Broccli_Head
Explorer
2 Nightal, 1372 Into the Pit!
They topped the hill and peered over the edge of the bluff. An entrance, guarded by four orcs gaped in the hillside. Thirty feet across a small dell huge evergreens rose out from the darkness. They decided to repel down the wall. Nosr removed his shoes and muttered an incantation. Then as Benito followed by Grim, Ellysidell, and Aris (after warning the tied-up prisoner to not run away) climbed down on the rope as stealthily as possible, Nosr walked horizontally next to them. Forty feet up, Nosr accidentally kicked over a small rock. The noise echoed through the valley. The orcs looked up and began crying an alarm.
"Well lads, I guess the jig is up," said Benito as he let go of the rope and attempted to drop on the guards.
Benito smashed hard into his foe and yelled in pain as he felt the orc's sword pierce his side. The orc did not rise, it too pierced with a sword and its head smashed on the ground. Benito rolled away from the tangle of arms and legs. Grim followed the crazy cleric but with much more grace, pushing himself from the rock and "bouncing" close to the wall face to land cat-like on the ledge, unharmed. He drew his sword and grinned. Benito looked over and marvelled at the acrobatic feat. Ellysidell seeing his companions' successes attempted to do the same and landed on his orc crushing it as well. The other two orcs attacked. Ellysidell rolled away from his adversary and sparks flew as the orc's greataxe struck the stone of the ledge. Benito managed to block a sword slash with his shield while rising to one knee.
Arrows from the trees across the vale flew into the melee. One struck Aris as he made his way down the rope as quickly as he could. Benito swung in the near darkness and slipped awkwardly on one of the broken bodies of the two dead orcs striking Ellysidell in the back. The barbarian yelped in surprise, made sure that Benito was not an orc, and then struck the two enemies in front of him with a mighty slash of his mithral waraxe that disembowled them both. Grim returned fire into the trees while Aris dropped to the ground and unstrung his bow More arrows clattered around the heroes, one striking Ellysidell. Nosr searched desparately for the foes hoping his superior vision would spot the bad guys.
Benito seeing the the other heroes were pre-occupied in an exchange of missle fire, summoned a fire worm and sent it scooting into the entrance. The creature came upon two orcs forcing them to retreat and attempting to fire as they go. One of the orcs met a firey demise as he lowered his defenses to bring his bow to bear while the other mangaged to back-pedal a little quicker and tag the elemental creature with an arrow.
Nosr found a archer in the trees and shot him down with magic missles. The other archer returned fire but only managed to hit the body of one of his former Zhent companions, now being used as a make-shift barricade by Aris, Ellysidell and Grim.
The thoqqua and Benito followed the retreating orc, which again fired and struck the worm with an arrow. The smell of burning flesh and haze of smoke filled the corridor that the creature of fire squirmed down. It tripped a trap of bolts, however that blasted into its para-elemental hide sending it back from where it came. Benito, angered at the quick defeat charged down the orc and also triggered the trap, getting hit by a few bolts. The orc feebly tried to block with its bow, failed and was run through with Benito's magical longsword. As the Zhent crumpled to the ground, two more bow-wielding orcs showed themselves. Seeing an alcove to his right, Benito ducked quickly in to avoid being an easy target in an open corridor. The floor fell from beneath him and waves of pain filled his vision as he struck spikes at the bottom of a pit. He cried out for help to the other heroes....
They had finally cleared the archer at their back and followed the cleric into the corridor. Nosr saw him duck into the alcove and heard him cry out. Upside down and on the ceiling the sorcerer released energy from his fingertips ripping through one of the archers. The return fire was futile and Grim downed the last visible orc with a crossbow bolt. Lowering his goggles, he then stealthily crept to the alcove and looked down to see Benito healing sitting down about 30 ft in darkness performing some healing on himself. Grim began lowering a rope as the others began to catch up, missle weapons ready. Nosr walked upside-down and watched as the heroes pulled the cleric from the pit. Orcish (and other ?) shouts echoed somewhere in the complex and Grim peered ahead--a long corridor ending in a door with another blind corner halfway.
Lovely, he thought to no one in particular. We are walking right into their web.
Nodding to the others, he rearmed his crossbow, pulled up his hood, and disappeared into the shadows to do what Grim did best....
They topped the hill and peered over the edge of the bluff. An entrance, guarded by four orcs gaped in the hillside. Thirty feet across a small dell huge evergreens rose out from the darkness. They decided to repel down the wall. Nosr removed his shoes and muttered an incantation. Then as Benito followed by Grim, Ellysidell, and Aris (after warning the tied-up prisoner to not run away) climbed down on the rope as stealthily as possible, Nosr walked horizontally next to them. Forty feet up, Nosr accidentally kicked over a small rock. The noise echoed through the valley. The orcs looked up and began crying an alarm.
"Well lads, I guess the jig is up," said Benito as he let go of the rope and attempted to drop on the guards.
Benito smashed hard into his foe and yelled in pain as he felt the orc's sword pierce his side. The orc did not rise, it too pierced with a sword and its head smashed on the ground. Benito rolled away from the tangle of arms and legs. Grim followed the crazy cleric but with much more grace, pushing himself from the rock and "bouncing" close to the wall face to land cat-like on the ledge, unharmed. He drew his sword and grinned. Benito looked over and marvelled at the acrobatic feat. Ellysidell seeing his companions' successes attempted to do the same and landed on his orc crushing it as well. The other two orcs attacked. Ellysidell rolled away from his adversary and sparks flew as the orc's greataxe struck the stone of the ledge. Benito managed to block a sword slash with his shield while rising to one knee.
Arrows from the trees across the vale flew into the melee. One struck Aris as he made his way down the rope as quickly as he could. Benito swung in the near darkness and slipped awkwardly on one of the broken bodies of the two dead orcs striking Ellysidell in the back. The barbarian yelped in surprise, made sure that Benito was not an orc, and then struck the two enemies in front of him with a mighty slash of his mithral waraxe that disembowled them both. Grim returned fire into the trees while Aris dropped to the ground and unstrung his bow More arrows clattered around the heroes, one striking Ellysidell. Nosr searched desparately for the foes hoping his superior vision would spot the bad guys.
Benito seeing the the other heroes were pre-occupied in an exchange of missle fire, summoned a fire worm and sent it scooting into the entrance. The creature came upon two orcs forcing them to retreat and attempting to fire as they go. One of the orcs met a firey demise as he lowered his defenses to bring his bow to bear while the other mangaged to back-pedal a little quicker and tag the elemental creature with an arrow.
Nosr found a archer in the trees and shot him down with magic missles. The other archer returned fire but only managed to hit the body of one of his former Zhent companions, now being used as a make-shift barricade by Aris, Ellysidell and Grim.
The thoqqua and Benito followed the retreating orc, which again fired and struck the worm with an arrow. The smell of burning flesh and haze of smoke filled the corridor that the creature of fire squirmed down. It tripped a trap of bolts, however that blasted into its para-elemental hide sending it back from where it came. Benito, angered at the quick defeat charged down the orc and also triggered the trap, getting hit by a few bolts. The orc feebly tried to block with its bow, failed and was run through with Benito's magical longsword. As the Zhent crumpled to the ground, two more bow-wielding orcs showed themselves. Seeing an alcove to his right, Benito ducked quickly in to avoid being an easy target in an open corridor. The floor fell from beneath him and waves of pain filled his vision as he struck spikes at the bottom of a pit. He cried out for help to the other heroes....
They had finally cleared the archer at their back and followed the cleric into the corridor. Nosr saw him duck into the alcove and heard him cry out. Upside down and on the ceiling the sorcerer released energy from his fingertips ripping through one of the archers. The return fire was futile and Grim downed the last visible orc with a crossbow bolt. Lowering his goggles, he then stealthily crept to the alcove and looked down to see Benito healing sitting down about 30 ft in darkness performing some healing on himself. Grim began lowering a rope as the others began to catch up, missle weapons ready. Nosr walked upside-down and watched as the heroes pulled the cleric from the pit. Orcish (and other ?) shouts echoed somewhere in the complex and Grim peered ahead--a long corridor ending in a door with another blind corner halfway.
Lovely, he thought to no one in particular. We are walking right into their web.
Nodding to the others, he rearmed his crossbow, pulled up his hood, and disappeared into the shadows to do what Grim did best....