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Turn 169.5: Through the Tunnel

Posted: 1/6/02

(168.8)

            "Try beating that into submission," Emma taunts the dying mage, "Enjoy your trip to Anhur's Hall of Judgement..."

            Crayne remains nervous, standing with his back to the wall, and his staff clenched tightly in both hands.  He continues to concentrate on the sphere he created through his Spectral Force spell.  He hopes that it had the effect that he craved for.  Meanwhile, Crayne's sense of hearing has suddenly been enhanced since becoming blind.  He overhears the cries of help from Canter and panic begins to set in.

            "What is happening?" Crayne shouts out loud, awaiting a response.  Suddenly, Crayne begins to pick up on the lurid smell he created with his spell.  For a tiny moment a small grin flashes across his face.  The slightly surreal moment had caused Crayne some mental hysteria.  He had learnt a valuable lesson today, though.  The value of Dispel Magic was significant.  He would remember to have it memorised next time.  As an afterthought, Crayne whispers to himself, 'If there is a next time.'  He stands there waiting for any response to his earlier question.

            'Finally!' Hannibal grins with satisfaction after releasing Skandor on the enemy mage.  Hannibal begins to mutter to himself, 'We'll see who lives through the day now you bas...' and then he sees El's crumpled body.  Bernigan had laid still like that too after Hannibal's poison had taken its effect.  In fact, over the course of his years Hannibal had become quite adept at identifying a dead body...or very near anyway.

            "El?" Hannibal hears himself mutter, but the elf does not stir.

            Emma's head snaps around at Canter's cry.  She plants her boot against the wizard's chest and shoves him off her blade.  "Time to go, Sword Bearer," she says to her fighting partner.  She gags just a little as she passes through the smelly, luminous sphere around them.  Once she emerges on the other side, she looks for the leatherman's son and finds him kneeling next to El...and a very large pool of blood.  The sounds of the approaching Caerloon guardsmen also sound loud in her ears.

            The paladin nods at Emma without further thought, totally agreeing that now was a really good time to make their escape--while they still had the power to do so.

            Close on Emma's heels, Skandor exits the sphere and views the same scene of carnage around him that Emma saw.  Usually, though, it was the enemy who was mostly beaten and defeated. But looking at his companions--El especially--he felt as though this battle, so far, was more of a draw!

            Emma rushes to Canter's side.  Their eyes meet and then she looks worriedly down at El's lifeless form.  "I can help him," she says, "But hold the door...we'll need to use whatever escape route Klest took to get out of this place.  Don't move him just yet!"

            Emma closes her eyes and intones the words to her most powerful healing ritual.  "Save this one, Mighty General," she requests, "He has much left to do on this battlefield."  (OOC: Emma casts "Cure Moderate Wounds" on El, 5 hp restored.)

            As Emma prepares her spell, Skandor's jaw clenches, as it always does when nervousness threatens to overwhelm him.  He silently prays to his god for El's safety, hoping that Emma's spell would be in time.  From a distance, El appeared to be a corpse...  Again, Skandor says a quick prayer to Anhur as he guards the door in case more enemies appear.

            Hannibal is still at Canter's side, knife in his belt and bow drawn.  He places a hand on his

friend, the tanner's son. "We have to go Canter, can you carry him?"

            Canter looks at Hannibal as Emma intones her healing.  "I can, but I can't fight and carry him at the same time!"

            Hannibal follows Canter's gaze and sees that Storm's condition had not changed, he was still held.  Grabbing Canter's shoulder he physically pushes the warrior towards Storm (although it probably was no more than a light push to the larger soldier).  "Change that, you get Storm.  I will get El."  Hannibal slings his bow as Emma finishes her spell and grabs El, tossing the small elf over his shoulder with ease.  Moving quickly, Hannibal shuffled back across the room and grabbed Crayne with a free hand.

            Canter rises and once again looks upon Storm.  As Canter meets Storm's eyes and comes over to lift him up, the leatherman finds a garbled mumbling coming from his clenched teeth.  "Cccclllllllllltttrrrrpppppssss!!!!  Ccclllltrrps!!!!" Storm has no idea if his advice on the approaching soldiers can be heard or understood, and his attempt is communication is followed by a

"mrrrrppphhrrrrrrssssttttttrrrr!!!!" which, when spoken normally, would be a nasty dwarven curse.  Storm remains frozen until he can move, struggling with all his will against the hold spell.  If there ever was a time Storm wished all magic away from this world, this was certainly it.

            Canter, however, cannot make out exactly what Storm is trying to say, and with the putrid smell of the sphere and the footsteps in the hallway growing closer, he doesn't take a moment to ask for clarification.  There just wasn't time.

            Crayne, clutching his staff, hears a figure coming towards him.  Clenching his jaw he readies himself to strike.  As he is just about to swing, he hears Hannibal's voice:

            "Mage Crayne, we leave, now!"

            Crayne gives out a long sigh and replies, "Is everyone okay?  Is the mage dead?  We must get his

spellbook!" Crayne says eagerly.

            Hannibal hesitates for a moment, looking back at where the mage had fallen, though his body is obscured by the sphere.  Finally Hannibal turns to Emma, "Emma, Crayne wants the mage's spellbook if you have time."  That said he proceeds out the door behind Skandor.  "Sorry Mage Crayne, that is the best I can do."

            "What?!" Emma seems taken aback, and clearly distracted by the possibility of more Caerloon guardsmen arriving before Rinder's Six manages to escape.  As Hannibal leads Crayne away, she glances back at the shimmering globe conjured by the mage.  She didn't relish reentering that zone of smelliness at all, and certainly not while there were more important things to do.  "Just get out of here...NOW!" she urges them, waving her sword toward the exit.

            Nodding and turning, Hannibal darts through the door Emma indicated (behind the tapestry through which Klest had escaped) with El over one shoulder and Crayne by the arm.  "Mage Crayne, if you have one last Invisibility please cast it now!  Else tell me what your inventory is and maybe together we can make good use of them."

 

(168.9)

            "Okay...let's go!" Emma calls, then leaves it Hannibal and Canter to carry El and Storm...and somehow guide Crayne out.  "Skandor, you lead them out," she says, "We have no idea what might lie ahead if we follow Klest's escape route.  I'll do what I can to slow down the guardsmen."  She notes the Sword Bearer's worried glance and says, "Don't worry about protecting me!  I'll have help from a friend...and you're needed to protect them a little more right now."

            Skandor pauses only briefly, his hesitation to let Emma out of his sight a mere flicker compared to what it used to be.  He had come to trust in Emma's own abilities, her total ability to take care of herself.  And as she had said, some of his other companions were far worse off at the moment.  "We will wait for you...do not be far behind, Emma," he says as he turns and leads the group out the way that Hannibal had indicated.

            "I said GO!" Emma shouts at the others, tossing El's fallen weapon to Hannibal.  "I'll be fine...and fast on your heels!"

            Needing no further encouragement to depart the scene of the battle, Skandor heads down the hall/tunnel, seeking an exit from the building.  His weapon at the ready, he goes slow enough so that he does not leave his companions behind.  The Sword Bearer often glances behind him to make sure the others are following, and he assists them if they call for aid.  And, of course, he tries his best to hear Emma's voice, hoping that she does indeed follow close on their heels.

            Canter groans with effort as he lifts Storm, literally carrying the dwarf under his arm.  It took much effort in order to do so, and Canter moves slowly, but manages to find the hidden door behind the tapestry, following Skandor, Hannibal, the barely-alive El, and the blinded Crayne.

            Now left alone in the conference room, with the lingering odorous sphere, the dead mage, and an assortment of other dead and magically held enemies, Emma focuses her mind once more.  She prepares another enchantment, this time calling to the spiritual realm to once more summon her great fighting panther to her side.  As the great cat coalesces from the ethereal mists, she gestures toward the door where the Caerloon guardsmen seem to be approaching.  "Guard it," she says, "Let no one pass..."

 

(169.0)

            The priestess calls for one more blessing to prepare herself to act as the vanguard of Rinder's Six.  "Empower and prepare me to do your will," she intones.  (OOC: Emma casts "Aid" upon herself, gaining 5 hp.)

            Emma stoops to pick up another of the fallen Caerloon guardsmen's weapons, then quickly steps to the 'held' soldiers.  "No sneaking up on my back," she tells them, knowing they can hear her, but are powerless to defend themselves.  She strikes quickly with each weapon in her hands, ham-stringing the men so they'll be unable to pursue them when the enchantment wears off.

            As she does, the first of the guardsmen arrives at the broken-down door.  There, he immediately encounters the panther, which growls at the sight of the soldier.  The soldier leaps back, obviously surprised at the sight of the animal.  Then he sees the image of Emma slashing at the held soldiers' legs.  Seeing that he must get past this panther to get to the priestess, he lunges at the purple cat, but the panther jumps aside with its superior agility, avoiding the strike.

            Emma watches as the cat avoids the attack, a small smirk appearing on her face.  'That's the way...' she mentally encourages the spirit.  Then, without another look back, she turns and runs for the tapestry, tossing it aside and heading for the hidden door through which Klest had made his escape, and now Rinder's Six made its own.

 

            Shortly after entering the darkened tunnel, Skandor can feel his feet seem to fall off the floor--stairs.  They lead downwards, and as the dim light from the conference room fades behind him, the paladin sets his jaw for a journey in the dark.  Hopefully, this path would lead back to the surface soon.  Behind him, Skandor can hear the heavy breathing of Cranye, Hannibal, and Canter.

            "I'm beginning to hate the dark," Hannibal mutters as he tightens his grip on El.  The elf was breathing, but only faintly.

            "Darkness?" Crayne asks.  "Use my lightstone!"  He reaches into one of his pockets and produces the stone, which casts a cool yellow-green glow around the tunnel.

            "Thanks, Crayne," Hannibal says, taking the stone from Crayne.  "Skan--here!" he says, tossing it forward to their point-man.

            Skandor turns and catches the stone with a quick nod to Crayne.  Realizing quickly that the mage couldn't even see the gesture of thanks, Skandor nods to Hannibal.  "Thanks Mage Crayne," the Sword Bearer says, turning once more to face the tunnel ahead:

            It is narrow, just barely wide enough for Hannibal and Canter to make it through carrying their comrades without knocking them against the stone walls.  And it is just tall enough for Skandor to stand upright.  Surely, there was little room for swordplay here, should it become necessary.  The sounds of growling, roaring, and swords can be heard from behind, along with the quick pace of footsteps.  Ahead, there was no sound.  The tunnel seems to continue down as far as the light can illuminate.

 

(169.1)

            Out of breath, Emma reaches Canter, placing a hand on his shoulder.  "Have you found a way out?" she asks, panting.

            Canter jumps at Emma's touch, but immediately recognizes her voice.  "Not yet, Emma," he replies, smiling to her and patting her hand.  "Skandor's got Crayne's stone of light, but this tunnel only seems to lead down."

            "Well there's no going back," Emma says, looking over her shoulder behind her.  Then, she looks ahead to the Sword Bearer's back, ahead in the tunnel.  "Keep up the pace, Sword Bearer!" she calls to him.

            Nodding at Emma's words, Skandor keeps moving.

            "Emma!" Crayne calls out into his blinded darkness.  "The spellbook?!"

            "I'm sorry, Crayne," Emma replies.  "There was no time!  The other guards were already there when I left!"

            Crayne sighs in disappointment.

 

            After about five minutes of travel, the tunnel, which seems to have had no other doors or entrances or exits along its walls, appears to level out.  At about that time, Storm can once again feel himself swaying with Canter's steps.

            "Arr!  Ye can put me down, Canter!" he grumbles.

            Canter is only happy to do so, and for a moment the party stops as Storm shakes himself out, cracking his knuckles and stretching his legs.  "I be hatin' magics even more a-now," he mutters under his breath.  Then, to Canter, he says, "Caltrops!  Caltrops!"

            "Oh!" Canter says, pounding his forehead.  "I should have known."

            "Yeah, ye'd better know fer da next time!" Storm says, turning to continue the march through the tunnel.  Then, he stops.  "This tunnel be startin' up again."

            "That's good news," Hannibal says.  "The sooner we get to the surface and away from here, the better!"

            With that, they continue their march, the tunnel rising all the while.  Finally, it ends in a wooden doorway.  Skandor tries it, but it is locked.

            "Let me at it," Hannibal says, brushing the paladin aside for the moment.  He reaches into his pack, pulling out a lock pick.  "I'm used to breaking into buildings...not out of them!"

            "Quickly, Hannibal!" Emma urges, looking behind her down the tunnel, trying to listen for any guards on their trail.

            With a click, the door pops open, causing Hannibal to smile.  He moves toward it but feels Skandor's hand on his shoulder, holding him back.

            "Me first," Skandor says, drawing his weapon.

            Hannibal nods to the paladin, stepping out of Skandor's way.

            Skandor emerges through the door, finding himself outside.  It is just after sundown, and he can see four soldiers in the distance, walking away along the side of the building.  Ducking back inside, Skandor reports:

            "We've gone clear under the building, ending up around the back.  There are four soldiers, moving away from this position.  If we move fast and quiet, we can get away."

            "Let's do it," Canter says.

            Moving as fast as they can, the group exits the building, leaving the tunnel, the dead mage, and the big stone structure behind them.  Moving along the building's back wall, in the opposite direction from the other soldiers, they come to the corner, from where they can see the stable next to the tavern.

            From there, it is only moments until they are around the back of the stable, moving well under the cover of darkness and the snow flurries that have begun to fall.  Finding a door at the back, they enter the stable, which is empty and dark.  Minutes later, they are on their horses...all except Canter, who is peering through the stable's main doors to the street outside.

            "I see ten men and that officer, standing with the boy and the innkeeper.  They've got swords and crossbows.  I think if we spur hard enough, we can get them to clear out, on the run, or just run them down.  But it could get ugly," Canter reports.

            Crayne doesn't need his powers of vision to describe the scene on the other side of the stable doors: "A gauntlet."

1. HP Status: Canter: 41/44, Crayne: 24/16, El: 5/30, Emma: 37/47, Hannibal: 6/29, Skandor: 37/48, Storm: 36/50.

 

2. POSITIONS:

            The party is now in the stable, which is near the building in which the battle took place.  All are mounted on their horses inside the darkened stable except CANTER, who stands at the stable doors, peeking out.  He sees ten Caerloon soldiers, the officer, the innkeeper, and the stable boy from the inn, all of whom are standing in the square in front of the main building, the stable and the inn.  CRAYNE is still blinded, but STORM is no longer held.  ELLOHARIN is alive, but severely wounded.

            By the end of this post, it is round 170.5.  (Emma's Aid spell wears off in 170.9.)

 

3. Actions?!  Will you attempt to distract the soldiers in the street or just burst out of the stable and ride out of town?  If/When you ride out of town, in which direction do you intend to head?  Will you follow a main road or head into the wilderness?

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