Strange Aeons 2: The Thrushmoor Terror [IC]

[Blackhawk101]

The embattled friar’s skin bunches and ripples as if vines moved and swell beneath the surface as Brother Jaume grows large. He strikes out desperately at his foe, calling upon his deity to strengthen his attacks.
“Hah!”

Spoiler: crunch

Show

drop staff for free
SwA: enlarge
full attack action, use “magic” hand, flurry of blows, spend ki for additional attack, ki strike for magic damage, Risky Maneuver.
to hit1 - (1d20+6)[21]
to hit1 - (2d6+10)[20]
to hit2 - (1d20+6)[22]
to hit2 - (2d6+10)[18]
to hit3 - (1d20+6)[22]
to hit3 - (2d6+10)[18]

[lostsole31]

R4T23: The embattled friar’s skin bunches and ripples as if vines moved and swell beneath the surface as Brother Jaume grows large. He strikes out desperately at his foe, calling upon his deity to strengthen his attacks. “Hah!”

Yet each powerful blow only is soaked up by the abomination's super-hardened skin.

R4T21: Jens, what do you do?

Vilma on deck, Flair in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Jens

Not sure how to help, Jens helps to mitigate any further damage to Juame and asks, "Does it have any weaknesses!?"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

4PP spent on Vigor to give Juame 20 temp hp for Klyn to tear through.

[lostsole31]

R4T21: Not sure how to help, Jens helps to mitigate any further damage to Jaume and asks, "Does it have any weaknesses!?"

R4T20: Vilma, you were last using Risky Strike. What do you do?

Flair on deck, Klyn in the hole ...

[silphael]

Seeing how resilient the creature is, Vilma swiftly invokes judgment against the revenant, not planning to let the fight continue for too long.

"The ones you are seeking vengeance on aren't anymore !"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Well, let's go with judgment of justice, then attack again, this time without Risky Strike.

Attack - (1d20+12)[23]
[roll=Damage]1d8+8[roll]

[lostsole31]

R4T20: Seeing how resilient the creature is, Vilma swiftly invokes judgment against the revenant, not planning to let the fight continue for too long. "The one you are seeking vengeance on isn't anymore!"

Her morningstar slams into Klyn's lower left arm, hoping to cause him to release Brother Jaume. The strike does 8 mod, its unnatural resilience shrugging off some of Vilma's power.

R4T18: Flair, again, you lost your readied action. What do you do?

Klyn on deck, Dorn in the hole ...

[digiman619]

Flair kept his crossbow trained; hoping that his teammates would be able to take this thing out rather than being forced to rely on his subpar archery skills

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Second verse, same as the first!

[lostsole31]

R4T18: Flair kept his crossbow trained; hoping that his teammates would be able to take this thing out rather than being forced to rely on his subpar archery skills.

R4T14: If Klyn is worried about the giant he is suddenly grappling or the friar's strange revitalization, he doesn't show it. He continues to squeeze ... claws and unnatural strength digging into Brother Jaume for 21. Just barely enough to push past that fresh vitality, but that vigor also having been more than enough to keep Brother Jaume conscious.

R4T9: Dorn tries another smiting onslaught, with his hammer hitting the undead for 16, then his right upper arm for 14.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T25: Kris thinks about her accursed nature, that what she is .... is an affront to what she is. So, she thinks about that in relation to her connection to storms. Without the caress of rain or wind, there is the sun ... blistering and burning. She concentrates on that concept, gives into that trance, casts a spell, and a scything beam of pure heat launches from her hand to almost strike Klyn. Almost. And yet, as with her cold ray previously, the beam of heat seems to fizzle just as it gets to the undead man. "Something is blocking my magic. It is too powerful for me to overcome," she says ruefully.

R5T23: Brother Jaume, you are back to being in a bad way as Klyn tore through what Jens gave you in short order. You are currently super-sized and grappled. What do you do?

Jens on deck, Vilma in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Returning to normal size, Brother Jaume focuses his will and calls upon his God to help him defeat this foe.
“Erastil, Aid me!”
Growing quickly, faithful friar pummels the undead creature again, trying to breach it’s prodigious armor.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

SWA: enlarge domain ability
FAA: punch, flurry of blows , use weapon attuned fist, ki strike
to hit1 - (1d20+9)[27]
to dam1 - (2d6+6)[17]
to hit2 - (1d20+9)[12]
to dam2 - (2d6+6)[12]

[lostsole31]

R5T23: Returning to normal size, Brother Jaume focuses his will and calls upon his God to help him defeat this foe. “Erastil, Aid me!”

Growing quickly, the faithful friar pummels the undead creature again, trying to breach it’s prodigious armor. With his right fist he hits the monster in the upper left arm for 12 mod, most of his blow going through, though some of it being absorbed.

R5T21: Jens, what do you do?

Vilma on deck, Flair in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Jens

”I can’t keep this up much longer!” Jens says as he again bolsters Juame’s vitality.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Standard action: 4 PP to fully Augment Vigor for 20 THP on Juame.

[silphael]

Seeing how inefficient she is for now, Vilma steps away and drinks a flask, her veins and muscles bulging.

"Hold a little longer !"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

5 foot step out of melee, move action to take mutagen, standard action to drink it.

[lostsole31]

R5T21: ”I can’t keep this up much longer!” Jens shouts as he again bolsters Jaume’s vitality. Again, Brother Jaume's bodily processes work quickly as psionic energy layers through his cells to fortify him. Little droplets of blood form briefly and rain about Jens before disappearing several seconds later.

R5T20: Seeing how inefficient she is for now, Vilma steps away, drops her morningstar, and takes out a flask and drinks it. A second later, with her veins and muscles bulging, she shouts back, "Hold a little longer!"

R5T18: Flair, your readied action did not go off. What do you do?

Klyn on deck, Dorn in the hole ...

[digiman619]

Flair keeps his aim up. "Jens, if you have to, take my vitality to keep him up! 'Because if it gets to me, I'm toast anyway he finished in his head.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Same as before

[lostsole31]

R5T18: Flair keeps his aim up. "Jens, if you have to, take my vitality to keep him up!" ..."Because if it gets to me, I'm toast anyway," he finished in his head.

R5T14: Klyn inexplicably relinquishes his advantage by releasing the Firbolg-sized friar. He steps away from the smiting paladin and lets loose with another horrific screech.

R5T9: Dorn is having none of it, being completely unphased by the screech. He goes around the "long way) to the north and hooking west and south again to stand next to Vilma so as to block Klyn's forward progress to his two targets. He concentrates and prays to Torag in prayerspeak, at the end of his invocation of which he touches Vilma ... who is now protected by a glowing aura similar to a hammer.

End Round 5, Begin Round 6 ...

R6T25: While trying to figure out what she can do against this monster, Kris casts a spell on herself, and she is briefly outlined by an invisible force more towards her forward area, adding to the other protection that is there.

Everyone, roll a Will save vs. a mind-affecting, fear effect!

[lostsole31]

R6T23: Brother Jaume, you are enlarged; do you stay that way? What do you do?

Jens on deck, Vilma in the hole ...

[Blackhawk101]

Shrinking back to normal size, Brother Jaume is now five feet from the undead creature. He grasps his holy symbol of Erastil and prays.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

shrink to normal size in the SE square of the four he was in, a five foot space between himself and the creature.
spend a second level spell: “weapon of awe” for a cure moderate.
(2d8+4)[7]
Move West five foot to flank.

[lostsole31]

R6T23: Shrinking back to normal size, Brother Jaume is now five feet from the undead creature. He grasps his holy symbol of Erastil and prays, 7 healing washing over him and feeling much better than Jens' strange ministrations. He then steps over to Klyn.

R6T21: Jens, you are almost out of mental energy just trying to keep Brother Jaume on his feet. And this Klyn has been hammered down way more than any of your party could possibly handle and he's still coming. And he's coming for you. When his second scream of rage rolls forth, it chills you to the bone as you stand stock-still in fear. You aren't even checked into the battle.

R6T20: Vilma, what do you do?

Flair on deck, Klyn in the hole ...

[lostsole31]

R6T20: Realizing that Klyn's hide is tougher than it should be, Vilma will not commit all of her power to the attack. She pops Klyn in the jaw with her shield for 6 mod, half of her power being attenuated by its sinew.

R6T18: Flair, what do you do?

Klyn on deck, Dorn in the hole ...

[digiman619]

Flair cursed at Jens' sudden change of demeanor. They needed every bit of help they could dealing with this thing, and their healing losing their grip could be bad. He shouts a curse at it, the exact words less important that the terrifying invective of it.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

SA: Ready a shot if I can get a clear one.
MA: Intimidate, taking 10 for it. and spending a point of Inspiration on it. (1d6)[4]

[lostsole31]

R6T18: Flair cursed at Jens' sudden change of demeanor. They needed every bit of help they could dealing with this thing, and their healing losing their grip could be bad. He shouts a curse at it, the exact words less important that the terrifying invective of it.

R6T14: It wasn't impressive to his teammates, and Flair's comment made no dent on Klyn. In fact, in a burst of speed the battlefield threatens to change for the worst as Klyn shoots past the opening between Vilma and Brother Jaume. The cleric is first to counter with a punch to the revenant's lower right arm for 4 mod. Vilma slams it in the back for 5 mod. But it is Dorn's smite to its spine that is most telling for 15. Klyn still bursts out of the hole, and a crossbow barely skims across his skin from Flair as Kly closes on his two targets, gets around Jen. It is insanely fast, and worst of all, he crits with a roundhouse that slashes through Jen's lower back for 34 ... and continues across and up to Flair's left shoulder for 21 ... and now grabbing Flair!

R6T9: But Dorn had prepared against a fast opponent as he also speeds off impossibly quickly. He jumps over Flair's grabbed body to land next to the revenant. But his strike is rebuffed by tough hide.

End Round 6, Begin Round 7 ...

R7T25: Kris flies past, and then opens up a little from Klyn. She casts a spell ... and a beam of heat just misses melting off Flair's cheek!

R7T23: Brother Jaume, what do you do?

Jens (cowering) on deck, Vilma in the hole (armed only with shield right now) ...

[Blackhawk101]

“Hold on Flair! Jens move!”” shouts Brother Jaume.
He moves quickly North and grasps Flair’s shoulder as he prays for aid.

Spoiler: crunch

Show

MA: move North until he is diagonally adjacent to Flair and South of Jens.
SA: cast CLW , spend first level spell slot Magic weapon.
(1d8+4)[5]

[bcool999]

Jens

The thing zips behind Jens faster than he can react and pain blossoms from Jen's back. Standing there shaking like a leaf Jens whimpers, "It's going to kill me..."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Cowering. No actions taken.

[lostsole31]

R7T23: “Hold on, Flair! Jens, move!”” shouts Brother Jaume. He moves quickly North and grasps Flair’s shoulder as he prays for aid. Aid comes, but only the smallest amount possible (5). Perhaps Erastil hears his servant .... but passes quiet judgment on a murderer?

R7T21: The thing zipped behind Jens faster than he could react and pain blossoms from Jen's back. Standing there shaking like a leaf Jens whimpers, "It's going to kill me..."

But no, NO. He will not go out like this .... he who feels exultation at the death of those that would kill him. Jens pulls himself together and recovers!

Jens, what do you do?

Vilma on deck, Flair (grappled) in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Jens

Stamping down on his fear by force of will, and channeling it into anger, Jens lets out a shout as he summons nearby earth and stone into a blade to cut at Klyn before retreating away.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Standard Action: Earth Blade vs. Klyn

Attack: (1d20+3)[15]
Damage: (2d6+6)[13] Slashing

Move Action: Move to a square South of Vilma to put bodies between himself and Klyn

[lostsole31]

R7T21: Stamping down on his fear by force of will, and channeling it into anger, Jens lets out a shout as he summons nearby earth and stone into a blade to cut at Klyn (which is deflected away by an unseen force) before retreating away.

R7T20: Vilma, what do you do? You are armed just with your shield right now.

Flair (grappled) on deck, Klyn (grappling) in the hole ...

[silphael]

Moving back into melee, Vilma drops her shield, draws her heavy flail, and attempts to bash the revenant with it.

"Hold on, it's growing weaker !"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move to the square directly south of Klyn, free action to drop shield during the move, free action to take the heavy flail during the move.
Standard action to attack with it.
Attack - (1d20+14)[27]
Damage - (1d10+12)[15]

[lostsole31]

R7T20: Moving back into melee, Vilma drops her shield, draws her heavy flail, and closes while shouting, "Hold on, it's growing weaker!"

She bashes the revenant with the swing ball of the chain to shatter its left arm and then crumple its chest as he releases the hold on Flair.

Klyn gives out a cry of pain. But this time, it is not an inhuman cry, but a cry much more like a man in great pain. Klyn stands for a second in a bent knee pose of pain, looking up, and then falls back onto the ground. The sepulchral color to his skin goes away. He breathes ... breathes ... in laborious beats on the ground, looking up at Flair. Through great pain he says, "Just because ... just because your mind forgets. Your soul is still stained. You can't escape it." His voice becomes more and more distant and thready. "You feel it, don't you? You can't be good just because you say you are. And you can't be good just because you say are now without dealing with what you were. Your killers, through and through. It comes for you."

And with that, he gives a rattle and a sigh, and you can see a breath like a tortured spirit leave his body with that sigh before discroporating.

Combat Ends ...

Everyone, roll a SAN check (Will save vs. mind-affecting) ...

[digiman619]

Flair stood there, his breath and heartbeat slowing returning to their normal paces. As his body got itself straighten out (his new shoulder wound notwithstanding), the revenant's final words echoed in Flair's mind.

His entire ethos is that ultimately, his choices and deeds are what mattered. Before he woke up in that cell, back in the Asylum, he'd been a violent, vain, petty man. A man that enjoyed inflicting pain and being addressed by strange titles.

A man that Flair has sworn to never be again.

Every day, he gets up and swears to himself that he will not be that man. In every action he does, he chooses to be someone better. Someone that helps where he can, someone who cares about learning and sharing knowledge, someone who won't stand by and let a crowd attack an artist, someone who offers his foes a peaceful alternative if at all possible. Every day he strived to be better than he was before.

But what if the revenant had been right? What if his soul was stained due to his previous incarnation? What if there was no amount of good he could do that would balance those scales? If his actions doomed him to Hell (or Abbadon, The Abyss, Pandemonium, etc), was there any point in doing any of this? Why not just walk away, find a big city and get a job as a scholar, just disappear and let someone else worry about all that? And that was if still kept himself clean, morally speaking? In for a penny, in for a pound, as the saying goes (or would that be "In for a copper, in for a platinum" here?), Why bother staying clean? He could steal, assault, all that bad stuff. If he's doomed doomed anyway, why not go whole hog?

Two reasons, he determined quickly. First, a vengeful spirit who actively hates you is not the greatest source of information. The revenant's hatred for the man he once was overrode everything else, so he'd tell Flair he was doomed regardless. The second was simpler. Indeed, it was just simple math. If he was damned anyway, then all we could get rid of all the variables of what his choices mattered to him. That left his actions as a single variable he could add to either side of the equation: To add to the sum amount of Good in the world, or to add to the sum amount of Evil. And that was an easy choice, because Evil Flair is an @$$hole; screw that guy.

Still, a sense of unease took residence in his stomach and refused to be evicted. Deciding to focus on the now, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and took charge of the situation. "Casualty report. I know myself and Jens took a hit, but is anyone else hurt? How much energy for healing do we have left?"

[Blackhawk101]

Panting with the exertion and trembling with post-combat adrenaline after-effects, Brother Jaume speaks.
“I have some healing bursts left. Gather ...around and I will heal us as best I can.”
Moving a good distance away from the corpse, Brother Jaume prays to Erastil to heal his flock.
“That is all I have. I am exhausted. Let us return to the inn to rest.”

Spoiler: crunch

Show

Spend remaining channel energy bursts as needed to heal as much as possible.