Durwe would use his magic, which is without error as long as the target is in sight, before using his bow. He casts another of the magic missiles at the beast as Karok moves forward.


Init 6, 4 points dmg

Tynia's initial reaction from the flaring fan of the creature is surprise and she gasps at the sigh of it. She can feel her mind sorting the confusing images of the display and sighs with relief when she realizes the meaning behind it.


Casting magic missile. Init 6, Dmgs 3

The tatzlwyrm and Karok meet head on. Karok's sword came crashing down for a mighty cleave, but the snake-like reptile twists its body with nimble agility. The dwarf's blade bites deep into grass and dirt, but the wyrmling claws at Karok, raking across armor with an ear numbing screech. While the first claw finds nothing but armor, the second finds flesh (-2).

It becomes very apparent to Karok that if the thing gets a purchase on him with both claws, it can bite him seriously or worse... issue a noxious breath on him.

Tynia and Durwe both send magic missiles at the beast. Each missile hits its target, piercing the beasts hide before turning to vapor and disappearing. The small holes they leave behind leak with more blood. A good sign, since what can bleed can be killed if bled enough.

Unfortunate for Jhaelin and Brett, their minds continue to rage against reality for the time being.

Ordil's fate is, as yet, unknown.

---

Begin round 1620.18

Magic in play
Shield on Brett, AC6 with 9 points
Jhaelin (dazed)
Brett (dazed)
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:21, Tue 15 Nov 2022.

Karok knew he was in trouble. The creature was too big, well-armored, tough. On top of everything else, the beast had magicky powers!

But what was a dwarf to do? He was the toughest; the only fighter in the group. It was his job to keep the critter off the others for as long as he could, maybe give them the chance to escape!

There was no shame in falling before a greater opponent. It was not much fun, either, but Karok had always been told that a dwarf who did his faithful best and died in honorable battle could hope for a welcome in Moradin's Eternal Hall.

That was a comforting notion, but he decided he would put off its realization for as long as he could...

Seeing the creature bleed, Tynia will attempt another magic missile attack.

Jhaelin looks down at his palms, then rotates his hands to note his fingers. There was something important he had to do, but for the life of him he can not think of what it is. His mind seems so slow and muddled, as if his thoughts are wading through thick molasses to get from one point to the next.

Karok swings at it, but so far is unable to find the rhythm of the battle. His blade cuts nothing but grass and the tatzylwyrm does not let up its attack. In a serpentine fashion, the beast rolls over and around, hoping to confuse or intimidate Karok into making a mistake. The grasses flatten beneath its length and when it rights itself, two claws rake at the dwarf. (-2) The subsequent wound and pain from one of the claws is a convenient side effect of the creature's attempt at grappling Karok for a much more powerful and deadly attack.

Green, noxious vapors waft from the edges of its serpentillian dragon-like maw when its jaw drops from being hit again and again with magic missiles from Durwe and Tynia. Wounded now, a vile hiss with spittle, issues from its mouth as it prepares to strike again at Karok.

Still dazed, Jhaelin stumbles around in circles wondering what to do next. The thick fog seems to be lifting just a little within his mind.

Brett's thoughts come to focus. His mind clears and he realizes exactly what happened to him.

---

Begin round 1620.24

Magic in play
Shield on Brett, AC6 with 9 points
Jhaelin (dazed)

This was the most cussed beast Karok had ever fought. It wouldn't even stand on its own feet to do battle, rolling all over the place and changing its stance, just when he was getting ready to swing!

The elven mages were doing a fair job at helping. Both had sent their missiles of magic into the thing and its scaly hide was scored and bleeding. Like Karok's.

He had to do part of this too! As the monster moved closer and he caught a whiff of its breath, the dwarf held his own, in case it gave him a blast in the face. He tried to get his shield up into the way of its toothy maw, too, and thrust in with a strike to its underjaw or neck...

He'd hit! He felt the shock of the blow in his sword arm. Now, if only he had penetrated, and deeply enough....!

Durwe is out of spell energy. He stands flat footed and draws his bow. Not having to move means he can fire more arrows and quickly lets off a volley of two arrows at the monster.


Init 4
Arrow 1 hits AC 1 for 7 points
Arrow 2 hits AC 2 for 6 points
Two arrows per round with no other actions...

"Crazy kids probably ran off and eloped," Roxie grumbled as she sat on a log and swatted at the offending insects trying to take her apart bit by teensy tiny bit. Then the sound drifted to her on the wind and she paused her hand mid-swat, straining her ears with a little excitement at first thinking it was the young couple but ... no, definitely not. It sounded like battle.

Never one to miss out on a bit of a fight, not to mention the spoils that could be had afterwards, she ran lightly through the trees toward the commotion. What she saw made her shudder a moment, not liking snakes at all that thing was quite revolting. Taking her crossbow, she dug out a few bolts and tucked them between her teeth as she set one so she could be ready to fire.

Jhaelin stops mid stride and placing a palm against his forehead he closes his eyes and thinks hard. Something... important. Fight? No...that's not right. Someone? Yes... someone! Someone what?

Jhaelin feels certain his mind is on the right track. Being dazed and confused, he pays no attention to the fighting going on around him, other than to think mildly that it was a distraction to what he was trying to figure out.

Brett blinks once then twice, then realizes he is no longer dazed. He moves closer to the monster, gazing upon it as he casts his most powerful of spells. Adepts at magic like to call it "burning hands", though in fact, the flames never actually touch the hands.

Karok was finding it hard to battle while holding his breath. He kept searching for openings in his opponents attack, quickly caught a breath, and kept trying to hold it off!

Karok knew what to look for this time and when the serpent rolled, he prepared with a strike of his blade. The sword pierces the beast just under its chin. The blade exits on the other side of its head. The tatzylwyrm backs away a few feet. Blood oozes from the wound when the blade is pulled free and Karok instinctively knows it isn't a fatal wound.

Thwwwippp!

As it lunges forward again to attack Karok, an arrow from Durwe's bow suddenly pierces the beast's torso area. With a new ferocity, it attacks with claws, raking a gash through the dwarf's shield and opening another wound on his shield arm. (-1)

Tynia stands confused as to what to do when Brett moves forward a step with his mind free of the effects of the creature's shimmering fan earlier. Not thinking things through, or perhaps fear gripping the mage too harshly, he utters the incantation for his most powerful spell at the beast. A fan of hot flame jets from his spread fingertips across the top of the grasses. Some catch flame and most scorch and smoke. The tatzylwyrm and Karok are engulfed in hot flames for a second or so... and when the flames fade and smoke clears... both are still standing, though singed, scorched and smoldering. Karok's breathing is ragged and labored. He coughs smoke from his charred lungs. (-4)

Durwe's second arrow pierces the monster in one eye at a weird angle. The eye is destroyed.

The grasses around the creature and Karok begin to burn, threatening to be a much larger problem shortly. The creature turns to flee back to the great tree, having decided the turn of events is too much to bear. Now, apparently, its only thought is that of survival.

The cloud of confusion clears from Jhaelin's mind.

---

Begin round 1620.30 (Round 5)

The creature is in retreat, which means there is a +2 bonus to hit for anyone attacking.

Magic in play...
Brett (shield) at AC6, 9 points remain

Ordil! That's it!

Jhaelin's mind comes to focus and clarity. He realizes quickly that he can not get to Ordil yet. Some smoke drifts across the grasses and Jhaelin wonders where it came from. Did the dragon-like creature have a firey breath? All questions fade when he sees the shape of Karok. Guilt at being subdued by the creature registers in the cleric's features and he concentrates on Karok. He raises his arms to the heavens and calls upon Heireoneous.

"O God, I beseech thee. Deliver your healing grace upon Karok in this most dire time of need!"

The words are spoken in dwarven and loud enough for Karok to hear and understand. It was important for Karok to hear what he was doing, so the spell worked correctly. Otherwise, Karok's mind and body might fend off the spell's effects.

Pointing a hand to Karok, Jhaelin shouts, "Karok, recieve unto thee the healing grace of Heironeous!"


Casting cure light wounds... (variant) +5 points

As Roxie looked up from setting the bolt, she saw the flames roar up around the creature and then it turned to flee ... heading straight toward her! "Sheka," she cursed and brought the crossbow up to sight but then it drifted toward the left and thankfully didn't seem interested in her.

The way the smoke was starting to billow, she knew there was going to be a grassfire and hastily shoving bolts back in the quiver and securing her weapon, took off toward the group of people.

"Get any wounded out of the line of this fire," she called out as she neared them and pulled off her cloak with the intent to try to swat the flames out and avoid a disaster that would destroy everything, including them.

Karok had nearly exhausted himself through exertion and blood loss, but he had not given up. He was prepared to fall at his station, and they would know that a dwarf had fought here!

There was monster and blade, scales, and fangs. A quick strike scored upon him again, though he turned aside one claw. And then flames!

Karok set his center of gravity, distributed his weight, and held his sword ready to strike at first hint of a target.

And then words came from behind him, in the Hearth Tongue, a touch, and things got better.

"Now THAT was a fight," he said with respect, grimy fist knuckling blood and sweat out of his eyes. "Hope it's the worst one we have today!"

"What happened to the monster?"

Then he caught a glimpse of the creature fleeing. Well, good. And there was a smallish human woman beating out a spreading grassfire. Aye, the monster had probably shot that at him before it ran away!

He drew off his own cloak, poured the contents of his waterskin upon it, and went to help.
This message was last updated by the player at 02:45, Tue 15 Nov 2022.

The creature retreats into the great tree, its serpentine length slithering through limb and leaf into the higher canopy. It is soon out of sight.

The party quickly extinguishes the flames that threaten to become something much more dangerous. If there had been wind, it certainly would have been disastrous.

Now, a stranger is among the party's midst...


End of combat...

Jhaelin quickly moves to where Ordil had fallen. He finds a broken rogue, mangled in the grasses; his life expired. The lad's skin has turned greyish and the expression on his young face is horrid and terrifying to behold. An expression of fear, pain, and death. Ordil's tongue is black and swollen so badly it protrudes from him mouth. The eyes are blood shot and a viscous yellowy substance leaks from his nose.

When others approach, Jhaelin reverently closes Ordil's eyelids with his hand.

"Poison." he says, "No doubt about that, but he was also mangled pretty badly. He gave his life so others might live."

Jhaelin stands, then regards the stranger. Who ever she was, she had helped put out the threatening fire. A willingness to help others was always a good sign.

"And who might you be," he asks plainly.

With a sigh of relief that the flames didn't spread, Roxie shook out her cloak and then cautiously approached the others. There was a flash of compassion in her eyes as she looked upon the body and wiped a blackened smudge from her cheek. "Name's Roxie," she said absently and tore her eyes from the body to look at the one who asked. "I was out looking for a young couple and heard the noise, thought it might be them in some trouble. "I'm sorry for your loss," she indicated the fallen man.

"Only knew him for three days," Karok told her. "Went through a lot together, though. Was gettin' close. His name was Ordil. What young people would be wanderin' around out here?"
This message was last updated by the player at 02:51, Tue 15 Nov 2022.

She nodded, understanding how adversity could bring people closer in a short period of time. "Apparently a young couple was looking to build a home back there," she thumbed the direction she'd come from. "They went missing a couple of days ago so I was asked to look for them." She looked back toward the tree where the creature had disappeared. "I can't help thinking they might not be around anymore."

"Our turn to be sorry for you," Karok remarked. "We've seen some... remains around here. Good chance some of 'em are the people you're lookin' for. We weren't here too long before that thing--" his thumb jerked at the tree where the creature had gone. "Showed up and attacked."

"I think we should come back and kill it. Some day when we're all feelin' better."

"It is wounded now. I don't think it will be coming down for a while, but you never know."

"Well Roxie, I am Jhaelin, a cleric of Heironeous, and I thank you for your help. This is Karok, over there are the elves Durwe and Tynia. And yonder mage is called Brett."

He gestures at each of his companions as he introduced them, then glances at the shadows that have now covered the whole meadow with the setting sun. They have about a hand or so before the sun is completely set.

"This place is not the sort one should be out and alone in. You are welcome to break camp with us for the night Roxie. They say there is safety in groups. Something about more protection."

Jhaelin glances at Karok.

"I don't think we should camp here. Even if we pushed our tired selves to the limits, we wouldn't make it back to the cut line where Milon is until after dark."

Jhaelin cuts the belt pouch from Ordil's belt and tucks it away. Whatever was in there, he would add to the pot or kitty which they all shared.

"We will let Nature take care of Ordil's body. Let it return to the earth. So...the lake shore?"

"I didn't know the couple, merely sent by their relatives but it will not be pleasant taking their bodies back," she said with a serious expression but grateful to know there may be something at least to take back as evidence. "Of course it may not be them but it seems unlikely."

Nodding at each as they were introduced, her expression remained serious. "It's too far to try to get back to town tonight as well," she agreed as she glanced at the setting sun. "I'll be glad to help set up camp and stand watch while you rest," she offered.