A Fistful of Potions
Log Info
- Title: A Fistful of Potions
- GM: Telamon
- Characters: Theo, Lheo, Warrick, Thoth
- Location: Alexandria, Sewers
- Summary: An investigation into crates being moved within the sewers of Alexandria sends Adventurers to investigate!
GAME: Lheo refreshes spells.
Alexandrian sewers, afternoon
"... And then, they went down the lower tunnels. Which I thought was -very- odd, as nobody goes down into those lower tunnels. Well, not until a few months back, when a group of adventurers went down there. They were saying something about echoes but to be honest, you can find echoes all through the sewers. So I'm not sure what was going on there."
The voice of Garbonzo isn't completely unpleasant, but nobody is ever going to hire him for a tour guide. The lumbering otyugh is leading you down one of the less-used passages, and chattering away happily. "But I'm getting distracted again. Anyways, these two-legs have been moving great boxes of things back and forth, and I noticed one had a very distinctive mark on it -- a black hand! Now, that's one of those things the Watch told me they'd reward me for if I called it to their attention, and my goodness, they were serious! I don't think my girl and I have eaten that well in a year!"
Theo would sigh, but that'd entail _breathing deeply_ something he's sworn off - for the time being. Instead he's got a piece of cloth wrapped around his face to ward off the assumed stench. Listening to Garbonzo. Trudging through the sewers. He struggles _not_ to sigh. It's going to take _days_ to get this out of the padding of his armor. Days. He says nothing for the moment, just listening to the voice leading him forwards.
GAME: Warrick rolls Urban Local: aliased to knowledge/local+2: (4)+5+2: 11
This isn't the first, second, nor sixth time the once-Watchman had dealings with otyugh in the sewers. He came prepared in his blackened armor with a large crossbow slung over a shoulder. The lower half of his face is covered by a mint doused rag, and a dull glowing Ioun stone drifts behind his head, shedding harmless light to see in all of this. "Not entirely sure what a black hand denotes," Warrick says aloud. "Probably skirting import taxes." A pause. "Section twenty three subsection two of shipping rights, if I remember correctly..."
Garbonzo again.
"This one has heard that Adventurers go into the sewers in a semi-regular cadence to deal with small monster infestations." Thoth remarks in the midst of it all, wondering if there was truly something so odd about the sewers.
Luckily, the War Golem's olfactory sensors do not make all of this be 'awful' to walk around in. But it can pick up the smells themselves. The various values and all that.
Sitting on its shoulder, its familiar is seated. Ra peering off into the darkness. Occassionally making distressed hoot noises at the smell.
"Is there a better color to use than black for a hand when painting?" Thoth inquires. Asking the wrong questions.
Lheo trails behind the more muscular carbon copy of himself, a cloth similarly wrapped over his face, but with much less apparent concern for the effluvium of the sewers. He stays that way until they all stop to listen to the otyugh, and eyes it with a good deal of skepticism, but similarly without comment. They'd know, after all.
"I imagine the Watch wants these fellows quite badly. How many of the two-legs did you see, that you know are different?"
The otyugh hmms. "Well, there've been several, but there was a tall one, and a not so tall one, that seemed to be in charge." Garbonzo pauses. "I'm so sorry, it's just you all look the same to me, you see." Guess there's limits to how much one can raise your intelligence by eating out of the University's waste disposals. "But the Watch seemed very excited about it, and they sent down a wagon load of offal from the chicken farm! Glorious!"
"I would've gotten closer, but... ah, here we are." Garbonzo comes to a stop at a passageway that slopes gently downward. "I'm afraid I can't fit." Indeed, Garbonzo is a chonky otyugh, and the passage, while tall enough and wide enough for a human, elf, or even golem, is simply too small a fit for the aberration. "But do let me know how it goes! I love to hear the stories!"
Mentally Theo confirms for himself that the 'not so tall one' of the people spotted in the sewers is likely the 'one in charge'. He has no idea what the hand symbol means and reckons that it doesn't much matter either. What matters is the matter of the liable smugglers. He reminds himself once again not to sigh. "Gratitude to you... sir." He murmus to the otyugh. Seems polite enough a creature really, if disconcerting. He eyes the passage and draws his heavy mace before venturing further forth.
Lheo follows along gingerly, once it becomes clear that they're moving. "I suppose we'll find out. Mm-hm, sure. We'll bring back plenty of stories." This up close and personal with an otyugh is definitely an assault on the senses, but regrettably, not the sort that cosh them over the head and make them stop. "Let's get this over with."
GAME: Thoth refreshes spells.
Warrick takes a moment to review who's along for this delve, a nod of approval coupled with a cresting of relief. Reliable folk. "... different colors mean different things depending on the group, but better, I'd hazard not, Thoth," he answers.
"Mmm. The Watch would," the ex-guard agrees with Lheo, him glancing up to Garbonzo. "It takes some getting used to, Garbonzo. Must be a good tip if you're getting such... cuisine." He can't hide that grimace.
He looks to the others. Nods once, and unslings his crossbow. "Very well. We'll report." Cha-click.
GAME: Thoth casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16
GAME: Thoth casts Dancing Lights. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16
"This one understands." Thoth remarks as Garbonzo remarks on two-legged folk looking the same. Then, they arrive at the fork. And with that, a passage that descends. It considers the path for a moment...
"Understood."
As it then spreads its fingers, and their tips almost seem to open. Sounds, almost like small insects escaping a small flute, eminate from it before a group of lights spawn forward and light the sewer a bit better around them.
"Understood. Do not paint hands on containers." It registers.
GAME: Lheo casts Mage Armor. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (4)+6: 10
GAME: Lheo rolls perception: (11)+5: 16
GAME: Theo rolls Perception: (1)+1: 2 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Thoth rolls Perception+3: (15)+5+3: 23
GAME: Thoth rolls 10+3: (10)+10+3: 23
The passageway leads downward. It's wide enough for one person to walk standing up straight, but it's not super-spacious. And it turns at right angles, leading down further, until finally the passage opens up a little, leading to a large double-door which is shut.
Once clear of the otyugh and through the crack, Lheo sucks in a deep breath, pulling the cloth from his mouth. "I suppose I can't tell two otyughs apart, either." He quiets, though, studying the floor at his booted feet as he walks. "Look, brother. This is clear, and there's scuff marks on the stone. Someone's been moving stuff through here, without a wizard's help." He reaches out to tug at the sleeve of the man in front of him. "They assuredly came this way."
Theo doesn't get more than ten feet before the scratching of his own armor on the walls is echoing in his ears and the mask around his face is half-blinding him. He curses under his breath and has to unhand his heavy mace - with one hand - to work his mask back down and pauses as his brother tugs on his sleeve. "Sure." He mutters and moves to the door. He grins at himself and... knocks on the door. Maybe a certain someone has been a poor influence on his playful side.
Thoth noticed similar things to Lheo, but it doesn't comment at all for some reason. It's taking note of Lheo bringing it up however! "Ah, so that is what those scuff marks meaneth." It remarks in that archaic form of common.
It nods its head a few times as it remains close to Lheo when they move forth.
Then, a door blocks their way.
Truly, an Adventurer's worst enemy. So, it waits, as Theo knocks.
Warrick frowns as the passageway narrows, him slotting his helmet into place and pulling the visor up, the little orb of light helping to aid in seeing along with Thoth's lights. Lheo's heads up gets Warrick to look more alert, him slipping the visor down and slotting a bolt into his crossbow.
"Right, we can...-" The knock stops his words, replaced by an echoing sigh within the helmet. " ... Maiden of battle, give me the patience..." The die is cast.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (19): 19
The sound echoes back and forth, but there's no response.
When the paladin knocks, Lheo snorts and steps back a pace, if he can in the narrow hallway. "Mom would be proud, brother," he quips with a smirk.
Well, where you do not at first succeed, Theo is not dismayed. "Mom told us to be polite." He says with a wry expression mostly hidden by his mask. Then he pulls on the door experimentally. Surely it opens somehow.
After a good amount of seconds of silence and lack of response, Thoth inquires; "How long is it considered 'polite' to wait for someone to answer the door? My Master always said I must be prompt to answer a door to welcome his guests in."
Warrick is tense for a few beats of the heart before shaking loose his nerves. "About half a minute. But I'm not privy to waiting in a situation like this," he replies to Thoth.
The chamber beyond is quite large, and lit by lanterns set here and there, with a small door at the far end of the room. Crates are stacked haphazardly around, with a few opened up. The shadows are deep in places, and no one can immediately be seen.
"Understood." Thoth notes, then watches the door be opened, and follows the others in, sending the Dancing Lights out immediately to try and get a better look at the place. Looking over the various boxes and chests present here. And just in case, it touches its chest and puts a Shield spell upon its body. The Ankh near its neck starting to glow, and a blue glow wrapping over its body almost like a silken veil.
GAME: Theo rolls Perception: (18)+1: 19
GAME: Thoth rolls Perception3: (12)+Perception3: 12
GAME: Thoth rolls Perception+3: (11)+5+3: 19
GAME: Thoth rolls 10+3: (6)+10+3: 19
GAME: Lheo rolls perception: (20)+5: 25
GAME: Warrick rolls perceptoin: (2)+perceptoin: 2
GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (12)+6: 18
Theo ducks into the room, watching his head out of habit as he peers though the room. "Anyone home?" He queries of the seemingly empty space. Well, empty of people anyways. "Secret passage you think?" He makes room for Warrick in the hopes of using the other man's light as a means to see by.
He pauses after a moment though, the light revealing the edge of a shoulder to his vision. It seems there's company here after all. He makes a few silent hand-motions to his brother. 'Lheo. Stealth.' Silently.
Warrick slides in after Theo, breaching the side with the loaded crossbow shouldered. The sights bounce around the room. He eyes the lanterns suspiciously, and motions to the side, unsure if any of them actually understand him. "Lit lanterns, no contacts. Stay alert." <Handspeech>
A grimace racks his shoulders, but the motions from Theo catch his attention. He tenses at it. Why be quiet when we're being loud? He frowns, and quietly pulls out a small lodestone from a pouch.
There's a cute little 'Hoot!' from Ra, and Thoth looks up for a moment, glancing to the nearby boxes as a Dancing light floats near it, and then kind of 'sits down' on the box. Almost like indicating it like some kind of Hint.
It isn't subtle. It isn't subtle at all. But it is a clear indication for the team there's something there!
Thoth has unfortunately not learned how to be 'subtle' yet. But it's trying its bet!
Lheo's about to open his mouth to speak when Theo signals him. He smirks and shakes his head, but signals back to his brother, making sure that Warrick sees it as well. He's seen whatever it was, too, but points towards the open crates, over Theo and Warrick's shoulders, and pokes each of them twice.
That is the sum of his communication, for his hand goes then to the pouches at his belt.
It's really the floating light that gives it away. Suddenly an elf and a dwarf rise up from behind the crate. "Taara's tits, they've rumbled us! HAVE AT 'EM, LADS!" The dwarf's teeth show in an evil grin, as suddenly a pair of gobbers pop out from behind a crate -- each goblin clutching vials holding a glowing, multicolored fluid!
And then there's no more time...
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Telamon has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Telamon to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 27.
It is now Lheo's turn! Gobber2 is next!
GAME: Lheo rolls perception: (19)+5: 24
GAME: Lheo casts Grease. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 23.
It is now Gobber2's turn! Warrick is next!
Still smirking, Lheo fishes from his pouch a fingertip's worth of butter, and points it at the closer of the two gobbers. "You. Sit down." He speaks a word of power, and the butter rockets off his finger to become a greasy puddle at the gobber's feet, leaving him to flail and try to remain standing.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5-2: (17)+5+-2: 20
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (1): 1
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (80): 80
The goblin's feet slide out from under him, and he hits the ground on his rump, barely keeping the bottle from striking the ground. Growling imprecations, he pulls himself back upright, but evidently it lends him focus as he flings the bottle at Warrick. The glass shatters in a direct hit on Warrick's breastplate, splattering him with the weird fluid -- and then Warrick disappears!
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 17.
It is now Warrick's turn! Mage is next!
GAME: Warrick rolls ranged: (17)+8: 25
GAME: Warrick used a Thunderstone.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+2: (13)+2: 15
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (18)+7: 25
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 17.
It is now Mage's turn! Dwarf is next!
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 14.
It is now Dwarf's turn! Theo is next!
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (17)+7: 24
Warrick shouts, "STOP RIGHT TH- aghbalawhawa--!" Rainbow flavor right in the face! And then he vanishes from sight! There's sounds of spitting. Stumbling around. A loud wooden thunk near the crates up ahead. "Agh, my... foot..!"
"Bangers out!" he barks, reappearing as the lodestone is lobbed near the elf and the dwarf. <Merctalk>
>BANG!!<
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d10+4: (10)+4: 14
The mage and dwarf both stagger from the detonation, but it doesn't seem to faze them. Instead, the mage incants a spell, wrapping a shield of energy around him, while the dwarf screams in rage and runs forward, swinging a heavy axe. The blade bites into Warrick, as the khazad berserker froths at the mouth and snarls like a rabid animal.
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 14.
It is now Theo's turn! Thoth is next!
GAME: Theo rolls 1d20+6: (20)+6: 26
GAME: Theo rolls 1d20+6: (3)+6: 9
GAME: Theo rolls 1d20+6: (11)+6: 17
GAME: Theo rolls 1d8+4: (2)+4: 6
Theo sees that Warrick is in a bit of a bind and glances briefly toward Lheo just to check on his twin before rushing forward and swinging - hard - at the dwarf attacking his ally. Preventing the foe from trapping the poor man. "Look here!" He calls out, and the weapon connects heavily.
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 13.
It is now Thoth's turn! Gobber1 is next!
GAME: Thoth casts Burning Hands. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17
GAME: Thoth casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 4 DC: 18
GAME: Thoth rolls Ranged: (16)+5: 21
GAME: Thoth rolls 4d6+2: (12)+2: 14
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 12.
It is now Gobber1's turn! Lheo is next!
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (13)+1: 14
"How did they find out?" Thoth inquires as they suddenly jump up and indicate they've been had. The War Golem's team is quicker to act, as potions start getting thrown. It moves with the rest of the group, and considers burning its foes and the crate for a moment...
But then it notices what happens to Warrick, and realizes the potions are coming from these crates and thinks better of it.
Instead, its wings shift a bit, and from one of the still decently 'in tact' pipes, and a sudden ray of flame rockets up, towards the ceiling, then blasts down on one of the Goblins' position. "Please halt your resistance. You cannot win." Thoth declares as if this were fact.
At the same time, Ra flies off of its shoulder and moves to support the ones facing the dwarf!
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5: (17)+5: 22
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (3): 3
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (72): 72
The second gobber comes sprinting around, holding one of those glowing vials, and flings it at Thoth. The bottle shatters on the golem's frame, and there's a FLASH of magic -- and then a shimmering cage of force springs up around the golem, entrapping it.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 27.
It is now Lheo's turn! Gobber2 is next!
GAME: Lheo casts Flaming Sphere. Caster Level: 3 DC: 16
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+3: (12)+3: 15
GAME: Lheo rolls 3d6: (15): 15
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 23.
It is now Gobber2's turn! Warrick is next!
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5-4: (18)+5+-4: 19
One of Lheo's trademarks in a fight is to zig when others zag. Thus, he'd slipped off behind the crates, and quickly measured his distance to the mage behind the crates. He'll have to get a little closer - but that's easy enough, with the rest of the melee broken out. A pang of thought for his brother, and a quick glance that way as he runs low, fishing out more items from a different pouch.
He shouts several words of power, and the tallow and brimstone and powder in his hands melt into nothingness. From them, his hands shape a large sphere, a sphere of fire that bursts into being and goes bouncing off down the stone corridor towards the mage hiding behind the crate.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (3): 3
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (68): 68
The goblin clinging to the crate reaches into it, fumbling around till it gets a hold of a bottle. A giggle comes from its lips, as it flings the vial with surprising accuracy past Warrick to hit Theo... but the glowing fluid flares and fades with apparently no effect.
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 17.
It is now Warrick's turn! Mage is next!
GAME: Warrick rolls weapon20-2+1: (16)+10+-2+1: 25
GAME: Warrick rolls weapon20-2+1: (5)+10+-2+1: 14
GAME: Warrick rolls xbowdamage+1: aliased to 1d10+1+1: (10)+1+1: 12
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 17.
It is now Mage's turn! Dwarf is next!
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 14.
It is now Dwarf's turn! Theo is next!
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+5: (15)+5: 20
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+4: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d10+4: (6)+4: 10
Warrick gasps as the axe carves through armor on his side. He rolls off, leaning against the crate as more spells and weapons come flying down. And Theo's there! Positively perfect timing! The arbalest rolls out from cover, the heavy crossbow getting jabbed forward to the gobbo's torso. Twang!
R
The gobbo flies, impaled into the far crate. "... shit, that worked too well," he grimaces, ducking low and getting behind Theo. "Thanks for the backup!"
He looks over to Thoth, eyes wide behind the visor as he holds his side with an elbow. "Thoth! Status!"
The mage is horribly burned from Lheo's flaming sphere, and he curses the other wizard in sildanyari. Swiftly, the magician draws back, pulling a scroll from his belt and reading from it -- and then he disappears.
Meanwhile, the dwarf refocuses his wild eyes on Theo, and begins whaling on him, trying to use his armor spikes as well as his axe. The spikes fail to find purchase, but the axe gashes the paladin roughly, as the dwarf laughs in full on battle-lust.
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 14.
It is now Theo's turn! Thoth is next!
GAME: Theo rolls 1d20+6: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Theo rolls 1d8+4: (2)+4: 6
GAME: Theo rolls 1d6: (2): 2
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 13.
It is now Thoth's turn! Gobber1 is next!
GAME: Thoth rolls 7+2: (9)+7+2: 18
GAME: Thoth rolls 7+2: (5)+7+2: 14
GAME: Thoth rolls 1d4-2: (4)+-2: 2
"Doing what I can!" Theo offers cheerfully, then feels the sting of the dwarf's blade cut through his armor and he slaps a hand over the wound. It's a bad one. The trickle of healing he manages barely stitches the wound closed enough that he stops himself from bleeding all over the place. Sweat beads on his face. "You're a fair bit with that axe." He complements the dwarf, swinging and clipping his foe with his own weapon.
GAME: Thoth casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17
GAME: Thoth rolls 2d4+2+2: (3)+2+2: 7
Thoth, status!
Thoth, behind the strange force barrier, frustratedly taps on it with its beak. Squawk, before its broken wings send a twin set of arcane missiles out, slamming towards the remaining dwarf's chest while Ra flutters down and starts clawing and biting at his beard, trying to tear it off!
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 12.
It is now Gobber1's turn! Lheo is next!
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (19)+1: 20
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+1: (17)+1: 18
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d10: (5): 5
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (19): 19
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (2): 2
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (6): 6
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (19): 19
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20: (2): 2
GAME: Theo rolls Reflex: (18)+5: 23
GAME: Warrick rolls reflex: (13)+5: 18
GAME: Thoth rolls 5: (19)+5: 24
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+2: (16)+2: 18
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (3): 3
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (39): 39
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (1): 1
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (61): 61
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (1): 1
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d100: (70): 70
The gobber runs over to the crate, and in a fit of panic-driven strength, actually wrenches the case up to spill out its contents! Bottles go flying! Fortunately, none of the combatants are hit, but a number of things happen suddenly.
There's a sudden flash as grass grows on the stone floor, four inches high. Then another bottle smashes in one spot and erupts into a pillar of flame that scorches it back down to stone again. Most ominously, though, a third bottle breaks, and a crimson, glowing gem appears... throbbing ominously. The other two bottles fail to break, cushioned possibly by the grass.
The goblin stares, and says, "Aw, nuts."
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 27.
It is now Lheo's turn! Warrick is next!
GAME: Lheo rolls spellcraft: (17)+10: 27
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+7: (10)+7: 17
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 17.
It is now Warrick's turn! Mage is next!
GAME: Warrick rolls weapon20+1: (9)+10+1: 20
GAME: Warrick rolls xbowdamage+1: aliased to 1d10+1+1: (9)+1+1: 11
From the other side of the room, Lheo _stares_ at the crimson gem, green eyes going wide, and he takes off towards the far side of the crates. "Brother, get out of there!" he shouts, pelting with all his strength, boots slapping against the stone. "That's a delayed fireball!"
Meanwhile, the rolling ball of fire bounces carefully around the grass and around the far side of the crate, but there's no sound from it, outside of crackling.
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 17.
It is now Mage's turn! Theo is next!
"Serriel bless you, brother- shit, WATCH OUT!" Warrick dives to the side to get out of the way from the onslaught of chaos potions. Scrabbling to his feet and wincing as glass clinks against his armor yet doesn't break, he takes a stance to get ready to lay into the dwarf- delayed fireball?! "TAKE COVER!" Warrick barks, retreating backwards as a bolt flies out to hit center mass on the dwarf, making them crumple to the ground.
His back hits the crate, and he leans out to assess: downed suspect, Thoth in a cage, fireball about to go off. "... I'd so get a reprimand for this..," he grumbles, hunkering down.
There's a loud curse in sildanyari from thin air, and then the slapping sounds of feet hitting stone as the invisible mage flees. The door at the back slams open, left swinging.
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 14.
It is now Theo's turn! Thoth is next!
GAME: Theo rolls Spellcraft: (11)+6: 17
GAME: Theo rolls Spellcraft: (12)+6: 18
GAME: Theo rolls 1d20+3-4: (10)+3+-4: 9
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 13.
It is now Thoth's turn! Gobber1 is next!
GAME: Thoth casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 4 DC: 18
GAME: Thoth rolls Ranged: (14)+5: 19
GAME: Thoth rolls 4d6+2: (6)+2: 8
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 12.
It is now Gobber1's turn! Lheo is next!
Theo looks at Thoth. The construct will not survive the blast. Nor will he, but he can't run and leave the construct behind. His eyes track back to the delayed fireball, recalling a bit of lore that his brother had been idly rambling about during his studies. You can pick up delayed blast fireballs.
"Serriel. If you can hear me. Just don't let me drop the damned thing." He rushes to the fireball, so close at hand and... scoops it up. He doesn't think about what it feels like, he just hurtles it across the room to where he can most safely relocate the thing. Still... It's probably going to set off gods know what when it goes off. "EVACUATE!" He yells. He'll figure out how to get Thoth out... somehow.
The gem throbs. And someone calls out about a delayed fireball.
Thoth stares at the gem with almost a dispassionate stare. "This one cannot flee from the Delayed Fireball." Its voice is neutral at first, though it is notably starting to freak a bit.
Luckily, Theo is quick on his feet and works on saving the bird while it sends a Scorching Ray straight at the remaining Goblin. But between the bars, the bird is having a rough time getting to it!
It does squawk at Ra, and the owl is quick to back off away.
But by the time that Ra is away, it is starting to get increasingly notable that Thoth is having significant trouble with being in the cage. It is starting to peck more frustratingly at the bars at first, before turning its head towards its wings and aggressively preening at its wings. Tearing away some of its metalic feathers. Fingers clawing at the cage!
Starting to make frustrated and anguish-filled squawking noises.
The goblin has had enough. When the other wizard starts saying something about 'delayed fireball', its ears stand straight up and its eyes go wide. Only Thoth's scorching ray gets it moving, and the gobber yelps as he flees, trailing a wisp of smoke as he books it for the door that's hanging open. Let the heroes deal with this!
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 27.
It is now Lheo's turn! Warrick is next!
GAME: Lheo casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
GAME: Lheo rolls 2d4+2: (6)+2: 8
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 17.
It is now Warrick's turn! Theo is next!
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 14.
It is now Theo's turn! Thoth is next!
Warrick's panic rises as he sees Theo grab the explosive and... throw it deeper?! His visor darts around, trying to figure the best course of action. The mage is getting away, maybe can plink some shots that way- no, the goblin is-- dealt with. The dwarven man is bleeding out and needs to be patched up, but Thoth...
He looks past the caged bird. Each of those boxes could be filled with this stuff. And that chain reaction can lead right up to the caged bird! "Damn it.." Warrick curses. Thoth saved him once. He spins out of cover and rushes towards the trapped metal bird. "Thoth! Here!" he yanks a crimson painted vial and offers it to Thoth. "It will ward some fire! I-I don't know how else to help! Just get ready!"
Lheo stares at the pulsing gem with wide green eyes, and seems to entertain a thought, but shakes his head on it and runs towards the door, hands moving again in yet another spell. He stabs a finger at the fleeing goblin, and blue-white-green bolts burst from his fingertips, slamming into the goblin and felling it.
"I don't know what those creates will do!" he shouts.
GAME: Telamon advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 13.
It is now Thoth's turn! Lheo is next!
With the delayed blast fireball sitting pretty some distance away, he moves toward the cage that holds Thoth. He touches Warrick's shoulder softly, shaking his head. There's nothing to be done. "You should go. Take my brother would you? I'll... Stay with him. Maybe the grace of Serriel will protect us, or I'll be able to heal what damage is done."
He lifts his mace, angrily clanging the weapon uselessly against the force containing the construct. He won't give up, he won't leave Thoth behind.
GAME: Warrick used a Potion of Resist Energy (Fire).
emit coming up in a sec. :)
Thoth is momentarily distracted from its self-destructive preening as Warrick comes up to the cage. Hurt. So is Theo now, trying to bash at the barrier. It looks at them in confusion at first...
All of this feels... strange. Like it's having an out of body experience. Trapped within this cage. Two people desperately trying to help it, or get it out. It is reminded of being trapped back then...
Years passing. Year after year. Buried deep beneath it all. A constant pain, crushing its body. Alone. Hoping, one day, to hear the call of its master. To hear its name... To hear...
Thoth! Here!
A potion. It takes the potion offered to it, staring at it for a moment, then pours it into a small specific little 'drain' near its neck. As it calculates there, for a good six seconds. Something that, in the War Golem's mind, seems to last almost an eternity to analyze.
Only to manage; "This one thanks you." It wishes it could protect them in turn. But it lacks the strength. It is still too broken.
"This one... does not wish to die caged."
Several things happen, once again.
Suddenly, the forcecage around Thoth flares brightly, and vanishes, dissipating into motes of mana, leaving the golem free once again.
And then the gem detonates in a fiery inferno, exploding outwards -- devouring three of the crates in the corner in which Theo threw it. The two closed crates vanish, but the third, the opened one... flash iridescent, arcane energies mixing, mingling, twisting, mindless power struggling against itself. Seething with -possibility-, before all the energies collapse down into a flash into...
Butterflies. Hundreds of them, perched on the floor and walls and ceiling. Shining in the light, opening and closing strangely shimmering wings. For it seems these butterflies are not flesh and blood but wrought of gemstone and crystal, as they regard the heroes bemusedly. As if wondering what all the fuss is about.
GAME: Telamon removes the timestop.
Whatever Lheo had steeled himself for when the blast went off - that wasn't it. He'd squeezed his eyes shut against the blast, and when he opens them, he breathes out a silent _oh_ of wonder. Of pure, unadulterated fascination and awe. Of pure joy.
Slowly, he reaches down to his feet and attempts to scoop one of the gemstone butterflies oh-so-carefully into his hand, to study, or just to admire.
GAME: Warrick used a Healer's Kit.
GAME: Warrick rolls heal+2: (10)+2+2: 14
GAME: Warrick rolls heal+2: (16)+2+2: 20
Warrick whirls over to Theo at the touch. "I. Am. Not. Losing. More. Squadmates!" he says firmly before looking back to the cage. Rationalizing kicks in, the Lancer is right. There's nothing that could be done. "We're not going to let you die here--"
The cage vanishes. And an explosion rocks the room. Warrick topples to the ground, covering his head out of habit. And then... nothing? He peeks up. Blinks. "... well shit. Thank you Serriel..." he breaths out in relief, him almost about to grow curious about the butterflies But one lands... on the dwarf.
The arbalest curses, and scrabbles over to render aid, dropping everything as he pulls out a pack of bandages and tonics on his hip pouch to rush over and apply pressure to the bolt shot.
Theo braces against the cage as the roar of fire reaches his ears. His instinct is to protect the two closest to him. To pray and hope that Lheo is outside the blast radius. There's flashes of light that play against his closed eyes as he waits.
And waits.
There's a gentle tickle against his skin and he cautiously opens his eyes. He doesn't feel dead. Whatever that feels like. Instead he's surrounded by strange butterflies. Beautiful creatures the likes of which he's never seen before. Strange heaven.
He glances around and they're everywhere. He smiles at Thoth. "Praise Serriel, it seems that we've survived the day. Today you are free my friend." He inclines his head to the avian construct.
After a moment longer he follows in Warrick's wake. He has some healing left, and it feels right that those that are alive now should stay that way. It's a day for miracles.
Thoth is beneath the city. Beneath the ground. It expects an explosion and rubble. For stones to fall upon it once again. But instead, the cage falls away. It steels itself, moving its arms out instinctively a bit before Warrick and Theo. Its body far too small to truly make any kind of useful shield for them...
And then...
Butterflies. At the edge of that explosion and thunderous rumble, beautiful butterflies.
It turns, and looks at them. Gleaming and glimmering within the Dancing Lights' radiance.
"This one is... happy it continues to function." It doesn't praise Serriel.
Instead, it praises its allies. Internally.
Warrick has left.