Dorn's Deep

.

The party shows no sign of slowing as the crab rears up before them. Alalla and Vincent sever two of the legs, while Ug charges straight for the creature's face. Once pincer comes down crack the stone near Vincent, but he neatly steps out of the way of the massive claw.

The other pincer seizes Ug around the middle, cutting deeply into the barbarian's waist (After resistance Ug takes 7 damage). Ug welcomes it, however, and as the crab hoists him up high, the goliath perfectly times his swing to smash the carapace of the thing's face. The giant crab scuttles about in pain and drops Ug to the floor.

One of the priestesses finishes a spell, conjuring a swarm of tiny spiders that bite at the party, but each hero grunts through the pain and continues their assault with steadfast determination (Everyone takes only 7 piercing damage! Except Ug just takes 3, cuz resistance). These drow females are no less determined, however, and one of them murmurs a spell of healing over the two of them.

Reòthadh summons the fury of the North, a blast of cold and ice that batters his enemies. By the end of it, the priestesses are shivering with frostbite, and the all that is left of the crab is frozen drow. Another beam of radiance follows, reducing the frozen drow to a charred mess.

Blinking against the powerful light, one of the priestesses attacks the easiest target: the reckless barbarian. A spectral whip lashes out and smacks Ug hard, knocking him to the ground (Ug takes 24 force damage).

Then Erevain's spell takes effect, the magical silence robbing the priestesses of the ability to word their prayers. They pull snake-headed flails from their belts, the animated serpents weaving and hissing as one of Zenithral's arrows hits home.

The priestesses advance.

Round 6 Player Phase!!!!!

Vincent forces himself to focus on the one with the enchantment that causes her to slip from attention. Once again, his mind proves stronger than magic as he brings his sword in for the kill. She retaliates with a strike of her snake-headed whip, and the weapon's fangs find purchase on Vincent's arm. Those snake teeth are very real, and so is the poison that wracks his body (Vince takes 21 damage).

Zenithral's tumble costs him, and both of the spectral whips immediately crack out at him (Zen takes 54 force damage, or 28 if he casts shield). The priestesses have other problems, however, as Reòthadh's sunlight ruins their vision and the party moves forward.

Or, more particularly, the tyrAlnosaur moves forward.

Screams to her deity silenced by Erevain's spell, the drow woman flails futilely against the tyrAlnosaur's great head as it dips low, maw wide and gaping. Then the teeth shut, and a ripple of muscles results in the lower half of the priestess being sent careening through the air to land in the lava chasm nearby.

Vincent finishes his opponent off with a slash across her back, and she collapses and shudders once as life leaves her eyes.

Battered perhaps more than they have ever been, the companions stand victorious once more.