Kardswann AKA DM Dan E's page

His lifesblood pouring on to the stone floor, Kardswann tries and fails to stagger to his knees. His eyes look past Grall to fix on Khalid.

He coughs. ....Vardishal? It is you. After all of these centuries. I tried to do what you taught me. Live with honour. But everything … went wrong … after you died. Everything. After what she did. It was all for nothing.

I left the others and my powers faded. Eventually I came back to this place. Where you died. I thought maybe I could die at last as well.

The daemon took me. And I didn't have the will to fight it. I just didn't care.

It wants to get out. It knows you have the key. It can feel it. Kill it for me won’t you Vardishal… I loved you…

He dies.

Bah! The Kuldis are nothing. Let everyone of them perish. It was all a means to an end and in your ignorance you've served it better than they.

Nuveril can make a sense motive check.

Kardswann is auto-passing his fly checks so far if anyone was wondering.

Bah! Sarenrae! She did nothing for me when I was mortal, why would I care for her mercy now? Vardishal was the sun worshipper not I.

Kardswann grins at her.

Perhaps I don't want to. 500 years of blood and death. Believe me thats all there is child. Once I finish these fools I'll show you.

Unfortunately Grall isn't going to get that far.

Nuveril and Khalid continue around the edge. Nuveril dashing ahead and making it to the corridor adjacent to the 2nd level guard room with its stairs up.

Khalid follows. His only warning of imminent attack is a woosh of air as an axe carves through his armor like parchment and smashes into his ribs breaking at least one. Only a split second pivot stops the cut from continuing into his lungs.

Greataxe 1d20 + 16 + 2 - 3 ⇒ (14) + 16 + 2 - 3 = 29 (invisibility, power attack) hit
1d12 + 11 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 11 + 9 = 21

His invisibility foiled by the attack, Kardswann appears floating in the air just next to the edge.

YOU. ARE. NOT. VARDISHAL.

Please see the map here . The good news is that the attack was at the very end of Khalid's first move action giving him a standard or another move. The bad news is that Kardswann's initiative will slip in before Khalid's.

Assumes Zeladiel is delaying for Gralls response?

Time stands still for Grall...the voice...its her, that beautiful voice. He dared to think he would hear it again! Why was it coming from the flame witch unless....Haleen is the flame witch, why does she disobey...burn me please, don't bring on Kardwanns wrath...he strikes her, NO! She is falling...

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grall screams...

Gralls Round 5 Action

Haleen! Grall will single or double to to the fallen flame witch and use his larger frame to shield her from any further harm. If its a single move he will go fully defensive.

He looks over to Linah and starts begging, Please Linahrrr, help herrr, it is my Haleen!

Kardswann smiles grimly, flicking the axe to clear it of blood.

Come to me slayers. Let us finish this. Tempest or not, you will not beat me.

He moves back from the edge of the balcony and out of your line of sight.

Grall will have endless rage until Kardswann is defeated.

We're at the bottom of the round with some actions. Technically both Kardswann and the Flame Witch have been delaying.

For several moments Kardswann has been watching the Flame Witch with evidently increasing annoyance.

What are you waiting for?! Do it!

She very clearly shakes her head.

B%%+~! YOU OBEY OUR MASTER OR YOU DIE!

Face contorted with rage, the fallen Templar steps to the side, his greataxe a silvery blur of motion as it arcs through the air to slice into the Witch’s side. The axe cuts deep sending a spray of blood onto the nearby wall. He follows the axe with his shoulder, hitting the Witch squarely and sending her slender frame flying over the balcony railing. She falls the 40 feet to the battle market floor, hitting the stone floor with brutal force…

"I assure you, Vardishal is not dead...he is here. As to where Tempest found me? Why at the monastery where you once served, of course. I ask you again, Kardswann, why have you forsaken your oaths as a Templar of the Five Winds? Why do you now seek to ally yourself to servants of the Rough Beast?"

He says, as the inquisitor's gaze nearly bores a hole through the fallen Templar...

"Sarenrae is forgiving and merciful my friend, forsake your current path, return to the Dawnflower while you still can."

For a moment Kardswann seems speechless, his mouth works silently. A number of emotions play over his face, anger, pain and what seems like longing. He seems to teeter on a knife edge of emotion but when he speaks it is with cold fury.

ENOUGH! ENOUGH OF THIS! KULLDIS. KILL THEM ALL. RUN AND DIE SCREAMING.

He turns to the Flame Witch, unmoving at this side.

Give them the flame. Start with the race traitor. He nods at Grall. Burn him to ashes!

Holding Tempest so that Kardswann can not mistake it...

"What has become of you, Kardswann? I may not know what you are, but I do know what you once were..."as Khalid's voice changes to something not his own "Has it been so long that you no longer remember your vows to the Dawnflower, my pupil?"

Kardswann's good humor vanishes as he stares at the inquisitor.

What? Vardishal? …… No, this must be a trick. A trick.

He stares at Khalid’s sword, his previous confidence replaced by uncertainty.

Tempest… Where did you get that sword boy? WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SWORD! VARDISHAL IS DEAD. DEAD! THAT B!+** KILLED HIM!

The slayers! In the flesh! Here you are. And in the daylight rather than skulking around like thieves. You come here, to my peaceful town and bring your warmongering. You kill my gnolls, my people.

So righteous! So proud!

I should be angry. But I'm not. Oh no, how could I be? You've answered my prayers. He chuckles. Tell me. Did you bring it with you?

Oh never mind. I'll take it from your corpses. Or those of your friends. You have no idea who I am. What I can do. But you'll learn.

Oh yes.

I'll teach you.

His eyes seem to glow.

Zeladiel is up. I'll give him a chance to change actions given the change from his last post.

The man with the blue steel breastplate and enormous silver metal greataxe can only be Kardswann.

His build is similar to Sajan's. Perhaps a head taller, a shade less broad along the chest. Completely bald, the Master of the Kulldis tribe is handsome, in a harsh way, and radiates physical power. As Undrella said, his race is hard to guess. His features look human but there is a hint of Zeladiel's elven agelessness in his face, an unatural cast to his eyes. He surveys you like rats in a maze, a slight smile on his lips. He looks like he is enjoying the show.

The Flame Witch steps up to stand next to him, features hidden under the chador, its attention could be anywhere.

Behind them Undrella pushes off from the balcony with a flap of her wings. She takes up position on the top of the skylight to watch the fight her face completely expressionless.