Spritewing dips a knee and wings toward the crone responding in Dwarven, the only language he can actually speak. "I would never dream of an idea about a concept of you poisoning me, Auntie."
Still, he doesn't immediately take the fruit, rushing through information. "My rider is fighting with The Exemplars, there is a cult under the Gate of Scales playing with dangerous magics. We went on a rescue mission and they reacted by bringing in the monsters, first an elemental, then augmented humans and most recent being powerful undead. I'm looking for support! And you were the closest. Will you come?"
Only then he takes the apple.
Munching it quickly he feels his many wounds close. "Thank you, a very nourishing apple."
OOC:
If he heard what is going below then adds "A vampire cleric"
The woman raises an eyebrow when Spritewing replies in Dwarven, yet she doesn't react as if she doesn't understand the dungeonbred pegasus. She waits until he eats the apple and then replies in fluent Dwarven.
"I have heard of these heroes and that there have been problems at that gate. However, it seems the city's officials have been understating the dangers that exist below it."
Spritewing notes that her demeanour changes as she moves back to where she was sitting and picks up a small bag off the ground. She makes a whistling sound and the gathered animals move away to other parts of the park. She straps the bag to her wide belt and moves back to Spritewing with more speed if not strength. He notes that she is barely over four and half feet tall.
She mumbles an arcane phrase just before she reaches Spritewing. She casts a spell on herself and then taps her cane on the ground. "Well, we should be going. You allies will need healing, I think. While I'm not a fighter, I can heal those who are fighting these evil things."
She taps her cane on Spritewing's saddle as a signal that she wishes to get on and needs him to lie down so she can climb on. The dungeonbred pegasus barely feels the woman get on his back. She is so slight.
She senses his hesitancy and wraps her hands around his neck gently. "I will be okay, as long as you don't do any sudden dives. I grew up riding horses."
Falen:
Having more a sneaky approach to combat, Falen makes a mental note in the midst of trying land (“superhero landing style”) to pay closer attention to battle tactics. This was a special breed of messy. And it wasn’t over quite yet.
“What’s the likelihood of that (pointing downward) can bully its way here?”
(Makes only a movement action this round; continues retreat remaining at rear of group where he can see better.)
Falen flies away from the trapdoor leading to the area below and lands behind Eeldai next to Captain Walther with a flourish. Out of the corner of her eye, the captain glances at him with a raised eyebrow.
A moment later, the djinni princess steps towards the opening and offers her hand to Vincenzo. He grasps her large delicate hand, and she quickly pulls the Sectarian Guard up into the guard house. She steps back towards Falen and the captain, as she partially lifts Vincenzo off the floor and drags him along.
"My thanks, Lady Eeldai," Vincenzo says to her.
She nods to him and then glances back at Falen. "I would say it likely that those foul things could break through out of the Labyrinth, if we do not block it off."
Vincenzo is glad to be out of that place, but he knows Eeldai and Falen are both right. The foes below won't be stopped by the closed door, since it can be opened from the other side just by speaking the psionic phrase. "If we can block the doors... somehow." He remembers the magical staff he picked up off he floor of the High Sanctuary. It was more than just sturdy. He reaches back to feel the weapon. "Ironwood."
After Princess Eeldai pulls up Vincenzo, Gattas begins his climb on the adamantine ladder on the opposite side where Big Tim is climbing.
The captain sense Vincenzo's reasoning and acts accordingly. She rushes past the noble djinni and pulls the ironwood staff off of the Sectarian's back and moves to the edge of the opening and drops the staff. She makes sure to not hit Gattas climbing up the ladder.
"Catch! Use it to block the door!" She shouts out to those below.
OOC:
@MetaVoid, make a DC 10 Dexterity check to catch the dropped ironwood staff. He gets a +2 to his roll since Custodio successfully used Aid Another. @Neurotic, you can also try to have Akos catch the staff, but the DC is 15 since he'd have to reach for it past Rockhorn.
Knightfall Request: 1d20+2 Roll: [13] = 15 Reason: Custodio uses Aid Another (DC 10) to try to help Rockhorn catch the staff (success)
Round Ten Starts Here!
Tim watches as the ironwood staff falls past him. He continues to climbs on the opposite side of the ladder until he is past Gattas and then deftly switches over to the other side of the ladder above the spy and then pulls himself up into the Gate of Scale's guard house. He is forced to go more slowly but easily pulls himself up.
Ako watches the staff fall. He waits to see if Rockhorn or Custodio catches it.
The staff seems to be aimed towards Custodio, but the Vanquisher cleric chooses to hold up his shield and deflect the ironwood weapon towards Rockhorn.
The weapon has great heft to it and its ends are shod in a blueish metal that is etched with fine arcane symbols. The staff itself is carved with strange runic symbols that appear to be... dark in nature.
The dwarven beast heart adept quickly rush to the door and jams the obviously magical staff into the handles of the double doors. Custodio moves alongside Rockhorn while reaching into his haversack and pulls out a long silk rope. He begins to loop the rope through the handles an staff and attempts to tie the rope tightly. He nearly ties his own hands to one of the door handles and the resulting mess of rope makes no difference.
He turns to Akos. "Take the other end! Tie it to the ladder! If we can pull it tight, we might be able to keep them at bay!"
The vanquisher cleric tries again to loop the rope through the handles but is having no luck. "Gods! Muck it!"
A moment later, the psionic phrase on the door glows brightly and then vanishes. Someone from the other side of the door turns the handle on the other side, which comes up against the staff. It weapon tilts from the force coming from the other side. It would have slide out of the handles if not for the metal-shod ends.
The door opens a crack. Rockhorn can see the vampire on the other side of the door, trying to pull it open. Rockhorn tries to hold the weapon in place and pull the door shut again.
You all hear a loud order from the other side of the door. "HOLD!" Kellam orders.
The vampire glares at Custodio and Rockhorn while trying to hold the door open, but it doesn't try to reach through at them. Rockhorn can see that the wight is standing right next to Khagron. It snarls at the wild dwarf but doesn't attack.
"Exemplars! I offer you a chance to save this traitor's soul," Rockhorn hears the Loyalist commander yell out, but all he can see down the corridor are one of the Loyalist soldiers, an undead creature who was once the soldier Parch, and a large creature that looks like another other one of Phelix's horrors. It stands in the corridor, roughly 80 feet away from the double doors, passively. It looks like it is breathing heavily, if its heaving could be called breathing.
Rockhorn is sure he can hear it growling, but it sounds more like gurgling.
OOC:
Rolled a 4 for Custodio's Use Rope check.
@MetaVoid, roll an opposed Strength check -> d20 + STR bonus + Small size modifier. You must beat a 21.
Custodio tries to aid you...
Request: 1d20+1 Roll: [3] = 4 Reason: DC 10 Strength Check (Aid Another) [Fail]
Failed the opposed check (I would need 20 to beat that anyhow)
Rockhorn strains to pull the door back, but he cannot do anything against superior strength of the undead creature. He recites the door phrase on this side trying to influence the door to close by itself.
"I need help here!"
And to the commander beyond "Like we would trust you! Your own people don't have faith in you and your failure of a master!"
Buffs:Courage (+1vs fear), Avoid Planar Effects, Entropic Shield, Invisibility Purge 40 foot radius,
As Vitus begins removing magical items from the unconscious enemy, he focuses more closely on the types of magic surrounding everything on her. As he does so, he hears something from below...
Using my action to learn the kinds of auras and removing pouches, jewelry and weapons.
Rockhorn strains to pull the door back, but he cannot do anything against superior strength of the undead creature. He recites the door phrase on this side trying to influence the door to close by itself.
"I need help here!"
And to the commander beyond "Like we would trust you! Your own people don't have faith in you and your failure of a master!"
Seconds feel like days, as the blood of battle pumps through your veins. Yet, the pull on the door lessens enough for you to catch your breath, but the spoken phrase doesn't reseal the doors. You barely manage to hang onto the ironwood staff, which strains under the weight of the undead creature's strength. The bugbear vampire doesn't let the doors go, and it and the risen wight remain entrenched on the other side. The newly risen vampire holds the double doors slightly ajar with both its hands and glares at you through the crack in the doors. You hear the wight hiss loudly, but it and the vampire don't attack. Either they are loyal even in undeath, or Kellam has a fire control on them, somehow.
"You ssshould listen, disbeliever" the wight hisses. "Lest I use my magic to burn away your soul."
Down the corridor, there is light to no light that you can see. If all of the human followers of Phelix are tainted in some way, they might have darkvision. At the edge of your darkvision, you can see a woman standing on the right side of the corridor. She is keep her focus on you and the undead in front of you. She has her blade drawn and is dressed in the uniform of a Loyalist Soldier.
You don't see Kellam, yet beyond her, there is something else. It is beyond your darkvision, but it is a sickly green glow that outlines something as large as Tim from behind. What you can see of the creature is horrific. Even more horrific looking then The Beast you fought and killed outside the Crossed Candles. It appears... apelike, maybe? You cannot see it directly. Kellam's greenish glow doesn't show you enough detail.
"You will hold, Vanitor! Your oath to the Master stands!" Kellam commands. "Do not move unless I command. Understood?"
"Y-yesss, leader." The wight's words are draped in pain.
"Speak, traitor.
"Kellam the Black offers you parlay, Exemplars." Viscardi's shaky voice barely makes it to Rockhorn and Akos' ears. If you agree to l-leave the Labyrinth and not return here for 24 hours, as time f-flows in Bluffside, then the Master will agree not to attack the city during that time." The frightening man pauses and then the thing eclipsing Kellam's glow growls. "Leader Kellam also offers you m-my wayward soul to save from death... and undeath, but you must return Dame Maggs to him. You may keep G-Gattas and the other woman. Their souls are unneeded by the U-Unseen A-Abyss."
Then, the man cries out, as if in pain. "P-please, I-I beg y-you to s-save m- m... ARGH!"
"The Master's lash, traitor. You will now be silent."
Kellam raises his voice and shouts again. "What say you, Exemplars!? Will you take this... worm... in trade for the lady! Her soul already belongs to the EonIc plane! You cannot hope to save her soul!"
The creature growls again.
"If not, then the Master will have our Fanatics of the Eon rip Bluffside to pieces! And it will begin with you, here, as I unleash The Son to tear you apart limb from limb! Decide! And, decide quickly!"
The apelike horror roars again, hoping to be sent ahead to do battle. Its limbs seem to flicker in the greenish glow, and you, Rockhorn, are certain you see tentacles.
Buffs:Courage (+1vs fear), Avoid Planar Effects, Entropic Shield, Invisibility Purge 40 foot radius,
As Vitus begins removing magical items from the unconscious enemy, he focuses more closely on the types of magic surrounding everything on her. As he does so, he hears something from below...
Using my action to learn the kinds of auras and removing pouches, jewelry and weapons.
While Rockhorn is struggling against the pull of the vampire and the threats of the wight, you focus your magic on the magical auras coming from Lithia in the cell. The woman is covered in auras and at least one of them is moderate in power.
You do not hear Kellam's words, but you do hear the growing silence that comes after. Then, from somewhere down below, you hear Rockhorn shout. He seems to be challenging one of the Loyalists. Then, all you hear is Tim climbing up the ladder into the Guard House and the scampering of kobold feet as Tuck rushes to Tim's side and offers him a potion.
"This will get rid of the poison," Tuck says to Tim out of Vitus' sight.
Then, you hear something else that fills your mind. A voice speaking to you from across the ages. It speaks to you in Old Ticin. No one else seems to hear, not even Falen. "I sense you, young pur. Where are you? I am surrounded by evil. There is a dark warrior and some evil looking creature that smells of death. I need your aid, pur of Ticin. I, Rhone of the Spear, ask for your aid in this age, however I came to be in it. Can you hear me? I cannot sense the bond in you. Have our people fallen?"
You can feel the presence in your head, and you see the Fields of Glory of your homeland. The ancient battlefield that saved the Empire from the Eastern Hordes over... how long ago was that? Your head spins.
OOC: Roll a Knowledge (History) check with a +2 circumstance bonus, and a Knowledge (Religion) check without any bonus. Also roll a DC 15 Concentration check.
"Wait!" He says out loud to those listening, "If we are negotiating prisoners, we have to save the Ticin Warrior that was fighting behind us! He will be a huge asset. Go let whover is negotiating downstairs know! I think it will be worth it."
Using his best way to communicate he tries to telepathically speak to the man without losing his concentration on his spell.
Rhone, You are in an extradimensional space that has been taken over by evil and forced us to retreat. They are very powerful. But we have a prisoner that we can try to negotiate to get you out. If we can maintain this contact, I will give you all the information I can to help you. I am Vitus Paccione
Blood rushing to his ears from fighting the vampire in contest of strength
