Brok sends another fiery bomb into the midst of the plant-zombies, burning them once again.
Meanwhile Grezzor sends his sphere at one of the moss-spheres, but this time it manages to avoid getting singed.
Vargrenz continues standing his ground, effectively bottling up the plant-zombies.
Praetor sends a wave of icy energy down into the mass of enemies...and is satisfied to see nearly all of them affected by the negative wave. Shade stands by his master ready to repel any assaults to head his way.
fail, 3pts
fail, 3pts
save, 1pt
fail, 3pts
save, 1pt
fail, 3pts
fail, 3pts
fail, 3pts
Malzii sends her ancestors' blessings over the party, while Arlok slashes the Moss-sphere which still is grappling the fetchling.
As the plant zombie who struck Keil floats upwards out of Arlok's reach, one tendril still attached to it, he jerkily drops his bow and draws his rapier and thrusts it hard into Arlok's side! Only a perternatural warning manages to save the godling from a nasty wound!
Arlok also finds himself under assault by the other moss sphere...while a pair of tendrils manage to contact his body he easily shrugs them off.
miss
hit,
miss
hit,
no.
The lead plant-zombie continues its futile assault against Vargrenz...while the other creatures wait for an opportunity to attack.
miss.
miss.
"By the Holy Hells, what is that FOOL doing?" Raaz bellows as he sees the fetchling turn upon the party. Seeing the duergar still holding the line he holds out his hand and sends a bolt of darkly charged electricity at the moss-plant above Keil, scorching it deeply.
hit for points of electrical damage.
Brok loads his crossbow and aims at the second zombie in line in front of Vargrenz.
(deadly aim)
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With his eyes rolling into the back of his head, a stream of drool begins to down the fetchling's chin. Groaning in a monotone,"Keil" raises the rapier clumsily as he steps forward to press his attack "Raaa nuurg Ahhhhh sRrR Rrrrrr Ooo rOoOO aHhH aaraaa RRAAa ggRr oRr ggRr RRrOO Aaaaa OrrR AahhH!!!"
Again with sheer will and training, Grezzor moves the sphere of magical fire, bringing it to bear on the plant zombie apparently controlling Keil.
Arlok steps back against the wall surprised Keil attacked him but aware based on the knowledge of these creatures.
Arlok strikes the floating bush again continuing his assault and taking the flank away from Keil.
Brok's shot flies wide of the zombie, while Grezzor sends the flaming sphere high up into the moss-sphere hovering above Keil...it fails to move out of the way and is scorched badly.
Vargrenz sees the moss-sphere has indeed taken control of Keil, with both Malzii and Arlok concentrating their efforts on it. While Malzii's weapon is dodged aside, Arlok's blow is not...and the Moss sphere collapses to the ground, its body twitching in its death throes. Keil feels the alien forces assaulting his mind fade as he also collapses to the ground.
The remaining moss-sphere floats away from the godling and out of the range of his weapons.
The plant-zombies up ahead continue to attack the duergar, more in an attempt to prevent your advance of you than to actually hurt you, though one of its blows does connect.
miss.
hit.
fail.
Grey released another burst of withering energy.
Raaz glares at the duergar, "Be thankful the rest of us were able to break Keil's domination! I don't feel it good to have to watch my back constantly!" He then steps forward and thrusts his spear at the zombie but his aim is once again off.
; miss.
"I tire of these plant things - we should burn them all down!" - the flaming sphere reflects eerily in Grezzor's eyes as he sends it after the last floating creature.
Brok reloads his and aims again at the second zombie in line in front of Vargrenz.
(deadly aim)
errmm .... that was a warning shot!!!! he declares as the missile flies above the zombie's head.
Arlok moves back and begins to attack the waiting line of plant zombies.
Coming to his senses the fetchling screams with rage. Still drooling he retrieves his bow and nocks another arrow this time pulling the bowstring as far back as his lean arms will allow - and then some. Spitting infernal curses though his mask the shadowy man looses the arrow into the floating moss thing all the while wishing to Hel herself for his arrow to strike the other monstrosity down.
;
Brok's shot flies wide of the fast-retreating moss-sphere, while Grezzor's sphere manages to scorch it further. Moving quickly out of sight the spiritual weapon floats after it but its blow also goes wide.
Vargrenz maintains his stance, while Praetor sends another wave of dark, crackling energy into the wave of zombies. The lead plant-zombie collapses in a heap from the onslaught, which allows Arlok to slice the next plant-zombie in twain!
save, 1pt
fail, 3pts
save, 1pt
fail, 3pts
fail, 3pts
fail, 3pts
fail, 3pts
The remaining plant-zombies silently shuffle back down the ramp from an unspoken signal from the moss-sphere. Raaz watches them leave and motions to where the lone moss-sphere hovers down below. "It looks like they are regrouping!"
"Kill that one." Grey commands Shade, pointing at the floating moss creature.
"That one may be the last controlling all - try and take it down" - Grezzor presses on, this time with a Ray of Frost, as the Flaming Sphere burns out.
Arlok stands at the ready waiting on the zombies to come back.
Brok gives the last sphere a parting shot
(deadly aim)
Even as the floating sphere retreats Keil's hurtles his infernal curses after it. Quashed by the time it took to stand and collect himself, Keil's attempt to do the remaining creature great physical harm goes unanswered. Even more enraged by this, the fetchling's eyes take on aspects of some wild animal as he howls furiously, Taking up his rapier Keil savagely lays into the dead moss-sphere laying nearby; that which had so recently had a hold on his mind becoming the sole object of his attention. Spitting foul words Keil heedlessly slashes the metal of his rapier blade repeatedly and viciously into the dead creature's bulk. Sending spray after spray of blood and gore everywhere Keil butchers and rends the creature's body into something completely unrecognizable, continuing his barrage for some time and stopping only once there is nothing left of the moss-sphere to hack to pieces.
|
Varg watches as the zombies retreat. Deciding to press the advantage, he carefully makes his way down the ramp, watching as his companions attempt to eliminate the moss sphere.
Total Defense: AC23
Move: follow the zombies down the ramp, but not to where he can be flanked easily.
Keep shooting at the sphere. Arlok, lets follow the zombies.
While Malzii's shot flies wide, Brok and Grezzor both manage to wound the moss-plant severely. For the most part it seems to have had enough as it floats erratically out of sight. This does not deter Shade as it flies off at the moss-sphere...
Hit.
Keil eviscerates the moss sphere's body without too much trouble. Vargrenz, along with Raaz, both cautiously advances down the ramp while Arlok stands his ground.
The plant-zombies move off to the corner of the chamber where they all disappear out of sight.
"We need to proceed with care" - Grezzor points out - "The ogres we encountered earlier may be waiting for us"
Grey walked back around the bend to the rest of the group. "We should delay here until Shade returns. The plant creature seems to have no defenses against a Shadow. It should be a short wait."
"Hey... Arlok say stay. You walk in ogre trap."
Arlok holds position on the higher ground bottle neck. Here we will wait and see how things play out over the next few minutes. Seeing if the Ogres will attack or the plants come back.
Brok reloads and readies a shot if danger appears.
Panting, Keil gives what's left of the moss sphere one last kick then wiping his rapier blade on the hem of his cloak he sheaths the weapon. Retrieving his bow the fetchling marches off down the path on a mission to kill more of them.
While the rest of the group takes a more cautious approach, waiting for Shade to finish slaying the plant-creatures, Keil being out for blood throws caution to the wind and follows the undead shadow after the floating moss-sphere.
He soon runs across the remains of the moss sphere, drained of its vitality, just inside the corridor where the plant creatures retreated. Venturing deeper into the room the fetchling sees this room rises to an egg like dome in the ceiling. A strange humming noise emanates from the slimy moss covering the otherwise featureless stone walls of the chamber. Six glowing blue flowers seem to grow directly from the walls. Two of them are within easy reach, two are 20 feet up, one at 30 feet, and the last one at 40 feet.
The room is otherwise empty, but there is a passage leading south out of the chamber. Following it down soon leads to where the bottom of the ramp leads up to his compatriots. It is easy to see the scuffling marks where the plant-zombies hastily fled from here.
At the entrance to the egg room, Keil puts down his bow and draws one of his daggers. Eyes wide, the fetchling takes a moment to free the mossy sphere of its skin, chuckling to himself all the while. He leaves the skinned creature where he found it and only spends a moment or two to examine the contents of the domed room, Anyone hiding? Come out, come out! Perturbed that there is nothing left to kill Keil finds the bottom of the ramp and spits in the direction the zombie have fled. Slinging his bow over his shoulder the fetchling turns east. Walking steadily up the ramp he rejoins the group to report his findings, "Nothing value." As for the glowing blue flowers, the shadowy man points his thumb in the direction of the domed room, "Perhaps one of you may find them of some use."
"I would not mind seeing their lair. I admit to some curiosity regarding their mind control capabilities." Grey said, wanting to move in the direction Keil had just returned from, but not wanting to leave the group behind.
From beneath his blackened mask the shadowy man grins mischievously. Knowing what he'd done to the mossy-sphere, Grey's curiosity may or may not be made easier. Either way, the fetchling quickly decides it will be amusing to have his work critiqued. "The danger is minimal. I can take you."
If the others commit, Keil leads the group into the domed chamber...
"Indeed - let us take a look, please" - Grezzor reinforces, moving after the others.
Arlok follows and catches up.
You all rejoin the fetchling in the domed chamber and quickly determine the moss-plants have indeed vacated the premises, likely by the tunnel in the south wall. While nothing in the room detects as magical, the glowing blue flowers, while alien in origin, do appear to be fully matured.
The kobold shaman quickly realizes these 'flowers' are not natural in origin. She has never heard of such a species before.
Brok takes a look and tries to identify the flowers.
Then he looks for tracks to see which way the plant zombies went.
Like Malzii Brok realizes the crystal flowers did not originate on this world, but he does manage to determine the plant-zombies did flee down the corridor which heads further into the Gut, and towards Rappan Athuk.
"Would be interesting to collect one for later study" - Grezzor points out - "But I doubt it would survive long"
Spitting with mild displeasure as his work has gone unappreciated*, Keil signals the orc mules over to retrieve his rope and grappling hook. Affixing the two the fetchling scans the dome for someplace to attach the hook onto, then swinging the weighted rope several times for good measure before letting fly the climbing tool. The shadowy man watches the hook sail up into the dome and land solidly somewhere up the wall. He gives the rope several good tugs and, satisfied the hold is good, starts his climb.
[dice=Rnged Attack Grappling Hook vs. AC5]1d20+6[/dice]
Although knowing next to nothing plants, Waste of time... the fetchling does his best to secure some samples. Using the rope for support and keeping his gloves on, the shadowy man works patiently to retrieve at least three of the flowers using a dagger to dig or pry the blossoms from their perch. Securing one for each of the magicians, he looks down at Brok (and the rest of the group) to check if anyone else would like one, before returning to the chamber's floor.