Arianwyn's years spent poring over tomes and arguing with historians, storytellers and lunatics (sometimes all three in one) enables him to know with utter certainty what is transpiring.
"Welcome to the birth of your race..." he says to Reason with a certain grim interest.
"This is the final rite that will complete the pact between devilkind and the humans of Bael Turath."
"Well, obviously. Everyone must know that."
"We need to get those priests away from the altar. They will drain Pirot if they stay near him."
Arianwyn's years spent poring over tomes and arguing with historians, storytellers and lunatics (sometimes all three in one) enables him to know with utter certainty what is transpiring.
"Welcome to the birth of your race..." he says to Reason with a certain grim interest.
"This is the final rite that will complete the pact between devilkind and the humans of Bael Turath."
"Well, obviously. Everyone must know that."
"We need to get those priests away from the altar. They will drain Pirot if they stay near him."
Arianwyn looks at Reason skeptically, and then looks over at Whiteclaw and Gobi in particular, before turning back to Reason with a look of "You think?"
Striding forward, Seraphiel's stance and actions reject the horror before him. A shaft of pure light blasts towards the sacrificing cleric, but the deva slightly misjudges the distance and the attack falls short.
Vanguard's Lightning (Ref) v S1 (1d20+9=15, 1d8+6=11)
Vel chants softly, and two of the sacrifical clerics become sluggish.
Reason strides forward to a position with a more comfortable temperature and unleashes a bolt of light at a nearby cleric.
Feeling the correct temperature for the first time in many months, Reason strides forward and outlines S2 with the glorious light of Ioun.
Drawing a dagger across his own body, S1 watches as blood leaks down his skin, seeming to draw strength from it. In eerie concert, a small wound opens on Pirot's prone form. Raising a transparent dagger high, it hurtles towards Whiteclaw, missing her, but shattering at her feet and splattering her with acid.
Acid dagger v Whiteclaw. On hit does 7 ongoing acid (se) (1d20+9=21, 2d6=12).
"You cannot stop us now. Our masters are coming."
Effortlessly, he throws off the effect of Vel's spell.
Save v slowing (1d20=16)
S2 draws a dagger through his own flesh, allowing more precious blood to be drawn from Pirot before throwing the glassy blade at Reason. Ioun's hand is not quick enough and the dagger shatters sending a spray of acid over him.
Acid dagger v Reason (on hit target takes 7 ongoing acid damage (se)). Effect, close burst 1, 4 acid damage to all in range, 3 ongoing acid (se). (1d20+9=25, 2d6=7).
S3 moves down the stairs and raises a dripping hand. He utters a single appalling word in a language you feel blessed not to understand and hurls a ball of infernal fire at the clustered companions.
Call Inferno (v Ref). Does 1d10+9 damage and creates a zone lasting two turns. Any starting their turn in the zone or entering it, takes 3 fire damage. Gobi Vel Kia Arianwyn Seraphiel (1d20+12=16, 1d20+12=24, 1d20+12=26, 1d20+12=27, 1d20+12=25).
Inferno fire damage (1d10+9=19).
S4 also descends the stairs and throws a glassy dagger at Whiteclaw. His aim is better and he hits the gnoll hard, the shattering impact adding to her wounds and sending dark acid pouring into her fur. A look of horror creeps over his face as Vel's spell hits and he collapses, prone behind the altar.
Acid dagger at Whiteclaw (1d20+9=26, 2d6=6).
Save v Vel's sleep spell (1d20=5)
Fastidiously stepping out of the fiery zone and ignoring the pain it causes him the warlock pauses only to curse his nearest foe before taking advantage of Reason's help and sending an eldritch blast into S2.
Arianwyn curse/blast v S2 (Ref) (1d20+8=22, 1d10+6=13).
Gobi takes only a second to restore himself before moving purposefully towards S1 and confronting the deranged and mutiliated human nose to chest, positioning himself to take advantage of any help Kia can give him.
As soon as Gobi moves to C6, Kia command's him to hit the cleric S1.
Readied action: Commander's strike through Gobi. (1d20+9=29, 1d10+9=10)
"That should show him!"
Wounded though he is, Seraphiel strides out of the zone and sends purifying light through the gloom of the temple at S1. The cleric screams as he is pushed inexorably away from the altar. In the process he nearly falls, but just stays on his feet.
Sun Strike v S1 (Ref) (1d20+9=29, 1d8+6=7).
Stay on your feet (DC15) (1d20+4=15)
Vel grunts slightly in satisfaction as her hunch that fire is unlikely to affect the infernally possessed proves correct. The explosive force of her orb is another story however. All the clerics she targets are buffeted into temporary submission and the two remaining on their feet are hurled to the ground.
Whiteclaw marks S1 as her own and moves to flank with Gobi, sending her frostblade dicing through the air. The attack hits, but not as hard as she'd like. Angry at allowing pain to distract her from her purpose, she absent-mindedly swipes away the acid eating into her.
Thorn Strike v S1 (1d20+11=19, 1d10+4=5).
save v ongoing acid damage (1d20=10)
Reason moves forward and continues his attack against the foe who just hit him. He then catches his breath.
Reason's bolt of divine light just misses his prone foe, but the tiefling musters his resources and gathers his strength once more.
Staggering to his feet, S1's wounds open and he continues to bleed.
Lashing out with an ordinary dagger, his movements are almost too fast to see. His first blow strikes true, but the second is pushed aside by the gnoll's coarse fur. Fanaticism fills his face as he shakes off the effects of Vel's sleep spell.
"Complete the rite! You must complete the rite!"
Basic attack (two minors)(AC) v Whiteclaw (1d20+11=31, 1d4+5=7, 1d20+11=21, 1d4+5=7).
S2 clambers to his feet and concentrates on bleeding Pirot, slashing ferociously at his own arms with his dagger.
S3 nods curtly and moves swiftly back to the altar, cutting his arms as he goes and easily negotiating the slippery floor. Pirot moans quietly as his sufferings continue.
Stay on your feet (1d20+4=19)
Stay on your feet (1d20+4=20)
S4 is roused by the mighty words of his allies and his eyes flick open again.
Save v unconsciousness (1d20=12)
Kia moves out of the nasty zone, to P13, and says something inspiring to Reason. She then surveys the battle and decides it is time Gobi hit the priest again.
"You need to feel better Reason, otherwise we'll never get through this."
"Now Gobi, we need to finish at least one of these off quite soon, could you....?"
Gobi hitting S1 (1d20+11=13, 1d10+9=10)
"Next time I won't ask so nicely."
Gobi's hammer swings with awful purpose as he smites at the appalling figures in front of him. S1 screams, high and terrifying as the blow falls on him. S4 somehow manages to roll aside, leaving the dwarf triumphant, but disgusted.
Through bloodstained lips, S1 continues to exhort his allies - "Finish the rite. Nothing else matters. The rite!"
Vel advances slowly (N16) and targets the bloodied priest with her favored hampering illusions.
The mutilated human screams and screams again as Vel's illusions start to overwhelm him.
Whiteclaw wastes no time. Moving to flank her foe, her frostblade swipes down with awful precision. It is clear that the cleric can take very little more before his own appalling mutilations kill him.
Strength of Stone v S1 (1d20+11=28, 1d10+4=8)
Reason's passionate devotion to his deity leads him to heal Arianwyn and Pirot even as he is slowly dissolved himself.
The sacrificial clerics show only too clearly the results of a less praiseworthy devotion.
S1 shifts back and stabs ferociously at Whiteclaw with another of his lethal glassy daggers. The gnoll's defences are too good and he just misses. Nothing prevents his own wounds from opening further.
S2 hurls a glass dagger at Arianwyn, hitting him and sending shards of acid filled glass into Pirot for good measure. His exertions open up his own wounds and he is visibly bloodied.
Glass dagger v Arianwyn (1d20+9=26, 1d4+6=10, 2d6=4).
S3 stares at Reason and something in the ravaged face hints at recognition of the tiefling's race. Another glass dagger leaves his hand, but shatters without wounding Reason directly.
Glass dagger v Reason (1d20+9=19, 1d4+6=8, 2d6=9).
S4 stands and stabs ruthlessly at Gobi. The blow misses, but the glassy shards still do some damage as the sacrificial maniac discovers to his own cost. Even so, he finally manages to banish Vel's sleep spell from his system.
Glass dagger v Gobi (1d20+11=12, 1d4+6=8, 2d6=5).
Save v slow (1d20=17)
In his haste to save the professor, Arianwyn's feet slip as he pulls the man off the altar. Still clutching at Pirot, the warlock falls prone. Pirot remains unconscious, but his wounds at least are no worse.
Slip-sliding through the blood (DC15) (1d20+3=22, 1d20+3=13).
Kia is starting to get fed up with S1 and his constant staying aliveness, so she co-opts Whiteclaw to try to finish him off.
"Can somebody just get the damned Priest!"
Commander's strike: Whiteclaw hitting S1 (1d20+10=15, 1d10+7=13)
"Come on guys, give me a break can't you?!"
Moves to R10.
The Dwarf stands himself up and looks between the two clerics, "Alright mates, let's be on with it then."
Gobi's grip slips from the blood on his gloves and he misses the cleric.