WLD July 5, 2006
Present this week:
* Rampenape - human sorcerer
* Kysta half-elf cleric
* Riamara spryte greenbond
* Miru human fighter
* Ruke human palaldin
* Cinner the dwarven rogue/wizard/fighter/cleric
When we left off, the party was fighting drow and driders. Rampenape was bleeding heavily, so Kysta ran over to Rampenape and calling on Pelor’s grace, healed him. Cinner’s bite proved worse than his blade as he filled his mouth with tender spider limbs. Splinters fly as Miru blasted another tower door down. Ruke took a swing at Cinner’s target to help himout before he launches his second attack at one of the drow. The drider scuttled back from the blow, leaving a good chunk of leg twixt Cinner’s teeth. The drow isn’t so lucky and is flung from the short tower, dead. His return blow killed the drow and narrowly missed cutting into another. The drow began to cast further spells.
The drow in the north tower moved forward to confront Miru. Miru blocked one attack but the other two slip past her guard. The two drow on the central tower were divided, one aiming for the hungry dwarf while the other went for the paladin. The one aiming for Cinner hit one of his images instead. Kystacalled “Pelor let your holy shine on these that live in darkness” and the drow screamed as the bright light blinded them. Still reeling from the onlaught of Kysta’s Daylight spell, two drow are hit from Rampenape’s scorching ray. Again, Cinner’s bite proved his most effective weapon. The blinded drow whimpers as he feels teeth teaaring his flesh. Miru’s blow caught one drow warrior off guard and slashes through his armor while the second warrior moves in to take advantage of Miru’s distraction but was hit with a lightning response. The last of the drow on the southern tower fell to Ruke’s holy blade. Riamara casts infuse with life on Cinner. Lightning crackles from the fingers of the driders on the central tower as they aim to destroy Ruke! The last drider aims his lightning bolt and Miru took the hit pretty rough, with a bit of smoke billowing from her clothing.
The northernmost drow snarled as she realized she’d be unable to reach Miru and hastily picks up her discarded crossbow. The middle drow managed to overcome his handicaps and land a hit on the fighter. The blinded drow reeled as yet Kysta’s spiritual weapon hits her from an unexpected angle. The blinded drow screamed as Rampenape’s scorchin ray hits her - fire, light, force, and now more fire? Miru launcheed two attacks again, trying to break the drow around her, and hopefully get to the drider. The paladin ran down the stairs and crashed into the last tower door - it creaked alarmingly but did not break. Riamara casts greater battle healing on Ruke. Miru let out a cry as the drider slings another bolt of lightning through her opponent and then into her.
The three forward drow are dismayed by the drider’s carelessness and slash at Miru trying to flee any further magics. One of the drow on the central tower took a shot at Kysta. Kysta healed Ruke and bashed a drow with her spiritual weapon. Fire flew from Rampenape’s fingers and blasted a drow off the edge of the tower. With a deft twist of the wrist, Cinner popped the bar off its supports and opened the central tower door. Miru landed two solid blows. The drow in front of her is on his last legs but still stands and fights. Ruke kicked the door down that Cinner opened and started swinging at the drider. The driders was blown back by the force of Ruke’s attack, the drider curled up into a ball and died. Riamara cast infuse with life on Miru. The northern drider made the reasonable suggestion that Miru should go help Ruke with his attack, then come back later. The final drider shot lighting at the surprisingly agile paladin.
The drow and drider by Miru sauntered towards the east door, whistling a little tune. The last drow desperately throws himself at Ruke and missed completely. Kysta swung her morningstar at the retreating drow and hit one while calling them cowards in undercommon. Rampenape was frustrated by the cleric throwing herself into harms way, blasted the last one with magic missiles. Cinner lunged for the face of the drow “Come ‘er boy im gonna make you into a sandwich” while flailing the dagger at his groin The drow screams as Cinner takes a big chunk out of some delicate bits. Miru had a little odd look on her face. “Ruke! I’ve got to help you, then I can go back!” Riamara cast transfer wounds on Rampenape. Kysta landed a solid blow on the fleeing drow, but he continued to run.
The drow closed the heavy door behind them. The last drider died as the mace of Pelor struck it down. The remaining drow snarled and described Kysta’s lineage in increasingly obscene detail. Rampenape threw a fireball at the door that the drow just shut. The door smokes but remains standing. The last drow in the room was torn to shreds by Cinner’s attack, leaving a bloody mess. The party moved up to the closed door as Riamara healed Miru.
The pieces of the door that remain - still enough to block passage, are easily moved aside by the skilled rogue. As Cinner pop open the door, Miru saw a drow ducking into the room on the right. As the drow ducked into the doorway and tried to close the door behind him, Ruke quickly interposed himself and kept it open. The other drow moved in to support while the drider continued to scuttle away. Kysta’s spiritual mace battered him, then the battered drow died instantly as Rampenape’s missiles pound into him. Another drow bit the dust as Cinner bit it. Miru rushed into the room, moved right up and attacked the drider, dropping it bonelessly to the floor. Ruke steped into the room, grinning as Miru droped the drider. “Nice one.” He then glanced at the drow remaining and attacked them, missing them both. Riamara pulled out her wand and cast lesser transfer wounds on Cinner.
Upon seeing the drider die, the remaining drow threw down their weapons and shouted “We surrender” in Common, Undercommon, and Elven. The drow seem more or less resigned to their fates and offer no resistance to Kysta as she tied them up. Cinner complained “AWWW, unfair, I wanted to eat your eyes.” Ruke looked at Cinner and frowned, “…PLEASE refrain from eating eyes.” Ruke stared at Cinner and sighed. “Gods help me!” He says a little frustrated before walking into the room some. The drow cringe a little at hearing the hungry looking dwarf offer to eat them.
Kysta: “What are you Drow doing down here?”
Drow: “We came with the driders from the north. Some kind of experiment went wrong in this area and they’ve been sending teams to try to reclaim it ever since.”
Kysta: “What kind of experiment, and by whom?”
Drow: “Some guy named Mahir - he was trying to create super driders or something”
Miru yawns. “Ask them about Anguish and Madness..”
Kysta: “What do you know about Anguish and Madness? Are they the results of this Mahir’s experiments too?”
Drow: “There weren’t enough driders sent to this place so Byalahir was going to get Mahir ro make more. Mahir went nuts and wanted to improve driders instead of just making more. Some of his experiments got screwed up royally and ended up creating Anguish and Madness.”
Kysta: “Who is Byalahir?”
Drow: “Bylahir is the chief Spider King. He’s the guy who originally sent drow to tunneling into this region from up north.”
Ruke: “Remind me to thank Mahir personally then for creating those ‘twins.’ And by thanking I mean a good smack upside the head and making him atone for his horrible sins.”
The drow laughs at the paladin’s words “You’re not the first to want to do that, and you won’t be the last.”
Kysta: “Where do we find this Mahir?”
Drow: “Byalahir executed Mahir for this colossal screwup. You’re more than welcome to go after him in the grave”
Kysta: “Maybe I’ll just send you with a message. Where do we find Byalahir?”
Drow: “You can find Bylahir to the north of here - in the next region. You’re better off praying he doesn’t notice you than attracting his attention.”
Rampenape: “Any idea on how we actually get rid of Anguish or Madness?”
Drow: If I knew how to get rid of them, I’d hardly be standing guard duty, would I? Heck, I could probably get setup as a bigwig if I could get rid of those two.”
Cinner pouts: “Aw, I bet their soft bit are delicious. I had a rocky mountain oyster recipe I wanted to try.”
Kysta: *Tries to ignore Cinner, hoping the Drow aren’t.* “What lies between here and this Byalahiir?”
Drow: “North of here are the areas controlled by the driders. You’d have to get through them (and the drow guards) alive. Then you’d have to get into the next region and get past a lot of driders and the Spider Kings, and then you might meet Byalahiir if you’re unlucky”
Ruke wonders how the Gods allow Cinner to live then realizes it’s probably they can’t actually intervene here.