~ The Shaman's Path ~
Ornthalas leads you down a looong corridor ending in a huge circular room with a circular stairway leading deep, deep down into the Darkendeep. There's also other corridors leaving away from the room.
"Bring some light over here," Ornthalas requests after having moved over to one of the corridors.
The light shows a crude shaman painted in white on the wall next to the corridor.
"This is the way."
Ornthalas starts to move, but then you all hear this sound coming from down the corridor.
"Gralocs!" Ornthalas exclaims and unsheathes his sword.
"I knew the day I'd see these things again would be too soon."
Magnes frowns as he draws his spear and procures a new shot of brew in his flask. "At least the brain spider isn't back." The Dhouvarr comments with a slight grin as he looks down the tunnel most likely to be full of angry cave dinosaurs.
Girian gives a slightly concerned frown as he looks to the dwarf and back to the tunnel "I suppose we just have to hope the attacking group is small enough for us to deal with then. I'll do my best to provide help."
Bhalur growls a bit as he graps his own shield and sword, brandishing them as he steps slowly to the front of others and assumes defensive position "Gralocs, here?! Are they or rather, they used to be common occurrence here or this is something new?" remembering their last encounter with them and his muscles tightening and relaxing with each breath in and out
A tense half minute passes before they show up, the bipedal reptilian predators with stone-colored scales, long claws and small sinister yellow eyes above mouths full of sharp teeth that you encountered before in the Darkendeep below Castle Blackrose. The creatures known as the Gralocs. Three of them moving fast towards you...
Waiting for them to approach the party, Bhalur will charge them in the last few second before they would reach the party, forcing them to attack him and leaving room for other members to move around
Magnes retreives a curious looking bottle banded in stripes of black and white, downing it and giving a satisfied sigh. His cheeks taking the rosy color he is so often seen with and his arms suddenly growing grotesquely in length.
"Really weird, but I guess it works well enough. Let'm get close an' I can give em what fore with meh spear. If they are comin' for us I can also skewer one."
Unsure how many hit or how many Galrocs provoke. Damage is dice+7, use what is needed.
Girian's face falls as he sees precisely what they were to fight.
"Well I've not seen one of those before. Phyllis why didn't you say you were having company?" the human jokes as he begins grasping at the flux.
Rhialla waits a long time before she fires her bow, waiting to ensure that the humanoids are hostile and secondly they are real.
If they refuse to slow despite the parties weapons being drawn, Rhialla fires her bow.
Kevroth levels his musket as the creatures come into view, waiting
until they are within 30 feet, then he fires at the rear most Graloc.
Hawkren stabs the worg with his rapier, just as a Ghost Bear tribesman runs his spear through its torso. The worg lets out a whimper and dies.
Graloc Fight
[initiative order]: Gralocs (24), Kevroth (23), Girian (21), Magnes (20), Rhialla (18), Bhalur (13).
~ Round 1 ~
[damage taken]:
Graloc 1: 29
Graloc 2: 6
Graloc 3: 13
~ Round 2 ~
[damage taken]:
Graloc 1: 29
Graloc 2: 16
Graloc 3: 20
Tell me what you do.
Girian frowns as his first attempt at magic fails and the ravenous lizards descend. "Are these lizards drunker than you Magnes?"
The human comments as the lizards charge utterly fails.
Seeing the easy line Rhialla had pointed out Girian follows aiming a roiling sphere of mystic ice.
Magnes shrugs and rapidly hefts his battleaxe swinging toward the Graloc immediately in front of him. "Dunno but ah' suspect were that the case they wouldn't be tryin' ta eat us. More stumblin' an lookin at yer fairy lights over there."
Round 2
Assuming his normal fighting style, reserving his movements to small motions and keeping his body crouched, Bhalur slashes out towards the creature again, trying to draw its attention more than actually doing damage
Reloading his musket with swift, sure actions, Kevroth fires again at the third Graloc.
Reloading his musket with swift, sure actions, Kevroth fires again at the third Graloc.
Rhialla continues to fire her bow at point blank range.
Seeing the bugbear fall down in front her, she breathes a sigh of relief and quickly begins to casts another healing spell on herself.
Continues healing herself, and then surveys the battle field to see what threats are nearby her, and if someone needing her help to dispose of a difficult foe.
[initiative order]: Gralocs (24), Kevroth (23), Girian (21), Magnes (20), Rhialla (18), Bhalur (13).
~ Round 2 ~
[damage taken]:
Graloc 1: 38 (dead)
Graloc 2: 35 (dead)
Graloc 3: 51 (dead)
You each gain 400 XP.
Magnes raises an eyebrow at the rapidly dead dinosaurs. "Wow were those some dumb lizards." The Dhouvarr then looks to the collection of spider parts on his back, then over to the dinosaurs again.
"Hrmmm... but what to go with it?" The drunken mans asks himself as he seems to consider the least damaged parts of each Graloc.
" Hey Ornthalas, you know if Graloc is poisonous? I realize ah' never had the chance to try such a beast before. Figure we're gonna make camp once we get out of the shaman's path here, might as well have something interesting to eat. Ah doubt there'll be any deer down here to eat after all."
Iggy gets up and dusts off his robes then picks up the curved sword he had dropped, a sword given to him by Yasandra during the day when she learned his only weapon was his quarterstaff. "Thanks Hawk."
It is difficult to see which direction the battle is going in. There are still many combatants fighting on each side.
Yasandra Melathnir is fighting side by side with her liutenant Aldiëra, while shouting out orders trying to keep control of the Ghost Bears on your side of the Bherugs.
Her other liutenant Varus has attacked the Bherugs from the other side with the other half of the army, but the Bherugs, bugbears, hobgoblins and worgs fight fiercely back and it is still hard to tell if you're going to win or lose.
Arukara, just as you have finished healing yourself you see three Bherug tribesmen coming in your direction.
Hawkren you see the three Bherug tribesmen going for Arukara.
"They are not poisonous and they taste like chicken. I would much rather dine on Gralocs than on that big ugly spider bendalë." Ornthalas says and sheathes his sword.
"I'd agree with that sentiment. Still can't get that things face out of my head." Girian responds as Phyllis flys over to the downed lizards and rips off a snack for the road.
Magnes just gives a short laugh and sets about grabbing the best looking cuts of meat from the oversized lizards.
"See that sounds like a challenge ta meh. guess I'll just have to change yer mind with meh fantastic cooking."
As the combat stops and everyone begin again with normal speaking, Bhalur smiles at the comment of Magnes "Again with the experimenting Magnes? I am not against with eating or at least trying that spider. For sure it will be... um, quite a wonder, I suppose?"hanging the last words up in the air as he is looking for the correct form
"Nature is always give and take. Might as well enjoy it" pondering to himself as he watches over the dead bodies of Gralocs before muttering a pray for Dragon Matron and scratching Shaer's scaly head
Rhialla wrinkles her nose at the thought of eating the spider or the lizards, but keeps to herself.
STAND: Arcane Bolt (Range: 30' ; crit: 20/2x)
Seeing three Bherugs coming towards her, she quickly starts weaving the mist to entangle them before they get to her.
~ The Shaman's Path ~
After Magnes has wrapped up the Graloc meat, the six adventurers continue on their way through the Shaman's Path. The path takes them to a large cavern where they walk across a naturally formed stone bridge across an underground lake. Green-glowing fungi grow on the cavern walls and huge limestone stalagmites above you.
You see the head of a large dark serpent-like creature appearing from the still water of the cavern lake for a brief moment.
After having crossed the bridge across the lake in the cavern they proceed to walk through a tunnel which seems endless. They walk for at least an hour when they finally reach another large cavern, this one without a lake, but with several tunnels and an an old stone stairway leading up.
"We're almost there." Ornthalas says and leads the adventurers up the stair and down through another tunnel, which they walk down for about half an hour before they finally reach the exit of the Shaman's Path.
They are standing on a cliff some thirty feet above the jungle floor, the starry nightsky making the canopy of the Wyvernwaeld seem blue. Ornthalas points to a glade nearby with a ruined tower. "Tér Beldroth. Let us make camp there."
Just as Hawkren's bolt of energy hits one of the Bherug tribesmen, Iggy releases a ray of fire on the one next to him ( ) and Arukara's weaving causes the plants to come alive and wrap themselves around the legs of the three tribesmen ( , , ). Two of the tribesmen become entangled, while the third leaps at the grey-feathered koroku druid intent on cleaving her with his battleaxe ( ), but the koroku nimbly dodges the attacks.
[Damage taken]
Bherug tribesman 1: 5
Bherug tribesman 2: 6
Bherug tribesman 3: 0
Girian keeps a cautious eye on the surroundings as they continue forth, using his summoned torches to banish any lingering pools of shadow on the path.
The human gives the creature in the lake a concerned glance, letting the torches linger for a longer time so as to make keeping track of the creature easier.
"Some kind of big snake thing down there. be careful."
------
On exiting the Shamans path Girian stops clenching his fists nearly as hard and he lets out a held breath. "I hate caves like that, always asking to wake up some ancient horror and be driven to insanity. I'd prefer something just trying to eat me any day."
With that a small chirping noise sounds and the human moves the flap on his familiars pouch. Phyllis chirps happily as she flies in the forest sky.
"A place to rest would be nice." Girian comments as he watches his familiar fly.
"A star filled sky, always a pleasure to see. Let's make sure no one else had the same tower in mind for a campsite like hobgoblins, if we can. " Rhialla says following Oenthalas.
Magnes on the other hand seemed to have some plan in mind as he scanned the path they traveled, the Dhouvarr muttering under his breath about ingredients.
Though the dwarf still looks in surprise when Girian points out the beast in the waters.
"I don' see anythin' but that doesn't mean there wasn't something there a minute ago. Alright, I'll keep ready."
--------
Magnes grins as he looks to the forest sky and nods to Rhialla
"That'd just be our luck, perhaps we can distract them with a nice juicy cat?"
The cat in question turns from its sleeping sprawl and bats Magnes in the ear with an oversized limb.
"Thas' not making the idea any less appealin' yeh know." the dwarf comments as the cat bats him a few more times before turning back over.
Satisfied that two of the Bherug are entangled, she focusses on the one that lunged at her.
STAND: Rapier (crit: 18-20/2x)
MODS: MW, Charge, Flank, Opps Aplenty
~ Tér Beldroth ~
The old ruined tower is abandoned, but there are signs that it has been used as a campsite recently such as a the remnants of a roasted wild hog on a skewer above a recently used fireplace.
"Perhaps your missing priestess and Wimbley was here." Ornthalas says and begins to make a new fire.
Round 10
The koroku's scimitar cuts deep into the Bherug tribesman's chest and when Hawkren slashes the enemy warrior's achille's tendon, the tribesman falls to the ground screaming and bleeding. The other two Bherug tribesmen attempt to break free of the entanglement.
One of the entangled Bherug Tribesman breaks free of the plants and attacks Hawkren. Hawkren dodges the attack. Iggy releases another ray of fire on the Bherug tribesman still entangled. The Bherug tribesman is burned to a crisp.
[Damage taken]
Bherug tribesman 1: 19 (dead)
Bherug tribesman 2: 6
Bherug tribesman 3: 14 (incapacitated)
Hawk senses more than sees the Bherug's whistling axe blow. A timely cat-like sidestep leaves the axe slicing only air. The sorcerer throws himself into a twisting backflip that sees him regaining his feet behind his would-be attacker. He hesitates for half a heartbeat - letting Arakura step up to engage the tribesman - then he drives his rapier through the man's ribs.
STAND: Rapier (crit: 18-20/2x)
MODS: MW, Flank, Opps Aplenty
crit?
I'm guessing 'no'
The Battle of Torukaro
Impaled on your rapier, blood starts running out the man's mouth and his eyes turns the white out. You have defeated the three Bherug tribesmen.
You see the remaining Bherugs and their allies retreating.
in the direction of the temple of Ang Varshon
"Perhaps it is..." Rhialla looks longingly at the remains of the old campsite before she says toward no in particular, "I'm going to make rounds of the perimeter."
Tér Beldroth
Magnes shrugs and places his pack down, swiftly switching over to begin his cooking preparations as he removes his obtained ingredients.
"Don' stray too far. Foood'll be ready in a jiff."
the Dwarf having prepared a simple but generous meal of Graloc meat, marinated in a pot over the trip. The giant spider getting either mashed and turned into cakes or set ontop of a grate over the fire to grill inside its chitinous shell.
Ter Beldroth
By the time the group reaches the tower, Kevroth seems to have recovered some of his good cheer, and he lends a hand with cleaning the campsite and preparing the food. He seems to be paying very close attention to the methods Magnes uses for cooking.
Magnes looks up and nods to the newly arrived Kevroth
"Food ought ta' be ready soon, Marinated Graloc an' Giant spider on meh little wire grill here. Then some crab cakes probly' gonna cook em on a hot stone or two. Nothin' fancy as last time buh it should be tastey and quick. think tha seasonings and extras i'll be tossed into the cakes ought to cancel out any odd tastes from the spider. The grilled one is more-a test to see how the stuff tastes on its own."
With that the Dhouvarr grins and looks to the starry skies above with a drink in hand.
"Mah, still can't get over how much of the world my lineage missed by not leaving tha' homefront. Though I suppose tha' glitter ah the crystal caves can get close to this."
She begins moving after them.