Sasha runs and hops over the bar making for the trap door. With a quick slash of her knife, she severs the knotted rope leading down the the water.
Without hesitation, Mal performs a surprisingly agile dive into the watery pit evading the waps and swimming past the opening at the bottom, out of sight of human vision. Not 10 feet away, he sees his target making for the pier. Swimming ahead of him, near the surface is Alis.
, Lureene, Priyya; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis, Sasha (readied attacks)
"Sasha, you said there's a ladder the end of the pier?"
When the younger cousin replies in the affirmative, Sorsha says, "OK, I'll take up position there."
She hesitates, looking at the door to the northwest room and the lewd sounds issuing from it. With a sigh, she sprints for the broken window to the south and dive thru it.
[spoiler="Rolls"]Perception Checks
Alton moves around to the south side of the pit, oar at the ready in case it is needed.
; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis, Sasha, Sorsha (readied attacks)
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 39b)
Lureene watches Sorsha sprint towards the pier, where Sasha reminded her of the ladder at the end of the pier. Noting the grease spell is useless without something to be greased, she heads out the front door to the south end of the pier.
Seeing that everyone is heading outside to deal with the escaping anti-paladin, Priyya changes her plans. She lays hands on herself for the final time today, picks up her sword and heads out through the door Lureene has opened. She hovers over the wide gaps in the dock, hoping to put some well-placed arrows into the anti-paladin.
Swift Action - Heal:
Move Action -
Move Action -
Priyya gives herself another path-up and heads outside next to Lureene. The floor of the tavern and that of the pier are at the same levels, but she can just barely differentiate the figures swimming in the water below.
Glancing around outside, she can see at least 3 or 4 black robes lying in the otherwise deserted streets — no doubt Sorsha's handiwork.
, Dark Knight, Alis, Sasha, Sorsha (readied attacks), Lureene, Priyya;
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 40)
As soon as Mal hits the water and begins sinking, he begins digging into his new-found source of power, the primal well-spring through which his shapeshifting is channeled. This time, however, he unlocks a shape he's never used before and his body stretches and changes into a completely alien form. In the seconds it takes to change, his mind is altered as much as his body, the magic altering him so he understands his body and its aquatic surrounding on an instinctual level.
But this body, too, is that of a hunter, and he instantly spots his prey retreating, a retreat made cumbersome by the armor that made him so daunting mere moments before. Mal exhilarates in the economic perfection of his new fluid form as he jets through the water, easily bypassing his prey. He looks for shadows in which to set his ambush, knowing every advantage spells surer doom for the metal man.
There Mal stops, settling in the water to wait for his prey, his sharp beak and tentacles preparing to strike when the man passes by.
The blackguard continues moving south-east until reaching the pylons upon which the pier is built. He then starts moving south as fast as he is able, using them for support.
Above him and to the side, Alis takes another deep breath then dives down attempting to trip him.
Seeing her approach, he attempts to swing at her, but she nimbly avoids the black blade before knocking his legs out from under him and sending him to the harbor floor with a dull clank.
, Lureene, Priyya; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis, (readied)
Sasha slams shut the trap door and slides the bolt shut securing it.
Outside, Sorsha sends a mental command directing two of her wasps to join her outside to guard the ladder. She herself waits at the top of the ladder swords at the ready.
; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis, Sasha, Wasps 2-3 (readied)
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 40b)
Lureene notes the blackguard is currently having trouble with Alis and Mal. She calls out his position to both Priyya and Sorsha, and murmers a spell, touching Priyya and cloaking her in a shifting array of bright swirling colors, before she hurries over to where Sorsha awaits.
Priyya sheathes her sword and pounds further down the dock jumping off into the water. She turns and uses her bow to do some fishing...
Move Action -
Perfect Strike
To Hit:
OR
To Hit:
Damage:
The squid races over the fallen man, positioning itself across from Alis before lashing out with it's tentacles to wrap around the man, attempting to hold him in place.
Had Alis not just tripped up the blackguard, Priyya is certain her arrow would have hit him. Instead, with his decreased profile from laying on the ground, her shot ends up sticking into the silt just a few feet past him sailing right below Alis' feet.
A moment later, a rather sizable squid swims over attempting to wrap the man in its tentacles. However, it is unable to latch on.
Eyes aglow with malice, the blackguard's sword and armor begin to radiate shadows with a mere thought from its master, just like when he prepared to engage Priyya earlier. Then, holding his hand up, the man unleashes a black shockwave of corrupt energy. He then stands up, provoking attacks from both Alis and Mal.
SR 12, ER5: Cold Fire Shock
ER5: Acid Fire Shock
, Sasha, Wasps 2-3, Lureene, Priyya, Mal, Dark Knight
Alis flinches against the blast of evil energy, thankfully avoiding the worst of it. As her vision clears and she see the knight rising again, she thrusts at him but the attack was too rushed and fails to connect. Taking her time with her next attack, she is surprised when it fails to connect it is as though a palpable field of energy diverts the attack, much like her own protective aura.
Noting the energy on his blade and armor that she saw not long before and having witnessed Priyya's own knightly abilities, she can tell when she's in trouble.
Only one way to test it...
With a powerful kick, she starts to return to the surface. The instant she does, the blackguard levels an uncanny attack at her retreating form. Mal winces visibly as the black blade flares with unholy energy on a deadly course for Alis' body. It is only with an agile twist at the very last instant that the princess is able to evade the sinister attack.
, Wasps 2-3, Lureene, Priyya, Mal, Dark Knight, Alis
Her work done inside, Sasha vaults over the bar and out the window. Rolling back to her feet after landing, she runs to the end of the pier staying just behind her cousin.
; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis, Sasha
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 41)
Lureene sees the blackguard is gaining the upper hand here. She considers casting a message to Priyya, but realizes she cannot hear words underground. Whose bright idea was it to fight him underwater?, she thinks helplessly. Focusing again on the current needs of her erstwhile allies, she once again readies a spell...
Standard Action -
As the man begins to rise, Mal's beak streaks out at his hand, attempting to snatch his blade from his hand.
The squid then makes another attempt to grapple the man.
[ooc]grapple .
As the blackguard attempts to stand, Mal snakes a tentacle forward hoping to disarm the man. Not totally unaware of the attempt, the armor-clad foe retaliates but the water once again denies him his attack even as the squid wrests the blade from his hands and jets off, all the way to the edge of the harbor basin.
No sooner does he regain his feet than he is forced to resist a wave of holy energy that strikes him from the cleric who just swam a bit closer to benefit her friends and new assassin ally. Rather than attacking, the blackguard makes his way directly underneath the pier and begins walking south.
, Sasha, Priyya; Mal, Dark Knight
With her foe now deprived of his dread weapon, Alis takes a deep breath and dives once more, knocking the blackguard over with virtual impunity. With another clank, he hits the bottom.
Up above, Sorsha and Sasha take up positions on either side of the ladder, ready to attack.
; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 42)
Priyya casts Protection from Evil on herself and alerts those on the docks of the knight's movements and his now-stolen sword.
Priyya swims back up to the surface, casts her spell, and gives everyone else the heads-up.
"Deprived him of his sword, have you? That should make things easier..."
, Dark Knight, Alis, Priyya;
Dropping the sword and mentally noting the spot, the squid races back across the watery battlefield, positioning himself in a place to attack as soon and violently as possible.
Mal dashes on ahead of Alis and the blackguard, waiting beneath the pier to block his advance. Once more, the man rises to his feet. Alis tries to wound him with her rapier but this time he evades the attack.
Looking about at the shadows above him on the pier and the shapes around him in the water, the blackguard flexes his arms and unleashes another wave of negative energy.
Will Saves DC 17
Sasha, Sorsha and the wasps are just out of range when factoring in depth/height.
Alis' head reels from the strength of the blast but she pushes thru it and just manages to nick the enemy with her blade. She then swims back 5-feet just out of arm's reach when she notices that the man drew a dagger while standing up.
Perception Checks
; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 43)
Mal pushes and pulls with his entire body, and water rushes around and through him as he streaks toward the prey, ending with a powerful bite of his hardened jaws.
Priyya counters dark with light.
Standard Action -
Although she's not certain if she can outlast the blackguard's ability to channel energy, Priyya is well aware that it would be a moot point if they were defeated her or if they could finish the enemy off first. Once more, she restores her companion's health with Alíta's holy light even as she injures her mortal foe.
No sooner does the light clear than does Mal set upon the evil knight, his rock hard beak finding purchase even against the tough armor. Although the attack has surely injured the man given the taste of blood in the water, he forgoes an attack intent upon moving south past the squid.
Mal clamps down harder still on the man's arm before he is finally shaken loose.
As soon as he has trudged further forward, the blackguard unleashes another blast of darkness this time injuring Lureene, Mal, and Sasha rather badly and destroying the two wasps guarding the ladder.
Not daring to swim past the man now that he is once again wielding a blade attuned to her, Alis swim forward just far enough to attack, one again just barely penetrating his armor
; Mal, Dark Knight, Alis
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 44)
Priyya attempts to parallel his course and counters his energy yet again.
Move Action - swimmy!
Standard Action -
Mal moves to keep pace with his prey, unleashing a series of strikes at his ankles, attempting to bring him back to the ground so Alis can swim by and reposition.
Although she attempts to pursue, Priyya's lack of swimming experience gets the better of her and she's unable to do more than just thrash about keeping her head above water. In spite of it, she is still able to get off another channel attempt.
Mal immediate follows-up, attempting to distract the man with a flurry of unsuccessful trip attempts, but he doesn't take the bait, at all times keeping an eye on Alis. When Alis swims around, to attempt to finish him off with a backstab, he makes his move. Striking with the speed of a viper, he wheels about, thrusting with his dagger and quite simply overpowering her careful defense. His blade finds its mark just left of her sternum and she drops her rapier, becoming still in the water as her blood pours out into the harbor.
The man then continues his southward march seeming daring the all too intelligent squid to detain him.
Bite .
Ignoring the creature's feeble attempt at reciprocity, the blackguard trudges forward reaching the end of the pier. He stands just next to the ladder.
; Mal, Dark Knight
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 45)
Priyya shouts, "He's at the ladder!", blasts the area with healing light, and swims over towards Alis to wake her up.
Standard Action -
Move Action -
After staving off the immediate risk of another negative energy blast reducing Alis to ash, Priyya realizing that the princess risks drowning if she doesn't wake up. She notes with some chagrin that the blackguard seems to have been just outside the radius of her holy light. At the cleric's warning, Sorsha commands her last remaining wasp to join her outside, hovering a safe distance above the water.
As Priyya swims closer, she sees Alis jerks awake from the noise of her clumsy swimming.
In a sign of gratitude, Alis folds her hands and nods her head. She quickly swims for the surface to catch a quick breath of air before diving to the bottom to recover her rapier.
, Dark Knight, Priyya, Alis
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 46)
Seeing Darkmane moving to Alis's rescue, Mal bursts forward, beak seeking the man's exposed flesh.
With preternatural speed, Mal rushes forward and his powerful beak tears out the blackguard's windpipe. As air and blood fill the water the man tenses in his death throes before exploding a shockwave of foul chilling energy that wracks you to the core. As the wave of energy clears, the empty shell of the man's armor topples to the floor of the harbor basin.
Mal's sense are left reeling from his proximity to the blast. As his vision clears, he looks up to see Sasha's fall into the water above him. Turning around, Alis is once more floating lifelessly in the water. Both of them are ghostly pale and it is not difficult to see that she and possibly Sasha are both at death's door...
MAP: Waterfront Tavern Brawl, (Round 47)
With a curse, Sorsha sheathes her blades, tears off her helmet and jumps into the water to rescue her cousin. As she grabs her and turns her head she shouts out, "Sasha's just barely alive, but I don't know how much time she has..."
Seeing the new red-head jump in after Sasha, Mal races to get Alis's head above water and within Darkmane's range.
Please, Darkmane have another healing wave!
"Hang on, Sorsha!"
Lureene does not hesitate as she moves quickly to the end of the pier, and while drawing a potion from her belt, jumps into the water next to Sorsha, and the unconscious Sasha. She unstoppers the potion and, keeping her head above the water, gently pours the potion down her throat.