As the rift comes into view, Dasur's steps slow in correspondence to the staff's trembling. Eventually he comes to a complete stop, and at this point even those around him and see the staff vibrating in his hands. The wizard stands shock-still, mouth slightly open as he stares into the roiling mass of elemental power. The occasional jet of fire that leaps from the rift illuminates the surroundings and casts orange light over Dasur's face, his frozen and ponderous expression unchanging for several minutes.
"Marvelous." He eventually says with breathless wonder, looking between the staff in his hands and the rift. "It is no wonder the progenitor of this staff lived here. Is this the source of all the elemental instability in the region, or merely one of a few rifts where the barriers of the planes rubs thin? Could it be all of the elemental energy is vying to escape from each plane in equal measure, such that there is no clear winner? To balance all four at once...? If I did not see it before my eyes I would not believe it possible."
Part of him yearns to thrust the staff forward and see what happens, to deftly and boldly explore this mystery right now. But he recalls the doom of his father, and how his hubris led to the creation of the sentient sorcerous badgers that led to his undoing. At this thought he draws the staff back closer to his chest.
Hubius and magic always had the same result, in the end. There was no need to take unneeded risks.
"I know we draw close to our goal." Dasur intones, somewhat sobered from his excitement before. "But I ask.. no, I beg... that we stay here a day so I can study this phenomenon." Slowly he turns towards Snorri, the shuffling as deliberate as it was intense- it was as if he was wrestling the staff away from the rift.
"I believe this staff and this rift are connected somehow. If I can draw off even a fraction of its energy and determine how to unleash it, the Mithvarium... and whatever blight befell Dammerhall... could be easily crushed underneath the elemental onslaught. But I hesitate to leap forward, seeing the corpse of my arcane peer in the hut. There are dangers here that I do not wish to repeat. So I ask for a day, no more, to at least scratch the surface of this mystery." His bit finished, he turns back towards the rift, casting his magically enchanced vision over the tumbling waves of energy.
In case Snorri concluded there was no time to waste in finding their map to Dammerhall, Dasur attempted to at least glean as much knowledge as he could from why the rift existed at all.
"Do you think this is artificially created or naturally occurring?"
Snorri turns to the other companions. "Dasur thinks that we should rest here, while he studies the chasm for a day. I would be inclined to agree, if nothing else because this location looks easily defensible, but I would hear your opinion. I believe we still have time before the drow reach us, don't we Er- Ah. He's back there. Anyway, before we make a decision, I would explore the cave system to the south."
Torvi attempts to cross the stepping stones, but lands of the third one roughly and slides into the mud pit. She drags herself back onto the stepping stones and leaps to the far side, joining her dwarven companions.
Erebos seems to have no interest in joining you.
Dasur has never seen anything quite like this. Without further study, he can't immediately fathom all of the things that are going on here. It is definitely a rift that reaches into the four elemental planes, but how it can exist in this way, how it can maintain itself without destruction, is beyond his ability to understand intuitively. Further study is merited.
"I do not know, Glenda." Dasur replies, still staring intently at the rift. "This is unlike anything I have ever seen, heard, or read about. Its very existence contradicts some of the most fundamental theories on raw elemental coalesence on the material plane."
Looking back to Snorri, the wizard nods. "A wise decision, Snorri. While I have a new spell that will offer us a safe haven for resting, we do not know what dangers lurk in this cavern nor what killed the visionary that came before us."
Turning towards the southern caverns, Dasur begins walking towards the southern cliff face, all the while clutching the obsidian staff like someone is going to take it from him. "Erebos is the master of Air... we will either need his levitation magics or we will need to affix a rope to the wall."
Tapping into the magical energies of the spell he cast earlier, Dasur sends a Message to Erebos, the warf's words floating through the air like a whisper. ]Erebos, we have made an amazing discovery! The hut of a slain hermit-mage that was studying a nearby elemental rift. He was a genius, and I have his spellbook and his staff! We are going to stay and study this rift after exploring the nearby cave, and I would greatly value your input and assistance.
Shaking her head in, no, "I would rather no make it easier for the drow to catch up with us. I will bow to the groups vote but I do not like being in their path.
"I prefer to think of it that the pointy eared bastards are in our path!"
Erebos responds. Even through the whispering magic, Dasur can hear his annoyance, "Well enough. I shall endeavor to cross the boiling mud. I had hoped to avoid whatever is happening here, but clearly your enthusiasm will not be diminished."
Erebos will invoke the magic that allows him to levitate as he attempts to move across the wall. This will keep him from falling into the boiling mud regardless of how terribly he climbs. With some fumbling, he makes it across.
"The Drow will likely not catch us here, Nalnera. They rarely make forays this deep into the Wound. Only a raiding party would venture so far, and they would be more interested in fighting their fellow elves than in a small band of dwarves."
He takes a moment to study the rift, remarking to Dasure that it is indeed a wonder. His eyes linger briefly on the obsidian staff, but betray nothing of his thoughts.
At area 5, there is a cliff face that rises 30 feet from the cavern floor with a ceiling another 30 feet above. The cliff is climbable, with clear handholds. Of course, Erebos could levitate to the top, but he is unlikely to volunteer for such a duty.
"Does anyone have a grappling hook or pitons?"
"I could also tap into the energies of Zhashilgeax, which would allow me to manifest a spell to climb the cliff, but I would prefer to use that energy for our lodgings." The wizard comments as the others set about using mundane tools to make a way to climb the cliff.
Meanwhile, he continues to stare at the rift, discussing with Erebos theories on exactly what it is or how it has formed.
Shrugging and then holding out an iron bar that turns into a grappling hook, "Yep."
”With a climbing kit, I can make it up there with no problem.”
"Then go and link the rope, please, then we'll follow."
Torvi dons the climbing kit, and takes her time going up the cliff, trailing a rope behind her. If she gets to the top safely, with nothing to fight when she gets here, she’ll look for a stalagmite to tie the top end of the rope to, and drop the other end down.
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Torvi stuggles with the sheer cliff face, unable to find hand or foot holds even with the climbing equipment.
Erebos ends his conversation, "Pardon me, Dasur. The skald seems to need some assistance." He grabs an end of rope and walks to the face of the cliff, concentrating for a moment before floating effortlessly upward.
"How sad for you, Stonesinger, to be such a disappointment..."
He is silent for a moment before, "I have secured the rope. You may ascend at your typical paahhhhhhhh..." His voice ascends into something like a scream. You hear a sound like stone hitting stone.
Dasur is staring intently at the face of the cliff, looking for any signs of crystals that may give clues to the nature of the magical energy infusing the place.
Erebos' sudden scream snaps him out of his studious stupor, causing the wizard to jerk his head upward. Wasting little time, Dasur reaches into his shirt and pulls out his brilliant ruby amulet. Gazing deeply into its blood-red depths, he whispers to the gem inside and focuses the surrounding arcane energies into its seemingly infinite matrices...
Suddenly Dasur's limbs elongate and crack as they gain extra joints, including his fingers which also grow a web-like membrane between them and hard, black fingernails. Leaping onto the rope with a grunt and digging his hardened fingers into the stone with one hand while grasping the silken rope with the other he begins to steadily scuttle up the cliff; his multiple joints make disturbing popping noises the entire way.
Snorri grabs the rope and kicks against the wall, pulling himself up by strength of arms and legs. Without no assistance but his muscles, he grits his teeth, rushing to the overreaching drow.
From above, you hear a shout of triumph, "Aha, crystal spider things, you are quite surprising, but not swift enough to capture Erebos...Friend dwarves, take care. There are some sort of crystal spiders or scorpions here, no doubt refugees or invaders from the elemental realms. The appear to lack any sort of ranged attack, and I have levitated beyond their ability to attack me, so take whatever precautions you think best."
Round 2
Torvi will double climb this round, in an accelerated fashion and get up 20’, That is after the others move on up the rope.
Round 2
Though Erebos' words pique Dasur's interest, the wizard also realizes his haste was misplaced. Hesitating breifly, he at least decides to try and trap whatever crystalline creatures in an extradimensional pit for potential study before cresting the top of the rope.
Hefting himself over the edge with the popping of multiple joints, Dasur already has a spell on his lips. He brandishes a miniature shovel from his spell component pouch before making a series of intense and complicated scooping gestures.
"This may not hold them for long, be ready!" He warns before the spell energies align and drop the floor out from under their foes.
Snorri climbs to the edge and draws his ancestral axe, ready for a conflict. "Crystal spiders? This should be an interesting fight!"
Dasur casts his spell, dropping the cavern floor out from under the alien creatures. Two of them skitter to the side with an almost preternatural awareness of the magic and the stone. One fairs less well and tumbles into the pit. Erebos hovers above all of it imperiously.
Upon viewing the scorpion-like creatures, Dasur quickly determines the origin of the strange things. They are crysmals, native to the plane of Earth. They are resistant to nearly all forms of energy damage, but their crystalline structure can be disrupted by blunt attacks and sonic energy.
Snorri reaches the top of the ledge, seeing 3 natural looking tunnels branching off from the ledge.
"Ah, Crysmals! They must have slipped through one of the many portals." Dasur cries as he finally lays eyes on the creatures. "I have read much about them, and longed for the chance to study one! Crystals and gems from the plane of Earth, infused with positive energy! The secrets they must hold!" The wonder in his voice is all-encompassing, but their menacing nature is apparent and sobers him up.
"Alas I doubt we will be able to capture one given their aggressive nature. They are imprevious to elemental energies, but vulnerable to hammers and sound-based magic!"
"Then let's see how they fare against axes!"
Seeing how the majority of his companions are still away, Snorri chooses to play it slightly safer. Before stepping to confront the closest creature, he murmurs a brief prayer to the Forge Lord. And, subtly, He answers.
Glenda keeps waiting her turn, as Torvi seems to be next up the rope after Dasur.
”Luckily my weapon is more hammer than axe!”
Two of the crysmals scutter toward Snorri, their crystalline legs tapping against the stone of the cavern. Their tails lash out at the scion of kings.
Both of the creatures lash out with their scorpion like tails, and as Snorri dodges one, the other connects.
The third crysmal, the one in the pit, moves up the walls of the pit like an insect, slowly but inexorably. It appears at the edge of the pit, menacing Dasur.
Round 3
Bouncing on her feet and waiting her turn.
Torvi will complete her climb, drawing her weapon (in 5’ mode) as she gets off the rope, at which time, she will commence her battle song.
Round 3
Dasur is unsurprised the crsystalline spider scuttles out of the pit so easily- it was merely a delaying tactic after all.
As Torvi ascends the rope behind him, the wizard moves out of the way and runs behind Snorri, moving along the edge of the cliff with little fear. There was no better defense than having a fully armed and armored paladin of Torag between you and the enemy, after all.
"There is little damage I can inflict upon these elementals due to their unique compositions." Dasur drones over the sound of Snorri fighting off their wicked tails. "But I can still try some magics."
Reaching into one of his many pouches, Dasur throws a handful of mica over his defender's head. In the sunlight it would have created a dazzling display of flashing flakes, but here it's just some dirt falling all over the crysmals. Yet, with a simple gesture and a word of power the flakes erupt with the intensity of the noon-day sun reflecting off of a still lake.
Snorri takes the blow in stride, answering with a shattering one of his own, whirling the axe in a wide arc with a sneering grunt. The dark hide of the first crysmal throws the blade off the second.
Staring up at the rope and smiling at the noise. Drow deserve nothing less. But the foolish dwarves with their thinking the dark elf is part of them. Looking at the rope and simply walking into the cliff face.
Darkness surrounds the wraith and walking up though the rock as if it were stairs, stairs inside a mountain. Trudging his way upwards and a dark red head breaches the top of the cliff. Looking around as the rest of his ichor dripping body lifts out of the ground.
Rushing forward with the intent of bludgeoning the scorpions with his fists.
Glenda sighs and works to haul her way up the rope as Regnir simply walks up the side of the cliff like Adam West and Burt Ward scaling a building.
The crysmals shudder as the glowing flecks obscure their sensory organs. Only one of them has time to be troubled by his sudden blindness. The other shatters under the heavy blows of Snorri's axe. The hard crystal surface turns aside some of his attack, but cannot blunt it completely.
Regnir's first blow lands obliquely against the faceted crystal creature. His second blow hits hard, crackling the surface.
Round 4
Troubled by his blindness, the blind crysmal retreats, but others are drawn to the vibrations of your battle.
Seeing such a large number of invaders, they launch their only ranged attacks. They whip their tails forward, throwing their tail spike like a manticore, leaving a nub behind.
"It appears that I was incorrect about their lack of ranged attack, though it does seem a one time tactic."
Torvi will take a 5' step (I moved her), reposition her weapon to have reach, and attacks the crysmal next to the loathed elf...
Bludgeon
Round 4
"Ah, interesting!" Dasur mumbles as stone-like projectiles fly past his companions, watching them go over the cliff and outside the range of his darkvision. "I wonder if they must consume new crystalline matter to regrow these projectiles, or if they have stores of crystals within their bodies similar to our fat which to draw these resources from in times of famine?"
Having exhausted all his options against the creatures, he seems content to have an academic conversation with the floating but similarly inactive Erebos while everyone else fights.
Showered by broken crystal, Snorri takes a moment to test his footing before sprinting forward to the two newly incoming creatures, in a mighty but inaccurate swing.
Snorri's blow is deflected by the faceted body of the crysmals.
Three of the crysmals close on Snorri, lashing out with their tails.
Without its pointed stinger, the attack against Snorri is blunted.
Two of the crysmals move to attack Torvi, both of their tails being deflected by her armor.
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Round 5
Erebos lashes out with magical energy, bolts of violet force striking the closest crysmal. This benefits Torvi, but sometimes such things cannot be helped.
Glenda takes the time to slowly and laboriously climb up the rope.
Round 5
Watching Snorri fight off three crysmals simultaneously gives him the feeling the scion of Dammerhall could use some help. With a wave of his hand microportals to the Plane of Butter open underneath their foes, squirting them with premium, lukewarm yak butter. Though he was aware the crysmals were agile, there were few spells Dasur could bring to bare to assist.
The legs of one of the crystal scorpions scrabble and fail as its body drops to the stone.
The second retains his footing.