When You Stare Into The Abyss... IC

[Chaelos]

Gabriel

Gabriel shrugs and begins walking toward the ship. At his side, the little bat perched on his sleeve began to warble quietly.

[Master-Familiar Language]"You're just leaving them? They'll be slaughtered!"[/Master-Familiar Language]


[Master-Familiar Language]"Their lives were forfeit when this war began. There is nothing further we can do here."[/Master-Familiar Language]

They both fell silent as the weight of Gabriel's pronouncement settled in.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

When you arrive at the docks, the ship is ready to go; demons in the marketplace didn't stop the sailors from readying the trawler. The mayor meets you at the docks to see you off, and after sailing through the evening and night, you come upon your destination. In the light of dawn, the glow of smoldering fires in the city are hard to make out, but as you come closer you see plenty of those, as well as many fallen trees and wrecked buildings.

The ship ties up a short distance south of the city to avoid detection, and as you disembark the crew promise to wait for you until you return. A sparse forest lies between you and the city, leaving you a relatively easy approach while hiding you from demonic eyes.

[Goldfly]

Sir Gonen

After boarding the ship, Gonen feeds Dwomak a share of his food, before going to look over the edge of the ship.

[Ryuuk]

Seri

On reaching land, Fimbul is the first to disembark, running of eagerly and glad to have room to move again. <Giant>"Ahh... About time!"</Giant> Nevi follows suit, but in his own calmer, much more reserved way. It was clear they both preferred it outside though.

Seri joins them shortly, and is quite glad to step on solid land. She's wearing a light breastplate, armguards and greaves over her regular clothing, but her steps seem much heavier then before.

"All right, there's no turning back now." She turns towards the city and takes a deep breath. "We'll make better time if we ride there, we'd also hide our number in case anything find our trail. We could also try to sneak by, but with so many of us, it might be... difficult. Thoughts?"

[Ernir]

Karamandes

"A forest."

"An excellent place to hide... or to get ambushed. Let's be careful, we don't know what's out there."

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When we get on the move, I stalk a few feet behind the main group (taking 10 on Hide/Move Silently checks for results of 31 and 29, respectively).

[Kira_the_5th]

Percy

I agree, sneaking may prove difficult. Percy says as he gets off the boat. It's risky, but perhaps if we set up some sort of... I guess you could say counter-ambush? Those of us who are sneaky can follow the main group as they walk. If demons attack us, thinking we're only a small group, the others spring into action and strike! We spoil the demon's ambush and slay them all, and still have time for afternoon tea! What do you fellows think?

[Ryuuk]

Seri

After a moments thought, Seri nods. "So we'd be a decoy... Sounds good." She smiles as she looks over the Bulette. "Someone as big as Dwomak and a pair of wolves out of their element would draw some attention."

There's a pause where it seems she's debating something with herself, eventually, it seems like a side one. She turns to Percy. "How would you make tea out here?"

[Tacitus]

Wogg

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HP: 175/175
AC:26+6 T:14+5 FF:26+6 (Uncanny Dodge) Init: +6 Land Speed: 40+40
Condition: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Ghost Step, Die at -20, +2vs Charm/Comp, DR 6/Magic
Str: 14 Dex: 18 Con: 26 Int: 14 Wis: 14 Cha: 14
Fort: 20+4 Ref: 9+5 Will: 11+4

Once again obscured by his cloak and cowl, the silent Hobgoblin slips from the ship gracefully and stalks around the landing for a few moments. Even though he steps directly on some dry leaves there seems to be no sound at all. The field of silence remains only a moment but even as it falls his steps remain remarkably silent in the underbrush. He pauses for a moment and glances to the others, "Hy ken make a great menny pipple almost as silent as meself if ve remain close together. Qviet as you are, hyu vill need it."

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Theft Gloves and Yrthak Mask swapped for Totem Avatar and Blink Shirt.
Currently emulating a Silence Spell with the Ghost Step feat.
And I felt like trying out an accent, sue me. Probably won't keep it up though. If for some reason it offends, please feel free to smack me.

Incarnum Spoiler

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Essentia:20 (-3) (E=Essentia Invested) Capacity 4
Capacity Bonuses: +1 for bold, +1 for Underlined
Bonuses are Insight unless noted otherwise
If the Chakra below have an essentia, anything in it is treated as having 1 extra essentia.
[1] Crown
[0] Hands
[1] Feet
Soulmelds:
[4] Crystal Helm: +2 Resistance vs Charm/Compulsion. +E Deflection to AC
[0] Acrobat Boots: +2+2E Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, Tumble
[0] Impulse Boots: Uncanny Dodge. +E Enhancement to Reflex
[Bound]: Evasion
[6] Worg Pelt: +2+2E Competence to Hide/MS
[Bound]: +5+5E Land Speed, untyped
[1] Totem Avatar: +12hp, +E Enhancement Natural Armor
[Bound]: DR 5+E/Magic
[0] Blink Shirt: 10+10E Dimension Door
[Bound]: DD as Move Action
[4] Incarnate Avatar: +E Untyped on one: Skills, Attacks, Saves, AC, or x2 on Damage

Incarnum Feats: Capacity 3
[3] Healing Soul: E/day heal 2E as Swift. Uses Remaining: [3/3]

Other pertinent Information:
Ghost Step: Survival to Track must beat Move Silently, Darkstalker feat (blindsense, blindsight, tremorsense, etc must make Listen vs Move Silently, Control Sound/Silence/Ventriloquism, can take -10 to use my Move Silently for others w/in 30ft.

Rapid Meldshaping 2/day: Reshape and Rebind all soulmelds as Full Round. Uses Remaining: [2/2]

[Ryuuk]

Seri

Seri nods, a hand at her chin. "Can you cover all of us?" She nods towards the huge bulette and the large winter wolves.

[Tacitus]

Wogg

The hobgoblin looks over the assembled men and beasts and then nods slowly, "Hy fink hy ken do that. Hy kent do anythink about hidin anyvun else though. Ken anyvun make me beddar at sneakin or be hidin all of us?"

[Ernir]

Karamandes

Ignoring or being oblivious to the fact that he was not being addressed, Karamandes responds. "Yeah... about that. Look, hiding is more difficult than it looks, it takes years of practice to get right, and doing it for someone else is almost impossible. I don't think even I am going to be able to keep this lot from being seen."

[Chaelos]

Gabriel

The elf had been busying himself all morning with magical preparations for the day's fighting; as the group disembarked the ship, the faint blur that surround him seemed even more pronounced than usual, his skin appears cracked and dry, and a faint aura surrounds the weapon sheathed at his side.

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Spells cast, with lengths of time and effects:
Greater Mage Armor (Extended): +6 AC, 24 hours
Greater Magic Weapon (Extended): +3 Enhancement Bonus to Slayer, 24 hours
Keen Edge (Extended): Double crit range of Slayer, 4 hours
Spiderskin (Extended): +4 Natural AC Bonus, +4 Hide Bonus, +4 Saves vs. Poisons, 4 hours
Overland Flight: Gain fly speed 40, 12 hours

"I can conceal myself, but only for a total of a little over an hour," Gabriel says, hovering faintly off the ground. "However, I can fly overhead and warn you of anything coming close, to the extent that I can see it through the trees."






Stats:

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HP: 77
AC: 25 (32 when Haste, Shield and Protection from Evil are cast)
Attack vs. Demons, using Slayer: +18/+18/+13 (9 Base + 2 Strength + 5 Enhancement + 1 haste + 1 class), Critical Range 17-20/x2
Damage vs. Demons, using Slayer: 1d8 + (3 Strength + 5 Enhancement) + 2d6 (Outsider Bane Weapon), Cold Iron weapon

Spells Prepared:

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Level 0: Detect Magic x2, Message x3
Level 1: Feather Fall, Nerveskitter, Protection from Evil x2, Shield x2, True Strike
Level 2: Rope Trick, Wraithstrike x6
Level 3: Haste x2, Invisibility (Extended) x4
Level 4: Keen Edges (Extended), Spiderskin (Extended), Haste (Extended) x2, Magic Weapon, Greater (Extended), Mage Armor, Greater (Extended)
Level 5: Overland Flight, Shadow Evocation x2, Teleport

[Ryuuk]

Seri

Seri's currently looking down and trying to sort all of this out. Finally, she nods and speaks up. "OK, how about this: Sir Gonen, Dwomak, Fimbul, Nevi and I will move first as our vanguard, odds are we'd draw attention. Percy, Sir Karamandes and Sir Wogg will stalk us, staying out of sight and ready to ambush anyone who ambushes us. Sir Gabriel, if you can take to the sky and remain hidden, then we could probably make good use of an early warning. How does that sound?"

[Goldfly]

Sir Gonen

Gonen listens to everyone's suggestions, and when Seri makes her own, he smiles, and says "That sounds good to me."

[Kira_the_5th]

Percy

Personally, I'd rather be part of the vanguard. Percy says, scratching the back of his head. Sneaking around isn't exactly my forte...

[Ernir]

Karamandes

"Sir Karamandes? I can't say I don't like the sound of that..."

"Oh, good plan, yes."

[Tacitus]

Wogg

The cloaked figure nods, "Hy ken do dot. How far hyu vant uz te be? Hy ken run fast."

[Ryuuk]

Seri

Seri smiles. "Then you're welcome to join us Percy. Nevi saw what what you were capable of, I'm sure he'll be thrilled to have you at his side."

"Distance, distance..." A hand at her chin, she turns to the trail ahead before answering. "The forest isn't too dense, at most it'll be a bit more bothersome then the streets yesterday. It didn't wasn't much of an obstacle for you through, Sir Wogg. I think you're reach may be about the same as Sir Karamandes, and anything within sight of his arrows won't be a threat for long." She nods. "I get the feeling that as long as you two can see us we'll be fine."

[Chaelos]

Gabriel

Gabriel nods, raises a hand high above his head, and lowers it sharply. As the hand comes down, Gabriel fades into nothingness.

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Cast Invisibility (Extended). Gabriel will fly overhead, just above the treetops, and try to spot any enemies before they come upon the party.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

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Looks like you've fleshed out your plan sufficiently. I'll need two Spot checks from Gabriel, and two each of Hide and Move Silently from everyone else. I'll also need to know the distances between the two groups, relative positions, and such--essentially, outline your plan in tactical detail.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

As you proceed cautiously toward the demon-infested town, Gabriel spots two large blobs lift into the air from your destination and come flying in your general direction; he notices them soon enough to inform the rest of the group and give you time to stop moving and hide. As the blobs come closer, you can catch a glimpse of them, and you see that each blob is actually two creatures: one gargoyle-esque winged demon with glowing yellow eyes carrying a second, mostly spherical and very ugly demon with a glowing orange stomach. Other details are hard to make out, as the demons are flying many dozens of feet in the air--they don't seem to be focused on finding creatures in the woods at all, but are instead winging swiftly toward the boat you left behind.

As they pass overhead, the two demons being carried appear to rip a chunk of flesh out of their bulbous stomachs that immediately ignites with a white flame, and lift their arms as if readying to throw it. One of the winged demons happen to glance downwards, and with a squawk of surprise it begins yammering in (what you assume is) Abyssal as loudly as it can. They don't stop flying toward the boat, but its racket can definitely be heard by the other demons; Gabriel notes more commotion back in the town at the noise. You probably have seconds, at most, before something comes to investigate.

Gabriel and Karamandes

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You're both able to make out the demons' exact words: "Beware! A large, shelled, clawed creature, a Prime wolf, and a humanoid are sneaking through the forest! We must destroy the ship spotted earlier, so send another to kill them!" In other words, it seems that Nevi, Dwomak, and Percy have been spotted.

Everyone

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You have 2 round's worth of actions to ready weapons, get in cover, or do whatever else you want before combat starts.

[Ryuuk]

Seri

Seri only gets a brief glimps of the demons before Fimbul dodges for cover, but the sight of the flames is enough to send a chill down her spine. Fimbul nudges her, probably a bit rougher then needed. <Giant>Hey, you're the expert here, what are those things?</Giant>

Seri readies her shield and axe as she tries to go through her lessons in her head. <Giant>I'm thinking, just shut up!</Giant>

Nevi gives a quick look over to his sisters before turning to Percy and speaking up in a slow common. "What now, young De-la-croix?"

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Just a pair of Monstrous Lore checks
Gargoyles: (1d20+9)[23]
Orange Stomachs: (1d20+9)[19]

[Chaelos]

Gabriel

Gabriel swears softly to himself as he makes out the demons' words. Then touching a hand to his lips, he points towards Nevi, Dwomak and Percy.

"They've seen you. Prepare for battle."

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Standard: Cast Message, which Gabriel should have done ages ago if I was thinking properly, to communicate with the others. Free action to speak.

Swift: Cast Extended Haste.

Move: Gabriel moves his full speed towards the pair of demons closest to him, but stops within 5 feet of them (still flying, still invisible).

Knowledge (Planes) to identify the gargoyles: (1d20+23)[33]
Knowledge (Planes) to identify the glowing ones:(1d20+23)[24]

[PairO'Dice Lost]

Nevi and Gabriel

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The gargoyle-like demons are Nabassu, though whether they're at the juvenile stage or much more dangerous mature stage you're unable to tell from what you saw. They're known to have a life-draining gaze that turns killed victims into ghouls, and they're more familiar with mortals than most demons due to spending their juvenile stage on the Prime, feasting on souls until strong enough to return to the Abyss.

The round glowing ones are Solamiths, demons of gluttony who eat souls and then process them into soulfire, which they can tear from their gut and throw at foes or release in a burst against any creature attacking them.

Gabriel: The demons are flying at a run, so unless you spend your second prep round's actions catching up, you can't reach them.

[Ernir]

Karamandes

Still hidden, Karamandes goes over his weapons and armor, making sure everything is in place. Content with his preparations, he crouches down and prepares to join battle.

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Move action: Out with the bow.
Knowledge Devotion roll: (1d20+24)[32] (assuming these are outsiders).

Karamandes knows Abyssal. Does he not understand what they are saying?

[PairO'Dice Lost]

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Whoops, missed that on your sheet. Yes, Karamandes can understand them; you can open that spoiler.

[Kira_the_5th]

Percy

What now? Now, we fight! Percy says, as he draws his sword. We strike first, then let our allies sweep in and surprise the fiends!

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Sorry for the delay, I didn't know the group moving along the road needed hide checks too. Oh well, guess the nat. 1 shows that's what Percy thought too.

[Ryuuk]

Seri

<Giant>Hey, you there? Come on wh---</Giant>

"Nabassus and Solamiths" She says aloud, a hand at her face while she remembers. "Don't stare into the winged ones eyes, else you'll slowly wither away and raise as a ghoul. As for the fat ones, they'll set fire to those that strike them and throw flames at those nearby... Neither are content with just killing, they both feast on souls." She winces and closes her eyes, but nods. "We need to careful here."

Nevi nods. "I see, I am at your command if you wish to move with me." There was an amused tone in his voice, as if Percy's answer were familiar.

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If you want to ride Nevi, feel free to move him Kira_the_5th, he's got a 50ft movement speed, decent AC and grants you the Mounted Combat feat as well as +5 to ride. Quick mounts and dismounts are pretty useful.

[Tacitus]

Wogg

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HP: 175/175
AC:26+2 T:14+1 FF:26+2 (Uncanny Dodge) Init: +6 Land Speed: 40+40
Flight Speed: 40
Condition: Evasion, Uncanny Dodge, Ghost Step, Die at -20, +2vs Charm/Comp, DR 6/Magic
Str: 14 Dex: 18 Con: 26 Int: 14 Wis: 14 Cha: 14
Fort: 20+0 Ref: 9+5 Will: 11+0

The stealthy little (for any fairly large value of little) hobgoblin inches forward while trying to keep from sight, drawing his weapon and preparing a means of flight.

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In the two rounds available Wogg will conceal himself, moving forward if possible, and make use of two standard actions to Start and Complete a full-round action to use Rapid Meldshaping. Somewhere in there he'll Swift to reallocate essentia and draw his weapon during a Move.

Hide: (1d20+31)[36]
MS: (1d20+28)[45]

and again if needed
Hide: (1d20+31)[36]
MS: (1d20+28)[38]

Incarnum Spoiler

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Essentia:20 (-3) (E=Essentia Invested) Capacity 4
Capacity Bonuses: +1 for bold, +1 for Underlined
Bonuses are Insight unless noted otherwise
If the Chakra below have an essentia, anything in it is treated as having 1 extra essentia.
[1] Crown
[0] Hands
[1] Feet
Soulmelds:
[0] Crystal Helm: +2 Resistance vs Charm/Compulsion. +E Deflection to AC
[0] Acrobat Boots: +2+2E Balance, Escape Artist, Jump, Tumble
[4] Impulse Boots: Uncanny Dodge. +E Enhancement to Reflex
[Bound]: Evasion
[6] Worg Pelt: +2+2E Competence to Hide/MS
[Bound]: +5+5E Land Speed, untyped
[1] Totem Avatar: +12hp, +E Enhancement Natural Armor
[Bound]: DR 5+E/Magic
[4] Pegasus Cloak: Continual Feather Fall and +2+2E Enhancement on Jump Checks.
[Bound]: Fly Speed of 10E (Average)
[0] Incarnate Avatar: +E Untyped on one: Skills, Attacks, Saves, AC, or x2 on Damage

Incarnum Feats: Capacity 3
[3] Healing Soul: E/day heal 2E as Swift. Uses Remaining: [3/3]

Other pertinent Information:
Ghost Step: Survival to Track must beat Move Silently, Darkstalker feat (blindsense, blindsight, tremorsense, etc must make Listen vs Move Silently, Control Sound/Silence/Ventriloquism, can take -10 to use my Move Silently for others w/in 30ft.

Rapid Meldshaping 2/day: Reshape and Rebind all soulmelds as Full Round. Uses Remaining: [1/2]

[Goldfly]

Sir Gonen

Sir Gonen pulls out his chain, preparing to fight the demons whn they get close.