@Chantry Williams After a moment of being alone with Flora, Donovan makes his way over to you. He puts his hand on your shoulder. "Hey bud. It's alright. We're here for each other. One foot in front of the other, huh?"
Flora looks up and Donovan assists her in standing. "We'll make sure they did not die in vain. Shall we go speak with the mayor?"
Alrik wipes his eyes on his sleeve, then pushes himself up with his staff. "May as well..."
He gestures for them to lead the way, following them a few paces behind
You spot the others, and Donovan leads you over to them near the edge of the battlefield leading into town. You see Etny holding her shoulder in pain, Oredion looking battle weary, Atriox looking like he's on death's bed, and... was that one of the orc leaders? You can't quite recall, but you thought you saw her on the battlefield. She seems injured but indifferent at the moment, staring out across the carnage in the night gloom.
Too tired to investigate, Alrik just nods at everyone and leans against a nearby tree.
Atriox, you first come across Etny and Oredion making their way towards town with the other groups of people. It is an interesting reunion... as they see one of the prisoners of war, the leader of the opposing army, step in step with you. Many other people have noticed this as well, but hurry past avoiding eye contact and hoping beyond hope that the battle is not starting up again...
Etny sees the dragonborn prince with an orcish woman, and raises a hand in greeting.
"Prince Atriox, I think we are ready for what lies ahead. I personally need some healing--this damned wound has opened up again. When I am healed, where should we meet up?"
Cere limps over to you, a cut across his forehead and blood dripping into his eyes. He swipes it away and grins. "You four did well... Everyone did. We protected the town. The innocents." He looks over his shoulder at the lights in the bay. "Even though we lost some good men, we saved many lives. Thank you for your service."
His eyes light on Dorokor for a moment. He looks stern faced but says nothing for the time being. He just gives Atriox a critiquing stare.
Oxious wanders over, Magnolia supporting him. He looks about ready to pass out having used too much of the weave tonight. The last few days, really. Dahlia approaches with Petvin and passes out vials of healing and bandages, just as exhausted looking. She behaves as civilly as she can but... she hesitates as she brushes against Atriox's hand. Awkwardly she steps back from the dragonborn while Petvin attends to Cere. Her eyes stay averted and facing the ground. Kora raises an eyebrow and looks at Atriox with a sidelong glance.
Etny gratefully takes the vial, drinking the healing liquid. She then proceeds to bandage her wound up as best she can, given the circumstances.
(20 medicine on myself)
(Nice! Et your shoulder is doing better, but you'll still have disadvantage on attacks with it right now until your next long rest. But it is not bleeding/aching anymore)
Oxious looks around, shaking his head. "The fight isn't over, idiots. Many fled, but right back up that damn m-mountain--" he coughs into his hand, wiping his mouth. "There are others there. That damn necromancer..." His eyes flash at Alrik before looking away painfully. Magnolia adjusts his arm around her, trying to support him easier. "There wasn't just one either, Storm Mage." He stares.
"There were three."
Cere shifts uneasily and looks up the pass. "It takes time to do what he's been sending our way. If we hurry, perhaps we can interfere with any other plans they have. What we need now is speed."
Atriox nods a Cere
"It was truly our honor to fight and bleed for Dragonshore Mayor Cere. I agree speed is important hence why she's coming along. She will help us navigate and defeat these monsters once and for all. Afterwards I would like to speak with you if I may Cere."
He gives you a curt nod, waving Petvin off of him. "Sounds like a good idea, Atriox. Please do come see me... I wish you all safe travels and safe hunting."
Alrik gestures for Donovan and leans over. Whispering in his ear. "Find Fenris. He's the bloodhound that brought the children back. Tell him I need him."
Donovan nods to Alrik and hurries off. It's not long before he brings Fenris who has both of his bloodhounds with him. He looks to be helping the town by finding survivors among the dead in the field. He leans in close to Alrik. "Yes, you called for me? Everything alright?"
Alrik nods slightly, slipping him a small parcel wrapped in cloth. "I don't know how you'll find her, and I don't know where... but I need you to deliver this to someone... her name is Makani. Last I saw her, she was in the City of the Magi in The Komodori..."
He pulls a leather necklace from his neck, a silver ring with a dark blue gemstone set into it hanging from it. "Give her this as well..."
(A letter, a bottle of his magic, a scarf she gave him, and a small bundle of dried wildflowers)
(She always said he needed to bottle his magic and sell as perfume...)
Fenris gently takes the items in his calloused hands. "No problem... I can do that. I'll bill you for my time when I return." He smirks, giving his dogs a tug on their leashes.
Atriox points torwards the direction they need to go
"Shall we be off ? We are in a bit of a rush and I dont wish to delay things anymore. Does anyone have any last minute things to say or ideas that might help in this fight ?"
Dorokor looks around the field, silent. She seems eager to go. Quite a few eyes are on her and she just glares until they turn away, going back to their business.
Etny, itching to go as well, chimes in her agreement.
"I am with the prince: I say we rid this land of an evil it doesn't deserve!"
She stands resolute, her violet eyes ablaze.
"Aye let's kill the wee bastards and be done with it."
Oredion eyes turn a light green with resolve.
Donovan comes over with a set of horses, enough for everyone. "These are some of the last ones we have. Take 'em and give them hell." He smirks. "We'll take care of things here."
Cere nods. "I fear more undead will filter in throughout the night. We must stay vigilant until the necromancers are dealt with."
Your group consisting of Alrik, Atriox, Dorokor, Etny, and Oredion make their way up the winding path through the White Birch forest and to the foot of White Birch mountain. The closer you approach the more dangerous the surroundings seem to get. You weave the horses through massive trenches dug by the bullettes, past bloodstained rocks and trees where corpses once were...
Up ahead you hear a hissing, groaning sound. There is movement among the dark, ghostly trees.
A group of about twenty shambling zombies stumbles from the treeline--orcs and human soldiers alike that have been recently turned undead. Their wounds from battle gape and ooze but they feel no pain. Only the desire to maim and flay their master's foes.
(RP combat time :3 We will do dice rolls soon........ if you DO wanna play with random chance roll a 20 and anything 10+ is a success~)
Kora's eyes flare up at her fallen comrades being used for such horrid tactics. She leaps from the horse, swinging her axe through through two at the same time--their heads cloven in half, they don't stop as they scramble at her, trying to rip her apart. Hissing she kicks at them, focusing blow after blow against their desecrated bodies.
"Shiza," Etny hisses through her teeth. "Why must it be undead?!"
She draws her bow, and a thunder arrow, draws back, and winces palpably at the pain in her shoulder from making such an action. Regardless, she lets the arrow fly, and it strikes the zombie Kora hit, letting off a whooshing sound, then a BOOM as it thunders through the forest.
Kora stumbles back as she tries to keep her footing. Twisting and landing on all fours, she leaps up to destroy another undead creature nearby. Her axe, Wound, glows red as it tastes battle.
Oredion rushes forwards shield up. The first undead he reaches he slams with his spiked shield ripping it to shreds. He swings his axe above him in an arc gaining momentum and swings down on the next undead severing it in two. He pushes forwards slicing down any undead before him.
Alrik pools magic in his good hand, igniting it into a pyre of blue flame before hurling it at the nearest undead, immolating it and catching a nearby one on fire as well
The zombies try their best to claw their way through your group, tearing at your armor and horses. The animals stomp and neigh, trying to stand their ground and help in the fight.
The madness of slicing weapons, blood, explosions and blue fire is a whirlwind of activity for a short minute.... Before all is quiet again. The undead lay still on the ground, destroyed.
You sense this is only a taste of what is to come. You make your way carefully up the mountain, as quickly and stealthily as you can.
Pockets of undead shamble about, old skeletons that didn't make it to the battle and newly risen zombies that are eerily close to looking alive again... All of it is a bit unnerving. There are no signs of the orcs here anymore, although you are sure some fled from the war earlier. Perhaps they were smart enough to leave this place before you came to purge it.
Ahead of you in the distance, right near the top of the mountain... is a decrepit fortress. Part of it is a burned husk, stones black with soot and age. The portcullis of the fortress has fallen to ground on an angle, sometime in the past. At one end there is enough room to crawl through under the tilted metal.
You dismount your horses and leave them in as safe a place as you can find, eyeing the fortress warily. You crawl through.
You walk through the grey courtyard. You see more talon shaped rocks protruding out from the ground. Tall weeds and grass once grew from every crack and crevice but is now dry and lifeless... There are a few collapsed walls on the exterior of the building, however the fortress itself appears to be a relatively strong structure despite its age. A set of double doors is directly in front of you. You see bloody smears along the ground leading to it, and on the door itself.
Something evil is here.
"Shiza, I do not like this place," Etny mutters, to no one in particular. "It gives me a feeling of horrid evil."
She carefully un-shoulders her bow, but despite the care she takes, still twinges with pain, and notches a thunder arrow. She is acutely aware of how little of those she had left.
Atriox hefts his glaive, ready for anything that might come. He looks to Kora
"Alright Bonebreaker, this is part of why you are here. Where should we go ? What's behind the bloody door ?"
She looks up at it. Approaching, she puts her hand on the door and looks over her shoulder at everyone else. "My soon to be dead ex-employer." Her eyes are fiery, angry at the destruction and desecration her own troops were put through.
"I wasn't ever brought in here. He kept our troops working on the outside. But he'd walk among us sometimes. Mortus...." She draws a line up the side of her face, raising an eyebrow at Atriox. "First time I met with him he wasn't as.... scarred looking. I assume it was your doing. Sometimes he would have two other people with him. A younger fellow and an older one. I only worked for Mortus, so I often ignored them."
Kora looks down at the blood on the ground and on the door. "I assume the abominations are what they were hiding here. We would see them carrying in corpses sometimes. We weren't paid to ask questions, but it doesn't mean we liked it."
With a hard push she shoves the doors open.
A strong gust of wind blows through entrance way. The room has a thick layer of dust on the floor that was disturbed by the wind... as well as the bloody marks across the cobblestone. The room is very dim inside and smells heavily of death.
Ahead of you in the main hall are two double doors, barred with twisted metal pipes and rubble that has fallen from the ceiling. It is definitely buried, but perhaps there is another way in to that room...
There's another broken door off to the right that is slightly ajar, leading to a room full of old books.
"This is no fortress," comments in a whisper, "this is a tomb..."
She stays close to Oredion, making sure to keep one eye on the dwarf at all times.
Kora grunts, glaring at the rubble. Her eyes glow as she takes in the blood trails and disturbances on the ground.
"This way."
Heading to the right, you push past a broken door into a library. Or at least, what was once a library... There are books tattered and strewn all about the floor, covered in fresh blood and thick layers of dust. Whatever this place was was once rather grand. It seems a shame its been destroyed, be it by Pyrlanth's dragon fire or something else. The trail leads further in to another hallway.
"Kora, is it?" Etny strains to look ahead into the darkness ahead. "What exactly is this...former employer of yours like? I just want to get a read on...our prey. I am a hunter, after all."
She bops Oredion playfully on the shoulder. "Wouldn't want to before the hunted, would we, Ore-elenn?"
Oredians eyes adjust quickly to the dark room and his eyes start to glow a dark green. As exhausted as he may be, he can feel his rage starting to flair up again. His arms grow tense and his fur like arm hair starts to stand on end. He remembers all of what happened on the battlefield and tries to push it down, but his rage starts to consume him once more. He feels Etny bop his shoulder and gives her a quick winking smile, then turns his attention to what lies before them.
The orc turns her head to the side glancing at Etny. She is a bit irked at Atriox... now everyone seems to be calling her Kora. She restrains herself from correcting anyone for now, wanting to save her energy for what lies ahead.
"He is cocky and shrewd. Takes death and taboo lightly. He seems the sort to work for someone else, with his own plans tangled up in them. He specializes in death... A necromancer. Much of his time has been in the ruins of the old tombs along the coast. He came across my people in the Stonebreak mountains and struck a deal with us there."
Kora takes out a stone to sharpen her axe. "He likes to talk. Get into your head. He's familiar with battle and toys with his prey like a cat with a mouse. Get distracted and he'll kill you."
Atriox notices the annoyed expression Kora gets when Etny uses his nickname for the cheiftes and ponders what to do about it. He walks over to Etny and Ore and whispers to them
"Huntress if you would........I call her Kora to annoy her. It might be wise if you guys simply stick to Bonebreaker or Dorokor,her real name. Or just cheiftes. We need her help and I dont really feel like poking the angry Orc any more than needs be. Catch my meaning?"
He looks at the huntress and Ore seeing if they understand and agree
Etny nods emphatically in complete understanding, realizing her mistake.
"I understand, Prince," she whispers back. "Many apologies to her."
As you walk through the final door at the end of the hall, you come to a massive room with a high, vaulted ceiling. The floor is practically painted in blood.
You notice what you think is a tower.
Then it dawns on you... It is another flesh golem. Larger and more grotesque than those you faced in the fields down below. It is sewn together in a roughly humanoid shape, made of rotting, decrepit body parts of corpses and fresh flesh alike. Flesh from merchants, farmers, townsfolk that have gone missing. Patchwork metal has been seared to the skin. Three heads have been planted on the neck, their gaping eyes and mouths staring ahead unmoving.
You see a man crouched on the floor with his back turned to you, covered in blood and mumbling to himself and pleading. Two figures stand over him, robed in scaly cloth and fine silks. You listen closely and hear him say: "I know master, they are here! Grant your powers to me master and I will destroy them!" A menacing, shrill cry echos throughout the room.
A thin dark tendril snakes its way out of a grate hole in the middle of the room and skewers the towering atrocity. Immediately the butchered pile of body parts begins to rise as one. The three heads slowly turn to you, sending a shiver down your spine.
The crazed man stands and turns to look at you. From what you can tell, he looks as though he is in his early 20's. He is wearing tattered, bloodsoaked clothes. Atriox and Alrik, your blood runs cold as you remember where you have seen him before.
It is Leonar Axemage, the blacksmith's missing son.
You saw him at the meeting in the town square when you revealed the mad mage to the city... He stood with his dad that day, and was later seen by Zeed at the Velvet Fang. His eyes look blank. Lifeless. Black and filled with demonic shadows. A dark amulet hangs from his neck, radiating a horrid power. It feels strangely familiar.
The other two figures look over at you. One has a sneering, torn smile. His teeth gleam like a monster. It's the necomancer from the crypt. He turns to Leo.
"You've had enough time to accomplish what we needed... You failed. He reaches out, grabbing Leo roughly and wrenching the necklace from his body. The chain snaps, tearing his skin and causing him to howl in pain. The boy grips his head, shadows flooding from his body and writhing around his limbs.
The necromancer passes the shadowy necklace to the other in the blink of an eye. This fellow smiles serenely, his kind brown eyes and peaceful expression jarring. There is a definite insanity buried there. Etny... you recognize this as the man who grabbed you when you ran crying the other night. The one who almost didn't let you go, until Oredion came to find you.
Raising a small, glowing stone, the man walks backward into a frothing portal and disappears. This all happens in a matter of seconds, but it feels like slow motion.
The necromancer known as Mortus calmly walks over to the massive hulk and runs a hand over one of its arms affectionately. He grins, the gaping gash in his face starkly showing the bone of his jaw and his teeth.
In a soft, menacing voice he says, " You will fail heroes. Dragonshore is ours. We have tested and retrieved what we came for... the legendary necklace of the "Taker," as these fools called it. Oh how he loves the weak minded..." He cackles, his words like the hiss of a snake. "The final bastion has fallen. Your beloved are slain. Your struggle has come to an end." He raises his hand and a dark magic swirls about it, aimed right for you. The monstrosity of flesh takes a earth-shaking step toward you, crackling with electricity and shadow.
Atriox wishes they could run, he wishes he could run far away and never have to deal with another moving corpse again but then he remembers who he is........he remembers the defenseless town down below that needs them. He gets a determined look on his face
"Stand tall freinds! This monster and his lifeless pawn or nothing ! We beat him once and he ran away ! The only thing that's different this time is that there will be no escape for you wretch! You will die and burn in the 9 hells for what you have done! For Dragonshore! For our fallen brothers and sisters !"
Atriox roars as loud as he can in the face of their foes
(Inspiring leader feat. You all have +6 hp)
Oredion stands tall and at the ready. He flexes his arms and grabs his shield off of his back. Green electric energy starts to course threw his arms and into his weapons, illuminating them. His face hardens and rage fills his eyes engulfing them into flames. He can still fill his exhaustion from earlier, but he will not hold back. Not after what these monsters have done to his allies, friends, and now family! He winds his axe back and let's it fly aiming at the monsters legs.
(Strength 17+5 Attack 9+10 Damage 16)
Etny, with Atriox's roar, let's out a warcry of her own. Inspired to bravery and battle by the Prince, and by her beloved Oredion, she lets the notched thunder arrow fly straight into the necromancer, Mortus.
(28 vs the necro's AC.)
Atriox let's a small smile loose upon his face as his freinds and family spur into action but Atriox wants to know more before he does anything.He looks at the monsterous giant in front of them,an idea about the stitching of this beast comes to his mind. He investigates further
(16 Investigation and Nat 20 perception Yeeeet)
The axe leaves Oridion's hand and flies into the creature's legs, sending flesh and blood splattering against the wall. It spins and returns, smashing into one of the thighs. The beast lurches as the axe lands back in your hand. However... the wake of electricity that arcs through the wounds seems to sizzle the flesh and melt it back together. Now more grotesque than before, it limps and roars toward you. All three heads begin an unearthly screech.
Etny's arrow strikes true, slamming into the necromancer and interrupting his spell. However your shoulder pangs horribly, the bandages starting to turn red with your own blood. (8 con save btw, go ahead and roll for all the damage and such. )
(That's a 22 disadv.)
Atriox, you watch the beast closely, looking for any signs of weakness to give your team an advantage over the terrible threat. The stitching runs in certain places along its arms and chest, and other places like its back and legs the flesh is fused together as if melted. The electricity seems to have had an interesting affect on its body, almost invigorating the monster.
You also notice.... dark tendrils snake out of drain holes in the floor, over to the atrocity. Upon touching the monster, the wounds are even further stitched up with shadows and snake skin, twisted and pulled tight like thread. There are four drains in the room, one at each wall. They're caked in blood and viscera.
The necromancer is thrown back against a wall, his head cracking against it with the force of the thunder arrow. Being in such a confined space the BOOM is resoundingly loud, shaking the walls and causing rubble to fall from the ceiling. You see Mortus grimace at the twisted arrow embedded in his side, blood seeping into his robes and turning them crimson.
(Everyone make a CON save for me)
(10 or higher or you are deafened for 2 rounds)
Atriox notices the grates and how the stuff coming out of it seem to be helping the creature. He grunts and puts a hand on Koras shoulder and points to the grates with his glaive
He moves to one of them and quickly begins to cover it with anything he can find
Dorokor startles at the touch but sees what Atriox is doing. She looks quickly between the monstrosity and the grates and with a roar, runs to another one. She grabs the rubble, her ears ringing from the blast, and piles it up on top the metal hole.
The monstrosity lumbers forward, coming straight for Oredion since he attacked it first. With two powerful swings, the metal-fused claws strike the dwarf, crushing against his shield and beating him against the ground. (two slam attacks, 24 and 25 rolls to hit, 20 damage total unless you're raging now then it'd be half I think?)
The beast recoils in pain, its fist stinging from the magical dragon shield's hardy spines. Globs of blood fall like rain from the wound, and shadowy tentacles snake up from the remaining two grates. They slide into the wound like a parasite, sealing the skin and fusing it closed again.
The necromancer raises his hand and a glittering diamond like dust falling across him. Speaking some archaic words his flesh seems to harden. He yanks the arrow out, his skin now rough like stone. His smile looks even more demented now. He hisses through his teeth, his forked tongue flicking.
"My my, dragon prince, you picked up some more victims for me to torture! This human is a beauty too, how fair she is--how I could carve her skin like marble...."
He stands, tossing the arrow to the ground. "Too bad I was so slow before, or I would have made a fantastic puppet out of your mage friend..." Mortus' eyes flash as he grins at Alrik, seeing the sorcerer's exhausted state. "A mistake I will not make a second time!"
Leo collapses on the ground in the corner, completely oblivious to the surroundings. He has his head in his hands, struggling to breathe through the choking shadows flooding and writhing through his nose, ears and mouth.
Tapping into the power stores he has left, Alrik glares at Mortus, his eyes alight with the storm trapped within them. "DIE, YOU F***ING FILTH!" The Storm Mage throws his good hand forward, arcing with electricity. (Shatter cast at his feet, CON save DC 16 to everything within a 10 foot radius or take 19 damage, half on successful save. If save fails, also deafened for 1 round)
Bringing up his injured hand, a faint glow eminates from under the pressure wrap and splint. Alrik grits his teeth as the glow intensifies, a roaring scream escaping his mouth as he fights through the pain of moving his hand. A massive bolt of blue lightning leaps from his hand, screaming toward the flesh golem and the necromancer. (Rolled a 20 on the ring purge roll.
Spell info: Dex save DC 16. 30 damage on a fail, half on a save. Anything flammable within a 5 foot radius from the lightning bolt is set on fire, provided it isn't worn or carried.)
(CON save against shatter for Necromancer Mortus, 19. I'll round up for damage so 10. Nice!)
His eyes change from cold hate to surprise at the amount of magic still left in Alrik. His scream is muffled among the sound of the explosive force hitting the ground around him. Legs bruised and bleeding, the stoneskin cracking from the force, he's managed to dodge half way out of the area effect of the spell and struggles to stand. He turns to look at Alrik again, fury cascading over him. Bits of stone chip away from his gaping maw, exposing more teeth and bloody bone beneath his cheek.
"You will not escape my wrath, mage! You will PAY! Just like those whores from the brothel! Oh how they squeaaaaaled! How they cried for your name! MWAHAHA!---AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
His voice is cut off by the immensely powerful lightning bolt, screaming across the room and coating everything with a pungent scent. It explodes into a fiery cascade of rubble and broken crates, the necromancer Mortus immolated in a shower of light and fire.
Everyone else is deafened for a moment in the small room, the sound of the massive bolt of electricity a thousand times louder than the thunder arrow Etny shot. Sound returns to your ears as if you're coming up out of a pool of water.
Oredion sees Atriox and Doroker sealing the vents. He decides it best to distract the monster while they seal the final two. Hes overcome with rage at the necromancers words. How can these people think it's ok to toy with the life of others. His eyes give a burst of green light, creating a flame above his head. He beats his chest and screams at the beast with rage filling his words.
"Come and get me you damned beast. Come and taste death again!"
Oredion rushes the golem and slides under it, striking its legs as he does so. He must keep this vile thing still to keep away from the others.
(Strength 11+5 Attack 10+10 Damage 22)
Atriox growls in frustration at the demise of the necromancer. Not that he didn't want the blighter dead but he also undoubtedly had information about Atrioxs past......
All of the sudden Atriox is broken out of his thinking by Ore attacking the monster.
Atriox chuckles
The dwarf might be crazy but the prince had to admit.......the dwarf had style.
Atriox finishes the task at hand and goes after the third opening
The monstrosity roars in pain, each of the three heads making a different scream. The magical axe severs multiple tendons as Oreidion slides beneath, narrowly avoiding another attack and ending up behind the monster.
The wounds don't seem to seal like before with the lightning atrack, but shadows creep from the vents again and writhe up the legs, stitching wounds closed again. Atriox slams down rocks on one grate, cutting off the shadowy tendrils with a hiss.
At the death of the necromancer, the fleshy monster goes berserk--it flails wildly, twisting in place trying to get to the dwarf and avoid the fire.
Atriox, you blanch at the sight of the back of the monster. You recognize one of the faces... The corpse of the old woman, Willow, is tangled up in the stitching.
Alrik notices it attempt to avoid the fire and yells across the room. "Atriox, let's burn it!"
As he does, he pools magic in his hand, igniting it as he throws it... the small lightning blast wreathed in fire. (17 to hit, 7 damage if it does)
The golem screams in agony as the fire hits it, the scorching flames searing its flesh. It tries to smash at Oredion wildly but only crushes the tiles of the floor. (15 with disadvantage)
Shadows seep from the last vent, but Kora slams down on top of it with her axe. It cracks it, the rubble filling and plugging the hole. The golem, with no further shadows to feed it, lumbers toward the necromancer's corpse.
It slams into it, and as it stands... Mortus' body has been enveloped in the front of the monster. Another meat shield for the beast... His scarred and seared face a gaping maw, glowing white light fills his eyes. His laugh echoes through the room, a new puppet for the raging monstrosity.
(Sure!)
Atriox gets over the horror of seeing the once sweet old lady on this monstrositys back and roars in utter outrage and anger. He charges from behind the beast and slides between its legs. Once in front of it he quickly turns to face the beast breaths a scorching line of flames up the length of its disfigured body.
It screeches, the front of it's body melting in charred flesh. The body of Mortus splits open revealing a mass of ribs and serpentine flesh.
(Immediate reaction, Make a CON save Aubrey)
(18)
You feel a blast of magic radiate from Mortus' gaping jaw, but despite the pressure in your head you push through it.
Etny, seeing the undead absorb its former master in a grotesque manner, winces visibly. She hates these things. She has never encountered anything quite like it, and yet it happens to be one of the most horrifying monstrosities she has ever faced. She draws back another thunder arrow, seeing the gruesome, grisly scene before her: the necromancer's dead body splitting open, the charred dead flesh. Etny releases her bowstring, and the arrow sings out as it crosses the room. (31 to hit.)
(10 damage, no bleeding damage)
The arrow slams into it's chest, staggering it back. The arrow sinks into one of the faces, tearing open an eye socket. Snakes pour from the wound and curl, dying on the floor.
Kora, now done with the grates, rushes toward the monster and aims for an arm. She winds up and swings her axe into the elbow, attempting to sever it. The blade makes a sickening crunch, cutting through several bones and severing most of the flesh. More dead snakes and viscera pour from the wound. (18 hit, 20 dmg)
Oredion quickly rushes to climb the creatures back and slam his axe onto one of its heads.
(Athletics 16 Attack 11+10 Damage 17)
"Shiza! What in the Ninth Hell are those snakes?! Be careful, Oredion-elenn, and Atriox, watch yourself," she calls out over the din of battle.
(16 nature to determine what these strange, shadowy snakes are...)
You manage to clamber up the horrid body, your green flame a trail of fury behind you. Reaching the top, you balance yourself and bring down your axe in the middle of one of the heads...cleaving it cleanly in two..the others howl in rage, the snakes pouring out and trying to bite Oredion in their death throes.
(CON save please~! @Collin J. L. Robinson
Etny, you leap back from the fointain of shadow and blood pooling on the floor. The monster is no longer healing itself but it is becoming more and more enraged.
The dying snakes that you see appear a mix of shadowy demonic energy and natural snakes, some even fused together in conglomerations of hideous design.
The beast turns its attention on Kora and Atriox now. Bearing down both claws, one hanging half severed from the body, it misses both. The blinded face is making it harder for it to target you. (10 and 11 atks)
The body of Mortus twists and contorts, a mass of shadow serpents coalescing into a hand. It flies for Etny's throat, attempting to wrap around it. The black energy burns cold like death. (19 to hit, 12 damage)
Oredion, your armor protects you easily from the snakes' strikes, most falling dead from the monster like drops of blood.
Etny tries to wrestle free of the horrid serpents reaching for her throat, but it is no good. She can feel its icy fingers close around her windpipe.
While she still draws some breath, she notches another thunder arrow, and let's it fly straight at the body of Mortus.
(14 to hit.)
The thunder arrow hits its mark. With a resounding BWOOOOM it shatters his undead ribs, spraying ichor with the impact.
Everyone else feels the deafening sound reverberate through their bodies, but the fleshy monstrosity of the Mortus-infused flesh golem absorbed a good deal of the sound blast in the small room this time.
Etny writhes and grasps desperately at the choking serpentine fingers tightening around her neck. Gasps and choking breaths escape her windpipe.
She sinks slowly to the ground, her knees buckling as she struggles to stay conscious while trying to suck in air that will not come.
(Do I need to roll a save?)
Her bow clatters noisily to the ground...
@Chantry Williams ....
"BLAST ITS F****ING HEAD OFF, TEMPEST!"
Your blood runs cold as you hear the voice in the room--someone's followed you here.
Tucker.
The young, reckless kid skids next to you, slipping awkwardly in the blood on the floor. He's wearing some rather piecemeal leather armor, his eyes glowing with a mix of terror and ferocity. Ending up behind a crate near you he sweats profusely at the horrific scene. He has an old book in his hand from the library, wreathed in flame and smelling of wet hay. He lobs the book at the monster, catching part of it on fire and sending the shadows around its feet scattering.
(Roll a CON save Andrew :)
Oredion consumed with rage stairs down at the monster hes atop of. He looks around at everyone then spots Etny. He feels his stomach turn and his rage explodes. He quickly leaps from the monster and runs to her side and desperately tries to rip off the thing surrounding etnys throat.
(Strength 17+5)
(12 con...Shiza, as Et says...)
You feel yourself blacking out, the necrotic energy tightly coiling--but a green glow fills your vision. Oredion wraps his hands around the ghostly, serpentine hand, tearing it from you in one fell swoop. It thrashes and sizzles into nothing. You throat is bruised but a heavenly gush of air fills your lungs again.
Etny splutters and coughs, gasping and gulping down as much air as her burning, starved lungs can take in.
Atriox grins as he realizes he can go on the offensive now that those grates are no longer an issue.
He charges torwards the beast with his glaive at the ready. His target. The stitching that attaches the left lumpy leg to the ugly body.
Atriox jumps up and spins with his glaive slicing as hard as he can at the stitching and everything under it
(24 and 16)
The glaive makes contact and slices cleanly through the flesh and bone. Stitching snaps and pops out of place, rent from the body and causing the monster to tumble to the ground. It holds itself with one arm, screaming in a chorus of hideous voices.
(Now bloodied, it gets an immediate action)
It rushes forward on its bleeding stump and arms like a mutated animal. The faces and eyes yawning toward the first enemy in its sights now:
Alrik and Tucker.
(24 and 22 to hit, 6 damage to Tucker and 10 to Alrik)
It blasts through the crates where Tucker is hiding behind, slamming him back into a wall. There's a loud crack as his small body impacts the stone and he sinks to the ground, limp. He struggles to breathe, gasping. Its other arm connects with Alrik, knocking him prone and pinning him to the ground under the sharp, metal-infused fingers.
Oredion places his forehead against Etnys. His eyes illuminating a warm lime green glow. He turns back to the monster and snaps. His eyes burst into a dark flame and his muscles pulse as he grips his axe tightly, making the wood crunch under the pressure. His face distorts into a sight of dark rage. He slams his foot against the floor as he rushes the monster. He throws his axe behind the beast and runs in front of it as he calls it back to his hand. He gives a quick dark smile as he watches what happens.
(Attack 17+10 Damage 23)
The axe soars overhead and, at a call from its master, whistles back toward Oredion. It slams into the back of the aberration, slicing through flesh and shadow like butter. The beast lurches, the chest cavity of Mortus vomiting up the axe as it passes through the central mass of the monster. It leaves a trail of destruction, a gaping, twisting hole through the center.
Etny watches her dwarven friend race again at the shambling, torn up undead, and witnesses the power of his rage. Having been the recipient to his rage once before, and very nearly losing her whole arm for it, she understands where he is coming from.
She stands and gathers up her bow, notching the first if her last two thunder arrows.
She will have to craft more of these arrows, and see if Alrik could imbue them with more thunder magic...but that is for a later time.
Etny decides at this point to try suffering she hasn't done for a while: fire two arrows at once.
She notches the final of her two remaining thunder arrows, draws back, and let's them both fly.
(15 and 13 disadv. attacks. 16 initial damage, con save plz)
(10 con save)
(7 ongoing bleeding damage)
The two thunder arrows strike true, one hitting the shoulder and the other entering the cavity of the beast. When they explode the blast is massive, the thunderous noise shaking the room. It roars in pain and anguish, the stitching on its body coming undone. It's even more enraged than before.
(Everyone make a con save: 10 or higher or you end up deafened for 2 rounds)
The pulsing of blood in your ears from your rage, Ore, outdoes the pressure immensely. However Etny, your ears ring horridly from the blast. It feels like a wining, high pitched noise has entered your head. You can't hear anything else right now, and your shoulder aches horridly. Blood pools through the bandages and drips down your arm, mixing with the shadows and blood on the floor.
Etny falls again to her knees, and her whole body trembles, unable to handle the pressure of her thunder arrows. She can feel her should wound open up again, blood spilling through and soaking her bandages.
Looking down, she absently steadies herself, breathing raggedly at the pain. Fire a moment, she marvels at the shifting, slithering shadows on the ground mixed with blood and ichor. What was this stuff?
(Bleh...10 nature to determine what this crap is...)
You watch the shadows move, shift and swirl in the blood. It looks like they're struggling to stay formed, as if the magic coming off of this monster is dying. They do remind you of something... they came from that necklace that the other necromancer took. And they behave like the shadows that leaked from the dragon known as Tyranus, that went into Atriox...
They snake toward you, licking at your hands on the ground. It's almost as if they're feeding on your own shadows with their demonic energy...
Atriox, you feel the pressure in your head from the thunderous boom but you shake it off with a grit of your teeth. Kora likewise is able to, though you see her put a hand to her head to steady herself.
(Okay... if I read correctly, I need to make a con save... which I got a 14 on. Lol)
Alrik can't help but smirk at Tucker. "Stubborn damn kid! I figured you'd be too damn much like me to keep your nose out of this..." turning his sights to the fleshy golem, it smashes into him and the half elf youth, throwing him backward and pinning him down.
He roars in pain and anger, punching at the large arm holding him down with his good hand while his injured hand begins pooling energy within it. Gritting his teeth, he grabs ahold of the monstrosity's arm with both hands and allows his own body to complete the electrical circut....
(Nat20 since the creature has metal on it and I get to roll advantage if it's wearing or made of metal! How do we do critical damage? Lol)
The golem roars, the heads each lightning up with electricity running through their mouths and eye sockets. The gaping chest wound from Oredion's axe drips blood all over your robes and the energy courses through it. It... starts to melt the flesh and seal it up, cauterizing the wounds. The face of Mortus grins gleefully in undeath. (heals 12 hp)
The hand tightening around you, black, necrotic energy pools out over your body. The metal shards try to dig into your flesh. (16 against AC)
You sense it is trying to draw your own life force from your body to fuel its hunger but it is unable to break past the magical resilience of your body. Mortus' jaw gapes open hungerly, more animistic now than human.
Smiling through his grit teeth, Alrik forces more energy into his clasped hands, but instead of flowing it into the electric current, it pools around his arms and backs of his hands, a brief second later making contact with the electrical energy... and igniting... (19 vs AC and 9 damage)
The beast roars, struggling to crush you as it is awash in flames. You can sense the anguish as the fire erupts around the body. Tucker struggles to stand, shaking from head to foot. He's bleeding out of his nose and on the back of his head where he cracked it against the wall. His breathing is still ragged, and you can tell from the sound of it alone that he's likely broken a rib or two--something you're all too familiar with.
"GET... AWAY... FROM... HIM!!!" He stalks forward, ending in a run until he can grab Mortus by the face. His hands glowing bright yellow, they bubble with sulfuric acid and burst against the demonic monster.
(1 damage....... rofl he's trying his best to help)
Alrik holds one hand out, aiming it into the air as a lightning bolt arcs down and crashes into his hand, ricocheting off it with a dazzling display of colors.
A blue lightning bolt with red static hurtles toward Oredion, impacting him but doing no damage... instead, he feels invigorated. Stronger. Tougher... angrier... (you now have advantage on ALL Strength checks... and your carrying capacity is doubled until the spell ends)
A purple bolt of lightning wreathed in yellow sparks collides with Tucker's torso, wrapping him in a weave before disappearing... (he now has advantage on intelligence checks until the spell ends)
Atriox sees the monstrosity trying to kill and probably absorb Alrik. Though they have had they're differences and definitely dont see eye to eye Atriox knows he can not let this happen......
Atriox charges the beast yet again this time aiming to slice off the arm pinning Alrik down. As he approaches the massive disgusting arm he falls to his knees and slides under it. When he's directly under the arm he strikes upwards with his glaive trying to cut the beasts lower arm off at the elbow stitches.
(Athletics 23, Strength 17, attack 25, damage 15)
The glaive cuts deep into the arm at the elbow, narrowly avoiding Alrik and severing the bones and tendons of the monster. The stitches all snap and it rears back in agony, a concourse of yells and shrill screams.
Tucker stumbles away from it, then scrambles to pull Alrik back with him. (13 strength)
Oredion rushes behind the monster while its distracted with with the others and quickly scales it once more. Once hes at the top he slams his axe into one of its heads as he jumps down in front of it slicing it from head to toe. As he stands there waiting for the beast to retaliate he let's out a deep scream that almost sounds like a bears roar.
(Strength Nat 20+5, Attack 16+10, Damage 24. All have plus whatever Alriks advantage gives me? Wasn't sure on how to add that lol)
With a mighty cleave, and strength like that of a dire bear, Oredion watches as the massive gash he's ripped through flesh and bone opens... spilling out serpentine shadows across the floor in a shower of blood. Mortus is completely mutilated, and two of the original three heads gone. With one arm missing and one leg severed, the massive abomination lurches to and fro, trying to keep its balance as it wildly, erratically swings about. It tries to hit anything it can reach. (14, 12 to hit--nada on anyone)
The madness is taking over, desperate to kill something so it can absorb them. A roll of thunder can be heard overhead.
(Etny's turn! Once she goes I want to see something cool... and collaborative........ All of you attack it at once, one final time. It's definitely on its last legs. Show me one great big YEET!)
Etny watches as Oredion, Alrik, and Atriox attack the behemoth undead mercilessly. She slowly stands up, taking her bow in hand, and notching a dragonbone arrow, she attempts to draw, and shoot.
Her arms tremble. Her aim is stuttered. She can't quite seem to get a straight line to the creature. Nevertheless, she draws shakily, and fires.
(29 disadv, 7 damage, con save plz)
(Awww poor thing XD)
The arrow flies from the bowstring with a twang, causing your shoulder to twinge horribly. However... the shaking does not deter the shot from finding it's mark. It bores into the back of the 3rd head, the bone skewering right through and coming out of the gaping mouth. It hisses a shower of bone and blood, stumbling forward.
Oredion gears up with everyone at his side to finish it together. He goes for the final leg trying to drop it to the ground. His axe strikes the leg with a thud and he can't help but think how it almost feels like hitting a tree... a fleshy disturbing tree. His eyes flare a bright light green and he let's our another roar as the axe forcibly slices through the leg.
Alrik crawls out from under the severed arm, gasping for breath. He catches Tucker's glance and points at it with his injured hand and yells, "Let's burn this sonofabitch!"
The bluish purple liquid pours down his arm, following the veins beneath his skin and pools into his hand. Throwing the liquid across his other hand, a spark from his fingertip ignites it into a screaming bolt of lightning wreathed in purple flame...
The weapon, with the strength of the bulging muscles behind it, slices through the abomination. The axe is wreathed in green flames, licking the metal and burning the skin of the monster as it passes through... like a blade straight from the forge. Oredion spins out of the way as the blast of purple-flame lightning strikes the core of the beast. It engulfs it from the inside, straight into the cavity that the dwarf carved out just moments before.
Flames of magic sprout from every wound, and Tucker pulls all the energy he can muster to match what Alrik did. A golden light flickers down his arms, skittering like mice over his body. They culminate in a burst of light and flame and strike the golem in the stomach like a firework. It blends with the purple flames and they melt away the shadows in an instant, destroying the evil energy that has continually rejuvenated its husk time and time again.
Etny draws one more arrow, and notching it to her bowstring, aims it at the remaining head, right between the eyes.
She fires, letting the arrow sing through the air. It bores deep into the forehead of the creature's remaining head.
"Die, wretch."
Atriox sees his freinds making a final push and wants to join in, but what to do ? He's hacked and slashed at the monstrosity and it's just mad it madder.
Atriox looks around an notices all the blood. He smells the air in it is intoxicating. All of the sudden he gets the urge to use his training and activate his blood ritual but what good would electricity do against this beast ? But something just tells him to follow through with his gut.
He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath remembering all the pain and scars left by his training. Remembers all the knowledge that came with that pain and activates his crimson rite.
But when he opens his eyes he is surprised. Instead of electricity arcing down the length of his glaive theres s red mist wrapping around his weapon. He notices that the blood from around the room has flooted to his weapon and just joins the blood already at his weapon. Atriox is a bit thrown by what's happening but goes with it. All of the sudden he gets an idea and smirks
Right as Etnys arrow lodges into the creatures head it gives the perfect opening. The creature reels back and opens its mouth. Atriox takes the opportunity and hurls is glaive at the creatures open mouth.....the blood mist spiraling around his blade. When the weapon lodges into the beasts mouth it screams but nothing else happens for a second but then..........
The creature begins to scream loudly all of the sudden using its remaining arm to pound on its head. All of the sudden the monstrositys head begins to get bigger and bigger...........until it explodes all of the sudden sending blood everywhere.
(Blood on weapon manipulated all the creatures fluids to go to its head.......and pop)
The monster lurches, stumbling and crashing forward to the ground.... Dead. It shakes the entire room, a menacing hissssssssss evaporating in the air as the last of the demonic magic leaves it.
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