With a single blow, Theran felled the demon facing off with Galin. Fortune favored him, at last.
A bestial figure in a white cloak rushed up to Yridhrennor's side, drawing a blade with one hand and speaking a few mystical syllables. Searing balls of force streaked from his hand to strike the rearmost demon.
Unseen by all, Blink slipped into the Gray Garrison and coming near to the same demon the bestial man had wounded.
Not to be outdone by a fresh arrival, Yridhrennor leveled his crossbow and fired, grazing the other demon still standing.
With the demon before him now slain, Galin pushed forward around the back of Yridhrennor's oil slick and slashed at the rear demon. His cuts drew much foul-smelling ichor, but the demon refused to fall.
Steave cut deep into the other demon and then used the moment's respite to heal himself. The demon tried to take advantage, but Steave interposed his shield in a practiced move.
Galin fared worse, taking a savage cut from the pincer-shaped polearm.
Galin's guy is quite dead, so I moved him up to the hindmost demon.
2 demons left.
Emboldened by his eventual success, Galin strikes again!
While he doesn't know who these newcomers are, they are killing fiends and that's good enough for the moment. He turns to the one he can reach, calling out "Over!" before swinging above Steave's head.
Yridhrennor gasps as the white-cloaked man appeared and the slim woman disappeared. Oh! Hello! He raises his crossbow and fires at the demon harrowing Staeve.
The white clad figure snarled and rushed forward, clasping his sword in both hands. Seeing the broken terrain he leapt in, hoping for the best.
Finding his feet well placed beneath him he swung at the demon before him, blade arcing wildly.
Still hiding, Blink moved to engage one of the remaining demons. It always came as an unpleasant surprise for some people to have a rogue suddenly appear and slice them into smaller pieces...
Galin struck again, gravely wounding his demon. It staggered and reeled as Theran cried out "Over!" Steave ducked and raised his shield as the enlarged man's enlarged earthbreaker swung over his head. He made contact with the head of the demon attacking Steave. The body that hit the ground, already boiling into foul-smelling steam, still had half a head when it fell.
"Oh! Hello! Yridhrennor said to the bestial man. He reloaded his crossbow and fired on Galin's demon. His bolt flew wide for caution; he wouldn't risk piercing Theran to get at the fiend.
The bestial man leaped over the worst of Yridhrennor's grease slick and cut savagely into the last demon standing. It snarled and turned toward him, leaving its back wide open for Blink. Her curve blade slid home through the demon's chest. It split wide and a cascade of skeletal beetles poured from the wound, consuming the demon's body and then themselves in an instant.
Took a few liberties to account for downed foes.
As he returns to his senses, Theran rests the hammer on the ground and uses it for support while he recovers his breath.
While he is resting, he absent-mindedly mutters under his breath and his arm begins to gesture without his knowing.
Theran's healing left him barely scratched by the time he was finished.
With the fall of the last demon the golden eyed swordsman sank to one knee, his blade upright before him, and muttered a short prayer. Rising he turned to face the others and sheathed his weapon.
"Well met crusaders, I am Ljos," He extended a hand, blackened fingernails resembling an animal's claws. "of the Order of the Forgiving Flame." The bestial one smiled, his teeth were like those of a canine, and the scent of strawberries began to infuse the air around him.
"Theran, last survivor of Clan Silverlight." he responds. He extends his hand and pauses for a moment, unsure of how to shake with such a large hand. He finally settles with putting out two fingers and shaking with that.
Falfaeren, Of House Corvax, King of the Corvids, and the One True King in the North. the Raven bows on Yridhrennor's shoulder, much to the elf's dismay. And this is my wizard, Yridhrennor. The bird leans in conspiratorially and stage whispers: You better lock your doors at night, mister, he's simply mad for crusaders, you know!
Hush, you! Yridhrennor sighs and sketches a polite bow. Yridhrennor Arahelon, Librarian, at your service
Wiping down her curve blade in a smooth motion, Blink waves to the folks. "Blink Vala. Irabeth thought our skills might aid your mission since it's kind of an important one, so she sent us to find and help you." She held out a letter of introduction to anyone who cared to read it.
Falfaeren flaps down and read the letter while perching on Blink's hand. Irabeth had such pleasant hand! All firm and decisive with very few of those loops and twirls that some seem to favor.
I told you, those loops and twirls are essential! It's elvish! Elvish has twirls and loops! Yridhrennor sighs. I must apologize for my raven, he never learned proper manners.
I learned! I just speak more directly than you Falfaren turns back to regard Blink. You're a she, right? Yridhrennor gets confused, sometimes, and he'll never have a nice nest of eggs if he stays confused.
One time.. I was confused once!. And, he won't let me forget!
He had a beard!? Women don't have beards!
Dwarves do!
He was a human!
So? Not all human males wear beards. Our group is perfect case for this. Yridhrennor blushes and turns back to Blink and Ljos. Sorry for that, welcome to our company, crusaders
Galin smiles at Yridhrennor's antics, Pleased to meet you both, I'm Galin.
Smiling, Blink replied to the raven's queery, "I'm think I'm a she, and that's what matters, right? Besides, men and women are both pretty good. It's never made much difference to me."
She nodded over to Galin. "Thank you. Nice to be here. Although it would be nice if 'here' wasn't the demonically infested ruins of my former home...my dad is not going to be pleased when he gets back. He told me specifically not to break the entire city."
Looking around, Blink added, "So, Irabeth gave us a rough idea of what you were doing, but...what's the plan now?"
Ljos's lips curled into a smile, "Well, my knowledge of events here is rather limited as I arrived only recently. Would someone like to fill me in on what's going on?"
Falfaeren gives a cheeky grin towards Blink, Oh, he doesn't mind either, but the one time he got it right was with that elf-lass.. what was her name again?[/i]
[b]Eilonwyy Yridhrennor groans and buries himself in his hood. Here ears were so delicately pointed...
Ya.. her.. unfortunately, she turned out to be more interested in spending all her time with the Lady Alura! Falfaeren snickered.
I thought she was interested in hearing Alura's exploits in the Crown of the World.
And, she turned out to be your cousin!!!! Falfaren grips his sides with his wings and falls over on Yridhrennor's shoulder, rolling with peels of laughter.
I have a very large family, and she was a distant cousin! He turns back to Blink. Very distant! But.... still, Falfaeren, that has nothing to do with our current interests!
Oh, sure... your current interests lay with a certain crusader... named Beor. He gives a sidelong look towards Staeve and the other crusaders mopping up with the demons. Or, are you cheating on him, too? What would he say! I am shocked, SHOCKED, I tell you! He sighs melodramatically and waves his wings towards Blink and Ljos in a pleading sort of gesture. What am I to do with him? First he won't stay in his library, like his father told him to!
Falfaeren! Please, I'm quite old enough to be on my own, thank you! And, if I hadn't been in that square, then I wouldn't have been there when the Storm King and Terendelev fought... which means I wouldn't have been able to help the others uncover that horrible cult of Baphomet that had infested the mongrelmen community under Kanebres! The elf isn't quite whining, but his cheeks are glowing a rather bright shade of red.
Oh sure, like you were soooooooo important! The crusaders did most of the heavy lifting!
I scouted when we were putting a stop to that cult of Baphomet on the surface! I helped! We... sure.. they did most of the work, and I supported them, like Fizband the Great in The Seven Trials of the Golden Unicorn! Staeve and the other crusaders even said so! Now, he is whining, and almost stamps his foot in protest. And, now, now we're trying to rid the city of yet one more demon cult so Kanebres can marshal its defenses! See! Important work!
Hah! Ya, and, again, they did all the work while you just sat there outside. Out of harm's way!
Oh, what do you know? You were on my shoulder the whole time!
Getting annoyed at all of the irrelevant talk, Theran explains, "There are demons and their servants. We're here to kill them. Until they're dead, nothing else matters."
Listening to the elf and his raven, or rather the raven and his elf, Ljos' smile twitched slightly and a slightly worried look reached his eyes. "Well, it seems you've been through quite a lot." When the barbarian spoke Ljos took on a more somber tone, "Yes, of course. Though, the cultists are misguided and any we can capture alive are both information sources and potential warriors for the Light."
Blink nodded. "Well, killing or saving, we should probably move on."
Right! Let's clear the rest of this place up!
Right! Let's clear the rest of this place up!
"Shall we make sure this floor is cleared before we head upstairs? Don't want anything to slip in behind us and cut us off."
That's a great idea! I can make myself invisible and scout ahead. It's how we've been going so far..
He looks over at Blink, "I never saw Blink come in until she stabbed the demon. Maybe she should go, or at least go with you."
With a nod, Blink moved into a vanguard position. "I'm pretty good at being stealthy, although I can't become invisible I'm afraid. It's a knack."
Steave welcomes the reinforcements.
"Remember this way is just a room. Let's make sure they don't get behind us and check it first. Then, we'll continue that way to the stairs. Sound good?"
Steave welcomes the reinforcements.
"Remember this way is just a room. Let's make sure they don't get behind us and check it first. Then, we'll continue that way to the stairs. Sound good?"
Blink slipped away, darting behind overturned furniture and ghosting through doors. She confirmed that the open chamber to the crusader's left was empty, then checked the chamber to the right and found a score of hastily-preparing cultists who presented no great obstacle to the battle-hardened warriors.
As she turned to check ahead, in the direction of the stairs the sound of rushing footsteps and doors slamming issued from beyond. Someone there had marked the party's arrival and taken action.
This does not bode well...
Blink held up her hand and gestured that something was beyond, before heading ahead to take peek.
Blink held up her hand and gestured that something was beyond, before heading ahead to take peek.
Blink listened and then eased open the door, finding a wide hallway before her. She stepped silently within and a runed circle flared to life all around her. A black glaive, smoking and dripping blood, thrust up from the floor. She threw herself to one side as it shot through and struck the ceiling, vanishing in a shower of sparks.
miss.
Upon determining that Blink would scout, the golden-eyed swordsman nodded and extended one hand. Speaking an incantation in dark and twisted language he worked magics that in any other hands might be considered foul. A swarm of flies seemed to appear as if from nowhere, climbing through cracks in the floorboards and flying in through the shattered door, coalescing around the fiend-blooded sorcerer. Nodding once more he moved to keep an eye on the girl, able to respond if she should be attacked.
Oh, wait! Yridhrennor pulls out his wand and intones a few words. Soft golden butterflies flutter about Ljos, seeming to mix and swirl about the wretched flies. [b]That should do some good, too. I probably should have done that with Blink before she ran off. I'll help her when we meet up with her.
Then, he follows Ljos and the other crusaders further into the gray garrison.
Staring at the floor where the weapon had punched through, Blink shuddered. It had been reflex that she'd escaped. Moving cautiously back to where the runed circle had appeared, she attempted to discern if the...trap? Attack from the floor below? Was it likely to happen when one of the others stepped in the circle.
Staring at the floor where the weapon had punched through, Blink shuddered. It had been reflex that she'd escaped. Moving cautiously back to where the runed circle had appeared, she attempted to discern if the...trap? Attack from the floor below? Was it likely to happen when one of the others stepped in the circle.
[dice=Perception]1d20+8
[dice=Disable Device]1d20+12
Blink could see the traces of the trap well enough now that it had come to life once, but even as she noted the shapes etched in the floor they began to fade. It took some close work to puzzle out the lines and find the few spots where a few smudges should render it inert, but she finished convinced it would be safe for others to pass.
Sighing with relief, Blink continued towards the noises they had heard. Hopefully the time taken hadn't given them time to move.
Oh, wait! Yridhrennor pulls out his wand and intones a few words. Soft golden butterflies flutter about Ljos, seeming to mix and swirl about the wretched flies. [b]That should do some good, too. I probably should have done that with Blink before she ran off. I'll help her when we meet up with her.
Then, he follows Ljos and the other crusaders further into the gray garrison.
Ljos nodded his thanks and returned his gaze to the young infiltrator. He gripped his sword in two hands and prepared to spring into action if she was threatened.
Oh, wait! Yridhrennor pulls out his wand and intones a few words. Soft golden butterflies flutter about Ljos, seeming to mix and swirl about the wretched flies. [b]That should do some good, too. I probably should have done that with Blink before she ran off. I'll help her when we meet up with her.
Then, he follows Ljos and the other crusaders further into the gray garrison.
Ljos nodded his thanks and returned his gaze to the young infiltrator. He gripped his sword in two hands and prepared to spring into action if she was threatened.
Blink silently ascended the stairs, while Ljos followed a careful distance behind: near enough to see if trouble came, but not so close to reveal her. She reached the top of the steps and peered out around the corner. Down the corridor she saw two muscular, goat-headed demons readying themselves for battle. Beyond them, a gray skinned man with down-turned horns and wearing red armor drank from a steel vial. As he threw it to the ground, his outline began to blur.
"Come on, come on!" he said to no one in particular. He and the demons showed no sign of having seen Blink.
Bad guy Percs
damn them for failing their rolls.
Inits
always acts in surprise
19.5
17.5
Moving with her usual quiet footsteps, Blink moved up to the nearest of the gray demons...and attempted to remove its presence.
Theran starts up and then realizes how tight it will be. He lets the others move up first.
Steave thinks about how he will stay healthier this fight.
Theran starts up and then realizes how tight it will be. He lets the others move up first.
As Blink moved to strike, Ljos followed her, hoping that his larger and more menacing frame would draw the enemies attention.
Galin draws his bow as he moves to get a better view of what's going on.
Yridhrennor swallow and follows Galin with his hands ready to cast a spell.
Blink slipped forward, unmarked, and struck. Her curve blade slashed deep into the goat-headed demon and foul ichor spilled out. She felt like she ought to have hurt it more for the force of her blow, but something unseen within spared it the worst of her steel. All the same, the goat demon staggered under the sudden attack.
Theran, realizing that his large size would slow his ascent greatly and block the others, abided while they advanced. Steave refocused himself while Ljos, Galin, and Yridhrennor rushed up to the second floor.
Y and Galin both look to have positioned themselves in an unexplored room where they wouldn't be able to see most of the bad guys. I think that's just multi-level map confusion so took the liberty of putting them elsewhere in line with the declarations. But if I've got it wrong let me know and I can rework things.
Blink nailed that demon well and good, but her silversheen doesn't bust through its DR. 23 damage after it's factored in. Still pretty good. Especially since the party also won initiative.
They were surprised, so no bad guy actions yet.