Perhaps, Azdak, you'd best show us what it is you're hiding up those stairs. If your presence here is truly innocent, we will let you leave in peace.
"Can't leave a sick old dwarf in peace?" Azdak steps back up the stairs into the darkness, disappearing from view.
Azdak positions himself over the hole where the stairs come up and silently raises his axe high above his head, ready to swing it downward. As you watch his skin begins to ripple and undulate, something is seething from within. His face contorts into a mask of hatred.
Seeing the danger to his companions below and the strange twisting of something beneath Azdak's flesh, Valdr steps up behind the axe wielding enemy and silently brings his own axe around in a brutal two handed swing, telepathically calling forth the innate power of the mystic weapon. There was some hope even that the impact of the blow to the back would send the dwarf realing down the hole. Knowing that his invisibility spell would now be gone, Valdr called out to those below. "They are hostile and more of them are up here."
At Valdr's call, Tunny leaps into action, drawing his blades and charging forward to strike at the odd dwarf.
Valdr's blade cuts into the dwarves neck, partially severing the neck. The dwarf lets out a gurgling sound then the head tears completely free of the body, falling to the floor with a thump. A worm extends from the neck where the head once was, swiveling towards Valdr, an angry hiss escaping issuing from a toothy maw.
This is a Vermlek, a type of lesser demon that uses dead humanoids as a host. They are capable of keeping their host bodies in good condition through gentle repose . Beyond that you don't know much about this creature.
"Edric, to arms..." says Tavrus in a slightly agitated tone. He moves towards the fracas to get a view up the steps if possible without getting in the way of any who would want to ascend. He will draw his crossbow on the way.
Edric moves with Tavrus, drawing his scimitar along the way as well.
Tomlin launches into action at the words from Valdr. He relied on his training; his masters had not been gentle when errors were made moving quickly but still hidden. Ghosting up the stairs, the halfling took in the scene and scanned for enemies.
Shocked at the wretched and foul creature that emerged from the body of the rotting dwarf, Valdr realized with horror that what he faced was a demon from the dark realms.
"It's a demon and there are more of them." He called out, even as he sought to deal with this revelation.
Tomlin moves up the stairs quickly but quietly. As he reaches the opening the Vermlek's eyes pick him out of the darkness with ease.
Tomlin ducks the blow and moves into the darkened room.
Tavrus follows a bit more cautiously
Dodging the vile creature's assault, Tomlin moves to a flanking position on the side of the creature opposite Valdr. He attempts to remain hidden in the darkness of room; better to surprise later foes who may enter the room.
Attack
Damage if hits +
With silent determination, the dwarven servant of the tower raised his battle axe high in one hand, even as he wove a spell into the spell scarred black axe. The mystic energy surged through his body, up his arm and into the sentient weapon, infusing it further with the corrosive touch of the invoked spell.
Stepping forward and closing the distance between him and the wretched demon, Valdr's eyes flashed with blue light as he swiftly called upon the acane insight to guide his strike in its downward sweep.
Valdr sinks his axe into the body of the dwarf, a gray ichor seeping from the wound, which bubbles and hisses as the acid spreads across the body. The bubbling acid doesn't do nearly as much damage as Valdr had hoped though.
Akane moves up to join Tavrus at the bottom of the stairs and weaves an enchantment.
Though the corrosive touch that had been imbued into the axe was no longer in effect, Valdr felt the power of Tavrus's divine magic infuse him with enhanced speed. Though he had some concerns regarding the diety that Tavrus offered his prayers to, Valdr had no time to dwell on such worries at the present. Swinging the mighty axe about in a wide arc, he brought his other hand to the long handle and sought to cleave further into the already mangled and rotting body of the demon's dwarven host.
Tunny rushes up the stairs to assist in the attack, grumbling something about the light on his sword.
Valdr nearly severs a hand from the dwarf. A scaly wormlike figure of the demon can be seen writhing beneath the skin.
Rushing up the stairs behind Tomlin, Tunny and Aurelion encircle the demon infested dwarf, stabbing with their blades. Aurelion hits the head of the strange creature but the blow doesn't seem to affect it.
The obese man Valdr saw climbing the ladder earlier drops into the room from above, a longsword held in its hand. As it stands from the crouch induced by the drop the head of the man tears away from the flesh of the body revealing a second demon, a kin of the first.
Rather than moving to attack though it focuses its eyes on its companion. A burst of dark energy flies toward the dwarf, as it reaches him the ball splits into three striking Aurlion and Tomlin as well.
The wounds of the demon inhabiting the dwarf close up, in part, while life is drained from Tomlin and Aurelion.
It used a spell like ability of mass cure light wounds.
Outside on the ground level five more demons, of a different sort, round the south wall of the tower, moving towards Akane and Tavrus below. Short and squat with a pair of claws and razorsharp teeth. No sound escapes their lips as they rush towards the tower opening.
These are dretches, one of the lowest form of demons. They are slow but can be dangerous in large numbers.
Like all demons they are immune to poison and electricity, and are resistant to acid, cold, and fire. They are best attacked with cold iron or good weapons.
They have several spell like abilities they can use once per day, cause fear and stinking cloud. Their immunity to poison can make their stinking cloud especially dangerous to those who don't enjoy such immunity.
Tavrus fires his +1 crossbow at the first of the demons (17Q).
(x2 if crit)
"Edric, charge." Tavrus commands.
A blur of speed and motion, his axe continued to cleave the air and once more into the tattered rotting body the demon wore. He saw the other wretched creature had dropped down from above, but could do little about it at the moment, deciding to take advantage of the magic power surging through his axe and his body for as long as was possible.
Know Planes Untrained:
Will Save vs. Damage
Tomlin grunted in pain as the dark energy struck, but in truth that was the lesser of his worries. Aurelion's sword and clearly struck the creature, yet it appeared unphased. What manner of beat IS this?? He had heard his masters speak of creatures needing magic to best injured, and he though for a moment ruefully of his own unenchanted swords. He focused inwardly for a moment, then launched his blades into the creature in a furious whirl.
Attack #1
Attack #1 Damage +
Attack #2
Attack #2 Damage +
Attack #3
Attack #3 Damage +
That should read mass inflict light wounds, not cure light wounds.
Aurelion pressed the demon, swinging his greatsword in a broad arc.
Tunny presses in from the other side.
Tavrus catches the lead demon from below in the shoulder, the bolt remains protruding out the back of the foul creature.
Edric charges as commanded, but his slow clumsy motions fail to hit the creature.
Akane and Yoroi move in behind Edric to bite at the creature as well.
The creature lashes out with a claw as Akane moves into position to attack.
One of the lesser demons focus its attention towards Tavrus and a noxious green vapor fills the hallway and pours into the room above.
Akane recgonizes the vapor as a stinking cloud.
"Get out of the poison she cries out."
Another of the demons glares at Edric, plainly expecting something to happen.
It attempted to use the spell like ability cause fear on Edric, but of course Edric is immune.
With tooth and claw the lead dretch attacks Edric.
The others move in towards Akane, trying to hem her in.
On the upper floor, the dwarven body battered and torn, the worm like demon sheds the skin, leaving a withered and empty husk behind. Some of the creatures wounds close over as it leaves the host body. Five worm like tendrils bursting through the flesh.
It attempts to bite Tomlin with a set of needle like teeth.
The second demon, still in its human body, appears from the mists, longsword swinging for Aurelion.
vs stinking cloud, saves.
"Push them back!" Tavrus shouts, covering his face with his sleeve to mitigate some of the stench.
"And you, pitiful wretch, must betray your ally!" he proclaims, pointing his finger at one of them and casting Murderous Command (DC 14 Will negates)
Edric attacks once more at the beast in front of him.
If that one goes down, Edric will 5' step forward into its place.
Save vs. Stinking Cloud
The noxious vapors wafting up from below caught Tomlin off-guard. Focused fully on the creatures in the tower room, he was engulfed with the fumes before he knew they were there. Nearly retching, the halfling staggered back out of the mists in an attempt to clear his lungs.
With the fumes rising up around him and both demons still standing, Valdr felt a genuine worry. These demons weren't common criminals. They were malevolent entities with access to cursed powers. If they were not defeated this day, the horrors they might bring to Coran and its surrounding domains would be devestating.
His innate dwarven resistance to both poisons and magic left him more or less immune to the fumes and so he stayed within the wretched cloud, after striking once with his Axe, he used his hasted ability to take a step backward and weave a spell of pure arcane energy, sending a barrage of magic missiles at the demon he battled. Each glowing emerald sphere colliding with the worm shaped horror and exploding on impact.
As Tomlin stumbles his way out of the fog the demon lashes out at him.
Valdr's swing with his axe is clumsy. His magic is true though, the force bolts slamming into the creature, knocking it backward a couple of feet.
Tunny attacks with one of his blades, then moves away to get out of the poisonous fumes.
The creatures writhes on the ground, a spasm of worm like tendrils, then is still.
Aurelion turns about to attack the second demon.
Tunny watches as another bloated humanoid climbs from the hole by the ladder, scaling along the wall like a spider. It disappears into the fog cloud circling east.
Akane stumbles out of the fog, gasping for breath.
Edric connects with his scimitar, but is unable to pierce the toughened skin of the demon.
The demon ignores Tavrus command and advances on Edric.
Another of the beasts grimaces at Tavrus, its mouth opening wide.
The last one thrashes at Akane with tooth and claw.
vs fear, success
vs stink, success
Tavrus will present his unholy symbol with great malice, exclaiming "DIE!"
negative energy damage to all the little demons, excluding Akane/Yoroi, cant affect Edric even though it should heal him (silly rules)
Edric will attack P17 again, and if he kills it he will 5' step into that space
Valdr breathed in the foul stench. While it was loathsome and made his stomach turn, he was a dwarf and could withstand such discomforts. His was a hardy people and a bad odor wasn't about to bring him down. Thinking it wiser to get out of the cloud however, Valdr took advantage of his enhanced speed to rush toward the ladder and opened his palm to reveal the Pearl of power. Whispering arcane words over it, energy lanced from it, to him, and then back to it. A split second later the image of him casting the spell of magic missile appeared within the pearl. Three emerald spheres launched from the pearl resting in his palm and bombarded the still standing demon.
"Wretched creature, go back to the black abyss from which you came!"
Edric hacks at the demon without any finesse or emotion. His attack is unable to get past its armor though.
Akane steps back from the horde of evil creatures, still trying to stop the bile from rising in her throat.
The demons mouths twist in pain, but no sound comes forth from them.
Tunny moves to the ladder and prepares an attack should any more creatures come up.
Doing his best to keep from vomiting Aurelion moves to follow Tunny while continuing his attacks.
Aurelions second swing connects solidly with the demon, cleaving into flesh and tearing at the demon inside. He begins to gasp and choke on the foul and toxic fumes though.
A second bloated humanoid stands north of the other one.
The magic missiles slam into the creature, clearly having more effect than blades. Though it continues to attack Aurelion.
The other one strikes at Valdr. Then steps away.
Down below the dretches crowd in around Edric.
The fifth, jaw gaping, glares at Tavrus.
The cloud of green vapors dissipate.
Tomlin centered himself to keep from retching, but inwardly said a small prayer of thanks that the noxious fumes had dissipated. Still, the dizziness had not faded and the halfling knew he was going to be of no help in the battle just yet. Hoping to find such a chance in the future, Tomlin moved back to a point where the light did not shine so brightly. With a little luck, he hoped to fade out of the creature's concerns to strike from the shadows later.
Edric attacks the one in front of him, moving into that space if he drops the creature.
Tavrus attempts to shake off the effects of the spell.
Once again Tavrus will cast about his dark energy attempting to damage the creatures.
The time had come to end this. Seeing that most of his companions were incapacitated due to retching up whatever they had for meals earlier in the day, Valdr snorted and kept at the demon, driven by an additional hatred that these wretched spawn would occupy the bodies of dwarves.
The demons on the lower level writhe in pain as another wave of negative energy strikes them.
One of them collapses to the ground while Edric continues to clumsily attack the others.
Choking and retching Aurlion takes a step away from the demons while Tunny dashes in to strike on concert with Valdr's vicious axe strokes.
His attack is ineffective though.
Akane leans against the tower wall, trying to calm her reeling stomach.
Finding Edric impervious to their attacks two of the demons move in on Akane.
The others press Edric to keep him from coming to her aid.
Upstairs the first vermlek drives its blade towards Valdr.
A near hit, though the magical haste coursing through his limbs allows Valdr to bring his axe in to parry at the last moment.
The other one focuses and three dark orbs fly from its hands, striking the other two demons and Valdr.
With the dark energy healing its wounds the demon which had previously possessed the dwarf rises again on its worm like limbs. It too sends orbs of dark energy, healing its wounds further and striking Valdr with a second orb.
The nauseating sickness passes from Tomlin.
Edric slashes once more with his blade, this time at 19Q.
Tavrus fires with his crossbow at the prone demon , then reloads.