Wastes of Shello - Group 2

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Vega can see a bit better from this distance, it seems all the houses visible despite the fog are in a state similar to the gates; broken, decayed and completely abandoned.

[The Demented One]

As Vega flies up, she hears the sound of shattering glass, and sees a man leap through a window, flailing in the air, before landing just by the gates. "My god, you're alive!" the man shouts in surprise. He is a short, weedy figure, his body draped in a white labcoat several sizes too large for him. His eyes are covered by smoked-glass goggles, which have an array of colored lenses of varying sizes hanging in front of them, suspended on clockwork mechanisms.

"There's something following me, you all need to run. This city's become a breeding ground for the dead, so to speak, must be something to do with the essence cascade of negative energy throughout the local leylines." A strange device is strapped to his back, and he reaches for it, pulling it off. It resembles a lute, but it is made of metal, and has a strangely curved shape. The instrument, if that is what it is, has no strings: instead, five buttons of various metals run down its neck, and a clockwork mechanism like an elongated switch sits in the middle of its body. He holds the strange lute, which leaks steam through various pipes emanating from its neck, and reaches into his coat, pulling out a sleek metallic instrument that resembles a handbow, but without arms or quarrel.

"I think it might be a good idea if we all got ready to, you know, draw our bloodied steel and fight desperately against the undying horrors of the netherworld, all that breed of stuff."

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

Suddenly, there's a shaking in the ground, a sound that reminds you of an avalanche echoes through the area. There's an explosive burst which smashes through the wall that once held the window the new man threw himself out of. Through it is a terrible cascade of old bones of all types falls out like an avalanche, including the very large skull of some draconic creature. They fall to the ground nearby but even as the bones continue to flow it begins merging into one being, somewhat snake-like in appearance with the large draconic skull taking on the role of the beasts head. It bellows with an incredible unholy noise like the sounds of hundreds of the dead being tortured in Baator.

Initiative

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Taraliel - 24
Nestarion - 23
Vega - 22
Dr. Abney - 20
Bone beast - 16
Gale - 14
Astrus - 9
Derham - 8

Map coming soon, feel free to have a reaction post.

[Regord_Silentflame]

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(1d20+7)[18] Knowledge religion for the off-chance I know what this is

Derham readies himself at the feel of the earth quaking beneath him. As the bone creature rises up again after its fall, he stares at it in reverent horror, muttering under his breath
"To see such abominations on this side of the battlefield is bitter irony. My lord Adamus, grant me the power to atone for my transgressions, and save these innocents from falling the way of so many others.

He takes a leap forward, his aura flickering about him. He shouts to the others without turning his head.
"CAREFUL MY COMPANIONS, REMAIN SAFE AS I BLOCK THE CREATURE'S PASSAGE He takes a defensive stance, rooting his feet to the ground and staring unblinking at the undead serpent, waiting to react to the creature's assault.

[Adumbration]

Gale takes a step back in surprise, throwing his hands in front of him, preparing to fight for his life once more on this desolate place.

[The Demented One]

The new arrival takes his strange steam-lute in both hands, beginning to play. His the fingers of his right hand fly over its neck, depressing and releasing the buttons in melodic patterns, while he strums at the clockwork switch with his left. The sound that comes from the machine is that of an array of steam-pipes cleverly set up to mimic the sound of strummed strings. As he plays, an aura of grey light begins to coalesce around the steam-lute. Then, with a mighty strum, he releases it, sending arcing bolts of positive energy that fly to the weapons of his newfound companions, causing them to shine with light.

OOC

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Using Thaumaturgic Rhapsody to cast Lesser Weapon Augment on Astrus's greatsword, Nestarion's katana, and his own death ray. All these weapons gain the undead bane special ability for as long as he plays, and for 5 rounds thereafter.

[Jack Mann]

"Ah. Unfortu...nate, but-not-un...foreseen, gentlemen. I imagine that you al...so imagined we might-see undead again, and-so did... I. I-am not unprepared for this... contingency." He guides the spectral bull up and back from the creature, then up again and towards it. As he moves, he speaks, making gestures with his free hand. "Con...tingency, from-the middle elvish contigere, to-touch closely. Yet, with such asss these, I've-found it best to 'void close... contact. Poisons, energy drain, and disease, especially... disease. Soap! Soap kills it! I've seen! My eyes see more clearly than you know. I've seen the disease, the life under life! It spreads touch for touch, breath for breath, seeping, finding, killing, but it can be killed! Soap, heat, or spells, it can be defeated!" As he speaks, his hand begins to glow, and a halo of bluish light appears around his head.

"From my hand will come the cure," he says. "My magic is our ward." The light intensifies, and then, in a flash, discharges at all members of the group.

"My eyes see the Sparrow's Fall! My breath restores its flight! I am Taraliel du Shorning, master of the gates of life!"

[Jack Mann]

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Whoops, forgot to mention what I'm doing...

First, Taraliel's active spells from the morning are phantom bull, armor of darkness, mass conviction, and heroes feast. Mass conviction and heroes feast give everyone +5 morale bonus to saves, +1 morale bonus to attacks, immunity to fear and poison, and (1d8+9)[11] temporary hit points.

He moved the bull back and around in as tight a loop as he can to gain about fifty feet of altitude. He has just cast haste on the group. +1 to attack, +1 dodge to AC and reflex, +30 feet to movement.

Also, while we're on the subject, Religion - (1d20+30)[46]. This is just for identification, since he used his move action to get the bull where he needed to.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The beast doesn't seem to pay any attention to the bull-riding elf, the sound of bones creaking is heard with every movement it makes.

Nestarion's turn.

If he can't post in a day or so I'll NPC him.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The great and powerful horned creature rushes the bone creature, holding his ancient blade at the beast, striking with all of his might while barely avoiding the lashes of the beasts jaws and tail. His blade connects with the solid bone of the monster, not cutting as deep as he would have against normal flesh, but still leaving a vicious mark.

Vega's Turn.

[Ellas Aramond]

"This entire land is plagued." the bird-like woman says angrily, looking down upon the beast. "Best get started then."

After a quick prayer to her god, the light of divine fire illuminates the area as the divine magic falls towards the undead.

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Casting another purified flame strike.

(12d6)[44]

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

OOC: Um, crap... slight delay. I can't seem to find my copy of Libris Mortis. Give me a little bit and I'll find it.

[The Demented One]

The labcoat-adorned interloper keeps playing his song, the strange melody of steam and cogs pulsing in an atonal cascade. In his strumming hand, he also holds a strange implement, seemingly like a hand crossbow, but made of sleek reflective metal, and lacking any cross-arms or bolt. As the Doctor plays, he mutters to himself.

"Let's see. Somewhere around two thousand kilograms, if it's just humanoid bone, surface area of...bollocks, I don't know. Assuming a fixed range beam with the polarity reversed, it should take just a little bit of–"

Mid-strum, he lifts the silver implement, points it at the undead, and pulls the trigger. A beam of green light lances out from the death ray, aimed straight for the mass of bones.

OOC

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Swift action to maintain bardic music.

Firing the death ray, expending a 4th-level infusion to power it. DC 21.

Ranged Touch Attack
(1d20+14)[34]

Damage (Failed Save)
(12d6)[47]

Damage (Successful Save)
(7d6)[33]

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The holy fire fires down from the mist above the beast like the wrath of the gods. The beast roars and it's bones are singed and some fall off in crumbles. It bellows in an unholy way yet again.
Once the green beam of light collides with the bones of the creature aswell, and much of the body falls apart into ash. Suddenly, though, bones begin to rip themselves up from the ground and reabsorbs into the body of the monster. It suddenly lurches forward, roar not in pain, but in aggression.
It's jaws latch around the body of the half-devil that stands before him, having previously sliced a bit of it's bones off of it. Blood drains down his already red body and suddenly you hear a sick cracking as he shouts in sheer agony((24 damage, 5 Str damage, 6 Dex damage and 9 Con damage, he's also grappled)). The creature then pulls it off the ground, the fiend bound in the bone creatures jaws.

Gale's Turn.

[Adumbration]

Deciding that this battle perhaps requires few protective measures, Gale changes the spell he is weaving in mid-stride. Suddenly (1d4+5)[6] images of Gale appear around him, and they mingle in each other, hiding the original one.

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Casting mirror image.

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The beast doesn't seem to notice the new images of Gale sprout up as Astrus charges the beast with sword in hand. The shining blade seems to shine even more as it's own holy light seems to be suffused into it. The blade swings several times, but only his second strike hits the beast, cracking more bone from the creature's body.

Derham's turn.

[Regord_Silentflame]

"This ends now. Great and just Adamus, grant me the power to rid the world of this foul creature before it can spread more fear and taint." Derham speaks his short prayer then lunges at the foul creature, diving to the ground and rolling across the dirt, only to spring up at the very end, his fist crashing into the creature's bones, sending blinding flashes of red and white flames from his fists into the undead snake.

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Move 20ft, then tumble 20ft
(1d20+8)[18] tumble check
(1d20+31)[48] Attack Roll
(18d6+7)[79] Half fire, half divine damage
(3d6+69)[80] Fist Damage, considered a +3 weapon, and good (not sure how I typed 69, I meant 6, so -63 damage)
+15 damage from smite
(1d4)[1] Nimbus damage

125 damage total

[Krimm_Blackleaf]

The hellbred warriors runs and then dodges through the reach of the beast as it bellows at Astrus' attack against it. The unarmed warrior then leaps forward at it with fist held back, which then thrusts forward and connects with the monster's nose. Light seems to shine through the crack on the tip of it and surges through it's entire body suddenly. It then explodes in a rain of now bleached bone-fragments and from it's core there's a shell of golden light that expands outward quickly which seems to crack a small crater in the ground right below it. All of this seems to ripple the air and give a deafening rumble.

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750 XP each.

[Regord_Silentflame]

Derham plants himself fermly back on the ground, the bleached bones scattering about him. He brushes some cracked bone off his fist, and turns around, taking sight of the rest of the group Are you all alright? Does anyone need some aid?

[Jack Mann]

"Nes...turion shall need-some restoration, but I... can hannndle that. There may also... be-more of these creatures. Boneyards, they're-called. Should we encounter... any more, avoid close contact, as I said. It-gets very messy. The tiny... animals. That I spoke-of. Dirty things. Disease. They cause it, like I said. You can't see it, but I... can, and it's a problem, I-tell you." He looked at the bones. "I... apologize. I ramble. The... most important thing-is that these creatures... like to remove bones from others. Unfortunate. One should... endeavor to keep one's internal skeletal system... internal. Barring arthropods, natur...ally. Lacking any-insects in our group... or spiders, better to work at-a distance. Yes? Yes." He then walked up to Nesturion. He pulled out a bar of soap, wet it with a cloth, and cleaned a portion of the half-fiend's shoulder. He placed his hand on the spot and began to mutter. "The positive energy plane... is one of the building-blocks. Essential elements. Balance with the higher planes, the-outer, and you have... the Prime. Touch here, and... shift!" A warm light spread from his hand to Nesturion's wounds, soothing them, smoothing them away. His bones, broken and deformed by the boneyard's pull, began to reform themselves, until they were once again in the proper shape. This was possibly a painful experience, but a brief one, as Nesturion's body became whole once again.

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Whoops, forgot that heal can fix ability damage. One fixer-upper coming up!

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* post roll count doesn't match database

[The Demented One]

The stranger holsters his death ray at his waist, and slings his bizarre steam-lute over his back. He stretches out two hands clad in long, black gloves, and begins clapping vigorously.

"Oh, fantastic! Well done all of us, a great victory for Science!" He kneels over the remains of the undead hulk, and begins examining them, sifting shards of bone through his fingers. "If I could just recompose the necromantic matrix over a phased-spell array, integrate the differential point charge of mana over the metaphysical surface....with a quick bit of necrocalculus and a good massacre, I could have a fortress of unliving bone! And then I could rule..."

He cuts himself off, blushing. "Ah, sorry about that. I do tend to ramble. My name is Doctor Johannes Calgori Abney the Seventh, Professor of...well, at the moment, just about everything. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

[Regord_Silentflame]

"I am glad that we came in time to prevent any harm from coming to you sir. Would you by chance know if this settlement here has stocks of hardwood, nails, or other supplies to fix a sailing vessel?