Eyes of the Lich Queen IC

[Postmodernist]

Satisfied that spell and song have played their parts on the battlefield, Xaxhan advanced toward his targets, stowing his mandolin and drawing his shortbow as he strode forward. Taking aim at the leftmost Claw, he looses an arrow at the poor blinded bastard. Daiya's spell might have further dazed him, too, but there was no time to determine that, only to cut them down.

From within the whorl of darkness, the Seren heard Grimmgang's voice. He's alive and still giving us bad news. Only fire and acid, eh? Why couldn't it have been frost? he thought to himself as he continued to make his way across the battlefield and notch another arrow.

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Move forward 30 and fire at E4. (1d20+5)[12] This takes into account my -2 for range increment, but does not account for blindness and/or his stunned status. (1d6)[3] physical damage + (3d6)[12] cold damage.

[Sallera]

"No, no, the correct term in your tongue would be mercenaries." Although he takes a wide swing at Shard as it approaches, the answering stroke sends him crashing to the ground, and the edges of this wound do not close nearly as readily. Grimmgang and Drasil tear open the other's legs, and although the damage is not permanent, it is still enough to send the blinded ogre retreating into the sky. Daiya's conjured cacophony sets one soldier to clutching his head in pain, while the other two attempt to stumble up the stairs; Xaxhan sinks an arrow into the back of one before she makes it halfway. The increasingly frustrated fop at the top of the stairs fires another shot at Xaxhan, and two of the others aim for Daiya; the remaining two seem to be waiting for something.

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AoO on Shard: (1d20+8)[26]
Damage: (3d6+7)[17]
Concealment (miss on 1): (1d5)[4]

Attack on Xaxhan: (1d20+6)[26]
Damage: (1d8)[4]
Concealment: (1d5)[5]

Attack on Daiya: (1d20+2)[20]
Damage: (1d8)[4]
Concealment: (1d5)[4]
Attack on Daiya (cover): (1d20+2)[4]
Damage: (1d8)[7]
Concealment: (1d5)[4]

E5 and E7 ready actions. E3 is stunned. O2 is unconscious. O1 withdraws upward to +40ft.

[TheFallenOne]

"I am a mercenary. You are just dead meat." The first ogre fell with a satisfying thump, and the second one retreated out of his preferred attack range. "Daiya, Xaxhan, get the flyer!" he called out, himself advancing on the building to get a shot at their rather passive leader. Moving forward, he drew one of his alchemical concoctions and tossed it at the Emerald Claw. He felt a little bad for wasting fire they might need to get rid off the mostly beaten ogres for good, but Daiya's magic and in a pinch the braziers should be enough, and giving such a pansy dandy a little fire in the face was just too tempting.
Meanwhile, Drasil saw in the stunned soldier a target of opportunity and leaped at his throat, wooden teeth biting into and ripping apart soft flesh.

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Move to O14, drawing fire
eat fire pretty boy - (1d20+3)[19] -4 range
fire - (3d6)[8] cold - (3d6)[12]

Drasil moves to O16
attack - (1d20+10)[25] 2 flanking, 2 unseen
(1d6+5)[7] cold - (3d6)[9]

[Postmodernist]

At Grimmgang's shout, Xaxhan turned his attention upward. He saw the blue-skinned giant carry himself aloft, motes of sparkling light trailing him. Xaxhan continued to steadily advance forward down the battlefield, and fired another frost-tinged arrow skyward.

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(1d20+5)[25] Again, this accounts for the range penalty, but not for any other modifiers (blinded, etc.). (1d6)[1] physical damage + (3d6)[9] cold damage.

[TekHed]

"...and look where that got you, dishonorable scum." Shard intoned, invoking an epithet it had overheard while canvassing the market stalls of Adderport.

Seeing the nearest quarry felled by their tenacious tree-wolf, Shard rushed forward to the base of the railed balcony.

"Drasil! Eat your fill!" it added, hoping that the carnivorous wolf-like plant creature could understand it as well as it did Grimmgang, and poor fallen Trunk before him.

Rather than ascend the stairs however, Shard suddenly imploded into a flash of brilliant light, accompanied by the chiming sounds of clinking crystal-ware, only to reappear directly before the Claw leader, it's face, armor and shield all scowling menacingly. With no hesitation, Shard swung it's great two-handed blade down in an overhand diagonal wood-chopping stroke into the guard standing next to him, while drawing into itself the very power of the ground beneath it.

The crystal guard glared at the burning figure. When it spoke this time, the dual-octaved harmony of the mineral warrior's voice was amplified with further chorus, as the faces upon its floating energy shield, and its right pauldron animated and spoke with it.



You're plant-food..."

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Free Action: Speak

Free action: Release Cloud of Knives shard at E2.
-6 range penalty. (1d20+3)[16], Damage:(1d6+3)[7] piercing +(3d6)[9] cold


Move Action: Straight line for 30' ending in M18

Swift Action: Spend 4 PP to Manifest Dimension Hop 25' landing in K14.

I paid for the diagonal movement, but I'm not sure if I have to. If I have to count the vertical movement, I'll need to spend 1 more PP so let me know.

Standard Action: Initiate Stone Bones/Attack E5: (1d20+11)[16], Damage: (2d6+6)[11] slashing +(3d6)[9] Cold

Edit: Forgot to add the Earth Smite, so should be +3 to the attack and +6 damage.

Free Action: Speak

AC: 27
Miss Chance vs. Ranged: 20%
DR 10/Adamantine if Strike hits
Stance: Crystal Guard's Glare on anyone threatened and still standing.

Cloud of Knives: 2 rounds
Divine Favor: 5 rounds

[MoleMage]

Daiya feels Xaxhan's arrow strike home and wastes no time in continuing her advance toward the stairs, chanting a spell quietly and releasing a potent spell of binding, hoping to stop the man in charge from continuing to lead or attack.

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Move to N14, ignoring E3 (or after he falls), and casting Hold Person on Pretty-Boy. DC 16.

[Sallera]

Frozen in the middle of reloading, the robed man is unable to defend himself against Grimmgang's well-aimed missile, and the resultant explosion of energy removes a large amount of clothing and skin. Drasil tears down the soldier below, but as soon as the area is clear, the two at the top of the stairs put their shoulders to the braziers, scattering an avalanche of burning coals down the staircase. Xaxhan's arrow brings the blinded ogre to the ground, forming a small impact crater in the dirt, and Shard's abrupt spatial journey catches the soldier off guard, its sword hesitating for a moment against a swiftly-formed field of shadowy motes before tearing through the barrier. The men on the east side of the balcony continue firing or blindly swinging despite Shard's threats, but the nearer soldier pauses. After a moment's deliberation, he throws his crossbow at Shard's feet and steps up beside his paralyzed and apparently unconscious leader, a potion in hand.

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Shard, you can only use the Cloud of Knives within 30ft.

The coals from the braziers strike Grimmgang, Daiya, and Drasil for (2d6)[7] fire damage and a round's blindness. DC13 Reflex for half damage and no blindness.

E2 is still blind and slightly confused, but swings at the shouting anyway. E7 and E8 fire at Daiya and Grimmgang. E6 appears to be surrendering.

Attack on Shard: (1d20+1)[6]
Damage: (1d8+5)[12]
Concealment (miss on 1): (1d2)[2]

Attack on Daiya (cover): (1d20+2)[20]
Damage: (1d8)[8]

Attack on Grimmgang (cover): (1d20+2)[22]
Damage: (1d8)[3]

[TekHed]

Shard sent one of it's floating razors into the blinded soldier, before cleaving into the one attempting to aid it's commander. If Grimmy's tales were true, the Emerald Claw were not to be trusted with any quarter, especially with so much at stake within the blazing building.

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Cloud of Knives E2: (1d20+9)[10], Damage: (1d6+3)[9] piercing+(3d6)[6] cold

Great Sword E6: (1d20+11)[30], Damage: (2d6+6)[13] slashing+ (3d6)[11] cold

AC 27
Miss Chance vs. ranged: 20%

Cloud of Knives: 1 round
Divine Favor: 4 rounds

next rounds granted maneuver: (1d2)[2] Mountain Hammer

[MoleMage]

Raising her voice, Daiya issues a challenge to every remaining enemy.

"Your leader is fallen! Surrender now, give up your weapons, and your lives will be spared. Continue to fight, and we will kill you. Be assured, it will be as easy as it was taking down your...mercenaries...or your leader."

To illustrate her point, Daiya turns back toward the ogres and releases another bar of fire at the nearest one.

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Reflex (1d20+9)[10]
Scorching Ray (Can I coup de grace with a spell?)
Attack (1d20+10)[22]
Concealment (miss on 2) (2d4)[6]
Damage (4d6)[13]

[TheFallenOne]

'Never leave a wounded troll unattended' is a lesson most dwarves are taught in nursery rhymes, and with these ogre mages it was pretty much the same far as Grimmgang could judge. He sent Drasil back to the regenerating creatures to keep them down, himself adancing up the stairs and tossing a small hammer at the soldier standing by the other brazier; he'd rather not lose this valuable source of fire so they can finish the job with the ogres once the soldiers were down.

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Move to K16, draw hammer. Swift to recover Wolf Fang Strike, giving up 1 Skirmish die
(1d20+7)[19] (1d4+3)[7] Skirmish - (1d6)[1] cold - (3d6)[8]

Drasil moves to Q18, biting O2
(1d20+6)[13] (1d6+5)[11] (3d6)[14] miss chance - (1d100)[72]

[Postmodernist]

Xaxhan continued to march down the battlefield, pleased with how handily he and his companions have won the day. Daiya and Drasil had returned their attention to the ogres, but the bard remained unsure as to whether or not the members of the Order of the Emerald Claw were going to surrender. After all, one had just relinquished his weapon, and Shard had cut him down. Perhaps the crystal warrior considered it a mercy to fell such a foe; Xaxhan certainly did, and he had little intention of taking prisoners. He kept his bow trained on his enemies, in the hope of not wasting another shot.

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Move another 30' forward toward the group. Ready action to fire an arrow at any Claw who fails to surrender/acts with hostile intent. Now that the battle is effectively over, I'm finally on the map! Hooray!

[Sallera]

After seeing Shard kill the first soldier who attempted surrender, the remaining archer spits in Daiya's general direction and fires another bolt at the crystal warrior, taking an arrow to the chest from Xaxhan for his trouble. The final Claw, blind, half-deafened, and miraculously still alive, is less aware of the situation, and apparently decides enough is enough. Throwing away his flail and crossbow, he sits down on the balcony, rubbing at his eyes in a futile attempt to clear away the glitterdust. The front entrance is under your control, along with a paralyzed and badly burned dandy and a single blind soldier, although parts of the staircase are already starting to smoulder dangerously from the braziers' contents.

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You can coup de grace with a weaponlike spell, but if it's a ranged spell, you need to be within 5ft.

Both braziers were tipped over.

The soldiers have flails and daggers, if you're looking for a backup weapon. The leader has some other things; if you choose to finish him off and spend some time looting:

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In ascending order of time required to loot:
Rapier (detects as magic)
Masterwork light crossbow
Spectacles (detect as magic)
Emerald brooch, ivory crane earring
Masterwork studded leather and buckler

[TheFallenOne]

"Hey Shard, word of adice; these guys are major scumbags, true. But splitting a guy who tries to surrender from collarbone to navel? Bastard move as well. Anyway, help me dump the ogres on the coals before they start to cool down." He grabbed the first one by one arm and horn each, Drasil keeping on savaging the other one so his healing factor never catches up with the damage.

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Molemage, could you check for magic while we do this?
37 HP below full

[Postmodernist]

Xaxhan brushes ashy bits of hair and clothing off of the paralyzed leader, before leaning insouciantly against his shoulder. "That's a good look for you, my friend. Really brings out what's left of your eyebrows." A reptilian smile stretches across his transformed face as he strips the leader of his blade and carefully goes through his pockets looking for valuables.

"Now, we don't have a great deal of time, since this fine establishment is sadly ablaze, so my colleagues and I have to make a very quick decision about what to do with you. My sparkly friend over there is likely to simply chop off your head and feed you to our little pet," the troglodytic Seren rasps cruelly as he gestures toward Drasil, who continued to graw away at the fallen ogre. "I might be able to convince him to spare you, if you tell us everything you know about what we might face in there. Say, any other invisible friends of yours, or spellcasters, any unpleasant surprises." Xaxhan reaches up and gently unfastens the ivory crane earring hanging from the robed man's lobe. "This is quite lovely," he says as he pockets the bauble, "Surely a gentleman of such refined tastes will make the wise decision."

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Just fluffing up the search and hoping for some possible interrogation/info. If you want an intimidation check or something, I'd be happy to throw one in.

[TekHed]

"I could not be sure that letting him live would not result in further treachery." Shard responded to Grimmgang's admonishment. "These Claw made their decision to die when they joined their order...this way they'll not be coming back to harry us further."

The crystal warrior stomped down the stairs past the surrendered Claw towards the felled ogres. Hefting it's greatblade high, Shard brought it down on each in turn, lopping off the heads and kicked them away from the bodies. Once that grisly task was done, Shard stowed it's blade on it's back, picked up a head by the hair in each hand, and advanced back up the staircase towards the fiery blaze quickly consuming Vorgaard's mansion.

"We must hurry. Perhaps Vorgaard may yet be rescued, or at least recovered and raised..."

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Full Round to decapitiate each ogres...using Mountain Hammer

Auto-hit for Coup De Grace, Damage: (8d6+12)[39]

Second one: Damage: (8d6+12)[48]

[MoleMage]

"Yes, we must hurry. Here are the magical items I can sense nearby, now let's get this fellow tied up and see what he knows before he wakes up."

Daiya rushes about indicating anything magical while the others gather up anything else and tie up the captive.

[Sallera]

After pouring a couple healing potions down his throat, the captive coughs and moans, taking in his current state and Xaxhan's pointed questions. "Yes, yes, alright, you'll know! Dura's inside, and a few others went with her to search for the journal after we killed Vorgaard. They're fanatics, all four of them; even Dura didn't always keep them in line. They're the ones who set this cursed fire. I haven't gone inside, I don't know what else you're going to find... just go in, already, and let Dura take care of you."

Groaning, the man drops his head into his hands. "She's going to kill you, and then she's going to kill me... but at least I'll die happy..."

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You can acquire five potions of Cure Light Wounds after the ones you use to bring the pansy back, and four others (of the same type) that you can't identify. No other magic other than what's already been listed.

[TekHed]

"Let us form up then, and make haste our search."

All of Shard's faces were still speaking in unison.

"What shall we do we these rabble? If we leave them unbound they will make their escape, or inform on us."

[TheFallenOne]

This will have to do. Grimmgang picked up one of the flails, giving it some testing swings; every chain weapon needed some time to get used to, depending on the number of links.
"Could use some healing over here", he muttered as they began work on the ogres, then the slightly disfigured prettyboy caught his attention. "Dura? Could it be... Tall, dark hair, spellcaster and kind of an arrogant bitch?"

[TekHed]

Shard set the heads down upon the coals, allowing the blazing heat to cauterize the necks and the hair to catch on fire, quickly turning them into foul smelling melting balls of fire.

Approaching Grimmgang, Shard broke off one of the crystals on it's wrist, using it to focus positive energy into the Dwarf.

"Was anyone else injured?"

[MoleMage]

"Just a little scorched. We should probably hurry if we hope to recover the journal, or even Vorgaard's body for proper burial."

Daiya brushes the ash out of her blindfold to stop the terrible itching sensation, then ties it back over her eyes, embracing her other senses once again.

[Postmodernist]

"I'm fine," Xaxhan barks, "Pretty boy was a decent shot, but nothing a little preparation couldn't handle." A thoughtful look disturbs his ophidian face. "Do you know this Dura, Grimmgang? Might she have been the 'D' in that note we discovered a few days back? Regardless, once we're ready we should get a move on. Our knightly friend is correct," he hisses, gesturing toward Daiya.

[Sallera]

The damaged dandy glares at Grimmgang, but nods, apparently unwilling to press the issue. "She did speak as if you had met."

The tall front doors are unlocked, and open to reveal a massive entrance hall, the forty-foot high ceiling supported by six marble columns bearing the visages of various hobgoblin kings. Old tapestries bearing scenes as diverse as idyllic meadows and blood-soaked battlefields hang from the ceiling, along with a newer piece featuring a field of perfectly preserved corpses in the Mournland. Tall stained-glass windows line the upper reaches of the walls, the western side glowing with reflected firelight.

It is quieter in here, the roar and crackle of the burning mansion muted by the intervening walls. Some distance into the hall, two men in steward's livery lie unmoving, one twisted at an awkward angle and the other bearing a prominent crossbow quarrel in his neck. The heavy interior doors on the opposite end of the room are closed.

[Postmodernist]

Xaxhan quickly rummages through the clothing of the dead stewards. "What?" he asks, glancing at his companions. "They might have keys or something."

[MoleMage]

"Doubtful. If they had anything so useful, the Claw likely has it now. But see if they have any sort of identification. If they have families, we should bring word that these men died in the line of protecting their master's home."

Daiya raises a hand towards the western wing, feeling for the fire there. "Does any of you have anything that would be helpful for getting through a fire? If the journal is in that wing we will likely lose it forever."

[Sallera]

A quick search of the fallen stewards reveals a few coins, and one man's pocket contains a small wrapped package - unrolling the soft paper reveals a child's hairpin, silver set with what might be garnets but are more likely bits of red glass. Luckily for your lack of keys, the doors inward do not appear to lock, although the growing heat is liable to make them stick.

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Twelve gold, one fancy hairpin, no keys.

[TekHed]

Shard shook it's head.

"I did not expect to be running headlong into an inferno when I prepared my devotions for this day..."

[Postmodernist]

Xaxhan gauged Daiya and Shard's reactions, then handed the once-blind knight the package and coins. "Here. We'll give this to their families when we bring word. You hang onto it, Daiya." The bard glanced over at his crystalline comrade and agreed. "Even I'm not cynical enough to think that the Claw would burn down Vorgaard's estate. We couldn't have foreseen them getting here so quickly or reacting in such a fashion. Besides, we've gotten through well enough so far. It can't get any worse, right?"

[TheFallenOne]

"What a pleasant reunion this will be", Grimmgang says sarcastically before knocking the dandy and last soldier out with a blow to the side of the head; whoever emerges victorious from the estate will sort them out.

The tapestry of the Mournland makes him avert his gaze; too lifelike, to familiar in such an unexpected place. He idly wondered how someone could look at this every day and not deign to do something about it.

"No time to pick locks, let's use the old barbarian's skeleton key." He aimed two quick blows to the hinges of the door, then kicked it out of the angles.

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should have time for some Mountain Hammers while corpses are searched

(1d8+3)[9] (2d6)[10]
(1d8+3)[8] (2d6)[10]
(1d3+3)[5] (2d6)[5]

quick question on the tapestry. Does it just look like any other glorified battlefield, or if later on I campaign on having the Mournland cleaned would it decently well illustrate the eternal plight of the fallen? Not that Grimmy would've ever thought of using art for furthering his cause, but if opportunity knocks...

[TekHed]

"If you stay within close range of me, I will be able to better protect you." Shard said casually to it's companions.