Struck by yet another arrow, the shaman's limbs stiffen. He's yet again unable to move!
His life force continues to ebb, flowing to Doxon, Hamilton, Ushyle and (depending on his save) Whistle Pig.
Ushyle watches the undead queen fall and flashes a grin to Ham. Well done, Giantslayer! He takes a moment to see the measure of both the remaining skeletal archer and of Yellow, then whirls on Green.
Raen called it a [u]witchfire[/u]...where is Raen, anyway? A flash of panic comes over him at the thought of something happening to her, but the incorporeal mass of malice begins to move toward Hamilton and the panic is forgotten in the rush to defend.
Ushyle feels his magical blade cut through some of the ghostly form!
Round 3
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Skirkatla: Fire
Flying Archers: ATK
Hamilton: Crit and kill!
Doxon: Go
Vael: Paralyzation, Poison, Death Magic
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Hit
Whistle Pig: Go
Green: 18
Yellow
Purple: 72
"No no, no no no no!" Tulia flits about the paralyzed shaman, concerned. "Don't you dare play the hero and let your life drain away completely!"
She releases her concentration on the illusion and places a hand on Vael. Within moments a white light glows and healing energy flows.
Fueled by a mix of anger and nerves, Tulia loads her crossbow.
Tulia helps close wounds as Whistle Pig lets fly. Most of the stones connect, though the undead archer stays in the fight!
Round 3
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Skirkatla: Fire
Flying Archers: ATK
Hamilton: Crit and kill!
Doxon: Go
Vael: Paralyzation, Poison, Death Magic
Tulia: Cure
Ushyle: Hit
Whistle Pig: Hits
Green: 18
Yellow:
Red: 71
Purple: 72
Whistle Pig's Second shot knocks the baykok out of the air as it drops dead.
Round 3
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Skirkatla: Fire
Flying Archers: ATK
Hamilton: Crit and kill!
Doxon: Go
Vael: Paralyzation, Poison, Death Magic
Tulia: Cure
Ushyle: Hit
Whistle Pig: Hits redirect attacks 3+
Green: 18
Yellow:
Whistle Pig then turns his attention to the final two witchfires.
Round 3
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Skirkatla: Fire
Flying Archers: ATK
Hamilton: Crit and kill!
Doxon: Go
Vael: Paralyzation, Poison, Death Magic
Tulia: Cure
Ushyle: Hit
Whistle Pig: Hits
Green: 36
Yellow:
Doxon casts some quick healing on himself. Then steps forward and readies to attack the shape moving in the cloud if it approaches.
Fervor to swift cast Cure Critical Wounds.
Doxon closes a massive amount of his wounds as he readies for the onslaught.
Which comes immediately, but from a distance. The fire flies from the creature's hand and out of the fog, but over Doxon's shoulder and into Hamilton!
for .
The other flies into the fog, whipping past Ushyle and also levels a burst of witchfire at Hamilton. for .
Round 4
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Go + 2 Will saves
Doxon: Go
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Go + AoO
Whistle Pig: Go
Green: 36
Yellow:
WILL Ham Save The First?: NOPE!
So big damage on the second hit.
WILL Ham Save The Second?: NOPE!
Ham withdraws to outside the room and retrieves a potion of Cure Serious Wounds.
I think I'm done. Move to get outta there, standard to pull the potion, right?
Hamilton retreats, but the Witchfires don't seem to care as the tilt forward, ready to rush after the queenslayer.
Round 4
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Retreat!
Doxon: Go
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Go + AoO
Whistle Pig: Go
Green: 36
Yellow:
With haste, Ushyle gives chase to Green as it moves away.
Ushyle keeps the pressure up, cutting the ghostly figure as it flies away. . He slashes into the fog after running up the stairs and connects a second time!
Round 4
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Retreat!
Doxon: Go
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Hit
Whistle Pig: Go
Green: 89
Yellow:
HIT
HIT
Round 4
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Retreat!
Doxon: Go
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Hit
Whistle Pig: Go
Green: 89
Doxon uses his enhanced speed to race around up the stairs to close with the apparitions. He then swings Agrimmosh in, hoping he's not being too foolhardy.
Vael remains frozen in place, but continues to bleed for the group.
With a flit of her wings Tulia moves to hover beside Vael. She points her crossbow towards the fog, ready to fire off a bolt the moment she sees a foe.
Doxon's swing slows a bit with the solid fog, but still connects hard. Unfortunately Whistle Pig's stones slow down so much when they hit the fog that they never have a chance. Vael stays stuck as Tulia preps.
The witchfire on the edge near Ushyle tries to touch him before retreating: for . It then retreats into the cloud.
The other dashes out and through the wall over Ushyle's head and closes with Hamilton.
Round 5
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Go
Doxon: Go AoO v. Yellow
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Go + AoO v. Green
Whistle Pig: Go
Yellow: 11
Green: 89
Ham swears something vulgar as his eyes go wide and the flaming ghost comes through the wall. He puts the potion into his mouth and holds it with his teeth, while hoisting Akargrim's Visage and lashing out with frantic attacks.
Undead Bane Greataxe, Power Attack: , Non Corporeal Miss chance: , Damage on hit: HIT
Undead Bane Greataxe, Power Attack: , Non Corporeal Miss chance: , Damage on hit: MISS
Undead Bane Greataxe, Power Attack: , Non Corporeal Miss chance: , Damage on hit: HIT if 21 Hits
Undead Bane Greataxe, Power Attack: , Non Corporeal Miss chance: , Damage on hit: MISS
Ham decides that it's better to go down swinging. Twice though his strikes slow as they pull through an eddy of supernatural essence! The witchfire burns noticeably less, but burns nonetheless.
Round 5
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Hits
Doxon: Go AoO v. Yellow
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Go + AoO v. Green
Whistle Pig: Go
Yellow: 55
Green: 89
Vael continues to feed his life force into his allies...
As the specter flies past, Doxon strikes out with Agrimmosh.
He then advances into the fog, and swings at the remaining apparition.
Now limned in witchfire, Doxon makes a solid hit on the ghostly figure, and advances into the fog. No one can see, but the Hammer of Unmaking lives up to its name as the witchfire is snuffed out!
Vael, paralyzed, continues to do his job.
Round 5
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Hits
Doxon: Boom!
Vael: Ick
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Go + AoO v. Green
Whistle Pig: Go
Yellow: 90
Ushyle does a lot in little time, catching the witchfire as he makes his way to Hamilton!
Round 5
Green things: ATK
Raen: Paralyzed
Hamilton: Hits
Doxon: Boom!
Vael: Ick
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Hit and heal
Whistle Pig: Go
Yellow: 105
Ushyle gives chase to the witchfire, but he must navigate walls the undead creature can ignore. As he rounds the corner, he sees Hamilton's bleeding wounds and he tries to grant a little succor.
Tulia fires off a tiny bolt as the witchfire makes its way through the wall.
She reloads the weapon the moves to chase after the same witchfire. "You'll not get Hamilton either!"
Tulia and Whistle Pig try to end the creature, but there's enough left binding it to this world to keep it dangerous.
With a fury only the dead know, it tries to bring down the Queenslayer, for
Round 6
Green things: ATK
Raen: Go
Hamilton: Go
Doxon: Go
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Go
Whistle Pig: Go
Yellow: 114
Doxon double moves to Ham.
comes the unexpected scream of rage from a womanly Varisian voice, somewhere to the northwest, as Raen finally breaks free of her paralysis. The invisible woman flies towards the remnant of battle, muttering furious words of arcane vengeance.
A paralysis of her own making envelops the remaining Witchfire.
Then Ham feels an invisible hand of the market touch his shoulder. The burning sensation on his skin cools and dissipates.
Raen's fury comes with a shocking amount of magic. her spell of holding sloughs off the witchfire, but her protection of Hamilton should suffice.
Doxon hustles as fast as his legs can muster.
Round 6
Green things: ATK
Raen: Magic!
Hamilton: Go
Doxon: Move
Vael: Go
Tulia: Go
Ushyle: Go
Whistle Pig: Go
Yellow: 114
Ham snarls, continues his assault.
Greataxe, Undead Bane, Power Attack:, for
Greataxe, Undead Bane, Power Attack:, for
Greataxe, Undead Bane, Power Attack:, for
Greataxe, Undead Bane, Power Attack:, for
Hamilton's swings are bolstered by the return of Raen. With a slash, and a hack, he shreds the last vestige of the witchworld from this world!
Suddenly, completely, the tomb goes quiet outside of the heavy breathing of the heroes.
Raen stands over the body. Her gimlet eyes soaking in the victory. With a flick and mutter she hones in on the erstwhile queen.
The Varisian illusionist studies the auras before her.
mithral warding chainmail
shield
of resistance +2
Ham quaffs his potion.
Restored.
We should burn her body. Cut off her head, burn the remains and scatter the ashes whilst saying a prayer. That's what my ma used to say.
Your ma, rest her soul, was wise, says Ushyle, breathing hard but already moving to separate head from body.
With the grisly deed done, he hefts the decapitated body into the sunken area of the room where the last witchfire was dispatched, then helps Whistle Pig and Ham set the body alight.
All eyes turn to Doxon to say a few words over the pyre.
Vael finally breaks through the paralysis, and mentally releases his connection to the others. The shaman is battered and bruised. He spits out blood as the group gathers around the dead queen. "Spirits of Life, bathe us in your healing light."
He then nods to Doxon, ready to hear a prayer to Torag.
For her part, Tulia smiles and hugs Vael. "That was close, wasn't it?"
After the body has been destroyed and the prayers said, Raen quietly asks Whistle Pig to check the door north from the throne room for traps.
Pig approaches the door:
If not trapped he checks the door for sounds:
WP tries to pick the lock:
Deeming it safe, Whistle Pig opens the door. This chamber appears to be a private mausoleum. Depictions of a frost giant army smashing down the walls of Kellid and Ulfen settlements and leading captives away in chains are carved in bas-relief on the east and west walls. Steps lead up the side of an enormous bier, bereft of coffin or sarcophagus, like a bed of stone. The wall above the dais is engraved with runic writing. On either side, in birdcages large enough to hold a horse lie the corpses of two recently dead hippogriffs. From this distance, it looks like it was starvation.
The Engracing lists the name “Skirkatla Hjotunsdottir.” It also includes a single date: 29 Kuthona 4378 AR, along with the term “Ashenmorn.”
The term Ashenmorn refers to the day she was raised from the dead.
That's 340 years ago, Ushyle notes. Not sure what, exactly, but that's what the date says.
Whistle Pig spends a fair bit of time in the room when he makes a pair of discoveries!
One of the hippogriff "pets" isn't quite dead, though Erastil must be approaching. The other is a secret door in the northeast.
"It's alive?" Vael asks, approaching cautiously. "And imprisoned. Be careful, Pig. Even weakened they're dangerous."
He pulls out some of extra food he keeps from his morning conjuration. Keeping his distance, he tosses some into the cage. "Horses don't like me, and that beast is at least part horse. But it deserves freedom. I will heal it, but yer going to need to open the cage."
And with that he again calls upon the Spirits of Life. A burst of positive energy washes over the hippogriff.