Arryn floats the rock over, as Aramis tries to calm the thing, but neither seems to have an effect as it ducks around the stone and runs into Aramis. It doesn't do more than bruise her, though it does nearly knock her from her feet.
Having given peace a chance, Arryn resorts to bringing his boulder down on the crystal creature as hard as he can.
Isabella's pointed ears twitch at the sounds of battle, and she jogs towards its source.
"Hrm," she grunts when she sees the crystal creature. "Something new every day..."
...and she swaps out her crossbow for her shield and hammer.
"Ooof!" Aramis grunts as she gets knocked over. She clambers to her feet, , and circles around the bug so that her companions can get into the fight.
Dregg looks toward the racket and darts off toward the noise after Isabella. Rounding the corner, he rips his axe free as he shoulders his way up next to the rocky creature. He frowns at the thing, grumbling, "This sure is one strange hole in the ground."
HP: 14/29
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF)
CMD: 17
F/R/W: +6/+3/+2
Rage rounds used: 0/7
Spell slots used
Level 1: 0/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Focus: +2 Str
Mage Armor: +4 armor
power attack: -1/+3
Aramis: 19
Arryn: 18
Dregg: 11
Isabella: 10
Antagonist: 1
The rock bounces off the creature, causing it to startle slightly, but not seeming to actually hurt it all as Dregg and Isabella close in.
Aramis tries to scurry around the creature, which tries to knock her down again, but again just knocks her slightly off balance. As it heeps pushing into her, however, she's finally unable to keep her feet and is knocked to the ground .
"Budge up, green genes," Isabella grumbles as she squeezes past Dregg, and swings her hammer at the crystal scorpion.
Not to be thwarted, Arryn lifts the same boulder and tries to drop it on the creature again.
Aramis curses as she's knocked to the rocky ground. She stands up again , takes a quick step back and casts a spell, sending a volley of magic green energy bolts at the creature.
Dregg shoots Isabella a look, but just shakes his head as she squeezes by. Once she's clear, he shakes his head, then brings his axe down in a heavy, overhead arc in the center of the crystal scorpion's back.
HP: 14/29
AC: 14 (10 T / 13 FF)
CMD: 17
F/R/W: +6/+3/+2
Rage rounds used: 1/7
Spell slots used
Level 1: 0/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Focus: +2 Str
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Mage Armor: +4 armor
power attack: -1/+3
Aramis: 19
Arryn: 18
Dregg: 11
Isabella: 10
Antagonist: 1
Aramis tries to stand up but is knocked right back down as the creature gets in her space again, and she pulls her dagger just in time to hear a crashing sound as Dregg, Isabelle and Arryn leap to her defense.
The hammer seems to just bounce off the crystalline creature, but it rears back as the axe and rock send chips flying. It spins around, suddenly seeming far more aggressive, and slams its stinger into the half-orc, a powerful blow that rocks him back on his feet.
C: 21
Arryn gathers power, trying to knock the creature away from Aramis.
Dregg’s eyes suddenly go dull and widen as a dribble of blood runs out of the corner of his mouth. His eyes snap back into glassy focus a moment later though and he grins. ”Heh. So you do have some fight in you. Heh. So do I, pebble-face!” With a roar, Dregg brings his axe down atop the thing again.
HP: 8/29 // Temp: 0/6
AC: 14 (10 T / 13 FF)
CMD: 17
F/R/W: +6/+3/+2
Rage rounds used: 2/7
Spell slots used
Level 1: 0/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Focus: +2 Str
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Mage Armor: +4 armor
power attack: -1/+3
"Not a fan of blunt trauma. I'll remember that," Isabella says as she swaps her hammer for her longsword and strikes again!
Dregg and Arryn hit the creature again and this time it's too much for it, as it shatters into a number of small shards, which crumble into dust.
Moving more fully into the room, you see a partial collapse mars the symmetry of this large, circular chamber. Crude carvings of reptilian heads and bodies cover the wall, snaking around empty sockets in the stone walls. A thin, bluish mist hovers in the air, swirling gently. The mist rises about halfway up the walls, like a diaphanous ocean.
A set of double doors stands to the south.
Aramis drags herself up to her feet and dusts herself off. "Thanks."
She looks at the mist curiously...
The mist, as far as Aramis can tell, is natural.
"Freakish," Isabella sums up the new chamber. "Before we go through that door, can anyone patch me up a bit? Only big double doors tend to lead to escalation."
”We can go topside for a bit, get healed up, and then come try these last doors.”
Dregg nods at Arryn's suggestion, "I've only got the one potion and," he grunts, "that's not gonna patch me up by half. Stupid rock scorpion could hit hard."
"Arryn's right. We should see if Aubrin can heal us."
Returning upstairs, where the refugees are trying to clear out some of the mold -- many of them with their shirts or some other cloth covering their mouth and nose to block out the smell -- Aubrin is more than happy to channel to help you.
Restored to full health, you return down to the lower chamber and the door.
Isabella listens at the door for a moment before asking: "Who wants to take point?"
Aramis waits for Dregg to take the lead. When he does she follows him inside.
Not hearing anything, once everyone is ready, Dregg opens the doors.
Enormous salt crystals hang from the ceiling here, glittering in the light of a glowing blue crystal set in an inhuman, insectlike statue in the center of the floor. Mist drifts along the floor of the circular chamber, swirling in the gentle currents of air. The western wall has collapsed into stony debris, but on the eastern wall a carving of a huge, withered dragon’s face leers above a metallic door set deep in the stone. Woven mats made of dried grasses cover the floor, while bundles of dried herbs hang from the walls, filling the room with a pungent grassy odor.
Unfortunately, moments after you take that in, the smell of more troglodytes hit you.
You see two troglodytes bearing the basic gear that most of those you've fought in here, but also a third wearing garb like the spellcaster who Dregg battled the previous day. Finally, a fourth troglodyte, wears more elaborate robes, with several crystals around her neck.
Isabella retches at the stench of Trog...
Arryn retches again at the sickening stench.
Aramis throws up a magical defensive shield.
At the sight of the troglodytes, Dregg flatly mutters, ”Well, crap.”
HP: 29/29 // Temp: 0/6
AC: 16 (12 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 17
F/R/W: +6/+3/+2
Rage rounds used: 2/7
Spell slots used
Level 1: 0/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Focus: +2 Str
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Mage Armor: +4 armor
Sickened (1/10): -2 to hit, -2 damage, -2 to saves, skills, ability checks
Isabella: 14*
Arryn: 9*
Dregg: 7*
Aramis: 16
Antagonist: 15
A wave of nausea rushes over you, slowing your reactions. Aramis is barely able to bring up a magical shield before the farthest troglodyte chants in a strange tongue and gestures and a rain of dirt, gravel, and small pebbles fills the air around you all before falling to the ground.
The two closest troglodytes step back, taking up a guard position in front of the other two, and throw javelins, hitting Dregg and Isabella .
The last of the creatures also casts a spell and Dregg feels a tremor of fear run through him.
Aramis' skin glimmers in a strange pulsing shade of green as she draws upon her innate magical powers. She chants a few esoteric words and casts her arm forward, sending a pair of magical green bolts of energy flying right at the troglodytes!
As the magic dissipates her skin returns to normal.
Dregg grunts at the pelting rocks and javelin, ”Ow! That stings, you rotten stink faces!”
He shakes off the brunt of whatever magics were thrown his way and he chuckles. ”Oh. You stink-faces like spells? How about mine? You like mine?” He then passes his hand over his axe and, like before, a wavering, purple afterimage pulses in its wake as the weapon nearly triples in size. With his axe now impossibly large and too big to wield, he rushes into the room beside the pair to his right.
HP: 22/29 // Temp: 0/6
AC: 17 (13 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +6/+4/+2
Rage rounds used: 2/7
Spell slots used
Level 1: 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Focus: +2 Dex
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Mage Armor: +4 armor
Sickened (2/10): -2 to hit, -2 damage, -2 to saves, skills, ability checks
Shaken (1/1): -2’s
Lead blades (1/10)
Arryn scoops up a collection of those pebbles and prepares to send them back at the caster who created them (readied attack for when that guy casts another spell)
And second natural 1 in a row. Excellent timing!
"F@%+ing casters," Isabella grumbles as she raises her heavy crossbow, draws a bead on the first Trog to have cast a spell, and squeezes off a bolt. Her hands are moving, slotting a fresh Arrow into the slot before the bolt is halfway towards its target...
Isabella: 14
Arryn: 9
Dregg: 7
Aramis: 16
Antagonist: 15
Isabella's bolt looks like it's flying true, but as it nears its target it seems to skew off, deflected by some magic of hers. Aramis' magical missiles have more luck, slamming into the other spellcaster.
Dregg moves into the room, only for the target of his focus to retreat, casting a spell -- covering Dregg's axe with grease, making it difficult to hold onto as its guard steps between them and claws and bites at the half-orc .
The second spellcaster casts again, the stones also seeming to veer away from her, and Dregg feels his muscles start to lock.
The second guard closes in on Isabella, clawing her.
Cyan: 6
Dregg feels the magics swirl around him and his muscles begin to knot, but it passes. A slow grin spreads across his scarred face and the bare-chested half orc cracks his neck slowly from side to side. ”Heh. My turn now.” He then deftly steps around the intervening guard and tries to hew the one caster in half as his enormous axe and its even larger purple after-images come crashing down.
HP: 19/29 // Temp: 6/6
AC: 15 (11 T / 12 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +6/+4/+2
Rage rounds used: 3/7
Spell slots used
Level 1: 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Focus: +2 Dex
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Mage Armor: +4 armor
Sickened (3/10): -2 to hit, -2 damage, -2 to saves, skills, ability checks
Lead blades (2/10)
Power attack: -1/+3
With the troglodyte guard in her way, Aramis gives Dregg a worried glance, then focuses on the enemy in front of her. Her skin glimmers in a strange pulsing shade of green as she draws upon her innate magical powers. She chants a few esoteric words and casts her arm forward, sending a pair of magical green bolts of energy flying right at the orange troglodyte!
Then she takes a step backward (so that Isabella has room to take a step back if she wants to).
Isabella does not step back regardless; rather, she drops her heavy crossbow, whips out her new longsword and stabs at the trog who just made the mistake of getting up in her face...
If cyan is still up after that hit, Arryn will try to finish her off; otherwise, this is aimed at orange.
Isabella: 14
Arryn: 9
Dregg: 7
Aramis: 16
Antagonist: 15
Dregg's blow staggers the one troglodyte, but she remains standing, Arryn's attempt to finish her foiled by the bodies in his way . She pulls her spear and stabs the half-orc, as the guard interposes himself between the burly attacker and the other spellcaster even as he bites Dregg. That caster steps forward and casts again, this time healing the cyan spellcaster.
The nearest troglodyte is similarly able to keep its feet as it's blasted by missiles from Aramis, leaving it open for what was nearly a killing blow by Isabella if the creature hadn't managed to twist away at the last second. It seems almost fueled by its injuries, and claws and bites viciously at the half-elf, tearing at her flesh.
Orange: 10
Cyan: 15 (+2 AC)
Dregg growls at the troglodyte that bit him, "Wait your turn, stink-face. Don't worry though, the line's thinning. Heh heh." He then brings his axe flashing down again and the purple after-images seem to rush to catch up with the weapon.
HP: 19/29 // Temp: 2/6
AC: 15 (11 T / 12 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +6/+4/+2
Rage rounds used: 4/7
Spell slots used
Level 1: 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Focus: +2 Dex
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Mage Armor: +4 armor
Sickened (4/10): -2 to hit, -2 damage, -2 to saves, skills, ability checks
Lead blades (3/10)
Power attack: -1/+3
”Move!” Arryn commands the orange trog as he flings his hand out at the creature, causing rubble to pelt him from many sides.
Assuming that finishes orange, Arryn walls just into the room.
Aramis casts her spell again, sending another pair of green magical bolts slamming into her enemy!
Isabella: 14
Arryn: 9
Dregg: 7
Aramis: 16
Antagonist: 15
The blow staggers Isabella, but before her foe can take advantage, Arryn slams a cave's worth of stones into it, crushing him. Aramis follows up by moving into the room alongside him and blasting the remaining guard as Dregg slams his sword into the first spellcaster, chopping her to the ground and moving over her body toward the other one.
She steps away and growls "drop," and Dregg feels his grip on his weapon start to involuntarily loosen. The other guard claws and bites at him, drawing more blood
Red: 4
"Give me," Isabella wheezes, "a... moment..."
The Half-Elf sags, hands braced against her knees, and seems to draw on some inner well of strength. Colour slowly creeps back into her cheeks as the blood stops oozing out of her.
With her health slightly better than before, the Half-Elf sheathes her longsword and picks up her heavy crossbow.