Abnaki prepares himself to have to fight his friend. If Ozhna doesn't come to however, the inklings of an idea begin to form in his head. He knew he fed that crow before the fight for some reason...
Mishipeshu leaps upon one of the burning Undines attempting to rip it to shreds
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Samen is starting to get a little nervous about all these golems under his control. It goes against his style to not liquidate threats permanently, but two of his allies are in danger, so he goes deeper down this path.
"All of you, restrain the Sylph."
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Ibinu takes a Superman leap off the steps and launches himself into the air, heading out over the temple steps and the burning undines.
Inam Smithrock's voice can still be heard over the din of the battle, chanting, prayer, exulting. The phoenix symbol grows, now challenging the Temple itself for sheer size. You hear shouts from all over the city of elens rallying and fighting back against the forces of this leering god.
Moon approaches, seemingly drawn to the flaming beacon. It seems to be only scant minutes from 'arriving' at Hearth.
Gabriel, still hunting inquisitors, runs on nearly-silent feet toward the last one on the field.
Inquisitor Ky La gives a small smirk in Gabriel's direction, as if showing amusement at the shadowy figure. He takes a five-foot step away.
"Lord Moon - will you aid me?" The inquisitor begins babbling in Doppish, a disturbing language that sounds like an elen backward.
The two remaining silver golems are healed by the mercurial icicles raining from the sky. Their shapes are somewhat restored from Ibinu's earlier fireball. The invigorated golems proceed to slaughter the guard in the area (deleted)
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As Moon's presence reaches ever closer, the burning undines transform into horrible caricatures of a phoenix; they sprout miscolored feathers, their lips deform into half-beaks, and a sickly pus-yellow glow pulses in their skin.
They are considerably slowed by these deformations and growths, so the undines only make a little progress toward the top of the Temple.
One of the false phoenixes, bigger than the other, does take flight briefly, and lands most of the way up the final steps (map updated).
The power of Abnaki's sheer charisma, along with the charms of the Fey and the mystical gear he has equipped, is enough to break through Osna's hypnotic state. He shakes his head, blinks, then looks around wildly. He looks ready to fling his dagger away to the east, but-
At Samen's command, the golems restrain Osna. You cannot hear his silenced cry of pain as the cold machines grasp him with over-large fists.
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Abnaki is caught up by several emotions all at once. Relief at the return of his friend, disgust tinged with pity at the state of the false phoenix's condition, and a strong desire to save the rest of the Sleepers from a similar fate.
He wasn't a master enchanter like Samen, or even Phon Vos, but what he had was his own intuition, and an at-best-tenuous grasp on magical theory that was far more dangerous than no knowledge at all. No sane El would try this, but by the light of Moon, Abnaki was far from sane. Besides, it was somewhat questionable how much of an El he was at this point.
Abnaki lets his performance end, it wasn't going to be that useful in the silence zone, and he'd have to restart it at the location of the fight anyway. Normally, he'd continue to give +2 to hit and damage to anyone who could see his flag, but he passed his spear the Ohzna, both as a symbolic gesture, and so that he could put both hands over the Sylph's forehead.
Moon, through Ohzna, had opened a tunnel into Abnaki's mind. Abnaki aimed to show the malignant entity why that was poor planning on it's part.
Abnaki attempted to hold on to the remnants of the magics that had controlled Ohzna. He had walked in dreams before, and the borders between this world and The Dreaming seemed to be quite thin. Following the connection back, he made his move. He certainly didn't think that he was strong enough to overpower Moon. Or even strong enough to really slow it down. But maybe, he could take up enough of it's attention to free the unaltered Undines.
Gabriel will fight through the pain and chase Ky la down with a vengeance, he'll command shadow to flank as well
Shadow, that's our target, help me out !
Mishipeshu continues his relentless assault, pouncing on the next closest burning undine and unleashing a flurry of claw and fang.
As Mishipeshu continues to guard her, Sequoya sets her sights on the larger false pheonix taking to the air, firing a pair of enhanced arrows at the monster.
Staggering back, away from the golems and their captive. Pressing her free hand to cover her mouth. Not that it can really hide the blood. What am I doing?
Looking around and her throat starts to spasm, nothing is familiar. The noise makes her blood thrum in a away that makes the pain disappear. But cutting though the noise as she had before Inam Smithrock gives her something to focus on. Familiar, familiar is good. Its grounding and solid. There are reasons to not die in battle, not yet.
A pale green glow creeps out from the axe and rolls under her armor and the leaves her rocky skin looking more like birch wood. Thank you.
Gabriel, your attack hits the inquisitor, but he only seems pleased that you have revealed yourself. He babbles in Doppish and the two newly-healed golems lurch toward you.
(they already attacked this round, but you are flanked by fearsome golems now)
The Mercy of Inam
Kallik, you feel your old familiar connection to Inam, and the warm wonder of her healing flows through you.
(Ibinu and Sequoya still have a heal remaining)
Samen, as the pessimistic thoughts of relying on the rings and golems of the enemy nag at you--
you feel a terrible, dry chill run up your spine; a staggering force pummels your body, like heavy gravedirt dumped upon your head.
Sequoya, your companion Mishipeshu deftly aid the guards, and puts down one of the false phoenixes. The creature begins to dissolve into a foul, smelly paste.
(map updated)
Your arrows both hit, but this larger creature is obviously made of stronger stuff than the others.
The elite guards back up calmly, surrounding Inam more closely. They do not waver, even a moment. Even from a distance, there is a fierce pride in the set of their shoulders as they protect their Emberheart.
How can a dream save a life? Can a dream stop an arrow, or turn a sword?
Perhaps not, but I can change an elen's heart, for better or worse. Certainly, an elen can wake from a dream.
As these whispered words drift about the battlefield, the silence is shattered, and the nearby sleepers, young and old, begin to awake. Osna Ghosthand is fully restored. One of the false phoenixes is restored.
And for my part I can fly them across that cottony border between story and truth. I have done it for all of time. But you ask too much, cottonweaver storyteller pricklecatcher. Your fey mind is already prone to wander, and dreamwalker you shall be, your gaze pulled from the present at all hours. Detached, bemused, a daydreamer, a nightdreamer, a dim and bright roamer.
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Mishipeshu bounds uphill after another of the burning undines, leaping onto it and viciously tearing into it.
Sequoya continues the attack on the larger, flying faux phoenix.
Sequoya, you score another hit with your arrow - it sinks right into the flesh, leaving only the tail showing, your own personal green-purple fletching standing out among the sickly yellows and pale reds of the imitation beast.
Ibinu, seeing that physical attacks alone will not be enough, hurls a Molten Orb upon the clumsily flying abomination.
the creature suddenly dips at the last moment, and the erratic motion causes Ibniu to miss. It careens into a neaby obsidian pillar instead, and some of the splashing magma from the impact still hits.
(reposted from the spoiler)
The hateful basso profundo of Stof rings in Samen's ears:
Freed from all compulsion, the three golems rush forward madly, like bugs on a hot surface.
And though the clomping machines crack granite and obsidian in their wake, they prove easy to dodge and confound.
Gabriel's shadow attacks twice, just as Gabriel would,
...and leaves the inquisitor dead from sudden blood loss in a matter of seconds.
The murderous deed done by his very useful shadow, Gabriel steals away into the dark, Dark night.
(enemies, continued)
The eastern golems cannot see Gabriel, and their erstwhile command-giver, the inquisitor, is dead. They punch at the air where Gabriel was previously.
The mid-tier guards look surprised as Mishipeshu sprints off faster than they can follow. Mishipeshu's attacks are largely successful, but the pliant form of the nightmarish creature flows around his claws, ensnaring the tiger and being caught in turn.
The top-tier guards advance slightly as the faux phoenix lands noisily. They keep as much space as possible between the creature and the paladin.
The mid-tier guards have panicked slightly with Mishipeshu in trouble, and fall back to attack the false phoenix to the north with arrows.
"Never trust the Storyteller. Only trust the story. Am I telling this story, or is it happening now? And does it matter either way?"
Abnaki moves closer to Samen and Kalik re-begins a (fey)performance as a move action. All bad guys that touch the ground within 60ft must make a DC 20 reflex save, or fall prone. He takes the spear back from Ohzna. The two seem to have swapped their level of addlement.
The roots of a Quiet Elder must travel far and wide, for an Elder has a mighty thirst. A few such roots burst out of the ruined granite courtyard, knocking the golems to the ground. A few fragrant purple flowers bloom spontaneously, as if in triumph or greeting.
Lashing out at the careening golem.
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Samen takes a moment to collect himself and have a brief conversation with this new old threat.
You execrable malignancy! Quit punishing me for crimes done in innocence you odious abomination! I have been nothing but patient and tolerant of you, and this fight is as much yours as mine. If you don't like controlling golems, imagine how Moon will make dance in the wind if he wins. You issued me three banes unjustly. Now you me three boons. Release those three dust spirits animating those golems back to the dust plane, and we're square. Refuse at your own peril.
That business aside, he resorts to conventional tactics.
Samen, the authority in your words, the invocation of old laws of balance and debt, traps and binds the hateful dust genie anew. It curses in ancient dead tongues as it carries out your command - no longer animated by Stof's malevolence, the golems go still.
For a moment.
Under the happy face of Moon, these husks gain new life and take on a shimmering yellowish aura.
(still prone currently)
Kallik steps up and hammers into the same golem that Samen hit. Gotta put these things down before they get back up.
...and with a hideous rending of twisted metal, Kallik's fury reduces one of the golems to scrap, despite being newly invigorated by Moon.
(deleted)
Saving Finale time! Bardic performance ends again.
Abnaki moves out of the moon golem's influence.
Abnaki laughs. It's not entirely pleasant, a bit of a strained giggle. "We're all mad here. I'm mad already Moon. You're not the only one here who can do strange things to minds! Witness me!"
Abnaki casts glibness. Lemme know when the big baddie gets here, I currently have +38 to bluff checks to convince things of the truth of my words, and impossible lies are only -20...
Samen's expression turns from satisfaction to chagrin as the golems reanimate. "Well Volc. That's not better."
While he hears the tickling of mad laughter in the back of his head, he stays focused on the task at hand, and pummels the golems.