Aak's strike clearly connects, though Silx's misses. All four of the zombies are covered in the full force of the flames that emerge from Caylen.
Rema lashes out with a punch (), but is clearly too disturbed to concentrate on her strike.
Two more armored zombies emerge from temple, one moves toward Rema and the other Caylen.
Round One: Shayne now acting
Round Two: Caylen, Aak, and Silx now acting
Shayne looks puzzled. "Why are they ignoring my illusionary doors so completely?"
He alters his ongoing Silent Image, changing it to now look like a deep crevice to block the approach of the two newest zombies. If possible, he angles the crevice to redirect the zombies away from the women, towards Aak and Silx.
He also begins singing:
"Orcs! Rise up and smite these foes!
Claim the temple! Use your bows!
Or club them 'til they decompse!
Don't use your sword--we can't slice those."
"Shayne! They've no minds of their own, they aren't fooled by illusions!" All of Caylen's studying at the monastery had paid off, her understanding of these monstrosities and their nature was something she could now recite, something she could share with the others. Never did she imagine in all her wildest dreams that she'd need to.
Seeing the creatures continue to approach, Caylen curls her fingers closed and wrenches her eyes shut. The young oracle's hand begins to tremble, tongues of white flame issuing out from between her fingers. Then, with another loud cry she thrusts her hand back up into the air and releases another wave of positive energy in a seething sphere of heatless, white flames that crashes against the undead like a lapping tide.
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The flames spread over the zombies, the one Aak had struck tips slowly to the ground. As it hits the ground the visor of it's armor swings open - revealing empty eye sockets. It does not rise.
Groshnodnok nods appreciatively toward Shayne as the orcs he has been bellowing at to attack the zombies finally begin to move. As they head toward the battle a thump is heard as dirt and debris harmlessly hit the backs of the orcs as they advance to assist.
Groshnodnok roars and turns around, yelling over the din of battle "More abominations"
Triela finally comes into view of the temple grounds, ready for trouble as she hears shouts and the sound of combat. At once she notices the undead things and she moves closer to the group near the temple entrance. As she draws near, she calls out to proclaim her aid and regardless of recognition, or lack thereof, her voice sounds inspiring. "Hail, band of warriors. I have come. Let us fight these undead fiends and crush their bones beneath our might!" And she brandishes a strange shield and no weapon held in her other hand.
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Aak will turn his head quickly to notice the newcomer. He is perplexed at whether to fight the small undead horde or the new guy. Once he hears the newcomers intention to fight alongside them, he figures to take the help now and deal with the question later
Aak then turns his attention back to the approaching undead. He feels as if the threat may be more then he can bear, but is bolstered by the new person and his rally cry. He mutters under his breath, Why must you attack those that wish to protect and honor your temple and name? What has befallen you that you wish to attack the living? WHY..MUST.. YOU...RISE AGAINST US?!?!
And with those final words, reaching a crescendo, a plume of red energy emirates from him, engulfing all near him much like Caylen's energy. His allies feel the raw emotion and power, but it doesn't harm them. The undead however are not as lucky. It washes over them, and they start falter under the shear cosmic weight of it.
. Vs DC 10 will save for half
The plum impacts the undead, some are impacted more than others, but all remain standing.
The trio of armored zombies near the group lash out, one attacks Rema (), one attacks Silx (), and one attacks Aak (). All of the attacks miss.
Round Two: Silx, Triela, and Rema now acting.
Rema lashes out with a flurry of blows at the zombie near her (, ), but fails to penetrate through the zombie's armor.
The drow quickly side steps to flank the zombie near Rema, slashing away with his dagger after he positions himself (, Dmg: ). His slash finds a weak spot in the zombie's armor, but the creature remains standing.
The two zombies that had emerged from the temple last advance toward the group. One gets in range of Silx and the other takes the place of the zombie Aak had struck down.
Round Two: Triela and Shanye now acting.
Round Three: Caylen, Aak, and Silx now acting.
Seeing the undead relentless in their approach, Calyen keeps her hands raised to the sky, white flames issuing out from the fissures in her burned skin where orange embers burn brightly. Her hair whirls around on a thermal wind and the ebbing and flowing tide of warm fiery energy continues to blast outward from her, surging when the deep crimson glow from Aak subsides.
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The two zombies that have just closed in on the group takes the full force of the fire emanating from Caylen, while the rest seem to withstand much of the blast.
Following with another quick slash, Silx follows Caylen's example (). His slash deflects harmlessly off the zombie's armor.
Shayne redirects his ongoing illusion to be fire dancing in the air front of Aak. Perhaps the zombies will be easier to hit if they are trying to avoid the flame?
The gnome continues to sing, unsure if his orc allies consider the newcomer an ally sufficiently to benefit from the inspiring oration.
Why such a fright, when the sunshine is bright?
Why come these zombies known as Valiant?
Now cold these grim lords have broken their wards;
They advance, ever bold, but not valiant.
Valiant! Repent! In a curse you are bound.
Valiant! Repent! We'll restore this holy ground.
Then Shayne hustles to his backpack and retrieves his net.
Round Three: Triela ( and Shanye now acting.
Round Four: Caylen, Aak, and Silx now acting.
The sounds of orcs falling in battle is followed quickly by roars of victory as all but one of the skeletons is defeated.
Shayne looks around while standing above his backpack, fingering the weights in his net. Where does it look like he can be most helpful? He also has one scroll of Cure Light Wounds left, if tending to the fallen appears more urgent than aiding those allies still standing.
As the undead continue t march in unabated, Caylen's expression begins to shift from confidence to panic. That there have been no injuries on their side was the single point of solace that she held. Confounding matters more was the presence of a stranger in their midst, and while her aid is appreciated trust -- especially after the incident with the cultists -- is more tempered.
"Hold on! They cannot last forever!" Caylen shouts, her small voice ringing out ahead of another pulse of positive energy expanding out from her body, that rolling wave of colorless, heatless flame barely burning the flesh off of the advancing undead. It is clear at this point that she is getting exhausted.
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Energy slams into the zombies, but they remain standing. Aak's swing smashes through a zombie near him , it falls to the ground motionless.
Silx slashes at the zombie near him again (, Dmg: . His precisely placed blade finds a gap near the shoulder plate in the armor, rending the zombies arm cleanly off. The creature tips to the ground like a freshly cut tree. ()
Each of the remaining zombies make powerful slam attacks on the living creatures near them, one targets Silx (), one Aak (, Dmg:), and one Rema (, Confirm crit: , Dmg:). Silx easily dodges the attack, but both Aak and Rema suffer heavy blows.
Round Four: Triela (action from round 3 also) and Rema now acting.
Rema steadies herself quickly and lashes out with a flurry of blows toward the zombie that attacked her (, ), but fails again to penetrate through the zombie's armor.
Round Five: Caylen, Aak, and Silx now acting.
Getting sick of fighting all these mindless foes who's can't be tricked or startled, Silx releases a sigh of frustration and strikes again
Unsure which foe to attack with his net, Shayne tucks it into his belt so it is ready to use (which takes longer to do than he expected, especially while singing) and then reads his last scroll of Cure Light Wounds.
Seeing Aak suffer a heavy blow, the gnome carefully makes his way towards the half-orc to deliver the curative touch spell.
Unsure what to do with his Silent Image, he maintains the illusionary fire dancing in the air front of Aak.
Hands trembling and ashen flakes mixed with glowing embers drifting off of her arms, Caylen once more draws deep within herself to the wellspring of positive energy. Breathing in deeply she focuses the fear, anger and heat within herself outward. Soon, Caylen's body begins to shed a pale, colorless radiance as smoke issues off of her clothing. A moment later, the young oracle's eyes glow a brilliant white and light shines out of her mouth like a bullseye lantern before her entire body explodes into a roiling humanoid form of living white fire.
"No!' Caylen rebukes the undead, drifting forward and washing over Aak like an inferno. But the flames do not harm Aak, rather they fill him with a greater warmth and turn his wounds to little more than ash that harmlessly blows off of his body. Moving in front of her friend, Caylen -- now an elemental force of life itself -- stands in defiance of the undead.
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A flash of light briefly illuminates Aak's wounds as Shayne makes contact with the half-orc (Aak is healed for ).
Two of the zombies move toward Caylen (). They flank her, having no idea that their tactics will be ineffective (map).
Round Five: Triela and Rema now acting.
Rema quickly attacks one of the zombies that has moved to flank Caylen (; Dmg: , ; Dmg: ). Though her fists aren't very effective against the zombie, the second blow manages to knock it to the ground for good. ()
Groshnodnok howls in range as the last skeleton rises from the ground. Though the large half-orc continues to fight it, the surrounding orcs seem to have lost heart.
Triela continues her vocal encouragment and decides to discourage the zombie in c12 with an attack. She strides forward and swings at the zombie with the edge of her shield like it is a weapon rather then a defense. As the shield moves a betraying glint reveals the edge to have been sharped.
Triela's swing misses.
One of the two remaining zombies moves toward Rema.
Round Five Shayne now acting.
Round Six Caylen, Aak, & Silx now acting.
Shayne tries to ensnare the nearest zombie in his net.
The net lands harmlessly at the zombie's feet.
Silx growls, slipping around to flank with Aak
Although Aak's swing misses, the distraction he provides gives a perfect opening for Silx. The drow's blade easily cuts down another zombie ().
A triumphant roar echos through the temple grounds as Groshnodnok finally shatters the bones of the skeleton that seemed to keep rising after being cut down.
Round Six: Caylen now acting.
The remaining zombie desperately slams it's arms into Aak (), the awkward attack glances off the stalwart half-orc.
Round Six: Caylen, Triela, Rema, and Shayne now acting.
"Our enemies fall,
we stand like a wall,
Now there is but one,
soon we strike
And this will be done!"
Triela gets a good view of the last one, and on the word stike, a shimmering note appears in her hand, and when she says done, she throws it at the zombie.
Shayne frowns at the net lying uselessly on the ground.
He returns to his backpack and removes a vial of holy water.
Rema moves to flank the zombie near Aak, attacking as quickly as she can (). Her swing glances off the zombie.
Round Six: Caylen now acting
Round Seven Aak and Silx now acting
Silx continues the fight, instead trying to help Aak land a blow by distraction the creature
Even with Silx's timely aid Aak misses the remaining zombie.
Unleashing a scream, Caylen's flickering form of elemental light explodes outwards in a blast of heatless white flames that roll over friend and foe. The detonation is a scourge of positive energy against the last remaining undead nemesis, blackening flesh and turning the burned edges orange with glowing embers. Her allies, however, remain unharmed by the pure flames.
As the radiant nimbus fades, Caylen -- returned to solid form -- slouches to one knee behind Aak, looking visibly winded and barely able to stand.
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