Post by David on Sept 18, 2007 14:10:23 GMT -5
Twelve days later, a new group of heroes assembled and finally (successfully) reached the ancient city of Azura on Luna. Much had happened in the intervening days -- several heroes left the group and others joined to replace them.
Arianna led Black Robe, Rhanée (and Zauloman), Artec, Kate, Andar of Eon, and Mang on this new assault. Each had their own reasons for going and resources to offer. Rhanée agreed to use her magical mirror for the party as a means of reaching Azura and to accompany them once there, her teleport spell a fail-safe method to return home. Moorak gave Artec leave to deal with a short mission away from Amberwood and the archer volunteered to protect his baron's high-priestess. Kate signed on to help the common good, especially since she had personally slain the other Primal God, Sauron. Andar submitted to a quest from Arianna to destroy Vertigo in exchange for a divine cure from horsemouth. And Mang was just looking for a good fight.
The group arrived in the same chamber where the Tovag Baragu portal connected to. The group surveyed the room and didn't notice anything out of place. But, within moments, the heroes found themselves suddenly under attack. A swarm of foot-long flying, teleporting beetles suddenly blinked to the attack. Nine struck in the first assault and while their boring bite was deadly, more fearsome was their extremely-potent paralytic poison.
Within the first round the heroes were already on the defensive. First nine, then four more, then seven more of the swift, deadly beetles 'ported in. Arianna managed to hold her own, battling several beetles. Black Robe fell to the toxin, but Arianna slowed it so he could continue the fight. Rhanée also fell, but was similarly saved by Arianna. Later, she assumed gaseous form in order to get some space to cast a spell. Zauloman fought well, but was dropped quickly. Artec found himself locked in melee combat and unable to use his bow. Only Kate seemed to have the upper hand and it was The Demon Slayer who finally managed to kill one of the fearsome creatures. Heck, for most of the battle, she was the only one not constantly fighting for her life! Andar was the first to fall to the monsters' toxin, but after a slow poison from Arianna, he turned the tables on the creatures.
The beetles burrowed through Mang's hip, severing an artery and effectively taking the dwarf out of the fight. Andar recovered just in time and used a psionic blast to take out most of the beetle on Mang as well as many on Kate. This provided the heroes with the break they needed. Although Arianna spent most of the combat using her spells to defer the creatures' toxin, it allowed the heroes to fight on. Andar attempted to mesmerize the foes on Artec, but they proved far too tough -- each with a strong life-force than the telepath! By this point, Kate had slaughtered several of the beetles, revealing that they were particularly powerful indeed.
Arianna chanced a quick spell, calling down defensive harmony on herself, Andar, Rhanée, Zauloman, and Kate. Andar managed to snare three, mentally dazing them and Rhanée unleashed a flame strike on those, but they survived! At this point, however, Artec was free to rain his lethal arrows down on the creatures. Each time some would recover from Andar's telepathic assaults, the half-orc would fire three or four arrows in to the creature, killing it. While not attacking mentally, the telepath managed to slow Mang's bleeding with a healing salve long enough to keep him alive. Then first Rhanée and then Black Robe used healing spells to restore him.
Some four minutes after arriving the heroes were all alive (some barely), surrounded by twenty giant insect carcasses. Were it not for EXCELLENT teamwork, most of the humans would have joined the bugs!
Andar had completely exhausted his mental energies and both Arianna and Black Robe had used many spells. Rhanée teleported on group home and them re-opened the mirror to take the others.
Arianna led Black Robe, Rhanée (and Zauloman), Artec, Kate, Andar of Eon, and Mang on this new assault. Each had their own reasons for going and resources to offer. Rhanée agreed to use her magical mirror for the party as a means of reaching Azura and to accompany them once there, her teleport spell a fail-safe method to return home. Moorak gave Artec leave to deal with a short mission away from Amberwood and the archer volunteered to protect his baron's high-priestess. Kate signed on to help the common good, especially since she had personally slain the other Primal God, Sauron. Andar submitted to a quest from Arianna to destroy Vertigo in exchange for a divine cure from horsemouth. And Mang was just looking for a good fight.
The group arrived in the same chamber where the Tovag Baragu portal connected to. The group surveyed the room and didn't notice anything out of place. But, within moments, the heroes found themselves suddenly under attack. A swarm of foot-long flying, teleporting beetles suddenly blinked to the attack. Nine struck in the first assault and while their boring bite was deadly, more fearsome was their extremely-potent paralytic poison.
Within the first round the heroes were already on the defensive. First nine, then four more, then seven more of the swift, deadly beetles 'ported in. Arianna managed to hold her own, battling several beetles. Black Robe fell to the toxin, but Arianna slowed it so he could continue the fight. Rhanée also fell, but was similarly saved by Arianna. Later, she assumed gaseous form in order to get some space to cast a spell. Zauloman fought well, but was dropped quickly. Artec found himself locked in melee combat and unable to use his bow. Only Kate seemed to have the upper hand and it was The Demon Slayer who finally managed to kill one of the fearsome creatures. Heck, for most of the battle, she was the only one not constantly fighting for her life! Andar was the first to fall to the monsters' toxin, but after a slow poison from Arianna, he turned the tables on the creatures.
The beetles burrowed through Mang's hip, severing an artery and effectively taking the dwarf out of the fight. Andar recovered just in time and used a psionic blast to take out most of the beetle on Mang as well as many on Kate. This provided the heroes with the break they needed. Although Arianna spent most of the combat using her spells to defer the creatures' toxin, it allowed the heroes to fight on. Andar attempted to mesmerize the foes on Artec, but they proved far too tough -- each with a strong life-force than the telepath! By this point, Kate had slaughtered several of the beetles, revealing that they were particularly powerful indeed.
Arianna chanced a quick spell, calling down defensive harmony on herself, Andar, Rhanée, Zauloman, and Kate. Andar managed to snare three, mentally dazing them and Rhanée unleashed a flame strike on those, but they survived! At this point, however, Artec was free to rain his lethal arrows down on the creatures. Each time some would recover from Andar's telepathic assaults, the half-orc would fire three or four arrows in to the creature, killing it. While not attacking mentally, the telepath managed to slow Mang's bleeding with a healing salve long enough to keep him alive. Then first Rhanée and then Black Robe used healing spells to restore him.
Some four minutes after arriving the heroes were all alive (some barely), surrounded by twenty giant insect carcasses. Were it not for EXCELLENT teamwork, most of the humans would have joined the bugs!
Andar had completely exhausted his mental energies and both Arianna and Black Robe had used many spells. Rhanée teleported on group home and them re-opened the mirror to take the others.
