Darkness and Desperation - Round 8

[Eclecticon]

As the Son of Beorn advances cautiously toward the Nameless Thing, it gives an abrupt, convulsive spasm.  Seeing his chance, he darts as far to the side as the confines of the tunnel will allow and brings Bear Claw up from beneath, feeling the heavy impact as it cleaves into the underside of the Thing's mouth.  Pallid flesh parts before Elf-ensorcelled steel and the axe breaks free, leaving the blood-slick mouth a ruin, the ring of teeth now broken and hanging loose. 

As the creature slumps to the earth, he raises his axe for a finishing blow before seeing Esgalwen, a mere two paces further down the tunnel, leaning her whole body weight upon her sword and twisting the blade as she drives it deeper and deeper.  Realising perhaps that he sees her, she meets his gaze and asks "Is it dead?" 

Grimbeorn looks at the Thing's still-twitching legs, but sees no pattern to their movements that might suggest intent or direction.  "Aye," he replies, "or so close as makes no difference to us." 


Nice work, both of you (though if anyone's keeping score, this is one for Esgalwen's tally). 

[tomcat]

  Thanks, Paul!

I will say that that was a very nice two rounds she had! Taking 21 loss was brutal, but it came back around. Even the first attack with the but two - it all went very nicely! 

Still, she is limping out of this place.

[Eclecticon]

No worries, Doug.  This fight was interesting because it absolutely refused to follow the script I had in my mind for it. 

Now - you guys have a choice.  The corpse (?) of the Nameless Thing is blocking most of the tunnel, but there's enough room that you could squeeze past and see what other treasures (if any) are mixed in with the pile of cracked bones.  That may involve some Corruption tests, though.  Alternatively, you could decide that your work here is done, Hathcyn still having the gem you came here for, and head back up. 

[tomcat]

Esgalwen would want to leave ASAP. That's her

[Telcontar]

Treasure.....

[Telcontar]

Hathcyn breathed deeply and worked to get more light going in the tunnel. The fell beast was finally dead.

"Sorry, I was if no greater use to you there. That was a foe that was beyond my means and skill."

Hathcyn drew forth the gem. "But here is what is needed for the Firewatchers plan. With the beast dead should look to see what else may be in the bone pile? With a few more such as this we could afford to strengthen our realm and all those things we discussed raising the tolls would cover. Perhaps even a stone circle for the Tarn, and a dyke at the entrance to the forest road."

[tomcat]

Esgalwen rubbed at her bruised ribs and attempted to massage the pain from her chest. The creature had thrown its weight upon her, if not its hooked claws and teeth, but the aches were still the same. She found a place to sit and gave out a wheeze, as she rested herself upon a stone. Nimronyn she set point down on the earth, but spun the weapon in front of her from its pommel.

"If we have the endurance to go back down to the bone pit, then it might be worth the effort, but I feel we have all been tested this day for but one simple gem and to do so again could be our doom. I know there is little fight left in me - at least until we rest, and I would prefer that under the sun." She saw that Hathcyn held the torches, "Where is Essylt?"

Concern for the Hill-woman filled her, but Esgalwen's current state allowed her to do little more than ask.

[Telcontar]

"She is gone. The strain broke her and she fled. I doubt we will find her again even if she is above. The strain of the contest undid her."

[tomcat]

"It is understandable. None should see such things, yet it seems our lot to always pursue them."

Esgalwen breathed in deep and wondered if there would be new scars upon her body from today's encounter.

"So - what is our path? Do we follow the wild woman from this place, or do we go back to sift through the ruin?"

[Eclecticon]

"I see no reason," Arbogast answers, his voice unexpectedly hoarse after his shouting during the fight, "why some could not venture above to seek rest and refuge, and others below to seek further treasures.  As for me, though, I have had my fill of darkness.  I will see whether the high cellar where first we entered this tunnel might be a suitable redoubt." 


Anyone heading below can make a Search roll to turn up any other trinkets left behind.  I'll assume that you can keep up a steady supply of thistle-torches to the searchers.  A success will find 1d3 points of treasure, but this is a Hoard - any successful searcher also gets to roll a Feat die, with a special result on a .