<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Status</div><div class="spoiler_body">AC 18   HP 94<br/>Spells remaining: 7 of 7 1st, 5 of 5 2nd, 1 of 1 from bonded object<br/>Ammunition remaining: 16 common arrows, 15 silvered, 19 cold iron, 3 Tangleshot, 5 adamantine arrows, 2 greater hushing arrows<br/>     (pack: 30 common, 5 adamantine arrows)<br/></div></div><br/>All in all, Rayne felt things were going mostly well for the small band inside the fort - slightly less small with the addition of Charlatania and Hawtness.  But time was against them, considering how many monsters Telathrax could produce using his breeders... his<em>captive players</em>Rae-lynne reminded herself, ashamed at thinking of these people in terms of how they were being used... what they had been reduced to.  And of course, freeing them was urgent not just for practical reasons, but to liberate the players from their awful condition.  Of course.<br/><br/>It was interesting that Hawtness had met a devil - perhaps the same one - that offered her the deal with the collar.  What did the devil gain by it, she wondered.  Hopefully nothing, if others, like her, were too cautious to accept.  And as more and more players learned of the collars, that ploy should soon be worthless to the infernal beast.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>In Lizzy's crafting chamber - now much more completely stocked, though Rayne cast a momentary, nervous glance at the forge - the half-elf accepted her new items gladly.  She thought she caught the girl eyeing her thighs, though of course if anything, it would have been just the skirt she was examining, with professional pride.  It would have to be that, Rayne thought, remembering the innocence of their crafting mage... unless the experience with the Iron Golem had a lingering effect.  She wondered, then, about Grogza - hadn't the half-orc given her an odd look earlier?  She shrugged and laughed musically at Lizzy's little joke, putting such thoughts aside.  It as nothing, and she had to remember that things were going well.<br/><br/>"I can't quite afford to start the starbow process, but hopefully soon.  I imagine any quest would be worthwhile - such a weapon would be quite a boost in my capabilities.  And besides, it might match my ... overall look a little better."  She grinned, knowing how trite that was, but was serious about her dream of that rare weapon.<br/><br/><hr/><br/>Rayne was very pleased that the others had accepted Ishtar so readily, and a bit flattered at some of the admiring looks she'd received from some of the other PCs.  Of course they didn't know the whole story - it was hardly her silver tongue that had swayed the succubus - but the archer didn't mind the little boost to her ego.<br/><br/>But Ishtar - the "old" Ishtar - had made their situation considerably more dire, selling six PCs to bolster the dragon's ten.  They had a dangerous, difficult task ahead, and the demoness would no doubt play an important role in overthrowing that threat.  Hearing that there were hundreds of NPCs down there - presumably many of the usual inhabitants of the city were trapped down there - really underscored the scope of their problem.  Sure, those NPCs weren't contributing to the monster swarms, but for Telathrax to have so many was an unmistakeable sign of power.  "That's... good, I was hoping to take advantage of that circle.  And scrying first is essential - I don't want us to pop out directly in front of such a dangerous opponent.  And to see what other loyal supporters might be in the cavern at the moment we wish to attack."<br/><br/>She regarded her friend.  "Maybe karma's working out, and those jerk players were the first ones consigned to Telathrax' chamber.  But it is weird that they didn't show up here... I wonder if they spawn somewhere else then?  If by attacking the city, their rezzing portal was set to a point outside the city?  Maybe they're out there, but with so many monsters to wade through, they just haven't gotten close to this fort."  She didn't really believe it, but it was possible.  The worst possibility - and she refused to let herself consider it - was that some of those players were knowingly allied with the attacking monsters, even knowing how things had changed for the worse.  Or ... aligned with the DM and his devs.  They could have friends... anything was possible - or they could even be alts of those responsible for this mess, "slumming" in the game.  They wouldn't be trapped in the game as ordinary players were... she wondered again how the DM could be keeping everything quiet on the outside.  Could three computer geeks take care of... well, it had to be at least 30 players, she thought, even if other parts of the world were unpopulated.  Potentially more... she felt a cold run through her, and drove these speculations from her mind.<br/><br/>And then there was Telathrax himself.  "That is... going to be one hard nut to crack.  So many ways to disrupt us, and such strong attacks.  I can see how a few basic items will be necessary - energy resistance - I just gained that, by the way, so that could at least take some of the edge off of his acid.  I'm afraid I can't expect to penetrate his spell resistance, but he's susceptible to arrows.  But then again, he can just call darkness.  It's pretty hard to silence him or interfere with that... and he can slip away in the water if we do get the upper hand."  She shook her head, looking stricken.  "We have no choice but to bring him down, but I've never faced anything so tough."