A Stony Countenance
Log Info
- Title: A Stony Countenance
- GM: Telamon
- Place: Alexandros
Adventurer's Guild, morning
Bright and early, and you're here to help deal with another nuisance. It seems someone else has decided the caravans through Alexandros are easy pickings -- and it's getting on the authorities' nerves.
The guild factor is a familiar sight to some, a fussy little gnome who's polishing his spectacles before putting them back on. "Three caravans hit, and the survivors routed. They claim 'huge lizards', and a woman with a thunderbelcher who was opening fire on them. They were more interested in looting than in killing, thank the gods, and there doesn't seem to be a pattern -- one had alchemical supplies slated for the University, another had foodstuffs, and the third had clothing. In all three cases, the raiders moved fast, stole what they needed, and were gone by the time the guard got there."
The gnome rests his knuckles on the table -- only made slightly less impressive by how he's standing on a box so he can see OVER the table. "We don't need too many more of these caravan attacks. So we're calling you in."
Bandits preying on innocent merchants and suppliers. This is something Lysa has been dealing with since the day she arrived in Alexandros several years back. Caravan guard duties were a staple of her life before she ever joined the temple. Her father and his merc company did a lot of them.. and a precocious young girl in blonde ringlets with a dagger was there to charm many a caravan leader. It helped her father get more pay too. Double duty there. That was over ten years ago, and now she is serving The Knight and guarding those who need to be guarded... not for pay, but for sworn duty and the moral code she swore to serve.
Either way, she folds her arms over her abdomen, her cloak spilling over her shoulders and then over her elbows to reveal the shining plate armor beneath it as she listens and nods in acknowledgement.
Speaking of 'huge lizards'...-
A taloned hand scratches at shiny-silver scales. Skielstregar trying to process the information, but finding himself confused at something or another. "Their... motivesss," he points out, sibilant. "Don't make much sssenssse. Perhapsss over eager banditsss..." A pause, taking a moment to lean his weight against his polearm. "But... huge lizardsss? Can you explain what the look like...?"
He casts his dead gaze about, settling on the others and giving a firm nod of recognition before pausing at Lysa briefly and shifting back to the gnome employer.
Dolan, on Andelena's left with a greatsword over his back and a longsword by his side, breastplate dented along his right side, listens with arms crossed. "They know exactly what they're doing. A false train might be a way to work this."
He turns his head towards the silver lizard. "I'd guess whoever it was controls 'em. Might not be the People at all."
Andelena grimaces as she listens to the briefing. "Huge lizards, and a lady with a thunderbelcher. No real pattern, just 'whatever lady with shackled thunder wants to call a mark on'..."
The redhead Sunguard rubs her face. "False train, yeah, or we ride with a real caravan to flush out our raiders. Since they'll target apparently anyone and anyone, either one would work."
Dirk busily loads shot into his bandolier, a dour frown on his bearded face. "Do we have anything tae go on aside 'lass wi' thunderbelcher'?" He asks. "That dinnae really narrow it down all that much." He gives his beard a thoughtful tug as he buckles the flap down on his shot pouch. "Although... yuge lizards... do we know what -kind- o' yuge lizards? That's a pretty broad brush too. Anything that can narrow things down fer us would be helpful."
The Goblin sees over the table thanks to her backpack, which appears to be full to almost bursting. But it is enough, with the chair, for her to see the Gnome. "Huge lizards? With a woman using a thunderbelcher. Sith-Makar, or like... crocodiles or newts or something?", the Goblin wonders, before glancing and gesturing to SKiel. "Yeah, what he said." She returns the nod to the silver-scale before glancing to the Gnome again. Waiting for Dolan to say his piece, she hmms, "Do you have a listing of what was stolen?"
The gnome looks grouchy. "They weren't makari, if you're asking. Definitely beasts, not people. But evidently the lizards spooked the caravan animals, and then the woman opens up with her thunderbelcher. The ones that fled, well, they survived. But the ones that didn't, well... we haven't seen them since." He glares down at the papers on the table.
But then the gnome gives a wicked little grin. "The good news is, these raiders aren't that smart. We slipped a little something extra into that last caravan -- an enchanted piece of clothing. It's acting like a signal fire, to those with the right tools." With a flourish, he pulls out something like a compass. "Well, imagine that..."
A smirk lights the mobile half of Dolan's features when the compass is produced, and he turns his head towards Andelena. "
Lifting her brows, Lysa smirks. "So we are just being needing a team to track them down and put an end to their banditry?" she asks. "I am still being liking the false caravan idea as a backup plan." She shrugs, "Just in case they have been being finding the tracker. But.... given that I am being doubting that, I am being thinking this may be being an assault, not an ambush."
Skielstregar seems to relax as it's made clear that this doesn't involve any of the People, he refocuses, looking down at the table in thought. "... softskin with thunderbelcher... big lizardsss..." he murmurs to himself. A glance to the party. ".. thisss one thinksss the crew we have here isss very good at an assault," he adds to Lysa's plan.
He looks to the gnome, scaled brows raising at the information. "... that isss a compasss. That will certainly help usss find north!" he enthuses, proud of his deduction.
His halberd turns slightly on its own accord and thud's its flat against his horn. Akin to someone thudding their head against a wall.
A smirk lights the mobile half of Dolan's features when the compass is produced, and he turns his head towards Andelena. "Well played," he replies, immediately understanding. "Hopefully she ain't smart enough to look for magic, or if she does she ain't know what she's looking at. Any notion how far away that article is?"
Andelena whistles appreciatively herself, looking at Dolan as he turns to her. "What Bry said," she tags on. "And if that thing's moving, then we might be best suited to tracking it down when it stops moving."
She looks at Skielstregar and... Well, she tries not to crack too much of a grin. "Yup, it'll help us find north, all right." Daeus bless him.
Dirk hefts his thunderbelcher up and over his shoulder. He peers at the compass, then up and around at his friends. He takes a step forward, reaching out to take the compass. "I'm guessin' it's calibrated tae point at yer magicked widget?" he asks, giving the needle a hairy eyeball. "Well -I- can find north easy 'nough. But -this- will be more useful, I'll warrant. Between this an' me trackin' skill, I think we should be able tae find our bandit, easy as blinkin'." He looks up at his comrades. "Doin' so -quietly-, o' course... that's the trick, innit?" He gives Dolan and Skiel that same hairy eyeball.
"I wonder where she got the lizards from. I am not an expert, but, would it not be a little bit too chilly for the lizards? At night and early morning, it's still kind of cold. Can anyone speak to that?" Murder looks around at the others gathered. Her grin is quick and broad when the Gnome pulls out a compass. "That'll take us right to it, huh? Smart move, certainly. Well, could you tell us then roughly where the caravans were ambushed? That seems like a good starting point."
The Gobbo looks to Skielstregar then, and smiles. "That is what compasses do. It will be helpful indeed."
"Exactly. We think they're several days ride out, in the northeastern foothills. We don't think they've gone into Skald or the Desolation, thank the gods. But they may be trading with confederates in the Vast. Those we won't worry about -- just deal with the raiders." The gnome rubs his jaw, and grins. "If the trail -does- lead into Skald, don't try to follow. Just fall back and let us know, because anyone -that- tough is probably going to require something a bit more potent."
He slides the Guild documents across. "So, if you'll just sign here, here, and here -- and I presume you have your next of kin forms filled out, the Mourners are always pushy about that -- I'll turn this over to you, and let you deal with the problem. Once you've dealt with them, we'll send salvage teams to collect what we can."
"Next of kin." mutters Lysa with a shake of her head. She reaches to sign the form. As usual, her next of kin is listed as: THE TEMPLE OF DAEUS. As she has no living family remaining. Only her brothers and sisters in arms in the service of The Knight.
But she fills out what is needed and steps back. She is not a planner, or so she believes. She is happy to let others figure that out while she handles the front lines within her reach.
Skiel gives a happy hum that others agree with his observation, tail swaying lowly and lazily. "Sssa..."
He looks down at the forms. Blinks. And sighs a small cloud of cold. The makari rifles around in a pouch before pulling out a magnifying glass, him pulling the pages forward and peering at the papers with a massive eye through the lens. He scribbles in large, blocky letters. "Yess, thisss one did them a while ago..." he murmurs about the paperwork. "Once thisss one... isss done, they are ready to go."
It's going to take him a minute. Big hands. Long talons Small paper. Small writing implements.
Having done several Guild jobs recently, Dolan merely snorts and signs in his turn, in the appointed places. It's as if he's done this before, many times, and when he is done, he lays the pen down for the next person and steps back. "Let's be off, then. Find these bastards. Lizards, eh?" he murmurs.
Andelena's got her forms filled out just as quickly as Dolan does, and her hand goes to Dolan's arm as she stands with him. "At least it's not naked men covered in bacon grease," she reassures Dolan with a smirk. "Small mercies and shit."
Dirk rolls his eyes. "Och, do we -really- have tae do this every bloody time we get a gig?" he grumbles softly. But he leans over to dash off his signature in the appropriate places. Although Andelena's observation has his eyes getting wide. "Wait. Wait wait wait... when the hell did -you- get involved wi' naked me? Or bacon grease? Or naked men -and- bacon grease?!"
The Goblin makes her mark in all the appropriate places. "The Vast. That would be a place to hide stuff basically forever." When she's done, she slides the paper over. "Yes, my guild forms are up to date." She nods in agreement with Dolan, hopping down, and pulling on her pack. "With luck, their trail will be obvious. If we're unlucky, then we can see how good fabric and a magic compass works out." Murder stares at Andelena then. "Ew.. but was it at least in a warm place?"
GAME: Murder rolls survival: (14)+11: 25 GAME: Skielstregar rolls survival: (8)+13: 21 GAME: Andelena rolls Survival: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Dolan rolls survival+4: (15)+9+4: 28 GAME: Lysa rolls survival: (20)+2: 22
The gnome happily hands over the compass, and waves. "Try not to die! It's always so much paperwork for the Guild, you know."
Heading out, the trail leads north, into the low hills bordering Skald. The terrain gets rougher, but not impassible, and thankfully it doesn't lead into Skald or the Desolation. Instead, the path takes you down into a series of canyons, eventually terminating in a dead end.
As you approach, you can see tracks that have not been well hidden. Strange ones, clearly reptilian, but also the clear impression of a sandaled foot. Small, feminine. There's disturbed earth, and the trail definitely leads down into a box canyon.
GAME: Dirk rolls Survival+7: (9)+16+7: 32 GAME: Skielstregar rolls knowledge/nature: (15)+2: 17 GAME: Dirk rolls Knowledge/Nature: (6)+16: 22 GAME: Dolan rolls knowledge/nature+3: (18)+7+3: 28
Skiel doesn't question Andelena's experiences. Or, perhaps, the weapon in his hand gives nudges him to get a move on! Something to ask about for later. Despite how much the questions were written on his shiny face.
They eventually arrive, Skielstregar kneeling beside the tracks. He leans down, gives it a sniff. "Hmmm... that isss certainly reptile tracksss. Thisss one doesn't think isss ssswiftclaw. Too many legsss. Way, way too many legsss. Too big. But... sssandalsss? Here? With repilessss? Ssstrange. Softkinssss sshould wear sssomething more protected with reptilesss..."
He looks off down the canyon. Furrows his scaled brows. "... thisss one thinksss they hide near."
Dolan, for all his service to the church, is no slouch as a tracker, following the path of their quarry. He stops suddenly, and swears colorfully. "Fuck," he snarls. "Basilisk. Dirk, do you agree? The eight-pattern footprints. Can't mistake that. Be fucking careful." His hand goes to the greatsword over his right shoulder.
Basilisk?" Andelena raises a brow, and she draws her sword, clearly not intending to be caught unaware by the beast that has her man swearing and full of caution. "That's a bit more than a 'huge lizard', you fucking think?" The last is delivered as a hushed, if rough, whisper.
"This screams trap to me.", the Goblin says softly. She nods to Skiel, "They are near, likely." Then she blinks and looks to Dolan, and Dirk, "Basilisk? Are... they able to climb canyon walls? Maybe they would do this to throw off people following? I mean, they don't appear to have made much of an effort to hide.. til here?"
Dirk drops to one knee, passing his fingertips over the tracks. He nods his head, frowning dourly as he looks up at Dolan. "Aye. Basilisks. I'd stake me beard on it," he says. He rises to his feet, unlimbering his thunderbelcher and holding it in a ready grip. "An' yer right, Andie. That's a -lot- more than just a 'yuge lizard'." He nods to Murder, his beard all a-bristle. "Well. The first step of avoidin' a trap is knowin' it's there." He racks the slide on his weapon. "Meanwhile, we got us a job tae do. Best we to it, yeah?"
GAME: Murder rolls stealth: (10)+5: 15 GAME: Dirk rolls stealth+2: (7)+17+2: 26
Dirk informs the others of his intention to scout ahead. This is his element, and he almost immediately fades from view as he slips down the canyon wall. He skips lightly from shadow to shadow, giving any stealthy rogue a run for their money. How such a big and burly dwarf manages to move so quietly is anyone's guess, but Dirk does it with both grace -and- aplomb. Hunkering down, he glides up to a stand of tough, scratchy grasses, letting the foliage camouflage him.
His gaze sweeps over the scene. Then get wide as he spies the two great lizards stalking around. As their tongues flicker out, his eyes get even wider. He -knows- what they're doing. He flicks his gaze over to Murder, holding a finger up to his lips, then making a twirling motion with his fingertip and pointing back up the canyon. He wastes no time getting back up to rejoin his comrades.
"We were right. Basilisks. An' they've got all manner o' statues litterin' the cave down there," he says. "Nae sign o' the lass though."
GAME: Murder rolls intelligence: (11)+2: 13
The Goblin crouches and begins to move along the edge of the canyon, nodding in silent agreement with the Khazad: best get on with it. She uses deep grasses and the piles of heaped stone to move across the canyon floor. Every so often, she looks for Dirk, tracking his progress and attempting to keep up with him. She returns almost as fast as he does, having seen his signal and taken off as quickly and quietly as possible.
"Yeah.", she pants, "The lizard things are there. There were what, dozens of statues, Dirk? Quite a few."
Stealth. Nope. Not Lysa's thing. She is happy to stay back and observe and wait. She does her best to not move, to not make noise. She covers most of herself with her dark cloak. In all honesty, she's just waiting to be called forward to assault things.
Skielstregar scratches his head with his halberd, the weapon idly opening its maw to clamp onto the side of his head. Both at the mention of the creature, and the scouting party's report. "... erm... what isss a basilisk? What doesss thisss have to do with statuesss?" he asks. "Why are they decorating the canyon? Oh! Thisss one hass glass figuresss, if they want to parley?"
Dolan, too, seems content to stand back with Andelena at his side, and wait for the scouts to return. He has many skills, but stealth is not one of them. When the question is asked, though, he turns his full head towards the sith-makar. "They can turn you to stone. Be careful."
"Oh, fucking great, they've got a little Theatre District art installation going on in there, huh," Andelena mutters darkly. "Okay. How the fuck are we doing this, then? I really don't want to get turned into the latest piece of art in there, and the fact the lady's not visible means she's probably waiting for us to spring the trap."
Dirk glances back over his shoulder, gulping hard. "Don't look at its eyes," he says. "If its gaze captures yers, then it can turn ye. It'll make it a damn sight harder tae fight 'em, but... better'n gettin' plastered. Or stoned. Either or." He grunts softly. "'course, the moment we go in there guns blazin', we're goin' tae get everyone's attention. A box canyon like that is goin' tae be -loud-, nae matter what we do."
"Okay, so... we look at feet then, avoid looking at the eyes. Should be too bad, I hope.", the Goblin says. She looks to Dirk, "Why don't we drop down from above them, give them little time to react before we're right there among them?"
Skielstregar stares at the group. Blinks slowly. "Oh." A long pause. "That isss not good."
He ponders, tapping his foot. "... we can probably do what Murder suggestsss. But erm... thisss one can usse some magicsss on usss to help smell them if we can't look at them. It isss... unpleasant, but it will work." Skiel shifts uncomfortably.
He shakes a hand off before curling it into a tight fist. Ichor drops and drips into a pool beside him. He slides a foot into a miasma. "Bolster thisss one..." he growls quietly. Like a siphon, it races up his leg and his veins turn black. A dull red in his eyes. "Ready."
GAME: Skielstregar casts False Life. Caster Level: 10 DC: 15 GAME: Skielstregar rolls 1d10+10: (5)+10: 15 GAME: Murder casts Bull's Strength. Caster Level: 10 DC: 15 GAME: Murder casts Fire Breath. Caster Level: 10 DC: 15 GAME: Lysa casts Shield Other. Caster Level: 8 DC: 16 GAME: Dolan casts Flames of the Faithful. Caster Level: 8 DC: 15 GAME: Skielstregar rolls stealth: (3)+1: 4 GAME: Murder rolls stealth: (6)+5: 11 GAME: Lysa rolls stealth: (6)+-4: 2 GAME: Andelena rolls Stealth: (8)+-2: 6 GAME: Dolan rolls stealth: (18)+-2: 16 GAME: Dirk rolls stealth+2: (15)+17+2: 34 GAME: Murder casts Feather Fall. Caster Level: 10 DC: 14
You leap off the cliff edge, and drift smoothly downward instead of plummeting, landing without a problem. Unfortunately, Skielstregar is about as hard to hide as a glitterdusted dragon, and Lysa and Andelena's armor clanks when their boots hit the turf. All in all, it could've been worse.
But... the basilisks turn to glare, hissing loudly, growling...
GAME: Skielstregar casts Blood Scent. Caster Level: 10 DC: 16
Skielstregar steels himself as everyone lines up to jump. He grips his halberd, Malefic, and jumps off with everyone in a running leap!
The sun makes him sparkle as they glide to the ground. Dust kicks up. They're made. The makari inhales deeply. "... lisssten to thisss one. We. SMELL. Your. BLOOD," he snarls, then exhales deeply, spewing black miasma over the party.
It stings when breathed in. But then... that iron smell is easy to pick out. Like a fresh batch of cookies, easy to pinpoint out with one's nose. Except its not cookies.
GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot: aliased to Ranged+1-3: (2)+14+1+-3: 14 GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot: aliased to Ranged+1-3: (6)+14+1+-3: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls 3d12+1: (25)+1: 26
Dirk waits for the magicks to take ahold before he hunkers himself down. With no more than a soft grunt, he trundles forward and kicks off the lip of the canyon. He drifts down, his cloak furling dramatically behind him as he descends to the bottom of the canyon. As soon as his boots touch ground, he swings up his thunderbelcher. He sights down the barrel and pulls back on the trigger. CHK-BOOM! The bullet smacks into one of the basilisks, catching it center mass. "HAH! GOTCHA!" he growls, racking the slide with a savage grin. The hunt is on!
Meanwhile, Dolan winks at Andelena on landing, and turns away from the others, drawing his blade as he makes for the cover of the far rock formation, and waiting. As soon as they turn around - He's forgotten to tell the others, but hopefully, they know to spread out.
GAME: Andelena casts Bless. Caster Level: 6 DC: 15
A blessing comes out of Andelena, a prayer to Daeus falling from her lips, "Shining Knight, bless my allies so their strikes are true."
Then comes the non-blessing part. "Rip those fuckers apart!" she declares.
The Goblin clings to whatever bit of Skiel she's grabbed, floating down, and then running forward once they have touched down. Murder hugs at the wall, hardly moving. "I'm already a rock, just a little stone, you can't seeee meee...", she says under her breath.
GAME: Lysa rolls weapon12+4: (6)+13+4: 23 GAME: Lysa rolls 1d10+1d6+16: (9)+(3)+16: 28
The moment her feet hit the ground... which is just a little bit after the rest. What? Lysa's not graceful in falling. But as soon as her boots strike the ground, she is moving. Feet churning like a sprinter. Good thing for her boots that make her faster else that armor would make her too slow for this. But her dark cloak flares out behind her as she moves, revealing her white and gold plate armor.
The sword in her hands is not just glowing, it looks like molten steel at the core. Hot like the surface of the sun as she lifts it high and brings it down... all the way through the Basilisk... and she halts the blade inches before it strikes the ground.... letting the creature fall in two halves, one to each side.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls 1d100: (79): 79 GAME: Skielstregar casts Shield. Caster Level: 10 DC: 14
Seeing as his brothers and sisters of the Knight have the basilisks handled, Skielstregar's attention snaps to the cave. He throws a hand to the side, ichor flinging out as it whips back around and smashes against outline of invisible, bony wings on his back. They curl around him, then >pop!<. "Gird thiss one..." he growls, rushing forth and twirling Malefic into place, black ichor dripping from the blade.
He blinks at what he sees in the cave. "... what in Hisss good grace isss tha-"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (19)+19: 38 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+8: (9)+8: 17 GAME: Skielstregar rolls reflex: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Skielstregar rolls reflex: (9)+8: 17
Bursting from the cave mouth comes a bizarre amalgam of wood, mechanisms, glass, and humming wires. Three legs carry it along in a weird, disjointed gait, while two spidery fists tipped with needles flail around it. The 'head' is a large crystal bowl, in which floats a brain. The weird construction immediately throws a punch at Skielstregar, stripping away the necromantic energies fortifying him and trying to coat him in gluey slime, but fails to do so.
GAME: Dirk rolls 1d100: (63): 63 GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot: aliased to Ranged+1-3: (16)+14+1+-3: 28 GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot-5: aliased to Ranged+1-3-5: (11)+14+1+-3+-5: 18 GAME: Dirk rolls 1d100: (61): 61 GAME: Dirk rolls 1d100: (24): 24 GAME: Dirk rolls Dmg: aliased to 1d12+1+6: (9)+1+6: 16 GAME: Dirk rolls Dmg: aliased to 1d12+1+6: (4)+1+6: 11
Dirk lifts his thunderbelcher, making ready to open fire on the other basilisk. That's when he hears the thudding and clanging and whirring. His gaze gets drawn away to see the depraved contraption lumbering out of the cave. His eyes get wiiiiiide as he looks up, up, and up. The legs. The needles. The -brain-. His facee turns white as his beard. "Piss up my arse, what the fuck is -that-?!" he manages to squeak in a hoarse tone. But--there's still a basilisk in need of shooting! Wrenching his gaze off the horrific construct, he draws his bead once again. He squinches his eyes shut at the last moment to avoid the beast's petrifying gaze. CHK-BOOM! BOOM! Two bullets find their mark, spraying basilisk blood on the canyon floor. "Hah! I really -can- do it wi' me eyes closed!" he cheers.
GAME: Dolan rolls ranged: (11)+9: 20 GAME: Dolan rolls 4d8: (22): 22 GAME: Dolan casts Searing Light. Caster Level: 8 DC: 16
Cover and range is going to be the way to fight this battle, Dolan knows. Fortunately, the wisdom of the Temple has taught him to fight this way, too. Creeping around the corner of the rock formation, he reaches to the dragon pendant around his neck with the free hand he'd taken off the mighty greatsword, holding it on high.
He whirls around the corner, shouting then, "Burn, in the name of the Knight!" From the pendant comes a blast of searing white sunlight that tears through the creature, leaving deep burns across the lizard's side.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+10: (4)+10: 14
The surviving basilisk staggers forward, wounded by Dolan and Dirk's ranged strikes. Leaking blood, stinking of burned flesh, it surges towards Lysa, mouth open wide to snap, but bounces off the armored paladin's defenses.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+11: (3)+11: 14 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d12: (9): 9
A slender, pretty woman stalks out of the cave, a thunderbelcher in hand. Her hair waves oddly, and she snarls, pointing at you. "Kill them all!" Her eyes glow with anger, and power, and you realize the woman's propensity for basilisks is no coincidence. Her hair is a nest of snakes.
She's a medusa. A gunslinging medusa.
And she raises her thunderbelcher to fire at Skielstregar, tearing a chunk off him.
GAME: Murder RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 20 temporary HP GAME: Murder rolls weapon8+1+2+4: (16)+16+1+2+4: 39 GAME: Murder rolls 1d100: (54): 54 GAME: Murder rolls 1d10+3+2+2+2: (4)+3+2+2+2: 13
"Heeeey!", the Goblin complains as Lysa slams into the nearest Basilisk, cutting it in half. The other beastie is eyed, and again she complains as Dolan blasts the thing with a searing beam of light. "Aww, leave me..." She grins brightly, and then yells, "RAAAGE" Closing her eyes, she runs roughly in the basilisk's direction, and takes a wild swing at it, managing to sheer one of its legs off with her blade. The beast tips over, dead.
GAME: Andelena casts Spiritual Weapon. Caster Level: 6 DC: 16 GAME: Andelena rolls 1d20+BAB+Wisdom: (10)+6+4: 20
Things are... Well, they're getting interesting. "Okay, this is way fucking more than just basilisks," Andelena mutters to herself. Getting in close and personal with the big... construct, seems like an awful idea. At least for the moment. Especially with the gunslinging medusa.
"Daeus, bring down your blade on the enemy," Andelena murmurs in prayer. The sword manifests, but it fizzles against *something* that the construct has going.
"Fuck me in the ass, that's about right for where this sack of shit is headed," Andelena swears. It's time to get behind cover. Thankfully, she knows where Dolan went, and she scrambles to be with him.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (8)+19: 27 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+8: (8)+8: 16 GAME: Murder rolls reflex: (14)+7: 21
A second three-legged construct comes gamboling out of the cave, much to its mistress's cruel cheers. The spidery construct steps around Skiel, and goes for Murder... slamming a blow into the goblin but apparently doing nothing to her other than muss her hair.
GAME: Lysa rolls weapon12+2: (13)+13+2: 28 GAME: Lysa rolls weapon12-5: (12)+13+-5: 20 GAME: Lysa rolls 1d10+1d6+16: (9)+(4)+16: 29
As the Golem emerges and surges towards Murder, Lysa is already in motion. She is a bit too slow to prevent it from reaching her friend, but she steps between the two of them, her sword lifting and falling, and then a backswing slice. It wasn't as damaging as she may like, so... she makes a point to consider the next shot.. using everything she has in one.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls knowledge/arcana: (6)+4: 10 GAME: Skielstregar RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 20 temporary HP GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+1: (20)+18+1: 39 (THREAT) GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+1: (14)+18+1: 33 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage25+3+9+damage25+3+9+damage25+3+9: aliased to 1d10+10+3+9+1d10+10+3+9+1d10+10+3+9: (4)+10+3+9+(7)+10+3+9+(10)+10+3+9: 87 GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+1-5: (12)+18+1+-5: 26 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage25+3+9: aliased to 1d10+10+3+9: (5)+10+3+9: 27 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (4): 4 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (2): 2 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (4): 4
And the main figure reveals themselves. Reeling from the hit, Skiel's buffered magics vanish as it, quite literally, gets knocked out of him as a black splash of ink hits the dirt behind him.
Malefic twists in his hands. Metal maw cracking open. "How many licks does it take to get to the center of a crystal skull?" it ponders aloud in its metallic growl.
"Let's find out!" "Let'sss find OUT!"
The change is brisk and immediate, black ichor flowing out betwixt his scales, muscles bulging, eyes flaring bright crimson. He suddenly rushes up towards the canyon wall, kicking his foot talons into the stone to give him the leverage to leap up with Malefic raised high!
And in a singular swing, it craters down onto the crystal bowl brain, bringing with it cracked earth underneath. "ONE!" "One!"
The halberd pulls back, pieces of the golem in its maw as it spits it out. Another fell cleave down. SMASH! "TWO!" "Two!"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (12)+19: 31 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (16)+19: 35 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+8: (9)+8: 17 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+8: (7)+8: 15 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d6: (7): 7
The golem staggers, its fishbowl head cracked, its limbs and frame dented and torn from Skiel's absolutely savage beating. It raises its hands, leaking flaming fluids, and begins to methodically beat on the makari. Each blow like that of a hammer on an anvil, yet the Forgotten does not falter, does not fall.
GAME: Dirk rolls Shoot+1: aliased to Ranged+1-3+1: (12)+14+1+-3+1: 25 GAME: Dirk rolls Dmg+2d6: aliased to 1d12+1+6+2d6: (11)+1+6+(9): 27 GAME: Dirk rolls 2d12: (12): 12
Dirk pumps his fist as Skiel learns just how many licks it -does- take to get to the center of a crystal skull. "YEAH! NICE ONE, LADDIE!" he booms. He doesn't let his focus divert too long. The old snowbeard takes off, trotting briskly across the canyon. He wheels around, his cloak flaring dramatically behind him as he swings up his thunderbelcher. "OY, YOU! CATCH!" he thunders. As he pulls back the hammer on his thunderbelcher, the golden filigree lights up, pouring blessed power into the chamber in anticipation. CHK-BOOM! The muzzle flash strobes like sunlight, and the blessed bullet hits the medusa square in the torso. "YARGH! EAT THAT, YE DOZY BINT!"
"Andie, let's try to get behind her." Analytical and focused, Dolan again takes the greatsword in both hands, but instead of remaining in the open, he moves from cover to cover, rock to rock, and waits, beckoning for Andelena to join him.
GAME: Dirk rolls Fortitude: (2)+13: 15
The medusa recoils as the round punchs through her. "Pretender to the embrace of the earth," she hisses. "Why don't we see how close you want to get to stone!" Her eyes flash, and then... horrifyingly, Dirk is no longer flesh and blood, but a stone statue, still clutching his thunderbelcher. "I like him better this way," she muses, as she moves behind one of the heavy stones.
GAME: Murder rolls weapon8+1+5: (6)+16+1+5: 28 GAME: Murder rolls 1d10+3+2: (3)+3+2: 8
The Goblin yells again and comes 'round Lysa, swinging her sword in an overhand arc. The sound is fantastically loud, and that's about the most positive thing one can say about it, as Murder doesn't even leave a scratch on the paint.
"Gotcha," Andelena replies to Dolan, following behind him and ducking for cover behind the rocks. "How're we taking snakes-for-hair out?" she asks quietly. "Rush her, or?"
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d2: (1): 1 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (15)+19: 34 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (6)+19: 25 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+8: (15)+8: 23 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+8: (11)+8: 19 GAME: Lysa rolls fortitude: (3)+14: 17 GAME: Lysa rolls fortitude: (1)+14: 15 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Lysa rolls fortitude: (18)+14: 32
The golem rears back, and then begins swinging its arms overhand, smashing down on Lysa, brutalizing the paladin and denting her armor as the construct batters her mercilessly, the joints whining as it pummels her over and over.
GAME: Lysa rolls 5d6: (18): 18 GAME: Lysa rolls weapon12+2: (13)+13+2: 28 GAME: Lysa rolls 2d10+1d6+16: (8)+(1)+16: 25 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (3): 3
Murder moving into position makes Lysa grin. She looks his way for just a moment. And then as she looks back to the golem, its legs lash out. She takes a hit to the right side, and then to the left. These make her twist left and then right... but as she recovers from those hits, she comes back crying out with exertion as she slashes her glowing blade deep into the body of the Golem.... even as she does that, her wounds begin to close and heal.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+1: (4)+18+1: 23 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage25+3+9+1d10: aliased to 1d10+10+3+9+1d10: (8)+10+3+9+(5): 35 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (3)+19: 22
Malefic yanks back as Forgotten-Skiel is about to go for another massive strike. "As much pleasure as numbers bring me, we need to focus on the main problem." "You don't get to tell-" "Focus. The tide changes." Crimson blazed eyes snap over his shoulder, black ichor leaking from his nose as he- "HUNTER DIRK!"
With undead an rightous fury, Malefic and Skielstregar land a furious uppercutting slice into the crystal orb. It shatters, the organ getting cleft in twain. "A three!" "THREE!"
Turning, he ducks under a swipe headed for him, leaving Malefic behind as he gallops towards the medusa's cover.
He slides to a halt right beside her. He growls. Eyes half fluttered. "... we can smell you," he growls. Black miasma travels up his legs, across his arms, and into his hands. Malefic reforms. Grinning.
"How many licks is this one?" it asks.
Dolan is about to answer Andelena, when he spots Skielstregar moving. "We pin it down and beat the shit out of it," he answers shortly, then suits action to words and takes off running. "Help the others, baby!" he shouts, drawing the blade into a ready pose as he approaches.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d2: (2): 2 GAME: Skielstregar rolls fortitude: (17)+14: 31
The medusa hisses back at Skielstregar. "You should smell like -stone-," she snarls, focusing her stare on the makari. But he's made of much sterner stuff, and resists the effect. Swiftly the creature dances back, getting out from between the two holy warriors, spitting obscenities as she does.
With the momentary distraction by SKielstregar, Murder is able to shift her position, moving to stand opposite of Lysa. "LET'S SEE HOW YOU LIKE FIRE!" She expels a gout of flame from her mouth, which has no noticeable effect. "Very well, I see."
GAME: Andelena rolls weapon12+1: (8)+12+1: 21 GAME: Andelena rolls damage12+2+2+1d6: aliased to 1d8+5+2+2+1d6: (7)+5+2+2+(5): 21 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d4: (2): 2
"You and Skiel can take scaly hair over there, I'll help the others!" Andelena replies to Dolan, going back into the melee with the other golem.
Deliverance in hand, she strides up to the golem. "Alright, Livvie. Let's fucking do this."
"Language," Deliverance says with a sigh, a maternal voice coming from the blade. "But yes."
"Holy Knight, make me the servant of your judgment!" Andelena bellows, and Deliverance is awash in silvered flame. She brings it down onto the golem with a powerful strike, grunting as she makes impact.
GAME: Telamon rolls 1d3: (2): 2 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (11)+19: 30 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d20+19: (2)+19: 21 GAME: Telamon rolls 2d8+8: (8)+8: 16 GAME: Telamon rolls 1d6: (6): 6
The golem is undaunted, even as the blows rain down. The fire washing over it doesn't seem to faze it, but Andelena's blade bites in enough to draw its attention from Lysa, and it swings an arm with vents that spew frost, slamming into the cleric and coating her armor in ice as it strikes her. Silent, save for the creaks and whines of its mechanisms.
GAME: Lysa rolls 5d6: (15): 15 GAME: Lysa rolls weapon9+3: (17)+13+3: 33 GAME: Lysa rolls 2d10+15: (19)+15: 34
Seeing every attack she makes being resisted, Lysa decides to change tactics. She's never wielded this thing in combat, but the big wooden handle attached to the heavy damaging head comes around... lifts into the air and comes down... HARD!. . . Yes, that seemed to have more effect. "Well, looks like I finally found a use for this thing." she mutters as she recovers.
GAME: Skielstregar rolls 1d100: (20): 20 GAME: Skielstregar rolls fortitude: (5)+14: 19 GAME: Skielstregar rolls weapon25+1+4+2: (11)+18+1+4+2: 36 GAME: Skielstregar rolls damage25+3+4: aliased to 1d10+10+3+4: (7)+10+3+4: 24 GAME: Skielstregar rolls 1d100: (28): 28
Forgotten Skiel rushes towards the canyon wall, running up it briefly before throwing Malefic high into the air. The makari leaps, the wicked weapon breaking into ink and reforming in his hands as he crashes it spear first into the medusa. "No! Isss not ssstone. Thisss one isss makari you fool!"
"Skielstreg- would, ugh." Slurch! Weapon yanked out. It growls out, "Corona Dolan, make our Father proud!"
GAME: Dolan rolls 1d100: (76): 76 GAME: Dolan rolls knowledge/nature+3: (1)+7+3: 11 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Dolan rolls knowledge/nature+3: (18)+7+3: 28 GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+2: (15)+14+2: 31 GAME: Dolan rolls weapon1+2-3-5: (8)+14+2+-3+-5: 16 GAME: Dolan rolls 2d6+7+2+6+2d6: (11)+7+2+6+(9): 35
"All I smell is snake shit," Dolan snarls, snapping his eyes shut against that gaze attack. Not for the first time even this week, he silently blesses his foresight in insisting on being taught to fight utterly blind, because he needs it right now!
"He stands with us, Skiel, you know that," he answers, then brings the blade with a wild two-handed swing, straight across the thing's neck, for all he is worth. Snakes hiss violently, and her head, along with several snake heads, fly in every direction, bouncing across the rocky canyon floor and coming to rest finally against a rock formation, the eyes still eerily open.
Feeling the strike, and the slash, he snaps open his eyes to make sure of the kill. "That'll do. Knight's blessing on you, Skiel."
GAME: Murder rolls weapon8+1+2+5: (14)+16+1+2+5: 38 GAME: Murder rolls weapon8+1+2+5-5: (7)+16+1+2+5+-5: 26 GAME: Murder rolls 1d10+3+2+10: (8)+3+2+10: 23 GAME: Murder rolls 1d10+3+2+10: (7)+3+2+10: 22
Murder is obviously getting more annoy the longer the Golem keeps resting her attacks. She firms up her stance, tightens her grip, and with a "FUCK YOUUUU!", she carves a leg clean off, WHACK WHACK!
Andelena swears softly as the golem falls down, her form bloodied. Her eyes linger on the petrified Dirk and she pants heavily for a moment, before she goes and murmurs a prayer of healing for herself.
Daeus grants it, and Andelena breathes a little easier for it. She sighs. "Alright," she says. "Let's get this sorted. Who wants to help me out with our dwarf friend? The Temples will be able to take care of him."
<OOC> Andelena converts Daylight to Cure Severe Wounds. GAME: Andelena casts Daylight. Caster Level: 6 DC: 17 GAME: Andelena rolls 3d8+6: (17)+6: 23
Forgotten Skielstregar grips Malefic tightly, huffing out plumes of black miasma as crimson eyes trace the viscera flying. They snick to Dolan. A wicked, gnarled grin crosses his visage. It's... totally downright terrifying. But. Under all that undead nature, it's still Skiel. "And Hisss blesssing upon you," growls. Mostly.
His head whips around, hearing distant fighting coming to a close. Taking a step out with halberd in hand. Seeing as it battle has concluded, the makari slumps, falling to his rear and panting. He raises a sparkling hand. "Sssa, Warrior Andelena, thisss... thisss one can help carry. Give.... give thisss one a minute... can get Voarexthua to carry Hunter Dirk... phew..."
Dirk does make a most impressive statue. Standing in his firm stance, thunderbelcher raised to fire, cloak furled behind him, and a fierce expression on his face.
OOC
Map: https://www.mipui.net/app/index.html?mid=m30u16u1c70
Icon guide: Shield: Lysa, Dragon: Skiel, Goblin: Murder, Sword: Dolan, Blunderbuss: Dirk, Sunburst: Andie.
Skielstregar gets a monster crit:
<OOC> Dolan says, "Mental note. Do not not taunt happy fun lizard."