Darkwood--Into the blackness....

[Vynarkus]

[ooc]Seven, can I understand them now?[/ooc]

Vynarkus sweeps the room with Detect Magic, looking for anything less obvious than the gem, then also attempts to determine what it does.

[Seven Words]

Skyseeker says, "Clearly, the flashes were some manner of signal. Whether it was 'Intruders!', or "Changing of the guard', or 'Mealtime', or even 'Evacuate', we can't tell."

[Seven Words]

Also....the gem simply appears to flash on command....it probably can do various signal combinations. No other purpose or capability can be discerned.

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Kali crackles and hisses something to Sorchat with a frown on her face.

Is there anything beyond the gem?

If not, I'm heading out of the room and stalking down the north passage. Be prepared for anything left in here to be alerted to the presence of intruders.

[Sorchat]

I stop suddenly. Then I look at the gem suspiciously.

Before I follow Kalindriel out of the room, I fly up to where the gargoyles were hiding. [Search check]

[Led Pighp]

Led just turns and continues down the hallway (same as Kalindriel).

[Katrina]

I follow Led, he seems like a Good Man, even if he wanted to ropey the Bad Gargoyles instead of Deal with them.

[Annalysei]

Anna glances at the gem, notices her party isn't particularly interested in it, and continues down the hallway, following Led and Kali.

[Seven Words]

You come into a room reminiscent of the bottom of a dry well. looking up, it is well beyond view....faint wing noises can be heard...sounds like gargoyles form other locations adjunct to this shaft are responding to their won flashing gems...heading up.

[Laurel]

Before following the others, Laurel takes the time to study the rhythm of the gem, searching for any hint of a code she may be familiar with.

[ooc]appropriate knowledge checks on the gem and its flashing, please[/ooc]

As the party enters the new room, Laurel's attention focuses on the rustling of wings above them. "They're flying upwards, away from us for now. Do you think we could search this room and move on beyond them without them sensing us?"

[ooc]if appropriate, search our new surroundings as quietly as possible, looking also for a passage out of the room[/ooc]

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

A voice from the darkness whispers, "I'll wager they are gathering at the top of the tower."

After a pause it continues, quietly, "Around a score. Nearest is as many feet away."

[Keeping voice low, so that any rustling from their wings will drown out her speech.]

[Led Pighp]

Also whispering low, "Hadn't we thought to also head for the tower as what we assumed was the ultimate goal? Given how easily we bested 2 of them, how do you think we'd fare against 20? We could try to lure them out, though. Catch them in flight at a distance, as they come for us here. This tall shaft is as good a kill zone as any we'll find."

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Her whispers are almost inaudible, yet clearly understandable, "Everything will be heading there. Better to catch any stragglers and find what we can that has been left undefended. Make them fidget and wait."

"If you have a fireball to toss up there, though, that would hit a lot of stragglers..."

[Katrina]

I cock my head left, then right. Then I smile.

And duck into a shadow.

I look up with Darkvision to see if I see any Bad Gargoyles flapping about up there.

[Sigrid]

"I have several fireballs to toss up there. Would you like me to?"

Code: Select all

Cleric 0              |Sorceror 0 (6/6)  |Wands
 Resistence           | Acid Splash      | Acid Arrow          (15/50)
 Resistence           | Arcane Mark      | Detect Secret Doors (15/50)
 Resistence           | Dancing Lights   | Find Traps          (24/50)
 Resistence           | Light            | Knock               (15/50)
 Resistence           | Mage Hand        | Sonic Blast         (26/50)
                      | Prestidigitation |
                      | Ray of Frost     |
----------------------+------------------+----------------------------
Cleric 1              |Sorceror 1 (5/7)  |Ring
 Protection from Evil | Burning Hands    | Cure Light Wounds
 Protection from Evil | Identify         | Cure Light Wounds
 Protection from Evil | Magic Missile    | Cure Light Wounds
*Magic Weapon         | Shield           |
 Magic Weapon         |                  |
----------------------+------------------+----------------------------
Cleric 2              |Sorceror 2 (6/6)  |Turn Undead (9/11)
*Bull's Strength      | Scorching Ray    | Sacred Healing
 Bull's Strength      | See Invisibility |
 Bull's Strength      |                  |
 Bull's Strength      |                  |
----------------------+------------------+----------------------------
Cleric 3              |Sorceror 3 (4/4)  |Lesser Rod of Empowering (2/3)
 Dispel Magic         | Fireball         |
 Dispel Magic         |                  |
 Dispel Magic         |                  |

[Sorry this is so big. At least I'm not epic level yet.]

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

Kali shrugs, probably unseen, then realizing says, "Sure. Forty feet up?"

[Laurel]

The bard slides next to Vynarkus and hands him a scroll. Whispering as quietly as she can and yet still be understood, she tells him, "I do not know if this will be useful, but your abilities to "trick" a scroll seems to be more advanced than mine. If several Fireballs would be effective against the gathering gloom, would not Prismatic Spray help even more?"

Retreating to a wall away from the party's two spell casters for the start of this fight, the bard mumbles, "Barxonas!" and winks out of site. Once invisible, she casts Sonic Weapon upon her longbow, then nocks an arrow in preparation for any response to the potential Fireball and Prismatic Spray being cast.

[ooc]the scroll I handed Vynarkus contains the following on it: Symbol of Fear (spell level 6), Prismatic Spray (spell level 7), and Energy Drain (spell level 9). since gargoyles have damage reduction 10/magic and freezing, I don't know if Energy Drain could be useful as well in this situation. but better the scroll be in the hands of an arcane user who has a chance of tricking it more than I.[/ooc]

[Kalindriel Ec'urb]

A form made of shadow coalesces behind Sigrid. One of its appendages caresses her arm as it guides her aim and whispers emanate from it regarding the best placement of the impending fireball.

Those familiar enough with Kalindriel can tell the shadow has her shape, but discerning detail is impossible. In lighted conditions, the form is more distinguishable by the complete absence of color or texture than whatever is behind it. The only features it possesses are dully glowing purple eyes and a thin line indicating a mouth. The projection of the horns on her tiara, her swords, her glaive, her arms and legs all visible, but where they overlap depth is impossible to tell and they all merge into one, leaving naught but a shadow which casts itself onto space rather than a surface.

[According to the GM you can catch a full score. Move back into the tunnel after, she'll stay out as a target. You can fireball on her if another is necessary. She has Combat Reflexes to hit several if they survive two and try to pursue.]

[Vynarkus]

[ooc]...Vynarkus is invisible, Laurel. You don't know where he is, and he is probably in the air, so you couldn't get next to him anyway.[/ooc]

Vynarkus looks for entrances to the tower that would be out of the range of the Fireball and appears likely to remain empty. He heads into the highest one that fulfills these qualifications, and prepares to Brimstone Blast any surviving Gargoyles from above once they pass him as they dive on the rest of the party.

[Sigrid]

[ooc]...but better the scroll be in the hands of an arcane user who has a chance of tricking it more than I.[/ooc]

[I'm a sorcoress and a cleric. I can cast any scroll.]

I cast Empowered Fireball where the shadow showed me.

I try not to mind the caressing. I don't know Kalindriel that well.