Phantoms and the Steeds

[Michael Briggs]

Unsure of how to proceed with such a nemesis, Diedra drops from the back of the worg.  Both she and the worg wait defensively for the next attack. 

Angel dismounts from his horse to better protect himself against these flying creatures; it was much better to sacrifice his horse than himself. He tries to recall clues from Synxol and what he saw and heard so far to identify these beasts and their strengths and weaknesses. All the while he leads his horse to any cover available from trees or rocks.

Tempus quickly jumps off his horse, and draws his axe.  He watches the area around him carefully to try to catch whatever it was that made that horrific laughter.  He stays near his horse, determined to save it if he can.

The big scarred reptile looks at the twitching fresh kill not too far in front of him.  Thick, slimy drool falls from his maw.  Scar looks at the druid and grumbles staying where he is.

Quentin ducks low to the ground, and near any heavy tree or rock nearby, thus making it very hard for an airborne creature to swoop in on him.

"Dismount!" he yells to the others while hurriedly drawing his already cocked crossbow and placing a bolt.

Smithy quickly dismounts, and grabs his rations off his horse, dropping the sack on the ground.  He looks around, especially in the air, and draws his sword, leaving the flame off for the moment.

"I knew we should have left the horses behind but this is ridiculous" exclaims Cal'Shir as he dismounts and releases the saddle and bridle from his horse and smacks it's rump, sending it on its way to survive if it can.

The enemies swoop down together grabbing at Angel’s horse and pulling it into the air.  Since the priest had only made it a few steps, he was still close to the middle of the group.  A dagger flies out from Diedra’s outstretched hand.  The strike is right on, but the demon ignores the attack as though it never took place. 

Shyam scans the sky at the sudden attack, reaching for her dagger with one hand while gripping the reins of her horse with the other. 

She vaguely hears Quentin's shout to dismount over the winds as her hair whips about her face no longer long enough to be held back.  Not wanting to completely abandon the horse, she is ready to attack anything that comes at her or it. 

Muttering a small curse under his breath, Keryth quickly dismounts his horse and looks to the sky in an attempt to spot what manner of foul creatures they are facing now.  Unsure if an arrow would even be able to make it through the sudden wind storm, Keryth calls forth a spell from his memory.  Going through the arcane gestures, Keryth completes everything but the final trigger phrase until he locates the enemy.

Surprised at the sudden death of the horse, Karchok silently curses himself as he pulls himself out of the saddle.  As he dismounts, he pulls out his razor sharp skinning knife.  Cutting the strap hold the saddle in place, he swats the horse rump sharply.  Having left the bit and bridle back in Calsham, he wasn't concerned with those.

"Shyam, get down, you're too much of a target," the druid says, his deep voice cutting the noise of the confusion.  Karchok hoped that these flying monstrosities weren't after his sister.  Calling out her
name was foolish enough on his part, with the attempt she was making to disguise herself

His black eyes move about, seeking their foes, not just from the sky. He glances around at their surrounds, to make sure nothing was taking advantage from the attack from above.

Scent of hot blood from the large four legged beast hitting his nose, Ghost suddenly sense as the foul stench of the fiend intrudes upon his sensitive nose.  He edges closer to his brother, growling softly in
his throat.

With a feral grin Rashear dismounts from Mist Walker, quickly pulling the horse token out, he whispers "Time to go back home girl, fare thee well."  Drawing one of his blades, he looks to the sky, hoping to
get a glimpse of what creatures he was fighting.  

[Don]

Seeing Shyam still mounted in the background, and a decapitated horse head in the foreground of his line of sight, Quentin makes an active effort to minimize her chances of getting targetted.

Running to Shyam, he jumps at the last moment, tackling her off the horse. Once he had her, he made an effortbto minimize her damage from landing. He'd worry about any damage he took if he could.

Fortunately, she had aparently loosened her feet in the stirrups, and getting her off the saddle was easiervthan her hoped. He had never done a tumble roll with someone else in arms, but the body mechanics just seemed to work and they rolled out undamaged.

"Now's not the time for this Shyam!", he says mischieviously. "We're under attack!"

(OOC: acrobatics roll 39, so took some creative writing liberties.)

[Bob G.]

Cal'Shir sees that Diedra's attack went unnoticed by its recipient,
which does not do his nerves any good. Still, he crouches down and
readies his magical darts. At the very least he might be able to lower
resistances or steal spell-like abilities, if they have them.

[Leslie Lock]

Shyam continues to stares up at the dark sky, the winds and dust swirling around her make it difficult for her normal sight to see anything yet she continues to search for signs of either one of the creatures coming towards her or her horse.  The sudden impact coming from the ground takes the air from her lungs as she’s lifted from the saddle and brought down to the ground in a twist and roll and finds herself laid out on top of Quentin.

                She is amazed to find she’s in no pain after being removed from the horse, and quickly catches her breath mystified by Quentin’s quip until it dawns on her, his arms still wrapped around her waist….  Thankfully the darkness and debris hid most of her blush as she quickly rolls away from him trying to get to her feet.

ooc:  stand and defend at this time.  Attack if she is able should something come in range for her dagger.

[rpgamer]

Angel delays his action, waiting for the attackers to come into range
and line of effect. He picks up Syxnol's body and drapes it over his
shoulder. He gladly would sacrifice the feyman's body as a shield to
these fiends if they come after him again.

"They are killing the horses! Free your horse like Cal'Shir did. They
have a better chance surviving on their own. Meanwhile we can move on
quickly in a different direction."

"Tempus, go help protect Shyam! And make sure Quentin didn't hurt her
too when he knocked her off her horse!"

[Andrew Airmet]

Tempus was carefully watching for the monsters to reappear when Angel's cry cut across his concentration.  All he heard of Quentin and hurt and he was already rushing toward the pair axe held at the ready.

"What are you doing?" he yelled down.  "You could have hurt her!"

Tempus could feel his rage boiling just beneath the surface as he fixed his angry gaze on Quentin.

[Jbizzle]

Rashear draws his other blade, glancing at Tempus and rolling his eyes
slightly at his statement 'now where are you my ugly ones, I have a
blade or two to sink into your face.' He thinks looking around trying
to see if there was some way to get some cover for the group and keep
on eye out for trouble.

[Michael New]

Smithy looks around, especially in the air, sword out, looking for the assailants. 

[Russ]

Ghost and Scar both stood near the druid. Defensively casting,
Karchok calls for a ritual to give him the blessing of Barkskin so
that he might better fight off this monster. His black eyes move
across the night sky as he chants.

[rpgamer]

Again Angel reminds the group to free their horses like Cal'shir did
so the remaining animals don't become such easy pickings. "Karchok,
tell them too, unless you have a better idea!"

[Don Alley]

It was one of those odd moments during combat when one's awareness was total and complete.

As if time had all but stood still.

Quentin saw his decapitated horse's body lying broken on the ground. Blood spurted from it's severed neck, the beast's strong heart still trying to do what it was supposed to. A few feet away, the head's empty stare saw nothing.

The others were scrambling for cover, and he himself had just managed to get Shyam off her horse in case her neck was the next target.

That's when he saw Tempus bearing down at him, with the rage in his eyes that Quentin knew was trouble. Acting quickly, he blurts out "Who you gonna trust, warrior? The man that leaves safety to help a friend, or the man that hides behind his horse and the corpse of an ally? If it were me, I'd take my cues about caring and compassion from someone other than a priest of the Hunter Wraith..."

All in all, directing the easily angered barbarian at Quentin was very well played by Angel. However, if batting Tempus between them like a kid's game was something the priest wanted to play, Quentin was confident he would win.

[Michael Briggs]

Diedra still waits patiently, observing the movements of the enemy.  Not a chill works its way down her statue-like stance.  The worg also looks defensive, but with the beast to contrast, it is easy to see the Diedra is getting ready to strike with a shift in her stance and a lowering of her height.

Angel delays his action, waiting for the attackers to come into range and line of effect. He picks up Syxnol's body and drapes it over his shoulder. He gladly would sacrifice the feyman's body as a shield to these fiends if they come after him again.

"They are killing the horses! Free your horse like Cal'Shir did. They have a better chance surviving on their own. Meanwhile we can move on quickly in a different direction."

Tempus stands by watching the battlefield while trying to push back the debilitating anger building up inside.

Seeing Shyam still mounted in the background, and a decapitated horse head in the foreground of his line of sight, Quentin makes an active effort to minimize her chances of getting targeted.

Running to Shyam, he jumps at the last moment, tackling her off the horse. Once he had her, he made an effort to minimize her damage from landing. He'd worry about any damage he took if he could.

Fortunately, she had apparently loosened her feet in the stirrups, and getting her off the saddle was easier than her hoped. He had never done a tumble roll with someone else in arms, but the body mechanics just seemed to work and they rolled out undamaged.
Quentin’s action takes full effect as he is able to barely clear the top of the horse.  He feels the bite of the saddle as it collides with his hip (2HP), but ends up clearing the riding beast with Shyam clumsily flailing in his arms.  Unlike his acrobatics in the past, Quentin found himself completely unable to control the fall.  With two successive,  wet thuds, both Shyam and Quentin land contorted into each other in the wed muddy ground below.  (5HP)

"Now's not the time for this Shyam!", he says mischievously. "We're under attack!"

Smithy looks around, especially in the air, sword out, looking for the assailants.  No targets present themselves, but his sword is at the ready in case the demons reappear.

Cal'Shir sees that Diedra's attack went unnoticed by its recipient, which does not do his nerves any good. Still, he crouches down and readies his magical darts. At the very least he might be able to lower resistances or steal spell-like abilities, if they have them.

There is a tearing sound, and more hawkish laughter as the creatures painfully end the horse’s quality of life.  The steed falls to the ground in a pile of broken bones and bleeding lacerations.   The only thing certain about the four-legged companion is that it is still alive; although suffering greatly.

Shyam continues to stares up at the dark sky, the winds and dust swirling around her make it difficult for her normal sight to see anything yet she continues to search for signs of either one of the creatures coming towards her or her horse.  The sudden impact coming from the ground takes the air from her lungs as she’s lifted from the saddle and brought down to the ground in a twist and roll and finds herself laid out on top of Quentin.

She is amazed to find she’s in no pain after being removed from the horse, and quickly catches her breath mystified by Quentin’s quip until it dawns on her, his arms still wrapped around her waist….  Thankfully the darkness and debris hid most of her blush as she quickly rolls away from him trying to get to her feet.

Keryth resheaths his dagger feeling the call of his sword.  He knew without knowing what demons he was fighting, Instead, the memories of his ancestor in war drive an inner desire to let his sword drink the blood of his enemies.  Before he realizes, his hand it holding the relic, ready to reach out if the demons appear.

Ghost and Scar both stood near the druid.  Defensively casting, Karchok calls for a ritual to give him the blessing of bark skin so that he might better fight off this monster.  His black eyes move across the night sky as he chants.

[Bob G.]

Weapons in hand, Cal'Shir quietly backs toward Quentin and Shyam while
keeping an eye out for an attack from any direction, including up.

[Michael New]

Smithy moves off to the side, 20 feet from any of the others, shield and sword ready.

[Andrew Airmet]

Growling, Tempus hustles to stand protectively near Shyam and Quentin.  They were definitely vulnerable while they were prone.  Hefting his axe, he keeps an eye out for the creatures that were attacking them.  His eyes swept the area around them.  As he did, he glanced at Shyam and Quentin, and a frown spread on his face.  He quickly looked away so as to not be distracted by it.  He still couldn't help but feel the anger inside him start to bubble to the surface.

[Don Alley]

Seeing the group converging on them, Quentin gets up after sharing a quick smirk at Shyam and readies his rapier. Given the opportunity, he will strike a fly-by target.

He silently hopes these creatures do not have some ability that will engulf them all, but they needed to deal with the most immediate threat first: decapitations.

[Erek]

Catching Quentin's spectacular display of acrobatics out of the corner
of his eye, Keryth maintains concentration to keep the spell fresh in
his mind. Focusing on that mental task, he is slightly taken aback
when he notices that he is suddenly holding his sword in front of
him. Not remembering drawing the blade, Keryth is suddenly awash in
his ancestor's memories. Knowledge of the demons they face flooding
his conscious thoughts, he barely manages to maintain his readied
spell. Feeling the ancient weapon's hunger for the blood of the
flying demons seething through his body, Keryth scans the skies as he
stands ready, every muscle in his body aching for the sweet release
that combat will soon bring.

[Leslie Lock]

On her feet with dagger in hand, Shyam briefly thinks of kicking Quentin in the side as he lays on his back in retaliation for removing her from her horse her ribs a bit brused from the landing.

 

The sounds of the creatures torturing Angel's horse and tearing it apart pull her attention back to threat before them and she crouches slightly ready to spring on anything that comes near her.

[rpgamer]

Having slung the dead Synxol over his shoulder, Angel stands toward in
the middle of the group's line of march and offset toward the tree
line a bit. He delays his action until one or both of the creatures
may directly threaten him. Understanding their laughter and whoops as
an infernal dialect, he attempts to change the situation to one that
is wiin-win.

First the cleric announces to his comrades, "Do nothing while I
attempt to negotiate with these creatures. Further bloodshed or even
death may possibly be avoided, if we can proceed unhindered on our
quest. We can always fight and risk grevious harm later."

Raising his silver holy symbol of the Hunter Wraith skyward, he
proclaims in a deep booming, chaulkboard scaping, language (Infernal),
"Parley! As Judicator of the Hunter Wraith, I wish to parley for our
safe passage. Perhaps the entrapment of a posse of zealots from the
Yellow Rose, Shanadan's favored, would be divine in trade. Surely
enemies of the Yellow Rose such as ourselves are worth the humor for a
few words of information."

OOC:
Free action to speak
Delay action for possible dimension hop

* I don't think I got the final list of items from the Yellow Rose and
their Paladin for which Angel was intending to magically identify as
soon as he could. Since the others left the bag from Diedra with
Angel, he would have done those items by himself.

[Jbizzle]

Rashear growls at Angels words, trying not to get enraged by whatever
evil tongue that the priest is spitting out. Drawing his other blade,
wishing that he had some way to bring the foul creatures down to the
ground and that the bloody weather wasn't working against them.
Flexing the muscles in his legs, getting ready to start a leaping
assault on whatever one get's in his blades reach, knowing that the
shearing the creatures' wings will bring a better result for the rest
of the group.

OOC: Ready standard action to attack when one of the demons gets into
reach.

[Russ]

Karchok begins a chant to summon down lightning from the sky. He
chants his prayer, keeping his guard up as best as possible. These
winged monsters moved fast and were strong enough to slay a horse.

[Michael Briggs]

An eerie silence in the world of cacophonous sounds lays heavily in the scene around the group.  Many of the members don’t realize they are even holding their breathe while waiting for the next attack.  The cold wind whips viciously at the Children of Maidenshire without so much as a flinch from anyone in the group.  

The body of the horse the demons are currently mangling smashes to the ground not far from Quentin.  The rogue easily side steps the mess without losing a second of concentration on his enemies.  This is useful, because he is the next target of their depraved, murderous strike.  

As one of the bird-like demons descends on Quentin, Diedra suddenly springs into action.  An obvious magical enhancement speeds her counter attack Quentin’s first attacker, placing her directly behind the beast. It howls in agony as her blade sinks deep into its carapace.  A look of glee is apparent on her face is she uses the handle of the blade to hold onto the demon while it crashes to the ground.  The strike lands solidly nearly the creature’s wing, severing some of the muscles that allow it to take flight.  

Angel realizes now is the time to strike out with any magical assistance he has readied.  

Growling, Tempus hustles to stand protectively near Shyam and Quentin.  They were definitely vulnerable while they were prone.  Hefting his axe, he keeps an eye out for the creatures that were attacking them.  His eyes swept the area around them.  As he did, he glanced at Shyam and Quentin, and a frown spread on his face.  He quickly looked away so as to not be distracted by it.  He still couldn't help but feel the anger inside him start to bubble to the surface.

Within a few seconds, the battle-hardened instincts of Tempus take over and he easily strike at the beast, completely severing the right wing on its back.  The anger inside of the barbarian is sated for a second as the irony of his delight in the demon’s suffering is felt.  

Quentin’s own preparedness takes form as his manages to strike true on the other demon baring down on him.  Each was obviously working together to act with as little resistance from the group as possible.  

His rapier’s magical properties give him surprising purchase the the side of the second demon.  That creature howls out a screech of agony, realizing now that this would not be easy prey.  

Smithy trusts in the years of training that made him a Knight of the Seven.  The swing betrays the weight of the blade by whistling before it solidly strikes at the leg of the demon under Diedra.  Already suffering from two devastating attacks, the creature appears to be close to utter defeat.

The dart that would have found its target in the first demon instead lands in the thigh of Smithy.  Had it not been for Smithy’s armor, the weapon would have probably caused sever damage, cut as it is, the dart manages to barely puncture the skin of the knight.  (1 HP)  Cal’shir notes the possibility that he might have to explain the attack, but the adrenaline of the knight will likely put that topic off until after the fight.

Landing her own attack, Shyam fights with the voice of darkness, the prince of her dreams.  She knew that it was calling her to take control of the power it offered up, but she already knew all too well the cost of the power.  Still, she finds the offer intoxicating as she tries to resist using the power he has already passed to her.  The internal fight causes her to miss an opportunity to strike at the pair of demons.  Quentin and Keryth note her forced attempt to take control.

Keryth releases his held spell easily striking the already downed demon.  Had there been more time, he would have targetted the other creature, but everything was happening at an ever-quickening pace in his mind.  The final word of arcanum hanging on his lips is forced out with an authoritative tone.  Had the situation been different, the group may have pitied with insatiable demon, but none wanted anything less that the creatures’ destruction.

Karchok’s chant ends at the right time to strike at the second beast.  The druid had trained for years to push through his other emotions to bring wisdom to bare.  At this moment, his clear thinking targets the second creature.  As the blast of lightning tears into the bird-like nemesis, a half smile curls on the right lip of the orc.  
One creature flails to get away from its attackers that flank it on all sides.  Each attempt to get up is quickly defeated by the weight and weapons of the Children. The murderous intent of the creatures is passed on to the group as they eviscerate the beast with no mercy.  

For a second, it appears that the other one might succeed in fleeing the instantly changing motion of combat.  Karchok’s spell allows for it to fly away a hundred paces before nature corrects the abominations presence in the prime material plane.  If the second bolt of lightning doesn’t end the demon’s life, the third bolt certainly did.  The druid almost loses himself as the power of nature emotionlessly tears into the creature flapping on the ground.

[Bob G.]

I'm not sure, but does this mean the battle is over?

On 4/20/2012 11:54 AM, Michael Briggs wrote:

An eerie silence in the world of cacophonous sounds lays heavily in the scene around the group. �Many of the members don�t realize they are even holding their breathe while waiting for the next attack. �The cold wind whips viciously at the Children of Maidenshire without so much as a flinch from anyone in the group. �

The body of the horse the demons are currently mangling smashes to the ground not far from Quentin. �The rogue easily side steps the mess without losing a second of concentration on his enemies. �This is useful, because he is the next target of their depraved, murderous strike. �

As one of the bird-like demons descends on Quentin, Diedra suddenly springs into action. �An obvious magical enhancement speeds her counter attack Quentin�s first attacker, placing her directly behind the beast. It howls in agony as her blade sinks deep into its carapace. �A look of glee is apparent on her face is she uses the handle of the blade to hold onto the demon while it crashes to the ground. �The strike lands solidly nearly the creature�s wing, severing some of the muscles that allow it to take flight. �

Angel realizes now is the time to strike out with any magical assistance he has readied. �

Growling, Tempus hustles to stand protectively near Shyam and Quentin. �They were definitely vulnerable while they were prone. �Hefting his axe, he keeps an eye out for the creatures that were attacking them. �His eyes swept the area around them. �As he did, he glanced at Shyam and Quentin, and a frown spread on his face. �He quickly looked away so as to not be distracted by it. �He still couldn't help but feel the anger inside him start to bubble to the surface.

Within a few seconds, the battle-hardened instincts of Tempus take over and he easily strike at the beast, completely severing the right wing on its back. �The anger inside of the barbarian is sated for a second as the irony of his delight in the demon�s suffering is felt. �

Quentin�s own preparedness takes form as his manages to strike true on the other demon baring down on him. �Each was obviously working together to act with as little resistance from the group as possible. �

His rapier�s magical properties give him surprising purchase the the side of the second demon. �That creature howls out a screech of agony, realizing now that this would not be easy prey. �

Smithy trusts in the years of training that made him a Knight of the Seven. �The swing betrays the weight of the blade by whistling before it solidly strikes at the leg of the demon under Diedra. �Already suffering from two devastating attacks, the creature appears to be close to utter defeat.

The dart that would have found its target in the first demon instead lands in the thigh of Smithy. �Had it not been for Smithy�s armor, the weapon would have probably caused sever damage, cut as it is, the dart manages to barely puncture the skin of the knight. �(1 HP) �Cal�shir notes the possibility that he might have to explain the attack, but the adrenaline of the knight will likely put that topic off until after the fight.

Landing her own attack, Shyam fights with the voice of darkness, the prince of her dreams. �She knew that it was calling her to take control of the power it offered up, but she already knew all too well the cost of the power. �Still, she finds the offer intoxicating as she tries to resist using the power he has already passed to her. �The internal fight causes her to miss an opportunity to strike at the pair of demons. �Quentin and Keryth note her forced attempt to take control.

Keryth releases his held spell easily striking the already downed demon. �Had there been more time, he would have targetted the other creature, but everything was happening at an ever-quickening pace in his mind. �The final word of arcanum hanging on his lips is forced out with an authoritative tone. �Had the situation been different, the group may have pitied with insatiable demon, but none wanted anything less that the creatures� destruction.

Karchok�s chant ends at the right time to strike at the second beast. �The druid had trained for years to push through his other emotions to bring wisdom to bare. �At this moment, his clear thinking targets the second creature. �As the blast of lightning tears into the bird-like nemesis, a half smile curls on the right lip of the orc. �
One creature flails to get away from its attackers that flank it on all sides. �Each attempt to get up is quickly defeated by the weight and weapons of the Children. The murderous intent of the creatures is passed on to the group as they eviscerate the beast with no mercy. �

For a second, it appears that the other one might succeed in fleeing the instantly changing motion of combat. �Karchok�s spell allows for it to fly away a hundred paces before nature corrects the abominations presence in the prime material plane. �If the second bolt of lightning doesn�t end the demon�s life, the third bolt certainly did. �The druid almost loses himself as the power of nature emotionlessly tears into the creature flapping on the ground.

[Michael Briggs]

It does.  Once Karchok cast the Call Lightning spell these creatures were fairly doomed.  BTW.  I was going over the character sheets.  Does the word DING! mean anything to anyone?  (It is for everyone)  I did give a bonus to EXP for being patient while I worked through the tax season.

Mike, DM

[Michael New]

Hi Mike,

I don't recall this, and I can't find it in my archives or the google
group archives (I found one for Jan 2011, but I joined in Feb). When
was it, and in which thread?

My character has no xp recorded after his starting xp for 8th level
(where he started).

Mike

--
----------------------_/ /\/\ /\/ -----------------------

[Bob G.]

Yeah baby!

[Bob G.]

Just like that, the battle was over much to Cal'Shir's surprise. He was
going to have to make it up to Smithy somehow, for accidentally nailing
him with a dart. The rogue could only hope he understood these things
can happen. He felt bad, and hung his head, taking a deep breath before
addressing the man. "Smithy, I'm so sorry. I can't believe that
happened. Are you all right?" There is a genuine look of concern on
Cal'Shir's face as he waits for Smithy's reaction, though he is poised
to spring out of reach if he is charged.

[Michael New]

Smithy pulls the dart out and looks around, to be sure they were really alone.

"Cal'Shir, not to worry, anything may happen in a battle. We all know that."

He hands back the dart and then proceeds to do a perimeter check of
their current location.

[Bob G.]

I think Smithy would know they are darts of returning so there would be
no dart for him to pull out. If he doesn't know that, he might be a bit
puzzled... :)

[Bob G.]

Cal'Shir lets out a sigh of relief. "Thanks for understanding. I'm
mortified it happened at all. I'll pay to repair your armor when we get
to a town."

[Michael New]

Smithy has +2 Mithral full plate, so it's unlikely the dart damaged
it. More likely it found its way through a crack or onto a spot where
there is no armor...

--

[Michael Briggs]

Diedra chimes in on the pair's conversation, "You are aware that with all that we have been seeing that there probably aren't any towns that are still standing?"  She can't hold back the smile on her face from the encounter.  "You will all need to learn to repair your own equipment until we can get back east."

[Michael New]

"If anyone needs weapons repaired, I may be able to help," says Smithy
to everyone, whose father was a weaponsmith. "However, I don't have
tools with me, so unless they can be produced or summoned somehow,
what I'll be able to do will be limited."

[Don Alley]

Quentin stood up with the threat abated. He was wary of the angry Tempus.

"Sitting up there her neck was rather exposed. ", he glanced down at his horse's decapitated head, hoping the barbarian could put the two thoughts together.

Looking at the lifeless head, Quentin wondered what lay ahead.

"Have we decided to let the horses loose or to keep going on them? I might need to hitch a ride.", he says.

[Andrew Airmet]

Tempus felt himself relishing in violence and then felt a huge sense of disappointment that the battle was over so quickly.  The anger and the rage was still coursing through him, despite the fact that the threat was now over.  He glanced around, looking for more demons to slay.  Finally, when no targets were to be found, his eyes found Shyam. With that, he felt himself start to calm down.  She was still alright.

As the rage subsided, Tempus felt an odd sense of guilt.  Did he always delight in his opponents suffering?

The other's conversation cut across his thoughts as he struggle to understand what was going on.  Guilt mixed with frustration turned his stomach.  When Quentin talked to him, Tempus simply nodded, not quite hearing what the other said.  Tempus then secured his weapon once more, trying to focus on what the others were saying.

[Michael New]

So, when did this leveling up occur?

[Leslie Lock]

"Considering how far we've gone into this abyss, I doubt they'll
survive either way." Shyam, overcoming her inital struggle over the
power from within moves quickly to calm her own horse, knowing the
only reason the animal hadn't fled already was that it sought their
protection.

[rpgamer]

Still carrying Synxol over his shoulder, Angel moves over toward the
rest of the group and talks to Karchok loud enough for all to hear in
a calm concerned voice. "I would suggest that perhaps this would be an
appropriate place to perform your cleansing ceremony, especially
poetic, if these were the creatures that attacked him earlier." As the
cleric gently lays the body down, one can see that it still holds the
magic that delays decomposition.

He then moves over to inspect the demons closely one at a time. He
attempts to identify and search them carefully. Are any of them still
intact, i.e. no severed body parts?

[Michael Briggs]

After that fight, so everyone is leveling.

[Bob G.]

Cal'Shir smirks back at Diedra "If we live through this, I'm expecting
we'll evetually return to Calsham, then I can make good on my offer.
Until then, it's about staying alive while doing what we need to do."

[Erek]

Adrenaline still coursing through him, Keryth is slightly amazed at
the quick way in which the demons are dispatched. He stands over the
demon that has just been obliterated by their combined efforts, almost
pitying the creature. Feeling the rush of elation from the ancient
relic he wields, Keryth senses the sword is somewhat sated from the
demon's slaughter. As no more enemies present themselves, he wipes
the blade clean and joins the group's discussion.

Recalling Shyam's struggle to control what must have been the demon
prince's influence, Keryth moves to stand next to her. "Are you...all
right?", he says in a voice that betrays his knowledge of witnessing
her struggle. Quickly realizing that she has recovered, and sensing
that she probably doesn't want anyone doting on her about it, Keryth
replies, "I believe you are correct, Shyam, and besides, we've already
made the decision to continue on with the horses. Unfortunately some
of us will have to double up now," he says grimly, noticing the body
of one of the fallen horses. "We should move away from this place
quickly, more things will be drawn to the smell of death here."

Turning to face Shyam, Keryth nods slightly to the young woman, his
eyes conveying his sympathy and some understanding of the burden she
bears. In hushed tones he simply says, "Stay strong," then moves off
to corral his own horse.

[Leslie Lock]

"Am as good as anyone could be, what with demons from the sky that
revel in tearing flesh." Shyam says scarcastically. The tension of
the battle was still strong and she was beginning to get annoyed with
everyone so focused on her and her safety.

Her expression only softens slightly when you looks at Keryth, knowing
he means well.

[Michael Briggs]

"Don't worry," Diedra replies to Cal'Shir as she rips her blade from the back of the demon.  "I don't expect any of you to make it back." 

Her cold demeanor is sincere, showing Cal'Shir that she has no emotion towards anyone's survival.  The darkness of her soul reaches a point that it is perceivable by Cal'Shir. 

[Michael Briggs]

The storm around the group seems to pick up in ferocity.  The sound of branches breaking off of aged fauna clashes with the high pitched wind noises that can be interpreted with nature crying out in pain.  The only positive thought that can be drawn from the situation is that predators are unlikely to pinpoint the smell of the carcasses recently deposited on the ground near the group.  The horses that remain teeter at both the sight of their companion animals and the violent push of the wind.  Only the phantasmal steed summoned by Rashear holds its ground with little impact from the environment. 

[Russ]

  Karchok shakes his head in response to Angels question.  He had remained silent for several moments, the experience of influencing the weather was beyond anything that he had experienced before as a member of the druidic order.  For a brief span of time, he was part of something greater, a great awareness.  And then the ritual had ended, and he was back in his own mind. 

 

 "I would need more time to prepare.  In the mean time, we should get out of here and find someplace to wait out the worst of the storm," he says over the noise of the storm.  His black eyes glance skyward, as he listen to the screaming wind.

 

  After a particularly violent blast of thunder and lightning, Ghost presses himself against his brothers leg.  He didn't normally mind the sky noises, but the last one had frightened him a bit.

 

 

[Don Alley]

Quentin smiles at Shyam. "Sorry about the tumble in the mud. Your neck was a pretty target sitting high on your horse. I think we're all lucky they attacked a horse first, or at least, my horse.", he adds.

Looking at the phantasmal horse of Rashear's, and at the vacant stare of the head of his horse, he suggests "Do you have another of those spells? If not, I may have to run behind you all.  OK, worst case is Diedre offers me a ride..."

[Leslie Lock]

"I can protect my own neck thanks you."  Shyam says not looking him in the eye.  Finding herself instead staring at the what remained of one of the horses she decides that it would be easier to control her own if she were to get back on it.

 

"We can't afford to have anyone on foot, it will just slow us down."  Shyam wanted more than anythign to get this trip finished.

 

 

 

[Don Alley]

Quentin smirks at Shyam, noting the slight flush and averting her eyes.

"Never mind, Rashear, Shyam is correct. We have to move, now."

With that, he grabs his pack and vaults up into the saddle behind her, since her horse could easily bear the weight of them both since neither was heavily armored.

"Onwards, m'lady.", he says with a smirk, holding on tightly in case she moves quickly, and because it was rather enjoyable.


[Saddle vault, acrobatics = 31 ]

[Bob G.]

"Maybe not, Deidre, but I prefer to remain optimistic at least for now.
I find it a frame of mind that serves me better than defeatism. Before
we left Calsham I realized we we were facing certainty of death, a small
chance of success, and I thought 'What are we waiting for?'"

[Jbizzle]

Rashear chuckles, glad that the combat was over saying "Well that was
fun, I'm glad that the weather shifted in our favor, I’m glad" He says
looking around at the group, whistling to get Mist Walker's attention
as he approaches his horse. Putting his foot in the stirrups, he
pulls himself up on the saddle, nodding at Karchok he says " I agree
getting out of this storm would be good for everyone that, and I'm
sure we would like someplace to dry off a bit, pushing the rain out of
his face his hair falls back around his face.
Growling slightly in irritation he quickly pulls his hair into a
loose tail, he starts to move his horse forward, ignoring the
squabbling behind him as Cal'Shir and Deidre are debating. "Shall we
go? That is Angel if you are done looking at the creatures' remains
that is.” He calls back over his shoulder.


OOC:
Sorry about the lack of positing from me this week, I moved to a new
department so I'm spending a lot of time training

[Michael New]

Smithy spends a short amount of time inspecting the creatures' remains, committing their forms to memory.

Then he finds his horse and mounts it smoothly, looking to get on the road quickly.

[Bob G.]

Should I assume Cal'Shir's horse is long gone or did it run off a short
distance and stop where we can see it?

[Andrew Airmet]

Tempus simply scowled at the dead creatures.  It looked like the others were leaving so he mounted up on his horse, and looked down at them again, still feeling confused at what happened.  He hadn't ever reveled in killing something before.  Memories of the first time he had killed began to rise unbidden to his mind, making his stomach feel queasy.  Tempus shook his head side to side, trying to clear his head and chase away the phantasmal memories.  It did only a little to help.

"Are we going to leave?" Tempus growled.  He was beyond anxious to leave the place.  His mount shifted uneasily.

[Michael Briggs]

It takes the seasoned woodsmen several hours to find a suitable shelter.  An abandoned sawmill sits on the horizon; it comes into focus when lightning strike behind it.  The horses are weary, and Rashear's steed needs rest from the material plane.  A covered working area that has a few movable tables would get the horses out of the rain. 

The structure itself is made of an aged wood.  The door to the sawmill is essentially a massive open plank.  Seven steps lead up to the landing for the door.  A crude handrail is available on the right side of the eight food wide stairway. The locking board stops the front door from being slammed shut, but screams out in a large crash each time.

With no other immediate options, the group considers its options. 

[Michael Briggs]

Its gone.  I assumed you caught a ride with one of the others.

[Michael Briggs]

By the way, that was a fancy acrobatics roll.  Quentin is a flipping beast.

[Michael Briggs]

*END OF CHAPTER* 

---Don't post---

[Don Alley]

=)   Thanks. Between magic items, skill points, and skill enhancement feats, Q has a lot tied up in his key skills.

He's not terribly combat oriented though.

D

[Leslie Lock]

Quick question, how long did it take us to get to the sawmill?  An hour?  Two?

 

[Michael Briggs]

About 6.

[Andrew Airmet]

If he needs it, Tempus has Handle Animal +7

[Michael New]

How dry is it in the building?  Since it's been raining, I guess it is actually damp?  In which case, it should be safe to light a fire....

[Michael Briggs]

The kitchen is built in such a way that fires are expected.  The outside of the building is damp and the air is very humid..

[Andrew Airmet]

Maybe I've played too much Call of Cthulu recently but I'm feeling seriously freaked out right now.

[Don Alley]

Basements are freaky in general. I remember dragging one woman....   oh, nevermind...

[Michael New]

You notice tentacles starting to come out from under Smithy's helmet.....

On Tue, May 8, 2012 at 2:51 PM, Andrew Airmet <andrew...@gmail.com> wrote:

--
----------------------_/ /\/\ /\/ -----------------------

[Andrew Airmet]

Tempus goes crazy and assumes everything is now a pink puppy with wings.

[Michael Briggs]

I wonder how much of this horror-style is intentional  ;-)

[Andrew Airmet]

Are any of you wearing red?

[Michael Briggs]

Doesn't Tempus were a red tunic?

[Andrew Airmet]

Does Tempus where clothing?

Oh wait...maybe.

He's safely outside though. :) 

[Michael Briggs]

By safely outside you mean away from the main part of the group?  Is that a condition of targeting in a horror movie?

[Andrew Airmet]

Ah crap, that usually means he's more likely to be targeted.  He's with Rashear.  Does that protect him?

[Don Alley]

Dont worry, you'll have time to run. That's the best way to die... running...  at least for us watching.

The blood from Angel's lover, Synoxyl, dripped down, pooled on the ground, dripped to the basement, where it landed on a forgotten altar. This is why Briggs rewrote that part.

the blood sacrifice managed to awaken something, which you will see the results of momentarily with the intrepid folk who enter the basement. You can tell how bad it is if you hear dice rolling. That's us making new characters.

[Erek]

Keryth has a red lacy thong on. What? Don't you know elves are kinky
bastards?

[Bob G.]

Yeahhhh, that's a spot check I don't want to make.

[Erek]

Makes you wonder what's in his bag...

[Michael Briggs]

I'm so disturbed by that revelation.  lol

[Erek]

Don't worry, happens to us all.

[Don Alley]

OOC threads seem to be like a guy's public restroom. It all stinks really bad, yet we still struggle to be the winner...

In doing so, we all lose.


=)