D&D 5E The Kalarian Precipice - Chapter Five

[Carthum One-Tusk]

"Annit!" Carthum shouts, his tone raising in fury at the demon.

Foul demon! Its choice of targets was obvious- but he would give the demon something else to focus on!

The half-orc stepped forward, moving to bring his mace down on the demon's head.

<To attack= 14. Damage 8>

 

[Jeovanna]

Jeovanna: Kravikus Comes!

Kravikus is trapped, though still just as deadly.

Yet his head is laid at her feet and she would not pass up such an opportunity! He had shown resistance to blades already, but that simply meant she must hit him harder!

"Face me, demon! Or are you too afraid?" Jeovanna snarls.

A heavy downwards swing at their trapped target!

<To hit=20, damage 14>

 

[Metea]

Dain & Metea: Kravikus comes!

And here there comes a choice; two of their members already injured, and Annit now critically so- getting her clear of another blast of flame from Kravikus is necessary. With a burnt, leg, though, could she sprint out of range?

Dain's chest still ached from the burning acid, but his legs were fine! Without waiting for permission, he would sweep the rogue up over one shoulder- her slim figure making any weight there utterly negligible- and dashed down the wagon-churned pathway. He had a destination in mind- the same place he had taken refuge before- and so far, no spiders! Dain set Annit down carefully.

His bow! Or he could rush back.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Metea's misty visions was disrupted, but it mattered little now. Kravikus was up to his shoulders in rubble.

She'd strike out with a blast of eldritch pain at the big demon- aim right for the ear!

<Eldritch blast- 18 to hit, 16 damage>

 

[Otiroth]

Otiroth: Kravikus Comes!

Dain had gotten Annit out of range of Kravikus' firebreath... maybe. Good. He'd seen Annit use her bow before, and every little bit counted! They could handle this... for now!

Speaking of which...

The sorcerer was running low, even with draconic blood boiling in his veins. He imagined the fire-spewing Kravikus would not be particularly impressed by firebolt! Otiroth joined in Metea's magical ranged assault- she went for one side of the demon's head, he went for the other, four darts of red magic flying from his fingertips to strike at the demon.

Perhaps it would have been better for all of them, if Kravikus had not answered the imp's call!

<Spell casting: Magic missile, 2nd level slot to create 4 darts. 17 damage>

 

[97mg]

The burnt-legged rogue does not resist Dain’s rescue effort, as he zips in and hurries away with her back into the dark. Behind them, the sounds of Kravikus taking a battering ring through the passage. The heavy thud of a mace, the slisssh of a sword against fiendish flesh, the explosion of magical darts, a crackling of energy that could be none other than Metea.

Contained in his hole, Kravikus is repeatedly targeted in the head. It is the only part of him accessible after all! Otiroth’s magical missiles end it once and for all. The beast’s head explodes like a melon smashed with a warhammer, his skull splitting into pieces and scattering across the floor.

“Ah ha! Better to be a head, than have no head at all!” Magaw says jokingly. Then he turns to Jeovanna and the priest, with a more serious expression in those hollow pits for eyes.

“We must hurry away from here. Kravikus will be missed, and the fiends will not take to the rumours of his demise nicely.”

 

[Carthum One-Tusk]

Carthum was silent for a moment after Kravikus' demise- but he nodded to Magaw.

Move on? Indeed. But now, they were trapped between a rock and a hard place. Carthum would first head to Annit and Dain- lay his hands upon the rogue to undo some of the damage she had taken, unless she declined as Dain did.

<Spell casting: Cure wounds. 12 healed>

"The path may be one large circle- the ratbird that fled made it to some place ahead of us. Continuing on down this path may well lead us on to another gathering of demons- if any remain at all," Carthum said.

Magaw had indicated that most of the demons had left before, but his comments now spoke differently. The skull would know. Either way, they were not really in a position to battle further. Carthum had seen enough of death for the day as well...

Forward, potentially into a cavalcade of demons? Or back, without any promise that they would not run into trouble or find themselves upon the same path?

 

[Jeovanna]

Jeovanna licks her teeth, and observes Kravikus' demise for a moment. Fitting. But the demon is already buried, and unburying him is perhaps a fool's effort. Even if they did, how would they find anything amongst the rubble and demon? Her trap is gone, but she will get another, if they make it to the surface.

"We go forward, or we go back, but neither is ideal. Skull, was this demon a warden here? Do you know? Or merely another lackey?" He seemed to suggest the other demons that were left would be upset- but it mattered little if they were scuttling creatures.

If the imp had reported their arrival to Kravikus, perhaps it did so to anything else that may be waiting. Her comrades were flagging in strength.

She'd bend down and pick up one of the demon's horns, crack it against the wall to get rid of any excess bits that were not needed.

If they were to continue down this trail so vulnerable, they would need to create their strength.

 

[daindarkspring]

Dain - Trick or Treat

The conversation had been hushed, hurried, and intense. Should they proceed as before, with weapons ready and eyes alert? Or do they try a more subtle approach? Dain would have liked to continue on as before, his blade before him and trying to avoid trouble through covert movement. But the skill set of the party was varied, and perhaps a new tactic could be tried.

So it was that they advanced down the cart path with their fate tied to trickery rather than stealth. Annit and Jeovanna in the front, with Otiroth and Carthum trailing. Metea was acting the part of the successful bounty hunter while Dain was in the far back, carrying the weapons of those feigning captivity while bearing mystical marks of submission. He did not enjoy acting, nor was he good at it, but the only way his sword was being taken from him is if he were slain. That was that.

 

[Metea]

Metea: Trick or Treat

Dain might not have enjoyed acting. But Metea?

Metea loved it.

She wore the frenzied excitement of a successful hunter well, as it mirrored her true excitement. Her tail, she managed to keep mostly under control, swishing slowly from side to side. In her hands she gripped the rope they had brought out- her invocation having turned it into a nasty-looking (but only looking!) chain, and she'd give it the odd tug now and then, just to 'encourage' the others to hurry. So what if no one saw them at the moment? There was never a bad time to practice ones' art!

"Hurry up, you lot," she'd scold them, testing out her thaumaturgy once more, pleased as the earth harmlessly trembled around them.

She was sure her patron would be proud!

 

[Otiroth]

Otiroth Trick or Treat

Otiroth mostly kept his head down. It wasn't merely playing the part. Exhaustion helped a bit, too. Had it only been a few hours since they had seen the great chasm? He wouldn't mind the cool splash of water now.

Metea tugged on the ropes, and Otiroth did give a quick glare at her back that looked quite authentic. She was pushing it!

But, at least she was having a good time. And Otiroth was trailing along behind all three women, so he had a decent view.

He'd focus on maintaining his prestidigitation sigils, though they didn't take too much effort. Metea and Dain would probably be happy to hear that such magical symbols did not stain the skin! But they did leave a magical signature, to any who cared to look.