+Shall I poke her in the eye?+ J'zeera sends waving her barbed tail menacingly at her master's enemies!
Zengo telepathically responds to J'Zeera +Yes, my friend. Strike true! Heed the cone of my spell in your flight so you are unaffected!+
Zengo gathers his will and casts Color Spray on the remaining Drow!
Drow 1
Drow 2
One of the Drow is able to shield his eyes from the Wizard's burst, while another takes the spell full force!
Drow 2 is stunned for rounds.
J'zeera flys towards the Priestess of Lolth and jabs at her face with her tail!
,
The Pseudodragon's tail pokes into the Priestesses face and draws blood! Unfortunately for you, the Priestesses Drow heritage saves her from J'zeera's sleep poison!
Round 1
Xaad 15/15
Warfrost 37/37
2 Drow Warriors
1 Drow Warrior (Stunned 8 rnds)
1 Drow Cleric
Zengo 5/5
J'zeera 15/15
Xaad wastes no time, swinging again at the stunned Drow Warrior!
,
The Drow no longer surprised, easily parries the Orc's somewhat clumsy maneuver!
Warfrost immediately leaps towards the Drow still lucid after Zengo's spell!
,
The Warrior likewise explodes into action leaping out of the way of the Dire Wolf's dangerous teeth!
The Drow Warrior on Xaad steps back 5ft and fires his poisoned crossbow at the Orc!
, +Poison
The Drow Warrior on Warfrost likewise leaps back 5ft and fires a poisoned crossbow bolt at the Dire Wolf!
, +Poison
Both Drow fail to hit their marks on the Samurai and his mount!
"Traitors!"
The Priestess of Lolth waves her hand and gestures at Zengo calling on the power of her evil goddess!
"Be still in the presence of Lolth!"
Zengo's spell resistance fails to protect him from the fury of Lolth!
Zengo's will proves too great for the magical onslaught!
"Priestess of a False God, turn from your vile ways and repent!" Zengo calls back in reply.
Zengo channels his skills for another Color Spray, directed at the Cleric. While summoning his power, Zengo communicates to his familiar. +J'zeera, attack the other warrior to my left! Fly swift, friend!+
Following a swirling of his fingers, Zengo releases Color Spray at the Priestess!
J'zeera deftly sails through the air to attack the remaining Drow warrior!
The Priestess raises her hand and blocks the color spray!
Round 2
Xaad 15/15
Warfrost 37/37
2 Drow Warriors
1 Drow Warrior (Stunned 7 rnds)
1 Drow Cleric
Zengo 5/5
J'zeera 15/15
Xaad closes once again and focuses his fury on the nimble Drow before him!
,
The Drows head is crushed by the Orc's mighty blow!
Warfrost leaps towards the Drow in front of him!
,
The Direwolf tears the throat out of the Drow!
The Priestess cries out to Lolth and the cavern goes completely dark!
Zengo utilizes his inherent Detect Magic to locate the Cleric and launches a Magic Missile!
J'zeera, scoffing at the spell, utilizes her inherent Blindsense to perceive where the Cleric currently is. She launches an attack!
Your attacks hit the cavern walls Zengo.
"Where did she go Zengo?!"
The Orc looks to the Dire Wolf, grunts, snaps his finger, and waves his hand and sets Warfrost to the task of tracking her.
The Wolf sniffs the ground as Zengo moves to finish off the sleeping Drow Warrior.
He splatters the Drows head smashing it into the floor.
Warfrost sniffs the ground right up to the portal leading to the surface.
"Looks like she went through the portal. What now Zengo?"
Zengo addresses Xaad. "My friend, we must pursue. If she is allowed to report back to the city, a larger party will be sent to end us. Let us stop her before this occurs!"
To J'zeera, Zengo thinks +My fierce friend, please head through the portal and see if you can locate our wayward Cleric. My thanks to you, and fly true!+
+Yes Master.+
J'zeera flies through the portal instantly!
Xaad mounts Warfrost and charges out of the portal in pursuit of the Drow Priestess!
Zengo looks again at the ruin of his fellow Drow, saddened that this conflict had to come to pass. Steeling his courage and promising himself time to reflect later, he continues through the portal to rejoin his friends.
You stand in the absolute openness of the night sky of the surface world. A barrage of new experiences crash into you Zengo. The shining specks of light in the night sky, the chill in the air, and the smells from everywhere all assault your senses. You have never seen such thick plant life, or heard the sounds of crickets chirping back and forth. The experience of absolute fresh air is simple thing totally new to you.
Moments later, J'zeera, Xaad, and Warfrost break through the canopy to rejoin you. No sign of her, they both say/send to you in unison.
You all look to where the portal was, and realize it is closed now forever.
"I think we've been had Zengo." Xaad says with little or no regret.
Zengo pauses only for a moment. "Yes, we have, my friend. However, our immediate future was never back in those caves." He looks up at the stars, shining like jewels revealed by a lantern, in the midst of the deep, comforting night.
The wide, wide nature of the surface world serves to remind Zengo of how truly small he is. Small, almost alone, bereft of his dear friend and master, and nearly aimless. His overall purpose, becoming strong enough to show the Drow a better way of life warms his soul against the rapidly approaching chill of doubt, but how to get there remained a big, unanswered question.
Zengo, looking deep into Xaad's eyes, says "Any ideas of what to do now? If we wait around long enough, I'm sure they will reassemble a second raiding party with a secondary intent of hauling us back in chains for execution. So, I know where not to be...but where to go is another question entirely, and I am new to these lands. Any suggestions, my friend?"
"The choice is yours my friend," Xaad says as he reaches into a pouch on Warfrost and produces a parchment.
"Before fate led me to Rubernenassad, I lived on the surface of Tharin. Where do you think we should go?"
You open the parchment and see a detailed map of the surface of Tharin.
Xaad points to mountains above the town of Dorian.
"We are here. Just North of the city of Dorian, if memory serves me correctly."
Zengo studies the map. "Our proximity to the great forests has me concerned. My topside brethern would certainly kill me on sight. What can you tell me of Zorian, my friend? While the road is long, it may serve us better than the closest town. We have no supplies for a long journey, however..." Zengo muses, considering the different possibilities. "We may provision in Demau and make the long trek, unless you have a compelling reason why Demau would serve our pursuits better?"
"I do not. Let us go."
With that Xaad leads you to the greater experience of the surface world.
Kohr, you have ridden all day, and have finally found a suitable place to rest and make camp. You are unburdening Executioner of his armor when you hear the unmistakable sounds of a horse approaching at speed.
Without time to re-armor Executioner, he draws his newly-gifted sword and quickly finds cover for himself and his mount. He tries to get a look at who or what is approaching.
You see the unmistakable form of Deeane Athlan riding towards you.
"I forgot to mention that I am to be your Squire my lord." The girl says clearly relieved to have caught up with you.
Kohr roars with laughter! "An important detail to overlook! Welcome to the journey. Hopefully, we can be better coordinated going forward."
"Apologies my Lord, but I didn't want you to say no. I will be truthful with you from now on. My instructions are to follow you as far as Lady Dathtag's stronghold and then wait there for you while you venture into the Darklands."
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"You're right. I probably would have said no. Well played. Now...your new instructions are to tend to Executioner and help me get this camp built. We leave at dawn."
"Yes my Lord." The young squire begins to immediately go about her duties with a precision and calm you have rarely seen in an apprentice. Within an hour, the camp is set and the food is cooking. This is definitely the daughter of High Lord Darren Athlan. You begin to contemplate the honor bestowed on you by naming Deeane your Squire.
"Shall I take first watch my Lord?" The young woman says with devotion.