Kzrira looks back to the others.
Nothing goes with spider webs as well as fire.
I look to Kzrira slightly confused, "Alien spiders? Well either way burning the web should take the advantage away from it and give us a slightly better chance to handle the situation. Burn away."
"I could summon a ball of fire to roll around, but it would take my one flexible spell away for the day. Do we have any torches?"
"Do we have any torches?"
Feeling the coolness of the bow in her hand, Kzrira takes a torch from Amir and begins to slowly wave the torch burning the webs. If she sees any motion from within the webs, she will drop the torch and fire her bow at any target she sees.
Amir's torch is magical and although it provides light, it does not burn. Rummaging through his pack however, he is able to provide some oil and tinder twigs which when combined with a club and Lazrul's old loincloth produce a makeshift torch.
The webs quickly flare into yellow fire when Kzrira touches the torch to them. They burn a little too well actually. Within moments, the hall roars into an inferno producing heat and smoke that begin to fill the underground chambers and leave you gasping for the thinning air!
As the fire begins to roar out of control Karethas steps back into Lazrul's chamber and casts a wind wall across the doorway, blowing the smoke back into the webbed chamber.
If the Wind Wall does not work, Kzrira will attempt to slam the doors shut. Won't stop all the smoke, but it should slow it down.
Acting quickly, Karethas twists his ring and a wall of wind is summoned before the burning doorway. It holds, shielding you from the heat and smoke for now. The slaves continue shouting and demanding that you untie them so that they might flee.
Karethas looks down at the shouting slaves, "Someone let them go. I have one more trick up my sleeve if we need it." He stands near the wall peering into the room. He counts quietly to himself, "One, two, three..." At thirty he assesses the smoke. If it seems that it is still increasing, then he will attempt to summon a water elemental to drench the room. If it seems VERY intense, then he will attempt to summon water elementals to work together on it.
I nod at Karethas and rush to the slaves, where I kneel down and begin removing their bonds.
Karethas keeps a close watch on the fire beyond the roaring wall of wind. After a few moments, it appears the fire has reached its apex and the conjurer sends a water elemental in to extinguish the fires. It takes several moments and a gust of steam as the wind shelter falls, but the fire has been extinguished leaving only the blackened hall behind.
The two slaves freed by Faelar say nothing, but give you and the still blisteringly hot corridor wide berth. Though the unprotected might be burned by the hot walls of the corridor, there is a charred door to the near left and an open doorway at the end of the thirty foot hall.
Amir points at the charred door. And offers a shrug as if to say 'would it hurt to look?"
Still warded from the heat, you push on. The nearest door is stuck, but burned to charcoal from the fire and gives way with a kick or two. A short reconnaissance reveals that the hall goes about 40 feet before ending in another door.
Karethas raises his eyebrows to Amir and looks meaningfully at the door.
Amir inspects the door and finds no traps though it is old and slightly warped. Through the door, he hears a rumbling voice that sounds like it is speaking gnollish though he can't make out any specific words.
Amir will gesture to the group and mouth the word "gnoll" to the others.
Seeing that the door is warped Amir will look at the others and shrug, gesturing that he would probably need to hit the door to break through or wonders if they should go back where they came from.
Amir indicates he thinks the group should look elsewhere.
Karethas nods and once away from the door he says, "We can go back after looking at the doorway."
Beyond the busted door, the passage turns after about thirty feet into a stairway that runs up and down. The passage is filled with charred bits of webbing and coarse hairs longer than your hand.
"Perhaps down first?" Karethas offers tentatively.
I follow along humming quietly to myself, I stop though when I see the size of the hairs that are littered around. I look up and down, then to Karethas, "I don't see why not. Let's hope it is the correct path."
Amir pauses for as second then nods at the wizard, I would rather we leave nothing behind us. If it becomes clear we are far off the trail we can always come back.
With that Amir looks down the stairs and proceeds gingerly.
Karethas notices Faelar's reaction to the hairs and it causes hit to reconsider them. "Considering the webs and slaves' story if anyone has any anti-toxins, now would be a good time to break them out."
The descending stairs are still somewhat choked by charred webbing, but passable. They end in a door that seems to be ancient, but in fair condition. Amir's inspection reveals nothing threatening.
The door opens to a room garishly decorated with weathered furniture, faded tapestries, and broken mosaics- all once rich and lavish items that time has robbed of their value. Dark stains smear the walls and excrement litters the corners. There is the smell of pesh and cheap perfume that can't quite cover the stink of gnoll, feces, and carrion. A pile of rubble and broken furnishings seal an archway to the south. There are double doors to the east.
Amidst the squalor, lounging in various drunken and drugged states are five gnoll b@%@%es dressed in ragged finery. They puff on hookahs and drink wine from tarnished brass cups and seem barely to register your entrance.
I look at the Gnolls slightly amused and whisper to my friends, "I think I should try to talk to them, due to their current state they may be able to help us rather than fight us." I wait patiently for a response of some kind before either advancing or falling into a defensive position.
It takes a few moments for any of the gnolls to notice you. When one does, she shouts something in gnollish and hurls a filthy cup at Faelar. It actually manages to hit his leg, but causes no harm.
Karethas turns to Faelar, "Put them to sleep. Now, before they can alert someone!"
Amir hesitates a second to watch the elf, waiting to see if he has the spells to put these creatures to sleep. The theif eases out his sap while looking on.
I let out a sigh and reluctantly release the spell that Karethas asks for, "Why can we never talk about things anymore?"
Amir
Karethas
Faelar
Kzrira
Ho's
The others look to Faelar to take care of the disheveled gnolls and the bard obligingly begins his spell.
Kzrira will ready an attack to shoot any gnoll which does not take a nap and stands up in a threatening manner.
Readied Action:
Attack: <-- should be against FF since it would go off before they act, which really makes no sense since I am waiting for them to make a threatening action -- I suppose with that roll, it will really not make much difference.
Damage: <-- extra +2 for FE(gnoll)
The gnoll harem rises and rushes shrieking and howling at you with whatever is at hand. The leader goes down as soon as she stands with an arrow in her throat. It seems the cat/dog (whatever hyenas are) is out of the bag.
1d20+5
Karethas takes a step back away from the charging gnollettes. If the doors on the other side of the room are not closed, then he closes them using Mage Hand. Otherwise, he will let the others handle this one.
The four survivors of the gnoll harem rush upon you. Two assault Kzrira with a hooka and bottle. The hooka hits shattering. . The other two go for Amir and Faelar. The bard manages to duck while continuing his song. Amir is hit by a bottle
Faelar's spell goes off, but not as anticipated. No one falls asleep, but suddenly everyone is weary to the point of exhaustion.
Kzrira steps back and launches two more arrows at the gnolls.
Attack-rapid shot: <-- FE, Inspire Courage
Damage:
Attack-rapid shot: <-- FE, Inspire Courage
Damage:
First shot at the one attacking me, second at the one going after Faelar if mine goes down.
As the energy releases from my hands I get the feeling of drowsiness come over me and I look to Karethas, "Seems somewhat similar to the experience you had with the rubble." With that I begin to sing an Elven tune that is catchy and makes people find themselves tapping their feet in time with the tune.