Ekuur: ** spoiler omitted **
Ekuur is enraged at the lash of his hated opposite element. He yells back to Merle, "Only if she survives you getting there!" The seed's energy filling him with vigor and providing the "fuel to the fire", he launches another fireball, this time targeting Lady Hel.
caster level check
fireball damage
Initiatives: Forest Road Fight (rd 1)
Svartalfardrim:21 [Charging and dying]
Lady Hel: 20 [Casting]
Issac: 15 [setting pike]
Merle: 12 [Mass pain strike-cover]
Seph: 12 (taking cover)
Merric, Belan, and Calix(Hanalindrim): 12
Karrin: 11 [delay]
Justin: 11 [Fireball!]
Naridre: 11 [Running for cover-temp HPS]
Jenadiel: 11 [Cast pit]
Ekuur: 8 [Fireball!]
Rhiannon: 8 [Moving from ice]
Maelrin: 8 [Move to Q8]
Jenadiel runs after the limping Nari, and they both get to the cover of the trees with branches bown down with ice. Maelrin unsheathes a large longsword and stand by Issac in the freezing slush.
"Best we meet them as a wall." He says grimly.
Isaac responds to Phaumee in Sylvan: "Then I am assured we shalt have victory today, valiant Phaumee. Though it looks as though Karrin will be blocking the charge."
Elven: "We may have to take it to the them, your Lordship. I believe my comrade may shortly require our assistance as she blunts the charge."
Isaac responds to Phaumee in Sylvan: "Then I am assured we shalt have victory today, valiant Phaumee. Though it looks as though Karrin will be blocking the charge."
Elven: "We may have to take it to the them, your Lordship. I believe my comrade may shortly require our assistance as she blunts the charge."
The elf noble nods
"Aye. I think you might be right. I stand at the ready to assist you."
His black blade is alight with an eldritch pale glow, ectoplasmic flames playing along its edge like the ghost of a fire.
Initiatives: Forest Road Fight (rd 2)
Svartalfardrim:21 [atk]
Lady Hel: 20 [Getting the hell outta dodge]
Issac: 15
Merle: 12
Seph: 12
Merric, Belan, and Calix(Hanalindrim): 12
Karrin: 11 [Atk-hit-kill]
Justin: 11
Naridre: 11
Jenadiel: 11
Ekuur: 8 [Fireball!]
Rhiannon: 8
Maelrin: 8
The three smoking-burnt riders and their dreadful-looking mounts weild huge greatwords fashioned of a red crystalline substance, similar to their spiky armor and the dire wolves' barding. The fireball seems to have melted them somewhat Their giant wolves snarl and bite at the tiefling duskblade
Attacks:
Karrin's huge blue axe whickers through the air trailing a fog of frost. Her first blow chops one wolf and rider in twian, the two falling to the ground in frozen chunks. Her second whirling strike lops the head off the second rider as easy as a child popping a dandelion's.
In the back a screech greets their ears. Lady Hel raises her hands and her whole body shifts into a form from the party's worst nightmares. A writhing gray-green wall of flesh appears, with one sickly-glistening red eye as large as a human head glaring from the roiling fleshy ooze shape.
As soon as the shape appears, it vanishes. The nightmare screams, a raw demonic equine sound, and vanishes as well.
The final svartalfardrim, unable to get to Karrin, turns and flees when he sees her decapitate his final comrade. The second rider's mount follows as well, the headless body of its rider flopping bonelessly to the gray stone cobbles as it tucks tail and runs. Issac's parting shot glances off the knight's armor
Merle redirects the scroll against the last rider
The burnt and fleeing rider is torn by the crackling lightning bolt springing from Merle's outstretched paw. He lights up for the briefest of seconds, then his mount howls and crumples in a tangle of barding and scorched flesh. The final wolf continues to flee, but the three elven bowmen quill it with arrows. It falls to the ground as well.
Common: "Sound off, cutters. Who's really hurt? Phaumee, you holdin' up? Merle, Seph, you two gonna be okay?"
Elven: "Lord, Lady, if either of you or your men are wounded, our priest can assist you as needed."
Chewing his lip nervously, Isaac pulls off his pack and opens it up to see if Chee-Chowk is all right.
"C'mon cutter, it's all over now..."
He wracks his brain to figure out what the dark elven leader really was.
Knowledge (The Planes):
Merle stands there for a few minutes face red with anger. Finally her anger subsides to be replaced with concern and fear as she races over to where Seph is. Gently picking Seph up she uses her wand to heal him best she can
Merle heals Seph, the darkest bruises from the rock-hard hailstones lightening and his blunt-force trauma lessening
Common: "Sound off, cutters. Who's really hurt? Phaumee, you holdin' up? Merle, Seph, you two gonna be okay?"
Elven: "Lord, Lady, if either of you or your men are wounded, our priest can assist you as needed."
Phaumee chitters to Issac
Sylvan:
Jena runs to Nari
"Are you all right? That was a fell storm the Ice Spider brewed."
Jena looks pretty whalloped herself, a trickle of blood seeping out of her swollen nose. Maelrin turns to Issac
"I wish to offer you an apology Ser Issac. You comported yourself like a true warrior today. I am ashamed of my churlish actions"
He sheathes his black blade and offers Issac his hand. Pretty much everyone in the elvish party looks worked over. The three archers with their leather armor especially.
Chewing his lip nervously, Isaac pulls off his pack and opens it up to see if Chee-Chowk is all right.
"C'mon cutter, it's all over now..."
The small monkey peeps his head out and shivers. He seems none the worse for wear, and climbs up on Issac's back, his turban looking slightly ragged and soiled.
He wracks his brain to figure out what the dark elven leader really was.
Knowledge (The Planes): 1d20+9
Issac:
Isaac grips Maelrin's hand firmly.
"Apology accepted, your lordship. Glad to stand at your side- especially against a Handmaiden of Lolth. I hope you weren't nervous of our exchange with the creature: I had to make certain the Ice Spider's minions didn't know the true nature of our errand- and what we carry with us."
Jena runs to Nari
"Are you all right? That was a fell storm the Ice Spider brewed."
Jena looks pretty whalloped herself, a trickle of blood seeping out of her swollen nose.
Nari shrugged.
Elven: "I've had worse beatings. I apologize for being so ineffective in this battle....You look a bit the worse for wear yourself. We should get you to a healer."
Ekuur heads back to the group and motions all to gather around. "All who were injured by the blasphemous cold, please gather around me. I will chase away the chill." Ekuur raises his obsidian holy symbol, and the now familiar blue-red flame flashes out and around all who gathered near. Everyone feels a hot, sweet pain as the fire knits wounds closed and chases chill from their bodies.
As the Lady Hel (whatever she is) vanishes, and the elves turn the last fleeing riser into an elvish pincushion, Justin lowers his hands, releasing the energy he had been building up to release at the leader.
"Just who, or what, in the nine hells was that?!? Oh, wait,..." He blinks as he finally puts together what Isaac is saying with his knowledge of the aforementioned hells.
"That was a handmaiden?!? Bloody Spiral, no wonder that icestorm hurt so much!" He grumbles, rubbing his head. After Ekuur's generous gift of healing, he looks much better, although his coat has still seen better days.
"Thanks Ekuur. I needed that." He says wryly, clapping the much larger warrior-priest on the shoulder in gratitude. He looks at Seph and the others, including Nari, to make sure that they're ok.
"Thanks, Ekuur. I keep lanning these berks to the Chant that we're a baker's dozen of frosted murder cakes but they always want a sodding demonstration. And that's how berks get hurt. Yeah. Really makes yeh think."
Justin snorts a laugh. "Yeah. I guess some folk just don't have the brains the powers gave a cockroach. Still, if they absolutely insist, I'm always happy to provide a demonstration!" He smirks.
Justin looks at Karrin with admiration, and maybe a little awe.
"Good job yourself Karrin! That was very brave, making yourself a target for multiple Calvary. Or very crazy. Either way, impressive!" He grins.
Isaac's voice is level, but he crosses his arms and arches an eyebrow as he looks up at Karrin.
"Oh. Really? I see how you think, Karrin. So the rest of us back here, forming a defensive line to protect our dazzlers are so much dretch liver? Forget the textbook method for breaking up cavalry. OH No, leave it to the Mighty Karrin Kind to recklessly dive into a mass of enemies, while making herself into a larger target. You're just sodding lucky those berks couldn't hit the broadside of a ten-foot tiefling- because that would simply prove my point even further."
"Wasted resources- that's my underlying point. If you weren't so fortunate and had gotten yourself skewered in a dozen places, where would that leave everyone else that needed healing magic, eh? Who are we gonna choose if it's between you and Nari that has to get help? Or you and poor Seph? Huh? We can't keep draggin' ye back to Glittereye for expensive healing magic- which comes out of OUR profits, by the way. I expect you to fight smarter, Karrin, or else none of us are going to turn a green off this whole venture from keepin' you up an workin'."
"We have one cavalry specialist.", Isaac says, holding up a finger for emphasis,"And you've got to get in her way to hog all the glory, showin' off for the Primes. So we waste another resource, this time personnel. What happened to the Karrin Kind that only a few months ago had the gumption to sit down and get us all together to run drills, eh? My teeth for the old Karrin! So there's one more thing we need to take care of when we get back to Sigil- reminding you how to work as part of a team."
He surveys the carnage, shaking his head.
"Well. You're still sodding gigantic, so let's not waste that at least. We made an awful mess in these nice folks' road and that's not very hospitable is it? Karrin, start draggin' them corpses into the treeline, since yer so good at makin' 'em. I want this road clear in ten minutes while you think about more efficient uses of your skills and our resources."
Isaac claps his hands and makes a shooing motion.
"Go on, time's wastin'!"
The party gets the area cleaned up as best they can. The pretty grass abutting the road is scorched where the two fireballs exploded, but everything seems like it was well-watered enough to prevent fires from spreading to the woods. The ice storm has left a foot of slushy muck in another part, interspersed with rock-hard chunks of watermellon-sized ice.
Jeandiel and Maelrin gather their three bowmen together and offer to bring the party on to Hanalindali
"The Ice Spider will be back once she has licked her wounds. She might bring the Giggler, the Barrowman, or Crookneck as allies." Jenadiel says nervously. "best we get to the Dreaming City as fast as we can."
Jena's four ferrets come loping out of the underbrush and pile into a large leather satchel Jena carries. Once everyone is ready, they move on.
The land surrounding the distant city is pleasant, but the party now feels much less relaxed. The elves lead them on through most of the day.
After an hours travel, a scream reands the sky. A griffon wings down out of the cerulian sky, a strange elf saddled upon it. The beast lights in front of them, and the elf dismounts, removing a leather helm and a set of glassed goggles. The rider looks to be a female, much the same in looks as Jena. She introduces the newcomer as Imdril, her cousin. After expalining what occured to her, she turns to the wind-touseled Imdril.
"Cousin, bring word to the city: Lady Meralindiel must attend us when we arrive, or see us in her audience room should it suit her."
"Aye, that I shall. I shall also send an escort from the city to meet you. farewell!"
Imdril leaps upon her mount and takes to the sky.
Later, a large group of riders meet them on the road. The elven knights are clad in shining armor worked with fantastical scenes. Their shields are blazoned with dozens of heraldic symbols: Three leaves green on orange, a prancing unicorn, six arrows black on a silver background and many others. They fall in around the party and escort them to Hanalindali.
The city is perched upon a massive outcropping of rock that splits a wide lazy river around it. The rock seems to be one huge hunk of rose quartz, the fading sun catching its sides and making it glow. The group passes on a large drawbridge defended by a small keep at either end. They then ascend a twisting road that takes them up to the gate of the city.
The walls of Hanalindali are speckled granite, hard as a torturer's heart. The party rides through the portcullus into a city of wonders. Tall towers rise all over the city, each more fantastical than the last. Onyx, calcedony, blue-veined marble are only a few of the stones used to construct the dwelling around them. The streets are thronged with elves, but here and there a dwarf or a goblin walks. A winged creature with a horned head seems to be conversing placidly with a trio of elves. The party even sees a passerby that could almost pass for human, until a slender snake slips from a large turban the woman is wearing on her head.
In the center of the city is a taller outcrop of the rose quartz. Upon it is a building that seems to be made up of multi-colored panes of crystal. The building shoots beams of colored light all about as the setting sun illuminates it. One central pane looks to be a fresco of a beautiful woman dancing upon a fountain.
Justin sees Seph's interest in their escort's ferrets, and playfully rubs the humanoid's cat-ears.
"Easy lad! Say it with me now, 'Ferrets are friends, not food!' " He says with a big grin.
"Pardon my curiosity my lady, but I'm wondering. I have never heard of multiple familiars, but they seem rather attached to you. ARE they familiars? Or have you befriended them, like druids are said to do back where I come from? If this is considered a personal topic, please accept my apologies. And I shall happily change the subject." He says to Jena, politely.
Justin spends the rest of the journey in (hopefully) innocent chit-chat with any of their escort who will deign to speak to him. He asks about anything that pops up, from trees he doesn't recognize to theories of magic of both the elves and their enemies. When the city comes into sight, he is struck speechless for one of the very few times his companions have ever seen.
"That. Is. Beautiful." He states the obvious. When they meet the Griffon rider, Justin smirks and pats a small lump in one of his coat pockets. When they enter the city, Justin's head threatens to detach, he is trying to see everything all at once. Not 'ooh ah' like a tourist, more like trying to see every one of the different types of buildings, in case he doesn't get the chance to see them again.
Merle cant help but snicker a little at Karrin's reprimand (Although a quick glare from Seph stops this) Durning the actual journey (and getting Nari or one of the others to translate what is being said.) she asks "Whats a Giggler, a Barrowman or a Crookneck?"
Jena replies through Nari translating
"The three are part of the Morkarthau, the coterie of Morgadril, the Winter Queen, daughter of Spiders. The Giggler is a demon of some sort, some say a byblow of the Winter Queen herself. The Barrowman is a wight of dire strength, whose very touch can infect his victims with the curse of undeath. Crookneck is a revenant of a hanged wizard. He is called that because the odd angle his head sits at. He is a fell foe."
Seph spends the rest of the journey in his humanoid form for the first little while acting somewhat jumpy but calming down as time passes. Whilst Merle talks with Jena. Seph spends his time watching her ferrets seeming to be very fasinated by them.
Seph watches the ferrets, but notices that they are unusually still for animals of that type.
Justin sees Seph's interest in their escort's ferrets, and playfully rubs the humanoid's cat-ears.
"Easy lad! Say it with me now, 'Ferrets are friends, not food!' " He says with a big grin.
"Pardon my curiosity my lady, but I'm wondering. I have never heard of multiple familiars, but they seem rather attached to you. ARE they familiars? Or have you befriended them, like druids are said to do back where I come from? If this is considered a personal topic, please accept my apologies. And I shall happily change the subject." He says to Jena, politely.
Jena smiles at the wizard
"Curiosity is no vice, friend Justin. I am a specialist in summoning creatures from the Outer Realms, something that is a very taxing discipline here. I have spent centuries studying how to call upon my sinqualil , whose form I chose from a childhood pet. They act as my eyes and ears, and if needed, my claws and teeth. I can also translocate with them should I be put in dire circumstances."
She pets the white-faced black-eared heads poking from the large leather satchel.
"They are not animals as we know them, but they know love and loyalty, and are my closest friends."