Move 439: More With The HooksThe fighters and the remaining priest readied themselves for another attack. Arachne pondered drinking a potion. Echo seemed distracted. At Aloysius' suggestion, Azrun webbed the tunnel that the noises were coming from, but he did not quite beat all of the noise makers. Three more of the hook limbed creatures ran into the cavern, looking ready for a fight. Within the thick webbing, at least a couple of additional monsters of the same kind could be seen struggling to free themselves.
Blacky waited for one of the three to came into range of his axe, the struck a couple blows for the good team.
Jana tried to block the hook critters from getting past her and Blacky and attacked with her sword.
Dalgaer rushed at one of the creatures, trying to keep them Arachne. He swung his ax as soon as he could.
Arachne glanced up at the beaked rock. "You can disappear suddenly if you hang around that bird," she noted. She followed Azrun, more or less, clearly wanting to shelter behind _someone_ protective, but reluctant to get as close to the hooked things as he was approaching.
"Nice, Azrun," Arachne said. "Now, they're in more manageable portions." She watched the three hook horrors who'd gotten past the webbing, meaning to dodge behind Azrun (or anyone else convenient) if any of them came toward her.
Azrun nodded, "Thanks, Arachne. Thank Aloysius for suggesting it. Course now I'm totally out of useful spells also. Guess I'll have to beat stuff with a stick now." He gripped his staff and watched down the other tunnel with Aloysius.
Aloysius positioned himself so that he could keep track of the battle and still observe the other exit from the cavern, in case something approached from that direction as well.
"I hear something coming from the other way," Echo said frantically. She put her back against the wall and started inching in that direction.
Kanon completed his spell and another dust devil appeared. The area that was not blocked by the webbing was too wide for the whirlwind to impede the incoming creatures, however.
Blacky, Dalgaer, and Jana intercepted the monsters that had avoided the web. Blacky took a painful looking bite, but other than that, easily dropped the one he was facing. Kanon's dust devil moved to the closest monster, aiding Dalgaer in his fight against it. Dalgaer and the creature facing him exchanged ineffectual blows with axe and hooks respectively. Jana crunched into the monster with her sword, but it remained standing, giving her a hook rake in return.
Everyone else occupied themselves with watching down the tunnel they had entered through or generally trying to stay out of the way. From the tunnel being watched, another group of the same hooked monsters began to emerge. Three came out and there were still more noises from that direction. The three seemed to be lurking by the walls near the tunnel rather than rushing to attack.
Dalgaer swung two blows in quick succession at his foe.
From her place behind Azrun, where she'd successfully stayed out of the way, Arachne called, "Blacky, do you want the potion?" Seeing the latest collection of arriving hooks, though, she didn't move anywhere right away.
"Stay behind me," said Aloysius to Azrun, Echo, and Arachne. He withdrew something from his pouch and began casting in the direction of the newcomers.
"Arachne, _you_ need healing," Echo said, still sounding frantic. "Please use the potion." She fell back behind Aloysius and started casting too.
Azrun kneeled down next to Arachne, "Echo's right, little gnome. You're in worse shape than anyone else right now. You need to put yourself first right now. If you're better then you can take care of everyone else later." He looked back up to watch what happened from Aloysius's and Echo's castings.
"We've got these, Blacky," Jana said as she hacked twice more at her opponent.
Arachne drank the potion she was holding, draining the contents.
Kanon grimaced as he saw the others entering and the oncoming noise from the direction. He stepped nearby Echo, Arachne, and Azrun behind Aloysius with his mace drawn intent on defending them if need be. He looked over and gestured at the dust devil bidding it to continue its attack.
Blacky nodded at Jana and positioned himself to protect the spellcasters from any of the hook creatures that approached from the other entrance. Wary of the spells being cast, he did not immediately engage the creatures unless they were a direct threat.
Between Dalgaer, Jana, and the dust devil, the two remaining monsters in combat with them were taken down. Aloysius moved forward slightly to cast a spell, creating a fan of bright colors aimed at the creatures lurking near the wall. It had no obvious effect. Echo also cast a spell, but hers had no visible effect at all. Arachne drank the potion she was holding, healing some of her wounds.
A few more hooked monsters entered through the unwebbed tunnel. Two of them were taller than the others by about a foot, and a third was bigger still, an additional foot taller than the two escorting it.
Kanon looked around at the others and looked towards the dust devil looking for some sort of escape. He pulled a small chip of granite from one of his many bags and mumbled to himself as much to the others, "I guess it's everything we got. If all the warriors and I distract them maybe the others can get away." He weaved his fingers intricately over the chip of granite and placed his hand on Dalgaer's shoulder.
"Damn!" cursed Aloysius upon seeing the lack of effect of his spell. "I'll attend those in the web," he said, turning in that direction and waiting for the area between him and the webs to clear of friendlies before starting another spell.
"I think more are coming," Echo said. She tried to get to one of the scrolls she had.
"I hate when that happens..." Arachne noted. She didn't look like she was doing anything useful.
Blacky moved to a point directly in front of the biggest creature, but out of its immediate attack range. "You know my Pa had a saying once. 'The bigger they are, the harder they fall.' Seems kinda appropriate here and now." He widened his stance slightly and set his feet firmly on the stone floor, awaiting the attack that would surely be forthcoming.
Azrun gripped his staff, "Well, I can't expect them to take them all on. Watch our backs, Arachne" With that he moved forward to try to pull one of the regular critters off of the fighters.
Dalgaer rushed to attack one of the new beasts.
"Can someone torch the webbed ones?" Jana asked as she moved toward the newly-arrived creatures.
Previous Move
Next Move
Back to Move Summaries
Back to Night Below Main Page
