-combatants. As he leans against the staircase he calls to those above. "Let us know if you need help. Otherwise I'm going to wait here."

[Nahal]

Davek

Upon hearing Mazom's shout, Davek moves up the stairs to join the combatants. Upon seeing the large... humanoid at the end of the hall a think smile creeps onto his face. This should be interesting, he says under his breath. Upon catching up to the rest of the group, he tries to find an angle that will provide a clear shot once the creature is within range.

[blackfox]

Anika

Anika watches the dark courtyard for a signs of movement, from the safety of the shadows, until her attention is drawn by the shouting from above. She darts from her cover and up the stairs, fumbling for a stone to put in her sling and looking for a clear shot at whatever it is is about to get shot at.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel reluctantly leaves the courtyard and returns to the where the stairs junction the hallway. She doesn't like not knowing what's behind her in a fight, not that she can do much to help.


Realizing that she's likely to just get in the way, Tirel stays down at the junction a scowl on her face. No armor, no sword. I'm close to useless...

[Naleh]

Retay

Like Tiriel, the northerner has no armour or sword. But unlike Tiriel, he's not thinking in terms of uselessness.

In what may be his least sane choice yet, he charges forward with an inarticulate grunt and throws himself into the huge humanoid.

Spoiler

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Whee! Unarmed attack! I've never done one of these before (except once with a monk)!

Attack - (1d20+4)[22]
Damage - (1d4+6)[10]
Includes Power Attack and charge.

[Knubs]

Kavri

Seeing the size of the humanoid, Kavri is a little shocked. Bback home the worst he had fought were goblins. He briefly considers switching back to his bow for safety's sake, but when Naleh rams into it, and it is still carrying Grynde, that is not a safe option. He keeps out his longsword and advances but stays a good distance away from the beast. Let it pick out a target, and then I'll get closer.

[shaddy_24]

Evendur

Hearing the commotion up the stairs, Evendur glances down the hallway one last time and decides that standing around won't help anyone. He sprints up the stairs. Seeing Retey attacking the creature farther down the hallway, and grips the axe tighter as he moves towards it.

[spoiler]I don't think I can actually reach the creature right now, so I'll just move as close to it as possible.

[Dr._Bob]

Upper passageway

Grynde seems to disappear into the beast's back, as if swallowed somehow by the writhing vines that cover the creature. One hand and arm are left visible - fingers outstretched as if silently pleading for help.

The monster is probably at least twice the size of a large human. It lurches to one side, spinning with surprising grace, as soon as challenged by Patash and Mazom.

A lightning flash illuminates the creature - it is a massive tangle of writhing vines and gnarled thorny branches, roughly humanoid in shape, without any obvious eyes or mouth. It rises up onto its hind "legs" waving its "arms" in mute challenge.

Mazom, Darros and Patash unleash a volley of magical attacks, which the creature seems to ignore.

Kavri and Evendur move forward, with Davek and Anika right behind them.

Heedless of the danger, Retay pushes past them and charges forward, closing the 50' gap in seconds and crashing into the plant-creature at full speed. The plant-creature staggers backward one step, then leans to its left and disappears over the balustrade, crashing into the thick foliage of an adjacent baobab tree.

Kazz reaches the top of the stairs and gingerly peeks over Mazom's shoulder to see what is going on ...


Lower passageway

Elthan steps out into the courtyard but can only take a few steps before being blocked by wildly overgrown trees, vines and underbrush.

Lightning flashes, and Elthan sees that the courtyard is a massive outdoor garden, completely overgrown by vegetation. The plants appear to be a mix of different exotic species, most of which appear more suited for a warm jungle or tropical rainforest than for a chilly mountaintop.

Tiriel keeps a close eye on him from her vantage point under the stairs. She wraps her arms around herself, unaccustomed to the cold.

Suddenly a dark form crashes down from above through a tree, into a large overgrown thicket of bushes. Shouts from above warn you that the creature that snatched Grynde has jumped down to the ground level ...


Vestibule

Atoly yawns and examines his fingernails as the others either rush up the stairs or wander down the passageway to the left.

Callos also stays behind. He steps gingerly back out the hippogriff doors to stand alone in the entrance hall. The small makeshift fire has gone out. A thin wisp of aromatic smoke rises into the air, disappearing into the darkness of the coffered ceiling above.

Callos takes a few steps toward the minotaur doors all the way at the other end of the hallway. The darkness presses in around him, kept at bay only by the glowing stone hovering over his shoulder.

[Koji]

Kazz

Kazz stumbles backward and steadies herself against a wall. She had expected...what, exactly? She frowns. An alien instinct rose up when the monster was illuminated, but she was nonetheless paralyzed by her lack of experience with this sort of thing. She has to assume that such creatures are commonplace, but this is an extremely unpleasant thought.

She looks to the fighters grouped before her, and turns her anxiety to motivation. She might not know what to do, but they will.

"Well go on!" She shouts, "After him!"

[King_of_GRiffins]

Elthan

Elthan scans through the underbrush, a few subtle questions working their way through his mind on plant-life and their arrangement before being interrupted by falling giants. Hesitating a moment as he watches it head into the brush, he dashes towards the brush, making a small leap into it before launching two bolts of bright red magical energy at the creature.

Spoiler

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Magic Missile (vs. Reflex)
Attack - (1d20+3)[22]
Damage - (2d4+3)[7]

[Rodrick_the_Red]

Patash (Dragonborn Cleric)

"By the Platinum One! Look out below the creature has enveloped Grynde and jumped down to the courtyard. Patash exclaims as he rushes to the tree to climb after the vine monster.

Spoiler

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Patash moves to the tree and climbs down.

Athletics: (1d20+2)[7]

If Patash gets within 3 squares (15') and he can use Dragon Breath (Blast 3) without hitting his comrades he will.

Dragon Breath: Fire: (1d20+5)[14] vs. Reflex
Hit: (1d6+4)[10] Fire Damage

[Erikkin]

Fizahn:

Fizahn rushes toward where the creature fell. As he gets there, he stops. What is that thing? Is it eating Grynde?

[Nahal]

Davek

Spurred on by a combination of the creature's flight and Kazz's shouting, Davek moves towards where the creature jumped in hopes of getting a clear shot through one of the slits in the corridor. The Void take you! he hisses as the shadows around him seem to twist and turn in on themselves, deepening as they do so.

Spoiler

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Thought the Shadow Walk ability was worth a brief flavor text mention. If possible, Davek will use his Elritch Blast (vs. Reflex) on the creature without hitting Grynde:
Attack: (1d20+3)[13]
Damage: (1d10+2)[7]
EDIT: used the wrong mod for damage, should be +3 (so 8 total)

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel starts as the tree-creature crashes to the ground. She quickly rejoins Elthan outside and crouches, ready to spring into action. She clenches her hands into fists missing the familiar weight of a sword.

ooc: holding action. If in the next round the creature faces away from Tiriel and Grynde's arm becomes visible, she'll try to pull him out.
I guess that would be a strength check? Well here's one if it's needed:
STR Check - (1d20+4)[12]

[Knubs]

Kavri

Again Kavri wishes he could switch to his bow and just shoot at the beast from up high. He sees the strange dragon thing clumsily take the tree route and isn't impressed. With a sigh, Kavri turns around and rushes down the stairs. He curses under his breath. Didn't I just run up these a minute ago?