Heir to the Throne - Far Beneath Part 2

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Log Info

  • Title: Heir to the Throne - Far Beneath Part 2
  • GM: Harkashan
  • Place: Former and soon to be returned to Von Stein Crystal Mines
  • Summary: With their excursion to Unbundun completed, the Adventurers backing the Von Stein Rebellion take the first step on announcing to the world that the Dukedom of Duivia's control of the region will no longer remain perfect. Approaching the Isle to the South-West of Duivia, where once the Von Stein Dukedom lay. Duivia will not so easily give up their precious source of income.

Within the Crystaline mines, Despair and Lost Dreams await the Adventurers.

Go forth, Adventurers. Craft a new Dawn.

Last we left our Adventurers, they were forced to slay squadrons of powerful Inquisitors. Now, their blades lay upon the ground, along with their fallen bodies. Harshad is needing to take a break, having gotten wounded and needing to see to them. But there is no doubt that the mines are dealing with their own internal alarms right now.

And who knows what this means for our Adventurers.

Gran'it hefts their Glaive onto their shoulder and lets out a long sigh. "Alright. We keep going. We won't get another opportunity at this. I know some of us are tired. But we haven't gotten anybody out of the mines yet. Let's just hope that the remaining guards are more scattered." He offers, and takes a step forward, glancing at some of the unconscious guards. "Lady Zofija, you dealt with that pack of Inquisitors mightily. Do you wish to lead us further?"

Warrick returns from the minor detour from whence they came, him thumbing the wax cork off a small vial no bigger than his pinky. "Rear flank seems secure," he reports to the group, lifting his visor to down the potion, he grimaces as wounds stitch back together. "Ugh, cherry..."

Visor down, he nestles his crossbow into the crook of his shoulder. "I'll cover you, Skyguard," he offers, sharply nodding to flick his visor down with a 'clank'."

GAME: Warrick used a Potion of cure light wounds.

GAME: Warrick rolls 1d8+1: (6)+1: 7

Carver commands Deathless to stay behind with Harshad, collecting a few arrows that are salvagable. If she is beset by grief by the bodies, it is only apparent by the tentativeness she steps through the corpses, or the blood that pools across the floor. With ammunition recovered, she moves away from the Inquisition's last resting place and joins the other.

Stena"

Zofija, left in a large pile of bodies both dead and unconscious, had to take a moment to wade outwards. "I did no such thing, we all did. If it was just me against that group it'd be a real different outcome." The arvek-nar grunts. "Tie up the unconscious ones just in case. Might be safer to take the one that recognized you with us on the way out, maybe the others. Might have information, or at the very least, he can't tell everyone else you're alive."

"Appreciate it, 'Rick." She nods to the man, turning her attention back to the rest of the tunnels. "Should we check the guardhouse first, or try to find where they're keeping them all?"

Panting, Stena slumps back against the wall a moment. She's not too hurt, really, but she definitely needs a moment to collect her thoughts. She nods towards Zofija. Sweeping the guard house sounds fine with her, realy.

"Yeah, we can take him. See why he turned traitor to our people." Gran'it answers, sidestepping the matter of having done it all together. In truth, he looks a bit shaken amidst all these bodies, and he's using a bit of bluster and pride to keep himself together in this moment.

Carver wrinkles her nose at something, but her lack of vocalisation would not count as a vote against wherever their leader wishes to take them. She does take a quick once-over of Stena to make sure she ain't bleedin' out, but seems confident she's fine.

Warrick looks back at the group as they pull themselves together. He clears his throat. "Stick together, cover each others backs, and play to each others strengths and we'll see this through readily. A small platoon had trouble with us," he tries to encourage, despite large patch of scales missing from his armor from previous wounds.

"On your march, Skyguard."

"Yeah, we got real lucky. Hopefully that was the bulk of them. Doubt it's all of them though, since they need to keep the prisoners in line still." Zofija shrugs as she wanders over to tie and gag the various guards with a few lengths of rope from her pack. "Alright, ready to press on." She adds before heading off down the tunnel.

GAME: Carver rolls perception: (6)+13: 19

GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (2)+7: 9

GAME: Stena rolls Percepttioon: (18)+Percepttioon: 18

GAME: Stena rolls Perception: (19)+0: 19

GAME: Zofija rolls perception: (3)+4: 7

Crik has arrived.

Crik"

"Got boots on groun' thata' way." Carver says, motioning vaguely southwest. "Soun' heavy. Armored and packed." She throws her hood back and exhales, the stillness of the mine inducing anxiety as the adrenaline leaves the body.

"I hear 'em," respoonds Stena, confirming Carver's words. She straightens herself up and draws her hammer again.

"No dooubt we've got more company on the way, rightt? This can't be everyone." She glances down towards the guards, having moved to help tie them when she saw it happening. She's glad someone brought enough rope for it.

"Maybe not go that way." Crik, whomst had appeared out of nowhere once again, suggests. He had an empty paper in hand and a pen that he was holding, looking around. "... maybe go faster?" He suggests, afterwards, pulling more hoods over his head. Ones with less blood.

GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (19)+13: 32

GAME: Carver rolls stealth: (11)+14: 25

GAME: Crik rolls perception+1: (20)+11+1: 32

Warrick sticks close to the others, crossbow leveled and scanning the corners of the tunnel as they advance. Carver's warning gets him to snap his attention that way. "They're probably on the way to check on all the noise from earlier."

He glances to Crik as he joins them. "We have to clear all hostiles, else the prisoners can be taken hostage. I'm ready to ambush."

Carver was there. Then she's gone, having faded back into the shadows behind them. A mine may not be as comfortable as the forests or plains of Dran, but its shadows envelop all the same. She draws an arrow from her quiver, nervously twisting it in the palm of a hand.

"Well, we either deal with them now, deal with them later, or avoid them altogether, which hinges on there being or not being any prisoners the way they came." the arvek-nar grunts after pausing to listen to the various reports. "Might be better to get rid of them now since it seems the less likely results."

"... there can be a lot of hostiles." Crik says, patting at his cloaks. "... why did I forget my bombs?" He adds to himself, then slowly slinks back into the shadows. And whoosh! He was no longer there! Was he ever there?

As the group sets up for an ambush, a little bit of time passes. But the boots keep moving around to the Southwest. They do not appear to be approaching. In fact, as the group listens more closely, they can sometimes hear shouts. Something about spiders.

Warrick waits a moment overlong, listening. "Advance," he whispers to the group, pointing a full fingered gauntlet forward as he peels off the wall to march forth with the others.

GAME: Warrick rolls perception: (5)+7: 12

GAME: Warrick rolls will: (14)+3: 17

Carver moves across the group, hipping into an abandoned cart where the tracks split. She considers the distant whallop of picks for a moment before looking back the way she came with a thumbs up.

As Warrick and the others begin to move towards the sound of the boots on the ground, there's another sound out there. But he can't make it out. However, when he properly turns the corner and gets closer, there's a grasping at his chest. An intense sensation that he'd surely recognize. Fear tries to grab at him. Like he were approaching a Predator, and he were but measly Prey. Though he manages to shake it off for the most part!

Warrick stutter steps as he turns the corner, him reflexively pressing himself against the wall as his helmet snaps upward, then to the sides. "S-Something bad's forward," he shakily whispers behind him, taking a half step back.

Gran'it steps forwards with Warrick, close behind him. But he too startles in that moment, jerking back. He then puts a hand on Warrick's shoulder. "I feel it too." The youthful would-be-king remarks, before stepping back and letting out a long sigh he didn't realize he was holding. "What... is that? I've never felt something like that before."

Crik holds up his short stub of a pen and opens his caw to mouth - well, it was mostly his beak moving. He then begins scribbling obsessively into his paper, following on after Warrick. "Got an apple to bite into? Sweet and acidic helps to focus." The corvid quietly suggests, before moving around to investigate, once again looking for traps. But also making lines in his map.

GAME: Crik rolls perception: (20)+11: 31

GAME: Crik rolls will: (4)+3: 7

"Something up down there?" Zofija asks, trying to peer down where it seemed like the noise and warnings were coming from. "Get a grip on yourselves, if it's something in the air get farther away, or focus on somethingn pleasant. Then we can figure out what to do. And quickly."

... as Crik moves to stand besides Warrick, he suddenly freezes. The advice about apples is quickly forgotten as his black eyes turn even more black and his beak opens - and then without a warning - and with some lost feathers - he turns on his step and just flat out runs towards the exit. "S-spiders, spiders, eatingthrougharmorspiders-"... and his voice fades away.

Carver turns and watches as Crik disappears into the darkness, trailing feathers in his wake. She looks back to the others with a bewildered shake of her head. "Seems like there's a mite more than just spiders and men down that way but..." Well, she doesn't really like the idea of subjecting herself to that nightmare but she does go take a peek herself.

GAME: Carver rolls perception: (11)+13: 24

GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/religion: (1)+3: 4 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Carver rolls knowledge/religion: (16)+3: 19

GAME: Carver rolls will: (8)+5: 13

Carver steps up, takes a single breath, then cowers as her spirit breaks and she stumbles away. Only with the passing hiss of, "Fiiiiiiiiend."

Warrick turns towards the young lord. "Nasty creatures sometimes strike at our mortal emotions. It's best to focus on what matters and-"

He flinches as Crik bolts. "Spiders in armor...?" He cringes, backing up to cover the hole made in the group. "We have not the means to deal with a swarm." Another pause. Pops the ammunition out of his crossbow and slotting in silver gleaming bolts.

Carver finally catches herself, panting, heart racing. Black spots dance in her eyes before she shakes all over like a wet mutt. "Old man!" She hisses, "No. We can't. We get the people *out* of here."

Zofija is torn between getting a better look at what was going on, annd the fact that two people had just fled the area. "Shit, don't go too far." The arvek-nar hisses, heading over in Carver's direction as Crik fled back the way they came. "Think we can leave them alone? Should we? I don't know how much fight we've all got left in us."

Stena looks nervous about that. "Spiders in armor?" she mouths silently as she hefts her hammer again. "Let's just do what we came here for. We can clean up the mess we made later," her voice a raspy, husky growl now. She glances behind her into the darkness, nervously.

Crik pauses too, before he slowly creeps his way next to the rest of the party. Now _really_ clinging into the walls, as he shakily scrabbles vague figures in the paper. "N-no, spiders eating through armor. I-it was very bad." He keeps looking at Carver in bewilderment. "Th-there is a fiend in here?"

Warrick keeps the weapon pointed down the way, brows knitted in focus behind his helmet. The objections being thrown his way gets a mild grunt as he steps back, sharply gesturing off towards the others were ending up. "Okay. Left face, forward," he rattles off quickly. "We can slay it later."

In lulls like this, morale of the team takes priority over tactical decisions.

Gran'it, brow furrowed at this point, watching the Adventurers having trouble, and moves with Warrick as he goes along with the adjustment in direction. Though he keeps glancing back, concerned with what they may have just passed by. Then moving forward to catch up with Carver to help protect the bow wielding woman.

Carver fights to get her breathing under control, then moves forward. "This way, innit. Either they hate us or they join us." She slows as she spots the miner, and gives a whistle. "'ey pal. It ain't safe what in these rock halls no more, ya need to leave."

As Carver whistles at the Miner she spots a ways to the north-east, he looks confused at first. Glancing around, not sure where it's coming from. But before he can say anything, a Guard steps into sight in between Carver and the Miner, looking her way. "Intruders!" He calls out not a moment later.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Harkashan has dropped a TIMESTOP!

Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Harkashan to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.

For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (14)+13: 27

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 22.

It is now Crik's turn! Sad Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 21.

It is now Sad Guard's turn! Carver is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 18.

It is now Carver's turn! Bored Guard is next!

Crik was doing his best to stay quiet and focus on his mad scribbling - but then he gets distracted by the shout of intruders. That (nearly) was scaries than the... thing fighting around the other corridor. The dark flaps of his cloak instantly fall over and he moves on forward.

GAME: Carver rolls 7 at -3: (1)+7 at+-3: 5 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-3: (13)+15+-3: 25

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-3: (12)+15+-3: 24

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-3: (2)+15+-3: 14

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7-8: (10)+15+-8: 17

GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8

GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+4: (2)+4: 6

GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8

GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+4: (2)+4: 6

GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+4: (3)+4: 7

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 14.

It is now Bored Guard's turn! Stena is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 12.

It is now Stena's turn! Warrick is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 9.

It is now Warrick's turn! Cautious Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 9.

It is now Cautious Guard's turn! Zofija is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round One - Init 4.

It is now Zofija's turn! Crik is next!

Guards quickly come running, the moment that they spot the intruders. Pulling their Morning-stars and holding their shields forward, approaching. One of them however choses the wrong path of approaching Carver...

Warrick is about to turn right, but Carver turns left, and he grimaces as the sound for intruders goes out. The ranger has one angle covered, so Warrick rushes forth through the party line to get the other path. "Let's be brisk!" he quickly says to the party, his back hitting one of the pillars. Playing a little safer on this skirmish instead of the all out brawl from before.

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 22.

It is now Crik's turn! Sad Guard is next!

GAME: Crik rolls weapon2: (8)+7: 15

"C'mon!" Carver hisses, as others arrive with the intention to fight. Fine. Her eyes narrows to slits as She snaps her bow up and fires, and the arrows impact without remorse as only cold unfashionable steel can. One after the other until a man is left dead in its wake. She takes a breath. Her wake. A killer's gaze switches to the next guard even as her all-too-youthful expression hardens farther.

GAME: Crik rolls stealth: (13)+13: 26

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 21.

It is now Sad Guard's turn! Gran'it is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 20.

It is now Gran'it's turn! Carver is next!

"We are getting trapped in a maze." The corvid egalrin says - or one of the shadows at least - before there is a flutter of a wing, a quiet 'thwip', and another flutter of a wing as the rogue hides.

GAME: Crik rolls damage2+3d6: aliased to 1d4+0+3d6: (4)+0+(9): 13

Sttena, of course, follows after them. She sticks close to the egalrin for the moment, hammer at the ready.

She's tense, taut, and ready to lash out at a moment's notice. Absolutely ready. Maybe even too ready.

More guards are on the way, warned by the ruckus. Coming from the south, Carver would be the first to spot them. But Gran'it quickly moves around the corner and takes up a defensive position in front of her with his Glaive and warns the guards; "Do not approach! We have come to free these people from your mishandling!"

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 18.

It is now Carver's turn! Bored Guard is next!

"Shit, course there's guards around the prisoners." The arvek-nar curses loudly. "I'll get in front of them, you all keep dealing with them!"

The cavalier charges ahead of the group, placing themselves firmly in the way of the approaching guards.

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 14.

It is now Bored Guard's turn! Stena is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (9)+8: 17

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (1)+5: 6

Carver twists her head back toward the south, and the recent threat. The soft patter of her moccasins are nothing in the thrill of combat as she kneels against the far wall, and she draws out a strange stone, pocked and old riverstone that she mutters over before giving a quick kiss of luck and ties it to her bow with a string.

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 12.

It is now Stena's turn! Numb is next!

GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+9: (3)+9: 12

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 11.

It is now Numb's turn! Warrick is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 14: (15)+14: 29

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (5)+5: 10

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (8)+8: 16

Nostrils flaring like she's some sort of maddened bull, Stena stomps the ground once and then races towards Zofija, moving in to support them without a first, second, or third thought. Thinking is somewhere down there on the list of things.

She leans her shoulder into her charge, but it's just not enough to displace tthe guardsmen who's able to stand his ground and even force her back a half-step with his morning star.

She keeps the head of her hammer between them and utters shortlty, "Fall down." He apparently decided he didn't want to listen to her instructions, belated as they were.

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 9.

It is now Warrick's turn! Cautious Guard is next!

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon17: (2)+12: 14

The Guards are moving in through the other tunnel towards Zofija and Warrick. One of them slamming his Morningstar into her shoulder while the other takes up a defensive position. So when Stena tries to trip his friend, he slams his heavy shield right in front of her foot, forcing her to kick that shield instead. And possibly bruise a toe.

To the south, a guard rushes Gran'it, who manages to cut into his armor right before the Guard gets to him. But Gran'it turns the glaive and deflects the blow.

GAME: Warrick rolls 1d10+4: (10)+4: 14

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 9.

It is now Cautious Guard's turn! Zofija is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (6)+8: 14

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8-5: (19)+8+-5: 22

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+4: (4)+4: 8

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Two - Init 4.

It is now Zofija's turn! Crik is next!

Warrick motions at the prisoner as his crossbow raises. "Get down!" A look is thrown back towards Gran'it's direction. Why the hells is he throwing out their objective into the air freely? Wait- shit, they're getting pincered! Quick thinking gets him to tag out with Stena, him retreating and falling back towards Gran'it as he briskly returns back to his normal bolts.

He all but throws himself against the wall, bracing his weapon and sliding some, but manages to get a heavy bolt to land into the guard's leg. "Oi! Form up! Walk it back!" he shouts to Gran'it. "Close ranks!"

GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+9+1+1-2: (11)+9+1+1+-2: 20

GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+6+6: (6)+6+6: 18

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 22.

It is now Crik's turn! Hopeful is next!

GAME: Crik rolls weapon2-4: (7)+7+-4: 10

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 20.

It is now Hopeful's turn! Vindictive Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8+2: (14)+8+2: 24

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (8)+5: 13

Crik whirls around as more shouting comes from behind them. "... nothing makes sense." He says rapidly, but he does attempt to aim his crossbow at the melee going on. It misses. He runs forward to try and protect Stein. "There are too many!" He caws in fright. "Endless!"

Zofija earns a bad smack from one of the guards, and decides to return it in full. Swinging their hammer hard, they give a solid strike innto one of their shoulders, knocking around more than a few bones.

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 20.

It is now Vindictive Guard's turn! Gran'it is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8+2: (1)+8+2: 11 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 20.

It is now Gran'it's turn! Carver is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 14-2: (9)+14+-2: 21

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5+6: (2)+5+6: 13

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 18.

It is now Carver's turn! Bored Guard is next!

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7+1-2-2: (3)+15+1+-2+-2: 15

GAME: Carver rolls weapon+1-2-2: (5)+0+1+-2+-2: 2

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7+1-2-2: (20)+15+1+-2+-2: 32 (THREAT)

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7+1-2-2-5: (19)+15+1+-2+-2+-5: 26

GAME: Carver rolls 8d6+20: (29)+20: 49

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 14.

It is now Bored Guard's turn! Miserable Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (20)+8: 28

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (9)+8: 17

GAME: Harkashan rolls 2d8+10: (13)+10: 23

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (6)+8: 14

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 13.

It is now Miserable Guard's turn! Stena is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8+2+2: (1)+8+2+2: 13 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 12.

It is now Stena's turn! Warrick is next!

Things are quickly getting rough near the western part of the formation. Gran'it is getting surrounded by guards - with Crik laying unconscious at his side as he tries to protect the avian! To the east, one of the Guards get another nasty cracking hit in one Zofija.

Carver slips forward, the cramped corridor making aiming more difficult. Not impossible as it turns out. She switches her attention to one of the guards from the south, whom has the misfortune to be pinned to the wall with her most recent flurry of arrows. She avoids looking too closely as his lifeless body slowly slides down into a crumpled heap.

GAME: Stena RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 10 temporary HP

GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+12: (14)+12: 26

GAME: Stena rolls 2d6+8: (6)+8: 14

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 9.

It is now Warrick's turn! Vengeful Guard is next!

Bodies. Spiders. Demons.

Stena has honestly heard enough. Rage stoked by her surroundings and the adrenaline coarsing through her veins, Stena aggressively pushes in on the weaker target, a guardsman already injured. Several swift bashes of her hammer are enough to leave him reeling as the air around her shimmers and sparkles with flecks of ice.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon17: (1)+12: 13 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon17: (6)+12: 18

GAME: Warrick rolls 1d10+5: (3)+5: 8

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 9.

It is now Vengeful Guard's turn! Cautious Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8+2: (2)+8+2: 12

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 9.

It is now Cautious Guard's turn! Drunk Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (17)+8: 25

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (3)+5: 8

GAME: Harkashan rolls 14: (11)+14: 25

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (5)+5: 10

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 6.

It is now Drunk Guard's turn! Zofija is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Three - Init 4.

It is now Zofija's turn! Crik is next!

Gran'it's position is getting overrun by Guards. Luckily, Carver and Warrick are providing more than enough firepower. And as another guard joins the mix, he quickly gets a spear to the chest for his attempt. But the would-be-King is clearly being pressured from all sides at the moment! "Damnit. I have a potion, but I can't get to Crik like this!" He calls out to Warrick.

"Shit..!" Warrick hisses as he watches Crik crumple to the ground. He shouts down the hall towards the others, "Crik's down and we're getting surrounded! Status?!"

He grits his teeth, throwing more bolts down Gran'it's way to pelt the guards on the young Lord. One misfires and twirls away, but another bolt is sent into guard's shoulder. "Step back, sir! We have to close ranks!"

GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+9+1+1-2: (19)+9+1+1+-2: 28

GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+6+6: (10)+6+6: 22

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 22.

It is now Crik's turn! Hopeful is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 20.

It is now Hopeful's turn! Gran'it is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8+2: (4)+8+2: 14

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 20.

It is now Gran'it's turn! Carver is next!

GAME: Crik rolls -3: (9)++-3: 6

GAME: Crik rolls constitution-3: (12)+0+-3: 9

GAME: Harkashan rolls 14-2: (11)+14+-2: 23

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5+6: (4)+5+6: 15

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 18.

It is now Carver's turn! Bored Guard is next!

"Alright!" Gran'it follows Warrick's suggestion, carefully stepping closer to Crik and Warrick while lashing his Glaive along the arm of one of the guards rushing his position!

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7+1-2: (14)+15+1+-2: 28

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7+1-2: (8)+15+1+-2: 22

GAME: Carver rolls weapon7+1-2-5: (9)+15+1+-2+-5: 18

GAME: Carver rolls 8d6+8: (29)+8: 37

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 14.

It is now Bored Guard's turn! Miserable Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 13.

It is now Miserable Guard's turn! Stena is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (6)+8: 14

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 12.

It is now Stena's turn! Warrick is next!

The guard hustling to Warrick never gets his moment, because by the time his morningstar is up and ready to slam down into the reloading soldier, he is thrown back with another hissing retort from her bow. "Keep up, old man!"

GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+9: (20)+9: 29

GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+9: (17)+9: 26

GAME: Stena rolls 6d6+42: (22)+42: 64

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 9.

It is now Warrick's turn! Vengeful Guard is next!

Stena had been hesitant. The switch from taking such care to avoid fatalities to a more desperate fight is not something she can easily make on a dime. The blow to her stokes her rage even further and, nostrils flaring once again, she engages in a flurry of blows against the guard before levelling one massive ooverhanded swing that drives their head down into their shoulders. Messily.

She recoils in horror, the primal dragon-rage driving her faltering in horror. "I didn't..." Still, she doesn't have long to dwell on it before her gaze swings to the others.

"You drag him out, I can heal him!" Carver calls out in her shrieky 'I'm under a lot of stress now' voice.

But she did. The body that Stena had hit, there's barely anything left. Crooked body, broken bones, crushed flesh and muscle.

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (8)+8: 16

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 9.

It is now Vengeful Guard's turn! Zofija is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 14: (14)+14: 28

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (2)+5: 7

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8+2: (13)+8+2: 23

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Four - Init 4.

It is now Zofija's turn! Crik is next!

The Guards that are still alive are ganging up on Gran'it. Though one of them calls out and points at Warrick. "Stop him, before they can heal the unconscious bird!" They call out as they get into position to try and flank the would-be-king, only to get a spear to the abdomen for their attempt. Though that one was close. Gran'it is getting out-pressured.

"I'm trying!" Warrick snips back to Carver, him gasping as another comes bounding around the corner. Seeing Gran'it slide back, he stashes his crossbow back briefly. "Good sir!"

He glances back to Carver, firmly nods, "Cover me sir!" The once-guard shoulder checks the current guard, throwing their swing off kilter as he grabs Crik by the many cloaks and pulls him back towards the heart of the party. With a practiced pivot to a knee, he haphazardly rolls the fallen egalrin behind him. "Secured! Rally!"

GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+7-2: (18)+7+-2: 23

GAME: Zofija rolls 1d6: (5): 5

GAME: NEW ROUND!

Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 22.

It is now Crik's turn! Hopeful is next!

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 20.

It is now Hopeful's turn! Gran'it is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 14: (4)+14: 18

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (7)+5: 12

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (12)+8: 20

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (7)+5: 12

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 20.

It is now Gran'it's turn! Carver is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 14-2: (10)+14+-2: 22

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5+6: (6)+5+6: 17

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 18.

It is now Carver's turn! Miserable Guard is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls -4: (2)++-4: -2

GAME: Carver rolls 1d8+3: (2)+3: 5

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 13.

It is now Miserable Guard's turn! Stena is next!

Zofija isn't doing too great after getting smashed hard by the morning star of one of the guards. "They'll have to wait, we need to get rid of the rest." The arvek-nar grunts painfully, running back to the main mine shaft and pulling out a javelin that they hop and hurl towards one of the guards, landing a solid hit.

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8+2: (1)+8+2: 11 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 12.

It is now Stena's turn! Warrick is next!

Carver lets her bow slide from her grip, already reaching for her pouch. She kneels down over Crik, eyes darting madly even as Warrick gives a cry of pain behind her. She draws on an ancient lesson barely remembered, applying a poultice to the wound that shimmers with low enchantment, before binding them quickly in vines soaked in rain water beneath a full moon.

Then she grabs Crik's beaked face between her hands and implores, "CAW! CAW! EARLY BIRD AND THE WORM, GET YOUR ARSE UP!"

GAME: Stena rolls 1d20+11: (12)+11: 23

GAME: Stena rolls 2d6+8: (7)+8: 15

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 9.

It is now Warrick's turn! Vengeful Guard is next!

Fortunately, moving fast is something that Stena can do. Bypassing the others to take u a position near to Gran'it as well, Stena is able to bring her hammer down on another guard, levelling them to the ground in a bloody, mushed heap.

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon17+1-2: (13)+12+1+-2: 24

GAME: Warrick rolls weapon17+1-2: (14)+12+1+-2: 25

GAME: Warrick rolls 1d10+5: (1)+5: 6

GAME: Warrick rolls 1d10+5: (2)+5: 7

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 9.

It is now Vengeful Guard's turn! Zofija is next!

GAME: Harkashan rolls 8: (15)+8: 23

GAME: Harkashan rolls 1d8+5: (6)+5: 11

GAME: Harkashan advances the initiative order.

Round Five - Init 4.

It is now Zofija's turn! Crik is next!

Guard after guard go down, until only one remains standing. Panting, grimacing, glaring at the group. Gran'it, who has remained to be a wall against their assault. Stena, Carver, Zofija, all having crushed their allies. Warrick, saving the one they thought to kill. He rushes around Gran'it, avoiding his glaive's blows, and slams his Morningstar down towards Warrick's head, in the hopes of laying him out before the Bird can get up!

GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+9+1+1: (7)+9+1+1: 18

GAME: Zofija rolls 2d6+6: (6)+6: 12

GAME: Stena ends her rage.

GAME: Harkashan removes the timestop.

Timestop by Harkashan has left.

Warrick sighs in relief as he sees Carver stabilize Crik, only to turn away as he's getting an earful. He yelps in pain, a morningstar cracking into his side with no armor, only to have a teammate clear them out of the way.

One shot nails one in the chest, another in the leg, "Keep it up--!"

CRUNCH

Half of the arbelest's helmet explodes in a spray of shrapnel as he takes the armor piercing weapon onto the dome, revealing gritted teeth and rivulets of blood. This is why you wear a helmet, kids.

With one remaining guard, it was more of a risk to have them alive than to risk getting hit. The arvek-nar charges the remaining foe, landing a heavy blow that sends them tumbling to the ground, leaving them panting heavily.

As the group takes down the Guard, a group of Miners approach them, wondering what is going on. "What... are... are we free?" They inquire with the group. "Are you here to get us out?" One asks. Another notes; "My father is near the entrance of the mines." - "A friend of mine is down that way." The group has more questions than anything, confused about what is going on, but happy to see these people taking out the guards. Though some of them are a bit squeemish at the whole... well... there's a lot of bodies.

... meanwhile, in another dimension, and another dreamlike state, Crik slowly gains some semblance of painful awareness of what lies beyond. He was struggling against it, but it was very insistent, and he was afraid of what would happen if he resisted for too long.

"-WORM WHAT-" He suddenly shrieks at Carver and then collapses again, holding his head in great hurt. "... owh..."

Carver just exhales in relief as Crik comes to, leaning over to collect her bow. "We lived by a hair, but lived all the sa--" Then they are beset by questions enough to rattle her senses for a moment. At least until she realizes Warrick is grievously wounded as well, turning to assist him.

Stena also looks very relieved to see Crik coming to. She shakes blood and ... other kinds of matter clinging to her hammer off it. Splorch.

Sheepsih, discomforted smile.

"...what's our next move?" she asks, panting still from the fatigue of the batttle.

Warrick wobbles on his legs as keeps the crossbow leveled at the hip where the foe once was. Only to find an Earthbreaker in its place there. He pants, clasping Zofija on the shoulder. "Thanks I... *pant*... I owe you one."

There was a lot of questions from the miners being thrown about, but he ends up looking towards Gran'it. "Sir, your people," he wheezes out, gesturing a hand towards the miners.

Feeling around the crater left in the helmet, he sighs, smacking a bent in section to pop the helmet off, and reveal his sweaty, blood smeared visage. Spotting Carver making her way towards him, he slides down to a sit. "Can't... have another skirmish like that again..." he advises. "Unless we find a stash of healing elixirs." Spotting one of the morningstars near him, he slides it closer from the dead man's grasp.

Gran'it looks at the others, then at Stena, then back to the Miners. "We find the rest of the Miners, and get out of here." He seems to be in agreement with Warrick. He's not really touching on the matter of these being his people, though it does get him some odd looks.

"We, these Adventurers and I, are here to get you out of here and to safety. Please, lead the way to the other miners, and we'll help extract them."

Just as he says this, a group of Miners are approaching from the South and the North-west, who are looking into where all the guards ran off to. And after some curiousity, step forward.

"Is that everyone?"

After some murmuring, and some conversation, it is confirmed they have gathered all the Miners. There are no more active guards in the mines. Though no doubt, the story of these mines will not end here... this chapter of it is over. For now.