Daniel then retaliates against the undead beings.
At 15th level, the cavalier can display her own brawn to inspire greater strength in his allies.
As a standard action, she can grant herself and any allies within 30 feet a +4 morale bonus on melee attack rolls, combat maneuver checks, Fortitude saves, and Strength checks. The cavalier can maintain her inspiring flex as a free action, and she can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal 1/2 her cavalier level; this duration need not be continuous.
"For freedom!" His shout lets off an almost supernatural tone, almost like the sound of chains being shattered.
Daniel's swords flash as he cuts ribbons of shadow away from a wraith.
Bran lands a hit with his greatsword, finishing it.
Tal'ariel is up!
Inspired by Bran's great strength, Tal'ariel lays into the wraith standing before her!
;
;
;
A wraith moves up and attacks Bran.
The warrior's immense stamina resists the deathly touch of the wraith.
Her Shield saves her again!
Holy power protects Daniel.
The wraiths are little more than a nuisance to the heroes...
Two clerics move towards the party, curse as they flicker into view when moving within range of the Invisibility Purge, and move back.
Trellara begins INSPIRE COURAGE +2!
Hamailii opens fire on a wraith (Magenta).
The remaining enemy clerics are out of sight...
Round 3 - GOOD HOPE, HASTE, and INSPIRE COURAGE +2 are active
Bran -12
Daniel -6
Tal'ariel
Warpriests
Wraiths (Yellow -18, Brown -11, Magenta -35)
Trellara
Hamailii
Clerics
Daniel attacks the wraith to his right (magenta, if it drops then yellow). "Back to the grave with you!"
Daniel hits three times, his shadowy blade striking the shadowy undead. His second hit drops the Wraith, and his third hit (on Yellow) triggers an attack from Tal'ariel, who also hits.
Bran and Tal'ariel are up!
Yellow at -35, Brown at -11.
Bran tries to drops the wraiths using Daniel to keep them pinned.
Hoping to fell the wraith he tries to shift over as best he can.
It takes all three swings - their ghostly forms are only partially affected by his sword - but Bran is able to drop his foe.
Tal'ariel tries to finish the last remaining wraith!
;
;
Tal'ariel's two strikes are just enough to finish the remaining wraith.
An enemy warpriest moves down the hall and casts Dispel Magic on Hamailii's Invisibility Purge.
It fails, so his ally tries the same thing.
His spell fails as well.
Hamailii, annoyed at this disrespect, unleashes a volley of arrows.
Trellara ends her performance and lets it linger in the air.
She uses the wand of Fireball again... catching not only the warpriests, but also the lesser enemy clerics who had been Invisibly sneaking down the hall (beyond the radius of the Invisibility Purge). The smoke coming off of their forms gives away their presence momentarily.
The lesser enemy clerics, all burned but still alive, move up some more and target Trellara with Spiritual Weapon spells. Five ghostly dragon-tooth heavy picks materialize and attack the bard. Most of them miss the nimble elf, but one manages to strike her.
All of the enemy clerics are now visible, having used their spells to attack.
Round 4 - GOOD HOPE, HASTE, and INSPIRE COURAGE +2 are active
Bran -12
Daniel -6
Tal'ariel
Warpriests (Grey -45, Yellow -10)
Trellara -6
Hamailii
Clerics (White -10, Black -20, Green -10, Blue -20, Red -10)
Daniel moves up to engage the casters and attacks (gray).
Daniel eliminates one of the enemy casters.
Bran sees the battle turning and his aura fades away as the initial rush of battle dies down
Swerving his way over, he brings the sword down on the other cleric.
However the blade smashes the stone wall behind his intended target.
As the others engage the clerics, Tal'ariel moves into a flanking position to strike.
;
;
Tal'ariel hits both of her foes with a devastating swing.
The wounded warpriest (Yellow) quickly casts a spell, manages to slip out of the flank evading his attackers, and then casts another spell!
He tries to paralyze Tal'ariel, fearing her deadly curve blade.
The spell fails.
Trellara delays, seeing that the battle is well in hand.
Hamailii fires her longbow, dropping one of the enemy clerics.
She aims at the warpriest in the back, hitting him once.
The four remaining clerics all have Spiritual Weapons attacking Trellara. The ghostly dragon-fang picks are more accurate this time around.
They also have their own actions this round, and each tries to paralyze one of you.
As soon as Bran is paralyzed, Trellara comes of delay, steps up, and casts Vanish on him!
But then she is paralyzed!
Tal'ariel also succumbs to the spell!
With most of the warriors paralyzed, the clerics all draw their maces and prepare to crush the skulls of their foes.
Round 5 - GOOD HOPE, HASTE, and INSPIRE COURAGE +2 are active
Bran -12 - Held, need DC 14 Will as full-round action; Vanished
Daniel -6
Tal'ariel - Held, need DC 14 Will as full-round action
Warpriest (Yellow -48)
Trellara -19 - Held
Hamailii
Clerics (White -10, Black -20, Green -10, Blue -20)
. The clerics' evil magics seem particularly strong, but Tal'ariel struggles free thanks to Hamailii's blessings and her elven nature!
Seeing his teammates in danger, Daniel starts to carve through the enemies closest to his visible teammates.
I keep forgetting that Invisibility Purge would prevent Trellara from using Vanish on anyone... so I guess she just moved up with sword in hand.
Anyway...
In a whirlwind of steel and mithral, Daniel drops one enemy cleric with his first swing, then steps up and takes out two more!
Bran is up, needing a DC14 Will save!
Bran is once again held by Infernal magic.
The warpriest is too far away to attempt a CdG, so he settles for charging Bran with his pick.
Trellara next tries to shake off the paralysis.
Hamailii sees the danger that Bran is in from the remaining cleric, who has his mace out and is ready to crush Bran's head.
Two arrows drops the enemy cleric, and a third staggers the warpriest. From there, is a short fight to finish the last enemy caster.
Moving to the altar to Tiamat that the clerics were praying at, you see a ten-foot-wide high shaft rising 100 feet straight up.
What do you do?
"I hate feeling that infernal enchantment. Dredges back bad memories."
Composing himself, he looks around and walks near the altar before seeing the shaft. He trains his vision and tries to pierce the darkness as much as possible.
"The priests almost had all of us--lucky they were not fast enough to finish the job." Tal'ariel quickly checks if the clerics have anything useful.
She then casts Detect Magic and inspects the altar and the shaft upward.
Daniel steps into the room and looks for another way out. "I don't think up is the way to go but there may be another way out of here. What were they doing? Is that the only ceremony needed to be stopped?"
The priests do not have anything that would be of use to you, other than a few potions of healing (5 CLW and 2 CMW).
There is something far above.
Flashes of light in various colors illuminate the top of the shaft. By the light, it seems there is a room up there.
Hamailii has no idea about the significance of this altar or these priests to the ritual.
Trellara thinks on it for a moment.
"This altar here augments the prayers of worshippers of Tiamat. But it is in support of a ritual elsewhere... above, most likely. The prayers and the power ascend to that chamber.
There might be another way, as Daniel says. Though up would seem the most direct way."
There is indeed another exit to the west, as Tal'ariel finds the secret door without much difficulty.
"I like taking the direct route if we can. I can help two of us fly. Is that enough if Hamailii helps and the strong carry the others?"
Daniel says "I can fly up on my own but only in the dark otherwise I will need a way to fly."
Hmm.... there is bright light in the room you are in, as well as in the room above. So Daniel's cloak isn't going to let him fly.
Hamailii already did cast Fly on Bran.
She can use her bonded item any-spell for another Fly.
Lord Jarmaath also gave you a Scroll of Fly.
So between Hamailii's two slots, Tal'ariels two slots, and the scroll, that covers everybody. As long as nobody gets hit with a Dispel Magic on the way up.
It is a DC 20 check to go straight up, and Tal'ariel's spell only gives you a +6 before ACP; but then again Daniel has +3 Dex and +2 Good Hope and -1 ACP, so that's still a +10, therefore he can Take 10 and make it.
So that is the plan? Fly up and see what is up there?
I will assume you all heal to full. (No need to track wand charges at this point.)
This may take me a couple of days to get set up (between the holidays and the complexity of what is ahead...)
You fly up the shaft to the room above. Trellara begins Inspire Courage as you fly up.
Five brilliant geysers of crackling energy light this large room. Each of these sprays of liquescent light plume from the upturned maws of five draconic heads, themselves emerging on long necks from the edge of a low platform in the center of the room. The light gathers in the domed ceiling above, pooling in an upside-down lake of glowing energy that ripples like water and periodically drips long, stringy strands of thick light down on the ground below to flash and sizzle away instantly in a blast of acrid smoke. Strange, ghostly shapes seem to writhe and dance in the light pool above—twisted, nightmarish fiends and grinning dragons with great glowing eyes.
The room itself is roughly oval. The walls, inscribed from top to bottom with a scalelike pattern, arch upward gently, almost giving the chamber the appearance of being inside a gigantic dragon egg. The pool of light shimmers fifty feet above, and only twenty feet below that a five-foot-wide balcony encircles most of the room’s perimeter. Five oval alcoves are arranged in the room’s walls at this level, and looming in each one is a magnificent stone statue of one of the five chromatic dragon kinds.
stands in the center of the room atop the central pedestal. The half-dragon hobgoblin is nearly seven feet tall, his body covered with brilliant blue scales and a magnificent horn jutting from his brow. He sports a beardlike growth of scales on his chin. Lightning crackles over his eyes and jaws. Large wings spread from his back, and he is clad in red dragonscale armor.
Four draconic-looking devils - Blue Abishai like you fought before - lurk in the corners of the room.
The crackling and infernal wailing of the energy and spirits make it hard to hear. Fortunately, this also prevents the enemy from hearing your approach - but once they see you, they motion to gain the High Wyrmlord's attention, and they all move to attack.
Hamailii readies an arrow to interrupt spellcasting.
The High Wyrmlord is no fool - he moves off the pedestal, and with cover from it he completes a spell... or two.
The Blue Abishai move to attack.
The tail crackles with electricity, but this fails to injure Bran due to the Communal Resist Energy on you.
The last one starts concentrating, likely trying to Summon another.
Round 1 - GOOD HOPE, INSPIRE COURAGE +2
Hamailii
Azarr Kul
Abishai
Bran -6
Daniel -4
Tal'ariel
Trellara
To be safe Daniel places one of the oil of magic weapon on his Gloomblade and then activates his weapon bond on it making it keen as they ascend(if only time for one then the weapon bond).
After being attacked Daniel smites the devil and attacks it.
If Bran had been Enlarged when you arrived, as per Tal'ariel's post in Discussion, then the High Wyrmlord's actions would have been a little bit different. But no major difference.
Azarr Kul casts a spell, Hamailii's arrow bounces off his armor, and Bran returns to his normal size. Then he moves behind the pedestal.
Daniel gets an extra attack from Haste as per Tal'ariel's post.
Daniel hits his foe with three of his attacks. It remains up but is badly hurt.
As the Blue Abishai charges, Tal'ariel strikes it with her magically lengthened arms.
;
Rather than engage her foe further, Tal'ariel vanishes with a quick sip from her jacket. She reappears next to Daniel as she thrusts his foe with her sword.
; .
If that's lucky enough to bring down one foe, she quickly strikes at a second with her lengthened arms.
;
Also, spellcraft to know what spells might have been cast (Dispel Magic is obvious, but want to know what the other is).
All four of Daniel's swings connect, and one of the foes falls to the ground!
Tal'ariel can't go invisible because of the Invisibility Purge that Hamailii has active. And because she won't be invisible, the Abishai in front of Tal'ariel will get an AOO on her if she moves to attack a different one.
If you still want to risk it to move and flank Bran's foe, you can.
Seeing the battle start in front of him, the warrior springs to action, knowing that this high wyrmlord could be as dangerous as the last.
"Let us break this tyranny!" His shout echoes through the chamber, almost magical in nature.
Bran senses for a moment he could see the abishai shake.
"This is it."
Gripping the weapon his muscles pulse with power.
You got enlarged but then got hit with dispel magic unfortunately.
Trellara delays.
Hamailii again readies a shot for the High Wyrmlord if he appears to cast a spell (though he is behind the pedestal at the moment).
Tal'ariel has placed herself in a prime spot for flanking!
The Abishai take advantage and try to tear her to pieces. One steps closer and attacks, with Bran's foe also turning its attention to the elf.
Tal'ariel is hit twice for 14 damage.
The devil that was concentrating completes its summoning, and another of its kind appears! This one focuses on Daniel.
Daniel is hit once for 3 damage.
The summoner also moves up to attack the paladin.
Trellara comes out of delay, moving up to heal Tal'ariel with a spell.
The High Wyrmlord... probably casts more buff spells. You can't see him.
Round 2 - GOOD HOPE, INSPIRE COURAGE +2, HASTE, COMMUNAL PROT EVIL, COMMUNAL RESIST ENERGY (ALL), INSPIRING FLEX
Hamailii
Azarr Kul
Abishai (Black -11)
Trellara
Bran -6
Daniel -7
Tal'ariel -8
Bran puts his weight into his attack slamming the greatsword down on the red abishai.
Pulling two devils onto himself, Daniel smites and attacks the one on his left (green).
Bran misses with his swings.
Daniel shreds another devil, hitting with all of his Smiting strikes.
Tal'ariel is up!
"What should I do," asks Hamailii, "Take down one of these or wait for the Wyrmlord to show himself?"
"Wait for the wyrmlord! We can't have him casting more ritual magic or whatever is going on! I'm going to cut my way through!"
Tal'ariel sidesteps and tries to attack the same foe that Bran is distracting.
;
;
Tal'ariel strikes twice. The second one would have missed, but Kurgess nudges the blade.
Hamailii again readies a shot.
The High Wyrmlord appears and casts two spells. At his first, Hamailii's arrow flies, but bounces off his armor.
A bolt of pure darkness strikes at Tal'ariel!
Then he casts a spell at Daniel. The paladin is overcome with thoughts of how he has failed Kelinahat...
All the devils swarm Tal'ariel!
Two attacks manage to hit.
Trellara surprisingly draws her rapier and stabs at a devil!
While not a lot of damage on its own, the bard's attack distracts the Abishai enough for Tal'ariel to make an Opportunist attack.
The devil falls!
Round 2 - GOOD HOPE, INSPIRE COURAGE +2, HASTE, COMMUNAL PROT EVIL, COMMUNAL RESIST ENERGY (ALL), INSPIRING FLEX
Hamailii
Azarr Kul
Abishai (Black -11)
Trellara
Bran -6
Daniel -7
Tal'ariel -27