Perception Checks
Looking to the south, Priyya is just barely able to make out a lithe form flitting across the edge of the roof to the south. Just before reaching the L-corner, the figure leaps off landing and equal distance from all of you just clear of the boughs of the tree.
Behind Felmor and Lureene, the remaining thug begins to shake off the effect that had dazed him. He makes to retreat...
But with barely a second thought, Felmor waylays him with his sword sending the man to the ground even as he himself stands up.
"Well, what 'ave we 'ere?" Felmor asks coolly.
Before you, stands a tall, lean woman in tight black leathers. She wears red plates of chitinous armor over her shapely form and has on a masked helmet that looks like it was made from the head of a giant wasp or some other over-sized insect. In each hand, she carries a sabre with a wicked saw-toothed edge.
Pic: Masked Ringleader
"Tch! These dogs couldn't even keep you busy for a whole minute?" While her words indicate annoyance, there is no mistaking the melodic undertones of an elvish voice. "Typical of their ilk to under-estimate women. I must admit though, I never suspected Aramandil had the brass to have had members of his court trained by the Sacred Consorts of Lyria."
She looks at the rest of you, and adds, "Actually all of you seem to be quite capable after your own fashion. I imagine this will be an interesting fight. Since it is only fair that someone know the name and face of the person who sends them to the afterlife..."
She removes her mask, a torrent of lustrous black locks, interlaced with red beads cascading down her back. You can see that she has the long, tapered ears of a full-blooded elf, and her delicate features are quite beautiful in spite of the icy look in her deep blue eyes.
"Chivane," she says. "Feel honored that you are about to meet your fates at the hands of a professional."
Initiative Rolls
, Chivane, Mal & Tal, Lureene & Grak, Alis, Priyya
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 04
Song: Senna
Felmor advances cautiously on the new enemy, Och, always gotta watch out fer th' pretty ones.
He puts a grin on his face and replies, "I tell ye what, Cheevane, is it? Since I be a gentleman, n' since ye be willin' ta send us on our way, I be thinkin' ladies first."
With a single deft stroke, Chivane blocks Felmor with the blade in her left hand and counter-attacks with the right...
Felmor is staggered by the powerful blow but not down yet. No sooner does the attack land than does, Chivane tumble away placing herself just behind Lureene.
, Lureene & Grak, Alis, Priyya; Felmor, Chivane
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 04b
"Hold on, Traker!"
Mal pivots from behind the tree and breaks into a run barreling straight at the mysterious assassin. She swings attempting to injure or block Mal as he attacks without the benefit of a weapon, yet in spite of his great size, she misjudges his speed and his claws rake across her left arm.
Talvyra stalks around behind the new opponent in red hard skins, stepping in carefully and delivering a testing swipe, ready to dodge if a return is forthcoming.
Talvyra slinks around to Chivane's flank and makes a tentative swipe at the dark-maned huntress more testing her reactions than anything else. As expected, the tall one easily evades it without second though or belying any fear.
, Alis, Priyya; Felmor, Chivane, Mal & Tal
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 04c
Lureene, noting Chivane’s mannerisms and movements, cannot help but be reminded of her Mother. Still, she knows she is not alone here. She steps back from the beautiful, deadly assassin and calls on her magic to afford her a little more protection.
Grak dutifully flys over to assist his mistress, in whatever way she deems necessary.
Recognizing she's only a liability in a physical confrontation, Lureene does her best to ensure the others don't need to worry about her and gets out of the way. Grak, flies closer making it just past the crown of the tree to where he can see the fight down below.
"I never suspected Aramandil had the brass to have had members of his court trained by the Sacred Consorts of Lyria."
Alis grits her teeth at the impassive woman's words. Well, so much for keeping secrets I guess...
"Hang in there, Mal!" Alis says. "Súmalya, shield this man with your splendor!"
She then steps up beside Mal conferring Lyria's luck upon him with her touch as she tries to keep a path open for Priyya.
; Felmor, Chivane, Mal & Tal, Lureene & Grak, Alis
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 04d
Priyya assumes this self-confessed assassin is most likely evil... and calls upon Alita to guide her hands in this battle.
Priyya takes up her bow, slides to K7 and draws a bead on the assassin. She takes a steadying breadth and fires a careful shot aiming for a gap in the red chitinous armor.
Let's see how good you really are...
Standard Action - SMITE w/ SHORTBOW (crit: 20/3x) + Perfect Strike (Best of 2 rolls):
To Hit #1:
OR
To Hit #2:
Damage:
Priyya calls upon the goddess of the sun and her bow is momentarily bathed in a golden aura. She looses her shot and just manages to land a hit. Against any normal foe, what would have been a grazing shot instead bursts with holy energy as it strikes the assassin.
Chivane purses her lips against the pain but does not cry out.
Behind her, the gang leader who was stunned earlier by Lureene finally shakes off the last of the effects of her color spray and looks around assaying the situation.
, Chivane, Mal & Tal, Lureene & Grak, Alis, Priyya, gang leader
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 05
Felmor is stunned at the speed and economy of her movements, Ach, she be a cold blooded killer! 'N an efl ta boot! He reaches into his pouch, and pulls out a potion, drinking it with a sense of urgency.
Chivane attempts to tumble past Alis to keep from getting fenced in. Not fooled by her moves, Alis attempts to catch her with a thrust of her rapier, but the woman seemingly twists around the blade and to safety. Mal also attempts to land a hit but meets with the same failure.
As the elven assassin moves, a veil of red mist surrounds and moves with her. Once past Alis and Talvyra, she continues running towards the wall of the building to your north until she has interposed the trunk of the tree there between herself and Priyya. The moment she stops, she begins casting a spell...
Checks
Three large regions of darkness grow in the air above the battlefield and you can hear an angry buzzing sound growing in volume...
, Lureene & Grak, Alis, Priyya, gang leader
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 05b
Lureene gets a feeling of deja vue, as once again she hears the Infernal tongue uttered. She readies the trick she discovered to upset the summoning, but she soon discovers this one is more powerful…
Grak sees his mistress in trouble, and flies with a sense of urgency...
While the spell Chivane is casting is much more powerful than the one Lucia used back in Valehaven, recognizing the fell speech of Infernal, and recognizing Homeku's name, Lureene realizes exactly what is happening. Thinking quickly, she attempts to counter Chivane's spell meeting with partial success as the closes the nearest summoning portal.
For his part, Grak flies head of his mistress perhaps seeking to interpost himself between her and whatever danger is about to arrive...
Taking note of what's going on based off of Lureene's reaction, Alis turns to Mal and says, "Mal! You got to stop her before she finishes casting that!"
She then touches Mal on the arm and shouts, "GO," moving forward and out of his way as she does.
, Priyya, gang leader; Felmor, Chivane, Lureene & Grak, Alis
Gotta interrupt that casting. Mal thinks, rushing the strangely armored assassin.
Talvyra streaks across the courtyard, circling around far side to threaten the red-hard-skinned-two-legs.
When Alis touches him, suddenly Mal can see exactly where Chivane's next opening will be and where to strike for greatest effect. He orders Talvyra to run ahead into a flanking position to distract the woman and then charg as if shot from a bow. The nimble woman's movements seem slow and ineffectual as he levels a clawed strike that sheers across her abdomen.
With a surprised grunt, Chivane is knocked back by the force of the blow and she loses concentration. The two remaining summoning portals waver for a moment before collapsing with a hiss of smoke, their energy dissipated!
, gang leader; Felmor, Chivane, Lureene & Grak, Alis, Mal & Tal
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 05c
Priyya trots into the open to ensure she has a shot. This woman is a f&%<ing jackrabbit!
She changes tactics, casting a spell on the assassin, she has never tried before...
Still distracted by Mal's hit, even the elves' inherent resistance to enchantments does not avail Chivane. In an instant, she is frozen in her stance by Priyya's spell — the angry glare of her eyes and the rise and fall of her chest the only indication she is alive and aware of what's going on.
Holy sh!t! That actually worked!
Priyya doesn't caper with glee but she has a hard time restraining herself, saying only, "Alis, your would-be captor now appears to be your captive. I'm not sure this jackrabbit devil-spawn can be easily restrained for questioning and my spell won't last forever. I'd suggest killing her, but the choice is yours."
Priyya turns her active attention to the fellows who have just shrugged off Lureene's spell, testing her bow.
Seeing the princess left unattended, the man who just recovered from Lureene's spell gives a loud whistle and charges her drawing a blade as he does! From around the corner to the north of him, one of the leaders who had retreated into the alleyway, hears the signal and returns with reinforcements and a loaded crossbow!
While they aren't all able to funnel out of the alleyway just yet, those in front take a knee to both steady their aim and to allow those further back to fire over them....
Left to Right, Top to Bottom:
Damage
Alis dodges the amateur swordsmanship of the western gang leader, Mal ducks and weaves evading a hail of steel, and Fel just smirks when the string on one of the men's crossbows snaps in a misfire leaving the bolt still nocked.
For all their efforts, however, only one man actually manages to land their attack a seemingly trifling shot. However, as Mal pulls the bolt from his shoulder, he feels a burning sensation from the wound. Smelling something unusual he tries to focus on the tip of the projectile and sees a bluish sheen — poison!
While he feels his energy level slacken only slightly, the big ranger's vision starting to go grey as unconsciousness threatens to overtake him!
, (Chivane), Lureene & Grak, Alis, Mal & Tal, Priyya, gang
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 06
"Alis, your would-be captor now appears to be your captive. I'm not sure this jackrabbit devil-spawn can be easily restrained for questioning and my spell won't last forever. I'd suggest killing her, but the choice is yours."
"Actually, I really want to get some answers, I'm tir–"
Alis' words trail off as more of the Dunwaar Tar Dogs pour into the courtyard. "On second thought, killing her might not be a bad idea..."
Felmor hears reinforcements are arriving, and it is no time to delay. He sees the Tar Dogs approaching, and proceeds to intercept the one thug leader rising to his feet.
Looking like a mad dog, Felmor charges the nearest bandit leader with his sword raised and trips over a crack in the pavement...
He falls landing flat on his face and very nearly knocking himself out as his chin cracks on a paving stone. The bandit leader looks at him in consternation as he reloads his crossbow wondering what the hell just happened!
Lureene sees the Knight Captain move to handle the reinforcements, and seeing him fall again, winces in sympathy. She decides to lend him a hand. She reaches into her component pouch and pulls out a rolled up spiderweb. Chanting a musical incantation she points at the Tar Dogs...
She then sends a mental command to Grak...
Chivane makes another attempt to resist the effects of Priyya's spell but remains unable to break free.
Talvyra, growling low in her chest leaps upon the woman's back trying to crack her neck in her teeth...
From the look in her eyes, you have the feeling that if Chivane could scream she would, instead her burning gaze is locked upon Mal with utter contempt as he pulls free a scroll leaving her to such an inglorious fate.
For his part, Mal completes his spell. Although the burning doesn't subside entirely, he no longer feels like he is in imminent danger of passing out.
, Alis, Priyya, gang; Felmor, Chivane, Mal & Tal
Grak hears the command, and proceeds to dive, weaving erratically, at the leader harassing Princess Alis!
Reflex Saves DC 14]
With the exception of the man kneeling just outside of the alley, the other 4 manage to evade the sticky webs.
Grak divebombs the gang leader harrassing Alis but is unable to land his bite.
, Priyya, gang; Felmor, Chivane, Mal & Tal, Lureene & Grak
"Dammit, would you people form a line or something?"
Amazingly enough, Alis is unsuccessful in landing an attack with Grak buzzing around like an oversized dragonfly. When the gang leader blocks her attack, she note the bluish goo dripping from his blade and comments, "Poison huh? Going for the same trick that last saw you bedded I see..."
, gang; Felmor, Chivane, Mal & Tal, Lureene & Grak, Alis
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 06b
Too many threats and too many needs...
Priyya weighs what to do. All her friends could use assistance. The Tar Dogs need to be put down. So does the assassin and no one - not even a devil-tainted creature such as her - should suffer a slow agonizing death.
Priyya sighs and does the moral thing... she sends two arrows whispering past Alis, like steel-tipped gnats, towards the paralyzed assassin.
Full Action - FOB - SMITE (SHORTBOW crit: 20/3x):
To Hit #1:
Damage:
To Hit #2:
Damage:
Priyya's arrows strike true lodging themselves deep in Chivane's side. Even Priyya's spell is incapable of forcing her to remain standing after that and she falls to the ground blood trickling from between her lips.
With a curse, the gang leader tears free his blade and rushes at the downed man near him desperately trying to give his enemies something to think about and even the odds any way he can...
The man whose crossbow broke hands his poisoned bolt to the man next to him before pulling a rock from his pocket. The he handed his bolt to steps clear of the tree and fires on Alis...
However the shot comes nowhere close to hitting.
The remaining two marksmen then fire on the big black cat standing over their fallen leader...
Talvyra snarls in pain from the burning wound, though her vigor does not seem to be affected by it.
The man fighting Alis tries once again to hit her...
Only he botches, badly...
Alis quickly takes advantage of the opportunity...
...and gives the man a nasty wound transfixing his shoulder.
She gives a short laugh and continues her taunting, "Thanks for falling on my sword, but I can do this myself you know!"
As if to prove her point, Alis thrusts at the man again...
...this time giving him a painful but not quite fatal gut wound. With a bloody cough, the man drops his weapon and falls to the pavement clutching at his injury as he writhes in pain.
"See," Alis asks, "not bad for a woman, huh?"
Felmor continues to bleed out on the pavement.
, gang; Alis
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 07
EDIT: Per Eric, Felmor uses his daily re-roll on this round's poison save:
Lureene thinks, No, that bastard thinks he is going to have his way with Fel, I don't think so! She waves to Alis, and points at the fallen form of the Knight Captain, while uttering a summoning phrase. After doing so, she moves up to a protective position next to the fallen Knight.
Then a golden winged eagle appears, its wings sparling with multicolored hues, and immediates tears into the gang leader!
Grak flys over to assist the fallen Captain, by attacking the gang leader.
Lureene rushes forward calling upon the heavens to send aid to the downed Knight-Captain even as Grak swoops down to assist...
In a flash of light, a radiant eagle appears behind the last gang leader and dive-bombs him sinking one talon into his back while it shreds the side of the man's neck with its razor-sharp beak. Grak also joins the fight delivering a bite to the man's weapon hand and slapping him across the face with his tail.
With the man in front of her finally down, Alis sees Lureene waving and rushes over drawing her healing wand as she goes.
The Tar Dog leader at her feet tries to swipe at the princess as she hops over him...
...yet all he manages to to ruffle her underskirt a bit and get a view of her bloomers. He then gives a groan and passes out, the vigorous movement having worsened his injury.
, gang; Alis, Lureene & Grak
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 07b
Priyya sprints closer to Fel and sends a wave of healing energy out.
Channel Positive Energy (Healing):
30' radius burst
- May remove 4 creatures from AoE - Chivane and obviously alive but hurt Tar Dogs
- Does not draw AoOs
Sensing from Alis and Lureene's dash that something must be wrong, Priyya runs forward to see that Felmor is lies in a pool of his own blood. Calling upon Alíta, she channels healing energy to everyone within 30-ft trying to avoid healing anyone who is still a threat.
, gang; Alis, Lureene & Grak, Priyya
MAP: Dunwaar Mob 07c
Seeing that the only enemies still able to move under their own will (even if they are restrained) are the marksmen and the man being assaulted by Lureene's pets, you catch a gleam in Alis' eyes. She points her wand at the rabble caught in the web and shouts, " If any of you so much as twitch the wrong way, I shall fireball the lot of you into next week! Don't underestimate us like your leader did..."
Catching on to what Alis is doing, Lureene smiles slyly and makes an exploding motion with her hands.
Bluff Checks
Sense Motive on Alis
"She's lying, don't listen to her men! We can still take 'em!"
The men caught in the webbing look at each other nervously and drop their weapons. The marksman at the edge of the web looks at Alis with a frown on his face, but when he sees how bad off everyone else is, and hears the clatter of his mates dropping their crossbows, his shoulders slump and he tosses his down as well.
Still waving his hands at the eagle and winged serpent harrying him, the gang leader curses, "Well sh1t! Alright, alright! we surrender! Now get these damned things offa me!"
XP: +1280 each
"Wise choice." Alis says darkly, continuing to point her wand at them. "Corporal! Disarm and bind that woman for questioning!"
"Sir Traker!" She nudges Felmor with her foot rousing him to consciousness. "On your feet, Captain, you've gotten it worse from your woman! Help with disarming the survivors and gathering the injured for treatment. Captains Monroe and Stallings should catch up any moment now with the rest of our company."
As Felmor stands, she whispers something quietly under her breath and pats him on the back.
Priyya assists Fel and Mal by attempting to treat their poisoned wounds. She grills the Tar Dogs for the specific types of poisons used.