Of Light, Life and Liches

[Kuma Da]

The Green Man...

...regards the bard cautiously. "Well, you do seem to have taken your daily dose of crazy." His hatchet hovers an inch from the bark, "But if you want to talk this over, that's fine by me. First, though, I'd appreciate it if you stepped away from the kid. If you try to interrogate him, he's probably just gonna go all ghostly on you. I'd rather not have to deal with that first thing in the morning."

[Faithdreamer]

Anticipation
“Don’t lay one harmful finger on that, please. You’d be doing wrong. I know half that much at half your age. It isn’t necessarily bad being old and different. Being old and different are all they know how to understand.” Innocent hearts knew wisdom beyond them.
“I’ll tell you my name’s Temun if you agree to that. Instead you have to help me. She said you’d learn a part of the song if you did. She said you’d save someone important. Sleep by the tree again. You’re far too tired to continue, I can feel it. You’ll be safe here while you help.”

Most awful drought deceit, wither fields lush with precious treasure. Determination, diligence, faith, Calamdan was counting on you to end Darvis and the horrors he presented. Did you have the time? You were talking to… a ghost. One of the undead, did you want to trust him and risk everything?

What of Sir Absolom?

[Kobold-Bard]

Harin

Hearing the boy speak Harin made his decision.

"We cannot stay here another night" he said, speaking to everyone but facing Amos and Temun. "Our mission is to cut this evil off at the source, not spend night after night fighting through terrible dreams. Amos I don't know your reasons for joining this endevour but we have already lost Stormcaller here, and I will be damned if I will remain to lose another".

Harin felt Kord's activism rising within him. Drawing his sword he pointed it towards the boy while staying far enough away to not be seen as an immediate threat.

"Temun, speak plainly for my patience is wearing thin, what are you and what is your purpose? If your answers are not satisfactory then your fate is your own fault, and I will go to Calamden alone if needs be".

His voice fell silent as he waited for a response.

[Another_Poet]

Radley

Talking over Harin, Radley starts off: "Hey, Green--".

He stops talking to let the other man finish but makes a "get the hell away from there" gesture at the bugbear.

[Kuma Da]

The Green Man

Green's eyebrows bunch together like colluding caterpillars. Nonetheless, he returns his hatchets to his waist and walks over to where Radley stands. "Yeah, boss? It's your call whether we press on or not, but I still have a bad feeling about that tree. Like a whole flock of geese is trooping over my grave. That woman we saw last night," he breaks off for a moment, forcing the memory aside, "I think she's trapped in it. So, we should either stay here and sort all this out, or we should take the tree to pieces before we move on."

[Faithdreamer]

Inundation
The boy is still, on closer inspection you realize how deeply his eyes have fallen inside their sockets. If he isn’t become death he’s very close to. There are no footprints around him. Sir Absalom’s nonattendance is palpable. That trail in the dirt leads in one direction and the city’s in the other. But the tree is here. Stillness all around, the world’s breath was stopped. Grass that did not flutter, sunlight with transient warmth, numbness; it was the weight of a choice.

"I'm trying to help, but I'm just a boy."

[MountainKing]

Amos turned to the half celestial, eyes burning with determination.

"Go then without me. I will catch up," the bard gestured at the tracks, "If it satisfies your impatience, then seek out the absent Sir Absolom... whatever your choice, I will remain here. Charging into Calamdan without the wisdom we could potentially find here I feel is more insane than the prospect of staying here." The bard turned back to the boy, only now conscious of his aching hand.

"Know this, Temun, while I do not know the Music intimately just yet, there is music known to mortal souls which holds some power yet. I am not too tired to begin travel again; there are as yet another sixty and nine verses in the great tale of King Darius of Everlore, lost amidst the furious wintry embrace of the Bloodrock Mountains. I remain here because you claim knowledge, or access to knowledge, that I seek... that I will have, even if I must wrest it from the very earth itself with my bare hands." With that, Amos sat beside the boy, diary now resting in his lap.

"What has she told you, Temun?"

[Another_Poet]

Radley

Radley shrugs. "Let's check for Absalom while the bard seeks his treasure. When we come back we can destroy the tree if need be, and leave for Calamdan - peferably with the bard."

He sighs. "If the Stormcaller's been taken far, we may have to count him as lost. I don't think we should spend more than half a day delaying our mission. Let's plan to be back here by lunch, with or without him, and push as far toward the city as we can before nightfall."

He places a hand to his rumbling, painful stomach as he says "lunch", but doesn't complain about his hunger.

[Jade_Tarem]

Matthias

Matthias nods and moves over to where the tracks begin. He's had quite a bit of experience in tracking large mammals. "Let's go, Forge."

OOC:

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Survival Check (1d20+13)[27]

[Kuma Da]

The Green Man

"I do not recommend splitting up. Not that my recommendations will stop anyone who wants to, but I think we should stick as close to everyone else as possible. Believe you me, I've heard stories starting with an innocent 'let's split up and search the mansion' that had endings terrible enough to make your scalp stand on end. If Amos stays here to have another dream-chat with the tree, I think we should be nearby. Otherwise something's liable to amble out of the countryside and take a bite out of his windpipe. Of course," the bugbear's ears prick up as Radley's stomach rumbles, "we could probably do something about breakfast in the mean time."

[Another_Poet]

Radley

"Please, not near here," Radley interjects, nodding toward the tree. "Poet, time spent here hurts our mission. If that tree is the hanging-tree of Durk it won't be hard to find again. You can come back after!"

[Tacitus]

Adun

Having been silent the malevolence of the desert nods, "There are more pressing matters. The tree will go unmolested as the only true inhabitants of these lands are now the dead unless we have a say in the matter. If anyone is lacking in food I can feed all of us by means of a magic item I carry with me."

[Faithdreamer]

Presence
When he’s done, Matthias is able to feed everyone twice over, he makes an adventurer’s feast out of the lush countryside. He searches the sky, and jokes that he can see the future. He’s as cunning as a Minotaur in a maze, working hand in paw with Forge feral passions flicker in his eyes. The trail he follows leads around several nasty could-have-been-a-mishaps. His woodsy skills almost feel supernatural. When the last clue falls into place just beside a fast flowing river you realize just how canny your prey is.

Boats make short work of distance. Thank goodness for rivers. As fortune would have it, it looks like they didn’t go very far. Across the water he was like a statue carved from shadows, ephemerally smooth, a threadbare robe under a black shroud wrapped around his shoulders. No wind blew, the shroud still rippled like there was one. Standing straight and tall, holding his hands together in front of his thighs, he regards you coolly underneath his polished golden crown. Vibrant orange stars have become his eyes, not mockery or scrutiny, its prescience and conviction inside them. His blacker than ink bones are delicate, he raises a hand and waves you closer.

Would anyone care to make some Knowledge check?

Sway
All the boy says after everyone is gone:

“Tell me what you want. Think about it carefully.” He waits very patiently for you to arrive at a good answer.

[MountainKing]

Amos sat silently, contemplating his answer. Finally, he responded, giving a response straight from his heart.

"I want to help... even if, in the end, I do not find a way to bring myself into the Music of this world... I want to at least die, knowing that I helped."

[Kobold-Bard]

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Knowledge Arcana: (1d20+13)[21]

[Another_Poet]

Radley

Radley stays at the back of the group, but eyes the menacing figure thoughtfully.

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This seems unlikely, but he is wearing a crown. Maybe I recognise...?
knwdg nobility - (1d20+6)[16]
And maybe there are local legends about him?
knwdg local - (1d20+6)[10]

[Jade_Tarem]

OOC:

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Also a long shot:

Knowledge (Nature): (1d20+9)[13]

[Tacitus]

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Oh what the hell
Arcana: (1d20+3)[17]
Religion: (1d20+4)[23]
Planes: (1d20+3)[4]

[Faithdreamer]

Kismet
He speaks again. His soft voice sifts away into gravelly, until… “You’re too careless to know the notes Amos Robilard... poor man. Die knowing my absent hunger was your doing.” It’s suddenly familiar.
The child’s hand was unobtrusive reaching up to touch you on the cheek. You could feel intangible fingers that still had presence, you knew they were there even if you could neither prove your thoughts nor objectively see their existence. They were inside and through you on your skin, icy like winter.

“Make
mefeel warm again.”

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Amos must endure (1d4)[1] Constitution Damage! Feel free to act however you like and treat it as your turn in a combat round.

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Jade Empire Soundtrack – Death’s Hand Suite
Knowledge (arcana) successful.
Knowledge (nobility and royalty) successful
Knowledge (local) DC not met
Knowledge (nature) DC not met
Knowledge (arcana) passed
Knowledge (religion) success

There’s no spell at work, the undulations in his robe are less than magical. He’s an alluring tyrant; the air crushes you with raw spiritual power. All the weight of responsibility’s mantle falls on you. His eyes contemplate. His teeth are too sharp, his fingertips like knives; a predator’s limbs on a soul too civilized to use them. He carries himself like a King. Bloodied heraldry, the royal family of Druth is on that crown.

One who wears this be the true caretaker of this land.

Something altogether more than Darvis the Liche –

King Corvina, the Sovereign Lord of Calamdan.

[Kuma Da]

The Green Man

The shocked expressions of his companions confirms The Green Man's worries. Yep. That's definitely a zombie royal over there. Best case scenario, he's some minor noble that Darvis thought was important enough to be corpisified. Worst case scenario, he's the big cheese's second cheese in command. Like some deadly wheel of gouda...or something. The metaphor breaks down pretty quick, but that doesn't change much. The monster over there is still the biggest available threat to Radley.

Whipping his axes out of their sheathes, The Green Man clicks his heels together and charges.

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Okay. Here's how my attack breaks down.
1) boots of speed activate as a free action, with resultant bonuses to speed, AC, reflex, attack actions, etc.
2) Draw axes as free action while charging. Charge up to 120 feet to attack the king.
3) Attacks made with two weap fighting, improved two weap, haste bonus. 17/15/10/15/9
4) On 10 or more points of damage, a trip attack is made via knock down with improved trip active (no counter attack of opportunity, +4 strength bonus to attempt.)

Rolls

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Attacks:
(1d20)[15]+17
(1d20)[7]+15
(1d20)[13]+10
(1d20)[19]+15
(1d20)[3]+9
Trip:
(1d20)[19]+10

Edit: please roll damage for me if anything hit. It's 1d6+8 per.

Edit edit: Whoops. Only rolled the opposed strength check for the trip. If I do over 10 damage, please roll a touch attack +17 to hit for the trip.

[Another_Poet]

Radley

As Radley realises who is before him, he catches himself starting to bow and lower his head. He has been to the palace many times, and although Corvina was not a close personal friend he certainly was an able ruler. He squints at the figure before him and evaluates - is there anything of the old king left there?

As his bodyguard goes tearing off, Radley raises a sceptre-like rod. "Green, be strong!" But the arc of grey light from the rod goes right past the bugbear and strikes the erstwhile king...

((Casting Ray of Enfeeblement
ranged touch: (1d20+9)[24]
base strength damage: (1d6+4)[5] x 150%. So 7 total. ))
EDITED: Attack roll is actually 25 if you count the Bless SLA below.

Faithdreamer only:

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My imp familiar, currently invisible, will fly to to take up position right behind the king, opposite Green to gain a flanking advantage. He will use his hide skill so that when he attacks and loses invisibility he still has a good chance not to be seen by my comrades.

hide - (1d20+17)[22]
attack - (1d20+10)[20] includes +2 flanking
The king should be flatfooted against him.
damage - (1d4)[4]
if applicable: poison - (1d4)[3] Dex damage, DC13 fort negates
EDITED: Attack roll is actually 21 if you count the Bless SLA below.


The imp will declare his dodge against the king, making his AC 21.

[Kobold-Bard]

Harin

Seeing his former king in this state is too much for Harin.

"I will free you from this curse". Calling on his own gifted powers he released a holy burst of energy, the waves catching all those around him.

Immediatly Green charged the opponent so he then drawing his sword he spread his wings wide and launched himself blade first into the former king.

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1. Use Half-Celestial Spell Like Ability Bless, all allies within 50ft get a +1 to attack rolls and saves against fear.
2. Move action to fly towards the zombie king.
3. Attack the king with Greatsword.
Attack: (1d20+11)[12]
Damage: (2d6+6)[16] + (2d6)[5](Holy)

[Tacitus]

Adun

It is rather unsettling to know a King so well through the souls offering their services to Adun and then see him reduced to a mockery of life. The spiritual pressure that falls over him is met with a powerful burst of power that rushes out from the bracers he wears. The power of souls not his own cry out against this heresy and before he can even truly stop himself he is once against charging headlong into combat. Arcs of blue-white lightning build from the jewel on his bracers before surging down his fingertips, waiting to surge out and blast apart the fell King.

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AC totals
Vs Normal: 25 T:13 FF: 21
Vs Undead: 30/18/26
+2 Midnight Dodge declared against King Corvina
-2 for Charging
Init if needed: (1d20+4)[14]
Adun can charge up to 80ft
Charging Touch Attack (1d20+8)[12] +1 from bless?
Disrupt Undead! (6d6)[18]

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Lack of rest makes shaping new Soulmelds impossible. Retaining old ones at no penalty.

Essentia:17 (-6 for Feats) (E=Essentia Invested) Capacity 3, +1 for bold
Soulmelds:
[5] Armguards of Disruption: Disrupt Undead. Touch attack to deal 1d6+Ed6 damage. [Incarnum Focus grants +1 capacity]
[Bound]: Insight to AC and Saves equal to E against Undead
[3] Diadem of Purelight: 20+10Eft radius bright illumination, shadowy double. +2 to Spot within any light. Counted as spell level of E for purposes of interacting with magical Darkness.
[Bound]: Negate less than Total Concealment in Bright illumination. Includes spells. Excludes Invisibility.
[0] Dissolving Spittle: 1d6+Ed6 acid damage at 30ft ranged touch.
[3] Pauldrons of Health: Immune to Disease, Sickened, Nauseated. +E enhancement to Fort saves.
[Bound]: Immunity to Energy Drain
[2] StrongHeart Vest: Reduce Ability Damage by 1+E
[0] Vitality Belt: +4 Morale on Con checks and Con based skill checks, but not Fortitude Saves. Gain one hit point per meldshaper level for each Essentia invested. (+10E HP) These are not temporary. Removing these Hit Points can stagger, render unconscious, or even kill Adun.

Feats: Capacity: 2 (change E only once per 24hrs)
[0] Cerulean Will: Insight to Will equal to E
[2] Healing Soul: E/day heal 2Ehp as swift
[2] Midnight Dodge: Dodge for +E to AC
[0] Sapphire Sprint: Add 5Eft to speed. Retain Dex to AC while running. Add E insight to AC when leaving a threatened square.

[MountainKing]

"Reckless?" Amos echoed, hissing slightly as he spoke, "Or determined?" Amos took a step back, raising one hand high, the other held low. His shield would do him little good, he feared, but he readied it with the low hand, dropping the high hand, and holding it back, beginning to channel the power of light and warmth into his free hand.

"I can help you!"

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Five foot step back, draw my shield as part of my move, ready action to cast Cure Serious Wounds on the ghost if it continues to be aggressive.

Touch Attack: (1d20+10)[27]
Crit: (1d20+10)[26] (Well, I know undead are immune to crits, but when you're using a positive energy spell as a weapon-like spell against them, could it crit? I don't know, but I rolled it anyhow.)
"Damage": (3d8+10)[21]

Silly as it sounds, I take it Diplomacy would do me no good?

[Jade_Tarem]

Matthias

Even the king, huh?

Normally Matthias would have hesitated, but the hostile reactions around him, and the royal man's little speech, jar him into action. He draws and throws his axe in one smooth motion, aiming for the feet. Spinning in order not to lose speed, he draws his crossbow and fires three times at the once noble visage. The only thing he says out loud is a command to Forge.

*Kill*

OOC:

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Attack Breakdown, complete with damage and trip rolls in case I succeed:

Attack 1 (Axe) (Trip attack): (1d20+18)[36]
Trip attack is made using the master thrower's trip shot ability - the way it works is different from normal trip: I make an attack roll, and if it succeeds, then the target takes damage normally, and makes a (strength or dexterity check) vs. my (dexterity check + 4). If I win, he goes down, which may provoke AOOs and I don't know what else. I can't do everything around here.
Trip Roll (Axe): (1d20+8)[20]
Damage 1 (Axe): [roll]1d8+1d6+1[/roll]

Attack 2 (Crossbow): (1d20+18)[31]
Damage 2 (Crossbow): (1d10+1)[11]
Attack 3 (Crossbow): (1d20+13)[16]
Damage 3 (Crossbow): (1d10+1)[3]
Attack 4 (Crossbow): (1d20+8)[12]
Damage 4 (Crossbow): (1d10+1)[4]

OOC:

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Forge is going to take a flying leap for the King himself. Obviously, he won't attempt to trip if Matthias succeeds in dropping the King prone, he'll just take his normal bite attack at +4 (against prone).

Charge Attack: (1d20+8)[24]
Damage: (1d6+3)[8]
Wolf Trip: (1d20+3)[10]

[Another_Poet]

((Free action to speak:))

As so many allies converge on the royal body, Radley is heard to yell:

"We must capture him! Capture him if possible!"

[Kobold-Bard]

Harin

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Harin is too filled with anger, he will unfortunately be ignoring Radley's suggestion, sensible as it is.
Hope everyone remembered their +1 from Bless, not much but every little helps right?

[Faithdreamer]

Auditor

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Usually spells cannot make critical hits on things. I’ve never heard of spells doing it.. weapons can.

Bright light recoils him, through slits moulded with his eyelids the boy spits venomous words in a voice that belongs to someone else.
“Aren’t you careless Amos Robilard?” He sees inside and beyond your body, for a single breath that catches in your throat and vanishes… you’d been trustworthy all your life. You’d over heard tell that eyes are the soul’s windows. Something absent shoves on you, it teases your hair and snaps your clothing against your skin. Your mind rebuffs you, Oops.

Looked him in the eyes.

Beat a Fortitude Save (DC 18) or be whipped for (2d10)[15] damage and (1d4)[1] charisma drain.

Filament
Coloured obsidian teeth flash when light hits them, your attention drawn to an eternal smile. Only there to say; You’re so very important. Giggles would stop your charge, if the death King weren’t content with his ether unsettling chuckle. Watching the horizon, the orange flames that burn where his eyes were before search for you beneath his feet. Without another sound, his esteem makes a mockery from all you are.

“You’re killing a dead man.”

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Green Man

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(1d6+8)[14] - Green Man’s Axe
(1d20+17)[31] – Forceful Green Man (if 10+ damage trip Touch Attack)

Note
I’m aware of the rule stating you can make a single attack on a charge even if you can make more. There must be a rule I don’t know about..? This nimble bunch gets to jump the river as a free action even though it should count as difficult terrain and stop your charge.

Radley

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For all this trouble you deserve a tip, undead are immune to ability damage and ability drain. Ray of Enfeeblement is unsuitable against them.

EDIT: I was wrong and Tacitus and the Forums are right. This strength penalty goes through and you deserve a pat on the back for a job well done. I'll write that in the very next time I post.

Note
You’re bad. That is a maximized, empowered Ray of Enfeeblement isn’t it.

Harin

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Unless any information says so Spell-like abilities are standard actions. Bless is cast and Harin can fly toward King Corvina. If no attack happens yet it looks better on you.

Adun

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Disrupt Undead is supposed to be linked with your gauntlets, your Touch Attack didn’t hit I can’t grant anything except the move action and a -2 penalty to your AC until the next round. I’m sure you’ll overcome this bad luck in no time. You’ll have to trust me a goodly light is on your side. It always plays a nice song.

Matthias

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You have a very clever class.
(1d8)[4]+(1d6+1)[6] – Attack roll is messed up

Corvina’s Chances
(1d20+6)[23] – Soil and Mountain (Strength Check vs. Green Man)
(1d20+6)[26] – Deathless Might assays Matthias’s Trip

Initiative
Adun: 14
Green (1d20+3)[16]
Harin (1d20+2)[11]
Matthias (1d20+4)[10]

Go ahead and post your reactions, now that I've written a post below this one.

[Faithdreamer]

Posture

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Green Man painfully delivers 14 damage, against Matthias’s respectable 21. Just remember, the Green Man tripped him first. Radley’s Ray of Enfeeblement managed to hit the mark, even if for only bragging photos and pretty colors. Forge snaps at the fallen King and does little else. Rawr.

Corvina
Initiative - (1d20+8)[18]

Green breathed, considering – he’d given a single savage blow that should have killed anyone. The King’s head cracked and he knelt on one knee; he did not growl or fall to the ground. Strength.
Something ethereal splashed across his chest, that was Radley’s doing, Green knew. Corvina didn’t notice that as much as he did Adun’s fist. He paused to stare at it like a father smiled at a son trying to be brave with little mettle behind his demeanour. It felt… slow… the desert’s wrath recovered with blurry precision. Just in time to twist out of the way of Matthias’s too familiar axe. A hairsbreadth closer and that would have cut through him instead of cracking Corvina’s ribs. A crossbow bolt punched a small hole in his body and the axe whirled like a boomerang back where it started.

A single glare in Matthias’s direction was all it took to stop Forge in his tracks. The wolf snapped at the air and growled. Corvina stood, a frightening sword came out of its scabbard little by little. Harin was the first to see it gliding slightly above about to fall on the King and pin him to the ground. Leisurely the broken bones were knitting back together. There are subtle holes in King Corvina’s guard. Is he overconfident about it..?

[Kuma Da]

The Green Man

Doesn't matter. Wasn't supposed to take him down in one go, just to keep him focused on something other than Radley. The Green Man drops his slouch a little lower and shuffles in closer to Corvina. Were it not for the axes--and the way his fur stands on end like an electrocuted teddy bear--he might look harmless.

Maybe.

We'll, it's possible.

Letting go of a guttural howl, The Green Man pivots at the waist and brings both axes in overhead.

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Continuing with haste active, plus bless. Using a full round attack with both weapons. Would you mind rolling the damage for me so that I don't have to clutter up my post with extraneous rolls? I'll roll 'em if it's a hassle, but if not they're at 1d6+8. Also, if I do more then ten damage, would you mind rolling the strength check for me at +6.
Attack: (1d20)[17]+16
Attack: (1d20)[17]+11
Attack: (1d20)[6]+16
Attack: (1d20)[3]+10