With the way forward cleared by Linah, Sajan grimaces a little at the task he has set himself. He moves up behind the foul undead creature and readies an action to grapple when the beast is flanked.
"Linah! I don't suppose your dream had any other clues on what to expect and how to defeat them?"
"Not any more than i all ready said. Silver and magic for the priest.", Linah calls back. "He was consumed by hate, and he took his congregation with him."
Sajan tries to get the undead priest in his grip. He struggles to grasp the creature, surrounded as it is by the flickering doubles, but gets an idea of its strength (about equal to his own). He does manage to destroy one of the images, leaving only three priests to deal with.
Those skeletons still mobile lunge forward while others crawl their way from out of the bones and get to their feet. There still seems no particular direction to their attack, they move toward the closest warm living flesh.
One slashes at Sajan with a rusty knife while another lurches across an open section of floor to thrust a claw at Linah. Sajan again manages to sway out of the way while Linah takes a nasty scratch to the leg.
Knife vs Sajan miss
Claw vs Linah (charge) hit
Aside from the impact of skeletal feet, the bone piles now seem unmoving. It seems you'll just need to deal with the priest and this last wave.
Grall moves 40' north to -A7 drawing his silver dagger along the way and strikes at one of the evil priests...
The skeletons next to Grall lunge at him as he moves to help Sajan but the gnoll dodges a rusty scimitar while his chain shirt protects him from a clawing.
AOO Scimitar
AOO Claw
He doesn't manage to make contact with the undead priest although it seems to show a healthy respect for the silver dagger, shrinking back before Grall's thrusts.
The halfling smirks at Nuveril as the barbarian heads toward her.
Its rounded, cherubic features seem to melt away like mist leaving a hideous skeletal face framed by shreds of stringy hair. It grows taller, broader, its body taking on a masculine appearance. Slaves rags are replaced by grubby, ash-stained vestments not disimilar to Linah's.
It speaks with a hideous, slurred voice, as if through a mouthful of soggy parchment.
The prodigal daughter returnss. heh heh heh. Welcome to my cchurch. Did you like my facce? Your motherr or ssister or ssomething. Can't keep tracck can I. heh heh heh. But the blood. I ccan alwayss tell the blood it ssmellss soo ssweet! Sshe's here ssomewhere. With the otherss. heh. heh. You musst have ccome to join them!
Nuveril watches the ... thing's transformation, her face frozen in horror and disgust at both the spectacle and the words it is speaking. She snaps out of her daze when Grall brushes past her, getting between her and the hideous creature she so wants to crush. Finding a skeleton menacing her, she swings at it savagely. As if the blow served simply as a release for her emotions, she moves forward without even looking to see if the bones fell. Stopping on the steps up to the altar, she looks up at the swirl of images and asks the undead creature, "You. Did you kill them? Are you...," she searches for the name, "Xulthos?"
Nuveril's hammer takes the skeleton in the skull, crushing it and sending its bones hurtling to the ground.
Old Bones
Round 3
Initiative
Skeletal Priest 23a
Sajan 23b
Linah 14
Khalid 13
Zeladiel 8
Skeletons 7
Grall 6
Nuveril 4
Effects
- Mage armor (Sajan)
- Shield of faith (Khalid)
- Light (on Zeladiel's arrow)
Notes
- Treat each square with bones in it as difficult terrain.
- Fighting down the steps is higher ground.
- Dim light outside Zeladiel's light spell and the above specified patches of light.
The skeletal priest, the hecuva, sniggers at Nuveril's questions.
I am HALRUUN! Priest of this temple, priest of this town. I delivered you bloody from your mother's womb halfing. I killed noone. All I did was whisper. heh heh. A few words from my master. Like a little birdie. heh heh. They did all this themselves.
It was easy. They were all animals. Just under the surface. Just like you are. Oh I see. I see you. heh heh.
Now why fight me? Wouldn't it be easier to just lie down and join them? Your family. heh heh.
It surveys the battle, evidently frustrated that you are blocking its way to Linah. Turning to Grall, it looks at his dagger. Nasty, nasty, silver.
In a blur of motion it slashes at the gnoll with its long fingers, coming in low and cutting him on both sides. Grall can feel the filth encrusted around its bones enter his body.
Claw vs Grall hit possible crit
Claw vs Grall hit
Crit confirm
Heh heh.
After the attack the hecuva takes a step back, placing its back to the debris in front of the altar.
You feel disease and sickness begin to spread throughout your body.
But you find your natural resistances bolstered by an external force. It feels like a warming heat, a fire burning the disease as it tries to spread.
Aside from his wounds, Grall seems to suffer no ill affect from the hecuva's attacks.
Ignoring the skeleton, Sajan attempts to move around the hecuva and get into position for a grab. He is not quick enough to avoid an attack from the hecuva but manages to duck under its strike while sending the skeleton backward with a snap kick to the torso.
Acrobatics to avoid AOO from hecuva fail
AOO Skeleton with knife miss
AOO Hecuva with claw miss
Zeladiel advances towards the altar and throws his arms forward with a magical word.
"Let's see how many of you are left after this."
A flaming sphere from Zeladiel's bow leaps the thirty feet to the altar and engulfs the identical creatures.
flaming sphere (DC16 Reflex negates) Damage:
Zeladiel advances towards the altar and throws his arms forward with a magical word.
"Let's see how many of you are left after this."
A flaming sphere from Zeladiel's bow leaps the thirty feet to the altar and engulfs the identical creatures.
flaming sphere (DC16 Reflex negates) Damage: 3d6
Round 3, initiative 14
Linah notices the charging skeleton just in time to defend herself but unfortunately not in time to deflect the blow all together. The claw sends pain shooting through her leg and as she looks up she sees the other skeletons closing in on Khalid and Zeladiel. Smashing her shoulder into the skeleton beside her Linah releases another wave of Sarenrae's light at the undead .
Round 3, initiative 14
Linah notices the charging skeleton just in time to defend herself but unfortunately not in time to deflect the blow all together. The claw sends pain shooting through her leg and as she looks up she sees the other skeletons closing in on Khalid and Zeladiel. Smashing her shoulder into the skeleton beside her Linah releases another wave of Sarenrae's light at the undead .
Grall will make a move to -C/8 go into rage and attack the evil undead thing.
This is Sarrrenrrrae's temple deceiverrr, you will be the one to fall this day!
Sajan follows the undead as it backs away, attacking with a quick flurry of kicks designed mostly to shatter the illusions surrounding it as fast as possible.
Linah's second channel is even more powerful than the first. An almost concussive wave of positive energy that leaves your skin tingling. The five closest skeletons are destroyed, the necromantic magic animating them simply unravelling before the priestess' divine power. The two menacing Zeladiel implode, showering the elf with harmless bone fragments.
Linah then moves closer to the fight with the hecuva.
Khalid moves toward the fight as well. Again his ray strikes home, this time destroying one of the images.
Now unimpeded, Zeladiel follows the pair, casting his own spell . The undead creature seems distracted by the ring of warriors and does not notice the evocation until it is too late to dodge, the fiery sphere settling in the middle of the flickering images. Whatever the creature's resistances, fire does not appear to be among them and it howls in anger as the flames blacken its torso, burning away a substantial portion of its rotting vestments.
Reflex fail
Those skeletons still standing continue to attack mindlessly. The three on the dais close around Sajan, two stepping onto clear ground and assail the monk in a flurry of claws and steel. But yet again the monk's defenses hold firm, several blows deflected away by his magical armour and new defensive trinkets.
Skeleton -c,11
Claw vs Sajan (flank)
Claw vs Sajan (flank)
Skeleton -b,11
Claw vs Sajan
Claw vs Sajan
Skeleton -b,10
Knife vs Sajan
The four remaining skeletons follow Linah, Khalid and Zeladiel. Two are able to navigate the obstacles in the room sufficiently to launch attacks while the remaining two cluster near Khalid and Zeladiel. Linah blocks a slashing claw with her shield while Zeladie's magic armour and agility are not quite enough to avoid a painful cut to the arm.
Claw vs Linah (charge)
Claw vs Zeladiel (charge) hit
Grall boxes the hecuva in with Sajan, the monk reaching out to try and grab the undead thing. Either through instinct or blind luck he is able to hone in on the creature, taking a firm grasp on one of its arms.
Grapple (flank) success
With the creature grappled, Grall in turn is able to guide his dagger into its side, the silver blade seemingly burning hot as it slides easily through animate bone.
Sajan follows the undead as it backs away, attacking with a quick flurry of kicks designed mostly to shatter the illusions surrounding it as fast as possible.
1d20+8
1d8+51d20+8
1d8+51d20+8
1d8+5
Linah blocks a slashing claw with her shield while Zeladie's magic armour and agility are not quite enough to avoid a painful cut to the arm.
The skeletal priest, the hecuva, sniggers at Nuveril's questions.
I am HALRUUN! Priest of this temple, priest of this town. I delivered you bloody from your mother's womb halfing. I killed noone. All I did was whisper. heh heh. A few words from my master. Like a little birdie. heh heh. They did all this themselves.
It was easy. They were all animals. Just under the surface. Just like you are. Oh I see. I see you. heh heh.
Now why fight me? Wouldn't it be easier to just lie down and join them? Your family. heh heh.
Nuveril's skin visibly crawls at the thought of those skeletal hands ever cradling her naked flesh. "You lie!" she trembles back at him. "If my family died here, why did I not die with them? Who took me away into the wilderness and abandoned me?!?"
Old Bones
Round 4
Initiative
Skeletal Priest 23
Linah 14
Khalid 13
Zeladiel 8
Skeletons 7
Sajan 6a
Grall 6b
Nuveril 4
Effects
- Mage armor (Sajan, Zeladiel)
- Shield of faith (Khalid)
- Light (on Zeladiel's arrow)
Notes
- Treat each square with bones in it as difficult terrain.
- Fighting down the steps is higher ground.
- Dim light outside Zeladiel's light spell and the above specified patches of light.
The hecuva (and its remaining image) twist in Sajan's grip.
Again it laughs in response to Nuveril's questions.
He. He. Father, mother, sister, brother? Who can say? He He. But the bones know. Oh yes. Ask them.
ASK THEM HALFLING! The last with a roar.
Turning toward the monk it slashes at him with both claws. Sajan manages to lock up the left but takes a number of scrapes from the right, one a deep cut that oozes blood.
Claw (grappled, flank) hit
Claw (grappled, flank) miss
With a wordless shout of anger, Nuveril advances up the steps and swings her hammer wildly at the faithless priest.
Round 4, initiative 14
Linah swipes at the skeleton that attacked her and another wave of positive energy is released, washing over the falling priest and the remainder of the skeletons. The cleric dons her shield and prepares to engage the hecuva.
Nuveril attacks the hecuva in fury but is distracted by the remaining image flickering around the grappled creature and her strikes are wide.
Linah channels yet again and no less potently. All of the remaining skeletons fall to the floor with a clatter. This time the hecuva is also caught. It seems to resist the full effect of the positive energy but is clearly pained.
Will (channel resistance) pass
Zeladiel moves to the bottom of the steps and fires into the melee.
1 Hecuva - If Zeladiel can pick the real Hecuva-
scorching ray ranged touch attack, point blank shot, precise shot:
scorching ray damage:
2 Hecuva - If Zeladiel can't target the real Hecuva-
magic missile split between the two targets
1st missile: , 2nd missile:
Will 1d20 + 8 + 2 (channel resistance) pass
From the PRD domain pageSun's Blessing (Su): Whenever you channel positive energy to harm undead creatures, add your cleric level to the damage dealt. Undead do not add their channel resistance to their saves when you channel positive energy.
Will 1d20 + 8 + 2 (channel resistance) pass
From the PRD domain pageSun's Blessing (Su): Whenever you channel positive energy to harm undead creatures, add your cleric level to the damage dealt. Undead do not add their channel resistance to their saves when you channel positive energy.
Khalid's third ray goes high, the beam of positive energy hitting the fallen masonry above the struggling grapplers heads.
Small darts of force shoot from Zeladiel's hands. The first seems to strike the real hecuva squarely, the second neatly popping its last image like a soap bubble.
The damage to the undead priest is starting to add up, its body is blackened from the fire and positive energy and bears the mark of Grall's silver and Zeladiel's force magic. The elf threatens to finish the fight with his flaming sphere, bringing it down in alignment with the hecuva who manages to wriggle to the side just enough to avoid the evocation.
Reflex pass
Fortitude
CMB to Pin (Base + Flank +5 as Hecuva didn't attempt to break grapple.
Sajan pins the undead down to the floor and holds it there, leaving it no other option than to try and break free and leaving his allies free to finish it.
Sajan seems to shrug off the ill effects of the hecuva's claws, upending it with a twist and a surge of strength and pinning it underneath a braced forearm.
Die evil frrrom the grrrave, Sarrranrrae will not abide yourrr unlife!
Grall drop his falchion with a clatter to the ground, grabs his dagger in two hands and slams it down into the creatures skull as hard as his rage will let him.
Edited for damage
Die evil frrrom the grrrave, Sarrranrrae will not abide yourrr unlife!
Grall drop his falchion with a clatter to the ground, grabs his dagger in two hands and slams it down into the creatures skull as hard as his rage will let him.
Edited for damage
Grall manages to drive his dagger deep into the creature's head, the silver edge slicing neatly through hard bone and black smoke wafts from the wound.
The creature shrieks, a high-pitched keen that echoes around the church and sags, clearly only holding on to its unlife by the thinnest of threads.
Round 5
With the last of its strength the creature tries desperately to free itself from Sajan's grip, arching its back and clawing and biting at the monk. It very nearly manages it but Sajan does not relent.
Break Pin fail vs 26 CMD w/grappled condition
Nuveril looms over the heucuva, helpless on the floor. "Betrayer of your own tribe! Creature so foul not even death would swallow you!" she spits. "You claim your hands welcomed my existence? Well, now my hand ends yours." She brings down the ancestral hammer of the pugwampis, crushing Halruun's skull.
Nuveril's hammer hits the hecuva's skull with so much force it shatters into pieces, the rest of the creature's body literally falling part in Sajan's grip.
Saranrae's church has been reclaimed.