Dreadnought hesitates for a moment on seeing the bizarre and horrible new shapes, but then lays into the transformed beasts with renewed vigor; his sword singing a terrible song of death as it hews and hacks!
Intiative:
24 – Void: Tumble past Ape #1, #3, AoO from Ape #3 MISS, one HIT for 8 damage
21 – Ape1: 5' move to (4/5,22) flails about blindly all attacks MISS
21 - Ape2: Attack Lo-Kag - 3 MISSES
21 – Ape3: Attacks Asenfel - 2 claws HIT plus rend for 36 damage after DR, AoO on Davan HIT (crit unconfirmed) for 12 damage
21 - Ape6: Attack Lo-Kag - 3 MISSES
19 – Davan: Move to (2,23) cast CLW on Void -- concentration check failed
13 – Darv: Cast Flame Strike Apes 1 and 3 for 32 dmg (reflex 1/2)
13 – Morph: Fly to (9.26), cast Orb of Fire, Lesser on Ape #2 (2 AP used)
12 – Dreadnought: Delays
8 – Lo-Kag: Attacks remaining Ape - 2 HITS (1 crit) for an obscene amount of damage
Void tumbles to the side and away from the ape's fists, but he steps in some soft dirt, which throws off his balance just slightly, which the nearest ape takes advantage of with a quick swing of its razor sharp claws. Void manages to jerk his midsection away at the last moment and avoids the attack. He then takes a deep breath, channeling his Ki-power to his fists and begins to punch manically at the ape that stands in front of him, catching it in what would probably be its chest with one fist, while the other slips under a mass of tentacles.
The ape closest to Void ignores him, and continues to give in to its thirst for blood -- it reaches out once more with its tentacled appendages and manages to grab hold of the lithe human. With a sickening popping sound, it uses its tremendous strength to tear free both of Asenfels arms from his shoulders. The doomed man only has a few moments to realize what had just happened before he collapses to the ground, dead.
Lo-Kag manages to deftly avoid all of the attacks made by the two apes who are surrounding him, and the other ape near Void stumbles around, frantically smelling the air.
Davan takes a roundabout route to Void and touches him gently, but the ape nearest Void takes advantage of the priests inattention and tears a vicious wound on Davan's chest with its tentacled arm. [AoO hit (crit unconfirmed), concentration check rolled a natural 1, spell lost]
"Burn," Darv says flatly, as he finishes his spell. A column of flame jets down from above, narrowly missing the red-bandana'ed silver dragon floating overhead, it engulfs the two tentacled ape-shapes and immediately sears both beyond recognition. One drops to the ground dead, the other appears to be still breathing, once the smoke clears, but unconscious.
Morph glides around the battlefield, becoming slightly closer to the ground before more chanted words come from his draconic mouth. An orb of flame flies from his hand and strikes one of the apes flanking the goliath and his bandanna flashes again. The orb explodes over the apes form, engulfing it for a moment. Afterwards, the ape slumps to the ground dead. [1 AP burned for crit confirmation, 1 AP burned to overcome SR, yellow triangle on picture denotes facing]
The goliath watches with glee as one of the apes bursts into flames, taking advantage of the distraction as he plunges his spear into the chest of the remaining ape. The tip of the spear shoots out through the back of it, and its lifeless form slides helplessly down the shaft.
OOC:
All players have a -1 morale penalty for to hit rolls due to the horrific appearance of the creatures.
Morph glides around the battlefield, becoming slightly closer to the ground before more chanted words come from his draconic mouth. An orb of flame flies from his hand to strike one of the apes, and his bandanna flashes again.
All of the apes lie motionless on the ground. Across the clearing, near the giant statue, appears a feral looking humanoid.
The silence in the clearing is overpowering -- the only sounds that can be heard are the beating of the silver dragon's wings above, and the raspy breathing of several of the combatants.
stonegod
You be that feral looking humanoid -- apparently showing up just as the fun ended.
OOC: Map updated for last round shows current positioning.
The feral looking... think sniffs the air a moment, and it is clear it looks enraged. With a bellow, it bolts towards the still breathing ape, and as it does so, changes. It was not the way the warforged mage changed, with words, gestures and incantations. It was something more primal, innate, and faster. In a blur, the running creature becomes a pouncing jaguar, landing on the ape with terrible mouth and claw. It was furious, whatever it was, and soon tore the dead thing to shreds.
Then, just as quickly as it changed, the jaguar stood and was a shifter. Thick braids that may not have ever saw a come hide the heavily tattooed face framing eyes still burning with anger. His voice was raw and thick, as if little used, and he spit out tatters of the dead ape as he did so.
"Dead. All dead now. Foul. Wrong." His eyes narrow. "You not careful enough. Almost get all killed. Bad as that dwarf."
The shifter shook his head. He was not hostile... but would anyone call him friendly?
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
"We are as careful as we can be, while accomplishing our objectives," Dreadnought says without rancor.
He swivels to look at the fallen warlock.
"Whether that is careful enough seems to be an open question."
"It is unfortunate that we meet under these conditions. I am called Dreadnought. I, and these with me, are here to investigate the recent incidents involving attacks by giants."
Morph in gleaming silver draconic body, folds his wings and dives down short of the shifter. The way the creature had changed, was natural, a primal sort of change, and much more limited in type than his ability to change. Still though, Morph felt an odd kinship with those that change shape, ones that desire forms sometimes so different their their own...that they would do anything not to be themselves anymore. The shifter's hostility towards the apes marked him as not an enemy, not right now at least. Even so, the dragon emitted a rumbling from his chest, almost like a cat purring. "Yes, we were warned of unnatural things in the area. You speak of a dwarf, what business that this dwarf have out here?"
"Yes, we were warned of unnatural things in the area. You speak of a dwarf, what business that this dwarf have out here?"
The shifter turns its gaze onto the "dragon" with lidded eyes. "Loud dwarf. Spoke too much. Lured the wrong things." The shifter kicks the dead abomination again. "Almost died. Now trudging alone. Probably dead tomorrow." The shifter shrugs, seemingly not too concerned. It then furrows its brow, as if realizing something. "Enter jungle after you. Seems be to coming your way. Maybe seeking you. Couldn't say."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shayuri
", and these with me, are here to investigate the recent incidents involving attacks by giants."
The shifter leans against one of the abandoned carts, but it was still tense. "Best avoid giants. Mad. Kill everything. Want to kill you when they don't. Foolish to deal with them."
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
Dreadnought stares blankly at the shifter. Of course, he always stared blankly, but this time the blank look wasn't just because he wasn't capable of physical expression. After a few seconds, he feels reasonably sure that he's decoded enough of the strange mode of speech to reply.
"Avoiding them isn't possible. They've started attacks on Stormreach and various parties within. They hired us to come and find out why they've become so aggressive and, if possible, put an end to it."
He pauses, then adds, "Are you...threatening the dwarf? Or commenting on his odds of survival? Can we speak with him?"
"Avoiding them isn't possible. They've started attacks on Stormreach and various parties within. They hired us to come and find out why they've become so aggressive and, if possible, put an end to it."
The shifter shrugged again. "They rampage. That's what they do. Cursed. Probably random. You'll see. Try not to die."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shayuri
He pauses, then adds, "Are you...threatening the dwarf? Or commenting on his odds of survival? Can we speak with him?"
The shifter barks at the warforged, something that is probably a laugh, though a grim one. "Domoris doesn't threaten. Dwarf never knew I there. Could probably have ended him when attacked. As you say, his survival unlikely. Yours too, if you continue to hunt giants. Best turn back, like I told other Tharashk fools. Not to be confused with present Tharashk fool." The shifter nods at so far quiet Ganyon.
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
Ganyon slides out from behind a nearby tree, looking cautiously around the clearing to make sure no more surprises have appeared.
"Hey, lay off me mates -- its too soon to be makin' jokes -- they were oot collectin' shards, not lookin' fer trouble wit da damn big'uns. Plus I lost me travellin' mates right b'fore I was supposta leave wit these'uns."
He jerks his thumb toward the original group.
He pauses for a moment, a look of pain clearly on his face.
"I losta lut o' friends in da past munth, an' I won't stop 'til I and me house git some answers."
He looks at the ape creatures.
"Dees things luuk jes like da puma I ran tru near a week ago -- all tentacly and not-puma like. Sompin' ain't right -- never seen so many of dees tings b'fore."
"Whats dis dwarf look like, anyways? Dere's no way me mates wuld senda dwarf wit a message fer me in the bush, so I can't rightly say he'd be lookin' fer us."
In the back of your head, you hears a familiar dark, gurgling-like voice.
"Ah, your slave mind is like a beacon to me. No matter where you go, you cannot hide. Mark my words, gith, you will make a most interesting slave and thrall once again, as it is destined for all your kind."
Domoris is unfazed by the half-orcs words or pleas. "I don't joke. Jungle kills. People die. Some people live. Best to be one of the latter." The shifter thinks a moment. "Dwarf loud. Speaks a lot. Even to himself. Probably hear him already. Look like dwarf. Dressed like a city man, a shiny beacon to the hungry. Manticore on his shield."
__________________ stonegod -- LEB judge and spawn of Khyber since 2005 (Blog)
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