Vast Expectations, (part 11)

Log Info

• Title: Vast Expectations, part 11
• Emitter: Whirlpool
• Characters: Paenitia, Faranmidahn, Jinks, Lysos, Edinaz
• Place: That time in the vast
• Time: Monday, March 28, 2022, 9:19 PM
• Summary: The battle rages on, with the party regaining their senses. Jinks continues his song, Edinaz bleeds out, while Farland, Lysos, and Faranmidahn compose themselves, re-arm, and attempt to heal each other. Jinks' Glitterdust blinds the Vrocks, and they are beset and several slain prompting the rest to flee. Av-de fires arrows, while Paenitia challenges the battling titans but settles for skewering a Vrock. Blood rains down. Above, dragons and dragon-riding knights battle demons and devils in a titanic struggle that the expedition is an overlooked witness too. Taking advantage of this, Farland summons celestial steeds so they can sneak away.

Previously

In the vast, the battle continues. Paenitia draws the vrocks down to the ground after Jinks uses a spell to send one there. Sir Faranmidahn dispatches the fallen demon-bird, and when the Vrock falls for Sister Paenitia's Broken Wing Gambit, everyone gets a strike in. Farland summons Azatas, who heal the group and disrupt the Vrocks casting a lightning ritual. Although, the celestials don't do it quickly enough, soon enough, and some strikes hit the ground. A Vrock flies by with a massive screech as an immense eye looks in on the scene, and then reaches in. A gold dragon battles the entity beyond the hole in the sky, as Faran and Edinaz are injured so badly they go down, despite the healing efforts of the celestials.

Progress is being made, but the tide may be turning...

... the hole in the sky is getting bigger, too, as a great, hand reaches through before .. *something* seems to slam into it. There is a glimpse of gold scale and a roar. A familiar roar, in some ways, perhaps. A dragon.

A massive gold dragon. The battle on the other side of that hole has a dragon in it, and it seems to now be in the mix against the great demon.

Edinaz reels from the vrock's assault, bleeding hard from multiple wounds. He yells, and his tattoos glow silver, even as he swings wild to ward it too. Finally, he gets his footing and steps down, extending his longsword at the same time, thrusting it deep into the vrock's shoulder. It's pretty, at least.

Lysos is caught between her body wanting to keep jolting from the electrical storm and her body not wanting to move because of the stunning screech. She drools a bit. Thankfully she's invisible, so nobody can see it.

Edinaz is getting bent over and vrocked without his consent here.

It's a nasty combat. Despite the Azatas' efforts to heal, the party is going down.

Now

<OOC> Jinks says, "Sing again as a move action for the +3hit/weapon damage/saves against fear/charm."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Then cast Shadow Conjuration defensively to get a butch Glitterdust on as many Vrocks as possible.
GAME: Jinks casts Shadow Conjuration. Caster Level: 12 DC: 22 
<OOC> Jinks says, "So will save DC22 or be blinded. As many Vrocks as I can hit with a 10' radius burst."
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+12: (14)+12: 26
GAME: Jinks spends ONE use of BARDIC PERFORMANCE.

Jinks watches Edinaz fall and he notices the ichor leaking from the fluffy fur of the gigantic spider. His whisper-thin eyebrows press together as his lids narrow out of the momentary paralysis. "... fuck," he mutters.

The momentary hesitation is too much. Rallying, he begins to sing again, pulling the Hymn back out of hiding and into the world around them; they'll need every advantage possible.

Then he focuses, attempting to do the one thing he's never been particularly good act: concentrating. His free hand pulls through the threads of the Weave as he keeps his onyx-black eyes on the looming demons. The motes of pink glitter as they gather and he flicks them towards the space around his allies. The spiral and cavort, strobing between darkness and light. They erupt in a looming shadow before exploding brilliantly into a flash of glaring white and neon pink.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (18)+6: 24 (vs DC 22 - Not blinded)
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (13)+6: 19 (vs DC 22 - Blinded)
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (8)+6: 14 (vs DC 22 - Blinded)
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+15: (3)+15: 18

Av-de fires off an arrow while ducking to cover, but it seems his aim is just shaky today. Talented archer or no, this is a bad situation, what, with the giant combat raging above you.

<OOC> Paenitia says, "I'd like to Full attack, PA a Vrock. Ramirez will FA."
<OOC> Paenitia says, "Swift to challenge the giant hand, god thing above me,"
<OOC> Paenitia says, "and Free to Broken Wing Gambit the Vrock I attack, if I hit and it lives.
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon3+4-2: (5)+13+4+-2: 20
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon3+4-2-5: (17)+13+4+-2+-5: 27
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon3+4-2: (3)+13+4+-2: 18
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage3+3+4: aliased to 1d6+2+3+4: (1)+2+3+4: 10
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage3+3+4: aliased to 1d6+2+3+4: (4)+2+3+4: 13
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage3+3+4: aliased to 1d6+2+3+4: (6)+2+3+4: 15
<OOC> Paenitia says, "also, Ramirez is upgraded, his Nat Attacks count as magic/silver."
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+9+4: (9)+9+4: 22
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+9+4: (19)+9+4: 32
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+9+4: (20)+9+4: 33 (THREAT)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+9+4: (20)+9+4: 33 (Confirmed)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+9+4: (13)+9+4: 26
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d6+4+3: (1)+4+3: 8
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d6+4+3: (5)+4+3: 12
GAME: Paenitia rolls 2d6+8+6: (8)+8+6: 22
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d6+4+3: (4)+4+3: 11
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Crit was definitely confirmed, that's a dead vrock :)"

The Red Knight was frozen, stunned by the screech. She was like a statue, encased in her armour, unmoving. Her Ivory Steed was also immobilized, though seeming more lively, the storm fluttering his feathers and giving the illusion of movement.

She returns to her senses and movement with a shake. Her allies are falling, but the song bolsters her, and far above is a battle between giants.

"Ramirez! This one!" She stabs at a Vrock, leaning into the thrust. It's followed by a second, a third, her actions blurred by magic. Blood is drawn.

Ramirez is a fury of slashing talons and snapping beak. Each one lands, a bite to grab its head, a claw across the Vrock's chest, a second one following the first, hooking bones and ripping. The beak bears down, there's a cracking noise, the Vrock's head or the hippogryph's maw.

Above, the storm and the gargantuans. Luchts are fearless. Almost everything is larger that is not right sized, and the difference once a thing is too big isn't remarkable. If anything, it's a call, a need to prove that she's as big as she needs to be.

She shouts at the storm, the hands in particular "I AM SISTER PAENITIA SNAPDRAGON DEL HARANNA! KNIGHT OF THE PILLAR! PALADINA OF TARIEN!" She needs more titles, "Conquerer of the Tower that Trapped Time. Liberator of the Hedge King. Seeker of Ahaz and Time Tripper. You will fight only me!"

To her comrades, she says, "I have draw the attention. If it come through I will lead it away. Pull together so the Azatas can heal us. Sir Faran, I stand with you."

A loud popping noise emphasizes her statement. Ramirez has crushed his Vrock's head.

The oruch is down, bleeding.

<OOC> Faranmidahn says, "ok, gonna use tactician to share shielded spellcaster teamwork feat,"
<OOC> Faranmidahn says, "try to stand without getting smacked, drawing my greatsword"

Oblivion was hasty.

The petals of the Purple Roses hadn't yet started to wilt, when the ravaged Lucht's wounds were tended by healers invoked from the higher planes.

The darkness yelds to a warm glow silhouetting an indistinct male figure.

'Rise, Little Spring...'

With a chirplike cough too wet to be really considered cute, the albino shakily pushes herself up to her knees, taking in the chaos with rapidly congealing clarity before she reaches up for the blued greatsword over her back, emboldened by the call to arms by her sister knight and she rises with a defiant cry as the blade hisses from it's baldric.

"Work the corners, casters abreast to the guarded side! We'll crush the TOGETHER!" she calls in militant shorthand, eyes seeking a preliminary target as Torrent gets his own bearings.

<OOC> Lysos would like to move over to Edinaz and force a potion down his throat.
GAME: Lysos used a Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds.
GAME: Lysos rolls 2d8+3: (13)+3: 16

Lysos blinks her eyes rapidly, her ears still ringing.. is that blood coming out of her nose? She uses her sleeve to wipe the drool and blood and tears from her face, then rolls around.. and the first thing she sees is Edinaz laying unmoving on the ground. Gasping, she scrambles towards him, pulling a vial out of her pocket.. then uncorking it and letting the contents dribble down the half-orc's throat.

The oruch is up, not bleeding.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+12: (17)+12: 29
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+12: (5)+12: 17
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+13: (20)+13: 33
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+7: (7)+7: 14
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+7: (14)+7: 21
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+7: (6)+7: 13
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+12: (16)+12: 28
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 3d8+18: (18)+18: 36
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d8+6: (7)+6: 13
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d8+6: (8)+6: 14
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d8+6: (3)+6: 9

Farland fades from view again as the Bralani Azata, those elf-like Celestials, take it ot the hated demons. With their bows already out, arrows are plunked into the blinded vrocks with astonishing ease, destroying another one.

That's the good news.

The remaining blinded Vrocks try to take off into the air. They can't see but they can still fly. Others are now up above, being consumed with the battle between the great dragon and the demon above them. Seems like they don't want to get caught up in that.

... there's still horrible vines growing out of you, however.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d4: (2): 2
GAME: Whirlpool damaged you for 2 points. 72 HP remaining.
GAME: Whirlpool damaged your companion for 2 points. 43 HP remaining.
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Everyone gets an AOO if they're melee."
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon3+4-2: (7)+13+4+-2: 22
GAME: Paenitia rolls damage3+3+4: aliased to 1d6+2+3+4: (1)+2+3+4: 10
GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+9+4: (4)+9+4: 17 (Ramirez) (Miss)
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls weapon3+4: (7)+9+4: 20
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d20+5: (18)+5: 23 (Torrent)
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d10+1: (8)+1: 9
GAME: Faranmidahn rolls 1d8+1: (9): 9 (Torrent's Bite)
<OOC> Faranmidahn says, "natural weapon, and he has a poison, he has improved antural attack"

One more injured vrock is cut down as they try to flee.

Their numbers on the ground have been rather suddenly thinned, but then, it's not like they didn't do a whole lot of harm to you.

GAME: Jinks rolls Ride: (17)+2: 19 (Fast Dismount)
GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18
GAME: Jinks rolls 1d8+5: (2)+5: 7
<OOC> Jinks says, "Change my song to the healering one, too. Soothing Performance."
<OOC> Jinks says, "Just for my tracking: Soothing Performance rd 1/4"
GAME: Jinks spends ONE use of BARDIC PERFORMANCE.

The gnome's bow is on the ground and the vrocks are retreating. He grunts and scans his companions again, drawing his a breath and changing his tune. The Hymn shifts, its essence becoming a warm embrace on the edge of perception.

"Getting off," Jinks tells Paenitia between verses, rolling gnimbly from Ramirez' back to land and snatch at his bow before popping up and jogging towards the wounded oruch. He's already wiggling his fingers through the Weave on the way, sorting and shifting until he can poke the warrior and knit only the least of his wounds.

GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+15: (13)+15: 28
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d8+5+1d6: (6)+5+(1): 12

Av-de does shoot another vrock, at least, but then he's clopping further back because he doesn't want to get caught under the giant gesyers of blood that are now raining from the sky.

GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon3+4: (20)+13+4: 37 (THREAT)
GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon3+4: (18)+13+4: 35 (Confirmed)
GAME: Paenitia rolls 9d6+18: (35)+18: 53

The Red Knight pulls her lance free. Ramirez, fresh from a kill, snaps at a retreating Vrock, missing. Then the rain comes down. Red rain. This is why she has a wide brimmed hat, it streams off the sides, surrounding her in a bloody waterfall.

And Ramirez becomes a bloody beast.

"Ole!" She says, as Jinks jumps free, "Follow!"

Ramirez leaps into the air, leaving a red mist as he soars, and they bear down on a retreating Vrock, "Ha! There is no escape!"

No escape as the lance tip stabs straight up the demon bird's spine, scoring deep.

She challenged a titan. Had she attacked, it would have taken note. Instead her fury and accuracy is wasted on a fleeing foe, felling another of the nameless, numberless, signifying nothing.

She is Tarien's little joke.

GAME: Edinaz used a Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds.
GAME: Edinaz rolls 2d8+3: (8)+3: 11

Edinaz looks up at Lysos, "Thank you." He picks himself up, and tries to get a little cover, gulping down another potion as he watches the vrocks fly upwards.

With the colossal(and very, very juicey) hit by Paenitia, Faran thrusts her sword into the air with a exultant, "Glorious strike!" <halfling>

She turns to collect her lance, then, and makes her wave over toward Torrent, steadiny him to start climbing on.

She calls upward, "Don't get too far away, you could get lost in time"

<OOC> Lysos will cast protection from static cling on herself.
GAME: Lysos casts Protection From Energy. Caster Level: 9 DC: 20

Lysos doesn't respond to Edinaz.. it's all she can do to keep from hyperventilating. But at least he's up and moving again. So it's back to trying not to be a target.. as she looks for cover, she reaches out for more mana, drawing the power in and then slashing a jagged line in the air in front of her while uttering, "Prolementi!"

The good news is that Farland is invisible. Now he's casting a new spell. Sounds like another summon, actually, similar to the last one. Porbably less powerful, though.

More great geysers of black blood, and other kinds of blood, sprinkle over the ground of the Vast. It's pooling and blackening the earth, too. That can't be good. The sky tears open a moment longer and you catch a glimpse of something -- something truly awful. A vast horde of demons that blots out the sky, green lightning all around. Dragons, dragons and their riders, seem to be opposing this great host -- but so too are other demonic.. or devilish creatures, perhaps -- fighting alongside the demons.

Strange bedfellows, perhaps. The vrocks are swiftly fleeing back to the rift, as if something is calling to them to rejoin the fight. You've survived for the moment, and they're leaving you behind, or at least intending to.

<OOC> Jinks says, "Continue singing. Soothing Performance rd 2/4"
GAME: Jinks spends ONE use of BARDIC PERFORMANCE.

The bard stares on in awe at the battle literally tearing apart the heavens. Someone should write a song about this. He continues to work through the melody already on his lips, the warmth of the Hymn building in those that listen.

This time, Farland has summoned up some celestial steeds. Enough for everyone. "Grab on," he says, of the horses. It's mostly to get the hell out of here, at the moment. You've learned quite a bit, too.

Av-de is gonna lead the way -- either way, time to get out from under this hellish battlescape.

Ramirez and Paenitia chase the Vrocks a little further before Faran's words catch up with them. She's already been lost in time once... maybe twice... just possibly three times. It's not worth the risk.

They circle and drop down, landing, covered in blood. Her grinning mask looking all the more fearsome under the spatters of gore.

"Comrades! We prevail! We do not fall and see the enemies flee the field. It is glorious." She turns to look at Av-de, "lead us on chevalier."

Edinaz latches on to a magical horse, and climbs on painfully. He, at least, is all connected together again. Life is good. Let's bravely run away.

Tucking her lance into it's place on her saddle, Faran then turns her attention to securing her Greatsword and taking up her reins as the new spellwork oF Farland brings them new steeds.

She frowns for a moment in thought, then guides Torrent into scrambling up onto one of the creatures and secures herself.

She imagines the tale of this fight will be quite the mix of words, though she isn't sure how much she missed...

As they group thunders away from the calamity in the sky, she twists in the saddle to watch just a little longer before the moment is lost to them forever.

Lysos dismisses her invisibility.. last thing she needs is her own friends and allies not knowing where she is.. as she too claims one of the magical horses. All the while wondering if this is a trip she wants to remember, or one that's better lost in the bottom of a wine bottle.

===========================>  Sheet for Paenitia  <===========================

===============================>  Companion  <================================
 Name: Ramirez             Type: HIPPOGRIFF  SIZE: L Levels: 10
 HD: 9 (D8)  HP: 45/67  BAB: 6  MELEE: 9  RANGED: 10 AC: 29 CMB: 11 CMD: 26 
 MOVEMENT:   Fly 60ft avergeATTACKS: Bite +9 1d6+4 and 2 claws +9 1d6+4
 SPECIAL:    DARKVISION 60 FT, DEVOTION, EVASION, GLIDE, LINK, LOW-LIGHT      
             VISION, MAGICAL CREATURE COMPANION, MULTIATTACK, SCENT, and SHARE SPELLS
 Saves:      FORTITUDE: 9   REFLEX: 11   WILL: 4
 Skills:     Fly 2(10), Perception 2(6), and Stealth 5(14)
 Feats (4):  ARMOR PROF LIGHT, BODYGUARD, COMBAT REFLEXES, ELDRITCH CLAWS, and
             IMPROVED NATURAL ATTACK/CLAWS
 Tricks(13):  
 Attributes: STR: 19  DEX: 20  CON: 16  INT: 3   WIS: 12  CHA: 11 
==============================>  Emblem of Ea  <==============================