The radiance at the top of the stairs is nearly blinding. Acamar's bridge, deep within the Fastormel Lord Mage's sanctum shines with perverse luminosity. The silhouettes of foul creatures set on flooding into the material world can be vaguely seen within...or beyond...or both?
The Lord Mage turns from his doings at the alien engine, sparks flying everywhere behind him. His body is distorted, elongated, impossible. The cowl that covers his horrible face sloughs to his shoulders revealing a twisted dark nothingness set within a misshapen human head.
An alien utterance emits from somewhere within that shell of a former member of the material world; "...you will see...you will consume...be consumed..."
A massive, mercurial guardian rises from a pool of shimmering silver at the feet of the Lord Mage as creatures no more than floating globs of spatial distortion fire space-disrupting beams at the heroes!
*
ILLUMINATION: The Lord Mage's Alien Engine and the radiance of Acamar's bridge provide full illumination to the chamber.
* CLOSE ACAMAR'S ALIEN BRIDGE TO THE MATERIAL WORLD LVL 9 (DCs 12/17/25)/COMPLEXITY 2 (6 Successes/3 Failure/1 Hard DC/2 Secondary Skill as Minor Action DC 12)
1) Suppress the Alien Engine (DC 17): Dungeoneer, Arcana (standard action, adjacent).
2) Disrupt the Arcane Circuit and Reverse the Flow (DC 17): Endurance, Thievery (move action, adjacent, take 5 psychic damage).
3) Cross the Threshold of Acamar's Bridge and Enter the Far Realm (DC 17): Acrobatics, Athletics, Nature, Religion (standard action, adjacent, take 10 radiant damage).
4 thru 6) GM will frame a situation for the PC in the Far Realm on that player's turn, one of which will be vs Hard DC 25. Once three situations are successfully resolved, the alien bridge will be temporarily closed, and the PC will be shunted back into the material world. * Player can spend an Action Point while in the Far Realm to engage a second situation on their turn.
Until the SC is resolved, at the top of every round, Acamar's Bridge activates, releasing a Temporal-Spatial Vortex into one unoccupied square not adjacent to a hero. The vortex then spawns 2 x Langolier Minions (yellow M) adjacent.
* TEMPORAL-SPATIAL VORTEX (light grey squares; hindering terrain): Squares adjacent to a vortex cost 3 squares to move out of. Any creature that starts its turn in a vortex is dazed until the end of its turn and has Total Concealment (-5 penalty to attack) vs any creatures outside of the vortex. While a creature is within the vortex, all other creatures have Total Concealment (-5 penalty to attack) due to the time and space bending effect. Special: Langoliers are immune to vortices.
*
PILLARS (black squares; blocking terrain): 4 x black squares (2 x 2) are pillars and blocking terrain.
*
STEEP STAIRS AND UPPER LEVEL: The steep stairs are 3 squares to traverse. The squares of stair are challenging terrain. Medium creature Move Actions require Athletics DC 17. Fail by 4 or less and squares are difficult terrain. Failure by 5 or more and move action ends in initiating sq. The upper level is 15 feet above the lower level. Climbing an adjacent wall from the lower level to the upper level is DC 15.
*
ARCANE ENGINE (hindering terrain): All squares of the five foot high arcane engine provide cover and are challenging terrain to traverse. Medium creature Move Actions require Athletics DC 15. Fail by 4 or less and squares are difficult terrain. Failure by 5 or more and move action ends in initiating sq. Any creature ending their turn within a square of arcane engine, takes 7 force damage.
* ARCANE ENGINE STUNT: A creature at the console (orange sq G19) can spend a standard action to program and activate an engine pulse:
ᗕ Arcane Engine ✦
Encounter
Requirement: You must be in sq G19 and make a DC 15 Dungeoneering or History check. Failure and the engine activates, but your brains are scrambled by the process; you grant combat advantage until the end of the encounter.
Attack: One creature within 20; +12 vs. Fortitude
Hit: 3d8 + 5 force damage, and the target is stunned (save ends).
Miss: Half damage, and the target is dazed until the end of their next turn.
* VOLATILE FAR REALM MATERIAL (green glowing squares; hindering & fantastic terrain): Any creature that starts its turn in a square of the material takes 7 acid damage. Effect: A creature adjacent to a square of material can spend a minor action (Dungeoneering or Thievery DC 17) to coat their ammunition, weapon, or implement with the material. On success, attacks gain +2 power bonus to hit, deal +2 power bonus to damage and deal acid damage until the end of your next turn. On a failure, the coating fails and you take 5 acid damage.
*
Fastormel Lord Mage (large, aberrant, humanoid, Controller, Elite) = HP 130, AC 23, Fortitude 19, Reflex 21, Will 23, Fly 5 (clumsy).
*
Far Realm Warden (large, immortal, animate, construct, Soldier, Elite) = HP 130, AC 25, Fortitude 24, Reflex 19, Will 19, Melee Reach 2.
*
Acamarspawn (medium, aberrant, magical beast, Artillery, Orange Minion) = HP 1, AC 21, Fortitude 21, Reflex 22, Will 20, Fly 6 (hover).
*
Langolier (medium, aberrant, magical beast, Brute, Yellow Minion) = HP 1, AC 21, Fortitude 22, Reflex 22, Will 19, Fly 3 (clumsy)
*
Place Characters in Row 1, Columns J through Q, roll
Dungeoneering Monster Knowledge x 3, Religion x 1, and
Initiative.
*
Initiative:
Starn (S) 30
Vorn (V) 28
Rooter & Nimo (R) 23
(starting rd 2) Langolier (Yellow M) 22
Lief (L) 20
Fastormel Lord Mage (LM) 20
Far Realm Warden (W) 17
Acamarspawn (Orange M) 10
ROUND 1
* (No Action) Starn Monster Knowledge (Dungeoneering) vs
Fastormel Lord Mage: r(3)+9=12. Fails vs Medium DC. No new statblock information.
Fastormel Lord Mage
Large aberrant, humanoid
Level 9 Elite Controller XP 800
HP 130; Bloodied 65 Initiative +6
AC 23, Fortitude 19, Reflex 21, Will 23 Perception+9
Speed 5, fly 5 (clumsy) All-around vision, Blindsight 20
Immune charm, fear; Resist 5 force, psychic, radiant; Vuln 5 acid, lightning, thunder
Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1
Traits
All-Around Vision
Enemies can't gain combat advantage by flanking the lord mage.
Impossible Mind
At the start of its turn, the lord mage makes saving throws to end any dazing effect on it.
Standard Actions
(⚔)
Scepter (weapon) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the lord mage can slide the target 1 square.
ᗕ
Quantum Entanglement (force) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Close burst 10 (two creatures in the burst); +12 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 4 force damage, and the lord mage pulls the targets up to 2 squares toward each other.
Miss: half damage and the lord mage can slide the target 1 square.
✻
See Beyond the Horizon (fear, psychic) ✦ Recharge when first bloodied
Attack: Area burst 1 within 5 (enemies in the burst); +12 vs. Will
Hit: 2d8 + 8 psychic damage, and the target is restrained and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both).
Miss: Half damage, and ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends).
Minor Actions
Consume and Be Consumed (psychic, zone) ✦ Encounter
Effect: Area burst 2 within 10. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the lord mage's next turn. Any enemy that starts its turn in the zone takes 7 psychic damage and gains +2 power bonus to damage until the end of its turn. When the zone ends, four langoliers appear in unoccupied squares in the zone.
Triggered Actions
ᗕ
Acamar's Orbit (necrotic, psychic) ✦ Encounter
Trigger: The Fastormel Lord Mage is reduced to 0 hit points
Effect: The FML becomes hindering terrain until the end of the encounter. Any creature that starts its turn in Acamar's Orbit takes 7 necrotic and psychic damage and suffers a -1 to the skill check of the follow-on group move to Escape the Crumbling Tower.
Attack (No Action): Close burst 5 (enemies in the burst); +12 vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target is pulled 4 squares into Acamar's Orbit.
---------------------------------
* (No Action) Starn Monster Knowledge (Religion) vs
Far Realm Guardian: r(8)+15=23. Succeeds vs Medium DC. Fails vs Hard DC.
Far Realm Warden
Large immortal animate (construct)
Level 9 Elite Soldier XP 800
HP 130; Bloodied 65 Initiative +6
AC 25, Fortitude 24, Reflex 19, Will 19 Perception+4
Speed 5 Darkvision
Immune charm, fear, poison; Resist 5 all
Saving Throws +2; Action Points 1
Keywords: None
Traits
Inexorable Movement
The Far Realm Warden can enter the spaces of Medium or Small enemies.
Ponderous
The Far Realm Warden cannot shift.
Far Realm Detonation
When the Far Realm Warden is reduced to 0 hit points, all creatures in the Lord Mage's sanctum that it has line of effect to take damage equal to their bloodied value (minimum 1).
Standard Actions
(⚔)
Mercurial Weapon (weapon) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 2d12 + 4 damage.
Effect: The target is marked until the end of the warden's next turn.
⚔
Double Attack ✦ At-Will
Effect: The warden uses mercurial weapon twice.
ᗕ
Rampage (weapon) ✦ Recharge when first bloodied
Effect: The warden can move up to 5 squares. Whenever the warden enters an enemy's space during this movement, that enemy falls prone. At the end of the movement, the warden then makes the following attack.
Attack: Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 3d8 + 9 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
Triggered Actions
Ward ✦ At-Will
Trigger: The lord mage is damaged by an attack and is within 2 squares of the warden.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The warden takes half of the triggering attack's damage, and the lord mage takes the other half.
Athletics +15
--------------------------------
* (No Action) Starn Monster Knowledge (Dungeoneering) vs
Acamarspawn: r(13)+9=22. Succeeds vs Medium DC. Fails vs Hard DC.
Acamarspawn
Medium aberrant magical beast
Level 9 Minion Artillery XP 100
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative +7
AC 21, Fortitude 21, Reflex 22, Will 20 Perception+9
Speed 0, fly 6 (hover) All-around vision, Blindsight 20
Keywords: Force
Traits
All-Around Vision
Enemies can't gain combat advantage by flanking the acamarspawn.
Standard Actions
(➶)
Space-disrupting Beam (force) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex
Hit: 8 force damage.
-------------------------------
* (No Action) Starn Monster Knowledge (Dungeoneering) vs
Langolier: r(9)+9=18. Succeeds vs Medium DC. Fails vs Hard DC.
Langolier
Medium aberrant magical beast
Level 9 Minion Brute XP 100
HP 1; a missed attack never damages a minion. Initiative +7
AC 21, Fortitude 22, Reflex 22, Will 19 Perception+5
Speed 6, fly 3 (clumsy)
Keywords: Necrotic
Standard Actions
(⚔)
Otherworldly Chomp (necrotic) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 4 damage + 3 necrotic damage, and the target takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends).
First Failed Saving Throw: The target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage instead of 3 (save ends).
STARN recalls his desperate fight against' Acamar's forces in Winterhaven not long ago and uses that knowledge to his advantage as the apprentice-wizard gives ROOTER the command to protect him throughout the battle.
NIMOZARAN nods atop the robot pig; "wise decision, my boy..."
* No Action: Strategist's Epiphany; substitute History for Initiative bonus.
* Free Action: Designate Rooter's Ward as Starn.
VORN unleashes a volley of covering fire as Lief works his way deeper into the chamber.
* No Action: Battlefront Shift (CBu3); Lief shifts 3 squares to G4.
Boots of the Fencing Master effect triggered: Lief gains +1 item bonus to AC and Reflex defense until the end of his next turn.
LIEF's eyes dart around the chamber, tracking everyone's movements, instinctively plotting their trajectories. Adrenaline pours into him as he sprints forward, desperate to get ahead of his enemies.
* No Action: Cipher starting feature; When Lief's initiative result isn't highest he can move up to his speed before anyone else's turn in the encounter. Move 6 sqs from G4 to E10.
STARN looks around, notes the stair leading up to where the bridge is, and says "Rooter, watch my back!" and then approaches the nearest area of unstable far realm matter. Realizing its potential, he dips his tome into the weird green stuff. However the material behaves unpredictably, burning his hand! Giving up on that idea he snaps off a Magic Missile at a nearby Acamar Spawn, and it dissolves.
* Move Action: Move to U6
* Minor Action: Dip tome into far realm matter. DC17 Dungeoneering. Roll 3 + 9 = 12, fail, Starn takes 5 damage.
* Standard Action: Magic Missile attack at M in U12, auto hit,
minion dies.
LOCATION: U6
DAMAGE: 10 damage to
M (U12); SLAIN.
Conditions to Enemies: None
HP: 53/58
AP: 1
Conditions: None
VORN is nearly overwhelmed by what he sees in this room. The machine, the corrupted mage, the guardian it has summoned. But he pushes that aside. He notes the silver, mercurial guardian, recalling the ways he's managed to kill such creatures in the past.
He draws an arrow and takes aim. Despite its shifting form, he's seen that other creatures have been harmed by some attacks more than others. He knows they have weak points. He sees a pulsing nodule... perhaps some organ or similar structure... and he fires.
The thing writhes as the arrow strikes, and lets out an ululating howl. It shifts adn flows, its silvery body forming multiple tendrils that shake threateningly at Vorn. He knows he's hurt it, and more, that it's angry at him.
He darts behind a nearby pillar, hoping to draw the thing away from the corrupted mage.
* Minor: Make W my quarry
* Standard: Marked for Death
r(14) + 14 = 28 vs. W's AC25, HIT.
Damage: r(10 + 10 + 3) + r(3 + 3 + 2) + 9 = 40 - 5 (Resist All) = 35 damage and W is marked UEoVNT
* Move: 6 spaces to F7
LOCATION: F7
Damage: 35 to W
Conditions to Enemies: W is Marked UEoVNT and is my Quarry
Current HP: 66/66
Healing Surges: 5/8
Current De/Buffs: Marked for Death gives me +2d6 damage vs. W for rest of encounter
AP: 0
NIMOZARAN shouts "Away ROOTER" and the construct-pig scrambles forward. Nothing that the Guardian is the greatest threat, Rooter moves to block any attack on Starn from that direction and Nimozaran fires an ice bomb at it, getting a solid hit.
* Standard Action: fire Alchemical launcher at G in M8, roll 6 +14 =20 vs REF 19, hits. D10+7 4+7=11 -5 (Resist All) = 6 damage and target is slowed and takes ongoing 5 cold damage, save ends.
* Move Action: move to square T5
LOCATION: T5
DAMAGE: 6 to W
Conditions to Enemies: W slowed and ongoing 5 (-5 Resist All) cold damage (SE)
Current HP:
HS:1
Current Buffs: Starn is marked as my Ward, and is within 2 squares.
LIEF keeps his eyes on his target—the conduit ahead. First this, then he can start tearing into these abominations. He barrels through a narrow, tunnel-like section of the machinery and then takes off, leaping and muscling onto the upper level in one smooth motion.
* Move: 6 sq to F16.
* Move Action: 3 squares to E19, and Athletics (with Crane's Wing movement technique, +5 power bonus) to jump up 2 squares to grab hold at the 10 foot point and pull himself up to the second level at D20. Its DC 20 base required for the jump and an extra +2 for DC 22.
r(13)+12+5 = 30. Success.
LOCATION: D20
DAMAGE: na
Conditions to Enemies: na
HP: 66/66
Healing Surges: 7/9
Current De/Buffs: na
AP: 0
* FASTORMEL LORD MAGE delays until after
FAR REALM GUARDIAN's turn
The FAR REALM WARDEN moves oddly with its ever-changing mass, staggering, undulating, schlooping around one of the great pillars of the sanctum. It casts off the layer of rime covering it as it engages Rooter in a melee clash. Though the behemoth's aggression preoccupies the heroic construct, Vorn unleashes a barrage of covering fire to deflect and distract the blows meant for his robotic, porcine, pal!
* Starts Turn: Slowed and OG 5 cold - 5 Resist All = 0 cold damage.
* Move Action: 2 sq to P6
* Standard Action: Charge to R5 and MBA Mercurial Weapon (M2, weapon) vs R's AC: r(10) + 14 +1 (charge) -2 (marked by V) = 23. Miss. Effect: R is marked by W UtEoWNT.
(⚔)
Mercurial Weapon (weapon) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 2d12 + 4 damage.
Effect: The target is marked until the end of the warden's next turn.
* Ends Turn: Saving throw vs slowed and OG 5 cold; r(20) +2 = Success.
LOCATION: R5
DAMAGE: na
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: R is marked by W UtEoWNT
CURRENT HP:
89/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: 1/1 AP
The aberrant, distended former human, FASTORMEL's LORD MAGE, calls upon the reality distorting arcana of the Far Realm to infuse the area around Lief with madness and hunger. From that misty psychic nexus, a quad of odd creatures that look to be no more than spherical maws, begin to emerge.
The mad mage of Fastormel then lopes its awkward form toward the great pillar obstructing the sight of Starn and Nimozaran. Once the mage is within the protective ward of its guardian from the Far Realm, it exhales a "...there is no escape" to its former thrall of Nimozaran as it unleashes a barrage of restraining mind-magic upon Rooter, Nimozaran, and Starn.
* Minor Action: ABu2 w/in 10 Consume and Be Consumed (psychic, zone) centered on E20 (pink square). Effect: Area burst 2 within 10. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the lord mage's next turn. Any enemy that starts its turn in the zone takes 7 psychic damage and gains +2 power bonus to damage until the end of its turn. When the zone ends, four langoliers appear in unoccupied squares in the zone.
Consume and Be Consumed (psychic, zone) ✦ Encounter
Effect: Area burst 2 within 10. The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of the lord mage's next turn. Any enemy that starts its turn in the zone takes 7 psychic damage and gains +2 power bonus to damage until the end of its turn. When the zone ends, four langoliers appear in unoccupied squares in the zone.
* Move Action: 5 sq to P5
* Standard Action: See Beyond the Horizon (ABu1 w/in 5, fear, psychic) centered on U5 vs R's and S's Will: r(20, 2) + 12 = CRIT, 14. CRIT R and miss S. 24 psychic damage to R and R is restrained and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both). r(5,3) +8 = 16/2 = 8 psychic damage to S, and ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends)
✻
See Beyond the Horizon (fear, psychic) ✦ Recharge when first bloodied
Attack: Area burst 1 within 5 (enemies in the burst); +12 vs. Will
Hit: 2d8 + 8 psychic damage, and the target is restrained and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both).
Miss: Half damage, and ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends).
LOCATION: P5
DAMAGE: 24 psychic damage to R and 8 psychic damage to S.
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: L is in Consume and Be Consumed zone centered on E20 (pink square), R is restrained and takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends both). S takes ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends)
CURRENT HP:
130/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: Within G's Ward radius of 2 sq, 1/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon (fear, psychic) exhausted until Bloodied.
The floating globs of spatial distortion that are the ACAMARSPAWN fire space-disrupting beams at the heroes! Rooter defends Starn from one as Vorn deflects another with his magical bow. However, the last erupts near our shapeshifter hero, causing Lief to reel momentarily from the spatial distortions!
M (!14)
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs R's Ref: r(10) + 14 = 24. Miss (due to +1 defenses from SWD).
(➶)
Space-disrupting Beam (force) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Ranged 10 (one creature); +14 vs. Reflex
Hit: 8 force damage.
* Move Action: Fly (hover) 6 sq to !20 (altitude 1).
M (L17)
* Move Action: Fly (hover) 5 sq to J22 (altitude 1).
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs L's Ref: r(9) + 14 = 23. Hit. L takes 8 force damage.
M (B12)
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs V's Ref: r(3) + 14 = 17. Miss.
LOCATION: !20, J22, B12
DAMAGE: L takes 8 force damage.
<The Far Realm erupts, spewing a Temporal Spatial-Vortex (F9) into the material world and a pair of floating, spherical maws, emerge from the vortex!>
LM 130/130
W 89/130 Marked by V UEoVNT, V's Quarry
ROUND 2
STARN gives up his attempt to acquire the weird far realm matter and instead heads up the stairs so he can move towards the bridge. As he does so he hits the Guardian with a charm, causing it to lash out at the Lord Mage, sowing confusion in the enemy. He also fills his mind with arcane power, bolts of magic energy begin to dance at his fingertips.
* Begins Turn: 5 ongoing psychic damage.
* Move Action: Move to Y3
* Minor Action: Activate Wizards Fury
* Standard Action: target Guardian at R5 with Charm of the Defender. Roll 10 + 13 = 23 vs WILL (19) = Hit, W is slid 3 squares to O7, and makes an MBA on LW with a +2 bonus for Starn's implement. W rolls 17 + 2 + 14 = 33 vs AC, hits LW for 19 damage, and LW is marked by W until end of W's next turn.
* Ends Turn: Save vs Ongoing 5 psychic damage = 7, failure.
LOCATION: S in Y3, W in O7
DAMAGE TO ENEMIES: 19 damage to LW
Conditions to Enemies: LW is marked by W until EOWNT
HIT POINTS: 40/58
Buffs/debuffs: Savage Fury UEoE, 5 OG psychic (SE)
HS: 7/9
AP: 1
"Avandra's fickle whims!" VORN mutters as he realizes the warden didn't take his bait. Two of the formless globs distort the air before him. He shifts his stance, ready to fire on the move, and knowing he's leaving himself open, quickly darts away from the mercurial foes.
Luckily, he manages to evade their otherworldly bites. The gnashing of their teeth sounds like the breaking of glass. Vorn spins around to the other side of the pillar, and takes aim at the warden.
The shot strikes another knot of flesh, and the beast writhes again. "Come on, you slippery $#!+!" he yells, trying to draw its attention away from Starn and Nimozaran. "Come and get me!"
* Minor: Skirmishing Stance
* Move: 6 squares to J6.
TRIGGERS Opportunity attacks from two Langoliers x 2
1) r(3) + 14 vs. AC 24 = Miss
2) r(10) + 14 vs. AC 24 = Hit. Damage: 4 + 3 necrotic and V takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage instead of 3 (save ends).
(⚔)
Otherworldly Chomp (necrotic) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Melee 1 (one creature); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 4 damage + 3 necrotic damage, and the target takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends).
First Failed Saving Throw: The target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage instead of 3 (save ends).
* Standard: Archery Commander vs W.
r(16) + 14 = 30 vs. AC25, HIT.
Damage: r(10 + 6 + 3) + r(5 + 5 + 2) + r(6) + 9 - 5 (resist) = 41 damage to W (
BLOODIED)
* End of Turn: Saving Throw vs. Ongoing Necrotic: r (3), use Delver’s Armor to reroll with a +2 bonus, r (13) + 2 = 15.
SUCCESS.
LOCATION: J6
Damage: 41 to W, 7 incoming to V
Conditions to Enemies: W is my Quarry
Current HP: 59/66
Healing Surges: 7/8
Current De/Buffs: Marked for Death gives me +2d6 damage vs. W for rest of encounter; Skirmishing Stance: if I move 4 squares I get +2 to AC and REF and +1d8 damage on next attack roll; Archery Commander means I don't provoke for ranged attacks while adjacent.
AP: 0
ROOTER, enmeshed in some form of otherworldly silver tendrils wafted at the War Pigstruct stands perfectly still for a second while NIMOZARAN fires the Alchemical Launcher at the Guardian once more, attempting to keep it as frozen as possible. Unfortunately the ice bomb goes wide this time. Meanwhile Rooter's cybermagical brain is still suffering the lingering effects of the Lord Mage's last attack! Once Nimozaran has made his attempt, the Mecha Pig exerts all its might to escape the tendrils, barely managing to pull free.
* Starts Turn: takes 5 OG psychic damage and restrained.
* Standard Action: Nimozaran fires the Alchemical Launcher at W, roll is a 4 -2 (restrained) + 14 = 16 vs Reflex 19, miss.
* Ends Turn: Save vs Ongoing 5 psychic damage = 10, succeeds; ends restrained and OG psychic.
LOCATION: T5
DAMAGE TO ENEMIES: None
Conditions: None
HP: 67/98
HS: 1
AP: 0
Without legs to carry them, the awkward LANGOLIERS spin on a wobbly axis toward Lief's position on the other side of the pillar. Surrounded by the spherical maws, the Ranger-Folk Hero desperately fends off their oozing maws and sharp teeth with his bow!
M (G8)
* Move Action: 3 sq (immune to T-S V) to J9.
* Standard Action: Charge to J7 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs L's AC: r(2) +14 +1 (charge) = 17. Miss.
M (E8)
* Move Action: 6 sq (immune to T-S V) to J3.
* Standard Action: Charge to J5 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs L's AC: r(13) +14 +1 (charge) +2 (CA) = 30. Hit. 4 damage + 3 necrotic damage (V already takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage so NA).
LOCATION: J9, J3
DAMAGE: 7 damage to V.
LIEF fights through the pain closing in around him, and through bewilderment at the phosphorescent arcane machinery in front of him. Doesn't matter how it works—just make it go the other way! He twists and loosens the circuit's fasteners like he's picking a massive lock, gritting his teeth and working by instinct until something happens. It does—the flow of strange force reflects back, like light striking a mirror. He doesn't wait to see what that means, leaping off the platform and toward Vorn the things closing in on Vorn.
* Start of turn: Takes 7 damage from Consume or Be Consumed.
* Move: Disrupt the Arcane Circuit and Reverse the Flow (DC 17): Endurance, Thievery (move action, adjacent, take 5 psychic damage). Thievery r(17)+9 = 26. Success.
* Move: Crane's Wing movement technique, jump with +5 power bonus to Athletics. r(11)+12+5 = 25/5 for 5 sq of movement to F15. Taking 1d10 falling damage r(8).
* Free: Acrobatics to reduce falling damage. r(7)+18 = 25. Damage reduced to 0, lands standing.
LOCATION: F15
DAMAGE: 5 incoming psychic damage to L
Conditions to Enemies:
SC (CLOSE ACAMAR'S ALIEN BRIDGE TO THE MATERIAL WORLD) step 2 resolved
HP: 46/66
Healing Surges: 7/9
Current De/Buffs: na
AP: 0
The red runes that cover the FAR REALM WARDEN glow with increasing luminosity, signaling the creature's countdown for detonation!
It goes on a frenzy and rushes across the battlefield and over Rooter, Nimo, and Starn. When the rampage is over, Rooter and Starn alike are spilled onto the ground. The trusty robot pig has given back some of what he's endured in a fierce melee clash, but the "good boy" is reeling under the assault by the giant mercurial Far Realm construct!
* Move Action: 5 sq to T4.
TRIGGERS OPPORTUNITY ATTACK FROM R. R's MBA ROOTIN AROUND (M1) vs W's AC: r(19) +14 = 33. Hit. r(5, 1) +8 -5 (Resist) = 9 damage to W. Effect: W is marked by R UtEoRNT.
* Standard Action: Rampage (M2, weapon). Move 5 sq into R and S spaces; U5 > V4 (R falls prone) > X4 > Y4 (S fallls prone) > X4. ClBu2 vs R's and S's AC: r(11, 2) +14 +2 (CA for prone) = 27, 18. Hit R, Miss S. r(8, 2, 3) +9 = 22 damage to R
(BLOODIED) and OG 5 damage (SE).
ᗕ
Rampage (weapon) ✦ Recharge when first bloodied
Effect: The warden can move up to 5 squares. Whenever the warden enters an enemy's space during this movement, that enemy falls prone. At the end of the movement, the warden then makes the following attack.
Attack: Close burst 2 (enemies in the burst); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 3d8 + 9 damage, and ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
* Action Point for Standard: Mercurial Weapon (M2, weapon) vs R's AC: r(6) + 14 = 20. Miss. Effect: R is marked by W UtEoWNT.
LOCATION: X4
DAMAGE: 9 incoming damage to W, 22 damage to R
(BLOODIED)
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: R takes OG 5 damage (SE) and R is marked by W UtEoWNT, R and S are prone.
CURRENT HP:
39/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: W is marked UtEoRNT. 0/1 AP, Rampage exhausted, nearing Detonation.
The aberrant FASTORMEL's LORD MAGE summons forth the entangling power of his horrible celestial patron. Lief and Vorn find themselves being drawn toward each other at a subatomic level! Their feet plant in the ground, their hands grasp at pillars and arcane machinery to halt the strange power that causes them careening toward each other and the Temporal-spatial Vortex!
"...yes...become one...Acamar decrees" the mad mage whispers from the awful void that is its "face."
From the mad mage's zone of psychic emanations, the four LANGOLIERS pull themselves from the Far Realm into the material world!
* Standard Action: Quantum Entanglement (CBu10; 2 creatures, force) vs V's and L's Ref: r(13, 8) +12 (-2 L's cover from Arcane Engine) = 25, 18. Hit V, miss L. r(3, 3) +4 = 10 force damage and V is pulled 2 sq to J8. L takes 5 force damage and is pulled 1 sq to F14.
ᗕ
Quantum Entanglement (force) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Close burst 10 (two creatures in the burst); +12 vs. Reflex
Hit: 2d6 + 4 force damage, and the lord mage pulls the targets up to 2 squares toward the other target.
Miss: half damage and the lord mage can pull the target 1 square toward the other target.
* Action Point for Standard: Quantum Entanglement (CBu10; 2 creatures, force) vs V's and L's Ref: r(8, 9) +12 (-2 L's cover from Arcane Engine) = 20, 19. Miss both. r(1, 6) +4 = 11/2 = 5 force damage and V is pulled 1 sq to I9 (see adjacent to T-S V). L takes 5 force damage and is pulled 1 sq to F13.
* Move Action: 4 sq to T3.
* Ends Turn: Consume and Be Consumed zone ends and 4 x Langoliers spawn in zone.
LOCATION: LM in T3, 4 x Langloliers C18 - F18, L in F14, V in J8.
DAMAGE: 15 force damage to V and 10 force damage to L.
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: V adjacent to T-S V.
CURRENT HP:
130/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: Within G's Ward radius of 2 sq, 0/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon (fear, psychic) exhausted until Bloodied.
The floating globs of spatial distortion that are the ACAMARSPAWN fire space-disrupting beams at the heroes! Starn and Lief each reel momentarily from the assault's spatial distortions!
M (!20)
* Move Action: Fly (hover) 6 sq to !14 (altitude 1).
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs S's Ref: r(17) + 14 = 31. Hit. S takes 8 force damage.
M (J22)
* Move Action: Fly (hover) 5 sq to G17 (altitude 1).
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs L's Ref: r(5) + 14 = 19. Miss.
M (B12)
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs L's Ref: r(12) + 14 = 26. L takes 8 force damage.
LOCATION: !14, G17, B12
DAMAGE: S and L each take 8 force damage.
<The Far Realm erupts, spewing a Temporal Spatial-Vortex (K12) into the material world and a pair of floating, spherical maws, emerge from the vortex!>
SC step 2 resolved
LM 130/130
W 39/130 Marked by R UEoRNT, V's Quarry
ROUND 3
STARN scrambles to his feet and instinctively lets loose a mental blast at his assailants. The Warden is driven back, but Starn's will cannot overcome the mental power the Mage itself. Once the Warden is thrown back, he leaps down the stairs and takes up a position behind the large pillar, urging Rooter and Nimozaran to join him. As he starts down the stairs he almost casually flips another bolt of force at the Warden, further destabilizing it.
* Starts Turn: Take 5 ongoing psychic damage, this triggers Starn's Tattoo of Arcane Blood, and the Warden takes 3 - 3 (Resist 5) damage = reduced to 0.
* Move Action: Stand up from prone.
* Standard Action: Beguiling Strands, both W and LM are in the close blast 5. 8+13=21 vs W will (19) hits, target takes 8-5=3 psychic damage and is pushed 3 squares to V2 (further movement is not possible). 9+13=22 vs LM Will(23), misses, no effect.
* Minor Action: Magic Missile at W, does 10-5=5 force damage.
* Free Action: use an AP: Move to S9
* Ends Turn: Save vs Ongoing damage = 5, failed
LOCATION: S in S9, W in V2
DAMAGE: 8 to W
Conditions to Enemies: none
HP: 27/58
HS:7/9
AP:0
Buffs/Debuffs: OG 5 damage (SE), Bloodied
VORN watches the otherworldly warden. It pulses with an unearthly glow, strange streams of energy flowing from its wounds. The pulsing is increasing at an alarming rate, and Vorn feels danger mounting. “Get away from the warden!” he cries.
He spins and sees a number of the smaller anomalies closing in on shifter. “Keep it together, Lief!” He fires at two of them, and they burst in little explosions as they die. Which only confirms his suspicion.
*More of the creatures gather about him and Lief. He hopes they can survive the next barrage. “Take cover from the mage’s warden! Behind the pillars!” He flings himself against the nearby column.
* Standard: Twin Strike against two Langoliers, E18 and F18
r(13) + 14 = 27 vs AC 21, HIT,
M (E18) SLAIN.
r(19) + 14 = 33 vs AC 21, HIT
M (F18) SLAIN.
* Minor: Inspiring word on @Lief, he spends 1 HS (16 HP) + 2d6 HP; 16 + r(5, 5) = 26 HP returned to Lief.
* Move: 1 square to H8 (costs 3 squares due to adjacent vortex)
LOCATION: H8
DAMAGE:
M in E18 and F18 SLAIN
Conditions to Enemies: None
HP: 59/66
HS: 7/8
Current De/Buffs: Marked for Death gives me +2d6 damage vs. W for rest of encounter; Skirmishing Stance: if I move 4 squares I get +2 to AC and REF and +1d8 damage on next attack roll; Archery Commander means I don't provoke for ranged attacks while adjacent
AP: 0
Strange magical currents circulate in what goes for a brain within the cyber-pig. As it picks itself up from the ground after the last attack by the Warden, ROOTER senses the thoughts of NIMOZARAN. They are in accord. Rooter reorients itself, aiming directly at the now pulsating mass of the Warden, and leaps forward to the attack, Nimozaran grimly hanging on as they bear down on their target with a giant snort!
Rooter impacts the creature with a mighty crash, dealing it a severe blow, and a pulse of orange light ripples across the strange being as its form visible approaches final disintegration!
* Starts Turn: Takes 5 ongoing damage.
* Move Action: Stand up from prone.
* Standard Action: Charge to square V3 and attack W with Rootin' Around, Roll 18 + 14 +1 (charge) = 33 vs AC(25) hit, for 19 - 5 = 14 damage. Effect: W is marked by R UtEoRNT.
* Ends Turn: Saving throw vs OG 5 damage; r(4) = failed.
LOCATION: V3
Damage to Enemies: 14 Damage to W
Conditions to Enemies: W is marked by R UtEoRNT.
HP: 40/98
HS: 1
Buffs/Debuffs: 5 OG damage (SE).
Without legs to carry them, the awkward LANGOLIERS float oddly to the ground and spin on a wobbly axis to engage Lief. The stout shifter monk fends off the worst of the otherworldly attacks but the necrotic goop sizzles across his exposed bare skin.
The final quad descend upon our ranger folk hero, the famed Redfletch, and Starn! They fend off their aggressors with bow and book, but they're pressed mightily with the chomps and gooey necrotic maws and Vorn ends up surrounded!
M (C18)
* Move Action: fly (clumsy) 3 sq to E16.
* Standard Action: Charge to E14 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs L's AC: r(7) +14 +1 (charge) = 22. Miss.
M (D18)
* Move Action: fly (clumsy) 3 sq to F16.
* Standard Action: Charge to F14 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs L's AC: r(19) +14 +1 (charge) = 34. 4 damage + 3 necrotic damage = 7 necrotic damage to L, and L takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage instead of 3 (save ends).
TRIGGERS LIEF'S Emerald Flame Ki Focus: (Immediate Reaction) You are hit by an attack, any enemy adjacent to you takes 5 fire damage. Then you shift 2 squares. EFFECT: BOTH M's E14/F14 SLAIN AND LIEF SHIFTS 2 SQ TO F15.
LIEF becomes sheathed in flames as a fiery eruption from his ki focus incinerates the pair of Langoliers assailing him. Lief is suddenly in motion, leaving his slain enemies in his burning wake.
M (J11)
* Move Action: 5 sq (immune to T-S V) to E10.
* Standard Action: Charge to G8 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs V's AC: r(3) +14 +1 (charge) = 18. Miss.
M (L11)
* Move Action: 2 sq (immune to T-S V) to I11.
* Standard Action: Charge to I9 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs V's AC: r(15) +14 +1 (charge) = 30.
4 damage + 3 necrotic damage = 7 necrotic damage to V, and V takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends). First Failed Saving Throw: The target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage instead of 3 (save ends).
M (J7)
* Move Action: 1 sq to K8.
* Standard Action: Charge to I8 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs V's AC: r(20) +14 +1 (charge) +2 (CA) = CRIT. 4 damage + 3 necrotic damage = 7 necrotic damage to V, and V takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends).
First Failed Saving Throw: The target takes ongoing 5 necrotic damage instead of 3 (save ends).
M (J5)
* Move Action: 4 sq to N9.
* Standard Action: Charge to R9 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs S's AC: r(7) +14 +1 (charge) +2 (CA) = 24. Miss.
LOCATION: G8, I9, I8, R9. L is in F15.
DAMAGE:
E14 & F14 SLAIN. 7 damage to L, 14 damage to V.
DEBUFFS: L and V each take 3 OG necrotic (SE)
LIEF realizes, horrified, that the entire fight has been flipped—he isn't the one staying with the archer to tear through Acamar's hordes while Starn traverses planes. He has to do it. Him, or they all die, all of this was for nothing.*
"Vorn!" the shifter shouts, lobbing a blood apricot, soaked with his own blood, at the archer. Before seeing if Vorn catches it, Lief flows and cartwheels over the arcane machinery toward the alien engine in the center of the chamber. He slams into it and sets to work, blocking out the fact that his friends—the only ones he's ever had!—are being overwhelmed by enemies. Lief wonders if any of this was worth it. He screams, slamming levers and kicking the engine until it reacts. It flickers, hidden mechanisms screaming back at him, and dims.
* Start of Turn: 3 ongoing necrotic damage to Lief.
* Minor Action:
LIEF & TARGET TOSS & CATCH STUNT:
LIEF
Minor Action - Ranged 5
Target: 1 Ally
Requirement: Lief makes DC 17 Thievery check at -2 because it's at long range. Failure and his allies DC becomes Hard DC of 25. r(15)+9-2 = 22. Success.
Effect: Lief tosses a Blood Apricot in Vorn's direction.
ALLY
Immediate Reaction
Trigger: Lief tosses a Blood Apricot in Vorn's direction.
Requirement: The ally must have one hand free and must succeed at a DC 17 Thievery or Perception check. Failure and the Blood Apricot falls to the floor and smashes.
Effect: The ally catches the potion.
TRIGGERS Vorn's Free Action drop Lomgbow in sq H9 and Immediate Reaction to catch the Blood Apricot; Perception r(13) +12 = 25. Succeeds.
VORN drops his bow at his feet as he snares the tossed Blood Apricot from the air!
* Move: 6 sq to L17. Traversing the Arcane Engine squares requires Athletics vs. DC 17. r(5)+12 = 17. Success.
* Standard: Suppress the Alien Engine (DC 17) using Dungeoneering. r(13)+8 = 21. Success.
* End of Turn: Save to end ongoing necrotic damage. r(12). Success.
LOCATION: L17
DAMAGE: na
Conditions to Enemies:
Skill Challenge step 1 completed.
HP: 56/66
Healing Surges: 5/9
Current De/Buffs:
AP: 0
The FAR REALM WARDEN exchanges language in the alien tongue of its origin tantamount to:
"detonation...imminent...lord mage...get clear...of blast."
The strange, mercurial aberration pins down the pig-construct in a final clash with Nimozaran riding atop of it.
* Standard Action: Double Attack Mercurial Weapon (M2, weapon) vs R's AC x 2: r(2, 11) + 14 = 16, 25. Hit x 1. r(3, 8) +4 = 15 damage to R. Effect: R is marked by W UtEoWNT.
⚔
Double Attack ✦ At-Will
Effect: The warden uses mercurial weapon twice.
LOCATION: V2
DAMAGE: 15 damage to R
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: R is marked by W UtEoWNT
CURRENT HP:
17/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: Marked by R UEoRNT, V's Quarry, Rampage exhausted, Detonation 17 HP from going off, 0/1 AP
Aware that the end is nigh for its protector from Acamar's realm, FASTORMEL's LORD MAGE, takes awkwardly to rushed flight and then turns once behind the protective cover of the surface, the faceless horror delicately touching back down upon the surface as it charges Starn with a flailing scepter.
The very pressed-upon Wizard-apprentice is somehow able to erect a magical defense to deflect the swing in the nick of time.
* Move Action: Fly (clumsy) Run (+2 speed for -5 atk and grant CA UBoNT) 7 sq to O9 (landing).
* Standard Action: Charge (ground) to Q10 and MBA Scepter (M2, weapon) vs S's AC: r(10) + 14 +1 (charge) -5 (run) +2 (CA) = 22. Miss.
(⚔)
Scepter (weapon) ✦ At-Will
Attack: Melee 2 (one creature); +14 vs. AC
Hit: 2d8 + 8 damage, and the lord mage can slide the target 1 square.
LOCATION: Q10
DAMAGE: na
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: na
CURRENT HP:
130/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: -5 ATK and grants CA UBoNT, 0/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon (fear, psychic) exhausted until Bloodied.
LM HAS NO LINE OF EFFECT TO W AND THEREFORE IS PROTECTED AGAINST DETONATION.
Whether sensing the impending destruction within the chamber or being directed by The Great Old One Acamar itself, two of the three ACAMARSPAWNs seek cover between space-disrupting beams while the third embraces its demise.
M (!14)
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs S's Ref: r(14) + 14 = 28. Hit. S takes 8 force damage.
M (G17)
* Move Action: Fly (hover) 4 sq to K19 (altitude 1).
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs L's Ref: r(19) + 14 = 33. Hit. L takes 8 force damage.
M (B12)
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs V's Ref: r(5) + 14 = 19. Miss.
* Move Action: Fly (hover) 6 sq to F7 (altitude 1).
LOCATION: !14, K19, F7
DAMAGE: S and L take 8 force damage.
DEBUFFS/BUFFS:
M (K19) AND M (F7) HAVE NO LINE OF EFFECT TO W AND THEREFORE ARE PROTECTED AGAINST DETONATION.
<The Far Realm erupts, spewing a Temporal Spatial-Vortex (L19) into the material world and a pair of floating, spherical maws, emerge from the vortex!> M (K18) AND M (L18) HAVE NO LINE OF EFFECT TO W AND THEREFORE ARE PROTECTED AGAINST DETONATION.
SC step 1, 2 resolved
LM 130/130
W 17/130 Marked by V UEoVNT, V's Quarry
ROUND 4
STARN, understanding that he needs to move both the strange maw in front of him, and the Lord High Mage away from cover before the Warden detonates, deploys his trusty Beguiling Strands once again. It doesn't seem to bite the smaller monster at first, but the lucky charm Starn acquired once again warps reality. For a split second Starn glimpses a grim path, and then the minion is flung away!
The Lord Mage is caught off guard by the attack and goes reeling. Finally free of his opponents, Starn flings a Magic Missile at the Warden, pulls free of the nearby vortex and hugs the pillar for cover from the impending, massive blast from the Warden exploding!
* Starts Turn: S takes 5 OG (untyped) damage.
* Standard Action: Beguiling Strands (CBl5; enemies, psychic) at M and LM. Roll 5 +13 = 18 vs M's (R9) WILL(19), miss, lucky charm rolls 3 = 21, hit.
M (R9) SLAIN. Roll 19 + 13 = 32 vs LM's WILL(23), hit. 8 psychic damage to LM, and LM is pushed to N10.
* Minor Action: Magic Missile (R10, force) at W; 10 -5 (Resist) = 5 force damage to W.
* Move Action: Move (3 sq due to adjacent to S-TV) to R9 (out of LoE of W's Detonation effect)
* Ends Turn: Save vs OG 5 (untyped) damage, roll 18, success.
LOCATION: S in R9, LM pushed to N10
DAMAGE:
M (R9) SLAIN. 8 psychic damage to LM. 5 force damage to W.
Conditions to Enemies: LM now in LoE for W's Detonation effect.
HP 14/58
AP:0
HS:7/9
Current Buffs: none
VORN delays until after Rooter & Nimozaran.
Painfully aware that the Far Realm Warden is nearing an unholy detonation, NIMOZARAN shouts "take cover loyal steed!"
The plucky ROOTER shakes his porcine head as he defensively withdraws from the alien warden, bounds over arcane engines, and egresses to safety from the blast!
* Starts Turn: R&N take OG 5 (untyped) damage.
* Move Action: Run (-5 atk and grants CA UBoNT) 8 sq to T11.
TRIGGERS OA FROM W's MBA Mercurial Weapon (M2, weapon); r(4) +12 = 16. MISS.
* Move Action: Run (-5 atk and grants CA UBoNT) (auto-passes the DC 15 Athletics required to traverse the challenging terrain component of Arcane Engines w/ +14 Athletics) to P12 (out of LoE of W's Detonation).
* Ends Turn: Save vs OG 5 (untyped); r(8). Fails.
LOCATION: P12 (out of LoE of W's Detonation)
DAMAGE: none
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: none
CURRENT HP: 20/98
HS: 1/1
CURRENT CONDITIONS: Starn is ward, OG 5 (untyped) damage, -5 atk and grants CA UBoNT.
VORN quickly eats the golden apricot tossed to him by Lief. He feels a surge of energy swell within him, restoring strength to his limbs. He draws two arrows, hoping this gambit works. He sees that his allies should be safely shielded from the warden. He slides a couple feet to his left and retrieves his bow.
He brings one of the arrows… marked by otherworldly fletchings that look like the night sky, swirling stars and all… to his mouth. The other he nocks and aims. He targets the warden, looking past the creatures surrounding him. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have to worry about them for long. He lets the arrow fly.
Then, before waiting for the arrow to strike, he grabs the arrow from his mouth and thrusts it down into the ground at his feet… the world seems to shift around him and he finds himself several feet away, behind the nearby pillar on its western side. Horrific images flash through his mind's eye as the arrow's magic interacts with the other Far Realm energies about. It takes great effort to force the images away.
Then he hears the sound of the warden explode unleashing a deadly torrent of energy about the chamber. He forces himself to keep his eyes open and he clings tightly to the pillar.
* Minor Action: Consume Golden Apricot (healing surge + 2d8 HP return). 16 + r( 3 + 6) = 9 HP back, brings him to full HP.
* Minor Action: PIck up bow from H9.
* Standard Action: Spikes of the Manticore:
First shot vs W AC 25
r(16) +14 -2 Cover (V ignores cover and concealment of his Quarry due to Hunter's Aim) = 30. HIT.
Dmg: r(7+ 4) + r(2+5 + 6) + r( 7) + 9 -5 (Resist All) = 35.
W SLAIN.
TRIGGERS Far Realm Detonation: When the Far Realm Warden is reduced to 0 hit points, all creatures in the Lord Mage's sanctum that it has line of effect to take damage equal to their bloodied value (minimum 1). TRIGGERS SotM Second shot Immediate Interrupt Stunt:
Teleport Vorn to safety of G7 (no LoE to W's Detonation) Before Far Realm Detonation Goes Off:
Range: Personal
Trigger: Vorn reduces W to 0 Hit Points triggering Detonation
Requirement: Succeed at DC 17 Dungeoneering. Failure and the teleportation causes horrible visions of the Far Realm; Vorn takes psychic damage equal to his Healing Surge value.
Effect: Vorn gets the shot off at his feet just in time, teleporting himself behind the pillar to G7 (out of LoE) before the blast goes off.
Dungeoneering Check: r(5) + 7 = 12. FAIL. Vorn takes 16 psychic damage.
* FLM takes 65 damage
(BLOODIED).
TRIGGERS ✻ See Beyond the Horizon (fear, psychic) recharge
* Lief takes 33 damage.
*
Acamarspawn in !14 SLAIN.
*
Langoliers in I9, I8 SLAIN.
LOCATION: G-7
DAMAGE: 35 to
W; SLAIN. FLM takes 65 damage
(BLOODIED). Lief takes 33 damage.
Acamarspawn in !14 SLAIN.
Langoliers in I9, I8 SLAIN.
Conditions to Enemies: None
HP: 50/66
HS: 6/8
Current De/Buffs: Marked for Death gives me +2d6 damage vs. W for rest of encounter; Skirmishing Stance: if I move 4 squares I get +2 to AC and REF and +1d8 damage on next attack roll; Archery Commander means I don't provoke for ranged attacks while adjacent
AP: 0
The blast incinerates a few of the abberant LANGOLIERS, but those that remain wobble and chomp at the directive of their alien lord and a celestial hell incomprehensible by mortal minds. Vorn and Lief fend off the strange triangular teeth and the crushing maws they are set in.
M (G8)
* Standard Action: Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs V's AC: r(9) +14 = 23. Miss.
M (K18)
* Standard Action: Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs L's AC: r(9) +14 = 23. Miss
M (L18)
* Standard Action: Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs L's AC: r(6) +14 = 22. Miss.
LOCATION: G8, K18, L18
DAMAGE: na
DEBUFFS: na
LIEF rides the detonation like a wave, whirling and slashing through the horrors between him and the gate. He runs up one of them like a ladder and kicks off onto the upper level. At the precipice of the hideous gate, as he takes a moment to suppress the pain flaring across his back, he looks back at Starn, Vorn, and Rooter. Will he see them again? Will they die while he's across the universe? He'd like to wave, nod—something—but there's no time.
How to cross this portal? Lief asks the damn stag for help, one last time. He sees it on the other side, staring. He presses toward it.
* Standard: Spinning Leopard Maneuver (Daily), shifting his speed to L18, K18, J19, J20, and K21, attacking 3 minions along the way.
r(12)+12 = 24 vs Reflex (22). Hit
M at L18. SLAIN.
r(1)+12 = 13 vs Reflex (22). Miss M at K18.
r(14)+12+2 = 26 vs Reflex (22). Hit
M at K19. SLAIN.
Traversing the Arcane Engine challenging terrain squares requires Athletics roll vs DC 15. r(3)+12 = 15. Success. Getting up to the upper ledge requires jumping and muscling up onto the ledge, DC 22. r(11)+12 = 23. Success.
* Free: This happens during Spinning Leopard power. Centered Flurry of Blows (from hitting M at K19) deals 6 Damage to
M at K18. SLAIN.
* Minor: Iron Resurgence (Encounter) on himself. Spending 2 Healing Surges (32 HP total) and gains half an HS in temporary HP (8 temp HP).
* Move: Cross the Threshold of Acamar's Bridge and Enter the Far Realm (DC 17): Acrobatics, Athletics, Nature, Religion (standard action, adjacent, take 10 radiant damage). Normally this would be a Standard action, but Lief is using Otherworldly Sight (encounter) to make it a move action, rolling Perception instead of Religion. r(2)+15 = 17. Success. Lief takes 10 radiant damage.
LOCATION: The Far Realm!
DAMAGE: 10 radiant damage incoming to L,
Minions at K19, K18, and L18 Slain
Conditions to Enemies:
SC 3 Complete; Cross the Threshold of Acamar's Bridge and Enter the Far Realm
HP: 45/66 + 8 temp HP
Healing Surges: 3/9
Current De/Buffs:
AP: 0
FASTORMEL's LORD MAGE, undaunted by the turning tide of his warden's detonation and Lief's crossing over into the Far Realm to shut down the bridge, flits across the room to the cover of a pillar as he calls upon Acamar to entangle Rooter, Nimozaran, and Starn with the Temporal-Spatial Vortex!
"A singularity...yessss...all will be one...our lord's promise fulfilled," hisses the faceless Lord Mage as the vortex swallows Nimozaran's apprentice in-full, leaving only the vague silhouette of the young wizard within its opaque depths.
* Standard Action: Quantum Entanglement (CBu10; 2 creatures, force) vs R's and S's Ref: r(18, 4) +12 (+2 CA vs R) = 32, 16. Hit R, miss S. r(3, 4) +4 = 11 force damage and R is pulled 2 sq to R10 and S takes 5 force damage and is pulled 1 sq to R10.
HINDERING TERRAIN TRIGGERS R SAVING THROW FOR PRONE IN Q11 AND S SAVING THROW FOR PRONE IN R9. ONLY ONE PC CAN OCCUPY R10 AND THE HINDERING TERRAIN OF THE TEMPORAL-SPATIAL VORTEX (T-SV). PLAYER OPTS FOR STARN TO GO INTO THE T-SV. NO SAVING THROW. NO PRONE PC.
* Move Action: Fly (clumsy) Run (+2 speed for -5 atk and grant CA UBoNT) 7 sq to S5 (landing).
LOCATION: S5, R at least pulled to Q11...TBD if R or S in R10.
DAMAGE: 11 force damage to R, 5 force damage to S.
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: R and S pulled into Hindering Terrain of T-SV R10; pending saving throws for prone.
CURRENT HP:
57/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: -5 ATK and grants CA UBoNT, 0/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon recharged on Bloodied.
The remaining ACAMARSPAWN fires multiple beams of force that fall just short of Rooter before it understands the pig construct is just barely out of its range. It then fires a beam that nearly takes Vorn's head off and slams into the pillar right beside him, chipping deeply at the marble.
M (F7)
* Move Action: Fly shift (hover) 1 sq to E7 (altitude 1).
* Standard Action: Space-disrupting Beam (R10, force) vs V's Ref: r(16) + 14 = 30. Hit. V takes 8 force damage.
LOCATION: E7
DAMAGE: V takes 8 force damage.
DEBUFFS/BUFFS: na
<The Far Realm erupts, spewing a Temporal Spatial-Vortex (G5) into the material world and a pair of floating, spherical maws, emerge from the vortex!>
SC step 1, 2, 3 resolved. Lief in Far Realm for situations 4-6.
LM 57/130
ROUND 5
As the blast from the Warden's demise ripples past, STARN finds a strange moment of peace immersed as he is in the strangeness of the vortex. All of time and space seems open to his mind for a timeless instant, until his master, Nimozaran calls him back. "No boy, that is not the way." As the room comes back into focus, Starn feels strangely reenergized.
* Starts Turn: Dazed in Temporal-spatial Vortex.
* Standard Action: Second Wind. Starn regains 14 hit points and +2 USoNT.
LOCATION: R9
DAMAGE: none
Conditions to Enemies: none
HP: 23/58
HS: 6/9
Current Buffs: Dazed, +2 to defenses USoNT, -5 concealment vs enemies (both ways).
AP: 0
NIMOZARAN notes that Vorn is surrounded by Far Realm monstrosities and aims ROOTER's ice launcher and lobs a bomb at one of them. It takes a square hit and shatters!
* Starts Turn: Takes 5 OG damage.
* Standard Action: Alchemical Ice Launcher attack on M at G8, rolls 20, critical hit,
MINION (G8) SLAIN.
* Ends Turn: Save vs OG; r(17). Success.
LOCATION: Q11
DAMAGE:
M (G8) SLAIN
Conditions to Enemies: n/a
HP: 4/98
HS:1/1
VORN sees Lief jump into the portal. He mutters a prayer to the gods to watch over the Shifter and bring him back. He can't linger on this thought, though, as he's surrounded by enemies. He draws and fires first at the Acamarspawn that's a few yards away. Unfortunately, his first shot goes wide. He curses as he nocks another arrow and fires again, killing the creature.
The floating Langoliers close in around him. He keeps his back to the pillar. "Come on, then!" he shouts, as he grits his teeth and readies himself for their attacks.
* Standard: Twin Strike
First shot vs. Acamarspawn (E7) AC 21
r(4) + 14 = 18. MISS.
Second shot vs. Acamarspawn (E7) AC 21
r(14) + 14 = 28. HIT.
Acamarspawn (E7) SLAIN.
LOCATION: G7
DAMAGE:
ACAMARSPAWN (E7) SLAIN.
Conditions to Enemies: None
HP: 50/66
HS: 6/8
Current De/Buffs: Skirmishing Stance: if I move 4 squares I get +2 to AC and REF and +1d8 damage on next attack roll; Archery Commander means I don't provoke for ranged attacks while adjacent
AP: 0
The LANGOLIERs' jaws click and clack, but Vorn fiercely defends their tooth-filled chomping with a deft spin and parry from his bow.
M (F6)
* Standard Action: Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs V's AC: r(4) +14 = 18. Miss.
M (G6)
* Standard Action: Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs V's AC: r(8) +14 = 22. Miss
LOCATION: F6, G6
DAMAGE: na
DEBUFFS: na
LIEF IN FAR REALM
Complexity 2 SC, Level 9 (DCs 12/17/25)
Goal:
Close Acamar's alien bridge to the material world.
3/6 Successes/0 Failures/1 Hard DC Available/2 Secondary Skills Available/0 Advantages Available/Primary Skills Exhausted:
Thievery, Dungeoneering, Religion
This place...
Outside and beyond the cosmology that encompasses the world and concepts of mortals, primordials, spirits, and deities alike. A place beyond natural law's notions of "creation" and "destruction"...only existing in the theoretical realm of timeless infinity.
As Lief floats oddly, spinning uncontrollably upon a thousand axes that mock spatial geometry, he beholds a pulsing membrane wrapped across nothingness but stretched tight nonetheless. Shapes beyond it...stir...something lurks above him...or is it below?
But before he can even consider the prospect of the unravelling cohesion of his mind, he has to orient and control his body...manage the undoing of his proprioception or some kind of propulsive will (HARD DC 25).
-------------
LIEF is furious that the stag lured him, then disappeared, abandoning him to this lawless chaos. He's also become bestial from his wounds—even numbed as they are now, the adrenaline is still dumping through him, pulling his face back in a snarling rictus of fangs.
For what feels like minutes he's lost to instinct, which does nothing in this membrane-wrapped void. He starts to hallucinate. Or remember? No difference here, beyond time and meaning.
"Idiotic," the master says, tripping him easily as Lief, five-years-old and blindfolded, falls in the high grass again. A storm rages above. Wind tears at him, lashing him with wet grass. He's been out here for an hour, blind and bruised, unable to take even a few steps before the master takes him to the ground. And the rest of the Blessed of Elect are watching.
"Weak," the master says when Lief starts moving again. "You move like a man."
Lief knows the kick is coming, and surrenders to it. The force sends him lurching, onto hands and feet, but he keeps moving. Through the wet grass. The other Blessed close in, children like him but strong like him. They shove and push him. He rides it, giving in, flowing into them and rolling over them, moving closer to the smell of roasted meat. Lief makes it into the cave, tears his blindfold off. The spitted baby boar is waiting over a fire. Starved for days, he rips its flesh and eats greasy meat in handfuls.
The rest of the Blessed gather around him, but don't join in. He succeeded, so they fail. Law of the wild. The master stands nearby. This one, he thinks, might survive.
In the nothingness, Lief surrenders to the whirling movement, the lack of control over his body. He remembers his training. He thanks master.
------------------------
Intent: Orient his senses to sync up with his uncontrollable movement.
Secondary: Exhausting Drunken Monkey movement technique (Encounter) for a +2 to Acrobatics roll.
Primary: Acrobatics. r(6)+18+2 = 26 vs. Hard DC 25.
Success.
FASTORMEL's LORD MAGE flits across the room from the cover of a pillar. The voice resounds from within its faceless face.
"Prepare your way to the embrace of master's oblivion" and a brief glimpse beyond the event horizon of Acamar's depths assails Rooter and Nimozaran as well as Starn with the Temporal-Spatial Vortex!
The loyal robot-pig, intent on saving his master from a terrible fate, leaps to intervene and obstructing Starn from the visual phenomenon...and then crashes to the floor, spilling Nimozaran hard onto the stone floor, knocking the old wizard out cold. As the old master tumbles through the air, before he is rendered unconscious, he grabs the folds of his apprentice's robe and pulls Starn from the vortex.
Rooter's eyes flicker...then their light is quenched.
* Move Action: Fly (clumsy) 4 sq to O7 (landing).
* Standard Action: See Beyond the Horizon (ABu1 w/in 5, fear, psychic) centered on R10 vs S's and R/s Will: r(14, 9) +12 (+2 CA vs S and -5 penalty for Total Concealment doesn't apply to Burst/Blast attacks) = 26, 23. Hit R and miss S (24 Will due to SW and Ward). r(4,2) +8 = 14/2 = 7 psychic damage to S, and ongoing 5 psychic damage (save ends).
TRIGGERS R's THAT'S SOME PIG IMMEDIATE INTERRUPT (Requirement: Rooter must be within 2 squares of its ward.Trigger: Rooter's ward takes damage.); Rooter trades places with his ward and takes the damage instead. STARN IS IN SQ Q11 (out of TS-V), UNDAMAGED/UNAFFECTED. R&N ARE KNOCKED OUT OF THE CONFLICT (HAD 4 HP REMAINING).
LOCATION: O7, S is in Q11 (out of TS-V of R10)
DAMAGE:
R&N ARE KNOCKED OUT OF THE CONFLICT (HAD 4 HP REMAINING).
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: na
CURRENT HP:
57/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: 0/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon exhausted.
<The Far Realm erupts, spewing a Temporal Spatial-Vortex (G9) into the material world and a pair of floating, spherical maws, emerge from the vortex!>
SC step 1, 2, 3, 4 resolved. Lief in Far Realm for situations 4-6.
LM 57/130 0/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon exhausted.
ROUND 6
STARN needs to get rid of this disgusting Lord Mage if he's going to survive. He quickly hurls a Color Orb at it, hitting the creature squarely and disorienting it for a moment while he slips around to the other side of the vortex, hoping it will give him some concealment. In the meantime he flips another Magic Missile in the direction of the minions besieging his ally, Vorn.
* Standard Action: Color Orb at LM, roll 19 + 13 = 32 vs WILL(23), hit, 1d8(3) + 6(int) +2(implement) = 11 radiant damage and LM is dazed UEoSNT.
* Minor Action: Magic Missile at M (G8), auto hit;
M (G8) SLAIN
* Move Action: Move to S11
LOCATION: S11
DAMAGE TO ENEMIES:
M (G8) SLAIN, 11 radiant damage to LM.
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: LM is DAZED until end of Starn's next turn.
HP: 23/58
AP: 0
HS: 6/9
BUFFS: none
VORN nocks an arrow and fires it with a short draw at one of the floating maws surrounding him. The quick shot doesn't leave him as vulnerable to counterattack as a longer draw.
The maw exploes in a burst of maddening gibberish. He nocks again and fires at another, which implodes with the sound of a rock plunging into water, taking his arrow with it. A third remains, but Vorn wants to get out away from the pillar, so he can start attacking the corrupted Lord Mage.
He moves away from the final maw, and grits his teeth as it bites into his shoulder. He ignores the pain as best he can. He wants to get close enough to Starn to try and help the wizard rally, but realizes the chaotic, swirling vortexes pull at him, slowing his movement. He can't get close enough to Starn to help, but is close enough to the Lord Mage to start finding a weakness in its defenses. He reaches just past the northern face of the pillar. Hopefully, he can get away from the vortexes soon.
* Standard Action: Twin Strike
First shot vs. Langolier (G-6) AC 21
r(13) + 14 = 27. HIT. SLAIN.
Second shot vs. Langolier (G-8) AC 21
r(19) + 14 = 33. HIT. SLAIN.
* Move Action: Run, 1 square to G-8, 3 squares to H-8, 3 squares to I-8, and then 1 square to J-8.
TRIGGERS Opportunity attack from Langolier (H-6) MBA vs. Vorn AC 24: r(19) + 14 = 33. HIT. Damage: 4 + 3 necrotic. Ongiong 3 Necrotic, save ends. Failed save means Ongoing 5 necrotic, save ends.
Minor: Make LM my quarry
* End of Turn: Saving Throw vs. Ongiong Necrotic: r (11), SUCCESS.
LOCATION: J8
DAMAGE: 7 incoming damage to V.
LANGOLIERS G6 AND G8 SLAIN.
Conditions to Enemies: None
HP: 43/66
HS: 6/8
Current De/Buffs: Skirmishing Stance: if I move 4 squares I get +2 to AC and REF and +1d8 damage on next attack roll; Archery Commander means I don't provoke for ranged attacks while adjacent, Run:
AP: 0
The remaining LANGOLIER rushes a wobbly, spinning charge at Fallcrest's folk hero, briefly demanding the warrior's attention away from the Acamar's herald in this world as necrotic spew from its disgusting maw spills everywhere.
M (F8)
* Standard Action: Charge to I8 and MBA Otherworldly Chomp (M1, necrotic) vs V's AC: r(17) +14 +1(charge) +2 (CA) = 32. Hit. 4 damage + 3 = 7 necrotic damage to V, and V takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends).
LOCATION: I8
DAMAGE: 7 necrotic damage to V.
DEBUFFS: V takes ongoing 3 necrotic damage (save ends).
LIEF IN THE FAR REALM
Complexity 2 SC, Level 9 (DCs 12/17/25)
Goal:
Close Acamar's alien bridge to the material world.
4/6 Successes/
0 Failures/
0 Hard DC Available/
2 Secondary Skills Available/
0 Advantages Available/Primary Skills Exhausted:
Thievery, Dungeoneering, Religion, Acrobatics
His faculties now under control, the mechanics of his omnidirectional propulsion his own, Lief is now able to appraise the skein of insanity before him. What looked a membrane and an impossible orientation of above/below now clarifies for him.
What lies well beyond the reach of this "Far Realm borderland" is the distant, unimaginable proportions and density of Acamar's Black Hole haunting the deranged celestial-scape of the Far Realm. Even at this distances it dilates, stretches, skewers, replaces time and space in such an odd way that direction seems incomprehensible from one moment to the next.
In this odd, throbbing tunnel of space and time that is the bridge to the material world, Lief feels himself being pulled toward Acamar and "spaghettified" even as Langoliers defy the spatial-temporal arrangement and float by toward the gaping hole to the material world. As the odd, spherical maws pile into the tunnel from the pinhole entrance at the far end, their impossible hunger causes them to gnaw upon the strange walls of the tunnel. Acamar swats them away with gravitational rebukes, ensuring that the walls of his tunnel to the material world remain intact. Clearly, they must remain so for the tunnel and gate to persist...
What do you do?
MEDIUM DC. Failure here and Lief takes 1 Healing Surge worth of damage from Acamar's "spaghettification" of the physical projection of his body in the Far Realm.
-----------------
LIEF has never been more out of his depth. He’s a fool—he’s been told as much. He’s good at one thing only, they told him: hunting.
As time’s gravitic pull stretches and wrings his mind like a wet towel, Lief sees that day, when he left them. Days of torrential ran had bloated the streams into small rivers. Lief, now 20, could see freedom—just past this stream, where hearth fires hung smoke in the sky, a whole city to hide in. He had waited till night, then set the fires and run the other way, masking his scent with hide from a freshly killed boar. He’s made it to these stream with a laugh.
And there were ten of them waiting, scattered in a wide line, in rushing water up to their shoulders. Nowhere to go. The Blessed of the Elect didn’t bother talking—nothing to say to your prey. They waded toward him.
Lief remembered his training. He burst toward them, stomping and hopping across their heads and shoulders, kicking at any upraised limbs. He didn’t use them to cross—not right away. Lief made sure they were all down, drowning, before leaping to the other bank, and freedom.
Now: He waits, motionless, for a spawn to pass near enough, then sinks in with his claws and propels himself from one drifting horror to the next. He half-flies, mostly falls toward a wall of the tunnel, and howls noiselessly in Acamar’s direction as he tears into the membrane.
------------------------
Intent: Reach the walls of Acamar’s tunnel and shred them.
Secondary: Exhausting Wind Through the Willows attack and movement technique (Encounter) for a +2 to Athletics roll.
Primary: Athletics. r(4)+12+2 = 18 vs. Medium DC 17.
Success.
FASTORMEL's LORD MAGE struggles against Starn's disorienting spell, but cannot break free.
The Lord Mage's mind owned wholly by Acamar, the Elder Evil of the Far Realm acts through its servant, pulling the pathetic servants of the material world toward each other...toward their unification in broken body and shattered mind...
Vorn digs his heels in to come to a stop as Starn throws himself just wide of the swirling temporal-spatial vortex, eating stone for the effort!
* Start of Turn: Dazed.
Impossible Mind - At the start of its turn, the lord mage makes saving throws to end any dazing effect on it; r(7) +2 = 9. Fails.
* Standard Action: Quantum Entanglement (CBu10; 2 creatures, force) vs V's and S's Ref: r(15, 6) +12 (+2 CA vs V) = 28, 18. Hit V, miss S. r(4, 4) +4 = 12 force damage and V
(BLOODIED) is pulled 2 sq to L8 and S takes 6 force damage and is pulled 1 sq to R10.
HINDERING TERRAIN OF T-SV TRIGGERS S SAVING THROW FOR PRONE IN T11; r(16). SUCCEEDS. STARN PRONE IN S10.
LOCATION: O7, V is in L8, S pending TS-V of R10
DAMAGE: V takes 12 force damage
(BLOODIED) and S takes 6 force damage.
CONDITIONS TO ENEMIES: S is prone in R10.
CURRENT HP:
46/130
CURRENT DE/BUFFS: Dazed UEoSNT, V's Quarry, 0/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon exhausted.
<The Far Realm erupts, spewing a Temporal Spatial-Vortex (L10) into the material world and a pair of floating, spherical maws, emerge from the vortex!>
SC step 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 resolved. Lief in Far Realm for situations 4-6.
LM 46/130 Dazed UEoSNT, V's Quarry 0/1 AP, Consume and Be Consumed exhausted, See Beyond the Horizon exhausted.
ROUND 7
STARN, having just avoided being propelled back into the vortex, scrambles back to his feet and begins to enunciate a series of words of mind bending power, which in fact he uses all his discipline to block from hearing himself, lest they unhinge his own mind! He projects this terrible curse directly at the minds of the Far Realm Inhabitants who cluster around Vorn, and all three of the creatures near him, including the Lord Mage, take the full brunt of the effects.
* Move Action: Stand up from prone.
* Standard Action: Hex of Madness, ranged burst 1 within 10, centered on M8. LM and the M's at M9 and L9 are within the AoE. 13 + 13 = 26 vs L9 WILL(19) hits, vs M9 19 + 13 = 32 vs M9 WILL(19), hits, and 12 + 13 = 25 vs LM WILL(23), hits. Each target takes 26 psychic damage.
Ms (L9, M9) SLAIN.
Effect: The zone (yellow box) remains for 1 turn and does 8 psychic damage to any opponent who ends its turn within the zone (sustain, minor).
* Minor Action: Magic Missile at
M (H8); SLAIN.
LOCATION: S11
DAMAGE: 26 psychic damage to LM.
M (L9), M (H8), and (M9) SLAIN.
HP:17/58
AP:0
HS:6/9
Conditions to Enemies: None
Buffs: None
Free from the Langoliers, VORN turns his attention to the Lord Mage. He moves closer to Starn, caught momentarily in one of the vortexes. "We've nearly got him, Starn!" he shouts, hoping to inspire the wizard for one last push.
He fires twice at the Lord Mage, managing to penetrate its arcane defenses each time triggering the vile creature to flail and protest as it collapses inward on itself!
* Move: 1 square to M-9, three squares to N-9, then 2 squares to P-11
* Minor: Invigorating Shout to Starn- Starn regains hit points as if he spent a healing surge and also regains a healing surge.
* Standard: Twin Strike
First shot vs. LM AC 23
r(12) + 14 = 26. HIT.
Dmg: r(8) + 3 + r(2, Skirmishing Stance) + r(5, Quarry) = 18
Second shot vs. LM AC 23
r(19) + 14 = 33. HIT.
Dmg: r(7) + 3 = 10
28 damage to FLM.
FLM SLAIN!
TRIGGERS:
Triggered Actions
ᗕ
Acamar's Orbit (necrotic, psychic) ✦ Encounter
Trigger: The Fastormel Lord Mage is reduced to 0 hit points
Effect: The FML becomes hindering terrain until the end of the encounter. Any creature that starts its turn in Acamar's Orbit takes 7 necrotic and psychic damage and suffers a -1 to the skill check of the follow-on group move to Escape the Crumbling Tower.
Attack (No Action): Close burst 5 (enemies in the burst); +12 vs. Fortitude
Hit: The target is pulled 4 squares into Acamar's Orbit.
vs Vorn and Starn; r(6, 9) +12 = 18, 21. Miss Vorn, hit Starn. Starn is pulled 4 sq to O7. TRIGGERS STARN SAVE FOR PRONE IN P8; r(16). SUCCEEDS.
The final words of the aberrant, former Lord Mage of Fastormel, ring hollow as his celestial master from beyond does not answer the plea. "MY LORD, PLEASE..."
The thing that was once human long ago collapses in on itself, creating a nexus of powerful necrosis and psychic emanation. The heroes are threatened to be pulled into Acamar's Orbit as the tower begins shaking to its core!
VORN twists his body and claws the ground with his feet and the end of his bow, anchoring himself...but STARN begins hurtling toward the nexus until he erects a fortress of arcane power, arresting his forward motion.
LOCATION: P11
DAMAGE: 28 to LM.
FLM SLAIN!
Conditions to Enemies: None
HP: 43/66
HS: 6/8
Current De/Buffs: Skirmishing Stance: if I move 4 squares I get +2 to AC and REF and +1d8 damage on next attack roll; Archery Commander means I don't provoke for ranged attacks while adjacent,
AP: 0
LIEF IN THE FAR REALM
Complexity 2 SC, Level 9 (DCs 12/17/25)
Goal:
Close Acamar's alien bridge to the material world.
5/6 Successes/
0 Failures/
0 Hard DC Available/
2 Secondary Skills Available/
0 Advantages Available/Primary Skills Exhausted:
Thievery, Dungeoneering, Religion, Acrobatics, Athletics
A gravitational wave carrying psychic emanations of horror and loss ripples from the depths of Acamar's ergosphere; the region just beyond the Elder Evil horizon which drags the spacetime of The Far Realm faster than anything possible...utterly deranging the characteristics of this already impossibly alien realm.
It washes over Lief in the tunnel...the unimaginably powerful psychic assault transporting him mentally and emotionally inward...away from his bearings and his task at hand.
The mother holds her child in the final moments. They lock eyes. The birth has taken her and it won't be long now.
Years later a red rock basks in a sun near dusk. The wind kept away from a hidden cave little more than fur-laden hole high in the Dawnforge mountains.
They descend upon the father who has kept their wicked claws at bay from his son for a hard five years in this remote place.
The red rock will soon trade its hue for blood.
"FLEE BOY! DOWN AND AWAY!" comes the shout from the drowning melee.
The boy-Lief is stricken. Paralyzed. What might have been if he fought by his father's side? What might have been if he found a way and fled into the coming night?
Would it have even mattered?
MEDIUM DC
-------------
LIEF doesn't want to see any of what Acamar is showing him. It's too much. Which is the point. The Corpse Star is holding his face to the fire, laughing. And the plan is work. Lost in regret, the shifter thrashes against fate, forgetting his mission and his friends fighting for their lives.
The vision is so strong that Lief can smell blood in the air—his father's, the Elect's—and the acrid fear flowing from his boyhood self. That's when it hits him:
This is no vision.
Here in Acamar's tunnel, time and space are stretched, gathered, woven, and knotted. He's not watching his past—Lief is there. Or some part of him...his mind, unable to act on the world, only watch.
He remembers his training—what the stag taught him. He uses the primal boon the stag has gifted him, the wisdom at the root of all things. He channels the momentum of the Corpse God's space-time contortions, riding that wave where Lief wants to go. His mind wends across time, tossed like a leaf in the wind.
He's in that same cave. But there's more lichen near the mouth, and a bigger fire within. His father isn't there—not even his bones. This time hasn't happened yet. It's the future, 17 years forward from the day Lief stepped into the void. A figure, musky and terrible, hunches near the fire.
"You're late," the Creep says, cracking a bone in his black teeth. "Like I thought you'd be."
.
Lief doesn't know how long he's got, but it can't be long. "How do I do it?" he says, in a voice that doesn't exist, that only a spirit could hear. "How can I break his hold?"
The Creep swallows the femur, tongue searching his mouth for runaway shards. Firelight shines in his mirrored eyes. His voice shakes the cave. "You pray to the time keeper. To Pelor himself. And you give yourself to him—always." The spirit traces a curved, translucent claw like a glass fishhook in the air, making the sign of the sun, and Lief feels it searing into his mind. "You be his vessel," the Creep's eyes meet the shifter's. "You surrender."
Lief doesn't get it. But he doesn't have to. His mind is slipping.
"What did I have to give you, when I came to ask you to help...this version of me? What did you take?"
The Creep's face splits in a grin of jumbled, mismatched teeth, a shifting, cluttered riot of tusks, needles, fangs, and mandibles. "That's for you to find out, O Blessed one." He gives a slight, mocking bow and Lief tumbles back to the present, to the the void, Pelor's light now spewing from his forehead, searing the walls of Acamar's tunnel. Gravitational waves pulse in peristalsis, forcing Lief, source of this pain, away from the Corpse star. Lief hurtles out of the void.
----------------------
Intent: Redirect Acamar's time distortion to convince the Creep to help me break the bridge.
Secondary: Arcana for +2 to Primary, r(9)+4 = 13 vs. Easy DC 12. Success.
Primary: Become the Tide (Encounter) Primal Boon to shift 17 years forward, instead of 17 years into the past, and Diplomacy. r(19)+3+2 = 24 vs Medium DC 17.
Success.
CONFLICT RESOLVED
