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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Wraithdrit" data-source="post: 1042461" data-attributes="member: 10820">Above the Crypts, South of Dagger FallsMarpenoth 3, 1372Just Before DawnMytrym walked slowly around, mainly keeping an eye on the crypts in the distance. He scanned the edge of the woods nearby not and then, but somehow never saw the strange looking creature till it was nearly twenty feet from him. He started and drew his sword calling out, “Arise!”His companions began springing up from their bedrolls, most slept with a weapon either in hand or at least very close. They all turned to look at the strange being that had walked into their camp.A small mangy wolf like dog crouched beside his leg, the creature looked like a hairless humanoid. Its head was large; its eyes large even for its head, and its limps where longer than normal. It wore serviceable outdoor clothes, a strange harness of daggers, and had a massive cloak draped over its shoulders. “Put-ck away your weapons. I mean you no harm-ck.”Mytrym took a couple steps closer, “Who are you?”Amador frowned from behind the paladin and muttered to the others, “Or what?”The creature nodded its head, “I am tck-called Plickit. Plickit Ka. I wish you no ham-ck. I have been sent-ck by Randal Morn.” Every now and then its speech seemed to be interrupted by a weird clicking noise in the creatures throat. It drew forth a small bound note and tossed it forward toward the party. Tanerus caught the note, opened it and read it.“Its true. Morn sent him to aid us against the drow. Why were you asked to help us?” The halfling eyed the strange creature.“You fight-ck the elves of the dar-tck-kness. I am good at-ck hunt-ck-ing elveses.” The creature cocked its head to the side at a weird angle. “Where is your friend-ck?”The heroes looked around and realized that Delorian had shadow stepped to behind the creature. Amador nodded over the creatures shoulder, “Behind you.” Plickit’s head rotate all the way around on its shoulders, looking straight back at the shade.Delorian frowned, “Move into the fire’s light.” As the two stepped further into the light Delorian asked Tanerus, “Why should we trust this Morn?”Tanerus frowned, “Morn is our ally. I trust him.”Amador nodded, “More than we trust you…”Tanerus looked at Amador and shook his head, “Delorian has Clariburnus’ backing. That’s good enough for me.” The shade and the halfling exchanged a look, then everyone turned back to Plickit. Amador asked louder, “What are you?”Plickit cocked its head at Amador then began to shift in form. The whole group tensed, what they saw when the shift ended did not really allow for much of a relaxing of their guard. In the place of a strange looking humanoid stood a six foot tall mantis. Four arms ended in hands, the clothing mostly disappeared, replaced with hide like armor and a large bandoleer of strange wedge shaped weapons.Delorian growled, “A thri-kreen… your friend Morn has sent you a slave.”Plickit turned to look at Delorian and corrected him after a loud click, “The shades may enslave my people, but I am not-ck a slave.”Amador was not much happier, “Thri-kreen eat elves.”Plickit turned to the elf, “I will not-ck eat-ck you. I am sent-ck to help you.” Tanerus grinned, “The drow?”Plickit shrugged, “Them I will eat-ck.”Mytrym shook his head, “I’m not to sure about this… but if you guys say you trust this Morn fellow, then I’ll give him the chance to prove it.”Delorian remained quiet, but was obviously not happy with the situation.It was soon time to break camp, and the group of five entered back into the crypts. Tanerus lead the way, followed shortly by the Thri-kreen. Mytrym was a ways behind Plickit and was followed shortly thereafter by Amador and Delorian. On the way into the crypt, Plickit moved up to Mytrym his animal companion with him. Plickit pointed at the paladin and clicked out several strange noises.The desert jackal seemed to understand, and fell into step beside Mytrym. Plickit looked at the paladin. “You are tck-guarded-ck.”Myrytrm cocked an eyebrow then shrugged and watched the mantis warrior follow Tanerus into the crypts.Eventually the group returned to where they had fought the demonic spider creatures. They quickly found the next illusionary wall and Tanerus glanced through. He pulled back after a few seconds and reported, “A drow woman, weeping on the other side of the room. I don’t trust it at all.” He pulled his hood and melded with the stone behind him. Plickit moved to the opposite wall, his shell and armor seemed to begin to take on the hue of the wall behind him.The two slipped through the opening and were quickly followed by the others. Mytrym stepped through and raised one hand, “She is evil.”The cavern exploded in action. The drow woman pulled a hidden wand and rapier from behind her. She leveled the wand and several small globes of energy ripped forth and plunged at Myrtym. The brooch he wore on his left breast glowed bright and the globes were sucked within it, causing no harm.The paladin hefted his bastard sword in one hand and growled, “You have to do better than that.” As he started to step forward, a thick mass of webbing dropped on all but Tanerus and Plickit.Amador managed to turn such that the web did not stick to him in most places, but he was trapped near the center of the sticky strands. He pulled his bowstring back and shot at the drow woman. One of the arrows sunk deep into her shoulder, but his second shot sailed wide to one side.Delorian also managed to twist amongst the strands of webbing to not be stuck fast. He pulled at the shadows beside him on the wall and stepped through. He stepped out beside the drow woman and lifted a knee up to slam into her gut. She doubled over in pain, but was obviously not out of the fight yet.From his hidden position, Tanerus dropped to one knee, aimed his crossbow and let loose at the woman. The bolt sank deep into her side. So ganged up on, the woman was going down quickly. Still she was alive and fighting.Mytrym growled at being caught in webbing yet again. He yanked at the sticky strands and plowed forward, easily ripping the sticky strands that clung to his armor.Plickit was nowhere to be seen. He seemed to be trying to move into a better position.Above the group, the second assailant that had dropped the web, muttered some strange arcane words. A small force shield appeared in front the strange spider like creature.The drow woman stepped back from Delorian and underwent a strange shift. Her lower jaw shifted and split, becoming mandibles. Her eyes became multifaceted and hair grew along the back of her arms and legs, which seemed to thin to unnatural proportions. Amador tried to move forward, but the web stuck tight to him. Mytrym continued to rip through the webbing, stepping out into the open finally. Tanerus dropped his crossbow and rolled forward behind the spiderwoman. Delorian tried to finish her off. He connected with a vicious punch to her temple. Somehow she still survived. She spun away after the first hit though, and managed to block his other two blows. Tanerus slipped up behind her. His sword slashed out, and bit deep. Gore flowed freely from her back, and the woman collapsed to the cavern floor.The second spider woman dropped from the ceiling. As she fell, six of her eight legs melded with her body. When she landed beside Mytrym she was like her fallen companion, some strange hybrid of woman and spider.Mytrym shook his head, “Bad landing spot.” He pulled his sword back in a long arc.Delorian rolled in behind the creature and leapt up and kicked her in the side of the head. As she stumbled Mytrym moved to strike. His sword flashed forward, the blade lit brightly. A prayer to his goddess flowing from his lips, the paladin sank the weapon deep into the woman chest, killing her.As the woman fell at his feet Mytrym growled, “If there is one thing I can’t stand, its spider worshippers.”</blockquote>

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