"What a jerk."
Konstantin ambles over to Samirah's side. "How are you feeling, искра?"[/b]
Sosiel slams the tip of his glaive into the ground, stops, takes a deep breath, then moves over to Samirah. After a moment of study, during which his deep brown eyes go magic white, he motions to Chancre. "I have a scroll that can remedy the damage that creature did to her," he looks at Chancre, seeing if the inquisitor has anything that will work sooner.
Chancre follows Konstantin and gives Samirah a quick lookover.
"I can do a handful of things, but nothing that I can do for that yet."
"I'm... annoyed. But fine." She frowns at the wing on the ground, but turns a smile on for Konstantin. "I jumped off the roof and all I received for my trouble was a wing." She kicks it over with the end of her boot.
"What did it take?" She asks after Sosiel looks her over.
"Don't worry about it," Chancre says, slowly punching Samirah in the shoulder. "The soul is like your fingers. You have ten so you can lose a couple. Once Sosiel uses that scroll, you can walk it off."
"Oh, no big deal, then!" She says, maybe a little sarcastically. "Except that I can't afford to lose any of my fingers, because then I can't use this." She waves the scimitar.
Chancre looks at the scimitar. "Is that really a ten-finger model? I thought maybe four on one hand, three on the other. It'll still be okay. Soul grows back."
Samirah shrugs. "I sometimes have to hold it in my left hand."
"You know more about souls than I do, being as old as you are, so I will take your word for it."
Chancre nods. "Mine's been out of my body more than yours has, so I think I'm an expert here. No offense, Sosiel."
"None taken." Sosiel, says his voice light despite the worry that lingers in his eyes, "I'm perfectly happy for you to retain that expertise solo."
To Samirah, "You'll feel good as new once we get back to camp." He squeezes her hand softly, "Although a good night's rest and some decent food are still recommended by this field medic."
Seeing Samirah is well cared for, Anevia moves back into the chapel, finishing Sosiel's work of opening the altar stone. A lead-lined space had kept safe a trove of healing potions and scrolls.
The bodies of the lesser ghouls are dressed in rags and bits of metal, the cleric ghouls only a little better with magically infused leather. Nulkineth's body reveals both magic armor and weapon - but a search of the rest of the rooms reveals a lockbox with some additional money and magic.
Also the drained, almost mummified body of a prisoner. Two of the remaining rooms are outfit as prisons - one where the walls are inscribed with rune of silence to keep pesky spellcasters contained.
The careful climb/descent back to the army is happily uneventful.
Samirah bows her head and squeezes Sosiel's hand in return. "There's not much a meal next to a fire, under the stars, can't fix. Thank you for your assistance, Sosiel." Her eyes flit back over to Konstantin's.
"იმედია ხანგრძლივი ზიანი."
"Hopefully no lasting damage."
When she looks over the mummified prisoner, she raises an eyebrow. "Would this have been done a long time ago, or is this something a demon could have done to a person rapidly?"
Konstantin puts an arm around Samirah and gives a reassuring nod.
When she looks over the mummified prisoner, she raises an eyebrow. "Would this have been done a long time ago, or is this something a demon could have done to a person rapidly?"
Sosiel is quiet for a long moment, "If he had been held prisoner for a while, was weak, drained, then the demon could have done it in a moment." He squeezes Samirah's shoulder, "Or the bastards could have left him here to f+@! with our minds."
Once everyone has had a chance to check in, Sosiel draws Samirah off to the side, tossing herbs on a very nearby fire and pulling packets of a shimmering dust from the folds of a scroll. "It's all about gilding a lily that doesn't need an adornment, you know." Sosiel says quietly to Samirah before he starts the incantations to finalize the magic stored in the scroll.
A hard day's march deeper into the abyssal scarred landscape, the sky vacillating between burning heat and oppressive clouds that bring no relief from the heat, only adding humidity to the heavy atmosphere. In the mid-afternoon, you can just barely made out the lines of a once well-fortified city near the far edge of your vision , closer to the group, you see the last of the physical barriers keeping the army and the elite group leading them from the dangers of Drezen itself - the Ahari Gorge.
Although there is a small but solid bridge spanning the gorge, the sky above and within the space is a sickly green.
"Well, those clouds of creatures don't look in any way pleasant to deal with." Míril peers at the individual nasties she can make out at this distance. "I don't think handling them mano a mano is going to be at all effective or efficient."
"Well, those clouds of creatures don't look in any way pleasant to deal with." Míril peers at the individual nasties she can make out at this distance. "I don't think handling them mano a mano is going to be at all effective or efficient."
"This is why you keep men like me around." Konstantin considers the flocks. "Although I am not as effective now as I hope to be in the future."
"This is why you keep men like me around." Konstantin considers the flocks. "Although I am not as effective now as I hope to be in the future."
"I don't think any of us is as effective now as we hope to be in the future. I know I'm not."
Chancre slowly nods, counting something off on his fingers and teeth. "I have 92 arrows, and I haven't touched my bow in a month."
"What is, mending a broken soul?" She responds to Sosiel, watching his work closely.
Samirah squints into the distance. "Well, if someone can throw me up into the cloud of creatures, I can do some damage..."
"A scarecrow would be better. Or the opposite -- draw them somewhere that we aren't. Where's a gargoyle when you need one?"
"Surely someone here has illusionary magic that could draw at least some of them away?"
"Surely someone here has illusionary magic that could draw at least some of them away?"
"Even with my newfound powers, I do not believe I could create anything so big or so convincing. My options for hurting them are greater, however."
"I don't even know of they have enough of a brain to be tricked." Irabeth says wryly.
Míril nods. "And I don't even know how I'd even start to go about sneak attacking one of the swarm. No, I think gouts (or balls) of fire and sheets of ice are our best option here."
Samirah considers the remarks of all three companions, then drops her hands to her hips. "Well, if this is the way forward, we should not dally and do what we can when we meet them on the bridge."
Míril nods. "And I don't even know how I'd even start to go about sneak attacking one of the swarm. No, I think gouts (or balls) of fire and sheets of ice are our best option here."
"Sheets of ice are my specialty," Konstantin says, apparently quite pleased with the prospect.
"Я знал, что если мы ждали достаточно долго, то будет найти применение для вас," says Míril as she tries real hard to mimic Kon's stony-faced delivery. She doesn't make it, and bursts into her normal friendly grin.
Konstantin raises an eyebrow. Which is as close as he gets to smiling.
"I can flash them if they get within twenty feet or so."
Chancre looks through his pack. "I don't even have any alchemist's fire in here." He shrugs. "I guess we gout or sheet 'em."
Samirah looks caught between uncomfortable and apologetic. "Sheets of ice, then. I'm afraid I cannot yet provide much of a gout of fire. Maybe if we come back in a few weeks..." Admitting to it seems to leave a bad taste in her mouth. She brightens. "But I'm happy to provide a little bit of fire, maybe draw them down so that the ice catches more of them?"
Behind you, near the larger group of the army, you see Aravashnial asking Gero something, a very long pause, then Aravashnial holds out his hand with an impatient look and a few sharp-tongued words.
Having procured a spyglass the wizard stalks over to the group, then uses the device. With a frown furrowing his brow he offers the glass first to Konstantin then anyone else.
On a more physical note, the creatures are ravenous and have been known to eat statues and stone walls.
Probably.
Examining the area, you do see that the creatures have not affected the sturdy stone bride over the 120-ft drop of the gorge. Also, watching the creatures, it is apparently they are constantly in movement into and out of a number of holes in the ground and along the near side of the gorge wall.
Konstantin peers through the spyglass. "Vescacors," he says with palpable distaste. "In these numbers, they can channel the madness of the abyss. This many says there is likely a queen in the area. If we find her and kill her, the swarms should dissipate."
Aravashnial nods in agreement. "Vile things." He paws through his pouch for a moment before pulling out a book, flipping through it, shaking his head, and trading it for another. "This will work." No smile but a smug confidence in the wizard. "Assume you are going to go after the queen?" The elf asks Konstantin, waiting only for assent before continuing on, "Which will rile up her disgusting offspring. The army would normally be able to fend off such vermin, but in these masses weapons are useless."
He taps the book, "I can ward the army against them for about an hour, provided," at this point Aravashnial raises his voice with a pointed glare at Gore, ""
While the elf has been clearly laying out his portion of the plan, you catch sight of Aron, twitchier than normal, half-raise and lower his left hand a few times.
"Indeed," Konstantin confirms. "Although it would be helpful if we could locate the queen, or her approximate location, first."
Chancre points to Aron. Gestures Aron closer. "Yes?"
Aron steps around Sosiel and moves closer to the group, his hands going from by his sides to the crooks of his elbows in a unconscious shielding gesture. Scratching his right elbow, he coughs out, "The gorge is mostly limestone, so the caves," toeing the ground beneath their feet, "are most likely a large interconnected complex." His eyes flash from Chancre to Samirah, then a shrug, "Which pretty much tells you the queen is in the caves." More a quick baring of his teeth than a smile, "Which doesn't actually pinpoint her anymore than we already had her."
Aravashnial does comment, "The queen will be the size of a horse, so you don't have to worry about the smaller passages that her vermin offspring use."
Roshan points two fingers to his eyes, touches an ear, then his nose before spreading his arms out in a shrug.
He looks first at Kon, then Aravashnial, then glances across anyone else assembled.
"Well, hunting a queen down in a cave is much easier than trying to swat down a cloud of her minions in the sky." Samirah says this cheerfully, but her eyes darken a little with a memory.
She watches Roshan's signing. "If they're anything like normal insects, probably smell. If they're anything like normal demons, they probably already know we're over here contemplating their demise."
"Into the caves we go then," Konstantin says. "Our second cave system? At least we're going into this one under our own powers."
Aravashnial nods happily as he starts to head back to the bulk of the army, motioning for them to start getting uncomfortably close. Irabeth looks at the hole in the ground, then glances back at her soldiers, clearly not certain where she will be of the greatest aid.
"Well, hunting a queen down in a cave is much easier than trying to swat down a cloud of her minions in the sky." Samirah says this cheerfully, but her eyes darken a little with a memory.
She watches Roshan's signing. "If they're anything like normal insects, probably smell. If they're anything like normal demons, they probably already know we're over here contemplating their demise."
Roshan blinks and his brows knit slightly. He flashes a brief, perhaps puzzled, perhaps reassuring smile before turning to find and collect any of his blades that remain usable.
Aravashnial nods happily as he starts to head back to the bulk of the army, motioning for them to start getting uncomfortably close. Irabeth looks at the hole in the ground, then glances back at her soldiers, clearly not certain where she will be of the greatest aid.
Returning, Roshan points briefly at Anevia, Pan, Miril and himself. He lays his left forearm before him and walks his fingers over it and down. He glances at Irabeth and cocks his head towards the others in the group. A raised eyebrow and small shrug that may or may not be directed at Konstantin follow.
Returning, Roshan points briefly at Anevia, Pan, Miril and himself. He lays his left forearm before him and walks his fingers over it and down. He glances at Irabeth and cocks his head towards the others in the group. A raised eyebrow and small shrug that may or may not be directed at Konstantin follow.
Irabeth's head cocks to the side a bit, "It's just no fun being the one 'responsible', you don't get to go to any of the fun places." She pauses next to Anevia on her path back to the bulk of the army, gently kissing the shorter woman's forehead and whispering something.
The nearest entrance to the group of subterranen caves and tunnels is about 80 feet away from the mass of swarms currently turning the Ahari Gorge into a death zone. The smaller group is able to move across the stripped land carefully, moving between rock structures and shapes without drawing the murderous attention of the abyssal bugs.
The 10-foot-diameter hole reveals a mostly empty cavern with a number of passages leading into darkness. The drop to the floor 40-feet. A foul smell wafts from the cavern, the walls and floor slick with resin.
Irabeth's head cocks to the side a bit, "It's just no fun being the one 'responsible', you don't get to go to any of the fun places." She pauses next to Anevia on her path back to the bulk of the army, gently kissing the shorter woman's forehead and whispering something.
Roshan frowns, glances at Konstantin. Perhaps she had mistaken his intention? He pauses briefly before moving on.
The 10-foot-diameter hole reveals a mostly empty cavern with a number of passages leading into darkness. The drop to the floor 40-feet. A foul smell wafts from the cavern, the walls and floor slick with resin.
Roshan will wait to see if anyone wants to fasten a more permanent solution first. If not, he will throw his ranged piton into the ground and use the attached 50' rope to aid his climb down to the bottom. He will also stick around to aid the others...unless he finds something threatening that requires his attention first.
Míril climbs down Roshan's rope.
Once at the bottom, she proceeds to check for dangers and traps while Roshan aids others.
Konstantin speaks a quick incantation, making his hands and feet grow large, and sprout stonelike claws. These he uses to climb down the surface of the rock.
"still expect to see that stupid dwarf" Chancre mutters to himself.
Samirah looks down the rope, waiting for a few people to go first, and sighs. "If you see me falling past, it's not a dramatic entrance, and I may need you to stop me before I hit the ground." She calls, cheerfully.