Midnight: A Lost Faith's Shadow. Book 1, The Awakening. Ch. 5, The Darkening Wood

[Toric_Arthendain]

Valurel shoulders his bow and begins making his way towards the ruined stone column above the altar, where he spotted Aislinn's frail and bloodied arm and shock of hair before the battle erupted.

OOC: Best I can tell, Valurel is at 30 of 37 hit points. He was hit once early in the battle with an arrow but that would appear to be it.

 

[Hrothgar]

Starhl's battle with the Erunsil wages across the stony, blood-soaked ground: Starhl's mighty thews versus the speed of the Erunsil. Starhl's heavy blade sings through the screaming wind, striking the Erunsil, the She-Elf screaming in pain. She lunges, her knees buckling, burying both blades in Starhl's chest before the Wolf clamps its heavy jaws on the back of her neck and she knows no more...
OOC: Starhl hit the Erunsil with good damage. The Erunsil hit Starhl for 12 points of damage before the Wolf killed her.

Cerendil looks up weakly as Lodric rushes over. Lodric's powerful blow connects easily, sending the weakened Elf tumbling to the ground to lie in a bloody heap.
OOC: Lodric knocked out Cerendil.

Herger takes a step toward Cerendil to see the Elf crumple under Lodric's fist. Turning, he bears down on the scimitar-wielding Caransil, the Elf unwilling to answer his question. The Caransil turns its attention from the wounded, and apparently inept Gnome, to the onrushing Giant. The Caransil lithely turns to avoid Herger's massive bulk, but not his heavy axe which bites deeply into the Elf. The Elf slashes once with its scimitar, its blade tracking a viscous slash across Herger's midsection.
OOC: The Caransil ignored Mardo when Herger charged. Herger hit the Caransil with average (for Herger) damage. The Elf's scimitar does 7 points of damage to Herger.

Out of the corner of his eye, Valurel sees his kinswoman fall. He has little time to dwell on his feelings, as he bounds across the rubble-strewn ground toward Aislinn. Racing past the altar, Valurel reaches the ruined pillar and its small slab of masonry on which Aislinn rests. Striking to climb the column, Valurel catches movement out of the corner of his eye. As he turns, stabbing pain rips through his gut. Glancing down, his lifeblood soaking his legs and ground, he looks up to see...Cyz. Gone is the Sarcosan woman he knew. Completely nude, long, reddish hair blowing in the wind, long legs cocked and hips akimbo, gore-covered long-knife and with uncovered, ample breasts bared in the chill breeze, her heritage is evident: great, bat-wings spring from her supple back and a long, impish tail curls around her smooth stomach. The winged monster from the plains! She smiles wryly. "The girl belongs to my Dark Master, Elf. If the Northman won't succumb to me, you will!" Valurel's head swims, his gaze drawn beyond the demon to Ladriel's hacked and mutilated body that soaks the ground crimson.
OOC: I need a Fortitude save from Valurel (DC 16 - Assassin Death Attack). Valurel takes 8 points of damage from the attack.

Kaela feels herself slipping from her body, her conscious drifting up, her sight dimming to the world around her, but focusing on another world that her eyes have never beheld. Around her, the battle of her comrades rages, but her shade takes in others that have come to watch the battle - the shades of fallen Elven warriors that watch the battle unfold. Realizing the dire situation of her comrades, she calls of help, but the spirits of the dead do not heed her, but continue to watch. She must help them? But how? If only she could return...but how? Seeking an answer to the question, she implores the shades around her, her spirit-voice screaming in the netherworld, but seemingly unheard. Just as her frustration bears into overwhelming rage, the shades scatter, like leaves on a strong wind, or a school of fish from a large predator. Above, a dark shadow descends, a darkness unlike anything Kaela has ever experienced. My child, my child. Why do you cry? Kaela screams in horror at the woman's voice in her head as she finds herself falling...falling...

Kaela's eyes open to the battle, and she sits up. But how?


OOC: I need actions posted!

 

[Bihlbo]

Mardo takes advantage of the distraction and advances swiftly to the elf's backside as the scimitar swings away.

OOC: Mardo is going to attempt a flanking attack with his dagger against the elf. If the Bluff check from last round is also used to make the elf flat-footed against this attack, then great. If not, Mardo is trying to be not noticed as he moves to the elf, so Hide +15, Move Silently +6.
STAB! with a dagger, +6 to hit, 1d3+3, crit 19+/x2
Mardo doesn't do sneak attack damage.
The elf is Mardo's Dodge opponent: AC 16

 

[Toric_Arthendain]

Valurel gasps in surprise and pain at the betrayal of the Sarcosan woman. Somehow he is not surprised. Harsh betrayals have become an all-to-often occurrence.

OOC:
Bad save.
Fortitude save = 9

 

[Krug]

Starhl nods at the wolf. "Well done!" He then charges at the nearest foe, despite his many wounds.

Rage: To hit: +13 Damage: 2d6+10 19-20/x2, flanking. HP: 45+10(rage bonus)-6-10-12=27

 

[Bobitron]

Blinking her eyes slowly a few times to clear them of tears, Kaela sits upright in shock. The woman's voice and her own scream still reverberate in her ears as she takes in the scene.

Betrayal and murder flash before her eyes as Cyz reveals herself as the enemy. As Valurel falls, confusion turns to rage. Clutching her stone so tight that her little fingernails make marks into her palm, she rushes toward the demon assassin and attempts to crush Cyz's will to fight by forcing her to sleep.

ooc: Deep Slumber will affect 10HD, save DC is 17.

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

As Lodric sees the winged form standing near Valurel, his belief that this would soon be over and Aislinn would be safe fades. Moving towards the creature, Lodric again calls upon a small amount of mystic power to help him.

ooc: Lodric casts True Strike

 

[maddmic]

Hergers blood now drenches the ground about him. His wounds look terrible, but the giant continue to clash with his enemies as if he were simply a battering ram intent only on one objective.

OOC:

Flanking Power Attack Greataxe +10 (3d6 + 17, x3) (+5 BAB, +5 St, +1 WF, +1 Dorn melee 2handed, +2 flanking, -4 power attack, +2 dmg (weapon specialization), +7 damage (strength, x1.5 for 2-handed weapon), +8 damage (+4 from power attack x2 for 2-handed weapon))

 

[Hrothgar]

Thrown into battle, the garishly dressed Mardo can only wonder at the circumstances that have drawn him from the crystal river waters to this dark place. Drawing a deep breath, knees shaking, the Gnome glides through the shadows and rubble up behind the Elf locked in battle with Herger. With a quick thrust, his dagger sinks deep in the Elf's side. Crying out in pain, the Elf turns to see her attacker. Her attack momentarily halted, she is unable to escape Herger's massive axe as it crashes into her chest. Her body tumbles like a rag doll as it crashes across the rubble-strewn glade to lie motionless.
OOC: Mardo and Herger finished off the Elf.

His heart dropping, Lodric is still able to summon the strength to focus. Clarity. Precision. Striding toward the demoness standing over Valurel's bloody and unmoving body, nothing can break Lodric's concentration. His focus: taking her bloody head off.
OOC: Lodric casts true strike.

Her head spinning from her shade's jaunt, Kaela is overcome by a feeling of oppression. Of a sense of loss. If Kaela had any love of life in this brutal world, that love now feels tainted. Grayed. Brittle. Trying to clear her head, she can not shake the dark shadow from her mind that dominated the spirit world of Aryth, a seemingly all powerful menace that descended on the glade. Where was it now?

Standing, her vision is drawn to Cyz. No longer the Sarcosan woman, but a fiery haired demoness, an assassin of Shadow. Beneath her, the bloody body of Valurel lies motionless. Screaming in rage, Kaela lets loose with Aryth's eldritch energies. No longer a temptation of drowsiness, Kaela's spell is a sledgehammer of unconsciousness. Cyz staggers momentarily, before realizing what happened. Smiling evilly, she shakes her head...and disappears from sight.
OOC: Keala over came Cyz's spell resistance, but Cyz made the save. Damn, I had another roll but am unable to find it!

Starhl and Wolf can only stare in shock at the bodies of Valurel and Ladriel that lay on the ground in crimson pools. Striding over to the spot were Cyz was last seen, he checks the ground for signs of movement as he swings his sword in a great arc. The Wolf sniffs the ground, checking from the demoness unsuccessfully. Cocking his head, the Wolf looks up...
OOC: I had Starhl try to attack Cyz, but he missed the invisible demoness.

Darkness closes over Valurel as his lifeblood leaks onto the ground, his mind and heart growing cold. His shade slipping from his body, he finds himself looking down on his dead body, his comrades still raging in battle. His own spirit burns hot, his desire to help his comrades unquenched in death. Circling the ruins in anger, he spots other shades. The Erunsil. The Caransil archer. Cerendil. Ibor. Fallax! Snarling, Valurel's shade streaks toward the others...before an overwhelming force slams into his noncorporeal spirit, forcing him down, down, down...a voice ringing in his head. My spirit weeps when the Elthedar fight amongst themselves. Aryth, I have slept too long. My child...

Valurel shoots upright, a scream on his lips. Around him, darkness split by a sickly green hue surrounds him. His companions! He is back! But, his heart runs cold as he notices the hewn bodies of the Erunsil, the Caransil archer, Cerendil, Ibor, and Fallax start to stir...

A thunderous crack splits the glade as the green luminescent altar cracks, the stone slab covering its top falling into the altar, revealing a swirling, black pool that seeks to suck light and life into its thirsty maw. An otherworldly voice echoes throughout the glade, more felt by the Heroes than heard. My children...I have awakened!

The Heroes blood runs cold as Aislinn shrieks from the ruined platform above them. She has come! NO!

OOC: I need actions posted!

 

[Bihlbo]

Mardo, flush with the excitement of seeing his hard work pay off, quips to Herger, "Just like an anvil thief on a weaponsmith's barge!"

...he notices the hewn bodies of the Erunsil, the Caransil archer, Cerendil, Ibor, and Fallax start to stir...

Just as Mardo is peering back at his other allies within the stone ruins, he notices movement at his feet. "Herger! Elves can rise as Fell also, it seems!" Mardo gets to work cutting through the elf's neck, in an attempt to sever the head from the body.

OOC: coup de gras, if possible. Since he can't bind the body and sink it to the bottom of a river to ensure it doesn't rise as Fell, Mardo will use the Erenlander method and remove the noggin.