Long Oddskeeper, Part 2

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Log Info

  • Title: Long Oddskeeper, part 2
  • Emitter: Jinks
  • Characters: Paenitia, Lysos, Seyardu, Strike
  • Place: Airstation Alexandria, Lower Alexandria Warehouse District
  • Time: Monday, July 26, 2021, 6:30 PM
  • Summary: Alexandria is running short on patience with a pair of Khazad but they insist their family is the victim of some wicked curse! Aehrick is quite adamant that his crafted goods don't usually fall to pieces at the slightest touch and his grandfather, Jaemeigh, isn't the sort of airship captain who typically falls overboard and nearly loses his ticket to the skies and the freedoms it offers. Ill fortunes have followed the Oddskeepers since visiting the city and they'd like to contract a quartet of brave, and really, really patient, adventurers to help get to the bottom of things! Paenitia, Lysos, and Seyardu conclude their business on the Distant Horizon before venturing across the city to inspect a rented warehouse for clues. Lysos collects Strike along the way, seeking reinforcements after Rhyn is lost to a personal conflict. The warehouse proves to be a trap set for nosey adventurers and the quartet find themselves quickly engaged in a battle against darkhearted fey. After the battle is concluded and a prisoner is taken, the warehouse if explored to find clues relating to a fresh familial curse.
  • Encounter 1: CR5 XP1600
    • (1) CR5 XP1600 Falling Crates Trap (Falling Block Trap variant)
  • Encounter 2: CR6 XP3000
    • (1) CR2 XP600 Jinkin Sorceress 3
    • (1) CR3 XP800 Advanced Mite Warrior 3
    • (2) CR3 XP1600 Advance Nuglubs 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing, in Order  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Paenitia     3'0"     34 Lb      Halfling          Female    A Lucht knight, dark skinned in bold feathery finery.
Lysos        5'6"     105 Lb     Human/Tsuran      Female    Dark eyed tsuran girl.
Seyardu      5'6"     150 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A friendly silver sith-makar with a perpetual squint.
Strike       5'11"    155 Lb     Half-Elf          Female    A dusky grey half elf girl in grey and black clothes.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Noteable NPCs  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 
Jaemeigh Oddskeeper              Khazad-Aul        Male      A grey-haired, older airship pilot, injured.
Aehrick Oddskeeper               Khazad-Aul        Male      An obsidian haired, younger, artifice crafter.
Ikklebig                         Goblin(?)         Male      An orphan, that Jaemeigh is overtly concerned for.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= 
Jinks        3'4"     39 Lb      Gnome             Male      A gnomish fellow in fancy garb and jewelry.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

The thick black smoke continues to spill out of the doorway to the engine's cabin and from the top of the poop deck. The goblin is at work above while the gnome and Aehrick have disappeared through the door below. The tattooed 'Nar stands by outside with a bucket of water. The trio of craftsmen shout back and forth, rushed and short of tempers. The twinned halflings continue their task cleaning belowdecks uninterrupted.

Jaemeigh remains seated on a crate, the old Khazad distracted by the possible implications of recent revelations. He mutters darkly to himself and stares off across the deck, observing nothing.

"Ramirez! Move away from the smoke. You are not to be the dark handsome man!" Paenitia orders, chasing her peacock-andalusian out of danger. He whickers at her, ruffles his feathers and then hops off to wait on the dock and out of the cloud.

"Now, what we do next?" The Red Knight looks at her two companions, twirling her warhammer, "I have the cold iron solution for stowaways, it does not fix engines. I am having the bad experience with warehouses lately. If we must go, we go."

"I could help with the fire," Lysos offers, watching the smoke pour out with wide-eyes as she takes a few steps backwards towards the gangplank. "But.. they seem to have it well in hand here, don't you think? And I'm probably the last person you want on a ship when it's on fire..." she admits.

"There are too many issues for it to be mere coincedence." Seyardu sighs, watching the hippogryph depart, and the smoke that continued to rise. "It will not be safe to fly again in the current state. The arms, the engine, the business with the ship being left in the middle of nowhere, there is too much to dismiss. So we will have to do what we can, to fix it."

She turns to the small knight, and gives a smile. "Cheer yourself, Dame Paenitia. I will be with you this time for the investigation. And after that, we can perhaps return here tomorrow, when I have had time to prepare."

She looks up to to goblin working on the poop deck, and back to the much older dwarf. "Is it alright if we speak to your assistant? We would just like to ask more about what has happened."

Jaemeigh scowls and shakes his head, turning back to look up at the Sith. "I-- assistant? Oh. Ikkle? I don't know where the lad is. After he was scared in the wilds he disappeared. Ran away. I kept hoping he would turn up but there hasn't been sign of him. They won't let me off the ship to find him; I don't think anyone much believes that he's real. Aehrick never saw the boy." He takes his good hand and rests it gingerly against his belly, likely where he'd been stabbed.

Paenitia returns to scouring the ship for signs of the gremlins but finds nothing but the damaged contents of the belowdecks and the filth they've left behind. The two Lucht shrug when questioned, not having encountered any of the creatures personally. The cabin above is just large enough for the bulk of the mana engines and room for the engineers to see to them. At the moment the room is thick with smoke and shouting and a humming that makes your teeth hurt and hair stand on end. Aehrick and the blue-haired gnome pull on a gigantic wrench in unison, straining until an atmospheric pop shakes the whole deck and the humming stops dead. Slowly the smoke begins to thin.

You paged Paenitia with ‘Short of the gremlin having a means of turning invisible or living inside the walls you're quite confident that they're not currently on the ship!’

The Dark Lucht heads upstairs, "Okay, they wrench the engine back together. Maybe it hold. The uninvite passengers, they gone unless they invisible or in the walls. Ha ha!"

She turns towards Aehrick, "You watch your pater. You keep the ship in docks. We see to the warehouses?" She waves her warhammer in a small circle, "Check the boxes. Lots things hide in the boxes. It give us time to think."

And the crew time to clean the filth outh. Oh right, "And you clean more."

Seyardu shook her head, clearing it after a moment. She didn't know many goblins, what they looked like while young. They were all so small to begin with. "Ah, yes, thank you for what you have told us. But I agree with Paenitia's account. It would be best not to send out the ship until the source of problems is determined and resolved. A failure of the engine like here, I do not know much about airships, but I think it could be very bad should it happen in flight."

"We will do what we can, see what can be found, and return. Peace on your nests." She finishes, smiling to the crew before she makes her way off of the ship. "We do not know what we may find in there, but if it is truly fey beasts, if they are at the warehouse, they may have plans in store for anyone investigating." Lysos has backed right up to the railing by now, letting out a quiet but surprised 'oh' indicating she wasn't quite ready for the contact. She looks to either side, sees the gang-plank itself, then hurries over to it. An eagerness to be off that certainly has nothing to do with the engine problems. Certainly. "Hey.. I'll meet you there, okay? There's someone I need to talk to first..." She pauses at the bottom of the plank and turns back. "Oh.. which warehouse is it?"

Jaemeigh nods absently as the adventurers ready to depart. He mutters something but Lysos doesn't quite catch it.

Aehrick stops Paenitia before she quits the engine room, swinging his hand to loose the glove and then digging with the bare hand into a pouch. He has a key and holds it out by the teeth. The top of the key is flat and stamped with a letter and a number.

"If there isn't anything there I don't know where else you could look. We've only come to Alexandria recently but we'll likely have to leave for good if you don't find anything." Aehrick nods at the suggestion to not leave the berth until the issue is resolved.

The Red Knight takes the key, "we search high and low, they will not escape us. You will be fine." She taps at her hat, looking upwards, not actually removing it. With that, Paenitia scampers out and down the gangplank, joining up with the others, casting a nervous glance back at the ship, almost expecting something new to explode.

"Okay, lets go to the warehouse now."

the Warehouse District

You abandon the imperiled ship to what you hope are the skilled hands of the workers set about her. The old Khazad is a muttering knot of worry, lost in his thoughts as his kin and employees work determinedly to patch unraveling artifice.

The smothering press of the bodies through the airstation is unchanged and the mountain road equally congested until you're expelled into the wide streets of Sage Orum's Plaza. Then it's a walk across nearly the entire span of the city from east to west, north to south, and into the warehouse districts.

The particular rented warehouse (located by the stamp on its paired key) is one of many set into rows running down a wide cobblestone street. The wood is discolored by years of damp and the only decoration on the facade is painted numbers matching the stamp on the key and a small, askew slate with "ODDSKEEPER" written in smudged chalk. One large window is blocked from the inside by a canvas drape and wide, barn-style doors seem to be the only method of accessing the building. A heavy chain and lock secure the doors closed.

The heat has lessened slightly as the day progressed but the proximity to the busy river makes the area muggy and unpleasant. Small, biting insects occasionally dart through your field of vision or land to tickle and pinch at exposed flesh.

Lysos paused only long enough to get some semblance of an idea where the warehouse might be.. which turned out in the form of the letter and number on the key handed off, before she sprints off in a direction decidedly not the docks. As such, she doesn't arrive until a time after the warehouse has already been found... when she does, she's not along, and she's speaking in a voice that's somewhat out of breath. "I /think/ it's around here somewhere...."

Paenitia has a pleasant ride on Ramirez, although it is a very long walk. They could have glided across the city, a fun option, but that would abandon their allies. She wants their comradery. She guides her peacock-andalusian closer to the barn doors.

Mounted, she only has to lean down a little. This is much better than having to reach over her head. She takes the heavy padlock, inserts the key and turns it, "Where the small bugs coming from? It this one here."

Seyardu was quick to leave the airstation despite showing it little. She was disoriented enough on land, and being so high up only compounded on those troubles. At worst, a fall on land could be a scrape, up there, it could be so much worse.

And once on the ground, they were heading to the warehouses. She knew her way decently enough, having visited Aryia there on several occassions. Eventually, they reached the area, and Seyardu waited for those who were coming still. Thankfully, the bugs there were not hardy enough to pierce through scales, and the humid air was nothing new.

"This seems to be the place, though it seems in poor shape. I hope the window draped there, it was done by the ownders, and not others wishing to hide something." She notes, glancing to the door as it was opened. In time, after Lysos' detour, a new face(newer than most can properly appreciate) joins the passle of Adventurers making their way to the warehouse.

This one, too large by far to be of pure breeding, but her dusky grey skin and tipped ears decry Mul'niessan origins is very reserved and carries a certain regimented air.

Strike, more accustomed to the brisk jog, though certainly not untouched by the exertion gives Lysos a nod and starts to look around. Her voice is slightly winded and, in deferrence to the unpredictability of Guild work, she busies her hands securing her hair as she sweeps her eyes about for sign of where to be. She swallows, "You mentioned a hippogryph." a little breath, "Like that one?" and gives an upnod toward the bright expanse of feathers.

The action on the lock is smooth in spite of its weight. Turning the key looses the shackle with a muffled clack and followed by the chain tumbling slack in the twinned handles with a clatter.

'Ruuaaaah!' Ramirez responds to the word. He is a hippogryph, yes. He is magnificent, yes.

Paenitia picks up her shield, and her cold iron lance. "Okay, I opening the door. Be ready!"

She pauses, "I have find cultists, criminals, rotting corpses, maggots and flies, behind the strange doors. Even when it just boxes, they are full of statue people."

Her lance is gripped, "This, could be anything." With the point of her weapon she pushes the doors open.

"The building, it is run down on the outside, which indicates that it is not maintained regularly." Seyardu nods, reaching to pull the chains out of the way. "Where no one searches or looks often, those looking not to be seen can hide, and work. It makes sense. We should be careful, here. If the Khazad's arms were sabotaged before being taken to market, then it likely would have been here. Unless their memory was altered?"

"The way the older one spoke, was concerning. I did not realize the goblin was so young, and they were the only two on board to move an airship?"

Lysos is stooped over a bit, hands on knees more than tastefully obscurred by her skirts. "Hah! YEah." She raises one hand to point at the bird-horse. Then lets it fall when the diminutive knight seems ready to go, like, Right Now, with Seyardu seeming in agreement. She whimpers a little bit, then forces herself to straighten and... hustle... certainly without dragging her feet.. closer to the others.

With Lysos' confirmation, and the group already set to breach, Strike pulls a small pouch from one of her extraneous pouches, sampling it's heft in her hand as she hastens to draw up to the flank of the outer flank of the mounted knight.

"If I say 'Zorch', shut your eyes for a moment." she advises, "It's about to get bright." 

<OOC> Jinks says, "So Sey and Paen (and Ramirez) can please give me Perception checks."
GAME: Paenitia rolls perception: (4)+4: 8
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL) (Ramirez Perception)
GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (6)+3: 9
<OOC> Jinks says, "Alright. So a trap is triggered when the door is opened. Gonna roll attacks against Sey, Paen, and Paen's mount (in that order). This will be against flat-footed AC since the perception checks failed."
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+15: (3)+15: 18
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+15: (17)+15: 32
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+15: (9)+15: 24 
<OOC> Jinks says, "Same order for damage rolls."
GAME: Jinks rolls 4d6: (15): 15
GAME: Jinks rolls 4d6: (11): 11
GAME: Jinks rolls 4d6: (14): 14
GAME: You damaged Seyardu for 15 points. 34 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Paenitia for 11 points. 37 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Paenitia's companion for 14 points. 18 HP remaining.

The large doors swing open on squeeling hinges, Paenitia and Seyardu failing to notice a rope going taut into a raucous clattering summons an avalanche of crates stacked precariously. The heavy things tumble and smash about their persons, bruising as they fall, smashing to the ground. The fallen crates and spilled contents create a piled obstacle at the entrance to the warehouse. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "So there is debris in the four squares Ramirez occupies, where Sey is, and as indicated with the token. Difficult terrain. This interface clearly doesn't appreciate stacked tokens."

The air inside the warehouse is stale, smelling of excrement and mildew. Crates are stacked taller than a man in places but with enough space between most piles to move through the area normally. The room is dark save for where light spills in through the open doorway or glows around the canvas drape covering the window.

Two stacks of crates have been toppled to lay in piles of smashed ruin on the floor and straight back from the doors you can spy a desk set against the wall. The floor is a mess of half-dried puddles and smeared filth.

The ceiling is fifteen feet high.

"Aaah!" yelps Lysos as she stumbles back a half step, for once not being the butt of the universe's latest joke and mostly avoiding the avalanche of abandoned boxes.. A moment of patting herself down, as if to make sure she's actually okay.. and then, "Are you okay?"

"Ah!" 'Ruaaaah!' There are high pitched screams and deep squawks as the boxes tumble and bash the Red Night and her Ivory Steed. They are injured.

"There Ramirez, it is all right, that is not the bad injury. It rub out easy." Her voice sounds rough, with a slight cheerful edge as she pets along the peacock's neck.

"Hah ha! No. The easy warning was not given, so we can trip over everything." She laughs, but not much, and then calls out into the warehouse, "I am Sister Paenitia Snapdragon del Haranna, Knight of the Pillar and hired to check this place out for the owners. If you are in here and should not be, surrender, leave or be destroyed. The joke will be on you, my laughing is done today."

A small, gravelley voice echoes through the warehouse from an unseen source. The whispers carry power and implied threat. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "Does anyone speak Undercommon? Also, Spellcraft rolls from any who can/would like to."
GAME: Lysos rolls spellcraft: (16)+8: 24
You paged Lysos with ‘Someone is summoning a monster!’

Seyardu was caught off guard by the darkness as her eyes adjusted. Was it moving? No, it was not.

And it was all she could do to bring an arm up, the hippogryph too large to push out of the way as the crates collapsed on them. She shoved them out of the way, looking a bit battered by the movement.

"I am alright, are you okay?" She asks the knight and says to Lysos as she collects herself.

Scrabbling on the wood flooring issues from the inside the warehouse like the dog's nails searching for purchase. The stack of crates near the northwest corner sways after something bumps into it, wood clattering quietly.

A small creature in dented and rusted metal armor stomps squeekily into view from behind a pile of crates. Puffy blue skin covered in warts bulges out from the open face of its seemingly-oversized helmet and its bulbous eyes are a bloodshot, jaundiced yellow. It wields an old blacksmith's hammer for a larger creature as a maul, snarling and hissing wickedly as it advances. A crude black skull is fingerpainted on the side of its massive helmet. A chain dangles down from its neck to drag on the floor between its short legs. 

<OOC> Lysos says, "Alright. I will call out a warning, and cast a spell."
<OOC> Lysos says, "And stay safely behind everyone."
GAME: Lysos casts Invisibility. Caster Level: 6 DC: 18

Lysos nods to Seyardu, a few times, relief evident on her face as the Sith, Knight and Hippogryph seems okay, for all the clatter of the trap. Then she turns her head slightly, the voice carrying over from the unseen corners of the warehouse grabbing her attention. She seems confused for a moment, then her eyes go wide. "A summoning!" she warns, before bringing her hands up before her, tracing a squished circle before her before jabbing a finger in the middle and saying, "Obscurio!" And like that Lysos vanishes from sight. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "Strike. There's clearly sounds of others moving around in the warehouse but only one target has revealed himself."
<OOC> Strike says, "going to move to 10, 13 for a better angle, then throw the flash powder in my hand at x9, y7"
GAME: Strike used a Flash Powder.
GAME: Strike rolls ranged+1: (11)+9+1: 21
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (6)+5: 11 (Mite Warrior Fort fails)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (17)+5: 22 (Nuglub 1 Fort succeeds)
<OOC> Jinks says, "Well, you get the blue-dude good!"

Seeing all of this take place in the span of instants, Strike assesses the team in the wake of the trap before the sounds beyond the door seize her attention.

Shifting around the hippogryph for a better angle, she transfers the small pouch to her other hand and intones a simple "Zorch." before hucking the small bundle of joy in toward the hostile(certainly irate) occupant brandishing the weapon inside.

After a casual sidearm throw that arcs too smoothly to be anything but practiced, the bundle strikes to the unobstructed side of the creature at his feet and gives off a brilliant flash of light.

Start with nonlethal... until you're sure someone needs killing.

The pile east of the hideous blue-skinned warrior shifts with the flared burst of the explosive sack. Debris clatters and a hissing complaint is issued... but the creature causing the disturbance remains out of view. 

<OOC> Seyardu says, "Okay, so moving to 9,10, and turn will continue from there assuming no interruptions"
<OOC> Jinks says, "The debris is difficult terrain but does not block Line of Sight or Line of Effect. The stacks of crates are ~10' tall and do obstruct both."
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Not a 5 foot step, but move action donning shield"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Give me a perception check while you're at it."
GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (8)+3: 11
<OOC> Seyardu says, "First action is to cast shield of faith on myself"
GAME: Seyardu casts Shield of Faith. Caster Level: 5 DC: 14
<OOC> Jinks says, "OH! Normal light for 15' from the doors into the room. Then dim light."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Normal light for 30' if you have lowlight vision, obvs."

Once the crates were shoved out of the way, Seyardu was caught off guard by the sound of combat starting, blinding lights going off nearby, and one of the people with them vanishing. She hurriedly strapped on her shield as she pushed cautiously into the room, hearing but not seeing others, save for one on the other side. Prepared for what was to come, her free hand grasped at their breastplate. "Shield us from harm with your grace, to see us through this." She offered in prayer, causing a shimmering field to appear around the silver sith-makar. "We shall clear out this place!" She says, bracing for what would happen. Summons could be bad, but she would deal with what happened. <Draconic> 

<OOC> Paenitia says, "he'll move and hmm, ready an action, bite anything that appears."
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Pae will do the same thing."
<OOC> Jinks says, "You, yeah, it's definitely awkward having to scrabble over the boxes but between being speedy and maybe hop-flapping Ramirez can get there no problem. Gimme a perception, plx!"
GAME: Paenitia rolls perception: (5)+4: 9
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (15)+5: 20 (Ramirez Perception)
<OOC> Jinks says, "Ramirez will key to something around that box there." (Nuglub 2 hiding)

"Friend Dragon!" Paenitia calls out, spurring Ramirez to move. Her desired path is obstructed by Seyardu and she ends up leading her hippogryph onto the smashed boxes. Hopefully, splinters and metal shards don't get into his talons and hooves and cause tetanus.

Considering how filthy this place is, it is the biggest of her worries.

"You are fine, stay where you are. You others, that hide, you do not fight honourably, I will not give that to you. Show yourselves or flee. You prey on an honest family, good stolid folk, pillars of the community and I am sworn to defend them."

She casts her gaze around, nothing is obvious, except for the one with the warmaul.

'Raaaawk!' Ramirez calls, alerting to something behind a box. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "a big centipede crawls out of an infernal rift! Go ahead and take your attacks." (Summon Monster 2 completes)
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (20)+8: 28 (THREAT)
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (9)+5: 14
<OOC> Jinks says, "Roll damage for both"
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage8: aliased to 1d8+1: (7)+1: 8
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d6+3: (6)+3: 9
<OOC> Jinks says, "You smear it and it vanishes in a poof of brimstone."
GAME: Jinks rolls 2d4+2: (3)+2: 5 (Magic Missile from Jinkin Sorceress)
GAME: You damaged Seyardu for 5 points. 29 HP remaining.

The warning is enough. A big centipede crawls out of an infernal rift, advancing with pincers snapping.

The Red Knight turns her lance and stabs down. It's almost a perfect attack. The cold iron point pierces its head.

This is follow by the Ivory Steed's beak, snapping, biting it in half. He squawks, throwing the pieces away.

A chittering, lanky creature smaller than a human babe with leathery skin the color of wet brick scampers into view wrapped in a tattered black rag worn like a cloak. Its green eyes glower with a malicious intelligence while its mouth seems to be overfull with wicked fangs. It rattles off another hateful incantation and points two fingers at Seyardu. Two glowing orbs arc unerringly at the Sith-Makar to slam and burn against them. 

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (15)+5: 20 (Nuglub 2 misses Bite attack)

A vicious ball of oily black hair with two large donkey-like ears, three glowing-blue eyes, and glistening needle teeth darts across the floor. Its nails scrabble on the wooden flooring and it issues hissing whispers as it goes.

I rolls around the corner of the stacked crates and lunges through the dissipating brimstone to gnash at Ramirez, only narrowly missing the mount's legs.

The hideous blue warrior blinks blindly in the wake of the flashbang explosion. It takes a wide stance and swings the hammer-maul back and forth defensively uttering malignant invectives. 

<OOC> Lysos says, "Alright, I'm going to use Touch of Destiny on Strike, and then move to 11,10."
GAME: Lysos spends ONE use of TOUCH OF DESTINY.
<OOC> Lysos says, "+5 to attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks and skill checks for one round."

Lysos reaches forward with an unseen hand to briefly touch Strike's shoulder, the tsuran woman hoping that the pugilist doesn't punch her by reflex.. As she does, the monk is imbued with a strong if brief moment of clarity. And then Lysos hikes her skirts up and picks her way carefully through the rubble of the broken crates to hide behind the closer stack inside the warehouse. 

<OOC> Strike says, "gonna blow ki for Sudden Speed"
<OOC> Strike says, "with my monk stuff, that gives me an 80' move"
<OOC> Strike says, "going to give and hit blue wit subdual punching. Stunning fist."
<OOC> Jinks says, "You are gonna provoke an AoO along the way. So one sec."
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6: (7)+6: 13 (Nuglub 1 takes AoO from hiding)
<OOC> Jinks says, "So another greasy-black hairball tries to stab at your ankles from the debris pile in 11,7 as you pass but you're too nimbly-pimbly."
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+5: (8)+9+5: 22
<OOC> Strike says, "if that's a hit, it's a dc 15 fort"
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (2)+5: 7 (Mite Warrior Fort fails)
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Strike spends ONE point of KI POOL.
GAME: Strike spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.
<OOC> Paenitia says, "and stun for 1 round, which makes all your subsequent attacks against flat footed."
<OOC> Jinks says, "The greaseball that just missed its AoO is gonna 5' and then take another shot at her ankle."
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (10)+8: 18 (Nuglub 1 claw attack)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d3+3: (1)+3: 4
GAME: You damaged Strike for 4 points. 43 HP remaining.
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25 (Nuglub 1 successful trip attempt)

Seeing the developments, and more locals to protest their investigation, Strike summons something deep within herself, perhaps inspired by the subtle touch of greatness she feels welling up inside her at the mysterious touch. With surprising, almost unnerving fleetness of foot, the half-mul surges and clambors over the debris array ebout the area and drives a half-closed fist into the blinded flailer's side. It's an audible blow for some distance, but it's effect, with misfiring nerves and clenching muscles is quite profound, but he still stands to his credit.

A pile of ruined crates and textile goods surges to disgorge another wicked ball of hair with three blue-glowing eyes. It hugs close to the ground and snatches out with its claws, burying them into the monk's ankle and giving a sudden jerk. Perhaps its the lower center of gravity but the vicious little devil proves to be surprisingly adept and sends the monk tumbling to the ground. 

<OOC> Seyardu says, "Okay! So, five foot step to 9,10"
GAME: Seyardu casts Prayer. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16
<OOC> Seyardu says, "Everyone gets +1 luck bonus, and all enemies get -1 to attack rolls, weapon damage, saves and skill checks"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Ramirez full attack 7,8, if it dies, he'll switch to 10,8" (Nuglub 2)
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Pae will go after the same"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "order is Ramirez bite claw claw Paenitia Lance"
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (16)+5: 21
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8: (14)+8: 22
<OOC> Jinks says, "Er, the 22 hits."
<OOC> Jinks says, "the 21 will hit if you didn't include the +1 from Prayer."
<OOC> Paenitia says, "I didn't"
<OOC> Jinks says, "So the second claw and then the lance."
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d4+3+1: (3)+3+1: 7
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage8+1: aliased to 1d8+1+1: (5)+1+1: 7
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Cold Iron on the Lance attack"

The warehouse had erupted into combat, with more of the creatures popping up, even appearing out of thin air from some manner of summoning. One of the small figures snuck up on Strike, and tripped them, clearly aware of her presence. Though she wished to stand her ground, the best course was to back up, taking cover behind the knight and her steed for the moment. The hand returned to her breastplate for a moment.

"By your grace and power, we shall deal with these foes." They chant hurriedly, as a energy infused those present. As if their strikes were nudged just slightly to where they would do the most damage. Seyardu was quick to readjust her shield, preparing to return to the fray.

"Ramirez! To the left!" The Red Knight commands, and her mostly Ivory Steed obeys, snapping and swiping with his talons. His beak takes empty air, as does one set of claws, but the second set swipes it.

'ruuaaaah.' The brave Ramirez says, sounding a challenge that has a tinge of disappointment in it.

"Oh, they the tough ones?" Paenitia was twisting, checking targets, considering the one that had tripped Strike. Hearing her mount's unhappy noise, she understands, "They resist normal weapons. Use the cold iron if you have."

She stabs down, another solid strike with the tip of her lance that pierces the opponent, but does not bring it down. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "So I can't do it with the map but the tiniest of the critters (the one in the rag shawl) will move into Strikes square and try to deliver a touch attack. It's a spell-like so she will cast defensively."
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL) (Jinkin Sorceress fails to cast defensively)

The tiny, wicked little gremlin wrapped in a black rag prances out from behind the crates to stand over the prone monk. It whispers a taunt Strike can't understand and then sets a tiny palm against the half-elf. When nothing happens it looks immediately and entirely flummoxed. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "Alright, critter in 7,8 full attacks Ramirez w/flank." (Nuglub 2 full attack)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (2)+8: 10
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (12)+8: 20 (All attacks miss)

It looks like a filthy mop with donkey's ears and three blue eyes. It snaps and claws at Ramirez but can't seem to find a hold. Spittle sprays out of its mouth as it issues a stream of complaints.

The ugly blue knight isn't holding its maul anymore. The hammer is on the floor at its feet. It blinks slowly, slack-jawed and oblivious to the fight going on around it. 

<OOC> Lysos will move to 10,9 and... sigh... use touch of destiny on the chicken horse.
<OOC> Jinks says, "You can melee from prone at a -4 to attacks. Or you can stand as a move but will provoke AoOs (unless you've got something monkly)."

Lysos is invisible. She knows this. Yet, even so, it takes her several breaths of calming herself before she pokes her head around the crates.. swallows... and then ventures carefully towards the brightly coloured hippogryph and his rider, the pair of whom are embroiled in mortal combat with... things. Things Lysos doesn't want to look at. She hold for a second, seeking a moment.. and, there it is. She darts in, pressing her palm against Ramirez's flank for just long enough to let her magic seep into him before hastily drawing back lest he kick her or worse. 

GAME: Lysos spends ONE use of TOUCH OF DESTINY.
<OOC> Strike says, "ok, blow 2 ki, one for extra attack on flurry of blows, +true strike on the first swing, which is also a stunning fist, then i'll just wail on the flinger"
GAME: Strike spends TWO uses of STUNNING FIST.
GAME: Strike spends TWO points of KI POOL.
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+21: (19)+9+21-4: 44
<OOC> Strike says, "fort 15"
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (7)+3: 10
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+1: (17)+1: 18 (Jinkin Sorceress Fort success)
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-3: (13)+9+1+-3: 20
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-3: (13)+9+1+-3: 20
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-8: (19)+9+1+-8: 21
<OOC> Jinks says, "A bucket of hits for the gremlin trying to watch her intake."
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (3)+3: 6
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (1)+3: 4
<OOC> Jinks says, "She's made of surprisingly sturdy stuff for something so small. She doesn't even seem to notice the fourth hit landing."
<OOC> Jinks says, "This guy will show his buddy how it's done and also attack the cavalier's mount." (Nuglub 1 full attacks Ramirez)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6: (3)+6: 9
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Ride Check to make that miss"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "+5 to counter the ACP"
GAME: Paenitia rolls ride+5: (4)+6+5: 15
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d3+3: (1)+3: 4 
GAME: You damaged Paenitia's companion for 4 points. 14 HP remaining.
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (11)+8: 19 (Nuglub 1's Trip attempt fails)

Strike finds her position rather distressing, if not completely unworkable. Summoning up her reserves once more, she looks 'up' to her would-be enchantress and unleases a savage flurry of fists on the little one. Blows landing soundly for the most part, though that last one sounded a little wimpy. Hmmm. There should be more bruising, there.

Success! The eastmost of the three-eyed gremlins manages to claw at one of Ramirez' legs, drawing blood. It growls its success and yanks, unable to send the much-larger creature tumbling. Yet. 

GAME: Seyardu casts Bull's Strength. Caster Level: 5 DC: 15 (casting on Paenitia)
<OOC> Paenitia says, "attack 7,8, Pae, and then Ramirez, and he'll switch if to the other if it dies"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "+1 from prayer, and +4 to strength!"
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8+1+2: (11)+8+1+2: 22
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage8+1+2: aliased to 1d8+1+1+2: (2)+1+1+2: 6
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5+1: (5)+5+1+5: 16
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5+1: (14)+5+1+5: 25
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5+1: (3)+5+1+5: 14
<OOC> Jinks says, "So gimme some claw damage."
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d4+3: (2)+3+1: 6 
<OOC> Paenitia says, "use my move to give my warhammer to Seyardu"

Seyardu was cursing something under her breath as Paenitia mentioned cold iron. She had been meaning to make such a purchase, but it had been driven from her mind by current events. A hand was place on the lucht's arm for a moment. "This one has no cold iron, knows you do." "This one, and the celestial mother, shall put their faith in you." She adds in another language, as the Lucht-knight felt much, much stronger. 

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (11)+7: 18 (Jinkin Sorceress casts Magic Missile defensively)
GAME: Jinks rolls 2d4+2: (3)+2: 5
GAME: You damaged Strike for 5 points. 38 HP remaining.

"Ugly thing." Paenitia says, stabbing down with her lance, piercing the creature and making it drop. She pulls back, bloody ichor sticking to its length.

The Sith'Makar's plea is not lost on her ears. Leaning, she hooks her warhammer out of her belt frogs, holding it towards Seyardu, "Here Friend Dragon! I carry the weapons for all, never hesitate to ask."

Ramirez turns, attacking to the right, snapping and slashing, The other greasy hairball dodges, losing a little hair and scalp to one of his talons.

The tiny gremlin looks far less amused after being battered by the fallen monk, ochre blood pooling beneath its flat nose. It backs away behind the stack of crates and half-hides as it conjures another spell, two orbs of glowing force slamming into Strike as revenge! 

<OOC> Jinks says, "Another full attack on Ramirez" (Nuglub 2)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6: (13)+6: 19
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (5)+7: 12 (all miss)

Snap, swipe, grab. Ramirez dances back from the snarling beast. Its chittered swears grow louder and more frustrated. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "Strike! AoO. The armored fella is picking up his maul."
<OOC> Jinks says, "The -4 will still apply for being prone. But also the +1 for Prayer."
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-4: (6)+9+1+-4: 12 (miss)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (4)+7: 11 (Mite Warrior misses Strike)
GAME: Strike uses an AoO! 3 remaining.

The grim warrior finally snaps to, grunting and dancing back to snatch up his hammer and avoid a slap from Strike. He steps back in and brings down the weapon in a double-handed slam that bounces solidly off the wooden floor with a crack. 

<OOC> Lysos says, "Alright, I'll back up diagonally and then cast thunderstomp on him."
<OOC> Lysos says, "Ranged trip attack using my caster stat."
GAME: Lysos casts Thunderstomp. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17
GAME: Lysos rolls 1d20+6+6+1: (15)+6+6+1: 28 (Trip successful against Mite Warrior)
<OOC> Strike says, "ki for extra attack, another stunning strike on her, then try and beat her down"
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-4: (3)+9+1+-4: 9
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-4: (6)+9+1+-4: 12
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-4: (13)+9+1+-4: 19 (hits Jinkin sorceress)
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-9: (4)+9+1+-9: 5
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (5)+3: 8
GAME: Strike spends ONE point of KI POOL.
GAME: Strike spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.

Lysos sneaks back to her little hideyhole around the crates and takes a few more breaths between pursed lips. "Time to commit," she tells herself. Then she thrusts her hands out to her side, gathering power. Unseen energy pools, her foot rises... and then she slams it down on the ground, pushing palms down at the same time as she shouts, "Rumble Tumble!" The flows through her and into the floor, travelling in the blink of the eye past Strike and under her maul wielding foe where it erupts, slamming back upwards into the warrior and knocking him from his feet.

Unfortunately for the young sorceress, this contribution to the fight dispells her cloak of invisibility. 

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (15)+4: 19 (Nuglub 1 switches to attack Strike)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (1)+5: 6 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (5)+5: 10
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3: (2)+3: 5
GAME: You damaged Strike for 5 points. 33 HP remaining.
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (18)+8: 26 (Nuglub 1 grapple attempt from Bite is successful on Strike)

With the new impacts from the magic attack drawing blood, and a quick jerk of her neck keeping her head from getting Gallaghered amongst the filth, Strike is liking her position less and less. She sends another onslaught of monky fisticuffs at the caster, but only manages to tag her once, and hardly tellingly.

Frustrated that the big bird isn't making this easier, the glare of three malicious eyes swivel to the fallen form of Strike. A snarling laugh and it wraps its overlarge maw around her calf and chomps down, anchoring into place. The two claws dig shallow trenches into the wooden floor. 

<OOC> Seyardu says, "moving to 10,9 , and attacking the enemy to my north!" (Nuglub 1)
GAME: Seyardu rolls weapon21: (13)+6+1: 20 (Hits)
GAME: Seyardu rolls damage21+1: aliased to 1d8+2+1: (3)+2+1: 6

Seyardu took the hammer with her free hand and a nod. It was small, but it still had heft to it, and more importantly, the sith-makar would trust that it was made of the metal to deal with them. And she had stood back long enough. She charged out from behind the hippogryh, to strike out at the small creature that was harrying the steed, with a sweeping strike that smashed into one of their shoulders. 

GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5+1: (12)+5+1: 18 (Ramirez attacks Nuglub 1)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5+1: (15)+5+1: 21
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5+1: (3)+5+1: 9 (All attacks miss)
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon8+1+2: (1)+0+1+2: 4 (EPIC FAIL) (Attacking Nuglub 2)

Ramirez keeps attacking the previous opponent. He is surrounded by greasy hairballs on both sides. He snaps! He slashes! He slashes! None connect.

Paenitia turns, stabbing at the one that Seyardu struck at. She bobbles her lance, unable to get it cinched properly under arm. The thrust goes wild.

"Now the laughing starts." The masked woman says.

The smallest of the ambushers steps slowing away from Strike, pulling the cloak more tightly about her person as the pusslike blood rolls down her face. She offers a hissing curse and a rude gesture before streams of darkness twist out to wrap about her and she POPS out of view. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "Uh, another Spellcraft from folks that have it."
GAME: Lysos rolls spellcraft: (20)+8: 28
You paged Lysos with ‘She escapes with Dimension Door’ (Jinkin Sorceress)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6: (2)+6: 8 (Nuglub 2 full attacks Ramirez)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (1)+7: 8 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (19)+7: 26 (Hit)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+5: (6)+6+5: 17 (Mounted Combat feat Ride check fails)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d3+3: (2)+3: 5
GAME: You damaged Paenitia's companion for 5 points. 9 HP remaining.

Another snapping barrage of attacks and the knot of hair and teeth draws more blood from Paenitia's mount. Mocking laughter echoes amongst the sounds of combat. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "(Mite Warrior) is gonna stand. AoO Strike."
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-2-4: (19)+9+1+-2+-4: 23 (Hit)
GAME: Strike uses an AoO! 3 remaining.
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6: (17)+6: 23 (Mite Warrior attacks prone Strike)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
GAME: You damaged Strike for 3 points. 30 HP remaining.

Armor and chain clatters as the warrior crawls back to its feet. Strike strikes it against the side of the helmet producing a grunt. It snorts and swings the hammer again, this time thwacking the monk in the ribs. 

GAME: Lysos rolls sense motive: (3)+7: 10 (Lysos attempts to sense if the Jinkin Sorceress was retreating permanently or for tactical advantage, failure)
<OOC> Lysos says, "Alright. I'm gonna move action out in to the street to see if she popped out there. And then my action is depending."
<OOC> Jinks says, "No sign of her."
<OOC> Lysos says, "All right. I'll thunderstomp the gremlin that is hurt the least."
GAME: Lysos casts Thunderstomp. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17
GAME: Lysos rolls 1d20+6+6+1: (13)+6+6+1: 26
<OOC> Jinks says, "Alright. You trip the one grappling Strike."
<OOC> Strike says, "flurry. stunning fist and wail on the one grappling me" (attacking Nuglub 1)
GAME: Strike spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.

"I think it's running away!" Lysos calls out, then a moment later she carefully picks her way out back to the street, probably to see if she can get a glimpse of the fleeing witch. But no luck. So she turns her attention back to the warehouse's interior where she once again goes through the perhaps overly dramatic motions of calling power and sending it through the ground to trip up the gremlin harassing Strike. 

<OOC> Jinks says, "OK! You can just skip the -4 since he's -4 to his AC."
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-2: (4)+9+1+-2: 12
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-2: (16)+9+1+-2: 24
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-7: (14)+9+1+-7: 17
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (7)+3: 10
<OOC> Jinks says, "Alright. He's gonna release the grapple as a free action and try to stand as a move action. Everyone (except Lysos) gets an AoO. Paenitia had to leave so I will be ghosting their actions with their permission." (on Nuglub 1)
GAME: Strike uses an AoO! 3 remaining.
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6: (16)+6: 22 (Ramirez attempts a Bite AoO hits)
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1: (7)+9+1: 17
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8+2+1: (1)+8+2+1: 12 (EPIC FAIL)(Paenitia attempts a Lance attack, misses)
GAME: Seyardu rolls weapon21: (19)+6: 25
GAME: Seyardu rolls damage21: aliased to 1d8+2: (1)+2+1: 4
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d6+3+1: (2)+3+1: 6 (Ramirez bite damage)

Strike has had better days...

The blow to her side exacerbates the bleeding from the magic missile wounds, and Strike is still beset by the teeth clamped into her flesh in the wake of Lysos' mystical intervention.

She focuses all her ire on the rancid nibbler, but the angles rebuff all but one of her attacks, though this one is sound. 

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (4)+4: 8 (Nuglub 1 attempts its Bite attack after AoOs, fails)

It's hard to tell that the mass of hair and teeth had fallen until it releases its grip on Strike's calf and hops up again. Ramirez snaps at it and Seyardu sends it staggering a step with the warhammer, both attacks spoiling its aim so the slavering maw snaps at empty air. 

<OOC> Seyardu says, "Okay! channel divinity to heal everyone, excluding the enemies with selective channel"
GAME: Seyardu rolls 3d6: (10): 10 
GAME: You damaged Seyardu for -10 points. 39 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Lysos for -10 points. 31 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Strike for -10 points. 40 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Paenitia for -10 points. 47 HP remaining.
GAME: You damaged Paenitia's companion for -10 points. 19 HP remaining.

Ramirez, the noble steed, was proud, but even the Silverscale could see how the injuries were mounting. A hand was on their armor for a moment. "Celestial Mother, see us through safely to the end." She spoke, letting restorative magics reach those around her, mending their wounds as best as she could for the time being. <Draconic> 

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8+2+1: (19)+8+2+1: 30 (Paenitia attacks Nuglub 1)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+1+1: (3)+1+1: 5 (Nuglub 1 is slain)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5+1: (2)+5+1: 8 (Ramirez full attacks Nuglub 2)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5+1: (10)+5+1: 16
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5+1: (17)+5+1: 23 (Hit)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3+1: (1)+3+1: 5 
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (20)+4: 24 (Nuglub 2 full attacks)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 (Critical confirm fails)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+6+5: (7)+6+5: 18 (Paenitia attempts Mounted Combat feat, fails)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (11)+5: 16
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3: (3)+3: 6
GAME: You damaged Paenitia's companion for 6 points. 13 HP remaining.
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 (Nuglub 2 attempts grapple from Bite attack, fails)

Reinvigorated by Divine magicks the cavalier redoubles their efforts! A thrust with the lance finds the gaping maw of the three-eyed creature, piercing through and pinning it to the ground. A cough proceeds twitching death throws before the thing goes completely still.

Ramirez turns on the other, rearing up only to lung and snap, pressing the attack with two claw swipes. One finds the other gremlin but only bats it, causing hair to twirl and spittle to fly.

The creature returns in kind, lunging forward to bite Ramirez' claw and reopen wounds that were freshly closed from Seyardu's healing. It looks this way and that, anxiously, as it senses the tide of battle turning. 

GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+7: (13)+7: 20 (Mite Warrior attacks prone Strike, hits)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+1: (8)+1: 9
GAME: You damaged Strike for 9 points. 31 HP remaining.

The ugly blue thing issues a roar of disgust when the smallest of its cohort vanishes from sight. Undeterred it presses on, lifting the hammer high again and dropping a most-solid blow right onto the half-Mul's back. 

<OOC> Lysos says, "All right. At the risk of being a one trick pony, I will attempt to trip Strike's dance partner."
GAME: Lysos rolls 1d20+6+6+1: (7)+6+6+1: 20 (Trip attempt succeeds against Mite Warrior)
GAME: Lysos casts Thunderstomp. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17
<OOC> Strike says, "blow ki for extra attack, stunning fist just to make sure, and unload on him"
GAME: Strike spends ONE point of KI POOL.
GAME: Strike spends ONE use of STUNNING FIST.
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1: (6)+9+1: 16 (attacking Mite Warrior)
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1: (4)+9+1: 14
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1: (10)+9+1: 20
GAME: Strike rolls weapon0+1-5: (7)+9+1+-5: 12
GAME: Strike rolls 1d8+3: (4)+3: 7

Lysos stands amidst the debris, still keeping a half an eye out for the spell flinger... but there remain more pressing concerns. Feeling a bit braver, a bit more confident... largely due to her relative safety in the rear.. she once again magiks the rumble through the floor, managing to knock the hammer wielding fighter back to his rumpus. 

<OOC> Seyardu says, "move to 7,9, doff shield, and two hand power attack the creature next to me!"
<OOC> Seyardu says, "I'll take an aoo if it causes one"
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+4: (17)+4: 21 (Provoked AoO from Nuglub 2 hits)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d4+3: (1)+3: 4
GAME: You damaged Seyardu for 4 points. 35 HP remaining.

With more of the enemies handled, Strike rolls over and tries to unload a final, decisive onslaught from her admittedly bad position on the ground, but again, only manages to get a single piece of the hammer swinger as he falls nearby. 

GAME: Seyardu rolls weapon21: (7)+6: 13 (Attack against Nuglub 2 misses)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+8+2+1: (11)+8+2+1: 22 (Paenitia attacks Nuglub 2)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+1+1: (6)+1+1: 8 (Nuglub 2 is slain)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+3: (11)+3: 14 (Ramirez moves and provokes AoO from Mite Warrior who misses from prone)
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+5+1: (4)+5+1: 10 (Ramirez attempts to bite Mite Warrior and misses)

Seyardu stowed her shield, heading for one of the remaining creatures as the one next to her fell. It was difficult though, pushing past the feathers that buffeted her, and broken crates that had to be stepped through carefully. By the time she was through, she wasn't prepared for the attack, and her own swing was slowed and awkward, missing them wide.

Seyardu's attack was enough to distract the vicious little hairball, at least, and another stab with the lance from Paenitia pierces a bulging blue eye on the now-biclops. It spasms and falls lifeless to the ground before they turn Ramirez, crashing through the debris-strewn floor.

The mite tries an awkward swing from the ground but misses, followed by a chomp from Ramirez snapping at the air over the fallen combatant.

Prone on the floor with Strike, Paenitia, and Ramirez leveling their weapons the small warrior will finally give in and drop its weapon with a disgusted sigh.

Lysos, hands up ready with another casting... pauses, and then lowers then with a sigh, more than willing to let the apparent surrender play out. And let the matter be dealt with the party members more capable of escorting the villain too. She does cast her gaze up and down the street again, and to the rooftops... not that she expects to catch sight of the one who fled, but one can never be too careful.

Strike isn't happy. It's all over her face, but, as the last visible foe ditches his ribsmasher, she pushes herself to her feet with a subdued groan and spitefully kicks the maul aside.

"DO you speak this tongue?"

It's a question she repeats in Merctalk.

In Goblin-talk.

Sildanyari....

Even the gestures of handspeech if need be, until she gets an affirative, then glances back over her shoulder to the others, "What shall we do with him?"

Seyardu sighs, and re sets the small hammer on the saddle of the hippogryph. She walks around, gathering the bodies into a small pile. "I wish we did not have to slay them, but it was what had to be done. Tie their hands, and we will bring them to the guard. If they can not answer our questions today, then we will bring them in so we can later, and regardless, it is what should be done. The bodies, to the mourners."

"And with that, she took a look around the warehouse carefull once she had tended to the injured, keeping an eye on the now prisoner, and the openings to the building as she explored.

The warehouse is in a state similar to that of the Distant Horizon's lower deck. Crates have been smashed, goods scattered and soiled. The gremlins seemed to have no compunction when it came to leaving their waste in every possible corner of the warehouse. Sloppy, childlike lettering in a foreign tongue scar the walls close to the ground or higher where platforms like tables and crates allow.

The table at the back of the room was once part of a workstation but the tools are scattered, scarred, and broken. Now it serves as a sort of vile altar with the stonework crest of the Oddskeepers cracked in two and chiseled with some manner of crude arcane symbol. Other little collected trinkets and baubels (all defaced or defective) form a circle around the heirloom.

A bed in the corner is a mess, the straw mattress torn open and the blanket twisted into a sort of nest. It smells of unwashed, furry bodies.

The captive doesn't answer Strike in any language other than the one all of the gremlins have been using. And it responds instead in mocking un-words meant to parrot back what she's said. Conveniently, the creature already wears a steel collar from which a chain hangs. A quick search reveals it has another weapon (a makeshift dagger) stored about its person. And a pouch of rancid jerky and stinky fungus. 

<OOC> Seyardu says, "Can I roll anything to maybe understand what's going on with the altar?"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Know/Nature, Know/Arcana, Spellcraft?"
<OOC> Jinks says, "It's not religious in nature, sadly, in spite of my poor word choice."
GAME: Seyardu rolls Knowledge/Arcana: (19)+5: 24
You paged Seyardu with ‘It's a sort of rite or ritual. You'd presume a curse with the family crest a sort of focus.’

Lysos keeps well away from the vandal-turned-prisoner, especially when she catches whiff of its lunch. Also because her skin is so fragile. "I bet the guard can figure out what it's saying," she offers, eager to be on the way. Eager to be rid of the vile thing. "And the old dwarf should be happy that this case is solved! And no one died! And... I think I need a bath." 

<OOC> Jinks says, "Guys can give me a last set of Perception rolls."
GAME: Seyardu rolls perception: (20)+3: 23
GAME: Strike rolls perception: (7)+13: 20
<OOC> Lysos will forgo the perception, probably not doing much of the rooting around herself.
<OOC> Lysos says, "The place is a disgusting mess :("

Strike abides the priestess' decision, and, after going over the creature for any unfortunate surprises, she invests in her spidersilk rope to secure their new prisoner.

"As you wish." the half-mul replies, then, with a wrinkle of her nose, she gives herself a sniff, and seems somewhat despondent about the result. It'll keep for now, but... hopefully it washes out. Meanwhile, she leads their prisoner around by his convieniet handle.

It was slow going making it through the way through the trashed warehouse. She stopped to pick at a few things, look at the bed, until she finally found the altar.

"They were doing something here, it is some manner of ritual. The symbol of the Khazad clan is on the talisman left on top of it." She calls back to those present. "It is possible this is the source of their woes, on top of any active sabotage. Though it still remains, why are they doing this? Are they working for someone else, for what purpose?"

Both Strike and Seyardu feel the same lazy breeze passing through the north-western corner of the room on its way towards the southern doors. Closer inspection-- pulling the bed away from the wall-- reveals where the planks have been splintered, chipped, and pried back to make a hole. It's too small for any of the big people but looks the right size for the hairballs to squeeze through-- or even the captured warrior if it'd stripped down out of his armor. The tiny witch creature would've had no problem at all coming and going. 

<OOC> Seyardu says, "Before we end the scene, I'd like to do one last roll"
<OOC> Seyardu Seyardu is going to cast remove curse on the altar
<OOC> Jinks says, "Caster level check."
GAME: Seyardu rolls 1d20+5: (2)+5: 7 (Caster Level check fails)

Strike hmmm's, "Two broad possibilities I can think of." she says thoughtfully, keeping their prisoner under control, even as she drifts over to one of the corners to check after an errant breeze she can't immediately explain. She glances to the others, "DO you feel that?" With a tug to let her new friend know he's meant to keep moving, she ventures over to help try and uncover the source as she continues speaking, "These are survivors of a clan raid seeking revenge. Or, they were set to the task by one of the clan rivals. Disrupting their business so they their competitors may thrive, or even forcibly absorb them."

"This object, or this altar, it is cursed." The silver sith-makar sighs But she looks at it, taking a moment. "I have never attempted this before, but I see somewhat how it is laid out. I believe it is within my capabilities to remove it."

She places one hand on the altar, closing her eyes a moment. "Please allow me to unweave the cursed magics that are present within this object and altar, so that your children may be free of its effects." <Draconic>

Just when it seemed like it may have worked, a small pulsing dome of black energy appears, and she jerks her hand back. Seyardu sighs. "I am sorry, I did not know if it would work, but it seems I was not prepared enough. Still, it is, I feel it could be dealt with. And there is some manner of magic present." 

<OOC> Jinks says, "I can do a History check with a DC a little higher."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Won't be the same exact info."
GAME: Strike rolls knowledge/history: (16)+15: 31
You paged Strike with ‘Removing the helmet from the prisoner gives you a closer look and you're quite certain its a damaged and old but of obvious dwarven make. This keys off some forgotten history lessons and you're quite suddenly certain the prisoner is a mite. An unfortunate race of subterranean fey that are frequently in conflict with mountain-dwelling Khazad.’

Strike considers the Sith's words, glancing at the altar as she elaborates on her suspicions. A sigh and a sidelong glance to the prisoner, pulling his chain to keep him still and something seems to spark in her eyes. She reaches down to unfasten the chinstrap with a 'you better not bite me, you bastard' look on her face before plucking off his helm and turning it about for a better look, "This is old forging." She gives the prisoner another look, and, with more of his features exposed, elaborates, "There are fey... Mites, I believe they're called... deep underground, that have had periodic strife with the Khazadi. My master spoke of them... a long time ago. I never expected to encounter any aboveground, let alone in a human city."

Not every mystery is solved but this should be more than enough proof to at least begin clearing the Oddskeeper name. While specific histories and motivations may still be unclear it is quite obvious that the gremlins (and this blue-skinned warrior) have a hand in the misfortunes seeking to ruin the Khazad family. You have met with the contracted requirements of your employ and found proof to help Jaemeigh and Aehrick and, beyond that, perhaps a method of countering this so-called curse.

Still. What of this curious waif, a gobber-child, that wormed his way into Jaemiegh's heart? Where is Ikklebig?

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