Nabi is quick to take cover behind a tomb and to pick her short bow, unleashing some arrows toward the monstruous foes
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"Think they're demon slayers, they do!" Bano--the only one of the two left with lips--quips.
"Circus performers, actually. After a while with the circus, you get used to being called on for all sorts of odd jobs."
"What in blazes is wrong with this town!?" Clover gasps as one of the gravediggers reveals their true form. She focuses on the horrid beast, mentally marking it as her prey, before cautiously moving to the south and taking cover behind one of the nearby headstones.
______________
Nabi rushes over to a headstone where she draws her bow and fires an arrow into the grotesque vermlek. Abyssal ichor drips from the wound and burns the holy ground. Clover hustles over to take cover behind a headstone.
The worm demon writhes in place, and a sense of dread begins to creep into Rulean's mind. Then the demon undulates and slithers toward him.
The other portly man drops his shovel and walks around the open graves, then along a row of headstones, and then makes his way next to the wall toward Clover. She cannot see beneath the mask, but she suspects the man just licked his lips.
Song-of-Air begins an inspiring song of doubtless filkness. She then draws her bow and fires an arrow toward the revealed demon. Even threading the shaft through her brother, an iruxi, and headstones, she plants her missile in the mauve flesh of the vermlek. The demon squeals in frustration.
Encounter! Round 1/2. Bold may act.
Jindo (Red) (-13 hp)
Bano (Blue)
Song-of-Air
Leaf-on-Wind
Ephie
> Mr. Splinters
--2--
Nabi
Rulean (Will vs. DC 19 Fear, save is pre-inspire courage)
Clover
> Snowball
Ephie moves within 30 feet of the enemies.
I don't have any sonic spells either. He casts Electric Arc.
With Blue closing the distance much more quickly than she'd anticipated, Clover is forced to turn her attention to him. She draws her longspear before taking a cautious step back.
"Snowy! Time to to get 'em!"
______________
Upon hearing the familiar command Snowy leaps into action, scurrying up to Blue and attempting to rip into his leg!
______________
With the disgusting creature face-to-face with him, Rulean draws his morningstar. He swings once at the creature and then moves to be back-to-back with Clover.
Ephie sends a lightning bolt into the worm demon, striking it directly. The energy arcs to the other graverobber, but he proves to be surprisingly agile for a man of his bulk and rolls to avoid some of the damage. Clover is treated to the smell of burning flesh as she withdraws and sends Snowball after the graverobber. The badger, unfortunately, finds his prey hard to catch.
Rulean's mind is filled with dread, but he still manages to smash his morningstar into the writhing vermlek before withdrawing to his ally.
Encounter! Round 1/2. Bold may act.
Jindo (Red) (-23 hp)
Bano (Blue) (-3 hp)
Song-of-Air
Leaf-on-Wind
Ephie
> Mr. Splinters
--2--
Nabi
Rulean (frightened 1)
Clover
> Snowball
Leaf-On-Wind is entirely too close to the worm-thing. He retreats rapidly, then pulls out his bow and lets forth one shot at the worm.
,,
Nabi unleashes two arrows in quick succession toward the demon fighting the badger.
Maybe in too quick succession, as the second arrow buries itself in the sacred, if a little soggy, ground, near Snowy
Oooops, sorry Snowy.
Nabi fires a rapid pair of arrows. The first lodges loosely in the protuberant belly of the gravedigger . The second lands short and sticks into the ground .
Leaf-on-Wind withdraws from the vermlek's proximity and draws his bow. He sends a shaft into the purple flesh, adding yet another arrow to the demon's collection.
Ichor oozing from its multiple wounds, the worm demon slithers after Rulean, pinning the iruxi and halfling between the gravedigger and itself at the ends of the rows of headstones. It lunges toward Rulean with its gaping maw filled with wiggling fangs and catches him in a bloody and violet bite. Seeking to finish the job, the demon lunges again, but is too slow the second time.
"I've got a plan! You eat the lizardfolk; I'll get the rest!" the gravedigger shouts before turning to pummel the badger with several supernaturally powerful punches.
Encounter! Round 2/3. Bold may act.
Jindo (Red) (-31 hp)
Bano (Blue) (-3 hp)
Song-of-Air
Leaf-on-Wind
Ephie
> Mr. Splinters
--3--
Nabi
Rulean (13/26 hp; frightened 1)
Clover
> Snowball (10/24 hp)
Ephie looks worried about Rulean, but there's nothing he can do. He decides to empower the cleric's morningstar.
“Why are you here, foul demon?!?” Rulean asks as he around with his morningstar.
He then gives a spark of divine inspiration to Clover.
Leaf-On-Wind stands a bit straighter as an arrow strikes home against the worm. He takes a step back, lets out a slow breath, then lets two arrows fly.
Ephie manipulates the threads of power and grants Rulean's morningstar greater power. The iruxi immediately attempts to put that power to good use, but his swings fly wide in his haste. He feels the nagging doubts and fear finally fade from his mind.
Leaf-on-Wind grazes the worm demon's hide with an arrow. His second bounces off of a headstone.
Encounter! Round 2/3. Bold may act.
Jindo (Red) (-33 hp)
Bano (Blue) (-3 hp)
Song-of-Air
Leaf-on-Wind
Ephie
> Mr. Splinters
--3--
Nabi
Rulean (13/26 hp; magic weapon)
Clover (guidance)
> Snowball (10/24 hp)
While Song-of-Air inspires you with her music, she fires a pair of arrows at the vermlek. One of the arrows sinks into the rubbery flesh.
"ہمیں مدعو کیا گیا تھا!" the vermlek calls out in answer to Rulean's question.
Encounter! Round 2/3. Bold may act.
Jindo (Red) (-38 hp)
Bano (Blue) (-3 hp)
Song-of-Air
Leaf-on-Wind
Ephie
> Mr. Splinters
--3--
Nabi
Rulean (13/26 hp; magic weapon)
Clover (guidance)
> Snowball (10/24 hp)
Nabi shoots again toward the badger's opponent.
In the vaguely direction of the badger's opponent would be closer to the truth.
Disgusted, she puts her bow down, and is ready to pull her sword out of the sheat
"Damn!"
It's agony but Clover turns her attention back to Red, hoping to help put him down before he actually does manage to make a meal of Rulean.
"Snowy, get outta there! We'll handle it!"
______________
Though injured, Snowy takes one more snap at Blue before falling back as his mistress commands.
______________
Nabi throws down her bow in disgust after her two arrows take errant paths and draws her sword. Clover turns around and stabs her spear into the skinned vermlek, drawing out yet more of its black ichor. Snowball makes one last snap at the gravedigger before scurrying away.
"Huh! He got out of my way!" the gravedigger says in bemusement. "That won't save you, you oversized weasel!"
The worm demon rears back and flares its mouth parts wide. Iruxi scales and blood drip from its dozens of serrated teeth as it ululates some horrid series of sounds, and it writhes and twists its body. A wave of pain rolls across the graveyard, catching everyone but the badger.
"Ow! You bastard!" the gravedigger curses as a small ulcer opens on his face. He makes the same unholy sounds that the worm made and points at Snowball--the poor badger feels his life being drained--and then makes his way toward the back line.
Encounter! Round 3/4. Bold may act.
Jindo (Red) (-43 hp)
Bano (Blue) (-4 hp)
Song-of-Air (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
Leaf-on-Wind (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
Ephie (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
> Mr. Splinters (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
--4--
Nabi (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
Rulean (13/26 hp; magic weapon) (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
Clover (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
> Snowball (10/24 hp) (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 5 negative damage)
OW!
Ephie throws his axe at the skinned Vermleck, then arcs them again.
Leaf-On-Wind's feathers stand on end as the nasty oily pain washes over him. Still, it's about as bad as some of the falls he took at Madame Dusklight's circus, so he shrugs it off for the moment, letting two arrows fly.
The acrobat backs up even further and lets one last arrow fly at the wormier worm.
"You have really bad breath." Rulean quips at Jindo. "Don't know what you said about why you are here. Guess I may never know."
He then swings his morningstar at the creature again.
He then spends some time healing himself.
You take a moment to recover from the wave of demonic pain, slightly worse for wear.
Song-of-Air continues her rousing tune. Her brother repositions and plants another arrow deep into the vermlek's flesh, but the second shot flies wide, and the third arrow glances off of the rubbery demon flesh. Ephie's antique axe whirls across the battlefield and decapitates the worm demon. It falls to the ground in two swiftly decaying piles of Abyssal flesh and fangs.
Ephie then conjures lightning to smite the remaining foe. Once again the portly gravedigger demonstrates uncanny reflexes and avoids the brunt of the strike.
Granted a reprieve by his companions dogged determination to take down the demon, Rulean restores his body to perfect health and considers his next move.
Encounter! Round 3/4. Bold may act.
Bano (Blue) (-7 hp)
Song-of-Air (20/20 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (26/28 hp)
Ephie (20/24 hp)
> Mr. Splinters
--4--
Nabi (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
Rulean (26/26 hp; magic weapon) (1 Action remains)
Clover (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
> Snowball (10/24 hp) (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 5 negative damage)
Clover hisses with pain as the vermlek's negative energy washes over her, causing bits of her skin to shrivel and blacken. But she pushes the pain to one side; now that Rulean is safe she's got to help her Snowy.
"Snowy's smart enough to listen to what he's told. How's it feel to be dumber than a badger?" she calls out to Blue as she circles around behind him and stabs at the creature with her longspear.
"Keep moving Snowy, keep moving!"
______________
Rulean strides over to Bano. "You're turn."
Snowy continues to scurry away from Blue, darting past Nabi and up towards the nearby fountain.
______________
Clover moves down the row of headstones and thrusts her spear deep into the body hiding the second vermlek. "I'm not the one who walked closer to death!"
The gravedigger extends a disturbingly long and clearly non-human tongue to lick his lips as reply to Rulean's threat.
Encounter! Round 3/4. Bold may act.
Bano (Blue) (-15 hp)
Song-of-Air (20/22 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (26/28 hp)
Ephie (20/24 hp)
> Mr. Splinters
--4--
Nabi (Basic Fort vs. DC 19, 2 negative damage)
Rulean (26/26 hp; magic weapon) (1 Action remains)
Clover (28/30 hp)
> Snowball (8/24 hp)
Nabi hops over the gravestone and slashes at the demon, seizing the opportunity to get some revenge now that the fiend is caught between her and Rulean
+
+
A deathwish, maybe?
Nabi moves in and drives her blade deep into the gravedigger's portly flank. She pulls it out and drives it in for a blow that would surely have slain a mortal, even of such girth. However, with the second blow, the gravedigger's body begins to swiftly deflate and then the wound rips upwards and downwards. The flesh peels backwards and explodes all over the ground to reveal the purple, fanged worm of a vermlek.
The demon darts towards the acrobat and clamps its fang-riddled mouth on her arm, leaving a ragged wound.
Encounter! Round 4/5. Bold may act.
Bano (Blue) (-26 hp)
Song-of-Air (20/22 hp) (Will save vs. Unsettling Movements below)
Leaf-on-Wind (26/28 hp) (Will save vs. Unsettling Movements below)
Ephie (20/24 hp) (Will save vs. Unsettling Movements below)
> Mr. Splinters
--5--
Nabi (16/26 hp) (Will save vs. Unsettling Movements below)
Rulean (magic weapon) (Will save vs. Unsettling Movements below)
Clover (28/30 hp) (Will save vs. Unsettling Movements below)
> Snowball (8/24 hp)
Success: No effect
Failure: Frightened 1
Critical Failure: Frightened 1 & Sickened 1
"Ewww!"
Rulean looks disgusted with all the body parts that went flying, a few of them having splattered over him. He turns to the side and dry heaves but still doesn't feel any better.
Still he swings his morningstar at the worm in the middle of the mess.
The half-orc gnashes his teeth. I am Utterly SICK AND TIRED of this thing!
Ephriam lobs a ray of frost at the creature.
Ephie then raises a shield.
Rulean retches as the gore splatters the ground and him. He rallies and swings his enchanted morningstar with such force that he splits open the top half of the worm's mouth, causing two of the many mouth parts to dangle and twitch limply. He hammers into the worm demon again with his enchanted weapon. Then a ray of cold energy zips across the field and freezes the demon solid.
End of Combat
Status
Song-of-Air (20/22 hp)
Leaf-on-Wind (26/28 hp)
Ephie (20/24 hp)
> Mr. Splinters
Nabi (16/26 hp)
Rulean
Clover (28/30 hp)
> Snowball (8/24 hp)
Rulean smashes the corpse again just to make sure it is dead.
"How can anything be that disgusting!"
Then he looks down at himself and his equipment. Still looking nauseous he tries to scrape off the worst of the mess, to little effect.
"Eyeeeuuuuwwww!"
Even with the second vermlek slain, Clover still looks highly shaken by having watched it emerge from the corpse it'd been hiding in. "That was almost worse than the wasps! Where'd things like that even come from??"
She whistles for Snowy, who finally approaches. The halfling winces when she sees the extent of the badger's injuries. "Oh Snowy, I'm sorry..." she murmurs as she gingerly strokes her companion's fur. "You did good. You were very brave! We'll get you patched up in no time, okay?"
I need to go buy some bandages and stuff, for times like this.
Once you have taken a moment to compose--and possibly clean--yourselves, you see that the gravedigger demons possessed nothing more than their shovels and now-shredded clothes. There is enough of the corpses faces left that someone might be able to recognize them if they are local.
The opened graves contain wooden coffins with their lids either pried or broken open. The corpses are largely gone. Only the occasional arm or lower leg with evidence of being chewed.
"Uh...were they eating the bodies?" Clover can't help but ask, looking a little green around the gills. "I thought they were graverobbers and that would've been bad enough!"
After a pause, she suddenly looks around towards the church itself.
"Is this place empty? We made enough noise that folks should've come running if anyone was nearby."
Leaf-On-Wind is 'in the zone' and zeroed-in on the target. Even if the target is a disgusting Abyssal entity, it doesn't change the fact that the target is due to meet their demise shortly.
When it does so, he tilts his head and places the two arrows he was about to shoot back into his quiver.
"...huh."
"We should probably check the church, but I'm not holding out a lot of hope there." he offers after a somber moment of seeing how others reacted to the creatures.
"Anyone need patching up?" the acrobat offers, pulling out his first aid kit.
"Um, Snowy could, please, if we've got a few minutes," Clover answers. "Once you've gotten the others first, I mean."
"Eew. That was so gross. I'm mostly okay, though."
"Leaf if you want to heal Nabi I can care for Snowy." Rulean offers.
He has Clover keep the badger calm as he treats the wounds. Snowy is looking a lot better after Rulean is done.
Ephie pokes at the frozen vermlek. Fascinating. He mutters about a variety of parasitic worms he's studied or seen in jars at university.
Well. Is a Vermlek a parasite? Or were these poor gravediggers dead already, serving as camouflage rather than of hosts? I hope the latter.
Grim as his task is, the morbid wizard is determined to learn what he can in case other creatures of this kind are about.
"If they were digging up dead bodies, that suggests they use them as camouflage. Creatures of the outer planes do not have the same physiology as creatures native to our world."
A cogent theory.
Nabi doesn't even flinch.
Which is more unsettling in itself, perhaps.
She picks up her bow and remaining arrows.
Reaaly odd to find these kind of creature, no? I thought they had to be called in by a magician or priest, but tha's way out of my area of expertise. I could do with some healing too, if you don't mind, Rulean
“One moment!” Rulean says as he finishes the last of his ministrations on Snowy and then in a friendly manner rubs his head.
He then moves over to see what he can do for Nabi.
After a little bit, he gives up. “Sorry, I don’t think that was very effective. If needed, I can use some of my magic to heal you.”
“As for the verkleks, they are demons. Now that the Worldwound is closed, I only know of two ways to get demons here — a summoning spell or a ritual. They must have been brought in by ritual since a spell doesn’t allow them to stay long.”
“I have no idea why anyone would be foolish enough to conjure demons, especially not something as disgusting as those.”