Wight Worms (Group 2 Part 2)
You have achieved victory in your corner of the battlefield. Wight lords crumble to dust and purple worms lie defeated and ichor-wrought. Yet even as you pull Halani free of the corpse of your most recently defeated foe, you realize that while you are victorious here? there's an entire battlefield that remains intact. Wights chase back your reinforcements, the army managing to delay the undead but they're no real match for the life-draining enemies.
Worse however are the other purple worms popping up like raisins in pudding. Spewing forth not only more wights as expected, but more of the even more dangerous wight lords to command the forces. Everywhere you look the battle is fierce. Without aid this fight might yet go to the undead forces and that is a fact which you know you can not allow.
To your left a small band of worms has risen all together. Three of them like you faced here, but already under the command of the wight lords that had been inside them they tear the army encampment apart. To your right only one worm has risen, but it seems aberrant in some way. It's color is completely washed out and it is significantly larger than the other worms. This seems partially because it was carrying very large wights and an even larger wight lord inside it. Shock troops of the undead. They mow down your reinforcements like they're wet paper.
Only you can choose which path to take.
GAME: Braelnoir rolls knowledge/military theory +2+5+2+1: (8)+13+2+5+2+1: 31
Aryia rubs at her face, cleaning free the ichor and sweat that's gathered from the conflict thus far, smearing moonlight across her forehead. She's panting lightly, a quick glance to Halani to make sure she was fine after they recovered her before looking over the battlefield.
She's split, both sides equally terrible. But she takes a half hasted step towards the strange worm, the shock troops. "Deny flank?" she briskly gestures, giving her reason for the choice. <Merctalk/Tongues>
In the wake of the final worm hitting the deck and the immediate threat is partially abate, Braelnoir's silvery luster is subsumed back into her normal mammalian veneer, and the Korite lurches waily for a moment, as of trying to catch her breath.
Panting, though forcing herself to bigger, more cadenced breathes as she looks around to appraise the scenario as more hostiles make themselves known, Brae's scythe creaks in her grip and she forces herself to her full, augmented height, "We gotta..." a gulp of air, "Stop'm closin' that pincer or we're done!"
The large Korite levels her dreadful weapon toward the pod of the largest adversaries, "We gotta take them out, first, 'fore the shock troops start a cascade of turnin' our guys!"
Determined yet, despite the toll her draconic rages place upon her, Braelnoir starts to move toward that selfsame target.
As the last work falls, Silmeria makes a hurried check of her pistol, wrinkling her nose in dismay... And then the dead rise yet again.
Extremely unladylike words tumble from the Vardaman's lips.
<<Yes,>> she signs to Aryia, then takes off in a ground-eating lope, holstering her gun for the moment and reaching for a filigreed pouch behind the holster, extracting a pair of exceedingly fine tools by feel alone.
"We *cannot* allow that destruction to continue unchecked, no. And I pray our choice ends in the fewest deaths this night."
Halani is absolutely not fine. Not fine at all. Undead wurms might not be quite as gooey on the inside anymore, and perhaps have less active stomachs... but relatives like that hardly matter on creatures that big, and probably that old. That were carrying so many undead. So once pulled free, and after raising a fist in thanks to Aryia, she takes some time to try and scrape.... stuff.... off of her face, her arms. Bits of things out of her hair, her robes. She takes time to remove her boots, emptying them of undead juice.. to try and minimize the 'squick' when she walks. "NOT the victory I'd thought of, yeah?" she finally says after spitting the foul taste out of her mouth. Only to see people are already running to a new fight. "Oh.. hey! Hey! Wait for me!" And off she runs after everyone.
GAME: Aurala RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 26 temporary HP GAME: Aurala rolls 13d6: (41): 41 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (5)+4: 9 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+6: (4)+6: 10 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (5)+8: 13
Aurala sees the others and knowing that she doesn't want to get them, she surges forward a bit. She calls on her rage once more, as scales form over her hands into claws and her face elongates into a scaled muzzle, with sharp teeth. Wing rip from her back and flex through the air as she surges. She breathes in deeply and then stops about 10' from their target and exhales, a massive 30' cone of flame rolls from the muzzle of the golden draconic bloodrager to roll and flare over most of the enemy.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+25: (9)+25: 34 GAME: Aftershock rolls 4d8+12: (18)+12: 30
The worm acts quickly, snatching up the flame-breathing woman in its maw and biting down. Meanwhile the wight waits patiently, ordering its forces forward to join the combatants in the army beyond you.
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+5+2-1: (1)+24+5+2+-1: 31 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+5+2-1: (20)+24+5+2+-1: 50 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+5+2-1: (18)+24+5+2+-1: 48 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+5+2-1-5: (8)+24+5+2+-1+-5: 33 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+5+2-1-10: (19)+24+5+2+-1+-10: 39 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+5+2-1-15: (3)+24+5+2+-1+-15: 18 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+5+2-1: (6)+24+5+2+-1: 36 GAME: Halani rolls cmb+2+5-1: (18)+24+2+5+-1: 48 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+19: (17)+19: 36 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2+2d8+2+5+2: (3)+2+5+2+(5)+2+5+2: 26 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2: (7)+2+5+2: 16 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2: (8)+2+5+2: 17 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2: (6)+2+5+2: 15
Halani had slowed.. slid, really, upon seeing just how big the new worm and its cohorts are. But then Aurala continues charging in.. and moments later, the scent of cooking, rotted flesh permeates the air. And then the dragonwoman gets eaten. Her eyes wide, she almost, though not quite, grins. "So that's what it musta looked like.."
Then the islander's eyes settle upon the lordish looking wight. "Punch in the face and the snake wriggles," she declares, then sets off at a run to close the space between. The final distance to the wightlord is covered in a flying leap... which misses completely. But the monk is back up in a roll, kicking the undead's knee out from behind, then following through with a rapid series of punches as it hits the ground.
GAME: Braelnoir RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 24 temporary HP GAME: Braelnoir rolls weapon1: (16)+21: 37 GAME: Braelnoir rolls 2d6+2d6+22: (7)+(6)+22: 35 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Silmeria rolls 6d6: (24): 24 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+25: (14)+25: 39 GAME: Aftershock rolls 4d8+12: (21)+12: 33 GAME: Aryia rolls punch: aliased to weapon0+2: (9)+21+2: 32 GAME: Aryia rolls punch: aliased to weapon0+2: (10)+21+2: 33 GAME: Aryia rolls punch: aliased to weapon0+2: (3)+21+2: 26 GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4: aliased to weapon0+2-4: (8)+21+2+-4: 27 GAME: Aryia rolls punch-10: aliased to weapon0+2-10: (3)+21+2+-10: 16
Her gun repaired on the run, Silmeria is ready to engage the threat. And as the first gout of flame rolls over the hulking shock troops, Silmeria's spectacles gleam with reflected firelight.
Angling her approach to take her closer to the burning dead, she raises her gun and shouts her paean to the Goddess of the True Death, then points it at the ground and fires. Again that heavy, distant bell tolls, and again a wave of silver-white fire expands from her position, completing the cremation and turning much of the fodder into wind-blown ash.
There's a somewhat disturbing propensity for getting swallowed amongst this troupe, but knowing it takes a while to smother, assuming of course the survived mastication, there's time to hew them loose. Nothing was wrong with Halani after her escape that probably wouldn't be cleared up by scrubbing off a few layers of skin, right?
Most of Brae's current options run the risk, though, of doing actual damage to her companion inside the worm, and so, she deigns at this moment to follow the islander's lead as she's so deftly put the Wight Lord on his ass.
With a renewed ripple of tension and her almost liquid silver scales reemerge, Braelnoir roars as she moves with new swiftness, leaping at a curious diagonal past her partner and their target, putting everything she has along the ar into the lawn-mowing swing of her scythe that makes a horrific, bat hitting mud sort of noise as it cleaves into the undead being's corrupted flesh.
Having struck the Wight Lord, and stuck the landing, the Korite re-aligns her focus on the unholy thing, ready to help Halani grind it into kibble.
GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (3)+3+2: 8 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (11)+3+2: 16 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (5)+3+2: 10 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (6)+3+2: 11 GAME: Aurala rolls pclaw: aliased to Melee+2+2+1-4: (8)+19+2+2+1+-4: 28 GAME: Aurala rolls pclaw: aliased to Melee+2+2+1-4: (15)+19+2+2+1+-4: 35 GAME: Aurala rolls pbite: aliased to Melee+2+2-4: (18)+19+2+2+-4: 37
Aryia huffs as she watches the others surge forth: Aurala getting eaten was certainly a tough development, but it seemed as if Halani had that wightlord dealt with. Cut the reinforcements off- go for the worm.
She thumbs her nose, opening her fists slightly as she hunkers low before rushing straight towards the overly sized worm.
Her efforts are rewarded with getting smashed briefly into the ground, but she pops back up with a scrape on her face. And akin to Halani, she leaps straight in. She uncouthly drop kicks the worm before landing in a hand stand, a whirlwind of kicks smashing against the same spot before she pops to her feet and goes for an uppercut. Each strike exploding in micro-bursts of dazzling moonlight.
She shoots a glance over to the two women working on taking down the lord, and another glance to the Executor. All but snuffing the unholy flame with righteous judgment.
She wouldn't admit it, but it looked pretty cool.
GAME: Aurala rolls pcdam: aliased to 2d6+8+2+2+8+1d6: (8)+8+2+2+8+(3): 31 GAME: Aurala rolls pcdam+1d6: aliased to 2d6+8+2+2+8+1d6+1d6: (8)+8+2+2+8+(6)+(3): 37 GAME: Aurala rolls pbdam: aliased to 1d6+12+2+2+12+1d6: (4)+12+2+2+12+(1): 33
Aurala is inside the worm. She really doesn't like that situation, so she decides to let loose and make it pay for it. WIth a feral cry she gives up some accuracy, after all she is inside the worm, how is she really going to miss, for power and really lays into it. Claw slashes deeply, flames trailing as it cuts deep, second claw slashes deeply flames trailing as well as it goes a little deeper as she rends into the worm. Finally she leans in and rips a chunk of the worm out with her sharp teeth, flames dancing along her muzzle as she does. She is successful in getting herself loose.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+25: (13)+25: 38 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+25: (16)+25: 41 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+1: (15)+1: 16 GAME: Aftershock rolls 4d8+12: (13)+12: 25 GAME: Aftershock rolls 2d8+12: (11)+12: 23 GAME: Aurala rolls fortitude+5: (18)+15+5: 38
The worm takes great offense to being attacked, and noticing that its former meal has discharged itself doesn't put it in a better mood. Indeed, it stabs Aurala in the back whilst she isn't looking, and grabs up Aryia in its maw to eat her. The combination is super effective! The wight lord nimbly jumps to his feet and downs a potion, his eyes on those that have closed battle distance with him warily.
GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+2+5+2-1-5: (2)+24+2+5+2+-1+-5: 29 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+2+5+2-1-5: (10)+24+2+5+2+-1+-5: 37 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+2+5+2-1-5: (1)+24+2+5+2+-1+-5: 28 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+2+5+2-1-5-5: (4)+24+2+5+2+-1+-5+-5: 26 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+2+5+2-1-5-10: (18)+24+2+5+2+-1+-5+-10: 35 GAME: Halani rolls 1d20+24+2+5+2-1-5-15: (9)+24+2+5+2+-1+-5+-15: 21 GAME: Braelnoir rolls weapon1-3+2: (6)+21+-3+2: 26 GAME: Braelnoir rolls weapon1-3+2: (11)+21+-3+2: 31 GAME: Braelnoir rolls weapon1-3+2-5: (15)+21+-3+2+-5: 30 GAME: Braelnoir rolls weapon1-3+2-10: (3)+21+-3+2+-10: 13 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2+10: (5)+2+5+2+10: 24 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2+10: (8)+2+5+2+10: 27 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2+10: (14)+2+5+2+10: 33 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2+10: (9)+2+5+2+10: 28 GAME: Halani rolls 2d8+2+5+2+10: (15)+2+5+2+10: 34
"Hah! You're in trouble now.. my big friend is here!" Halani crows when Braelnoir shows up, casting a long shadow and swinging an even longer scythe through the wightlord's flesh. Then she moves in close, her fist hitting with a sickening thud... that gets repeated four more times in rapid succession as she blinks in and out around it, hardened knuckles pounding into the creatures unholy form again and again and again.
GAME: Silmeria rolls ranged+2: (7)+10+2: 19 GAME: Silmeria rolls ranged+2: (15)+10+2: 27 GAME: Silmeria rolls ranged+2-5: (15)+10+2+-5: 22 GAME: Silmeria rolls 1d8+2+3: (5)+2+3: 10 GAME: Silmeria rolls 1d8+2+3: (3)+2+3: 8 GAME: Silmeria rolls 1d8+2+3: (3)+2+3: 8
Resynching her destructive urges, military reflexes and battle fury with Halani's martial serenity, Brae's prodigious use of her scythe helps to further puree' the wight lord that the idlander's fists had pounded into soggy jerky wrapped around fetid calcium gravel.
With the heart cored out of the mob of oversized undead, Silmeria... dances?
Not quite, but it's something very like; a series of rapid turns, picking out the precise angle of each of her targets from her position, then with each of the next revolutions her gun drops into place, loosing a loud report before falling open, having another bullet shoved into the chamber, and whipped back up to fire again. Amidst the blood and smoke and foetor and screaming, the Speaker For the Dead is a point of whirling calm on the battlefield, and none of her shots miss their mark.
GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4: aliased to weapon0+2-4: (12)+21+2+-4: 31 GAME: Aryia rolls 1d6+1: (1)+1: 2 GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4: aliased to weapon0+2-4: (19)+21+2+-4: 38 (THREAT) GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4: aliased to weapon0+2-4: (9)+21+2+-4: 28 GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4: aliased to weapon0+2-4: (12)+21+2+-4: 31 GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4-5: aliased to weapon0+2-4-5: (3)+21+2+-4+-5: 17 GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4-10: aliased to weapon0+2-4-10: (10)+21+2+-4+-10: 19 GAME: Aryia rolls punch-4: aliased to weapon0+2-4: (13)+21+2+-4: 32 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch+crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2+2d10+strength+2: (9)+3+2+(18)+3+2: 37 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (12)+3+2: 17 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (19)+3+2: 24 GAME: Aryia rolls crunch: aliased to 2d10+strength+2: (19)+3+2: 24 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+17: (6)+17: 23 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+3: (12)+3: 15
And then Aryia's world goes dark.
Sort of. Hands and feet illuminated by moonlit glow, the constricting and repulsive space is easily seen. She's revolted. And slightly panicked. But then... everything's a target.
From the outside, the worm's mouth flashes intensely bright hues of light, pouring out of it like an over flooding candle. It's outsides bulge briefly in various places as the pugilist is given free reign inside like a bull in a elvish fine tea shop.
GAME: Stjepan rolls 2d6+37+2d6+1d6: (8)+37+(7)+(1): 53 GAME: Stjepan rolls 2d6+37+2d6+1d6: (8)+37+(6)+(3): 54 GAME: Stjepan rolls 2d6+37+2d6+1d6: (4)+37+(9)+(4): 54 GAME: Stjepan rolls 4d6+74+2d6+1d6: (12)+74+(5)+(5): 96
Stjepan is there, swordblade flaring with fire and mana. He cuts out at the body of the worm, face grimacing in anticipation of gory spray (everyone's got a cutting face). Then, the sword hits, ripping through the body of the worm, then he keeps going -- cutting again, and again, and again. It's messy, hard-going, ripping through the body of it. His sword flares white-hot as it cuts -- blocking out the view of its wielder as it goes.
Then, he's through with four solid cuts, the head of it crashing to the ground behind him.
Stjepan? He's an awful mess. Just awful.
And, suddenly, there's daylight inside the worm itself.
The worm falls and you hear cheering. But the cheering isn't actually for you. It's from the army as the last of the worms you chose not to fight falls. It seems that the military has some oomph to it after all. The battle isn't done. Many have fallen to join the fight on the wight's side of things, but it's cleanup work. For now, here, this battle? Is won. Thanks to your choices and your efforts.
Even if the crowd isn't cheering for you.
-End