Strangers IC Thread

[imported_Rasyr]

Looking around quickly, Ewyn says, "I fear that this sudden chill harkens the arrival of something sinister."

Ewyn then prepares himself for possible combat (drawing weapons, etc.).

[Fidoric]

Ceillen assume a defensive stance, his staff in the right hand, the left hand half raised, ready to direct the spiritual energies into an astral bolt.

Ewyn, I am able to defend myself in a brawl. However, know that my spiritual powers have strengths and weaknesses. I will be able to smite spirits but my bolts are useless against undeads.

[samwise7]

From the ground below black smoke-like tendrils attempt to wrap around your legs and feet. 

[imported_Rasyr]

Ewyn moves away from the smoke, back towards someplace (in the direction of their ropes and the entrance) where there is a little bit more room to maneuver.

[samwise7]

Ceillen moves slightly and attempts to cast a spell... that fizzles and produces no effect. 

The smoky tendrils attempt to attack both Ceillen and Ewyn by smoky trails follow their failed attempts.  Wherever they nearly hit drops several degrees in temperature.  They just seem to be supernaturally cold.

Ewyn adjusts and backs up slightly.

[samwise7]

Another failed spell from Ceillen fizzles into nothingness. 

Ewyn dodges and attempts to avoid the cold smoky tendrils.

The dark icy tentacles once again attempt to attack but flail wildly, missing their targets.

[samwise7]

Ceillen and Ewyn both attempt to produce magical effects and fail in the attempt.

The tendrils snap and twist through the air and one of the seemingly random flailing smoky arms wraps like a whip around Ewyn's left arm.  It feels like a rope of infernal ice that pulses with a dark power.

[samwise7]

Ewyn finds some inner resource of mental will and resists much of the oily, cold, and evil feeling that seems to swim through his soul.  He does feel drained however of some vital part of himself...

[imported_Rasyr]

"Beware! These smoky tentacles are trying to drain our vitality and quite possibly our Souls!"

Ewyn then attempts another casting of Empty Hand, "ChoZhu!"

[Fidoric]

Ceillen, at first thinking of using his staff, changes his mind after Ewyn's shout !
Once more, he gathers the spiritual energies from the Spirit World and try to hit his opponent with another Astral bolt.
As his spell sparkles eerily but harmlessly, he whispers a curse and definitively changes his course of action. He grips his staff strongly and will now try to free his friend by bashing the grasping tentacle so that they both can flee.

"Ewyn ! Be steadfast ! I won't let you down ! This creature will taste my staff !"

[samwise7]

Ceillen swings and misses horribly.

Ewyn's spell smashes into the tentacles that are wrapped around his arm and it lets go in a way that seems like it vanishes into thin air.  It reforms with the rest of the tentacles but it seems more wispy somehow.

The tentacles seem to be weaker now, and the smoke isn't as thick or dark.  They swing weakly... and then vanish.

Ewyn feels like a part of him is somehow missing. 

[samwise7]

The hallway with the strange pictographs running the length of the wall continues on into the darkness before you.

[imported_Rasyr]

Ewyn looks at his companion, then says, "Perhaps we should retreat back to the surface, and try to convince one of our other companions to accompany us back down here. Perhaps also get our other charges as well. From the looks of things, this will take longer than we thought, and we may need the aide as we continue onwards."

[Fidoric]

You speak words of wisdom Ewyn. This is a huge complex and... unsafe.
Let's go back to this damned shaft and, if the Good Spirits are with us, our rope will lead us to our friends. I only hope that climbing up is easier than down. Our descent was a little bit too eventful for my taste.

[samwise7]

The small group returns to the vertical shaft without any problems... but there is this uneasy feeling as if someone is watching your every move.  Ceilen thinks he gets glimpses of what could have been a spirit beneath the floor at one point but it is gone almost instantly. 

You find your rope right where you left it, but there is a dark handprint 5 feet up the rope from the floor.  It almost seems like it was burned onto the fibers of it.