laid back apocalypse

Those in the storm would notice that it'd start to clear. The sleet would come to an end, allowing you to see again.

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker looks around after stumbling out of the fog and ice. The sound of battle raging from within. He glances at Anya, and then at the door just past them further around the corner. He rushes the door, raising his crossbow to look for targets within. "Anya, cover our backs." 

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker fires if he sees a target worth shooting. Attack: 16 Damage: 8

Meanwhile, Anya holds an action, firing back into the fog as it clears if she sees any targets. Attack: 24 Damage: 9

Seeing only the priest remain, Reghys winks at Orric and then says to the profane proselitser: "You might have brought the storm, but honey, I bring the thunder!"

 Orric meanwhile is using the distraction to hide, and then fires a bolt at the priest. Have ducked out of view, his bolt hits the priest out of nowhere.

Initiative
H | K | E | T | R | P(s) | X

In order to avoid the blonde's first blow, the priest activated her shield to protect herself. Although it blocked the monks staff, it didn't save her from a swift fist. Then came a barrage of follow up attacks. Two bolts fire her way. One misses wildly while the other makes up for it by striking with critical accuracy.

The satyr's voice would reach the cultist, threatening to prick her psyche. His loyal companion sweeps in with the effort to end her life only to be cut short by her magical barrier.

Wis ST: 15

Initiative
H | K | E | T | R | P(c) | X

"Insolent fools!" Holding out her palms, the priest fires magical missiles in a desperate attempt to cause pain to those who corner her.

Casting: Magic Missile lvl2

On Hawke: 8
On Ebele: 9

Initiative
H | K | E | T | R | P(c) | X

Ebele's ears twitch. She reacts. With a breath, the monk grounds her feet and gives in to her instincts.

Reaction: Deflect Missiles
1 Ki point use: 11 damage reduction

With a spin of her body, Ebele deflects each dart hurled her way.

Ebele takes all the darts to the chest.

Roll Call: Everyone!

Kerric:

Coming around the corner of the hallway, Kerric sees the priest in the room and slashes at her from behind, hoping to take her down before she can do any more damage to the party.  "Keep an eye out in the hallway for any other threats," suggests Kerric to Lathna.  

Elven Curved Blade:  Attack: 16 Damage: 9

Elven Curved Blade:  Attack: 21 Damage: 12

Lathna:

Lathna nods and reloads her crossbow, looking around in the hallway for any other cultists who might make themselves known.

Crossbow:  Attack: 8 Damage: 12

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker watches his last shot at the priest fly high and wide, slamming into a beam on the far side of the room.  He glances over at Anya, noting that she's looking the other way and looks relieved.  He clears his throat awkwardly and then reloads and shoots at the priest, as Kerric closes in with his swords. 

Attack: 18 Damage: 12

Anya continues covering the hallway, glancing back at T'chal'fronack'zcinicker suspiciously as he clears his throat. 

Kerric sweeps into the room just in time to witness the priest blast arcane missiles from point blank range.  A couple fizzle out against Wawke's hide while the last three bore themselves into Ebele's chest. But it only took the warrior's first strike to end the cultist's life. Driving it into her stomach and pinning her against the wall, he'd witness the crushing wave priest take their last breath.

The bridge in which Reghys stands upon is free of any concerns. The corridors to the north and south are clear. All falls quiet with the exception of the sound of the water within these ruins.

GASP. Ebele breaks the silence, doubling over and heaving for air, trying to catch her breath after it was completely knocked out of her. "Sonofa... sea... hag..." There was nothing she could have done. She was helpless against that assault.

Reghys rushes over to Ebele, carefully placing a hand on the monk's shoulder: "Magic can be frightening- like a thunderstorm.None of us could do anything against that type of attack, but I read about casters being able to conjure magical shields, such as the priestess did in the fight. Between T, Hawke, Xalkas and I, we might be able to crack the spells and rituals and provide you with a level of protection against this sort of thing."

At the satyr's calming words, Orric takes the hint and goes over to the gruesome corpse of the priestess, searching her robes for any indications of magical equipment and in particular a spellbook or something similar.

The pinned, dead body of the priestess stands limp and slouched against the wall....the battle is over and their enemies.....  *THWAK*  A bolt slams into the face of the priestess in a gruesome way, burying itself up to the fletchlings through her cheek, just poking out of her far ear.  Everyone turns to face T'chal'fronack'zcinicker who'd released the last unnecessary crossbow bolt. He looks at everybody then just shrugs before shouldering his crossbow. 

He looks around in the 'hallway' outside before whispering to Anya and waving her into the room. She grabs a nearby body and drags it around the corner. He likewise goes and grabs a body making the battle a bit less obvious to anyone walking along. The two of them take a few moments to drag all the bodies into the room before closing the doors. 

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker looks about the room and finds a place to sit. He reaches into his magical bag pulling out a quill, ink, and his ledger.  He crosses one leg over the other to make himself a lap as a desk, and opens his ledger and glances around. "Right...so....what do we have then?" 

Kerric:

“Remember the closed door we bypassed,” he comments, and Lathna moves to cover that direction with her crossbow after first checking on Ebele.

Cure Wounds:  10

Smiling in appreciation at her, Kerric moves to guard the other direction as his companions deal with the battle’s aftermath.

With the immediate threats dealt with, Xalkas patters over to Ebele and holds out a potion of healing towards her. “Those magic missiles really can pack a whallop sometimes. After I finish your mobile brewery station. I’ll try and figure out some method of defense for you. But in the meantime take this.”

Berd goes and stands next to Lathna, weapons at the ready should more water cultists approach from the sounds of indoor weather and furious battle. 

Reghys and Orric Join Kerric and Lathna in keeping an eye on the corridor: "Any idea if we have a chance to rest soon? This fighting has me quite sapped, and unfortunately my work isn't at its most creative when I'm tired." the satyr says, with a bit of jest in their voice, to not sound too whiny.

Kerric:

”We should make sure this room is clear as well as the one we bypassed in the hallway,” suggests Kerric, then we can take another breather if we need it.

OOC:  What time of day is it?  Are we coming up on a long rest?  I think we already sent the rescued prisoners downriver back to Womford, right?

Collecting the bodies into the room, Anya and Berd would begin piling things for T'chal'fronack'zcinicker to review and record. He had found a seat on one of the six plain wooden bunks. With the exception of two items stripped from the cultists, everything else was placed, somewhat neatly, in a spot next to him. Having pried them from the priests death grip, Berd lingered with them. One was a wooden staff decorated with some carvings. The other was a book.

Dead Cultist Goodies

While they gathered from bodies, Nayreen and Orric search the room. The pair sift through the space. They discover a set of keys, some well worn cultist clothing, some bedding and sacks of provisions.

Misc Items

"Oh... Warm hands." Ebele was breathe easier from Lathna's healing. "Thank you." She'd offer a small smile with a dip of her head. Her smile would widen and her cheeks would redden when she'd hear Reghys and Xalkas at her side. "I appreciate everyone's care."

(Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Xalkas gave her one at the waters edge after the shark attack?)

Kerric would easily be able to identify that this must be the Reaver's Barracks based off of the items discovered. Counting the bodies they've 'found', it was a good possibility they cleared this one corner of the ruins. For now. As long as they stay away from the water they shouldn't encounter any wild creatures. There's also the possibility a cultist in an adjacent post could try to report here.

Hawke would be able to recognize that the keys found most likely could open the door in the hall to the south that Kerric mentioned. They reminded him of prisoner keys too.

Check the plan
(Rest or not to rest, that is the question.)

Vote: Long Rest or No Rest?

If Yes: You must set watch.
Perception Check: Those taking watch

Optional
Investigation Check: If you want to investigate the room in the southern hallway.
Perception and Stealth Check: If you want to scout north hallway

T'chal'fronack'zcinicker dutifully records everything down, placing away the monies and the weapons, then hands the spellbook to Xalkas. "I presume this is useful for you. Perhaps, can you identify the magical staff as well?" 

Everyone OK with a SHORT REST?  T'chal'fronack'zcinicker is good with a short, but would prefer not a long rest yet.

Anya, looking antsy while the book keeping is being done, paces about the room, continually peering out the door back down the hallway the group came from, and then pacing about some more. 

Perception check Anya: 5. (she is "on watch" for a short rest)

Kerric:

"A short rest to gather our resources and assess the situation is reasonable, though I would prefer to clear that room to the south first," responds Kerric.  "We can try those keys and see what we can find there, and I can provide some combat support should some extra cultists be hiding in that room from the sounds of combat we just made."

OOC:  Offering to help open the door and Help investigation of the probable storage room, then he will rest while Lathna keeps watch for a short rest.

Lathna Perception:  15

Reghys brushes some dirt off their shoulder: "I'm for freeing the prisoners here too, but then I suggest we try to get back to Wormford. With several dozen people suddenly appearing in a new town, I want to make sure that there aren't any tensions flaring up. They had it difficult enough as is. Also, we might be more able to recover fully there. But I'm happy to stay here and make sure this site can't be used against the locals in the future. I'll just have to get creative without my beauty sleep." They add the last part with a smile and a wink.

Anya gladly follows Kerric to go check out the south door, looking with admiring eyes on the warrior, while she glances back at T'chal'fronack'zcinicker doing his book keeping with derisive eyes. She hesitantly readies the crossbow in her arms, ready to shoot at an enemy once the door is opened.

Seeing everyone rush to Ebele's aid gets Hawke to relax a bit. Yeah he was wounded himself, but it wasn't anything this form couldn't handle. The druid pads his way over to the monk when she's given a bit of breathing room and pushes his head against her hand, urging her to pet him.

Lemme know if you need anymore feel goods, 'kay? He communicates if given the head scratches. 

Once satisfied with his pets, he follows behind Kerric in clearing out that southern room, giving the door a good sniff for good measure.

Does he smell or hear anything in the room before they enter mayhaps? 16 (Percep made at adv with Keen hearing/smell)

(Went back and looked through the posts. We took a short rest after the attack by the shark. One of the items found on our assailants was a potion of healing that T suggested giving to Ebele (post #2570). I didn’t see anything noting that she refused it. So I believe she has it. Ebele is of course welcome to grab the one being offered by Xalkas should she so choose.)

Not feeling quite ready for a nights rest, and perfectly fine with a brief respite after such a tense and strenuous battle Xalkas agrees with T and Kerric that the group take a moment to recuperate (Vote for short rest)

During the short rest (for that seems the route we are going), Xalkas will take the time to go over the staff and the spellbook to determine their nature and possibly their origin. Not that where magical creations are from affected their usefulness, generally, Xalkas just likes knowing such details.

(In my mind Xalkas would start examining the items in question while the scouting group is out and about. So after 22 minutes (11/item) Xalkas should know all about the two items)