Bristling with power, Fancy braces herself to meet any oncoming attack by the creature.
Horven loads his crossbow with a regular bolt and fires as the hydra moves up, aiming in the same general area Gared did.
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Carmina moves a little closer and joins in battering the hydra from a distance with a trio of magical energy bolts inerrantly flying towards the many-headed beast.
"" Yamyra cries as her companions cause the beast to fall.
"It's not dead. What do we do?" Horven asks, loading another bolt and waiting for advice.
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Gared continued his assault for another turn to see if it would be enough to kill the creature and called out to Horven, "We might have to cut off it's heads, or destroy them, maybe with fire or acid?"
Carridan exhales a breath he didn't realize he was holding as Gared puts the hydra down. "I- I've never seen one of these before. It's a, a hydra? Oh my." Hoping the hydra to be a solitary predator, Carridan begins rooting about in the cave.
Horven joins Carridan in looking around. "Hopefully, we won't meet one again soon."
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As you travel down the passage you all soon lose track of the distance as the passageway blurs together in a seemingly endless display of rocks and wall. Gared however estimates the distance at almost a mile underground however.
The intersection of four tunnels forms a sizable cave here. The domed ceiling rises to a height of twenty feet, while near the center of this cave stands a monument made of polished black basalt, seven-sided with the same great rune carved on each face. The top portion of the monument has broken away, revealing what appears to be a hollow space within in the shape of a female figure. An astounding number of strange albino insectoid creatures, each the size of a man’s finger, scuttle and scurry along the walls.
"I don't like the looks of this," Horven says.
"Oh my... oh, this... this doesn't look good at all."
Gared looked torn between a disturbed fascination with the insects and interest in the stone work that only a dwarf could muster.
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Carridan recognizes the insects as solifugids, which are basically harmless if a tad disturbing.
As you look around the cave further, Gared spots a couple of larger solifugids clinging to the cave walls, one on each side of the chamber. Horven's keen eyes spots a third one at the far end of the cave. Those Albino Cave solifugids are a far more serious threat as they are well known for their aggressive hunting patterns.
Carmina doesn't see much from her position, but hears the worried words of Horven and Carridan.
"What's happening? Is there something ahead?"
"The cave is- is crawling with solifugids. Somewhere in between giant spiders and scorpions, they're normally not a threat and are pretty harmless, but if something were to stir this many up?" An involuntary shudder ripples through Carridan's shoulders and down his back as a look of dismay clouds his worried face.
Gared nods as Carridan speaks then points out across the cavern.
"There's some particularly large ones on the walls there. Might be more. Might decide we look to be a tasty meal, too. The old dwarf stroked his beard thoughtfully. "I'm inclined to put a few arrows in one and see if doesn't scare off the others or make it clear what we're up against."
Despite the monstrosity they had just encountered and the disturbing decor of the groups surroundings, Gared felt right at home underground. The dwarf's unscathed composure was revealed by an easy stance and a lack of any dwarven accent accompanying his words.
"What Gared said," Horven says with a chuckle.
"Bugs, eh?" Carmina says and retrieves a small vial from her backpack.
"Big ones?" Carridan looks to where Horven and Gared indicate and another shudder ripples through his frame. "I'd- I'd almost rather there was another hydra to deal with." Taking in a steadying breath, he then offers, "I could call up a mist to cover our passage. We might be able to slip through without them noticing us if we're careful."
"Worth a try."
"While I am loathe to present violence as a first choice, we do have another option." Yamyra opines.
Carridan looks questioningly to Carmina and Gared, then to the others. "Ok then. Hopefully this works." Carridan shudders again then, provided no one objects, begins casting a spell.
As he nears the completion of it, thick tendrils of fog snake in from each of the open passages, gathering together in the center of the chamber. In the span of just a few quick breaths, the room is filled with a thick, still fog hiding the solifugids and their larger ilk from sight. The only evidence of their presence is the eerie clicking and chittering sounds which, while slightly muted by the fog, still echo quietly in the tunnel.
"Provided no strong blasts of wind come gusting up any of these tunnels, the fog should last at least half an hour."
HP: 36/36
AC: 19 (12 T / 17 FF)
CMD: 16
F/R/W: +8/+6/+9
Wild Shape used: 0/1
Storm Burst used: 0/7
CLW charges used: 5/50
Spells Prepared:
Orisons (4): create water, detect poison, know direction, purify food and drink
Level 1 (3+1+1*): charm animal, magic stone, obscuring mist*, produce flame, speak with animals
Level 2 (2+1+1*): bull's strength, fog cloud*, gust of wind, hold animal
*domain
Ongoing Effects
fog cloud: 40 minutes
Horven takes the initiative moves into the fog cloud. "Stay close."
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As Carridan's spell takes effect the cave becomes almost completely obscured by the heavy mist. With Horven leading the way you enter the mist using the walls as a guide and staying close to the sides of the cave. Fortunately while the sounds of the solifugids echo eerily in the mist shrouded cave, the sounds do not grow any louder.
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You manage to weave your way through the cave successfully without attracting the attention of the solifugids and work your way to the passage beyond. You travel almost another full mile before reaching a chamber up ahead. The rough cave walls give way to a chamber of worked stone, with walls made of blue-veined white marble. The ceiling is supported by columns masterfully sculpted to depict voluptuous warrior women wielding two-headed guisarmes, with each column unique and strikingly detailed. At the center of the room, a fifteen-foot-square shaft leads down into the darkness below.
Carmina walks to the edge of the shaft and stares at the abyss as far as her darkvision allows.
Looking at the masonry and columns, Carridan nods his head. "I think we found the place all right. I didn't expect it to be such a long trip through the caves, but I think we're here."
Gared peered down the shaft beside the tiefling. As he turned his ears to the passage as much as his eyes, the dwarf rumaged through his pack to pull out some twine and a fishing hook, muttering an orison as he did so that caused the latter to glow brightly. "Shall we be fishing for some illumination, milady?" He tossed a wink to Carmina as he spoke in a almost playful yet hushed tone.
Horven keeps an ear out as asked.
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Ca
CH
Gr
H
Y
F
.
As you enter the chamber and head towards the shaft, movement out of the corner of Horven's eye warns you the chamber is not unguarded! You see the columns in each corner of the room animate and step towards you!
Look out! Gared! Carmina! The columns... they're animated!" Carridan blurts a warning to the two of his allies as they stand frightfully close to a gaping pit. As his words echo in the chamber, he spills three large stones from a pouch on his hip and calls upon another portion of Gozreh's power to fortify them.
HP: 36/36
AC: 19 (12 T / 17 FF)
CMD: 16
F/R/W: +8/+6/+9
Wild Shape used: 0/1
Storm Burst used: 0/7
CLW charges used: 5/50
Spells Prepared:
Orisons (4): create water, detect poison, know direction, purify food and drink
Level 1 (3+1+1*): charm animal, magic stone, obscuring mist*, produce flame, speak with animals
Level 2 (2+1+1*): bull's strength, fog cloud*, gust of wind, hold animal
*domain
Ongoing Effects
magic stone (30 minutes): 3/3 stones remaining
"Everyone stay back!"
"They are constructs & your weapons will shatter if you use them!" Yamyra yells as she instinctively tosses a gobbet of acid at the closest attacker.
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Carridan prepares a spell for use against the constructs while Yamyra's spell impacts the constructs' arm scarring it slightly.
The constructs advance towards you implacably, two of them move towards Gared and Carmina while the two constructs closer move to engage Yamyra and Horven. Both of their blades strike deeply and draw blood, Horven's being a particularly deep one.
Absolutely not wanting to rish shattering her claws or teeth, Carmina has to resort on a more creative way of dealing with the constructs, moving behind one of them and attempting to push it over the edge of the pit with a hard shove.
Horven takes a step back to Fancy's side . "There's not going to be much I can do here."
He loads his crossbow despite him knowing it might be futile.
Gared swore as the columns sprung to life, and again as thise behind him cut into his halfling companions. Desperately trying to take back the initiative, the dwarf cried out direction to the group as he began launching a barrage of arrows at the statute now painted with Horven's blood. Horven! Ye can slow 'em down with down with a tanglefoot bag if nothing else! Yamyra, you be gettin' yerself out o' harms way!"