11: The Black Brigade

[burke]

The stone buildings closest to you are mere husks, crumbling and empty.

Charles moves to the edge of the plaza. The statue is stood some way in, facing the other way. It is wrought in dark iron and resembles a beautiful nude man.

[danhem]

"You there," Charles says pointing his trident at the prisoner on the left. "Go have a look at the face of the statue and tell us what you see."

OOC: I sold 3 broadswords, 3 spears, and 3 target shields for 180 gp. That's 22 gp and 5 sp for each. I kept one of each and the suit of chainmail stowed on the horse Charles captured from the brigands. Burke, remind me, do we get APs for selling SRs?

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Drugan motions one of the men forward.

"Just be a good lad and do what the nice heavily armed man asks you to now"

[apeloverage]

Alwyn gathers some animal bones and tries to determine what killed them. Are there teeth marks for example? Are there any actual corpses?

[burke]

The man looks pleadingly to you and his comrades, but realizing he has no choice he steps out into the plaza.

The bones give no clue as to the cause of death, but Alwyn finds some charred remains of what was once a bird.

The man treads carefully up to the statue and mustering all his courage, circles around to stand in front of it. A look of relief passes over his face. Then shock. He steps back and is about to cry out when he is suddenly engulfed in flames. He burns like a torch, flailing for a few moments and then falling charred to the ground.

The statue turns around with a hideous creaking noise, taking you all in with its dead iron eyes. It utters a few words in a harsh metallic voice, their meaning and language unknown to you.

Not waiting for a reply it opens its mouth again and fire spews out in a tight arc, burning one of the other captives to a crisp.

This breaks the paralyzing fear you've been under and allows you to act.

[salass00]

Melanthios goes into a berserk rage and attacks the statue with his heavy mace.

attack roll:
4d6
4 + 5 + 3 + 3 = 15
reroll doubles:
2d6
1 + 5 = 6
total + shield bonus:
15 + 6 + 5 = 26

[danhem]

Watching two of their prisoners reduced to ashes, Charles can't help but laugh.

"Well these gentlemen are quite useful."

His laugh is cut off, however, as Melanthios charges the iron statue.

"Oh, hell. Wizards, do your worst!"

With that, Charles joins Mel in a rapid assault on the fire-breathing giant. He only hopes that his enchanted trident will do some good against the beasts metal hide.

2d6 +5
6 + 2 + 5 = 13

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Drugan pales then grimly sets his will to the task.

"Anyone with magic, spare not your strength, swiftness of action is our only hope"

Drugan will cast a 2nd level "Penetrating Laceration of Koth" for 28 points of damage.

OOC: lets hit this @#$# with everything we've got I don't think we're going to get a second chance.

[apeloverage]

Alwyn casts the Penetrating Laceration of Koth at 2nd level, for 28 damage, and costing (12 - 2 - 1 = 9) ST.

[burke]

You charge into combat with the iron statue. The warriors, aided by Varklud, deal heavy blows against it, but they seem to have as little effect as a hammer striking an anvil. The spells of Drugan and Alwyn fare better and induce some cracks and dents in its metal carapace.

The statue is however undeterred and its hellish flames lick the warriors shields.

[There were some exceptional dice rolls and your HPT was 150, sadly the statue rolled equally exceptionally and won with 153. Because of the spells it is now down to MR 94.

Quinlan and Melanthios are berserk.

The statues HPT for the next round is 50.]

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

OOC: What about the other party members?

We have two more wizards and I think even our pacifist elf would lay to with a good lash spell in this instance.

Either way Drugan will follow up with a 1st level lash spell seeing as he can't manage another 2nd level one.

[danhem]

Undeterred by the minimal effect of their weapons, Charles continues to attack the statue as it is battered by the wizards mystical barrage.

"Keep at it! We'll beat this iron brute yet!"

2d6 +5
4 + 6 + 5 = 15

[burke]

[Oops, I forgot about Mahara-la. The statue is down to MR 84 and its next HPT is 46.]

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

OOC: Also what are our remaining prisoners doing?

[salass00]

Melanthios continues his berserk attacks against the statue. Hitting it slightly harder this time.

4d6 +5
6 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 5 = 22
rerolling for the two 3s:
2d6
1 + 6 = 7
total:
22 + 7 = 29

OOC: Forgot that the second 5 was for the shield bonus and therefore doesn't count towards a pair. I'm using the lower number from the rerolls so it should be OK.