CH. 16: Homecoming

[Nuke]

Once the pair is released, Val moves to help finish off the remaining foe.

[HorizonsDream]

"Storming in would be effective, and it would catch them off guard, I think I would like to know how many people I'm dealing with first," Jocelyn says softly to Brock. She looks to Naishe curiously. "Do you think you could scout the place out a little?" she asks.

[BishGada]

"Huh?" Baeros is the only answer to Ouragana. "Don't distract me please." he says absentmindedly and continue searching for the warehouse.
When they arrive he nods to Brock suggestion. "No point in scouting. The windows are blocked." he says without too much courtesy. "I see two options. Either we neutralize the four guards simultaneously using bows, so they won't raise the alarm, or we take the eastern door. The warehouse is narrower there and so if there are many warriors inside, some of them will be farther from us comparing to the option we come from south."

============================================
(OOC: Are they all humans?)

[JadedDM]

Jocelyn, Ouragana, Baeros, Gallath and Drav (Enott Harbor/Sardonx 15th, 7 PM)
"I could," replies Naishe. "But first I'd need to find a way inside. And second, what's in it for me? I'm not one of your lovelorn flunkies, so I require a bit more compensation before risking my own life."

The guards on the south door are a male human and a female dwarf. The ones on the east door are a male halfling and a female human.

Val and Naras (Ixitachitl Lair/Sardonx 12th, 1 PM)
Naras evades the ixitachitl when it swoops down at her for another pass. She then tries to counter by stabbing upward. But she loses her grip and the spear goes flying, slowly, a few feet away before hitting the ground. However, before the creature can press its advantage, both Serenna and Val come to the rescue and stab it, ending its life. The battle is now over.

Cye heals himself with a weak spell, but he is still in a near death state.

Catching her breath, Serenna goes to check on her brothers. "We must be careful. They may look like regular manta rays, but they are very intelligent. We'll have to be wary of traps of ambushes like that."

Initiative
Val (1d10+5): 9+5 = 14
Naras (1d10+5): 2+5 = 7
Serenna (1d10+7): 4+7 = 11
Shin (1d10): 10
Cye (1d10+5): 9+5 = 14
Ixitachitl Ambusher 01 (1d10): 1

Round 5!

Ixitachitl Ambusher 01 bites at Naras in magical vestments (-5 hit) and using her magical (-1 hit) shield (-1 hit) [TN 9] (1d20-7): 5-7 = -2, miss.
Naras stabs at Ixitachitl Ambusher 01 with her magical (+1 hit/dmg) spear [TN 12] (1d20+1): 1+1 = 2, critical fumble! Naras drops her spear.
Shin goes into full defense. His AC improves by 2.
Serenna stabs at Ixitachitl Ambusher 01 with her trident with great skill (+1 hit/+2 dmg) [TN 10] (1d20+1): 15+1 = 16, hit for (1d6+1): 3+1 = 4 damage. Ixitachitl Ambusher 01 is now critically wounded.
Cye casts Cure Light Wounds on himself, restoring (1d8): 2 HP.
Val stabs at Ixitachitl Ambusher 01 with her trident of the hunter (+2 hit/dmg) with great skill (+1 hit/+2 dmg) [TN 10] (1d20+3): 19+3 = 22, hit for (1d6+5): 5+5 = 10 damage. Ixitachitl Ambusher 01 dies.

(OOC: End combat.)

[Chris1234]

Naras picks up her spear and says "Well done, Val, let's keep moving." Switching to merspeak, "Ok, folks, you all ok to press on and try and find your chieftainess?"
She moves off to the west exit.

[HorizonsDream]

"Baeros, our whole group isn't here," Jocelyn points out. "And I think there is more to scouting than just looking in windows," she adds before she turns back to Naishe. "I'm just paying everyone today it seems like," she says. "150 gold?" she offers.

[Nuke]

Val, use to working with limited communication, follows along, taking point.

[BishGada]

"Let's at least move away from the guards sight before they notice us."

[Breila]

"Yes, we shouldn't be standing in plain sight of the guards making plans to storm the place" Ouragana says sarcastically.
When they retreat a bit, she asks Jocelyn: "Do you know anything about this warehouse? Is it a place where they store goods before they're brought onto a certain ship? Maybe we can get in pretending we're buyers of something, or people that have goods to store and seek out a good place for them?"

[spyguy1503]

Gallath raises his eyebrows at Naishe. "How many bows do we have between us? I have one."

[JadedDM]

Jocelyn, Ouragana, Baeros, Gallath and Drav (Enott Harbor/Sardonx 15th, 7 PM)
"A HUN--!" Naishe quickly covers her mouth, then looks around in case anyone was listening. Then, quieter, she says, "A hundred and fifty gold? Is that your secret? That you're super rich? Yeah, for that much, I think I can do a little scouting." She adds to Gallath, "No bow. I had a pistol, but lost it while being chased by that crazy woman a few weeks back."

Val and Naras (Ixitachitl Lair/Sardonx 12th, 1 PM)
The party heads westward, entering into a new chamber. There is another tunnel to the south of this one.

The chamber holds no ixitachitl or any other living beings, but there is some kind of hole in the ground that is spewing bubbles into the water. It feels warmer near it and there is also a bit of a glow emitting from it.

There are also a number of items littered about on the ground. They mostly appear to be religious icons of some kind, very human looking skulls, and large fish scales of a variety of different colors. The icons are made from coral and are carved to resemble some kind of two-headed creature.

"I was afraid of this," Cye says, looking over the items with concern. "This must be why they kidnapped mother."

[Chris1234]

"How do you mean?" asks Naras. "Do we need to go down the hole? Or that way?" she continues, pointing south.

[HorizonsDream]

Jocelyn moves back with the rest of the group, and looks to Ouragana. "Um, I don't really know what this warehouse is for," she admits with a shrug. "But whatever it is for, I doubt they are going to believe a priestess of Octhanus would be interested," she points out. She then looks back to Naishe. "I really don't have a secret here," she admits. "But it is yours if you scout a little for us."

[Breila]

"Well, what about me pretending to look for a place to store goods? Storm sorcerers are sometimes paid in shares of cargo" Ouragana offers. "Maybe they'll let me inside for a look"

[JadedDM]

Jocelyn, Ouragana, Baeros, Gallath and Drav (Enott Harbor/Sardonx 15th, 7 PM)
"Then shall I go, or her?" Naishe asks Jocelyn.

Val and Naras (Ixitachitl Lair/Sardonx 12th, 1 PM)
"I wouldn't go down there if I were you," Serenna says, gesturing to the glowing hole. "Not unless you're searching for magma. That's a hydrothermal vent. They're caused by local volcanic activity. They're usually a good source of heat."

Cye nods. "These ixitachitl are worshippers of a two-headed fiend whose name I will not speak. But he is known to some as the 'prince of demons.' They often use these vents as part of their ceremonies, as it represents the heat often associated with the lower planes. They sacrifice our people to this demon for boons and favors." He gestures to the skulls and scales. "These are trophies, remains of undine that they kept for luck."

Shin seems to catch on. "And that's why they want mother...she's a chieftainess and a druidess. Sacrificing her..."

"...Would grant them a very powerful boon," Cye finishes.