Redemption in the Dragon's Lair (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

Redemption in the Dragon’s Lair

After following the map given to you by the old fishermen at Windy Cove, the small village you searched for and finally found that was the source of the rumors of a temple similar in construction to the one you know all too well, taking three full days, you come within sight of the ruin.

The swamp was a twisting tangled maze of small rivulets, raised hammocks of hardwood trees, cypress, pine, mahogany and others, overgrown with ferns and vines of every kind. There were birds, reptiles, and occasionally a large alligator, but swam off through the reeds as you approached.

You followed the largest of the streams you found, just like the map said, until you came to the northeastern most edge of the swamp. Here below the rising hills to the north was the beginning of a narrow valley, and on a hammock that was easily half a mile across stood the familiar walls of the temple.

The ground is flat, all around, and marshy in places, it is barely a hammock at all. There are trees, but they all appear to be dying or dead, their branches either bleached white from disease, or blackened by lichen.

The walls of the Temple Compound rise to a height of fifteen feet above the ground, and you can see the tops of taller, healthier trees on the other side of the wall. You can also see the unmistakable architecture that you remember all so well.

The Temple Compound covers an area of one thousand square feet exactly (each of the four walls are one thousand feet long). There are towers, 30 feet by 30 feet at each corner. In the center of the compound there is a long narrow structure of raised walkways join larger towers. This structure begins near the western wall, and extends to the eastern wall.
To the south of this structure is the main temple building, and just south of that a large oval shaped building with a domed ceiling held up by thousands of small columns.

You approached the compound from the west, and you can see that there is a wide stone stair (it is one hundred feet wide) in the middle of the wall that climbs to a height of three feet above the ground in wide and shallow steps. This stair is an opening into the central area of the Temple Compound, and there is no mistaking that the central area is overgrown with jungle trees.

You pause, still some distance from the temple, and marvel at the sheer size and complexity of the buildings, and then you begin to get an uneasy feeling of unnatural quiet and calm. There are no bird sounds, no animal calls of any kind, only a faint sound of insects and rustling leaves in a gentle breeze.

You circle first to the north, and there you see the north wall is unbroken for the entire length of the Temple. Continuing around to the east wall, you find that there are two more towers, near the center of the east wall, spaced 80 feet apart, and rising to a height of 60 feet. The other temple, the one before, did not have these towers, and you worry a bit, but then you look again at the walls, and the similar carvings, geometric shapes in overlapping patterns, and you are reassured that it is a similar temple after all, even if there are minor differences.

When you round the southeastern corner tower, you see something even more surprising. There is a break in the southern wall. It is meant to be there, as you can tell. The break is 50 feet wide, exactly in the center of the wall and it is flanked by two narrow walls that are only 5 feet high. The break is there because it is here that the river, flowing by just a few feet to the south, has been diverted, a portion of its flow directed into the temple. The short walls, like two arms extending from the main south wall, channel the water of the river over a weir that is three feet lower than the top of the short walls. After the weir, and a fall of about a foot, the water follows a man made channel, 50 feet wide into a large circular pond, with a stone platform at the center some 140 feet to the north. This pond is in the center of the oval shaped building, which you can now see a good portion of from the break in the southern wall.

The oval shaped building has a ceiling that is over 50 feet above the floor, but it is an open building, with only a low wall for a perimeter. The wall is no higher than the walls that channel the river into the temple. The wall surrounding this building is topped by close set stone columns one foot in diameter, and these columns hold up the edge of the ceiling, but you can see that there are massive columns, 20 feet in diameter inside of the building that hold up the weight of the domed ceiling. From east to west this building is 400 feet long, and from north to south it is at least 150 feet wide. At the north end you can see what might be the façade of another building adjacent to this one.

You decide, for now, to skirt to the south, and cross the river where it is shallow, and return to the western wall where the main entrance is located.

I will put up a map, as soon as I can, but for now you have many options. The wall of the Temple Compound is fifteen feet wide at the base and ten feet wide at the top, and slopes inward from the outer surface up. It could probably be climbed easily. The entire surface of the wall is carved with overlapping geometric shapes (mostly squares, triangles and octagons) and the carvings are an inch deep, and wide enough to get your fingers into.

The climate is comparable to the north west coast of America (similar in latitude and weather to Waldport, Oregon). It is mid-summer, and it can rain heavily with little or no notice. You are forty miles from the coast (which is to the west).

Syndir stood tall and looking every bit the emir that he was dressed as even if he didn't hold the title. Sun darkened skin was in sharp contrast to the cloudy skies and lush green background and it didnt take a wizard to know this man was far from home... ah, but friend Syndir, home is in the company of these men and women now... even if that house is divided with questions and questing glances... there is no more structure named home... we left that it charred ruins... perhaps this temple will end up as a final home to these bones... like the last one was for Thomas...

The sight of the immense walls was both a relieving and ominous to the thin, robed man and he planted his slippered feet shoulder width as he gazed at them. The wyrm writhed in his head and he rubbed his temple with a burn scarred hand as he often did when worried or was deep in thought. His gaze drifted upwards to the dark clouds that threatened to once again drench him and his companions... what soulless demon planned this particular hell?... sss... demonsss?.. you wisssh for demonsss?... you know that there isss much worse than demonsss here... there isss truth!... only the truth... ssss.... bite your tongue wyrm... lest I rip it out...

He focused and shut off his Ego. He knew it lead to nothing but Emotion and that path was a dead end.

Well here we are my friends. At long last we stand before a second of these accursed temples that no sage has record of. Yet here it stands.

the Kelishite paused and regarded his friends... are we still friends?.. we shall find out inside... along with more answers than we could ever hope for... or we shall find our deaths...

Well? Shall we breach it with gusto, with the thumping of feet and the rattling of steel like we did the last time? Or shall we stalk the walls like lions with cunning and patience?

Harland cleans his already gleaming musket one more time, careful to keep all the mud and water out of the muzzle. Damned swamp, I don't dare to think what happens if something gets in...

He then gazed over the colossal complex once again, nervously looking for movement. He audibly exhales.
"Yes, here we are, ..., again? It kinda looks like the other one, but still somewhat different. At least I think so."
He again, almost frantically, but surely nervously checks the mechanisms on his weapon.
"We should get to somewhere dry as soon as possible, the rain around here is annoying. Always wets some powder.
Maybe scale the small walls at the river breach and make our way to the domed building or one of the towers? We should not just charge into the main building again, that didn't go that well last time. And I wonder what those additions are here for."

Elise's heart quickened with anticipation as they surveyed the temple complex. At last, some excitement! she thought to herself. Elise was tired of trudging through the swamp. She had always loved adventure, perhaps a little too much. Only recently, as she had grown older, had she come to find something else - someone else - to love. But with Timothy gone, Elise became more reckless than ever, careless of her own safety or even of her life.

"Don't be such a worrywart, Harry. We did just fine charging into the building. It was the charging out that was the problem. I say we head straight up those stairs from the west to the top of the temple, then work our way down." As she says this, Elise begins to rub her legs, which were feeling sore from the walking and the load she was carrying. It was ridiculous, really - her older self would have managed her trifling backpack without a care. But what her younger body gained in energy, it lost in physical strength.

Turning her swirling eyes on the complex, Azana frowned slightly. This place was eerily similar to the last one, but too obviously different. She didn't like the idea of entering. She was pretty sure none of them did. But it wasn't like there was a choice. She'd vowed on the blood that had been so important to her before to bring Thomas back, and she was going to do it. She could feel the power of the wish, the power of her heritage, pumping through her veins. See it in the golden hue of her skin. And she would give it back, if she had to.

Glancing at the walls, Azana frowned. Harland was right - getting inside was a good idea, but Azana wasn't very good at climbing. She might be able to make it over the wall...if one of the others sent down a rope, and she took her time. "Harland, I hope you were planning on helping me over the wall. I don't have wings." Yet, at least. "I like the idea of heading for a tower, though. I want to get a good view of the grounds before we even think of going below. Not much chance that the above ground will in anyway relate to the below ground floor plan, but we might get some clues."

They might also spot the entrance the dragon that had taken the place over was using, and avoid it for now. She was enough of a bard to know the drama of a good story was to find the beast had built it's lair over the fountain where the wish would be made, but frankly, Azana would be just as happy not to fight the creature for now. If they had to...

But the job was get in, make the wish, and get out again without leaving anyone behind this time. She had every intention of doing so, and the power of the wishes meant they had a chance. Or so she hoped. First thing was first - getting in.

"Well, I'm not the best climber myself, but this looks easy enough."

Since he wrote that there are "hand holds" and it's sloped inward, I would expect that a take 10 suffices.

The Previous Day...

Pushing aside a lock of dirty blonde hair, Kaleelah Highrock peered out into the darkness of the murky swamp. Knee-deep in the river and shifting lazily her in her draconic blue scaled armor, the tanned druid waited patiently as her companions checked over the map for the umpteenth time. She had the general gist of the direction they needed to go to reach their destination, but it never a bad idea to double check. However, her... poor literacy skills probably made it better if she just did her job: keep an emerald green eye open for danger.

The druid calmly petted her animal companion - a healthy, armored lioness - while waiting for a group decision about where to go. Nala purred softly and rubbed her head affectionate against Kaleelah's side. The druid promptly smiled and called up a burst of druidic totem magic. Now her companion would understand her with no trouble.

"...Do not worry, girl. All is well. We-"

Kaleelah suddenly winced as a jolt of pain shot up through her leg, and she let out a feline-like hiss. The water around them suddenly became murky with red. Keeping a cool head, the druid swiftly staggered to the shore side and inspected her wound. Meanwhile, Nala quickly growled and swung her razor sharp claws at something shifting in the river.

Whatever had attacked Kaleelah had nipped her only unarmored body part: her foot.

Heal: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Wiggling her toes, Kaleelah quickly deduced that it was nothing major and treated the wound. It had been a quick attack, and her swift feline-like reflexes had gotten her out of trouble. Glancing up, Kaleelah saw Nala approaching with something in her mouth: a deceased serpent of some sort.

Knowledge Nature: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Luckily the darn thing wasn't venomous.

"...Such is the price of going barefoot I suppose."

Suddenly, a terrible thought came to Kaleelah. She had been injured and rather thoughtless not prepared any healing spells that morning. She really did not want to waste any of the group's healing wands, and Azana really needed to keep her healing magic in case of emergency. Kaleelah would have to rely on her natural healing...

There was only one thing she could really say on the matter.

"Son of a-"

Early the Next Morning...

Wrapped up head to toe in her some of her seemingly endless supply of bandages like a mummy possessed, Kaleelah casually shrugged off the confused looks of her companions.

"Eh, fell out of my tree last night... and hit a rock. A pile of rocks. Don't worry about it, dear friends."

Wearing bandages are purely a roleplaying thing that Kaleelah does. They're a part of her outfit. They have no medical use.

Present...

Kaleelah casually inspected the ancient wall and then watched as her companions debated on the merits of scaling it. After a moment of thought, an idea came to mind. With a hidden smile, she decided to speak to them as best as her mummied lips would allow it.

"Dear friends, I am going to have a second look around. I would rather us not get ambushed like when entered last time. From there, we will see about other entrances like that hole. For what it is worth, I have a spell that will allow all of us to scale the wall with ease. However, it would take a lot out of me. It looks like we can climb up without it, though."

She means Communal Spider Climb.

With a wave of her hand, the druid called over Nala for additional assistance. The lioness had one valuable ability that she lacks: a power sense of smell. Together, Kaleelah was confident that they could get an accurate gauge of what might lurking in their surroundings. The druid is also careful to look a potential tracks to see what might have recently stalked around the temple.

Kaleelah Searching for Danger
Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (11) + 10 = 21
Survival: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (19) + 14 = 33
Intuition: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Nala Aiding Another with the Search for Danger via the Detect Trick
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12
Survival: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15
Intuition: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Jacen was his usual quiet self as they approached the Temple Compound. His gaze swept over everything, taking it all in at a glance. His thoughts echoed that of the others; similar and yet, different. What did it all mean? Honestly, Jacen didn't even care anymore. The only thing that mattered was attempting to save their fallen comrade... he dare not think what would happen to them all if they failed. The price would be higher than any of them could fathom.

"Don't be such a worrywart, Harry. We did just fine charging into the building. It was the charging out that was the problem. I say we head straight up those stairs from the west to the top of the temple, then work our way down."

Jacen felt his anger rising, and he was able to bite it back enough not to scream at Elise. He couldn't mask the fury showing in his amber colored eyes as he glared at the little one...

"Did just fine?" His mocking voice cut through. "Perhaps you should tell that to Timothy. Let me find him for you..." Jacen looks around for a moment. "Oh... that's right. He's dead.

He turned away from Elise to address the others. "I'll not do it your way... not this time. I told you all last time, but you wouldn't listen. Well, you'll listen to me now. Careful and quiet is the way this needs to be handled. Scout the temple grounds and see what lies ahead."

He got quiet suddenly. "I don't want to have it happen again... I don't want to see any of you die like Timothy..."

"We won't," Azana replied with determination. "We got in over our heads. Now we have a better idea of what to expect. We'll not just clear a way in but secure our way out again before we even make this wish. And I will gut anything that tries to stop us." Azana blinked for a moment. Gut? The word felt...wrong for her. It wasn't how she usually expressed herself. But it had felt right in the moment.

"So we are agreed? We'll climb to top, see what we can see, and start a sweep down. I'd like to get at least a glimpse of what we're dealing with here." And if the dragon had organized her worshipers, there would be guards in those towers. Azana wanted to know how organized things were here before she continued in.

The Kelishite grimaced as their rogue vented and caused Emotion to once again reared its ugly head. He fought for control... why wont they just cease all this talk about Timothy?.. I'm sick of hearing his name... and about what happened... are you really?.. sss.. yesss, we are... sss... but why?.. The whispering hiss in his head fell silent at the last question and he struggled to find his own reasons as well.

We are in agreement Azana and Jacen has the right of it as well. No more surprises, yes? Let us who are skilled climb up and drop a rope for the others and then we shall see what we can see.

The tall, thin man adjusted the stachel on his hip and approached the wall. The strange geometric designs fascinated the mathematician in him and he was certain if they had the time that they would find a clue amongst symbols but for now they would function as adequate hand holds. Ever methodical, Syndir took his time scaling the wall.

Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Climb: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Just before beginning a thorough search of the temple's outer perimeter, Kaleelah continued to watch as her comrades debate about what to do next. She nodded at the general wisdom of the plan; proceeding with (immense) caution was exactly what she planned to do from here until they hit the Wish Pool. Upon hearing Jacen's outburst, the normally sunny druid could not help but frown and acknowledge that the Rogue was correct with a nod.

Still, that is strange; I do not remember charging straight into the other temple... Perhaps that is one of those... high-perb-oh-lees Timothy told me about.

Glasping her bandaged hands together in delight, Kaleelah watched as the strong and nimble Syndir began climbing the wall to secure the rope for others.

"Before anyone else goes, may I look around first? Searching the outer grounds is just as important as searching the inner ones. What if a venomous serpent slithered in through a crack in the wall? I would hate for us to have missed it!"

Day 1, Turn 1, late morning (9:00 am)*

Yes, anyone, taking the time to be careful, can climb the walls, a take 10 here is allowed. The top of the wall is 10 feet wide, there are no battlements or any other architectural features at the top of the wall. It is simply a flat surface (one could easily fall). The inside edge of the wall is not sloped, and is a straight drop extending down to a “walkway” that follows the inner edge of the wall along the entire perimeter of the Temple Compound. This walkway is 10’ wide and is raised to an elevation about 3’ above the ground (meaning the top of the wall is 12 feet above the walkway). The inner area of the Temple compound is a combination of vast areas of overgrown vegetation at ground level, and a series of connected walkways, like the one that is attached to the inner surface of the wall surrounding the compound.

Can I assume that everyone climbs to the top of the wall, and if I do, can I get a consensus on where, approximately, you climb. I apologize for not having the map ready, but basically the stairs in the center of the western wall are 100 feet wide, leaving 435 of wall to the north and south of this opening and a 30’ x 30’ square, sixty foot tall tower at each corner, north and south (the “foot print” of the compound, including towers is 1030’ from northernmost point of one tower to the southernmost point of the other). So anything with a number would be helpful. Once I know where you are, on the wall, I want to give you an idea of what you can see looking across the compound.

Elise starts to pout as Jacen yells at her. "Of course I know Timothy's dead. I just want to DO something about it." Timothy's death wasn't going to fix itself. But she remains quiet as Jacen also controls himself. She was in a hurry to get inside the temple, but it seemed everyone else wanted to take things slowly.

"I'm right behind you, Syndir." Elise climbs up the wall and takes in the scene. Intuition: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Should we climb the wall around the breach in the wall? That way not everyone needs to climb down on the flip side, as that sounds riskier.

Syndir felt like a fool when he finally saw the wide set of stairs breaching the Western wall and he chose chastising himself over any further conversation regarding the recently departed.

Look there Elise. We could have just used the stairs.

Compeltely forgot about that part of the description ^_^.

Elise chuckles. "That's just what I was saying! But anyway, the plan is to get into a tower first to get a good look, right?" Elise takes a look at the nearest tower. She tries to see a way inside, whether it looks overgrown, and how tall it is.

If we're choosing to climb near the break in the wall, there's a tower in the Southeast corner next to it. Does that sound okay to folks?

Azana slowly and carefully climbed the strange wall, making sure to have a good handhold before dragging herself up further. She wasn't a good climber but with no rush she eventually made it to the top of the wall. As she reached the top she turned and sat, dangling her feet over the edge for a moment and looking out across the swamp they had come through. It looked fairly standard for a swamp - dank, wet and miserable with bugs large enough to attempt to pick smaller races up and fly away with them.

Standing up and turning to the temple proper, Azana scanned the ground below the wall, looking for threats and dangers as well as anything that might be important or useful to know, such as ways into other buildings.

Perception Check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28

Her strange, silver eyes scanned the area carefully, moving over every detail in an attempt to spot everything that might have an impact on there journey into this temple. With a little luck she'd at least see anything between there current position and the nearest tower.

Azana ends up in F7.

"Yes. Though now we have to first get safely down again." He shakes his head. "A wall that's harder to scale on the inside than on the outside, looks almost like a prison. Just without gates."

As Elise, Azana, and the others scale the side of the great temple, Kaleelah looked carefully at the ancient wall and then glanced behind her at her lioness companion, who was waiting patiently for further orders. After a shrug and quick "Come!" command to Nala, the druid rather slowly, awkwardly, but steadily made their way to the top of the temple wall.

Obligatory Handle Animal for Nala: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (9) + 12 = 21

Without hesitation or second thought, Nala followed the Lion Shaman up the side of the temple. Despite being four-legged, she too eventually made it to the top with some occasional assistance and guidance from her handler. Once safely at the top, Kaleelah decided to aide Azana with sight quick sweep of the temple.

Perception Aide Another for Azana: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12

While thinking their next course of action, the blonde druid quickly took the chance to bring everyone up to speed.

"Everyone! Around the base of the stairs, we saw booted footprints that did not belong to any of us. I also found tiny bye-pedal clawed tracks. As for animal life, we found the tracks of many large reptiles, canines, and pred-ah-tory birds. The creatures were mostly around the other walls, while the humanoid ones were near the base of the stairs."

Kaleelah and Nala end up at F6 and G6 respectively. Only need a ten to activate a trick that Nala knows but might as well roleplay it.

Syndir had made room at the top of the wall for the others to join him but hadnt moved very far since. He stood resolutley looking down on the temple grounds and appeared to be lost in thought but he was far from it. Up here with nothing but an unfoerseeable future ahead of them; the Kelishite had emptied his mind. For now the wyrm slept as wyrms were wont to do and he had dismissed his anger at Timothy. He nodded solemnly at Harland's astute observation while he heard Kaleelah explain her findings and it interested him.

Booted feet and bipedal clawed tracks? It sounds like the temple has residents then. We will probably be seen as intruders and have already been seen, perhaps.

I have moved everyone to the top of the wall. I've place you on the north side of the stairs, so the easiest tower to access, for you now, is the tower in the NW corner. The wall is 435 long, so you can all head that direction. The dark shadowy spot that appears to be a doorway, as was mentioned in the discussion thread, is at this level. If you do not hurry, I will assume everyone is taking 20, either on a perception check or an intuition check (just tell me which one your character tends to trust first, their sense or their instincts). I am going to try to get a new pdf file uploaded soon with all of the buildings shown that you can see from this height.

Depends on her current state of being so to speak. At the moment, Kaleelah relies on heightened sense of perception if you know what I mean~

That'll be intuition.

While walking slowly, Harland checks if all his ammunition is still there.
"Yeah, but that was to be expected. The question is just if and when they'll ambush us."

Azana continued to keep scanning as she slowly headed for the tower, and smiled. "It's hard to ambush someone who expects an ambush. Remember that one time, when a Kobold was waiting on the ceiling with a net and Thomas..." Azana stopped talking for a moment, alone with her thoughts.

"Anyway," she added after a moment, "Let's see if we can spot anything magical."

Azana starts slowly scanning the area with Detect Magic, especially the tower we're approaching.[/i]

Syndir will also rely on Perception first and foremost as he knows that Emotion will often lie to ones self in favor of Desire

Syndir almost shot the bard a dark look for once again bringing up Timothy but he let it pass ...we are each dealing with it in our way...

Yes, well it will be difficult to ambush us while we walk this wall. It is underground that they will have the advantage of surprise lest we stay wary. Onwards to yon shadowy doorway then?

The lithe monk will begin making his way towards the tower entrance.

You walk slowly along the top of the wall towards the northwest tower. A flock of small dull colored birds flies into the sky far away to your right. They make no calls, only the sounds of their wings alerting you to their presence.

It is still strangely quiet.

Suddenly a loud thunder crack rings out from somewhere to your right and the sound is almost immediately followed by the sound of something striking the stone wall just behind Elise and tiny chips of stone are thrown into the air.

Famous last words, Syndir!

Elise trusts in her Perception when she is calm and collected. But when under immediate threat, her Intuition inevitably takes over. Being hit by mysterious thunderstones certainly falls into the immediate threat category. Intuition check to know what's going on?

Elise intentionally falls prone. She has weapon in hand.

Not sure if we had a marching order, but I would suggest that Elise is normally in the front.

"What on-" Azana turned and looked at the lightning strike, and then up into the sky. Lightning and thunder were bread and butter to a Thundercaller, and Azana wanted to know if it was a blast of natural lightning or someone was hurling lightning at them.

Knowledge (Nature): 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (4) + 7 = 11

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (1) + 10 = 11

While obviously alert to the booming sound of thunder, Kaleelah's ability to fully analyze the situation is hampered as the druid is forced to nimbly dodge a shard of loose rock, which almost hits her her head.

Run, you fools, run!

Syndir makes a break for the shadowy doorway... sss...whos the fool?.. by the dawn, we all are for coming here... sss, yesss you are but the price for pain prevailsss....

Swift action to activate Turtle Style +1 AC = 18, Full move.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Day 1, turn 2

Syndir breaks into a run toward the Northwest tower, while Elise dives for the ground.

Another retort is heard

Ranged Attack: 1d20 - 6 ⇒ (2) - 6 = -4

but the sound is different, and seems to echo with a kind of "double retort".

"Gunfire!" Azana called out, dropping down in the hope of avoiding any other incoming blast (Using total defence action for +4 AC) and tried to scan the area, hunting for the source of the blasts. If she could spot it she had a chance of fighting back.

Perception: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25

But even kneeling down wasn't going to stop her from dying. Azana moved towards the tower as fast as she could, hunched over still. Stone might not stop black powder weapons, but it offered more protection than the open air and her own pretty skin.

It was deeply concerning that whoever was guarding the temple had black powder weapons. She knew from Harland the difficulty of keeping such equipment in combat ready condition, and the difficulty of getting black powder at all. The guards here must be better equipped than Azana had guessed to what must be a huge, wall mounted weapon - and one they could train on there own walls.

Jacen curses and ducks when he hears the first shot. He draws out his shortbow and nocks an arrow to the string as the second shot rings out! He glances around trying to locate the source of the shots as he quickly follows behind Syndir. "Come! The tower may give us a better vantage point for attack!"

Jacen will typically use his Perception as his primary awareness skill.

Perception: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Does Harland recognize the misfire (as a player, the 2 lets me assume it was that)? Does he notice where it came from (seems to be quite far, with a -6)?

intuition: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

Hearing the shot Harland flinches and momentarily looks at the muzzle of his musket, half expecting that something just went wrong with it.
Once he is sure he wasn't the thunder's cause, he begins to instinctively scan the surrounding, already shivering at the thought of gunpowder in monster's hand.
He stands like this for a few seconds, before noticing that the rest started to move and following them. While walking he fumbles to load his main gun.

Realizing that Jacen and Syndir are charging headlong for the tower, Elise realizes she ought to get moving herself. At least they were probably spreading out.

She gets up and hurries toward the tower.

For the briefest of seconds, Kaleelah stood and stared wide-eyed like a frightened deer in the direction she now realized that the cannon fire was coming from. As she turned to face her friends again, the blonde druid briefly caught Jacen looking darkly in the exact same direction just before the Rogue man darted after Syndir. The Lion Shaman then noticed Harland readying his own blackpowder weapon.

"Follow Jacen! They too far! Can tell you where when we safe!" she shouted quickly and somewhat panickedly in suddenly very broken Common to the Gunslinger. Kaleelah is not a native speaker of the language, so the group would probably know that she tends to fall apart lingistically in times of stress.

Without a second thought, Kaleelah quickly assisted Elise with getting off the stone ground.

"Azana, Nala, come!" Kaleelah ordered hurriedly as she too began to run as fast as her bare feet could carry hurry her.

Needless to say, the lioness did not need to be told twice and quickly followed her handler.

Day 1, turn 2, (round 1)

The group breaks into a run, and because of the chaos of the moment, some distance builds between them.

Syndir is in the lead, and it is he who first sees the monsters coming out of the tower ahead of him.

They are a mixture of small and medium sized creatures, but they all have similar body shapes. They are unlike anything he has ever seen before. The first thing that comes to his mind is that these are demonic creatures, some abomination from the lower planes. Their bodies are scaly, thin and elongated, while their legs are fat and articulated with what appear to be two knees and the legs end in a clubbed foot with two wicked and long claws. Their arms are long, and also appear multi-jointed. They have heads that resemble Kobolds, long snouts, with large nostrils, huge multi-faceted eyes, and pointed canine ears. They have no horns. They look as though they are not wearing any armor, but do look as though they are wearing some kind of “skirt” or “kilt-like” garment that is drawn tight around their waists with belts made from a light colored material, while the skirts appear to be made of animal hide.

They are armed with reach weapons, long poles that end in forked spear tips (two-points set very close together, like a fishing implement), and some of them have small bows.

There are nine monsters in total, four are medium sized (all armed with spears), and five are small (three are armed with bows). They pour out of the opening in the tower wall and come toward you making “hoot-hoot” sounds.

I will update the map tonight, and give everyone a chance to be positioned where they feel they should be. This will be an unusual combat; the monsters are attacking you on the top of the wall. There is a risk of falling off either side (or you could jump down, the distance is 12 feet to the inner side, and 15 feet to the outer side, but you could effectively slide down that side if you wanted to. There is little chance for you to begin a negotiation with these monsters, but I will not tell you that you cannot try to talk to them if that is what you want to do.

You can, and should, roll for initiative. There is no surprise round.

Intitiative: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25

Elise has some trouble seeing the demonic creatures ahead of the taller folk in front. But she's pretty sure they're trouble. "How many? How many!" she asks frantically.

Initiative: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26

The map has been updated, please let me know if you do not like where you are placed. The monsters with green halos are medium sized, the ones with yellow halos are small and armed with spears, and the ones with orange halos are small and are armed with bows.

I Really Need to Take Improved Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

As she drew her wicked scythe for combat, Kaleelah quickly did a head count of the enemy of the enemy: nine total, most armed with spears and the rest sporting bows. She frowned; the archers would be worrisome. The limited nature of the movement on this wall also made the druid nervous.

"Nine," the Lion Shaman whispered quickly to Elise. "Four big with spears, two little with spears, and three little with bows. None look friendly."

Kaleelah then focused back on the upcoming battle.

"Fire or Claw?" she asks the group quickly, a little code phrased they had made years ago.

@Everyone: Flaming Sphere on the archers or summon up a cat in the middle of their ranks? If it's a cat, how big (burn a 2nd or 3rd level spell slot; there are no decent 1st level options)?

@Terquem: Mind moving me and Nala up one square to the north?

While getting his musket ready Harland mumbles "At least it seems it broke, I hope it broke."

Ini: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

"Fire!" shouts Elise.

Unable to spot anything as she moved and hid, Azana made her way with the others. "Then let's hope they try firing the gun again - an explosion from one of those could be quite entertaining. Where the hell are they?"

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17

Jacen holds back his smart remark about stealth as the monsters come pouring out. Instead he tells the others where he had spotted the shot coming from. He readies his arrow to fire ...

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

"Let's get em!" Elise throws herself into the crowd of enemies, ducking and weaving, hopefully before they can react.

Elise double moves to F20. In the event the bad guys have Combat Reflexes or something similar, she has AC26 against movement AOOs.

Flowing into his art; Syndir follows along right behind Elise with his feet appearing to slide across the stone walkway.

swift action to activate

The Keleshite slashed at the strange, reptilian creature once he was within range.

Temple sword attack vs G.20: 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 7 + 2 = 24
damage: 1d8 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

If it's not too late for such things, acrobatics checks to tumble if the bad guys are not flat footed and do try to take AOOs.

Acrobatics 1: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (5) + 17 = 22
Acrobatics 2: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (9) + 17 = 26
Acrobatics 3: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (8) + 17 = 25

I missed a good perception roll by Azana, sorry about that. Must pay closer attention to everyone's posts. It seems to Elise that these monsters must not have a lot of experience fighting nimble foes, as none of them are quick enough to take advantage of her position as she moves past them.

The first to move at the sudden swarm of strange creatures coming from the tower is the small girl Elise, who darts to the left and then to the right as she weaves her way through the ranks of the monsters, but as she moves something vile assaults he senses.

Syndir is quickly on her heals and with a practiced concentration focuses his mind driving away troubling thoughts and becoming one with his instincts. He sees that Elise has come to stop behind one of the creatures and this distracts the monster. It begins to lumber in a circle as if trying to attack her, and this is when Sydir has the advantage. His sword strikes in a powerful slash across the monster’s side, but the cut isn’t deep and even though Syndir knows the monster is hurt, almost no blow flows from the wound.

Then it hits him, the same thing that assaults Elise. It is a horrible stench, something almost palpable in the air that surrounds, invisibly, each of these monsters, a terrible smell that stings the eyes and chokes the throat.

Each of these monsters is surrounded by a terrible odor that is a combination of rotting flesh and sulfurous fumes. It is, for technical purposes a reduced version of the “Stench Aura” and only affects an area immediately adjacent to one of the Medium sized monsters. The first round you are exposed to it you become aware of it, but are not required to make a save against it until the second round you remain in the aura. The save against this aura is a Fortitude save, DC 14, and if you fail you are sickened, and remain sickened as long as you are within the aura (which remains even after one of the monsters is killed), and then has a duration of 5 rounds after you are out of the aura. Each monster's Aura is unique, and if you succeed on a save against one of them, you cannot be affected by that one’s aura for 24 hours but can be affected by the Aura of another.

The small monsters in the back hoot shrieks of anger and seem to leap from side to side, then arrows fly from their weapons.

These attacks are targeting Azana(#1), Elise(#2), And Harland(#3), but all of you have cover due to the number of creatures blocking the line of sight, +4 to your AC.

Ranged Attack #1: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Damage if Successful Hit: 1d4 ⇒ 2
Ranged Attack #2: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Damage if Successful Hit: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Ranged Attack #3: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Damage if Successful Hit: 1d4 ⇒ 3