The Fey, the Far, and the Ugly Space In Between

[Binks]

Can I pick out the wolf-turned-mutate in the haze of green mist that covers the ground?

Per Manbearcat
The mist is thick and it is over the head of a medium creature so it isn't automatic. Roll some dice and let us find out if you can see it.

[sblock]Discern Realities (Wis)
3, 2 + 2 = 7

1 question and + 1 forward when acting upon it.

* What should I be on the lookout for?[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
You see the faint form of the mutate in the green haze, all appendages and distorted torso, making a bee-line for your allies. There is no chance they see it and it will be upon them soon!

[sblock]You can take a shot but take - 1 due to the obscurement. Your successful DR check will offset that.[/sblock]

If I can't see it due to it being obscured, perhaps it can't see me either? Can I get Called Shot here? Surprised enemy at range?

Per Manbearcat
Hmmm...let us split the difference. You're going to need to roll dice here. So you can't do the auto-damage portion of Called Shot, but you can do the "name your target and roll portion."

Good stuff. As the Wyvern swoops around, Saerie draws her bow to its full length, honing in on the shadowy lower half of the mutate. Intent on skewering its legs and hobbling it, she releases...

[sblock]Volley (Dex)
1, 4 + 3 = 8

They’re hobbled and slow moving.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
Your arrow finds its mark, hamstringing the creature. It hobbles along slowly and disappears utterly into the thickness of the fog. It will take it a bit to get to your allies, but it is beyond your ability to mow down now.

That is as good as I could hope for. I don't think I could have slain it anyway. I'm going to make a, likely futile attack on the Far Realm entity and then direct the Wyvern to dive hard for a strafing run. We're going to make a go at running the guantlet of these tentacles and getting to Piscaethces for a combo attack at Reach range. As we do, I shout to Otthor. "Be on your wares my friends! I've hobbled a mutate but it is on its way to you, if slowly!"

Per Manbearcat
Yeah, Rawr won't be in melee range for this first volley so no + Ferocity. You'll have to DD to avoid the tentacles and get in to Reach range for the Wyvern combo attack. Take -1 due to the size of the wyvern and the general lack of unwieldiness of its flying and this entire operation you're running.

[sblock]Volley (Dex)
6, 2 + 3 = 11

d8 damage. 6 - 4 = 2 damage.

Defy Danger (Wis) - kind of a ride/pilot check?
1, 5 + 2 (take - 1) = 7

Success but a worse outcome, hard bargain, or ugly choice.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
Your succession of arrows finds some meat on the Far Realm titan and gets a response in the form of a focused, violent effort by the tentacles to batt you from the sky.

I'll move things forward with a post for both of you guys later/tomorrow.

 

[Manbearcat]

Otthor

Piscaethces looms enormously before you. The central "mass" is covered with black and red eyes. Her maw, filled with teeth the size ship anchors, is initially pitched upward but follows you as you emerge through the mutation-inducing mist. Placed on the end of a massive stalk-like neck, it is poised for a strike! The green mist is "seeping" from the folds of her flesh, constantly spewing forth and inundating the peak of the mountain...seemingly intent on continuing a descent down the steep grade to find new natural things to corrupt...

Regarding new natural things to corrupt, the thick, icy snow shifts violently not far from you. The sound of a thousand or more beetles, once dormant beneath the dense snowpack, now called to a new unnatural life by Piscaethces haze. They emerge as an enormous mass of individual creatures and meld into a vast swarm of carapaces, tentacles, fangs, and red eyes. They'll be upon you shortly.

As far as Saerie's warning of a mutate heading your way, it is entirely obscured by the mist and not here yet...

---

Saerie

Your situation is slightly less dangerous. Your strafing run to get in tight for an arrow-tail-sting combo is through a mass of four lashing tentacles, each of sufficient size to sink the largest vessel ever set upon the world's seas. As you're doing so, you can see the Wyvern's eyes blink hard and its head pop back suddenly. What happens to it elicits a roaring-screech from the mighty beast. Your ability to understand the creature's momentary thrashing and vocalizing about reveals: "...talks inside me!"

---

New map

* S&W on white circle is Saerie and the Wyvern.

* Black S in large circle is the Mutate Beetle Swarm.

* Obviously the green haze is predominate. That shall continue and will perpetually morph along the battlefield and down the mountain.

 

[Tecklenburg]

Otthor

Piscaethces looms enormously before you. The central "mass" is covered with black and red eyes. Her maw, filled with teeth the size ship anchors, is initially pitched upward but follows you as you emerge through the mutation-inducing mist. Placed on the end of a massive stalk-like neck, it is poised for a strike! The green mist is "seeping" from the folds of her flesh, constantly spewing forth and inundating the peak of the mountain...seemingly intent on continuing a descent down the steep grade to find new natural things to corrupt...

Regarding new natural things to corrupt, the thick, icy snow shifts violently not far from you. The sound of a thousand or more beetles, once dormant beneath the dense snowpack, now called to a new unnatural life by Piscaethces haze. They emerge as an enormous mass of individual creatures and meld into a vast swarm of carapaces, tentacles, fangs, and red eyes. They'll be upon you shortly.

As far as Saerie's warning of a mutate heading your way, it is entirely obscured by the mist and not here yet...

Still at range though with them. So I can Wind Slash, and maybe get some of my 5 HPs back, or Fireball them?

Per Manbearcat
Couple things here:

1) You've got Piscathces giant maw bearing down on you. As in face-plant right on your position. If you want to handle the Swarm rather than have a melee exchange with The Blood Queen, then have it. But you'll be defying danger to do so.

2) This is a heavily armoured (3 armor) swarm of miniscule creatures. Single target attacks will take worst of 2; eg b[2d8] for you (same goes for your thunder/force damage). AoE is fine.

I'll deal with The Blood Queen's chomp attack. I have to get this swarm down. Hit Points be damned. Fireball it is.

I try to focus my attention on one thing at a time while the flurry of activity is coming at me from every direction. I shout to Exel and Xanob. "Be prepared to form up and handle the mutate!" Simultaneously, I spin and prepare to unleash a barrage of flames on the mass of beetle-mutates!

[sblock]Cast a Spell (Int) Fireball on the Swarm
3, 1 + 3 = 7

You evoke a mighty ball of flame that envelops your target and everyone nearby, inflicting 2d6 damage which ignores armor. 4 + 5 = 9. Dead.

I'll take danger as my complication.

Also, spending my 2nd Bladesong to Void Note teleport away from the face-planting chomp attack of Piscaetches. I'll go counterclockwise on the other side of Exel, Xanob, and Rawr. Nearer the climb up the mountain to the north.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
The ball of flame streaks from your hands and erupts with infernal prejudice in the midst of the creeping doom of mutate beetles. In the wake of the conflagration, the horde of insects are no more. Where once there was a thick layer of snow, there now remains only the sheathe of ice that covers all of this area. You can see that within it there are several cracks (no doubt due to the weight and enormity of your Far Realm adversary). Those cracks are proliferating with a slow, very deliberate, steadiness...

At the last second, just as the massive maw of the Blood Queen slams into the ice and snow covered earth, your battle-dance takes you from this world for the briefest of moments. When you reappear on the other side of your allies, the very faint cracking that you could hear before is louder...more ominous...more imminent...

Oh.

No.

The elevated area to the north that leads to the peak should be safe from any avalanche that wants to sweep down the mountainside.

As I point to the peak to the north, I shout to my allies "RUUUUUUUUN! THE MOUNTAIN'S FACE IS COLLAPSING! GET TO THE PEAK!"

Per Manbearcat
Sit tight and let me move Saerie forward.

 

[Binks]

Saerie

Your situation is slightly less dangerous. Your strafing run to get in tight for an arrow-tail-sting combo is through a mass of four lashing tentacles, each of sufficient size to sink the largest vessel ever set upon the world's seas. As you're doing so, you can see the Wyvern's eyes blink hard and its head pop back suddenly. What happens to it elicits a roaring-screech from the mighty beast. Your ability to understand the creature's momentary thrashing and vocalizing about reveals: "...talks inside me!"

Its fighting some kind of mental intrusion, eh? That sounds like a domination attempt. Its flying has become a bit erratic so it has to be more than telepathy. This might be the only strafing run I get...

Can I try to soothe the beast, some kind of animal handling, or impart some kind of aid via Crocodile Dundee Ranger voodoo?

Per Manbearcat
Sure, how about this:

[sblock]When you work with a wild beast you've temporarily beguiled in a dangerous situation, roll +Wis. On a 10+, the danger doesn't come to pass. On a 7-9, the danger doesn't come to pass, but take -1 ongoing while you work with the beast as the relationship has soured somewhat or the beast is unsettled in some way.[/sblock]

Looks good.

I reach down with the hand that is not on my bow and stroke the beast's scaly neck and make comforting noises. Maternal clicks or whatever noises that Wyvern mothers make to their young when fortifying their psyches in times of strife.

[sblock]Fortify the Wyvern (Wis)
5, 2 + 2 = 9

The danger doesn't come to pass, but take -1 ongoing while you work with the beast as the beast is unsettled in some way.

Defy Danger (Dex) for myself and the Wyvern flying through the maze of tentacles on our strafing run.
4, 5 + 3 (take -1 and -1 ongoing) = 10

Volley (Dex) with Wyvern poisonous tail-stinger.
3, 5 + 3 (-1 ongoing) = 10

7-9 with danger due to the Wyvern combo-attack.

d8 + 3 (Rawr) + 1 (Wyvern) and ignores armor (Wyvern) = 6 + 3 + 1 = 10 damage on The Blood Queen![/sblock]

I scrunch up my face and exalt with a fist-pump on the perfectly coordinated attack!

Per Manbearcat
You hear the sound of Otthor's explosive Fireball right as you're pulling off your strafing attack. Rawr tears into Piscaethces core as the Wyvern's tail stinger deploys its poisoning payload on the "shoulder" of one of the tentacles.

But your victory is short-lived as you almost end up dismounted when one of the huge tentacles clips the vast wingspan of the Wyvern. The creature yaws dramatically, attempts to right itself but the momentum lost is threatening a stall and noise-dive right into the green, mutating mists!

You hear Otthor's urgent call to head for the peak as your aerial assault spins out of control.

You can deal with this danger in a bit. Sit tight as I move things along with Otthor.

 

[Tecklenburg]

Sooooooooooooooo...we have the following problems...

- an imminent avalanche that is going to sweep us down the mountain...

- a mutated wolf obscured by the green mists lurking out there somewheres...

- speaking of those green, mutatifying mists...yeah, we have those spreading everywhere as well...and they're probably in our way as we attempt to run to the peak...

- Saerie and her Wyvern are about to nose dive into the mists and avalanche zone...

- oh and yeah we also have that secondary concern of a building sized entity from the Far Realm with elephant-sized tentacles and long neck that is basically megaladon...

Did I miss anything?

Per Manbearcat
Nope, that seems to about the score of it!

Some questions.

1 - Do Exel, Xanob, and Rawr have a path through the green mists to get to the peak and out of the avalanche zone?

2 - Can I go all Yoda on the X-Wing like in ESB and use my Burst technique with the Forceful tag to redirect the Wyvern toward the peak or right the beast's attitude and so it can maintain lift long enough to land outside of the mists and the avalanche zone? Maybe toward the edge so it can dive momentarily and fully regain lift?

3 - Can I protect Exel and Xanob with that same Burst effect? Stand sentinel and intercept any of the swinging tentacles at range with Wind Slash? Then DD and port with my final Bladesong as I need to in order to get to the peak?

Per Manbearcat
Some answers:

1 - Yes.

2 and 3 together - You can't do both simultaneously. One or the other as they're both happening at the same time. Make your hard choice. As far as the specifics go, you can use Burst to reorient the Wyvern as you outlined. However, you're going to need to use at least 2 Bursts in order to have enough force to deflect tentacles smashing/corralling Exel, Xanob, and Rawr.

Grrrr...and where is my dragon cavalry!

Alright then.

With consternation and a sense of futility, Otthor briefly watches the massive tentacles close in on his allies during their desperate sprint for the peak as the mountain-face gives way. He takes a few long, careful strides to get him in range of Saerie's out of control flying mount. The green mist is almost licking his face. Scowling, he reaches out with with his hand to grasp the Wyvern with force and guide it away from its inevitable crash...

[sblock]Wind Slash (Int)
3, 1 + 3 = 7

My complication will be to not deal my damage.

Burst: Your attack deals an additional 1d4 damage and gains the ‘forceful’ tag. 3 damage and forceful tag used to keep the Wyvern airborne.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
You deftly grip the Wyvern with force magic, just enough of a tug to keep it aloft the moment before it plunges into the green mists and the uncompromising earth. Your efforts send the pair swooping out over the cliff and into open air.

Rawr's huge grizzly bear form leads the way through the gauntlet of tentacles and green mists. One tentacle attempts to sweep them backwards and the mighty ursine mauls it with enough ferocity that it retracts. It buys enough time for Exel and Xanob to get free of the avalanche zone and pull themselves up the steeper face of the climb to the peak.

Rawr isn't so lucky.

The second enormous tentacle grasps the mighty bear, enfolding him like a titanic anaconda. It lifts him ten, fifteen feet into the air. He'll be crushed like a grape before long...

As soon as your eyes behold that, you feel a presence next to you. The lupine mutate pounces from the obscuring mists, muzzle still resembling that of a wolf, but that is about it. The rest of the still-morphing form hews closer to a gibbering mouther than anything else...

Just as the mutate pounces upon me, I feel the harmony of the battle engage my form, the mysterious call of the Bladesong leading me to my next confrontation...

[sblock]Spending my last Bladesong for Void Note to teleport on top of the tentacle that is crushing Rawr.[/sblock]

I reappear on top of the tentacle which grasps Rawr, a song of fury as sword and spell rend aberrant flesh in order to free my furry friend.

[sblock]Master's Bladework (Int)
1, 6 + 3 = 10

d8 damage (1 piercing) and 3 techniques. 3 damage - 3 armor (4 - 1 piercing) = 0 damage.

Burst * 2: Your attack deals an additional 1d4 damage and gains the ‘forceful’ tag. 1 + 2 damage = 3 damage and forceful tag * 2.

Soul-Siphoning: Your attack heals you for 1d4. Heal 1d8 instead if this attack kills your target. 2 HP returned to me.

Bladesong (Int)
2, 2 + 3 = 7

1 Bladesong for:

* Void Note - Teleport somewhere nearby within your line of sight.
* Guarded Flourish - When you have no weapon or shield in your offhand and you take damage, take + 2 armor.
* Blade Crescendo - When you deal damage to an enemy within your melee weapon's range, gain 2 piercing.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
Your song of fury tears into the thick aberrant flesh as force magic unwinds the crushing grip. Rawr drops to the ground hard but still quite alive. He looks up at you, stands on his back legs, but then abruptly looks at his feet as the ominous cracking and shifting finally reaches its crescendo.

Understanding the implication, he turns tail to quickly lope the last few remaining paces for the safety of the elevation above the avalanche zone.

Mighty Piscaetches smashes two of her tentacles into the earth to anchor herself while another grasps the lupine-mutate. She crushes it in her godly grip, its juices spreading out over the disgusting folds of her flesh, the assimilation revitalizing her...

[sblock]+ 7 HP to her.[/sblock]

Despite her anchoring of her own huge form, the giving way of the ground beneath her coupled with the ensuing wall of ice causes Piscaetces to pitch forward suddenly. Your precarious perch on a flailing tentacle is certainly not safe. The violent lurch threatens to spill you into the midst of the wall of ice, snow and boulders that are rushing down the mountain.

The ascending face to the peak is out of your Void Note teleportation range...

Hold that thought.

 

[Binks]

Can I use Covenant of Winter to create an icy bridge for Otthor like Ice Man does? It says I can do the following when I call upon the elemental forces of winter:

* Rend with ice and sleet.
* Repel with gale-force winds.
* Blot out the sun with snow.

So that appears to be a bit of a stretch...

Per Manbearcat
How about this. When you overchannel Covenant of Winter, you pay winter's price even on a 10 +.

Alright!

I feel the subtle, controlled change in orientation of my flying mount and I know Otthor must have used his magic to save us from a deadly crash. We swoop far and wide over the cliff face. Looking far down the mountain, I can see the motes of light that are the refugees torches. That heartens me. I kick my feels into the flanks of the Wyvern and pull my body hard so we swoop back around for another pass. My friends are in great peril! I have to get back into the fight!

Shouldering my bow for a moment, I retrieve the ancient, icy staff of the Braelani. Every time I've used it, I've displeased what the human's of this world call "Old Man Winter." I expect this time will be no different.

We get into view just in time to see Otthor's rescue of Rawr and his dire predicament on top of one of Piscaethces' tentacles as the avalanche initiates. The Wyvern batts its wings hard, speeding us back to the scene as I invoke the elemental forces of winter to see to my friend's egress!

[sblock]Overchannel Covenant of Wrath (Con)
3, 4 + 1 (-1 ongoing on the Wyvern) = 7

* Create a narrow bridge of hardened ice from Otthor's position to near the face of the ascending peak.

Pay winter's price.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
The air between Otthor and the face freezes to temperatures rarely if ever before seen, even in this frozen corner of the world. The crystals converge. The bridge will hang in the air for the shortest of moments before it inevitably crashes to the earth. It isn't perfect, there are gaps and a far leap, but it will suffice if Otthor acts fast.

The staff momentarily emanates cold so deep that it burns your hands through your gloves. The Wyvern recoils violently and begins to buck its body, instinctively trying to get the source of searing pain away from it!

...so if I chuck the artifact staff away from us and into the ongoing avalanche, where it will be buried and lost for a thousand or more years, we'll be ok...

Per Manbearcat
That would seem like a sufficient offering to winter

Let me think on it and I'll get back to you...

EDIT - Ok, I've thought about it. So I can summon gale-force winds to repel. Can I call upon winter to keep me aloft and carry me on those winds over to the face ascending to the peak? Without the Wyvern of course. If it works, I'll leap off the Wyvern into the wind and fly to the the mountain.

Per Manbearcat
Sure, that seems in-line and not really overchannelling for something way off the grid like the above. This isn't long-term flight capability with maneuverability. This is just a short term burst to get you to the peak.

You still have the danger with the unearthly cold. You can either DD vs Cold and the Wyvern trying to unseat you (so Con or Str). Or you can just eat d6 damage (no armor) but you're going to have to get off the Wyvern regardless of the outcome of your move (or you'll have to DD anyway).

Ok. I'll just take the damage and call upon winter to carry me to the face leading up to the peak. I hold the staff out before me with one hand while I desperately cling to the bucking Wyvern with the other one. "Winter! I call upon you now to carry me aloft on your mighty winds to the face of the mountain's peak!"

If it works, I leap off the back of the Wyvern and into the gale-force winds.

[sblock]d6 damage (no armor) to me. 1 damage.

Covenant of Winter (Con)
4, 3 + 1 (-1 ongoing while on the Wyvern) = 7

Fly over to the peak on winter's winds.

Pay nature's price.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
The cold chills your body to the bone as the winds suddenly pick up with violent fury. You leap off the back of the barely in control Wyvern right into the face of them. You fly through the air with minimal control but you maintain your orientation. While the face isn't terribly steep and you have no problem securing a position on it, winter is out for blood. You slam into the mountain with extreme velocity. Winter gives you precious wind to save you while aggressively stealing it from your lungs (literally knocked the wind out of you). Your ribs and sternum ache post-collision.

[sblock]Take another 1d6 damage (no armor).[/sblock]

The barely in control Wyvern has had enough of this. It turns with the wind and rides it the hell out of here, disappearing into the grey gloom. A lair far, far away from here might be on tap.

After you roll your damage, sit tight.

[sblock]d6 damage (no armor) to me. 4 damage.[/sblock]

 

[Tecklenburg]

Per Manbearcat
The air between Otthor and the face freezes to temperatures rarely if ever before seen, even in this frozen corner of the world. The crystals converge. The bridge will hang in the air for the shortest of moments before it inevitably crashes to the earth. It isn't perfect, there are gaps and a far leap, but it will suffice if Otthor acts fast.

As I see the air freeze in a suspended arch, I don't hesitate. I know Saerie has created this momentary opening for me and I know it won't last. I gather my feet under me on the tentacle and sprint the length of it, leaping to the frozen arch, sprinting the length of that and taking a flying leap to the mountain face.

[sblock]Defy Danger (Str)
5, 6 + 0 = 11[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
First things first:

[sblock]Roll w[2d10 (no armor)] for the avalanche on Piscaethces. Forgot about that before.[/sblock]

As the Far Realm titan is barraged by boulders and an immeasurable weight of ice and snow, it staggers but stays upright. A pair of tentacles smash into the earth to anchor it. Two more grab hold of the peak while the other two (one of which you are on) flail about wildly.

Your leap is true. You land delicately on the 50 degree face. Exel and Xanob must cling to maintain their positioning, but your elven agility and balance gives you solid purchase on the rather steep grade.

Coming off of The Blood Queens flesh is more green haze, spilling out onto the lower reaches of this climb. Roiling masses like sentient, hungry eddies, they defy gravity and slowly work their way up toward you guys. You see the others spilling over the mountain face, down toward the refugees and Giliad's Rest...

She stabilizes herself as you land and turn. Her toothy maw, which could swallow 20 men whole at the same time, comes for you...

[sblock]w[2d10 (no armor)] on Piscaethces for the avalanche. 7, 3 so 3 damage.[/sblock]

The echoes of the Bladesong still thrumming in my heart and my body, I welcome the exchange.

[sblock]Master's Bladework (Int)
3, 1 + 3 = 7

D8 damage (1 piercing), apply 2 techniques, and my opponent attacks me. 4 - 3 (4 armor less 1 piercing) = 1 damage.

Burst: Your attack deals an additional 1d4 damage and gains the ‘forceful’ tag. 3 damage and forceful. I want to use my Forceful tag to get it in range of Rawr so he can engage in melee.

Soul-Siphoning: Your attack heals you for 1d4. Heal 1d8 instead if this attack kills your target. 4 hp returned to me.

Counterattack on me: b[2d10 + 5] and 'forceful' tag. 6, 2 + 5 = 11 - 4 armor (spending my last Bladesong on Guarded Flourish) = 7 damage and forceful.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
The exchange is violent and lightning quick. Your blade works in impossibly fast arcs to repel a thousand huge teeth but the effort is terribly exhausting despite your restorative nethermantic magic. You grip the creature's massive stalk of a neck with force magic, pulling it a few feet in Rawr's direction so he can attempt to deliver a good mauling.

Unfortunately, as the creature fights hard against your force magic, one of its huge tentacles comes up and smashes into the mountain just below you. It is all you can do to avoid being crushed, but your footing is utterly undone. You begin a fast slide down the icy face into the welcoming grasp of the mutation-inducing mists...

Sit tight.

 

[Binks]

I flatten my back against the not-so-gentle sloping face that leads up to the peak. Feeling the effects of the nasty collision with the unforgiving stone, my lungs work overtime to regain my breath, a grimace crossing my face at my aching ribs and sternum. I reach into a belt pouch and scoop up the 3 remaining Goodberries and pop them into my mouth, their revitalizing primal magic coursing through me.

[sblock]3 HP + 3d4 for Lucky. 3, 1, 2 = 9 HP returned to me.[/sblock]

Otthor is not too far below me. As the huge tentacle takes out his footing and I see him begin to slide, I think fast on my feet and reach down with the the Winter Fey staff for my friend to grasp. Exel or Xanob, I cannot tell which in the tumultuous situation, reaches down and grabs a handful of Otthor's cloak to prevent him sliding to a terrible fate in the green mist.

[sblock]Defy Danger (Int) using Exel and Xanob's Intervene ability.
4, 1 + 1 (+1 for Intervene) = 7

Success but a worse outcome, hard bargain, or ugly choice.[/sblock]

 

[Tecklenburg]

With my free hand, I reach for the staff that Saerie is extendnig to me as one of the goblin brothers grabs my cloak to hoist me back up to solid footing.

Per Manbearcat
Through the concerted effort, you find your feet no longer dangling in mid-air but back on the sloped face of the mountain's final ascension. As you are fully steadied and upright, you see one of Piscaetches huge tentacles coming in to pluck both Exel and Xanob from the face and pitch them into the roiling green haze that is creeping up toward you. You have little more than an instant to react.

In the back of my mind, I sense that this is likely the end for me, but that doesn't remotely give me even a moment of pause. I attempt to through myself before them and repel the attack, or take it in their stead if I must.

[sblock]Defend (Con) Exel and Xanob
1, 3 + 1 (-1 ongoing) = 4

Mark xp.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
The blow is too quick and too forceful. Your attempt to intervene is too late and rendered feeble by the collosal creature. You can only look on in horror as your two stalwart companions, whom have saved you and you have saved on many occasion these last several days, are swept from the face. They tumble down...down...down...and disappear in the mutate-inducing mists.

Their screams quickly go from a high-pitched keening to gurgling squeels to...nothing at all.

From where they fell, several hooked tentacles erupt from the mist and slam into the stone just below you guys. Rock is split as the hooks embed in the stone, perfect to anchor the upward propulson of whatever monstrosities your former companions have become...

My face is a visage of utter horror. Utter. Horror. The horror gives way to an anger so complete that I can do nothing but see red. Exel and Xanob were my charges. They pledged themselves to me. This is my failing. I will wear this deep shame for the rest of my life, even if it only spans the next few moments.

I will put my dear friends out of their misery quickly. As the tortured bodies of my former allies climb the face to us, I call upon blades of cutting air to send them both to a fitting place in Kord's eternal arenas. They can test their mettle against warriors of their same fine stock forevermore.

[sblock]Wind Slash (Int)
5, 2 + 3 = 10

d8 damage (1 piercing) and 1 technique. 7 - 0 (1 armor less 1 piercing) = 7 damage. Dead.

Soul-Siphoning: Your attack heals you for 1d4. Heal 1d8 instead if this attack kills your target. 3 HP returned to me.

Bladesong (Int)
4, 1 + 3 = 8

1 Bladesong for:

* Void Note - Teleport somewhere nearby within your line of sight.
* Guarded Flourish - When you have no weapon or shield in your offhand and you take damage, take + 2 armor.
* Blade Crescendo - When you deal damage to an enemy within your melee weapon's range, gain 2 piercing.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
As you channel the Bladesong, your blades of cutting air send one of your noble companions to their afterlife, ensuring that they only have to suffer this mockery of their existence for the shortest time possible.

Piscaetches does you the service of doing the same to the other. In an utterly undeserving fate, she plucks the other mutate from the mists and crushes it against her flesh, reinvigorating her further. At least they are released from the horror of their fate, even if you will never be released from the horror of these images.

[sblock]Forgot to disclose the primary one. That is 7 HP back to The Blood Queen.[/sblock]

Sit tight.

 

[Binks]

My eyes and jaw each open wide as a gutteral scream wells up somewhere deep inside me. I see my arm reach out toward Exel and Xanob as they slide down the face to their horrific doom, but I cannot feel the movement. I only witness it from afar.

I find myself wondering if their minds were ruined as well as their bodies...or was the "stuff" that made up our goblin companions trapped behind the hideous aberrant bodies? My spine shivers and I find myself despairing. Deep sorrow and burning hatred are joined inside me with what comes next. I see their bodies destroyed by Otthor and this aberrant horror from the Far Realm and I am at least glad that their suffering did not endure more than a few moments.

I scowl so fiercely and bite my lip with such intensity that blood runs down my chin. I scream something unintelligible as I call upon Winter to scour this unnatural beast with ice and sleet!

Is Rawr in range?

Per Manbearcat
Yeah, The Blood Queen's enormous body is within Reach range (Rawr's range given his size) for melee to any of you guys on the slope up to the peak. You and Otthor would have to wait for a tentacle attack against you and DD in order to get off either of your melee attacks (which are close or close/hand for you).

So...yeah, you can add his Ferocity.

[sblock]Winter's Covenent (Con)
4, 4 + 1 = 9

Scour with ice and sleet. d10 damage (no armor). 6 + 3 (Rawr) = 9 damage.

Pay Winter's price.[/sblock]

Per Manbearcat
Your rage is matched by winter's fury. A polar ray of freezing, jagged ice and sleet explodes from the crystal at the tip of the staff. Rawr is several hundred pounds of claws and ursine might. Green gore erupts from the Far Realm titan and it responds physically with a bone-rattling roar. Mentally it assails both of you with a an overwhelming telepathic command to throw yourselves from the cliff face and into her primordial haze!

Simultaneously, a frozen sheen of slippery ice manifests on the slope leading up toward the peak. Your footing is sound here, but any attempt to continue your climb skyward will take - 1.

Sit tight. I need to move things forward with a post. Both of you guys will need to DD Wis to start off your next turns.