A thick fog clung to the streets of Sigil well past Antipeak. There are only two streets in the 'Githyanki ghetto' of Git'riban worth the name, the rest being twisting alleys, stairs, ruins, and tunnels. The square where Gith Lane met Silver Void Street, known as 'The Heart of The Void' to locals, was as crowded as it ever got. Half a dozen carts of wares, from the young Gith of wildspace pirate heritage selling newsrags to the brave old Night Hag who had a small tent filled with spell components and charms. Open doorways beckoned to those who knew which apartment to enter for other services, but no signs hung on the buildings. Overlooking The Heart of The Void, a balcony enclosed in a curtain of crystal and glass beads held by thin silver wires betrays some movement behind, as patrons of Haven Port Inn receive food and drink.
Fewer than a dozen patrons walk about the streets of The Heart. This, despite the recent increase in the population of the ghetto. Refugees from the prime world Incursions had filtered in, in increasing numbers as time went on. The last nine months were hard on The People.
Six months ago, Githzerai agents knew.
Three months ago, The King of The Crosstrade knew.
Two days ago the rumor started to hit the streets of Sigil.
Vlaakith CLVII had disappeared. Destroyed? Or just gone?
Nine months ago the survivors of the Incursions knew. The Gates to the Astral ripped open anew with the annihilating force of The Lich Queen's ultimate weapon, the Void Bombs, wiping out whole cities where the Queen had sent her people through to conquer the Primes and search for the regalia and tomb of the great Gith herself. No word from Tu'narath, nor from the fortresses nearby. Every living being, and every item of magic power, blasted to ash, with the Psi/Arcane fallout preventing investigation of the area. Every Githyanki on the Incursion worlds, and all the Githyanki on the Astral, lost the power to shift between those planes. Entire armies of trapped Githyanki were forced to fight on, defending crippled empires. Many fled back to the Astral through hidden fortress-nurseries, many of which had color pools leading back to Astral forts. Still others fled to the planes however they might, such as through The City of Doors.
Yet despite this newest incursion, the streets of Git'riban were not crowded. The business of Git'riban went on behind closed doors and anonymous archways, in alleys and tunnels and vacant lots.
------
In a rubble-strewn lot yawns a dark hole. Out of the blackness of Undersigil emerges a lanky figure wrapped in a black cowl. Jank'kor is glad of the fog that enshrouds the alleyways and streets. Need has brought him forth, need of certain ... special ingredients for his latest potion. He heads through the maze of alleys towards The Heart of The Void.
Du'minh does not like to wait. Yet, waiting was just what he was doing. The warrior loitered in the open archway of a sharpener's shop, watching the square for his captain, K'dar.
From the open doorway of the Haven Port Inn emerges a tall, armored Githyanki warrior with a great sword strapped to his back. Xar'Sauken looks up and down the square, smiling in self-satisfaction. Free from hunger. Free from thirst. A free being in the city they called The Cage. Sigil greeted him with a thick mist that remained on the very cusp of drizzle.
Ar'dru glides out of the fog to a landing among the sellers' carts. He glances around, but does not see the one he has come for. Something, however, catches his eye. A young Gith of wildspace heritage is selling newsrags and periodicals. Many of the papers bear the same headline: "Editor-In-Chief of The Tempus Sigilan Found Murdered."
This was bad. This was great! This was unbelievable! This was going to be more trouble than inviting a Death Slaad over for tea. The whispers of the Sharpshadows were of a Rrakkma, successful beyond belief. Someone managed to kill the Ulitharid 'Knowledge', one of the three Uber-Illithid that ran Illithid House in Sigil. The nine-foot monstrosity was a prominent figure in Sigilan society, the editor-in-chief of the largest, oldest, most expensive, and most important (to planar nobility, golden lords, factols, and other 'important people' anyway) weekly publication in the City of Doors. So, not only did the Rrakkma bypass every Hamonium patrol, Son of Mercy, private guard, and watch-beast in the Lady's Ward, but also every magical trap, Psionic precaution, and minion. Then to take out a Ulitharid and leave its head impaled on an iron fence several blocks away! What's more, there were no witnesses. None! Of course, everyone in Sigil knew it was Githzerai, despite the lack of any concrete evidence. The courts were treating it as a high profile murder, and Githzerai were being snatched up for questioning throughout Sigil. Daraz walked towards the Heart of The Void in the guise of Ech'Tev, a Githyanki Emissary. He was looking for Grazz. If anyone knew the real dark of what was going on, it would be Grazz.
------
A tight knot of grey cloaks walk down Gith Lane, surrounding a Githzerai that stands head and shoulders above the next tallest of his companions. Just as the group reaches the Heart of The Void, the subtle pop-fizzle of an opening portal causes the rear guard to turn. Out of an archway charges a horde of Hobgoblins and Bugbears, armed with rusty blades and mining tools. Out of the mist, dozens of Orcs and Grimlocks fill the square, attacking everything they can find with savage fury. The mob of humanoids is dressed in filthy, tattered rags. The look in their eyes, both feral and vacant at once, is quickly recognized by every veteran of a Rrakkma.
Thralls!
The paper boy tries to flee, but does not get far. The Hag dives into her tent which disappears in a puff of smoke. Every Gith on the street draws a weapon and charges into the fray. The Githyanki have a system of short orders and communication for use in battle. The Githyanki forced to fight in proximity quickly shout their names and battle skills to each other.
Daraz (who in the spur of the moment shouts his real name, not his alias, though he then realizes what he's done and yells "Gish") fights back-to back with Xar'Sauken and Du'minh of the Rish-i Chal. Warlock Jank'Kor, seeing a clearing in the horde of hostiles, quickly joins with the warriors to lend arcane support. Duthka'gith Ar'dru fights close at hand. One thought occurs to each of these combatants; these are obviously thralls, but where are their Ilithid masters?
Game: Blades of Git'riban : Primal State
(So I know - is this a game you're inviting other players to hop in on, or a fiction story?)
It's a game; he's just setting the scene. 
( cool. 
)
Eyes gleaming with a feral intensity known crudely as distilled hatred--something that pales even the barbarian's rage to only a children's tempertantrum--the black cloaked figure known as "The Dark" screams two words. Ghaik! (Illithid) Kein! (HATE!) ...His form whisking across the yard as a wavering bolt of silver, launched into the shadows of the alley that the Ulitharid lurched.
A cacophony of tones richochet through the warlock's tense body before buzzing out as a spear of high-frequency from his gloved hand, rushing for the blubbery mass of the freak's head...
OOC:
Activate Quicksilver boots (command: Kein!)
Cast Sound lance
ranged touch attack: AC 11
Dmg(if applicable): 47 sonic +7bane=54
The Ulitharid stumbles sideways into the wall as the sonic lace slams into it. Black-purple splotches of blood hit the side of the building, but the monster continues forward into the alley, disappearing from view.
[DMing: Jank'kor is very quickly moving toward the alley the Ulitharid fled down. No other Gith in the square are in position to follow except the PCs. There are Illithid and thralls moving to block off the alley.]
Edit : Oops , I should have had everyone roll initiative first. Well, we'll say that because Jank'kor was not engaged in melee but back casting spells, he had first opportunity to react, while the others finish off their current foes. Please everyone roll initiative with your first post.
Ar'dru's nostrals flare with rage when as he spots the Illithid appearing throughout the crowd. "Ghaik" he snarls.
Those close to him might have heard a small sigh and a look of serene contentment wash across his face as he notices the towering figure and kicks off the ground to fly after the towering Ulitharid.
"Htak-th sho'a-t" (death nears) he murmers as he shoots forward to attack.
Initative- 1d20+1=7
Power Attack (-5)- 1d20+11=27
Power Attack Damage (+5)-1d10+20=30
(Edit- sorry the power attack should actually read 4 and 8 respectively resulting in 28 to hit and 33 damage)
Pure burning malice fills Du’minh as the mind flayers are revealed. Regrettably realizing that he isn’t likely to catch up with the ulitharid, Du’minh turns his attention to the group of illithids and their thralls and hefts the chain of his flail as he prepares to bring them death.
“Don’t let the ulitharid escape!” he shouts to his fellow combatants before bursting towards a mind flayer, sending a spiked clump of metal right for its hideous slime-glistening head.
OOC:
Du’minh will charge a mind flayer while Power Attacking for -5/+10, targetting any that may display magical skill. Does he recognize the warrior that descended from the balcony of Haven Port as Bosun, the proprietor of the establishment?
First roll: Attack +14 (including modifiers for charging and Power Attack)
Second roll: Initiative +4
Damage (assuming no illithid had magical abilities)
[A group of 3 Illithid are trying to follow the Ulitharid. The Party will get to the alley at about the same time, so we'll assume that Du'minh and Ar'dru aim their attacks on these.]
OOC: Erps! My bad! Initiative:23 (a nat 20...*Chorus of praises* I think Someone in the Nether realms loves me. 
)
... Illithid Attacks
OOC: Just curious--What's the party status on healers?
Daraz looks from side to side, unsure whether he should persue the ulitharid or finish of the trapped ilithlids. After a moment's hesitation, he turns to face the three trapped mind flayers and steps gracefully into a doorframe if possible, deciding that he'll be more use against multiple enimies. Daraz will find cover and cast burning hands on as many of the thralls as possible.
initiative of 26
burning hands damage of 5
It was most definately NOT Bosun. Just a random Githyanki you've seen around the 'hood. He may become an NPC later. A more complete description:
The Githyanki warrior wears the ornate armor of his kind. He is heavily armed, with a longsword shiethed at his side, a greatsword on his back, and a pair of daggers in ornate scabbards. He wields a third sword, a bastard sword, with much skill. As he engages his foes, every now and then his eyes flash with intensity, and something happens, either a fallen weapon strikes toward a foe, distracting him, or the Githyanki teleports out of one situation to reappear behind an unsuspecting enemy. In battle-speak he shouts "Kith'rak Gy-Nath".
OK, to keep the party together the scene is thus: Jank'kor will reach the alley first, followed very closely by Ar'dru in flight (aerial maneuvering in the thin alley will be....interesting), Du'minh and Daraz are going for the flayers, who are now trying to get to the alley too, while their thralls keep all the other Gith around here busy. As soon as I hear from A99, we'll start the combat. Oder of action goes ... Daraz 26 (casts Burning Hands) ... Jank'kor 23 ... (casts Sonic Lance and moves, your natural 20 meant you were really the only one who could get off an attack at the Ulitharid, but now it's bleeding and easier to track ) ... The Flayers 20 (moving toward the alley, might be able to attack Jank'kor and Ar'dru) ... {probably Xar'Sauken, but he might beat the flayers} ... Ar'dru 7 ( Flies and attacks ... pobably a flayer who will be at the mouth of the alley by then) ... Du'minh 5 (attacks a flayer).
I'm assuming this little warband is sticking together (otherwise it'll be a short campaign 
That's why I'll assume the "trapped" flayers are these ones now moving to cover the Ulitharid's escape.
Xar'Sauken makes for the three 'trapped' Illithid, moving to flank them with Du'minh if that's possible.
"Death to the enslavers!"
(initiative roll below)
Armory 99, make attack and damage rolls.
Benyamin and Azriael, make will saves vs DC 17.
Azriael, also make a reflex save vs DC 12.
OOC: Will save: 24
Armory 99, I'm sorry to do this for you, but.....
and aren't you glad I did?
Note that description of the round might not exactly follow the order of initiative, as things are happening simultaneously. I assure you that initiative order is taken into account, however.
Jank'kor and Ar'dru speed towards the alley in pursuit of the ulitharid. As they do so, three illithid otherwise trapped in the square run to reach the alley first.
Duraz mumbles some arcane formula and holds his hands with fingers outstretched. A sheet of flame shoots from his hands, licking over the illithids' thralls and cutting them off from their fleeing masters. The flames pour over half a dozen humanoids, and quite a few of them catch fire, and run about the square in a panic. The end result is that the heat causes the three illithid redouble their rush to escape, but are now cut off from their surviving thralls.
Jank'kor reaches the mouth of the alley a few strides ahead of the first mind flayer. As he does so he begins to hear a high-pitched ringing, that quickly grows louder and louder. Ar'dru hears it to, as he approaches the alley in flight. The ringing very quickly grows in intensity, and both githyanki realize simultaneously that the ringing is not in their ears but in their minds. One of the illithid has slowed to a walk and stares intensely at the warlock and the half-dragon. The mental noise threatens to burst their skulls. Jank'kor's knees buckle and he loses a couple of steps. Ar'dru dips in flight and almost crashes to the ground.
Then the hate and anger surges through Jank'kor and he stands up straight. The few steps he stumbled, however, has allowed the fastest of the illithid to reach him. With a surprising leap, it jumps on his back, and lashes at his head with its tenticles. A horrible pain washes over the left side of his scalp.
Ar'dru wobbles off course from the ilithid's mind blast. Only a strong kick at the ground saves him from crashing. He speeds through the air toward the alley at a new angle, slashing with his sword at the illithid on Jank'kor's back as he passes them. The blade bides deep into the monster's right shoulder, almost severing the arm, but the creature holds on, two tenticles already working their way into Jank'kor's skull.
Xar'Sauken and Du'minh rush forward side by side to intercept the other illithid. One of the monsters turns to meet them. It rushes at Du'minh before he can swing his heavy flail and lashes out with its tenticles. Two of them lash at Du'minh's face before he manages to wrap the chain of his flail around the illithid's neck and begins choking the life out of the thing. Sharp portrusions on the wyrm-shaped links dig into the ilithid's neck, threatening to cut its head off. Xar'Sauken steps up and finishes off the immobilized mind flayer with a single chop of his greatsword.
Next round: One mind flayer is grapling with Jan'kor (Du'minh won't have scars from a single round of attemped brain-eating, bur Jank'kor will have a few more if this keeps up), Jak'kor is still moving down the alley despite the 'squiddy on his back'. Ar'dru is flying down the thin alley, probably doing the old 'fly sideways' trick to fit. He cannot see the ulitharid, but sees drops of purplish blood on the ground, and every now and then a hand mark on a wall. He can continue to pursue or land to help Jan'kor. Du'minh, Xar'Sauken, and Daraz will reach the alley, but there are still two illithid to deal with, the one trying to kill Jank'kor and the one that mind-blasted this round.
P.S. Damage from flayer attacks: Jank'kor 7, Du'minh 5
Daraz breaks cover and charges as fast as he possibly can towards the ilithlid on Jan'kor's back. his shortsword is drawn and held in front of him. He makes every effort to do this as quietly as possible (ideally a sneak attack) if there are any enemies he will tumble to avoid attacks of oportunity. As he runs towards the alley, his eyes dart around, searching for any knind of cover or a ledge to climb onto.
attack roll: 32
tumble check: 18
move silently: 19
unmodified attack damage (should i add this): 8
sneak attack damage: 10
spot check: 15
With the jarring assault onto his mind and tubular augers boring into his skull, Jhank'kor feels fear trickle into his rage. Bladebrothers...dying...sucking brains...No!...NO!! NOO!!! At that final mental surge, the fibers of theurgy emit a minute burst of static.
The cerulean energy jumps into the warlocks palms as he grabs at the tentacles. "Bzer'skin!" (translates [roughly]: Piss off!)
OOC: Shocking Grasp
Touch AC: 24 (27 if the bugger is wearing a bunch of metal)
Damage: 30 electricity +10 bane=40 total
Concentration check: 25 (if needed)
Edit: Did the illithid knock the cowl of Jhank'kor's cloak off?? Would be very important to Jhank'kor's actions/other's reactions if the squidy did...
Well, since Daraz and Jank'kor have the initiative, I'll describe the early part of the round...
Daraz rushes into the alley, tumbling past the unwounded illithid, and sprints to the aid of the githyanki warlock. Jank'kor stumbles forward, the dark blood of the illithid mixing with his own. Daraz deftly inserts his blade into the back of the illithid's skull, but just as he does so, Jank'kor lets out a scream.
The warlock swears and grabs a tenticle boring its way into his left temple. Eldrich energy dances from his grasp and up over the illithid's head. Daraz recoils, leaving his blade in the mind flayer's skull. Lightning arcs from the metal of Daraz's shortsword. The illithid's body dances a crazy jig, but the hideous smell of burning illithid flesh tells Daraz that it is only because the creatures nerves are afire, not because it still lives. Yet Jank'kor still grasps the illithid's head and continues the electricution untill it is a blackened husk.
Before the warlock pulls his cowl back on and turns to continue the pursuit, Daraz sees a scar in the shape of a strange gliph over Jank'kor's right eye...
After lashing out at the cowardly Illithid on the way through Ar'dru continues gliding down the allyway, following the bloody trail.
spot check below, let me know if I need to do any further ref or dex checks.
“Htak’a, kain ghaik!” <”Die, foul illithid!”>
With a quick forceful yank and the tearing sound of rubbery flesh, Du’minh pulls his chain free from the neck of the fallen illithid and lifts his piercing sight to rest on the other flayer standing before him.
Without breaking eye-contact, he spits at the body at his feet and begins swirling his flail, sending small splatters of the blood of its comrade flying about.
“I’ve got something for you to wrap your tentacles around right here, Slaver.”
Du’minh sends the flail-head flying, swinging it first across the body of the illithid in an arc from lower right to upper left, then bringing the head back around and plunging it straight ahead of him to plant it square in the central mouth-like part of the illithid’s tentacles.
OOC: Full attack with Power Attack -3/+6 and 5 ft step in direction of the pursuit.
Du'minh can smell the illithid's fear ... no, he can feel it, inside his mind. The creature glances about, realizing it is trapped and about to die. It tries to make Du'minh pity its wretched existance. Perhaps it is a young inexperianced illithid, and does not yet realize that a githyanki warrior is without pity. The suggestion to spare its life is so abhorent to Du'minh's personality, that the attempt only serves to enrage and disgust him further, as he pounds the mind flayer into a pulp with his flail.
Ar'dru speeds down the alley. Here and there he still sees small splatters of the ulitharid's blood. The alley makes a few turns but has not yet branched off. However, despite his speed, Ar'dru has not yet caught up to the ulitharid.
In the square, a squad of heavily-muscled, and in some cases burned by Daraz's spell, thralls are making a push for the alley. Xar'Sauken, still a giant too large to enter the alley, shouts to Du'minh and the others, "I'll hold the rear-guard! Go, and good hunting!" His massive frame blocks the entire entranceway.
OOC: What knowledge check should I make to see if i regognize the glyph.
Knowledge: Arcana
________
Next Round : Pursuit.
Everybody make spot checks as they move down the alley. Daraz already made a good one this round, so I suppose I should describe the alleyway.
Oh, and Ar'dru make another will save next round vs DC 20
The alleyway quickly narrows to just over 5' wide. Like most alleys in Git'riban, it holds a strait course for a dozen feet at most before it turns again. There are a few stairs going down, but the alley is, thus far, open to the 'sky' of Sigil. Purple-black illithid blood is now spattered all about the opening of the alley onto Gith Lane. Still, there is visible one large sploch several feet up the left wall, and next to it a large handprint where the ulitharid stumbled sideways. Another similar handprint is visible further along, and small drips of blood trail down the alley.
As residents of Git'riban, the characters know that this alley is leading them into the area between Gith Lane and Silver Void Street known as "The Tunnels"
In unspoken acknowledgement of Daraz's aid, Jhank'kor brushes his hand over the ion-shined steel, wreathing the blade in flames, and then turns to drag the abberative husk down the alley after the flying gith. Don't want to separate you from your master, little 'lithid...
OOC: Blades of Flame (Swift action); Daraz, your sword can deal an extra 1d6+7 fire dmg until the end of the next round. (pays to help the mage )
Will dragging the Illithid corpse encumber/slow Jhank'kor too much??
Spot check: 8
Search Check: 13 (rooftops and crevices for a hulking shadow)
Well, yes, and it amounts to a pile of over-done calamari anyway. The Illithid's hp total stotod at -28 by the time you were done with it. Tell you what, as you remove Daraz's sword, you can cut off the illithid's blackened head, and take that with you.
OOC: Ah, alrighty. Jhank'kor's luggin the head.
ooc: will one round be enough to catch up with close with the ultrathalid or will the blades of flame fizzle?
Daraz nods his head in quiet thank you and waits to allow someone better equipped for meelee combat to pass in front of him.
my knowledge arcana check was a 3
ooc: WOOT!
Spot check 6 (1d20+6=23) (oops typo)
Will check (1d20+8=15) (gulp)
Ar'dru continues on down the alley until he hits his first real check. A side alley opens up, with a flight of stairs leading downward. Then a couple of dozen feet further ahead, the alley open up into small (10' x 15') vacant lot. Ar'dru wheels about over the courtyard, getting a good look. There is a closed heavy wooden door, and an open archway opening onto the courtyard. The open archway has at least a few stairs leading down into the darkness. A few razorvines climb the walls. Ar'dru has seen this place before, and knows that the 'alley' continues through the archway, and enters a twisting maze of cellers, vacant lots, and alleys in the "The Tunnels" section of Git'riban. Ar'dru does not see any more ulitharid blood on the ground. None.
He does, however, have a strange feeling ... ... His highly-trained mind feels a slight pressure, like the shadow of a presence ...
____
Daraz does not recognize the glyph scar on Jank'kor's forehead, but files the shape away in his memory for later research.
Jan'kor, Daraz, and Du'minh move with haste down the alleyway, little splatters of ulitharid blood leading the way.
____
Well, it'll most likely fizzle, but a round is a variable amount of time, and since combat has paused for the moment, the flame effect will last longer than it would in battle. It will stay up at least until you catch up to where Ar'dru is now.
ooc: should i post my next action now?
Ar'dru lands and forces himself to calm his body and mind, simultaneously creating a clear silvery void around his thoughts, protecting against unwanted intrusion (manifest 'empty mind') and allowing him to focus his senses on the surrounding area (search for signs of the Ulitharid's presence).
He carefully readys pouch so that a thunderstone is easily available if needed.
Roll spot and search checks. This round you are moving down the alleyway. The next (playable) round you will reach the side alley that goes off to the left that Ar'dru already passed. The results of everyone's spot and search checks will determine if you can follow the blood-trail or not.
Meanwhile, Ar'dru has a round by himself while the other 3 party members run down the alley.
8 was your search check, huh?
Ar'dru calms his mind and looks around. There is no sign of the ulitharid or its blood. He closes his eyes for a moment and listens. He can hear a soft sound, so soft and non-descript that he's almost convinced he's imagining it. Ar'dru breathes deeply ...
... and catches the faint scent of illithid blood.
It is very faint, and gets stronger as he steps back toward where the alley enters the courtyard. He's almost convinced that he's merely catching the scent from the battle in the square ...
... Then Ar'dru realizes that these nagging doubts are not his. He DOES smell illithid blood. He DOES hear the soft sigh and breath of a robed ulitharid moving across the stones. Something ... else ... is telling him to ignore his senses. Something is keeping his eyes from seeing what is probably standing right next to him ...
Drawing upon his training Ardru falls into a defensive stance - spreading his weight evenly between his feet and opening his wings for balance, his sword raised high. He focuses, trying to regain control of his senses. [will save below]
[edit: I think there's +2 to that result if 'empty mind' is still active]
Du’minh runs down the twisting alleyways, particularly familiar with his surroundings since his abode lies not too far from the Heart of the Void. Illithid brain matter drops off the head of his flail while he jogs along, soiled as it has been since he pulled it from the remains of the flayer’s skull with a soft plop. Loathing has overcome him like a bitter aftertaste tainting his mouth, as he recalls the illithid pitifully begging for mercy, just before he crushed its skull into gooey paste like had it been a ripe melon.
To face death with such cowardice! Such dishonor! The wretched thing dared to press its psychic prowess against the true heart of a Son of Gith! A shame I had not the time to desecrate its remains further…
Forcing himself to focus on the present and pay close attention to his environment, Du’minh peers around the alleys and stairs, keeping an eye out for any foul play. He centers himself and his mind to sense the taint of magic, using the training that was given to him as Rish-i Chal.
As the group delves into the Tunnels, Du’minh looks ahead of him and sees that Daraz is falling back to allow Du’minh to proceed ahead of him. Du’minh gives a nod of recognition and takes the lead.
“We will not allow it to escape. Know that the ulitharid wields arcane might, I sensed it earlier back in the Heart of the Void.”
OOC: Du’minh uses Auravision and tries to spot anything suspicious, recalling that the ulitharid appeared to hold magic powers. Spot and Search checks below.
OOC: Oops, second roll should have been Search with a +1 modifier. Not that it makes any difference of course - double natural ones for Gith's sake! Dark powers, why do you torment me so?! Would you mind kicking me in the crotch as well, please? Thank you! :shock:
....
DP
His focus knife-sharp, Ar'dru opens his eyes. At first, his mind still rejects what his eyes really see, then it starts to fall in to place piece by piece. First is the blood. Ar'dru notices a small black smear near the entrance to the courtyard. Then he notices a dribble-trail snaking it's way down the alley, into the courtyard, and approaching him [Dramatic Effect Cinematography : Ar'dru is standing near the back of the courtyard and his eyes follow the blood trail closer and closer and closer, untill only a few feet away, he sees a new drop hit the pavement ... :shock: ] ...
A footfall sounds, and Ar'dru sees a wetness on the stones ...
The hem of a black robe tears slightly when it encounters some razorvine ...
A tall shadow blocks out much of the small courtyard ...
A hulking monstosity fully nine feet tall stands before him, two thick tenticles reaching to either side, in pantomime of Ar'dru's outstretched wings, the other four mouth-tenticles wiggling at him ...
The ulitharid has three eyes, the extra one being in its forehead. The eyes seem to be made of polished white crystal. A pale light shines through the crystal orbs.
[Roll initiative if you are going to take an action]
[ooc: actually I can't possibly beat that roll but here goes anyway]
Daraz matches Du’minh's stride with light feet after he has fallen behind. He pays special atention to doorways and rooftops, looking for anyone who might be a threat
spot: 20
listen: 15
search: 3
OOC: Obviously, warmages are blind and deaf (no class skills in anything concerning awareness).
Anywho, here's for listening for any uncanny noises ahead...Listen: 10
Initiative: 4
Mentally flicking through his study of these feral abominations and the layout of the ground ahead, the warlock curses silently before vanishing from behind the group. The only thing they hear him mutter audibly is, "The Tunnels!"
OOC: D. Door inside the mouth of the archway/bottom of the stairway to the Tunnels (whichever places him in darkness), begins spot, listen and search checks.
Spot: 19
Listen: 1 ("The blood in your ears makes the world sound like a seashell" )
Search: 17 (Signs of the Ulitharid)
While running towards the check, Du’minh focuses his mind on manifesting a translucent psychic membrane around himself to mislead incoming attacks. As he reaches the split between the two passages, he skids to a halt and catches his breath, while skimming his surroundings for traces of passers-bys, magical or mundane, notably those of his fellow combatants and the ulitharid that they are hunting.
OOC: Using concealing amorpha and looking and listening for clues as to which way Ar’dru, Jhank’kor or the ulitharid might have gone, while maintaining Auravision to pick up signs of magic.
Hordes of humanoids pour from the fog. The street vendors who leaped upon their carts to defend them are soon pulled down, as are lone warriors who face overwhelming numbers. Where knots of combantants have gathered, they fare better against the mob.
Xar'Sauken, yelling "sk'kza!" ('in the name of freedom') every time a thrall falls to his blade, casts a spell on himself that enlarges him to a towering twelve foot warrior, great sweeps of his two-handed blade clearing a swath of foes before him.
A squad of bugbears still wearing manacles and chains shoves each other through the mouth of a flanking alleyway. Jhank'kor's hatred seethes to the brim. The pulse of anger threatens to sear his veins and scorch his bones. As the boiling point of his rage crests, an infinite release like an astral wind blows the inferno down through the warlock's eldritch boots...to erupt in a wall of ravenous flames, greeting the thralls with the embrace of flaming death. Those few that escape the wall of flame are met by another fire, the scorching breath of Ar'dru. The half-dragon's blade cuts down a foe who charges forward to escape the fires, his blood steaming off the strange, silvery metal.
An intimidating male Githyanki in ornate heavy armor lunges forward, swirling an imposing flail that lesser men would barely be able to lift, his pure black eyes burning with fury. Although generally appearing gaunt and lanky, this particular Githyanki warrior has a significantly more powerful build, and toned muscles bulge beneath his armor. The heavy flail is of superb craftsmanship and looks mighty and menacing, its head having a sinister look to it, and the chain links resembling interlocking wyrms curled into circles. He also carries a sturdy bow on his back, with slim quivers strapped to his legs and back, and small bands and straps holding a variety of devices. Numerous gem-encrusted decorations adorn the entire length of his body and exotically braided long black hair. Du'minh lays about him with his massive flail, seemingly engrossed in his battle fury. In reality, he also scans the crowd very carefully for magical auras among the attackers, but finds none.
Du'minh crushes one foe with a single swing of his flail, but another foe dives at his feet and trips him up. Over Du'minh's sprawled-out form looms a massive Bugbear still wearing a metal collar and chains. The monster hefts a great, two-handed sledge to crush Du'minh into the cobbles like a mellon. Daraz deftly inserts his shortsword's blade between the third and fourth vertebrae below the base of the Bugbear's skull. The massive humaniod is dead before it even falls over.
Able to see more of the fight from his vantage, Xar'Sauken realizes that the locals are in trouble despite a heroic effort. Gith run, or dimension door, into the street from every nearby building, but they already face foes more than five times their number and still growing. The knot of Githzerai he had seen coming down Gith Lane were the first attacked, yet stood firm on a mound of dying orc-flesh. A few other groups, such as the improptu band he fought with, were doing well too, but elsewhere a tide of thralls washed over The Heart of The Void.
The beaded curtain screening the balcony of Haven Port parts and out leaps an armored Githyanki warrior who levitates slowly to the ground. He glaces about for a moment before joining wholeheartedly in the battle.
Blood runs in the gutters of Git'riban, reflecting eldrich flames. The thralls seem to fight with more determination and purpose due those that were just freed and shoved through a portal, yet no sign of any Illithid task-master is seen.
Suddenly, an arc of blue lightning flies from a small parting in the balcony curtain. It seemingly connects with an empty space near the knot of Githzerai, but as the echoes of thunder recede down the street, everyone in the square realizes for the first time, that that space was not empty.
Nor were many spaces near at hand.
Several Illithid dot the crowd. At the terminus of the lightning bolt stands a ten foot tall monstrosity, with two extra tenticles beyond those possessed by a typical Illithid, these being over six foot long. Despite the fog, Xar'sauken can see from his vantage that one side of it's head is blackened. It turns and looks toward the balcony. As it does so Xar'Sauken sees that in place of it's eyes are glowing crystal orbs. Then it opens the third eye on its forehead.
Every Psi-crystal and glass bead in the curtain shatters simultaniuosly. However, at that very moment, every thrall's look of bare determination is replaced by bewilderment. Every Githyanki and Githzerai changes targets, switching to their true enemies. The battle becomes even more chaotic, as some Illithid try to flee, while others quickly re-dominate nearby thralls. The Ulitharid, revealed, flees into a nerby alley, slaying three warriors that stood in its way. The melee turns into a series of routs and desperate last stands.
[DMing: The party is isolated, still facing a mob of armed humanoids, though now ones more bent on survival than slaughter, a group of three mind flayers and a half-dozen Bugbear thralls is cornered in the square, or they can try to go after the fleeing Ulitharid, who entered an alleyway not far from their position.]