5: Escort Mission

[Sierra]

<Madeline> "It may be difficult to get the prisoners to safety, even after we break them outside," notes Madeline. "But we will find a way."
<Eliaphas> "Any difficulties will be small in comparison to what they must endure every day here," Eliaphas adds. "Whatever the outcome, it would be a relief."
<Corben> "How many can you take?" Corben asks Cat, moving to the practical aspect.
<El-Cideon> "Uh. Real trick is, how to keep any goons we run into from spotting 'em. I'm good at staying out of sight and Viola can just sink into the floor or something, but all these villager farmer types, I dunno how they'll fare. Here--" Cat shucks off her cloak and momentarily removes the blackened mail shirt she wears. There's just a black shirt underneath, clinging with sweat from the battle. "She could put this on? Help her blend in with the shadows. I'm good at that already."
<El-Cideon> The woman looks wary of taking anything from someone with a ghostly shadow hovering over her shoulder, but does so after a moment's insistence. "It's really light!" Cat says. "Trust me."
<Madeline> "If we can attack the prison without those there raising the alarm throughout the castle, then once it is clear, we could provide a distraction whilst the villagers escape," muses Madeline. "It should be safe," she adds for the woman's benefit.
<Eliaphas> "It will protect you better than rags," Eliaphas adds.
<El-Cideon> The woman nods, tries rattling the shirt of metal links. It proves to make no sound.
<El-Cideon> "What are you guys planning to do?" Cat wonders. "Bring the whole castle down on you to keep 'em busy?"
<Corben> "More people were taken," Corben responds. "We find out where to, and crush our enemies there!"
<Madeline> "That is unlikely, to be honest. The castle does not seem to be in a state of unity," replies Madeline. "That is to our benefit. The more foolish enemies can be easily lead away from the villagers with simple tricks, so..."
<Eliaphas> "Keep moving and assassinating commanders or other pivotal figures like Randolf," Eliaphas adds grimly. "Keep them too off balance and focused on defending themselves to mount a coherent response."
<El-Cideon> "Sounds like a plan," Cat says. "For, uh, people who are sticking around. We ready to move out? Anyone got any preparation or anything left to do here? There's not anyone else left in this little building is there?" she asks the woman, who shakes her head. "Not that I know of. There was another girl but he--he took her to the church."
<Eliaphas> "She is with the Lord, now," Eliaphas bows his head a moment, before he straightens up and heads back down and out of the church area.
<Madeline> "Don't lose your chance to escape," warns Madeline, turning to follow Eliaphas out.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+22 stealth
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+22 stealth and gets 40."12 [1d20=18]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+33 stealth
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+33 stealth and gets 35."12 [1d20=2]
<Corben> roll 1d20+17 stealth!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+17 stealth! and gets 30."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> The castle is eerily still and silent around you as you sneak along the corridors--despite the mess you've made of the place so far, no one waylays you on your way back down to the lower courtyard. It's empty here right now, so sign of life (or unlife), just the fountain burbling quietly. The doors here are north to the armory, west, and south, plus a small series of doors along the wall underneath the ramp's lowest tier.
* Eliaphas motions silently to the South door and then approaches that, listening carefully for any signs of activity on the other side before he opens it.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+21 perception
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+21 perception and gets 30."12 [1d20=9]
<Madeline> Madeline covers the door while Eliaphas opens it, ready to shoot anything on the other side that rears it's ugly head.
* Corben covers the woman they are escorting, falcion at the ready!
* Eliaphas holds up his hand with one finger extended, waits a second, then shoulders open the door and raises his crossbow in position to fire upon the butcher!
<El-Cideon> Eighty feet by sixty, this room has the obvious look of a communal mess hall. A dozen battered wooden tables fill the room, narrow aisles between them, a few guttering torches lighting the area. Two brawny men in stained aprons work behind a waist-high counter that runs along the eastern edge of the room, the other side of which is lined with stoves next to a merrily bubbling cauldron. The two men have patchy gray skin and blank white eyes, showing no trace of emotion as they work over hunks of meat with gleaming cleavers. Close to the end of the counter is a wooden door leading east in the corner of the room. Another mirrors it on the west side of the room.
<El-Cideon> Next to the east door is three additional figures: a young human man and two solid humanoids with flat, dun skin. These latter resemble nothing so much as a walking side of beef, all meat and muscle. They don't seem to have heads, as such, merely a pair of oblong golden eyes set in a low dome where a human's neck would be. Rows of small, circular depressions run down the chests of these creatures; both wear nothing and appear genderless. The young man, blond and perhaps in his late teens, has some work to do growing into his face still but is mildly handsome nonetheless. He wears leather armor and has a longsword belted as his side. Noticing your appearance, he emits a distinctly unmanly yelp and turns for the eastern door.
<El-Cideon> OOC: that is very much init
<Madeline> OOC: Can we surprise round it?
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 28."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> OOC: can you stealth open a door? The goons were basically standing around watching them.
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 17."12 [1d20=5]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 and gets 26."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+7 zombies
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+7 zombies and gets 20."12 [1d20=13]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 wallocks
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 wallocks and gets 15."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 young man
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 young man and gets 18."12 [1d20=17]
* Retrieving #mistvalken modes...
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 128/137, Eliaphas: 83/102, Madeline: 76/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 24 Eliaphas > Madeline > zombie chef x2 > young man > Corben > wallock x2'
<El-Cideon> OOC: E
<Eliaphas> More targets than he expected, but Eliaphas doesn't let it slow him down as he unleashes a sweeping barrage that sends a bolt at both of the headless humanoids and a third at the closest zombie chef!
<Eliaphas> OOC: using greater bane, undead, does it affect headless dudes?
<El-Cideon> OOC: nope, just chefs
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+15 rapid shot, wallock 1
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+15 rapid shot, wallock 1 and gets 25."12 [1d20=10]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+15 rapid shot, wallock 2
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+15 rapid shot, wallock 2 and gets 34."12 [1d20=19]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+12 rapid shot, chef 1 undead bane
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+12 rapid shot, chef 1 undead bane and gets 27."12 [1d20=15]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+15 rapid shot, wallock 2 crit check
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+15 rapid shot, wallock 2 crit check and gets 23."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit and crit
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+3+1d6+1d6 wallock 1, fire/electiricity
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+3+1d6+1d6 wallock 1, fire/electiricity and gets 11."12 [1d10=4][1d6=3][1d6=1]
<Eliaphas> roll 2d10+6+1d6+1d6 wallock 2, fire/electiricity
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 2d10+6+1d6+1d6 wallock 2, fire/electiricity and gets 23."12 [2d10=10, 5][1d6=1][1d6=1]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+5+1d6+1d6+4d6 chef 1, fire/electiricity/bane
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+5+1d6+1d6+4d6 chef 1, fire/electiricity/bane and gets 34."12 [1d10=7][1d6=5][1d6=1][4d6=2, 4, 5, 5]
<El-Cideon> Bolts thud home, scorching the flesh of these monstrous creatures and bleeding out a stream of thick yellow ichor, but they take the attacks impassively as though not noticing any pain! The chef reels from the force of the blow, however.
<El-Cideon> OOC: M
<Madeline> The fleeing man is of more interesting to Madeline, seeing as he's like to call for reinforcements! A volley of arrows flies towards him posthaste!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+21 rshot, mshot
<Madeline> roll 1d20+21 rshot, mshot
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+21 rshot, mshot and gets 32."12 [1d20=11]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+21 rshot, mshot and gets 22."12 [1d20=1]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+16
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+16 and gets 25."12 [1d20=9]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+11 and gets 26."12 [1d20=15]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all but the 1 hit
<Madeline> roll 4#1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6 fire/frost/shock
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 4#1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6 fire/frost/shock and gets 95."12 [4#1d8+6+2d6+1d6+1d6 = 28, 18, 23, 26]
* Madeline changes topic to '6Corben: 128/137, Eliaphas: 83/102, Madeline: 76/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Eliaphas > Madeline > zombie chef x2 > young man > Corben > wallock x2'
<El-Cideon> Arrows puncture the man through chest, abdomen, and head, and he falls to the ground a human pincushion! Both of the chefs stride forward, swinging their cleavers at each of the archers!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 vs E
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 vs E and gets 31."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 vs M
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 vs M and gets 27."12 [1d20=13]
<Madeline> OOC: that's my AC :(
<Eliaphas> OOC: 25
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+8 vs E
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+8 vs E and gets 13."12 [1d6=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+8 vs M
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+8 vs M and gets 11."12 [1d6=3]
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: 128/137, Eliaphas: 70/102, Madeline: 65/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Eliaphas > Madeline > zombie chef x2 > young man > Corben > wallock x2'
<El-Cideon> The cleavers bite deep, cutting flesh to bone and drawing a sheet from blood from the hapless heroes!
<El-Cideon> OOC: C
<Corben> With such abominations cutting into his allies, there can be nothing in the world to contain Corben's fury!
<Corben> roll 1d20+20 6pa zombies!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+20 6pa zombies! and gets 31."12 [1d20=11]
<Corben> roll 1d20+15 6pa zombies!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+15 6pa zombies! and gets 27."12 [1d20=12]
<Corben> roll 1d20+10 6pa zombies!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+10 6pa zombies! and gets 26."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Corben> roll 3#2d4+16+12+3+2d6
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 3#2d4+16+12+3+2d6 and gets 128."12 [3#2d4+16+12+3+2d6 = 46, 41, 41]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 128/137, Eliaphas: 70/102, Madeline: 65/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Eliaphas > Madeline > Corben > wallock x2'
<El-Cideon> Corben slices and dices and soon the undead culinary experts are shreds of dry meat all around the floor. Both of the headless monstrosities stride forward and swing for Corben with meaty fists!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 A
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 A and gets 18."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 B
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 B and gets 29."12 [1d20=12]
<Corben> OOC: AC24
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+6 also he gets a free grab attempt here
<Corben> OOC: Also, unexpected strike
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+6 also he gets a free grab attempt here and gets 8."12 [1d6=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: go ahead with that first?
<Corben> roll 1d20+18 not undead, right?
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+18 not undead, right? and gets 29."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: correct, and hit
<Corben> roll 2d4+16+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d4+16+12 and gets 35."12 [2d4=4, 3]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20 CMB for grab
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20 CMB for grab and gets 30."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> OOC: CMD?
<Corben> OOC: 34
<El-Cideon> The creature is nearly rent asunder in its eagerness to pull Corben close, all for naught!
<El-Cideon> OOC: E
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: 126/137, Eliaphas: 70/102, Madeline: 65/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Eliaphas > Madeline > Corben > wallock x2'
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: 122/137, Eliaphas: 70/102, Madeline: 65/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Eliaphas > Madeline > Corben > wallock x2'
<Eliaphas> Stepping away from the burgeoning melee, Eliaphas puts a brace of shots into the monster already maimed by Corben's axe!
<Eliaphas> OOC: construct bane, works?
<El-Cideon> OOC: alas, no
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+17 should've taken more knowledges
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+17 should've taken more knowledges and gets 29."12 [1d20=12]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+12 and gets 16."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> OOC: first hits
<Eliaphas> roll 1d10+3+1d6+1d6 fire/electricity
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d10+3+1d6+1d6 fire/electricity and gets 17."12 [1d10=9][1d6=1][1d6=4]
<El-Cideon> The creature slumps visibly, bleeding and seared all over, but still standing despite its wounds.
<El-Cideon> OOC: M
<Madeline> Madeline steps back, firing two arrows at the heavily wounded creature and the rest of her volley at it's more hale companion!
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18 damsrs, shot at wounded guy
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 damsrs, shot at wounded guy and gets 37."12 [1d20=19]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18 crit?!?!
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 crit?!?! and gets 26."12 [1d20=8]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18 remaining shots at other guy
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 remaining shots at other guy and gets 32."12 [1d20=14]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+13 and gets 21."12 [1d20=8]
<Madeline> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+8 and gets 10."12 [1d20=2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all but that last hit and bows crit on a 19? Huh. If so, yes, that's a crit
<Madeline> OOC: I took a feat
<El-Cideon> OOC: right, damage it up
<Madeline> roll 2d8+24+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 2d8+24+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 2d8+24+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 47."12 [2d8=2, 7][2d6=5, 2][1d6=4][1d6=3]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 2d8+24+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 50."12 [2d8=2, 6][2d6=4, 6][1d6=6][1d6=2]
<Madeline> roll 1d8+12+2d6+1d6+1d6
<Madeline> roll 1d8+12+2d6+1d6+1d6
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+12+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 34."12 [1d8=8][2d6=1, 2][1d6=6][1d6=5]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d8+12+2d6+1d6+1d6 and gets 33."12 [1d8=7][2d6=1, 6][1d6=6][1d6=1]
<El-Cideon> A barrage of impacts sends each of the monsters staggering back to topple onto the ground with a mighty thud! The mess hall is then quiet once again, only the simmering of pots over a fire heard now.
<El-Cideon> OOC: free act
<Madeline> "That man. Did you know him?" asks Madeline, glancing briefly at Cat. "I assumed he was one of theirs."
<Eliaphas> "He did not look like a prisoner," Eliaphas notes, replacing his clip of bolts first and then fishing out his wand in order to dispense minor healing on each of them.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d8+1 Corben
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d8+1 Corben and gets 6."12 [1d8=5]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d8+1 Madeline
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d8+1 Madeline and gets 3."12 [1d8=2]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d8+1 me
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d8+1 me and gets 4."12 [1d8=3]
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: 128/137, Eliaphas: 74/102, Madeline: 68/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Eliaphas > Madeline > Corben > wallock x2'
<El-Cideon> Cat peers into the door from behind you. "Not me," she says. The other woman looks in past her, covers her mouth and looks almost likely to faint from the sight of all the carnage, but after a moment: "That's Wilfrid. The knave! That jailer woman took him downstairs and then when he came back he was working for her. Wouldn't look any of us in the face when he brought us meals or anything, like he didn't know us anymore!"
<El-Cideon> She edges into the room just enough to spit on the young man's corpse.
<Eliaphas> "Any who serve the Duke are our enemies here," Eliaphas notes, going to see if the man has any keys on him that might be for the prison.
<El-Cideon> He does indeed have a tarnished bronze key dangling from his belt.
<Eliaphas> That key is taken for their own use! "The prison is straight ahead through here?"
<Madeline> Madeline grimaces for a moment, and clutches the wound across her chest. "Before we proceed, I would beg for succor," she manages. "The fighting ahead may be harsher yet."
<El-Cideon> She nods. "They took us through there...it's a stairwell, but they just brought us to another door on the same level's we are now."
<El-Cideon> Cat walks to Madeline, offers her a blue vial or three. "Look, I brought a couple of these and I haven't had cause to use 'em yet. If you're going on, you're gonna need them more than I do, I figure."
<Eliaphas> Nodding wordlessly, Eliaphas approaches Madeline and employs a proper healing blessing rather than one from a sanctified stick.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d8+5
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d8+5 and gets 11."12 [1d8=6]
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: 128/137, Eliaphas: 74/102, Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Eliaphas > Madeline > Corben > wallock x2'
<Madeline> "I appreciate it. You two shouldn't accompany us further," replies Madeline, accepting the vials with a grateful nod.
<El-Cideon> OOC: they're CMW, for reference. She has four of them total, note however much you're taking.
<Madeline> OOC: I'll take two?
<El-Cideon> Another nod. "Yeah...thanks, you guys. I wouldn't have made it without you. Shoulda waited another decade or something if I wanted to do this on my own. Alright, c'mon, you two, we're getting out of here."
<El-Cideon> The village woman bows to all of you. "God be with you," she says. With more spirit than she'd shown before: "Kill all of them if you can! These monsters deserve no less." Cat soon leads the two of them to the west door of the courtyard.
<Madeline> With the civilians out of the way, Madeline edges towards the east door and listens at it for any signs of trouble.
<Eliaphas> "God go with you," Eliaphas bids them farewell, going towards the East door as likely to lead on to the prison.
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 27."12 [1d20=9]
<Madeline> "Nothing," she replies, reaching to open it up. "Corben, shall you lead?"
* Corben pushes the door open as his answer, the flat of his blade resting upon his shoulder.
<El-Cideon> You come out into the midst of a tall vertical shaft, twenty feet across. A walkway just wide enough for one person to move along comfortably skirts the void, stone stairs ascending and descending. The walkway is level on this floor and a door is visible in the corner opposite you. There is no railing of any sort, allowing an easy glance into the blackness below--the only light here trickles down dimly from far above. The walls here are of the native rock, moisture drips regularly from above, and cold drafts drift from below.
* Corben heads for the door in the opposite corner, first of all.
<El-Cideon> This door proves to be unlocked.
* Corben opens it!
<Eliaphas> That does sound like the best way to the prison itself, so Eliaphas follows with careful glances up and down for any trouble.
<Madeline> Madeline remains where she is, ready to cover either direction.
<El-Cideon> Wind assails Corben as a mighty gust blows into the stairwell once the door is opened. It dies down quickly, but...there is a lot of empty space out there. A covered bridge, just wide enough for one person to move along it, leaps out across the mists to an imposing cube of a building perched on a black spire some two hundred feet off.
<El-Cideon> OOC: Oh, belatedly, perception?
<Madeline> "Eliaphas, it is this way," whispers Madeline through their mystical correspondance.
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 20."12 [1d20=2]
<Corben> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+17 and gets 31."12 [1d20=14]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+21
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+21 and gets 39."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> Corben and Eliaphas can both spot a loose brick by the door that doesn't entirely conceal a scrap of paper.
* Eliaphas gives Madeline a curious look, unsure what she's getting at.
<El-Cideon> Eliaphas can also see, albeit barely in the darkness, another door some twenty feet or so down the shaft.
* Corben holds on proceeding long enough to retrieve the piece of paper and glance at it.
<El-Cideon> Corben recognizes the handwriting as belonging to one missing knight. The note proceeds as follows: "Prisoners kept in prison tower." If there was any attempt at irony here, it is not accurately conveyed in writing. "Door locked and guarded, unable to breach on own power. Return with numbers upon your arrival? God willing, we haven't long to wait--the guards speak little amongst themselves, but overheard some talk, suggestion something changes in one residing here sufficient long time. Haste paramount. --A.P."
<Eliaphas> "Anything useful?" Eliaphas murmurs to Corben after receiving no elaboration from the elven woman.
<Corben> "It says, prisoners kept in prison tower," Corben responds, frowning. "And that people change if they stay here long. This is a cursed place."
<Eliaphas> "May the Lord have mercy on their souls," Eliaphas lowers his gaze humbly before looking up with a flinty gaze. "One way or another, we shall release them. Lead on."
* Corben nods grimly, before proceeding down the bridge.
<Madeline> Madeline trails about sixty feet behind, ready to provide covering fire upon anything that might descend upon them.
<El-Cideon> The wind tears at you as you walk, through the open sides of the bridge, as if imploring you to take a dance with it off into the mists, but nothing physically bars your passage or interferes with you in any way. Soon you reach a door, heavy and reinforced with bands of iron. It's the only visible entrance to the building--there are no windows on this face of it at the least.
* Corben glances over at his companions, ready to break through the door if they lack the magics to open it.
<Eliaphas> Unless it has a visible lock, in which case he'll use the key, Eliaphas merely pushes the door open.
<El-Cideon> The key does indeed work and the door swings open silently. An antechamber of sorts awaits you on the other side. A small room, fifteen feet square, with little in the way ornamentation. An empty table sits with a rickety chair in one corner and another metal-bound wood door is directly across from you. Torches flicker next to the door. The only other contents are a pair of metal containers at the middle of the flanking walls...sarcophagi, perhaps? No, on closer examination the upright posture suggests an infamous torture device. The iron casing of each is forged with the likeness of a woman, dressed in rags, body and face frozen in the contorted throes of some great misery. A small handle allows a plate to be slid across the eyes--both of these are presently open and pinprick glints of metal can be seen inside.
* Eliaphas ignores the seemingly empty iron maidens, approaching the next door and listening for sounds of activity on the other side.
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+21 perception
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+21 perception and gets 29."12 [1d20=8]
<Eliaphas> "Can hear prisoners but no guards," Eliaphas states quietly, shouldering the door open and raising his weapon to deal with any silent sentinels there might be.
<El-Cideon> The interior of the prison tower is mostly one large room, forty-five feet square. The black stone of the spire lends it a grim atmosphere even before one takes in the cells ringing all but the northern wall. In the center of the room a metal staircase spirals up to a second level and down into gloom; from where you stand you can see that another batch of cells encircles the second floor. The air here is thick and heavy with the smell of unwashed masses packed too close together--three or four people per ten-foot cell on this floor alone. All prisoners in your immediate vicinity are human men. The only light comes from a row of torches along the north wall.
<El-Cideon> A woman is here, leaning against the staircase and sipping from a clay mug. Approaching her middle years, perhaps not quite in Eliaphas's neighborhood but just a few streets shy of it. She looks fit and healthy, a leather cuirass riven with metal studs clinging so tightly to her body it's a wonder she can breathe. Despite that, it looks like a functional piece of armor save for a broad cutout that exposes more cleavage than it covers. She's attractive enough in a matronly sort of way, with a long braid of blonde hair trailing down her back. A rapier and a bladed whip dangle from her belt along with a small pack. A leather whip also floats on its own some feet from her head, looking ready to strike. The woman herself...seems to oscillate slightly in place if you look too long.
<El-Cideon> Two of the meaty monsters flank her. In the corner, not far from your door, an ashen-skinned woman with blank white eyes and a maid uniform sweeps with a broom.
<El-Cideon> "Figured you were on your way once Wil's signal went down," the woman says, finishing her drink and tossing the cup aside.
<El-Cideon> OOC: perception rolls, incidentally
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+21
<Madeline> roll 1d20+18
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+21 and gets 26."12 [1d20=5]
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+18 and gets 26."12 [1d20=8]
<Corben> roll 1d20+17
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+17 and gets 35."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> All three of you can sense it: those iron maidens are more than they appear to be. It almost seems like they're watching you with those cold, agonized eyes.
<Madeline> "I cannot abide a being such as you," murmurs Madeline. "Have you no shame, woman? For your appearance, or for your hideous work?"
<El-Cideon> Muttering in the cells, a restless murmur of hesitant hope as the prisoners spot strangers.
<El-Cideon> She chuckles. "Ah, you live here as long as I have, you learn to get by without things like that. Besides, I may as well give the rabble something nice to look at."
<Eliaphas> "Beg for forgiveness, for you go now to face the Lord," Eliaphas tells her grimly, locking his crossbow on her.
<Corben> "Your fate was sealed the moment we came," Corben declares, shifting his falcion into a more comfortable grip. "Have at you!"
<El-Cideon> "Oh, he wouldn't take me. Too much for him to handle. Couldn't take me anyway, been here too long. Heaven sounds like a bore anyway." She sighs, draws her rapier and slashes it smartly through the air. "You and I could have a lot more fun in private, big boy, but if that's how you want to play, well, let's see what you've got."
<Corben> roll 1d20+12 die, villain!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 die, villain! and gets 30."12 [1d20=18]
<El-Cideon> OOC: init time, indeed
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+1 wallocks
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+1 wallocks and gets 16."12 [1d20=15]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+9 and gets 13."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+14 Anna
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+14 Anna and gets 25."12 [1d20=11]
<Madeline> "I will have you taste the despair of the beaten, immortal," murmurs Madeline, finding the woman before her quite impossible to accept.
<Madeline> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Madeline rolls 1d20+9 and gets 15."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20-2 iron maidens
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20-2 iron maidens and gets 5."12 [1d20=7]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+8 maid
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+8 maid and gets 18."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+6 ?!?
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+6 ?!? and gets 18."12 [1d20=12]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 128/137, Eliaphas: 74/102, Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben > Anna Orlov > maid = ?!? > wallock x2 > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
<El-Cideon> OOC: C
* Corben crosses the room in a flash, attempting to cleave through the woman with all his strength!
<Corben> roll 1d20+18 rage, charge, surprise accuracy, 12pa, come and get me
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+18 rage, charge, surprise accuracy, 12pa, come and get me and gets 29."12 [1d20=11]
<El-Cideon> OOC: hits, remind me what C&Gm does?
<Corben> roll 2d4+16+24
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d4+16+24 and gets 43."12 [2d4=1, 2]
<El-Cideon> OOC: oh, nearly forgot...d100
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: 154/163, Eliaphas: 74/102, Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben > Anna Orlov > maid = ?!? > wallock x2 > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
<Corben> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d100 and gets 42."12 [1d100=42]
<El-Cideon> Corben rips a savage gash down the woman's front (though curiously the sound of blade against armor produces a sound of metal on metal). "Grfgh!" the woman grunts. "Alright, let's see how hard you hit without that big sword." She lashes out first with a strike meant to pry Corben's sword from his hands, before following up with two more pinpoint attacks!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+23 CMB for disarm
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+23 CMB for disarm and gets 39."12 [1d20=16]
<Corben> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13."12 [1d20=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: alas! Does that hit your CMD, also?
<Corben> OOC: Strength surge to resist as immediate!
<El-Cideon> OOC: how does that work, exactly? Class feat?
<Corben> OOC: +barbarian level to CMB or CMD on one maneuver. Mine's 34, so 34+12
<El-Cideon> OOC: alright, she's denied, then. Ah well. She's not done yet though.
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+22+4 attack!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+22+4 attack! and gets 30."12 [1d20=4]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+4 attack!
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17+4 attack! and gets 36."12 [1d20=15]
<Corben> roll 1d20+12 AoO!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 AoO! and gets 32."12 [1d20=20]
<Corben> roll 1d20+12 AoO!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 AoO! and gets 30."12 [1d20=18]
<Corben> roll 1d20+12 AoO! crit?
<Corben> roll 1d20+12 AoO! crit?
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 AoO! crit? and gets 13."12 [1d20=1]
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 AoO! crit? and gets 20."12 [1d20=8]
<El-Cideon> OOC: no crits
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17+4+4 also that second attack of hers is a threat
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17+4+4 also that second attack of hers is a threat and gets 37."12 [1d20=12]
<Corben> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d100 and gets 97."12 [1d100=97]
<Corben> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d100 and gets 24."12 [1d100=24]
<El-Cideon> OOC: bot hit
<Corben> roll 2d4+16+24
<Corben> roll 2d4+16+24
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d4+16+24 and gets 44."12 [2d4=1, 3]
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d4+16+24 and gets 46."12 [2d4=4, 2]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+17 damage from the first hit
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+17 damage from the first hit and gets 18."12 [1d6=1]
<Corben> roll 1d20+14 fort
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+14 fort and gets 21."12 [1d20=7]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: 154/163, Eliaphas: 74/102, Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben >  maid = ?!? > wallock x2 > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: (9) 154/163, Eliaphas: 74/102, Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben >  maid = ?!? > wallock x2 > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: (7) 154/163, Eliaphas: 74/102, Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben >  maid = ?!? > wallock x2 > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
<El-Cideon> The jailer falls to the ground gushing blood from deadly wounds! The maid drops her broom and draws a gleaming knife as she rushes at Eliaphas--just as a squat, humanoid figure materializes from the shadows of the other corner, rushing forward to jab at him with a stinger!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+16 sting
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+16 sting and gets 33."12 [1d20=17]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+12+2 happy maid gets flanking bonus
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+12+2 happy maid gets flanking bonus and gets 28."12 [1d20=14]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ac 25, no?
<Eliaphas> OOC: or 19 flat footed
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+3 also roll fort
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+3 also roll fort and gets 7."12 [1d6=4]
<Eliaphas> roll 1d20+11 fort
* Hatbot --> "Eliaphas rolls 1d20+11 fort and gets 27."12 [1d20=16]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d4+3+3d6 SA
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d4+3+3d6 SA  and gets 20."12 [1d4=1][3d6=5, 6, 5]
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: (7) 154/163, Eliaphas: 47/102, Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben >  maid = ?!? > wallock x2 > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
<El-Cideon> Biting fluids gush into Eliaphas from that stinging wound, but he fights off the wave of weakness that it threatens to bring on. The maid, however, strikes a vital spot and causes a gaping wound!
<El-Cideon> OOC: note E now has 3 bleed damage on him
* Eliaphas changes topic to '6Corben: (7) 154/163, Eliaphas: 47/102(bleed 3), Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben >  maid = ?!? > wallock x2 > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
<El-Cideon> The meaty monsters next to the fallen jailer step forward and each swing away twice at Corben!
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 A1
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 A2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 A1 and gets 35."12 [1d20=18]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 A2 and gets 27."12 [1d20=10]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 B1
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+17 B2
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 B1 and gets 19."12 [1d20=2]
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+17 B2 and gets 23."12 [1d20=6]
<El-Cideon> OOC: note hits and take whatever AoOs you can still do
<Corben> roll 4#1d20+12 AoOs
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 4#1d20+12 AoOs and gets 93."12 [4#1d20+12 = 27, 21, 25, 20]
<El-Cideon> OOC: all hit
<Corben> roll 1d20+12 first crit?
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 1d20+12 first crit? and gets 31."12 [1d20=19]
<Corben> roll 4d4+32+48 yes!
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 4d4+32+48 yes! and gets 90."12 [4d4=2, 1, 4, 3]
<Corben> roll 2d6 bleed
* Hatbot --> "Corben rolls 2d6 bleed and gets 9."12 [2d6=4, 5]
<El-Cideon> OOC: Ac, Corben? Also, those attack rolls should've had +4 due to the ability you;ve got up.
<Corben> OOC: AC22, it all probably hits
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+6 and gets 11."12 [1d6=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+6 and gets 11."12 [1d6=5]
<El-Cideon> roll 1d6+6
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d6+6 and gets 7."12 [1d6=1]
<El-Cideon> OOC: one of those doesn't get through due to the creature dying
<El-Cideon> OOC: so just three damage rolls. Also free grab attempt
<El-Cideon> roll 1d20+20 CMB
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 1d20+20 CMB and gets 39."12 [1d20=19]
<El-Cideon> OOC: makes your CMD?
<Corben> OOC: Yes
<El-Cideon> The creature sweeps Corben in with one with one grasping paw as the barbarian is busy dispatching its companion! From the rows of depressions in its chest, piercing shafts of bone thrust out once the monster has Corben in its grasp, causing massive bleeding all over his chest!
<El-Cideon> roll 2d6+9 also note you now have 1d6 bleed on you and are grappled
* Hatbot --> "El-Cideon rolls 2d6+9 also note you now have 1d6 bleed on you and are grappled and gets 16."12 [2d6=6, 1]
* El-Cideon changes topic to '6Corben: (7) 154/163, Eliaphas: 47/102(bleed 3), Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben >  maid = ?!? > wallock > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
* Corben changes topic to '6Corben: (7) 117/163 (1d6 bleed), Eliaphas: 47/102(bleed 3), Madeline: 79/96| 4FlameArrowCount: 19 Corben >  maid = ?!? > wallock > Madeline > Eliaphas > iron maiden x2'
<El-Cideon> ----------------