As black feathers cast a chill shadow over Lureene, time seemed to slow down. The events of the past few months since she had arrived in this world raced thru her head and Alis' scream seemed like a distant echo. In an instant, a wave of heat washed over the succubus, as though she stood before the very fires of judgment.
In an instant, the past few months since she had arrived in this world, her trials and the friendships she had made flashed before the succubus' eyes. Was this the end?
The din of hardened steel and brittle crystal shattering snapped her out of it. Before her, Lureene could see Prince Tyralor's fiery wings and coppery mane. Yet even as her heart rose in her chest, she heard crystal striking stone as bits of his resplendent armor crumbles away. With a ragged gasp, the brave warrior's wings dissipated and he fell, sword still in hand, his regal tunic rent by a mortal blow!
When Alis cried out from behind her, the panicked succubus looked up fully expecting to meet her doom. Yet instead, she found Lucretia clutching the haft of her scythe, its adamantine blade shattered beyond repair.
Even as flames from her weapon began to consume her, Lucretia shook her head, in stunned silence, teeth clenched as she looked at the stricken Prince. With her form rapidly crumbling away before the retributive wrath of a failure impossible beyond imagining, she pointed a finger now burned to the bone, and gasped something only Lureene could understand.
Infernal (Lureene):
"Centuries of toil ruined for the likes of you... Well played, Avoreene."
With that final gasp of hatred, Lucretia and her fell weapon crumbled, her ashes scattered by the gusting of Lureene's golden wings.
As the initial lightning flash faded, the crackle of energy could still be heard. There, coiled about the limbs and torso of the enemy were actual electrified chain constricting her, bearing her down. Baleful eyes glared at the golden-winged wizardess, and in a voice promising vengeance, the words, "This is not over, harlot!" echoed throughout the laboratory.
Then, in a thunderclap and a rain of black feathers, angel, scythe, and chains vanished.
K: Arcana DC 26+ (Lureene):
In addition to its more obvious effect, it appears that Ozyrankhus' staff trigger what appeared to be a contingent gate or teleportation effect upon the enemy.
Twin points of red light flared within the fallen angel's cowl, the full power of her ritual temporarily disrupted. In a harsh and angry voice, she shouted, "ANGRA!"
In a blinding flash of crimson light, her staff transformed into a huge scythe with a blade of gleaming adamant. Glaring at the Marshal, she said in a voice that sounded like an echoing growl, "I don't know how you escaped capture, but your final thought shall be regret over having done so!"
Even as her vicious blade struck home, nearly felling Isaac, the remaining shadow slipped forward to attack Darvesch. Although he almost managed to avoid its strike this time, without the benefit of either his armor or his cousin's agility it was useless. The creature he had neglected just moments before struck him a crippling blow and it was everything the dwarf could do to resist falling under the weight of his own armaments as his knees threatened to buckle.
A hp:41 - 1d6 + 6 ⇒ 41 - (6) + 6 = 41/41 ER 20: fire
(mage armor 0et, shield other 3md, resist fire 20 4db, see invisibility 4db, protection from evil r390, good hope r346, inspire courage +2)
k:20 = 20/20
M hp:62 = 62/62 Str 1 = 1/ 12 -5 penalty
(protection from evil r373)
D hp:95 - 1d6 + 3 ⇒ 95 - (3) + 3 = 95/85 ER 20: fire
Str 14 - 1d8 ⇒ 14 - (7) = 7/ 20 -6 penalty
(resist fire 20 4db, air bubble r 304)
Without hesitation, Lureene casts her spell and a monstrous, "NOOOO!!!" escapes from the witch as she realizes to late that it is not her person but her disguise that has been targeted!
Before your very eyes, all traces of Zuck ethnicity fade. You find yourselves facing a pale woman, her eyes lost in a black cowl from which spills hair the color of midnight. In an instant, her cape is flung wide by wings of great, black feathers revealing only tattered rags for clothing even as her form blot out the light of the forge behind her. Even her staff now looks like an iron rod topped with a pale blade.
Limned in a hellish light, she points at the succubus and speaks in a sepulchral tone, "You would have done well not to indulge your curiosity, Spawn of the 79th."
Gripping her weapon in both hands, she shouts, "CRACK AND FUME..."
Knowledge Results:
While Darvesch and Lureene are certain this is some sort of powerful outsider, they are unable to pin down what manner of devil or demon she might be. All that you can tell is that judging by her trappings, she appears to be associated with the principles of Death and Retribution.
The witch ignored Sasha's commentary and instead pointed a slender finger at Darvesch. Her eyes glowed with an eerie red light as she intoned, "Kill dat one!"
At her command, Lureene saw the shade she had been fighting disappear thru the wall and quickly whisk away, to do its mistress' bidding. Further away, the zombies converged upon him in complete obedience, pushing and shoving past one another to come at him. While he was easily able to fend off their attacks, the shades were another matter, and he could feel icy tendrils sapping the strength from his limbs.
Even as the stalwart warrior fought for his life, the witch pointed her staff at him and uttered a single word, "Buuurn!"
Instantly, the dwarf could feel that the icy chill of the shadow's touch was replaced by a gentle warmth, Alis' spell protecting him from the ravages of the witch's spell.
A hp:41 - 1d6 + 6 ⇒ 41 - (6) + 6 = 41/41 ER 20: fire
(mage armor 0et, shield other 3md, resist fire 20 4db, see invisibility 4db, protection from evil r390, good hope r346, inspire courage +2)
k:20 = 20/20
M hp:62 = 62/62 Str 1 = 1/ 12 -5 penalty
(protection from evil r373)
D hp:95 - 1d6 + 6 ⇒ 95 - (6) + 6 = 95/85 ER 20: fire
Str 19 - 5 = 14/ 20 -3 penalty
(resist fire 20 4db, air bubble r 304)
The dark-skinned beauty smirked at Isaac's bravado, but her eyes narrowed and her visage twisted in disgust as she looked at something or someone past them. With waves of heat continuing to assaulting the heroes from within, she answered cryptically, "Always somebody gotta pay..."
Good Hope: +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. (r 346)
A hp:41 - 1d6 + 1 ⇒ 41 - (1) + 1 = 41/41 ER 20: fire
(mage armor 0et, shield other 3md, resist fire 20 4db, see invisibility 4db, protection from evil r390)
k:20 = 20/20
M hp:62 = 62/62 Str 8 - 7 = 1/ 12 -5 penalty
D hp:95 = 95/85 Str 19 = 19/ 20 -0 penalty
(resist fire 20 4db, air bubble r 304)
"Oh?" The witched cocked her head and rolled her staff in her hands. "And what might jou's know o' my cause? Nooot sooo muuuch if dat's what jou tinkin..."
The witch laughed and beckoned to the Princess with one hand. "Come now, lessee what jou's gunna do bout it!"
What will the future hold
How will I be rewarded
Have I the right to riches
In a world where there are no prizes
Who makes the clock tick by
When will my fate be ready
Do I get prior warning
Am I told? Are there no surprises
I have to count my blessings
I have to learn my lessons
My fate is in the balance
I must go on believing
"Deal wit da witch, hmmm?" While zombies and Malatestan engineering continued to frustrate Darvesch's group, a woman's light but haughty laugh reached the ears of Alis' group.
"Sooo... Jou tink jou's fate is to be stoppin' O'beilumanji?"
Looking up, the four spied an exotically beautiful woman with ebony skin, black hair, and eyes with neither iris nor pupils evident. Her scant robes were the same color as her milky-white eyes, and geometric designs flowed and shifted across their surface as if freshly spilled blood had come to life. In spite of the slenderness of her neck and narrow shoulders, there was a predatory grace in her movements, and the massive golden headdress and bangles she wore seemed not to faze her anymore than then heavy, crescent-topped staff she carried.
It was when she pointed the staff that the blood caked onto the device was evident.
Luscious dark lips curled in a sneer. "Before jou's go annny furdur, lessee if jou's can take da heat!"
And in the next moment, they each began to feel unpleasantly warm, moreso than could be accounted for from either exertion or the equatorial climate. No, this heat was coming from within!
Laughing as pain and confusion began to take hold, the woman walked to the south even as another zombie approached from the north, blocking egress.
Rolls:
Fort DC 22 A 1d20 + 4 + 3 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 4 + 3 + 2 = 16 k 1d20 + 5 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 5 + 2 = 26 I 1d20 + 7 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 7 + 2 = 19 L SR check 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (10) + 14 = 24 L 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 6 + 2 = 11
Good Hope: +2 morale bonus on saving throws, attack rolls, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls. (r 346)
A hp:41 - 1d6 + 4 ⇒ 41 - (4) + 4 = 41/41 ER: 20 fire
(mage armor 0et, shield other 3md, resist fire 20 4db, see invisibility 4db, protection from evil r 390)
k:20 = 20/20
M hp:62 = 62/62
(air bubble r 254)
D hp:95 = 95/85 Str 19 = 19/ 20 -0 penalty
(resist fire 20 4db, air bubble r 304)
I hp:66 - 1d6 ⇒ 66 - (6) = 60/66
L hp:55 - 1d6 + 5 ⇒ 55 - (5) + 5 = 55/55 ER 5: fire
(mage armor 4md, invisibility r 306)
M hp:90 = 90/90 Str 18 - 5 = 13/ 18 -2 penalty
S hp:62 - 1d6 ⇒ 62 - (1) = 61/62 Str 7 = 7/ 13 -3 penalty
(protection from evil r 390)
