Lirian looked at hunter, surprised by his comment.

“Now we’re already inside, and we have a chance to keep the surprise to raid this place” she said. “It’s dangerous, sure, but we have the initiative. If we retreat, where do we? It’s clear they know us, and they know the city, while we don’t know either, so there it will be them who have the initiative,”

She stopped talking a moment, to allow her words sink. Seeing everyone has recovered their belongings she took the ones remaining (probably from the dead magician) in hope of knowing who he was.

“If we can raid this place, maybe we at least know more about them, maybe evening the tables. But of course, if you all feel too weak, we may return, in hope to return latter, here or to wherever they hide, and maybe we’ll have another opportunity to learn. Just again, where do we retire to rest that we may be safe?” she finished, looking at the others

Everyone to one side and keep quiet I might be able to give us an advantage if someone comes in.....

When everyone is within his area of influence he throws up an illusion that the room is now empty

15:03, Today: Brightkin rolled 6,3 using D8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 6,3.  Strong illusion
This message was last edited by the player at 14:05, Tue 26 Sept 2023.

"These chambers are  shaking and falling apart my lady."  Aeress pointed out.  "House Veles is known for its bravery but to try to journey inward would be to enter our own tomb.  I ask you to leave now the same direction."

Aeress knew she should run, but it wasn't like her to save herself until everyone else was clear.

OOC: Of course the previous post was intended to be before the GM’s, but I wanted to keep it just to make clear Lirian opinion

Seeing the situation, Lirian changed her mind. “I cannot deny your point Lady. Forget all I said, time to withdraw” she said, heading to the corridor. “Quentin, can you help me keeping the rearguard and using your fire if possible should they come through the corridor?”

EDIT: She then turned to Hunter “No long er need for stealth. Can you shoot at the hole in the ceinilg? Maybe your handgun is powerful enough to do somethin”
This message was last edited by the player at 15:29, Tue 26 Sept 2023.

"Then I will clear the way up front!"  Aeress went ahead, spear in hand.

lol in other words we're leaving because Hunter has the right idea, we just don't have real time communication to make that consensus clear and unambiguous.

Quenin nods. "A rearguard should be about right." Then he proceeds to withdraw, some two yards closer to the surface and on the other side of the corridor relative to Lirian. When he is some way away from the jammed door, he adds. "I still want to see whatever is coming, and I still want to blast it. Covering me?"

Meanwhile, the dogs stop eating and look out in some direction, somewhat wary.

OOC: The intent is to blast whatever is coming and then either watch it burn or run for our lives. The jammed door should be at some 2/3..3/4 of Burst range, and then we'll see how it goes.

[Private to GM: I think they should have noticed something, either over or uder the ground. Not sure if they are to start barking or whining or neither of that.
21:40, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 7,17 using 1d10+2,1d10+2, rerolling max with rolls of 5,(10+5)15. Dogs Notice.]
This message was last edited by the player at 16:42, Tue 26 Sept 2023.

Perhaps being so small no one was paying attention to him.... Seeing everyone running for the door Brightkin sighed and dispelled a very good illusion... Even if he said so himself and followed the others
This message was last edited by the player at 17:10, Tue 26 Sept 2023.

In reply to Quentin Fox (msg # 54):

“I cover you Quentin” Lirian answered, taking her staff in combat position. “Just wait for the others to pass through us to the exit, and I’ll remove the dagger”

She turned to Aeress, who looked as the best fighter among the others (and could fight with her spear from the rear). “Want to join me in keeping the rearguard after opening the door?”

One everyone had left, she took the dagger jamming the door and removed it, ready to throw it to to anyone resisting Quentin’s fire before resorting to melee combat again.

"We both wait, no need to hurry door opening, it seems like they'll make it through by themselves well enough. And I'm not sure I'd like to wade in melee if this stuff does not work. Just be ready to parry whatever is coming your way and be ready to get out of here, that's all." It should be obvious from the context and a gesture that "this stuff" is a vial in Quentin's left hand.

"This is crazy, we should be running. All of us. But I will stand beside you all as well. Bring on the ones that locked us in these cages." Rea was standing a bit behind Lirian, her feathered staff in hand and watching the door intently for whomever was going to come through it.

In reply to Quentin Fox (msg # 57):

“As you say, but I thought if they charge the door and it opens, they may fall stumble and fall in disorder…” Lirian answered, with a grin.

Nonetheless, she readied herself again, waiting for the door to fall and whoever was behind to enter the corridor.



“Running where?” Lirian asked. “If we cannot know more about them to even the tables, we must at least weaken them, now they were not ready”

Hunter exited from underground and promptly sought cover behind a tree, where he stayed until his eyes adjusted. He heard muffled voices a short distance away, and an image came to mind of a flask falling from the ceiling and green fire.

He hissed at Jenkins fussing over the dogs and pointed with his gun at the voices.

He began stealthily moving towards them, making as little noise as possible.

"Me first Master, you too big and slow. And fat." Jenkins hissed by his ear. Shooting forward, she scampered npiselessly over the rough ground towards the sounds.

Hunter returned to the tunnel and waved urgently before following the goblin as quietly as he was able.

Outside Hunter goes back to the tunnel to wave people back but notices when he turns around that a number of hooded figures and giant rats are converging upon him from all sides of the trees. They are far enough away to give him time to act but they will soon be at the tree door.

Underneath the door finally breaks open with a smash revealing at first only darkness. There is very little light Quentin holds ready with his potion and suddenly there are a thousand tiny little dots bouncing and jumping his way. He releases the flames lighting the area and burning the first wave of rats coming his way. This has stopped them but only for a short while.

Meanwhile, a part of the wall breaks apart near the cages not close to anyone has a giant arm with claws reaches in. It swings violently trying to hit something when you see the arm retract and look into the room. The creatures red eye gives a huff as if it can't see you and then suddenly there is only darkness in the hole.

Above you hear the footsteps again, "They've escaped!", says someone. "Impossible! Find them!" commands someone above.

The footsteps can be heard moving closer towards the entrance of the tree.

OOC: You have 2 full turns to act before they are upon you and we enter a massive combat. The tunnel is wide enough for two people. So only two can stand and attack without being out in the open. Outside is will leave you surrounded on all sides by attackers without moving. Currently, Brightkin's spell is hiding everyone in the caged area (Moving in or out if this area makes you unseen by the targets). Enemies will get a chance to detect you if they move into the area. Rats are flooding in from the side door which leads to unknown but these are normal sized rats but a lot of them.

What are you doing with your first turn?

“Let’s get outside” says Lirian, seeing the walls crumbling. Hoping people does so, she keeps the rearguard.

With a soft curse under her breath, Rea will do as Lirian says and head outside with the others. She didn't really know any of these people, but at the moment that didn't matter as they all had to work together to get out of this alive.

"We've got lots of giant rats and hooded men outside! They'll be on us in seconds! What's it like down there?" Hunter called, pulling a wineskin from his bag.

OOC: I belatedly rolled a scouting roll, but that doesn't seem appropriate now. However, if it's OK, I'd like to keep the roll to say Jenkins is just... gone.

09:40, Today: Hunter Gallagher rolled 4,3 using d6,d4, rerolling max with rolls of 4,3.  hunter stealth.

09:39, Today: Hunter Gallagher rolled 4,20 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,(6+6+6+2)20.  Jenkins stealth.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:32, Wed 27 Sept 2023.

OOC: That's fine. We can go with that.

As soon as Brightkin got out into the open he took to the sky to put some space between himself and the rats and to assess the situation and to hopefully give his companions a heads up on an exit route

22:16, Today: Brightkin rolled 3,2 using D8,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2.  Notice

This message was deleted by the player at 21:20, Tue 26 Sept 2023.

Hearing the call from outside, Aeress made a decision.  The rear was already covered, and there was trouble ahead.  "I am coming!"

Quentin makes a reasonable haste to end up outside. He breathes fire again, also a big one, to burn whatever is coming and to illuminate the surroundings, but otherwise is on his way.

OOC: It's two empowered lingering firebreaths for 18, 8, 9, 10 damage over the course of 3 rounds to everyone chasing us through the corridor (I don't think they get to evade unless they chose to abandon the chase). Quentin moves away at full pace for two rounds, turning back only to breathe fire, and then maybe runs. It should be bright enough during that time to see clearly.

How many move actions to eng up outside?

09:03, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 10 using 2d6, rerolling max with rolls of 5,5.  Second fire breath lingering damage.
09:03, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 9 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,2,4.  Second fire breath damage.
08:58, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 1,5 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 1,5.  Second fire breath (extra damage, lingering).
08:56, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 8 using 3d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,3,3.  First fire breath lingering damage.
08:55, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 18 using 4d6, rerolling max with rolls of 2,5,(6+3)9,2.  First fire breath damage.
08:54, Today: Secret Roll: Quentin Fox rolled 7,1 using 1d8,1d6, rerolling max with rolls of 7,1.  First fire breath (extra damage, lingering).

"What do I do with this?" Hunter muttered to himself. "Douse somebody with it? Pour it on the ground between two trees? Douse the tree with it? Hmmm, that could be a most excellent idea, or a very bad idea..."

The glowing red roar of flame bursts far down the tunnel interrupted his train of thought. "Hm. Looks like he may have need of it."

"Here! Catch!" He called out to the next person running towards him, tossing them the bladder. "Firewater! Get it to our pet dragon there."

Hunter took up a position by the outside door and leaned against the tree, bracing himself for a carefully aimed shot.

OOC: Hunter will aim until the enemies enter medium range. He will prioritise shooting at anyone with missile weapons or flasks.

22:57, Today: Hunter Gallagher rolled 3,5 using d10,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5.  shooting. (+2 aim, -2 medium distance)
22:58, Today: Hunter Gallagher rolled 9 using 2d6+1, rerolling max with rolls of 3,5.  damage. Conditional damage.

This message was last edited by the player at 10:03, Wed 27 Sept 2023.

Brightkin sees what's happening and flies down to hunter "give me some I can fly it further than you can throw it... Tell me where you need it to land and I'll try to drop it on target"
This message was lightly edited by the player at 13:22, Wed 27 Sept 2023.

Lirian exited the door after all the others had and looked at the situation. The corridor was crumbling, so no threat from there, but several giant rats and hooded men were approaching from several sides.

She also saw her comrades using fire blasts to several sides, but others were coming. “Clearly time to use ir…” she thought, taking the scroll Lyrian had given her. “Should I wait for them to close or can I affect a large group already?”

She tried to assess the situation. Was any large group worth using it?

OOC: I guess a notice roll will help to see it, so here it comes:

19:37, Today: Secret Roll: Lirian rolled 4,1 using d6,d6, rerolling max with rolls of 4,1.  Notice roll.

Quentin blows more flames that lick the walls of the tunnels a high pitched squeaking can be heard as the rats burn in the flames few make it through and are instantly turned to dead burnt bodies as they make it through the fire. The rest of the packs of rats seems to know they should not cross the flames.

Outside when he runs out he manages to kill two giant rats rushing Hunters position. The flames burn near by bushes in the area giving clear vision of the others sitting on the outside looking for a way to reach you.

OOC: Here is a map of the current situation:

Since we are about to begin combat I will give you a chance to do something right before. However pot shots are going to start combat. So if its draw a sword, rush a whatever that's fine just be aware that will be during combat.

Current enemies:
2 Wild Card Cultist (bottom left - unseen)
5 Regular Cultist
5 Giant rats