Move 357:  Evasive Manuevers

Smooth Caverns--Early, Day 37 (Marpenoth 20)

The group backed up about 20 feet before Azrun and Jana fired again. All four arrows missed this time. Renn did not fire his bow, and Blacky continued holding the pieces of wood. The two ropers crawled along the walls, getting a little closer but still did not attack in any way.

"Fall back," Jana said. "I want them no closer than 50'." She fell back until they had time to fire a couple of round and back up again before the ropers closed to within 50'.

"We've got 30 feet before we're back to the fork," Echo reported quietly from the back.

Azrun fell back with Jana and fired another volley, "Ummmm...someone might want to go check and make sure we're not being pushed into a trap..."

Blacky continued to fall back , following Jana's lead.

The group continued to back away from the ropers. Before Blacky could get himself and both of the awkward wood shields out of striking distance of the creatures above them on the walls, he was hit by a sticky strand, shot by the roper on the left side of the cavern, on the left shoulder of his armor. Jana and Azrun hit the roper on the right with an arrow each. That roper kept crawling forward after them.

"Shit." Jana switched to her sword and moved up behind Blacky, trying to keep him between her and the ropers until she could grab one of the makeshift shields. "Azrun, keep firing. Keep them distracted and keep out of range!" (Assuming she's able to do that unmolested) Jana positioned herself with the shield to the ropers and hacked one-handed at the tentacle on Blacky.

Blacky abandons the shields, grabs his great ax and attempts to sever the strand.

Azrun fell back again and released another volley of arrows at the same Roper, "Renn, get ready. Blacky may not be the only one needing rescuing at this point."

"I'm still with you, and I'll do what I can," Renn said quietly.

The roper that snared Blacky began dragging him forward. Blacky tried to cut himself free using his great axe, but it was awkward using the weapon while being drug along and he missed. Jana picked up one of the shields that had fallen on the tunnel floor and went to help Blacky. She swung her sword at the tentacle that was holding him, but she did not hit it either.

The other roper took another arrow from Azrun, who had backed up a little more to make sure he was out of the way. It ignored the person firing the bow at it and shot a strand at Jana. It went over the shield she was holding because of the angle that the roper was shooting from, but it missed her anyway. It readjusted its position on the wall slightly, but for the moment, it seemed more or less content to stay within range of Jana and Blacky.

Jana, still keeping the shield between her and the ropers, took another couple of one-handed hacks at the strand on Blacky.

Blacky desperately continued to try severing the strand holding him. "I hate these things." He growled out as he swung.

The other roper took another arrow from Azrun, who had backed up a little more to make sure he was out of the way. It ignored the person firing the bow at it and shot a strand at Jana.

Azrun shook his head, "This is getting us no where fast." He pulled another arrow and exhaled slowly trying to calm himself. With a quiet prayer to Tymora, Azrun nocked the arrow and pulled back. He aimed carefully and slowly before letting the arrow fly.

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