SR's - Great Southern Isles (PbP) (Inactive)

Game Master stormraven

Skitter takes advantage of the swirling battle between Jayse and Dinwat to sink a claw into the Necromancer again. Yet again, Dinwat's concentration holds.

Straehan doesn't have time to consider the strange sensation of having his soul shoehorned back into his body. Instead, he focuses on the tactical problem. He glances around to determine everyone's position. Wouldn't do to start dropping Fireballs with anyone I like in range.

Ushari is close by; Shaggar is roaring nearby in the temple; but Jofram is invisible and could be anywhere.

"If we want to get into that temple, we need to start dropping these juggernauts. Let's focus attacks on just one of them... unless you can hit more without wounding Shaggar." Targeting the Behemoth in 25/26

Straehan calls down twin beams of fire. The first is an eye-blinding inferno as thick as a man's fist. It carves a hole straight through the compound skull of the first behemoth. The beast explodes in flames. Straehan looks shocked, "God's Blood!"

He quickly re-tasks the second beam to strike the other behemoth. It carves a smoking trail across the beast, but it isn't nearly so impressive.

FREE: Activate Ring
STAND: Cast Scorching Ray

Map Updated

Jofram, Ushari, and Vaelos... UP.

ALERT! I made a mistake. When Jofram went unconscious, Inspire would have dropped according to RAW. So no one gets the Inspire bonus any longer. Also since Inspire is a pre-req for Allegro, that is gone as well. I've checked the numbers - Skitter still hits Dinwat and Straehan still crits... so the damages are correct and one of the Behemoths is gone. Jofram, with the Behemoth gone, you have a direct Line of Sight to the battle at the far end of the room.

Ushari blinks as she finds herself back where she had met her end earlier. She spends a few precious seconds gathering information on how the battle was going. She nods in satisfaction as Jayse is able to at least reach Dinwat, if not break the mage's concentration.

She raises her fist in the air as one of the behemoth undead is vaporized by Straehan's fire. Yes! Now is my chance! I have to reach the children and free them, somehow.

Drawing her rapier, she springs into action and dances her way into the dark temple, striking at the Behemoth as she flies by!

As the blinding pain vanishes, Jofram blinks i confusion. [i]The others - alive? Was it some sort of illusion? What's going on?

A glance at the necromancer beyond snaps Jofram back to the task at hand. As Straehan burns away the abomination before them, Jofram responds to the gnomes suggestion.

"Agreed, but let me take out that caster, first - he's proved to be an... annoyance. Keep out of that behemoth's range." As the behemoth topples in a smoking heap, Jofram leaps up onto the smoldering remains. Twisting past the remaining monster to lunge at the undead caster behind.

Doing your attacks in Initiative order based on Ushari's comment.

Ushari hears the comment from the invisible Jofram from somewhere in front of her and delays for just a moment. The body of the first Behemoth shakes as the half-elf's weight lands on it. Then the Ranger appears as his blade clears its scabbard. He leaps down on the far side of the mountain of undead flesh and slashes at the Hucueva. His blade raises sparks off the armor hidden beneath the creature's robes.

Seizing on the confusion caused by Jofram's sudden appearance, Ushari tries to slip past the Behemoth, scoring a cut in the exchange... Her rapier point is deflected by one of the chunks of armor buried in the creature's flesh as a massive axe casts a shadow over her just before it slashes open her shoulder as she tumbles into the temple.

Jofram's blows may have done less than he would have hoped against the wily Hucueva, but behind the evil shaman, he sees the enraged Shaggar approaching - glowing axe on high. It seems he has the same idea of who is worth killing quickly.

AoO AXE 1 (20/x3) (Desecrate)
HIT 1d20 + 16 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 16 + 1 = 25
DAM 2d6 + 8 + 1 ⇒ (2, 2) + 8 + 1 = 13

Us's HPs: 32|45

Next UP... Shagger and Vaelos. Jimmy, feel free to post for your bird.

Vaelos' Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
What is that in AK.18?

Having a chance to vent his anger and revenge his kin, the massive gnoll swings his enchanted axe (courtesy of his new patron) at the exposed back of the Hucueva. Even with the magical assistance, the Hucueva nearly sidesteps the blow which carves a long groove down its spine.

Thanks for the note, Jofram. That is definitely something I needed to know. AK18 is the small skeletal drummer and the object next to him is his drum. His drumming continues.

Vaelos takes note of another figure in the shadows, but focuses on the living groundwalker with the strange, barking song. Two-souls marked him for the hunt, and their quarry remains uncaught. Timing his dive to the other groundwalker of Two-soul's flock, Vaelos launches himself at the Oddsinger with talons bared.

Vaelos stoops and strikes at the Necromancer but only manages to rip at his heavy cowl and cloak.

Next UP... Dweller

Seeing the Necromancer beset by enemies, the Dweller reduces its draw of life-energy, shoves two clawed hands into the small gap and tears wide the hole into the Prime Material plane. It rams its shark-toothed maw into the hole and exhales... A thick black mist flows through the gap between worlds and pools on the floor before the Arch.

Round: 6

ORDER: Hucueva & Necro & Four-Arms, Jayse, Jofram, Ushari, Straehan, Shaggar, Dweller

Temple of Night

Ja's HPs: 62|62
Jo's HPs: 68|68
Us's HPs: 32|45
St's HPs: 53|53

Gn's HPs: 52|52

Child 1: KIA
Child 2: KIA
Child 3: KIA
Child 4: Sputtering
Child 5: Draining
Child 6: Draining

The shaman throws glances in front and behind himself - seeing the Ranger and the Gnoll warrior. He doesn't like the odds. He hisses and slides out from between the two into the sheltering protection of the behemoth. He touches the behemoth as he takes up a defensive stance, while dodging the earned axe-blow from Shaggar.

Next UP... Dinwat & 4 Arms

Dinwat snarls, knowing his cause is lost... for the moment. There are too many enemies and the summoning can't be completed before one of these upstarts manages to land a blow that will undo all his hard work. Cool and detached, he switches to Plan B. With a cutting gesture and a grimace of irritation, the black-goggled Necromancer ends the spell. The threads of life feeding the beast through the Arch unravel and dissipate. The Dweller roars as the skin thickens and resists further intrusion.

Now, to salvage the situation...

Dinwat gives Jayse a little smile, "Enjoy your victory." Then he deftly casts a spell and vanishes from sight. Moments later, Jayse hears the Necromancer chanting quietly again from somewhere closer to the Arch. A gem at the center of the bone and flesh 'carpet' littering the floor glows. The carpet begins to move. Limbs weld together, bones knit and join, and the flesh firms up and wraps around the compound bones. In a very short time the carpet rises... as another four-armed Behemoth.

The Monk hears Dinwat whisper, "Kill them all. Start with the human by the podium."

STAND: Cast Vanish
MOVE: Move
FREE: Spend 1 ANTI-HERO Point for an additional Action :) What? You thought only you guys get those?
STAND: Cast Animate Undead

Next UP... 4 Arms

The northern Behemoth has its attention divided between the half-elf and the gnoll. Its aim, however, is uncanny. It sweeps the axes low - slicing Jofram across the abdomen and slashing into Shaggar's meaty thigh. As they are reeling from the blows, the gnoll-headed arms are brought to bear. Their snapping multi-headed jaws dine on the heroes' flesh.

Jayse is grateful that the newest four-armed horror wasn't created any closer... or he'd have to deal with every arm striking at him instead of just the one. Jayse dives away but the axe's side catches the Monk across the ribs, spinning him like a top.

Guys, if you want to delay your actions until someone else goes first, hoping they eliminate a problem for you so you can perform more critical actions elsewhere... just let me know. For instance, Jofram, if you want Strae to polish off the 4 Arm and Shaggar to make a dent in the Hucueva before you act - I can certainly do their actions first.

ORDER: Hucueva & Necro & Four-Arms, Jayse, Jofram, Ushari, Straehan, Shaggar, Dweller

Temple of Night

Round: 6

Ja's HPs: 46|62
Jo's HPs: 40|68
Us's HPs: 32|45
St's HPs: 53|53

Gn's HPs: 30|52

Child 1: KIA
Child 2: KIA
Child 3: KIA
Child 4: Unconscious
Child 5: Exhausted
Child 6: Fatigued

Jayse doesn't even feel the cut through his mental protection and the adrenaline. Immediate: 8 pp to negate 16 damage. Full HP and 2 pp remaining.

Jayse finds himself surprisingly resigned to the fact he's not capable of handling the mage. As he rolls in to meet the brute, he yells out, "You guys are going to have to handle Dinwat. I'll try to buy you time with these things."

His blade flashes towards one of the undead for the first times in the fight; a powerful two-handed slice.

Acro to avoid AoO's 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (13) + 12 = 25.
Stepping straight into the undead.
Mindblade - 2-handed 1d20 + 12 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 12 - 2 = 23. PA
--- Unarmed 1d8 + 10 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 10 + 6 = 21

With the spellcaster under threat by Shaggar, Jofram assaults the weakened bohemoth.

As the necromancer disappears, Vaelos searches in vain for the target of his ire. He settles for the undead percussionist and gains altitude for his next attack.

Double move toward AM.18 (or thereabouts)

Ushari glances to her right and sees the undead still causing Jofram and Shaggar problems. She interrupts her move towards the children and steps back allowing her divine power to bolster her friends. She then proceeds towards the bone cage holding the children.

Free: 5'step to X29
Standard: Channel Energy use 1/6
Heal/harm 3d6 ⇒ (3, 1, 2) = 6 Will save DC 16 half
Move: Move to AF29.
Sheez....I think I am going to trade in her deity for a newer model...

Getting this roll on the books since I started writing up the action and it's important.
Strae Perception 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (17) + 14 = 31

Jayse - the space you are stepping into is clear, so a 5' move will do... thus you can flurry your attack if you wish. Please post your additional attacks.
Jofram - Straehan will fire off Haste, please roll an additional attack.

- Straehan will fire off Haste, please roll an additional attack.

Gladly!

Attack (Arcane Stike, Power Attack, Fav. Enemy, Haste): 1d20 + 11 - 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 11 - 2 + 2 + 1 = 22
Damage: 1d10 + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 6 + 6 + 2 + 2 = 23

Cool. For some reason I had it in mind that the square you were stepping out of was the one that counted.

That initial attack is 2 lower, with 4 less damage.

Spending a ki point for an extra attack.
Mindblade 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (11) + 10 - 2 = 19; PA.
--- Damage 1d8 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 4 = 13.
.
Mindblade 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (3) + 10 - 2 = 11; PA.
--- Damage 1d8 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 8 + 4 = 19.
.
Mindblade 1d20 + 10 - 2 ⇒ (8) + 10 - 2 = 16; PA.
--- Damage 1d8 + 8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 8 + 4 = 13.

Hmmm... somewhat underwhelming there.

The vanishing Necromancer, animating Behemoth, and Jayse's words register with the gnome. The battle at the southern end of the temple is about to get ugly. Straehan thinks carefully and quickly about the situation before acting.

Dinwat isn't a fool and no mage worth his spellbook would stand in the open like that unless he was confident in his defenses. So it's a trap. He's a strong caster... there are all sorts of ways he could nullify my spells. Maybe he had time to cast them before we arrived, maybe not. The only spells I know will work are the ones I can cast on myself. He can't prevent those.

The pint-sized Sorcerer smiles, his course chosen. He casts a spell and then sprints into the temple. The Behemoth whips an axe at the passing gnome but is too distracted by the Ranger and Gnoll to aim carefully enough. With a sigh of relief, Straehan sprints past and heads into the side aisle, looking for invisible Necromancer.

FREE: Spend Hero Point for 1 additional action
STAND: Cast Haste - catches Straehan, Jofram, and Shaggar.
MOVE: Move South then West.
STAND: Cast See Invisibility

Jayse - since you don't need that acro roll, I'm going to apply that as one of your strikes, which turns one your misses into a hit.

Ushari's healing blast scourges the Behemoth while Jofram's precise slashes carve away at the creature's joints. It remains together by virtue of necromantic magic only. Its limbs and joints shake loosely.

Jayse carves into the Behemoth before him... but it is still fresh and vital. He notes that his blade seems less effective than it otherwise might. Vaelos flies high above the beast, coasting below the smoke-layer that hugs the ceiling like a spectre. He wings over towards the drummer and stoops into a dive.

Next UP... Shaggar

Shaggar's battleaxe looks like it's composed of churning seawater. But it wields like a axe judging from the way it carves into the shoulder of Hucueva. A scream is torn from the shaman as the blade bites. The evil spellslinger, stumbles but rights itself and flexes its claws.

Next UP... Skitter & The Dweller

Seeing that blades seem to bite less into the titanic creature's hide, Skitter regards his claws...

:: Likely inadequate ::

Skitter puzzles on what to do. He leaps on the Monk and sets up sonic vibrations in the monk's body before dropping to the ground setting off a plinky musical racket and bouncing back and forth, attempting to draw the Beehmoth's attention.

:: Perhaps that will work ::

Jayse - all of your unarmed attacks now do +1d6 sonic damage per hit for the next minute.

Skitter Acro Base 1d20 ⇒ 18

The black skin inside the Arch firms up, flickers a few times, and then vanishes - leaving only a blank, stone wall. The portal between the worlds is closed... and Jayse almost feels a sense of relief now that the greater threat to the world is gone... almost. The he notices the black exhalation, the dark fog spewed by the Dweller lingers in the archway. It ripples, flows, and forms into a living shadow. It rises up to the height of a man and its wispy hands form nebulous claws. It's gaseous head takes on a form close to that which tried to push through the Arch. Eyes appear in the 'head', glowing purple and malevolent. Something of the Dweller got through... fueled by the lives of three children. It is small, no more than man-sized, and it resembles a shadow or wraith more than a Nightwalker... But the intelligence behind it, the malice, the fearsome intellect, and some fragment of the hideous soul of the creature managed to cross the gap into the Prime Material.

Dinwat sees the creature and exults. You hear his crowing voice, gloating. He thinks to command the Dweller. "NOW! Destroy these fools, my servant!"

Jayse almost wishes he could see the expression on the invisible Necromancer's face as the Dweller responds. With a wave of a gaseous hand, it dismisses Dinwat and silently chuckles at his folly... then it flow/flies around and through the podium (ignoring the magic circle as if it were a child's scribble), slides past the Monk with a cursory glaring glance, and wafts up to the cage. Instinctively, the two still conscious children crawl toward the far wall trying to escape. They wail in fear - the bogey-man is here.

STAND: Form up
MOVE: Move to cage

Round: 7

ORDER: Hucueva & Necro & Four-Arms, Jayse, Jofram, Ushari, Straehan, Shaggar, Dweller

You blink and there are now two Hucueva facing Shaggar. They raise their claws and slash at the gnoll warrior. Shaggar is not fooled and dodges the blow.

MOVE: Create Copycat
STAND: CLAW

Dinwat barks orders and yells at the Dweller, trying to command its allegiance. His words serve only to confuse the nearby Behemoth. Unsure what to do, it strikes at both Jayse and the bounding Skitter. At the far end of the temple, the other Behemoth finds its attention split as well...

Jayse finally understands the rhythm of the undead's attacks. He dives below the axe and twists out of the way of the snarling gnoll heads - two clean misses. Skitter is less fortunate as the massive column of a leg stomps him into the blood-red tile. The bent little crab springs back only to be hammered into the floor again by the same leg - cracking the tiles and leaving the valiant, little construct looking like a crushed bug.

Jofram tumbles, rolling left to successfully avoid the Behemoth's descending axe but he gets nipped by a gnoll skull on the thigh as he tumbles by. Shaggar successfully fends off both attacks - his axe weaving a complex defensive pattern.

Jo's HPs: 36|68

Dinwat tries to order, threaten, and wheedle compliance from the Dweller. In desperation, he chants a spell to force its compliance. It almost sways the Dweller away from his victims. The Dweller shakes itself loose of the Necromancer's influence and glares over its shoulder.

You have a feeling that, left alone with the Dweller, Dinwat would not be long for this world.

STAND: Cast Command Undead
MOVE: Move

Round: 7

ORDER: Hucueva & Necro & Four-Arms, Jayse, Jofram, Ushari, Straehan, Shaggar, Dweller

Temple of Night

Ja's HPs: 62|62
Jo's HPs: 36|68
Us's HPs: 38|45
St's HPs: 53|53

Gn's HPs: 36|52

Child 1: KIA
Child 2: KIA
Child 3: KIA
Child 4: Unconscious
Child 5: Exhausted
Child 6: Fatigued

Ushari sees the Dweller form in front of the portal and flows to the bone cage. Fear grips her heart, not for herself, but for the three remaining children. She heads towards the evil spirit, nimbly leaping over the glowing portion of the floor, while calling on her deity again uttering a spell. Soon a glowing rapier appears and strikes at the Dweller.

"DWELLER, don't you remember ME??"

Ushari is halfway over the pit when she starts casting her spell. She slides to a stop and the rapier-like blade of holy force launches forward and plunges into the amorphous side of the Dweller. It hisses its irritation and, just possibly, a little concern. Its purple eyes flash at the cleric's taunt. She hears its sepulchral voice whispering in her ear.

I remember... Why don't you come closer? I'll dine on you after these little ones.

An ember flies from the gnome's hand and floats to a spot in front of the arch before detonating in an ear-rattling explosion. Jayse is shielded from the glare and blast by the Behemoth. The shriek of pain tells him the Necromancer caught a piece of it.

STAND: Cast Fireball
MOVE: Close the Distance

Jayse continues moving through his forms, switching to unarmed strikes as he keeps the pressure on the disgusting behemoth. Deciding to have a little fun, he begins targeting the skulls embedded in the monstrosity.

Pop. Pop. POP.

The Monk is a whirlwind of action. Jayse kicks a large snapping skull on the third arm. It explodes in a shower of bone fragments. Then he backfists a skull nestled among the ribs, staving in the slavering muzzle. Finally he springs on top of the beast and, with an iron grip, locks both hands on the compound multi-headed skull. He wrenches the entire bloated head, trying to twist it free from the body. The vibrations coursing through his fists set up a hideous oscillation in the skull which feeds down through every bone in the creature. It literally shakes itself apart and collapses in a wave a necrotic flesh and fragmented bones.

Jayse jumps free and squelches down in the liquifying remnants looking for the next threat. He sees the Dweller menacing the children on the right side of the room and Straehan cornering something unseen by the north end of the Arch.

You took it to exactly 0 HP. Nice rolls. :)

Next UP... Jofram, Vaelos, Shaggar

Good job Skitter... may he rest in pieces.

:: Ack! Ack! I always get hurt while helping you fleshbags... ::

Whipping his blade in a deadly arc, Jofram slashes at the undead abominations.

Jayse looks at the shadow-thing, worried about its interest in the children. "So anyone know exactly what that thing is or how to fight it?"

Some knowledge checks are in order here."

Vaelos dives down on the drummer, seeking to silence the creature's terrible racket.

K:Religion or K:Planes rolls are appropriate.

Straehan glances over while trying to curtail any further spell-casting from the invisible Necromancer.

He yells to Jayse, "Well, it isn't a Nightwalker... at least not yet. Looks to be some sort of nasty specimen of a Pan-Dimensional Dread Wraith. Stick to Ghost-Touched weapons is about the best I can advise. And I think we don't want it feeding on those kids. My guess is he's trying to get all the way into our plane by means other than that spell."

Knowledge: Planes 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (19) + 12 = 31

Ushari nods in response, but does not waste her breath in a verbal response, knowing this Dweller is an extremely dangerous foe. She recalls any other useful tidbits about it in addition to what Straehan has offered.

Knowledge Religion 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18

"I did not bring my portable sunlight generator with me, so we need to use ghost touch weapons against it!"

The one time I do not memorize Searing Light...

Jofram's first slash is blocked by a thick Behemoth arm woven with armor. His second blow, a rising slash, bypasses the massive creature's defenses and shears through the groin of the beast - completely undoing the magic that holds it together. The joined flesh separates and falls apart in pieces and chunks - like an unholy landslide.

Jofram shields his head from the debris with an eldritch gauntlet and steps into the storm to flank the shaman. His blow to the back of the evil cleric is foiled when the boulder-sized head of the Behemoth rolls into the back of his leg, nearly upending the Ranger mid-swing. However, his checked swing catches and dispels the copy of the shaman.

Vaelos streaks down from the sky to slash at the drummer, only to find that his claws are next to useless against the dry bones of the skeleton.

Next UP... Shaggar.

Shaggar looks between the two shaman, trying to decide at which one to swing. As Jofram's blade reveals the false cleric, Shaggar brings his axe high. Seeing its double vanish, the Hucueva casts a worried glance at the Ranger on his heels. Reacting too slow to the threats from both sides, his head swings back to check on the gnoll... as Shaggar's powerful muscles drive the blade down in an adrenaline-fueled rage.

The axe blade slams into the crown of the Hucueva's head and splits it like a melon, down to the breastbone. The shaman's legs splay and its undead corpse hits the floor in a bone-rattling heap. Shaggar roars his delight and turns... looking for another enemy to wet his axe.

Next UP... Dweller