As the party had gathered to sleep, everything had been calm. The world seemed finally at peace with itself, and the fact that it should not caused wrongness deep within her. The Druid realized when waking up to the sound of Kenji's alarm the reason it felt so wrong. Large creatures floated above them hitting her as soon as she was switching between dream world and reality. Pain shot through her, waking her painfully from her nightmares.

When she had felt the attacks fall upon her, she could not distinguish immediately if it was part of the dream, or reality. She heard her friends scream out in pain and all of them getting to their feet in haste. Sirene saw the large creature and quickly launched the first spell that came to mind. Stretching out her hands in front of her the Enchantress used BURNING HANDS on the creature that attacked her. Immediately following her spell, she withdrew her weapon holding it defensively before her. If the creature was wounded she would attempt to slash its eye.

Battle cries and spells cried out into the thick air of the underground as the party now faced two different enemies. They battled against the obvious enemy, but they also had to keep in mind that the gorge was not far from them. They would have to mind their footing as to not fall into the gorge while focusing on destroying these creatures.

The days trek had tired the Halfling and sleep came easy. Having the first watch let the mage relax a bit and let the tension that had built up all day start to fad. When his watch was over the sleep that enfolded him was deep and silent, no dreams danced through his mind.

The sudden shouts from his companion and sear of pain shook him awake. Though blurry sleep eyes he saw hovering above him a mass of flesh with a large black beak that had just pounded into him. The shock and pain drove him to survival mode. Without thinking he protected his face with one arm and extended his other arm and hand toward the float mass and shouted "Blast You". In the blink of the eye of the floating brain, Ulthok loosed three Magic Missiles in rapid succession into the attacking creature

Conall shaken from sleep by pain and the cries of battle rolled form his bedroll. Without thought sword and shield were in hand. In a low stance he quickly found the beast behind his most unpleasant awakening. He lung attacked at the beast.

Maggot as he was the last to be attacked was not fully asleep but yet not fully awake and was able to avoid a few attacks but still 2 found their mark and pain seared through him.

He took his blanket and covered the ground next to him where he had been poking at the ground with his stick. He grabbed his Staff of Shielding and in one swift movement was to his feet. ‘A blade to me when all else fails.’ A blazing beam of red-hot fire springs forth from Maggot’s hand. He then looks at the floating creature and with a half evil smile that would make Satin himself take notice, ‘Now let us dance.’

Haila lay on her bedroll gazing into the darkness around her, alone with her thoughts. What would they do if the temple ahead in fact held the item they so desperately sought? Where would they go with the quest fulfilled? She wasn’t entirely sure what the future held but she knew they could all use a long vacation.

With a sigh she rolled over and closed her eyes, morning, or what they termed morning in this perpetual darkness, always came sooner than one expected.

Sunshine! Blessed, beautiful, warm, sunshine! Haila lifted her face to the sun and closing her eyes she flung her arms wide and twirled in a circle like a giddy child. Whirling until she fell backwards in the lush green grass she laughed out loud. Ah how good it felt to feel the grass between her toes once more. As she lay there, the ecstasy of a summers breeze kissing her skin, a soft mesmerizing melody began to creep into her mind. What was it? From whence had it come? She could think of little else. Rising from the meadow Haila stood and began to drift toward the melody that had invaded her dreams…
Someone cried out in pain and Haila twitched within her dream world, her consciousness slowly floating to awareness. Before the fantasy could fully fade pain seared her flesh causing her eyes to fly open and face the hideous being before her. She choked on a scream her brain fighting to both cry out and cast simultaneously. Scrambling for the first spell that came to mind she stretched her fingers out before her and missiles of pure force streamed from their tips. Haila could only hope that would buy her enough time to gather herself before the next attack came.

Kenji shouted a warning when he saw the ‘true’ nature of the ‘elves’ … he ducked and weaved and didn’t even feel the brushing hit by the brain creature… his disgust at the vulgar appearance of these beasts showed clearly on his face as his katana and wakazashi cleared their scabbards… the shorter blade swiped a the creatures eyes as the longer blade swung lower towards the base of the flailing tentacles.

“The two with the red beaks,” Kenji yelled as he attacked, “they are different… they may be the leaders or controlling the others.”

He wanted to deal with this one attacking him as soon as possible… he felt that he had to attack the ‘special’ ones … he felt those were the key to defeating these foul creatures.

(Sorry for the lame post… I have just gotten back online and trying to catch up …. Besides I am very tired and may not make sense… be warned. )

The bar wench was just about to deliver a frothy mug of fine dwarven ale when pain shot through Cor's body. "What the!? I hope ya have a godd reason for waking me so rudely!" It took Cor a moment to notice it was a strange creature that had caused him pain. Moments later he was ready with split bi-pedal axe in hand. Kenji noted that the red0beaked ones were differant somehow. It was towards one of thosethat he sent his axes flying.

OOC: He will target the most injured looking red-beaked ne if there is such.

His shout of alarm went out loudly echoing Kenji's call, but it was too late to save his friends from harm.

He knew Kenji was right, that the red beaks were the key to this attack, but there was some doubt as to whether the rest would just leave them alone when the red beaks fell. But the two black beaked creatures before him made his thoughts moot. He was standing between them and the rest of the party, each involved in their own battles. He had to take them down as quickly as possible, and hope he could help keep Kenji clear to fight the red beaked brain creatures.

As his sword almost appeared in his hand he spoke a prayer to Odin. "Father of All, send your almighty hammer to rain destruction upon these creatures of evil." (he casts spiritual hammer to send it over to aid Kenji)

His spell complete he raises his sword and rushes the first of the creatures before him, dodging the powerful tentacles as he rushes for its main body (he will attack tentacles as necessary to keep them away from him).

With a scream of alarm and a burst of pain to many, the party awoke to find themselves under attack yet again...........

Kenji, having raised the alarm and avoided the creatures attack, was the first of the party guards to strike back. Finding he faced only one, he did not hesitate and attacked full on.

“The two with the red beaks,” the Samurai yelled as he attacked, “they are different... they may be the leaders or controlling the others.”
Both blades free of their scabbards the shorter blade swept towards the creatures eyes, only to find air as the creature quickly sidestepped. Yet though this attack was a miss his second attack was not as side stepping had brought the creature into better range for Kenji’s katana, the longer blade scoring a nice hit at the base of the flailing tentacles. A gash and a spray of greenish black liquid appeared and tentacles, now dripping in ‘blood’, fought back.

This time the parties lone Samurai was not as lucky as he had been so far. Though all ten tentacles did miss its bite did not scoring a deep wound upon Kenji’s right upper shoulder. Asian blood mixed with that of the creature and the creature’s blood burned as if made of fire in the wound..............

The next of the party to attack was Althena, having been untouched, thanks to Alasdair’s stumble, she’d had enough time to draw and aim her crossbow. Her target, one of the two black beaks facing her lover, she fired two bolts from it’s magazine, only to watch them bounce away from the creature brain harmlessly just before impact. Cursing under her breath, she went for the Vorpal sword at her side...........

Alasdair reeling from the tentacle hits quickly regained his balance then moved forward towards the brain creatures once more. However, this time his hand was not raised in greeting, but in attack his sword unsheathed and ready. Deciding this round to help the parties, lone Samurai to break past the creature before him he brought up his free hand, quickly casting the spell of Spiritual Hammer. But as had the spells cast against the creatures before the Hammer hit but bounced away causing no damage, moving to float in front of Alasdair awaiting the next command to attack. The Paladin gearing up for melee his next attack was purely defensive after having cast his spell and this time those defenses held better then before.

The first of the two brain creatures moved to attack Alasdair head on and lashed out with all ten tentacles and beak and was surprised when all eleven attacks missed. While the first kept the Paladin’s attention the second attempted to flank but was only half successful in the move as Alasdair moved to place it more to his front. As with the first, it too directed all its attacks towards the Psionic Paladin and still only managed to hit him twice, once with its beak and with a tentacle. Though hurt, bleeding, and in pain there was life and fight yet in the party’s leader.............

The first of the sleeping party members to act in this first round was the Paladin Conall. Grabbing for his sword and shield he was only able to gain the sword as the black beaked creature brain seeing what he was doing set a pair of tentacles to grabbing it from him. Where Conall’s grab failed, the creatures did not, the tentacles ripping the shield from his hand and tossing it into the chasm behind him. However this presented the Paladin with an opening and lunging, sword strongly in hand, Conall scored a deep hit just below the creature’s eye.

With this hit, two of the creature’s tentacles rose towards the wound to perhaps stop the bleeding now there leaving only six to attack. Concentrating all six towards the Paladin, forgetting for the moment Cynil, it attempted to hit however be it the creatures wound or Conall’s armor all six attacks missed, the creature not even trying to attack with its beak..............

Beside Conall, Cynil had woken to the bite of pain as she was initially hit seeing the giant brain type creature before her. Seeing the creature occupied by Conall and knowing she had no more changes available she attacked with the bear claws granted to her by Gauntlets of the Bear and scored a hit to the creature’s rear with her right set. With a hit to its front and now one to its rear, the brain creature made as if to float higher it’s next turn, its eye turning towards Cynil.............

Next of the party to rise up and fight back was the dwarf Cor. His bipennis axe quickly separated and thrown he too watched as each scored a direct hit only to return to his hands having done no visible damage. His action for the next round undecided the dwarf’s main concern was defense as the black beak before him trained all of its attack against the Knight Cleric.

It’s tentacles a swirling mass of speed and its beak lunging, still it only gained a single hit on the dwarven warrior, thanks to Cor’s heavy armor. The tentacle damage easily absorbed by the dwarf, he stood ready to attack again next turn..............

Maggot though last to be attacked was fourth of the sleeping party to act as he sprang only half-asleep to the fight. His Staff Shield to his left hand, its slender length forming a thick shield, and in his right a three-foot blade of fire appeared, called to him by the spell of Flame blade. The action of taking up the staff and casting hie spell his actions for this turn he stood and accepted the brain creature's attack.

Behind him, Sirene was not as lucky. Having as had the others awoken to the shock of pain she readied the first spell to come to mind, Burning Hands and cast it forth.....only to watch in horror as her spell was deflected back at her. The force and damage of the spell in access of +25 points of damage, due to her level, the Enchantress found herself slammed to the ground to lie very burnt and very close to unconsciousness........

With Sirene down and looking dead the brain creature before her and Maggot was able to turn its attacks to Maggot alone its ten tentacles and beak aiming for a hit. However, His actions for this turn defensive in nature served him well as he was missed by 9 out of 10 tentacles and its beak. The tenth tentacle though was on target and forced the Ranger/Bard back on his heels the pain of a new and deep wound great......

Rayne’s first reaction upon waking to a flash of pain was to grab the nearest weapon at hand, her Ivory, gold and silver long bow “Andurile’s Blood”. Two arrows nocked, drawn, and fired over Cor’s head in only seconds she targeted the two red beak brain creatures farthest from the party. However, she saw like Althena before her, her arrows of energy hit and bounce away. It seemed the Red beaks were also protected somehow. The bow dropped, her sword drawn, she prepared to help Cor fight the black beak before them.............

Ulthok though sleepy was not one to hesitate. With a snarl of 'Blast You' on his lips as he tried to gain a higher level of wakefulness, he loosed three Magic Missiles in rapid succession into the attacking brain creature before him and Haila. However, as had happened with Sirene so too did the same happen here as all three missiles deflected back at him to strike him in his chest. The pain from his own magic great and the damage nothing to laugh about he staggered back, only his diminutive size keeping him on his feet...............

The last of the party to act this turn was the one who would unknowingly end up in the worst danger as Haila mouthed the words of her spell of Magic Missiles. The spell missiles as with all the other spells were dead on target, however as was the case with all the other cast spells, the target was the Fighter/Mage herself. Her missiles as with Sirene’s causing +25 points of damage the force of impact drove her hard backward and over the chasm’s edge. Falling she made a desperate grab to stop her descent and only by the barest luck of the gods caught hold of an out cropping of rock. Hurt, dazed bleeding and growing weak fast, she had only seconds to save herself from a long fall into darkness...............

(DM OOC: OK here’s my 1 day delayed post hope it was worth the wait. Next post, Next Sunday the 8th good posting gang.)

As Conall withdrew his sword for the creator’s body he franticly glanced over or under the creature to see his shield slip over the edge of the cliff leading down into the dark nothingness below. Conall’s eyes quickly found the creature once more. The creature threw itself at Conall and if it was by faith or shear anger all the creators’ attacks were turned away.

By now Conall’s blood began to boil inside his veins and his eyes had deepness to them not seen before in many years. He seemed to hold the creature in his stair as Cynil Shadowdancer seemed to live up to her namesake and some how without the creator taking any notice of the world out side of it and Conall, she was able to move swiftly in close and use her bear claws, who’s power was concealed in the Gauntlets she wore.

The Creator shrieked and now seemed desperate as it spun around to fix it’s gaze upon Cynil and as it did so seem to dip just a bit, as a bird would just before it climbed into the sky.

Conall saw this and out of fear, anger, or desperation he flung himself at the creator and while doing so gave out a battle cry that would wake the ancients from slumber, “Odin grant me wings upon my AAASSSSS!” He brought his sword high and looks to plunge it into the creator in a downward angle. In doing so he is going to use his sword as a piton to haul himself upon the creator. Conall may have lost his shield but he would be dammed if he was going to loose the thief who took it from him.

Cor watched his axes strike true but deflect off of some form of force shield. "Well that is nae nice. Let's see how you like it if I keep my hands on it next time." Cor combined his axe and and moved to close combat.

As the hammer returns his thoughts send it careening towards the foe nearest him, a distraction of sorts to mask his own attacks as he raced in behind it.

He dodges through the maze of tentacles, attempting to strike at the core of the beast before him. These creatures, whatever they were, had caused his friends harm. Anger and frustration began to build within him as he lashed out with his trusted sword Purifier.

A prayer comes to his lips as he weaves towards his target. "Odin give me strength. Guide my blade and aid us all in destroying thse unrighteous abominations."

He brings his sword down with all of his might on the brain of the creature before him.

The old man stood, legs slightly bent ready to leap into action at the mere thought of an opening. Balanced on the balls of his feet, a three foot flame blade danced from his right hand. Taunting the beast, the flame itself seems to hunger for the flesh of Maggot's enemies. In his left hand the magic of the staff took the form of a thick black shield then as the staff itself came up to speed it was soon all but a blur of movement.

The creature turned full attention toward Maggot and the old man knew not why. He only knew the Lady Sirene was behind him and he was to be a shield to her. The creature attacked with all its furry and the old man was able to dodge all but one of the attacks. This attack drove him back as he dug in with his feet. The marks left on the ground showed the old man had only given up inches, but paid with blood.

As the creature recovered from its own movement forward Maggot saw what he was looking for and took it. Drawing upon his ability to use both items as a weapon and not losing the advantage of the staff's speed, he moved in. He feints an attack with the staff. He thrust the flame blade in toward the center mass of the creator. If the staff struck it would be a bonus and might throw the beast of its dance, but it was the blade of fire that Maggot would hope did the most damage. "Quench your hunger and take from the beast what you will, blade of mine." Maggot whispered as he went into action.

Kenji concentrated and pushed the burning pain of his wound from his mind … he again did what he did best and attacked with his two naked blades… the shorter blade leaped out as the brain creature withdrew from striking him with it’s beak… the longer blade quickly followed in a sweeping arc once more… this time aiming for the main larger ‘body’ of the creature.

The Samurai might have acted differently if he had seen Lady Haila knocked over the side of the chasm … but as he was at the forefront he was unaware of what was transpiring behind him… all of his attention was focused for the moment on the creature before him.

(sorry ... I just cant think of much more to say right now.. other than I hope we survive this... )

Still mumbled from sleep, the stun of his magic turned back against him catches Ulthok off guard. The pain of his own missiles slamming back into him shakes him and knocks him off balance. The pain rages through him and his reactions are slow. As he tries to regain focus he see Sirene suffer much the same as a fiery blast turns back on her , knocking her down and burning her severely. Ulthok heart leaps into his throat as the Enchantress crumbles to the ground. Drawing his sword to defend her from further attack he scrambles to her side. Seeing that she is weakened and stunned he pulls a potion of healing from his pack and offers it up to her lips. Sirene had followed him when the others had doubted. Her trust can not be ignored. But there was something more that pulled at the halfling's heart.

These companions had saved his life and he was not going to let any fall from this attack if he could help it.