Val tried to dodge through the werewolf's grasp to attack him
Cerrick strikes out with a vicious claw to stop Val.
Val nimbly dodges the claw with a theatrical flourish. She expertly uses the momentum of the leap to drive her blade into his legbone.
"That almost hurt. My turn!"
Nikandro's sword began to glow with a bright light as he slammed it into the skeletal werewolf over and over again.
"By the holy power of Erastil, I smite you!"
From the floor he thrust the sword up into the wolf's ribs, hoping that splintering the bones would bring the beast down.
(Actually 19 because prone)
(Actually 22 because prone)
+ 9 for bonus = 41.
(Actually 26 because prone)
Nikandros' first swing slips through the rib of the skeletal beast but the second bashes his head with holy power. Light pours from the cracks on its head but it soon fades. The beast still hungers for Half-Orc flesh.
Cerrick raises a dread claw ready to end Nikandros' life but then, just as in the bards' tales, a bullet pierces it. Then another strikes the creatures head, exploiting a crack made by Nikandros. The last shatters its spine.
Cerrick, the Black Wolf, is dead for a second and hopefully final time.
"Haha nicely done!" Anya called out as she drew her magic to her. Just the one left, though she doubted he'd go down easy.
Two great spears of ice shoot out of the ground but it seems Orcus is with his champion.
"Enough! I command that you cease this foolishness!
"No"
"F++% yourself with a spear of ice!"
Val took a deep breath to steady herself.
Val studied Laurentis for weaknesses for a moment, that dashed in to attempt the kill.
Nikandros stands up, slapping his left hand against his side a few times while advancing to stand ten feet away from the cleric.
Anya grits her teeth, glaring daggers at Laurentis. What had the bastard done to her?
Laurentis narrows his eyes at Val. "Die now because I command it."
He grabs her head, obscuring her face with his hand. A mass of impossibly black energy is channeled into Val sapping her life. A small light within Val's light resists succumbing completely allowing her to hold on to the smallest bit of her life.
Val shuddered as the life was drained from her. "C-cold" she said in a small voice, shivering uncontrollably.. The feeling took her back and back, to the streets of Caenar as a little girl... to feeling her life leave her from hunger and cold, that awful feeling that she had nothing left.
Val shook herself out out of her recollection and tore back from Laurentis' grasp. She stabbed viciously at the spellcaster. "Curse in vain, goat-worshipper."
The first strike breaks through his fell armor. Laurentis staggers to his knees. "Fools. All of you. You have angered powers greater than you know. I would have saved you. Now...now there is no shelter against what is to come."
Val's righteous blade then silenced the once-proud priest.
Anya stumbled forward, released from the spell that had kept her hostage. She turned first to Val, worry clear on her face. "Are you alright, kid?"
"We'll handle the saving" Val told Laurentis. Her manner was cold when she finished him off; Val was tough enough to kill if necessary, but she didn't enjoy it.
"No, I'm not all right at all" she admitted to Anya. She hurt too bad to simply laugh the wound off like normal or try for a joke. "But I've been worse. I'm more concerned for you, silver. Having your mind messed with is an awful experience. Feeling any better?"
She sat down on the throne for rest, and because it would be her only opportunity in her life to sit on a throne. "I feel tired... bone tired, and weak. There's not a mark on me, but I feel like I've lost a lot of blood. Magic can be a pain" she groaned, shutting her eyes and nearly falling asleep.
But her raw determination kicked in, and her eyes sprang open. "But hey, most people have to kill thousands to sit on a throne, and I only had to kill an evil priest. You think they'll let me get a portrait painted as long as I'm here? Maybe borrow that crown and get the blood cleaned off my dress." she said, her voice light and cheerful.
"I'll be fine," Anya said in response to Val's concerns. "It could have been worse.
Anya knelt by the remains of Laurentis, wondering if he had anything useful. It was callous of her, to search the freshly dead, but she did have a long journey ahead of her. "Huh, this one is enchanted," she said, picking up the scythe. "I don't know if it's ridiculous or awesome."
"Glad to hear you'll be all right." Val said to Anya. She watched Anya try to look through Laurentis' belongings. "It's awesome, silver. Don't be ungenerous. Very useful when we next need to harvest a wheat field." She climbed down from the throne and knelt down to go through Laurentis' stuff. "Got to put some effort in to it if we're going to steal this properly. Leave no stone unturned. And nobody take the throne while I'm down here."
"As dead as dead can be, twice. That is one ex-werewolf, noisemaker. Time for the victory celebration!" she said to Tarik. It was only beginning to sink in that they had won and might actually be heroes. It would be the first time in Val's life that she had been celebrated. She wondered idly what it would be like. "You did well, even if my ears wish you'd used a crossbow instead. I'm glad you were here to join in saving the day"
Nikandros looked at the dead werewolf, favoring his left side.
"I'm glad he's dead at least. Abomination. What was this greater threat the priest spoke of though? I can think of no greater threat than to have one such as he sitting the throne of Stag's Reach."
He picks up the crown, turning it over in his hands.
"I will take this to the high priest. He will know what to do with it."
Glancing at the pile of gear and valuables that were accumulating away from his body he sighed.
"Take whatever portion you feel is fair; you've certainly earned it for your actions today. The rest will be used to rebuild this city, rebuild and reinforce. Our defenses were overcome far too easily this time, and I strongly suspect there will be further attempts unless we find out what is directing this evil"
Anya considers Nikandros' words. "Perhaps the threat was greater than Stag's Reach then." She shuddered at the thought that maybe this wasn't over, because she didn't have time to linger, to help like she ought to.
Pushing it aside, she dropped the scythe back onto the pile. "Thank you for your offer, paladin, but your city needs it more than I do. Just make sure the kid gets healed up and we'll call it square."
The party hears the door they came through open and, after a few tense seconds, Ophelia and the maid come through. They seem to be acquainted as they're both giggling about some private joke. They stop as they see the victorious heroes.
"Deadeye's bow, you actually did it," Ophelia says her eyes wide. "I...er...of course you did it. Great job, guys. I was always betting on you!"
The maid breathes a sigh of relief. "I think I'm out of a job now but, all things considered, it could have been much worse. The city is saved and the heroes should be well-rewarded," she says with a wink.
Ophelia rolls her eyes. "Come on, Nessa, there'll time for that later. We need to get back to the temple to make sure there aren't any stragglers looking for revenge."
"I think the church may be looking for people to gather some information on what happened here - you've already proven yourself competent and I'm sure there would be gold in the bargain for you, as well as the spiritual gold of benefiting a good church"
"Aww, taking the crown? But my portrait!" Val complained. "As for greater threats, I don't like the sound of that. I'm not an expert on threats bigger than skeleton werewolf kings. But it sure sounds like there is one, from the way these guys were talking."
"Aren't you going to keep some of the money? You gotta eat, Silver." Val gently urged Anya. She reminded Val of Joan, always thinking of others first. That behavior could get you killed.
"Hey sis, catch!" Val called out. The orange sailed through the air, and Joan had to turn quickly to catch it. Val had always had a gift with throwing, even as a starving street urchin. Very hungry, Joan began peeling and eating the orange right away, but stopped when she realized Val didn't have one "Have some. It's really good" she said, offering her sister the orange.
"Not on your life. I sto-, I got that orange for you. Just enjoy it" Val replied, stepping back from her sister. "Anyways, I already had one" she added, perhaps too quickly to be believable.
Joan crossed her arms, her expression half concern and half petulant little sister. "Sis, you're starving yourself, I can tell. I'm not as helpless as you think I am"
This time, Val stepped forward and took Joan by the shoulders. "Joan! I swore to mother I would take care of you, so that's just what I'm going to do. No matter what happens to me. Enjoy the food, don't waste your time in an argument you know you won't win." It came out harsher than she meant it. Val was terribly hungry herself, and she knew if she let Joan keep tempting her she would not keep refusing.
"I..." Val took a moment to shake off her reflective mood. That harm spell had taken more out of her than she wanted to admit. And being weak and in pain reminded her a lot of her childhood. "I'm not feeling that bad" she insisted weakly "But I wouldn't say no to healing"
Val looked at Ophelia and raised an eyebrow. "If you thought we had failed, why did you come here? If the answer is to rifle our pockets... well, I can respect that. And thank you for the congratulations"
"I'm sure I can get you a job at the Bull's Eye if you like, but it'd be a pretty big step down from the palace, Nessa."
Anya shrugged at Val's words. "It's really okay. I got to travel light, anyway.". Looking to Ophelia, she offered the girl a weak smile. "So...about that healing?"
Ophelia laughed at Anya's words. "I'm sure the temple can give you all plenty of that. Won't even charge you...much."
Nessa giggles at Tarik's offer. "That's really sweet of you but I don't have fighting skills. I'm not even much of a cleaner. I just use some of my mom's old magic to do it for me. I guess if you guys need a maid I can come along."
Val gave Anya a strange look. "If you need to travel light, you use the money to buy scrolls. Valuable, but weigh next to nothing. But suit yourself" Not a lot of people as generous as her.
"Boo, cheating. Cleaning by hand builds character" Val joked.
Nessa laughs at Bal's joke as Ophelia leads the way back to the temple. Priests, Guardsmen, and the patrons at the Tavern line the streets on the way there. They cheered for the heroes who ended the brief reign of demons. A few bards cast snapdragon fireworks in celebration.
Ardas is there to greet the party as they approach the temple. He beckons them inside then runs back to the sacred altar.
Anya quickens her pace, hurrying after Ardas. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful or bossy, but the girl - Val - she is desperate need of healing. I fear a stiff breeze would end her."
Nikandros strolls after Ardas, patting his pack quickly to make sure the crown was still there. As he enters the temple his shoulders relax, as he glances up toward the priest.
Val smiles at the cheers and curtsies for her appreciative audience. "Thank you, thank you, pleased to be part of the local heroes"
She liked Nessa, the girl had a sense of humor.
"I'm a tough girl. I'll live" Val says to Ardas, grateful for Anya's assistance but not liking that her weakness was being advertised. "But I am going to need healing if you want me to enjoy the victory party."
The now restored party is led into the temple altar. There Ardas and Ophelia are waiting for them with a box. Ardas is dressed in his most formal raiment whereas Ophelia didn't seem to have time to change out of her armor.
"Welcome back, heroes! Today, all of those in Stag Reach and everyone who lives under the watchful eye of Erastil honor you. We faced a darkness unlike any we have seen in our history. When we needed it the most, four brave heroes stepped up and protect our hearth and homes. Please step forward so I may grant you the highest honors it is in my power to give."
He calls each hero up one at a time starting with Val.
Val blushed slightly as she stepped forward. "I.. Thank you, sir. I've never quite done this before, but I did my best. I think we did a pretty good job." She wondered if she deserved these honors, as she wasn't quite the person Ardas believed her to be.
Ardas gave Val a fatherly smile as he slipped an amulet around her neck. "You may have been a simple serving girl but when the city needed you, lass, you were there. You may not be from here but you will always have a place in our hearths and our hearts. You remind us that even the lowest among us can heed the Erastil's call and become a part of our family. We of Stag Reach salute you."
A cheer goes through the crowd as Val returns to her place among the rest of the party. He then calls Tarik forward.
Ardas smiled again as Tarik stepped forward to slip another amulet around over his head. "Tarik, you were also a stranger in these lands; you had no connections here. But with your strange weapon and your stout heart, you became indispensable in saving this city. For this and much more, we of Stag Reach salute you."
Another cheer breaks through the crowd as Tarik rejoins the line of heroes. He then calls Anya forward.
Anya squared her shoulders and let out a deep breath. Best get this over with, then. Stepping forward, she stopped before Ardas and bowed her head.
"Anya, you were perhaps the greatest stranger with your silver hair and magic abilities but you rose to the challenge with the fury of a god. Erastil blesses those who heed the call of the hearth and I pray he blesses your union. We of Stag Reach certainly do and we salute you."
Anya looked shaken at the mention of her "union" and looked down at her wedding band as she rejoined the heroes. The crowd cheered again for Anya. Nikandros was then called forward.