The Divine Forge - IC II

[Sir Grave]

"I know for a fact that Dart didn't start this fight. And then you go and say that..."

Spoiler: Endbringer

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Heroism, CL 3

Endbringer flashes in a blaze of light as Halberd decides to test how well the ranger can fight without blades.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Halberd hasn't had any real kind of introspection today, so no maneuvers for him.
However, he does activate Roots of the Mountain stance as a swift action. Gains DR 2/-.
Using Sunder on both attacks. Improved Sunder means no AoO is provoked. Using Power Attack -3 to gain +6 damage.
Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage 1: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage 2: [roll3]

Halberd brings his blade down… skillfully, Wotan allows the first blow to graze off of the flat of his blade. For the second attack Halberd spins around, forcing Wotan to parry with both of his swords… crack! A small piece of adamantine flies off of the sword in his left hand. “HNN…”

Wotan forces Endbringer away. “We’re here for the merchant. The archer stands in our way.”

thunk!

An arrow embeds itself at the base of Wotan’s neck, Wotan glares. Dart draws another arrow. “You won’t have him.”

Wotan’s stance remains aggressive… perhaps even more so. He twirls his right blade. “I don’t wish to kill my own kind…”

His first attack is from on high, clashing against Enbringer intensely…

His second attack slashes between the plating of Halberd’s abdomen, taking pieces of wood out. “But I WILL...”

Wotan finishes his fluent and ferocious move with a twin strike… Cutting deeply into Halberd’s chest and sending chunks of metal flying. “...IF I MUST!!”

Spoiler: Halberd damage

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38 dmg total, counted DR.

Spiker's eyes see the flash as Halberd descends. Of course he would show up and complicate things by intervening on the wrong side while she was swarmed under by these mercenaries.
Tinker! Thin out the crowd surrounding us!
The thought is a command, a harsh order, as the Soulforged raises their deadly axe to strike down upon their enemies once again.

Spoiler: OoC

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Swinging axe at injured enemy, then at the top one (if injured drops)

Attack: [roll0]
Crit: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Crit: [roll3]

Attack: [roll4]
Crit: [roll5]
Damage: [roll6]
Crit: [roll7]

This time the axe buries itself into the base of the mercenary’s neck and into his chest, sending him falling limp to the ground, dying slowly. The mercenaries continue pressing on, another pierces Spiker at the waist with his blade…

Spoiler: Spiker

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Take 12 damage

You got it.

Suddenly Spiker finds herself away from the gang of mercs, and standing roughly where Tinker was standing. Spiker looks to see Tinker where she was, but then the crowd becomes engulfed in this green vapor… You hear groaning and coughing and… other unpleasant things.

Crosshair draws his rapier and stabs the wounded merc in the gut, causing him to keel over, and he finishes by burying his blade in the merc’s neck.

Rurik continues to run north.

Spoiler: I take off my skin or whatever

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Nodding, she whispers aloud to him as she uses one hand to caress his cheek and keep him facing her, "Then look at me."

Smiling gently, she never takes her eyes off of Kalim's as she focuses a part of her mind on ending the transmutation she'd been using uninterrupted for weeks now. Leathery wings unfurl from her back, stretching out into the darkness while a pair of identical black horns sprout from her forehead, and a long tail slithers out from behind her back. Even the hand cradling Kalim's face changes, the well manicured nails elongating and coming to a razor sharp edge, though she's careful not to scratch him. Her face, however, remains unchanged, along with most of the rest of her body, thanks to her human form being nearly identical to her true one.

Understanding what her kind are known for, she goes back to whispering into his mind so that neither Brent nor the inquisitors can overhear, "Don't be afraid. I may have mislead you and Brent about what I am, but not who I am. I can't save you, but I won't try to suck out your soul," she winks at him, using the myths about succubi to cheerfully tease him, hoping to lighten the grim mood of his final moments. "Unless you want me to, that is."

I could probably carrying him to the rooftops like this without being seen, but I'm not sure that he'd survive the trip. He's only got seconds left. It's a shame I didn't get to know him better, but I guess this is how it always is with the mortals.

Even as she thinks that, however, she finds her other hand flipping open the book that Kalim had been trying to give her, wondering just what secrets it held. She manages to keep from looking at it, however, knowing that she had far more time than the one who had given it to her.

Spoiler: Eruvia - Some shed tears, others shed blood...

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Kalim stares blankly at Eruvia, not sure what to make of it, under the circumstances. ...normally… I wouldn’t believe you… yet…
“H-hk…”
...oddly enough... you revealing what you are… makes you the only person I trust... in this whole situation...
...I offer you but one… bit of advice…
...when it comes to the one you’re looking for…
He begins to fade.
“...ghh... “
...don’t… trust what it says…
Gone…
The Inquisitors appear, firing their crossbow bolts and hitting air, as there’s nothing there to shoot at but an apparent pall of shadow…

Eruvia! What’s taking you two so long? We need to go!

Then something strange happens… time seems to slow to a crawl until all appears motionless around the demon… she feels cold...
The succubus hears a fluttering of wings from where the book lies… she looks down…
A large, distorted looking raven pecks at the late thief’s hand, then looks at you with a strange pair of violet eyes.

“CAW!”

It flaps it’s wings, wisps of shadow trail after it as it heads to where the assassin vanished…
It transforms into a humanoid… pale skinned, long, ebony hair tied back, garbed loosely in black, tall, slender, androgynous and sly. It examines, then looks to the gathering of hooded soldiers below… then locks eyes with Eruvia again....

It grins...

There’s a brief moment where she see’s nothing but void, until her vision returns, the darkness has dissipated and Eruvia has assumed her guise…

The inquisitors pursuing them, however, are all dead. Some slumped against the alley walls, some piled on to another, all with slit throats and with frozen, horrified expressions…

Brent dashes past a few of the corpses and sees Eruvia… then Kalim…

“..."

"****.”

Spoiler: Nivali - Comin’ to get ya!

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The dragon’s laughter assails the ears of all who listen, it is much like the sound of guttural bellows that cause the air around you to tremble.”Svabol tiric coi selgtarn sjek wux re zahae ekess loreat?”

Spoiler: Draconic

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What does it matter if you are about to die?”

It roars and descends…

Spoiler: Nivali - This is what it's like to wear a warforged for a hat...

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Like a bird of prey the dragon darts for Nivali, opening it’s maw… the dark elf prepares an incantation in anticipation, and once it descends close enough, she unleashes her magic, all color seems to strip from her body, causing herself to disappear from view, and is hurled towards the dragon, smacking it straight in the eyes. Clumsily it maneuvers itself to stay aloft as it shakes the magics off wildly and fires it’s acid blindly towards where Nivali was…

Seemingly, of course, it hits nothing… though Nivali would tell a very different story as she seethes at the acid drizzled upon her arm...

Bastion, at this point, has seized the opportunity to climb upon Namhias’ back, and the two of them take off after their adversary… Namhias responds with his own breath weapon, engulfing the black dragon with frost… It gives a bloodcurdling howl as it glares at the silver dragon...

But is then completely taken aback as the warforged launches himself from Namhias and buries his katana in the base of the black dragon’s neck… he pulls himself up by grabbing hold of the beast’s horn and yanks the sword free, then proceeds to hack away at it’s crown.

The beast let out a terrible roar and lashed wildly at Namhias, biting and clawing away at him like a wounded great cat. Both dragons are bloodied, and yet Namhias retains his calm.

[Vhaidara]

Spiker turns to chase after the dwarf, launching a volley of spikes as she does so, hoping to aid the now surrounded Tinker.

Spoiler: OoC

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Attacking the one at Q20
Attack: (1d20+13)[18]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[25]
Damage: (1d6+6)[11]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[10]
Attack: (1d20+13)[22]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[25]
Damage: (1d6+6)[7]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[9]
Attack: (1d20+13)[33]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[27]
Damage: (1d6+6)[11]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[7]
Attack: (1d20+13)[19]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[31]
Damage: (1d6+6)[9]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[9]

The moving to P9

[Desril]

Spoiler: Time to go.

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Doing what she can to ease Kalim's passing, she smiles at him as his breath becomes more shallow, not saying anything until the end. Shutting his eyes, she whispers "Thank you," to him for his warning, knowing that it would be the last thing his soul heard before departing.

Before she could reply to Brent's mental warning however, the strange raven makes its appearance. At first she was on her guard, but when it took its humanoid form and looked at her, Eruvia knew that she was outmatched, at least for the moment. And then everything went blank.

I finally found you! But it was too late. When Eruvia came back to her senses, it was gone, as were the inquisitors who she'd been pointedly ignoring since Kalim was wounded. "Yes...my sentiments exactly,"she tells Brent, picking up the book as he arrives, she looks at the carnage and death her objective had caused in that brief instant. Irritated that she'd been so close but unable to even speak to Grit's child, easily recognized from the description that Marcus had given her long ago, she looks to Brent. "There's nothing that can be done now. We should get going, but" she lingers, eyes going toward Kalim's body, Mortals tend to obsess over their remains...it's not much, but it's all I can do for him now. "Do you know what he would have wanted to happen to his remains? I can't raise him, but I owe him. The least I can do is have him buried where he would have wanted."

Spoiler: OOC

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It's been brought to my attention that the Lightning Rail station is in another town. Whoops. I don't know Eberron geography >.>

So...horses and a trip to the right town if Brent wants to travel with me. If he plans to split up though, I have my own means of transportation...

...wonder if Kalim wants a cremation? That'd be easy.

[Prehysterical]

In that one series of attacks, Halberd already feels gears grind together in his torso and his movements becoming clunkier. It's obvious he can't defend against another series of attacks like that again. Endbringer, I need your help, or he's going to put me face-down in the mud.

Spoiler: Endbringer

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Activate True Strike

Halberd swings again, light spilling from Endbringer. This time, he doesn't hold back on the swing.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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First attack against undamaged sword, second against damaged sword.
Using Power Attack to fullest extent, -8 attack, +16 damage
Sunder 1: (1d20+37)[56]
Damage: (2d8+26)[34]

Sunder 2: (1d20+12)[28]
Damage: (2d8+26)[31]

[Somensjev]

Spoiler: In the natural order, all truths become clear

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Ermese thought about this, for once not letting her tongue get ahead of her. "And these foul beings you had gathered about yourself, in that abomination of stone and tortured wood, are they such allies?"

Spoiler

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“I- okay, just…” Briar raised his hands. “Look. You can’t say stuff like that. I gather that you dislike what ‘civil people’ have done to nature but… there’s no changing that now, and frankly… it’s kind of mean spirited. You might call them abominations, but regardless of how they were created, they still live. And as for Halberd… He’s actually one of the most compassionate people I know.
“...We should head back. I may not know what our next move is, but maybe we can find out back at the Gray Keep. Follow me.”

[Oneris]

Spoiler: Nivali - This is what it's like to wear a warforged for a hat...

Show

Like a bird of prey the dragon darts for Nivali, opening it’s maw… the dark elf prepares an incantation in anticipation, and once it descends close enough, she unleashes her magic, all color seems to strip from her body, causing herself to disappear from view, and is hurled towards the dragon, smacking it straight in the eyes. Clumsily it maneuvers itself to stay aloft as it shakes the magics off wildly and fires it’s acid blindly towards where Nivali was…

Seemingly, of course, it hits nothing… though Nivali would tell a very different story as she seethes at the acid drizzled upon her arm...

Bastion, at this point, has seized the opportunity to climb upon Namhias’ back, and the two of them take off after their adversary… Namhias responds with his own breath weapon, engulfing the black dragon with frost… It gives a bloodcurdling howl as it glares at the silver dragon...

But is then completely taken aback as the warforged launches himself from Namhias and buries his katana in the base of the black dragon’s neck… he pulls himself up by grabbing hold of the beast’s horn and yanks the sword free, then proceeds to hack away at it’s crown.

The beast let out a terrible roar and lashed wildly at Namhias, biting and clawing away at him like a wounded great cat. Both dragons are bloodied, and yet Namhias retains his calm.

Spoiler: Almost...almost...

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Nivali did not know whether to feel relieved or horrified as her sleeve dissolved to tatters, exposing her reddened raw arm. Relieved that she'd not have to endure acid-soaked fabric against her skin much longer than necessary, horrified at the prospect of failing to remain clothed as well as alive should the next deluge of acid strike true.

"Namhias," she reached out to touch his mind, "Take Bastion and move out of range; I'm going to see if I can trap this newcomer."

Spoiler: Action

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Delay until after Namhias.

[Sir Grave]

In that one series of attacks, Halberd already feels gears grind together in his torso and his movements becoming clunkier. It's obvious he can't defend against another series of attacks like that again. Endbringer, I need your help, or he's going to put me face-down in the mud.

Spoiler: Endbringer

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Activate True Strike

Halberd swings again, light spilling from Endbringer. This time, he doesn't hold back on the swing.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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First attack against undamaged sword, second against damaged sword.
Using Power Attack to fullest extent, -8 attack, +16 damage
Sunder 1: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

Sunder 2: [roll2]
Damage: [roll3]

Endbringer comes down like crashing lightning, leaving no time for Wotan to evade. He raised his blade to parry…

CRACK!!!

Wotan stumbles backward at the force of the blow, parrying the next attack… he goes for his next flurry, stopping to see his once masterfully crafted left-hand blade sundered to pieces. “...”

His eyes light up like a wild flame. “RRRAAAAAAAGHH!!!”

Discarding his broken sword he grips his second sword tightly and swings in a wide arc, targeting the exposed part of Halberd’s chest… his style seems like undisciplined rage at first, until Halberd notes the perfection of his form… a Tiger Claw maneuver… The attack is vicious, which sends Halberd reeling and leaving himself wide open until he shakes it off and retains his stance.

Spoiler: Endbringer - Halberd

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This one’s making spare parts of you! You need a better plan!

Spoiler: Halberd Damage

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Critted 27 damage, but saved from the effects of Wotan’s maneuver

Dart fires yet another shot at Wotan, who see’s her attack from the corner of his eye, deftly moving backwards. “What’s it take to drop you?”

Spiker turns to chase after the dwarf, launching a volley of spikes as she does so, hoping to aid the now surrounded Tinker.

Spoiler: OoC

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Attacking the one at Q20
Attack: [roll0]
Crit Confirm: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Crit Damage: [roll3]
Attack: [roll4]
Crit Confirm: [roll5]
Damage: [roll6]
Crit Damage: [roll7]
Attack: [roll8]
Crit Confirm: [roll9]
Damage: [roll10]
Crit Damage: [roll11]
Attack: [roll12]
Crit Confirm: [roll13]
Damage: [roll14]
Crit Damage: [roll15]

The moving to P9

Spiker turns to pursue the fleeing dwarf, but not before sending a deadly volley at one of the scrambling mercs… thunk! thunk! thunk! thunk! The mercenary doesn’t even see them coming as they all embed themselve in different parts of his body, thoughh the one in the neck sends him to the ground.

As the mercs disperse in random directions, completly nauseated, Tinker shifts his attention to the merchant. “Hmm…” His eyes narrow. “Just...the right… distance…”

He mutters a quick command as he touches the brooch on his cloak, vanishing and reappearing behind the dwarf. Rurik’s eyes go wide. “AAAAAAAHHH--!”

Muttering another incantation, Tinker taps the dwarf’s forehead, and the merchant falls over completely paralyzed. Target immobilized. Buy me more time.

Crosshair slashes his opponent twice across the chest, then stabs forward with is rapier and impales him. the merc’s death is swift…

KRACKOW!!

A bullet sinks into Crosshair’s shoulder, the warforged looks stunned as he turns his attention to the approaching Oren and Trench.

“Help Halberd.” He reloads (click!) and aims down his sights again. “So you like guns, huh?”

Spoiler: Time to go.

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Doing what she can to ease Kalim's passing, she smiles at him as his breath becomes more shallow, not saying anything until the end. Shutting his eyes, she whispers "Thank you," to him for his warning, knowing that it would be the last thing his soul heard before departing.

Before she could reply to Brent's mental warning however, the strange raven makes its appearance. At first she was on her guard, but when it took its humanoid form and looked at her, Eruvia knew that she was outmatched, at least for the moment. And then everything went blank.

I finally found you! But it was too late. When Eruvia came back to her senses, it was gone, as were the inquisitors who she'd been pointedly ignoring since Kalim was wounded. "Yes...my sentiments exactly,"she tells Brent, picking up the book as he arrives, she looks at the carnage and death her objective had caused in that brief instant. Irritated that she'd been so close but unable to even speak to Grit's child, easily recognized from the description that Marcus had given her long ago, she looks to Brent. "There's nothing that can be done now. We should get going, but" she lingers, eyes going toward Kalim's body, Mortals tend to obsess over their remains...it's not much, but it's all I can do for him now. "Do you know what he would have wanted to happen to his remains? I can't raise him, but I owe him. The least I can do is have him buried where he would have wanted."

Spoiler: OOC

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It's been brought to my attention that the Lightning Rail station is in another town. Whoops. I don't know Eberron geography >.>

So...horses and a trip to the right town if Brent wants to travel with me. If he plans to split up though, I have my own means of transportation...

...wonder if Kalim wants a cremation? That'd be easy.

Spoiler: Eruvia - Aww... Brent really does care...

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“Never talked about it. And he has no family to tell us. Damn idiot made more enemies than friends..”
Brent sighed. “It’s… wiser just to burn the body… Let the ashes scatter where they will. But first…”

Brent kneels beside Kalim and examines his neck, picking off the dart. “I might know someone in our next destination who can shed light on his killer…”

He pulls a silver piece from his pouch, and opened kalim’s mouth. He stuck the coin in and closed it again. “...Pleasure doing business with you, kid.”

He then moved to the other bodies… the inquisitors. He examined each of them, silent for a good few moments.

“...Huh. You didn’t tell me you could use a knife like this.”

Spoiler: Briar & Ermese - Look! Plot!

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The late afternoon begins to settle in as both Briar and Ermese return to the Keep. They pass through the southern gate and into the courtyard… where they are beholden to four in deep conversation. The Vassal and Lady Sorra you already know. With them are two others… a humanoid, completely shrouded by hood and cloak, amber eyes staring from the veil of shadow upon his face. The fourth, at first, seems elvish… but something is off about him. His grace, his manner of dress, his mere presence…. rings as if he were an otherworldly being. He’s is quite tall for an elf, taller than even the Vassal. Long, silver and silk-like hair, skin smooth and pale. His eyes are a deep blue, like the ocean. He dresses ornately in green with a golden trim, and a cape woven with what seems to be leaves, and a long, elegant and curved blade at his hip.

As Briar and Ermese approach, they make out part of what the cloaked one says and listen from there…

“...highly unprecedented. The gateways have held true without such activity for thousands of years. What could it mean?”

The tall, elvish looking gentleman interjects, rolling his eyes. “Isn’t obvious what the cause is? We know of the incident at the Shrine. You can’t tell me this doesn’t coincide with-”

“It could very well be the case, Aramil. But we need to be sure. Lives are at stake.”

“Yes, I know, Wyrmslayer. I would not be here if they weren’t. But my sources indicate that these gateways didn’t start fluxuating until three of your weeks ago, after your ‘Mournland Watch’ returned from their expedition. Truly, what else could it be?”

“It could be a number of things, eladrin. We simply don’t know, and rushing heedlessly at an unknown variable is a recipe for failure.”

“Thuraxalon is right. At the very least, this requires investigation. I could see into the matter personally...”

“No, Vassal. You are to come with me to Argonessen.”

“...Why?”

“There is an old and powerful gateway that must not be breached under any circumstances. You… and your ancient blade… must be there if it does.”

“The majority of the Chamber cannot see to this? Khorvaire is my home and needs protecting--”

“I am afraid this is not a request. The Chamber requires your services. Surely there are others who can see to the gateways here?”

Sorra speaks up. “ I could see to it.”

Grave looks to his wife. “...Sorra?”

“Sir Vendral is a capable lad who could see to the function of the Order. I can assemble a group and assume this task.”

“Your knights have dwindled to a mere handful, thanks to the actions of the late Arawn of the Underdark. And if that weren’t enough to take pause, I doubt any in your ranks are specialized enough for an assignment like this.”

Spoiler: Almost...almost...

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Nivali did not know whether to feel relieved or horrified as her sleeve dissolved to tatters, exposing her reddened raw arm. Relieved that she'd not have to endure acid-soaked fabric against her skin much longer than necessary, horrified at the prospect of failing to remain clothed as well as alive should the next deluge of acid strike true.

"Namhias," she reached out to touch his mind, "Take Bastion and move out of range; I'm going to see if I can trap this newcomer."

Spoiler: Action

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Delay until after Namhias.

Spoiler: Nivali - Some assassin this turned out to be...

Show

Understood.

Namhias swipes overhead the black dragon with his claw, grabbing Bastion. “Wha--”

Spreading his wings, the silver dragon withdraws backwards from his opponent, muttering an incantation in draconic…

An arcane energy surrounds the black dragon and assails him… it roars in a fury, and looks visibly weakened by it’s power…

Do what you will, Incantrix.

[Prehysterical]

If I can get rid of his other weapon, he'll be out of luck! I'm not leaving Dart with these guys!

Spoiler: Endbringer

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True Strike, second use

Once again, Endbringer blazes with light as Halberd swings for Wotan's remaining sword.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Taking a swift action to switch to Martial Spirit stance to regain 2 hp per hit.
First attack is a sunder, second is at Wotan's torso.
Power Attacking to fullest extent, -8 attack, +16 damage
Attack 1: (1d20+40)[41]
Damage 1: (2d8+29)[42]

Attack 2: (1d20+15)[22]
Damage 2: (2d8+29)[41]
Crit: (1d20+15)[22]
Crit Damage: (2d8)[12]

[Raunchel]

Spoiler: Let a thousand plots blossom

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Ermese hears the despoilers speak, but now she knows. They might be murderers, destroyers and worse, but there are far worse things in the world. Forces that seek not only to destroy to a part of the Green to profit, but actually seek its complete destruction. To end it, and those forces are more powerful than anything in the world.

She knows what she has to do, she always does. Her mind is both simple and complex. The simplicity is that she does not doubt, she does not pause to consider. She acts. The complexity is in what drives those actions. To an outside observer she would be a mere fanatic, constantly hunting her enemies. That is in fact true, but the fanaticism comes from somewhere. It comes from pure love. Ermese loves nature, and she does not make a difference between a simple fly and a sentient being or a tree. She loves them all, and seeks to protect them all. The constant in her mind is her estimation of how to protect the most of them. That is one reason behind her almot genocidal hatred of most sentient beings, to her, they are parasites, or worse even. Killing and destroying more than they strictly have to. Only for such insignificant things as comfort.

She knows that she has to act against this dark force, that she has to work with these murderers, that she will have to enter this abomination they erected from their slaughter. But still it pains her, and keeps her distracted. Her keen elven senses however let her catch the conversation, and she sees a new path open. A path that lets her act, to protect. She hides her hatred and disgust, she can do it, when it is needed. Her own feelings do not matter, only the Green matters. "If you can forgive me for intruding on your conversation, I would like to ask if you might be able to explain to us what these gates are, and what has been happening to them?"

[Desril]

Spoiler: Ashes to ashes...

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Letting Brent take the dart from Kalim's body and place his coin, Eruvia listens to him and debates briefly on what to do before deciding what to do. Once he steps away from Kalim's body, she holds out a hand, casually cremating him with a burst of dark flame, having already said her good-bye.

When Brent moves to examine the other bodies, however, she pauses for a barely noticeable instant. No, there's no point in lying here, at least...not about who did it. Shaking her head, she starts to explain what happened, "I probably could if I wanted to, but this wasn't me." She quickly explains the shadowy figure that attacked Kalim and, without mentioning that it was who she'd been searching for for the last twenty years, the shapeshifter who'd managed to not only kill all of the inquisitors with a knife in an instant, but also managed to somehow prevent her from moving in the process.

Spoiler

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Standard Formula, converting a Shield into Shadow Burning Hands/Eruvia's Instant Cremation

[Vhaidara]

Spiker turns back to the fray, and dashes to the side, aiming to disable the mercenary warforged with a deadly volley.
Swordsman, stand down. We have no desire to harm you. You are not our enemy.

Spoiler: OoC

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Move to M20 and attack Dart.

Attack: (1d20+13)[18]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[30]
Damage: (1d6+6)[10]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[12]
Attack: (1d20+13)[32]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[28]
Damage: (1d6+6)[11]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[9]
Attack: (1d20+13)[16]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[33]
Damage: (1d6+6)[12]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[8]
Attack: (1d20+13)[18]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[16]
Damage: (1d6+6)[10]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[12]

[Oneris]

Spoiler: Nivali - Some assassin this turned out to be...

Show

Understood.

Namhias swipes overhead the black dragon with his claw, grabbing Bastion. “Wha--”

Spreading his wings, the silver dragon withdraws backwards from his opponent, muttering an incantation in draconic…

An arcane energy surrounds the black dragon and assails him… it roars in a fury, and looks visibly weakened by it’s power…

Do what you will, Incantrix.

Spoiler: "Step into my birdcage", said the Giant Shadow Spider to the Dragon-Fly...

Show

In the distraction wrought by Namhias's spell, Nivali quietly began invoking a spell. A pool of darkness bubbled up beneath the curse-wracked dragon, quickly growing as the integrity of the stones and soil below collapsed, devoured by the voracious fog. Four twisted spires of shiny black stone erupted from the darkened ground and speared into the sky towards the beast, moving to overtake –

– Not fast enough. Despite Nivali’s best efforts, there simply wasn’t enough material for the height and the conglomeration was looking to be a rather flimsy excuse for a cage. Unless…

A sparkle of ebony and crimson-marked chronometric inspiration glimmered at the corner of her eye. Well, no time to borrow from like the future, and the success could be well worth the migraine.

The runes and sigils ground to a halt so fast one could almost hear the screech and nearly fell over themselves trying to reconfigure. A pause, where she was less than certain she could push the new construct to completion, then a sphere of sticky black strands exploded out from the center of the trap, ensnaring the oversized bat in a mass of sinewy threads.

Head still ringing from the effort, Nivali staggered back to Namhias’s side to admire her handiwork.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Cast Stone Shape: 4 30ft tall-0.97ft diameter Conical Towers at L14, J17, M21, P18
Move to K7
Cast Celerity
Cast Web centered at L17/M18, 15 feet above the ground.
Is dazed until end of my next turn

[Sir Grave]

If I can get rid of his other weapon, he'll be out of luck! I'm not leaving Dart with these guys!

Spoiler: Endbringer

Show

True Strike, second use

Once again, Endbringer blazes with light as Halberd swings for Wotan's remaining sword.

Spoiler: Mechanics

Show

Taking a swift action to switch to Martial Spirit stance to regain 2 hp per hit.
First attack is a sunder, second is at Wotan's torso.
Power Attacking to fullest extent, -8 attack, +16 damage
Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage 1: [roll1]

Attack 2: [roll2]
Damage 2: [roll3]
Crit: [roll4]
Crit Damage: [roll5]

“ENOUGH!!”

Wotan sidesteps the blow, allowing the sword to embed itself into the ground. He then kicks Halberd away, causing Halberd to lose his grip.

“There are those who think highly of you. That is the only reason I’m sparing your life. Cross blades with me again, and I will not extend the same mercy.”

Spiker turns back to the fray, and dashes to the side, aiming to disable the mercenary warforged with a deadly volley.
Swordsman, stand down. We have no desire to harm you. You are not our enemy.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Move to M20 and attack Dart.

Attack: [roll0]
Crit Confirm: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Crit Damage: [roll3]
Attack: [roll4]
Crit Confirm: [roll5]
Damage: [roll6]
Crit Damage: [roll7]
Attack: [roll8]
Crit Confirm: [roll9]
Damage: [roll10]
Crit Damage: [roll11]
Attack: [roll12]
Crit Confirm: [roll13]
Damage: [roll14]
Crit Damage: [roll15]

Dart looks Rurik’s way, only to see him in the magical clutches of the enemy as Tinker prepares an incantation. “NO!” She quickly dashes across the field to his aid…

thunk!

As she does so she is subject to the attack of another one of Spiker’s volley, for the most part they miss, save for the one that embeds itself in her thigh. Dart stops at nothing however.

3… 2… 1… DING! That’s our exit.

Tinker completes his spell, summoning up a large, arcane portal that crackles with energy. No one make to the getaway all at once…

Wotan sheaths his remaining sword. We have what we came for. GO.

Wotan and Crosshair immediately turns and sprints towards the portal.

Oren takes a bead on the fleeing gunslinger. “No you don’t…”

KRACKOW!!

The bullet sinks into the Crosshair’s back, causing him to stagger and collapse forward. He doesn’t move from where he lies.

Tinker looks to his fallen comrade. Crosshair’s down! Someone--

No. We leave. Now.

Spoiler: Let a thousand plots blossom

Show

Ermese hears the despoilers speak, but now she knows. They might be murderers, destroyers and worse, but there are far worse things in the world. Forces that seek not only to destroy to a part of the Green to profit, but actually seek its complete destruction. To end it, and those forces are more powerful than anything in the world.

She knows what she has to do, she always does. Her mind is both simple and complex. The simplicity is that she does not doubt, she does not pause to consider. She acts. The complexity is in what drives those actions. To an outside observer she would be a mere fanatic, constantly hunting her enemies. That is in fact true, but the fanaticism comes from somewhere. It comes from pure love. Ermese loves nature, and she does not make a difference between a simple fly and a sentient being or a tree. She loves them all, and seeks to protect them all. The constant in her mind is her estimation of how to protect the most of them. That is one reason behind her almot genocidal hatred of most sentient beings, to her, they are parasites, or worse even. Killing and destroying more than they strictly have to. Only for such insignificant things as comfort.

She knows that she has to act against this dark force, that she has to work with these murderers, that she will have to enter this abomination they erected from their slaughter. But still it pains her, and keeps her distracted. Her keen elven senses however let her catch the conversation, and she sees a new path open. A path that lets her act, to protect. She hides her hatred and disgust, she can do it, when it is needed. Her own feelings do not matter, only the Green matters. "If you can forgive me for intruding on your conversation, I would like to ask if you might be able to explain to us what these gates are, and what has been happening to them?"

Spoiler: Briar & Ermese - I was about to write a wikipedia article but...

Show

The eladrin looks Ermese’s way, eyes examining her up and down until he finally addresses her. “Surely a child of the Eldeen would know of the gateways? Ah, well. I should not expect all of the wilderfolk of this plane to be versed in such things.
“Perhaps you are aware that there were races upon these lands that predate those that inhabit Eberron today? Four were dominant… but two were not of this realm. Here on this very earth you stand on, denizens of the abyssal and infernal planes of existence ruled here for thousands of years after claiming it from the dragons. It took a world threatening war to dwindle their strength upon the continent, to which the (erm… for a lack of a better term…) “lesser races” exploited by rising against them and forcing them back into their respective worlds.
“Of course, it should be common knowledge by now that--.”

“Put simply,” Grave interrupted, , “gateways are locked doors into the other planes of existence. They protect us from worlds such as the Abyss, the Nine Hells and Dal Quor. Something has caused them to weaken.”

Aramil’s face crinkled at Graves interjection. “Ahem. There were certain particularities that need to be understood before--”

“More when it’s necessary, Aramil. We certainly didn't require a lecture in ancient history to explain a gateway.”

Aramil rolled his eyes. “Well, sure. Do everything half baked. Why should I care."

Spoiler: Ashes to ashes...

Show

Letting Brent take the dart from Kalim's body and place his coin, Eruvia listens to him and debates briefly on what to do before deciding what to do. Once he steps away from Kalim's body, she holds out a hand, casually cremating him with a burst of dark flame, having already said her good-bye.

When Brent moves to examine the other bodies, however, she pauses for a barely noticeable instant. No, there's no point in lying here, at least...not about who did it. Shaking her head, she starts to explain what happened, "I probably could if I wanted to, but this wasn't me." She quickly explains the shadowy figure that attacked Kalim and, without mentioning that it was who she'd been searching for for the last twenty years, the shapeshifter who'd managed to not only kill all of the inquisitors with a knife in an instant, but also managed to somehow prevent her from moving in the process.

Spoiler

Show

Standard Formula, converting a Shield into Shadow Burning Hands/Eruvia's Instant Cremation

Spoiler: Eruvia - We bought a killing machine! :D

Show

Brent took in what Eruvia had to say with a blank stare. “...a raven…?
“Wait… no… that makes no sense… It can’t be… Can it?”
He looked at the dead inquisitors again. “...Nevermind. We can’t stick around for long.”

“HEEEEEEYY!!!”
Zipping into visibility, Eruvia’s quasit encircles her and perches on her shoulder. “Aw, man. Cross dresser’s dead? Bummer. I missed the fun part, namely the part where he croaked.
“Ah well. Hey! look who I brought along!”

clank. clank. clank. clank.

In lumbers Glaive, dragging the beheaded body of the Inquisitor and tossing him before you. The blood from the beheading is still upon the blade of his weapon. “Got tired of ‘im squealing like a pig.
“Aight. When ‘r we leavin’?”

Brent narrows his eyes. “Wait what? What do you mean ‘we?’”

“Oh. This guy’s with us now. He’s pretty awesome. He makes things die horribly. We’re new best buddies!”

Glaive glared at the quasit. “No we aren’t, yeh chatterin’ demon fairy.”

Brent, officially annoyed, raised an eyebrow, “And why is he with us, exactly?”

The quasit grinned from ear to ear, revealing his tiny, jagged teeth. “Because I said Eruvia would hire him!”

Spoiler: "Step into my birdcage", said the Giant Shadow Spider to the Dragon-Fly...

Show

In the distraction wrought by Namhias's spell, Nivali quietly began invoking a spell. A pool of darkness bubbled up beneath the curse-wracked dragon, quickly growing as the integrity of the stones and soil below collapsed, devoured by the voracious fog. Four twisted spires of shiny black stone erupted from the darkened ground and speared into the sky towards the beast, moving to overtake –

– Not fast enough. Despite Nivali’s best efforts, there simply wasn’t enough material for the height and the conglomeration was looking to be a rather flimsy excuse for a cage. Unless…

A sparkle of ebony and crimson-marked chronometric inspiration glimmered at the corner of her eye. Well, no time to borrow from like the future, and the success could be well worth the migraine.

The runes and sigils ground to a halt so fast one could almost hear the screech and nearly fell over themselves trying to reconfigure. A pause, where she was less than certain she could push the new construct to completion, then a sphere of sticky black strands exploded out from the center of the trap, ensnaring the oversized bat in a mass of sinewy threads.

Head still ringing from the effort, Nivali staggered back to Namhias’s side to admire her handiwork.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Cast Stone Shape: 4 30ft tall-0.97ft diameter Conical Towers at L14, J17, M21, P18
Move to K7
Cast Celerity
Cast Web centered at L17/M18, 15 feet above the ground.
Is dazed until end of my next turn

Spoiler: Nivali - Dragon got pwned

Show

In frustration, the dragon claws and tears at thee arcane strands to no avail. It thrashes and gnaws and only gets further and further entangled.

ROOOOOOOOAAAAARRR!!!!

After moments of struggle, it finally recognizes it’s futility and relents, hanging in mid air like an insect caught in a… well, y’know.

”Hrrnn... Nomeno zklaen clax vi jennu deal di diwedote ekess jilg ve, zyak relgra hianag ekess Arawn. Wux zklaen vucot batobot nomeno shilta ti lorit ve malrak. Si confna tenpiswo ekess svent wux, vur zyak si nishka.

“Riluoh si keelon si mi halkiva... wux yenta wux re ti Arawn's? vur sjerit si keefum darastrix vur sjach irsa, tangis sjek coi ui hesjinga vhira ini wer iejir di vi nurilt ingoeth.

“Wer diieson lae wer ir svaust tora ihk sia aso... Jaciv ornla majak ve rasvimi ihk sia kivan vur throdenilt thaczil. Di ekmiv huena si wilnilga sia sulta di wer iacoen, si ornla tepoha sonetor jacioniv filki lae si ornla tepoha sonetor wux."

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

Hrn... This must take a great deal of effort to hold me, so called daughter to Arawn. You must know that this cannot trap me forever. I came here to slay you, and so I shall.

However I admit I am interested... You say you aren't Arawn's? And yet I smell dragon and shadow within, even if it is watered down by the blood of lesser dark elves.

The same as the one who asked for my aid... she would give me treasures for my hoard and more land . Of course once I fulfilled my end of the agreement, I would have eaten her just as I would have eaten you.

[Vhaidara]

Spiker sees the downed Crosshair, and turns away from him towards the portal. Then, their melds seem to flicker. A faint voice echoes out from her mind
No...
She suddenly turns back, running towards Crosshair and lifting him from the ground.
Wotan, Tinker, cover me! We aren't leaving him behind!
As she lifts the disabled body of her comrade, she glares back at Oren, her posture clearing challenging him. Shoot me, and you know what I will do to you. But at the same time, the flickering of her melds is tinged with the same indigo that the group had seen when they first entered the temple. The one time everyone had seen the soulforged vulnerable and open. She has no desire to hurt her friends.

[Desril]

Spoiler: I think this is where the over-sized water droplet accompanies a facepalm.

Show

Watching the exchange between her familiar, the warforged, and Brent in silence, the succubus quickly runs through scenarios in her head to determine whether or not hiring Glaive was worthwhile.

When she comes to a decision, she speaks up, but simultaneously sends a message to the quasit. "We're leaving now. We can discuss your payment on the road though, I'm getting tired of these corpses."

"And why, exactly, did you reveal yourself to him? And since when did you make promises for me to the warforged? You know I can't take his soul, don't you?" She sends the message telepathically, curious as to her familiar's reasoning. If it'd been a human or something, I'd think he was just trying to tempt me into draining them dry and using their soul to fuel my own power. He hasn't tried that with a warforged through...curious.

Turning to Brent, she continues, "Chances are that after whoever sent this lot finds out that they've all been killed, they'll try again with more and better trained zealots. Having some mechanical muscle with us should make dealing with them somewhat easier."

[Prehysterical]

Being disarmed so casually is positively shameful to Halberd, even more so than Wotan's words. As the other warforged sprints away, Halberd raises himself up and turns for a second to follow in pursuit... before looking back toward Endbringer. As he gazes at the blade embedded in the dirt, words from long ago flit through his mind.

I won't leave you again...

Running over to his blade, Halberd yanks to free her from the earth.

Spoiler: Strength

Show

(1d20+4)[7]

[Raunchel]

Spoiler: Let us write on the day of the sun.

Show

"And these gates, how can they be strengthened? Or does that remain unknown, and require investigation?", Ermese asks. She is ill-versed in metaphysics, but she knows of the Abyss and the Hells. And she knows that she has to stop those dark powers.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Sorry for the short late post, I kindof missed the previous post.

[Somensjev]

Spoiler: Briar & Ermese - I was about to write a wikipedia article but...

Show

The eladrin looks Ermese’s way, eyes examining her up and down until he finally addresses her. “Surely a child of the Eldeen would know of the gateways? Ah, well. I should not expect all of the wilderfolk of this plane to be versed in such things.
“Perhaps you are aware that there were races upon these lands that predate those that inhabit Eberron today? Four were dominant… but two were not of this realm. Here on this very earth you stand on, denizens of the abyssal and infernal planes of existence ruled here for thousands of years after claiming it from the dragons. It took a world threatening war to dwindle their strength upon the continent, to which the (erm… for a lack of a better term…) “lesser races” exploited by rising against them and forcing them back into their respective worlds.
“Of course, it should be common knowledge by now that--.”

“Put simply,” Grave interrupted, , “gateways are locked doors into the other planes of existence. They protect us from worlds such as the Abyss, the Nine Hells and Dal Quor. Something has caused them to weaken.”

Aramil’s face crinkled at Graves interjection. “Ahem. There were certain particularities that need to be understood before--”

“More when it’s necessary, Aramil. We certainly didn't require a lecture in ancient history to explain a gateway.”

Aramil rolled his eyes. “Well, sure. Do everything half baked. Why should I care."

Spoiler: Let us write on the day of the sun.

Show

"And these gates, how can they be strengthened? Or does that remain unknown, and require investigation?", Ermese asks. She is ill-versed in metaphysics, but she knows of the Abyss and the Hells. And she knows that she has to stop those dark powers.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Sorry for the short late post, I kindof missed the previous post.

Spoiler

Show

Briar listened closely to the ongoing conversation, and decided to ask what he considered the most pressing question. "Do we have any ideas for what may have weakened the gateways?"

[Oneris]

Spoiler: Nivali - Dragon got pwned

Show

In frustration, the dragon claws and tears at thee arcane strands to no avail. It thrashes and gnaws and only gets further and further entangled.

ROOOOOOOOAAAAARRR!!!!

After moments of struggle, it finally recognizes it’s futility and relents, hanging in mid air like an insect caught in a… well, y’know.

”Hrrnn... Nomeno zklaen clax vi jennu deal di diwedote ekess jilg ve, zyak relgra hianag ekess Arawn. Wux zklaen vucot batobot nomeno shilta ti lorit ve malrak. Si confna tenpiswo ekess svent wux, vur zyak si nishka.

“Riluoh si keelon si mi halkiva... wux yenta wux re ti Arawn's? vur sjerit si keefum darastrix vur sjach irsa, tangis sjek coi ui hesjinga vhira ini wer iejir di vi nurilt ingoeth.

“Wer diieson lae wer ir svaust tora ihk sia aso... Jaciv ornla majak ve rasvimi ihk sia kivan vur throdenilt thaczil. Di ekmiv huena si wilnilga sia sulta di wer iacoen, si ornla tepoha sonetor jacioniv filki lae si ornla tepoha sonetor wux."

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

Hrn... This must take a great deal of effort to hold me, so called daughter to Arawn. You must know that this cannot trap me forever. I came here to slay you, and so I shall.

However I admit I am interested... You say you aren't Arawn's? And yet I smell dragon and shadow within, even if it is watered down by the blood of lesser dark elves.

The same as the one who asked for my aid... she would give me treasures for my hoard and more land . Of course once I fulfilled my end of the agreement, I would have eaten her just as I would have eaten you.

Spoiler: Obligatory Banter

Show

"Nnnngh..." As she struggled against the tapestry of stars that occluded her vision and disoriented her mind, the dark elf wryly noted that not even the looming threat to her life could lessen the incapacitating headache. Seems her brain took self-preservation only so far as its own cells.

Her denial, however, was not so resilient, and quickly fled in the face of a second confirmation of her bloodline. Abandoned, Nivali finally succumbed to the wealth of evidence before her.

"Si... oden ti lae jacida heir, ergriff jacida bautwael vur silastrix." She thought weakly to the dragon, her lungs still preoccupied with supplying her brain with its gluttonous demand for oxygen. "Sjek svabol wux yenta qe vis..., hak mobi qe throden throdenilt di nomenes hefoc ve."

It was getting somewhat easier to think, though not so easy as to determine good ideas from bad.

"Ysik hofibavi di wux ekess zyak evnek nadota ilyandrosa. Khruvi, jaciv mrith vers zyak jennu ekess kartah sia wyogale, erekess vin suiaerl kepesk thric nuri, tiliw ti tepoha origato nomeno gethrisj nurocuirgarh.
Kii clax zyak moxt svadrav shio ui douta? Dout plisoiv zklaen vucot nomeno lae algbo lae wux, vur qe itheikir ekess svent wux shafaer dout return. Desta wux zexenuma tenpiswo vur spol ve jacioniv idol; ekess wer gahriar gethrisj wer rasvim."

Spoiler: Translation

Show

I claim not to be his heir, only his student and scion.
If what you claim be true, then there be a score more of those like me.

Rather foolish of you to so easily reveal intended treachery. Surely, she with power so great to discern my location, through an arcane storm no less, could not have let this go unforeseen.
Why settle for a pittance when all is yours to take? Your employer must know this as well as you, and be waiting to dispatch you on your return. Better you remain here and direct me her way; to the survivors go the spoils.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Dazed from Celerity
Can I still speak and make a diplomacy check?
Diplomacy: [roll]1d20+9[roll]

[Sir Grave]

Being disarmed so casually is positively shameful to Halberd, even more so than Wotan's words. As the other warforged sprints away, Halberd raises himself up and turns for a second to follow in pursuit... before looking back toward Endbringer. As he gazes at the blade embedded in the dirt, words from long ago flit through his mind.

I won't leave you again...

Running over to his blade, Halberd yanks to free her from the earth.

Spoiler: Strength

Show

[roll0]

Halberd pulls at Endbringer, his weakened state makes the task more difficult than it seems…

Spoiler: Endbringer - Halberd

Show

I need to reach out to Spiker...

Spiker sees the downed Crosshair, and turns away from him towards the portal. Then, their melds seem to flicker. A faint voice echoes out from her mind
No...
She suddenly turns back, running towards Crosshair and lifting him from the ground.
Wotan, Tinker, cover me! We aren't leaving him behind!
As she lifts the disabled body of her comrade, she glares back at Oren, her posture clearing challenging him. Shoot me, and you know what I will do to you. But at the same time, the flickering of her melds is tinged with the same indigo that the group had seen when they first entered the temple. The one time everyone had seen the soulforged vulnerable and open. She has no desire to hurt her friends.

Oren aims for Spiker, then Wotan… raises his eyebrow. “Eh? Spiker? Wotan?”
He lowers his rifle slightly. “Wait. I’m confused. Who’re we shooting at again? The mercs?”

Trench, passing by, responds “Don’t shoot the mercenaries!”

Oren raises his arms in confusion. “But I thought Spiker and Wotan were friendlies... kind of…?”

Trench makes his way towards Halberd, stopping just next to him. “Good gods, Hal, you’re a mess! Don’t move, I have a wand stashed away somewhere…”

Dart steps closer, drawing her bow an aiming down her sights at Tinker, who maintains the portal. She fires, watching it crash against a magical field. Um… help.

Wotan looks back at Tinker, then at Spiker. “Damn it…”

Wotan immediately spins around and rushes over to Spikers position, locking eyes with Oren. Go. Quickly. Tinker won’t last long.

Spoiler: Endbringer - Spiker

Show

You hear the presence of Endbringer in your mind.

Spiker.. I know you probably need to go but just tell me… why are you doing this? Who are you working with?

Spoiler: I think this is where the over-sized water droplet accompanies a facepalm.

Show

Watching the exchange between her familiar, the warforged, and Brent in silence, the succubus quickly runs through scenarios in her head to determine whether or not hiring Glaive was worthwhile.

When she comes to a decision, she speaks up, but simultaneously sends a message to the quasit. "We're leaving now. We can discuss your payment on the road though, I'm getting tired of these corpses."

"And why, exactly, did you reveal yourself to him? And since when did you make promises for me to the warforged? You know I can't take his soul, don't you?" She sends the message telepathically, curious as to her familiar's reasoning. If it'd been a human or something, I'd think he was just trying to tempt me into draining them dry and using their soul to fuel my own power. He hasn't tried that with a warforged through...curious.

Turning to Brent, she continues, "Chances are that after whoever sent this lot finds out that they've all been killed, they'll try again with more and better trained zealots. Having some mechanical muscle with us should make dealing with them somewhat easier."

Spoiler: Eruvia - Chafing

Show

Brent opened his mouth to object, but said nothing. He struggled to say something but finds he has little time, relenting by rolling his eyes.. “Fine. He better not slow us down.”

Hel-LOOOOO! Giant, metal killing machine? No offense, your kills are entertaining, but a demons got varying tastes when it comes to bloodshed. Besides, you just said it yourself: chances are, those holy haters might show up with tougher bad guys.

Glaive looked over the burning corpse of Kalim, looking back at Eruvia and Brent as they began to walk away. “Yeh couldn’t frisk the lad before yeh burnt ‘im, eh? Damn shame..”

Spoiler: Cut scene

Show

That was a day ago...

Upon the road to Starilaskur, in the woodlands, the light of day trickles down upon three figures. In appearance, they appear to be simple Brelish guardsmen, garbed in chainmail and carrying polearms, with the exception of the hulking brute warforged known as Glaive.

One of them speaks, moving sluggishly in his chainmail. “Ach… I’d rather have dressed as a concubine than in this… I can barely walk, and it hurts in all the wrong areas…”

Glaive glanced back at the sluggish guardsman behind him. “Don’t yeh dare talk about yer wrong areas.”

Yeah, no offense, Brent, but you’d only be able to pull off an ugly ass concubine. Have you seen your female form?”

Brent scowled. “And just what’s wrong with my female form?”

Spoiler: Let us write on the day of the sun.

Show

"And these gates, how can they be strengthened? Or does that remain unknown, and require investigation?", Ermese asks. She is ill-versed in metaphysics, but she knows of the Abyss and the Hells. And she knows that she has to stop those dark powers.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Sorry for the short late post, I kindof missed the previous post.

Spoiler: Briar & Ermese - Whodunnit

Show

“My people are working on a more permanent solution.. Of course, finding the thing responsible for these disturbances would make things much simpler.”

Spoiler

Show

Briar listened closely to the ongoing conversation, and decided to ask what he considered the most pressing question. "Do we have any ideas for what may have weakened the gateways?"

Spoiler: Briar & Ermese - Seriously, whodunnit?

Show

“I’ve a very good idea what might have... “

He glanced at Grave. “But of course, it’s only a very likely theory, as my fellow associates tell me. I of course assume it had something to do with your expedition to the shrine, yet I have no way of proving it.”

Spoiler: Obligatory Banter

Show

"Nnnngh..." As she struggled against the tapestry of stars that occluded her vision and disoriented her mind, the dark elf wryly noted that not even the looming threat to her life could lessen the incapacitating headache. Seems her brain took self-preservation only so far as its own cells.

Her denial, however, was not so resilient, and quickly fled in the face of a second confirmation of her bloodline. Abandoned, Nivali finally succumbed to the wealth of evidence before her.

"Si... oden ti lae jacida heir, ergriff jacida bautwael vur silastrix." She thought weakly to the dragon, her lungs still preoccupied with supplying her brain with its gluttonous demand for oxygen. "Sjek svabol wux yenta qe vis..., hak mobi qe throden throdenilt di nomenes hefoc ve."

It was getting somewhat easier to think, though not so easy as to determine good ideas from bad.

"Ysik hofibavi di wux ekess zyak evnek nadota ilyandrosa. Khruvi, jaciv mrith vers zyak jennu ekess kartah sia wyogale, erekess vin suiaerl kepesk thric nuri, tiliw ti tepoha origato nomeno gethrisj nurocuirgarh.
Kii clax zyak moxt svadrav shio ui douta? Dout plisoiv zklaen vucot nomeno lae algbo lae wux, vur qe itheikir ekess svent wux shafaer dout return. Desta wux zexenuma tenpiswo vur spol ve jacioniv idol; ekess wer gahriar gethrisj wer rasvim."

Spoiler: Translation

Show

I claim not to be his heir, only his student and scion.
If what you claim be true, then there be a score more of those like me.

Rather foolish of you to so easily reveal intended treachery. Surely, she with power so great to discern my location, through an arcane storm no less, could not have let this go unforeseen.
Why settle for a pittance when all is yours to take? Your employer must know this as well as you, and be waiting to dispatch you on your return. Better you remain here and direct me her way; to the survivors go the spoils.

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Dazed from Celerity
Can I still speak and make a diplomacy check?
Diplomacy: [roll]1d20+9[roll]

Spoiler: Nivali - ermahgerd... drecenic trensleter X(

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"..."

"Thric... Jaciv ergriff guyyai vi sart kax di darastrix iejir. Si tiliw mrith escho..."

"si..."

"GRAAAH!!"

He struggles more and more against the silk, to no avail.

"Hrnnnnn..."

The black dragon dangles in mid air, thinking of what remains of his options, before he relents.

"Jaciv tawuraic bekiw irsa wer ajikis di Xen’drik, Persvek wer whedab epanomisi di wer thaczil. jaciv says jaciv ui wer ergriff heir ekess wer sjach darastrix … Wer ingoethi batobot relgr jacioniv pliso dasoni jacioniv hefoc creolnali di vi ioth winev. Jaciv huvenic wux loex zyak batobot jaciv nomag remain wer ergriff heir. Lyriki wux renthisj di? nomagqe astahii loreata ini jacioniv cha'sid... Shar ergriff jaciv ornla vucot.

"Wux kampiun batobot huena si mi duulo--"

“Will someone start speaking in common?”

Spoiler: Draconic

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“...”

No… she only bears the taint of dragon’s blood. I could easily--

“I…

GRAAH!!”

He struggles more and more against the silk, to no avail.

“Hrrrnnn…”

The black dragon dangles in mid air, thinking of what remains of his options, before he relents.
“She operates deep within the jungles of Xen’drik, in the darkest places of the land. She claims to be the sole, remaining heir to the Shadow dragon line… the dark elves that surround her revere her like something of a holy figure. Likely she wishes you dead so that she may remain the sole heir. Others you speak of? Perhaps they died by her hand... but only she would know.

You understand that once I am free--

.

[Vhaidara]

Spiker grimaces, shouldering her metallic companion and beginning to run towards the portal. With an effort of will, she forces her necklace to activate again, blinking herself and Crosshair forward.

Spoiler: To Endbringer

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I mean no harm to my friends. But there are others who need me more, and that dwarf is vital to our cause.
As the words cross the void between minds, Endbringer can hear a chorus of voices babbling within Spiker's mind, growing louder.
Vengeance for our pain. All else is naught. We are you. You are nothing more than us.
Spiker's thoughts are pained
We may not see each other again. If so, I wish you the best.
And then there is nothing but silence from the mind of the warforged.

As she finishes her rapid, magically enhanced dash, the soul energy surrounding Spiker returns to its normal light, translucent blue, and the deadly tail whips around, aiming a volley at Dart's back.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Move, then spend an Action Point to give the Chronocharm another use, activating it as a Swift and ending up at I12.
Standard: Attack Dart

Attack: (1d20+13)[32]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[16]
Damage: (1d6+6)[11]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[7]

Attack: (1d20+13)[27]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[27]
Damage: (1d6+6)[7]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[12]

Attack: (1d20+13)[19]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[16]
Damage: (1d6+6)[9]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[9]

Attack: (1d20+13)[28]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+13)[16]
Damage: (1d6+6)[12]
Crit Damage: (1d6+6)[8]

[Raunchel]

Spoiler: Let a hundred schools of thought contend

Show

"And is there any hint towards who is behind this blasphemy?", Ermese asks. Tracking down someone, that she can do. She knows little metaphysics, but she knows how to hunt, and to kill. To protect the Green. To hold it sacred.

[Desril]

Spoiler: '...But you just gestured to all of me.'

Show

Listening to her companions banter with an amused smirk on her face, Eruvia joins the conversation, "You have no one to blame but yourself for the chafing. You could've been a slave or used something more comfortable, but no, you wanted a practical disguise." When he asks what was wrong with his feminine transformations though, the succubus does her best to feign badly hiding a secret, "Oh, dear, I guess it's time you knew. Where to begin..."

She makes an exaggerated motion of putting a contemplatively scratching her chin, "Let's see, there's that time you took the idea of 'legs that go on for days' a little too seriously. From my estimate you were about five and a half feet tall with four of that being nothing but leg." Looking to the sky as if deep in thought, "Then there was day you ended up with eyes half the size of your head which was twice the size it should have been with how big you are. Or the time you tried to copy that barmaid you saw the night before and came out bald with furry arms." She pauses there for a second, as if she'd run out of examples before continuing.

"Well, I suppose there was that time you ended up 'all right'." A positive example at last! "Two right feet and two right hands, even your hair parted to the right," she grins, teasingly mocking him further. Though the armor prevented Eruvia from cupping her own breasts in an exagerrated way, she still bought a hand up to her chest and winked at Brent as she finished, "But we understand, don't we? It's hard to copy something that you haven't ever felt, and you probably haven't even seen any examples that weren't inked on parchment."

[Prehysterical]

"Forget about me! Help Dart! Get her out of here!" Halberd tries again to release Endbringer from her earthy prison. The servos and gears within him grind noisily from battle damage as he exerts his strength.

Spoiler: Strength

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(1d20+4)[13]

[Sir Grave]

"Forget about me! Help Dart! Get her out of here!" Halberd tries again to release Endbringer from her earthy prison. The servos and gears within him grind noisily from battle damage as he exerts his strength.

Spoiler: Strength

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[roll0]

Halberd pulls, once more, with feeling. Arcane sparks fly from the exposed parts of his plating. His eyes go bright.

SHING!

The sword is released from the earth, causing Halberd to stumble a few steps backward.

“Dart?”

Spiker grimaces, shouldering her metallic companion and beginning to run towards the portal. With an effort of will, she forces her necklace to activate again, blinking herself and Crosshair forward.

Spoiler: To Endbringer

Show

I mean no harm to my friends. But there are others who need me more, and that dwarf is vital to our cause.
As the words cross the void between minds, Endbringer can hear a chorus of voices babbling within Spiker's mind, growing louder.
Vengeance for our pain. All else is naught. We are you. You are nothing more than us.
Spiker's thoughts are pained
We may not see each other again. If so, I wish you the best.
And then there is nothing but silence from the mind of the warforged.

As she finishes her rapid, magically enhanced dash, the soul energy surrounding Spiker returns to its normal light, translucent blue, and the deadly tail whips around, aiming a volley at Dart's back.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Move, then spend an Action Point to give the Chronocharm another use, activating it as a Swift and ending up at I12.
Standard: Attack Dart

Attack: [roll0]
Crit Confirm: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
Crit Damage: [roll3]

Attack: [roll4]
Crit Confirm: [roll5]
Damage: [roll6]
Crit Damage: [roll7]

Attack: [roll8]
Crit Confirm: [roll9]
Damage: [roll10]
Crit Damage: [roll11]

Attack: [roll12]
Crit Confirm: [roll13]
Damage: [roll14]
Crit Damage: [roll15]

thunk! thunk! thunk! thunk!

Each spike hits the archer, two directly in the back, one in the shoulder, and one in her thigh. Dart barely keeps herself from collapsing as she supports herself with her bow.

Trench looks to the direction of the failing archer, and immediately rushes to her aid. He interposes himself between Spiker and Dart, locking eyes with the soulforged. “ You’ve won. There is nothing to be gain from killing her.”

Dart looks to Rurik, watching as Tinker hefts the dwarf up and tosses him through. “They… can’t…”

Trench turns and places his hand on her shoulder. “They have. You can’t save him.” He leans in closer. “Not yet.”

Oren aims down his sights at Wotan. Hesitant.

Wotan twirls his blade. “What’s the matter, boy? Take your shot.”

“...”

Wotan rushes him, charging with his sword high. “ I SAID TAKE YOUR SHOT!”

KRACKOW!

The bullet sinks into Wotan’s shoulder as he slices down… SHINK!!

“Gh...AAAAAAAAAAGGHH!!!!”

Oren stumbles backwards as his left arm flies away from him leaving a bloody trail, his rifle clattering to the ground with him. “Ngh…”

Wotan stares as the gunman writhes in pain, shaking the blood off of his sword. “...You’ll live. That is, if your friends have anything to say about it.”

Spoiler: '...But you just gestured to all of me.'

Show

Listening to her companions banter with an amused smirk on her face, Eruvia joins the conversation, "You have no one to blame but yourself for the chafing. You could've been a slave or used something more comfortable, but no, you wanted a practical disguise." When he asks what was wrong with his feminine transformations though, the succubus does her best to feign badly hiding a secret, "Oh, dear, I guess it's time you knew. Where to begin..."

She makes an exaggerated motion of putting a contemplatively scratching her chin, "Let's see, there's that time you took the idea of 'legs that go on for days' a little too seriously. From my estimate you were about five and a half feet tall with four of that being nothing but leg." Looking to the sky as if deep in thought, "Then there was day you ended up with eyes half the size of your head which was twice the size it should have been with how big you are. Or the time you tried to copy that barmaid you saw the night before and came out bald with furry arms." She pauses there for a second, as if she'd run out of examples before continuing.

"Well, I suppose there was that time you ended up 'all right'." A positive example at last! "Two right feet and two right hands, even your hair parted to the right," she grins, teasingly mocking him further. Though the armor prevented Eruvia from cupping her own breasts in an exagerrated way, she still bought a hand up to her chest and winked at Brent as she finished, "But we understand, don't we? It's hard to copy something that you haven't ever felt, and you probably haven't even seen any examples that weren't inked on parchment."

Spoiler: Eruvia - I used to be an adventurer like you... then I took an arrow in the knee

Show

“Wh-That’not- I’ve seduced plenty of women!”

Yeah, but how many of them ended up slapping you in the face rather than sleeping with you?

“...”

Brent’s face became beet red, half out of anger and the other half out of embarrassment. “Ugh! None of your damn business!” With that, he begins walking ahead of the group.

Awww! We made him upset. Aw c’mon….

Glaive shook his head. “Fleshlings....”

You all clear the woods and behold a modest city, slightly smaller than New Cyre and not very impressive. In the distance, you note the ever stretching railroad that goes on for as far as the eye can see as it weaves around mounds over the horizon.

The walls of the main gate are equally unremarkable, having seen much wear over the years. You’re greeted by what appears to be a rotund human guardsman carrying a halberd (not to be confused with Halberd the warforged.)

“Mhrm. Good afternoon, sirs.” He said, clearing his throat. “Glad you came.Our posts can use a little filling in, as all of our town guardsmen seem to be a bit busy with this whole train incident.”

Spoiler: Let a hundred schools of thought contend

Show

"And is there any hint towards who is behind this blasphemy?", Ermese asks. Tracking down someone, that she can do. She knows little metaphysics, but she knows how to hunt, and to kill. To protect the Green. To hold it sacred.

Spoiler: Briar & Ermese - a Wild Laucian appears!

Show

Thuraxalon shook his head. “The culprit remains unknown.”

“Ah… whoever it is seems to leave behind a residual signature… a symbol of sorts… in a language unheard of by my people. If I didn’t know any better, it looks to be a combination of several languages… there’s a hint of both abyssal and infernal, with some giant thrown in, a dab of draconic… in the end, complete gibberish.”

“NOT gibberish.”

From behind the smithy’s workbench, out pops Laucian, who strolls over towards the group. “No, no no no. Not gibberish. I know it’s not gibberish. I know the language.. I understand the language. The writings on the walls. The whispers in the dark. It’s his. The Book’s.”

It’s the Language of the Forgotten One. Don’t you understand? This is his doing. He is gathering his strength. I have seen it. War. Destruction. Genocide. Atrocities committed by the races of man and machine for a crusade of power. And it is all but a prelude.”

“A prelude to what?”

Laucian’s eyes widen and his face goes pale. “The end of all things.”

[Vhaidara]

Spiker, The Champion of the Lost

Spiker gives Trench a long look as she moves towards the portal.
My desire was never to see your friends, or my own, die. I will leave her be, so long as she does not attack again.
Then she hears Oren scream.
Wotan! Get to the portal, NOW.
The soulforged moves up, keeping her distance from Trench and stopping next to the portal. She looks at Tinker
Is it safe to put him down on the other side? I'm not leaving until Wotan gets through.
Assuming he confirms the safety of it, she dumps Crosshair through the portal. Hopefully he lands on the damn dwarf.

[Desril]

Spoiler: What incident?

Show

Smirking at the sight of Brent stomping off ahead, Eruvia adjusts her disguise ever-so-slightly, taking on a male form just before they get in sight of the city and readjusting her illusory armor to fit the change.

When the guard appears, the disguised Eruvia gives the sluggish salute of someone trying to do as they should after a long and weary walk. "Train incident? Oh," 'he' frowns and glances sidelong to Brent. "The little miss ain't gonna be happy to hear there was a problem. You don't think she'll take it out on us again, do ya?"

Sighing, 'he' continues on and looks back toward the only actual guard present. "Don't suppose ya could fill us in on what happened? If we can help, it'd be in our job's best interest to make sure it's runnin' on schedule."

Well, this is going to be irritating, she tells her companions telepathically. Might be a good idea to keep these disguises for a while, if the guard needs backup this could help us out.

Spoiler

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Diplomacy within Bluffs within Disguises?!

Disguise (1d20+29)[45] (I think I'm good here)

Not sure if I need bluff to sell the persona or just diplomacy to get him to talk, but they have the same modifier so here's the roll and just use whichever is appropriate.
Bluff/Diplomacy (1d20+18)[24]

[Raunchel]

Spoiler: Briar & Ermese - a Wild Laucian appears!

Show

Thuraxalon shook his head. “The culprit remains unknown.”

“Ah… whoever it is seems to leave behind a residual signature… a symbol of sorts… in a language unheard of by my people. If I didn’t know any better, it looks to be a combination of several languages… there’s a hint of both abyssal and infernal, with some giant thrown in, a dab of draconic… in the end, complete gibberish.”

“NOT gibberish.”

From behind the smithy’s workbench, out pops Laucian, who strolls over towards the group. “No, no no no. Not gibberish. I know it’s not gibberish. I know the language.. I understand the language. The writings on the walls. The whispers in the dark. It’s his. The Book’s.”

He pulls out torn pages… each one scribbled with a strange writing on the front and back. “Here. See? The pages that bled from that foul Tome that is now in the possession of a great evil. It’s the Language of the Forgotten One, written from the blood of angels. Don’t you understand? This is his doing. He is gathering his strength. I have seen it. War. Destruction. Genocide. Atrocities committed by the races of man and machine for a crusade of power. And it is all but a prelude.”

“A prelude to what?”

Laucian’s eyes widen and his face goes pale. “The end of all things.”

Spoiler: It's super effective

Show

"Then there is no time to spend speaking, and little left to act. This must be stopped, there can be no end, not to the Green, only to the Grey. Let us depart, and hunt this monster to all the edges of all the planes. Let us destroy it, and prevent its taint from spreading through this world.", Ermese replies, filled with worries which remain hidden on her serene face. She has spent many years meditating to achieve that, the outer calm hiding the inner storm. She has watched the raindrops fall through the leaves, counted them, followed each in its path, and found the way. Patience always came hard to her, and now it fails completely. She must act, she must move. She must hunt. It is what the elf is, the huntress from the trees, the bane of the woodsmen.

[Somensjev]

Spoiler: It's super effective

Show

"Then there is no time to spend speaking, and little left to act. This must be stopped, there can be no end, not to the Green, only to the Grey. Let us depart, and hunt this monster to all the edges of all the planes. Let us destroy it, and prevent its taint from spreading through this world.", Ermese replies, filled with worries which remain hidden on her serene face. She has spent many years meditating to achieve that, the outer calm hiding the inner storm. She has watched the raindrops fall through the leaves, counted them, followed each in its path, and found the way. Patience always came hard to her, and now it fails completely. She must act, she must move. She must hunt. It is what the elf is, the huntress from the trees, the bane of the woodsmen.

Spoiler

Show

Briar nods slightly. "I agree with Ermese, we should act as soon as we can to stop this"

[Prehysterical]

For a moment, all Halberd can do is stare at Oren's arm as it goes flying through the air. He can see the blood spraying from Oren's torso as the gunman goes down. Then his frame trembles from a combination of rage and battle damage. Gripping Endbringer tightly in his hands, both the blade and Halberd's glow brightly with their respective colors. Flapping his caped wings, Halberd surges at the gloating Wotan like an oversized bullet. "You. Rusting. BASTARD!"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Still in Martial Spirit stance
Endbringer uses last daily use of True Strike
Halberd is going to Power Attack to fullest extent, -8 attack, +16 damage
He is also going to use his daily smite, +3 attack, +8 damage
Charging, +2 attack, -2 AC
A: (1d20+34)[41]
D: (2d8+32)[43]
C: (1d20+34)[47]
CD: (2d8+32)[40]