Two amorphous blobs of gray matter rise into a vaguely humanoid shape before the heroes. For a moment, the shape of the halfling renegade leader within its depths can be seen, then it begins to shift and change shape before the heroes' eyes. Always fluid and moving, the blob forms one massive hammer-like fist that swings powerfully in empty air; its second appendage wields what seems to be a steel short sword, its steel blade softly glowing in the shadows. At the same time, the other blob-halfling forms one of its appendages into a hollow tube that crackles with electric energy. More mad laughter pours forth from both amorphous creatures as they close in towards the party…

ROUND 1

Moving quickly, Tak’ pulls out his life dagger, and murmurs a silent prayer to Gaea. "Try to work together and defend each other until we know how to defeat these monstrosities!"

Cursing his weakened state, Tak’ draws forth on his Will, letting his mental strength fill his physical body. The halfling hunter frowned as the familiar flow of power did not come bidding to his Will. The state of shock quickly turned to terror as he sees the blob-halfling advance towards the group. Tak infuriated with himself lets go of his attempt to draw forth his Will and instead concentrates on his dagger; now more than ever his life was in Gaea's hands. Tak’ bellowed a war cry and prepared to meet what would be perhaps his last foes.

Mendi assessed the situation, and knew that things could easily take a grim turn. Despite the pain in his shoulder, he leveled the crossbow aiming at the blob that appeared to contain the halfling leader. The crossbow made his usual dry sound as the quarrel flew true and striked the blob with a disgusting sucking noise. The quarrel's momentum then drew it into the halfling's side, and the mad laughter ceased, replaced by a hateful glance at the elf. Relief was etched in everyone's faces as the bolt drew blood…these monstrosities bled and thus they could be killed…

Even under such adverse conditions, Elric's eyes light up at the sight of the metal short sword. "Now only how do I get it from him," the words whispered through Elric's head as he charges toward the blob wielding the glowing sword. Bursting forth from the Pack, Elric's blades set softly in his hands.

The warlock quickly closes into melee with the blob. Dodging to the left, Elric insures that the blob is in between the other blob and himself. Elric's blades blur as he strikes out at the sword-wielding blob. His first attack is a slashing horizontal cut while his second is a hard thrust over his initial line of attack.

Elric feels his bone sword bite hard into the blob. Strangely, the blob absorbs much of the force, slowing the blade as it slices through but the creature bleeds again and the warlock strikes again. Elric curses as his second blade flies wide of its mark, knowing full well the deadly nature of the situation, he follows his blades over dodging the huge fist swinging through the air towards him.

The blob swings with the enchanted sword with a quickness that belied its aspect. The sword slices easily into the warlock as the astonished Elric almost doesn't feel the attack. It is only as he sees the sword pull back bloodied that he realizes he has been hit.

Sighing, Rayne launches in to attack the nearest blob. Coming in low with her wrist razor and following through with her tortoise blade, Rayne attacked the blob with a ferocity that was born from frustration and a touch of desperation. "Die ye cursed things so I can get the hell out of this place." Her tortoise blade skids off the creature's tough hide and a massive hammer-like fist swing towards her.

Rayne shouts at the creature a dwarven taunt so course, her ancestors must have turned over in their graves. With a determined glare, she prepares for a defense against the beast's blows. "Ye ain't gonna take me without a fight." The mul dodges inside of the massive fist and her wrist razors buries itself deep into the creature's midsection. Rayne retaliates from the touch of the blob-halfling but lets out a victorious shout.

Gaigin curses aloud as he sees the horrors move to do battle with his pack-mates knowing he wouldn't be of any use against these things in his condition. Backing away against the wall and crouching low, he decides his only real option in this case is to stay safe and avoid getting in his fellows' way.

Aryus closes his eyes and whispers a prayer. He tries to put the horrific image of the blobs out of his mind so that he may concentrate on defeating them. Turning his palms to the ground, the windmage feels a rush of rich energy flow into his body. The energy warmed his bones and muscles and gave him a calm and powerful feeling.

The windmage closes his hands into two fists to end the energy flow and then raises his arms and points at the two blobs ahead. The warriors had already charged forward, careful aim would be required. Slowly opening his eyes, Aryus screams out a series of arcane words in a powerful tone, hoping to intimidate his enemies. Then, streaming bolts of magic missiles fly from his fingers and crash forward into the two blobs in a brilliant array of light and fire.

Ptellac takes advantage of the spell's effect and charges forward to try and pierce the tough hide of the blob that was unengaged as of yet. Spear thrust forward, the saurian yelled an incoherent cry from his thin lips as he rushed into battle. The strange apparition pointed its hollow tube towards the pterran and blue, crackling lighting issued forth from its end. The lighting spread out and seemed to engulf the pterran. The pterran was down and choked in his own blood. He feebly moved on the floor as the blob closed in on him.

It was then that Chit jumped in to help out his clutch mates. The kreen was hurt but still a formidable opponent as the blob would soon find out. He slashed with all four claws trying to rip apart the strange foe that the kreen couldn't quite identify. Two solid hits paid off as claws pulled back soiled with dark, red blood.

The creature was about to strike back when Koreth moved in. The warrior growls at the two twisted creatures before him, "I'll teach you who is the master and who is the slave, you gray slimy bastards!" With a dwarven war cry rumbling in his throat, Koreth launches himself at the creature wielding the lightning. Koreth's wrist razors slid into the gray flesh of the creature he faced with ease. He quickly pulled them out, wary of the creature's weapon. He glanced about, looking to the fate of his companions thus far. The creature's other limb formed itself into a sword that quickly sliced towards the warrior's neck. Koreth ducked and the strange sword hit him straight on his boneclaw helmet. The helmet flew off his head and the warrior was momentarily dazed but it had surely saved him from a premature decapitation

Seeing Ptellac in dire condition, Koreth cursed. "Someone get Ptellac out of here! Now!" Both kreen and warrior kept the monster busy while the pterran slowly crawled away towards where Gaigin was huddled.

ROUND 2

Aware once more of the purple patch of skin on his arm, the growth slightly warm as the twins close in, Tak’ appraises the situation, gauging which of his companions needed assistance most. Keeping his Sloth-tooth dagger close to his body, held in reserve to swat away any attacking appendage, Tak’ instead focused on thrusting his life-dagger into the beast.

The dagger slid through with surprising ease into the blob, causing a strange half-stream. Smiling grimly, Tak’ resumed his task, dancing around the blob looking for another opening. The hit drew not only vile blood but also the creature's attention. At the sight of the life-dagger, the blob issued a horrendous cry of vengeance and concentrated on the small halfling that was causing it so much pain. The hammer fist quickly changed into a hollow tube and lighting was heard and seen within but only for a moment…

The ray of deadly energy formed itself and sprung for the hunter in a sharp explosion. Tak dived to the side just in time to avoid the ray that left a singed hole in the back wall where it finally hit. The blob was on Tak as a matter of fact and raised its sword to split the hunter in two. The weapon came down but Tak swiped it aside with his own dagger. The blob was almost on him again when Mendi attacked one more time.

Recranking frantically his weapon, Mendi scanned the ongoing battle. There was little enough he could do except fire on the blobs until they prevailed or died. He trusted Koreth, Rayne's and Elric skill, and hoped there was no remaining halfling ready to ambush them from behind. He cast an anxious glance behind, and then waited for the right opening in the blurry of moves in front of him.

The halfling leader was fighting with the energy of a cornered animal, but the blob seemed to give him strength in addition to the protection it offered. As Tak side-stepped a devastating slashing attack, he offered the opening Mendi was looking for. The elf thought of the desperate odds, of the weakened state of his friends and of his own wounds and sore body. He looked the leader straight in the eyes, reaching a decision, the quarrel flew for the leader's head, and the quarrel sprang, unseen to the eye, except for Mendi. The leader made a strangled cry as the quarrel penetrated the blob and penetrated him on the side of the head.

Elric cackles gleefully the sheer adrenaline of it all breaking free. "I have your measure now beast, let us now truly dance with death" Following his words with a ferocious attack Elric slashes/thrust towards the beast. The bone blade skids off the thick skin as the beast turns around just as Elric's second sword sinks deep into its gut. The blank stare of the halfling inside the blob does not reveal much but the blob is sorely wounded.

Rayne steps in confidently to try and kill it off but the creature reforms itself and its wounds seem to disappear inside. The mul's blade still sinks deep within the fleshy monster as she ducks a clumsy swing of the sword. The creature was hurt and its strength and reflexes were not the same after suffering so many wounds.

Seeing the Chit and Koreth fight and struggle in the front, Aryus decides to send them some help. He holds onto the holy symbol of the winds and mutters a spell/prayer to his patron element. A strange wispy creature manifest itself and goes towards the blob trying to strike at it but succeeds in being no more than a nuisance.

Koreth sneers at the creature and its lightning weapon. He growled as he launched himself at the creature once again; his razors aimed both high and low on the creature. His razors slid into the creature with less resistance than flesh. Koreth rolled, bringing himself back up and facing the creature. "How many more times will I have to tickle your ribs before you meet Kalak?" He grins wickedly at the gray creature.

The kreen still danced right beside the warrior, its hunting instincts aroused alongside with his clutch mates; the kreen was a killing machine. Its claws raked again at the beast whose massive hammer fist rose and fell with deadly precision this time. The bone head fell on the kreen with a sick crunching sound as chitin cracked and dark gore oozed from the kreen's wounds. The hollow lighting tube changed itself into a deadly spike that thrust toward the kreen's abdomen. Chit jumped back just in time as the spike slashed empty air.

Your actions…

OUT OF CHARACTER

HEALTH STATUS

Remember the scale:

Healthy (H) 100% hitpoints remaining

Slightly Wounded (SiW) 75% to 100% hitpoints remaining

Wounded (W) 50% to 75% hitpoints remaining

Seriously Wounded (SeW) 25% to 50% hitpoints remaining

Mortally Wounded (MW) 0% to 25% hitpoints remaining

Tak (W), (SeW) PSPs

Mendi (SeW), (SeW) PSPs

Elric (W) Main Blob (MW)

Rayne (SiW), 0 PSPs

Ayrus (SeW)

Ptellac (MW)

Chit (SeW)

Koreth (W), (SeW) PSPs Blob (SeW)

Gaigin (MW)

Gaigin will recover full hitpoints gradually in 5 days time notwithstanding any magical healing

Everyone can assume that they have been warned of the earthquake by Gaigin when you post.

Two rounds please and try and give some contingencies in case someone is down.

Questions, comments, and suggestions please.

L8r,

Fabian