Lair Of The Orc Lord - Deep 2 (Part 2)

This 27th day of the month of Winter, according to the Kulthean Calendar, will end sadly. Someone is going to die. This is not by design, but, as the storyline unfolds, proves to be just plain bad luck.

The session starts out pretty calmly as the players and GM discuss the drop in probability of an absent player character's weapon breaking. Last session saw Kodos' player absent yet his weapon did not break during the last session. Oh well, so now the percentage is about 66.7% chance.

After clearing and searching the hidden Guard Room (3), Shashari moves to the eastern door and listens - nothing can be heard. Then she moves over to the western door and listens - again nothing.

The PCs move through the west door after Shashari checks for traps - no trap detected. Cavell opens the door and sees that it is a corridor heading north. Forming into a now familiar marching order, the party move north (4 - 5).

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The corridor takes a sharp turn to the left ahead. A chittering sound can be heard from above and looking up you can see your lantern light reflecting from beady eyes overhead.

Before they know it, eight small Spider Bats start attacking the party. The danger these creatures pose is really their poison they inject if they get a non-tiny critical. Small creatures can readily cause what are termed Tiny Criticals but occasionally their attacks are quite effective, causing "normal" criticals. These normal criticals allow for the spider bats to inject poison as well as inflict additional damage.

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All party members are attacked simultaneously with Asmodeus being attacked most ferociously. Cavell takes down the first spider bat just as Asmodeus gets bitten with a non-tiny critical. He is stunned and since he didn't heal up fully since their last couple of encounters, he is very close to falling unconscious due to concussion damage (loss of hit points). Asmodeus finds that the poison has no effect on him as his player made a successful poison RR (resistance roll).

Xera is unsuccessful with her attacks and gets stunned in the second round and third rounds of combat. Rikku and Kodos are using their missile weapons in the hopes of not re-opening their healing wounds but find them difficult to use, even with the short range bonus, so opt for their melee weapons in later rounds of combat. Kodos moves back down the corridor from whence they came to use his bow. Shashari also uses her bow trying to take advantage of the short range bonus and manages to down a single spider bat.

With only two spider bats down, Asmodeus is again critically hit and bleeding. He falls to the cold stone floor unconscious as more spider bats bare down on him attacking savagely. He is not dead yet but looks in very bad shape. His player makes another successful poison RR.

"I drop my bow and move to Asmodeus' side. I use first aid on him to stem the flow of blood and prevent him from dying." - Shashari.

"You attempt first aid, but you are unsuccessful. You try to apply pressure to the bleeding wound but cannot stop the blood flow." - GM.

Asmodeus is slipping fast, running headlong towards his ultimate destiny.

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Xera is still stunned, her player is not amused and getting a little bored not being able to attack.

Rikku pulls out his not-so-trusty yet rusty long sword he picked up from the weapons rack in the Pit of Deff. He attacks fervently and batters down one, two and then a third spider bat over a few rounds. He manages not to re-open his healing wounds.

Meanwhile Kodos uses his short sword, also picked up from the weapons rack and hacks at the fast flying creatures. He is unsuccessful in just about all of his attacks, however, he is successful in re-opening his healing wound and is now bleeding at one hit per round.

Not successful with her first aid attempt Shashari defends the dying Asmodeus from the poisonous spider bats. One of the nasty creatures attacks her and hits her critically doing 18 hits of damage - she only has 25 hits in total and is now sitting on 3 hits having been previously wounded for 4 hits. She is now bleeding at two hits per round and also needs to make a poison RR.

Things are getting tense with Asmodeus now about to walk through Death's door and Shashari on 3 hits and bleeding two hits per round. She has one full round to act before falling unconscious.

Before she has time to even think, still trying to protect her friend Asmodeus, another spider bat attacks her savagely managing to strike into the back of her neck, piercing the skin and into her brain. Shashari dies honourably giving her life so that her friend may live. (Acting for the spider bats, I, the GM, rolled 97 on the attack roll. Since it is an open-ended roll another roll was made and added to the first resulting in the highest possible damage done by a spider bat. The attack had a critical attached to it and again the GM rolls in the high 90s resulting in Shashari's ultimate demise.)

Cavell hearing the scream of pain turns and sees Shashari slump to the floor not moving. He then moves to stand over the body of Asmodeus managing to down another three spider bats over the remaining few rounds of battle.

Xera finally comes out of stun and moves to aid the injured. Kodos continues to be unsuccessful with his attack while Rikku continues with his luck downing the spider bats.

The last spider bat is killed by Cavell and healing begins.

Xera casts a clotting spell on Asmodeus to stop the bleeding just in time. He is now sitting at -50 hits.

All are surprised at the death of Shashari and are wondering what they can do. Cavell says that if they can get her body back to the Temple of Eissa in time, the priestesses may be able to return her back to life. They do after all have free healing services for two weeks. Kodos needs to heal up and recuperate a bit before he teleports back to Sel-kai.

Not wanting to think of the death of Shashari, or maybe simply not caring, Rikku and Kodos search the area and find some treasure the spider bats have left there from their other victims. The PCs have yet to complete their healing fully and decide to move back to the hidden Guard Room to rest and recuperate.

Here the session ends with experience points being handed out to the living.

The next session is slated for three weeks time.

Prayers for Shashari are always welcome. Donations of money for her funeral can be made at the Temple of Eissa located on the Avenue of the Gods, Sel-kai.