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for
Dunkel leaps after Doubtful's advance, stumbling slightly on his own oversized feet as he does so.
HP: 42/55 (50 max;no temp); AC: 14 (T10/FF14)
F: +8*, R: +2*, W: +4* (+2 vs poisons, spells, SLAs)
Telekinetic Fist (1d4+1) Uses Left: 5/5
Cure Light Wand Charges Left: 34/50
Mage Armor Wand Charges Left: 40/50
Cold Iron Arrows Left: 50/50
Spells (CL 5th; concentration +7)
1st — [ ] burning hands (DC 14), [ ] enlarge person (DC 13), [ ] expeditious, [ ] feather fall, [ ] shield
2nd - [ ] false life, [ ] resist energy, [ ] see invisibility, [X] spider climb
Stats above reflect mage armor is active
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The persistent heat and humidity of the jungle fades away quickly beyond the cut in the rock that leads to a sloping passageway. A subtle breeze, tinged with the odor of bat guano, flows from deeper within.
A series of ancient cave paintings begin at a height of 20 feet off the ground. There are two layers of art. The older layer depicts humans and some type of bat-winged creatures worshiping a massive shadowy figure that resembles a gigantic bat. Over top of this layer are depictions of human figures battling and trapping the older figures. In fact, the newer art incorporates these older images into its own, imprisoning the old artwork within the new. These paintings continue for the rest of the cave.
The older images contain iconography associated with Camazotz, the god of bats, blood, and nocturnal predators.
The human figures are depictions of Old-Mage Jatembe and his Ten Magic Warriors. Old-Mage Jatembe and his warriors are legendary heroes, responsible for protecting the people of Garund from countless evil forces and establishing schools of arcane learning, such as the world-famous Magaambya academy in Nantambu.
Approaching further, a cool breeze flows through this large cavern from a ten-foot diameter hole near the center, carrying with it the metallic tang of blood. The floor and walls look to have been shaped long ago and stained with mineral deposits over time, but the ceiling fifty feet above remains in its natural state, covered with stalactites.
East of the hole is a crude stone altar formed of rock. Just past the altar to the east, a massive stalactite hangs from the ceiling and stops five feet from the floor. It has been carved into the shape of a gigantic bat, its wings outspread and its fangs exposed as if about to consume a victim below. Bloodstains cover the altar.
Tied to the altar and gagged is an Ekujae elf. Another three elves are held in the bamboo cage. One of the caged elves pleads loudly,
"Kaghaze, stop!,
The other two prisoners sit listlessly in the cage. Three batlike creatures are in the room, two extremely small, almost implike, the other man-sized. The tiny creatures are unarmed except for fearsome claws and teeth, while the other wields a bow in its clawed hands.
You begin to hear a sinister voice whispering in your head.
Open your veins and give your lifeblood to The Hungry Dark.
This creature appears to be an elf afflicted with lycanthropy, becoming a werebat. Werecreatures are generally vulnerable to silver weapons, and can shift between humanoid, animal, and hybrid forms. This one seems to be in hybrid form.
Their claws are charged with profane energy that is especially damaging to the morally pure, who they can sense innately. They have the power to magically paralyze or scare their opponents.
Acts in surprise round!
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Imrana looks on in wonder at the paintings of Old Mage Jatembe. The Great Nex respected few people, and of that few, the Old Mage ranked the highest.
She finds her bewonderment cut short by the sudden start of battle.
Her mind snaps into sharp focus and she instantly recognizes their foes.
"The big one is a natural lycanthrope werebat! It can pass on lycanthropy to you if it bites you! It's weak to silver. The little ones are Skitterdark demons, immune to electricity and poison and they resist spells, fire, cold, and acid. They are weak to cold iron!"
Staring with grave worry at the werebat and its maw, she begins casting her most powerful spell, Blindness.
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The werebat's eyes fail to cloud over, despite Imrana's magic. Instead, they seem to bore into her, taking everything about her in. Very deliberately, he trains his bow on her, aiming an arrow directly for her head, and the last thing she sees is the arrow heading right between her eyes.
As she crumples to the ground, the werebat calls out, "Come any further and you'll meet the same end as her!"
Wyatt is up.
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Wyatt's first arrow hits the werebat, penetrating through its unnatural resistance without issue. A splatter of blood from the wound lands on the altar, and the sinister whisper intensifies into a shout.
One of the bat-demons flies closer, getting above the range of melee weapons. Staring at Dunkel, it conjures images of even more hideous and unsettling dark winged creatures.
D'lack, Doubtful, and Dunkel may act
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Dunkel looks around and frowns, as everything seems to be going against them. He's sure Imrana is dead (an arrow to the face!) and the strange negative effect as blood splashes on the altar is especially troubling.
He hates being proven right!
With a bound, he races across the intervening space, closing with the werebat frighteningly quick.
Once there, he grabs at the creatures arm, trying to keep it from using the bow to shoot any more of his companions, and hopefully pull it away from the altar.
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Dunkel looks about ready to drop his axe and run, but grips it tighter at the last moment.
"Not gonna abandon Imrana!"
Giving a nod to Doubtful as his kin wrestles the Batman, he decides to add.
"Dun let 't bitecha!"
He begins muttering a spell, sadly not a quick one, to gain the natural reach needed to hit the little bats.
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Doubtful was right, if something could go wrong it will go wrong. Poor Imrana, I hope she's not dead...
Shaking off his dark ideas, D'lack seeing the batlike creature being held by Doubtful decides to shoot at the creature flying above.
I hope my ancestor's fire will be enough to kill this thing...
He moves closers and call for the Fire of his ancestor to burn the creature.
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D'lack's ray burns the demon, but only does about half of the damage you might expect.
The other demon also takes to the air, chittering a menacing curse at Doubtful. It only ends up causing a minor muscle cramp.
It tried Hold Person.
Beorin is up. Imrana can try to not bleed out, unless Beorin addresses that.
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Imrana's risk of meeting Pharasma in the immediate future decreases dramatically.
The werebat's beady eyes fixate on Doubtful for a moment, before its powerful jaws lash out. Doubtful's hold makes it difficult to maneuver, so the bite misses.
Wyatt, D'lack, Dunkel, and Doubtful may act (delaying demons onto the same initiative).
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His spell complete, Mega-Dunkel takes a few steps forward, swinging his newly enlarged axe at the bats flitting about.
"Cold iron... or mega-sized axes!"
for
HP: 42/55 (50 max;no temp); AC: 14 (T10/FF14)
F: +8*, R: +2*, W: +4* (+2 vs poisons, spells, SLAs)
Telekinetic Fist (1d4+1) Uses Left: 5/5
Cure Light Wand Charges Left: 34/50
Mage Armor Wand Charges Left: 40/50
Cold Iron Arrows Left: 50/50
Spells (CL 5th; concentration +7)
1st — [ ] burning hands (DC 14), [X] enlarge person (DC 13), [ ] expeditious, [ ] feather fall, [ ] shield
2nd - [ ] false life, [ ] resist energy, [ ] see invisibility, [X] spider climb
Stats above reflect mage armor is active
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Doubtful is successful in wresting the werebat away from the altar.
D'lack reloads while Wyatt shields himself against the demons. Despite his axe now being much larger than before, he still has trouble connecting with the tiny demons.
The demon who hadn't yet tried attempts to make Doubtful's muscles seize up, but proves unsuccessful.
The other dives at Dunkel, trying to dodge and weave to avoid his axe. Its claw strikes with sizzling unholy energy.
Beorin is up, as is Imrana if she becomes conscious.
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"Get outta my head!" Doubtful growls angrily at both the strange spooky voice speaking out of nowhere, and the various demons trying to paralyze him with fear.
He continues to wrestle with the werebat, not entirely sure what to do with it but pretty sure letting it go will be worse.
He tries to twist the creature's arm around and simultaneously elbow it in the back of the head.
For damage plus stun (DC 16 negates)
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Dunkel takes a few steps back, swinging his oversized axe somewhat wildly.
"Ach! 't got inside m' reach! Crafty bugger!"
for
HP: 42/55 (50 max;no temp); AC: 14 (T10/FF14)
F: +8*, R: +2*, W: +4* (+2 vs poisons, spells, SLAs)
Telekinetic Fist (1d4+1) Uses Left: 5/5
Cure Light Wand Charges Left: 34/50
Mage Armor Wand Charges Left: 40/50
Cold Iron Arrows Left: 50/50
Spells (CL 5th; concentration +7)
1st — [ ] burning hands (DC 14), [X] enlarge person (DC 13), [ ] expeditious, [ ] feather fall, [ ] shield
2nd - [ ] false life, [ ] resist energy, [ ] see invisibility, [X] spider climb
Stats above reflect mage armor is active