Siora took point again, moving towards the tunnel that provided a suspiciously good choke point, just like the one that let us into this ‘courtyard’. In fact, it was so suspiciously like the last one that the beguiler immediately stopped, and began searching for traps. I nodded in approval. We had to assume that the Malarites knew we were coming. Rushing in and falling victim to traps before the fighting even began was only helping the scum.

Siora’s Search check: 1d20+18 = 33 (Success)

Siora’s Disable Device check: 1d20+18 = 26 (Fail)

Siora frowned, and said, “This trap is a good deal cleverer than the last one. I can see signs that there’s a magic trap here. Someone using mundane means to try and discover the traps wouldn’t find it, that’s for sure.” She used her tools to try and work on a section of the stone, careful not to get any closer than was absolutely necessary. After a couple moments, she said, “I think that’s got it. Mel, can you check for auras?”

I activated my ability to detect magic, and immediately saw the trap that Siora was talking about. It was some kind of spell trap, for sure, and it was set right at the entrance of the choke point. And it was very much still active, if the magic was any indication. “I see it. It looks like it is still active.”

Siora’s Disable Device check: 1d20+18 = 30 (Success)

Siora nodded. “That’s what I was afraid of. Glad I didn’t set it off by accident.” She began maneuvering her tools again, trying to get at the magical underpinnings of the trap. There was a click, and a shimmer of light, as I saw the trap fade away.

“Got it this time.”

Your party has overcome a Flame Strike trap.

Melinda gains 225 XP.

Frostmane gains 188 XP.

Siora gains 188 XP.

Vestele gains 188 XP.

With the trap disarmed, Siora scouted forward to the stone double doors, and, after a quick search, determined that it was neither locked nor trapped. Given that the people inside likely knew we were here already, Frostmane went first, shouldering the doors open with his impressive strength. As expected, we were expected, and the people on the other side of the door were determined to be rotten hosts for uninvited guests.

We found ourselves in a funnel that opened out into a wide room, fifty feet on a side, and ceilings twenty feet above the floor. A statue of Malar as the Beast loomed over a stone dais that was stained with blood, no doubt a site for sacrifices. I would have to wait to make more detailed observations, because there were seven werewolves in their hybrid forms rushing towards us, and another figure, wearing a long black hooded cloak over plate armor standing upon the dais, no doubt some kind of leader.

Initiatives

Werewolf Warriors x7

Melinda

Siora

Vestele

Frostmane

Huntress of Malar

WW1’s Claw attack (Vestele): 1d20+9 = 23 (Hit)

Damage: 1d4+3 = 7 (DR 10/Magic)

WW2’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 10 (Miss)

WW3’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 18 (Miss)

WW3’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 20 (Miss)

WW3’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 20 (Miss)

WW4’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 14 (Miss)

WW5’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 20 (Miss)

WW6’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 20 (Miss)

The werewolves were ready for us. Lunging forward, six of the wolves surrounded Frostmane. One nearly tripped over their own feet at the sight of a massive white wolf in its face, but all the other attacks were not even close to harming Frostmane. One wolf clawed across Vestele’s face, but I was shocked when her skin did not even show a bit of damage. There wasn’t even any blood!

Melinda’s attack (WW1): 1d20+10 = 16 (Hit)

Hellrime Chain damage: 5d6 = 18 (Cold)

WW1’s Fort Save: 1d20+10 = 11 (Fail)

WW1 - -4 DEX for 10 min

Melinda’s attack (WW6): 1d20+10 = 27 (Hit)

Hellrime Chain damage: 9 (Cold)

WW2’s Fort Save: 1d20+10 = 29 (Success)

Well, it looked like everyone was ignoring little old me. That was just fine, but I wasn’t going to rely on Vestele’s hidden secrets to keep her completely safe. Icy blue energy gathered around my hands, and leapt from my fingertips to the werewolf’s chest, before bouncing to the one next to it. Neither of them looked all that damaged, but they certainly were looking my way, now!

WW3’s Will Save (Charm Person): 1d20+3 = 10 (Fail)

Siora pointed at one of the werewolves, and uttered the words of a spell. “Hey there, buddy. Why don’t you go and kill that creepy guy in the back? Thanks!” The werewolf’s eyes went dull momentarily, before the wolf turned to snarl at the cloaked figure in the back.

Vestele’s attack (WW1): 1d20+7 = 18 (Hit)

Damage: 1d4-1 = 2 (Slashing)

Vestele drew her silver dagger, and slashed out at the werewolf in front of her. It was easy to see why she wasn’t a melee fighter, primarily, but the wolf still yelped as the silver burned its flesh. Every little bit helped.

Frostmane’s Attack (WW2): 1d20+12 = 31 (Hit)

Power Attack (5) Bite damage: 1d8+19 = 26 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

Freezing Bite: 1d6 = 2 (Cold)

Frostmane’s Trip attempt: 1d20+13 = 22

WW2’s STR Check: 1d20+3 = 11 (Fail, Prone)

Frostmane chuffed disdainfully at the werewolf that had embarrassed himself so badly in his initial attack. With almost casual ease, the white wolf’s jaws snapped shut upon the werewolf’s leg, and twisted as he pulled back. As one would expect, given the difference in size and weight, the werewolf quickly became acquainted with the floor.

The cloaked figure in the back pulled back her cloak, revealing features that were human, and yet vaguely wolfish in nature. “Blasphemers! You profane these halls with your presence! You shall feed the wolves of the Hunt!” And, with that, the symbol of Malar hanging from around her neck glowed, and a red aura surrounded each of the uncharmed werewolves.

WW1’s Claw attack (Vestele): 1d20+9 = 15 (Miss)

WW1’s Claw attack (Vestele): 1d20+9 = 26 (Hit)

Damage: 1d4+3 = 7 (Slashing) (DR 10/Magic)

WW1’s Bite attack (Vestele): 1d20+5 = 6 (Miss)

Frostmane’s AoO (WW2): 1d20+12 = 16 (Miss)

WW2’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 14 (Miss)

WW2’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 28 (Hit)

Damage: 1d4+3 = 5 (Slashing)

WW2’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 6 (Miss)

WW4’s AoO (WW3): 1d20+9 = 27 (Hit)

Damage: 1d4+3 = 7 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

WW7’s AoO (WW3): 1d20+9 = 13 (Miss)

WW3’s Claw attack (Huntress): 1d20+9 = 29 (Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+9 = 14 (Normal Hit)

1d4+3 = 5 (Piercing)

WW4’s Claw attack (Melinda): 1d20+9 = 19 (Miss)

WW4’s Claw attack (Melinda): 1d20+9 = 24 (Miss)

WW4’s Bite attack (Melinda): 1d20+5 = 25 (Threat)

Miss Chance: 1d100 = 26 (Hit)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+5 = 8 (Normal Hit)

Damage: 1d6+2 = 3 (Piercing) (DR 5/Cold Iron)

WW5’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 22 (Miss)

WW5’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 16 (Miss)

WW5’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 14 (Miss)

WW6’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 17 (Miss)

WW6’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 29 (Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+9 = 10 (Normal Hit)

Damage: 1d4+3 = 7 (Slashing)

WW6’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 9 (Miss)

WW7’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 18 (Miss)

WW7’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 12 (Miss)

WW7’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 23 (Miss)

There was a flurry of fangs and claws as the werewolves pressed their assault. The charmed wolf took a small scratch as it turned and ran to attack the priestess in the rear, and actually got a claw across her face, drawing blood. As the wolves attempted to bite and claw at Frostmane, Vestele, and I, the white wolf snapped his jaws at the werewolf that he’d thrown down before, but his teeth skidded off the red aura of the priestess’s spell. Frostmane snarled as two claws managed to rake his hide, “They have some sort of protective spell, now!”

Melinda’s attack (WW1): 1d20+10 = 21 (Hit)

Hellrime Chain damage: 5d6 = 13 (Cold)

Melinda’s attack (WW6): 1d20+10 = 1 (Miss)

Ignoring the wolf next to me, I unleashed another blast from my palm at the wolf threatening Vestele. I could deal with the impertinent wolf later, once our healer was safe. But the wolf managed to distract me enough that I fouled the jump from one wolf to the next, causing it to splash harmlessly on the ground.

Siora’s attack (WW1): 1d20+4 = 17 (Miss)

Siora clearly wanted to save some of her spells for later. Smart, considering we didn’t know how many enemies we would be facing here. Instead, she pulled out her shortbow, and fitted a silver arrow to the string. Unfortunately, she was a caster, not a ranger, and the shot bounced off the werewolf’s mystic protections, causing the beguiler to click her tongue in annoyance.

Vestele’s Concentration check: 1d20+16 = 20

Vestele’s Cure Light Wounds (Frostmane): 1d8+5 = 9

Vestele looked at the knife in her hand, and chuckled grimly. She clearly knew her strengths, and a melee against these werewolves, enhanced by magic, was not one of them. So, she turned to one of the things that was her strength, and placed a hand on Frostmane’s back. “There is still work to be done. Best get to it, oh fluffy one.”

Frostmane’s Attack (WW2): 1d20+12 = 30 (Hit)

Power Attack (5) Bite damage: 1d8+19 = 27 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

Freezing Bite: 1d6 = 2 (Cold) (Dead)

Frostmane growled. “As if I need a little abyssbred whelp like you to tell me that!” Still, I could hear the smile in his voice, as he launched himself at the werewolf that he had attacked already. This time, his jaws found the werewolf’s neck, and when he threw him down, the werewolf did not try to get back up.

Huntress’s Attack (WW3): 1d20+9 = 29 (Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+9 = 21 (Crit)

Damage: 2d8+5 = 15 (Bludgeon/Pierce) (DR 5/Silver)

Bane: 1d6 = 6 (Bludgeon/Pierce)

Huntress’s Attack (WW3): 1d20+4 = 19 (Hit)

Damage: 1d8+3 = 4 (Bludgeon/Pierce) (DR 5/Silver)

Bane: 1d6 = 1 (Magic)

The priestess’s face became a rictus of rage as she looked upon the werewolf that had DARED to strike her. “TRAITOR! AS A HUNTRESS OF MALAR, I WILL DESTROY YOU!” With a scream of fury, she brought her morningstar down directly between the charmed wolf’s eyes, before landing another blow against his ribs. But while the weapon was not silver, it had clearly been enchanted with something nasty, as a burst of red energy lashed out at the werewolf on contact.

WW1’s Claw attack (Vestele): 1d20+9 = 19 (Miss)

WW1’s Claw attack (Vestele): 1d20+9 = 23 (Hit)

Damage: 1d4+3 = 5 (Slashing) (DR 10/Magic)

WW1’s Bite attack (Vestele): 1d20+5 = 14 (Miss)

WW3’s Claw attack (Huntress): 1d20+9 = 15 (Miss)

WW3’s Claw attack (Huntress): 1d20+9 = 13 (Miss)

WW3’s Bite attack (Huntress): 1d20+5 = 21 (Miss)

WW4’s Claw attack (Melinda): 1d20+9 = 15 (Miss)

WW4’s Claw attack (Melinda): 1d20+9 = 16 (Miss)

WW4’s Bite attack (Melinda): 1d20+5 = 17 (Miss)

WW5’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 21 (Miss)

WW5’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 16 (Miss)

WW5’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 21 (Miss)

WW6’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 16 (Miss)

WW6’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 18 (Miss)

WW6’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 15 (Miss)

WW7’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 26 (Miss)

WW7’s Claw attack (Frostmane): 1d20+9 = 25 (Miss)

WW7’s Bite attack (Frostmane): 1d20+5 = 14 (Miss)

The werewolf warriors continued to prove spectacularly ineffective in their attacks. Only the warrior attacking Vestele had any luck, but the increasingly more frustrated wolf once again found his claws drawing not even a drop of blood from her skin. Of course, I knew not to get cocky. While these werewolves were no great threat, but the cult had more than just these weak werewolves in their numbers.

WW4’s AoO: 1d20+9 = 13 (Miss)

Melinda’s attack (WW1): 1d20+10 = 18 (Hit)

Hellrime Chain damage: 5d6 = 14 (Cold) (Dead)

Melinda’s attack (WW6): 1d20+10 = 30 (Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+10 = 18 (Crit)

Damage: 14 (Cold)

WW6’s Fort Save: 1d20+10 = 12 (Fail)

WW6 - -4 DEX for 10 min

I danced under the sweeping claw of the werewolf I was ignoring, delighting in his frustration. Again, I unleashed a blast of power at the werewolf I’d hit consistently this whole fight, and, this time, it put the wolf out of its misery. As the blast bounced to the wolf next to it, I had to bite back a laugh as the icy energy struck the creature right in his crotch. The sight of a werewolf going cross-eyed in pain was simply too hilarious!

Siora’s attack (WW6): 1d20+4 = 18 (Miss)

Once again, Siora loosed one of her silver arrows. Unfortunately, between trying her best not to shoot Frostmane, and the protective barrier raised by the priestess, her shot missed by the barest of margins. “Damn it all! These barriers are tough!”

Vestele’s attack (Huntress): 1d20+4 = 12 (Miss)

Vestele, now free from annoying werewolves in her face, loaded a bolt in her crossbow, and took aim at the priestess. Her bolt missed, barely scratching the finish of the priestess’s armor, but it couldn’t hurt to try and distract the priestess from the charmed wolf, right? “The priestess’s armor looks impressive, too. Wonder how much it will sell for?”

Frostmane’s Attack (WW4): 1d20+12 = 32 (Threat)

Confirm Crit: 1d20+12 = 19 (Crit)

Power Attack (5) Bite damage: 2d8+32 = 42 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

Freezing Bite: 1d6 = 2 (Cold)

Frostmane’s Trip attempt: 1d20+13 = 31

WW4’s STR check: 1d20+3 = 13 (Fail, Prone)

With two of the six werewolves arrayed against us down for the count, Frostmane turned, and surprised the werewolf in front of me by savagely biting the werewolf’s face, and throwing him to the ground hard enough that his head bounced. The white wolf smirked at me. “I’ll take care of this trash. Go deal with the priestess, will you?”

Huntress’s Attack (WW3): 1d20+9 = 27 (Hit)

Damage: 1d8+3 = 10 (Bludgeon/Pierce) (DR 5/Silver)

Bane: 1d6 = 3 (Bludgeon/Pierce)

Huntress’s Attack (WW3): 1d20+4 = 5 (Hit)

The Huntress was apparently too concerned with the wolf that had scratched her to pay much attention to what else was going on, though she did toss a glare Vestele’s way, promising vengeance for her shot, errant though it was. Focusing her attention on the wolf again, she smacked the charmed creature with her morningstar again, hitting it so hard that she almost lost her grip on the weapon on her second swing. Perhaps the charmed wolf’s blood was making the weapon’s handle too slick?