The mephits hiss and talk in some unknown language. One of them speaks out in Common "Enter our home, you die. Simple." None of them move towards the group and three of them circle the barbarian who grips the blade and watches them.

"You go! He stays! No one touches the lever! Nope!" The memphit that talked before speaks out.

Fenris growls, eyes narrowed upon the four memphits. He slowly raise his sword, more in defense.

Brankx looked at the ice Mephit's with narrowed eyes. "Not happenin'. We all go or we all stay.....thats how it works. Ye let him go and we won't start anythin', But ye attack him and ye face us all."

This is the first time the dwarf has openly backed up Fenris, and he meant every word. Sure, he thought him a moody, barbariac elf, but he was a team mate, and even the dwarf would lay his life on the line for him.....for any of them.

The dwarf slammed the butt of his staff into the ice, glaring at the one that spoke. "Make ye choice....Let 'im go, or ye die." His tone wasn't a threat, just a statement.

Valis just nods at the dwarf's words and holds his daggers at the ready.

Cumarinda smiled at Brankx's statement in support of Fenris. Still smiling she addresses the speaking mephit as she quickly moves up to flank one of those attempting to surround the elf. “He's my beloved barbarian warrior. By Pelor's light or dark of night, our battles we share and our foes despair. Leave us be or prepare to die!” As she comes upon the  mephit between her and Fenris, she prepares to strike.

OOC
Cumarinda Imbrex rolled 20 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:02, Sat 17 Apr 2021.

"Trade. No need to fight and die. Yes yes. What you got?" One of the memphits speak and the others move to surround the barbarian.

Fenris grips his sword and growls, wanting to rip their wings off their bodies. He knows he is surrounded on all sides but willing to fight! "You harm her I will rip you apart!" Probably the most he has said but he wants to make the point.

They hiss and wait for a response from anyone.

OOC Roll initiative in case a fight breaks out!
17:06, Today: Fenris rolled 21 using 1d20+3.  Initiative (Just in case!).

17:08, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 13 using 1d20+7.  Memphits Initiative (Just in case).

The dwarf narrows his eyes, an idea coming into his head. “A trade....ay. I may have somethin’ fer ya.” He looked at the group holding his hand up. “We seek a great enemy.....beasts with powers of th’ mind, and a white wyrm. Our aim is to rid them o’ the town and this place. My thought is th’ less o’ them here, the greater your domain. Ye let us through and maybe tell us where ter find them, we face them.”

He crosses his arms. “We die....ye can loot our corpses. We win, we take what we can carry, you keep th’ rest and the land on provision ye leave the townspeople alone.”

Valis is impressed with Brankx's quick thinking, nodding in corroboration while he suppresses a shudder at the horrors to come.

Initiative 5 (just in case).
21:38, Today: Valis Burns rolled 5 using 1d20+4.  Initiative.

"One sided yes yes. Definatly one sided. Big creature did nothing. Nope. Leaves us alone. Don't care about domain. Go where we want. Yup yup. We want treasure. Give us treasure. Townspeople? Don't know townspeople. Harmony. Yes yes. Dragon big. Eat you up." The mempit speak one at a time, stating the same things. Odd bunch "Let you through? You came here. Go back way out. Not stopoping you. Nope nope. Pay us he goes with you. Don't pay us he...."

The barbarian has enough. He growls and goes into a rage, slamming the weapon into the mephits! One of them is litteraly cut in two by Fenri's sword. Litterally. From head to feet. Its two sides flop down. He swings the weapon around cleaving into another mephit dropping him.


Fenris-21
Cumarinda-20
-------------------------------------------------------
Mephits (x2)-13
-------------------------------------------------------
Ballest-10
Brankx-8
Valis-5

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 62):

With an expression of pity the cleric shakes her head. “Pelor's mercy upon your kindred! You were warned, and now we send you to your gods.” she sighs as she cuts through one of the remaining mephits.


OOC:
Cumarinda Imbrex rolled 21 using 1d20+4.  Attack with sword.
Cumarinda Imbrex rolled 9 using 1d8+1.  Sword Damage.

One of the mephits is hit by the cleric but it doesn't drop!

They back away and cast their spells. From each, 2 balls of energy fly out at the cleric! They each slam into her!
Cumarinda take 12 damage

The warforged throws his hammer and it hits the back of the hurt mephit. The creature falls to the ground not moving!


Waiting on Brankx and Valis
Fenris-21
Cumarinda-20
-------------------------------------------------------
Mephits (x1)-13
-------------------------------------------------------
Ballest-10
Brankx-8
Valis-5

Taken back by the balls of energy striking Cumarinda, Valis leaps into action. He steps forward, slashing towards the nearest mephit but fails to connect.


Valis hits AC 15 17 with his magical shortsword for 3 piercing damage (miss) and hits with his magical dagger for 7 slashing damage (21 confirming the crit).

10:51, Today: Valis Burns rolled 15,3,26,3 using 1d20+6,1d6+2,1d20+6,1d4+1.  Sword attack, damage, dagger attack, damage. Should be 1d20+8 for single attack.
10:54, Today: Valis Burns rolled 21,4 using 1d20+6,1d4+1.  Dagger crit confirm, crit damage.
OOC: sorry, got my 3.5 rules confused!
This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Tue 27 Apr 2021.

Brankx, not at surprised by Fenris’s action, allowed himself a mental sigh as he went through the motion of casting the arcane misiles towards one of the beasts.

<OOC: casts magic missile (no wand)


11:26, Today: Brankx Onyxshield rolled 3 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile.
11:26, Today: Brankx Onyxshield rolled 4 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile.
11:26, Today: Brankx Onyxshield rolled 3 using 1d4+1.  Magic missile .

Total damage: 10>

The rogues attack misses and the mages attack hits home. With a fury of rage, the barbarian cuts it in half killing it! He growls, hitting the beast over and over again. Blood rage through Fenris and he looks at the cleric but doesn't say a word. He leans against the cleric for some unknown reason, lowering his blade.

OOC
The mephits are dead. Long live the group ;)

Valis moves forward to join the barbarian on the far side of the chamber. "Good work! Is there a way through here?" He looks about, looking to see if there are any doors or openings.

Not sure if a check is required, but I'll take 10 for a 17 on either Spot or Search if necessary.

The rogue finds no other way into the room or out, besides the entrance they came through. Most of the walls are ice and covered in snow so finding anything would be rather tough. It seems like this was a perfect nest for the mephits-places to hide, hard to see from a distance and places to put things if anything was found. And to protect the lever. Fenris keeps his sword drawn, watching the odd half-elf move around the area.

OOC
This may be a good spot to rest despite the coldness. One way in, one way out. Got 2 other locations to check out too.

"Well done, Fenris.  I had a thought that such creatures would likely tell our presence to the dragon after taking anything we would pay them, and thus be paid twice.  We are well clear of their treachery and greed.  Does anyone need rest?  It is defensible here, if you wanted to take a break before we open the door to new dangers," Ballast says.

After the last of the ice mephits fell, Cumarinda leaned heavily against Fenris. “I think we should rest here as we have a defensible position with little to no chance of being attacked while we regain our strength and tend to our wounds.” A rumbling sound erupted from her midsection, bringing about an embarrassed blush. “I'd be willing to cook something for us to eat too.” she volunteered in a softer voice while blushing again.

Subsequently, while looking around at the rest of the group with concern she asked, "Is there anyone is still wounded?"

Brankx, uninjured, looked at the cleric and nodded. "Ye have wisdom there....we may not find another suitable area ter rest. I say we rest here and move on."

"I've no objections to resting here," says Valis. "I can stand watch for a while," he adds.

The look that Fenris gives the rogue is something not good. He just met him and now expect him to watch the rag tag group?

"No."" Fenris speaks out, expecting someone to object. Well expecting the dwarf to object.

He always does.

The sound the clerics tummy makes is unsettling to the barbarian. He looks at it then to her and tilts his head. Perhaps nothing. He crosses his arms after sheathing his sword and then goes to try to make the area more comfortable-blankets, sleeping areas. But its cold. Really cold.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 09:14, Sat 08 May 2021.

The dwarf blinks at the insistence of Fenris, and though he was often at odds with him, this new person was new, and though he helped, was not quick to trust. He looked at valis with a smile. “Perhaps ye and ballast can watch over us as we rest...normally I would but I need th’ time ter replenish a few spells.”

Feeling as if he is not wanted and a outsider to the group, the rogue after getting a meal. Fenris is not thrilled with this half-elf. After some rest, the group awakens and finds the rogue gone. The barbarian finds some tracks and looks at the group knowing he was right. All ready for the day or nights travels-its hard to tell what time of day. Two doors left and what did that beam do? The bodies still lie nearbye but they are placed at the entrance-perhaps a way of stating 'do not enter'. The group finds that the beam flickered but keeps going into the door that was locked and it remains as such.

OOC
I will say the group is fully back to health, got spells back, ect.

After the reminder of the party had rested, eaten her delicious food, and was fully healed, Cumarinda repacked her gear stating, “Well we could stay here longer but even with a warm barbarian blanket the cold here is discouraging, and we have a mission to finish. I think we should investigate the door without the light shining though it before we disturb the pile of dead mephits.” She paused, looking over the group as she asked, “Does anyone else have a better idea?”

Ballast gives a small shrug.  "It could be a warning or invitation, but yes, let us see what the less ominous door yields before we try the peculiar beam and moving the bodies."  He shakes his head.  "Pity Valis did not see fit to stay around.  I hope he got off the mountain safely."

Ballast crosses to the selected door and listens for anything on the other side.  If all is quiet, he tries to open it, after making sure the others are ready.

OOC: 04:15, Today: Ballast rolled 11 using 1d20+6.  Listen .

Brankx listens to the others and simply nods. "Lets see what's behind door number one."