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William continues hacking away at the debris, but they prove tougher than he expected. Perhaps dishearteningly, Tellerin simply hops onto the top of the broken furniture, which has proven rather stable, balancing well as he races on top and leaps down on the opposite side. Back outside the cathedral, his summoning done, Nigel tries to discern a path through the crowd but the towering humans block any view he might get. Lumo disregards the porthole to his detriment. It turns out much trickier than he had though, tripping over and falling flat.
The summoned eagle dives in for its attack. The assassin dodges the talons but not the vicious beak. She retaliates stabbing at the eagle, but is badly distracted enough by its attacks that her shortsword fails to connect.
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Uther finally manages to get through the crowd, Curse my appetite! He thinks to himself, At the first sign of food, I lose all concentration. He stumbles into the cluttered alleyway, and with no time to think about the reasons behind all the weapon marks, he sucks in his gut and attempts to squeeze his way through, "I'm coming guys!" He hollers, as he attempts to clamber over any obstacles he cannot squeeze through.
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Lumo grunts and pushes himself off the ground, grumbling to himself. "Stupid streets, taxes go to fat politicians who wouldn't know a sword from their behind... " He shakes off the fall and takes a look around. He now realizes that the pothole is full of mud! He can't walk across is, or he could trip! Not this Grease again... better jump it. He runs forward, closing his eyes at the last moment, relying on pure luck to get him across.
And... He slips and falls on his face.
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Finally, Nigel catches a break in the crowd and squeezes through, and Jacinth quickly follows up behind in his wake, coming up in front of the broken debris. Lumo is foiled once again by the pothole which looms in front of him. Tellerin pulls up his full height to intimidate the fruit vendor but he simply laughs in his face. William finally hacks a hole large enough to squeeze but which collapses after him.
But not before, Uther, with the most astounding gracefulness, somehow manages to squirm his way through, and quickly tumbling past the obnoxious fruit vendor and the confounding potfole. There! The assassin is just ahead of him!
Meanwhile, Nigel's summoned eagle continue ripping away into assassin. One of its talons scratches a deep groove across her face. She screams in frustration at the irritating eagle and even more when she sees the Pathfinders closing in. Taking a moment to review her options, she steps away from the eagle, whips out a potion and downs it in one gulp. And disappears!
The eagle moves to were the enemy was and tries to attack.
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The eagle flies foward and although unable to see the creature, rakes and bites the air around it, but none of its attacks connect. Uther moves up beside the eagle and swings his bow like a staff, but similarly only swings through air.
But the assassin is certainly still there. Suddenly a deep gash appears in the eagle, as the assassin reappears, this time with her shortsword sticking deep into Nigel's summon creature. She grin as she manage to finally get rid of the pestering bird. It screeches in pain and disappears with a poof of glitter. The assassin glares at Uther and takes a step back.
William, Lumo and Tellerin catches up just in time to see the eagle's demise.
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Seeing the noble bird perish the instant he gets in sight, William wastes no time in charging into the action. A more thoughtful man might have paused to consider, or consider peaceful or nonlethal options, but William's blood was up from the chase and this assassin's cold blooded murder earlier that night.
So with a prayer on his lips and holy wrath in his heart, William charges, whirling blade leading the way.
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Lumo looks at the assassin then books it in the opposite direction. He looks at the enrobed enemy carefully. Three... four...five... six greatswords away. Just like they taught me. He clasps the rhino necklace around his neck and prays. "Strengthen our armor, and prepare us for this valiant enemy. "
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Uther feels the invigorating power of Gorum flow through his body, and doesn't hesitate to position himself beside William, "Cayden forgive me, but that feels gooood!" He swings his heavy bow at the assassin's side with as much force as he can muster, much less concerned with accuracy than he is with showing his strength.
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Tellerin huffs and puffs from the long run to catch up with the assassin. He leans over, hands on knees, sweat dripping, and tries to think about how to help Uther and William.
With a broad sweep of one arm, a spark pulls free of his tattoos and flies towards the thief. Just as it arrives in front of their face, it billows into a bright globe of light before fading.
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William finally spots the assassin and without hesitation, charges right at her. His greatsword slices deep into her side and she scream in pain and anger. Uther swings his longbow again at her but again she dodges out of the way. She, however, fails to duck out of the way of Tellerin's spell and hit smack on by the flare on her face.
Lumo places himself carefully, and releases a wave of divine healing, restoring much of his teammates, and other minor wounds of passersby.
The assassin is getting desperate, with more of the Pathfinders catching up with her. She looks contemptuously at Uther though, who has failed to hit her so far, so she steps away from William, but still within striking range of Uther. Concentrating for a moment, she raises her hand up to the air and when she brings it down, the area around her is suddenly covered in darkness!
Meanwhile, just as Jacinth and Nigel arrive on the scene, so, too, do two cultists, dressed similarly to those you fought in the cathedral arrive. One , seeing Lumo's healing magic, raises his arms and sends an acid dart at him. It is badly aimed, however, and lands on the building behind Lumo. The other plunges into the darkness, stopping when he senses someone in front. "Flee with key! We'll hold them off!" he calls out.
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Completely focused on his quarry, William ignores the cultist at his back, if that was what was behind him, in the dark it is hard to tell and steps in close.
"Coward! Your tricks won't save you from Iomedae's holy wrath!"
Focusing on the darker blob that he really hoped was his quarry and not a friendly or innocent, though seeing Uther take a swing with his bow made him confident, William lashes out with his own blade.
The eagle shows up next to his target and tries to rip into her. He attempts to smite evil her, hoping she is an evil being.
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Tellerin steps to the side and calls out "Stop trying to run! Even if you get away from us, there are two dozen other much more experienced and way less nice Pathfinder teams hunting you!"
He traces out the pattern for burning hands on his tattoos and sends a wave of fire out to the south to engulf the yellow cultist trying to aid the assassin.
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Nigel recognises the spell as a darkness spell, not that it wasn't very obvious, and summons another celestial eagle which can see in the dark. The bird appears right beside the assassin and tears into her, managing to land a bite on her. Both Uther and William swing at her, but with the cover of darkness, neither of them manage to land a blow. Tellerin manages to make out the form of the cultist that has run into the darkness and lights up the area very briefly with a blast of fire. The cultist, all intent on supporting the assassin, fails to notice the attack and goes down screaming in horrible fiery pain.
Meanwhile, outside the sphere of darkness, Jacinth and Lumo attack the cultist but their attacks ricochet off some magical protection around him.
The assassin screams in frustration as her support is taken down. She stabs at William but the shortsword is repelled by his armor, and takes a step. The remaining cultist steps away from Lumo and launches another acid dart at him, but it flies past harmlessly.
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Nigel lets the eagle do its job on the assassin and instead moves to attack the cultist. With a familiar movement of his hands, he throws a ball of acid at them. Why don't you just surrender... isn't it obvious that you have lost this round?
Though trying to shoot around Lumo was harder than expected and Nigel over compensates, trying to play it safe and not hit him, and misses completely.
The eagle continues to aggressively attack the assassin.
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Concerned that he hasn't got a clean shot on the assassin, Uther instead attempts to cut off her retreat, "I'd listen to them if I were you..." He says as he draws a dagger from his boot and warily sidles around her, "Give up the key and stop fighting! It's the only way you're getting out of this..."
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Lumo growls at the cultist. "Stop running and fight fair! " He waits till Jacinth and Nigel take their shots then drops his Bec and steps forward, his shiny Earthbreaker in hand. "Slimy wizards just won't give up... " Tired of missing, he aims a little more carefully and utters a swift prayer to Gorum.
Fury of the Abyss (Su): As a swift action, you can give yourself an enhancement bonus equal to 1/2 your cleric level (minimum +1) on melee attacks, melee damage rolls, and combat maneuver checks. This bonus lasts for 1 round. During this round, you take a –2 penalty to AC. You can use this ability for a number of times per day equal to 3 + your Wisdom modifier.
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William swings again but the nimble assassin ducks back from the blade once again. The eagle, however, proves to be blessed as ever, striking the assassin in two rapid successions, tearing even more gashes into her side. Uther races around, drawing his dagger along the way, to flank the assassin.
Jacinth fires her bow and this time, the arrow strikes true, plunging deep into the stomach of the cultist. Nigel attempts the same with a blob of acid but his aim is off. Lumo fills himself with abyssal fury, but his blow strikes the cultist's magical barrier.
The assassin defiantly continues attacking, striking at William. This time, her strike is masterful, plunging deep into his chest, causing him to cough out blood. The cultist steps back again and launches another bolt of acid at Lumo but his aim proves dismal once again.
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Nigel finally lands the blob of acid on the cultist, but the killer comes from Jacinth's bow. The arrow she fires punches right through his right eye. He totters briefly and falls, dead before hitting the ground.
Those surrounding the assassin, however, is less successfully. With great dexterity, she ducks out of the way of the eagle, Uther and William.
The eagle follows the step of the assassin and relentlessly keeps pecking. Knowing the paladin that fell was its masters friend, he fights with a new ferocity.
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William again feels the assassin's deadly blade strike home and his not inconsiderable willpower finally gives out to blood loss.
Again, in a single day he collapses to his knees and slides into the darkness with a prayer on his lips.
Iomedae forgive me for my failure...
As the darkness takes over his soul rages at again failing his goddess. This day represented his two largest failures in his short life. Reflecting as his soul floats in darkness, resisting the pull to the Inheritors embrace.
Today I have been questioning the pathfinders goals and methods. In doing so I have been questioning the Silver Crusade, and my very Order. Perhaps it is my lack of faith that has caused my trouble today. I swear, should I survive this I will harden my faith, and believe that my superiors know Iomedae's true plan. This I swear!