Defenders of the Blackfeather - Tariff of Relkingham

[esparkhu]

You enter the antechamber/communal bedchamber. Six beds are neatly made in the room and everburning torches light each corner as well as the middle. Chests sit next to each bed. The door leading to the next room is closed, but it does not appear to be locked. Sounds of chanting are coming from the next room.

 

[garyh]

The party advances to the next door. Hal kicks it open and he and Sena move in side-by-side, with Lindus right behind them, all three with their weapons ready.

"What in Erathis' name is going on here?!" Sena demands loudly.

 

[esparkhu]

Temple of Erathis

The temple is a scene out of a nightmare. Previously, murals of peace and civilization decorated the walls. These are splattered with blood and gore. The numerous magic torches do little to lighten the room because of the column of darkness streaming from the hole in the ceiling down to the altar. The altar is pure black, with pulsing purple veins that beat in time with column. Human body parts, especially hands and eyes, spill out from atop the altar. Some are being consumed in flames.

Avonathemon is kneeling in supplication. He wears a black body-length robe with puling purple veins similar to those of the altar. You can just see chain armor underneath the robes. Hanging from his neck are both the armor symbol of Erathis and the severed hand and eye symbol of Vecna. He of course has both hands and eyes intact and is engrossed in prayer. A wide arc of floating severed hands and eyes surround him, seeming to protect him and to menace any who come near him. Sitting on the altar, pristine above the severed flesh is the edict.

Avonathemon and altar

As you enter, his eyes flash with insane anger “Keep them away from the edict!” He then continues to chant rapidly as the guards and undead servitors charge at you. Two human guards (similar to the ones you fought in the palace), one wight and eight zombies come at you.

Sena can tell the temple is still hallowed ground (+2 bonus forTurn undead).

Initiative: Status
->Hal: 53/53
Lindus: 46/46
Red Guard: no damage
Mustard Guard: no damage
Avonathemon: no damage
Wight: no damage
Sena: 48/48
Purple Zombie: no damage
Aqua Zombie: no damage
Blue Zombie: no damage
Pink Zombie: no damage
Orange Zombie: no damage
Yellow Zombie: no damage
Lime Zombie: no damage
Red Zombie: no damage

 

[garyh]

Hal move towards the guard with the halberd and takes a good swing, hitting the nearby zombie with his blade on the backswing and slicing the undead in half.

Move action - Move to D4.

Standard action - Cleave against Mustard Guard.

Cleave (1d20 11=22, 1d10 6=11)

Hits AC 22 against Mustard Guard for 11 damage, and if that hits, does 4 damage to Red Zombie. Marks Mustard Guard and (if hit) Red Zombie. If that kills anything, Hal gains 5 temp HP from his sword's property.

Hal Carter - Male Human Fighter 5
Passive Perception: 14, Passive Insight: 14
AC:22, Fort:21, Reflex:19, Will:17 -- Speed:5
HP:53 + 5 temp HP/53, Bloodied:26, Surge Value:14, Surges left:9/11
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: not used
Powers -
Cleave
Reaping Strike
Tide of Iron
Steel Serpent Strike
Sweeping Blow
Comeback Strike
Inspiring Word
Rain of Steel
Unstoppable

 

[garyh]

Lindus moves forward, takes aim at the guard Hal is engaging, and lets fly two arrows. Both hit, and the second one slides between the guards armor to do serious harm, lightning flaring as the arrow pierces his chest.

Move action - Move to E4.

Minor action - Hunter's Quarry on Mustard Guard.

Standard action - Twin Strike against Mustard Guard.

Twin Strike (HQ) (1d20 9=27, 1d10 2=8, 1d20 9=29, 1d10 2=12, 1d8=8) / Lightning Crit (1d6=1)

The first attack hits AC 27 for 8 damage, and the second attack CRITS! for 12 damage. Hunter's Quarry adds another 8 damage (maxed on the crit, but max on the roll anyway) if either attack hit, and the critical with the magic weapon adds 1 lightning damage (two hits for 29 total damage).

Lindus Oakleaf - Male Elf Ranger 5
Passive Perception: 22, Passive Insight: 15
AC:19, Fort:17, Reflex:19, Will:17 -- Speed:7
HP:46/46, Bloodied:23, Surge Value:11, Surges left:7/8
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: not used
Powers -
Nimble Strike
Twin Strike
Darkleaf Armor +1
Elven Accuracy
Evasive Strike
Sneak Attack
Thundertusk Boar Strike
Yield Ground
Hunter's Bear Trap
Splintering Shot
Lightning Longbow +1 (Daily)

 

[esparkhu]

Hal's cleave does 11 damage to the closest guard and takes care of the zombie.

Lindus's excellent shooting does an impressive 29 damage to Mustard, leaving the guard hurting badly.

Red shoots his crossbow at Lindus, but misses.

Mustard swings his halberd at Hal, but misses.

Avonathemon decides to first target what he sees as the strongest threat in the room, the cleric of Erathis. He closes his eyes in concentration and suddenly raises his hands into the air, as if lifting up an object. Transported by some evil force, Sena rises up, moves, and is magically held aloft in the column of darkness that is streaming down over the altar. She writhes in pain in the black evil force, then falls down next to the altar. She takes 16 damage from the column of darkness and an additional 1 damage from the fall. Also she becomes stunned until the end of Avonathemon's turn and is weakened (save ends).

Next, Avonathemon turns his attention to Hal. With another mutter of dark magic, the high priest sends his corrupt touch into Hal. Hal's will is not strong enough to resist and become dominated.

The wight makes a gesture with its skeletal fingers and the zombie that Hal had killed rises anew. Then the wight sends a bolt of dark engery at the elf; Lindus takes a shock of 10 necrotic damage.

Initiative: Status
Hal: 53/53, dominated
Lindus: 36/46
Red Guard: no damage
Mustard Guard: down 40, marked, bloodied, HQ
Avonathemon: no damage
Wight: no damage
->Sena: 31/48, stunned, weakened
Purple Zombie: no damage
Aqua Zombie: no damage
Blue Zombie: no damage
Pink Zombie: no damage
Orange Zombie: no damage
Yellow Zombie: no damage
Lime Zombie: no damage
Red Zombie: no damage

 

[garyh]

Sena, stunned, does nothing. The weakness does fade from her frozen limbs, however.

Save vs weakness (1d20=16)

Sena Ironhelm - Female Dwarf Cleric 5
Passive Perception: 15, Passive Insight: 20
AC:20, Fort:17, Reflex:14, Will:19 -- Speed:5
HP:31/48, Bloodied:24, Surge Value:12, Surges left:8/10
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: used
Powers -
Righteous Brand
Sacred Flame
Channel Divinity (Divine Fortune or Turn Undead)
Command
Healing Strike
Healing Word x2
Beacon of Hope
Cure Light Wounds
Inspiring Word
Rune of Peace
Symbol of Hope +1 (Daily)

 

[esparkhu]

Temple

Sena lies stunned, but at least the weakness subsides.

The zombies converge on Lindus and Hal. Two Zombies successfully charge the elf doing a total of 10 damage. All the other zombies miss.

Hal, dominated uses a reaping strike against his companion. He does 8 damage to Lindus. Luckily, he sucessfully fights off the dominating power of the high priest and is back in control of his faculties at the end of his turn.

Initiative: Status
Hal: 53/53
->Lindus: 26/46
Red Guard: no damage
Mustard Guard: down 40, marked, bloodied, HQ
Avonathemon: no damage
Wight: no damage
Sena: 31/48, stunned
Purple Zombie: no damage
Aqua Zombie: no damage
Blue Zombie: no damage
Pink Zombie: no damage
Orange Zombie: no damage
Yellow Zombie: no damage
Lime Zombie: no damage
Red Zombie: no damage

 

[garyh]

Lindus manages to slink away from the zombies and next to the wounded guard. The guard gets a swing at Lindus with his halberd as the elf fires his bow, but it's the last thing the guard ever does, as Lindus then buries an arrow past the nose guard of the guard's helm and into his left eye. Lindus then focuses on the high priest.

Standard action - Evasive Strike. Shift to B6 as part of the power. Evasive Strike against Mustard Guard. Lindus is adjacent to the guard, so he takes an OA before his own attack lands. +1 from Prime Shot.

1d20 9 1=26, 2d10 6=24, 1d8=8

Hits AC 26 for 24 damage, and Hunter's Quarry adds another 8 damage if the attack hit (32 total damage).

Move action - Move to B7.

Minor action - Hunter's Quarry on Avonathemon.

Lindus Oakleaf - Male Elf Ranger 5
Passive Perception: 22, Passive Insight: 15
AC:19, Fort:17, Reflex:19, Will:17 -- Speed:7
HP:26/46, Bloodied:23, Surge Value:11, Surges left:7/8
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: not used
Powers -
Nimble Strike
Twin Strike
Elven Accuracy
Evasive Strike
Sneak Attack
Thundertusk Boar Strike
Yield Ground
Hunter's Bear Trap
Splintering Shot
Darkleaf Armor +1 (Encounter)
Lightning Longbow +1 (Daily)

 

[esparkhu]

Temple finale

Mustard takes his opportunity and does 5 damage to Lindus. Then Lindus shoots his arrow doing a whopping 32 damage and slaughtering Mustard.

The Red guard moves to H7. He fires his crossbow at Lindus, but misses.

Avonathemon takes a deep breath and with a muttered prayer to Vecna, renews his power to dominate a foe. He once again cast his corrupting power on Hal whose will is not strong enough to resist. Hal is dominated, save ends.

The wight turns his attention to Sena. He sends a bolt of necrotic magic at the dwarf. Her reflexes are not quick enough to avoid it and she takes 8 damage and is now immobilized, save ends.

Initiative: Status
Hal: 53/53
Lindus: 22/46
Red Guard: no damage
Mustard Guard: dead
Avonathemon: no damage, HQ
Wight: no damage
->Sena: 23/48, stunned, immobilized
Purple Zombie: no damage
Aqua Zombie: no damage
Blue Zombie: no damage
Pink Zombie: no damage
Orange Zombie: no damage
Yellow Zombie: no damage
Lime Zombie: no damage
Red Zombie: no damage