The Necromancer's Pact VIII: The Rising Tide

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

As she sees the body freezing, and the strangling clinking start, a horrible realisation occurs to Tryntha and she dives behind the largest piece of cover she can find...the enlarged Norgold.

She sees shrapnel fly over her head, and feels it impacting the huge fighter behind her. Once the blast is over, she remembers that she had been trying to decide if a spell to rid the man of paralysis would break the hold on him. No longer worried about his motor functions, she quickly channels that same spell into healing energies and pours them into Norgold.

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Channel Remove Paralysis into Cure Modertate Wounds.
CMW - (2d8+8)[21]
plus 4 extra points of healing from Augment Healing = 25 total healing

Praying it was enough to keep the large man alive, she begins looking for others who need her assistance.

[Kevka Palazzo]

Faluil, elf-sicle

Faluil's body is torn and battered by the force of the blast, leaving him bleeding and unconscious in the snow.

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Piercing damage from Worm (1d6=4, 1d6=5, 1d6=1, 1d6=3)

Cold Damage from Worm (meep) (1d6=5, 1d6=1, 1d6=2, 1d6=6, 1d6=5, 1d6=6)

Total damage = 38, HP left = -6 (help please)

How do we handle stabilization?

[elliott20]

Olfacht

The blast completely takes Olfacht by surprise, but luckily he was too far away to be harmed by the blast. However, he realizes that the warriors there were probably not so lucky.

Springing to action, he immediately starts looking for the bodies of those caught in the blast to see if they're still alive.

[Naleh]

Retay, surprisingly alive

Retay's greataxe plunges into the skull of the worm. He roars with success, completely unaware of what happens next . . .

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Now, this is the bit I was worrying about . . .
"Piercing" - (4d6)[1][3][3][4](11)
"Cold" - (6d6)[1][3][3][6][6][1](20)
"Reflex" - (1d20+4)[9](13)
Damage reduction 1/-, which I believe means I take 10piercing+20cold=30 total damage.
Leaving me with 2 hit points.

When the worm shatters, Retay barely has time to move. His body is pummeled with shrapnel, leaving huge gashes in his body and probably breaking ribs. Worse than the shrapnel, though, is the blast of cold that passes through him - so cold it burns.

As he struggles to his feet, a single thought pierces the ongoing haze of his rage: Hey, look, another mountain fell on me.

Rather than returning to the rest of the party, however, the barbarian staggers off and, still snarling with rage, begins attacking the offending ice shards, shattering as many as he can find.

A short look at his wounds shows that his passion is probably the only thing keeping him alive at this point.

[barawn]

Damian

Fleeing from the worm, Damian turns to shout to Tanner. "Head to the side of the overhang! Once the worm gets near there, cast the wall of fire to trap ..."

The shockwave a fair distance back shoves Damian face first into the snow. Mmf... Hey... it isn't so bad, now.

After the initial shock wears off, he stands up and turns around, his grey-white eyes widening in shock as he sees the field strewn with body parts, and several of his recent allies with large shards of ice pierced through them.

"Oh, not good..."

[Thargor]

Norgold

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[piercing damage from death throw - (4d6+0)[11]
Cold damage from death throw - (6d6+0)[18]
will save to end stun after getting hit - (1d20+4)[13]

The screaming in his head seemed like it would never end. When a sudden sharper pain cuts through Norgold latches onto it. For a moment the noise in his head fades, driven out by the more pressing physical pain. Norgold can almost focus on the world around him before his concentration slips and he clutches his head with his hands once again.

[Matticus]

Grynde, Overused Race & Class

Watching the tall, heavyset man attack the worm, he could not help but be impressed. When it exploded, he could not help but laugh a little at the irony.

If that thing hadn't got me, I'd be over there picking ice out of myself. Gods, that human's taken quite a beating.

Healers? I think some people might be dying around here. And I wouldn't mind some help, either.

Strugging to his knees, he inspects his chest. The wound is rather large and painful.

Have I mentioned 'Ow' yet?

OOC: Who's dead?

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman 12/42

Pulling with all his might, Tanner's futile efforts to move the enlarged warrior prove to have saved him. Norgold's giant sized body proved to perfectly shield the two clerics from the blast of the worm. As the shell shock from the blast fades, Tanner sees that the Rashemi cleric is healing Norgold. Shaking himself free, Tanner takes flight to scan the scene...he sees several up, but one down. Diving like a bird of prey, Tanner lands next to Faluil. He places his unflaming hand upon the chest of the elf and detects a faint heartbeat. He says a prayer to Gond which stimulates Faluil's natural healing to begin at an alarming rate.

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Cast lesser vigor on Faluil. It automatically stabilizes him and will heal 1 hit point a round for 15 rounds...so 15 hit points back over time, basically.

Tanner will then stand from his squat and look curiously over at the still raging barbarian.

ooc: Dr. Bob, can I assume with my knowledge of the Rashemi barbarians and previous adventuring experience that Tanner understands Retay's plight?

[Koji]

Khazrael

Khazrael is still stunned, and has no chance to protect himself.

His body is blown clear from the outcropping and lands in the snow with a dull thud.

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4d6=22
6d6=19

36 damage. -24 hp. I only have 12 max hp. Khazrael is dead now?

[namo]

Adalmar

He is still fighting to make his muscles respond to his command when he is fully hit by the exploding shards of ice. He falls headlong in the snow, a pool of blood spreading around him slowly, slowly...

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I couldn't resist pretending he was going to die...

Ref (1d20+10=14) --> HP = -4 (using Kuja's rolls)

Stabilization (1d100=93) so I think he'll be at -5 next round - I'm not sure what method (high or low) DR uses anymore.

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman 12/42

After recognizing that Retay's battle lust is all that keeps him clinging to life, Tanner calls out, "Lissa, I saw Adalmar down over there -," he points Adalmar's body location out to the gnome, "can you get to him? Tryntha, I didn't see Khazrael anywhere. I am going to try and help Retay out." I only hope he doesn't cleave my skull in the process.

When he is able, Tanner takes wing and flies towards Retay with nothing in his hands. He lands nearby and announces his presense. "Retay...it's Tanner. I am your friend. I am going to heal you if you'll let me." Tanner will approach with his 'good' hand open showing that he has no weapons and will spontaneously channel the energy from his dispel magic into cure serious wounds.

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If he is able to...
CSW - (3d8+7)[23]

[Naleh]

Retay, somewhat injured

At the sound of Tanner's approach, Retay whips around and growls, looking like a wounded animal. His own blood mingling with that of the worm, he crouches a short distance from the Gondsman, his greataxe at the ready.

Friend.

A drastic change comes over the barbarian. He stops growling and lowers his axe to the ground. His face begins to lose its ferocity.

But as his mind clears, Retay notices something: the pain. Gasping for breath, he murmurs "Friend..." and begins to lose consciousness... until Gond intervenes.

Surprised to find himself alive, Retay stands and, thanking Tanner, limps back to the lean-to trying to look casual. He is still badly injured, but, he reasons, he is alive, and others need healing more.

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Nodding quickly to Tanner, the priestess scours the battlefield looking for Khazreal. Seeing him lying face down in the snow, she quickly checks the extent of his wounds.

Heal Check - (1d20+11)[21]

Closing her eyes, she offers up a silent prayer that his soul will find its rest.

"Tanner, there was nothing I could for Khazreal."

Her voice is quavering with grief, but she stoicly moves on, looking for more injured. As she reaches Adalmar, she again check the severity of his wounds.

Heal Check - (1d20+11)[22]

Happy to feel a heartbeat, but concerned with its erratic pattern she centers herself and once again channels the power of healing into the man.

Channel Delay Poison into Cure Moderate Wounds

Cure Moderate Wounds - (2d8+12)[18]

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman 12/42

Tanner smiles as Retay stumbles back to the rest of the group. "Today was not your day to die, but it was your day for glory. Strength and Honor," Tanner says to the barbarian.

As he follows Retay and approaches Tryntha, his smile is replaced with pursed lips and a furrowed brow at her words. He wants to fly over to Khazrael's body, but he knows that he needs to tend to those who are alive now.

Tanner announces, "Could those of you who are injured please join Tryntha and me if you are able or call out if you are unable. My last count was that there were at least a dozen of us. I have stabilized the elf, Faluil, but I know he will require more attention."

Tanner turns to Tryntha and says, "I plan on asking for the Grace of Gond to knit my wounds and those of five others with envigorating strength. With Gond's blessing, such healing shall last for the entire day and into the night. I plan on using these magics on those that will most likely be in the front fighting and myself. That means Retay, Norgold, Tiriel, Desmona, and Damian...I like that one. Right now, I have one lesser vigor and the strength to cure one light wound and enough to heal three moderate wounds. I can assist with several minor cuts and scrapes as well."

Once everyone is assembled, Tanner says, "Friends, although in the Rashemi warrior culture it is glorious to die in combat, I regret to inform you that brave Khazrael has fallen to the death throws of the snow-wyrm. I think it only fitting that we bring him with us back to Immilmar. Let us gather him and his belongings and rest before we renew our quest. I think we should dedicate to the honor of Khazrael that we do our best so no others suffer a similar fate."

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

"I can help those who are the most grievously wounded, all of my most potent spells are available to me, as well as a few smaller magics."

Looking with sadness on the fallen Khazreal, she turns to the faces among the survivors that she is not familiar with,

"Are any of you familiar with his homeland? In Rasheman, it is not uncommon for one who falls to be reborn into the circle of life, the land choosing the form for this renewal. I have spell prepared for such an occasion, but I know some cultures have very differing beliefs regard death and the afterlife."

[Kevka Palazzo]

Faluil, going to be bruised in the morning

The elf coughs as his wounds slowly heal up. He pushes himself up and looks around.

"So...did we kill it?"

He says with a bit of a grin.

[Kawaii Catboy]

Desmona

"Frick! Fricking frickers!"

Desmona scowls, her extremities numb from the wave of cold that had blasted her. She had managed to avoid some of the damage dealt by the exploding worm shrapnel, but was still sporting some injury. Take the shard of ice buried under her left shoulder and above her armpit.

Grimacing, she grasps the end of the shard with one hand. If she grips for too long, the ice will melt and it will be hell getting it out of her that way. Gasping slightly in pain from the mild shock of pulling the icicle out of her, she tossed the bloodied thing away and went to check on who had survived and who had died during this cold night.

[Matticus]

Grynde, Stubborn.

Getting to his feet, he begins to walk on unsteady legs towards Tanner.
Annoyed at himself, he asks Tanner for aid.

Forgive me if I'm wrong here, but I think this may require some healing. Yes?

Wincing in pain, he stands idly by, waiting for someone to heal him.

[namo]

Adalmar (14/31)

It felt good, and warm. The world seemed so far away.

Suddenly, he feels a strong energy coursing through his body, and everything comes back : the cold, the blood, an explosion... Gasping, he slowly sits down and looks at the face of his savior. "Thank you, Tryntha. Thank you." Ignoring the lingering pain, he gets up and surveys the remnants of the battlefield.

Many people survived. That's almost enough. In any case, he isn't likely to get any better from the gods.

Limping and coughing, he makes his way to a venture point where he can check whether the noise has attracted more unpleasant visitors.

[Darius]

Tanner Gondsman 12/52

When Grynde walks up to Tanner and shows his wound, Tanner inspects it. Not being the healer that Tryntha is, he addresses it the only way he truly knows - with healing magic.

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HealCheck - (1d20+4)[14]

"You are correct, let me see what I can do, Grynde."

Tanner will then reach out and touch the wound, channeling positive energy through his faith to heal Grynde.

ooc: Since I don't know how much Grynde is down, I am not sure which spell Tanner would use. I would guess he could assess how badly Grynde is hurt with Heal checks, so it may help Tryntha and Tanner out if you would post your current hit point status in a manner similar to how I have done with Tanner.

[elliott20]

Olfacht

ooc: just checking in. short of looking a little shook up and preturbed, there is not much Olfacht can do.

[blackfox]

Katrin

The force of the icy explosion pushes Katrin backward, pushing her off her feet. She rolls with the fall, coming upright with snow all over her back and arms, which she brushes off as she moves back towards where the worm used to be, to see if she could be of any use to the various healers.

[kuja.girl]

The true after math of the frost worm's attack isn't readily apparent. Many were injured by the worm's frozen explosion and a few frantic moments are spent trying to reach all of the survivors before they succumb to their injuries.

The final count of fatalities is nine. Eight of the unnamed cavern members who'd survived the avalanche have now joined their not-so-lucky brethren in their frozen graves on the trail behind them.

The last fatality was Khazrael - the mage who Tiriel, Katrine, Achkby and Lissa (among others) rescued with Adlamar only a few short weeks ago...
Various suggestions are offered as too what to do with Khazrael's body - Tanner suggests taking Khazrael's body to Immilmar where there may be an opportunity to relive revive him while Tryntha offers the less conventional method of reincarnation.

As those who'd known him the longest consider the two offers Adlamar returns and quietly points out that the crows have started to land in anticipation of feasting on the corpses of the cavern members. Tiriel picks up Khaz's body and carries it back to the shelter.

No one knows what Khazrael would have wanted done so his body is laid in a corner of the shelter and shrouded with a blanket.
....
A light snow starts to fall.

[barawn]

Damian

After the worm explodes, and Damian gathers himself, he hurries back to the rest. His healing skills nonexistent, he instead quickly gathers his dropped crossbow, and meanders through the dead.

As the night creeps on, Damian keeps stealing a glance over at Khazrael's shrouded body. I was going to go up after him once I saw him enthralled, but... he was too far up. There was nothing I could've done. Really. Nothing. The cold reality of the situation keeps attempting to pull the bit of nagging guilt away, but it clings with the same grip of death that caught Khazrael.

Finally, after quite some time, he sighs deeply and turns back to the others. "I agree with Tanner. Khazrael knew something of the oncoming army. We should take him to Immilmar. Perhaps the Iron Lord will wish to question him - or if not him, his spirit - directly."

He glances over at Khazrael's former companions. "I'm sorry for your friend. It's a tragedy his cheerful mood this day had to be ended so harshly."

The melancholy quickly slides past the dark-clad knifewielder, and a thought crosses his mind. He looks at Desmona and Tryntha with a wild look in his eyes. "You two... you're both from this area, aren't you? That... beast. Do you know what it was? More importantly... do you know if it hunts alone?" He glances up at the sky, where the birds of prey circled previously. "Perhaps we aren't quite safe yet."

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Moving among the wounded/fallen, Tryntha makes sure that no one else is in danger of passing from world into the next. Over each of the deceased she offers a similar prayer, wishing their soul a safe, speedy journey to its resting place.

When questioned about the best, she thinks back to her studies of surviving out in the wilds.

Survival - (1d20+7)[19]

[ooc] she doesnt have Knowledge: Local, that's the closest thing I have to maybe identifying the beast and it's tendencies. [/ooc]

[Kawaii Catboy]

Desmona

Desmona sighs. "Honey, I'm not from around these parts. I'm a Cormyrian, which is why this whole war business is unsettlin' to me. Especially since I don't know what could have happened to my family."

She carefully wraps her length of chain around her breastplate, contemplating the next move. "So, everyone here wants to go to Immilmar. To see the Iron Lord or just to get there. And..." She looks over at the sorceror's corpse covered in the corner. "I want to know more about this army. I want to know what's happened to my homeland." She looks at Tiriel and his fellows.

"I'd like to go with you. To see the Iron Lord, and to aid you all. I'm concerned for the well-being of my country, and I'll be damned to the Nine Hells if I don't fight them while they're a threat to everyone."

[Kevka Palazzo]

Faluil, limping ranger

Faluil, carefully stepping through the snow to avoid opening any of his freshly closed wounds. He grins weakly as he groans out his request.

"Oww....anyone mind helping me with some of these wounds?"

He looks around and focuses on Desmona.

"You say you're Cormyrian? I'm Cormanthor. Specifically Myth Drannor. Name's Faluil."

[Matticus]

Grynde, 17/44

He stands anxiously, waiting for magic to flow into his being and heal his chest.

[Naleh]

Retay, human punching bag 25/65

Back inside the lean-to, the berserker grunts in pain as he settles down. He takes his torch - still flickering merrily - from his belt, and picks up his dropped shortbow. At last, he drops his haversack - surprisingly undamaged - and takes out a bedroll and a thick blanket. "I suppose I did offer to take first watch," he mutters audibly, "although some would say near-death counts for credit."

[Diarmuid]

Tryntha

Tryntha will inspect each person in turn who was injured and apply her talents.

Casting Lesser Vigor, Mass on Retay, Grynde, Faluil, and Tanner.

Each heals a total of 24 hit points over 18 minutes.

After that she casts Cure Light Wounds on Tanner and Retay.

Retay CLW - (1d8+10)[15]
Tanner CLW - (1d8+10)[12]

[ooc] Tryntha still has 6 Cure Minor Wounds (1 point of healing), 1 Cure Light Wound (1d8+10 healing), 1 Cure Modertate Wound (2d8+12 healing) and then 2 Cure Critical Wounds (4d8+16). To speed things up, take what you need for healing, roll your own in your post. [/ooc]

Her shoulders slumping from her mystical efforts, Tryntha removes a bedroll and a winter blanket from her haversack and beds down.

"I am severely taxed, but I will regain my energies in the morning with my prayers. If need be, I can take one of the middle watches, but for now I need some rest."