Paths of Legend - Tragedy at Silvergard (Vol 2)

[Yttermayn]

Aohdan distractedly comments to Norali while sqirming for a more comfortable position in which to continue the hold on Corath. "Norali, have you got any more healing magic? I could really use some. And could you pull that stick out of Corath's pack? My hands are busy and it keeps poking me in my ponerosteus..."

Grapple check #2: (1d20 + 6=13)

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

OOC: Next action - Valen

 

[Helfdan]

Valen

The ranger, desperate to keep the construct down, tightens his grip fiercely.

[sblock=OOC]
Grapple check=23
If successful, she is pinned.
[/sblock]

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

OOC: Forgot to do an opposed Grapple check against Aohdan, so I'll post them both.

Opposed Grapple checks; first vs Aohdan; second vs Valen (1d20+11=14, 1d20+11=18)

Aohdan has a hard time pinning down the struggling construct, but Valen is able to put a knee in her back and hold her in place, at least for the moment.

OOC: Next action - Johen

The young druid unwraps the Dagger, while mumbling seemingly to himself, "She won't let go...we have to force her out. I think the dagger...the Dagger...we have to stab her with the Dagger!" His voice gets faster and more excited toward the end. He goes to grab the hilt without the protection of the cloth and suddenly recoils, dropping the Dagger in the dirt.

"Uh...guys...it talked to me, in Herruwen's voice. It..." he pauses, visibly shaken, "It absorbs the souls of those it kills. Whoever stabs her with that Dagger will have to fight her...spiritually, or risk getting absorbed themselves. If we destroy Corath, it will just set the Serpent free to find another body."

OOC: Next action - William

 

[Jemal]

William looks at the druid, sensing truth in his words. He's been fooled before, but he has a feeling, something deep within tells him that this is the right course. "That's good enough for me." Taking a hand off the construct he reaches for the dagger, channeling all of his divine spirit into it as he plunges it into her "I'm sorry, Corath." The Paladin says, pitting his soul against the serpents as a saying comes unbidden to his mind. "We stand between the darkness and the light."

[sblock=ooc]
Move action: Retrieve Dagger.
Standard action: SMITE EVIL with dagger.
+6 to attack/1d4+4 damage(If that matters). *As she's pinned, she has no Dex mod and a -4 AC*
Knights of shadow don't believe in coincedence, neither do I. It's my turn and the dagger has just dropped, so...[/sblock]

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NjXIJyd8nk]William's Sacrifice[/ame]

Dark, cloying energy pulses around William and Corath...a palpable darkness the companions have felt before...at the stone quarry when the corrupted seeing stone was destroyed.

Aohdan and Valen feel the construct...and William go limp.

Alaric sees a halfling, Jolithri Tal, speaking to his mentor, Entan. Entan gives the halfling a staff, a halfling sized staff. The halfling smiles approvingly, "It has everything I asked for, yes?" Entan's typical scowl deepens, "At great personal cost, yes. Now leave me, Wanderer. I will no longer be a pawn in the games of the so-called gods. They have proven no less petty than the rakshasa that preceded them."

Aohdan sees a glowing orb of golden energy, The One Mind. Standing before it is a wyrmling dragon made of crystal. The dragon lets its thoughts and memories flow into the orb and Aohdan sees the dragon's memories. The dragon flew high into the sky, so high that it couldn't breathe. And there it saw spiders...enormous flying spiders, hundreds of them...watching, waiting. The One Mind's voice echoes in Aohdan's mind, "These are the enemy...they are coming."

Muzdum sees his brother, speaking to Lady Dawn, the half-celestial ruler of the Guare province in Azgund. The dwarf bows solemnly, "The serpent never suspected...your protections were indeed sufficient. But, I do not appreciate the lies and manipulation of my brother." Dawn nods, her other-worldly beauty marred by concern and not a small measure of guilt, "It was the only way. If Azilyk has returned, she will be drawn to the energies of the corrupted seeing stone. Then, the trap can be sprung. I only hope they realize that Aleera must be the one to wield the Dagger.

Valen sees the others again under some sort of trance and once again he is not affected. He notices Aleera is also unaffected as she approaches.

Valen, still on the ground with Aohdan, Corath's body and William, feels and hears no signs of life in William.

And yet, the red gem in the Dagger's hilt pulses and William's hand cannot be pryed from it, nor can the Dagger be removed from Corath's body.

Aleera stops her advance, letting her sword drop, "He fights her now."

As the others start to come to, a droning, buzzing noise can be heard in the distance.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZtk-1bpuoA]The Terrible Price[/ame]

William feels a strange pull...as if his very soul were being pulled from his body. The pain is overwhelming...and yet...there is a voice...a guiding spirit...

The Shadow Knight

"I have done what you are doing, William. I have followed this path...self sacrifice for the soul of a friend. I will lend you my strength. Pray that it is enough."

As William awakens, he finds himself in a darkened realm, storm clouds looming ominous above, cracked, black ground beneath his feet. He sees Corath, the true Corath, a young woman...her spirit...her soul is that of a living, breathing being...and he senses who she truly is...Azilyk herself, uncorrupted, untainted. She is bound in heavy, iron chains.

Circling above is Azilyk...a huge snake with human-like arms, a face that combines features of a human, a snake, and a black dragon, including the dragon's forward curving horns. Black, draconic wings adorn its back. She speaks.

"Ironic isn't it? You who were so easily duped into leading me straight to your friends, now come here to nobly sacrifice yourself in a futile attempt to defeat me."

She seems not to have noticed who exactly it is she has bound here.

William feels the power of the Shadow Knight flow through him...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNwvlqNMHq0]Chosen of the Shadow Knight[/ame]

Feathered wings sprout from William's back, his skin takes on a golden hue, his eyes become glowing silver orbs, and his sword is replaced with a glowing, silvery bladed weapon he instinctively knows to be a holy avenger.

OOC: William is the subject of a Greater Visage of the Deity spell from Spell Compendium. He also has a Holy Avenger. If you need the stats for either, let me know.

OOC: William and Corath...

ROLL INITIATIVE!

 

[shadowmask]

[sblock=OOC]Initiative: (1d20+4=6)[/sblock]

 

[Jemal]

"We met, you and I, for a purpose. Things don't just happen. You could have found them on your own, and though I do feel a small sense of guilt for my part in it, it is by far exceeded by the knowledge that now I am here, with the power to stop you, as oppossed to being dead on a mountain, useless to my friends."
William holds the sword in front of him. "Besides, it is not just I you face."

[sblock=ooc]Initiative (1d20+2=21)
BTW, great music. <3 FF.
[sblock=William Updated]
Updated relevant modifiers/etc to include spell and sword.

STR 20 (+5) [16 + 4 visage]
DEX 14 (+2) [12 + 2 visage]
CON 14 (+2) [10 + 4 visage]
INT 14 (+2) [12 + 2 visage]
WIS 16 (+3) [12 + 4 visage]
CHA 19 (+4) [15 + 4 visage]

HP: 12 (1d10+2) Speed: 30(Fly 60). Initiative: +2
AC: 19(17 w/o shield) (10 base + 4 armour + 2 Shield +1 natural Armour + 2 dex)
Saves: Fort: +4(2 Base + 2 Con) Ref: +2(0 base +2 Dex) Will: +3(0 base +3
Wis)
BAB: 1 Melee: 6 Ranged: 3 Grapple: 6 Trip: 5

Attacks:
Holy Avenger: +11, 1d8+10 damage (19-20/x2)

Skills(Total/Ranks)[16 skill points]: Know:Religion(+5/4), Diplomacy(+6/4),
Heal(+5/4), Sense Motive(+5/4)

Feats[2]: Exotic Weapon Prof(Bastard Sword), Weapon Focus(Bastard Sword)

Class Features: Aura of Good, Detect Evil, Smite Evil 1/day (+2 atk, +1
damage)

Racial Features: Bonus Feat, Bonus Skill points, +1 nat armour, Low-light vision, DR 10/magic, SR 25, Acid/Cold/Electricity Resist 10, immunity to disease, +4 save vs poison, ability enhancements.

Languages:
Azgundi, Common, Celestial

Equipment:
Holy Avenger
Chain Shirt
Hvy Wood Shield[/sblock]
[/sblock]

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

OOC: Updates for everyone except William and Corath will go back to non-initiative based...ie, when everyone gets a post in, we'll move forward. For William and Corath, we'll be doing combat posting still. And, Jemal, thanks...but I'm not done with the music, just yet.

Azilyk's Initiative (1d20+5=19)

OOC: Initiative Order

21 - William
19 - Azilyk
6 - Corath

William vs Azilyk

OOC: First action - William

 

[Arkhandus]

Alaric just stands around in silent worry, uncertain what to do at this point, with William and Corath both out of it.