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The Stepchildren of Fate (Updated 6/3)
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<blockquote data-quote="htetickrt" data-source="post: 1576852" data-attributes="member: 16534"><p style="text-align: center">The Barracks</p><p></p><p>Trella turns her head toward Rhien as she holds tightly to the wall. “Can you free Kyree?”</p><p></p><p>“Yes.”</p><p></p><p>“Good; I’m tired of hanging out here.” The druid effects a startling transformation, suddenly inhabiting the mottled hide of a large spider as she makes her way to the passage, pausing only to dismiss the spike stones.</p><p></p><p>Kyree sighs as he waits, idly peppering the fiendish arachnid with arrows to pass the time. It hisses at him and retreats further.</p><p></p><p>Kai stares into the passageway with death in her emerald eyes. After firing off a charge from her wand of lightning to warm things up, she begins drawing on the essence of the weave to increase the potency of her magic. A second later a superheated pebble springs from her outstretched hands, flying outward to impact something in the darkness. Judging by the screams this elicits from the normally stoic drow, her fireball was right on target.</p><p></p><p>Calla’s breath quickens at the sound, and she frustratedly paws at the webbing near her, waiting for Khail to descend so she can have her chance at the dark elves before their voices grow hoarse. Am impatient flick of her wrist sends her dagger off to shatter an eye of the fiendish spider while doing so; Rhien is forced to dodge this as he scampers down the stone wall toward Kyree. Upon reaching the elf, the monk slips between spaces with the archer in tow. An instant later the pair is standing in front of Kai in the mouth of the passage before her. Arrows assail the two visible from further inside the city, but the minor injuries do not halt their approach.</p><p></p><p>The passage becomes crowded with the addition of more of the large band, a situation ameliorated a few seconds later as all visible sentries are sent to their deaths upon the cold stone via a combination of arrow, blade, and bite. For good measure, Kai finally slays the maker of the web with a volley of missiles, ending the threat from the rear.</p><p></p><p>Szith Morcane’s first line of defense is not yet beaten, however, and the drow manifest their superior vision in the darkness by peppering the massed group with ice and projectiles. Thanks to better luck than they are used to, only Dobi falls due to the combination.</p><p></p><p>Quid cries, “Dobster!” and is at his side in a flash, converting one curative spell into another on the fly to heal the majority of his wounds. Khail stops by her side only long enough to scoop up her daylight stone, and then he is off at a run down the passage. Expecting to meet only a few blinded drow, the paladin is dismayed to see four quth-maren standing before nearly a score of archers, their double-bladed-sword-wielding commanders, and a pair of mages assuredly protected by numerous pre-cast magics. All sport a thin layer of black cloth over their eyes, well-prepared for the party’s new favorite tactic.</p><p></p><p>Khail conveys this tactical data with the ever-popular “Drow! Charge!” and the party obeys. Out of the chaos of fired arrows and swung swords, Rhien tumbles through the line of sentries to stun a mage with a blow to the sternum. He is rewarded by the attention of the two officers, who close to melee with him. The leering black skulls on their white tabards stare balefully at the monk as their wearers twirl their exotic swords in displays of cocksure skill. Rhien ducks and weaves amongst the strikes, but he cannot prevent his blood from staining their blades.</p><p></p><p>Being further away, his friends primarily suffer the impact of ranged assaults, and Danek crumples to the ground after being struck by five arrows. Dobi snatches the party’s curing wand from Quid’s belt and bravely runs to Danek’s aid, closing a couple of the more prominent wounds on her body. The barbarian gasps back to consciousness, dimly aware through her rage-addled mind that she will not last long once her anger subsides.</p><p></p><p>Khail, dripping with spat acid yet again, lays about himself with great hacks of his longsword. Caustic blood spatters around him as one of the undead falls; standing invisibly behind him, Kyree calmly drops a mage with far less overt effort.</p><p></p><p>Trella takes in the party’s health—or lack thereof—grimly, and decides to do something about it. Invoking her staff, she summons a wall of thorns that blankets the entire area between the three remaining quth-maren and the sentries’ carefully formed double line of archers. With no opportunity to move, all twenty of the foes are captured within its tough brambles, and eight of the badly-burned sentries are instantly slain.</p><p></p><p>As his friends move to take potshots from around the wall, Rhien makes the difficult decision to back off. Luckily, the combination of a parting kick and five force missiles from Kai is enough to take down the final mage.</p><p></p><p>The two officers advance on said sorceress, but their blades are no more successful at hitting her than the twenty arrows that litter the floor around her previous position.</p><p></p><p>Khail—after being spat upon further—advances with his elven comrade, and the two manage nearly to end the undead threat. Trella steps forward as well, a cruel glint in her eyes. A moment’s gesture ignites a wall of fire directly on top of the thorns, and she watches with satisfaction as those sentries who cannot escape are both burned and torn unto death.</p><p></p><p>Incensed, the two officers respond, rounding the wall in a fury of whirling steel. One slices Rhien from neck to hip, nearly killing him; the other steps over the body to deliver similar punishment to Khail.</p><p></p><p>Their pleasure from this is short-lived. Dobi continues his tumbling act, restoring Rhien to consciousness, and Quid does the same for Khail, though in a more dignified manner. This marks the effective end of the officers’ resistance, as Khail’s arrows and Calla’s well-placed dagger ensure that neither survives to author another deadly strike. Once Quid fells the final quth-maren, the battle is over. Knowing that this is only the beginning, the group hurriedly gets to healing, while some split off to loot the fallen.</p><p></p><p>Calla looks around brusquely as the party begins its grisly search, pausing only for the priests and Dobi to heal. “I’m going to scout ahead to see if we’re alone on this floor, and maybe make sure we can avoid some of the traps that you all will likely step into otherwise.”</p><p></p><p>Trella looks up from her tasks. “Too dangerous. You shouldn’t go alone.”</p><p></p><p>Calla shrugs. “Okay, I’ll take the invisible elf. He should be sufficient backup.”</p><p></p><p>Kyree makes a face that goes completely unseen by the others. He accepts healing from Trella before moving off behind Calla out of the guardpost. Quid nods her appreciation before her mercenary nature reasserts itself. After expending her magic, she activates a granted power to vulture the most valuable items off of the bodies of those drow still caught in the webs outside.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile, the stealthy duo pad down the hallway without making a sound. They return several minutes later, with Calla exhibiting several new puncture wounds. She holds a letter out before her, and looks decidedly displeased.</p><p></p><p>Trella looks up from her looting. “What happened to you? More drow?”</p><p></p><p>Calla grimaces. “No.”</p><p></p><p>Trella pauses, waiting for the strange halfling to elaborate, but grows impatient after Calla only picks at a wound. “So, what happened?” the druid asks more forcefully.</p><p></p><p>“There was a trap. Several, actually. I missed one. A salamander appeared. We killed it. It speared me a bunch first. Okay?”</p><p></p><p>Trella wisely chooses to let this go. “What did you find?”</p><p></p><p>“Empty cells, empty barracks, and officers’ quarters with some of the drow scum’s possessions.” Calla dumps a small pile of goods on the floor; Quid immediately rummages through them looking for items of interest.</p><p> </p><p>“I also found this letter in the officers’ quarters. There doesn’t appear to be an exit from or entrance to this level other than the way we came in, and I couldn’t find any other drow either. Too bad.”</p><p></p><p>Trella takes the letter from Calla and reads it aloud, haltingly at times as she tries to understand the dialect:</p><p></p><p>“Indrizil:</p><p> Word has probably reached you about the fall of Maerimydra, and perhaps you have wondered about my safety. Obviously, I survived the sack of the city, although it was a close call indeed. The city fell at the hands of mere chattel—the priestesses of the Spider Queen had kept the city so cowed that, with their power gone, its defenders could not resist even a force of goblins, ogres, and giants. We held our strong places for a time without the clerics, but then House Chumavh was overthrown from within, and so we were undone.</p><p> I write to you now from Szith Morcane, the old outpost north and west of the city. Perhaps you will come visit me—though I must say if you still profess faith in Lolth you will not be welcomed by those who rule here now. The spider Queen’s priestesses have found a new role here, which I do not think you would enjoy very much.</p><p> I do not know if you still cling to the hope that the Spider Queen will restore you—will restore all of us—to her favor, but if you do, I urge you to reconsider. The Lady of the Dead will accept you still, just as she has taken me into her care. All Maerimydra is her temple now, and her emissaries rule here too. Abandon your empty allegiance to a silent goddess and come to Szith Morcane, but do not wear the emblem of the spider. I have need of allies of my own blood, and if Lolth still ignores your pleas, I suspect you do as well.</p><p> --Rhavauz”</p><p></p><p>Raphael, who arrived earlier with the rest of the drow contingent per Kai’s orders, smiles at the note; the other three frown. Rhien offers, “I suggest we take anything else we want from this pile and decide quickly on our next move. Our healing and magic are all but exhausted for the day, and I doubt we could survive another such attack as we are now.”</p><p></p><p>A non-dominated drow that Kai has decided to call Michelangelo snarks, “What, you want to leave already?”</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="htetickrt, post: 1576852, member: 16534"] [CENTER]The Barracks[/CENTER] Trella turns her head toward Rhien as she holds tightly to the wall. “Can you free Kyree?” “Yes.” “Good; I’m tired of hanging out here.” The druid effects a startling transformation, suddenly inhabiting the mottled hide of a large spider as she makes her way to the passage, pausing only to dismiss the spike stones. Kyree sighs as he waits, idly peppering the fiendish arachnid with arrows to pass the time. It hisses at him and retreats further. Kai stares into the passageway with death in her emerald eyes. After firing off a charge from her wand of lightning to warm things up, she begins drawing on the essence of the weave to increase the potency of her magic. A second later a superheated pebble springs from her outstretched hands, flying outward to impact something in the darkness. Judging by the screams this elicits from the normally stoic drow, her fireball was right on target. Calla’s breath quickens at the sound, and she frustratedly paws at the webbing near her, waiting for Khail to descend so she can have her chance at the dark elves before their voices grow hoarse. Am impatient flick of her wrist sends her dagger off to shatter an eye of the fiendish spider while doing so; Rhien is forced to dodge this as he scampers down the stone wall toward Kyree. Upon reaching the elf, the monk slips between spaces with the archer in tow. An instant later the pair is standing in front of Kai in the mouth of the passage before her. Arrows assail the two visible from further inside the city, but the minor injuries do not halt their approach. The passage becomes crowded with the addition of more of the large band, a situation ameliorated a few seconds later as all visible sentries are sent to their deaths upon the cold stone via a combination of arrow, blade, and bite. For good measure, Kai finally slays the maker of the web with a volley of missiles, ending the threat from the rear. Szith Morcane’s first line of defense is not yet beaten, however, and the drow manifest their superior vision in the darkness by peppering the massed group with ice and projectiles. Thanks to better luck than they are used to, only Dobi falls due to the combination. Quid cries, “Dobster!” and is at his side in a flash, converting one curative spell into another on the fly to heal the majority of his wounds. Khail stops by her side only long enough to scoop up her daylight stone, and then he is off at a run down the passage. Expecting to meet only a few blinded drow, the paladin is dismayed to see four quth-maren standing before nearly a score of archers, their double-bladed-sword-wielding commanders, and a pair of mages assuredly protected by numerous pre-cast magics. All sport a thin layer of black cloth over their eyes, well-prepared for the party’s new favorite tactic. Khail conveys this tactical data with the ever-popular “Drow! Charge!” and the party obeys. Out of the chaos of fired arrows and swung swords, Rhien tumbles through the line of sentries to stun a mage with a blow to the sternum. He is rewarded by the attention of the two officers, who close to melee with him. The leering black skulls on their white tabards stare balefully at the monk as their wearers twirl their exotic swords in displays of cocksure skill. Rhien ducks and weaves amongst the strikes, but he cannot prevent his blood from staining their blades. Being further away, his friends primarily suffer the impact of ranged assaults, and Danek crumples to the ground after being struck by five arrows. Dobi snatches the party’s curing wand from Quid’s belt and bravely runs to Danek’s aid, closing a couple of the more prominent wounds on her body. The barbarian gasps back to consciousness, dimly aware through her rage-addled mind that she will not last long once her anger subsides. Khail, dripping with spat acid yet again, lays about himself with great hacks of his longsword. Caustic blood spatters around him as one of the undead falls; standing invisibly behind him, Kyree calmly drops a mage with far less overt effort. Trella takes in the party’s health—or lack thereof—grimly, and decides to do something about it. Invoking her staff, she summons a wall of thorns that blankets the entire area between the three remaining quth-maren and the sentries’ carefully formed double line of archers. With no opportunity to move, all twenty of the foes are captured within its tough brambles, and eight of the badly-burned sentries are instantly slain. As his friends move to take potshots from around the wall, Rhien makes the difficult decision to back off. Luckily, the combination of a parting kick and five force missiles from Kai is enough to take down the final mage. The two officers advance on said sorceress, but their blades are no more successful at hitting her than the twenty arrows that litter the floor around her previous position. Khail—after being spat upon further—advances with his elven comrade, and the two manage nearly to end the undead threat. Trella steps forward as well, a cruel glint in her eyes. A moment’s gesture ignites a wall of fire directly on top of the thorns, and she watches with satisfaction as those sentries who cannot escape are both burned and torn unto death. Incensed, the two officers respond, rounding the wall in a fury of whirling steel. One slices Rhien from neck to hip, nearly killing him; the other steps over the body to deliver similar punishment to Khail. Their pleasure from this is short-lived. Dobi continues his tumbling act, restoring Rhien to consciousness, and Quid does the same for Khail, though in a more dignified manner. This marks the effective end of the officers’ resistance, as Khail’s arrows and Calla’s well-placed dagger ensure that neither survives to author another deadly strike. Once Quid fells the final quth-maren, the battle is over. Knowing that this is only the beginning, the group hurriedly gets to healing, while some split off to loot the fallen. Calla looks around brusquely as the party begins its grisly search, pausing only for the priests and Dobi to heal. “I’m going to scout ahead to see if we’re alone on this floor, and maybe make sure we can avoid some of the traps that you all will likely step into otherwise.” Trella looks up from her tasks. “Too dangerous. You shouldn’t go alone.” Calla shrugs. “Okay, I’ll take the invisible elf. He should be sufficient backup.” Kyree makes a face that goes completely unseen by the others. He accepts healing from Trella before moving off behind Calla out of the guardpost. Quid nods her appreciation before her mercenary nature reasserts itself. After expending her magic, she activates a granted power to vulture the most valuable items off of the bodies of those drow still caught in the webs outside. Meanwhile, the stealthy duo pad down the hallway without making a sound. They return several minutes later, with Calla exhibiting several new puncture wounds. She holds a letter out before her, and looks decidedly displeased. Trella looks up from her looting. “What happened to you? More drow?” Calla grimaces. “No.” Trella pauses, waiting for the strange halfling to elaborate, but grows impatient after Calla only picks at a wound. “So, what happened?” the druid asks more forcefully. “There was a trap. Several, actually. I missed one. A salamander appeared. We killed it. It speared me a bunch first. Okay?” Trella wisely chooses to let this go. “What did you find?” “Empty cells, empty barracks, and officers’ quarters with some of the drow scum’s possessions.” Calla dumps a small pile of goods on the floor; Quid immediately rummages through them looking for items of interest. “I also found this letter in the officers’ quarters. There doesn’t appear to be an exit from or entrance to this level other than the way we came in, and I couldn’t find any other drow either. Too bad.” Trella takes the letter from Calla and reads it aloud, haltingly at times as she tries to understand the dialect: “Indrizil: Word has probably reached you about the fall of Maerimydra, and perhaps you have wondered about my safety. Obviously, I survived the sack of the city, although it was a close call indeed. The city fell at the hands of mere chattel—the priestesses of the Spider Queen had kept the city so cowed that, with their power gone, its defenders could not resist even a force of goblins, ogres, and giants. We held our strong places for a time without the clerics, but then House Chumavh was overthrown from within, and so we were undone. I write to you now from Szith Morcane, the old outpost north and west of the city. Perhaps you will come visit me—though I must say if you still profess faith in Lolth you will not be welcomed by those who rule here now. The spider Queen’s priestesses have found a new role here, which I do not think you would enjoy very much. I do not know if you still cling to the hope that the Spider Queen will restore you—will restore all of us—to her favor, but if you do, I urge you to reconsider. The Lady of the Dead will accept you still, just as she has taken me into her care. All Maerimydra is her temple now, and her emissaries rule here too. Abandon your empty allegiance to a silent goddess and come to Szith Morcane, but do not wear the emblem of the spider. I have need of allies of my own blood, and if Lolth still ignores your pleas, I suspect you do as well. --Rhavauz” Raphael, who arrived earlier with the rest of the drow contingent per Kai’s orders, smiles at the note; the other three frown. Rhien offers, “I suggest we take anything else we want from this pile and decide quickly on our next move. Our healing and magic are all but exhausted for the day, and I doubt we could survive another such attack as we are now.” A non-dominated drow that Kai has decided to call Michelangelo snarks, “What, you want to leave already?” [/QUOTE]
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