Jaeger awoke happy to escape from another nightmare. Once again trapped in a land of blood and death. Feeling drained and tired, but with an effort born of years of practice he easily slides on the mask of a bravo. An air of indifference and self confidence once again acts as armor for the tiefling. "Mon Amour it is time to get up." He says as he rolls over and wraps his arms around his slumbering wife.
Ethyra grumbles a few incoherent sentences whith key words blurted out slightly louder than the rest, "gah coffee","Jaeger", and "sleepy" being the main ones. Her puffy sleepy eyes began to creep open enough to see a blurry image of her husbands face. A cheesy smile much like that of a drunk camel formed on her mouth. Just as she felt his strong arms wrap around her she started to nestle back into sleep when the strong smell of raw unclean armpit assaulted her nose. Her bloodshot eyes spring wide upen as her face curls in displeasure. "For the love of our dear Desna! You didn't pamper your pits again before going to sleep!" She then realizes her own grouchy mood and bursts out into a girly giggle much like when they were younger.
"Ju know? I knew dhere was someting I forgot to do between falling down some abyss blasted hole and being gnawed on by some overgrown fly." Jaeger says with a rakish grin as he kisses his beloved's neck. He stands offering his hand to his wife.
Details Jaeger, details! One must always keep up with these things, no excuses! she says in a jesting manner. With a grin in return she takes him up on the offer and uses his hand to shakily stand up. She quickly unbraids, combs and rebrands her hair, securing it with a silver ornate pin. Jaegy mi amor, I would make you breakfast but...
"Ah my Lady I had forgotten about de details dem pesky annoying details. Breakfast would be good about now...to bad we left dat snake from before, no?"
Perception: 1d20+6
"Ah my Lady I had forgotten about de details dem pesky annoying details. Breakfast would be good about now...to bad we left dat snake from before, no?"
My sweet chivalier, why must you remind me of such horrid things as soon as I wake up? I tried to forget the snake, but noooo! A certain somebody likes to watch their poor wife squirm. she says whilst giving Jaeger the stink eye. Suddenly her stomach growls loudly as if moaning in anger from lack of vittles. Not a word my love, not a single word! she teasingly snarls at Jaeger trying to make light of their hunger.
Everyone within the temple
The Temple is warm and a feeling of comfort and protection settles over all of you.
Unless it goes against your character Idea, consider this being the first night in a long time that you have slept through the night without a night terror to disrupt your slumber. You don't know what happened yesterday but this temple feel completely different then th one you found yesterday.
When you leave the temple something catches your eye, where the undead dwarf had fell grows a single white petaled rose. Growing up between the dwarf's left arm and side. Despite the unnatural thought of this the sight of something so beautiful after being faced by so much evil and so much death is heartening at least.
Down the Southern Passageway...
The passageway leading south from the Restored Temple continues for about 3,000 feet, this takes about an hour, before ending here after a gradual rise in elevation of 30 feet. It opens up into a much larger cavern then what you've experienced thus far. Stone figures are carved into the walls of this cavern. Each depicts a different crusader clad in armor and wielding weapons, but their carved stone features contain expressions of sadness.
Referring to Kieran's post before....
Before Cid has a chance to respond to his friend, Horgus catches him off guard with his fluent undercommon. He chose to remain silent and let Kieran exchange dialogue, though ultimately he too agreed to Horgus's protection for the gold. Cid gave a drow gesture of trust, and once Horgus left again, he turned to his large friend...
"Perhaps I should have taught you sakvroth instead..." With that, they finished their watch.
Current posts...
Jaeger smiles but wisely stays silent.
After everyone gathers there equipment and had a meager breakfast of hard trail rations. Jaeger looks over the small temple seeing the still damaged alter and holy symbols. He is struck by a sudden urge...a need. Lingering in the back of the temple he waits for everyone else to file out. He then quickly lifts a necklace from around his neck revealing a wooden necklace dedicated to Desna. He hangs it up on the wall where the old symbol used to hang. And after a quick prayer to Desna he leaves the temple as well.
Perception:
K Local: (heard any rumors or stories about these caverns or statues?)
Survival: (any idea where they might be relative to Kenbaras?)
Rested and restored from the night in the temple, Lomar shares his store of rations from the found backpack and moves off with the others when all are ready.
Upon seeing the carved figures, he stops in admiration, trying to determine who may have carved them. Say one thing for these prime material races, they did tend to produce many talented artisans.
There is a single exit that only those with provision can idea tiny on the far right side of this cavern. Its the only way out other then the way you came in...
Kieran's heavily plodding footsteps stop short as he realizes everyone in the group had slowed their pace. He leans on his spear and takes a long look at the strange, new surroundings.
Will continue forward in four hours, trying to not stall to long here. ;)
"If I had to guess, I'd say these statues are from the first crusade during the 4620's; according to kivvel reckonings. This place is almost a century old."
If there is nothing else if importance, Cid examines path before him .
"Truly, the light of her blessing falls upon us."
When I see the flower I am overcome, a few tears roll down my usually stoic visage, "Even in the dark places of the earth, even here."
I admire the statues but let our scouts lead along the path, I focus upon standing ready with my glaive and making sure none of the group fall behind.
"We cannot be far from the surface, the routes of the first crusaders must be near."
Still curious about the statues, Lomar turns to the woman with the crossbow and the elf that she leads. Not having bothered to remember either of their names as of yet, he speaks somewhat brusquely "Old man, you seem the knowledgeable type. These statues here" whereupon he describes them in detail before continuing "..have you heard of their like? Do you know their history, or where they might indicate we are?"
Aravashnial is about to respond when Jaeger and Kieren point out dark shapes moving among the shoulders of the warrior statues. As soon as the alarm is raised the creatures move swiftly to attack!
You both see something moving on opposite sides of the chamber, each of you spotting one and nearly cutting each other off as you announced their presence. What you saw boggles the mind as you haven't seen the like of it before...
"beware of the darkmantle!
"What's a Darkmantle?"
K Arcana:
Init:
"beware the darkmantle!"
"What's a Darkmantle?"
"Guessin' it's them squidly bastards floatin' off the ceiling," Kieran asserts as he readies his spear.
"Really, and here I thought dos were a couple o' unfortunately shaped unicorn." Jaeger remarks dryly towards Kieran as he readies Abyssion with a quick flourish.
Lomar merely arches an eyebrow at the quips between Jaeger and Kieran, although the corner of his mouth does twitch upwards slightly at the slight mockery towards the big human.
Never does he take his eyes off the darkmantles though. When the first one comes into range, he attacks, black arcane energy and red hot fire entwining around each other in his blast.
Ranged touch attack, 60':
Damage:
Plus Fire Damage:
”A subterranean predator that disguises itself with camouflage and hunts in underground taverns by dropping on it’s prey and grappling. They’re stronger than they look and can create magical darkness!”Lasciel shouts.
Lomar (crit) - Done
Darkmantles 25/22 - Done
Cid 21
Lasciel 17
Aravashnial 14
Anevia 11
Kieren 10
Ethyra 8
Seren & Jeager 5
Horgus 3
The Darkmantles react violently to your intrusion and the one closer to Kieren, twists to the side and unleashes a black cloud of pure darkness. Blinding everyone who is standing within it. The other one, badly injured by Lomar, follows suit and Cid, Kieren and Seren are all caught inside the cloud...
The clouds of darkness move to envelop everyone fairly swiftly...
"What in the nine hells!" Cries Horgus as the darkness sweeps over him.
"How are we supposed to get a clear shot in this S***!" Anevia's crossbow rattles as she tries to aim.
Aravashnial reacts poorly to the sudden confusion, responding to Lasciel's speech about the darkmantles. "Be careful not to strike each other!"
Anevia, Horgus and Aravashnial hold there actions as thy try and get there bearings.
Those who have darkvision are able to see well, those carrying torches find their lightsource is completely overwhelmed by the shroud of darkness...
That's there position. I will repost the link again. Separated the two and trusting you guys on your honor codes. :) Good Luck!
Reacting far more swiftly than would seem possible, Lomar is able to act twice before all other are able to act even once.
The first blast already on it's way, he once again summons up the arcane energy within him and speaks one simple word as he unleashes a second blast upon his target, "Die."
Ranged touch attack, 60':
Damage:
Plus Fire Damage:
Targeting the opposite Darkmantle, Lasciel sends as stream of freezing energy towards the creature, with a swiftly spoken invocation.
Jaeger shrugs his shoulders at the stream of obscenities coming from the blind barbarian. He smirks as he contemplates flicking a small stone his way but resists the urge. Instead turning his gaze towards the darkmantle. Knowing that Ethyra is vulnerable in this darkness he acts quickly. Kicking off the ground he darts forward Abyssion a dark blur as it slashes into darkmantle flesh.
"Thank you, darkmantles. The torchlight was beginning to irritate my eyes..." says Cid as he draws his crossbow and shoots the darkmantle toward the southern end of the room.
NOOOOPE!
Seren's strike was the deathblow for the first Darkmantle, cleaing the cloak like creature nearly in half with a single strike. Despite her success Jaeger wasn't as lucky as the one he was fighting struck back, hard, despite it's thin looking structure it was far stronger then it looked.
As Jaeger reeled back from the strike the Darkmantles additional tentacles lashed out, grappling with Jaeger as it tried to pull itself over the top of his head to envelop him. As Jaeger struggled with the Darkmantle he spotted the wicked looking rows of barbs and a clawed like Beak on its underside...
If it got over his head completely it wouldn't end well...
Frowning as the almost always overconfident tiefling is engulfed by the darkmantle, Lomar steps past his sister, aims carefully, and unleashes another blast while saying under his breath "I hope this hurts it more than it does you Jaeger."
Ranged touch attack, 60':
Damage:
Plus Fire Damage:
"Get off you oversized blanket! Jaeger yells as he breaks free from the darkmantle's embrace. "A little to grabby for ma tastes mon ami."
In Jaeger's haste for vengeance he misjudged and all he gets for his troubles is the sharp vibrations as Abyssion meets with the stone wall sparking off the rocks.
Seren's strike, coupled with Lomar's leaves the Darkmantle screeching in pain. The Darkmantle is thrown off by Jaeger mighty heave and then ended by a well aimed crossbow bolt from Cid. With it's death the darkness fades and the once smothered torches flare to life again, illuminating the chamber...
In the eerie quiet that followed the crackle of a burning fire and a low glow can be seen from the adjoining chamber to the set of caves you have found yourselves in...
Cid reloads his crossbow and looks none to pleased to have missed the glow earlier, he looks to Kieren and motions with his hands to follow quietly before advancing forward first to stand just outside the entrance to the next room...
Definitely curious as to who, or what, else may be sharing these underground caves with them. Before Cid, or, more specifically, the dark-blinded, clumsy looking big human can plod forward, Lomar drawls.
"Perhaps, if stealth and surprise are required here, which I highly recommend, it should be those of us who do not need a torch to light our way, and can move quietly, proceed ahead to see what lies ahead."
Arching an eyebrow as he waits for Kieren's, or Cid's reply, regardless of the response, the surprisingly nimble warlock stalks ahead of the party's light to try and get a sneak peek at whatever as near the campfire. His arrogance may have sapped his concentration however for, in this instance at least, he does not quite move as quietly as he had intended to.
Stealth:
Perception: