Second Darkness [Shadow in the Sky] (IC)

[lostsole31]

R3T5: Visto finally enters the building alongside his allies, and immediately takes off into the air to get a better view of the enemy. Because of the time spent getting into the building, he only makes it 5' off the ground. The catwalks are too cluttered and the action too frenetic or Visto to get a clear look at the battle up there.

End Round 3, Begin Round 4 ...

R4T28: "Sol!" calls Kwava, "Show us the way up to the catwalks."

He takes the total defense action this round.

R4T27.5-26: Ganmeed has to land to peck at a thief (3). That one in turn takes out his stabs Ganmeed for 7. An arrow from another slams into Apophis' scales.

R4T23: Sol, with fire in his hands, says, "Follow me!" as he darts off to the northwest outside of a door. "Through here and to the right!"

R4T19: Eric, what do you do? You no longer fear the dead. Do you accept the raging song this round?

Rod on deck, Ozzy in the hole ...

[silphael]

Slowed down by his gear, Eric still rushes toward the door Sol is at.

"So we're going to fight our whole way through, then."

[lostsole31]

R4T19: Slowed down by his gear, Eric still rushes toward the door Sol is at. "So, we're going to fight our whole way through, then."

R4T18: Rod, do you keep up the raging song? What do you do?

Ozzy on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[AggressiveBread]

Continuing his song, Rodriguez will move up to the door next to Sol and shove it open. Let’s get a move on! Saul might be running!

Spoiler: OOC

Show

FA: continue raging song
MA: move 30 ft up to the door
SA: open the door
Reminder: Eric has feather step on him

[lostsole31]

R4T18: Continuing his song, Rodriguez will move up to the door next to Sol and shoves it open, and luckily it moves as he moves as a swinging door. "Let’s get a move on! Saul might be running!"

Sol, whose name when pronounced is a lot like "Saul," smiles and says, "I'm not running!"

Meanwhile, Rod, this appears to be the kitchen. 15' north of him, by a doorway, stands a tough-looking guy who notices Rod. He calls out, "We got company!"

R4T17: Another tough guy is heard coming down stairs and through the door way and with a finger pointed from his pal, steps north to engage Rod. He has a short sword in hand.

R4T15: Ozzy, do you take the raging song? What do you do?

Ginny on deck, Apophis in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Seeing no benefit in standing around, Ozlech moves across the gambling hall floor over to where Sol and the others are gathered.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Double move trying to get near where Sol and Rod are.

EDIT: and as usual he doesn't partake of the rage song.

[lostsole31]

R4T15: Seeing no benefit in standing around, Ozlech moves across the gambling hall floor over to where Sol and the others are gathered.

R4T14.9-14: The combat continues in the catwalks. There is a man's scream as a second figure, wielding a bow in one hand and a rapier falls to the ground from above.

R4T10: A short, dumpy, balding man (5'5", 215 lbs., black hair, blue eyes) comes out of the same doorway that Rod saw the tough that is now standing in front of him. This man hs has no left hand, but some type of large key as a prosthetic where some might have a hook. He smiles at Rod and Sol behind him and says to the two tough guys. "Cover me." He then disappears through the doorway to the north (the two doorways being adjacent to each other.

"That was Saul!" cries Sol to Rod.

R4T5: Visto, what do you do?

Beyar (tough guy) on deck, Kwava in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Visto starts moving upwards towards the catwalks, where his allies cannot reach, in order to try and get a better view up there to help his allies, while they chase after the main target.

Spoiler

Show

Nonaction: Refuse Raging Song
Nonaction: Change Storm Veil to The Cyclone, burning the point of TE currently invested in Storm veils
Nonaction: Generate 1 TE and invest it into The Cyclone
Move action: Move upward and Northwest, with a focus on upward, until he can get a good view of the catwalk. If this can be done in one Move action, then see the Standard action below. If not, use a second Move action

Standard action: If Visto can get up high enough to see the catwalks well, and can identify reasonable threats and/or possible allies upon them, he will choose a reasonable target and summon a Cyclone in the space of that hostile.

If this happens, Bull Rush (1d20+7)[17]
Damage (2d6)[7]

[lostsole31]

R4T5: Visto starts moving upwards towards the catwalks, where his allies cannot reach, in order to try and get a better view up there to help his allies, while they chase after the main target. He has the skill to go straight up, but not the power to do that and still do too much more. He is 25' off the ground, and is only 10' from a pair of folk that are not your own, but that is as far as Visto huffs.

R4T4: One of the tough guys goes through the doorway that Saul just exited through.

End Round 4, Begin Round 5 ...

R5T28: Kwava ends his defensive posture and puts his bow away. He then moves to one of the statues and climbs on it and then up some other objects next to the wall. His skill at doing so is uncanny and natural.

R5T27.5: Above, Visto sees that Ganmeed (Kwava's hawk) is wounded, but sort of penned two thieves at the end of a catwalk. He bites at a man and misses.

R5T27-24: Brown Thief fakes out Ganmeed with pointwork and stabs the hawk for 9. Purple sets down her rapier and then shoots at the newcomer (Visto), missing.

R5T23: Sol just ducks down to the other kitchen door and pushes through and comes up aside Rod, taking on the raging song. He swings with his fiery hand, but misses. However, a screaming, ghostly maiden lashes out and hits the thug in the upper left leg for 7 NE (negative energy), a soul-tearing attack that has the man screaming.

R5T19: Eric, what do you do? Do you accept the song?

Rod on deck, Hans (man in kitchen) in the hole ...

[silphael]

Eric steps further inside, and looks for an enemy to engage.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Eric will get inside, and steps into melee toward the closest unengaged foe.

[lostsole31]

R5T19: Eric hustles to step further inside and immediately has to do a dive roll so as not to open himself up from a guy with a shortsword as soon as he enters the kitchen. The dive roll is good and Eric comes up and around to the side so as to flank with Rod while standing at a doorway with a chamber inside and stairs that go upwards.

R5T18: Rod, an angry, spirit of a maenad goes right into the man's neck for 9 NE, dropping him. Do you keep up the song? What do you do?

Ozzy on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[lostsole31]

R5T18: With things more of a running battle for now, Rod stops his raging song (which stops on Apophis, Ganmeed, and Huginn as well). He looks to Sol who points at that first doorway, which is the same one Saul and the others came out of, not went into. Rod trusts Sol and takes that way, which leads to a set of stairs going up.

R5T15: Ozzy, what do you do?

Ginny on deck, Apophis in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Ozzy moves into the room where Eric, Rod and Sol are and fires off a pair of darts at the first enemy he sees standing.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

No Raging song.
Move action: Move into the next room with Eric, Rod, and Sol.
Standard Action: Riven Darts on a visible standing enemy should one remain in the next room should one exist.

RTA: (1d20+9)[21]
Damage: (2d4)[5] Force
RTA2: (1d20+9)[29]
Damage2: (2d4)[3] Force

[lostsole31]

R5T15: Ozzy moves into the room where Eric, Rod and Sol are and fires off a pair of darts at the first enemy he sees standing .... which is nobody at this time.

Sol points to the two doorways. He points to the one more north and says, "Basement?" and then to the one closer to the heroes (the one that Rod just ran into) and more confidently says, "Upstairs."

R5T14.9-5: Visto sees Ginny swoop in to score a crit with her beak against a badly wounded male thief's chest enough for that man fall to his death below. Ginny then careens sharply off so as not to be attacked by the female thief who is now very alone. Apophis only gets a 10' start along the catwalk, but still coils enough power to jump over to the point from which the last thief had fallen. The woman tries to get in an AOO and misses. Then, Apophis himself also scores a crit against his target by biting him in her head and then tossing over over the rails to the floor below. Though Ganmeed's hawk seems badly wounded, the Battle of the Companions was a clear win in the party's book! The catwalks have been cleared of apparent/ visible hostiles. Visto, what do you do?

[meemaas]

Visto is happy to know that the parties companions have taken care of the enemies at the higher altitude, and summons up a small drizzle to heal the hawks wounds with his power, and then starts moving downward to meet with his allies.

Spoiler

Show

Nonaction: Refuse Raging Song
Nonaction: Generate 1 TE and invest it into The Cyclone, making 2E in that veil.

Standard action: Activate Soothing Rain, targeting Ganmeed's Hawk to heal its wounds.

Healing (6d8)[29]

Move action: Move downwards to rejoin the others.

[lostsole31]

R5T14.9-5: Visto is happy to know that the parties companions have taken care of the enemies at the higher altitude, and summons up a small drizzle to heal the hawks wounds with his power, and then starts moving downward to meet with his allies.

End Round 5, Begin Round 6 ...

R6T28-27.5: Kwava, seeing all must be well above, climbs back down to the ground. Visto notes that while he seemed to be a fast climber, for being an elf and not carrying a lot of gear and wearing light armor, Kwava doesn't move as quickly as you'd expect him to. He ends his movement directly below Visto. The fully-healed hawk flies down and just behind its master.

R6T23: Sol doesn't follow Rod, but instead boogeys through the northern of the two doors calling out, "This way to catch Saul!"

R6T19: Eric, what do you do?

Rod on deck, Ozzy in the hole ...

[silphael]

Eric follows Sol's voice.

[lostsole31]

R6T19: Eric follows Sol's voice through the doorway that is the northern of the two adjacent doors, heading down to a basement. He gets to a point just near the bottom when there appears to be a sharp wraparound, so he doesn't see anyone where he is.

R6T18: Rod, what do you do?

Ozlech on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez will move full speed to follow Sol and Eric, trying to get as far down the basement steps as he can. He calls out to his companion.”Apophis get down here! Show those birds where to go!”

[lostsole31]

R6T18: Rodriguez will move full speed to follow Sol and Eric, trying to get as far down the basement steps as he can. He calls out to his companion.”Apophis, get down here! Show those birds where to go!”

He ends his movement 10' from Eric.

R6T15: Ozzy, what do you do? Follow the others down into the basement? If so, do you want to go "as far as?" Do you want to make sure you're not in the lead? Any other cautions? Also, aura of misfortune is still the active stance.

Ginny on deck, Apophis in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Focusing on the chase, Ozzy switches his stance from misfortune to awareness of what is around him. He also sends a telepathic message to Ginny before following the others downstairs.

Spoiler: Ozlech >>> Ginny

Show

”We are headed to the basement. Catch up with us when you can.”

Spoiler

Show

SwA: Enter Spirit Sensing Stance to gain 30ft scent which also works on ethereal creatures.

Double move down the basement while focusing on not being the first but also not falling behind the others.

[lostsole31]

R6T15: Focusing on the chase, Ozzy switches his stance from misfortune to awareness of what is around him. He also sends a telepathic message to Ginny before following the others downstairs, passing Rod and Eric, but ending 10' behind Sol, who himself is 10' behind one of Saul's bodyguards, who in turn is another 10' forward of him.

Spoiler: Ozzy >>> Ginny

Show

”We are headed to the basement. Catch up with us when you can.”

R6T14.9: Proving the incredible speed of his Dark Messenger, Ginny flaps over the heads of the others and gets to a point 5' above the ground behind Ozzy.

R6T14:

Spoiler: Apophis >>> Rod

Show

"Eh, they already went way past me ... so fast. Can't show me anything. I see open door up here. I try comin' down that way."

There is a little bit of "mental static," that indicates that Apophis must have been more than a hundred feet away when he sent that message, which means the bond with him is weaker, and that means that Apophis is now weaker as well.

R6T10: Saul laughs, taking out a small vial, drinking from it, and smashing it on the ground before stepping back a few feet. "Nothing personal, Sol! It's just business. Always has been. Old Scratch! You're up! Beyar, get him."

R6T5: Visto, what do you do?

Beyar on deck, Kwava in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Visto will follow the direction that Sol called from, bringing himself back down to the ground so that he can enter the door when he reaches it, maybe a little disappointed to be back on the ground.

Spoiler

Show

Double Move action to get to the door Sol went through. Visto won't enter the doorway immediately, he doesn't want to be blocking the movement of his more agile and capable allies.

[lostsole31]

R6T5: Visto will follow the direction that Sol called from, bringing himself back down to the ground so that he can enter the door when he reaches it, maybe a little disappointed to be back on the ground. Even more than that, he is disappointed to find that other than Kwava, he is alone and near the door to the kitchen, but not quite in it. Visto might be able to fly, but he still moves slower than most of the rest of the party.

R6T4: Beyar, one of Saul's bodyguards, steps forward and stabs at Sol. It is a valiant effort, but doesn't penetrate Sol's leather armor.

End Round 6, Begin Round 7 ...

R7T28-27.5: Kwava and Ganmeed catch up to Visto.

R7T24: In the basement, something appears behind Sol .... in the same space as him, after seemingly stinging him with its tail (2).

R7T23: Sol hisses in pain from the sting, but he attacks Beyar instead, touching him in the upper arm with the fire on his hands for 8 fire. Beyar screams out in pain. Sol then steps back a few feet to be by Ozzy. "It's Old Scratch, the Gold Goblin mascot," he says to Ozlech, but pointing to the tiny winged creature with a stinger on its tail. "I don't know what he is, but I forget he was here because he's usually invisible."

R7T19: Eric, you'll have to go around a corner before you can know what's happening down here. What do you do?

Rod on deck, Ozzy in the hole ....

[lostsole31]

R7T19: Eric moves around the corner to see a line of creatures in his way, including two he doesn't recognize - a tiny, flying humanoid with wings and a stinger-tail ... and one of the bodyguards from upstairs, and then Saul some distance past. Eric focuses his hatred on the flying creature; he doesn't know what it is, but has a sense it is likely more dangerous than the dips*** bodyguard behind it.

Spoiler: Eric

Show

Claimed Old Scratch, and regained raging specter strike.

R7T18: Rod, what do you do? You have a set of stairs, and you heard Eric stop just around the corner, telling you that you won't get farther than him, and therefore are likely to be seen by any opposition.

Ozzy on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez will move around the corner behind Eric. Using his polearm he will strike the closest enemy he can reach. Shouting down the hall,”You know, we could have had a nice peaceful discussion about this Saul!”

Spoiler: OOC

Show

MA: move down the corridor behind Eric
SA: attack the enemy in front of Eric with the guisarme (1d20+7)[8]
(2d4+5)[12]

[lostsole31]

R7T18: Rodriguez will move around the corner behind Eric. There is no enemy in front of Eric, but Ginny, Ozzy's bird. Shouting down the hall,”You know, we could have had a nice peaceful discussion about this, Saul!”

R7T15: Ozzy, what do you do?

Ginny on deck, Apophis in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Seeing the obviously magical creature, Ozzy treats it as a higher threat than the man. He rearranges his essence the sparkling darts of force humming with barely contained potential and shares his own power with Sol.

Ozzy then launches a barrage of darts down the hallway.

Spoiler: Ozzy >>> Ginny

Show

”Ginny, use Fading strike to cut off Saul’s escape. Try not to kill him.”

Spoiler: OOC

Show

SwA: Rearrange Essence. 3 Essence into Riven Darts (Max with cap of 2 and Extended Capacity) and my remaining 1 essence to Akashic Army to give Sol Escape Route and his own Riven Dart (but no essence to power it and no bind effect). This drops my AC by 2 as Ring of the Abjurer weakens and lowers my trip aoo CMB by 2.

Standard Action: Riven Darts RTA targeting Old Scratch and Beyar 2 each. The darts heading to Old Scratch aim to kill, Beyars are meant to wound (NL).

Old Scratch RTA1: (1d20+9)[13] Damage: (4d4)[8] Force
Old Scratch RTA2: (1d20+9)[20] Damage: (4d4)[8] Force

Beyar RTA1: (1d20+9)[18] Damage (4d4)[13] NL Force
Beyar RTA2: (1d20+9)[13] Damage (4d4)[8] NL Force

[lostsole31]

R7T15: Seeing the obviously magical creature, Ozzy treats it as a higher threat than the man. He rearranges his essence - the sparkling darts of force humming with barely contained potential - and shares his own power with Sol.

Ozzy then launches a barrage of darts down the hallway as cover fire, for otherwise they miss due to cover and combat.

Spoiler: Ozzy >>> Ginny

Show

”Ginny, use fading strike to cut off Saul’s escape. Try not to kill him.”

R7T14.9: Ginny disappears, reappearing on the ground by Saul and pecks at him but Saul sensed something and jumped above the attack.

R7T10: Saul begins to fight with the crow, Ginny deftly avoiding the rapier. What she doesn't avoid, however, is the key-like stump that she didn't expect that rakes her for 12 + disoriented. Saul then takes a step to the north.

R7T5: Visto, I am just moving you forward, given your previous intention. You enter the kitchen, spot the stairs going down, step past a bleeing man, and begin down the stairs to the basement.

R7T4: Beyar, badly wounded, moves down to Saul and tries to ward off any attack against him with his short sword.

End Round 7, Begin Round 8 ...

R8T28-27.5: Kwava follows right behind Visto, and Ganmeed with him.

R8T24: Old Scratch enters Sol's square acrobatically. Old Scratch attacks Sol with his stinger and Sol tags him with his fiery hand but it does no damage. Old Scratch gets Sol with his sting for 4.

R8T23: Sol says, "You guys should have this," as he ignores Old Scratch and moves down the hallway and sizzling Beyar's left hand with his own fire hand for 4 fire, enough to make Beyar scream in pain and then succumb to shock.

R8T19: Eric, Old Scratch takes 4 crimson claim, and then your claim on him drops. What do you do?

Rod on deck, Ozzy in the hole ...

[silphael]

Eric advances, claiming Old Scratch, before drawing lifeforce from him.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move action to get 20 feet down, then swift to claim if it's still in sight (Vitae capped at 3) then move action to deal 3 damage (untyped) and to heal (1d6)[5].