D&D 5E The Kalarian Precipice - Chapter Five

[Otiroth]

Otiroth smiled when the skull was freed, and seemed about to say more... when the sound of approaching footsteps, and then the intrusion into his mind...

A quick glance to the others. They would not have much time.

Otiroth moved at first to the entryway, in which the footsteps were coming from, and would concentrate. It had been a bit, though not in the grand scheme of things, since he had done this- but a glowing figure appeared. The dancer! He'd send it darting off down the hall towards 'Kravikus'- though he'd not stay long to see the creature. No longer than to get a peek, make sure the demon got a peek in return, before turning back towards the others.

"We had best make that count," Otiroth said, perhaps a bit too loudly, "that is our last spell of the day," he lied through his teeth.

They had the room to themselves for the moment- but only a moment! The dancer likely would fizzle out or try to bobble back towards him, so its use as a distraction was limited.

<Spell casting: dancing lights>

 

[Metea]

Metea: Kravikus Comes

Metea pressed both hands to her head as the demonic voice invaded it. No! Go away! She thought back. Though she didn't know if that was how telepathy worked!

She shot there skull friend a look. "Kravikus! You could have mentioned him before, Magaw!" She scolded him, but very lightly. Perhaps he had simply thought the demon had left along with others of greater power. Perhaps he HAD left. Demons could move about quite a bit!

"I... may be able to do something to help. If we can delay him for only a moment," she whispered to the others. Metea sounded uncertain, though.

Metea would move to near the entrance of the cavern- just before the path lead to the wagon-beaten cavern. Still out of sight of Kravikus. The tiefling pulled her book from her pack, flipped through it- gestured towards the soil and rocks and rubble before her.

She looked to make a hole. A hole she could cover with misty visions, to make it look like the floor! The rubble from the hole, well, she was unpracticed with the spell, but could not move it far.

The pitchlings had taught them something after all!

<Cantrip: move earth>
<Beginning invocation: misty visions>

 

[Carthum One-Tusk]

Carthum watched his sister work for a moment. His jaw was set firmly in place, as he listened to the sound of the incoming demon... the vicious snarl in his mind's eye. It was an affront! He would pick up the dwarf and carry him to the rear of the cavern- as far from the incoming demon as possible.

But, he did see what Metea was going for... arranging themselves to get the demon to walk into the trap would be quite tricky! He tapped Jeovanna on the shoulder- pointed to her hunter's trap. Could she use that?

Otiroth seemed to be luring the demon to act in haste, so Carthum would motion for the group to arrange themselves. Perhaps, if they waited on the other side of the hole, but made it look as if they were taking the coals for cover instead of egging the demon on to approach them...

"Mage- you still have your crossbow at least, do you not? If not spells?" Carthum asked. He could not be particularly deceptive himself... so he had to work with what he had!

He wanted Metea and Otiroth well behind him! Magaw could do as he willed!

 

[Jeovanna]

Jeovanna had not even had a chance to lower her blade! Another demon was coming... and so far, the skull had been honest enough with them, so she believed him. It was bad news. Some of them were already fairly injured.

The barbarian growled.

Carthum tapped her then, and she wheeled on him, but after a second's hesitation- she understood. The trap! Jeovanna pulled it off of her pack, frowning a bit at it... if this worked, this may be the end of her old faithful equipment- before heading towards the hole before Metea covered it with her illusion.

Where was Annit? If the thief was nearby, she'd give the trap to the thief to set, for Jeovanna could pull her back out. Otherwise, she'd have to leap in herself- but the barbarian was quite swift at such things!

<Athletics check 12, acrobatics check 18>

 

[97mg]

Kravikus Comes!

“Forgive me! I did not know!” Magaw pleads to Metea. “Quick, we must be ready!” He takes off upwards then, to hover at the top of the exit, looking down to witness the mortals at work in a flurry of action.

Annit takes a step back to briefly admire her freshly crafted obstacle, just as the outline of a luminescent dancer moves past. It steps right through her creation and boldly heads up the passage. The group stirs behind her, and as she turns much action is underway. The Tiefling’s hands are waved and a hole appears, a black pit within dark stone. Jeovanna tosses Annit over a trap, iron jaws with a spring-loaded plate. The plan is clear.

Quickly glancing behind, Annit is pleased to see Dain retreating into the darkness. A wink to him, and the rogue jumps into the five foot hole, sets the trap, and swiftly jumps out. A mist forms then settling to appear as though solid ground.

A great roar booms down the tracked tunnel. Long and solid steps as something moves closer. The party is ready! Except Dain is alone. Annit exits the hole on the side opposite the priest, barbarian, sorcerer, warlock and skull. She will head in the ranger's direction, later.

“Death is coming!”

Annit dares to look. Ahead, Otiroth's dancer is in retreat, it's light cast upon a form beastly and disturbing. Tall and thickly built, a humanoid approaches, covered in a natural armor of deadly spines. Massive hands swing by its side, claws extended and scraping along the walls. The face is horrifying, red skin stretched upon a wicked and angular elongated face.

“You think a pile of stone will stop me?”

It's jaw opens, and a thick stream of blazing hot fire comes rushing through the space. It licks past the dancer and blows across Annit's stalacmites. Luckily for the rogue, some of her wall has blocked the scorching flames. Still though, it is enough brush her. A smell of singed hair, skin and cloth follows as she screams in burning pain.

“Nooo!”

<Annit hole entry/exit Dex check = 22. Kravikus Fire attack = 22. Annit half damage from cover. >

---

Round 1 Begins:

24. Dain (-13hp)
21. Annit (-6hp)
16. Metea
15. Magaw
13. Otiroth (-6hp)
10. Kravikus
7. Carthum
3. Jeovanna

<Let me know if the previous damage for Dain or Otiroth isn't correct.>

 

[daindarkspring]

Dain - Kravikus Comes

The shadows had called to Dain, embracing him with a newfound familiarity and warmth. But no sooner had he vanished into the pitch, fire and mystical dancing light illuminated the corridor and Annit cried out in pain. They were under attack and skulking in the shadows would be of little use to his comrades. His initial burning burst of speed and swordplay would have to wait for another time.

His chest still burned, but his blood was up. Annit, of all of them, needed to survive and escape the mine with what they had come for. She was the one best able to ensure their journey was not in vain.

But there was nothing he could do but wait. There was a trap and row of spiky confusion between him and his foe.

"Mark this beast..." He murmured under his breath. "...with your breath."

<Cast Hunter's Mark>

 

[97mg]

Annit's right side, arm and torso had caught the worst of it, stinging with a hot pain that was planning to stick around. The rogue was in shock, a sense of conviction and over-confidence all but burnt away. Magaw hadn't been lying when he'd warned them about “fire”. Kravikus seemed to have quite a way with it.

The rogue gritted her teeth. As much as she wanted to scream again, she knew that could end in death by flames. No. It was time to be quiet, time to be gone.

She moved a small way and crouched down against the wall, shrinking into a tiny ball of shadow. It was time to hide, and choose a moment to strike in revenge… later.

<Stealth = 19>

 

[Metea]

Metea winced at the smell of burnt flesh on the air. And, through all of that- she hadn't seen Kravikus yet!

Not that she was in a rush. If their trap did not work, they were in trouble, but Metea felt a bit better, with Jeovanna and Carthum before her.

The warlock was waiting for Kravikus to come into view- her hex of strength remained, and she needed to concentrate so she would not lose it. Small pebbles and rocks moved just slightly before the priest and barbarian's feet- a scattered remain of the excavation, ready to refill the hole- or simply create some cover, if worse came to worse.

"Pretender," Metea hissed. She really didn't want Kravikus being careful when he picked his way over Annit's damaged ground!

 

[97mg]

Kravikus Comes!

Magaw descends to hover and face the group anxiously awaiting the results of the trap. Quietly he speaks “of many things I am afraid, but fire be not one of them. I will try and anger him and lure the ugly bastard into your well conceived pit, if only for the irony!”

The skull rotates then, and takes off into the tracked passage, turning right to hang above Annit's spiky patch of ground.

“Haha Kravikus! Been a long time you old devilish mummer's toy! Summoned to wipe an Imp’s arse I presume? Haha how your breath still stinks like a summer cowpat! I am free you fool, and look so, how the very stone here thinks you weak and futile! Come, useless tool, see if you can catch me!”

The demon's reply echoes through the space, loaded with nothing but pure hate.

“Magaaaaaw! I shall smash you between my teeth and crush you to dust!”

The skulls laughs then, as from it's empty orbits three bright glowing darts take flight, speeding down upon Kravikus and impaling deeply into the beast's ugly flesh.

“Errrargh!” The demon bellows, as it prepares to clamber past the stalagmites.

<Krav takes 13 damage>

 

[Otiroth]

Otiroth: Kravikus Comes!

The very tips of the demon's horns are practically in view! Otiroth can sense it in a way, like feeling heat drifting into a chilled room.

His dancer pirouettes in front of Kravikus, but it still does little more than cast light; not especially suitable as a distraction, except perhaps to wind the demon up further!

That could quickly be a bad thing, though!

At Carthum's mention of his crossbow, Otiroth pulls it from his pack and begins to notch a bolt- he would not mind having it ready, if someone else had need of it, but Otiroth was only a passable shot, if one were honest...