Snaggletooth moves over to get a direct line of sight. "Now, Pale One, I take the darkness from your blood." He raises his crossbow, shoots, and MISSES, as the shot goes wide. Snaggletooth looks at his crossbow and swears in Draconic and mumbles to himself, "How I miss him? He right there. He not even move much. Stupid crossbow."
Snaggletooth moves over to get a direct line of sight. "Now, Pale One, I take the darkness from your blood." He raises his crossbow, shoots, and MISSES, as the shot goes wide. Snaggletooth looks at his crossbow and swears in Draconic and mumbles to himself, "How I miss him? He right there. He not even move much. Stupid crossbow."
"Consider it this way Snaggletooth at least you didn't hit... Caine? What's he doing over there, oh Brujo again!" Leo shakes his head keeping his guard up.
Snaggletooth snarls with irritation as his arrow is deflected by Thoran's armour.
Brujo's attack is more successful and Thoran glares as his chosen foe steps through the dimensions and out of his reach. Caine smiles the smile of a happy man, and nods as the healing power of the aura envelops him. "Now we can get down to the real work."
Mirth puts some distance between herself and the chain-wielding Shadar-Kai, stepping into before turning her attention back to Thoran.
Mirth darts into the aura and allows the healing power to wash over her as she attempts once more to conjure nightmares in Thoran's mind. To her tail-swishing disgust, his will proves too strong.
Illusory Ambush (Will) v Thoran (1d20 8=15, 1d6 4=10).
Balked of his prey, Thoran tries to throw Fairwind out of his way to get to Brujo. The ranger holds firm, and the shadar kai has to resort to simpler tactics. Even these fail him as his greatsword sweeps past her, striking nothing but air.
Shadow throw v Fairwind (Ref) (1d20 12=14, 1d6 6=9)
Thoran v Fairwind (1d20 12=16, 1d10 5=15)
Dance of Death recharge (5,6) (1d6=5).
Aware that his leader is starting to fail, the chainfighter takes up the mantle of upholding shadar kai honour and sweeps through the comrades, wrecking further havoc on Leo before advancing on Fairwind and Brujo and ending up within striking distance of Mirth and Cronin.
CF1 v Leo (1d20 12=29, 2d4 4=9, 1d6=4).
CF1 v Fairwind (1d20 12=17, 2d4 4=9, 1d6=4).
CF1 v Brujo (1d20 12=13, 2d4 4=11, 1d6=4).
Fairwind ignores Thoran and the Chainfighter, concentrating on the primary foe. She lets the aura do its work. Then her blades flicker in a complex pattern around the shadowborn warrior. Both attacks hit their target and Thoran is now visibly weakening.
Fairwind v Thoran (1d20 12=28, 1d8 2=5, 1d8=6).
Fairwind v Thoran (1d20 10=29, 1d6=6).
"Here we go again!" Leo sighs as the chain fighter flees towards the other end of the chamber.
Cronin, seeing that his friends have Thorin surrounded, moves to intercept the remaining chainfighter, attempting to pin him down, or at least block the shadar-kai from entering the healing aura.
Cronin's heroic sprint certainly attracts the attention of the Chainfighter, who turns wild eyes on the cleric and sizes up the shifter.
Caine takes a deep breath. Mustering all his resources and calling on skills from down the years, he strikes hard and strikes true. Thoran falls prone to the ground.
Guarding Attack v Thoran (1d20 12=27, 2d10 4=12)
"Snaggletooth do you want to make it two for two?" Leo calls over.
"After all you seem pretty good at felling these shadar kai!" he adds nodding towards Thoran.
"I, for one, am not dying
in a dark, damp place
far from those I care about!
Friends, let us finish this
and go home!"
Snaggletooth moves in and grabs Thoran's unconscious head and slits his throat with his dagger. Before he does, he speaks to the unconscious man, "My blood was stronger, Pale One. Return to the darkness that spawned you."
Afterwards, he looks at the last shadokai, and says calming, "You're next, pale one. Then the dirty one with the big mouth."
Brujo slowly walks to the side of the room. He stalks Thoran like a gnoll who hasn't eaten for days.
"Honor... death... In the end it means nothing Shadowman." A ball of of cracking energy forms in the lambent elf's hand. "Now get over here!"
In the end, it is almost impossible to tell who brings Thoran down. Fairwind, Caine, Snaggletooth and Brujo combine their attacks to devastating effect, dragging the desperately wounded shadar kai from the healing aura and ending his life.
His demise has no effect on the last chainfighter. If anything, he seems more alive than ever, determined to bring honour to his race and name by standing to the last.
Dodging away from the remaining Shadar-Kai, Mirth moves for the stairs, staff in hand.
Allendi pick up the creeper's cloak and looks at it with distaste.
"I don't like this Perigia. If they could get past Turnagall they must be desperate."
Heading into the cellar, he rouses his stricken brother and helps him to his feet. Close examination shows no obvious way the dark ones could have entered and you can only conclude that they must have sneaked through the building. "And that," comments Allendi grimly, "is not a pleasant thought."
"I can't help feeling you should rejoin your friends. If dark ones are prepared to risk entering a place like this, matters must be close to a conclusion."
He pulls a ancient map from the book case and examines it closely. Finally he turns to the mage, tapping the parchment.
"You say you and your companions have cleared the Tower of occupants? If that's the case, I'd suggest you bypass the crypt and the cellars and go in through the front door. I think Turnagall can open it for you once he's recovered a bit. You'll save some time and with luck, most of the surprises have already been triggered. Isn't that so, young man?"
He looks hard at Palagro as the student watches Perigia with hero-worshipping eyes.
"Stop drooling and engage your brains. The lady needs help, not hormones."
"Okay, let's find Turnagall and finish what I started," Perigia says. "If the Dark Ones are desperate enough to come here, my companions may need my help."
Perigia
Brother Turnagall escorts Perigia through the burgeoning twilight to the Tower and leads her up a flight of spiral stairs.
"Lived here a long time, but never tried to get in before. It's always felt disrespectful, but if you're right, then freeing the White Lady is more important than respecting the stonework."
He stops and looks at the door, draws a deep breath and speaks quietly.
"Lady Saharel, White Lady. You know the answers to all questions and we know your burden. Let us in, White Lady. Open your doors to us."
There is silence and at first it seems as though nothing is happening. Turnagall just waits. Finally, very faintly, runes on the door start to glow. The light is timid and fitful as if coming from far away, but Turnagall manages to push open the doors, sweat pouring off his bulky form as he persuades them inch by inch to make enough space for Perigia to pass.
"In you go. Looks to me like she's using the last of her power to let you in. Go and save her."
As Perigia slips through the gap, the door slams shut behind her and she is left in the a circular chamber lit by everburning torches. Although she's never been here before, her old companions and friends would know the place well enough. The room before her hold a series of seven open chests.
Mirth shimmers past the chainfighter, but even her honed reflexes are not quick enough to evade him.
OA v Mirth (1d20 12=26, 2d4 4=10).
Recharge Dance of Death (5,6) (1d6=4).
The chainfighter moves to attack Brujo. "My master died at your hands. Mine is his vengeance." His words prove hollow as the chain hits the floor beside the still incandescant swordmage.
Attack v Brujo (1d20 12=16, 2d4 4=6)
"Wait" Snaggletooth says. "I killed your master." He looks down at Thoran. "At least I think so. He pretty dead after that. Brujo just make sure."
"This was the chosen foe. When he has gone, you too shall fall."
The chainfighter never takes his eyes of Brujo, but nods politely in Snaggletooth's direction.
Fairwind silently heads for the staircase, slashing as she goes.
Fairwind's sudden attack bloodies the Chainfighter, who seems to relish the sight of the companions surrounding him.
"Watch out for Chain." Snaggletooth adds helpfully.
"Enough of this childishness, face me servant of Shar you have run far enough away from me as it is!" Leo challenges the Chain Fighter raising his sword and shield and prepares for motion the shadar kai to face him.
"Shar is not concerned with justice, paladin. Destruction is her domain. The Chainfigher's eyes darken and he balances delicately on the balls of his feet, ready to move.
"My regards to your mistress, creature," Cronin snarls as he unleashes another bolt of divine light, but it flies wide.
Cronin's shaft of divine light is reassuring, despite missing the chainfighter. The cleric remains alert, ready to move towards the first colleague to fall.
Rev
Snaggletooth move towards the pale one and uses his deft skill to throw his dagger at the shadokai. "You run, too, pale one?" The blade strikes true and then returns to Snaggletooth's hand.
"My master died at your hands. Mine is his vengeance." His words prove hollow as the chain hits the floor beside the still incandescant swordmage.
The swordmage stands silent as the shadar-kai speaks. "...zzzSSKKKK!!!" his body twitches to life
"I'm sorry were you saying someting? You have a marvelous talent of boring people with your talk of vengance, honor and death" he smile and jumps back.
"Now why don't you follow your master and DI...." his words are cut off all of a sudden
"Begone!" a voice echoes through his head causing the lambent elf to lose his concentration
"Take him down!" Caine barks the command from the midst of the healing aura, but Fairwind's attack glances off the Chainfighter.
Commander's Strike - Fairwind v CF1 (1d20 10=17, 1d8 5=10).
Snaggletooth move towards the pale one and uses his deft skill to throw his dagger at the shadokai. "You run, too, pale one?" The blade strikes true and then returns to Snaggletooth's hand.
"There will be no running, dragon spittle."
Brujo's attack fails to connect, but Snaggletooth continues his one kobold war against the shadow folk.
Poising herself to head out the door, Mirth eases herself out of range of the chainfighter and tries once more to find a way into the shadar kai's mind. It remains out of her reach.
Illusory Ambush (Will) v CF1 (1d20 8=11, 1d6 6=12)
Dance of Death recharge? (5,6) (1d6=5).
The chainfighter swings into lethal action again, attacking Snaggletooth, Fairwind and Leo. The grace of his movements in no way detracts from the skill of his blows, as Snaggletooth and Fairwind discover to their cost. Battle-joy floods the shadow-born warrior's face as he spins into the healing aura and turns to face the companions.
Dance of Death v Snaggletooth (1d20 12=21, 2d4 4=10, 1d6=6).
Dance of Death v Fairwind (1d20 12=21, 2d4 4=9, 1d6=6).
Dance of Death v Leo (1d20 12=21, 2d4 4=7, 1d6=1).
Leo moves straight after the chain fighter slowing down as he enters the circle trying to swing his gleaming silvery blade at the shadar kai.
Fairwind grimaces and then follows behind her enemy and with a cry of "Gorram stand still!" she proceeds to stab him with extreme prejudice.