Smoke on the Water
Subject: Re: The hole; stuff
Cadfael nods and splashes to Sa'id, inadvertently soaking the mage with more of the frigid water. Upon Sa'id's shivering a slight chill goes down Cadfael's spine and he slowly rubs his hands together to warm them. In this pale, unnatural light Cadfael looks much more worn and weary than he did this morning at the tower. Still, he kneels at Sa'id's side without hesitation. "The heat of healing may actually be pleasant this time, Sa'id. All the same, try not to cry out." [casts cure light wounds] Satisfied that the healing has run its course he stiffly stands and focuses on Garyth once again, "What of you, Garyth? Do you still carry wounds from old battles? The rest of you?"
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The hole; stuff
Mission will unobtrusively avoid Cadfael's healing touch.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: The hole; stuff
"I'm just wet. Otherwise fine," Farron will reply. After the memory of Cadfael's last healing, he will involuntarily hold his breath while Sa'id is under the Cleric's hands.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The hole; stuff
Garyth shakes his head. "Thank you, Brother Cadfael, but I am unharmed." He glances up to where Mission is climbing up the rocks, then takes up a position a few paces to the left of Mission at the base of the pile and waits.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The hole; stuff
OOC: I'm waiting to see how much Cadfael healed me for (and therefore how I feel) before replying.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The hole; stuff
Cadfael does 9 points of healing to Sa'id, leaving him 6 below his maximum.
[next turn coming this afternoon]
From: Ty
Subject: The hole; smoke on the water
The party gathers on the small ledge of loose rock created by the rockfall. No one is able to get completely out of the water without climbing, so everyone stands ankle deep in cold swamp sludge. It is a quiet and irritated group of adventurers that wait for Mission to make his reconnaissance, though Cadfael does take the time to place a quick healing spell on Sa'id [Heal 9 points].
Mission begins cautiously climbing the rock pile. He is forced to move slowly, since rapid movements cause the rock to slide. Even so, he slips badly the first time [climb roll 10], and it looks like his will take a bad tumble. In an impressive display of skill, Mission seems to tumble back down in slow motion, his hands and feet finding places to slow his descent as he falls. He lands on his feet and without any damage.
He smiles at the group. "Oops, better try that again."
His second try is much more successful, and he quickly clambers up the steep slope of loose rock [climb roll 24]. The upper half of his body disappears from view as the rock pile begins a much shallower slope near the top. "It gets pretty narrow up here, " Mission shouts down to the group. "I'll see if it's even possible to squeeze through to the other side."
[Awaiting response from Scott before proceeding]
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
The roof of the tunnel is close to the rocks-- very close. Mission wonders if Cadfael would even fit through it.
He takes a moment to secure his length of rope. (OOC: If mission can't find anything readily available to tie it around, he'll use his mallet to hammer a piton into the stone and secure the rope that way.) He lets the rope fall down to the others below.
There. Even the mages should be able to climb that.
Dark holes opening up into darkness. Mission shudders, and thinks of Promise.
He will slide down the rope. "It's a tight squeeze up there. I'd rather have some light before going further."
OOC: I may not be able to get on again tonight-- if everyone's fine with it, Mission will take Cadfael's glove, climb back up the rope, and scout a little further into darkness.
From: Matt
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
While Rennik waits for Mission to report back, he will take a closer look at the rocks, to see if anyone has passed this way recently - or even how recently they were placed.
From: Ty
Subject: The hole; smoke on the water
Mission decides it looks big enough to give it a try. He takes one end of the rope and begins looking for something to secure it to. On top of this big pile of rocks there isn't much to attach to. A little ways ahead, he can see where the roof and some sections of wall were caved into to create this pile of rubble. Whoever did it, it's an impressive display of power to move this much rock around.
Spotting what looks like a bit larger stone to tie the rope to, Mission crawls forward a bit. [Search roll 9] What he does NOT spot is the almost invisibly thin wire running across the width of the tunnel, and just a few inches above the top of the rock pile. He does sense it the second his hand comes down on it, but by then it is too late. The wire moves down with an audible click, and is followed by the sound of several springs releasing. 6 cleverly hidden tubes are revealed as 6 glass vials are flung over the rock pile in a very well thought out pattern. Two of the vials strike the roof of the tunnel just above Mission's head. Two more land on the shallow rocks at the base of the pile. The last two strike the walls of the tunnel about 20 feet away. [See map: A is Mission's location. B is the party in the shallow water]
The placing of the explosives potions leaves everyone in an area where the blasts overlap. Above, Mission is directly in the path of two of the explosions. But even as the wire was clicking, he was already beginning to launch himself backwards. While the potions were first leaving their tubes, he was in the air above the party members. As the potions struck the walls, he was falling toward the water in a tight ball. As the explosions swept fire across the tunnel, he was diving into the water and twisting away from the blast. When he emerges, only the fringe of his pants is singed. [Saved on both, Evasion, no damage taken]
Rennik, meanwhile, is looking at the rocks when he hears the click and spring, and looks up to see Mission flinging himself off the cliff. His reactions are nearly as fast, and he too dives for the water while yelling to the party to get down. But even his halfling reflexes are no match for the astonishing speed of the monk, and he is hit by the edges of three explosions just as he goes under water. [Saved on all three, half damage; Damage 3x2d6+2 = 31(1/2); damage 16]
Cadfael hears the halflings yell, and sees him dive toward the water, but in the split second it takes him to process this turn of events, the explosions are already happening. He is directly in the path of one blast, and at the edges of another. [Saved on one, failed on one; Damage 2x2d6+2 = 10(1/2) and 4; damage 9]
Sa'id, sitting next to Cadfael, is caught in the same two blasts. [Saved on one, failed on one; Damage 2x2d6+2 = 8(1/2) and 7; damage 11]
Farron, who is near Sa'id and Cadfael, is able to slip partially into the water before the explosions reach him. [Saved on both; Damage 2x2d6+2 = 22(1/2); damage 11]
Garyth is standing near Rennik when the blasts go off. He sees Rennik dive into the water, and is only a step behind him, but it is enough for him to be caught by more of the explosion that the fleet footed halfling. [Saved on two, failed on one; Damage 3x2d6+2 = 18(1/2) and 7; damage 16]
The fire lasts for only a brief second, but it is enough to turn the top layer of water into steam, and knock everyone still standing flat. It is followed by a roar from the tunnel beyond the rock pile, and many stones falling down the pile into the water. A cloud of dust billows into the tunnel from above the rock pile.
[HP update: Cadfael is 19, Farron is 14, Garyth is 27, Mission is 26, Rennik is 31, Sa'id is 3]
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
Unhggggf.
Blood. Pain. Searing, scorching pain. Something... cold. Water. Soothing.
A ragged breath. Another.
Sleep. He wanted to sleep. That would make the pain go away. Sleep...
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
One moment, Garyth is watching for a sign from Mission, the next, the whole world is on fire. He hits the water almost before he knows what's going on, but still not quickly enough to avoid the flames. He surfaces with a roar of anger and pain, drawing his sword and rushing toward the rock pile. If there are any enemies about, they must surely have been alerted; the area must be secured.
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
Blood and Stone!
Mission kicks off the wall-- no form, no discipline, just raw instinct. The wash of heat and force pushes him down, but years of training with Reeve Innocence help him keep his head. He cuts through the stagnant water, beneath the fire, and emerges untouched.
His first sight is Sa'id, choking on water, badly burned.
Sand.
Mission will hurry over to the mage and give him one of his healing potions.
"Drink up, Sa'id," Mission says, coughing on the dust in the air.
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
"Drink up, Sa'id."
Sa'id opens his eyes. He was floating on the scummy water, though the fact that he was soaked probably helped minimize the burning and thus keep him alive.
Alive. Not dead. Not unconscious.
The pain was excruciating.
The liquid that Mission poured into Sa'id's mouth was surprisingly viscous and sweet. A little like honey. Soothing waves of cool healing wash over his aching, burnt body. Sa'id offers the monk a quiet chuckle. "Now we're even," he says, his voice a mere whisper. "When Anileth knocked you out I gave you mine. Of course, you've saved my life twice since then." Sa'id coughs. "And again I thank you. Shuk'ran." Gripping Mission's arm, Sa'id tries to right himself and stand up, then picks up his staff and nestles it gingerly in the crook of his arm. Looking directly at the monk, he adds -- quietly -- "I know you risk yourself so recklessly because you want to face Anileth again. We will find her, Mission. And thanks to you, I will be there to lend what aid I can."
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
Drinking the potion of cure serious wounds restores his full health (I rolled two 8's and a 4! The gods like Sa'id).
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
Ooops!
I forgot to roll saves for the familiars! Dammit!
Well, we will just pretend they both made their saves this time. I won't forget again... :)
From: Scott
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
The dust settling on the water. . . Sa'id coughing in his arms. . .
Mission realizes something. "No. Not Anileth. I don't care ever to see her again.
"I want my boy. I want promise."
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
Sa'id smiles. He should have realized. His respect for the monk, who had sacrificed so much to follow this course, increased still further.
He nods. "The darkness will NOT have him." There is iron in Sa'id's voice, quiet though it is, and it surprises even the wizard himself. Years of caring for the dead in his father's funeral parlor... quiet years of studying corpses in Nesalin... and now, in these last days, to see the perversions that others were willing to visit upon both the dead and the living... it sickened Sa'id deeply. The perversions that the gods were willing to allow.
If men could stand alone, without the meddling gods, the trials to come would show it.
From: Matt
Subject: Re: The hole; smoke on the water
Rennik sputters to the surface, then scrambles up the rocks again to a place he can stand. That had been too close. Surveying the party and the damage, he realizes just how close it was. They could have died, all of them. Fast reactions and dumb luck held the day, but the next time they would not be so fortunate.
"They know we are coming."
He waits for the group's attention before he continues.
"This rock hadn't been touched before we got here - the dust from the cave in was fresh on top, undisturbed. The zombies lied in wait on this side, knowing we would come down this entryway. The trap was laid to blow out this side, either burning us to cinders or burying us under rock. As it is," he glances back at the rubble, "it seems to have made our way even more difficult."
He stares at the scorched walls and broken rock, wondering what horrors the dark preganant witch had in store for them, what other pawns she had besides Elise, this master trapmaker, and the dark halfling clans.
"We must be more cautious."