The Ghaddar lets out another loud, barking laugh, then speaks quickly in Infernal and vanishes in a cloud of disgusting black smoke. A wall of fire still rages around the Skyknights and Warbanian mercenaries on the balcony, and now the weird green liquid is flowing through the channels dug into the stone in the floor. The door leading to where the chanting was happening is now completely blocked by a perfectly sealed wall of stone and brave little Ada'an lies on the floor, dying.
Livain is surrounded by obstacles on all sides; Min behind her, her husband (who would perhaps resent being called an "obstacle") to her right, a half-wall to her left, and a Red Dragonflight swordsman in front of her...
"Where did that Ghaddar disappear to? Don't let him get near you!" Maiathreen calls out as it disappears in the Smoke.
Livain flies up into the air leaving herself open to the swordsman on her side but hoping it will give her the vantage point she needs. She sees the devil tear into the small angel she gives a cold look to the thing as she pulls nocks and fires an arrow in one smooth movement. "I won't lose any one else!" She says as the arrow pierces the creatures hide.
No.
"Rip that Aellar cur out of the air! Archers! To work!" Yells the priest that's still on the dais. The archers, however, are not up to the task as the wily and graceful Livain dodges bolt after deadly bolt, only taking a nick across her thigh that quickly wells up with blood. Hells, the swordsman who slashed her across the back as she took off did more damage than all six archers combined!
The other wounded swordsmen get into position, but are not able to harm either Min or Mai, both Skyknights deftly parrying blows. Captain Lamorak, however, has a rougher time against his man, desperate and crazed, near death, striking out with all the fury left in his shattered body, trying to take Damian down to hell with him, slashing the Skyknight leader twice with his magicked longsword.
Concentration:
Spellstrike:
Attack 1:
Attack 2:
Spellstrike:
Damage 1:
Damage 2:
@Mai: At the moment of your attempted strike, Servais suddenly speaks in your mind, his voice deep and loud and urgent. ::magus. ignore these idiots. you must stop that liquid from filling the channels. i...i have seen this before. this...or something like this...contributed to the demise of the shadowguard...i...::
His interruption causes your spell to fizzle and your swing to go well wide of the mark, Servais' black blade clangs harmlessly off the stone of the balcony and the battered Red Dragonflight swordsman laughs at your poor aim.
Maiathreen pushes all the outside interference as he concentrates on how to stop the liquid filling the symbols carved into the floor.
@Mai:
Thinking on it, you realize you have no idea what this ritual is, or is intended to accomplish. There is an obvious aura of necromancy, the presence of which among all the apparently brain-dead slaves/prisoners makes you nervous, but this is unlike anything you've ever encountered or studied.
However, your experience surviving in the wild and in caves and castles gives you another insight; regardless of what magic is in play, it's obvious the sickly green fluid is supposed to fill the channels in the floor. The floor is tilted slightly towards the balcony on which you're currently standing, meaning the source of the fluid is either under or behind the dais, where the priests are. If you can cut off the source, stop the flow, whatever magic is supposed to happen will most likely fail.
Most likely...
AC: 24 (26 against evil) (26/28 if he has cover/ is being shot at by evil people~)
HP:28/61
F/R/W: 7/11/6
CMD: 26
Move Speed: 60ft
Attack bonus: +1 (+1 additional attack with FAA)
Save Bonus +1 Ref
Buffs: Resist Cold 10, Resist Acid 20
Immune to Sleep
Other buffs: Haste, Protection from Evil
Haste
When making a full attack action, a hasted creature may make one extra attack with one natural or manufactured weapon. The attack is made using the creature's full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a speed weapon, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can't use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.)
A hasted creature gains a +1 bonus on attack rolls and a +1 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves. Any condition that makes you lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class (if any) also makes you lose dodge bonuses.
All of the hasted creature's modes of movement (including land movement, burrow, climb, fly, and swim) increase by 30 feet, to a maximum of twice the subject's normal speed using that form of movement. This increase counts as an enhancement bonus, and it affects the creature's jumping distance as normal for increased speed. Multiple haste effects don't stack. Haste dispels and counters slow.
Protection from evil
This spell wards a creature from attacks by evil creatures, from mental control, and from summoned creatures. It creates a magical barrier around the subject at a distance of 1 foot. The barrier moves with the subject and has three major effects.
First, the subject gains a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saves. Both these bonuses apply against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures.
Second, the subject immediately receives another saving throw (if one was allowed to begin with) against any spells or effects that possess or exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment [charm] effects and enchantment [compulsion] effects, such as charm person, command, and dominate person). This saving throw is made with a +2 morale bonus, using the same DC as the original effect. If successful, such effects are suppressed for the duration of this spell. The effects resume when the duration of this spell expires. While under the effects of this spell, the target is immune to any new attempts to possess or exercise mental control over the target. This spell does not expel a controlling life force (such as a ghost or spellcaster using magic jar), but it does prevent them from controlling the target. This second effect only functions against spells and effects created by evil creatures or objects, subject to GM discretion.
Third, the spell prevents bodily contact by evil summoned creatures. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. Summoned creatures that are not evil are immune to this effect. The protection against contact by summoned creatures ends if the warded creature makes an attack against or tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature. Spell Resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.
Min watched as Livain took off, healed and intact before unleashing her fury down on their enemies. He had little time breathing room though as a Red Dragonflight soldier stepped in and slashed at him. Min proved faster then his armored opponent though and deflected his enemies blade with his darkwood shield. As he spun around from the second block he nocked a thistle arrow and let it loose into his opponents gut. As the Dragonflight soldier raised his blade to retaliate Min turned away, running his hand over a cardinal feathered arrow and nocking it to his bow.
He saw the flash of the blades downward stroke, but the soldier was too late to stop the Heartlander's shot. The Cardinal arrow flew, straight and true, right into the new wall the Dragonflight priest had made, mere inches to the left of the priests shoulder. As the arrow impacted the wall a great blast rocked the room and engulfed the priest in flames and choking smoke briefly. His final attack as the blade connected with his armored shoulder was aimed at the floor just behind the dais behind the Dragonflight archers and engulfing the priests a second time
Min had no concern for himself at this point, they had to stop this ritual and save those children from an unknown fate...
Damian rushes forward, buffeted by Aylaeth's magical enhancement to his speed. He quickly makes his way down the stairs through the Warbanians and to the tiny angelic helmet's side. Keeping his shield up, he grabs it with his sword hand, holding it with two fingers while keeping his grip on the blade. The bone devil looms in front of him, menacing Aylaeth with its sharp claws and teeth. For lack of a better place to put it and to aid in protecting it, he places Ada'an upon his own head. "Foul beast! Servant of evil! Your time is short and your power wanes!" He points to it with his sword and directs the Warbanians. "A powerful enemy, to be sure, but one that we will fall!"
"Skyknights ignore the soldiers let the warbanians deal with them! We need to stop the liquid! It should be some where behind or below the dais". Maiathreen calls out as he looks for a way to stop the liquid.
~Do yo know what this ritual is supposed to accomplish?~
He mentally asks Servais.
The Bone Devil leers menacingly at Sir Damian as he makes his way to the fallen little celestial. It waves its stinger back and forth, trying to decide whether to start with Aylaeth or Captain Lamorak, both of whom are such tasty mortals for the torture-happy devil.
Meanwhile, screams fill the air, originating from the back of the dais where Min has unleashed flaming fury on the priest of kalaroth there. The man howls in pain as his flesh is seared badly by the harsh burn of the cold flames of old Enhathlad.
Then, just as Aylaeth is about to act, a thrumming starts to pick up all around, and the first three rows of slaves/prisoners -- the ones under whom the green liquid flows fullest -- all rise slowly into the air, where they hang there, hovering, and begin to emit a green glow from every orifice. Their jaws drop and their faces go slack in expressions of horrified agony. The full channels under them glow very brightly and all the mages in the room are nearly bowled over by the overwhelming aura of necromancy being emitted from the prisoners and the filled channels.
Slowly the liquid presses on, its goal clear; fill all the channels, raise all the prisoners.
Ada'an's stabilize check DC10:
As the Bone Devil suddenly appears behind her, rips Ada'an off her head and horribly rends the the poor little angel, a scream pure with anguish and heartbreak rips out of the Slyphan Magus for a helpless, frozen moment of pure horror, she watches her dear familiar and companion of many years as he is tossed to the ground like a limp, bloody rag. Her heart lurching and threatening to shatter, before she can even react, noble, brave Damian is there to pick up the fallen smallest member of the Skyknights. A wave of love and gratitude flowing out towards her Captain, hope blooms in her chest as her link tells her that the tiny celestial, though gravely wounded, still clings on to life.
Her fear and worry is instantly transformed into hatred and fury as her gaze falls back on the mocking devil. And, although she knows her efforts should best be spent elsewhere, at the moment she can thinking of nothing other than destroying the affront to Life itself that stands before her.
Will save vs not-attacking the Bone Devil DC17:
And, with a last glance at her dying familiar, her better judgement shatters and she attacks her foe with everything she has
Spell Strike Attack1: to Hit Damage
Melee Attack1: to Hit Damage
Melee Attack2: to Hit Damage
Hasted extra melee attack: to Hit Damage
Spell Penetration vs SR20:
ACTIONS:
Swift action: use arcane pool to grant shocking to staff
FRA: Spellstrike & Spell Combat, + Melee attacks
-2 to hit on all attacks. Don't think she needs to cast defensively
while using spellstrike, but if she does, she is.
Concentration:
The other priest, so badly burned by Min's deadly accuracy, dashes the short distance through the door, and slams it shut. Arcane chanting can be heard, then silence. Even the sound of the crying children is too muffled now to be heard over the other sounds in the sacrifice room.
The bone devil grunts in pain as Aylaeth's magically-imbued attacks chip away at its horrid being, but still it laughs, mocking her with every action. "Oh was that your frrrriend? Were you clooooossse? HAHAHAHAHAA" It steps back five feet, so that it is equidistant between Captain Lamorak and the Lesothan Magus, then unleashes a torrent of arcane infernal babble. It shifts its stance into something more defensive, then, and hunkers down as if waiting for one of you to attack, its stinger still bobbing menacingly in the heavy air above its head.
Livain flies forward searching for one of the channel openings after hearing Maiathreen's warning about the fluid. Hoping to collapse the opening.
Livain's arrow detonates in the channel in the floor, spraying a large quantity of the green alchemical stuff all over the place, but the stone holds, and more fluid pours out to replace what was lost.
Meanwhile, the remaining foot soldiers attempt once again to take down the Aellar archer and eliminate the other Skyknights and their Warbanian allies. This time, the red dragonflight crossbowmen seem to have Livain's number, with all but one of their bolts piercing her delicate skin, spilling her blood to the floor to mix with the green goop. In addition, the swordsmen on the balcony get harsh jabs in on the Warbanians, eliciting grunts of pain followed by grins of fierce joy.
The jailer that Captain Lamorak rushed past to pick up Ada'an drops his crossbow and draws his sword, but the skilled cavalier is more than ready and deftly parries the clumsy thrust with his shield.
Maiathreen flies up ten feet and then moves forward drawing a wand as he does so.
He activates the spell dropping a pea of fire that explodes outwards engulfing a number of the soldiers.
The two Warbanians by Min bring their greatswords down in giant arcs, smashing through the armor of their opponents and crushing their skulls. As the limp bodies of the remaining red dragonflight swordsmen on the balcony fall to the ground, the big mercenaries begin heading down the stairs to deal with the crossbowmen. On the other side of the balcony, the four mercenaries there fan out behind Sir Damian in order to help him.
Min, seeing that Livains attack on the green liquid fails decides to try a new tactic. With the help of his magically imbued strength, he picks up the downed Red Dragonflight soldier with startling ease and starts carrying him. Hastily moving in behind the charging Warbarians and looks to Mai. "How the hell do we stop it? Do you have an idea?"
"My guess is there are controls either on the podium or in that room that the priest went into that control the flow. But I think as a short term fix that soldier your dragging around might do for a short period of time. Though judging from the look of those orc I don't know if I'd want to get close enough to try..." Maiathreen says as he glances back at Min while assessing the current situation.
Damian points to the remaining prisoners who haven't been seized by whatever dark magics the liquid holds. "Get them out of there! Move! Do not let the liquid touch them!" His voice booms powerfully, moving the mercenaries to action to get the prisoners before they are likewise affected. With them directed, he turns his attention to the bone devil lurking before him. He steps forward and thrusts at it, his sword swiping through its flesh without any sort of resistance. He pulls back and shouts to Aylaeth as the figure fades to translucence before his eyes. "It's an illusion!"
Ada'an's stabilize check DC10:
The combination of Captain's Lamorak's rousing voice plus the knowledge through her empathic link that Ada'an was no longer speeding towards death's door, served to shake Aylaeth out of her blind fury.
Blinking for a moment in thought 'An illusion? But then how did it injure poor Ada'an so badly?' the battle trained magus nevertheless quickly regains her composure.
Pointing her staff at the new stone wall she yells "We need to get through that wall and stop whatever ritual they're performing in the other room! That has to be our top priority!"
As she has no means to do so herself at the moment though, and since she is closet to the back of the room, she races forward to the door the two priests went through, hoping to stop whatever they did to release the green fluid, therby freeing the others to deal with the chanting.
Before she moves though, she reaches into her haversack and withdraws and quaffs a potion, instantly vanishing from sight. Using her message cantrip she whispers to the others [i]"I go to deal with those priests!"[/b] and then speeds to AK-8, taking a close look at the door when she gets there.
Perception:
Stats:
"What do you mean shadow?" Maiathreen asks as he slowly takes in the scene before them."HAaaaahahahahahaaa! You mean you don't KNOW?! Well, I'll be happy to tell you...for a price." Vilicent grins and his eyes glow brighter as he stares down Maiathreen.
dsaDsad