[AU] Siege on Ebonring Keep - Part 2

[Rybaer]

Ruther nods in acknowledgement to Ys-Korros and he leads the way down the passage. The litorian scout pulls up short when he hears something coming from up ahead. Both the giants can hear it as well once they stop moving.

It is the distinct sound of Pyior casting a spell.

*****

Pyior makes his incantation to search for giants. (ooc - troll is too specific for the detect creature spell, but he knows that trolls have a closer species relationship to giants than humanoids.)

Pyior also knows that the earth and stone walls of the cave will obscure beyond a couple feet of depth. He slowly turns the arc of his spell. When he is facing the passage opposite where they entered, his spell picks up a "hit". Runther and the giant brothers enter a moment later.

Pyior completes the circle around the chamber and gets no other hits with his spell.

(ooc - you can maintain it with a standard action each round if you'd like to keep it up while exploring)

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Pyior whispers to the giant brothers with a look of intense concentration on his face, "I'm detecting a creature of the giant genus down this corridor. Let me try to pinpoint it's exact direction and it's strength."

Pyior will maintain the spell for the full three rounds in the direction of the hit to get the additional information, and will then inform the party (whispering) of what he detects.

 

[Rybaer]

(ooc - clarification. Pyior detected the giant brothers just prior to their entrance. No other signal picked up yet.)

 

[Argent Silvermage]

I'm assuming Aurial is scouting a bit ahead of the party she is in. is there any signs of habitation? Fresh poo or fresh kill small?

 

[rangerjohn]

OOC: Were one group again.

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

OOC: Sorry about that.

"No creatures of the giant genus except the two brothers. Are there any further unexplored passages? I can keep this spell up if so."

Pyior suggests to the group that they explore any other passages while his spell is still up.

 

[Rybaer]

Aurial pokes around the chamber a bit, but finds no fresh droppings aside from some insectile residue - likely from the centipedes. Scattered among the bodies are some crude personal possessions of the rhodin. Most of these are either burnt, broken, or of no tangible value.

The "noisy" party explains that from the passage they came, there are five other passages to check out. The "stealth" party has only found this chamber and the passage through which the other team arrived.

Runther points at the arcane symbol scratched in the soot on the wall. "That's one of the reasons we were pretty sure that magic had been involved in driving the rhodin from here. Any idea what it means?"

"It's symbolic for 'obscure'," Pyior says.

Everyone agrees to continue searching through the caves as long as Pyior's spell is still active. Upon reaching the the section of passage with all the branches, Pyior focuses his detection spell in each direction. No hits are returned.

Runther suggests that the passages closest to the entrance get searched first, so that nothing unexplored is left at your backs. The first two passages on the right each go back about forty feet, ending in crude chambers. There are no bodies in these room, only a few scraps of evidence that the rhodin or other creatures have previously used them. The next passage on the right and the one on the left have similar arrangements, though are both shorter. The one on the left does have a few barrels. The stagnant water in one hints at their use for simple storage.

About twenty feet down the final passage, Pyior's spell finally picks up another hit. He motions for the others to stop while he focuses for more detailed information. While waiting, the others begin to notice a change in the smell down this passage - less decay and more body odor and fecal matter.

Pyior's spell gives him a "strong" aura of a single "giant" type creature, somewhere straight ahead. Back in the large chamber, Pyior had warned the others that his spell can be blocked by stone and earth. In winding passages such as these, it's possible that there might be more than one troll.

By the torchlight, everyone can see that the passage ahead forks with one side veering to the right. Pyior motions toward the other as being the most likely location of his "hit".

 

[Liminal Syzygy]

Pyior silently motions the party back down the passage away from the giant footprint, walking silently and gesturing for the rest of them to do so as well.

When they get 50' to 60' away from where he got the hit, Pyior turns to his companions and whispers, "I'm getting a strong aura! I believe this may be one of those situations in which that clever human apothegm is relevant--Discretion is the better part of valor!"

OOC: Sorry I'm in Seoul this week and without my book again. A strong aura means whatever Pyior detected has how many HD?

 

[Erekose13]

Ys-Korros retreats with the others to discuss their battle plans. "Now that we are confronted with the beast, I guess it is time to finalize our strategy. I think it would be best to lure the creature to a position advantageous to us. Perhaps at that fork. If we were able to lure it just past there, someone waiting down the left fork could move up behind it and attack from both sides. We will need as much fire as we can get, so attack with swords and torches if possible. Pyior do you have your spells ready?"

 

[Rybaer]

OOC: Sorry I'm in Seoul this week and without my book again. A strong aura means whatever Pyior detected has how many HD?

Dim - 0HD (lingering aura)
Faint - 1HD or less
Moderate - 2-4HD
Strong - 5-10HD
Overwhelming - 11+ HD