Crystal Quest Aftermath, Part 6
10-15-04
Moving further downstairs, the group comes to a large closed wooden door. Listening to the other side, Akili hears 'rowdyness' - lots of voices in conversation. Sarai attempts to kick down the door, and stubs her toe. Andune opens another door, which reveals a short empty hallway. After some consideration, Sarai casts a spell, and unbars the door, then pushes it open. Two guards are at the far end of the revealed hallway, and both Andune and Akili charge them, followed shortly by everyone else, including the Kwalish. The guards, deciding that maybe they want to live, open the door they're guarding, and run through it, taking a few more swipes from the group as they retreat. The room they retreat into appears to be a delapidated kitchen.
They open another door at one end, and one of the guards manages to slip through. A moment later, the other one makes it through, and he closes the door behind him. The others pile into the room; while Akili tries to open the next door, it bursts open for a fair amount of damage. Now in that room are several guards, and Rolth. Akili takes the opporunity to cast Wild Rain, centered on Rolth. Wooden boxes start falling from the ceiling, and when they hit the people, they burst open, sending roughly circular-shaped objects everywhere, and obscuring everything they cover from view.
Meanwhile, the Kwalish charges through another door, intending to circle around behind the group, but it instead only enters another short empty curved hallway, with another closed door at the far end.
Sarai steps into the room, sword swinging, and combat ensues. During combat, Sarai is knocked down to 1, and retreats. Akili repositions himself, and casts Wild Rain a second time, tapping himself almost entirely out of magic. Big spears of wood about a foot thick stab down, and take several of the opponents out of the fight, and severely injure a few more. Then the Kwalish makes its reappearance, and Andune gets off a lightning bolt, severely diminishing the opposition. Akili uses his last weirdness effect, which causes a short but massive earthquake, stunning all of the opponents. Surprisingly, Rolth is still alive.
After a prolonged battle, the enemies disappear into the remainder of the white coverings. After some time, it is discovered that Rolth found a secret passage, but the adventurers manage to discover it, following him through, and cornering him once more, this time without any other interference.
Akili finally manages to trap him with a couple well-thrown seeds of growing, and after Andune almost kills him with a last barrage of magic missiles, he manages to dissuade Sarai from setting him afire after dousing him and Manq with whiskey. He has Oy-hat keep Rolth's wounds from getting worse, but leaves him unconscious. They pat him down for his possessions, taking a few, then Akili securely ties him up and Andune carries him back up to the Watchers.
Before they get there, the game is paused.