AC = 29 (34 AC against Yellow for Smite)
HP = 148/148
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Heroism(+2 Attack/Saves/Skills), Magic Circle v Evil, Resist Electricity 20/18 minutes
Kikinnin's eyes enlarge to saucers, as the flock of vrock becomes a single demon bleeding before him. He turns back to take in the other mirrored menaces, and confirms that they no longer benefit from the magical effect. He considers praising the halfling lass for dismissing the magic for all present, until something teases at his own sight. He looks past Kythel and Maxim, then pulls his sight backwards. For a moment, the two men appear to stand behind foggy glass, with mists swirling about them. He fears for their safety, for a moment, until he shakes his head, and their appearance comes back to normal.
For this gift of vision, the black beard hopes he can kill this one quickly, so he can lend his Axe to the gaggle surrounding JJ.
As the mass combat begins in earnest, Maxim invokes some of his arcane power to imbue his pistol with the ability to ignore the Vrock's multi-faceted defence
A seeking weapon veers toward its target, negating any miss chances that would otherwise apply, such as from concealment. The wielder still has to aim the weapon at the right square.
The gun-mage shifts , then levels his pistol at the nearest Vrock and fires:
:
He then reloads with an alchemical cartridge
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Seeing JJ assailed on all sides, the canny gun-mage calls forth another spell to cause the young warrior's bane staff to be even deadlier;
"Scherpe rand!"
Maxim resists the first screech and blasts one of the Vrocks with his pistol. The bullet seeks its target, but the hard skin of the Vrock means only a small scratch is dealt.
An angelic aura covers JJ and the terrible slashes in one of his shoulders quickly patches up. The young man turns towards the Kalavakus, whom is not grappled anymore as he managed to escape the web, and demonstrates why he is known as a demonslayer. His style with the staff is lethal to the demon, and with his last swirling attack JJ sends the violet hunky to the ground!
Kikinnin maintains height and with a series of smiting axe cuts he too demonstrates why he is a demonslayer. With his last slash, thanks to Marigold's fervor, the Vrock falls dead on the cliff!
The second screech was terrible for Maxim. The dwarf takes his hands to his ears, dropping his gun, and unable to do much for the round, as he is trying to recover from the stunning sound.
Marigold is as well trying to recover from the nasty screech of the fallen Vrock and does nothing else.
Kythel does something heroic.
Despite the two fallen demons, the remaining Vrocks continue their assault, enraged by the smell of Surabar's blood!
The blue feathered one attacks the stunned Marigold, but as she cannot maintain her flying height, the Vrock lands and attacks from the less advantageous position.
Kythe's circle vs evil deflects the first claw, but the stunned Marigold cannot do much to avoid most of the other attacks that lash at her arms in many places.
The red feathered one is able to hold his flying position and unleashes a terrible attack.
The mess of beaks, claws and talons is at some point almost to cut JJ in half, but he manages to avoid the worst, but the rage upon the descendant of Surabar takes the best from the vulpture demon, whom finally sends the nimble warrior to the ground.
With his enemy down, the last Vrock flies forward charging on the stunned Maxim with his fly.
The claw breaks through the dwarf's magical defenses and opens a deep wound on his face.
The spores left by the Vrocks grow into thick green vines causing even more pain on your skin.
They do something come to a halt on Kikinnin's body whom is not further affected by the affliction.
Maxim and Marigold feel their muscles start to respond once more. They are not stunned anymore.
JJ's blood burns, the blue fire spilling to the ground around him and soaking into the jungle. His world a mass of demon-induced pain his mind flees his body.
And still more celestial blood fertilises the already verdant jungle.
AC = 29 (34 AC against Green for Smite)
HP = 148/148
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Heroism(+2 Attack/Saves/Skills), Magic Circle v Evil, Resist Electricity 20/18 minutes
Kikinnin seethes as the demons overcome JJ en masse. He tucks his chin, and charges Green, hoping to bury the lot of them, as well as hoping that the boy is resilient enough to find his way back to consciousness.
In his desperation, he pleads with Abadar to bring yet more righteous anger against the still standing vrocks.
"Damn your numbers, demons. We're here to bleed, by our God's will. You're a blight, and we'll burn you out. Come test your strength on me."
Marigold's Round 4
Though pained by the vrock's flurry of attacks Marigold is more concerned about her brother; even though he'd risen again every time that a foe felled him, there was always the smallest hidden fear that he might not be so fortunate the next time.
But there was still her own attacker to contend with.
She takes a step back and adopts a defensive position as she begins to cast...
...and conjures holy power to smite both Blue and Red!
Seeing JJ fall, the grim-faced gun-mage attempts to reduce the effectiveness of their demonic foes...
Hand outstretched toward the southernmost Vrock he calls forth one of his spells:
"Verdrijf Magie!
:
:
As his spell is cast, Maxim moves towards where JJ lies...
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Fortitude Save DC 21 -
Kythel manages to shrug off once more the effects of the screech.
He slightly re-positions and releases a positive energy burst at the Demons!
Alignment Channel -
Seeing JJ down and his allies are receiving hits, he cannels positive energy once more, this time to heal his allies.
Channel Energy HP Regained
Resisting the screech Kythel channels Pharasma's energy and a wave of powerful light blasts the area burning all the Vrocks surrounding the party in holly light! The demons screech in pain and large burns are left in their bodies after the energy fades out!
JJ slightly bleeds out.
Kikinnin turns back and nosedives in the air charging on the closer demon. As he flies down his axe shines with the power of Abadar smiting the evil being. The clash of the dwarven metal on the skin opens a breach leaving the Vrock badly injured.
Giving a step back Marigold calls for holy power to smite two of the vrocks, but her spell is not strong enough to pierce their spell resistance this time.
Maxim attempts to dispel the images on one of the vrocks but their magical resistance interposes in the way once more.
Kythel channels energy once more, but this time the cleric's power patches up some of the wounds, effectively stopping JJ's bleeding and bringing him up.
Green accepts Kikinnin's challenge and goes toe to toe with the dwarf, both flying in the air.
Clad in his Malachite armor and protected by his faith in Abadar, none of the Vrock's attacks are able to damage the black dwarf.
Red ignores for once the awakening JJ and gets distracted by Maxim.
Protected by his arcane armor and Kythel's magical circle a couple of the attacks are deflected, but three others pierce through the dwarf's skin.
The reddish one keeps her assault on the halfling.
Despite her efforts to self-defend herself, Marigold is struck by the Vrock in her head and arms.
The the thick green vines keep growing in JJ, Maxim and Marigold's bodies causing even more pain.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Kythel observes the field and opts to aid Maxim with his spells. He takes a 5' step to the spellslinger and beseeches Pharasma for aid.
Cure Critical Wounds =
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Blue light surges from his wounds as JJ's eyes painfully open. Once again he had felt the breath of Phrasma on him, and once again she had pulled him back from the brink.
What plans has the lady of spirals for me? Perhaps Saranie is not the only one interested in redemption?
Taking a risk, he lashes out from the ground at the horrid vrock circling just above him.
At the least I should be able to get rid of the images.. he hopes.
-4 to attack from prone
+10 to attack and damage from terrain mastery(abyss)
+2 to attack and +2+2d6 damage from evil outsider bane.
Selecting extra attack for his blessing of fervor
Four of the images vanish, leaving just the vrock and a single doppleganger of it, both of which wear a broken wing.
AC = 29 (34 AC against Blue for Smite)
HP = 148/148
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Heroism(+2 Attack/Saves/Skills), Magic Circle v Evil, Resist Electricity 20/18 minutes
Kikinnin throws another arc across Green, hoping it falls swiftly, so he can move towards Blue, and finish it, as well.
Kikinnin tries to end Green first.
Then the black beard shifts in air towards Blue. He doesn't hesitate to bring the same fury of Abadar to bear upon the slightly injured demon.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Seeing Maxim protecting JJ, Kythel approaches and touches the dwarf with an empowered healing conjuration.
JJ is further healed by his own angelic lineage and even with his back in the ground he keeps fighting the demons with his staff, destroying most of the images and striking a couple of powerful blows on the vuplture's talons.
Kikinnin smites his demon for his evilness with a deep long cut that sends the vulpture-like creature to the ground! The dwarf loses balance and is forced to move in the air.
But he blocks the near Vrock's claw with his shield.
As the battle rages Maxim reaches out to JJ to cast a spell upon the warrior;
"Sterk als een stier!"
:
As his spell is cast, Maxim moves to give himself a better angle at the nearest Vrock
Maxim protects himself as he places the strength of the gorgon on his younger fellow.
He then tumbles uncannily avoiding the claws of the Vrock as he moves away.
Seeing herself pressed to hold Marigold steps back and calls for powerful magic that removes all her wounds in once. The growing vines in her skin are also cleansed by her healing magic, as it removes the disease from her.
Seeing the clad dwarf over him, the Vrock attempts to be more precise on her attacks.
Yet, she only barely manages to strike a bite on Kikinnin's shoulder!
The last Vrock sees JJ finishing his companion and decides to strike until the end on the Surabar!
And yet, he dodges on the ground to one side and the other, and when one of the claws is up to scratch his face, Kythel's circle against evil effectively deflects the attack!
The thick green vines keep growing in JJ and Maxim's bodies causing even more pain.
Kythel makes another step to JJ to heal him further.
"Mythanks to you and your lady." mutters JJ and he frantically rolls around trying to avoid the demons attacks, but rolling right into the priests arms.
Blue light continues to drip from his rapdily closing wounds, albeit at a slower rate than before.
I guess grandmothers gift is running low..
Still, with the demon above him, he continues continues to break demonic bones.
Blessing of fervor for extra attack.
+10 to hit and damage from TM(abyss)
+2 to hit and +2+2d6 damage from evil outsdier bane
-4 to hit from prone.
+1 to hit and damage from bulls strength (only +1 due to +2 from belt already in place)
Total +9 to hit; +13+2d6 to damage
Heavenly light bursts from the staff at each contact. And with each blow the demon looks weaker and weaker, the light from Alakast surrounds it, burning demonflesh and feathers in a wash of holy fire.
AC = 29 (34 AC against Blue for Smite)
HP = 141/148
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Heroism(+2 Attack/Saves/Skills), Magic Circle v Evil, Resist Electricity 20/18 minutes
Kikinnin grunts as his feet touch the ground. For his armor, and his poor skill with Maxim's gift of flight, the black beard brushes back his embarrassment. That can wait. The demon beside him cannot. He heartens with the creature's proximity.
Kikinnin stands defiant, looking up at Blue. The creature doesn't fight for its brothers, it fights to feed, like a base predator. Why it's not ravaging the countryside, on weaken townsfolk, worries him. They've traveled to the Demonskar, to their territory. Why they haven't flown from this place, he finds no easy answer.
Kythel heals JJ's wounds that also keep healing themselves by divine magic, while Alakast's holy fire leave nothing but dust from the vulputure-like demon!
At the same time Kikinnin turns to slash with his axe, piercing easily through the images illusion, the dwarf brings down the last demon!
JJ slumps to the ground, and then looks around to see how badly hurt everyone else is.
"I hope we won't face too many more fights like that." he sighs.
"I went down like a dry rag doll on a bonfire." he adds looking dejected. "Guess I should have tried to secure some better protections rather than this ring." sighs the melodramatic youth.
Maxim nods to the others around him as they vanquish their foes. He places a calloused hand upon JJ's shoulder;
"Protections we can surely work upon Surabar... but ne'er forget ye fought well 'gainst mighty powerful foes. Hell boy, I didn't contribute squat with their immunities an' such."
He sighs to himself, patting the iron at his hip;
"Reckon we all need to up our game."
With the demons gone the quietness of the Demonscar returns to the cliff. The silence is only disturbed by the water falling and percolating down below ground.
With some effort Marigold is able to read the message in the obelisk piecing up the fragments eroded by the weather: Down below the waters lay the chambers of Karran Kural, alien terror of ice and death. Be aware, the knowledge there sealed shall never again be recovered.
Kikinnin dusts himself off of any spore still clinging to his clothes. "Those magics feels like you upped my game, at least. Flying is not as easy as it looks, but it certainly evens the odds, when the beasts think they're safe in the sky."
He turns to the young man. "The demons were drawn quite strongly to you, JJ. You had three of them on you, which protected the others. Take some heart in that. You might consider wearing something stronger than that elven blouse. Might get struck less often."
When everyone is ready, Kikinnin tries to stay towards the front of the advance towards Karran Kural. He looks about for the 'waters' Marigold mentions. He's loathe to swim again, but they don't seem to have a choice here.
Kikinnin has a look at the waterfall pool and determines the depth is immeasurable. For what you know about the way in, the group will likely need breath water magic to pursue the way down to Karran Kural's entrance if you do not want to risk drowning in the attempt.
"Well, at least the waters are a bit cooling." admits JJ.
"I'm hoping one of you more knowledgeable types is able to give us the ability to swim down there, or it is going to be a long and foolish feeling trip back to Cauldron for supplies..."
Kikinnin looks towards Kythel. "You did good back there."
"I've heard it's t-terribly expensive but m-maybe you could seek out a Ring of Blinking JJ," Marigold suggests as everyone takes a breather to mend wounds and rest after the battle. "M-might be a d-downside to it though; really p-powerful things almost always h-have one."
To Kikinnin's comment, the halfling nods. "Y-yes, that was great! I'm glad we h-have you on our s-side!"
Marigold then eyes the waterfall pool with noticeable unease. "D-do we have the w-water-breathing magic ready to g-go?"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Maxim flashes a grin at his black bearded brother-in-arms;
"Yup. Flyin' ain't the easiest, specially fir them that ain't aerodynamic such as yirself. Ye did all right fir someone build like an anvil..."
The gun-mage nods in agreement at the warrior's assessment of Kythel;
"Did indeed. Kept Surabar from his weekly appointment with the Boneyard. No mean feat... Friendships are forged in adversity... Reckon you're one o' us now Kythel o' Nosroch."
When talk turns to their progression and amphibious magics, Maxim frows;
"Don't look me. I an't got nothin' prepared fir aquatics an' such."
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
Kythel bows slightly to the references to his aid, "I have agreed to aid you in this quest. Combat I fear is not my strength but stealth and healing, I have those in abundance".
He grimaces, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow I can provide spells enough for us all to breathe water but today my focus of prayers were in the healing arts...
Perhaps we should venture around the area a bit more and slay more foul Demons? Madness I know but better to slay those we find than to have them at our backs tomorrow or worse yet over our tents as we encamp tonight".
"These ones were waiting for us.." notes JJ.
"Summoned by an observer, or alerted by a trap. I think we would do well to find out how they knew of our arrival, so maybe avoid any other similar encounters."
HE offers a shrug. "But magical summoning is not really my strongpoint."
"Th-that's not a b-bad idea," Marigold nods to Kythel. "I kn-know we don't want to linger here t-too long but if those d-demons were waiting for us or d-drawn to JJ's aura then it m-might be better for us to r-root out any others on our t-terms instead of theirs."
Then she gives Kythel a smile. "I'm g-glad healing magic is a f-focus for you. M-many of the magics I've b-been granted are healing t-too but I also have m-many that are more p-practical for fighting or other t-tasks. So we can sh-share the load of mending wounds and p-put our other talents to m-more use."
Maxim pauses, brow furrowing then with a wry twinkle in his eye turns to JJ;
"Surabar... What you'd yer all-knowin' Beefinator do in such a predicament?"
While you are talking you observe a couple of overgrown apes with fiendish features skulking your group from the top of the canopy at the north, just behind Kythel's web.
Knowledge Planes
Kythel is about to respond to Marigold when something catches his eye, he whispers, "My friends, act casual. There are a few Bar-lgura demons watching us. Perhaps if we act as if we have not seen them we can lure them into a trap?"
"Beafinator... well, he would find the largest group of demons and charge straight toward them, wrecking chaos - quite literally in this case!" smiles JJ.
"But he doesn't really feel pain like we do." he adds quietly.
"Or like they do.." he says pointing out into the woods.[/b]"
Lowering his voice the youth adds "More demons. Bar-lgura's by the looks of them. Dangerous in packs.".
Even more quietly he adds "They can go invisible - or worse, bring darkness with them. They are immune to electricity and like most demons are resistant to fire and magic. "
The Bar-lguras do not seem to notice that you are talking about them and looking in their direction. They just remain looking at what are your dealings and hiding behind the trees.
Casually putting Alakast through his belt, JJ reaches for his bow.
"I wonder if I can get any game for tonights dinner?" he asks, stringing it and putting an arrow to the string.
"Perhaps we start north?"
Kythel starts heading towards the Demons as if oblivious of their presence.
Current effects Magic Circle vs. Evil.
When Kythel starts to walk casually to the north, you observe the ape demons jump stealthily from one tree to another, trying to maintain at least 100 feet distance from you and still be hidden.
"Looks over there" says JJ, pointing at a flock of birds.
"Want me to try and drive them off with an arrow, or just let them follow us... that doesn't sound especially safe.."
"Can anyone make me fly?"
"Af-f-fraid I can't h-help you there," Marigold mutters to Kythel, trying to remain casual as they plot their own counter-attack/ambush. "I c-can make myself fly if I need t-to, though. B-but we shouldn't let them f-follow us too l-long, lest they r-run off to report to anything else l-lurking close b-by."
While the ape-demons are still distracted JJ shots his bow and strikes true the closest one. The Bar-lgura shouts in pain, then they both become invisible.
It seems the demons do not have an interest to engage the party, which fits to what Kythel and JJ know about these demons, as they are usually scouts and snitch stalkers.
As the party has decided to explore the area in search of demons, perhaps cleaning the Demonskar from its foul hellish curse, you start to walk forward into the scar while you decide what to do about your ape "friends".
A couple of minutes after leaving the area of the obelisk, you find a crisp inside the cliff, like the one typical of a crater. A crater would fit in the description of the explosion you know the spell weavers produced with their traveling artifact that created the Demonskar in the beginning.
You don't see the the bar-lguras anymore, but some of you still have the feeling of being observed as you move forward.
"I guess we find somewhere secure and set up a camp for the night.." sighs BB.
"Not that I like doing that with demons wandering around, but I don't think we have a lot of options."
He looks around for the most secure spot to set up a camp that he can find.
"There's n-not much f-for it," Marigold sighs as well. "This entire p-place is a n-nightmare and a d-danger; unless there's s-some sort of cloaking m-magic that Maxim can use for our c-camp we'll just have to k-keep watch and hope for the b-best."
"Yup. Flyin' ain't the easiest, specially fir them that ain't aerodynamic such as yirself. Ye did all right fir someone build like an anvil..."
Kikinnin looks down on his armor, then back at the blond beard. "I reckon it's a fair trade. Might be other magics to make it easier? I'm only hoping it's not often we find ourselves under aerial attacks." He thinks back on Ike Iverson, and his aloofness in the air of Wee Jas, and discourages his own complacency. Things with wings are more and more likely, I gather. Better to be prepared.
"Tomorrow. Tomorrow I can provide spells enough for us all to breathe water but today my focus of prayers were in the healing arts... Perhaps we should venture around the area a bit more and slay more foul Demons? Madness I know but better to slay those we find than to have them at our backs tomorrow or worse yet over our tents as we encamp tonight."
Kikinnin looks at the unwelcoming waters, and shrugs. "If we have no immediate means of taking to the path before us, I have no objection."
As JJ hits one of the demons, the black beard recognizes that his eyesight still keeps him apprised of their tactics. "They shifted invisible, but they're still there, watching us. Oh, huh. I can't see them any more. They're likely still there, just can't see them. Injuring one of them probably got their attention."
Kikinnin nods at Marigold's pronouncement. "If we had the ability to jump back and forth, now that we've found our mark, we might use magics to keep us safely away, until we're ready to take the plunge. If we think Maxim's magics will allow us to remain in the vicinity, we can post watch, same as always."
Committed to end the taint that plagues the Demonskar, the group moves forward looking for more demons.
You reach an elevation in the midst of the jungle where vegetation becomes rare. Once you set foot on the top you find yourselves dominating what seems the rim of a miles wide crater. The slopes are covered with patches of rocks, jungle trees and pools of lava that expel bubbles of sulfuric smoke.
A bit further away you find an enormous giant with white hair and skulls decorating his beard looming over a rock. Smaller deformed creatures covered with rashes and pustules surround the giant, blocking the natural path into the crater, or sit atop some of the rocks surrounded by vegetation and lava.
The giant laughs "And you petty humanoids killed the Kalavakus? Whom of you is the Surabar?"
Before you have time to say anything the giant moves a hand and casts glitterdust conjuring a cloud of golden particles that covers all of you but Maxim.
The giant is holding a huge warhammer, while the other ones held strange polearms that end in a sharp spike that has one or more crescent-shaped pincers designed close around it, and they also have strange sling-like devices.
[spoiler=rolls]
-untrained in arcana
JJ, glowing with the dust manages to keep his eyes closed when the burst first hits.
"[b]That giant... he is not normal...I'd say sometime back in his lineage, mummy got jiggy with a creature of the hells. The smaller ones, they are Rutterkin.
Perhaps foolishly, he charges forward, Alakast swinging at the rutterkin in red.
However he trips just before it, going totally off balance.
Well, that was embarrassing.
K. arcana DC 16:
K. planes DC 11:
K. planes DC 13:
Will save
Kythel blinks the spell away though he is covered in the stuff. "He is some sort of fiendish Frost Giant, best if we deal with him first..."
The Cleric points at the Giant and releases a burst of sunlight from his hand.
Searing Light vs. Touch Confirm Critical? - Damage - Critical Damage
AC = 27
HP = 141/148
Weapon Equipped = +2 Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Heroism(+2 Attack/Saves/Skills), Magic Circle v Evil, Resist Electricity 20/18 minutes
Kikinnin watches JJ charge forward, only slightly irritated this time. Perhaps he knows the little ones are pushovers. Last time he found himself in the middle of a pack of demons...
Thought finished, the black beard trots forward as far as the boy, and waits for the incoming attacks. He doesn't mind the glitter, but he minds the giant's ability to throw magic. Watching Kythel jab at the giant from a distance also warms his cockles.