It all happens so fast, too fast to even see clearly. Linnix recoils from the wolf that appears out of nowhere, thankfully out of its attack range. Where did these come from?! They weren't here before! The lycanthrope leader tears at Xaris's throat, and blood spatters into the air, he drinks the potion, perhaps just in time, but then... what happened? Everything's gone, it all fades...

White

The moment seems to freeze for Linnix. She couldn't see. There is only whiteness. Whiteness, like a soft blanket of snow.

Then she remembers.

When her vision finally returns, Linnix finds that she is crying. Oh well, it doesn't matter if she is; there were things to be done. If we're to survive, Linnix thinks, We must be strong and fight. Strong in mind, not just in body.
Linnix glances around, examining the situation. Big and bad and two underlings over there, one ugly in front of her. There is one thing she could still do.

Linnix reaches into her bag, and pulls out the gryphon stone figurine.

"Fly Tessa Fly!" Linnix calls.

When the gryphon takes form, Linnix commands, "Attack the wolves over there!" indicating the ones aiding the Lycanthrope in fighting Xaris and Artanis.

Linnix herself backs away slightly from the one in front of her, trying to give Talus a clearer shot, while at the same time trying not to give the wolf an opening to strike.

Aelistae had spent decades on the surface - decades in which she had forced herself to look at the Sun, until its glare no longer stung at her eyes or blinded her. The light that burst forth from Xaris, however, was too white - too bright - for her to cope with. All she could do was close her eyes, until the pain dissipated and darkness was restored.

When she opened them she was surprised to see Bart free of all the wounds he had been inflicted with, and even more surprised to see that Xaris was now paler than a svirfneblin.

Aelistae shook her head, and closed the last few paces to where her sword lay.

‘Now let’s see what you’re made of,’ she thought, as she felt the comforting weight of the blade in her hand, and closed to attack one of the werewolves.

[OOC: Aelistae is moving to flank the wolf flanking Xaris. And then attacking it with her sword. That’s only one round of actions, but she’ll continue doing that until the critter is dead.]

Xaris side stepped the first wolf that attacked him and he reached deep into his pack, reaching for the potion of supposed greatness. He wondered what kind of side effects could happen to him, but he didn't mind because it was either drink it or most likely die. He took off the stopper in the potion and began to drink, trying to keep the wolves infront and in back of him from attacking him. The first one he narrowly dodged as he brought the healing potion to his mouth, but just as he was going to drink the wondrous item, a sharp pain wrapped around him and engulfed his mind and body.

He watched as his small throat was ripped out, blood spurting from his small frame, with flesh and tendons flying in all directions. He tried to let out some sort of sound but only the gurgle of blood escaped his throat and blackness began to creep over his vision. Soon he would pass out and eventually death would encompass him. He only could do one thing before he fell to the blood stained ground below him, and he took the potion and smashed it across the horrendous wound. The crimson streams and blue liquid flowed over him, and for a second he thought nothing was going to happen. But just as the thought entered his mind, he began to feel it.

He thought he was dieying but still around him the battle was going on. Blueish white strands of energy were flowing around him, and soon they began to heal Xaris and all of his wounds. Quickly all of his injuries healed and soon quickly after that he felt re energized, as if he was in the best shape of his life and that nothing could stop him. But then it kept on going, the healing weave of white light seemed to radiate from him. His eyes were now a glowing blue and his hair a white diaphonous flow, and the healing kept building up. Soon he felt like he it was physically pushing him inside out, like he was going to explode outwards. He gritted his teeth as the healing properties extended outwards, but it was inevitable. Xaris could not stop it, he exploded.

He thought he was dead, but soon the white vibrant light faded and he was still in the battle, and the wolves were still around him. He looked at himself and his skin was of a whitest colour. It was whiter than the snows of winter and his hair was also white also. He could see his veins flowing through him were of a blue colour, and he was stunned. He realized that the fight was still going on, and that he had to finish off these wolves.

He reached behind him and grabbed his sword, wielding it infront of him. He looked at the wolf infront of him, and realized that it was healed of all damage he had done. But he had no time to wonder how or why, only that he had to kill this beast. He lunged at it again, hopefully finally killing it once and for all.

Silvara moves forward like some kind of armor beetle. Tentatively she checks each step she takes before trusting her weight fully on the floor. It seemed like everything was proceeding well until the floor fell out from under her. She almost screamed but it was cut off my Zora quickly tugging on the rope which kept her from falling into the pit. Below her she had a quickly glimpse of razor sharp spears filling the pit before Zora pulled her away.

Silvara got to her feet with a quick prayer to Corellon for her surviving this trap and that she had taken these precautions.

Then tere was a clanking of metal from somewhere close That was not the whoe of it though,

Not good not good at all Silvara thought.

Shortly after that the walls of the hallway come alive, alive with snakes issuing our of every hole along the length of the hallway. A lot of them fell into the pit just as she might have except for their precautions. Some fortunately wiggle and fell down the walls to the far side of the pit. Snakes were good climbers in nature but they would not make it up the steep slick walls to get over to this side of the pit.

Thank you for small favors

Unfortunately, quite a numbers fell and slithered down on this side of the pit. While she didn't think they were all poisonous none-the-less she couldn't take the time to sort them out.

Silvara scrambled back to Zora and yells "Back up and keep backing up. Get them spread out and kill the first ones that come closest. and heave the bodies back at them if you can.Use that touch to wave them off. We need to find some rubble we can set on fire to drive them off."

Drawing her sword Silvara hurries back and passes Zora's shield back to her preparing to fight the snakes as they approach.

(Her intention to to turn the snakes if possible with fire or keep them spread out and killing them one by one, throwing the bodies back at them when possible.)

Silvara scrambled back to Zora and yells "Back up and keep backing up. Get them spread out and kill the first ones that come closest, and heave the bodies back at them if you can. Use that touch to wave them off. We need to find some rubble we can set on fire to drive them off."

Drawing her sword Silvara hurries back and passes Zora's shield back to her preparing to fight the snakes as they approach.
Zora takes up her shield and does what Silvara suggested. She backed up, moved the torch to her left hand and drew her blade, (Quick Draw.) To twist an old saying "the quick and the dead", those that attacked first died. As Silvara pointed out move to keep them spread out and only have to face a couple at a time.

"If needed we could go outside until the spell wears off." Zora calls out.

Years of training to fight the enemies of Cormyr, and then more years to learn to fight the enemies of Tyr, and now she was fighting snakes. All the dreams of valor and honor is service to her family, country and Tyr were now belittled as she face snakes. Not that she discounted them as unworthy advesaries, but they were not a opponent that one could boast of defeating. Zora was not vain or boastful, far from it, but there, in the back of her mind she still held her childhood dreams of deeds she would accomplish, and the victories she would participate in, and this battle did not fit in those dreams.

Dreams aside, for Zora was of a more practical nature and the snakes were a menace to deal with so she focused on picking out the triangular heads of vipers, she believed the spell could only summons creatures relative to the area she hoped that there were none of the cobra types in the mix, as they perfered much warmer climes, but as Silvara had said, if it was coming at them, it was to be killed.

"Can you get some oil out?" We can start a line of fire and then add things to it.

Zora moves the torch to inches above the floor and moves it back and forth, her blade is low and ready to strike

Silvara quips as she backs us, "Well I don' think this is the incident of the riddle where the warmth of love turns the heart of cold. Of course it could be part of the riddle they do have cold hearts and they are attracted to warmth. But that love parts just doesn't fit."

"Listen Zora, ff you can't kill them because of your oaths just heave them back towards the pit. I will not have you break your oaths. I am not sure I have oil with. me Perhaps if you threw them some food into there midst they might give up chasing us."

"If I get a free moment I will check. If not find us a door we can get into and shut behind us. There wasre a few that we passes coming here after we found the rat."

White light.

Talus turned his head away from the intense glare. What on Toril just happened? Looking back after the light faded away, he was surprised to find that everyone was still standing. He was almost certain that the lycan had pulled some new trick and that he would find Xaris and Artanis dead.

Never so happy to be proven wrong, Talus was now more determined to get through the wolf below so that he could aid in the fight against the pack leader. Again, he loosed a stream of arcane energy down at the target below; the dark purple torrent crackles through the air toward the lupine form.

It was almost as though someone had loaded a past save point in the lives of these combatants. Health had been restored, enemies replenished, the battle begun anew. With replenished stamina, the companions hoped to turn the tactical advantage on their adversaries, and many of them reacted with vigorous haste. Aelistae, her enchanted grace propelling her forward was the first to react. Moving to flank the wolf doing the same to Xaris, Aelistae brought forth her court blade in an overhead slash which caught the flanked creature heartily in the back. The fine blade cut easily through fur and flesh and with a shrill howl, the creature died, convulsing a few moments as its body involuntarily twitched in the last moments of life as its synapses and nervous system systematically shut down (-13 hp)

Xaris, sweet, kind, passionate, bleached albino Xaris too was more than ready to put his renewed strength, and newfound life to good use. Gripping his sword, his whitening knuckles lost within the blanched skin of the rest of his body; Xaris swung at the Lycanthrope, who still stunned by the blinding flash of light was slow to react, the blade catching him along the side, but lacking sufficient force to inflict more than a superficial wound. (-1hp)

Talus too was quick to react, and though he still ached and suffered painful repercussions for every movement he took, he positioned himself to better aid those around him. Targeting the wolf in front of Linnix, he fired yet another eldritch blast, the wave of nether-energy streaked across the clearing like a brackish arrow, striking, and felling the creature where it stood. The wolf lurched in pain, but already the magical ties keeping it here were broken, and the body dissipated into nothingness even before the body had completely toppled to the ground.

Outraged by the sudden turn of events, the Lycan roared a howl once more, though fortunately this time the Dire wolf was not freed from Aelistae’s turning attempt. Along with the Howl, the Lycan lunged at the renewed Xaris, hoping to bring the overzealous gnome down to size…and to the Lycan, that feat would not be considerably difficult. With the feral rage of an untamed animal the lycanthrope pounced upon Xaris, tearing at his chest, knocking him to the ground and biting deep into his side with razor sharp teeth. Once atop him, the Lycan proceeded to rake at the gnome with talon like claws that shredded Xaris’ armor, and the flesh beneath into ribbons.
(A successful trio of a full attack round + AoO from a Trip attempt combined with a critical)
(Xaris = 10/ 61HP)
In the same instance that Xaris had been restored, all that had been giveth had been taketh away, and with a bloody smile the Lycan laughed a cruel growling chuckle.

The Wolf flanking Artanis managed an overwhelming success as well. With the warrior so focused on the Lycan before her, the wolf was free to gouge at her legs sweeping her from her feet and plant it’s jaw hungrily around her shoulder once more, sending her back into a world of pain. (Ugh the tables turn yet again, another successful trip and a critical) (Artanis 26/50 hp)

Free from direct opposition, it was Linnix’s hopes to change the odds in their favor with the summoning of a powerful ally. "Fly Tessa Fly!" Linnix calls. From her hands the ivory statue takes on a feathered texture, before flying from her open palms and growing into the full size of a majestic griffon. With a caw and a powerful flap of its wings it takes to the air, ready to serve its master.

"Attack the wolves over there!" Linnix bade it, and without hesitation it took to the duties assigned.
Diving at the wolf flanking Artanis, the griffon pounced upon the creature, biting at the beast and raking at it with two claws lined with dagger like talons. The summoned wolf hardly stood a chance, as the griffon tore it t shreds under a barrage of attacks. Like the others, the wolf died in a dissipating burst of magical energy.

Free to pick amongst the only two remaining targets, and seeing the poor positions of both Xaris and Artanis once more, Linnix fired her silver bolt toward’s the lycan, the small bolt passing amonst the attackers to strike the enemy in the chest, eliciting a low growl of painful frustration from the creature as the silver bit into it’s muscular hide. (-2hp)
Bartholomew too was invigorated by the healing wave that had overcome him, and while he knew Aelistae had wished his withdrawal from combat, Xaris’ grievous injuries, inflicted in mere seconds was enough to spurn him to action once more. Taking up yet another flanking position around the Lycan, he jabbed at it with his pitchfork, barely scratching the creature much like xaris had. (-1 hp)


Artanis, rising for the umpteenth time this day, grunted in pain as she hefted her weapon once more, scolding herself for being so careless towards the ‘lesser threat.’ Now that it was eliminated however, the griffon’s mighty form towering only a few feet from her gave her confidence, and she idly passed her hand over the griffon emblazoned on her armor, and moved to strike the lycan before her. Her blade, like Xaris’ bit into the beast, but the creature’s natural resiliency proved formidable indeed. (-3 hp)

Round 2:

This battle had gone on long enough, certainly as far as our protagonists were concerned. As such, this time around they all jumped upon the enemy as a team, in unison, utilizing the same tactics the wolf pack had to such effect previously. Talus started things off with a blast of eldritch energy, lowering himself from the tree boughs for a clearer shot. Perhaps it was the chance to finally really get into the thick of things, to make a difference that bolstered Talus’ invocation, for it flew from his fingertips with increased potency, striking unerringly like an accursed magic missile striking the Lycan with devastating effect. The lycan howled in pain, and vowed that the spellcaster would be the next to die. it was only a matter of mere moments. (-20 hp on a critical ray attack)

Artanis and Aelistae however were not about to sit around and wait for that to happen. With an increasing number of warriors surrounding the Lycan they attacked each from an opposite end both striking the Lycanthrope though doing little damage. (-2hp)
Xaris stepped up next, though once again he could not manage to strike home against the though foe before him.

It was Linnix who was perhaps the most prepared to combat these creatures than any, as she loaded one of her last silvered bolts into her chamber, commanding her griffon to attack the lycan. With an almost gleeful cry the Griffon struck, biting into the lycan harder than any mortal weapon possessed by the party could have hoped for. To compliment the powerful tearing of it’s beak came those deadly talons which happily raked at the druidic lycanthrope nearly dropping it where it stood. (-28hp) Linnix of course was only more than pleased to finish the job, as her bolt sailed true and struck the critically wounded creature square in the left eye, penetrating the brain and killing it instantly. (Linnix scores a timely critical hit with a silver bolt)

Finally able to breathe for the time being, the group is able to relax somewhat, only a single, turned Dire wolf remained. Would they kill it while it was defenseless? Or herd it out into the wild to perhaps live out a more natural life?

(If you decide as a group to slay it, I’ll simply rule between all of you manage to take it down Especially with Tessa’s help before she reverts back into a statue)

(Congratulations for surviving a very hefty encounter.)

For Silvara and Zorana, their fight had just begun. As they backtracked, the swarms slithered across the sandstone towards them, overtaking them and began crawling up their frames, the numerous tiny vipers simply swarmed over them. The women hacked at the swarms, their weapons dropping multiple serpents in a single stroke, but more simply flooded over them. Multiple bites found openings in clothing and armor, but both women were constitutionally sound enough to ward off any possible poison. As the snakes continued to pour forth from their holes, the women realized they would need to react fast or flee before being overtaken altogether.

For thousand of years – before the dawn of Mankind, and before the Illythiiri had fallen into darkness – the Eilistraeyn had fought to preserve the natural beauty of the wilderness from those that would despoil it. There was no greater foe for them than the zze-illrin – men and women cursed to walk moon-lit nights as murderous creatures driven only by their lust for blood and meat.

Aelistae had fought against them before. And each successful hunt had been a time for celebration and dance for her and her Sisters.

This time, however, there could be no rejoicing. The drow priestess knew that even though they had killed their foe, the price had been far too high.

“There’s nothing I can do for her,” Aelistae remarked bitterly as she looked down upon the brutalized body of Sheva. The woman’s throat had been torn from her body, and so little of her face remained that she struggled to recognize the kind soul that had offered her aid when Aelistae and Linnix had needed it most.

The offending creature stood several feet away, Sheva’s blood still dripping from its maw. It tried desperately to flee from her presence, still cowed by the power of her Goddess. But that did not save it. Aelistae fetched her bow and peppered the wolf with arrows until it slumped over, resigned to its own death.

“There’s nothing I can do for us either,” she added, the bitterness that had been present in her voice replaced with weary sadness. “These creatures were zze-illrin – werewolves I think your kind call them. We have all been bitten. Tomorrow night when the moon comes we will lose our mind, our bodies will becomes as these creatures and we will tear each other apart.”

“I…I’m sorry that our journey ends like this. But I’m glad to have known each of you, even…even if it was only for a short time.”

The drow woman bowed her head, a tear glimmering in her eye as she prepared to turn her blade upon herself.

Zora seeing that they could not stop the tide of serpents shouts out, "Run back out, that is all we can do now."

With her sword she sweeps a path through the swarming snakes and turns Silvara toward the entrance.

"RUN!"

It was not for lack of courage she ran, it was a matter of survival. She could not complete the quest dead.

“Aelistae, what are you doing?”
Talus gingerly climbed down from his perch in the branches, obviously favoring his right leg as he descended. His movement had lost its normally graceful sway and had taken on a halting, tentative quality.

“Yeah. You’re right, they definitely bit us. But mine wasn’t so big.” He reached the ground then, and his first step belied his claim. His right leg had given him trouble during the climb even though he had mostly used his arms for support, and now with that extra support gone, his leg decided it had had enough and it sent him spinning to the ground.

“Alright,” Talus said to the dirt before rolling over onto his back, “Maybe mine was a little big. But I still don’t believe that there was more than one of those… wretched things. It was making rallying cries, casting spells, using that magic staff. If there was another of those things, wouldn’t it have done the same?” Fighting the urge to just lie there and fall asleep, Talus propped himself into a sitting position. He had to find some way to some line of logic to convince Aelistae that taking her life so quickly wouldn’t help anything. But he didn’t know enough about these things to find a solid line of reasoning, maybe just overwhelming her with possibilities will be enough?

“Is contracting the disease assured? You seem to know more about this than any of us, does being bitten always mean a person will become a werewolf one hundred percent of the time? And do you know for certain that whatever magics Elesia used to save you didn’t also cure you? There are many more points I could bring up, and all of them make sacrifice seem a little premature at this point. Just wait for now, we have at least until the moon rises tomorrow night, correct? Maybe we can find some way to deal with this before then.” Talus pushed himself to his feet and hobbled (hopped mostly) toward the body of the dead lycanthrope.

“And maybe our “friend” here has something that might be of use to us.” Reaching down to grab the staff that the werewolf had been wielding, the warlock invoked his innate ability to detect magical auras. He then retrieved a small, carefully wrapped bundle from one of his pockets and produced from the folds of cloth his most valued possession: a monocle, rimmed with gold and attached to a golden ear clip by a fine gold chain.

Donning the item, Talus began to give the dead wolf-thing and his possessions a thorough going over, looking both for mundane items of potential value and anything that radiated magical power. First he spent a minute or so studying the staff he was using as a walking stick, then moved on to the items on the dead creature’s body.

---

((Time here for other’s actions. Taking 20 on the search and identifying anything magical unless my memory is faulty and were-creatures don’t revert to human form upon their death. In that case just identify the staff (if magical) and continue below))

---

His search completed, Talus logged the results of his magical probing away and turned to regard the now albino Xaris, curious to see if the little gnome radiated any magical aura after his change. “…Now what happened to you?”

Talus put both his innate abilities, and his magical monocle to use on the werewolf’s body, but was stunned to see that it did not revert back to its human form. Perhaps this creature was a natural lycanthrope told of in myth and legend, one who starts the chain of affliction along the gene pool with its diseased bite. Though the werewolf is dead, three items remain in tact which radiates a magical aura. The first is the black cloak with the black disc and deep purple ring along its circumference still draped along its back. Weaved from dark spider silk, the “Cloak of the Night” often softens the wearer’s silhouette, and deadens their footsteps granting a +10 circumstance bonus to move silently checks.

The second item is the enchanted belt of squirrel tails with a buckle of highly polished soapstone carved to resemble the moon. Upon inspection, the simple belt is found to offer a +1 strength modifier when worn.

The last item is the staff picked up, once thought used to bend the trees to the druid’s will. After careful examination, it is discovered that the staff contains a trio of spell applications within its gnarled white frame, though many of the charges had been expended. “Staff of the Pack” Spells include “Summon Nature’s ally 1 Wolf only(1 charge) Summon Nature’s ally 3 Wolves or Dire Wolf only (2 Charges), Instincts of the Pack (3 Charges) Total Charges 11

(Instincts of the Pack: This spell will allow up to 1 target per caster level (6 in this case) to temporarily gain the Pack initiative Feat for a number of rounds equal to 6 / the number of people granted the feat on the following round after the spell is cast. Ie if 6 people are targeted, they all gain the ability the following round, if two people are targeted; beginning the following round they have 3 rounds of the pack initiative feat. The Pack initiative feat allows all allies with the same feat to move on the same initiative (up to the maximum highest initiative they could have) For example, Aelistae, Talus and Xaris all had the spell active, and I rolled for initiatives, and Aelistae with her Cat’s Grace rolls a 26 initiative, neither Talus nor Xaris could match that, but say Xaris rolls a 23 and Talus a 14, They could all decide to go on Xaris’ 23 initiative simultaneously. This is how the Wolves were so effective, as if even one of them won initiative, they all got to go.)

Bartholomew was stunned by Aelistae’s reaction to the knowledge that they had been bitten, and supposedly had a short time left in which to enjoy their sanity. As she moved to turn her blade upon herself Talus shouted at her to snap her from her hasty decision, as did Bartholomew in kind. “Wait! There is still hope!”

Figuring that his words had gathered the attention of hopefully everyone, he began to speak in a clearer voice. “We can always try to ride back to Castle Tethyr for aid, and though it would take yet more time from our quest, we cannot hope to complete it if we change into snarling mindless animals consumed by the bloodlust of Shar’s abominations. But there is also another option. A half days ride to the north is a shrine and a monastery to both Deneir and Oghma. It has been there for many years, though I have not ventured there since the war has ended, busy has the rebuilding of Darromar been. Surely the priests and monks there would have the means to aid us, and if not the knowledge of how to cure this most dreadful ailment? Plus it’s in the right direction at least. What say you?”

Silvara's back pedaling turned to an all out run from the slithering biting serpents. She has suffered numerous attacks even under her armor and they kept coming not like normal snakes but like a swamps of hornets. Only their poison was much more deadly. For as long as she could before the poison got to her she would try to run out of here.

As she ran, Silvara calls out to Zora. "If I falter and go down I have some antitoxin with me, one vial at least, in in my backpack." Her swift steps retraced there path back to the sstairs they had descended. Zora was right beside her. her armor clinking as she ran.

Never in her life had Silvara seen so many snakes in one place nor ones that swarmed as they did. IT was if they had been summoned and not just released t do what they will.