Second Darkness [Shadow in the Sky] (IC)

[lostsole31]

R8T19: Eric advances, claiming Old Scratch, before drawing lifeforce from him. Old Scratch puts up a valiant effort, but in the end, Eric still does 3 drain while regaining nothing (he's fully healed, and then some with THP).

R8T18: Rodriguez, what do you do? You hear the battle several feet around the corner, not seeing anyone from your current vantage point.

Ozzy on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez will move around the corner and point his weapon towards Saul down the hallway, he shouts towards the man with a violent tone.”Just put down the sword old man! We’ll take your other arm if we have to!”

Spoiler: OOC

Show

MA: move 10 feet down the hall to be south of Eric
SA: Intimidate check to demoralize Saul
(1d20+11)[18]

[lostsole31]

R8T18: Rodriguez will move around the corner and point his weapon towards Saul down the hallway, he shouts towards the man with a violent tone.”Just put down the sword, old man! We’ll take your other arm if we have to!”

R8T15: Ozlech, what do you do?

Ginny on deck, Apophis in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Ozlech

"Eric! Help me with this Winged Pest!" Ozzy calls out before altering his stance and making a bite toward Old Scratch.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

SwA: Change to Aura of Misfortune.
Standard Action: Strike the Hourglass with my bite attack. Dark Focus gives +1 to attack and damage with Riven Hourglass strikes, and a +1 to the save DC.

Attack: (1d20+9)[22] (Did not include Dark Focus or Flanking)
Damage: (1d6+1)[4] (Did not include Dark Focus)
Will Save DC 17 (Dark Focus Included)

Also, I believe Ginny should generate a 10ft sphere of Gloom as per the Channel of Woe ability for initiating a Strike.

[lostsole31]

R8T15: "Eric! Help me with this Winged Pest!" Ozzy calls out before altering his stance and making a bite toward Old Scratch. The tiefling bites the little demon-creature, and Ozzy is sure he penetrates the scales, but he ends up not doing any damage at all! Still, just as an aura of Gloom fell around him several seconds ago, so one now covers Ginny as well even as the one around him fades.

R8T14.9: The area of Gloom around Ozzy fades, as does her brief disorientation. She hopes forward and attacks Saul with everything she has. One of her talons actually crits Saul as she attacks his face and not only does 7, but blinds him as well!

R8T14: Apophis ends his movement behind Ozzy after having double-moved a few rounds.

R8T10: Saul, even blinded, is moderately spry enough to be able to back out of the corridor (there was a passageway immediately E of where he was standing.

R8T5: Visto, what do you do? You are on the stairs heading down into the basement.

Kwava on deck, Ganmeed in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Visto continues after his allies, hoping to join them in the fray, and if he can move far enough, he'll find himself a safe place to stop where he won't get stabbed to death.

Spoiler

Show

Double Move further into the basement, looking for a safe place to stop.

[lostsole31]

R8T5: Visto continues after his allies, hoping to join them in the fray. He comes around the corner, and sees the only place he can go next is a place held by a tiny, demonic-looking creature. So, Visto stays put.

End Round 8, Begin Round 9 ...

R9T28-27.5: Kwava (and Ganmeed) come down the stairs behind Visto. He can't see, and asks, "Is there any room for me?"

R9T24: Old Scratch moves acrobatically under Ozzy's legs and stings at Ozzy, but his force armor stops the stinger.

R9T23: "A spot just opened up, Kwava!" calls out Sol. In answer to that, Kwava's readied action goes off and he moves into the spot where Old Scratch was a second ago.

Sol then moves to the spot in the hallway that has the side passage Saul entered. Sol reaches out with his fire hand and Saul's pained cursing is heard (4 fire).

R9T19: Eric, what do you do?

Rod on deck, Ozzy in the hole ...

[silphael]

Lacking other options, Eric maintains his claim, before draining blood in masse.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift action, Crimson Claim. 2 move action, draining blood each time for 3+3 damage.

[lostsole31]

R9T19: Lacking other options, Eric claims Old Scratch again, and then drains him or 3. Since Eric is fully healthy (and then some), he doesn't receive any healing.

R9T18: Rod, what do you do?

Ozzy on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez will rush into the side room that Saul went into, and will attempt to pull the man to the ground with his weapon.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

MA: move into the side room after Saul, moving to be within 10 feet of him. Flanking with Sol if possible.
SA:trip attempt with guisarme.
(1d20+9)[23](flank not included)

[lostsole31]

R9T18: Rodriguez rushes forward, having to stand over the fallen bodyguard, expecting that Saul had gone into a room. He can't get past Sol though, because Saul is actually adjacent down a set of stairs. Though Rod has to attack past a hard corner, he manages to knock Saul off his feet. Saul tumbles down the stairs out of sight (of Rod).

R9T15: Ozzy, what do you do? Old Scratch is in your square.

Ginny on deck, Apophis in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Ozzy

Thoroughly annoyed at the tiny creature attacking him, Ozlech takes matters into his own hands. Calling on the power of his Aura of the Adaptable, Ozzy fashions a a spear of holy light to fell this foul beast. He takes a moment to reallocate Essence to power his spear and defenses and then strikes out at the creature.

Spoiler: Ozzy >>> Ginny

Show

"Good job! Remember we want him alive though."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move Action: Aura of the Adaptable Light Whip into Loyal Paladin's Spear of Light (Hereafter LPSL, treat as Shortspear except Light weapon not 1 handed) (Max E capacity 2 > 1) E = +1d6 damage
Swift Action: Reallocate Essence:
1 to Aura of the Adaptable
2 to Ring of Abjurer
1 into Akashic Army removing from Sol and granting Escape Route to Apophis.

Standard Action: Attack Old Scratch with LPSL.

Attack: (1d20+10)[19] (LPSL uses Veilweaver level as Bab and is treated as light so +Dex to hit +Accursed Will)
Damage: (1d4+1)[5] + (1d6)[5] If Old Scratch is Good aligned
Damage: (1d6+1)[7] + (1d6)[3] If Old Scratch is Neutral aligned
Damage: (1d8+1)[4] + (1d6)[4] If Old Scratch is Evil aligned
All damage from LPSL overcomes DR and Energy Resistance.

Free Action: Remind Ginny not to kill Saul.

[lostsole31]

R9T15: Thoroughly annoyed at the tiny creature attacking him, Ozlech takes matters into his own hands. Calling on the power of his Aura of the Adaptable, Ozzy fashions a a spear of holy light to fell this foul beast. He takes a moment to reallocate Essence to power his spear and defenses and then strikes out at the creature, hitting it in its little neck for 8 akashic.

Spoiler: Ozzy >>> Ginny

Show

"Good job! Remember we want him alive though."

R9T14.9: Ginny flies around the corner and down the stairwell. A 10' area of gloom appears around Ozzy before Ginny flies back up and into the stairwell again.

Spoiler: Ozzy

Show

She tried to use stutter strike. The attack failed, but still created Gloom around you that should hinder Old Scratch. That said, all maneuvers have been expended except clockwatcher, which isn't that useful now.

R9T14: Apophis bites at Old Scratch, hitting him for 3 mod, but missing with the tail slap.

R9T10: ...

R9T5: Visto, what do you do?

Ganmeed on deck, Old Scratch in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Having decided that the usual applications of his Storms are pointless now, Visto redirects the energy of his power, causing the air to start rumbling around him and his allies. With a quick flourish of his wings, the sound crackles into a loud clap of thunder centered clearly around the eardrums of the Imp nearby.

Spoiler

Show

Nonaction: Reshape The Cyclone to The Uproar with Shifting Storms. This burns 1E (Half the E invested) from the storm veil.
Nonaction: Generate 1E and invest it into The Uproar for a total of 2E invested

Standard action: Trigger the Uproar targeting Old Scratch

Old Scratch must make a Fort Save DC 16 or take [roll]4d4[roll] Sonic damage, become Flat-footed until the end of Visto's next turn, and be Deafened for a minute. On a successful save he takes half damage and is Deafened for one round.

[lostsole31]

R9T5: Having decided that the usual applications of his Storms are pointless now, Visto redirects the energy of his power, causing the air to start rumbling around him and his allies. With a quick flourish of his wings, the sound crackles into a loud clap of thunder centered clearly around the eardrums of the Imp nearby, who brings its flexible wings around it to help absorb some of the energy to only take 4 sonic + deafened.

End Round 9, Begin Round 10 ...

R10T27.5: Ganmeed speeds past Kwava, unable to do fine control flying in the tight passageway, and is now in the "empty" square but above the height of a man.

R10T24: The very battered Old Scratch seems to heal a very tiny bit. It looks constapited, or like its thinking very hard, and then curses in Infernal. It steps from Ozlech to Kwava now.

R10T22: Kwava bolts away from the freaky little creature to stand underneath Ganmeed. He looks around to the others and asks, "What is that thing?!" before shooting an arrow with it after giving some extra pull. It slams into the tiny chest of the creature for 10 mod, dropping it.

R10T23: "No idea!" says Sol, muttering to the warrior types, "You got Saul."

He rushes up to where the little creature fell and then slams his fiery hand down on it, but it doesn't seem to burn it at all. "It's immune ... or at least moderately resistant to fire ... at least."

R10T19: Eric, your claim ends on the dying/ dead Old Scratch. Meanwhile, Sol rushed back and obviously left the way open to go get Saul Vancaskerkin. What do you do?

Spoiler: Also, also, Eric ....

Show

You think you hear movement on the stairs behind Visto, like person(s) trying to come down quickly but sneakily.

Rodriguez on deck, Ozlech in the hole ...

[silphael]

Eric turns back toward the stairs, and gets back there.

"Something's trying to sneak, probably not alone, be ready !"

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Double move close to the stairs then.

[lostsole31]

R10T19: Eric turns back toward the stairs, "Something's trying to sneak, probably not alone, be ready!"

He hustles to the back of the line, just past Visto, and at the bottom of the stairs. Sure enough, there are a man and a woman on the stairs, trying to be stealthy.

R10T18: Rodriguez, what do you do? Do you pursue Saul down the stairs you knocked him down?

Ozzy on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[AggressiveBread]

Rodriguez will look back at Eric for a moment before turning to pursue Saul down the stairs attempting to grab the man.”I’m going after Saul! Apophis follow behind me!”

Spoiler: OOC

Show

MA: move 30 ft down the stairs after Saul
FA: drop guisarme on the ground
SA:Attempt to grapple Saul
CMB:(1d20+7)[15]

[lostsole31]

R10T18: Rodriguez will look back at Eric for a moment before turning to pursue Saul down the stairs attempting to grab the man. ”I’m going after Saul! Apophis, follow behind me!”

He only has to move a total of 15' to corner Saul at the bottom of the stairs (no landing, just stairs going to a wall). Once he gets to him, he ominously lets clatter his guisarme on the ground, with Saul noting the various sounds, warding Rod away with his key-stump. Rod tries to grapple him, but even blinded Saul is pretty squirrely and is not held.

R10T15: Ozzy, what do you do?

Ginny on deck, Apophis in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Ozlech

Not wanting Old Scratch to make a recovery with it's accelerated healing it displayed, Ozlech takes the time to ensure it's death. He then switches combat stance, ready to sniff out sneaking foes his allies warned him of.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Full Round Action: Coup De Grace on Old Scratch.

Swift action: Change to Spirit Sensing Stance to gain Scent.

[lostsole31]

R10T15-14.9: Not wanting Old Scratch to make a recovery with it's accelerated healing it displayed, Ozlech takes the time to ensure it's death, striking down against the creepy creature with a spear of light and goodness. He then switches combat stance, ready to sniff out sneaking foes his allies warned him of. The gloom around him disappears even as Ginny telepathizes with him...

Spoiler: Ginny >>> Ozzy

Show

"The ceiling is too low down the stairs for me to hover above Rodriquez and get pot shots in on Saul."

She moves quite a bit south to make sure she's out of the way, and lands, wincing in pain from wounds received.

R10T14: Apophis double-moves down the hall, over the body of the fallen bodyguard, to end up at the top of the stairwell looking down.

R10T10: Saul is blind, but he doesn't seem quite as frightened of Rod as he was before. He slashes out with his key stump, cutting Rod along his arm for 2. But it seems that while the key stump doesn't hurt Rod that much, it comes with a surprise!

Rodriguez, roll a Fort save vs. poison!

R10T5: Visto, in the meantime, on the northern side of the field, Eric is screening Visto from people coming down the stairs. What do you do?

Ganmeed on deck, "Red" (only Eric can see) in the hole ...

[meemaas]

Knowing that Eric retreated past him to cover him, Visto draws upon some of his power and imparts it to Eric to give him some protection and power. He then moves a little further in to allow any other comrades to join Eric in the actual fight on this end.

Spoiler

Show

Swift action: Initiate an Akashic Bond with Eric, investing 2E into him, applying the Ferocity Vivification.

I'm not sure if this will actually grant him Temp HP, or if you rule that it needs to build up after investment at any given point, so no need to explain whether it does or not, it's not going to change doing this.

Move action: Move south to be between Kwawa and Sol.

[lostsole31]

R10T5: Knowing that Eric retreated past him to cover him, Visto draws upon some of his power and imparts it to Eric to give him some protection and power. He then moves a little further in to allow any other comrades to join Eric in the actual fight on this end.

End Round 10, Begin Round 11 ...

R11T25:Red steps down the stairs, tries fancy footwork, and then stabs at Eric, but his rapier is deflected by Eric's spinning double-bladed sword.

R11T24-23.5: Kwava calls out while Ganmeed keeps position above him and they both move slightly south, "Eric, fight and step back to lead them into the corridor!"

He readies a shot with his bow.

R11T23: As it seems that whomever is on the stairs have enough people dealing with them, Sol goes after Saul, zipping past Apophis. He throws a bit of the fire on his hand at Saul, over Rod's shoulder, but the puff of fire impacts with carbon on the eastern wall.

R11T21: Pink shoots at Eric, missing, and steps down a few stairs.

R11T19: Eric, what do you do? You feel ferocious, but Kwava called out something, too.

Rod on deck, Ozzy in the hole ...

[silphael]

Eric channels his malice toward Red, before striking like a mad specter, playing with Red's blood before stepping away.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift action, claim Red (recovering Encouraging Roar).
Standard action, Raging Specter Strike, with Risky Strike.
Attack - (1d20+9)[14] Including +3 from Sanguine Empowerment, vs touch.
Damage - (1d8+9)[10] (same)
Move action, drain blood, for 3 damage
Free action, 5 foot step back toward the corridor.

[lostsole31]

R11T19: Eric channels his malice toward Red, before striking like a mad specter, playing with Red's blood before stepping away. Red barely manages to fend off the blow, his armor getting whacked pretty well. What he doesn't resist is the supernatural blood drain for 3 damage.

R11T18: Rod, what do you do?

Ozzy on deck, Ginny in the hole ...

[AggressiveBread]

Failing to grab Saul, Rodriguez will grab his weapon from the ground, before stepping back and taking a swing at him.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

MA: pickup guisarme from the ground
FA 5 ft step away from Saul
SA: attack with guisarme (1d20+7)[23]
Damage roll [roll]2d4+5/[roll]

[bcool999]

Ozzy

Finished with Old Scratch, Ozzy moves down the hall to see if he can get eyes on Saul. If he can, he will fire a dart of force at the man aimed for somewhere painful, yet non-lethal.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Move action: Move as far as I can towards Saul's last known position.

If from my new position I can see Saul:
SwA: Claim Saul Restoring Fading Strike.
Standard Action: Riven Dart Saul aiming non-lethal.

RTA: (1d20+9)[19] (Not counting the -8 for cover and non-lethal)
Damage: (1d4)[4] Non-Lethal Force.

If Saul can't be seen from where Ozzy ends up after one move, he will use his standard action to continue moving.

[lostsole31]

R11T18: Failing to grab Saul, Rodriguez will grabs his weapon from the ground. Unfortunately, there is nowhere he can go to attack Saul with his polearm, and even then going upstairs is more difficult than he'd normally be able to manage. Unable to attack at this range, he fully backs out up the stairs for now.

R11T15: Finished with Old Scratch, Ozzy moves down the hall to see if he can get eyes on Saul. The very best he can do is double move to stand right in front of Saul at the bottom of the stairs (where Rod had just cleared). Ginny delays because the hallway is too cramped to fly above Ozzy. Still, Ozzy claims Saul.

R11T14: "Oh ... hey," says Apophis to Rod. "You came to me."

He looks around ... and if he had shoulders he would shrug as he has nowhere to go.

R11T10: Saul tries to grab something, but not before Ozzy hits him with the light-spear in the left forearm for 9. Still, Saul takes out a tiny pouch and pops it on his key stump, a little bit of liquid coating that makeshift blade.

R11T5: Visto, what do you do?

End Round 11, Begin Round 12 ...

R12T25: Blades clash between Red and Eric.

R12T23: Sol concentrates on the flame at his hand and throws some of it at Saul again, but the battle is too jammed up and the burst of flame sputters on the back wall. And with that, remainder of Sol's flame gutters out, his hand no longer holding fire.

R12T21: Eric doesn't know if Pink followed Red or not.

R12T19: Eric, your claim on Red has ended without event. What do you do?

Rod on deck, Ozzy in the hole ...

[silphael]

Far too intense for his own good, Eric keeps focusing his malice toward Red, before channeling his thirst toward him.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Well, swift action, claim (recovering Thirsty Axe Strike), Standard action to use it (with Risky Strike), move action to drain blood again.

Attack - (1d20+9)[28] with sanguine empowerment
Damage - (1d8+9)[15] gains it as THP if that hits.
Plus 3 damage from drain blood.

[lostsole31]

R12T19: Far too intense for his own good, Eric keeps focusing his malice toward Red, before channeling his thirst toward him. The thief makes a bad parry that Eric exploits by knocking the man's rapier out of his hand and cutting him across the hip for 17, dropping him. Eric then holds his hand over the man and drains 3 blood from him.

R12T18.5: The clatter of a bow as a woman moves down and stands over her fallen friend and her sword is blocked by Eric's spinning blades.

R12T18: Rodriguez, the stairwell is full, and nowhere for you to go back down it as you saw Ozlech go in, and the only place he could have gone was the place you were in. What do you do?

Ozzy on deck, Apophis in the hole, Ginny delaying ...