Kimberly looks to mr teddy, whispering to him, over there looks like some kind of curtains, quietly go check them out and see what is on the other side, then come right back
She lets Mr. Teddy go take a peek.
Mr Teddy goes to investigate
Tolvan moves to help with the door. He is surprisingly strong for a wizard.
Danica grabs the old wooden door and prop it against the stone ones. It will hold for now, but you know it's not a permanent solution. With Tolvan and Theopolis also holding the door shut, it gives you more time to find a better solution. Kimberly sends Mr.Teddy to inspect the other side of the curtain. The little bear walks over to the other side, trying to stay out of sight. He's been gone for only a few seconds when you hear the fist bang against the door. Theopolis looks over at Tolvan. "We need a better choke point to nullify their numbers. This might sound weird, but I hope the little bear finds something."The banging continues, but so far it feel more like they are testing the door more than trying to get in.
Kimberly looks to the group, There is a larger empty room behind the curtain. Didn't notice anything from this vantage point.
maybe Anna can scout it more thorough. then there is another loud bang, or maybe not
Anna braces her crossbow against her shoulder and points it at the stone doors. "Choke points are nice for you, maybe, but I like to move around a bit. We've got the extra speed thanks to Tolvan, so why don't we invite them in? Besides, Kim says these types can't make us werewolves if we're bit."
Still keeping the bolt trained at the doors, she backs up to the curtains and spares a glance inside.
"What do you know of this tower; what is its importance? Why was this our destination?" Ananias asks these questions quickly; clearly not happy to be in a position of uncertainty. "You all know much more about our present challenges; I think I can help, but I need to know more. What were we expecting to find here?"
"If we were to head up into the tower, the stairs themselves become a choke-point--a choke-point that we control, and have the advantage in. As long as there is no dominating threat above, that is likely our best strategy."
Tolvan helps wedge the loose door between the the door and the wall across from it. I still hope we do not have to fight those demon wolves. If we fail to stop the cultists I want them still here to oppose them. Lets look for the real enemy. WE have reason to believe they are in this building.
Anna shudders. "That's right. The necromancer, Auren Vrood. Helper to our friend A.A."
She gives a glance upwards. "He's supposed to be hanging out here in this tower. Probably upstairs."
Theopolis turns to Ananias as he drops his shield and longsword. "Like they say, the head of the Whispering way is in here. He needs to be stopped." He then takes out his greatsword and uses it as a brace against one of the doors. "The werewolves are after the heart of the Shudderwood's packlord. Whoever eats it, become the new packlord over the other tribes. If the demon-wolves get it, it would be very bad for the region." Equipping his shield and longsword back, Theopolis nods to Tolvan and braces himself against the other door. "I'll hold the door as long as I can and then slowly retreat to you if they manage to break it down. With Iomedae by my side, I will be fine." With that, he concentrates for a second and a nimbus of light envelopes the Paladin.
Clamping Theopolis on the shoulder for a moment. Tolvan says Then hold them here friend. We will go and do what needs to be done above. He looks to the others and motions them forward as he begins to move forward himself. He casts Protection from Evil on Anna as they move forward and then shield on himself.
Anna gives the paladin a look like he's nuts, but then shakes her head as she realizes she's about to do something similar. "Fine, then. Let's go."
She accepts Tolvan's protection, then she uses one of the charges on her ring and she winks out of sight. Then she starts heading deeper into the tower, looking for the way up and keeping alert for any threats.
Anna vanishes from sight and scout ahead of the party. The large pavilion at the northern corner is set-up with sleeping quarters for one person. You see some books and parchment, but unless you want to spend multiple rounds reading them, it will have to wait for later... if there is one. At the center of the tower, there is an empty circular room. You see stairs on the north side of it that goes up.
Anna doesn't waste time knowing Tolvan's spell is short. She begins moving up the stairs cautiously.
Ananias falls in as everyone but Theopolis heads upstairs. Recognizing something in the paladin's eyes--something he'd seen before in Iomedae on the battlefield--he shares words with Theopolis before entering the stairwell. "Don't be foolish; follow us if you get overwhelmed. With your aid, we can hold a position at the top of the stairs as well as down here."
They must speak true. I can see her spirit bright and strong in his eyes. I hope her strategic mind comes through along with her passion. She was always too willing to sacrifice.
Then her sandals activate and she dashes across the room and leaps up on the table to stand over the man with her dagger out.
The sound of Anna's crossbow firing rings out. "Hi, Vrood! Surprised to see us?"
Anna manages to get a good shot of the dark figure. The bolt flies true and hit him on his side. But for some reason, the bolt doesn't pierce as deep as it should have. Anna pushes her daring further by jumping on the table that the necromancer was working on and taunt him.
Anna, using the advantage she gained by her sudden appearance, slashes viciously at Vrood with her enhanced speed.
"Hey! Watch the hands! They can move!" she shouts as a warning to the others as they join the battle.
Anna hacks and slashes at Vrood at a surprising speed, the blade being but just a blur in her hand. Just like the bolt, the blade doesn't bite as deep as it should. Stepping forward, the undead next to Vrood counter Anna's attacks. Luckily for her, she is able to dodge all of them.
Hearing the fight start without him Tolvan uses his hasted speed to race up the stairs and take in the scene. Reaching for a flask of Alchemist's fire he chooses to blast the room with fire, avoiding Anna of course.
Tolvan's fireball explodes in the room, engulfing all the enemies within. As the explosion dissipates, he notices that only the giant hand near him is on fire and that the undead creature near Vrood suffered no damage all at.
Things sound rather dangerous up ahead. Then there is a large blast of flame.
Kimberly cannot see the blast but she does know the sound.
what are we dealing with up there? she asks as she tries to make her way up the steps.
If she does get a view of what is up there, She tries to determine what the group is facing.
The one in the back is a dread wight. It can drain people's life force with its attacks. If one fall from that, they raise back up as wight under its control.
One of the benefits of not wearing any armor is her ability to be unencumbered. Danica takes 2-3 steps while going up the stairs. She time her attack after Tolvan's blast dissipates from the area then she look for a strategic advantage. During her wait she calls upon the power of the Bright Lady to imbue her with special abilities.
AC: 29 (+4 Mage Armor, +2 Sacred protection from Judgment, +1 Haste)
Spells in effect: Haste, Bane(undead), Judgment(protection)
Once Kimberly gets a view at what the group is facing, she shares what she can with the others but first she needs to do what she can to eliminate the threat.
by Pharasma, these creatures need to be vanquished. now begone Kimberly lets a blast of pharasma's energy flood the room.
Both Danica and Kimberly walk into the room. Danica rushes to get into melee with Vrood, getting in flanking position with Anna. Kimberly, realising that the majorities of foes are, indeed, release a burst of positive energy that fill the room. some are affected more than others, but the young oracle does feel that the room permeated with negative energy, increasing the resistance of the undead present.
Vrood, noticing that he is getting surrounded, use some arcane words while taking a defensive stance. With a blink of an eye, he vanishes from sight.
He is now about 20 ft in the air, more or less above the blue hand.
<<The necromancer is above us in the air!>> he whispers though his message spell.
Ananias moves into the room after the fiery burst has disappeared. Looking through the wisps of smoke that remain, he surveys the layout and chooses a target and strategy. With the confidence of familiarity, he utters a simple arcane word to imbue his blade with power.
And he pauses.
What? he briefly thinks to himself. The spell is in me! It should be in my blade! His mind a whirl, what seems like long minutes in his mind pass in barely brief seconds of real-time as Ananias realizes that something is fundamentally different. Fundamentally wrong!
His eyes cloud over with red as a raw anger he's never known comes over him, hot rage fueled by an emotional confusion. Blood boiling, he begins seeking a target on which to vent his anger.
HP 96/80
AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 21 (+9 armor, +2 dex, +1 deflection (ring), +1 haste, -2 bloodrage, +2 fated bloodrager)
Fort: +12, Ref: +8 (+1 haste), Will: +6 (+2 fated bloodrager calculated in for all)
Conditions: haste, bloodrage
Melee (+1 scimitar): +19/+14 (+8 BAB, +7 str, +1 enhancement, +2 bloodrage, +1 haste)
Melee Damage (+1 scimitar): 1d6+10 (+7 str, +1 enhancement, +2 bloodrage)
20/21 rds Bloodrage remaining
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Both hands come to life and moves toward to Ananias and Danica. They try to grab hold of their target, but both seem unable to do so.
Anna takes a step back from the undead man in front of her and produces a bag of sticky goo. She throws it against him with a splat, hoping that it will be stuck to the floor.
If I hit, it's entangled. An entangled creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity and must make a DC 15 Reflex save or be glued to the floor, unable to move. Even on a successful save, it can move only at half speed.
Anna throws a bag at the undead near her. On impact, the bag explodes into a mess of glue. The target is barely able to avoid being glued to the floor. Unable to move freely, it turns its attention to Danica. The glue slowing its movement, Danica is able to avoid all the attacks.
Tolvan watches the fight between Anna and the undead. He forces himself to not come to her aid, knowing that she is a competent fighter. Backing a little Tolvan casts Glitterdust on the now invisible necromancer making him visible to all and possibly blinding him.
Tolvan uses his arcane knowledge to counter Vrood's invisibility with a cloud of golden particles. The necromancer is now covered with the dust, making him once more visible. Tolvan can feel the burning gaze of hatred coming from Vrood. Letting him know that Vrood managed to avoid the blinding effect of the spell.
With Vrood now illuminated, Kimberly turns her attention to the necromancer.
What you do angers the lady of the graves. It is time for you to face her judgement. she points toward Vrood and a bean of black light strikes toward the necromancer.
Danica attacks.
If Danica cant hit Vrood because he is to high then she will attack one of the mobile undead closest to her, activating Bane(undead).
AC: 29 (+4 Mage Armor, +2 Sacred protection from Judgment, +1 Haste)
Spells in effect: Haste, Bane(undead), Judgment(protection)
Kimberly fires a ray of bright light at Vrood, at the last second, he his able to dodge out of its way and the ray just hit the remains of the roof behind him. Danica attacks the undead near her. Since the target is a walking dead, it is hard to evaluate the damage that she did.
Vrood turns toward Tolvan. He whispers some arcane words and a ray of dark energy leaves his hand heading toward the Elf. Tolvan can feel dark and cold energy of the spell as it passes just next to him.
Oh, and my Befuddling Strike gives him a -2 to attacks for 1d4 rounds, and I think I rolled a 3. So he might not have hit Tolvan unless you already factored that in.
Ananias, fully engulfed in the fury that rages through his system, lets his scimitar swing at the disembodied hand in front of him. Instinct appears to guide his blade more than intellect as it whistles through the air.
_________
_________
HP 104/80
AC 24, touch 15, flat-footed 22 (+9 armor, +2 dex, +1 deflection (ring), +1 haste, -2 bloodrage, +3 fated bloodrager)
Fort: +13, Ref: +9 (+1 haste), Will: +7 (+3 fated bloodrager calculated in for all)
Conditions: haste, bloodrage, power attack
Melee (+1 scimitar): +16/+11 (+8 BAB, +7 str, +1 enhancement, +2 bloodrage, +1 haste, -3 power attack)
Melee Damage (+1 scimitar): 1d6+16 (+7 str, +1 enhancement, +2 bloodrage, +6 power attack)
19/21 rds Bloodrage remaining