The elf will cast her spell again hoping that it works
DC 13 will save
Arloric looks back and forth between snake and spellcaster expectingly. Hopefully whatever gods were above or below were in a merciful mood this day...though given what had happened so far, he wasn't counting on it.
Tucking its tapered nose into its own coils it hasn't the means to resist the urges of the spell, and within six seconds is fast asleep.
Aberus breathed a sigh of relief. "Well done, Telerin!"
As Telerin's first spell seems to sort little to no effect, Ithilwen stands poised to strike. The elf's warning stops her, and she heaves an audible sigh when the second attempt finally proves fruitful.
"Good job. May you live on to feast on plenty of cockroaches, my wounded scaly friend."
[dice=Getting smacked with Sleep again!-Another will save]1d20+1
Tucking its tapered nose into its own coils it hasn't the means to resist the urges of the spell, and within six seconds is fast asleep.
Arloric smiles as the snake falls asleep.
"Now, Aberus!" he whispers, giving him a little nudge
The elf smiles a smile of relief that her magic worked.
Alexa releases a breath she didn't know she was holding and starts to tiptoe around the sleeping snake.
"I'll wait until everyone has passed, just in case this wakes it up."
Arloric nods and creeps around the snake to join the others.
The spell should last a little bit but we should not dally says the elf.
Aberus acknowledged Telerin's admonition with a nod, and said "I understand, Telerin. This will not take long."
After the others had passed, he spoke the words of divine power for the spell while making a quick gesture with his right hand. It was such a simple spell, one of the first ones granted to the acolytes of Sarenrae and to his knowledge she had never refused the request. Simple as it was, though, it could still tip the balance between life and death and it worked on all but the most serious of injuries. He had been called upon to heal injuries of both men and animals in the past year, but this was the first time he had ever used it on a snake.
He reached forward and touched the slumbering form, releasing the spell's energy as his deity's warmth flowed through him, then moved away to join his companions.
Ithilwne slips past, but remains right behind Aberus until he's done casting his spell, not really quite confident the beast would deign to repay the kindness should it wake up early.
Arloric smiles as the others join him.
"Live well, hunter of the small," he says quietly.
Congratulations! The snake is asleep and will not hinder your trip through the cavern. And, the next half hour is thankfully uneventful and safe. However, it is a long half an hour and the darkness makes traversing the tunnels spooky. It's unnerving how your mind plays tricks on you with just a little bit of shadow. Ahead there's a light and it's a strange green color, terribly uninviting and gross.
Ahead the cave goes on as it has been, but this strange green light is coming from the North. Now, you are left with a decision, do you go North and follow the path through the tunnel emanating the green light or continue as you have before?
Common sense might tell you to take the safest path. Your city was just attacked be demons, and maybe this is a trap. On the other side: YOLO!
Are there any where who are accoumsted to traversing the depths of the Underworld? Your ability to guide us here might be most useful
"Not I." Aberus looked at the strange glow spilling into the cavern from what he assumed was north, then said, "But I think we should at least see what is there, just to be sure it's not a threat to our safety."
Arloric nods at Telerin's question.
"While I've never roved underground like I have above while riding Red-Branch, I know a bit of rock lore...enough that I could probably help us get through here."
He looks down towards the green light, and winces a bit as he rubs his eyepatch.
"Aye, Aberus. When dealing with a hunter, be it man or beast or demon, you never turn your back on it. Let's take a look, even if only to ensure it's a dead end.
Alexa moves to investigate the green glow.
Uriel nods as Arloric speaks. "He speaks wisely. Better to face a threat than to run from it. A predator will only chase us if we flee. You cannot end a threat by hiding from it."
"Ey, wait for us, Dorne!" Arloric says, following after her.
Ithilwen nods in agreement with Aberus' wisdom, relieved she doesn't really have to answer Telerin's question anymore. She falls in line right behind Alexa, as their duties as scouts require.
Aberus laiad his hand on Arloric's shoulder as he started off after Alexa.
"Wait, good Arloric. Shall we let them go ahead of us? Scouting seems to be their strength."
"How does one sneak in artificial light? You need shadows, do you not?" Arloric replies as he follows after her.
"We need cover, Arloric. But more importantly, we need silence." Alexa whispers back, clearly annoyed.
Arloric inhales sharply at the rebuke, but says nothing.
This is very interesting. Moving forward into the sickening green light you find a temple. It isn't a tall temple, maybe around 20 feet tall in the center of a cave that is approximately 30 feet. It's shaped like a bunker and has no windows as if it needed any. It's underground. A 10-foot long carving of a hammer decorates the building's facade. On either side, there are ruins of buildings that are now fallen into debris.
As you make your way a buzzing sound, much like a fly against the wall of a pane of glass is heard. Then it suddenly stops, starts up again, and then stops. This goes on several times, but then you see it crawling along the front of the building several feet above the doorway: a giant fly!
DC10 Knowledge religion
This is a building dedicated to Torag.
Arloric looks on and frowns.
"More vermin," he says quietly.
Even though he lacks formal religious education, he easily recognizes Torag's hammer.
"A shrine to the Dwarf-Father and World-Maker...such a holy place should not have such a beast nesting on it. What say you, Dorne? Get the others and take it down?"
The elf smiles Maggots, snakes, roaches and now a fly? If these are the worst things we shall face then the gods of good and grey shine with favor upon us, she says as she takes the crossbow off of her back and load a quarrel.
Alexa pulls out her shortbow and nocks an arrow.
"It doesn't appear to be aware of us--" Alexa starts to say.
"Or the Worldwound's foul gods are watching to see their enemy's progress. Vermin like maggots and flies are the eyes and ears of the Lord of the Locust Host..." Arloric says.
He nods at Alexa's idea.
"You're better at fighting aerial beasties than me, that's for sure."
"We've found a shrine out here. Or at least, what used to be a shrine. Now it seems to be the nest for another overgrown bug. Of the flying variety, this time" the dusky half-elf's whisper suddenly caresses Aberus' ears, carried through the aether.
Following Alexa's cue, she draws her crossbow and loads it.
It rubbed it's string like front legs together as if to pray and rubbed them together before rubbing them over its strange alien peanut-shaped head to smooth out the dark mangy fur covering its thorax. Then it zig-zag, and cleaned its wings in the same matter it did its eyes.
ooc
Here is the best part! You notice it, but it doesn't notice you. Let's roll init and then you can decide how to get past this strange guard. Perhaps you'd like to lay some surprised smacks down. Just move your picture, icon. And I invite you to send or re-send the image you'd want me to use.
Alexa creeps up and looses an arrow at the bug!
"Nice shot!" Arloric comments on Alexa's superb archery.
He pushes past her and stands aside to give her space to shoot later. Then he reaches back to the pair of spears on his back and takes one out, leaning back and taking a few steps forward before launching it into the air at the fly.
Unfortunately, Arloric's depth perception is hampered by the eyepatch, causing his spear to fly wide and make an unpleasant TING! on the wall before clattering to the cave floor.
Aberus could feel the hairs standing up on the back of his neck. In part it was nervousness over the prospect of yet another skirmish so soon, and in part because he still was not used to the airy messages from Ithilwen's spell. He shuddered briefly before responding to Telerin. "I worry that this fly she spoke of may be more than it seems. She also said something about a shrine."
He whispered a short reply to Ithilwen. "We're ready to assist if you need us."
Ithilwen follows the trajectory of Alexa's deadly shot and tries to replicate it at the best of her abilities.
Uriel takes a move action to concentrate on the bug and see if it's evil. [ooc]Using Detect Evil, move action version[/dice]
The bug isn't evil, just angry that it is in so much pain. Ithilwen raised her crossbow after seeing Alexa raise her weapon and both fired, and hit the fly. It plummeted to the ground, forcing Arloric to miss. It's buzzing echoed creating an uncomfortable hum in your ear. It laid on its side spinning, its spindly legs thrashed out, flailing. Then, out of the blue, it righted itself and turned in a complete circle. It appeared completely unscathed except for the thick white gunk spurting out from its wounds leaving behind a disgusting trail.
[21]Alexa
[10]fly
[09]Aberus
[07]Ithilwen
[07]Arloric
[04]Uliel
[]Telerin
[]Baleon
Alexa nocks another arrow and lets it fly before the insect has a chance to act.
Unfortunately, she's too hasty in aiming--this time, the arrow flies harmlessly over its head.
"Why do those things never stay dead?" Ithilwen muses as she fires a second bolt at the buzzing vermin.
________________________________________________________________
The gentle twang of Alexa's bow reverberates through the caves, causing a strange guitar like hum in your ears, nothing like the harsh sound the fly was making. The arc was too high and long and the arrow buried its head in the side of the wall inbetween the space between two blocks.
Seeing it's opportunity the fly hurled it's body at Alexa. It's mouth was rank and disgusting. Which is nothing new since you've now fought two other forms of bugs less than an hour ago. Still, you wouldn't want its sharp mandibles getting a tight grip on a shoulder or something meaty like a thigh.
Its fangs sink deep into your thigh and with a jerk it wrenches it's head to tear out a hunk off. Thick drool and blood dribble from it's mouth and pool around its legs. However, it didn't swallow. It spat the meat out when Ithilwen's crossbow bolt sank into its neck. It stumbled back and forth before collapsing in a heap onto the floor with its blood pooling around it.
[21]Alexa - Attack
[10]fly - Move and attack
[09]Aberus - Holding
[07]Ithilwen -Attack!
[07]Arloric <=Turn
[04]Uliel
[]Telerin
[]Baleon
Alexa recoils in pain as the fly chomps down on her.
Arloric cries out in anger as the fly bites Alexa and he draws his sword and strikes at it as Ithilwen's bolt connects.
It whuffs through the air as the fly stumbles back away from it.