The periodic flashes of light from the unsettling tentacled statue gave the spellsword cause to harm it. Running toward the statue in an attempt to destroy it, the hanging gug took advantage of the lapse in her defenses and slashed its claws down at her flanks viciously. The power of the blows could be felt as the claws swiped through the air, but one heavy blow was deflected by an invisible magical shield. Ignoring the slice wound, she cuts toward the statue in an arc and clobbers of a chunk of stone.
Roland's hammer flies through the air toward the gug but only manages a glancing blow before it tumbled back to the cave floor.
In Catcher's mind...
Appearing suddenly in the darkvision spectrum granted by magic, the spellsword saw what could only be the white tentacle beast that the pech and dark folk described. It materialized out of nothingness mere feet from her, hovering as if it stood upon solid ground. It was a mass of blubbery white flesh propelling itself angrily toward her while its cluster of tangled tentacles writhed and reached outward.
The giant gug horror groaned and screeched as it continued its unending stream of flying claws and bites, dipping down from the ceiling like lightning strikes.
While Catcher, Gromff and Roland all have their attentions focused on the horrors in front of them, Veronica notices that suddenly the slaves have ceased their attacks and show no more sign of fervor. Most of them are holding a hand to their head as if massaging a headache.
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”A little help here!” Cather calls out when the big tentacle thing promises to enthrall her.
For a moment, she thinks about attacking the beast, but it didn’t seem something that she could handle on her own, then she decides to gamble, the creature seemed desperate when she attacked the statue, so let’s continue attacking the statue!
Large chunks of stone crumbled from the statue as the greatsword clanged into it over and over. Cracks began to run up and down the moon-beast statue form, emitting a pale soft light. Wisps of magical residue seeped out of the cracks, indicating that this statue was more than met the eye.
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The roaring daylight emitting from Roland cast dark shadows around many corners, shadows that danced as the barbarian moved to and fro. As he did battle with the hanging gug, the light spilled around the corner revealing a second white tentacled beast approaching from the southeast of the cave.
"Durn it Roland, we already have raining claw ta' worry 'bout, I don't need to add rainin' hammers!"
Gromff took a moment to admire the wondrous power of his weapon, admiring not only the beauty of the glimmering gold and jewels but of the craftsmanship it was able to display in a matter of seconds. The grip, half, and hammer were all of expert design; the finest of dwarf smiths would be hard pressed to find fault with the design.
Bringing back to reality, Mjolvandr shouted out,
"Let's do some work, Gromff my boy!"
The longhammer chopped through the air in a wide overhead swing toward the hanging gug, now within reach of the warpriest's vengeance. Over and over he swung like a lumberjack on a block. Each blow was proceeded by a shock of light energy that sizzled the monster with a jolt.
The grip, haft, and hammer were all of expert design...
Veronica begins to shift her grip on her pick, ready to assault the monstrosity on the ceiling, when she feels A sharp pain in her shoulder, the familiar warmth of hot blood starting to soak into her robes. Glancing at Roland she winces as she sees blow after blow land on the large warrior.
Taking a step to the side, she touches a hand to each of her eyes and the symbol upon her forehead, her lips moving in a silent prayer. Placing her hand upon Roland's back, she lets out a heavy breath, her robes taking on more red stains as Roland's wounds begin to heal.
In a quick voice, she says "Roland! Help Catcher. Leave this one to Brother Gromff and I!" as she takes her hand off of him and holds her cloak between her and the thing on the ceiling.
Round 6
Roland resisted the urge to say your wish is my command since he was tired of this guy already. He got really revivified by Veronica's aid, so now it was time to properly introduce himself to the host, or maybe to its statue first, since it valued the monstrosity so much. After all, the wizard was right to tell him to attack the statue. The thing had power, he would agree.
So the barbarian reached for his weapon and swiftly moved towards the statue with everything he got, aiming to kill-steal it!
Damage: 9 str +3magic +2rage +12PA = +26
Grunts of satisfaction oozed from the gug's mouth, along with copious amounts of saliva as it continued its shredding attacks from above. It plunged a claw into Roland's back, then a second into his side. Using both as leverage against one another, both claws yanked outward and opened an even deeper wound than either could have done alone.
Doing his best to shrug off the increasingly severe wounds, Roland ran forward to help Catcher finish off what remained of the statue. DP was swung with giant's strength behind it, shattering the cracked statue with one powerful blow to the form's chest. White rock crumbled to the floor and a cloud of powder obscured the view for a moment. Seconds later as the dust settled, a hunched form of a humanoid was revealed, quivering under the broken remains of the statue... Someone - or something - was inside the statue!
This new arrival rose shakily from its position in the former statue's rocks. Beneath a powder-covered black duster adorned with embroidered spiderwebs was another mind-flayer, though this one was shriveled and venerable. A withering hate lingered in its eyes. It turned and looked straight at the white beast that was attacking Catcher and locked its gaze there, glaring as if looks could kill.
The ancient illithid pointed its gray clawed finger at the moon beast and sent forth a burst of magic that covered the target with a shimmering emerald field, pulsing around its bulbous white body. An odd gurgle interrupted by a coughing spasm came from the mind-flayer. It almost seemed like a laugh.
A mental voice cried out...
The mind-flayer is casting Dimensional Anchor on the moon beast.
The blubbery pale monster continued to pummel Catcher with its undulating reaching tentacles and its formidable claws.
A second white tentacled monster, identical to the one engaged with Catcher, closes the distance with Roland and Gromff as if treading upon air. Its tentacle swings at the barbarian but was clumsily aimed and fails to connect.
The gug was perfectly happy to remain in its current position, and so it moved not at all from this post. While its legs clamped down upon the irregularities of the ceiling, its claws and maw maintained their non-stop attacks upon those below.
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Round 7
If this spidery beast wanted a battle of attrition it was going to get one. Gromff knew he could hold out a lot longer than it could so he kept swinging away. Gromff drags the dwarven long hammer along the ground, sending sparks and igniting the head as if it were made of flammable oil. The head leaves the ground like a comet as it shoots upward to hit the one called gug.
Veronica, her cloak held before her, moves around to join the rest of the group. She wanted to join Gromff in striking the odd creature, but there were too many blows raining down among them. So instead she continues to call out to her Gods for their help.
"He who Endures! Grant me again thy power!" she cries as once again her eyes begin to glow. When she takes her position near Brother Gromff, that light again erupts force, covering the area in shimmering red motes and gentle warmth.
Round 7
After successfully kill-stealing the statue, Roland had only two options. After all, the gug was outta range for him, but there were two yammy moon beasts to turn into rugs. The wizard was facing one of them, but it was unharmed, and the other was closer to Veronica and Gromff, so it would be a better option. Focus the attacks. "This one wizard!" He takes a step towards the recently arrived moon beast and tried to take it out swiftly.
Damage: 9 str +3magic +2rage +12PA = +26
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Once more, the mage is able to resist the attack on her mind and now, she has to decide what to do…
If I stay, I’ll most likely die…
She looks at her side and continues to struggle.
If I leave, he’ll die, and that won’t do. I’m the only one allowed to kill him.
Ignoring what the barbarian is saying, since she has no way of attacking without putting herself on a worse condition, she takes a step back, and raises her defense. Maybe the evil illitid they just release would turn out to be a good ally for the time being.
Hollow hopes.
The scarred paladin continued her selfless sacrificial rite, sending gushes of warm lifeblood from her ears and eyes running down her body, while simultaneously mending the wounds of the damaged barbarian warrior. Veronica sent a sudden pulse of warm yellow light outwards in an arc, washing a healing energy over the companions that closed the growing number of cuts, slashes, and bruises.
Gromff's glowing polehammer suddenly burst into flame - a flame that surged with every landed blow upon the wicked gug above. The agile monster managed to dodge one attack but the fury of Gromff and Mjolvandr would not be denied.
The jeweled weapon cried out,
"You cannot stand before me! ...er, us!"
Catcher felt the moon-beast's tentacles not only ripping at her flesh but tugging at her consciousness, trying to syphon away some of her very soul. With determination and grit the spellsword shrugged off the mental attack, then stood back with her sword ready to parry the next attacks that came her way.
Roland moved to intercept the new moon-beast and his hammer met it head on... except that what should have been a telling blow swished right through the beast as if it were made of smoke. Was this some kind of sorceric defense?
Gug has taken 88.
The ancient dust-covered illithid remained crouched within the circle of statue debris, apparently exhausted and still gaining its bearings. The magic ray it fired off moments ago had sapped its energy, though it did manage to cast another spell, this time manifesting as a quick flash of light around its own form.
The illithid cast Stoneskin upon itself.
The pale moon-beast relentlessly pursued the spellsword who had wrecked the enchanted statue, eager to mete out punishment for such daring.
The drooling gug seemed to now be speaking to the white beast, managing a few barked words in between its battery of biting and slashing claws. Though the words were not understood, it seemed as though the monster's words were seasoned with pain from the warpriest's pummeling. It changed from a chaotic flurry to a barrage of focused blows against the one who had harmed it so.
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The sound of steel being unsheathed and of footfalls - soft but many - can be heard coming from the southeast corridor.
Round 8
The last attack nearly toppled the resilient dwarf. Claws gouged and teeth gnashed, tearing skin and covering his shiny plate armor in crimson red blood. Gromff weathered the storm and healed through the damage, bidding his time and waiting for an opportunity to retaliate. He was not escaping so its demise was his only hope. A break came and Gromff retaliated with a blow that staggered the beast and opened it up for a followup attack.
The might of Moradin was truly present in that moment, one where Gromff, his devout priest and hand, battled in a truly fearful battle between life and death. His hammer swings were a thing of harsh beauty, humming through the air with abandon, bursting with holy light and roaring conjured flames. With a resounding crack that could be felt as well as heard, the hammerhead crashed through the gug's hellacios toothy maw and crushed the head and upper chest, sending the gug in a fall to the cave floor. The warpriest was literally drenched in hot stinking blood, much of it his own, but he stood atop the foe with a prominent and confident demeanor despite the macabre dresdings.
...Gromff spins the hammer above him to disengage from the claws. He spins it down, dragging it across the ground, sending more sparks flying and fire burning bright. It then goes hurtling upwards, right out of his hands, and hits...the ceiling. The Gug looks at it and smirks. The smile disappears when it turns around to see Gromff is smirking too. There is a sound of splitting earth. The ceiling on which the gug stands shifts. It couldn't understand what was going on as the dwarf got closer and closer, still smiling. Gromff sidesteps as an avalanche of rock, claws, and hair hits the ground. The weapon releases from the ceiling and Gromff catches it without a glance. "That's why we're called Hammerhand."
Seeing the beast on the ceiling continue to rend right through Gromff's armor, Veronica begins a prayer and steps forward, ready to take on his pain. But before she does she notices his wounds already healing, and decides to turn her attention to Catcher.
Shifting into a support position behind Roland and Catcher, the Paladin focuses on the girls weakening heartbeat and gently places a hand on her back, whispering "Let thy burdens ease, for thou needst not carry them alone...".
And with that Catcher can feel her wounds beginning to close and a gentle warmth spreads from Veronica's touch and seeps into her veins. Though despite the new blood beginnings to drip from Veronica, much more can still be seen pouring from Catcher.
Impressively enough, Roland notices this pitiful illusion but does not notice something that is probably right in front of him. "Fake." He casually notices the gug's body slamming against the floor along with a ton of brick. It seems the dwarf did a great job putting the loser to rest. Searching for a real target Roland watched as Veronica passed by him and went to save the wizard. Well, there was not much more to target, so he went towards the little tentacling, taking it away from the wizard. Even tough he did not know the beast was speaking in Catcher's mind, it never hurt to provoke the enemy a little, right? "Fight one your size!"
Damage: 9 str +3magic +2rage +12PA = +26
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”What took you so long?” the mage complains when finally, the barbarian moves up to deal with the main tentacle problem. She stood her ground the maximum amount of time possible; to give the others time to deal with the current threat, and now, even her mind falters.
Time to retreat.
And with that, she flees retreat to a safe position.
Roland steps forward to give Catcher the needed distraction for a safe exit. Getting into position provided the pale monster to swat at him with its long reach.
Ignoring the claw's bite into his shoulder, his hammer collided with the blubbery body of the moon beast but its fatty exterior seems to absorb much of the blow by dispersing the energy outwards.
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The mass of tentacles seemed positioned to keep the barbarian at bay while the beast stepped backward, still treading on nothing but the couple feet of air between it and the ground. A surge of magical energy was again thrust upon Roland, ending in a loud pop!.
Meanwhile the newly-freed illithid hobbles away to the south, away from the melee nearby. He stops short when he is apparently confronted with a raiding party of dark folk rangers, many of whom throw daggers and fire crossbows at the underworld fiend
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Veronica begins moving about, trying to cover Catcher's escape. For a moment, she wonders if it is ok that the tentacled beast that was held within the statue is fleeing. But she quickly pushes it out of her mind, as there are more important things to focus on right at this moment.
As she makes her way to the best, she continues her chanting "Let me be thy vessel, let thy suffering flow through me, that I and the Broken God may ease thy pain!" The blood flowing from her begins to lift off of her in droplets before bursting into motes of twinkling red light, filling the area with a gentle warmth, closing the others wounds even as her own open up further.
Holy barbarians! Waves and more waves of powerful positive energy were being spread around by Veronica, and Roland was dragging them like earth who has not seen water in months! The barbarian wounds were closing at an impressive speed after the tough beginning of the battle. He didn't even mind the troublemaker fleeing the combat, since although he liked to fight beside her, there was not much she could do with that sword of hers. Furthermore, Gromff would certainly be joining him now that the gug is already dead and buried.
Ignoring his lack of protection, Roland did what he does best.
Damage: 9 str +3magic +2rage +12PA = +26
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Round 9
The fires fade from Gromff's hammer for a moment as he stalks towards the last target. Without the hasted movement he was back to his normal slow but steady speed. Somehow that slow gait seemed more intimidating than a charge considering the gory mess he left behind of the Gug. He circles to the right, eyes never leaving the white beast even as he disappears behind the statue. The commotion behind him with the illithid distracts him for a moment but the White Beast was the worst threat.
The newly-freed illithid reared backward, then thrust his head forward to create a FWOOP sound toward the oncoming dark folk rangers. This cone of mental energy sent waves that caused distorting ripples through the air, knocking nearly every ranger to the floor with its apparent intensity. Afterward, it turned its visage slightly to the east, and said a single word in undercommon to the darkness, as if speaking to someone. The tone of the word was unmistakably hateful, despite the language barrier.
Veronica surges with healing light waves, doing her best to keep pace with the damage output of her foes. While Gromff and Catcher move about to gain a more tactical advantage, Roland faces down the beast with his hammer pounding in the forefront. DP smashed into the tentacle monster again and again, though the foe's otherworldly pudginess absorbs much of the energy of each blow.
Moon Beast has taken 65 damage
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Now with enemies flanking it on multiple sides, the faceless beast fires off yet another mental assault, hoping to buy it the time that it so desperately needed. It finished its magic with a crescendo, sending all of its facial tentacles stretching outward to their limit in an explosion of psionic energy.
Roll a d100 every round:
01–25 Act normally
26–50 Do nothing but babble incoherently
51–75 Deal 1d8 points of damage + Str modifier to self with item in hand
76–100 Attack nearest creature (for this purpose, a familiar counts as part of the subject's self)
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Round 10
The psionic attack washes over Gromff like a wave but he holds firm like a rock. His magical defenses held strong, forcing the energy aside. As he hunkered against the storm, he looks over his shoulder at the illithid that was once trapped in stone. When the psionic attack finally dissipates, he re-ignites his weapon and takes a swing. "Kill the one that's tryin ta kill us first," he says to Catcher.
Round 10
"As if it ever stood a chance!" The barbarian disdains from the pitiful white tentacled beast. If it was against each of them alone it would certainly be deadly, but as a group they were simply too much for the poor creature to withstand. Roland is now conscious that any tricks the monster throws at them are nothing more than that, tricks. And tricks are for kids! The barbarian completely indomitable will phases through the invisible effects of the confusion effect as if it were nothing, and continued slowly demolishing the wanna-be-beholder. He could draw his sword to cause more damage to it, but he just liked his weapon too much for that.
Damage: 9 str +3magic +2rage +12PA = +26
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Should I stay or should I go? the young mage debates for a time and then do something else. Picking up the familiar from her clothes, she put it on the ground and instructs the little viper.
” ආරක්ෂිත දුර සිට එය අනුගමනය, හැකි නම්, සතුරා දැනුම් ඔබ ඉඩ දෙන්න එපා, අනතුර කිසිදු සලකුනක් දී පසුබැසීමට.”
With that, she thinks now of the enemy they are facing and how to end it’s struggle. Then she says loudly. ”You know? I can do a bit of magic too!” and she points her fingers to the enemy, as two fiery rays are shoot towards the enemy!
How dare that feeble human to think it can command the great snake lord? If it wasn’t stuck on this pitiful form, he would roast that audacious mage for giving such orders. It hisses dangerously to the mage, displaying his malcontent, but for now, it does as the young female asked.
It’s tongue flick in the air, feeling the smell of its prey. Then it moves towards it on the darkness, following the scent of the fleeing enemy.
One day that mage would feel the wrath its rightful and godly wrath! One day soon enough!
Veronica continues shuffling around behind the beast when she feels the mental assault coming from the creature, but such a desperate mind can not hope to sway the Paladin's determination. She glances at her allies, looking to see if any of them had been affected, but watching them continue to assault the creature puts her mind at ease.
Throwing her cloak back, she grasps her weapon in two hands and swings furiously at the creature, hoping to end it's struggle before it has another chance to assault their minds.
Catcher's scathing chide proceeded her searing hot beams of flame, scorching the already-broken flesh and bones of the alien white beast, the malevolent creature so feared by the local denizens of the underworld tunnels. No longer did it tread upon air; it thumped to the ground with ripped skin pierced by broken bones and incineration. Its bundle of facial tentacles lay motionless on the floor, no longer threatening the companions with their soul-draining wrath.
The fickle illusions covering the slaves melted away, revealing the same group of drow, pech, and darkfolk laborers that were seen when the friends first arrived. No longer were their eyes glossy and white, but rather had returned to their original states, though the slaves all appeared shaken and confused at the sudden change of circumstances.
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The hobbling ancient mind-flayer lifted its clawed hand and pointed a finger to the darkness, uttering but a single word, one that Catcher recognized as the arcane word for "die".
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The dark word was followed by the sound of a body collapsing to the floor.
The illithid turned its attention back to the party that stood triumphantly over the bodies of their mighty foes, then spoke in the common tongue of men though it was a bit watery and clumsily said,
"Zurface dwellingers, you have my gratitude."
He stood there impassively, casually brushing statue dust and pebbles from his fine embroidered robes, looking menacing with a pile of stunned darkfolk rangers behind him.
As predicted, the huge white beast slowly fell to the ground, completely unmovable. Roland saw that the wizard kill-stole his target, but he didn't mind. Since she hadn't been using much of her arcane power the girl was in constant danger in the frontlines. So it would be better to let her have it for now.
The barbarian took a look around the remaining mess, but there didn't seem to be any enemy standing. There was another party, tough. The recently freed mind-flayer was saying something to someone in the distance. Could it be there were more people here? Just when Roland was about to sprint towards the darkness, the wanna-be-statue spoke to them instead.
Roland does not have much knowledge to be able to tell what spell had just been cast, specially since no one in their party seemed to have anything like that, so he just assumed the problem has solved itself. He wasn't completely satisfied with this guy still standing, but he probably wouldn't put much of a fight against them, so why bother?
"You're welcome, I guess." He laid his hammer on his shoulder, catching his breath, and went straight to the point. "Who the hell are you?"
Its tongue flickers in the air tasting magic power gathered on the enemy clawed finger, for a moment, the small snake though itself the spell’s target, but shortly after the sound of a body hitting the ground dispersed any apprehension about being the one on cross fire. The small viper, instead of moving back towards its master, just moves out of vision hiding from sight.
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Somehow, Catcher is very pissed with this enemy, not the Octopus face mindflayer, but the kinda-octopus moon beast. It assaulted her mind and body again and again, and that alone made her almost forget the barbarian fell to its illusion, not once, but twice! The young wizard walks closer to the defeated monster crouching near its head as she whispers ”Give in, and I’ll give you power unheard of…”
After that, she gets up, gets one of the many devilish glaives she’d been carrying and uses it to pierce thru the monster head, pinning it to the ground. She was quite sure the monster was dead, but better be safe than sorry.
That part of the problem solved, now there’s the octopus face to deal with.
and that’s only them she thinks back on the spell the creature used…
Holy s@~*, we are screwed!
”First, not that it matters anyway, but why were you trapped there? And since you seem to be a wizard of sorts, would you permit me copy some spells from your spell book as payment for setting you free?” she goes straight to the point. That’s one enemy she don’t want to face right now, so better try waggle some sort of advantage from it.
She doesn’t let her guard down just yet tho, maybe the octopus face would want to pick a fight with them no matter what they said.
Gromff wasn't sure what to make of this development. They'd mashed one illithid to pieces and now this one was thanking them. It had attacked the dark folk but wasn't attacking them. They didn't appear to be dead so that was good. As Gromff slowly mulled it over, the haft of his long hammer morphed into a chain and shrank back to the length of a flail. Eventually he steps forward. He knew it was dangerous considering Catcher's trepidation. "Aye, and what's yer relation ta all this?"
A few of the darkfolk rangers began to stir behind the illithid, holding their heads while trying to reorient themselves, though the majority still lay on the ground motionless save for the rising of their chests for breathing.
"You're welcome, I guess." He laid his hammer on his shoulder, catching his breath, and went straight to the point. "Who the hell are you?"
The mind-flayer spoke again,
"My identity iz not relevant here.""Aye, and what's yer relation ta all this?"
"The ztory iz zimple. That pile of pale flezsh betrayed me and trapped me inzide zculpture, uzing my powerz for itz own endzz. My hatred bubbled for a century, and then you folk came to zet me free! Well, maybe you did not know until I waz freed?"
”First, not that it matters anyway, but why were you trapped there? And since you seem to be a wizard of sorts, would you permit me copy some spells from your spell book as payment for setting you free?”
The illithid gurgled with what must have been laughter.
"Humanz... how arrogant and decizive! Your people dezspized by mine, but I know better than to judge too quickly. Zshrewd, you are. I waz enzlaved, juzt az those zoulz were." He pointed to the group of slaves behind the party."My book of magic iz...elzewhere, but you have done me a favor."
He turns his head and points again in the direction where his spell was fired off moments ago.
"I believe you will find a book of magic there, on that one'z body. Hiz betrayal cost him life; I repay your kindnezz with his spellbook, mozt of which I taught him."
By this time most of the rangers have regained their footing, but are standing by as your discourse continues. The illithid spoke once again,
"Now iz a good time to go. Next time we meet, alliez we will not be."
He paused for a moment, awaiting any further replies.
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”Oh, well. I knew dead one back there was using the power from the statue, I had no idea that the source of the statue power was another one trapped inside it…” she says almost regretting her decision to destroy the damn thing, at least currently it was not trying to kill them.
Catcher looks at the others, if it was up to her, she would let the mindflayer walk away, he didn’t do anything against them, at least not that they knew, but maybe the others would play the Guardians of the Underground role.