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"An antiplague tablet should help some since this is a disease. Do you have any?"
"...Oh. Yess, I do." After fishing out a vial of antiplague, Eka tosses it back and pauses expectantly. Shrugging a moment later, she continues following the group, assuming that time will tell whether or not it has worked.
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The scraps of paper are few and far between, but Eka and Cyclic are able to lead you the right way. Following them eventually leads the group out of the Ismacco tunnel system and deeper into the natural caverns beneath Cassomir.
The cavern ceilings reach an average height of 40 feet, and stalactites and stalagmites litter the chambers. As the depth and darkness increases, it becomes readily apparent that you have entered the mysterious underground realm known as the Darklands. If the derros led prisoners here, they are now in the derros' natural realm.
After an hour or so of travel, numerous salt deposits line the cavern ahead and several side passages branch east and west and run rich with blue crystals before ending at cave-ins. Eight smoldering torches illuminate a small tunnel ahead—beyond all is pitch black, though the sound of running water echoes out from the darkness.
Altorin notices a note tucked under a rock near the torch-lit tunnel written in the same hand as the journal entry in Swift Prison and on the same paper as the scraps so far.
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Cyclic curiously flips over a few small bodies and examines them, wary of Derro traps. It's not above them to trap a dead body or two.
"These poor fey creatures seemed to have been slaves before their unfortunate demise. I'm guessing they tried to rebel - and failed. Didn't even manage to take out a single derro."
"Well, I think I'm going to take an opportunity to cast a spell here."
Cyclic casts a 40 minute Barkskin spell on Mange before they set off down the indicated tunnel.
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A large dank pool fills most of this chamber, its mossy waters bathing the high ceilings in an eerie green light. The pool is open to the cavern on two sides, but hugs the cavern walls on the others. On the east side of the cavern, a small alcove sits ten feet above the water line, on top of which rests a small stone table. Dozens of corpses float serenely on the surface of the pool.
Hundreds of prisoners, both human and mite, fill the caverns to the west of the pool. A line of prisoners, herded by injured derros and mites, inches forward from the western caverns into the pool - captive to the subtle madness of inevitability.
Each time a body dips beneath the water, the stone table in the alcove east of the pool flashes in a near-blinding green brilliance, filling the entire cavern with near daylight brightness.
In the glow of one of those hazy flashes, the derros quickly realize you have entered and two of the healthier looking ones rush to prevent you from reaching the ritual. The leader by the table screeches a command in undercommon and turns his full attention to you.
Several of the prisoners slow their ambling forward and point excitedly. "They are here! Our saviors! The words were true, we have been saved." Many exclaim as they yank at their chains and push and shove against their captors.
As the tumult builds, much of the room succumbs to an unnatural darkness.
Red Derro
Altorin
Orange Derro
Qiroyo
Eka
Yellow Derro
Cyclic
Mange
Sir Durant
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With a thud, one of the derros hits the cave floor. From the darkness, a crack of thunder befalls the group.
Red Derro
Altorin -4 damage <Need fort save>
Orange Derro
Qiroyo -8 damage <Need fort save>
Eka -4 damage <Need fort save>
Yellow Derro <prone>
Cyclic -4 damage <Need fort save>
Mange -4 damage <Need fort save>
Sir Durant -4 damage <Need fort save>
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With the group in various states of stun (and Cyclic unceremoniously sliding off Mange onto her head), Eka pushes on and swings wildly into the darkness, to no avail.
Red Derro
Altorin -4 damage
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -8 damage <stunned>
Eka -4 damage
Yellow Derro
Cyclic -6 damage <stunned, prone>
Mange -4 damage
Sir Durant -4 damage <Need fort save>
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Mange shakes his head to clear the ringing and nuzzles at his fallen master as Sir Durant charges into the great unknown, only stopping when he scrapes his sword onto stone. The darkness shifts and overwhelms the two brave warriors as another thunderclap is heard from within.
Red Derro*
Altorin -4 damage
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -8 damage <stunned>
Eka -11 damage <Need fort save>
Yellow Derro
Cyclic -6 damage <stunned, prone>
Mange -4 damage
Sir Durant -11 damage <Need fort save>
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Eka's bardiche clatters to the ground nearby as she freezes up once again.
Using the cloud of darkness as a guide, Altorin throws a hopeful sheet of ice into the center of the dark bubble. The sound of at least one of them falling is heard, but as Sir Durant tries to figure out the location of his foe, he senses that it suddenly arises next to him and then feels the sharp pain of a sword that has penetrated an opening in his armor and twists into his gut.
Red Derro*
Altorin -4 damage
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -8 damage
Eka -11 damage <stunned>
Yellow Derro
Cyclic -6 damage <prone>
Mange -4 damage
Sir Durant -23 damage
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Qiroyo magically wraps his hand in dull grey sheen and determinedly moves toward the derros in the dark.
The final derro reappears from around the column of rock and directs his blast of thunder at those still in the light.
Red Derro*
Altorin -9 damage <need fort save>
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -13 damage <need fort save>
Eka -11 damage <stunned>
Yellow Derro*
Cyclic -11 damage <need fort save, prone>
Mange -9 damage <need fort save>
Sir Durant -23 damage
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Badly winded by the mortal wound in his belly, Sir Durant takes a tactical retreat and reaches for his belt. After fumbling in the darkness for a moment, his fingers find the vial he has been searching for. He holds the vial up, spits toward his enemies, and proclaims in a booming voice,
"THE LIGHT OF THE INHERITOR IS HERE!"
...as he smashes the vial against his shield.
A brilliant light erupts from the boss of his shield as the shimmering liquid spreads across its surface. As the light spreads, it cancels the darkness cast by the derros and reveals their wicked forms.
"There is our enemy, my friends," Durant shouts to his companions, "Now show them the futility of their wicked schemes!"
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this time both of them succeed and Cyclic fist casts shield of faith on him and then orders Mange on without her to attack. since she carries the wand in a spring loaded wrist sheath she even has time to get up off her arse!
Mange rushes forward and tries to bite one of them
If Mange needs to make a reflex ST vs. the slick:
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Sir Durant bathes the field of battle in glorious light, exposing the derros and extending into the darkness even at the back of the cavern. The prisoners cheer the new development and renew their attacks with vigor.
Cyclic bolsters her wolf's defenses and Mange bounds across the cavern floor, nearly falling in the slick ice at the end. Slightly off-balance, Mange still manages to take a good nip at the derro, who immediately responds with an errant stab of his own.
Red Derro* -9 damage
Altorin -9 damage <need DC 15 fort save to act>
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -13 damage <need DC 15 fort save to act>
Eka -11 damage
Yellow Derro*
Sir Durant -23 damage
Cyclic -11 damage
Mange -9 damage <shield of faith>
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The ringing in their ears protects Qiroyo and Altorin from further inaction and the kineticist responds with his trusty ice. The derros have already found their ground and the sheen bears them no ill.
Rooted in place the derro takes a half-hearted stab at the wolf.
Red Derro* -9 damage
Altorin -9 damage
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -13 damage
Eka -11 damage
Yellow Derro*
Sir Durant -23 damage
Cyclic -11 damage
Mange -9 damage <shield of faith>
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Qiroyo's magicked hand empties into the derro, but it only snarls at him. Eka whips up her weapon and brings it across the nearest foe, who sidesteps it easily. The derro in the yellow cloak snaps off a quick spell at Cyclic before stepping to her... sword drawn.
Red Derro* -9 damage
Altorin -9 damage
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -13 damage
Eka -11 damage
Yellow Derro**
Sir Durant -23 damage
Cyclic -11 damage <need will save>
Mange -9 damage <shield of faith>
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for the second time in a row, Cyclic manages to keep her senses about her and takes advantage of it by...
Casting a DC 17 hold person at Red (not yellow)
Normally she would reserve her high level spells for emergencies, but the dazing and stunning spells are really starting to annoy her and what better response than a hold person?
Mange goes after = orange
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Sir Durant bolsters his health for the final assault as Cyclic neutralizes the derro in the back. The other derro keeps Mange at bay with the point of his sword.
Red Derro* -9 damage <held>
Altorin -9 damage
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -13 damage
Eka -11 damage
Yellow Derro**
Sir Durant -15 damage
Cyclic -11 damage
Mange -9 damage <shield of faith>
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The paralyzed derro falls like a miniature tree to the ground but the other maintains his tenuous foothold on the ever increasing slick. With a thrust of his sword, he nearly loses his balance again.
The din of battle in the caverns beyond peaks as the rebellion strengthens.
Red Derro* -9 damage <held>
Altorin -9 damage
Orange Derro*
Qiroyo -13 damage
Eka -11 damage
Yellow Derro**
Sir Durant -15 damage
Cyclic -11 damage
Mange -9 damage <shield of faith>