Wrath of the Righteous: The Worldwound Incursion

[Drothmal]

Astias knows that a sudden movement could give away his ruse, so although he would like to help his companions in the battle to come, the bard keeps his hands far from his weapons and prepares himself to magically inspire his allies when the battle starts

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Readied action to start bardic performance

[DaedalusMkV]

In the end, the ambush goes exactly as planned. Though it seems a close thing as a mix of weapons in eager hands aim at the shapeshifted Astias when he drops down the hole, his words quickly placate them and one of the Mongrels replies. "Well, about time those damned humans did something for us. Mistress Hosilla says we're throwing any prisoners to the Dretches. Let's get to it." Gesturing to one of the five to stay behind and defend the door deeper into their lair, four Mongrelmen grab their weapons and head forwards, climbing the ladder and heading towards the main room. Their first indication that things aren't as the false Wendaug said is Tefkros' arrow taking the second through the door in the shoulder, their second Anevia quickly ducking out of hiding and flawlessly planting an arrow through the first Mongrel's sternum, punching through his leather armour easily and killing him all but instantly. Finishing the ambush, Aravashnial chants the final words to a spell of his own and a stony creature the shape and size of a large dog pulls itself together on the far side of the remaining three Mongrel traitors, cutting off their path of retreat, as he shouts. "Kill the people who're near that hole!" The elemental's attempt at following the order is less than successful, the smashing lunge going wide of its target, but it still serves to focus the twisted woman's attention on it.

Finally seeming to realize what's going on, the three Mongrels let out a wordless shout, and one has the presence of mind to yell. "Ambush! Wendaug's a traitor!" Though they have little time to do any more before the ambush continues. Down in the lower level, at the bottom of the ten-foot drop, the fifth Mongrel jumps and clutches at a crossbow, hesitating just long enough to give Astias the initiative.

Spoiler: OOC

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Tefkros hits his target, though he doesn't quite finish it off. Anevia also hits, crits, does almost thirty damage and instantly kills hers. Clearly she knows her way around an ambush. Aravashnial casts Summon Monster II and throws an Earth Elemental behind the enemy in an attempt to cut off their retreat; it's not perfectly on target, but the Elemental moves into position to correct this. Everyone who didn't post an action is assumed to have Delayed to guarantee acting first in the proper Initiative order. Luckily enough, this means that all of you, plus Anevia, get to act again before the Mongrels get a proper turn.

Spoiler: Map

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The blue circle is a pool of water, fed by a small trickle from the wall. It doesn't seem to be very deep, and probably won't impede your progress in any fashion.

[ProudGrognard]

Tefkros

Calmly taking a single step to have better view, Tefkros sends two arrows in quick succession flying, one in the wounded mongrelman and one at the mongrelman next to him.

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5ft step and Rapid shot

atk1 (1d20+6)[19] dmg (1d8+5)[11]
atk2 (1d20+6)[22] dmg (1d8+5)[8]

[Athaleon]

The moment the enemy cried out in alarm, Karsten sprang from his spot by the door. He charged the nearest target with a furious shout.

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Charge to I6 and hit the nearby target. If Tefkros killed that target already, he will otherwise move normally into a position where he can attack with reach.

Attack: (1d20+8)[26] Includes Charge and Power Attack
Damage: (1d10+9)[16]

Turns out Glaives are 1d10, not 2d4. I've been doing it wrong this whole time.

[Khosan]

Udo

With a quick hop Udo reappears from behind cover, a grin like a Cheshire cat plastered across his big, froggy face, "Hey there!" Barely missing a beat, he lets loose a bullet from his sling towards the nearest mongrelman.

Spoiler: Actions

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Myth-Weavers is down for me right now so I might have a modifier wrong.

Move Action: Move to G7, draw sling, load sling
Standard Action: Attack nearest mongrelman, (1d20+5)[10], (1d3)[3]

[Drothmal]

The ruse finally up, Astias pulls out his whip and rushes towards the crossbowman. It is not clear why (maybe a sense of the dramatic, maybe just now wanting to get wet), but the bard avoids stepping through the puddle as he moves through the battlefield.


Actions

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Move to R10 by moving around the pool of water (P12, Q11, R12, R 11, S10) while taking whip out (thanks to BAB +1)

Try to disarm enemy

disarm - (1d20+8)[20] (1 BAB + 4 STR + 2 weapon + 1 Inspire courage) vs CMD

Status

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hp = 14/14
AC = 16

prescience = 1/5
Inexplicable luck = 0/1

Bardic performance = 3/6

Bard spells: 1/2 lvl 1
Wizard spells: Cultural adaptation, bonded object


Alter self (+2 STR): 190/190 mins

[Desril]

Idranel - Combat Bot

With her characteristic silence, Idranel sends a surge of arcane energy into her rapier as she herself surges forward once combat is properly begun, ready to lunge at the nearest surviving mongrel.

Actions

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Swift Action - Arcane Pool to enhance the Rapier and make it a +1
Full-Round - As long as either M1 or M2 are still alive, charging to J7 and attacking.

If M1 and 2 are both down:
Move Action - To K8
Standard Action - Attack M3

Attack (1d20+7)[10] (+2 if able to charge)
Damage (1d6+2)[3]

Status

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HP 16
AC 17

Arcane Pool 3/5
+1 Enhancement to rapier for 10 rounds

Spells;
Shield
??? - Idranel should have 2 1st level spells per day at the moment, but they aren't listed on Mythweavers as prepared and the last status message I saw for her only listed Shield.

[DaedalusMkV]

Between Tefkros' arrows and Karsten's deadly polearm, two more Mongrels fall, though Udo and Idranel are far less effective with their strikes. Aravashnial's summoned elemental takes the opportunity of Idranel's attack to brutally smash the last remaining Mongrel on the upper level, a heavy slam to her back that sends her reeling with the unmistakable crack of breaking ribs. Astias once again uses his lashing whip to pull the crossbow from the hands of the Mongrel on the lower level. Anevia looses another arrow, but thanks to the intervening melee the shot flies wide. Gann moves forward, weapon at the ready, but isn't quite able to make it into the thick of the battle.

The evil Mongrels' counterattack is feeble at best. The last Mongrel on the upper level turns around and attempts to slash desperately at the elemental attacking her, but simply bounces her mace off the creature's thick rock plating while the guard on the lower level grabs a short spear and rushes at Astias but fumbles and nearly drops his weapon as his boots slip on slick ground just as he's about to make his strike.

Spoiler: OOC

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None of you take any damage this turn. M4 is badly hurt thanks to the Elemental's attack, and clearly on her last legs. M5 is unharmed but incompetent, having botched his spear strike. Your go again.

Spoiler: Map

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[Desril]

Idranel - Combat Bot

Silently cursing herself for being careless with her attack, the elven woman focuses her concentration and makes a swift thrust at a non-vital area on the mongrel while reciting a quick chant in an attempt to brand the creature with a second attack.

Actions

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Full-Round Action - Spell Combat (Attack at -2, Casting Arcane Mark Defensively (Concentration DC 16) if successful; Spellstrike) Both attack and spellstrike as non-lethal for an additional -4

Attack (1d20+1)[21] (+2 if still flanking)
Damage (1d6+2)[8] non-lethal
**Edit**
Crit Confirmation (1d20+1)[14]
Crit Damage (1d8+2)[7] (still non-lethal)
**Edit Ends**

Concentration (1d20+5)[9] (If successful, continue on. If failed, spell is wasted and attack ends)
Spellstrike (1d20+1)[9] (+2 if still flanking)
Damage (1d6+2)[8] non-lethal

Status

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HP 16
AC 17

Arcane Pool 3/5
+1 Enhancement to rapier for 9 more rounds

Spells;
Shield
??? - Idranel should have 2 1st level spells per day at the moment, but they aren't listed on Mythweavers as prepared and the last status message I saw for her only listed Shield.

Cantrips are unlisted, but I'm assuming, like any sane Magi, Arcane Mark is one of her prepared cantrips.

[Athaleon]

Karsten awkwardly thrust his glaive-point through the doorway, past Idranel, to hit the last Mongrelman standing in front of him. He had hoped for the whole group to come up the ladder, but Astias was still down there, with who knows how many other foes.

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Attack: (1d20+8)[24] (not Power Attacking)
Damage: (1d10+6)[10]

[Drothmal]

A small smile comes to Astias's lips as his good fortune deflects the foe's attack.

Confident that luck is on his side (as always), the bard drops his whip, pulls out his sword and strikes back.

Actions

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Free: Drop whip, stop bardic performance (still in place for (1d4)[3] rounds)
Swift: Arcane Strike
Move: Take out sword (causes AoO).
Standard: Attack with sword 2 handed (looses buckler AC)

attack - (1d20+6)[16] (1 BAB + 4 STR + 1 Inspire courage)
damage - (1d8+8)[12] (6 STR + 1 Arcane Strike + 1 Inspire Courage)

Status

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hp = 14/14
AC = 15

prescience = 1/5
Inexplicable luck = 0/1

Bardic performance = 3/6

Bard spells: 1/2 lvl 1
Wizard spells: Cultural adaptation, bonded object


Alter self (+2 STR): 190/190 mins

[Khosan]

Udo

In spite of missing his shot, our little grippli friend seems content with the outcome. No casualties, not a single blow landed. The only way it could have gone better is if the enemy had surrendered. "Warden," his tone still cheery, "I'm going ahead to check on Lucky. Fantastic elemental, by the way. With that, Udo takes off.

Spoiler: Actions

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Udo double moves to the bottom of O11. He can just barely make it, I think.

If needed:
Climb - (1d20+7)[26]

Spoiler: Status

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HP: 13/14
AC: 17

[DaedalusMkV]

In the end, the Mongrel guards stand no chance against your ambush. Karsten brings down the final Mongrel on the upper level with another swipe of his Glaive while Astias cuts down his own foe with a well-timed strike. Once again the sounds of battle die down and all is quiet.

Aravashnial seems pleased by Udo's comment, grinning to himself for a moment, and replies. "If only I hadn't run into the Storm King, little friend, you'd see some real magic. I've still got a few of my best spells in reserve." With a word and a wave of his hand he dismisses the spell binding his Elemental, which sinks back into the stone floor and is soon gone without a trace. Meanwhile, Anevia moves forwards and carefully climbs down the ladder to the lower cavern, still favouring her broken leg despite no longer needing her crutch. "Watch out for that pool of water. Looks like some nasty rocks at the bottom of that. Seems the door's locked, too. I can probably get it open for you, when you're ready."

Upon further examination, she seems to be correct. This door, unlike the others, is made of sturdy wood and locked with a simple iron mechanism. Curiously, none of the Mongrel guards seem to have the key; you can't help but wonder how they intended to get back inside.

Spoiler: OOC

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Technically, Astias' target is at 0 HP and gets an action before he falls unconscious. He would have missed regardless. Otherwise, that's it for the Traitor Mongrels.

Loot:
43 GP in various coins and valuables
1 potion of Cure Light Wounds
Assorted weapons and armour of generally poor manufacture. It isn't worth much, but if you're looking for any sort of completely mundane Simple weapon it's probably available from their stockpiles, including a pair of Light Crossbows.

As Anevia pointed out, this door appears to be locked. It looks to be a pretty standard lock.

[ProudGrognard]

Tefkros

The battle now over, Tefkros puts his bow down. He goes to inspect the door and calls to the others

"Are we going that way, my good fellows? Because this door needs either bashing or picking. I say that, since they took the trouble to lock it, it must be worth to go that way. Though I do not like leaving unexplored spaces behind me.

Also, there seems to be a potion here. I already have one. Anyone wants it?"

Tefkros, waiting for the consensus, takes the moment to pick up a beautiful crystal of the cave floor. He puts in his pocket and takes a note from where it is.

[Athaleon]

Karsten chimes in, "We'll be here a long time if we want to leave no cave unexplored. Let's have a look at what's behind that locked door, and if it doesn't lead anywhere we can try the other passage."

[Drothmal]

"I already have a potion, my friend" replies Astias to the ranger "And I am also curious about that cavern, so let's check it out later. But first things first: it would seem the climax of this tale awaits for us on the other side of this door, evil cult leader and all.

And, in the interest of full disclosure, I'm mostly out of tricks. So it might be unrefined of me, but let's just open the door and take down anything that might look hostile. Sounds like a plan?"

[Khosan]

Udo

"Sounds like a plan. I've got a little bit of magic left in me. Suppose we'll see if we need it."

[ProudGrognard]

Tefkros

'I also like this plan, my good fellow. But it is easier for me. I will be guarding your backs, rest assured."

[DaedalusMkV]

Anevia nods and creeps up to the door, pulling a small packet from one of the many pockets affixed to her leather armour. "Right. Have it open in a jiffy. Be ready for my signal." It only takes her a few seconds of fiddling with her fine tools for a quiet click to sound through the room, at which point she waves one hand behind her and gives it a short tug, the heavy door creaking open slowly as she returns both hands to her bow and you bustle through the door. The room on the far side is the best-appointed you've seen since leaving Neathholm, a large oak table dominating the centre of the room while furs, rugs and strange fetishes decorate the walls. A massive depiction of a bull's head dominates the far wall, and a woman in gleaming chainmail sits at the end of the table, feet crossed and resting atop the table, leaning back in her chair, a glaive at her side gripped loosely in one hand and another bull's-head pendant hanging openly around her neck. At her side and a few steps behind is a burly-looking man in heavy, obscuring clothing, though the tail emerging from his pants and the baleful, glowing red eyes glimmering from his shadowed hood betray an obvious fiendish heritage and the dozen or so knives strapped to every available surface of his body make it clear that he's no butler, though he remains absolutely silent. As you rush into the room, the woman speaks up. "Well, here we are. I hope you're satisfied with your work so far, because it ends now either way. I'm feeling generous. Walk away and I'll give the order for the rest of my minions to let you to the surface unharmed." Her voice is cold and cruel, but almost flippant, as though she doesn't care how you answer.

Udo:

Spoiler: Observations

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There's something odd about her voice... Sound down her always seems to be echoing strangely, but you could swear it's not quite coming from where she's sitting, though it would have to be pretty nearby.

Astias:

Spoiler: Understanding

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She's doing a good job of putting on a show, but she is not as calm as she's letting on. If anything, you can hear a distinct note of strain in her voice.

OOC:

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I'm guessing your response is going to be arrows and/or swords. The room is 20 feet wide by 30 feet long, with a 15 foot long table slightly off-set in the middle of it. You're entering from the side, in the middle of the room, and there is another door on both the left and right-hand walls. The woman is about 15 feet from you right now.

[Athaleon]

Karsten slowly lowered his glaive and moved further into the room. "Not gonna happen. I don't know what kind of small-time racket you're running down here, but judging from the minions we've run into so far, you ought not to be sitting there so smug.

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Activating Smite Evil on the woman and using Intimidate to attempt to Shake her.

(1d20+12)[31]

[Khosan]

Udo

"Well," Udo lowers his sling, genuinely surprised at the lack of immediate violence, "This is a pleasant change of pace." He squints at the woman, tilting his head left and right. Finally, he speaks in a hushed tone to the rest of the group, "I don't know who that woman is, but she's not the one speaking to us. The talker is hiding somewhere. Somewhere close."

[ProudGrognard]

Tefkros
AC 18 HP 13

Tefkros steps into the room, bow drawn. He takes it all in, and Udo 's remark confirms it. He sees the bull headed idol, the obvious fiendish blooded tiefling, everything.

Two arrows fly towards the tiefling even before Udo has stopped talking.

"We have talked enough. See you in Hell, vermin."

Spoiler

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Rapid shot
Atk1 (1d20+8)[19] dmg (1d8+6)[13]
and
Atk2 (1d20+8)[21] dmg (1d8+6)[11]

[Desril]

Idranel - Combat Bot
HP 16
AC 17

As Tefkros' arrows fly, Idranel swiftly surges straight through to the glaive wielder, hopping up onto the table and hoping to get into striking distance before she has a chance to make herself a threat with her weapon's extended reach and that whoever was really doing the talking didn't have a trap set for this exact scenario. With rapier in hand, glowing with arcane power, she lunges toward her sitting foe.

Actions

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Swift Action - Arcane Pool
Move Action - move adjacent to the girl in chainmail, hopping up on the table to get the high ground (Acrobatics needed? If so (1d20+4)[16])
Standard Action - Stab the girl in chainmail
Attack (1d20+8)[25] (includes the +1 for high ground, if the table doesn't count or she fails to get on the table, -1)
Damage (1d6+2)[4]

Status

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HP 16
AC 17

Arcane Pool 2/5
+1 Enhancement to rapier for 10 rounds

Spells;
Shield

[Drothmal]

Seeing his allies in action, Astias moves towards the tiefling as he begins to sign a new battle hymn to give them the strength can courage to eliminate the enemies quickly.

Spoiler

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Start bardic song (+1 to hit and to damage to everyone)
Move up to the tiefling, sword out.

Huzzah for simple battle decisions

[DaedalusMkV]

Idranel and Astias move in, hostility clear, but the woman barely seems to react, her expression changing to one of shock almost too late, and Tefkros makes a pair of fast, deadly shots, targeting the vital areas of the silent Tiefling with brutal efficiency... And passing harmlessly through him and disappearing from sight. Quickly putting two and two together, Tefkros, Udo, Astias and Karsten all manage to see through the illusion in the room instantly... The Tiefling, the sitting woman and her chair and... The wall behind them all fade to an outline, revealing the two figures hiding in the previously hidden portion of the room, though it's quickly revealed to Idranel as well as the illusion disappears, the chain-armoured woman giving up on the spell as it serves her purpose. Grinning, she begins casting another spell while the Tiefling narrows his baleful eyes in concentration and extends his hand, plunging the entire room into impenetrable pitch blackness.

Those who possess Darkvision:

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Unlike the other members of the group, you can still see in the inky black, the magic not countering your natural ability to see in the dark even as it snuffs out the torches and the weaker magic of the light spells your spellcasters had been using to see. You see the Tiefling take a step to the side, grinning with sadistic glee as he vacates his previous position, while the woman finishes casting her spell and likewise moves a bit farther away from Idranel, then takes her glaive in two hands and delivers a brutal slash with horrible, unerring accuracy, cutting through the Magus' armour and sending a spray of blood flying from her.

Contrary to the map below, the Tiefling is in H5 and Hosilla is in I7.

There is the sound of a whistling blade and a great crunch in the darkness from the direction Idranel and the armoured woman were standing, and then from the same area comes a voice. "You should have taken the deal, fools. Now you die."

Spoiler: OOC

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Idranel takes 11 Damage from the glaive attack. Including the penalty for being Shaken. The map below represents the positions of the enemies and your allies before the Darkness SLA took effect (Everyone but Karsten successfully identifies the Darkness SLA, for posterity). For those of you without Darkvision, it is the only map you'll get until the darkness goes away. It is almost certainly inaccurate already. Not being able to see sucks. Athaleon, your Smite does not take effect but also is not expended, since you pointed it at a non-target and I don't see the need to be overly harsh. I'll give you the Intimidate success, though. She is Shaken, for a little while.

Udo, Idranel and Tefkros all identify the second spell cast by Hosilla as True Strike, which she may or may not have used to ruin Idranel's day.

The Tiefling chooses to delay his turn to better coordinate with Hosilla, so you can all go ahead and act now. As far as I'm aware the only one with Darkvision is Udo, but if you have a means of getting a hold of it it might not be a bad idea. The circle on the map below represents the area effected by Darkness; as long as you're there any nonmagical light sources or light spells not level 2 or higher do not function. As such, the entire area is in absolute darkness for the moment, including the area outside of the circle.

Spoiler: Map

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[Desril]

Idranel - Combat Bot

Suddenly finding herself fumbling about in the dark, Idranel cries out in agony as the glaive shreds through her clothes and flesh like they were nothing more than wet tissues, the haramaki doing little to even so much as lessen the impact.

Stumbling backward and coated in her own blood, the elf blindly fumbles through her pockets until she finds the vial she was looking for and quaffs the potion in the darkness, silently praying to The Dawnflower that she'd judged rightly where she needed to move as she does.

Actions

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Free - 5ft Step to G10, hopefully out of threatened areas
Move - Grab potion
Standard - Drink Potion of Cure Light Wounds (1d8+1)[5] (provoking if in a threatened square)

Status

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HP 10/16 (includes the healing from the potion)
AC 9 (Flat-footed -2)

Arcane Pool 2/5
+1 Enhancement to rapier for 9 rounds

Spells;
Shield

[Khosan]

Udo

Udo's jaw drops as arrows and warriors fly past him, more stunned than anything that they'd react so quickly. His open-gaped expression quickly sours into a determined frown, not that anyone is particularly capable of seeing it in this darkness. "Retreat," he plants his feet in the ground, "back down the tunnel!"

Shortly after that command, a cloud of mist erupts from the little grippli, once again, not that any of his allies are capable of seeing it, "I've got you covered!"

Spoiler: Actions

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Standard Action: Udo casts Obscuring Mist

Standing his ground for now, so now move action.

Spoiler: Status

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HP: 13/14
AC: 17

[ProudGrognard]

Tefkros
HP 13 AC18

Tefkros curses as the darkness envelops the area and the illusion is shattered. But then he smiles, a wolfish smile.

"So, you want to play games? I know one too. A dragon taught it to me."

He reaches to the dragon scale he has and wills it to activate. For a second, he thinks he failed but then he can feel a heavy fog start to develop in the middle of the supernatural darkness. He shouts.

"Everyone, back! Come here, to the light. Let them test their own medicine.

Anevia, shoot in the darkness. I will do the same. Eventually, we will hit them. Let them die there, in their darkness, like the rats they are.

Warden, can you call another one of your beasties? Something that can feel them perhaps? Or do something flashy with fire?"

Spoiler

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Activating the Dragon scale and doing a lot of shouting.

[Athaleon]

Karsten didn't need to be told to retreat. Instinct told him to charge and counterattack when ambushed, but his companions were fleeing and he couldn't see a thing. There was nothing else for it, but to withdraw.

Magic-backed ambush. It gave him a brief and unpleasant flashback that lent some urgency to his steps. "Fall back and regroup!" he barked, trying to sound less scared than he was.

Spoiler

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Taking the Withdraw action to the nearest unoccupied square, back in the tunnel.

[DaedalusMkV]

In the misty darkness, visibility drops to all but nothing even for those with the ability to see in the dark. For those without, it is really no better or worse. Idranel falls back slightly to drink a potion while the rest of the group withdraws cautiously into the hallway, beyond the reach of the inky black. Fortunately for most, this leaves everyone but Idranel well beyond the reach of the two murderous cultists, at least for the moment, with their view obscured as it is by the mist. For Idranel, though, the situation proves more than deadly. Effectively blind and defenseless, she first feels the bite of the armoured woman's polearm once again, the glaive cutting clean and drawing a deep gash in her chest, but leaving her standing... For a moment. Nobody sees what happens next, save perhaps for the two foes, but there is the faint sound of a blade sliding through the mist... Then a body hitting the ground.

"Ahh, such heroes. I applaud your tactics, truly. I can barely see a thing in this fog. But... It seems your friend still lives, if only just. Surrender and I'll give you all a fair chance at life. Otherwise... Well, I am a perfectly competent executioner." The woman's voice sounds sultry, very pleased with herself, and after she finishes she laughs throatily. "You have five seconds. Choose."

Meanwhile, Aravashnial (still standing in the black bubble of the Tiefling's magic, not that he would notice in the first place), replies to Tefkros. "Darkness? Ah, a Tiefling's innate magic, no doubt. You should have said so sooner. I can do much better than 'tricks with fire'." The confident tone sounds eerie, emerging from the black, but a moment later a brilliant light emerges and cuts through the darkness like a knife through paper. When he is finished, you can barely see his faint outline silhouetted in the mist. "Child's play." Then, turning around and dropping his voice to a whisper, he continues. "When you're ready, you can dismiss the fog and maybe take them by surprise."

Spoiler: OOC

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Idranel takes 9 more Damage from the glaive, leaving her at 1. Then she takes 8 damage from another, unknown source. She is at -7.

Everyone else except Udo is now outside the black circle, though the fog remains. Still, none of you can see any enemies (or Idranel) from where you are. Aravashnial casts Daylight (he may have used his Bonded Item), clearing the Darkness SLA. I'm not going to update the map, since you can't see anyone anyways, and you should have a good idea where your own character is.