Further Adventures in New Ganthar (IC)

[Timble]

"Actually keeping track of the vampire is my department," Yara says before concentrating to talk with the crystal for any updates..
"As we speak he is near the school he was building while alive. I know where that is and the crystal I kept on him will keep track of his movements."
"The vampire Calartes is dangerous. He was a criminal mage in life and becoming a vampire didn't make him easier. You'd probably know of the casualties he inflicted last night. He is however not planned for a fight and thus may not have too many combat spells."
She contacts the crystal again to know whether he prepared any spells since that night and if it knows what those spells were.
"So how are we planning to finish him off? We don't have sunlight so this fight either ends by stake, water or some restraint he can't get out of. Are we really prepared to take him on and finish him off or would we just alert him to the fact we have a way to trace him?"
She was regretting telling Theo of Calartes. She had planned some interesting things to do with her enemy, finishing him off like this seemed wasteful.

[gallagher]

Theo cuts in, He is out and active. Alerting him that we have a way of finding him is not as bad as the damage he might inflict letting him be. There is no good in letting innocents come to harm, or worse. And even if he finds out we are tracking him, he would have to go into hiding until he founds out how it is being done. Might be that it is unwise to raid his lair in his weakened state, but with a few fistfuls of garlic... Theo trails off, unwilling to finish the statement that would advocate for such a suicide mission

Either way, Theo continues, when Berun's faithful get here, they could have the means of ridding him before he goes to mist. But I'd sooner send him back to his coffin than let him turn another soul into a lesser version of himself. And if he has others in tow, that is only worse for the people we have promised to defend.

Spoiler

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Myth-Weavers' crash happened after teh last fight, so I will go back through that biz to find out which of my spells are expended.

[ilinares]

Spoiler: OOC

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The Lifewarden is a servant of Berun under Mother Martha. Theo would know that, so I'm going to gloss over his comment about waiting for them and assume he didn't actually say that.

Lifewarden Eldan listens carefully to Yara's description, then nods briskly.

"Last night, the vampire had some protection against my Goddess's wrath. I suspect it came from the Death Knight cleric of Vlarath, however.

"Even so, I doubt I would be able to outright destroy a vampire of this apparent power through turning alone. And if we destroy it, the vampire will merely return to its lair, heal, and return in a few hours.

"It seems to me we have two options. We hunt down the vampires tonight, wherever they are, and destroy them piecemeal. If we do that, we need to pursue them to their nest - or we are just bailing a sinking ship.

"Or, we wait for dawn, accepting this night's casualties, and attack their lair in force when the sun is our ally.

"I find that unpalatable in the extreme, but equally my Lifewardens are not in a position to attack the nest alone.

"Either way, I will join you to hunt down this Calartes - I suspect the four of us sufficient to this task, if he is alone. Presuming Relath can spare His Arbiter?"

He says this last with a slight bow to Lothrain, who answers with a good-humoured growl, tossing a stack of paperwork into a drawer and collecting his sword and shield. You note he is fully armoured, even at this hour.

"This foul creature had a hand in the deaths of three good Crusaders," he notes. "I mean to see him destroyed."

He looks to Theo as he straps his sword to his belt.

"If you want to go for the nest, I can muster all available Crusaders. It's your call, Champion of Charis."

Spoiler: Yara

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The psicrystal reports that Calartes has stalked a number of individuals, apparently waiting for a solitary target. He seems to have settled on one: a young girl, perhaps 19, who has just left her friends to walk home.

It also reports that he has taken the time to study his spellbook; it has no way of identifying his spell selection, however. He seems to have struggled to postpone his need to feed for so long.

[gallagher]

Theo looks to all those gathered with him now. Meeting their eyes in turn, Theo unties the cord that hung his hammer from his belt. Thinking back on what spellpower remained to him, a considerable amount, Theo replies to the Arbiter; There is no question to what I will do. I have sworn three oaths in my life. Two of them, to Charis and to the Knights, demand that I go for the nest. We will destroy these unholy creatures and set fire to their coffins. Yara, lead us to Calartes.

[ilinares]

Lothrain asks you to wait while he musters the Crusaders. He sounds an alarm - a series of bells set up throughout the temple, and linked to a bell pull in the central hall.

Eldan absents himself from the room, summoning the aid of his fellow Lifewardens, pausing only to check with you where the nest is.

There are fourteen Crusaders who gather at Lothrain’s summons. Paragon Thardae is among them, but from the Arbiter’s quiet words with her you gather that the dwarf cleric will be holding the fort here.

Lothrain addresses his troops briskly.

”Sir Theodore, Champion of Charis, has brought word of a nest of vampires preying on the populace. We are going to find them, and with help from our allies, put a stop to it, in Relath’s name.” A general roar of approval follows from the clerics and paladins.

Turning, he says to Theo: ”Care to add anything?”

Spoiler: Yara

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Paying half-hearted attention to the posturing of your allies, you follow Calartes’ progress. He has confronted the girl, overwhelmed her judgment with the force of her will, and taken her to a place he can be confident they will not be disturbed: the unfinished school.

[Timble]

"Well do we leave now or am I going to have to watch some kid get eaten?" Yara says, quietly but loud enough to just be heard. She wanted to get the night over with, as this would disrupt her plans for the future.

[gallagher]

Theo walks next to Lothrain, borrowing his position of authority to add weight to his words. I will keep this brief, Theo begins.

We are going to face a terrible enemy. We face a vampire in the night, an arcanist at that. He is on the hunt as we speak. We face him because we must. There are not available any better prepared to save whoever would be his future victims.

If he flees, we pursue him as we would a fox chased into his den. And there, there will be many more vampires to face. May our gods forge steel into our spines, and send strength to our sword arms. History will forget their names, and memorialize ours after his night.

Stepping back away from the front, Theo walks to Yara and asks her if she knows where Calartes has headed. I have a scroll to send a brief message, I can summon your contact in the Vanguard to the fray if you tell me his or her name.

[Timble]

"Theo! Are you crazy?" Yara hisses at him when he approaches her. "Going after Calartes I can understand but how can you consider taking on thirty vampires and who knows how many undead at night. Look at the men following you on this, do you want to tell the families of the dead that they died because you couldn't wait till morning? Just be happy with slaying Calartes or driving him from his prey. If you still want to go on with it, tell me how much garlic, stakes and such that we carry. Are we even prepared for this?"
"Oh and my contact is Lydia if you are still foolish enough to risk so many lives unprepared. Calartes is taking a dominated girl into the school he is building."
Focusing back on her psicrystal she gets it to tell her how far they are from the school.

[ilinares]

The psicrystal has no way of determining how far it is from you, but Yara has been to the school herself, and can make an educated guess at his long it will take.

Travelling in a large group, restricted to broad streets and the speed of the slowest member, it will take about twenty minutes to reach the school.

A small party might be able to get that down to fifteen.

But short of magic, the odds are you won't get there in time to save the girl.

[gallagher]

Theo replies curtly to Yara. Then we best finish him off before it comes to that. Goodness requires bravery, but we must all hope it does not come to entering a den of vampires.

Theo asked Yara where this unfinished school was so that they could head out to hunt Calartes. Getting out the last scroll of Sending, Theo reaches out to Lydia. Calartes the vampire arcanist is taking his prey to his unfinished school near X Y. No telling how many others he brought. Bring allies.

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"X Y" in my Sending refer to a landmark near where Yara described the school to be. Figured I'd save some time. Timble or ilinares, feel free to post a landmark near it so that I can reform my post. My message is 22 words before counting X Y, so I have three words left to describe where to go

[ilinares]

Lydia's response is swift:

Acknowledged. My team will be there imminently. Trust you have word of the vampires' nest? We'll discuss it when we arrive. Good hunting Sir Theo!

Your allies gather swiftly, and start making their way to the school. As you march, Lothrain asks: "Do you have a plan in mind? Or are we just going to smite the abomination, and to the Hells with strategy? Don't get me wrong - either works for me!"

[gallagher]

Keeping a brisk marching pace, Theo responds to the Arbiter with his usual blunt honesty. I dont have anything to contain it once it turns to mist. Yara here has the ability to create a stake, and it is my hope that some of those gathered here do as well. Some of the Vanguard who will be arriving may have some as well.

So if we can immobilize him long enough to stake the bastard, I would recommend that. Short of it, crush his bones til he has to withdraw to his coffin, and then we form a perimeter around the nest and keep watch until daybreak. Then, honestly, the best thing might be to evacuate the area and burn the building to the ground.

Always moving, Theo looks back at the leader of the gathered Berun faithful and asks him at the same time as Lothrain. Do you or any of your soldiers here have resources that would change this plan?

[ilinares]

The answer comes back, as you were expecting if not as you hoped: they have nothing to add that changes the gameplan.

You make good time, the populace quick to move aside at the sight of this holy mission (and Yara). Even so, the psion has to endure the psicrystal's reports as Calartes gradually drains the blood and life energy from his victim, finally leaving her a desiccated corpse where once a vibrant girl had been. The only blessing is that the psychic link does not allow Yara to literally see the predation herself.

You arrive at the building site, which was to be a school. Quiet creaking from unsupported timbers fills the deepening night; the breeze whistles through gaps in the structure, highlighting the inherent dangers of a construction site - even one not occupied by a vicious and well-fed supernatural predator with all the power of an accomplished mage at its disposal.

The mages seem not to be here yet. Silent, Lothrain signals that he is taking his men left; nodding, Eldon leads his Lifewardens right. The unspoken assumption is that Theo and Yara will attack down the centre.

[Timble]

Along the way, Yara prepares for combat. She takes the minute needed to summon up a stake. It seemed like a slight waste of power for just a single stake. Thinking of how much matter she could create, perhaps she could design a way to create multiple created stakes.
She draws her shield but not her sickle. Creating an invisible barrier of force around her, she wonders how exactly she will fight.
"Theo, if I can become giant and wrestle him down, would you be able to stake him before he gets away?"
Before they separated from the group, she asks everyone, "What spells do you have that can have an effect on the vampire or remove the effects caused by his attacks?"

[ilinares]

Prompted by Yara, Eldan pauses to cast a spell on each of you, from a pair of scrolls in his possession.

"This blessing will protect you from the vampire's draining touch," he says softly. "The rest of our spells, we must preserve in case the vampire is not alone."

Lothrain also doubles back to contribute his God's own blessings.

"May the Crusader strengthen our arms, to bring His righteous wrath to bear upon this foe," he pronounces - and you feel something blossom within you, a fierce but contained ferocity that is not your own.

Spoiler: Spells cast

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Death ward: Subject is immune to all death spells, magical death effects, energy drain, and any negative energy effects.
Righteous Wrath of the Faithful: for 9 rounds, get one extra attack each round at your highest BAB. Also, +3 morale bonus to melee attack and damage rolls.

[Timble]

"Thanks," Yara says before gesturing to Theo. "Let's go, I will use my psicrystal to help us find him."
Saying such she expands to a much larger form. It mightn't be the best shape for the construction zone but it could help attract Calartes to her rather than the others.

Spoiler: OOC

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May as well roll initiative now:
(1d20)[18]
Expansion augmented to last half an hour

[gallagher]

Theo gives a salute, both in thanks and to wish good fortune, to Eldon and Lothrain before answering Yara.

I have no doubt that I can stake a vulnerable vampire. It will be a easy as striking a hammer to an anvil, and with less recoil. Theo replied. Is the only means you have at your disposal through wrestling him to the ground? I fear I do not know all of what your power can accomplish, but I know that some magics can create tentacles or animate ropes to tangle and expose an enemy, for example.

Theo has his hammer out and at the ready as they progress, glancing periodically for the faint glow that appears as a sign that he is near the undead.

As far as removing the effects of the vampire, I fear that I usually prepare my spells around this time, and often later. I prayed for new spells before last night's battle, and so I do not have anything specifically designed to counter a vampire at this time. I do have a few at my disposal that would prove handy. If we get within a decent range I have one blast prepared that will hurt him massively. I also have Locate Object ready when you feel we might be close to your crystal. Speaking of spells - Theo cast Bear's Endurance on Yara - this should help you, especially if you are intent in combating the villain up close. Just be careful, and hand me the stake so I can pierce it's heart if I see the chance.

Spoiler

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So according to your sheet you have 22 HP at the moment, out of a max 34? Fr 7 minutes you have an extra 2/HD, with a corresponding +2 to fortitude saves and concentration checks.

My blast is Searing Light, 7d8 damage of bright ass light with a range of 170 ft. I only have a +6 to ranged attacks.

[ilinares]

Theo and Yara prowl through the half-finished corridors, many of them roofless, following the route reported by the psicrystal. The floor is thick with dust and debris, the walls shivering at the slightest vibration, not yet structurally sound.

Yara's psicrystal reports that Calartes is kneeling in the small room he brought his victim to - an administrative area, more finished than the rest and littered with plans, tools, and seating. It seems to have been the site foreman's office. Now, it is the site of a foul murder.

Calartes seems to be studying his spellbook, unaware of your approach. By your best guess, you are now sixty feet from his location.

Spoiler: OOC

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8 rounds left on Righteous Wrath. Please roll initiative.

[Timble]

Yara advances through the halls until she is roughly 40ft from Calartes. In preparation for combat, she adds a layer of acid to her sickle.

Spoiler: OOC

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I am reading this as we can't yet see him with the psicrystal reporting his position. If we can see him The acid bit will instead be during preparation and Yara will instead charge. Rolling for the current action move silent: (1d20-1)[10]

[gallagher]

Theo follows closely behind. No doubt Calartes still had an interest in the giantess, and there seemed to be personal issue between the two of them. Still, Theo would not lag behind and allow Yara to take the brunt of the creature's wrath. With what time he has before they see the vampire, Theo casts a quick protection spell upon himself, should he need to put himself between the two.

Spoiler

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Shield of Faith giving Theo a +3 deflection bonus

[ilinares]

Inside, outside your line of sight but recorded by the psicrystal, the vampire Calartes abruptly looks up. Snapping his spellbook closed, he backpedals a step and casts a spell; for a second, his limbs are sheathed in hard planes of greenish light, which then becomes invisible to the naked eye.

Spoiler: Initiative

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7 rounds left on Righteous Wrath. Yara has initiative, but feel free to post in either order since you both act before Calartes.

[gallagher]

Theo, aware that Calartes now knows of their presence, moves swiftly to keep an advantage over the vile creature. It just fed, so he knows it has regained some of it's strength, and a stunning blow early to it could score an early point against the vampire.

Theo releases a quick blessing from his Goddess and dashes perpendicular to the vampire, both to gain a line of sight and to open up a lane to charge at the vampire at his next opportunity. Once an opening presents itself, Theo releases a blast of holy light aimed squarely at the corpse of Calartes.

Spoiler

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Swift Action - Law Devotion, +3 ATK for a minute
Move Action - Moving
Standard Action - Searing Light. Shooting (1d20+9)[11] on his touch AC for (7d8)[36] damage (as it is an undead that is vulnerable to bright light, as described on the SRD).

Also, to identify the spell, (1d20+5)[13]

Let me know if the movement I have describes is not possible, and I can change up my actions to better fit the battle setting

[ilinares]

Moving past the doorway, Theo gets the vampire lined up squarely in his sights and unleashes a bolt of holy light intense enough to rip most undead apart.

But for all his bulk, Calartes has the unnatural reflexes of his kind. Twisting at the last instant, he avoids the ray and lands on all fours, insect-like, staring with venomous hate at the Knight.

"You're not who I was expecting," he hisses.

[gallagher]

You make an alliance with a great enemy of my Goddess and her faithful, and you do not expect to incur her wrath? Theo asked with malice dripping from his voice, as he brandishes his hammer in preparation for the fight ahead. So long as you exist on this earth, you will be hunted. Accept your fate, and I can hasten your passage into the next world.

[Timble]

"Who were you expecting?" the giant Yara asks nonchalantly as she rounded the corner. Using her fast movement and longer reach, she hoped to catch him by surprise.

Spoiler: OOC

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Sickle attack: (1d20+5)[11]
Damage: (2d6)[9]
psionic (2d6)[11]
acid(4d6)[14]
and finally, happy Easter

[ilinares]

Moving with unnatural speed, the vampire evades Yara's sickle. Scuttling back five feet, he draws himself up, sculpting arcane forces with his hands as he hisses an incantation. A corona of barely perceptible yellow flame forms around his hands - then sprays out towards you, the intense heat washing over you. It is a spell you have seen from him before - and last time, he used it slaughter half a dozen brave allies, including Lifewardens, Knights of the Soaring Eagle, and city guards.

Spoiler: Blast of Flame

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30 fire damage each. Reflex DC 18 for half.

"Why, Yara - I was waiting for you, of course. Did you forget that, in life, I was preoccupied with the God of Psionics? I knew just what this crystal was when I saw it, and who must have planted it. Luring you here was child's play - and now, with my allies on hand, I will lay claim to the Tome and to you."

He looks up, clearly expecting something to happen - but nothing does, except that the sound of battle elsewhere reaches your ears.

[gallagher]

Theo springs forward, working his way around Yara and getting into striking range of the vampire, yet leaving enough room to the side that Yara can do the same.

And where could these allies be? Theo says with a bit of grim humor, comforted by the foresight in asking Lothrain and Eldon to join the fight. He digs his heels back, allowing power to rise up from the ground and strike through his hammer in a mighty swing.

Your allies have their own existence to worry about. Like Zurkul before them, all evil will fall, nomatter their number. And you are next. The Good and the Just prevail.

Spoiler

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Mountain Hammer to overcome DR and all that, power attack for 5. No full attack this time

(1d20+10)[27] for (1d8+16)[23] plus (2d6)[8] damage

[ilinares]

Drawing on all the strength of his body and the power granted by his Goddess, Theo smites Calartes with a mighty overhand blow. Bone shatters, organs rupture, and the heavily injured vampire staggers in place. His eyes are wide with panic, darting left and right in search of an escape - or perhaps looking for the allies that have yet to surface.

Despite wounds that would incapacitate a living creature, Calartes struggles on - and you know from grim experience that, with even a little time to recover, he will soon be entirely healed. That, and the knowledge that he will rise again if healed, means that this mage can be relied upon to fight to the moment of its destruction.

[Timble]

Barely standing after the attack, Yara knew she wouldn't survive much more and she also couldn't leave a fight this important.
Stumbling towards Calartes, she knew what to do. She had planned to use the demonic bargain inside the vampires lair, but if they were all here...
Your time starts now demon, Yara thinks to it. Work towards my interests and you can spend even longer in this world fighting vampires and I'll work more closely with you. Work against me and you won't be let out again.
Reaching Calartes, she gasps and releases control to the demon.

Spoiler: OOC

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Reflex save: (1d20+1)[12]

[ilinares]

Spoiler: Yara

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Time seems to slow, then stop altogether for those around you. Before your eyes, the demon appears, once again wearing your face - but now shackled, chained.

It extends its arms to you, showing you a heavy iron padlock - and you feel the weight of a key against your chest, like a stone block weighing you down.

It is not without a twinge of doubt that you lift the key from around your neck. Can this demon even be trusted this far? What assurances do you have that you can, as it were, put the genie back in the bottle after this?

But your decision is made. The key goes into the lock with a heavy crack, as of fracturing ice. You turn it...

And then you are falling, endlessly plummeting into an infinite abyss, bereft of light and sound - until at last you know no more.

Spoiler: Theo

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Your hammer flares into life, a miniature sun in your hand, so bright Calartes draws back with a hiss.

But it is not the vampire that has prompted this.

Before your horrified gaze, Yara’s body contorts and expands, flesh splitting, a terrible new form ripping its way out of her skin. The beast - the demon, surely - is the size of an ogre, with pallid, hairless flesh, elongated limbs more to the proportions of an ape than a human, sinister claws,and blazing crimson eyes. A sigil in flame blazes from its brow, and the odour of brimstone and burnt flesh accompanies its appearance.

But the most striking feature of the demon is its enormous brain, flowing out from the top of its skull and down over its shoulders, pulsating pinky to the rhythm of its heart. A lattice of bone and a thin, translucent membrane covers the organ, protecting it from harm.

The demon stretches, oversized mouth gaping from ear to ear, revealing several rows of jagged teeth like those of a shark.

“Ah,” it remarks, looking at Theo and ignoring the vampire for now. “I see my host has put me in an awkward position. Well, Champion of Charis, it seems in both our interests to agree a short truce. If I kill you, my host would be far less cooperative; and if you destroyed this shell, it is my host who would perish.

“No, let us instead crush this cockroach that keeps plaguing us. I shall then take my host away, avoiding unpleasant confrontations with your erstwhile allies, and return her to you in time to go after the nest. I will even hand her back to you with all the psionic power she enjoyed during the skirmish with your Black Wyverns - would that not be an asset indeed?”

The demon abruptly snaps its head to face Calartes. You have the unsettling sensation it is reading his thoughts.

”No, little cockroach - you cannot be allowed to flee.” Its massive brain pulsates, and a dazed look comes over Calartes’ features. He lowers his hands, raised to sculpt the beginnings of a spell, and stands bemused.

”There,” the demon says with satisfaction. ”I have shut down its higher brain functions. It can still defend itself, but it will not be attacking us or casting spells for the time being.

“Now, what say you, Champion?”