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The devourer glides forward, braving the swinging tail once more before reaching out rend at the life-force of the dinosaur.
Round 3:
Holly
Lara
Chak
Devourer (-104, Big Red, 10 ft above ground)
Yami
Fandral
Bodak (Black, Halted ends round 12)
Exi and Starlight (Summon complete!)
Party Buffs:
Good Hope
Haste (Lara/Chak/Holly/Fandra) ends round 13
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Yami adjusts forward to another tree for cover as Fandral takes his shot. If the Devourer still remains standing, he will pull a small bone from his component pouch while he utters several arcane words. The wayang crushes the bone with a sharp snap, causing ominous purple runes to flare into existence around the Devourer and unleash a dangerous resonance upon the creature.
SR Check:
Possible SR Check Reroll:
Damage:
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Fandral and Yami both fire concussive blasts at the flying beast, and between the 2 of them are able to bring the devourer crashing to the ground. The bony prison of a rib cage shatters into a thousand pieces, releasing the entrapped souls to finally pass through Pharasma's domain.
The sound of battle echo from all sides, but it sounds as though the undead forces are closing in on the encampment. The Twinhorn following appears to be regrouping, possibly for a retreat, although from the look of it, more for a route...
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As you push deeper through the undead forces, the ambient light gets dimmer and dimmer. The bulk of the horrors seem to be traversing a path along a small stream, and following it leads you to an unnerving sight.
The clearing on the riverbank features a circle of standing stones with a large stone altar at its center. A shadowy tear floats above the altar, so dark that what little light shines from the stars seems to become trapped inside. Eight large tendrils of inky darkness coil around the menhirs as if keeping the stones in a stranglehold. Other tendrils lick out from the shadowy rift as if tasting the air.
Starlight notices that the grounds within a few hundred feet of the altar all appear to have been desecrated.
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Initiative!
The darkness within the stone circle is marked with the dashed black line. Several of you have darkvision and can confirm it is darkness, not supernatural darkness.
Round 1 (Round 85 if counting from combat 1):
Fandral
Chak (Buff rounds used)
Holly
Yami
???
Laara
???
Exi
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As the party moves forwards, Laara digs out one of her potions and drinks it. A shimmering energy seems to surround her.
When they near the stones, the half-elf squints, but can't make out anything in the tfhick soup of evil. We make it through today, remind me to get a nice rock for you to make all shiny like yours. she says to Exi.[/b]
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When they near the stones, the half-elf squints, but can't make out anything in the tfhick soup of evil. We make it through today, remind me to get a nice rock for you to make all shiny like yours. she says to Exi.
It appears Yami is also having difficulty seeing, even with darkvision. Upon Laara mentioning issues with the darkness, he bends down to the ground and thrusts his arm into the dirt. The wayang pulls hard out of the ground, and brings a skeletal hand into the air. A full humanoid skeleton follows, clad in breastplate and wielding a longsword. Yami then plucks one of his puppets from his pack and touches his staff as he mutters some arcane words. The puppet begins emitting extremely bright light, which the wayang then secures to the skeleton using its puppet strings. "Follow and defend the half-elf, make sure my allies can see at all times," the wayang commands the skeleton.
As combat begins, Yami waves his hand in the air over the skeleton, causing glowing purple runes to crawl all over its bones; bolstering his minion with arcane power.
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Noticing the four archers, Exi decides to summon an advanced Bralani Azata, knowing they can cast Wind Wall at will. Exi spends one full round on his summoning incantation. Once complete, a poised elf-like archer appears, his silver-white hair the color of a lightning strike whipping about, his eyes swirling with vibrant colors.
The Bralani nods to Starlight, a fellow Azata, then uses his Wind Wall spell-like ability to put a 30' high curtain of wind between the archers and the party.
Exi then approaches Laara and casts Barkskin on her.
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Starlight hears Laara’s comment and flies over to her, taking her own magically-flaming ioun stone and offering it to the half-elf.
”Here, use mine!”
Starlight then takes out a wand of Magic Missile and attempts to shoot it at the Fallen that’s in her line of sight.
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Grasping the familiar's ioun stone - Thanks for that. Promise I won't drop it. Laara quickly advances towards the dark circle. As she sees arrows pepper Chak and Fandral before her, the captain stretches he fingers and holds her left arm slightly ahead of her, keeping a steady eye on the now partially lit archers.
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Lara (having previously been tagged with a Barkskin spell) rushes forward, bracing for a potential volley of arrows. Exi begins to conjure his own answer to this concern as Starlight begins the assault with a magic missile.
The strange faceless form floats upward, staying within the stone circle but rising up. Laara hears a voice in her head...
Flee before Eshkima's power. She will not be denied any longer.
Round 2:
Fandral (-18)
Chak (-17)
Holly
Yami and Friend
Fallen (Pink -6)
Laara
Exi and Friend(s)
Body Snatcher
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Yami moves forward, buoyed by the magical speed granted by Holly, to end up next to Fandral. Weaving his hands rapidly, he gathers up a ball of shadowy fire and throws it into the midst of the archers; where it explodes amongst them in a purplish burst of dark fire. He then commands his skeletal champion after the blast to interpose itself in the middle of the archers to disrupt their fire and provide flanking.
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Will Saves:
Ref Saves:
Damage results:
12, 3, 0, 0
3
The strange ball of... purple flame engulfs the foes. Some of them recognize it for the illusion it is, others are buffeted by the full force of the flame. Some are agile enough to keep a low profile and reduce the effect of the burn... one just takes it full on. Even with the full blast, most of the flame passes through their incorporeal bodies, resulting in very little effect on any of them. The body snatcher above evades most of the effect but is singed slightly. As soon as it clears, the daylight illuminated skeletal champion marches forth, wading into the tentacles without a single one so much as brushing up against it. With the darkness mostly purged, Fandral takes a shot at the flying body snatcher, striking it cleanly. Several Twinhorn allies, pushing deeper into the forest spot the shot and take a few shots of their own.
Two of the fallen ready their shields, and bash the skeletal champion firmly, while the other 2 step to the side and fire another volley.
The spectral arrows make unearthly sounds as they whiz by, striking branch and bramble.
As the fallen finish their ineffectual assault, the pulsating tear heals what little wounds the shadowy fireball afflicted.
Round 2:
Fandral (-18)
Chak (-17)
Holly
Yami and Friend (Friend -3)
Fallen (Y, G, B, P)
Laara
Exi and Friend(s)
Body Snatcher (-33)
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As Exi’s summoning spell is completed, a poised elf-like archer appears, his silver-white hair the color of a lightning strike whipping about, his eyes swirling with vibrant colors. The Bralani nods to Starlight, a fellow Azata, then flies forward. After positioning himself so that three of the foul foes are lined up, a Lightning Bolt fires from his outstretched hand.
The pale blue person centers himself, leaving the ground, then flies forward.
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Together with the Twinhorns, the assembled Pathfinders manage to fight off the undead attacking the camp and make their way to the ritual site. As Medda and Anok join the group of Pathfinders around the stone circle, she assists them with the binding ritual. Medda thrusts Ivvora’s hilt into the portal, calling on Vildeis for aid. The shadow rift shrinks and closes, releasing a massive shock wave that knocks the Pathfinders, the Twinhorn warriors, and Medda to the ground. A field of dark, rippling energy remains, suspended above the stone altar. As Medda reaches out to pick up Ivvora’s hilt—the already broken blade now spider-webbed with new cracks—a supernatural silence descends. Only the telepathic rage of some unseen menace cuts through the quiet. “You dare to shut me out?” it rages. “I see you, but I do not see her. Where is the dwarf woman, Ivvora, who fought me so long ago? Has her mortal body failed at last? Has the realm of the living at last lost its protector? Know this: when the long shadows reach out again, I will grasp them and claw my way back into your world to see your flesh devoured by my children.”
Sound returns to the Realm of the Mammoth Lords, and Medda cautiously stands. “It seems that Eshimka still lives and has even left this foul scar on our world,” she declares. “If we are to believe its promises, the fiend will attack on the next winter solstice. If we are to survive, we must be ready. Nearly a millennium ago, Ivvora held the key to defeating Eshimka. By following her legends and discovering her fate, we may harness the same holy power that banished this fiend—and together end the beast entirely. When we set out, it would be the privilege of this following to have the Pathfinders at our side. But that is a trial for another day. Tonight, at last, we rest.”
Celebration and preparation have filled the last two days. The Twinhorns are both relieved to have thwarted the villain Eshimka and resolved to help the following’s spiritual leader, Medda, retrace the paladin Ivvora’s millennium-old steps. After hours of considering and retelling ancient stories preserved by oral tradition, Medda gathers the Pathfinders. “The holy warrior Ivvora came to us in pursuit of Eshimka, whom she vanquished and banished with the Twinhorns’ help. However, she would not rest for long, and she insisted on seeking out other evils in the area. At that time, the most fearsome threat was Grathatonhakis, an immense white dragon that lurked in the Tusk Mountains and would strike our camps. Ivvora learned what she could, left her dagger with us, and departed to slay the dragon. She never returned, and neither did the dragon. Exactly what transpired is unclear from our legends.” Medda cradles the fragile remnants of Ivvora’s dagger. “This blade kept Eshimka at bay for so many generations, and now it is ready to fall apart. Ivvora held the key to defeating Eshimka, and by learning her fate or communing with her spirit where she fell, we might harness the same power. Then we shall not just reseal the shadow fiend but destroy it once and for all! From our tales we have learned where the wyrm Grathatonhakis laired. Let us set out together to learn what happened—and who might have taken the caves since.”
The trek is long and cold, taking the group first across the tundra and then into shadow of the frigid Tusk Mountains. As the trail winds around a frozen lake, the snap of a snare echoes over the ice, and a Pathfinder is whipped into air by a cleverly laid trap. Medda scowls and announces, “Pathfinders, we have kobolds. Keep within earshot and spread out. They aren’t just a threat; they may also be our best better to finding the dead dragon’s lair.”
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Sure enough, it's not long before you hear the sound of a heated argument, although given the whipping winds and rustling of leaves, not until you are almost right on top of them. You can barely see a dryad just down the path from you gesturing and yelling something that Chak deduces is a strange pidgin of Sylvan and Draconic. Her words are met by a high pitched retort, but you also hear sounds of panic... it seems as though your approach has not gone unnoticed. You catch a glimpse of a pair of large creatures through the trees with dull blue scales and a distinct dragon-like look.
Round 1:
Holly
Laara
Chak
Fandral
Exi
Kobolds
Drakes
Dryad
Yami
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”Starlight, would you please make me invisible?” the strange blue man asks his loyal familiar. He then raises his hands to the sky as his feet leave the cold ground and flies forward.
The tiny butterfly-winged woman retrieves a scroll from one of her two criss crossed bandoliers and attempts to activate it.
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With the whipping winds and blocking trees, it is hard to get much info from their argument, but it sounds heated and the few words you pick up seem to indicate that the Kobolds are threatening violence upon the Dryad. Or at least were until you showed up... Now their violent tendencies seem to have been redirected to the incoming Pathfinders! The kobolds shout commands at the drakes as they move forward. Each of them draw and consume a potion growing in statue to be as large as... well... most of you.
The drakes immediately take flight with the promise of instant pathfinder stew. One soars over the tree line and sprays a gout of freezing mist which envelops Fandral and Lara.
The other swoops forward and dives down into the snowbank, sending damp frost and powder into the air.
The Dryad slowly edges back up against her tree to avoid the coming onslaught.
Round 1/2:
Holly
Laara
Chak
Fandral
Exi
Kobolds
Drakes
Dryad
Yami
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Laara easily dodges the drake's ice spit. The slick it left behind however causes her to spit out a curse. She continues to move forwards, drawing out her bow as she tries to keep her footing.
Seeing a surprisingly large kobold menacing some fey creature, the half-elf calls out Hey! Too-tall! Knock it off! and fires an arrow at it.
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