Session Start: Fri Feb 25 18:20:34 2000

*** Now talking in #nightbelow

*** Topic is 'McDragon's: over 50000 adventurers served!'

--- Pre-chat chat edited out ---

<Saif> .

<Saif> Start Here

<Saif> .

<Saif> So, the situation;

<Saif> The party has just finished killing all the large beetles

<Saif> The stragglers have just run up

<Saif> there are no beetles in sight

<Saif> The grating sound continues from under ground

<Saif> So, what do you do?

<Sane> *gave actions in email

* Nikki wiggles nervously.

<Saif> ? must have missed it

<Castinar> Oh, there is still grating? Missed that part

<Nikki> brb.

<Amber> ditto but also not standing over spot where sounds comeing from.

* Matar tosses a light stone down one of the tunnels

<Saif> Yes, the grating never stopped after you attacked the first large beetle

* Kat will listen and watch area for more bugs. Can we tell directions of grating?

* Castinar glances nervously around the area, noticing the several open holes, wondering from which a new monstrosity will spring

* Sane uses innate invisibility. Searches area. Goes up and looks in hole.

<Saif> The grating is from below, but generalized. It does sound a little louder near the open tunnels.

<Amber> *ie. Amber guards the rear of the party as ordered by Sane.

<Saif> Matar - the tunnel slopes sharply downwards and starts to curve after about 20'

<Matar> from what i can see of it would it be straightforward to climb back up?

<Saif> Sane - you see much the same thing - a sharply (30 to 45 degrees) sloping tunnel that starts to bend after only a short distance.

<Saif> Matar - yes, there is some loose rock and dirt near the opening, but further down it is mostly rock (sandstone)

<Matar> then ill slide down the tunnel

*** Ari has joined #nightbelow

<Kat> *Watch out bugs, here comes the Roughnecks... I mean Truth Seekers...

<Saif> the same one you just threw the light stone down?

<Saif> Hey Ari

<Matar> yeah

* Castinar wants to secure a rope around him, just in case

<Ari> hello

<Kat> hi

<Saif> Matar slips into a tunnel and starts to slide down - do you wait for the rope from Castinar?

<Castinar> Hiaya!

<Matar> nope id just trip trying to stop halfway

<Saif> Before Castinar can get over there Matar slips down the hole

<Saif> BTW, the hole varies in width between 3 and 5 feet, with the average being about 3 1/2 - just large enough for the large beetles.

<Nikki> back. catching up.

* Sane moves over to the hole Matar went down.

<Saif> Matar slides down about 40' or so, out of sight of the party.

<Saif> He stops where the slope flattens out. A

<Saif> Ahead he can see where the light stone went.

<Saif> There is a small "room" ahead, or at least an open area with several tunnels leading out of it.

* Castinar sighs in frustration

<Saif> There is only one tunnel large enough for the large beetles. Several others are only about 2 feet across

<Saif> Hunter glances at Castinar and raises and eyebrow, but flies in

<Saif> Matar - what do you do?

<Matar> do i see any beetles from my current location?

<Saif> Hunter starts relaying back to Castinar, along with a warning that if the tunnel twists and turns a lot they may loose telepathic contact quickly.

<Saif> No beetles, Matar. The grinding noise is louder here.

<Matar> i will move forward quietly to the edge of the room

<Kat> "What me to go down there too?"

<Saif> K, the room is uneven but basically a flat sphere with five entrances (including your own)

<Saif> One smaller entrance heads up.

<Saif> The large one heads slightly down.

<Saif> The other ones head downward at differing angles.

<Matar> can i tell frm which the grinding is loudest?

<Castinar> *Hunter will stay at the limit of telepathic communication -- if he hears sounds like Matar is in trouble, he will relay then try to hunt Matar down

<Saif> d20, Matar

<Matar> db

*** dshutton has joined #nightbelow

<db> Matar rolled 1d20: [8]

<Saif> Not really, Matar, still too diffuse

<dshutton> *sorry, got kicked offline..

<Matar> then i will go down the largest tunnel going down

<Saif> Matar heads downward again

<Saif> This tunnel quickly curves back on itself and angles downward again

*** Amber has quit IRC (Ping timeout)

*** dshutton is now known as Amber2

<Matar> i will continue moving forward quietly

<Saif> This time there are several smaller tunnels leading off the large one, but no main room until about 50' later

<Kat> "Get lots of rope. Who has rope? I am going to follow down. Unless, someone has a better plan."

<Nikki> "In a sense... how daring do you feel?"

<Saif> This room looks much like the last one.

*** Amber2 is now known as Amber

<Matar> still going down?

<Saif> About half the tunnels here go up, about half down. Two large ones exit, one level and one going down again.

<Castinar> "I've Hunter monitoring -- but he cannot follow as deep as Matar has evidently gone and still maintain contact"

* Castinar has rope

<Saif> Hunter is having to "shout" now to be heard (at this second room)

<Matar> ill listen for grinding again

<Nikki> "Fifty, fifty, with a minor risk of death, dismemberment, or uhm possibly worse."

<Castinar> If I remember correctly, we have 3 50' coils of silk rope among us

<Saif> Matar pauses and senses that the grinding is louder again.

<Castinar> *Hunter stopped following at what he sensed was his limit of contact

<Saif> Something else strange. Now he feels heat rising up from several of the holes leading downward.

<Matar> any sense of direction yet?

<Saif> * This is about the limit, in this room

<Saif> Matar, d20 on the hearing

<Matar> db

<db> Matar rolled 1d20: [7]

<Saif> not yet

<Matar> guess not

* Kat gets the rope together. Ties on to one end. Gives Castinar the other end. Kat heads down tunnel.

<Matar> i will go down the larger downward headed tunnel cautiosly this time

<Matar> dang i can spell today

<Diana> "Um, no."

* Kat comments, "Have Hunter tell me where he went, please."

<Saif> Kat - how much rope?

* Sane sighs. <Very well.>

<Saif> Matar starts heading down again

<Saif> This tunnel is actually a bit larger than the others, being about 3' high and 5' wide

<Kat> *We had at least 150' when we went through the tunnels to the ropers. I think that it was even more rope than that.

<Saif> It also slopes generally downward at all times fairly straight.

<Saif> Kat - check.

<Saif> kat, you come to the first room with a bunch of tunnels, where do you go?

<Saif> As Matar heads down he feels the heat begin to rise. It isn't uncomfortably hot, but in the Underdark (averge temp 41 degrees) it is noticable

<Kat> The one that Matar went down... Unless, Hunter can't tell her. She goes down.

<Castinar> *Hunter will direct Kat as far as he knows

<Saif> He also senses the grinding noise getting louder.

* Castinar has a very uneasy feeling about this

<Saif> Kat - Hunter is already beyond where you are.

<Kat> *He can't fly back?

<Saif> Matar - are you holding the light stone?

<Kat> *or talk in my mind, or Castinar shout down?

<Saif> * he could if he wanted to, but as far as I know he doesn't know you're coming.

<Saif> * coordination

<Matar> ill hold another one

<Saif> OK

<Matar> i

<Kat> *Castinar's and Hunter's link is out? oh...

<Matar> i start checking to make sure the footing is secure as i move down

<Saif> Matar keeps heading down. This passage is quite long and several side passages join it. They all head upwards. matar gets the impression he is on a main tunnel heading to a lower level.

<Saif> Kat - four small tunnels, one large exit this place. which one do you go down?

* Kat will go to the noise, hoping that's what Matar did.

<Saif> Kat, d20

<Matar> ill stop every 50' or so and cover the light, wait for my eyes to adjust and see if there is the glow of lava or something

<Kat> *Didn't Hunter report which one Matar went down?

<Kat> *I thought he was telling Castinar what was going on.

<Kat> db

<db> Kat rolled 1d20: [16]

<Saif> K, Matar, after the first stop you don't see anything. At the second you sense a faint red-orange light ahead (down the tunnel)

<Saif> Kat - you don't know which way the noise is coming from, it is still too generalized.

<Saif> Matar - keep going?

<Sane> *Saif, how much time has passed since Matar went in? since Kat?

<Matar> is it enough to see with my low light by?

* Kat will go to look up the tunnel. "Don't know which way he went. Any ideas? There are four tunnels."

<Nikki> <-- heading home. best of luck with that tunnel crawl.

*** Nikki has quit IRC (Leaving)

<Saif> As Kat sits there wondering what to do she hears a chittering sound she recognizes as Hunter. It comes from both the other large tunnel and one of the smaller ones heading downwards at a sharp angle.

<Sane> *Saif, how much time has passed?

<Saif> Sane - in real-time kat is a minute or so behind Matar. So matar went in about 4 minutes ago. Kat went in two minutes ago but this equates to minute 5 of Matar (I'll synch them up later if I need to)

<Saif> Matar - it is difficult for you to see by red light. You can see, but not well.

<Kat> *Any obvouis signs of which way Matar went?

<Matar> ill put the stone away for now then - but keep it handy

<Saif> Kat - no, the walls are hard rock, no scrapes on them

*** Amber has quit IRC (Sometimes.... the Dragons win)

<Saif> Matar - check, keep on heading down?

<Matar> and then keep going

<Sane> *if another minute passes, Sane will act.

<Saif> Matar presses on.

<Saif> Kat - what do you do?

* Kat head down the large tunnel that she heard the sound of Hunter from.

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<Saif> K, Kat heads down

<Sane> *Saif, any action in any of the beetle holes?

*** dshutton is now known as Amber

* Kat has bow away and is ready for hand-to-hand combat, for now.

<Saif> Matar, you descend down about 200' when you hear clicking noises ahead. You pause and look closely. it appears as if the tunnel widens about 50' ahead. You see movement down there.

<Saif> Sane - no, all is quiet at the surface

<Matar> and it seems to be the source of the red glow?

<Saif> matar - no, the red glow comes from further down

<Matar> how good a throw do i think i can make of a light stone in here?

<Saif> Kat, you come to the room that Hunter is hanging in. He tells you Matar went down "that" tunnel a couple minutes ago.

<Saif> Matar - you could get it down into that open area with a good side-arm flick

* Kat will head down that tunnel

<Matar> ill toss one down there then

<Matar> and ready my katana for poking

<Saif> Kat, you're using infravision, so you actually see the heat rising up out of this tunnel

<Saif> Matar tosses a light stone down the tunnel

<Saif> It bounces around and lands just beyond the open area

<Saif> It backlights at least three of the smaller beetles, one of which appears to be the soft kind

<Saif> The soft one walks over to investigate the stone. The other two seem oblivious to it.

<Saif> Kat - do you head straight down?

<Kat> yes

<Matar> how large does the room apear to be down there?

<Saif> OK, you're still a couple minutes behind Matar, so we'll figure out what happens with him before you see that lightstone come up.

<Kat> ok

<Matar> what kind of slope am i on currently?

<Saif> Matar - still flat (only about 3-4 feet high) but about 10' wide

<Saif> slope is about 20 degrees (if the round was dirt you would probably be sliding)

<Saif> As Matar watches the soft beetle picks the light stone up in it's mandibles and starts heading down the tunnel. the other two follow it.

<Matar> i follow about 50' behind them

<Saif> Oh, something I forgot earlier! Xaveus wanted to go wherever Matar went, so he is down right behind Matar.

<Matar> ack!

<Saif> Actually he seems much more at home down here in the tunnels than you do. In many places he can actually stand upright.

<Saif> So, Matar heads off after the beetles

<Saif> After about another 100' or so the tunnel levels out and becomes natural. It is still rather low (average of 5') but the walls are obvioulsy natural, not carved out like the previous tunnels have been.

<Saif> Also when you emerge into this area the grinding noise becomes more localized from coming from ahead of you vice from all over.

<Saif> And the glow is stronger, as is the heat. It is now a comfortable 70 degrees down here.

<Saif> Move on?

<Matar> where are the beetles going?

<Matar> and does a source of the red glow become apparent?

<Saif> About this time Kat arrives at where Hunter is.

<Saif> The beetles head down this natural tunnel, towards the apparent source of the light

<Matar> is it getting brighter?

<Saif> One other thing, there is water down here. Some of the walls are slick with moisture.

<Saif> Yes, it is brighter.

<Saif> Still not enough for a normal person to comfortably see by, but fine for you now

* Matar motions for Xaveus to fall a little behind me and continue following the beetles

* Castinar looks at Sane, looks back into the tunnels, and says "I'm not sure going in there was a wise idea. I'm not sure that the rest of us going in is a wise idea either.... what happens if these tunnels close behind us?"

<Saif> Matar presses on as Kat starts down the tunnel.

<Saif> Matar moves on another 50' or so and then rounds a corner and stops cold, seeing a sight that puts a little fear even into his heart.

<Sane> *Castinar isn't in contact with Hunter right now, right?

<Saif> Ahead of him is a large cavern. it is only about 10-20' high, but it is very wide - at least 200' across

<Saif> what gives Matar pause is the fact that the floor is moving. it is completly covered in beetles.

<Sane> *dragon lair? <g>

* Matar wuickly ducks back around the corner

<Saif> matar estimates there must be several hundred beetles in here

<Matar> big small medium?

<Matar> damn now my arm is going to get tired

<Saif> The other thing Matar notices is that the source of the heat and glow is apparently in this room, around the corner just out of his sight.

<Saif> All small beetles, but several of the soft ones in addition to the hard ones

<Matar> are there beetles between me and the corner?

<Saif> * Castinar is in contact with Hunte,r but Hunter is no longer in contact with Matar

<Saif> Matar - no, but you would probalby be seen if you step out into the room to look around the corner.

<Saif> Xaveus volunteers to have a peek by looking through the stone.

<Matar> ooh i let him do that

<Matar> and tell him to be quick and carefulk

<Saif> Xaveus walks up to the stone and concentrates. He then slowly leans forward and starts to fall into the stone. He then takes a slow step and disappears into the rock.

<Saif> Matar waits nervously for the dwarf to return.

<Saif> As he does so he hears some noise from behind him (back the way he came)

* Matar goes on guard and puts his back to the wall.

<Saif> BTW, another thing Matar noticed when he looked was that the light stone was moving towards the source of the glow.

<Matar> and silently urges Xav to hurry

<Saif> Matar waits and then sees Kat sneaking forward

* Matar motions her to be quiet and stay still.

<Saif> The two wait another few moments before Xaveus emerges again.

* Matar makes they symbol for lots of enemies.

<Saif> He has a strange look on his face.

* Matar motions silence and points back up the tunnel.

<Saif> Kat - you seeing this?

* Kat will quietly approach Matar.

* Matar pushes Xav back the way we came.

<Saif> Xaveus heads back

<Saif> Where do you go to?

<Matar> i heard back to just past the open space where we saw the beetles

<Saif> OK, you're back there

<Matar> and then ask what he saw

<Matar> and keep his eyes on the tunnel down while he speaks.

* Kat will look all around the cave as she is moving back with Matar and Xav.

<Saif> "Well, it was kind of strange. First, the cavern is much larger than we can see. It also splits into two levels.

*** Saif is now known as Xaveus

<Xaveus> I didn't see much of the upper layer, but there were several of the soft beetles up there wandering around these large bumps on the floor.

<Xaveus> But what is really interesting is what is on the lower level.

<Xaveus> First, there are about half a dozen or so more of those big beetles.

<Xaveus> there are also a whole bunch of the smaller ones, both hard and soft.

<Diana> * a 50' pile of TREASURE!

<Xaveus> but the REAL interesting thing is the... ah, I guess it is a queen beetle or something.

<Xaveus> OK.

* Castinar calls to Hunter -- then shrugs and says "FOllow the rope" <VBG>

<Xaveus> Imagine one of those big beetles. Take away the big pincers it has growing out of its mouth.

<Xaveus> * Ah, the rope, Kat would have had to leave it behind about half way down the long tunnel.

* Sane climbs down the rope into the beetle lair; tries to follow rope that Kat strung out behind her.

<Xaveus> Now take the whole back part and take it off. Replace it with a big bag of water. I mean big - like a hundred feet long and about 10 feet around.

<Matar> *like the aliens queen sack kinda

<Xaveus> Now fill the top of this bag with this orange glowing stuff that is real hot. Fill the bottom with a whole bunch of balls about a foot in diameter. That's what I saw.

* Xaveus pauses and waits to answer questions.

*** Xaveus is now known as Saif

* Matar stifles any questions and says, "Lets get back up before the rest start worrying too much.

<Diana> * eww ick

<Saif> So, what now? Kat, did you see the bit about the rope?

<Saif> OK, so the small group heads back.

<Saif> Once they make it to the rope that makes the going much easier and faster

* Kat will make marks in the rock showing direct that she went.

<Saif> They also encounter Sane near the exit of the long tunnel.

<Saif> * head back to the surface?

<Matar> yup

<Sane> yes

<Saif> K, the whole expedition took about 15 minutes for Matar and Xaveus, less for those that followed.

<Saif> So, what now?

<Kat> "Good idea, let head back."

<Kat> "Xavues, why don't you explain what you saw to everyone, please."

<Saif> "A big bug" Xaveus says.

* Matar allows Xav to explain what he say again.

<Saif> Xaveus then repeats what he said earlier.

<Matar> my first question for him is if there was a source for the grinding

<Amber> "oh yuk!" Amber remembers seeing a termite queen once and images it humonguous size and shudders.

<Saif> Ah, Matar would have noticed that himself. All of the beetles are doing it at the same time.

<Saif> The whole lower cavern area vibrated it was so loud.

* Castinar agrees -- though he is curious about what exactly it is. Perhaps one day I can figure it out

<Saif> So you guys leave?

<Kat> "Should we check for journal papers down there?"

<Saif> Nikki grumbles about a few fireballs being able to solve the problem quickly, but doesn't protest.

<Matar> "I still think its dangerous to leave these on our back trail, more so now even then before. But I agree that the numbers are a bit daunting. Moving on might be a good idea."

<Amber> Mine is still runningn, couple hours more.

<Kat> "What about magic that they don't need and we might need? Is it possible to find out if there is any treasure down there?"

<Saif> yes, Amber's spell still has a short time left on it.

<Saif> * party rested for two hours earlier.

<Amber> *yes

<Amber> Tymora guide my steps she murmurs with a grin.

* Kat nods

<Saif> So Matar, Katrina, Sane, and Amber head back. Xaveus wants to go as well. He's become Matar'

<Saif> s shadow all of a sudden.

<Sane> ok

<Castinar> *Sane, can you detect magic?

<Sane> yes

<Castinar> *If not, perhaps I should go? (Okay)

* Matar is a little uneasy about that but figures now isnt the time to ask about it.

<Saif> The group heads down. Amber scans. She finds no evidence of pages of paper.

<Amber> *keep trying every 10 feet or so in all directions.

<Saif> Oh, and you also have to repeat the light stone trick to get some more beetles out of the way.

* Sane casts Detect Magic.

<Sane> scans as much of the chamber as possible from the entrance.

<Saif> Sane - Amber can use hers through rock. You'll need to go look in the cavern if you want to use yours.

<Kat> "Sane, do you think Castinar could tell us if all of the beetles have retreated to down here? Could there be any in their tunnels above?"

<Saif> From the entrance Sane doesn't detect any magic.

* Sane goes to look at the cavern and use detect magic

<Sane> sneak, hide, invisible

* Matar prepares incase he has to sally forth to rescue him.

<Saif> Sane sneaks forward - d100 plz

<Sane> db d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [100]

<Saif> lol

<Sane> oh man

<Sane> db 10 d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [58]

<Sane> db 10d100

<db> Sane rolled 10d100: [592] 78 26 52 95 77 44 49 98 39 34

<Sane> *just checking <g>

<Saif> Sane is only about 10' into the cavern area when the beetles near him turn and start waving their antenna in his general direction.

<Saif> Several start forward, antenna waving around

<Sane> *How high is the cavern?

<Saif> 10 to 20'. 10' here near your tunnel entrance.

<Sane> beetles all small?

<Sane> *phone

<Saif> from what you can see yes

<Sane> *I know about the larger ones near the queen

<Saif> yes

<Sane> Could Sane fly a short distance over the beetles?

<Saif> it would be an iffy thing. the problem would be landing. they seem to cover the entire floor here.

<Sane> *are the beetles coming at Sane or just riled up?

<Saif> they are heading towards you

<Saif> not directly, but in your general direction

<Sane> ok, Sane takes a half flight jump back out of the room and tries to move away quietly

<Sane> if the beetles settle down a bit, Sane will try again.

<Saif> Sane retreats, but the beetles still come. The group is only about 20' or so away from the entrance. They will be there shortly.

<Saif> What do you do?

<Amber> *or smelt

<Saif> so the group pulls back?

* Matar motions the group back Xav in the lead then amber then kat then me.

* Sane moves silently and quickly back up the tunnel (if everyone else moves before him)

* Amber moves as quickly and quietly as she can.

<Amber> back

<Matar> sane is whereever he watns to be invis

<Saif> OK, the group moves back - head outside?

<Sane> following up since I was first

<Sane> beetles don't follow?

<Saif> not further than the open area in the long tunnel

<Kat> "Sane, did you detect any magic?"

<Saif> however, you do hear excited clickings when the pick up your trail

<Sane> Saif, are there just too many beetles in there to sneak through to have a good look?

<Sane> i mean detect magic on the queen

<Saif> Sane - just about anywhere you step on the floor there you're going to step on a beetle.

<Matar> can Xav det magic?

<Kat> *Too bad you can't were my slippers

<Saif> And you'll have to move through at least 40' of beetles to get a clear look at the queen (comparing Matar's and Xaveus's descriptions of the cavern area)

<Saif> hold on...

<Saif> No, Xaveus cannot detect magic

<Matar> bummer

<Matar> "Up to you - I could hold them off for a while if it came down to it. Amber may want to go back up tho."

<Amber> "I think it is too risky, we get them riled up and ....

<Saif> "It might also tell them whatever created the offal before - when they got fireballed - is now down in their caves" says Xaveus

<Kat> "If you got Castinar or Ari to levitate you over them, then you could just float by and check out stuff."

<Amber> "Want me to send down Nikki?"

<Matar> "I don't think anything survived from that fight, did they?"

<Sane> *I kept asking about levitate

<Sane> *really wanted it

<Saif> Xaveus shrugs and says "I don't know" in answer to both Sane's and Matar's question

<Amber> "Want me to send down Nikki?" Amber asks again.

<Saif> K, so Amber heads up and gets Nikki and Ariessus.

<Amber> Okay" and Amber starts back.

<Matar> "She would make a nice distraction. I think Diana might have a couple available too."

<Saif> Nikki isn't thrilled about being down in the caverns. She keeps her Retreat spell on the tip of her tongue.

<Kat> "Wait, Amber."

<Kat> "I will get them."

* Amber stops

<Saif> K, Kat heads back up and gets them then

<Matar> prolly shapeshift into a large ferret or something good in the tunnels

* Kat will go back to the top and request, "Nikki and Ari, we would like you to help, please."

<Diana> * uh.. whos that leave me with?

<Matar> thengal

<Saif> true, but she also wants to have her spells at the ready, so she'll just stay in normal form for now

<Diana> * :) Ill join everyone else I guess :)

<Saif> Diana - Cast and Thengal

<Sane> *Amber

<Kat> "Maybe, everyone should come down."

<Castinar> Me

<Castinar> And Shadow

<Saif> So everybody comes down?

<Castinar> And will have a big problem if we have to run

<Castinar> *no -- we

<Castinar> we'll stay and help cover a retreat if it is necessary

<Sane> *good

<Castinar> Can't have everyone tripping over themselves down there

<Saif> Define "we" - Cast and Shadow? If so, Thengal will stay out with you two

<Castinar> Me, Shadow, Hunter, Diana?, Thengal

<Saif> Diana - do you stay up top or go down?

<Diana> Go down i guess

<Saif> OK

<Saif> so what does the group down in the tunnels do?

<Kat> Take their treasure

<Saif> K, the group gets five large dung balls and a few rotting penguins

<Saif> Ari, cast the spell on him?

<Ari> yes

<Saif> Sane floats

<Kat> *no orc teeth?

<Saif> * sorry, no orc teeth

* Amber sits down for a rest, but ready to leap to her feet to run, if necessary.

* Sane uses the ceiling to guide his way into the room, moving silently

<Kat> *<---- hoping to find Tharg's orc teeth bag. Very valuable... to him.

* Sane casts detect magic once he spots the queeny

<Saif> Sane enters the room and bumps along the ceiling heading around the corner to see the queen

<Saif> she is truely an impressive sight, well over 100' in length.

<Sane> *no bumping

<Saif> Also when directly facing her the heat is a little strong, almost like sunshine.

* Sane swallows.

<Ari> *OOC Ari makes sure to bang Sane's head into the ceiling a few times

* Sane casts detect magic once within 60'

<Saif> the queen has several dozen of the softer beetles around her head. Sane can't help but get the impression they are holding some kind of discussion.

<Saif> Also the two light stones the party dropped are nearby

<Saif> Sane then casts Detect Magic

<Sane> Discussion, thinks Sane...

<Saif> He sense the two light stones and also the glowing part of the queen are magic

<Sane> *+2 enchanted, giant, glowing sack of queen puss

<Saif> * for the glowing part, imagine a long tube about 2' across filled with something hot and glowing like lava. It is a bright orange color when viewed directly.

<Kat> *Kill the queen... get the magic glowing part that can be used for powerful spells like Meteor shower...

<Amber> *giant lava lamp!

<Saif> Also there are seven of the larger beetles arrayed between most of the rest of the cavern and the queen.

* Sane wonders of these larger ones are drones?

<Sane> or maybe guards

<Saif> Sane now estimates that there are well over three hundred smaller beetles on the ground, and perhaps 50 or so of the soft beetles.

<Sane> *If Sane were to float over the queen how much space would he have between himself and her head (or whatever is highest?>

<Saif> Most of the soft beetles are around the queen and in the upper layer, which Sane believes is filled with beetle eggs (at least, they look a lot like the round things inside the queen's bag)

<Sane> *the magic part is eggs?

<Saif> Sane - only about 5'. She is kind of tucked in a corner.

<Saif> * No, the magic part is the glowing tube. The eggs are under the tube.

<Sane> *ok

<Sane> *man, this is a pretty grotesque thing, eh?

* Sane backs out silently. tells all

<Saif> * ah, but "upper layer" I mean the upper layer of the cavern - the cavern splits into two layers. The queen is on the lower one, the egges and soft beetles on the upper one.

<Sane> *OK

<Saif> Yes, if you're not used to looking at queen insects 100' long.

<Saif> K, Sane makes it safely back to the others.

<Kat> "So, maybe there is treasure somewhere else in their tunnels."

<Saif> What now?

<Matar> * we must recover the light stones - toss fballs at the queen!

<Castinar> Eh??? Toss fireballs at things that thrive on heat???

<Matar> "Sane, did you see any other exits out of that chamber?"

<Saif> Nikki ponders this. "Well, Diana was able to kill most of the ones caught in her fireball outright. I should be able to do somewhat better."

<Castinar> They'll swallow it and spit it back out at you!

<Sane> *I didn't see any other exits, did I Saif?

<Saif> * Ah, yes, forgot to mention that, Sane saw two other exits from the cavern, both on this side of the cavern (vs the side with the queen)

* Sane tells about the exits.

<Amber> *were there any more exits up above?

<Saif> * the overall shape of the cavern is like a kidney bean, but narrow in the center.

<Matar> "Hmmm that means we would probably quickly be flanked."

<Saif> Amber, what do you mean by "above"? In the cavern or tunnels?

<Kat> "If they are talking, how intelligent do you think they are?"

<Amber> *cavern

<Saif> No, only the three in the cavern (yours and two others)

<Ari> "We are not killing them."

<Matar> "God, do you think all the soft ones are young queens?!?"

<Kat> "Do you think Castinar might be able to talk with them about passage or something. Do you think they are evil?"

<Kat> "Can you find out what is down the other exit?"

-> *Sane* I was wondering if somebody would mention that.

<Saif> so?

* Sane does this.

<Amber> While Sane is gone Amber asks, "Did anyone explore the other two tunnels above in the Cavern?"

<Saif> Sane finds that both other passages join up with beetle tunnels again and start heading upwards. They are also guarded with small detachments, both of which include a soft beetle.

* Sane returns.

<Saif> * Sane is probably running low on innate invisiblity. He'll need to cast a spell if he wants to be invisible much longer.

<Kat> "ok. Let's go."

* Sane casts invisibility.

<Saif> So the party leaves?

<Kat> "Yet, I think we should get rid of all of these beetles."

* Amber grumbles something about being ignored when she asks a question....

<Sane> *Amber's not with us.

<Saif> Nikki still thinks that if she and Diana were allowed to rest up and memorize many fireballs they could quickly clean the cavern out.

<Matar> "Sure, I'd like to have a clear path of retreat but I don't think these will slow us down much."

<Matar> * sorry having a hard time typing

<Saif> "Of course, if there are any journal pages hidden down here the fireballs would take care of them as well" Nikki observes.

<Kat> "Amber didn't find any, Nikki."

<Ari> "We are not just killing them off Nikki."

<Sane> *I thought we pretty much cleared up that there are no journal pages down here with Amber's spell.

<Saif> Nikki shrugs. "OK, but don't you just wonder what that magical glowing tube of light and heat is?"

<Ari> "No."

<Saif> * Amber would have to spend quite a bit of time down here to scan everywhere, and her spell has run out by now. She covered the area around the queen, however, and sensed nothing.

<Kat> "I think Castinar might be able to find areas they used to story things."

<Amber> *eight hours down here already?!!

<Kat> "They might have treasure somewhere else."

<Matar> "I think it will aid our quest little, unless we could interest someone above in it enough to trade for some good magic items."

<Kat> "Or, magic aids the queen, and she just eats it."

<Ari> "We don't need a glowing tube of Queen Beetle pee ok? Can we go now?"

<Amber> *that was afast 8 hours, Ambers hungary then! :)

<Saif> Nikki shrugs once more. "OK, let's just leave it alone then and never know what benefits it could bring us. Such is always the obstacles facing researchers - lack of vision among the common folk."

<Sane> *I think Saif is enjoying playing Nikki a little too much.

<Saif> lol

<Sane> *hurry up Judd

<Saif> * I must admit, i had more fun writting up Nikki's section for Red Vale than any of the others.

<Matar> "I think the queen would have to die at the least to get it which would have other consequences."

<Ari> "Call me common again Nikki and just see hom much you can test my patience."

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*** db sets mode: +o Nikki

<Amber> ask and ye shall receive!

<Nikki> hey

<Matar> *if anything you're understating her

<Saif> lol

* Nikki kills it.

<Saif> Nikki - the party is mad at you. You just called them all commoners. Ari is ready to pick a fight. Take over and have fun.

<Kat> *See, Matar was right

<Matar> * Nikki - they're trying to leave magic behind with the beetles!

<Nikki> * But they *are* all commoners. What's the problem?

* Matar certainly has no problem with being called a commoner.

<Amber> **Saif, have we been down here eight hours??? That's how long Ambers spell lasts.

* Sane is a commoner and proud of it.

<Saif> Nikki - the only magic Sane found in the main room was inside the queen (imagine the Alien queen with a beetle front end, but with a glowing tube of light and head running down her egg sac. The tube dtects as magic.)

<Nikki> * Magic? What magic?

<Nikki> ew

<Matar> "I think it will aid our quest little, unless we could interest someone above in it enough to trade for some good magic items."

<Saif> Amber - I had your duration as 3.5 hours before the party rested. It's been that long since then.

<Sane> *you want *that* magic?

<Matar> * that was my comment <G>

<Nikki> * Are we there now?

<Amber> okay

<Sane> *yes

<Matar> * yup

<Saif> * a magical souce of light and heat about 100' long.

<Nikki> * how big is the tube sack?

<Matar> * 300 small beetles, 50 soft ones, 7 big ones, and the queen

<Sane> *which we couldn't easily take out of here...

<Saif> * everybody is down there except for Cast, Shadow, Thengal, and Hunter

<Amber> 100' long!

<Matar> * once we cleared the chamber we could open the house up

<Nikki> * I think that's beyond even Nikki's interest in magic.

<Saif> 100' long and about 2' in diameter.

<Saif> So, head back out then?

* Sane tries to picture the party shoving the entire hot glowing queen beetle sack into the house.

<Matar> * the greed for magic vs the cowardess inherent in a mage

<Nikki> * not cowardess. it's just too yucky.

<Sane> *uh oh; Nikki's been hanging around Ari too long.

<Kat> "Sane, let's get back up. It seems that the beetles have retreated to the queen."

<Castinar> LoL

<Matar> * or diana could open her portal and we could deliver it straight to the keep!

<Kat> "Maybe there is another area that has bones of their victims."

<Kat> "Castinar should have a good chance to find it. I hope."

<Sane> we go out (without objection); ask Cast about searching the nest for treasure

<Saif> K, party heads out and talks to Cast. Cast?

-> *Castinar* you still awake? <g>

<Kat> "What do you think about it, Castinar?"

<Saif> * he mentioned being tired earlier, we might have lost him <g>

* Kat will ask after explaining the queen's area.

<Castinar> 'here

<Castinar> More than likely, anything "shiny" would be there near the queen.....

<Castinar> How big is the network of tunnels? They passed several side tunnels, if I remember?

<Castinar> *the smaller ones?

<Sane> *brb

<Saif> yes, you suspect it riddles the whole area under this slope and into the rock wall beyond

* Castinar nods

<Castinar> It could take an awful long time to search such a place

<Castinar> Time we could better spend elsewhere, I suspect

<Ari> *tell me again why we want to search for bettle treasure?

<Castinar> If there are bones of victims, they'd be in the larger tunnels anyways

<Ari> *we dont have enough treasure as it is?

<Saif> So leave?

<Castinar> The beetles would *probably* not drag bones into the smaller tunnels just for the heck of it

* Castinar shrugs

<Castinar> Sane's call

<Saif> we'll wait for his return

<Saif> While we wait I'll brb - got to print something upstairs.

<Castinar> *But, it's got my vote. I'm not sure what that "queen" was, but I'd not want to be around to find out it could spit lava or some such

<Sane> *back

<Nikki> * oh wait, we didnt kill the queen?

<Kat> "You're right. It would be a waste of time, if we find nothing. If we find one magical sword or magical item, it would pay for the time spent."

<Nikki> * I've got some fireballs

<Castinar> Yes? And if it spits lava, it'd probably *eat* your fireballs.... got any balls of ice?

<Sane> *Nikki; that was the whole debate

<Nikki> * ooooh... I thought it was dead already and we were just deciding what to do with a huge tube. Nikki is up for some FB action

<Sane> *do we try to take them out or do we leave; you (saif) was saying to kill them off

<Sane> *Kat liked the idea, as did Matar somwhat

<Sane> Ari strongly objected

<Saif> back

<Sane> Sane was leaning toward leaving

* Amber says its up to party leader, prefers to leave queen alone.

<Saif> brb again (short)

<Nikki> * well if we're doing a vote I'm all up for wiping them out, as usual, but I won't make a big stink about it even though I'm sure it's the right thing to do.

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<Nikki> hey

<Saif> back

<Paura> hi there

<Saif> Hey Curt

<Saif> So, what does the party end up doing? Sane, that's your final call. Individuals can then do something else if they wish.

-> *Paura* so what's up?

<Sane> We leave.

<Nikki> * we'll take off and leave the mega-illusion-enhancement device behind with the beetles

<Saif> Ok, the party leaves. for where?

<Matar> * just imagine armor made out of that

<Sane> down the far tunnel

<Saif> Which way - the way you know or the way you are headed?

<Sane> new way

<Saif> Ok, the party heads further down the tunnel, leaving the beetles and penguins alone.

<Saif> Everybody is pretty tired by this time, so you set up camp about two miles beyond the cavern and rest up.

<Saif> Spell casters - any changes to spells?

<Kat> *Wait, maybe we should kill all those unnatural birds... they might have treasure... hehe

<Amber> *Amber will still keep Locate Obj and Wings for 3rd level spells, others the same.

<Saif> ### Let's go ahead and take a break here. Then we'll press on with the party massa.. ah, whatever is beyond here.

<Sane> same for sane

* Nikki is disappointed at her stunning lack of anti-dragon spells.

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<Nikki> I guess expeditious retreat is a good anti-dragon spell.

<Kat> *So, we've cleared out all of the beetles?

<Saif> BRB, take five

<Kat> *hehehe

<Galen> I miss anything?

<Kat> *brb

<Nikki> we killed the dragon but lost the ranger

<Galen> Cool -- which of you were polymorphed into a Ranger?

<Nikki> unfortunately for the ranger it wasnt like that

<Kat> *The same strike killed our druid too

<Kat> *We only lost one party member

<Diana> no spell changes

<Nikki> * the bards will sing of it for ages though

<Nikki> * I want to dump stinking cloud and web and get blacklight and mirror image instead

*** Castinar has quit IRC (Ping timeout)

*** Galen is now known as Castinar

<Saif> Nikki - so you want two MIs?

<Saif> And from what I see those are all the spell changes - two for Nikki, correct?

<Saif> Anybody else back yet?

<Nikki> uh no

<Amber> iza here

<Nikki> I want 1 blacklight and 1 MI

<Kat> back

<Matar> me and di are back

<Saif> Nikki - you had one MI already in addition to the SC and web.

<Saif> So what do you want to keep?

<Castinar> Willkeep current spelllist

<Nikki> uh? hang on

<Nikki> no i didnt. thats the bogus persistent MI

<Saif> OK

<Nikki> unless you'll let me have both like we agreed upon in email? <g>

<Saif> Ah, no.

<Saif> Hold on, I'll repost the grid

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<Sane> *back

<Saif> OK, battle grid is up. Please check, especially for correct spells. Ignore in-hand for now.

*** DragonLad is now known as Amber2

*** Amber2 has quit IRC (Sometimes.... the Dragons win)

<Saif> ## Any other questions or comments before we press on?

*** Amber has quit IRC (Ping timeout)

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*** dshutton is now known as Amber

<Saif> Ok

<Saif> .

<Saif> Roll Call

<Saif> .

<Kat> aye

<Amber> *groumble, grumble here

<Castinar> here

<Castinar> kindof

<Sane> here

<Ari> here

<Saif> * BTW, we won't be playing too late tonight. I've got to get the kids to bed and do all that fun stuff. Figure another hour or so.

<Matar> whats the 6/0 on my stoneskin?

<Saif> Ok, Well, we have the scouts, so we'll press on.

<Saif> Matar - that means you have no stoneskins left.

<Saif> you did take several attacks from the beetles

<Matar> hmm but i didnt get hit at all

<Saif> You don't have to be hit, just attacked.

<Matar> lame

<Matar> nikki has to work on that

<Saif> So, the party presses onward.

<Saif> As before, Sane and Castinar/Shadow leapfrog ahead of the party as scouts

<Saif> Sane and Castinar, d10 from each of you please.

<Sane> db d10

<db> Sane rolled 1d10: [5]

<Saif> Cast, d10 please

<Castinar> db d10

<db> Castinar rolled 1d10: [4]

<Saif> Sane is out scouting again when he finds the next cavern.

<Saif> So how do you approach this one, Sane?

<Sane> sneak up along the tunnel wall, invisible, silent, hiding in shadows

<Saif> BTW, this is the next day, after resting...

<Saif> db d12

<db> Saif rolled 1d12: [8]

<Saif> close to dinner time.

<Saif> Sane, d100

<Sane> db d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [82]

<Saif> Sane makes himself just a little nervous, but makes it to the cavern mouth without incident.

* Nikki sneezes *REALLY* loudly

<Saif> He sees that the cavern ahead apparently has two parts as it opens up to both the right and the left, but not straight ahead.

<Sane> *does it smell lair-like?

<Saif> In fact, at first Sane things the tunnel branches, but both branchs are over 150' wide, and then Sane feels a slight draft, indicitive of a large cavern to the left.

<Castinar> *in the UD??? Everything smells lair-like! <VBG>

<Kat> *beetle dung... you just can't get that smell out of your beak.

<Saif> Sane still hears that rumbling sound, but by now you've decided it is an underground river somewhere nearby, following the same path.

<Saif> Sane can't discern a smell in here that would indicate a lair.

<Sane> which way is the draft blowing?

<Nikki> * maybe the large neon "LAIR --->" sign?

<Saif> it was just a soft gust of wind from ahead of you into your face

<Sane> go right

<Saif> Sane goes right, hanging along the wall

<Saif> This area too quickly widens out.

<Saif> Sane, 4d100 please

<Sane> db a nice low d100 please

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [94]

<Saif> ohhhh

<Saif> 4 of them

<Sane> db d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [16]

<Sane> db d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [21]

<Sane> db d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [87]

<Saif> Sane moves forward about 400' when he notices that he was mistaken.

<Sane> *I knew I was gonna be mistaken.

<Saif> Oh, wait, nevermind, 30' infravision. He doesn't notice anything. <g>

<Saif> Keep moving along? You can't see across the cavern here.

<Sane> cruise the perimeter

<Saif> but you do get a subtle sense that is just widened out.

<Saif> K, 5 d100 this time

<Sane> how wide, 200"

<Sane> 200'

<Sane> that is

<Sane> db 5d100

<db> Sane rolled 5d100: [193] 60 22 15 83 13

<Saif> Well, over 30' you know for sure, beyond that it is all guesses based on feelings

<Saif> Sane moves forward another 500' and finds a tunnel leading out, continuing on southward.

<Saif> Move on further?

<Saif> In the cavern, that is?

<Sane> after circling around the area on the right; Sane will go out to middle of area on right

<Sane> sneaking, hiding

<Sane> invisible

<Saif> Sane - the side tunnel leaves from the right (west) side, not south. The wall keeps going along the right hand side. Keep following it?

<Castinar> afk

<Sane> yes

<Saif> K, 4more 100s please

<Sane> db 4d100

<db> Sane rolled 4d100: [298] 92 36 91 79

<Saif> geez, you just love dancing with that 95, don't you?

<Sane> yep

<Saif> Sane keeps moving along the wall, which now takes a gradual turn to the left.

<Sane> cruisin'

<Saif> After about another 400 feet or so he suddenly stops. He smells something. it is very faint, but he could swear it smells like bacon.

<Sane> keep smelling

<Saif> Bacon! Smells like bacon! Only one thing smells like bacon, and that's bacon!

<Saif> It is faint, and maybe a little musty, but has a definite bacon smell

* Sane moves ahead as long as the smell gets stronger, if it fades he'll change direction until zeroing in on it.

<Saif> Sane, 5d100 this time

<Nikki> * bacon? not bbq chicken?

<Sane> db 5d100

<db> Sane rolled 5d100: [107] 6 9 11 55 26

<Amber> *shish kabob orc...

<Kat> *bbq kenku?

<Nikki> * no orcs in these parts, lady

<Amber> *they look piggy..

* Sane is hoping he's not about to find the drive up window for the local McDragons

<Nikki> heh

<Saif> Sane move on another 50 feet when he stops again. The smell is a little stronger, but what really gets his attention is the scrape sound that comes out of the darkness ahead.

<Saif> It sounds like something moving along the ground. It was a short noise. Something against rock.

<Sane> stop, listen

<Nikki> scales on rock?

<Nikki> claws on rock?

<Sane> ceiling how high?

<Nikki> huge 8 foot fangs on rock?

<Saif> Sane freezes and listens

<Saif> Ceiling in here about 100' high

<Amber> *vodka on rocks...dragon called Vodka..

<Nikki> the dreaded Alcoholic Dragon

<Sane> anything?

<Saif> Sane listens vey closely, d100 Sane

<Sane> db d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [52]

<Saif> He doesn't hear anything else.

<Sane> did the origin of the bacon and the noise coinside?

<Saif> No, you smelled the bacon first, moved forward a little, then heard the noise.

<Sane> move toward the noise

<Saif> 10 d100 plz

<Sane> db 10d100

<db> Sane rolled 10d100: [423] 80 25 17 54 15 34 28 79 69 22

<Saif> Sane moves forward about 100' and rolls another d100

<Sane> db d100

<db> Sane rolled 1d100: [43]

<Nikki> * if it was an undead dragon, it'd give off no heat and oh uhm nevermind

<Saif> This time as he pauses to listen he thinks he hears something from the darkness ahead. He tries to place the sound...

<Saif> It sounds kind of like somebody shaking a branch on a leafy bush

<Saif> but very faint

<Saif> however, as he listens he realizes the sound is fairly regular, every 10 seconds or so

<Sane> move toward it

<Saif> 5d100 this time

<Sane> db 5d100

<db> Sane rolled 5d100: [187] 4 14 74 87 8

<Saif> Sane sneaks forward until his sight finally reveals something

<Saif> He faintly sees what looks like the side of a very large snake ahead of him.

<Sane> oooo

<Saif> It is about 3 to 4' around.

<Nikki> pet it

<Saif> Now the rustling sound is stronger as well

<Sane> *large head, perhaps?

<Saif> Sane can also now very fainly hear a breathing sound coming from his left.

<Sane> *human-like head, perhaps?

<Saif> * can't see a head. This part is right at the edge of your infravision.

<Sane> how close the breathing?

<Saif> You suspect within about 50' or so, but you know how sound is in these caverns.

<Sane> sneak to the breathing

<Saif> As he stands there Sane also hears a faint growl sound coming from where the breathing noises are, and the rustling sound picks up slightly.

<Sane> *still wanting to get back to the bacon too. <g>

<Saif> Sane, 3d100 please

<Sane> *wait a sec

<Sane> The snake is moving, right?

<Saif> waiting

<Saif> No, the snake is no moving

<Sane> oh

<Sane> continue with move

<Saif> so go to the head? if so, 3d100

<Sane> db 3d100

<db> Sane rolled 3d100: [191] 82 11 98

<Sane> shit

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<Castinar> *chomp

<Saif> Sane's luck gives out on him just as he gets to the point where he sees what is making the strange noises

<Nikki> * where do you keep your spell books?

<Saif> out of the darkness ahead a large head looms. It first reminds Sane of one of the crocodiles that the party saw in the Shrieken Mire - but several times larger.

<Saif> Then a long, forked tongue comes slipping out of the snout to taste the air - right towards Sane.

<Saif> It's just at that point that Sane steps on something under him that makes a loud <snap> sound.

<Saif> * hold on just a sec.

<Saif> Oh, and BTW the large head is about 10' in the air.

<Saif> OK, Sane, what do you do? You just made the noise. The head is pointed right towards you.

<Sane> *one sec

<Nikki> * Pretend you're lost. Ask for directions.

<Sane> two things

<Sane> move silently backward, cast Spectral Force

<Castinar> pray and beg?

<Ari> *I got dibs on the feathers..I need a new dress

<Nikki> *the books are mine.

<Kat> *oooooo, good idea Ari

<Saif> Sane, you can't move and cast. Hum, did you miss it when we started using Combat and Tactics rules? There are strict guidelines on what types of actions you can take during a round.

<Nikki> *wont be any feathers.

<Amber> *Tymora give him luck now.

<Sane> *Ok

<Kat> *NOW, you wish luck... a little late

<Sane> Sane will just move back and two his right a bit

<Castinar> Can move one square, no?

<Saif> 5', yes

<Nikki> maybe dragons are like bears.. try playing dead.

<Saif> Sane - do you turn and move back or just step backwards? Hard to move silently when you don't watch where you are going.

<Sane> turn and move

<Saif> OK

<Saif> roll a d10 Sane

<Saif> db d10

<db> Saif rolled 1d10: [1]

* Saif grins

<Nikki> "HEY GUYS! OVER HERE! I FOUND THE MCDRAGON'S!"

<Sane> db d10

<db> Sane rolled 1d10: [8]

<Saif> hold on, need to look at something...

<Kat> *Sane find kenku dung

<Saif> Ok

<Saif> Sane turns and starts moving backwards.

<Saif> As he does so hear hears the snake moving to his left.

<Saif> Sane - so you are still moving silently, yes?

<Sane> yes

<Sane> and quickly as possible

<Saif> That's 23' per round

<Sane> check

<Saif> So Sane moves back about 20' as the snake moving against the rock sound comes from his left and behind him

<Saif> As Sane is moving back the little tiny feathers on the back of his head go up just as...

<Amber> *curses coiled again

<Saif> Let's see, Sane's AC is -3 and he's invisible, so it needs....

<Saif> db

<db> Saif rolled 1d20: [14]

<Matar> * a 2

<Xaveus> smack

<Castinar> No, that's "snack"

<Nikki> bounce

<Nikki> stone skin

<Xaveus> lol

<Saif> Sane suddenly feels himself crunched between two powerful and massive jaws. Withouth the stoneskin he might be dead.

<Nikki> *really? crap... i could've had his books right then and there!

<Xaveus> *crunchy on the outside chewy on the inside?

<Nikki> *yup

<Saif> Must to Sane's dismay, the jaws don't let go and he feels himself being lifted into the air

<Kat> *thanks Nikki, you saved the leader from the leader curse.

<Saif> OK, what do you do now?

<Nikki> *only for a round or two.

<Sane> *wait, don't the stoneskins prevent a hit?

<Sane> if it misses it wouldn't have gotten me

<Matar> *no - its really a lame spell and i think we need nikki to research a better one

<Saif> They prevent damage, but the jaws are still massive enough to pick you up

<Sane> *you know, I'm invisible <g>

<Nikki> * i need 3 months in JV of research time

<Sane> *OK, last stand time

<Sane> As he is lifted into the air, Sane sends to the this beast, <WAIT!!!>

*** Castinar has quit IRC (Leaving)

<Xaveus> Give illusion that you taste like dwarf dung?

<Saif> Sane sends his message. He feels the jaws close down on him once again, as if trying to break open his "shell"

<Nikki> * you're talking to it? I thought you had a hand grendade or something.

<Saif> Sane keeps talking, he feels another crunch. He also notices that the beast does look like a snake with a crocodile head - and that the long snake body is being swirlled into a circle under him.

<Saif> A fourth crunch down.

<Saif> db d6

<db> Saif rolled 1d6: [3]

<Nikki> * i dont think its a dragon....

<Sane> *me either

<Saif> Keep talking?

* Sane casts Blindness.

<Amber> *tickle its throat with a wing feather...cough u out.

<Saif> I guess that's going depend on whether or not your arms are pinned. Let's see...

<Sane> *wait can I change that?

<Sane> Hypnotic pattern instead

<Saif> yes, but realize you are being held tightly in jaws that could probably swallow you whole if they got a hold of you the right way.

<Sane> *Saif, how far back is the group?

<Saif> K, first your arms...

<Saif> db 2d20

<db> Saif rolled 2d20: [32] 16 16

<Saif> sorry, both are pinned. no spells with movements

<Sane> *wait a sec

<Saif> As you try to wiggle your arms loose the beast does something new. It rears it's head up into the air and throws you onto the ground.

<Saif> * hold on, got to read something

<Saif> * oh, unbiased opinions here, should a Stoneskin protect from a fall?

<Kat> *yes

<Nikki> ya

<Xaveus> ya

<Nikki> no different than some monster with an attack like lifting and dropping you.

<Amber> *don't know haven't read the spell in years.

<Sane> *hey saif, blindness doesn't need somatic components

<Nikki> stoneskin has a pretty broad definition of attack

<Sane> Sane can cast Blindness

<Matar> that is open to abuse tho

<Saif> Why? Think of the ramifications. "Hum, we clear up here on these pegasus riding around at 5,000 feet. We need to get down quickly. Let's just cast Stoneskin on ourselves and jump!"

<Nikki> thats not an attack

<Nikki> i wouldnt allow that.

<Nikki> but being tossed to the ground with intent to do harm, ya

<Saif> That's my thought - falling isn't an attack.

<Sane> in this case it is

<Matar> of course fighters might do that anyway- it maxes at like 20d6 damage or something at terminal velocity

<Nikki> lol

<Matar> if you are throw it is - if you just fall it isnt?

* Sane casts Blindness.

<Matar> er thrown

<Saif> see, that doesn't make a lot of sense to me - oh well, we'll say Sane is lucky here, but I have to think about that one some more.

<Nikki> ya. its ad&d. it doesnt have to be Newtonianly logically or consistent

<Saif> Sane is thrown down to the ground.

<Kat> *Falling isn't an attack. The sudden stop with whatever you are hitting is the attack.

<Sane> can't he cast first?

<Saif> He finds himself surrounded by the snake, encircled.

<Saif> Sane - no, you tried Hypno pattern last round.

<Sane> Sane tried to cast Blindness, you said he couldn't, but he can.

<Xaveus> Tastes like liverworst.

<Saif> So, what do you do this round?

<Sane> ok,

<Sane> so, I'm on the ground

<Sane> can cast anything

<Saif> yes, you are on the groudn now. As you land and glance at the snake you notice something else strange - this "snake" has many small legs all along it's length.

<Saif> Those legs are all turned inwards, towards you, and scraping towards you.

<Saif> OK, so what do you do?

<Nikki> * YIKES! It's a Millipede Dragon!!!

<Saif> And the head is still above you, although not right above you.

<Sane> cast Spectral Force

<Saif> Of what?

<Sane> Create an illusion of myself appearing right where I am but about a step ahead.

<Sane> the illusion will instantly lunge toward the beast, attacking it's head with it's staff

<Saif> So still within the snake? There is only about a 5' space around you right now, quickly tightening.

<Sane> it will jump/fly up and attackt the head.

<Sane> oh, i see

<Sane> I didn't realize what you meant

<Sane> ok

<Sane> try to fly away

<Saif> So you are effectively surrounded by snake

<Saif> K, Sane takes off.

<Saif> The head instantly swivels around onto the sound and attacks

<Saif> (pray...)

<Saif> db

<db> Saif rolled 1d20: [17]

<Saif> Snap! Sane is snagged out of mid-air and again crunched.

<Saif> And once again he is thrown to the ground in the middle of the snake. This time his blood runs cold when he feels the damage from the fall.

<Saif> db d6

<db> Saif rolled 1d6: [5]

<Nikki> * i did my part....

<Sane> cast spectral force

<Saif> So, you are basicaly back where you were last round... but without any stoneskins left. What do you do?

<Saif> What this time? Same thing or something different?

<Sane> illusion of sane appearing and glowig somewhat. it lunges/jumps up at the head attacking with staff

<Saif> Where does the illusion appear?

<Sane> right in front of me then takes off immediately

<Saif> The snake had to uncoil slightly to get you as you took off, but it is tightening up again.

<Saif> Ok

<Saif> Sane casts an illusion of himself taking off.

<Sane> attacking

<Sane> the head

<Saif> Now the snake has an obvious target, so it lunges... oh, it attacks? Or takes off?

<Sane> both

<Saif> Can't do both. You can attack from the ground or take off.

<Sane> takes off flying/jumping up and attacking the head

<Sane> with it's staff

<Sane> like super chicken

<Sane> glowing

<Saif> So more of a jump attack. You realize you'll be back on the ground again next round?

<Sane> it's not me

<Saif> well, the illusion will need to be if you want to keep it believable.

<Sane> it can run on it's own for 3 rounds

<Saif> So do that? (back to ground) or have it attack and fly up risking having it disbelived?

<Sane> I don't have to concentrate on it at all

<Sane> so if it goes out of sight that won't matter

<Saif> right, I know, but what does the illusion do?

<Saif> the realistic thing will be to jump up towards the head with the wings providing an additional lift and then land on the ground again. The unrealistic thing would be to do that and instead of landing fly up into the air.

<Sane> it attacks, it reacts as appropriate, including flying around and attacking the head or falling to the ground, getting back up and attcking, etc.

<Saif> OK

<Sane> i just want a diversion to get away

<Saif> Sane's illusion appears. For a brief second the snake looks confused but then the illusion attacks it

<Saif> roll to hit, Sane

<Sane> it doesn't really matter so much what it does so long as it doesn't come at me directly

<Sane> db

<db> Sane rolled 1d20: [1]

<Sane> cool

<Saif> and another d20

<Sane> db

<db> Sane rolled 1d20: [17]

<Saif> the illusion recovers

<Saif> The snake then...

<Saif> db d20

<db> Saif rolled 1d20: [2]

<Saif> goes after the illusion, snapping at it

<Saif> db

<db> Saif rolled 1d20: [4]

<Saif> but missing it

<Saif> once again, it has to loosen the circle to snap at it, giving Sane a chance to slip out. Dex check required. Roll.

<Sane> db

<db> Sane rolled 1d20: [16]

<Saif> Sane makes it interesting, but he slips away from the snake body, which continues to uncoil as it chases the illusionary Sane

<Saif> So, what do you do now?

<Sane> fly out of there as fast as possible

<Sane> beeline for the passage out

<Saif> When Sane takes off the head swivels back his direction for an instant, then returns to the illusion

<Saif> Sane, how far do you fly?

<Sane> until it gets below 40

<Sane> feet height that is

<Saif> OK, Sane manages to fly out, slobbery, wet, and shaken, but alive.

<Sane> *Saif, I think I need another break <bg>

<Saif> He is a little disoriented when he lands. He finds himself in the left hand passage of the fork rather than the right like he thought he would.

<Saif> * We're almost ready to wrap it up.

<Saif> So, do you head back to the party?

<Sane> *no that was a joke

<Sane> *my heart's racing a mile a minute

<Sane> go back quick

<Saif> OK, Sane heads back to the party.

<Saif> And that's where we'll stop.

<Sane> *man, sorry

<Saif> I'll put out a summary turn, and Sane can go ahead and post his "Hey guys, guess what happened to me" story.

<Sane> *I did *not* mean to get into all that obviously.

<Amber> *thank you Tymora!

<Sane> *well, at least it wasn't an actual dragon

<Amber> *That was a heart stopper for sure! :)

* Nikki wiggles her bottom.

<Saif> Any last questions?

<Amber> none here, hve a nice weekend all!

<Matar> whats with the heat wave in chicago?

<Matar> 75 today

<Matar> thats stupid warm for feb

<Amber> good grief! we were cold and bigggg storm coming tomorrow, maybe 2 inches of rain in 12 hours...

<Saif> We got 2" of snow yesterday, but it has mostly melted by now

<Amber> For us that is a lot, already over normal rainfall

<Matar> we almost got that but the city council voted against it

<Sane> we had record highs today!

<Amber> lol

<Saif> OK, I'll work on getting the summary out tomorrow

<Matar> heh anyone know what thats misquoted from?

<Sane> not me

<Nikki> db die

*** db has quit IRC (Yow!!)

<Kat> Judd, do you have a db live?

<Nikki> i start it from a shell.

<Matar> only one of my all time fav moovies

<Matar> LA Story with Steve Martin

<Saif> Matar - what quote? The city council one?

<Saif> Oh

<Matar> ya

<Nikki> runs from a script so i can logout and leave db running

*** Amber has quit IRC (Sometimes.... the Dragons win)

<Matar> night - tribes calls

<Kat> night

*** Matar has quit IRC (Leaving)

<Nikki> im thinking we hire 3 lines of pikemen and come back

<Kat> Then it will be full by the time we get up to it?

<Sane> sorry everyone; didn't mean to hog the time like that

<Saif> K, Night all.

<Nikki> of pike spears

<Ari> goodnight

<Kat> night

*** Disconnected

Session Close: Fri Feb 25 22:35:14 2000