Chapter 2: Rites of Passage

[Lara]

"The boy? Has he hurt the boy?" Pel yells, as she takes off in a run to try to catch the commander who has disappeared around the corner.

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Run or double move. I don't think she has any kind of action left either way, but aim is to get the kid away from the goon or, if the goon has abandoned the kid, to get the goon and let Streko attend to the kid.

[Jeremy]

sheriffjoe said:

"Goran, my friend? These Claw soldiers are all yours!"

Goran shows just a flicker of a wicked grin at Streko's words, then masters himself.

"I'm not going to kill any living man who can't defend himself. Someone help me find something to tie them up with."[/color] he says, stowing his bow and retrieving his arrow (if possible). He draws the Denieth dagger and seeks a way to tie up the men and, if possible, staunch any critical wounds. The unwounded soldier is to be tied up first.

He remains alert, however, to any possibility of danger.

[Darren]

"I have rope here," Kalarian says, removing it from his pack, but not moving towards Goran.

[Jeremy]

Goran gives a quizzical look.

"Could you throw it to me, then?"

[Darren]

Sorry. That wasn't a Goran snub. It was more that I didn't figure I was going to have enough actions to get the rope to you, say what I needed to say, and move to where I wanted to move to. If it's okay with Jeff that I can somehow get the rope to you and still do those things, then that's what we'll do.

[Jeff]

ROUND 2

21 = Kal
20 = Enemies
16 = Tangat
13 = Pel
7 = Streko / Goran
4 = Allies
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Kal calls up to Amal, and the Blademark answers, “Understood!” Kal tosses his rope over to the stairs where Goran is, and it lands in a small heap at the ranger’s feet.

A wave of heat from the growing fire rolls over Kal, making him realize just how dangerous—and not so gradual—it is! Already the fire has spread to the nearest barrels, which light up quickly with explosive force. When the Deneith heir reaches the corner of the barrel stack, he peers around to see what Velhan and Taymra see...

A sturdy but narrow trapdoor in the floor has been lifted, and the Emerald Claw commander stands in the space beneath it, possibly on a ladder or tight stairwell. Kal can only just make him out behind the limp body of Velhan’s son, whom he holds like a shield. “Betray me, Marshal, and you’ve betrayed your son!”

“Toler!” Velhan shouts.

Kal sees the tip of the commander’s sword break through the boy’s shoulder, missing his vitals by an inch. The boy, Toler, falls forward, even as Velhan grasps his son in desperation. In that same instant, the Emerald Claw commander himself begins to withdraw and the heavy trapdoor starts to drop as the man retreats below.

At Streko’s command, Tangat almost seems to nod and sets a paw upon the back of the prone soldier and growls deep in his throat at the man’s neck, ready to bite.

Pel rushes to join Taymra, Kal, and Velhan. She sees the boy drop to the floor with blood seeping out of his shoulder; not instantly a mortal wound, but one that will be if not treated soon. With sickle—or dagger?—in hand, Streko joins them, realizing first that the boy is in peril.

Taymra instantly steps forward and pulls the boy away from the floor. “Streko, help him, please! Marshal, take your vengeance!”

Goran takes up Kal’s rope and comes down the stairs, pulls out his arrow (which is sadly too damaged to reuse), and begins to staunch the wound. The ranger has seen enough wildfires in the Reaches to know that this fire is bad news. With so much alcohol-saturated wood, it’s going to spread fast. It needs to be dealt with drastically and fast, or else everyone needs to get out of here immediately!

“Dol Dorn!” the Sentinel Marshal shouts and lunges forward, and pierces the commander’s armor with Kal’s blade. The commander grunts from the pain, his expression furious—he seems to want to stay and kill someone, but also seems intent upon retreating into some tunnel below!

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• Emerald Claw commander’s attack: 15 (5 damage to boy)
  
• Tangat readies an action to attack soldier #2 if he moves.
  
• Goran’s Heal check = 11 (fail, but he can keep trying)
  
• Velhan’s attack = 18 (hit) / damage is 5
  

Joe and Darren, I had to do some interpretation on the part of your actions. First Streko puts away his dagger, choosing his sickle, then suddenly it’s in hand again?[/color]

[Darren]

"Streko, do as Taymra says! Help the boy and get him out of here! Pel, help Goran gather up as many as you can and get everyone out of here. Get Amal to help you. I'll help the Marshal and we'll join you shortly."

Leaning forward, Kalarian speaks words of encouragement to Velhan just before he speaks words of arcane power that launch another dart of light at the Emerald Claw commander.

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Your interpretation worked perfectly for me, Jeff.

Casting Magic Missle. I assume I can see the man well enough for this. If not, let me know and I'll revise.

[Jeremy]

--Read my mind--

Goran will look around quickly for anything to quench the fire with, for the moment ignoring the rope. If he determines that the fire is beyond their control, he will yell for everyone to get out, and he'll try to drag out any of the wounded people, if possible.

If he can put out the fire, he'll shout for help and that anyone not able to help should get out immediately: Pel and/or Streko should get the boy out, and anyone else. Kal, Goran and anyone else should put out the fire.

He growls "...and tell that damned brewer to get his carcass down here and help!" Or, warns the ranger, his whole livelihood will soon go up in a short-lived plume of pecuniary disaster.

[Lara]

Leaving the injured boy to the care of Taymra and Streko, Pel races to the trapdoor, prepared to follow or attack the Emerald Claw leader.

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One-track mind... If the guy's still standing after Kal's attack with the missile, Pel will try to put a spell on him. If he's on the run, she'll discuss following him with Kal.

[Joe]

Streko returns the sickle to his haversack, races to the boy and places both hands over the bleeding wound.

"Olladra, bless this child with the warmth and love of your almighty spirit. May fortune always favor the young!"

He feels the power of Olladra flow through his holy symbol and throughout his body, out his hands and into the wounded boy.

Streko immediately picks up the boy and makes his way out of the burning brewery. As Pel approaches him, he calls out to her.

"Pel, please, assist me! If you would, take this guard here..." Streko points at the fallen guard that Tangat is guarding, "...and bring him along with us outside. He may be of use to us and I have no doubt whatsoever that, between you and Goran, he will give us any information we may need."

In halfling: "Good boy, Tangat. Heel and guard! Food for you once we are safely outside!"
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Use up Sanctuary for the boy.

[Jeff]

ROUND 3

21 = Kal / Tangat
20 = Enemies
13 = Pel
7 = Streko / Goran
4 = Allies
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Kal sends another glowing missile slamming into the retreating Emerald Claw commander. Grunting from the pain, the soldier slides downward, but is unable to draw off an attack from Velhan. The fine Deneith blade he wields punches another hole in the enemy’s armor, another large and bleeding wound. The man bellows his pain.

With the fire and a sudden surge of roiling smoke appearing just beside him, the soldier on the floor who was knocked down by Streko’s spell tries to roll away in a panic. Streko's spell is no longer in effect. But as he moves, Tangat immediately snaps his jaws on the man’s leg, eliciting a scream. Yet the soldier rises to his feet, looks around desperately, and at last throws himself bodily into Goran to get him out of the way.

With rope and bandages in his hands, Goran is unable to lash out at the man first. The unexpected attack sets him off balance…and his shoulder is slammed hard against the flaming vat nearest him. Searing heat and licking flames wash around him, blistering his skin and singing his cloak. The ranger is able to stagger away again, facing the Emerald Claw soldier and forced to draw out the Deneith dagger again. It’s hard to tell which is the worse threat at the moment: the soldier or the rising flame. His guess is the latter, and he knows if he takes much more he'll pass out.

With much of her magic requiring more space to work with, Pel resorts to a straightforward spell, thrusting an open palm toward the Emerald Claw commander, fingers splayed. Against his present pain, she sees no outward sign of success, but within she feels her subduing magic slam into his mind.

Streko stows his sickle and lays his hands upon the boy, channeling healing power into his small—but still larger than Streko’s!—body. Almost instantly Toler’s eyes flutter open, his color restored, his grave wound all but vanished.

Taymra and Velhan both lash out with their blades, each scoring a hit against the Emerald Claw commander. The man loses a grip on the trapdoor and drops into the darkness below. Velhan rages, ready to jump down the hatch after him, but Taymra grabs his arm. “He’s dead, Marshal!” the Orien heir scream. “We have to get out of here!” Just then, another keg of liquor explodes into flame on the other side of the room.

The dark-skinned Blademark, Amal, appears on the stairs, looking down in the room, ready to run down further. “Khyber!”

The smoke is thickening and the entire cellar is getting dangerously hot. Tangat is barking madly. As Streko looks ahead to the other side of the room, half obscured by smoke he realizes that within moments, getting to the stairwell at all might not even be a possibility.

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• Kal’s magic missile = 5 damage
  
• Velhan’s attack of opportunity = 17 / damage is 9
  
• Tangat’s readied attack = 20 + 2 (8 does not confirm a critical) / damage is 5 + 3 = 8
  
• Soldier #2’s melee touch attack = 16 (success) / Strength check of 5 vs. Goran’s Strength check of 4 / Goran is bull rushed, hitting the vat and suffering nonlethal heat damage totaling 6.
  
• Pel casts whelm / enemy’s Will save is 5 (failure, suffers 6 nonlethal damage)
  
• Streko casts cure light wounds, healing Toler 8 points.
  
• Taymra’s attack: 19 / damage is 4
  
• Velhan’s attack: 17 / damage is 6

Streko could not stow his weapon (move action), cast a spell (standard action), and move in a single round, so he hasn’t moved away from his current position this round.

[Darren]

Seeing Amal at the top of the stairs, Kalarian calls out to him. "Get Enan and the woman out of here! NOW!" Looking quickly at Velhan and Taymra, he says, "We don't know where this goes. Maybe it's a good way out. And hopefully the Emerald Claw scum isn't so badly hurt that we can't revive him and find out what he knows. Pel, Streko and Goran should get everyone out the front door, and we should head this way and see where it comes out. We must decide quickly!"

[Joe]

Streko glances at the fire.

"From the cauldron to the flame. This is a nice piece of work."

He gauges the fire's spread, the other casks.

"Kal, that fire is going to ignite the other casks and with the soldier standing there and the child's father here...not a good idea. The rest of you need to go down the hole and escape this inferno. I, alone, will go to Goran and help get both him and Tangat out! Are you agreeable to this?"
_____________________________________________

If Kal agrees, then he urges the boy to go to his father's arms and Streko, whose sickle is still in his hand, will move towards the staircase on the far side of the room near the fire and engage the soldier.

[Darren]

"We don't know what's down there, Streko," Kalarian says, forgetting the usual "Master" in his haste. "I think the boy should go with you. But it is Velhan's choice. A father has the right to decide for his son...."

[Lara]

"I'm going after him," Pel says firmly. "Let's go!"

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Move accordingly.

[Jeremy]

Goran knows it's too late to extinguish the flames in the cellar. He will grab any wounded soldier he can find and follow Streko down the hole. If he thinks he can save more than one, he will take the risk.

"Nevermind about me, I'll survive, LET'S GO!" he roars, a ferocity in his voice the rest aren't used to.

"So much for beer for life..." he mutters, and doesn't seem to be joking.

---

Silly me. I didn't know the soldier was still an issue, or I might've been more prepared.

[Darren]

I believe Streko is headed for the front door, not down the hole.

[Jeff]

Hoo-boy. Confusion abounds. It looked like everyone—except Streko?—was headed for the trapdoor (the "hole").

Also, there is still a hostile enemy standing in front of Goran. Is Goran disregarding him?

[Joe]

Streko moves toward the soldier whose back appears to be to him. The soldier obviously has Goran on the brain...

Streko has his sickle ready and will attack as soon as he is within range. Speed, after all, is of the essence here.....

[Jeff]

In Phorem's Tower

"Dhaz, if you're feeling restless, perhaps you should make a quick sortie- to check up on our friends, and maybe to bring back lunch to the tower?"

Dhaz nods. "That sounds like a good solid plan to me." He turns to go. "So...do I just wave about for a skycoach?"

Phorem nods. "They'll see you soon enough. They know the old tower mages need to ride about now and again so they look for us, and our visitors."

Dhaz disappears down the stairs below.

"So." The old mage shrugs. "I hope the spawn of Shavarath haven't ruined Passage for you, my young friend. This really is a fine city. It's the perfect launching point for any quest. For those of us in the House, it's the start and end of our journeys."

[Jeff]

ROUND 4

21 = Kal / Tangat
20 = Enemies
13 = Pel
7 = Streko / Goran
4 = Allies
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At Kal's command, Amal pounds back up the stairs to the ground floor.

Pel and Kal seem ready to run down the hatch, the changeling poised now to drop down into safety—or confinement. It's impossible to tell from here. Lingering at the top of the rungs of a metal ladder, Pel guesses that the distance into the darkness below is at least fifteen or twenty feet, perhaps more.

Tangat, not leaving Goran to deal with the soldier alone, leaps on the opposite side of the man and bites again but doesn't get through the armor of his leg a second time.

Without evening waiting to challenge Goran further, the Emerald Claw soldier makes a break for the stairs. He moves too quickly for Tangat to get another bite, but Goran is able to swipe at him with the dagger. The fine Deneith blade doesn't flare up with its previous power, but it does scrap through the man's mail, loosing links upon the floor and drawing blood. Still, the soldier gets away, storming his way up the stairs to get away from the inferno.

Streko runs to join the fight with his sickle ready, but the human has outpaced him. Now Streko, Goran, and Tangat stand in the middle of the room, nearest the heat...and know the time to decide on a direction is NOW. Goran grabs a hold of one dying soldier (still not stabilized) with one hand and the other—merely sleeping by Pel's spell—ready to drag them whichever direction the party chooses...

For a moment, Taymra looks angrily between the debating party members. "If that's a sealed room below, then we'll either be cooked or suffocated by all of this! We must go up!" Despite her words, she doesn't go anywhere yet—waiting desperately for the rest to decide.

Velhan grabs his son in a crushing embrace. "Father!" you hear in a muffled voice. The Sentinel Marshal steps forward, ready to sprint across the cellar to the stairs, but he looks with hesitation at the others.

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• Tangat's attack: 3 + 2 + 2 (flanking) = 7 (miss)
  
• Goran's attack of opportunity: 12 + 5 = 17 / damage is 1 + 3 = 4

In order to avoid a bunch of people running in all different directions, I'm okay with you sharing a brief debate in the discussions thread about what the best course of action is as a whole before you post your actual actions. I do recommend not splitting up the party yet again at this point.

[Joe]

Streko grabs at the sleeping soldier lying close to the flames and pulls him back. Hopefully, he won't wake up and go apenuts on me. If he does, well...Streko still has his sickle and his sharp wit. Anyhow, if there is time and opportunity, he will cast cure minor wounds (eliminate read magic) to stabilize the man, otherwise, he will defer to Goran regarding the stairs or the hole.

At this point, though, it would appear that the hole is the wiser choice of two evils.

[Jeremy]

Goran is confused alright, it's hard to keep up with all these different descriptions of the action from all of us. Also, I thought the soldier had bull-rushed past me, not challenging me. Sorry to have kept you all waiting!

---

Goran opts for the hole, grabbing the wounded man, stowing his dagger and yelling for Tangat to come along (if Kal has escaped already).

"Anyone who wants go, let's go NOW!" he yells, for the second time.

[Joe]

"Well...there it is!"

Streko will follow Goran back to the hole once he is assured that the soldier can fend for himself or...perhaps...be a tour guide for us down in the depths.

[Jeff]

Combat mode is over now, but time is still passing and the sleeping soldier will awaken in a minute's time.
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Velhan, with his son in his arms, is inclined to go where the rest of the group goes, for security alone. Silent Pel leads the group down the metal rungs of the ladder into musty darkness. There is no light below...

Velhan follows her.

Goran attempts the bind the dying soldier's wound again, but fumbles with the bandages. He needs more time. The ranger hefts the man over his shoulders and follows the rest. Streko, while strong for a halfling, is still hard-pressed to move the sleeping soldier, so the best he can do is drag him across the floor.

Kal lingers over the open trapdoor, knowing he'll need to carry Tangat down.

The cellar roils with smoke, leaving Goran and Kal coughing, fighting for breath as they ready themselves for the climb down.

Refresh!

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Goran's Heal check = 9 (failure)

A successful Heal check or other healing will be needed on the dying soldier or he will bleed out within moments.

[Joe]

Is Streko able to hand "his" soldier off and stabalize the dying soldier before heading down the ladder? If so, he will make that attempt.

[Jeff]

Taymra assists Streko, freeing him up to use whatever spell he has in mind.

[Darren]

Glancing over at Tangat with a half-smile, Kalarian says, "I don't care what you smell...get down there!" (Sorry, couldn't help myself ).

Reaching into his pack, Kalarian pulls out a metal rod which he strikes against the ground, producing a glowing light. He drops the lit sunrod down to his companions below before helping Goran get the solder down the trapdoor. Picking up his canine companion and heading down the ladder, Kalarian shuts the trapdoor above him to help keep the fire and smoke from following them down.

"Amal will look after your woman until we rejoin him, Marshal. Have no fear." Upon reaching the bottom, Kalarian sets Tangat down and retrives the sunrod. "Now," he says, "let's see what we have here..."

[Jeremy]

Goran will try again with the bandages/heal check, as soon as possible.

[Joe]

Streko will cast a cure minor wounds on the soldier (REMOVE READ LANGUAGES) to help stabilize him.
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I guess we are now at the bottom of the ladder or did Kal shut me and the dying soldier up top?