The first to react, Norrin reverts to his archaeological instincts.
"The first order of business upon claiming this dig site, is to eliminate the competition!"
He aims his hand crossbow at Blackfire Adept 1.
___
The mage shrugs irritably as Norrin's crossbow bolt flies over his shoulder. He doesn't seem outstandingly surprised to be attacked and raises his staff with practised ease, shouting to his ally.
"More Faithful. Get ready."
Lisbarr takes in the scene and is not impressed. "I can tell by your demeanour that it is our duty to defeat you."
"Take a bit of your own medicine for once!"
Lyan deftly swings around behind the targeted mage, striking him as he passes.
"Wait! What are Faithful?" Akemi cries, "You have mistaken us, I think!"
Lyan thoroughly discomfits B1 by his abrupt arrival and the appearance of a hobgoblin blade at his throat rapidly silences any answer he might have planned to make to Akemi.
His comrade is more vocal. "Never mind who they are, just kill them," he shouts.
Rothel pops into view and sees Lyan engaged, unsure what he's dealing with he summons his spirit into the space above Lyan's opponent. Rahz-Ahk strikes out beneath him, and drawing the target's attention away from Lyan. The spirit swings half-heartedly, gathering its senses in the new environment. Rothel tries to get an idea of what it is that they are facing.
Rothel's deep knowledge reveals everything about how these particular humans operate.
Blackfire Battle Mages (level 16 Skirmisher)
Medium natural humanoid, no resistances or vulnerabilities
Necrotic Mace - does necro damage (mba)
Death Bolt - v Ref, does force and necro damage and target is dazed to end its next turn (rba)
Running attack - Battle mage moves 8 squares and makes one basic attack (melee or ranged) during that movement
Black Step - Battle mage shifts 3 squares. And creature adjacent at end of shift takes 1d8 necro.
Norrin misses Blackfire Mage 1 again before darting to cover.
___
B1 jumps slightly as Norrin's arrow sings over his shoulder and the half-orc darts behind the rubble. Both mages are now chanting and gesturing, seemingly summoning support.
"Stop that muttering! You shall not do it!"
Imperiously, Lisbarr sends out another radiant beam.
Which misses...
The mages ignore Lisbarr's words and overcome their surprise. Moving to attack, B1 shifts clear of Lyan and fires an ineffectual bolt of dark energy at the hobgoblin, while B2 rounds the rubbles and shocks Rothel with the strength of his attack.
"Leave. Now."
"Not so lucky."
Lyan eases around B1 in time to see the reason for the conjuring and chanting. From the surrounding rubble and fallen walls, four spirit wraiths emerge. Headless creatures, they wield swords of spirit and their own heads, the eyes bright with a feverish hunger.
Unable to react under his state of incapacitation, Rothel urges his companion to allow another to act in his place. The spirit infuses Lyan with his will, focusing his anger through him.
While the spirits are strange to Akemi, Rothel's long lives allow him some insight. These spirits are created as servitors to dark necromancers and as such are imbued with a dark life that fears no radiance. Vicious warriors, they are highly intelligent and take delight in removing their own heads to throw at their enemies. The heads regrow instantly and can be used again and again, along with their keening swords.
The spirit of Rahz-Ahk flows through Lyan and the hobgoblin lands a ferocious blow on B1. The mage looks a little frightened now.
Rev
Norrin darts around the corner to bring more misery to B1's life.
"Barry Crocker!" Curses the rogue before he zips towards the ruins.
___
Akemi's resolve strengthens and she charges one of the wizards, daring the spellcaster to flee from her.
Norrin curses as a potent attack simply bounces off the Blackfire Mage, but somehow manages to conceal himself in the rubble. Akemi in the meantime turns her implacable attention to B2, appearing close by and annointing him as her own.
Lisbarr's sense of how a battle should be is suffering. "They are not together enough! How can I do things to them if they don't join together? You will all die for this!"
He sends a depressing bolt towards the blackfire mage that has had his attention so far in an effort to teach him what battles are really about.
"Now pull yourselves together."
Lisbarr's hysterical complaints are just enough to bloody B1 as he seems briefly stupified by the Invoker's power. Shifting away, he fires a bolt at Lyan, and flinches slightly as the latent effect of Lisbarr's attack hit his ally.
B2 keeps a watchful eye on Akemi and moves away before firing a death bolt at her.
"Mine," Lyan growls, shaking off the effects of the bolt only to smash at the mage with his flail and advance on the creature.
The hobgoblin casually shakes aside the effects of the Black Mages attack and goes in pursuit. Another mighty blow lands, but the time for celebration is short. Almost immediately, a wraith appears behind Lyan, driving its screaming blade deep into his side.
"Miiinnnnee" is grins, echoing his own words.
Flying over the rubble, W3 gleefully hurls its own head at Akemi, Norrin and Rothel, watching in satisfaction as the thing explodes repulsively over them. Wraiths 1 and 4 fly closer, but make no attempt to attack as yet.
Rothel tries to focus his attentions on the one that looks close to dropping, but first he must ensure that Lyan is still good to continue his assault. Granting him a draught of health, he forces the spirit into Lyan, to empower his swings. Afterwards the spirit is conjured again, but this time in support of Akemi. He tries to will himself away from the creature bearing down on him, but is unable.
B1 screams as his recent wound opens again.
Rahz-Ahk skims the battlefield in his element, claws extended and the light of battle in his glowing eyes.
Lyan swings, but is distracted by the wraith.
Akemi continues her dogged press against the mage.
Akemi relentlessly hounds B2, driving her blade into him once more and reminding him that he cannot easily escape her vengeance.
11 necro to Norrin and marked by W3 (se)
Norrin sneaks an attack at Blackfire Mage 2.
Taunting Wraith 3, "Ha, I don't need you to throw off my aim, I can do that myself!"
___
Norrin fires two optimistic arrows at B2 before scampering around the ruins. His hasty movement draws B1's attention - although the mage has more than enough on his mind to worry about at the moment.
Lisbarr moves into the fray and launches an attack at the (albeit small) cluster of enemies surrounding Lyan.
"Bad, just bad..."
Tutting furiously, Lisbarr sends lightning towards W2 and B1 and nods with satisfaction as the smell of charring ectoplasm adds itself to the already noisome atmosphere.
B1 ducks easily aside and shifts to fire another death bolt at Lyan.
Akemi's target circles back towards the rank pool and fails to hit the avenger with his own death bolt. Her face hidden by her mask, she follows implacably.
"Stop that," the hobgoblin growls, but fails to back up the words with anything more.
The hobgoblin swings, growls and misses as the mage readily evades his attack.
Incoming wraiths continue their advance, putrescent heads held high. Only W2 takes the simpler option and swings its keening blade across Lyan's torso.
Matters become messy in a matter of seconds as blades and explosions remind the companions of the dangers they are facing.
Bloodied.
Bloodied.
Map updated to reflect Lyan's bloodied status and Rothel is up.
The explosion passes through Rahz-Ahk harmlessly, as if he were not even there. He then sweeps into Akemi, eagerly, as he knows she is made for bringing pain down on creatures. His presence compels her to swing, before he fades away. Rothel contemplates all of his options, a look of worry on his features, "We are too spread out, and our attentions are too divided. Focus on single targets. Lyan, finish off the wounded mage, remove him from the fight." He conjures the spirit back into being, once again at Lyan's side, before he summons the healing energies to aid in both his and Lyan's recovery.
Lyan growls.