Round 4
The red haired elf backs up and watches his companions having some trouble in dispatching the elemental.
Round 4
Jorne gives as good as he gets smashing into the elemental. Jorne gets slammed only once. You see the blood well up on his face from the blow, much of it washing away and the cut seals itself soon after. The rest of your groups attacks seem to have no effect even if they hit.
21 Lykan
18 Jorne
16 Elemental
13 Jezebel
12 St. John
7 Quince
7 Dinenen
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
Round 5-8
He gives as good as he takes if not better than the elemental.
His strikes smash upon the water elemental. It almost looks like he is dancing and is having a good time.
stance, acid, electricity damage
stance, acid, electricity damage
Missing the second time as the first displaces a lot of water.
43
Round 6
stance, acid, electricity damage
stance, acid, electricity damage
13
Round 7
stance, acid, electricity damage
stance, acid, electricity damage
He finishes the battle and the elemental dissipates into harmless sulfuric water as he smashed it with his halberd.
After taking a sigh he quickly asks, "How are we on spells? What spells are active and how much longer is on them? Should we just wait for me to heal, who else is hurt?"
Quince moves about waiting for a chance to strike. Slamming in with his sword shaking in about hoping to further disrupt the creature.
Quince tries to take chunks from the side of the creature.
Quince slams in.
Quince moves about waiting for a chance to strike.
"Heal up. Anyone else need healing," he readies a wand.
Round 5
Round 6
Round 7
Round 8
"Sadly, yes, I still bear wounds."
Round 4-8
The Red haired elf watches his companions and decides that Jorne is the most dangerous if he ever had to hunt any of them with Dinenen a very close second.
Jorne didn't seem to need healing since he had some form of regeneration. The others though would need it but Quince never seemed to run out of spells or items to help. The way he pulled them out of his bag of tricks was astounding to say the list. What could a simple hunter like him offer? His bow and claws wouldn't be much help here.
Quince makes his way to the monk pulling out a wand to assist in the healing of the elf. He whispers a quiet prayer.
"Again, my thanks, My Lord. Water elemental seem to fit with what we have seen so far?"
"Let's get moving. I try to keep hope kindled that our mission is one that might rescue the people of Varnhold and not avenge them." He weakly smiles but looks up with steely eyes. "Though justice will come if they are lost to us."
As the group moves forward Quince looks between Dinenen and Lykan. "You two are interesting companions. A monk seeking to touch things beyond his senses to find what, some enlightenment, and a hunter who has honed those senses to a visceral point."
Dinenen nods at Quince's statement. "Not to find enlightenment, as I don't believe there's a simple insight that will allow me to become more than I have been. More trying to find a way to stretch beyond who I have been. Seeking a way to grow, one step at a time, into something more than I was born." He seems to grow taller and more confident as he says this, but then immediately shrinks to less than he started. "I fail to extend myself far more often than I succeed. That's no excuse to quit trying though. If it were easy, the results would still be worth the effort. But those results wouldn't be much. I believe the path of self-improvement and constant testing that Irori defined for us will help me build myself into a better being." He returns to the appearance of his original stature as he discusses the reward and effort relationship of the task he has accepted.
As the group moves forward Quince looks between Dinenen and Lykan. "You two are interesting companions. A monk seeking to touch things beyond his senses to find what, some enlightenment, and a hunter who has honed those senses to a visceral point."
The Red hair elf crouches behind a rock outcropping.
"I'm but a simple hunter honed through my years of hunting the common riff-raff that plagues the forests and lands where I roam. However the world is vast as mysterious as Nature's will is. I have come across companions such as Jorne and yourself and I am somewhat relieved yet challenged that ones such as yourselves exist." He gives a grin that seems somewhat pained."And I do not relished the fact that my chances of hunting any of you will likely not be successful given the vast resources you have at your disposal. That also includes some of your rather impressive martial prowess I have witnessed myself."
"It's also now vexing that the more I search for my current quarry, the further I seem to be from their spoor."
"Well I hope we give you no reason to hunt us." He smiles a look in his eye shows he runs some of Lykan's words through his mind. "I once would have called myself simple enough. A son of a minor relative of the Medvyed lords. Providence sometimes strikes hard. I had no idea who would come to live in our frontier nation. Our hill giant Warden who joined our service is not the strangest."
He let the others heal and talk as he returned to the process of finding any traps, he finally gets to the doors and is about to comment...
...as the liche talks he inches his way forward looking for traps.
Then the laughing begins, it is a cold laugh that seems to have a hollowness to it.
As you open the bronze doors it opens into a throneroom. A cyclopian liche resides on the throne of bones and holds massive ruby where it's eye should be. This is the creature that is crackling out that horrid laugh.
"Oh I have been preparing for you but you will soon meet your demise!" He cackles. "But first we should have introductions and I will truthfully answer you each a question."
"I am Vordakai cyclopian seer from a bygone age and your doom." He says with confidence and waits for you to introduce yourselves.
Beyond his throne room you see piles upon piles of coins and the hint of other items within the hoard.
You also see that the air between him and you seems to be distorting.
Paralyzing Touch (Su)
Any living creature a lich hits with its touch attack must succeed on a Fortitude save or be permanently paralyzed. Remove paralysis or any spell that can remove a curse can free the victim (with a DC equal to the lich’s save DC). The effect cannot be dispelled. Anyone paralyzed by a lich seems dead, though a DC 20 Perception check or a DC 15 Heal check reveals that the victim is still alive.
Rejuvenation (Su)
When a lich is destroyed, its phylactery (which is generally hidden by the lich in a safe place far from where it chooses to dwell) immediately begins to rebuild the undead spellcaster’s body nearby. This process takes 1d10 days—if the body is destroyed before that time passes, the phylactery merely starts the process anew.
The most common form of phylactery is a sealed metal box containing strips of parchment on which magical phrases have been transcribed. The box is Tiny and has 40 hit points, hardness 20, and a break DC of 40.
Other forms of phylacteries can exist, such as rings, amulets, or similar items.
He continues to look for traps but looks up to respond to the main threat, "I am Jorne Fyrestone Stavian and we are undead's bane. I am an agent of the new nation of Greenwatch and this... this is my liege,
Quince Medvyed. Oh how civil, can we discuss before you or must we ask questions now?"
The liche seems quite interested in your group, and responds well to Jorne's words, "Not at all. Please discuss and decide which questions you want, so then once I answer the five questions we shall begin. Thank you for asking and being such a cooperative guest. I see you have brought me one of my minions, it looks like Jezebel is quite angry for our contract. But before we begin I think I will terminate the contract, unless you can sweeten the deal for me?"
Names have power. Do not yield power unless you must. "I am a simple elf of no consequence, a follower of Irori seeking to better himself. My name is pointless. Call me monk if you need address me, please."
He then turns his back on the liche, preparing for the conversation he thinks is about to start. "I am afraid there will be no end to this but violence. I see no reason to expect beneficial answers to our questions. I would neither treat with nor trust this . . . thing in the least. Though it might be amused to answer questions about the apparent demise of the local population?"
The red haired elf ponders what his companions have to say.
"I am Lykàn." He pauses to see if anything else would happen.
Quince smirks and looks at Jorne, "I had a whole other answer waiting. Something about death come to finish the job, but your diplomacy might help us find more about the people we wish to find. Do they live, where are they. Questions we probably want answered." Quince speaks quieter, "The lich even if defeated will linger till we find its phylactery a box or container of some kind. Its touch can paralyze, cold or electricity damage cannot harm it. Also there is something happening in the air between us and the lich be wary it is likely a defense." He looks at the others and speaks again as if they had all be talking amongst each other the whole time, "That is a good question let's ask that. Any other questions." As he speaks he rather absently and benignly pulls fort his scepter holding it and moving it in his hand like it is an extension of his communications and normal gestures. He listens for any additional questions from the others but he looks toward the lich noting the distortion in the air.
"Then I'll go first." The red haired elf states as he turns to the liche.
"Where can I the missing city??" he asks.
"Which missing city? I could give you information on so many places." The liche asks.
As Lykan steps forward to speak Quince whispers to those close to the group. "The distortion between us and the lich. Some sort of invisible semicircle. Might be additional enemies."
Forewarned, The elf waits and focus on the space before the lich.
"I speak of Varnhold." he replies while considering the placement of the lich.
"Ah yes Varnhold. I was there for a brief visit. Tradegy befell them and likely you saw some of them in the dining hall. Those memories were very useful." He mocks you with his words.
"So what are your questions? I am about done waiting." He says in agitation.
Frustrated and trying not to boil over with agitation himself Quince blurts, "Do any of Varnhold live still, and no I do not consider undeath 'living'?"
"It appears my question is different from that of my companions. Why should we trust that any of your answers reflect the truth of the situation in question?"
The red haired elf prepares himself.
It seems that this lich was only playing with them.
He answers Quince, "Yes, I hold at least a dozen, maybe three, still alive."
Then to Dinenen he responds, "For those who will soon come into my fold through undeath, what would I gain from lying? You have amused me up to this point so I promised to answer your question truthfully." He seems sincere and analytical.
With the rest of them having asked their question, he focuses on the question they agreed upon, "Where are those from Varnhold, where do they reside?"
He nods his head and surprised says, "That is a very good question. Each of their souls and bodys reside in the soul jar cabinet just in the other room. Alright shall we begin?" The liche stands but does not leave his throne. He moves his hands casting a quickened spell, his red eye glows and stays glowing, and prepares another spell.
Jorne
Quince
Lykan
Dinenen
Vordikai
skeleton
26 Quince
24 Vordikai
17 Dinenen
10 skeleton
9 Jorne
6 Lykan
Shield, it must have been quickened.
Waves of fatigue but just readied.
Round 1
He picks up his halberd and moves towards the liche, when he comes in contact with something solid he swings the halberd there. The halberd grazes that which he can't see.
Round 1
Lykàn's body tenses as what he expected occurs, with swift movements he tracks the place where the lich said contained bodies and souls. With any luck perhaps he could find where he stored his?
"A spell to shield oneself from damage and a spall to tires us out."
Given what he's been told, Dinenen will swing out to the right in a big arc (as much as the room will allow that still lets him get there the first round), attempting to get to the lich without running afoul of whatever is between us and it.
Quince lifts his scepter and casts a blessing of good hope over he and his allies.
Up the stairs past the liche to get to his treasure room, the room he indicated where the soul jars are located.
Round 1
Quince lifts his scepter and grants the group a blessing. Vordikai casts his two spells, the second one being held in his hands. Dinenen moves along one wall as Lykan moves along the other. They each soon find a skeletal monstrosity before them. As the invisibility spells drops from the bloody skeletons attack. You quickly see that they are skeletons of dinosaurs, megaraptors you believe. But there is something even more sinister about them than just being a skeleton. Flesh holds to the bones giving them more strength. The stench of rotting flesh is more awful as they move. Tentacles or tongues lash out from the mass of flesh within each of the megaraptors bodies as they bite at you.
Vs. Lykan
melee touch (paralysis)
Vs. Jorne
melee touch (paralysis)
Vordikai does not seem to even move until he releases his spell. The waves of fatigue wash over the front line making the three of you fatigued.
Round 2
Vordikai casts another spell wreathing his hand in an unholy red flame.
Vs. Lykan
melee touch (paralysis)
Vs. Jorne
melee touch (paralysis)
Round 1
As the bite from the raptor closes in on he shouts out a 'Warning Roar'.
26 Quince
24 Vordikai
17 Dinenen
10 skeleton
9 Jorne
6 Lykan
Being after the skeletons they get to rip into him... or not as he dodges all of the blows and then swings his halberd into the creature again! Now seeing it he should hit...
electricity and stance damage (/x3)
electricity and stance damage (/x3)
Quince calls out in Celestial, "Keep on this side of the burn." Quince pulls out a wand and speaks a word. Any question to what he meant is answered by a ring of crimson flames erupting among the skeletal dinosaurs and around the lich.
Round 1
The Elf finds himself paralyzed and pulled closer to the creature's jaws. Defenceless, the hunter prepares himself for death.
Round 2.
The Creature's attacks batters Lykàn relentlessly and leaves the elf bloodied and unmoving. To his credit, the elf took all the blows without uttering a grunt of pain.
Rd 1
Dinenen attempts to assist the undead dinosaur return to dead.
Rd 2
Hearing the warning, Dinenen pauses for a second, and then steps back from the wall. He can't attack into the ring without hurting himself, so he has to give the undead thing space to come at least partially through before he can properly respond. He'll put himself on Full Defense while he waits for the thing to either move forward or die . . .. With his Acrobatics Training, that's a +6 to his AC, for AC29/T29/F18/CMD36+. Still within their range to get me, sadly.
"It just tore through Lykan like a rag doll!"
Round 2
With a flex of his physique he tries to Intimidate the skeleton attacking Lycan. Making the tongue not hit.
He urges the others, Get behind me, Quince I think it is time to channel!