NOW LIVE! Today's the day you meet your new best friend. You don’t have to leave Wolfy behind... In 'Pets & Sidekicks' your companions level up with you!

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Old One" data-source="post: 312852" data-attributes="member: 83">Session 18 (Part Two)GotterdammerungPulsating strands of crackling black energy whipped around the furious dwarf like so many embalmers wrappings.  The energy surge from Quintus’s bolt played around the tentacle creature’s head, but the being shook off the pain and barbed appendages lashed out.  Rosë charged toward the center creature, thinking the others were false images. Tentacles raked across his flank, correcting his error.  He pivoted and smashed his axe into his attacker’s torso.  Sextus put a crossbow bolt into the creature closest to him, dropped the missile weapon and drew his twin gladii.A series of crashing sounds floated up to the balcony of the statue chamber, where Lew and Rowan exchanged worried looks.  They were aware of the battle raging behind them, but didn’t want to be surprised from the other direction.  Another series of crashes, louder and closer echoed, followed by an unmistakable call.  Hoot-Hoot!  Rowan tightened his grip on the Old Man’s sword and shot Lew another look, “The silver furs are inside the building!”The black energy filaments, crackling and popping, had completely encased the dwarf and began to constrict around him like some nightmare cocoon.  Muffled curses penetrated the shell, but Rosë, Sextus and Quintus were all too busy to stop and listen.  The trio cut, thrust and stabbed at the three tentacle creatures, receiving stinging wounds and drained strength for their trouble.  Rosë landed a powerful blow, eviscerating one in a shower of gore.  Quintus stepped back and snapped off a Magic Missile, striking one in the back while Sextus impaled it from the front with a well-placed thrust.  The remaining creature screamed in their minds, tentacles flailing.Half-a-dozen silver furs tore through purple drape between the viewing balcony and the Danse Macabre room.  Their hoots redoubled as they sensed Lew and Rowan; they charged.  Cleric and ranger met the onslaught with stave and blade.  Rowan noted, with an odd sense of detachment, that the faintly simian faces bore two milky white, sightless eyes.  ‘So they are blind!’The revelation did nothing to dull the pain from the silver fur’s bite however, as the charge sent both companions reeling back with painful wounds.  Their return strikes struck home and two silver furs flopped to the ground.(DM’s Note: I modeled the “silver furs” on baboons and apes – ala Congo.  They are blind, but do have echolocation and scent.  The small ones were not terribly tough, but they did pack a nasty bite.  The big one, however…)The last tentacle creature could not stand before the combined attacks of Quintus, Rosë and Sextus.  An overhand chop from Rosë’s great axe split it from crown to writhing tentacles and it collapsed in a heap.  While Rosë and Sextus caught their collective breath, Quintus dropped down to one knee, trying to decipher the muffled voice of the cocooned dwarf.“Thou must stop them…they are killing my children…all will be lost!”Quintus snapped an order, “Don’t kill the silver furs!”Rowan snapped back, “Too late for that, they’re swarming all over the place!”Just then, another crash floated up from below.  “They are killing them!” The dwarf wailed.Something clicked in Quintus’s strained mind.  ‘Damn, the statues!’  He countermanded his earlier order, “Kill the silver furs…save the statues!”Rosë and Sextus shook off their weariness and moved to support Lew and Rowan.  Quintus followed them to the door and summoned his Ghost Sound, creating his best impression of Gordius Vercinox (Rosë’s son) crying with the volume of twenty men.  The effect was immediate and dramatic.  The quartet of attacking silver backs reeled in pain, slapping their paws to their ears.  The companions grimly cut them down and looked for more.  Rowan spotted several rolling on the floor at the feet of the huge dwarven statue.  He exchanged sword for bow and began raining arrows on them.  They saw, through the rent in the curtain, that the dead no longer danced.Unable to speak over the near-deafening wail issuing from Quintus, Rowan, Rosë and Sextus formed up and sprinted through the chamber towards the stairs.  Their passing kicked up dust from the crumbled corpses.  Quintus followed, walking slowly while maintaining concentration on his crying noise.  Unnoticed by the other companions, Lew had halted in the doorway of the dwarf’s chambers and was staring at the pulsating black cocoon.Sextus, Rowan and Rosë burst into the tapestry room and surprised three silver furs that were reeling from Quintus’s spell.  They made quick work of them, but noted the destruction in the room and down one of the hallways.  Tapestries were shredded and pieces of fractured statues dotted the smooth marble floors.  One of the dead silver furs clutched the smashed head of one of the statues in its bloody paws.  “Which way?” Rosë roared.Sextus noted that one of the hallway doors was closed and gestured towards it.  Rowan nodded in agreement and they sprang away.  They took care to slam the door closed behind them and ran down the corridor, which turned to the left.  They spotted an intact statue in front of the curtain that led to one of the large sitting rooms.  Distance and stone walls significantly had significantly lessened the volume coming from Quintus, so the three heard smashing and hooting noises coming from the room.  They gripped their weapons tightly and charged; hitting the drape as a knot of silver furs tried to push through from the opposite direction.  Barbarian oaths, hoot-hoots and old Imperial curses flew as the two groups dissolved into a biting, hacking, stabbing mess.On the balcony, Quintus noticed Lew standing – motionless – with his back to him.  ‘What, in the name of Osirian, is he doing?’As if in response to the sorcerer’s mental query, Lew turned and began walking slowly around the balcony towards Quintus.  His face was slack and devoid of expression, but violet fire shone from his eyes.  Quintus swallowed hard and reversed the grip on his spear, brandishing it like a club.  He saw no recognition in his companions face, but the eyes resembled those of the dwarf.When Lew stepped close enough, Quintus swung hard; angling his blow at his friend’s head to break whatever enchantment he was under.  Lew sidestepped and brought his hands up.  Violet light flared and Quintus felt every muscle in his body spasm and lock.  Lew’s face betrayed no emotion as he stepped around the sorcerer’s frozen form and out of Quintus’s line of sight.Rowan ducked snapping fangs and cursed as the strains of Quintus’s spell faded.  His spirits lifted, however, as Sextus replaced his brother’s mewling with his deep baritone and began singing a song of valor.  Rosë’s axe and Rowan’s sword finished off the last two silver furs before them, but the ranger’s heart sank as he saw a dozen more loping from the corridor directly opposite them.  In their midst strode the enormous silver fur they had seen earlier and the wall shook as the huge creature roared a challege.They formed a semblance of a battle line 3 paces in front of the last remaining dwarven statue.  “Let them come to us,” the ranger whispered.Rosë caught a footfall behind them and half turned to see Lew standing beside the dwarven statue, hand on its shoulder.  The cleric seemed to be mumbling something, but the Brigante could not make out his words.  His attention snapped back to the fore as hoots and howls announced the silver fur charge.Sextus was aware of someone stepping up behind him as he braced for the impact.  He caught a glimpse of Lew’s tunic out of his peripheral vision and heard an unfamiliar voice shout words of power from his friend’s mouth.  A pillar of violet fire erupted in the center of the chamber and the bard cried out.To Be Continued…Next: Interlude – The Sleeper Awakens~ Old One</blockquote>

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