Targeting it before it can completely sink, Tamayra releases her shot.
Confirm
Aak's strike is quickly followed by a shot from Tamayra, blasting the elemental to bits before it merges into the ground below. Glassy bits of heated obsidian fly from the decimated elemental.
damage to Aak, Reflex save of 10 halves damage.
Jenya takes the opportunity to reload with powder and shot. Where's the last one?
The vent seems strangely silent after as the echoes of gun shots fade. Quiet cooling of the destroyed elemental slows as the molten rock solidifies. There seems to be little movement in the area.
Jenya exhales with relief and picks up her lantern. Shining it in Aak's direction she says You fight well Aak. But what are you? You are neither dwarf or human or symbiont.
"I don't know where it is, but since we know there's still one more of those left, and who knows how many more he's going to notify of our position, it's probably best if we get moving."
Iron Sprocket quickly renews the light spell on his armor and begins to move down the vent. He notably has finished perusing through the old journal and has placed it in his bag.
Orc? Jenya ponders this for a second. In any case, we should continue towards the Vent that these elemntals seem to be coming from. They seem hostile to everyone, not just us from the Dome.
The vent remains quiet as the group continues forward. If the remaining elemental is near, it has chosen not to make itself known. A quiet sound Aak clearly recognizes can be heard getting louder ahead.
"I'm not sure they're hostile of their own accord."
"Their motives don't really matter as long as they endanger the people we protect." Tamayra says quietly.
Soon, as the group continues forward, it becomes obvious to everyone - not just Aak - that there seems to be cracks in the ceiling of the vent. Though they do not seem to be growing, it looks as if a small, but steady stream of sand is falling into the vent. Ahead there seems to be a growing pile of sand.
"Does it not matter to you that the dome and it's explorations may be endangering these beings as well?"
Jenya looks at Rheynold curiously We have been driven underground and have been barely surviving holding off the evils of the sand for three centuries. Does this not matter to you?
I hear someone walking towards us Jenya snaps turning her attention back towards the front and bringing her pistol up as she sets her lantern down.
Who goes there! she says loudly.
I heard something in the.. sand.. moving away. Whatever is ahead will know of our coming I think.
Although the sand is falling slowly from the cracks above, it has gathered into a sizable pile. The sand covers much of the floor of the vent area, though it isn't very deep at the edges. The center of the pile easily reaches three feet. It looks easily enough to walk through.
Jenya hesitates, not wanting to wade into the sand. If everybody else goes in then she will follow warily trying to keep as far out of it as possible.
Iron Sprocket walks straight through the sand without hesitation, which may or may not seem odd to the others (that's up to their discretion).
Rheynold never have fully explained to Iron Sprocket just why everyone under the dome was so afraid of the sand before he died (it never came up in conversation over the past 5 years I guess). This also explains why he simply ignored Jenya's previous comment about the "evils of the sand".
At seeing some of the groups hesitation, Iron Sprocket says, "It's not that deep. You should be pretty easily able to wade through it, especially without any heavy armour on."
As Rheynold wades through the middle of the sand it shifts and moves. Quickly it is clear that this is no simple sand as it takes a serpentine form, lashing out Rheynold.
As the serpentine shaped sand lunges toward Rheynold, he and Jenya are quick enough to react before it attacks.
Round one: Jenya and Rheynold now acting.
What is that thing!, Rheynold!
Jenya pulls out her pistol and shoots the snake like monster.
and reloads with a paper cartridge.
The projectile imbeds itself in the sand mere inches from the creature.
Iron Sprocket, startled by the sand-beast, swings his morningstar at it with extra force.
"I have no idea!"
The serpentine like creature manages to elude Rheynold's swing as it lunges, abrasive jaws open wide, toward him. It fails to penetrate Rheynold's heavy armor.
Bite: , Dmg: .
Round One Ack, Ergas, and Tamayra now acting.
Aak's mighty swing is easily avoided by the creature.