Annabel Lee Ch. 1: The Angels In Heaven Above

[Bellwether]

Asani is content to watch for now, obviously intrigued by the goings on. This is much more exciting than some boring landscape. Winged beings, talking in turns, questioning their motives! How exciting. She doesn't get a chance to mention that she is a chosen follower of Pahla, and that is obviously why she is here, when they mention the blood gate and being tainted, and extermination.

"I don't feel 'tainted.' What makes you think we're tainted?" Asani asks quizzically. "I'm here to see Pahla! She's my patron, you know. I don't know how She would feel about you exterminating me and my friends. Of course, She's always changing Her mind..." Asani smiles at the gate guardians, completely at ease. "You should at least ask Her first, I think."

[Ascension]

"You are not tainted, girl."

"But you are too close to those who are."

"Your motives are pure."

"But you're on the wrong continent for Pahla."

"There is still a risk."

"A risk we cannot take."

"In The Kingdom of the Nameless God, the tainted are condemned."

"In The Kingdom of the Nameless God, those close to the tainted are punished."

"In The Kingdom of the Nameless God, the taint is purged."

"The One Beyond shall not pass into the Heavens."

"His servants shall not pass into the Heavens."

"None he has touched shall pass into the Heavens."

"So The Nameless God has decreed."

[Proven_Paradox]

Toryn places a hand over his face and releases a frustrated sigh before turning to Neillos. His tone is openly annoyed as he says, "I'm curious. What in the world made you think that mentioning the BLOOD on the gate to these HEAVENLY BEINGS with LARGE, POINTY SWORDS would be NOT STUPID!?" He begins muttering under his breath, "Once, just once, I'd like to go without a fight first thing... Just wanted t' see what there is to see; why can't we all jus' get along?"

[Ascension]

"We would have sensed your taint eventually, halfling."

"Even if your friend hadn't made it obvious."

"We would have realized you needed to be purged."

"We know what you saw going through the portal."

"We know its influence will grow within you."

"The Taint Must Be Purged."

[BizzaroStormy]

The angels' words had broken Cage. Who were they to deny him a peaceful meeting with a couple of souls? I will see her...I will tell her... He draws his sword And I will bring her back!!!

[Ascension]

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Since PirateJesus is here now and Cage is angry now... I'm going to flip Cage and Zurktz's initiative, at least for this round. If you'd like to go first next round, RelentlessImp, go right ahead. If any of you object to this, I'll try to remember never ever ever to do it again.

Cage: 24
Zurktz: 22
Neillos and his Servants: 21
Black Gatekeepers: 16
Asani: 13
White Gatekeepers: 11
Toryn: 15
Hiram: 7

[JackMage666]

Neillos looks at Toryn.

"What, you think they don't know what blood is? I'm not up to snuff on all this Heavenly beings mumbo jumbo. I just wanna see how this all works!"

After the angels speak more about how they would have known he adds.

"See, I just sped up the process. I was the one who said the whole blood gate was a bad idea, but who was the one to hop through it first? That's right, not me. I was just being efficient in my task."

His tone isn't condescending, or demeaning, more of a sense that he doesn't quite comprehend what he did that was so awful.

[Ascension]

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The White Gatekeepers will have a surprise round. Sort of. Anyway, everything will proceed as previously stated after this.

"A weapon has been drawn!"

"Hostile intent!"

"Attack!"

The two White Gatekeepers rush forward from either side, charging to meet Cage in the middle. The male strikes with his right-hand blade, the female with her left.

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Both attack rolls are treated as 10s and hit. I could explain it if necessary.
Male Damage: (1d8+3)[11]
Female Damage: (1d8+3)[11]

[RelentlessImp]

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OOC: Hopefully not adverse to retconning my action to taking place in the proper initiative order.

Zurktz has been watching the exchange in silence, stepping forward slowly and spinning the greataxe about his hand, the dark adamantine gleaming, his eyes narrowing as a grin spreads across his lips, tusks shimmering softly in the light. His eyes glimmer dangerously; the sign that, those who have seen him in battle before would know, signaled he was ready for a battle.

"So, we were originally sent here to investigate the kidnapping of a soul. So if you want to bar our passage in our investigation, I guess we have no choice but to go through you. I shall show you the strength of our resolve."
Zurktz's upper lip curled back in a sneer, his sharp tusks glimmering in heaven's light, spitting out the words to magic and twisting his hand around in the appropriate gestures. The head of the greataxe immediately took on an incorporeal translucence, and the Orc moved swiftly to strike at the male white going for Cage, with a deep-throated, rich-bodied, wordless primal battle cry.

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Swift Action: Cast Wraithstrike, treat attack rolls as touch attacks
Full-Round Action: If there is room (10ft gap), I'd like to make a Charge of 10ft and Power Attack for full (-8 BAB) the penalty swapped to AC by Heedless Charge. If not, Full Attack on the male white gatekeeper.

Attack/Damage Rolls for Charge/Heedless Charge:

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Attack - (1d20+14)[16](30) +2 if allowed to charge, -2 AC, treated as a Touch attack
Damage - (1d12+25)[11](36) -8AC for Full Power Attack, Heedless Charge swapping Hit penalty to AC.
Statistics until beginning of next round:
HP: 53
AC/Touch/FF: 16/4/13 (I think the -10 applies across the board, at least

Attack/Damage Rolls for Regular Full Attack

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[rollv=Attack]1d20+14 1d20+9[/rollv] Treated as Touch Attacks
[rollv=Damage]1d12+9 1d12+9[/rollv]
(Actual Rolls here)
Statistics until beginning of next round:
HP: 53
AC/Touch/FF: 26/14/23

[Ascension]

The enchanted greataxe tears through the angel's black armor like a hot knife through butter, deeply wounding it. A bright white light shines out of the gash, this is apparently the angelic form of bleeding.

It grimaces noticeably for a second before regaining its composure.

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Cage is up.

[BizzaroStormy]

Cage coughs up a mouthful of blood as the two angels' blades slam into him. He stands silent for about half a second before his hand juts out and wraps around the throat of one of the angels. You can see a small, smile on his face before he looks straight up into the air with a crazed look on his face. HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! His laugh is shrill and horrifying like that of a demented circus clown. You hear a loud crack as his head pulls a 180 to look at the angel in his grasp. Is this all you've got!? HE HE HE!!! Your blood must be delectable!!! What seems like black flames begin pouring from Cage's wound. They slowly wrap around him until they completely engulf his continuously growing body. Four blackened wings tear themselves out from his back, shaking off blood in a fine mist. The hand which held the sword becomes 5 grotesque claw-like fingers about as long as the sword was. Blood begins to drip from them as they glow crimson with hatred.

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Touch Attack For Grapple - (1d20+11)[27]
Grapple Check - (1d20+18)[38]
Current HP: 113/53
And what would a transformation scene be without some kickass music?

[Ascension]

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For a demon (sorta) battling an angel, this seems like the appropriate BGM.

By the way, are you grappling the wounded male or the untouched female?

White Gatekeeper's grapple check: (1d20+11)[23]

[BizzaroStormy]

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Whichever one you decide was behind me.

[Ascension]

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The wounded male, then. Roll your unarmed damage.

[BizzaroStormy]

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Damage - (3d6+7)[13]
Ill goahead and premptively answer some questions. Since my claw is a natural weapon, it can be used in a grapple IIRC. The damage starts as 1d8, becomes 2d6 when I grew to large, and moves up another step to 3d6 from my Improved Natural Attack feat.

[Ascension]

The angel's face is a picture of pain as your claw tightens around its neck. You feel something inside him almost breaking. Between this and the light still leaking out of the open wound in his side, he's obviously near death.

"Kill me," he croaks, "and they will grow stronger."

"Kill him and we will grow stronger," the other three echo.

[BizzaroStormy]

Kill you? Why would I want to kill you? If you died, to blood wouldn't be fresh. He demon says to him before running his tongue along the angels axe wound with a delighted look on his face.

[Ascension]

The light/blood tastes terrible. Its angelic nature doesn't agree with your demonic tastebuds.

You still manage to completely freak out the once-stoic angel, who begins to scream.

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Neillos and pals are up.

[JackMage666]

Neillos, having already taken the time to find the skulls he's looking for, pulls mightily to rip the two Erinyes skeletons from his bag, stumbling back from the weight being shifted into the Material plane.

He singles out whatever angels is closest and unengaged thus far.

"Keep the flesh intact, children."

He send the Erinyes and the Dragon after the celestial.

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Since I'd taken the time to find the Erinyes before, I assume finding them was a Move Action. Then I use the rest of my turn to tell them to attack. I assume they have to move, so they'll each get one attack. The dragon shouldn't need to, with his 10 ft reach and all.
Dragon - Bite - Attack (1d20+20)[28] - Damage (3d6+6)[1][1][3](11) (1d6 being cold damage)
Erinyes A - Greatsword - Attack (1d20+11)[14] - Damage (2d6+10)[6][2](18)
Erinyes B - Greatsword - Attack (1d20+11)[19] - Damage (2d6+10)[2][5](17)

[Ascension]

Neillos's pets go after the female black angel, since she's closest. The dragon nips at her abdomen, tearing away a small chunk of angelic flesh. Light pours out of the wound, as it did with the other angel. The angel throws up one of her swords just in time to parry the first Eyrines's blow, but the blade of the second lays open her left thigh, again leading to an outpouring of radiance.

Still, she and her companion fight on.

"What trickery is this? A bag of abominations?"

The black female turns her full attention to the Eyrines who managed to hit her.

"Go back to death, you risen devil!"

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Blade #1: (1d20+8)[22] (1d8+3)[11], (1d20+3)[22] (1d8+3)[8]
Blade #2: (1d20+8)[19] (1d8+3)[9]
Rend if applicable: (2d6)[8]

Her companion charges at the halfling in whom he previously felt the Taint rather than at Neillos or his henchbeings.

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As with the initial attack on Cage this charge is given an auto ten and succeeds due to the charge and Toryn's flatfootedness.

Damage: (1d8+3)[11]

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Asani is up.

[Ascension]

It's a pretty crappy one, and your positions are fairly arbitrary, but here's a map. Now that I know Bellwether wants one I'll try to do a better job in the future. Sorry, guys.

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And yes, the Gate of Blood has already closed. I put it on there for reference's sake.

[Bellwether]

Asani looks on in shock, taken aback by the turn of events. "Really, now! This is totally unnecessary!" Shaking her head, she remains somewhat detached from the events, obviously torn as to whether or not this is a Good Idea. When the angel goes for Toryn, however, she reaches forward and lays a hand on his shoulder, power flowing from her to him.

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Cast: Shield of Faith on Toryn
+3 Deflection Bonus

Her assistance is light for the moment. Though she does enjoy chaos, this rapid shift from peaceful to gore-mad is obviously not sitting well with her.

[Ascension]

The white male struggles against the demon gripping his throat.

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Attempt to Escape from Grapple: (1d20+11)[24]

His female counterpart strikes at the demon with her blades, hoping to free her consort. Even with the demon distracted by her comrade, though, only her first strike pierces its flesh, and it doesn't bite very deeply.

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Blade #1: (1d20+8)[21], (1d8+3)[6]; (1d20+3)[10], (1d8+3)[9]
Blade #2: (1d20+8)[15], (1d8+3)[9]
Rend if Applicable: (2d6)[7]

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I need a grapple check from Cage. It's Toryn's turn. Map stays the same.

[Proven_Paradox]

Status:

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AC: 34 (10 + 5 armor + 6 dex + 1 size + 1 natural + 3 deflect (Shield of Faith) + 2 wisdom + 6 total defense)
HP 56/67
Effects: Shield of Faith, Assassin's Stance, Total Defense

This takes into account this rounds actions as well.

Toryn grunts as he is attacked. Rapidly growing tired of this entire adventure before it's even started, Toryn focuses on defending himself, shouting, "This how you treat everyone that comes through here!? I don't want to fight, and I don't want anything to do with no taint! Everyone stop tryin' to kill each other and let's talk about this!"

Hoping his words will work, but not expecting them to, he shifts into a battle stance.

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<Swift> Enter Assassin's Stance
<Full-Round> Total Defense. I've got the tumble ranks, so that's a +6 dodge bonus to AC. I've included it in my status.

[Ascension]

"Your allies have pushed this issue beyond words, small one, and you bear the Taint as well. There will be no further discussion."

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Alright Hiram, you're up.

[Ascension]

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An in absentia grapple check for Cage: (1d20+18)[19]

The wounded angel wrests himself free from Cage's grasp. As soon as he is free he flails at his larger opponent with his blades.

[Ascension]

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Since breaking a grapple is an attack, the Gatekeeper continues with his full attack.

Blade #1: (1d20+3)[17], (1d8+3)[4]
Blade #2: (1d20+8)[14], (1d8+3)[8]

He fails to pierce the demon's hide.

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Now Hiram's up!

[TeeEl]

A shadowy catlike figure, barely visible at the edge of perception, leaps from Hiram's side and stalks the wounded white angel as he circles around to the back of the newly escaped angel.

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Free action: direct shadow companion to a spot adjacent wounded angel, it gets -2 to AC and saves
Swift action: activate Master of Tactics aura, all allies within 60' (except mindless undead, alas) get +5 damage when flanking
Move action (or 5' step if possible): try to move to a spot to flank the wounded angel with glaive; I'm not sure what square it's occupying now that it's moved out of the grapple
Standard action: attack with glaive (1d20+12)[29], damage (1d10+5)[6]
If Hiram is able to reach a flanking position, add +2 to attack and +5 damage (Master of Tactics)

[Ascension]

Your glaive's blow is simply more than the stricken angel can handle. He crumples to the ground unconscious.

A white aura flares briefly around the three angels who are still standing.

New map:

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Zurktz's turn again.

[TeeEl]

"There, Toryn my lad; I can say with confidence that we are no longer merely trying to kill anyone. Is that to your satisfaction?"