Dark Paths 34

Dark Paths of Riddleport
Session 34
August 4, 1023

I Attack the Darkness

Map Tool Chat Log

Session Summary

The Drow press the attack

The battle raged on with the Drow in the magically darkened caverns. The Shadow Demon was wreaking havoc with it's deadly claws that seemed to be able to rip through armor and slash directly at its targets soul. The glowing ring that Aethel had tossed into the room unexpectedly disappeared, plunging the room back into a deep darkness though it sounded like the Dark Elves were hampered by this darkness as well.

Snargash went down due to injuries sustained after being slashed by the Shadow Demon multiple times before Aethel used a stronger magic to fill the room with the glow of daylight. The Drow had fled the chamber and could not be seen though the Shadow Demon remained. Bodi bravely charged in, hoping his enchanted blade would have some effect on the vaporous beast. They traded blows while Aragon, Guy and Paal attempted to drag Snargash to a safer location. The Shadow Beast then fled to the north into the darkened cavern past the magical glow in the room. Strange Elvish voices and yelling could be heard coming from this passageway as well though no one, not even the Elves, could decipher what they were saying.

Aragon rushed off to get his satchel that he had left outside to retrieve several healing potions he had stored up while Paal started searching through his pack for first aid supplies. Drow crossbow bolts began flying out of the darkened tunnel to the north, striking Paal and Bodi and sending them both into a poison induced sleep. Acting quickly to shield his companions, Aethel summoned up a Wall of Wind at the passages mouth, preventing any further shooting through and hampering any who would attempt to cross through.

The 3 unconscious were not safely pulled to safety and Aragon passed out three of his potions, reviving both Bodi and Paal. Snargash's wounds were too serious and he remained unconscious. The three defeated Drow in this chamber were quickly looted and the Crew made a hasty retreat back out onto the darkened ledge. They made the diffucult climb back up to the island and Bodi managed to fall and hurt himself again, knocking him back out. Aragon used the last of his healing potions on him to get him back to walking condition.

Aethel sealed the secret door

Aethel, using the last bit of magical energy he possessed, used his powers of Unbinding to Shape the
Earth around the now closed secret door leading into the caverns. He shifted the stone at the edges of the door, fusing them into one solid piece of rock which would require either magic or serious physical work to remove.

The Crew then made as good of time as they could, dragging the unconscious Snargash back to camp. The guards on duty were surprised to see the newcomers to the camp returning with wounded from the forest since they had assumed they were all in their tents sleeping before their watch duties. Erix rushed up and quickly ushered them into the medical tent and ran to find some stashed healing potions. He returned and revived Snargash, though most were still considerably wounded. He asked what they had discovered and was in complete shock when they revealed that Zincher had been working with the Drow. After getting over this bit of news, Erix revealed that he was also sent here to keep an eye on Zincher and that he was an agent of some group from Korvosa to the south, though he did not elaborate on the matter.

As Erix processed all of this information, he decided he was going to go take care of Zincher right then and there, but was interrupted by a loud commotion outside of birds squawking loudly. Everyone went outside to see the backside of Zincher's tent in flames. Erix rushed inside as the guards ran up. Aragon ran down to the side of the tent and started cutting holes in the fabric, looking in. Guy, meanwhile, floated up high to try to get a good look at the surroundings to see if he could see what was going on.

Up in flames!

Aragon can barely see through the smoke inside as the tent is engulfed in flames. He spies Erix dragging Zincher's large trunk toward the front of the tent. He also spies a body laying on the ground near the back of the front room of the tent. Up above, Guy spies several dark forms fleeing through the forest north of the camp. He calls out that he has spotted some intruders and moves to follow, levitating just above the trees, but low enough to keep an eye on the fleeing arsonists. Guy is ambushed by another hidden assailant and takes a crossbow bolt to the thigh. The Gnome retreats and floats back to his companions instead of pursuing such dangerous opponents by himself.

Back at the camp, Zincher's tent is now completely up in flames. Erix had safely retrieved the trunk and said that Zincher was dead when he got in there, his throat slit. The gathered guards begin to accuse the Crew of killing Zincher, but Erix backs them up while Bodi and Snargash explain the real threat on the island. The guards are shocked and scared at this revelation and quickly fall in line, looking to Erix for direction when he promises to still pay them from the gold that is no doubt locked up inside Zincher's trunk.

Zincher's pets

Finally, with Zincher's tent burnt to the ground, the Crew catches sight of the 'pets' he had been keeping out back. There were several large axe-beaks, 7' tall flightless birds with dangerously sharp beaks. Erix said Zincher was the only one able to approach them and wondered what should be done with them.

Continuing Story Doc

Continuing Story Summary

After the initial shock of the evenings events wear off, a general sense of panic and doom overtakes the camp. Zincher’s remaining guards seem conflicted on what to believe, though most of them appear genuinely scared and look to Akron Erix for leadership. He happily takes this role in stride and begins ordering the creation of a much smaller, more central camp near the large bonfire. He has all the supplies brought to one tent near the fire and has the men set up fires in a wide circle around the tents, going so far as to have the men pull down sections of the partially completed palisade wall to use for firewood.

“We should all stick together in the center of the camp, keep the fires burning bright around the perimeter. Do you all have any suggestions? It’s too late to move camp, but first thing in the morning, we should start hauling everything down to the docks to wait for your ship. What do you say?”

Guy nods along as Erix explains his plan. "Makes sense to me," he says as the bigger man stops speaking. "Sounds pretty much like what I would have suggested as a matter of fact, even if it does seem something of a shame to move everything back down there already -- it seems like we only just finished dragging stuff up to here."

Erix shrugs, “Yeah, you’re right, tiny, but if your ship arrives tomorrow, I think it’s best that we get off this island as soon as possible.” Most of the others react to this statement by nodding and murmuring sounds of agreement

"I agree - without my Hocchiku I won’t be able to do more than basic healing with the medical supplies on hand. While I’m not defenseless without my thunderstaff, I’m better off with it when it comes to fighting. I’ll have to craft suitable replacements for them as soon as possible," Snargash says.

Aragon asks, “Can we contrive a very few entrances and exits to this central area?  They do like to hide in shadows and shoot crossbows.  If we could deny them easy line-of-sight, that might help.”

Erix looks around, “Yea, maybe, we’re not working with much here. I think keeping the fires burning bright will be the best bet. That defensive wall was doing doing less than a Taldan noble after Sunday lunch. We can keep the tents close together with fires burning outside as well as in the middle. We will keep watch from as defensible positions as we can. Hopefully you all put enough of a dent in them to prevent a full on attack tonight.”

If the deepening of the furrows on his brow are any indication, the mention of entry and exit points seems to give the monk Snargash some food for thought - for nearly a minute the butterfly in that portion of his facial tattoo appears to be flapping its wings. He nods his head for a moment then, as if in affirmation of some conclusion he’s reached before calling out softly but clearly,

“Mr. Aethel, I think your judgement here would help us understand the capabilities of our new dance-partners a bit better. Once we exited the tunnels you shaped the stone a bit to seal the entrance and cover our retreat - at least briefly. It’s that brevity we need to consider. Having by now only the utmost confidence in both your magical power and your skill in its application, I wonder then, in your professional opinion, what if anything does the speed with which they were able to breach your barrier and launch a counterattack tell us about their capabilities? Is it remarkable? Merely to be expected of them under the circumstances? Or does it indicate rather that they have more than the one point of access to the surface which they revealed to the late Mr. Zincher? Further, can you infer anything from what you’ve seen of their magic - both in the entryway itself and in our combat with them - including their point-woman whom we encountered last week?”

He looks over at the blade dancer then, adding, “Mr. Aragon, your insight into their fighting style and assessment of their skill is likewise valuable. Did you notice any weakness we may exploit, or any points of attack against which we might better defend ourselves?”

After a moment’s pause he concludes with a question to his companions in general, “Were we able to bring away any of their equipment which might tell us more?”

Before either of the elves respond the Northman replies, “Yes, um, Brother (?) - we did manage to gather a few trophies on the way out. I stashed them under the spare blankets and bandages in your aid-station when we got back. According to your Mr. Aethel, everything but the blades are in some way magical.”

Cast of Characters: 

Aethelarian "Aethel" Flitterseed (270 pts) - Noble Elf wizard played by +Daniel White 
Aragon Whisperwind (275 pts) - Elven Bladedancer played by +Arne Jamtgaard 
Bodil "Bodi" Jantzen (265 pts) - suave and smooth swordsman played by +Mike Biancone 
Guy Greystone (264 pts) - Gnome telekinetic played by +Gren Drake 
Paal Ulfsun (259 pts)- Northman Human ranger played by +Ben Zittere 
Snargash Windblown (270 pts) - Half-Orc monk played by +Amergin O'Kai 
and +Jason Woollard as the DM