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<blockquote data-quote="Wraithdrit" data-source="post: 1336471" data-attributes="member: 10820"><p><strong>Underdark</strong></p><p><strong>Lake of Shadows</strong></p><p><strong>Marpenoth 27th, 1372</strong></p><p></p><p>Marcus looked up from the doorway to the shrine. He nodded quietly back to the others, though they already knew, thanks to Will’s telepathic link spell, that the magical glyph on the door had been disabled. Marcus slipped to one side, and Delorian stepped up and strained to push the door open. He started to see that beyond the door was a sheer wall of water. It seems the entire temple was filled with water.</p><p></p><p>Inside stood a statue of a mutant kuo-toa of some sort, presumably one known as the Claw. Sitting beside it on either side was a kuo-toa dressed plainly, with simple rope belts tied about their wastes. They quickly launched themselves through the water, and Delorian dove in to meet them.</p><p></p><p>Prior to crossing to the island, each member of the group of five heroes was the recipient of two spells by Varick, one that would allow them absolute freedom of movement in the water, and another that would allow them to breath. Delorian wasted no time testing them.</p><p></p><p>The first kuo-toa he met was lightning fast, dodge his blows, and blocking others with expert moves. Delorian instantly realized that it was trained in martial arts, just like him. While the rest of the heroes prepared to move in as well Marcus in through the door, running quickly to flank the attacker. The other kuo-toa swam through the water like a fish, quickly reaching the door. He flicked the door closed and planted himself on the other side. </p><p></p><p>Varick rushed forward, slamming into the door, but the kuo-toa behind him held it shut tight. Delorian spun toward the door, cracking his fist into the kuo-toa trying to hold it shut. Marcus swam around the first one as well, diving toward the one at the door, rapier first. The water darkened with blood and neither hero could stop the first kuo-toa from slipping to the door out of the room. He easily opened the door and cried out something in the water.</p><p></p><p>Together Varick and Malaghym finally managed to push the door open past the kuo-toa that was trying to block it. Will tossed small spiraling globes of energy into the water that burning the kuo-toa they struck. The melee was fast and furious, and soon more kuo-toa swam in through the door. They were fighting well, using the water to get height advantages when they could. The heroes quickly adapted, trying to do the same.</p><p></p><p>The melee took a sudden turn for the worse when the two new kuo-toa, armed with tridents, flanked Brother Varick. Their tridents both punched through his armor and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He slumped in the ever-darkening water, and his telepathic link went silent. Malaghym spun and grabbed hold of the cleric and injected the healing energies of his spellfire. </p><p></p><p>Varick’s eyes shot open and swam out of the combat. Soon the kuo-toa all floated lifelessly in the bloody water, and the party quickly patched themselves up before moving on. </p><p></p><p>Moving through the next doorway, the group found itself in a foyer of sorts. A staircase, a pair of double doors, and a smaller door led out. They swung open the double doors, and found an immense temple like room. A hole in the floor was surrounded by four female kuo-toa, priestesses by the look of their attire. One spoke to them in the strange bubbly language of the kuo-toa.</p><p></p><p>“Hal-l-l-l-t ther-r-r-r-r-re. We mean you-ou-ou-ou no harm-rm-rm-rm.”</p><p></p><p>The party began spreading out slowly, watching all four of the priestesses. Will spoke up, “We are here seeking the one called the Claw.”</p><p></p><p>“We-e-e-e-e-e know-ow-ow-ow-ow why you are here-re-re-re-re-re. Leave now-ow-ow-ow-ow, while you still can-an-an-an-an.”</p><p></p><p>Will shook his head, “We can’t do that.”</p><p></p><p>“Do not be foo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-lish, mortal. You don’t know-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow what you are dealing with.” With that, two immense tentacles rose up out of the hole in the ground. The ends of the tentacles had wide flaps of skin on them. </p><p></p><p>They all thought it at once as their hearts sank… the devil-kraken!</p><p></p><p>Will shook his head one last time, “No can do.”</p><p></p><p>“Then you will die-ie-ie-ie-ie!” All four of the priestesses snapped their arms up and began casting. Delorian launched himself at one of them, and Malaghym moved up and stood as if wanting one of them to cast at him. They finished casting quickly, one right after the other. The first one pointed at Delorian. He felt a strange pulse of energy flow over him and released suddenly that he could not breath the water any more!</p><p></p><p>The second priestess pointed at Malaghym. The dark elf grinned as the spell energy soaked into. He channeled the energy into his reserves and made a mental note to thank her corpse later.</p><p></p><p>The third priestess, seeing the second fail to effect Malaghym, targeted him as well, after all he was the closest target, and would probably not be able to soak up two spells so quickly. Her gamble worked, and Malaghym’s spell of breathing and spell of movement both fizzled away into nothing.</p><p></p><p>The final priestess to cast was the high priestess, known by the kuo-toa as a Greater Whip. She targeted Will with a spell of dispelling. Will grinned as the ring of counterspells he wore flashed on his hand. The dispel magic and the counterspell discharged each other, leaving Will untouched by the dispelling magics.</p><p></p><p>Will answered with a small peas shaped ball of fire that burned sizzling trail through the water. It exploded into a huge ball of flame and steam burning each of the priestesses badly. </p><p></p><p>Varick quickly cast a spell of silencing on one edge of the hole, keeping the priestess all from casting at the magic pool.</p><p></p><p>The massive tentacles of the kraken slapped at Delorian. They hit, but just they tried to tighten their grip they would slip off. The freedom of movement spell was still active on the monk, and they prevent him from being grabbed.</p><p></p><p>The priestesses continued their attacks. One was in deadly combat with Delorian, but the monk was too fast and hit too hard, soon her lifeless body floated away through the water. One leapt out of the area of silence, swimming to a few feet from Will before releasing a ray of hot steam and fire at the mage. His elemental resistances kept him from too much harm.</p><p></p><p>Fearing the kraken more than anything the priestesses could do, Will quickly raised a wall of force just beyond Delorian, trapping the kraken on the other side. Its tentacles slapped against the wall of force then sank into the darkness below.</p><p></p><p>The fight raged on through the water, blood once again beginning to spread through the murky darkness. Malaghym and Delorian held their breath, each fighting one of the priestesses. Marcus moved in to lend a hand, while Will blasted forth a cone of icy cold. Varick muttered a prayer, and grew to nearly twice his size. He hefted his morningstar, ready to begin smashing his opponents. </p><p></p><p>Out of the gloomy water from above the temple area, a dark form swam down behind Delorian. It was a misshapen kuo-toa, with a ridge of spines along his back, and dark red eyes, the one they called The Claw. He had been watching Delorian, studying him, waiting for the opportunity to pounce. He lashed out with a dagger that barely glowed with an eerie green light. At the last moment Delorian dodged a swipe from the priestess he was fighting, caught sight of the incoming dagger and ducked beneath it. Half a second sooner, and the dagger would have plunged into the back of his neck. </p><p></p><p>Delorian spun, but did not attack. Marcus quickly got the priestesses attention with a quick stab of his rapier, and Delorian was able to concentrate on The Claw, waiting for his next move. The beastly kuo-toa held up one hand and seemed to draw energy from around him. He was using some sort of spell like ability, and Delorian was not about to let that happen. He shook his head quickly, unable to talk in the water, and leveled a quick jab into the kuo-toa’s wide lips. The Claw’s head snapped back and he paused a moment, blinking, as if trying to remember where he was. </p><p></p><p>Meanwhile the Greater Whip was still in a spellcasting duel with Will. She held up her hands, just out of reach of anyone, and called forth a massive column of steam and fire in the watery foyer. The fire and steam burned Will, even through his practiced use of elemental fire. The pain ripped through him, then his world turned upside down and inside out. The fire had triggered his contingency spell. Quickly he concentrated on where he wanted to go, the balcony above the fight would do well. He stumbled to his knees there and pulled out a potion. Somehow he managed to drink suck its contents down.</p><p></p><p>Malaghym swam around to behind and above her, his hands jetted forward and blueish energy ripped through the water. His spellfire burned the Greater Whip, but not before she managed to turn a bit out of the stream, minimizing the damage.</p><p></p><p>Varick stepped in while she was distracted, his massive form filling the foyer. He swung his now huge morningstar around in a wide arc and smashed the Greater Whip in head, cracking it like a melon. Blood quickly spread in the water around her as her corpse gently floated away.</p><p></p><p>The Claw, finding himself suddenly surrounded and nearly alone quickly swam upward, not realizing that Will was not hiding up in the balcony area. As he came into view, Will quickly cast a freezing sphere into the water. A huge chunk of ice surrounded The Claw and he was stuck within. </p><p></p><p>Varick smashed the last of the Lesser Whips with another righteous blow from his morningstar only to slammed from behind something. He spun around to see two massive tentacles. The Devil Kraken had gone around the outside of the building and was now attacking through the front door!</p><p></p><p>Varick spun on the tentacles, smashing one with his holy weapon. It quickly recoiled back. He thanked his goddess for the magic of the Freedom of Movement spell, for if it had not been in place he surely would have been grabbed by the tentacles and be deep in the lake, and the bowels of the Devil Kraken. </p><p></p><p>The rest of the heroes focused on The Claw. The slippery fish had managed to slip right out of the ice encasing him, but that only put him into the waiting hands Delorian, Will, Malaghym and Marcus. They quickly finished him off.</p><p></p><p>Varick smashed the second tentacle, sending it quickly pulling back as well. </p><p></p><p>Blood floated everywhere in the water, but for now the temple was silent.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The massive stone giant leader clapped Will as gently as he could on one shoulder, sending the mage stumbling forward. “You did good! Did real good!” The giant held the corpse of The Claw up by one foot in his other hand. The corpse dripped blood, gore, and water, its eyes rolled back in its head. Marcus could not help but compare it to some twisted mockery of a fisherman holding up his latest catch. Would the giant show others his trophy, like some sort of warped Underdark version of a fish story? He chuckled and shook his head.</p><p></p><p>Will straightened his tunic with a humpf and looked up at the giant, “I hope this will remedy your dispute with the Kuo-toa…”</p><p></p><p>The giant heaved the corpse back like a little rag doll and flung it out at the lake, “Eat this you stupid Devil Kraken! Har!” The giant seemed very pleased, and turned to look down at the frowning Will. “It will do just fine, little mage. Come, you all look tired and grumpy, we go up and have another feast, you rest and leave when you are rested.”</p><p></p><p>As the group retired to the giant caverns, the leader turned and looked at them as he walked. “Say, you know… you could do another favor… we pay you again. The lobster monster that lives in cave below… you could kill it. Do that, we give you five hundred gold.” </p><p></p><p>The party looked at each other and Will noted, “I did it with my Arcane Eye when I scouted the temple… it’s a chuul, and a large one at that. Nasty creatures up close, but we have the drop on it. I think we can dispatch it fairly easily.”</p><p></p><p>Varick frowned, “Its not why we came here… but it sounds like a menace to the area. Alright.”</p><p></p><p>The next morning the group, now rested from the hard fighting in the temple, executed a very quick plan to dispatch the chuul. </p><p></p><p>Will used his cloak to climb around and get to the entrance of the cave. It was split in two with a massive column down the center. He quickly cast a wall of force on the right hand side, trapping the chuul in. The space between the column and the left hand side was too small for it to fit, or so they thought.</p><p></p><p>From a hole above, Varick began to cast a spell of summoning, and the others fired their bows and crossbows down at the beast. Will blasted it with a series of powerful scorching rays. He poured spell energy into them, maximizing them to their fullest potential. The beast reacted quickly throwing itself at Will, squeezing its way through the smaller opening. </p><p></p><p>The mage backpedaled quickly, wondering where Varick’s elemental was. As if on cue, the watery form sprang into existence in the foot deep water that covered the cave floor. The chuul continued to charge toward Will, but he let fly another series of scorching rays. Finally the beast seemed to decide that discretion was the better part of valor. Horribly wounded it charged past Will and leapt into the water of the lake. </p><p></p><p>“Damn it!” Will scowled and pointed after it, “Don’t let it get away!” </p><p></p><p>Delorian appeared from a shadow beside the column and leapt into the water after the thing. He swam faster than many fish, his powerful legs propelling him quickly after the slower chuul. He could feel the water elemental looming in behind him as well. He thought to himself that it would not be necessary. He grabbed a hold of one of the chuuls armored plates and was looking for an opening to smash his fist into when several small globes of energy whizzed past him in the water and slammed into the thing. Delorian looked back, and through the darkness he could see Will standing at the water’s edge.</p><p></p><p>The chuul went limp. Disgusted, Delorian swam back to the surface. “I had it.”</p><p></p><p>Will shrugged, “I wanted to make sure.”</p><p></p><p>The elemental heaved the corpse up onto the beach then disappeared back to wherever it had come from. From above the giant leader clapped, “Most impressive!”</p><p></p><p><strong>Underdark</strong></p><p><strong>A day’s travel beyond the Lake of Shadows</strong></p><p><strong>Marpenoth 29th, 1372, Middle of the Night</strong></p><p></p><p>Delorian sat invisible atop the little hut that Varick had summoned. The cavern was pitch black, but that did not stop Delorian from watching the entrance and exit to the cave. He could not see but sixty feet, but no one should be able to see him atop the hut.</p><p></p><p>He thought about the traveling through the Underdark. It was tedious and slow going. Picking their way through smaller caves, climbing down large outcroppings, etc. He would be glad when they finally made the drow city.</p><p></p><p>His thoughts where cut short when the hut beneath him disappeared. He fell the fifteen feet down to the floor below, twisting in mid fall to land on his feet. The rest of the companions were rudely awakened from sleep when the cots that were a part of the hut were dispelled with the rest of the hut. From further in the Underdark a pair of large shadowy dogs came bounding down the passage, baying and howling as they came. </p><p></p><p>As if to add insult to injury, a massive column of flame erupted around the entire group, scorching them all with unholy flames. Someone had orchestrated an attack, and they all scrambled to counter it.</p><p></p><p>Delorian saw the others were awake, and knew that someone he could not see down there had dispelled the hut. He dove into a shadow, coming out sixty feet up the corridor. Some forty feet up the corridor he saw a group of drow. All four of them were covered in funeral wraps, black cloth swathing their entire form. The front two where two legged, and running down the passage after the mastiffs. The back two were driders.</p><p></p><p>Varick got his feet first, and quickly cast a spell to give him protection against anything more the unseen assailants would attack him with. Will was next on his feet; quickly he snatched up his component pouch and tossed out a few materials. He summoned up a massive wall of fire on the mastiffs, between them and their assailants. He hoped that bought them some time.</p><p></p><p>Delorian was still invisible, so when the first drow warrior went to rush past him toward the group, he cranked her with a quick forearm slam. She spun on him and lashed out with her dagger, missing.</p><p></p><p>Marcus got to his feet, shaking his head. He found his rapier and drew it and moved over to one side, squinting against the light of the wall of fire. From within it, a massive dog leapt toward him. He backpedaled and brought his rapier up to defend himself. The other mastiff leapt out at Varick, the unarmored priest had gotten his shield and morningstar out, and managed to block the dog’s attack.</p><p></p><p>One of the driders moved up to within twenty feet of Delorian, she reached up and ripped aside the cloth hiding her face. It was one of the two priestesses they had killed in the temple! Her eyes burned with hatred, her face was rotting, and a mask of anger. “You did this to me! I will have my vengeance on you, shade!”</p><p></p><p>Delorian’s heart felt like it was going to stop. Her cold stare gripped him with fear and remorse. He felt sorry for having helped to slay her. Perhaps he should get what he deserved, perhaps… No! He shook off the cold gaze and kept fighting, grim with determination to send her back to whatever hell she had risen from.</p><p></p><p>The hair on the back of Delorian’s neck stood on end. Something was wrong, something was very wrong, and he could not put a finger on it. A sharp pain, low in his back clued him into what it was he was feeling. A dagger had been plunged into his back, but worse, whomever was wielding it was twisting it fiercely through his flesh, making sure to do as much damage as possible.</p><p></p><p>A familiar halfling voice behind him cried out, “You bastards, you left me to die!” Delorian looked back to see the rotting face of Tanerus glaring up at him. The Tanerus he knew could never look so angry. The feral little man he knew was no more, replaced by an undead beast seeking his own sort of twisted vengeance.</p><p></p><p>The second drider dispelled the wall of fire, then moved up to behind the first one. The second of the drow warriors dodged past the melee in the passage, racing toward the spellcasters. She never got there. </p><p></p><p>Will dropped a serious of fiery explosions through the cavern and passage. Each one went only where he told it, and his precision with the firebrand spell was becoming legendary. When the smoke cleared, both the mastiffs had completely disappeared and both the drow warriors lay crumpled on the ground.</p><p></p><p>Varick, not able to see since the wall of fire had been dispelled, cast a quick daylight spell on himself. Malghym screamed out in pain as he was blinded. Delorian cursed a little but kept fighting. The closer of the two driders cried out in surprise as well.</p><p></p><p>His eyes shut tight, but knowing where the little halfling revenant had appeared, used his natural drow talents to summon a misty faerie fire that clung to everything, glowing softly. If the halfling tried to hide again, that should prevent him. Malaghym cussed in the drow dialect of elven and rubbed at his eyes, trying to make the spot go away.</p><p></p><p>The front priestess cast a spell of slaying, her hand glowing with dark energy. But she could not see to land it, and missed hitting Delorian with the spell. The other priestess muttered a mystical prayer as well, and the area between Will and Varick fell silent.</p><p></p><p>Tanerus was still flanking Delorian, and he lashed two more times, hitting once. Delorian was really starting to hurt. The tiny feral undead halfling was really finding especially deadly spots to bury his dagger.</p><p></p><p>Delorian finally spun on the halfling and growled, “You should have” He slammed a knee into the halfling, the blow powerful enough to send the little undead shadowdancer onto his back. “stayed” Delorian launched up into the air over the now prone target, “Dead!” He slammed down atop the halfling, his knee smashing ribs. The undead halfling coughed up disgusting black liquid, his eyes rolled back and then snapped forward and scrambled away from the monk.</p><p></p><p>Varick ran forward, the light of his daylight spell spreading through the passage. Delorian growled at the light, and the second drider threw up her hands as the light blinded her completely. Varick swung his morningstar down and smashed Tanerus’ head into a pulp. The halfling body slumped back to the ground, dead once again.</p><p></p><p>Marcus moved up, trying to aid Delorian. Fiery orbs streaked past the others slamming into the two priestess driders. Spellfire ripped down the hallway, slamming into the front drider. </p><p></p><p>Delorian spun back to the driders just in time to see the glowing, black hand of one of the priestesses slam into him. His heart felt as if something cold was gripping it, but his natural resistance to magic bled the spell off and it failed to harm him in anyway.</p><p></p><p>The back two of the priestess threw up her hands and called down a massive column of fire. It bathed the entire melee, but when the fire and smoke cleared the only one on the ground, that wasn’t there before, was the other drider. Such is the way of drow.</p><p></p><p>Delorian concentrated a moment, willing his body to heal. Wounds knitted, bruises faded, and the monk was somewhat better able to stand. Marcus and Delorian stood side by side, ready for the priestesses next move. A ray of scorching light ripped past them, searing a thick burn into the priestess’ chest. She leapt forward, lashing out at Delorian, “Vengeance will be mine!” She plunged her dagger into the monk’s chest and he cried out in pain. He lashed out with one fist, smashing her in the face, causing her to wince and pull back. In that moment that she was turned away slightly, he was able to slip behind Marcus and move away. </p><p></p><p>Varick covered his retreat, moving up to stand with Marcus. He held his morning star up and called upon Mystra’s aid. Healing energy poured out of him in a wave. Each of his companions felt their wounds knit, while the undead drider reared up in pain as the positive energy burned through her.</p><p></p><p>As she came back to all eight legs, she look wild eyed at them all, “You can kill me! It won’t matter! The Great Revenance is coming! You will never be able to stop us! Never! Your doom is sealed like that of your halfling friend! You will all die! You will all-“</p><p></p><p>Three rays of scorching fire smashed into her. The first one took her arm off at the shoulder, the second one burned a hole through her chest, and the final one burned her head clean off. The spider legs kicked a few more times, and then the entire massive, headless corpse slumped to the ground.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Wraithdrit, post: 1336471, member: 10820"] [B]Underdark Lake of Shadows Marpenoth 27th, 1372[/B] Marcus looked up from the doorway to the shrine. He nodded quietly back to the others, though they already knew, thanks to Will’s telepathic link spell, that the magical glyph on the door had been disabled. Marcus slipped to one side, and Delorian stepped up and strained to push the door open. He started to see that beyond the door was a sheer wall of water. It seems the entire temple was filled with water. Inside stood a statue of a mutant kuo-toa of some sort, presumably one known as the Claw. Sitting beside it on either side was a kuo-toa dressed plainly, with simple rope belts tied about their wastes. They quickly launched themselves through the water, and Delorian dove in to meet them. Prior to crossing to the island, each member of the group of five heroes was the recipient of two spells by Varick, one that would allow them absolute freedom of movement in the water, and another that would allow them to breath. Delorian wasted no time testing them. The first kuo-toa he met was lightning fast, dodge his blows, and blocking others with expert moves. Delorian instantly realized that it was trained in martial arts, just like him. While the rest of the heroes prepared to move in as well Marcus in through the door, running quickly to flank the attacker. The other kuo-toa swam through the water like a fish, quickly reaching the door. He flicked the door closed and planted himself on the other side. Varick rushed forward, slamming into the door, but the kuo-toa behind him held it shut tight. Delorian spun toward the door, cracking his fist into the kuo-toa trying to hold it shut. Marcus swam around the first one as well, diving toward the one at the door, rapier first. The water darkened with blood and neither hero could stop the first kuo-toa from slipping to the door out of the room. He easily opened the door and cried out something in the water. Together Varick and Malaghym finally managed to push the door open past the kuo-toa that was trying to block it. Will tossed small spiraling globes of energy into the water that burning the kuo-toa they struck. The melee was fast and furious, and soon more kuo-toa swam in through the door. They were fighting well, using the water to get height advantages when they could. The heroes quickly adapted, trying to do the same. The melee took a sudden turn for the worse when the two new kuo-toa, armed with tridents, flanked Brother Varick. Their tridents both punched through his armor and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He slumped in the ever-darkening water, and his telepathic link went silent. Malaghym spun and grabbed hold of the cleric and injected the healing energies of his spellfire. Varick’s eyes shot open and swam out of the combat. Soon the kuo-toa all floated lifelessly in the bloody water, and the party quickly patched themselves up before moving on. Moving through the next doorway, the group found itself in a foyer of sorts. A staircase, a pair of double doors, and a smaller door led out. They swung open the double doors, and found an immense temple like room. A hole in the floor was surrounded by four female kuo-toa, priestesses by the look of their attire. One spoke to them in the strange bubbly language of the kuo-toa. “Hal-l-l-l-t ther-r-r-r-r-re. We mean you-ou-ou-ou no harm-rm-rm-rm.” The party began spreading out slowly, watching all four of the priestesses. Will spoke up, “We are here seeking the one called the Claw.” “We-e-e-e-e-e know-ow-ow-ow-ow why you are here-re-re-re-re-re. Leave now-ow-ow-ow-ow, while you still can-an-an-an-an.” Will shook his head, “We can’t do that.” “Do not be foo-oo-oo-oo-oo-oo-lish, mortal. You don’t know-ow-ow-ow-ow-ow what you are dealing with.” With that, two immense tentacles rose up out of the hole in the ground. The ends of the tentacles had wide flaps of skin on them. They all thought it at once as their hearts sank… the devil-kraken! Will shook his head one last time, “No can do.” “Then you will die-ie-ie-ie-ie!” All four of the priestesses snapped their arms up and began casting. Delorian launched himself at one of them, and Malaghym moved up and stood as if wanting one of them to cast at him. They finished casting quickly, one right after the other. The first one pointed at Delorian. He felt a strange pulse of energy flow over him and released suddenly that he could not breath the water any more! The second priestess pointed at Malaghym. The dark elf grinned as the spell energy soaked into. He channeled the energy into his reserves and made a mental note to thank her corpse later. The third priestess, seeing the second fail to effect Malaghym, targeted him as well, after all he was the closest target, and would probably not be able to soak up two spells so quickly. Her gamble worked, and Malaghym’s spell of breathing and spell of movement both fizzled away into nothing. The final priestess to cast was the high priestess, known by the kuo-toa as a Greater Whip. She targeted Will with a spell of dispelling. Will grinned as the ring of counterspells he wore flashed on his hand. The dispel magic and the counterspell discharged each other, leaving Will untouched by the dispelling magics. Will answered with a small peas shaped ball of fire that burned sizzling trail through the water. It exploded into a huge ball of flame and steam burning each of the priestesses badly. Varick quickly cast a spell of silencing on one edge of the hole, keeping the priestess all from casting at the magic pool. The massive tentacles of the kraken slapped at Delorian. They hit, but just they tried to tighten their grip they would slip off. The freedom of movement spell was still active on the monk, and they prevent him from being grabbed. The priestesses continued their attacks. One was in deadly combat with Delorian, but the monk was too fast and hit too hard, soon her lifeless body floated away through the water. One leapt out of the area of silence, swimming to a few feet from Will before releasing a ray of hot steam and fire at the mage. His elemental resistances kept him from too much harm. Fearing the kraken more than anything the priestesses could do, Will quickly raised a wall of force just beyond Delorian, trapping the kraken on the other side. Its tentacles slapped against the wall of force then sank into the darkness below. The fight raged on through the water, blood once again beginning to spread through the murky darkness. Malaghym and Delorian held their breath, each fighting one of the priestesses. Marcus moved in to lend a hand, while Will blasted forth a cone of icy cold. Varick muttered a prayer, and grew to nearly twice his size. He hefted his morningstar, ready to begin smashing his opponents. Out of the gloomy water from above the temple area, a dark form swam down behind Delorian. It was a misshapen kuo-toa, with a ridge of spines along his back, and dark red eyes, the one they called The Claw. He had been watching Delorian, studying him, waiting for the opportunity to pounce. He lashed out with a dagger that barely glowed with an eerie green light. At the last moment Delorian dodged a swipe from the priestess he was fighting, caught sight of the incoming dagger and ducked beneath it. Half a second sooner, and the dagger would have plunged into the back of his neck. Delorian spun, but did not attack. Marcus quickly got the priestesses attention with a quick stab of his rapier, and Delorian was able to concentrate on The Claw, waiting for his next move. The beastly kuo-toa held up one hand and seemed to draw energy from around him. He was using some sort of spell like ability, and Delorian was not about to let that happen. He shook his head quickly, unable to talk in the water, and leveled a quick jab into the kuo-toa’s wide lips. The Claw’s head snapped back and he paused a moment, blinking, as if trying to remember where he was. Meanwhile the Greater Whip was still in a spellcasting duel with Will. She held up her hands, just out of reach of anyone, and called forth a massive column of steam and fire in the watery foyer. The fire and steam burned Will, even through his practiced use of elemental fire. The pain ripped through him, then his world turned upside down and inside out. The fire had triggered his contingency spell. Quickly he concentrated on where he wanted to go, the balcony above the fight would do well. He stumbled to his knees there and pulled out a potion. Somehow he managed to drink suck its contents down. Malaghym swam around to behind and above her, his hands jetted forward and blueish energy ripped through the water. His spellfire burned the Greater Whip, but not before she managed to turn a bit out of the stream, minimizing the damage. Varick stepped in while she was distracted, his massive form filling the foyer. He swung his now huge morningstar around in a wide arc and smashed the Greater Whip in head, cracking it like a melon. Blood quickly spread in the water around her as her corpse gently floated away. The Claw, finding himself suddenly surrounded and nearly alone quickly swam upward, not realizing that Will was not hiding up in the balcony area. As he came into view, Will quickly cast a freezing sphere into the water. A huge chunk of ice surrounded The Claw and he was stuck within. Varick smashed the last of the Lesser Whips with another righteous blow from his morningstar only to slammed from behind something. He spun around to see two massive tentacles. The Devil Kraken had gone around the outside of the building and was now attacking through the front door! Varick spun on the tentacles, smashing one with his holy weapon. It quickly recoiled back. He thanked his goddess for the magic of the Freedom of Movement spell, for if it had not been in place he surely would have been grabbed by the tentacles and be deep in the lake, and the bowels of the Devil Kraken. The rest of the heroes focused on The Claw. The slippery fish had managed to slip right out of the ice encasing him, but that only put him into the waiting hands Delorian, Will, Malaghym and Marcus. They quickly finished him off. Varick smashed the second tentacle, sending it quickly pulling back as well. Blood floated everywhere in the water, but for now the temple was silent. *** The massive stone giant leader clapped Will as gently as he could on one shoulder, sending the mage stumbling forward. “You did good! Did real good!” The giant held the corpse of The Claw up by one foot in his other hand. The corpse dripped blood, gore, and water, its eyes rolled back in its head. Marcus could not help but compare it to some twisted mockery of a fisherman holding up his latest catch. Would the giant show others his trophy, like some sort of warped Underdark version of a fish story? He chuckled and shook his head. Will straightened his tunic with a humpf and looked up at the giant, “I hope this will remedy your dispute with the Kuo-toa…” The giant heaved the corpse back like a little rag doll and flung it out at the lake, “Eat this you stupid Devil Kraken! Har!” The giant seemed very pleased, and turned to look down at the frowning Will. “It will do just fine, little mage. Come, you all look tired and grumpy, we go up and have another feast, you rest and leave when you are rested.” As the group retired to the giant caverns, the leader turned and looked at them as he walked. “Say, you know… you could do another favor… we pay you again. The lobster monster that lives in cave below… you could kill it. Do that, we give you five hundred gold.” The party looked at each other and Will noted, “I did it with my Arcane Eye when I scouted the temple… it’s a chuul, and a large one at that. Nasty creatures up close, but we have the drop on it. I think we can dispatch it fairly easily.” Varick frowned, “Its not why we came here… but it sounds like a menace to the area. Alright.” The next morning the group, now rested from the hard fighting in the temple, executed a very quick plan to dispatch the chuul. Will used his cloak to climb around and get to the entrance of the cave. It was split in two with a massive column down the center. He quickly cast a wall of force on the right hand side, trapping the chuul in. The space between the column and the left hand side was too small for it to fit, or so they thought. From a hole above, Varick began to cast a spell of summoning, and the others fired their bows and crossbows down at the beast. Will blasted it with a series of powerful scorching rays. He poured spell energy into them, maximizing them to their fullest potential. The beast reacted quickly throwing itself at Will, squeezing its way through the smaller opening. The mage backpedaled quickly, wondering where Varick’s elemental was. As if on cue, the watery form sprang into existence in the foot deep water that covered the cave floor. The chuul continued to charge toward Will, but he let fly another series of scorching rays. Finally the beast seemed to decide that discretion was the better part of valor. Horribly wounded it charged past Will and leapt into the water of the lake. “Damn it!” Will scowled and pointed after it, “Don’t let it get away!” Delorian appeared from a shadow beside the column and leapt into the water after the thing. He swam faster than many fish, his powerful legs propelling him quickly after the slower chuul. He could feel the water elemental looming in behind him as well. He thought to himself that it would not be necessary. He grabbed a hold of one of the chuuls armored plates and was looking for an opening to smash his fist into when several small globes of energy whizzed past him in the water and slammed into the thing. Delorian looked back, and through the darkness he could see Will standing at the water’s edge. The chuul went limp. Disgusted, Delorian swam back to the surface. “I had it.” Will shrugged, “I wanted to make sure.” The elemental heaved the corpse up onto the beach then disappeared back to wherever it had come from. From above the giant leader clapped, “Most impressive!” [B]Underdark A day’s travel beyond the Lake of Shadows Marpenoth 29th, 1372, Middle of the Night[/B] Delorian sat invisible atop the little hut that Varick had summoned. The cavern was pitch black, but that did not stop Delorian from watching the entrance and exit to the cave. He could not see but sixty feet, but no one should be able to see him atop the hut. He thought about the traveling through the Underdark. It was tedious and slow going. Picking their way through smaller caves, climbing down large outcroppings, etc. He would be glad when they finally made the drow city. His thoughts where cut short when the hut beneath him disappeared. He fell the fifteen feet down to the floor below, twisting in mid fall to land on his feet. The rest of the companions were rudely awakened from sleep when the cots that were a part of the hut were dispelled with the rest of the hut. From further in the Underdark a pair of large shadowy dogs came bounding down the passage, baying and howling as they came. As if to add insult to injury, a massive column of flame erupted around the entire group, scorching them all with unholy flames. Someone had orchestrated an attack, and they all scrambled to counter it. Delorian saw the others were awake, and knew that someone he could not see down there had dispelled the hut. He dove into a shadow, coming out sixty feet up the corridor. Some forty feet up the corridor he saw a group of drow. All four of them were covered in funeral wraps, black cloth swathing their entire form. The front two where two legged, and running down the passage after the mastiffs. The back two were driders. Varick got his feet first, and quickly cast a spell to give him protection against anything more the unseen assailants would attack him with. Will was next on his feet; quickly he snatched up his component pouch and tossed out a few materials. He summoned up a massive wall of fire on the mastiffs, between them and their assailants. He hoped that bought them some time. Delorian was still invisible, so when the first drow warrior went to rush past him toward the group, he cranked her with a quick forearm slam. She spun on him and lashed out with her dagger, missing. Marcus got to his feet, shaking his head. He found his rapier and drew it and moved over to one side, squinting against the light of the wall of fire. From within it, a massive dog leapt toward him. He backpedaled and brought his rapier up to defend himself. The other mastiff leapt out at Varick, the unarmored priest had gotten his shield and morningstar out, and managed to block the dog’s attack. One of the driders moved up to within twenty feet of Delorian, she reached up and ripped aside the cloth hiding her face. It was one of the two priestesses they had killed in the temple! Her eyes burned with hatred, her face was rotting, and a mask of anger. “You did this to me! I will have my vengeance on you, shade!” Delorian’s heart felt like it was going to stop. Her cold stare gripped him with fear and remorse. He felt sorry for having helped to slay her. Perhaps he should get what he deserved, perhaps… No! He shook off the cold gaze and kept fighting, grim with determination to send her back to whatever hell she had risen from. The hair on the back of Delorian’s neck stood on end. Something was wrong, something was very wrong, and he could not put a finger on it. A sharp pain, low in his back clued him into what it was he was feeling. A dagger had been plunged into his back, but worse, whomever was wielding it was twisting it fiercely through his flesh, making sure to do as much damage as possible. A familiar halfling voice behind him cried out, “You bastards, you left me to die!” Delorian looked back to see the rotting face of Tanerus glaring up at him. The Tanerus he knew could never look so angry. The feral little man he knew was no more, replaced by an undead beast seeking his own sort of twisted vengeance. The second drider dispelled the wall of fire, then moved up to behind the first one. The second of the drow warriors dodged past the melee in the passage, racing toward the spellcasters. She never got there. Will dropped a serious of fiery explosions through the cavern and passage. Each one went only where he told it, and his precision with the firebrand spell was becoming legendary. When the smoke cleared, both the mastiffs had completely disappeared and both the drow warriors lay crumpled on the ground. Varick, not able to see since the wall of fire had been dispelled, cast a quick daylight spell on himself. Malghym screamed out in pain as he was blinded. Delorian cursed a little but kept fighting. The closer of the two driders cried out in surprise as well. His eyes shut tight, but knowing where the little halfling revenant had appeared, used his natural drow talents to summon a misty faerie fire that clung to everything, glowing softly. If the halfling tried to hide again, that should prevent him. Malaghym cussed in the drow dialect of elven and rubbed at his eyes, trying to make the spot go away. The front priestess cast a spell of slaying, her hand glowing with dark energy. But she could not see to land it, and missed hitting Delorian with the spell. The other priestess muttered a mystical prayer as well, and the area between Will and Varick fell silent. Tanerus was still flanking Delorian, and he lashed two more times, hitting once. Delorian was really starting to hurt. The tiny feral undead halfling was really finding especially deadly spots to bury his dagger. Delorian finally spun on the halfling and growled, “You should have” He slammed a knee into the halfling, the blow powerful enough to send the little undead shadowdancer onto his back. “stayed” Delorian launched up into the air over the now prone target, “Dead!” He slammed down atop the halfling, his knee smashing ribs. The undead halfling coughed up disgusting black liquid, his eyes rolled back and then snapped forward and scrambled away from the monk. Varick ran forward, the light of his daylight spell spreading through the passage. Delorian growled at the light, and the second drider threw up her hands as the light blinded her completely. Varick swung his morningstar down and smashed Tanerus’ head into a pulp. The halfling body slumped back to the ground, dead once again. Marcus moved up, trying to aid Delorian. Fiery orbs streaked past the others slamming into the two priestess driders. Spellfire ripped down the hallway, slamming into the front drider. Delorian spun back to the driders just in time to see the glowing, black hand of one of the priestesses slam into him. His heart felt as if something cold was gripping it, but his natural resistance to magic bled the spell off and it failed to harm him in anyway. The back two of the priestess threw up her hands and called down a massive column of fire. It bathed the entire melee, but when the fire and smoke cleared the only one on the ground, that wasn’t there before, was the other drider. Such is the way of drow. Delorian concentrated a moment, willing his body to heal. Wounds knitted, bruises faded, and the monk was somewhat better able to stand. Marcus and Delorian stood side by side, ready for the priestesses next move. A ray of scorching light ripped past them, searing a thick burn into the priestess’ chest. She leapt forward, lashing out at Delorian, “Vengeance will be mine!” She plunged her dagger into the monk’s chest and he cried out in pain. He lashed out with one fist, smashing her in the face, causing her to wince and pull back. In that moment that she was turned away slightly, he was able to slip behind Marcus and move away. Varick covered his retreat, moving up to stand with Marcus. He held his morning star up and called upon Mystra’s aid. Healing energy poured out of him in a wave. Each of his companions felt their wounds knit, while the undead drider reared up in pain as the positive energy burned through her. As she came back to all eight legs, she look wild eyed at them all, “You can kill me! It won’t matter! The Great Revenance is coming! You will never be able to stop us! Never! Your doom is sealed like that of your halfling friend! You will all die! You will all-“ Three rays of scorching fire smashed into her. The first one took her arm off at the shoulder, the second one burned a hole through her chest, and the final one burned her head clean off. The spider legs kicked a few more times, and then the entire massive, headless corpse slumped to the ground. [/QUOTE]
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