An arc of lightning bursts from Aiden as the monster reaches out and wraps its tentacle around him, sending the smell of flash-cooked flesh wafting across the bridge. Aiden picks a point near the aberration and creates a magical thunderclap. The sound echoes through the chamber and the creatures staggers slightly. 

Jex unleashes an arrow, grazing the creature as he darts forwards to find some cover to hide behind, his cloak shifting in the darkness.

Its attention drawn by Jex's arrow, the aberrant creature dissolves into shadow, before appearing above the half-elf.

Vark's eyes go wide as he watches the two Norscan's right in front of him get lofted up into the air. "THURSTON!" he cries out as the paladin gets ravaged by the creature's putrid maw. Sparks fly from Path Maker as he begins to run towards it, hoping to shock the thing, only to watch the creature blip out of existence and reappear right above Jex. Vark spins on his heel and begins rushing the other way. Beside him Val takes a similar course of action before pulling out her bow and loosing an arrow at the thing. The creature's unnaturally thick hide takes the attack as if it were a tiny splinter, and Vark realizes it will likely take bigger hits to truly damage it. As he charges he fires two of his own projectiles, one of which is similarly ineffective. The other collides into a fleshier area and seems to cause the creature some pain, but Vark is already focused on landing something more impactful. The tip of his spear begins to swirl with storm clouds as he advances, hoping the magically enhanced weapon will be able to cause more damage. But to his horror, the alien beast shimmers and fades before he is even halfway to it. 

A mottled tentacle shimmers back into sight as Jex is snatched from the bridge and lifted up into the air alongside Aiden and Thurston. Displeased by the cleric's spell, the monstrous aberration removes the paladin from its cavernous jaws, constricting its tentacle around him as it does so. Instead, Aiden is raised up to the rows of jagged teeth, which close with a crunch around the Norscan's armoured torso.

Jex takes 6 points of bludgeoning damage to vigour, reduced to 4 by DR -> 19/23 Vigour
Thurston takes 10 points of bludgeoning damage to vigour, reduced to 2 by DR -> 21/40 Vigour, 17/18 Wounds, 1 Bleed
Aiden takes 24 points of piercing damage to vigour and 1 point of piercing damage to wounds, reduced to 18+1 by DR, reduced to 17+1 by soak -> 8/31 Vigour, 15/16 Wounds, 1 Bleed

Aiden's action.

Aiden cries out in pain as the monster's massive teeth tear into his armor. "Ach, what is this thing?" he says. He wedges his shield in between his body and the tentacle encompassing him and begins to pry, using the bulk of the shield to free himself. He drops to the stone of the bridge and rolls, grunting with the impact. He comes to his feet and feels a warmth beginning to spread across his chest. His hand begins to crackle with a white crackling glow and he presses it to the bleeding wound. His face contorts in a grimace as the magic sears the wound shut. 

Thurston is lifted against his will but somehow manages to keep his hold into his mead. But when the alien creature closes his jagged maws to his chest, he can feel the crushing preassure on his ribs and feels something breaking inside. But the Norscan attention is on his skin of mead, wich due to the savage attack and crushing movements of the tentacle fall from his hand. When he is trying to reach it again the creature teleports above Jex, and crush even more the paladin's body. 

With a scream of pure rage, Thurston tries to free himself but the tentacle grip is firm, with his left arm sticked to his body. Thurston doesn't hesitate and, opening his mouth, bites back the creature, gnawing away a small piece of flesh. 

The beast shrieks and the tentacle drops its prey. 

Thurston doesn't loose time and he spins in mid air, facing the beast, while throwing Rikkazarik with his now free right hand. The hammer flies true and impacts the tentacular creature near its maws. The thunder reverberates in the ancient dwarven halls and sparks of lighting crosses the leatherty skin of the beast. 

The paladin keeps spinning and lands with one knee on the floor, one hand extended in front of him to cushion the fall, the other extended to one side, his cloak billowing behind him. His long hair covers his face and he waits one second until the mighty hammer returns flying to his hand. Then he stands, the sparks that runs accross the hammer head jumping up to his arm. 

A single line of blood came out of his mouth but he cleans it with the back of his free hand. 

"LET MY FRIEND GO!" he screams to the beast nociting that Jex is still grappled by a tentacle. 

Jex struggles and twists against the tentacles as they wrap tighter around his body. They have him good though and he can find no angle to slip through. His mind is free though and instead he prepares himself. Letting out a gargling throaty noise if someone choking to death he let's dribble leave his mouth and his bow clatters against the floor as he allows all of his muscles to go limp, preparing to regrip the back of the tentacle as it tries to deposit him in the mouth of the beast. 

Valen sees his new companions in trouble and he rushes forward behind the others, coming to a slow near Valaith as she fires off an arrow. He grasps his holy symbol of Brigantia, holding it aloft. "Brigantia, watch over my companions and strengthen them with your blessing!" A golden burst emits from the symbol, enveloping Valaith, Thurston, and Jex!

Valaith turns to glance at the paladin, Valen, as the golden glow envelopes her with a nod. She watches as several of her companions also seem strengthened by the holy magic, Thurston and Jex... Jex who suddenly lets out a pained cry and goes limp in this monster's grasp. Val's eyes widen in fear as she immediately breaks into a sprint, closing as much distance to the creature as she possibly can, drawing Rook out as she rushes along with her heavy footfalls pounding loudly in the empty halls. She lets out a wordless, primal scream as she starts giving into the bitter anger that screams for release at seeing the helplessness of her friend against this beast.

Vark continues his charge, desperately trying to close the distance. Even with a magical jump through space he is still quite far. As he emerges from the dark clouds, he unleashes a frigid beam of icy magic. Immediately it seems that the attack is going wide, but at the last moment Vark’s attention is caught by a glimmer in the shadows. In that moment he glimpses the crimson window it’s as if everything aligns. His breath, his footfalls, his heartbeat, all find harmony with something greater that Vark can’t begin to describe. The feeling is completely new but at the same time familiar, it feels right. He is so awestruck that he doesn’t even notice his attack somehow land. The frost only manages to coat the exterior of the aberrations hide, but still Vark’s gaze is fixed on that distant window. That is until reality tears above him, and suddenly he is face to face with the grotesque abomination.

Winding tentacles snake down from above, snatching up both Valen and Vark in the rubbery coils, which constrict around them painfully. The knight is rapidly hoisted to the creature's mouth foul mouth and its jaws come down on his chainmail with a crunch.

Valen takes 10 points of bludgeoning damage and 25 points of piercing damage to vigour, and 1 point of piercing damage to wounds, reduced to 2 and 19+1 by DR, reduced to 4 and 18+1 by Soak -> 7/32 Vigour, 14/15 Wounds, 1 Bleed, +6 Adrenaline Surge -> 13/32 Vigour, 14/15 Wounds, 1 Bleed
Vark takes 9 points of piercing damage, reduced to 6 by DR -> 27/33 Vigour

Aiden's action.

Aiden sends a mote of burning lightning up into the creature's gaping maw out of near desperation. The size and might of whatever the hell this thing is was more than anything Aiden had ever encountered before. Despite his fear, he wills his hands to stop shaking and steels himself for another spell.

Thurston runs towards the teleporting hulking creature and spins his hammer on his hand. When he reaches the top speed he can with it he trhrows it towards the beast. 

" I said... DROP THEM!" 

The hammer impacts on the aberration and the thunder claps among the halls once again. The hammer flies back to his hand and the beast shrieks in pain for the force of the impact. 

Seizing the opportunity, Jex wriggles suddenly, twisting himself free. He lands perfectly on his feet, running free behind one of the sarcophagi, pulling the mask around his face as he goes. 

The monster roars and groans in confusion as thunder booms around its head and Rikkazarik leaves a significant dent in its skull. Looking down, the aberrant creature sees Valen clutched in its tentacle and stuffs the poor knight into its mouth once more. This time the huge, jagged teeth pierce the links of steel chain, driving deep into Valen's chest. The Breannian paladin jerks reflexively and blood spews forth from his mouth.

Valen takes 22+1 points of piercing damage, reduced to 16+1 by DR, reduced to 15+1 by Soak -> 0/32 Vigour, 11/15 Wounds, 4 Bleed

The paladin reacts instictively and Brigantia's light swells within him, closing the wounds that threaten to bleed the lifeblood from him, but for all his struggles he cannot escape the abberation's coils.

Val roars in frustration as the monster teleports once more, this time appearing directly above Vark and snatching the young half-orc. She watches in horror as it then stuffs Valen into its mouth and begins chewing the paladin! She lets out another scream of pent up frustrations as the thing continues to elude her until she feels the small, distant voice of Larkin. 'Jump.'

Looking up to the ceiling and how far down the monster hangs, then glancing at the haft of Rook, and judging her own height... Valaith immediately starts off into a sprint towards the monster, her heavy footfalls thudding loudly on the stone floor. She lets the frigid, cold anger build up inside of her as she runs, and with an earsplitting, primal scream she lets the icy dam burst forth with a massive leap into the air! Icy bursts forth from her boots as she leaps into the air with Rook cocked behind her torso, her muscles tightly coiled and begging to be unleashed! The rush of cool, dark air only seemed to fuel her strength as she slings her maul forward as hard as she can and lets the momentum carry her either further up and forward as the huge, stone head of Rook bursts into the face and head of the creature and there is a terribly loud crack as the weapon destroys the creature's bones beneath the skin. There is a strange moment as Val realizes the creature was very likely to fall atop all of them as the tentacles went slack... but just as it slipped, it disappeared! And Valen was dropping!

As Valaith was recovering from her vicious swing, she let's go of Rook with one hand and with the other she snatches out to grab Valen's rent body! She pulls him in close as they both fall and she lands exceptionally nimbly for a massive goliath woman. She gingerly lays the grievously wounded paladin onto the ground and call over to their healers as Aiden rushes over. Her chest heaving with the exertion of the leap she turns to look at Vark with a heavily furrowed brow. "This place is very dangerous, Vark. Whatever this... Codex is that Matthew sent us here for... it had better be worth it." She gestures angrily towards Valen's broken body. "It had better give us enough power to destroy the stronghold of those dragonborn sisters or save your giant friend. If it does not and he is just using us..." She sneers as she steps over and shoves a finger into Vark's chest, leaning in closely. "You better be right about him, Vark. If he is using us for his own ends, you are not going to like what I have to say."

The creature seems not to understan Thurston as he insists  in order it to drop his friends. Then Val came rushing, leaving him behind, leaps into the air and destroy the creature's stubborn head. He feels his pulse accelerated and not only for the adrenaline of the combat but when the creature dissapears and blinks out of existance he sees his friends fall towards the hard stone floor. He runs below the half-orc and catches him before he could break his neck against the stone. 

"That... that was impressive Val. " he says nodding to her. 

Jex crawls out from behind the sarcophagus

"Well, that was, less than pleasant."

He looks down it Valen with slight curiosity. 

"He going to be OK?" 

Aiden looks up from where he kneels next to Valen's form. He had immediately moved to heal the paladin, but the blood showing through the armor was deceiving. Valen had been able to seal his wounds with his own magic before hitting the ground. Lucky man. At the sight of all the blood, Aiden almost had given the warrior his sword and told him to enjoy the feasting hall. 

"Eventually? Yes, probably. Right now? He needs more healing than I can give him."

Vark hits the Norscan’s muscular arms with a thump. He remains there for a moment, stunned, before a flush comes to his cheeks and he clambers down to his feet. “UHM t-t-thank you T-Thurston.” He says with an embarrassed smile. His attention then shifts back to that window he’d seen and he makes his way over to the edge of the bridge. “Uhm, does anyone else see that?” He says, pointing to the soft red glow.