Cica feels panic rising in her chest at the macabre jibbering, but manages to steel her nerves for now.
She channels the might of the bear and steps forward, swinging.
Initiative
??? 21
Group 1 (Darius, Garland, Cica) 18
Dolls 17
Yarzoth 12
Skellies 11.75
Group 2 (Ilistra, Placidus) 11
Darius manages to stab an image, Garland cuts down a skeleton, and Cica misses.
Two dolls, apparently fashioned from the bones of infants and small children come hopping gleefully up the corridor behind Ilistra. Each wields a long wicked looking stiletto. Ilistra blinks hard against the susurrus of voices coming from beyond the gate and shakes her head. She starts babbling, not understanding the madness but joining it anyway.
The snake priestess's form blurs even further, making it extremely difficult to tell where she is.
Placidus tries to kick her.
His foot swipes through another image, dispelling it. Only three remain now.
================================
The maddening gibbering grows ever louder, as some...thing approaches the grating. Its form is hard to decipher, but the soldiers catch glimpses of roiling blood-soaked flesh, too many eyes, and mouths...so many gnashing mouths.
Darian continues lashing out at the serpentine mage in front of him...
Cica curses the elusive snake under her breath and swings again.
Thanks to the empowering presence of her masked friend, Luna managed to resist the foul spell!
"Once more!" ordered Garland as both he and his trusty companion stepped forward to confront their serpentine foe.
Luna quickly attempted to trip her enemy... only to slip on some blood again...
Meanwhile, Garland took an absolutely heroic swing... that only destroyed an image...
Cica curses the elusive snake under her breath and swings again.
[dice=Greatsword-PA]1d20+8-1
[dice=Damage+PA]2d6+6+3
[dice=image?]1d4
[dice=20% miss?]1d100
Cica slices through another image, reducing those remaining to two.
[dice=Luna Will Save]1d20+2
Thanks to the empowering presence of her masked friend, Luna managed to resist the foul spell!
"Once more!" ordered Garland as both he and his trusty companion stepped forward to confront their serpentine foe.
Luna quickly attempted to trip her enemy... only to slip on some blood again...
Meanwhile, Garland took an absolutely heroic swing... that only destroyed an image...
[dice=Bite (Bless)]1d20+4+1[dice=+1 Cold Iron Scythe (PA, Bless)]1d20+8-1+1
[dice=20% Miss Chance (High Good)]1d100
[dice=Images (3 Hits)]1d3
[dice=Damage (PA)]2d4+7+3
Garland slices into what must be the real serpentwoman, sluicing dark blood into the channel below.
The two dolls hop up to Ilistra, and their hands begin to glow with a dark red light. They reach out to touch the pyrokineticist.
Ilistra manages to dodge away from their grasp's.
The snake priestess chants a prayer, carefully warding herself as she does.
She easily manages to avoid the soldier's weapons as she completes her spell. Her eyes take on a red glow as her muscles swell.
Placidus headbutts the last image, wiping it out. "There, that must be her!"
The immediate threat snaps Ilistra out of her confusion and she takes a step back from the doll-like creatures. Heat again radiates off her, but she doesn't trust that to be a deterrent. She draws a corona of fire to her that she sends at the closest doll .
Ilistra burns one of the dolls attacking her badly.
================================
Initiative
Aberration 21
Group 1 (Darius, Garland, Cica) 18
Dolls 17
Yarzoth 12
Skellies 11.75
Group 2 (Ilistra, Placidus) 11
A horrid mass of eyes, mouths, and formless flesh staring in all directions with countless maws yammering ceaselessly emerges by flowing through the grating into the worship chamber. It rolls jelly-like towards Ilistra, and one of its mouths erupts a stream of blackish-red liquid at her.
Darian takes another pair of swipes at the caster to no avail.
Frustrated at how hard it is to hit the serpent caster, Cica tries to swing with more accuracy, even it it reduces her force somewhat.
When she misses again, she curses and spits, while pulling her sword back for another strike.
"Once more, Luna!" Garland said with fierce determination.
After taking a second to secure her footing, the noble wolf again lashed out at her serpentine foe... and finally landed a solid hit!
As his loyal ally tried to trip the snake woman, Garland quickly took the chance to attack as well...
Darian takes another pair of swipes at the caster to no avail.
[dice=Attack 1, Flank]1d20+4+2
[dice=Attack 2, Flank]1d20+4+2
"Once more, Luna!" Garland said with fierce determination.
After taking a second to secure her footing, the noble wolf again lashed out at her serpentine foe... and finally landed a solid hit!
As his loyal ally tried to trip the snake woman, Garland quickly took the chance to attack as well...
[dice=Luna Bite (Bless)]1d20+4+1
[dice=20% Miss Chance (High Good)]1d100
[dice=Damage]1d6+3[dice=Crit Confirm?]1d20+4+1
[dice=20% Miss Chance (High Good)]1d100
[dice=Damage]1d6+3[dice=Free Trip Attempt (Bless)]1d20+4+1
[dice=20% Miss Chance (High Good)]1d100[dice=Garland +1 Cold Iron Scythe (PA)]1d20+8-1+1
[dice=20% Miss Chance (High Good)]1d100
[dice=Damage]2d4+7+3
Luna bites the evil priestess, but fails to drag her down. Meanwhile, Garland's scythe misses her entirely.
The two dolls hop after Ilistra, trying to touch her again with their glowing hands.
One of them manages to touch her. Her flesh withers and rots off in a large sloughing chunk where the doll's bone hand smacks into her. "Hehehehehe! Tag, you're it!"
The second doll joins its companion in cackling madly, the vile red light still glowing around its hand.
The snake priestess's long neck turns and darts towards Darius in a viper's strike!
Twice her four inch long fangs puncture the rogue's flesh, and each time he feels a pulse of vile venom burning into the wounds. Within moments he begins to sweat and feel dizzy and weak.
Placidus charges to Ilistra's aid, delivering a swift kick to the burnt bone doll's head.
His foot smashes the doll's head to pieces, and the rest of it falls apart in a pile on the floor.
"Get behind me, Ilistra!"
The little doll stabs Ilistra in her calf as she backs away. The pyro turns and flings another glob of fire into the gibbering mouther's face. Pieces of amorphous flesh and teeth go flying, blasted off into smoking chunks which splatter the wall.
Initiative
Aberration 21
Group 1 (Darius, Garland, Cica) 18
Dolls 17
Yarzoth 12
Skellies 11.75
Group 2 (Ilistra, Placidus) 11
The mouther spits another stream of blackish tarry substance at Ilistra. This time it hits her directly in the face and her world goes dark. Then it rolls forward in a charge toward Placidus! One of its mouths, this one resembling a dog, bites at the ebon warrior.
Placidus deflects the blow with his shield.
Darius continues to try and deliver lethal blows to the serpentine arcanist near him to try and finish them off.
Cica nods and smiles.
Hoping having her cornered helps, she takes another swing...only to find herself once again completely vexed.
Gods above, what have I done to you? Please, I know I can be a soldier, don't let me die in this cursed ruin!
Darius continues to try and deliver lethal blows to the serpentine arcanist near him to try and finish them off.
[dice=Attack, Flank]1d20+4+2
[dice=Damage, Sneak attack]1d4+1+2d8
[dice=Attack, Flank]1d20+4+2
[dice=Damage, Sneak attack]1d4+2d8
[dice=Confirm, Flank]1d20+4+2
Garland again waited for Luna to hopefully trip the snake woman before attacking. Alas, the noble wolf's efforts once more seemingly failed to yield fruit. However, our hero nonetheless managed to land a heroic swing against their serpentine foe!
Seeing that Ilistra might need some help, Garland quickly whistled for Luna to once more guard their fiery friend.
Darius continues to try and deliver lethal blows to the serpentine arcanist near him to try and finish them off.
Darius manages to stab the snake woman once, leaving a bloody rent in her robes.
Cica misses her attack, while Garland lands a more significant blow with his scythe. The snake priestess hisses in pain and anger.
The remaining doll hops towards Placidus and attacks him.
Its little dagger can't manage to pierce his armor.
The snake priestess decides to give her poison a little more time to work on Darius, so she turns and tries to sink her fangs into Garland!
She bites the masked hero once, but doesn't manage to inject much venom!
Ilistra's cries are muffled as she claws at the black substance covering her face. She writhes in shock and fear, and reflexively generates a defensive shimmer of heat radiating off her body while she's blinded.
Placidus keeps his shield between himself and the abberrant blob at his feet, while turning to drive his heel through the doll in a donkey kick.
He cracks several of the bones making up the doll, but the evil little poppet is still hopping.
The gibbering mouther rolls over into the blood. Its quivering toothed pseudopods lash out at Luna!
The monster manages to latch on to Luna like a giant baggish leech, and starts to drink her blood. Meanwhile, one of its unoccupied mouths sends another stream of tarry spit at Placidus.
The spit hits Placidus directly in the face, but he manages to close his eyes first and power through the pain to blink the goo away.
Clearly starting to lose it, sweat streaks down her face as Cica swings wildly, muttering "Dammit! Dammit!! Dammitt!!!"
Darius continues to try and split the snake man open with his curved daggers.
Darius continues to try and split the snake man open with his curved daggers.
[dice=Attack, Flank]1d20+4+2
[dice=Damage]1d4+1+2d8
[dice=Attack, Flank]1d20+4+2
[dice=Damage]1d4+2d8
[dice=Confirm, Flank]1d20+4+2
[dice=Damage]1d4
Seeing that his serpentine foe was on the verge of defeat, Garland decided to go assist his trusty companion Luna!