Nocking another normal arrow, Alannah lets fly at the centipede.
Gritting his teeth with frustration at the wasted time, Lev tries to strike the centipede again.
"The gods be damned!" Lev growls as he misses once again.
Round 2
Anya felt her muscles lock up even more, her jaw clenching shut as she moved in to finish the last centipede off. "lndr, kn y pls.. pLLLLS... helsss m wfff ffiff"
Attack
She awkwardly hacked at the last enemy, feeling the blow less than anything, pushing it from her torso more than articulating it with her hands. It was enough, though.
Rounde 3
Alanra shoots an ice shard at the last centipede.
Elsbeth's magics coursed through Arianna, adding magical aid in her fight against the toxins coursing through her body. The young rogue smiles her gratitude as she finally feels the burning effects wear off.
Another twanging bow shot marks Alannah's contribution, but the arrow misses the creature by a hairsbreath. Lev misses by nearly a foot however, as his frustrtions and anger best him yet again in this fight.
In the end it came down to Anya, who stepped in and drove her longsword straight through the centipedes body, ending it in a twitching mass of death throws that curled around her sword. It was only after it died that the noblewoman finally felt the effects of the venom wear off.
"This is what i call a bad start.What our general conditons? Can we go on?"
Elsbeth looks over to the tunnels, using the light of Lev's handaxe, but to her caves and tunnels are all the same.
"Lev? Which way?"
Lev takes a long breath to calm himself.
"That other fey went down the second tunnel to the south. I'm ready to continue on. What of you others?"
One second"
Alandra raises her holy symbol up,washing the party with positive energy.
"Follow the blue guys, we need to find that sprogget."
"We need to push on", Anya pushed out of her clenched jaw, and motioned awkwardly towards the passage the Fey had disappeared into. "I will manage... just need some help later"
She moved with a pronounced jitter in every motion, as if her muscles alternated between cramps and her movements failed to fully realize what her mind wanted them to be. Still, determination blazed in her face, and her firey gaze made abundantly clear that falling back or abandoning their quest was absolutely out of the question to her at this point.
Lev nods and moves forward to follow the southern passage he'd seen the fey escape into.
With the decision made, Lev plunged into the tunnel, barreling through the initial root system and squeezing his way down teh water covered tunnel. He stooped lower, and could feel his broad shoulders scraping the sides of the tunnel as he continued onwards, the light from his glowing weapon showing him the way.
The tunnel took a final downward spiral and twisted to the right, suddenly dumping the companions into a much broader and taller cavern complex. This one had the look of some work having been done to the walls to widen and heighten, yet still some roots penetrated its depths.
What made the group take pause however was the mass of blue fey standing and arguing some few feet ahead of them. They turned as one, squinting slightly at the glowing light of Lev's axe and screeched in agitation, sounding like a murder of crows having been disturbed in a feast of carrion. Small knives and slings found their way almost immediately into the creatures hands and they looked ready to rush teh party.
An odd snse of Deja vu washes over Alannah, not in regard to the fey, but being surrounded by enemies. Her hand darts down to her belt, drawing out a potion she quickly quaffs, dropping the vial as she nocks another arrow, heavy cold iron head lining up ominously.
She can feel her muscles limbering up, her flexibility and speed enhanced.
Alandra raises her holy symbol above her head and shouts a prayer.
Arianna realised that the natural choke point the group held was to their advantage, as it narrowed the attack options for the fey. As such, she shethed her shortswords and drew her bow, even though that attaack path had been weakened for her from the centipedes venom.
The fey charged, screaching and chanting in their strange language and filling the cavern with strange birdlike cries. Three of the creatures closed with Lev and Anya, but none of them managed to land a blow.
The whir of slings from the creatures at the back added to the noise, and soon a number of rocks went skipping off armour and earth around the group, though none of them managed to land a blow.
From the rear, two of the fey uttered words of power, drawing on the innate ability of the fey to affect the luck of those in the material world. All the group felt the effects of the magic wash over them, and they fought to withstand its effects.
Will save
As the wave of sensation washes over Alannah she sneers at the fey with disdain, preparing for the onslaught.
Lev grits his teeth as the fey's curses rain down on him.
With the larger force of Fey arrayed before him, Lev drops his handaxe and quickly draws his greatsword, deciding to accept the limited range of his blow for the greater familiarity of his chosen weapon. Swinging the greatsword with all his might, he targeted the creature immediately before him.
Lev grins fiercely as his large blade sends the fey's blood flying through the air.
Being cut away from the main fight and withouy clear sight on the fey Elsbeth decides to protect herself better
She won't move
Will save
Anya felt her luck turn for the worse - if that was even possible. She looked at the feyspawned pest assailing her, felt a revulsion rise above the natural limit, and stabbed harshly with just her duelling sword at the Fairie. It had to die, to die for all it made her suffer through.
Unfortunately, her luck wasn't improved by her anger one bit.
The clatter of Lev's handaxe hitting the ground was drowned out by a whistle and thwak as his big blade swept into and through his opponent. The creatures eyes stared ahead as if confused for a moment, before its body fell into two halves, filling the air with a rotten smell like wet timber and mulch.
The other fey squealed and squawked, dancing about like angry bees as their companion fell, and looking to press in on the invaders that had brazenly walked into their home.
At the back of the party, Elsbeth chanted her magical language and felt the benefits ease though her body, fortifying her natural resistance to spells and venoms.
Anya was not so successful. Her anger made her impetuous, and she lunged forwards with one of her swords, missing the target by a wide margin as it skipped and squealed away from the blade.
At the rear of the party, Arianna suddenly gave a cry of warning and turned to face the tunnel they had exited from "I can hear something back up the tunnel" she warned, her eyes wide in fear as she realised that they may soon be surrounded.
With a twang the arrow releases, cold iron head hurtling past the charging fey toward one of the spell casters at the back. With cool precision another replaces it, bowstring drawn taut, eyes seeking another target.
"Where!!?"
Alandra turns around and draws her dagger.
Alannah's bow sang its tune of death as another arrow killed one of the Fey at the back. The remainder were oblivious to their companions demise however and continued to press the attack. One stepped in to fill the place where Lev had killed his foe, swinging its dagger with equally useless skill as the creature it had replaced. The one next to it however scored a screeching gash along the armoured plate of teh big hunter as it lept nimbly around and upwards across his sweeping blade and arm. The cut was close, and only his new armour had saved him. Lev had cause to thank his armour a moment later when a sling shot came perilously close to taking him in the head, but had skipped off the shoulder guard from teh breast plate.
Next to him, his sister seemed to be doing similarly well, her dextrous moves keepeing the Fey's blade aaay from her, and the whirl of combat itself protecting her from the missiles from the rear.
It was Alannah who felt the magic of the fey wash across her mind this time, as another of the creatures held off on its sling to target her with its eldritch powers. She easily shrugged it off though, her mind calm in the sea of chaos around her, almost drifting to another time.[00c](Used the roll you made earlier Alannah, since you didn't need it then, but do so now hehe. You passed with ease)[/ooc]
Beyond this cavern, small bodies darted across the visible entrance, moving to the gods new where as they became aware of teh combat nearby. Then a voice screached from the hidden chamber, chanting words in the fey tongue and screaming encouragement.
In the fey tongue
Alandra, Arianna and Elsbeth stood nervously at the rear of the group, waiting for the first sight of anything dangerous coming their way. Alandra caught sight of it momentarily in the shadows, before she had to duck as it released a sling at her. The creatures could target them with impunity from the shadowy depths of the tunnel, as it was too narrow for close quarters combat. What was more, the shadowy light from Lev's glowing axe only just let them see this thing. It could prove very dangerous if it continued sniping from there.
map link. Note I just deleted the ded critters this time, as the skull marker will clutter things too much for this battle.
Elsbeth quickly says:
"I'll need melee assistance, Alandra"
Than she moves to better see the sniper, hoping it is only one.
Lev turns his attention to the fey that had foolishly stepped up to him.
"Two of the bastards have run off down the tunnel on the far side of this chamber," Lev calls out as he lifts his blade again and brings it down in a curving slash at his attacker.
Alandra says a quick prayer and her holy symbol begins to glow. Then she tries to follow behind Elsbeth, her dagger in her right hand and her holy symbol in her left.
Anya grumbled deep in her throat as she felt herself slowly giving half a step against the damnable fey. She executed a quick stab at the creature, hoping to finally draw blood - yet again, she was foiled, this time by another tremor in her arm muscles.
Elsbeth chanted her words and a gout of orange flame lept from teh wand she held. The shape of the tunnel and the cover from the roots and walls meant teh creature she had engulfed in the magical energy was barely affected, yet it let out a yelp of pain none the less.
Beside her, Alandra summoned forth more magical light, throuwing the tunnel into stark white light and shadow. The blue fey that had been hit by Elsbeths flame snarled, throwing a hand up momentarily to shade its eyes, and then it fell forwards as Arianna's next shot took it through the throat. As it died, the three companions caught sight of two more peering around the curve of the narrow tunnel, slings at teh ready but taking as much cover as they could from teh deadly group.
At the front of teh group, Lev broght down another enemy with a great sweep of his blade, though he barely caught the thing as it ducked and darted around him.
Anya's muscles felt fatigued from the venom and couldn't respond to her as she wanted. Again her opponent skipped around her. It was only a matter of time before one of those daggers plunged into her at this rate.
Round 3 starts now
"You better hide you little buggers!"
Alandra watches the mites.
Alannah's next shot seemed almost to mirror her first, sailing past the rushingg fey to target the other spellcaster
Alannah's final shot seemed to be the breaking point for the group in the large chamber. The creatures turned and fled the room, bouncing and swinging through the roots and over rocks as they moved, like a swarm of angry bees. Their screeches, piercing as they were, sounded like quiet humming compared to the scream and squeal of waht came next.
A creature from every childs nightmare came boiling around the corridor. A myriad of legs feeding from jointed and charapaced segments allowed the mosntrosity to writhe and twist through the cramped quarters. At fifteen feet in length, it was easily the biggest centipede any of the party had ever seen. It's sheer size forced even it to squeeze in these narrow confines.
Miraculously, as it boiled across the room, its legs seemed to miss every one of the little fey that feld past it in fear.
From somewhere behind the monstrosity, a high pitched voice squealed in the language of the fey, seemingly urging the centipede on.
Fey Language
Knowledge Nature DC 14
Kn. Nature DC19
At the rear of the group, one of the fey did exactly as Alandra asked, and disapeared from sight. The second one though stepped out a little further and unleashed its sling shot at Elsbeth, hissing and cursing in its foul tongue as it did so.
"Ouch! My face, you little..." shouted Elsbeth hit by a rock.
Angered, she releases another flaming blast from the rod.
She still cannot move
Lev tried to strike the fleeing fey but he was too distracted by the arrival of the new beast. Cursing as he misses, he grits his teeth and turns to ready himself against the enormous centipede.
Since the centipede blocked any attacks he might make against the fey, Lev decided there was nothing for it but to kill the creature as fast as he could. Taking a deep breath, he steps forward and swings his greatsword with all his might.
Alandra throws her dagger at it.
"I told you!"
Alannah's eyes widen the only indication of reaction to the horror the group now faces as the snatches up a standard arrow and fires into the monster.
"Gods damn" Anya gasped, even as she slashed at the retreating fey. That huge centipede was more than just intimidating. She had felt its kin's venom already, and it was still coursing strongly in her - but what was she to do?"
AoO
Damage
Despite its huge size, there was no easy or even possible way to corner the huge beast in these conditions. "Brother, this is going to be a tough one. If it comes to that I will carry your vengeance if you will carry my ambitions." she very flatly uttered, as she stepped closer to the horrid centipede, again drawing her offhand weapon. Each of her motions was measured carefully, both to evade giving the creature an opening, and to be sure not to ruin it from some muscle tremor again
Primary Attack
Offhand
Damage Main
Damage off
Elsbeth raised her wand even as Alandra threw her dagger. The tunnel was lost in a wash of orange flame for a moment and the two women lost sight of their foe. When the flames had died back however, the little creature lay crisped on the ground, the priests dagger sticking from its chest and quite dead.
The sound of frantic chittering and squealing from around the corner anounced more of the creatures had most likely entered the adjoining room the group had recently left. However, for now, there was no visible opponent at the tunnel.
As the fey fled from Anya and Lev, the two warriors swiped after them with weapons, but neither could fell their opponents, despite Anya's blade striking hers. The warrior woman noticed her blade was far less effective than she thought given the weight behind her shot. It seemed these creatures had some resistance to the regular steel from which her blade was constructed.
When the centipede slithered into view, both fighters responded with supreme bravery. Stepping into the creature, Lev's greatsword tore a long gash along its side, even as Anya's main sword plunged into it close by. The creature reared away from the pain instinctively, and a flash of bright feathers saw it pinioned with another arrow from Alannah's bow. A second arrow came from Arrianna, but the young rogue cursed quite profoundly as her shot thudded into the roof of the chamber, tangling in the roots there rather than the carapace of the centipede.
The creature had greenish ichor leaking from multiple wounds now, but it was difficult to tell how badly hurt it was.
Round 4
The centipede responded to the attacks with instinctive viciousness. Its head whipped forward and snapped at the creature that had hurt it most. The mandibles closed with unnerringprecision, clamping on Lev's arm and nearly tearing a chunk from him
Additionally, its massive whiplike tail swings around at Anya, trying bludgeon her legs from underneath, yet missing as they tangled in the rootsystem above it.
The combat became far more dangerous when the fey from teh other room came boiling out into the room as well. the little creatures dashed beneath, through and over huge vermin, closing to engage the human intruders.
The leader of these creatures rode another nightmare beast of unkown origin. It seemed to be an overgrown arachnid of some type, though it was certainly no spider. The fey riding it had closed with Lev, while his minions had moved to other side of teh room and wre trying to close with Anya. Their efforts to close had been hampered by the writhing centiede however, and they could not ready any attacks as yet.
Lev grunts as the beast bites his arm, gritting his teeth to swallow back the agony.
"I hate to say this but we might have to withdraw," he says in a low voice to Anya. Eyeing the mounted fey out of the corner of his eye, Lev tries for one more attack on the giant centipede.
"Die, you ugly sonofab*!%$!"
Hearing Lev grunt in pain and figuring the mites behind the party were not a threat for the moment, Alandra moves up and touches Lev with her holy symbol .
Alannah's eyes instinctively focus on the mounted leader, drawing a bead on both it and the monster it sat bestride. Nocking a cold iron arrow she let fly, hoping to remove the head from the renewed bravery of the fey.