Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="covaithe" data-source="post: 4877787" data-attributes="member: 46559">Massacre scrambles frantically down the stairs and leaps onto his wyvern, who snaps at him playfully a few times, then takes flight.  Kalas is on his heels, quickly mounting Gilthanas.  The others are not far behind, including the angel.  Igor pulls the heavy doors open, and the tower's quiet moan becomes a roar as the howling wind whips past.  The angel is the first out the door.  "Farewell," it calls, and something more, but it is lost in the wind.  It quickly angles away, climbing high into the sky.  You file out the door, taking in the scene.  Thick, ominous clouds cover the sky, adding a sickly greenish cast to the Shadowfell's normal gloom.  Light rain pelts the area, stinging but not thick enough to block vision.  The howling wind from the north will certainly make flight difficult.  To the southeast, the enemies come.  The goristro is in the front rank, a huge, red-eyed monstrosity of horn, fur, and muscle.  Flanking it are three riders on shadowy beasts that move more like cats than horses.  Two of the riders are clad head to toe in black plate armor, and carry shields which show a black dragon against a field of blood red.  The middle rider rather resembles Massacre:  burning red eyes and skeletal features in a gaunt eladrin frame covered in black robes.  Above them flies a female cambion, leathery red wings spread wide as she fights her way through the wind.  [sblock=History or Streetwise DC 20]The black dragon on a red field is the blazon of the Ebon Riders, an elite mercenary company of heavy cavalry and shock infantry, supported by mages.  They are led by a dwarf known as Mauglurien the Black Dragon, and fight for the highest bidder.  They have been known to change sides in mid-battle, if the price was right.[sblock=DC 25]The Ebon Riders boast a number of combat magic specialists, such as an eladrin named Ghovran Akti, and a cambion named Tannerli.[sblock=DC 30]Rumor has it that many of the leaders of the Ebon Riders are undead, keeping the appearance of living beings by illusion, and privately serve the cause of evil gods.[/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][sblock=Nature DC 25]The plate-clad riders show no signs of supernatural origin.  They appear to be merely powerful human warriors.  [/sblock][sblock=Religion DC 25]The middle rider is clearly undead, and like Massacre, of fey origin.  The mounts of all three riders, despite moving at a fast gallop, show no signs of heavy breathing.  Given their shadowy forms, they are probably undead.  Cambions are the offspring of devils with unwitting -- or severely depraved -- mortals.  They fly, obviously, though with less grace than their immortal forebears.  Goristro are elemental demons, sometimes called living siege engines for their habit of destroying everything in their path, including buildings, castles, and entire cities.[sblock=DC 30]Most devils are born and spend their lives in eternal flame, and welcome its touch.  From the way raindrops steam against this cambion, it likely shares that affinity.  It is unarmed, but bears many tattoos and ritual scars, the signs of a mage devoted to necromantic arts.  ooc:  resists fire, and most powers do fire and/or necrotic damage.Goristro are known for charging fearlessly with devastating effect, and using their huge clawed hooves to stomp those with the courage to approach.  They are even more dangerous when bloodied.[sblock=DC 35]The undead rider has a powerful necromantic aura, which will harm living creatures near him, and close wounds he takes that are not accompanied by holy light.  ooc:  necrotic aura, enemies who get close take damage.  Regen, that is disabled by radiant damage.  Resists cold and necrotic.  [/sblock][/sblock][/sblock][sblock=Massacre]The undead rider's burning eyes seem to lock on yours, and you feel a burning hatred wash over you.  You recognize what he is immediately: it is like looking in a dark mirror.  Had you chosen a slightly different path, it could have been you out there leading this attack.  Clearly, this eladrin is a lich, but one who, unlike you, has lost himself to Orcus in his unlife.  [/sblock]As Massacre and his guests pile out the door, the teleportation circle flares to life again.  An enormous human warrior with long, thick black dreadlocks and massive muscles stands there, blinking in surprise at the commotion.  [sblock=Atanatotatos]That's your cue.  I realized that the original reason I was going to wait until mid-battle was that I had planned to start this encounter much earlier, and hadn't expected your character to be ready.  Since you are ready, I've got no good reason to wait.  Especially since you rolled low in initiative; that would just be cruel.[/sblock]The warrior's sudden appearance is only distracting for a moment, though, because the undead rider spots the open door and spurs himself forward, quickly outstripping the other enemies.  Then he disappears, teleporting off of his mount and appearing between Batin and Sarenax with a flash of necrotic energy.  With deadly speed he turns toward Massacre and speaks a word of unholy power, catching Sarenax, Kylek, and Kalas in the blast as well.  Lucifa screams as the necrotic energy washes over her as well.  The undead glows with stolen health.  (ooc:  moves from AI-33 to AB-25, then teleports to Z19 with deadwinter step.  Batin and Sarenax take 10 cold and necrotic damage.  AP for lifesapping hate, close blast 5.  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2190350/" target="_blank">Hits</a> Sarenax, Massacre, Kylek, Kalas, Lucifa, and Gilthanas.  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2190352/" target="_blank">26</a> necrotic damage, and 10 ongoing cold and necrotic (save ends).  After resists, Massacre and Kalas take 11, Gilthanas takes 16, and everyone else takes full, I think.  Undead rider gains 30 temp hp.)[sblock=initiative and status]enemy initiatives:  <a href="http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2190273/" target="_blank">rolls</a>37. Undead Rider unharmed, 30 temp hp33. Massacre HP 91/102, surges 7/7, 10 ong. cold and necrotic (save ends)  <== You're up27. Batin HP 155/165 Surges 10/1020. Cambion unharmed19. Rider 2 unharmed19. Rider 3 unharmed19. Kalas HP 186/197 Surges 11/11, 10 ong. cold and necrotic (save ends)16. Kylek HP 98/124 Surges 14/14, 10 ong. cold and necrotic (save ends)16. Sarenax HP 106/142 Surges 9/9, 10 ong. cold and necrotic (save ends)14. Anostor HP 180/180 Surges 13/1311. Goristro unharmedMounts:Lucifa  HP 80/106 surges 1/1, 10 ong. cold and necrotic (save ends)Gilthanas HP 122/138 surges 2/2Resources used: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"> Undead rider:  deadwinter step, lifesapping hate</li> </ul>[/sblock][sblock=map]<img src="http://www.betahelix.net/pics/maps/deathsreach/massacres_tower01.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" />[/sblock][sblock=terrain notes]The gray fog around the tower is heavily obscuring, but only for enemies; PCs can see through it.  The wind is dissipating it, and the magic of the tower is trying to restore it; it will change each round.  The wind is from the north.  Flying northward (or NE or NW) counts as entering difficult terrain, costing 2 squares of movement, and you can't shift north when flying.  Going southward is easier, and for each two squares of your original movement that you fly southward (or SW or SE), you get a bonus movement square for that move action.  (so if you have fly 8, and you go straight S, you can go 12 squares.  If you go 4xE, 4xSE, you have 2 squares of bonus movement left.  You don't get extra movement for going S with your bonus movement squares.  Clear as mud?)  If you hover, i.e. are flying and make no movement during your turn, you will drift one square S at the start of your next turn.  (doesn't provoke)[/sblock]</blockquote>

Verification