The Dragon Empire IC, Part III

[RandomWombat]

Edmund climbs atop the pedestal and stops the flow of blood from Rory's cage. The elf takes a jab at him, but only scrapes against the floating bones.

Christof rallies the forces on the landing and they surge forward to take the fight to the enemy. One of Christof's brothers in the knighthood steps forward with him and strikes the cultist attacking Asma. The Calistrians leap over the railing and move to confront the Asmodeans. Ardok leaves the fallen cultist where he fell and descends the stairs, hacking at the dwarf at the bottom. Lorey uses the bayonet on her own crossbow to strike the dwarf that rushed up the stairs to meet her.

Mindy takes another swing at the dwarf behind the cage. This time she hits him right in the side of the head and he falls to the floor. She walks past him to lock down the dwarven cleric.

Two cultists reload their crossbows and loose two bolts; Ed's bone and Mindy's shield see that they do not meet their mark. Another charges up the stairs to join the dwarf. The two of them take swings at Lorey with their knives, but she blocks them with the stock of her weapon. Another two go for the Calistrians, but they deflect both blows. The wounded one up on the landing takes a swing at the other knight, but is blocked easily.

One of the dwarves tries to pursue Edmund up onto the pedestal, taking out and flipping open a switch. He's already badly wounded from Edmund's last strike and not thinking clearly, leaving himself open. Edmund easily cuts down the dwarf, who falls back down to the floor, dead. The one by the bottom of the stairs stabs at Ardok, nicking the orc through his armor.

"Focus your rays on the giant!" Argyle commands, before opening his tome and beginning to recite from it. The room's temperature drops a fraction and the torches flicker. All of Asmodeus' clerics raise up the symbols of the Dark Prince, and crackling dark energy pours out at Edmund. The only one that doesn't is busy fighting Mindy. Blood runs from a minor injury to her arm, from the jagged edge of the cultist's sacrificial knife.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Ed provokes from EA1, who stabs him for 3 damage - which the bone absorbs. He heals himself, Argyle, DF2, and DF3, as well as Rory and Angela.
Christof gives Phalanx Fighter to Lorey, Asma, Huemes, Claudia, Rob, Dave, and Ardok. BR1 already had it.

Claudia, Dave, and Huemes jump down from the landing. They all avoid taking any fall damage.
Ardok slashes DF4 for 6 damage.
BR1 strikes HF4 for 7 NL damage.
Lorey jabs DF1 for 3 damage.
Mindy critically strikes DF3 for 20 NL damage, knocking him out. 3 damage loops over into lethal.

Reed and Dean enter. They were also close enough behind to gain the Phalanx effect.

HC1 shoots Edmund, dealing 4 damage. His bone absorbs the blow.
HC2 shoots at Mindy, but misses.
HC3 stabilizes.
HF1 charges Lorey, but misses.
HF2 attacks Claudia with his club, but misses.
HF3 swings at Dave, but misses.
HF4 swings at BR1, but misses.
DF1 attacks Lorey, but misses.
DF2 climbs onto the pedestal, provoking from Ed.
DF4 stabs Ardok for 4 damage.
Argyle recites from the book.
AH1-3 shoot their rays at Edmund. He takes 6, 7, and 11 negative energy damage. He may make a DC 14 Will save for each of those to halve them (round down damage for odd numbers).
AD1 shoots Ed for 8 negative energy damage. He gets another DC 14 Will save to halve this one.
AD2 slashes Mindy with a ceremonial knife for 5 damage. She is suffering 1 Bleed.

It is the party's turn. Here is the new map.