The Dweller flows through the skeletal bars as if they don't exist and glides leisurely towards the cowering children in the corner. It stops by the first dead body - the shell of a little girl. Its arms solidify and stretch to pull the husk off the floor. Lovingly, it rubs a shadow-laden clawed hand over the skull and then with a ferocious twist, accompanied by a sound like dried twigs snapping, it pops the girl's head off and tosses it like a bouquet at Ushari's feet.
:: A present for you... to give to her parents... with my fondest regards. ::
The conscious children start screaming like lambs being slaughtered.
ORDER:
62|62
36|68
38|45
53|53
36|52
Jofram, Shaggar, Straehan...
Haste - 3 of 6 RND - +1 Attack on FULL ATTACK ACTION ; +1 ATT Rolls ; +1 Reflex Saves ; +1 Dodge AC ; +30' Move
The Necromancer's voice echoes across the temple as Straehan sprints towards him. "Get up, Oaf! Kill them all!"
Dinwat faces down the charging gnome. Years of experience enables him to cast his spell while Straehan tries to interfere. The Necromancer gives the spell a slim chance of working against a fellow sorcerer... but is pleasantly surprised when Straehan freezes in place. Unfortunately, it ruins his invisibility.
Well, well, well... an unexpected gift. Dinwat flicks his wrist and a wickedly sharp black-handled dagger appears in his palm. He walks around Straehan and whispers in his ear, "This is going to hurt - a lot." He rests a hand lightly the gnome's shoulder and lines up the blade sideways so he can slip it easily through the rib-cage and into the gnome's heart.
Deep in the pit, the vine-shrouded Behemoth hears the call and obeys. It climbs the crude ladder built into the wall behind it. When it nears the ceiling, its gnoll-headed arms press against the walls while the upper arms, swing one of its axes upwards - attempting to smash through the trapdoor.
Dust sprays up into the temple as the floor jumps a few inches.
HIT
DAM
ORDER:
62|62
36|68
38|45
53|53
36|52
Jofram, Shaggar, Straehan...
Haste - 3 of 6 RND - +1 Attack on FULL ATTACK ACTION ; +1 ATT Rolls ; +1 Reflex Saves ; +1 Dodge AC ; +30' Move
As the bones fall, Jayse assesses the field. The children, Ushari, and the Dweller-shadow. Jofram, Shaggar, and their fallen opponents. Straehan, Dinwat, and the little drummer skeleton. Too many balls to juggle, and something's gotta give.
For Jayse, it's an easy choice. I'm not watching him die twice.
Decision made, he snaps into action, digging deep to get the most out of the next few seconds. "I GOT STRAE!" He yells as he rushes at the mage threatening the frozen gnome, easily clearing the soft green outline of the pit trap in stride. "You guys help Ushari! Get the kids out or take down the shade! Either way, just don't let him take the rest of them!" Straehan's clothes and hair are blown back by the breeze of Jayse's passing; a mannequin in a wind tunnel. Jayse slides to a stop even as he lashes out with a flurry of precise strikes, not willing to let recklessness turn another hit into a miss. "Let's dance, Dinwat."
Jayse sprints across the magic circle and notes the odd scorch patterns on the floor. More by instinct than informed opinion, he changes his approach and leaps over the far side of the green-outlined trapdoor keeping well over the scorch marks. As he flies over, his coat whispers against something hard and utterly invisible that stretches to the northermost inside corner of the trapdoor.
Jayse lands, pivots, and delivers a flurry of punches to Dinwat: Flat-palm to the temple, knife-edge strike to the solar plexus, and a stamp kick to the knee. It is enough to drop just about anyone... yet the Necromancer still stands and, while bleeding from the mouth and clearly hurt, he should be in far worse shape.
Jayse relives each blow in slow motion in his mind's eye and watches the Necromancer closely... The sonic vibrations hurt him without difficulty, but something blunted the effectiveness of the punches. Jayse focuses his memory on the temple strike. Dinwat's skull compressed as any man's would under such a bludgeoning blow... then, in a moment of insight, he has it. The Necromancer has some sort of resistance to anything less than a lethal strike. Maybe his close association with undead for many years has rubbed off.
"Shaggar - take out that drummer - I'll help Jayse with that shadow-thing!"
In a flash, Jofram runs the other way to meet up with Jayse and Ushari. He calls upon the power of his ancestors to prepare for the next opponent.
Bardic Performance: Inspire Courage +2
Finding the loud bonewalker to have too hard a shell, Vaelos turns his attention on the softer oddsinger that appears just beyond...
The acoustics in this hall of despair are quite good. Jofram's voice reaches every corner and heartens all of his allies. Vaelos shrieks and falls from the sky, taking a bit of ear from the Necromancer with its sharp beak.
Dinwat's dagger lashes out at the bird in passing - creasing the eagle's wing. Its blood spatters the ground.
Jofram, Shaggar, Straehan...
Haste - 3 of 6 RND - +1 Attack on FULL ATTACK ACTION ; +1 ATT Rolls ; +1 Reflex Saves ; +1 Dodge AC ; +30' Move
Everyone...
Inspire Courage - +2 ATT/DAM ; +2 Saves v Charm/Fear
Usahri knows help is on the way, but realizes the children's life span is measured in only seconds.
I hope this works against him...
She steps to the cage and reaches her hand through the skeletal bars to touch one of the living children. "Touch my hand, and I will protect you from IT!' As she does that, her holy rapier strikes at the Dweller again.
Ushari's holy blade strikes true, cutting into the spectral creature as a pale hemisphere of white magic rises around the children - living and dead. The Dweller's shadowy claw stretches towards a child, crossing the border. Shadows catch flame and the deathly hand shrinks back, repulsed by the aura of good. The Dweller hisses and sputters - inarticulate in its rage. It lashes at the ghostly shield but cannot penetrate it.
Shaggar rushes towards the Arch to help slay the foul Necromancer that destroyed his tribe. Unable to stretch his blade to carve up Dinwat, he vents his anger on the skeletal drummer - smashing it to powder.
HIT:
DAM:
Ushari's circle severs the last remaining magical connection between the children and the Dweller - ending its last immediate way onto the plane. The Dweller seethes, its plans thwarted for the time being.
It assesses its numerous enemies. I've come too far to risk being dispelled from this plane by fighting rashly... but perhaps there is time for a quick message. The spectral fragment of the Dweller bridles at the thought of retreat from these lackeys.
The Dweller sinks into the floor and away from the painful globe of holiness. It re-emerges next to Jofram. It's hooked claws - which melt through armor and flesh to rend the souls of its victims - rebounds off the coat of mystical armor surrounding the Ranger. His gauntlet flashes as it repulses the incorporeal assault.
HIT:
DAM: Neg Energy + CON Drain
Dinwat wipes the blood from his mouth and considers the situation - surrounded. Almost out of tricks. He pulls out all the stops to turn the tide of the battle. He uses will alone to heal himself a fraction of the damage done by these upstarts. Then he calls upon the power of death itself to strike down his enemies.
Dozens of skeletal arms burst through the floor. Their bony claws tear at Jayse, the helpless gnome, and Shaggar. Shaggar manages to bash several of them aside but Straehan has no such defense. He is thrashed like rag-doll, nearly falling unconscious. Jayse kicks at grasping arms and tumbles to escape the onslaught.
Seeing that he is still surrounded, Dinwat risks casting a spell while the heroes wrestle with the skeletal arms. When Jayse looks up from his battle with the arms, he sees over a half dozen duplicates of the Necromancer, shifting back and forth.
Mirror Images -
Godless Healing
Grasp of the Dead Reflex Save v DC:21 for 1/2
DAM ; Good characters shaken for 12 rounds ; no MOVE for 1 round
Reflex Save DC:21
(Base, Haste, Helpless, No Evasion)
(Haste)
3|53
11|52
The Behemoth slams axe after axe into the ceiling. Stone and masonry begin to rain down. Gnoll-headed fists are slammed into the ceiling next. Teeth shatter and skulls are crushed as the creature relentlessly pounds its way through the trapdoor to serve its master's will.
Jofram feels the floor shake nearby. Dust shoots from the grooves between the massive slabs of red stone. A small hole appears surrounded by a network of cracked and breaking stone.
HIT
DAM
AXE 2 (20/x3)
HIT
DAM
JAW-CLAW 1 (20/x2)
HIT
DAM
JAW-CLAW 2 (20/x2)
HIT
DAM
ORDER:
62|62
36|68
38|45
3|53
11|52
Jofram, Shaggar, Straehan...
Haste - 4 of 6 RND - +1 Attack on FULL ATTACK ACTION ; +1 ATT Rolls ; +1 Reflex Saves ; +1 Dodge AC ; +30' Move
Everyone...
Inspire Courage - +2 ATT/DAM ; +2 Saves v Charm/Fear
Some piece of his mind registers Ushari's success with the children, and a snarling grin makes its way to his now blood-covered lips, "Good job, Ushari!" Even as he says it, he switches to Dances Under the Oak Tree, a combat form used against multiple opponents. Multiple opponents… one opponent with magical duplicates… same thing, right?
Despite the clawing and grasping arms, his fists, feet, and knees flash out, this time aiming for more universally painful targets on the crowd of arrogant mages he now faces. "I thought you were supposed to be a decent mage, Dinwat... your servant doesn't seem to want to listen to you at all."
The skeletal arms savage Jayse's legs and pin him to the spot. Undaunted, the monk switches to punches... many punches. He throws a backfist at the first Necromancer and brushes the cheek of the real one - not enough. The figures blur and shift position. Jayse throws a reverse backfist that connects... and an image vanishes.
Down to seven.
The figures shift in a tight, swirling circle. Every face mocks him. To Jayse, it is like watching a shell game. He fires off a flat punch straight at a likely face... and is rewarded with the crunch of a breaking nose. All seven images rock backwards and blood pours from the crushed noses of all of them. Jayse allows himself a little smile - as he throws yet another punch. Another image vanishes.
Down to six.
"I thought you were supposed to be a decent mage, Dinwat... your servant doesn't seem to want to listen to you at all."
The Necromancer looks vexed and snaps back, "A'w finiwsh ham, wonce ahm down wit'oo!" He looks even more angry that his epic response is rendered comic by trying to speak through a broken nose.
12|62
Jofram attempts to return the Dweller's assault in kind. Awareness of the crumbling floorstones nearby shifts his stance, putting a bit more distance between the ranger and the failing architecture.
Vaelos again dives down on Dimwat, swooping low over the necromancer's head.
The Dweller is disdainful of the Ranger's blade... until it slashes deeply into its misty midsection. It eyes the Ghost-Touched weapon and its bearer with more concern.
With a shriek, the mighty Vaelos drops from the sky again and takes the eye from... yet another image. The broken-nosed Dinwat is far too concerned with the closing noose to do more than make a half-hearted attempt to slash at the bird. His blow goes wide.
Jayse smiles. Five left.
Ushari sees the necromancer extract a heavy toll on the others, yet realizes Jofram also needs her help.
"Thanks for the compliment, Jayse! I'll be there in a second."
She skips across the temple floor and holds up her hand bathing the temple in holy light,, even while her weapon flies to re-engage the Dweller.
Ushari's blade misses its mark but the burst of holy energy shrinks the shadowy Dweller a bit.
12|62
49|68
45|45
3|53
11|52
Straehan struggles mentally against the spell's hold. He finally manages to blink his tearing eyes. The gnome freezes in place, playing possum, hoping his new-found freedom escapes the Necromancer's notice...
Let him think I'm not a threat.
With a howl of victory, Shaggar jumps towards the swirling images without hesitation - his massive axe making the argument. His first blow decapitates an image. His second blow must have been seeking the true necromancer for all the images jump out of the way of the axe blow. Sniffing for the true target, Shaggar lashes out with the backend of the axe. The sound of ribs cracking elicits a hyena-like chortle from the gnoll.
"Gonna eat your brain, spellsinger. Oh YES!"
The four images remaining look to be in very poor shape - blood courses down their faces and the figures are stooped, favoring one side.
HIT:
DAM:
%:
HIT:
DAM:
%:
HIT:
DAM:
%:
The Dweller's gaze moves between the Cleric of Light and the Ranger with the ghostly blade. It spares a glance for the nearly defeated Necromancer and the forces surrounding him.
They'll finish him soon enough and then they'll come for me. There is too much to be lost here just to sate my anger. I'm free now. I need only time to regain my strength. Fighting here gains me nothing and could lose me everything.
The Dweller regards the Cleric and Ranger again. As he sinks into the floor - to wait, hunt, and regain his full strength, he offers a final word.
:: This round is yours - enjoy the moment while it lasts. Know that my return is assured. When I am ready - we will meet again. ::
ORDER:
Dinwat spits up blood. The sharp pain in his side tells him that at least a couple of ribs are floating free. Watching the whatever-it-was retreat, he feels a shiver of impending death. He might have had a chance if the would-be rescuers' ranks had stayed divided. Now, the situation was bleak.
He searches his memory for a gambit, for a spell, for something that will tear victory from seeming defeat. A ghost of a risky idea forms in his head and it all hinges on his last servant. Dinwat, like the patient spider he is, waits to see if his pet will be of any use.
The Behemoth sees massive holes through the trapdoor. It is nearly ready to give. It drives its axe into the ceiling... It isn't its strongest blow but it is enough. The remnants of the trapdoor cave in - freeing the Behemoth who summits the ladder and climbs out into the temple.
HIT
DAM
The Behemoth is barely off the ladder when Dinwat shouts his orders. "KILL the children! Stop at nothing! KILL them all!" Without question, the massive vine-covered Behemoth lumbers hastily towards the bone cage. It brushes past Jofram and Ushari without breaking pace.
Seeing the massive brute coming for them, the two conscious children wail and scramble to the far side of the cage trying to escape. The unconscious child is blissfully unaware of how close death is. Dinwat looks to Jayse and gives as much of a smile as he can through the pain. "Tough choice - kill the villain or save the children. Of course, you could hope your friends can stop my pet in time. Then again, if you kill me, there won't be anyone to call it off the children in case your friends don't prove up to the task."
"Here, let me help make this choice easier for you." He begins casting a simple spell and reaches out to touch the Monk...
Dinwat envisions the scene. His gentle touch accompanied by a battering ram of Force energy - more than enough to punch a hole through Jayse's chest and send his lifeless body sprawling at least 30'. If he angles it correctly, he might even manage to drop the corpse through one of the trapdoors. Won't that be tidy. Then it will be a simple matter of disabling the dumb gnoll and then to wipe out the Cleric and Ranger - possibly with Acid Spray or Boneshatter. Then it will be time to rebuild...
The Necromancer smiles and continues casting his spell, a simple spell he has cast 100 times... but not with a broken nose that makes articulating the magical phrases more difficult, or with busted ribs that make some of the necessary motions quite a challenge.
Dinwat lays his finger on the center of Jayse's chest - and nothing happens. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
ORDER:
12|62
49|68
45|45
3|53
11|52
Jofram, Shaggar, Straehan...
Haste - 5 of 6 RND - +1 Attack on FULL ATTACK ACTION ; +1 ATT Rolls ; +1 Reflex Saves ; +1 Dodge AC ; +30' Move
Everyone...
Inspire Courage - +2 ATT/DAM ; +2 Saves v Charm/Fear
There is a moment of indecision. The children are in danger, but Dinwat still stands. The scale swings back and forth in the Calm as Jayse's mind takes in all the factors, but in the end, Jayse knows the greater danger is the mage.
Legs freed from the grasping claws, he continues his full assault on the dwindling crowd of bleeding mages.
Jofram and Ushari slash at the Behemoth but their weapons fail to find purchase on the armored exterior of the creature.
Jayse's first kick smacks against the Necromancer's good ribs and doubles him over. Dinwat shakes his head, clearly disoriented. The monk follows up with a series of circle kicks... and two images vanish.
And then there were just two...
Jayse sees two Necromancers in front of him. He picks one and drives a flat punch toward the image's face. Dinwat's head snaps back with a loud crack - his neck breaking. The Necromancers' body spasms before it slides to the floor. His head faces at an improbable direction.
Usahri watches helplessly as the Behemoth lumbers towards the bone cage.
Dammit! I have no way to slow that THING down! There has to be a way to free the children from that cage...that BONE cage....
An idea born of desperation is born...
Also, there is nothing in the Hero Points rules that allows you to change what can be damaged by a spell or any other effect... so no dice on that. If a hole were made in the cage, the two conscious kids could attempt an escape - if their minds aren't snapped with fear. Since you hit them with a Protection from Evil, they will get a fear save to make a run for it, if the opportunity presents itself. The unconscious kid is pretty much out of luck in that regard until he is conscious.
However, you aren't the only character in play which leads me to the following non-spoilered comment.
Ushari debates what to do... and realizes there are other teammates with plans. As Dinwat falls, she sees the gnoll burst into a headlong run towards the Behemoth as he pulls a throwing axe. Meanwhile, Straehan streaks around the black podium heading towards the southern end of the bone cage.
Straehan sprints past the podium avoiding as much of the bone carpet as possible on his way to the south end of the cage. He stops short of the cage, slowed down by the carpet of bones. The sorcerer makes a gesture and two beams of fire scour, but don't slow, the lumbering behemoth.
Shaggar runs along the south side of the pillars as he draws a throwing axe and hurls it. The axe spins away from the gnoll and buries itself in the shoulder of the Behemoth.
Only one thing will slow it down - Damn, I hated dying the first time... I really hate this.
Risking the onslaught of the many-armed monstrosity, Jofram dashes through the closing gap between the behemoth and the wall. Tumbling around to face it, he brings his blade to bear as it closes in.
Ushari knows there is only one chance to save the children, by destroying the Behemoth. She stabs at the undead monstrosity, even while she directs her spell to engage it calling on her healing powers to further damage it.
Jofram races past the Behemoth and tumbles into a position between a metaphorical rock and a very, very hard place. The ranger slashes at the bulbous, vine-bound gut of the creature - leaving a bloody groove.