Auromar: Beginnings and Endings (IC4)

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Hist cries out as Dothen's arm is severed. His head twitches between Dothen on one hand, and the Temple on the other.

Do you hear...?

Shut it. We're fighting. Anything else can wait.

Can you guys handle things out here?

[Toliudar]

Reid

From inside the temple, Reid shouts: Focus on the task at hand. Something - I think it's Horace - is keeping the hound at bay inside here.

Even in the midst of this terrible battle, Reid winces at the terribleness of his inadvertant pun.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Hist nods.

Be careful.

That's two unexplained mystic effects here. And your honestly saying they aren't related...

Thinking later. Fighting now.

With a quick raise of the hand, his mystic flames flew into the face of the Hound next to him

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AL25 (1d20+8)[9] Attack

(5d6)[12] Damage

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

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HP: 63/63; AC: 22

"DOTHEN!" Grazys screams even as he directs a bolt of lightning at the beast that took the tiefling's arm.

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Standard: Lightning Strike: (4d6)[12]; electric, Ref DC 20.
Move to Dothen to drag him back into the circle if the Hound drops!
Awe of Dantalion.
Thought Travel. 8 uses left.

[Lochar]

Hist's blast splashes harmlessly on the ground in front of the blinded hound, not even breaking up the ground any.

Grazys fires off a bolt of lightning at the hound.

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Ref: (1d20+7)[9]

But the bolt is not strong enough to finish it off.

Kjapp delays, waiting to see if Anura moves, so he can move with her.

>>>>Init 6
Reid, flying high above the courtyard of the temple, sees the hound throw itself forward in the doorway, but something rebuffs it yet again.

<<<<End Round 9>>>>>

Anura:

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The spirits watching the walls of the temple seem to shudder, two of the six falling to their knees. All six are holding themselves, like they trying to keep something from wrenching away from them.

>>>>Init 25 (G1)

The high flying hounds turn in the air, rushing towards the temple, two of them bypassing Reid with the simple method of taking extra space to go around him. The third flies directly at Reid, since he had damaged it once before so it can attack him.

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Attack on Reid:
(1d20+19)[34]
CC: (1d20+19)[32]
D: (2d6+10)[16]
CD: (2d6+10)[15]

>>>>Init 24 (Anura)

[Toliudar]

Reid

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I think we lost Reid at the end of that round. Mind if I just put him in now?

Savaged by the hound, Reid struggles. He seems to pause for a moment, feeling the courage of the sun surge through him for a moment. He slashes out in return against the hound.

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Activating his Strength domain power to boost his strength for the round. Full attack, then encouraging the fly to take a 5' "step" east.

(1d20+14)[27] Attack 1
(1d20+14)[28] Attack 1 crit confirm (on 18-20)
(2d6+5)[10] Damage
(2d6+5)[15] Extra damage on crit

(1d20+9)[17] Attack 2
(1d20+9)[21] Attack 2 crit confirm (on 18-20)
(2d6+5)[9] Damage
(2d6+5)[13] Extra damage on crit

[Lochar]

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Reid's action last round had been to move the fly and mass clw. Which kept dothen alive. Also, the hounds you're attacking now would not have been near you during your init, as they moved during the new round.

[guardinal]

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Troll-Anura: 39/52, AC27 (touch 14, flat-footed 24)

Anu
"Reid, something is happening with the curse energy! The spirits are in pain!" the Anura-troll bellows out. "But I can only teleport myself and three others inside!"

With Dothen, Hist and Grazys still fully engaged in the battle, Anura shrugs helplessly at the delaying Kjapp. Withdrawing her ward would mean everyone else would be swiftly overwhelmed.

Leaving Dothen's rescue to the others, Anura flings her second and final flask of alchemist's fire at the blind hound, then stoops to retrieve her dropped dagger.

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ranged touch attack on AK-26: (1d20+3)[18]
(includes current dex bonus +3, -1 size, +1bless, -4 for ranged attack into melee, assuming that applies.)

damage (1d6)[3] fire, and also takes (1d6)[3] fire next round unless it douses the flames.

[Toliudar]

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Reid's action last round had been to move the fly and mass clw. Which kept dothen alive. Also, the hounds you're attacking now would not have been near you during your init, as they moved during the new round.

Then something's weird. The dogs drop the rock on Anura and Hist. Dothen heals Hist. Reid heals everyone. That was all round nine, yes? I thought that Dothen's jumping onto the hound, and the hound's retaliatory dismemberment was all round 10. What am I missing?

[Lochar]

Reid:

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Remember, your init is very low, although you posted your action very early. Dothen at init 20 tried his trick and got his arm grabbed for it. Init 14 before you all the hound bit the arm off. Init 8 Reid cast his mass heal and moved the fly.

Anura's fire catches on the hound, and Kjapp grimly nods as he pulls more arrows, firing at the hound that Dothen is riding on, praying to drop it so that Dothen can get back into the circle.

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Silvered arrows, full attacking for Kjapp as he requested.

A: (1d20+13)[29]
CC on 19-20: (1d20+13)[16]
D: (1d6+5)[10]
CD: (1d6+5)[6]

A: (1d20+13)[29]
CC on 19-20: (1d20+13)[31]
D: (1d6+5)[11]
CD: (1d6+5)[8]

A: (1d20+8)[15]
CC on 19-20: (1d20+8)[18]
D: (1d6+5)[8]
CD: (1d6+5)[6]

>>>>Init 20 (Dothen)

[Greyen]

Dothen

AIIEEE! Screaming like a scalded b!tch, the tiefling struggles to maintian consciousness. Reids quick healing is the only thing that saves his poor life. My Arm! You chomped off me arm! You overgrown poodle! Dothen continues to curse at the hound as he tries to hook his feet under its neck and bury his cleaver into its skull.

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HP-56/56 23subdual
AC 23/24

Attack: (1d20+10)[17]
CC(1d20+10)[22]
Damage(1d6+4)[6]
SA?(4d6)[9]

Hanging on for now.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Shi...

The rather bloodied Hist turned to Anura, Looking up at her Troll form's eyes, breathing heavily

Thought I heard something, but that was when the rock fell on me. I put it to the back of my mind. Dismissed it as hallucination. Stupid. Chanting. Probably some sort of ritu... al

At the al, another bolt of Ebon fire spat threw the air at the hound that had taken Dothen's arm off.

Gritting his teeth to focus thru the pain, Hist called out

Reid, how clear is the courtyard?

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(1d20+8)[20] Attack on the "Arm bighter"
(1d20+9)[19] CC
(5d6)[19] Damage

Move action for extra speach

[Lochar]

Dothen's cleaver fails to dig into the hound, sliding off the blood from the thief's stump and the hardened skin.

>>>>Init 14 (G2)

The hound carrying Dothen bucks and spins, looking for all the world like a raging bull for a moment. Dothen, having no true grip on the hound, is flung off.

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(1d9)[1]
Starting clock wise at AO21 to find what square Dothen is flung into. Update will finish on the next post

[Lochar]

Dothen is flung from his precarious seating behind the hound, further from the circle, but out of direct sight of the other hounds, thankfully.

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Taking an additional (1d6)[2] non-lethal as well

The other hound in the group lifts further into the air, and flies at Reid, but does not have enough movement to attack him as well.

>>>>Init 11, 8 (Hist, Grazys/Reid)

Hist's blast scorches the hound that threw Dothen, and he realizes another good hit or so will drop this hound as well.

[Grazys/Reid post and I will resolve.]

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

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HP: 63/63; AC: 22

The binder looks at the troll-shaped wizard. "Ready when ya're, Anura!" he says as he waits for her to move.

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Awe of Dantalion.
Thought Travel. 8 uses left.

[Toliudar]

Reid

Reid calls back to those outside.

No people in the courtyard. The hound has battered down the door, but I can't see past him into the temple. Anu, I might be able to come pick someone up, but they'd be easy targets if I were to try to get past these dogs into the temple. If Hist goes on his own, can Kjapp and Grazys grab Dothen to come with you? Also, I'm not sure I can handle these out here.

He seems to burst with addiitional light as he draws on Pelor's courage, and focuses on the hound savaging him, lashing out twice with his borrowed rapier.

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Well, I guess it wasn't so different after all. Reid's pretty much pinned down, and there's no way that Anura's going to be able to port him AND the fly, so for the time being...

He's still calling on the domain power and attacking twice. Lochar, your call as to whether you use the rolls I'm about to make, or go back to my previous ones.

(1d20+14)[20] Attack 1
(1d20+14)[31] Crit confirm on 18-20
(2d6+5)[8] Damage
(2d6+6)[13] Extra damage on crit


(1d20+9)[25] Attack 2
(1d20+9)[24] Crit confirm on 18-20
(2d6+5)[11] Damage
(2d6+6)[13] Extra damage on crit

[Lochar]

Grazys delays while Reid pierces the hound's flesh twice with the rapier, shredding it's skin, but not dropping it from the air yet.

>>>Init 6
Reid can see the hound again throw itself at the door, howling in frustration.

<<<<End Round 10>>>>

Anura:

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The spirits all drop to their knees for a moment, before vanishing completely. They appeared to be in extreme pain right before they did. You know your see invisibility spell is still working though.

>>>>Init 25 (G1)
The two hounds fly down and slam directly into the walls of the temple, but the walls are made of much thicker stone which easily shake off the hounds attempt to break it down.

The hound still in the air swipes at Reid, attempting to kill him.

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Attack on Reid: (1d20+19)[22]
CC: (1d20+19)[38]
D: (2d6+10)[15]
CD: (2d6+10)[15]

Oh how I wish I could actually trip you, but your mount is still protected. :P

>>>>Init 24 (Anura, Kjapp, Grazys, Dothen)

[Greyen]

Dothen

Still cursing Frakkking blood clots! Overgrown faerie cat toys! Dothen takes a moment to look around to see where his missing arm and the dagger are lying. He tries to squeeze himself back into the corner, pulling the shadows to him. As the shadows envolop him he goes quiet.

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Full Defensive AC 28/29 for the nearest hound
HP:56/56 30 subdual

5 ft step back away from the nearest hound into a shadowy corner hide (1d20+25)[27]

Spot (1d20+15)[25]

[guardinal]

Anu
Anura curses. "The spirits just collapsed in agony and disappeared," she calls out. "I'm teleporting in."

Anura reaches out to touch Hist, Kjapp and Grazys and invokes her 'teleport' spell, praying that she isn't giving up her ticket out of this mess for nothing.

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Note that anyone who decides they are 'unwilling' resist the spell automatically.

Anura is attempting to teleport into the main chamber of the temple, about 20ft. in from the door. If we get inside without mishap she will take a good look around, share what she sees, and try to position herself to block the hounds' entrance into the temple if there is an opportunity to do so.

Percentile roll (1d100)[92]

[Lochar]

Anura and those who wish to go with her vanish into the ether, travelling the short distance into the temple proper, bypassing the hounds around them, and those attempting to gain their own access into the temple.

When the group arrives, you are actually shifted a bit further inside the temple that Anura expected to be.

There are shouts of panic with the arrival of a troll in the midst of all the people that are using the temple as a refuge.

At the front of the temple, the pews have been stacked to provide some sort of small barrier. Beyond those, and on this side of the broken door, stands Father Horace and his two acolytes, along with the person Anura recognizes as the man she went to visit to talk to about the guards.

They are bracing themselves against the pews, and the hound is leaping at them, only to fall back after touching their skin. You recognize it as the effect of a protection from evil, and they are using the combination of the spell and their bodies to provide a physical barrier to the hound, something that it cannot pass, so long as they do not try to press forward either.

On the far end of the temple however, something different is going on. The symbol of Pelor has reverted back to that of the One. Anura's sight sees a spirit standing in front of the symbol. But it isn't as much of a spirit now, as it is a grotesque, bulging thing, that appears that it will explode from the husk of the spirit's self any moment.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Hist didn't expect that. Wha...

He doesn't understand in time to resist the spell though, He curses as he regains his ground.

Anura, will you ever...

He shuts up at the screams, though he gets the point quickly, and responds as calmly as he can.

It's all right. Don't worry, it's on our side.

No point in trying to explain.

He looks round and spots the warders. He just stares at them in astonishment, flinching as the hounds strike.

Wha... amazing. Simply amazing. Such courage...

Then he looks at the altar

Oh dear

With a few gestures, he invokes his most basic charm, whilst speaking, his face harder now.

My guess, the Curse included defense mechanisms. And this attack triggered one.

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Yeah, he's unwilling, but no tactical benefit to him staying, and he didn't see that coming, so I'm going to say he didn't understand in time to resist.

(1d20+5)[21] Spellcraft, after DM, on the altar. If possible, also moving away from it, towards the warders, whilst keeping in the 60ft range.

[Greyen]

Dothen (since I seem to be out of it a bit, for when his turn comes back around)

Dothen sits in the shadows a moment before trying to get into the church yard where he knows his friends are.

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Sneaking back to the church yard, double moving to stay out of reach of the hounds that are active.

[Toliudar]

Reid

Feeling Pelor's strength ebb from him again, Reid sets his face in determination as he prepares to face the hounds again. He is startled but relieved when he glances down and realizes that Anura, Hist, Kjapp, Dothen and Grazys have all disappeared. And then realizes that he was likely to again become the target of choice.

Ah well. Might as well turn that to a good thing. Better him than the people inside the temple.

Um. That's right, poochies! It's just you and me again. Want some tasty priest? Then come get him.

He directs the fly upwards, as steeply up as it can manage, and waves the rapier about with a flourish. He caps this gesture off by using the rapier to guide a bolt of light backwards at the hound that had been attacking him. The light that bathes Reid is diminished, but still brighter than the moon.

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This is all assuming that the hound doesn't somehow incapacitate Reid or cut off his escape route first. Also, not clear as to whether, if the fly does a withdraw action upwards, Reid also can't take other actions, can't take other actions until after the fly, or can act before the fly.

Yes, I sometimes hate me too.

So, three options:
If Reid can attack and then have the fly withdraw upwards without Reid drawing attacks of opportunity, he'll do a full attack with the rapier on the hound that's been attacking him, followed by having the fly withdraw.

(1d20+12)[18] Attack 1
(1d20+12)[16] Crit confirmation (18-20)
(2d6+3)[10] Damage

(1d20+7)[14] Attack 2
(1d20+7)[19] Crit confirmation (18-20)
(2d6+3)[12] Damage

If Reid draws attacks of opportunity if he attacks before the withdrawal, but not if he acts after it, then he uses one of the two charges from casting Light of Lunia to blast the hound as he goes up.
(1d20+9)[29] Ranged touch attack
(1d20+9)[28] Crit confirmation
(2d6)[5]

And if the withdraw action requires that he take no other action, he'll just jeer and yell as the fly goes up.

[guardinal]

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OOC: According to the spell description only willing targets are teleported; it does not allow the caster to bring unwilling targets. If Hist is unwilling, even if it's because he's somehow been oblivious to the discussion around him, then he doesn't go.

Anu
Paying no heed to the shrieking villagers, the Anura-troll takes in the scene at the door with a glance and scans the rest of the room. When she turns to face the altar, she pales.

"No," she says grimly to Hist, after a moment. "There's a single spirit there on the ethereal...the cleric of Pygas we never found, I think. He is Calling...something terrible into himself. I think we're too late."

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using move action for extra talking.

[Greymist]

Kjapp

Kjapp takes a moment to get his bearings then moves just behind Father Horace and lets fly two arrows.

How are you holding up here father?

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Hit: (1d20+11)[21]
CC: (1d20+11)[25]

Damage1: (1d8+6)[13] + (1d6)[3] cold
Damage2: (1d8+6)[7] + (1d6)[4] cold

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

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HP: 63/63; AC: 22

The binder stares at the change to the symbol on the floor. "What's all this then?" he asks as he looks around.

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Awe of Dantalion.
Thought Travel. 8 uses left.

[Lochar]

Anura and other vanish, and Dothen backs up, to try to hide in the shadows of the night and the building from the hounds that are, well, hounding him.

Kjapp's two arrows whistle by those blocking the hound and strike true, and a howl is heard from the hound. "Better now that there's someone to remove these creatures. We were only able to defend."

Grazys looks to the symbol on the wall behind the altar.

>>>>>>Init 14 (G2)
The hound nearest Dothen proves it's ability to ignore natural shadows, which negates Dothen's ability to hide in their protection, by stepping forward, and biting down hard on the thief.

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Attack
(1d20+19)[31]
CC: (1d20+19)[34]
D: (2d6+10)[17]
CD: (2d6+10)[19]
Trip: (1d20+14)[30]

The other hound tries to, again, kill Reid.

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Attack
(1d20+19)[39]
CC: (1d20+19)[36]
D: (2d6+10)[19]
CD: (2d6+10)[19]

>>>>Init 14 (Hist, Reid)
Hist invokes his ability to detect magic, only to immediately blinded by the overwhelming aura that is surrounding both spirit and symbol.

Reid pushes the fly to rise higher into the air, blasting with the light surrounding him after getting out of bite range. The light hits hard on the hound, striking through it.

>>>>Init 6 (G6)
The hound, now with two silvered arrows sticking out of itself, throws itself again at Father Horace.

Father Horace stumbles slightly, but is braced against the pews and quickly returns to his blocking position.

<<<<End Round 11>>>>

To Anura's eyes, the spirit next to the symbol seems to rise into the air ten feet, before actually exploding.

For a moment, she can see all the spirits in the room. Even those that are there during the daytime, before something flashes throughout the room.

The townspeople seem to cry out for a moment, and to those viewing though a mage's sight see black strings pull from each of them to the pulsing, exploded form of the spirit that had been at the altar. Black strings even lead through the walls, so many that it looks like sackcloth at the altar.

Hist feels a jarring inside him, as something seems to pull heavily on him, on his power, where he holds the curse energy taken from the town already within him.

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Hist, please make a Will save.

[GimliFett]

Grazys Senneker

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HP: 63/63; AC: 22

Shaking off his stupor as the townsfolk cry out, Grazys turns and directs a lightning blast at the hound buffeting Father Horace. "Sorry. Lost myself for a moment!" he says as he moves towards the priest.

Lightning Strike: (4d6)[15]; electric, Ref DC20.
Awe of Dantalion.
Thought Travel. 8 uses left.

[Moral Wiz]

Hist

Holy...

The warlock quickly turns away from the alter, just in time to see the start of the... well, the weaving, for want of a better term. His face matches Anura's quickly, line for grim line.

Then, he felt it's drag on him as well. Hist winces as he feels the pull upon his power, his soul, in the attempt to reach the Curse energy. It was like... well, it was far from pleasant

His face contorted at the pull, coupling with the pain of all the battle wounds. It was... harsh. There was an instant when he almost let it go. When it seemed the easiest option

Let the pain stop. Just let it all not matter anymore

then a second voice resounded in his head. Not conscience, nor a tempter, but... well, resolve?

No. You didn't come this far, survive so many stupid odds to let this thing take what it wants. Fight the pain. You are not giving in.

He tried to move back from the altar, staggering vaguely away from it, his vision blinded, his body sore from countless bights, his face contorting in effort.

None of these were important to him at this moment. All that mattered was his mind and will, which focused on the energy, holding tight to the pulsating thing that it was... Blessing, curse, it didn't matter. All that mattered was keeping a firm, firm hold, and not letting this... thing have it..

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(1d20+14)[26] Will save.

[Lochar]

Hist's will wins out over whatever is attempting to draw it in, and the pressure lessens before fading completely.

All the strings seem to fade away, fading into the bloated thing that was a spirit itself.

The townspeople all fall to the ground, the strings acting as a marionette's strings being cut. You can see them slowly breathing, so they do still live, at least.

The only problem is, the four defending the entrance to the temple fall as well.

And then the spirit creature becomes visible to all. And expands, a haunting scream echoes throughout the room, as the thing slowly turns misty, becoming for all any can tell a pool of ghostly fog, manifested here. The screams die down to murmurs, railing against something, some unimaginable pain.

The creature boils over the downed people, ignoring them, and bypassing even Anura's ward. A tendril reaches out to the hound at the door, and the hound screams in madness and pain as something seems to be torn out of it.

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(3d6)[14]
(1d4)[1]

>>>>Init 25
The hound flying outside ascends to chase Reid, but again cannot make the distance to catch him.

The two hounds at the temple pound harder against the temple walls, but only a few cracks are seen.

>>>>Init 24 (Anura, Kjapp, Grazys, Dothen)