(082) The Darkness Below

[waysoftheearth]

Okay, so the marching order was formerly:

Zax the Gnome,
Leudigar,
The Herald
Zem the Dwarf
Dopey the Hobbet
Gerhard
Wetzel
Fried
Akbar
Karl

Now it seems Zax and Dopey have probably fallen back and The Herald is leading.

Unless I am informed otherwise, I will assume it is now:

The Herald
Leudigar
Zem the Dwarf
Gerhard
Wetzel
Akbar
Dopey the Hobbet
Fried
Karl
Zax the Gnome

[Tonneau]

A gnome at the rear? Unheard of! Zax moves to the front with typical gnomish aplomb (though without knocking anyone over - unless they get in the way of course).

[coffee]

How long have we been at this now? Is it about time to light a fresh torch?

[sully]

How long have we been at this now? Is it about time to light a fresh torch?

There's light where we're going.

[ehiker133]

Onward!

[waysoftheearth]

The Herald, followed by Leudigar, followed by Zem and Zax (bustling up through the ranks), followed by the rest of the party pass through a narrow, 20ft passage and the arch to come into a great, high vaulted chamber. It must be 60ft wide and 100ft long, with four great columns in the central part of the space bearing up to the angled ceiling, high above. They glimpse doors and statues about the perimeter, but their attention is immediately seized by the hideous five-serpent-headed reptile that writhes against clanking iron chains that bind it between the four columns. It hisses and snarls and strains willfully against the thick iron bonds that flick and clatter. On the opposite side of the thrashing hydra, the hag is perceptible; a small hunched figure. With both her flighty, black-nailed hands the wretched thing raises a mallet over her misshapen head, and...

The world holds its breath... your orders good Sirs?

[waysoftheearth]

Mudmap:

  Code:

.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   
                  Statues                     
.   .   .   .  ##############   .   .   .   
               # (*)    (*) #              
.   .       .  #.   .   .   #   #####   .   
               #            #   #   #      
.   .   .   .  #.   .   .   #   # A #   .   
               #            #   # n #           
.   .   .   .  #.   .   .   ##### t #####   
               #            #  *| i |      
.   .   .   .  #.   .   .   # * #   #  Z.   
               #            # * #####  o    
.   .   .  #####.   .   .   ##*##   #  m.   
           #                 zZ #   #  b   
.   .   .  #.   .   . O .   HL  #   #  i.   
           #                    #   #  e        
.   .   .  #.   .   .  ~~   .   #   #  s.   
           #     O ~~~~~  O     #   #      
.   .   .  #.   .  Hydra    .   #   #####   
           |     hag            #          
.   .   .  #.   .   . O .   .   #   .   .   
           #     Columns        #          
.   .   .  #.   .   .   .   .   #   .   .   
            #                  /                
.   .   .    #  .   .   .   . #     .   .   
              #######==#######             
.   .   .   .   .  #.   #   .   .   .   .   
                   #    #                   
.   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   . 

[Tonneau]

Zax sizes up the tactical situation immediately and in a flash has a throwing axe in hand. Its a supergomnian effort, and he hurls it with his might at the distant hag in the - perhaps vain - hope of averting disaster.

[sully]

The Herald sees no other option but to hurl his mace at the hag.

[mgtremaine]

Zem looks at the Hydra and sniffs at the air mumbling"Something not right here, dumb beast would just as soon eat her as us."