Eyes of the Lich Queen IC

[TheFallenOne]

Spoiler

I act before Daiya, so she isn't in flanking position when I attack

I hope the AoO she provoked won't kill her... She stands on her last legs and that priest hits like a freight train. And now he even called for reinfocements... This could end very badly

[Sallera]

The high priest takes hold of his tetsubo by both ends as Daiya attempts to pass by, stopping her with a straight-armed shove. "<Ill-timed bravery, defiler. Know your place.>"

Spoiler

I, ah, must admit to some curiosity as to why Daiya stayed in melee while missing most of her HP rather than leaving it to the walking wall, but I suppose we can put that one down to the knightly code.

At any rate, an AoO for you, since if this connects, I imagine it will affect Trunk and Shard's turns.
Attack: (1d20+13)[24]
Damage: (2d8+8)[18]

[FuryOfMetal]

Turning away from the Blackscale infront of them as he collapses to the floor, Trunk is just in time to see the Priest drive the pommel of his tetsubo right into Daiya's chest. Hearing her previous screams and shouts, the resulting crack as the heavy wood broke her ribs must have been fatal. Seeing Daiya fall limply to the ground in an undignified heap confirmed Trunks fears. Overtaken by an animalistic fury, Trunk charges with Drasil in hot pursuit to tear this lizard a new hole in it's abdomen. Heedless of the defense it no doubt mounts seeing them charge, Trunk and Drasil jump over Daiya's lifeless form and get their revenge, baying with the wrath of nature itself.

Spoiler

We double move to end up adjacent to it. I'll occupy what appears to be G10 and Drasil will be in F9 (assuming the letters are on the top, which I think they usually are). Still within 5ft of eachother and this leaves space for Shard and Grimmgang to go on the other side.

[TekHed]

"Daiya!" Shard caught the body of its companion as she fell. The stern face of the floating glowing shield interposed itself between the knights and the Blackscale priest as the Shard's companions rushed into the breach. Meanwhile for the Shard, time slowed down to a trickle.

For the great super-consciousness that animated the mineral form, time itself was an unchanging crystal...all had ever been and ever be, right now. But it's purpose in separating a part of itself, this humanoid Shard, was to experience time and individuality as the smaller time-locked races did. And here now, for the first time, holding it's first real friend as her light slipped away, the Shard felt and for all of its brethren in the Cruciform Cathedral, a sense of sadness and loss.

"Forgive me my friend."

As Daiya rested in it's arms, the life slipping away from her, she could feel the warm thrumming waves of the Shard's light flowing through her. A subsonic frequency, too low for most to hear created a pulsing rhythm.

Shard reached forth a hand, covering her face and the light within its body intensified and pulsed through the arm and into her.

A single high tone chimed over the pool of darkness within her, as if a bell had been struck and the reverberating, resonating sound turned into a song that washed over and through her, banishing all pain and filling her with a deep joyful contentment. In that moment, she who had been sightless beheld light for the first time. It began as the tiniest pinprick in the darkness, yet for one who had no concept of light or darkness, the presence of that searing point of fire created in her mind the concept of both. As she gazed upon it, the light grew and expanded, encompassing all her thought with a wonder, and a void of thought. As the light expanded she slipped into it's embrace, the self dissolved and it carried her home.

"Your light will shine upon us evermore, my friend, eternally from the Stars above."

To the others, Shard caught Daiya, and the light from within its body flared, bathing the chamber walls with rippling red and blue lights as if a lantern reflecting off the moving surface of a pool. It closed her eyes, light flowed into her, and it laid the now empty shell of the Knight upon the temple floor.

The rite complete, the Shard-consciousness turned its attention to aiding its other friends, for danger was still quite near.

Touching a small jewel set into it's helm, it suddenly flared to life with a brilliant blue glow, seeming for a moment as a third eye. Gripping it's blade, the blue light corucscated through the weapon and Shard rushed in between its flanking companions. Daiya would not journey into the Light alone. This blackscale would be joining her momentarily.

Spoiler

So I doubt this reconstruction is as good as the post I lost. In any case I hope its ok I took some liberties with the narrative. Although there is no game mechanic to describe it, I've always imagined the light Shard emits as having a warm, tactile component. I expanded that here to be a sort of clerical death-rite that gives comfort to a dying creature.


Actions for this round: Use Pearl of power to recast Truestrike, then move into position between Grimmgang and Trunk.

[Sallera]

The high priest shoots Grimmgang a brief glare as the dwarf's axe finds purchase in his flesh, but a bloodthirsty grin spreads over his face as the rest of the party surrounds him. "<One dead, four left. Let us test your mettle!>" Raising his tetsubo briefly in front of him in what could be a salute or a prayer, he spins it into a whirling arc, bouncing off Shard and reversing direction to strike Grimmgang. "<Shall we see the taste of your flesh? Rhashaak's children might want the privilege for themselves.>" Snapping at Drasil as she gets a little too close, he laughs. "<But wood shall not bother them!>"

Spoiler

Attack on Shard: (1d20+13)[33]
Damage: (2d8+8)[20]
Attack on Grimmgang: (1d20+8)[26]
Damage: (2d8+8)[17]
Attack on Drasil: (1d20+9)[13]
Damage: (1d6+2)[6]

[TekHed]

There is a sickening sound like a glass goblet crashing to the floor as the massive war-club powered into the Shard.

Letting out a primal scream of pain and grief and rage, Shard returned the strike in earnest, opening up the Priest to the onslaught of the companions.

"FOR DAIYA!!!"

Spoiler

Ouch! Shard will now use his Truestrike to power a vanguard strike/earth smite on this guy. If need be I'll spend an action point, and am spending 2 power points on increased damage.

If successful, everyone else should get a +4 to attack until it's my turn again.

Attack: (1d20+30)[39] Forgot the +1 from Bless, should be 40. Edit: and the furious counterstrike bonus...so 41.
Damage: [roll]4d6+8[[/roll] Oops!

[TheFallenOne]

Spoiler

ouch! Not only does he hit like a freight train, he gets nastily good rolls too... I'm down to 9 HP. I should maybe use my Healing Belt, but since Shard is pretty down too we can't afford to lose an offensive action. I'll instead use full Stone Bones. With my DR, he'd need 20 damage to disable me, 21 to put me out. That's an acceptable risk with 2d8+8. Unless of course he gets a crit, which would kill me...

Grimmgangs shield wasn't enough to deflect the powerful tetsubo and it crashed into his chest, audibly cracking bones. Gritting his teeth, he kept coming at the priest, the mangled corpse of his companion giving him the determination to finish this one way or the other.

Spoiler

tumble 15 feet into flanking(with Trunk? Shard? whatever works

regain maneuvers, full Stone Bones(+8 temp HP)
since I act before Shard I won't profit from his Vanguard Strike. Which is actually a good thing since I'll instead get the bonus next turn when I have Mountain Hammer again

Dwarven Waraxe - (1d20+6)[18] -4 Stone Bones, +2 Flanking
Slashing damage - (1d10+4)[10] + Skirmish damage - (1d6)[6]

[FuryOfMetal]

Standing between Daiya's limp form and the Priest, Trunk and Drasil form a barrier for Shard's ritual. Upon it's completion they dive at their prey, surrounding it with their allies and tearing at it whilst it's confused, surrounded by so many enemies.

Spoiler

Ah squeezing in violent actions to try and drop this thing quickly is like a smaller version of rocket tag. Also my attack actions aren't as interesting as everybody elses, fluff text runs dry.

Exact positions are a little sketchy at this point. Drasil and Trunk will remain adjacent to each other and attack this thing. I believe we need to 5ft step to get it into range, then we'll full attack. Atleast the priest now has a -8 to attack if it doesn't attack Shard, -4 if it does. we have +1 from bless and +2 from flanking hopefully, though if flanking isn't possible then take 2 from the attack results.

Trunk
(1d20+9)[20] (1d6+3)[9]
(1d20+9)[11] (1d6+3)[9]
(1d20+3)[7] (1d4+1)[5]

Drasil
(1d20+10)[15] (1d6+3)[6]

[Sallera]

"<No! Not yet!>" the priest cries out as Grimmgang and Shard's blades bite deep. With a roar, he sweeps away Drasil and Trunk's attacks like chaff. "<I only need... a few more seconds. Grant me this.>"

He halts for a brief moment, becoming utterly still. "<One.>" Advancing, he brings an upward sweep toward Shard, slamming into the warrior's defenses. "<Two.>" Planting one foot, he spins fully around, using the momentum to deliver a swift strike to Grimmgang. "<Three.>" His jaws lash out with deceptive speed, seeking flesh. Dropping to one knee, he prepares to face what remains.

Spoiler

Trunk, I'm away from my books right now, but I'm fairly sure the penalty from your armour only applies to attacks against you. (That spell would be a little too good if it worked on others as well.)

Attack on Shard: (1d20+13)[21]
Damage: (2d8+8)[15]

Attack on Grimmgang: (1d20+4)[19] (Iron Guard's included)
Damage: (2d8+8)[19]

This last will be to Grimmgang if he's still up, Shard if not.
Attack: (1d20+5)[7] (+4 if Shard)
Damage: (1d6+2)[3]

[TheFallenOne]

Spoiler

tumble into flanking

Mountain Hammer
Fall, Giant, Fall - (1d20+15)[28] +1 Bless, +2 Flanking, +4 Vanguard Strike
Slashing damage - (1d10+4)[6] + Maneuver damage - (2d6)[10] + Skirmish damage - (1d6)[1]

Well, I act first in the round... I'd like confirmation whether or not this is fatal, because if it is I'm gonna work it into my descriptive text

[FuryOfMetal]

Spoiler

Maybe my more mundane attacks will finish it but it's the fluff that makes it interesting.

(1d20+9)[25] (1d6+3)[8]
(1d20+9)[15] (1d6+3)[5]
(1d20+4)[19] (1d4+1)[4]

(1d20+10)[19] (1d6+3)[7]

Fatal Sallera? If it's not then I'll expend an action point to increase the result of Drasil's attack roll which might then become a hit. [roll]1d6[/roll]

[TekHed]

Spoiler

Fury, Shard hasn't acted yet so all those attacks get +4 from his Vanguard strike, not sure if you included that...

[FuryOfMetal]

Spoiler

Ah I hadn't realised. So all those get +4, maybe I won't need an action point after all.

[TheFallenOne]

Spoiler

29 for 8, 23 for 4, 23 for 7... That should finally do it. His AC is 22 or 23(I missed with 21 and hit with 24). Well, Trunk getting the kill on the leader makes up for his bad luck previously with his attacks

[Sallera]

"<Not... enough...>" Grimmgang's blow knocks the tetsubo from the high priest's hands, and there is an audible crack from its arms. Its guard falls limp, and Trunk's claws open its throat, finally laying Daiya's killer low. As it lies bleeding on the floor of the vestry, you can hear muted sounds of alarm from the other side of the temple - not clear enough to make out words, but it seems the high priest's bellowing has reached someone, at least, if not necessarily the ones he intended.

[TheFallenOne]

When the high priest finally fell, Grimmgang sighed his relief, though it was shortlived when the sounds of commotion outside betrayed that the rest of the temple had noticed their incursion.
He spared a glance at Daiya; in the war he had seen enough people die to know there was no coming back from a blow like that. "We can't leave her body to these savages", he said gravely, touching one of the moonstones on his belt to let it's healing energy flow into him. "So this is where we make our stand, with the corpses of their leader and our companion standing vigil? Fitting." He looked at the windows, for a moment contemplating making a quick escape, but quickly snapped out of it and florished his axe to get rid of the chunks of lizard stuck on it. His grief was washed away by bouts of anger. The dwarfs eyes narrowed and the furrows on his forehead deepened; he was out for blood.

[TekHed]

As their enemy falls, Shard moves to the high priest, clutching him as he just done for Daiya. The same glow intensifies from within him and flows into the Priest.

"Now you will see the Light, for even the veil of night is sundered by the countless stars. Rest easy, and know that although we were enemies today, we are yet one."

Spoiler

Do we have time for some lesser vigors?

[FuryOfMetal]

Shifting back to his two legged form, Trunk stands again on his rear legs. Instantly he runs to Daiya's body and kneels infront of her. Stroking hair from her face, tiny micro vines and sprouts extend from Trunk's fingers and creep aonto her skin and extend a few millimetres. Ever the brave knight. You didn't have to brave that thing in close combat, we would've got through you fool. Withdrawing his hands and standing up, he turns to his remaining allies. We'll see to her wishes later, for now I think we should either make off quickly before more foes arrive or we perform a fighting retreat.

For now, the 2 of you need to repair. Trunk pulls one of his fingers and it detaches and forms a twisting stick, 6 inches long and tapering towards the end. Trunk traces it along his allies wounds in turn, knitting the flesh back together slowly.

Spoiler

Fluff makes things more fun. Drasil needs 2 charges to be healed to full, you 2 take what you need. Though each takes a while to take effect of course. Also Drasil will stay within 5ft of me.

In the mean time I'm going to go search the altar and the Blackscale Drasil and I killed. (1d20+3)[5]

[TekHed]

Shard spends a moment checking through the vestments and equipment of the Blackscale priest...after all this empty husk no longer needed them. Occe that grim business was complete, Shard drug the corpse by the tail over to the pit and peered down with it's darkvision, checking to see if it would make a suitable place to dispose of the body.

[TheFallenOne]

Trunks and Shards reactions, void of simple anger, made Grimmgang think again about their course of action; perhaps a last stand wasn't the best idea now. "Much as I want to kill the rest of them, we could retreat again through the windows and finish this another time. I've seen too many people die senselessly when the desire for revenge overrid their better judgement."

[Sallera]

A cursory scan reveals that there is likely some value in the priest's cloth-of-gold chasuble, and its tetsubo would have clear worth to some, although it is a rather unwieldy burden for one without the blackscales' size. It wore a well-crafted breastplate under its robes, although retrieving it would likely be a task for one with more time at hand, and an intricately wrought brooch is pinned to its sleeve. Each of the three blackscales was carrying a potion, and one of the lesser priests had a slender wand tucked into its belt. The altar itself is carved in draconic imagery, but holds only two bowls of smoldering incense. The pit is a smooth circular shaft twenty feet deep, currently empty.

[TekHed]

"We must burn this husk, lest it be risen again for more evil." Shard intoned. "This pit is not deep enough to prevent recovery."

Shard takes the potions, wand, brooch, and chausible, stuffing them in it's pack.

[TheFallenOne]

"Burning a corpse that big takes hours", Grimmgang said, as if he was speaking from experience. "They can be here any moment, if we want to retreat we have to do so now. I can carry Daiya, she won't slow me down." He let his grappling hook with the knotted rope down the nearest window. Then he picked up Daiya, putting er over his shoulder.

[FuryOfMetal]

Thank you for regaining your composure Grimmgang, we all need to keep our heads together right now. Are you sure she won't slow you down? I know she's only small but she's so full of pride and bravery that she may weigh more than she appears. Talking so casually whilst slotting back a finger is a strange image but never the less, Trunks strange manerisms don't take too long to get used to.

We can look at those later Shard, for now lets follow Grimm and leave this place. Between walking from the altar and leaving for the window, Trunk levers out a sharp pointed tooth as a keepsake. I'll slow them down as we leave, their ability to follow us should be severly hampered.

Spoiler

I plan to spontaneously change Greater Magic fang into Summon Natures Ally 3 and summon (1d3)[2] Dire Badgers. Can I sit on the lip of the window and ready an action against seeing our enemies come into view? It's a full round casting time spell so can I cast it but leave the last 1% or so of the spell uncast so that when I see the enemies I can just click it on, as it were? Unsure how readied actions would work with a full round action spell.

Also as we escape I'll be casting entangle behind us, centred 10 feet away from the wall below the window. This will be cast once we're all out of the window and out of the planned spell area. I have another entangle and an obscuring mist if needs be.

[TheFallenOne]

After his comment on Daiyas weight, Grimmgang stared blankly at Trunk for some long, uncomfortable seconds. "Are you daft? Stop fooling around and get a move on, I won't carry a dead tree too!"
After stashing weapon and shield, he scrambled up the window, somehow managing with Daiya flung over his shoulder. He let the knotted rope down to the others in the room and a second rope down the outside wall. "All ready, get up here!"

[FuryOfMetal]

Sorry, I'm not sure how to act in situations like this. Living in the forests means my brothers and I are somewhat detached from normality, let alone being Treeforged. It's best we just get going.

[TekHed]

Frowning at the oversized corpse it holds, Shard drops it to the deck. Heaving its' crystal sword overhead the mineral warrior brings it down, lopping off the high priest's head before kicking the carcass down the shaft. Taking its' grim trophy with it, Shard follows the rest back to the room they entered from and scrambles up the knotted rope.

Spoiler

Climb: (1d20-2)[13]

[Sallera]

Your hurried exodus through the window goes relatively smoothly; it is not until Grimmgang is shoving Drasil onto the windowsill that a pair of shocked blackscales appears from the hallway, one of them hurling a javelin that bounces off the wall as Grimmgang retrieves his rope. Drasil looks between her master and the approaching lizards, apparently weighing her options, before leaping off the edge with as much indignance as a wooden canine can muster, somehow managing to clamber and tumble down the outside of the wall to land in an undignified but uninjured heap.

[TheFallenOne]

Ignoring the javelin throwing sparks on the stone beneath him, Grimmgang picked up Daiyas corpse again. He gave the lizards a last angry look, mouthing 'We'll be back' before leaping outside.
"That gives us a little headstart, let's go", he said, hurrying to the safety of the jungle.

Spoiler

Jump to reduce falling damage (1d20+5)[12] DC 15
Tumble to reduce falling damage (1d20+9)[10]
includes heavy load penalty for carrying Daiya

... so much for nimble dwarf

[FuryOfMetal]

Spoiler

Woah, the nimble dwarf is usually very nimble, that sucks. Lets see if the clumsy moving tree can do better.
Jump (1d20-1)[15]
Tumble (1d20-1)[5]

Drasil:
Jump (1d20+2)[20]
Tumble (1d20+3)[12]

Also I'm casting Entangle outside the main entrance because I forgot the Blackscales are Large sized and won't be going through the window, atleast probably not.

Stumbling through the window and landing awkwardly, Trunk then watches Drasil land softly next to him. As they accelerate away from the temple, the crack in Trunks foot caused by the fall is annoying but not debilitating. Once out of range of the temple steps, Trunk empowers the strips of vines and moss covering it's front to grow and entangle all who pass through.