Lina keeps her weapons ready and advances into the cistern to investigate, paying particular attention to the newer structure.
After glancing back to make sure everyone is okay, Azlana follows Lina.
ther doesn't seem to be any way around entering the brick maze, unless someone intends to go through the wall.
Haruto, as usual, seems to be paying more attention to daydreams than his surroundings as he follows the others.
Shayde slips along behind, shadowing this strange group. He also wants to leave these caverns... though from what he remembered the surface was little better.
in the maze, the sounds of breathing and the occasional bit of movement can be heard- there's defiantly something in there.
Azlana watches the elf with her bow raised, ready to shoot.
Who are you?
Shayde considered the group, inwardly irritated at his failure to avoid notice. So much skill had been lost...
Looking toward Azlana, he offered a terse reply.
"Shayde."
Azlana really wants to shoot him, but tries again.
So, Shayde, where are you from, why are you following us, and why shouldn't I shoot you?
Shayde shrugged. At least one of them was properly cautious.
"Where I am from matters little. I awakened in these caves a mere day ago, and have been shadowing you in search of a way out. Save your arrows for the demons. Had Shadow willed I slay you, I would have struck when you slumbered without a watch."
"Well isn't that just a great comfort," Lina says. "And what's to say you won't do something treacherous once you have your escape route?"
She uses Detect Evil on Shayde, but doesn't relax even when he doesn't register as evil.
Yeah, good to know you are willing to kill us in our sleep for some dark master. Well, the exit should be that way.
She points.
Go ahead. Really. We'll be fine.
Shayde shrugged. "Many make the mistake of believing that darkness and evil are the same, and that because something is light it is good. The light will slay just as callously, if you do not take care. So will you, if you wish to get through the coming days alive."
Shayde is actually perfectly willing to stalk on ahead, doing his best to melt back into the shadows at the edges of the party's light, while silently playing the role of the advance scout, seeking to see what lies in wait beyond. He grips his left arm to still its involuntary twitching.
by the time shade notices what lies in wait, it's already too late to avoid it. Two fat, jiggling green tiny creatures, smelling of desth and decay assult shade, bursting from around a corner.
[ooc] any effects that trigger agaisnt Demons trigger here.[/dice]
Azlana hears commotion ahead and moves forward until she sees the creepy guy that was following them fighting some strange creatures. She figures he needs help, so she calls back to the others, and shoots at one of the creatures.
(favored enemy)
(favored enemy)
Shayde pauses for a moment as he realizes that the blood dripping from the scratch on his arm was glowing, then shook his head and focused on the battle. Enough time to worry about whatever this was later; it would hardly matter right now.
Drawing his cold iron short blade, Shayde examines the creature in front of him, then stirkes.
[ooc]Oh, Amulet bonus for the day[ooc]
Haruto fires a ray of heavenly fire at one of the dretches.
the arrow and holy fire both hit dretch 2, but It's still standing.
As Lina moves forward she pulls out a bottle and lobs it overhead at Dretch #2 as it comes in view.
the second dretch staggers then falls over, while the other steps back 5 feet, and casts slinking cloud.
Azlana moves so she can shoot at the other creature.
(favored enemy)
(favored enemy)
Haruto hangs back, not thinking it best he crowd in when he'd likely just get sick.
The dretch misses as azlana draws the bow, and an arrow pierces it between the eyes, instantly dropping it.
Shayde, able to tell that both creatures are indeed dead, simply heads for some open air. Perhaps he should take the time to manifest Stalker...
Slipping into a secluded dead end, he takes a minute to draw the shade into being.
Yes, it's dead. She moves back to the rest of the party slowly, unable to see very far ahead.
the small group behind the party follows along now, and are utterly disgusted at the misrable creatures the party just killed.
If the stinking cloud has dissipated, Azlana moves forward, trying to find a way through this strange maze, and wondering what happened to that Shayde guy that they just saved.
the reprieve from the scent is brief, as things begin to smell awful again as the group moves on- soon enough, they come to more recent, active sewers, with several ladders that seem to lead up.
"did... did we make it?" anvina asks, exhausted.
I hope so... but not sure. Wait here and I'll check.
Azlana start climbing one of the ladders.
the ladder does lead to the surface- a smoldering, apocolypic ruin of a once great city.
Azlana is shaken by what she sees, but still grateful for a way out. She goes back down and tells everyone what she saw, and helps everyone up to the surface.
She also calls out Shayde, if you're still down here, we found a way out. Want to come with?
Haruto frowns distantly as he comes out onto the surface.
"Like my dream," he murmurs, quietly.
Shayde emerged from one of the maze passageways after Azlana calls, followed by a looming, shadowy figure.
"May as well. Only death awaits those who go alone above."
Lina goes up the ladder only after everyone else has, keeping a sharp eye on Shayde. When she gets to the surface, she takes a moment to breathe the fresh air before taking in what's left of Kenabres. "It's been flattened, nearly. I knew that demons were powerful, but this is..."
the sun shines brightly on the horizon, the gloom of dusk beginning to set in. The shadows cast about the city are the shadows of rubble, with many small houses and personal abodes still stnading, but every glorious tower and monument have been reduced to rubble. Smoke billows in what seems like hundreds of towers, and everything seems quiet and empty, until a loud shriek perices the air, another victim falling to demons. Anvina staggers a bit as she comes to the surface, shielding herself from the light.
"ugh. Since when was light unnarural to me? This feels miserable."
and after a moment, her problems seem to be put in perspective, as her eyes adjust.
"gods... I need to get home. My... My wife and I share a small home to the east. Can... You all take me there? I want to see if it still stands, and to see if I can find any news about my wife's wearabouts."
aravanshul is breathing heavily- something seems to be getting to him, as he clutches his chest. "I... We need to get to blacking. I'm... Worried about my fellows." he might have had more to say, but, Horgus butts in with
"take me home. now. I have to... Take care of things.
there's a steely anger behind his voice, though at what is unclear.
|
Hanna knew that she’d be coming to a scene of destruction, knew it like she knew that like she knew that she had claws. When an army attacks a town that much is to be expected, especially with two enormous, nearly demigod level beings coming to blows in the air above the town. But knowing that and seeing it were two separate things.
Emotions waged through her, dispair hit first, nearly knocking her to her knees at the sight of so much death and pain, but it was soon met with fury, both at the demons and herself for the feelings of weakness. She can’t express the pain at the sight of the town except to growl in rage for a bit as the others talk. Even once they finish her voice is gruff and her knuckles are white with how tightly they are clenched ”don’t worry, we’ll make sure to swing by each of your homes to assess the situation. Anyone know a route to be able to hit all of them?
Azlana starts to think about the destruction of the city, but it is just overwhleming, and she shuts down that part of her brain, focusing on what they have been doing for days. Survival. Keep these people alive and moving.
She says
Hanna is right. We'll get everyone where they need to go. Just hang in there with us a little longer. You don't want to go off on your own. It isn't safe.
Once they have an idea where all the destinations are, she suggests they head to the closest one first.
Haruto gazes silently off into the distance, recalling the dreams he'd had. He waits for the others to decide their route.
anvina's house ends up being the farthest, blackwing, is the closest, and horgus's house is closer then anvina's house- going in the order of whatever's closest seems potentially rather efficient, save horgus saying
"we need to go to my home first. "