Brother Theodor looks baffed at the others offer to help explore the mines.
"Umm gentlemen, we have a previous engagement that we should not put off. As much "fun" as it might be to help search these tunnels, we do have a somewhat pressing matter to attend to, if you will remember!"
The slitherin glance at each other, Molik shrugging.
"We wouldn't turn down help, but we don't want to keep you. After all, you've helped me out plenty already.", Viraj the engineer says.
"Mostly, we just want to take a look close to the surface for any old tools, intact lumber- even just nails that we can re-purpose."
Lhienne serves up a hot meal from the hearth and you're all full once more. After a short time, the Vorestorm outside seems to stop. Sticky ichor and bits of enamel pool on the ground.
With the Titan rain stopped, Molik barges out the door and heads toward the mine.
The scouts and the engineer nod to your group.
"Someone's impatient. Thank you very much for the food and the company- you're welcome to join us if you prefer, but you've already done plenty. If you're near the Cheery Brine Warren, stop by- we haven't much but we can offer you what hospitality we have.", Abdrek says before the ratfolk scurry after their brawny warleader.
"Yes, let's keep going before we are further delayed. I will not feel comfortable until we divest ourselves of these items at the church."
Brother Theodor gathers up his pack and prepares to leave.
Bidding the slitherin farewell, you return to the road. The ground is soggy beneath your feet and slightly sticky, but the sun is back in the sky after the disturbing rain of Titan's blood. Nearly ten days of further travel lie before you to reach the tip of the Peninsula.
Slime Rain
7 giant fire beetles Thunderstorm in the evening
Uneventful
Pack of goblin dogs
Strong Winds + Blade Beasts*
Vorestorm Thunderstorm
ANOTHER vorestorm, attacked by goblins
Stirges
YET ANOTHER VORESTORM, Spider-eye goblins
Giant Lizards?
In the midafternoon, you pass into a hilly woodland and Zukhan recognizes signs of scythe falcon nests. Noting that it's mating season and the males will be aggressive, he leads the party away from their hunting grounds to avoid unnecessary confrontation.
By evening, the weather has turned foul again but this time it's merely rain coming in off of Liar's Sound. You make camp on high ground and throw together lean-tos and crude platforms from scavenged wood to try and keep the rain off. Lhienne's horse is rather miserable.
The next morning, you dry yourselves off as best you can, though the rain's continued. After a cold breakfast over a smoky fire and Brother Theodor's morning prayers, you pack up and hit the road once more. You can only hope the Peninsula's fabled weather comes through today and the skies clear up for you.
But unfortunately, things go from bad to worse in mid-morning. There's a wet smacking sound coming from the hills and it isn't long before you feel something hit your shoulders and hoods, a slight sizzling sound following the impact as whatever it was slides off of you.
A pinkish slime is falling from the sky. The slime is gelatinous and mildly acidic- it stings when it makes contact with your skin and your rush to cover the horse with a blanket to protect the poor creature.
The slime rain, a remnant of Gaurak the Glutton, continues for about 2 hours while you trudge across the slippery road in disgust. At noon, the clouds open and the sun finally reveals itself. The slimy precipitation dissolves in the noon heat and you finally get to enjoy a little time not being rained on by something.
The mild weather continues through the evening when you make camp. Beyond the singing of birds and scurrying of mundane wildlife, you don't see a soul for the rest of the day and your evening in camp is quiet.
Lhienne wakes up to find her hand curled around the Dagger of Spiragos' hilt, the weapon holding an unearthly chill.
The weather is cloudy again in the morning, but at least you had a dry evening. After several hours of travel, you find the low-lying road flooded out ahead of you due to all of the rain in recent days. Taking a detour, you run afoul of a next of giant fire beetles which pursue you after getting the scent of horse flesh. With bows, sling and divine spear you defeat several of the swarm and the rest scurry away. By the afternoon, you're back on the road toward Fangsfall again just in time for peals of thunder to roll across the hills. Rain once more pelts your cloaks as you trudge ahead. You find a cave that you consider to be satisfactorily uninhabited to dry off for the night and fortunately, the evening passes without incident.
The next morning, the thunderstorm has passed and you must once more hit the road, the irrepressible Djal whistling a jaunty tune to lift your spirits. The day is sunny and warm and Zukhan manages to hunt a deer for a fresh dinner during the days trek. You make camp beneath the stars this night and enjoy a calm evening after Lhienne cooks up some fresh venison for you all.
The fifth day on the road, you get the feeling that you're being watched. It comes to a head in a shady pass as a trio of hideous goblin dogs rush at you, attempting to tear at your backpacks and get at your supplies. With a short but frenzied melee, you drive off two of them after slaying one. The rest of the day passes uneventfully, though you keep an eye on your backs after the goblin dog attack.
Strong winds pick up overnight and continue into the next morning. Huddled under your hoods, you continue through the wooded hills South on the road.
A scraping sound from up ahead immediately draws your attention. You have just enough time to ready your weapons before a great black panther-like cat springs out at you from the road ahead! Its body is covered in a pattern of fractures emitting a fiery red glow, its jet-black skin hard like rock. Swords, spears and halberds bristle from its hides, scraping against the rocks in the pass.
It leaps at Zukhan in the lead, biting at him and slamming its bulk into the Asaathi's body!
Zukhan jumps away from the beast's jaws, but he couldn't be prepared for the crushing weight of the thing hitting him and nearly knocking him to the ground! A blade sunk through the creature's body slashes at him even as the beast's weight drives him to his knees!
Taken completely by surprise, Brother Thodor jabs at the creature reflexively with his spear.
Attack:
Damage:
Zukhan Struggles to keep his feet.
Bonus Action: Hunter's Mark
(+2 if Titan Spawn)
(+2 if Titan Spawn)
Lhienne hides behind an outcropping, only to reappear in the beast's blind spot with his rapier poised to strike.
Round One
While Zukhan barely keeps his feet, Brother Theodor strikes at the beast with his spear. The blade chisels open one of the rents in the panther-thing's hide. But the thing's skin won't release his spear, leaving Brother Theo frantically pulling it to release the weapon.
And release it he does, pulling the weapon from the creature's skin.
Zukhan marks the Titanspawn as his prey before leaping at it like a coiled serpent. While his slash draws a trickle of magma from the beast's hide, it doesn't have quite the devastating effect that he had hoped for.
Djal follows up with a jab from his rapier, giving the monster a serious poking. The stone skinned cat dodges his dagger thrust, even as Lhienne's own rapier finds its mark in its exposed side.
Round Two
Cornered, the beast focuses its ire at Zukhan and attempts to rip him open with its obsidian teeth before throwing its blade filled body against him!
The beast rips past Zukhan's defenses with a savagery the ranger didn't expect, knocking away his guard and plunging its sharp sabre-like teeth into his chest. The weapons bristling its body likewise pierce Zukhan as the weight of the thing bears him down.
The Party is up!
Djal dives at the stone cat, but the thing is surprisingly fast and his blades find no purchase!
Zukhan bleeds on the ground:
Brother Theodor, seeing Zukhan fall, takes another stab at the beast while sending healing to the injured Asaatthi Ranger.
Attack:
Damage:
Bonus action - Healing Word (2nd Level):
Brother Theodor's spear sinks into the cat's obsidian hide, a glowing stream of magma like blood leaking from the wound. Once more, it attempts to hold onto his spear!
In horror, the cleric watches as his spear is wrenched from his hand and absorbed into the beast's body!
Zukhan spasms and rises to his feet, retrieving his fallen weapons.
Lhienne stabs at the stone cat once again:
While the blow finds purchase, it does minimal damage to the fierce Titanspawn.
Round Three
The panther-thing focuses its ire anew on Djal and Brother Theo, biting and slamming the bard with its weight while it attacks Brother Theodor with his own spear now bristling from its bladed hide!
Djal didn't expect the stone cat to be quite as fast as it is! He's bitten and bludgeoned, sent reeling with a terrible blow!
Brother Theodor retains the use of his shield, fortunately enough, and manages to deflect the attack so rudely levied at him with his own weapon.
Stepping back from the fray, Theodor casts a spell that creates a shining spear right beside the armoured cat. With the flick of his wrist, the phantom weapon strikes out at the creature.
Attack:
Damage:
Zukhan coughs up a bit of blood but pushes forward with his weapons anyway, seeing little other choice than to bring the beast down.
The blade beast dives away from both Zukhan's attacks and Brother Theo's divine spear! Lhienne realizes that the party is in over their heads and without even realizing it, finds the Dagger of Spiragos in her hand! She dives at the Titanspawn, short sword in hand!
But the tainted weapon doesn't connect!
Round Four
The blade beast snarls, biting and swatting its paws at Brother Theodor while the blades in its body slice at Djal!
The beast's jaws clamp down on Brother Theodor's shield while it's sharp obsidian claws dig into his leg.
Djal dances lightly away from the creature's hide, only inches away from the tip of a blade!
Lhienne tries to drive the Dagger into the beast once more:
And continues to miss!
Taking the minor wound, Brother Theo again directs his spiritual weapon to strike at the monster.
Attack:
Damage:
Travelling down the trail is a clearly half-elven man with 5 O'clock shadow and traveler's clothes. He is holding a map in one hand and looks up at the sound of combat...then smiles. He casts a spell then moves down towards the combat.
As he comes into clear view, the thing that stands out about him the most is the holy symbol of Chardun he wears.
Round Four
Djal pierces the blade beast with his rapier, slowly chiseling away at the resilient stone cat! He follows up with his dagger, but the beast simply absorbs the weapons into its hide!
Brother Theodor's shining spear of force pierces the blade beast, dealing an impressive amount of damage to the thing!
The random angry nerd from the underbrush dives furiously at the blade beast, giving it a sound hack with his blade!
Circling the beast warily, the injured Zukhan attacks with his scimitar and clawed gauntlet.
He draws further magma-like blood from the Titanspawn, further whittling away at it!
Lhienne tries to stab it with the Dagger of Spiragos!
And misses once more with the accursed weapon!
Round Five
Bleeding white-hot magma blood while its hide disintegrates under your assault, the obsidian cat dives at Brother Theo while lashing out at Zdravko with one of the stolen weapons in its hide!
The blade beast visits another terrible bite upon the brave priest, crunching through his white scale mail to draw blood! Fortunately, Brother Theo expects the follow-up slam attack and absorbs the blow with his shield!
With a stolen spear, the beast capitalizes on Zdravko's reckless assault and stabs the itinerant astronomer's assistant in the side!
The Half-Elven man moves closer and fires a beam of orange light at the creature.
With the agile flourish of Djal's bladework and the cringe-worthy might of Zdravko's fury the blade beast crumbles in a spray of sparks and crumbling obsidian shards. All of its stolen weapons fall to the ground in a clanking pile, including Djal's stolen dagger and Brother Theodor's spear.
Additionally, the heap of discarded weapons holds three javelins, two longswords, a silver shortsword, a mace, a greatsword and scythe with a broken haft.
"You have a serious anger problem!" says the Half-Elven man without preamble.
He once again pulls out and examines a map of the area, with several and makes a mark on it using magic before putting it away again.
"So, what brings a group of heavily armed and armored people out to the middle of the wilderness?"
Brother Theo retrieves his spear and dismisses the ghostly weapon.
"Anyone injured? Who needs some help...other than me, that is!", he says with a wry smile.
The lizard man shrugs. "We're headed off to Fangsfall as well. " then turns to Zdravko. "I'm sorry to hear about your friend. That thing was vicious, it nearly gutted me with one swipe."
'I certainly won't turn down a bit of aid Brother Theo."
"Well, it beats travelling alone. My name is Heroiel, and I am student of the arcane. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
Heal: