Quivering Corruption (DM Lerus)

Barely hanging on to consciousness, Doozey follows Graxx's lead and prepares for another wave of fangs and scimitars.

About 50 feet away, Neya engages in a slugfest with the wereboar. The monk is more measured, more practiced, and it shows. She dodges and strikes with precision, and the progressively slower shapechanger eventually falls. (Wereboar takes 26 magical bludgeoning damage and is DEFEATED.)

(Werebats go next.)

The werebats swoop in for another aerial attack. They both seem focused on Graxx this time, which allows the barbarian to swipe at one of them with his halberd once more. Though successful, it is not enough to kill the creature. (Werebat #7 takes 5 slashing damage.)

The second werebat attacks Graxx from the side. At one point, the goblin gets close enough for Doozey to thrust his borrowed blade. A mistake the werebat will forever pay for. (Werebat #5 takes 9 piercing damage and is DEFEATED.)

The surviving aerial goblin does not shy away from attacking, despite being outnumbered and within the radius of the Driftglobe:

-> Scimitar vs. Graxx: Attack: 16 Damage: 6 slashing. 

-> Bite vs. Graxx: Attack: 9 Damage: 5 piercing. 

Graxx ducks away from both poor attempts before his attacker flies away once more.

(Graxx and Utar are up next.)

Utar taps Lightbringer against his shield and readies a swing should the remaining werebat come close.

"Just going to have to try ol' reliable to get the job done."

Ready Attack: 28 Damage: 10

Graxx will once again take up a defensive posture to protect Doozey.

Graxx will Ready an attack against any goblins that fly within range.

Attack: 8 Damage: 11

Both Graxx and Utar brace themselves for another round of attacks.

END OF INITIATIVE ROUND 3

STAGE F(R)IGHT - INITIATIVE ROUND 4

• 23. Moneus - 
• 22. Neya - 
• 21. Doozey - Shield of Faith
• 15. Werebats - 25 feet from the ground;
• 14. Werewolf  
• 05. Graxx - ready
• 05. Wereboar 
• 01. Utar - ready, concentrating on Shield of Faith;

MAP:

 

NOTES: It's bright light everywhere except for shadows cast by furniture and objects.

(Moneus will go next.)

Seeing how effective the group's strategy has been in dealing with the werebats, Moneus joins Graxx and Utar in biding his time before attacking. He does so after rushing closer to the others {AK-71}.

"There is only one bat left. He has no chance against all of us." Moneus whispers.

(Neya and Doozey are up next.)

Neya moves up by the group [AL-72] and also [action]ready;prepares herself to attack[/action if the werebat dares come close. Which may be the case as it seems much more fearless and reckless than the ones in the first group.

Unarmed Attack: 24 Damage: 8

"No.. it doesn't." Doozey stated quietly, and with that revelation in mind, set the blade down, and tried to slip around to in front of Utar and Graxx. "It is over. You can either surrender, and your life will be spared. You can attack again. Or... you can run. But rest assured, if you take any other option but surrender, you will die. Screaming. Either now, or later, when I hunt down you and the rest of your kin." Doozey states coldly after having forced the limbs to still, and back to straighten; trying to emulate a certain dragonborn's presence.

A certain undead one...

"But choose wisely, and know that I do not make offers twice."

Action: Attempt to Intimidate: 17.

Neya joins the group preparations but Doozey sees a potential flaw in them.  He steps forward and tries to [Tooltip Not Found] the only surviving goblin.

-> Werebat #7's WIS saving throw {DC 17}: 12

The creature's face betrays some sort of agreement with Doozey's words. For its turn, it chooses to flee through the northern path. As before, it flies away at quite a fast pace. 

YOU ARE NOW OUT OF INITIATIVE. YOU MAY DO AS YOU WILL.

Doozey doesn't even remotely seem surprised by the results. "Die screaming it is." He said, and then looks around the area. Seeing the two fallen werewolf and boar, he goes over casually to examine their states, confirming their deaths if at all possible.

Medicine: 11.

But the interest is only passing. Without much of a word to the others, Doozey strolls over to the stage, clamors his way up, and began casually searching the stage and throne for any hidden doors or curious details. However, if he saw a bar somewhere in the tavern-like room, he heads the first instead, intending to sit down and have himself a drink.

Investigation: 19. (if perception would be applicable, +6 instead.)

It is not hard to determine that the werewolf is dead. By now, she has returned to her half-elven form and is, without a doubt, the female half of the twins Doozey saw earlier. Except, she now "wears" a horrendous puncture wound on her neck which overflows with blood. The wereboar is less of an obvious tell. The creature's features have started to recall the plump half-orc from earlier, but whether he is indeed dead from some internal damage or simply unconscious is hard to say. He doesn't seem to be breathing, but Doozey has seen stranger things.

Moving on to the throne, Doozey finds a hinge on the back of it. It connects to the bottom of the throne but it seems superfluous. The two pieces it connects seem quite solid and non-giving. They certainly don't look like they should swing open as the presence of the hinge implies. Though, if they do, Doozey has no idea how to make them move as such.

"Ambushes seem to be the one of the very few moves of this pack," Neya says. "The alley, the entrance, and this room. That tactic has not served them well, this evening. Considering that we are going deeper into their lair... You know what they say about cornered beasts."

"We still need to find his equipment, as well." She says looking at Doozey, who was investigating the stage.

"There is a hinge here. It appears superfluous, but it could be something else." Doozey says dispassionately as he returned to sit on the edge of the stage. Of Neya's comment, he either did not hear, or refrained from commenting on it. "Someone should check the bodies for anything of useful. And block off at least three those exits. Not the one we came through perhaps, but certainly use these tables and what not to slow down the non-fliers. Buy us time to rest, if nothing else."

Graxx will start moving the tables and stacking them as barricades at the doors at the exits Doozey has mentioned.

Straight D20 Roll:  2

Athletics?: +6

Graxx would then like to inspect the Throne.  Does is look like it would burn easy?

Straight D20 Roll:  16

Nature:  +4

Survival:  +5

Utar gives some time to helping Graxx attempt to erect makeshift barricades.

Athletics 14

(If his set of carpenters tools contain any nails her uses a few to fix some of the larger pieces together. If not, then he doesn't.)

"How are we all doing?" He asks to no one in particular, likely surmising that many could do with an opportunity to collect themselves, apply healing salves and whatnot.

While the rest of the group busy themselves with the throne, Utar kneels by the bodies of the werewolf and wereboar, giving the pockets of each a good pat down.

Investigation 19

Having taken what might be useful for his own group, Utar does spend a moment with each, placing them in a more restful position, closing their eyes and intoning a short catch all prayer for their souls and any deity that might come to claim them.

Neya also helps in the barricading effort.

Athletics: 19

She then looks for anything useful in the bar.

Perception: 9

(OOC: Bare with me as I reinterpret you idea just a bit, as you'd have found out that there is no real need to block the south exit.)

Neya notices a pattern on the werebeasts' tactical schemes, but Moneus is the only one who responds: "You are right. Perhaps they already have another ambush ready for us deeper into the cave."

Doozey suggests the group barricades themselves in the tavern-like room. The suggestion meets with general agreement and Graxx, Utar, and Neya set out to block the passageways. Some time is spent gathering supplies around, such as tables, barrels, crates, and stools. The three warriors work together but recognize that the supplies available are not prime barricade material. While piling them up by the indicated pathways, they notice that the south path leads to a dead end. It is nothing but a supply room. CRAP decides not to block this path and instead use the freed up material to block the path they came from as well. Utar's nails come in handy, but some gaps are left uncovered and some pieces of wood look like they could be easily overturned in all three blocked paths (north, northwest, and west.) Also, airborne enemies like that fleeing werebat should still be able to fly over the barricades. Nonetheless, the job is completed and the group is not bothered by the beasts while performing the task. Afterwards, the three builders find some time to look around:

@Graxx: The throne is made up of a crude amalgam of wood and stone. You reckon the wood parts will burn just nicely and the rest will not be structurally sound enough to keep the throne erected. You also see the hinge that Doozey pointed out.

@Utar: On the bodies you only find the simplest of supplies. You reckon this band does not arm themselves very well, relying more on their (un)natural abilities. The goblins only really have a scimitar each, the wereboar a maul, and the werwolf a spear. They wear no armor whatsoever and carry minimal pocket change. You find the equivalent of 23 gold pieces on them collectively. After gathering what you think is useful, you place the corpses in a corner, in peaceful position and next to each other. If they could speak, they'd surely be thankful for the last rites.

@Neya: There is no "bar," but you gather the supply room to the south is the closest thing to it. You look around but find nothing other than dried food barrels and casks of ale. Interestingly enough, there are no meats.

After nearly half an hour of barricading and looking around, the party finally settles for a brief rest.

(OOC: Please go ahead and roll however many hit dice you desire. Don't forget to hit the "Short Rest" button in your character sheet and confirm it. Make sure to mark down the appropriate number of hit dice used.)

-> Moneus' hit die: 3

EXPLORED AREA

Short Rest Healing:

Utar pockets the gold for now, remembering it will need dividing between the members of the party before long. Settling with his back to the stage and a watchful eye on the now barricaded entrances to the room, he removes a ration from his pack, chewing a length of jerky and offering something to the rest of the party.

"Before we press on much further, I think we need to agree on something; we should never split the party."

(Spending 3 of Utar's hit dice: 9 healing.)