| Logs |
2001 June 30
| Inizii |
| Realms |
Retired
| Reality Fault |
General Info
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| Realms: Inizii Logs |
Frontal Assault
It is just at sunrise when Katya, last on watch, wakes up the sleeping members of the group. Derleth jerks as Katya jostles him, letting out a cry. "Oh. Good. Ye're not living ice," he grunts, pulling himself up and settling down for morning prayer.
Kyrel stretches as he gets up. "Everyone still here?"
Derleth chuckles wryly as he gets into a lotus position. "Like it or nae, I be here."
Kaz nods, as he rises sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "I'm awake," the half-elf replies, though he doesn't sound pleased by this declaration.
Sara, having finished her morning training some time ago before sliding back into bed, calls back to Kyrel, "I'm here... You guys ready yet?"
Katya, already dressed in her leather armor and carrying her weapons, doesn't need to announce her readiness. "Should we leave the horses here? They've been no problem during the night, and they'd simply make targets for the lizards."
Sara says, "I don't think they'll be much use to us. A target other than myself is a good one, but if we expect to ride out of here we had best leave them."
Derleth mmmms. "I'd better run down and give them some more grain, then..."
Kaz chuckles. "If you cared as much about me as you did those horses, I'd have to be worried." A grin flashes to the cleric.
Derleth chuckles. "Just because they be beasts o' burden, Kaz, dinnae mean they should not be treated as companions. Platinum himsel' is no mere pony, but a friend."
Kyrel nods. "We haven't far to go, and better that we try to be stealthy than ride horses up. Garrok showed us the way last night, and we dealt with a ... problem."
The gnoll, sitting up, snorts, rubbing his shoulders. "Cold problem, yes..."
Kyrel says, "Some sort of ice creature. It didn't like lightning very much, though." He takes a moment for a few bites of breakfast, and gives Kiri some scraps as well. "So. Shall we be off?"
Katya nods. "Well, then let us hurry, and be done with this grim business."
Sara finishes packing away her blankets. "Yes, let's do this and be done with it."
Grinning, Kaz tilts his head. "Well, will this 'friend' be offering me a lift, now that my own ride has found it's way to a worm's breakfast?"
Derleth smirks. "Surely, if ye dinnae mind yet feet dragging on the ground, thief."
Sara says, "You can use my horse Kaz. I'll need a lift every now and then to warm my feet, but I can keep up with the horses. Let's just get out of here and figure this out on our way back. We've got matters to attend to."
Derleth nods. "I be back in a jiffy." He disappears into the darkness.
Katya nods, and shoulders her axe. "We've enough healing elixirs, yes? So if the cleric is downed, we can revive him, and any other wounds, without depending on his prayers?"
Kyrel nods. "We have some. Enough for that, I think."
In a weak voice Sara begins, "Uh, guys, with the lizards... and.. I'm not sure I'll... Oh, never mind."
Kyrel says, "Shall we be on our way, then?" He looks at Sara. "What about the lizards?"
"Nothing." Sara turns her head away from the question. "I hate them that's all."
With a snort, Garrok lifts his head. "She not only one."
Kaz rises, loading his crossbow before setting it aside.
The ranger draws towards the passage. "Lead the way, whoever will."
Derleth reappears on fleet feet. "Alrighty. All set." He pulls his flail free from his belt, and takes out the stone he used the previous night, again enchanting it to glow. "So let there be light, eh?"
Kyrel shrugs at Sara and nods to Derleck. "Let's be about it, then. Down this passage first... just follow Kiri." He coaxes the bat out of his tunic to scout ahead again.
Sara removes her spiked chain from her back and waits for the others to move on, looking to take up the last position in the march.
Katya disappears down the passageway after Kiri. The group begins to move through the caves, and soon are at the entrance on the other side of the mountain. The air is frigid, but the snow has stopped falling for now, the sky clear in the sunrise. Garrok points the way before returning to guard the others - the lair of the dragon lies a half-mile from the exit, a craggy tooth of a mountain rising from the flat floor of a broad valley.
Sara drops back slightly from the group, taking the rearguard as she walks carefully through the snow, the frozen surface letting her move even more silently than before.
Derleth puts the stone back in his pouch. "Mmmm. We be needing good eyes in such an open area. All ye stay sharp, less ye want rocks rolled onto yer heads."
The way looks generally clear. Katya nods, and starts toward the mountain. Not long after starting off, perhaps a few minutes, the ranger pauses, her attention caught by a flash of movement where no movement should be. "Did you see that?"
Derleth murmurs quietly, "Aye. What d'ye think it be?"
Kyrel is equally quiet. "Lizards." He narrows his eyes, considering... then readies a color spray. If they attack, I'll be ready...
Derleth looks around, wondering if there are more...
As if on cue, the snow is thrown back like a sheet, a hunter's blind of animal hide exposed beneath. From the pocket of layered pieces of hide jumps a humanoid, clawed hands moving, one gripping a crystalline object. It is nearly six feet tall, with scales of bluish white, streaked in greens, covering its form. A row of spines run down the centerline of its head, and cold eyes stare at the approaching group.
Kyrel's spell lashes out, a cone of swirling color washing over the creature. Simultaneously, a bolt of red hot flame bursts from the lizard's fingertips, streaking straight into the air, before the rainbow of colors explode across its face, sending the thing reeling, too stunned to make any further actions.
Derleth grunts, stepping back in surprise, nearly tripping over himself. "Lliara forfend." he breathes, regaining his balance.
Sara crouches down, close to the snow in the back of the group. She takes a quick look behind her and towards the flanks to make sure there are no foes there. She looks ready to attack, but is holding back in silence for some reason.
Kaz, having loaded his crossbow before, brings it to bear, and takes aim, letting the bolt loose on the stunned lizard-thing. The arrow streaks in, spearing the reptilian thing in the thigh. It teeters, before falling onto its knees in the snow. Katya's already moving in, axe in hand, as the lizard begins to hiss in draconic. Kill me! But the others are warned, the defenses readied! You'll not stop the sacrifice, bless the Great Cold One! Ignoring the lizard's words, axe rising, the ranger swings. A downward stroke viciously sinks into the reptile's shoulder, biting deep, before the ranger brutally yanks her blade free. Dark, blackish blood oozes from the wound, staining the snow.
Kyrel doesn't spare more than a glance at the dying lizard, instead watching the snowfields for others of its kind. Sara, too, maintains her watch. Derleth comes up with a loaded sling as he triumphantly stands tall....all 4'5" of him...and looks despondant as the one lizard seems already dead. As it starts forward again, the startled cleric exclaims wordlessly, and whips his sling around, hurling the bullet! Divine luck is with the cleric, as his bullet zips in, and connects solidly with the lizardman's eye. A horrendous squeal ensues, as the clawed talon bats at the sling-bullet, covering its injured eye, as it falls forward, supporting itself with its other hand on the snow-covered ground. Derleth grimaces... the healer in him doesn't like to see such gruesome results of battle.
Kaz simply lets the ranger do the dirty work; she's already poised above the slumped lizard, and lets the axe drop, a swift decending arc that bites deep into the lower back. A final cry is cut short, and the lizard simply lies flat, jerking only when Katya yanks her axe free. She spits on the corpse, before rising. "Onward?"
Derleth says, "Aye. Lets keep it moving. Speed may be of the essence, don't ye know."
Kyrel nods. "But carefully. I'm afraid we've knocked on the door now. Everyone keep a watch for anything out of the ordinary."
Ten minutes later, the mountain face is very well in view. A craggy slope strewn with bolders rises toward the heights, but a bare thirty five feet up, the gaping maw of a cave entrance splits the rocky wall. The party attempts to hide on the approach, moving quickly and quietly from boulder to boulder, looking for any threats. Nothing challenges them until they are nearly at the entrance.
Derleth scrambles to a bit of cover shared by the half-elven mage. "D'ye think this is going to work?"
Kyrel shrugs. "Where are they? I can't believe they missed the sentry's signal." Almost at that very moment, he spots the movement near the entrance and points it out to the cleric.
Derleth grunts. "Damme." and looks around for cover. "Ah kin see moving shapes up by the boulders. D'ye think we're spotted?" he says hurriedly in an undertone. When he looks ahead, though, he can see that there is no more cover. And probably not enough invisibilty enchantments to go around. "All right then, fergit about hiding. Lets just take them out..."
Katya, hooking her bloodied axe to her belt, unshoulders her bow, and nocks an arrow. She nods to Derleth. "Who wants to head the charge?"
Derleth leads the charge...but not as himself. He suddenly shrinks into a small snow fox, and with a yip, charges forward. The fox zips across powdered snow. However, as he draws to the foot of the mountain, a crack resounds, and the snow dips downward underneath his feet. With natural agility, and luck's blessing, the fox doesn't fall in. Beneath the surface of the snow is a small hole filled with water. Derleth-as-fox yelps, and backpedals away from the hole. He barks a warning to all the charging folk!
Katya, moving right behind the fox, notes the hole, but only too late, as a crunch beneath her boot exposes another small pit of water. However, the simple trap is evaded just as easily.
Kyrel moves up, carefully now that the pit traps have been discovered. He follows the fox's tracks through the snow, stopping just shy of the first trap.
Kaz follows Kyrel's movements, keeping close. Katya pauses, at the base of the mountain, her bow whipping, searching for targets.
Sara darts forward, running at full speed, leaps over the pit-trap and heading for the nearest boulder.
One of the lizards steps from behind a rock, javeline in hand, poised to throw.
Derleth charges at the lizard....changing back to his human form halfway up the hill, flail in his fist. "Hyaaah!" he yells in a battlecry!
Kyrel checks the range, then nods to himself. "It's showtime..." His hands flash through the arcane patterns, weaving a pattern of color and shapes to mesmerize the guards - both the ones they've seen and any that they've missed... The swirl of colors seems to stun the one ready to skewer Derleth. Even the one looking over a rock, at the approaching enemy is frozen, mesmerized by the swirling patterns emanating from Kyrel. "Take them one by one, gentles...."
Derleth grins! as his metamophosis and subsequent charge stuns the lizard and lashes out with his holy flail! Unfortunately, as he moves up the slope, his boots hit a patch of ice on the trail. His treacherous feet go right out from beneath him, sending him, flail and all, to the icy ground.
Kaz and Katya release their arrows almost simultaniously. The half-elf's quarrel sinks into the first lizard's stomach, bringing it out of its trance, only to meet an arrow in the chest, a resounding wave of sound coming off the arrow, as its victim is knocked from its feet, out from its concealment and onto the path.
Derleth valiantly tries to get back to his feet....and valiantly falls again. The footing is treacherous.
Sara runs around the boulder she hides behind in a crouched position, holding her spiked chain off the ground she darts behind the next boulder up the path hoping to remain unseen.
Kyrel smiles grimly to himself as Derleth skids on the ice, but maintains the spell. I just hope I got all of them...
Kaz begins trudging up the path, loading his crossbow, the ranger with him, an arrow ready for its mark. Slowly, they make their way up to Derleth.
Derleth laughs as he tries to get to his feet; but he skids, and lands face first on the ground once again, successfully gouging himself on a sharp rock.
Sara leaps up into the air landing on the boulder in front of her, then without a pause leaps into the air, launching herself forward. She falls short of the other large boulder by a good few feet and lands back on the path before it.
Kaz moves to just below where Derleth lay sprawled on the ice, chuckling. "Need a hand?" Katya, however, moves along the left hand side, teetering slightly on the snow, but keeping her balance enough to move around the ice.
"Please." says Derleth, still face first in the snow. He gets up and crawls off the path into the snow. Nice, soft snow, not slick and treacherous footing.
Sara stands in waiting for the rest of the party to run past, her back to the boulder and her spiked chain at the ready. "Come on guys, let's do this and get out of here."
Kaz helps Derleth away from the ice to the snow before kneeling to reload. Katya, shouldering her bow, takes up the axe once again, advancing on the next boulder, carefully moving up the uneven terrain, before returning to the path.
Vane starts toward the cave mouth as fast as he can go, holding his hat down tight with a free hand and kicking up a wake of snow, muttering bitterly as he goes. I always said this was a bad idea.
Vane makes it up the trail nearly unhampered, but as he passes the three gathered on the side of the path, booted feet betray by sliding right out from beneath him, and the icy slope comes up to meet. He vanishes in a cloud of frost, his hat floating gently to the ground. From somewhere, a muffled snarl declares, "Gods below, someone had better find my hat!"
Derleth growls as he finally gets upright. "Why cannae these damn lizards have a cleared path instead o this dammned ice..." he grumbles as he whirls his sling, flinging a bullet at the nearest lizard. The sling-bullet comes in, and bounces off rock, cleanly missing its intended target. However, that snaps the lizard from its trance. It reels back, and a javelin comes whistling toward the cleric, only to bounce off his breastplate's side, falling to the snow. He breathes a sigh of relief. "Thae was too close."
Sara slides around the boulder, moving counter clockwise away from the path until she reaches the path on the other side of the boulder. She then skirts the path, just barely on the snow bank crouching until she reaches the next boulder.
Katya draws closer to the cave mouth, passing Sara's hiding place, quickly approaching another of the stunned lizardfolk. Taking advantage of his immobility, the ranger swings, but her swing falls short, sweeping across the thing's scales, and striking the rock hewn wall. The only true effect, except for scratching rock, is waking the beast from its hypnotic slumber.
Kaz drops, his knees to the snow, reaching out over the patch. "Here, Vane, I'll pull you over."
Vane's upper body bursts out of the snowbank, gray eyes wild. He thrashes around until he finds his ice-rimed hat and crawls, slowly, toward his original vector, swearing fluidly. "No thank you. I will make it on my own."
Derleth drops his sling...it will not do the damage he requires to take down the lizard. He casts a palm upward and shouts syllables of power, a beam of Searing Light shooting out at the lizard! The reptile dodges aside, simply letting that ray of heat burn a snow-drift.
Sara, not being able to delay any longer, walks within striking range, uncharacteristicly turns her head, and closes her eyes before she swings at the foe. Fortunately, the lizard is too busy dodging Derleth's ray; it seems to have ignored the woman creeping from behind, and is repaid by the jagged chain sinking wickedly into its hip.
Up at the cave mouth, Katya seems to have awakened the lizard, and, with an insult in dragonic, it swings its club, crunching against armor when it connects with her stomach, nearly doubling the woman over.
Derleth grumbles frustratedly. "Well, at least thae spell did *some* good..." Figuring he can do no further good where he is, he climbs carefully hand over hand through the snow towards the cave entrance.
Kyrel sighs... I told them to do it one at a time.... He maintains the spell, though, unsure whether or not he has caught anyone inside the cave.
The lizard that Sara attacked turns toward the chain-wielding woman, and starts to back up the slope, hand dropping to its wound, moving out of her range slowly while glancing up at the cave.
Putting his crossbow on his belt with a strap, Kaz unsheaths his scimitar, advancing toward the retreating lizard. Katya, at least seeming half-recovered from the wicked hit, swings low. Her blade cuts across the lizard's leg, drawing blood.
Vane crawls on behind Derleth, placing his hands and feet in the tracks left by the cleric and swearing unmercifully at everything within reach. By Corellon's celestial crank I HATE this place! Lolth take every cursed square foot of this waste!
Derleth seems to be thinking similar thoughts, his face bleeding, his body aching from falling repeatedly, and his eyes burning with the need to take his frustration out on something. Preferrably, something he can beat. Oh well. At least the ring lets me crawl through snow without freezing to death.
Katya's opponent takes one more swing with its club, but it bounces off the blade of her axe. The thing moves backwards after that, retreating cautiously into the cave mouth.
Kyrel swears under his breath as the lizards make their way back to the cave. He starts up the hill, careful to stay in the snow where tracks show its relatively decent footing. The hypnotic pattern continues its motion behind him, but begins to fray as he stops concentrating on the spell.
Seeing a scimitar-wielding half-elf advance on it, the wounded lizard turns tail and moves up to the cave mouth, passing Katya on its way. The ranger, caught unawares, notices it only when claws come whistling in on her. The ranger moves aside enough to try to let the talons slide over leather armor, but claws sink into her arm, tearing into the flesh cruelly.
A little shaky, Sara moves up on the lizards, happy to see Kaz and Katya in the front lines instead of herself. I can do this. she thinks to herself, as long as they keep moving back it's not so bad She gets within striking range and swings her spiked chain more defensively than usual at the lizard beast.
Kaz draws up close enough to sidle up to Sara, watching her chain whistle in, bouncing off a boulder-side. Katya, crying out as the wound on her shoulder is stressed, brings her axe up and slashes weakly. The pain proves too much, slowing her strike, which is batted aside by the lizard's claws.
Vane continues dragging himself through the deep snow, ever slowly toward the cave mouth. I'm wet. I'm crawling on all fours. And now I have to listen to my fellow travelers screaming. Someone is going to pay dearly for this. Run for the cave mouth all you like, I'll meet you there...
Derleth suddenly smiles to himself as he blazes a trail through the thick snow ahead of Vane. On the other hand, coming back down will probably be very easy! We can ride the ice like a slide! Hey, this could actually be *fun*!
The other lizard comes back into the fight, taking advantage of Katya's distraction, striking at her from the other side. With a grunt, it swings its club, but misses, the ranger alert to this one as she wasn't to its partner.
Sara glances over at Kaz as if to reassure herself that he's actually there and strikes out at the lizard once again. The chain whistles in, and in a beautiful shot, swings about the lizard's throat. Spikes dig in viciously all along the throat and chest, a gurgling choke filling the air as it stumbles to the snow, death throes sending claws raking over the embedded chain, trying to escape the biting steel.
Kaz nods to Sara, and draws closer, nearly in range to bring his scimitar to bear. Katya, however, backs up, trying to lure the lizard from the cave mouth, as well as offering an opening to one of the archers to pick it off.
As Sara withdraws the weapon, the spikes cause the dead lizard to turn towards her. She flinches, nearly jumping out of her boots and narrowly missing Kaz.
Vane glances over his shoulder, seeing the first lizard go down. It reassures him enough to duck his head and press on, clawing his way up through the ice. They can take care of themselves for now. Derleth is likewise cheered immensely by Sara's success in strangling the lizard with her deadly chain. Though I must say, that's easily the scariest weapon I've ever seen. Sighing, he continues upward, most happy that enchanted armor does not rust.
As Katya retreats, so does the lizard, hissing in pain and disappearing into the cave entrance.
Kyrel swears again as the lizard retreats toward the cave. The glowing-green arrows of the magic missile spell arc out towards it, trying to kill it before it can get away. The bolts of green force dart after the fleeing lizardman, a startled hissing cry coming from within the cave indicating success. As he does this, the last of the hypnotic pattern flickers out, leaving the valley and the cave mouth standing in ordinary daylight.
Seeing the last of the first defense retreat, Katya drops, holding her stomach, as the claw rake over her shoulder soaks her cloak and upper armor in blood.
Derleth finally climbs to the face of the cave. Moving carefully, he goes to Katya's side and gently murmurs, "Allow me..." He gingerly touches the gruesome wound and prays to Lliara, her healing energy infusing him and flowing into the ranger through his hand...
Vane drags himself to the cave mouth and sits up on his knees, covered in snow and moisture. He grits his teeth. "We're here. Now... let's end this."
Sara positions herself out of site from the cave mouth, sitting down behind a large boulder, trying to compose herself a bit more before facing the group. This was SUCH a mistake...
The ranger looks up at Derleth, as her flesh knits back together. A sigh of relief gusts from her, as she starts to rise. "Thank you." The cleric smiles. "Tis but me gift and me duty, Lady Wyvernjack." He looks around. "Aught else in need of me services b'fore we trudge into the unknown?"
Kyrel finishes his own climb, the last to arrive at the cave mouth. "That would have been much easier if you'd surrounded them one at a time, instead of cracking them all loose from my spell at once." He peers into the darkness, reaching into his parka to wake up Kiri. "Let's hope they haven't gotten too far yet."
Derleth chuckles wryly. "Ah was in nae position to surround anyone, Kyrel."
Katya bows her head to Kyrel. "I was the one who woke the club-bearer; that was my fault. I was eager for blood."
Kyrel says, "Understandable, I suppose. Let's keep going."
Derleth smiles at Katya. "Complelety understandable, lady." He looks over at the others. "Sara? Kaz? Ye're both well?"
Shouldering his scimitar, Kaz gives a nod. "The slimy things didn't touch me."
Derleth suddenly realizes Sara's nowhere to be found. "Sara? Sara, where are ye?" he raises his voice, worried. I didn't *see* her go down...
Sara stands up and walks out from behind the boulder, clearing her voice a little and straightening up, "Oh, I'm all right. I just thought they dropped something back there. Didn't find anything though, let's move on."
Derleth relaxes. "Ah.. All right then. Off we go..."
Vane stands up slowly, brushing the snow from his knees. "Let's go, if we're going."
The cave mouth, a large gash in the mountain side ten feet long, yawns open, awaiting entry. The walls of the entrance can be seen to lead back some seven feet, before breaking away into what could be a chamber. Vane squints behind his lenses at the darkened opening. He sighs, and shakes his head, shaking out his long, dark hair. "I don't see anything, brother. What do your eyes tell you?" Kyrel peers into the darkness for a moment. "The last lizard got away, it looks like. I can't see him... the cave goes straight back thirty feet or so, and then curves."
Derleth shivers instinctively. Abandon all hope, ye that enter here... He looks at the others. "Who leads? Ah'd be first, but ah dinnae have that fancy dark vision...and we may nae want light t' give us away."
Kaz, keeping his blade at the ready, peers into the opening. "Well, we need to be careful, too. We could be walking right into an ambush."
Vane says, "We'll bring light. Those that can't see in the dark are useless in it, with or without the element of surprise."
Derleth nods to Kaz. "Which is why we want our strongest up front." He glances at Vane, and then shrugs. "Aye, ye probably have the right of it."
Kyrel nods grimly, and says quietly, "We're not going to have the element of surprise anyway. They're waiting for us around the corners a little way in."
Vane turns away from the cave mouth, and wanders down the embankment a few feet to retrieve his hat. "Do you want to deal with that, brother, or shall I?"
Kyrel grins. "A fireball would probably be more efficient than a lightning bolt, so why don't you handle it?"
Vane nods, moving back up the bank to stand near his brother. "I suppose so. Here," he hands the wide-brimmed hat to Kyrel. "Hold this a moment for me, will you?" He starts to unbutton his overcoat.
Derleth hrms. "Shouldnae we make sure that there are actual lizards waiting t' ambush us before ye waste a spell?"
Kyrel says, "I saw one of them. The trouble with checking is that by the time we know for sure, it's too late to use a fireball."
Vane shoots the cleric a look that would make a medusa blink. "If my brother says there are lizards, there are lizards. Or would you care to go find out for yourself?"
Derleth shrinks a little. "It wasnae clear t' me if he was speculating or stating fact."
Vane says, "Are we agreed then? I don't wish to waste time if we're taking the offensive."
Derleth steps clear away from the cave mouth as his answer.
Kyrel nods. "Let's go. The less time they have to organize, the better."
Vane nods, "Agreed then. You may want to take a step back, brother." He tosses the flap of his overcoat back away from his hip, and reaches into his spell pouch. He produces a small yellowish ball and holds it in his fist while he murmurs several quick, unintelligible syllables, gesticulating with long fingers toward the cave. He opens his fingers, revealing a tiny red point of light in his palm. The elven mage smiles a vicious little smile. "Now.... DISAPPEAR!" The little mote races into the cave mouth and vanishes. A moment later, a blast of heat and light explodes out of the darkness.
Kyrel waves the fighters forward even as the blast subsides. "Let's go! Get in quick before they can recover!"
Derleth grimaces and flinches backwards at the heat blast, the light blinding him for a moment. Every day, I'm reminded why it's important to stay on Vane's good side....
Indeed, light and heat come out, the explosive fire spewing three feet from the cave's wide mouth. On the heels of the flames are the screams, if not howls and shrieks of the injured and dying
Derleth pulls his flail free at Kyrel's command and hesitates, preparing to dash in...
Vane doesn't back down as the backblast of heated air rushes out of the cave, rather raising his arms to shield his eyes from the blowing dust. His hair and overcoat blow out behind him, and the passing fighters can hear him... chuckling?
Kyrel readies his bow and follows Katya and Kaz up the slope. "C'mon, brother mine... now is not the time to stand on your laurels."
Derleth shivers briefly at Vane's laughter. I'll never take as much pleasure as he does from killing...at least I hope not. He starts forward as soon as the blast dies, bringing up the second rank of fighters.
Vane shrugs, grinning, and brushes back his hair with his free hand. "I suppose not. But you must admit that was a good one." He lets the fighters advance ahead of him a ways, and follows his brother.
Kyrel chuckles. "Truth. Let's see how many of 'em you got."
Kaz and Katya both start for the cave mouth almost at the same time. The stench of burned flesh and fur alike mingles in the air of sulfur and scorched stone. The two in front pass down the path easily, before the lizardman at the front, barely standing, backs away, his spear up. But, instead of raising to attack, words rise from the burnt scale of his lips, and hands move in the gestures of a spell, zeroing in, as he sees Derleth, uttering the last syllables, and simply pointing.
Kyrel brings his bow up a moment too late as the lizard launches the spell, and misses in the rush to forestall it. The arrow sails past the creature into the area beyond.
Derleth gacks as he sees the finger pointed at him. He seems confused a moment, when nothing seems to happen, but then his eyes open wide, staring at his armor for some reason. He grabs at his holy amulet and quickly chants words of abjurative power....
Kaz, moving out of the formation, gives simply a glance around, before moving in quick, his scimitar leading. The blade swings in, and draws blood over the lizard's side, but the thick hides draping the reptilian turn the edge away before the cut becomes too deep.
The ranger follows suit, closing in on the druidic nuisance. Her axe comes high, before hurtling to its mark. It scores a wicked gash into the creature's throat, sending it toppling to the ground. Its gurgles rise for a few seconds, before the ranger yanks her axe free and cleans the dark mess on the lizard's furs.
Derleth shivers only briefly. "Take note, me boyos. If ye're armor starts to get cold, let me know. The lizard shaman tried t' turn me int' a meat popsicle."
Vane strolls up into the antechamber as the brief melee ends, nodding as he surveys the damage. "Interesting application of elemental energies. I wonder how it's done."
Kyrel follows Kaz and Katya into the chamber, only to find that the fireball had done its work with gruesome effect. The other lizardmen had been killed where the stood, only the one by the door having escaped the full brunt of the spell.
The body toll looks large enough. On the other side of the entrance lays the smoking remains of the club wielding lizard, that had given Katya a beating. One lizard hangs nearly half off a ledge some ten feet above the cave floor, and beside it lies the scorched white coat of a snow leopard. Off to the side, the body of a mountain ram lies where it was flung by the blast. Vane frowns a bit, moving toward the formerly white fur. He looks up at it, and murmurs something to himself in Elven. "Ah... I'm sorry that it had to be this way, friend. I hope you will forgive me." The wall curves, leading to another wide tunnel, perhaps fifteen feet across, off to the northwest.
Derleth sniffs and wrinkles his nose. "Well done lizard. What a foul scent i'tis." He looks around. "Well naeow, lets be off. These lizards are dead enough an' we still have some prisoners t' free and some eggs t' poach." He ignores the sweat on the inside of his armor freezing to the metal....
Vane says, "Just a moment. Have any of these things items on them that might be useful?"
Kaz moves to start checking the bodies of the downed door guards, shaking his head. "Not much on them, actually... Isn't there something about druids not allowed to carry metal, or what not?" Looking up at the scorched lizard on the ledge, he smirks. "Someone want to help me drag it down?"
Vane says, "I will." He continues, "Actually, Kaz, I wouldn't know about druidic customs. They're remarkably close-mouthed around the likes of myself."
Katya arches a brow. "You'd think they'd be comfortable with elves."
Vane shakes his head. "Not elves. Wizards. They seem to regard what I... we, do, as something of an abomination."
Kyrel chuckles. "We're the evil despoilers of nature, and they're the misanthropic tree-huggers. It keeps things lively when we meet."
Derleth smirks at the crispy bodies. "Ah'm sure these fellas would agree."
Kaz clears his throat. "If you're going to help, come on."
Vane sighs irritably. "Patience, Kaz... how we could share blood is beyond me at times." He walks back to the thief.
Kaz glares. "Patience I have. But when we've apparently knocked on their door with an explosion, time we do not have."
Vane says, "Perhaps not, but what we do have is a defensible position, for the time being. So put your fears behind you for the nonce."
The ranger walks up, gazing up at the snow leopard with a sigh. Kaz nods to Vane. "Well, which of us is going to give the other a boost?"
Vane says, "You would be the stronger of the two. And I am lighter than you." With a shrug, Kaz kneels slightly, and brings his hand together, offering the step to the wizard, who carefully steps up on the thief's hands, balancing himself against the rock face. Kaz nods, and slowly lifts the elf upward, keeping his shoulder pressed to the stone. Vane's reach comes close enough to grab the corpse's hanging arm. He gingerly reaches up and grabs the wrist of the creature, pulling it a little closer, trying to drag it partially over his shoulder. It easily slides off its perch, and all five and a half feet of dead weight drops onto Vane's shoulders.
Vane grunts softly. It is not an confidence-inspiring sound, coming from the wizard. He wobbles visibly, "Kaz... better get us down quickly..." The thief wobbles, as well, and lowers the mage quickly, nearly dropping Vane's foot. "There, now, throw it off."
Derleth peeks around the corner into the northwest tunnel from his 'defensible position'. He chokes and shrinks back, wrinkling his nose. "Mebbe we should bring some charred lizard flesh wi' us. Smells better than lizard feces. Dinnae these damn things know how t' use a damned latrine?" In the middle of his complaint, though, he smiles in relief as the chilled metal of his armor finally wears off. He seems to be no worse for wear, but he was in some doubt that the spell would not eventually get through his protection.
Vane staggers as his feet hit the floor, and drops the corpse unceremoniously on the floor. He winces and rubs his shoulder. "Blasted things are heavy. I wonder just what sort of natural armor they have."
Kyrel says, "Naught but thick hides, I believe. They're just heavy."
Derleth says, "Bodies usually are. Naeow, can ye search the body so we can be off?"
The thief sets to work, sinking and rifling through the makeshift cloathing. He snorts, tossing a spell-component pouch at Vane's feet, and continues hunting. "Ah hah!" A sound of satisfaction draws up, as he pulls a grey-hided bag from the creature's 'tunic'.
Vane tsks. "No way to treat a perfectly good find." He picks it up, examines the compartments briefly, and pauses to stash it in one of his pockets.
Pulling the strings of the bag, Kaz empties the contents into his hand, and whistles. A nearly clear sapphire falls from the bag, almost the size of an eye, beside two polished platinum coins.
Kyrel says, "Not bad. Later, though. Let's be off."
Derleth eyes the contents with hungry eyes before reining himself in.
Nodding, the thief tucks the find into a pouch, and rises, taking up his scimitar. Looking toward the exit, "Who leads?"
Vane says, "The same as before, I believe."
Kaz nods, motioning for Katya to sidle up beside the entrance to the next passage. The half-elf wrinkles his nose. "You're right; You'd think they'd be civilized enough to dig a hole..."
Kyrel says, "In solid rock? Might be difficult. Might be something else, too."
Katya guestures for the others to line up behind, before they start down the sharply curving tunnel. The passage is lined, or marked, with lizard dung. The smell is sharp, especially in the burn-scented air.
The group moves around the curve, which down the hall, several tunnels branch off along the walls, two to the left, one to the right, and up ahead the passage leads around another corner. Droppings still line the tunnel floor, but stop, at the second branch, in the middle on the right. A sound suddenly breaks the silence, a clawing, hissing scrape of stone, echoing right behind the brother-wizards.
Derleth whirls to see what befalls, flail held at the ready to charge forward to protect the spellslingers if need be. Sara, bringing up the rear, flinches at the cleric's sudden motion as she watches for further enemies from behind the group.
Vane sighs quietly, "It's always something."
Up ahead, from that second passage, steps a lizard bedecked in furs, club held high. His voice rings as prayers in the draconic speech come from his lips, hand waving down the stone passage. The passage floor seems to shiver, or, at least, what's upon it. From the mounds of dung, if not the floor itself, a yellowish mold of some kind spreads and comes alive, gripping, tugging upon the group's feet.
Kaz, uttering very colorful curses in Elven, starts to tug upon his feet, scimitar dropped to attempt scraping at the wicked fungus which has his boots entangled. From the first tunnel on the left, a lizard appears holding... a bucket? Indeed, and the hide container flashes up. Water arches from it, aimed straight at the half-elf. It splashes across him, wetting his clothes, at least in front. The ranger, having moved quickly enough to avoid at least some of the fungus, continues down the passage, axe leading as she picks her way among the grasping tendrils.
Vane snarls faintly, twisting his upper body in what looks like a painful contortion to see where the noise is coming from. I hope you find this funny... this joke is going to cost you all your lives.
Derleth curses as what he thought would be an attack from behind prevented him from seeing the entangling vines before it was too late. Sara is entangled beside him, fighting to free herself. The cleric squirms in its grasp as he twists around to look in the other direction once more. "Damme druids..." he curses, pulling a dagger from an arm sheath and tries to throw it at the spellcasting lizard. The druid, however, sees the dagger coming easily, smacking it aside with his club. A toothy grin spreads over its lips.
Vane grumbles, waving foul-smelling spores away from his face. Enjoy your surprise while it lasts. He makes some small gesture with an outstretched hand, and intones a quickly muttered phrase. There's a brief, shrill noise as a small black blade wavers to life just beyond his fingers, and again and once again as it's joined by two more. "You won't dodge this." The blades leap from his fingers toward the druid. The corners of Vane's mouth turn up slowly. "Are you enjoying your joke now? Mm?" The druid's grin melts away as he sees the blades weaving around several enemies to follow him. He turns, trying to dodge, but to no avail as he gets pummeled by the magic bolts, and doubles over with a grunt of pain.
Kyrel dodges the questing tendrils of .. fungus?... but the delay and the distraction cause his first shot to miss, the arrow smashing against the end of the corridor after missing the druid-shaman.
From the side tunnel, another lizard pokes its head, and hurls a javelin at the closing ranger. Its aim is poor, though, the weapon sliding across the passage and striking the wall. From beside the druid, another steps partially into view, its hands gesturing. A few hissing gestures, and then fingers level in a taloned point at Vane. The spell has a similar effect to the signal flare of the first lizard; a flare of red heat, before the bolt streaks out, leaping at Vane. Even with the wizard partly immobilized, though, it misses and a scorch mark mars the stone's surface. The elf jerks his upper body to one side reflexively as the bolt passes. He whips back around to glare at the new spellcaster and hisses loudly in Draconic, "You'll pay for that!"
The druid recovers from being struck, and divine words in its snarling language spill from its lips, before its club rises and drops to strike the ground. The stone seems to ripple in a path toward the dagger-hurling cleric. The ripple runs along the ground, and a fierce, blunt force crashes into Derleth from below.
Kaz, though struggling, has been unable to wrench himself from the tendril's grip. However, his crossbow is close at hand, having simply been left strapped to his belt. He gives up on freeing his feet, glares at the druid that caused this mess, and follows that with a quarrel. The speeding bolt plants itself wickedly into the druid's thigh, generating a roar of pain. The ranger pushes on into the cave niche, and, takes on the first of the lizard warriors, while calling over her shoulder, "We don't need spearmen working over us from behind!" And with that, she comes blade to blade with the two. Her axe-head bites deep into the bucketer's side; though its inital attack was a simple toss of water, it has a javelin in hand and brings it to bear against the ranger, but misses as it is struck.
Derleth grits his teeth, aching from the stone wave crashing into him, but he manages to keep his feet. He looks helpless for a moment, his ranged weapons next to useless against such enemies. Then a thought strikes him. It worked once, why not again? He takes out his wand, and then looks menacingly at the lizard who cast a fire spell at Vane. "Naeone throws fire at m' friends. Ah only wish this would hurt as ye perish." he growls, pointing the wand. "Die!" he spits as he activates the wand.
The spelltosser gawks down at the bear-hide fur that drapes over it, as it is engulfed in green light. Falling backward, it claws at the garment, trying to take it off, squealing and hissing, colorful cursing to those who understand Draconic. Derleth smiles inwardly as he watches the beast squirm. Thank ye, Lliara, for watching over your faithful worshipper...
The second spear-hurling lizard snarls, dropping the javelin in its hands, and slashes at the ranger with its claws. The attack is ineffective against thick hide and sturdy leather armor. The ranger simply backs away, letting them drag harmlessly over her.
Vane snarls, tugging at the thick fungus, and coughing as another poof of noxious yellow spores clouds his vision. "You will pay for that.... just as soon as I get free of this.... rrgh.."
Derleth grumbles as he watches Vane struggle. Next time, I forget about that lightbolt spell and instead ask for dispelling prayers from the Lady...
The sorceror draws up, ripping its tunic apart. An evil, angry glare is sent Derleth's way, as it begins to cast another spell. An icicle forms within the air, glowing faint cyan, before streaking to the cleric, striking home. Derleth yelps slightly in pain as the 'icicle' jams into his shoulder. He seems confused a moment when it disappears, but then shrugs it off as he contemplates his attacker. Okay, so that didn't last long...
Kyrel sends another arrow at the lizard shaman, but it misses as it dodges. This isn't working..
The druid once again begins to chant, his eyes shifting over to his comrads. At the penacle of the cant, it kneels, slamming its fist into the stone. The ground ripples, once more, and shakes beneath the ranger's feet, but the agile woman easily keeps her balance.
Kaz once more tries to escape the fungus, but it grips too tightly. "Dammit!" The half-elf spits. Katya, however, swings her axe against the lizards again, the weapon seems as though it may be charmed to be lizard-bane, cutting one down easily.
Derleth eyes the spellcaster reptile angrily, and then has another thought. He grabs at a bottle at his belt and uncorks it, pointing it at the lizard's head. "Lets see how *ye* like water." he growls, speaking the command word. Water erupts from the bottle, a sharp arcing stream, and strikes the lizard full in the face. It nearly falls to its knees, yelping in surprise.
Vane continues to struggle with the fungus, stumbling this time and almost falling into the stinking growth. "Grah! Katya, Derleth! The big one! Kill the big one, and this fungus will vanish!"
The other spear-lizard, seeing its comrade drop, gives the ranger a close look, and backs up slowly... before turning tail and streaking down the passage. With an angry snarl, the sorceror begins its casting, and once more, the fiery arch of flame scorches Derleth's way. Again he ducks, and the ray blasts over the short cleric's head, burning another mark into the stone wall.
Kyrel drops the bow and begins a spell of his own. The arcane words ripple through the air and a trio of green-glowing arrows flash out, dodging obstacles to strike the lizard shaman holding the party in place with the entangling fungus. The force-made arrows strike true, one sinking solidly into its throat, the second striking into its stomach, and the final crashing into its skull, sending the druid sprawling upon the stone floor. As the druid falls, the fungus starts to shrivel, soon releasing its grip on various feet. Kaz, the first and the closest, starts down the passage, scimitar in hand. Katya, emerging from the side passage, starts down as well.
Derleth blinks as the fungus falls limply off him, and then grins at the last lizard spellcaster, raising his flail. "Nae more fire from ye." he growls as he moves to attack the lizard! Vane stumbles as the fungus begins to die. He kicks the foul yellow flesh off his boots and begins to proceed, unhurried, toward this last opponent himself.
Seeing nearly everyone coming its way, the lizard does the most sensible thing it can - it runs. Turning, the thing starts down the second side-passage, screaming "They're coming!" in its hissing language as loud as it possibly can. Both Katya and Kaz start down the passage after it, but the half-elf pauses, glancing back. "Should we follow it? Could lead to a whole mess of more."
Vane smiles thinly. "I certainly hope so."
Kyrel says, "Do we have a choice? I don't think we've passed an alternate route yet."
Derleth grunts as the sorceror flees. "Problem is, we dinnae know our way around here. Mebbe we should try to do the sneaky thing.
Vane says, "While carrying a torch?"
Kaz tosses in, "And that damned lizard spell-hurler screaming at the top of its lungs?"
Derleth says, "Ah kin cast a spell o' invisibility on one oh ye elf-bloods. Send ye enspelled fellow out as a scout. I'd do it meself, but ah'd need light."
Kyrel says, "So can I. I think first, though.... " He reaches into his tunic and comes out holding his familiar. "Kiri. Scout."
Derleth looks at Kyrel. "Ye're an illusionist. Can ye make an illusion of rocks blocking the passage leading t' us just incase the lizards decide not to wait fer us?"
Kyrel says, "I can, but I'd rather not do it just yet. I've only got the one illusion spell that could do that." The bat chirps, and takes wing down the passage, before curving down the third branching hall. Kiri returns shortly, flying easily back to perch on the underside of Kyrel's sleeve.
Kyrel looks intently at his familiar for a few minutes, then shakes his head. "Not that way. Dead end, and it seems to be the actual privy."
Vane says, "Lovely."
Derleth snorts. "Lizards what cannae control their insides. Lovely."
Kyrel takes the little bat down to where the main passage continues, and repeats the command. "Scout, Kiri."
Kaz glances back the way taken, smirking at the soiled stone floor. "So they do have one." Katya and Sara have silently moved back, having made sure no one was following.
Once more, Kiri takes flight, and moves down the long winding hall. He returns after a few moments, rather speedily, chirping during his return flight.
Kyrel nods. "That," he says as he gestures to the malodorous passageway, "was just done to grow the mold..." He breaks off as Kiri returns. "What is it?"
Derleth blinks. "Interesting. Clever bastards."
Vane says, "More like instinctual cunning."
Kyrel grins mirthlessly. "Ah... showtime. That's the way to the egg chamber. There's something big there, plus lizards and our missing gnolls."
Derleth says, "Sure, and this is good. But ah dinnae think we wanna charge right int' the midst, aye?"
Vane adjusts his gloves. "I expect that this will not be pretty." He brushes a stray strand of hair back from his forehead, and removes his glasses, folding them and storing them in an inside pocket.
Kyrel slips the scroll case off of his back and rummages through it for a moment. "Ah, here we are. Lockjaw and Breathfizzle. Just the things to mess up a dragon..." He looks up at Derleth. "Perhaps not, but we don't want to delay, either."
Derleth considers. "Ask yer batty is the egg chamber is lit?
Katya, interjects, "Didn't a few of you take some damage? Shouldn't we patch up any wounds, before moving in?"
Derleth grimaces. "Aye, well, ah should probably see t' me own..." He takes his medallion in hand and chants to his goddess for the strength to heal himself.
Kyrel and Kiri stare at each other for another long moment. "Yes, there's light. Dim, but there's a big shaft leading up off to one side that lets a little in."
Derleth nods. "How about this. I'll turn meself invisible and free the gnolls while ye engage them in melee. All right?"
Kyrel says, "One problem... can you speak gnoll?"
Kaz gives Derleth a stare. "You're the one with the heavy armor. You're our *Healer*. And, are you going to be Quiet to get over there?"
Vane says, "Perhaps it would be best to give that to the thief. A stab in the back would be far more useful to us than gnolls falling over each other trying to escape."
Derleth says, "if they cast that entangling spell again, we'll need a fighter that's not in the field of th' spell, Kaz. Besides, how will they hear me over the roar of Vane's fireballs?"
Katya tilts her head. "Do you really want to unleash a fireball in a cave with more ice then the snow?"
Vane says, "I'm afraid that unless you wish to postpone the battle for... six hours, it will have to be over a lightning bolt. The fireball is spent for the day."
Derleth says, "If ye've got a better idea, I'm up to suggestions... Going head t'head with the lizards, ah'm nae afraid of. Cannae do that if the fungus gets friendly. And ah dinnae need t' speak with the gnolls t' free em. If'n they dinnae unnerstand common, that is."
Vane says, "We don't know what their disposition will be. It's a complication in the midst of an already dangerous situation."
Derleth says, "Well, then ye say what we should do, Vane. Ah dinnae her anyone else coming up with ideass!"
Vane says, "Kyrel, did Kiri get a decent look at the large... thing?"
Kyrel has been 'talking' with his familiar while the discussion continues. He hisses between clenched teeth suddenly and looks up. "We can't wait. I think they've started the sacrifices. The big thing? Only that it's lying on some kind of nest or bed. Might be the dragon, or might be some other guard. Two lizards, six bound gnolls, one lying down - maybe dead - in front of the eggs."
Vane says, "I will attempt to put as many as I am able to sleep, or otherwise incapacitate them. After that.... I have only my sword and a stroke of lightning. I will do my best to make this as easy as I can on the fighters."
Derleth sighs. "Let's be about this, then...."
Kyrel says, "I think Kaz should get the invisibility spell. He'll be more likely to move quietly."
Kaz nods his head. "That, and I'm better against two then some dragon or whatever is in there."
Derleth nods. "As ye like. Hold still, rogue." he murmurs as he waves his hands over the half-elf, chanting to Lliara. Kaz shimmers, and then is gone!
Vane says, "I don't think that my power is sufficient to incapacitate a dragon..."
Kyrel says, "Ah.. good. It's big and furry, Kiri says. Not a dragon after all."
Vane says, "I do not think I can incapacitate a dire bear either."
Kyrel nods as Kaz fades out. "Let's go, then. After, you, Kaz... wherever you are..."
Kyrel says, "I've still got two bolts left. We'll manage."
A faint 'tap' comes from the wall up ahead, letting those know where the thief is.
Vane says, "If we should die, Brother.... remember. We go to see Corellon together, or not at all."
Kyrel grins. "Let's put it off a while longer, then."
Katya nods, and takes up a throwing axe in her off hand. "Then, let us be on our way."
Derleth picks up one of the fallen javelins, hefting it, grunting in approval, and then moving right behind Katya. Sara moves up to take Kaz' place in the front line.
Sara, glances back to make sure that everyone is in their positions behind her. Katya, Kyrel, Vane, Derleth and Kaz is around here somewhere with that invisibility. Okay... She steadies herself and treads softly, quietly aproaching the danger she knows lurks beyond the shadows.
After a moment, a slight tapping comes to the wall. "Hey?" whispers the half-elf, "It's starting to get pretty frigid, and this water's starting to get *cold* on me. Do any of you have something to keep me warm?"
Vane pulls off the copper loop from his left hand and tosses over his shoulder in the direction of the tapping without turning to look. "Here." He pauses to adjust his gloves. "That will do for now."
Derleth stares at Vane. The mage who hates the cold just took of his ring. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing. It depends on whether or not he takes the brunt of his anger out on the lizards.
There's a pause, before "Thanks," whispers back. Katya nods to Sara, sidling up beside. "We move?"
Kyrel runs through the description again. "It's a large chamber around the corner, with a passageway out through the roof large enough for a dragon. The prisoners are off to the right at the opening of a tunnel, there's a stream on the opposite side, and some kind of large furry critter to the left. Kiri's not sure what it is, so be careful."
Derleth grunts. "Gotcha. Let's go then." He starts tramping forward, still holding the rock, but shielding it with his hands so it's not shining everywhere.
Sara activates her spiked chain and watches the dim sparks of electricity run down its length. Nodding to Katya she advances slowly with a look of worry in her eye.
Egg Cavern
A large cavern, obviously big enough to be the dragon's lair. At least a hundred feet across, and nearly as wide as it is long. The air is definitely colder than in the other tunnels, due to a large shaft, opening up part of the ceiling to the outside, surrounded by frozen stalactites. Along the northwestern side of the room a small spring bubbles up, steam rising from the water. Off near the eastern corner, a passage opens, the chanting of the sacrifice echoing forth.
The two start down the tunnel, and begin into the vast cavern. The sound of powerful sniffing, a growl comes from against the wall, off another alchove, but what's inside isn't exactly certain, Yet.
Kyrel readies one of the net-arrows that Basel provided and follows the two fighters out, hoping to be able to immobilize the shaman who is planning to kill the gnolls.
Derleth slips the rock back into a pouch then, and clasps his medallion, chanting a quick prayer to his goddess. His armor and person briefly glow with holy light.
Vane walks with his head lowered slightly, flexing and knotting the fingers of his right hand. He glances up, hearing breathing...
As the group enters the chamber, a roar erupts, echoing off the walls. The white creature shows itself as a bear, nearly nine feet long upon four legs, claws scratching the stone as it moves toward them.
Derleth cringes. "Now there's a right nasty lookin' feller." he grumbles.
Sara glances back and her eyes light up. She almost looks relieved at the oncoming threat as she spins, ready to thwart it.
Vane's eyes widen, and he takes a half-step back, but he raises his hands nevertheless. I hope you'll forgive me, friend.
Kyrel chants the harsh words of the lightning spell and the bolt flashes toward the oncoming bear. We don't have time for this right now!
The crackling bolt zigs toward the creature, but even at its size some natural agility is apparent, for it dodges the worst of the spell. Still, some of its fur comes out singed, with the rest nearly standing on end, making it look all the larger. Despite the slight pain evident in its snarling, the bear's charge isn't even slowed.
A faint scratching comes from the stones from behind Derleth, but the warning is too late, as wicked claws slash across the cleric's back with vicious force before he can turn, another snarling growl sounding in the human's ears. Derleth cries out in pain as claws penetrate both magic and armor, cutting into his flesh, the blow spinning him around. He stumbles, and then rights himself, trying to face his attackers...
The bear comes close enough to the ranger for the ranger to use the throwing axe at her side. Winding back, she sends it whistling toward the hurtling animal. The blade twirls in, and slashes across the creature's shoulder. A grunt of pain greets the injury, but the bear's steady stride knocks the axe from the wound.
Sara, seeing Derleth in danger, flies into motion, weaving her way through the group and circling the beast that had flanked the party. "Derleth, together, get the thing" She crouches down ready to spring into action, the creature just inside the reach of her chain she waits for Derleth's attack.
The creature turns out to be another bear, smaller than the other, but still formidable, still slightly larger then the chain-wielding woman herself. However, the bigger of the two closes in quickly, and its claws sweep in upon the axe-wielding ranger. The large paws strike, claws score deep into Katya's flesh, and tear through her simple leather armor. White fur stains deep crimson. The woman screams, nearly losing her footing.
Vane glances back over his shoulder. Surrounded... damn. I knew this was a bad idea. I'm not Drow, I don't belong in a cave... He reaches into his spell pouch and tosses a handful of powder into the air; with a gesture and a whispered word it bursts into flame. He lunges, bouncing it off the cave ceiling and toward the larger of the bears, the one that's apparently trying to devour the ranger. The bear seems not to notice at first, nearly pulling the ranger into its powerful grip. But then the flaming orb drops, and a pained roar escapes it. The bear tries to move, to get away from the orb, moving around, and inadvertently moving ever closer to the two mages, though it seems pretty distracted. Vane smirks faintly, an effect made a bit ghoulish by the glow of singed fur.
Derleth snarls in pain and battle rage, swinging the flail above his head and attacking the bear that clawed him down from behind. The thing moves backwards, too much for it to be simple instinct, and the cleric is somehow certain the bear is glaring at him. In a motion of wild patterns Sara brings forth her chain that glows with small arcs of energy and swings it towards her target. The chain whips in, and scores the bear across the face, spikes digging in, the weapon almost curling around its head. An angry howl parts its lips, as electric magic arcs over the chain's length before it bats the thing off, murder in its eyes as it stares back at Sara. The bear comes back fiercely to attack the cleric again, though, its blood-stained paws swinging in powerful strokes.
Sara shouts, "Me, you blasted beast, attack ME!" Once more, the claws slip through Derleth's divine protection, and tear through his armor, sinking into flesh and ripping back out. If one looks closely, one might see that the bear is wearing a malevolent grin. Derleth screams as the bear rips into him, stumbling backwards as he coughs up blood.
Bleeding heavily, Katya still keeps going. Vane's blazing sphere gets the beast off of her, and she circles around behind it and swings her battle axe at the thing. She screams, and lets the blade slice into the bear's back, drawing one more roar along with a spill of blood down its back. Instead of turning on the ranger behind it, the bear continues to move away from the flaming ball, and moves back, sidling along the mages, where its pain-reddened eyes see the elf and his brother. Instead of fully focusing its attack, it simply makes a clean swipe at the elf, the claws swinging in and tearing into Vane's flank. The elf-mage crumples. He passes from sight, knocked back out of the torchlight, hair and coat flying wildly.
Vane hisses in the darkness, "You'll PAY for that!" The fire-sphere bounces back toward the bear's hindquarters, and there's a scrabbling sound as the mage moves back toward the wall. The bear, however, is quicker, that natural agility once more paying off as it weaves away from the burning sphere.
Kyrel turns pale as his brother falls, and his instinctive reaction is to hurl his last magic missile at the bear. The three green bolts track the dodging beast and sink into its body. The bear, while dodging the still scorching sphere, is nearly toppled, as Kyrel's bolts strike into its flank. Blood drips from its maw as it pants for breath, the thing looking seriously hurt now.
Sara noticing Derleth eyeing the downed Vane, "Run toward Vane after my attack, it should distract the beast."
Derleth groans, in tremendous pain....but he sees Vane fall, and those wounds are more serious even than his own, so he turns and moves towards the fallen elf. He kneels at the elf's side and lays hands on his fallen comrade, chanting quickly as his hands glow...
Sara, undaunted by the loss of her distraction, brings her chain around for another whack at the bear. Once more the spiked links whip in, and crackles with energy as it nearly wraps completely around the bear's arm. It shrieks, yanking at the chain, nearly teetering as it finally frees itself from the horrible weapon, while blood, now steaming from the shocks, bubbles up onto its fur. It looks larger, now, its hair standing on end around its head and shoulders.
The sounds of a large uproar comes from the eastern side of the cavern, shadows moving franticly in the tunnel mouth. Kaz can clearly be seen in open combat with a sword-wielding lizard.
Kyrel, running low on magic, goes back to his bow. He tries for Kaz's opponent, and sends Kiri to scout out what is happening to the gnolls. The arrow cleanly misses, skipping off the cavern wall. It does distract the lizard though, earning it a punch from the half elf.
The smaller bear, glancing around to get a good look at the situation, makes a few steps back from that chain, before turning and running...straight into the wall, and melding right into it.
Katya, looking pale and still bleeding, takes up another one of her throwing axes on her belt. Keeping in safe distance from the bear, she hurls the small weapon, but her injuries spoil her aim, and she sends it skittering across the floor to end its flight against the wall.
The wounded bear, still trying to avoid Vane's ball of fire, draws closer, and gets well in range of Kyrel. Injured, it is unable to sweep in with both paws, but a solid, single slash of its claws digs in deep across the side of Kyrel's leg, and tear upwards across his hip, before being yanked free. Kyrel is knocked from his feet, his leg badly slashed.
Vane coughs wetly, and grabs Derleth's shoulder. "Thank you." Then he pulls on the short human, lunging up to his feet. "Now, get out of my way." With his teeth clenched against the pain, he appears to be almost smiling again. Almost. Guiding the first sphere with his left hand, with his right he conjures another, and bounces it across the floor. "Bastard!" The second orb joins the fray in a sudden motion, striking the bear square in the shoulder. Its roar echos off the walls, as it backpedals, quite quickly, to get away from the dual scorching balls.
Derleth hacks and spits out more blood. Having healed Vane, he now turns his glowing hands upon his own wounds as his dark blood oozes from the tattered gashes the bear gave him.....
Sara rushes forth and around the only remaining bear, catching it between herself and Kyrel and trying to catch it with her arcing chain. The bear is indeed too quick, and the weapon simply strikes air as it runs.
Derleth sighs as the worst gashes close up and the muscle knits back together from the healing pwoer granted him....he slowly rises to his feet and surveys the bloody battle.
Kyrel tries to stand, but his leg won't hold weight, the bear having scored it to the bone. He grits his teeth and waits for the cleric...
Katya, in even worse shape then Kyrel, starts to move back toward the group, nearly falling due to blood loss. The bear continues to draw back, before turning and running toward the spring.
Vane takes an unsteady step forward, wobbling slightly from the impact still. He pushes both hands forward, sending the spheres after the retreating bear. They continue to chase it, but the bear outpaces them, before splashing into the water.
Derleth sees Katya fall, and dashes to her side, calling upon his granted power yet a third time to heal the ranger before she bleeds out. The ranger seems better after the spell, but still much the worse for wear, coughing up a bit of blood onto her shredded armor.
Sara pushes forward, although slowly, into the large cavern spiked chain in hand. She crouches down into a fighting stance and listens for the voices chanting to see just how badly the group has bumbled this raiding attempt. If only Rousto and I could be teamed up again. Realizing the chanting has stopped Sara looks up to see Kaz in combat with a lizardman! She glances back at the others and almost instantly takes on a different fighting stance, one that suggests defense.
Kyrel remembers that he has healing potions of his own, and gulps one down. His leg repairs itself, the deep slashes fading to unpleasant but not life-threatening gashes. He concentrates on his familiar and passes the bat's information to the others. "No blood yet. Just two lizards out there, one either cowering or down and one fighting with Kaz. The gnolls are still bound, Kaz screwed up somehow."
A snarl comes up from behind Vane, as a figure steps from the stone. Nearly topping 7' foot, scales of an ivory white, the creature is no doubt the half-dragon. Leathery, azure colored wings stretch from its back, snapping in the chill air. Primitive jewelry decorates it, the various claws, fangs, and tails of many arctic beasts. A cruel horn rises from its forehead, a grotesque parody of a unicorn. The club clutched in its taloned hand is enormous, and ridged with knobs. And, moving in on the wizard, it easily swings the tree trunk of a weapon. The weapon crashes into the left side of Vane's lower back, a gleeful grin rising off the reptile at the sound of its strike.
Katya almost pales at the site of the new - or perhaps old - foe. None the less, she rises, and moves into range for an attack, cautious but ready.
The bear stays within the water, wary of the fireballs that chased it.
Vane just folds. He doesn't even make a sound as he goes down. He pushes himself back a few feet with his heels, with one hand gesturing feebly for one of his spheres to return to him. The other hand appears to be covered in some kind of bile, and is describing a different movement entirely. A wet flash of something, a bolt of dark green, spurts from Vane's outstretched hand, but the half-dragon easily dodges the bolt, letting it strike the wall where it melts into the stone.
Derleth looks grim. Katya is dragging herself to aid Vane as he goes down yet again under the onslaught of an attack, but she might not be enough...Time to bring out the ace-in-the-hole. Lliara grant me strength. He grabs at a vial at his belt and downs it in one gulp. As the magic courses through his veins, he lifts his flail and moves with unntural speed to aid his comrades!
Sara glances back to see what it is the others are attacking and seems to freeze on the spot, she stares at the beast for a short time, then glances back at Kaz and his foe. A look of fear and worry comes across her face and her body shivers involuntarily at the sight of the creature. She holds her ground, standing ready... or is she just staying out of the reach of those dreadful things?
Kyrel spins around, his eyes narrowing as he sees the half-dragon attack Vane. He chants the words again, the lightning bolt crashing out over his brother's head and washing across the creature.
The bolt zigzags down the line, and its electric length caresses the half-dragon's wing. He screams, and spits in Kyrel's direction. "How Dare you!" He yells toward Kyrel. Noting the extra quick cleric, and axe-wielding woman coming close, the druid starts to flap his wings, and easily takes to the air. Flying out of range of a simple strike, he stays at least ten feet above the ground. Hands move in quick gestures, noting the approaching cleric, before leveling a finger on him, spouting the final words.
The ranger frowns, as the dragon draws out of range. She drops her axe, and removes the bow in her pack. It snags on her pack, slowing her change of weapons.
Derleth ignores his suddenly burning armor and charges the flying half-dragon, determined to bring it down with a good whack....but even as speedy as he is, he doesn't manage to launch himself high enough to reach, stumbling as he lands. Grimacing angrily, he races off to aid Kaz, whose opponent can't fly.
Vane pushes back a few more feet with his heels, and sits up a bit, one hand still outstretched, the other still beckoning for the sphere. This time he holds a small glass rod in his fingers, and coughs out a few arcane syllables. "You're not out of my reach... *cough*... not yet!" He releases the last gesture and the lightning bolt. The sphere finally reaches its destination, striking the ground and bouncing up to glance off the creature's legs. The lightning arcs through the air, and nearly hits him squarely. A pained cry erupts, redoubling when the burning sphere rips across his leg.
Sara stands again unsure of what to do. She knows that the casters don't have many spells left and if she doesn't do something the flying monstrosity will take out Katya and both of the brothers leaving her to fend for Kaz and Derleth alone. I've got to... she thinks to herself. She had said that to herself a little while earlier, but couldn't seem to force herself to move... this time she is ready. She runs forward at top speed, leaps into the air and swings her chain at the beast, trying to bring it crashing down into the side of the cavern. Sara screams, "If I'm going to have to fight your ugly face you've got to get down here!" He hisses in annoyance which quickly changes to pain, "Stupid fem-Ah!" As the chain grips onto his leg, the woman's strength and weight actually pulls him from the air. He doesn't hit the ground, but only shakes off the chain as he lands none too gently on his feet, off to the side of Vane.
Vane sits up and coughs, smirking viciously at the creature. "Not done... with you yet....." He hacks again, defiant still.
Kyrel nocks an arrow into his longbow and fires at the downed lizard-dragon.
The arrow glances off those wicked scales. He glares at the group before him, before taking a menacing step toward Vane. Instead of lifting the club, a glint enters his eye. The air whistles, wings rustle, before his head dips, and a bellowing blast of frigid air explodes from his lungs, a cone blowing outward.
The fog stings Katya, but it doesn't stop her from leveling her bow, and sending an arrow streaking toward the half-dragon. The attack spoils her aim, her arrow missing easily, and exploding against the stone wall.
Sara's incredible speed shows as she darts to the side avoiding the breath weapon competely and begining her circle around the scaled fiend.
Vane clenches his teeth as the frost glazes his overcoat and legs; determined not to give this creature the satisfaction of a scream. Not that he'll be able to if this keeps up much longer anyway... but there's still one trick left...
Vane reaches into his pounch one last time, and blows a handful of multicolored powder up to the ceiling. "Hey... look over here!!" He prays silently that his friends realize his intent, and are smart enough not to do so. The powder forms a burst of bright colors around the half-dragon.
The spray of color strikes him square, and simply seems to just stun the lizard. However, as he stumbles backward, it somehow miraculously dodges Vane's fire-sphere. The elf-mage laughs brokenly as the abomination reels, still clutching his side. He coughs again, "No, no, no.... you don't get away that easily..."
"Threats are the best way to release stress and subdue fears. Use your fear against your opponents just as you would use their numbers against them" Rousto's words ring in Sara's ears as the fear of the lizard beast creeps back over her body. Circling the slimy looking scaled one she blurts out, "I don't know how you and your faulty tongue managed to find your way out of the muck and I don't care how. So long as you don't live it doesn't matter. Come on then. Fight me!" as she takes a defensive stance and readies her attack for the moment he decides to move.
Vane coughs again, and rasps, "He can't hear you.... but you don't have long... move!"
Kyrel nods and nocks another arrow, moving a little closer to fire at nearly point-blank range. The arrow punctures the beasts abdomen, but the damage is mostly absorbed by the tough scales.
Sara sees the beast stumbling about and flinches, lunging forward swinging at the beast but missing in her jumpy state.
Vane drags himself to sitting up against the wall, and just points his finger. He wipes the blood or water or whatever it is out of his eyes, and tries to hold steady, watching.
Kyrel fires again, the arrow this time penetrating further through the armor and plunging a little deeper into the muscular chest. This time, he is rewarded by the creature's hiss of pain and a trickle of black blood from its mouth. It curses in the dragonic tongue, "To the Abyss with you all." Kyrel just grins, as cold as the weather outside. "You first."
Vane starts laughing again, which breaks off into another round of ragged gasping, falling over on his side again. His hair falls over his face, as he mutters, "And have a pleasant journey...."
The ranger grins mirthelssly at the mages, before bringing her bow around, once more, and letting the missile streak. The arrow plunges into the beast's chest, a resounding *Crack* running through, as the sonic waves shatter ribs. A torrent of blood so dark blue it's nearly black gushes from his fanged maw. He tries to stand, gasping visibly for air, before the club drops, and, wings slowly drooping, it falls forward, driving the arrows even deeper.
Sara lets loose a high pitched squeal, turning her head aside and dropping her chain to the ground in disgust, throws aside all facades of her bravery and begins to weep. Kyrel moves to her side, putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's over."
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