Myrna is a strong swimmer, but battling aquatic enemies is not her strong suit. She can't grow large, and she can't make full use of her axe. Still, Unafe's intimidating aura allows her to take advantage of one of her other abilities. Following the veela's fear like a tracker, Myrna teleports across the battlefield, striking at one of the creatures lurking outside the kelp with a magical axe-strike.
The veela's eyes widen in surprise as Myrna's fierce gaze locks onto her target and she appears seemingly out of nowhere. With a deft swing of her magical axe, Myrna cuts through the water with precision and finesse. The blade scythes through the cold water, leaving a trail of glistening bubbles in its wake. The lurking creature outside the kelp never stood a chance as the axe strikes true, carving a deep wound that sends it reeling backwards.
Meanwhile, Unafe's grip on the other veela slackens for a moment, and the creature slips away, wriggling through the dense tangle of kelp with fluid grace. Her movements are quick, but not panicked - this creature knows how to navigate these waters. Reaching her companion, locked in fierce combat with Myrna, the two veelas stand back-to-back, their curvaceous bodies a striking contrast to the thick, tangled seaweed around them.
Without warning, the veela that had escaped Unafe's grasp begins to move in a wild, hypnotic dance, her eyes locked onto Unafe's. She sways and twirls, her movements growing more frenzied by the second, as she sings out in a sultry, seductive voice that echoes through the murky depths.
"თქვენ არ შეგიძლიათ წინააღმდეგობა გაუწიოთ ჩვენს ჯადოსნობას," she hisses, the words laced with a hypnotic quality that sends shivers down Unafe's spine. "შემოგვიერთდით. იცეკვეთ ჩვენთან ერთად."
"You cannot resist our magic,"
"Join us. Dance with us."
The compulsion hits Unafe like a physical blow, coursing through her veins with a force that she can barely resist. Her muscles twitch and spasm in response, her fingers flexing as if they're eager to join in the hypnotic dance. She grits her teeth and shakes her head, trying to fight off the veela's spell. She's too far from Myrna's protective wards now, and she knows that she must rely on her own strength to break free.
The closest veela to Unafe, a bear-ish male with a large, round belly and flowing blue pants, starts to panic and thrash about as he goes blind. Unafe realizes this is the work of Ganymede, her ally.
The veela flails his arms, unable to see his opponents, and screams in frustration.
The heroes can hear a deep, masculine voice cry out: "რა ხდება? რა დამიშავეთ? გამოიჩინეთ თავი, მშიშნებო!"
"What's happening? What have you done to me? Show yourselves, cowards!"
Ehren, Hinagiku, and Unafe are up!
Unafe shudders as her protective enchantments are stripped from her, and with them, her spectral guardians scream and many fade away.
but she calls out, "Cynorthwya fi, hynafiaid annwyl!", and with a stab of pain she feels the saurian spirits burst out through her eyes, nose and mouth again.
She slams her fist at the veela who'd escaped her–frustrated as the water hampers her momentum–trying to take control of her foe again, and then to smash her into unconsciousness.
[spoiler=Round 2 Crunch]
Free: Berserk (-4 AC, +23 THP)
Free: Restart Serendipity aura
Stnd: Brutal Strike
Swft: Giant Physique Stance
Free: grandstanding slam
Free: rapid pummel (vs current foe, is she’s still up, or switching to the one Myrna attacked)
If her foe is still up: Unafe continues to pummel her.
If she's down (or as soon as she's down): Unafe instead pummels the one Myrna is fighting.
With Hinagiku's consent, Ehren gently took her hand and pulled her closer. Then, moving with the fluidity of, well, water, the druid sidled behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her tight against him. This, he hoped, would be slightly more comfortable for her than being dragged around underwater by her arm. Being held by water while submerged in water was undoubtedly a strange sensation for her, but in stark contrast to their frigid surroundings, the elemental body possessed a pleasant warmth.
Before he can think too deeply about how intimate this must appear, Ehren finally picks up on the sound of battle. Without hesitation, the elemental darts into the tunnel with speed rivaling Ganymede's, propelled by the water around him. Right away, he spots Unafe in her immense saurian battle form, as well as two of the veelas. He considers his options, realizing immediately that Hinagiku cannot fight properly under the present circumstances.
The druid releases his hold on the monk, but as they pull apart, he quickly casts a spell and briefly touches her hand. While not quite as powerful as the magic provided by Li'an's scale, it would get the job done.
Being carried through water at a rushing speed was quite the experience, one one barely less wondrous than webs growing between fingers, feet melding into boots to form fins, and a slimming of her tail into one more adept at water propulsion. Though the wonder slips on Hinagiku’s contemplative mind, a sense of freedom stays with her despite the grave situation they are in.
As soon as the currents and bubbles that are Ehren let go of her, Hinagiku swims directly downward for she can see that some of the veelas are swimming out of Unafe’s reach and she knows that they cannot afford to let them escape. Getting used to her webbed hands, elongated feet and slithering tail, Hinagiku only just makes her way between their two furthest foes.
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: giant physique
Move: move
Free:
Standard: move
Full round action:
Defense
**+3 dodge AC vs first attack at her, she gets AoO if foe misses.
AC:
uncanny dodge
Touch:
FF:
CMD: +4(giant stance)
CMD-FF: +4(giant stance)
175/175 hp
0/40 delayed damage pool (working the opposite way from HPs)
Offense
Reach: 5 (10 for AoO)
Precogniscient smite: +3 insight hit/dg
Points
6/19 ki (spell points)
9/11 mythic
1/1 m.foc.
4/4 AoO
Others
Senses: 35’ blindsight, blindfolded oracle, battlefield sense, .
Immaculate hands (2 essence) (mercy: fatigued)
-Hinagiku x1
-Ganymede x5
-Lohad x5
Unafe lunges forward and seizes the slippery veela in her grasp. The elemental wriggles and squirms, trying to slip away from Unafe's grip, but she holds tight. With a sudden burst of energy, Unafe unleashes a thunderous blow, smashing her fist into the veela's punishingly cold icy body. The impact echoes through the underwater tunnels, sending shockwaves that ripple through the water. Sediment swirls up from the tunnel floor, casting a cloud of debris around the two combatants.
Undeterred, Unafe continues to rain down blow after blow, hammering into the veela's body with wild abandon. Each punch lands with a sickening thud, and the veela's struggles grow weaker with each passing moment. The elemental's attempts to escape become more feeble as Unafe's relentless assault takes its toll.
With one final, decisive blow, Unafe's fist connects with the veela's head, sending the elemental tumbling into unconsciousness. Her chest heaving with exhaustion, Unafe takes a moment to catch her breath, her eyes locked on her fallen foe.
Around her, the water has turned murky with blood and sediment, the evidence of the ferocity of her attack. As the thick, murky sediment clouds their vision, Unafe's senses heighten. She can hear the faint flutter of the other veela's arms and legs as she treads water, sense the tension as they and Myrna circle each other. In a flash, Unafe pivots in the water, her muscles coiling like springs before she unleashes a devastating blow with her fist.
The explosive impact reverberates through the water, sending shockwaves that ripple outwards in all directions. Unafe's fist connects with the delicate bone of the other veela's nose, shattering it instantly. A sharp cry of pain tears through the water, as the injured veela recoils, crimson blood gushing from their nostrils in a sinister cloud.
Unafe seizes the opportunity, lunging forward to grab the veela. The veela's body is so frigidly cold that it's painful to even touch them, but Unafe grits her teeth and pulls the veela closer to herself. She can feel the beating of the veela's terrified heart against her own chest, a steady thrum that fuels her adrenaline as she takes control of the situation.
As Unafe and Hinagiku glide through the frigid waters, a sudden and startling shift in temperature sends shivers down their spines. The once placid waters begin to churn and transform before their eyes, crystallizing into a tumultuous mass of jagged, razor-like shards.
Unafe's eyes widen as the lethal shards hurtle towards them, their razor-sharp edges slicing through the water with effortless precision.
Round 2!
Li'an is up!
The kelp impairing her vision, Hinagiku has trouble positioning herself to fight the two veelas she can see. Her attention thus turned towards them, she does not expect the sudden shards of ice appearing out of nowhere. Over exerting herself, she is barely able to push herself from a nearby rocky outcropping to move out of the deadly icicle’s way.
Spend martial focus to succeed on saving throw.
Contingency:
Actions
Swift:
Move:
Free:
Standard:
Full round action:
Defense
**+3 dodge AC vs first attack at her, she gets AoO if foe misses.
AC:
uncanny dodge
Touch:
FF:
CMD: +4(giant stance)
CMD-FF: +4(giant stance)
175/175 hp
0/40 delayed damage pool (working the opposite way from HPs)
Offense
Reach: 5 (10 for AoO)
Precogniscient smite: +3 insight hit/dg
Points
6/19 ki (spell points)
9/11 mythic
0/1 m.foc.
4/4 AoO
Others
Senses: 35’ blindsight, blindfolded oracle, battlefield sense, .
Immaculate hands (2 essence) (mercy: fatigued)
-Hinagiku x1
-Ganymede x5
-Lohad x5
Unafe and the sacred saurian spirits roar in unison, as she feels the waves of cold burn and blister her skin.
Li'an finishes her own transformation and begins swimming towards the melee going on in the chamber ahead. The passage unfortunately is constrained enough that she's unable to get a good view of what's going on within as she swims as quickly as she can.
Beyond, in the deeper, dark chamber, Unafe hears a sound echoing through the water. At first, it's just a faint melody, but as she gets closer, the sound becomes clearer, and she realizes that it's the veelas dancing once more. Their movements are mesmerizing, fluid and graceful as they glide through the water. They wear loose-fitting clothing, adorned with countless pieces of jewelry that jingle and sway as they move.
Unafe watches the veelas, their movements captivating her attention. She feels the energy radiating from them, a potent mix of joy and abandon that is both alluring and frightening. The veelas seem to have no care in the world as they dance, lost in the moment.
As Unafe observes the veelas, one of them turns to her, beckoning her to join in their revelry. Their voice is soft and melodic, like a lullaby from a distant land. "მოდი შემოგვიერთდი," they say, their eyes sparkling with mischief. Unafe feels a tug at her heartstrings, a yearning to be part of the veelas' dance. She knows that the veelas are not to be trusted, but their siren song is hard to resist.
Myrna, Ehren, Hinagiku, and Unafe are up!
Unafe's heart leaps involuntarily when she feels the joy and magnetism in the veelas' dance.
First, one beckons her, but her will is firm. NO. I will not...
Then another. ...You cannot distract me...
And finally a third joins in. ...Such beauty...surely just for a litt–
She hears Goryon shout, Nac ydw! from within her heart and–with an effort that causes her to shudder, and the strength of her Ancestor Heart–Unafe steels herself against the third assault as well.
"Unafe!" cries Myrna, as she swims over towards the next opponent. "Rydych chi yn y ffordd! Crebachwch fel y gallwn ni gyd ffitio yn y twneli ac ymladd yn iawn!"
Myrna wants to dive into the next tunnel, and fight whatever creatures she hears up ahead, but she can't see or fit by Unafe, so instead she re-positions slightly, spinning in the water and kicking towards the next veela with her powerful tail. She grunts with exertion as she pulls her axe through the water with all her might, heaving to deal a little damage.
Myrna's muscles bulge and strain as she grips the axe with both hands, feeling the weight of the weapon in her grip. The water around her shudders and froths with the violent force of her swings. Every breath she takes feels like fire in her lungs, but she grits her teeth and pushes on, determined to emerge victorious.
Myrna lashes out with the axe, feeling the blade bite into the veela's flesh. Blood blossoms in the water around them, a thick, dark cloud that obscures their vision. Myrna can feel the creature's writhing beneath her, its agony evident in every thrash and twist. The veela screams, a high-pitched, keening sound that echoes through the water.
Ehren, Hinagiku and Unafe are up!
Unafe had the right idea, grappling was the best technique for them to use underwater, much better than trying to get momentum with her fists or legs in this environment. But, as Myrna had mentioned, whatever other foes there were, those that had just sent waves of chill through the tunnel, no one else than Unafe could reach them. She needed a bit of help.
”I will take care of this one, go get the ones in the tunnel behind you.” Hinagiku whispers to the giant saurian.
And so, the monk pushes herself from another rock outcropping to ram into the grappled veela. Without a pause, she grasps her arm in an attempt to force it behind her back.
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: giant physique stance
Move: shove
Free:
Standard: ready grapple against veela 1 when unafe lets go of veela 1
Full round action:
Defense
**+3 dodge AC vs first attack at her, she gets AoO if foe misses.
AC:
uncanny dodge
Touch:
FF:
CMD:
CMD-FF:
175/175 hp
0/40 delayed damage pool (working the opposite way from HPs)
Offense
Reach: 5 (10 for AoO)
Precogniscient smite: +3 insight hit/dg
Points
6/19 ki (spell points)
9/11 mythic
0/1 m.foc.
4/4 AoO
Others
Senses: 35’ blindsight, blindfolded oracle, battlefield sense, .
Immaculate hands (2 essence) (mercy: fatigued)
-Hinagiku x1
-Ganymede x5
-Lohad x5
Ehren watches the skirmish with his featureless face's best approximation of a frown, wishing he had better magic for fighting in this environment. But considering they unknowingly prepared for a leap through an interplanetary portal with only a cryptic premonition to go by, perhaps he could be forgiven for failing to anticipate much of anything. Still, despite his friends' difficulty fighting underwater, Unafe manages to dispatch the first veela in short order. Figuring that the elementals are preoccupied enough, Ehren channels his summoning magic, conjuring hundreds of motes of light that orbit his arms and hands with gradually increasing speed and intensity. Perhaps a creature more accustomed to aquatic combat could speed things along.
Unafe nods to Hinagiku's plan, and–with four powerful strokes–swims further down and attacks another Veela.
+27 if this is an Athletics (swim) check. +14 if this is Acrobatics
Free: Berserk (-4 AC, +23 THP)
Swft: -2T: regain MF
Move: swim, as shown
Stnd: Brutal Strike #6
As Li'an swims into the chamber, Unafe bolts further into the tunnels out of her line of sight again. With Ehren behind her now, and her merfolk eyes not providing darkvision, she realizes she needs more light. Calling on the same illumination she'd used on Anna and in the Inn, she fills the room with a light that seems to emanate somehow from deep within her. Continuing to swim deeper, she eventually catches sight of Unafe again.
Hinagiku propels herself off the jagged rock outcropping. She hurtles towards her target, the unsuspecting veela, with unbridled force. As she collides with the elemental, Hinagiku wraps her arms around her waist, grappling her with all her might.
Caught off guard, the veela lets out a startled cry as Hinagiku's powerful tackle overwhelms her. But Hinagiku does not relent. With her steely grip still firmly locked around the veela's arm, she twists it behind the creature's back, eliciting a bloodcurdling scream.
The veela struggles to break free, her legs kicking wildly in a desperate attempt to escape Hinagiku's hold. But Hinagiku's grip is unyielding, and the elemental cannot break free. "გამიშვი!" the veela demands, her eyes blazing with anger.
"Let me go!"
As Hinagiku touches the veela, she is hit with a sudden surge of energy that seems to carry her away to a magical underwater city. The city is unlike anything she has ever seen before, with shimmering towers made of coral and crystal that rise up to the surface of the water.
She sees the young veelas, surrounded by their friends, dancing and laughing, their bodies undulating in perfect unison to the pulsating rhythm of the music that fills the water. The veelas move with such grace and fluidity that Hinagiku can't help but be entranced by their movements. They seem to be lost in a world of pure joy, untainted by the worries and fears of the outside world.
As she watches, she sees the veelas create beautiful works of art out of seashell fragments, creating images that are so vivid and vibrant that they seem to glow with their own light. Hinagiku can feel the warmth and love that radiates from the veelas, a feeling that is so pure and overwhelming that it fills her with a sense of peace.
But then, everything changes. A shadow falls over the veelas, and Hinagiku sees an enormous sea-dragon approach them. The dragon's presence is so imposing that Hinagiku can feel the water tremble with its every word.
The dragon speaks in a language that Hinagiku can't understand, but she can feel the anger and aggression in its voice. The veelas look up at the dragon, their expressions filled with fear and uncertainty.
She watches as the veelas hesitate, unsure of what to do. She can see and feel their fear.
In the end, the veelas nod their agreement, and Hinagiku can feel their pain and sadness as they leave with the dragon, their carefree days of dancing, art and music a distant memory.
As the vision fades away, Hinagiku is pulled back to reality, her mind reeling from the intensity of the experience.
As Unafe dives deeper into the murky underwater tunnels, the shadows begin to swallow her form, making her appear as a ghostly figure. Her powerful legs and arms propel her forward with a graceful glide, leaving a trail of tiny bubbles in her wake. She approaches the group of veelas, who, sensing her presence, try to evade her. But Unafe is too quick for them. With four explosive strokes, she surges forward, leaving the water behind her in a blur of motion.
As she closes in on her target, Unafe strikes out with her fist, though it is slowed by the water. Her reverse swing is a work of art, slicing through the water with deadly precision before slamming into the veela's icy cold body with a resounding impact. Despite the blow, the veela doesn't go down easily.
Unafe winces as the cold seeps into her fist, leaving her skin numb and covered with frost. The pain is excruciating, but she refuses to back down. She's faced worse than this before and knows she can take it. Summoning her strength, she reaches out and grapples the veela, wrapping her powerful arms around the elemental's tattooed body. Unafe tightens her grip, her muscles bulging with effort as she prepares to subdue her foe. The veela tries to wriggle free, but Unafe holds fast, unyielding in her determination to emerge victorious.
Unafe can see across the other side of the chamber, the blinded veela's once impeccable blue skin is now mutilated by a a set of long, gaping wounds across his chest and belly that leak bright red blood. The veela clenches his teeth, his knuckles turning white as he grips his daggers tightly. With each fruitless swing in the murky water, the veela's frustration grows, and he lashes out wildly in all directions, his daggers slashing through the water.
"ვის აქვს გამბედაობა ჩაერიოს მლაშე იმპერატორის საქმეებში?" the veela howls, his voice reverberating across the water.
"Who has the audacity to meddle with the affairs of the Brackish Emperor?"
Unafe then turns towards the opposite direction, seeing a long, dark tunnel, her eyes locking on yet another veela. This one is even more enchanting than the last, with a flat chest adorned in a glittering array of golden jewelry and a lithe, muscular form that moves with alluring grace. Unafe's limbs itch to join in the hypnotic dance that the veela begins, beckoning her with every movement.
"ისინი ძალიან ბევრია... შესაძლებელია თუ არა ერთდროულად ამდენი ბრძოლა?" Ganymede wonders aloud. He then calls out, "უიღბლო ორგულებო, თუ ჩვენ შევძლებთ თქვენს თვალწინ იმ ორ ველას გვერდის ავლით, ალბათ უმჯობესი იქნება, თუ წინსვლას ვცდილობთ. წინ არის ძალიან ვიწრო გვირაბი, რომელიც ქვევით მიდის იქ, სადაც ჟალე იმყოფება. შენახული. შესაძლოა, ჩვენ შეგვეძლო მისი გამოყენება, როგორც ჩახშობის წერტილი, რათა თავიდან ავიცილოთ ამდენი ბრძოლა ერთდროულად."
"There are so many of them... can we possibly fight so many all at once?"
"Unafe Two-Hearted, if we can press past those two veelas in front of you, perhaps it would be best if we try to press forwards. Up ahead there is a very narrow tunnel that leads downwards to where Zhaleh is being kept. Perhaps we could use it as a chokepoint to avoid fighting so many at once."
Unafe's then turns back the other way and sees the other veela, who had been swimming near the blinded one, raises her hand towards the higher chamber where her allies are located. With a sinister smile etched across her placid face, the veela releases a powerful blast of icy energy that pierces through the air, aimed directly at Unafe's friends.
The temperature in the water drops rapidly. Hinagiku, Li'an and Myrna can feel the chill intensify, as if the cold is threatening to freeze her insides, and they can see a layer of frost slowly forming on the cavern walls and floors. They need to swim quickly to get away from the worst of the cold.
But Unafe has problems of her own to worry about. As Unafe's grip tightens around the struggling veela as she feels a sudden shift in the water. Her instincts kick in as she turns around to face a looming figure. It's another veela, dressed in flowing fabrics that billow around her like a cloud. The look on her face is one of pure fear, and Unafe can sense the tension radiating off her.
Without a moment's hesitation, the veela darts back into the darkness, her hand raised in a threatening gesture. Unafe watches warily as the veela's fingers curl into a fist. Suddenly, Unafe is bombarded by a shower of ice-cold columns, hurtling towards her with deadly force.
Round 3!
Myrna, Ehren, Hinagiku and Unafe are up!
Myrna raises her new shield towards the blast of cold coming for her, but is too slow -- the blast of cold gets her in the face, leaving behind a layer of crusty rime, slow to melt away in the frigid waters. They were in a predicament for sure, with so many enemies everywhere and in an environment not suited for any of their capabilities. They needed to get the Archdruid and Li'an into position to deal with the veelas, and she and Hinagiku needed to take out this veela they were fighting.
Using her tail, she moves just out of reach of the veela before calling on her magic to imbue herself and her companions with great speed. She shouts to them, "Go on past us! Help Unafe, look at where Ganymede is talking about."
Knowing the essence of the veela had aroused even more empathy than Hinagiku had already had. Yet, none could have told as the monk efficiently wraps one of her arms around the veela’s neck and begins to stem the flow of blood to their head; years of battle had taught her to remain compassionate, but not soft, the veela be hurt but likely wake up in a few hours.
”Yes, okay, we can be the rear guard.” Hinagiku says with a nod to Myrna.
”I have looked into this one’s heart, the veelas have suffered from the rule of Kelizandri. They were joyous and artful people once… maybe future allies of Zhaleh… please don’t be harsh if you can avoid it. ” the monk communicates while wrapped around her foe.
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: giant physique stance
Move: shove
Free: 5’ step
Standard: continue grapple + damage
Full round action:
Defense
**+3 dodge AC vs first attack at her, she gets AoO if foe misses.
AC:
uncanny dodge
Touch:
FF:
CMD:
CMD-FF:
175/175 hp
0/40 delayed damage pool (working the opposite way from HPs)
Offense
Reach: 5 (10 for AoO)
Precogniscient smite: +3 insight hit/dg
Points
6/19 ki (spell points)
9/11 mythic
0/1 m.foc.
4/4 AoO
Others
Senses: 35’ blindsight, blindfolded oracle, battlefield sense, .
Immaculate hands (2 essence) (mercy: fatigued)
-Hinagiku x1
-Ganymede x5
-Lohad x5
Li'an manages to dodge out of the way of the blast, but given her elemental nature, just the icy shockwave passing by her is sufficient to hurt her significantly. It was a serious drawback of her form, one that didn't disappear using polymorph.
Gathering herself despite the painful chill in her bones, she calls through her magic to Ganymede, "Qanymede, hara getməliyik? Keçmiş Unafe haradan gəldik?"
Ganymede calls back, as he cannot speak Sylvan underwater, "დიახ, ჩვენ უნდა გავაგრძელოთ სვლა, უნაფე ორგულის წარსულში. მთელი სისწრაფით რომ ვცურავ, სულ რამდენიმე წამი დამჭირდება. მაგრამ მე ვიცი, რომ ყველანი ბევრად ნელა ბანაობთ, ასე რომ, შესაძლოა, რამდენიმე წუთით მეტი. არც ისე შორს!"
"Yes, we need to keep going deeper, past Unafe and all of these veela. If I swim at full speed, it would take me only a few moments. But I know that you all swim much slower, so perhaps a minute more. Not too far!"
With a wave of his hand, Ehren releases his star lights from their orbit, sending them hurtling toward the nearby veela. The motes rapidly coalesce in midflight, melding into a vaguely cetacean silhouette. The glow fades as it torpedos into its target, revealing the dolphin-shark-fish-like water elemental.
Heeding Myrna's advice, Ehren does not stick around to determine whether his elemental attack had any effect. Instead, met with the familiar sensation of having his movements quickened, he shoots through the water without hesitation. He plunges deeper into the tunnels, eager to catch up to Ganymede and Unafe. Drawing closer to the saurian warrior, Ehren realizes that their nereid guide is caught in a predicament of his own.
He raises his hand again and evokes a globe of brilliant white light that engulfs the two veelas. Amid the act, his aqueous body is suffused with silvery light that appears to glow from somewhere within.
Again, one of the dancing Veelas starts to entrance Unafe and she feels her Will begin to melt...until again a chorus of sacred ancestors–led by Goryon–shout so loud within Unafe that her ears ring and her nose bleeds.
Ashamed, the thinks, Mae'n ddrwg gen i, Goryon doeth...dwi'n wan. Yr wyf yn deall paham yr oeddech yn gyndyn i'm derbyn fel eich llestr.
As soon as she thinks it, Unafe feels a blaze in her chest driving her to disprove it. Throwing herself entirely into her fury, she manages to turn her shoulder to deflect the worst of the ice spray, and her berserker rage makes the rest just a dull throb.
She smiles at the icy-cold Veela in her hands and elbows her in the throat, then swings her around and smashes her into the wall, face first, while trumpeting a terrifying war honk that reverberates through the water.
As she fights, she is only aware of the urgent need to defeat these servants of Kelizandri, and of the sacred ancestors who are buzzing and thrumming around her, reaching a crescendo as she pummels their foe.
Finally, Unafe catches a breath and barely manages to notice the Archdruid coming her way. She squeezes into the wall as best she can, to let her companions pass.
Since my last action -
- Damage = cold 9+17 = 26-23 THP = 3 dam, down to 106/140 and *just* North of grazed (+1T)
- Will save: only makes it on a reroll (-3T; 2 from mythic tension pool : ⅕ remaining)
- AoO = crit +1T
- spend 1T: renew Enduring Critical (which was about to expire at the start of my turn)
Round 4:
Free: Berserk (-4 AC, +23 THP)
Move: Maintain, damage #5
Swft: Clinch strike #5
Free: Enforcer (intimidate #5)
Free: Granstanding slam (intimidate others who see me)
Free: -1T Vital Tension
Stnd: Brutal Strike #5 (or #6 if I’ve dropped #5)
With a powerful flick of her tail, Myrna maneuvers out of the water veela's grasp. The veela's delicate form is fragile compared to Myrna's imposing figure. Towering over the veela, Myrna channels her innate magic and begins to chant a spell. As she does so, a radiant aura of shimmering light envelopes Myrna and her companions, imbuing them with unparalleled speed and agility. The aura pulsates around them, seemingly breathing with each of their movements, as they prepare to face the imminent threat.
Ehren is infused with the raw power of the ley as he summons his star lights. These celestial orbs, imbued with ancient magic, swirl around him, emanating a radiant aura of protection. With a deft flick of his wrist, Ehren unleashes the star lights, sending them hurtling towards the water veela whom is caught in Hinagiku's grasp.
As the star lights converge, their light intermingles, forming a dazzling, pulsating entity made out of water. It assumes the shape of a majestic dolphin, yet its fins are sharp, reminiscent of a predatory shark. The elemental creature charges towards the veela with ferocious intensity, its form rippling with untamed energy.
The water veela is taken aback, her eyes widen in surprise, as the radiant cetacean crashes into her with a thunderous crack. The impact sends the veela careening backward, slamming into Hinagiku's chest with a forceful thud. Hinagiku's arm wraps around the veela's neck, and she can feel the pulse of the creature's blood throbbing against her furry skin. The veela's eyes widen with fear and panic, and she tries to break free from the grasp, her daggers flashing in the air.
The veela's struggles slowly begin to weaken as Hinagiku expertly applies pressure to the right points in her neck. Suddenly, the veela lashes out with her daggers, but Hinagiku moves with lightning-fast reflexes, contorting her body and landing an impressive strike of her own.
Ehren then plunges deeper into the inky blackness of the twisting tunnels. But as he passes Hinagiku, a flash of silver catches his eye, and he barely dodges the veela's dagger with lightning-fast reflexes.
The veela, struggling to regain her balance, glares at Ehren with hatred. "ამას არ გაგიქცევთ," she hisses, as Hinagiku pulls her back.
"You won't get away with this,"
"Обережно!" Lohad calls out as she and Pagbean catch up to Ehren. "Цей все ще небезпечний!"
"Watch out!"
"That one is still dangerous!"
Meanwhile, in the deeper cavern, Unafe's keen eyes follow the water veela's retreat, analyzing her opponent's every move. She senses the veela's fear and desperation. Unafe's instincts kick in, and she swiftly dodges the worst of her spell, the icy water rushing past her like a tempestuous whirlpool.
Unafe counters, swinging her wrapped fist with thunderous force towards the veela. The sound of the impact echoes throughout the water in the cavern, like the roar of a distant thunderstorm.
The veela cries out, the sound piercing the eerie silence of the cavern. Her body spins and tumbles like a ragdoll, her limbs flailing helplessly. She struggles to regain her composure, her eyes filled with pain and terror.
But her cries do not go unheard. Further down the tunnel, her fellow water veela senses her distress, and their instincts compel them to swim towards their comrade.
Unafe's heart races with the intensity of the fight. Her eyes remain fixed on her adversary, as the veela squirms and wriggles in her grasp. Unafe's grip is unwavering, fueled by the raw power of her ancestors flowing through her veins. The sacred spirits buzz and hum around her, their energy pulsing through her body, giving her the courage and strength to continue the battle.
"შენ არასოდეს დაგვამარცხებ!" spits the veela, writhing in Unafe's unyielding hold.
"You'll never defeat us!"
But Unafe is unrelenting. She jabs her elbow into the veela's throat with all the force she can muster, causing the creature to gasp, a stream of bubbles pouring out from her open mouth. Then, with a mighty swing of her arm, she hurls the veela into the unforgiving wall. A deafening war honk erupts from Unafe, echoing throughout the water.
Unafe's fierce strikes clash against the slippery water veela, sending ripples through the turbulent waters. The sound of each hit reverberates through the water in the tunnel. Despite her strength, Unafe can feel the numbing chill seeping into her fingers with each blow, the rime building up around her knuckles.
As she struggles against the ice-cold, Unafe senses a familiar presence, the Archdruid, materialized as a water elemental. She presses herself against the wall, making way for her companions. However, this movement obstructs her view down the tunnel, leaving her vulnerable to the enemy's next move.
Just then, a piercing cry shatters the tense silence. "არა! გაუშვი ჩემი და, შე ურჩხული!" Unafe turns towards the source of the noise. Suddenly, columns of ice hurtle down the tunnel towards her, their razor-sharp edges glinting menacingly in the light.
"No! Let go of my sister, you monster!"
Finally, on the other side of the cavern, the veela flails about in agony, his body convulsing with each passing moment. The poison courses through his veins like a deadly serpent, its grip tightening with each passing moment. The once-confident water elemental's thrashing becomes weaker, as his life force is slowly slipping away.
Ganymede's voice slices through the tumultuous waters like a sharpened blade, cold and unforgiving. „კელიზანდრისადმი ერთგულებამ დაგაბრმავა“ he declares. „სიმართლეს ვერ ხედავ, მაგრამ შენი უცოდინრობის ფასს მაინც გადაიხდი“
"Your allegiance to Kelizandri has blinded you,"
"You cannot see the truth, but you will pay the price for your ignorance, all the same."
The veela lets out a choked cough, his breaths labored and pained. "შენ არაფერი იცი," he wheezes, his words laced with venomous defiance. "კელიზანდრი დაიპყრობს ყველა თვითმფრინავს და თქვენ საწყალი მოკვდავები ქედს იხრით მისი ძლევამოსილების წინაშე!"
"You know nothing,"
"Kelizandri will conquer all the planes, and you pitiful mortals will bow before his might!"
With a sudden burst of energy, the veela lunges forward, his daggers glinting menacingly in the dim light. But his movements are sluggish and uncoordinated, his once-dexterous limbs now betraying him. The veela is a mere shadow of his former self, his body barely holding on to the last vestiges of life.
Li'an is up!
Li'an swims down the hall and casts an enchantment to allow Unafe to move more freely in the water.
Round 4!
As Li'an glides down the tunnel, she focuses on her magic, channeling her inner power to cast an enchantment. A soft glow emanates from her outstretched hand as she reaches towards Unafe, imbuing her with the ability to move with ease through the water. Unafe's movements become graceful, her body fluidly weaving through the water like a fish. With every movement, Unafe moves through the water like a gerpysgod, her every muscle working in perfect harmony. Her body seems to flow like water itself, with her long, sleek tail propelling her forward with barely a ripple.
Suddenly, a flash of movement catches her attention, and she turns just in time to see a female veela charging towards her. The veela's daggers glint ominously in the dim light, and Unafe can sense the desperate fury in her attacker's movements.
"გაუშვი დეჟა!" the veela cries out, her voice ringing through the water like a bell.
"Let Deja go!"
The veela charges forward, her daggers slashing through the water with deadly precision. But Unafe is too quick for her, twisting and turning through the water with effortless grace. She dodges the veela's first strike by a hair's breadth, feeling the rush of water as the blade slices through the water where she had just been.
Ganymede then abandons the veela he was fighting, his lithe body darting away with effortless agility down the dark, twisting tunnels. His voice carries back to the others, distorted by the rushing water and echoing off the rocky walls. "ამ გზით! გამომყევი!" he calls out, leaving a trail of glittering bubbles in his wake for the heroes to track.
"This way! Follow me!"
Meanwhile, the dazzled veela sees many others enter the cavern and then starts to dance. The veela's movements are mesmerizing, their long hair swaying in the water like seaweed in the ocean's currents. Beads of different colors and shapes adorn their hair, complementing the green skirt they wear.
"მოდი, იცეკვე ჩემთან ერთად,"the veela beckons, their hand outstretched towards Li'an."იგრძენი მუსიკა და მიეცით საშუალება, რომ აგძრაოთ."
"Come, dance with me,"
"Feel the music and let it move you."
The veela's voice reverberates in the cavern, laced with a melodic tone that seems to pull at Li'an's soul. The enchanting magic radiating from the veela is palpable, sending ripples of energy through the water. Li'an can feel it, like a call to her deepest desires. Li'an can feel the pull of the veela's magic, urging her to join in the dance.
Myrna, Ehren, Hinagiku and Unafe are up!
Despite the Veela's best efforts, Li'an easily shakes off her compulsion. "Sorry to dash your hopes and dreams, but I've danced with way more attractive outsiders than you, and you're not my type," she says, laughing at the Veela.
"Go on ahead, Hinagiku," reassures Myrna, "I'll keep up the rear. Make sure everyone gets through to the next tunnel, and make sure you don't lose track of that shifty nereid!"
Then she follows up her words with a furious flurry against the veela that stands between herself and Hinagiku, hoping to ultimately incapacitate it, allowing the two of them to move on. Her blows are dulled by the water, but even weakened these little creatures couldn't stand forever against her.
With a graceful and fluid motion, Myrna lunges towards the veela, her blade glinting in the Archdruid's light. Despite the weight of the water bearing down on her, her movements are agile and precise, showing her skill with a blade. With a swift stroke, she delivers final powerful blow to the veela, rendering her unconscious.
As the veela collapses into Hinagiku's arms, she can feel the weight of her limp body, and the warmth of her blood seeping through her wounds, soaking through her clothes.
Ehren, Hinagiku and Unafe are up!
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"Ar an mbealach seo, a chara. Coinnigh na veela gnóthach seo," Ehren calls over his shoulder, already prepared to move on. The words of the ancient tongue carry a subtle power that evidently reaches his elemental companion, who responds with a short, echoing cry of affirmation. Without delay, the sparkling cetacean darts through the tunnels with supernal speed, only to go even faster when it sees its targets. As the aqueous creature closes in on them, it abruptly flips its entire body forward, wielding its large tail like a great whip.
Despite his own incredible speed, Ehren does not go far, slowing down when he gets close enough to realize the extent of Unafe's wounds. Indomitable as the mighty Demetae warrior seems, she is not invincible. Moving to her side, the druid places a hand on her shoulder and taps into the nearest ley line. His skill was such that the act had become a rote one on Golarion, but here on this almost lifeless rock, it demanded the utmost concentration. Even so, the trickle of power he manages to absorb is all he needs.
"Hinagiku, if you get close, I can strengthen your ward against their cold magic," he tells the monk through Li'an's spell, figuring that he might as well not let the power go to waste. There was no telling how many more adversaries they would face before reaching Lady Zhaleh.
When the clearly-shaken Veela attacks her again, she takes advantage of her hesitation to strike a counterpunch.
It connects, but it's clear that the more she hits these Veela, the more raw and sore her arms get, ice encasing and cracking over her arms.
. .
Unafe pauses for a moment when she sees her companions approach. When Li'an's magic washes over her, Unafe laughs with wonder and delight, despite her wounds and pain. "Li'an, truly you are a marvel. I have swam since a child–but you, you give me the grace to move like a true gerpysgod! Watch this!"
She attempts to smash the Veela she's grappling into the tunnel wall, and follows it up with a flurry of powerful blows. "Ac Ehren, gwn y gallaf o dan eich amddiffyniad wrthsefyll unrhyw ergyd y gall y Veelas hyn ei thaflu ataf."
Since my last action -
- Damage = cold 48+15 = 63-23 THP = 40 dam, down to 66 and Wounded (+1T)
- AoO = crit +1T
…and NOW I’m Wounded
+10 if crit confirms, ← before Free Swim, so still halved
Round 5:
Free: Berserk (-4 AC, +23 THP)
Free: Fiery Offense -2T : +2 to hit/dam til start of next turn
Move: Maintain, damage #6
Swft: Clinch strike #6 (assuming she's still up after the maintain damage)
Stnd: Brutal Strike #5
Free: Rapid Pummel x2 (-5T) vs 6 if still up, transitioning to 5 if/when 6 is down
Start of Round 4
+10 dam if crit confirms
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”Understood Mrs. Myrna. I will as long as you are not too far behind.” Hinagiku answers her words rather than her tone betraying her concern for the commander.
”I will be right there.” she then calls to Ehren, swimming quickly towards the churning currents that are her life partner. The monk passes by the druid giving him just enough time to cast his spell before moving adjacent to Li’an. By now, Hinagiku had had enough of a glimpse of the ley movement that preceded the frozen sharts of ice to help defend her allies against it. And so, knowing all were suffering from it, she focuses on her senses, ready to use the ley to interfere with the veelas’ magic.
”I should be able to protect you from the icy blasts as long as long as you are close to me. Remain aware and focused on our foes.” Hinagiku finishes, trying to bring back Unafe to the task at hand rather than revelling in her power; pride could lead to overconfidence after all. To bring the point home, Hinagiku lays a hand on Unafe, healing some of her wounds.
Contingency:
Use ki guardian if cones are cast on the grouP
Ki guardian: (monk 6): Immediate before own save, any targeted effect that targets others or area of effect, can spend number of ki and designate equal number of adjacent allies. Monk rolls one save per ally. Ally treats save as their own. If monk fail any, (including own), monk fails.
Actions
Swift: giant physique stance
Move: move
Free:
Standard: ready action
Full round action:
Defense
**+3 dodge AC vs first attack at her, she gets AoO if foe misses.
AC:
uncanny dodge
Touch:
FF:
CMD:
CMD-FF:
175/175 hp
0/40 delayed damage pool (working the opposite way from HPs)
Offense
Reach: 5 (10 for AoO)
Precogniscient smite: +3 insight hit/dg
Points
6/19 ki (spell points)
9/11 mythic
0/1 m.foc.
4/4 AoO
Others
Senses: 35’ blindsight, blindfolded oracle, battlefield sense, .
Immaculate hands (2 essence) (mercy: fatigued)
-Hinagiku x1
-Ganymede x5
-Lohad x5
-Unafe x1
Unafe's fist connects with the veela's cheekbone with a satisfying crunch, sending a tremor up her arm. The veela stumbles backward, her eyes ablaze with rage. Despite the initial rush from her success, Unafe's joy is short-lived as she feels a sharp, searing pain shooting up her arm. A creeping frost is encasing and cracking over her arms, leaving them raw and sore.
Behind of Unafe, the water elemental closes in on its targets, its body glimmering in the brightly lit tunnel. Suddenly, the aqueous creature flips its entire body forward, wielding its massive tail like a great whip from overhead. The veelas, taken aback by the sudden attack, let out piercing screams of alarm.
The sound echoes through the water, but is quickly drowned out by the resounding crack of the cetacean's tail striking each veela. The blow is so powerful that the other elementals are sent spinning back, struggling to stay right side up. As its tail makes contact, though, it begins to freeze solid.
The poison coursing through the blinded veela's veins has transformed him into a slow-moving, uncoordinated figure. His once graceful movements are now erratic and unsteady as he tries to fend off the water elemental. With blurred vision, he flails his arms, hoping to strike the elemental, but his strikes are feeble and uncoordinated, like a drunkard's wild swings. The veela's once fluid grace is now gone, replaced by a jerky, uncoordinated thrashing, as he struggles to stay upright in the water.
Hinagiku then swims up and presses her fingers onto Unafe's arm, causing a tingling warmth to spread throughout her body. She channels the ley energy that flows within her, and it seeps through the fabric of Unafe's clothes, infusing into her skin. A rush of warmth washes over Unafe.
As Hinagiku finishes tending to Unafe's wounds, Ehren, in the form of a swirling mass of water, surges towards them with immense speed. The water ripples and splashes as Ehren glides closer, his body crackling with the ley as he gathers it as he moves. Lohad, pulling Pagbean behind her as she swims, follows as close as she can.
Ehren's powerful magic envelops all three of them, and Unafe can feel the frigid water around them suddenly warm as he creates a protective shield against the cold.
Unafe then tightens her grip on Deja's waist and twists, slamming the veela's back against the rough, uneven walls of the tunnel. With a sickening crunch, Deja goes limp in Unafe's claws, her body broken and limp.
Unafe wastes no time, her muscles tensing as she lunges towards the other water veela. The Sarkorian Champion's eyes blaze with a fierce intensity, her body a blur of motion as she unleashes a flurry of swift, powerful blows.
The water veela raises her daggers, bracing herself for the attack, but Unafe is already upon her. Her strikes come at lightning-fast speed, each one hitting its target with unerring accuracy. The water veela struggles to keep up with Unafe's assault, her movements becoming sluggish and uncoordinated under the relentless barrage of hits.
With a flick of her wrist, the water veela attempts to parry Unafe's next attack with her blade, but the Sarkorian Champion is a step ahead. Her second heart anticipates the veela's move and swiftly changes her attack, delivering a devastating blow to the veela's midsection.
The veela's eyes widen in shock and pain, her grip on her daggers faltering. Unafe takes advantage of the opening, her movements fluid and precise as she unleashes an explosive uppercut that sends the water veela hurtling backwards. The veela's body is limp and motionless as she floats away.
Deja's sibling, a stunning, muscular veela glides up the murky tunnel towards the heroes. Her long hair trails behind her, catching the light. But as she draws closer to the scene of her sister's assault, her keen eyes lock onto Unafe with caution and suspicion. Her focus on her is so intense that it breaks her concentration on the healing spell she had prepared. Despite her efforts, she feels the magic slipping from her grasp and failing to take hold.
Round 5
Li'an is up!
Instinctively sensing the quick degradation of Ehren's ward on Unafe, Li'an moves to re-enchant her with resistance to cold to protect her once the Archdruid's ward falls. Moving alongside Ehren's water elemental, she reaches out one hand to touch it as she completes the incantation, warding it along with Unafe and their new companions.
Li'an begins to re-enchant Unafe with a powerful resistance to the biting cold that surrounds the veelas. As she moves alongside Ehren's water elemental, Li'an reaches out one hand to touch the cool, flowing water. It swirls around her fingers, sending shivers down her spine. She completes the casting, weaving a protective ward around the elemental, Unafe, Lohad, and Pagbean. The magic glows brightly for a moment, casting an eerie light on the faces of her companions.
"-თქვენ ვერ მოხვდებით ჟალეში!" exclaims one of the remaining veela, her voice echoing through the water.
"Y-you will not get to Zhaleh!"
The veela's beaded jewelry clatters together as she strikes the elemental with all her might. The blow is glancing but tenacious, leaving a visible mark on the elemental's translucent body. The water elemental writhes in pain. The veela's bare chest heaves as they catch their breath, letting out a long stream of bubbles. Her eyes remain fixed on the elemental. After a moment, she tries again to strike the elemental, but these do not leave any traces on its body.
Myrna, Hinagiku, Ehren and Unafe are up!
Unafe feels Li’an protect her with another enchantment, and suddenly the cold water of the tunnels feels as distant as a memory of playing in the tall grasses with her woven tricetops doll.
Unafe leans forward, attempting to grab the last Veela in her way, and pummel her to unconsciousness as well.
Since my last action -
- Heal - 66+8=74/140 HP & Grazed
- Damage → Pro from Cold = 120-64 = 56 dam remaining (+1T)
Round 5:
Free: Berserk (-4 AC, +23 THP)
Stnd: Brutal Strike #7
Move: Maintain, damage
Swft: Clinch strike *(assuming she's still up after the above)
Free: Rapid Pummel (-2T) *(assuming she's still up after the above)
Start of Round 5
<-- reroll thx to Temperance
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Ehren winces in sympathy for the wounded water elemental, sensing its unvocalized pain. The words Goryon shared through Unafe come to mind once more, a reminder that elementals are complex beings with thoughts and motivations all their own. By bringing the creature into this plane and throwing it into battle, was he robbing it of its free will? Or was there something else that drove it to fight on his behalf? He contemplates this as the cetacean thrashes about, swinging its partially frozen tail at the veelas in a wide arc.
Pondering ethical dilemmas amid combat is not precisely conducive, but fortunately, the archdruid has the presence of mind to multitask. Confident that Unafe would soon dispatch the lone veela blocking their path, the druid poises himself, ready to follow Ganymede's trail when the way is clear.
With Unafe still visibly wounded, Hinagiku focuses her efforts on channeling the ley into her wounds, slowly healing her frostbitten skin. Still, she remains alert, still ready to use the ley and interrupt the frozen sharts of their foes.
Contingency:
Use ki guardian if cones are cast on the grouP
Ki guardian: (monk 6): Immediate before own save, any targeted effect that targets others or area of effect, can spend number of ki and designate equal number of adjacent allies. Monk rolls one save per ally. Ally treats save as their own. If monk fail any, (including own), monk fails.
Actions
Swift: giant physique stance
Move:-
Free:
Standard: immaculate hands
Full round action:
Defense
**+3 dodge AC vs first attack at her, she gets AoO if foe misses.
AC:
uncanny dodge
Touch:
FF:
CMD:
CMD-FF:
175/175 hp
0/40 delayed damage pool (working the opposite way from HPs)
Offense
Reach: 5 (10 for AoO)
Precogniscient smite: +3 insight hit/dg
Points
6/19 ki (spell points)
9/11 mythic
0/1 m.foc.
4/4 AoO
Others
Senses: 35’ blindsight, blindfolded oracle, battlefield sense, .
Immaculate hands (2 essence) (mercy: fatigued)
-Hinagiku x1
-Ganymede x5
-Lohad x5
-Unafe x2
Following her own advice, Myrna dives into the next tunnel, kicking with her powerful aquatic tail into the next fray. "Keep going, everyone!" she calls in tongues, her voice still amplified by clarion call. "I'll keep up the rear, and dive in after you once you've all got past the next bend."
Coming up alongside Ehren's elemental, Myrna heaves her axe into the torso of another veela. Even during a partial retreat, keeping up the melee was important.
The water elemental's partially frozen tail glows with a blue aura as it swings with immense force, unleashing a powerful attack that sends the veelas tumbling backward once more. The male veela, one with a potbelly and bare-chest, is caught off balance, his long flowing hair streaming behind him, his arms flailing. The tail connects with a forceful push, and the male veela hurtles through the water like a rag doll, his body crumpling upon impact with the cavern wall. The resounding crack echoes through the water, and the male veela is knocked unconscious. The water elemental hovers over its defeated opponent.
As Myrna glides forward past the unconscious veela, her eyes zero in on the other veela's form. The veela's long, lustrous tresses sway gracefully in the currents. A striking headdress, adorned with shimmering jewels, dances atop their head, casting a rainbow of reflections across the tunnel walls.
Despite her towering stature, Myrna moves with surprising agility, darting through the narrow passage with ease. Her fingers wrap tightly around the handle of her battle axe, knuckles turning white with the intensity of her grip.
Myrna swings and the axe cleaves through the water with a fearsome force. The veela lets out a cry of pain as the razor-sharp blade slices through their flesh, drawing a crimson trail in its wake. Swiveling around, the veela glares at Myrna with fiery eyes, their expression now twisted with rage.
"როგორ ბედავ!" the veela snarls. "ამაში თქვენ გადაიხდით!"
"How dare you!"
"You'll pay for that!"
Meanwhile, Hinagiku focuses all of her energy on the task at hand, closing out any distraction as she reaches for the power of the ley. The magic pulsates through her veins, and Hinagiku's hands begin to glow with an ethereal light. Hinagiku can see the deep cracks in Unafe's skin, the blisters that have formed from the freezing cold. Carefully, she places her warm, glowing hands on Unafe's icy flesh, and the magic starts to work. The ley flows from her palms, and Unafe's wounds begin to knit themselves back together.
Once Hinagiku is done healing her, Unafe readies herself to take out the remaining veela in her way. Her sharp, predatory gaze locks onto her target, and her instincts take over. With a primal ferocity, she surges forward. The veela puts up a fierce resistance, writhing and wriggling as she tries to escape Unafe's grasp, but the saurian warrior is unyielding.
With a sudden, brutal movement, Unafe slams the thrashing veela onto the rocky floor of the cavern. The impact sends shockwaves through the water, and the veela is reduced to a broken, lifeless heap. The force of Unafe's attack leaves the watching Pagbean and Lohad slack-jawed, awed by her sheer power and brutality.
Round 6
Li'an is up!
The shockwave ripples through Ehren's aqueous body, signaling the veela's abrupt demise. With the path clear, he surges onward, swimming past their fallen adversaries' broken and battered bodies. Along the way, he briefly glances at one of the corpses, reflecting on the insight Hinagiku shared about the veelas' past. Under Kelizandri's rule, these people had become slavishly loyal zealots, evidently willing to die for him. The nereids before them were willing to butcher their own kin for the slightest chance of appeasing him. It was a painfully familiar tragedy.
In a matter of seconds, Ehren catches up to Ganymede before suddenly stopping, uncertain of their next move.
"Cén bealach as seo, Ganymede?" he asks the nereid, wondering how much more harsh treatment Unafe will need to dole out before they reach the imprisoned marid noble. "Cé mhéad níos faide a chaithfidh muid dul?"
Li'an doesn't waste any time in swimming down the passage once the last Veela blocking the way falls under Unafe's relentless assault. As the tunnel opens up again, she pulls up alongside Ehren and Ganymede, awaiting the Nereid's direction on where to proceed next.
Lohad, her powerful red fishtail cutting through the water, drags Pagbean along behind her as she pushes to catch up to Ehren. The water is dark and cold, and Ehren can feel the ripples of their movements reverberating through the water. Ganymede, already ahead of them, signals for them to follow, turning with a swift motion and pointing down the dark tunnel ahead.
"ამ გზით," Ganymede exclaims in Aquan. "ჩვენ თითქმის იქ ვართ."
"This way,"
"We're almost there."
Ganymede then disappears from sight, leaving only a trail of bubbles in his wake.
Meanwhile, the distant lights of Myrna's comrades, Ehren and Li'an, fade away, leaving her surrounded by darkness. She tightens her grip on her battleaxe, as the veela she is facing disappears into the darkness, leaving Myrna on high alert. Her instincts kick in, and she quickly ducks behind her turtle shell shield.
With a snarl, the veela lunges forward, wielding a dagger in each hand. Myrna's eyes narrow as she locks onto the incoming threat. One of the daggers gets stuck in her shield. She shifts her weight and angles her shield just in time, deflecting the veela's next attack with a resounding clang.
Myrna, Hinagiku and Ehren are up!
Surging through the water, Ehren keeps pace with Ganymede, following his trail of bubbles through the cavern. Once again, he stops at the nereid's side, not wanting to get too far ahead of the only one who knows where they are going.
Further back in the cavern, when the veela redirects her attention to Myrna, the water elemental appears to disengage, sluggishly making its way around to her flank like a shark circling its prey. Given another opening by Myrna, the elemental abruptly drops the facade and launches itself into the veela headfirst.
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Seeing that the group is indeed moving onward into the next cavern, and not wanting to be left behind, Myrna kicks away from the veela menacing her, allowing Ehren's summoned creature to take the brunt of any remaining assault the creature had left. "I warned you!" she calls to the creature in tongues. "I said Unafe would wreck your faces, and look around."
Leaving it to its cavern of dead comrades, Myrna hurriedly swims after Pagbean and Lohad. "Come on, Hinagiku, Unafe!" she calls. "We've got someplace to be, and we don't want to lose Ganymede!"
As the snarling veela lunges towards Myrna, the water elemental becomes a silent sentinel, its fluid form slinking away from the fray with deceptive ease. Like a predator in wait, the elemental glides through the twisting underwater tunnels, circling the veela with effortless grace. Its senses trained on its target, the elemental waits for the opportune moment to strike.
Myrna deflects the veela's attack with her shield, momentarily creating an opening. Seizing its chance, the water elemental darts forward with incredible speed. It twists its fluid body, hurtling towards the veela like a tsunami wave.
The veela's eyes widen in shock as the elemental crashes into him. The force of the impact sends the veela reeling backwards with a thunderous crash, colliding against the tunnel wall with a sickening thud.
Ehren surges through the icy water swiftly, easily keeping pace with Ganymede's trail of bubbles as they navigate the cavern's twisting passageways. He senses a subtle change in the water's texture and temperature, his elemental form unusually attuned to the environment. The water grows colder, and with each passing moment, Ehren feels the water become saltier.
As they venture deeper into the shadowy depths, Ehren's sense of unease intensifies, a premonition of danger gnawing at him. Suddenly, Ganymede halts, pointing towards a narrow crevasse that leads even deeper into the cavern.
"ამ ნაპრალის მიღმა დევს, სადაც ისინი არიან ლედი ჟალე და სხვა ტყვეები," Ganymede informs them, his voice low and urgent.
"Beyond that crevasse lies where they are Lady Zhaleh and the other captives,"
But before they can reach their destination, four veela materialize from the kelp-strewn floor. Ehren can scarcely believe his eyes, transfixed by their otherworldly beauty as they begin to dance, their movements fluid and hypnotic.
"შემოგვიერთდი, დრუიდ," one of the veela beckons him with a voice like honey, her lustrous eyes fixed upon him. "ჩვენ გაჩვენებთ საოცრებებს თქვენი ყველაზე საშინელი ოცნებების მიღმა."
"Join us, druid,"
"We'll show you wonders beyond your wildest dreams."
Ganymede scowls, his voice sharp with warning. "იგნორირება გაუკეთე მათ ცდუნებებს, ეჰენ. ისინი შენს მოტყუებას აპირებენ."
"Ignore their enticements, Ehren. They mean to deceive you."
Despite his companion's admonition, Ehren feels a powerful pull towards the veela, their song-like voices echoing in his mind like a haunting melody. He shakes his head, trying to resist the siren call of their seductive dance, but their hypnotic rhythm threatens to overwhelm him.
"მოდი, იცეკვე ჩვენთან ერთად," one of the veela croons, her hand outstretched towards him as she sways. "დანებდე თავი."
"Come, dance with us,"
"Surrender yourself."
Hinagiku, Unafe and Li'an are up!
Myrna was right, everyone had gone past them now, leaving Unafe, Myrna and herself as the rear guard with no one in the front guard. And the rear guard was not needed anymore.
”I will catch up with Ganymede.” Hinagiku answers to her commanding companion.
Given a swimming form by Ehren, streaming through the water thanks to Myrna, Hinagiku carefully yet swiftly withdraws from the room she is in and follows the glimmer of light cast by her life companion’s staff.
The scene Hinagiku discovers when her eyes finally set once more on Ehren is not at all what she had imagined; he was caught in an ambush alone. Maybe they had put too much trust in Ganymede’s guidance…
Regain martial focus from withdrawing
Contingency:
Actions
Swift: -
Move:-
Free:
Standard: -
Full round action: withdraw
Defense
**+3 dodge AC vs first attack at her, she gets AoO if foe misses.
AC:
uncanny dodge
Touch:
FF:
CMD:
CMD-FF:
175/175 hp
0/40 delayed damage pool (working the opposite way from HPs)
Offense
Reach: 5 (10 for AoO)
Precogniscient smite: +3 insight hit/dg
Points
6/19 ki (spell points)
9/11 mythic
1/1 m.foc.
4/4 AoO
Others
Senses: 35’ blindsight, blindfolded oracle, battlefield sense, .
Immaculate hands (2 essence) (mercy: fatigued)
-Hinagiku x1
-Ganymede x5
-Lohad x5
-Unafe x2
Ganymede's warning does not reach Ehren, the nereid's voice a mere whisper amid the veelas' drowning chorus. The druid had a resilient mind, but something in the song spoke to him, soothing the increasingly troubled thoughts he has nursed since they arrived on the comet. Somehow, none of that seemed to matter anymore. For a moment, the water elemental goes completely still, entranced by the veela's song. But then, he starts to dance.
Driven by nothing more than pure instinct, Ehren swings and sways to the rhythm, his arms moving every which way. For lack of proper legs, his entire body bobs back and forth and side to side, his head lolling about without a care in the world. His performance is enthusiastic, to say the least.