The vermleks look towards one another and chuckle mirthlessly. Their worm-like heads practically vibrate with laughter, bobbing back and forth above the shoulders of their host bodies. The movement makes you think absurdly of potted plants swaying in the wind.
"Reinforcements, eh?" one calls out. "I think not. Throw down your weapons and give yourself over to Deskari, mortal. Only then will we permit you to enter this building."
Alexa sighs.
...yeah, I wasn't convinced that would work either.
"...oh, well. It was worth a shot."
Then she turns on her heel and runs back the way she came.
Seeing Alexa run back and figuring her attempt failed, he starts humming, rising into a song:
"♪Strong the oak, broad spreading branches, cool the shade, deep reaching the roots, mighty the soul.♩"
As Alexa bolts, Darya steps forwad covering her retreat.
Telerin HP: 14/14 - AC: 12/10/10 Status:
Sario HP: 25/25 - AC: 15/12/13 Status:
Darya HP: 40/40 - AC: 16/10/16 Status:
Arloric HP: 29/29 - AC: 15/10/15 Status:
Alexa HP: 25/25 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Uriel HP: 40/40 - AC: 18/12/16 Status:
Kelly HP: 45/45 - AC: 19/15/15 Status:
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Vermlek Green - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Red - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Blue - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Orange - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Order: Kelly (22), Alexa/Sario (19), Darya (13), Arloric (6), Uriel (5), Telerin (3), Vermleks (1)
Darya's bolt catches the vermleks by surprise—busy leering at the retreating Alexa—though without a cold iron head, the shot does little damage. Blades drawn, the demons guide their grotesque host bodies forward, ready for a fight.
She will cast protection from evil on the male paladin.
As Aberus streps forward to get a good view of Alexa, he raises his holy symbol and speaks the words to a spell.
Arloric, still singing, advances to join the paladins in the fray.
Uriel shakes his head as Darya fires. "Bolts will do little good here, sister. It's blades we need." Matching action to words, he draws Radiance and begins a jog forward, picking up speed as he goes.
Kelly jumps up and runs in herself, keeping abreast with Uriel.
"I know, cover fire got Alexa clear!" Darya says dropping the crossbow and drawing Uriel's family blade.
This spell wards a creature from attacks by evil creatures, from mental control, and from summoned creatures. It creates a magical barrier around the subject at a distance of 1 foot. The barrier moves with the subject and has three major effects.
First, the subject gains a +2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saves. Both these bonuses apply against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures.
Second, the subject immediately receives another saving throw (if one was allowed to begin with) against any spells or effects that possess or exercise mental control over the creature (including enchantment [charm] effects and enchantment [compulsion] effects, such as charm person, command, and dominate person). This saving throw is made with a +2 morale bonus, using the same DC as the original effect. If successful, such effects are suppressed for the duration of this spell. The effects resume when the duration of this spell expires. While under the effects of this spell, the target is immune to any new attempts to possess or exercise mental control over the target. This spell does not expel a controlling life force (such as a ghost or spellcaster using magic jar), but it does prevent them from controlling the target. This second effect only functions against spells and effects created by evil creatures or objects, subject to GM discretion.
Third, the spell prevents bodily contact by evil summoned creatures. This causes the natural weapon attacks of such creatures to fail and the creatures to recoil if such attacks require touching the warded creature. Summoned creatures that are not evil are immune to this effect. The protection against contact by summoned creatures ends if the warded creature makes an attack against or tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature. Spell Resistance can allow a creature to overcome this protection and touch the warded creature.
It lasts 4 min
Alexa will retreat behind the party and let them take point so she can perhaps work out a flanking maneuver.
Sario closes her eyes for a moment, opening as she summons a thick bank of fog to move in over the combat obscuring her allies form the enemies hoping to protect them some.
Still singing, Arloric begins to rush forward to close the gap.
Telerin HP: 14/14 - AC: 12/10/10 Status:
Sario HP: 25/25 - AC: 15/12/13 Status:
Darya HP: 40/40 - AC: 16/10/16 Status:
Arloric HP: 29/29 - AC: 15/10/15 Status:
Alexa HP: 25/25 - AC: 16/12/14 Status:
Uriel HP: 40/40 - AC: 18/12/16 Status: Protection from Evil
Kelly HP: 45/45 - AC: 19/15/15 Status:
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Vermlek Green - HP: 29/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status: Total Defense (+4 Dodge to AC)
Vermlek Red - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status: Total Defense (+4 Dodge to AC)
Vermlek Blue - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status: Total Defense (+4 Dodge to AC)
Vermlek Orange - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status: Total Defense (+4 Dodge to AC)
Order: Kelly (22), Alexa/Sario (19), Darya (13), Arloric (6), Uriel (5), Telerin (3), Vermleks (1)
The vermleks, unsure of where their enemies are, take defensive postures in preparation for the coming attack.
Sario rushes up to keep up with her companions in the fog.
Darya moves forward to the edge of the fog, preparing to charge out of it to attack.
Arloric does the same, continuing the song.
"♪All held in trust by the acorn fallen, ripe and ready, tumbling from the canopy above. Squirrel-planted, growing, climbing, straight through storms and droughts of years’ turnings.♩"
[ooc]Moving to the position on the map and maintaining the song.
Charging out of the fog, Uriel brings Radiance down on the nearest vermlek.
Kelly charges alongside Uriel, slashing up from below as the paladin chops downward.
Aberus moves straight ahead, slowing as he enters the fog.
The elf maiden moves up so that she can activate her defensive aura to help protect her allies.
Arloric prepares to exit the fog, pretty sure the song was ruining their element of surprise.
Alexa begins to move forward, under the cover of fog and stealth...
Telerin HP: 14/14 - AC: 12/10/10 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Sario HP: 25/25 - AC: 15/12/13 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Darya HP: 40/40 - AC: 16/10/16 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Arloric HP: 29/29 - AC: 15/10/15 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Alexa HP: 25/25 - AC: 16/12/14 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Uriel HP: 40/40 - AC: 18/12/16 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless, Protection from Evil
Kelly HP: 45/45 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: Kelly HP: 45/45 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless, World Serpent Totem, Rage
________________________________
Vermlek Green - HP: 29/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Red - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Blue - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Orange - HP: 18/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Order: Kelly (22), Alexa/Sario (19), Darya (13), Arloric (6), Uriel (5), Telerin (3), Vermleks (1)
Most of the party push through the fog cloud, Arloric's baritone voice keeping his song steady.
Uriel is the first to exit the mist, cleaving through the demonically-enhanced host flesh of the closest vermlek. Kelly follows closely behind the paladin, her cold iron gladius punching into the fiend.
The injured vermlek ejects itself from the heavily damaged body in a fountain of gore, revealing its true form: a pale red worm with four tails, each ending in tiny filaments. The worm-thing, nearly seven feet in length, snaps at Uriel with a set of multi-hinged jaws. Caught of guard by the strange attack, only the protective ward of Telerin's spell prevents injury.
The other vermleks answer the arrival of the party through the fog with a hissing battlecry. One trundles forward and swipes at Arloric through the swirling mist, but the blade whistles past well short of the bard. A second steps up to Kelly, swinging its blade in crushing arcs, but the nimble barbarian dodges the blow. The third hangs back and raises a trembling hand towards Arloric, Kelly, and Uriel. Wracking pain surges through their bodies, although Uriel shrugs off the worst of it.
Arloric grunts in pain as he accepts the wounds, but it only interrupts the song for a moment before he continues.
"♪Strength to strength, long enduring, majestic presence. Kindred and companions, journey well. Your spirit be embodied in many oaks yet unacorned on the mother tree.♩"
He then punctuates these words by striking back at the vermlek that attacked him!
He grins savagely as the cold iron bites through the demon's puppet body and into the worm within!
Darya strides out of the fog in a fury, bringing the cold iron blade slamming down on Uriel's opponent with extreme prejudice.
Sario moves forward to aid Arloric, hoping to distract the creature enough for Arloric to land a blow.
Brings Radiance down for another blow on the worm-demon.
The elf moves up so that she can cast acid splash at one of the demons
rta
Aberus continues his careful advance through the fog towards his allies.
Kelly slices at the ejected worm, her blood pounding in her ears.
Alexa leaps from the cover of the fog to sneak attack the nearest vermlek!
Telerin HP: 14/14 - AC: 12/10/10 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Sario HP: 25/25 - AC: 15/12/13 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Darya HP: 40/40 - AC: 16/10/16 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Arloric HP: 29/29 - AC: 15/10/15 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Alexa HP: 19/25 - AC: 16/12/14 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless
Uriel HP: 40/40 - AC: 18/12/16 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless, Protection from Evil
Kelly HP: 36/45 - AC: 19/15/15 Status: Echoes of Nature's Song, Bless, World Serpent Totem, Rage
________________________________
Vermlek Green - HP: 29/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Red - HP: 18/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Vermlek Blue - HP: 30/30 - AC: 15/9/15 Status:
Order: Kelly (22), Alexa/Sario (19), Darya (13), Arloric (6), Uriel (5), Telerin (3), Vermleks (1)
Kelly leaps at the vermlek, her gladius slicing a chunk of flabby flesh from its host body. Next to her, the paladins combine to finish off the exposed demon, hacking it into twitching bits with their flashing cold iron blades. Arloric lands a blow as well, aided by Sario, delivering a massive wound to his opponent's host body.
Alexa is less fortunate, the surprise of her attack from the fog negated by the unnaturally hard skin of the vermlek's body. Telerin, her vision obscured by the swirling fog bank, launches a blob of conjured acid that spatters harmlessly against the grey walls of the garrison.
Undaunted by its companions forceful return to the Abyss, one of the vermlek slashes Kelly in the shoulder with its blade, leaving a bloody gash. The second clamps its mandibles onto Alexa's shoulder, piercing her leather armor with its needle-like teeth.
Stepping into the space left by the fallen demon, Darya strikes at the one attacking Kelly, the somewhat awkward angle making her attack less effective than intended.
Arloric repeats the first verse, keeping the song going as he stabs the vermlek again.
Sario will move in the fog around Arloric and to the other side of the demon to help Alexa attack the creature.