Success
As Greyston's muscles convulse involuntarily under the electrical shock of the Will-o-wisp, he slips from the surface of Artrosa and his stomach heaves as he begins to drop.
Desperately he scrambles and thankfully his hand catches in a crevice and though it wrenches his shoulder badly, he holds himself and his relief is palpable.
Greyston look out! he cries out a warning as the alchemist stiffens in pain and loses his grip on the wall, as he falls Elleross begins to mouth the words of the feather fall spell but as he opens his mouth to speak he sees miraculously that the young alchemist has managed to grab onto a fissure in the rock face and he breathes a sigh of relief.
Glancing upward at the floating orb he opens his hand, Palm upwards and begins to cast the only spell he has to hurt these things. Using his knowledge of the spell he magnifies its power and unleashes it.
Magia Vis, Potestas ictus ! completing the spell he watches the pyramids of pure force appear in his hand and a slit second later they streak outwards racing toward their target.
Elleros' magic slams into the visible wisp and sends it spinning and crashing into the statue wall. It regains it's equilibrium and continues it's attack on Sapphire, the other wisp materialising behind her as the pair now work in concert on the swordswoman.
Hit
Hit
He watches with satisfaction as his spell slams into the orb, but the wisp still lives and as they fly upwards to flank Sapphire he unleashes the same spell again.
Grayston heart pounds as he grasps onto a ledge. His whole body shaking as he looks up. Don't look down. Don't look down He repeats. "I'm ok"" He shouts out.
After his last miss he decides to try something differnt, taking out a bomb with shaking hands he spins it up splashing next to Sapphire.
Del looks down at the barrage Sapphire is enduring and shakes his head in frustration. Abandoning any clever tricks he might try, he instead just sends a pair of bolts darting through the air toward the wisps.
HP: 42/42
AC: 19 (15 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 20
F/R/W: +7/+10/+6
Grit remaining: 0/2
Healing Amulet charges remaining: 3/3
Hero Points remaining: 3
Regular bolts remaining: 51/80
Cold Iron bolts: 40/40
tangle bolts: 3
tracer bolts: 4
Ongoing Effects
The will-o-wisp reels away from the flare of Greyston's bomb before it is battered by Elleros' arcane barrage. Del holds himself steady and lines up a shot with his hand crossbow. As the wisp stops spinning he looses and watches as the bolt slams dead centre into the glowing orb.
It punches home and send one of the wisps tumbling down toward the ground, hundreds of feet below.
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Growing ever more frustrated with this damned now, Corum slings it over his back and begins adjusting the rope that holds him fast to the wall. He undoes the knot but holds the loose end in one hand, enabling him to adjust the length of the rope so he can descend and get closer to the Wisp.
Her hair standing almost on end despite the braids, with gritted teeth Sapphire watches as Greyston nearly tumbles down, her stomach clencing as she almost called her magic to dive after him. Relieved that he has managed to cling to the mountain at least for now, she turns her concern into fury, smashing her blade as hard as she can against the remaining wisp.
Sapphire slashes out at the remaining wisp but frustratingly it dodges aside once again and she finds herself wondering if she would be better served trying to fight the wind for all the success she is having.
It floats slightly closer to Del and Corum but zaps Sapphire once again on the way past.
Hit
"Hey! Sparky! Up here!" Del fires off a shot from Jasper, the bolt deliberately missing the wisp and clacking loudly off the stone nearby. As the wisp shudders slightly, seeming to turn its attention up toward Del, the bowman shouts, "Somebody swat that glowing, overgrown fly already!"
HP: 42/42
AC: 19 (15 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 20
F/R/W: +7/+10/+6
Grit remaining: 0/2
Healing Amulet charges remaining: 3/3
Hero Points remaining: 3
Regular bolts remaining: 50/80
Cold Iron bolts: 40/40
tangle bolts: 3
tracer bolts: 4
Ongoing Effects
Corum ties off his anchor rope, having descended a few feet and unslings his axe ready for when the Wisp reappears.
Nasrin clambers down the sheer wall of the statue and lurks near Sapphire, waiting for the thing to show itself.
for
Miss
Nasrin scrambles down the wall and once within arms length slashes wildly at the space besides Sapphire where the wisp last appeared. Unfortunately she cuts nothing but air.
He watches the wisp attack again and once more curses them.
Clinging on tightly he draws out another scroll and once more Gestures toward the area the wisp was In and he releases the spell.
... Scintillula,aspectus, Pulvis!
Auto fail on a 1
This time Elleros' spell settles on the wisp and the motes are blindingly golden. The orb buzzes around in what seems like a panic for a moment, now clearly visible against the stark grey rock of Artrosa.
Her hair now rising around her head in a corona, Sapphire's eyes narrow as the wisp comes in to view again.
I was hoping you'd do that you Pheffrel piece of granaush!
She swings her blade in a heavy overhand chop.
Grayston steadies himself still feeling the effects of the fall, forcing himself to look up and focus on the fight.
He fumbles with the bomb in his satchel, shakes it up and lobs it next to Sapphire.
Honorability missing.
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As it buzzes about blindly, Sapphire cleaves the wisp mightily and Nasrin leans from the sheer rock wall and slams it with a meaty ape fist. The glow dims instantly and it sails down to the white blanket of snow hundreds of feet below.
After a few deep, ragged breaths the shaken group is forced to continue their ascent - Elleros' spell only has a limited duration after all.
Another grueling climb awaits but soon the party haul themselves over the precipice onto an enormous platform behind the head of the Maiden statue, looking out over a truly breathtaking view over the valley below, stretching out in an endless white vista.
Del remains oblivious to the view as he lays sprawled out upon his back with arms spread wide, a picture of desperate exhaustion and breathless surprise. "Haaaaaa~ that's one for the story books, to be sure!" He huffs and puffs heavily as he struggles to catch his breath. "Whew! Everyone- make it? I- hope so- at least. Huff. Huff."
Sighing in relief as the wisp disappears from sight, Sapphire grabs back on to the rock once more, saving her power in case she should need it to catch anyone. Mid-climb fight or not, there was still a way to go climbing the rock.
Her fears fortunately unfounded, she pulls herself over the edge of the cliff and rolls across the ground before coming to a rest.
Exactly how many volumes are in this grand and epic sage oh master storyteller Del? Will anyone be able to carry the complete set of volumes without collapsing!?
She glances around at the plateau and distinct lack of nasty tings trying to kill them
All those in favor of camping here, by which I mean simply going to sleep where we lie, say 'Aye'...
Graston scrabbles to the top, crawling to the middle of the massive statues head. His fall a little more than he bargained for and is now even less excited about the prospect of being so high up. "I think I've decided, I really don't like heights." He laughs to himself at how insane this is all turning out to be.
"At the end of this I hope to read these story books and I hope you keep in everything that makes me look good." He stays in between deep breaths, lying on his side.
"You- huff- will certainly be- huff- just the very best, Greyston. The very- huff- very best!" Del doesn't move, still remaining splayed out on his back with his arms and legs spread wide.
"I like this spot. It's delightfully horizontal. I'll second Sapphire's offer to not move!"
Nasrin grunts and then turns to the statue. She sniffs the air, hoping to catch a whiff of whatever is in the area. Most likely dead things...
Sighing with relief as the wisp is cut down Elleross begins to climb once more, without his magic a feat he would have found impossible.
we should move as fast as possible, I cannot cast that spell again, I have used up all the scrolls. he says as he climbs if more wisps come I fear we will not fare so well he says and focuses on the climb, the going is hard for him, every foot gained brings some new ache or agony from his protesting body.
He is conscious of the time limit on his spell and when he judges its duration to be coming to an end he calls a brief halt as he sets about duplicating the spell again.
With the magic refreshed they push for the summit and he is the last to finally gain the top, his arms and legs had began to cramp spasmodically and as he finally hauled himself onto the top he was all but spent.
Dragging himself away from the edge he could find no breath to speak as he merely collapsed face down in the snow gasping for breath.
After a while he manages to roll onto his back and struggles to a sitting position.
I am spent...I don't have much left. That climb has drained my powers and I am exhausted. Can we camp up here? It will be bitter cold here and we risk the wisps funding is again. It may be wise to try and find a way inside this place. But then there is talk of a guardian ....I do not know what will be worse he says his face paler than usual and his hands shaking from the climb.
When they reach the summit Corum stretches and takes a deep breath, savouring the cold air. "Tastes good up here."[/b]
When the others express their need to rest he shakes his head. "Not until we know there's no threat."
He motions for the others to follow and begins exploring the plateau.
Sapphire groans
I know it's the right thing to do Corum, I even agree with you, but I'm going to complain at your suggestion this once, just because it makes me feel better!
she grumbles as she rolls to her feet.
Surveying the surrounding plateau she glances at her sword and frowns.
Yes all right, your advice is sound too before drawing her blade so it's to hand in case there are further 'surprises' waiting to appear.
She begins to stroll towards the top, looking for entrances or obvious signs that creatures have been around.
"Have I mentioned how delightfully horizontal it is up here?" Del lingers on the ground as the others muster to look for potential trouble. "You're wasting your time, you know. Narratively speaking, of course." He groans as he pulls himself up to his feet then dusts the snow off the back of his long coat. "We just climbed a tremendous distance, and had a fight for our very lives right smack in the middle of it to boot. This is the part where the heroes get a break in the danger and tension; a chance for levity and to breathe. Otherwise, the reader will lose the weight of the previous trial as a new conflict just rushes in to swallow up the protagonists. It's all about the pacing, you see."
Taking in the view for the first time now, Del's words trail off at the end as he sees the forest and snow swept expanse of Iobaria before him. He looses a low whistle, forgetting his aches, "Wow. Now that is a view." He savors the scene as the others begin to move off, then at last tears away and trots to catch up. "Hey, now! Wait just a minute, alright! It's also a terrible idea, in both a narrative and we're-in-Iobaria-and-I-don't-speak-Iobarian sense, to split the party!"
Nasrin squats waiting for the pack to catch up, her knuckles planted on the ground for balance. As Corum comes up to her, she pivots and moves with him.
Vertiginous cliffs surround the mesa top on all sides, though a rock wall backing the top of the figure's head rises above the plateau, creating some cover from the cold winds blowing across the mesa. From every direction the view is dizzying, offering a clear panorama of miles and miles of Iobarian wilderness.
A small copse of bare, weathered trees stands in the shelter of the rock wall, their knotted roots clinging desperately to the cold, hard stone. Dozens of bones litter the ground before the grove, some so ancient that the trees' roots appear to grow right through them. Behind the trees, a shadowy arched opening in the wall leads deep inside the rock.
Sapphire moves up towards the trees and the hidden cave entrance
Hello? Oh Guardian are you here?
She keeps her sword out but not in an obviously threatening manner.
Del chuckles, "Oh, this isn't foreboding at all!"
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Grayston pulls himself up and continues on with the others. "I've got a bad feeling about this.." He says looking at the bones scattered around. "Let's not do anything crazy here now." As he grasps on to a bomb shaking the liquid inside slightly to keep it from freezing up.
As you get closer you see one massive tree among the grove, a huge weeping willow that dwarfs all the others.
Disturbingly you see the gutted corpse of a centaur hanging from it's boughs and, even at a glance, you can see it hasn't been there particularly long.
The bough of the tree is bizarrely carved into the voluptuous form of a young, tempting maiden and, to your immense surprise a voice issues forth from it's wooden lips;
All who seek to enter Artrosa must first present me with a sacrifice.
A long, thin branch - the lady's arm - points to the dead centaur as if by way of example.