Saphren's mount rides up to gain some cover and he activates his slippers of Spider climbing.
Zoso fires off an arrow at one of the especially burning drow riders while maintaining his performance. "Remember that no bastard ever won a battle by dying for their cause, but by making the other poor dumb bastard die for theirs."
Zoso's arrow whizzes in as Brenna and Saphren move in. Safan clicks her tongue and also starts moving along the vertical wall, her face a mask of fury.
Lyr
Besh
---
Drow Soldiers and Geckos:
Cyan (-39/-23)
Purple (-5/-41)
Red (-5/-23)
Orange (-55/-36)
Yellow
Plain
---
Saphren
Safan
Brenna
Zoso
Besh guides zir mount forward, then sneezes three times into zir sleeve.
"Vex, go block that gap. Let's make them regret this." Lyra said.
Vex bolted forward, taking advantage of her suddenly enhanced speed.
Once she got to the outer edge of the thorn wall, she banked and erupted in a translucent cloud of horrid gas. She arced along the outer edge, then up and over it, then down into the middle and around, finally leaving out through he gap as the gas trail ended.
Two of the drow double over wretching while the remaining ones desperately try to force themselves out of the horrific situation they've found thesmelves in while Safan rushes in, obviously bloodthirsty. They all scrabble against the side of the wall and one manages to break free, he and his gecko covered in blod. His face is panicked and desperate. One of them lunges out at Safan with his lance, jabbing the drow merchant. She snarls in response.
Zoso
Besh
Saphren
Safan
Brenna
Lyr
---
Drow Soldiers and Geckos:
Cyan (-46/-23)
Purple (0/-36)
Red (0/-18)
Orange (-36/-36) (nauseated)
Yellow (nauseated)
Plain
As Besh rides in behind Saphan, ze slips slightly to the right in zir saddle, placing a bare hand on the rocky outcrop: "RISE!"
A rumble of shifting rock can be heard on the far side of the thorn wall .
In the deepest voice you've ever heard from the little gnome/drow, Beshtori roars with the voice of an avalanche.
Attacks: Slam +6, +2 (STR inc), -1 Power Attack
Damage: 1d6 + 4, +2 (STR inc), +3 Power Attack
[ooc]As the drow are not touching the ground, I assume Earth Mastery (+1 hit & dam) does not apply. Power Attack grants extra +50% because primary natural weapon
HP (2*d10+3)
Attacking Red
Attacking Yellow
Attacking Orange
Lyra spurred her lizard forward to move closer to the fight.
Vex, stun bomb Lyra instructed.
Lyra pulled an alchemical concoction out of her haversack and tossed it in an odd arc (given that they were sideways on the wall).
An intense flash of blue light erupted on the nearby drow.
"Oh, I've been wanting to try these things!" Vex said in her mind voice.
She pulled an identical vial to Lyra's out of her own haversack and tossed it down from where she was hovering above the thorn wall.
Another burst of intense blue light flashed right after the first.
Saphren's mount clambers up onto the stone and from where he fires his hand crossbow armed with a flaming bolt at the enemy drow near him.
He then dismounts, using the mount for cover. His slippers hold him firmly to the wall and he tries to hide behind the mount.
Beshtori summons six earth elementals. They manage to drag a drow off of a mount and hurl him to the ground far below where he falls, screaming.
Lyr and Vex set off a couple of stun bombs, which briefly blind everyuone, but particularly harm the drow trapped in their radius. Two geckos and a drow end up stunned as a result. The earth elementals are also affects, and two seem confused by the blast. One other drow and his mount are confused.
Saphren fires off a crossbow bolt and ducks out of sight.
Zoso
Besh
Earth elementals (blue ones are confused: attack self/attack nearest)
Saphren
Safan
Brenna
Lyr
---
Drow and Geckos:
Cyan (-46/-23) (may be dead - need to confirm sneak attack)
Purple (0/-36)
Red (0/-18) (fine/stunned)
Yellow (-16) (nauseated 2) (confused - babble)
Plain (stunned/stunned)
Saphren can you confirm how you landed a sneak attack? That drow was not flat footed.
To everyone's shock, Brenna manages to spur her mount forwards before landing an awkward blow on the drow out in the front. Safan charges up beside her, but her attack is parried. Zoso fires off a couple of arrows, one of which slams into the lead drow.
Your opponents clearly look terrified and as you get closer into the fray, despite the chaos of Lyr and Besh's spells you spot a few familiar faces.
The drow are unable to do much. They are either dead, stunned, or nauseated while the one who actually can fight just scrabbles uselessly against the wall of thorns, further injuring his lizard who is now barely hanging onto the wall.
You hear a distant thud as the drow that Saphren killed hits the ground below.
Zoso
Besh
Earth elementals (blue ones are confused: attack self/attack nearest)
Saphren
Safan
Brenna
Lyr
---
Drow and Geckos:
Purple (0/-41)
Red (0/-18) (fine/stunned) 0
Yellow (-16) (nauseated 1) (confused - babble)
Plain (stunned/stunned) 1
EE4, confused,
Attacking Red
Attacking Yellow
Drawing a wand, Besh sends Magic Missiles at the only drow ze can see:
Plain Drow
Telling his mount to "Stay!" Saphren moves to new cover and takes a shot at the only drow he can see.
Lyra spurs her lizard forward and unobtrusively taps Saphren on the back. Vex relayed the effects of the spell she cast.
Oh, nothing is going to be able to hinder you for a while, Saph! You could walk right through the thorn wall. They might still scratch you, but they won't hold you. Here, let me mark you some targets and clear paths! You're going to want to stay out of the gas.
Still invisible, Vex took to the air and cast a simple illusion of glowing red arrows that floated over the heads of the drow trapped inside the wall of thorns, and green arrows for the lizards. Now everyone on the other side of the wall knew exactly where they were. Vex also created a floating illusion of a few possible pathways that would let Saphren avoid the stinking gas clouds that he couldn't see.
Having finished hacking a foe, Brenna is unable to get her lizard to move again.
Saphren is suddenly -very- light on his feet as he moves in to miss with a crossbow bolt. Vex supplies some extremely handy arrows pointing to the targets.
Beshtori's earth elementals continue to pummel the drow inside the wall of thorns.
Zoso
Besh
Earth elementals (blue ones are confused: attack self/attack nearest)
Saphren
Safan
Brenna
Lyr
---
Drow and Geckos:
Purple (0/-41)
Red (-11/-18) (fine/stunned) 0
Yellow (-31) (nauseated 1) (confused - babble)
Plain (stunned/stunned) 1
Since the combat has delightfully come to her, "Briza" simply relies on hitting the fool with her axe. Hard. A lot.
Good Hope: (morale bonuses) +2 attacks, saves, damage, skill checks, ability checks
Inspire: (morale bonuses) +2 attacks, damage
Haste: +1 attack, +1 ac, +30' movement, +1 extra attack on full attacks
Zoso continues to inspire while sending off a hearty volley.
Brenna thwacks the rider in front of her three times solidly with her axe. He sways in the saddle, hanging on by a thread, until Zoso's arrow slices through the last strap of his harness and he plunges screaming to the distant floor below. The gecko, riderless, simply bolts, charging off along the wall with wet, slappy sounds.
The drow surrounded by the wall of thorns and noxious cloud have absolutely no luck as they charge in different directions, but are caught on the wall and overcome with nausea. Worse yet, as one urges his badly wounded gecko to leap onto the thorns, the gecko impales its neck on a gigantic spike and dies badly, stuck against the very temporary wall of thorns. The drow starts simply panicking as he tries to whistle over one of the fleeing geckos. One who recovers from his nausea scrabbles against the wall to absolutely no avail.
Zoso
Besh
Earth elementals (blue ones are confused: attack self/attack nearest)
Saphren
Safan
Brenna
Lyr
---
Drow and Geckos:
Purple (-5) (no gecko, stuck on wall of thorns)
Red (-16/-18)
Yellow (-39/-5) (confused - act normall)
Lyra relaxed her bow, waiting.
Grinning evilly Saphren "springs" into action. He moves through the wall, using it to stealth and spring out, always avoiding the stinking cloud. He focuses on Drow and so might draw aoos from their mounts. Because of this he starts off attacking drow whose mounts are nauseated.
Besh relaxes back in zir saddle, waiting for either a clear view of the enemy or the elementals to finish the job.
EE1, confused, random attack:
Clockwise from top, including mounts = Attacks Yellow Mount
EE4, confused, random attack:
Clockwise from top, including mounts = Attacks EE5
Attacking Red Drow
Attacking Yellow Drow
Attacking Yellow's Mount
Attacking EE5
[ooo]Rerolling screwed up damage from above.[/ooc]
Saphren lunges through the wall of thorns, stabbing deeply into a mounted drow while Beshtori's elementals leap upon the last two remaining drow, dragging them from their mounts and flinging them off of the wall.
End of Combat
As the last screaming drow thuds to the ground below, Safan just stares at you. "Who are you people?!"
Some of the dead drow are still attached their mounts and can be inspected once you calm down the mounts. You clearly recognize several guards from the house, but they are notably missing their signets - a crime you were promised is punishable by instant execution.
"We're professionals," Lyra deadpanned, dismissing her wall and clouds of gas. "Who are you?"
She didn't really expect an answer.
"Collect their heads." Lyra gestured to the dead drow. "Someone will need to be held accountable for this."
Saphren hesitates and asks Safan, would that be wise? I would hate to embarrass the wrong drow.
"Who sent these amateurs after us?" Lyra asked Safan.
Safan's gecko plods over as she looks over the bodies, shaking her head. "The Tiryin was an exciting lover, but a fool. This is amateurish. House guards. No signet. When they attacked you I knew he wanted to cover for his foolishness - when they attacked me however... well I suppose he thinks I'm boring or dangerous. Hopefully the latter."
She tries to spit on the corpse but you're on a wall and it just sails down to the ground below. "Let's get me out of here. If I was you I'd shut up about this - maybe only tell that b#~$* of a slavemother. Tiryin will be shamed like this and likely not act further."
Beshtori dismisses the elementals and wordlessly turns zir mount to follow Safan.
Zoso nods, "We should continue on," in as stoic of a voice as he can, he has a hard time keeping the grin off his face though.
==========================
==========================
It's been a weird month. Since the defeat of the drow in Celwynvian, you have now been sent on a mission like none other - to infiltrate the city of Zirnakaynin and discover the next moves for the drow against the surface. Your strategy, as advised by the elves, has been the long con. Integrate with their number, distinguish yourselves with your skills, and gain trust over weeks. So you joined House Vonnarc, a house dedicated to arcane secrets.
The strategy has worked thus far, with highlights being the destruction of a significant gang lord because he looked at you funny, and possibly gaining the tools to start a major conflict between drow and driders.
Your most recent mission was an emergency one, late at night. The second son and his illicit, commoner lover Safan apparently managed to kill a couple of prostitutes during their enthusiastic lovemaking. As one does. Your mission was to get Safan to safety - however on your way you were attacked by several of House Vonnarc's guards who had illegally taken off their signet rings to ensure the attack was not tied to the house. You slaughtered the guards, and return Safan to her home. The blunt drow woman is quiet and troubled, realizing her affair is over and there may be more assassins for her in the future.
Not your problem though. Your return back to the compound is secretive, and upon your arrival you are gathered by the Slavemother, who sequesters you in her chamber.
================
================
"Report back. You took longer than I expected you to and heard tell of a fight. What happened?"
Lyra passed the slave mother a bag of drow heads.
"Assassins were sent after us. House guards, lacking their rings. We killed them and finished the mission."
The slavemother glances in without changing expression. "Their lives were forfeit for removing their rings. Good. This is the last we shall speak of this. Get back to your cell."
There's a moment's hesitation. "You've done well."
----
Following this exchange of information, you are left to your own devices and as you return to your shared cell, you are met by a few guards.
"Gather your things," one says disgustedly. You gather your things and are brought to a series of five private rooms with locks. Apparently your lot in this house has improved after the past couple of adventures.
The following week passes with a drastic change in your duties. The guard servitors among you are put to work drilling and training the drow, while the house servitors start to work with the nobility directly, passing down orders, organizing the library, and enjoying a far more privileged lifestyle. Although you are clearly hated by the other servants for your sudden, drastic promotions, it's clear they are too scared of you to do much.
Lyra went about her duties training and drilling with typical stoicism and drive. She spoke only when spoken and was blunt and direct with everyone.
Behind closed doors, she turned her room into an makeshift alchemical lab, and left Vex to tend her concoctions while she was on duty. Her cookpots and bubblers never ceased their work.
Her paranoia was such that she did not like the idea of having individual rooms. The first night she attempted to convince her allies that it would be safer if they stayed at least two to a room and slept in shifts.
"We should expect our rooms to be searched again or raided at some point. We have rivals now, and Drow are fond of assassinations. "
Vex, on the other hand, went on a gleeful spree of larceny.
She confined her thefts to outside the House Vonnarc fortress. Instead, when Lyra was off duty and returned to their rooms, Vex took off into the city and went about trying to fill her extra-dimensional pockets.
Zoso spends the week attempting to emmbed himself deeper into the Drow house. The group having shown their worth helps some, knowing a few people helps some more, and knowing a handful of secrets concerning the house doesn't hurt.
Briza, aware that she's not super-smart and at risk for blowing their cover, instead spends her time drilling drow soldiers and occasionally driving them into the ground with her considerably powerful charges. She is a little foul-tempered with the troops, simply because she's constantly on edge. Even among the rest of the group she tends to be quiet, as she never knows who's listening and so she's a bit paranoid.
Vex goes on his own excellent adventure. Zirnakaynin for a fairy dragon is like a kid in a candy store, if the candy store was controlled by horrible drow. Being in an area of such magical wealth is a mixed blessing. His detect magic spells light the place up, but invisibility is a common enough ability that getting into the truly secure areas is not nearly as easy as one would think.
Pick pocketing people on the streets is pretty easy though, and even drow nobility don't protect their valuables that well. After several days of very careful looting, he comes away with a series of choice items:
- 4,305 in mixed coins
- a ring of sustenance
- a pair of spectacles of understanding
- a +1 conductive rapier
- 3 potions cure light wounds
- 2,300 gold in collected valuables (gems, objects of art, etc...)
As Lyr moves into her own room and sets up her alchemist's lab, it becomes clear that rather than being closely watched, which seemed to be the case for the first couple of weeks here, you seem to be properly left alone. The early signs of your belongings being ransacked and your movements being followed are just not apparent.
Zoso
Zoso sets himself to work becoming the most popular drow in the house. Considering how... disturbingly well he's taken to behaving like a drow he finds himself a favorite of demon-worshipping second daughter. Although a religious fanatic and sadist, she also is a decent gossip and seems impressed that Zoso is not as afraid of her as pretty much everyone in the house. Over the course of the week, she lets slip a couple of tidbits:
- The matron is a powerful diviner, and is an absentee ruler, letting the first daughter effectively run Vonnarc in her stead. Matron Pravora instead spends her time in an extradimensional space, unraveling great mysteries for her opaque goddess, and they all assume manipulating the events of the city.
- House Azinrae, the great House that lead the attack on the surface is now run by a deranged cult leader, who has emptied most of the house on some mission.
Brenna
Your own misery and irritation with being stuck down in this godforsaken city turns you into a fairly effective drow trainer. By the end of the week you've left the drow beneath you cowed before yoru might and the Paingiver suitably impressed.
Well, I posted this a week ago...
Thinking a bit more about the second part of this, I suppose Besh could do some research into contacting zir elf counterparts in our own world. If that's not feasible (or useful), then yeah, spell research.
With some research, Beshtori finds a spellbook where he could crib a 'sending' spell in order to send a message back to Eviana on the surface. Contact other plane would only work if they were on another plane, but the group is not. Everyone is just really deep underground.
============
[ooc]One Week Later/ooc]
============
Having become somewhat the talk of the house, yu are all gathered by the Slavemother. She seems very angry and spits her words as she speaks.
"It seems our favoured servants are in the First Daughter's good graces. I don't know how this has happened, but you are being summoned into Tower Solacas to visit her personally."
She leans in. "I have never set foot in the tower. No servant or slave ever has either, save those sent for experimentation and a bad death."
Tower Solacas is House Vonnarc's arcane school and one of the most secretive places in Zirnakaynin. It is extraordinarily difficult to get in, and is the domain of ht First Daughter Alicavniss and the First Son Edrinneir. The tower itself is a crystalline structure, rising higher than the rest of the house, and absolutely forbidden. Until now.
"Get out of my sight. Figure your own way."
Beshtori, having learned a bit these last few weeks about controlling zir emotions, cannot help zir eyes going wide at the mention of Tower Solacas - it's the place ze's been trying to get into since they first arrived!
When dismissed by the Slavemother, ze quickly turns on zir heel and is the first out the door. Outpacing the others, ze waits for them at the next corridor junction, eyes alight and fairly bouncing on zir toes.
"C'mon!Cmoncmoncmoncmon! This is going to be great - what kind of cool stuff do you think they'll have there? I'll bet there's all kinds of neat artifacts and stuff!"