Out of the Abyss IC

[RandomWombat]

The Seventh Day - Work Shift

After retrieving their first round of buckets, the group makes their way towards the bridge over the waterfall. It's a simple task, in theory. They reach out and hold their buckets, gathering water that flows down from the falls. Borthan and Dworic have no trouble, keeping their footing firm. But in his slack, depressed stance, Sarith is caught off guard by the force of the water rushing down. He stumbles and slips on the wet wood, tumbling facefirst into the torrent of water.

The spider webs below the bridge catch Sarith by the leg, leaving him dangling upsidedown as the water batters his face and body. The small bit of webbing that caught him doesn't hold, however, slowly stretching down as his clothes become waterlogged and he plunges into the pool below, mouth full and eyes blind in the water. At the opening from the tunnel to the bridge, the supervising drow's laughter can be heard through the noise of the water. "Listening to his whining for all those years was worth it just to see that. Prisoners, keep working!" He turns to the quaggoth and gives them orders to go down and retrieve Sarith using the lift.

After heating up the bucket, however, Borthan and Dworic find them hard to carry without burning themselves. Despite their best efforts, they drop the buckets before they reach the shrine and spill all of their hard-gathered water.

Picking their buckets back up, they have no choice but to start over.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Sarith technically has a chance to escape if he decides to make a blind run for i after his fall. He has a few rounds worth of action before Dworic also falls down.

He knows the gray ooze is somewhere down in the pool, but it does not attack him yet - if it is even nearby. The slime is practically impossible to spot in the water.

Assuming he doesn't go down after them, Borthan successfully completes his second bucket, completing 1/6 buckets.

[cigaw]

Dworic Urgrimson Dwarf Barbarian AC: 15 HP: 35/35 PP: 13 PIv: 9 PIs: 13 Conditions: Exhaustion (2) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day - Work Shift The dwarf manages the first bucket easily enough, though spills the water in transit. With a heavy sigh, he starts the process again, spilling the cumbersome load once more. A shadow crosses Dworic's eyes and he growls low - a deep guttural sound, primal and animalistic, low and predatory. Determined to not be deterred by damnable buckets, he takes one in each arm and fills them both, carrying them on his shoulders with heavy steps, finally reaching his destination with the cargo intact. Spoiler: OOC Show Discord shows the sad tale of Dworic's bucket woes.

[Amnestic]

Sarith Kzerkarit Drow Fighter/Rogue AC: 14/16 HP: 23/23 PP: 14 PIv: 11 PIs: 10 Sanity: 8 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day, Cell When Sarith falls the first time, he doesn't yell or scream or cry. He simply falls, letting gravity take him away, embracing the inevitability of a death that doesn't come to take him, just yet. Now sodden and soaked, he drags his sorry carcass from the pool - death by ooze sounded distinctly unpleasant, and didn't want to give Kronryn or the others the satisfaction. The trip back up the lift is short and direct, and he plods along in wet clothing without any particular enthusiasm or speed. He takes little notice of the other drow's jeers, even when he drops his second bucket from the heat and has to start over again. The strain in his arms is taking its toll though and - perhaps due to lack of effort, perhaps due to too much effort - he's carried across the edge of the bridge into open air for a second time that day. Whether the drow would send the Quaggoths down a second time for him was another matter, but at least he couldn't get more wet than he already was.

[RandomWombat]

The Seventh Day - Work Shift

The drow watch with pleased sneers as Borthan and Dworic struggle to carry the buckets to and from the shrine, scalding their hands upon hot metal and then repeating the sisyphean task. "Put your back into it dwarf! Thought your kind were supposed to be hardier than this," one heckles as Dworic struggles against mounting exhaustion.

While he and Borthan manage to complete a few more buckets, Sarith promptly falls from the bridge a second time. Kronryn looks a little less amused this time, going to the lift to meet him after the quaggoth scoop him up out of the water.

"Having some trouble, traitor?" the drow officer asks, looking over his sopping wet living corpse with disdain. "Maybe you'd like to tap out, and let the female do your work for you?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Borthan completes his second bucket, and Dworic manages to catch up to him, completing two.

That puts them at 4/6, with only Sarith's failed portion left.

[purepolarpanzer]

Borthan Zuek Half-Drow Ranger AC: 14 HP: 29/29 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 12 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating on: Borthan sweats, trembles, and clutches his fists in pain as he manages to bring in the second bucket. Hands scorched, pride hurt, and frustration mounting, he waits for Sarith to return, eyes filled with hatred and struggling to stop himself from going for his knife.

[Amnestic]

Sarith Kzerkarit Drow Fighter/Rogue AC: 14/16 HP: 23/23 PP: 14 PIv: 11 PIs: 10 Sanity: 8 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day, Work Shift "Hmm, no, I think I'm fine." Sarith drawls, plodding back to attempt another bucket. "The water's refreshing when you get used to it. It's your necks on the line if Ilvara's bath is late." He bends down and hooks the bucket into his palm. "Not as if there's anything you can do to me that I've not already done to myself." Prisoners or not, if they failed to perform then Ilvara would punish the outpost first. And then, perhaps, the guards would punish him. But if it meant they hurt, then it might be worth it. He had to take what small pleasures he could find otherwise. Now on the other side of the dynamic he could see how useless it all was. They didn't always have a steady flow of prisoners, if they'd set up a channel to divert water without needing buckets or leaning over the edge of the bridge, such a slog wouldn't be required. The torments he'd inflicted in the past seemed so...fleeting. Banal. Nothing. "Don't worry though, I'll do my level best to not dis-" His next words are cut off as the rushing water bashes down on his arms and he's forced off the bridge for the third time today. Ah. All so pointless.

[RandomWombat]

The Seventh Day - Work Shift

"The Mistress will be assuaged to know how much you are suffering right now," Kronryn croons, leading Sarith back to work. But his work is cut short yet again. For the third time today, Sarith goes tumbling off the bridge. Borthan and Dworic can see Kronryn's face dim from amusement into definite annoyance now. "Bring him up! And drag him back to the cell, bring someone fresh to replace this useless lump," he orders.

But as the quaggoth descend from above for a third time to pull the floating Sarith out of the cold underground pool, he feels something wrap around his ankle and a searing pain as it begins to engulf his entire leg.

Through the webs below the bridge, Borthan and Dworic can see a gleaming, dark mass rise up out of the water and begin to overtake Sarith.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

The repeated splashes into the water have drawn the attention of our resident ooze.

Sarith is slimed for 6 damage and 11 acid damage.

Initiative time.

[Amnestic]

Sarith Kzerkarit Drow Fighter/Rogue AC: 14/16 HP: 6/23 PP: 14 PIv: 11 PIs: 10 Sanity: 8 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day, Work Shift It stung. It stung a lot. Was this the end of Sarith? Doomed to be swallowed like so much other trash by the consuming ooze? Tired, hurt, wet, his vision blurs and Faedryl's words bubble up to him. The faces of the prisoners. The faces of the outpost. Things he still wants to see. Kronryn dead. The prisoners hopes dashed. Things that still elicit joy. It's slight, it's small, but it's something for him to cling onto. He flaps in the water, finding bursts of speed that he didn't think he was capable of in his current state, streaming through the water away from at a remarkable pace for one as tired as him. He'd not let the ooze kill him. If only so he could laugh at Kronryn's corpse. Maybe he could die after that, but not until then. Spoiler: Actions Show Bonus Action: Cunning Action: Disengage. Action: Dash for DOUBLE SPEED. Move: Away from the slime, towards the lift.

[RandomWombat]

The Seventh Day - Work Shift

Sarith swiftly swims away, fueled by sheer spite not to allow the world to kill him on its terms. The undulating mass follows him to the edge of the water, but not beyond, sinking back beneath the surface and out of sight with a slurping sound. The drow's leg is still stinging, and covered in red sores where the skin has been burned off. The two quaggoth meet him halfway and drag him back to the lift, and to the relative safety of the outpost above.

Kronryn is waiting for him. "Move him to the center of the platform and hold him," he instructs the quaggoth. From his belt, the drow withdraws a whip, and Sarith knows what comes next. The two hulking brutes hold him by the arms and force him to remain standing, with his back to Kronryn. Then the lash slashes across his back, leaving a long painful mark and tearing open his soaking wet prison rags. As the second whip-stroke comes, it becomes too much and Sarith's consciousness fades, leaving him hanging limply from the quaggoths' arms.

With a disappointed sound, Kronryn spits on the ground. "Bring the filth back to the cell."

Sarith's unconscious form is dragged past Borthan and Dworic to be returned to the cell. Kronryn follows behind the two quaggoth, leaving his subordinates to supervise the continued bucket filling. "Keep working or you will be lashed and replaced," he snaps at the two of them.

The Seventh Day - Cell

The passive waiting is interrupted when Kronryn arrives with two quaggoth dragging Sarith with them. They lower him onto the ground in the cell, and the other prisoners can see he is in a sorry state. Two lashes along his back are bleeding against his soaking wet shirt, and one of his pant legs is entirely gone and covered in red, bloody sores.

Shuushar gets up from his meditation spot and rushes over to check on the state of Sarith. Kronryn tosses the kuo-toa a roll of bandages and instructs, "Ensure he survives long enough to see his execution."

About to turn around, Kronryn spots the carnelian gemstone poorly concealed in the orc prisoners hands and scowls. He points at one of the quaggoth and orders, "Bring me that stone." The orc struggles against the huge feline monster, but is thrown aside and the stone yanked from his grasp, the sharpened end still a work in progress. Kronryn looks around at the other prisoners and states, "There will be no rations tomorrow." With that he and his quaggoth leave, locking the door behind them.

Unwinding the roll of bandages, Shuushar starts to bind Sarith's wounds to keep them from getting infected.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Sarith is knocked unconscious by the lashing, and suffers another Exhaustion from his punishment.

[Amnestic]

Sarith Kzerkarit Drow Fighter/Rogue AC: 14/16 HP: 0/23 PP: 14 PIv: 11 PIs: 10 Sanity: 8 Conditions: Exhaustion (2), Unconscious, Stable Concentrating: -- Seventh Day, Work Shift He laughs when the first lash strikes him. A barking laugh. Not because it doesn't hurt - it hurts like the hells - but because that was all they could do. Lash out with whips and fists and blades as if it mattered anymore. The realisation that it was all so fleeting, that their anger and amusement didn't matter and that his pain would only be temporary brings him a surprising amount of peace. They wanted to hurt him to send a message. They wanted to break him. Turns out Sarith had already been broken, and the whip put him back together, albeit not quite how he was before. On the edge of death, on the edge of life. He drifts into unconsciousness with a satisfied smile, feeling like he was beginning to truly understand the world in a way he never even considered before his...fall.

Faedryl Melad Drow Hexblade/Evoker AC: 12 HP: 22/22 PP: 12 PIv: 14 PIs: 12 Sanity: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day, Cell Lack of food tomorrow wouldn't be too much of an issue. If anything it would help. They'd fight harder if they were more desperate, and the guards may assume they'd be too run down to muster any challenge. Not likely. They were mad, hungry, and the threat - judging by Sarith's unconscious corpse - was real. Motivations would be at an all time high, she just needed to keep the flames stoked. "It has to be tomorrow." She says to no one in particular, before adding, ice in her voice: "We'll kill them all." She has no affection for Sarith - in this life or her previous one she can't help but see him as a waste of space, but they wouldn't stop with him, and she refuses to be the next one they drag back into the cell bloody and broken. She glances around to ensure no nearby guards before going to Buppido and dropping the gem she'd kept concealed into his open hand. Hand on hip, full of assurances, she continues speaking "Keep it quieter than the orc, don't lose this one too. They took tomorrow's food. They find another one they might take a hand next." And it wouldn't be her hand that gets taken. She still needed both of those.

[purepolarpanzer]

Borthan Zuek Half-Drow Ranger AC: 14 HP: 29/29 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 12 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating on: Borthan watches the punishment of Sarith with his bottom lip between his teeth. Each slash of the whip brought back memories. Bad memories. The feeling of your skin being sheered off your back by braided leather. He didn't want this for the male drow. Hells, he didn't even like him. But a long time ago Borthan had promised Ee'char that he would help any prisoner, slave, or captive he could, and that promise still held today. With more resolve to escape, and to escape with every prisoner at his side, Bort turns to Dworic, speaking in dwarvish. Neither one of us is in good shape to try this stupid chore by ourselves. Here's what I propose- I fill the bucket while you hold my waist, then we both carry it back, then we both carry it hot. Then we switch. Hopefully making each bucket a two man job will make it easier, eh Biggun?"

[cigaw]

Dworic Urgrimson Dwarf Barbarian AC: 15 HP: 35/35 PP: 13 PIv: 9 PIs: 13 Conditions: Exhaustion (2) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day - Work Shift Dworic looks to Borthan in silence, his seething anger at the drow and this imbecilic task barely contained. It would seem that his apathy might finally be giving way to something more. The dwarf cracks his knuckles audibly and pops his neck. He nods agreement wordlessly.

[RandomWombat]

The Seventh Day - Cell

The stone plummets into Buppido's hand and he catches it smoothly. "Ahhh," he breathes out, turning over the rock and looking up at Faedryl with a broad smile. His teeth are cleaner than one might expect down here - gleaming white like his eerie eyes in the dark. "Thank you, so very much."

Taking the stone, he begins grinding it against the ground, more carefully than the orc had. The big brute looks at him jealously, and grunts. The process is still quite loud, but their primary guards seem to be busy with the work shift - nobody comes around.

The Seventh Day - Work Shift

The two discuss their plan, as Kronryn walks back, tucking the bloody whip onto his belt. He watches from across the bridge with a glare in his eyes that says he's looking for any excuse to get it out again.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Working together and with Dworic as an anchor, the risk of falling is nullified completely, and the other tasks are made at Advantage - cancelling out their Disadvantage. Dworic may spend another Rage if he wishes; I allow Advantages and Disadvantages to 'stack' in that they are not all wasted once one has cancelled the other. Since they'd have two Advantages and one Disadvantage, it'd push it over to Advantage again.

[Spore]

Nilvae Half-Elf Warlock AC: 13 HP: 23/23 PP: 12 PIv: 11 PIs: 12 San: 7 (-1) Conditions: - Concentration: - Nilvae looks at the beaten and broken drow. She gets up, but freezes midwalk. It was ridiculous to think they could resist the drow machinations. They could escape or even dare to oppose them. They toy with you, and when they are done, they torture, then kill you. Suddenly the most ridiculous thing she thought of was her hoping to escape. It was all so silly. She started laughing.

Stool Myconid Druid AC: 13 (bucket armor) HP: 28/28 PP: 15 PIv: 9 PIs: 13 San: 12 Conditions: - Concentration: - Waddling over the small mushroom watches Shuushar bandage the fallen drow. Does not look good. Can we save him? the small myconid asks with genuine hope for the fallen drow. It waddles over to Faedryl. Why does your kind do that? Destroy one of their own? It makes little sense. Was he sick? Bad for community?

[Amnestic]

Faedryl Melad Drow Hexblade/Evoker AC: 12 HP: 22/22 PP: 12 PIv: 14 PIs: 12 Sanity: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day, Cell Faedryl's eyes bounce off the laughing halfblood. More madness yet to come. Every moment they spent here was wearing them down. Maybe she should have had Duskryn do it today and...no, Sarith was a body that could be useful yet, best to let it heal up overnight. Hopefully tomorrow's work shift would be less grueling. Hopefully the- Her train of thought is interrupted by the myconid speaking into her mind. Again. Revolting. No, no, play nice, if only for the sake of the plan. As long as it turned its spores on the outpost she could put up with it for the moment. "Sarith's weakness wasn't the problem," she says, glancing at his bandaged form, silently thinking Though it is a problem. "Drow culture encourages hurting others to advance or amuse yourself. It's cutthroat, murderous, and utterly self-destructive. One of them the guards likely thought it would be fun to hurt him, so they did it. Now he can't work and requires healing." She stops herself from sniffing, concerned about more of Stool's spores in the air. "I understand the logic they use. I just think their logic is wrong."

[cigaw]

Dworic Urgrimson Dwarf Barbarian AC: 15 HP: 35/35 PP: 13 PIv: 9 PIs: 13 Conditions: Exhaustion (2) Concentrating: -- Seventh Day - Work Shift Dworic and Borthan make a pretty good team, which is why spilling the fruits of their labor in a hot, watery mess, stings so much more. The dwarf's skin is reddened and burned by the hot water, but he only utters the occasional grunt in frustration. He takes hold of the bucket and walks back to the waterfall, steadying Borthan so they could fill it yet again. Then finally, after what felt like hours upon hours of the most idiotic labor he'd ever performed, their task was done.

[RandomWombat]

The Seventh Day - Work Shift

When yet another bucket spills to the floor, their supervising drow officer looks on in disappointed frustration. "Pathetic," he is heard, muttering to himself. But through a combined effort, the two are able to finally bring the last bucket to the shrine. "You will be lucky if the Head Priestess does not flay your hands for such incompetence," Kronryn spits at their feet. "Back to the cell."

The Seventh Day - 'Evening'

"Might I have some help moving him?" Shuushar asks in his soft voice, deep and yet floaty like a soap bubble dancing in the air. Jimjar gets up to help, and together they move Sarith away from the door - before their guards toss somebody back in on top of him. The kuo-toa sighs and his thoughts flow back to Stool in answer, He will live. There will be permanent scarring upon this leg, I fear. At least it is nowhere a pant leg cannot hide.

After Dworic and Borthan are tossed back into the cell, the whole crew is together once again to piece together their final plan. All save for Sarith, passed out and in the care of the fishman. Stretching his back, Jimjar grins and looks around at everybody, meeting each of their eyes for a moment. "So tomorrow's the day, huh folks? We ready to get this show on the road?" he asks, rubbing his hands together gleefully.

At the back of the cell, Buppido is using a sharpened piece of carnelian gemstone to slowly and methodically trim his beard. "I have everything I need," he answers confidently.

The twins nod tentatively from their reclusive corner, and across them them the orc stares at the ground from between his knees in a slumped posture.

The Eight Day

The jangling of keys is what stirs awake those not already roused, or keeping watch. Sarith feels consciousness returning to him. There is a burning pain in his leg, which has been wound in white bandages now stained reddish-brown with dried blood, and a dull ache in his back from more than just the stone floor. The kuo-toa is sitting next to him in meditation.

There is a distant buzzing sound that elicits a deep nausea in the gut.

Duskryn approaches the window of the cell. Behind him, led by two guards, is a hulking quaggoth bound up in ropes and chains. The scarred drow opens up the door and ushers the new prisoner inside. "Get settled. This is-" he is cut off by a shout in drow-accented elvish from someone in the direction of the quaggoth den.

"Demons! A flock of them headed this way!" a voice calls out in warning. The buzzing is growing louder, and the drow guards at the door all turn to look towards the sound and the voice, one of them stepping onto the bridge to see. But almost as soon as he steps out, the drow keels over onto the wooden bridge, lying there unmoving as if a puppet that just had his strings cut.

Spoiler: Arcana or Religion DC 20

Show

The buzzing of the fly-demons known as Chasme is capable of inducing sudden fainting spells, which can last for as long as ten minutes.

[Spore]

Nilvae Half-Elf Warlock AC: 13 HP: 23/23 PP: 12 PIv: 11 PIs: 12 San: 7 (-1) Conditions: - Concentration: - Stirred from her daydream, Nilvae notices a distinct buzzing sound. Insect swarms? Down here? she wonders aloud, then sees the door open.IT'S NOW OR NEVER!! she shouts, waking and warning even the least attentive. We need to use this distraction. Go, now!

Stool Myconid Druid AC: 13 (bucket armor) HP: 28/28 PP: 15 PIv: 9 PIs: 13 San: 12 Conditions: - Concentration: - Disrupting his eccentric song about the Underdark, a thing the others just notices as faint smells of varying spores, Stool jumps up and says. Out! Yesyes! and jumps outside, lookin if he feels, hears, no smells the presence of Psilofyr. Then he looks at Sarith and looks for something suitable to be enchanted with nature's bounty. Yesyes. Come outside, Sarith, and feel the bounty of Psilofyr. Spoiler Show Go outside to find something to be enchanted with Goodberry. I assume Underdark uses mushrooms or lizards or whatever for it. Also looking for a stick to be used by Shillelagh. Looking for stick: 15 Looking for shrooms: 20

[purepolarpanzer]

Borthan Zuek Half-Drow Ranger AC: 14 HP: 29/29 PP: 14 PIv: 9 PIs: 12 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating on: Borthan doesn't hesitate for a second. From his position by the door he immediately moves to the quaggoth, moving to aid him freeing himself from any ropes and chains that remain. It's your lucky day, fuzzball. You don't have to stay here very long. Follow along and we'll get you out of here. Help out and we'll get along just fine. Just remember- freedom is worth dying for. He'd asked for more people and he'd gotten them, now it was time to see what they could do. Drawing the stone dagger from his boot, turning and waving the cave dwellers forward, he draws the rope from his thigh and throws it on the floor for anyone with the fortitude to use it. Without looking to see if anyone is following him, Borthan moves swiftly through the door, striding directly up to the unconscious drow guard and attempts to take their weapon with his free hand. Fortune favor the bold!

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Borthan will attempt to arm himself with whatever the unconscious guard had in his right hand, wielding the dagger in his left, unless the guard has two weapons he can grab in the same action.

Derendil Quaggoth Barbarian/Abjurer AC: 13 HP: 26/26 PP: 10 PIv: 12 PIs: 10 Conditions: Concentrating on: What? Oh... I see. Derendil flexes his impressive bulk to shed whatever bonds have been left on them with Borthan's assistance. Then he turns to take in the situation as Borthan pushes past him. Looking down at his massive clawed fist, he pauses for a second to remember who he truly was before joining the abrupt half-blood outside, presumably to do battle with their oppressors. On his way through the doorway he raises his voice to it's loudest capability and shouts For Nelrindenvane! For freedom! Forward! in the tongue of the sun elves.

[Amnestic]

Faedryl Melad Drow Hexblade/Evoker AC: 12 HP: 22/22 PP: 12 PIv: 14 PIs: 12 Sanity: 11 Conditions: -- Concentrating: Create Bonfire Eighth Day, Escape The demon's buzzing and droning as what Faedryl would delicately refer to as a complication. A part of her wanted to just let it play out. Either the demons won and were weakened or the outpost won and was weakened. Either way they'd have an easier time of escaping later. On the other hand, the chaos of an ongoing attack was possibly their best hope. The decision gets made for her by the others but it's not one she disagrees with, so she's happy to oblige. "The demons buzzing can knock you out for about ten minutes, a hit is enough to wake you." They were in no position or state to fight off a concerted Chasme attack. She moves out of the now open cell door, immediately feeling the by now semi-familiar rush of her magic 'unlocking'. One drow was stood perilously close to the edge. She'd been hoping for just such an opportunity, and lashes out with her mind, inky black liquid edge closing to her irises. The two near the quaggoth pen...she couldn't take them on her own. Better to do what she could in clearing the path to the armoury. With her shove attempted she begins muttering the incantation to summon flames up. As long as she kept them away from the bridges she should have free reign to incinerate everything else. Flames spring up beneath the feet or her target. Once the spell surges up, she darts back into the the cell, careful not to expose herself to too much danger. "Armoury!" They needed weapons if they were to defend themselves, and she wanted her spellbook back. Spoiler: Actions Show Move: Out of the cell, then back inside for cover after spells are cast. Bonus Action: Telekinetic Shove the drow above Derendil. He needs to beat a DC14 strength save (1d20)[7] (+modifiers) or be shoved 5' away from Faedryl, which punts him off the edge of the platform and down the webway. Action: Cast Create Bonfire either on Kronryn (if the shove succeeds) or the drow above Derendil (if it didn't). Gotta beat a DC14 dex save (1d20)[14] (+modifiers) or take (1d8)[1] fire damage.

Sarith Kzerkarit Drow Fighter/Rogue AC: 14/16 HP: 23/23 PP: 14 PIv: 11 PIs: 10 Sanity: 8 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Eighth Day, Escape Sarith hears the calls. Of Faedryl. Of the mushroom. The pain was still lingering in his back, the tiredness in his legs. For a moment he thinks about simply not. Let them fight and die. But then Kronryn might die without him, he might not get to see the stupid expression on Kronryn's face. And that, somehow, is enough to make Sarith stand up. He's slow off the mark, unable to reach the fallen drow before Borthan does. He'd have to wait to get weapons, so instead he turns his attention to evasion. He puts two and two together quickly enough when he sees Faedryl completely ignore Duskryn. A traitor. The lengths a spurned heart would take you. "Duskryn," he says by way of acknowledgement. "Give me a weapon." It's not a plea, nor does it have the force of a command. A suggestion then, perhaps. He can't help fight drow or demon with his fists, but a crossbow with a box of bolts would serve him quite nicely. Spoiler: Actions Show Move: Out of the cell, south of Prince Derendil. Bonus Action: Cunning Action: Dash, to have enough movement. Action: Dodge

[RandomWombat]

Buppido is out of the cell in a flash, slipping through everyone. A small stone flies through the air and impacts the wall beside the guard next to the new quaggoth prisoner. Buppido clicks his tongue in disappointment and takes out his gemstone shiv, baring his white teeth in a fearsome smile. Moving up behind him, Jimjar positions himself near the door and uses a foot to keep it from accidentally - or intentionally - being closed on them.

Borthan steps outside and undoes the chains and ropes binding the quaggoth, freeing him. Then Borthan steps past onto the bridge and is met with the sight and sound of four menacing demonic insects, with faces like fearsome jutting lances, chasing a pair of vulture-like demons not far away from the outpost walls. None of them seem to be paying the outpost any mind, engrossed in their own predatory chase. The buzzing of the demonic flies turns Borthan's stomach, and his vision flickers with colorful spots. The ground slips out from under him and he falls atop the unconscious drow.

Dashing out of the cell, Sarith is met with an ambivalent look from Duskryn. "Would you hand a rabid hound a sword?" he asks Sarith, sardonically. The scarred elf scoffs with the same empty, distant look on his face as Sarith. "I've done enough."

As if shoved by someone, the drow warrior attempting to hold the quaggoth prisoner staggers back and hits his head on the wall, as a plume of flame spawns up from the stone beneath him. He leaps and dances atop the fire, avoiding being burnt.

The twins remain towards the back, letting the crowd in front of them move out first. Pushing himself up off of the wall, the orc sluggishly begins plodding towards the door, clearly still recovering from his dosage of sedatives the other day.

Calmly, Shuushar folds his hands in front of him and walks towards the door, keeping an eye out for injuries on their side.

Spoiler: Combat Log

Show

Surprise Round
Buppido Bonus Action to Dash, then throws a stone at Drow Warrior, but misses.
Borthan unties Derendil as his action, then moves onto the bridge, in range of the Chasme buzz. He fails his Con save and passes out, for 10 minutes or until he takes damage.
Sarith moves out and uses Dodge.
Stool finds that the glowing mushrooms on the wall of the cell should work well enough for Goodberry, once ferried out of the anti-magic zone, and he is able to gather a bundle. For a club he does not see many options besides prying up boards from the bridge.
Faedryl shoves Drow Warrior for 3 bludgeoning damage against the wall, but he avoids being burned by the bonfire.
Derendil and Nilvae may take their surprise round actions.

Spoiler: Initiative

Show

Brutus - 21
Duskryn - 21
Buppido - 20

Drow Elites - 20

Jimjar - 19
Borthan - 18
Topsy - 15
Mr. Spide - 15

Quaggoth - 12

Nilvae - 11
Derendil - 11
Sarith - 10
Stool - 10

Drow Warriors - 10
Asha - 10
Ilvara - 8
Shoor - 8

Ront - 7

Giant Spiders - 6

Turvy - 4
Faedryl - 3
Shuushar - 2

[purepolarpanzer]

Derendil Quaggoth Barbarian/Abjurer AC: 13 HP: 26/26 PP: 10 PIv: 12 PIs: 10 Conditions: Concentrating on: His bonds loosed, Derendil's mind first goes to defensive magic. Armor. Resistance. Protection. Then he realizes, in a moment of pure cruelty, that these dark elf mongrels took his spellbook and his wand, leaving him helpless. Well, that is except for the muscles and claws of this monstrous form. After his shout he lays into the nearest guard, awkwardly slashing upward at the drow's head. Despite his inexperience navigating this body, the rush of blood from the attack tapped into something. Something deep inside the beast in which he now resides. That felt GOOD. So strong, so dangerous. Well, when one is transfigured, they must use all tools available to their new form, I suppose.

Spoiler: OOC

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Derendil will claw the guard to the north of him. I believe it is the same one who Faedry pushed. (1d20+5)[17] and (1d6+3)[6] damage. Bort will keep, it's Derendil's time to shine.

[Spore]

Nilvae Half-Elf Warlock AC: 13 HP: 23/23 PP: 12 PIv: 11 PIs: 12 San: 7 (-1) Conditions: - Concentration: - Nilvae escapes the cell looks northwards and then west. She snaps her fingers and the area in the north glows in a pale green light. Look there. Tasty, tasty dark elves! she tries to coax the demons into starting with the drow up north. Spoiler Show Faerie Fire into north. Dex save DC 14 or be outlined in limegreen, the most disgusting color!

[cigaw]

Dworic Urgrimson Dwarf Barbarian AC: 15 HP: 35/35 PP: 13 PIv: 9 PIs: 13 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Eight Day - Escape Dworic once again wakes feeling sore and tired, but today some of his old fire is back. Apathy has finally given way to the rage of old and if Haela is keeping him alive still then a mightier doom awaits him. Sleep quickly leaves him when he hears the shouts outside and his cellmates dash forward. Springing to his feet, he runs out to the door to take stock of the situation. Spoiler: OOC Show • Move: 25' W to the door • Action: Dodge • Bonus: --

Eldeth Feldrun Dwarf Fighter AC: 12 HP: 25/25 PP: 13 PIv: 12 PIs: 11 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Eight Day - Escape Eldeth can't help but feel disappointed when Sarith regains consciousness. She had hoped for one less drow in her immediate vicinity. She takes some comfort in seeing how Dworic's mood was improving. Brooding anger was more promising than morose apathy. Then all happens at once. Eldeth hesitates, unsure of what to do, unable to stick to the shadows, she inches forward trying to stay close to Dworic. Maybe they'd be able to make a run for it. "To the armory indeed," she says in a low voice, begrudgingly agreeing with the drow female. Spoiler: OOC Show • Move: 10' NW • Action: Dodge • Bonus: --

[RandomWombat]

Derendil's savage claws slash through the drow's chain shirt while he is still reeling from dodging the burst of flame. They dig into the skin and draw blood, though the strike is not so deep as the 'quaggoth' would have liked. Blood runs down his claws onto his hands, feeling warm and wet. Derendil feels a sharp sting in his upper arm, and a woozy feeling around the drow bolt sticking out. "Get back in the cell, you bunch of stupid beasts!" Kronryn shouts at the escaping prisoners.

In a sparkling flash, the northern half of the tunnel lights up. It catches the drow in the hallway, and the drow inside the stalactite - behind the drow are bow slits for shooting down into the cavern below. Both of them blink away stars in their eyes from the same dazzling lights that mark them. A shape moves past her, surprisingly fast for his soft footsteps. A small orange shape shoots out in Buppido's hand and slashes across the drow's thigh, loosing a vicious flow of blood. The derro's white hair and mustache is stained red and he turns to face Nilvae, making a two-fingered salute from his forehead. The drow tries to stem the bleeding with panicked hands, but soon passes out on the floor.

The derro's celebration is short-lived as the quaggoth pen door slams open against the wall. One of the creatures, part bear and part feline, lunges at Buppido and scratches him across the cheek as he tries to duck away the last second. His white eyes practically glow in rage at the scratch left down across the side of his beard. "Oooh. I am going to bleed you for that." He shows nothing but cold anger and confidence in the face of two more quaggoth beginning to emerge.

All the while, their scarred accomplice pushes past in the opposite direction of the flow of people out of the cell, sliding in and settling into the corner out of sight from beyond. Duskryn's eyes meet Faedryl's as he slumps back against the stone wall. "Such a shame I was shoved inside when the prisoners escaped, and locked in," he laments sardonically in droning drow-elven.

Jimjar and Topsy slide out and try to engage the wounded drow warrior in hand-to-hand combat, but trying to reach over the flames proves difficult with their short stature and arms.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Surprise Round
Derendil claws Drow Warrior for 6 damage.
Nilvae casts Faerie Fire, making two Drow Warriors to the north. Both are lit up like Christmas trees. (Lock symbol on token is Concentration, Green dots on drow are Faerie Fire Advantage)

Round 1
Buppido sneak attacks one of the marked drow for 15 damage, a one hit KO.

Kronryn shoots Derendil for 8 piercing damage, and he must make a DC 13 Con save or be Poisoned for 1 hour. On a failure of 5 or more, he falls unconscious until he takes damage or is woken with an action.

Jimjar swings at Drow Warrior, but misses.
Borthan is unconscious.
Topsy swings at Drow Warrior, but misses.

Quaggoth claws Buppido for 9 damage.

Nilvae, Derendil, Sarith and Stool are up! Unless Derendil is down.

Spoiler: Initiative

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Brutus - 21
Duskryn - 21
Buppido - 20

Drow Elites - 20

Jimjar - 19
Borthan - 18
Topsy - 15
Mr. Spide - 15

Quaggoth - 12

Nilvae - 11
Derendil - 11
Sarith - 10
Stool - 10

Drow Warriors - 10
Asha - 10
Ilvara - 8
Shoor - 8

Ront - 7

Giant Spiders - 6

Turvy - 4
Faedryl - 3
Shuushar - 2

[Amnestic]

Sarith Kzerkarit Drow Fighter/Rogue AC: 14/16 HP: 23/23 PP: 14 PIv: 11 PIs: 10 Sanity: 8 Conditions: Exhaustion (1) Concentrating: -- Eighth Day, Escape Sarith tuts, loudly, at Duskryn's ignorance. Sarith was as much a traitor as Duskryn was, but at least Sarith had the excuse of madness, perhaps a curse. What was Duskryn's excuse for unleashing death on his comrades? That Ilvara wasn't bedding him anymore? That she'd swapped him for a younger model? It was somehow more pathetic than even Sarith was, to obsess so much. Deprived of weapon from the lovespurned traitor, he lashes out, booting the thinblood back into the waking world. He frantically scans whats nearby, frantically searching for something he can equip himself with - Buppido's target has just that, even if it's in the opposite direction of the armoury, what mattered more was getting something in hand so that he didn't become demon food. He swings around the derro and grabs at whatever weapon he can grab. Spoiler: Actions Show Action: Kick Borthan awake for 2 damage. Bonus Action: Cunning Action: Dash, to have enough movement. Move: Cross over Buppido (skirting around OA of the fire-loving drow) to get next to the unconscious(/dead?) Drow warrior. Object Interaction: Grab the best melee weapon the drow's got on hand for sneak attacks - piercing, ideally, but he'll take slashing if it's all they've got.

[purepolarpanzer]

Derendil Quaggoth Barbarian/Abjurer AC: 13 HP: 18/26 PP: 10 PIv: 12 PIs: 10 Conditions: Rage (10 rounds) Concentrating on: Derendil feels the sharp pain of the bolt entering his body, and he starts to let out a strangled cry of pain. Instead, a bestial roar escapes his lips. What is happening? I'm... I'm losing... control! His mind goes blank and he surges forward, slashing at the drow warrior again with his claws again in a brutal rage, howling, spitting, hissing, and shouting unintelligibly in his fury. Once he has struck down the drow before him, he wheels and charges for the source of his pain, bearing down on Kronyn with murderous intent.

Spoiler: OOC

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Bonus Action- Rage
Action- Attack- (1d20+5)[17] to hit and (1d6+5)[11] damage.
Move- Move to be adjacent to Kronyn if the Drow Warrior falls down from damage.

[RandomWombat]

Shaken awake by a boot to the side of the head, Borthan's eyes flutter open just in time for a huge shape to sail over him across the bridge. Derendil charges through the buzzing of the demons, barely reaching his ears in the savage rage that has swallowed him. Kronryn's eyes widen as the quaggoth bears down on him.

The drow warrior falls down onto the flames, the smell of burning flesh filling the area. Sarith dashes away and snatches up a drow shortsword from the ground, the handle familiar in his hands.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Derendil slashes Drow Warrior for 11 damage. He faceplants into the fire, suffering an immediate failed death save.
Sarith kicks Borthan awake and dashes, obtaining a Shortsword. There are also a dagger and a hand crossbow there.
Borthan is immune to the Chasme buzz for 24 hours.

Nilvae's turn is still up.

Spoiler: Initiative Order

Show

Brutus - 21
Duskryn - 21
Buppido - 20

Drow Elites - 20

Jimjar - 19
Borthan - 18
Topsy - 15
Mr. Spide - 15

Quaggoth - 12

Nilvae - 11
Derendil - 11
Sarith - 10
Stool - 10

Drow Warriors - 10
Asha - 10
Ilvara - 8
Shoor - 8

Ront - 7

Giant Spiders - 6

Turvy - 4
Faedryl - 3
Shuushar - 2

[Spore]

Nilvae Half-Elf Warlock AC: 13 HP: 23/23 PP: 12 PIv: 11 PIs: 12 San: 7 (-1) Conditions: - Concentration: Faerie Fire The half-elf quickly gathers up some tiny stones and enchants them with a slight blue hue. She starts by throwing one at Borthan's enemy, their impact suddenly heavier than sling bullets. Spoiler Show Magic Stone (1d20+6)[22] (1d6+4)[7]

[RandomWombat]

The glimmering stone impacts the drow in the side of the head as he lay unconscious on the bridge. A sharp cry of pain, and he jolts up, scrabbling for his weapon.

Spoiler: Combat Log

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Nilvae casts Magic Stone and flings one, hitting the Drow Warrior for 7 damage and waking him up.

It is also Stool's turn - my bad, I missed him on the turn order.

Spoiler: Initiative Order

Show

Brutus - 21
Duskryn - 21
Buppido - 20

Drow Elites - 20

Jimjar - 19
Borthan - 18
Topsy - 15
Mr. Spide - 15

Quaggoth - 12

Nilvae - 11
Derendil - 11
Sarith - 10
Stool - 10

Drow Warriors - 10
Asha - 10
Ilvara - 8
Shoor - 8

Ront - 7

Giant Spiders - 6

Turvy - 4
Faedryl - 3
Shuushar - 2