Eyes of the Lich Queen IC

[Sallera]

Daiya:

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A rueful whisper comes from the air next to you. "I should have known. That blindfold isn't just for show, is it? But I think we still hold the advantage here. What do you say? Shall we find out which of us plays a better game?"

Amidst the clash of battle, an unfamiliar voice rings out clearly, cutting through the darkness. "Dal, the warforged hasn't moved. Ayer, step to your right. Dwarf on the biscuits."

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Daiya:

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Emerald is in E1.
Claws are in E4, F1, and H1.
Grimmgang is in G1.
Shard is in F3.
Drasil is in I1.
Xaxhan is in X1.

Grimmgang:

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The scent in G2 moves around to F1, and both F1 and H1 attack you.
Attack 1: (1d20+10)[11]
Damage: (1d10+3)[13] + (2d6)[7]
Concealment (miss on 2): (2d2)[4]
Attack 2: (1d20+10)[21]
Damage: (1d10+3)[13] + (2d6)[3]
Concealment: (2d2)[3]

You hear Daiya and what is presumably the emerald magus to the west.

Shard:

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You hear Daiya in C1, Xaxhan in J1, and what is presumably the emerald magus in D1. You hear multiple sets of footsteps to the north, one of which ends in G1. You are attacked from E4. You are also attacked from range, somewhere to the north or northwest.
Attack: (1d20+10)[21]
Damage: (1d10+3)[11] + (2d6)[9]
Concealment (miss on 2): (2d2)[4]

Ranged touch: (1d20+5)[21]
Damage: 30
If it hits, Fort DC16 or be slowed for 6 rounds.

Xaxhan:

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You hear Daiya and what is presumably the emerald magus to the west.

[MoleMage]

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Combat Casting Defensively Ghost sound. DC 15. If successful, attempt to recreate her voice saying this.

(1d20+8)[12]

EDIT: Forgot to include +4 for Combat Casting. Doh! Please add to this roll.

"Dal, he's moving away from you to your right. Ayer, right in front of you. Dwarf is trying to get cover behind the desk."

Daiya's voice rings out right behind the other lady.

"Shard, about three feet from you opposite the ladder. Grim you've got an opening with wall at your left and an escape opposite the wall. Xaxhan, you'll have a shot if you strike directly in front Drasil."

[TekHed]

Shard lashed out where the nearby strike had come from, praying to it's progenitor to lend it sight in the darkness.

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Ouch. Immediate: Spend 1 PP for resistance on the Fort Save: (1d20+12)[22]

Attack: E4 (1d20+9)[28]
Miss Chance: (1d100)[3]
Damage: (4d6+4)[21]+ (4d6)[11] acid + (4d6)[15] cold.

Again! Were it not for that miss chance, that would have been a threat. Blade still stays charged though.

[TheFallenOne]

"Don't worry about me Daiya, I can hear the chain links of their flails rattle!" Actually, he could track them through smell, but there was no reason to give that away; maybe they'd be more hesitant in their movement after what he said, and better Daiya saved her breath for those who were truly flying blind.
Hopping down from the 'biscuits', he moved to where he believed he heard the magus, lashing out with both axe and shield at the unfamiliar scent. When he swung his weapons, he felt a strange, unexpected cold near his arms, but it was far too faint to hurt him so he ignored it.

DM

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Move to E2, Wolf Fang Strike. If I pinpoint a new, Definitely-Not-Teammate scent attack that. If no new scent, attack F1

Axe - (1d20+6)[18] damage - (1d10+4)[11] Skirmish - (2d6)[9] Cold - (4d6)[16] Miss Chance - (1d100)[82]
Shield - (1d20+6)[18] damage - (1d6+1)[5] Skirmish - (2d6)[11] Cold - (4d6)[11] Miss Chance - (1d100)[75]

[Postmodernist]

"Which 'in front of Drasil' do you mean exactly, my dear?" asks the transformed Seren. Drawing his sword as he moves westward toward the sounds of commotion, Xaxhan swings at what he hopes is an enemy. "Drasil, keep your wooden arse out of my way," mutters the barbarian as he fumbles in the dark.

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Move westward, swinging where Daiya indicated. Activate Snowflake Wardance. I just looked it up, turns out that it's a free action (Frostburn, p 50)

(1d20+9)[24] for (1d8+1)[9] Slashing and (4d6)[16] Cold damage.
Concealment (1d100)[84]

[Sallera]

The woman's voice comes in reply to Daiya's, continuing her directions. "Dal, he's moving away from you to your right. Ayer, right in front of you. Dwarf is trying to get cover behind the desk."

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Daiya:

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Grimmgang moves toward you, and the magus appears to teleport away; you don't sense any intervening movement, but a few seconds later you catch a step at her new position, and sense something incoming.

Ranged touch: (1d20+5)[25] (you have cover)
Damage: 30
If it hits, Fort DC16 or be slowed for 6 rounds.

If you're still conscious at this point:

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Emerald teleports again, to the top of the ladder, then continues climbing up through the basement (effective location I0 at +20).
Xaxhan is in I2.
Drasil is in I1.
Shard is in F3.
Grimmgang is in E2.
Claws are in F1 and G4; the other appears to be dead.

Grimmgang:

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Your axe bites deeply into flesh, but your shield connects only with air, even though you are certain it should have hit something. A second later, as the cold wind from your strikes stirs the air, you realize the magus's dry scent is no longer in front of you. Something else passes close by, more felt than heard, and then you pick up the distinct creak of the ladder's rungs, already at the basement level, over the hum of Xaxhan's blade.

Scent picks up a Claw in F1 and Shard in F3.

Xaxhan:

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Your blade strikes cleanly and severs what it hits entirely; a moment later, two separate objects hit the ground with a brittle crack and a wet thud.

Shard:

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You catch movement to the southeast, what sounds like someone climbing the ladder in the basement, and Xaxhan's humming blade to the east.

[TheFallenOne]

"She's upstairs, trying to make a break for it!" With hurried steps, Grimmgang went back to the ladder, ignoring the soldiers. If only he had Drasil stay behind guarding the door instead of taking her down as well... Whatever it took, they couldn't let a leader of the Emerald Claw get away yet again.

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OK, buncha questions
Which square exactly is the ladder?
Having a climb speed, do I still need both hands free for a simple ladder?
Am I strong enough to throw Drasil upstairs? I can't reach her on my own, but housecat-tossed-in-face worked well enough for Belkar...

[Postmodernist]

"I think I dropped one. Shall we give chase?" Xaxhan hesitates in the dark, awaiting responses from his comrades.

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Xaxhan will wait/hold his action for a response, then double move toward and up the later. If he gets a different sort of response, then the action might change.

[TekHed]

"Curse this darkness!" It was the most angry the others had ever heard Shard. With no line of sight it could not travel across space and so moved hastily towards the ladder in pursuit of the escaping mage.

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move action stow sword, move action towards and up ladder. Let me know when I get out of the darkness if I do.

[TheFallenOne]

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miss sudden leap...

unready and drop shield, move to H1

[Sallera]

Xaxhan:

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You'll have to drop or sheathe your sword if you want to climb the ladder.
If you take the action to sheathe it:

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You get five feet up the ladder, but are still within the darkness.

If you drop it:

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You make it to the basement; the magus is right in front of you, five feet up the ladder to the ground floor.

Daiya:

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Suppose a stabilize roll would be in order.

Shard:

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You can make it to I2 (half speed for blindness).

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Not quite done the round yet.

[MoleMage]

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(1d10)[3]
success on a 1?

[Postmodernist]

Not getting a response, Xaxhan chooses for himself. "Right, so after her, then."

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Xaxhan would probably stow the sword, but could he use his Anklet of Translocation to teleport up? If so, he wouldn't need to drop the weapon to climb. If possible, that's what I'd have him do, otherwise we'll go with sheathing the sword and climbing.

[Sallera]

For a few seconds, the only sound is a frantic scramble in the area around the ladder, as several blind people attempt to occupy the same small space at once; a few swung flails are also involved.

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Daiya:

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Yep.

Grimmgang:

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Claws in G1 and H2, Shard in I2, Drasil in I1.
Claw G1 attacks you: (1d20+8)[12]
Concealment (miss on 2): (2d2)[3]
Damage: (1d10+3)[4]

The alarm you placed on the door goes off.

Shard:

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You are attacked from H2.
Attack: (1d20+8)[17]
Concealment (miss on 2): (2d2)[3]
Damage: [rolll]1d10+3[/roll]

Xaxhan:

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It's 15ft up to the basement, so you'll have to climb at least partway. That said, you may use the Anklet after sheathing the sword and climbing if you wish, which would put you right at the base of the second ladder (which is only 10ft from the basement to the ground floor).

If you do:

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The magus is already halfway up the second ladder; glancing down in surprise, she quickens her pace, disappearing up to the main floor. A moment later, you hear the door creaking open.

If you don't, you're 5ft up the ladder, in darkness.

[TekHed]

Shard climbed as fast as it could. As soon as the darkness broke, it shifted through space to leap the remaining distance in pursuit of the magus.

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btw, is this the same woman who nearly shattered Shard before?


Actions: move action climb up ladder, then either second move action or swift action dimension hop, or both as needed to catch up to the mage...not sure of the exact distances here or what would be the right order of operations, but basically double move (or even full round move if it's possible at all to use the run action), and a swift action teleport when line of sight is established. I can augment an extra 5 feet per pp spent and I can spend up to 5 at once after manifesting the first 10 feet so just let me know the tactical distance and I'll do the best I can. Thanks.

...you know, even though I botched what could have been an easy kill for the mage in the first round and ended it quick, this way is much more dramatically satisfying eh?

[Postmodernist]

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Xaxhan definitely does. He then shouts a warning to his comrades, "She's on the main floor! Hurry!"

[TheFallenOne]

"She's already at the door!" Realizing he wouldn't be able to catch up now, he turned to the soldiers again; the only thing preventing him from screaming in frustration was the hope she had to leave something important behind or he might be able to track her through the city. He had her scent, and in her hurried retreat she might leave tracks as well.

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move to F2, regain maneuvers, attack G1
Dwarven Waraxe - (1d20+8)[19]
Slashing damage - (1d10+5)[7] + Skirmish damage - (2d6)[7] cold - (4d6)[7] Concealment - (1d100)[53]

[Sallera]

Shard:

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A double move will get you out of the darkness; after that, it's a 20ft teleport to land on the main floor. Assuming you do so, you see the magus at the open door, roughly 20ft from your position. (And no, she's not the same one you met before.)

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Still need actions from Xaxhan and Daiya for this round.

[MoleMage]

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(1d10)[9]

C'mon, don't make me rez again.

EDIT: Not you, Sallera. The dice.

[Postmodernist]

Xaxhan hustles up the ladder and, seeing the magus further attempting her escape, continues to dash toward her. "She's upstairs, here!" he shouts, hoping that his companions are close by to aid him. He then summons his last reserves of arcane energy, and conjures an explosion of shimmering golden dust, coating the hapless leader of the Emerald Claw in the scintillating particles.

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Move as close as possible to her, blow my last two 1st level slots via Versatile Spellcaster for a Glitterdust. Xaxhan should be out of spells now, unfortunately. It's a DC 16 Will save to avoid blindness, but at least now she can't hide or go invisible. If we're lucky, she'll fail. I'm curious, how many rounds have passed since I activated Inspire Courage (and Snowflake Wardance on the subsequent round)? IC goes for 10 rounds with the Harmonizing Crystal echoblade, and the Wardance will go for 6 rounds after activation. Incidentally, I should have added 3 points of Sonic damage from the echoblade, since I had activated a bard song while using not. However, the point is moot, since the Emerald Claw was killed outright.

[Sallera]

Shard/Xaxhan:

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The woman teleports again, attempting to dodge out of the way of the spell, but before she vanishes entirely, you can see the dust coating her dress. The glitter outlines her form as it rematerializes outside, and she fires a bolt of dark energy at Xaxhan before stumbling away awkwardly.

Grimmgang:

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The Claw sounds like he stumbled under the blow, but a moment later, both thugs' flails swing toward you once more.

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Daiya:

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If you do end up going all the way to -9, you can always just use an action point to auto-stabilize.

Grimmgang:

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Your attack hit. Claws in G1 and H2, Drasil in I1.

Attack 1: (1d20+8)[11]
Damage: (1d10+3)[9]
Attack 2: (1d20+8)[17]
Damage: (1d10+3)[10]
Forgot the concealment, but they missed anyway.

Shard:

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The woman is about 20ft outside the door (which is 20ft from your current position) and 10ft to the left. Xaxhan is in between you and the door.

Xaxhan:

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The woman is about 20ft outside the door (which is 10ft from your current position) and 10ft to the left. Shard is behind you, at the top of the ladder.

Ranged touch: (1d20+5)[11]
Damage: 30
Concealment (miss on 1): (1d2)[1]
If it hits, Fort DC16 or be slowed for 6 rounds.

[MoleMage]

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I'll just burn the point now to do that. I always forget to use the stupid things anyway.

[TheFallenOne]

"Drasil, in my direction, bit from the wall. Get that sucker." Keeping up the assault on the remaining Emerald Claw soldiers, he hoped the darkness lifted soon so he could examine their base before tracking down the magus if she managed to evade his companions.

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move to H1
Steel Wind
Dwarven Waraxe - (1d20+8)[10] G1
Slashing damage - (1d10+4)[12] + Skirmish damage - (2d6)[8] Cold - (4d6)[15] Concealment - (1d100)[95]
Dwarven Waraxe - (1d20+8)[17] H2
Slashing damage - (1d10+4)[10] + Skirmish damage - (2d6)[9] Cold - (4d6)[15] Concealment - (1d100)[96]

Drasil, attack H2
attack - (1d20+6)[14] damage - (1d6+5)[8] Concealment - (1d100)[52]

[TekHed]

Shard charged ahead, barreling past Xaxhan and out into the street. When it saw the Magus, it hopped through space once more and swung it's sword with all it's might.

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Well Abrupt Jaunt will probably hose this but not much else I can do but try.

Move action 30' (so out the door and to the left, moving through Xaxhan's square since he's friendly. Swift action dimension hop to close the last 10 feet (1 pp), Standard Action: Mountain Hammer: (1d20+9)[25] Damage: (6d6+4)[20] + (4d6)[13] acid + (4d6)[12] cold.

If she jaunts out of the way, I still have my charged/acid damage but could you remind me about maneuvers...if they miss are they still expended?

[Postmodernist]

Xaxhan moves to block the magic user's path, looking at her carefully to ascertain whether or not she can see his movement, and setting the Shard up for a flanking position.

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Move around the caster to block her as best as possible from moving forward. If absolutely necessary, Tumble the last square with (1d20+8)[25] (+11 ranks and Dex, -3 Armor penalty). Attack with (1d20+9)[19] for (1d8+1)[4] +3 Sonic + (4d6)[17] Cold damage.

[Sallera]

The combined destructive power unleashed by Shard and Xaxhan's strikes reduces the blinded magus to little more than a pile of mangled slush and fabric in the darkened street, and Grimmgang and Drasil finish off another of the Claws. The dwarf gets his wish shortly after, as the globe of darkness evaporates, revealing a heavily wounded Claw who is easily dealt with, and the unconscious form of Daiya just inside the secondary chamber.

[TekHed]

"Well done." Shard nodded to the barbarian bard, while kicking at the frosty steaming remains. Its weapon's vapor had dispersed, the jagged icicles melting away, and it reattached it to it's back. Soon after it's shield dissolved into light as Shard descended back down to check on its comrades.

"Daiya!" Shard ran to her side. "I very much dislike these Emeralds." it said to Grimmgang, while pulling out it's crystal wand. Channeling light through it, into her unconscious form, restoring consciousness and life.

[Postmodernist]

Xaxhan breathed heavily, sheathing his sword as the clouds of steam ceased to emanate from the blade. "Help me with the body," he implored Shard, "we can't simply leave it here to be discovered. We may have to destroy this place, once we find whatever it is we're looking for." Having carried the body back inside, he descended with his crystalline companion back into the building.

He was relieved to see Daiya restored, and even more relieved to discover that he hadn't inadvertently struck her in the darkness, the severed limb of the Emerald Claw soldier lying where his blade had torn it from its owner. "The leader's body is upstairs. We should start searching the place, and then I suggest we seal the bodies in the basement below. Is everyone alright?" Once he saw his companions healed, the bard began to scour the place for valuables as well as any clue as to why the Claw had been there.

[MoleMage]

Daiya blinks awake and sits up with Shard's care.

"She could sense in the dark too...she tagged me with some sort of painful spell as she was trying to escape. Teleported a lot. Did you get her? The others?"

Daiya looks around, deciding that in fact, her teammates had.

"Shard, I really need to start defending myself better. By the way, that dagger is magic. Until we find out more about it I'd recommend not messing with it too much. See if she had a sheath, it would probably contain it well enough."

[TekHed]

"Agreed." Shard replied. "We must work more on our teamwork and positioning. Perhaps drill for different kinds of scenarios such as these. I...am not accustomed to darkness."