The Flayed Man part 24
The soldiers, their pikes and heavy armor at the ready, let you stay with them. The ground beneath your feet trembles and then frosts over.
It must have passed near you. So close!
Iskandar looks down at the ground briefly. The bottoms of his sandals keeps his feet from directly touching the ground, but he can feel the change in temperature. He wiggles his toes. Then he looks up. A sudden thought occurs to him and he begins glancing around at the soldiers present, looking for D'Orris (war name 'Toes'). As much as Iskandar wants to keep himself close to the action...in this situation he thinks he should keep himself close to the one they came here looking for.
GAME: Seldan rolls fly+4: (13)+12+4: 29
Seldan automatically puts both arms out to steady himself as the ground trembles beneath his feet. The cold doesn't seem to overly bother him, but he looks around him, and takes a step back from those around him. "They mean to burst up. I would remain above them." He brings Reunion to his face, bowing his head in concentration, and there's a rip of fabric beneath his armor as a pair of mighty, feathered white wings burst from his back through the armor. He spreads them and _jumps_ into the air with a hard push off the ground, flying near straight up to hover some ten feet off the ground, the new appendages moving like an extension of himself.
Malik simply maintains his position in the trees, smiling as he sees Seldan sprout the wings and fly upward. Directing his thoughts toward the angelic Myrrish man, he thinks, "Sometimes I think you do that just to make yourself a more challenging target. Dinner is tastier when you have to work for it." Still, he keeps his attention on the task at hand -- being ready to shoot at something when all hell breaks loose. Or someone, if it breaks loose in too sideways a manner.
It's an overcast day and not for the first time you're left wondering how you got here. How a ghostly spirit has lead you to a god forsaken spot on the Myrrish and Stormgardian border, in pursuit of a mercenary from the company of the Frostmantles.
The one caked 'Toes' is a skilled warrior now, it appears, years after the murder that has landed you on his trail.
He must be somewhere amongst the scouts in the group, or so has been indicated by your use of his real name, and now you wait for the Frost Worm that they're hunting, that moved down from the nearby mountains, to show itself. The piles dig into the ground are strategically placed to try to force it to come up within certain locations, but there's no telling if it will work.
Seldan's flight and wings get astonished gaps from the crowd of soldiers. Magic is commonplace but wings and flight are never not impressive.
Seldan turns his head towards the flying wizard, although he does not immediately speak in his waiting, continuing to maintain that hover. The gasp from the crowd of soldiers below makes him look down, but only for a moment. << Once before have I been food for a giant worm, Mal. It does not please me to repeat the experience. >> That said, he returns his attention to the tense waiting below. << I pray that I have not inadvertently frightened them, >> he adds.
Iskandar completes his survey of the scouts that are visible. And realizes he has no idea what 'Toes' actually looks like. He supposes he'll just have to protect all of them. Or perhaps draw the danger away from them. The warrior straightens slightly and lowers his bow. Then he walks towards the last pikes to be disturbed.
Finally, the worm does deign to show itself.
For a change (though one must know how sorely tempted fate was to turn Seldan into dinner somehow), it's blue-tinged, icy frame explodes from the dirt beneath the soldiers, sending several of them fly and pieks unmoored and sticking to its back. It couldnt avoid all of them, but it did spend some time feeling out what was going on. Animal intelligence doesn't mean 'stupid', aft er all. It's just animal.
And animals are hungry. One of the soldiers is immediately wolfed down, screaming.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ATTENTION -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Whirlpool has dropped a TIMESTOP!
Please +init, then cease all roleplay and actions immediately and wait for Whirlpool to instruct you further. You may earn RPP by logging a scene for a GM.
For in-combat commands, type: +thelp.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 25.
It is now Frost Worm's turn! Malik is next!
GAME: Seldan rolls reflex: (7)+21: 28
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 15d6: (59): 59
GAME: Iskandar rolls reflex+3: (20)+10+3: 33 (CRITICAL SUCCESS)
GAME: Seldan refreshes spells.
The frost worm has indeed emerged from te ground. It finishes swallowing one of the men and then lays down a sweeping cone of frost, turning severawl of them into icicles. These things are powerful. This is what's to be exepcted. They knew the risks and this is why they were spread out as much as they were. *Someone* was going to be unlucky and now they have.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 22.
It is now Malik's turn! Seldan is next!
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1-2: (8)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1+-2: 27
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1-2: (3)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1+-2: 22
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1-2: (9)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1+-2: 28
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+6+6+5+2+1-2-3+1-2: (20)+6+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1+-2: 34
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+1+6+5+2+1-2-3+1-2: (1)+1+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1+-2: 10 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+6+6+5+2+1-2-3+1-2: (2)+6+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1+-2: 16
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (5)+5+3+6+2+(2): 23
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (1)+5+3+6+2+(3): 20
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (8)+5+3+6+2+(2): 26
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (5)+5+3+6+2+(5): 26
Malik sees the worm pop out of the ground, releasing the volley of arrows in his bow. Streaks of bright white flame sear through the sky, several striking into the flesh of the beast. "I think it likes you," Malik says out loud, though the thoughts travel to Seldan, naturally. "Look at you. Making friends."
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 22.
It is now Seldan's turn! Soldiers is next!
GAME: Seldan spends TWO uses of LAY ON HANDS.
GAME: Seldan rolls 6d6: (14): 14
Frost rimes the angel wings and cracks across Seldan's suddenly reddened skin, leaving thin trails of blood here and there, but what turned the men on the ground into icicles seems to barely touch the Eldanar man. Instead of unleashing holy fury on the frost worm just yet, though, he instead reaches for one of the steel pendants around his neck, the crescent and sphere, and murmurs several rote prayers. Blue-silver moonlight washes across the cluster of injured soldiers, mending wounds where it is not yet too late.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 17.
It is now Soldiers' turn! Iskandar is next!
"NOW! NOW!"
The soldiers are professonal, that's for sure. They know what they're doing.
It would appear Malik was not the *only* person who had these thoughts. In the distance, lights start appearing. Pinrpicks of firelights that begin to come closer.
Flaming bolts fired from crossbows, by mercenaries laying prone on packed snow. Who knows how long they've been waiting for this moment? Some of the bolts hit. Some of them don't. Others simply fall awaqy on the frost worm's thick skin. Enough hit to ensure that the worm is enraged, but as an animal, it's focused on directly what's in front of it.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round One - Init 13.
It is now Iskandar's turn! Frost Worm is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+25: (2)+25: 27
GAME: Iskandar rolls 15: (6)+15: 21
Iskandar flings up an arm, covering his face with a forearm as frost washes over him. He rushes to place himself in front of the worm. He balls up a fist and swings, but the blow bounces off of the monster's hide. Iskandar widens his eyes in shock, but then they wrinkle slightly in eagerness.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 25.
It is now Frost Worm's turn! Malik is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+21: (8)+21: 29
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+21: (2)+21: 23
A soldier is simply bitten in half, frost ensuring the resultant spray of blood is just so much pwoder and ice as it instantly freezes. It is now snowing his blood spray. Great, huh?
Several burning bolts stick in its hide as it snaps at Iskandar. Only deft footwork saves him from a severe amount of harm.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 22.
It is now Malik's turn! Seldan is next!
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (7)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 28
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (11)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 32
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (17)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 38
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+6+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (11)+6+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 27
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+1+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (19)+1+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 30
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (6)+5+3+6+2+(3): 25
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (8)+5+3+6+2+(4): 28
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (8)+5+3+6+2+(6): 30
Malik fires off another set of those burning arrows, watching as the creature tears through a goodly many of the soldiers. He frowns a moment, then watches as Seldan does that thing that paladins do, sighing. "You really know how to make a man feel strangely inadequate," he teases, though he can barely suppress the chuckle.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 22.
It is now Seldan's turn! Soldiers is next!
GAME: Seldan rolls fly+4: (9)+12+4: 25
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+21: (11)+21: 32
GAME: Seldan rolls reunion+pa: aliased to weapon1-4: (8)+23+-4: 27
GAME: Seldan rolls reuniondmg+padmg: aliased to 1d8+9+8: (4)+9+8: 21
<< I would have them know me for a mighty friend and a mighty foe, >> Seldan answers Malik's thought with a thought of his own, then surveys the field for a moment. Shaking his head, he folds his wings and _dives_, Reunion first, straight for the back of the frost worm. His aim is true, his dive well-controlled, and frost worm blood sprays from its back as the paladin lands on it.
Time to do a little worm riding.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 17.
It is now Soldiers' turn! Iskandar is next!
The soldiers grab their pikes -- and they are pikes of course on account of the reach, and set to work. Most of them can't pierce the creature's hide, but then... that may not be the point, right? it's huge.
It's the tar on the steel heads that's set a light by them that makqes it a different. The pikes might not penetrate, but the *fire* still burns.
The forst worm howls in rage, it's efforts aqt snapping up more soldiers meeting in only one success so far, after all.
It looks like it might be getting ready to flee.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Two - Init 13.
It is now Iskandar's turn! Frost Worm is next!
GAME: Iskandar RAGES!, gaining +2 to melee attack/damage/Will saves and 22 temporary HP
GAME: Iskandar rolls 16: (20)+16: 36
GAME: Iskandar rolls 16: (12)+16: 28
GAME: Iskandar rolls 3d4+10+4+1d6+1d10: (3)+10+4+(5)+(7): 29
Iskandar skips back just far enough for the worm's snapping teeth to miss him. Though of course the nearest Frostmantle isn't so fortunate. He notes more fiery arrows and also the fire on the pikes. Drawing the heavy dagger from his belt - which is sheathed with fire as soon as it merges from the scabbard - he jams it into the worm. As the blade sinks home it emits a burst of flame, and Iskandar emits a triumphant laugh.
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 25.
It is now Frost Worm's turn! Malik is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+25: (13)+25: 38
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+25: (10)+25: 35
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 23.
It is now 'Toes'.'s turn! Malik is next!
"Got you," comeqs a voice.
A figure is spring through the snow, suddenly, where he wasn't mere moments ago, at a speed that is definitely enhanced by magic. The heavily covered figure dashes up to the frost wyrm and runs up its back, giving an impresseqd nod towards Seldan's flying form. "That's some nice shooting, boys," he says of the flaming arrows sticking in its hide. He draws a pair of flashs from his belt and throws them into the creature. Alchemist's fire, no doubt, the sticky, burning substance causing the worm to roll over on to its side in pain in an effort to extinguish the flames. He runs in place, as if its no matter for him to keep aboard a giant, flaming worm. He stops, sniffs once, "It's nearly done for!"
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 22.
It is now Malik's turn! Seldan is next!
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (19)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 40
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (18)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 39
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+11+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (13)+11+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 34
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+6+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (18)+6+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 34
GAME: Malik rolls 1d20+1+6+5+2+1-2-3+1: (18)+1+6+5+2+1+-2+-3+1: 29
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (3)+5+3+6+2+(2): 21
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (3)+5+3+6+2+(2): 21
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (5)+5+3+6+2+(5): 26
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (7)+5+3+6+2+(1): 24
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (3)+5+3+6+2+(6): 25
GAME: Malik rolls 1d8+5+3+6+2+1d6: (7)+5+3+6+2+(5): 28
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 22.
It is now Seldan's turn! Soldiers is next!
GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/arcana: (4)+17: 21
GAME: Seldan rolls fly+4: (1)+12+4: 17 (EPIC FAIL)
Seldan looks over at the man running up its back, eyes fixing on him for just a moment. Then, he freezes, and shouts loudly enough to hopefully be heard by everyone in melee combat with the beaten thing. "GET CLEAR, AND FINISH IT WITH ARROWS!" he yells. "THESE CREATURES EXPLODE WHEN SLAIN!" He suits actions to words, yanking Reunion from the thing's back and again moving to jump into the sky.
Unfortunately for him, Reunion doesn't come out as easily as he expected, and when it does, the jerk is enough to throw his balance off, and instead of launching straight off, he catches a wing and tumbles to the ground, landing _hard_ bare inches from the thing. "GET CLEAR!" he shouts again.
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 17.
It is now Soldiers' turn! Iskandar is next!
The soldiers, after Seldan's call it, defintiely begin to book it. They know it's getting close to die. ANother volley of bolts and the fires set upon it ought to do the trick, right?
It definitely happened with less loss of life than they were thinking. The flaming pikes are discarded.
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 12d6: (48): 48
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 8d6: (31): 31
GAME: Seldan rolls reflex: (18)+21: 39
GAME: Iskandar rolls reflex+3: (5)+10+3: 18
GAME: Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Three - Init 13.
It is now Iskandar's turn! Frost Worm is next!
Iskandar narrows his eyes at the warning. Explode? he thinks to himself. He backs away a few steps, then turns and races to one side of the worm. It savages him as he withdraws. Iskandar grits his teeth, doing his best to keep away from retreating solders. "Toes!" he shouts as he turns, voice strained with pain. "Toes!" he calls again. "This way!" He raises his bow, taking aim at the monster.
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+25: (12)+25: 37
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 4d10+15+4d6: (19)+15+(22): 56
GAME: NEW ROUND!
Whirlpool advances the initiative order.
Round Four - Init 25.
It is now Frost Worm's turn! 'Toes'. is next!
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+25: (16)+25: 41