thereal thom's
Game Master therealthom

"I'll fetch them," Emerion volunteers, and does so swiftly.

"Easier to move the vials rather than move burning braziers my friend"

And Wellard reads my mind!

What does burning blood smell like?

DC 43 fort saves v charcoal activated weaponized aerosol disease! Then open the spoiler if you fail:

There is a sudden crashing sound. It must have been quite loud at its source, but seems to be muffled by distance and intervening doors. A second one follows. Then a third.

"Well, that sounds bad," Istas notes, "Shall we go see what destiny has brought us now?"

"As Long as it is not another Daemon, Devil, Demon or Golem..off course it might just be one very annoyed Nosferatu"

"Aye, let us do so. I think that may have come from the shaft..."

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (20) + 10 = 30 can Em detirmine the direction?

The sound is coming from the direction of the elevator.

Heather heaves a deep sigh..""Please don't tell me our retreat has been cut off..that would be all we needed"

"It's a shaft. We have rope."

Emerion leads the way back toward the shaft.

"And here I was thinking that the interesting part of our day was over," Keliwyn says with a grin, following Emerion.

Ignore people on the map, it's from the old battle.

You pop out of the door (L1) and look right toward the sound. The double doors at C5 and C6 are closed. The sound came from beyond them.

Fina shrugs the big sword off her shoulder and raises and lowers it to loosen up.

Sooo?

"Could we have missed someone..or something?"

"Only the obvious - the zombies behind the glass!" Emerion curses. "He's smashing the glass and freeing them of course." He glances around, assessing the party's situation.

"We stay here on the catwalk, toward this end K2 to N3. If we jig this right, they will only be able to come at us from two paths, one at a time. Now's the time I wish I'd take up the broadsword," Emerion sighs. "I'll take this end K2, Fina can you cover the other?" N3 "Everyone else, support us as you can."

Fina moves to her assigned post.

And you wait.

Nice analysis, Dabbler.

How long are you prepared to wait?

That tactic has been on my mind since we first saw the zombies there - both for us to use, and usable against us.

"Hold here a moment," he says to the others. "I'm going to open the doors and let them through. I can run the fastest, so I should be able to make it back here safe."

Em will approach the doors and flip them open, then race back to position if the scene that greets his eyes is what he suspects.

Through the doors Emerion sees several zombies dragging themselves around the floor. They don't seem to move with any purpose and are apparently incapable of standing and walking normally.

Only one corner of the glass floor has been breached. Apparently the thick glass is tougher than it looks.

A very undamaged looking Arkminos stands near the far end of the room.

"Brave of you to face me alone."

Can I get an initiative please? 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Ah, crap.

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Will: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Emerion pauses as the doors open, and with dragging steps walks into the room, closing the door behind him.

"Damn! Somethings wrong!" Keliwyn exclaims as he makes for the double doors Emerion just shut. "Follow him!"

Keliwyn's intent is to open the doors and follow Emerion into the next room, facing whatever is there. Let me know what other rolls you may need.

initiative 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

Move and open doors will be all Keliwyn can do this turn. I'll see what Heather and Istas come up with before continuing.

Heather follows fast on Emerions heels.

Fina pounds after Heather. Istas rushes forward too.

Keliwyn pushes the double doors open. You find Emerion busy hacking and stabbing one of zombies on the left side of the room.

Near the far end of the zombie room, Ramoska begins chanting and gesturing.

Initiatives:
Ramoska Arkminos , 21
Keliwyn, 20
Heather 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Istas 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Fina 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Emerion 12

Ramoska casts web at the group in the doorway. DC 16 reflex save.

Istas 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Fina 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Not snared, but moving will be tricky. Heather and Kel to save. Kel's up.

Reflex 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

Heather curses as she finds out the hard way what being in a web is like..

Keliwyn's Ref save 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18

Keliwyn leaps clear of the web into the hall of zombies. Rolling to his feat he draws his rapier and charges Arkminos with the blade extended.

Charge with Rapier 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (6) + 12 = 18 ... damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

The vampire bends aside again.

Heather, you're up.

Heather struggles to free herself from the web but fails miserably.In a fit of pique she fires a lightning bolt at Arkminos which unfortunately also sets the web alight.

Combat maneuvre 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Lightning bolt5d6 ⇒ (6, 5, 3, 3, 1) = 18

Damage from flaming web on her. 2d4 ⇒ (4, 1) = 5

She is now thoroughly annoyed.

Keliwyn curses at the nosferatu's speed in slipping his attacks.

Seeing her friends hindered by the nosferatu's spell, but heartened by Heather's ability to burn it away, Istas takes advantage of Keliwyn's distraction by retrieving an item from her pack. Then, she stands her ground, holding it aloft. The device resembles a copper triangle like something used in an orchestra and she holds a crystalline wand in her hand with which to strike it. Bravely facing the advancing zombies and Ramoska alike, she prepares to sound a single note like a tolling bell.

"Let those who shirk fate and ignore the clarion call of their appointed death hear the ringing tone of Pharasma's realm once more. And by her will, be made undone."

Thom:

OMG! She has the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch! Cast it at the enemy, and they, having been naughty in thine sight, shall snuff it.

The note Istas strikes is pure and clear. It fills your ears, and rebounds off the walls to fill them again. The sound grows, filling throat and lungs, body and mind, with a singular resonance, consuming all thought, shaking your limbs frenetically.

Ramoska throws his hands over his ears and stands transfixed.

Then the feeling begins. Feeding off the fading vibration, a tingling warmth, not unlike Istas' healing spells, but growing far stronger, almost painfully warm. Heat rushing through your muscles and bones, driving the weight of fatigue before it and away, leaving a new freshness behind. You are strong.

The note fades and laves a vacuum of silence, broken by the chink of the triangle and crystal splintering.

The nosferatu Arkminos straightens up. "That was all?"

Emerion springs away from the zombies and darts in to flank Arkminos with Kelliwyn. Dexterity up for +1 to hit & AC; Heroe's Feast for +1 to hit & saves; +2 flanking.

Attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (9) + 15 = 24 Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 5) + 4 = 14 Silver & Magic

"Works for me," he adds cheerfully.

Fina charges through the burning wisps of web past Heather and Istas. The great sword swings up and drives downward at Ramoska.

Great sword 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (3) + 9 = 12.... damage 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (6, 5) + 4 = 15

Some day She's going to hit something. ANd when she does it will hurt.

Despite his advantages, Emerion misses.

Round 2

Ramoska Arkminos , 21
Keliwyn, 20
Heather 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Istas 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Fina 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Emerion 12

Arkminos steps back 5', a gesture, a word of power, and he is wreathed in flames.

Keliwyn is up.

Actually my initiative is now a +5

Heather thinks for a moment as a new series of spells gel within her mind speaks a short phrase and a glowing hand appears beside her.

Casting Specteral Hand

I still need to finish leveling K up, but here's his attack.

Keliwyn focuses, trying to get a feel for the timing of his attacks in relation to the nosferatu's speed.

Attack 1d20 + 11 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 11 + 3 = 27 Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 Sneak/Flank Damage 4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 2, 2) = 13

Keliwyn strikes through the cold blue flames. A deadly chill runs up his arm, and he narrowly misses his target.

Istas, Fina, Emerion

Feeling the power of Pharasma coursing through her anew, Istas seeks to destroy both the encircling zombies as well as Ramoska.

Channel positive energy... 4d6 ⇒ (3, 6, 1, 5) = 15
DC 17 Will save for half.

Emerion's blade dances as he sidesteps to stay in opposition to Kellwyn.

Improved feint (bluff): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (11) + 13 = 24 vs 10 + Sense Motive OR 10 + attack bonus + wis bonus, success and he is flat footed.

+2 Flanking, +1 Dex bonus, +1 Heroe's Feast, AC to 22

Attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (14) + 15 = 29 Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (3, 5) + 4 = 12 Silver & magic piercing damage

Pharasma's power ripples through the room leaving truly dead zombies in its wake. The power breaks around a defiant Ramoska like waves around a single standing rock.

Emerion follows closely with a competent lunge through the cold fire surrounding the nosfeatu. His rapier pierces Ramoska's long leather coat and the vampire snarls in pain.

Finally a half-decent melee attack roll!

But even as the bravo anticipates success, the cold rolls up his arm toward his heart. 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Cold damage

Fina changes tactics. She reverses the greatsword and tries to hook the crossguard behind Ramoska's knee. 1d6 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 Cold damage

Aid another for Keliwyn's attack 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (4) + 8 = 12 Keliwyn gets +2 on his next round attack against Ramoska.

The vampire steps backward another 5' putting his back against the double doors. He focuses his attention on Keliwyn.

Will Save 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

Keliwyn feels an urge to attack Fina and defend the nosferatu, but shakes it off as the undead's corrupt influence trying to work through him.

ANd then Kelwiyn .....

Reinvigorated by Emerion's attack and the fact that the nosferatu can be struck, Keliwyn presses on.

Attack 1d20 + 11 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 11 + 5 = 25 Damage 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3Sneak/Flank Damage 4d6 ⇒ (6, 6, 2, 2) = 16

edit: grrrrrrrr . . .

... sadly misses.

Heather, Istas, Fina, Emerion.

I doubt Heather's action will alter what Istas has planned. So...

Satisfied with the sizzling husks of the divinely-burned zombies, Istas narrows her attention on Ramoska.

"YOUR DAY...IS AT AN END!!!" she pronounces, holding forth Pharasma's holy symbol once more. The spiralling comet flares with a brilliant, searing light, transferring from the disc to Istas' hand. She then reaches forward with her open palm, launching a holy ray of sunlight to burn the nosferatu where he stands.

Casting searing light...
Ranged touch attack for the ray... 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27
Damage vs. undead affected by sunlight... 7d8 ⇒ (4, 2, 5, 3, 5, 8, 8) = 35
No save.

Holy crap! Natural 20! That's a possible crit!
Confirm critical threat... 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Critical damage... 7d8 ⇒ (8, 5, 2, 2, 2, 1, 8) = 28
Again. No save. OUCH!

Pile on, Heather!

Heather sends the hand forth and it crackles with electrical energy as it flies towards the Nosferatu..

Casting Shocking grasp through the hand

Touch Attack from hand 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 Damage 5d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 2, 4, 4) = 16 no save

If there is anything left of the vampire...

Emerion sidesteps to keep Kel in a flanking position if he can.

Improved feint (bluff): 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (19) + 13 = 32 vs 10 + Sense Motive OR 10 + attack bonus + wis bonus, success and he is flat footed.

+2 Flanking, +1 Dex bonus, +1 Heroe's Feast, AC to 22

Attack: 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (11) + 15 = 26 Damage: 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (3) + 4 = 7 Silver & magic piercing damage + Sneak Attack 1d6 ⇒ 5 if applicable.

Sugar! He's got no touch AC.

Ramoska hisses when Heather's spectral hand shocks him.

Then Istas' spell of light rips through him. Ramoska inhales audibly and dissolves into a cloud of smoking, swarming insects.

Emerion, Fina, and Keliwyn are left with no satisfying target for their swords.

The insect swarm flows back toward Ramoska's lab.

"Follow him!" Istas encourages the others, "He's just a mindless swarm now, retreating to his coffin so he can recover. If we can find it in time, we can slay him once and for all." The priestess hurries after the retreating insects, intent on tracing their path.

Emerion races forward after the swarm.

"He'll have fun when he gets there, we set his coffin on fire!"

"Sometimes Arson can be a good thing" Heather gasps as she runs along behind the others the hand keeping pace at her shoulder.Duration 68 rounds from now

"He'll have fun when he gets there, we set his coffin on fire!"

"It may not be his only one," Istas returns, "He had planned to travel, after all...so he must have had some means of taking a coffin with him. Watch the walls and the floor where the swarm moves. I suspect there's a hidden passage about somewhere. Maybe that's where we'll find the coffin and Ruan."

Momentarily stunned at the raw power shown by Istas, Keliwyn recovers and gives chase along with the others.