Move 324: Big Honking Lizards
Tunnels--Later, Day 31 (Marpenoth 16)Blacky took Azrun's light stone and moved over to the mouth of the side tunnel. He moved to one side and chunked the stone inside. The light revealed that it was a smallish cavern that had two very large occupants, lizards which appeared to be of the same type that had been responsible for Daelen's demise. Everyone was able to get a good look at them as they rushed out of their cave in a frenzy. The first out of the cave scampered across the ceiling and started down the wall opposite the cave entrance, heading in the direction of the priests at the rear of the group. The second continued to run along the ceiling; at the moment, it was over Aloysius and Echo.
Jana drew her sword and held it in both hands as she moved to stand between Echo and Aloysius. "Get down," she said in a low voice as she watched the lizard above them. If it moved within range, she attacked it. She watched the mouth in case it shot out a tongue like the other one, ready to hack at the nasty appendage.
Blacky moved to where he would most likely get a shot at a lizard with his axe.
Azrun fired off two arrows at the second lizard when it charged, "Aloysius, I've got no offensive spells this day, just 2 webs. I'm going to continue with my bow until it closes within melee of someone. Arachne, keep watch just in case there are more further down the tunnel or something. Renn, Olaf, yell if you need help!" With that Azrun nocked another arrow and continued to shoot at the second lizard.
Aloysius began casting a spell.
The pool of light by Azrun's feet stayed there, or perhaps lowered itself even closer to the ground.
Echo fired her crossbow at a lizard when it ran out. She moved to the side of the tunnel to avoid being under the lizard while she started casting.
Olaf moved to attack the lizard coming at the priests, lunging forward with his longsword in an attempt to skewer the creatures mouth.
Renn brought his longbow to bear on the lizard which was in the process of charging towards himself and Olaf. He released the arrow he'd been holding to the bow, and quickly nocked, then fired a second.
Azrun, Echo, and Renn all fired at the lizards as they ran out of their cave, but all of the missiles failed to find the mark.
Olaf cut into the lizard coming in his and Renn's direction. Blacky stepped over to get involved, but he swung wide of the large creature as he dodged a swipe from its tail. The lizard snapped at Olaf, but the priest got out of the way of its sharp teeth.
Aloysius cast a spell, summoning three identical images of himself. Jana ended up standing among the four Aloysiuses. Echo scrambled to the side of the tunnel as she hit the lizard on the ceiling with three magical bolts. Azrun continued firing his bow, but the next arrow he shot hit the ceiling at an awkward angle and bounced back, nearly digging into his own foot as it came down. The lizard's tongue shot out and wrapped around Renn; it pulled him off his feet and began drawing him up to its mouth. Jana tried to hack at the tongue, but she was unable to get immediately into a position that allowed her to reach it effectively since there were people between her and Renn.
Azrun yelped and jumped back, "Umm...Arachne, you might want to watch from behind me." He continued to fire arrows at the lizard on the ceiling.
Jana held her position and kept her sword ready should the lizard nearest her move within range.
Blacky took a couple swings at the lizard trying to reel in Renn, figuring that ought to take its mind off of eating.
Olaf took a quick slash at the tongue reeling Renn in, trying to sever it.
"Rennirolas!" cried Aloysius. The Aloysiuses moved out of the way so as to give Jana room and to get out from underneath the lizard on the ceiling. Once they were clear, they began casting a spell.
Echo started casting again.
Renn gasped out an "Oi!" of surprise and pawed at his belt as he was yanked off his feet.
Lots of attention was given to the lizard on the ceiling that was trying to eat Renn. Olaf and Blacky both abandoned their attacks on the lizard on the floor. Olaf tried to cut the ceiling lizard's tongue, but he was unable to do so. Blacky tried to do something similar, but the now unattended lizard on the floor had different thoughts. It did not seem to want Blacky, but its large body had the unfortunate effect of knocking the warrior to the side as it bit into Olaf. Luckily for the priest, it did not manage to catch him in its jaws well enough that he could not escape. As for Renn himself, he was able to pull his longsword so he started sawing at the tongue that had now pulled him completely off the floor.
Echo and the Aloysiuses hit the lizard that had Renn with multiple magical missiles. It was, by that point, badly hurt, and a finely placed arrow shot from Azrun finished it off. It was unable to hold to the ceiling now that it was dead. It came tumbling down rapidly, sending people hurrying to get out of the way. Jana, directly under it, was the most likely to be caught under it besides Renn, who had practically been in its mouth when it died. With a tuck and roll maneuver that left her sprawled on the floor with her weapon behind her and only slightly caught under a dead lizard, Jana managed not to get crushed by the massive creature. Renn was fortunate as well. He only took a bruising from the fall, rather than ending up mashed beneath it.
Olaf hacked at the lizard attacking him with his sword.
Blacky returned the attention of his axe to the remaining lizard.
The Aloysiuses continued to try and stay out of the fighters' way, and they seemed to be paying attention to the area from where the lizards had emerged.
"Oh, crap," Jana muttered as the lizard seemed to breath it's last. She jumped and ended up in a rather less-than-graceful but unmashed sprawl. She pulled herself completely free and made a 'eew, yuck' face. Realization of the still-dangerous situation set in and Jana scrambled for her sword. She took up her former position, putting herself between the remaining lizard and Echo and Aloysius.
Azrun tried to move to the flank so he could get a shot in at the lizard with his bow, "Arachne, do you see any more company coming for dinner?"
Like Aloysius, Echo seemed to be trying to stay out of the way. She watched the tunnel they were in, paying particular attention to what was ahead of them.
"Ooof!" Renn gasped as he hit the floor. Instead of retrieving his sword, he stumbled to his feet and pulled his mace from it's loop on his belt.
Previous Move
Next Move
Back to Move Summaries
Back to Night Below Main Page
