Tom searches his mind for some forgotten knowledge about these cultists, maybe knowing Ishtar has connected some dots he couldn't figure out before.
Roshan looks about for the source of the enchantment, watching the surrounding battle with a wary eye.
Ron charges towards the sitting jet figure and drives the point of Remorse towards its throat with all his might.
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For a moment, Ron is back at town, training militiamen by the wall, and exchanging solemn words with a scantily clad, yet no less severe Roshan. "There is a name in our bladecraft for your technique, Captain: Sheathing the Blade. The form is deadly efficient because it pours every ounce of strength and wit into seeing your blade through flesh, and sheaths the enemy's blade in your gut. I do not see the wisdom in this as a focus of troup training. If we are to pit ourselves against armies, we'll need to survive a few fights before our work is done." Roshan nods in a manner both matter-of-fact and self-affirming. "I do not mean to criticize the ground tactics of yours or Conwall's choosing. It obviously works quite well for the both of you."
Belym takes a moment to secure her handhold, and then sets about letting the great demon know where she is, unleashing a torrent of snow and ice over the serpent's head.
My eyes narrow as the vines approach. I let Catastrophe hack away at the vines before their barbs can get me.
Ron
Belym
the force of the icey blast , and the temperature differential, send cracks rippling through the bone. from behind the head-plate, a pair of large vines, with bone shards sticking from them, snake out, and rear up, ready to strike, what do you do?
Roshan
you check over sir bonney, high and low, but nothing from the cult is apparent. it would seem some other party is responsible.
you find the clerics brazier, and several sacred herbs. you may not be able to help him directly, but you can petition his god to do so.
finally, you remember an old trick, a quick way to determine the rough nature of a psychic assailant. you open one of sir Bonney's eyes. inscribed, where the iris and pupil ought to be, is an old symbol, older the Hebron himself.
what do you do?
Conwall
demon vines are no match for elvish steel, and your assualt leaves them stunted and broken, unable to stop you. the way is clear, but ever shifting as the beast moves. what do you do?
Tom
you know that this is a vile trick, a way to empty out a vessel, and suspend their consciousness. then you simply overwhelm them in this world, and inhabit the empty vessel. it is a favorite tactic of cults who wish to let their demonic master walk the earth unnoticed.
also, seriously, knife-face contact very imminent, spend some hold, H&S, DD, or do something, or that will become a hard move.
When the figure is close Tom moves first striking the creature and then following through with his crude but effective swordmanship. The followup only strikes an arm or whatever resembles one, but the first strike was solid.
[Dice=Pierce 2]1d8
The Gem-man stands, with incredible speed, stangle sounds, like chimes tinkling, echoe every time it moves. what should have been a fatal blow (perhaps, you aren't sure of this thing's biology), is reduced to a blow to the stomach. equally fast, it lashes out, the sharp claws punching deep into your flesh . you notice a strange, almost circular section on its arm, that is indented, and dark red. meanwhile you hear tinkling noises from behind you, what do you do?
Tom
with each cut you make, the cultists form seems to grow weaker, less corporeal, as if it's essence is evaporating. the final blow seems to seal it, and the cultist dissipates, like mist in the sun's heat.
from behind you, the voice echoes again, this time slightly stronger. you can tell it is coming from the island. Please, help me. Please gods tell me you can hear me!
It's a bit rude t' demand without introduction! Tom bellows frustrated as he searches the landscape for any remaining threat before turning around, I hear ye, but I have little reason to pay heed.
It's a bit rude t' demand without introduction! Tom bellows frustrated as he searches the landscape for any remaining threat before turning around, I hear ye, but I have little reason to pay heed.
I'm trapped in here, like you the voice says. when you turn to face him, you see a lanky figure wearing torn peasant clothes struggling to lift himself using a stone pillar. my name is Lydus, I was a resident of Bridgebury, before the cult took us all. they killed all the others. I've barely been able to dodge them in here. you're the first friendly face I've seen in ages.
Belym calls on her elemental once again; the otter grabs the dwarf in its paws, then vanishes...
... And reappears an instant later, halfway down the great serpent's back. Belym quickly creates a barricade of stone as she considers her next move.
Well, Lydus. I cannot promise anything, but I will try and free you. as Tom looks around for any way out.
Ron's eyes widen as the creature seems to know precisely where he is despite the invisibility. He grunts as the jagged claws dig in.
Ron back steps with the strike to minimize its impact and then rolls forward beneath the creature's marked arm to gain some distance and put his immediate target between himself and the stirring figures.
As Ron rises and pivots, expecting a brief respite, he finds that the creature is immediately upon him. The battlemaster desperately raises his shield to parry the blow.
As the creature loses its balance, Ron drives Remorse into the mark.
Belym
Tom
There is a way out, where the altar is in the real world. but it's guarded by a monster. do you think you can get us past it? Lydus asks. he still clings to the pillar, but he seems stronger now, his resolve literally strengthening him. what do you do?
Ron
The beast lashes out again, this time raking its claws across your stomach. behind you, the tinkling gets louder, and more frequent, what do you do?
Ron
The beast lashes out again, this time raking its claws across your stomach. behind you, the tinkling gets louder, and more frequent, what do you do?
Ron rolls backwards with the blow, and continues until he is at the edge of the island outside the ring of enchantments.
Ron takes advantage of the distance he has gained to drink a healing potion. He tosses the vial aside and then launches Remorse at his original target, seeking the red sigil.
Remorse strikes home, and blue lightning courses through the creature, lighting it up from the inside. Focus, they must have a weakness.
Tom
Ron
Remorse flies true, piercing through the red mark, and the whole arm,and driving into its chest. the magic shatters the creatures whole chest. you briefly see a swirling purple vortex at its centre, a little piece of the portal, before it fades away. the portal hisses and twirls as it does, and the tinkling grows louder and more urgent still.
Don't tell me you need to be carried or something, Lydus. We're headed for that altar.
Flashback
Sheathing the Blade. I like that. But yer right, it won't do for the lot of them. We'll be outnumbered. Teach us one of yer forms. One for fighting a group.
End Flashback
Ron dips the point of Remorse and drops into Wind Upon The Grasses.
He sprints forward towards the closest figure and brings Remorse around in a wide slashing motion towards its throat.
The battlemaster follows his momentum into a low drifting spin, lashing out with the edge of the shield into the side of a second creature's "skull."
Ron pirouettes away from the second creature, moving towards the third, which stands waiting for him.
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Ron
Tom
No, I think I can walk, but I doubt I can fight, I'm sorry He says, limping toward you. as he reaches you, he gestures forward We should move quickly, the longer we take, the more people they will send after us
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In the middle of a pitched battle, with equipment she is unfamiliar with, Roshan begins to petition a God she has little faith in. "Iisac, brilliant son of Hebron, shepherd of humanity, your Calloused Hand needs your voice to cleave the fog that clouds his eyes." Not exactly accustomed to prayer, as dead Gods are not the type to answer, Roshan does what she can to help Brother Bonney.
With the crystal within reach, I bring my whole strength into crushing it with Catastrophe
It's fast and Catastrophe is unharmed. It's loud as heck and it's never going to be right again...but the crystal is destroyed.
Great. You take the lead and I'll keep an eye out for trouble.
Tom walks with a hand on his sword.
Ron
the first figure you strike slumps to the ground, chest impaled, and the second figure stumbles, but doesn't fall, a the third one is ready, and assumes an offensive stance as you approach. Then the fourth grabs your sheild arm, holding it fast. the third is dashing forward, and you hear the second's tinkling steps. what do yu do?
Roshan
You burn the herbs, Iisac has been petitioned, though you see no response. what you do see is the phalanx collapsing in your absence, several men flee the fray, and the three remaining demons gain ground. what do you do?
Conwall & Belym
as the orb is sundered, bits of crystal spraying away from the blade, the entire beast stops moving, and begins to collapse, while you are still upon/within it. what do you do?
Tom
you go through this eerie facsimile of the Ghostmoor, and reach the outlying villages. the architecture here is a strange mix of Norwhich and Ghostmoors's buildings, and a coastal style. you hear footsteps coming, and are able to duck inside one of the houses before they cultists (a pair of them) spot you. what do you do?
Khanda still planted in the ground at Tom's feet, Roshan looses the strap holding her shield to her forearm and hurls it at one enemy before drawing her dancing blades and charging at the other two.
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I leap from the collapsing behemoth, flipping gracefully from its towering bulk and landing in a perfectly executed three point landing as the monster collapses in a cloud of dust behind me.
Elves never look back at explosions.
As the demon collapses, Belym quickly races back up its neck towards its head; as the head crashes down, she leaps through the air...
And lands sprawling on the pathway, the regrouping demons in front of her and the sinkhole behind.
Roshan
as it turns out, shields just aren't meant for throwing... you owe Tom a new shield.
but, your melee assault is more successful, your first strike knock one of their sheilds away, your second blade lungin in for a death blow. only two remain now. what do you do?
Belym
One of the demons is bearing down on you, ax raised. what do you do?
Conwall
you land on the Marshway, behind the demons, and watch as they close in on your allies. Behind you, you hear the sounds of combat, Ron seems to have engaged the enemy as well. what do you do?
Tom
Tom's arms reach from the shadows of a doorway, grasping the cultists' head and pushing them together with crushing force.
Tom
your plan works flawlessly, the two cultist, caught by surprise, slump to the ground. the area is clear, for now, what do you do?
As the creature touches Ron, Remorse flashes blue and gold.
In its grasp, Ron transforms into a mirror image of his prey, reveling in the protection afforded by the stone skin.
He then pulls the creature towards Remorse.
As Remorse digs deep, out of the corner of his eye Ron sees the hell gate shrink, but not before a demon emerges, scowling at the battlemaster.
Distracted by the sight of the demon, Ron fails to notice the fourth stone creature strike him from behind.
Tom pushes Lydus in front of him and scans the area as they move for the altar, Keep moving we should be close.
As quickly as possible, Belym traces earthen lines over her form, and digs into the walkway under the demon's feet.
She emerges a few feet behind it, upright and ready to launch a boulder.
Belym
Ron
The demon snarls as it's limbs stretch, face snarling, before it begins running at you full tilt, claws poised to eviscerate.
more pressing, however, is the fourth crystal-man. he grasps you by the arm, cold crystal claws holding your arms like a vice as it wrenched them behind you. you hear something enormous fall into the water behind you, it would seem the beast has been felled (And Conwall will likely be insufferable the rest of the day). What do you do?
Tom
You reach the town of Riverthatch, slipping through the brass wall in a spot Lydus points out to you. you watch the open glade, where the portal lies, but before it curls a creature, like a small dragon.
- Lydus is glancing between the dragon and theportal, and resting on the balls of his feet. he is going to run, either for the portal, or away.
- You see scorch-marks in many places around the glade, if you try to get to the portal, this monster will likely try to incinerate you.
- As you are watching, you see the dragon stir, and glance back at the church steele. someone, or something, is moving up there, commanding the dragon.
what do you do?
As the demon charges, Ron disappears from sight.
He drops to the ground, letting his full weight drag the visible creature imperceptibly down.
As the demon charges the crystal man, Ron keeps an eye on the demon's feet, ready to roll to avoid being trampled.
Tom does not say a word, but puts a comforting hand on the shoulder of Lydus. He pulls back to as private and area as possible and whispers, Someone is controlling the dragon's actions. We will have to draw it away to use the portal. You stay here, worst case I get caught and when the dragon is called away you can run to the portal.
Tom then leaves Lydus alone and makes his way to the church.
I rush towards the baddies, ready to fight and
Flashback:
As Ron disappears from sight, his voice floats over to Conwall's sensitive ears.
If I see a chance to get to that hellgate, I'm going to take it. I trust ye can handle these rabble. If demons begin pouring out, I'll need yer help. Occupy the biggest target, I'll drop the rest.
End Flashback
Belym
your boulder flies hard, and sends the remaining demons flying. they fall into the marsh, broken and dead. the 5 remaining soldiers look to you for guidance. What do you do?
Ron
You disappear, and pull the creature down, which gets torn apart by the creatures claws. as the last crystal-man shatters, the portal starts to flare and flash, growing unstable. meanwhile, that damned-fool Elf gets himself grabbed by the demon, what do you do?
Conwall
you leap toward the demon, a real brute, standing 6 meters tall, built like an ox, with an enormous muzzle overflowing with twisted, serrated teeth. On the end of the beasts muscular arms end in vicious curved talons, talons which seem to not be slowed in the least by the crystal skin of the man holding Ron. You almost falter, but steady at the last moment, and deliver a blow spot-on. however, it does not seem to affect the creature over-much, it grasps you in one of it's taloned hands (Pinning your arms to your sides as well), and opens it's mouth, roaring. what do you do?
Tom
Lydus looks like he is going to say something, but seems to think better of it at the last moment. You reach the church easily enough, the door opening quietly. there is a ladder that goes up to the steeple's windows... It looks creaky. what do you do?
Tom takes a moment to assess the situation, making sure that whatever it is still is hanging out up there and if there are any ways to slip past Tom.
