Dungeon of the Fire Opal, part V

[Jalon Odessa]

Jalon, magical torch in one hand and ornately-crafted longsword in the other adopts his fighting stance defensively in front of the halflings, preparing for the coming foe.

'Tyr grant us Strength...'

 

[HeavyG]

He smells the air to see what information it may obtain about the coming foe, peering into the dark...

Nothing more than the usual background dungeon smell.

(To clarify, the lift has plunged the far end of the corridor in darkness, which means that it now illuminates only about 60' (The corridor is 70' long). Those with low-light vision can see the room ahead is small, maybe 20' long, but don't see most of it (which is to your left).


The party tenses up as they all get ready to be attacked. Silence descends on the area and the air seems still in anticipation.

Nothing comes forward.

 

[Doppleganger]

Ivellios notifies the others, "I can still see that small room ahead beyond the edge of our light. It extends to the left."

He draws both of his elven blades and pivots in place, keeping watch on the side corridors so the party isn't ambushed from behind.

 

[Taz]

Taz moves forward slowly, moving towards the source of the shattering glass.

 

[reapersaurus]

Ubaar whispers - "Taz - stay back.
We don't want you getting hurt.

Send Shee-la forward to have a look-see." <--big wink

Ubaar moves slightly ahead of the small fragile halfling.

OOC: Are we at O5 on that map, looking south? If the evil-looking bone with runes is nearby, Ubaar will reach out, grab and throw it back to Jalon. How far away is the first slightly-open door? On the left, or the right?

 

[HeavyG]

Taz moves forward slowly, moving towards the source of the shattering glass.

Quiet as a mouse, Taz moves forward. The cluttered ground makes stealthy progress awkward, but she manages it by taking her time and lighting her way with the vial.

First, she passes by a pile of debris that has a large bone poking out of. The bone is covered in strange runes that are very similar to the Infernal glyphs that have been seen so far.

Then, she passes by a bunch of wooden doors. A pair of those are slightly ajar, letting her see that they seem to be cells. She can also partly see what looks like other bones.

As she makes her way south, her light dims a bit and turns completely white when she reaches the place where the corridor turns into a small room.

She starts to peek around the corner and a small room with a lot of shelves carved into the walls is gradually revealed. To the left, a glass vial glitter on the ground in the white light.

Then, suddenly, as she is about to peek all the way aroun the corner, a large humanoid, made all of bones and large as an ogre, jumps out with surprising speed from behind the corner. In the same movement, it slashes at the halfling with a scorpion-like tail, which she ducks under. Then it starts advancing on her, waving a barbed tail menacingly. The Infernal runes carved into it glitter with a silver glow in the pale white light.

I've attached a file to give you an idea of what it looks like.

So, what'll Taz do ? (I'll give Taz and the thing a surprise round, then the rest of the party can join in - most likely tomorrow.)

Here's a map (except Ubaar is exactly 10' behind (north) of Taz - see below) :
http://communities.msn.com/JFspicturestorage/shoebox.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=83

 

[HeavyG]

Of course, while I write this huge post, Reaper posts AND I lose access to the server (because of taking too long to write the post).

I thought my post was lost for a minute there and I was pretty pissed. Fortunately, it wasn't the case (hitting the back, then forward button worked).

I'll go edit the previous post to account for Reaper's last post now.

Edit : And of course Reaper's post pretty much invalidates everything I posted last.

Mmmh. I really wonder what to do now. Anybody have an idea on how to get out of this huge mess ? I'll go home and think about it now.


Edited again : All solved now.

 

[reapersaurus]

great effort on keeping the storyline propelling forward, Heavy.
Sorry I happened to mess with yer scene - timing is everything, as they say.

Here's an idea, so as to make it easier to ret-con the scene:

As Ubaar walks forward to intercept the ever-curious and recklessly-impetuous halfling , he stops to pick up the nasty-looking bone-club.

As he looks it over briefly, Taz continues picking her curious way forward.

He throws the bone back to Kytess, right near Jalon.
"Here's some more runes I can't read.
Lovely."

By the time Ubaar or the others notice, Taz has picked her way up to the end of the corridor.

Ubaar quickly rushes up to meet her, his rushed whisper cutting thru the blackness: "Taz! get back here, little one!
There's bad stuff here, can't you feel it?"

You could then have the big fugly attack her, and we'll resolve the surprise round.

If so, Ubaar would make sure to interpose himself between the huge imp-looking thing and Taz, backing them both back the corridor towards the others, and placing his faith in the strength of the Thunderbeast, as Jalon's words spring to the front of his mind.

His gore-flecked greatsword takes on a shimmering light of force as he casts Magic Weapon (preferrably before he gets within AoO range of the devil).

 

[HeavyG]

Perfect solution, Reaper.

As Ubaar walks forward to intercept the ever-curious and recklessly-impetuous halfling , he stops to pick up the nasty-looking bone-club.

As he looks it over briefly, Taz continues picking her curious way forward.

He throws the bone back to Kytess, right near Jalon.
"Here's some more runes I can't read.
Lovely."

Looks like Infernal runes, Jalon.

It also looks like part of a large bone stinger that has been broken in at least 3 parts from some great impact.

Ubaar also spots some other large bones in the wreckage and some canine craniums and human-sized bones. Looks like there was a large battle here. Maybe a dozen different broken skeletons litter the ground.

By the time Ubaar or the others notice, Taz has picked her way up to the end of the corridor.

Ubaar quickly rushes up to meet her, his rushed whisper cutting thru the blackness: "Taz! get back here, little one!
There's bad stuff here, can't you feel it?"

Then, the big skeleton rounds the corner ahead.

Since Ubaar's action has been pre-empted by me (involuntarily but still), he'll get to act in the surprise round too. He's now 10' behind Taz. I won't redraw the map.

If so, Ubaar would make sure to interpose himself between the huge imp-looking thing and Taz, backing them both back the corridor towards the others, and placing his faith in the strength of the Thunderbeast, as Jalon's words spring to the front of his mind.

Since it'll be a surprise round (I remind you all that only Taz and Ubaar can act in the surprise round), you can interpose yourself or cast you spell, but not both. Choices, choices...

 

[HeavyG]

(preferrably before he gets within AoO range of the devil).

What devil ?