Navith moves up and bathes his companions in the soft glow of Pelor's grace, warming their skin and reminding them of cheerful summer afternoons. The band feels momentarily invigorated and focused, ready to resume their efforts against the undead with a unified sense of purpose.
Skeleton C stabs at Xaod with it's , the tip deflected by the man's spiked gauntlet.
Skeleton E thrusts the leading edge of it's along the back of Xaod's leg, failing to pierce the padding and leather flap protecting the knee bend.
The pair of Zombie Orcs swing in tandem at Xaod, the first at his back, the other at his shoulder, with the first snarling in triumph, though the sound comes out more as a thick syrupy gurgle, spitting out black blood and bile around the broken tusks jutting from it's canines. It's heavy blade finds a rent along the back plate and cuts the priest for . soliciting a cry of pain and stumbling him off balance from the force of the blow.
Having closed closer Toruk and Braggi can see the man has similar wounds across his side and thigh, with his leggings spattered with almost as much blood as mud from the tight scrum in which he struggles.
Initiative Order: First Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Zombie Bugbear Priest, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod vs Turuko, Zombie Ogre
Third Group: Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Skeleton E, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
Toruk hammers the undead ogre.
Toruk lands two blows to the Zombie Ogre which should have felled the thing, but for the bloated and overripe nature of the putrefaction ongoing within it's grotesque frame. Instead the wounds seem to warble outwards from the impacts, like a caricature of the ripples on a pond. Still, the priest can tell one more solid strike should bring the creature down.
The Enlarged Kobort strides forward towards Xaod, swinging a massive , hacking the Hextorite for , the blow nearly dropping the man to his knees. From Toruk's point of view, the badly injured man is now most definitely DYING, mere moments from the end.
The Zombie Bugbear Priest chants out a strange phrase, then calls out to Kobort as he and Turuko move together, a strange fog of thick billowing light gray fumes rising up from the ground between them and your party, causing you to lose sight of the pair.
The wolf makes another at Xaod, but the man avoids the snarling beast's maw, knowing his life is close to being at an end.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Zombie Bugbear Priest, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod vs Turuko, Zombie Ogre
Third Group: Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Skeleton E, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
GM
Braggi leaves the ogre behind, checking that Toruk is more than capable of taking it down. He lunges towards the fray in front of him, swinging his flail with little control at the skeleton.
GM:
Definitely going with Perception.
And, since that fell flat, he'll use the spell.
Braggi destroys Skeleton E with a powerful, crashing blow of his flail.
Filnefillan runs forward a pace then stops, concentrating intently as he forms an image of a wall between the larger Kobort, attempting to block the man from reaching the cloud of fumes cast by the Bugbear Priest.
Xaod seems to notice and approve of Braggi's rush to aid him, nodding at the man as he continues his fight. Bleeding profusely, the gash from Kobort's axe pouring bright red blood down his rent armor, Xaod steps back from the combat and casts a spell upon himself, , causing a harsh golden light to infuse his body. Watch the big one, the dead are brutal, but still doable. To Kobort he adds, Hextor won't take kindly to the oath you broke boy...
Looking beyond the battle Xaod and Braggi can see Turuko and the Zombie Bugbear Priest rushing away from the memorial, Fast, leaving with whatever items they scooped up from the rubble near the memorial. And your friends are escaping kid.
The Zombie Ogre, clearly faltering, lunges at Toruk to the warrior priest, snapping his broken and rotted tusks on air near the man's face.
Initiative Order: Third Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Zombie Bugbear Priest, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod vs Turuko, Zombie Ogre
Third Group: Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
Zokama moves closer and shoots at the Zombie Ogre.
Musami moves up to the zombie ogre. He swings his earthbreaker, faking the swing but instead attempts to trip the large undead
Navith chews his lip as the villains scarper from the monument, his fear that they have somehow profaned the space uppermost in his mind. There is little he can do for the moment, as he needs to concentrate on the battle before him. Mindful that he is still wounded, and that he might be called on to cross arms with more creatures before the day is done the Pelorite calls for the last of His god's healing power.
Standard Action: Spontaneous Casting, CLW (sacrificing detect undead)
Underwhelmed by his deity's benificence, Navith stares at the fell weapon in his hand with renewed interest.
Zokama's arrow catches the Zombie Ogre in the throat, severing what was once it's jugular. The shaft ripped through the vein, spilling what passes for the rotted, animating sludge that held the ogre upright and active. The thing stumbled, staggered, and collapsed, Toruk only stepping clear at the last moment, avoiding one of the beast's massive, bloated arms.
Navith surrounds himself with a soft burst of golden light, healing himself with the blessings of Pelor. The display is clearly different from the wave Xaod experienced, like the differences of a morning sunrise and the oppressive strength of the noon-day sun.
Skeleton C steps after Xaod and again tries to skewer him with it's , but the priest deflects it with an outstretched gauntlet.
Zombie Orc A charges directly at Xaod, hefting it's overhead before bringing it down in a heavy chop that misses to the right and digs deep into the rough soil below, pulling up large clumps as the dead creature recovers.
Zombie Orc B swings it's own at Braggi, unsure of itself in the face of this new adversary, the swing half-hearted and too close to catch the sailor any harm.
Initiative Order: First Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
Toruk will charge the nearest zombie.
Toruk's blow seems to compress and roll the Zombie Orc's flesh rather than do much actual harm, the bloated and putrid skin, popping and squirting small amounts of rancid pus from small tears along the line of the attack. Toruk is going to need a good hot bath to wash away the stains of dead and decayed fluids left on his extremities.
Kobort seems somewhat distracted by the rush of new aggressors, the swirling cloud, the stone wall, and his companions racing off into the distance. . He calls out after them, How long do I fight them before breaking the stick? No answer returns to him on the wind.
The large man turns back to your group, deciding he's cramped by the wall and pushes against it heavily, his seeming to fail him in the face of the rather flimsy wall that will just not topple over. Stupid wall
The wolf sprints around the combat to follow Xaod, again snarling and at the man's leg, but again fails to find purchase on the mud caked armor there.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
Musami moves to the enlarged man and tries to distract him by taking his feet out from under him.
As Musami rushes towards Kobort, the Enlarged fighter notices, and despite his distraction with the wall he turns and takes out his frustration on the rushing dwarf. Before he can react, Musami steps directly into the cross swing of Kobort's , the massive blade catching him high across the chest for , stopping him in his tracks, dropping him to the ground, bleeding out from the rent in his armor and ribcage.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
Oh, hey, you from Hommlet. Kobort grimaces a bit. Uhm, sorry, frowning. Turuko says he needs dem gems for summtin big. Leaning a bit closer, Ohh dat looks bad, hanging his head a little in shame. Sorry dat guy tried to stop Turuko. You donn wanna help him.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
Zokama moves north, shooting at the Zombie Orc in front of her.
Zokama's arrow pierces the Zombie Orc much as might a pin in a grape, the plumpness of the dead creature easily accepting the strike with far less effect than intended. It seems to the wild bard the creature is resisting their weapons, shrugging off their strikes without conscious thought.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Zombie Orc A, Zombie Orc B
Braggi continues his speak of destruction, this time trying to take down the orc zombie next to him.
Ignoring the undead's apparent resistance to damage, Braggi in his rage EXPLODES the creature's head with a heavy and forceful blow from his new flail. The sailor fails to notice the creature splattering the fallen Musami with it's own rotted brain matter, or it's own leaking fluids, once it collapses to the ground beside him.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Filnefillan, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Skeleton C, Zombie Orc A
Navith gasps as Musami is dropped by the huge warrior. Without many other options he hustles forward to get into range for his fire bolt and keep those allies still standing blessed.
Full Round Action: Double Move.
Navith is not affected by the Illusory wall and may disregard it.
Xaod swings his at Skeleton C, smashing it apart with .
Zombie Orc A steps after Xaod, hefting it's at the priest, but the Hextorite deflects it with his shield.
Initiative Order: First Group
First Group: Toruk, Filnefillan vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Zombie Orc A
Toruk wipes away the gore and points an angry finger at Kobort, "You will answer for your crimes!"
He then leaps into a flying kick.
Toruk's kick is deflected by the large warrior as he brings his ax back into line with his body, turning the kick aside but allowing the agile priest to lightly land in a defensive stance.
Me no criminal. We fight for sum true laird, Turuko promised. Drawing the ax high to deliver his next swing, he adds, You wit him, gesturing at Xaod with his elbow, den you bad. You try ta stop dat laird claimin' his olden times home.
Initiative Order: First Group
First Group: Toruk, Filnefillan vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Zombie Orc A
Fil moves 3 squares west then 3 squares north, sadly, I am not at home right now. Please move him accordingly.
"Whoah there, we come to restore the monument and eliminate the undead menace. That is good. Give us a hand and you will be a hero."
Trying to end this without violence.
"using the undead is evil my friend. Let us end this in peace and restore the monument. If Xaod did this, we bring him, to justice."
Again gesturing at Xaod, He no make dead rise, Hruggin did dat. For da laird guy. Turuko said it was okay dis time. The Enlarged fighter lowers his greatax a bit, but still stands wary of your group. He pulls a small stick from his belt.
Turuko say if bad guys give up, snap dis and I go to him. If you give up, we no fight, I break and go away. He holds the stick up, between his index finger and thumb. Okay deal?
The summoned wolf ignores all the talk and continues it's attacks on Xaod as it seems so too will the zombie. The wolf at the priest, tearing another strip of fabric from his cloak but missing anything vital.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk, Filnefillan vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Zombie Orc A
Zokama, seeing one of the enemy talking, moves forward, and after listening says
Can I look at your stick first and make sure it is safe? I know you are good, but we are good too, so I want to make sure there is no bad magic on it that might hurt anyone.
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Kobort shakes his head vigorously no. Uh-un, nope. Turuko said dis was extra special. A special stick for someone who's only my kinda special. Smiling widely, Turuko always says I is a special kinda special. He calt me dat since I saveded him in Dyvers. Those was bad men pratendin' ta be royal guards.
Kobort hooks his ax to a hanger on his back, as he continues. Dey say Turuko was da spy guy, but he said no. They no take no, so Turuko asked me, cause he newt me was special, to stop dem. Thumping himself on the chest, So I stopped da bad pratend guard guys. An Turuko is been my friend eber since.
Holding out the stick, he snaps it. Bye now bad guys. He stares at the stick in his massive hand, splintered into pieces. Hmm, mebbe it takes a minna. You just be good an stay der while I disappears. Any minna now you see me go bye-bye.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk, Filnefillan vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama vs Zombie Orc A
Navith walks up behind Musami, picking up a twig of his own and waving it at the big man.
"You have been fooled, and are now an instrument of evil, Kobort. In your heart you know it is true - to consort with the undead is never a good act. I too have a mundane, non-magical stick. Mine was not given to me by a false friend. You have been used. Stand down."
Braggi knows nothin' about talkin' and more about beatin'. He attacks the remaining orc zombie.
Nope, nope, Turuko is my friend. He said so. The man breaks the stick into smaller pieces, stepping back a bit from your group. Turuko said you was bad guys, dat you would try an confuse me. He rubs the broken pieces of stick between his fingers, becoming aggitated. Dis gotta work, I is special, an it's special fer me.
Braggi's weapon strikes the Zombie Orc with considerable force, the blow appearing to rupture the tissues below the skin, an ugly black and putrid green stain spreading outwards from the impact area. Like the earlier blows of Toruk and Zokama, the effect is less than what might have been hoped, though the thing is clearly damaged from the strike.
Xaod joins Braggi in his efforts, striking out with his own , , his blow landing nearly atop the point of the sailor's, popping the creature apart as though smashing a summer melon with a sledge, , bits of black blood, putrid bile, and other unwholesome fragments splattering his armor, Braggi, and moreso the summoned wolf nearby.
Initiative Order: First Group
First Group: Toruk, Filnefillan vs Kobort, Wolf
Second Group: Braggi, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama
"We mean no harm, large fellow. Your friends were using you, and for that I am sorry. They are the true evil here. Please help us restore the monument to protect the town."
Fil waves down his wall at this point. Advancing slowly (2 squares north, please) and placing his bow away.
I truly hope this one can be redeemed. He really shouldn't have been in this mess to start with. Fil thinks as he tries to convince the enlarged man to help.
Toruk readies an attack if Kobort doesn't stand down. "Toruko has tricked you. Drop your weapon and we will help you."
At the mention of his weapon Kobort draws his greataxe again from his back. He steps back away from the group, taking a defensive stance. No, no, uhn-un. Dis is my special axe, Turuko gave it to me cause me special too. You no gonna take it. He glances at Musami and you can see hurt and confusion in his eyes. I is sorry fer him, Turuko said stop you bad guys hurtin' him and Hruugin. So I gotta stop you if you no stop you.
The wolf takes another , snapping on open air a foot from the priest's throat, then begins to fade away in a thin black mist smelling strongly of sulfur and ash. At roughly the same instance the wind picks up and the thick grey cloud begins to drift away as well.
Initiative Order: Second Group
First Group: Toruk, Filnefillan vs Kobort
Second Group: Braggi, Xaod, Musami, Navith, Zokama
Seeing that Kobort is confused, and that her excellent diplomatic skills will be fruitless, Zokama decides she can't currently help in that way. She double moves, circling around towards the monument.
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Noticing all his allies have stopped fighting, Braggi relaxes, to the point of nearly fainting. He feels like a huge rock has fallen upon him.
Trying to catch his breath again, he whispers to whoever is closest. "The other two fled that way. We should pursue or fllow them."
Actually I was not meaning to say Zokama's or anyone else's Diplomacy skills were fruitless
Toruk will step back and will assist Fil in talking the giant man down. "Listen to the wizard. He speaks the truth."
Braggi stays silent, still catching his breath, thinking this is the best he can do for his group: not opening his mouth.
Since Toruk stands as a counter to the image Kobort has of his monastic companion the man's words do not seem to convince the large warrior of his sincerity. He looks the man over, dismissively, recalling perhaps the former monk's many rants about those not of his own brotherhood.
Kobort drops the fragments of stick and grips his weapon tighter. He realizes the others are not likely coming back, glancing over his shoulder, and that his magics will not last much longer. Mumbling to himself, Turuko does the thinkin, I does the liftin. What would he want me to do? He seems to draw some comfort from the feel of the weapon in his hand.
Xaod lowers his own flail, stumbling upright, addressing Kobort. You served by my side for days lad. Did I ever lie to you? Did I ever act dishonorably, or threatening?