Ch 3: Part 4: Alchemical Raid: Session 40

[14:49] <Kilarra> *****Second Darkness*****
[14:49] <Kilarra> ~~~Chapter 3: The Armageddon Echo~~~
[14:50] <Kilarra> \Part 4: Alchemical Raid/
[14:50] <Kilarra> -Session 40-
[14:51] <Kilarra> The party, having taken care of the drow holding the Library of Reenai, have been relieved of holding the building by a squad of elves, and have been asked to return to the camp, and report to her for another assignment. This also provides them with an opportunity to deliver the intel they recovered.
[14:55] <@Aluthyra> Tognik makes sure to gather up the orbs, keeping them carefully tucked away in his haversack. After securing them, he follows the group quietly, wanting to keep the orbs safe.
[14:56] <Kilarra> notably, only the one orb seems to hold that complex illusionary project, while the others just have vague, faded images.
[14:57] <@Aluthyra> Tognik still takes all of them, just in case.
[14:57] * Kilarra reloads her crossbow with one of the alchemic bolts she hadn't tried yet to see what it did.
[15:08] <Kilarra> As the party makes their way back towards the forest path, something enormous strides out in front of them. The massive creature looked like an oversized black widow spider, eight spindly legs holding it up. However, where normally a spider might have a head, this creature instead has the upper body of a drow woman.
[15:08] <Kilarra> The creature stops and rounds on the party as soon as it glances in their direction, roaring savagely.
[15:11] * Aluthyra isn't in the best of moods from all of her previous missed shots, clear as she aims her bow. With focusing her Ki, she fires off a barrage of four arrows, aimed to kill.
[15:15] <Kilarra> The first two arrows strike true on the creature, which howls wickedly and hisses
[15:16] * Kilarra just gapes at the creature for a moment before bringing her crossbow back up. Time to see what this thing could do.
[15:17] <Kilarra> The creature shrieks in pain as the bolt strikes its thorax, a splash of acid searing the spot where its flesh was melded.
[15:19] <Kilarra> The drider does not look happy, and raises a hand crackling with electricity, aiming for the two that just had the audacity to attack it.
[15:22] <Kilarra> Aluthyra's nimbleness allows her to slide under the bolt of lightning unleashed by the drider, only singed by it. Kilarra, unfortunately, takes the brunt of it right to the chest.
[15:22] * Kilarra staggers backwards, cursing
[15:23] * Aluthyra 's celestial heritage allows her to absorb much of the bolt. She winces, but looks over to Kilarra with concern.
[15:23] * Kilarra is only slightly better off because of her fiendish heritage, but still got it way worse than Aluthyra
[15:27] <Aluthyra> Tognik stays hidden, not wanting to risk the orbs. He readies a spell of healing however, ready to jump in to heal Kilarra when the battle is over.
[15:29] <Kilarra> Kjell isn't sure what was going to be effective against a creature like this, except knowing Kilarra's acid bolt worked. He heads up with Tyrant's Bane in hand and simply attempts to impale the beast
[15:32] * Aluthyra fires another set of arrows, three this time, thinking it enough to end the drider.
[15:32] <Kilarra> Kjell manages to get a good slash across the drider's abdomen
[15:33] <Kilarra> Aluthyra catches the drider twice more, once in the stomach, once in the chest. However, it refuses to be killed easily, and continues to shriek at the party.
[15:35] * Kilarra definitely doesn't want to get close to this thing, and her usual tripping probably wouldn't work on something with eight legs. Four maybe, but not eight. She resigns herself to loading another alchemical bolt and firing.
[15:36] <Kilarra> Kilarra's luck seem sto run out as she misses this time.
[15:36] * Kilarra sighs, "Sheth t'kaj."
[15:38] <Kilarra> The Drider seems to smile wickedly as a tasty morsel just ran up to her. She pulls out a wicked looking mace and takes a pair of swings at Kjell
[15:40] <Kilarra> Kjell takes one hit from the mace, his charge having put him slightly off balance[15:40] <Aluthyra> Tognik continues to wait from afar.
[15:41] <Kilarra> Kjell takes Tyrant's bane in both hands and attempts to finish the beast off
[15:43] <Kilarra> Kjell leveys a mighty blow that finally brings down the wicked drider. It flails and twitches for a moment before going still.
[15:44] * Kilarra spits on the drider's corpse, "The fuck even was that?!"
[15:45] <Aluthyra> Tognik takes the opportunity to run up to both Kilarra and Kjell, pressing his wand to each of them, activating his wand twice on each.
[15:45] <Aluthyra> Tognik then looks to the beast, trying to tell what exactly it is.
[15:47] <Kilarra> Kjell nods appreciatively to Tognik
[15:47] * Kilarra just looks confused and annoyed at the thing. Stupid lightning
[15:48] <Aluthyra> Tognik looks to Kilarra, commenting, "It's a drider. Dangerous, with poison in its bite, and it can cast both spells of arcane and divine nature."
[16:03] * Kilarra groans, "Fantastic."
[16:03] <Kilarra> Kjell nods, "Then let us be glad there is now one less of these creatures wandering about. We should hurry back to the camp before we risk anythign further."
[16:04] * Aluthyra nods, continuing towards the camp. "Then let us continue."
[16:05] <Kilarra> Mercifully, there are no further interruptions on the way back to the camp.
[16:08] <Kilarra> Back at the camp, the elven clerics offer to patch the group up a bit before they are sent back out.
[16:09] <Kilarra> Once the party returns to the elven camp, they find it quite active. Off to one side is a large tent where the elves are storing the dead until they can be properly dealt with. In the center of the camp, Eviana’s tent is a flurry of motion. Messengers stream to and from the tent, relaying reports and receiving orders.
[16:10] * Kilarra is grateful not to have to waste her own magic outside the heat of conflicts.
[16:11] * Aluthyra is grateful no one has perished yet. Of their party, that is.
[16:11] * Aluthyra and Tognik continue into the tent, Tognik reaching into his haversack for the orbs.
[16:11] * Aluthyra bows as she enters, looking for Eviana.
[16:15] <Kilarra> Eviana waves the party over quickly and motions at a map of Celwynvian that has been carefully tagged with a number of small flags, some black, some green.
[16:18] * Aluthyra raises an eyebrow, looking over the map.
[16:25] <Kilarra> “These green flags represent our current troop deployments around the city, while the black flags indicate known drow holdouts. One such holdout in particular has caught our attention, and taking it out might help us greatly in the long run. We believe these ruins,” she says, indicating a spot on the northern edge of the city, “contain an alchemical workshop where the drow have been producing many of their more insidious weapons
[16:25] <Kilarra> you to storm this place and take it out. The sooner the better.”
[16:27] * Aluthyra nods. "Very well. Any other information or updates we would need to know?"
[16:27] <Aluthyra> Tognik adds, "Found these in the library, thought you might want them." He places the orbs on the table.
[16:28] <Kilarra> Kjell presents the books as well. "And these."
[16:30] <Kilarra> EViana looks at the tomes and orbs curiously. She lifts the one containing the librarian illusion, which activates, introducing himself. She seems quite surprised, pleasantly. "Goodness." She looks at the tomes as well. "I am certain this information will be most valuable once we have time to analyze it properly. I will see to it that, once the battle is won, your efforts are properly rewarded."
[16:32] * Aluthyra smiles. "Thank you, and it is no problem." She nods to the tent exit, "Shall we?"
[16:33] * Kilarra nods, "Sure, just wanna take a few minutes off my hooves before heading back out. That drider was a bitch."
[16:33] <Kilarra> Kjell nods, "A quick bite and a breather would be most appreciated."
[16:34] * Aluthyra nods, heading out of the tent and sitting down somewhere relatively clean. She waits, meditating.
[16:38] <Kilarra> Kjell grabs a quick bite before rejoining Aluthyra
[16:39] <Aluthyra> Tognik takes a break, drinking some water from his waterskin.
[16:39] * Kilarra just flops down wherver Aluthyra went for a few minutes
[16:40] * Aluthyra sighs, ending her meditation. She looks over to Kilarra. "Ready?"
[16:41] * Kilarra sits back up, rubbing her hooves, "As I'll ever be I guess. I'm used to Riddleport's intrigue and information hunting. Never thought I'd be part of an actual war."
[16:42] * Aluthyra nods in agreement. "It is unexpected." She stands, offering a hand to pull Kilarra up.
[16:46] * Kilarra stands up on her own, stretching her hooves a bit. "Alright then, let's go bust up a lab. I wouldn't mind getting some more of these bolts in the process." She slips another pair of the acid ones into her quiver, then puts the third type she hadn't tried yet into the crossbow itself.
[16:47] * Aluthyra nods, starting off towards said lab.
[16:47] <Aluthyra> Tognik follows from the rear.
[16:59] <Kilarra> The fighting in the city itself has reached a steady pace, now that the surprise is over. A few fires burn in the ruins, and the acrid smell of smokes hangs in the air. Muted cries and the occasional sound of a sword fight or an explosion of magic can be heard quite frequently.
[17:00] <Kilarra> As the Party heads through the ruins, a crumbling building nearby gives way
[17:01] <Kilarra> Kilarra and Tognik are lucky enough to get out of the way of most of it, but Kjell and ALuthyra get clobbered
[17:02] <Kilarra> Kjell groans as several large chunks of rubble pelt him. "Gah!"
[17:02] * Kilarra quickly hurries over to Aluthyra to check her over, ignoring a minor bruise.
[17:03] * Aluthyra winces, trying to ignore the pain as rocks fall over her.
[17:03] <Aluthyra> Tognik sighs, pressing his wand to his chest.
[17:04] <Aluthyra> Tognik's bruising is mostly healed, leaving only a few minor scrapes.
[17:04] * Kilarra gets out her own wand and presses it to ALuthyra, "Note to all of us, be careful. Shit."
[17:07] * Aluthyra sighs as her wounds are healed. She smiles to Kilarra appreciatively.
[17:09] * Kilarra nods and puts the wand away. Damn thing came in handy, who knew?
[17:11] <Aluthyra> Tognik runs over to Kjell, activating his wand
[17:12] * Kilarra pulls ALuthyra up and nods, "Just be careful alright. Your body is immaculate and it would be nice to keep it that way at least until I get to try it out." She smirks.
[17:12] <Kilarra> Kjell smiles appreciately.
[17:13] * Aluthyra blushes, nodding her head. "R-right." She smiles, giving Kilarra a quick hug before continuing towards their destination. "Let us continue."
[17:13] <Aluthyra> Tognik nods to Kjell. "Don't mention it."
[17:15] * Kilarra smirks mischeviously and flicks Aluthyra's rear with her tail before continuing. It was neither the time or the place, but doing it put her at ease in the current situation
[17:17] <Kilarra> As they get closer to the alchemical lab building as shown on the map, the party passes by a horribly crushed drow soldier, gear equally mangled.
[17:18] * Kilarra frowns at the corpse, "Looks like he got stepped on." She glances around quickly for anything that might have done it, in case they were next
[17:19] * Aluthyra raises an eyebrow, more falling buildings?
[17:19] * Aluthyra frowns, looking around with her bow ready.
[17:20] <Kilarra> There's no rubble, and the body is in the middle of the street. A depression around the body suggests it was trampled by something. ALuthyra and Tognik can catch the sounds of heavy stomping heading away from their location.
[17:21] <Aluthyra> Both of them turn to the sound, trying to catch a glimpse of the creature.
[17:22] <Kilarra> It's already out of sight
[17:23] <Kilarra> Kjell looks to the two, "Perhaps we should move on before whatever it was comes back this way."
[17:23] * Aluthyra nods. "Yes. I would agree."
[17:23] <Aluthyra> Tognik frowns, following reluctantly. He's still curious...
[17:26] <Kilarra> As they approach, the laboratory is revealed to have once been a much larger structure, but today, only one crumbling dome remains. A hole in its top belches forth a noxious cloud of sickly green smoke, and pools of smoking liquid cover the area around the ruins.
[17:27] * Aluthyra frowns, commenting as she looks for the entrance, "That... does not look good."
[17:29] <Kilarra> The dome appears to have only one visible entrance, but this approach is blocked by rubble and ponds of alchemical waste.
[17:32] * Aluthyra frowns, nodding to her companions. "The acid will most likely not be harmful to me.... Perhaps I should scout ahead for another entrance?"
[17:33] <Aluthyra> Tognik takes out his wand of detect secret doors, activating it...
[17:33] * Kilarra looks at the acid pools, "Okay... I think I can cover us for this." She plucks out that crystal levitation wand, "This will let me float above the acid, and I can give Kjell or Tognik immunity to acid. The other person... probably shit for luck."
[17:35] <Kilarra> Kjell looks to ALuthyra, "Since you are fortunate enough to be immune to corrosion, at least in small amounts, then you should probably lead this time. I don't have any other means of protection or levitation available though.
[17:35] <Kilarra> ."
[17:36] * Aluthyra nods, taking the lead and proceeding through the entrance.
[17:36] <Aluthyra> Tognik waits for Kilarra's spell.
[17:37] * Kilarra shrugs and casts it on Tognik, since he wasn't as tough as Kjell. Seriously though, she still thought the little bugger was gonna be lucky if he lived through this whole thing.
[17:38] <Aluthyra> Tognik waits until after both Kilarra and Kjell proceed to follow.
[17:39] * Kilarra flicks the levitation wand at herself and floats a foot above the waste. She looks to Tognik, "Stick close to Kjell and touch him up with that wand of yours every once in a while.
[17:39] <Aluthyra> Tognik smiles to Kilarra. "Thank ya!"
[17:40] <Kilarra> Before Aluthyra can reach the entrance, a bolt of lightning shoots out at her from above the waste pool. Kjell and Tognik, being so close together, are also in the line of fire.
[17:41] <Kilarra> Tognik and Kjell, possible because they were slightly off center, manage to avoid the bolt, as does the ever nimble Aluthyra. Mostly
[17:42] <Aluthyra> Tognik groans. Why do they always hit him too!?
[17:42] <Kilarra> As Aluthyra looks on, she can see the form of another drider shimmering into view, an invisibility spell fading.
[17:42] * Aluthyra looks for the source of the bolt, aiming her bow upwards.
[17:43] <Kilarra> The drider is levitating above the acid, its legs positioned near some rubble it had been climbing on. It seems disappointed that its targets survived.
[17:46] * Aluthyra repays the drider with four arrows.
[17:48] <Kilarra> Three of them hit, the Drider shrieking and cursing as its stomach, chest and abdomen are arrowed
[17:50] <Kilarra> The Drider eyes Aluthyra venomously and pulls out a longbow of its own, leveling it at her.
[17:51] <Kilarra> The drider's first arrow catches Aluthrya hard in the shoulder.
[17:51] <Kilarra> The second misses quite spectacularly
[17:52] * Aluthyra shouts in pain, bow still aimed up. She plans on filling it with arrows, if someone else doesn't kill it first.
[17:53] <Aluthyra> Tognik moves to Aluthyra's side, casting a spell of heroism.
[17:53] <Kilarra> The Drider seems amused at its successful shot.
[17:54] * Aluthyra smiles, ready to skewer the drider if she gets the chance.
[17:55] * Kilarra brings up her whip, looking to disarm the Drider as she levitates forward, not hindered by the acid or rubble. She wasn't sure how often it could throw lightning, but at least she could get that longbow away from it.
[17:57] <Kilarra> Seeing Kilarra moving to attack it, the Drider takes a quick shot with its longbow, hoping to keep her at bay
[17:57] <Kilarra> The shot hits Kilarra grazingly.
[17:58] * Kilarra ignores that and goes for the disarm.
[17:58] <Kilarra> Kilarra's whip cracks, snapping the drider on the hand and cuasing her to shriek painfully, wincing back and dropping the bow into the acid pool.
[17:59] * Kilarra smirks. Good old whip
[17:59] <Kilarra> Kjell decides to give this Drider a taste of its own medicine. He raises his spell arm and fires off his own lightning bolt.
[18:00] <Kilarra> The Drider is unaffected, and laughs openly at Kjell.
[18:01] <Kilarra> Kjell curses under his breath and makes a flippant hand gesture towards it.
[18:02] * Aluthyra smirks, firing off another round of four arrows.
[18:03] <Kilarra> The drider's mirth is cut short as a hail of arrows from Aluthyra turns it into a pincushion.
[18:04] <Kilarra> Kjell sighs a bit, "My faovurite spell, wasted. Pity."
[18:04] * Aluthyra sighs, clutching at her wound. With gritted teeth, she takes hold of the arrow, tearing it out.
[18:04] * Kilarra floats over to Aluthyra and gives her a quick look over to see if anything more serious was needed
[18:05] * Kilarra places a hand on Aluthyra's shoulder and infuses her with some more potent healing
[18:08] * Aluthyra sighs in slight relief as her wound is healed.
[18:08] <Aluthyra> Tognik grumbles, placing his wand to his chest again.
[18:09] <Kilarra> Kjell pats Tognik on the shoulder, "That could have been much worse, considering. Perhaps we're lucky these creatures seem spiteful, lest it have thrown another Lightning bolt at us."
[18:10] * Tognik nods. "Definitely, so let's hurry through this place."
[18:10] <Kilarra> The longbow in question was sitting in the acid, partly melted at this point
[18:11] * Aluthyra frowns, looking at the bow. "Not that much worth if damaged. Let us continue."
[18:11] <Kilarra> The drow also had a heavy mace.
[18:12] * Kilarra eyes the mace, which was spared the acid by resting on the side of the Drider not currently taking a dip. She plucks it out and gives it a test swing. "Perhaps a bit of practice with this, then I can get one made of Noqual when I can afford to have it enchanted."
[18:14] <Kilarra> Because the drider's upper body is humanoid, the mace is sized for regular sized creatures (medium)
[18:14] * Kilarra slips it into a belt loop.
[18:15] * Aluthyra nods to her companions, continuing into the workshop.
[18:18] <Kilarra> -End Session-
[18:19] <Kilarra> Rewards: 2 CR 7s; 1600 Experience Each