SR's - Great Southern Isles (PbP) (Inactive)

Game Master stormraven

Sorry, no. He didn't coup de grace Strae... just whacked him.

The undead shaman steps behind the 4 Armed abomination and touches it. Then it sends out a wave of evil energy which restores its minions while sucking a small fragment of Ushari's and Jofram's life energy away.

Round: 4

ORDER: Jayse - KIA, Bad-H, Jofram, Ushari, Straehan - KIA, Necro & Four-Arms & Whipcords, Shaggar - KIA, Dweller

Temple of Night

Ja's HPs: -xx|62 KIA
Jo's HPs: 8|68 Diseased
Us's HPs: 42|45
St's HPs: -17|53 KIA

Gn's HPs: -17|52 KIA

Child 1: KIA
Child 2: KIA
Child 3: Sputtering
Child 4: Draining
Child 5: Draining
Child 6: Alive

The White Room...

Jayse bolts forward with a start, still feeling the crushing fangs in his back and skull. He finds himself sitting on an unadorned grey-blue couch, in a vaguely white room. The walls seem to swirl. It's like being in a glass box stuck in the middle of a fog bank. His foot taps against a silver coffee table. Across from the couch and coffee table is a matching couch. Sitting on it, legs crossed, and watching him with mild curiosity is Naladoria. She appears less ethereal and more real than he's ever seen.

She's idly stroking a tiny hyena pup held in her lap. She gives the monk a soft smile and offers him a white bowl filled with roasted...

"Nuts? They are quite tasty." She also offers an answer to the unasked question, "Yes, you're dead. Sorry about that. But it was quite a glorious charge you made. Not too many mortals would have dared that crossing."

"VAELOS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop him!" Jofram singles out the necromancer for his companion, a mark of the desperate situation

I'm sorry, my friend. I would keep you out of this, if I could, but we have little hope left.

I'm assuming he can fly over the abominations without drawing AOO's, to attack the necromancer - if not, I'd have him attack the whipcord.

Blinking away blood and sweat, he tightens his grip on his blade, swinging in fury at his attackers.

As he lunges at the unliving vermin, he calls out to his last remaining companion, hoping to stand long enough so that one of them can stop the horrors being unleased at the portal beyond. "Ushari, heal me!"

Jofram - Vaelos can fly above the 4-Arms in the room BUT as he crosses from the hall to the room, it will be a near thing. Theoretically, he could get whacked, the question is whether the undead would bother with a bird. The choice is yours.

Attack 2 is a Miss - I'll add in Gallant Inspiration. Thanks for linking to it, btw. Saves me some time of having to look it up. :)

NP - Have Vaelos go for the Necromancer - we have to buy some more time.

Ushari looks around her and sees the gory remains of her friend Straehan. Her gaze turns to deeper in the temple where she senses Jayse's passing. Despair threatens to overwhelm her.

This is as painful to me as when Despair's Daughter was born... she reflects bitterly.

As Jofram calls for her to assist him in making their last doomed stand, she wonders if there was anything more she could have...should have done here. Perhaps so, perhaps not; only the gods knew for sure...and even they were not infallible as evidenced by the Grey Lady's fate.

She regretfully puts aside thoughts of fleeing, though she knew others would need to be warned of the Dweller. She then touches Jofram on his shoulder and lets her healing restore him.

She then cries out in a tone filled with mocking defiance as she expends the last of her divine power, "DINWAT, you have SEALED your DOOM, and the DOOM of us all. Though I perish here, I will be comforted to know my death will be far CLEANER than yours could ever BE!!"

Skitter...it is up to you now...

Vaelos chirps and takes off like an arrow, daring the battleaxes of the behemoths. He whips between them and into the temple, flying just below the ominous layer of smoke that crowds the ceiling. In the gloom it is hard to see but Jayse can make out the eagle winging near the final set of pillars before he tucks his wings and dives, snatching something shiny from the floor before whipping in an uneven course towards the bone-cage.

Vaelos Perception 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Vaelos Nab 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

Whether it is desperation or divine will, Ushari's final blast of white light is truly a blaze. Coupled with Jofram's blows, the final Whiplash crumbles to dust. Their hope is short-lived as any sight of the temple is all but eclipsed by the massive quadruple armed behemoths taking up all of the doorway. Damaged though they are, they still look formidable.

Next UP... Baddies

Jo's HPs: 48|68 Diseased
Us's HPs: 45|45

Dinwat looks with increasing doubts on the portal. The creature coming through appears more powerful than he first thought. Unfortunately, the skin makes it all but impossible to identify it. Having eminent faith in his own skills, he continues his spell.

The White Room...

Straehan suddenly appears on the couch near Jayse, clutching at his throat to staunch the artery-severing claw slash from the Whipcord... a wound which no longer exists on his unblemished neck.

Naladoria nods in greeting, and restates the obvious facts suggested by the previous events as well as the current situation. "You're dead and I've delayed your journey... well, more short-sheeted it actually."

She looks with interest at the swirling misty globe on the coffee table. "This is getting exciting. Despite the poor odds, your friends are planning to continue fighting. How unusual." The baby hyena in her lap mews with irritation. The exiled Goddess pulls up the animal by the scruff until she can look at it eye to eye, "Hush, Shaggar. The adults are talking."

Straehan and Jayse examine the swirling globe. Slowly the mistiness gives way to a view of the battle and the gnome's chunky remains. They see Jofram getting hewn with axes and a gnoll-headed fist.

He regards the exiled Divine, "I thought you couldn't see in there?"

The Goddess chuckles. "On my own, I couldn't. But our connection enables me to watch you." She waves a delicate hand over the globe and the view shifts to the Arch and podium. She points at the blank spot where the Necromancer should appear. In his place is nothing. Jayse and Straehan see the energy threads flow from the children to a point, vanish, and then reappear a few feet later and flow into the Arch.

She points a finger at the blank spot. "That irritates me."

Straehan tries waving his hand over the globe and is somewhat surprised when he is able to make it shift back to where Jofram and Ushari are fighting almost toe-to-toe with the behemoths. He delivers a straight message.

"Do you know what irritates me? Getting killed. A close second? Watching my friends die... I appreciate you 'short-sheeting' my journey to someplace most likely unpleasant, but is there a point to it?"

Four arms and four battleaxes seek to end the lives of two heroes. Jofram dodges an axe but gets side-swiped by the second. Steel-fanged jaws launch at him and are barely turned by his mystic gauntlet. Ushari fairs far worse. Slipping in the accumulated blood, Ushari feels axe blades and gnoll skulls rend her flesh and snap her bones. When she stumbles free of the jaws, consciousness is a fleeting thing.

Ushari is staggered - one move or standard action only.

Jo's HPs: 23|68 Diseased
Us's HPs: 0|45 Staggered

Next UP... The Dweller

In his mind's eye he reviews the few seconds he was in the fight, looking for where he went wrong. Finally he thinks, I did the best I could with the information I had... no use in beating myself up. Just learn from it.

Jayse is finally able to shake off his stupor and wipes his face with a weary sigh, "Yep. I really hate mages." When Straehan appears, he looks over, "For once, I'm really not happy to see you, buddy."

As Strae asks his question, Jayse can't help but throw one of his own in as he looks around, wondering if this room will be their fate every time they die in the service of the Gray Lady. "And is there anything we can do about it?"

Jayse is finally able to shake off his stupor and wipes his face with a weary sigh, "Yep. I really hate mages." When Straehan appears, he looks over, "For once, I'm really not happy to see you, buddy."

"Awww... so absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder? Hey, are those roasted cashews?" Straehan scoops and munches on a handful of nuts while he waits to hear the Grey Lady's answer.

She laughs, "I didn't bring you here and risk the wrath of the current crop of Divines just to show you the furniture. I've got the strength to violate the Laws of Fate once... but I can't do it piecemeal. I'm waiting for the right moment and the maximum benefit."

She gives you a good-natured wink, "I wouldn't be a very good patron if I let my allies get killed before they can help me get back in the game."

Jayse can't keep from being concerned, "So that means you can do the same for Ushari, Jofram and Valaes if they can't pull this craziness off?"

He looks at the hyena pup, "And why did he come through that way?"

She nods, "Correct. At one moment, once, I can send you all back. But time drives the need. If the Dweller gets through, sending you back will be pointless - you'll die. I have to send you back before it is too late to stop him. He already has a foothold in this reality."

She gently covers up the hyena's ears before she answers Jayse's other question. Nala says quietly, "It's a pack dominance thing. He needed to understand that despite my appearance - I'm in charge. He was quite grateful really. Apparently, he wasn't confident he would enjoy the afterlife served up in Yeenoghu's court in the Abyss." She unmuffles the furry pup's ears and scratches his neck.

The Grey Lady returns her attention to the globe. "Oh! This should be interesting - cleric on cleric. Ushari may be joining us in a moment..."

The Dweller gnashes at the door to your reality but makes no further headway.

Round: 5

ORDER: Bad-H, Jofram, Ushari, Necro & Four-Arms & Whipcords, Dweller

Ja's HPs: -xx|62 KIA
Jo's HPs: 23|68 Diseased
Us's HPs: 0|45 Staggered
St's HPs: -17|53 KIA

Gn's HPs: -17|52 KIA

Child 1: KIA
Child 2: KIA
Child 3: Sputtering
Child 4: Draining
Child 5: Draining
Child 6: Alive

The undead shaman - a Hucueva - sees that victory is at hand as it watches the enemy godservant stumble drunkenly, her body nearly broken. It holds up a talisman made from the spines of a dozen infants ripped from their mothers' wombs and calls upon the dark powers. Two waves of black energy pour from the creature Standard Channel and Quick Channel. The second wave - kissed by the dark powers - is an absolute monster.

The first wave throws Ushari backwards 5' and drives her to her knees as consciousness falls from her grip like a discarded tissue. The second wave cuts through her defenses and scours every bit of flesh from her skeleton. What remains of Acrobat and Cleric Ushari Velnokal - smoking bone fragments and wailing despair - collapses in a jumbled pile.

The Ranger weathers the assault but it is a scourge on his soul. When he blinks the miasma away, he stands alone. His last human companion is a smoking pile of ruin.

Next UP... Jofram

Round: 5

Temple of Night

Jo's HPs: 13|68 Diseased
Us's HPs: -16|45 KIA

Jayse watches another of his very few friends fall to this monstrosity of a death-trap, though he does it with a stone face. Live or die, Jofram, give'em hell.

With every fiber of his being, he wills strength into the half-elf's arms.

I say we put a whoopie cushion on Ushari's chair before she arrives. :)

Straehan winces at the sight in the globe. "Oof. That has got to hurt. So Nala, if you'll forgive the familiarity, when will this 'right moment' be? I don't mean to rush you... but it looks like our group is running out of people AND time."

One DM Whoopie Cushion coming up!

"It will be quite soon. To give you the maximum chance for success, I needed both of your principle spellcasters here. Ushari, it seems, is a woman who sets her own schedule."

Ushari appears on the couch feeling the after-effects of having her soul literally scrubbed from her body... accompanied by a squelching fart sound.

Nala waves a hand over the pup and wrinkles her nose, "Gah. Gnolls have no manners anywhere."

Ushari's last thought was of utter despair....

We have FAILED... and doomed the world...

As she struggles to understand what has just happened to her (and also wondering what it is she ate earlier) she sees her friends waiting for her expectantly, along with the Grey Lady in the nether region between the planes.

After a couple of minutes of shaking off the after-effects, she shakes her head ruefully "I think that could have gone much better!"

The ranger risks a glance at the ceiling, scanning for Vaelos.

What was that glimmer?

Any chance of an update on Vaelos before I di... er, take my turn?

Jofram sees the brave Vaelos diving on the Necromancer from the East dropping his silvery, glinting, crab-like payload onto Dinwat's cowled back before pulling up and gaining altitude for his own stooping attack.

The companions have engaged the Necromancer... but they go after your turn. Is that update enough or do you want to delay to see the results of Skitter's attack? Vaelos used both Move actions to drop the little bugger and won't be attacking this round.

She shakes her head ruefully, "I think that could have gone much better!"

"What? It was going FINE... right up til the point where everyone started dying horribly. Admittedly, that beginning part was a bit rough... And that middle section was pretty awful, too... But aside from all that, it was a perfectly executed plan."

I will just go ahead. Give me a moment to consult the Book of Armaments.

"Oh yah... aside from all that..."

Jayse can't seem to tear his eyes away from the combat.

The Grey Lady watches the fight as well. She sighs, "You know, if in my time, my followers had half as much grit as your friend there, I don't think I'd have ever faced Exile."

Ah Python... :)

"What? It was going FINE... right up til the point where everyone started dying horribly. Admittedly, that beginning part was a bit rough... And that middle section was pretty awful, too... But aside from all that, it was a perfectly executed plan."

Ushari chuckles mirthlessly, "Well, I certainly felt executed there." She then turns to Naladoria and adds, "I must admit the thought of retreating had occured to me. If we had not had your intervention then I fear Bartleby's Cross is doomed. Warning others of the Dweller takes priority here!"

Skitter rather enjoys the sense of flying, although the raptor claws possibly scratching his lustrous surface is a little irritating. He taps the eagle on the foot, indicating the optimal release point. He needn't have bothered. As a veteran aerial hunter, the Eagle knows more about how to dive on a target than he possibly could.

In moment, Skitter finds himself falling free and rocketing down on the cowled necromancer. He extends his claws forward, hoping to skewer the bastard through the eye.

Skitter is delighted at the squeak of pain from the Necromancer when he rams his claw into the spellcaster's neck!

Of the many scenarios Dinwat envisioned and planned for, being attacked by a flying crustacean wasn't on the list. Weaving this incredibly complex spell was task enough. The blow to his neck nearly throws off his concentration.

A plumeting asteroid punch followed by a fort save would have fixed his wagon.

LOL. Yep, that would have done it too. :) Cheer up, you may still get that chance.

"Warning others of the Dweller takes priority here!"

Naladoria's response is laced with curiosity. "Must it? To what end? If that beast gets loose in the world, everyone in Bartleby's Cross will be dead by dawn unless they are prepared to run all the way to Orfallen. All your warning would do is consume them with fear and possibly save a lucky few. It seems to me that what is needful is stopping its crossing into the world - then no warning is necessary."

Naladoria's response is laced with curiosity. "Must it? To what end? If that beast gets loose in the world, everyone in Bartleby's Cross will be dead by dawn unless they are prepared to run all the way to Orfallen. All your warning would do is consume them with fear and possibly save a lucky few. It seems to me that what is needful is stopping its crossing into the world - then no warning is necessary."

Ushari pauses before answering, considering her words. "I must agree with you there, which is why I decided to make sure there was NO hope of succeeding here. Sometimes death is a small price to pay."

As Ushari turns her attention to the battle, she feels a sense of exultation on seeing Skitter strike his blow against Dinwat.

I warned you Dinwat...if Skitter pulls this off, I will encrust his box with whatever gems he wants!

Turning away from the smoking ruin that was once Ushari, Jofram realizes that his time has run out. A thousand scenarios run through his mind, each ending in his demise and, more importantly, the release of the shadowy horror from the portal beyond. I'm already dead, thinks the ranger. All that matters now is stopping that necromancer at all costs - if I can. But can I pull it off? If I can make it that far... Well, might as well get to it.

In the blink of an eye, the ranger disappears...

Jofram - OOC please.

Oof... sorry about that.

Jofram vanishes and tries to use the ensuing confusion to dive between the legs of one of the behemoths. Unfortunately, their shifting legs, swinging arms, and weird additional body parts make it nearly impossible for the Ranger to sneak through. After several abortive attempts he is forced back, though still invisible.

The Hucueva hisses orders and the behemoths start striking blindly in front of them - raining blows in the hopes of hitting their target.

Jofram dodges every blow save one lucky gnoll-headed fist that manages to reflexively lock on his forearm and snap the bone. Jofram stifles a scream, trying to maintain the advantage of his invisibility.

Jo's HPs: 3|68

The Hucueva paces back and forth, peeking beyond his minions. He doesn't know where the Half-Elf has gotten too... but it can't be far. He expends the one attack that might flush out their final adversary. Without the layered protection of Ushari's spell, which unknit upon her death, the Ranger can't resist the wave of dark energy. It steals the last of his remaining strength, though not his invisibility.

Jo's HPs: -3|68

The Grey Lady looks away from the collapsed shimmering outline of the fallen Ranger and towards the three heroes across from her. "It seems we are out of time. Once I send you back, I'm ringing a bell for your Gods. After this, they will likely close the border. I won't be able to help you much until you get my artifact and dip it in the ocean. I'll visit your dreams to give you more directions when I can. For now, good luck and stay alive. Those kids, that town, and I am relying on you."

Without another word, the White Room vanishes...

Jofram, whose last thoughts were of black failure, blinks and finds himself upright, still invisible, and feeling remarkably better.

Jayse stands beneath a lamp in the temple, watching the unholy rite performed at close range. He also notes some areas of the floor limned in a green faerie fire. One of them rests over the massive pit into which he fell. It seems Naladoria doesn't want any more mis-steps.

OK, you are all returned with full HPs, full spells, full Ki Points, and full Power Points. It is like a brand new day. Jofram - that includes you as well, though you never died. Also, any pre-existing baneful conditions are gone - such as Jofram being diseased. Many spells were undone at the characters' deaths. Be sure to check the On-going effects... don't assume your spells are still up. Mage Armor, for instance, is gone. Also, you are all standing and fully aware.

Finally, Jayse, Ushari, Straehan get a Hero Point for visiting the White Room.
Shaggar gets a Hero Point for his joining Naladoria.
Jofram gets a Hero Point for remarkable balls and sheer guts.

Round: 5 (Yes, she inserted you into the current round which gives Jofram another set of actions)

ORDER: Hucueva & Necro & Four-Arms & Whipcords, Jayse, Jofram, Ushari, Straehan, Shaggar, Dweller

Temple of Night

Ja's HPs: 62|62
Jo's HPs: 68|68
Us's HPs: 45|45
St's HPs: 53|53

Gn's HPs: 52|52

Child 1: KIA
Child 2: KIA
Child 3: KIA
Child 4: Sputtering
Child 5: Draining
Child 6: Draining

So no Heroism for Jayse either, huh?

Jayse is slightly startled by the jolt back into the dark cathedral, but his mind snaps back to preparedness. Mental barriers snap back into place, the Calm instantly restored as he takes in the room, mind already racing to determine the best attack plan.

Dinwat is still the key, so Jayse focuses on his best approach. He's always hated using a tactic that's proven ineffective, but seeing no pits in the way, he believes it still the best.

Plus, Valaes and Skitter have shown an aerial assault is effective.

Decision made, he bursts into action, taking a few runnign steps before leaping over the arcane markings on the floor, soaring through the air, eyes never coming off his goal. Dinwat.

He lands with the same crushing knee, hoping to knock the caster down and follow up with yet another devastating hammer fist to his forehead... a strike to incapacitate, not kill.

Jayse - Just to make sure you didn't skim-read some important bits that your character would have noted. Vaelos and Skitter attacked from West to East. Vaelos' next attack will be East to West. They didn't dive-bomb Dinwat from North to South - which was the obvious angle of approach.

If you want to continue with your leap - please give me your exact starting and ending squares.

I didn't realize that. So what square did Valaes approach from? And at what altitude? And what is that crud in the ground to his right and left?

You can't be entirely sure on exact courses and such but Vaelos grabbed Skitter off the ground somewhere between the final set of pillars and the two censers lighting the upper points of the inverted pentagram. They then proceeded East gaining altitude and pulling a turn over the bone cage - call it somewhere between 20' and the 40' ceiling of smoke. They then dove at Dinwat - deployed Skitter - and Vaelos pulled up to a height of about 30' where he is going to make his next diving run from.

The crud surrounding the altar are truly massive 'carpets' of bones and flesh. They act as difficult terrain.

Okay, I can deal with that. Prepare target for inbound Jayse Missile Strike.

The instant before taking off, Jayse realizes his near-mistake and changes tactics to resemble Valaes's approach as closely as possible.

He flares his power into his legs, feeling a surge of tingle before taking a flat-footed leap, taking off like an arrow towards the side of the children's cage that faces Dinwat... 12 feet from the ground. He hits the cage with his feet, using his slippers to gain traction as he explodes in a nearly 90 degree angle. Towards Dinwat and up he soars, trying to gain about 20 feet of altitude before plummeting back down on the Mage with the same trip and stun tactic.

Jayse leaps onto the sloping surface of the dripping cage, his legs compacting as his slippers provide a firm grip on the slick bones. His legs piston him backwards in a high arcing somersault over the carpet of bones and decaying flesh strewn about the glowing circle on the floor. Coat billowing, Jayse soars down towards the Necromancer like a descending angel and lands in a crouch, his back to Dinwat. A blur of motion, the assassin whips his leg in a sweeping arc, designed to knock the legs out from beneath his enemy. It is a surgically precise and well-practiced maneuver - flawless in its execution.

Nevertheless, Jayse is surprised when the older man neatly jumps over the scything leg sweep clearing the tripping attack by the merest fraction of an inch. He's clearly had some expert defensive training... and his spell continues.

Next UP... Jofram, Ushari, and Straehan