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

[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 ]

[buttholy]

[dante goes in for the creature with his sword. (atk 25; 7 dmg) ]

[everyredcent]

[ almost enough to drop it, by not quite... so christos will follow it up with one of those strokes of his that will finish the job ]

[sorceresslite]

[ grrr. die already. with an irritated hiss, ella flings both her arms forward, casting scorching ray, two fiery rays shooting toward the drow. (atk 29 & 26, dmg 11 & 12, caster check 27) ]

[anthophobia]

[Katniss grits her teeth and barely makes a noise through the pain (will save 22), as she fires off a few arrows at the drow now that the monster has dropped (atk nat 20/27, dmg 30/11).]

[farmgirlfighter]

[ Gaz lashes out at the drow with her swords. (atk 22/4/18/17, dmg 6/8/5/3) ]

[layonhands]

[ welp, between the lot of them, the caster goes down more than easily, and risa places a hand on katniss' shoulder, healing her back to full. all that's left is that giant spider... ]