Chapter 12: Shadows in the Dark

[Ken]

"Because, Adamant," Belarin says very slowly, "Shorak is out there, gathering the intelligence we need to mark this damned quest a success. I would prefer that you not jeopardize that. Hmph, perhaps someone else needs to gather intelligence."

[Brian]

"Nobody is going anywhere," Condign says, his eyes fixed on the winged creature. "Shorak will return soon. He will tell us what he sees. Only then will we decide what to do next."

[Darren]

Kal glares at Adamant. "Stand down, soldier," he orders in a cold voice. "No one is getting themselves killed today."

[Dave W.]

Adamant cocks his head towards Kal, "Killed? I'm watching my friend trun himself into a monster and you're worried about something as mundane as getting killed?"

"Fine we will wait for our scout to tell us the way is directly before us...This waiting is making my faceplate itch. Time is weighing heavily; we grow weaker the longer we stay here. That and I fear that things that are done will be harder to undo the longer this goes on...."

[Jeff]

Histra returns her full attention on your surroundings: the Whelmed behind you, still drifting among the shipwrecks within the quays, and the winged figure before you. "Something stirs," she says, squinting.

Indeed, you can see the winged figure seems to be moving back away from the water's edge. It's hard to tell, but you think it's looking directly at the group now. And making no moves toward you.

[Brian]

Seeing what he thinks must be the yugoloth turn his attention on the group, he says, "Quick. Belarin. Move to the front. Lady, if you will please join him. You two pose the greatest threat of us all. The rest, gather behind them. Conceal our numbers. Adamant, help Kal if he needs it." Condign moves to stand behind and slightly to the left of Belarin, so that he can keep an eye on the winged creature. His hand closes on his sword hilt. "Come if you will," he says softly and without a hint of inflection. "Give me the chance to redeem myself for my failure with Rath."

[Ken]

Belarin nods, in as polite a fashion as he seems able, and steps forward. "If the winged idiot seeks to feel more pain and confusion, I'll gladly oblige. But be mindful of his tricks." The shadows move and drift around his form.

[Darren]

"I'm not helpless," Kal says with a cough, even as sparks dance across his fingers. "But remember, we're not looking to start a fight."

____________________
Two questions, Jeff:

1 - How far away is the yugoloth?
2 - Has Kal's Spell Sniper feat taken effect, yet?

I ask because if it has, Kal can start to hit the yugoloth with Fire Bolts when he's 240 feet away, meaning that even if the yugoloth moves 60 feet per round, Kal could get off several good shots before the yugoloth even reaches us.

[Joe]

Streko stands next to Tangat, who stands between him and Kal. "Let us hope we can get past this without conflict. If need be, however, may Olladra ensure we do the best with what we have available." Streko pulls Therendor out from his haversack and releases his hold of Tangat.

[Dave W.]

"Nevertheless, I will stand by, Kal," Adamant says as he moves into formation. "It is how I was forged."

"Thank you Streko for your invokation. May my Lady also lend her Light in this dark time."

---

So Addy will stand next to Kal

[Jeff]

As you rearrange yourself, the only activity you see two hundred feet down is that the figure appears to be facing the group squarely now. Large bat-like wings unfurl around him, clearly identifying the yugoloth for what he is. Yet he makes no move towards the group.

A couple of minutes have passed. Surely Shorak has already reached his destination and seen what he needs to see. The yugoloth is not engaged in any kind of fight or struggle, so you don't think he's detected Shorak's invisible self.

[Darren]

Kal taps his foot nervously. "Be calm, everyone," he says quietly. "Shorak will be back soon. If you see that thing make a move towards us, call out right away. Otherwise, we can continue to wait." Kal keeps watching the yugoloth, then a thought occurs to him. "Condign, keep an eye out behind us, too. Maybe the yugoloth has some other surprise in store for us."

[Ken]

"I agree," says Belarin. "I don't like it... nor do I like the idea of us standing here, waiting to react to something that the nycaloth does. That gives him the advantage... unless he is as drained as magical resources as many of you are."

He puts a skeletal hand to the shrunken flesh around his chin. "Histra, is there something he can do to antagonize the Whelmed and drive them toward us? And if so, can we do it to him first?"

[Brian]

Nodding at Kal's words, Condign moves so that he can watch the long length of the docks that they had already traveled. Indeed, if the yugoloth--or any other enemy, for that matter--were to try and approach that way, they would know.

[Jeff]

Kal keeps careful watch on the yugoloth, ready for any approach—still he remains two hundred feet away. But the unfurling of his wings, and now a shifting of his posture, suggests that something is afoot.

Histra eyes him, too, as she answers Belarin. "The Whelmed are not easily manipulated. They can be, at best, avoided. Your mantle of undeath is what discourages them from taking an interest in us out here at present, though I do not think it will last much longer. But yes, this nycaloth is determined. He bears a special hatred for my family and seeks vengeance in every way."

[Darren]

"We can't go anywhere, yet," Kal says. "We have to give Shorak more time. I don't want to start a fight, but why is he just standing there? Surely he can see us as well as we can see him. It can't be that he fears us, or he would simply leave. Is he waiting for something, or someone?"

[Jeff]

Histra shakes her head. "He does not advance because alone he cannot win against us. He knows this. But he cannot secure aid from the Whelmed. They do not make allies easily, and certainly not in so short a time."

[Brian]

"Yet it does not flee," says Condign. The warrior in him can guess why. His mouth twists. "It awaits aid. If not in the Whelmed, then in some other ally."

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using proboards

[Dave W.]

"In which case we should attack now... while we still have an advantage... It makes no sense to wait until it's allies arrive." Adamant looks at what should be Belarin and then looks away again. He turns to Kal, "Kal, can you see Shorak? Is there any way to tell where he is? If he were restrained or unconcious ... or worse... how could we tell?"

"I appreaciate the need tor information but sometimes you need to move on the information you have. To wait for a perfect picture to be painted is handing the initiative to your enemy. And I still believe Time is killing us in this place..."

[Darren]

Kal crouches on the ground and rocks back on his heels. The leather straps around his right leg groan as they are stressed and stretched tight. Kal pulls Skyfang from its sheath and holds it by the blade. He taps the pommel against his lips as he studies the yugoloth in front of him. "IF we do this," he says, flipping the blade over in his hand and looking at his companions, "we must all agree to the plan. We have him outnumbered, yes, but there must be a reason he is not fleeing. I have to assume he is not aware of Shorak's presence, or he'd probably be attacking Shorak right now. That gives us an extra advantage, certainly."

Kalarian begins to sketch in the dirt in front of him with the blade of his dagger. "I think I can hit the yugoloth from here," he says, lifting the palm of his hand. He expects to see the familiar orb of electricity form above it, but his eyes widen in surprise as a ball of flame appears there instead. He grins as he closes his hand, extinguishing the flame. "Yes," he says with a grin, "I'm certain of it. So, I will stand here and attack him. Either it will draw him closer, or cause him to flee. Either one is okay. Adamant, you will stand here," Kal scratches an 'A' into the dirt, "to my left and just ahead, and Condign, you to my right. Histra, you stay by me, and Streko and Belarin will be position here," he scratches an S to the left of Adamant, "and here," scratching a B to the right of Condign. "If he approaches, we keep to this formation until he gets close. Then Adamant and Condign close in on his flanks before he can get to me and Histra, allow Belarin, Streko, Histra, and me to attack at range."

Again, Kal looks at each of the companions. "We do not do this unless everyone is in, so I need to hear you say it. Do we attack?"

_______________________________
Here's my best attempt at Kal's proposed formation:

.....A...............C

.S...........K..........B
...............H

As Kal said, I won't start the attack unless everyone agrees. If Kal attacks and we go turn-based, Kal should be able to hit the yugoloth at least two or three times before he can get to us.

[Jeff]

"We have seen him teleport," Histra offers, regarding Kal's markings. "Short range, perhaps, but enough that he may be able to closer faster than you realize, in addition to flight."

Then you all hear some footfalls coming closer in the direction of the yugoloth. Just two feet, light-footed, but probably not trying to be stealthy about it...

[Dave B.]

The sound of running footsteps becomes clear as the disembodied voice of Shorak fills the air. "DANGER! Beware! The Yugoloth is bearing Histra's staff and has called forth a dozen Sahaugin from the waters, black as night is their leathery skin and they are led by the same four-armed beast we defeated under the ocean. Of course, he only has three arms now, but they are as invisible as I, and close behind me. That's why the yugoloth need not advance. There is a lighthouse out on the water. That is where the light is coming from and there is a path to it once past the last quay. I believe if we can reach it, we may be safe. It means getting past the phantom sahaugin and the yugoloth" The words are rushed and the voice is slightly out of breath, and seems to get closer as the words pour forth, but it is certainly Shorak's.

[Jeff]

You've never heard Shorak speak so quickly.

"My staff, he found it," Histra barely just mouths the words, but true shock seems to course through her. "Khyber...shit. Sarquaa was the name..." She looks to Belarin with some unexpected worry in her eyes.

This is the current setup before anyone moves into any new positions suggested by Kal (including invisible Shorak, which really only he knows anyway ):

And for better scale, here is a larger view. This is very streamlined, due to time. What I didn't add are the bulks of shipwreckes piled up against the shoreline. The dark gray on the left represents the rising rock wall that would lead up to the rest of the city's main "level." That's about twenty feet high. In Stormreach, it's not that severely raised up, but it essentially simulates where the next street is set higher up.

[Darren]

"Dammit," Kal says, rising to his feet. "Now the odds are against us. I suggest a quick retreat back the way we came. We have the information we were looking for, now we can search for a way out. Orderly retreat. Condign first, the rest of us will follow, Adamant to hold the rear guard. I can fire on the run, as needed."

_________________
Again, I'll wait for input before stating any explicit action.

[Ken]

"Bonescrape's bloody jest... ", whispers Belarin, using an oath that sounds doubly strange coming from his current state.

"Yes, a rapid retreat is in order," he says. "Except that YOU, Kalarian, will join the rest. You have trouble standing. I sincerely doubt casting will be any less taxing. I shall go last. My current... talent may dissuade the dead creatures from getting too close.

"Shorak... are they aware of YOUR presence?" His glowing green eyes twinkle at the birth of an idea.

[Jeff]

Histra nods, but then stares back at the apparently approaching invisible foes. "But they will not be living and they will not tire. We can try to lose them in the city if we have no other obstacles. But how long can you run for?" She seems to ask this more of Kal himself than anyone else.

---

Although Kal isn't technically going to move any slower than anyone else, a protracted run will involve Constitution checks and he would have disadvantages on such checks.

[Brian]

"We are leaving!" Condign shouts. He understands that speed may be the one thing that keeps everyone alive, and he understands that he is too slow. Shedding his rope, his bedroll, his crossbow and quiver, and his rations, he leaves them in a pile. "Everyone, follow me."

Drawing his sword, he begins striding purposefully back the way they came.

__________________________________

EDIT: Condign abandons 32 lbs of equipment. He is no longer encumbered.

[Dave B.]

Answering Belarin's question, Shorak says, "I'm not sure. It seems the yugoloth became aware of me, but I don't know about the sahaugin." Shorak looks back towards the yugoloth and the approaching unseen sahaugin, looking for any sign of their approach. Footprints, dripping water, sound, anything. If he can pinpoint their location, maybe they'd have a chance to risk the lighthouse. "I appreciate the need to retreat, but if we can run past the sahaugin and somehow avoid the yugoloth, we should be able to get to the lighthouse and fortify ourselves inside. I can't say, but maybe there's even a portal home there."

[Dave W.]

"I will hold with ... Belarin. He and I will fall back together."

Adamant moves next to the Lich-Belarin.

[Joe]

Streko reaches back into his haversack and removes a bag of caltrops. He hands them to Adamant. "This may slow them down as well, at least long enough to get us to where we need to go. But I am slower than the rest of you, as well as shorter, but of course you are aware of that! Worst case, I might be able to aid myself through Olladra's blessing, with some stealth of my own. No guarantees, though. I have other tricks up my sleeve as well. Lead, and I shall follow my friends, but let us leave quickly."