Chapter One, Part One: Fires over Brinestump

[Porteiro]

Jed casts Cause Fear on this "Volorog".

[TheTick]

Volorog manages to avoid Faraway's strike, but feels something happening in his mind.  He holds his arms out in front of him, eyes darting around even faster.

(made the will save - Volorog is shaken for one round.  S'Vith is next.)

[SteveRogers]

S'Vith pounds his chest with a fist and then pounces into action.  With a roar, he rushes this newly realized monster and attempts to subdue him.

Grapple Roll 1d20+5 : 8 + 5, total 13

[TheTick]

S'Vith manages to grab Volorog by the wrist and shoulder. (Grapple: Success)  Unfortunately, with all the thrashing around, Owen's attack misses.

Volorog seems to summon a reserve of strength, and slaps S'Vith's hand away. (Grapple Broken)

Spoiler: ShowHide

Woo, rolled a 20 to break it.  Horcrust is up.

[SpamHead]

summon monster I
celestial dire rat (yes that does sound kind of weird)

And I am sorry for not saying what it is earlier, because my previous DM always had it be random.

[TheTick]

Which one?  Here's a list of Summon Monster 1 statblocks...

[TheTick]

Horcrust begins an incantation, summoning a creature to his aid.

(reminder, one round casting time - something will appear next round to help.  Faraway, Jeddy, S'Vith, Owen, your new actions please!)

[Lotofsnow]

Faraway maneuvers into a flanking position with Owen, spear and shield in hand. He jabs the spear at their host.

Attack 1d20+6 : 7 + 6, total 13
Damage 1d6+4 : 4 + 4, total 8

[Phil]

Mechanics: ShowHide

Power Attack:  9(1d20) +4+2(flank) = 15; 5(2d6) +9 = 14

With Faraday's attack hopefully distracting it, Owen looks to connect this time with a slash of his greatsword.

[SteveRogers]

S'Vith maneveurs into position and a second time attempts to subdue the enemy.

Grapple Roll 1d20+5 : 14 + 5, total 19

[Porteiro]

Jed tries Cause Fear again.

[TheTick]

Volorog again seems to shake off the effects of Jeddy's spell, but not completely. (Beat SR, made save, shaken for 1 round)  S'Vith takes advantage of the distraction and grabs Volorog again, this time managing to get one of it's arms behind it's back.  (Grapple: Success)  It's all Owen needs to finally connect with one of his devastating swings and put Volorog down, permanently. (Hit, -14hp, DEAD)  S'Vith release the limp body and leans against the wall, panting.  The group exchanges a look, and is startled when they hear a voice from the stairs, "H-hello?" Turning to look, you see...the same face Volorog presented you with when you first arrived, though even more battered and bruised.  "Is it...gone?  Did you kill it?" When he sees the creatures body, he drops down to the floor and sobs.  "Thank you!  Thank you!  I thought I'd die waiting for it to leave!  Please tell me who my saviors are?"

[Lotofsnow]

"Yes, friend. It is defeated, thanks to the stout arm of my companion here," says the druid, slapping Owen on the back. "How long has it been keeping you prisoner? I see you have been wounded. Do you require any aid?"

[TheTick]

"I would take any aid you can provide.  He came upon me in my garden last evening.  It's a Faceless Stalker, and I thought they'd all died out of the marsh, but apparently not.  I was tending my babies - MY BABIES!" and with that he runs out into the garden.  When you follow, you see Walthus kneeling, with a trio of snakes coiled around him.  "Oh, look what he did to my babies, that monster!  They saved me, you see, my snakes.  I managed to cut him a few times with my dagger - poisoned dagger - but he got me pinned and started draining my blood when my pets started biting him.  He fell off me, and I ran and hid in my saferoom."  Walthus is gathering the bodies of several other snakes and sets them in a nearby box.  "I must've passed out from the blood loss, but the commotion just now woke me." He walks back inside and starts rummaging through a chest.  "Here, let me give you this - tis the least I can do!  It's a Cloak of Resistance, it served me when in my adventuring days, now you can have it."  The cloak looks normal enough, save for a faint shimmer when the light catches it a certain way.

Walthus sits heavily in a chair.  "Now, what can ol' Walthus do for you?  I imagine if you came looking for me, you have questions about the Brinestump marsh?"

[Phil]

As the halfling speaks of his snakes, Owen is convinced that this is the geniune Walthus.  Still, he concentrates on the aura of the little fellow for a few seconds, just to be sure.

Detect Evil.  Going to assume it comes up negative.

Assured, Owen asks.  "If you would, Walthus, can you tell us more about Faceless Stalkers?  I would know more of the creature I was forced to smite."