Chapter 2: Where evil lurks

[TheFred]

Molgrug considers continuing to talk at the ice-man until either it relents and gives him the shard, or the hot air melts the ice. Molgrug has nothing if not patience, after all.

However, with his futile efforts at dislodging it proving more than a little underwhelming and sounds coming from the halls ahead that suggest his compatriots may have managed to get themselves into some other embarrassing and compromising situation that Molgrug just has to see, he decides that discretion is the better part of success.

"Right, well, I tell you what, you just hold onto this for now," he suggests. "Just checking that it's, um, secure, yes."

He gives the crystal a little pat before scurrying off.

 

Statblock

[URL=/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 16/16 [B]AC:[/B] 17, [B]Touch:[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 14 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Soulmelds:[/B] Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 16/16
AC: 17, Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Soulmelds: Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water
Special: None

Edited April 15 by TheFred (see edit history)

[Michael]

Nizell strikes true with her sword and tail, downing one of the enemy.

Kerapsis' divine might once again proves to not be very mighty.

One of the creatures has a flurry of attack against Brandisher, with one connecting, another hits Kerapsis twice, and the last one moves up to Nizell and scores a solid hit.

Note I misrolled, the one that moved up only gets one attack, not 3.

Your turns (doesn't matter if you are last in this round or first in next)

Edited April 10 by Michael (see edit history)

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

AC 14 | Init +3 |  Fort 06 - Reflex 05 - Will 10  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6) | 11/19

---

Gritting his teeth and taking a deep breath, Carmine refocuses his will and tries again to destroy one of the goblin-gooks. His anger growing as he recalls his former glory and power. There was a time when something so small would have been barely noticed and destroyed by a backhand wave. Now they press him and the other demons with equal strength.

 

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Fortitude

Detect Magic is Active

 

Another shot at the goblin in the doorway.

Well, that feels like a hit. But my damage is still quite pitiful.

 

 

 

[Polyphemus]

 

Kerapsis|Female, Medium Outsider (Tanar'ri, Extraplanar, Evil, Chaotic), Vrock, Cleric 2

HP: 3/21 | AC/Touch/FF: 21/13/18 | Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha: +4/+3/+3/+0/+3/+0 | F/R/W: +6/+6/+6 | Speed: 30ft | Spells Active: 

---

Kerapsis staggers back after the viscous blows against her. Giving up her efforts of overpowering the creatures with her divine power, she strikes back with her sword and beak, then takes a step away from the undead creature.

OOC / Actions

Full attack on adjacent undead.

5ft step backwards

Edited April 12 by Polyphemus (see edit history)

[Grand Poobah]

Nizell continues to attack.

Her sword and tail biting true and hard.

 

 

 

Longsword

Tail

Longsword d

Tail d

 

 

Nizell, Mage Slayer

Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Telepathy 100ft Spot/Listen +13 
Level 2: HP: 22/22 Speed 40ft Init:3
AC: 21, Touch: 13, Flat-footed: 18

Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +3 (+1 vs spells)
Spells:[5x0, 1x1] No Light, Ghost Sound, Open/Close, Mending, Critical Strike, Cure light W
Special: Fast Healing 1, Sneak attack +1d6, Improved Grab (Ex), Detect Magic 1/d, Steel Spells (0,1)

Edited April 13 by Grand Poobah (see edit history)

[Michael]

Carmine grazes one, Brandisher almost kills another.

Kerapsis brawn in this round is sadly no better than his brain the round before.

Nizell continues to slice and dice, taking out another.

The two remaining enemy tear some strips off Brandisher, who nevertheless remains upright.

Your turns.

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

AC 14 | Init +3 |  Fort 06 - Reflex 05 - Will 10  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6) | 11/19

---

 

"I am quite tired of what ever curse has befallen our power." Carmine snarls as his bolt barely seems to scratch the goblin goon in the doorway.

With the Hellhound beset on by two, Carmine turns his attention to the one that is more damaged.

 

 

 

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Fortitude

Detect Magic is Active

 

Taking a shot at the one which is nearly dead. If I can take it out, it clears a better path for everyone to reach the one in the doorway.

*sigh

2 damage. I really need that next level. And to find a way to get Charisma Damage added to these things.

 

 

[TheFred]

Approaching the next doorway, Molgrug can hear the sounds of... well, something, anyway; he'd been minded to think "the sounds of battle", but perhaps "the sounds of a sort of flailing exertion" would be more accurate? Something to consider when writing his memoir of this experience.

"Well now, I say, what are you lot up to now?" He asks, flinching back as he sees some kind of dead ghoulish creature passing back and forth across the aperture toe-to-toe with Brandisher. "Don't you have anything better to do than messing about with these undead? You all left a potentially-valuable artefact behind for this, need I remind you?"

 

 

Actions

Move along to where the others are fighting and offer moral support.

Statblock

[URL=/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 16/16 [B]AC:[/B] 17, [B]Touch:[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 14 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Soulmelds:[/B] Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 16/16
AC: 17, Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Soulmelds: Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water
Special: None

Edited April 15 by TheFred (see edit history)

[Michael]

Carmine fires off just enough of a blast to take out the third enemy, leaving 1.

Emboldened by the sudden improvement in numbers, the remaining fiends, well, Kerapsis, Brandisher and Nizell, surround the final undead goblin and eliminate it.

Combat Over

given a chance to look around the room, the fiends see the ancient remains of some kind of fire pit in the centre, the stone altar with the sceptre on it just south of that, and the remain of come kind of cell or cage against the south wall.

There are another 4 exists from the room.

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

AC 14 | Init +3 |  Fort 06 - Reflex 05 - Will 10  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6) | 11/19

---

“Well done.” Carmine strolls over to collect the scepter. “So glad you could take time away from cowering to join us, Molly.”

Carmine examines the scepter.

 

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Fortitude

Detect Magic is Active

 

 

 

[TheFred]

Molgrug sighs.

"I appreciate that one so used to the straightforward might conflate two very different occurrences due to a superficial similarity, but please do not mistake my longer-term strategic planning approach for "cowering", simply because I was wise enough not to rush head-first into a new and unexplored part of this complex with little plan for the actual accomplishment of our objectives." He exclaims.

He eyes each of the other fiends in turn.

"Now, you may all be content to roam aimlessly around this place with no thought to our "raison d'etre" on this plane, our unique selling point, as it were, but I rather think we should take this opportunity to pause and consider our immediate and longer-term deliverables! We now find ourselves with three separate requirements which must be prioritise accordingly and allocated he suitable requisite resources - therefore, whilst you have been fooling around with these corpses, I have been drawing up a short strategy and corresponding implementation plan which, if you an all settle down for a moment, I shall now share with you."

Statblock

[URL=/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 16/16 [B]AC:[/B] 17, [B]Touch:[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 14 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Soulmelds:[/B] Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 16/16
AC: 17, Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Soulmelds: Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water
Special: None

Edited April 24 by TheFred (see edit history)

[Polyphemus]

 

Kerapsis|Female, Medium Outsider (Tanar'ri, Extraplanar, Evil, Chaotic), Vrock, Cleric 2

HP: 3/21 | AC/Touch/FF: 21/13/18 | Str/Dex/Con/Int/Wis/Cha: +4/+3/+3/+0/+3/+0 | F/R/W: +6/+6/+6 | Speed: 30ft | Spells Active: 

---

Kerapsis catches her breath in the aftermath of the combat. Seeing Carmine moving to examine the scepter, she begins to slowly make her way to the various doors leading out of the room, pausing by each one to see if she hears anything from the other side before moving on to check the next one.

"You talk a lot about all your plans, yugoloth, but you say very little that we can act on. We're disconnected from our fiendish hierarchies, it's the perfect condition for you to forget your bureaucracy and learn to act on instinct."

OOC / Actions

listening at the doors that lead out of this room

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

AC 14 | Init +3 |  Fort 06 - Reflex 05 - Will 10  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6) | 11/19

---

While his attention remains on what study might be made upon the scepter, Carmine will join the conversation.

"Really, Kerapsis, it isn't his fault. Don't blame Molly for being of limited capacity for original thought." Carmine makes a dismissive gesture towards Molgrug. "Small, banal and petty is the best sort of evil he is capable of."

"Having been issued orders from the mortals, he cannot help but run back to them as swiftly as possible so that he might kiss their feet and beg for more directions." Carmine shakes his head with a slight pout of pity.

"It is my hopes that we continue to explore this venue. The interlude with our Frozen King proves that there are greater things out there in this world to explore. Powerful beings which are neither demons nor angels. This stone itself and the prophecies considering it and ourselves. Discovering these secrets and gaining power in our own right is the goal. Not returning to the mortals."

Carmine shrugs. "Perhaps we may. They do have some power in this realm and there were obvious differences in their opinions which will be very exploitable. But I prefer options over obeisance. So I will continue to urge our investigations here to be full and complete."

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Fortitude

Detect Magic is Active

Continue to examine the rod/scepter.

 

 

[TheFred]

 

Molgrug looks more than a little put out.

"Well, yes, I suppose my capacity for original thought must indeed be more limited than I had imagined, since I cannot fathom the confusion of mind that would leave you to conclude anything so moronic," he reflects. "The fact that you imagine that fetching this crystal for these primitives mortals could be the first of our strategic objectives simply proves that you are sorely lacking in "big picture" thinking. Indeed, if you had read my strategy document, you would have been quickly disabused of such junior-grade thinking!"

 

 

Statblock

[URL=/sheets/?id=2794812][B]Molgrug[/B][/URL] [B]Senses:[/B] Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, [B]Init:[/B] +2 [B]HP:[/B] 16/16 [B]AC:[/B] 17, [B]Touch:[/B] 12, [B]Flat-footed:[/B] 14 [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison) [B]Soulmelds:[/B] Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0) [B]Spells:[/B] Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water [B]Special:[/B] None

Molgrug
Senses: Darkvision 60ft, Spot/Listen +7, Init: +2
HP: 16/16
AC: 17, Touch: 12, Flat-footed: 14
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +6 (+2 vs mind-affecting spells, +4 vs poison)
Soulmelds: Mage's Spectacles (1), Lightning Gauntlets (0)
Spells: Command, Resurgence, Obscuring Mist, Sandblast, Detect Magic, Read Magic, Light, Create Water
Special: None

[Roughtrade]

Carmine

AC 14 | Init +3 |  Fort 06 - Reflex 05 - Will 10  |  Claw +3 (1d3+1) | Eldritch Blast +5 (1d6) | 11/19

---

 

Carmine sighs and rolls his eyes. "I suppose your blind focus on retrieving the gem from the Frozen King must have given me the wrong impression. Perhaps if you had provided even the slightest effort on our common goals instead of actively obstructing them I would not misunderstand your activities."

 

He gives another weary sigh. "Really, I am quite done. The great experiment failed, we are all bereft of the power and control which once was our own. If you insist on posturing any longer then you will be ignored." 

Carmine goes back to studying the rod/scepter.

 

OOC

Dark One's Own Luck = +2 Bonus to a single save. Changeable as Standard Action. Currently on Fortitude

Detect Magic is Active

Continue to examine the rod/scepter.

Seriously, @fred I am just tired. Constantly having to exchange insults and dealing with Molly is sucking all of the fun out of the game for me. Could you please find some way to cooperate and actually help with moving the plot forward instead of whatever it is you are doing? I know this is a 'fiend' game, but evil doesn't mean being an asshat all of the time.