The Bloods of Sigil - Metatron's Bequest

[Mark Chance]

And in the middle of the Hive, violence erupts.

After racing up the sheer wall of the Tower Basalt to the roof, Cassius concentrates on the greasy bald head at the doors below, willing the time to slow around his target. The speedster senses temporal distortion, but is uncertain for the moment if Azaziel succumbs to the effect.

Randir moves into action next, tumbling with great agility into the ranks of the Hardheads, his sword flashing from its scabbard, arcing out in all directions. The fight takes a horrible turn. Six Hardheads go down, but when they hit the cobbles they are Hardheads no longer. Their forms waver, shift, and change, and Randir finds himself leaping away from corpses that have been long dead but given unholy life by necromantic magic!

I don't like that wizard berk. Let's take care of him. Tendak pulls a Baatorian blood orange from his pocket, snapping it towards Azaziel's face. "We must defend the tower, comrades!" he shouts, trying to sound like his father.

The Baatorian orange flies straight and true toward Azaziel's head, but with uncanny speed the bald wizard slaps the fruit away.

OOC: Don't forget the effects of Tendak's Leadership feat for next round! Azaziel easily made his Damage SV against the orange. The slapping away is just FX.

As the others move off Reaper stands his ground, with a quick gesture of his hand he etches the power matrix in the air. "ANOK THRESS!" He speaks the words of power from a far off land, he voice no longer low and soft but filled with power. With those words of power a field of energy appears around him.

With another gesture and word of power Reaper attacks Azaziel, not with physical force but with the power of the mind, but Azaziel actually grins as the waves of psychic force break harmlessly against the bulwarks of his mind!

All of the Hardheads except one move into action next, rushing Randir and Tendak. Their movements are noticeably jerky, and their faces unusually slack. Surely these are more undead, but they do not appear as such nor is the deceit an illusion that anyone can detect. Weapons rise and fall against Randir and Tendak, but none manage to score any injuries.

The single Hardhead who does not rush into battle backs up toward Azaziel. He raises his battle axe into a defensive stance, and it crackles with energy. The Reaper is suddenly enveloped in a violent lattice of electricity.

OOC: Damage SV please, Reaper. Versus DC 15, already adjusted for the force field. Apply results with appropriate narration with your next post.

"Fools! You cannot stand before my eldritch might!" screams Azaziel, who, judging by the speed of his movements, has resisted Cassius's temporal attack.

With a gesture and a word, a faint crimson glow surounds the bald sorcerer's form. He then aims a bony digit at Tendak, grins evilly, and says, "From man to beast, and one of the least!"

An unpleasant looking ray snakes from Azaziel's finger toward Tendak, who nimbly ducks under the spell. The ray continues on, striking a hapless bystander across the square. The poor sod vanishes in a flash to be replaced by a turtle!

Dropping down on Azaziel from the sky, Thanatos lets loose with a series of deadly blows, the darkness around the sword crackling to life. The first of Thanatos's attacks strikes true, but Azaziel's force field rises up to deflect the blow entirely. The second slips in under Azaziel's guard, and the wizard grimaces with annoyance or pain or both.

OOC: Next round!

Initiatives:

34 - Cassius
31 - Randir
27 - Tendak
18 - The Reaper
17 - 23 Zombie "Hardheads" - A half dozen are down.
17 - Lightning-Axe Hardhead
13 - Azaziel - 1 hit.
12 - Thanatos

 

[Hammerhead]

We could be in trouble, Tendak thinks as he appraises his situation, nimbly dodgin his opponents attacks. Still, nothing I can't handle. I'm not sure about these other losers. These Hardheads don't appear to be illusions, yet they transform upon subsequent dismemberment. Clearly, Azaziel favors transmutative arcana. The hack.

Deciding not to reveal any of his tricks just yet, Tendak rushes forward and leaps over the Hardheads and Azaziel. As he moves towards the mage, he rhymes From standing to prone, accompanied by a painful groan. Landing behind him, Tendak flashes Azaziel a predatory smile. Let's face it, you should stick to transmutations instead of poems. He then lashes out with his foot, attempting to kick the mage's legs out from under him.

Move action 60 ft. towards Azaziel, bypassing the minions and flanking Azaziel, and then trip attack. Rolled a 30 on attack roll, and an 18 on opposed roll. There's an error with Thanatos's energy field, by the way. Please refer to OOC thread. Use Leadership in the form of my taunts.

 

[WhatKu]

Oh great. Now its an ego contest. Back home, we just kill eachother like good barbarians. But nooooooo. The civilized men have to throw poems at each other. What is sigil coming to these days. Honestly.
While swinging his sword downards, Thanatos turns to his insult-hurling buddy.
"Do you fine gentlemen often try to inflate your egos? Just kill eachother and be done with it."

Rolled a 10. One attack at +26, doing 14 L damage, then 10 L damage.

 

[bkmanis]

Reapers protective field crackles from the hardheads energy attack, but he manages to shrug the attack off.

OOC: Rolled a 13 +7 damage save for a total of 20.

Again Reaper waves his hand and speaks the words of power to send mental energies to assault the mind, but this time the remaining hardhead is the target.

OOC: Attack roll of 16 + 11 vs. mental defense. Will save vs. DC 25.

 

[Velmont]

OOC: Just to remember... For the combat, except if I state any other thing, I use All-Out Attack (-5 to dodge, +5 to hit) and Power Attack (-3 to attack, +3 to damage), and I use my dodge feat aganst all, giving these stats:

Attack: +18 with sword (critical 19-20)
Damage: +15L, making save against a base DC:30.
Defence: 31
Flat-Footed: 30
Damage save: +15

Undeads... just too bad I can't add some hardheads to my list.

"You really want to taste my blade."

Randir start to swing his blade over his head, gaining some speed in his swing, than unleash it on all the hardheads near him.

(Attack roll: 6 + 18 = 24, with Rapid Takedown, all undead hardheads in reach must save against 30. NOTE:I didn't consider leadership, as I forgot what it does and I don't have the book underhand.)

OOC: If the swing hit and the great majority are down.

Randir start to move (up to 80ft.), tumbling near Azaziel and his bodyguard. (Acrobatics roll: 16 + 16 = 32)

Looking at Azaziel bodyguard, "Now, let's see what you worth"

 

[Keia]

Cassius glanced down from the rooftop at the soon to be soup bystander. "Whoa, that can't be good . . . interesting though - I wonder what it's like to be a turtle," Cassius said, then added quietly, "I can't believe I said that out loud."

With that said, Cassius concentrated on the new bodyguard and tried to slow him down, all the while trying to stay hidden.

OCC: Using Slow on Lightning Axe boy (rolled a 14 + 8 Ranged attack = 22 to hit touch ac), DC 20 Will save to not be slowed [half actions only, -2 to hit, defense, and damage]

 

[Mark Chance]

Cassius glanced down from the rooftop at the soon to be soup bystander. "Whoa, that can't be good . . . interesting though - I wonder what it's like to be a turtle," Cassius said, then added quietly, "I can't believe I said that out loud."

With that said, Cassius concentrated on the new bodyguard and tried to slow him down, all the while trying to stay hidden.

Randir frowns at the zombies. Undeads... just too bad I can't add some Hardheads to my list.

"You really want to taste my blade?"

Randir start to swing his blade over his head, gaining some speed in his swing, than unleash it on all the Hardheads near him, and he cuts a swath through another knot of zombies. They fall like a house of cards before a strong wind. Randir leaves them behind, tumbling near Azaziel and his bodyguard.

Looking at Azaziel bodyguard, Randir says, "Now, let's see what you worth."

"By all means," the bodyguard growls, but his voice is distorted, somewhat slurred. His movements also seem sluggish. "Let's."

Deciding not to reveal any of his tricks just yet, Tendak rushes forward and leaps over the Hardheads and Azaziel.

As he moves towards the mage, he rhymes, "From standing to prone, accompanied by a painful groan." Landing behind him, Tendak flashes Azaziel a predatory smile. "Let's face it, you should stick to transmutations instead of poems."

Tendak then lashes out with his foot, attempting to kick the mage's legs out from under him. Azaziel looks most undignified as he flies into a semi-circle and crunches shoulder-first into the cobbles.

Again Reaper waves his hand and speaks the words of power to send mental energies to assault the mind, but this time the Lightning Axe is the target. Azaziel's bodyguard grits his teeth against the assault. Pain is visible on his features, but it seems he escaped the attack no worse for the wear.

The zombies split into two groups, one heading toward the Reaper while the other four rush Randir. The Doomguard again proves to nimble for the clumsy undead. The Reaper cannot help but notice that he'll be mobbed by five zombies in short order.

"Shall we dance?" says Azaziel's bodyguard to Randir. "I shall lead!"

The electrified axe lashes out, sparks flying, the smell of ozone thick in the air, describing a deadly arc. Randir knows that this foe is one of some skill, and it is only Randir's years of battle experience (and perhaps the effects of Cassius's temporal distortion) that allow him to avoid the bodyguard's attack.

From the ground where his robes have been muddied, Azaziel's eyes flash daggers at Tendak. The sorcerer waves a hand dismissively.

"You are nothing but a flea! Fly away from me!"

Tendak feels a powerful magical force grip him as Azaziel slides agilely to his feet just as Thanatos attacks.

OOC: Opposed STR check against DC 35 (!) to avoid being telekinetically grappled.

While swinging his sword downwards, Thanatos turns to his insult-hurling buddy. "Do you fine gentlemen often try to inflate your egos? Just kill eachother and be done with it."

Thanatos's powerful weapon strikes true against Azaziel, but cannot pierce the sorcerer's protective field.

OOC: Next round!

Initiatives:

34 - Cassius
31 - Randir
27 - Tendak
18 - The Reaper
17 - 23 Zombie "Hardheads" - A dozen are down.
17 - Lightning-Axe Hardhead - Slowed.
13 - Azaziel - 1 hit.
12 - Thanatos

 

[Hammerhead]

Tendak rolls an 18 to avoid being grabbled.

Restrained by Azaziel's mystical force, Tendak thrashes haphazardly, trying to wriggle free from Azaziel's restraints. Upon his freedom, he glares at him. Despite his magic force, the mage is going to hurt a lot worse. This simple rhyming scheme is quite childish, and reflects poorly on you. Why don't we try something like a sonnet? Everything Tendak said was perfectly calculated to infuriate Azaziel. In his anger, Tendak knew, he would find an opening and put an end to this farce once and for all.

Seeing it, he springs forward, a shining blade of golden light emanating from his hand, stabbing at Azaziel's midsection. Die!

Use Escape Artist check to escape from grapple, result is 35. Assuming that succeeds, Taunt on Azaziel, result of 25, and use Heroic Surge to gain extra half action, attack on Azaziel hitting Def 33, and he loses his Dexterity bonus to my next attack because of Taunt. Does +20L damage.

EDIT: I forgot the +2 Flanking Bonus

 

[Velmont]

OOC: As you said the bodyguard was protecting Azaziel, and I said I was moving near both, I suppose they are both in my reach. As I will use my drain power, not power-attack and all-out attack can be use, making:

Attack: +16 with sword
Defence: 36
Flat-Footed: 30
Damage save: +15


"You'll need to do better!"

Randir take a moment to consentrate. The sword start to glow with some dark crackling energy.

"It is time to both of you to retire!"

At that moment, moving with a ligthing speed, he swings at both Azaziel and his bodyguard.

(Attack roll: 13 + 16 = 29 vs. the bodyguard, 20 + 16 = 36 vs. Azaziel (confirmation, if any needed: 7 + 16 = 23), with Whirlwind Attack. Both must save against the power Drain lvl 10. The Drain affect all physical stats and people immune to aging are not affected.)

During all that, he seems to ignore completely the zombies.

 

[bkmanis]

Disappointed that his attacks did not have the desired effect Reaper shows no outward emotion. These two are more powerful then they appear. Reaper thinks to himself.

Noticing the undead heading towards him Reaper tightens his grip on his scythe. He swings his scythe at the first two that comes into range of his attack.

OOC: Rapid strike at the first two undead. 14 + 11 -2 = 23 on the first attack. 16 + 11 -2 = 25 on the second attack. Damage saves vs. +12L and +10L energy field for each hit.