Sailors on the Astral Sea (Group 2 IC)

[Awesomologist]

Mathas

Seared by a blast of radiant fire from Allys, Mathas winces, more out of surprise than pain. The cleric however seems to eject the ghost from her though which gives Mathas an idea. He swings his blade in a crackling arch of radiant power at the larger spirit pinned between Bron and himself, causing nearby books and other objects to wink out of existence for a moment and reappear elsewhere in the room.

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Standard Action: Splinter the Formation vs CiD1
Attack Roll 1 - (1d20+26)[33] or Attack Roll 2 - (1d20+26)[44] vs AC
Damage - (1d12+22)[1](23) Radiant Damage EDIT: Guantlets of Destruction - Reroll 1's See OOC
On Hit: Teleport the ghost 7 squares North East away from Allys.

Status:
HP: 129/165
Surges: 10/10

[The Bushranger]

Patrick

Smirking to himself as he dodges the Caller's attacks, Patrick levels his wand at it and attempts to command it to his will - and as his blast leaves the wand, he sees Allys, and his eyes widen, as his wand swings to her...

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Warlock's Curse on CiD2
Using Will of the Feywild on CiD2.

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Encounter - Arcane, Charm, Implement, Psychic
Standard Action - Ranged 10
Target: One creature - Attack: CHA vs Will
Hit: 2d8+6 psychic damage. You can teleport the target 5 squares, whereupon it makes a melee basic attack against an adjacent creature of your choice.
Effect: The target is dazed until the end of its next turn.

Attack: (1d20+22)[37]
Damage: (2d8+6)[13] (3d6)[10] + teleport 5 squares straight "up" to attack CiD1.

Using Majestic Word on Allys.

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Daily - Arcane, Healing
Minor Action - Close burst 15
Target: You or one ally in burst
Effect: The target can spend a healing surge and regains 4d6+6 additional hit points. You also slide the target 1 square.

HP regained: (4d6+6)[20] and slide to L5.

[NecroRebel]

As a barrage of magical power splits and corrals the weakened Caller in Darkness, Bron's glaive spins in a wide arc, first tearing through the fringes of the stronger Caller's being, then slices the possessing Ghost's spectral robes, before the tip lodges itself into something solid. The weaker Caller screams and thrashes about the glaive's blade, the countless spirits that make up its body scattering into the floor and ceiling as it melts away, before disappearing in an almost-inaudible pop. The only remnants of the mighty spirit's existence is a thin layer of goo, softly glowing as it covers the floorstones and bookshelves.

It is now Allys's turn.

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Caller in Darkness 1 uses Advantage of Fear against Mathas and Steal Essence on Bron.

Mathas grants CA and is marked by CiD1 until save.

Attack vs. Fortitude - (1d20+22)[36]
Damage if hit - (1d10+9)[11] and ongoing 5 psychic (save ends). First failed save take ongoing 5 psychic and weakens (save ends both). Second failed save take ongoing 10 psychic and stuns (save ends both).

Caller in Darkness 2 dies to Bron's final attack (at -1!)

Caller in Darkness 3 moves to I5-K6, uses Advantage of Fear against Allys, and uses Double Bite against Allys and Mathas.

Allys grants CA and is marked by CiD3 until save.

Attack vs. Allys AC - (1d20+25)[26]
Damage if hit - (1d10+7)[13] Necrotic and ongoing 10 psychic (save ends)
Attack vs. Mathas AC - (1d20+21)[31]
Damage if hit - (1d20+7)[21] Necrotic and ongoing 10 psychic (save ends)

Ghost 1 moves to J10.

Ghost 2 uses Burst of Terror.

Attacks vs. Will
Allys - (1d20+22)[29]
Mathas - (1d20+22)[27]
Bron - (1d20+24)[27]
Kuekemon - (1d20+24)[42]
Korgan - (1d20+22)[25]
Patrick - (1d20+22)[36]

Damage if hit - (1d8+9)[15] Necrotic damage, push 5, and dazes and immobilizes (save ends both).

Hungry Shadow beneath Allys attacks her.

Attack vs. Fortitude - (1d20+23)[41]
Damage if hit - (3d10)[15] and ongoing 5 (save ends).
First failed save: 10 ongoing (save ends)
Second failed save: 10 ongoing and blind (save ends both)
Third failed save: 15 ongoing and blind (save ends both)
Fourth failed save: 15 ongoing and blind and deaf (save ends all)
Fifth failed save: 15 ongoing and deaf (save ends both) and blind (no save)

Other Hungry Shadows move randomly.



Saving Throws and Recharge Rolls:

Ghost 1:
vs. Daze - (1d20)[6]
Possession - (1d6)[5]

Ghost 2:
vs. Daze - (1d20)[10]
Possession - (1d6)[3]
Burst - (1d6)[2]

Battle Status:

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Initiative:
Monsters
Allys
Korgan
Kuekemon
Mathas
Patrick
Bron

Enemy Status:

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Caller in Darkness 1:
Bloodied
Marked by Bron
Under Mathas's Immortal Curse
Under Mathas's Oath of Enmity
Under Patrick's Warlock's Curse
Advantage of Fear vs. Bron
Advantage of Fear vs. Mathas

Caller in Darkness 2:
Dead (at -1 hp!)

Caller in Darkness 3:
Bloodied
Advantage of Fear vs. Allys

Ghost 1:
Dazed (save ends)
Under Patrick's Warlock's Curse

Ghost 2:
Marked by Bron (-3)
Under Patrick's Warlock's Curse

Battle Map:

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[Vox Clamantis]

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Opportunity Attack from Claws of Retribution (given the nature of the wording, I'm not 100% sure whether or not I get the attack before I'm pushed)
(1d20+32)[33] vs Reflex
(2d8+20)[24] damage

Doesn't matter; rolled a natural one.

[Vox Clamantis]

Blasted back by one of the ghosts, Kuekemon shifts into his natural shape and raises his staff high, a static charge gathering at its tip. With a fairly bestial snarl, he hurls the stroke of lightning at the only spirit still visible to him.

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Storm Spike at CiD-1
Attack - (1d20+27)[38] vs Reflex
Hit - (2d8+22)[32] lightning damage and the target must move at least two squares on its turn or take another 8 lightning damage.

[Nahal]

Korgan

Shifting his position to get a better line at one of the remaining Callers, Korgan fires another blast of violet energy. This time, the energy resembles a glowing, viscous globule of some vile liquid. As it impacts the Caller, it seems to somehow infect it. As the energy seeps into the creature, it tinges the cloud of spirits purple even as the Caller attempts to resist its effects. See how you like being made into a puppet! the sorceror shouts.

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I'll alter the post if Allys somehow kills or forces Caller 3 out of my range. But for now:

Move: Shift to P5, sustaining AC at 31 and Reflex at 33
Standard: Hostility Charm vs CiD3 Will - (1d20+25)[34], Psychic Damage - (5d6+27)[42]. On a miss, Caller 3 takes half damage. If, however, the attack hits, CiD3 takes a free action to charge the closest ally it can charge and makes a melee basic attack against it (albeit at -2 due to Psychic Lock)
Minor: Discard, unless someone's in dire need of healing.
Edit: Chaos Power pumps AC to 32, but it looks like I missed. Does Allys feel like dishing out some radiant damage?

[opheliagonemad]

Allys
Moving away from the hungry shadow to stand next to Mathas, Allys then sends a ray of searing light towards the Caller that used Advantage of Fear on her.

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Radiant v. reflex (if hit, C3 becomes substantial. (1d20+24)[40] Damage, radiant (2d6+12)[20] saves vs ongoing (1d20)[18] vs CA (1d20)[12]

[The Bushranger]

Patrick

The white-haired warlock suddenly appears to waver and vanish from view - and a moment later a blast of multicolored energy lashes out from another location...

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Move: Teleport using Infuriating Elusiveness to L12.

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Encounter - Arcane, Illusion, Teleportation
Move Action - Personal
Effect: You become invisible and then teleport 4 squares. The invisibility lasts until the start of your next turn.

Standard: Using my Precise Wand of Color Spray against Ghost 2 and CiD 1!

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Daily - Arcane, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action - Close blast 5
Target: Each creature in blast - Attack: INT vs Will
Hit: 1d8+3 radiant damage, and target is dazed until the start of your next turn
If your first attack roll hits you score a critical hit

against Ghost 1
INT vs Will (1d20+20)[35]
Damage (1d8+3)[10]
against CiD 1
INT vs Will (1d20+19)[39] Nat 20! Woo!
Damage (1d8+3)[10]

[RTGoodman]

Bron

"Ah, see, you go down nice an' easy just like us livin' folks." Bron tumbles back into the middle of the fray, slashing his glaive in a wide arc at the remaining spirits near him and trying to throw off the lingering mental assault from the Caller.

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Shift up to L9 again and use polearm sweep to hit the two Ghosts and CiD1.

Attack (CiD1): (1d20+29)[33] vs. AC
Attack (Ghost 1): (1d20+29)[42] vs. AC
Attack (Ghost 2): (1d20+27)[28] vs. AC

Damage: (6d3+20)[37] damage, marked (-3)
Miss: Half damage, marked (-3)

Saving Throws:
-Marked, CA vs. CiD1: (1d20)[13]
-Ongoing 5 Psychic Damage: (1d20)[10]

EDIT: Well, I sucked it up on attack rolls (a 1 and a 4?), but at least I made my saves, I guess.

Status:

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HP: 128/160
Surges: 12/12
Conditions: None!

[Awesomologist]

Assaulted again by the large spirit, Mathas grows frustrated. Knowing however that at least one of these creatures has fallen gives the deva hope. With Allys next to him the Avenger of the Raven Queen looks to protect their healer and perhaps most effective ally against these spirits. He swings his blade in a wide arch attacking the the large spirit between himself and Bron then continues to spin his large sword in a blur that seems to make a shield of dark and radiant steel.

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Standard Action: Warding Blade vs. CiD1

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Attack: Wisdom vs. AC
Hit: 2[W] + Wisdom modifier (+7) thunder damage, and you push any enemy within 2 squares of you, other than the target, 2 squares. Until the end of your next turn, if any enemy other than the target enters a square adjacent to you or hits or misses you from a square within your reach, you can make a melee basic attack against that enemy as an opportunity action.
Censure of Retribution: You gain a power bonus to the attack roll of the melee basic attack equal to your Intelligence modifier (+6).

Attack Roll 1 - (1d20+26)[45] or Attack Roll 2 - (1d20+26)[35] vs AC
Damage Roll - (2d12+22)[8][11](41) Radiant Damage
On Hit: Push CiD3 northward 2 squares. Any enemy that enters an adjacent square, hits me or misses me and is within reach takes an OA (+6 to the attack roll). Necro, feel free to roll the OA's on your own to save time if it is needed.

Saving Throw vs 5 Ongoing Psychic - (1d20)[11]
Status:
HP - 113/165
EDIT: No longer suffering from ongoing Damage
Also a 19 is a crit! (Radiant Servant) Finally!!! see OOC for extra goodies

[NecroRebel]

Already battered and blasted, the two remaining Callers have great difficulty standing up to the latest wave of assaults. One of them, the one among the bookcases, cannot stand them at all and, like it predecessor seconds before, dissolves into countless escaping spirits and spectral ooze.

The other, reeling from Korgan's psychic assault, slams into one of the smaller spirits before getting staggered away by its ally's destruction. While it recovers and leaps to attack Bron and Mathas fairly quickly, it is clear that it will not last and, as the two warriors counterstrike against it it too breaks apart. The last two spirits, showing some sign of intelligence, gaze at their companions' remnants as they disappear into the floor.

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Alright, so CiD1 died, CiD3 is at 8 hp, and if CiD3 moves to K7, both Mathas and Bron get OAs against it before it can do anything else. Both have a 95% chance to hit the thing with OAs at the moment and will kill it if they hit, so it has 1/4 of 1% chance to survive past the round. I'm just not going to bother rolling and call it dead.

So, since I don't think you guys would mind, I'm going to call the battle over. The other spirits will simply flee, as they wouldn't be much of a threat without the Callers giving them some room to play, and the encounter is reduced enough that it's not really worthwhile anymore.

Treasure:

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The ectoplasmic goo that the Callers left behind when they died can be processed into magic items and Residuum by any ritual caster. There is a total of 575000 gp worth of magic there; you can convert it into a level 23 or less item for full price using Enchant Magic Item, leaving some left over.

[The Bushranger]

Patrick

Well, that was...most invigourating, Patrick observes dryly, before quickly crossing the distance to Allys with a worried look on his face. Are you alright, milady?

[Vox Clamantis]

From between two bookshelves where he had been battling a ghost, Kuekemon steps into the main area. Troublesome. When we fight flesh and blood, my teeth find better purchase.

[Nahal]

Korgan

You and me both, Korgan says as he dusts himself off. Ignoring the minor scratches he sustained at the hands of the Callers, Korgan moves to rejoin the group. Please tell me one of you can make something useful out of all this mess they left behind? Korgan asks more generally. Never had much of a head for rituals, and this stuff looks like it needs more than a quick burst of fire to be usable. Korgan next starts looking for an exit, and takes care to avoid any shadows that flit up through the floor.

[Awesomologist]

Mathas

Cleaning his blade of ectoplasm, Mathas' blade returns to to it's dark onyx state after a brief prayer to the Raven Queen.
"I hope everyone is alright. Lets be quick and find this book so that we can leave this tower before those ghosts return."

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Spending 1 surge to place me at full.

[RTGoodman]

Bron

"Yeah, I can agree with that. I'm not itchin' to fight any more of those types. No fun in fighting stuff that's already dead. Can't even get a good hit in against 'em." Bron takes a few minutes longer than the others to catch his breath, but tries not to make a show of it. "I'm ready to get on with it when the rest of ya are."

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Spending a surge to get up to full also.

[opheliagonemad]

Allys

Allys hesitates a few minutes, clearly catching her breath. I will recover. Thank you, Patrick.

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Spend a healing surge

[The Bushranger]

Patrick

Nodding to Allys, Patrick turns his attention back to the goo on the floor. We should probably clean that up, if nothing else we could make a few platinum selling it to some nutty professors...

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Don't forget to count the HP Allys got back from the Majestic Word earlier.

[Vox Clamantis]

Kuekemon closes his eyes for a moment, allowing the spirit energies of the library to heal his wounds. When he opens them, he is seemingly none the worse for wear.

I'll gather their remains. Such things do have some worth.

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Spending a surge.

[The Bushranger]

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Patrick will spend a Healing Surge, and collect as much as the goo as he can.

[NecroRebel]

Once you are prepared to move on, having gathered as much of the ectoplasmic remains as you can, you continue outside the tower and onto the bridge leading to where the light beasts had directed you. The bridge itself is in fairly bad shape, burned and blackened, with sizable chunks taken out of its side as if something huge had crashed through it, but has no trouble holding your weight.

Entering the largest of the structures you have yet seen, you notice that it is decorated very differently from the others you have passed through. For one, the bookshelves in the center of the various chambers are simply gone; while it appears that they were once present, it seems as though something has broken them off. The arches that lead deeper into the tower have also been modified, enlarged, with melted and scratched edges. What truly catches your attention, however, are the obviously-magical scriptures and constructs in the area.

The scriptures are easily recognizable to those of you who are trained in the magical arts as a form of protective circle, though far larger than most you have seen. It stretches out to either side of you, and, if you are judging things properly, would enclose almost the entirety of the tower's contents. The wards in particular appear to forbid entrance by the undead. Slightly beyond the border stands shimmering, magically-formed pillars, topped by huge, draconic-looking eyes that regard you silently. Each pillar is, in turn, flanked by two glowing crystals, which do not seem to be doing anything at the moment.

The circle of protection has no apparent effect on you, and is passed through harmlessly. The eye-towers, though, begin to scream the moment you are through it. From deeper within the tower, you hear a muffled, draconic roar, shouts of nearly-desperate rage and confusion, which are cut off by the disgusting sounds of some great beast coughing vomit. Instantly, the crystals around the perimeter are bound together by rays of blinding light, which shoot by you harmlessly as they connect to another ring through the next chamber, and on, through the tower.

Whatever this place is, it appears to be something's home, and it seems that it has spent a great deal of time making sure it is well-defended.

[Nahal]

Korgan

Hmm, Korgan says as the alarms go off, sounds like we're perhaps not welcome here. I'll do the talking, unless anyone else would rather have a go? Korgan moves toward the front of the group, aiming to serve as the party face, but his body language makes it clear it's just a suggestion.

[Awesomologist]

Mathas

Drawing his massive sword, Mathas looks to Korgan, "From the sound of that roar I doubt we'll do much talking." Radiant light fills the deva's dark blade as he moves forward to examine the path ahead.

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Perception Check - (1d20+22)[25] Just looking around the room and ahead incase there's something my passive (32) perception doesn't pick up.

[Vox Clamantis]

The gnoll, back to prowling the library in the form of a great panther, stops and listens intently, dark form disappearing into the shadows as he prepares himself to deal with whatever had just been alerted to their presence.

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Perception - (1d20+28)[40]
Stealth - (1d20+25)[32]

[The Bushranger]

Patrick

Hopefully the guardian will be...willing to hear us out, Patrick says quetly, motioning for Korgan to take the lead in trying to make it listen to reason...

[NecroRebel]

The light flashing from the crystals only appears momentarily, and always follows directly after the sounds of coughing within the heart of the tower. Otherwise, the defenses around this place do not seem to bother you, and once you are out of sight from the eye-pillars, even the screaming alarms stop.

The tower itself seems to be formed into eight concentric rings of rooms, the entrance to the inner rings always offset from the entrance to the ring before it, so that one cannot see all the way to the center without being in the second-to-last ring. The rooms, except in the innermost chamber, are very similar to the ones in the first room you entered; the bookshelves in the center are smashed, the doorways enlarged, and a line of glowing crystals stretched around the perimeter. Unlike the outside rooms, though, there is no circle of protection or sentry eyes here.

The source of the roars quickly quiets as you get further into the tower, replaced with a tense silence. As you enter the innermost hall, it becomes clear just what it is, and why it does not seem very calm. Constantly sweeping back and forth in the center of a dome of more glowing crystals there lays a sickly-looking elder gold dragon. Red veins show through gaps in its scales and its teeth are rotten. Where its right eye should be is yet another of the crystals, while its left socket sits empty. Around the entire chamber, the flagstone floor is stained with blood.

As you watch, it seems to be listening carefully for something, moving its head about to hear better, but suddenly stops as it wretches, coughing flame, blood, and something black. The blackness begins to float up towards it, but is burned away by another flash from the light gems. You recognize it now as some of the hungry shadows, but these seem to live within the dragon itself.

As it straightens from its sickness, the dragon inhales sharply, and then stops, sniffing. It has caught your scent, and turns its head towards you. "Do I... No, no other living thing would come to this forsaken place..." it growls, soft and gravelly, but does not stop trying to determine what it is it feels.

[opheliagonemad]

Allys
Allys observes the dragon cautiously, trying to judge the dragon's inclinations towards them as she waits for Korgan to try and speak with the dragon.

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Insight (1d20+23)[36]

[Nahal]

Korgan

Your senses do not mistake you, noble one, the sorceror says to the dragon with all the respect and formality of a court emissary. We are among the living, and have come here in search of a specific tome. Sadly it is down on one of the lower levels, and our powers are not enough to hold all the shadows at bay. The keepers of this realm informed us that Blackflame possessed the knowledge of how to pass through the lower reaches. Have we come to the right place? Bowing, he introduces himself. I am called Korgan, and these are my compatriots, he continues and indicates each of the other party members by name.

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Diplomacy - (1d20+26)[42] to pull it off. I love my diplomacy mod.

[The Bushranger]

Patrick

Bowing respectfully when the introductions get to him, Patrick considers the sorry-looking dragon before them carefully, but remains quiet for the moment.

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Insight: (1d20+12)[23]

[RTGoodman]

Bron

Also bowing as his name is called, Bron leans heavily on his glaive, using it as a walking stick. Poor fella looks like Hell. Guess I don't have it QUITE as bad as I thought these days.

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Seeing if this is some sort of magical disease Bron has heard of in his travels, or if the dragon is just suffering the pangs of old age, or what. You can just use whichever of the following is more appropriate.

Heal: (1d20+21)[31]
Insight: (1d20+16)[26]