Chapter 6: The Limitless Rise

[Darren]

Rage bubbles up in Kal. If there is one thing he does not like, it is when the innocent are preyed upon. Especially children. He rushes forward, removing Skyfang from the sheath at his right leg as he does so, sparks and electricity gathering across his fingertips and funelling into the blade. As he moves, his eyes never leave the creature. He points the dagger at the thing, and a ball of electricity gathers at Skyfang's tip. Kal holds it there, waiting for the right moment to strike at the creature without hitting his prey. "Somebody get that child out of there!" he shouts over his shoulder.

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Move action: 6 squares towards the thing.
Minor action: Draw Skyfang.
Delayed Standard action: Lightning Orb. As soon as the creature moves away from the child (if that happens), Kal will attack.

[Brian]

Upon seeing the two figures and the dog, Condign draws his longsword and rushes toward them. Behind him, he hears Kalarian call for someone to protect the child. The tielfling adds: "Beware the dog! It may be used by the creature as a lure for its prey!" Condign scans the area, assessing what position would give him the greatest tactical advantage once he arrives.

The warrior is ready for battle.

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Initiative Roll: 1d20+4=20
Minor Action: Draw longsword
Movement action: Move five squares diagonally, hugging that left wall.

[Mike]

Syrdan's eyes light up upon seeing the creature in tattered robes.

"Vengeance is mine," he mutters in Elvish.

He draws his greatsword, which flashes brightly in the air, and then sprints towards the creature. His shining blade arcs through the air as he brings it down hard upon the creature.

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Initiative: 1d20+6 = 13+6 = 19
Minor action: drawing the greatsword.
Standard action: charge attack on the robed creature.
Basic attack from charge: 1d20+5+1 = 12+5 =18
Damage (if hit): 1d10+6 = 9+6 = 15

[Dave W.]

Upon seeing the child in danger, Adamant's eye-gems blaze pale blue and he draws his sword and runs forward.

As he sees the elf move past him, he mutters, "Words travel faster than my humble legs..." Adamant slows his pace to a walk, points his sword at the creature and sights along it's blade. His words boom forth in the narrow acoustics of the confined space, "CREATURE! Leave the child ALONE or burn in the light of Dol Arrah!"

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Initiative: 1d20+2=18
Minor Action: Draw Dire's Folly, his longsword.
Move Action: Run, move+2 for 7 squares. He should be able to just about make it through the tunnel/arch to where it bumps back in. He grants Combat Advantage until his next turn. Any attack would be at -5 but he's still a fair distance away yet.
Standard Action: Intimidate 1d20+13=15 ... well that's a little embarrassing, maybe it has a very, very low Will?

Well, a good Init roll ...

[Joe]

Streko races toward the scene, his holy symbol bouncing off his chest as he runs. He reaches back into his haversack and his hand emerges holding his sickle.

"GET AWAY FROM THAT BOY!" he yells out.

[Ken]

As Belarin rushes forward, he smiles at the touch of the shadows that immediately caress and conceal him. It's been a while. He sees Syrdan charge past him, wielding his large and -- as Belarin knows -- magically charged weapon. He gives the elf a moment to make his attack, curious to see the result despite the situation. Then he gathers his own power and anger and unleashes it through the dagger as a curse at the mysterious foe.

"Ragged monster who scares a child / Scream with pain, your mind defiled!"

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Initiative (1d20+5=20), but Belarin will delay until after Syrdan's attack.
Movement: Move 6 squares directly toward the enemy; Belarin gains concealment.
Minor: Inflict warlock's curse.
Standard: Attack with eyebite vs. Will: 1d20+6=12
Damage: 9 (1d6+3) + 1(dagger) + 1(Empowering Shadows feat) = 11 psychic + 4 for warlock's curse

[Jeff]

Initiative:

28 = creature
20 = Belarin (delay)
20 = Condign
19 = Syrdan
19 = Belarin
18 = Adamant
12 = Kal / Tangat
11 = Streko

Blades of every size—daggers, sickle, longswords, and a greatsword—slide out from their sheathes as each of you you rush toward the creature and its prey. Threats, promises, and challenges are made...

Seeming to sense your approach even before Adamant's heavy footfalls echo across the walls, the gray-cloaked thing, whatever it is, looks up. The hood jerks sideways, an indistinct face deep in the hood, as if to take in the whole threat. Then he releases the boy—you see a quick flash of bony claws. Its body seems to glide backwards at a freakish speed, still facing you, and then momentarily out of sight, having retreated beyond the archway.

As Condign moves more cautiously along the wall, Syrdan flows past him in a charge and reaches the boy, his gleaming, golden-hued greatsword still poised to strike. The boy is choking for breath, but seems relatively unhurt. The brown dog ventures closer now, its frantic barking turned on Syrdan as well. The noise echoes across the cobbles and the stone walls, drowning out any subtler sounds.

Belarin moves in closer, but finds that the creature is now out of sight of his curse and out of range of his spell. He's able to instead move further on. Adamant runs quickly across the street as well, but his shouted warning goes unheeded...or perhaps not. The creature did seem to leave the boy alone.

Kal runs, but he also finds the creature move swiftly out of sight and range. Instead he keeps moving, hoping to get a clearer shot. Tangat sprints past him, outpacing everyone until he stops by Belarin. Tangat seems focused on the other dog, eyeing him with an alpha male's attitude, ears back, snarling, but not making so much noise. The other dog keeps barking, but now turns to look at Tangat.

Streko and Varna both follow. Varna stops just behind Adamant, looking warily upon the scene, her body rigid, a serrated, curving dagger now in hand. Streko, closer now, is the first to notice that the boy, although he's laboring for breath and seems relatively unhurt, has pale skin of sickly hue. He looks stricken by fright, or worse.

Those close enough to look beneath the archway see that a large gray stone statue stands tall atop a pedestal of the same material. Beneath it is a wide fountain, though it's thoroughly empty and dry. The statue depicts a robed human priest with a staff held aloft like a weapon. Behind the statue are a pair of massive stone doors, the obvious entrance to the City of the Dead. The doors are carved in relief with sacred designs.

You do not immediately see where the creature went. Perhaps just behind the fountain? The walls of the fountain are just tall enough to hide behind, and certainly the statue and pedestal are large enough to conceal much.

Streko is also the first to notice the trail of fresh blood that leads away from the boy precisely in the direction the creature fled. It looks like it was formed by falling droplets, not smeared across the ground. Syrdan, Belarin, and Kal are the next to notice it.

_____________________

I took the liberty in assuming that since you couldn't get off your attacks, some have done a double move instead. In general, guys, let me know if you preferred I didn't make such assumptions.

Did you notice I gave each PC icon a new, polished look?
Just a reminder to Brian: Condign is wearing heavy chainmail armor, so his speed is also a 5 (like Adamant's). It's always been so, whether we've been good about that or not!

[Mike]

Seeing that the boy is relatively unhurt, Syrdan quickly follows the trail of blood, seeing where it will take him. His greatsword remains at the ready, as he keeps an eye out for an ambush.

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Move Action: Following the blood trail.
Standard Action: Overwhelming Strike if Syrdan finds the creature; otherwise, Perception check if the trail goes cold and there's no foes to fight.

[Brian]

Condign sees two things: he sees the creature release the boy and move quickly away; and he sees all his companions speed past him into harm's way. Embarrassed, he presses much harder, determined to get there to help defend his friends.

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Move Action: Run for +2 movement (7 squares)
Standard Action: Another run for another 7 squares

Condign grants Combat Advantage until his next turn and attacks at -5 until next turn.

Jeff, Condign will try and approach the creature from the left side of the fountain in an effort to flank. I'm assuming someone will run to the right.

[Darren]

Kal watches the creature flee, then looks to the boy, then to Streko. Silently, he nods in the boy's direction, giving instruction to Streko that he is certain the Halfling does not need. The he moves up towards the fountain, keeping an eye both on the walkway to the right, as well as the sky above. Those drops of blood look like they may have fallen....

_________________
Kal will move up to the square currently occupied by Syrdan. He is watching to the right, as well as checking above them for any possible ambush. If he sees sign of anything threatening, he will use Lightning Orb on it.

[Ken]

"I really don't think that thing was afraid of us," says Belarin. "Be careful." He moves through the archway and over to the left, staying very close to the wall and keeping his dagger ready.

___________
Movement: Belarin moves twice, forward and to the left, eventually stopping in that corner 3 squares to the left of the fountain's center. If he sees an enemy, he'll use a minor action to curse it.

[Dave W.]

Adamant sees the creature move away from the child and would like to believe he had some part in that but fears it was more his size and sword than his hastily choosen words.

Adamant moves forward at a more measured pace. He assumes Streko will tend the boy and the warforged is reluctant to leave the boy and Streko unprotected. "People," he calls, "speed is not our ally. We are spreading out with no formation. Our advantage is our numbers; the creature is faster than we are as a group."
  
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Adamant will double move to stand in the narrow alley leading to the courtyard with the fountain. I believe that's 9 sq.
 
Re: Assumptions, I prefer that you make whatever assumptions moves things along; especially if it serves the story.

Re: New PC icons... I like mine, thanks!

[Joe]

Streko catches Kal's glance and nod. The halfling allows himself a cocky, satisfied grin. Months of working together have polished the non-vebal communication skills between Streko and Kal to a shiny, razor-sharp edge.

Streko immediately makes his way to the boy and begins to assess the damage. Simultaneously, he slips his sickle back into his handy haversack and somehow removes a small piece of cheese he managed to stow away back there as well.

"This is for your friend, whose call alerted us to your danger, young one. You, on the other hand, must continue to be brave and tell me what happened and how you feel. The more information you can give me, the quicker we will be able to destroy this creature once and for all!"

[Jeff]

Initiative:

28 = creature?
20 = Condign
19 = Syrdan
19 = Belarin
18 = Adamant
12 = Kal / Tangat
11 = Streko

Condign rushes swiftly to the front of the scene, stepping under the arch alongside Syrdan. The tiefling goes left, the elf goes right, blades raised and ready. Condign can't help but admire the ease with which the wiry elf wields the massive sword; such weapons require a two-handed grip to use effectively. With only white cloth for armor, it's hard to imagine how the elf can weather deadly attacks.

When they move around the fountain, they see no sign of the creature. But the trail of crimson droplets continues past the rim of the fountain, leading all the way up to the massive stone doors. There's even a single droplet on the surface of one door. Watchful, both tiefling and elf know that these doors did not just open to allow passage.

Incorporeality, Syrdan immediately suspects. A natural state for various spirits, and a strong argument for the theory that this creature is indeed undead.

Belarin, Adamant, and Kal move in closer as well, looking carefully over the scene. I would be calm and quiet, but that dog keeps barking. Looking up, Kal sees nothing amiss. The space extends twenty feet up before it hits a stony ceiling, just part of one of the massive towers of Sharn. There is no sky in here.

"This is for your friend, whose call alerted us to your danger, young one. You, on the other hand, must continue to be brave and tell me what happened and how you feel. The more information you can give me, the quicker we will be able to destroy this creature once and for all!"

Streko quickly realizes the boy isn't well enough to speak, or to respond to his request. Although he sees no physical injury on the boy's skin, Streko realizes that the boy is in shock. And he looks to be suffering from considerable blood loss, despite the fact that he has no evident wounds...as if blood had been siphoned from him another way. Streko thinks the boy needs to be brought to a healer or else magic will be needed to stabilize him. Basic first aid will not be enough.

Tangat keeps his focus on the other dog...who continues to bark at him, but edges away, step by step.

[Darren]

"Tangat!" Kal calls out in Halfling. "Tangat, don't bother with that one. I need your nose over here. Can you smell anything? Can you find that creature?"

[Dave W.]

"Master Streko, Mistress Varna, I am conflicted. I do not wish to leave either of you or the boy undefended but our troop is becoming separated. This could easily be by design. It is a common tactic when faced with superior numbers, one I have employed in fact.

We must either move forward, stay here to tend the boy, or carry him with us. I could probably carry him, though that would reduce my efficiency if we were required to engage the creature. I'm not certain he would be safer with us in any case."

Standing in the archway, looking at the pair of halflings with the occasional glance back towards the group at the fountain, Adamant asks, "What are your intentions?"

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This is a hold action, dependent on what Streko and Varna do.

If they move forward Adamant will as well, staying in front of the halflings.

If Streko stays with the boy, Adamant will stand guard, moving to attack if the creature returns.

If we are going to take the boy, Adamant will sling his shield to his back and put the boy around his neck fireman-style, using his left hand to hold the child's arm and leg. If we're doing that and we get into a battle, Adamant will hope for an opportunity to put the boy down before attacking.

If Streko orders Adamant to catch up without him, Adamant will reluctantly obey.

If the oppertunity arises to attack the creature, his preferred routine would be:
Minor action: Divine Challenge to mark the creature
Move action: to get next to it.
Standard action: attack with Holy Strike (1d20+11=12) for Holy Strike Damage (1d8+9=16). That would be radiant damage btw.

That seems to cover the likely options. Not bad for 3am (I got paged for work btw which is why I'm up). I hope that's clear.

[Brian]

Condign moves swiftly forward. He sees Streko kneeling down and tending to the stricken boy, while his other companions head for the arch and the fountain beyond. It's when he passes into the arch that he notices the trail of blood on the ground. Dismayed, he realizes the blood must be the boy's; he can not imagine a small youth wounding such a creature, even should it bleed if hurt.

Once he is past the arch, he veers left. He sees the elf head right and smiles. The elf's knowledge of battle was good, and such a weapon he wields!

Condign sees Belarin standing at the left corner of the room and nods to his friend. He lifts his blade, ready to smite the creature should it move in his direction, and finds it gone.

He sees the blood trail extends to the entrance to the City of the Dead, with a single crimson drop staining one of the stone doors.

Condign quickly weighs the options and calls out to the elf: "Syrdan, we must not let the creature escape. You, Belarin and I can try to find and engage it while the others follow. They will not take long at all to catch up. I say we enter this City of the Dead. What say you?"

Condign, anticipating an ambush, lifts his shield, brings Flesh Seeker around to a ready position, and awaits the elf's answer.

-----------------------------

I'm fairly certain I know what Syrdan's answer will be.

Condign makes a Religion Check vs. Monster Knowledge - Undead that drain or drink blood
Religion Check vs Monster Knowledge - Undead that drain or drink blood (1d20+6=10)

Minor Action: try to open the doors
Movement Action: move 4 squares to the door
Standard Action: Viper's Strike with Syrdan getting any bonus (should the creature attack, of course)

Attack Roll: Attack roll at -5 due to run (1d20=10)

[Jeff]

The only thing Condign can think of, from his studies and the folklore of both the Carrion Tribes and the Ghaash'kala, is that of the vampire...but this doesn't seem to fit. Vampires are solid creatures, which pierce flesh and drink blood. If this is a vampire, it seems to be a mage.

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Actually, just to make this easier: unless the creature reappears imminently, I'm taking this out of turn-based mode. So don't worry about minor/standard/move actions just now.

[Dave W.]

Adamant calls to Condign and the group by the fountain, "Wait! I pray you, wait and think! By the Host! Are you bewitched by the creature to split our force and attack piecemeal? 

The creature has speed we can not chase it down and bring all our force to bear. Let us not play to it's strengths.

As I have said, I am not the commander here. Give me an order and I will obey but please let us use our heads as well as our legs!"   
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Since we're not in rounds, adamant will annoy the group further. You can assume my actions are pretty much in line with what I said in the previous post. I'm late for work so you won't hear from me until tonight.

[Mike]

Mar 3, 2010 6:43:35 GMT -4 Brian said:

You, Belarin and I can try to find and engage it while the others follow. They will not take long at all to catch up. I say we enter this City of the Dead. What say you?"]

"An excellent plan - that is what I say," Syrdan replies. "We cannot tarry, else we allow this beast to strike at the innocent again."

Ignoring Adamant's more sensible plea to not split the group, Syrdan forces open the doors to the City of the Dead.

[Ken]

Belarin looks back at Adamant, shrugs, then he says to Condign, "We go as far as the first intersection -- no farther without the rest. In a 'city of the dead,' I doubt we have just one foe, and enemies who can walk through walls would probably love to surround us. "

That said, he takes a step back as Condign and Syrdan try to open the entrance. He prepares to blast the first foe he sees when the doors open.

[Brian]

Belarin:

Belarin looks back at Adamant, shrugs, then he says to Condign, "We go as far as the first intersection -- no farther without the rest. In a 'city of the dead,' I doubt we have just one foe, and enemies who can walk through walls would probably love to surround us. "

Condign nods his head. "Agreed."

[Dave W.]

Adamant, seeing that the matter is decided, slowly nods his head at Belarin. "Very well, proceed with your plan. Varna and I will guard here while Master Streko tends the boy. We will be along as soon as possible. May all the power of the Host protect you."

Adamant turns and takes a few steps closer to Streko and the boy.

Quietly, almost shyly, Adamant speaks to the halflings,
"Master Streko, I do not understand the working parts of your peoples. But occasionally, Dol Arrah is willing to use me as her tool, though a flawed one to be sure. If you wish I will petition Her on the boy's behalf."
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Adamant is willing to lay on hands. Adamant would spend a healing surge and the boy would get up back equal to his (the boys) surge +4

[Joe]

Mar 3, 2010 20:05:44 GMT -4 Dave W. said:

Quietly, almost shyly, Adamant speaks to the halflings, "Master Streko, I do not understand the working parts of your peoples. But occasionally, Dol Arrah is willing to use me as her tool, though a flawed one to be sure. If you wish I will petition Her on the boy's behalf."

Streko looks up at the gleaming construct next to him and smiles at him.

"Your efforts on Dol Arrah's behald are most appreciated, Adamant. The boy seems to have been DRAINED of his blood, although, The Dark Six be damned, I cannot fathom how this occurred. He needs a healer of much better abilities than myself, but if Dol Arrah sees fit to stabilize what good health the boy has, he should survive. Also, do you know of any way to contact the Guard, have them come to take this boy to a healer, other than strolling about hoping to find someone? The sooner the boy is taken to a healer, the sooner our entire group can work as a team and fight this creature together!"

[Dave W.]

Mar 3, 2010 22:17:03 GMT -4 Joe said:

"Your efforts on Dol Arrah's behald are most appreciated, Adamant.

Also, do you know of any way to contact the Guard, have them come to take this boy to a healer, other than strolling about hoping to find someone?"

"I do not know how to contact the Watch; I have rarely seen them other than guarding the wall at High Walls. Let me see what can be done for the boy though."

The blue light of Adamant's eye-gems grows paler, nearly becoming a pure white. He kneels next to the boy and lays his sword across his knees. A deep music builds from his throat. He begins to sing in a chant-like acapella.

"Oh most Brilliant Lady,
You light our Path
through Dark Days.
Rightly You are praised.
Grant us Your Warmth!"

He gently reaches out his three-fingered metal hand to touch the boy's chest above the heart.
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Doing the Paladin Lay on Hands thing. I burn a healing surge, the boy gets hp back equal to his healing surge +4. I get to do this two more times before our next long-rest.

[Jeff]

Tangat turns and comes running over to Kal, nose in the air, then to the ground. His nose leads him right over to the stone doors where Condign and Syrdan are reaching for the handles. It seems likely it's the blood that Tangat's following, but even the rest of you can detect the scent of decay in the air. It's very faint, though, as if something rotted left this spot hours ago, not moments.

Master Streko, Mistress Varna, I am conflicted."

"You're doing just fine," Varna says. She seems content to stay near the warforged. She steps past him and stops just in front of him, eyeing the statue more than anything else. "A god, or a priest?" she mutters to herself.

Belarin:

"We go as far as the first intersection -- no farther without the rest.

Grasping the heavy rings of iron, Condign and Syrdan pull at the doors. Though they're very large, and require a few moments of effort, once they get moving they swing open fairly easily. A good construction.

Expecting an ambush, they brace for attack—

And there is none. You look beyond the wide doorway into the City of the Dead. It looks like peering into a new city district altogether, except that the line between one and the other is more sharply defined here. The light is dimmer but not actually dark, and you see streets fanning out from the entrance.

The trail of blood only goes about ten feet in before fading away altogether, leaving you guessing which way the apparition went. Right from here, there are four different streets to go down.

Varna glances through the doors and looks at Belarin. "I guess...that's the first intersection."

When Adamant intones his prayer, healing power suffuses the boy. Seconds later, the boy seems to regain some strength; he looks less dizzy. His color is still pallid, but what blood he has retained has been bolstered by the power of Adamant's faith.

"Th...thank you," he says, glassy-eyed but looking a bit better.

The dog's frantic barking starts to calm down. It starts to drift away.

Refresh!

[Dave W.]

Mar 3, 2010 22:58:11 GMT -4 Jeff said:

When Adamant intones his prayer, healing power suffuses the boy. Seconds later, the boy seems to regain some strength; he looks less dizzy. His color is still pallid, but what blood he has retained has been bolstered by the power of Adamant's faith.

Adamant looks towards the sun, or at least where it should be if it's hiding behind the city walls, "Thank you, my Lady." he says.

"Th...thank you," he says, glassy-eyed but looking a bit better.

Adamant adds the warm tones to his voice, remains kneeling besides the boy, "It is Dol Arrah you need to thank, young man, I am just her Vassal. And spare some gratitude for your dog who drew our attention to you. But I am glad you are functional again.

I am called Adamant. What is your name, do you recall being attacked?"

[Darren]

Kal watches Tangat follow the trail, then braces himself as the door is opened. Seeing nothing, he strides confidently forward, sheating Skyfang as he does so. He walks to the center of the intersection and looks in each direction, then turns back towards the doorway. "We need to see to the boy, and then we need to move on. Whether he has information or not, I would not traumatize him further by making him relive it. Let us make sure he is okay, then move him to safety. Condign, Syrdan, Adamant, would you mind taking position here, to watch these paths? Streko, let me know what the situation is with the boy. Tangat, can you detect the trail any further? Belarin....any advice from the voices in your head?" Kal grins at this. "We have little time to waste," he continues, all business again. "It looks like a rat's warren in here and we are at a disadvantage."

[Dave W.]

Mar 3, 2010 22:58:11 GMT -4 Jeff said:

[Varna] steps past [Adamant] and stops just in front of him, eyeing the statue more than anything else. "A god, or a priest?" she mutters to herself.

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Adamant spares a look over to the statue/fountain. And tries to make out who the figure is.

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I doubt this is good enough, but it was worth a try... Religion Check (1d20+6=16)

[Brian]

Kalarian:

Condign, Syrdan, Adamant, would you mind taking position here, to watch these paths?

"I agree with my lord Kalarian," says Condign. "I suspect we will now need all of our skills, and the danger is just too great not to proceed as a group." He looks at the strange elf in the cloth armor. "My lord Syrdan, if I you agree, I will go left and watch the two paths. You and the. . .you and Adamant can stand guard over the other two paths. We should be close enough to come to the other's aid should the creature appear before we are regrouped and ready." Condign looks at where the blood trail ends. "We must be careful. For all we know, that creature is standing right there, unseen, waiting for us to enter its City."

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If Syrdan agrees, Condign will go stand roughly three squares away from the left intersection. If he doesn't, then he will move into the City and just left of the door to protect the group against attacks coming from that direction.