"Mages, take them out now! We canna risk them getting off more range attacks. Who knows what evil weapons they carry that could make close combat dangerous. Everyone else protect the mages and the sword." Cor called as an attack ensued.

Scanning the attackers as they moved forward Ulthok spotted the wielders of the crossbows. "Most of the bows are center left, I'll take them...Peri, Valene check around for others." Targeting just left of the center of the rear of the cavern and between the Durro bowmen near the tracks (15c, 3c) the small mage muttered the words of magic he cast a Fireball. If he had targeted accurately enough it the ball should carry across the tracks too. (Area effect should be the same as the one shown in the Q&A.) As the fire erupted Ulthok willed a little spirit into his ring vanished. Moving to left the mage passed behind Arandur and Rayden so he protect the new members of the party. As he move he looked up across the cavern roof for any any dangers from above.

Peri:

Peri listened as she heard the big people start to call out.

"Mages, take them out now! We canna risk them getting off more range attacks. Who knows what evil weapons they carry that could make close combat dangerous. Everyone else protect the mages and the sword." Cor called.

"Most of the bows are center left, I'll take them...Peri, Valene check around for others." Ulthok suggested.

Rising from Ulthok's shoulder the Faerie Dragon vanished as she flew up above the party. From this elevated position she had good view of the attackers, but those are the ones Ulthok meant, he already knew about them. She scanned the walls near the tracks and then looked up to the ceiling.

Valene had moved to the right as the group entered the cavern, she felt more comfortable near the wall. Being in the cavern started to remind her of her captivity and being held as a slave. Calming her nerves she drew her small crossbow and prepared to defend the others.

"Most of the bows are center left, I'll take them...Peri, Valene check around for others." came Ulthok's voice. With that the small cleric looked closely for clue of other possible attack. Raising her head she scanned the ceiling.

Already the derro had taken down several over their number with a flurry of poison arrows. It was this that spurred the witch into action. Nodding her shared intentions with Ulthock, Siréne called on fury deep within, drawing it into the dark magic of faerie. With a wordless scream she flung a fiery retribution directly into the derro. The fireball exploded with a deafening roar, swallowing the screams of their enemy as it engulfed them in flames. 

Invisible, Frag flew upwards unleashing a spell of his own. Tricky faerie magic clung to the ceiling rocks beneath the climbing derro's feet creating a treacherously slippery surface upon which they now crawled...

 

((OOC: Siréne casts Fireball, targeted according to the drawing in the Q&A. Frag will cast Grease on the area where the Derro crawling on the ceiling are clustered if he can get close enough this round.))

With an exchange of spells, arrows and bolts, the battle within this room officially began.

The first of the party to ‘fire’ the first shot was Sirene the Elvin Enchantress, a few quick words and a powerful fireball crashed into the right side of the room blowing all the Derro off their feet and setting all on fire.

The next of the party readying a spell, second fireball, was Ulthok, the stout Halfling knowing just as Sirene what had to be done. However he never got the spell off as a blast of cold fire exploded in a circle around them.

Though smaller in diameter then a fireball, the force and the damage it brought with it still caught Ulthok, Sirene, Dwarves 4 and 5 and Cor, all tossed off their feet slamming to the ground, the Dwarves never to rise again. Valene, Arandur, and Lothor were saved the full force of the brutal attack while Rayden caught only the edge, causing none of them any damage.

As the those thrown to the ground attempted to stand the four party members unhurt continued with their actions.

Lothor having gained ‘Andurile’s Blood’ as a gift from Rayne, now raised the mighty energy bow, aimed, and let fly two fast streaking arrows of magical energy. Slamming into the chest of Derro 19 he watched as the dark Dwarf’s chest exploded in red blood and flung his dead body to the floor. The first kill of the battle to Lothor.

Arandur also raised his composite longbow, Dragon Wing, and let fly two arrows of his own catching Derro #3 in the chest and face. The first arrow, though hitting, failed to penetrate the dark Dwarves armor but the second arrow to the evil Dwarves face was a shot of perfection as the arrow blasted through the Derro’s eye. Exiting the back of the creatures skull the arrow took most of it with it as continued its flight a few more steps. Dropping to the ground this enemy would fight no more.

Rayden though having a bow of her own decided to help the party more defensively then herself be aggressive. Quickly chanting the words to a spell she cast Bless upon the party giving them better odds to hit the next round.

The last of the ground based party members to act this round was Valene. Having readied her crossbow she now took aim at one of the Derro, #5 that had somehow missed the brunt of Sirene’s fireball. Though clearly on fire the dark Dwarf was still moving quite fast. Aiming her crossbow she let fly, and like the others her aim was good as the bolt slammed into the creatures right shoulder causing it to drop it’s pole arm and pause in taking a step. Then somehow grabbing the long weapon in one hand it continued its charge.

The enemies return fire, a combination of crossbow bolts and three arrows twice the normal arrow size, was mostly ineffective the bolts easily missing though the arrows were deadly close. The first one leaving a large rip in Rayden’s elvinkind cloak, the second scraping loudly along the side of Lothor’s helmet. The third and last arrow creating a small gust of wind across Arandur’s arm as it passed so very close.

For the two airborne members of the party, Peri and Frag, things were different. Having no real offensive spells or weapons they both went invisible and shot up towards the ceiling. Almost at the same time they spotted the small number of Derro waiting there somehow magically fixed to the ceiling, waiting as if they had known the party would come this way.

As Peri screamed a warning and Frag prepared to cast a spell, these Derro, only eleven in number but wearing much heavier armor, dropped among the party and attacked. In a matter of seconds Dwarves 1, 2 and 3 were in combat with their evil cousins. Arundar, Rayden, and Valene all found themselves facing one, while Lothor found himself faceing two. The last three heavily armored Derro had dropped with two attacking a still shaken Sirene, who had barely regained her feet and the last one attacking Ulthok.

In this first round of melee most of the attacking heavy armored Derro missed, thanks to the high armor classes they faced, but two did not, each causing wounds to Sirene and Ulthok. Both mages vulnerable due to the dizzying effects of the cold fire that they were just not able to defend fully.

However as the ceiling Derro attacked a loud cry was heard, “For my father!”

The cry almost evil in its force caused Cor, just regaining his feet, to see the Dwarf Ironclaw, rage upon his face, headed not toward the Derro but towards him, his large battle axe raised to strike. Showing no signs of having taken damage from the ball of cold fire, a ring glowing bright on his stumpy finger, he charged the Dwarf Knight Cleric. His first swing a miss, his second a hit, carving a cut down Cor’s right arm. With blood freely flowing Cor drew his bipennis battle-axe and prepared to attack back.

And in the distance could be seen that all of the fire bombed Derro were beginning to stand. Though each of the ones still alive were clearly yet on fire, clothes burning, faces ripped from the heat, and blackened skin flailing off burnt to a crisp, still they moved towards the party……………..

(DM OOC: Ok that's the first round of battle and finally a post from me. So next post (crosses fingers yet again) will be Dec 8th. Any questions, please post them in the Q/A or PM me. Revised map up by the weekend. Everyone please have a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends.)

Derro in pink(Red always comes out as pink grrrrr)
HC= Heavy Club
C= Crossbow
PA= Pole Arm
HA= Heavy Armor

Dwarves are Dark Blue
D1
D2
D3

I= Ironclaw in red (Enemy combatent)

Party in Light Blue
A= Arandur
C= Cor
L= Lothor
R= Rayden
S= Sirene
U= Ulthok
V= Valene

 

Lothor was only partially shocked when an ice attack came from within the group.  It was shocking in a way, and yet traitors had always been the enemies preferred way.  He just never understood how anyone could go down that route.  And yet it always seemed to happen.  These thoughts didn't fully cross his mind - there wa sno time for that.  But he'd had this internal discussion before so just the thought of a traitor brought the whole idea into focus.  That idea and the wish that he could cast a fireball.  

But he could not, and he had two of the evil Derro directly in front of him.  His bow had taken out one, but there were plenty left.  He wuickly grabbec his great sword and swung at those in front of him.  He went after H11 first, and then would go for for H10.  Quickly he needed to get free so that he could protect the spell casters. 

Ulthok:

As the words of magic were forming that would rain fire on the Durro Ulthok was was caught by a blast of force and cold. From somewhere a Durro caster had hit them. The effect of attack surprised and slightly dazed the mage, but experience helped him to react. With a Durro (HA6) wielding a heavy hammer bearing down on him Ulthok wasted no time and extend his hands releasing a full barrage of five magic missiles into the dark Dwarv. With his spell released Ulthok willed spirit into his ring and vanished to allow him to avoid blind swinging attack of the war hammer.

Peri:

The surprise spell had caught the party off guard and the attack of the Durro from the ceiling now on the ground would soon grind into her friends. So to allow the party time to fight those already on them she quickly estimate the area that those Durro now trans versed and cast Rock to Mud. The spell would transform 20 foot cubes of the floor across their path. Peri could lay 12 cubes side by side creating a swamp front wall to wall of the cavern. The charging armored Durro weight would cause them to sink, the more they struggle the deeper they drop until they buried in 20 feet of mud.

(All the attacker beyound D3 except 6,7 and should be caught as the rock under their feet changes. 6,7 and might charge into the mud carried by their forward rush momentum. )

Valene:

Their attack was interuptered by a traitor casting a cold force spell that hurt other party members but missed the small cleric. Valene's attack with the small crossbow had worked well but now a Durro from the hidden group was closeing on her. Seeing it's armor and the war hammer it carried she felt she would need help to bring it down. A quick word to her diety to grant her spell Valene called up a Fire Elemental directing it to attack the Durro coming at her. She would draw her Sword of Combat Dancing and join the Elemental in the next attack.

Siréne hissed as the pair of derro rushed toward her with brandished weapons. She was thankful for the foresight of having earlier summoned the protective skin of stones leaving her with the freedom to engage the enemy before her. Facing the derro, Siréne drew forth the shadow magic of faerie. As the cool, twilight power flowed through her, Siréne clapped her hands together a spoke a single word of power. For but a moment the veil between the worlds thined as the witch's spell drew four shadows into the world of men. Silent and terrible, the shadows decended on the derro, protecting the witch that had called them forth. 

Invisible and flying above Frag sent out a spell of his own. Fey magic decended on the ground beneath the approaching derro, slicking it with a treacherously slippery substance. The would fall amongst themselves. 

 

((OOC: Siréne casts Summon Shadow, two shadows attack HA7 and two attack HA8. Frag casts Grease on the large mass of Derro, if he cannot cast grease he will cast confusion.))

  As the fallen evil dwarves rose and their guide turned on them Cor knew the sword had somehow corrupted them all.  He readied his axe to defend himself but a quick glance tols him that the party was in trouble in this fight.  "We are double -crossed!  Gather together.  Mages now would be a good time ta telepoty us back to the throne room."

Rayden eyed the enemies that were quickly gaining ground she unshealthed her sunblade and let the blade gleam meancingly in her hand as she tilted her head, a grim smile on her lips as she readied herself for battle. Swinging at the nearest enemy to herself she hoped her aim was true. She favored the bow but was still a skilled ... ish... swordself. 

 

(OOC: Attacking HA 5 with sunblade)

Arandur locked eyes with his foe, a fierce snarl curling his thin lips as he surveyed the enemy before him. The light of battle blazed in his emerald green cat-like eyes, filling the elf with courage and determination. Yet for all of the bravery he now had, he could not dispel that little ember of fear kindling in his soul, a feeling any sane man inevitably experiences in life or death situation.

Outside of battle, the elf had a calm and collected demeanor, kind and caring, but when a fight was thrust upon him all that was stripped away, the call of battle awakening some warriors spirit buried deep within. The almost laid back elf was transformed into a deadly and dangerous fighter, dropping foe after foe with ease. Arandur preyed his latest struggle would yield the same fruits of success...

He swiftly drew his twin rapiers, trusted companions of many a battle, and, gripping the hilts in his long, thin but strong fingers, Arandur took a ready stance. A ferocious war cry tore from lips that were still stretched into their determined snarl as the elf rose the right hand rapier above his head and swiftly brought it down on the dark dwarf's neck, hoping that this area would not be as well armoured as the rest of the Derro's well protected body. His left blade he aimed at the dwarf's left eye hole of his helmet, attempting to drive the blade through his foe's eye and henceforth through his skull, impaling the Derro's brain in the process and thus killing the fiend instantly. Arandur had heard that the bones of dwarves were thicker than most and the elf hoped his strength would be sufficient enough to overcome the Derro's sturdy bone structure...

For the party a bad situation had gone from bad to seriously bad in a matter of only seconds. With the Derro dropping from the ceiling, Ironclaw revealed as a traitor, and a cold yet not cold area attack spell hitting them, Cor was all for a strategic retreat.

"We are double -crossed! Gather together. Mages now would be a good time ta teleport us back to the throne room."

However the real question, would the party be able to group close enough for a teleport to get all of them. With the weight of armor and equipment it would be a very, very close ‘IF’ to even be able to teleport all of the party away.

However for the moment Cor was face to face with a maddened Ironclaw screaming, blaming the party for his father’s death.
The traitor Dwarf’s first attack was a clean miss, the blade ill aimed, and though his second was also a miss it came very close. Cor’s return attacks were also misses, Ironclaw’s dwarven made armor some of the best.

For the rest of the party inter engaged with various Derro the fight was just beginning……

Sirene never one to hold back her spells gestured and quickly spoke the words of a spell and in moments standing before her, as if bodyguards, were four Shadows. Commanding them to the attack the creatures split into pairs and went for the Derro attacking their summoner. As the pairs attacked Sirene was dismayed to see all four of her summoned shadows this turn miss both Derro. However with the evil Dwarves concentrated on the creatures in front of them, Sirene was free to act this turn as needed

For Lothor it was a question of dealing with the two Derro in front of him. Replacing his bow with his great sword he did not wait for the two evil dwarves to fully reach him, but instead attacked. Catching his target slightly off guard His two attacks yielded a pair of solid hits slashing the Derro’s rib cage in two places almost cutting him in half. The dwarf’s return attacks were both clean misses, as were those of the second Derro as it also attacked.

Ulthok did not like the situation he now found himself in one bit! Having been hit by a blast of area effecting cold the Halfling Mage/Thief knew they were in for it. Quickly his hands raised he cast out five missiles of magic and watched them all slam into the heavily armored Derro in front of him. Though showing no signs of injury, it was forced backward by the force of the five missiles causing it to miss with its return attack. A movement out of his peripheral caused a quick look to the North and for the first time Ulthok realized that the dark to the North was not of normal shadow, but having been created magically.

For Valene the scope of the battle was somehow surreal, clearly it had been an ambush and Ironclaw for whatever reason had betrayed them. His cry of ‘for his father’ in her mind showed her he had no real interest in the sword itself, but in revenge, yet revenge for what? However with no time to dwell on it further, she started the words to conjure an Elemental of fire only to realize though the cavern contained torches to see none were large enough to bring the elemental forth. She barely was able to draw her sword of combat dancing before she was toe to toe with the heavily armored Derro before her. A flurry of thrusts and swipes and afterward the Derro showed bleeding while Valene, perhaps thanks to her deity, remained unharmed.

For the brother and sister team of Rayden and Arandur this fight was their first experience verses true evil combatants. Though having been taught how to fight and survive each had never faced an enemy in number as before the.
For most of her life Rayden had been in touch with nature and trained in the way of healing, not of harm, so to face such an enemy her first thought was to help the party thus casting bless. However she no longer had a choice as she now found herself under attack. Drawing her sunblade as her father had trained her she moved into the Derro’s swing and attack with an ease that she found surprising. As the evil dwarf missed in his attack, her sunblade did not, cutting a ghastly red slash through his stomach. Though bleeding and hurt this Derro was not out of the fight just yet.

Arandur like his sister was a being closer to nature then the realities of a world at war, however unlike Rayden and her gift of the healing arts, he was more attune in the ways of combat having fought in more then a few fights. His twin rapiers drawn he was lunging to the attack before he even was aware of his movements his first miss a block of the Derro’s axe his second was a clean hit to the evil dwarfs face causing a deep gash down the creatures face, its left eye hanging by only a strip of skin. The Derro crying in pain stepped back but was charging forward once more in only seconds. This first ever clash of steel between Elf and Derro had found to be in Arandur’s favor. However with the numbers before them would it remain as such in the minutes ahead.

For the faery dragons Frag and Peri, both invisible and flying above the melee below, seeing the onrushing enemy and the party already in melee, knew that the onrushing Derro had to be stopped. A quick mind meld and a plan between themselves was set. Bringing up the spell of Grease he launched a thick black coating of it at the feet of the evil Dwarves, within seconds the charging Derro lost their footing and found themselves slipping and sliding to the ground. This created a chain reaction causing those Derro having been spared the effect of the grease to fall and stumble over the Derro affected. With Perri turning the un-greased part of the floor to an ankle deep pit of mud charging Derro for the moment was no longer an immediate threat allowing the party was to deal with the heavily armored Derro in front of them. Would they have time to regroup and somehow fight on or be lucky enough to find a way to escape.

(DM OOC: Ok as it states in the title this is my last post of 2019 and its starting to get a little bit dangerous. I’ll have a new map up by sometime this week and will add it here. Ok my next post will be on Sunday January 5th after the holidays. I’d like to wish each and everyone of you a Merry Christmas and a helliva New Year. Hope to see you all once more in 2020 and lets make it an awesome year.)

Lothor saw the greater battle going on around him and kept track of it in the back of his mind.  But it stayed in the back as he focused on what was right in front of him.  He had hoped a couple of hacks with his sword would put one of these Derro down, but it hadn't despite nearly cutting the thing in half.  He couldn't worry about anything else until he finished that job.  And so he swung and then swung again.  

(OOC:  Sword attacks on the Derro in front of him - same as last time.  First on the injured one and then on the other one.)

Emboldened by his weakening of his foe, Arandur raised his sword, hoping to block the Derro's oncoming blow. Perhaps, half blinded by both pain and the lack of an eye, the dwarf would struggle to aim his next attack. With his second rapier, the elf aimed a swift slash at the dwarf's throat again, hoping to end this fight quickly in order to minimise the threat to himself.

   "Ye bring shame on your family name attacking yer fellows after giving your word of aid.  You are not worthy of yur fathers name.  He was a dwarf of honor."  Cor hoped to enrage his opponent so he would make a mistake.  Though it was a sad task, Cor knew he had to kill his friends son.