Tomlin felt the nausea finally lift as he watch the combat continue in front of him. He had found a patch of shadows, and hoped that the chaotic fray helped him hide from his foes. Re-centering himself, he darted out of the shadows in an attempt to surprise his most wounded foe.
Attack vs. Flatfooted AC:
Damage if hits: ++Bleed 3/rnd
Tunny tumbles around the demonic creatures to get a better angle of attack.
Edric is finally able to connect with his attack, though the creatures hard skin prevents all but a shallow cut. Tavrus crossbow bolt slams into the unconscious one, breaking the skin where a slow trickle of black ichor begins dripping out.
Tomlin slashes at the worm like demon, giving it a minor wound while Tunny moves around hoping to get into a flanking position with Valdr. Feinting with his first attack he creates the opening he needs for his second attack to land, but it doesn't strike with sufficient force to injure the creature.
Realizing that the first demon had not been defeated as he had believed, Valdr concentrated and called upon his arcane training once more. Utilizing his connection both with the mystic axe he held and the innate arcana flowing through him, he recalled the magic missile spell through an expenditure of his own arcane energy.
Even as he did so, he continued to scythe through the demon before him with his axe, swinging it with hasted speed in one hand, while weaving the spell for magic missile with the other.
When he completed the spell, the three glowing spheres of emerald right shot out behind him to collide with the heavily wounded demon that had originally claimed the husk of the gatekeeper dwarf who called himself Adzak.
The force missiles again slam into the creature, leaving it staggered.
The two demons closest to Valdr attack him with their longswords.
The last steps away from Tomlin and again invokes its dark magic, healing its own wounds and those of its ally and again draining life from Valdr.
Down below the dretch's move to surround Akane and continue to attack Edric.
same as last time
Edric
Tavrus
crit confirm for Edric
Despite his innate immunities to the negative energy that was inflicting him and healing them, Valdr was starting to weaken. He needed his allies to step up and finish off one of these demons soon or they would all perish in this tower.
Tomlin growled at himself over his clumsy attack and held his curved blades warily as the combat flowed around him. Valdr seemed to be taking the brunt of their strange attacks, meaning it was up to the rest of the group to make them pay. Taking out weakened stragglers should help. Forgoing his natural proclivity for undefended spots on foes, the halfling instead stepped up directly to the staggered demon and attempted to impale the creature.
Attack #1
Damage if hits
Attack #2
Damage if hits
Edric finally succeeds in cutting down one of the dretches. It falls to the ground in a mute scream.
Perhaps still feeling the effects of the poisonous cloud Tomlin's attacks are clumsy and fail to connect.
Valdr steps forward, moving into a position where he could strike at all the demons in turn. With a snarl, he lets his own illusion fade, revealing his planar warped facial wounds and wild beard. With axe in hand he took advantage of the speed of the magic flowing through him and struck out repeatedly, secretly wishing he had taken the time to leave the cleave techniques his older brother had mastered before illness had claimed him.
He had hoped that his allies would be able to finish off the enemy before it recooperated, but it seemed that was not to be. With a howl of building rage he brought his mystic axe down on the staggered demon he thought had been felled previously. He wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. This time he wanted to be sure it stayed down.
If the demon did not die after his first strike, he would bring his axe down again, but if it did, he would return his focus to the demon he had previously wounded greatly.
"Any assistance would be nice." Valdr growled before heaving breaths as his axe cut and chopped through demon worm flesh.
It takes both of Valdr's attacks to fell the creature.
Tunny takes a step to flank with Tomlin and Aurelion and, hopefully, deliver the final blow to horrible creature lying on the ground. He slams both of his blades into the creature.
His attention on the creature though, he leaves himself open to an attack from another one.
Aurelion, recovering from the sickening poison renews his attacks.
Two powerful blows land on the creature forcing it a couple of feet backwards. It draws in pained breaths then turns back to Valdr. Its ally moves to flank the magus and both creatures attack him with both blade and their twisting heads and sharp teeth.
The demon then steps away from Aurelion to get out of its precarious position surrounded by enemies.
Below the dretch's press Akane.
Akane finally recovers from her retching and unleashes a fury of attacks.
Like Tomlin though, recovery doesn't seem to be quite complete and she manages only a minor scratch on one creature, though she manages to throw one of them to the ground.
Even partially masked as he is, Tomlin's frustration was palpable. His skin was paler than usual; clearly the effects of the noxious gas had not fully left him but that seemed to matter little in his demeanor. Seeing Tunny end the creature collapsed on the ground, the halfling whirled to flank the demonic creature opposite Valdr and for once make a difference in the battle.
Attack
Damage, if hits ++3/rnd Bleed
EDIT: Finally...chance to critical
Crit Confirm
Extra Damage if confirmed
Moving swiftly as he head fully clears Tomlin catches the demon off guards and delivers a very nasty wound. The black ichor of its blood begins flowing freely and it hisses in pain and anger.
Knowing that soon the power flowing into his axe and the advantage granted by the spell of haste would not linger much longer, Valdr turned his attention upon the demon Tomlin now assisted him in flanking. Though he had spells left in his magical arsenel, he suspected that demons would be immune to the effects of such magics and decided to stick with what worked; hacking them apart with his axe.
Tavrus takes a shot and then reloads.
Edric slashes with his scimitar.
Even with both Valdr and Tomlin hacking away at the foul creature it remains standing.
Aurelion steps forward, greatsword coming down in an overhand chop on the creature.
With two swift strokes of his blade the creature falls to the floor. Tunny takes a step towards it to insure it does not rise again.
His blades severs the head like tentacle of the creature from the rest of the body.
The last of the strange demons attempts to flee, shedding its humanoid skin, its wounds closing as it does so. It then climbs straight up the wall like a spider, heading for the hole above the ladder.
Below Tavrus and Edric both inflict superficial wounds on the closest dretch attacking Akane.
The dretch tries to rise.
The smaller demons encircle Akane again, but their attacks prove ineffective her.
Edric
(+2 if flanking, cant tell)
Tavrus will move (if necessary, preferably only 5') to avoid provoking AoOs from shooting, then reload
Edric
(+2 if flanking, cant tell)
"Not so fast, vile wretch."The dwarven magus proclaims as he brings down his plane touched axe upon the fleeing demon as it exits the corpse it inhabited as a puppet.
The last thing he wanted was for the wretched creature to escape and he would do all in his power to ensure that did not happen, even if he had to fall on this day.
Tomlin attempts to lash out at the fleeing creature, knowing his efforts will largely be in vain if he does not have the benefit of a flank.
Attack
Damage if hits
[ooc]Tomlin will wait for the others in his group to react before helping against the remaining creature. Without flanks or Stealth, Tomlin is limited in combat
Valdr's attack interrupts the demons spell as it tries to flee, attempting to climb the wall but unable to do so.
Tomlin also scores a hit, but the attack is to weak to pierce the creatures thick skin.
Edric scores a minor wound on the dretch flanked by Akane.
Akane fells the first creature, then turns to the one behind her, ripping into with claws and tripping it with her tail.
Aurelion and Tunny close in on the trapped demon hacking away at it.
Both wound the creature as it hisses angrily.
Edric
Tavrus will shoot and reload
Sensing that the magical speed was leaving him, Valdr communed with his sentient weapon and swung it downward at the empty air. As if cutting a hole in the open space as if it were a tapestry, three emerald spheres darted forward from the momentary rift as the dwarven magus once more recalled the potent magical spell.
Each sphere in turn crashed into the demon, one striking from the side and two coming from above, hammering into the cursed skin of the abyssal denizen.
Valdr followed through by stepping forward to prevent the demon's escape, closing to finish it with his axe if necessary.
Sensing the creature on the upper level was near death and badly overwhelm, Tomlin turned to assist those below. Vaulting away from the injured demon, Tomlin looked for the most expeditious route to the ground level.
Acrobatics Check (if needed)
The force missiles slam into the creature, but it continues standing as Tomlin races down the stairs to help Akane.
It retaliates against Valdr, its teeth latching into the dwarfs arm and tearing away a bit of flesh.
It then begins to scramble up the ladder, a bizarre sight of wormlike appendages wrapping around the wooden beams.
Both attacks miss.
Below the dretch on the ground tries to stand.
Yoroi latches onto the creature with vise like teeth and the creature goes still.
The last one flails uselessly at the eidolon and summoner.
Edric
Tavrus will shoot and reload
His eyes widened in surprise as Tomlin rolled away to deal with something else. Why was he abandoning the fight before it was finished? This was not good. Not good at all.
"Tomlin! What are you doing, this fight isn't finish.... Arrgggh." His words were interputed as the demon shot forward and latched onto his arm, tearing away flesh and spilling more of his blood. His eyes narrowed in anger and he swung his axe at the retreating creature, but it had struck him on his weapon arm and his swing was weakened by his injuries.
Unwilling to let the wretched creature escape, he gripped his weapon in both hands and jumped upwards at it as it began to climb the old wooden ladder. With a roar, he brought down the runic axe upon the demon and savaged it as best he could. He had thought about using his magic to contain it, but his own hatred for the unholy creature consumed him.
Valdr climbs hastily after the creature, it attacks him again as he pokes his head through the whole in the floor, but the dwarf manages to duck to the side.
Completing his climb Valdr sweeps his axe at the creature again, again drawing the foul ichor from the creature.
Aurelion is close behind Valdr and takes a swing as well.
With a powerful stroke Aurelion removes one of its limbs and the creature falls to the ground, its limbs spasming in death throes.
Below Tavrus and Edric inflict minor wounds on the remaining dretch before Akane turns to it clawing and biting.
The creature collapses, its mouth open in a silent howl.
On the third level portions of the wall are cracked and broken, with a section in the southeast side missing, letting in the last of the fading light of the day. The floor is strewn with rubble and several scratches mar the floor.
A hole in the ceiling leads to the fourth and top level of the tower, but as noted from outside the fourth floor is complete ruins, and the sky can be seen overhead by peering up through the hole.
Valdr was heavily wounded, his own blood mixing with the ichor of the demons which splattered the floor. He turned to look at Aurelion whose awesome blow finished the demon off. "Thank you. Now we must search this place and determine what secrets these wretched demons were hiding. Whatever it is, it cannot be good."
He gestured back down the stairs, where the rest of the company remained. It would be best to be certain that they were finished with the enemies down below and that they traveled as one as they searched the tower.
With a quick utterance of his magic, he allowed his eyes to adjust to the arcane spectrum, granting him the ability to detect magic while at the same time his honed dwarven senses looked over the stonework for any secret passages or traps.
Tomlin frowned and shook his head momentarily as he dashed outside to find the combat over. The battle had not gone well for him and he felt his frustration grow, but also knew that dwelling on it would not help now. Instead, he took to examining the bodies on both floors and then searching the tower for clues.
With a more careful examination of the bodies, or the shells that have been left by the demons shows that the innards have been entirely removed, leaving only a thick layer of skin. A large hole occupies the stomach area of each of the husks.
Returning to the first level Valdr scans the door to the central room with his detect magic. After studying it for a while he places a strong magical aura at what must be the back side of the inner chamber.
Neither the second or third levels reveal anything of interest, though from the third level it is easy to get a full view of the surrounding landscape from all directions due to pieces of the wall either entirely missing or the arrow slits on this level having cracked and broken in many places providing a much more open section in the wall (and less well protected) than the arrow slits on the second level provide.
even the bones?
eh, nothing i can make with that at my level.
Still sour over his performance in the last battle, Tomlin returned to the group with a shake of his head. Nothing of note upstairs, but the holes in the walls could be of use. Aye, a lookout on the top floor could see a body approaching with ease. The halfling nodded towards the stairs leading down. We should check those next, and the reaches beneath as well. Is everyone ready?
"Well, as ready as i can be."
"Wait one moment. There is clearly some form of strong magical aura at what must be the back side of the inner chamber. I would advise that you investigate for traps and secret entranceways before opening that door." Valdr says between ragged breaths. It was clear he had lost a good deal of blood during the last encounter and it was clearly adding to his caution.
"Perhaps we will find some evidence as to what these demons were doing and what they wanted here."
Tomlin nodded at Valdr's suggestion. The dwarf appeared to have a strong grasp of magic that he himself did not. The halfling moved to examine the door to the central room for traps. As he did so, he added without looking away, Tavrus, would you have any healing to spare for Valdr?
Tavrus will cast Cure Serious Wounds on Valdr
Valdr breathes easier with the healing from Tavrus while Tomlin double checks the door for traps. Finding none he gently pulls the handle and pushes the door open.
Akane grabs a small pebble, and chanting quickly it begins to glow. She tosses it into the open door, flooding the inner room with light.
The room is bare of inhabitants, but a simple cot in good condition suggests someone has been using this room in the recent past. A small, simple wooden chest, lies along the eastern wall. The source of magic that Valdr is sensing comes from the chest.
Tomlin instinctively kept to the shadows as the door swung open, but then resumed his usual (though still wary) stance as he moved into the chamber. The chest seemed the only obvious item of interest; therefore the halfling approached the chest to check it for traps.
Valdr took a moment to study the interior of the room, searching the walls for any secret passages and the floor for any trap doors. As he did so, he kept his distance from the chest, but spoke calmly to his companions. "The chest or rather that what lays within is the source of the magical emmenations. Proceed with care. I regret I do not possess the knowledge necessary to merely unlock the chest for you. Perhaps Akane has such knowledge?"
Tomlin discovers no traps on the chest and quickly works to unlock it.
With a click the lock opens and Tomlin raises the lid.
Inside are two figurines of silver birds. Now that Valdr is able to see the source of the magic he is able to determine they have a strong aura of conjuration.
Also in the chest is a small bag containing several gems , several blank sheets of paper, and one rolled up sheet of paper with writing on it, an ink vial, a quill pen, and a small pouch containing a reddish brown powder - pesh spice.
The rolled up sheet contains writing in a language you do not recognize. Whatever message is on it is brief.
These are bird feather tokens.