Airwalkrr's Shatterscape IC (Cooperative Design-As-You-Go PBP)

Kylest, AC: 13, HP 11/30 (Raging)

As the pain from the axe wound hits him, and the smell of blood fills the night air, Kylest reverts to a more primal time. The walls of the alley close in around him, becoming the sides of the fighting pit. He growls, deep in his throat and brings his sword to bear on the man, swining a heavy two-handed blow in an attempt to repay his wounds in kind.

[sblock=ooc]Rage.
Shift to two-handed grip.

Attack Durm.
Longsword +7, 1d8+9[/sblock]

Kleb grits his teeth and attacks the second thug. He hopes his ally can hold out just a bit longer...

Krethan steps back from the melee between Kylest and Durm. Then, as if sensing something, she turns her gaze towards Arden. She briefly concentrates and a fiery bolt materializes before her and flies towards Arden. She tries to get out of the way, but acts just a fraction of a second too slowly as the bolt of fire strikes her on the shoulder, leaving a warm, burning sensation (3 damage). The injury is minor, but painful.

The tough skirmishes with Kleb, looking for an opening but lunging vainly as his strike is deflected. Kleb, however, brings his axe to meet his opponent square in the chest, felling him to the ground.

Kylest's fury is daunting to his opponent. Durm holds up his axe to block the mighty swing, but the sheer might and tenacity of the dwarf is too much. He bows under the superior force as Kylest's blade is brought to bear upon his body, cleaving him in twain (critical hit!). The lifeless form of Durm slumps to the ground.

[sblock=GlassEye]Since your action came up after Krethan's in the round, you are now readied to attack her if she uses a psionic power this round.[/sblock]
"No! This can't be. This is not as I dreamt it would occur. No matter. The cold tendrils of death await you all. You cannot escape your fate!" With these prophetic words, Krethan turns tail and flees further into the alleys of Narovan.

[sblock=OOC]You may give chase if you wish, but Kleb will quickly get left behind as his speed is only 20. Indicate in your next post whether you give chase or not, since this is a split-second decision you will have to make. If you take any time for discussion, she will have escaped. There is also the matter of the elf in the the cloak who is hiding in the alley a ways down from you. You each detect the faint scent of brimstone wafting from his direction.[/sblock]

I head towards the sounds of battle wanting to vent my anger do I find the battle

Visions of his prophetic vision flash in Kylest's mind, as he looks out from over Durm's fallen body to the fleeing Krethan. The anger pounding in his veins blanks out the pain of his own blood flowing from his chest as he sets off after the woman, intent on seeing his dream through to its end.

Kleb looks to see if there is anything that he can pick up and throw at the fleeing woman. "Follow the dwarf," he tells the young woman next to him. "If you run into more trouble yell for me. I'm Kleb."

After that, he'll start searching the bodies for valuables, information, and loose change. It's a tough world, and even a paladin is not above looting the dead if it can aid himself and his allies.

Keeping a wary eye on the brimstone-smelling elf approaching he asks, "And what about you? I doubt you are in league with these assassins, though you reek of the pits of hell."

"Arden."

She nods at the man who has identified himself as Kleb and takes off after Krethan.

[sblock=OOC]Arden will try to catch up to Krethan. If it becomes possible she will try to charge and grapple (again, if it's possible to grapple after a charge) in order to slow Krethan down enough that Kylest can catch up.[/sblock]

[sblock=arcanaman]You do indeed arrive upon the scene of a battle, but it appears to be over. A woman in red hair at the far end of the alley dashes away while a man, a dwarf, and a woman stand in the alleyway overlooking three fallen opponents.[/sblock]

Darting through the city streets, Kylest and Arden are barely able to keep Krethan in their sights. She clearly knows the back alleys well. While Arden manages to maneuver quickly enough to avoid the many obstacles in the path, Kylest stumbles amid garbage and slips on occasion at the many turns along the way. He soon falls behind and it is not long before Arden can no longer hear his paces behind her. After what seems like perhaps several minutes, Arden realizes she is beginning to gain ground, and suddenly finds Krethan with her back against the wall of an impassable alleyway.

"Damn!" she screams, slamming her fist against the wall. She then turns to face Arden, dropping her glowing rod and reaching inside her vest to retrieve an elongated amber crystal. "You, disturber of the balance. I have seen it. Your actions will doom us all. I cannot let you live."

Initiative
Krethan 7
Arden 5

The crystal in Krethan's hand begins to glow and Arden feels an uncomfortable warmth come over her (1 damage).

[sblock=OOC]No need for a map really. Arden has Krethan cornered in a 30 foot long alleyway that is 5 feet wide. Arden is at the open end of the alleyway and Krethan is at the other. Kylest, if he could find where they have gone, would take about 7 rounds to arrive, though he doesn't know that. Effectively, he has probably fallen too far behind to be involved.

GlassEye, you can still try to grapple, but you may want to amend your action now that you know Kylest has fallen behind.[/sblock]
Meanwhile, back in the alleyway by the Crookside Inn, Kleb begins rifling through the possessions of the fallen. Durm has a greataxe and wears a set of scale mail. In addition, he has a purse with 10 gp and a vial labeled "curative." The toughs each carried a short sword, wore leather armor, and wielded bucklers. They had 40 sp between them. There is nothing remarkable about the quality of any of the equipment and nothing else of note to be found on their bodies.

[She's tricky. Be wary.]

Arden scowls at the raving woman and reaches inside her sleeve again to touch a tattoo, this time the Tattoo of Existence Unbound. She slowly walks towards Krethan flexing her fingers then clenching them into a fist.

"Is it just me? Or do you wish to kill the dwarf and the human warrior, too? What is it you think we'll do?"

[sblock=Actions]standard: tap the dissipating touch tattoo
move: move towards Krethan
Her next action will be to hit Krethan with a touch attack: dissipating touch +0 1d6[/sblock]

Krethan tries to avoid Arden's grasp, but she is too distracted from concentrating on the crystal and Arden's hand connects with Krethan's arm, which begins to dissolve at the touch. Krethan lets out a shriek of pain as bits of matter seem to discorporate into the air starting in her arm and spreading throughout her body. When the effect is over, she is left worn and wearied, as if she has been beaten within an inch of her life, but she is still standing.

"This fight shall continue," she growls as blood begins to trickle down the side of her mouth. "I have foreseen your destiny; the path you shall follow. Though you follow order you are a harbinger of chaos. You and those you fought with shall come to learn in time, but you cannot escape your destiny. Be assured, I have no intent of letting you live to fulfill it."

With a preternatural flash of silver light in eyes, she turns and dashes up the wall. She moves so quickly, not as if climbing, but as if running, her feet on the walls and her hands not even touching. By the time you realize what has happened, you can hear her footsteps pattering away at a rapid pace on the other side.