Pereception
The Spider moves in to aid his companion and attacks the beast. He infuses his blows with magic to enhance their power
Clawx1 Damage
Clawx2 Damage
Clawx3 Damage
Clawx4 Damage
Clawx5 Haste Damage
HP 52/52 THP 42/42
AC 25 T13 FF23
Fort +5 Ref +7 Will +8
Spells
1 5/5
2 3/4
3 2/2
Effects: Eidelon, Haste
HP:34/44 (Normal max HP 54)
Ki:5/6
How the hell can it see me?! Elbennon draws his katana and flanking with Brang'el, attempts to stab it, becoming visible again as he swings.
Elrivor will fly into the flank if possible and will use spellstrike to deliver a touch spell through his attack.
Yasaen finally breaks free of the pain. While the Spider, Elbennon, and Elrivor all lash out at the beast. Taking the many blows it still has some fight left. None the less it throws itself backward enough to line up two of the drow then unleash its pain wracking breath. The Spider and Elrivor being the targets of choice.
Dmg
Reflex DC 19 for half dmg.
Fort DC 19 save on failed reflex save.
Rounds Stunned for failed fort save.
The spider lashes out with is claw as the beast withdraws.
Claw Damage
Potential Crit:
Elbennon lashes out with his katana as the drake leaps away.
The deep drake manages to land after taking the blows but before it can breath it runs out of life. Falling to its side the beast is dead. A number of dire bats fly down around the fallen drake. One of them shifts into a drow while the others bare drow as riders. The shifter walks up to your group.
"Nice work, deep drakes are rare and vicious."
Upon a closer look he is much taller then a normal drow with even sharper features and longer ears. Giving him an almost streched look of what a drow should be.
Elrivor moves over and sticks his Rapier through its eye socket.
Always make sure your foe is dead, that way you won't ever face it again.
Well met Bat Rider! We thank you for the help. I am Elrivor and these are my partners in crime. he smiles...
The Spider goes over to the leg of the downed beast and uses his claws to slice free one of its talons. He pockets the trophy. Our route is dangerous. I shall prepare for what else that may attack us.
HP 52/52 THP 42/42
AC 29 T13 FF27
Fort +5 Ref +7 Will +8
Spells
1 4/5
2 3/4
3 2/2
Effects: Eidelon, Mage Armor
Elbennon sways on his feet for a moment as the his body fights off the last off the poison. His skin looks pale and grey, compared to it's previous more purple color. "Who do we have to thank for the assistance?" he asks the shape shifting drow, as he wipes the drake blood from his katana and resheates it.
Before the shifter can respond a drow batrider comes up to him and speaks.
"Sir, the deep drake has had its poison collected. We also found that it has a clutch inside its body."
The shifter nods a bit.
"Alright take the whole thing. Deep drakes can be trained, we will just have to find or send for someone who can care for the things."
Turning back to the party.
"Well seems like we got plenty from that. My name is Sang, I am in charge of this unit of Wovirl batrider's.
The other rider's use their spider sac's to wrap the dead drake then mount up. Soon they lift the beast to the nearest wagon that can bear its bulk.
"Will you be accompanying us to the surface?" Elbennon asks Sang.
Sang nods.
"Yeah our unit is providing air support and scouting. Sometimes during the day with that blasted thing they call a sun but more so at night with that less blasted thing they call a moon."
"It's good to know we'll have an eye in the sky. Well, thanks again for the help. We better get moving, the caravan is getting away." With that Elbennon returns to his riding gecko and mounts up, pushing it to quickly follow the caravan.
You can ride with me if needed, looks like your mount had it?
Yasean heals his wounds.
wand(cure light wounds)
total=29
51/52 hp
"I am ready to move on. I guess I will be using drow sign language from now on if enemies are spotted."
The rest of the trip goes by without incident. Finally you come upon the black stone arch that was the drow built elf gate. The drider slams the butt of his weapon onto the stone floor, a loud crack echoing off the cavern walls. All attention is drawn his way.
"The gate will be opening sortly. The connection will not last for an extended period of time. Be ready to move thru quickly."
The drow garrison stationed at gate made a quick inspection of the caravan. Then finally the elf gate hummed with power and a portal of dark purple light came into existance. The drider spoke a final time.
"Now!"
His many legs working he went thru weapon drawn. The rest of the caravan followed, as did you. As soon as you step thru, a instant of being pulled, then your quickly grabbed by a drow telling you to move pointing to a near by door. A few steps later another wagon comes thru with goods. You make it thru the door and instantly notice the lack of people, the drider stands waiting. He spots you, his weapon behind his back.
"Come"
Without another word he opens a door leading into a intersection of doors. He opens those to his right, taking a moment before stepping thru. You can tell quickly why he took that moment as this is the first room to have any light. As you enter the candles around the room expose a number of objects, mostly arcane in nature along with a circle on the far side of the room. A number of drow stand around two ancient tables on each side before the circle on the floor. One wearing black armor with a matching set of blades looks at the drider then to your group. He throws a smirk your way.
"I see the new unit is here. Had a bit of trouble on the way did they. Well to keep things short."
He signals a near by drow who brings forth a number of items and places them on the table before him. After a quick look he turns back to the group.
"It is currently night as the uplanders call it. These elves learned from their last encounter with our people. So we have changed our tactics some what. Your unit will use the power of your insignia's to pass yourselves off as surface elves. Learn their plans, assassinate them, or just allow them to take you in so that you can murder them from with in. But you must not allow them to find out we can take their forms just yet. Once an area is free of elven control, contact us and hold your position. Once reinforcements arrive to secure the area you are free to move on with your mission."
He picks up two items. A darkwood case and a metal ring of some kind with runes on it.
"These are for your unit. One is a magical item known as a ring gate, the other is in our supply store. You can send anything of value to be exchanged for items or credit. You can also request items thru it by way of a written slip of parchment. Be aware that you should never place any part of your body thru it, their are protections in place to ward off any aggressive tampering or attack. As for this case, it is full of a number of poisons."
He hands both items to the drow who brought them, who in turn brings them over to you.
"Any questions. If not then our tall friend there will show you somewhere to rest until that blasted orb they call a sun rises. I suggest you transform before leaving the building so the guard will know your appearance, as well as to avoid the sting of light upon your leaving."
This plain but masterfully carved case of darkwood holds a number of poison vials, each snugly strapped in place. A wax over the cork stopper insuring no break or leakage.
Drow Poison x6
Medium Spider Venom x6
Giant Wasp Poison x4
Deep Drake Poison x2
Deathblade Poison x2
"What is your name sir?" Elbennon asks the drow giving orders. "Is this city fully occupied by elves going about their day to day lives, or is this a ruined place with a military garrison? How many are here?" Elbennon asks, going over to flip open the poisons case and pulling out a couple vials. He looks to the other three "If no one objects?"
"Do any of you know what Deep Drake poison does?", ask Yasaen.
"Yeah, it sucks. I can attest from having been recent victim to it."
"I will take one vial of the deep drake poison then along with one spider and one wasp vial."
Since your spider has it's own venom, are we free to take the rest? he asks Brang'el.
We should be careful before we approach these elves. I suggest several tactics:
1st, scouting them out thoroughly before interacting with them. Just because we look like them with magic doesn't mean we won't give ourselves away immediately. We must be able to act like them.
2nd, we should find a way to make sure we can get accepted by them quickly.
Commander, do you have a specific area you would like us to target first, or is this up to our judgement?
Elrivor will take any remaining poison.
Who wishes to hold the ring gate?
"My name is Ensis. It would fall into the ruined description, having reclaimed it from us before they were aware of our access. So it would only make sense that they would have a garrison or do you think the Wovirl would be unable to take a city from elven peasents in a cycle. If we knew their numbers they would be dead. This city even before our arrival was a warzone as the elves are not master's of the forest here. In fact it was the lack of drow presence that allowed many of the monsters to move in. The elves took a city they could not keep, we do not make those mistakes. Take the city, go about it how you wish. Dismissed."
Ensis' smirk is gone, the feeling of everyone's glare has turned on the group. He turns back to the table. The drider waits silently by the door to escort the group to their rest area.
Brang'el dismisses the spider and activates his insignia, taking the form of an "elf." We should discus a story that we tell these surface dwellers. Then we can go among them and make what is ours ours again.
"I was among them for a number of years. I would suggest abandoning the normal drow tendencies of backstabbing them and being greedy for one. Risking injury for them will make us seem like friends. I am not suggesting risking your life though. As for a specific plan I am still thinking."
"They will want to know where we are from, and why we are here. My knowledge of the surface world is not that great. If some of you have had a chance to learn anything through study or experience then maybe you should help us come up with stories."
We must make them love us, make them take us to their breast and then we will be in the perfect position to stab them in the heart.
Let's talk to some of the other Drow and see if any of them have any kind of map or can draw us one. If they know of anything in those sections we can draw in it.
Once we decide on a section of the city I can go invisible and fly around to see what is in that section.
Maybe we can ambush a patrol of Elves to gain more information.
I think a more subtle approach is in order. The it would be quite easy to be seen by the elves doing that. No, I think something on the order of coming to help hold the city, then helping to clear out the monsters. Then clear out the elves. I think our best plan would be to find a party of elves heading into the city, join it, and be the only survivors of a tragic ambush.
"I like the idea of using the other monsters in the city to gain the elves' trust. We would still need a backstory to tell them, at least enough of one to get us into their camp. Then when night comes we kill the leadership and disappear. If we can then organize the remaining monsters into a single force, we could pit them against the remaining elves, and then mop up what's left." Elbennon interjects.
"I like the idea of using the other monsters in the city to gain the elves' trust. We would still need a backstory to tell them, at least enough of one to get us into their camp. Then when night comes we kill the leadership and disappear. If we can then organize the remaining monsters into a single force, we could pit them against the remaining elves, and then mop up what's left." Elbennon interjects.
"This can work if the monsters are at least some of them are intelligent, such as ogres if you want to call them that, but if they are just savage beast then killing them may be a better option."
"If the monsters are unintelligent we can lure a particularly dangerous one, or a bunch of less dangerous ones to where some elves are garrisoned. Wait for the elves to be having a tough time of it, and then swoop in to rescue them. We still don't have a story, yes? Perhaps we are Forlorn adventurers who heard about the effort in the homeland to retake Celwynvian and made our way here to help? Although your eidolon is rather...drowish...Brang'el. Hopefully they won't see through that." Elbennon suggests.
The reason why I suggested we ambush a patrol so we can learn about the elves on the surface. I know little about them. We have to find out where some of the places where elves live and so on.
If we go up to them and immediately say something wrong we will have tipped our hand to quickly.
Anyways, I say we start with our own and the map, then we scout the surrounding territory.
Sounds good
"If we ambush elves as strong as we are then we might be captured ourselves or worse. I would prefer any direct assaults to be the last resort, for that and other reasons."
Of course, who of you is best suited to question our bretheren?
We will go around and talk to some of the other Drow, especially any that have patrolled the surrounding areas.
Yasaen turns to the other drow(not the PC's), and ask them what they know about the surface world, and of they might have any information on nearby(within 800 miles) settlements.
"So do any of you know anything about the surface world, at least concerning the surrounding areas of where we will be."
I am basically looking for things like city sizes, names of the mayor and/or other things that are common knowledge. Saying we are travellers will make it reasonable that we don't know a lot about any one area.
You find that the Wovirl drow know little about the cities on this part of the surface. They know of two near by elven settlements. Crying Leaf at the south east border of the forest, this is where the elves that currently dwell in the city come from. The other is Arsmeril to the north that sits upon cliffs over looking the sea, these elves are not currently involved with the crying leaf elves. They also have learned of a mostly human city to the far south east but the crying leaf settlement sit's directly in their path. They suspect the elves settled their for the purpose of getting between the forest and human city, they are unsure if this was to protect the humans from the drow, or keep the forgotten city from the greedy humans.
Yasaen turns to the other drow(not the PC's), and ask them what they know about the surface world, and of they might have any information on nearby(within 800 miles) settlements.
"So do any of you know anything about the surface world, at least concerning the surrounding areas of where we will be."
1d20+17I am basically looking for things like city sizes, names of the mayor and/or other things that are common knowledge. Saying we are travellers will make it reasonable that we don't know a lot about any one area.
Yasaen turns to the other drow(not the PC's), and ask them what they know about the surface world, and of they might have any information on nearby(within 800 miles) settlements.
"So do any of you know anything about the surface world, at least concerning the surrounding areas of where we will be."
1d20+17I am basically looking for things like city sizes, names of the mayor and/or other things that are common knowledge. Saying we are travellers will make it reasonable that we don't know a lot about any one area.
Celwynvian is mostly controlled or patrolled by the elves of Crying Leaf. The Wovirl have only reclaimed the Academy of Arts which you are currently based in. They have stopped the elves from bring a full attack on thier base by sending out small units that attack remote locations. The local monsters also keep the elves busy by keeping their lines thin, if they draw their forces to one location then the monsters would over run and claim another. The bat riders have noticed while scoutig a number of monsters.
You also find out about a number of sites near by. The closest is to north west, its called the Pavilion of Reason. Further north west is the Temple of Watchers. To the north lies Yuelral's Rain. To the north east at the corner of the city lies the Coliseum of Mask and Lyre. To the southwest lies a great avenue known as the Vista of Visions. To the south east lies Raivanyiel Smithy.
To get more details on a certain subject you need to make another roll. For the bat riders its a diplomacy roll, for the sites of interest its a knowledge (local and/or history) roll.
Brang'el you are up. :)
You seem to be our knowledge guy. :)
Diplomacy
History
Local
After speaking with some bat riders they mostly brush you off as a pest. You only learn that the monsters are not as disorganized as they seem when viewed from the air.
The Smithy is home to a spirit that repeats a cycle of actions over 6 hours. The elves leave this building to the spirit and consider it bad luck to go near. No monster or animal dwells near the place as well. It is largely avoided and unclaimed.
I believe that if we were to remove the spirit from the smithy, it would make an excellent place to make our headquarters, the elves avoid it. If we use that to make our strikes, we can infiltrate the elves and move in and out of their society.
"If the cycle is stopped they will investigate. Maybe we can get the spirit to help us depending on what type of spirit it is. If we defeat it, but we can imitate its cycle that would also work. "