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 Bear Chaser Bear Chases crosses his arms, puffing his chest out proudly. "Bear Chaser doesn't fear ambush! Bear Chaser will take on hundred-and-one men, ambush or no." Despite the boasting, he takes a few steps backwards and to the side, until he's around the rear of the party. "Bear Chaser very brave!"
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Mar 11, 2015 07:22
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 03:28 |
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 "Don't see any halflings around right now," Hark grunts. "Let's have a look."
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Mar 11, 2015 15:06
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You advance straight up the game trail, heading for the wall of the fort. As you get closer, you see that the 20-foot walls are covered in a thick layer of vines. What you can see of the walls themselves as they peek out through the vines tell you that they're very old, but still solid. A quick pull on the vines suggests they could be used to climb the walls, but it won't be easy. About 30 feet to your right, you see the gates of the hill fort. There must have been some large wooden doors standing astride these gates, but they've since rotted away to nothing and the passage is covered by even more vines, with bramble bush along the base. Among those bushes, a metallic gleam catches your eye and you find a small leather pouch hidden amongst the leaves. Opening the pouch, you find a dozen pieces of bronze. Each piece is an eight-sided symbol about the size of a human fingernail. Gnasc notices that there are dots and lines on the symbols that match the markings on the helm that Byron Madigan showed him. Finally, Hark spots a line of matted, trampled vegetation running along the side of the wall to your left, disappearing as it rounds the corner of the wall. It appears that someone may have been here just recently.
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Mar 11, 2015 19:52
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 Sofia Laurell Sofia points at the trodden path Hark has noticed. "Think it leads to some kind of backdoor maybe? Could be promising."
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Mar 12, 2015 02:29
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 Gnasc The gnoll kneels down and grabs the leather pouch, taking a look at one of the pieces of bronze. "Mayor will like this. Looks like it fits that strange helm he showed us!" he lets the rest of the group take a look at it before putting it in his backpack, together with the Dire Dog's camp map. He glances at where Sofia is pointing. "Could be. But I want to take an upper view before walking in blindly." Gnasc puts the greataxe in his holster and tries to climb the walls, hopefully not slipping and crashing on the ground head-first, dying like an utter idiot. Athletics to climb vine wall: 1d20+8 12
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Mar 12, 2015 04:17
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Gnasc finds the climb difficult - the vines are ropy, but they shift and slide as they take weight, making the ascent tricky. It takes him a while, but he finally clambers up over the top edge and is able to get a vantage point. Looking from left to right, he sees: There is a part of the wall around the corner that has collapsed and hasn't been overgrown by foliage. There's some ruins just inside of the gap in the wall. It looks like what used to be a stone building that has since collapsed. All Gnasc sees are the foundations and the floor tiles remaining. Near the center in line with the gate, he sees what look like stone statues, but the figures are indistinct at this distance - someone'll have to get a closer look. Just past the statues is an octagonal building about 55 feet across. It's still standing solidly, and unlike everything else in the fort, no plant life clings to its walls. Finally, there is a long stone structure to the far right - it has a high sloped roof and multiple entrances. Carcasses litter the outside of the entrances and part of one wall has caved in. Gnasc is still standing atop the wall.
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Mar 12, 2015 04:49
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Gnasc Even after seeing the interesting buildings and statues from afar, he waits a few moments to spot any movement before walking back a little and talking to the group down. "No enemies spotted yet, but some suspicious buildings inside the fort. Wall collapsed going left, you were right human, let's go through there!" He looks back inside the fort and sniffs the air before climbing the vines down to re-join the group. The first place Gnasc goes when entering the ruins is get closer to the statues, maybe they could show something about the helm...
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Mar 12, 2015 07:36
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Hark follows the others along the path and into the ruins, glancing around warily. "Figured there'd be more of them hiding around someplace," he growls, giving the long building an uneasy glance. OOC: What are the carcasses of?
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Mar 12, 2015 15:35
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Bear Chaser "Pack leader..." Bear Chaser trails off, crossing his arms as he follows after everyone, still a few steps behind the group. "Defers to tracker's judgment! Bear Chaser very wise leader."
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Mar 12, 2015 21:02
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After Gnasc clambers back down the vines, your group circles around the walls and passes through the gap that Gnasc spotted from up top. It's a 15-foot gap that's seen some occasional travel, based on the wear and tracks on the ground. As you enter the compound, you have to pick your way across this ruined building. More vines and overgrowth, but you also notice that some of the remaining stone blocks again have the dots and lines that were on the bronze helm and on the bronze pieces you found near the gate. You surmise that whoever or whatever lived in this building may have been the wearer of the helm. Moving past the ruins into the center of the area, you get to the statue in front of the octagonal building. Hark takes look at the building over to your right and sees that the carcasses and bones are all of pack animals, and they've been picked clean. The sloped roof casts a shadow on the interior, making it difficult to see inside without getting closer. Turning your attention back to the statues, you can tell that it was recently cleared of vegetation. You wish it hadn’t been. The ... thing is a jumble of stone, each a stomach-turning inhuman figure. You see taloned hands, elongated arms and legs, hunched torsos covered in strangely smooth armor — but none of the heads can be found.
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Mar 13, 2015 06:05
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Sofia Laurell Sofia stares at the statues with a sense of revulsion. "What in the hells are these things? What used to live here?" A shiver runs up her spine.
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Mar 14, 2015 06:15
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Gnasc Gnasc had to agree, looking at the statues gave a sense of dread on him, and he naturally snarls in response. "Grrrrrrr. Probably the only ones that could wear that weird helmet." The gnoll wouldn't say in front of the party, but he hoped these things would be long dead, just like the ruin. The most creepy fact that the heads were removed, but why? The smell of the carcasses of the pack animals to their right attract him, maybe there would be something left for him? He was kinda hungry, but it probably wouldn't be a good idea to eat carrion in front of the new group. That was one of the things the church taught him, it was simply considered disgusting in human society, but Gnasc always wondered why. "That shaped building." he points to the octagonal structure. "Looks like the place to go, but I don't want to enter it without checking if there are anything in the shadows over there." he sniffs toward the place with all the pack animal's carcasses. frajaq fucked around with this message at 06:29 on Mar 14, 2015 |
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Mar 14, 2015 06:25
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Sofia sees an arched opening that leads into the octagonal building, facing the statues. The walls and the arch are carved with all manner of geometric shapes, and the sunlight cannot penetrate more than 5 feet into the entryway. Gnasc moves closer to the building to the right and spots a single humanoid skeleton amid the animal corpses. Three javelins are still clutched in the person's bony fingers. He also knows that these bodies didn't decay nor decompose - they were picked clean.
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Mar 14, 2015 06:53
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Bear Chaser Bear Chaser looks at the shapes on the arches, wondering if there's anything he can glean from them. Goblins tell stories! Sometimes goblins tell stories with shapes. He wonders if these are trying to tell a story with shapes, too, or if they're just there to look pretty. History: 1d20+0 5 (welp)
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Mar 15, 2015 00:45
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Hark growls under his breath, hackles rising. "Far as I'm concerned, we ought to just set the whole damned place on fire." Despite his words, he moves to the right, trying to get some sight of the interior through the caved-in wall.
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Mar 15, 2015 01:13
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Bear Chaser, as you approach the entrance to study the markings etched on it, you see the body of a man about 10 feet inside the building, half cloaked in darkness. The man has been bludgeoned to death, and has been dead for quite some time. You're unable to tell anything from the markings apart from the fact that it's very ancient, and that there are traces indicating that the foliage that might have wrapped around this building was first partially cleared out by hand, and then the vines just completely disappear, as if they had retreated of their own accord. Further study is interrupted by the calls of your fellow adventurers: they've found something. As Gnasc and Hark approach farther into the building on the right, they spot what looks like a 4-foot large arachnid. It's stooped over one of the carcass piles, trying to pick at whatever carrion is left. It looks up, lets out a long skittering sound, and the two see its mandibles flex and click.  You have initiative; take your turns. pre:Spider @ F9: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Gets +1 to damage rolls for standing in the animal carcasses
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Mar 15, 2015 04:31
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Gnasc As the spider clicks his mandibles and fangs, Gnasc naturally snarls in response while grabbing his greataxe. What were the chances that if he rushed inside, more of these pests would fall on his head? With a savage charge and readying the swing, the gnoll goes to find out. The greataxe almost splits the spider in half. Minor Action: Activate Berserker's Charge stance, giving me +2 to hit and +2 damage on charges. Standard Action: Charge at E6 and Melee Basic Attack vs AC: 1d20+7+2+2 21 1d12+7+2 21 Damage Superior Reflexes grant me CA on all enemies on my first turn pre:Gnasc HP: 29/29 AC: 17 Passive Insight: 11 Surges: 11/11 (V: 7) For: 16 Passive Perception: 13 Initiative: +4 Ref: 16 Action Points: 2/2 Speed: 6 Will: 12 Vision: Low-light At Will Encounter Battle Wrath [ ] Second Wind Berserker's Charge [ ] Ferocious Charge [ ] Power Strike Conditionals/Resists: +2 to all saving throws +2 damage when bloodied +2 damage to melee attacks with 2+ allies adjacent to enemy Gain CA to all enemies on my first turn
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Mar 15, 2015 05:52
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Sofia Laurell "Guh!" Sofia recoils when she first sights the creature. That spider was definitely worse than anything she'd ever seen in the locker rooms. As she rushes forward, she tries to think of some way she can punch the thing without touching it, up to the moment she is swinging her fist. "Don't get any of your gunk on me!" Move Action: Move to E9. Standard Action: Charge to F6 Melee Basic Attack vs AC: 1d20+10+2 22 1d10+4 10 Damage Spider Spider is Marked. pre:Sofia Laurell HP: 27/27 AC: 18 Passive Insight: 11 Surges: 10/10 (V: 6) For: 20 Passive Perception: 11 Initiative: +2 Ref: 14 Action Points: 1/1 Speed: 5 Will: 13 Vision: At Will Encounter Daily Combat Challenge [ ] Second Wind [ ] Tempest Dance Grappling Strike [ ] Steel Serpent Strike Brash Strike Cleave Conditionals/Resists: Inescapable Hold - Grabbed creatures must escape against Fortitude with Acrobatics
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Mar 15, 2015 06:10
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Bear Chaser "Spider squashed!" Bear Chaser cheers on Sofia and Gnasc, whistling a little victory tune as he walks closer to them. "Good squashing. Bear Chaser couldn't have done better himself." He wants to get his mind off that dead human, so cheering his friends on seems like a good way to do that. Wait. Spider. Do spiders have nests? He knows bees do. Hm. "More spiders?" He asks, glancing around the room for any sign of some - he doesn't want them to get the drop on the party, if they do exist. Checking for more spiders: 1d20-1 11
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Mar 15, 2015 10:51
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The spider's head explodes in a shower of green ichor from Sofia's punch, the legs giving a final twitch as the horrid thing dies. Bear Chaser's warning to his comrades prompts Sofia and Gnasc to look around the room, and they spot three more of the arachnids just lying in wait.  Bear Chaser, I'm going to rule that that costs you your Standard Action. You still have your Move, Minor, and Free Action. Hark, you still also have your full turn. Finally, note that the white splotches give anyone that stands on it a +1 to their damage rolls. Gnasc and Sofia currently benefit pre:Spider @ F9: 0/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Dead Spider @ B7: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Spider @ G1: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Spider @ I5: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12
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Mar 15, 2015 17:31
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Bear Chaser Bear chaser, clad head-to-toe in scraps of heavy metal as he is, takes a moment to waddle into position. "Is fight! Pack Leader coming, friends!" Move to 12E. pre:Bear Chaser HP: 23 AC: 17 Passive Insight: 9 Surges: 7/7 (V: 5) For: 15 Passive Perception: 9 Initiative: +4 Ref: 14 Action Points: 1/1 Speed: 5 Will: 15 Vision: Low-Light At Will Encounter Daily Goblin Tactics [ ] Guardian's Counter [ ] Lamb to the Slaughter Rousing Assault [ ] Inspiring Word Direct the Strike [ ] Hammer and Anvil Conditionals/Resists: +2 to all defenses against Opportunity Attacks
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Mar 15, 2015 18:15
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=== pre:Hark HP: 28/28 AC: 19 Passive Insight: 12 Surges: 7/7 (V: 10) For: 15 Passive Perception: 17 Initiative: +4 Ref: 16 Action Points: 1/1 Speed: 6/8 Will: 14 Vision: low-light At Will Encounter Daily Crane's Wings [ ] Second Wind [ ] Masterful Spiral Five Storms [x Swift River Floods Flurry of Blows [x] Furious Assault [ ] Wasteland Fury Conditionals/Resists: +2 speed when charging, 5 THP when first bloodied in encounter Sweeping into the dimly lit building, the old man barely slows as he sees the spiders closing in from all sides. With a fairly orcish roar, he piles into one, blows of his staff shattering exoskeletal joints and a powerful kick under the chin, or whatever spiders have in that region, flipping it onto its back. Move to C7. Standard: Swift River Floods on spider at B7. Swift River Floods, vs. Ref: 1d20+5 19 Free Action: Furious Assault for +1d8 damage on spider: Swift River Floods, damage: 3d8+8 18 No Action: Flurry of Blows for 5 damage on spider, which should kill it. If spider somehow survives attack, it is slowed EONT (Swift River Floods) and unable to shift SONT (Flurry). Selachian fucked around with this message at 02:05 on Mar 16, 2015 |
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Mar 16, 2015 02:00
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Woooooooops!
frajaq fucked around with this message at 04:33 on Mar 16, 2015 |
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Mar 16, 2015 02:07
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Edit: DQ'ed for kicking too much rear end!
Superstring fucked around with this message at 05:57 on Mar 16, 2015 |
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Mar 16, 2015 03:34
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frajaq and Superstring, I'm going to have to ask you to take back/edit out your latest posts - the Spiders hadn't taken their turn yet. It was supposed to be just until Hark took his turn. Updated until just at the end of Hark's turn, before the Spiders do round 1:  pre:Spider @ F9: 0/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Dead Spider @ B7: 0/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Dead Spider @ G1: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Spider @ I5: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12
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Mar 16, 2015 04:25
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With two of their brood dead, the two remaining spiders chitter loudly and make a beeline for the closer assailant. Sofia deftly dodges out of the way of the first, but is distracted enough that the second's venomous fangs find purchase. Spider 3 @ G1: Move to E5 Venomous Bite vs AC against Sofia: 1d20+6 17 miss! Spider 4 @ I5: Move to G7; Sofia is flanked and grants Combat Advantage Venomous Bite vs AC: 1d20+6+2 20 hit! Sofia takes 9 damage and will take 4 on-going poison damage and is slowed (save ends all) On the first failed save, Sofia will be immobilized instead of slowed  pre:Spider @ F9: 0/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Dead Spider @ B7: 0/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Dead Spider 3 @ E5: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12 Spider 4 @ G7: 23/23 HP, AC 15; F/R/W 11/13/12
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Mar 16, 2015 07:18
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Gnasc Gnasc curses something in his natural daemonic language as a member of his pack gets poisoned just like that. He tries to split the spider closest to him in half with his greataxe with a brutal swing, but the toxic creature still lives, albeit barely. Minor Action: Activate Battle Wrath stance, giving me +2 power bonus damage on melee attacks Standard Action: MBA on Spider 3 @ E5 Melee Basic Attack vs AC: 1d20+7 21 1d12+7+2+1 13 Damage Free Action: Using Power Strike Power Strike Damage: 1d12 6 Damage pre:Gnasc HP: 29/29 AC: 17 Passive Insight: 11 Surges: 11/11 (V: 7) For: 16 Passive Perception: 13 Initiative: +4 Ref: 16 Action Points: 2/2 Speed: 6 Will: 12 Vision: Low-light At Will Encounter Battle Wrath [ ] Second Wind Berserker's Charge [ ] Ferocious Charge [x] Power Strike Conditionals/Resists: +2 to all saving throws +2 damage when bloodied +2 damage to melee attacks with 2+ allies adjacent to enemy Gain CA to all enemies on my first turn
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Mar 16, 2015 07:32
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Sofia Laurell Sofia cries out in pain as she is caught off guard by the spider sneaking up on her. Surrounded, she does a spinning lariat, trying to hit both spiders at once. She smashes the wounded one and clips the other. Sofia shakes her head and gives herself a couple slaps but can't seem to shake off the effects of the spider's venom. As she gets ready to remount her attack, she finds that her feet aren't responding. "Feelin' kinda woozy here guys." Standard Action: Cleave vs AC on Spider @ E5: 1d20+10 28 1d10+4 15 Damage and 4 Damage on Spider @ G7 Save vs Ongoing Poison and Slow: 1d20 8 Failed! pre:Sofia Laurell HP: 14/27 AC: 18 Passive Insight: 11 Surges: 10/10 (V: 6) For: 20 Passive Perception: 11 Initiative: +2 Ref: 14 Action Points: 1/1 Speed: 5 Will: 13 Vision: At Will Encounter Daily Combat Challenge [ ] Second Wind [ ] Tempest Dance Grappling Strike [ ] Steel Serpent Strike Brash Strike Cleave Conditionals/Resists: Inescapable Hold - Grabbed creatures must escape against Fortitude with Acrobatics 4 on-going poison damage and Immobilized (save ends)
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Mar 16, 2015 11:30
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Bear Chaser "Pack Leader come riding in on silver horse, hair flowing in the breeze!" Bear Chaser babbles as he runs into the fray, batting wildly at the Spider, only barely managing to clip it. Letting out a woop of victory anyway, he leaps up into the air and cheers Sofia on. "Shake it off, lady! Bear Chaser is at your side! Can chase spiders, too!" Move to F7. Rousing Assault vs AC @ G7: 1d20+7 15 1d8+4 6 Inspiring Word: 1d6+3 4, plus Sofia's surge value, so she's back up to 26 HP. And spent a surge. She's got 10 of them, she won't mind me taking one. pre:Bear Chaser HP: 23 AC: 17 Passive Insight: 9 Surges: 7/7 (V: 5) For: 15 Passive Perception: 9 Initiative: +4 Ref: 14 Action Points: 1/1 Speed: 5 Will: 15 Vision: Low-Light At Will Encounter Daily Goblin Tactics [ ] Guardian's Counter [ ] Lamb to the Slaughter Rousing Assault [ ] Inspiring Word Direct the Strike [ ] Hammer and Anvil Conditionals/Resists: +2 to all defenses against Opportunity Attacks
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Mar 16, 2015 13:05
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Between Bear Chasers blows and Hark's crushing staff, the last of the spiders dies with a loud, satisfying crunch. You now take your time to more closely examine the building. The high ceiling is riddled with multiple webs, and you can only conclude that these spiders must have been luring prey into the darkness, then ambushing them for a meal. Checking on the one humanoid body among all the other corpses, you recover a small money pouch containing 100 gp and the javelins you were already able to spot from afar. If anyone wants/needs the javelins to be able to make Basic Ranged Attacks with, feel free to do so. I won't be tracking ammo.
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Mar 16, 2015 13:25
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Hark peers around the room disgustedly. "Damned things jumping out at you. Don't want to see any more of that happening." OOC: Are the light gray patches at the back of the room stairs?
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Mar 16, 2015 20:08
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Sofia Laurell Sofia shakes her head clear. "Giant spiders, creepy statues, what is even going on here?" She kneels down and examines whatever the white splotches are on the ground. "Where are all the bandits supposed to be?"
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Mar 17, 2015 05:10
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As Sofia kneels down and examines the back of the room, a floor plate is triggered - a part of the back wall opens up to reveal a long underground passageway hidden beneath this building. About 15 feet into the tunnel lies a dead man, a Dire Dog from the looks of his clothing, although what remains of his flesh is green, sickly and dessicated, with one ankle twisted badly. It's far too dark to see much further in.
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Mar 17, 2015 07:21
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OOC: no responses so far, so we're moving forward. Gnasc and Bear Chaser run out of the building and quickly fashion some torches out of the vines and brush, then begin to head further into the tunnel. As you head deeper into its depths the stone floor begins to give way into hardscrabble dirt, and eventually what looks like a wall that was carved through by claws. Through the wall lies a large chamber, about 50 feet across, with multiple square stone blocks laid across the center of the room. The blocks are also marked with the same etchings from the bronze items you've found, and closer inspection shows that they're lidded - hollow inside. There are two other exits out of this room: one directly across from you where the floor starts to slope downwards, and an arched entryway to your left.
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Mar 19, 2015 07:34
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Bear Chaser "Hm." Bear Chaser swings his torch from one path to the other, eyes narrowing, tilting his head in thought. "Down is bad," he declares. "Down is where they keep the really bad beasties. So no down."
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Mar 19, 2015 18:21
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Sofia Laurell "Don't goblins spend a lot of time in the--uh--'down'?" Sofia tests one of the the block lids and sees if she can find out what's inside.
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Mar 20, 2015 07:11
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Bear Chaser "I'm a forest goblin!" Bear Chaser spits back."Forest goblins live in forest, not down. You racist."
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Mar 20, 2015 15:14
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Sofia opens up one of the stone blocks and finds that it is a sarcophagus, but the body inside is like nothing you've ever seen before. The form is most definitely human, but the arms end in what look like wicked bronze hooks, and the creature certainly has more than two feet, on top of those feet ending in a bristled tip. The rest of the body, including the face, is wrapped in linens, and the body remains unmoving. Bear Chaser approaches the arched passageway to the left and sees a raised platform in the distance. That next room must have a high ceiling, but Bear Chaser can't make out any more detail at this range. Just then, Old Man Hark shushes your banter, and he cocks his ear towards the other room's exit. He hears a faint ... clicking noise.
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Mar 20, 2015 19:03
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Hark turns swiftly toward the downward-sloping entrance, lips wrinkling back from his yellowed teeth in a snarl. "Watch yourselves. Think something's coming. Maybe more of those damned bugs."
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Mar 21, 2015 12:24
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| # ? Apr 25, 2024 03:28 |
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Bear Chaser "High up! We should go... hi...gh..." Bear Chaser trails off into a mumble as he glances over his shoulder at Hark, blinking. "Too many spidies," he grumbles. "Mayor should have sent giant wasps, instead."
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Mar 22, 2015 00:41
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