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[flame99]

The bandit's fate is decided. Algarius begins to stab the bandit through the throat, but Dawnstar decides to take the kill for himself. He hefts his war axe over his head and brings it down onto the head of the bandit. The skull is shattered, the top becoming a veritable dust. The blade of the axe sinks about halfway through his face, the bandit's look of fear and despair still etched into his eyes.

[mastahcheese]

"Well, that was a little excessive."

[Powder Miner]

"...Ow. ...Changing my mind in the future."

[dawnstar]

((Uh...))

[flame99]

The party, now rested, fed, and showered in gore, heads off to the cave the bandit described. You follow his vague instructions, and eventually break free of the woods to find some steep hills that are rather close to mountains. As you arrive, you can certainly see how it got it's name. Dark, brackish water flows gently through it, running down from a river in the hillside before it hits the cavern entrance. The smell is like a wall, and hits you as soon as you go in. The stench very nearly sends tears down your face. As you glance around, you notice a fitfully burning lantern hanging on a piton hammered into the wall. The party begins to press further into the cave, when Norji trips over a dropped short sword, sitting in a pile of blood slowly dripping into the vile river, turning it a sickening dark red. The being or corpse that provided the blade and blood is nowhere to be seen, but judging from the black, viscous liquid on the walls, it didn't go without a fight. Further in the cave, a door is crudely built into a passage, leading to a side room in the east. The yawning tunnel continues further north.

[GiglameshDespair]

"Well." said the voice of a small, scared child. "This is ominous. Anyone else having second thoughts?"

The cloaked figure of Algarius shook it's head, taking a moment to master it's fear. Words came easy to the rogue - but bravery was a mask it wore, sure as any of those that hid it's face. It had changed it's mask along the journey to a jagged blue pattern on pale white wood, the previous fastidiously cleaned and hung on the belts with the others. The ground squelched unpleasantly beneath the boots. "Trouble in paradise, I wonder? Right, a plan. I'll open the door and slip inside. If anything goes wrong, I'll leg it like Tiamat herself was on my tail and you mighty warriors chop it up for me. Sound good?"

[Powder Miner]

Oh dammit, Catarina had expected something dangerous, but not something like this...
"... ...told you this wouldn't be easy. Oh well. I'd rather not turn back now. If you start running I'm following you."

[mastahcheese]

"If it looks like things are going bad, I'll be the first to come in and back you up."
Cromwell took up a position by the door, ready to open it for Algarius.

[dawnstar]

stop complaining
I say, ginning like mad
the more dangerous the better

[flame99]

Algarius opens the door just barely, and stealthily slides through. The room seems to be some kind of storage area, as open canisters of lantern fuel litter the ground, as do some rather rotten-looking foodstuffs. Between the spilled oil and alcohol, the place looks about as fireproof as a match. Inside is a beast-like figure, looking vaguely like a small, humanoid bear. Its body is jet black, save two dark red stripes running down it's torso. It also wears several occult-looking charms with gently glowing dark blue tattoos forming runes on its body. The beast grins as it notices the masked man, and begins to chant an odd incantation. Within seconds, a wall swiftly forms over the door, sealing the rogue in.
From the momentary view Caterina managed to get of it, she identifies the beast as an Uthgur, a species of the little-known devil variety, the Mirok. The stronger samples of Mirok were exceedingly intelligent and dangerous, and so the gods deigned to seal them away. The fact that one of them is free, even of the weaker variety, is a very, very bad sign. The charms and runes on the Uthgur marks it as a shaman, capable of summoning illusions and allies. The Uthgur themselves aren't overly  intelligent, and only mildly smarter than the average human. They're often used as disposable pawns by more powerful Mirok.

[mastahcheese]

"Dang it, NO!"
Punch the wall with all of my force!

[dawnstar]

I charge fowered and attack the stronger demon with my axe

[Powder Miner]

"Ah, ah, shit. That's a Boccob-damned Mirok. That's an Uthgur, a shaman too! It's a damned summoner! Shit... I think we could handle it if we could get in. Let me just..."
Catarina mutters a few divine words between the words of her normal speaking, and makes gestures, casting Detect Magic in the direction of the wall and room!

[GiglameshDespair]

((masked man? I don't remember stating Algarius' gender  ))

---

Quietly, Algarius regarded the demon. "Ah, Pelor damn it." it muttered.

Leaping into motion, it grabbed a pail of lantern oil and hurled it towards the devil's face, hoping to blind the beast. It drew both short swords and prepared to fight defensively, looking around deperately for a way out.

[flame99]

Spoiler: Initiative (click to show/hide)

Algarius: 17
Cromwell: 20
Caterina: 8
Dawnstar: 19
Uthgur Shaman: 3

Cromwell, in a fit of rage, punches the newly-formed wall. The punch is vicious, and likely would have decimated the stone, had he not passed through it. Norji quickly charges into the room, trying to attack the Uthgur caster before it can harm Algarius. The Mirok, surprised that his illusion had been discovered so fast, had no chance to react, and is hit by the orc's axe. The blade cleaves deep into the beast, but it isn't quite dead. Algarius grabs some of the oil on the ground and tosses it at the devil, tossing it square into it's eyes, blinding it. Algarius then tries to take a defensive stab, missing horribly but still ready to dodge whatever comes his way. Caterina, still outside of the room, casts Detect Magic, confirming that yes, the wall is, in fact, magical in nature. Such observations probably could have been made mundanely at that point. The shaman chants a few words while stumbling around, and a pillar of smoke rises from the ground. As it clears, the form of a second Uthgur coalesces, this one without the markings and charms. Abraham, meanwhile, stands around looking slightly confused.