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Post by waysoftheearth on Jul 26, 2012 17:25:42 GMT -6
"What's that?" startles one voice, as the candle flames zip up to the landing.
There is some hissing and spluttering as whomever are above reposition themselves.
"That ain't Ruglud's lads, I'll warrant," a voice mutters amid the ruckus before another relies more loudly:
"Depends who's askin'! Show yerself, wizard!"
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Jul 27, 2012 8:44:47 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
Ruglud? Snorks perhaps...
Mads steadily and slowly ascends the stairs, sword brandished. He puts on a stern face and appraises the group waiting on the landing. He directs his lights to float above each of their heads. "I ask." he states simply.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jul 28, 2012 4:53:05 GMT -6
[One imagines the young warlock as a Darth Maul-esque figure, his gaze smouldering intently as he steadily rises from the dark stair...]
Mads spies four hunched men with overlong arms and bulbous noses standing in front of a door in a 10ft wide stone passage. Their dark eyes glimmer beneath heavy brows in the floating candle lights. Several of them fidget to swat the flames away from them and to shield their eyes. Their hair is greasy and rank, their knuckles knobbly and their fingernails dark and hard. They are an ugly lot with bare feet and yellow teeth... and knives and hand axes near to hand...
[Reaction is rolled 2d6=3!]
"It ain't Rudlug at all!" confirms a fellow at the rear.
The pair nearer the front straighten their hunched backs and slowly draw forth long, curved knives with notched blades from their belts. They are taller than Mads realised -- almost as tall as he is.
"Hand over yer goodies, wizard, and we'll let ye scurry off." says the nearest fellow (30ft away), his shoulders bunching as his eyes narrow warily.
"Otherwise, you'll have trouble 'ere," confirms his friend, licking his licks hungrily.
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heartless
Level 1 Medium
Kill monsters, take the treasure
Posts: 12
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Post by heartless on Jul 28, 2012 7:50:56 GMT -6
Rufus whispers to Dugel and Wendel, "if you have an spells or tricks used them now".
Rufus will draw his bow ready to shoot the creatures below.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Jul 28, 2012 18:38:45 GMT -6
Rufus whispers to Dugel and Wendel, " if you have an spells or tricks used them now". Rufus will draw his bow ready to shoot the creatures below. mutters Dugel the Dwarf, listening intently to the conversation that is taking place out of sight, on the landing a dozen steps up the stair. Rufus covers the stair behind with his bow in case the great spider should follow them up... all is inky dark and still in the stair below him, however. |
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Jul 30, 2012 14:52:22 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
"Goodies? Goodies?" Mads repeats. "If I had anything, you think I'd be crawling around in this pit?" he fumes.
"I swear, your brains are as empty as that forsaken vault."
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 1, 2012 5:56:23 GMT -6
The four hunched figures draw their weapons with a delicious lack of speed, and wicked toothy grins spread across their ugly faces.
"You can start by dropping that pretty sword," says the leading thug, "and then that pack," confirms one of his mates. All four of them begin toward Mads with murderous intent...
What now?
[T'wil possible be combat next round unless Mads does/says something to prevent it...]
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 1, 2012 7:18:21 GMT -6
[ What's the layout of the room, and, by chance, is there anything of significance here made of wood? Particularly something being held at eye level?... ]
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 1, 2012 7:53:06 GMT -6
The layout is something like this:
@@@@#...#@@@@
@@@@#...#@@@@
@@@@#.3.I@<-- door
@@@@#..4#@@@@
@@@@#12.#@@@@
@@@@#...#@@@@
@@@@@#M#@@@@^
@@@@@#=#@@@ |
@@@@@#=#@@@ up
@@@@@#D#@@<- stair
@@@@@#W#@@@ down
@@@@@#=#@@@ |
@@@@@#R#@@@ V
The door is wooden (judging from a scant glance)...
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 1, 2012 8:02:21 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
Mads sours. He quickly directs his magical light into the eyes and face of his nearest attacker, and presses an attack with his pretty sword. "A little help, here!" he calls out.
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heartless
Level 1 Medium
Kill monsters, take the treasure
Posts: 12
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Post by heartless on Aug 4, 2012 6:56:50 GMT -6
Rufus finds himself at the rear. If he can get a shot he will let fly an arrow on one of the creatures furthest from Mads. The last thing he wants is to shot a friend in the back so he will play it safe. Rufus will keep a look out for the spider ready to shoot it if it comes back from behind the group.
If everyone rushes in to attack Rufus will sneak in the shadows for a back stab.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 5, 2012 3:19:55 GMT -6
Combat is joined!
Mads flicks his motile candle-flames into the faces of the nearest thugs immediately as he launches his attack. A surprise check is allowed [1d6=1] but the hunched enemy are already wary of anything from a "wizard", and duck their heads and side step the buzzing flames...
Initiative is rolled [1d6;Mads=6, Dugal=1, Enemy=3(-1 for avoiding the candles)].
...but Mads is upon them before they know it [1d20=13] and plunges his pretty short sword into the belly of the nearest [2dd=2,5] for 5 hit points.
"Oowapphh!" he grunts, and doubles over Mads' sword, collapsing in a flatulent heap.
His mate's eyes bulge wildly at the sight of this as he lurches to thump Mads across the noggin with his hand axe [1d20=5], but the young warlock dodges aside just in time and the axe blow instead strikes a spark form the flagstones.
"Outta my way!" huffs Dugel as he tops the stair and simultaneously utters an unknowable phrase of Dwarvish dialect. There is a sharp crack as the ceiling stone of the passage splits and a great load of heavy rocks and a choking cloud of dust tumble onto the rearward pair from above!
Mads has to retreat violently and shield his face to avoid being suffocated, but only the single thug is left!
Rufus can't shoot over the top of stair through Wendel and Dugel, and nor can he see any targets from his position. However, by the sound of all that racket, it's likely a good thing!
What now?
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heartless
Level 1 Medium
Kill monsters, take the treasure
Posts: 12
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Post by heartless on Aug 5, 2012 6:19:58 GMT -6
Rufus will take a quick look back for any spider first, then head in for a backstab in the shadows on the foe.
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 5, 2012 8:03:25 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
Mads will attempt to disarm and subdue the remaining thug. "I'll turn you into a slug if I have to!" he says menacingly.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 6, 2012 6:29:46 GMT -6
The last of the hunched thugs makes a morale check [2d6=11!] and even faced wizards and seemingly impossible odds he plunges on -- maddened by the sudden slaying of his fellows.
"You killed them!" he howls as he launches himself at Mads.
Initiative is rolled [1d6; Mads=6(+1), Thug=6] but despite his viper-like speed, Mads finds an uncanny alacrity and [1d20=16] deals him a startling whack to the face with the flat of his blade [2dd=5,5] for 10 subdual points -- it could so easily have been a killing blow!
But even knowing he should be slain, the gaudy hobgoblin (for hobgoblins these thugs are) is carried by his momentum -- indeed he would scarcely pull the blow even if he could! -- [1d20=7] but Mads artfully bats the curved blade aside, disarming his opponent and simultaneously allowing the onrushing rogue to smack his head against the wall and falling into a hopeless tangle of limbs.
[No need to roll for subdual, since the Hobgoblin has suffered more than 100% subdual damage].
"Pleeeeease don't turn me into a sluuug!" grovels the bested Hobgoblin pathetically, clambering its huge hands over its head as Dugel strides up, clearing the clouds of dust with sweeping arms.
"What's this piece of filth?!" snorts the Dwarf, seeing the Hobgoblin...
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 6, 2012 7:37:29 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
"I won't turn you into a slug..." Mads says calmly, as he lays the edge of his blade across the hobgoblin's neck. "But I might slit your throat if you don't answer my questions." He presses the blade a little to draw a little blood. "Who's Ruglud and what are you doing in these tunnels?"
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 6, 2012 7:52:17 GMT -6
Meanwhile, at the back of the group on the stair... Rufus thinks he spies something blacker than the swallowing darkness behind them moving ever so slowly closer. But no matter how hard he stares at the dark, he can't get a fix on anything. Maybe it's just his nerves..?
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 6, 2012 8:16:46 GMT -6
Mads impresses his authority upon his captive.
The hobgoblin whimpers and whines, begging grotesquely all the while.
"Who's Ruglud? who's Ruglud?" it blathers incredulously, "Ee's tha big boss o' tha mountains, o yesss tha big boss. Ee's meaner 'n' tougher than's fair, an' we's waitin' 'ere fer a bunch o' 'is boyz to show,"
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 6, 2012 8:28:46 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
"What for?" he spits, eyes narrowing on his captive.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 6, 2012 8:34:44 GMT -6
The dejected villian swallows desperately, grimacing as his adam's apple bobs past the edge of Mads' blade.
"You knowzz, same az alwaaayzz," pawns the hobgoblin, "They comez by, regular like, ta collect Ruglud'z payment,"
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 6, 2012 8:38:06 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
Mads keeps his eyes on the hobgoblin. "Everybody up on the landing!" he calls out. "Dugel, would you be so kind as to search our prisoner?"
***
Once everybody's secured, Mads will order the hobgoblin down the stairs at sword point. "I hear my brother was a fair man... So, I'm giving you a choice--down the stairs or through my sword."
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 6, 2012 16:23:41 GMT -6
It may be worth noting that the way forward is not completely blocked.
Dugel's rockfall was a relatively minor one, and with ten or so minutes of labour the rubble could be largely cleared, and the door the hobgoblins were waiting by accessed. Even without clearing the rubbish it would be possible to clamber over it and go ahead.
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heartless
Level 1 Medium
Kill monsters, take the treasure
Posts: 12
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Post by heartless on Aug 9, 2012 6:45:52 GMT -6
"Nice work Dugel", smiles Rufus.
"Dugel you better stand guard with Mads, and Wendel follow me to look around", commands Rufus.
Rufus goes and careful clambers over the rocks to the door the hobgoblins were at. He is careful of any loose rocks and dangers on the way, and keeps a contant look out so not to be surprised by anything. He will sneak to the door and investigates it, then listens to what is on the other side.
OOC: Sorry about wasting time before, I thought where we are now was full of webs and spiders and I was been careful.
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 10, 2012 7:19:39 GMT -6
[ I'm fine with my prior stated course of action. None of the hobgoblins seem to have picked up on any of my trigger words, so either they're too ignorant or too stupid to provide much useful information. I could kill the subdued hobgoblin outright, but if I can get him to possibly fight the spiders down the stairs (or become arachnid food if I have to kick him down the steps), it'll make me feel better about a possible later retreat down those stairs. The rubble, at least, might provide some degree of defense against a surprise attack from Ruglud's cronies or anyone/thing else that might come through the other door, so for now I'm willing to put it out of my thoughts until the more immediate threat is dealt with.]
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 12, 2012 6:31:02 GMT -6
Wendel and Rufus scamper up onto the landing, and these additional arrivals cause the Hobgoblin to cower and whimper like a beaten dog.
"I'd as soon run my knife through 'im than touch 'im," says Dugel gruffly, and stands arms folded glowering directly at the prisoner in true Dwarfish fashion.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 12, 2012 6:33:29 GMT -6
Meanwhile, Rufus scampers over the 2ft pile rubble with the ready agility of a mountain goat, and discovers that the adjacent door is hardly blocked at all. If it opens inward (as most door do), then there shouldn't be any problem opening it...
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verhaden
Level 5 Thaumaturgist
Posts: 308
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Post by verhaden on Aug 12, 2012 7:50:48 GMT -6
Mads the Enlightened
Mads shrugs. "Fine." While holding the blade firmly against the hobgoblin, he searches what pockets or bags, if any, he can access with his free hand. His eyes stay fixed on his prisoner, though, and he goes about looking for coin by feel.
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heartless
Level 1 Medium
Kill monsters, take the treasure
Posts: 12
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Post by heartless on Aug 13, 2012 6:03:55 GMT -6
"Wendel keep a look out will you while I check this door", says Rufus.
Rufus detects traps around the door and the lock and if all seems fine listens on the door. Then if he hears nothing he will test if the door is locked and have a peak inside and shut it again ...
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 13, 2012 17:30:48 GMT -6
Mads pats the hobgoblin down and discovers a small coin purse, a pair of rusty caltrops and a finger-sized dried lizard.
"Thet's me Bertee," offers the goblin, nervously, regarding the lizard.
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Post by waysoftheearth on Aug 13, 2012 17:38:13 GMT -6
Wendel coughs violently into his handkerchief as he waves Rufus away... though exactly how well he can keep a watch while spluttering and hacking like a speared seal is in interesting question.
However, Rufus leaves him be and concentrates on the doorway...
[1d6]
He checks the frame, the handle, and lock hole, and the gap beneath the door... but it all appears perfectly mundane.
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