Madness in Crawling Flesh IC 2

[Mahrke]

Razia frowns. Her eyes roam the other contents of the room. Gory, defiled, works of insanity. She didn't have the reflexive distaste for it all. No gut instinct told her this was -wrong-. Just...tools. Magic that, like her heritage, was often wielded for ill. She had to believe it could be wielded for better purposes as well. She looks at her sword, the blade still dripping vicious, darkened blood, supped from its most recent victim.

She approaches the wall, and stabs into the steel with Thirst, hacking out a divot to test the depth of the metal as she reaches out with more detail. <That makes senses. It looks like she is crystallizing. Her skin...long-term, is this dangerous? It can be undone?> A pause. <Please tell me Quincy can transmute that door open?>

[Jeff the Green]

<Once you reverse it, it's truly reversed,> Hyacinth assures Razia. <No lingering effects. It's just stasis. The problem is that there's no lucky shots involved in reversing it. You have to be stronger than the manifester who changed her.>

<The door's a simpler matter,> he continues. <Our flamboyant captain is tired, but pretty confident he can change it. What do you feel like this time? Papier mache? Origami? Pudding?>

[Lateral]

Spoiler: Razia

Show

From your cuts, it appears that the iron coating on the wall is only about an inch thick. Past that, it's all the same stone as the rest of the caverns.

[Mahrke]

<Surprise me.> The reply is flat as she inspects the wall, taking the time to sheath her sword. <Scratch that. Something easy to carry. That door is made out of mithril and adamantine, yeah? Worth a pretty penny if we make off with it.>

[Jeff the Green]

Hyacinth turns to Quincy. "I think she's ready to come out now," he informs him. "Can you turn the door into something light and easy to abscond with?"

[stack]

Just changing shape, rather save the effort it would take to change the material." He lays a hand on the door and chants as nothing happens.

Spoiler

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using soulfire feat + burning lore, 2 Con burn, pays for the 1 SP cost, CL25 forge + potent alteration

A more drained Quincy curses. "Warded powerfully. I can try again."

[stack]

"Here goes nothing."

Spoiler

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(1d20+25)[32]

The mithril and pretty much everything but any adamantine parts flows away from the door, forming into spheres with inset handles, dropping to the floor and rolling until they find their balance.

[Lateral]

Quincy's second attempt does it. The wall quickly warps into a number of convenient, easy-to-carry spheres, leaving only the adamantine key, which quickly drops to the floor with a loud CLANG.

In the distance, you can hear a faint thud, as that of a door slamming shut.

Spoiler: Razia

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You hear a loud clanging noise in the background, followed a moment later by the door behind you slamming shut. Before you have a chance to react, a figure jumps out of the shadows— a short one, with eyes you've seen before... in the Ghallanda enclave in Regalport. This is the third time Aliss has engaged a member of your group in combat, and both previous times, she stole someone dear to you. This is the first time you've fought her yourself. She drives her open hands into your abdomen, striking at pressure points you didn't know you had, and you can feel the strength starting to drain from your muscles. If you can't push through it... you may end up just like Arabella yourself.

Spoiler: Surprise round

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(1d20+35)[54] touch for no damage and a DC 37 Fort save vs. paralysis. (1d20+35)[47] for the same thing.

[Lateral]

Character	Initiative
Hyacinth	MAX((1d20+24)[32],(1d20+24)[32])
Quincy	(1d20+5)[9]
Mal	(1d20+4)[12]
Razia	(1d20+5)[9] plus (2d6b1)[5]
Enemies	(1d20+31)[45]

[Lateral]

Aliss curses under her breath as she sees you resist her first strike. She quickly follows up with a flurry of similar strikes, aiming at points all over your body.

Spoiler

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(1d20+35)[40] touch.
(1d20+35)[39] touch.
(1d20+30)[43] touch.
(1d20+25)[41] touch.

The first one that hits applies a -8 STR penalty and makes you exhausted (total -14 STR, -6 DEX). Any further that hit force a DC 35 (not 37) Fort save vs. paralysis. If you're paralyzed before the last one, any after you're paralyzed are not touch attacks and do damage I'll roll in Discord.

[Mahrke]

Razia grits her teeth, enduring the assault that seems to turn blood to ice. Weakness saps at her muscles, makes her slower. Enfeebled. "You would have gotten me two years ago Aliss." She speaks softly, her ruby eyes affixed upon her foe. "I'd be on the floor, helpless. Helpless like Holly was. Arabella." A flick of her eyes to the crystalline figure as she draws Mercy into an open hand. Another step back. Smaller daggers unsheath into her waiting palms, all four arms wielding her weapons of choice. "I was weaker then. Demons aren't flesh and blood...not really. We're feelings made real. Lust. Jealousy. Hatred." Another step, as she circles. "That's all I was, before Holly." She stop her movement. A tenseness. A bowstring pulled taught, ready to snap. "But I'm not going to put you down because I hate you, Aliss. I'm doing this because I love her." In that moment she dashes forward, dipping low, before rising, sword-points first, to hew her fated antagonist.

~

Razia reaches out across the distance as buys time, monologuing with Aliss as only a former villain could. <Aliss is here. Paralyzing touch, dangerous. Door closed, probably locked or warded. Hurry.>

Spoiler: Actions

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Free: 10' step to the north (Tumble: (1d20+35)[49] + AP if needed (2d6b1)[5] v. DC 40)
Full Round: Full Attack Aliss

Spoiler

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Effects: GMW (+4 attack/damage), Heroism (+2 attack), Temporary Negative Level (-1 attack)

Thirst 1 (Improv 6): Attack of (1d20+38)[45], dealing (1d10+19)[28] slashing damage, (2d6)[8] fire damage, one negative level, and inflicting 2 bleed.
Mercy 1 (Improv 6): Attack of (1d20+38)[50], dealing (1d10+19)[28] + (5d6)[16] nonlethal slashing damage, (2d6)[12] fire damage, and inflicting 2 bleed.
Right Short Sword (Improv 6): Attack of (1d20+38)[44], dealing (1d10+19)[26] slashing damage, (2d6)[5] fire damage, and inflicting 2 bleed.
Right Short Sword (Improv 6): Attack of (1d20+38)[43], dealing (1d10+19)[28] slashing damage, (2d6)[7] fire damage, and inflicting 2 bleed.
Thirst 2 (Smite): Attack of (1d20+43)[62], dealing (1d10+26)[32] slashing damage, (2d6)[7] fire damage, one negative level, and inflicting 2 bleed.
Mercy 2 (Smite): Attack of (1d20+43)[56], dealing (1d10+26)[36] + (5d6)[16] nonlethal slashing damage, (2d6)[4] fire damage, and inflicting 2 bleed.
Thirst 3: Attack of (1d20+22)[24], dealing (1d10+19)[20] slashing damage, (2d6)[12] fire damage, one negative level, and inflicting 2 bleed.
Mercy 3: Attack of (1d20+22)[29], dealing (1d10+19)[23] + (5d6)[13] nonlethal slashing damage, (2d6)[11] fire damage, and inflicting 2 bleed.

Thirst Conductive (Energy Drain): On the first Thirst attack to hit, inflict a negative level.

Four-Weapon Rend: If all four weapons hit with at least one attack, inflict an additional (4d6+42)[54] damage.

[Lateral]

Aliss deftly bobs and weaves around your first two strikes. Your second strike with Thirst, well-aimed and charged with holy power, nearly catches her— but with an expertly timed tumble, she ducks under the blade, slipping just out of reach. As she does so, a wry smile spreads across her face. "You know, I knew from the beginning that you'd be the most trouble. 'S why I went after your little girlfriend first, and your other little girlfriend second. Still, you're even sturdier than I thought."

[Mahrke]

Razia lunges to extend her reach as much as she can, but swipes only at empty air. It wasn't enough, the halfling hopping too far back. Razia lurches back in an attempt to avoid retaliation as she speaks. "Trying to isolate me, then? Bad news, Aliss; I -still- have friends." She grins viciously. "Was Xinnwuvyr -your- friend, Aliss? Did you depend on him?"

[stack]

Quincy rushes don the hallway, but cannot bring the door in range in time to act.

Spoiler

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double move, 60' total. It would be in create range, but not alter range.

[Khosan]

Mal barrels down the hallway, taking another deep breath and unleashing a barrage of...nothing. Hypersonic sound waves aren't known for their high visibility, though the intense pressure does have some rather significant effects on the surroundings - rocks are blown aside, cracks form in the ceiling and walls, the echo is almost deafening and you can still feel the ground rumbling for a few seconds after.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move Action: Mal moves to the door
Standard Action: Mal breathes at the door dealing Sonic Damage - (10d6)[34]

[Lateral]

The intense pressure of Mal's sonic breath weapon propagates towards the door at, well, the speed of sound. You hear a loud "WHUD", bits of rock from the floor and ceiling fly everywhere... but the door still stands, seemingly unharmed.

[Jeff the Green]

Hyacinth, a bit slow on the uptake this time, zips around the corner and down the hall, stopping at the door. "How did you miss with a shout?" he asks Mal.

Spoiler: OOC

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Double move to right at the door.

[Lateral]

"...Heh." A small chuckle escapes the side of Aliss's lips. "Sorry, you're not gonna get a rise out of me that easily. Xinnwuvyr was a rash fool, he deserved what he got. His fault we're even in this mess, y'know. Employing you people was his idea. Didn't work out that well for us, I'll admit." She skips forward a bit, closing to within spitting distance, and looks up at you, her smile souring."All the more reason why I need to eliminate you now." Her fists begin flying again— no surgical strikes to the pressure points this time, just powerful, driving blows.

Spoiler

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5' step in, full attack.
(1d20+35)[51] for (2d6+21)[28]
(1d20+35)[49] for (2d6+21)[29]
(1d20+30)[49] for (2d6+21)[24]
(1d20+25)[26] for (2d6+21)[27]

Her attacks bypass your DR.

[Mahrke]

Razia endures the blows, each sending off shattered sparks of magic as they breach her mystic shields. She can feel ribs crack. She hops back, her short-swords clattering to the ground. "Going easy on me?" She spits, blood spilling from her lips. "I think I know the -real- reason you went for Holly and Arabella." She almost purrs, grinning, locking the halfling's eyes with her own fiery embers. "You have a chance, you know. You could beg for forgiveness. Drop to your knees, and maybe I'd show you what its like, -love-. A night with me. Were you jealous of that bar-girl? Is that what set all this off?" She taunts, slipping Mercy into it's sheath. "I could give your life meaning, little infiltrator. Passion. I could fill your void, Aliss."

~

<She hits hard. Mind like a diamond, too, but not entirely immune. Can you break the ****ing door down already and stop with the knocking?> She mentally shouts at her allies.

Spoiler: Actions

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Free: 5' step away
Swift: Smoldering Gaze

Spoiler

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Effect: Make a Will save (DC 31) or be forced to move towards Razia, carressing and fawning over her for (1d3)[2] rounds. Success reduces to sickened for duration.

Move: Monologue
Standard: Ready Arcane Fusion v. approach

Spoiler

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Spells: Improvisation, Wings of Flurry
Targets: Self (Improvisation), Door (Wings), Aliss (Wings)
Effect: Gain Improvisation buff. Inflict 85 force damage to Aliss and Door and daze. Reflex (DC 28) halves damage and negates daze.

[Jeff the Green]

Hyacinth reaches to open the door, but is stopped several inches from it. He reaches out to try to disrupt it, but it is too powerful for him to force through. <There's a force barrier, and I can't remove it,> he tells Razia, chagrin plainly audible. <You said your teleportation had failed?>

[Mahrke]

<Yes.> She replies.

[stack]

Quincy closes, peering through the dust Mal's shout kicked up. "A door is no stronger than the wall it is attached to. The stone appears to have taken damage, so...Let's see..." He eyes up the stone and begins a chant.

Spoiler

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forge on the stone to make it into spheres, hopefully enough will roll off that the door will fall on its own.

1 SP, huge object's worth of material

[Khosan]

"In much the same way as one might miss the handle!" The pudgy dragon retorts just before he forces himself through the new passages his little human friend opened for him.

Emerging on the other side, Mal immediately tends to Razia's wounds.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move Action: Mal moves behind Razia
Standard Action: Mal casts Heal on Razia
Swift Action: Mal begins his Aggressive Flanking tactic

[Lateral]

"What, seriously? For a succubus, you sure aren't great at picking a mark. I mean, you know I stole this body, right? I don't even have—"

Aliss's comeback is interrupted by the walls peeling away around the door, and by Mal diving through the breach. She swears under her breath. "Damn, you're here already? Thought I'd have more time." In an instant, she dives to the side, nimbly dodging the wings that erupt from Razia's back, and jabs her open hands into Razia's and Hyacinth's spines before leaping backwards and dashing down the hall.

Spoiler: OOC

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Dodge-roll around, touch attacks to Razia and Hyacinth, dash up the hall.

Razia: (1d20+35)[46] touch for DC 35 Fort or paralyzed.
Hyacinth: (1d20+35)[44] touch for DC 35 Fort or paralyzed.

[Mahrke]

Razia dips from throwing her shower or arcane energy into another spell. Familiar, defensive. She raises a hand, as if bracing to block the halfling's blow. The air crackles with luminescent force...but her attacks still land. Razia flinches, her eyes flicking to Hyacinth for a moment, before she smiles.

She's encased the trio in a half-globe of shielding energy, cutting off Aliss' escape. "Going somewhere?"

[Lateral]

Aliss bumps into the barrier, but quickly rolls back into a fighting stance, dusting herself off. Her smile has disappeared. "Well, if this is how you want to play it... fine. Let's go."

[Jeff the Green]

Hyacinth gives the née-halfling a predatory grin. "Glad we could finally meet, Aliss," he says. "I believe you're familiar with a friend of mine, Ivello. You and Xynny killed him." He channels arcane power from his body through his whip, which lashes out Aliss's ankles.

Spoiler: OOC

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Standard: Cast calcific touch. (1d20+33)[48] touch plus Sickening Grasp (DC 32), (1d4)[2] Dexterity damage, (1d6)[5] sneak attack damage, Gloom Strike, and slowed 1 round (Fort DC 30 negates slow).
Move: It's Behind You (vestige ability). Teleport into other square adjacent to Aliss. Unless her Perception beats (1d20+39)[52], she's flat-footed to my next attack.
Swift: Quickened synchronicity.
Standard: Cast touch of Vecna. (1d20+48)[68] touch (using IP) plus Sickening Grasp (DC 32), (1d8+10)[15] damage, (1d6)[3] sneak attack damage, shaken 1 round, Gloom Strike, and paralyzed (Fort DC 31 negates

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[Lateral]

On the first strike, Aliss catches the whip and pulls, stepping sideways while dragging you to the ground in her former space. The second whip strike, however, smacks her right in the face, and her body immediately goes rigid.

[Mahrke]

Razia drops Thirst, drawing Mercy in a smooth stroke as she looms over the halfling, clasping it in all four hands, point down. "I want you to remember this moment, Aliss. You had a chance to end this. To bend the knee and beg for forgiveness." Her voice is cold as she plunges the blade down, stabbing into the flesh of the halfling. It shimmers with a radiant, passing into her body without drawing blood, depriving her of strength and consciousness with a sapping, holy energy.

She pulls back the blood, eyes flicking to Hyacinth as her shield begins to crumble into shimmering magical particulate, dismissed. "They shouldn't have ****ed with the people we love." She says solemnly, before turning her gaze to Arabella. "We should get her to the others. And deal with the troll."

[stack]

Quincy leans a hand against the tunnel wall to steady himself. "Think there are many more?"