Nara makes one last face at the dead beetles as Andrazi leads the group out of the chamber and into the hallway. She keeps an arrow nocked, just in case.
Backtracking through a portion of the keep, Andrazi leads the party in a new direction, deeper into the forgotten dungeon. He finds a crossroads of stairs that sports one dominant feature: a crumbled statue in the southeast corner, once the image of a proud warrior chiseled roughly in granite. The statue's helmeted head now rests on the floor, its lifeless stone eyes gazing toward the south. On the helmet, a single Kelish word is carved in the stone. The wide stairway to the north leads to a passage that ends in a cave-in ten feet past the foot of the stairs.
"Hmm." Nara says, placing her bow on her back and kneeling down. She tilts her head at the incidentally tilted head of the ruined statue. She reads the Kelish rune- not aloud- and twists her mouth up. "Well you can't be trusted either, can you." She murmurs, staring the statue in the face.
Gently clearing her throat and drawing her sword, Nara backs up and aligns herself with the other men. "It, um..." She cringes as the words leave her mouth. "It says 'earth'."
At first, as Nara speaks the Kelish word in Common, nothing happens. After a space of a single breath, the wall behind the statue begins to shift and move. A sphere, roughly two feet in diameter begins to emerge. Supported by two squat legs, and equipped with equally stubby arms, the creature extrudes itself from the wall and waddles over to Nara. The contours of its stone form create a crude face with which it silently stares up at the elven woman expectantly.
"No, no- wait." Nara holds out her arm as if she could somehow keep the huge brutes from dashing forward if she wanted to. She kneels down and looks the little elemental in the face. "Can you help us find what we're looking for?"
The elemental cocks its body as if to consider Nara's request. After a long moment of the elf and elemental starring silently at each other, the small creature rocks back on its stubby legs and sits on the ground.
Nara glances back and forth between Andrazi and Thoradin in defeat. "Well you try, then!"
Satisfied that enough of his companions have lost acute interest in Nara's new elemental friend, Hekirin nods to Andrazi to indicate that the door - and whatever may lay on the other side - appear to be devoid of danger.
The Varisian careful proceeds, revealing a storage room beyond. Barrels and boxes of supplies fill the cramped chamber. At first glance, most of the stores here are worthless, rotten, or too bulky to be worth carrying back to Absalom. A wide corridor heads north about 40 feet before terminating at a stone wall. A second door leads south.
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"I didn't mean it like that. Calm down. I meant that the little guy isn't bright enough to understand you." Andrazi says to her. He will take a look around the storage room before moving on to the door leading south.
After he is done, he will motion for Hekirin to search the door and will open it when the ninja deems it safe.
Nara scuttles along behind them, glancing back at her new companion to see if he follows.
Nara enters the room, her elemental companion waddling behind, to find Andrazi picking through the stacks food stuffs and various trap-making supplies; and Hekirin running a practiced hand along the frame of the second door. Thoradin and Tanrov wait patiently for their companions to scour the room. Finally, Hekirin signals to Andrazi as he steps to the side. Tanrov takes his usual position behind the Varisian as the door swings inward.
Beyond the portal is a larger room. A portion of the wall as been torn down, turning what had been two rooms into one. The broken door now serves as a makeshift alter. Candles and strange statues decorate it, facing the dark alcove beyond the broken wall. Four reptilian figures kneel before the broken door alter, facing the dark alcove to the north. They turn to look towards the party as you intrude upon their gathering.
From somewhere in the darkness of the room, a thin whispering voice speaks, as if to utter a simple command, "Ecrche byc roqjc."
The kobolds respond by rising to their feet and turning their spears towards you.
Looking quickly (as if concerned? or to see what he'll do?) to her little elemental companion, Nara nocks an arrow in her bow and levels it at the nearest Kobold, shooting quickly.
The Voice
Nara
Andrazi
Tanrov
Kobolds
Hekirin
Thoradin
As Nara steps into the room, the elemental follows behind, dancing about excitedly as it watches her loose an arrow at her opposition. The projectile strays harmlessly over the heads of the congregation. The reptilian closest to the door watches it sail by and fails to see Andrazi feint with his dagger. The creature's reflexes are swift enough, however, notice the Varisian's elbow and quickly steps to the side - directly under where Tanrov's maul comes down. Cries of outrage from the kobolds drown out the sound of their comrade's breaking bones.
Clearly angered by the death of their brethren, the kobolds swarm forward . Their spears poke and gab at the men before them. Although most are easily brushed aside, one thrust manages to graze the barbarian's flesh.
Hekirin gracefully crosses the room and with a fluid flick of his wrist, lets a deadly shurikin loose. Unfortunately, the chaos of the melee makes it difficult to aim the throw properly and it fails to hit a target. Meanwhile, Thoradin arms himself as he carefully assesses the situation before him.
Drawing her sword and eschewing her bow as they close in, Nara slashes at the nearest kobold.
Round Two
Nara moves in to slay the central kobold with a single blow, the earth elemental trailing excitedly behind her. Both Tanrov and Andrazi fail to land their attacks.
Hekirin steps up to deal a telling blow to the kobold before him, but fails to end its life as Thoradin rushes into the room.
From the shadows over the alcove, a figure stirs. As he moves to take up position behind the kobolds, you notice that his tall, dark-skinned form is hazy and difficult to focus on. He waves his arms wildly as he speaks in an arcane tongue.
rounds
round
From his outspread hands, a cascade of bright colors washes over the front line. Andrazi watches in horror as his companions fall unconscious around him.
Round Three - part one
Offended by the deep cut left across it's mid-section by Hekirin's weapon, the kobold turns to look at the ninja and fails to notice as Andrazi buries one his starknife's blades into the side of the creature's head.
As Nara and Tanrov land heavily against the flagstone floor, the final kobold turns his attention to the the closest opponent still standing and prods him with the tip of its spear.
Round Three - part two
As Andrazi pulls his weapon from the kobold's skull, Hekirin circles around the melee and approaches the blurred humanoid. With an expert wave of his arm, the he slashes at the figure.
The wakizashi catch its target in the arm and the humanoid recoils at the sting. Fuming with divine fury, Thoradin calls his deity's favor down upon he and his allies. The dark-skinned stranger pulls away from Hekirin as he extends his arm at him.
A piercing ray of white light shoots forth from his palm, striking Hekirin full in the face. Although physically unharmed, the ninja blinks rapidly as his vision is stolen from him once again.
Round Four
Andrazi stands fierce next to his young companion's unconscious mass and thrusts at the kobold hovering threateningly close.
The pair exchange a series of blows, but only manage to duel to stalemate. As they continue to parry and block each other, Hekirin lunges blindly forward. He aims his wakizashi for where he believes the wizard was standing, but finds only empty air for the effort. Even amid the perceived darkness, the ninja hears his dwarven companion call for Torag's protection.
With a snear, the wizard steps effortlessly away from Hekirin. His hand wraps around the handle of a knife tucked into his belt. In a single fluid motion, he draws and hurls it at the ninja.
The spellcaster's blade bites deep into Hekirin's shoulder as the ninja's vision returns.