<font color=silver>ooc: Here’s hoping everyone had a pleasant Thanksgiving holiday. But perhaps a little exercise is in order to work off that holiday indulgence ;)

I am assuming that the party has just finished its deliberations and is beginning to move forward.</font>

<font color=white>The Underneath of the Forums</font>

<font color=thistle>The fingers of a score of hands tighten around the hafts of axes, but otherwise their bodies are motionless with a cunning form of stillness. Their eyes are sightless and so it is not the light within which the group stands that has drawn their attention so much as the sounds of its movement. The group has drawn near enough that scents can be marked, the exotic scents of surface dwellers – humans and elves, a gnome and a large animal of some sort – and there is now the sound of whispered words, low and cautious words. The sharp ears of the humanoids easily mark the syllables of the group’s whispered speech, but their meaning is lost for the common tongue of the surface is not a language they know. Still the import of this sudden stopping with its cautious whispers is clear enough.

The largest among them, a hulking brute nearly a full seven feet in height, lets a faint hiss of air leave his lips, a sound so faint only the most sensitive of ears could hope to pick it up from even the closest of distances. At the sound a bit of the surrounding darkness moves and the terrible baying of a great hound thunders into the passageway. It is a frightful sound, a sound that seems to call forth the instinct to bolt from this place in sudden and panicked flight. The sound of the hound’s baying has barely reached the ears of Syrathic when he feels the mass of its body strike him, knocking him of his feet. The breath of the beast is strangely cool as if there is no heat within its body, but whether its blood be cool or warm its bite is painful and real. As quickly as it has struck the hound withdraws, blending seamlessly into the surrounding darkness and disappearing from view.

As the hound attacks Syrathic, the grimlocks surge forward toward the party relying on the press of their numbers and the sharp blades of their axes to overwhelm the group. The attack is sudden, brutal and effective. Surprise allows them to close quickly upon the group and, sensing that the time for the splitting of bones and the tasting of marrow is at hand, they waste little time in attacking.

<font color=silver>ooc: <font color=lightgreen>Syrathic</font> - You have been knocked to the ground and have taken 5 points of damage. The hound has blended into the shadows and cannot be seen.
<font color=lime>Rhianneth and Dantes</font> - You are each attacked by 2 grimlocks have each been hit once, assuming that you both have stoneskins up, the hit does nothing more than destroy one of the skins.
<font color=brick>Brendon</font> - Three grimlocks are attacking you, one of which is the leader. You have been struck once by the leader for 10 points of damage.
<font color=skyblue>Zachary</font> - Five grimlocks have attacked you. Their blows have thus far fallen harmlessly off your armor.
<font color=plum>Ruby and Wyrd</font> - Five grimlocks attack the two of you. Each of you has been hit once with Ruby taking 7 points of damage and Wyrd 6.
<font color=lime>Morguerat</font> - You are attacked by two grimlocks but have not been hit.
<font color=lightblue>Dankorona</font> - The two grimlocks attacking you seem to be particularly hungry [img]graemlins/blueblink.gif[/img] You have been struck once for 6 points of damage.
<font color=gold>___________________________________</font>
<break>
This should be a relatively quick fight for the group. Grimlocks are low level humanoids and there is only one shadow mastiff.

<font color=turquoise>Grimlocks:</font> 20 warriors – 12 hit points; AC: 5; 1 leader – 24 hit points; AC: 3.
<font color=turquoise>Shadow Mastiff:</font> 30 hit points; AC: 6</font>

<font color=white>Terrakis</font>

<font color=gray>Even from the distance he is careful to keep from the split in the stone made by the duergar in their foolish greed the might grasping after power of the distant Hunger is a nearly overwhelming thing. The spoil taken from Adalon’s horde, objects rare and mighty enough to satisfy even the most vain and ambitious of adventurers, do little more, it seems than whet the enormous appetite with the desire for greater meals. One would think that the destruction of artifacts as powerful as these would require nothing short of a cataclysmic explosion of power, something strong enough to shake the very earth. But there is nothing of the kind to be witnessed here. There is only the faintest of hissing sounds as the great might of these devices is simply lost into a vast and consuming emptiness. With the focusing of the Hunger’s activity on these mighty trinkets, Terrakis smiles. It is time. <font color=skyblue>O! Yes! It is time.</font> There is a peculiar certainty within him, a certainty which seems to fill even the air he pulls into his lungs, and he pauses a moment to savor the feel of what must be a decisive moment, a moment in which destinies are determined and fates are sealed.

“It is time!” He shouts and the confident note of triumph in his voice rings out through the passageways. At his words, the great doors are swung closed and barred. The seam in the stone is closed and the might of the Hunger is now his to release within these dark caverns as he will. “Now is the hour,” he says, “of the giants of shadow. We are his heirs and there is none that shall contest our claim!”

And the very air around them endorses his words with a whisper of confident malice. <font color=skyblue>Yes! O yes! It is time ......</font> </font>

<font color=lime>Rhianneth

The two vile creatures leap towards her, slashing away a layer or two of her stoneskin. Indignation creases her forehead as she whips out a can of beer, ripping off the lid with her teeth and downs it in one gulp.

Concentrating on the task at hand, she ignores their next attack, oblivious to the removal of yet another stoneskin layer. She draws a deep breath, allowing the build-up of her secret weapon. Then, returning the favour of an abrupt attack, she opens her mouth and... <font color=yellow>burps</font>.</font>

[ 11-30-2002, 09:39 PM: Message edited by: mistral4543 ]

<font color=indianred>Brendon Grey

Brendon was shocked by the sudden impact of an attack, and now he could feel and hear battle all around him. He'd suffered a good hit and was now trying to stay away from whatever had got him. As the shadows melted away with the running and fighting of the ones that held magical light, Brendon was able to get glimpses of his attackers. There appeared to be three of them that had taken him on. Taking a step back, Brendon bumped into somebody. The place was crowded and war cries from both parties were echoing all over the cavern. Biting into his lip and making a determined effort to focus, Brendon grabbed an arrow from his quiver, fired it at the place he'd last seen the critter on the left before the shadows hid it once again, then he took a side-step, thought he saw the teeth of another more towards the right and fired an arrow at that one as well. Reaching back into his quiver, he began reloading to watch for signs of movement in front of him. </font>

OOC>>>Cyril, apply my feats as you see fit. Let it suffice to say that I will always use my keen arrows unless otherwise noted. I feel that Brendon is having trouble with actually seeing his targets, only getting glimpses of them as they move in and out of the pale light.

<font color=silver>ooc: *LMAO* Nicely done, Mistral [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Especially as the sensitive hearing of grimlocks makes them very vulnerable to sonic attacks.

For reference, in the interest of a bit of levity Mistral proposed an amusing adaptation of the Shout spell to me. Here it is:

<font color=turquoise>Rhianneth’s Beery Belch

<font color=white>Level: 4
Range: 0
Duration: Instantaneous
Area of Effect: 1"X3" cone
casting Time: 3 segments
Components: V, M
Saving Throw: Special</font>

By means of this powerful enchantment, the rapid and reckless consumption of alcoholic beverages is turned into a dangerous offensive weapon. The caster, after drinking, releases an ear-splitting belch that proceeds outward from her mouth in a cone-shaped area. Any creature of 8 hit dice or less within this area will be knocked prone, taking 2-12 points of damage and requiring a full round to recover balance, and will be deafened for 2-12 rounds if a saving throw vs. spells is failed. A successful save will mean that the creature retains its balance but is still deafened for 1-6 rounds. Creatures with more than 8 hit dice are unaffected by the spell. The material component of this spell is a container of ale which is rapidly consumed immediately prior to the belch.</font>
<font color=gold>_____________________________________</font>
<break>
Now, for the effects of this attack:</font>

<font color=thistle>The hard stone of the cavern walls amplifies the sound that erupts from the young woman’s mouth. The sensitive hearing of the grimlocks literally rings with an intensity of pain and the four nearest to the sound fall prone to the ground stunned and with blood trickling from their ears. The five grimlocks attacking Ruby and Wyrd are also caught within the sound and four of them fall to their knees with their hands pressed tightly against bleeding ears. The remaining humanoid simply stands with a confused expression upon its face. Indeed, so disruptive is the sound that even those humanoids not caught in its wake stop in their tracks unsure of their bearings and unable for a moment to locate their opponents.</font>

<font color=silver>ooc: <font color=lime>Rhianneth, Azrael and Ruby</font> - The 8 stunned grimlocks near you have each taken 7 points of damage and it should be a simple matter to dispatch them between this round and the next. Assuming he is under 8 hit dice <font color=lime>Wyrd</font> is also subject to the effects of this spell – I’ll leave it to Ruby to determine his saving throw and the results thereof. The remaining dazed grimlock has taken 4 points of damage and will miss at least one attack opportunity – again, he should be easily killed.

<font color=turquoise>The Remaining Grimlocks</font> - Will all miss their next opportunity to attack due to the disorienting effect of the sound. In other words, the rest of the group has two rounds of initiative to work with.

<font color=lightgreen>Syrathic</font> - Rhianneth's spell was certainly unexpected and it may have been surprising enough to startle the hound and give you a vague idea of its location.

<font color=brick>Brendon</font> - The grimlocks were not backing off to duck into the shadows, but were pressing to attack. Rhianneth’s spell, however gives you time to move back a bit so that you might use your bow. Judging by the dice I rolled, you can either kill the two smaller grimlocks or the leader – take your pick.</font>

<font color=indianred>Brendon Grey

Hearing some sort of rumbling noise behind him startled Brendon for a second, then realized that it must have been a spell, because all the creatures were reacting to it. Brendon backed up a bit, finding his back against the cavern wall. he took aim and watched as three of the attacking vermin wobbled into the light. One was larger than the rest, and that is the one Brendon decided to take down. He sent an arrow towards it's throat, then reloaded.</font>

OOC>>>Cyril, I have counted that I am down to 14 keen arrows. Is this correct?

[ 12-01-2002, 01:56 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

<font color=indianred>For Brendon</font>

<font color=thistle>Even the confused sounds of battle seem strangely muted in the wake of the blast of noise whose fading notes still sound dully off of the walls of the cavern. Small sounds, at least for a few moments, stand out with a peculiar distinctness. There is the angry groaning of the humanoids as they attempt to recover their bearings and there is the drawing of weapons and the fumbling with spell components. There is also the sound of a bowstring snapping back into place after launching an arrow, and the whistling sound of a shaft in flight - a flight that ends with the sharp and abrupt tone of steel meeting flesh. Even the grim finality of this sound is punctuated by another, that of an incomplete breath rattling within a badly wounded throat.

Brendon’s arrow strikes home and the limbs of the largest of the grimlocks crumple. The head of his great axe lands on the cavern floor with a sharp clanging note that is quickly muffled by the large and lifeless body which falls on top of it.</font>

<font color=silver>ooc: 14 Keen arrows left sounds about right, Larry. Brendon will probably have initiative on the other 2 grimlocks, but let’s wait and see what the other players do.</font>

<font color=lightgreen>A sudden weight surprised Syrathic as the group moved forward, knocking him to the ground. He was unable to see what it was, but it had caused some light damage. He quickly rolled toward the wall, and leaned his back against it, eliminating the chance of being attacked from behind.

The sounds of battle filled the elf's ears as he scanned the area for whatever had attacked him. Each member of the group had been attacked, he noticed. "At least they can see their opposition. I have no clue what attacked me, and I can't see it. It was definitely not one of those things attacking everyone else."

He drew one of his long swords, and continued to look over the area. If anything had taken their eyes away from him, it would find that he hid in the shadows and it would not be able to see him. But if it had been watching him the entire time, he would be a sitting target. "And I cannot see it. Not a good situation, Syrathic. Not good at all."

Suddenly, an enormous belch filled the cave, the sound echoing off the walls. "What in the name of all that is immortal...?" he thought. But while the sound only distracted him slightly, it had a more profound effect, at least in the eyes of the elf. The sound caused a noise from his attacker, and he caught a quick glimspe. "Hmmm... a shadow of some sort, I'm guessing. If I concentrate, I can see glimpses of it. That blasted woman managed to do something right." His left hand began to reach for the gnome's knife, but he thought better of it. "I don't think that knife is weighted for throwing. I'm just going to have to rely on the blades." With a quick move of the arm, he had his other sword in hand, and he charged toward the shadowy form.</font>

ooc: Syrathic only caught a few glimpses of the shadow mastiff, but I believe he saw enough for at least one of the blades to connect. Don't know how the beast will react, though. Looks like I'll need at least another round with it, but at least the elf now has an idea of what he's facing.

<font color=lightgreen>For Syrathic</font>

<font color=thistle>Startled by the great and unexpected noise, the hound barks in surprise. It is a quick and simple sound accompanied by a slight movement of its body, but these small signs were enough to expose it to attack. One of the elf’s blades strikes it a solid blow and the creature growls in anger. It lunges at its attacker, managing to briefly catch within its mouth the arm that struck it. The elf is strong, however, and he yanks his arm free before its powerful jaws can secure their grip. As the elf recovers his balance, the hound bounds backward once more blending into the shadows in a direction well away from the light within which the other battle is being fought.</font>

<font color=silver>ooc: <font color=lightgreen>Syrathic</font> - You struck the creature once for 8 points of damage. You take minor damage, 3 hit points, and suffer no combat penalties from the bite. You also note that the hound is at least intelligent enough to deliberately attempt to draw you away from the light. Once again, the creature is lost to your sight.</font>

Dantes quickly mouth's the word of a spell. And numerous balls of colored light streak forward from his fingertips towrds the two creatures on the ground. These magic missles fly unerringly toward their targets striking the creatures recovering from the loud belch with a dull thud. After the spell was off, Dantes immediately drew his sword and headed to where Dankorona was standing seemingly defenseless.