Move 309: The Big Ugly Again
Grell Nest--Early, Day 29 (Marpenoth 14)Olaf cast a spell, freeing Renn from the paralysis affecting him. Arachne was not freed by the prayer. Azrun went to help Jana; he reached Arachne and started moving her away from the creature, down the tunnel in the direction of Aloysius, Echo, and Olaf. Echo cast a spell, hitting the ugly blob with three magical arrows. Aloysius held off on his casting, more than likely concerned by the all too likely possibility of catching Blacky in a web if it was produced.
Blacky charged the monster, meeting it just as it got through the doorway. He whacked it with the two handed sword that he was using in place of his lost weapon. The axe that Blacky was looking for was in the creature's remaining long tentacle. It chopped the big fighter with it before biting him with two of its three mouths. It also slapped at him with its two recently shortened tentacles, although it only hit with one.
"We can't leave him behind." Olaf grunted. Sword and shield in hand Olaf charged forward to attack the beast, shouting "FOR TYR AND JUSTICE!"
"Aw, shit!" Jana growled as Blacky started fighting the creature. She slipped her shield on her arm and ran forward as she drew her sword and took up a position next to Blacky. "I am so going to kick your ass," she groused as she swung at the critter.
"Blacky! Olaf!" Renn called as he stumbled back a few steps once free of the paralysis. "Be wary, there may be magical fire near you soon!" Renn pulled a piece of parchment from one of the cases on his backpack and after he backed away another ten feet or so, began to read aloud from it.
Blacky reeled somewhat by the force of the monster's multiple attacks. "No! Get back Olaf!" Blacky yelled as he began to backpedal. Spinning his large blade like a fan in front of him, he hoped to catch any further attacks before they got to him.
Still holding what appeared to be a small stick in one hand, Aloysius watched as Blacky charged, only to be joined by Jana and Olaf, and then as Blacky attempted to move back. "Damn it!" he cursed.
The mage stayed near Echo as he watched the battle in front of him.
As she saw Blacky start to retreat, Jana held her position, moving forward only if necessary called out, "Get back. We've got to get some distance. Aloysius, be ready!"
Azrun carried Arachne as fast as he could away from the action, "Don't worry, Arachne. I've got you." He looked back over his should to see Olaf charge the monster and the rest pull back, "You guys need ot make up your minds!!! Fight or Fallback!!!" He kept moving down the tunnel.
Echo began casting another spell. She looked ready to run as soon as everyone got away.
Aloysius watched and waited for a chance to cast a spell. Echo followed up with another magic missile spell. Azrun began the laborious task of moving the small but paralyzed gnome out of harm's way as quickly as he could. Renn retrieved a carefully placed scroll from the outside of his pack and began reading from the parchment.
Olaf charged in as Blacky attempted a fighting retreat, trying to defend himself with his sword. The monster moved forward with him as he moved back, keeping him within reach of its long tentacles. Blacky's attempted parries were thwarted by the creature's multiple attacks. He was bitten twice more and collapsed, bleeding, to the cavern floor. The blob saved a few tentacles for Olaf, who arrived too late to give Blacky any immediate help. It gave him a glancing blow with Blacky's great axe and bit him with its other mouth. Jana, who had been holding position in hopes of Blacky retreating, moved in now that it was clearly impossible for the other fighter to get away. She attacked the monster with her bastard sword, giving it a couple of good slices. Olaf also got in a hit against the beast.
As Renn finished reading from the scroll, a wide column of fire roared down from the ceiling of the cavern behind the creature. The front of the column caught the back of the creature, searing its mottled flesh. Those in combat with the creature caught a blast of heat strong enough to cause them to momentarily lose their breath as the fire appeared and disappeared in an instant.
Jana flinched back from the heat, holding up her shield. Her eyes opened wide as she saw the result. "Damn!" she coughed. "C'mon, Olaf, let's finish it off." She pressed her attack. "Can't have this thing squishing after us forever."
Renn hurriedly dropped his shield to the tunnel floor and placed the parchment on top of it. "I'll see to Blacky," he said shortly and began to move forward.
Aloysius continued to stand back near Echo, watching the battle ahead of him.
Olaf continued attacking the creature with his sword, yelling"TYR AND JUSTICE!"
Echo went to help Azrun with Arachne.
Azrun set Arachne down and looked at the battle, "Don't guess there's much for us to do right now is there." He looked back down the tunnel behind them, "I guess we should watch for critters drawn to the noise."
Azrun continued to move Arachne away from the melee, now with Echo's assistance. Aloysius kept a wary eye on things as the fight progressed. Renn crept up to Blacky and prayed over him, stopping his bleeding.
The creature began casting another spell. Before Jana could do anything, she froze in place, just like several other party members before her. Olaf caught the monster with his sword, too late to interrupt its spellcasting. It looked badly wounded, but it still did not die.
Azrun looked to Echo, "Let's put her down." With that he pulled his bow and nocked an arrow, "This is taking too long." With that he took a breath and let the arrow fly.
Aloysius let out what for him passed as a gutteral battle cry. Overcome with some extreme emotion, the scrawny mage plucked a dagger from his bandolier and charged at the creature.
Obviously frustrated Olaf continues hacking at the beast. "Just die, you twisted mass of primordial goo. Just die!"
Renn pushed himself up off the ground after healing Blacky and drew his longsword. "My lord, may my aim be true and my sword arm strong," he prayed quietly under his breath as he rushed forward and attacked the creature.
"I'll take her," Echo said. She kept moving Arachne away from the fight.
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