Logs: Black Elf's Burden

[Ebiris]

<Ebiris> It's been just over five days since you left Ched Nymiir, Matron Haelde's words ringing in your ears with the instruction to  go to the goblin warrens one of her scouts located, slay their leaders and warriors, and bring the noncombatants back in  chains. Miruz has his bag of holding packed with manacles and chains for just such a purpose.
<Ebiris> The trip was mercifully without incident, the small Drow raiding party able to avoid any unfortunate encounters with other  Underdark denizens before approaching their goal. Currently the group waits at their base camp, supposedly an hour away from  the goblin lair - Veldrin, the scout, left almost two hours ago to ensure a clear path and discern the goblin defences before  reporting back.
<Ebiris> For now the remaining Drow wait patiently in the darkness, the other two warriors assigned to the mission keeping a  respectful distance from their superiors while they watch the perimeter for any trouble. The three orcish skeletons Miruz travels with all stand inert nearby, waiting for their commands...
<Miruz> Miruz shifts in his spot, leaning restlessly against the side of the cavern. Black robes obscure his entire body, excluding his face, and causing him to appear somewhat larger than his slight frame would normally allow. "Goblins," he mutters, distastefully. "As if there were not enough underfoot to begin with."
<Riina> "You can never have too many slaves for the menial labor," Riina comments to that. "Unless you're interested in taking over?"
* Maruna snorts. "Add some to your collection? Might be more useful as skeletons."
<Miruz> "Without what little minds they have, their bodies are all but useless," replies Miruz, choosing to ignore Riina's comment.
<Ebiris> As the three converse, they can see Zalk, one of the sentries, press himself against the wall of the cave near where it narrows to the South, readying his hand-crossbow.
* Miruz quiets down and rolls up one of his sleeves, revealing... a slightly less voluminous sleeve, as well as a begloved hand.
* Maruna stands ready for combat, should it be necessary. It isn't the time for idle chatter if the scout might have brought enemies on his tail.
<Riina> That's a sign for Riina to ready her own crossbow. She's not about to intervene, however, in case it's just their scout returning.
<Ebiris> Maruna's suspicion proves correct, as the lanky figure of Veldrin appears in the range of her darkvision, briefly pausing as he's challenged by Zalk. The other Drow seems satisfied readily enough, for Veldrin proceeds to approach the trio, bowing obsequiously to at least two thirds of them. "Superior Females, I have returned from surveying the goblin lair," he begins, before pausing expectantly.
<Riina> "What have you learned of their defenses?" Riina asks, acknowledging Veldrin.
<Ebiris> "I spied two entrances to their lair," Veldrin begins. "The first is directly to the South of us. There are two goblin scouts guarding a narrow ledge leading up to a rugged plateau where I saw four others, with many outcroppings and recesses that could be used for cover."
<Ebiris> "Circling around via a narrow passage in the rock, I also found what appeared to be their refuse area - it is filled with vermin but otherwise unguarded, and should lead into the warrens as well."
-> *Maruna* He seems a bit nervous. As if he's hiding something.
-> *Riina* He seems a bit nervous. As if he's hiding something.
<Maruna> "Is that *all* you saw?" Maruna prods, with the typical meancing overtone suggesting that leaving anything out of his report will cost him later.
<Ebiris> OOC: intimidate check?
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2 I have no ranks in it go me
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 1d20+2 I have no ranks in it go me --> [ 1d20=20 ]{22}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+2
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{19}
<Ebiris> "B-begging your forgiveness, superior female!" Veldrin stammers out, ducking into an even more severe posture of genuflection. "I... I saw one of the scouts hurrying up the ledge as I was leaving, as if in great alarm, although I did not understand what he was saying in his barbaric tongue."
<Maruna> "As if in great alarm because he saw a scout from a raiding party, you mean?"
<Ebiris> Veldrin flinches as if struck. "They could not possibly have seen me!" he blusters out.
* Riina gestures for the warriors to stand on guard, even as her attention remains on the scout.
-> *Maruna* He does not strike you as very trustworthy right now.
<Ebiris> Zalk and Cheldyr both go to take up concealed positions near the Southern entrance, weapons at the ready.
<Maruna> "Why not? Were you INVISIBLE? Idiot." To the others: "We'd better be ready for...them to be ready for us. Perhaps taking the back entrance would be best if it's still possible to enter without being spotted."
<Ebiris> Veldrin quails fearfully from Maruna, not saying anything further.
<Miruz> "Come now, Maruna. The goblins are nothing to be feared," chides Miruz, a moment later. "We should take both entrances, such that we can cut off any retreat. After all, it would not do to waste time hunting animals through the caverns."
<Maruna> "*Fear* is not a concern. But even these wretches can be a nuisance if they man the outcroppings with archers."
<Riina> "You'll have do do your best to put them in their place, then," Riina decides, standing up. "Let's go. Miruz, you can handle the refuse area, can't you?" she asks, the corners of her mouth raising in a smile.
<Miruz> "If I must. Veldrin, you will accompany me," he declares, shifting on his feet and gesturing at his skeletons, which form up in a rank behind him.
<Maruna> "Miruz? See that he lives so that he can be properly disciplined later."
<Ebiris> Veldrin nods, still seeming rather abashed from his recent tongue-lashing. "Of course, sir," he briefly shoots Maruna a fearful look as he moves towards his fellow male.
<Miruz> "As you wish. Lead the way," he instructs. He sneaks a wry grin at Maruna a moment later, faintly amused at the effectiveness of her coarse approach to leadership.
<Ebiris> Veldrin makes his way back towards the South passage, moving with exaggerated stealthiness. The two other males standing guard there look questioningly towards Riina as the group begins to move. "What would you have us do, Superior Female?" Zalk asks.
<Riina> "We will proceed towards the lair, to the main entrance to the south, until we encounter opposition," Riina commands. "Miruz will strike first. Once they respond to his attack, we'll make our move."
<Ebiris> The other two Drow nod, falling in as the group begins advancing through the cave network with Veldrin at its lead. Some tight squeezes are involved here and there, but the terrain isn't too difficult. After about forty minutes you can all hear the sound of running water up ahead,
<Ebiris> which is soon revealed as the cavern expands to show a subterranean river flowing off to the side, only briefly exposed before it vanishes under the rock once more, dark waters rushing to the South while the walkable surface twists to its right, continuing to wind in the same direction.
* Miruz takes the opportunity to bestow some enchantments upon himself, which will hopefully prove to be needless. Still, one doesn't take pointless risks.
<Miruz> roll 1d10+6 false life is temp HP
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d10+6 false life is temp HP --> [ 1d10=3 ]{9}
* Maruna follows the trail winding along the river, keeping an eye out for enemies.
<Ebiris> Veldrin doesn't seem to pay the fast moving river any mind, continuing on through the caverns ahead. A short while later he stops at a junction where the circular cave continues ahead, while a shaft in the ceiling seems to penetrate up farther than Drow vision can see.
<Ebiris> But he ignores that, moving to a spot on the left where a semi-hidden passage is revealed. "This way winds towards the goblin midden. Continuing ahead will take you to the main entrance," he explains.
<Riina> "How far ahead is it?"
* Maruna pauses at the junction, somewhat away from the shaft in the ceiling. "What's this?" she asks the scout.
<Miruz> "It's a hole."
<Maruna> "Miruz? Be grateful you're too useful for me to break your arms right now. I might reconsider when we return home."
<Miruz> "I'll look forward to it."
<Ebiris> "The ledge I saw the goblin scouts at lies perhaps six hundred feet away, although the path twists and turns, and involves some climbing. It should take no more than five minutes to reach," Veldrin tells Riina, before giving Maruna an almost insolent look.
<Ebiris> "It appears to be a shaft in the rock. It is too high for me to reach, so I had no means to investigate it," he replies, his tone at least very respectful.
<Maruna> "Very well," Maruna concedes, noting Veldrin's expression and mentally adding it to his tally for later.
<Riina> "Forget the hole," Riina says with a bit of force in her voice. "From what you've seen, Veldrin, where would be good spots for goblin archers to set up ambush by the entrance?"
<Ebiris> "There is a thirty foot high ledge up ahead that must be traversed, Mistress," Veldrin replies, turning to Riina. "Although the rock has many handholds and is easy to traverse, it would make sense to station someone there to attack us you climbed up."
<Ebiris> "The ledge I saw the scouts on before is ill-suited for fighting, but if they were to retreat back up to the pleateau, they could easily drop boiling oil or rocks down on any attackers coming up."
<Miruz> "Is it a broad ledge, one which could hold many drow lengthways?" queries Miruz. "Riina's spells of mist and misdirection could foil any such efforts, if so."
<Ebiris> Veldrin shakes his head. "It is only a few feet wide, barely enough for the goblins themselves to walk upon."
* Riina nods curtly. "Since it would take under five minutes to reach, Maruna, you will be our scout using Invisibility and Message. We'll give Miruz a few minutes before you'll proceed. If the goblins really did set up an ambush, we need to know about it."
* Maruna nods. "Very well. I'm ready whenever you are, sister."
<Miruz> "Then we'll proceed for now. There's no sense in waiting long on your end, I believe," indicates Miruz. "Let's go."
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz in #evil
* Riina doesn't intend to wait more than two minutes before going along with her plan, unless something changes.
<Ebiris> Two minutes pass. Nothing appears to change.
* Riina connects Maruna, Zalk and Cheldyr to her with the spell of Message, before imbuing the former with Invisibilty as well. "You have six minutes," Riina tells her younger sister afterwards. "Make the most of them."
<Maruna> "Of course," Maruna says, proceeding forward immediately thereafter, taking as much care to move silently as she can afford to while working with a finite amount of time. down the passageway she goes, destination: GOBLINTOWN.
<Ebiris> OOC: listen check, Riina?
<Riina> roll 1d20+2
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Riina rolled : 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{18}
<Ebiris> The caves twist and turn ahead for Maruna, but luckily only go in one direction so she has little chance of getting lost. Soon enough she sees a thirty foot high cliff ahead, as Veldrin mentioned. It seems easy enough to climb, at a glance, lots of handholds and the like.
-> *Riina* You think you heard a yell coming from the passage to the left.
* Maruna goes to it, then. Even if there's someone waiting for her at the top, well, at least they won't see her.
<Ebiris> OOC: climb check
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{21}
<Ebiris> Maruna scrambles up the cliff-face easily enough. At the top she can see the passage ahead slops down at a gentle incline. No sign of any goblins here, though.
* Riina snaps her fingers at Zalk. "Go and check that passage," she says quietly, pointing at the one she heard a yell come from. "Don't go past the bend, and return once you're down."
<Ebiris> "As you say, Mistress!" Zalk whispers, starting to sneak down the passageway.
<Maruna> "I'm up the cliff," Maruna whispers back for Riina and the others. "No resistance so far." She proceeds down the sloping passage with her weapon ready, just in case.
<Ebiris> roll 1d100
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d100 --> [ 1d100=33 ]{33}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=18 ]{26}
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d4 --> [ 1d4=2 ]{2}
<Ebiris> OOC: fort save, Maruna
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{11}
<Ebiris> As Maruna descends she sees the passage begin to widen before her. But before she reaches the bottom she feels a brief tension at her ankle as her foot snags on something, before a sudden sharp pain is felt in her thigh! Blood blossoms as she sees a tiny dart embedded through her pants.
* Maruna swears silently and yanks out the dart, examining it closely thereafter. It's a minor injury, just as long as the dart wasn't poisoned.
<Ebiris> There looks to be viscous residue of some sort on the dart, although she can't tell the colour with only her darkvision to rely on. It's not her blood, though.
<Ebiris> Meanwhile Zalk returns to Riina. "I went as far as the first bend and saw no sign of the necromancer or his lackeys, Mistress, nor anyone else for that matter."
* Maruna decides to keep moving anyway. The goblins still don't seem to know she's here, and she can't afford to waste time worrying about the poison when she's supposed to be working in tandem with Miruz's team. She'll hold onto the dart for a better look at it later, though.
<Riina> "Very well," Riina says, accepting those news. "We will proceed to a position by the cliffside and await Maruna's return there."
<Ebiris> As the others begin to follow, Maruna  heads down where she emerges at a wider cavern with a ridge leading upwards towards a cave directly ahead, where several goblins linger, armed with longbows. The cavern seems to stretch all around, with the goblin lair seemingly set within a titanic pillar supporting the cavern.
<Maruna> Hoping the others are close enough to hear her, Maruna reports back to Riina: "I can see the cave. There are several goblins out front with bows. No one's noticed me yet."
<Ebiris> Riina herself isn't close enough to hear, either.
* Riina intends to whisper a question to Maruna inquiring whether she's in the area once she has the cliffside in sight.
<Ebiris> Riina hears no reply.
* Maruna frowns. Riina should be coming soon, right? In any event...exactly how many goblins guard the cave's entrance? Are they staring down the ridge as though expecting trespassers any moment?
<Ebiris> There's one at the bottom of the ridge, one halfway up, and she can see four of them lurking amidst the stalagmites at the top. They all seem quite wary, looking around suspiciously and holding their weapons close.
<Maruna> Lovely. She wanders back down the way she came to hopefully get in messaging range of Riina and update the rest of the team on the situation.
<Ebiris> Halfway back up the incline Maruna's words finally reach Riina!
<Riina> "What is the situation?" Riina asks Maruna quietly.
<Maruna> "They're ready for us. I'm looking at a ridge leading up to the cave entrance. Four archers up top, two waiting some ways down the incline."
<Riina> "Are the archers gathered together?"
<Ebiris> Maruna saw two adjacent to each other, one twenty feet away from them, and the last ten feet away from that one.
<Maruna> "Some. The ones at the top of the column perhaps? The other two are isolated."
* Maruna relates that observation to Riina, then.
<Ebiris> OOC: fort save, Maruna
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=6 ]{14}
<Riina> "We will navigate the cliffside under invisibility," Riina relates. "Get into position by the grouped archers, and do it slowly and quietly, using your time. Once I give the order, destroy them."
<Ebiris> Maruna feels a faint burning in her flesh around where the dart struck, but it's only a slight irritant and doesn't seem debilitating.
* Maruna messages Riina with her assent and heads up the ridge to climb towards the pair of archers. She ignores the wound; it's a minor nuisance.
<Ebiris> OOC: move silently check, Maruna
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{14}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{19}
* Riina casts invisibility on the men and sends them down several seconds apart, before following under the same enchantment.
* Riina also thoughtfully casts Mirror Image upon herself, so that she would not be defenseless when Invisibility runs out
<Ebiris> As Maruna creeps up to the first goblin at the base of the ridge, he perks up and looks in her direction. "Whazzat?" he mutters in undercommon, staring suspiciously.
* Maruna freezes in place!
<Riina> roll 1d4+2
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Riina rolled : 1d4+2 --> [ 1d4=2 ]{4}
<Ebiris> "Hmmm..." the goblin takes a few steps closer, sniffing the air.
<Ebiris> "You see something?" the other goblin fifty feet away calls over in a high pitched voice.
<Ebiris> Meanwhile Riina and her crew climb up the cliff ahead and start to follow down the slope after Maruna.
<Maruna> "Blast. I think one of them's smelled me," Maruna sends back to Riina (OOC: I'm assuming Message lets this be done without the mook hearing me?)
<Ebiris> OOC: you can mouth the words
<Maruna> OOC: Works.
<Ebiris> "Hear... footsteps," the first goblin replies, starting to look at the ground near Maruna's feet. "Could be Drow. Tricksy sneaks!"
* Riina will need to see the situation for herself, and so she proceeds ahead!
<Ebiris> Rina and her group reach the bottom of the slope, seeing the same cavern Maruna saw earlier. About sixty feet ahead she can see a goblin looking around suspiciously, poking the air with his bow. Maruna sees the same, far too close for comfort.
<Ebiris> Riina also knows her invisibility spell on Maruna has a few seconds left on it.
<Maruna> "Just about found here, sister, barring some kind of distraction. I can hardly run without this wretch noticing. Perhaps I should just dispose of him."
<Riina> "Maruna, take him down," Riina commands via Message. "Zalk, Cheldyr, advance to within thirty feet and attack. Zalk, take the left, Cheldyr, to the right."
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna gets a surprise round, assume everyone else is positioning. Go ahead Duskblade, then we'll do init.
* Maruna doesn't need to be told twice! She swings her chain at the goblin before he came become totally convinced of her presence!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 normal attack
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 1d20+10 normal attack --> [ 1d20=7 ]{17}
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6 damage
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 2d4+6 damage --> [ 2d4=2 ]{8}
<Ebiris> "Eeeek!" the goblin shrieks as Maruna's chain rakes across his tiny form, drawing a spray of blood. "Attack! Attack!" he yells shrilly.
<Ebiris> OOC: initiative
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Riina rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{9}
<Ebiris> roll 6#1d20+3
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 6#1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=15 ]{18}, [ 1d20=7 ]{10}, [ 1d20=2 ]{5}, [ 1d20=18 ]{21}, [ 1d20=4 ]{7}, [ 1d20=15 ]{18}
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2 init
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Maruna rolled : 1d20+2 init --> [ 1d20=9 ]{11}
<Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+3
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 2#1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{14}, [ 1d20=1 ]{4}
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
<Ebiris> The goblin who was just maimed by Maruna shrieks and runs back up the ridge to assumed safety, but not before Zalk appears and fires on him!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=7 ]{12}
<Ebiris> OOC: +2 for invis
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d4 --> [ 1d4=1 ]{1}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{11}
<Ebiris> The goblin promptly collapses from the crossbow bolt embedded in his hindquarters!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d6 --> [ 1d6=4 ]{4}
* Maruna starts to climb up the ridge to reach the rest of the goblins. She can hardly fight them from down here, after all.
<Ebiris> OOC: there's a goblin halfway up the ridge, 50 feet away. You could try and charge it, but that'd involve a balance check. Or you could double move and end up adjacent to it without attacking.
<Maruna> OOC: Going for the latter. No ranks in balance and Dex is not my best stat.
<Ebiris> The goblin looks a bit panicked at Maruna's arrival, dropping his bow and yanking out a club before he bravely leaps up and tries to smack her in the head with it!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{23}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 crit check
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 crit check --> [ 1d20=14 ]{17}
<Ebiris> OOC: AC?
<Ebiris> roll 1d4+1
<Maruna> OOC: 19
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d4+1 --> [ 1d4=2 ]{3}
<Ebiris> The impact dazes Maruna for a split-second, but it won't leave more than a bruise!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina proceeds forward under her cloak of invisibility! The sooner she can see the rest of the guards the dying goblin had no doubt alerted, the sooner she could get rid of them all with her powerful magics!
<Ebiris> OOC: spot check
<Riina> roll 1d20+2
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Riina rolled : 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{13}
-> *Riina* you can see two goblins near the top of the ridge where it merges onto the plateau, and one directly above Maruna.
<Ebiris> Two goblins near the top of the ridge both ready their bows and focus fire on Zalk!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+6 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{25}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+6 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{14}
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d6 --> [ 1d6=1 ]{1}
<Ebiris> An arrow grazes him, but he seems fine.
<Ebiris> Meanwhile Cheldyr appears and opens fire on one of the two that just shot his buddy!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=12 ]{19}
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d4 --> [ 1d4=4 ]{4}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{4}
<Ebiris> The goblin is speared by the poisoned bolt and promptly collapses!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile a goblin appears from behind some stalagmites directly above Maruna and hurls a clay jar at her!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{15}
<Ebiris> roll 2d6
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 2d6 --> [ 2d6=2 ]{2}
<Ebiris> There's a hiss as it shatters and showers her with acid! But the burns aren't too severe.
<Ebiris> Zalk meanwhile reloads and fires on the other archer!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{13}
<Ebiris> This one misses, however.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna attacks the goblin right next to her, channelling arcane energy into this assult!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 melee attack (will channel Chill Touch if it connects)
<Rei-chan> Maruna rolled : 1d20+10 melee attack (will channel Chill Touch if it connects) --> [ 1d20=14 ]{24}
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6 melee damage
<Rei-chan> Maruna rolled : 2d4+6 melee damage --> [ 2d4=5 ]{11}
<Ebiris> OOC: roll chill touch as well?
<Maruna> roll 1d6
<Rei-chan> Maruna rolled : 1d6 --> [ 1d6=1 ]{1}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{20}
<Ebiris> "Yeeargh!" the goblin shrieks as he's ripped up by the chain, the flash of frost coupled with the spray of acid he took from when Maruna was hit earlier enough to bring him down!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
<Riina> "Take out the archer above Maruna and then get to the top of the ridge," Riina commands Zelk and Cheldyr, before casting Sleep on the goblin at the very top, appearing along with her images!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20 DC?
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20 DC? --> [ 1d20=15 ]{15}
<Riina> OOC: DC17
<Ebiris> Cheldyr gleefully opens fire on the last visible target standing!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{18}
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d4 --> [ 1d4=1 ]{1}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=5 ]{8}
<Ebiris> roll 3d6
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 3d6 --> [ 3d6=12 ]{12}
<Ebiris> It only grazes him, but he abruptly sways and falls forward, plummetting off the ridge! He lands with a wet splat thirty feet below, just missing Maruna! Despite it all, he still seems to be breathing, though very much comatose.
<Ebiris> OOC: free action, no sign of goblin 6.
* Riina heads for the top of the ridge!
* Maruna idly trods on the windpipe of the goblin who had the temerity to almost fall on her. *Then* she proceeds up the ridge!
<Ebiris> That stops his breathing, while Zalk and Cheldyr follow, taking a moment to slit the throats of the two archers at the top where the group convene. Ahead lies the cave presumably leading to the lair where all the weak goblin civilians live...
*********
<Ebiris> Veldrin proceeds to lead Miruz and his skeletal horde through the cramped passage away from the girls. It's a tight squeeze, and requires a bit of ducking, but nothing the drow and skeletons can't handle easily enough. As it begins to widen, the sound of running water is heard once more, the only noise aside from the skeletons' jangling footsteps and the more stealthy footfalls of the dark elves.
* Miruz does not stray far behind Veldrin as his guide leads him through the darkened tunnels. "My skeletons will be instructed to fight those who bear arms. Once any warriors are defeated, we will round up the remainder in one place for collection."
<Ebiris> "As you say. I will provide support with my crossbow," Veldrin volunteers as you emerge onto a naturally formed arch of stone the vaults over the same subterranean river you saw earlier. It seems rather damp and slick, with moss growing all over it, and is only three feet wide for the most part. Some care might be called for in crossing it.
* Miruz instructs his undead soldiers to cross it one at a time, before he and Veldrin follow carefully afterwards.
<Ebiris> The first skeleton steps onto the arch, its bone clawed feet scraping the moss as it starts to walk over...
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+1 --> [ 1d20=20 ]{21}
<Ebiris> It manages to reach the other side without incident, waiting there as the second begins to cross...
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+1 --> [ 1d20=10 ]{11}
<Ebiris> Again it reaches the other side easily enough.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+1 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{15}
<Ebiris> As does the third! Three orcish skeletons wait for the Drow! Veldrin then follows them.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{8}
<Ebiris> Disaster! With a cry, the Drow scout stumbles and begins to slip!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{19}
<Ebiris> But he barely manages to grab onto the side, dangling precariously over the tumultous waters flowing below!
<Ebiris> Gritting his teeth, Veldrin tries to pull himself back up with all his manly strength!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{8}
<Ebiris> But it's to no avail! His hands scramble and slip before the moss he grabs onto gives way, and he plummets into the water below with a panicked yell and a loud splash!
<Miruz> "You imbecile!" snaps Miruz, having no kind words for the would-be scout. He heads a little down the bank, intending to try an extend a hand to the elf as he is pulled along.
<Ebiris> There isn't really a bank - the cave opens directly onto the arch, with the river flowing ten feet below, and the walls sheer on either side.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 swim
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+1 swim --> [ 1d20=17 ]{18}
<Ebiris> Thrashing in the water, Veldrin somehow manages to keep himself from being dragged away by the current. "Throw a rope!" he begs, moving towards the rock face below where the cave meets the arch.
<Miruz> Miruz tosses the poor fool a rope, though he doubts the elf will survive the report of his failings to Maruna. Or after the mission, he reflects, bracing himself to pull Veldrin in.
<Ebiris> Veldrin grabs the rope and tries to haul himself up!
<Ebiris> OOC: strength check, Miruz
<Miruz> roll 1d20
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{9}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=19 ]{23}
<Ebiris> Miruz feels himself slipping a bit at the tension on the rope, but he manages to brace well enough to keep from being pulled after the foolish scout. A moment later a shivering and bedraggled drow male clambers back up into the tunnel.
<Miruz> Miruz slaps him sharply across the face. "You fool! You may be lucky if the goblins kill you before I speak with Maruna!" he responds, starting to coil up the rope. "Now, can you cross this bridge without assistance, or must that time come sooner, rather than later?"
<Ebiris> "I... I did it both times before," Veldrin replies after flinching at the slap, seeming rather stunned. Still shivering, he starts to carefully make his way across once more.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{6}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=8 ]{13}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=13 ]{17}
<Ebiris> Unfortunately with his now soaked shoes, Veldrin slips almost immediately! This time he manages a secure hold and with a grunt of effort he hauls himself back up, breathing deeply from the exertion.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=3 ]{8}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+5 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{16}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+4 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{5}
<Miruz> "I would not blame you if you drowned," continues Miruz, scathingly. "Life is difficult. Contending with the vagaries of geology is a struggle no elf should need to endure- ah, yes, off you go, again. The bridge has won."
<Ebiris> He manages a few more steps before slipping again, his fingers drawing blood as they scrape the edges desperately but to no avail. Again he plummets into the water below!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 swim
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+1 swim --> [ 1d20=3 ]{4}
<Ebiris> He sinks quickly in the water, lost from sight...
* Miruz casts detect magic a moment later, briefly considering the possibility of some kind of magical trap that prevents the living from crossing the bridge.
<Ebiris> No magic reveals itself to Miruz.
* Miruz process to cross the bridge with a little trepidation.
<Miruz> OOC: I'll take 10. On a balance check. For 12.
<Ebiris> Miruz manages to make his way across to join his skeletons with a minimum of fuss.
* Miruz proceeds onwards, presuming the way forward is clear.
<Ebiris> Onward the necromancer goes, the cave twisting in several directions before reaching a junction. Fortunately the rancid aroma coming from the right-hand path seems to make the correct route plain.
<Miruz> His skeletons leading the way, Miruz proceeds onwards. Working with corpses for academic purposes has left him, thankfully, with a high tolerance for terrible smells. Still, this may be his greatest challenege.
<Miruz> *challenge
<Ebiris> Miruz shortly emerges at what seems to be a large hemispherical pit, filled with slime and all manner of filthy junk - and not a few goblinoid corpses to boot. Amidst it all he can see movement, cockroaches the size of men and maggots the size of dogs burrowing and clambering around the refuse.
* Miruz glances briefly at the corpses, to determine if it looks as though they were killed by the native carrion-feeders.
<Ebiris> They're as fleshless as the orcs Miruz travels with. In many cases the bones have been shattered in places, marrow picked out. It's hard to tell whether they were killed beforehand.
<Miruz> Alas. Perhaps Veldrin could have served some use, after all. Pressing a hand to the ground, strange runes form on his palm, before a quarter of kobold zombies appear and shamble off to distract and be devoured by the vermin, whilst Miruz and his skeletons make their way through.
<Miruz> *quartet
<Ebiris> The zombies appear to do the trick, several cockroaches perking up and quickly moving after them. A few slower moving maggots follow. As far as he can see, Miruz should have a fairly clear path, the other end of the pit in sight at the limit of his darkvision.
<Miruz> Skeletons leading the way, Miruz heads straight for the other end, ready to have his skeletons lead the way (and soon to be backed up by more powerful, if temproary, minions.)
<Ebiris> OOC: spot check
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20+2 --> [ 1d20=1 ]{3}
<Ebiris> As Miruz and his skeletons leave the melee between kobolds and cockroaches behind, he's perhaps two thirds of the way across when suddenly a giant cockroach bursts out of a midden pile and attacks his lead skeleton!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=9 ]{17}
<Ebiris> OOC: flat footed skeleton AC?
<Miruz> OOC: 14
<Miruz> OOC: 6 HP, DR 5/bludgeoning
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+7
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d6+7 --> [ 1d6=4 ]{11}
<Ebiris> With a crack, the orcish skeleton is snapped in half, collapsing in a pile of worthless bones!
<Ebiris> OOC: init
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 cockroach
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+4 cockroach --> [ 1d20=19 ]{23}
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 for me
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20+2 for me --> [ 1d20=18 ]{20}
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 for skeletons
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20+5 for skeletons --> [ 1d20=10 ]{15}
* Retrieving #evildunes modes...
<Ebiris> The cockroach spends a moment probing the shattered corpse of the skeleton it just destroyed, mostly interested in that for the moment...
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Miruz> Miruz decides to leave the cockroach alone for the moment and just jog around and past it, staying in between his remaining skeletons for slight protection, as necessary.
<Ebiris> Maruz and his minions move around the cockroach, which swiftly loses interest in the skeleton it just dismembered and gives pursuit! With the nearest target being another skeleton, it goes after that one!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{25}
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+7
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d6+7 --> [ 1d6=6 ]{13}
<Ebiris> Another skeleton collapses in a pile of shattered old bones beneath the creature's mandibles of steel!
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Miruz> Sighing irritably, Miruz decides that he'll just have to summon up another actual (if temproary) meal for the onrushing bug.
<Miruz> OOC: Summon Undead I this time, for a single kobold zombie
<Miruz> OOC: It's a full-round action, so the cockroach might go again, I don't know. 5ft step out of reach if necessary first.
<Ebiris> The cockroach spends another moment examining its latest meal, giving Miruz time to cast his spell.
<Ebiris> OOC: Go ahead
<Miruz> With a few waves of his hands and an archaic gesture, a pile of flesh spawns out of nowhere and forms into a vaugely lizardlike shape, proceeding to stab at the cockroach with it's spear!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 epic
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20+3 epic --> [ 1d20=3 ]{6}
<Ebiris> The spear glances off the creature's carapace, and it promptly hurls itself at the kobold!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=4 ]{12}
<Ebiris> But the surprisingly nimble kobold zombie dodges it!
<Ebiris> OOC: doing anything yourself this round?
<Miruz> OOC: Leaving? >_>
<Miruz> Miruz shortly departs the ongoing struggle, soon to reach the entrance to the goblin lair proper. Summoning worthy warriors must wait until the last moment, as the duration for which they endure is terribly short.
<Ebiris> Mizur and his last skeleton flee the ensuing melee, reaching the edge of the refuse pit where they'll have to climb up to reach the cave that presumably leads to the goblin lair. A few maggots in the area seem to have picked up on his presence, however, and start to move towards him.
<Ebiris> Miruz*
<Miruz> OOC: Are they moving at a speed which would indicate they are a credible threat >_>
<Ebiris> OOC: depends how fast you can climb.
<Miruz> Miruz orders his last remaining skeleton to fight off any troublesome maggots, before starting to clamber up to the top of the ridge! OOC: Guessing I can't take 10 due to combat, so
<Miruz> roll 1d20 climbing
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20 climbing --> [ 1d20=9 ]{9}
<Ebiris> Miruz manages to climb halfway up while his skeleton moves to engage the closest giant maggot.
<Ebiris> OOC: go ahead and have it attack
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 attacking
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20+5 attacking --> [ 1d20=9 ]{14}
<Miruz> roll 1d8+3 success?
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d8+3 success? --> [ 1d8=2 ]{5}
<Ebiris> A spray of vile pus and blood rewards the skeleton for its efforts, while the maggot tries to bite it with its maw of tiny littl teeth!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 --> [ 1d20=17 ]{20}
<Ebiris> roll 1d6-2
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Ebiris rolled : 1d6-2 --> [ 1d6=3 ]{1}
<Ebiris> But they fail to do much to the bones.
<Ebiris> OOC: another climb check and you're home free
<Miruz> Miruz continuse to climb, soon to instruct his skeleton to ignore the maggots and follow afterwards.
<Miruz> roll 1d20 climbing
<Dark_Elf_Rei> Miruz rolled : 1d20 climbing --> [ 1d20=11 ]{11}
<Ebiris> Miruz reaches the top! The tunnel ahead seems to wind up and to the right, hopefully leading to the goblin lair itself?
<Miruz> Miruz orders his skeleton to sheath it's weapons and climb up after him; succeed or fail, he edges closer to the bend in the tunnel, pausing near the side to listen out for the sounds of goblins.
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 listen check
<Rei-chan> Miruz rolled : 1d20+2 listen check --> [ 1d20=18 ]{20}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 climb
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+1 climb --> [ 1d20=20 ]{21}
<Ebiris> Ignoring the maggot, the skeleton soon rejoins Miruz.
-> *Miruz* You can hear a crackling fire and lots of movement up ahead, some undercommon mixed with gibberish in the voices. Also the sound of water. You think they're just around the bend.
<Miruz> Pressing another palm against the ground, Miruz brings his true champions into play- a pair of hulking, bear-like skeletons, with skulls resembling beaks rather than mammalian faces! The ghoulish party proceeds around the bend, where Miruz surveys the goblin lair!

[Ebiris]

<Ebiris> Maruna and Riina lead their group up to where the first line of goblin defence was, finding themselves on a stalagmite riddled landing which leads a short distance to a narrow cavern leading deeper into the titanic rock pillar. It seems to incline downwards at a fairly steep angle, preventing them from seeing far into it from their current vantage...
<Maruna> "I take the lead, I assume," Maruna says, stepping forward to start down the incline. Unless anyone has objections, of course.
<Riina> "Use this chance to reapply poison, then follow," Riina tells the males, letting Maruna do as she pleases.
* Maruna descends, then!
<Ebiris> Maruna steps onto the incline as the two males begin applying poison to their loaded crossbow bolts. Looking down, Maruna can see the path drops twenty feet before levelling out, but as she takes her second step her foot snags on a taut piece of wire, which is immediately followed by an arrow firing at her position from a concealed launcher at the side!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 26." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 4." [1d6=4]
<Ebiris> OOC: fort save, Maruna
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8 look before you lead, self
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 look before you lead, self and gets 18." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> The arrow stabs into Maruna's shoulder, drawing blood! The wound burns faintly, similar to the dart she was struck with earlier.
<Ebiris> OOC: spot check, Maruna
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 3." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> OOC: carry on
* Maruna stops in place and breaks off the bulk of the arrow (so it won't get in the way) before proceeding. "Bloody goblins and their bloody traps," she snarls under her breath. To the others: "Watch where you step, you lot."
<Ebiris> The two males follow after Maruna, hand crossbows ready and looking around warily...
<Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d20+3 and gets 32." [2#1d20+3 = 12, 20]
<Ebiris> "Mistress!" Chedyr cautions Maruna, "Beware, there's a tripwire just in front of you!" he points to another wire pulled tautly across the slope, a few feet in front of Maruna.
* Maruna stops! And looks down, carefully stepping over *this* wire without tripping it.
<Maruna> "Well spotted," she acknowledges. Even fodder should be praised when it performs well!
<Ebiris> Maruna avoids the trap now that she knows where it is, her minions following behind her and likewise bypassing it. Reaching the bottom, she finds herself in an oval-shaped cave with two branches left and right forty feet ahead, and surrounded by numerous tall and wide stalagmites and stalactites...
<Ebiris> roll 2#1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d20+2 and gets 35." [2#1d20+2 = 13, 22]
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina, where are you?
* Riina follows several steps behind, still content with letting Maruna lead.
<Maruna> Right-hand rule! Maruna opts to take the rightmost path, proceeding slowly and keeping a careful watch for more traps as she goes.
<Ebiris> OOC: make a spot check, Riina
<Riina> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+2 and gets 13." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> "Mistress, we are ambushed!" Cheldyr yells, bringing his hand-crossbow up to bear as...
<Ebiris> OOC: surprise round, Cheldyr and goblins act, since only he spotted them
<Ebiris> OOC: everyone roll init now, though, so we can keep track
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 21." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 C
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 C and gets 5." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 Z
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 Z and gets 14." [1d20=13]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2 Haaaaatboooooot
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 Haaaaatboooooot and gets 17." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> OOC: +2 for the mooks, my bad
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 13." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 and gets 6." [1d20=5]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 11." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 4." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 7." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> No sooner has Cheldyr spoken than several goblins pop up from amidst the stalagmites, firing arrows at the drow from all sides!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 Maruna
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 Maruna and gets 15." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 Zalk
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 Zalk and gets 14." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 Riina
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 Riina and gets 10." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> OOC: flat footed ACs?
<Maruna> OOC: That's just without DEX bonus, no? 17, then.
<Riina> OOC: 17 for me
<Riina> OOC: I have MI, but 10 doesn't hit either of them
<Ebiris> The arrows are aimed true, but all bounce off the well-crafted dark elf armour! At the far end of the chamber a goblin with what looks like the skull of some unknown animal for a hat steps out and begins to cast a spell! "We knew you were coming, dark ones! And spirits granted me the power to end you!" he boasts in undercommon as a sudden flare of light blinds the drow party!
<Ebiris> OOC: you're all blinded for 1 round
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 15." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 2." [1d6=2]
<Ebiris> Someone cries out in pain as the dark elves struggle against the sudden flare of horrible horrible daylight!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 2." [1d6=2]
* Riina hisses in anger, gesturing at the bow-wielding goblins as she wills their minds to shut down!
<Riina> OOC: I'll try Deep Slumber. Can I get the mage and one of the archers?
<Ebiris> OOC: you can try. DC?
<Riina> OOC: 19
<Ebiris> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 and gets 19." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 28." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> Riina casts and casts! She can't tell what it did, though, her vision still obscured by the damnable light!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna races forward towards the last known location of that wretched mage, screaming and whirling her chain! She has every intention of pumping a jolt of arcane energy into the foul little creature should the strike connect.
<Ebiris> OOC: balance check
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 22." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> OOC: success! make your attack roll.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+4 attack roll (channelling Shocking Grasp if it connects)
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+4 attack roll (channelling Shocking Grasp if it connects) and gets 5." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> Maruna hollers and shouts and runs and whirls! She feels a bit dizzy, all things considered, and doesn't think she killed anyone. But hopefully her brazen display of aggression put the fear of Lolth into those goblins?
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 Riina
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 Riina and gets 10." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 Maruna
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 Maruna and gets 15." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 Zalk
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 Zalk and gets 21." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6 Maruna
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6 Maruna and gets 7." [2d6=2, 5]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6 Zalk
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6 Zalk and gets 6." [2d6=3, 3]
<Ebiris> Maruna feels an arrow stab into her thigh, and the group all hear another dark elf cry out in pain before their vision finally returns! There's no sign of the spellcaster, but four archers still remain!
<Ebiris> Cheldyr fires a bolt at the nearest goblin then takes cover behind a stalagmite!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 and gets 23." [1d20=18]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 2." [1d4=2]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 5." [1d20=2]
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
<Ebiris> The goblin in question promptly drops despite the seemingly trivial wound, while one of his allies returns fire on the drow!
<Ebiris> OOC: oh, -1 to Cheldyr's attack, since you're still all dazzled. Still hits.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 19." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 3." [1d6=3]
<Ebiris> Cheldyr cries out a little as he's struck, but still remains standing!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina frowns a bit, as her previous lack of success is made clear, and advances menacingly towards the remaining archers, casting Deep Slumber once more!
<Riina> OOC: DC 19, again
<Ebiris> roll 2#1d20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2#1d20 and gets 26." [2#1d20 = 12, 14]
<Ebiris> Two of the goblins go out like a light, leaving only one of the greenskinned creatures visible in the area. One who looks quite notably nervous all of a sudden.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
<Riina> "Maruna, go after the mage," Riina commands, believing in Zalk's ability to deal with the remaining archer.
* Maruna just wants to kill SOMEONE and there are several Someones available right here. However, it wouldn't do to let a high-status enemy just run free. She opts for the rightmost path again and races down it.
<Ebiris> Maruna briefly sees that the two paths both seem to curve in the same direction, and as she rounds the rightmost her suspicions are confirmed as she sees they both converge in the same place. But no sooner has she rounded the corner than a giant weasel suddenly leaps at her, the goblin spellcaster seen just fifteen feet behind it!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> OOC: AC?
<Maruna> OOC: 19 under normal circumstances.
<Ebiris> It bites, but its teeth only graze off her armour without effect!
<Ebiris> Zalk meanwhile shoots at the last goblin standing in the entranceway!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 and gets 18." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 3." [1d4=3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 16." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> This goblin is grazed with the poisonous bolt but remains standing!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile the goblin spellcaster back with Maruna backs off thirty feet with the weasel still standing between him and the drow, beginning to cast another spell...
<Ebiris> Cheldyr loads another bolt and fires at the fiesty goblin archer!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 and gets 25." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 crit check
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 crit check and gets 18." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> roll 2d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d4 and gets 4." [2d4=1, 3]
<Ebiris> "Yow!" the goblin cries in pain as he's shot, but still stays upright!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Riina
* Riina commands the tenacious goblin to slumber, striding after Maruna and leaving Zalk and Cheldyr for the cleanup.
<Riina> OOC: Sleep, dc 17
<Ebiris> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 and gets 3." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> Riina reaches the junction but the corner Maruna fled around remains out of reach for the moment, as Zalk goes to slit the throat of the nearest goblin.
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
* Maruna takes a swing at the overgrown rodent, intending to channel it full of electricity and hopefully put it down in one blow!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+6 attack + shocking grasp if it connects
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+6 attack + shocking grasp if it connects and gets 19." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit, roll damage for chain + spell
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6+5d6 chain (am I reading that right? I get 5d6 from a low-level spell?)
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6+5d6 chain (am I reading that right? I get 5d6 from a low-level spell?) and gets 23." [2d4=2, 2][5d6=3, 1, 2, 5, 2]
<Ebiris> Maruna smites the weasel most viciously, causing it to crackle and sizzle as it collapses and vanishes at her feet!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile Riina can see Zalk going to help Cheldyr with couping the sleeping goblins.
<Ebiris> As Maruna stands triumphant over the weasel, she sees another goblin come charging out of the darkness towards the shaman, this one dripping lots of blood and yelling gibberish she can't understand! The spellcaster briefly gives him an annoyed look before finishing his spell!
<Ebiris> An enormous wolf with thick bony ridges on its haunches and spiny fur suddenly appears besides Maruna, its large jaws lurching forward to snap at her!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+13 and gets 14." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> But it only bites air!
<Ebiris> The spellcasting goblin then moves closer to the wounded one.
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina proceeds determinatedly down the path, hoping that she'll come across Maruna and the goblin mage's corpse any moment now!
<Ebiris> Heading in the same direction Maruna went, Riina can see it starting to curve around to the left, and she can hear a goblin ranting about a scary drow with huge skeletons. She'd have to round the corner to see the source of the noise, she imagines.
* Riina would do so, naturally!
<Ebiris> Heading around, Riina can see Maruna facing off with an enormous wolf! Behind those two she can see two other goblins, the spellcaster from before and an archer, dripping blood copiously from his weedy chest.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
<Maruna> "I'm already tired of dealing with this fool's pets!" Maruna barks as she catches sight of Riina rounding the corner. She swings at the wolf with the intent of filling it with negative energy!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+6 attack plus Touch of Fatigue if it connects
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+6 attack plus Touch of Fatigue if it connects and gets 19." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6 damage
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6 damage and gets 12." [2d4=3, 3]
<Ebiris> OOC: DC on touch of fatigue?
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 and gets 14." [1d20=4]
<Maruna> OOC: Occurs to me that I don't know the DC. >.>
<Ebiris> OOC: 10 + int mod
<Maruna> OOC: 13, then. Bah.
<Ebiris> The wolf is raked by the chains but doesn't seem too badly hurt by it. Meanwhile the archer snaps off a quick arrow at Maruna before retreating beyond the range of her darkvision. The spellcaster finishes his spell and summons a tough and bristle-covered badger which rushes at Maruna before he too flees out of sight.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6 arrow
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 arrow and gets 9." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> The arrow fortunately misses.
<Ebiris> OOC: you get an AoO on the badger
<Maruna> 1d20+6 DIE VARMINT
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+6 DIE VARMINT and gets 21." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6 damage
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6 damage and gets 10." [2d4=2, 2]
<Ebiris> The badger is struck, its mouth foaming wildly as blood is drawn and it claws at Maruna's side!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 and gets 21." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4+6 and gets 10." [1d4=4]
<Ebiris> Maruna feels its claws strike her flank with vicious strength, raking across her pristine ebony skin and leaving ruin in their wake!
<Ebiris> The wolf attempts to capitalise on this by bringing Maruna down with another bite!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+15 and gets 22." [1d20=7]
<Ebiris> roll 1d8+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d8+12 and gets 19." [1d8=7]
<Ebiris> Maruna feels faint, her vision blurring as the wolf savages her... she's falling, falling into an endless Abyss... is Lolth waiting for her?
<Ebiris> Riina has a better view as the wolf tears a chunk out of Maruna's arm, a horrible flow of blood gushing out as her sister crumples to the ground!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina blinks in clear disbelief of what she is witnessing, before targetting the beasts with her Deep Slumber spell.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 23." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 and gets 14." [1d20=10]
<Riina> OOC: DC was 19
<Ebiris> The badger stops foaming at the mouth and lays down its head to rest... but the wolf remains upright!
<Ebiris> OOC: make your stabilisation roll, Maruna?
<Maruna> OOC: That just 1d20+CON?
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2 if so
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 if so and gets 22." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> OOC: roll 1d100, target is your con score or less
<Maruna> roll 1d100 then Hatebot will be in effect since this one's for real~
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d100 then Hatebot will be in effect since this one's for real~ and gets 56." [1d100=56]
<Ebiris> Maruna continues to bleed out as Zalk appears behind Riina. "The other goblins are all dead, Superior Female," he tells her, before suddenly recoiling as the wolf lopes towards him and Riina, snapping out at the mage!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+15
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+15 and gets 35." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+15 crit check
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+15 crit check and gets 24." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d5
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d5 and gets 2." [1d5=2]
<Riina> "You have a sword, don't you?" Riina snaps at Zalk. "Use it!"
<Ebiris> It's a terrible bite, but it only eviscerates an illusion, leaving the real Riina safe! Cheldyr appears around now as well, raising his crossbow in alarm at the sight of the enormous wolf.
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina leaves the wolf to Zalk, tumbling past the beast to get to Maruna's side and try to activate her wand to revive her sister before it gets too late.
<Riina> roll 1d20+13 tumble
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+13 tumble and gets 32." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> OOC: success
<Riina> roll 1d20+16 wand UMD~
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+16 wand UMD~ and gets 31." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> OOC: success
<Riina> roll 1d8+1 don't die  :(
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d8+1 don't die :( and gets 2." [1d8=1]
<Ebiris> Riina stops the bleeding, but Maruna still needs help to recover her usual sunny disposition and can-do attitude! In the distance she can see the goblin spellcaster enter the range of her darkvision, starting to cast a spell although oddly his attention is in the other direction.
<Ebiris> Zalk draws his sword and stabs the wolf!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 9." [1d20=6]
<Ebiris> Sadly he misses, and the wolf retaliates!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+13 and gets 21." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> roll 1d8+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d8+12 and gets 17." [1d8=5]
<Ebiris> With a tortured scream, Zalk is bitten clean in half by the dog's titanic jaws!
<Ebiris> Cheldyr moans quietly and suddenly a field of darkness encompasses both him and the wolf! Not even Riina's darkvision can penetrate it!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina weighs her options, but decides to try and get Maruna back on her feet, first!
<Riina> roll 1d20+16 umd
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+16 umd and gets 29." [1d20=13]
<Riina> roll 1d8+1
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d8+1 and gets 9." [1d8=8]
* Riina then proceeds towards the goblin mage!
<Ebiris> Maruna feels herself pulled back from the Abyss by the loving hands of her big sister, awareness returning painfully as she finds herself splayed out on the ground next to a slumbering badger.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
<Ebiris> As Riina moves she sees a skeleton suddenly appear out of the darkness and stab the goblin! His spell continues undeterred, however.
* Riina allows herself to snort. The plan is progressing much as anticipated, it seems.
<Ebiris> Riina then sees an earth elemental appear next to the shaman and punch out at the skeleton! It misses, however.
* Maruna will thank Riina later (after they've had a nice talk about Riina's splendid "Send in the Marunas" plan). For now...well, it doesn't really look like there's anything she can do about the wolf. Barging into that black cloud in her condition doesn't sound like a good idea. Let the male deal with it! She pauses to eviscerate the sleeping badger before moving after her sister.
<Ebiris> The badger is easily dispatched, vanishing as Maruna slits its throat. Ahead she can see two goblins and an earth elemental fighting a pair of skeletons. The smaller skeleton crumples under a punch from the elemental while the larger skeleton smacks around a goblin with impunity!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile, noises are heard from the darkness...
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+13 and gets 33." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 38." [1d100=38]
<Ebiris> Sounds like snapping jaws and things moving around.
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina charges up a spell as she continues to advance! Soon, she would be able to destroy that impudent goblin mage!
<Ebiris> OOC: you'll enter #evil at the end of the current round.
<Ebiris> Riina charges over and grabs the goblin mage in the far melee, Maruna can see.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna pursues Riina to get a better look at this second battle. If any foe looks ready to fall, she may take the opportunity to finish them off, but she's not about to take any unnecessary risks given the state she's in.
<Ebiris> Maruna nears the battle as it rages, seeing Riina molesting the mage and laughing off the feeble attacks of the other goblin while the large skeleton is brutalised by the elemental!
<Ebiris> OOC: you'll arrive next round
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+13 and gets 30." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 60." [1d100=60]
<Ebiris> roll 1d8+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d8+12 and gets 17." [1d8=5]
<Ebiris> A strangled scream is heard from the darkness...
******
<Ebiris> Rounding the corner, Miruz and his grisly procession find themselves entering a large and mostly flat chamber, with several fires with cookpots over them seen. There looks to be a dozen goblins in this area, none of them armed - one is standing twenty feet ahead of Miruz just where the passage opens up into the chamber, its hand on the cavern wall and staring in shock at the undead plus drow.
<Ebiris> You can't see the full extent of the chamber from here, however, as you'd need to step fully inside to see its full extent, with the narrow passage currently restricting your view a little.
<Miruz> "Goblin wretches," sneerz Miruz in Undercommon, gesturing with a broad sweep of his hand. "You will become slaves to us. Disobey, and I will use your bones instead!"
<Miruz> roll 1d20+19
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+19 and gets 32." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> "Eeek!" the goblin nearest to Miruz shrieks and covers her head, backing away and genuflecting. Further behind that one, he can see the others alternating between staring in frozen terror and outright fleeing from view!
<Miruz> "Remain here. Kill those who flee," orders Miruz, glancing at his humanoid skeleton, and he strides into the goblin chamber proper, skeletal owlbears moving first.
<Ebiris> OOC: are you all marching in, or leaving the skeletons inside the passage?
<Miruz> OOC: I'm leaving the orc skeleton in the passage, so any goblin trying to get past has to go through/around him, and then I'm having the owlbears march forward with me behind.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+20 and gets 34." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> roll 8d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 8d6 and gets 28." [8d6=6, 5, 3, 6, 2, 3, 1, 2]
<Ebiris> As Miruz follows his charnel hordes, he sees the wall on the left suddenly collapse five feet from the end of the tunnel, sending a cascade of rocks and debris tumbling down to crash into the first skeleton, bludgeoning and battering it severely!
<Ebiris> It still clings to unlife as it doggedly marches into the cave ahead, however, eliciting yet more shrieks of alarm from the goblins even as its companion clambers over the fallen debris to follow.
<Ebiris> OOC: 28 damage to owlbear 1
<Miruz> OOC: 4hp left
<Miruz> Miruz climbs over the debris as well, giving the goblins a little credit for the trap- which, sadly, is not enough when dealing with him. A barked command to the owlbears instructs them to bash into submission the goblins nearest them whilst he catches up.
<Miruz> OOC: Subdual, I hope
<Ebiris> The maimed owlbear batters the cowering goblin nearby with a stunning backhand, which sends her reeling to the floor. The other takes a few loping steps over to pummel a cowering goblin child. "Please! Don't hurt us!" one of them shrieks in undercommon.
<Ebiris> Now that he's fully inside, Miruz can see the chamber is about forty feet wide and eighty long, with a wide passage leading up on the far right and what looks to be an underground pond on the far left. Two smaller alcoves are also seen on either side of the tunnel he entered through.
<Miruz> "Then put these on," orders Miruz, reaching into his bag of holding and tossing a few pairs of manacles onto the ground.
<Ebiris> The goblin does a fair bit of bowing and scraping as she carefully approaches and takes the manacales, sniffling and crying as she does so. A few others approach as well, while those closest to the passage on the right flee upstairs!
<Miruz> Miruz's lips quirk in faint disgust at the abject patheticness of the creatures before him. Raising a hand into the air and clenching a fist, he commands a pair of skeletal humans to appear from the ether, and instructs them to assist the goblins with their chains. (Summon Undead II, 2x human skeleton.)
<Ebiris> The skeletons none-too gently assist the goblins with putting on their instruments of bondage, as meanwhile a trio of bow wielding goblins appear running down to the far right, thirty feet away!
<Ebiris> OOC: initiative
<Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3#1d20+3 and gets 33." [3#1d20+3 = 12, 7, 14]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+6 owlbears
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+6 owlbears and gets 15." [1d20=9]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 various human warriors
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 various human warriors and gets 23." [1d20=18]
<Miruz> OOC: In all honesty, the owlbears probably have like 1-2 rounds remaining at most by now
<Ebiris> OOC: better get use out of them, then
<Miruz> OOC: Do I need to wait until my turn to reassign them commands?
<Ebiris> OOC: you can order summons about as a free action
<Miruz> Whilst the humanoids continue to attend to the shackling of soon-to-be-drow-kicktoys, a single growl of command from Miruz sends his two larger, more demented skeletons hurtling towards the trio of archers that dared to appear!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8 attack1+2charging+2feat
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 attack1+2charging+2feat and gets 20." [1d20=12]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8 attack2+2charging+2feat
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 attack2+2charging+2feat and gets 19." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> OOC: both hit
<Miruz> roll 1d6+5
<Miruz> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+5 and gets 11." [1d6=6]
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+5 and gets 8." [1d6=3]
<Ebiris> Two of the brave warrior goblins are horribly maimed by the owlbears, one of them immediately dropping and screaming "Don't kill me!" as he cowers in fear, while the other tries to run away!
<Ebiris> OOC: AoO for the runner, since owlbears have reach
<Miruz> OOC: I'm good. We need as many slaves as we can get!
<Miruz> OOC: If he's running I bet he's not coming back >_>
<Ebiris> The thus far unmolested goblin fires off an arrow at Miruz before likewise running and yelling something Miruz doesn't understand as he flees.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 25." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 6." [1d6=6]
<Ebiris> The arrow stabs into Miruz, but oddly doesn't draw any blood, the sting absorbed by the vile necromantic energies sustaining him!
<Ebiris> OOC: combat's over for the moment, so ball's in your court
<Miruz> Miruz rips out the arrow drops it on the ground nearby, the wound seeming nothing more than a pool of inky blackness that soon vanishes, leaving only unblemished skin. The owlbears will soon be gone, but this fact does not deter Miruz; he strides down the rightmost path without hesitation-
<Miruz> -leaving his minions to finish their work before they, too, vanish.
<Ebiris> Miruz starts to head up the passage while goblins sadly put themselves in chains under the command of his skeletal servants. As he starts to walk up, he sees a group of four goblins appear, three archers and one wielding a wicked looking blade in one hand and a deadly-sharp pick in the other!
<Ebiris> The melee armed one also seems to have better armour as he gestures at Miruz, "Dark one! You won't take my people as slaves!"
<Miruz> Miruz spits on the floor. "You were all our slaves since birth. Understand your place, you nothing! The more of my time you waste, the less tolerant I shall be!"
<Ebiris> "My legend will only grow when I put your head on a pike, Lolth-loving slime!" the goblin proclaims arrogantly as he tenses to attack!
<Ebiris> OOC: init
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 and gets 16." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> roll 3#1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3#1d20+3 and gets 51." [3#1d20+3 = 22, 12, 17]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 for m
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 for m and gets 4." [1d20=2]
<Ebiris> Two of the goblins immediately fire a pair of arrows at Miruz as hostilities are joined!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 16." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 18." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> OOC: flat footed AC?
<Miruz> OOC: I'm flat-footed? 17
<Ebiris> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6 and gets 7." [2d6=6, 1]
<Miruz> OOC: Are these special arrows of hurting twice?
<Ebiris> OOC: sneak attack
<Miruz> OOC: Oh, right
<Ebiris> One arrow misses but the other pierces Miruz's heart! Except again it fails to draw any blood, the vile energies of undeath protecting the drow!
<Miruz> It's time to do my melee thing!
<Ebiris> The apparent leader shows no hesitation in charging at Miruz to slash him with his jagged blade!
<Ebiris> OOC: You have a fear aura, right?
<Miruz> OOC: He hesitates!
<Miruz> OOC: YEah
<Miruz> OOC: Dc 18
<Miruz> OOC: Will
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 14." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> OOC: shaken?
<Miruz> OOC: Yep
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 32." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12 crit check
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 crit check and gets 16." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> roll 1d3+2+2d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3+2+2d6 and gets 10." [1d3=1][2d6=2, 5]
<Ebiris> Finally blood is drawn! A jagged scar is carved across Miruz's stomach, crimson vitae flowing from the wound! The goblin's eyes betray fear, but he still stands resilient as another arrow comes flying towards the drow!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 19." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6 and gets 7." [2d6=6, 1]
<Ebiris> Miruz is stabbed, this time in the leg as an artery is grazed, drawing yet more blood!
<Ebiris> OOC: your go
<Miruz> "Your blows are those of children, lacking in strength or purpose!" snarls Miruz, stepping back from the would-be goblin hero! With a wave of his hand, raw fear surges through both him and one of his archers!
<Miruz> OOC: Cause fear, Will DC 17, shaken on pass for one round, frightened for 6 rounds on fail
<Miruz> OOC: And by cause fear I mean scare
<Miruz> OOC: Doesn't work on 7+HD critters
<Miruz> OOC: Wait, it doesn't work on 6+HD critters, bah. I probably need to revise my action.
<Ebiris> OOC: go ahead and revise, then
<Miruz> With a gruesome leer, Miruz leans forward towards the would-be goblin hero. "Your weapons are as worthless as your soul!" he screams, his face emerging, twisted and deformed! His lips crinkle into a sneer- "You are a nothing, an eyesore- your legend will be of nothing more than your pitiful end!"
<Miruz> roll 1d20+23 intimidate check to demoralize opponent! should stack and cause him to be frightened for one round! He makes a 1d20+level+wisbonus contested roll.
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+23 intimidate check to demoralize opponent! should stack and cause him to be frightened for one round! He makes a 1d20+level+wisbonus contested roll. and gets 34." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 26." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> OOC: +1, but moot
<Ebiris> The goblin quails in fear, his legs quivering beneath him even as the two archers still fire on Miruz bravely!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 23." [1d20=16]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 10." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 4." [1d6=4]
<Ebiris> An arrow plunks into Miruz's shoulder but doesn't do too much damage - although all the wounds are starting to add up. The brave goblin seems to give up the fight, however, turning and fleeing back behind his archer friends!
<Ebiris> "Hey, chief, why you run?" one of the archers asks dumbly, before drawing an arrow and glaring at Miruz. "Scary elf be less scary when full of arrows!"
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 26." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 5." [1d6=5]
<Miruz> Miruz is suddenly next to the other goblins, with a terrifying smirk crossing his features. "Not scary, am I?" he murmurs, his body suddenly flaring with dark power!
<Miruz> roll 6d4 will DC 18 half, negative energy burst!
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 6d4 will DC 18 half, negative energy burst! and gets 15." [6d4=1, 2, 3, 2, 4, 3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 and gets 9." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 and gets 9." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 and gets 15." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> In a crackling nova of negative energy, all three archers cry out as the colour is leached from their skins, which tighten and shrivel, the three goblins collapsing lifelessly to the ground!
* Retrieving #evildunes modes...
<Ebiris> Ahead Miruz can see the dual wielding goblin look back worriedly. "Grrr... need reinforcements!" he growls, running towards a rough hewn staircase leading upwards to the left of the tunnel and passing out of sight for the moment.
<Miruz> Miruz winces for a moment, and quickly passes a hand over his body to heal some of his wounds.
<Miruz> roll 2d8+6 necrohealz
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 2d8+6 necrohealz and gets 13." [2d8=5, 2]
<Miruz> OOC: Hmm. Where can I go, at that?
<Miruz> OOC: Is that the only path?
<Ebiris> OOC: no, you can see the tunnel continues on to a t-junction about sixty feet past the stairway (which is 20 feet away)
<Miruz> Deciding that it's necessary to deal with this now rather than wait, Miruz summons a lone human skeleton to rush up the stairs! He waits a few seconds before following!
<Miruz> OOC: Summon Undead I, human skeleton, I'm giving it one round ahead of me to search/destroy any armed goblins before I follow.
<Ebiris> The skeleton rushes away out of sight, before Miruz starts to follow, the stairs spiralling upwards! No light here, only darkvision to serve, not that this bothers him at all. As he reaches the top he finds them opening out into a wide cavern, the skeleton seen rushing towards a trio of goblins seen to the far right!
<Ebiris> He recognises one as the dual wielding hero, another looks to be a wounded archer and the last is a goblin wearing some sort of skull for a hat.
<Ebiris> The skeleton is sixty feet ahead and the goblins another forty beyond that.
<Miruz> Miruz steps back around the staircase for cover, and takes the time, then, to summon another owlbear! These must be the goblin elite, so once they're all dead...
<Ebiris> OOC: lets roll init, since your human skeleton is entering combat
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 shaman
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 that's the skellyton
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 shaman and gets 18." [1d20=17]
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 that's the skellyton and gets 22." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 archer
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 archer and gets 17." [1d20=14]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 that's me!
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 that's me! and gets 6." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4 hero
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 hero and gets 12." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> OOC: have your skeleton pick a target and go wild?
<Miruz> The skeleton lopes along towards the shaman, scimitar swinging through the air to make contact!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 charging! he's out of range of my happy fun boost time :(
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 charging! he's out of range of my happy fun boost time :( and gets 6." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> Miruz can hear the sounds of combat as he summons his next fodder, but can't see quite what's happening...
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 13." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> OOC: AC on skeleton>
<Ebiris> ?
<Miruz> OOC: 15, dr 5/bludeoning
<Miruz> OOC: 6 hp
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 23." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 19." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> roll 1d3+4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3+4 and gets 6." [1d3=2]
<Ebiris> roll 1d2+2
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d2+2 and gets 3." [1d2=1]
<Ebiris> OOC: 1 damage to skeleton, since you were casting before combat have your owlbear show up and act now.
<Miruz> The human skeleton is soon dwarfed by a new, larger friend, which snaps it's beak in a crude imitation of the living monstrosity, before charging into the side of the goblin hero!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8 charging, does it flank? I don't know
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 charging, does it flank? I don't know and gets 20." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> OOC: not on a charge
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Miruz> OOC: Ah. Then it'll just move into position, since it can keep falnking later
<Miruz> OOC: same thing either way
<Miruz> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+5 and gets 7." [1d6=2]
<Ebiris> Miruz can see his owlbear batter the goblin around the head, drawing a spray of blood!
<Ebiris> OOC: go human dude
<Miruz> The human skeleton switches targets, focusing on the warrior!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 and gets 22." [1d20=17]
<Miruz> OOC: So close to a crit...
<Miruz> roll 1d6+1
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+1 and gets 7." [1d6=6]
<Ebiris> The wounded archer (now wielding a club, you note) goes down in a spray of blood as the skeleton cuts him wide open!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile the one with the skull for a hat retreats away from the melee, moving out of sight of Miruz's darkvision!
<Ebiris> "Grrr... must kill darkling, not waste time with minions!" the dual wielding goblin grimaces, tumbling away from the owlbear and heading in Miruz's direction! He doesn't seem to notice the dark elf until he's sixty feet away, though.
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 and gets 21." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz and owlbear
<Miruz> The owlbear charges after the goblin, attempting to slash him apart one more time!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+10 charging feating
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+10 charging feating and gets 11." [1d20=1]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+10 critfail shit? are we doing this? I don't know
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+10 critfail shit? are we doing this? I don't know and gets 15." [1d20=5]
<Ebiris> OOC: nah, no critfails, just misses
<Ebiris> The owlbear only cuts apart the air above the goblin, missing cleanly!
<Miruz> OOC: Goblin movespeed = 20ft, distance = 60ft?
<Miruz> OOC: If so, safe~
<Ebiris> OOC: goblins aren't lame like halflings. Speed 30.
<Miruz> Miruz takes an apprehensive step back, and sends a black bolt of dark power flying towards the goblin with a flick of the wrist! OOC: Moving out of range unless I can't, ray of enfeeblement
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 touch attack
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 touch attack and gets 23." [1d20=18]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Miruz> roll 1d6+3 strength hit
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+3 strength hit and gets 9." [1d6=6]
<Ebiris> "Aaah!" the goblin cries out as he's struck, the strength leaving his body at an alarming rate!
<Ebiris> OOC: go brave human
<Miruz> The brave human charges off into the unknown to slay the skull-wearing one! How dare a goblin wear an unliving trophy!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 explorer!
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 explorer! and gets 23." [1d20=20]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 crittage? if it can hit, if not just don't mind me
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 crittage? if it can hit, if not just don't mind me and gets 23." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> OOC: crit
<Miruz> roll 2d6+2 ah, man, wasted, really
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 2d6+2 ah, man, wasted, really and gets 4." [2d6=1, 1]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 and gets 30." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> Miruz can't see what happens, but he does hear a satisfying yell of pain!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 9." [1d20=2]
<Ebiris> The crippled goblin hero gives up and runs away at this point!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+11 tumble
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 tumble and gets 12." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> OOC: AoO for owlbear
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8 if only he could grapple on an AoO
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 if only he could grapple on an AoO and gets 27." [1d20=19]
<Miruz> roll 1d6+5 hurtage
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+5 hurtage and gets 11." [1d6=6]
<Ebiris> The goblin is raked across the back by bony undead claws, drawing yet more blood as he flees back and out of Miruz's sight!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go you and your mooks
<Miruz> The owlbear gives chase, whilst the skeleton continues to slash away at the shaman, ignoring the elemental that deigns to pound upon it! Miruz himself decides to bring himself closer to the melee, until he can see the participants!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 skeleton attacks shaman
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 skeleton attacks shaman and gets 13." [1d20=10]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+10 owlbear hopefully attacks hero
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+10 owlbear hopefully attacks hero and gets 13." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> It takes a double-move, but Miruz soon catches sight of the undead versus goblin free for all that's developing. Unfortunately this lets him see both his minions miss their attacks.
<Ebiris> The shaman moves to flank the human skeleton with his minion and smack it in the head!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 18." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 3." [1d4=3]
<Miruz> OOC: It fights on! 3 hp?
<Ebiris> The skeleton is dinged but not out! The elemental tries to finish it off, though!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 21." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> OOC: +2
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6+6 and gets 9." [1d6=3]
<Miruz> OOC: It stops fighting now
<Ebiris> And with a mighty fist of earth, the skeleton collapses and vanishes! The goblin would-be legend attempts to flee behind the other two!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 and gets 13." [1d20=2]
<Ebiris> OOC: AOO
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8 I am consistantly amused
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 I am consistantly amused and gets 24." [1d20=16]
<Miruz> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+5 and gets 6." [1d6=1]
<Ebiris> Again he's clawed at for his temerity!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Miruz
<Miruz> The owlbear charges the shaman, deeming it the greater threat! The elemental is simply ignored, whilst Miruz himself snaps his fingers and brings a ghostly hand into being, perched by his shoulder!
<Miruz> roll 1d4 ow me
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d4 ow me and gets 2." [1d4=2]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+10 charging shaman
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+10 charging shaman and gets 20." [1d20=10]
<Miruz> roll 1d6+5
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+5 and gets 6." [1d6=1]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7 AoO for elemental
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 AoO for elemental and gets 20." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> OOC: AC on owlbear?
<Miruz> OOC: not that much
<Miruz> OOC: 13
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6+6 and gets 12." [1d6=6]
<Ebiris> Bones crumple and crack under the elemental's assault, but the owlbear finds its target and slashes across the shaman's face, maiming him!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina, make your presence known
* Riina charges into the midst, reaching out to grab the goblin mage by his scrawny neck!
<Riina> roll 1d20+4 touch?
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 touch? and gets 17." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Riina> roll 3d6 nonlethal
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 3d6 nonlethal and gets 13." [3d6=1, 6, 6]
<Ebiris> The goblin shivers and shudders, but stays upright despite it all! Focusing, he attempts to cast a spell despite his assailants...
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+11
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+11 and gets 17." [1d20=6]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8 DC?
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 DC? and gets 11." [1d20=3]
<Riina> OOC: Will dc 19 or more harsh pain!
<Ebiris> roll 3d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 3d6 and gets 7." [3d6=1, 2, 4]
<Ebiris> He seems able to cast without risking further attack, but then a sudden spasm of pain takes his spell away! The elemental meanwhile continues to hammer at the owlbear!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 -4pa
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 -4pa and gets 20." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+14
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6+14 and gets 16." [1d6=2]
<Riina> "Oblivion awaits you," Riina whispers to the mage almost fondly.
<Ebiris> OOC: what's the owlbear's hp?
<Miruz> OOC: 4
<Ebiris> The owlbear is slammed fiercely, but stays up somehow!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile the weakened goblin hero maneuvers behind Riina, stabbing out at one of her images!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 and gets 12." [1d20=7]
<Ebiris> Alas he fails to even hit an illusion!
<Ebiris> OOC: Team Miruz
<Riina> "Await your turn," Riina hisses at the would-be hero.
<Miruz> The owlbear uses it's last burst of effort to continue ripping apart the goblin shaman, in a flurry of vicious blows!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 and gets 22." [1d20=14]
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 and gets 16." [1d20=13]
<Miruz> roll 2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 2d6+10 and gets 16." [2d6=2, 4]
<Ebiris> OOC: all hit
<Miruz> roll 1d8+1 for the bite
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d8+1 for the bite and gets 7." [1d8=6]
<Miruz> OOC: +1 to that, too
<Ebiris> The goblin cries out weakly and collapses to the ground, bleeding out horribly but still breathing weakly...
<Ebiris> OOC: doing anything yourself, Miruz?
<Miruz> OOC: That'd be an idea!
<Miruz> Miruz rushes up to the downed goblin and presses a helpful hand against it's head, making sure to keep clear of the elemental if at all possible.
<Miruz> OOC: Wait, I don't need to do that
<Miruz> Miruz's floating hand floats towards the downed goblin and presses itself against it's head in order to finish it off!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+9 or something touch attack
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+9 or something touch attack and gets 20." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Miruz> roll 1d8+1
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d8+1 and gets 9." [1d8=8]
<Ebiris> The goblin spasms painfully, a crack of bone heard as his body goes utterly taut and then lies still...
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna, enter stage right
* Maruna takes stock of the situation before doing anything. Who's closest to her, who's fighting who, and so on?
<Ebiris> As she approaches, Maruna can see an elemental facing off with a large skeleton, and on the other side of the skeleton is Riina standing over a goblin corpse and with a live goblin wielding two weapons assailing her. A spectral hand floats over the corpse.
<Ebiris> The dual wielding goblin is closest to her.
* Maruna IS going to kill someone before this day's over. Someone other than a hapless archer guard! She races over to the goblin hero and attacks!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+6 attack + Shocking Grasp if it connects
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+6 attack + Shocking Grasp if it connects and gets 26." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> OOC: crit confirm?
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 yay correct mod this time
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 yay correct mod this time and gets 27." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> OOC: crit, weapon damage and shocking grasp both doubled. Have fun.
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6+5d6 everything doubled yay and so forth
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6+5d6 everything doubled yay and so forth and gets 30." [2d4=2, 1][5d6=3, 1, 6, 6, 5]
<Ebiris> OOC: that means you roll them twice. So 4d4+12+5d6. Just roll the same again and I'll add them.
<Ebiris> OOC: +10d6*
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6+5d6
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6+5d6 and gets 38." [2d4=2, 4][5d6=6, 4, 4, 6, 6]
<Ebiris> It's a mighty blow, borne of all her hatred and frustration and pain! Truly Lolth must be smiling on her, for Maruna feels like the hand of the goddess as she smites the unworthy! The chain catches the goblin in the side of the head *hard*, a sickening crack as his neck is broken and his body crackles with electricity, flung several feet to the side like a rag-doll!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina smiles at Maruna's handiwork in approval, and decides that the battle is won so she could bring Maruna back to health even more.
<Riina> roll 1d20+16 umd
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+16 umd and gets 17." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> Riina finds the wand spark in her hands and then nothing happens. Meanwhile the elemental methodically punches out the owlbear!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 19." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6+6 and gets 9." [1d6=3]
<Ebiris> The owlbear collapses in a heap of broken and abused bones before vanishing!
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Miruz> The hand wanders over to touch the elemental, attempting to break it up with fell power!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 touching
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 touching and gets 18." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Miruz> roll 1d8+1 zapping
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d8+1 zapping and gets 8." [1d8=7]
<Ebiris> The elemental darkens briefly as necromantic energy pervades it, but it remains standing!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna attempts to finish off the nuisance of an elemental. Anything that reminds her of that wretched mage deserves to be destroyed!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 attack + shocking grasp again
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 attack + shocking grasp again and gets 12." [1d20=2]
<Ebiris> This time Maruna's chain glances harmlessly off the elemental's rocky hide, failing to find any purchase!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina is content to observe from several feet away.
<Ebiris> The elemental lumbers over to Maruna to retaliate with its stony fists of fury!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 11." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> But she adroitly dodges away!
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Miruz> The hand continues it's onslaught!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 and gets 10." [1d20=5]
<Miruz> roll 1d8+1
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d8+1 and gets 2." [1d8=1]
<Ebiris> The elemental fizzles a bit but remains unbowed!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna makes another attempt. "Fall down and die you damned...rock!"
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 same song
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 same song and gets 23." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> ooc: HIT
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6+5d6
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6+5d6 and gets 33." [2d4=3, 2][5d6=3, 6, 5, 4, 4]
<Ebiris> The elemental crackles and fizzes and falls apart before vanishing! All opposition seems gone, silence reigning for the moment...
<Riina> "Are the slaves secured?" Riina asks Miruz, stepping over the goblin mage's corpse.
<Miruz> "They should be," replies Miruz, with a black look. "I see the goblins were a challenge. Where are the others?"
<Riina> "Where is Veldrin?"
* Maruna pauses to catch her breath. It's been a rough day, much as she'd be loath to admit this to anyone. "Veldrin didn't make it, I see? Hardly a surprise. A disappointment. I have no one to discipline for betraying our presence to the offal."
<Miruz> "He fell off a bridge."
<Maruna> "Excuse me?"
* Miruz makes a short bow to Maruna. "I apologise, younger sister. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to prevent Veldrin from drowning himself."
<Miruz> "I assure you that I tried."
* Riina nods, smiling. "I have no doubt you did."
* Maruna looks blank for a moment, then finds a convenient wall to lean against while she holds her sides and shakes with deep laughter.
<Riina> "Zalk and Cheldyr honorably defended Maruna with their bodies during her moment of weakness," Riina says next solemnly. "Their sacrifice would not be forgotten."
<Maruna> "I feel almost bad for losing our males," Maruna confirms. "They were quite competent in comparison."
<Miruz> "It is not amusing in the slightest," notes Miruz, flatly. "The truth of the matter would be less believable than a falsehood." Shaking his head, he turns back to the caves. "At least I do not need to explain how three drow warriors perished on this excursion. Come this way. The wretched goblins make their quarters deeper within."
<Ebiris> No magic items are found here. The goblin hero looked to be wielding a svirfneblin mining pick and assassin's blade, both of decent quality but unremarkable by drow standards. The remaining goblins are quite cowed and offer no resistance to their enslavement, with thirty two noncombatants and children accounted for.
<Ebiris> Oddly enough, you find Veldrin while gathering the goblins in the kitchens, his fresh corpse floating in the water reservoir that Miruz saw at the far left of the chamber.
<Riina> "And where is this bridge Veldrin committed suicide from, Miruz?" Riina feels forced to ask, raising an eyebrow.
<Miruz> "It was on the way to the refuse heap, and crossed over a river. It was a little slippery."
* Maruna eyes the corpse and muses aloud. "Perhaps Miruz could animate him so that he could be properly disgraced, even if only in death."
<Miruz> "I am quite certain his disgrace is total."
<Riina> "Let's leave it at that," Riina agrees. "It's time to return."

[Ebiris]

<Ebiris> The three drow and their thirty chained goblins manage to make surprisingly good time as they retrace their steps through the Underdark and back towards Ched Nymiir. Fortunately the goblins had their own supplies which could be raided, supplementing what the group has been able to forage en route and ensuring none starve to death.
<Ebiris> It's getting late on the fifth day when the group enters a vast cavern, lit up by magically glowing crystals in the arched ceiling overhead. The light is more prevalent than is strictly comfortable, but not particularly blinding. A cornucopia of flora and fauna abounds here in Ched Nymiir's larder, with a short passage to the city itself on the far side.
<Ebiris> Just ahead, a male drow steps out from amidst a blue-ish crystalline bush, wearing chain mail and holding a rapier in his hand. He wears the house insignia of House Devir on his chest, a dark-blue cloak swept over his shoulders as he regards the party warily.
<Ebiris> "In the name of the Spider Queen, hold and identify yourselves!" he calls over in Undercommon.
<Riina> "Who seeks to obstruct House Sengir?" Riina demands, stepping forward and examining the rapier-wielding drow.
<Ebiris> OOC: make an intimidate check?
<Riina> roll 1d20+8
<Rei-chan> Riina rolled : 1d20+8 --> [ 1d20=11 ]{19}
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 (-2 since you're a female)
<Rei-chan> Ebiris rolled : 1d20+3 (-2 since you're a female) --> [ 1d20=14 ]{17}
<Ebiris> He lowers his gaze almost as soon as Riina challenges him. "My apologies, superior female, I am Ger'drin, lieutenant of the South Watch. We were told a group from your House would be returning around now - you may proceed," he backs away to the side to allow a clear path.
* Maruna does just that, prodding a group of goblins forward towards their new life of slavery!
* Riina allows Maruna to take the lead, spending another moment studying Ger'drin before the proceeds.
* Miruz trails behind his swaggering sisters, relegating himself in public to the position of respectful retainer to the females.
<Ebiris> He's a somewhat handsome male, if you're into that sort of thing. Lean and nimble looking, and boasting typically sharp and aristocratic features as befits most of his race. He doesn't meet Riina's gaze as she passes.
<Ebiris> Continuing onwards through the cavern, the goblins get a sneak peek of their fate, as most of the farming here is done by slaves, overseen by cruel drow taskmasters and guarded by militia much like Ger'drin. Passing by orchards, crop-fields, and herds of rothe, the group finally reaches the descending passage towards the chasm over which Ched Nymiir sits.
<Ebiris> The city stretches ahead of you, a vast agglomeration of artful spires both ascending and descending, giving the impression that many buildings are ornamental stalactites or stalagmites, lit by the lambent glow of faerie fire here and there. In many places the calcified spiderweb can't even be seen thanks to the density of structures built atop it.
<Ebiris> Few drow pay the returning slavetakers much mind, and your progress is uninterrupted until about halfway back, as you cross a plaza spanning a large gap in the web.
<Ebiris> "Filthy little beast, watch where you're going!" a harsh female voice sounds as one of the chained goblins stumbles and bumps into the leg of a passing drow...
* Riina is on her way as soon as she hears the angry rebuke, to either diffuse the situation or send the female on her way, depending on her stature.
<Ebiris> It's a younger female, Riina would guess about her own age give or take. She wears a delicate dress of wisp-thin spidersilk that might as well have been painted on, and leaves barely anything to the imagination. A few items of jewellery adorn her figure, most prominent being a stylised spider-necklace with a woman's face over the arachnid's abdomen.
<Ebiris> Her red eyes blaze angrily as the goblin squeaks out a terrified, "Sorry, sorry! Accident!"
<Riina> "Punish it," Riina tells Maruna, gesturing at the goblin without even looking at him.
* Maruna quickly sizes up the other female. The adjectives "useless" and "important" vie for dominance.
<Ebiris> OOC: if you have knowledge local or knowledge religion, feel free to roll
<Miruz> "Keep moving, the rest of you!" snarls Miruz, grabbing another goblin by the chain and dragging him off. "And learn this lesson well- Do Not. Impede. The Drow!"
<Miruz> OOC: I have religion!
<Ebiris> OOC: feel free to roll, then
<Miruz> roll 1d20+10 ok
<Rei-chan> Miruz rolled : 1d20+10 ok --> [ 1d20=10 ]{20}
-> *Miruz* The black necklace she wears is no mere ornamentation, it's an unholy symbol of Lolth.
<Riina> roll 1d20+11 fun
<Rei-chan> Riina rolled : 1d20+11 fun --> [ 1d20=15 ]{26}
-> *Riina* The female here is Jesyln, a priestess at the High Fane of Lolth. She's not terribly powerful there, but she's no fool either.
-> *Maruna* She's a reasonably attractive woman wearing very little. She doesn't seem to be armed and she's certainly not armoured.
* Maruna strides over and kicks the offending goblin in the stomach.
<Ebiris> OOC: kicking just to bruise it or to really hurt it?
<Maruna> OOC: Enough to make it fall down and satisfy this twat's wounded pride. Don't want to actually ruin the slaves, of course.
<Miruz> OOC: We can rebuild them
<Ebiris> The goblin cries out in pain as Maruna's boot impacts his belly, doubling over and falling to the side as he wheezes in agony. The offended drow seems somewhat mollified by this theatre and nods with a scowl on her face. "Keep your pets under better control," she addresses Riina, voice soft and menacing.
<Riina> "They are just beasts, barely capable of understanding simple orders," Riina responds, gesturing the Maruna to lead the slaves onwards. "There is only so much one can do with them. It is a wonder they can even walk in a straight line."
* Maruna does as bidden, leading the slaves away before Miss High-and-Skanky demands any more of them.
<Ebiris> "Pain is a wonderful teacher, if one is strong enough to survive the lesson," the female replies darkly, turning away and resuming her own journey.
<Ebiris> The fallen goblin is dragged along by his chains for a moment before he struggles to his feet and continues walking with the rest of the green procession, the group continuing on their way under Miruz's gently guidance.
<Riina> Sounds like Jesyln went through some fun times, Riina muses once the priestess has left on her way, continuing on her trip back home.
<Ebiris> A short time later the scions of House Sengir arrive at their home, a large diamond-shaped structure nestled securely amidst the surrounding web, jutting up and down for several storeys, with lit balconys here and there. The guards at the gate recognise you all on sight and allow you in without impediment.
<Ebiris> The slave pens are off to the side, a secure area for the holding and training of lesser races until they can be sold. No sign of anyone important milling around outside, though.
<Riina> Once processing the slaves has been properly delegated, Riina intends to see her mother. Delaying the report can't possibly help under these circumstances.
<Miruz> "The truth is perhaps unbelievable," mutters Miruz along the way, after leaving the slaves chained up in their holdings. "Let us try keeping it succinct."
* Maruna sees that the chattal is all penned up, doing her best in the meantime to avoid thinking about mother's reaction to her children losing all the house goons.
<Riina> "That would be the idea," Riina responds to Miruz quietly. "Let's see how it goes."
<Ebiris> The goblins are all properly penned in by the slavemaster, a crippled and bitter old drow male named Belnar who delights in taking out his frustrations on those beneath him, the trio head off in search of Matron Healde. The head of the household is found readily enough in her study where she's meeting with several of her advisers, although she reacts as soon as you enter the room.
<Ebiris> "Ahh, my children have returned!" she beams, standing up and walking towards you all with a smile on her lips. For all that she's pushing 400, she still looks like a healthy young woman - her figure is a bit fuller than most other drow, and her expression belies mischief and happiness - although you know well enough that she's as cold and cruel as any dark elf.
<Ebiris> "Please, tell your mother of your successes," she invites in a melodic tone, standing eagerly before the group. Like the priestess seen earlier, she wears a dress of spidersilk, albeit hers is more ornamental and frilly, with a high collar and overlarge sleeves, multiple layers used to display less skin through the sheer fabric.
* Maruna quickly decides to let Riina share the news with mother!
<Riina> "It is good to be back, Mother," Riina says, unwilling to skip the pleasantries entirely. Only then does she goes on and elaborate. "Though it would delight me to report nothing but success, we had several setbacks along the way.
<Riina> Our scout, Veldrin, conducted himself terribly and alerted the goblins to our approach. He attempted to conceal those news, and once that fact came out, he could not live with himself and committed suicide. Repeatedly. Until he succeeded at last."
<Ebiris> OOC: diplo check
<Riina> roll 1d20+13 this is actually true!
<Rei-chan> Riina rolled : 1d20+13 this is actually true! --> [ 1d20=17 ]{30}
<Ebiris> "I... see..." Haelde seems a bit put off by this news, but there's no sign of an explosive release of anger in the offing...
<Ebiris> Over at the table behind her, the other drow present look amongst themselves worriedly, nonetheless.
<Riina> That merely means it would happen once she's done, but at least she wouldn't need to experience that anger twice. Steeling herself, Riina proceeds with the report. "Now prepared, the goblin shaman summoned several beasts that ambushed us. Zalk and Cheldyr gave up their lives to protect Maruna from being savaged by the beasts.
<Riina> Once the effect of the ambush dissipated, we overcame the goblins without further difficulty and brought them back with us, thirty in number."
<Ebiris> OOC: another diplo check
<Riina> roll 1d20+13 even this is true!
<Rei-chan> Riina rolled : 1d20+13 even this is true! --> [ 1d20=17 ]{30}
<Ebiris> Haelde sighs tiredly, just shaking her head for a long moment. "This is not the happy news I was hoping for, daughter," she admits finally. "Though they were weak, you know how much I care for every member of my house."
<Ebiris> "Nonetheless, it sounds like there was nothing that could be done - they died from their own choices. Perhaps in future you will keep a tighter rein on your underlings," she concludes, giving Riina a sympathetic look.
* Riina resolves to plan harder for every contingency in the future! She bows, accepting her mother's words.
<Miruz> Miruz completely agrees, and can't help but nod his head. "Good help is difficult to come by. However, if you have no other tasks for us at present, Mother, I would wish to apply my time to recouping the losses incurred. Since we have fewer soldiers, more must be found."
<Ebiris> The elder drow smiles widely at Miruz. "What a fantastic idea!" she agrees. "Indeed, we can hardly press goblins into our ranks. Finding more powerful slaves we could use as shock-troops would be positively ideal!" Clapping her hands together and grinning happily.
<Ebiris> "Oh, yes. I saw Matron Valshere strutting around the other day with those big ogre bodyguards of hers - the poor dear's so afraid of what could be lurking in the shadows, I fear. Hmm... a few trolls would upstage her nicely, though, wouldn't they?" She leans forward and genially pats Miruz on the head. "You do know how to make your mother happy, don't you?" she approves.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+12 Knowledge: Dungeoneering is my best
<Rei-chan> Maruna rolled : 1d20+12 Knowledge: Dungeoneering is my best --> [ 1d20=19 ]{31}
<Miruz> Miruz blanches, but luckily, his face is generally pointing at the ground in this situations. "I will do my best to ensure Matron Valshere is more wary of your minions than her shadows, Mother," he assures her.
-> *Maruna* You've heard rumours of a tribe of mutated creatures living near the ruins of an old Illithid outpost in the Lowerdark far beneath Ched Nymiir. Cast-offs of mind flayer breeding experiments, they are feral and strong beasts, yet probably bred for obedience - chances are they wouldn't be too hard to tame.
-> *Maruna* Note that by old I mean abandoned - the illithid living there were all killed.
* Maruna is reminded of a creature that would be perfect for this purpose, and be suitably exotic to make an impression on the other houses...but she'll share that with her companions when they leave. No need to tell mother just yet--let her be pleasantly surprised later!
<Ebiris> Matron Healde seems to be in quite a good mood thanks to Miruz's selfless offer. "Now, I'm sure you all have preparations to make. You can each have one thousand gold from the House treasury to put towards supplies or just to save up for something nice, whichver you'd like."
<Ebiris> She smiles before shooing you out, "Now, Mother has work to do, but I can't wait to see you all again when you return successfully!"
* Maruna nods along and mumbles appropriate niceties, waiting until the team's alone to speak to them again.
<Riina> "Of course, Mother," Riina says simply as she leaves to prepare.
* Miruz manages to trudge away without managing to confuse his own goals any further, and once alone in halls of House Sengir starts trying to claw out his own throat, with little success.
* Maruna can't help but smirk at Miruz's discomfort. "Relax, Miruz. The dark holds beasts other than trolls. I've heard tell of illithid breeding experiments far below Ched Nymiir. The mindflayers are dead and their post abandoned, but I gather their creations still linger. Tough and fierce...but bred for obedience. I'm sure they could be tamed without much trouble. Does this sound more attractive than harnessing trolls?"
<Riina> "If it's so attractive a proposition, why has no one jumped on the chance so far?" Riina wonders out loud.
<Miruz> "Because they have better things they could be doing, and once again, it seems I have narrowly avoided a chance to make my own way in things," mutters Miruz, storming towards one of the many lounges in the house.
* Maruna shrugs. "Perhaps not many know about it? And not all drow are eager to explore the Lowerdark for the *possibility* of personal profit when there are schemes at home to see to. We, however, haven't much choice."
<Ebiris> The lounge is very comfortable and well appointed, lit by sconces of purplish faerie fire and boasting much in the way of soft furniture. A female human slave is in the midst of cleaning the room, but makes haste to leave when the three scions enter.
<Riina> "There's always a choice," Riina says, having followed Miruz. "How long would you need to prepare the information we might need, Maruna? And for you, Miruz, to advance your own goals?"
<Miruz> "You there!" snarls Miruz, rounding on the slave.
* Maruna laughs and settles onto a couch to watch whatever little melodrama Miruz plans to enact with the chattal. (OOC: I don't actually know how long it would take to find the exact location of this place. Eb?)
<Ebiris> The slave abruptly stops and turns towards Miruz. She's almost as tall as he is, her skin deathly pale and her close-cropped hair an odd shade of yellow. At least she's skinny, almost elfin, really. "Yes, Master Miruz?" she asks haltingly, her gaze lowered and a cleaning rag clutched tightly in her hands.
-> *Maruna* You have a decent idea of where it is, and figure it would take about two weeks to get there. Said time could be shortened a fair amount if you had a means to fly down the chasm below the city.
<Miruz> "Do you have something you wish to do?"
<Ebiris> "A slave has no wishes," she replies in a deadened tone. "I exist only to serve my betters."
<Maruna> To Riina: "I'm fairly confident of the location itself. It *is* a bit of a journey, though. Two weeks time, perhaps? Less if we had some means of flying below the city."
<Riina> "Even if the mindflayers are gone, what is known about their post or its defenses?" she asks Maruna. "Would spending a few days researching our destination help us?"
<Miruz> Miruz spits. "I see. See? Even this.. this... surface-thing is wiser than me. Mouth shut in front of her betters, no-doubt earning whatever little victories she can beneath the surface. Stick out and you're done." he mutters, barely audiable to his siblings. "Go on, get about your trifles," he finishes, eventually slumping over on a seat.
-> *Maruna* It was a small outpost, not even having an elder brain to rule it. About twenty years ago it was destroyed by Githyanki raiders - it's unlikely they left any of the defences standing.
<Ebiris> Slumping in relief, the human kneels down and quickly wipes up Miruz's saliva from the floor before she silently departs the lounge.
<Maruna> "It's been deserted some twenty years now. Overrun by Githyanki, who I gather destroyed whatever defenses the illithids had in place. It was a small outpost to begin with."
<Riina> "Are you done, now?" Riina asks Miruz, raising an eyebrow. "Or would you like to display more weakness before the slaves, first? We could visit the goblin pens."
* Maruna is clearly disappointed at Miruz's conduct here. She wanted to see someone else suffer to work off the frustration of failing to impress mother! Oh well, she can entertain herself later.
<Miruz> "Weakness? Weakness. I don't care what actual weaklings think of me. The priestesses can terrorize them enough for all of us. I have.. other things.. to do... than worry about the feelings of nameless chattel." He pauses, and brightens up after a moment.
<Miruz> "Besides, the only opinions I care for are those of the people in this room. Since you know me and know what I can do, you won't be fooled by a lapse of judgement. Yes. Because we're *friends*, are we not?"
<Riina> "The planning for our assignment would take several days, quite possibly," Riina says, emphasizing the time period. "I do know you, in fact, just as you've said. Would that be enough, for now?"
<Miruz> "Where is it? What is on the way? Perhaps our expeditions can be combined." Miruz snorts. "What planning can be done for a place that hasn't been seen for who-knows-how-long? Any information we get would likely be out of date."
* Maruna just shrugs. The three of them are useful to each other, which is probably about what friendship means to her.
<Riina> "The sort of planning that frees up your time to empower the House by recouping the losses your way," Riina spells out, somewhat ticked off that she has to say it so openly.
<Miruz> "Are you upset?"
<Maruna> "I agree that it would be good to know more about the country ahead of us, and I will take the time to find out as much as I can. A journey into the depths of the Lowerdark, bringing back terrible creatures of unknown aspect, however? Is a feat that would do much to offset the relative failure of the goblin expedition."
<Riina> roll 1d20+7
<Rei-chan> Riina rolled : 1d20+7 --> [ 1d20=16 ]{23}
-> *Riina* You think she was just using trolls as a handy example. So long as it's big and meaner than an ogre she should be plenty happy.
<Riina> "At you refusing help so adamantly?" she snaps at Miruz. "Just a tiny bit. It's not good enough if it doesn't come straight from Mother?"
<Maruna> roll 1d20+12 dungeoneering again
<Rei-chan> Maruna rolled : 1d20+12 dungeoneering again --> [ 1d20=6 ]{18}
<Miruz> "You're upset. It's understandable. I was upset, too," replies Miruz, with a frown. "But I've overcome that upset. Now I'm on top of things."
<Maruna> "Are you? All the complaining and whining in front of servants is out of your system, then? That's good."
* Riina breathes in, then out. "If that's how you would like it. Alright. Maruna, make the preparations, but don't dawdle overmuch. Have a contingency plan in place to go after trolls if this information doesn't prove to be true."
-> *Maruna* The area around Ched Nymiir is fairly safe, generally you won't run into anything too aggressive until you get further away. The fallen Illithid outpost is far enough away that creatures with less fear of the drow could conceivably abound, but you're not sure exactly what lies ahead. Likely as not there will be mutated illithidspawn inhabiting their outpost, though.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+12 dungeoneering yet again (where does one find trolls? May as well roll for that too just in case.)
<Rei-chan> Maruna rolled : 1d20+12 dungeoneering yet again (where does one find trolls? May as well roll for that too just in case.) --> [ 1d20=4 ]{16}
<Ebiris> OOC: roll nature for trolls
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10
<Rei-chan> Maruna rolled : 1d20+10 --> [ 1d20=14 ]{24}
-> *Maruna* Trolls are solitary creatures that can be found almost anywhere in the Underdark, coming in many different breeds. You're pretty sure there's a nest of them far to the West, as Drow warriors in that area sometimes get led towards them by Deep Gnomes hoping to kill two birds with one stone. There's a city of them somewhere in that region, about three or four weeks travel.
<Maruna> "Finding trolls is easy, but getting to troll country would actually take longer." She shrugs. "Personally, I'd rather trump mother's idle request and bring her back something exotic than *merely* fulfill her expectations."
<Riina> "Foolish," Riina mutters, before raising her voice. "You are in luck. I believe that Mother was only using trolls as an example. Still, let's plan for both occasions. Having some fire and acid along can't hurt."
<Miruz> "More to the point. How do we capture these beasts? They won't be as easily cowed as goblins," notes Miruz.
<Riina> "Sleep spells, if possible. Your minions and my magic to support them, if not. In either case, Maruna would serve as my bodyguard," Riina states.
<Maruna> "The illithids bred obedience into the beasts, so I'm told. I imagine that would give us something to exploit at the very least."
<Miruz> "Just how tough are they? Could you take one down face-to-face, if you don't me me asking?" asks Miruz, although the question is almost rhetorical.
<Maruna> "I don't know that much, unfortunately. But there's no glory without a little risk, is there?"
<Riina> "Do see if you can get told this much before we leave," Riina requests.
* Miruz looks utterly shocked.
<Maruna> "Of course. But if everything was known about these creatures, well, someone else would've taken advantage of the situation already."
* Riina is tempted to just send Maruna in first, again.
* Miruz is quickly mollified. "True enough. In fact, they may already have," muses Miruz. "After all. These types of creatures virtually require a master. And if the illithid institute is still standing, well, that's a prime base of operations right there."
* Maruna shrugs. "Perhaps, but I imagine rumors and someone setting up shop in an abandoned illithid outpost and sending out these creatures to do their bidding would've been remarked upon by now had it happened. It would certainly be more striking than the mere existence of the creatures themselves."
<Miruz> "News travels slowly in the Lowerdark. I am prepared to be pessimistic," replies Miruz, with a frown. "Our route is of most concern. We should take double care to avoid unecessary entanglements. Expediency is not our concern in this jaunt, I feel."
<Maruna> "Caution has its virtues," Maruna says, standing up. "Keep expecting the worst, Miruz, and maybe eventually you'll be right to our benefit."

[Ebiris]

<Ebiris> From piecing together various tales and rumours, Maruna has a good idea of how to reach their destination. The first few days are quite peaceful as the trio move through the well-patrolled region surrounding Ched Nymiir, where hostile creatures are kept at bay and hazards are well known.
<Ebiris> No one seems of a mind to give the three scions of House Dengir any trouble, if they even make themselves known at all. But it's on the fourth day of travel when a choice is foisted upon the group. A tiny Duergar outpost lies nearby, on one of the freezing subterranean rivers that criss-cross the Underdark.
<Ebiris> Maruna thinks that if they could get passage downstream on that river towards a labyrinthine nest of tunnels leading deep downwards, they could shave two days off their journey which would otherwise be spent walking and climbing through several deep vaults on foot.
* Maruna mentions this option to her teammates, because the democratic process is an intrinsic and valued part of drow decision-making (ha).
<Miruz> "Let us pass by it. There is no need for us to bother with the Duergar," states Miruz, magnanimously.
<Riina> "Why not test ourselves against them?" Riina muses out loud. "After the goblins, I'd like to see how we fair against real opponents, before we get too far into the lowerdark."
<Maruna> "You don't mind roughing it for two days that could be skipped? That's time that could be spent back at home furthering your own pursuits, Miruz," Maruna observes.
<Miruz> "Ah. Tests! Yes. But I thought, seeing as we are on a journey to acquire new breeds of slavish minion, that we could test *them* against the Duergar on our return trip," replies Miruz, thoughtfully. "We must make sure that they are worthy, surely."
* Riina considers the suggestion. "Intriguing. Let's go with that, then," she decides.
<Maruna> "Fair enough. We needn't tire ourselves unnecessarily, given that we know not what lies ahead of us. Though far be it for me to *decry* violence, it might be possible to secure passage down the river without violence, and then make use of the duergar for this purpose on our way back?"
<Riina> Riina's face twists into a pained grimace. "Let's just follow our original route. Your laziness is unbecoming."
<Miruz> "Talking to the duergar isn't so much lazy as..." murmurs Miruz, before quickly shutting up.
* Maruna shrugs. Not finishing that sentence was a wise idea.
<Riina> "Talking to them to avoid walking for two mere days," Riina says, sighing. "Which we won't be doing." She rolls her eyes. "Talking to the duergar and securing their honest cooperation. My!"
<Maruna> "Very well. Let's move on."
<Ebiris> And so the drow continue onwards through the forgotten depths of the world, giving a wide berth to the gray dwarf bastion. It's getting somewhat late as they navigate a twisting tunnel of smooth rock, seeming as if it was melted by the passage of magma aeons ago, although for now it's somewhat damp and humid, despite the coolness in the air.
<Ebiris> It's been perhaps an hour and a half since they climbed down from a higher (and dryer) cavern into this particular tunnel, no end in sight for the moment, but tiredness is starting to wear upon their bodies...
<Miruz> "Shall we rest? I'm starting to lose track of time," admits Miruz, as he brings up the rear.
* Maruna stops. "We can rest for the time being, for the sake of those who've grown weary."
<Miruz> Miruz rolls his eyes. "We'll stop in the next defensible area," he decides, deciding to find the best spot he can. Ideally, a place with only a few narrow exits, which would serve to constrain aggressors from any one direction whilst affording the drow multiple escape routes.
* Maruna just shrugs, suggesting that fatigue is a problem only for weaklings who spend too much time studying, but also keeps a lookout for an easily defensible location.
<Ebiris> With Miruz having proved his manliness in the face of Maruna's taunting, the group presses on! The tunnel eventually comes to an end, oppening out onto a flooded gallery, what little you can see suggesting that it's filled with stagnant water perhaps a foot deep and rimed with brackish slime.
<Ebiris> The problem, however, is that this opening comes by the tunnel suddenly angling into a straight vertical drop, with the floor beneath about fifty feet down from where the passage opens onto the ceiling of the cavern below.
<Riina> "Do we set up camp here, or use Spider Climb to descend below?"
<Maruna> "I say we rest here, make the climb tomorrow. I don't imagine anyone wants to sleep in a pool of muck if they don't to, after all?"
<Riina> "We could likely scale the walls to get past the much," Riina points out.
<Miruz> "We might as well make use of your spells before resting, rather than after."
* Riina nods at last. "Alright. I'll go first. Maruna, you're with me. Once we've made it down, you'll follow with your skeleton, Miruz." With that, she begins casting the Spider Climb spell.
<Miruz> "Right," replies Miruz, leaning against the cavern wall.
* Riina begins the climb down!
<Ebiris> Having cast the spell on all four of the party, Riina begins to climb down the vertical shaft at the end of the tunnel with Maruna behind her. As Riina pokes her head down into the cavern below, she can see the cave wall about twenty feet away in the same direction as the tunnel came from, but it extends farther than she can see in all other directions.
<Ebiris> The floor below is mostly soaked, with the odd little outcrop of lichen covered rock poking above the slimy water here and there. The ceiling seems intermittedly covered in some sort of slippery looking moss or lichen as well.
<Ebiris> OOC: dungeoneering or nature check, Riina, whichever is better
<Ebiris> OOC: nevermind, carry on
* Riina tries to avoid the parts that seem slippery, moving aside and motioning for Maruna to proceed past her.
<Ebiris> OOC: make a dex check
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 21." [1d20=17]
* Maruna does so, though really Riina should've let her take the lead in the first place rather than just climbing down into the unknown. (Grumble grumble.)
<Ebiris> Riina manages to carefully position herself with her sticky limbs avoiding the pale growths on the craggy ceiling of the cavern as she hangs suspended in the air above the dank floor below. Maruna begins her own descent, peeking out to see the same view Riina just enjoyed...
<Ebiris> OOC: knowledge nature or dungeoneering, whichever is better, Maruna
<Maruna> roll 1d20+12 dungeoneering
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+12 dungeoneering and gets 22." [1d20=10]
-> *Maruna* The white moss on the ceiling is Wisp Lichen. It's covered in a potent paralytic agent that sticks climbing or high flying creatures to it as they're slowly dissolved and consumed over the course of many days.
* Maruna speaks back to her compatriots: "The lichen is a predatory species. Avoid it unless you wish to enjoy a painful death as you slowly dissolve in its grasp over a period of days."
<Riina> "What is their weakness?" Riina asks Maruna quietly. "Are they hard to kill?"
-> *Maruna* Burning them gives off noxious fumes that are unpleasant but not fatal. Freezing them kills them and renders them inert.
<Maruna> "It's moss. Just go around it, sister. If it must be exterminated, either fire or ice will be sufficient, though the former produces a foul vapor."
<Riina> "I'm not certain Miruz's skeleton could go around it, and it's bad form to lose the muscle before we're even at our destination," Riina responds. "See if you can clear a path to one of the walls?"
<Maruna> "Unless skeletons can be *paralyzed*, I think it will have little problem here."
<Miruz> "It probably won't eat my skeleton. In fact, let's try this," remarks Miruz, ordering his skeleton to go ahead of the other two and start cutting the lichen off, thus forming a usable path.
* Riina is already positioned out of the way, and is content to wait and see the results of this attempt. Miruz should really know his skeletons better than she does or ever cared to learn.
<Ebiris> The skeleton clambers down as instructed, using its bony clawed hands and sword to wipe up and discard as much of the lichen as it can on a direct path towards the nearby wall. It's not perfect, but the amount of lichen in your path is significantly reduced, and it shouldn't pose too difficult a challenge to avoid.
* Riina tests this out!
<Ebiris> OOC: dex check
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 18." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> Riina daintily scrambles across the ceiling and reaches the nearby wall without incident. It looks like an easy enough climb down below, where a narrow ledge hugs the wall just a bit above the water, allowing a place to stand without getting one's feet wet, although it does look a bit damp and slippy regardless.
* Riina gestures for Maruna to proceed, calling Miruz down as well.
* Maruna follows.
<Ebiris> OOC: dex check
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 6." [1d20=4]
<Miruz> Miruz follows the path the females braved.
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2  and gets 13." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> Maruna and Miruz are likewise able to make their way over to join Riina and the undead thing without catching any vulnerable extremities on the deadly moss. The skeleton has its blade and one hand covered in the stuff, but otherwise the party is entirely free of hazardous fungal matter.
<Miruz> "Easy. Where too next, Superior Females?"
<Riina> "Lead on, Maruna. We need to get somewhere we can set up camp within an hour."
* Maruna sticks to the wall, trying to circle around the watery area. They may just be shallow pools, but this is the underdark and you never know what might be hiding.
<Ebiris> OOC: listen checks
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 9." [1d20=7]
<Ebiris> OOC: that goes for Riina and Miruz as well
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 we are so good
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 we are so good and gets 17." [1d20=15]
<Riina> roll 1d20+2 alas
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+2 alas and gets 22." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> Thanks to Riina's magic it's easy enough to cling to the cave wall and flimsy ledge without slipping into the water. After a couple of minutes hugging the edge, the group can see the cave start to curve around a hundred feet ahead, a corner sighted. Just past that and twenty feet up off the ground an alcove is seen, though how deep it penetrates is hard to tell from here.
-> *Miruz* You can hear faint splashing sounds from the darkness of the flooded cave, as if something were walking around in the water without much care for stealth. It's far off, though.
-> *Riina* You can hear faint splashing sounds from the darkness of the flooded cave, as if something were walking around in the water without much care for stealth. It's far off, though. The gait of the creature is strange, like a two-legged being with a limp, perhaps?
<Miruz> "Someone's far ahead, I think," signals Miruz, hands flickering with the eloquence of sign langauge. He starts making for the alcove, since it's somewhere to head for.
* Maruna also proceeds int hat direction, since it's likely a safer resting place than anywhere else in the vicinity. Whoever's claimed it already will just have to vacate the premises.
* Riina nods in agreement, having heard footsteps as well, and follows. The sooner she has a ground to stand on, the better.
<Ebiris> Reaching the corner, and a little bit past it, the group climbs up to the alcove above. Once they have the advantage of height they can see its a downsloping cave, reaching a flattened circular area about five feet down and ten ahead where it curves to the left, as if following the wall of the larger cave behind you.
<Miruz> "Is this the right way?"
-> *Maruna* As far as your mental map goes, you guys really want to get to the far end of the flooded cave opposite the side your tunnel opened out onto.
<Maruna> "More or less. We want to end up opposite the tunnel we came from."
* Miruz nods, and walks down to the curve to peer down that direction.
<Ebiris> Walking down, Miruz can see that this area is mercifully free of moss and overall dampness. However, he does notice an abrupt chill in the air as he reaches the level area of ground. Looking down the tunnel to the left, he can see it stretches in a straight line farther than he can see, a few patches of slime sporadically dotting it starting about fifty feet away.
<Miruz> "There's slime down this way. Maruna, you know all about slime, right?"
<Maruna> "In the interest of teamwork, I am not going to answer that question by introducing my fist to your face." She wanders over to Miruz to get a look at...whatever it is.
<Ebiris> OOC: dungeoneering or nature check
<Maruna> roll 1d20+12 dungeoneering
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+12 dungeoneering and gets 22." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> As she joins Miruz, it's all Maruna can do not to shiver at the abrupt drop in temperature.
-> *Maruna* You can see patches of brown mold in the tunnel. It sucks the warmth from everything around it, and grows explosively quickly in the presence of fire. Magical cold kills it instantly.
* Maruna glances around the tunnel, pointing out growths of mold. "These drain the heat from beings passing by. Cold will kill them. Don't use fire unless you want there to be much, *much* more of it."
<Miruz> "Skeleton should be fine, then. It doesn't worry about cold," muses Miruz, gesturing at the skeleton to try scraping up a bit of the slime.
<Ebiris> The skeleton marches ahead and scrapes up a bit of slime onto its sword without incident. Coupled with the earlier wisp lichen the blade is getting pretty grotty.
<Maruna> "I don't know, Miruz. Do you want that stuff to grow all over the skeleton?" Maruna imagines the orc skeleton as a shambling brown horror covered in mold.
<Miruz> "Well, it'd be my skeleton."
* Miruz instructs the skeleton to start getting rid of all the crap that's on it, however, by tossing it out from the alcove back into the watery cavern.
<Maruna> "Perhaps, as long as you keep it away from you. I see little virtue in a minion who's proximity would tax your health."
<Maruna> *whose
<Ebiris> The skeleton walks back towards Maruna and Miruz, the pair both experiencing a brutal chill as the undead gets within ten feet of them!
<Ebiris> roll 1d6 nonlethal cold
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 nonlethal cold and gets 6." [1d6=6]
* Maruna shudders and backs away. "Dammit, Miruz! Tell that thing to go clean the muck off it."
<Miruz> "Y-y-yes. Th-that's good advice!" mutters Miruz, waving a hand at the skeleton to make it stop, and he huddles back towards the original cavern.
<Ebiris> The skeleton stops in place, blocking the mold infested tunnel while Miruz and Maruna retreat to join Riina at the point where this cave merges with the flooded one.
-> *Riina* You can still hear that splashing movement behind you in the flooded cave. Sounds like it's just wandering aimlessly as far as you can tell.
<Ebiris> It's very cold as the group settles down to rest, and the sloped alcove looking out over the cavern full of stinky water isn't really the most pleasant place to relax, but the three hardened drow make do as best they can...
* Riina thus goes to rest, making herself comfortable, after warning Maruna and Miruz to listen in on the strange shambling creature in the water from time to time.
<Ebiris> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 88." [1d100=88]
<Ebiris> roll 1d3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d3 and gets 2." [1d3=2]
<Ebiris> OOC: make a fort save, Riina
<Riina> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+3 and gets 20." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> The rest period drags on, currently Riina awake as Maruna and Miruz both trance quietly. Her neck's a bit stiff and her skin somewhat numb from the general chill in the area, but it's nothing she can't endure. Hopefully Miruz will wake up shortly, but for now things are quiet... although... she thinks the rhythmic shambling splashes echoing distantly across the water are starting to get louder.
* Riina decides to interrupt Maruna's trance.
<Ebiris> OOC: fort save, Maruna
<Maruna> rol 1d20+8
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 and gets 23." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> Maruna is jostled awake by her big sister, feeling a bit stiff and sore but nothing she can't deal with, even if having her beauty trance interrupted before its conclusion is no way to start the day.
* Maruna is up and alert quickly enough, knowing not to take chances out in the underdark, though she does look unhappy with Riina for waking her.
* Riina signals to her that there is always the option of making a beautiful corpse if whatever's shambling over to them is nasty.
* Maruna ignores the banter and gets to business, signaling to ask what (if anything) Riina knows about their guest.
* Riina shrugs, and indicates that if Maruna would keep her company for half an hour or so, she could go back to sleep.
* Maruna does so, sidling over to sit next to Riina, though looking appropriately disgruntled about it.
<Ebiris> The duo sit perched over the edge of the alcove and surveying the dank cavern below. The splashing footsteps continue to get louder, and after a few minutes they can finally see the source. About a hundred and twenty feet away strides a large humanoid-shaped creature, roughly the size of an ogre, albeit one with its head heavily recessed into the neck.
<Ebiris> Its body is covered in odd bulbuous protrusions and veiny growths, not to mention numerous wicked looking spines, particularly around its large fists. It occassionally drags its hands through the water as it slouches onwards, not seeming to have noticed the duo yet.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 nature
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 nature and gets 30." [1d20=20]
-> *Maruna* It's a Briarvex, a plant-like creature capable of controlling plants around it to entangle foes. Its strikes can implant animate thorns into its victims, which burrow into the flesh and cause grievous injuries. It's especially vulnerable to fire, however.
* Maruna signals to Riina: Nasty. Psionic control of plants, attacks implant thorns that burrow into the flesh. Burns nicely, though.
* Riina decides to keep out of sight and see whether the freakish monster would just keep on walking aimlessly past them.
<Ebiris> OOC: retreating down the passage behind you?
* Maruna thinks this is an excellent plan and follows suit.
<Riina> OOC: Can we retreat just a few steps and hide?
<Ebiris> OOC: hide checks, then
<Riina> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+9 and gets 11." [1d20=2]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2 ack
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 ack and gets 9." [1d20=7]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 22." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> Pressing themselves against the stony walls and ducking down, Riina and Maruna do their best to hide without edging to close to the hazardously heat-sucking skeleton blocking the other direction, leaving Miruz likewise propped against the wall as he trances.
<Ebiris> The plant-creature wades ever closer, casting its gaze this way and that, seeming to be heading on a straight line towards their little hidey-hole.
<Riina> If the distance drops to half what it was and the thing shows no change in its approach, Riina would have no choice but to wake Miruz up and deal with the plant creature.
* Maruna is too irritated to use sign language for expletives.
<Ebiris> Its within sixty feet and coming closer every second, lifting its arms out of the water and seeming to be taking more care in its footsteps. Although with the loud splash of water every movement makes, any effort to be stealthy is doomed to failure.
<Ebiris> OOC: listen check, Miruz
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 and gets 18." [1d20=16]
-> *Miruz* You can hear loud splashes getting closer and closer, which jolts you out of your trance.
<Ebiris> OOC: fort save, Miruz
<Miruz> OOC: is that stunning/disease/paralysis/poison?
<Ebiris> OOC: no
<Miruz> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+4 and gets 5." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> Miruz wakes up from all the noise, but his limbs are damnably stiff and his flesh all but numb from the pervasive cold of their ill-chosen rest spot.
<Ebiris> OOC: you're fatigued, Miruz
<Miruz> "Go'away," he mutters, poking his head up. "Oh."
<Ebiris> OOC: okay, everyone knows what's what, lets roll init, here?
<Riina> "A shame it's not a zombie," Riina tells him, about to cast!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20 briarvex
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 briarvex and gets 9." [1d20=9]
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 I CAN HAS INIT
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 14." [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 I CAN HAS INIT and gets 21." [1d20=19]
<Miruz> OOC: TAKE THAT PUNKS
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 10." [1d20=8]
<Miruz> Miruz points a finger at the shambling.. thing... and fires a slow-moving, tired-seeming beam of yellowish light towards it, intent on making it as miserable as him.
<Miruz> roll 1d20+4 zappage
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+4 zappage and gets 19." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit. Effect?
<Miruz> OOC: Sorry, was meant to be ray of exhaustion. Fort save vs. DC 18, fail = exhausted, pass = fatigued
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+10 and gets 16." [1d20=6]
<Miruz> OOC: Duration: Long enough that it won't matter
<Ebiris> The creature emits a strange distorted groan as the beam impacts, its movements suddenly becoming sluggish and slow...
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina decides to put the thing down by calling upon Inevitable Defeat. It had served her well in the past.
<Riina> roll 3d6 nonlethal
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 3d6 nonlethal and gets 14." [3d6=6, 4, 4]
<Ebiris> Riina casts, but her spell doesn't seem to affect the creature, for all that it does seem very tired and sad.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
<Maruna> OOC: How far away is it now?
<Ebiris> OOCL wait
<Ebiris> OOC: strike Riina's action, Inevitable Defeat is a touch spell.
<Ebiris> OOC: it's 60 feet way and 10 feet down, for reference (taking its 10 feet height into account)
* Riina decides to wait until the creature's closed to within forty feet of her, intending to summon ghostly sentinels all around it.
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
* Maruna will follw suit, waiting for the creature to come within forty feet of her, ready to cast a ray to weaken it when it does so.
<Ebiris> Funnily enough after being weakened by Miruz's efforts, the creature seems to lose its appetite to investigate the drow, turning tail and lethargically striding back away the direction it came from! It manages to cover 60 feet with its slow but long strides, now barely on the very edge of dark elf perception.
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Riina> "It's smart enough to go away, at least," Riina mutters quietly.
* Maruna is quite content to let the creature shamble off.
<Miruz> "And stupid enough to come back, I'll bet," mutters Miruz, annoyed, and he starts attempting to summon a couple of owlbears to go rip the offending creature to shreds.
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina is dismayed that the creature walked off, silently agreeing with Miruz's analysis as likely, but is in no hurry to jump into the dirty water after it. If it returns, she'll be ready.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna, doing anything?
<Maruna> OOC: Nope! Not unless it comes back.
<Ebiris> The creature vanishes from sight, lost in the darkness. Although you can hear sloshing water from its footsteps diminishing in volume as it flees. Meanwhile, Miruz completes his fell spell!
<Miruz> The owlbears appear as far as out as Miruz can manage, and soon trundle after the creature as fast as they're able. Which may well not be very far, but beggars can't be choosers.
<Miruz> OOC: It only lasts 6 rounds, unfortunately, but they're not exhausted, which is a perk. Move 30ft.
<Ebiris> OOC: having them double move after the briarvex, or running?
<Miruz> OOC: Full speed until they get close to it!
<Ebiris> OOC: how many of them?
<Miruz> OOC: 2
<Ebiris> The owlbears charge into the darkness, sounds of combat soon echoing forth!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 17." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 22." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 4." [1d6=4]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 3." [1d6=3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 12." [1d20=6]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 14." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+9 and gets 14." [2d6=2, 3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 22." [1d20=16]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 20." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 24." [1d20=18]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 22." [1d20=16]
<Ebiris> roll 4d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 4d6 and gets 16." [4d6=3, 5, 5, 3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 10." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 20." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6+7+3d6-5
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+7+3d6-5 and gets 24." [2d6=2, 4][3d6=4, 6, 6]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 19." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 11." [1d20=5]
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 4." [1d6=4]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 24." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 28." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> roll 4d6+14+3d6-5
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 4d6+14+3d6-5 and gets 22." [4d6=2, 1, 1, 2][3d6=3, 2, 2]
* Maruna waits and listens to the sound of distant combat. If there are any groans of distress, she counts this as a good sign!
<Ebiris> Groans of pain emanate from the darkness, along with crunching of bone in equal measure! Truly this is a clash of the titans, as the brave combatants hurl everything they have at each other!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 12." [1d20=6]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+6 and gets 8." [1d20=2]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 and gets 9." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 12." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+9
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+9 and gets 23." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6+14+3d6-5
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+14+3d6-5 and gets 26." [2d6=5, 5][3d6=2, 4, 1]
<Ebiris> Finally the combat ceases, only the sounds of splashing footsteps in retreat, staggered and pained...
<Maruna> "Well, so much for your toys, Miruz."
<Miruz> "Next time, I'll sit back and watch you deal with it, then?"
<Riina> "Want to finish your rest?" Riina asks him, changing the topic.
<Miruz> "Yes. Though I feel worse than when I started," mutters Miruz, fishing in his bag for firestarting tools. "It's colder here than I thought."
<Ebiris> Indeed, it almost feels like the air itself leaches the heat from your body, the air still but inordinately chilly.
<Riina> "Fire should make it more comfortable, then," Riina agrees, helping Miruz start one.
* Maruna glances around for any groths of mold near enough their chosen campsite, just in case. They probably would've noticed the effects by now, but it doesn't hurt to doublecheck with Miruz about to set up a fire.
<Ebiris> In short order the dark elves set about building a fire at the lip of the alcove, while Maruna looks down where they left the skeleton. She can see its sword and arm are now heavily overgrown with brown mold, ropey strands of it hanging between its limb and the walls and floor.
<Maruna> "Dammit, Miruz," Maruna mutters. She'd freeze that gunk off, but she's not sure the skeleton won't take Maruna's ray of cold as an attack and respond in kind. "Hey Miruz, your orc's lawn ornament now. I'm going to freeze the filth off it."
<Miruz> "Oh, one moment." Miruz frowns to himself, and then - "Alright, it won't hug you when you try, now. Go for it."
* Maruna does so, aiming her beam of cold at the encrusted skeleton. (OOC: Do I have to roll when it's just standing still for me?)
<Ebiris> OOC: just don't roll a 1.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 and gets 9." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> Maruna points and projects a ray of freezing cold air at the skeleton! However she has to hold back a sneeze just as she completes her spell, throwing her aim off and sending the ray aimlessly to the ground!
* Maruna rolls her eyes and tries again!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 and gets 24." [1d20=16]
<Ebiris> This time she succeeds! Bathing the skeleton's arm in cold, the slime encrusting it shrivels and rapidly evaporates away into nothingness!
<Ebiris> There's a notable improvement in the temperature afterwards, too. It's not warm by any stretch, but the chill lifts clearly.
* Maruna sighs. "Isn't this dreary cavern a much nicer place when our minions *aren't* coated in heatsucking mold?" she announces to the rom in general.
<Maruna> *room
<Riina> "I think you're right," Riina agrees. "Won't you be a dear and kill more of the mold?"
* Maruna will clear away any other patches that are notably near their alcove, if any are close enough to matter.
<Ebiris> The rest are down the tunnel behind the skeleton and past the circular area of flat ground, the nearest perhaps fifty feet away.
* Miruz tries to get some trance in while he still can.
<Ebiris> OOC: did you light your fire or not?
<Miruz> OOC: Yeah
<Maruna> Fifty feet, eh? Maruna has cantrips to spare, so she'll clear off that nearest patch and then call it a night.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8 again, I assume the mold will not be evading unless the bot hates me again
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 again, I assume the mold will not be evading unless the bot hates me again and gets 14." [1d20=6]
<Ebiris> The fire burns fitfully, providing some warmth as its smoke floats up into the dank cavern outside the alcove where the group rests. Meanwhile Maruna causes yet more slime to shrivel up harmlessly, any left now hopefully far enough away to not be interested in the fire nor the body heat of three hot dark elves.
* Maruna returns to partake of the campfire's warmth!
<Ebiris> And so with the interruption dealt with, the brave trio of evil elves settle down to rest and warm their weary bodies, their surroundings far more comfortable now that the nearby heat-sucking mold has been cleared...

[Ebiris]

<Ebiris> Settling down to resume their rest, the splashing footstep noises in the distance recede and fall silent as the plant creature either finds dry land or simply moves out of earshot. Nothing further disturbs the three dark elves as several hours later Miruz finishes his trance, ready to attack the new day!
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz is no longer fatigued
<Miruz> OOC: Excellent.
* Miruz wakes up and stretches, briefly, before standing back to await further orders.
<Riina> "Time to go, it seems," Riina voices, ready to proceed.
* Miruz nods, and leads the way further into the cavern to see what lies before them.
<Ebiris> OOC: going into the water?
* Maruna proceeds deeper into the underdark as well, making an effort to avoid stepping in any random puddles whenever possible. Never know what could be lurking in even the shallowest pools, down here.
<Miruz> OOC: Is that the right way? I thoguht we could cut through this cavern with more frosty zappage, or some suhc.
<Ebiris> Maruna starts to climb down to the large cavern while Miruz starts to head through the brown mold infested tunnel...
* Miruz reverses direction in order to walk after Maruna. He totally meant to go that way.
<Ebiris> The water is shallow, but still deep enough to flood the boots of the drow walking through it, feeling cold and unpleasant against their skin. The rhythmic sloshing noises of displaced water made with every footstep make stealth a futile hope however, as the noise of their passage echoes throughout the vast cavern...
<Ebiris> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 31." [1d100=31]
<Ebiris> OOC: spot check, Riina
<Riina> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+2 and gets 17." [1d20=15]
-> *Riina* as you trudge along, you notice something poking out of the water a few feet just ahead of you. Looks like... bones? Seems to be the submerged skeleton of a small humanoid creature, rotted clothing still clinging to it and floating weakly in the shallow water around the ossified cadaver.
<Riina> "Is that a skeleton, Miruz?" Riina asks, pointing out the bone she spotted.
<Ebiris> Miruz can see Riina pointing to a submerged corpse only barely poking out of the water and mostly obscured. It seems to be a small humanoid at a glance, wearing clothes that have long since rotted away into scraps that drift fitfully in the disturbed water, still tethered to the bones. You'd have to look closer to really tell just what it was, though.
<Miruz> "Don't know. Let's see," he replies, squinting and briefly waving a hand in front of his eyes. OOC: Detect undead, I guess, and I'll wander over.
-> *Miruz* the only undead you can see is the one you control.
<Miruz> "Just a corpse," he replies, shrugging.
* Maruna perks up. "A corpse that had anything valuable, maybe?"
<Ebiris> Wandering over, Miruz stands over the corpse. From a closer inspection it seems to be a dwarf of some kind, splayed out on his belly. Quite a few bones are damaged and broken, although the murky water prevents a detailed examination of its belongings (if any haven't rotted away to nothingness) without getting your hands dirty.
<Miruz> No stranger to putting his hands into places where any sane person would keep them well away, Miruz dives in with reckless glee into the remnants of the dwarf's belongings.
<Ebiris> Rooting around a bit, Miruz manages to recover a few items that aren't just rotten scraps of cloth. He finds a tarnished silver belt buckle, a rusted handaxe blade (no sign of the shaft), and a threadbare leather bag with a hole in it containing several cut rubies - rooting around the floor near where the bag was found also discovers three more similar rubies lying nearby.
<Miruz> "Rubies. How pretty," he remarks, filching the expensive stones and dropping them in his bag. "They should be worth something to someone."
<Riina> "Lovely. Let's get going?"
* Maruna just nods and continues along in their journey.
<Ebiris> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d100 and gets 85." [1d100=85]
<Ebiris> Newly enriched, the three scions of House Sengir press on through the depths, the flooded cavern continuing to stretch on farther than they can see. The water continues to chill your feet almost to numbness, although it's somewhat clearer after a few minutes, the film of black gunk giving way to occassional mossy clusters floating together and the odd pale-white vine snaking across your path.
<Ebiris> OOC: spot check, Maruna
<Ebiris> OOC: actually, make it survival or knowledge nature, whichever is better
<Maruna> roll 1d20+11 Survival
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+11 Survival and gets 13." [1d20=2]
<Ebiris> Far ahead the group can see dim light, like that given off by certain phosphorescent fungus. It's still very dim and hard to make out, likely still some distance away. But as she leads the group towards this newly sighted marker, Maruna is suddenly blindsided by one of the nearby vines suddenly flicking up out of the water towards her, several branching creepers fanning out with lightning speed!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 10." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> However she's just able to turn away from the strike, the vines glancing harmlessly off her armour!
<Ebiris> OOC: initiative
<Ebiris> roll 1d20 vine
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 vine and gets 8." [1d20=8]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 elf vs. plant. I see.
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 elf vs. plant. I see. and gets 12." [1d20=10]
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 8." [1d20=4]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 22." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> The main length of the vine lies ten feet from Maruna, curled up and readying to strike again. Riina and Miruz are a further ten feet behind the duskblade, although closer to fifteen feet to the vine that's a bit off to the side of their path.
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 also, my skeleton
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 also, my skeleton and gets 25." [1d20=20]
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
<Ebiris> OOC: Go deadguy
<Ebiris> The Skeleton is bringing up the rear, five feet behind Miruz.
<Miruz> The skeleton waits by Miruz, ready to react to presently unseen threats!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
* Maruna races forward to try and shred the vegetable menace before it can attack again!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 attack plus Shocking Grasp if it hits
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 attack plus Shocking Grasp if it hits and gets 22." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6+5d6 damage
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6+5d6 damage and gets 25." [2d4=1, 2][5d6=3, 5, 6, 1, 1]
<Ebiris> The vine is raked by Maruna's spiked chain, shredding several tendrils and making the whole plant jump and twitch at the sudden surge of electricity that briefly lights up the cavern in an eye-watering shower of sparks! It thrashes dangerously from side to side, ruined but still capable of action!
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Miruz> Miruz wanders over to touch the vine with his pale hand, ideally finishing it off!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 touching
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 touching and gets 18." [1d20=15]
<Miruz> roll 1d8+1 bzzt
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d8+1 bzzt and gets 2." [1d8=1]
<Ebiris> OOC: it has lots of reach, you'll provoke an AoO. Still okay with that?
<Miruz> OOC: Oh. Eh. Yeah, I'll move around to flank it, too.
<Ebiris> As Miruz starts to approach, the vine lashes out with its main tendril at him!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 19." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> OOC: AC?
<Miruz> OOC: 19
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+7 and grapple check
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6+7 and grapple check and gets 11." [1d6=4]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12 grapple
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 grapple and gets 24." [1d20=12]
<Miruz> OOC: I can't beat that
<Ebiris> roll 1d6+7 constrict
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6+7 constrict and gets 12." [1d6=5]
<Ebiris> With alarming speed, the creeper slams into Miruz's torso with concussive force, and then wraps itself around him several times, pinning his arms and squeezing hard enough to hear his ribs pop!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
<Miruz> "Kill it!" chokes Miruz, and the skeleton promptly mobilizes itself to help deal with the unexpectedly deadly plant!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+7 it, too, can flank, yes?
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+7 it, too, can flank, yes? and gets 20." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Miruz> roll 1d8+3
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d8+3 and gets 11." [1d8=8]
<Ebiris> The unfeeling skeleton marches forward and hacks down with its sword at the vine, cleaving it in two and causing the section surrounding Miruz to go thankfully limp! The main body twitches a few times before falling inert into the water...
<Miruz> Miruz wrings his hands in frustration. "Training exercise," he mutters, surrounding himself in a pale aura and promptly reconstituting the bruised and broken parts of his abdomen.
<Miruz> OOC: Shroud of Undeath, followed by quite a bit of healz.
<Ebiris> Letting the vine fall off him, Miruz begins the slow and arduous process of healing himself...
<Ebiris> OOC: listen checks, all
<Maruna> "Should get more of that back home," Maruna comments. "Dangerous to be unprepared out here."
<Riina> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+2 and gets 18." [1d20=16]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 10." [1d20=8]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 and gets 13." [1d20=11]
-> *Riina* You can hear splashing noises coming from ahead, in the direction of the glowing fungus. They're fairly quiet, more like something skimming the water rather than kicking through it the way you and that plant-monstrosity from last night do.
* Riina signals that something is coming from the direction of the glowing fungus, trying to keep quiet.
<Ebiris> It's been nearly a minute by now, Miruz having almost healed himself.
* Maruna complies, and keeps a lookout for whatever their next encounter might be.
<Miruz> Miruz starts mumbling under his breath, pulling together a new human skeleton to wander over to the fungus and be between the drow and... whatever it is.
<Ebiris> Miruz casts his spell and sends the skeleton ahead. It's sixty feet away when the drow can see what's coming, a quartet of... things. Each one is an amorphous mass of almost spherical plant-matter, mottled with bright and dull splotches of colour (though rendered greyscale by darkvision) and covered in thick bristly stalks.
<Ebiris> Bubbles are visible writhing on the surface of the things, popping audibly as they drift nearer, seemingly skimming atop the surface of the water towards you.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 nature if I can, do I know what the hell these things are?
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 nature if I can, do I know what the hell these things are? and gets 28." [1d20=18]
-> *Maruna* They're fetid fungus. Aggressive plants that envelop foes in their amorphous bodies, smothering and digesting them. The gas they give off is especially noxious and sickening, but is flammable and renders them very vulnerable to fire. When slain they explode in a shower of acidic ichor.
* Maruna again curses not having some means of firey death at her disposal. "Fetid fungus," she explains to her comrades. "We want to avoid drawing close, if possible. They try to absorb their foes, and they themselves explode in a shower of acid when killed."
<Riina> "Let's go with our original plan, then," Riina says. "Summoned skeletons, combined with Haste. Miruz, are you up to it?"
<Miruz> "We had such a plan? I don't mind," replies Miruz, briefly ordering his newly-summoned skeleton to begin an assault, before clasping his hands together and attempting to summon something meatier.
<Ebiris> OOC: init
<Ebiris> roll 4#1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 4#1d20+1 and gets 43." [4#1d20+1 = 18, 15, 8, 2]
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 24." [1d20=20]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 12." [1d20=10]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 I can't wait until I learn junglerazer
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 I can't wait until I learn junglerazer and gets 7." [1d20=5]
<Ebiris> OOC: orc skelly?
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 loyal bodyguard
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 loyal bodyguard and gets 22." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Riina
* Riina advances for twenty feet, just barely getting in range of the skeleton Miruz sent ahead to scout, and summons a phalanx of spectral swordfighters all around it!
<Ebiris> The spectral drow warriors all appear around the smaller skeleton, twelve of them filling a 10-foot radius circle and all itching for a fight!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go permanent skeleton
<Miruz> The orcish skeleton remains close to Miruz, again, in case of any unexpected calamities.
<Ebiris> The lead fungus skims across the water with surprising speed, moving straight through the spectral skirmishers as if they weren't there and attempting to reach the skeleton in the middle!
<Ebiris> OOC: 4 AoOs. Roll them, Riina
<Riina> roll 4#1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 4#1d20+6 and gets 63." [4#1d20+6 = 19, 9, 9, 26]
<Ebiris> OOC: confirm the crit?
<Riina> roll 1d20+6 okay
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+6 okay and gets 18." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> OOC: 1 hit and 1 crit
<Riina> roll 3d8+6
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 3d8+6 and gets 24." [3d8=8, 4, 6]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 1." [1d4=1]
<Ebiris> The fungus is quickly hacked apart by the phantom blades, exploding in a blast of acidic gore that splatters across both the spectres and the skeleton, albeit to seemingly little effect! The next fungus is farther to the side and continues on just through the edge of the phalanx as it skims forward!
<Ebiris> OOC: 3 AoOs, Riina
<Riina> roll 3#1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 3#1d20+6 and gets 28." [3#1d20+6 = 10, 10, 8]
<Ebiris> This one manages to safely make it past the blockade, the swords doing little to hinder it!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna stays with her fellow drow for now, waiting by Riina in case any enemies darw near.
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina, make a fort save
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna as well if you've moved up beside her
<Riina> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+3 and gets 14." [1d20=11]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8 I'm good with Fort
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 I'm good with Fort and gets 16." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> As the lead fungus draws closer, Maruna and Riina find their nostrils assaulted by the disgusting stench of decomposing matter wafting across towards them. Despite the discomfort, they're able to ignore it as the third fungus follows the first in attacking the skeleton!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 melee touch
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 melee touch and gets 21." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> OOC: can't crit undead
<Ebiris> roll 1d6 acid
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 acid and gets 2." [1d6=2]
<Ebiris> The skeleton hisses as its bones are eaten into by the acid, but remains standing.
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz and summon
<Miruz> The skeleton opts to strike back at it's tormentor, whilst Miruz backs away a little further and begins preparing another minion to add to the fray. OOC: Summon Undead II for an owlbear skeleton, since these guys don't look too tough.
<Miruz> roll 1d20+1 also, this guy attacks
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+1 also, this guy attacks and gets 5." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> The skeleton swings but misses, splashing futilely in the water!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile the last fungus comes down the opposite flank to the one that already cleared Riina's barrier!
<Ebiris> OOC: 3 AoOs
<Riina> roll 3#1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 3#1d20+6 and gets 70." [3#1d20+6 = 26, 18, 26]
<Riina> roll 2#1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 2#1d20+6 and gets 50." [2#1d20+6 = 25, 25]
<Ebiris> OOC: 3 hits, just remembered you can't crit plants
<Riina> roll 3d8+6
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 3d8+6 and gets 16." [3d8=1, 3, 6]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 3." [1d4=3]
<Ebiris> The fungus doesn't have much luck, however, as shadowy swords hack and slice into it with impunity, the plant deflating several sections as it limps before finally giving up the ghost and exploding in a spray of decomposing leaves, chunks, and acidic vapour!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Riina
* Riina decides to withdraw, calling for yet more shadowy sentinels between she and Maruna and the fungus advancing towards them.
<Riina> OOC: Placing them 5ft away from it, retreating 30ft
<Ebiris> Another phalanx of drow warriors appears in the water, raring to go!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Orc?
<Miruz> The orc is ready to unleash brutal carnage upon any Fungus that draws close to Miruz! OOC: Yeah it um holds action for now.
<Ebiris> The closest fungus to the group draws closer, skipping lightly atop the water and heedless of the shadowy sentinels in its path...
<Ebiris> OOC: 10 AoOs
<Riina> roll 10#1d20+6
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 10#1d20+6 and gets 169." [10#1d20+6 = 23, 13, 22, 17, 24, 19, 9, 8, 14, 20]
<Ebiris> OOC: 8 hits
<Riina> roll 8d8+16
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 8d8+16 and gets 62." [8d8=3, 5, 4, 8, 8, 8, 7, 3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 3." [1d4=3]
<Ebiris> This one is brutally hacked into goo before it can get too far however, failing to threaten the party at all!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
<Maruna> OOC: The last one's, what, twenty feet?
<Ebiris> OOC: closer to forty, it's with the summoned skeleton
* Maruna decides to just hang back and let the summons do their job. It'd be a shame to let them go to waste, after all.
<Ebiris> The last fungus suddenly rears up, spreading and splitting apart as it falls atop the skeleton!
<Ebiris> OOC: it can AoO or take a reflex save, your choice Miruz
<Miruz> OOC: It'll AoO, surely
<Miruz> roll 1d20+1 shining moment of glory
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+1 shining moment of glory and gets 6." [1d20=5]
<Ebiris> The skeleton lashes out hopefully, but to no avail as the fungus falls atop it, enveloping its boney form within its now stretched and distorted body!
<Ebiris> OOC: 1 acid damage to skeleton
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Miruz and summon. It's considered grappled.
<Ebiris> OOC: how many hp does it have, btw?
<Miruz> OOC: 6
<Ebiris> OOC: it's dead, then
<Miruz> OOC: :(
<Ebiris> The distorted fungus suddenly collapses almost as soon as the skeleton is absorbed into it, shaking and shivering!
<Miruz> As the first skeleton topples away, a much larger and apparently angrier one appears in it's place, lashing out with claws and beak!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8
<Miruz> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 and gets 18." [1d20=10]
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+8 and gets 24." [1d20=16]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 and gets 6." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> OOC: two claw hits
<Miruz> roll 2d6+10
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 2d6+10 and gets 21." [2d6=6, 5]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 4." [1d4=4]
<Ebiris> The fungus hardly has time to react before being gibbed, exploding in a spray of acid that dissolves half the owl-bear's beak!
<Ebiris> OOC: fight over
<Miruz> OOC: Technically I fucked up, since I'm not as close to it as the others and that summon only has 40ft range.
<Ebiris> OOC: one claw would have good odds of killing it, I'll let it slide
<Miruz> OOC: Righto.
* Maruna just shakes her head. "They charged right to their deaths. Would that all our foes could be so stupid."
<Miruz> "They haven't been, so far?"
* Maruna shrugs. "I'm sure things will be different when circumstances demand we fight other drow, at least."
<Miruz> "'When circumstances demand', is it?" remarks Miruz, finishing off healing himself and proceeding towards the glowing fungus, owlbear leading the way.
* Maruna chuckles. "When circumstances make it convenient to do so, I should say."
<Ebiris> No further distractions prevent Miruz from healing himself, although the owlbear vanishes quite quickly. As you continue onwards, the jagged ground slopes upwards, finally leaving the water behind and replacing it with merely damp land.
<Ebiris> The ground is covered in moss and lichen, still rather slippery, and ahead you can see the cavern start to narrow, approaching a still rather wide tunnel ahead where the glowing moss clings to the rock.
<Ebiris> Drawing closer, you can see what looks to be an armoured figure laying down amidst a small forest of mushrooms, although it's mostly obscured by said fungus and hard to make out much more than a plated boot sticking out.
<Miruz> "Is THIS particular breed of plant a deadly, drow-consuming adversary?" asks Miruz, dourly.
* Maruna examines the mushrooms from a safe distance!
<Ebiris> OOC: nature
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 nature
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 nature and gets 15." [1d20=5]
<Riina> "Why would it be any different than any other breed of plant?"
<Miruz> "I've heard legends of nonlethal flora, but I never expected to see them in my time."
-> *Maruna* They look like normal mushrooms that you'd find growing in the farms near Ched Nymiir. Not a poisonous or animate breed you recognise.
* Riina laughs, waiting on Maruna to confirm what they already believe to be true.
<Maruna> "This is not any lethal species that I know of. They look like just...normal mushrooms." This is clearly a strange concept!
* Maruna decides to move forward and take a closer look at the corpse. Unless someone else wants to go, that is.
<Miruz> "I see. Well, then. Why's there a dead body here, too?" mutters Miruz, ordering his skeleton to go forth and pull it out.
* Riina looks extremely doubtful at Maruna's words.
* Maruna is admittedly quite suspicious about a dead body sitting amidst a mushroom patch, and can only shrug.
<Ebiris> A few spores puff out as the skeleton grabs the leg and pulls it out, and you can actually see now that several mushrooms are growing *from* the corpse. It's a duergar wearing heavily battered and rusted full plate, his flesh where visible is infested with spores, rendering it misshapen and unrecognisable.
<Ebiris> Despite the beaten and time-ruined state of most of his attire, you notice a pair of black leather gloves with coppery strips down the fingers are on his hands, seeming entirely undamaged, if somewhat dirty.
* Miruz orders the skeleton to retrive the gloves and return them to him, before blindly putting them on in order to see if they do anything.
* Riina casts Detect Magic, taking a casual look around.
<Ebiris> The skeleton yanks the gloves off easily enough, although a broken finger falls out before it hands them over to Miruz. As the drow puts them on, he finds them changing shape slightly to fit his hands. Still, they feel somewhat unpleasantly dirty, despite the suppleness of the leather.
-> *Riina* You detect faint magic on the gloves.
<Miruz> "They don't feel pleasant. I've no idea what form they could have, though," he remarks, trying to pull them off and put them back on.
<Riina> roll 1d20+15 spellcraft
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+15 spellcraft and gets 20." [1d20=5]
<Ebiris> The gloves come off and on readily enough, some dirty moss or... something else that's of a similar consistency, falling out as he removes them. Putting them back on he finds them fitting readily enough once more.
<Riina> "Evocation, it seems," Riina comments. "Rather faint."
* Maruna wrinkles her nose, watching this. "I wouldn't be quite so eager to try on clothes freshly removed from a corpse," she notes. "But Miruz *is* so much more comfortable with the dead than with the living."
<Miruz> "Dead things don't have those disgusting biological urges the living do," replies Miruz, absently. "Less distractions. Let's carry on?"
* Riina is more than happy to do so.
<Maruna> "'Disgusting?'" Maruna can only shake her head as she moves on. "*Some* of them are quite enjoyable. You might find out if you could ever drag yourself away from your research, or if some mad woman wanted you."
<Ebiris> Leaving the infested corpse behind, the group press into the eerily lit passage ahead, surrounded on all sides by softly glowing moss that illuminates their surroundings a dank pink hue. A few mushrooms dot the walls and floor, growing out of cracks here and there were rock gives way to mud.
<Ebiris> Ahead about eighty feet you can see the passage opening up into a taller chamber, several larger and more brightly coloured mushrooms set around that you can see, some up to four feet tall and two wide.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 nature, obligatory Will They Kill Us? check
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 nature, obligatory Will They Kill Us? check and gets 15." [1d20=5]
<Miruz> "I would have to be insane to want anything more than platonic relations with a drow female," mutters Miruz, sounding somewhat terrified.
* Maruna can only laugh at that!
-> *Maruna* You can see two mushrooms spaced on either side of the passage just before it opens up that you recognise as Shrikers. Harmless themselves, they give off a loud noise when disturbed by movement nearby that often alerts other predators.
<Maruna> "Step carefully," she says to her companions. The mushrooms are not dangerous, but when disturbed will emit a shriek that may draw others."
<Miruz> Miruz tries to see if it's even possible to pick a way through the mushrooms without triggering them.
<Ebiris> It doesn't look likely. The Shrieker mushrooms seem almost deliberately placed in such a manner that leaves no blind spots in their coverage.
<Riina> "A Silence spell should do, then," Riina decides, estimating how many it would take, placed strategically, to allow them to pass without said shrieks summoning anyone.
<Miruz> "Cast it on a rock, then," replies Miruz, nodding. "Then we can just take it with us."
<Ebiris> Given the radius of a silence spell, Riina thinks one would be sufficient, so long as they passed directly through the centre. Any further and they'd risk alerting plants just outside the radius.
<Riina> "It would be best to just leave it behind," Riina says, and casts it on a small rock before gesturing for Maruna to proceed.
* Maruna waits for Riina to finish with her spell, then moves forward through the field of mushrooms, keeping an eye out for whoever might have planted this little security system.
<Miruz> "Yes, yes, wha-" begins Miruz, promptly lapsing into silence.
<Ebiris> With nary a sound to be heard, the three drow advance. As they near the opening, the two larger mushrooms on either side suddenly begin to vibrate and quiver at an alarming rate, but not a sound can be heard. Before them they can see what could best be called an antechamber.
<Ebiris> A shaft is visible directly above in the ceiling, ascending vertically who knows where. Another path is visible to the left curving upwards and out of sight. Straight ahead is a small crack in the rock down at foot level that seems overgrown with moss but possibly navigable if one were to crawl. To the right a path forks downwards, splitting apart in opposite directions.
* Riina gestures for Maruna to pick a direction she likes.
<Maruna> "I'm inclined to rule out any path that heads upwards. To the right, perhaps." She heads for the fork.
* Miruz gestures at Riina to leave the rock near the angry mushrooms, before proceeding after Maruna.
<Ebiris> OOC: spot checks
* Riina intended to do as much, and leaves it.
<Riina> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 17." [1d20=15]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 looking
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 looking and gets 20." [1d20=18]
<Ebiris> Perhaps it just wasn't very good at hiding, but a few feet into the central chamber the party can all see the creature lurking within the vertical shaft above, as it slowly starts to descend. A bulbuous body like a flattened sphere floats towards you, it boasts an enormous unblinking eye the size of Riina's head, and a a large maw filled with dagger-like teeth.
<Ebiris> Smaller eyes, attached to wriggling stalks, sprout from the top of the central orb, seemingly unable to focus on any one thing for more than a second.
<Miruz> Miruz chokes. "A beholder," he hisses, staring up, aghast. "Let us pass without incident, creature, or you'll regret the day you crossed the drow!" he snarls, rolling up his sleeves.
<Ebiris> OOC: roll intimidate if that's your plan, -4 because it's bigger than you
<Miruz> roll 1d20+15 I'm *really* scary
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+15 I'm *really* scary and gets 34." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 and gets 12." [1d20=12]
* Maruna is ready for combat if necessary (or an expeditious retreat, if such is possible!) However, if Miruz wants to try *talking* with the thing...
<Ebiris> If the creature is frightened by Miruz's words it doesn't show it, merely continuing to wriggle its eyestalks as it starts to descend closer and closer to the party...
<Ebiris> OOC: inot
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 16." [1d20=14]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20-3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20-3 and gets 0." [1d20=3]
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 9." [1d20=5]
<Ebiris> OOC: roll for skeleton?
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 and gets 16." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> The three drow plus skeleton stand about fifteen feet into the 70 foot wide chamber, with the eye tyrant floating thirty feet above and ten feet away. The passage to the right is about forty feet away, while the passage on the left is about sixty.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+12 dungeoneering, then
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+12 dungeoneering, then and gets 16." [1d20=4]
-> *Maruna* It can do... stuff, with its eyes. Scary stuff! Man you do not want to know what those eyes can do, that's all I'm saying. Shit dude, some things are just too nasty.
* Maruna just looks blank!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Miruz
<Miruz> Miruz pauses, glances at the beholder, considers his options, and dashes towards the corridor on the right, before attempting to inflict a curse of ironic blindness upon the creature!
<Miruz> OOC: Fort DC 17
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 and gets 18." [1d20=14]
<Miruz> The orcish skeleton runs over to Miruz, standing in front of him like a good unliving shield!
<Ebiris> Miruz easily covers the distance with his panicked steps, but can't tell if his spell worked - the central eye continues to stare while the smaller ones wriggle.
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
* Maruna races after Miruz towards the right corridor. She pauses at the entrance next to Miruz and fires off a ray to weaken the beholder (she doesn't expect it to help much, but there's nothing else she can do against an airborne enemy).
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8 Ray of Enfeeblement (ranged touch)
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 Ray of Enfeeblement (ranged touch) and gets 22." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 1d6+3
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d6+3 and gets 6." [1d6=3]
<Ebiris> The beholder emits a raspy wheezing noise as the ray splashes against it, the eyestalks now moving with far less vim and vigour!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Riina
<Riina> Riina becomes a shadow of herself as color drains itself from her and launches at the flying guarding in a multicolored ray! Not waiting on the results of her spell, she proceeds in the direction of the rightmost corridor, now invisible, intending to stop ten feet away from the other drow.
<Riina> OOC: Will 18/19 if it's flat-footed?
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 and gets 14." [1d20=11]
<Ebiris> A pattern of colours play across the beholder's eyes as it continues to descend, flying towards where Riina was just standing and gnashing its enormous jaws!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go team Miruz
<Miruz> Miruz isn't entirely sure why the beholder is attempting to bite Riina to death, but a flash of insight crosses his mind. "It doesn't seem real," he states, ordering his skeleton to go and try to pop the beholder like a wet balloon. For his part, he runs forward, attempting to inflict a paralytic curse upon the beholder! OOC: Ghoul touch, I'll flank with Riina?
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 touching, fort DC 17 if hits
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 touching, fort DC 17 if hits and gets 14." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> OOC: she's not in flanking position, but you can attack sure
<Miruz> OOC: I'll charge, then
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+4 and gets 22." [1d20=18]
<Miruz> OOC: It's just not my day with fort saves
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 oh well my skeleton will also charge into the fray.
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 oh well my skeleton will also charge into the fray. and gets 20." [1d20=15]
<Ebiris> The creature certainly feels real against Miruz's hand, its flesh soft and springy as he attempts to channel negative energy into it, but to no avail!
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Miruz> roll 1d8+3 hurtage
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d8+3 hurtage and gets 4." [1d8=1]
<Ebiris> The skeleton's blade cuts into the beholder's flesh! But instead of drawing a satisfying spurt of blood, it simply cuts a dry gash through the creature's skin.
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
<Riina> "We might as well fight it, now," Riina says with clear annoyance.
* Maruna blinks. Miruz, the necromancer, is...charging forward to attack? Madman. But Maruna can hardly proceed without her companions. She runs to the beholder, yelling a battlecry, meaning to introduce it to a whirling assault of metal and lightning!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 attack plus shocking grasp
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 attack plus shocking grasp and gets 14." [1d20=4]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6+5d6
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6+5d6 and gets 29." [2d4=3, 4][5d6=3, 4, 5, 2, 2]
<Miruz> "There's something unusual about it!" insists Miruz, eyeing the beholder with some curiosity.
<Ebiris> OOC: reflex and fort saves for everyone except Riina
<Miruz> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+4 and gets 21." [1d20=17]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+4 and gets 6." [1d20=2]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8 fort
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 fort and gets 9." [1d20=1]
<Miruz> OOC: er, in order, yes
<Maruna> roll 1d20+5 ref
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+5 ref and gets 17." [1d20=12]
<Ebiris> roll 6d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 6d6 and gets 22." [6d6=6, 2, 4, 3, 4, 3]
<Ebiris> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d4 and gets 3." [1d4=3]
<Ebiris> OOC: reflex for skeleton as well, btw
<Ebiris> OOC: reflex for skeleton as well, btw
<Nao> roll 1d20+3 skeleton
* Hatbot --> "Nao rolls 1d20+3 skeleton and gets 11." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> With a mighty shocking strike, Maruna cleaves right into the beholder through its central eye! The flesh strains against the spiked chain, before suddenly giving and then erupting as the creature violently disintegrates! There's a tremendous bang as flesh and spores are blown out, the force of the blast battering all three, although Miruz shelters himself somewhat from it.
<Ebiris> To her dawning horror, however, Maruna realises that several spores have stuck to her skin and begun to burrow within, rapidly multiplying across her arm!
<Ebiris> OOC: 22 damage for Miruz, 11 damage for skeleton and Maruna. 3 con damage for Maruna
<Ebiris> OOC: sorry. 3 con for Miruz and 11 damage
<Ebiris> Miruz also finds himself assailed by the spores, burrowing into his hands where he brought them up to shield himself.
<Miruz> Miruz clutches at his hands and probably only makes a bad injury worse by trying to rip them out before they can take root, seeing mere injuries of the flesh as less a concern than things living inside his arms.
* Maruna can't help but shriek in dismay as she frantically tries to brush the spores off her arm before they can get too deep.
* Riina sighs quietly at the sight.
<Ebiris> Miruz and Maruna manage to clear away the puffy spores fragmenting above their skin, but they can still feel what's burrowed within the flesh already, burning and aching as it eats away at them.
<Ebiris> The orc skeleton sadly disintegrated under the force of the blast, now only a shattered collection of sad bones.
* Maruna is fully prepared to dig them out with a knife if need be. She might not have one handy, but surely she can employ one of her spiked chain's many protrusions to this effect? She's not about to let her flesh be despoiled by beholder vileness, so she'll suffer whatever's necessary to rid herself of the infestation.
<Ebiris> OOC: Do you have any ranks in heal, Maruna?
<Maruna> OOC: Nope.
<Miruz> OOC: Does anyone ever have ranks in heal? >_>
<Ebiris> Using her chain's jagged protrusions, Maruna rakes through the flesh of her arm, quickly staining it crimson as she blindly fumbles to try and get rid of the spores before they can dig too deep!
<Ebiris> OOC: fort save?
<Maruna> roll 1d20+6 (-2 due to CON damage)
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+6 (-2 due to CON damage) and gets 26." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> While she hurts herself a fair bit in the attempt, Maruna is pretty confident she's managed to remove all the spores that were seeking to infest her body, although her arm remains a jagged ruin in the aftermath.
<Ebiris> OOC: You're clear but that arm isn't usable until you get healing
<Miruz> Miruz is willing to follow suit, although he takes a moment to recover his own strength before proceeding to do some bloody, unskilled work with a knife. OOC: I'll recast shroud of undeath on myself, hit myself with inflict moderate wounds, and then do some self-surgery. >_>
<Miruz> roll 2d8+6 healz
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 2d8+6 healz and gets 15." [2d8=2, 7]
<Ebiris> OOC: make a fort save?
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 my future is not bright is it
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 my future is not bright is it and gets 8." [1d20=6]
* Riina materializes, approaching with a wand in her hands. "Well, that certainly looks painful," she comments.
<Riina> roll 1d20+16 umd
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+16 umd and gets 28." [1d20=12]
<Riina> roll 1d20+1
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+1 and gets 19." [1d20=18]
<Riina> roll 1d8+1
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d8+1 and gets 5." [1d8=4]
* Maruna pauses a moment to catch her breath, then marches over to Miruz and uses her good hand to SLAP HIM, HARD. "IDIOT. Next time I'll let you fight the otherworldly horror on your own. We could've fled the area without much trouble if it weren't for your damned curiosity." She pauses for Riina to heal her wounds.
<Ebiris> Miruz cuts and maims his palms, sending pale white spores fluttering to the ground along with a rain of blood and black skin as he disfigures himself. The left hand is cleared painfully but easily enough, but having to use his now wounded hand to ravage the right limb is a chore.
<Ebiris> And for all his hard work, beyond the pain of his wounds he can still feel the nauseating wrongness of a foreign invader in his flesh.
<Ebiris> roll 1d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d6 and gets 2." [1d6=2]
<Ebiris> OOC: 2 damage and your hands are both pretty fucked, so no casting spells with somatic components until you're healed
<Miruz> OOC: I can heal myself.
<Miruz> OOC: IT's really a nonissue. >_>
<Ebiris> Maruna at least feels some feeling come back to her arm from Riina's tender ministrations as the flesh reknits itself. She still feels weakened from what just happened, but is confident she'll recover.
<Riina> roll 1d20+16 more umd!
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+16 more umd! and gets 29." [1d20=13]
<Riina> roll 1d8+1
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d8+1 and gets 7." [1d8=6]
<Miruz> Miruz is no stranger to pain, having frequently and purposefully disfigured his body several times in his quest for undead apotheosis. Ignoring the slap and concentrating only on his body, he wills his hands to knit themselves together before brutually assaulting his own flesh once again.
<Ebiris> OOC: another fort save?
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
<Ebiris> He has to dig deeper this time. It hurts even more as bone is scraped by necessity and tendons are painfully stripped bare, but eventually Miruz is confident he's managed to get out all of the filthy fungus that was seeking to infest his body.
<Ebiris> roll 2d6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6 and gets 8." [2d6=5, 3]
<Ebiris> OOC: 8 damage that you can surely heal in a moment
* Maruna watches Miruz tear away at his own body, savoring whatever pain he might be feeling as appropriate comeuppance for engaging the monster in the first place.
<Miruz> In gristly detail, Miruz's arms soon sprout fresh flesh and blood, a small puddle of skin, bone, muscle and entrail soon collecting beneath his outstreched arm. A moment later it's done, and he puts his knife away. (More.)
<Miruz> He offers the two females a short bow. "Apologies, superior females. I do not fear taking wounds as much as most. Sometimes I forget others may be endangered," he replies, sounding remarkably sincere.
<Riina> "Well, that was a fun diversion," Riina states, the tone of her voice indicating it was anything but. "Can we proceed now?"
* Maruna can only scowl at the entire exchange, but nods to Riina and moves to explore the right passageway.

[Ebiris]

<Ebiris> Having left ruin in their wake after the brief battle with the beholder-a-like and the considerably less brief cleanup afterwards, the group begin to make their way to the descending passageway on the right of this chamber. The lichen lining the rock all around them sheds a dim pink glow, reminiscent of the faerie fire that decorates Drow dwellings.
<Ebiris> It's also rather slippery, necessitating a bit of care and attention in one's footsteps as they walk down the not-so-gentle incline running deeper into the bowels of the earth. As they continue downwards, the three Drow do note a new scent starting to make its presence felt in the air, something sickly sweet and cloying ahead...
* Maruna searches her memory for anything this scent might remind her of.
<Ebiris> OOC: knowledge nature?
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 and gets 11." [1d20=1]
-> *Maruna* It reminds you a bit of a human delicacy one of the slaves prepared for you one time. It wasn't very good and you had the slave killed. Far too overbearing for a refined drow palate.
* Maruna wrinkles her nose, remembering a particularly bad meal a slave had prepared for her once. If the chef's back from the grave, well, bring it, sucker!
<Miruz> Miruz coughs a little, hoping that the scent itself merely indicates some other danger, rather than being harmful in and of itself.
<Ebiris> Continuing downwards a short distance, the trio find their path levelling off and opening into a new chamber. It's fairly small, maybe a quarter the size of the one you just came from. Here the pink fluorescent algae is joined by blue and yellow glowing plant-life, a riot of colour festooning this area.
<Ebiris> Tall mushrooms nearly the size of Riina are dotted around the corners, sticky golden-hued sap running off them and seemingly the source of the overpoweringly sweet smell. In the corner is an elevated area filled with hot steaming water, looking for all the world like a bath.
<Ebiris> From this area another tunnel is seen curving to the left a short distance from the water-filled depression.
<Riina> A bath tempts ever so much but a healthy desire to live trumps over that. "Let's see what's to the left?" she suggests.
<Miruz> Miruz proceeds to investigate in the aforementioned locale, presuming a lack of new orders.
<Maruna> It's always good to be aware of one's surroundings and any alternate paths available, so Maruna nods and walks down the left path to look.
<Ebiris> As Miruz starts down this new tunnel he spots something - ordinarily it would pass by notice, but after his recent unfortunate encounter the chalk-white many tendrilled vine clinging to the ceiling about thirty feet away strikes him as being very recognisable.
<Miruz> "That vine is similar to the one we encountered earlier," he notes, stopping and pointing it out. "Should we do something about it?"
<Riina> "Summon something to kill it?"
<Miruz> "It's thirty feet up. It'll depend on if it comes down or not..." he remarks, nonetheless summoning up a fresh skeleton and sending it underneath the vine ahead.
<Ebiris> As the skeleton marches off beneath the suspicious plant-life, it suddenly flares to life, crashing down towards the undead mockery of life!
<Ebiris> OOC: init?
<Ebiris> roll 1d20 vine
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 vine and gets 13." [1d20=13]
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 11." [1d20=7]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 3." [1d20=1]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+1 Miruz
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+1 Miruz and gets 10." [1d20=9]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+5 Skeleton
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+5 Skeleton and gets 8." [1d20=3]
<Miruz> OOC: It's a goony human skeleton
<Miruz> OOC: If I don't specify the type that's what it always is
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7 AC for skeleton?
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 AC for skeleton? and gets 11." [1d20=4]
<Miruz> OOC: More than that >_>
<Ebiris> The vine crashes down, but the skeleton nimbly hops aside, missing by inches!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
<Miruz> OOC: AC 15 when it matters, anyhow
* Riina just shoots at the vine with her crossbow, staying what should be a safe distance away.
<Riina> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Riina> roll 1d4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d4 and gets 4." [1d4=4]
<Ebiris> Riina's aim is true, her bolt shearing off one of the secondary tendrils as it blasts right through it and then embeds itself in the rock beyond!
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Miruz> Miruz loiters a distance away from the plant, but his skeleton runs around like an idiot before trying to slice the thing open! OOC: Hopefully it'll trigger an AoO so Maruna can close in.
<Miruz> OOC: If not, then it attacks!
<Ebiris> The vine takes the bait, lashing around to constrict the skeleton!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+7 and gets 12." [1d20=5]
<Miruz> OOC: It's such a hero
<Ebiris> But the skeleton proves too quick for it, dodging this way and that to safety!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 attacking
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 attacking and gets 19." [1d20=16]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Miruz> roll 1d6+1
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d6+1 and gets 3." [1d6=2]
<Ebiris> The skeleton manages to hack the ends off of several of the vine's secondary tendrils with its defensive slash, weakening the plant further!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna moves forward to clean up the trash with her usual combination of electrically-charged, spiky metal.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10  and gets 20." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d6+4+5d6
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d6+4+5d6 and gets 26." [2d6=2, 1][5d6=4, 2, 3, 5, 5]
<Ebiris> Maruna strikes true, her greater reach letting her rake her spiked chain through the core of the assassin vine where it clings to the ceiling above, leaving charred and defoliated ruin in her wake! Its remains go limp at that, hanging inanimately down from the ceiling and posing no further threat.
* Miruz promptly has his skeleton hustle further down the cavern, just in case any more threats are lying around the corner.
<Ebiris> The skeleton charges ahead, coming to a t-junction about ninety feet ahead without suffering any further surprise attacks on the way!
<Miruz> "
<Miruz> "Which way, then? The certain doom towards the right, or the abject horror to the left?"
<Riina> "Abject horror gets my vote," Riina announces. "As does scouting with expendable skeletons."
<Miruz> The skeleton promptly turns left and trundles away!
<Ebiris> OOC: reflex save for mr skellington
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 and gets 20." [1d20=17]
<Maruna> "Another split. Shall we perhaps use this area here to rest and decide on our path later? I know I at least could use some time to regain my strength after that debacle with the 'beholder.' And we're not likely to find a place more convenient than one with a ready source of hot water."
<Ebiris> OOC: skeleton now has the choice of a reflex save or an AoO against the abject horror
<Miruz> OOC: It attacks!
<Miruz> roll 1d20+3 attack!
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+3 attack! and gets 7." [1d20=4]
<Miruz> OOC: It failed :(
<Ebiris> roll 2d6+6
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+6 and gets 16." [2d6=5, 5]
<Ebiris> OOC: Hp on the skeleton?
<Miruz> OOC: It explodes :(
<Miruz> OOC: Less than that >_>
<Miruz> OOC: 6 dr 5/bludgeoning
<Ebiris> As the trio consider their next move they hear a snap of broken bone up ahead, before a large boulder bounces down from the left hand side of the junction and immediately rolls on to the right before anyone can so much as make a witty comment!
* Maruna sets aside her request for rest for now, readying herself for another fight if that's what Miruz's minion has found...and then she just sees a boulder roll by instead. She can only shrug at this. "Well, better him than us."
<Miruz> "Someone must've set that up," mutters Miruz, squinting ahead. "Are we still preferring abject horror? A rest wouldn't go astray for me, if that's on the table."
<Riina> "Let's examine the abject horror some more before resting," Riina says. "We'll just retrace our steps afterwards if no better spot appears along the way."
<Ebiris> As the group considers and squints some more, the boulder... comes back. It rolls more slowly and deliberately into view at the junction, then pauses... it looks like a large mossy sphere now that you have a good look at it, and it bounces slightly on the ground before it starts trundling your way, picking up speed!
<Maruna> ...Huh. Does it seem like it's rolling back to them with a will of its own, or did it just hit an incline and get sent back this way thanks to gravity?
<Ebiris> Its movements seem rather deliberate. It actually stopped fully at the junction, then seemed to compress slightly before springing into motion towards you. Quite good acceleration, too.
<Miruz> Miruz prefers to get out of the way rather than spend valuable seconds appraising the angles through which the rock tumbles.
<Riina> "Planning interrupted on account of sentient rocks," Riina says, ready to face yet another facet of nature trying to take them down.
<Ebiris> OOC: initiative
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+2 sphere
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 sphere and gets 14." [1d20=12]
<Riina> roll 1d20+4
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 and gets 15." [1d20=11]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 and gets 9." [1d20=7]
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 14." [1d20=12]
<Riina> The situation calls for Haste, Riina decides, before making use of it and retreating swiftly.
<Riina> roll 1d20+10 SR Maruna?
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+10 SR Maruna? and gets 14." [1d20=4]
<Riina> roll 1d20+10 SR Miruz?
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+10 SR Miruz? and gets 24." [1d20=14]
<Ebiris> As Riina and Miruz are both heightened to greater feats of speed and agility, Riina follows up by fleeing back to the comparative sweet-smelling safety of the steam-bath room.
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna also races back to the bath room with her comrades, not wasting any time and moving as fast as she can before that rock can catch up to her.
<Ebiris> Maruna likewise flees back after Riina, rather slower and with more distance to cover but she nonetheless races past Miruz on her path to freedom!
<Ebiris> Meanwhile said necromancer finds himself the last remaining target as the trundling terror bears down on him, rolling and bouncing through the tunnel and picking up speed until-
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+2 and gets 22." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> For a moment it almost seemed to catch itself in a section where the tunnel briefly narrowed, but squeezing its innards together it somehow manages to break through and bear down on the hapless dark elf!
<Ebiris> OOC: you can AoO or make a reflex save, Miruz
<Miruz> OOC: I'll punch it. Or not.
<Miruz> roll 1d20+4 I'll dodge, that's more clever
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+4 I'll dodge, that's more clever and gets 12." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6+6 your DR applies at least
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+6 your DR applies at least and gets 12." [2d6=4, 2]
<Ebiris> It rolls right over Miruz despite his attempt to duck out of the way, crushing him down to the ground with surprising weight considering its bouncy method of locomotion. Finally it trundles to a stop in the sticky mushroom filled bathroom, Riina now safely(?) at the passage leading back up and Maruna a scant ten feet away from it.
<Ebiris> OOC: Miruz
<Miruz> Miruz picks himself up and promptly stiches his body back together, not finding himself in any mood to rush out and confront the giant.. boulder.. in his present state.
<Miruz> roll 2d8+6 IMW, healz, etc
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 2d8+6 IMW, healz, etc and gets 15." [2d8=8, 1]
<Ebiris> Necromantic energies stitch broken bones and mend torn flesh, restoring Miruz to a semblance of vitality!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina summons a legion of angry phantom drow around the moving rock, retreating some more.
<Ebiris> The spectral swordsmen appear, each spoiling for a fight!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna
* Maruna aims for a repeat performance of the vine's fate, moving in to attack!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10 usual attack + Shocking Grasp
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 usual attack + Shocking Grasp and gets 20." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> OOC: hit
<Maruna> roll 2d4+6+5d6
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 2d4+6+5d6 and gets 32." [2d4=4, 4][5d6=2, 5, 2, 4, 5]
<Ebiris> roll 14*2+18
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 14*2+18 and gets 46."
<Ebiris> Maruna slices downwards, finding that the creature's soft exterior is very readily punctured by her spiked chain, the wounds driving home deeply before a final surge of electricity tears through its body! Sparking and shuddering, the orb goes quiescent, rolling back half a pace and deflating slightly, seemingly no longer a threat.
<Riina> "Hit it again, just in case?"
* Maruna kicks it experimentally!
<Ebiris> Maruna gives it a boot, although it's heavy enough that she doesn't move it very far. Its hide seems quite spongy and able to absorb blunt trauma with little difficulty.
<Miruz> "Does it consume it's victims, or simply roll over them for pleasure?" asks Miruz, feeling like his entire body has been destroyed and reconstructed over the past hour.
<Ebiris> OOC: roll nature to find out!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 and gets 20." [1d20=10]
-> *Maruna* It's called an Ascomid. It subdues foes by crushing them with its bulk or spraying acid at them. Once it finds meat (fresh or rotten) it stops and extends stalks into it to absorb nutrients.
* Maruna pauses a moment to search through her memory. "It takes sustenance from its victims once they're crushed. Sprays acid too, not that we have to worry about that now."
<Riina> "Lovely. Does it travel alone, or in groups?"
<Maruna> "Alone, as far as I know." She shrugs.
<Miruz> "I see. Well, let's catch up on that rest," he replies. "How much further to our destination, do you think? I'm starting to remember why I prefer staying home."
<Maruna> "Spend enough time out here, and you'll get used to it," Maruna says dismissively, mentally calculating how long they've been travelling and how much further they likely have to go.
<Riina> "No, you really won't," Riina mutters quietly.
<Miruz> "That's what I'm afraid of..."
<Maruna> "Your loss. Anyway, I'd guess we have ourselves something more than a week left before we get where we're going."
<Riina> "Let's see what that thing was guarding, and rest past that spot," Riina tells them. "Miruz, can you call for another skeleton?"
<Maruna> "I doubt it was guarding anything. It's essentially a beast that looks like a rock, not a trap itself. But it doesn't hurt to have some more fodder look around, just in case."
<Miruz> "There are always more dead to call upon," he remarks, heading back to the fork in the tunnel, and summoning another skeleton to proceed down the path the boulder fell from originally.
<Ebiris> Reaching the fork Miruz can see the path on the right leads to a small room with a pit at the far end and lots of moldy debris and junk piled around the edges. To the left the path climbs upwards, a tightened snare hanging empty from the ceiling a few feet away.
<Miruz> OOC: A snare?
<Miruz> OOC: Like a net that's trapped something?
<Ebiris> OOC: yeah, you know those little loops that catch around your leg then hoist you up?
<Miruz> OOC: Yeah
<Miruz> "This room might be better to rest in," he remarks, having his skeleton precede him in case of any untriggered traps, and then glancing down the pit.
<Ebiris> It's fairly small, so it'd be cramped with all three of you inside, especially with all the junk scattered around - there's bones and rusted metal implements and rotten wood, all sorts of crap just piled around wherever. Looking into the pit finds more of the same. There might be something interesting hidden within, but you can't exactly see any diamonds in the rough on a glance.
<Miruz> "Or maybe not," he admits, turning back to explore the other path with a fresh skeleton.
* Riina sticks by the intersection, for her part.
<Ebiris> Heading up the passage to the left, Miruz and his skeleton find it comes to a branch where it levels off, one tunnel curving off to the right and out of sight, while there looks to be another path dead ahead, but it's at the top of a sharp thirty foot incline that would have to be traversed first to know for sure.
* Miruz isn't in a climbing mood right now, and returns to report this no-doubt vital information. Duty dispensed with, he sits himself down in a corner and appears to be either resting or sulking.
* Maruna trails behind Miruz a ways, just in case, scoping out the various paths for herself.
<Ebiris> OOC: sulking the intersection, the midden room, or the water room, Miruz?
<Riina> "Let's rest for now," Riina decides. "Maruna could lead us further tomorrow."
<Maruna> "I agree," Maruna replies. "A ready source of hot water makes for a better resting place than we're likely to find again in the near future."
<Ebiris> Before resting, the trio spend an hour digging through the trash in hopes of finding anything interesting. And they do! Inverted and filled with a blackened elfin skull, they find a still well-kept mithral helm, open-faced and adorned with a spider-web motif engraved into its exterior.
<Ebiris> They also find a few dozen loose coins in various denominations, totalling up to about two hundred gold's worth, give or take.
* Maruna returns to the bath room and takes a close, specualtive look at the bath itself. Hey, this is the underdark, death could be lurking anywhere! If she's going to use the water, she wants to know nothing's hiding down there first.
<Ebiris> Looking into the bubbly steaming water, Maruna can see it looks to be about four feet deep at its deepest, but there are shelfs around the edges so that one could step down that way. She can't quite see where the water's coming from from a cursory inspection, though. No sign of any aboleths, at least.
<Ebiris> OOC: listen check, Maruna
* Maruna decides to make use of the bath before settling down for the night, stripping down without much care for her companions' presence and stepping in to scrub off the accumulated dirt and grime from the last few days. (She will, of course, keep her weapon handy, just in case!) Assuming no horror arises from the deeps and interrupts her bathing, that is. In any event, she'll dress and join Riina at the intersection for rest
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 19." [1d20=17]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 21." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> The water is very soothing and warm, making Maruna feel vastly better as soon as she immerses herself - her feet were frozen and filthy from tracking around in that stagnant water in the flooded cavern, and the steaming water offers blessed relief. It's slightly gritty, not making it ideal to drink but it does provide a decent scrub,
<Ebiris> making Maruna feel brand new! So absorbed is she in her ablutions that she fails to notice she has company until it's practically on top of her. "Are you enjoying your time in my realm, darkling?" a female voice asks in elven from nearby. Turning, Maruna can see what looks to be a surface elf regarding her from the entrance to this chamber.
<Ebiris> Her skin is milky white and dotted with occassional fuzzy growths seeming to extend out of her flesh, her hair is a lurid shade of purple matching the algae growing on the walls, and her eyes are pools of pure blackness. In her left hand she holds a green sceptre, like the stem of a surface flower.
* Maruna Maruna eyes her weapon. "I *was*," she says. OOC: are Riina and Miruz close enough to hear this?
<Ebiris> OOC: they can make listen checks
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 ok
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 ok and gets 9." [1d20=7]
<Riina> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+2 and gets 20." [1d20=18]
-> *Riina* as you and Miruz dine on a few edible mushrooms Maruna scraped together, you can hear Maruna talking back in the other cave. You can't make out exactly what she's saying, though.
<Ebiris> "I'm glad," the elf-like creature smiles without showing her teeth. "Most visitors have no appreciation for nature's gifts..." she walks closer with delicate mincing steps. "Though nature appreciates them all the same."
<Riina> "Maruna is talking with herself," Riina mentions, pausing her chewing. "Why did she run off, again?"
<Miruz> "It must be the mushrooms! I've heard they drive you mad. Lingering too long in that awful scent..." murmurs Miruz, stretching. "We'd better go and pull her away."
<Riina> "As good a reason as any," Riina agrees easily enough, getting to her feet and walking leisurely back to the room Maruna's in.
<Maruna> "I'd suggest you stay back," Maruna warns, taking her chain in hand. "My friends are just around the corner. I'm hardly in an ideal condition for fighting, but I will if I have to."
* Miruz saunters after Maruna, thinking of a number of witty barbs he could save up for later.
<Ebiris> "Fight?" she cocks her head curiously. "Do you wish to feed the plants as well?" She moves closer to the dead ascomid, draping herself across it and sighing. "This one is no more, but in days its children will bloom. A feast of darkling meat would ensure they grow swiftly..."
<Ebiris> As they walk back to the chamber, Riina and Miruz see Maruna sitting in the water with her chain held at the ready. Near the centre of the room they can see a strange female elf-like creature leaning against the dead mossy-boulder, its skin pure white and adorned with a small number of fuzzy circular growths. She looks towards the new arrivals and smiles eerily.
<Ebiris> "Do you two wish to become one with nature as well?" she asks in elven.
<Riina> "Made a new friend, did you?" Riina asks her nude sister, an eyebrow raised delicately.
<Maruna> "I don't have any plans to become fungus food in the near future," answers to the stranger. To Riina: "We've only just met," she says dismissively.
<Riina> "Ah." Riina gives the milky-white elflike creature her full attention. "And what would becoming one with nature entail?"
<Miruz> Miruz can't repress a brief snort of derision at the prospect.
<Ebiris> "Oh, there are many ways," she replies pleasantly. "Even the most obstinate can sacrifice themselves as sustenance for others. I find that most visitors are only able to take that approach - they are unbalanced creatures, after all. Nature accepts them, nonetheless."
<Riina> "Let's discuss the ways that veer away from sacrifice," Riina tells her, in a tone that is just as pleasant.
* Miruz is amazed at how cordial this discussion is, given the circumstances.
<Maruna> "We. Are. Not. Food," Maruna intones, liking this subject less and less. "You sacrifice a lot of outsiders to your darling plants?" She can't help but suspect that this stranger plans to do just that if given a chance, despite the woman's calm demeanor.
<Maruna> roll 1d20+7 sense motive (I assume I can do this at will?) WTF does she want
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+7 sense motive (I assume I can do this at will?) WTF does she want and gets 8." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> She perks up a bit, pushing off the deceased ascomid and standing straight as she focuses her liquid ebony eyes on Riina. "One could serve nature by bringing death to its enemies, the ones who take," she looks meaningfully to the dead plant-sphere and then to Maruna, "And give nothing in return."
<Maruna> "It attacked us. We defended ourselves. What's more *natural* than that?"
<Miruz> "Maybe you're supposed to eat it."
<Maruna> "I'm not sure they're edible, Miruz."
<Riina> "If you serve nature, you could save a whole lot of it by guiding us past all the traps and the creatures that want to eat us. They'll get to live to fight another day, and consume other travelers. I don't think it's a particularly bad deal."
<Ebiris> "But you invaded my realm, didn't you?" the being retorts to Maruna. "You could have stayed in your strange and unnatural city, but instead you came to my home and brought death in your wake." She then looks to Riina, "For what reason have you come here, Darkling?"
<Riina> "To retrieve something that belongs to us," Riina tells her calmly. "We don't have a particular feud with or claim to your nature. You don't have to force one."
<Maruna> "One cave looks much the same as another. Consider putting up a sign?"
<Ebiris> "The signs are there for those who have the eyes to see," she tells Maruna, her voice becoming strained slightly.
<Riina> "Just ignore her," Riina says, her voice again matching the stranger's as it appears slightly strained. "My offer is very generous, but it does come with a time limit."
<Ebiris> OOC: diplo check, Riina
<Riina> roll 1d20+13
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+13 and gets 19." [1d20=6]
* Maruna can only grunt dismissively at this. She decides to let Riina take the lead and see what happens. Her personal opinion is that this creepy elf needs to have some sense smacked into her; if Riina fails at talking, that'll happen anyway, so may as well let her try.
<Ebiris> "You..." her voice quavers slightly, "You would seek to use me for your own benefit. You have no respect at all for Nature! Just like all the others!"
<Miruz> "No, we'd just kill you," snaps Miruz, stepping forward. "Then, for laughs, we'll set the entire cavern on fire. And then I'll bring you back from the dead, and show you the results of you not letting us talk through your god-forsaken hole."
<Miruz> walk
<Miruz> OOC: But talk is also good.
<Ebiris> OOC: that's fighting talk, lets roll init
<Maruna> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+2 and gets 8." [1d20=6]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+3 hippy
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+3 hippy and gets 19." [1d20=16]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20 ???
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20 ??? and gets 11." [1d20=11]
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2 I'm tired of everything devolving into a fight, one day I will have a reputation and I won't even have to try
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 I'm tired of everything devolving into a fight, one day I will have a reputation and I won't even have to try and gets 18." [1d20=16]
<Riina> roll 1d20+4 why, just why
* Hatbot --> "Riina rolls 1d20+4 why, just why and gets 13." [1d20=9]
<Ebiris> "No! You will see the results of your intrusion!" the creature snaps in reply to Miruz, gesturing to him, "Starve! Go hungry and wither!"
<Ebiris> OOC: fort save, Miruz
<Miruz> roll 1d20+2
* Hatbot --> "Miruz rolls 1d20+2 and gets 10." [1d20=8]
<Ebiris> roll 7d6 nonlethal
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 7d6 nonlethal and gets 30." [7d6=3, 5, 5, 3, 4, 6, 4]
<Ebiris> Miruz feels a sickening pang in his stomach, as if a void to the negative energy plane suddenly opened up within him! As the strength leaves his bones, he crumples and falls on his face.
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina is tired and weary and resigned. "This is entirely pointless," she tells the elf-like thing even as she gestures at her dismissively. "We can stop this any time you surrender, and your plants will be spared. Did you even think about what would happen to them if we fought here, whatever the outcome?"
<Riina> OOC: Glitterdust, DC
<Riina> OOC: 18
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 13." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> The pale-skinned creature cries out as she's covered in tiny motes of glittering golden dust, rubbing futilely at her eyes in frustration! Meanwhile thundering footsteps are heard from the ascending passageway as the briarvex you encountered last night comes charging down into the chamber, coming to a stop next to the smaller elf-like thing!
<Ebiris> OOC: Go Maruna
<Ebiris> It still seems to bear a few scratches on its leafy bulk, but seems very eager to protect the pale woman.
* Riina gestures at the larger threat, to give Maruna her target!
* Maruna aims to give it more than a few scratches to show for defying the drow! She leaps out of the bath and charges forward, assaulting it with her standard barrage of whirling electrical metal death!
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 and gets 16." [1d20=6]
<Ebiris> Leaping into the fray, Maruna is an avatar of nude dark elf fury! Alas however, her wild swing goes errant, scything through the air above its head!
<Ebiris> "Mock nature at your peril! Come forth, avatars of the world's fury!" the plant-loving woman begins to chant, edging blindly away from Miruz and Riina!
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina briefly contemplates trying to revive Miruz, but using that wand is not foolproof, and not something she wants to risk in the midst of combat unless she absolutely needs to. Instead, she takes advantage of the plant lover's plight and tries to destroy her mind!
<Riina> OOC: Whelm, dc 18
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 32." [1d20=20]
<Ebiris> OOC: any effect on a passed save?
* Riina loads her crossbow.
<Riina> OOC: no
<Ebiris> With Maruna nearby, the briarvex retaliates against her with a pair of huge spiked fists crashing down!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 22." [1d20=10]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 15." [1d20=3]
<Ebiris> roll 4d6+14
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 4d6+14 and gets 29." [4d6=5, 3, 6, 1]
<Ebiris> They hit her like a pair of spiked piledrivers, rending her flesh and sending her reeling! She's just barely able to maintain her composure in the face of such an assault, though...
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna, you're disabled
* Maruna gasps and staggers, but remains standing despite the coious amounts of blood streaming from her wounds. If just one of the woman's servants can be this much of a problem, the drow can't afford to let her summon her. Maruna uses the last of her strength to attack launch an attack on the elf herself. "It's time to become one with nature, bitch!"
<Maruna> roll 1d20+10
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+10 and gets 11." [1d20=1]
<Ebiris> Maruna staggers forward and strikes, but her blow falls short, only impacting the ground by the creature's feet. The conclusion of her spell and the appearance of a hulking brute of a humanoid composed entirely of mossy rock is the last thing Maruna sees before her consciousness fades...
<Ebiris> Riina has a better view, however, as an earth elemental - far bigger than the one summoned by the goblin she encountered recently, manifests out of the surrounding rock and promptly bears down on her, lashing out with its huge boulder-like fist!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 15." [1d20=7]
<Ebiris> OOC: AC, Riina?
* Retrieving #dunes modes...
<Riina> OOC: 21
<Ebiris> She's able to duck aside, her chain shirt absorbing the force of the blow without harm! Meanwhile the elf creature holds herself close to the briarvex, her unseeing eyes blinking rapidly in a futile attempt to clear her vision.
<Ebiris> OOC: Riina
* Riina steps away and tries to subdue the elf and the plant creature alike. Has she displeased Lloth in some way?
<Riina> OOC: Whelming blast
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12 hippy
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 hippy and gets 19." [1d20=7]
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+5 plant
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+5 plant and gets 18." [1d20=13]
<Riina> OOC: Right, dc is 18 for her, 18 for it
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+1 elemental
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+1 elemental and gets 21." [1d20=20]
<Riina> OOC: Err, 19 for her
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna's in the effect as well, so make a will save?
<Maruna> roll 1d20+8 I can do that while dying? Okay.
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d20+8 I can do that while dying? Okay. and gets 21." [1d20=13]
<Ebiris> Despite her best efforts, Riina finds that everyone manages to shrug off the effects of her magic without suffering!
<Ebiris> The briarvex moves towards Riina, lunging over the elemental's shoulder to smack her in the side of the head with a spike-covered fist!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+12
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+12 and gets 28." [1d20=16]
<Ebiris> roll 2d6+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 2d6+7 and gets 14." [2d6=6, 1]
<Ebiris> She's dazed by the attack, sent reeling as her elegant white hair is stained crimson with her own blood!
<Ebiris> OOC: Maruna, roll a d100?
<Maruna> roll 1d100
* Hatbot --> "Maruna rolls 1d100 and gets 86." [1d100=86]
<Ebiris> Maruna continues to bleed out her lifesblood by the feet of the blinded elf, who straightens her posture and seems noticably less concerned right now, albeit her eyes still gaze vacantly and unseeing. "Where is your bravado now, Darklings?" she challenges as the elemental attempts to knock Riina down with a two-fisted hammer blow!
<Ebiris> roll 1d20+8
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d20+8 and gets 27." [1d20=19]
<Ebiris> roll 1d8+7
* Hatbot --> "Ebiris rolls 1d8+7 and gets 15." [1d8=8]
<Ebiris> And that is the last thing Riina hears as she's battered into unconsciousness...