Move 281: More Grells
After some deliberation, the group made the decision to move forward as a unit, taking what they wanted from the dead grells.Olaf tied one of the spears to his back, so it won't get in his way.
The group moved down a narrow tunnel filled with sharp rock, which then widen into a small cave area with a pool in the southern portion. The area directly around the edges of the pool was not lit with the glowing fungus, so the pool looked dark and ominous compared with its surroundings. Here, the sharp treacherous rock ended and the floor consisted of limestone once again. A much larger cave adjoined the area with the pool, with another wide tunnel leading up to the north. A much narrower tunnel branched off to the south.
A number of grells were spread out in the large cave, seven or eight at a quick glance. None of them held spears like the previously killed grells. All of them started flying towards the group of intruders.
"Sweet Mystra . . ." exclaimed Aloysius. He withdrew a wand from his robe and pointed it at the approaching grell.
Echo began casting a spell.
Olaf drew his sword and placed himself before the spellcasters, waiting for the grell attack.
Azrun looked at the distance between the group and the grells and pulled his bow loose and nocked an arrow, "Arachne, watch that little tunnel, " he said in a low voice. "We don't want any surprises." With that he lofted his bow,took aim, and fired at one of the closer grells.
"Great," Jana muttered.
Blacky held position near Jana, waiting for the grells to close. When one was close enough he swung his large axe at the body of the beast.
Aloysius aimed his wand at the incoming grells, managing to catch five of them in a sudden hail storm, pelting the ugly creatures with large balls of ice. Azrun hit one of them with an arrow, although his second shot missed terribly. Echo targeted another with two magic missiles.
Olaf moved up in front of Aloysius, Azrun, and Echo. Four grells flew into combat with the group. One engaged Blacky and one Jana. Another took on Aloysius and Olaf, while the fourth went after Azrun and Echo. The fifth veered off, flying out of sight down the southern tunnel.
Blacky's grell, which had been hit by the magical hailstorm and Azrun's arrow, fell to his great axe immediately. Jana gave hers a terrible sword wound, but she got hit by two tentacles and stood stock still. Azrun got pummeled by two tentacles, but then the grell managed to hurt itself somehow, leaving one of its tentacles dangling uselessly. Olaf swung and missed with his sword, then took a beating from the grell on him and Aloysius. He shook off the paralysis effects. Aloysius, on the other hand, only got hit by one tentacle, but he was unable to overcome the grell's touch.
From somewhere close by on the southern wall of the cavern, Renn's praying was heard. As he finished, Jana was able to move again. The remaining two grells in the cavern made it to the fight, one flying over to engage Blacky and the other moving back on Azrun and Echo.
Blacky started to go to Jana's aid, but seeing that she was moving again, Blacky took a couple swings at the hideous body of his newest opponent.
Jana shook off the last effects of the tentacles with an explosive burst of curses. She hacked at the grell in front of her.
Olaf attacked his grell again with his silent sword.
The gnome continued to go unseen and unheard....pretty much not there.
Echo tried to stab a tentacle with a dagger.
Azrun mirrored Echo's action as he pulled a dagger and tried to attack the other grell attacking them.
Renn raised his voice, which came from just about the same spot as before, in prayer.
Invisible Renn began praying again and Aloysius unfroze. The grell that flew to attack Blacky hit the big fighter with several tentacles, leaving him unmoving like Aloysius had been moments before. Jana dropped the grell she was fighting with another sword blow but not before getting hit by a couple of tentacles herself. She managed to give the grell with its tentacles wrapped around Blacky a sword wound as well.
Echo cut a tentacle of one of the grells attacking her and Azrun. The grell retaliated by hit her several times, but it did not paralyze her. Azrun tried to get into position to attack the other grell on them, but he got caught in a flurry of tentacle slaps and was unable to overcome the paralytic poison in his system. Olaf could not make contact with his sword. The grell hit him with three tentacles and this time, the priest was not so lucky as he had been moments before. He became paralyzed like Azrun and Blacky.
"Wha- ?" began Aloysius as he realized the gravity of his situation. He cast a spell at the grell on him and Azrun.
"Damn," Jana yelped as the tentacles hit her. She glanced over at Echo and said, "Hide!" then whacked at the grell on her and Blacky.
Rennirolas began to chant once again. He sounded closer to the melee than he had before.
"We need to get out of here!" Echo yelped in return, trying to dodge tentacles instead of attacking. "That one that flew down the tunnel may be bringing more!"
Previous Move
Next Move
Back to Move Summaries
Back to Night Below Main Page
