Game Thread Act 1: Investigating the Mystery of the Afflicted - Page 111

Magnai · #**1651** 05-13-2012, 10:22 PM

You all hear a bump, bark, slice and then a small yelp of pain from the left side of the cavern. Kindli gasps, not happy that she hasn't heard from their sneak or their brazen companion. She sighs deeply then just holds her axe out, ready to strike back whenever she sees something come into her view. She looks quite unhappy.

Neira, on the other hand, grimaces and sighs. She doesn't like the sound of those noises. She says, There's something over there to the left. We've got to either get out of here or figure it out. She sighs and then says, Come to my aid, oh great companion. With that, you see a larger dog appear to the left of the dwarf then run over towards the left. She holds her crossbow at the ready, seeming to wish she could see much farther.

You soon hear another bark and growl. This time the growl is muffled as if there's something inside the mouth of the dog that you just saw appear.

DMNope, not shaken.

For map details, please refer to the previous map. There's some confusion in the darkness, so I can't give another map.

The commanded elf is right behind Belnan.

Evil Pie · #**1652** 05-13-2012, 10:58 PM

What the hell? Martigan reaches down and tries to find the thing he first bumped into. Once he has a firm grip he keeps his hands on the wall and begins moving back to the mouth of the cave. Hey I think I found something. I'm coming out

Magnai · #**1653** 05-13-2012, 11:00 PM

Lord Loco · #**1654** 05-14-2012, 12:58 PM

"AAH!" The sneak's cry was unmistakably one of pain. Kolik felt his eyes water and fear for his life starting to take over his thoughts. He still wasn't so addled, however, that he failed to interpret the clues: His companions had followed him into the darkness. Was that Martigan who were trying to catch him?

"You found me, get out! Run!" he cried.

FamMedKing · #**1655** 05-14-2012, 09:25 PM

Shaking like a flea on a snoring dragon's belly, Belnan whips around and points Ingeborg in the direction of the yelp, nearly firing the bolt by accident. As it was, his trembling finger was dangerously close to compressing it and the tip of the bolt traced a portrait of squiggling lines in the air before him as he struggled to hold her still. "Kolik's in trouble!" he says in a hoarse whisper to Kindli. "M-maybe we should g-go to him, slowly!"

Magnai · #**1656** 05-16-2012, 02:25 PM

As Martigan and Kolik flee, Kolik hears another whoosh of sound come from behind him. The blade connects with his back again, causing another 10 damage. He should have known better than simply fleeing when he was already in the range of a melee combatant. Martigan and Kolik both flee back towards the group, Martigan ending up in X25 and Kolik spending all his energy to get to the back of the group in Z26.

Seeing Martigan and a clearly frightened Kolik fleeing out of the blackness causes Kindli and Neira's spirits to raise slightly. At least they are safe. That does mean, however, that something is going on in that black that you don't quite know about and that you're vulnerable to.

Kindli stands behind the dwarf as her companions flee back to her. She seems to be ready to attack, if need be. It looks like she's on edge and attempting to figure out what the best action is. She says, Welcome back boys. Now we've got to make a stand here or further back.

Neira nods, keeping her crossbow at the ready. She and the rest of you hear the yelps and barks of two dogs coming from the left side of the corridor. It seems like the two dogs are in battle with something that sounds big and grunting. You distinctly hear the dying yelp of one of the dogs.

Just then, you see a large foot step into the dim light to your right, just inside the radius of Neira's torch. It quickly swings at the sick dwarf in front of you all, slashing through the dwarf's arm and causing him to fall limp on the ground in front of you.

Kindli immediately steps diagonally towards the large creature and swings into the dim light in front of her where the orc is with her axe, that bursts into flame. Her axe connects well with the orc's fighting arm and seems to leave singed flesh behind, doing a total of 14 damage. The lady is ready to fight. She cries, Get it while we can see it! Neira nods and holds out her hand, calling out, May the light of the world shine strongly upon your dark soul. With that, a ray of searing light ejects from her hand and towards the creature.

The light shines directly into the eye of the creature and it cries out in agony. It's hands drop it's weapons and immediately come up towards it's face, but it was too late. The light causes the creature's face to boil slightly and it falls limp on the ground in front of you.

The light temporarily shows you who you are fighting against. It looks to be a full blooded orc clad in well fashioned hide armour. It wields a small buckler and an orcish double axe. You also see that it seems to be particularly large and muscular. The astute of you also notice that it is wearing a medallion on it's neck and you see that it only has one eye.

Kindli looks back at Neira and nods in affirmation. Nice job. You sure you don't have something else up your sleeve like that? Neira shrugs, seeming to not think that she's got anything else of particular worth in her bag of tricks.

OOCThose assumed motions count towards last turn, not this turn. That means that you all have full actions this turn.

Yes, Neira got a nat 20.

Lord Loco · #**1657** 05-17-2012, 07:09 PM

Kolik stumbled to the back of the group, looking at no-one. As soon as he realized there were people between him and the darkness, he surreptitiously wiped his eyes. After a moment spent facing the cave wall composing himself, the goblin turned back to the carnage and cracked a toothy grin at the orcish corpse on the ground.

"There were more than one," he said at once. "I'm sure I heard at least three."

With a wince, he shrugged both his backpack and cloak to the ground and inspected his injuries. Now that fear was subsiding, the pain was all the more keen, but he didn't think he was in mortal danger. Just beaten and bloody and aching; it hurt to breathe. Suddenly his eyes went wide and he inspected the cloak and pack closely. If either were damaged he swore he would fill the entire cave with wasps- somehow...

Evil Pie · #**1658** 05-18-2012, 12:12 AM

Martigan pulls out his bullseye lantern and gives it a light shining it onto the darkness. anyone have a sunrod?
Come on you stupid orc, Your mother was a Goblin. Martigan tries to provoke the orc then looks back to kilok and shrugs. no offense.

FamMedKing · #**1659** 05-19-2012, 11:39 AM

Slowly, Belnan began to pull in his fear like a fishing line trembling with a viscous catch, until his mind was able to focus. The darkness still pressed in on him oppressively, a smothering blanket that sucked the light from the world, but he refused to allow it to control him. With a much steadier hand, he moved his crossbow to point in the direction of the sounds of fighting. Kolik's report confirmed more unseen danger, but he gnome was reassured at the sight of their fallen foe that at least it was just an orc they were up against and not some unimaginable beast conjured up by this wicked darkness!

"Move ahead slowly toward those sounds, I've got your back.". He nudged Kindli.

Lord Loco · #**1660** 05-19-2012, 12:42 PM

Kolik gave Martigan the driest of looks. "None taken," he lied, then added a bit louder: "However, no orcs have goblin ancestry. They are the unsavory result of toads mating with pigs."

Evil Pie · #**1661** 05-19-2012, 09:26 PM

Martigan bursts with laughter at the goblins comment loud enough for the cave dwellers to hear it echoing off the cave walls.

Magnai · #**1662** 05-20-2012, 07:38 PM

Hearing the fighting going on down the hall, Kindli and Neira both nod. Kindli replies, Martigan, take up the back with your lantern. Neira and I will take up the front and the squishies can go in the middle. Try to stay ready. It looks like they attack quickly and without much warning. She points to Kolik and says, You too, in the middle. Keep your ears and your senses out so that we can get warning.

Kindli then points to Belnan and exclaims, Put your elven friend where you think best. It might make sense to put it in the front. She then nods towards the collapsed dwarf, Martigan, I trust you can also take care of him. Kindli doesn't seem to have any remorse or sadness for her fallen kin.

Neira giggles and adds, That is Martigan's specialty, if I remember correctly.

Then Neira and Kindli move as a unit diagonally into the darkness, Neira stepping next to Kindli right before Kindli steps forward towards the black. Neira posits, Belnan, you don't perhaps have a light or dispel prepared? Kindli giggles a little, seeming to know something more.

Kindli stays ready to block and strike at any moment. The pair end in V/W-23.

As they move cautiously, you hear the dog bark and growl then leap out. You don't hear it's bark get muffled this time. You then hear a small yelp of pain like the dog go crushed. You then hear Neira say, Okay, only four more puppies out there to protect us. You realize that she's saying that to tell you that the puppies are dead but fooling the others that there are other puppies out there.

OOCI've given you guys a few hints about something. You've missed them. If you remember correctly, the course of your future could change a little.

Remember, Neira and Martigan now have light sources. They give off 5ft of good light and 10ft (total, including the 5ft) of dim light. Pure black past there, even for darkvision people.

FamMedKing · #**1663** 05-21-2012, 05:22 PM

Belnan commands the elf to move to the front and defend them from anything that tries to hurt anyone in the group. To Neira, he replies, "Alas, lady, no. I was anticipating causing a lot of harm today, so only prepared those types of spells. I should have thought to keep something like that on hand...oh well! It'll be a close quarters fight, I suppose." he keeps his crossbow ready for use and huddles behind Niera for protection (X 23).

Lord Loco · #**1664** 05-22-2012, 02:07 PM

"I can't see them, how can I warn you?" Kolik thought, but stayed put anyway. He wasn't about to refuse an order to stay out of danger. Then he thought: "how could they see me? Orcs do not have better eyes then me." He recalled his earlier musings about how nobody would lay down or inhabit a vision-impairing obstacle like this unless they were unaffected by it or had a way of negating it for themselves. Orcish eyes would be just as affected as Kolik's, so logically it had to be the latter. That, or they had just inhabited this darkness for so long they had learned to cope.

"That orc knew where I was and could navigate the darkness with no problem," he said, voicing his thoughts. "The latter might be by memory or hearing, but I know I was silent... Can any of you see enchantments? Maybe it has a spell on its eyes."

Know your enemy.

FamMedKing · #**1665** 05-22-2012, 02:49 PM

"Detect mag--" Belnan slaps his forehead...and the MAGIC goggles that rested there. "I've been wearing them for so long I didn't even notice..." He pulls his goggles down over his eyes and looks around. He understood that the goggles were meant to detect magical creatures, but if these orcs were undead and created thus by magical means, theoretically, they should light up. And if they lit up on his goggles, he could see them. And if he could see them, Ingeborg would finally be able to drink! He gave a mental maniacle laugh!