Is it coming along nicely?[/ooc]
Erebos ponders, "I am afraid, Lord Snorri, that most of my magics are more personal enhancements or direct attacks. I am not sure that we will have the ability to draw this necromancer from the center of his web without bait. I suggest that we should send in one team with the best defenses as a sort of lure, as one might use to capture a cave fisher. Then another, more lightly defended and perhaps more mobile group moves into reinforce the first once the necromancer shows themself."
"As if we'd follow any plan the elf suggests," snarks Torvi.
"Indeed." Dasur chimes in after Erebos' analysis of their current reportoire of magic. "My own magic is focused on the warding and enchancment of our group and the hinderance of our enemies, giving our warriors a significant advantage in battle. There is nothing in my spellbook that could decieve or lure out this necromancer, and unfortauntely I can only shield us from the greater elements, not death magic. If they are a busy sort, they have probably already raised that demon-worshiping ape we enountered earlier into a potent guard to replace the lost trolls."
He thinks over their current situation for a moment. "I am eager to study the accomplishments of this spellcaster, but I question how distracted from our goals we should become."
"Center falling back, sides moving to flank. It's a well-known tactic for infantry battles. The idea to dispose of Arauco's body cam up briefly before, if it is still there I suggest burning it."
"As for our objective, I wouldn't want to abandon any advantage we may gain from these mines. Zaraketh is the first vestige of our civilization we have encountered, and already it has provided us with assistance beyond dream."
Erebos is restless while you wait for Snorri to heal, while Iverna is more subdued and controlled than usual. A quick foray to the entrance will reveal that the great ape carcass remains untouched for the moment. Well, there are some small 2 legged scavenger lizards feeding on the remains, but it isn't reanimated.
Erebos says, ""Now that you are hearty and hale, Lord Snorri, let us conclude the re-conquest of this place. Whatever vile creatures this Necromancer has created, we will send them to their eternal rest. And Torvi, fear not, for while I certainly seek arcane power, and the fleshwarpers have never troubled me, I have never been interested in the reanimation of the dead. Let the dead lie, I say."
"I concur." Dasur agrees with Erebos as usual. "Necromatic magic contains knowledge for its own sake. We entomb our dead in the Stone for a reason- to see they enter a state of rest similar to the Earth, keeping the forces of Animate and Inanimate in balance. I see no reason to upset this balance, unless we were in dire straits."
Torvi has her weapon out in reach mode.
"Well then. Our strength shall be the strength of many, for we act and strike of one heart, and we carry the hope of our race. Let us be sober and vigilant, and we will reclaim this halls for ourselves."
The corpse of the great ape is untouched, a fortunate sign, perhaps. You destroy the corpse beyond the power of reanimation before descending the stairs. At the bottom, you find no more voices, no guards. Only the yawning darkness greets you.
There is a long moment of silence as Dasur stands at the bottom of the stairs and the dwarves await whatever necromatic horrors they were supposed to be asasulted with.
That moment never comes, and Dasur shifts about awkwardedly. [b]"Perhaps we should head north and follow the walls of the mine, to avoid becoming lost in the depths."[b/] He suggests, pointing towards one of the open sections nearby.
Torvi looks to Glenda, "that helmet of yours have any idea which way to go?"
This area is 80 feet across, with irregularly carved walls, clearly the result of mining. A single column of stone remains to support the ceiling, with roughly carved rayonant ribs carved from the column into the ceiling. The only thing of note in this chamber is the mostly devoured corpse of a medium sized two legged lizard-like creature. There is little more than scattered bones and dried blood remaining.
Moving East , you find yourselves in another chamber, this one equally empty, but for a powerful stench of wet fur and filth. Nothing lives here, but something must be just beyond, or nearby. Considering your lack of stealth, whatever it is is likely aware of you.
Any knowledge/survival checks to determine what the dead lizard creature was?
"Hmmm, some sort of two legged carnivorous dinosaur like thing. Kind of tall also."
"A great number of creatures must be dragged through these hallways." Dasur comments as he wonders how yet another dinosaur from the jungle ended up deep in the mines. "The eater of this one must be strong indeed to have dragged its kil past the degenerates upstairs without being bothered."
As you move deeper into the mine, the smell of wet hair grows more intense, you divide yourselves to fill both entrances. The smell grows more and more intense. As you enter this new cavern, you see a single shaped and carved pillar beyond which you see four hulking, hairy shapes. The same sort of cave trolls that you saw before, but those were deceased, animated. These are alive, musky. As they see you, they break into a great booming ululation that echoes through the chambers.
Torvi commences a song of blood and war. An epic saga of troll hunters in the old world! And she moves forward a bit to get between Glenda and the beasts.
Raging song: +2 STR/CON, +1 Will Save, -1 AC, Cannot use CHA, DEX, or INT based skills except Acrobatics, Fly, Intimidate, and Ride), or any ability that requires patience or concentration.
The trolls move with unnatural speed and grace, two racing to intercept you and two running into the main shaft.
Erebos draws arcane energy, shaping it into pure force. Bolts of dark force lance out at the troll menacing Snorri.
Iverna dives for cover in a narrow tunnel nearby, hoping to get behind the foes.
The troll swipes at her, slashing her scalp.
Snorri chuckles as the troll's swipe hits. Without the necromantic power sapping his life, such wounds are easily resisted. Bequest swipes in an arc that misses the foes, but hopefully an armor-clad foe will distract the trolls from the vulnerable ones.
"Protect Iverna!" he calls to his friends.
Faced with a seemingly overwhelming number of trolls, Torvi determines that she would simply do her best to defend Glenda.
Bludgeon
Crit confirm...
Bludgeon
Round 1
As the fighting breaks out in the ancient minining halls, Dasur is seemingly nonplussed, instead taking a look at the ceiling. He turns in a slow, full circle, dull brown eyes the neighboring stone as if enjoying a particularly thoughtful piece of artwork.
With a nod and an unintelligible muttering to himself, he takes one very precise step to the north, lifts his staff above his head paralell to the floor, and stands on one foot. With his free hand he digs out some sulfur and throws it on the ground in front of him while speaking arcane words of power.
Craning the leg that has not touched the ground since he started casting the spell, Dasur hops forward, simultaneously switching which foot he kept raised, and lands squarely on the lump of sulfur he had tossed on the ground.
A dully roaring ball of flame appears in the corridor next to the two trolls to the south, and it starts to quickly climb up the leg of one.
Glenda preps for close combat with a shield of faith so that it's a bit harder for the trolls to hit her when she steps up.
The unengaged troll runs past the crackling fire, attempting to flank your dwarven band. The burning giant swats at his burning flesh and runs back down the shaft, escaping the fire.
The two engaged with Torvi and Snorri continue their attacks.
The monster's claws and teeth find no purchase on Snorri's armor, but a claw attack makes it through Torvi's defenses.
Erebos, seeing that Dasur has driven their foes away for the moment, thinks it best to block their approach from the rear. He casts a now familiar spell, and the clinging black dust rises from the stone to the north.
Round 2
Torvi keeps on her same opponent...
Bludgeon
Round 2
With the trolls in flight, Dasur moves to get the troll menacing Snorri into his line of sight. With a gesture similar to motioning for someone to follow, he moves the spongy, flaming ball away from their flank and towards one of their enemies.
The ball rolls along the ground until it is behind the scion of Dammerhall, and he can feel the heat plainly on his back. It seems as if it's about to roll into him when it suddenly compresses, decompresses, and launches itself into an arc over the paladin towards the troll's chest.
The wizard then taps his staff on the ground, also causing the ground beneath the troll's feet to rapture and send up a cloud of acidic vapors.
Snorri adjusts his footing, calling upon the Forgefather's grace and the strength of the earth to mend the few scratches the monsters laid on him. Then he swings Bequest at the foe with a wordless snarl, more accurately this time.
Now that the battle is engaged, Glenda calls out a prayer to Magrim so that the dwarves may defeat these foes who defy death with their unnatural healing.
Erebos steps up behind Snorri, his two dark hands make a cupping or balling motion, drawing energy form the para-elemental plane of ice. He hurls the ice ball at the troll in front of Snorri
In the distance, Iverna comes out of hiding to slice at the troll who is coming up from behind.
These trolls seems somewhat smaller and weaker than those you have encountered on the surface, with a lighter build. But they move more quickly, as if magically quickened. Their claws slash at blinding speeds, drawing blood from Torvi, Snorri,and unseen Iverna. Still, your experience in battle tells you that they are fighting a losing game. Their assaults are many, but yours are stronger.
Round 3
.
Torvi’s determination to down her foe was matched solely by her determination to not be downed by the beast itself...
Bludgeon
Round 3
Dasur barely even has to move; a flick of his wrist to send the flaming sphere crawling up the side of the troll and a tap of his staff repeat the fire and acidic assault upon their foe. With Erebos' snowball, it was a dizzing combintation of burning and freezing.
Snorri moves to finish the troll he's been fighting with Dasur. "We have it here, go help Iverna!" he says, before undercutting his words with an unlucky strike.
Glenda follows up her last spell with a bless spell to add on to the group's chance to smite the trolls.
Off by herself with the troll, Iverna concentrates for a moment and her form becomes less distinct.
Erebos says, to himself as much as to anyone else, "Why is everything always chaos?"
The dark elf draws the air to himself, and the winds lift him from the ground. Hoping Snorri can handle his opponent, he zips off to find the gnome.
Distracted by the fire, the troll's attacks can find no purchase on the Lord's armor.
The troll facing Torvi has somewhat more luck.
Round 4
Torvi might be going down be she hopes to take one more giant with her...
Bludgeon