GM Kiora's Wrath of the Righteous

Game Master Kiora Atua

Hrut, with Ary's help, pulls the creature off of his helmet, allowing him to breathe normally once more.

Suddenly, a crazed, unkempt looking dwarf in ragged clothes and wielding a light crossbow comes rushing in from the tunnel!

"Drow?! Drow and tieflings?! Drow and tieflings will never claim Millorn's Palace! Hehehehe!" He shrieks, giggling sinisterly. He raises a hand and chants in dwarven, shooting out two missiles of energy at Ary! The missiles slam into her, hard, feeling akin to being hit by a sledgehammer, leaving her barely standing.

Missiles of Magic @Ary: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5
Missiles of Magic @Ary: 1d4 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"Hehehe! Die, drow b~*#%!"

The darkmantles fly to the ceiling, where they hide amidst the rock formations. Ary takes a swipe at one as it flutters by her, but cannot deliver a precise hit for the pain.

Ary AoO#1 vs Darkmantle #1 (Critical, Bless, Alter Self): 1d20 + 5 - 3 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 5 - 3 + 1 + 1 = 6

7 damage to Ary by Millorn. She is critically wounded. The darkmantles retreat.

Markus is up.

"What?" Valaria says flatly, dumbstruck as the man appears without any warning. She barely has time to react as the clearly insane dwarf hurls magic at Ary.

Knowledge Local: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

She curses again. "Kúl! Ary get back! This man is an insane mage who was charged with using Abyssal powers a year ago and disappeared. I heard whispers about him in the city a few days ago. He's dangerous!"

Markus moves forward so that the light from his quarterstaff is illuminating the dwarf that's appeared up ahead. He curses in Necril when Ary takes the hit and points him out to Anevia and Aravashnial.

"Aravashnial, a summon wouldn't go amiss here - a strange dwarf just clambered out of the tunnels up ahead and slammed Ary with magic missiles. Anevia, can you engage him?"

Move forward, ready action to quarterstaff-slam anyone who comes within 5ft.

Quarterstaff: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Thank you sir, may I have another!? :|

"Not drow!" Ary called. "Crusader of Iomedae. Ary Bishop of Bishop lineage." She was already stumbling towards Horgus and Ehren, trying to get away from the mage, as suggested, while also trying to take her light to the others. "Don't freak out, Horgus; Fen'wen magicked me." Mostly for flavor... but you already know what action I'm going to take from this. :) If I don't get a chance to post... there you go! I'd try diplomacy, but that takes at least a minute, IIRC. Plus, internal bleeding is fun!

I houserule to allow diplomacy as a move action mid-combat, but the DC is increased by +10 (+5 if you are clearly winning, +15 if they are clearly winning), you are flat footed for a round regardless of if you succeed or fail, and it doesn't necessarily work on all enemies as some people cannot be convinced. (Using a rule I found in 101 New Skill Uses by Rite)...so typically a feat only achieved by the silver-tongued. In my games diplomacy is usually achieved after everyone roughs each other up a bit, just like in the movies :p

Millorn dances around in one spot. "Giant drow can't fool Millorn! Drow sent by crusaders? Crusaders never gonna catch Millorn! Hehehe!"

"Millorn? What the hell?"

Anevia draws her shortbow at Markus' warning, turning and firing a quick arrow at the dwarf. It grazes past his neck leaving a shallow wound, and she curses her aim.

"شدو ضمة! He's got some kind of magic on him, makes him hard to see..."

Anevia shortbow: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
Blur (20%, Low misses): 1d100 ⇒ 59
Anevia damage: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Diplomacy (Markus): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (14) + 6 = 20

Aravashnial hesitates for a moment, but then nods, pulling out a candle from a tiny bag at his waist and beginning to chant.

Anevia deals 3 damage to Millorn. Aravashnial begins to summon.

Ehren is up. Remember that you are stranded in the dark :( You can certainly hear the others and move towards them, though.

The issue of magical darkness seems to be left moot as Ehren is left standing in perfectly mundane darkness. He was certain that there was some kind of irony there, but it was not at all amusing. Picking up on the shouting going on farther down the tunnel, he frowns, unable to do much given his current position. The last he saw, Horgus was somewhere right by him.

Hearing Ary say that she is moving back in his general direction, he remains where he is for the time being.

note to self to fix initiative order later to account for Ehren's readied action

Valaria is up.

"I don't think he's going to listen to reason," Valaria says as she rushes the dwarf, hoping to prevent him from launching more spells at them from a distance.

Attack (Charge, Bless): 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 25
Blur (20%, Low Misses): 1d100 ⇒ 86
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 4

Valaria charges at Millorn, scoring a shallow wound across his chest. He giggles.

"Ooh that tickled!"

Li'an is up

"Inheritor, that thing is creepy." Ary muttered. "Bloody racists..."

"He might know a way back up!" she called, or tried to, before people turned him into a pincussion. Truth be told, the anvil sitting on her chest making it hard to breathe was reason enough for her to want to do so. She wasn't going to suggest not killing him for that very reason.

Li'an watched as magic missiles streaked out of the blue into Ary, wounding her badly. "Get back into the hall, I'll cover you Ary! Ehren, she's badly hurt and coming your way!" she said.

"Where did I put those..." she thought as she reached around to her pack. After a moment she managed to pull out one of Anevia's smoke sticks and ignite it. "Horgus, stay in the hall with Ary, it'll be safe there."

Turning around she tossed the smoke stick at the tunnel entrance to prevent Millorn from attacking Ary again.

Move Act.: Dig out smokestick, Std. Act.: Activate & Toss at tunnel entrance.
Attack roll to see if she flubs the throw:
Toss Smokestick: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Apparently not :p

At work, will add smoke to the map once I get home but if someone would like to do that for me then go for it! It is a ten foot cube and lasts 1 minute

Round 4

Ary is up

I made it 10' to a side, and filled the entrance with it.

Ary does as she'd planned all along, and moves through the tunnel that is suddenly filled with smoke.

"Sorry guys." she says, coughing. Red flecks appear on her lips, and her everything is disheveled. She is also not at all Ary-like in appearance, though she's definitely got the shield, and a glowing sword!

With light returned to his world (for now), Ehren grimaces at Ary's un-Arylike appearance, quickly calling up some curative magic.

"So, crazy dwarf," he says with a raised brow, tapping the crusader's shoulder again.

"Yeah." she said, as the magic worked its way through her. "You know, you're really handy in a pinch, Rocky. Don't worry... I'm staying here for now." she says chewing her lip, and licking the blood off of the lower one. "I'm so tired of caves..."

"Thanks for the cover, Fen'wen!"

Ehren heals Ary for 4 HP, who is now wounded.

Horgus almost runs away from Ary, who appears to be some sort of drow amazonian woman at the moment, bruised and battered. But when she speaks (and he recognizes her sword, and shield) he calms down, a little.

"I don't understand, what is going on?!" Horgus whines.

Hrut is up.

When Terendelev died, she left us some scales. I don't know why she didn't give you guys scales, but... mine cuts through evil, and Fen'wen's changes your shape. Apparently, it lets me see in the dark... but I have to look like... this." she motions at her own body. "The good news is, we found our first survivor... the bad news is, he's been down here a while, and is crazy. The good news is, he may know a way up! The bad news is... he kinda tried to kill me on sight..." She shrugs, her shield hand holding her side.

Urgently Hrut blurts out,

"I need some guidance as to where I am needed or what to do, I still cannot see, is danger near? Where is this dwarf? Should I move back or press forward?"

Stupid darkness! I cannot see anything and I have no idea where I am or what is going on please just someone be my eyes and guide me...

*hold until something attacks me or I am given pity to know where I should go*

Millorn steps back from Valaria, grinning broadly at her with rotten teeth.

"You can't catch Millorn!" he exclaims, as a cone of vivid, clashing colors erupts from his hand and in Valaria's face.

Valaria Will Save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

Valaria squints, as her sight is momentarily overwhelmed with a riot of color, but then it passes without a trace.

This does not worry Millorn one bit. He loads a bolt into his crossbow, doing a little jig as he does so.

Meanwhile, an uninjured darkmantle divebombs Hrut once more, but bounces harmlessly off of his chestplate.

Darkmantle #1 charge vs Hrut: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 3 + 2 = 10

The area around Markus suddenly goes dark, extinguishing the light emitted from his quarterstaff. Anevia tenses, and quickly grabs Aravashnial's hand to guide him, despite the fact that they are equally helpless at the moment.

Horgus steps closer to Ary, peering up at her guise with obvious disapproval. Finally, he sighs, leaning against the tunnel wall. "I hope that we are close to the surface," he grumbles.

Hrut is up (Readied Action)

I'll assume Ary can't see, because wall of smoke. :)

Indeed, but Horgus does not know that :p Poor Horgus Gwerm!

Oh, and technically Hrut takes his action before the other darkmantle casts darkness, that was my mistake D:

Markus Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21 Yaas

Markus notices the ensorcelled rock when it falls and moves to pick it up, tossing it back behind them down the passageway that they came from. That should take care of that particular darkness spell.

"Hah creature! Know your death now! Hrut exclaims finally knowing where to swing his arsenal.

Attack/Damage: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 - 1 ⇒ (8) + 5 + 1 + 1 - 1 = 141d8 + 5 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 5 + 1 = 13 Bless, Shiny, grazed

Miss Low good for the change up!: 1d100 ⇒ 30

Hrut swings too hard, causing his grip on his warhammer to falter, giving the darkmantle a chance to squirm out of the way at the last moment.

Gonna say "toss a rock" is a non-action so Markus still has a full turn to use.

Markus is up.

Anevia takes Aravashnial by the hand and escorts him out of the darkness. She then notches an arrow and fires at Millorn, squinting to see through the dim light.

Concealment (Dim light, 20%, low fail): 1d100 ⇒ 41
Millorn Blur (20%, low fail): 1d100 ⇒ 11

"Dammit, f$%$ing wizard b***$$~%."

Aravashnial finishes up his own wizardry, summoning a celestial eagle in the air next to him, who dives straight at Millorn, but he dances out of the way purely on accident.

Millorn Blur (20%: 1d100 ⇒ 91
Eagle charge bite: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 3 + 2 = 9

Valaria is up.

"That is unfortunate," Ehren replies, understating the obvious. Having never had the displeasure of meeting a drow before, he does not seem particularly put off by Ary's current appearance. Beyond the fact that she was still visibly wounded, at least. "Do you need more healing? I have another cure spell prepared... it's my last one, but the potion might be better suited for an emergency."

Valaria reflexively recoils as a giant bird appears from nowhere in front of her, then grins as she realizes it's on her side. She looks around the eagle and leaps sideways, intending to keep the mage from attempting to flee.

Attack (Bless): 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (10) + 4 + 1 = 15
Blur (20%, Low Misses): 1d100 ⇒ 14
Damage: 1d4 ⇒ 2

Ary frowned and shook her head. "I... I don't know, Rocky. Someone else might need it later... and, the way things are going, if I head in, I just put you and Horgus at risk; whether you stay here, or go in.." She seems positively torn. "Do what you think is best; you're the medic, I trust you."

"Are you okay with going back in, Horgus? It's definitely risky... but we risk a lot more by staying back and waiting to see what happens to our friends." she swallowed.

Ehren bristles a bit, taken aback by the trust Ary had in him. He had felt a greater sense of responsibility before, but somehow, something small like this seemed significant in its own right. "In that case... I think you'll be fine for now," he says with a nod, "I still have the bandages, after all."

Valaria swipes at the crazed dwarf, but misjudges his location, slashing through his cloak instead.

"Hee Hee Hee Hee! Can't hit me!" crows Millorn.

Li'an is up.

Hrut seemed to be handling the darkmantles alright in the darkness for the moment, and the dwarven mage concerned Li'an. "If he has any more powerful spells prepared, we could be in trouble," she thought. Taking off from her spot within the darkness, she charged the dwarf, hoping to land a blow against him right off the bat. She'd worry about trying to take him alive once she had him trapped between Valaria, the eagle and herself.

As she closed the final distance, she feinted high and followed up with a swipe at the dwarf's midsection, hoping to catch him offguard.

Attack(Hit:Charge,Bless;Dmg:Alter Self): 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 221d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3
Concealment(20%,Low Misses): 1d100 ⇒ 81

Hold Action until Horgus

Ary seemed thoughtful, as she chewed her lip, staring into the darkness that even her drow eyes couldn't penetrate. She focused her attention on Horgus, still; Ehren seemed well enough, Horgus was the one who needed her.

"If you'll come with me, I can guide you to Markus and Avi. Same for you, Ehren." she said, flipping her weapon in her hand, to offer the sword, hilt-first to Horgus. "My strength is not in my sword, but in my heart. Hold onto this for me. I don't need it right now. I'll stay here with you, unless they call for me, or cry out." she swallows again, looking from the darkness back to Horgus. "I won't leave you here, as long as I'm alive, but I can't leave the others behind, either." it was clear she was scared, but being brave. "It's your choice, whether we press on, or stay here." she then turned her eyes to Ehren to let him know that she was talking to him as well.

Li'an acrobatically tumbles at Millorn, coming up inside of his guard to deliver a nimble slash.

Millorn is grazed.

Horgus nods. "All right, I'll follow you," he says, fear evident in his voice.

Round 5

Ehren is up.

"No point in being left in the dark again," Ehren muses, before grinning at Ary amicably. "All right. Lead the way."

Ehren will use any movement he has to follow Ary and Horgus.

Millorn Arcane Bond (Grazed): 1d20 + 6 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 6 - 1 = 16
Millorn Cast Defensively (Grazed, Combat Casting): 1d20 + 6 - 1 + 4 ⇒ (10) + 6 - 1 + 4 = 19

Millorn dances about the women and the eagle. He draws his dagger as he does so, tossing the still loaded crossbow to the ground. The dagger glows brightly, and with his other hand he tosses a handful of colors once again at Li'an and Aravashnial's eagle. Li'an shuts her eyes just in time, but the eagle crumples to the cave floor in a heap.

Eagle will save: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
Eagle unconscious rounds: 2d4 ⇒ (2, 3) = 5
Li'an will save: 1d20 ⇒ 20

"Hehehe! Good bye birdy!"

The darkmantle in front of Hrut retreats to the ceiling, though he cannot see this.

Hrut is up.

...

With a mighty swing Hrut aims for where the cave creature was last slamming the hammer down to the ground with a dull metallic thud,

"Face me creature!

Valaria turns toward the towering man at the sound of the hammer slamming against rock. "It's not there anymore Hrut!" she calls out. "Follow my voice, you need to get out of the darkness! Just watch out for the insane dwarf's magic!"

Horgus huddles behind Ary. "Okay, let's go."

Ary: You can move yourself and Horgus on the map.

Ary is up.

Ary will make sure that Horgus and Ehren have a hand on each other before driving through the darkness, shield raised against the things clinging to the ceiling. "Coming through! Avi, I'm gonna be right behind you with Horgus!" She slides Horgus in behind Avi, where he can't be targeted by the dwarf, and where she can stand between everyone and the Darkmantles... ideally intercepting anything dangerous. She'll also attempt to lead Ehren into the space below her... though she'll force neither of them.

And it looks like Ehren had the idea! Also, ironically, the only way a single move will get Hrut out of the darkness is -straight- for Valaria!

Ary, Ehren, and Horgus walk through the fog and emerge out from the other side of the darkness close to Markus and Anevia.

"Oh man, you look rough," Anevia says to Ary, sympathetically.

Took a double move to move Ehren so I put you in the only square with light that you could reach.

"Intruders! Intruders! Intruders come to invade Millorn's palace!" Millorn squeals. "Darkmantles! Attack!"

The darkmantle over Markus divebombs at Hrut before he can respond to Valaria's call, though whether it does so in response to Millorn's insane gibbering or because Hrut still stands in the supernatural darkness is unclear. It flies at his face, wrapping its slimy tentacles around his neck in the gap between his helmet and his armor, slowly choking the life out of him. Hrut begins to find it hard to breathe.

Darkmantle 4 charge vs Hrut: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 3 + 2 = 21

Nevermind about the move action I guess, Hrut, since it actually managed a successful attack on you o_o

Darkmantle 4 damage: 1d4 ⇒ 3
Darkmantle 4 grapple: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24
Darkmantle 4 constrict: 1d4 ⇒ 1

In any case, the wounded darkmantle continues to huddle on the ceiling, trying very hard to blend in with its surroundings in the darkness.

4 damage to Hrut, wounding him.

Markus is up.

Markus moves forward so that the light on his quarterstaff properly illuminates the mad dwarf called "Millorn". He turns around to look at Hrut, sighing a bit. "Hrut, dammit. Hrut! You need to get out of the darkness! Ignore those gods-damned darkmantles!"

Anevia steps closer into the middle of the cavern to get a clearer shot at the dwarf.

Blur (20%, low fails): 1d100 ⇒ 71
Shortbow Anevia + Point-Blank + Bless - Into Melee vs Millorn: 1d20 + 5 + 1 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (10) + 5 + 1 + 1 - 4 = 13

"Hah! Gotcha now!" she cheers as an arrow finally hits home, leaving the dwarf a gory memento.

Shortbow damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Aravashnial relaxes as Ary warns him of her approach. "Thank you for the warning."

7 damage to Millorn.

Valaria is up.

Valaria glances at Li'an. "Let's take him together Li'an," she says. "We'll hit him from both sides."

Hold action until after Li'an goes.

Millorn stands very, very still, his eyes darting between the two women nervously.

Li'an is up.

Li'an nods at Valaria and swings the long way around the eagle to get behind Millorn. As she closes in she calls back to Val, "Now!" and strikes at the dwarf with Lleuad.

Moving around to flanking position and attacking.
Attack(Hit:Flank,Bless;Dam:Alter Self, SA): 1d20 + 4 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 4 + 2 + 1 = 121d6 + 1 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 1 + (6) = 13
Concealment(20%, Low Misses): 1d100 ⇒ 51

Li'an thrusts forward at Millorn, but her blade is stopped by an invisible field of force encasing his person...

"Hee hee hee! So close!" he chortles.

Valaria is up.

Valaria growls as Li'an's blade is knocked away by Millorn's magic. She doesn't bother to consider his power, lashing out again.

On-hand Attack: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 2 + 2 + 1 = 12
Blur (20%, Low Misses): 1d100 ⇒ 88
Off-hand Attack: 1d20 + 2 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (13) + 2 + 2 + 1 = 18
Blur (20%, Low Misses: 1d100 ⇒ 8

Her first blow glances off the same invisible force, and then the second swishes past the cackling dwarf, slashing through a spot she was certain her was standing in a moment before.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15

Li'an grimaced as the field of force deflected her strike. "I should know that spell, Lleuad," she thought to herself. She tried her best to identify it Millorn was using to defend himself, but couldn't quite remember the name. Furthermore, it seemed that despite their positional advantage, she and Val had been foiled by the dwarf's magical preparations.

Round 6

Millorn dances happily in a circle, casting a spell as he does so. Valaria tries to swipe at him as he moves around her, but can only catch his cloak. Finishing his spell, Millorn's right hand is suddenly encased by electricity. He lunges forward, grabbing at Valaria's wrist. He imparts a massive torrent of electricity that courses through her body.... if it weren't for her abyssal-tainted blood it would have likely been enough to knock her out.

5 ft step. Casts spell. Valaria takes AoO but misses. Millorn casts Shocking Grasp = deals 9 damage to Valaria, which leaves her critical.

Valaria AoO vs Blur (20%, low misses): 1d100 ⇒ 46
Valaria AoO + Bless: 1d20 + 4 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 4 + 1 = 7
Millorn Touch Attack vs Valaria + Metal Weapon - grazed: 1d20 + 3 + 3 - 1 ⇒ (11) + 3 + 3 - 1 = 16
Millorn Spell Damage (Grazed, Energy resistance): 3d6 - 5 ⇒ (6, 3, 5) - 5 = 9

The darkmantle above Hrut drops down, eager to sample its kin's prey. Hrut's armor suddenly glows brightly with Torag's blessing, and repulses the creature at the last moment, shielding him from further injury for only a little while...

Darkmantle 1 charge vs Hrut: 1d20 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 3 + 2 = 13 Torag's blessing wins here!

Hrut is up.

Did he cast defensively..?