Huc is in the middle of trying to smash the creature to bits when its cloud dissipates. He looks around, his eyes wild.
"Where'd he go?!" he gasps, still in the throes of his rage.
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Bolstered by the Abadaran’s support the hunting partners once again try to bring their quarry down.
Gasping with pain and effort, the young woodsman holds onto consciousness as he roars out a command to his buddy. Fynn — finally freed from his orders to stay back — respond immediately, barking madly as he races around the pit to come at the demon from the back. Huc tries to time his attack with the mutt’s approach, but his wounds are deep. His swing still wild.
Benefit: You must declare that you are using this feat before you make your attack roll (thus a failed attack roll ruins the attempt). On a successful hit, the attack deals no damage and bestows no other effect or condition, but the target cannot cast spells or attack (including attacks of opportunity and attacks as immediate actions) for 1 round unless it succeeds on a Will saving throw with a DC of 10 + 1/2 your character level + your Wisdom modifier. You may attempt a touch of serenity once per day for every four levels you have attained (but see Special), and no more than once per round.
Huc's roars with mixed pain and anger. He staggers at the gut wound. Despite clearly being grievously wounded, the woodsman fights on, though his aim is poor.
The massive Huc steps forward, finally able to close with the vile creature. His rage, barely in check until this point, explodes. "DIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!" he roars as his weapon crashes down.
”Don’t block my path!” Huc growls in frustration, ”And don’t get any closer to it than you have to.” He rumbles forward, morningstar ready should it step into his reach as he orders Fynn to protect Arien.
As the gate swings open, Huc steps aggressively forward. Seeing the demon crouch defensively, Huc digs a vial from his bandolier, popping the top with his thumb and swigging it down. Immediately, the woodsman explodes to twice his size, filling the entrance completely.
Fynn lets out a low growl, watching the alien creature from across the room.
"Aint we a sob story," Huc growls as his baleful glare returns to the demon. "Let me know when you're opening that door."
Huc cuts a look over at Arien, a look that holds only slightly less anger than he’s been pointing at the demon. ”I ain’t got a mom. Got abandoned by my dad, too. Got any jokes about that?”
"Arien," Huc says, his eyes never leaving the demon, "Get this gods-damned door open."
Huc holds his ground, waiting for the last second to drink his potion.
The pair of hunters explode into the fight, taking advantage of the opening created by Master T to surround their quarry. The now-massive Huc growls out a quick command, and Fynn races in on Arien’s heels, taking up a position next to the elf as it bites at the demon’s flank. Huc releases every bit of the restless rage that had ben building on this long exploration, bringing his Lead Bladed, cold iron morningstar crashing down on its head.
"Idon't know about mus and rivers," Huc grunts as he glares through the gate at the demon, "But I ain't about to let this thing have a fair fight against us."
"Five of us and one of it. Mobility works in our favor, I reckon. Hittin' it in that big room seems smartest." He shrugs, releasing the spell into his own weapon, "Plus, if someone falls behind it, we want everyone else to be able to reach and heal'em. And that ain't happenin' in these tight hallways." He ushers everyone forward, suggesting that Master Temperance and Rowane stand just outside the second door while the rest stand inside the little anteroom, Fynn and himself on the front row. "Soon as it opens this door, we hit it. Fynn will move to flank."
Frustration paints Huc's features. He can barely keep an I told you so from his lips, though his eyes aren't quite so discrete. Doubling back to get there before the gate is completely broken, teh woodsman tosses Arien the vial he was holding. "Right before the fight, coat your weapon in that. The man said it helped kill demons and devils and s*&@." He switches out weapons, readying his cold iron morningstar, "I'll use this." "I think we need to overwhelm this thing. Hit it as hard as we can as much as we can until it aint movin' no more." He brings a few words of power to the front of his mind, ready to offer them up as a quick prayer to the spirits around them. Any edge helps, right?
Huc lets himself be pulled away, but he clearly doesn't like this. He looks at Arien, then Rowane. "I dont like it, and I don't think we'll find anything that's gonna make killin' that thing any easier. But I ain't gonna argue too much." He gives the gate one last, reluctant look. "Let's sweep this place and go clear out that cave."
At the mention of the cold iron weapons, Huc considers swapping weapons, but thinks better of it. Instead, he draws a vial from his bandolier. ”Good to know,” he whispers in response to Rowane. ”So, Arien opens the door. Fynn and I lead the charge, and we take this thing down?”
Huc looks over at Arien, pitching his voice as low as he can, "How do we kill this thing? And how will it try to kill us?"
"Someone beat you to it," Huc responds as he squints into the gloom, positioning himself between the gate and his teammates. "Come show yourself. We ain't him."
"Right," Huc resounds distractedly, "So what do you know of shir demons? Any way to convince it to go back to ... wherever it came from?"
Huc looks uneasily into this larger room. "So this would be Hunclay's bodyguard? Barlau?"
"Sounds good."
Huc shakes his head at Rowane, "I don't know. Still sounds like playin' with fire." When the Abadaran mentions the worth of the book, Huc chuckles, "I'm guessin' they'll find out when they sell it off as part of the estate." He shrugs in a 'not our problem' kind of way. "So, let's find the shae's vial of powder, deal with that devil, and finish our sweep."
Huc listens with a bit of incredulity as Arien translates the little book. "This guy was into some dumb stuff. What if any of those things had gotten outta here? People could'a been hurt." At mention of the 'safe cave', Huc tries to think if he's ever seen the location.
Huc pauses at that, then looks at the team. "I reckon we need to find that book."
Huc shrugs, holding out the shortsword for her to take . "Yeah, we got'em." If handing her the equipment is possible, Huc whistles for Fynn, who reluctantly but stubbornly walks through the blinding light. The woodsman gets the equipment out and hands it over. "We'll see about gettin' you out." He turns to the assembled team, "but let's make that a priority. I don't wanna explain lettin' her go to anyone. I don't exactly trust this community's open-mindedness too far." Before turning to leave, he looks back at the woman, "Any other information you might have that could help us find whatever it takes to get you out?"
"Describe'em?" Huc asks, though he has an idea of what they are.
Huc considers the situation. This creature made him uncomfortable, but Arien was right ... they had no beef with this shadow-woman if Hunclay trapped and kept her against their will. That didn't seem right. "And if we can get you out. You will go home? Or, at least, leave the people of the town outside these walls alone? They ain't got nothin' to do with Hunclay's choice to keep you here. Neither do we, really. We're happy to help set a wrong right, but we gotta protect this town. No offense intended, ma'am. We just don't know you."
"The Dark Tapestry?" the woodsman asks, trying to remember anything he'd ever heard of it. "Why would he be asking about that? What did he seem to want?"
Regarding swapping characters: I'll leave that up to you, Axolotl. I hate to suggest anyone have to do that, but if you're actually interested in doing so (and, of course assuming Carbide is amenable to it), then I say go for it. I think Temperance is entertaining, but I've gamed enough with you on the boards to know that a different character would be equally entertaining to play alongside.
When Huc passes beyond the light, he pauses at the revelation of this ‘hallway’s’ details. Everything he notices — the blinding light, the the metal gate, the arcane symbols, and the shadowy creature beyond – raise his hackles. Temperance’s answer surprises him, though he does his best to hide the reaction. Keeping his eyes on the … woman, and not trusting his ability to adequately describe the situation, he calls out to his friends. ”Y’all should come see this.” As he waits for the team, he responds to the shadow-woman. ”Tell me what human yer talkin’ about. Name and description.” He squints at her and her cell, ”And while yer at it, what you are and why yer stuck in there.”
I dont' know. I have been avoiding taking any ranks in Spellcraft for backstory/concept reasons, but I could take some with Huc. I dont know how good he'll be at it, but it's a class skill and he has Detect Magic, so he'd have a shot. I'd just need to figure out why a backwater woodsman suddenly has all this arcane expertise. :D Arien is the ideal candidate, but we don't have a way to consistently (and easily) get her Detect Magic. She's already rocking solid Arcana and Spellcraft scores. So, a Wand of Detect? Can she actually activate it? EDIT: I'm hesitant to push anyone to change their character because of this, but it'd be nice to figure out a solution.
Not knowing any better way of gaining a better understanding of the nature of the brilliant light, Huc pauses. "Arien, be ready in case this goes poorly." Then he draws out the magical short sword that he'd just claimed from this room, then walks into the light, feeling his way forward with the blade.
I think our lack of an arcanist (the concept; not specifically the class itself) is showing itself as a problem.
Not getting any suggestions, Huc picks up the magical armor and weapons and slides them into Fynn's harness. He shrugs, "We can hand them over when we're done clearing this place out." Then he moves towards the bright lights, shielding his eyes and squinting as he tries to determine the source. As he looks, he casts his magical detection energies its way.
After a quick nudge from Arien, Huc makes his way to the armor and weapons. He mutters old words of power as he touches the scimitar. "Welp, the blades are magical, but damn me if I know what they do."
He shrugs, "Magical weapons can be used to help clear this place out, if we need'em. We can always turn'em in after our job is done."
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