Casefiles Reopened: Agents of D.E.L.V.E.

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

Erran's feet are even fleeter than usual, thanks to Erasnyl's haste spell. He closes with creatures, managing to avoid the swirling knot of melee Harlan has created and comes in behind Shadowstone and her shadow. A combination of heavy blows rocks the creature, wounding it badly, as large pieces of it form shear off into the ether.

Erasnyl's Fiendish ape howl in rage and sends it's claws raking tword the shadow locked with Shadowstone and now Erran, but the combination of blows pushes it out of the summoned creatures reach for a moment and both swipes miss. The creature leaps in frustration and beats it's chest fiercely.

Sereth's fire blast is close, but no cigar. Once again a little too high, the flame catches a branch on one of the twisted sickly trees on the edge of the open area, and lights it casting a wavering light down on the scene.

Harlan whirls after the Shadow's touch, and even with his diminished strength manages to deliver a swift upper blow, driving his magic sword through what would have been the creatures head, had it one. Soundlessly, the Shadow begins dissolving, the last bits of it's essance floating upward into nothing.

Shadowstone takes the opportunity to fall back, away from the shadow, and turns to harlan to see if she can help his wound.

The last shadow, badly hurt and driven back from the light of the fire, swiftly takes to the air, heading for the inky blackness of the night sky.

Not bad. I still haven't heard from IcyCool or Songdragon so I'll be running Harlan and Shadowstone for a little while. If I don't get them back, I'll put up the recruitment flag again, however we will continue playing. If they want the ape and Erran can tak AoO's against the fleeing shadow. Shayuri, after reading up on it, I believe that even though cold iron, Thorn's chain wasn't enough to get through the incorporeal trait on the shadows, which is why none of her hits were landing. If they had though this would have been over much sooner. I've heard the stories of a spiked chain specialist, but.... damn.

 

[Shayuri]

(OOC...wait...wait wait wait...the chain is cold iron and magic. It's a cold iron spiked chain +1. How is that not 'enough' to have a chance to hit incorporeals? I mean...I'm aware they get a 50% miss chance against it...it's not Ghost Touch...but it DOES have an enhancement bonus.)

 

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

Do you know how many times I read that damn thing? For each post I made? And somehow missed the +1? In any event only the last turn yielded the percentage roll to cut through the incorporeality, albeit after "Harlan" got took it down. As for Erran, I was just rolling for the shadow on the miss chance. And this brings up another point. Do you guys want individual or group divided XP? I lean to group, but I'll leave it to you.

 

[Shayuri]

Hehe, no worries. I'm just glad we got it out of the way on a relatively harmless battle.

I too prefer group exp, when applicable (since we're all the same ECL and so on).

 

[Azaar]

Spinning around even as the shadow takes flight to try and flee, Erran lashes out with one final attack to try and take it out. For several moments afterwards, he remains silent, then turns to look at the others. "Is everyone alright?" he asks, looking over each in turn. "If so, we should move before the prospect of reinforcements arrive and catch us unawares."

[sblock=Rolls]AoO: hits AC 15 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=490342)
Damage (assuming it hits): 1 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=490345)[/sblock]

[sblock=OOC]I wasn't certain whether my ki strike would work to bypass the incorporeal miss chance or not. They are considered magic weapons, but I think there's still the 50% miss chance even if they're magical weapons unless they have the ghost touch special property. Hmm... might have to consider a few levels of kensai, perhaps, to add an enhancement bonus to my attacks/damage and put ghost touch on my natural weapons (unarmed strike). Or take Monastic Training as my bonus feat for Monk 6 to apply to psychic warrior and pick up a few more potentially useful psionic powers.

Insofar as XP goes, I'm fine with either way.[/sblock]

 

[JonnyFive]

"I'm.. I'm ok, i just want to get moving.." Sereth stutters, visiably shaken

 

[JonnyFive]

double post....

 

[Shayuri]

Thorn expertly curls her chain around her shoulder; a strip of leather there providing some protection from its spines. "Agreed. We may as well make some progress before the next set of horrors reach us."

She gestures at the looming tower, and starts to walk in its direction, nimbly avoiding piles of stone and debris that litter the streets.

 

[Ferrix]

Eransyl shimmers back into existence amidst his companions, he dismisses the fiendish ape with a flick of his hand sending it back to its infernal existence. "You all seemed to fare relatively well I see." As if admitting to your basic skill at defending yourself was a great effort of kindness to the elf.

"Let us adjourn to the tower, we are expected and to be late would be a blemish on our record."

OOC: Group XP works for me.

 

[Sorrow The Man Bear]

The shadow evades Erran's blow by a fraction, fleeing for it's unlife. With the end of the melee, the omnipresent mist settles once again, slowly swirling around your feet.

Shadowstone, unharmed by the fighting, sheathes her blades. "Aye, the night ain't gettin no younger. Let's be moving."

Harlan staggers for a moment before regaining his composure. "I'll be fine, nothing a soft bed and a warm bowl of soup won't fix."

The square you defended seems to act as a central hub to the necropolis, with several avenues branching out. One of them is a sort of main thoroughfare, which from the looks of it stretches straight to the keep. Lines of mausoleums and smaller boneyards flank either side of the cobbled path.

Sereth: [sblock]After the confrontation with the shadows, the ghosts of the city are very absent, not so much of as a glimmer is seen along the entire thoroughfare.[/sblock]

The trip is uneventful. No sign of more shadows or anything in the sky. There is no moat or drawbridge, the cobbled path leads straight up to the main portcullis of the keep, which is in fact open. What were once well manicured grounds have been left to grow wild. Far behind the keep a gargantuan stone wall the continues for what might be the entire perimeter of the necropolis can be seen.

Lights in several of the windows of the upper levels of the keep are visible(from the ground up there seem to be four total), but a conspicuous lack of even a candle is apparent from what can be seen of the ground and second floor.

Spot checks.

As a side note, we've lost the players for Harlan and Shadowstone. I have one replacement lined up and I'll be opening recruiting for one more tonight.