Galenus rushes over to kanzen and gives him a healing potion, and meanwhile throws another vial of fire.
Cyrus continues to pummel the elemental with arrows.
The elemental is struck just a little bit more but still has a lot of fight left in it.
The gargoyle strikes at Odak but misses twice. The earth elemental misses Galinndan once but then hits him hard (19 dam).
Zoltan sees the problem and calls out to get Galinndan back on his feet.
Cyrus fires again.
Finding his rhythm once again, Odak produces an axe once again made of dark psychic energy and attacks the persistent enemy in front of him.
Galinndan is smashed to the ground, then rises once more, blades slashing!
Galenus looks to see if any chunks have fallen off the elemental. All they need is a piece of it; there's no point staying here and getting beat down if they could just grab a chunk of it and run.
In the meantime, he continues to throw his vials of fire.
Cyrus and Galenus struggle while Galinndan lands another solid blow. Several chunks have definitely fallen off the elemental.
One more hit each from Cyrus, Galinndan, Galenus, and Odak would probably finish off the elemental.
Odak strikes the gargoyle hard but the creature isn't done yet. It and the elemental continue striking!
Since Galinndan was knocked down then got back up and dodged subsequent blows, the elemental seems to conclude he isn't a valuable target right now. It strikes Galenus a hard blow instead (14 damage), stepping forward over the river and bringing down an earthy fist on his shoulder. Meanwhile, Odak is struck once by the gargoyle but dodges the follow-up claw (4 damage).
Galinndan's face creases into the thinnest of smiles at the elemental focusing elsewhere.
A large mistake, rockhead, he thinks as he slashes at its flanks.
For [
, Odak raises his shield and earth motes fly into the air attempting to block the incoming attack.
Odak finishes off the gargoyle! Galinndan takes another chunk out of the earth elemental but it remains standing.
Galenus fires more fire at the elemental but his accuracy has been steadily decreasing of late!
"Nearly there!" The goblin shouts.
Cyrus chips slightly more earth off the elemental but it stays strong! Seeing Galinndan still standing, the elemental swings hard at the elf.
With its first blow, it knocks Galinndan unconscious. Then it moves up and strikes Galenus to the ground as well (20 damage) before walking over the unconscious Kanzen and Galenus towering over Cyrus.
As Galinndan falls, he lands with an audible thump.
Cyrus ducks past the elemental and makes his way to a safe vantage point before taking another shot.
Cyrus chips a tiny bit more stone off the elemental. It is visibly quite damaged but not quite done yet.
Odak seeing his opponent fall turns triumphantly to the earth elemental. Bolstered by his recent success, he charges the large rock creature. Possibly doing so to his own peril.
Against holding his shield spell in reserve from a possible retroactive attack.
Odak rushes down and brings his mind-blade slicing through the elemental. It collapses in a heap of rubble! Zoltan rushes over and heals the injured.
Pointing to a piece of the elemental, Zoltan states "I should take that back to town. Kanzen was knocked out too many times and needs help. I'll help him back." Kanzen protests weakly but you can tell he is weak on his feet.
Galinndan struggles to his feet, even with the infusion of magic.
Kanzen was struck even harder!
Galinndan does little more than nod at Zoltan and gives Kanzen a look of concern.
"We should take stock, a breath. That was a rough battle."
”Aye, lets take a breather before we do anything. Them things were tough as me grams cave lizard steak.”
In response to Zoltan, ”Since we bein’ ina hurry, the rest of us should stay and figure this out?”
You decide to hunker down where you are and catch your breath while Zoltan and Kanzen head back to the civilized portion of Blingdenstone with the chunk of mad earth elemental. While you are waiting, however, you hear soft footsteps walk around the corner and find yourself face to face with a Drow who looks back at you in surprise and suspicion, though not necessarily with hostility.
Galinndan briefly meditates, though maintaining some awareness of his surroundings.
Then he sees the drow.
His immediate urge is to spring up and charge at the figure but something stays his hand, for now.
I lose my edge. Too much time spent around Kanzath., he thinks with a mixture of annoyance and sentiment.
He does stand and gives the newcomer a wary appraisal, while trying to see if any others are using this as a distraction.
He asks, in undercommon, with an audible note of suspicion:
"Who are you, drow?"
Odak grumbles under his breath ”more of this awful tongue. Guess I’ll be having te learn it me’self.” The dwarf stands and grips his axe cautiously.
Sizing up Galinndan, Myras replies in Elvish:
Well, well. I see someone has studied Deep Speech. I am called Myras.
To Odak, in Dwarven:
Lower your weapon, Dwarf. I mean you no harm.
Myras approaches cautiously, deftly, and gradually, before opening his mouth once again.
What brings such a strange band of adventurers this far beneath the earth? You’re lucky to still be alive. You certainly have no business resting here! Other Drow are likely to pass through before long. Come, we have to keep moving..
Myras gestures to some of the nearby caves.
We should find a secluded spot to hide.
Galinnddan eyes up Myras and reples in undercommon, suspicion not entirely gone from his tone:
"Out of necessity. We escaped enslavement by other drow. But yes, we must move."
Then, we shall see.
Momentarily, upon the dark elf’s dwarven words, Odak seems to lower his weapon and then as if realizing who he was listening to raises it again.
When the conversation drops back into the foreign language, Odak takes on an even more sour demeanor. ”Bahhh”
In Dwarven, Myras attempts to convince Odak of his good intentions and of the urgency of the need to get out of plain sight:
Good Dwarven Lord, as I said before, I mean you no harm. I myself am fleeing the Drow. If you don’t get to safety, they’ll capture you and enslave you.
Persuasion:
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
”Aye, I heard ya. I was waiting to see what me friends were gonna do since you’uns all speak the deep tongue. Don be worryin’ bout me, I’ll keep up. I just have a rule about keepin Drow I don’t know in front of me and not behind. Lead on. “
You head through a side passage and find a chamber lit by glowing mushrooms reflecting their light all about. Light from the bioluminescent fungi refracts through large crystal formations erupting from the floor, creating a kaleidoscope of colors on the surrounding walls. The crystals are semitransparent, slightly distorting images seen through them. A statue of a gnome cowers near a crystal outgrowth, holding a broken crystal in its hands.
Odak is slightly distracted by all of crystals. If spoken to, he continuously glances over at them as though he sees something that may or may not be there.
Trying to keep the conversation in a language he knows, Odak tries the common tongue with Myras. ”Alrigh’ now that we be safer, I hate to be sayin that if yer running to safety from other drow, you may ‘av jumped from the fire to the forge.” the dwarf turns his head wuickly looking at the refracting crystals ”Eh, what was that?”
Galinndan tries to assess any threat from the crystals - or benefit - before speaking.
Galinndan tries to fathom the dwarven tongue but he has not yet mastered it.
Shaking his head, he says in common first:
"Myras, do you speak common by any chance? The trade tongue of the surface?"
Galinndan doesn't think these gems look magical or like anything of that nature but he gets a teasing suspicion in the back of his mind that they could in fact be useful for... something... His eyes are drawn to the statue of the gnome. It looks almost as if the statue is trying to look through the crystal...
Continuing in common, then repeating himself in undercommon, Gallindan notes:
"Those crystals. Not magical by themselves, but that gnome statue appears to be trying to look through that piece. Something about this scene tells me that these crystals could be useful. How, I am uncertain."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Dazzled by this room, Myras' cold eyes scan each corner, taking in the colors and lights.
Myras then turns to Galinndan and replies in common:
"Yes, it's all my mother spoke. Speaking it is somehow familiar and alienating at the same time... No matter! If that's what you all prefer, I'll deign to speak it."
Seeing this cowering statue, Myras attempts to perceive if anything with the statue is peculiar, perhaps even petrified.
Perception:
Turning then to Odak, Myras replies with a little bit of arrogance in his voice:
"Pfft. And what is that supposed to mean? Do you think I can't handle myself? I've lived my entire life in what you call the Underdark. Where are you two headed, anyway? What brings you this far beneath your homes?"
Looking closely, Myras does think the statue's details are incredibly crisp, suggesting the gnome was petrified.
Galinndan smiles, and continues in common:
"Of course! I must have taken too many blows from that stony thing. The surfaces here could be valuable against fighting the medusa that lurks in these halls. Myras, have you encountered this creature?"
Cyrus keeps a wary eye on the new drow as they travel.
"Doesn't seem to ave worked for dis poor sop." Cyrus says to Galinndan.
"It gives a better chance than closing our eyes against the medusa.", Gallindan replies to Cyrus, moving forward to cut a piece out for himself and any others who wish one.
@Myras
”These aint no regular days, even fer a Drow. Not when the hiders and other slimes, oozies, and goozies are gettin married and talkin bout the end o days. Ain’t no regular days fer sure. Don’t care who y’are. “ He pauses and looks around to be sure nothingbody is spying on the party, leans in an whispers. “We’re on a mission to help the gnomes. Tryin to give em a sportin chance of surviving the days to come. “[/b]
If anyone looks at Odak, he has chipped off a couple of crystals and has them over his eyes squishing his meaty cheeks upward to hold them in place. Inevitably though, they pop out and he tries to catch one before the hit the floor. ”Bah! Aint nobody bein able to use these ta fight with. “