Greyhawk: Against the Giants: Huecuva's Blight

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:27:06

BRAKUS rears slightly, lifting his two forelegs only about a foot off the ground for a second. He shakes his head and GHORENFORE senses disappointment. A moment later a short, stunted whinny from BRAKUS is followed by feelings grudging understanding.

BRAKUS turns, rounds the flagged magical traps, and turns west. BRAKUS breaks into a gallop through the dead woods, heading back to the Treants.

GHORENFORE feels grumbling from BRAKUS, even as his mount gallops out sight, probably targeted at foes who hide underground.

9 rounds have passed for spells still active.

Ghorenfore took a moment and watched as Brakus rode away.
Be safe old friend, be safe…

Looking towards the cave entrance his mind began to formulate a new plan, and even as he started walking over he carried himself with a renewed purpose.

Would there be any possibility of anyone being alive down there?
Could NERRUANE take prisoners? Would he?

The possibility made him raise an eyebrow at the very least, he remembered seeing the woman sacrificed, and where there was one there was a possibility of more. If indeed they did find any innocents, then they would need to take precedence over everything else, that much could not be ignored. His mind twisted at trying to comprehend the evil and the fact he couldn’t grasp its purpose only made him wonder more

How could something like that be allowed to exist for so long?
And more importantly why hadn’t anyone done something sooner?

Answers to questions he may never know, and although Lowlyn and Glassblower had done their very best to explain the situation, perhaps the sheer gravity of it was completely beyond his comprehension and indeed lost on him. Even now he tried to grapple with the images Pelor had bestowed upon him and couldn’t completely grasp their divine meaning, perhaps he never would, or perhaps he was once again over thinking the situation entirely. Ghorenfore considered the possibility, as he walked, that the purpose may have been just to show him what he was up against. There was a definite subconscious self doubt that started with Forlin and Ghorenfore’s own recognition that he had indeed been a bit racial in some of his thought processes, and Ghorenfore was begining to see it now.

“MARILYN, you and I will take point.” Ghorenfore interrupted his own thoughts to bring himself back around to reality.
“FENNIGAN you’ll bring up the rear with LUSULA and PACHEEN as well, if we get heated we’ll need an exit plan. LUSULA, PACHEEN, you’ll be our exit team. IF we get flanked, you two can take the back and FENNIGAN can go to the middle
Ghorenfore looked at HLIN and smiled, “HLIN you’ll be with me and MARILYN”
Ghorenfore paused and looked back to MARTIN and LOWLYN,
“If at some point we need a scout team, I’m going to lean on the two of you for that. Somehow I don’t think MARILYN and I will do very well as the scouting type. But I’m expecting they know were here by now, so you two can stay behind the three of us.”
Ghorenfore looked to LOWLYN briefly,
“LOWLYN being as you’re in the middle I don’t know how tight these caves are going to get, but if you and MARTIN come down to it and you need to start shooting into the middle of a fight, go for it. My feelings won’t be hurt if you hit me accidently…”
Ghorenfore Nodded
“Lets Move Out…”

Ghorenfore thought for a momen, If he had been wrong about the Orcs, how many other things could he have been wrong about? Had he been wrong to deny the dwarves some form of asylum simply because of who and what they were? Were all Orcs evil? did they really deserve the compassion Forlin had showed them? How many decisions had he made in the past were clouded by his own self righteous arrogance
Yea, this needs to change...

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:28:00

LOWLYN raises an eyebrow. Elven pride and sarcasm weigh heavy on his voice.
"If I hit you with an arrow, it'll be on purpose."

The party moves to converge at the cave entrance.

HLIN is one of the closest on the approach to the cave entrance. As she moves through the dead thicket, pain rips through her feet. The exposed roots of the dead holly trees rip into her feet. The pain is excruciating and threatens to cause permanent damage to HLIN's feet.

HLIN is assaulted at (54, 45), (53, 46), and (52, 47). HLIN is currently at (52, 47).

LUSULA also moves into the thicket at about the same time. She was heading to the most western edge of the thicket to take up the rear flank of the party. She steps through an area of the thicket that makes her take pause.
"This area of the thicket is incredibly rough on the feet."

LUSULA is concerned about HLIN's troubles, but LUSULA appears to suffer little ill-effect.

LUSULA is "assaulted" at (46, 47), (46, 48), (46, 49), (46, 50). LUSULA is currently at (46, 51).

PA'CHEEN also moves into the thicket at the western edge to take up the rear flank. He steps into the thicket and suffers no ill-effect. To him the ground isn't even rough like LUSULA's observation.
PA'CHEEN (45, 51)

All other characters approach the thicket and are at the current positions below:
FENNIGAN (46, 46)
GHORENFORE (40, 47)
LOWLYN (39, 46)
MARTIN (40, 44)
MARILYN (39, 44)

Another 9 rounds have passed for spells that are still running.

Roll #1 Spell/Trap Damage on HLIN

The member 'Aloddaharm' has done the following action : Dices roll

'd4' : 3, 3, 3

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:28:00

Spell/Trap Damage Results:

HLIN suffers 9 points of piercing damage.

HLIN must also make a Reflex save (DC: 16) or suffer a 50% movement rate reduction due to wounds to her feet and calves.

" I think I was hit by an unfriendly spell !?" HLIN says with pain in her face


REFELX ROLL +5

Cloak of resistance +1 it is all ready in the st

The member 'EvilBob' has done the following action : Dices roll

'd20' : 11

HLIN's Results

REFELX ROLL : 16

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:28:00

HLIN's Results:
HLIN takes no further injury from the spell/trap (although the 9 points of damage remain).

"Alright everybody freeze,..."
Ghorenfore looks around facing MARILYN and FENNIGAN, then finally to LUSULA.
"Corret me if I'm wrong, but how did you get through this area during combat?"
Ghorenfore was almost sure he saw them making their way through here during the battle, but with all the confusion and his preoccupation of the battle itself he couldn't be sure of their exact prior location.
“It was right around there wasn’t it?”

Ghorenfore points to the area: (46, 51), (47, 51), (46, 52), (47, 52)

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:28:18

MARILYN shakes her head.
"No, Lieutenant, we were further in, closer to the cave entrance. LUSULA doored us in. I was on her left (50, 51)."

MARILYN's thoughts follow her finger as she retraces her steps.
"I went to help HLIN and ran north, straight through the thicket. I did not suffer any ill-effects from traps or spells."

LUSULA
"I doored FENNIGAN and me out of the thicket when we decided to get closer to the fight."

FENNIGAN adds,
"We did move our position toward the area the lieutenant has pointed out before we doored. We were looking to get a better view of our targets for our range spells."

3 rounds have passed for spells still running

"Well can anyone detect the spell to see where it might be? So we can quit watsing time because they know we are coming it is just where we are coming from." HLIN asks

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:29:06

PA'CHEEN nods at HLIN and is eyes glow a light blue as he scans the thicket.
"Damn, they trapped the whole area with a spell except for two paths."

After a moment, PA'CHEEN adds
"The aura's not very strong, I think we can dispel it."

LUSULA throws her hand in the air and globe of white, crackling energy is conjured deep within the thicket. The energy orb explodes in a 20 FOOT radius engulfing HLIN. For a moment the ground in the area of the energy explosion glows. It fades quickly and LUSULA eyes narrow at an apparent failure.

PA'CHEEN adds good-naturedly
"And TA'HEED asked you to come."

PA'CHEEN waves his hand and another globe of energy explodes in the thicket and around HLIN. This time the ground glows rapidly with energy. A moment later the energy rises from the ground and disperses.

PA'CHEEN smiles at LUSULA.

LUSULA's eyes narrow at PA'CHEEN. Her lips break into a snarl.
"I hate you."

PA'CHEEN keeps smiling. Without taking his eyes off LUSULA, PA'CHEEN says,
"GHORENFORE it's safe, let's get moving."

Time: 16:29:36

13 rounds have passed for spells still running.

"Save the hate for the undead things we have to fight!" HLIN says

"Anyways we look at they are our biggest danger that can do more damage than some spells." HLIN says

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:29:18

With the spell gone, the party safely forms up near the cave entrance. GHORENFORE is in the lead, followed by HLIN, MARILYN, LOWLYN, MARTIN, FENNIGAN, LUSULA, and PA'CHEEN.

The cave entrance is narrow. The passage beyond the entrance is tight, close to 5 FEET wide and the ceiling is only 8 FEET high. Cobwebs hang like specters at the entrance. The floor of the cave slopes sharply and dangerously from the entrance to some abyssal depth. The light from the setting sun, barely illuminates the dark passageway.

2 rounds have passed for running spells.

"Caves oh boy fun times going under ground for those damn kobolds and troglodytes." HLIN says with a grin on her face rubbing her hands together

Ghorenfore sighs realizing yet one more disadvantage now. Not being accustomed to cave diving or going underground he pulled HLIN in front of him with a smile.
"I'm going to need your eyes, my dear. Looks like you have an edge on that one too.”

Mental thought
It took a solid minute for him to register it and he mentally scolded himself for not thinking about it sooner. The Darkness would definitely be a disadvantage here, and he had no idea how to combat it. He was certain that at least half of his comrades would be fine, but how could he expect anyone to take orders from someone who was effectively blind.

Ghorenfore shook his head, the old self doubt creeping back in again; a passing thought wondered if Fennigan could do anything but was dismissed at quickly as it occurred. Fennigan couldn't be expected to solve all of his problems now could he?

"Anyone else has Darkvision ? it would help us with going into this cave." HLIN ask

It indeed would cut down on hitting our allies by half HLIN thinks to herself

MARTIN says "I do." then remembers something & starts digging through his backpack.
He pulls out an everburning torch & says "I picked this up before I died. Anyone wanna borrow it?"

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:29:48

5 rounds have passed for spells still running.

PA'CHEEN
"LUSULA and I possess darkvision, so we have the rear flank covered."

FENNIGAN
"However, I do not possess the spell. If that's also what you're asking HLIN."

FENNIGAN turns to MARTIN.
"Excellent, MARTIN! That may save us a light or two. I'll hold on to it since the rest of you will no doubt have your hands filled the moment we get down there."

MARILYN glances down the steep slope into the dark cavern.
"Yeah, about that. It's pretty steep."

"It's ok FENNIGAN, you have been helpfull. But the reason why I was asking is to see if we had enough people with Darkvision to do a strike team." HLIN says

Ghorenfore nods to Martin
"Thank you my friend."
Looking to Hlin he considers the possibility but dismisses it immediately.
"I don’t think a strike team is a good idea quite yet, I believe our strength lies in our number at this point, and we'll stick with it that way for now.”
Ghorenfore takes the lead again feeling much more comfortable about the lighted situation, keeping an eye out for any trouble along the way.
“Let’s move, and everyone watch your step,”

Huecuva's Blight
Waterday, Sunsebb 5th, 586CY
Time: 16:30:42

9 rounds have passed for spells still running.

GHORENFORE steps into the cavern entrance. He first notices the change in air temperature. While cool, the air temperature is about 15 degrees warmer than the freezing air outside. FENNIGAN's position in the party's column gives GHORENFORE little comforting light ahead. However, the light does dance with the shadows of the cavern walls.

The cavern is steeper than GHORENFORE has realized. The slope of the cavern floor is over 20 degrees, too much for a character in heavy armor to traverse without added precautions. The moment GHORENFORE descends he finds himself off balance and about ready to plunge into the depths.

ACTION:

Need a Balance check or Dexterity check (DC: 5) or tumble into the depths.

Armor Check Penalty applies to this roll!

Balance check

(-1 dex, -6 armor check penalty)