Just waiting for Wei.
Qatala rushes to engage their remaining enemy and Valyssa moves to rejoin the fight, having recovered from the magical fear from the dretch. Wei cuts the first crusader free.
Any chance you've got an extra weapon? I can help free the rest of the prisoners. We might need to make a hasty retreat... he says as he looks to the North with a worried expression. If Wei has an extra dagger or something, he will take it and begin sawing at the bonds of his fellow prisoners. If not, he'll do his best untying the knots by hand.
Looking to the North, Ser Ilivan strikes down a pair of Dretches as he fights bravely against impossible odds. The lesser demons seem to back off a bit, seeing the toll that Ser Ilivan is taking on their ranks. You see the vulture demon that had been circling begin to descend and land to face Ser Ilivan.
The Brimorak demon, thick, dark, blood oozing out of several blast marks on it's body,continues its assault on Zavita despite the appearance of a new foe.
Big Bad - 37 damage, Air walk active, 5 feet up, Blind Fireball used, Summon used
Valyssa - 2 dex,
Maruka - 1 dex, Nauseated for 1 more rounds
Zavita -
Qualala -
Wei - -1 dex,
Pathfinders are up! Lets see if you can't end this this round.
You are correct. Zavita launches another spear of holy energy at the demon. It strikes him, and where previously there had been a flash of light and a demon bleeding, and covered in scorch marks, this time the spear strikes him, and quickly dims, then fizzles into nothingness.
Valyssa charges into battle and takes a mighty swing at the demon, but still seems to be shaking off the effects of the fear, and her swing goes wide. Qatala attacks with her whip. Her first swing sinks into his flesh. As she withdraws her whip, a gout of boiling blood sprays from the wound, dousing Qatala and searing her skin.
Recoiling from the unexpected boiling blood causes her other two attacks to go wide.
Now that you have closed with the Brimorak demon, the party begins to hack and cough on the black smoke that the demon exudes and hangs in the air around him.
I need a DC 17 fort save, or you are sickened for as long as you are adjacent to the demon from Zavita, Qatala, and Valyssa.
Big Bad - 46 damage, Air walk active, 5 feet up, Blind Fireball used, Summon used
Valyssa - 2 dex,
Maruka - 1 dex, Nauseated for 1 more rounds
Zavita -
Qualala -
Wei - -1 dex,
wei is up!
The Brimorak demon still has a little fight left in him, and persists in attacking Zavita.
The crusader takes the dagger from Wei, and sets to releasing the other prisoners.
In the distance you can see a bloodied Ser Ilivan with his sword out, slowly circling the Vrock that has landed to face him.
Big Bad - 46 damage, Air walk active, 5 feet up, Blind Fireball used, Summon used
Valyssa - 2 dex,
Maruka - 1 dex, Can act normally!
Zavita -
Qualala -
Wei - -1 dex,
Pathfinders are up!
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Zavita coughs up some blood, which in turn she spits at the demon.
She taunts in celestial to the brimorak, which she know he can understand.
She calls for Sarenrae's blessing once more and channels her healing power and directs it into herself.
Zavita-26/59
Wei-23/27
Valyysa-32/35
Maruka-31/34
Qatala-28/32
Surrounded, bloody, and enraged by Zavita's speech, the demon shouts back at her in common You know not of what you speak! I will kill you and your pathetic companions and feast on the marrow in your bones! Your death will not even be worth a mention in the tale of my ascension through the demon ranks! I will cast you all into the Abyss where I may torture you for years to co... Aargh!
His shouting is interrupted by Valyssa slams her axe into his side. He turns his attention to her, Foolish woman, I will flay the skin from your bones when I finish with this half breed! You shall know tor... hurk. Gurglglelgle... His speech is cut short as Qatala's whip strikes him in the neck, piercing his windpipe. He struggles to continue shouting for a moment, then falls to his knees, finally dropping to the side. He lays unmoving, floating a few feet in the air.
Wei frees another crusader. With the help of the previously freed crusaders, he is able to free the rest of the prisoners.
In the distance, you see Ser Ilivan and the Vrock finally finish sizing each other up. They meet in a brutal exchange of blows. Their fight and the stomping of the other demons continue to kick up a dust cloud. You can barely see Ser Ilivan turn to face the demon once more, limping and clutching his side. As he charges the Vrock once more, the rest of the demons find their courage, and you see a dozen demons join the fray, pouncing on Ser Ilivan. He disappears from view and the continued melee creates enough dust that it is difficult to discern much of what is happening at this point.
The battle is a good 500 feet away (Ser Ilivan did a full run on his mount, plus a charge the next round, and has been trying to lead them away since he engaged), so it will take a few rounds to get there.In addition, you see a lot of demons. There are at least ten dretches, a half a dozen Schir demons, three or four brimorak demons, as well as a few others you may or may not know what they are.
In addition, one of the captives speaks up as the party begins to rush off. Wait! That is an overwhelming force of demons. We stand no chance of doing anything productive by attacking them. What Ser Ilivan did was incredibly brave. He sacrificed himself to give you a chance to rescue us and escape. Do not foolishly throw away his sacrifice.
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Maruka joins the others, having finally overcome his nausea I fear you are right. Let him rest with the knowledge that he has done a good deed and let his fight not be in vain. There will be other opportunities for us to seek vengeance. I will stay with Qatala. It is the least I can do after having watched you all fight in my absence. Go, now!
The party reluctantly turns and heads back towards Nerosyn and the Wardstones. A few mintues after beginning their journey, they notice that the horde of demons has turned and is now following them. The pathfinders pick up their pace, and hustle along, barely staying ahead of the pursuing demons. As you travel, you can hear demonic screeching just in the distance. After a few hours of travel at a quick pace, the wardstones appear in the distance. You can overhear several of the crusaders whispering prayers to Iomede, hoping that the wardstones are strong enough here to repel the demons.
The party, spurred on by safety so nearby, redoubles their efforts and marches quickly for the Wardstones. The party passes through the wardstones, and the crusaders you are escorting collapse from exhaustion. Turning back, you see the pack of demons reach the edge of the wardstones. The Vrock leading the pack stops, and pauses for a moment and examines the air in front of it. It grabs a dretch and casually tosses it forward. As it flies through the air, it begins to burn with holy, white fire and ash is all that reaches the ground. The Vrock lets out a frustrated, demonic shriek before turning and heading back into the Worldwound.
The party rests for a few moments, then slowly gets up and begins the march the rest of the way to Nerosyn. You arrive at the city at dusk, and are ushered to meet with Venture-Captain Jorsal and some members of the Mendevian military, who request a full debriefing.
The next morning, word has spread about your deeds, and you are greeted as heroes by the other crusaders as you awaken the next morning. Assuming you spend a few days in the city plying your various trades, resting after a grueling mission, or just waiting for your next Pathfinder assignment, you will eventually get word that a patrol has recovered Ser Ilivan's body. You are all invited to his funeral, which is performed with full military honors, and asked if you would like to say a few words at the event.
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Although she did not see eye to eye with the knight, she respected his might in battle and his devotion to ensuring the innocents were rescued at the end. She stands and clears her throat as she says a few words about Ser Ilivan...
"Although no sculptured marble will rise to his memory, nor engraved stone bear record of his deeds, yet will his remembrance be as lasting as the land and people and the principles he honored. Many owe a debt of gratitude to this soldier, this knight, that has paid the ultimate price for this cause, as well as a debt from those who were blessed enough to return from his last battle unscathed as he ensured our survival."
She bows her head in silence and then sits down hiding the sniffles building up...
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Maruka stands and addresses the crowd, somewhat bigger then he anticipated It is for some of us, myself not included, to be blessed with the knowledge and wisdom of what we are meant to achieve on this plane, Yet for others, this meaning is a search that goes on, and for some, the answers come only at the end. Yet that does not mean that the search was in vain. Maruk glances at Sir Ilivan's casket For if we are lucky enough to have found the answer then we can rest beyond this plane with the comfort that we asked the right question.
Maruka steps aside. And for you, Sir Ilivan, eventually you found the courage to ask the question and for that, we are grateful. Go, and go in peace.