Sana quietly examined the area around the dead bodies, thinking quickly. Her particular talents weren't going to be very useful here, though the dead bodies did suggest a place where their foe likely was... unless they'd just been put there as a trap, of course. Calmly, the Aasimar began to look around as best she could, trying to find any other signs that might indicate danger. "Lw'nafh kadishtu." she whispered under her breath as she checked for danger.
You find various wounds on the plant creature, which you surmise came from the two dead humans' glaives lying next to them on the ground. The two humans are lying face down, wearing exquisite chain shirts and orange tabards. Oddly, you find pieces of flesh missing from their back, as if from bite marks.
Tomas has also moved forward with Sana to examine the area.
I do not have access to any cold spells, unfortunately, but I suspect a few force bolts will level that plant just as easily."
Perception:
As the group moves forward Cao moves ahead softly sniffing at the ground and otherwise keeping its otherworldly eyes fixed on the plant for signs of a threat.
Levelle trails to the back of the group with Sana, spear in hand and eyes on the plant, Is is intelligent? Does it know we are talking? Who are those men? I am new to town, are they guards of the city?
Goron strides forward and examines everything.
With Tomas' light in the dark cavern allowing the party to see colors, when Goron flips one of the corpses over during his examination, you can tell the humans are dressed as Iomedaen crusaders, prevalent in Kenabres, before all hell literally broke loose today. Sana notes that it is odd that the humans wielded glaives instead of the customary longswords preferred by the followers of Iomedae.
Goron notices one of the corpses is holding something tightly in his closed fist. However, before he can investigate, Tomas' light spell dims, until it disappears completely, leaving the wizard literally in the dark! The rest of the party's darkvision prevents them from being surprised, as well as Cao's growling at the ceiling, as you spot 2 "flying stalactites" with numerous eyes and tendrils coming down on the party!
Levelle throws her hands splayed outward as her tail twitches like a lash, as she calls upon her fiendish heritage. Magical webbing erupts around the creatures, attempting to entangle them.
Round 1: Darkmantles
The stalactite creature moves through the web and flies down within 5' and strikes at Levelle with its tendril, slamming it into her, then coiling it around her neck and strangling her, its barbs biting into her skin and drawing blood, causing to scream in pain before passing out! The darkmantle seeing enemies around releases the summoner as a free action, causing her body to collapse to the cavern floor.
The second darkmantle frees itself from the web and flies down within 5' range of Goron!
Sana let out a small scream as Levelle was hit - though she didn't seem quite dead just yet. Fortunately, the other girl was close enough to be touched, and Sana didn't hesitate at all as she reached out towards her companion. "Ehye'bthnk!" she said sharply, sending a surge of positive energy into Levelle's body as she chanted. It wasn't the best healing job she'd ever performed, but it ought to at least be enough to get the other girl on her feet again.
Seeing the odd creatures swoop down and lay low one of the party, Tomas quickly starts to incant and sends a glowing missile of energy towards the monster who struck Levelle.
[ooc]Magic Missile damage:
Goron seeing his companion in trouble, moves towards her and slams his hammer at it careful to avoid hitting his companion.
Tomas' magic wounds one of the creatures and Goron's hammer bludgeons it to death!
Cao growls at the events as the creature descends on Levelle and then as the tiefling struggles against the tentacle the eidolon simply disappears.
Levelle's elation at the use of her web is quickly dashed as she is descended upon with ferocity. As the tentacle strikes out Levelle struggles and then briefly blacks out until she stutters back to conscious life with the aid of Sana's healing.
Levelle cautiously rises for her spot on the floor, picking up her longspear and readying herself against more violence.
The last darkmantle attacks Goron, lashing out with its tendril, but misses!
Tomas sends another missile of force at the creature attacking Goron.
Magic Missile:
Goron finding himself attacked by this creature attempts to break free.
Sana had just started forward, wanting to help Goron, when bolts of magic erupted from their wizard and slammed into the foul creature. She stopped in place, waiting to see the outcome of the action. There wasn't a whole lot she could do at the moment, so it was probably best to wait in place instead of darting in and messing things up.
Tomas carefully steps away, moving at 1/2 speed and he eventually leaves the area of true darkness and casts light, shifting the darkness to dim illumination. However, he notices that his spell does not penetrate the darkness emanating from the creature.
Round 3: Darkmantle
The darkmantle, having taken no damage, feels confident and tries to constrict Goron again! The dwarf gasps as the tendril tightens around his neck!
A faint tightness seemed to tug at Sana's eyes as she saw Goron - her friend - continue to be attacked by a monster. It was just an animal, but it was hurting him... and before she could help it, she'd moved closer to Goron. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" she bellowed with every ounce of feeling she could muster. The girl didn't have much in the way of offensive ability, but her aura of presence was something else entirely... and she'd had many years to practice it. If nothing else, the creature ought to be stunned long enough for the others to accomplish something - and perhaps Goron could even break free.
His eyes dimmed as the tendrils choke him.
Breaking free of the creature if he can, Goron moves towards Sana hoping that the creature attempts to attack him and allow him a single swing before he goes down.
His Hammer still clutched within his hands.
Tomas stalks the edge of the darkness, a feeling of utter uselessness welling up in his breast.
"The darkness is magic and I cannot pierce it. Move back towards my voice and draw the creature out.", he calls to his friends still fighting within the impenetrable gloom.
[dice=Intimidate (Demoralize)]1d20 + 8 + 4
Unfortunately, the creature does not seem to understand any language so Sana's Intimidate check falls on deaf ears.
His eyes dimmed as the tendrils choke him.
Breaking free of the creature if he can, Goron moves towards Sana hoping that the creature attempts to attack him and allow him a single swing before he goes down.His Hammer still clutched within his hands.
Goron escapes the creature's grasp, his neck aching from the constriction and moves 5' away.
Unsure of her fighting ability with Goron entangled with the creature Levelle claps her hand together and reached into her connection with the beyond to bring forth a [celestial]fire beetle.
The beetle arrives only a step next to Goron, its natural burning light dimmed but not extinguished in the darkness.
Tomas! Can you see?!
The beetle appears and the light is now dim in the cavern so Tomas targets him with his magic missile spell (damage as before), severely injuring the aberration.
The darkmantle tries to grapple Goron again with its tendril but misses. It then tries to flee toward the ceiling.
Goron blinks as something flashes past his eyes and strikes the creature sending it shrieking! Acting purely on instinct, the dwarf swings hard!
Goron's blow bounces off the aberration's thick hide without causing harm, as it floats up 50' up into the darkness, near the ceiling.
Sana calmly tracked the creature as it moved up into the darkness - but at any level, darkness wasn't a particular problem for her. She was worried about her friends, but what she could do was... "Nafln'ghft." the girl said as she scooped up a rock from the ground. Light began to shine from the rock as she focused, and she turned to look at Levelle. "Can you throw this up so Tomas can aim better?" she asked, holding out the glowing stone. Sana herself didn't have much of a throwing arm, being rather weak physically, and Goron probably didn't want to let go of his equipment. Leaving Tomas aside... this might be enough to work.
As the darkmantle flies up, it takes its 20' radius of darkness with it, so the Light spell works well enough at ground level.
Levelle commands the beetle to return to her and then dismisses it with an unspoken "thank you". Looking at the others, Do you think it is safe to hurry the others through here? Levelle casts a wary gesture at the plant in the room as she asks...
"Maybe." a wounded Goron says as he holds up his hammer.....
The plant is long dead. The only threat in the room is the severely wounded darkmantle on the ceiling, who considers this "meal" not worth it. There are still 2 dead bodies on the ground. Humans you can tell, now that they are within the light.
Hearing the sounds of combat end, the blind elf yells, "What happened in there? Let me know."
"I will usher the others across if you who can see in the dark will keep an eye on the beast while we pass. It is wounded and may just decide we are too tough a meal for it."
Tomas casts light and helps to bring their party across the cavern.
"Maybe check out those bodies again, if you can, to see if they carry anything we can use."
"We ran into some creatures that were on the ceiling." Sana added before moving over to Goron and placing her hands on his back. "Ehye'bthnk." she murmured firmly, sending a surge of healing power into his body to help him keep going. "Are you alright?" she asked, clearly concerned about how he and Levelle were doing.