With a wave of Shira'stasa's tome, the terrifying skeletal creature's appendages snap into motion and its bony legs carry it adjacent to the next statue. It smashes its fists into the rock, the Tenant silently gloating.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Feeling a bit better after the orc's help, Cleo once more rushes into the fray and this time manages to land a solid blow against the newly-awakened statue. "This thing - Vor-Kaleth, I guess? - is really annoying," she says, to no one in particular.
Standard Action: Blistering Flourish Attack Technique on Statue
Attack: 14 vs Reflex = hit
Hit: 9 damage, plus 3 more fire damage, for a grand total of 12 damage. Until the end of my next turn my melee attacks deal +3 fire damage.
No Action: Desert Wind Flurry of Blows on Statue
Effect: Statue takes 5 fire damage, plus 3 more fire damage, for a grand total of 8 damage.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
When Geral is knocked away, he can feel the barrier that he creates with his blade shatter, leaving him vulnerable, and a bit winded from the strike. He chuckles a bit at the attack. "Well I did tell it to smite me. But if that's all it's got, then this is a poor god indeed."
He smiles as he rushes past Eoli to the other side of the newly formed statue, taking up position there, across from the skeletal being summoned by Shira. He brings his blade up and down again, finding no purchase in the stone. Should've brought a hammer.
Move to C17
Minor to Mark Statue with Aegis of Assault, if statue does not include Geral in attack, it takes -2 to attack roll. If it hits another target, Geral invokes Aegis of Assault to teleport and make an MBA.
Booming Blade on Statue with CA: 9(1d20) +11 = 20
Miss according to Jake.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
Reeling from the passing of whatever that thing is, Eoli clutches at his arm, flesh burned by the energy being emitted by the vortex. As it melds with another statue, he grits his teeth in anger, willing the ground beneath the statue to grow extremely hot, cracking the floor beneath the statue. Unfortunately, stone doesn't conduct heat well, so the effects on the statue were minimal. Curses. There must be an easier way to do this!
Calling his wisp to the new statue, Eoli wills it to rebuild its armor and wait for an opening to trip the statue up.
Standard Action:Vezzuvu's Eruption centered on [E, 15]
Attack: 9 vs Reflex... Fucking hell. That's three bad rolls in a row.
Hit: No damage because miss, but a 3x3 zone of difficult terrain is formed centered on [E,15]. Any creature that ends its turn in the zone takes 5 fire damage.
Minor Action: Dismiss SC
Move Action -> Minor Action:Call Spirit Companion to [C, 16]
Ready Opportunity Action:Spirit's Wrath
When an enemy leaves a square adjacent to SC without shifting, make an attack vs Reflex. If hit, 1d6+4 damage and target grants CA until EoNT.
Allies have +2 to saving throws while adjacent to my SC
Spirit Companion:
Occupies one square. Enemies can't move through it, but allies can. When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed. Spirit Companions cannot be OA'd as they are conjurations, not creatures.
The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks. If a single melee or ranged attack (Area attacks are ineffective.) deals damage equal to 10 + half of your level or higher, the spirit disappears and you take damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.
The spirit companion shares most of your stats, as well as any effects that affect movement, sight, or actions. Spirit Boon: Allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws when adjacent to your Spirit Companion. In addition, if your Spirit Companion is not present at the start of your turn, you can summon it once during that turn as a free action.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by a bloodied creature. Astral Resistance: You have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Totem Expertise: +1 feat bonues to implement attack rolls made with a totem and you ignore partial cover and partial concealment on implement attacks made with a totem. Battle Intuition: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of Dexterity to determine Initiative. Also, you gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative.
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
Seeing that the spirit has possessed a new statue, Cameryn takes a stance around it like the others. He rolls his eyes once again at Geral's taunting the statue. My god. Shut up, will you? I hope this god does smite you. Maybe then you'd shut up and be out of my life. Trying to force the mercenary man out of his head, the elf attempts a blow on the statue, but it proves unsuccessful.
Heavy Blade Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls that you make with a heavy blade. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, while wielding a heavy blade, you gain a +2 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks.
Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
Censure of Unity: You gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls against your oath of enmity target for each ally adjacent to that target. The bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level.
Sense Threat: When you roll initiative, you can make a Perception check and use its result for your initiative check. When you do so, allies within 10 squares of you who have a lower initiative than yours gain a +2 racial bonus to their initiative.
Wood Elf Reactive Stealth: If you have any cover or concealment when you roll initiative, you can make a Stealth check to hide at the same time.
Armor of Faith: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and aren't using a shield, you gain a bonus +3 to AC.
Fey Origin: You are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to your creature origin.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth or no armor.
The second statue takes a good number of hits, its stone noticeably weakening already. As the party starts to surround it, the behemoth brings its arm down on to Geral, although slow the size of the thing stops the mercenary from avoiding the blow.
Statue: This statue is seemingly possessed by whatever was unleashed from the gemstone. It is large but slow. The coordinate given will be the bottom left square the statue occupies.
Eoli's Spirit Companion Allies have +2 to saving throws while adjacent to the SC. Shira's Magehand Forces enemy to grant CA to all allies while the Hand is adjacent.
Seeing that the thing is weakening, Cleo strikes in the same spot once more, hoping that continued hits in one area will cause the statue to crumble more quickly. Ow
Standard Action: Blistering Flourish Attack Technique on Statue
Attack: 17 vs Reflex = hit
Hit: 7 damage, plus 3 more fire damage, for a grand total of 10 damage. Until the end of my next turn, my melee attacks deal +3 fire damage.
No Action: Desert Wind Flurry of Blows on Statue
Effect: Statue takes 5 fire damage, plus 3 more fire damage, for a grand total of 8 damage.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Following Shira'stasa's undeterring guidance, the skeletal creature once more slams its burning fists into the surface of the statue, chipping away more of its stone. This entity is inferior to my deific power... she thinks to herself.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Eoli growls as the statue lays a crushing blow on Geral. He slaps off a bolt of healing energy to the mercenary, shouting to him at the same time. "Stand firm, man! Try focusing on the legs!" As the first bolt hits Geral, a similar light seeps off of Eoli's companion golem, reinvigorating Cleo.
Looking wildly around the room for some way to bring down the statues easier, Eoli repositions himself to be more out of the way. That power before... Was quite overwhelming, he thinks, panting slightly.
Standard Action:Healing Spirit on Geral
He spends a healing surge and regains 7 health, for a total of 19 HP, unbloodying him.
The secondary effect heals Cleo for 3 HP, bringing her up to 20 HP
Move Action: Eoli to [C, 12]
Ready Opportunity Action:Spirit's Wrath
When an enemy leaves a square adjacent to SC without shifting, make an attack vs Reflex. If hit, 1d6+4 damage and target grants CA until EoNT.
Allies have +2 to saving throws while adjacent to my SC
The zone created by Vezzuvu's Eruption disappears.
Perception check to find anything that could be useful in taking down the statues: 24
Spirit Companion:
Occupies one square. Enemies can't move through it, but allies can. When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed. Spirit Companions cannot be OA'd as they are conjurations, not creatures.
The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks. If a single melee or ranged attack (Area attacks are ineffective.) deals damage equal to 10 + half of your level or higher, the spirit disappears and you take damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.
The spirit companion shares most of your stats, as well as any effects that affect movement, sight, or actions. Spirit Boon: Allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws when adjacent to your Spirit Companion. In addition, if your Spirit Companion is not present at the start of your turn, you can summon it once during that turn as a free action.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by a bloodied creature. Astral Resistance: You have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Totem Expertise: +1 feat bonues to implement attack rolls made with a totem and you ignore partial cover and partial concealment on implement attacks made with a totem. Battle Intuition: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of Dexterity to determine Initiative. Also, you gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative.
Last edited by PureZaros on Thu Oct 09, 2014 2:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
Geral once again attempts to strike the statue, despite the wound it gave him. He just needs to buy time for the others to take care of the statue. His blade simply bounces off the stone again, unable to pierce it, but so long as he keeps it annoyed, it doesn't matter, wearing a smile the whole time.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
As others deal blows to the crumbling statue, Cameryn too joins in. Et-namn, watching over the brash elf, grants him luck and power, and the former slave lands a strike on the ancient stonework. He glances over and notices the mercenary smiling despite failing to harm the statue at all. Rolling his eyes, he thinks, What the hell is wrong with that guy?
Heavy Blade Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls that you make with a heavy blade. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, while wielding a heavy blade, you gain a +2 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks.
Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
Censure of Unity: You gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls against your oath of enmity target for each ally adjacent to that target. The bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level.
Sense Threat: When you roll initiative, you can make a Perception check and use its result for your initiative check. When you do so, allies within 10 squares of you who have a lower initiative than yours gain a +2 racial bonus to their initiative.
Wood Elf Reactive Stealth: If you have any cover or concealment when you roll initiative, you can make a Stealth check to hide at the same time.
Armor of Faith: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and aren't using a shield, you gain a bonus +3 to AC.
Fey Origin: You are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to your creature origin.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth or no armor.
The Statue raises its arm one again and smashes into Cleo, knocking the young tenant to the ground a few feet from where she had been standing just a moment ago. Geral sees an opening and stabs his sword deep into the rock, as he pulls the sword out in an upward motion, the whole statue crumbles to pieces revealing the vortex once again. As before it makes for the nearest statue which it possesses and continues for the door, however this time it doesn't pass through any of the party members, leaving them all unharmed by its strange power.
You notice the ceiling, above the two Statues along the Eastern wall of the room, appears to be weakened. It looks like if something were to hit it, it could collapse on top of the two statues and a fairly large area around them.
Geral: misses.
Cameryn: hits.
Statue: takes 7 fire damage from Shira's flaming sphere, hits Cleo for 15 damage pushing her to (B,15), bloodying her and knocking her prone. Geral makes a MBA attack, hitting for 3 damage, killing the Statue. Dies and moves to (H,19), walks to (L,18).
Statue: This statue is seemingly possessed by whatever was unleashed from the gemstone. It is large but slow. The coordinate given will be the bottom left square the statue occupies.
Eoli's Spirit Companion Allies have +2 to saving throws while adjacent to the SC. Shira's Magehand Forces enemy to grant CA to all allies while the Hand is adjacent.
Rushing to the fallen tenant's side, Eoli kneels to make sure she is alright. "Stand firm, Cleo! We can't go losing you here." His wisp shifts a few feet to stand closer, in case aid is needed.
Turning to the group at large while beside the winded Cleo, he directs their attention to the stone above. "Aim for the ceiling above the statues! We might be able to collapse it on them!"
Having revealed the weakened ceiling, Eoli turns his head to look at the other side of the room, searching for any other similar weaknesses that they could use.
Standard Action: Heal check on Cleo
DC 10
Roll: 16... Success!
Cleo can use her Second Wind without spending any actions, though she doesn't get the defense bonuses.
Minor Action:Speak With Spirits
I get a +4 bonus to my next skill check
Perception check to spot any similar vulnerabilities near the west statues: 17
Spirit Companion:
Occupies one square. Enemies can't move through it, but allies can. When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed. Spirit Companions cannot be OA'd as they are conjurations, not creatures.
The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks. If a single melee or ranged attack (Area attacks are ineffective.) deals damage equal to 10 + half of your level or higher, the spirit disappears and you take damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.
The spirit companion shares most of your stats, as well as any effects that affect movement, sight, or actions. Spirit Boon: Allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws when adjacent to your Spirit Companion. In addition, if your Spirit Companion is not present at the start of your turn, you can summon it once during that turn as a free action.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by a bloodied creature. Astral Resistance: You have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Totem Expertise: +1 feat bonues to implement attack rolls made with a totem and you ignore partial cover and partial concealment on implement attacks made with a totem. Battle Intuition: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of Dexterity to determine Initiative. Also, you gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative.
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
Cleo raises an eyebrow at the orc's idea, but she figures it is better than being tossed around by giant stone men. Once on her feet, she grabs one of the shuriken's she brought with her and tosses it towards the weakened portion of the ceiling, hoping that it does something.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Cleo's shuriken hits the ceiling with a thud, knocking loose a few chucks of stone. It falls to the floor by the statue, suddenly the ceiling gives way, large boulders crash down crushing both statues in the east of the room. After a few moments the collapse appears to have finished. While the statue Vor-kaleth was possessing is clearly destroyed, the being is not, as the black and red vortex slowly begins to flow out of the debris and reform. The rubble does appear to be slowing this as the vortex is no where near as large as the other times you have seen it.
Statue: This statue is seemingly possessed by whatever was unleashed from the gemstone. It is large but slow. The coordinate given will be the bottom left square the statue occupies.
Eoli's Spirit Companion Allies have +2 to saving throws while adjacent to the SC. Shira's Magehand Forces enemy to grant CA to all allies while the Hand is adjacent.
As the strange black-red vortex forms again, Shira'stasa is urged on by witnessing Vor-kaleth in its true form. "Now!" she cries out, herself and her terrible minion rushing forward to reposition. It engages the strange embodiment with threatening slashes of its hands.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Cameryn's face is riddled with confusion at the orc's shouting. Aiming for weak ceiling? Is he trying to get us killed? He breathes a slight sigh of relief as only a portion of the ceiling collapses, not particularly keen on dying just yet. With the swirling vortex no longer possessing statues, Cameryn begins to walk towards it to attempt an attack on it. He waits back a distance, though, waiting for one of the others, like Cleo, to get closer first.
Heavy Blade Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls that you make with a heavy blade. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, while wielding a heavy blade, you gain a +2 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks.
Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
Censure of Unity: You gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls against your oath of enmity target for each ally adjacent to that target. The bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level.
Sense Threat: When you roll initiative, you can make a Perception check and use its result for your initiative check. When you do so, allies within 10 squares of you who have a lower initiative than yours gain a +2 racial bonus to their initiative.
Wood Elf Reactive Stealth: If you have any cover or concealment when you roll initiative, you can make a Stealth check to hide at the same time.
Armor of Faith: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and aren't using a shield, you gain a bonus +3 to AC.
Fey Origin: You are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to your creature origin.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth or no armor.
Geral's grin doesn't fade as the so called god shows itself finally. In fact, if anything, he's smiling wider. He rushes headlong towards it, attempting to keep it from escaping as he gets in close, blade held in front of him, waiting for it to make a move.
Double move to N13, not run, not granting anything.
Mark "Vor-Kaleth" with Aegis of Assault, -2 to attacking anyone other than Geral, if it hits someone and does not include Geral, Geral makes an MBA.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
The Vortex seems to partially catch alight, taking damage from Shira'stasa's fire ball. With it still slowly growing larger, tendrils whip out in Geral's direction. The mercenary's armour seems to protect him and the vortex's attack bounces off the man harmlessly.
You cannot see any similar vulnerabilities near the remaining statues. If there were any you would have likely seen them earlier, along with the, now slightly larger, crack in the ceiling.
Cleo: stands, draws shuriken, hits ceiling.
Shira: moves flaming sphere, walks, sustains.
Cameryn: oaths, moves, total defence.
Geral: moves, marks.
Vor-kaleth: takes 6 fire damage from Shira's flaming sphere, misses Geral.
Statue: This statue is seemingly possessed by whatever was unleashed from the gemstone. It is large but slow. The coordinate given will be the bottom left square the statue occupies.
Eoli's Spirit Companion Allies have +2 to saving throws while adjacent to the SC. Shira's Magehand/Flaming Sphere Forces enemy to grant CA to all allies while the Hand is adjacent.
Shira'stasa feels immense power as the strange being before her catches aflame with the spectral fire that her minion has spread. She issues it forward, commanding it to reposition on top of the fallen rubble so that she does not scorch her allies. The skeleton creature manages to rake at Vor-Kaleth successfully.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Geral's smile dims slightly as he deflects the attempts at his life with ease, his bond with his blade helping him deflect blows with the flat part of his sword, others he forces away with blasts of air from his hand. As he lashes out with his blade, he wracks his mind for answers. This doesn't feel like a God, it feels more like something imprisoned here. So many bodies above... could this be a spirit? Some combination of those that died here?
Booming Blade on Vor-kaleth: 5(1d20) +11 = 16
If this hits, the target is marked not only with Aegis of Assault, but also takes 1d6+3 Thunder damage if it attempts to move away from Geral if it was adjacent at the start of it's turn.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Eoli moves towards the swirling vortex, noticing that Cleo is still moving unsteadily after her meeting with the statue. "Give me a moment to gather myself up and I'll get some energy back into you, tenant," he calls to her, before turning to his golem. Rest for a spell, little one. I will need you shortly.
The wisp inside the stone flies out and hits Eoli in the chest, diffusing into him. A dim glow spreads down his body as the burns on his arms heal over somewhat. Ahh, relief. I didn't realize those hurt so bad. he thinks, But what kind of entity would cause wounds in that manner? Looking to the mini maelstrom they were fighting, he examines the magic in the air, trying to identify the being before them.
Spirit Companion:
Occupies one square. Enemies can't move through it, but allies can. When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed. Spirit Companions cannot be OA'd as they are conjurations, not creatures.
The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks. If a single melee or ranged attack (Area attacks are ineffective.) deals damage equal to 10 + half of your level or higher, the spirit disappears and you take damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.
The spirit companion shares most of your stats, as well as any effects that affect movement, sight, or actions. Spirit Boon: Allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws when adjacent to your Spirit Companion. In addition, if your Spirit Companion is not present at the start of your turn, you can summon it once during that turn as a free action.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by a bloodied creature. Astral Resistance: You have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Totem Expertise: +1 feat bonues to implement attack rolls made with a totem and you ignore partial cover and partial concealment on implement attacks made with a totem. Battle Intuition: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of Dexterity to determine Initiative. Also, you gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative.
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
As Vor-Kaleth takes more hits, Cameryn moves in to join Geral, striking the swirling tendrils. It appears to get burned once again before attacking Geral once again. This time the Malachite Blade is less lucky and he takes a hit.
It appears that Vor-Kaleth is a sentient being using a form of very powerful magic you have never seen before. While you can sense the being's power, it seems to be weakened at the moment.
Cameryn: moves to (L,13), hits Vor-Kaleth with a MBA for 8 damage.
Vor-kaleth: takes 9 fire damage from Shira's flaming sphere, hits Geral for 7 damage.
Statue: This statue is seemingly possessed by whatever was unleashed from the gemstone. It is large but slow. The coordinate given will be the bottom left square the statue occupies.
A bit suck of tossing bits of metal Cleo rushes back into the fray, powering through her injuries. As before with the hyenas, something about her seems to change and the area surrounding her body radiates with an unnatural heat, one that both soothes her allies and burns their enemy. As she approaches she delivers a one-two punch combination attack that noticeable weakens the swirling mass of energy. That's for knocking me down.
Minor Action: Sarifal's Blessing
Effect: I activate an aura 2 that last until the end? of my next turn. Allies within the aura gain resist 5 fire, enemies gain vulnerable 5 to my fire attacks.
Standard Action: Light the Fire on Vor Kaleth
Attack: 18 vs Reflex = hit
Hit: 16 fire damage, plus 5 more from vulnerability, for a grand total of 21 damage.
Effect: I activate an aura 1 that lasts until the start of my next turn. Enemies that start their turn in the aura takes 5 fire damage.
No Action: Desert Wind Flurry of Blows on Vor Kaleth
Effect: 5 fire damage, plus 5 more from vulnerability, for a grand total of 10 damage.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Geral looks over at Cleo, and part of him wishes she'd stayed back. He knows how badly she's injured right now, and knows he needs to bring this thing down. With a sweep of his blade he's gone, though only the tip cuts into Vor-Kaleth as he appears on the other side, bringing his blade back up in a second strike, attempting to catch it with the energy surrounding his blade as it bursts forth.
Vanishing Blade on Vor-kaleth: 4(1d20) +11 = 15
Damage: 11(2d8) +5 = 16 / 2 is 8.
Invisible until EoNT
Teleport to N15 to flank with Cameryn.
Spend an Action Point to use Booming Blade on Vor-Kaleth: 16(1d20) +10 = 26
Damage: 5(1d8) +5 = 10
Gain 10 Temp HP.
Minor to use Aegis of Assault on Vor-Kaleth: Target takes -2 to attack anyone but Geral or if Geral is not included in an area attack. If the attack hits, teleport and perform an MBA on target.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
Shira'stasa's strength begins to fail her and her channel to the burning skeleton wanes. Pulling from her last reserves of her willpower, she issues forth another command for her terrifying apparition to strike forth again. The creatures slams its spectral flame-covered and bony fists into the nearest tendril emanating from Vor-Kaleth, scalding the enigmatic being.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Gathering himself, Eoli exerts his will on the world around him. He takes a few steps forward, exhaling slowly, while a rushing sound builds in the area. Suddenly, jets of water begin bursting from the rubble and the floor, quickly flooding a decent amount of area around him. The vortex of energy is seemingly unaffected, as the waters evaporate rapidly when they get close to it. Everyone else find themselves enveloped in a thin film of cool water, and Cleo's wounds slowly begin to close up as they are soothed by the healing liquid.
Calling out his wispy companion, Eoli commands it into a burning ball of energy, and sends it flying into the vortex. Go, little one. Show it what you're made of. Unfortunately, the little sphere is torn to shreds by the currents of magic around it, though some residual pieces find their way to a few of the other party members.
Eoli calls another wisp up, and this one takes on it's golem-like appearance before settling in near the vortex, ready to retaliate if the mini maelstrom should move.
Standard Action:Spirit of the Healing Flood. Targets Vor-kaleth
Attack: 7 vs Fortitude... Nope.
Until the end of the encounter, you and each ally in the burst (It's everyone. I checked.) gain regeneration 2 while bloodied. As a minor action, a character can end this effect on him/herself to regain 10 HP.
Minor Action: Summon SC at [L, 14]
Action Point -> Standard Action:Scorching Sands on Vor-kaleth
Attack: 8 vs Reflex... Nope again. Roller hates me.
Eoli, Cameryn and Cleo can choose to do fire damage until EoNT. This fire damage repaces the attack's normal damage types.
SC disappears.
Free Action: Summon SC at [L, 14]
Ready Opportunity Action:Spirit's Wrath
When an enemy leaves a square adjacent to SC without shifting, make an attack vs Reflex. If hit, 1d6+4 damage and target grants CA until EoNT.
Allies have +2 to saving throws while adjacent to my SC
Spirit Companion:
Occupies one square. Enemies can't move through it, but allies can. When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed. Spirit Companions cannot be OA'd as they are conjurations, not creatures.
The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks. If a single melee or ranged attack (Area attacks are ineffective.) deals damage equal to 10 + half of your level or higher, the spirit disappears and you take damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.
The spirit companion shares most of your stats, as well as any effects that affect movement, sight, or actions. Spirit Boon: Allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws when adjacent to your Spirit Companion. In addition, if your Spirit Companion is not present at the start of your turn, you can summon it once during that turn as a free action.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by a bloodied creature. Astral Resistance: You have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Totem Expertise: +1 feat bonues to implement attack rolls made with a totem and you ignore partial cover and partial concealment on implement attacks made with a totem. Battle Intuition: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of Dexterity to determine Initiative. Also, you gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative.
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
The swirling vortex takes a barrage of hits, it manages to lash out at Cameryn but this attack, while successful, allows Geral to move in for another attack. The Mercenary's blade rips through whatever the being is made of and there is a sudden burst of energy. The vortex dissipates, falling to the floor as a strange red mist. This mist slowly flows away, into various cracks and holes in the floor, leaving the party alone in the room.
Statue: This statue is seemingly possessed by whatever was unleashed from the gemstone. It is large but slow. The coordinate given will be the bottom left square the statue occupies.
Almost immediately, Shira'stasa breaks from her trance. "Is it... did we slay it?" she asks, clearly disheveled from the exhausting event. This pain in my mind, she thinks to herself. The power is not without its costs, she notes, as she sits down on the rubble of the fallen ceiling, breathing hard and massaging her temples to recover.
Tome Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls with a tome. Enemies adjacent to your conjurations/summoned creatures grant CA. Enemies immune to fear are immune to this effect.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by bloodied creatures.
Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Cleo's anger cools off a bit as the swirling creature falls, presumably defeated. "Looks like it," she says to Shira'stasa, walking over to the pile of rubble to rest. She can't help but to look up as she does, observing the damage to the ceiling that her minuscule shuriken had caused. It's a wonder the entire room didn't collapse on us.
"We should break those other statues just in case it comes back," she adds after a few moments. "Those things hurt." Satisfied and feeling not quite as sore as the moment before, she gets up and begins scouring the room for her thrown shurikens.
Mental Crucible: I gain resist 5 fire (or +2 if I already have resist fire of 5+)
Unarmed Combatant: unarmed attack has +3 proficiency, 1d8 damage, unarmed group, can be affected by ki foci. Must have a free hand to use it.
Unarmored Defense: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor and not using a shield.
Full Discipline: Can only use one full discipline power per round, but can use it as many times as the power would allow (at-will's any number of times in a round, encounters once per round, etc.) Can use full discipline techniques in whatever order I like, and if I spend an action point I can choose a different full discipline power.
Beast Nature: I am considered both a magical beast and a humanoid.
Elusive: +2 racial bonus to checks made to escape grabs and to saving throws against effects that immobilize, restrain, or slow me.
Fey Origin: I am considered Fey.
Language of Beasts: I can speak to and understand natural and fey felines in my hybrid or animal form, and understand but not speak to them in human form.
Shapechanger: I am considered a shapechanger.
Ki Focus Expertise: +1 to damage with ki focus vs bloodied targets.
Unarmored Agility: +2 to AC when in cloth armor or no armor.
Internalize the Basic Kata: I use Dexterity instead of Strength for my MBA rolls when using my Monk Unarmed Strike. My Flurry of Blows can trigger on an OA made with my Monk Unarmed Strike.
Eoli sits down hard, worn down from the large amount of power he had just released. "I'm getting too old for this," he mutters, before joining the others in conversation. "Destroying the remaining statues may be a good idea. However," he says, looking to the caving rocks overhead, "Now that I take a look at it, we may want to get out of here before the ceiling collapses any more."
Standing with some difficulty, Eoli begins moving towards the doorway at the end of the room. Despite wanting to get the others away from the very unstable looking roof, he can't resist peering around the room for any valuables that may have been uncovered in the fight.
Spirit Companion:
Occupies one square. Enemies can't move through it, but allies can. When you take a move action, you can also move the spirit a number of squares equal to your speed. Spirit Companions cannot be OA'd as they are conjurations, not creatures.
The spirit can be targeted by melee or ranged attacks. If a single melee or ranged attack (Area attacks are ineffective.) deals damage equal to 10 + half of your level or higher, the spirit disappears and you take damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Otherwise, the spirit is unaffected by the attack.
The spirit companion shares most of your stats, as well as any effects that affect movement, sight, or actions. Spirit Boon: Allies gain a +2 bonus to saving throws when adjacent to your Spirit Companion. In addition, if your Spirit Companion is not present at the start of your turn, you can summon it once during that turn as a free action.
Astral Majesty: You have a +1 bonus to all defenses against attacks made by a bloodied creature. Astral Resistance: You have resistance to necrotic and radiant damage equal to 5 + half of your level. Immortal Origin: Your spirit is native to the Astral Sea, so you are considered an immortal creature for the purpose of effects that relate to creature origin.
Totem Expertise: +1 feat bonus to implement attack rolls made with a totem and you ignore partial cover and partial concealment on implement attacks made with a totem. Battle Intuition: You can use your Wisdom modifier instead of Dexterity to determine Initiative. Also, you gain a +2 feat bonus to initiative. Spirit of Vigor: When you use Call Spirit Companion as a minor action, one ally adjacent to your SC when it appears gains temporary hit points equal to your INT modifier (+4).
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
Cameryn shakes his head about, feeling in a slight daze as if he wasn't even controlling his own actions for the past few minutes. He quickly makes work to bandage his wounds. Stupid statues.... Stupid vortex thing. He grumbles silently to himself. The elf wonders what such a being was doing down in the temple. There better be treasure it was guarding or something. He scans the room, hoping to spot anything that he could get rich off of.
Regain encounter powers, spend 2 surges to get to 31hp
Level Up:
+1 to defenses, skills, and initiative
+6 hp
Holy Blessing utility power
Improved Armor of Faith feat
Retrain Leading Strike to Bond of Censure
Heavy Blade Expertise: You gain a +1 feat bonus to weapon attack rolls that you make with a heavy blade. This bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level. In addition, while wielding a heavy blade, you gain a +2 bonus to all defenses against opportunity attacks.
Wild Step: You ignore difficult terrain when you shift.
Censure of Unity: You gain a +1 bonus to damage rolls against your oath of enmity target for each ally adjacent to that target. The bonus increases to +2 at 11th level and +3 at 21st level.
Sense Threat: When you roll initiative, you can make a Perception check and use its result for your initiative check. When you do so, allies within 10 squares of you who have a lower initiative than yours gain a +2 racial bonus to their initiative.
Wood Elf Reactive Stealth: If you have any cover or concealment when you roll initiative, you can make a Stealth check to hide at the same time.
Armor of Faith: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and aren't using a shield, you gain a bonus +3 to AC.
Fey Origin: You are considered a fey creature for the purpose of effects that relate to your creature origin.
Unarmored Agility: You gain a +2 feat bonus to AC while wearing either cloth or no armor.
Improved Armor of Faith: While you are wearing cloth armor or no armor and aren't using a shield, you gain a +1 bonus to AC.
Geral leans onto his knees and lets out a laugh. For once his blade isn't screaming his ear off, maybe the god took it's voice for a while. He thinks that would be the best gift any god could give him at this point. He looks to the others, wearing a big grin. "Now that was a good fight! Geral, God-killer, I think I like that name, don't you guys? come on, once we get to town, I'm buying us drinks. Well. A few drinks, spent most of what I had on the inn, but that was a good fight! haven't had one in a long while."
He stands tall despite his wounds, smiling wide, and even as he walks over to Cleo. "You did pretty good out there. Don't think I've seen anyone try to punch a statue and succeed before. That tenant training must really be something."
Level up!
Level 2 Utility: Arcane mutterings. Encounter. Once per encounter, use Arcane in place of Bluff, Diplomacy, or intimidate for social checks.
Level 2 Feat: White Lotus Riposte: Any enemy hit with an one of Geral's At-wills that attacks Geral takes that abilities stat modifier as damage in return.
Spend one surge to bring HP up to 26, should be good enough for now.
Genasi Firesoul: +1 Reflexes, Resist 5 Fire, and Firepulse.
Swordbond: By spending 1 hour with any light or heavy blade, the blade becomes swordbonded. As a standard action, the blade can be called from 10 squares away. If the bonded weapon is broken, the blade can be reforged with an hour of meditation.
Swordmage Warding: +1 AC or +3 AC when wielding a blade one handed and the other hand is free.
Heavy Blade Expertise: +1 to attack rolls with Heavy Blade. +2 to defenses against OAs.
Rose King's Shield: +2 to Endurance. While using a longsword, once per turn melee attacks grant +5 temporary HP. This is improved to +10 if more than 2 squares are moved before the end of your turn.
Aegis of Assault: Target is marked. It suffers a -2 to all attack rolls that do not include Geral. If a target is hit without Geral being included, Geral teleports up to 10 squares to a spot next to the target and makes a basic melee attack.
Cleo raises an eyebrow at Geral's remark, a bit confused at first. "Oh, uh, fighting was not part of our curriculum," she says finally, amused at his assumption. "Well not mine, at least. I just practiced with a martial arts master for fun in my spare time, it's good for relieving stress." She gives the man a quick smile, still happy to receive any compliment. "Maybe we can spar sometime."
Geral smiles at the tenant, glad that she came along. "I see! If tenants fought as well as you more often, I'm sure they'd be wanted all across the land. As for sparring, I tend to use a blade more than my fists, but we can give it a shot I suppose."
He nods to her as he heads to the rest of the group, thinking of their help during the recent fight. "Shira, I didn't know you could summon such a beast to fight for us. That was a big help this fight, distracting it in such a way, my final blows would have faltered had it's attention not been elsewhere. Eoli, thank you for the healing my friend, I doubt I could have weathered the God's blows without it, and I am sorry you took a blow that was meant for me. Next time I'll watch my spacing so no one is caught in the blast."
He bows to them both slightly, smiling all the while. This was his favorite part of working with the blades, the after fight discussions. It paid to compliment your companions where they were strongest, so they do not lose faith in their own abilities, especially after such a hard fought battle. It also helps temper the blade in a way, strengthening bonds, even if they were temporary.
"I'd hate to see more dead on my watch," Eoli shrugs. "Just helping where I can."
He is secretly happy that Geral seems to appreciate his efforts. "No matter on my injury, these things will happen sometimes. It will heal."
Turning to Cleo, he tries to gently berate her. "Being able to hit statues like that is all well and good, but what about when the statue's fist is half your size and it can hit back? You could have been seriously injured in here, girl." Cracking a small smile, he holds up his hands in a mock gesture of fear. "Having said that, I'd hate to be on the receiving end of those fists of yours. What can crush stones would surely break me."
Moving to Cameryn, Eoli merely claps the elf on the shoulder. "You may be an ass, but you can at least swing a sword. Sometimes." he says, adding the clarification as he remembers the hyenas.
Noting Shira'stasa's exausiton, he nods to her. "Good work."
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
Shira'stasa raises an eyebrow at the uncharacteristic compliments being tossed about the room. Nothing like a shared near-death experience to bring a group of squabbling strangers closer, she jests to herself. "Thank you, Geral," she says politely. "And you too, Eoli."
She stands up, feeling a bit better but still aching in her mind. "Did that... entity leave any trace of itself behind? Something that I could bring back to the Great Library and study," she says to the others. "I'm... questioning what in the world that was. Vor-Kaleth? Or some temple guardian?" She scans the room for any remnants that haven't been crushed by the crumbled stone or pillars.
Cleo laughs a bit at Eoli's comment, before responding with, "yeah, probably." Her laughter only escalates at him calling Cameryn an ass.
At Shira'stasa's comment, Cleo chimes in with, "are you sure it's a good idea? I mean, yeah, studying rare and unique objects is what all tenants should be striving for. But that thing was something else, imagine if it came back in the middle of the library..."
With nothing left for the group inside the temple, they start to make their way back up to the surface, through the library and corridors. The bright midday desert sun they left when entering the temple is now much lower in the sky leaving only a couple of hours before nightfall, however after the dark of the temple it's brightness still hurts for a moment after stepping out into the outdoors.
Looking around, events up here appear to have been no less eventful than the events in the temple. Three bodies lie on the ground, the sand stained red with blood. From what you can tell they're two of the ex-slaves and the captured bandit, Fred is nowhere to be seen. A robed man is crouched over one of the bodies with his back to the temple entrance, yet to notice the party's arrival.
Shira'stasa gasps as she sees the slain bodies of the slave and the bandit, and her eyes tighten into a menacing look as she looks upon the robed figure. Wordlessly, she opens her tome, ready for whatever may come. If he killed these men, by the Gods, I will turn him inside out...
"Keep quiet. Maybe we can string the bastard up before he realizes we're even here," she whispers.
Cleo's eyes widen at the sight of the carnage above ground, and a mixture of fear and anger washes over her. Who is he and what does he want? She shifts into a defensive stance in case whoever he is decides to attack them as well, but holds herself back from making the first move. "Do you think he was looking for us?"
Geral bends his knee near the top of the stairs, slowly drawing his blade from his scabbard. He squints his eyes, the light inside the tomb not as bright as it is outside, and it takes but a moment for him to adjust fully. He looks over the situation, considering what is visible. With that he turns to the others, hand held out, palm down, waving them to keep their heads down low for the time being. "One opponent against so many would have to be skilled, or we're facing a group, possibly bandits. Even armed, I wouldn't charge a group of men standing around the entrance... Possibly ambushed them recently. Which likely means the others are looking out for us to return, possibly behind the pillars..."
Without any more information, he's unsure of what to make right now.
Taking in the scene before him, Eoli notes that some of the slaves are missing. Seeing the bodies in front of him, though, as well as the man standing over them, nearly sends him over the edge. Glaring with barely contained rage at the figure before them, he whispers to the others. "If anyone wants to take care of this without violence, say so now. I'm about to drop an earthquake of fiery vengeance on him."
Build a man a fire and he will be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
"I'm not about to pass up a chance to swing my sword some more," he says in response to the orc. "Just who the hell does that man think he is?" His mood shifts to rage as he realizes that a couple of the slaves had been slaughtered, most likely by the man. Those people just got free. They did not even get to enjoy their freedom. It's... it's just not fair!
Cleo says nothing, not really sure of her feelings about the robed man. Who could he be, and why would he want us dead? Where did he come from? Did he follow us? She keeps her eyes glued on him, watching for any unusual behavior but unwilling to act without cause either.
Shira'stasa speaks up quietly. "Don't hurt him until we know for sure if he did this or not," she warns. "Still, it's better to capture him first and ask questions later." With that, she lips ancient words from her tome, and the vile, undead hand materializes adjacent to her. It wags its index finger at her, as if to say hello. "Let me try this," she asks of her allies.
She points to the strange man and twirls her finger around, then makes a shooing gesture, and the disgusting apparition sets off to do her clever bidding, heading toward the rope lying on the ground near the strange man.
