Thäoran felt in front of him blindly through the dust and his slender hands came into contact with a cold, rough surface. Boulders. Swiftly ducking behind them, he replaced his bow and arrow back into their tube and quiver and drew his father's rapier. His face became grim because he disliked what he was about to do to the precious weapon, but he couldn't think of anything else. Rising just enough to extend his arm over the top of the boulder, he threw the blade into the dust. Of course, he couldn't hope to hit the serpent, but he hope the resulting metallic clanging as the steel came into contact with the rocky ground would distract the naga and give his companions a chance. The elf waited for a few moments before summoning the blade back with weapon bond. He was relieved to have the familiar feeling of the hilt in his hand again. He just hoped his plan would succeed. He then readied the rapier in a firm grip, his catlike eyes alert for any sign of movement.

With the stubborn dust before them there was little to do but venture foreward lest her companions be lost to the magic of the naga. Summoning fey magic of her own, the witch lay a spell upon her own being and then vanished from sight. Invisible, she stalked forward ready to strike.

((OOC: Casts Invisibility on herself))

The group attempted to take action against the naga but the swirling dust and pile of rock in the way made it difficult.  Thaoran sought to distract the naga from attacking Fenris and, moving forward to the edge of the collapsed ceiling, threw his rapier forward into the dust.  He didn’t know exactly how far it would go or what it might hit, but if he was lucky perhaps it would distract the creature.  When thrown the rapier seemed to fly a ways forward before he heard it clatter off of several different obstruction.  How far had it gone?  Maybe as far as 20’?  It was hard to tell in the dust.  Pausing to calculate the distance Thaoran waited a moment to summon the blade back to his hand.

               Soledad cast invisibility on herself to allow a stealthy approach to the enemy.  When he did her dancing lights also disappeared.  (You can only concentrate on one spell at a time.)  Moving through the rocks was difficult terrain but she made her way forward, almost bumping into Uthal who clearly didn’t see her.  At least she knew her spell was working. 

               Uthal, unaware that Soledad was near at hand, was also moving forward.  He didn’t need to be the size of a rat to move forward, but that didn’t mean that being big made it easy.  He moved forward cautiously, unsure if he should be more worried about the ceiling or the serpent creature in front of him somewhere.  As he moved forward he thought that he heard some noise from ahead.  Was that movement?  The sound of a blade?  It was impossible to tell. 

               Around the group the dust slowly settled to the tunnel floor but the process was slow enough that it hadn’t yet made any difference in the visibility – which remained no more than 10’

 

Overview

Uthal  and Gerdar are probably ½ to 2/3 of the way across the rubble area.  You really can’t tell since you don’t know how far forward the rubble went.

Soledad is probably ¼ to 1/3 of the way.

Thaoran and Hornet (If he is still with us) are both still on the far side of the rubble.

 

Fenris will again be getting his information in a private message. 

"Are ye shy, ye slithery wee git? Lemme see ya!", Gerdar taunted the beast he assumed to still be around as he kept making his way through the rubble and dust.

 

(Same as last time, move where I assume the dust vloud ends then attack if possible and smite if crit)

Uthal will continue his endeavour to reach the other side and help Fenris with his battle. Onward he digs or moves. Trawling through the rubble. If the way through is blocked he will fall back on his original plan to transform into something that will fit through.

Thäoran, still unable to discern anything through the thick blanket of dust that stubbornly continued to cling in the air, held his ground behind the boulder he had saught shelter. Unfortunately, the elf couldn't tell if his attempt at a distraction had been successful, so he stayed where he was. If he was unable to see the naga through the dust, then it stood to reason that the naga would be unable to see the elf. He kept a ready grip on the hilt of his rapier in preparation for any attack, however.

((OOC: Thäoran isn't really doing anything this turn. Just waiting for the dust to settle, really.))

Soledad continued her trek forward, keeping a close watch for any sign of the naga.

The battle, if there was a battle, was a difficult one for the party so far.  All they could do was to try and climb through the rubble.  Uthal, Gerdar and Soledad moved forward slowly though the dust and rubble, Soledad doing so under the cover of an invisibility spell.  Thaoran stayed back on the other side of the dust, unable to know what was happening. 

               As Gerdar and Uthal crawled forward the rubble they moved over seemed to vary in depth from around 2’ to boulders and piles over four feet.   They reached the far edge and the rubble seemed to spill into the far tunnel, but the dust continued to hang in the air making visibility very limited.  But it wasn’t hard to see that their newfound friend, Fenris, was still alive for the moment.  They saw him slip back from further up the tunnel and hunker down near the edge of the rocks they were climbing over, clearly attempting to hide.  But no sooner had he claimed his spot than the naga reared up out of the dust in front of him and hissed out a spell.  Whatever it was, Fenris clearly felt the pain as he seemed be drained of vitality and all but collapsed in front of them.  From what you can tell he remains conscious – but only barely.  The snakey beast had a few wounds making you think that Fenris must have done some damage to it.  You can see the large beast but you are not sure if it is aware of your presence yet or not. 

 

Overview

I will attempt to get a map up shortly but you shouldn’t need it to post.

Gerdar and Uthal are now close enough to engage the naga if they wish.

Soledad is about 2/3 of the ay across – about where Uthal and Gerdar were last turn. 

Fenris is very badly injured.

Thaoran still on the far side of the rubble.

*Fenris can now post here and doesn't need to do it via private message.

Everything in the middle between the lines of xs is filled with rubble.  You don't know how far down the other tunnel the rubble extends as none of you has gone that way.  Soledad can not yet see the naga.  The air is still filled with dust - everywhere.  It will likely take at least several minutes to disipate, probably more.  As there are 10 combat rounds in a minute - that is a long time.

 

Finally seeing his enemy, Gerdar whispered a single word in dwarvish - a horrible wish of death upon the intended recipient, a word that was not spoken often - from between his teeth as he approached, fiercely swinging his axe as soon as he got close.

 

(Hunter's Marking this thing and trying to make it shorter.)

Uthal was about to cast Ice Knife when Gerdar head for the large shape. Quickly changing his mind he blows the drop of moisture from his hand (casting Frostbite) at the Naga, after which he will try to drag Fenris back away into the rubble and away from the creature.

Fenris realized he had only moments left to live, down to 1 health and not knowing the current health of the Naga his next course of action could very well be his last. ~Well if I am to die let it not be said I died without giving this creature a fight~

Throwing himself once more at the Naga, he hoped to hit it with both daggers and gain through hits and his sneak attack enough damage to kill it.

(Will attempt to once again hit it then using Fancy Footwork/Cunning Action, Dash 60 feet away from the Naga to the West of the tunnel.)

Thäoran inhaled shallowly of the dusty air, trying to brace himself for continuing onwards into the thick blanket of dirt obscuring the air around him. He knew not where his fellow warriors were, nor, even more worryingly, where the beast was lurking. But he couldn't hold back any longer. His companions needed his aid. Was he not a general in the elven army? He would not cower while there was a battle to be had.

The elf gripped his rapier's silver hilt in his slender hand, shifting the blade to a readier position, as he slowly and cautiously made his way forward into the cloying dust, which swiftly enveloped him and severely restricted his vision to a mere few feet in any direction. The situation was dire and needed to be resolved as quickly as possible, lest the party succumbed to the deadly serpent. He remained alert, cat-like eyes darting from one spot tj another for any glimpse of the beast, pointed ears pricked trying to detect any sound that betrayed the creature's location.

He waited.

Soledad continued her invisible trek through the dust, ready to hurl deadly magic the moment her eyes found the naga again.

Fenris, not even aware that his new companions had finally arrived on the scene, ached all over from the naga’s spell.  Barely hanging on he jumped forward and again lashed out at the creature with his green flaming blade.  He struck true this time and saw blood fountain from the wound even as green flame burned the creature.  (-15hp, nice rolls!)  But his second dagger again skittered off of the creature’s scales.  Knowing how close he was to collapse he used his cunning action and dashed past the creature into the dark tunnel beyond.  The going was tricky because rock and dust littered the floor as he went.  (Dex check to not fall made) the tunnel curved a bit as he went.  Forty feet past the creature he could see that 20’ in front of him (dust thinning a bit) the tunnel came to a dead end. 

               Uthal took a step forward to get a good view of the creature in front of him and cast frost bite on it and was pleased to see a frosty coating cover the creature making a stark contrast to the green flame Fenris had hit it with.  (-6hp and disadvantage on next weapon attack.) He looked for Fenris to try and pull him back to safety, but the half-elf was nowhere to be seen having already fled the other direction. 

               Gerdar also charged forward.  He put his hunter’s mark on the creature and lashed out with his great axe.  His blade sunk into the creature, and he felt his mark do its work.  (-11hp)  The creature jerked back in obvious pain. 

               Meanwhile Soledad moved forward and reached the edge of the rubble pile just as Gerdar’s axe did it’s work. She saw the snaky creature jerk back in pain.  The naga then moved backwards into the swirling dust.  Gerdar took another wipe at it as it retreated (Attack of opportunity – missed).  The creature disappeared in to the dust in the same direction Fenris had just run. 

               Thaoran followed the others across the rubble field. 

 

Overview

Currently nobody can see the naga.  Fenris ran past it down the tunnel and finds himself in a dead end.  (Not literally, you hope.)  Uthal, Gerdar and Soledad are now past the collapsed ceiling while Thaoran is 1/3 of the way across.  You can hear it creak occasionally indicating that more collapses could happen, but none are currently occurring.  Presumably there is about 50’-60’ between Fenris and the rest of the group but you can’t see much because of the dust.