"Well done everyone. Now, cover for me!"
Kia sprints wildly across the floor, deftly avoiding the remaining gnolls and the bloody floor to arrive triumphantly beside the edge of the mining platform. Her movement attracts the attention of the hobgoblin and he twists the knife into the dying elf, allowing more blood to pour out. Beneath her feet, Kia feels the earth start to tremble, and from far above comes a tormented shriek. She just catches a glimpse of a flash of white in the sky.
As soon as she enters the room, Kia feels the skull in the backpack kick into panicky life. Fierce tendrils of psychic power reach out, seeking for a victim. G6's eyes widen in a mixture of pain and exultation as it falls, frothing to its knees and the skull begins its onslaught.
"Leave that one alone!" she says pointing to the writhing gnoll (G6), "take that one down for me if you can!" pointing to G2. "We cannot fall at this time. The skull can't attack any of you while it is struggling with the gnoll!"
"Leave that one alone!" she says pointing to the writhing gnoll (G6), "take that one down for me if you can!" pointing to G2. "We cannot fall at this time. The skull can't attack any of you while it is struggling with the gnoll!"
Gobi peers in the door and looks left at the gnoll that kia is pointing at. "Aye, hello love." he grins at the gnoll
Reason heeds Kia's request, and moves to where he can blast the indicated gnoll.
..And instead blasts the floor.
Arianwyn grins despite their predicament as Kia runs across to the Maw, "I had not thought that the spirit of daring had worn so thin, I am glad to be proved correct" he says with glee.
The gnolls start to gather around Kia, snarling and looking for openings. G2 can't hold back and launches himself at her, jaws wide open.
Gobi takes out his shield and moves forward into the fight, once getting into the fray he shifts into a defensive stance.
Gobi prepares for the worst as the hobgoblin brutally drops the dying elf and kicks it contemptuously into the Maw. Turning to Kia, he opens his fist and hurls raw energy at her, forcing her away from her goal and battering her with pure force.
As the body hits the Maw, the tortured ground shakes again, forcing the hobgoblin, gnolls, Kia, Gobi and Reason to fight for their footing.
Arianwyn stalks into the room, surrounded by a howling mist, crying aloud "Your doom is upon you, spawn of Yeenoghu!" before setting one on fire.
With a furious growl, Whiteclaw rushes into the fray, her target the hobgoblin.
Whiteclaw hurls herself across the floor, ignoring spilled blood, the earthquake and a desperate attack from a gnoll as she passes. Striking the hobgoblin, she hits hard and tries to knock the evildoer into the Maw. Driven by a ferocity as great as her own, he manages to keep his balance and contents himself with swapping places with her, easily keeping himself upright as the ground rumbles treacherously beneath them both.
Athletics to stay upright after forced move. (1d20 4=14)
TRK moves to R14; activates Sacred Circle.
Vel moves for better line of sight (O16) and more golden flames erupt, this time between the hobgoblin and the remaining hostile gnoll.
Scorching burst vs Ref H, G4 (1d20+8=9, 1d20+8=18, 1d6+6=12)
TRK moves to R14; activates Sacred Circle.
Athletics to cross ground (DC10) (1d20 3=20, 1d20 3=9, 1d20 3=7).
The Rogue Knight ventures into the room but the tormented ground beneath him thrashes unexpectedly, hurling him to the ground, like Arianwyn before him. Even as he falls, he invokes Kord's protection and a zone of divine power arises round him.
Vel edges into the doorway and casually incinerates G4 as the hobgoblin ducks aside and fixes his gaze on the gathering companions.
With staunch determination, Kia moves back to N9, her chosen home square, blinks out of existence and reappears at I9.
Athletics checks. (1d20+5=24, 1d20+5=20)
Landing safely (after the teleport). (1d20+5=14)
Determinedly she takes the skull from the top of her pack (minor action) and drops it into the Maw to join the unfortunate elf.
Then she braces herself for the worst.
In a single instant, the world changes.
As the skull lands in the Maw, the remaining gnoll rises and expands horribly as Obitu Que makes a last desperate attempt to stay alive. Ichor drips as the gnoll flesh cracks and shreds, unable to sustain the force of the Glazberu, it lurches towards Kia, claws outstretched and howling in agony.
The tortured land explodes, rocking the ground beneath you and sending gouts of Blighted earth high into the air. As you fall, you just see the hobgoblin clutching his staff and preparing to strike. Sustained by some unholy power, he has remained on his feet.
The ground continues to shake as the Maw starts to fold in on itself. From far above, another tortured scream can be heard and the Forge begins to collapse, unable to withstand the forces writhing beneath it.
"Everybody, just RUN! I'll be alright!"
.
Vel does throw her Shield up, deflecting the debris, then flees as the proverbial bat at Kia's instruction.
Vel flees, noticing as she does so that the structural damage to the Forge is starting to break open the doors holding back the inferno of Kyleth's rooms.
repost of the MAP Vel got from the Raven.
Vel calls, "This way!" and leads by what she believes to be the safest route.
A badly battered Reason attempts to stand, and succeeds on the second try.
"Help" he mouths to Gobi.
Gobi uses his hammer to stand himself up Athletics (1d20+2=20), then he focuses his energy but to no avail
The hobgoblin points his staff at Kia as she clings to the edge of the platform and with desperate eyes hurls a ball of force in her direction.
Hobgoblin v Kia (Fort) On hit, slide target 3 squares. (1d20 7=10, 2d6 5=14)
The blast misses her and the hobgoblin steps away from the edge, struggling to keep his footing on the violently shifting ground. He gets one step before his legs give and he falls. The ground rocks again, seemingly trying to devour the evil cast into it.
"Die with your mistress, whelp," Arianwyn snarls as he makes his way back into the corridor.
The hobgoblin raises his head and snarls back at Arianwyn. "Her power will save her and us." - but a tiny flicker of doubt crosses his face as he looks towards Kyleth's rooms.
Whiteclaw shakes her head to Kia. "I'll run when you do. I'm not leaving anyone behind." The gnoll rises to her feet and moves to loom over the hobgoblin.
TRK manages to get back on his feet but the shaking knocks him back on his rump.
Whiteclaw shakes her head to Kia. "I'll run when you do. I'm not leaving anyone behind." The gnoll rises to her feet and moves to loom over the hobgoblin.
Kia takes a moment to pull herself together and looks respectfully at Whiteclaw.
"I admire your courage and your recklessness Whiteclaw, but if it should be that I die, then it would be a waste for you to die too. Leave the hobgoblin to its fate, I think it only wants to get out of here as much as we do."
Inspiring Word healing. (1d6+16=22)
Running. (1d20+9=25, 1d20+9=27, 1d20+9=21, 1d20+9=16, 1d20+9=23, 1d20+9=27, 1d20+9=19)
"Come on, Whiteclaw, we'll leave here together."
As if she had been born for such a moment, Kia springs upright and dances her way off the platform, her feet unerringly finding the safest route among the debris of the chamber. It seems as if the land itself is helping her passage.