DM Bigrin's Second Darkness (Inactive)

Game Master bigrin42

"Good thing you had that protective spell. As it was, your ears smoked," He says to Ankebiter

He prepares to take his shift, or double shift if needed.

"We live and learn," Anklebiter says, grinning appreciatively at Lefrik.

Next, once the party has decided on a spot to camp, the Goblin casts Mage's private sanctum and Secure shelter in quick succession, both extended by the rod, and leads the group inside.

"We really need to talk strategy while we still can," Anklebiter says once everyone is settled in. "Our enemy is a mighty wizard with a full Drow House behind her. She will probably have demons contracted to her service, and last I checked, I was the only one who could summon beings from beyond. Here..."

Carefully, the Goblin extracts a cloth-wrapped bundle from his pack and unwraps it, exposing a gorgeous emerald. "The Guardian of Orv never wanted payment. I could cast Planar binding one more time tomorrow, and contract another like our deva ally, using this as payment. If the group agrees that it's worth doing. Or we could visit the Guardian and offer her the stone as payment for joining us in battle."

Anklebiter draws a deep breath. "Battlefield tactics. I am an Abjurer. My strength is in defense. Today, we saw how Communal protection from energy can do us a world of good; four castings can shield us from all known types of elemental energy; acid, cold, electricity and fire. This spell is of the fourth level, which means I'd only be able to cast one more spell of that level. I'd like to suggest casting it before we enter battle.
I also wish to ward us all with Communal darkvision and Communal protection from arrows, both of them protection against Drow mainstays."

The Goblin pulls another cloth-wrapped bundle from his pack, unwrapping it to expose a rough crystal with a core of smouldering flame. "I've been saving this. A gem of elemental summoning. Cast to the ground to break, it will release a mighty fire elemental to the command of the one releasing it. It's faster than casting a summoning spell, so I'd like to do it as my first action in battle, then follow up casting Summon spells, one after the other. I want to swamp the battlefield with our planar allies, choke the Drow and their fiends out, open our way to the real threat: Allevrah.

The Goblin holds up a hand, then clenches it into a fist. "I have a trump card against her. Antimagic area. Get me close to her, and I can stop her casting anything, strip her magical protections. But I'll be unable to cast anything as long as it works, myself. So. It's a two-edged sword."

Finally, Anklebiter starts tugging bottles from his pack, handing them out to everyone but Calla. "I bought these back in Kyonin. Potions of Heroism. Once drunk, they'll last fifty minutes. Drink them just before the battle."

The Goblin heaves a sigh. "It's been quite the ride. I remember a silly little Goblin who wandered into Riddleport. He never thought he'd be going on a mad adventure to save the world from insane dark elves and the taint of ancient Azlant's demise. Ladies and gentlemen... whatever happens tomorrow, it has been my honour. Now. Let's hear any ideas you all have for tomorrow, and feel free to tell me where I'm going wrong in my thinking. I want to really fine-tune my spell selection for the occasion."

"All of your preparations seem sound to me," Bruendor agrees with a nod of his head. "We already have one ally from beyond, I think diversifying and asking the Guardian of Orv to join us is probably a better choice, though I don't know what sort of abilities she has beyond being a genie and granting wishes."

"That brings us to Allevrah herself, also a powerful wizard by all accounts. We have to assume she's aware of us, and knows how we fight. She's probably also taking magical precautions against us. Do you have some way to strip her magics from her? She might try something like that on us as well, though I suspect she'll just try overpowering us with her magics."

"I'm loathe to 'swap queens' with her, as it were. Your magic will be far more useful to us than just turning off hers. Besides, if she's able to move freely, then all she needs to do is step out of the range of your field, and now she can cast with abandon. I'd call that a last resort, rather than a trump."

"The only other thing I can think of is making ourselves invisible, but she might be ready for that. If that's in our wheelhouse, then I'd vote to try going into that fight with her shrouded - maybe she can see us, but that might not go for whatever demons she has surrounded herself with."

"I've got a few magics of my own, though not nearly as impressive. I plan on lending weight to my blade, and I could also sharpen your reaction time, AB. If we can dictate the tempo of this fight, things might end up going our way on the other side of it."

"Tactically, Lef has got that demon-killing sword, so it might make the most sense for him to aim towards handling demons. If we have a clear shot on Allevrah, then by all means, take it. I'll probably start with cutting a way to her with Lef, moving to killing drow after that. I imagine Calla will be lending fire support into everything that moves, and Kel has heals and support covered."

He nods listening to Anklebiter's summation. "I recall a morose dwarf looking for a way to die in the misbegotten slums of Riddleport, saved by a handful of other misfits, betrayed by a man pretending at redemption, and finding purpose in thwarting the mad scheme of an elf turned to demon worship. I have to believe that we will succeed. There is too much at stake for us to fail. If we do not...then I have the pleasure of dying with some of the best people the world has known."

Nice RP!

The next morning, once your preparations were made, you set out for the island marked Throne of Abraxas. It was in the southern part of the sea, and though your darkvision granted you sight in this black land, it had a very limited range, and it took hours of scanning back and forth over the featureless sea before you found it.

The island hove out of the darkness, surprising you with its sudden appearance, despite your actively searching it out. Carefully you made your way around the edges of the island, scoping out its boundaries and getting a feel for the size of the place. You knew that the drow could see in the dark easily as well as you, and perhaps better, so you kept your distance as much as possible. The island was roughly teardrop shaped, with the narrow end to the west. It was roughly 8 miles long and half that wide.

On the tip of the teardrop was a pier, with a jetty that ran up to a bunker of sorts. Careful exploration showed you a path that led to the island's interior from the bunker.

Earlier
"Those plans sound good, AB, but if we get the chance to use the gem before we actually close with Allevrah, we should. She may have her own protections and ways to stop magic, so you should be prepared for that too," Calla says.

"I have some magic that may help our weapons, plus can make three of us free to move no matter what happens, though we need to decide which three. And that would be all of my most powerful spells..."

She glances over her shoulder at her bow.

"I plan to fill the b&##! with arrows. I have three I've been saving just for her," Calla says with a feral look in her eyes.

Later
"That may be where to start," Calla notes, bow in hand and her usual spells cast.

"I can make us all invisible, but only once every day, so if we use it now and don't get to rest again, there's not much I can do."

"I can bless us with fervor and hamper the drow with daylight", Kel volunteers.

"I don't know how many forays it will take for us to get to her," Bruendor offers. "But I don't think it wise to believe we can do it in one. I think it makes the most sense to try to take that jetty first, and prevent them from making any physical escapes. From there we can look at attacking their compound proper."

Sounds like we have consensus.

Lefrik sharpens his blade as they others talk and nods. He's good to go with what the others say.

As you approach the jetty you see driders. And drow. LOTS of driders and drow. Motion in the air above the jetty draws your attention to bat riders. Patrols of six drow on bats seem to be flying regular patrol routes from the bunker to the interior of the island. The bunker itself appears large enough to hold many drow, perhaps even hundreds. IN sight are easily two-dozen drow and a dozen driders. The numbers don't look good for a frontal approach.

"Perhaps we should rethink," Calla suggests.

Those numbers seem daunting. Let's try heading to the interior, since right now that seems our best option. Other thought is trying to draw a few off at a time, but I think numbers still contradict that approach.

"Pull back!", Bruendor hisses as he spies the numbers. "There's no way we can handle that many. We had our hands full with the handful at the isolated fortress. Are we sure there's no other way in?"

Lefrik raises a brow, and mutters "That's a bit too much glory even for me."

"We need to cut the head off of this snake", Kel mutters.

"Yeah, but no reason why we should offer it our foot to bite, first," Anklebiter says. "Seems to me, what we need is a back door and a great lot of noise to distract this lot. That, or we need to make ourselves a back door. I could summon an earth elemental to burrow our way in; I can speak their language now."

Flying back away from the jetty, you skirted around the bunker, looking for a way to strike at the heart of Allevrah's power without bringing her drow armies into the fray. The road leading from the bunker to the interior of the island didn't seem to be heavily traveled, and you followed it, dipping in and out of your darkvision range to ensure you stayed on target without unduly exposing yourselves.

After about four miles of this behavior, you saw that the road had turned into a bridge. Apparently this island in the middle of the sea of black blood itself had a small caldera filled with the stuff. Following the bridge, you saw the island top rising like a small mountain, carved in the shape of a temple. The spires were razor sharp, and though they looked sculpted, there were no apparent windows or other egresses visible. The only way in looked to be an enormous set of double doors where the bridge met the temple mountain. An 18-foot tall demon stood in front of the doors, along with several vulture-like demons. You recognized both kinds of demon - a glabrezu and some vrocks!

"Demons," the deva breathes, a glimmer of light travelling along the edges of its feathered wings. "The multiverse will smell cleaner if we dispose of these."

"The odds do look better here," Anklebiter says. "Shall we give it a try?"

"How'll we stop 'em from sounding all kindsa alarms if we attack?" Magpie asks, curiously.

"Maybe we oughta call in some flying types to keep 'em pinned down so's they can't fly away?" Duchess suggests.

"There may still be another way inside, let's check the spires before we risk sounding the demon alarm."

"I don't suppose we have one of those silence spells? Mm probably not." Then a nod to Kelendra, "Might as well."

"We're flying," Calla acidly notes to Duchess, laying out what she knows about the demons which apparently isn't actually all that much.

Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (7) + 15 = 22
Knowledge (planes): 1d20 + 15 ⇒ (5) + 15 = 20

She nods at Kelendra's suggestion, and joins the search for another entrance.

Perception: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (6) + 23 = 29
Stealth: 1d20 + 26 ⇒ (11) + 26 = 37

If none presents itself, she urges the group to hit hard and fast. "Let's try to take out the vrocks before they realize we're even there. Change the odds to work in our favor," she suggests.

No other entrances are visible

"This looks to be as good as we'll get," Bruendor says with a shrug. "I like our odds here compared to the jetty, at least. We've fought vrocks before, anyone know how to kill a glabrezu?"

Knowledge (planes) on glabrezu: 1d20 + 17 ⇒ (14) + 17 = 31

"Everyone mind you keep away from the vrock spores this time," Anklebiter cautions.

"We better kill them quickly before others arrive."

Kel can start with flame strike, even though they'll stop some of the fire, the divine will bypass DR and have a better chance of group damage

"If you have suggestions on which of them for me to attack first, let me know." a shrug , and he looks thoughtful One dream I need to give up on is ever being a warchief. I don't have the tactics for it. What I can do is try to kill every damn demon that would harm my compatriots. Yes. I'm all right at that.

"The glabrezu. It's the toughest one," Anklebiter counsels. "If we can mob it and drop it before it can act against us, we should."

"I shall smite them all," the deva declares. "That magic is not elemental and will burn them well."

"Go for the biggest one," A grin, "That's a tactic my ego can get behind."

"See, this is why we pay you as handsomely as we do, AB," Bruendor deadpans, drawing his cold iron blade. "Insightful tactical acumen like that." He smiles, looking towards his friends.

"Let's end this."

"Stand fast, heroes!" Anklebiter says as he first unleashes a pulse of energy and then whips out a scroll and casts it on the group. "Stand fast and be true, and ... ATTACK!"

Protective ward: everyone add a +3 deflection bonus to AC. Casting Haste on the party.

OK, we haven't told the GM what we want. My proposal is I'll make Brue and Lefrik invisible. Kel casts rainbow pattern to try to fascinate the vrocks, which will be the signal for Brue, Lefrik and Calla to try to take out the glabrezu -- hopefully that won't break the fascinate on the vrocks. If this plan works, let the GM know.

Sounds good to me, Calla

I too like this plan.

Let's do it! If we still have time after I've cast those two buffs, I'll hit glabby with an Ear-piercing scream for 5d6 ⇒ (6, 1, 2, 6, 3) = 18, Fort. DC 16 to halve and avoid being dazed for one round. Spell penetration 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 12 + 2 = 15

The movanic deva will trigger Holy smite, catching as many demons as possible, for 6d6 ⇒ (1, 3, 1, 5, 4, 5) = 19 holy damage, Will DC 18 for half. Fail and be blinded for one round. Spell penetration 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (2) + 12 = 14

If the deva hits the vrocks, that will break Kel's spell. It should only do that if Kel's spell doesn't work.

Kel focuses and an explosion of fireworks appears directly before the Vrocks. catch as many as possible in the 20 foot radius spread

SR check for Rainbow Pattern: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (16) + 12 = 28

Rainbow Pattern with Awesome display, so each creature counts as -6 HD towards the total of 24 HD, Kel would have followed the plan, so if the deva breaks it, then it breaks

THIS is what you saw on your recon flight.

And THIS is where you are now, as you come in for the fight. Note, that the only way to attack is full frontal.

Full frontal is the best way to do anything. We'll have Lefrik and Brue invisible, so they can get close unseen. Kel will use her rainbow pattern to try to get the vrocks. I'll advance just close enough to see everything, staying over the center of the bridge. Up to AB and Kel where they want/need to be.

I'll stick to the back row.
But please keep in mind that either the demons have a shift system ... or we've been made.

Kel will also move up where she can see everything and stay a healthy distance from everything. the rainbow pattern can target AH-29 and get all of them, if they haven't moved

Okay, here we go!

Everyone gets a Surprise Round action

Kelendra's spell went off, sending a rainbow pattern cascading off the bridge and onto the vrocks. Three of the creatures went cross-eyed, focused on the dancing pattern, but the one with red-tinted feathers on its head ignored the spell, as did the glabrezu.

here's the map

Calla quickly casts a spell and calls down her goddess' judgment on the demons as she flies foward. Swift: Invoke justice and purity judgment; standard: cast divine power; 5-ft. step to AI-18.

Bruendor dives towards the active vrock, fading into view as he slashes his blade at its neck.

Partial charge to AF25, and attack! -2 to AC for this round, for a total of 24. I should be able to stop at a space above the vrock for higher ground bonus as well.

Attack, charge, FE, higher ground?: 1d20 + 15 + 2 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (9) + 15 + 2 + 4 + 1 = 31
Damage, FE, cold iron: 1d8 + 5 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 4 = 17
Sneak!: 3d6 ⇒ (1, 2, 5) = 8

Anklebiter chants a quick spell, targeting the red vrock!

Ear piercing scream on red! Spell penetration 1d20 + 12 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 12 + 2 = 21; damage 5d6 ⇒ (5, 3, 6, 3, 4) = 21 sonic; Fort. DC 16 to halve damage, fail and be dazed for one round.

The movanic deva beats its wings and comes to a stop next to Lefrik, sword aflame and an eager hum vibrating its throat...!

Getting ready to attack glabby next round, screening Kelendra at AG 18 this one.

Lefrik, invisible, races towards the glabrezu if he can without breaking the rainbow pattern for any foes.

If he can't he'll try a round about method

If he can ,then Charge, Double move should get him there Cold Iron Bane weapon against demons
To hit: 1d20 + 21 ⇒ (3) + 21 = 24
Dmg: 1d10 + 11 ⇒ (2) + 11 = 13 plus bane 2d6 ⇒ (6, 1) = 7

Let's hope the element of surprise helped that chance to hit because otherwise , yuck.