Fargrim looks at his companions and silently motions with his hand that they go down instead of up.

"If not, let's continue.", the eldarin advances down the stairs into the darkness, quite obvious to Fargrim's scrutiny and any danger, torch in hand.

OOC: For those of you who have items, please UPDATE your stats. If you used the builder, you can just go through and find the correct item and it will update the stats for you.  I'll post the stats for both items over in the OOC thread.

Your group heads down the dimly lit stairs (Shroom's torch flaring up to light the way).

On the way down you note that the area is filled with rubble, although much of it has been cleared. When you get down to the first landing, a large pile of it is heaped on one side of the landing, as if being readied for removal. There's plenty of room to head around the pile and continue downwards, though.

After the first landing, the stairs take a 90-degree turn to the right and descend again, and this time there is a series of carved stone faces (each one looking wizened, malevolent and angry) on each side of the staircase (about 6 of them, although the ones closest to the surface look to have been shattered).

You reach the bottom and halt just as you hear voices-

The first voice is cold and distant, and seems to come from underwater.

"Imbeciles! do any of you speak common? ANYONE? Where is your leader? Your Gruhlra, your .. bah! I grow weary of this."

An orcish voice interrupts: "I talk common.. This not our normal time, still light out."

(a series of grunts ensue, and you get the idea that there are more than a few orcs below).

"I do not care what time of day or night it is, I will not stand for slacking. Our Mistress predicts we will be under siege soon, and so we are going to redouble the guard, and THIS room is key to the defense of the tower.. Wheel me closer, Rustblade, there's a dear.. Now then. We are going to have visitors soon. I want at least 4 bolters upstairs, day OR night.. and.. has anyone seen Maliferous?"

(there is a confused series of grunting orcish voices as the orc tries to translate what he can understand..)

One of the orcs finally queries something in broken common about when they will be fed.

"NEVERMIND.. Rustblade, go and fetch Maliferous.. and take these orcs upstairs...we're redoubling the guard. Are the wyvern-riders back yet?"


...

What are you doing?

Fargrim quickly motions for everyone to gather close enough so that they can whisper.  

Once everyone has closed in enough, Fargrim whispers, "quickly!  Back up to the landing!  We'll hide behind the rubble, and ambush them."

"The torch," Edwena whispers as she motions to the stairs. "Let's move before they notice," she speaks softly once more.

Nodding at Fargrim request, Edwena begins to hustles up the stairs to find a suitable place behind the rubble.  She gears up her morningstar for the ambush and begins preparations for her prayers.

Shroom swifty follows the others, putting out the torch with a dissatisifed grimace, as he goes along with thier plan.

(OOC: AM, sheet's been updated.)

OOC: Still waiting on Ridcully, since he might be key to any stealthy ambushes)

Ridcully moves to hide near the entrance in order to end up behind the foes as they emerge, drawing his new dagger.

Stealth: 28

Initiative: 17

First Attack: Sly Flourish = 24

damage = 17

OOC: The target will be the bad guy closest to me when the whole group has passed my position.

.. you all head up the stairs as stealthily as possible (luckily the orcs make a lotof tromping and noise, and that hides the sound of most of you). Shroom extinguishes his torch via Prestidigitation, before they round the corner of the first landing.

You all take up positions behind the pile of rubble, as much as you can. You can all just barely fit there.. with Ridcully actually slipping into the shadows opposite of the pile.

A low emotionless metallic voice answers below.
"By your leave..." (and you lose the rest as you head up the stairs to the first landing).

You all take up places...

Tromp tromp tromp. They are coming up...

The orcs are headed up the stairs led by heavy clanking metal footsteps.

It is not pitch black-- there is dim light coming in front outside.

As they get to the top of the landing, Fargrim, Shroom, and Edwena can make out (with their lowlight vision) the metallic form of a rusted metal humanoid. At first he seems like a man in heavy armor, but it soon becomes apparent, that he is the armor, and his own eyes glow enough to silhouette his form and the orcs behind him.  He is leading another pair of orcish bolt-throwers (wearing their crossbow harnesses) and another pair of orcish berserkers with distinctive mohawks.

The group is ordered with the metallic humanoid in front, then the two bolt throwers, then the two berserkers.

They head past and turn to go up the next landing, when Ridcully steps out of the shadows like a ghost and drives his dagger into the last orc berserker.

STABBBB!!!


The orc howls in pain and stumbles around clutching his back, trying to reach Ridcully.. Ridcully manages to position himself where he can flank with the first party member who wants to melee the berserker.

(init rolls please!)

There is sudden chaos as the orcs and the metalic humanoid scramble clumsily into position. The metal-man is booming out "Stay Calm. We are under Ambush...MAINTAIN YOUR RANKS."

The orcs are not listening.

• Orc bolt throwers 1d20+2=21
  
• Orc Berserkers 1d20+5=18
  
• Rustblade 1d20+6=7
  

===========OOC=================
(In deference to Drohem's point about Warriors Surge the orcs will have to hit before they can surge, from now on..)

Slight issue with Ridcullys damage- formatting mistakes made it a bit too low! In the future please do it like so: 1d4+2d8+8.

If it's a crit, remeber to add another 1d12 to the total. I just re-rolled the sneak attack damage to make it 20 vice 17.

The last orc berserker is bloodied. Down -20 from 38 hit points. (currently at 18 hp).

Note that you are in very close quarters, so unless you make a point of staying behind the debris heap, you may be considered in melee.

The fight is joined, and Fargrim is comfortable with the surroundings; dim light and confining spaces are the natural playground of dwarves, and their martial training.

Fargrim immediately understands that the strange metal construct is in charge, and Fargrim attacks him with swirling vertical arcs and strikes from his double axe.

==========================================================

OOC:

Fargrim's Initiative Check is 17.

Round 1 Actions:
Fargrim marks the metaloid construct (warforged?), and attacks him with Duel Strike.

Fargrim's Duel Strike attacks hit AC 8 (giving up Combat Advantage with a natural '1') and AC 14 for 14 and 11 damage, respectively.

Oh, BTW, is the frost double axe indeed the lost weapon named Glamerding?

Quote from: DrohemOOC:

Oh, BTW, is the frost double axe indeed the lost weapon named Glamerding?[/I]

Yes.

Quote from: Abyssal Maw;295467Yes.

:cool:

Edwena willingly enters into combat and tries to damage the other orc berserker. She slams her morningstar into the nearest foe, while asking Avandra for protection. "Give me strength," she yells as she attacks.

OOC: When it is her turn, she will attack the berserker, or any orc in range.

Int. Roll (1d20+1=10)

P.S. Attack (1d20+2=14)

P.S. Damage (1d10+2=8)

With nobody engaged with his opponent, Ridcully decides to pull a Sly Lunge at the berserker, hopefully throwing it off balance and giving Ridcully an opening.

Sly Lunge: 29 (woot, crit)

damage = 34! (please let me know if I understood the crit rules wrong, this is my first 4e crit actually... my wiz in the TT game can't roll for shit)

Ridcully giggles and dodges the blood flying everywhere.

Quote from: Sigmund;295472With nobody engaged with his opponent, Ridcully decides to pull a Sly Lunge at the berserker, hopefully throwing it off balance and giving Ridcully an opening.

Sly Lunge: 29 (woot, crit)

damage = 34! (please let me know if I understood the crit rules wrong, this is my first 4e crit actually... my wiz in the TT game can't roll for shit)

Ridcully giggles and dodges the blood flying everywhere.

You did it correctly..! Yes, thats a shload of damage. Welcome to Striker-land.