Using a grappling hook and a rope, Vrosi lowers himself through the hole to the floor below.
Securing his grappling hook around a near-by stalagmite (there are plenty around), Vrosi lowers himself into the pit. When he comes even with the fungus, he can't help but brush against it, causing a cloud of spores to burst out!
Continuing to the ground, Vrosi finds himself in an area that seems to have once been a small complex of rooms, but their original use is anyone’s guess today, for some ancient catastrophe seems to have melted the walls in places, leaving behind a half-demolished complex. In the few places where the walls are still intact, however, the delicate carvings indicate that whoever once built these rooms was a skilled artisan. Far to the southwest, a partially melted stone archway opens into a larger room.
Vrosi hears voices speaking a language he does not know in one of the nearby rooms. They don't seem to have noticed him, yet.
Knowing the risks of letting the orc explore alone, Ellaeaanda waits for the spores to disperse and then confidently climbs down the rope, following Vrosi into the lower chamber while staying as silent as she can.
Staying quietly in the back as she had not helped overly much in the fight, the small worries bring back in her mind. See, you aren't needed girl. Just like your father, your companions will find someone better and stronger than you. Might as well leave now, let them to their fate. You do nothing but slow them down anyways with your sneaking ways.
She would slip forward with Ellaeaanda, trying to take her time to avoid the spores though she clearly wished to touch them, if only for the dream like area gave some comfort that not all dreams are bad. IF possible, she would even go ahead to figure out if she could see anything, her darkvision allowing her to move without the need of light.
Vitus holds the rope to make the climb down for everyone before being the last person to make the climb.
Ardoinel joins the others going down the rope.
Ardoinel gets pelted by spores as he descends, causing him to curl up and grip the rope tighter as he begins coughing again.
|
Markus brushes past the fungus and goes with the others.
He notices the melted structure and says "We can't exclude the possibility that whatever melted this is still around. We should be careful, it would hurt a lot." He is really curious to know what happened here, being an architect himself. He tries to find magical auras.
Vrosi breaths in some of the spores, and they really do a number on his lungs, but they also stick to his clothing and armor, giving him a soft glow.
As you all find your footing on the floor below, the rustle of armor and the sounds of spellcasting attract attention! Several figures step out of the shadows and into the hallway that leads to your room: Three baboon-like humanoids and two toad-like humanoids!
The rear-most baboon-man shouts something that only Ellaeaanda can understand:
"Dolorosus sanguinem tuum gustabit!"
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Ellaeaanda
Markus
Baboon Blue
Resa Dermade
Netkin Bigpot
Vrosi Burnis
Baboon Red
Baboon Yellow
Toad Black
Toad Green
Vitus
Bold may act.
“Of Malarunk you speak?” Ellaeaanda calmly responds to the baboon-man in the same language. Certain that these creatures are also part of the Cinderclaws cult that they encountered beneath the citadel, she transitions immediately into combat. Seeing that the speaker’s time has not yet come, she instead casts a life draining spell at the baboon-man in front of him, then readies her whip.
Ardoinel, finally reaching the bottom and seeing Ellaeeanda under attack, draws his sword.
"What is he saying?!"
Due to your previous experiences, you realize that these foes are charau-ki and boggarts. You know that charau-ki are excellent at throwing weapons, and that boggards let out frightening croaks.
The party's opening volley of spells proves ineffective, but Netkin manages to score a hit with his bottled lightning.
The blue charau-ki starts shrieking as it scoops up rocks from the debris on the floor to throw at you!
for
for
for
for
The creature's wild attacks bounce all over the walls, adding to the increadible din in the underground chambers.
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Ellaeaanda
Markus
Baboon Blue
Resa Dermade
Netkin Bigpot
Vrosi Burnis
Baboon Red
Baboon Yellow (-2)
Toad Black (-9, off-guard)
Toad Green
Vitus
Bold may act.
◆ Vrosi steps up.
◆ Vrosi
◆ Vrosi follows that up with a
Resa tries to slip to the other side of Vrosi, and strikes with her rapier
Vrosi hits one of the boggards, but fails to grab its knobby skin. Resa rushes into the fray and follows up on the off-guard foe, which is barely clinging to life.
Then enemies spring into action. The red charau-ka in the back chants loudly, and the air fills with flames, even catching the two boggards in the blast! He brings up a shield of force around himself.
The other charau-ka shrieks in pleasure at the destruction and moves in with his sickle to attack the party in the glowing aftermath of the fireball.
for
for
for
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Ellaeaanda
Markus
Baboon Blue
Resa Dermade
Netkin Bigpot
Vrosi Burnis
Baboon Red
Baboon Yellow (-2)
Toad Black
Toad Green
Vitus
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Ellaeaanda
Markus
Bold may act.
Vitus moves as quickly as he can deeper into the chamber, stopping in front of one of the odd monkey men. Then, banging on his shield with his hammer, he glares at the closest charau-ka.
◆ Stride
◆ Stride
◆ Shielding Taunt @ Blue Baboon
"What is he saying?!"
“A threat from the Sorrowmaker,” Ellaeaanda replies, wincing as she is consumed by flames. But the spellcaster's glee at his fiery spell and his overconfidence in his force shield leave an opening: swapping her whip for her bow, the elf looses a deadly arrow, timed to pass just over the shield while his giggling nudges it out of position. Then she backs up, so that her longbow will be more effective.
"The Sorrowmaker," Ardoinel echoes grimly, knowing full well who that title belonged to.
Markus dodges some of the fire, and the charau-ka leader doesn't dodge his spell! The needles sink into his flesh.
Vitus is badly scorched by the fireball, but undaunted he strides and and challenges the closest enemy.
Ellaeaanda's strategy is very effective; her arrow pieces deeply and throws the leader off-guard to Vrosi.
The fireball scorches party members to various degrees, and the blue charau-ka attacks Vitus. The creature is able to hit once, though the guardian's armor absorbs some of the blow.
for
for
for
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Ellaeaanda (-18)
Markus (-9)
Baboon Blue
Resa Dermade
Netkin Bigpot
Ardoinel Oreflame (-18)
Vrosi Burnis (-9)
Baboon Red (-29 [-10, -19])
Baboon Yellow (-2)
Vitus (-38 [-36,-2])
Bold may act.
◆ Vrosi steps up to Blue, and
◆ Then, Vrosi will make a
Resa takes the moment to swing and attack the Yellow one closest to her, knowing that they needed to reduce all of the attackers coming after them
|
|
Out of the corner of his eye, Netkin suddenly spots the charau-ka preparing a spell. Flames shoot out of his fingertips, and grow bigger...
"Watch out!" the halfling shrieks. He jumps back into a recess, flattening against the wall of the tunnel as much as possible. The fireball roars only a foot away from him.
Poor Netkin doesn't really know how to help while magic is flying left and right, and the melee is too busy to throw a bomb. He resorts to patching up Ellaeaanda and Ardoinel.
Then, figuring out that staying together in the mage's line of sight is probably a bad idea, he quickly gets away from the group.
Ardoinel cries out as the fireball strikes them and his mind roars. Weak. Mewling and foul and WEAK. And it was true. Here he was, thinking he could oppose the will of the god who gave him power, could defeat his faithful. But even Dahak could be weak. He had been so before, and he would be again. And Ardoinel was no different, as Netkin proves by salving his burns.
"Thank you," he croaks before advancing to the front of the battle.
He focuses his power and flame rises from him before sparking off and barreling towards the charau-ka!
"We shall see whose flame burns hotter!"
Vrosi shakes the blue enemy with a brutal grab, and Ardoinel blasts the restrained creature with fire, driving the life from it!
Netkin patches up the party, while Resa thoroughly stabs the yellow opponent.
Though left alone, the charau-ka leader doesn't seem inclined to surrender. He steps up to Vitus and swings with a clawed gauntlet, his hand crackling with fire and void energy.
for plus
The claw scrapes off Vitus' shield, but the spell drains almost all of his remaining life force!
Before Your Turn:
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Ellaeaanda (-1 [-18,+17])
Markus (-9)
Baboon Blue
Resa Dermade (-9)
Netkin Bigpot (-9)
Ardoinel Oreflame (-1 [-18,+17])
Vrosi Burnis (-9)
Baboon Red (-29)
Baboon Yellow
Vitus -61 (-38,-5,-23)
~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Ellaeaanda (-1)
Markus (-9)
Resa Dermade (-9)
Netkin Bigpot (-9)
Ardoinel Oreflame (-1)
Vrosi Burnis (-9)
Bold may act.
Despite swaying on his feet as the charau-ka lands a nearly fatal blow, Vitus continues to try to keep their attention. He yells in the creature's face. "Just you against all of us!". Then he lowers his heavy hammer down onto the charau-ka's head.
◆ Shielding Taunt @ Red Baboon
◆ Demoralize
◆ Strike
Nocking another arrow to her bow, Ellaeaanda waits for Vitus to distract the baboon man before loosing her bowstring, timing her strike to in turn distract the creature from Vrosi. In an attempt to hasten its fate, she fires another two arrows in quick succession. “More needful of your care is Vitus,” she remarks to Netkin, nonetheless grateful for his healing touch.
Then
Then
Resa moves to stab the final opponent in the back, using her ability of scouts charge to stride, feint, then strike!
Ardoinel marches up to join in the gang-up against the leader.
He raises his sword and more fire curls up the blade before he brings it down on them!
Vitus misses, but Ellaeaanda hits the cleric that Vrosi has grabbed. Marcus misses with the spell, but Ardoinel sears the charau-ka. A string of bad luck interferes with Resa's attacks.
~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Ellaeaanda (-1)
Markus (-9)
Resa Dermade (-9)
Netkin Bigpot (-9)
Ardoinel Oreflame (-1)
Vrosi Burnis (-9)
Baboon Red (-52 [-29,-4,-6,-13])
Vitus (-61)
Bold may act.
Netkin hits Vitus with some healing.
Taunted by the guardian, the charau-ki leader attacks Vitus.
for
for
for
The creature shrieks in frustration at the guardian's resilience!
~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Ellaeaanda (-1)
Markus (-9)
Resa Dermade (-9)
Netkin Bigpot (-9)
Ardoinel Oreflame (-1)
Vrosi Burnis (-9)
Baboon Red (-52)
Vitus (-59 [-61,+3,-9,-1)
~+~Combat Round 4~+~
Ellaeaanda (-1)
Markus (-9)
Resa Dermade (-9)
Netkin Bigpot (-9)
Ardoinel Oreflame (-1)
Vrosi Burnis (-9)
Baboon Red (-52)
Vitus (-59)
Bold may act.
◆ Vrosi will
◆ Vrosi will bludgeoning damage.
◆ Vrosi will bludgeoning damage
Vitus continues to sway slightly on his feet. "Gonna have to do better than that." Then, Vitus raises his damaged shield, careful to lightly bang on it instead of his normal heavy touch.
◆ Shielding Taunt @ Red Baboon
◆ Strike
◆ Strike
"ছাই আর হাড়!" Ardoinel roars as he tries to strike the cultist down with his sword ablaze, his shield raised for the inevitable counterattack should he survive!
Seeing Ardoinel’s blade explode in a burst of flame, Ellaeaanda times an arrow to fly straight through the blaze while the baboon-man is blinded by fire. In quick succession she looses two more arrows, trying to press her advantage.