The dwarves rush in to confront the elves.
A female dwarf in full plate with a nasty falchion seems to be in front.
She looks bedraggled in her ill-fitting clothes clearly not her own. Her hair, the color of fallen leaves, is crudely yet effectively tied back. Clearly she has fallen upon hard times. Despite the potential explosive tension in the room, the nonchalant ease which she wields her polished falchion speaks of a professionalism at odds with her unkempt appearance.
An interesting man-dwarf hybrid is holding two bandoliers stuffed with hand axes and throwing axes and a well worn chain shirt. He seems too hunched to be a man, but too tall and scraggly to be dwarf.
He wears a ranger cloak that is tattered. In his hands is a hammer made out of what looks to be a cross between fine silver and gold that glows with a bright light.
Like all the dwarves, he is also wearing a cloak with an the symbol of a silver owl. It is considered holy by the dwarven diety responsible for the dead and the underworld, Magrim.
A barrel chested dwarf in full plate holds a banner. Strapped to his ample waist is an assortment of drinking cups from large to largest.
He holds a banner of a hammer on an anvil.
The elven banner is carried by a tall, plain female in breastplate. She has a regal appearance despite her youth.
[spoiler=RL stuff/Anyone can view]
Yeah, i'm sore mainly, I sadly bounced on impact which did my neck no amount of good. Other then that nothing broken just sore and strained. I twisted in the fall in an attempt to catch my self and only succeeded in jerking my whole right side. I think however it slowed my fall and prevented me from landing on my head lol. My wrist is better and I see that my post in the original thread got messed up so rerolling and reposting here as requested.
[/poiler]
Standing at six feet and eight inches tall with strikingly good looking features and the high-born features of elven nobility. He's wearing a clean, well maintained set of elven field plate and sports a heavy steel shield depicting the symbol of the father of elves Corellon Larethian. His visor is open and reveals his lightly tanned skin, marking him clearly as wood elf born and his storm cloud colored eyes.
Wilaml stands tall in his gleaming field plate, despite the onrushing dwarves he grips the chain that was attached to his holy symbol and draws it out from his field plate. He then raised his holy symbol and called upon the all-father to bless them all. Hoping that the elven fathers might would wash over the shrine of the Rough Beast and once more break it's hold on this land, hopefully freeing those it had enslaved to its ill-gotten power. As the pure energy washed over them all he tried to appeal to what good yet may reside within the dwarves. Hoping that the last shred of dwarven honor could repel the darkness that obviously gripped this place.
He speaks clearly in common, coming across truthfully and as honestly as he can despite the dark setting they were standing in. However the shock of such a shrine is easily seen on his features as the presence of the Rough Beast pained him. "I am Wilaml Fmelvam of the Foxes and I seek peace so that we may end this bloody conflict. However I see this place and its people have fallen on hard times. I wish to aid in anyway I can as a Hospitlar I will gladly treat the sickly or injured but pray tell me what has befallen this place friends? I thought the Rough Beast wasn't a part of the honorable and noble belief of dwarves?"
Thalas stands tall and well-built like all his Wood Elf kin, and is gird in excellent-quality if mundane armor. Allowing the better-spoken Wilaml to negotiate, he stands ready to defend himself.
Seltyn stands ready to cast, if needed.
The scraggly dwarven ranger rushes into the hall. The elves recognize him as the archer that got away at the checkpoint. The dwarves recognize him as their first leader appointed by the clan chief. "Brask!" the dwarves exclaim.
Partway through Wil's speech, Brask points to the elves: "They didn't heal my nephew, they killed him in cold blood without a weapon in his hand."
Brask's eyes are darting and unfocused. The fierce leader of the active resistance has become quite the fanatic zealot in your absence.
It's then Wil's wrath emerges and he regards the newcomer unfairly with it. However it's clear that his words being twisted does upset the Hospitlar some as his offer was truly genuine. "Tell me, did the outpost guards have a fair chance to protect themselves? As many died in your stealth attack with the wagons without a chance to fight honorably either." He takes a breath and doesn't allow them to interrupt him this time. that is besides the point and it doesn't excuse the fact that I failed to defend your nephew." His words are truthful and honest as despite how much he disliked the dwarf he hadn't wished his death. However he wouldn't allow the newcomer to make the conversation one sided. Mistakes were made on both sides and their was no honor to be found this day. Not for anyone...
Wilaml features soften, he unclasps his breastplate before he slides his sword forward out of its sheath with his thumb, offering up his own blade to do the deed. "If my life ends this conflict once and for all then I will gladly give it in exchange." His hardened features soften. "I offer no resistance and the foxes will not interfere. I ask only you honor a fair truce if my life ends this day. So the choice is yours..." He steps forward, away from the others to ensure these dwarves understand his offer is genuine.
He's not bluffing, not a word is untruthful as he accepts the fact it was his failing. His life is literally in their hands.
Gallak is tall for a dwarf, but that's hardly noticeable next to a group of elves.
His skin is white, though, and slightly irridescent, as though it were slightly damp. His pure-white beard twitches as he attempts to suppress a scowl, without success. A massive axe, fully the height of any human, supports his gauntleted hand, balanced as easily as a dwarf might wield a hammer.
Despite this, what is most striking is his voice. Both soft and commanding, his confident speech evokes the image of a thundering cascade.
Your words are wind on the stone, elf.
The elf druid with the ape animal companion speaks up and he holds out his hands. "The dwarf zealot I killed had a tattoo on his right shoulder of Rovagug the destroyer. Wil, I was hoping you would have had more faith in me."
He points to Brask. "Your right shoulder is tattooed similarly I am sure. Yes, appealing to the Destroyer you felt was your only option. And......
The druid pauses dramatically as Brask obviously has no rebuttal. His finger points to the demure bookish human. Known as Velma to the elves, she comes from the Elotheans, a land the dwarves visited for a short time.
"I am sure a mage with the powers to destroy large cities can probably get her power from an ancient, evil god. Care to show your right shoulder?"
Velma takes a step back defensively and rolls what appears to be four small beads into the center of the room. A translucent shield seems to surround her of red flames.
Brask nods to Velma with a smile.
"I was your leader, you should probably listen to me dwarves. We do have other options...."
The human dwarf hybrid speaks up, his hammer out.
"You pitched the idea to harvest the forest to your father, didn't you Brask!! No wonder there is an evil altar back here!!!"
The elvish bannermaid points to Velma:
"She has the mark of a twisted spider. Being newly recruited, I did not realize its significance."
The dwarvish bannerman walks two steps toward the elvish banner. The elvish bannermaid instinctively closes the distance.
"At one time, these banners marched together. Shall I confer the benefits on the elves too?"
The dwarvish bannerman looks squarely at Kiptera and fixes her gaze.
There are forces far greater than any of us that wish for the destruction of all. Ancient alliances between our races were ruined through the work of the humans, and the wars that have since weakened us. Both of our races once ruled this world in harmony, allied with one another. Join us to defeat a common threat, and let the statesmen of our races work out the petty details later.
Eirel will turn towards what he sees as the greater threat, the witch with the beads around her, assessing the threat, trying desperately to work out what might be done to combat it, and hoping that the dwarves will see sense and help.
Brask speaks to the dwarves:
"The power of Rovagug is strong. Magrim only has caused us problems."
Velma speaks to the elves and dwarves:
"The fittest survive, tested by battle. Only one of you can have the favor of Rovagug. Damn that meddling White Wizard and his group."
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Watching with a dismissive interest, Kiptera watches for the spark that will start this fire. The elves are alert, defensive posture yet diplomatic for all their charges. The dwarf, Brask, she has only heard third hand rumors but it seems they are understated. She knows nothing of the human, except she is now the metaphorical and literal spark.
"I accept."
She, as if to guard him, steps in front of Brask, facing the elves. With her falchion raised in defense, Kiptera spins with a grace not yet seen by her peers.
Alas no crit. Would've been a wonderful story detail.
"MUG, The elves fight under our banner! Leave Brask to us dwarves!"
The dwarf/human Magnum quickly downs a potion with the picture of dancing cat on the front.
The nimble Brask steps back and puts two arrows into the Dwarvish wizard Durgen.
Recently healed by the elves, the wizard finds himself hurt again as two arrows rip into him.
The group waits to see if the arrows are fatal. Velma transforms before your eyes to what looks like a black winged dragon.
"You do not want to oppose us here. This is place of power for the Destroyer!! Fight your opposites!! Whatever side wins has favor with Rovagug!!"
She cackles in glee: "His servant comes, he comes, bow down!!"
Round 1
Elves and Dwarves<<<<<<<
Velma and Brask
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Kiptera is silent as she assesses Brask's preferred weapon. The quickness of his arrow work is needed to be shut down. A quick step forward and her swing appears to be off center to the experienced Brask.
+6 double hand str, +1 Keen, +2 Sunder feat.
On his turn (init 4, dex +2), Seltyn moves, draws his sword, and casts Mage Armor on himself. He'll be casting Haste, but only has one prepped, so he'll wait until the "servant" shows up.
Velma transforming into a dragon is worrisome enough, so this thing will likely take all we have to bring it down.
He figures the spell was Form of the Dragon, but which level?
Seltyn announces sadly: "I thought she was using a spell, but that is her true form."
Thalas moves to place himself more directly in the center of the room, taking cover from both the black dragon and the mad dwarf in order to cast Bless for both the Elves and Dwarves.
Wil turns to the transformed Velma, unable to comprehend all the surprises that had occurred today as he tried to figure out how he had missed such a being being in their ranks. "A god giving you such power only shows that you are too weak to stand on your own. I'll show you what true strength is!" He surged forward, drawing Amilanir in a smooth motion and calling upon the aid of the All-Father to aid him in smiting this evil foe.
His entire being glowed with a golden radiance as the power hammered through him, mixing with the wrathful flames of the massive bastard sword as it hammered down against Velma's draconic skin...
Brask manages to keep his bow wood from being splintered by Kiptera.
"I'll show you who is the true dwarf!"
With your bless and the banners--everyone gets +2 morale bonus to attacks and +2 bonus to saves for any fear effects.
Wil moves to the black dragon, and marble two goes flying from the floor like a sling stone to hit him.
The marble hits Wil for
Slot none; Price 3,000 gp; Weight —
Description
This small black sphere appears to be a lusterless pearl. A bead of force can be thrown up to 60 feet with no range penalties. Upon sharp impact, the bead explodes, sending forth a burst that deals 5d6 points of force damage to all creatures within a 10-foot radius.
Once thrown, a bead of force functions like a resilient sphere spell (Reflex DC 16 negates) with a radius of 10 feet and a duration of 10 minutes. A globe of shimmering force encloses a creature, provided the latter is small enough to fit within the diameter of the sphere. The sphere contains its subject for the spell's duration. The sphere is not subject to damage of any sort except from a rod of cancellation, a rod of negation, disintegrate, or a targeted dispel magic spell. These effects destroy the sphere without harm to the subject. Nothing can pass through the sphere, inside or out, though the subject can breathe normally. The subject may struggle, but the globe cannot be physically moved either by people outside it or by the struggles of those within. The explosion completely consumes the bead, making this a one-use item.
Construction
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, resilient sphere; Cost 1,500 gp
The human dwarf hybrid laughs. "I think I can avoid that--I'm taking one for the team."
First he throws the hammer at the creature, and it hits the black creature with a dull thud sending a shock through her body. The dragon roars in pain.
Then he steps forward. The marble flies at him.
Sadly even the grace of the cat potion moving inside of him is not enough to avoid the bead or the bubble's attempt to grab him.
Durgen, Magnum, and Kiptera take
The hammer desperately seeks a dwarf willing to hold up a free hand as it finds the standard wielder encased in a bubble of force.
Doh...
Assailed by the voices in his head, the crazy haired absent minded Durgen is lost in his thoughts as the arrows hit him. Only after the force blasts knocks him off his feet does he finally snap out of his reverie. Before falling unconscious, Durgen casts haste, covering as many dwarves and elves alike then passes out, his head resting on the ground.
Durgen takes 30 (9 from arrows]
Zephyr is quicker than Wil and moves in front of the bead and takes the hit and another bead hits him. Zephyr dodges both bubbles and beats Will to the dragon. The Pegasus draws a bite from the dragon allowing Will to move in unscathed and his sword bites deeply into tough scales. The winged horse drops, fatally wounded before closing.
Then, the banner carriers channel for
The Pegasus was hit by both marbles leaving one ominously glowing on the ground.
Will is completely healed. Durgen is left with a scratch (down 1hp)
Brask is healed too! The Pegasus is still broken on the ground.
Seltyn also casts Haste, giving all the elves and dwarves the benefit of the spell.
He moves, and grins at the crazed dwarf. Let's light these fools up!
Still waiting on others. Haste next round.
Brask
The hammer begins to spin back from the massive blow to the dragon, it returns to find the dwuman ranger encased in a bubble of magic force. Not seeing any other free hand raised, Brask stumbles on a desperate plan. Throwing his bow to the ground that only barely avoided being shredded by Kiptera, he takes a step back and raises his hand.
Brask has seen the hammer in action, and knows of its power. "Fly Velma!!" he intones as he hurls the hammer at the floor in the center of the room. The hammer hits with incredible force creating a huge earthquake as the ground rumbles and the very floor is torn in places.
All but the flying dragon try to avoid the shock of great pressure wave of enormous force.
Velma, the young black dragon, hops away from Wil and waves her wings and chants a magic formula. A stinking cloud of rotten eggs forms around her and Wil. The dwarves recognize the spell as one cast by an evil skeleton on their second mission.
Stinking Cloud
School conjuration (creation); Level sorcerer/wizard 3
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (a rotten egg or cabbage leaves)
Range medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect cloud spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high
Duration 1 round/level
Saving Throw Fortitude negates; see text; Spell Resistance no
Stinking cloud creates a bank of fog like that created by fog cloud, except that the vapors are nauseating. Living creatures in the cloud become nauseated. This condition lasts as long as the creature is in the cloud and for 1d4+1 rounds after it leaves. (Roll separately for each nauseated character.) Any creature that succeeds on its save but remains in the cloud must continue to save each round on your turn. This is a poison effect.
The Ranger in the bubble continues to struggle helplessly against the bubble (9rounds to go now).
Curses are muffled, but you know they are not for little ears from the bubble.
Save for Brask hammer
The crazed dwarven ranger tries to brace for the impact, but his mighty earthquake has stunned himself and he falls to the ground grasping the returned hammer in his hands.
Durgen seems in the middle of a deep conversation with himself as the pressure force blasts by. This seems to break him out of his distraction.
"That cloud will make you sick. Get out out of there I have no magic to blow it away!"
Pulls out the web wand from his bandolier and aims it behind Brask trying to capture him in the web without also getting Kiptera. He then shrugs his shoulders and holds up his hand to see if the hammer will come to him.
Down for the count!
Wil was knocked prone, stunned and choking in the stinling cloud that surrounded him. The entire scene was complete and utter chaos and despite his injuries he wasnt concerned about his own well being. As Seltyn fell his hope dwindled but his resolve to fight on did not. He give up his life to save everyone if he could but for now all he could was stare helplessly at Velma flapping her wings above him.
He grimaced at the thought of what the balck dragon would do to him, however he knew she'd savor the kill while he was vulnerable. Their desire to scar and ruin beauty was as legendary as their sadistic tendencies.
Come and get me Velma or else I swear to defeat you this day. his eyes narrowed with his desire to defeat her despite the frailness of his body...
Stun 1/3
The fearsome dragon was injured, but looked to still have some fight left in her. As Brask used the hammer to horrific effect, the end looked near.
The spectral forms of Magrim and Labelas Enoreth appear. Once again Magrim makes a fateful bargain with the servant of Rovagug, the young black dragon Velma.
Rather than breathe on the helpless, she breathes a destructive acid cloud shredding and consuming both banners in a cloud of black.
"Your people can live, but Rovagug leads here. Your meddling on my world ends today. We will let the battle unfold as I planned."
Fast forward years later....
The White Wizard ascended..
The world was different under the rule of the destroyer. The humans continued to stay fragmented, because that is the way Velma the Overlord and her dwarven consort Brask wanted it. Tribute was paid regularly and on time, and the humans continued as long as they paid tribute and homage to the Destroyer.
But a seed of rebellion continued to grow. Yes, the elves and dwarves were allowed to stay in their 'reservations'. But a group of elves and dwarves led a resistance that refused to bow to the dragonlord.
Cut to a scene in the frozen north......
An elven paladin, wizard, druid, and cleric of the White Wizard traveled with a dwarven falchion maid, wizard that spoke in the tongues and wisdom of the ancients, and a grumpy bardic barbarian.
Operating out of a secret base in the frozen north, they had gathered a band of loyal barbarians that would never yield to any dragonlord.
From the dwarf thread--their secret lair is shared.
The vault opens to rich anteroom that is done in all hardwood. Just inside you notice a spyglass that allows you to look through the door to the outside. A large book labeled 'Guest Log' is on a table with quills and sealed and stoppered ink cylinders as well as a dried up ink cylinder that is opened. The last entry in the 'Guest Log' is over 200 years old. There are cabinets to place garments, cloaks, and armor along both walls. These cabinets are full of cloaks, robes, hats, and suits of armor.
After the anteroom on the left is a large combination meeting room and dining room with a large wooden table made of many cuts of different wood from all over the continent. Chairs around the table comfortably seat twenty people, and there are two fireplaces and assorted divans with animal furs over them. The fireplaces are well ventilated through the ceiling. A set of six books labeled 'Chronicles of the Dark Owl' lay on the table. A large desk in the meeting room with many drawers and a chair is in one of the corners. Eight large chests are stacked two high along one of the walls. Behind the chests is what looks to be rotating cylinder in the wall with different chambers that can face out. As a Lazy Susan.
The large meeting room leads to eight large apartments with a bed, closet, desk, and small privy room. There are pipes running all through the privies that are labeled 'hot' and 'cold'. Hot and cold lines run to bath tubs in each privy room with a drain. A stairs at the end of the hallway goes down a level to a similar set of eight large aparments. The stairs also go up.
After the stairs a single door with the 'Dark Owl' rune over it is closed.
The closed obsidian fortress was hard to find, and the Dark Owls that nested there were 'Hard to Kill'.
Durgen and all of the voices running through his head say thank you for an very interesting and unpredictable game!
Very good!