Bhaakon's Demon's Heresy IC

[Desril]

Lily

Listening to Millia's intended sending, Lily quickly vetoes it and writes a quick message for the priestess to send instead.

"Wounded Copper Dragon in need of Riftwarden Expertise. Immediate Aid Needed. Twenty miles west Drezen, cliff-side. Friendly goblins at ruins. Beware of firestorm. Hurry."

[Frosty]

Millia uses the wording suggested by Lily, admitting there is less chance of confusion. "Damn the 25 word limit..."

[Bhaakon]

A few moments later, Millia receives an answer. Directive received. En route with Sosiel and research materials. Will gather mounted escort in force. Estimate arrival by nightfall. Will watch for... what is firestorm?

[Frosty]

Millia explains the firestorm via another sending: Storm made of fire. Also includes magical lightning. Side effects unknown. Suggest elemental protection. Copper dragon is Woundwyrm, but friendly. There's portal in its throat.

[Bhaakon]

Understood. Will take precautions. Arrival delayed until the morrow to memorize new spells. Er...will bring expert in dragon anatomy. The reply comes back quickly this time. They won't arrive as quickly as you might have hoped, but at least they won't be cooked alive with their mounts.

--------------------------------------------------------

The chariot races over the broken land at break-neck pace, leaving the goblins and their peculiar house-guest far behind in a matter of minutes. More strange and terrible (or interesting) sites pass you by as you gallop past. Flowers that scream in the voice of a terrified child as your phantom horses trample them. An earthworm at least a half a league long that bows the earth up as it digs along in convoluted knots. A small herd of two-headed cows being shepherded by a mute man with segmented insect eyes.

The hours pass, you cross a dry riverbed and continue on into a copse of petrified wood, stubs a few feet high poking out of the earth surrounding by broken stone branches. Based on Arueshalae's description and your knowledge of the area, you should be nearing her fastness.

Spoiler: DC 34 Perception or better

Show

You spot a speck in the distant sky. At first you think it's a vulture or hawk--you've seen several in your trip, all badly mutated by abyssal energies--but something about it ponderous turns and the shape of it is off. It's not nearly as close as you first percieved, but distant and enormous. A rift drake, loaded, you suspect, with a rider. Given that it hasn't broken from its lazy circling, you don't think you've been spotted yet.

[Frosty]

Millia

The aasimar tells the driver, "Beware! There is a rift drake and likely a rider far away up in the sky over there. We haven't been spotted yet. If we get any closer we are likely to be seen. Let us prepare and cast any necessary spells immediately."

She thinks for a moment, "Although, it is likely a scout that will go warn the others instead of fighting us, so we may not need to cast our spells yet. Maybe when we're another mile or two closer."

[Desril]

Lily

Shaking her head, "Unless we're planning on trying to pretend to be on their side to get close there's no point, it will take far too long to sneak closer from here. We'll be there in minutes, just use any beneficial magics you have now."

[stack]

Kord draws a staff from his back and chants softly. Subtly changes to his musculature are easily missed in light of the feathered wings that grow from his back.

Spoiler

Show

using the staff to hit CL5, adding constrict and wings, leaving a trait open for when he changes size.

[Desril]

Lily

Having not seen the drake until well after any of the others, and only after it was pointed out to her, Lily waits until they're nearly upon it to cast a simple spell upon herself in case flight is needed to combat the aerial enemy.

Spoiler

Show

When 2 minutes away; Rod of Extend; Fly on self for 18 minutes

[Bhaakon]

You charge onwards prepared for battle, and the lazily circling drake spots you almost immediately. It banks and enters a shallow dive, building speed to close the distant. You post the rider on its back clearly for all of a second before it blinks out of existence, just as the lesser dragon moves into the extreme range of your weaponry.

Spoiler: Everyone

Show

OK, the drake is closing. You combines move is 440, so you're only going to get off one round's worth of shot at long range before it closes and I roll initiative. So roll if you can.

[Frosty]

Millia

Spoiler

Show

F CG Aasimar (Azata-Blooded, Elf base) Oracle 5 / Nocticulan Aspirant 4, Level 9, Init 8, HP 86/86, DR Elec 20 / Fire 10, Speed 30
AC 34, Touch 29, Flat-footed 29, CMD 29, Fort 9, Ref 13, Will 18, CMB +5, BAB +6
MW Cold Iron Light Mace +12 (1d6-1, x2)
Mage armor, Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+4 Armor, +5 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Natural, +9 Deflect)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 28
Condition Condition Mythic Power 6/9, Channel 6/9 (4d6), LoH 7/10 (2d6)
Mage Armor

Spells cast:
1) Ill Omen
3) 2x Sending

Millia sighs. "Yep. Some demon was riding the rift drake, and teleported away to warn the hag. Oh well, they can't be that smart if they think they can beat us. The drake is still coming at us. Ready your ranged attacks!" The aasimar readies herself to speak a word of power to halt beast.

Spoiler

Show

Ready action to cast Command: Approach on the Drake if it gets within 45 ft. DC20.
Use Misfortune on the drake if it rolls 12 or higher on its save.

[Desril]

Lily
HP 73+25 Temp
AC 24

Seeing the drake closing in, Lily holds up her hand and conjures a sphere of pure light to engulf the lesser dragon's head, "I'm not much good against a single enemy like that, it's not worth bringing my full power to bear and if I'm not concentrating I'm better at dealing with larger groups," she says afterward, chiding herself for not being more help.

Spoiler

Show

Burst of Radiance (5d4)[12]+5 for [17]

Ref DC 22 vs blinded (otherwise dazzled) for (1d4)[4]

[stack]

Kord bides his time and waits for the opportunity to strike.

Spoiler

Show

no actions, just posting for its own sake.

[Vhaidara]

Nalin of the Blackened Soul

Nalin draws his sword, and his left hand rests on the three medals he bears.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Activating my medals, when fight starts, Int will have 7 rounds, Dex will have 8, Str will have 9

[Sileniy]

Sileniy

The drake is far too far away to have any chance of hitting, so Sileniy prepares for when it gets close enough to hit (and close enough for it to hit them).

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Earlier: alter self (small) and good hope.
Now: dex medal and aspect mask.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

Merjana draws Penn and refreshes her medals, awaiting the drake.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Using Int and Dex medals.

[Bhaakon]

The chariot rumbles along the uneven ground of the petrified forest at its typically astonishing pace, stunted trees and shattered stone logs a blur as they pass you by. The drake closes with even greater alacrity, its wings beating hard to close the distance. Given the conditions, Sileniy saves his arrows and Merjana her bullets, waiting for the things to come into an easy range. Lily fires off a radiant explosion at the the wyrmling, but it blows through the blinding glow with little more than a few scorch marks on its scaly hide.

Then, finally, it's in something approaching a workable range...and its allies show up. A fat toad of a demon--the Hezrou--pops into existence a hundred feet in front of the chariot, its oily, nauseating stench growing stronger with each galloping step of your magical chargers. A chitinous horror appears just as suddenly ahead and to your right, an enormous locust with a uncannily human face and a long, poison-dripping stinger tail. Its wings buzz out a maddening drone not unlike the susurrus of the Drezen dungeons, but louder and more insistent.

Spoiler: Map, initiative

Show

You all won initiative, so act now.

Vehicle rules, important: The chariot is currently face east (right) and moving at 200' per round. You can slow its movement by up to 100' per round (which would mean it moves 100' feet this round, and zero next round).

You are all on the chariot. Assume you're in whichever of the rear-most (ie: left) two squares you want to be. You can jump off the chariot while it's moving, but it's treated as if falling a distance equal to 10' per 30' of the vehicle's move speed (DC 15 acrobatics check to ignore the first 10 feet). You can jump off at any point in the chariot's movement.



H: Hezrou
RD: rift Drake
D: Derakni

Black Border: 40' in the air

[Desril]

Lily
HP 73 + 35 Temp
AC

As the fiends teleport in, Lily holds up a hand and shouts a simple command with a fire in her eyes matched only by the black inferno she conjures ahead of the chariot, "Get out of my way!"

Spoiler

Show

Arcane Reservoir +1 CL Mythic Fireball (10d10+10)[75] (boosts my temp HP from 30 (25 + 5 from BoR) to 35 (doesn't stack with the BoR bonus)
Ref DC 23 to take half and avoid catching on fire for (2d6)[4]

Y-Z 7-8 20ft up, hits Hezrou and Rift Drake

5/11 AR
6/9 MP
3/4 LP

[Sileniy]

Sileniy

Sileniy focuses his attention on the still-distant Hezrou, showing off a little arrow trick he'd learned at the same time. And that other Sileniy said he wasn't cut out for this!

Spoiler: ooc

Show

Swift: arcane strike.
Rapid shot at the Hezrou, with DA.
Attack: +18 (+18, +2 GH, -2 DA), damage: +14 (+6, +2 GH, +2 AS, +4 DA)

Attack 1 (manyshot): (1d20+18)[34]
Damage 1: (4d6)[16] + (2d4+28)[33]

Attack 2: (1d20+18)[37]
Damage 2: (2d6)[3] + (1d4+14)[17]

Attack 3: (1d20+13)[17]
Damage 3: (2d6)[8] + (1d4+14)[16]

[stack]

Kord waits until the chariot is closer, then leaps into the air, growing quickly as he closes with the insect demon.

Spoiler

Show

move for huge, swift for fleet charge vs the Derakni
att 1(1d20+24)[39] (2 good hope, 1 body wrap, 2 bane)
damage (2d6+26)[33] (2 good hope, 1 body wrap, 2 bane) +(2d6)[5] bane + (2d6)[3] holy
grapple (1d20+36)[42]
constrict (2d6+13)[23] assuming bane doesn't help but good hope does

if grappled, standard to pin
grapple (1d20+36)[37]
constrict (2d6+13)[19]

if pinned, turn ends.

If attack 1 misses, standard to attack + grab
att 2(1d20+24)[26] (2 good hope, 1 body wrap, 2 bane)
damage (2d6+26)[38] (2 good hope, 1 body wrap, 2 bane) +(2d6)[3] bane + (2d6)[5] holy
grapple (1d20+36)[48]
constrict (2d6+13)[21] assuming bane doesn't help but good hope does

If grappled but not pinned after attacks 1 & 2, amazing init for standard to pin
grapple (1d20+36)[47]
constrict (2d6+13)[18]

If not grappled at all after 1 & 2, no amazing init, end turn

[Frosty]

Millia

Spoiler

Show

F CG Aasimar (Azata-Blooded, Elf base) Oracle 5 / Nocticulan Aspirant 4, Level 9, Init 8, HP 86/86, DR Elec 20 / Fire 10, Speed 30
AC 34, Touch 29, Flat-footed 29, CMD 29, Fort 9+2, Ref 13+2, Will 18+2, CMB +5, BAB +6
MW Cold Iron Light Mace +12+2 (1d6+1, x2)
Mage armor, Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+4 Armor, +5 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Natural, +9 Deflect)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 28
Condition Condition Mythic Power 6/9, Channel 6/9 (4d6), LoH 7/10 (2d6)
Mage Armor, Good Hope

Divine Source SLAs used today: Level 2 (Align Weapon)

Spells cast:
1) Ill Omen
3) 2x Sending

The enemy not coming into range, Millia decides to use one of her newfound abilities to help her friends dish out the hurt! "That's a derakni and a hezrou! Their hides are tough and require a weapon blessed by good to pierce. Luckily, I can help you out there, Sileny..." With that, she touches the bard's bow, blessing it with the powers of pure Good.

Spoiler

Show

Use Align Weapon SLA from Divine Souce, on Sileny's weapon.
Use Misfortune on the Hezrou if it rolls a 20 on its saving throw against mythic fireball.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana Witchbrood

Spoiler: Stats

Show

F CG Half-Elf Magus (Eldritch Archer) 9 [Archmage 3], Level 6, Init 12, HP 71/71, Speed 30
AC 21, Touch 15, Flat-footed 16, CMD 20, Fort 9, Ref 10, Will 7, CMB +5/0, Base Attack Bonus 6/1
Bonded Weapon, Evil Outsider, Reliable +1 Revolver (5/6 (49/20)) +12 / +7 (1d8+1, x4)
0 ACP for Climb / Jump Mithral Agile Breastplate (+6 Armor, +5 Dex)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 28, Wis 8, Cha 10
Condition Good Hope
Familiar (Valet), Arcane Pool (9/13), Mythic Power (9/9), Intensify Rod (2/3)

Merjana begins the process of slowing the chariot as she round the bend, putting herself and whomever was still left on it in the middle of the demons in the process.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move Chariot to V7 (or as close as possible thereof) whilst slowing it down.

Using 1 AP to ass Speed to Penn.

[Vhaidara]

Nalin of the Blackened Soul

Nalin lashes out, striking at the hezrou as the chariot approaches, channeling his fears into the strike and letting out a resounding laugh as he does so.

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Grim Guard's Laughter, rolled in the OoC
37 to hit, 34 damage. If it lives, it's shaken for like 5 rounds via intimidate (33 and 39)

[Bhaakon]

Flapping his mighty magical wings, the dwarf alights from the chariot and streaks for the demonic locust, growing to stupendous proprotions as he closes the distance. His meathooks latch on to the creature, pinning its wings and poisoned stinger, twists it discomfiting visage at a pained angle, and leaving its lesser limbs flailing uselessly. The pair hang in the air a moment, but the demon can no longer hold its own weight, and Kord's wings, though strong, are far from nimble enough to manage the unbalanced load. The pair begin to plummet...

Spoiler: Kord

Show

OK, it's pinned, but not dead. The way I read it, grapple precludes movement, so you need a DC 15 Fly check to hover or you fall to the ground on your next turn. Your mod is currenlty -6, making it impossible (2 base, -4 for poor maneuverability, -4 for size penalty). So unless you do something, or I'm reading it wrong, you and Derakni are going to take (4d6)[16] falling damage and wind up Prone.

Merjana hauls on the traces of the phantom steed, slowing the chariot as quickly as she can in a short distance. But even the magical conveyance has mass, and it trundles along the ancient road, into the dying embers of Lily's incandescent fireball, and nearly up to the feet of the rank hezrou. Those still on the vehicle gag on the demon's stink, made all the worse by the stench of its charred hide. Then the drake, itself badly burned, belches forth a caustic cloud of its own as it flies overhead.

Spoiler: Everyone on the Chariot

Show

(5d10)[32] Acid damage and (1d4)[1] round of Slow, DC 20 Ref save to take half damage and not be slowed.

The hezrou is not about to be shown up by a degenerate dragon. It opens its filthy maw and croaks out a rummbling screech that pounds your ears until it feels like they'll burst. Your ribs vibrate painfully, your teeth chatter, blood pours from noses as the wrongness of the sound ruptures blood vessels, saps strength, and leaves your mind numbed.

Spoiler: Everyone on the Chariot

Show

Hezrou casts Blaspheme, CL 13. DC 23 Will save or be Dazed (can't act for 1 round) and weakened (strength score drops by (2d6)[6] for (2d4)[3] rounds). Successful save negates the daze and halves the strength loss and duration.

SR, if needed: (1d20+13)[15]

Spoiler: Map

Show

[stack]

Spoiler: Falling

Show

I should have stated, but I assumed Kord would only ascend to the minimum altitude to threaten the derakni. If the derkani's space started at 40', Kord needed to be at 15' (15' space + 15' reach) to overlap 5' of reach with the derkani. Thus Kord would fall 15'.

If starting a mid-air grapple counts as deliberate falling, acrobatics check to reduce the fall distance by 10' (1d20+14)[16] auto-passes DC 15. A 5' fall deals no damage.

Kord hits the ground, holding tight, not having fallen as far as his foe. He sets his feet, then squeezes and keeps squeezing.

Spoiler

Show

swift to start dragon style

standard to grapple to deal damage (1d20+36)[47]
damage (2d6+28)[33] +constrict (2d6+13)[21] + holy (2d6)[10] + bane (2d6)[7]

Move to grapple to deal damage (1d20+36)[56]
damage (2d6+22)[33] +constrict (2d6+13)[23] + holy (2d6)[3] + bane (2d6)[8]

[Vhaidara]

Nalin of the Blackened Soul

Nalin strikes out against the Hezrou before the chariot moves away from it

Spoiler: OoC

Show

Combat Form -3 AC, +3 attack. Shackles of the Condemned

Attack: (1d20+19)[22]
Crit: [roll]1d20+19[roll]
Damage: (1d8+9)[16]+(5d6)[15]
Crit: (1d8+9)[13]

[Desril]

Lily
HP 73 + 34 temp
AC 24

Ducking for cover in time to avoid the worst of the drake's caustic spittle with the rest failing to penetrate her necromantic fortifications. Not wanting to waste the opportunity as they pass by each other, even as she resists the blasphemous words spewing from the hezrou's mouth, Lily turns her attention to the drake. Lifting her hand requires more effort than normal, even with a clear mind the hezrou's magic still sapped her strength, but Millia saw to the overgrown toad demon well enough. "Udoka gjahalla vi ezouke ithael mere klewkini lireh, wux re ehis! Jaka qe gethrisja de tenpiswo!"

Spoiler: Draconic

Show

"We defeated a Woundwyrm mere hours ago, you're nothing! Now be gone from here!"

Spoiler

Show

Empowered Mythic Magic Missile (15d4+22)[52]

5/9 MP

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

The fearless leader does nothing. Because she's dazed.

[Bhaakon]

The chariot rumbles onward for a few second, bouncing over the ragged terrain uncontrolled before Merjana's ears stop ringing with the toad-demon thundering blaspheme, but the battle is decided. Kord lands hard, channeling the force to yank the Derakni downward from an even greater height.It splatters against the ground in an exoskeleton-shattering explosion of gore that is, thankfully, mostly directed away from the dwarf.

The hezrou eats gets a face-full of Nalin's sword in response to its filthy utterance, before being blasted backwards by Millia's summoned lance of luminous force. It flops there, breathing shallowly through broken ribs, waiting for the coup de grace.

The drake sees what's happened and flaps hard, desperate to save its own skin once the shock of its allies defeat wears off. It never gets the chance. Lily's spell shreds its wings and blasts a hole in its gut. It drops like a rock, neck whipping about as its rolls to a stop with the loose-jointed freedom of a rag-doll or a corpse.

Finally Merjana regains the reins and pulls the magic steed to a halt. You unload long enough to catch your breath, finish the hezrou, and let Kord catch up, then your back on your way. Right up until you crest the next ridge and the ruins of the old Desnan redoubt come into view, its shattered walls and lone standing tower crouched on a low hillock in front of you. You don't see any more drakes or demons, nor hags or bebiliths. Just a ruins and the same collection of sun-bloated corpses and ravenous grimslakes Lily and Sileniy saw through the mirror. And the half-dozen glowing puff-balls orbiting the tower like emotional vultures, will-o'-wisps sipping the suppurating angst of of its inhabitant like a fine vintage.

[Frosty]

Millia

Spoiler

Show

F CG Aasimar (Azata-Blooded, Elf base) Oracle 5 / Nocticulan Aspirant 4, Level 9, Init 8, HP 86/86, DR Elec 20 / Fire 10, Speed 30
AC 34, Touch 29, Flat-footed 29, CMD 29, Fort 9+2, Ref 13+2, Will 18+2, CMB +5, BAB +6
MW Cold Iron Light Mace +12+2 (1d6+1, x2)
Mage armor, Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+4 Armor, +5 Shield, +5 Dex, +1 Natural, +9 Deflect)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 20, Con 16, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 28
Condition Condition Mythic Power 6/9, Channel 4/9 (4d6), LoH 7/10 (2d6)
Mage Armor, Good Hope

Divine Source SLAs used today: Level 2 (Align Weapon)

Spells cast:
1) Ill Omen
2) Spear or Purity
4) 2x Sending

Seeing the objective location, Millia takes a second to assess the situation and also to heal her allies. "Alright, I don't see any demons. Only some inconsequential Will of the Wisps, and some grimslakes that'll need to be taken care of like pests. Shall we immediately hunt the maggots down before heading inside?" She channels the healing powers as she prays to Nocticula (silently, and via telepathy ONLY to Lily).

Spoiler

Show

Channel twice: (8d6)[32]