Seeing the dragon chase after Akiros after delivering it's devastating attack Berrin gives a growl and gives his own chase, shouting insults after it.
"Come'ere you overgrown house fly! Dare ignore me!? Come pick on someone your own size hatchling!"
Catching up to it he focuses all his energies into the swing of his sword..
,
..catching it squarely behind it's leg Berrin cut's a deep gash and earns a roar from the dragon who swings it's head back to glare at it's assailant..
,
..only to cath a viscious slash accross it's face, popping one eye and splitting it's skin down to the chin.
Zander pauses a moment as he sees someone think about coming out onto the parapet. "Get back you fool. Stay in the stairwell." It is then that he notices the 'fool' is carrying quivers of arrows. He gives covering fire as he moves over to retrieve the much needed missiles
He snaps off two more shots, both flying off the dragon's scales. He mutters through clenched teeth, "Melini, these dragons cannot be the revolution you want..."
As Jemini's body lays torn and bleeding, a faint fire burns around her - so faint it may be a trick of the light.
Rushing to help Jemini, Akiros realizes that bringing a raging dragon to her will not help in any way.
Spinning around, the former Ronin unleashes his fury the his draconic foe.
Attack:
But his attack fails to penetrate the Dragon's thick hide. As he prepares for the Dragon's deadly response, a quiet voice whispers a way he might ne able to come out of this next few seconds alive.
Lost in bloodlust and cruel malice, the red dragon bounds between the fleeing citizens, knocking them down and causing them to scramble even further. After a few moments of toying with them, it leaps forward and digs its claws into a man's back before tearing out his neck with its teeth. The man - a baker known in the city for helping out the hungry - collapses in a bloody death.
Seemingly taken aback by Berrin's sudden assault, the dragon flaps its powerful wings and rockets into the air. It hovers for a moment, looking at the pair, before deciding what to do about them. The dull heat from its maw causes the air around the dragon to shimmer, but it makes no attempt to summon forth its bellowing flames.
With the trio of guardsmen protecting their regent, the dragon makes no attempt to further threaten her. It moves into the entrance where Nikolai, Ivahn Medyved, and Kesten Garess valiantly try to fight their way to her.
Jhod pushes his way to the entrance and begins to summon the natural healing of Erastil, but it will not wash upon those in front of them for a few more seconds. Seemingly out of nowhere, a second dragon joins the fray from outside in the square. It sinks its teeth into Kesten's left arm, shredding it to the bone despite his plate armor. His arm hangs to the side, broken and useless. The second dragon is nearly dead, but ferociously continues the attack. In a flurry of blood, its teeth tear into Nikolai while its claws rip apart Ivahn's simple leather armor. It beats its wings against the badly-wounded Kesten, who falls to a knee before standing again.
Vinodragov slowly and cautiously slides towards the melee in the entrance while his spell takes effect. He stands a few feet behind Verik, the differences between them forgotten in the face of certain doom. Alexey continues to stand guard over his sisters and the other nobles, who have somewhat coalesced behind him.
Up on the battlements of the castle, the dragon slashes and cuts through the defenders, nearly dropping both the false Zander Orlovsky and the Warden Gregary. Both continue fighting valiantly, but it is clear that they are merely buying time for Zander.
While the largest of their flock joins them, the rest seem to be content to soar in circles while readying their fiery breaths again. Is it some sort of cruel desire for the battle to linger, or is there a tactical reason for the remaining dragons not joining the fray?
Still swearing vile oaths, Nikolai tears into the wounded dragon, plunging his surprising obsidian claws into his enemy's neck with one hand. The dragon's eyes bulge in shock, still barely alive when the barbarian pulls its beating heart out. Nikolai locks eyes on the second dragon and shoves its tremoring carcass aside.
Holding the heart in his gore-covered hand, Nikolai nods to the remaining dragon, Jemini's blood still dribbling from its maw. The barbarian steps opposite his human allies and lashes out with his free hand, raking across the beast's throat with a furious warcry.
The former Staglord barely notices the shimmer in the air as magic comes to his aid from an unknown source. His own greatsword falls into the grasp of his right hand, impaling the dragon's heart. Reflexively, Nikolai catches it by the pommel, never taking his eyes off the dragon who felled his only friend.
The dragon collapses in a heap, with its heart rended and tornthe out by Nikolai's fierce claws. The organ is crushed when Nikolai grips his sword, granted to him through Vinodragov's magic. A great flame leaps up from his hand and runs up the length of the sword. The heart turns to ash and cinders, while the sword continues to burn. With flames spitting wildly from the sword - yet not burning him - Nikolai brings the weapon to bear against the remaining dragon, seeing the fear in its eyes.
Taisper glides smoothly into position, his invisibility spell keeping him hidden from the dragon's alert eyes. As the creature turns to look at Nikolai's ravaging of its companion, the inquisitor strikes, smashing his morningstar into its rear right leg, which buckles with a satisfying crunch. As his spell immediately dissipates due to his attack, once again rendering him visible, Taisper rips the weapon free in a long dragging gash, its blessed spikes tearing chunks of scale and flesh as it goes. The creature gives a suprised shriek of pain and turns but the Abadarian has already switched to a defensive position, his shield up and ready for the crushing retaliatory blow that is sure to follow.
Verik moves forward to close the distance with the raging scion of Rogvaria who needed his aid in this battle that was seemingly linked to this man, looking briefly skyward as he squares his shoulders and pushes past his own fear. Rended by tatzylwyrm, shocked and split open by Thrune's blackblade...why not add fire and fang to the list! Move Verik!
Though Verik moves forward with grim determination to not let Nikolai and the Hall fall, he nearly falters when he sees the precarious state of Kesten and his wounds, knowing he has already made his choice for Jemini's charge. Yet his confidence is bolstered when he suddenly feels his sturdy breastplate encase him in a shimmering golden light, a moment after he sees the greatsword return to Rogvaria in fiery exultation. Ahh that is what he meant...both a clever and valuable trade... Suddenly then he sees Taisper appear at the dragon's side and strike a swift vicious blow at the dragon's leg, the morningstar of Abadar's champion able to crush muscle and tear scaled flesh. Taisper's reappearance in the fray at the Hall's entrance gives Verik courage, and he closes the final few feet to put a hand out to Nikolai's bloody shoulder.
"Scion of Rogvaria, warrior of Brevoy and Jemini's charge, I heal thee so that you may drive these foul beasts from the true stewards of this world! Mend thy flesh and muscle to fight on!"
The few remaining citizens up near the exit to the square continue to try to stream out away as the fearsome dragon continues to shred and terrorize them. One of them slips in a puddle of blood soaking the cobblestones, with another citizen helping him up and carrying part of his weight on his shoulder. One of the guardsmen rushes against the fleeing tide of people holding two horses by the bridle, with their saddles very hastily placed upon their backs.
The citizens clear the way for Berrin and Akiros, running behind the General and Marshal just as the guardsman brings their horses to them. The guardsman skirts the wall, clear of the dragon's reach, and beckons to them.
The citizens rally around the guardsmen, crowding around Jemini. While the dragon does not seem to be interested in turning back to attack her, the citizens of Sanctuary will give all they have to prevent it. One of them kneels down next to her and pulls a kit from his long, brown robe. The kneeling figure pulls back the hood of the cloak, showing an unusual sight. The man is not a man at all, but in fact an avian of some sort - a tengu, something not often seen in the River Kingdoms or Brevoy. Whoever he is, he works deftly with the hands of a surgeon, binding Jemini's wounds quickly and efficiently. Within moments, the blood flowing from her body has slowed to a crawl.
While Jhod's magic healing washes over the heroes in the entrance to the Founder's Hall - but not the dragon - Ivahn and the barely-conscious Kesten both try to lash out at the predator in front of them. While most of its attention is focused towards Nikolai, it blocks both attacks with deft strikes of its wings, knocking the pair off-balance.
Alexey makes little effort to assist, though his sharp blade seems capable of providing capable defense should the dragon make it past the initial wave of defenders. Vinodragov opens up a vial of powdered silver, apparently hidden in the folds of his clerical vestments, and quickly draws a semi-circle on the floor. He utters another prayer to Abadar, this time far more quietly, and a shimmering light raises from the powder. It seems to offer some sort of protection, though only to those further back in the hall.
Both Gregary and the false Zander seem barely capable of holding themselves up, but they attack with the reckless aggression of those determined to die for a cause. Zander's blade cuts upon the dragon's hide, and Gregary slips an arrow through the dragon's defenses into its chest.
Under the attention of the tengu Jemini's body appears to have stabilized. The most obvious tell-tale of this is that the flickering half-seen fires around her have vanished.
Focus man! Your men need you. Will Gregary be lost again due to your inaction. Struggling with his nerve, He finally sends an arrow home. The crackle of ice eliciting a scram from the dragon.
Raising his sword and roaring after the dragon Berrin blinks in surprise as he feels the weight in his hand double, looking at his sword he sees a golden glow slide up his hand and into the sword, transforming it into the greatsword taken off the Stag Lords corpse. Looking down he sees the glow spread over his body, leaving his armor and gear alloted around his body as if he had prepared himself diligently for battle, not court. Grinning he winks at Akiros and laughs. "Next one up, eh!?" he barks and turns to survey the battlefield.
Seeing the blood and carnage wrought by the dragons wipes the smile of Berrins' face, the sight of Jemini's broken and bloodied body is all to familiar and Berrin finds himself taking an unconcious step in her direction as the world reduces to a buzz around him. 'Jem. Not again. Please, no!'
A neighing draws Berrins attention back to the north square, stopping Berrin waits and accepts the reins and the nuzzle from an eager Valnyr, drawing his eye toward the north square. "Right." he mutters, feeling his anger rise he takes hold of Valnyrs' saddle and heaves himself up...
...to stradle Valnyr in one quick, smooth motion and spurns him toward the north square with his greatsword hel high.
Moving up to the dragon massacaring the civilians Berrin brings his sword crashing down at it with silent anger.
,
Scoraing a solid hit the sword slashes through sinew and bone, causing the dragon to rear up and roar, facing a stone faced Berrin Myrdal.
Originally rushing to Jemini's aid, Akiros is brought up short by the strange sight of the bird-man, who's race he does not recall at the moment, appearing and seeming to very comitantly address her wounds.
At the same time, the screams of the helpless citizens in the North square, and the fierce battle neigh and mental summoning of his beloved Kydal serve to break the Marshall's momentary indecision and the former Ronin races to his battle charger and companion attempting to mount in one quick move.
Ride/Fast Mount DC20:
Yet the hasty barding foils his attempt as his foot slips on a loose strap. Cursing, he mentally urges Kydal towards the North square and the draconic foe there, trusting his mighty steed to bring him to the enemy his blurred eyes cannot yet see. As they move, almost as if in apology for his misfortune in mounting, he feels divine energy wash over him and is surprised to notice his borrowed shield magically morphing into his own magically enchanted one. With a shout of praise to his God, the Battle Oracle smiles fiercely just as the racing war horse has time to reach out it's powerful neck and attempt to bite down on a more sensitive part of the dragon's scaly hide. Yet the dragons defences proove sufficient to prevent any damage to itself.
Kydal Bite attack vs DC20:
As Berrin and Akiros circle around and surround the dragon, it slinks low onto its back claws with its wings pulled tightly to its back. It gnashes its teeth together several times as if to ward them off, then lunges forward towards Berrin's mount. Even hastily applied, the horse's armor proves invaluable. The dragon's teeth scrape across the metal protecting the back of the horse's neck. They can see that the horse is, in fact, slightly larger than the dragon - but the dragon is a hundred times more dangerous.
The larger dragon that Berrin and Akiros briefly fought off does not follow them, vulnerable as they would be against it and its smaller ally. It lands in front of the small group of citizens and soldiers protecting Jemini, who steadfastedly form a wall to protect her. For all the good it will do, they are willing to lay down their lives for their regent in defense of the city.
The red dragon in front of the entrance lashes out viciously as Nikolai, biting and clawing him in the same fashion that Nikolai tore the heart from the other. In a high, keening voice with a shrill ring of hate, it screams, "You'll die for that, traitor!" Nikolai doesn't seem to even be trying to defend himself, simply relying on his endurance - and Verik and Jhod's healing - to keep him moving throughout the combat. His blood spills on the floor, bleeding out faster than his wounds can be healed. It beats its wings against Taisper and Verik. The straw-haired youth dodges out of the way easily, but the wing catches the cleric straight on the jaw. A year and a half ago, he likely would have been stunned or even knocked unconscious - but now, he continues and keeps his footing without missing a beat.
With a roar, the dragon bites and slashes and beats his wings. Both the false Zander and Gregary drop under the sheer viciousness of the attack, with "Zander" collapsing within inches of the ledge. For a moment, it looks like he will fall off, but he pulls himself in with his last moment before passing into unconsciousness. Neither are dead, as the dragon's attentions shift to Zander, but they need healing and for the threat to be put down.
High above the city, one of the dragons hovers in midair. While the magical ability of dragons is legendary, this one seems to be capable of barely harnessing the basic powers of its breed. It summons a shimmering shield of arcane magic around its body, while some of the others are tearing away at the roof of a building not far away from the city square.
The burning blade in his grip, Nikolai steps into the dragon's bite to get a clean shot at its neck. Forcing his arm down as teeth sink into his shoulder, the blade cleaves into the dragon's neck for a matching wound. When the dragon rears back in dismay, Nikolai lashes out a bloody claw for the killing blow, though the new injury saps his great strength. The claw strikes true and chunks of bone, meat and scale fly into the air between them.
The one-handed greatsword is exactly inappropriate-sized weapon. It's a Large longsword. That was my thinking, anyway. As I understand it, it's not a house rule, nor an attempt to use the two-handed weapon with one hand in any way other than treating the sword as a larger version of a similar weapon, just as a human short sword functions as a longsword for a halfling. Also, it's cinematic.
Given the corrections, I see 2d6+19. I'll take the ruling if you like, but it's my screwup. I'll suck it up and eat dragon fist if you prefer.
Taisper wheels around after the dragon's miss and, taking advantage of his flanking position with Nikolai, drives home a hammer blow that spikes a nerve cluster located at the base of the creature's tail, causing blood to geyser briefly up when the inquisitor yanks his weapon free. Once again, he drops immediately into a defensive posture, watching carefully for the next attack with his shield ready.
Spitting out blood to the floor as he tries to avoid another swipe of its wing, Verik instinctively raises up his right hand to block another attack, only to realize he has no shield. He clutches his golden key symbol in his left hand as he moves closer to Taisper and away from the dreadful blade of Nikolai, now returned to him with flame.
Two vicious blows from the scion of Rogvaria and Abadar's champion rends the red scales of this second beast to ruin, and so Verik seizes the opportunity to intone a triumphant shout to Abadar and clang the key symbol upon his newly returned breastplate. The human combatants at the hall's entrance are briefly bathed in a wash of white light that soothes their wounds, yet moves around the two beasts and does not touch them.
"This Hall is ours vermin! Your claws and fire cannot undo the power of your betters!"
The guardsman starts ferrying the citizens through the gap, gesturing for them to move quickly and carefully. With Akiros and Berrin towering above them on their mounts, the citizens seem more calm and more capable of leaving in something that resembles order. Citizens from further in the square replace them quickly, stepping over the bodies of the fallen.
Carefully and methodically, the tengu calmly pulls a small vial from his coat after ensuring that Jemini would not bleed to death in his care. The glass vial contains a pale yellow liquid and is wrapped in fine paper marked with a delicate script. He pulls the stopper out and props Jemini's head up, pouring the liquid carefully into her mouth. Her wounds begin to heal quickly, knitting the cuts mostly closed. While she is still greivously wounded, her eyes flutter open as she regains consciousness. She sees the guards and citizens forming a human wall around her as the terrible red dragon looms over them.
Ivahn and Kesten hack at the dragon when Taisper's terrific blow fells it to the ground. They raise their weapons to the oncoming storm of dragons. "We'll cover the door!" shouts Kesten. His wounds are healing, thanks to Jhod and Verik. Ivahn moves shoulder-to-shoulder with Kesten, with Jhod just behind them to heal their wounds should another dragon try to get through the doorway.
A pool of blood from Gregary's injuries begins to pool around him. He starts coughing, with red blood spilling from his mouth. It's clear that he may not survive without healing. The false Zander seems to be surviving, but lays unconscious next to the dragon that has its eyes turned upon Zander.
Seeing his two companions go down, Zander yells in a savage voice, Taking careful aim as the dronic form revels in its victory over his friends...he feels the chill seeping in to his fingers along the bow string....and RELEASE
Zander sneers and One ...Two.....and then Three arrows slam in along the dragon's throat. The last shot happening so fast he wasn't sure he even shot it.
The dragon choked and then coughed blood, but still, it looked at him with fire in its eyes. GO down already
Seeing the civilians steam past him to the realtive safety of the central square gives Berrin a feeling of enormous success, as many as were dead already, at least some would survive. Turning his attention fully to the horse sized dragon Berrin clicks his toungs twice and nudges Valnyr in his sides..
..and Valnyr responds imediately by rearing up and lashing out at the dragon with hoof and teeth..
..but the dragon proves too elusive and his skin too tough for Valnyr to do any real damage to it but as Valnyr steps back down Berrin brings his greatsword bearing down at it in a two handed grip..
,
..and cuts a long gash down it's neck to it's shoulders.
"Your a strange spirit guide," Jemini tells the tengu. "Last time death seemed more... familiar."
There's a pause, before comprehension and the reality around here comes to the forefront of her mind. She rushes to stand-up, nearly falling unconscious again as her blood pressure does not adapt quickly enough. Once standing she nods in gratitude and begins chanting quick words of magic.
Absently rubbing his sore jaw even though he no longer bleeds from his mouth, Verik's eyes widen as he sees the outside town square for the first time. Far off in the distance he can see both Berrin and Akiros upon their warhorses, bravely challenging a red dragon the size of the two rent and slain nearby at the hall's entrance. Closer still, Verik sees a much larger dragon rising up to strike down several brave guardsmen. It is then that he sees the rising form of a bloodied Jemini attempting to heal herself, aided by another shrouded in an odd guise, but clearly an ally.
With a gurgling of panic rising up in his throat, he turns to the echoing shout from Kesten Garess, still seriously wounded but with renewed strength to wield his blade, standing side-by-side with Ivahn Medyved to do what must be done. In that moment, Verik is struck by the two Brevians, differences of their houses cast aside, standing as brothers in combat which could be their last.
His eyes flickering then to Jhod Kavken, once whom he counted his friend and ally but lately had seemed only there to further the wedge of differences between them, yet now with firm resolve to hold the Founder's Hall to the last. Men of different faiths, competing views on the future of Newhaven, but none of which mattered as they fought to preserve what they had built together against true Chaos and Woe.
Verik nodded briefly to Kesten and then to Jhod behind him. "Hold the Hall, for these beasts cannot stand against your committed resolve! May the powers of Weal and Order stand together to drive back this evil."
With that, Verik turns back to the grisly scene of fire, blood and destruction in the small town he now called home, the woman he once desired for so long to return back to them all now only a few breaths away from perishing forever. He steps forward to within a step of both Nikolai and Taisper, and with only a slight quiver in his voice he says, "I will go out there if that is where you both go."
As Berrin and Valnyr lash out at the Dragon, at almost the same instant, on the other side of the creature, Akiros and Kydal do the same. The warhorse grunts and attacks with teeth and hoof
Attack Bite:
Attack hoof1:
Attack hoof2:
But none his attacks, no matter how furious, are able to pierce the dragon's scaly hide. Yet they do serve to ideally set up his rider into position, and with shouted "For Iomedae! For Sanctuary!" he lays into the beast.
Attack:
Damage:
And his magicked broadsword cleaves a through scale and flesh and bone, causing the dragon to roar in agony yet leaving the creature still standing.
Nice roll Jemini! What two items did you get returned to you?
Seemingly pinned in on both sides, the dragon unleashes its full frenzied fury on Akiros and Berrin. Its teeth leave a trail of blood on Berrin's already-injured chest, but the tough general stays up in his hastily-secured saddle. Two wings beat upon the horses, but each strays little from their forward drive to pin the dragon in. Frustrated, the dragon suddenly turns and slashes at Akiros. The first nearly takes his head off, leaving a bloody gash across his face. The second slash, just as deep, cuts across his left arm. A normal man would be dead, but Akiros Ismort has not fought through his personal Hell and back - now more than ever, with Elspeth - to fall here and now. As the blackness threatens to take him, he fights it off and stays on Kydal's back.
Soaring down from the air with a thunderous roar, the second of the larger dragons lands squarely in the center of the wide-open space. Citizens scramble for safety as the dragon turns its wide, hateful eyes around to see which of them it will prey upon first. It seemingly enjoys their terror and fear, drinking in the fright as a drunk with liquor. The dragon looks in both directions, north and south, unclear of which direction to lend its terrible strength to.
The dragon takes two steps forward and pauses very briefly. The tengu stares up at him defiantly, calmly reaching into his coat pocket for another apocatherial liquid. The dragon seems enraged by the tengu defying him and lunges forward. The dragon snatches the tengu with its sharp claws and tears at his head with its powerful bite. Savagely, the dragon rips the brave and selfless tengu into two pieces - head and body. As the lifeless corpse hits the ground, the dragon - maw still dripping with the blood of the man who saved Jemini's life without so much as a word - cruelly laughs at the regent of Newhaven.
With a desperate heave, the dragon skewered with Zander's arrows pushes off and tries to fly for safety. It doesn't get far, not at such weakened strength, not far enough away to avoid Zander's arrows. It looks back in fear as the archer notches another arrow, knowing that it can't fly far enough away to avoid the arrows. The best that it can hope for is that Zander will miss - a small thing to pin its hopes on.
Two arrows followed the Dragon off, as it tried to gain altitude. Zander only watched long enough to see it drop below the height of the parapet, before turning to help his companions. He calls out to the man crouched on the edge of the parapet stairs. "The Dragon is gone. Come help me with these men. Press cloth onto their wounds, try to slow the bleeding." As the man begins to step out, Zander realizes that this man carries his gear and that must be why he has stuck around.
Four of that was Cold damage, already applied the 50%
MA: Single 40’ Move to South Square (halfway to South Square loc)[/ooc]
Seeing Nikolai in his bloody red rage against their common enemy, Verik does not ask further for a response from him as to his intentions. Despite their vast differences and near-hatred for one another out at Candlemere Lake, those matters fade to insignificance now before the carnage all around them. Though their reasons for fighting this battle are vastly different, Verik knows that they at least agree on one thing...
...they must not let Jemini fall.
Pride and and petty jealously pushed aside, Verik prays once again for the Master's power to restore the Scion of Rogvaria, so that he can embrace whatever destiny has been laid before him. "Abadar my Master! Restore this warrior's flesh and muscle to carry the fight to these foul beasts who assault your gains here!" Whatever the reason, Verik's healing prayer swiftly mends Nikolai's flesh and brings his wounds to reddened scars with tremendous efficiency. With a final fist pounding upon Nikolai's massive shoulder for emphasis, Verik raises his empty right hand before him and moves out beyond the stone archway of the entrance and into the open, hoping he can somehow help to turn the tide in the Square below.
Oblivious to all else but Jemini and the presence of another, larger, dragon, Nikolai doesn't notice the dull sting of magically mending wounds. The blood rushing through his ears muffles whatever words the cleric says behind him. He locks his eyes on the big dragon, still so much smaller than the beast who tortured his sanity away years before. Even so, he narrows his eyes and the face of the Conqueror appears at the top of the dragon's neck. With an indignant scream, he launches himself into the courtyard, powerful legs propelling his flaming greatsword. A thin trail of black smoke follows the blade as Nikolai swings for Choral's head.
The dragon moves in time. When the twisted vision of his nemesis shimmers to reveal the smaller beast's head, it is not where Nikolai swings. The sword cuts through air and bites into the stone floor.