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="Sniktch" data-source="post: 513171" data-attributes="member: 7704">The abandonment of JackBH: Cavalry?  What cavalry?  Unless Artimas and Welby decide to reveal themselves, Quinn and Grick are very much alone!  Jack's decision to run kind of broke the spirit of the remaining members. The ironic thing is the vast majority of the assembled drow are actually just level 1 warriors with 4 hp each - if they hadn't been frightened by the sheer number of their opponents, the party may just have stood a fighting chance!Still, all is not lost yet - let's proceed with the next update:*****Welby watched as the dark elves responded to the sound of the whistle, immediately going into a heightened state of readiness.  One of the warriors called out to the sentries standing near the cliff edge and the halfling cursed silently as one of the drow disappeared over the side and the others moved to join the raiding party.  The rogue was quickly losing any hope of being able to influence the outcome of this battle.  He pressed closer to the wall and stared helplessly at the parade of warriors and undead until the last dark elf had passed him, then wriggled up the rope and followed a short distance behind the raiders.  He would at least see what happened and would assist his friends if the opportunity presented itself.  He was nearly as startled as the drow when the glowing dwarf suddenly appeared and zoomed by, chased by two howling dark elf wizards.  They were moving far too quickly for Welby to follow, so he ignored them and continued following the warriors to the site of his companions’ camp.*****Jack zoomed over the heads of the startled drow and nearly made it past them untouched – only the last rank of warriors had time to raise their crossbows and fire shots before he zipped over their heads.  He grimaced as a couple of bolts grazed him but kept going.  As he rounded the corner a flying drow materialized in mid-air and raised its arms, throwing a crackling sheet of electricity into the dwarf.  At the same time another drow wizard floated up from the ranks of the assembled warriors and buffeted the flying dwarf with icy winds and large chunks of ice.  Jack ignored both attacks and plowed through the wizard in his path, keeping his boots activated and flying for the surface for all he was worth.The pair of wizards took up pursuit, one of them leveling a crossbow and hitting Jack with a bolt before he rounded the corner, the other barely clipping him with another lightning bolt.  Next the two downed potions of speed so that they could keep up with the dwarf and zoomed off down the hallway.  Jack struggled to keep his eyes open as the levels of drow toxin built up in his bloodstream and continued his bruising flight, clipping the walls and ricocheting around corners as he remained at top speed.  He rounded a corner and nearly collided with the silent figure standing in the middle of the hallway - Igor!  Artimas had forgotten to collect his pet zombie after the last couple of battles and it remained where he’d left it, still following its last set of instructions.The zombie ignored the dwarf and he prayed it would provide a split-second distraction so that he could increase his lead on his pursuers.  The tunnel would be much straighter ahead and he wasn’t sure he’d survive another blast of lightning.The first dark elf sped around the corner and pulled to a stop, regarding the figure before it.  The man had obviously been dead for some time; worms wriggled in empty sockets, rotting flesh dripped from stiffened limbs, and many of the man’s body parts appeared to have been sewed into place.  Still, the figure stood in the middle of the hallway, regarding the approaching wizard with its unseeing eyes.  The second wizard caught up and stopped beside the first.“Why have you stopped?” he hissed.The first drow pointed at Igor.  “It looks like he left a guard behind.  I exhausted my spells on that elf earlier and, while I am confident that I can bring down a single, naked dwarf, I chose not to take any unnecessary risks with his undead servant.”The second wizard sneered, pulled forth a wand, and released a burst of electricity at the zombie.  Igor exploded messily as the current raced through his dead limbs.  The mage put his wand away and turned back to the city, snickering, “Just wait until Susztam hears that you let one of them get away because you were frightened by a zombie.  Let us return to the others before all of the fun is finished.”“What of the dwarf?”“Your hesitancy has cost us any chance of catching the dwarf.  He is on the surface now and that is his domain, not ours.  Besides, the coward is insignificant – he left his friends behind to die.  He will not be returning.”Jack, meanwhile, had reached the exit and sucked in the cool night air gratefully as he exited the confines of the Dorien crypts.  He landed by the wagon and grabbed his riding gear, rushing to his war pony’s side and hastily buckling on the saddle, bit, and harness.  When he was finished he pulled himself astride his trusty steed and kicked it into a trot, steering the pony toward the north and Travensburg.  It appeared that the dark elf wizard’s assessment had been correct – as far as Jack was concerned, everyone else had perished, and he had no plan or desire to return to this foul place ever again.  It was finally time for him to make good on his promise to the dwarf king and finish lifting the curse from Duernfast.He rode throughout the night, steering far to the east of Lord Bryson’s house and the town of Bryan’s Stone.  He continued riding well into the day before finally stopping to camp, until he and his pony were both in danger of collapsing from exhaustion.  By this time he had left Bryson’s lands far behind, and if he could maintain his pace he’d be back in Travensburg before a fortnight passed.  By this time some of his friends and companions would be dead, but Jack was alive and was not looking back.*****Welby stared in horror at the scene before him.  A wall of stone blocked the chamber where his friends had set up camp, and four of the undead creatures they’d faced stood before the hewn granite, raining blow after blow of their acidic fists upon the barrier.  Nearly two dozen dark elves stood watching this scene with expressions of bored amusement, chattering amongst themselves with a combination of the spoken word and flashed hand signals.  While Welby understood none of their words the meaning was clear – these degenerates were enjoying themselves!  He’d sent his shadow through the floor to see what was beyond the wall, and it reported to him that Quinn knelt in prayer just beyond the barricade while Grick was busy draining a small keg of whiskey and the elf slumbered peacefully nearby.  There was no sign of Artimas, and he wondered what had become of the mage.Unbeknownst to the halfling, the necromancer clung to the ceiling nearby, studying the action happening nearly directly below him.  While the halfling’s thoughts were filled with fear for his friends, the wizard had other things on his mind as he examined the relentless work of the undead below him.  So lovely, he thought, such a perfect creation of death.  I must have one for study – I must learn the secrets of their creation!Beyond the wall the scene was very much as Welby’s shadow had reported to him.  Malobar was still under the effects of the sleep toxin and snored gently upon his bed of cobwebs and stone.  Quinn prayed fervently for deliverance from this evil, although she did not hold out much hope for survival.  Grick had decided that the final battle was upon him and was busy drinking all of the alcohol he’d carried into the underdark with him.  The half-orc currently wore an expression only slightly less intelligent than that of the average cow, but Quinn still envied him his stupor.  When the end came, Grick would feel no pain.She rose to her feet then as the first cracks began to appear in the wall, hefting her mace and preparing herself for what might be her final battle.  The wall began to shudder and chips began to fall loose under the continued blows of the undead; soon it would begin.  “Grick!” she whispered meaningfully at her companion, and he shot her a bleary, stupid grin and abandoned the keg he’d been working on, moving to join her for their final defense.</blockquote>

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