[DM]

Snik eyes the ranger warily, but he seems more interested in helping the ‘investigation' in the store room. The kobold keeps looking into the room longingly. “No. Maw Clan not be here long. Humans come not long. Orcs last day or two.”

Then, with a bright look and a wide, open-mouthed grin, Snik says, “Think need help? Snik good find things…”

With that, Snik follows Hasnafar, Amber and Mililani into the storage room.

Within the room, Hasnafar and Amber move about, while Mililani does her best to make sure that the area is lit as well as possible.

Hasnafar soon discovers that whatever might once have been within the dilapidated crates, the only things left are nothing more than dust and mold. Amber can see that, within one of the barrels, there were stored various metallic trinkets, mostly corroded into nothing but a pile of rust. There are a few items in the debris…

But, before she can start sorting through the items, Snik appears in the door. At the very same instant, something appears at the other door to the room. The door remains shut – whatever it is comes right through it.

Looking very much like Snik in size and shape, the thing is dark and insubstantial. It hesitates for a brief moment, but then flits quickly forward, directly toward Mililani, it's soft moaning the only sound it makes as it reaches for her...

[OOC – the figure's hesitation lets everyone react…]

 

Shadow Encounter Round 1

22 [Hasnafar]

Hasnafar says, “Ahh… undead thingie floating nasty in here.” The rogue hesitates for a second before drawing his shortsword and stabbing in at the shadowy creature…

Hasnafar's blade slips into the shadowy stuff, and he actually feels his blade snag a bit, tearing into the creature's substance. A portion of it seems to puff into mist around where the wound would have been…

20 [Kobold Shadow]

The figure, looking very similar to Snik in a shadowy, wispy sort of way, flits forward toward the Mystran priestess…

AoO [Hasnafar]

Taking advantage of the shadowy figure's pre-occupation with Mililani, Hasnafar is able to attempt another strike…

And he manages to tag the figure again, ripping loose just a bit more of the shadow stuff that makes up the creature's body, and leaving it with two wounds leaking shadow-stuff…

[Kobold Shadow]

It rises as it comes, oblivious to the wounds Hasnafer has inflicted, and when it strikes at the Mystran, its head is actually at the same level as Mililani's. Reaching out with an insubstantial claw, the small figure swipes at the priestess, and its hand passes completely through her shoulder.

Mililani's face goes pale, and she staggers a bit as her knees grow weak…

19 [Snik]

Mouth gaping, the kobold guide staggers to the side, pressing his back up against the wall and shivering in fear…

17 [Authari]

The young warrior stops in mild surprise as he hears the commotion…

14 [Mililani]

"Away foul thing!" she utters loudly as she raises her holy symbol of Mystra towards the advancing shadow with a trembling hand, a result of the creature's draining touch.  "Return to your eternal slumber!"

[ OOC: Carey, Turn Undead.  Come on dice, high numbers.]

The shadowy figure seems to pay absolutely no attention to the priestess's admonition…

[OOC – sorry about that Jeff…]

14 [Brianna]

Brianna tenses as she hears Hasnafar's words. Reaching into the pouch at her waist, she withdraws a piece of cured leather. She quickly uses it to touch four sacred points of the body, before covering her navel with it. All the while murmuring ancient arcane words.

[ OOC: cast mage armor – duration 2 hours]

12 [Uther]

The young man grips his sword tighter and takes a step back from Corin, giving him room to work his way into the storage area.  Uther watches both ends of the passage, serving as rear guard for the moment.

10 [Amber]

Amber is a bit shocked as the shadowy creature glides through the door. "By Azuth ..." She says with a whisper. Her voice though is strong and clear as she speaks the arcane words of a spell her hands weaving mystic patterns in the air before her.

OOC: Cast Magic missile on shadowy creature.

The scintillating missile flashes across the few paces between the sorceress and the shadowy kobold, visibly impacting against the thing. A third wisp of shadow-stuff begins to leak from the figure…

6 [Corin]

Corin is about to turn towards the mule, when suddenly he hears Mililani utter words of banishment. While drawing his sword the ranger turns back and steps into the doorway to see what the three investigators have unleashed… “I just knew there would be trouble…” He grumbles as he rounds the corner to peer into the storage room…

[Authari]

Rushing forward, he says, "What the hell?" as he too peers through the entry...

 

Shadow Encounter Round 2

22 [Hasnafar]

Still not happy about the situation, the rogue continues to press the attack hoping his blade can continue to injure the strange undead creature…

Once more, Hasnafar's blade sinks into the shadowy figure, but this time, even though it looks like a solid strike, the blade passes through the thing without resistance, and without any noticable effect upon it.

20 [Kobold Shadow]

Still streaming shadow-stuff, the small figure once more slashes at the priestess before him…

And, in spite of the fact that her armor seems to be useless against the shadow, Mililani is able to twist away from it's grasping fingers.

19 [Snik]

Still pressed against the wall, Snik stares at the shadow figure with wide eyes, and then he looks at Corin, gaping in fear and shock, and then looks back at the shadow. He makes no move to do anything else. He doesn't even try to run…

14 [Mililani]

The priestess squeals loudly as the shadow's cold sensation savages her shoulder.  She steps back away from the thing, her hand still clutching the medallion of her faith.  "I said away foul creature!" she cries aloud with vigor and determination as she again presents the holy symbol of Mystra. 

"Turn!!!!"

OOC: Turn Undead

[OOC - Turn check 17 (needed 15 (13 normally, but Shadows have +2 turn resistance)), number of HD turned: 12, turn successful!]

With a hollow wail, the figure recoils from the suddenly empowered priestess.

14 [Brianna]

Brianna follows the others to the door of the storeroom.  Upon seeing the shadowy creature in the close confines of the room, she pulls out her dagger and enters.

12 [Uther]

Uther watches Corin enter the room, and as the path is cleared, Uther steps forward closer to the door.  The Calishite does not enter, but rather continues to watch the outer passages for now.

10 [Amber]

Amber grits her teeth as she sees the priestess come to harm. Yet again arcane words flows from her mouth, this time though they have a hint of anger in them.

OOC: Cast Magic Missile ...

[DM Note – missile does 3 HP damage]

The missile, a twin to the first, follows an almost identical path to impact the shadowy figure cowering before the Mystran priestess. It spews another plume of shadow-stuff from the wound…

8 [Calishite Shadow]

Even as the kobold shadow within the room cowers before the might of the Mystran, a second shadow appears, coming right through the south wall of the passage that Uther and the mule are in. This figure is human-sized, but just as shadowy, and seems to be wearing the garb of an ancient Calishite warrior. It hovers a foot off the floor. Those in the room did not see it pass through at all, and judging from where it appears in the passage, it must have come from the room beyond the east door of the storage room.

It is immediately spotted by Uther but not Authari (who is busy looking the other way).

The figure turns and glares malevolently at the Janessar warrior…

6 [Corin]

As the arcane darts leave the fingertips of the Calishite sorceress, Corin quickly steps into the room and advances on the position where Mililani and the shadowy double of their guide fight. Corin's face is marred with frowns of anger as he tries to interpose himself between the shadowstuff-leaking creature and the priestess. "Use your powers from a safer distance priestess."

[ooc: move: move into Mililani's square to take her place confronting the creature, action: total defense, +4 AC bonus, no attacks of opportunity for Corin this round.]

5 [Authari]

The young warrior grimly moves into the room after the ranger. Bringing his battleaxe to the fore, he prepares to back Corin's actions, striking if he gets the opportunity…

When Authari enters the room, the lighting in the hall becomes very poor, leaving Uther with only the light streaming from the room to see by…

The warrior does whip his axe out though, coming within range of the distracted apparition. His axe passes through the figure without slowing down…

 

Shadow Encounter Round 3

22 [Hasnafar]

Hasnafar continues to press the attack...

Taking advantage of the moment, and with Authari's help, Hasnafar is once more able to sink his blade into the shadowy form before him.

Once again, the blade meets resistance. Even as the shadowy kobold recoils from the Mystran priestess, its form seems to disburse, unraveling. In a heartbeat, it's nothing more than an indistinct darkness. In another, Hasnafar and Authari are staring at each other across unoccupied space.

[OOC – moved Hasnafar's response to after Corin's statement.]

19 [Snik]

The little scout sinks back against the wall, shuddering with relief…

14 [Mililani]

Even as Hasnafar and Authari face the recoiling shadow, and seeing that the shadow thing was affected by her latest command, the priestess steps back swaying her hands and hips into provocative gestures.  She chants softly in the name of the Goddess of the Weave.  Seconds later, motes of energy descend and touch her body, all coating her in the name of Holy Mystra.

OOC: Domain Spell - Mage Armor

14 [Brianna]

"It vould zeem I should have stayed vhere I vas" Brianna mutters to herself as she backs out of the room.  Still clutching her dagger she prepares to face the new danger with the others.

12 [Uther]

Uther spies the abomination and moves to confront the threat.  "Another shadow has appeared!" he shouts to the door.  He moves down the hallway and steps between the mule and the shadow, ready to do battle.

As he moves into position, the Janessar quickly knocks back a vial of mildly sweet liquid, and feels his aches fading…

[OOC – Uther is now Moderately Injured, coming up from Moderately Wounded.]

10 [Amber]

Amber looks at the opening as Uther calls that another shadow had appered. "Will it never end," she says between clenched teeth. Weaving yet another spell into life she this time casts another one, similar to the one Brianna cast before.

[OOC – cast mage armor – duration 2 hours]

8 [Calishite Shadow]

Out in the passage, the larger shadow takes a swipe at the Janessar. The strike snakes home with unerring accuracy, slipping right through the fighter's armor and entering his chest. Uther can feel it's cold touch wrapping around his heart, sapping his strength…

6 [Corin]

"Yes it will sorceress, as soon as curious folk don't start snooping about." Corin hisses in response as he turns about and moves back towards the door and the Janessar.

5 [Authari]

Authari hesitates, a bit distracted by the discorporation of the kobold shadow between himself and Hasnafar…

[Hasnafar]

Hasnafar replies, "Yah whatever Corin... it would have been an attack on our back with surprise probably, this way we can at least move."

 

Shadow Encounter Round 4

22 [Hasnafar]

The rogue grins at Authari and says, “Welp, let's go help with number two bad guy floating undead thingie.”

Hasnafar moves around and by the things in the room and the others in the room, and once in the corridor, he zips past his companions until he gets close enough and then tumbles by the combat ending up behind the floating thing… 

ooc: counted my squares, if I did it correctly, I will end up in the square one to the east of the shadow. Once near combat, tumble so as not to get an AoO on myself. J +10 tumble (DC: 15 needed)

[AoO] As the agile man slips past the Calishite shadow, it lashes out with one insubstantial hand, but it's aim is just a bit off, and it passes close by Hasnafar's face (he can feel the chill) without striking him…

19 [Snik]

Moving to the entry, the small scout peers out into the passage, not wanting to move further than the door…

14 [Mililani]

With her Mage Armor in effect, Mililani grabs her hooded lantern and proceeds towards the door.  "Uther," she says aloud.  "We're coming!"

[OOC – Move into hall and turn]

Entering the passage and raising her holy symbol, the priestess once again calls upon her goddess. She feels the bond with her diety strengthen…

The shadow feels the effect of the priestess' channeling. It twitches as Mystra's power washes over it…

14 [Brianna]

With dagger in hand, Brianna moves closer to Uther and the shadowy creature. Once there she slashes out at the creature.

The witch's dagger comes nowhere near hitting the shadow…

12 [Uther]

Uther withers some at the shadow's icy touch.   Angered at the foe and his own tactics, Uther drops the empty vial and raises his sword to attack.  With a deep hatred, he brings the longsword down with all his might, hoping to end the foul creatures unlife.

[OOC:  attack and designate the dodge bonus for the shadow please.]

The blade hisses toward the creature in a tremendous blow – and passes right though it. Uther is barely able to stop the sword before it hits the floor…

10 [Amber]

Seeing the small shadowy form dissapear she says in a low tone, "interesting ..." She then snaps out of it and heads for the door leading out of the room, but before leaving she stops at the form of Snick and says, "Come on Snik, unless you wan't to be left alone in here with all the shadows.” She reaches out with her hand towards the kobold offering to help him away from the wall.

OOC: Diplomacy check, if needed, roll +5

Snik allows himself to be drawn into the passage, but goes no further…

8 [Shadow]

With a low wail, the shadow turns, showing Uther and Brianna it's back, and bolts down the passage, passing right through Hasnafar as if he wasn't there…

[AoO]

Uther's blade flicks out, but the shadow's quick movements distract the fighter's eye, and the blow goes wide.

[AoO]

Brianna's dagger snaps toward the undead foe too, but she also misses, for much the same reason.

[AoO]

Hasnafar, confronted with the shadow wheeling and charging directly toward him, instinctively brings his sword up, but as the creature looms large in his vision, his aim suffers, and the blade goes wide.

Hasnafar feels the chill of the grave wash over him as the shadow passes right through him in its attempt to escape Mililani's turning. He does not suffer any other ill effects…

The shadow is soon lost in the darkness of the passage, heading directly away from Mililani.

6 [Corin]

In the poor light in the hallway, the ranger halts his forward movement as he sees the rogue tumble past.

5 [Authari]

The young Tethyrian merely nods and follows the rogue out the door. Once he sees the other shadow past his friends, he passes his axe to his left hand, then pulls a dagger from his belt, preparing to throw it when the opportunity arises.

Before any such opportunity arises though, Authari watches the shadow fade vanish into the darkness…

In the sudden silence, no one moves for a moment…

Then, with a mild ‘caw', Tetch the raven pulls his head out from under his wing where he's been roosting on the mule's back and glares at everyone around him, not happy at being woken up…

[OOC – end of combat. Well done. Lucky rolls.]

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