[Taocow PBEM] Chapter XIX - Rath-Iren

[Aaron Clausen]

> > > [Raven]
> > > Raven found it hard to follow the events that transpired.
> > > There was obviously a lot that was going on that had a
> > > story behind it, but she did not know what they were.
> > > Hopefully someone will shed some light on the bigger
> > > picture for her, but for now all she knew was that she
> > > needed to take the two knight's lead. Zandeeli and Lyle
> > > was whom she had her loyalties to.
> > >
> > > "What flying beast?" Raven asked loudly while she took
> > > a step to stand behind Lyle and Zandeeli. "The one that
> > > flew into the light?" She pointed to the celing. "A rift
> > > opened up around there not that long ago. It seemed
> > > artificial to me, like one who used magic to open it. It
> > > didn't last long... just long enough for someone to step
> > > through, and that's why I think that! Because... I can do
> > > it, too!"
> > >
> > > Raven scrunched up her face in a grimace. She shouldn't
> > > have said that.
> > > [/Raven]

> > [Zandeeli]
> > Zandeeli, seeing among the gathering on the stairs, two
> > members of the sub's crew, says to Raven and Lyle,
> > "Clearly our shipmates have made new acquaintances
> > in our absense."  The African knight gives Raven a quick
> > glance.
> >
> > "I'm afraid we have no idea what you're talking about."
> > Zandeeli says. "There's no demon down here that we
> > can tell."
> > [/Zandeeli]

> > [GM]
> > It's at that moment that the ground begins to shake
> > again, and the sick-sweet feeling of a nexus bursting to
> > life overcomes the magic users and psychics.  Above
> > the temple, amongst the ruins, the blue dwarfs are
> > joined by more of their number, and they begin
> > marching on the temple.
> > [/GM]

> [Lyle]
> He looks around at the assembled group and makes note
> of their appearance and faces, he spots 2 of the crew
> members from the Depthbreaker.  He hears what Zandeeli
> says to himself and Raven and gives the other knight a
> middle finger. Looking at Raven and Zandeeli "Wasn't it
> dark when we came in? Ugh, when the hell are we?"
>
> He turns his attention back to the people assembled.
>
> "Flying demon... Haven't seen one, but there are a horde
> of blue midgets throwing spears that crack armor."  When
> Raven chimes in, he looks at her the same way Zandeeli
> did.
>
> He looks over to the 2 crewmen and "Where is Captain
> Zalquain and the Deptbreaker? How did you get here?.
> [/Lyle]

[GM]
"We were under attack most of the night." one of the
crewmen says.  "We managed to beat off the tentacled
monster again, but we thought maybe something had
happened to you, so we were sent out to follow you..
and the rest of these guys."
[/GM]

> [Lyle]
> The rift opens up and his head fills with the europhia again.
> "Not another one..." He shakes his head clear. "More
> dwarves!"
> [/Lyle]

> [Ted]
> Ted projects a telepathic message to everyone within his
> one hundred and fifty-foot range: ~More incoming smurfs,
> guys! We could use some help on the surface.~
>
> Meanwhile, he lowers his rifle and took aim on the nearest
> of the blue dwarves.
> [/Ted]

> [Owen]
> "Keep inside."
>
> Owen will again place a wall of fire between the approaching
> Dwarves and the entrance, hoping to slow them down and
> give more time to the others.
> [/Owen]

[GM]
Another wall of flame bursts into existence, fueled as much
by the energy of the rift as by Owen's inherent powers.  The
blue dwarfs are nervous to proceed.  However, a few armored
ones leap through the fire, and they seem unscathed.
[/GM]

> [Ted]
> Seeing the firewall now in place, Ted ran toward the stairs to
> join the others.
> [/Ted]

[GM]
Now that a few of the creatures have demonstrated that the fire
isn't sufficient to harm at least the armored ones, several more
leap through.

The two crewmen lay out covering fire, but one of them is hit by
a spear that pierces his armor and passes through his throat.

The other crewman shouts out "Macpherson is down!  They've
broken the line.  We've got to get down!"  Before he can say
any more a shimmering arrow hits his arm, pierces the armor,
and as he tries to pull it out, there's a shockwave that knocks
Alex, Ted and Owen to the ground.  The remaining sub crewman
has literally been torn to pieces, and the three are covered in
blood and body parts.

The ground is now rocking violently, and it's almost impossible
to stand.  Zandeeli shouts "Everyone in the room now!  If those
blue monsters catch us here, we're doomed!"

Above, even as those at the top of the stairs try to recover from
the explosion, the first blue dwarfs are on the steps, fearsome
spears in hand and explosive arrows cocked.
[/GM]

-- 
Aaron Clausen
mightymartianca at gmail.com