With all due care, we began moving back towards the stairs we had passed before. We knew that there were enemies down there, so we were trying to be quiet. However, we also knew that we had been making a whole lot of noise up until now, so we weren’t trying to be THAT quiet.

There were no traps between us and the stairs, except the ones Siora had already taken care of. With that worry out of the way, Frostmane led the way to the stairs, and down them. The rest of us followed in a line, ready for whatever came our way.

What we found, however, was a small room, twenty feet on a side, with a pair of double doors on one end. A look Maura’s way got her to confirm what we suspected. “Yes, that’s the pantry. We put a door in to stop the smell, and to keep the screaming from getting annoying.”

This place was, in essence, the main logistics base for the Malarites in Moonwood. Unfortunately, that meant that the Pantry was going to be larger than the one we found in the wolf caves to the south. And, as Frostmane forced open the doors, I was sickened to see that I was right.

In front of us, lit by the reddish glow of magical torches, were more of the arrays. As before, each of the grisly arrays was filled with seven people, held in a state of torturous half-life as they were farmed and harvested for meat. Two things stood out to me, however. The first was that there were six arrays in the room. And the second was that there was a girl who looked younger than I was crying as she was laid out in one of the arrays, her right leg slowly regrowing itself from the bloody stump where it had been cut off.

“Finally! I was getting bored!”

I looked from the horrific sight, to see one even more horrible. There were three werewolves in the room, as predicted. The female in the back looked to be the priestess, and the other two were the barbarian. One of the two, who was leaning up against the wall, with a perfect view of the doorway, had one hand on the haft of his massive greataxe, and the other was literally holding the child’s severed limb, as he snacked on it like someone with a turkey leg at a street fair.

“Rabid dogs need to be put down.”

My voice was cold as I said it. These… animals were seriously pissing me off. But I understood now. They weren’t people, not any more. They were just beasts. Beasts that could pretend to speak, but weren’t capable of actually being a person. The best thing to do was to kill them all, and build a shrine to Auril from their skulls.

The wolf snacking on the girl’s leg laughed, and tossed it behind him. “Ooh, you’re a feisty one. I’m going to enjoy this. These prey aren’t any fun anymore. Think we broke them.”

I pointed a finger at the werewolf. “You will die first.”

“Enough of this,” the priestess roared. “Go ahead and kill them!”

Initiatives

Siora

Maura

Fiendwolf Berserkers x2

Fiendwolf Acolyte

Frostmane

Melinda

Vestele

Siora’s Caster Level Check: 1d20+12 = 19 (Success)

FB1’s Will Save (Friend to Foe): 1d20+6 = 20 (Failure)

FA’s Will Save (Friend to Foe): 1d20+13 = 25 (Success)

Siora was waiting for just something like that. Quickest off the ball, she uttered the words of a spell. I couldn’t tell what it did, but suddenly, the werewolf that hadn’t been snacking on a girl’s leg turned, and started growling at the other two werewolves, her oversized axe gripped tightly in her hands.

Black Tentacles Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 27

FB1’s Grapple Check: 1d20+15 = 18 (Fail, Grappled)

FB2’s Grapple Check: 1d20+15 = 22 (Fail, Grappled)

FA’s Grapple Check: 1d20+11 = 25 (Fail, Grappled)

“Let me help!” Maura called out from the back of the group. Like Siora, she had been ready, just in case. With her spell, an endless tide of inky black tentacles rose up in the middle of the room, filling a circle forty feet in diameter. The tentacles immediately lashed out, trying to grab and grapple anyone they could. Which, it turned out, was the werewolves and all the sacrifices in the arrays.

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 26

FB1’s Grapple Check: 1d20+17 = 22 (Fail)

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 32

FB1’s Grapple Check: 1d20+12 = 26 (Fail)

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 24

FB1’s Grapple Check: 1d20+7 = 24 (Success)

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 30

FB2’s Grapple Check: 1d20+17 = 32 (Success)

Frostmane’s AoO (FB2): 1d20+20 = 27 (Hit)

Bite damage: 1d8+14 = 19 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

Freezing Bite: 1d6 = 5 (Cold) (Fold Resistance 10)

Frostmane’s Trip attempt: 1d20+13 = 25

FB2’s STR check: 1d20+4 = 23 (Fail, Prone)

The two berserkers snarled angrily, and, with matching howls, a look I knew all too well filled their eyes. They were indeed barbarians, as I had known them. But even that should not have allowed them to use those oversized greataxes that they carried, which looked better suited to an ogre or perhaps a troll, rather than anything human sized. Surely, that must have taken some kind of special training to allow them to handle them?

At any rate, the two barbarians forced their way through the field of tentacles, but while the bastard who had been snacking on a girl’s leg approached Frostmane, and promptly got introduced to the floor, the other showed some of what, exactly, was going on with the spell Maura had cast. Snarling in a murderous rage, the werewolf forced her way deeper into the field of tentacles, eyes locked on the priestess. Clearly, it made her think she was a threat to be destroyed.

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 19

FA’s Grapple Check: 1d20+11 = 24 (Success)

FB2’s AoO (FA): 1d20+18 = 24 (Miss)

The priestess managed to free herself of the tentacles, as well. Her shield managed to deflect the berserker’s axe, but she still wasted no time in backing away, forcing her way out of the circle of grasping tentacles. Oddly enough, she looked to be breathing heavily for some reason.

Frostmane’s AoO (FB2): 1d20+15 = 25 (Hit)

Power Attack (5) Bite damage: 1d8+19 = 20 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

Freezing Bite: 1d6 = 6 (Cold) (Fold Resistance 10)

Frostmane, faced with a werewolf on the floor before him, did what only came naturally to the wolf. His jaws clamped down upon the werewolf, savaging him greatly.

Melinda’s Attack Roll (FB2): 1d20+19 = 24 (touch) (Hit)

Vitriolic Chain Damage: 7d6 = 27 (Acid)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (FB1): 1d20+19 = 21 (touch) (Hit)

Vitriolic Chain Damage: 13 (Acid)

Melinda’s Attack Roll (FA): 1d20+19 = 24 (touch) (Hit)

Vitriolic Chain Damage: 13 (Acid)

I wasn’t going to pass up an easy win if we could swing one. Reaching around Frostmane, I unleashed an acidic bolt at the berserker lying on the floor, easily hitting the prone wolf. The magic bounced to the other two werewolves in turn, and I was most pleased to hear their snarls of agony. “Great work. Keep those tentacles up, and I’ll just melt them from range!”

Vestele moved around the edge of the group, until she was standing by me. She had her crossbow out, but didn’t shoot. Instead, she simply stood at the ready. Her eyes scanned not into the room we were trying to clear, but back up the stairs, just in case the weresnake we hadn’t killed yet decided to come say hello while we were busy.

Siora, like her sister, stayed her hand. With just a single werewolf in an area where she had line of sight on them, she decided to save her spells for the fights ahead. And, somehow, she doubted that Frostmane would be all too keen on her firing her bow through his legs in order to try and hit the prone werewolf. So, she waited.

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 23

FB1’s Grapple Check: 1d20+17 = 22 (Grappled)

Maura, likewise, waited, conserving her spells. Why bother using them now, when the big wolf clearly didn’t need any help with the lone berserker? And the other targets were in the way, more often than not. So, she also waited, while the tentacles wrapped themselves around the berserker once again.

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 32

FB1’s Grapple Check: 1d20+17 = 28 (Fail)

BT’s Grapple Check: 1d20+18 = 20

FB1’s Grapple Check: 1d20+12 = 20 (Success)

Frostmane’s AoO (FB2): 1d20+20 = 32 (Hit)

Power Attack (5) Bite damage: 1d8+19 = 23 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

Freezing Bite: 1d6 = 4 (Cold) (Fold Resistance 10)

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

FB2’s STR check: 1d20+4 = 10 (Fail, Prone)

The grappled berserker fought her way out of the tentacles, and made her way to the priestess, greataxe at the ready. At the same time, the other berserker met Frostmane’s jaws, and took a tumble once again, but managed to get to his feet in the end. “KILL YOU ALL!”

Frostmane’s Fort Save (Wrack): 1d20+13 = 14 (Fail)

The acolyte took a step back from the berserker and pointed a finger at Frostmane as she called out the words of a spell. Frostmane yowled in sudden pain, collapsing to the ground. Blisters formed on his face and paws, as he writhed in agony.

Lingering Vitriolic Blast Damage (FB2): 2d6 = 5 (Acid)

Lingering Vitriolic Blast Damage (FB1): 2d6 = 9 (Acid)

Lingering Vitriolic Blast Damage (FA): 2d6 = 7 (Acid)

Melinda’s Concentration Check: 1d20+15 = 24 (Success)

Melinda’s Attack Roll: 1d20+19 = 31 (Hit)

Damage: 2d6 = 7 (Bludgeoning) (DR 5/Silver)

Vitriolic Hideous Blow: 7d6 = 25 (Acid)

Seeing Frostmane get taken out of the fight, at least for the moment, I grit my teeth and stepped forward, getting into the barbarian’s face. I decided that I wasn’t going to think about the fact that my aura made it easier for the bitch priestess to hurt him. “One of you, see if you can help him. The rest of you, either keep out of line of sight, or kill that priestess!” As I spoke, I spun, hitting the barbarian with a back fist coated in acidic energy.

FB2’s AoO (Vestele): 1d20+18 = 20 (Miss)

Vestele’s CL Check: 1d20+10 = 27 (Success)

FA’s Fort Save (Wrack): 1d20+13 = 15 (Fail)

Vestele nodded once, and said, “I’ll see what I can do!” She moved after me, ducking past me, and just barely avoiding a swing of that monstrous greataxe. Turning around at the edge of the tentacle patch, she pointed at the acolyte, and uttered the same spell that she had. And, as Frostmane had, the acolyte screamed, and fell to the ground in pain.

Siora’s CL Check (Dispel Magic): 1d20+10 = 26 (Success)

Frostmane Lingering Effects: 3d10 = 19 (minutes) (-2 penalty to all actions)

Siora reached down to touch Frostmane’s fur, and cast a spell. The next instant, the white wolf stopped whimpering in pain, and the boils cleared from his snout and paws. Still, he was clearly shaken by the ordeal, however brief it was.

Maura’s CL Check: 1d20+10 = 12 (Fail)

Seeing that Frostmane had recovered, at least somewhat, Maura turned her eyes on the barbarian who was close to hand. She called out a spell, and five magic missiles flew from her fingertips, only to splash harmlessly against the werewolf’s body. “Oh, drat.”

FB1’s attack (FA): 1d20+18 = 21 (Miss)

FB1’s Attack (FA): 1d20+13 = 24 (Hit)

Damage: 4d8+10 = 26 (Slashing) (DR 5/Silver)

Wounding Weapon: 1 (CON damage)

Berserker Weapon: 1d8 = 2 (Slashing)

FB2’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+18 = 24 (Miss)

FB2’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+13 = 20 (Miss)

FB2’s attack (Melinda): 1d20+8 = 13 (Miss)

FB2’s Bite (Melinda): 1d20+14 = 22 (Miss)

The combination of acid and a smack to the jaw seemed to get the werewolf’s blood up, especially in his enraged state. That massive greataxe slashed at me repeatedly, but I was able to dance out of the way again and again. “KILL YOU!”

On the other side of the room, the other barbarian clearly did not care that the priest was in agony. Her first strike clanged loudly against the priest’s armor, deflecting off. The second strike, however, found enough purchase to deliver a devastating wound to the priest. That woke the werewolf from her daze, it seemed, and she turned to look at us, eyes filled with wrath. Unlike her companion, however, she didn’t go for the mindless raving, which was a plus.

The Acolyte was clearly wracked by pain. I couldn’t really bring myself to care, honestly, since he’d just dished the same thing out against Frostmane. Still, he wasn’t contributing to the fight right now, and I was going to count that as a big win.

FB2’s AoO (Frostmane): 1d20+18 = 33 (Hit)

Damage: 4d8+10 = 26 (Slashing)

Wounding Weapon: 1 (CON damage)

Berserker Weapon: 1d8 = 2 (Slashing)

Frostmane’s attack (FB2): 1d20+13 = 31 (Hit)

Power Attack (5) Bite: 1d8+19 = 24 (Piercing) (DR 5/Silver)

Freezing Bite: 1d6 = 4 (Cold) (Cold Resistance 10)

Frostmane’s Trip attempt: 1d20+11 = 16

FB2’s STR check: 1d20+4 = 9 (Fail, Prone)

Frostmane rose to his feet, and quickly found himself on the receiving end of the barbarian’s too large greataxe. However, he powered through, and bit down, hard, upon the barbarian, throwing him to the ground. “I never want to experience that ever again.”

Lingering Vitriolic Blast Damage (FB2): 2d6 = 8 (Acid)

Lingering Vitriolic Blast Damage (FB2): 2d6 = 7 (Acid)

Lingering Vitriolic Blast Damage (FB1): 2d6 = 6 (Acid)

Lingering Vitriolic Blast Damage (FA): 2d6 = 10 (Acid)

Melinda’s Attack Roll: 1d20+19 = 31 (Hit)

Damage: 2d6 = 7 (Bludgeoning) (DR 5/Silver)

Vitriolic Hideous Blow: 7d6 = 25 (Acid) (Dead)

As the acid melted away more of the werewolves’ flesh, I couldn’t help but offer Frostmane a brief scritch behind the ears. “I know, buddy. But, as you can see, Vestele paid it back for you.” As I spoke, I stomped down, hard, my boot wreathed in acidic energy that melted the werewolf’s head quite nicely.

Vestele’s Cure Serious Wounds (Frostmane): 3d8+10 = 20 (Healing)

Vestele moved back into the ‘antechamber’ for the Pantry, and touched Frostmane’s flank to cast a healing spell upon him. “No worries, Frostmane. We’ll have this finished shortly, and then we can consider a rest.”