"If they can see us before we can see them, which I think is common in the Darklands, then it won't do any good to have some of our group hiding further back. So deception it is. Prisoner gambit? Play along and plan to attack as soon as we can see the Naga. Weapons sheathed for now. Hold your hands in front of you; we will wrap some rope loosely around them."
Benedict uses his Alter Self SLA to take the form of an Orc. "Kisegar, you bring up the rear to keep up the facade. Point your crossbow at William. Aerel, you can be with us or sneaking around behind cover."
Benedict will go first, with the others in between himself and Kisegar. He'll be holding the +1 Spear over his head in two hands, holding it not as a weapon but as a gift.
Haela will be right behind him (to share teamwork feats).
Grum and Amkarang will follow, so that Haela can Dimension Door all of the melee fighters at once if needed.
"I don't want to risk your lives by being seen too soon, so I will be behind you. What's the signal to move up? And a second signal to engage? To keep your options open."
"Probably Grum or me shouting Attack! - I can't say for sure how well this plan is going to work."
Aerel smiles, shakes his head, and fades from view.
Raises his hands and grins, "Variety is the spice of life, my friends. I will do my best to disappear until you call out."
A massive, snake-like body rises from the earth capped with a humanoid head sporting a mouth full of fangs. Even with much of its body still underground, its size is impressive.
"Wise you are to make an offering, but you will send them to me. Send them forward!"
The naga hisses at the battle cry, but the underground aberration was on high alert with the group of intruders in its domain.
Haela uses a swift action to share Shake it Off with the party (8 rounds), a move action to draw her axe, and then a standard action to activate Teleportation Mastery, bringing Grum, Benedict, and Amkarang into melee reach of the naga.
Everybody has Shake it Off; that is a +1 to all saves for Amkarang, William, and Aerel; +3 for Grum and Haela, and +2 for Benedict.
Kisegar fires off a shot from her crossbow.
The naga roars in surprise as the melee fighters are brought around it in the blink of an eye. It looks around at the foes around it, deciding at random to bite at Amkarang!
The naga then withdraws into the ground, the hole collapsing behind it!
Haela swings at the naga as it retreats.
"Aerel, William - move to us."
"You too, Kisegar."
"Let's keep moving together."
She heals Amkarang of all of his wounds.
Aerel hustles forward, curious what's occurred to change the plan.
Seeing his allies and no opponent, he searches for the dark naga, looking and listening.
William moves forward and casts haste on the group. "Be ready for it to come back up. We should spread out some so it doesn't get us all in a spell."
"We are better off closer together if it does cast a spell."
Benedict uses his Tactician ability to share Lastwall Phalanx - which, as a sacred bonus, stacks with Shake it Off (which is untyped).
Haela whiffs but Amkarang manages to land a strike on the retreating naga.
The ground rumbles in various places as the warriors form up.
Suddenly, it appears directly in front of William, but it turns to the formation and breathes a line of crackling force!
Magical Disruption (Su) A deep naga’s bite and breath
weapon have powerful dispelling effects. A creature that
takes damage from either attack has any ongoing spell
effects on it disrupted as though targeted by a dispel
magic spell (CL 11th).
William is surprised by the naga appearing. He steps back and lets loose a flurry of arrows even if it does open him to attack.
Aerel is listening so intently, he almost predicts the appearance of the naga from the sound of its burrowing and likewise opens fire, reasoning that now is not the time to take careful aim, but to put a lot of missiles in the air.
Benedict dodges some of the breath weapon, then moves up with Grum and attacks.
Haela takes the full force of the blast.
She uses a swift action to enter Dwarven Hatred Style, then she too moves up and strikes.
Kisegar's shot bounces off its armor, but it doesn't matter. The warriors attack the naga with brutal efficiency, dealing it wound after wound until the creature falls to the ground with a crash.
After an hour of poking around in the various holes and warrens created by the deep naga, you finally find a cache of weapons and items. Unfortunately, because of the naga's magical disruption powers, whatever magical enhancements these items possessed have faded or been siphoned off to sustain the strange creature.
William makes sure it is dead and checks to see if it has anything on it body. He looks to the others "Is everyone ok? Need any help Haela?" Once everyone is taking care of he begings looking for the creature's lair. Finally finding a stash he is disappointed it is all non magical gear. He sighs and says "Well no magic here but they are all high quality items. Still worth something."
Haela will again heal wounds, starting with the most injured.
That leaves Grum down 2, Haela down 6, Benedict full, and Amkarang either full or down 11 depending on his save.
"Well spotted, William. Some magic items such as rings include precious metals or gems that may still have worth."
After inspecting the items and separating them into piles of items with some inherent value and the rest into useless trinkets, William believes there is 1,408 gp.
Kisegar arches an eyebrow as the group gathers up the treasures. "Well, I guess that went well enough. So... are you trying to get someplace, or are you interested in pillaging your way across the Darklands?"
"We are on our way to the Five-Eyed Matron, as you well know.
How much further is it now?"
Kisegar takes a few steps back, holding up her thumb, then tracking it toward the direction you'd been traveling.
"Couple of days, maybe four if we keep stopping to kill the local fauna." She looks around at the current whereabouts. "With the naga dead, this is probably safe to camp here."
"I imagine most that were aware of her are going to avoid the place."
The night is uneventful as predicted. The group heads out the next "morning," returning to the Long Walk's main thoroughfare.
Roughly another day passes of lightless travel, with little events but the regular scurrying things in the darkness just at the edge of darkvision or hearing. Kisegar keeps scouting with Aerel, using her superior darkvision to guide the group away from hazards like deadfalls or dropoffs, vents of noxious subterranean gasses and patches of virulent fungi.
Just as the party begins to consider stopping for another rest, Aerel hears a distant creaking that seems to be getting louder. Kisegar signals that it's a group of twelve or more beings pulling a rickety wagon. "They look like legitimate travelers on the road," she says. "Not Duergar, but they're displaying a sigil of passage."
She clicks her tongue and her beetle companion trundles up to her side. "If you pick a fight with them, I'm not helping." She falls to the rear of the group.
Aerel retreats back to the rest of the group and shares what they have observed before moving into cover in case tactical advantage ends up being required.
William thinks for a moment and asks "What type of travelers? I won't let hobgoblins by they are who we are at war with."
"I would prefer to be more cautious and assess the situation. But I don't think they are Ironfang Legion."
Benedict has his weapons sheathed.
The caravan continues its approach, though as soon as they come into view it's clear the beings look nervous. The beings, fifteen in total, are cloaked and covered in wrappings with dark eyes peering out from behind their hoods.
One of the beings, shorter than the rest which are tall and lanky, leans forward while tilting their head curiously. After a moment, they step forward and pulls back the hood to reveal a familiar face. It's Novvi, the svirfneblin trader from the troglodyte caves!
"Benedict? And is that Grum? Amkarang as well! By the Great Stone!"
Benedict is greatly relieved to see the trader.
"Novvi! Good to see you!"
He will address the other strange beings briefly and calmly in Undercommon.
"We have some things that perhaps you would be interested in buying?"
"Sure!" the Darklands trader exclaims. "You usually find the neatest stuff. What do you have now? Can I interest you in a truesilver shield? Or maybe you'd like a ghost touch sling?"
She pats her pockets in a show of finding something on her person. "I've done pretty well since we last met, so I might have something you want. Well?"
William casts detect magic and examines the unidentified items.
Edited to inculde all items.
"We have all manner of interesting items. Here are a few."
Benedict offers the items noted in Discussion.
"Do you happen to have a Talisman of Freedom?"
"How about a Potion of Barkskin?"
He will buy those for 1200 GP total, leaving him with
(Old Total) 259
+ (Distribution) 997
- (Purchases) 1200
= 56 gold (plus our next big distribution when we can sell more, plus a 6000 IOU from Amkarang)
Novvi happily barters and trades with the group. Meanwhile, she also asks about threats they may encounter on the road the Heroes have just traveled. Kisegar joins in the conversation at that point, and the two discuss the state of the Long Walk in either direction.
When the buying and selling is done, Novvi wishes them all well and safe travels. Kisegar tells Benedict, "I think we're good to go. We should be able to make the Matron in less than a day."
Aerel will prepare to scout ahead once the party is ready to move out.
The journey continues, with the heroes perhaps hopeful that their long trek in this lightless realm will soon be over. After several hours of uneventful travel and one final rest in a secluded spot, Kisegar points out a landmark to Aerel.
Phosphorescent fungi cling to the walls here, shining a soft violet light across a large underground pool to one side of the paved highway. An immense statue of a plump dwarven woman appears to hold the ceiling aloft by the shore, her spiderlike face half-collapsed and leaving only a scowling mouth and five eyes behind.
The heroes find another caravan camped at the site near the underground pool. This one, they quickly realize, is populated by numerous Duergar.
The camp's leader, an imperious-looking woman, shouts to the group haughtily in Undercommon. Kisegar, joining Aerel in the lead, answers quickly while waving Benedict to come forward.
"You there! Come here this instant! I would offer you a chance to make some coin!"
Kisegar looks back at the bulk of the party. "You will have to take that up with the one to whom I am bound. See? He comes hither."
"Very well. But know that I guide a pilgrimage for Droskar to Fellstrok. I am Rovalda of Mabbryn, and you would be blessed to heed my wishes."
"Indeed. Yet I toil under my master, and cannot speak for him."