Nedyr's arrow and scores a hit sticking in the mounted mite.
Mme. Pindles lifts her small crossbow, focusing on the riderless centipede. "You look squishy enough!" she crows, letting the bolt fly.
Darbi steps over the fallen mite's body and snarls at the unhindered centipede as well, then leaps for its soft belly.
The mites are looking desperate, unable to escape with their tunnel collapsed. One lashes out at Hella while the mounted one turns and attacks Cerian. The centipede snaps at Rodric, completely unconcerned.
Only the mite slashing at Cerian seems to manage to land a blow.
He hissed in pain as the mites weapon bit into his flesh.
"foul beast..."
He growled slashing at the mite that struck him.
Aluxion moves around the group, pacing back and forth for a clear shot. Seeing an opening, he sends an arrow whizzing into the fray at the giant centipede.
The Rider and his mount fall, leaving a single mite trembling in fear.
The gnome grins at the frightened little mite, watching the terrible doom they had sought to bless her with creeping into his eyes instead. Feels pretty nice, don't it?
The smile never leaves her face as she reloads a bolt into the crossbow and calls Darbi on to attack.
Round 2, Init 12
Swirling as if this were a dance, Arilyth steps forward And attempts to pierce it with her rapier.
The final onslaught does in the vicious little critter
Cerian paused making sure for a moment that all the mites were down before he blew a slight sigh of releif and took a look at the slice in his arm.
"Nasty little buggers arent they." He said quietly frowning at the placement of the injury.
"I wonder how many more chambers these buggers have?" He added glancing at his companions checking to see if they were ready to continue on.
"I just can't believe how rude they are," Mme. Pindles exclaims, magically wiping the oddly-colored blood from Darbi's muzzle. "They seem to think I'm the enemy. Why, we're nearly kindred spirits! I'm sure I could teach them a thing or two about pranks." Her eyes glint mischievously. "I mean, they fell for the cave-in trick!"
The gnome sighs dramatically, laying an arm across her forehead in dispair. "Sadly, I only get to pull that off once a day. But..." She straightens up, tapping a slim finger on her pointed chin. "...If we have an idea for an illusion that requires no sound.... well, that I can do!"
"Clearly they have no sense of propriety, Madame," Nedyr says at Miri's complaint. He takes a moment to reclaim what arrows he may.
"No sense of humor, obviously Mme. Pindles. And here I was about to sing them sweeping arias. Looks like a dirge is in order instead..."
Arilyth wipes the blood from her rapier, resheathing it.
Hella shifted and knew they would run into more. Wiping the tip of her spear against the mite's body.
"They don't deserve your dirge. Not until all are felled."
Right then...
The young elf began continuing on down their path of travel trying to move as quietly as possible down into the depths of the mites lair. he hoped they would be finished with this... task soon enough, He didnt like the confines of the tunnels and the smell of this much earth, and he would certainly rather be trying to woo Neila. He shook his head and tried to focus on the task at hand.
Hella moves to follow Cerian but gave him ten feet so that he was able to stealth without interference.
Rodric positions himself at the rear of the group, in hopes that he won't jeopardize the stealthier of his companions.
Repositioning his grip on his shield arm, Rodric nods silently to the group, indicating his readiness to advance.
The large man stumbles as he avoids the low ceiling, causing a clattering of his chainmail.
Arilyth visibly cringes at Rodric's attempt at subtle infiltration. Hoping to put herself away from him, she attempts to sneak as well.
But she is so rattled, she's tripping over her own feet...
Nedyr realizes he doesn't have to be the stealthiest person in the group, he just has to be stealthier than Rodric
Madame Pindles visibly cringes as the larger folk stumble and clatter around in the small tunnels. "Quiet down, I said they're stupid, not deaf!" she hisses.
Aluxion glances around the group, trying to assess how they're all doing. "Are any of y'all hurt bad? It's hard ta tell with tha light."
Once he's satisfied that everyone is doing fine, he looks around for any arrows he can retrieve, re-casting Light, this time on Rodric's sword, since it doesn't seem Rodric is being very stealthy anyways.
This damp room is haphazardly cluttered with broken furniture, bits of wagons, and an odd assortment of shabby, broken objects clearly stolen from much bigger folk than the inhabitants. A row of rickety bookshelves is propped against the west fall, the shelves full of broken bits, feathers, centipede legs, and other items of no apparent value. They seem arranged with great care as if prized by the mites. A row of broken window frames hang on the east wall like works of fine art.
The room appears devoid of occupants.
Hella growls. "Six mites, heads up." She called out to Roderic and the others. She noticed they hadn't seen Cerian and would grin, she would be a distraction. "Hey mites, bet you can't stab your partner and make him say oww."
Aluxion peers into the room from the connecting tunnel, trying to make out the mites Hella mentioned in the gloom.
'Well,' he thinks to himself, 'I reckon the little varmints might be a smidge better at hidin' than I am at spottin' 'em. Prob'ly hidin' in all tha junk.'
Arilyth steadies her breathing, hoping this next fight goes as smoothly as the last, if not better. Desna bless me, Shelyn sing praises...
Nedyr sees the number of Mites and states, "Now might be a time for sleep, but I'll need folks non elves not to be too close."
he coudlnt see a blasted single mite. Some scout he was turning out to be he slid along the wall hoping none of them noticed him at all. he kept his short sword out at the ready.
Rodric nods at Hella's warning, and then he slams the hilt of his sword against his shield and yells:
"Your trap is of no use, filthy buggers! We see you! Now come and fight me!"
Initiative order:
Arilyth
Aluxion
Cerian
mites
Miri
Rodric
Hella/Nedyr
The mites burst out of hiding each 4 moving forward. While the last Twp glare balefully at Hella and Rodric.
Hella slammed her spear towards the one next to her with a snarl her teeth bared.
Seeing the others close on the front line rapidly, and casts about rose petals while he may, that is, he casts a spell of slumber upon those in the middle and back if he can. For a brief moment, his eyes flicker with a soft silver light.
Even in all of the chaos and things the elf trusted his movement to see him through. With the sudden entrance of the fearsome rodric he slid forward in the surprise round as stealthily as possible.
If you are looking to move in the surprise round you will need another check. More than half your speed and you will have to mind the penalty. There isn't enough cover to hand wave it sadly
A slight chill passes through both Hella and Rodric but it doesn't linger.
The Sleep spell has immediate results, the mites who charged forward all slowing ans stopping, finally lying down to sleep.
"Ah, best kill them quickly..." Nedyr advises sagely about the sleepers
Round 1, Initiative 15: Aluxion
Aluxion moves forwards to take advantage of the sleep spell. He sends an arrow flying at the nearest awake mite.
He nocks another arrow as soon as the first leaves the string, lining up a shot straight through one of the sleeping mites' bulbous eyes.
"Good call wit' dat there spell, Nedyr! Ah reckon' this 'festation'll be cleared up all shiny like in no time!"
Despite the mites resilliance the arrow splits his skull and he falls with a gurgle.
Miri begins to giggle hysterically as the mites topple over one-by-one in slumber, sounding nearly as menacing as a chittering squirrel. "Get 'em, Darbi! They're sitting ducklings!"
The thylacine bounds forward, with her gnome companion hot on her heels.
Darbi bares her teeth and attacks one of the sleeping mites , and everyone in the room can hear the sickening crunch as her teeth crack bone.
Miri slips in next to her thylacine, ecstatic at the idea of getting to take down one of the miserable fey herself. She aims her crossbow at the fallen mite's temple and lets a bolt loose.
The first row of mites felled by the insidious sleep spell the elf darts forward past them hoping to cut off the escape of the ones still alive. He stabs at the one closest his allies (the one beneath him and to the right).
Two of the fallen are dispatched with ease as the last concious one looks on in horror.
Mite: "AAAAAAACK! The dirty gnomeses lopped off Numnogs head!"
"Now that's defamation, Madame Pindles is one of the cleanliest folks I know..."
Hella moved forward stepping over the sleeping ones. Her eyes were focused on the two mites that were still up.
But her spear got caught on the low ceiling.
Mme. Pindles sniffs haughtily at the mite's outrageous accusation. "Are you stupid and blind? Who's the one living in a muddy hole in the ground? Despite the filthy nature of your corridors, I'm not the slightest bit dirty."
A thought strikes her. "Perhaps you don't speak proper Taldane. I said, ARE.... YOU.... BLIND.... " The gnome pantomimes her message with exaggerated gestures and overly enunciated syllables.