The woman had awoken in pain, and alarm and thus had cast the first spell that came to mind. Stretching her hands before her the woman cast burning hands upon the brain-like enemy. To her horror, the plan had backfired and she had felt the wrath of another attack. Waking up she had suffered pain from the enemies attack, only to feel the wrath of her own spell being reflected back to her. The druid could not believe it, her eyes widened as the spell hit some sort of barrier and was quickly reflected back to her. Sirene did not have enough time to react in any means before being hit by her own spell. A scream of terror being released from her lips as she felt the heat approach her form. The spell connected with her body burning her severely and knocking her to the ground. It was the worst feeling she had ever felt in her life.

((OOC: Depending if Ody`s actions are successful or not, I will use the cure moderate wounds depending on my health. If his actions are successful and the potion heals more than half, I will use this round to ready myself for another attack by drawing my weapon. If unsuccessful I will use a cure serious wounds on myself.))

The first of the party to act this turn was its leader, his hammer used to hopefully distract his target, he moved in to melee range of his sword. Once again thanks to his high armor he was able to easily draw close enough to attack the closet brain creature with his sun blade, it's +4 bonus allowing the Paladin to easily score a pair of hits.

The force of the two blows pushing the creature back it’s ’blood’ trailing behind it. Though the creature he had attacked had been unable to strike the Paladin its companion was not so unlucky. Taking advantage of Alasdair’s straightforward attack it had gained what it had tried to do the past round, a rear attack. Yet even though it had gained the advantage, it was still only able to hit with three of its eleven attacks, a poor showing for sure.......

Next to act was the Thief/Mage Ulthok. Seeing his friend, Sirene punched to the ground on the verge of unconsciousness he at once moved to help her. However, in doing so he turned his back to the brain creature before him and to his dismay found himself quickly caught in the grip of two of its ten tentacles. Brought closer to the creature‘s center, he was laced with pain as it’s beak bore into his chest. At once Ulthok felt the creature’s saliva pour into him causing him to begin to black out.

With the Halfling Thief/Mage securely wrapped by three tentacles and held against the creature’s underbelly, Ulthok felt them starting to crush the life out of him as the floating brain started to move away.......

Then it was Maggot’s turn once again to act, his staff in hand acting as both shield and weapon, a blade of flame in his other he charged to the attack. His swings quick and on target, he proceeded to trade blows with the brain looking creature before him 11-2 with both his attacks a hit, yet four hits by the creature returned.

However, the Ranger/Bard quickly learned a valuable lesson as what had happened with the plants again happened here. For as the flame of his sword of fire connected with the ‘blood’ of the creature it exploded into a gas like cloud that quickly engulfed him. Barely keeping from choking and passing out as he inadvertently inhaled the gas; Maggot managing to fight off the effects of the gas this turn nonetheless took extra damage from it along with the four successful hits on him this turn.......

The parties Knight Cleric was next this turn to act. Having seen the failure of his axes thrown he returned them to their single state and moved quickly into melee range. However the brain creature seeing the dwarf charging forward merely changed its elevation to where it could hit the dwarf with the tips of it’s tentacles without the dwarf being able to strike back.

However though it could still attack fully ten times it chose instead to use only five, the other five of its tentacles directed at Rayne who also had moved into melee range. However, thanks to Cor’s high level of armor and the brain creatures high level of elevation both dwarf and brain creature’s attacks were a miss......

However, Rayne was not as lucky as was Cor as she moved to the attack, as two out of five tentacles hit her. Her return attacks were evenly balanced between a hit and a miss causing the first damage to this creature brain. Turning to better face the Ranger/Cleric, seeing her perhaps as the bigger threat, it raised itself higher to avoid Cor’s next melee attacks completely.......

Conall found himself the next to act and wasted no time in doing so. Seeing the floating brain looking creature turning to affix its attention on Cynil he cried out in rage and charged the creature threatening his love. With a great leap powered by strong legs, he flung himself upon the slowly raising brain creature’s back to plunge his sword deep into the center of its ‘brain’. With this great blow and the damage done the round before the creature exploded as if a balloon to crash to the hard ground. However Conall on its back found himself lying in its remains the ‘blood’ of which was as acid burning him from outside in......

Althena having had no luck with her crossbow had drawn her Vorpal blade and started forward to the aid of Alasdair, and was able to gain the same advantage verses the second brain creature as it had gained against her love...A rear attack. However, to her dismay her attack missed, leaving her to await the next round to be of any help.....

Cynil having managed to attack the creature before her and Conall from its rear, found herself facing towards the Haila as the Fighter/Mage was forced off the edge of the chasm. With Conall having gained the better of the brain creature facing them, she ran quickly to the chasm’s edge hoping to help. Only to watch in amazement as the human Fighter/Mage changed......

Haila knowing she only had moments before her grip upon the rock outcropping would fail decided to cast Polymorph Self and as Cynil watched Haila’s human form was quickly replaced by that of a silver dragon! Now Haila healed somewhat, thanks to the nature of the spell, had seen Conall’s holy shield some feet below her just above the thickest patch of darkness.

Deciding to first retrieve it she descended awkwardly and tried to grab it with the nearest of her large claws only to misjudge the distance. Almost as if in order her left wing hitting the side of the chasm wall curling in upon itself, her claw hit by the folding wing missing the grab of the shield to send it plunging into the darkness below, and her continued attempt to fly with only one fully extended wing a failure. Cynil watched as Haila’s dragon form disappeared into the darkness below......

Sirene was on her belly, skin burnt, clothes smoldering, dazed and on the edge of blacking out, she fought her way back from the black before her eyes. With no one seeming able to come to her assistance she had to help herself and she did so casting the spell of Cure Serious Wounds upon her battered body. At once fire lashed skin healed, the black of unconsciousness
was gone, and though she was not fully healed, getting to her feet once more, she was once more ready for combat this next round......

The last of the group to attack this second round of combat was the Samurai Kenji. Both Katana and Wakazashi primed he aimed the two blades towards the creatures center and was gifted this round with two hits out of three attacks. ‘Blood’ gushing from the floating creature’s open wounds it feebly attacked while attempting to gain distance from the oriental killing machine before it. Needless to say, all its attacks failed.

However the Samurai found that he had a new problem as both of the red beaked brain creature’s attacked for the first time since the battles start and he was the target being the closet threat. The first spell to hit him was easily saved against, Kenji taking no damage or understanding the type of spell. Yet in a rare turn of fate the Samurai failed his second save and found himself at first unable to move or speak, yet very much aware of his predicament. The hold lasted only seconds though as his Ring of Free action kicked in.He watched as both red beaks and the returning black beak, unaware of his not being held, now moved towards him......

(DM OOC: Ok there you have it my post for tonight, man it does not look good for Ulthok, Haila or Kenji huh
Well 1 creature is dead and 2-3 are wounded so good luck next round.

On a sad note as I have not heard from or seen a post from Brianna in a month’s time I have had to drop her from the game from this point on. I will once again be putting a call out for 1-2 players to fill the roles of our open and or NPC characters.

Again next post, next Sunday as norm)
DM EDIT: Post has been edited in regards to Kenji as I forgot he wears a Ring of Free Action making the success of the Hold Person Spell mute. I will now go stand in the corner for two hours

As Cor moved to attack the vile thing simply raised above his reach. "Aye, ya know ya canna beat me in a fair fight so you run away huh?" Although frustrated the old dwarf had a trick or two up his sleeve. Sheathing his axe he dropped to his knees to increase the distance between him and the creature to buy a bit of time. If sucessful in casting he will reach up to touch the tenticles he expected would be seeking him.

OOC: Casting the reverse of heal which is harm; at his lvl it would be 140 points of damage, save for half

Kenji shuttered as the magic grabbed his body and held him … for a couple of seconds… then he felt a tingle begin in his hand… warmth spread from his hand and flashed through his body and he felt his muscle untense… he was once again free yet he remained still.

He saw that the Red Beaks were converging on him… and the Black beak that he had wounded severely and which had been retreating was now coming back at him… it must have thought him held by the magic which he assumed came from the Red Beaks.

He remained still for a couple more seconds … waited until the Black beak was close… then in a sudden burst of speed he leaped up in the air … his twin blades rising high … he came down swinging the blades letting all of his weight behind the swings attempting to cut the Black beak in twain.

When he came down he landed with the Black beak between himself and the Red Beaks which he hoped would hesitate at finding their thought paralyzed victim was quite mobile…

If he connected with his swords…. When his feet hitting the ground he turned his upper body away from the Black beak just in case it exploded… he had seen it happen out of the corner of his eye when someone else had destroyed one of them… he didn’t want his face or eyes to be splattered with this creatures blood … if he was successful in killing it.

Once it exploded… if it did or did not… he would turn back to face whatever creatures were still attacking…

“Come vile creatures,” he boomed with teeth bared... his face a mask of hatred, “for the only thing you shall dine upon this day is my steel.”

The old man was on a knee when the burning took hold of his lungs. He coughed a little and then the foam and drooling started. His eyes burning he manage to see Uthlok still in combat and called out to him, "Master of the Shadows, fire seems to work well, but the smoke is deadly." with that the old man moved to face the beast that still floated before him, "A little closer and I will put this flame in your heart if you had one." the old man whispered as he looked to lunge the flame deep into the eye of the beast.

(OOC: Thanks for the heads up. I miss read the post, sorry.)

When discussion had finished and final plans were agreed upon the group moved forward though the plants. magic had proved itself most useful this day and they fought through. When they finally cleared their way though to a clear area they were confronted by a deep chasm. Attempts to discern its depths had neither worked as sight nor sounds escaped the Stygian darkness of the deep chasm.

The arduous trip and the extensive use of magic meant that they would have to rest before tackling how to cross the chasm. Of course ideas about how to do that flowed again on how to accomplish that task. Since Rayne had no way to do this for herself she just listened and kept watch. The chasm did not seem to offer any chance of crossing it without magic, mentally she ruled that out as a possibility. When she had finished watch she moved to sit and put herself into a meditative state to rest.

Rayne was roused from her meditation by sudden activity and sounds of battle about her. Her hand slide quickly to her ivory bow even before she clearly knew what was going on. Rising with her bow and notching a arrow as she did she scanned for the source of the commotion.. She found it-them floating beings with bare brains and tentacles Her first shots went off as soon as she acquired her target. To her dismay, both shots were defected somehow and missed their targets. She drew her sword and close to attack

Rayne heard mentioned that there was a different in the creatures. She switched her target to the red beaked creatures that seemed to be targeting Kenji. She was surprised that he was standing still then he seemed to break out and react. Perhaps it was something that the creatures did to him. She would have to be aware of that when fighting this. The brains were her target the tentacles were a poor target whipping around like they did. Two more arrows were notched and released. Rayne marvel yet again as they turned to steaks of energy after leaving the bow--a marvelous gift.

THe brains started lifting away from the melee range. Rayne used the ability of her sword to jump to the top of the brain creature before it got up too high. She took a couple of running steps and leaped up high for the top of one red beaked creature

Mindful of Althena's position at his back, he focused all of his strength on the enemy before him. His sword sliced down toawrds the brain of the abomination. Even as his blade descended he held his breath, attempting to protect himself from caustic fumes given off by their wounds.

With the Halfling Thief/Mage securely wrapped by three tentacles and held against the creature’s underbelly, Ulthok felt them starting to crush the life out of him as the floating brain started to move away.......
The pain was increasing as the creatures tentacles began to constrict tighter and tighter.
The sword Ulthok had pulled to defend himself was pinned to his side and useless as the ribbons of death laced around him. The hard beak was jammed against his chest and would soon puncture him allowing the vile floating menace to start to ingest him. Ulthok’s mind raced as he tried desperately to escape.

He needed to get away, run away, slip away. As Ulthok struggled, a secretion of the creature’s saliva began to ooze out over him. The wetness give one last desperate idea maybe he could “slip” away. Concentrating on the image of another vile creature the tiny mage cast a spell over himself and his body began to change.

His very life color changed to the nearly colorless clearness of water. The once hard muscular shape of the Halfling lost all definition as the colorless, shapeless form of Crystal Ooze replaced what once been the familiar site of Ulthok. Flowing the Ooze out and away from the beak Ulthok was trying to stay out of and away from the Creatures mouth.


(O.O.C.) Sorry I got carried away with the how I saw it working so now I'm pulling it out and just placing it here.

With no solid form to grasp the tentacles could not control the grip on the now flowing slippery mass that slid away and off the tentacles.

Dropping to the ground the pool of Ulthok Ooze gathered and flowed away from the floating brain to seek a safe place to heal and perhaps reform. Ulthok hoped the creature would give up on him as an "easy" catch and seek its meal elsewhere.

Better Boss

Kenji’s voice had rent the air, raising the alarm and yelling something about red beaks being different. The she elf was still befuddled, attempting to ward off the bleariness that had come from being rudely awakened by something biting her. Her knee jerk reaction was to lash out with her hands. The druid’s subconscious had instinctively activated the bracers that she had worn to bed. Upon getting a better look at what she had hit, the brain-like creature had slowly turned on the spot to face her. The sudden movement had not gone unnoticed. Conall’s roar of anger echoed through Cynil’s brain.

Everything thing seemed to be happening at once. Conall launched himself onto the back of the abomination, and it exploded in a mass of ooze. Gas erupted to her left. More yells from behind her as the party continued defending themselves. Cynil blinked. She was facing Haila. Her friend’s blue eyes grew wide with terror as she was forced off the side of the cliff. Not knowing what she was doing, having no idea how she would help, the elf rushed to the edge. Haila’s form was twisting and writhing in mid air as it fell. Her bones seemed to elongate and the skin turned metallic and stretched. Wings sprouted between her shoulders and grew at an alarming rate. Within seconds, where once there was a human there now was a dragon.

Through the haze and confusion of what was happening, Kenji’s words drifted back to her, “The two with red beaks, they are different … they may be the leaders controlling the others.”

Dark green eyes gazed down from an enormous height. The soft smile that accompanied it made the queasy nature of the situation feel a little bit better. Cynil’s small hands twisted anxiously as she looked down at the beautiful flower bush that was now being choked off by a creeping vine. What was the name of that flower? Car...tel?

“Child,” her mother said quietly, her face no longer friendly, “why does this bush walk the line of life and death?”

“I don’t know, atara,” Cynil replied, tears starting to well up and splash onto her face, “I thought I took care of it. I cut the vines around it. I took them away like you said.”

Her mother took a knife from her belt and bent down. She dug the blade deep into the earth, releasing the land’s tough grip on the vine. After digging into the soil with her hands, she yanked the vine out. Cynil’s eye grew wide with wonder as much more of the plant came out of the earth. Little parts like branches stuck out from the sides.

“Never forget, ai’ tinu, in order to completely eliminate something, one must weed out the root.”

Cynil scanned the scene looking for Kenji’s topknot. She spotted it, along with three other abominations converging on him. The elf could just make out a red beak. It would do no good healing if they were overwhelmed, the threat must be eliminated. Without pausing to pick up any of her gear, the druid charged forward towards the creature with the red beak. Her mind spoke the command to her bracers, and both extended wickedly sharp claws. Her lips snarled back to expose her teeth as she flew towards Kenji and the hovering brains.

The creature exploded beneath the blow from his sword, and Conall fell to the ground amongst its remains. Ignoring the acidic blood of the slain creature coating him, Conall stood and quickly scanned the battlefield while using his ability to heal on himself (ooc: laying on of hands for 26hp). As Conall took in the battle going on around him, his rage subsided and was replaced by an icy cold calm and iron hard determination, he noted the position and made a quick assessment of the party. Cor and Ranye engaged with one of the creatures. Kenji separated from the party engaged with three. Two of the creatures engaged with Kenji have red beaks and Kenji had shouted something about them being different. Alasdair and Althena engaged with against a pair of the creatures. Finally, Conall’s eyes came to rest on Ulthok wrapped in the tentacles of a creature; his struggles were diminishing. Beyond Ulthok, Cynil stood at the edge of the chasm watching as Haila falls.

The threat to Ulthok’s life being closest and most dire, Conall moved to intervene; with his sword in the high guard position Conall advanced into range with a look of determination on his face. He started out muttering, “By Odin, Ulthok is a member of my fellowship,” his volume increased as he neared the monster holding the Halfling culminating in a yell, “AND YOU WILL NOT TAKE HIS LIFE WHILST I TAKE BREATH!” The end of his cry came as he entered into range and attacked.

(OOC: At this time I’d like to make sure that I’m taking full advantage of the Paladin’s class features such as protection from evil in a 10’ radius centered on me. Also, the benefits against magic granted both from the class feature because I’m using the +5 Holy Avenger [Circle of Power 10’ in diameter centered on me that dispels magic as per the spell] and the benefits conferred by the sword itself.)

Haila dove for Conall's shield thinking it would be no hard task to grasp the shield in her claws and return it to its rightful owner. This was an error on her part and failure to adjust properly to newly sprouted wings caused her and the knights shield to tumble down into the vast black void of the chasm below.


Haila had no time to make more than a cursory attempt to adjust her trajectory before she landed hard on a sand covered floor. Glancing up she saw a canopy of shadow and realized the vast deepness of the gorge was nothing more than mere illusion. It was barely 120 yards from the top of the chasm to the sandy floor beneath the shadows.

Glancing around she saw not only Conalls shied but also what appeared to be a cave on the pyramid side of the cavern.

What is this? she tilted her enlarged silver scaled head and peered into the cavern seeing what looked to be a long corridor.

Haila new immediately that she must reach the others and inform them of her discovery. Grasping Conalls shield she began her ascent out of the gorge toward the rest of the party.

((obviously haila will attempt to exit chasm and return the shield mostly likely by dropping it from the air at Conalls feet. Should the opportunity arise to tell her companions of the false shadow she will do so. ))

The Druid had been badly injured in the first round of battle as she had been caught by surprise. She had quickly learned that ranged attacks could not work against them, and withdrew her Schimitar silently. Her steps quiet, and timed to sneak up against the monster who had attacked her and was now attacking Maggot. Sirene slashed upwards as to not draw attention to herself. Had she raised her arm for a downward slash, it would have for sure alerted the enemy of her approach. The woman prayed that she could help her friend, and still deal a deadly blow to the beast.

For the moment, to the two red beaked Brain Eaters, it seemed they had the upper hand as far as the food before them was concerned. One was in the grip of a Black Beak, ready to be brought back as food, one was held with a Black Beak moving forward to capture it, one had fallen to its death beyond the chasm, and one looked to be almost unconscious, though it did show signs of recovery. Though they had lost one of their own it was only a Black Beak so no real loss as they were easily spawned. Moving forward the one on the left prepared a spell to launch at the recovering food while the other readied a different spell to hurry the food gathering along, alive or dead, food was food. In moments the food would be their’s for the taking the two thought together.

However as so often happens in this game of life and death things can change, mayhap on a flip of a coin, on a roll of the dice, on the luck of the draw and at this moment perhaps, the beat of a dragon’s wings.

For the party the first to act this third round was the Knight Cleric Cor. Unable to reach the brain creature before him with a weapon he attempted to physical touch the creature by hand a spell readied. However, the creature had risen further in height from the dwarf putting it way out of reach of weapon or dwarvin hand. As such, the spell of Heal reversed missed and was ready for the next round.

However the Brain Eater was not entirely out of this fight though its height was out of reach of Cor its tentacles could yet hit Rayne, as the Ranger/Cleric attacking once more with her blade, used its power of jump to propel her up level to black beaked Brain Eater before her and Cor, hitting for decent damage. The creature wasted no time in attacking at her right back however hitting this time with five out of its ten tentacles and with its beak. The damage taken better then the damage given Rayne landed badly losing her balance and crashing to the ground. Trying frantically to regain her feet, she made it only up on her knees, the black beaked brain creature before her and Cor advancing.

Conall having popped one brain creature like a balloon found he had no foe in front of him. As his gaze traveled the area of combat around him, using this turn to also heal himself, he picked and classified each combat to gauge the most dire. Seeing Ulthok in the grip of a black beaked brain creature, he knew he was needed there the most. Moving into a run, his anger quickly reaching his throat, escaping in a yell, he charged to save his friend. He would be able to attack the next round.

Cynil watched as Haila changed into the form of a dragon, attempted to grab Conall’s shield, then as she disappeared into the blackness below. Knowing she had only one change left that of a reptile she hoped her friend would be ok then turned back to the fight. Seeing the Samurai facing three of the brain like creatures, the Asian warrior himself not moving as if held by magic, and remembering Kenji’s cry about the red beaked creatures being somehow different, charged to his aid. Her gauntlet’s claws once more extended she would be beside him this round and able to attack the next.

As Cynil moved forward to what she, and the three brain creatures, thought was a paralyzed Samurai, Kenji burst out of his ruse catching the black beaked creature totally by surprise! Both swords striking easily, his katana scoring a critical hit, the black beak before him already seriously hurt exploded. Though the creature had no time to attack back before its death, it’s blood still caused Kenji some damage, as random drops of it landed upon him. One of three enemies in front of him now dead, Kenji looked for his next opponent.

Ulthok knew he was in deep s***, knew he needed to act fast before he fell under the paralyzing saliva being bitten into him. With his hands useless and his normal weapons out of reach and not sure if magic would work he took a gamble. Concentrating on the image of another vile creature the tiny Halfling mage cast a spell over himself and his body began to change. His very life color changed to the nearly colorless clearness of water. The once hard semi-muscular shape of the Halfling lost all definition as the colorless, shapeless form of Crystal Ooze replaced what once been the familiar form of Ulthok. Flowing the Ooze out and away, Ulthok hoped to stay out of and away from the Creatures tentacles and mouth.

For the black beaked Brain Eater its once hefty bundle disappearing to be replaced by a gelatinous mass took it by surprise but that only lasted a few moments before it realized what had happened. With no solid form to grasp, its tentacles could no longer gain a grip on the now flowing slippery mass sliding away from it, so instead it attacked. Ulthok having Polymorphed had healed some of the damage he had taken this round; however having Polymorphed he was now ooze for all intents including its level of AC. To the dismay of the Halfling Thief/Mage and the delight of the Brain Eater, it was quite low in protection allowing that all ten tentacle attacks did hit, only by a breath did its beak miss, Uthlok/Ooze as he moved away. Stunned, hurt and more damage taken then before, Ulthok was free but facing a fully unharmed Brain Eater alone.

Althena’s first attacks in defense of the party and her lover had been a failure however this round she found was different as her first attack though a miss helped her second attack to be a success as the Brain Eater turned to face her. ‘Blood’ running from a deep wound caused by the vorpal nature of the blade she held, it started to turn towards her and to gain some height as it attacked the Fighter/ Psionicist back, thus leaving itself wide open for a possible Alasdair attack to its rear. Though turning it was still able to bring all ten of it’s tentacles to the attack and was able it hit with six out of ten! Althena stumbling back from the force of six tentacles at once found herself on one knee, the Brain Eater moving in to finish her off.

However, Alasdair’s attention was fully focused on the Black Beak before him and he continued his attacks there. His focus so complete, so were his strikes both hitting the Brain Eater center mass and like the two before it exploded. Its ‘blood’ and guts gushing like a water balloon hitting its target covered the Paladin/Psioicist in painful bites.

Maggot was up next in this fight having learned a valuable lesson in the round before he nonetheless had no choice but to continue to use his blade of fire against the Brain eater before him. His lungs full of poison and his eyes blurring from the effects of the gas he still manage a light hit, the hit not enough to stop or kill the creature. Then it was the turn of the blacked beaked Brain Eater to return fire as all ten tentacles and beak lunged for him. In the midst of gas and blood, the creature was able only to score with a single hit out of ten and with its beak causing Maggot to fall back slightly, giving up some ground.....

Sirene seeing the creature that had hit her so hard in the beginning of this fight yet floated before her and Maggot withdrew her scimitar and finally was able to enter this fight. The creature having used all of its attacks vs. the Ranger/Bard could only maneuver in its own defense and the Druid/Mage was quite faster then that. Her blade gaining a critical hit cutting two tentacles badly, one completely off, one left hanging and useless. The pain perhaps of losing a ’limb’ and having another useless, the creature begin to attempt to gain elevation as had the one facing Cor and Rayne. However clearly near death its progress was slow and cumbersome allowing for continued attacks against it next round.....

The last to act this round was not technically included in said round, as Haila herself was not engaged in the battle above. Having fallen to hit the bottom of the chasm hard she had found the lure of its deep dark depths to be nothing but an illusion. Before her she at once noticed a medium sized cave on the pyramids side of the chasm wall, Conall‘s shield laying before it. Moving closer and lowering her now huge head, she peered into its interior to see what appeared to be a corridor running north.
Haila knew immediately that she must reach the others and inform them of her discovery. Grasping Conall’s shield she began her climb out of the gorge toward the rest of the party and broke past the edge of the chasms edge, to hover for all the party and Brain Eaters to see......

It was here that the tables for the Red Beaked Brain Eaters began to turn against them. With the noise of her beating dragon wings so very loud, thanks to the acoustics of the chasm walls, the Red Beaks were already wary, but to then see a dragon appear in a place no dragon had ever been before caused them no little amount of fear.

In that moment the thought of food was replaced with the thought of survival and the Brain Eater leaders began a retreat, a pair of spells ready to be launched.

The first of the two Red Beaks to cast was the one to the left, its spell once more targeted at the oncoming Samurai. The spell cast successfully with no save allowed formed quickly stopping Kenji in his tracks. The Asian warrior quickly found himself incased in a spherical wall of force.

The Red Beaked to the right having also readied a spell to cast, did so aiming for the center of what had become the main area of combat. Here three of its black beaks and six of the party had come together in a group of sorts. Its spell on target a ball of fire erupted among the six party members outright killing the Thief/Mage Ulthok and the Druid/Mage Sirene and dealing only half damage to Conall, Cynil, Maggot and Althena. Alasdair on the fringe of the fireball’s blast radius was able to save for only a quarter of its full damage. The three Black Beaks still protected from magic took no damage, ready to continue the fight the next round.....

The round over with two party member’s dead and all quite injured. Three black beaked Brain Eaters dead and the two red beaked ones retreating. The stage was set for yet another round.........

(DM OOC: Ok that’s the end of round three we have Ulthok and Sirene dead along with 3 Brain Eaters and at least 2 of the remaining 4 Black Beaks seriously hurt. The 2 Red Beaks are in retreat and will be gone at the end of next round so one round to catch e’m or kill e’m before they be gone.

Also I had a map drawn and ready to send to show you all the situation but I was unable to upload it to send to YeOlde as my home scanner was on the fritz. It was sent by phone pic to Kyle and hopefully he will be able to forward it to YeOlde. If not I'll go to the library and scan and uploaded it from there, though Kyle would be cheaper .

Ok great posts by all and glad to see the needed edits in a few of them. Ok for those of you still alive Next post Next Sunday.)

The old man knew the fight was almost over. He felt the the pain in his chest, the burning in his eyes. He had been a shield and only hopped that behind him the Lady Sirene was able to find a place to be a benefit to the task at hand.

As Maggot and the beast faced one another movement caught the old man's eye. It was the Lady Sirene, Steel in her hand she moved quickly and in a movement an arm fell to the ground and another hung lifeless.

The beast was moving away in shock and fear. Maggot could smell it. But he could feel his own strength fading. The beast was slowing in retreat. The old man knew that he should also do the same but if he did so these things could be back and in greater force. He made a quick choice. He leapt in and attacked.

He knew that if he died here today, his body would be motionless for a while but it would not be forever. Oh how he hated that Bit..... The old man once more took action.

Ulthok dropped to the ground as his desperate act succeeded in his escape from the Black Beaked creature. But the cost was much higher than he had anticipated. He had lessened his protection to achieve his freedom. Slowly he tried to slither away, but creature was still in persuit. The Ooze form of Ulthok could hear and sense the others around him, then searing pain coursed through him, he sensed Sirene and then she was gone. Darkness swipe through his mind as life left his body. As thoughts of Sirene and his party members flashed before him he could hear an old ballad that seemed to sum up his last feelings.


If I could save time in a bottle,
The first thing that I'd like to do.
Is to save every day
Till Eternity passes away
Just to spend them with you.

If I could make days last forever,
If words could make wishes come true.
I'd save every day like a treasure and then,
Again, I would spend them with you.

But there never seems to be enough time
To do the things you want to do,
Once you find them.
I've looked around enough to know,
That you're the one I want to go
Through time with.

If I had a box just for wishes.
And dreams that had never come true.
The box would be empty,
Except for the memory,
Of how they were answered by you.


.....