A Light in the Darkness [closed]

[Rei_Jin]

Tychus

Tychus just shakes his head at this unexpected turn


No, we're fine, thanks for asking though. Maybe we could help you out, as I doubt you want to be where you are right now...

[blackfox]

Ginevra

Ginevra, from her hidden position, turns to see the owner of the unexpected voice. You had better not be who I think you are, because if you are that unlucky person, you're about to get your head handed to you on a platter.

[Dr._Bob]

The haughty voice continues in lightly accented Common ...

"I must say shadow-walker that I am surprised to see you again. One would have imagined that you would have had the common sense to flee while you had the chance, along with your friends.

"It was quite thoughtful of your wizard to warn us of your proximity with the explosion. Usually I depend on my sentries to rouse the alarm, but the fireball did the trick quite nicely."

The hidden commander switches to Undercommon to address Trinark.

"Hail, brother. You look much more civilized in our armor. One would almost think you were ilythiiri."

[hr]
The drow commander tone remains conversational, almost verbose compared to your previous encounter with her, but her voice is raised high enough to carry even to those of you still hiding in the tunnel.

It occurs to you that she might be stalling for time ...

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel
As soon as Tiriel hears the commander's voice she will rush up to join her two friends (castes protection from evil on herself).

[Yoric_Steele]

Trinark, Drow Cleric

Upon hearing the voice Trinark initially froze. He quickly glanced around him hoping his Darkvision would help reveal the enemy.

Dammit, I really hate it when I'm right.

After hearing the commander's tone, Trinark knew it was a trap. He looked for the closest cover...expecting to be flanked!

Replying in Undercommon, "Hiding in the shadows again? You must really feel threatened this time."

[blackfox]

Ginevra

Dammit! She's seen me! It must be the light from these accursed mushrooms.
Ginevra slowly and quietly removes the daggers from her sleeves, hiding them flat against her wrists.
She might be bluffing, though... at least she had better be.

(OOC: Sense Motive check, please. Modifier +0.)

[Dr._Bob]

The edge of the "forest" is about 100 ft away. Trinark stands exposed, flanked by Si'rene and Tiriel.

Si'rene draws back her bow and sights along the shaft of her arrow. She scans the "trees" for any sign of the drow. Tiriel's longsword is drawn and ready, small flames dancing along its blade. Trinark, now armored and helmeted reaches over his shoulder and draws his wickedly sharp sword as well.

Although the three of you are in the open, if the drow are hiding among the giant fungi, then they are probably out of effective hand crossbow range.

On the other hand, there is 100 ft of open ground to cover to get to the fungi, making a straight-on charge a risky proposition ...

[hr]
Ginevra freezes in place. The shadows along the walls of the cavern are deep. Ginevra suspects that the drow commander may very well be bluffing, hoping that Ginevra will give away her position by replying to her taunting.

Cautiously, Ginevra continues to circle the perimeter of the cavern, hoping to get a better feel for the tactical situation.

While Trinark, Si'rene, and Tiriel draw the drow's attention to the cavern's entrance, Ginevra works her way to the side. There is movement at the opposite side of the cavern from where your party entered.

Although Ginevra is over 200 ft from the activity, in the glow from the mushrooms she can see that the grimlocks are sneaking out of the cavern, carrying the large packages on their backs. The grimlocks are accompanied by a number of drow soldiers.



OOC: The cavern is a rough dome, 100 yards in diameter. The "grove" in the center of the cavern is about 100 ft in diameter. The luminescence provides low-light conditions.

Trinark, Si'rene, and Tiriel are standing at 6 o'clock. Ginevra has worked her way around to 9 o'clock. The grimlock exodus is occurring at 12 o'clock, but only Ginevra is aware of it.

The other members of the party are crouched in the tunnel entrance, unexposed.

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel
Since Ginevra has effectively dissapeared, Tiriel decides that she'd rather not continue to stand in the open. With a nod to Trinark, she turns to Si'rene she wispers, "I think we should move. Do you want to tell the others?." Tiriel will start to walk towards the nearest wall in the closest direction of the comander's voice...

[Dr._Bob]

The drow commander remains hidden among the luminescent fungi, which are clustered in the center of this vast cavern.

There is little cover to speak of between you and the fungi. Si'rene, Trinark, and Tiriel back up until they are back at the cavern entrance. The party hurriedly converses as they try to come up with a plan of action.

Ginevra step out of the shadows and rejoins the party, informing them of what she has seen.

It would appear that the grimlocks are carrying the packages to safety while the drow commander stalls for time.

It is not clear how many drow remain hidden in the fungus forest. Maybe just one; maybe the whole platoon.

A faint rumbling can be felt more than heard in the distance ...

[Rei_Jin]

Tychus

Ah, to the nine hells with this, I'm going in.

Having become tired of waiting, Tychus moves forward from his position in the tunnel, and when he sights his foe, he starts a loud battle song, almost screaming the words, and charges the lone drow, with his whip in one hand and his longsword in the other.

Moving to battle
Awaiting the slain
Calling for vengeance
And screaming thy name

The dead will all meet thee
Their pain you will mend
But for here and for now
I give them their end!!!

[OOC: Bardic Music for a bonus to hit and damage, followed by a disarm attempt against the drow. After that, I drop the whip and take to battle with the longsword]

[+14 to disarm with the whip ( +1 for Bardic Music, +2 for charging)]
[+6 to hit with the longsword]

[blackfox]

Ginevra

Ginevra slips her daggers back up her sleeves, and draws her shortsword, quietly. She whispers to the others, "I don't think we should move in right away. There are probably still drow soldiers hidden in there, and we have to be careful about them, or they'll massacre us."
And that rumbling can't be anything good, either...
Ginevra will try to identify or at least determine the location of the rumbling sound.
(OOC: Listen +6)

[Yoric_Steele]

Trinark, Drow Cleric

If any of the others moves forward to attack, Trinark will follow up in support.

Otherwise, I suggest move forward in a concerted effort to engage at least a few of the soldiers guarding the rear.

[scene24]

Thallios, elf wizard

The elf moved up alongside the others at the opening to the fungus forest cave. His 'detect magic' attempt had revealed nothing unusual, so he felt somewhat confident that the area was minimally secure.

"So, what's the plan ladies?" he asked, unsure of how to proceed. It seemed to him that their enemies had many advantages in their chosen campsite, including excellent cover and knowledge of the area. On the other hand, if the party stuck together, they could surely defeat small portions of the drow complement separated from the rest. Surely the drow defense, if one existed, couldn't be concentrated in one place.

[Dr._Bob]

The party gathers at the tunnel entrance to plan its assault on the fungus grove.

To everyone's surprise and horror, Tychus breaks cover and begins to charge across the 100 ft of open space by himself. Tychus' sword is sheathed, instead he unfurls a serpentine whip, which he whirls in complex patterns overhead.

Before Tychus has covered half the distance to the fungus, a series of bolts streak towards him - thwip, thwip, thwip, thwip, thwip. The bolts spark as they strike the ground all around the bard.

By some miracle, the bolts all miss Tychus, but when the bard realizes that no one is following him, the song dies in his throat, and he scrambles back to the tunnel opening, sheepishly joining the others.

[hr]
The stunt wasn't completely useless, however. Thallios and the others were able to note subtle movements behind the mushrooms, revealing the general locations of roughly half a dozen drow, concealed behind the giant fungi.

Trinark digests Ginevra's observations and suggests that the drow may have left a single squad behind to cover their retreat.

"It looked like the drow and grimlocks were leaving in a hurry," whispers Ginevra.

[hr]
The rumbling increases in intensity. The source of the vibration is difficult to localize. It feels like it might be approaching from ... below?



OOC: The drow make astonishingly poor attack rolls at 3 range increments - 3, -1, 2, 1, 6! All 5 bolts miss.

[scene24]

Thallios, elf wizard

The elf compared notes with the others, indicating particular fungi that shielded drow bowmen.

After Ginevra revealed her observations of the drow and grimlock evacuation, he replied "So, the drow commander wanted to stall us while they flee..." It didn't make any sense to Thallios. Why would the drow fear an open confrontation in a controlled environment? "Or... she wanted to stall us for some other reason..."

Thallios looked at the ground, thinking about the mysterious unexplained rumbling. "Perhaps we should not wait to see why she wanted us to stay put."

He gauged the range to the nearest drow; it must be about 100 feet, which is not quite extreme for a hand crossbow, but still it would tax the abilities of the drow bowmen to strike the party accurately. Thallios readied a fireball spell, planning exactly where to strike in order to take out the most foes in a single blast.

[Dr._Bob]

The drow remain silent for now.

A faint pulsation can almost be heard coming from within the fungi. The frequency seems to be just below the threshold of human and elf hearing, but the subtle subharmonics set your teeth on edge.

The rumbling continues to increase. Small pebbles begin to dance on the rocky floor of the cavern ...

[Annarrkkii]

Andrea, Wandering Harper

Andrea watches the grove with a faint smile, though it lingers more from habit than from any real amusement.

"It's some reassurance that they seem to be poor shots..."

He strokes his sword hilt in idle fondness as he watches the fungi a moment longer, before turning back to the group.

"Five shots... and it's reasonable to assume that not all of them are shooting. I'd say that there are at least another two foes in their with melee weapons at the ready... maybe more than that. But then, we've taken their like before, haven't we? They've got cover, but if we can close with them then it'll be working both ways, won't it?"

He shifts uneasily as the pebbles clatter around them. " 'Sides, I don't like this screeching. It's got me on my toes. And this infernal precipitation isn't helping either. Makes hail feel like a spring shower..."

[blackfox]

Ginevra, worried rogue

Ginevra uneasily glances at the pebbles before returning her sword to its sheath and loading her crossbow. "This... earthquake? ...it isn't natural... I don't know, it could be a spell... Thallios, what do you think it is?" Nervous, not waiting for an answer, Ginevra slips into the shadows beside the wall and starts pacing up and down, looking for a drow target.

(OOC: Ginevra will move along the wall after she shoots, so that her location can't be immediately pinpointed. She'll take the first clear shot she has. Attack bonus with crossbow +8.)

[Dr._Bob]

As you look at the ground more carefully, you realize that the pebbles aren't falling from above like precipitation; rather, the pebbles are "dancing" because the ground is vibrating.

Whatever is approaching seems to be doing so from below.

[hr]
Thallios rubs his chin. "I don't think the rumbling is magical, but perhaps that strange vibration is ..."

Ginevra slips into the shadows and starts circumnavigating the cavern, looking for an opening between the fungi. She finds a spot where the fungi are positioned in such a way that she can see all the way through to the center of the grove. Although she is still 100 ft from the edge of the fungi, she can make out a motionless humanoid figure ...

[Spaz]

Yix

Looks like its time for me to save the day again, nobody can stay away from my sting for long Yix thinks to himself as he stealthily makes his way towards the crossbow men. Hmmm I wonder whether or not they taste good as well Yix feels a slight rumbling in his stomach suggesting that it has been long enough since he last ate for a little snack of sorts.


(OOC: Hide modifier: +22
Move Silently: +10))

[Annarrkkii]

Andrea

Ducking low, Andrea draws his sword and begins to make his way slowly across the floor toward the grove. He is light on his feet, ready to leap away, and makes use of any cover he can get his hands on.

I need somewhere I can stay and hide for a bit, get a peep at the surroundings without being too exposed.

((Full Defense, looking for something with 50 ft. of the fungi that I can get significant cover from.))

[scene24]

Thallios, elf wizard

Seeing that the party is moving against the enemy, Thallios decided that his Fireball would not only injure or kill some of their enemies, but it would also serve as an excellent distraction from his fellows who were moving toward their foes.

Thallios unleashed his spell, targeting as efficiently as possible.

(He'll then look for a target for Scorching Ray)

As for the rumbling/earthquakiness, Knowledge Check:
Arcana +13
Dungeoneering +9

[kuja.girl]

Tiriel

Tiriel hesitates only a moment before joining Andrea in his march across the cavern. She's puzzled as to why he's moving so slowly though. "I understand that you're worried about being hit, but wouldn't it make more sense to run? They will have less time to reload that way, and a moving target is harder to hit..."

OOC: I'm off my normal computer so the text color is funky...

[blackfox]

Ginevra

Ginevra, seeing Thallios about to loose his fireball, takes sight on the motionless, soon-to-be doomed figure in the center of the grove, and shoots.

She then moves along the wall, away from the main group, so that her location cannot be determined by the direction the bolt came from.

[Yoric_Steele]

Trinark, Drow Cleric

Trinark moves to close to those moving up the center. He shouts over the rumbling...

"WE NEED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE CENTER. I BELIEVE THE ENEMY IS ATTRACTING A CREATURE TO THIS CAVERN. IT SHOULD BURST THROUGH THE FLOOR ANY MOMENT NOW!"

Trinark points toward the closest cavern wall. "THIS WAY!"

Even if they don't move, Trinark follows his own advice.

[Annarrkkii]

Andrea

"Say what, now?"

Nonetheless, a slightly incredulous Andrea dashes for the wall, shaking his head. What could possibly be causing... ALL this?

[Rei_Jin]

Tychus

Having already tried to move the others to attack once, he gives up and scrambles towards Trinark.

[Dr._Bob]

Ginevra fires a crossbow bolt into the heart of the fungus grove towards the figure she sees there.

Almost simultaneously, Thallios' fireball detonates at the outer perimeter of the "forest". The luminscent fungi at the outer edge of the cluster are apparently fairly fragile - the explosion creates a 20 ft wide crater as the smaller fungi are blown to bits. Burning, luminescent chunks arc through the air like white phosphorus, filling the cavern with the pungent smell of roasting mushrooms. A number of the surviving luminscent fungi are knocked down, exposing an open central area in the middle of the grove.

The party members scatter, even the tiny dragon, looking for cover along the perimeter of the cavern. There is no "return fire." In fact, there is no sign of nor response from the drow ...

[hr]
As the smoke clears, the gnoll and the lizardman become visible. they are both standing in the center of the fungi, each is chained to a different woody mushroom stalk. Both are struggling mightily with their manacles, without much success. A crossbow bolt is buried into the trunk of one of the mushrooms, just inches from the lizardman's head.

The two monstrous humanoids are about 20 ft apart. On the ground in between them is some sort of glowing, pulsating crystalline device. The subharmonic vibrations seem to be emanating from that item.

The rumbling grows even louder, and small cracks begin to appear in the center of the mushroom grove in between the gnoll and the lizardman.



OOC: Data thread updated.

[runehawk]

Lizardkin Druid

He winces as pieces of hard fungi fly and cut him. Then realising the futility of breaking the metal chain, attacks the trunk of the mushroom he's chained. He bites and claws at it as best as he can.

His heart lifts at the sight of the drow packmate in the distance. It then sinks as he realises that it was a trap and that HE was the bait.

Despite the heal spells, fatigue lags at him and he is weak from hunger. The humming device in front of him spelled an inevitable doom and he falters momentarily.

I have come too far to fail...I am the DRUID of the people, Semuanya's chosen....my death..... willbe bought dearly...

[Yoric_Steele]

Trinark, Drow Companion

When Trinark catches a glimpse of his companion, the druid, through the smoke he dashes over to him.

If he is the first to get there, he will attempt to kick the crystal item away from the (former) prisoners. His goal is to protect and free them.