[Lakelands] Six For Adventure

[Toric_Arthendain]

After slinging his bow and retrieving his spear, Selanil turns to follow Kregor, wondering how the creature had made itself appear to try to leave the chamber for the surface when it was actually retreating back the way it had come.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

OOC: How far does Horsom get before the round ends? If it's a standard action to climb out of the hole, he will call out to Fellan as he spends a full-round action burying another acorn and watering it by wringing water from his clothes before returning down the hole (he will let it grow until he returns.. the little acorn man was nice, but he's now looking for some heavier muscle). If planting an acorn isn't a full-round action, Horsom will spend the rest of the next round getting back down the hole. Once down the hole, Horsom will gather his torch and pull out his axe and follow the group down the tunnel.

If climbing out of the hole is a full-round action (i.e. will run into the next round), Horsom will give up after the end of this round and drop back into the tomb. He will gather his torch and pull out his axe then follow down the tunnel. Again, he will call out to Fellan, telling him that the group has come down a hole and for him to follow Horsom's torchlight.

 

[Raven Crowking]

Glom loaded his sling, but by that time the beast was nowhere to be seen. "Why won't you just die?" the goblin screamed.

Horsom, at distracted first by the arrival of Fellan, then by Kregor's bizarre actions, let the Hisser scrabble by him. "Fellan!" he cried, alarmed. "That creature.. kill it!" He quickly slipped his bow over his shoulder and attempted to follow the beast out of the hole. As one of Long Archer's chief protectors, Fellan was reknowned for his skill with the blade, but even so, Horsom wasn't sure that he could handle the Hisser alone, even weakened as it was. "Dain!" he shouted to the dwarf as he disappeared down the tunnel. "I'm going after it!"

Looking up, though, he realized that would be easier said than done. They had dropped down into the middle of the chamber without lowering a rope....Well, to be fair, Glom had fallen....The rocks were crumbling and slick with algae and moisture. Somehow, Horsom would have to climb up the wall and over to the ceiling of the chamber in order to scramble out of the hole. Alternatively, the chamber was only 10 feet or so in height. He might jump, hoping that whatever edge he could grab wouldn't collapse in his hands. Of course, the footing was not the best in this chamber, either.

It was, perhaps, very lucky that Fellan had returned.

Within the tunnel, Kregor could see that the creature was now seeping yellowish puss from several of its wounds, and the foxfire light had dimmed to something less than candllight. The creature seemed oddly faded as well -- Kregor felt as though he could almost see through the thing into the tunnel beyond.

As he followed after the monster, he called out to the others. "We have it! Come on, the beast is retreating to it's lair!" The thing was not going very fast. It was injured, and backing down the tunnel. Kregor could not help but notice that the tunnel was sloping downward....which meant that the water level was rising.

Please. The creature spoke directly into his mind. If you slay me, my body will block the passage. You will never get the treasures that lie beyond. But show me mercy, and I will bring you the best of what remains, and I will be your good and faithful servant. There is much that I know that I could share. But say the word, Master, and all shall be yours.

Selanil watched the abomination exit the chamber by the hole in the roof, disbelief on his face. The thing was un-killable, maybe even invincible. He quickly slung his bow over his shoulder and then moved to retrieve the spear he had leaned against a wall earlier. He then readied himself to follow his companions out of the chamber in pursuit of the creature.

When he heard Kregor's cry, though, Selanil turned to follow Kregor, wondering how the creature had made itself appear to try to leave the chamber for the surface when it was actually retreating back the way it had come.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

OOC:

Alternatively, the chamber was only 10 feet or so in height. He might
jump, hoping that whatever edge he could grab wouldn't collapse in his hands. Of course, the footing was not the best in this chamber, either.

I realised our mistake when I went back to read the posts regarding our entrance. I was hoping that the jump would be relatively easy to make; sounds like it isn't.

Given these circumstances, Horsom won't attempt to exit (is this OK?). In the round following the illusion's exit, Horsom used a move action to put away his bow. He will use his remaining standard action to pick up his everburning torch and call out to Fellan to lower a rope and follow the group into the tomb.

The following round, he will follow the group out of the chamber, drawing his axe (which he can combine with a move action since his BAB is greater than +1), so that he has axe in one hand, torch in the other. He will not be 'two-weapon' fighting though; when a combat situation arises, he'll drop the torch and slip on his shield.

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Horsom looked at the dangerously slippery rubble lying beneath the opening, then looked again at the height of the hole above his head. "Hmmmm.." thought the warrior, "think first, do second." He turned and collected his everburning torch from beneath the fetid water near the fallen Esk warriors. "Fellan!" he called out. "We are following a.. monstrosity further into its lair. Send down a rope and follow us; my torch is lit."

Horsom draws his axe as he follows the others through the tunnel.

OOC: If Fellan responds immediately and can join Horsom within, say, two rounds, Horsom will wait for Fellan before proceeding.

 

[maddmic]

Kregor looked at the beast and seemed to feel it's anguish. He slowed his pursuit and lowered his weapon. Looking at the creature, he held out his hand. "You have spoken wisely. These treasures you speak of, I would be very interested to see. Come and I shall show you mercy."

OOC:
Should the beast come back, or at least stop long enough for Kregor to get within touching distance, he will reach out and touch the monster. He will then use his death touch ability (touch attack, 1d6/lvl). If the beast can read his thoughts, he truely believes that ending it's life is showing it mercy....just like the miller....

 

[Raven Crowking]

Horsom looked at the dangerously slippery rubble lying beneath the opening, then looked again at the height of the hole above his head. "Hmmmm..." thought the warrior. "Think first, do second." He turned and collected his everburning torch from beneath the fetid water near the fallen Esk warriors. "Fellan!" he called out. "We are following a...monstrosity further into its lair. Send down a rope and follow us; my torch is lit."

Horsom drew his axe as he followed the others through the tunnel.

Within the passage, Kregor slowed his pursuit and lowered his weapon. The water was already waist-high where he stood; if it went much deeper, Glom would have to swim or be submerged.

Looking at the creature, Kregor seemed to feel its anguish. He held out his hand. "You have spoken wisely. These treasures you speak of, I would be very interested to see. Come and I shall show you mercy."

The creature hissed. So, this is your mercy? it thought. For aeons uncounted, I have guided the hands of men, and this is the reward I am given for my good deeds? For my sacrifices? It has been over five centuries that I have languished in this hole. I thought to see the moon once more....Come, then. I relinquish this body. I will go back to the Pit. It reached its long neck toward Kregor, allowing the half-orc priest to reach forward and touch it.

Kregor called upon his ancestors to deliver death through his touch. The will to fight seemed to go out of the creature. As it passed from the Middle World, a last thought lashed across their minds: I will not forget you!

Then it seemed as though an unimaginably cold and vast gulf stretched open within the passage, bending the world, stretching mind and mortar to give enough space in that cramped passage for eternity. Everyone in the tunnel could feel it. It was the doorway to madness, cold beyond ice, dark beyond the darkest cloud-shrouded night. It pulled at the fallen monstrosity, drawing it back to whatever far pit had once spawned it.

For a second, briefly, that long tongue lashed out. If the thing intended to ensnare Kregor, its efforts were in vain. The tongue touched Kregor's cheek like a caress, barely felt, leaving behind only a brief moisture.

Then the thing was gone, the passage closed. Distance and time seemed to shrink back into their normal constraints. The passage, which had stretched into eternity, became cramped and still. The moment, which had endured forever, was no more.

The passage was silent.

 

[maddmic]

Kregor wiped his cheek with his free hand. He then sheathed his sword, bowed his head, and thanked Gragnor for granting him the strength he needed to keep the beast from descending upon the village. He turned back to the way he came from and called out to the others. "It's over."

 

[Krug]

"Monster gone?" asked Glom, about to collapse from the effort of the battle.He remembered the creature's tongue around him and shuddered in fear.

 

[Ulorian - Agent of Chaos]

Horsom splashed forward, his guttering torch casting strange and forbidding shadows on the walls of the tomb. He stopped suddenly as he heard the rumble of Kregor's voice up ahead, ripples spreading from him like portents of what lay ahead. The constant dripping muffled the priest's speech, but the silence which followed spoke volumes. Then those words, etched in his mind forever: "I will not forget you!" Horsom staggered as the air around him groaned as if burdened with an impossible weight, then suddenly seemed to stretch into eternity. Stretched and.. tore.. opening into a realm of madness. He gasped in horror, then it was over. He could feel that the Hisser was gone. Shaken, he strode on once more, and was relieved to find Kregor, Glom, Selanil, and Dain, none of them any the worse for wear.

"We should search this tomb. Who knows if any of its minions remain? First though, we should get Fellan.. you might have heard him calling to us a few minutes ago. Hopefully he's really here and that wasn't just another of the creature's tricks." He eyed the rest of the group, noting the numerous wounds many of them were sporting. "Some of you should avail yourselves of the potions we secured from the Archdeacon."

That evening, before they retired, the Sisters of Mellador arrived, bearing more than the Archdeacon had promised. Sister Folgarda offered them six bottles of a minor curative elixir, light green in color and clearly marked with the Mardoni “H” rune. She brought another three vials of a dark green liquid, marked with “M” runes that she explained were major curative elixirs. Finally, she brought six bottles of a pale blue liquid, unmarked by any rune, which were a general antidote for poison.

“You need use only a third of each potion,” she said, “to gain the desired effect. As Mardan guides your hand in battle, may Mellador guide your heart toward mercy.”

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Once the beast is gone, Selanil nearly drops to his knees in the murky water, overcome by fatigue and his wounds. Only his grip on the spear holds him up. He staggers to a wall, leaning against it for support.

"I agree with making sure this place is clear of other dangers but we must rest and heal first. We prevailed against that abomination but I am not so certain that we would all survive any further hostilities."