Arc 3 - Glimmers in the Dark (Main Roleplay)

[Kowsauni]

It is hard at first for Revenge to pick out any sounds other than that of the battle raging behind them towards the front of the gate, but eventually he does believe he hears something: a menacing voice, barking orders, followed by gasps and cries of dismay in the direction Ruin was guiding them. They were definitely going in the right way, and what was more, something was happening back at the cages.

Unfortunately, with the area in dismay from the siege, Kuori could not tell anything meaningful from the broken infrastructure to speed up their pace forward. However, Ruin's quick thinking to disguise themselves proved invaluable. As they approached what appeared to be the entrance to the ritual area, a giant Fomorian with a clouded over eyes guarded the way. When he looked over the party he did not seem to recognize them as a threat and allowed them to continue on their way.

((Congratulations you succeeded the skill challenge with 5 success and only 2 failures.))

Once past the giant, the party now stood on the outer ring of the ritual circle. Before them they could see the countless rows of cages housing Kuori's people. Their faces were ashen and drawn, their eyes glazed as they stared blankly at the center of the circle. There stood a fancily robed ilithid. surrounded by his robed attendants. He was bathed in a hellish light as he was casting some sort of spell. Each strange word he uttered was painful to the ears and an unbearable pressure began to build in the area. The ritual circle and the flesh of the Goliaths in the cage began to glow... but then nothing further happened. The Mindflayer would scream in frustration, “Why isn't it working? Everything has been put in order as required!” A duergar would run up to him from a different direction and tell him something unintelligible. However, from the ilithid's angry reply, the party could immediately tell what had been said. “What do you mean one of the cages is empty?! How is that even possible? The battle has not reached this part of the city yet! All the cages must be filled for this to work!” At this point the Mindflayer notices the party moving in from the edge of the ritual circle. “Ah! Some extra slaves! Good! Take them and put them in the empty cage. We have not a moment to lose!”

Several of the ilithids robed attendants, who varied in shape and size, break off from him and begin to move towards the party. ((What does everyone do?))  

[Rain Yupa]

They had almost been too late. All those lives were on the brink of being lost, had it not been for Vivian. He would be sure to pray to Sehanine to let his Goddess know of what that young girl had accomplished, all the lives she saved.

Later, though. For now, Revenge's blood boiled. He teeth gritted, his hair stood on end, his tail lashed to and fro in an agitated manner. The callousness of this Illithid only helped to push him over the edge.

Hunching over slightly, he would draw his longsword quickly, thrusting his arm outward, causing the robe to flash open. This was not the time for witty repartee. This was not even time for words.

Revenge charged directly towards the attendants approaching them.

Quote:

Initiative +3 = 6

 

[Mongooseh]

Valac was wide eyed to see Revenge lash out like this. Being this angry was his job not Revenge's and so Valac drew his sword also.

<23 initiative.>  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Ruin's lips parted to tell the Underdarkers that their commander requested additional people at the gate. Believing such a lie would buy them a shorter list of contenders to their task... But, no words came out before he saw the glimmer of cold steel of Revenge's weapon and armor.

"Ah-k... Damn-it-all" flowed instead, in a hushed sigh.

Clenching the rod in his hand, Ruin would sheath it ... Falling back, he would look around for Irene and Vivian, before studying the circle. Hoping to find another way to stop it. Failing that, freeing Kouri's people came third... He had no intention to join in the fight.

Before his spirit was ripped from this armorless body.

Quote:

Perception: 5 + first die = 25 Crit
Arcana: 11 + second die = 28

Initiative: 4 + third die = 17

 

[PupSage]

They hadn't freed themselves because they lacked free will.
The will that had caused them to survive down here for generations.
The greatest strength of her people had been robbed from them.

It took a moment to process.

What did not take any time to process was the desire to kill the thing causing her people's strife. The cleric would maintain her position in the rear, but get closer.

[ideally within 9, but within 14 is good too. Within 19 is okay if it is all she can do.]
[Init 7]  

[Kowsauni]

The Table is Set.

The white circles are the goliaths in the cage. There is immense power radiating of the mindflayer from the ritual. This force is so powerful it makes it hard to move towards him. The squares between the innermost large circle and the small circle counts as difficult terrain. The squares in the innermost small circle cost 4 moment to move through (as long as you are trying to move towards the |Mindflayer, moving away from him costs normal movement.) Anyone who begins to their turn next to the Mindlfayer must make a DC15 endurance check or be pushed back 1 square. If you fail the save by 5 or more, you are pushed back 2 Squares, if you fail by 10, you are pushed back 3 and knocked prone. The Mindlfyaer stands upon a 5 foot tall stone pedestal. The Golaith's cages are ten feet tall and fully enclosed. (you just cant see the roof of the cages in the picture.

Initiative Order
Mind flayer
Valac: HP: 75/75,
Ruin HP 65/65
Kuori HP: 59/59
Revenge HP:71/71,
Thralls
Irene

Ruin quickly notices that the robed attendants around the Mindflayer are by far not the only enemy forces present. Roaming around the numinous cages were several other robed figures. It was obvious that once battle broke out, there would soon be more reinforcements. As for the golaiths in the cages, they all seemed to be in some sort of trance, they paid no intention to anything else going on around them. What more there glowing flesh and eyes seemed...translucent? As ruin tries to understand the strange magic going on around him it becomes more clear. They were being harvested, their very flesh and mortal souls were being siphoned by the arcane circle to create something at the center. In this state they were neither alive nor dead, but rather, stuck in limbo. If the ritual reached it's completion he was certain they would all cease to exists, but right now they were all simply shadows, stuck between two planes. Ruin felt at this point simply stopping the ritual wouldn't be enough, they would have to find a way to reverse it to return Kuori's people to their normal state. Unfortunately, Ruin does not understand the ritual well to know how to do that, but first things first. The Mindflayer had to be stopped, or the very body and souls of Kuroi's people would be lost forever.

The Mindflayer immediately notices the parties aggressive actions and shouts. "Fools! It is a Trap! Everyone, get them, but do not kill them, we need them alive!"

((Valac up!))  

[Mongooseh]

Valac charges the nearest thrall giving it an unhealthy taste of his blade and horns.

<33 vs AC Howling Strike Charge: 29 Damage.>  

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

"Bad news, they aren't all here and we will need to reverse the ritual to get them all back here! Good News, um... Stop the mindflayer seems to be the answer. As they are safe-ish as long as the ritual isn't complete." Ruin called out to his team on his findings. "Oh, and we may have more company soon."

Ruin pressed his lips together and secretly wished his countrymen were closer. They probably could figure this out... But, there was little more he could do.

Tossing that thought out of his head, Ruin move closer to the flayer. "I don't know much of the gods. But, Asmodeus is the god of tyranny, right? So, let me teach you about despair."

Move: Move to DD12: Shadow Walk Concealment active.
Standard Move: Move to Z15 (I believe, walking along the red straight line)
Minor: Draw implement  

[PupSage]

Kuori started to run in. "Group up and push forward. Ruin, don't go solo, let me get some prayers in." That said, she also wanted to give this mindflayer a piece of her mind. She trust her morningstar into the air, "Kuliak. This one takes my people and intends to claim their souls for some Devil. Grant me the strength and when the time comes let them go with you as it should be." The ground beneath the Mindflayer would crack as a radiance of purple light spilled out from the cracks.


Daunting Light
Encounter ✦ Divine, Implement, Radiant
Standard Action Ranged 10 (+4= 14)
Target: Mindflayer
Attack: 26 vs. Reflex
Hit: 22 radiant damage. (ignore 1pt of resistance by 1)
Effect: One ally you can see gains combat advantage against the target until the end of your next turn. [Ruin]  

[Rain Yupa]

77/77 hit points, +2 defense vs Necrotic/Fear, Thrall CC23 marked

After hearing Ruin explain the state of the Goliaths, Revenge turned to look at the group to his right, seeing what his comrade meant. His hair stood on end and he tensed angrily, before looking back to the enemies before him. "You'll pay! Sehanine as my witness, this atrocity will not go unpunished!"

His blade glowing with moonlight, he would rush towards the back of the pack of the nearest grouping of thralls, content on cutting his way through.

MOVE + STANDARD ACTION

Revenge rushes through to charge, pushing his way past the nearer thralls to get himself immersed in the middle of the group.

Quote:

Revenge moves then charges a total of 7 squares to BB22; he has to provoke an Opportunity Attack from one of the thralls to do so, but c'est la vie.

Blade of Moonlight, 28 vs Thrall @ AA22's AC. On a hit, 18 radiant damage, and Revenge gets a +2 bonus to all defenses vs Fear & Necrotic effects until the end of his next turn.

MINOR ACTION

Turning his gaze to the nearby foes after slashing one with his silvery weapon, he'd warn the one on his right, "You're next!"

Quote:

Divine Challenge on Thrall at CC23.

 

[Kowsauni]

The Table is Set.

The white circles are the goliaths in the cage. There is immense power radiating of the mindflayer from the ritual. This force is so powerful it makes it hard to move towards him. The squares between the innermost large circle and the small circle counts as difficult terrain. The squares in the innermost small circle cost 4 moment to move through (as long as you are trying to move towards the Mindflayer, moving away from him costs normal movement.) Anyone who begins to their turn next to the Mindlfayer must make a DC15 endurance check or be pushed back 1 square. If you fail the save by 5 or more, you are pushed back 2 Squares, if you fail by 10, you are pushed back 3 and knocked prone. The Mindlfyaer stands upon a 5 foot tall stone pedestal. The Golaith's cages are ten feet tall and fully enclosed. (you just cant see the roof of the cages in the picture.

Initiative Order
Mind flayer
Valac: HP: 82/82,
Ruin HP 59/69
Kuori HP: 59/59
Revenge HP:70/77,
Thralls
Irene

Valac charges forth and cuts the duergar thrall clean in half wit his blade as Ruin moves up as well. Kuori blasts the Mindflayer with Radient energy and it lets out an angry squeal. Ruin Charges forward into a pack of thralls deflecting their attacks as he slashes one with his silver sword.

The thralls draw their own weapons which are combination of maces, daggers and short swords. They all advance on the party menacingly. Revenge is instantly surrounded. They slash at the paladin with their weapons but Revenge deftly fends of all their clumsy blows. Two thralls rush at Ruin but only one is able to attack, however he plunges his dagger into the warlock's side. (10 damage)

Uncharacteristically, does not dash off to a safe place to sketch the battle. Instead she rushes over to one of the cages and shouts. "I will see what I can do about these locks! Maybe I can figure out something about this magic too!"

The Mindflayers roars. "Idiots! You can do better then that! Hit him again!" As he says this the thrall marked by Revenge swings at him again and this time connects his hammer with the side of the Paldains helmet (7 damage). Noticing Irene's actions he also shouts. "Do not let her tamper with the cages, stop her!"

Two more thralls rush in from behind a cage to join the battle.

((Valac up!))  

[Rain Yupa]

FREE ACTION

"I've got this," Revenge would call over his shoulder at Valac, before preparing himself for his next attack.  

[Mongooseh]

Valac smirks at Revenge and nods setting his eyes on the mindflayer.

However there was a Thrall in the way, just enough that Valac charged him first.

< Charge thrall bb21 to square cc20, Crit on Howling strike I'm not sure if the add on item damage gets maximised but if it is then 44 damage if not 36. Ramapage and blood vigor (4 thp) proc.>

Valac goes to swing at the thrall again in a bloodlust but finds the thrall already a red smear on the ground.

 

[Southern Cross Nemesis]

Ruin would commit a cardinal sin in battle and look back at Irene. It was then the blade found flesh. "Ow, that hurt, Shithead." Hellish flames erupted on his attacker.

He was going to leave the Thralls alone, seeing as without the Mindflayer the ritual fails and the thralls by definition go free. But, that hurt and his wrath would see to it the thrall felt it, even if it lacked the murderous intent of his allies.

Quote:

Immediate: 7 Fire damage to the one that connected. (Non-lethal)
Minor: Warlock Curse; the Burned Thrall.
Move Shift AA16
Standard: Eyes of Zutwa 18 VS The unreacted Thrall's Will. 9 psychic damage. The Burned Thrall 4 Curse damage (Both Non-lethal)

Before turning his gaze to the Ritual Master and letting a roar of thunder born from Mount Vaelis

Quote:

Action point
Standard: Vestige of Mount Vaelis. 31 vs Mindflayer Reflex; 14 Thunder and the target cannot walk or run (save ends).
Miss: Half damage and the target cannot walk or run until the end of Ruin's next turn. (Murdering this one)

 

[PupSage]

"Did I stutter!? I said group up damnit. Focus on this group so that they can't get to Irene, I will try to pick off the stragglers!" Energy manifest in Kuori's free hand as she hurls it toward one of the further off Thralls. "Ruin, try to make your way to us, once we kill these ones we will make our way to you." She dashes in to position herself behind Valac once more.

And three realizations were made:
1.) She had left her shield back at the inn ... whoops
2,) She could just buff these two now, but then she'd have to focus too much on Ruin, and while his attempt at the cage was admirable, she couldn't forgive herself if Revenge died here because she had to split her attention.
3.) She should conserve her magic a bit, because if this ritual popped off, or the Arian soldiers decided to appear, they were going to need it.


Action: Lance of Faith - 22 vs Reflex for 12 dmg to Y26 (ignores 1 resistance)
then
Move to DD20