xibalba ♔ sublime | like a heartbeat | in its own beat

[everyredcent]

Heartbeat - Gazelle Twin 

WHO || Christos, Risa, Gaz, Ella, Katniss, Dante  [closed] 
WHAT || The Knights explore several drow raids stemming from a series of caverns in Belize
WHERE || Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre, Belize 
WHEN || March (date TBD)
HOW || Actionspam (single thread)

[ Travel to the Mountain Nature Reserve goes smoothly, and as promised, a woman who works for the park meets them and escorts them within as 'researchers', guiding them towards the area near the cavern entrances.  She speaks very fluent English and makes it clear that she's willing to put her job at risk getting them in there if it means putting a halt to these attacks before waiting for it to get cleared through red tape with the authorities.  She stops them at the cave mouth, nodding at the entrance. ]

From here, you must swim inside of the cave, and then wade up the river within for about a kilometer before you will reach dry ground.  The caverns stretch within for another few kilometers.  Will you be alright from here?

Comments

[anthophobia]

[AWKWARD]

....thanks.

[Nothing like having a bunch of people congratulate you on your skill at murder. Whatever, it's fine.

Her eyes meet Christos' briefly, nodding once, while she continues to avoid eye contact with literally everyone else.]

[everyredcent]

[ despite having been the one to start that particular train, christos proceeds to look offended when everyone else compliments katniss on how cool her murder skills are, and says tersely ] Search them. [ while positioning himself to keep watch down the hole, weapon still drawn ]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ Gaz kneels to search her opponent's body. She didn't compliment the archer girl because that's just what archers do. (Search 18) ]

[layonhands]

[ risa draws the light near to gaz so that she can see the spoils, shielding it with her hand to keep it from filling the chamber.

the first sentry is a drow male wearing a (+1) mithral shirt, (+1) buckler, and cloak with runes etched into it. aside from his rapier, he was also armed with a masterwork dagger strapped to his boot, a masterwork hand crossbow with 20 bolts, and a number of potions and vials in a bandolier on his person - 3 potions, and 15 vials of some dark nasty smelling liquid.

the other drow had his glaive and a masterwork short sword at his side, a light crossbow with 20 bolts, wore a masterwork mithral breastplate, and has one potion in a pack at his waist, and 12 vials of the same dark liquid. ]

[sorceresslite]

[ ella's gonna cast read magic to see if she can read those runes on the cloak? ]

[anthophobia]

[Katniss, on the other hand, starts going through their pockets, pulling out and looking at one of the vials.]

Any idea what this is?

[everyredcent]

[ christos uncorks one to sniff it quickly ] ... Poison, of some sort.

Did anyone get struck with a blade?

[sorceresslite]

[ ella looks down at her wound. ] Yeah, but I'm immune. [ because of reasons. ] Can I have that cloak, yeah?

[anthophobia]

[Katniss slips the poison back into the dead guy's pocket because she doesn't want to deal with that, nope.

She shrugs her shoulders so far as the cloak, though. Looks like it would get in the way, tbh.]

[buttholy]

[dante is too pure and precious to take anything off a dead person. not that there's anything he wants. maybe the masterwork dagger ... nah.] I'm not going to fight you for it.

[sorceresslite]

[ ella on the other hand will totally take shit off dead people, literally she will take whatever everyone else doesn't want. gonna put that cloak on, gonna take that dagger if no one wants it??, gonna take those potions and sniff 'em to figure out what they are... (spellcraft 32) ] Cure light wounds. [ she passes that right to dante after recorking it. ] Jump and Bull's Strength. Any takers?

[farmgirlfighter]

[ /raises hand. ]

[sorceresslite]

[ ella hands 'em over before deciding, fuck it, and grabbing a couple vials of poison, too. can't hurt her so it can't hurt. ] That's sorted, then. [ she assumes. bc she's bossy. ]

[everyredcent]

We're going in, but be alert. They'll be more where that came from. [ he'll at least lead the way down the rope (climb 23) ]

[buttholy]

[dante will take the potion from ella since i mean ... she's not (completely) dead ... he didn't actually take it off the dead person ... (unsure) this is fine. anyway. and also he's following after christos. (climb 20 total)]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ Gaz tucks away the potions, goes to follow them down the hole, and proceeds to FUCKING FAIL AT EVERYTHING. (nat 1) ]

[sorceresslite]

[ um, so, ella's climb check was a zero. yep. dat negative strength score tho. yep. ]

[anthophobia]

[Katniss is still up top, so she'll try to catch...one of them by the wrist to keep them from falling. She's only one person you guys (reflex 18, strength 16).]

[layonhands]

[ gaz slips first, and it's enough to alert katniss in time to reach out and save ella from the same fate. gaz falls smack into the cold floor next to christos and dante, who are already down, while ella dangles in katniss' grip down the hole, risa still standing beside katniss on the floor above.

she keeps enough light directed on the hole that ella, christos, dante, and gaz when she lifts her head and recovers from the 1 falling dmg, can see where they are.

a hideous creature stands watch a few feet away from them. though it has the overall shape and stature of a drow, no shred of skin or hair is visible on its body - just gleaming muscles slowly oozing blood. its eyes watch without blinking, and its fists constantly clench and unclench as if it can't wait to pound something with them.

behind this montrosity stands a drow wearing a deep purple tunic and black breeches. a big black spider scuttles around its feet, the size of a dog. the cavern is comfortably appointed, with four padded wooden chairs set around a square table. the cavern seems to open into a dark abyss of nothingness beyond the figures, as if there is a sharp, sudden drop into the void where the ground comes to an end.

the monstrous creature bares its teeth at them, a lipless grin.

time for init! ]

[everyredcent]

[ christos doesn't waste a moment, his silver rapier flashing in the scant light as he closes the gap between himself and the monster, unfazed by its unnatural gaze. his sword cuts a diagonal slash across the creatures torso, severing tendons and spilling blood everywhere (atk 28, dmg ... 43) ]

[sorceresslite]

[ saved from biting it, ella let's go of katniss's hand and drops lithely to the ground like a cat (tumble 23). the second her feet touch the ground, she shouts in gaelic, casting magic missile. four streaks of pale green jet towards the enemy drow. (dmg 5, 3, 4, 4) ]

[anthophobia]

[As Ella drops to the ground below safety, Katniss jumps down as well, landing easily on the ground below (jump 24). She notches back two arrows, catching sight of the creature not far away, and lets them fly (many shot 21/29, dmg 10/5)]

[herebemonsters]

[ katniss' arrows land in the body of the flayed thing, but it still stands, and it backs away from christos, spitting an explosive blob of caustic acid at katniss (atk nat 20..., dmg 20) which does 2 splash dmg to dante and ella as well. ]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ Gaz, wincing more from a hurt pride than anything, stands, draws her swords, and runs towards the drow behind the monster. ]

1/2

[layonhands]

[ the drow backs up, but can go no further b/c there's that ledge there, snarling at her in its native tongue. a coruscating ray leaps from his hand (ranged touch 13 - if it hits, it drains 5 Str from her, no save). risa shouts down: ] Katniss! [ before going to climb down the rope ... slowly with her shitty check, it's gonna take her whole turn ]