With a word and a gesture, Kel conjures a guardian spirit of power and benevolence to counteract the horrors of the Choir and its presumed perpetrators.
Kelgan comes around the corner, hefting his sword. "So, she is dangerous? Well, let's see how she dances!" With that, he leaps towards her, swinging his blade in a deadly arc.
Nialla reels slightly as Kelgan bounds around the corner and jabs her viciously with his blade. Then she beams at him and purrs happily.
"I can see we might get along terribly well. Why not put the sword down?"
Hobbes bounds into the room and says to the woman, "If you were what you seem to be, we might, but as you are what you are, we can't."
And then unleashes his lightning bolt.
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten about you." He turns to Dephigor and throws an orb of Acid energy right at him.
As Hobbes outlines her with lightning, Nialla bends her will on the sorcerer.
"So very unfriendly my lamb. I'm not so bad," she croons gently.
"She is that bad." Dephigor swings his chains in a wide arc.
"So why don't you just hold still and find out how bad she can be?"
The Pain Devils grin at each other, clearly relishing the prospect of more victims.
P4 can't resist lashing out at the chain-bound half orc, but the others simply bide their time.
Erik fights beauty with force, walking up to join his comrades and using his songblade to strike a disharmonious note that quickly travels the distance to the smug Niala, clouding her mind's better judgement.
"You can't command Hobbes if you can't command yourself, demon."
In a startling reversal of fortune, Erik forces Nialla under his own mental control, freeing Hobbes as he does so.
"Anything you say, darling..."
She looks alluringly at Dephigor, trying to dominate him.
"You dozy b+@!&!" he screams, "I'm already under your control..." and shakes aside the attack.
Ceara moves up to see what the enemy is and on seeing them she smiles.
She then speaks, not knowing if they'll understand and not really caring.
Deep Speech
Even as her words - menacing and playful at the same time - end, a noose of shadow forms and tries to yank Nialla closer.
Ceara's words don't seem to mean much to the assembled devils, but any Deep Speech speakers among the party are quite clear on Ceara's views. Even so, her actions, failure though they may be in practical terms, make much the same point.
Not sure what else to do, Perigia unleashes an arrow composed of pure force at Nialla
"And you, sweetie, are going to be a shield for me just as soon as I've finished playing with my little half-orc cupcake."
Nialla flinches as Perigia's arrow bites deep, bloodying her.
1d20+15;1d10+7
"Speak all you want you abyssal wench," says Erik, maintaining his mental link with the succubus, "but you're in no position to banter threats at my colleagues when you can't even scratch your nose unless I allow it."
"So dominating. Aren't you adorable? Killing me is so wasteful. Wouldn't you rather ask me pertinent questions?"
Nialla casts a languishing glance at Erik.
"You know I didn't like chains in Thay and still not a fan now"
Brujo uses a free hand to lob his dagger at the nearest target
Move the guardian to K12 and then shoot Nialla with a couple of arrows.
1st arrow, attack vs ac, , damage =
2nd arrow, attack vs ac, , damage =
"Lets see how 'pretty' you are with arrows sticking out."
Dephigor laughs humourlessly as arrows and daggers pepper the air around Nialla, adding to her injuries.
"I don't think they find you that alluring, dear one. You should have let me deal with them."
Nialla turns a melting glance on Kelgan.
"Don't hurt me any more. I'll help you."
"Too late for that. Priest, get over here! Let's see what you can do!" Kelgan slashes at the both the priest and the devil once they are within reach.
Kelgan smites mightily, but fruitlessly as he goes toe to toe with the pair. Dephigor laughs again.
"You must love our company. Don't trust her. She's a bad one."
He looks proudly at Nialla, who smiles back at him briefly before returning her limpid gaze to Kelgan.
"So masterful. You'll be mine yet."
Hobbes shakes the cobwebs from his mind. "Foul creature! You don't deserve to wear the form of a woman, hellspawn!" And he casts his lightning bolt.
Then he struggles and frees himself from the chains with a mighty shove.
Erik weaves his magic, snapping his swordblade and creating waves of magical sound to compel the succubus to do his bidding.
"What lovely wings you have. Lets go for a trip."
"But what other form would I wear? Tentacles are so last century." Nialla sounds genuinely puzzled as Hobbes outlines her in lightning and she winces under the onslaught.
Under Erik's direction, Nialla involuntarily flies to the ceiling and down again, provoking and attack from Kelgan and taking further damage from Kel's radiant guardian as she lands.
Dephigor howls with laughter and shifts towards the gathered companions.
"Nice of you to arrange yourselves for me."
Vicious chains lash through the air, winding themselves in and around the companions and holding most you to the spot.
The Pain Devils advance gleefully, thoroughly enjoying themselves. The two in range swing their scourges at Hobbes and Kelgan.
"Chains? You can't hold shadow with chains!" As they strike her, Ceara turns to shadow and is gone from sight.
Erik sings his song of light and rejuvenation, channeling radiant sunbeams along his blade. Shielding his eyes slightly from the brightness, Erik struggles against his bonds to point his blade at the chain swinging demon and unleashes the bolt, hoping that it's power will free Hobbes and Kelgan from the demon's grasp.
Erik's note ripples through the air, bringing a sense of hope and purpose to his allies and searing his enemy. Dephigor sneers at the bard.
Nialla breaks free of the bard's domination and pouts at him. "That wasn't kind. And I'm so nice really."
As Nialla hurtles skyward, Kelgan's blade is waiting. The succubus is barely clinging to life now, but nothing stops her flaunting provocation of the party.
After seeing what Dephigor is capable of, Ceara decides that he is the key threat, and her focus goes to him. As she reappears, she takes a step back from the succubus and a black dart flies from her hand at Dephigor.
Dephigor spins to look admiringly at Ceara as she stabs him neatly in the back.
"You are something special. You, I like."
"You're like me," Perigia says to Nialla. "Fire doesn't hurt much. But I bet this will." Suddenly a pulse of purple energy lances across the room.
"I'd love to share some girl time with you, but I'm a little busy right now. Can't you tell these beauties they'd be much better off not slaughtering me? What harm have I ever done anyone?"
Nialla chats as she ducks lithely aside from Perigia's attack.
"This is getting annoying" Brujo fights against his restraints
"Well if anything i could use the dagger" he extends his shared bond to the blade returning it to his hand
"Chains cant stop arrows fool"
Kel fires 2 arrows at Nialla
1st arrow, attack vs ac, , damage =
2nd arrow, attack vs ac, , damage =
Save vs restrant =
PS Nialla ended her turn next to the Guardian and would be subject to an attack by it with a +3 for my wisdom.
Indifferent to Nialla's charms, Kel fires two deadly accurate arrows into her.
Stunned, she looks at him and slumps to the floor.
"Mortals. They have no sense of fun at all ..."
Her tone as she dies is one of incredulity.
Dephigor shakes his head as his thralldom breaks. "That's interesting - she's out of my head. The only problem is we're still neck deep in battle."
Hobbes winces as the demoness falls. He is clearly in more pain then even he thought. "Kelgan, move laterally, if you must, but stay out of my area. I am about to unleash a spellfury you have never seen before." And he summons his energy.
Hobbes winces as the demoness falls. He is clearly in more pain then even he thought. "Kelgan, move laterally, if you must, but stay out of my area. I am about to unleash a spellfury you have never seen before." And he summons his energy.
"I'm busy, Hobbes. Now, are you still our enemy, or do I get to have some more fun?"
"Enemies? It depends what your plans are. Mine include leaving. They," - the ex-priest gestures to the devils - "are another matter."
Above, the tormented wailing continues.
As promised, Hobbes casts a cloud of acid that he blows out in a giant breath which spreads outs, then surrounds him to obscure where he is.
Then he steps back and casts a glowing white orb that explodes into a giant boom! As the dust settles, Hobbes stands erect and proud. Then he winces again.