Hewligan's Rise of the Runelords: The Skinsaw Murders

[hewligan]

Init Order: Jokad (20), Scarecrow (11), Danth (10), Mal (7), Jovik (no roll, so last)

Kael has fallen, and with him the party have suffered their first real taste of the danger that is inherent in what they do. Jovik thinks briefly of the pain it would cause to his mother if he were to die in some hell-hole like this. Danth offers the briefest of prayers, but fixes his mind on the fact that Kael is going to be snatched back from the boatman long before he reaches the domain of his own personal God. Jokad, well Jokad doesn't really do reflection in times like these. Jokad does fury.

Jokad bristles when he hears Mals whimper. He doesn't need to look over to understand what it means. He nostrils flare further as he stares daggers at the monstrosity. With a flick of his blood soaked forearm and wrist he casts his shield aside and holds Whitefire in a mighty two-hand grip.

Without looking back at Danth or Jovik he barks, "Get help. I will do all I can."

And then he lunges into the monstrosity delivering two thunderous cuts that would have felled small trees.

The scarecrow is rocked by the fury of the blows, the wounds they have opened revealing a confused mass of raw tissue and ligament underneath the thick layer of leathery flesh. It bellows in rage and pain as a deep, ragged cut across its belly still smolders with the magic of Whitefire.

It is hurt, and for the first time Jokad senses fear in its eyes. It turns from him and tries to flee towards the door of the tower.

"The burning hurts!" It hollers in its half childish-half guttural voice.

Danth, sensing a rare opening, calls down the might of his Goddess and sends a stunning ray of bright light that surges into the body of the Scarecrow, making his myriad of veins and stitchwork stand out in bright contrast for the briefest of moments. The creature yells in extreme pain as the spell powers through him, but somehow, it still manages to stumble towards the exit.

OOC: Scarecrow is now at -76hp. Please roll for any AoO, if available, and I need Jovik's attack. Otherwise, please roll for next round.

 

[Rhun]

The summoned bison, recovering from its slip, senses an opening as the scarecrow flees, and rams its horns into the abomination with tremendous force!

Attack of Opportunity vrs Scarecrow!

Attack: 20
Damage: 16

Finally! A hit!

 

[Friadoc]

Mal is torn between concern for revenge and concern for his fallen master and the distraction shows as the scarecrow flees.

OOC

AoO (1d20+4=8, 1d4+1=2) - epic miss-ery.

 

[Fenris]

Without looking back at Danth or Jovik he barks, "Get help. I will do all I can."

Jovik gives Jokad a grim smile "Not on your life Shoanti" replies the young man. The pain of losing his friend is great and Jovik focuses that fear and hurt and anger into his weapon. Goblin Hook crackles with ice as Jovik plunges the blade deeply into the creature.

[sblock]
Round 3
Attack
1d20+9=20, 1d4+2+1d6=12

AoO
1d20+9=11, 1d4+2+1d6=12



Round 4
Init
1d20+8=27


Attack

1d20+9=29, 1d4+2+1d6=7

Woot, Natural 20. Too bad you can't crit these things

Moving with lightning speed, Jovik follows the creature, determined to get his revenge.


[/sblock]

 

[hewligan]

As the Scarecrow tries to leave, everyone at once pounces into action, as if sensing that a real opportunity exists to end this fight. Mal lunges, the bison charges, Jovik thrusts his blades at its retreating back.

Impact is made, blades bury deep, the thing tenses, stops, curves its back a little as if trying to shrug off the pain, but then it stays frozen like that for just long enough to make it clear to all that it is about to drop. The bison doesn't give it a chance to slip to the ground, instead catching its body at the base of its back and flipping the heavy mass of pieced-together flesh into the air.

The scarecrow pirouettes four feet into the air. Its weapon slips from its now lifeless hand. The bison runs on, turns, steam snorting from its nostrils. The thing hits the ground. Jovik walks to the corpse and leans over it for a second. Its eyes have lost their life. Its mouth lolls open and its long, misshapen tongue flops out.

It is dead, and beside it the body of Kael lies still too.

 

[Fenris]

Jovik walks over to Kael and kneels beside him. He looks plaintively up at Danth "You can heal him right Danth?" the youth asks with tears in his eyes.

 

[Rhun]

Danth kneels at Kael's side, trying to heal the fallen sorceror. After several moments, he looks up at Jovik and Jokad, and sadly shakes his head. "I am afraid he is beyond my power to heal." He raises his head further, craning his neck to look up higher in the tower. "And there is one here who will pay for this."

 

[frostrune]

Jokad says nothing.

His chest still heaving and blood still flowly slickly down his battered torso and arms. His eyes bulging and veins popping; he seems about to explode.

For the briefest of moments he is as still as a statue; a primordial God of Wrath. Then the audible clink of metal bouncing off stone preceeds a burst of violent motion.

You all perceive he has dropped Whitefire and wrenched the corpse of the monster off the ground with a nearly superhuman thrust of arms, back, and legs. He staggers a few steps forward with the ponderous weight before slamming the body to the ground with a wet smack.

He stares at it a moment before his knees buckle and he too falls forward; physically and emotionally spent. Wearily he raises his head to make eye contact with Danth. The sadness only confirms what he already knows.

"What do we do now?" he wonders.


OOC: I used a bit of poetic license here Hew, hope you don't mind. While raging Jokad could lift a little over 500 lbs above his head and twice that much (1000 lbs) off the ground. I don't know how much that thing wweighs but I hope I didn't break too many rules.

Jokad's rage is now spent and he loses the 10 hps he gained from the CON boost. He is at 32/55.

 

[Rhun]

"Now, we finish this. If we pull back now, no doubt our enemy will flee. She had thought this..." the cleric points at the bulk of the dead abomination "...would stop us." He shakes his head, and closes his fallen companions eyes before standing. Danth moves over to Jokad to inspect the warrior's wounds.

 

[Fenris]

Jovik hears Danth's words hollowly. He bends and closes Kael's eyes and kisses his brow. He starts to stand and has a moment of clarity. He pulls out a golden key from around his neck and touches it to Kael's chest. He tucks the key away again and stands. He moves over to Jokad and helps the Shoanti to his feet. "We owe it to Kael. We must survive, we must persevere, we must endure. Together."

OOC: Cast Gentle Repose on Kael.