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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Softwind" data-source="post: 1267180" data-attributes="member: 13893">Enemy mineEighteenth Session (Feb 03) The mines show signs of extensive work, over the course of many years.  However, there are no signs of recent activity, save for numerous booted feet of varying sizes crisscrossing the chambers.  The party takes note of several mechanical contraptions placed over vertical shafts throughout the mine – upon further investigations, they determine that the devices are elevators, complete with iron cages, winches, and hand cranks for their operation.  They decide to scout the rest of the upper level before descending deeper, looking for clues as to what has happened to the previous workers and rescue crews.Brynn, scouting ahead of the group, is the first to discover a possible answer to their questions, as he is plunged into darkness abruptly; darkness that even his dwarven eyes cannot penetrate.  “’Ware!” he shouts to the group, as the sound of chitinous clattering can be heard emanating from an unfinished tunnel to their right.The party fans out, weapons at the ready, eyes and ears straining for any sign of their attackers.  The noise from the passageway stops, and the pitch blackness at its mouth that covers Brynn does not allow for vision past it.  The Companions wait, anxiously, for the enemy to present itself.  Brynn’s shout of mixed pain and anger spurs them to action, and they charge into the darkness.  Grimnyr swings wildly at what he believes to be his opponent, just barely holding his attack in check with Brynn’s indignant yell.  Genoa has more success, as she casts a spell to grant her blindsight.  While she does not “see” the creatures attacking, she senses the vibrations in the air, and directs the rest of the party to their location.Athena, practiced in healing under difficult conditions, and trained in rangerly combat arts, is able to locate one of the creatures, and deals a fair amount of damage with dual scimitar and mace.  Skylar does what she knows to do, and shafts disappear into the darkness, striking almost unerringly into the carapaces of her target.  Somehow, she manages to not skewer her companions while doing so.Thinking to bring the fight out of the darkness, Brynn and Grimnyr separate and move away, hoping to draw the creatures out where they can be seen.  Unfortunately, the darkness does not seem to hinder their opponents, and they feel several blows and near misses as they move.  Athena takes advantage of the distraction to again strike out at her target.  Genoa too wields her scimitar to good effect, crippling the creature before her.Brynn throws caution to the wind, and steps back into the darkness, swinging wildly, but with precision, as he lops off several limbs reaching for him.  For his effort, he is bitten several times, but shakes off the pain, focused on dealing out more destruction.  He is aided by Grimnyr, who uses his dwarven battle axe to good effect, and manages to kill one of their opponents.Abruptly, the darkness ends, and the Companions are finally able to see what they face.  They are taken aback by the monstrosities before them – large insectoid monsters, with glossy black carapaces and cruel mandibles, resembling a strange hybrid of ant and scorpion, including the tail with lethal stinger.  The group only pauses for a moment before stepping up their attacks, taking advantage of the ability to see their opponents.The remainder of the battle is short.  Shorn of their inky black concealment, the creatures quickly fall before the combined attacks of the Companions.  They consider themselves lucky to not have been hit by the stingers eminently visible on now-stilled tails.  Athena and Genoa tend to what injuries were sustained, and the group continues their investigations; now with the knowledge of what may have happened to the miners within the Silverhall mine.  This supposition is strengthened by the discovery of abandoned mining equipment – picks, shovels, and lanterns, all damaged and broken, seemingly used in defense, but to no avail.  No bodies remain, dwarven or insectile, at the battle site.Having explored the first level completely without further incident, the group decides to use the elevators previously discovered to descend to the next level, to continue their search.  </blockquote>

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