Appario continues to delay, happy to get a full attack (even with cover/combat penalties), when a target presents.
Xerath will ready another magic missile for when the Chuuls show themselves.
I won't be caught unaware...or unarmed.
Derek removes his bow and draws the beautifully crafted trident again.
"Here they come..."
After another six seconds where nothing happens apart from ripples continuing to move slowly towards the group's position, the two ice elementals suddenly dip below the surface to attack something Maddok can barely see, and which remains just out of reach for his spear.
The chuul retaliates against the elemental injuring it.
Hitting the offending elemental, the chuul attempts to grab hold of it and squeeze the remaining life from it.
It succeeds at cutting the icy creature in half.
At virtually the same time, the other chuul partially surfaces near Xerath. After suffering from Xerath's missiles and the hag spirit's attacks, the chuul attempts to hit Xerath.
The chuul hits, dealing 15 damage, and attempts to grab hold and constrict.
It succeeds, dealing another 16 damage and pulling Xerath towards it.
***
"Damnit! We should have stepped back, oh well, too late for regrets."
Derek quickly sings out the words for a spell to lend his comrades further speed, then he begins to orate, describing the battle as it happens.
Inspired by his little brother's song and spell, Maddok roars a warcry and leaps into the water after his prey.
The elemental is undeterred by its superior opponent and slams into it again.
Xerath will total defense and wait to be saved by the party.
Maddok destroys the nearest chuul with Xerath's spear, leaving its carcass grounded on the bottom of the pool.
***
***
Appario will 5' step next to Derek (O3) and try to drive an arrow through the water and into the chitinous shell of the Chuul.
These are much less fun than jewels.
to hit; (cover, combat)
damage;
to hit; (haste)
damage;
to hit;
damage.
One of Appario's arrows strike the grappling chuul, while the elemental misses with its attempt.
***
Seeing Xerath being dragged off the pier (in reaction to being grappled), Yahirma utters an indistinctly enunciated syllable that allows Xerath's body to bend and slip out of the chuul's claw.
She then creeps down the stairs (M2), and magically spites the chuul from her position of cover (shouldn't need to cast defensively but automatically passes if she does). The hag-spirit, sensing a cursed target, tears into the aberration.
With his agility greatly enhanced by Yahirma's spell, Xerath twists his body and slips out of the chuul's grasp to splash into the water.
It's all he can do to tread water to avoid slipping beneath the surface.
The hag-spirit gets a couple of nice hits in on the chuul, which turns and attacks the two assailants at its back.
One claw snaps the water next to the elemental, while the other snaps through the force-hag without effect.
The chuul burbles something in frustration, and slips beneath the surface with a 5-ft step
***
This seems well enough in hand.
Yahirma reaches around the corner to try to give Xerath a helping hand, should he want to get out of the water. Meanwhile, the hag-spirit continues its assault.
Appario delays, awaiting the return of the chuul.
"Xerath, come out of the water! Or are you joining the school of chuul?"
Maddok swims under the docked vessel with supernatural speed and jabs at the remaining chuul with Xerath's spear.
The elemental slams into it again as well.
***
The hag-spirit and the elemental both miss with their attacks.
Xerath climbs back to dry land with Yahirma's attempt to aid him. He then readies a spell for when the Chuul shows itself again.
The chuul attempts to swipe Xerath back into the water with one claw as he climbs back onto the landing.
The claw hits, dealing another 14 damage, and threatens to grab hold once more.
The claw grabs hold around Xerath, deals 11 further damage, and pulls him beneath the surface.
***
Damn, back to being unable to help. I don't fancy trying to swim, I can't shoot...what's left? Better focus on inspiration and hope Big brother has got this.
Yahirma tries what she can to deflect the incoming attack against Xerath.
The chuul's claw scrapes the cavern wall as it shoots towards Xerath, causing just enough of a distraction that it misses. A dripping wet Xerath gets safely back onto the landing.
***
***
The submerged chuul turns its attention to the spear-wielding swimmer.
The first attack misses.
The second claw hits Maddok, dealing 13 damage to the swimming warrior. The chuul then attempts to snap its pincers shut around him.
It succeeds, dealing another 17 damage as the claw constricts around Maddok's waist and pulls him close.
***
Finding himself unable to bring the spear to bear, Maddok wrestles with the clawed monster. He releases Xerath's spear, draws his own dagger and, while gripping the dagger in his teeth, tries to turn the tables on his attacker.
The elemental continues slamming into the chuul's armored form.
While Maddok's strength pulls the pincers from his waist, instead giving him the upper hand in the grapple, the unassuming elemental slams into the chuul's head until it floats lifeless to the bottom, its heavy carcass threatening to pull Maddok down along with it.
Maddok rides the chuul's dead weight to the bottom of the underground lake. Spotting Xerath's spear, he snatches it up before swimming back to the surface. Breaching with a gasp, Maddok climbs back onto the dock.
"Thank you", Maddok says offering the sorcerer back his ichor-coated weapon. "It is a fine weapon but I think something else might suit you better..."
Maddok examines the boat and then climbs in to test its sturdiness. He waits for the others to join him before trying the attached push-pole.
The big Shoanti calls out to his valiant ice spirit.
"Brother, I must ask one more boon of you. Swim ahead and see how far this lake goes."
"What's wrong with my current weapon?"
Maddok shakes his head, "You misunderstand. As I said, it's a fine weapon, the head is sharp and the haft well-balanced."
"But a weapon, the right weapon, should mirror the wielder's spirit. The spear is a good weapon and unwieldy in unskilled hands but obvious in its purpose. Bluehood should carry weapon that is both veiled and deadly."
"Perhaps when I have some time at the forge..."
"What kind of weapon are you talking about?"
Appario lowers his bow and restores it on his back, then reattaches his heavy shield.
"Nice work, Maddok. Let's move on."
"I have some ideas but now is not the time for planning such a thing. The Lord of Shadows hides down here somewhere. We should not keep him waiting."
"Understood."
Derek chuckles a little at that.
"Indeed not, when he is so kind as to provide is with this much entertainment, we would be rude to keep him waiting."
Derek produces the wand and taps Xerath and Maddok twice each.
"And the last thing we would wand to do is be rude."
"Gratitude little brother", Maddok says as the wounds along his torso mend.
The elemental swims away towards the south-east, and soon moves beyond sight. It never returns.
After the minutes pass and the elemental never returns Maddok grows concerned.
He asks the spirits to protect him from harm and pushes the boat away from the dock towards the south-east.
"Be at the ready. Something else may lurk within the water."
Maddok finds the boat fairly easy to maneuver, but it's not the fastest craft one could imagine. He's able to push it 20 ft forward each round (10 ft with one move action).
***
When the boat has reached a decent distance from the dock, approaching the narrower section of water headed east, an arrow suddenly comes out of nowhere towards Appario.
Appario takes 41 damage from the arrow, and the wound bleeds profusely.
There's no sign of whoever shot the arrow.
***
Maddok curses as the party comes under attack again. He searches, in vain, for a sign of the attacker.
***
The arrow came from somewhere ahead and upwards, perhaps from one of the platforms Appario noticed earlier.