Healing warmth floods the battlefield, closing many of the parties numerous wounds (and burns)!
Desiak completely dodges
Catamoch can see the husk is close to being taken down and slams his tusk into the undead monstrosity, taking it down and out of the fight.
Hakata continues to struggle to find purchase with his arrows, both shots flying high.
Valda lands her single strike on Desiak after a bit of healing.
Desiak had been waiting for Kadosh to take his feet once he saw the healing wash over his enemies. As the half-orc rises, Desiak thrusts his bonespur to finish the creature once and for all. As Kadosh moves, his bell rings out distractedly and the bone spur only scrapes the warrior's shoulder as he ducks under the attack. Once on his feet, Kadosh swings but barely misses.
Frustrated with his miss on Kadosh, Desiak growls and quickly whirl toward the radiant one, surprising her as he rakes her with his claws and buries his bonespur deep into her chest, the second strike critically wounding her.
D: 51
Veshka snarls a curse and metal shards tear free from her surroundings to pierce the dragon's minion!
Catamoch rejoices in his disciple's wrath, joining in the bloody sacrament by tearing away at Desiak in his distraction.
Strongjaw Heals Valda and they Stride just behind her.
Come on, come on, come on Touch me babe!
HP 74/74
AC 23
Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +10
Hero points: 2
Effects: Wounded 1
His wounds almost completely closed by his companions, Kadosh snarls at Desiak. "I could do this all day!" he boasts, falling into his fighting stance.
As usual, he fails to inspire, but his ax hits home with a spray of blood!
Grateful to Strong Jaw for his healing spell, Valda shifts her immanence to her sword and unleashes her signature strike!
Frustrated, the spirits of battle leave Hakata. He re-centers himself into a more receptive frame of mind and unleashes a blast of fire at Desiak.
for
The Hearth roars to life from the cries of victory. As Lieutenant Desiak falls to his knees, battered by Catamoch's tusks and Kadosh's axe, Valda’s sword flashed through the air in a final radiant arc. Desiak lets out a guttural snarl, staggered, and crumples to the floor alongside the necrohusk, dead at last!!! A stunned silence filled the Hearth before erupting into cheers as Blood Owl sympathizers stand from their seats, weapons raised high.
The scouts stood triumphant, battered but unbroken. Tonight, the tyrant’s grip on Lyuba had been shattered!
At dawn, the uprising will begin.
The Blood Owls, villagers, and the Broken Tusks will gather in the mists and march to Ashen Swale’s compound. Before the march, Kezaku and Epaku bestow gifts upon you, expressing their thanks.
When all others knelt in fear, the Broken Tusks stood tall. They earned loyalty not through conquest, but through compassion and strength, stitching broken lives back together in the darkness. They mended broken spirits, fed the starving, and earned the trust of a people too long oppressed. Beneath the endless stars of the Blood Owls' hidden refuge, they forged new alliances and plotted the first sparks of rebellion.
Their blades struck down the corrupted and their words lit a fire of rebellion among the Sutaki. Through mud-choked streets and smoke-filled taverns, the Broken Tusk scouts carved a path of hope through Lyuba’s despair. With Desiak’s blood still fresh on their blades and the fire of revolution burning in their hearts, they now rise stronger, sharper, and more determined than ever — ready to cast down the tyrants of this dying valley and seize the future that waits beyond the glacial walls.
Strongjaw walks by the dead husk of Desiak. The small goblin takes out a dagger. Raising it high, he plugged it into the corpse!
Well done everyone.
At the feast, the Songsinger tells tall tales of the Scouts of the Broken Tusks all night long ...Al night....all night long....
"I was sure we were all going to die," Kadosh murmurs, awed at what Radiant Valda and the rest of his companions have done, despite his poor contributions.
Veshka spits out a gobbet of something unwholesome. "Not with the dragon's blood still unspilt."
A pale sun rises over the drowned village of Lyuba and the morning air hangs heavy with frost and anticipation. You are gathered outsided Ashen Swale's compound, surrounded by Blood Owls, villagers, and Sutaki rebels. A makeshift army ready to find freedom.
A dozen beheaded are impaled on 10-foot-tall spikes in a haphazard grid that fills the Lyuba village square seemingly embolden the troops. Kezaku and Epaku move between the ranks, slapping backs and grabbing shoulders to bolster morale. Standing before you is Ashen Swale’s
compound, which is surrounded by a 20-foot-tall log fence.
The assault begins.
As the rebels surge into Howling Square, chants and war cries pierce the damp air. Bone warriors clash with villagers in the streets as the you push forward, driving through the chaos to the gates of Ashen Swale’s compound. There, monstrous carrion golems await, grotesque parodies of the gods the Sutaki once revered. Their hideous forms charge forward: a ferret with too many legs, a moose blooming with rotting flowers, a twin-headed vulture bear. Behind them, the towering gates stand closed, guarding the path to the dragon’s frozen stronghold.
Bit by bit, the gates are cleared until the final golem falls in ruin, and the way forward lies open.
Through the shattered threshold of Ashen Swale’s compound, battle still rages. Sutaki rebels flood the yard, freeing prisoners and driving back cultists. But standing defiantly between the uprising and the path to Venexus’s icy palace is Lieutenant Azi, bone staff raised high, her face a cold mask of zealotry. Beside her, two massive skeletal giants close ranks, glaives gleaming in the sickly light.
"You’ve made it far," Azi calls, her voice sharp as splintered bone. "But here, at the feet of the divine, your journey ends."
She slams her staff into the earth and the last stand begins.
The two large giants rush forward on opposite sides of the spikes in a furious charge, slamming their horns into the front line of the scouts. Kadosh manages to dodge his attack, but the other gets a hold of Valda
Both swing their glaives at their targets, but miss those subsequent attacks.
The necromancer starts an encantation that causes whispers of the void to swirl around the party! The words take form, beginning to weaken the party.
Critical Success The creature is unaffected.
Success The creature takes 2d8 persistent void damage.
Failure The creature takes 4d8 persistent void damage and becomes drained 1.
Critical Failure The creature takes 4d8 persistent void damage and becomes drained 2 and doomed 1.
Heroically ignoring the necromantic magic, Valda laughs at Azi despite the pain from the giant's horns. "I think not! Now you will bear witness to true divinity, for you face Radiant Valda, Peerless Under Heaven!" Her silver blade gleams as she slices at the giant next to her, then she shifts her immanence back to her sword.
Hakata hunts prey on the necromancer, then fires off two shots before shielding himself with divine power.
for
for
The Witch spits on the ground.
The Beast master Commands Tanngrisnir to Stride closer (but not near the Giants) to that annoying Wizard!
The Songsinger holds aloft his shiny new Great Axe (he won it at cards), uttering words of Primal magic!
Draw the Lightning
Strongjaw grins.
HP 104/104 (currently 73/88)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +14 (resolve)
Hero points: 2
Effects: drained 2, doomed 1, 4d6 persistent void
Sizing up the nearest skeleton, he swaps his axe for a mace and attacks as he's wracked with pain.
Veshka yells, life gurgling up from deep within her at the necromancer's spell. Withdrawing from the frontlines she urges Catamoch onward with a scream dragged up from the depths of her wrathful soul. "Kiiillll her!"
[ooc]Up for 3 rounds[/dice]
Catamoch rushes past the giant skeletons, looking to pin the necromancer to the earth!
Valda hits the giant next to her both times, dealing significant damage to it even though it's resistant to her attack. Luckily her flowing spirit strike makes the most of the situation.
Hakata lines up a two shots on the necromancer, missing the first but landing the second!
StronJaw's lightning burst out of the cloudy sky and catches Azi completely unaware (Crit fail)!
KAdosh recalls some useful facts about the giant and delivers a blow that doesn't seem to be resisted.
Catamoch rushes forward and buries his tusks into Azi, gouging her but unable to grab a hold of her.
The giant near Valda and Hakata takes two broad swipe with its glaive, swinging at them both, but missing both times. It takes a third, ineffective swing and misses as well.
Kadosh's giant tries to gouge him with its horsn, but misses all three attempts.
On the far side of the battlefield in front of the gate, Azi closes her hand and pulls life away from Catamoch into herself. .
What happens next is even worse though as the boar's blood spills out of him into her body, she laughs maniacally as her wounds heal and she grows stronger once again. .
M: 42
b: 15
A: 42 (check damage to catamoch for heal)
Valda attacks the giant twice more, her silver blade flowing like moonlight before she shifts her immanence back into it.
Hakata raises a hand to the air, invoking the spirits of the valley that have been repressed under the rule of the necromancer.
He then lets fly two more shots at the necromancer.
for and
for and
Veshka sags as her life force funnels first to Catamoch and then to Azi, but with a clenched fist, she takes some of it back!
Though slightly beginning to flag, Catamoch seems to get still more gleeful as the spark of his acolyte's life flutters within him. With a squeal of delight he rips into the necromancer once more, trying to hold her fast!
Tanngrisnir Strides behind the stupid Wizard, so the trio face the Giants also!
The White Rabbit is seen wearing a rubber suit.
Strongjaw holds aloft his (not stolen, but legitimately won at cards) Lightning infused Great Axe into the air, the giggling Witch casts Weapon Storm !
The Songsinger then points at Veshka!
Life Boost Hex
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HP 104/104 (currently 55/88)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +14 (resolve)
Hero points: 2
Effects: drained 2, doomed 1, 4d6 persistent void, marshal's stance
Kadosh falls, even as the fell magic continues to weaken him, falls into his fighting stance and swings his mace.
As the necromancer casts its spells on Catamoch, the boar retaliates and injures her in the process.
Catamoch tries to shred Azi with his tusks again, but this time she is ready and dodges them. As Veshka tries to steal back some of the life force, she protects herself from the spell and manages to avoid the summoner's attack.
Valda continues to rip the giant apart with her flowing strikes and Hakata brings it to the ground with his spell and damages both of the other two creatures, landing his first shot on Azi.
Strong jaw lashes out at the lieutenant with another bolt of lightning, but once more she is prepared and dodges this attack as well.
Kadosh finds his rhymtm and lands both of his strikes on the remaining giant.
Switching to its glaive, the giant tries to cut Kadosh down, but the thaumaturge is too elusive and manages to dodge all three strikes.
Azi has had enough of Veshka and reaches her hand out towards her as she growls, clasping it shut as if grabbing her. Pain wracks Veshka's body as if Azi was grabbing her spine itself. Worse yet, she feels her body begin to move towards the frozen waters adjacent to her against her will, as if she's being forced to move into them!
Critical Success The target is unaffected.
Success The target takes half damage. If you cast the 3-action version, you can move the target up to 5 feet; it can choose to fall prone to avoid moving.
Failure The target takes full damage and is enfeebled 1. If you cast the 3-action version, you can move the target up to 15 feet; it can fall prone to avoid moving.
Critical Failure The target takes double damage and is enfeebled 2. If you cast the 3-action version, you can move the target up to 25 feet, then knock the target prone; if you attempt to move the target to a hazardous location, such as into a pool of acid or off a cliff, it can fall prone to avoid moving.
When an effect forces you to move, or if you start falling, the distance you move is defined by the effect that moved you, not by your Speed. Forced movement doesn't trigger reactions that are triggered by movement. Some common causes of forced movement include the Reposition and Shove actions of Athletics. In the rare cases where it's unclear whether your movement is voluntary or forced, the GM makes the determination.
If forced movement would move you into a space you can't occupy—because objects are in the way or because you lack the movement type needed to reach it, for example—you stop moving in the last space you can occupy.
Usually the creature or effect forcing the movement chooses the path the victim takes. If you're pushed or pulled, you can usually be moved through hazardous terrain, pushed off a ledge, or the like. Abilities that reposition you in some other way can't put you in such dangerous places unless they specify otherwise. In all cases, the GM makes the final call if there's doubt on where forced movement can move a creature.
Some abilities allow a creature to move while carrying another along with it. This is forced movement for the carried creature. Unless noted otherwise, they both move on the same path while this happens—the carrying creature can't drag its victim through dangers while avoiding them itself, for example.
b: 56
A: 30 S1
Catamoch twists his tusks within the necromancer as Veshka sneers. "You think to turn my body against me? I've been fighting that war for years." Wrath flaring, Veshka lashes the necromancer and her minion from afar.
Mostly uninterested in the magical battle around him except when it distracts his prey, Catamoch roots around in Azi's abdomen like he expects to find truffles.
Hakata raises a modest shield of spirits around those close to her, enhancing their defenses. Then he lets fly two more arrows.
for and
for and
AC 27
HP 104/104 (currently 35/88)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +14 (resolve)
Hero points: 2
Effects: drained 2, doomed 1, 4d6 persistent void, marshal's stance
"Veshka!" Kadosh cries, realizing he needs to put this giant skeleton down quickly before it realizes how easily it could kill him. He hits two mighty blows with his mace, shattering bone.
Strongjaw watches as Kadosh receives much attention from the Giants. The Witch Casts Heal at him.
The Witch then grants Kadosh a Life Boost Hex!
Tannishir Strides to Flank with Catamoch!
Valda continues to show the enemies why she is Peerless Under Heaven!
Catamoch keeps up the pressure, goring into Azi once again with savage tusks while Veshka calls down another crackling bolt of electricity. The necromancer twists away mid-spell, avoiding the worst of the blast but still taking a scorching hit.
Strongjaw continues to channel healing through the group while Tanngrisnir charges in to flank the giant alongside Kadosh.
Seizing the opportunity, Kadosh brings his axe down in a pair of brutal strikes. Bone cracks and splinters under the assault, and the undead giant finally collapses in a heap at his feet.
Hakata draws and releases in a fluid motion, his arrow slicing through the chaos and striking Azi squarely after conjuring a veil of protective spirits around his allies.
Valda closes in and delivers a punishing critical blow, her spirit-charged blade carving deep into Azi’s side. The necromancer staggers, barely holding herself together-her dark magic has stolen enough life to keep her standing, but even that won’t last much longer.
Reeling from the onslaught, Azi stumbles backward until her spine hits the gate behind her. Snarling, she slams her staff into the ground and roars, With a pulse of foul magic, a deadly spray of jagged bone shards erupts outward, lashing toward Catamoch and Valda. .
Strongjaw laughs at the Wizard!
Youses bees goat foods!
The Witch then shocks him!
Tanngrisnir takes a juicy head butt to the Wizard!
Valda flinches as the bone shards cut her, but she responds with a flowing spirit strike!
As the battle at Hearth reaches its climax, Strongjaw unleashes a jolt of lightning that rips through the smoke and strikes Azi squarely in the chest, drawing a startled scream from the necromancer.
Valda, undeterred by the razor-edged bone shards slicing into her, channels her radiance into a flowing spirit strike that flashes with divine power and drives deep into Azi’s heart, felling the final lieutenant of Ashen Swale!
Cheers erupt from the gathered villagers and rebels as Azi crumples at the gates of Venexus’s domain. Soulsinger Kotasi rushes forward through the carnage with others in tow, mending the Broken Tusks wounds. There is no turning back," he urges. "Go. Now-into the ice!"
Throwing open the gate, you climb a stair of glistening stone and frost. The earth gives way to frozen stairs that lead into the maw of Venexus’s palace. Walls of translucent blue ice catch the dawn light and scatter it into prismatic colors, painting the tunnel with spectral hues. Intricate carvings once depicting Sutaki legends now weep slowly, distorted and melting.
At the far end of the antechamber, the path widens into an oval-shaped hall where three draconic figures stand guard-Venexus’s chosen. Their bodies ripple with cold-dragon blood: pale white scales, slit-pupiled eyes, and long muscular tails twitch in anticipation. Each bears a fighter’s stance and a fanatic’s fury.
In unison, they speak:"Surrender yourself to Venexus’s mercy. Pray that she forgives you... as you die."
HP 104/104 (currently 88/88)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +14 (resolve)
Hero points: 2
Effects: drained 2, doomed 1, 4d6 persistent void, marshal's stance
Kadosh sizes up the foes as he tries to decide what to do!
The Songsinger sighs.
Dey looks cool, butts dey not dragon!
The Witch casts Haste on the group before granting Valda a Life Boost Hex!
Tanngrisnir decides to Stride a bit out of Fireball formation.
Kadosh surmises that these creatures are Venxus's Chosen, a group of dragonkin monks. They have a fire weakness (5) and are resistant to cold damage (5).
Kadosh passes along the information he knwos about these creatures to his team. Sensing that the enemy is about to act, he decides against moving up to be the only one within their range and delays until his team can move with him.
Rather than give up their advantage on the terrain, the three dragonkin try to intimidate Kadosh, Valda and Catamoch before unleashing a blast of frigid magic.
Hakata hunts prey on one of the monks and unleashes a blast of divine energy at the foes standing in their way.
Strongjaw watches the doings of the fake draconians. The Songsinger seems unimpressed by their shananagins.
When bees da real dragon showings up?
The Snow Witch weeps at the information about these draconians being resistant to cold, but weak to fire.
Mees picks da wrong element bees friends with!
Strongjaw Life Boosts Hex Kadosh before dunking the Thaumaturge in a Rousing Splash!
You bees looking wet behind da ears!
Tanngrisnir Strides (Climbs) forward.
Valda grunts as the frost magic hurts her. She takes two powerful leaps across the icy ground, barely managing to make it to the enemies without falling down. She swings her gleaming blade.
Veshka unleashes her wrath on the dragonkin with a curse ripped free from her throat.
Catamoch advances, but is badly slowed by the slick ice.
HP 99/104 (plus 11 temp)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +14 (resolve)
Hero points: 2
Effects:
Kadosh shivers slightly and rushes forward to help Radiant Valda. He buries his ax into one of the monks, driving the blade into its chest.
Valda and Kadosh avoid traversing the slippery ground by taking small, measured jumps. Once in place, both try to strike their enemy. As both of them swing their weapons, the guardians seem poised and ready, anticipating their attack. Before they can land their hits, the dragonkin lash out their tails to interrupt their attack. Two of the tails smack into Valda and one into Kadosh!
The blows to Valda throw off her attack so much that her swing ends up going wide and missing, but Kadosh's still lands.
Both Veshka and Hakata channel divinity around the foes, exposing all the guardians to their wrath!
Strongjaw places healing on the two frontline warriors, knowing that they are like about to be wounded...
The three guardians all step up to Kadosh and Valda, one at a time. Each of Venexus's chosen steps up and moves into flanking, lashing our their tails in rapid succession. Two strikes are targeted at Valda, and one at Kadosh.
From all tail strikes, only one lands on Valda, all the others missing.
Br: 65 s1
Re: 23 s1
Bl: 33 s1
HP 104/104 (plus 5 temp)
AC 25
Fort +15, Ref +14, Will +14 (resolve)
Hero points: 2
Effects: inspiring marshal stance
Able to shrug off the tail blows thanks to Strongjaw's magic, Kadosh turns his attention to the monk between him and Radiant Valda -- and DRIVES his ax into his opponents chest, spraying blood everywhere. Then he hopes a quick few feet away, going back to back with Valda!
Valda unleashes her mirrored spirit strike, shifting her immanence back to her blade to prepare to attack again.