“ Fear Aura (Su) The use of this ability is a free action. The aura can freeze an opponent (as in the case of a mummy’s despair) or function like the fear spell. Other effects are possible. A fear aura is an area effect. The descriptive text gives the size and kind of the area.
Fear Cone (Sp) and Ray (Su) These effects usually work like the fear spell.
If a fear effect allows a saving throw, it is a Will save (DC 10 + 1/2 fearsome creature’s racial HD + creature’s Cha modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature’s descriptive text). All fear attacks are mind-affecting fear effects.”
And this points towards it being mind affecting as well
Well played on that. ZK’s sister has made a power move. :)
Now we just need to hear from Bashiel. To see if he will choose the card that would make this an all female adventuring party going up against the evil Queen and her all female guards!
“ The Peacock: The character’s skin hardens, becoming rigid and pebbled. He gains a permanent +2 bonus to his natural armor, but takes a –2 penalty to Dexterity.
I'm surprised on this one that it doesn't affect Charisma rather than Dexterity, because you would think that would affect her stunning beauty, but you know... somehow it just seems right on her. :) Overall this isn't a great change for Zamanda because she has a +3 amulet of natural armor, and she is an archer, but the changes are not wholly bad. She can get a different amulet, and an 18 rather than a 20 isn't the end of the world. Additionally, I like the theme of her getting bigger AND tougher, so accepting this one as well.”
It’s +2 Natural Armor
Your amulet is +3 enchantment to natural armor
It stands for +5 total
It was Kalem's turn. Fearlessly he strode forward and touched the deck. As his fingers touched the deck time froze. The tiefling stared ahead into the void, for that was where his mind was.
Kalem was five years old. He sat on the corner crying, asking passerbys for spare change so that he could eat. The money wasn't for his food, it was for Lamm's thug who watched over him. The story was fake, but the tears were real.
He was ten years old. The child stalked through the marketplace, looking for a mark. A furious storekeep spun around, finding Kalem's hand in his pocket. A backhand later and Kalem was sent sprawling to the ground. He fled, followed by kicks and curses.
Fifteen years old. A handsome tiefling was smiling as he introduced people to a game of chance. A game that he was bad at. A game that he kept losing at, causing the tiefling to get more and more flustered. The crowd laughed at his misfortune. Taunts rolled over him. One elderly man had the temerity to tell Kalem that his poor luck was because of the sin, and that the only way to redeem himself was to ask Pharasma herself. Little did he know that Kalem was losing on purpose, for his accomplice was fleecing the crowd's pockets while Kalem kept their attention.
He was just over twenty years old when Lamm died. Kalem smiled, true happiness in his heart. Memories washed over him, rolling through the years. So very few of them were pleasant, even the ones that were intimate. Person after person came and went, each one using him and being used. And all through it Kalem saw his own fake smile, evolving through the years.
This is what you are.A voice said, as Kalem watched himself steal the purse of a woman who was sleeping next to him. She trusted him enough to sleep soundly, and for that she was going to pay for the next few days of living.You are a liar. A cheat. A fraud. The words echoed through him. A killer.He had never stopped to think about how many people he had killed, but the memories were coming to him. Along with the savage joy that he felt with each one. The feeling of power. Of control.You do not deserve them. But you are better than them.The voice was in his head, in his chest, in his very being. He could see himself, his skin as black as night, his eyes blazing with inner light. His hands were claws and a pair of wings emerged from his back. Bits and pieces of the queen hung from his fingers. At his feet lay the torn apart bodies of his comrades. Bashiel had a scythe in his back. Ilsa's throat had been ripped out by clawed hands. Zamanda's head lay several feet away from her body.They are using you. Everyone uses you. Once they have what they want, they will turn on you.It felt like he was going to explode. He saw Laori...she was laughing. Laughing at him as she walked away.They always leave, do they not? Where will she be in a hundred years? Where will you be? Will she even remember you in two hundred years? Three? You allow yourself to be a toy. Kill. Her.Kalem watched in horror as blood bubbled out from her smiling face. His hands were in her guts. He screamed even as she smiled.
The Trumpet: “ The Trumpet: This card grants the character the ability to summon an outsider of his alignment once per day. This outsider must be of a CR equal to or less than the character’s level and serves for a number of rounds equal to the character’s level.”
The Fiend: “ The Fiend: A powerful evil outsider takes notice of the character and sets plans in motion to destroy him.”
The Big Sky: “ The Big Sky: Once per day, the character can add +10 to his CMB or CMD for 1 round. When he does so, a piece of metal in close proximity shatters.”
The Winged Serpent: “ The Winged Serpent: The character is granted a single wish. This wish functions similarly to the spell wish when it comes to affecting rules and statistics, but can also change reality in ways outside the bounds of the spell’s effects—such as rerouting a river or ending a war. The GM decides what the wish can and cannot accomplish.”
——
Wow! Just…yeah. Ok, I know that I could get rid of The Fiend. But I won’t, because it’s too IC. Kalem has his Goddess on his side (The Trumpet) but in doing so he has earned the ire of his infernal ancestor (The Fiend).
Now the questions are…what outsiders can he summon and what to use the Wish on? Honestly have never seen Wish before, so it’s kind of exciting.
Eternal youth? A worthy goal. Kalem couldn’t see how anyone could deny that. Even if it didn’t mean extending one’s life, it would certainly make it better. Not that he wasn’t ready to cut her head off and use it to make a puppet show, of course. It was just nice to know that while criminally insane, at least the Queen had an understandable reason.
”If I feel up to it?” Kalem chuckled. ”And here I thought that we were just here as tourists! Of course I’m up for it.” He grinned. ”We just fought a dragon. How hard can a wall be?”
”I think that if we are to rest it should be here. It seems like nobody ever comes here, and if we can find the bones, then we won’t have anything to worry about from the spirit.” Kalem said. ”The room? Can’t imagine actually sleeping. Seems like a good way to get trapped with no way out.”
”Whats life without a bit of danger? I say we teleport in. Because it will cover our tracks perfectly. If the guards come looking for us, they won’t think to go past this obstacle.”
”Gods yes, it hurt.” Kalem said. ”Every touch made me want to do pass out.” He shuddered. ”To be honest, on a one-on-one it could very well have killed me. I was lucky to have all of you here.”
”I am now.” He said, his disappointment at being unable to win on his own accord having faded upon seeing her. He decided that it was unimportant pride. What mattered was that they were alive and that they remain so.
The assassin was mortally wounded, but he still put up a fight. Knowing that he couldn’t parry Kalem’s scythe, the assassin ducked, weaved and dodged…until he misread a feint and lunged in the right direction. The scythe made a clean hit, going right through the left arm and into the assassin’s chest. Kalem ripped it out, letting the pieces of assassin fall to the floor.
Kalem frowned. Deep down he knew that but-for the aid of his companions the devil would have won. It was good to be alive, but it was bitter to be overmatched. But the fight was not yet over. Spreading his wings he flew over towards the assassin, to ensure that if the man left it would be in pieces.
Damage?:132 + 42 + 4 + 40 + 1 + 40 + 4 = 263Plus arrow, not sure about DR or resistances
Weathering the blows, Kalem grinned a bloody smile. For once it was his own blood that he tasted. ”You’ve been a worthy opponent. I’m glad that we could have this duel.” He finished as he parried a blow and used the break in momentum to launch his own blistering attack. He knew that this was it. Either he won or he died, there was no room for error. The feeling was exhilarating. It had been a long time since he had felt so alive!
Weathering the outsider’s attacks, Kalem let out a wordless battlecry as the flames on his scythe went from red to blue. Refusing to back down he met it blow for blow.
Ref:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (20) + 15 = 3512 wounds absorbed by greater false life
Charge if he can? Otherwise move towards it:1d20 + 33 ⇒ (14) + 33 = 47 Damage:2d4 + 36 ⇒ (3, 1) + 36 = 40 Fire Damage:2d6 ⇒ (1, 3) = 4
Kalem opened his mouth to talk when he saw the demon. ”We should, wait-“ He was cut off when the world exploded into flame. From the fire he soared into the sky on black wings, his scythe at the ready.
”Have to say, it was surprising how easily the Red Mantis were taken by surprise.” Kalem said. ”They’re supposed to be assassins feared throughout the world, and yet this is twice now that they were slaughtered like common bandits. Seems like we lucked out on the Queen wasting her gold on a false reputation.”
Kalem, likewise, took the blast of negative energy at it’s full strength. The power of the blast sent him stumbling backwards, but with scythe in hand he advanced. Pushing through the pulsating waves, he brought his weapon around and then down upon the cleric…
Kalem staggered under the mental assault, and would have fallen for it but for the grace of his goddess. Thanks to the divine intervention he was able to keep swinging his scythe, though it was not with as much skill as usual.
”The problem with assassins.” Kalem announced. ”Is that they don’t train for fair fights.” To prove his point he swung his blazing scythe at the survivors.
With the element of surprise on their side, Kalem ran into the room, growing wings as he did so. Using his momentum he jumped into the air and flew past one of the assassins, holding his scythe at neck level. If all went according to plan, then momentum alone would decapitate the unfortunate.
Kalem rolled his neck and stretched his arms. Either they would find the assassins sleeping or they would walk into an ambush. Either way there would be blood.
Kalem shrugged. "There'll be alot more bodies by the time we're done here. Best to save your magic to heal someone who really deserves it. After what he did to himself..." Kalem looked the man over. "...even with his mind healed, I wouldn't want him around."
Kalem's attention turned from the bloatmage to the imp. Trusting that his companions could handle the corpulent spellcaster, he launched an all out attack on the invisible outsider.
"Well, let's be heroes then." Kalem said with a smile. His eyes began to glow, wings formed on his back, and with scythe in his hand he strode forward. His eyes set on the mage, he ran forward and slashed low, setting himself up to launch a full attack once he could plan his feet.
"Well if the region is ever hit by a chair shortage, I know where I'm going to make a fortune." Kalem said, as he looked around the room and waited for a more stealthy member of the group to take point.
"Fortunate that we have met each other." Kalem said. "It will be good to work in tandem to make all of this right." Secretly he felt for the queen. To be possessed and have one's mind warped by an outside influence? It could happen to anyone. But he was still more than willing to kill her, regardless of mitigating circumstances. He just hoped that Sabina wouldn't get in their way if it came to that.
Kalem came to the ground. When he landed the glow in his eyes vanished and his wings evaporated. He motioned for the group to lead on, so that he could take up the rear. Once their prisoner couldn't see him, he willed his scythe to change form so that it looked like a staff that one might use for walking. Likewise, his clothes changed into that of the robes that a wandering monk might wear, so that when moving through the streets a casual observer wouldn't see a fully armed and armored warrior walking around with a warscythe covered in dragon blood.
Completing his flight down towards the dragon, the bloodrager finally found himself abreast to it. Once more his scythe lashed out, cutting into it's flank. Now that he was finally close enough, he would be able to really start to lay into it. All it would take was another few seconds...
Kalem swiped at the dragon with his scythe as it flew past him. Growling in frustration as his scythe hit home, but missed the mark. What could have been a fatal blow instead just turned into a wound.
As the others talked Kalem listened and then sighed. "Chalidra watches over me." He said, as he took out his scythe. The bloodrager rolled his shoulders, cracked his neck, and then knelt down. One hand was placed on the ground, the other held his scythe out to the side. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and with a reckless endeavor in mind opened his eyes once more. They glowed with the inner light which showed that he was channeling the power within him. A pair of demonic wings formed on his back as he launched himself into the air, heading straight for the dragon.
Let's get this started!:
Rage, with shield cast to protect himself should the dragon survive
CHARGE! Surprise round? Because how would the dragon ever imagine that this was coming?:1d1d20 + 34 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 34 + 2 = 55 Damage:2d4 + 36 ⇒ (4, 1) + 36 = 41 Fire Damage with bloodline:3d6 ⇒ (4, 3, 2) = 9
He shot up with incredible speed, his wings pushing him forward like a lance of fire. Flames erupted from his scythe as he went straight for the dragon, his eyes locked upon it. This wasn't the first dragon that they had fought, and as such he had no fear of the beast. If Zamanda wanted to make a scene, then a scene he would make. Chalidra was with him, he was sure. All he had to do was not think about anything besides the dragon's neck...he felt the impact of his warscythe hitting scale and continued to push up, straining to keep a hold onto his weapon. What mattered was momentum, and having enough strength to make the most use of it. All he had to do was keep going and to keep a hold on the weapon. He knew that if he could just endure for those few moments, then the city would have a headless dragon to talk about.
With the dragon, can Kalem start a bloodrage and charge the dragon? If so, could that be done as a surprise round? I doubt that the dragon or rider would be expecting such an attack to come.
"Would be foolish to engage now. It's awkward for the dragon to fly that high. It wouldn't be able to find anything or anyone from that height. It looks to me like they're making a show of force. Which means-" The bloodrager continued "-that if we fight it now, not only do we split ourselves up fighting at such a height, but all the eyes of the city will be on us. Including every reinforcement that the Queen can throw at us."
For a moment Kalem was about to offer a witty(?) barb along the lines of it being impossible to repair what was never there, but decided that it was a bad idea to distract someone performing psychic surgery. Given Zamanda's impassioned ranting in the streets, it was for everyone's benefit that the procedure went smoothly.
Forgetting the hellscape vista he had conjured, the magical duel dominating the streets, even his own sense of balance, Kalem sunk to his knees with a stunned expression on his face. Kneeling at Laori's feet, he raised a shaky hand to his head while he stared through the ground and into the void. "What...?" He said, to nobody in particular. "How...?" He added. So many years of being alone. Of being miserable. Of detesting the world and everyone in it, even while he put on a smiling face. So many long years. And here was proof that it was all a lie. That he had never actually been alone. That there had always been someone watching over him. Before that moment he had never really thought about the Gods, assuming that they were so far above mere mortals that it was pointless to even think about them. Let alone worship them. But here was undeniable evidence that one had been present in his life for far longer than he had ever known. He also wondered, at that moment, about the source of his strength. He knew that he had infernal blood. The proof was right there in his skin and his eyes. But if she was there, then how much of that was true? It also occurred to him that if Chalidra was present in his life, then was she alone? The misfortune. The anger. The dark thoughts that would creep in. How much was him? How much of what he had done, or what had happened to him, had been natural occurrences and how much had been divine? He had surely enough gone to the abyss...or hell. He still didn't know the difference. But regardless, something there had been coming for him, and she had saved him from it.
There were so many questions to process. "Chalidra." He said, as if he was tasting the word. Battle? That was certainly something he was good at, and in truth enjoyed. Luck? As unfortunate as his life was, he lived where others did not due to luck. Mischief? Not exactly the word he would have used to describe himself. But as a semi-reformed con-artist who had lived on the tip of the tongue, he supposed that he fell into that as well. Especially as he never chose marks who looked like they couldn't afford it. And reckless endeavors? He couldn't think of a single endeavor that wasn't reckless.
Getting himself together he looked at Laori. "Is this how the Gods act?" Putting his hand over hers he continued "Is it real? Do I owe her now? How does any of this work?"
