Sands of the South - Game Thread

"You could piss on it and see if that works." I chuckle at my response. "But if we see any liquid move...might not be as welcoming as this darkness is." I continue down using my night vision to keep tabs on my surroundings.

Tolr'ax wrote:I turn to my fellow adventurers, "How does one kill breathing water?" I smile at my joke, and follow into the darkness with my newly honed and sharpened sword at the ready.

Dook wrote:"You could piss on it and see if that works." I chuckle at my response. "But if we see any liquid move...might not be as welcoming as this darkness is." I continue down using my night vision to keep tabs on my surroundings.

BUM BUM BUUUUUUUM!

As you descend, the air quickly turns both more humid and warmer. A strange juxtaposition after the baking desert and cool tunnels. The tunnel at first appears to be hewn stone much like the rest of the complex, but after a short drop of chiseled stairs, the rock is bare, unrefined, uncivilized. It is still a relatively steep drop, however, as if the cliffs here were steps for much larger people at one time. Below, as the ground begins to level out, the various stalagmites and stalactites begin to merge with one another creating columns in the dark. Bioluminescent fungi give off a faint blue hued glow, scattered in patches along the ceiling, and along the ground in some places are some lantern beetles - none of which seem to be pulsing madly or dim like those left behind in the Cathedral what feels an eternity ago.

The cave now - no longer a tunnel in truth - suddenly opens onto a precipice overlooking a wide cavern covered in the fungi and heavily infested with the bugs. And something else. Down in the central portion of the cavern is a small lake, perhaps 200 yards across. The water bubbles so clearly even Tolr'ax can't miss it in the dark. Water shoots up from a few different areas in the water with astounding regularity, producing steam jets, and in the cavern the air is so thick with heat and moisture you are all dripping sweat in no time. For some of you the look is good, others... less so. Eiznof adjusts his hair repeatedly and finally gives up to the frizz and looks simply pissy.

Along the right, the ground slopes down to the only exit from the room, and there you can make out some sort of critter. Amongst the dense fungi-ferns and palm-like shroom-trees here, there is movement. A'mryl alone can tell that it is some sort of lizard, and it stands roughly 5 feet tall, with wicked talons and a pointed tail.

What do you do?

Can any of us besides A'mryl tell that it is a creature over there?

*I have night vision so shouldn't I be able to see it*

*I whisper to everyone and tell them to stop moving and describe the creature I can see in the distance*

Taking A'mryl's warning I draw my bronze dagger, and whisper to Kip, "Friend of yours?" Hunched down I wipe sweat from my face and sweep my hair back. Ugh how miserable, we'll die from dehydration at this rate, I think to myself.

Tolr'ax wrote:Can any of us besides A'mryl tell that it is a creature over there?

Yes, why else would I say only she?

Dook wrote:*I have night vision so shouldn't I be able to see it*

You have Darkvision, and it is inferior. Hence only she.

A'mryl wrote:*I whisper to everyone and tell them to stop moving and describe the creature I can see in the distance*

Jamros Mageblood wrote:Taking A'mryl's warning I draw my bronze dagger, and whisper to Kip, "Friend of yours?" Hunched down I wipe sweat from my face and sweep my hair back. Ugh how miserable, we'll die from dehydration at this rate, I think to myself.

"No," Kip says. "Darkscale Raptors. Servants of the Fang. Easy alone. But never alone. We see only one, is because they want us to. Only one way ahead, though... We have a choice?"

I look at the others, "Kip and I can attemp and sneak attack, then once we get the first and possibly a second one if there is one, Dook and Tolr'ax can then jump in with strength and crowd control. The rest of you support as the situation needs it. Better plan than fire bomb I hope?" I ready myself and move forward staying in the shadows.

I focus REALLY hard on the Raptor. Still cant see it... "This lighting does me no favors, Pocket Patter, I cannot kill what I cannot see." I whisper to Jamros. I look to A'mryl and Olo. Can you create light enough for me to see? I fear a torch would take too long." I ready my sword and get ready for a fight. Listening for any noise that I might hear being made that can clue me in on any other creatures' movement.

*whisper* "I think it unwise as it may give us away before we have a solid plan formulated... Olo, is there a song in your library that may lull this beast to drowsiness or calm it?" *I kind of laugh to myself on my play on words. Haha "drowsiness". I'm a drow. Its funny.*

While you're busy discussing how to proceed, the Raptor turns slightly, and vanishes, as if melding into shadow.

Can I smell or hear perceive anything about this place with any senses besides sight?

Tolr'ax wrote:Can I smell or hear perceive anything about this place with any senses besides sight?

The water hisses and bubbles, the steam vents in full exhaust. There are a few critters around - centipedes, bats, things like that. And your own Body Odor. It is overwhelming in this close space.

I whisper "I need to clean myself as soon as possible."
"I will draw them out if they are going to hide, be ready to attack as soon as they appear." I whisper to the others.
I prepare myself, and follow where Jamros went. I start walking over where the critter was, sword drawn, ready to fend off an attack from any direction.

*Divaval springs from his hiding nest in my hair and mimics the sounds of the ants when he's farthest from us*

I follow up behind Tolr'ax with my guard up. I've been itching for a battle and if we end up fighting in the dark, I wouldn't be that upset.

I let out a small fart, cropdusting Dook. Making him smell my gross fart.

Tolr'ax, as you scooch down the slope trying to get into position, something squelches under foot. And suddenly your foot is in pain as a slime bubbles up and wraps itself up to your knee. You take 3 necrotic damage.

In the tunnel entrance behind them an Elf woman stands mostly in the nude, body painted in glowing runes. She is chanting.

"Kill the Snake witch!" Kip cries.

Diaval's clicks and chirps go unheard in the screech of the Raptors as 3 of them rush from the undergrowth.

BATTLE IS JOINED! I need an action from every player.

I heard his fart loud and clear from 10 paces behind him. "You dumb arse, with a wind tunnel like you will alert everyone here of our location. Not to mention the smell!" I whisper.

You dumbarse..

I shake my head at Tolr'ax...

I set my sights on the raptor to the farthest left. I run and punch it in the face as hard as I can. As a bonus action, I use a ki point to use my Flurry of Blows for an additional two more punches as it is caught off balance from the first punch.

I swiftly sneak past the raptors, hoping I'm unnoticed, and with my bronze dagger thrust it towards the Witch with a sneaky bastard attack.

Jamros Mageblood wrote:I swiftly sneak past the raptors, hoping I'm unnoticed, and with my bronze dagger thrust it towards the Witch with a sneaky bastard attack.

She is too far away, and there's no way past the Raptoes without invoking an opportunity attack.

I'll make a map tomorrow.

I yell out in pain from the Slime. I immediately go into a rage (bonus action) suddenly, a glowing blue transparent Goliath appears beside me, it looks a bit like me, but clearly older, like a ghost of the future Tolr'ax. He smiles at me, I understand that this is my ancestor, come from the dead. I look down at the slime and stab my greatsword  into it. Then back up 5 feet and take a defensive stance.