Dianora and Crystal strike the First Blade. The herald sweeps his sword across the group, confident in its own invulnerability.
for plus and 1d6 p. bleed
for plus and 1d6 p. bleed
for plus and 1d6 p. bleed
The sword bites into Crystal and Dianora, but misses Kimmich. The cloud of blades continues to swirl around the entity.
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Yuki (-121)
Crystal Clarity (-88, d6 bleed)
Sister Dianora (-28, d6 bleed)
First Blade (-115)
Kimmich (-69)
Troop
~+~Combat Round 3~+~
Yuki (-121)
Crystal Clarity (-88, d6 bleed)
Sister Dianora (-28, d6 bleed)
First Blade (-115)
Kimmich (-69)
Troop
HP 91/190
AC 35, void resistance 5
Fort +22, Ref +24, Will +26 (resolute faith)
Hero points: 0
Focus Points: 1/1
Spells: Cantrips: daze, detect magic, guidance, light, message; 1st: bless [x] protection [x] sure strike [x]; 2nd invisibility [x] see the unseen [x] sure footing []; 3rd cleanse affliction [] heroism [x] safe passage []; 4th invisibility [x] unfettered movement [] vision of death []; 5th divine immolation [x] heal [x] scouting eye []; 6th divine immolation [x] heal [x][x]; 7th dispel magic [] execute [] heal [x] Divine Font (7th rank): Harm [x][x][x][x][x]
Effects: see the unseen, haste 1/10 rounds, 1d6 persistent bleed
Dianora hisses as the blades continue to cut her, but remains undaunted. Still moving with supernatural speed, she channels the mantis god's power once more and slashes the herald. Unfortunately, she seems to have drawn a little more of his attention and can't find an opening.
Yuki touches some of the blood dripping from her many cuts and flicks her wrist scattering the droplets into a fine mist that surround her, and her wounds begin to heal.
Then she holds up her thumb as if sizing something up for a painting. "Everyone hold still for just a second..."
Yuki (-114)
The red mist fades from Crystal's body and she takes a moment to shake her cloak again to spill out more of it and continue healing her wounds as she goes.
Then she makes two more attacks.
vs OG
vs OG
Then she takes one hand and pushes the cloak's fabric, causing it to whirl around her in a dark crimson whirlpool.
"Backswing!" Kimmich begins shouting orders to his comrades to coordinate their strikes as he steps like the wind through the flying mass of blades. He begins a whirling frenzy of blows, seeking only to destroy this thing before it's blade can find him.
Dianora continues to soak up damage from the herald, though she's unable to penetrate his defenses.
Yuki's fireball strikes with the smell of hot metal, and the First Blade's armor tings as it expands and contorts in the heat.
Crystal keeps the enemy's attention while Kimmich takes advantage and strikes thrice!
The god's messenger swings his mighty greatsword again, reversing his last attack.
for plus and 1d6 p. bleed
for plus and 1d6 p. bleed
for plus and 1d6 p. bleed
Kimmich makes a lucky dodge, but Dianora is badly hit and Crystal is nicked.
~+~Combat Round 4~+~
Kimmich (-69)
Yuki (-114)
Crystal Clarity (-117, d6 bleed)
Sister Dianora (-83, d6 bleed)
First Blade (-178)
HP 27/190
AC 35, void resistance 5
Fort +22, Ref +24, Will +26 (resolute faith)
Hero points: 0
Focus Points: 1/1
Spells: Cantrips: daze, detect magic, guidance, light, message; 1st: bless [x] protection [x] sure strike [x]; 2nd invisibility [x] see the unseen [x] sure footing []; 3rd cleanse affliction [] heroism [x] safe passage []; 4th invisibility [x] unfettered movement [] vision of death []; 5th divine immolation [x] heal [x] scouting eye []; 6th divine immolation [x] heal [x][x]; 7th dispel magic [] execute [] heal [x] Divine Font (7th rank): Harm [x][x][x][x][x]
Effects: see the unseen, 1d6 persistent bleed
Dianora spits blood, not that she can afford much more -- she knows if she takes another hit like that she'll be dead (well, except for the tricks she still has in her bag).
"Well, this has been a lot of fun, but I don't seem to be doing much good here. So I think I'll be somewhere else for a little bit." She slashes to try to force him back, and then retreats.
Yuki realizes that the First Blade's armor has very few openings for her to exploit. But as a downside, such hulking fighters are often less reflexive.
"Perhaps what worked on Ordulf will work on you as well...?" She giggles at the thought of stripping the greatsword from his hands, but realizes that the fight needs to end sooner rather than later.
Yuki once again inquires about his reflex save...
Kimmich floats between swords, fully into the flow of the dance.
"Okay okay no more games now, I see." Crystal briefly bites down her concern and worried expression, knowing the intense spillage of her own blood is making her wild and woozy so she swings down with little grace and all the force she can muster.
v OG
v OG
v OG
oh and the reflex before I miss the edit window
Dianora glances an attack off the First Blade, then tries to withdraw. The enemy's greatsword clips her on the way out, knocking her to the ground.
for
Yuki's lightning bolt sizzles towrad the herald, but he moves out of the way at the last moment.
Kimmich and Crystal both land hits.
The First Blade swings his greatsword, and thousands of shards of metal fly across the room, greatswords twirling through the air!
He follows up with a chop at Kimmich, who wounded him twice.
for
~+~Combat Round 5~+~
Kimmich (-88, d6 bleed)
Yuki (-107)
Crystal Clarity (-115)
Sister Dianora (dying 1? d6 bleed)
First Blade (-266)
Despite slumping on the floor, Dianora manages in her fall to avoid the worst of the whirling blades as her armor preserves her.
And Yuki drops
Yuki (Dying 2)
Yuki's crimson shroud heals her, stabilizing her.
Yuki (-141, Wounded 1)
critical success
Regular fail :(
Crystal grits her teeth, as Yuki and Dianora fall to the floor. "Achaekek, if there was any time to offer us your guidance it would be now."
His allies fall like leaves around him, but to Kimmich there is only the enemy in front of him, and the haze of blood in his mind.
Kimmich's blades find the weak spots in the First Blade's armor and Crystal drives her sabre into the herald's back.
As the First Blade is defeated, the sound of the roaring voices of valkyries grows overwhelming loud for a brief moment, and then the herald’s body vanishes into a blast of blood and everything returns to silence. You feel a strange sensation of pride and sadness wash over you that fades almost as quickly as it manifests.
For his part, the warpriest flees from the room in terror, spreading the news that there are divine servants in the keep, and that Ordulf's former followers should flee if they want to survive. You hear a multitude of boots quickly treading through the fortress and shouts as roc riders take off from the upper stories. It seems that the residents are clearing out as quickly as they can.
There is a moment of quiet.
Yuki’s brush with death has left her with a new found understanding of how the universe works.
Once she's awake, Dianora looks around groggily. "Did we win? I always knew we could beat a god... And look at this cute little place someone found."
Once she's caught up on what happened, she sets to binding everyone's wounds. Everyone's brief time together seems to have made her much more assured in working on everyone at once, quickly binding wounds as she moves from one patient to another.
Yuki stands up and runs to the Sister’s side.
She takes a knee and attempts to revive the sister.
She then walks back and picks up her staff while she thinks about that weird feeling.
”I think I saw a secret door behind the weird polar bears”
Over the course of the minute that follows some of yuki’s wounds heal.
Yuki (-85)
If we get the full 30 min Yuki will be fully healed
Your retreat to the the secret room goes off smoothly, and you are able to rest for half-an-hour without interruption. Your bolthole seems to be quite secure.
Which is why it comes as quite a surprise when the door to the hidden room swings open and a familiar figure stands in the doorway--Vatum, the strange half-elf courier who delivered your assignment to assassinate Ordulf.
"Congratulations on your success," though his words are positive, his brow is furrowed. "We do, however, have a problem: Though Ordulf undoubtedly deserved his fate, unfortunately this contract was a setup.
“Someone in the Vernai wishes us dead. They had hoped you would fail on this mission, but have sent their own assassins to dispatch you if you happen to succeed. I have come to help ensure you survive. I owe Jakalyn that much, at least. I’m sure you have questions, but we must deal with this imminent threat to all our lives first!”
It seems there is a moment for questions.
"Who would want us dead?" Dianora says. "I know I personally haven't done anything to upset anyone that badly ... Or at least not anyone who's still alive to do anything about it. Would you happen to have any healing potions on you? And how much time do we have before they manage to find us? Also, how did you find us so easily?"
As she asks questions, she pulls out an an invisibility potion and a scroll of bless.
"I doubt it's personal," Vatum comments. "We are known allies of the Blood Mistress, and we'll have to be dealt with if someone is making a play for power."
The messenger casts a spell on Dianora.
"I traveled here as soon as I realized the hit was a setup. Honestly, you aren't that hard to find." Vatum points to drips of blood on the floor of the chamber. "We do make it clear that He Who Executes has paid a visit," he smiles, wryly.
"Which is why we likely have only moments before a team sent to eliminate you arrives. The stampede of cowards leaving this fortress has no-doubt signaled to anyone watching that you succeeded in your assassination. I would expect a strike team at least equal to yours in number."
Kimmich nods in sedate satisfaction at the idea of further opponents. He stands up from where he sat as Dianora administered to him, flexing his muscles and grimacing in satisfaction as his body painfully follows his command. "Understood. This continues to be a good day." The orc grins. He takes out a moderate healing potion and extends it to Dianora in case she needs any more.
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"Well, then, let's plan to kill some red mantises. Did you know female mantises kill their mates when they copulate? I'm not saying we have to have sex with them, but ... well, most of us are women. Sorry, Kimmich. I'm just saying, we have a good chance here," Dianora suggests.
She looks around. "Probably fighting outside this room will be easier. Perhaps we should find somewhere else to make our stand?"
She downs her invisibility potion. "I'll cast bless once we see them, and then get into the fight."
"I will assist you," Vatum says. "I suggest meeting them somewhere that there is room to maneuver."
”I have many questions but fear we only have time for a few. One, any idea who our nemesis is? Knowing that may help us better prepare. Two, will fellow Vernai be the ones coming after us or did they outsource the betrayal? Three, how long is moments?” Yuki says, as she stands and adjusts her kimono and armor. She draws from her sleeves a doorknob. ”Perhaps we can use this to give us a slight advantage. I think I remember there being a couple of secret passages out of this place…”
"A way to lead them into a flank - a killing field," Kimmich says. "Some go out, some stay in, and when they enter we close the claws and finish them."
Crystal starts rubbing poisons onto her blades as they speak and thumbing through her other bottles of alchemicals double and triple checking her remaining supplies.
"Yes I suppose funneling them into a better position for us to maneuver around while they can't escape would be ideal. I haven't had to use this many ingredients for Figment and Mirage's flesh festering capabilities in some time..."
She turns to Vatum quickly. "Well it would not be the first time I have slit the throat of a doppelganger counterpart of mine," she says bitterly, "Tell me do you know if our pathetic shadows bleed?"
Yuki, while waiting for Vatum to answer the teams many questions and trying to remember where that secret passage was… thinks about who would be foolish enough to take a contract to come after them?
Kimmich idly ponders whether he's ever failed to kill another assassin and whether someone might be after him in revenge.
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Dianora didn't bother to pay much attention to her rivals. Why would she? She never considered them rivals, after all.
Crystal thinks hard about who this doppelganger team could be. After all she doesn't like it when people copy her style.
Kimmich and Crystal both know that it would be extremely unusual for a member of the Vernai come out on such a mission--virtually unheard of-- particularly if they are planning a play for power inside the Citadel.
Standard operating procedure would be to observe the area of an operation for several days, just as you did, and strike quickly when the opportunity presents itself. It's actually someone surprising that they haven't arrived already. You certainly would have attacked by now.
Assassination teams vary in size and composition, but you'd expect anything from a duo of master assassins to a six-strong squad, usually led by a squad commander.
Considering the usual timelines, you should make your final preparations.
Dianora, invisibly, casts her spell and quickly sustains it to expand the god's blessing. She pulls her swords and waits.
"Well, this seems as good a place as any to fight," she suggests. "It's already covered with plenty of blood and we've won one battle here, so we'll have the home advantage."
Kimmich carefully gathers blood from the floor and spreads it carefully about his face, creating his warmask.
With the die cast and the battleground picked, you don't have long to wait before the "ambush". Five figures in Red Mantis armor quicky make their way into the abattoir you have created on the first floor of the fortress. The group is led by a swagging kitsune that you recognize as Talaro, a high-ranking assassin.
"Step out, traitors," he growls. "We know you're here."
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Dianora
Crystal
Talaro
Yuki
Vatum
Red Assassin
Blue Assassin
Orange Assassin
Pink Assassin
"Traitors? Us? Last I checked you lot have thrown in with those planning a coup so I think I know who the actual traitors are around here."
Crystals speeds out from the lower wall and catches Talaro as he enters the room and takes a pair of attacks at him before he gets a chance to even process the contents of the room.
vs OG due to surprise attack
On a hit make a DC 32 Fort Save vs Purple Worm Venom
Two Debilitations now so let's go with weakness 5 slashing and clumsy 1 on the hit
vs OG due to surprise attack
HP 199/190
AC 35, void resistance 5
Fort +22, Ref +24, Will +26 (resolute faith)
Hero points: 0
Focus Points: 1/1
Spells: Cantrips: daze, detect magic, guidance, light, message; 1st: bless [x] protection [x] sure strike [x]; 2nd invisibility [x] see the unseen [x] sure footing []; 3rd cleanse affliction [] heroism [x] safe passage []; 4th invisibility [x] unfettered movement [] vision of death []; 5th divine immolation [x] heal [x] scouting eye []; 6th divine immolation [x] heal [x][x]; 7th dispel magic [] execute [] heal [x] Divine Font (7th rank): Harm [x][x][x][x][x]
Effects: bless
"Surprise!" Dianora cries as she suddenly appears in front of Talaro. "I bet you didn't know I was right here. Some people don't like surprises, but I think there's nothing better. Just something you're not expecting, and then boom! You get something. Sure, sometimes it's a surprise like a pair of sabres in your gillet ... gillet? gullet? whatever ... but sometimes it's a nice surprise, like some fated-to-die red mantises whose corpse you can loot. Do you know if we have to give your religious symbols to Jakalyn? I can never remember if we're supposed to pay homage to people we're just killing because they deserve it, instead of ones we're being paid to kill."
Crystal and Dianora both open with deep cuts against the kitsune assassin, and Crystal gets an additional hit in while Dianora distracts the strike team leader. He resists her poison, however.
Not one to stick around a bad situation, Talaro teleports to put his back to the wall, then slashes at Yuki.
for and
The attack cuts deeply into the sorceror, as the kitsune says, "This mission is fully authorized by the Vernai, scum."
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Dianora
Crystal
Talaro (-149, OG, weakness 5 slashing, clumsy 1)
Yuki (-60)
Vatum
Kimmich
Red Assassin
Blue Assassin
Orange Assassin
Pink Assassin
Yuki takes a Strides Away and casts her last 4th level spell. A fireball targeting the four assassins standing in the doorway.
The direball streaks across the room to catch the four assassins.
Vatum smiles a bit, then vanishes, only to appear a moment later just outside the door, effectively cutting off the escape route of the would-be assassins.
He chuckles darkly, then...EXPLODES! Spraying flesh all over the assassins. In the place where he stood, a large, crimson dragon now blocks the doorway!
"I, too, like surprises!" he shouts, as the pieces of his fleshy disguise are sprayed all over the enemies.
~+~Combat Round 1~+~
Dianora
Crystal
Talaro (-149, OG, weakness 5 slashing, clumsy 1)
Yuki (-60)
Vatum
Kimmich
Red Assassin (-176, dazzled)
Blue Assassin (-176, dazzled)
Orange Assassin (-72, dazzled)
Pink Assassin (-112, dazzled)
Kimmich is upon Talaro almost as fast as the sorceror can teleport. "I answer not to the Vernai, but to Acaechek himself, fool," the orc says, face still dripping blood.
Twin Takedown
Talaro tries to dodge Kimmich's first attack, but the orc is too fast. HE slashes the kitsune three times, barely missing an artery on the final attack.
Two of the beleaguered assassins attack the dragon, while the other two surround and attack Crystal.
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
for plus 1d6 bleed
Only two attacks find their marks, but they are potent ones!
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Dianora
Crystal (-24, d6 bleed)
Talaro (-234, OG, weakness 5 slashing, clumsy 1)
Yuki (-60)
Vatum (-28, d6 bleed)
Kimmich
Red Assassin (-176, dazzled)
Blue Assassin (-176, dazzled)
Orange Assassin (-72, dazzled)
Pink Assassin (-112, dazzled)
HP 199/190
AC 35, void resistance 5
Fort +22, Ref +24, Will +26 (resolute faith)
Hero points: 0
Focus Points: 1/1
Spells: Cantrips: daze, detect magic, guidance, light, message; 1st: bless [x] protection [x] sure strike [x]; 2nd invisibility [x] see the unseen [x] sure footing []; 3rd cleanse affliction [] heroism [x] safe passage []; 4th invisibility [x] unfettered movement [] vision of death []; 5th divine immolation [x] heal [x] scouting eye []; 6th divine immolation [x] heal [x][x]; 7th dispel magic [] execute [] heal [x] Divine Font (7th rank): Harm [x][x][x][x][x]
Effects: bless
"Whoa, that is a surprise!" Dianora says. Despite her shock, she moves up, slashing at the two worst-injured assassins.
"Now now I'm not used to having this many dance partners. And frankly, since we all showed up to the party wearing the same thing and we got here first you'll all have to go home and change. Maybe I'll just send you back there myself."
Crystal turns her swords on Orange first, swinging her sword up then down then left then coming in with the other sword at the last moment.
Then she comes in with the first sword while he's taken unaware by the previous strike.
vs OG if the first strike hit
If either one of those hits then give him enfeebled 1 and clumsy 1 for the round.
Then she takes a final backswing at the Pink assassin behind her.
vs OG
Dianora takes out two assassins, and Crystal hits another twice.
Talero is surrounded by a familiar-looking red mist. He salutes Kimmich, waves his saber to disorient the orc, then strikes at him.
for and and 2d6 bleed.
There's a look of fatalism on his face, but he's determined to take at least one of you with him.
~+~Combat Round 2~+~
Dianora
Crystal (-24, d6 bleed)
Talaro (-234, fast healing 7)
Yuki (-60)
Vatum (-28, d6 bleed)
Kimmich (-34, 2d6 bleed)
Red Assassin
Blue Assassin
Orange Assassin (-135 dazzled)
Pink Assassin (-112, dazzled)
Yuki smiles and giggles. "Oh Talaro, you just aren't that good. I serve Acaechek and have since the visions he blessed me with as a child. You have erred in opposing his will and he guides my hand against you."
Yuki points at Talaro and Orange and casts Blazing Bolt at 3rd level.