The Ending of the Iron King

Log Info

• Title: The Ending of the Iron King
• Emitter: Solar Flare
• Characters: Delilah, Donna, Ashes, Elyanna, Sirri, Illiria
• Place: Alexandrian Sewers
• Time: Monday, May 02, 2022, 8:59 PM
• Summary: The battle with the Iron King and his two displacers resumes. With Tessa's brief time stop over, the three adventurers lay into the Iron King, ignoring the kitties to concentrate damage on him. Donna's blows are pummeling him, and Arreth, Vardama's holy avenger wielded by Ashes, is cutting into him. His taunts grow stronger, the Iron King switches to his hammer and tries to smash them. It's not enough, Donna finally smashes him down, revealing that the construct has a living core, an ancient, wizened one. He begs in disbelief, but the Mourner tells him his time has come. Ashlee sends him to the grey halls, and finally they are able to group, heal, and rescue Alvin.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Delilah      5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A golden haired human girl in white robes.
Donna        5'4"     106 Lb     Human             Female    A black-haired human girl in black robes.
Ashes        5'11"    177 Lb     Hobgoblin         Female    A somber arvec in grey clothes with a skull face.
Elyanna      5'11"    153 Lb     Half-Orc          Female    A grim, Arvek-blooded woman in raven feathers.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  NPCs of Note  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Sirri                            Gnome             Female    Leader of the expedition
Illiria                          Merfolk           Female    A damselfish in distress, Cleric.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  As the GM  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Solar Flare                                                  
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

<OOC> Delilah says, "OKay. Illiria is gonna cast Heal on Elyanna."
<OOC> Delilah says, "Sirri is gonna stab the Iron King (and it still hurts that I forgot to capitalize her)"
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d4+3d6+1: (3)+(13)+1: 17
<OOC> Delilah says, "And Rakketh gives Ashes the Kitty Whippins again."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (4)+8: 12

As time snaps back into its usual progression, to Ashes' perception anyway, Illiria is already pulling herself across the floor to assist Elyanna. The Mermaid presses a hand to her heart, and the other to Elyanna's. "Rise, Champion," she urges the Keeper, "Your time is not yet finished. This terror of iron and vileness cannot outlive you." The warmth of compassion and magic in equal measure flow into Elyanna, knitting her wounds... entirely, as well as relieving her of any lingering ills.

Sirri, meanwhile, looks up at the Iron King with eyes gone wide. "You... You MONSTER!" she screams at it, and lashes out desperately with her sword, going for anything she could possibly manage to hit. She finds what she's looking for, jamming the sword in between a couple of thigh plates and using it like a lever, working one plate entirely off to skitter across the floor.

Rakketh's mission is clear. He was told to eat the Hobkin with the skull tattoo, and to that task he is single-mindedly committed. He attacks swiftly with his tentacles, whipping them rapidly through the air, but is wholly unable to find purchase; the spikey parts just slide over Ashes' armor without touching her.

<OOC> Elyanna says, "so i'll kipup, drawing my punch dagger and try to shiv kingston"
GAME: Elyanna rolls weapon4+2: (4)+10+2: 16
<OOC> Elyanna says, "rpp reroll"
GAME: Elyanna rolls weapon4+2: (14)+10+2: 26
<OOC> Delilah says, "We'll call it a free reroll. Tessa's blessings linger."
<OOC> Elyanna says, "nice, i'll chance a panache to double my precise strike damage"
GAME: Elyanna rolls 1d4+2+8: (2)+2+8: 12
GAME: Elyanna spends ONE point of PANACHE.
<OOC> Elyanna says, "as a swift action, since he took damage, i'ma try and intimidate his ass to demoralize"
GAME: Elyanna rolls intimidate: (6)+13: 19

Consciousness is freshly restored to the Hobkin, as Illiria's healing graces restore her flayed ribs to proper structural alignment, and Elyanna gives a wet, flecking cough as her wild eyes regain their focus on the world about her.

Enemies to either side, and the lynchpin of the enemie's holding above her.

Her feet swing up, inertial peeling her back from the ground before it arches and they snap back floorward. Somewhere in the flash of motion, setting the red woman properly teakettle over ass once more, her hand comes away from her belt with her sinister fanglike punch dagger clutched in her grip.

The Keeper whirls, then, cloak aswirl and she buries the blade with a >KWANG!!< between seams and her fury, and perhaps inappropriately righteous indignation combine with something like Otilla's wicked demeanor as the Lady von Diesel croons in lullaby tones, "Petty, Crownless King... your song is at it's final chord..."

<OOC> Delilah says, "You hold in your hand a mighty weapon."
<OOC> Delilah says, "Because this is a plot item and I'm the DM I'm gonna give it my own stats."
<OOC> Delilah says, "+5 to hit on top of regular bonuses, when wielded 2 handed we're gonna say it's 2d12+strength+5
<OOC> Delilah says, "(2d8 instead of 2d12 when wielded one handed.)"
GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5: (1)+7+5: 13 (EPIC FAIL)
GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5-5: (10)+7+5+-5: 17
<OOC> Ashes says, "this is why I make joke characters"
<OOC> Delilah says, "...And the other neat property of the sword is that it's intelligent, so you can reroll the epic fail."
GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5: (7)+7+5+2: 19 (+2 Flanking)
GAME: Ashes rolls 2d12+5: (19)+5: 24
GAME: Ashes rolls 2d12+5: (11)+5: 16

The world resumes its normal speed. Ashes can feel the lingering brush of the Grey Halls. She can feel it, in her hands, in the weapon gifted from the Psychopomp. Arreth, the Last Sunrise. It's heavy, a solid, divine weight.

The weight of a life.

You're holding me wrong. She senses in her mind, and twists her grip in response. Better.

The Mourner feels energized, can feel her miracles fresh and ready, but she has been handed a mighty weapon. Her course is clear.

"Your words were heard." Ashlee, who stands between light and darkness, life and death, tells the Iron King. She sinks into a stance, Arreth raised, "The Feiu of the Tears will answer them."

She steps and swings, there's a loud ringing at the Iron King parries the blow with his hammer. The first bell tolls. It's not enough, she marked him with her wrath, and that weakened his defenses enough the tip scores across his armour. Her second backswing strikes a different note as Arreth finds that new weakness, then crunches through the armour. The great blade bites deep and shears open his breastplate.

She grunts hard, greatsword ready, "We will send you to her."

<OOC> Delilah says, "The King hits Ashes first, Donna second. Or at least tries to."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (14)+8: 22
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+4: (16)+4: 20
GAME: Delilah rolls 2d12+10: (16)+10: 26
GAME: Delilah damaged you for 26 points. 62 HP remaining.
<OOC> Delilah says, "Kessa gnaws on Elyanna. Gnaaaaaw."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16

"NO MORTAL CAN WITHSTAND THE MIGHT OF THE KING! YOU SHALL ALL PER--" The King is cut off mid-sentence as he is battered like never before by the might of Ashes and the sword she now bears. As his chestplate is rent open the King staggers back a step, staggered by the ferocity he faces. He looks down at his chest, then back up at the Mourner; with a wordless yell, he swings his hammer in a vertical circle, bringing it down with the force of rage against the Mourner, battering her hard but failing to lay her low. He carries the momentum around to attack Donna behind him, but this swing is nowhere near as effective, smashing into the floor once more.

Kessa follows her instructions to the letter, stalking around Elyanna as she jumps back up fron the floor before she could take a bite from the Keeper's flesh. But wether the Red Hobkin is laying broken on the ground or in full fighting trim, it makes no difference; she tries to bite at her flank, but is unable to find purchase with her jaws.

<OOC> Donna will devote the bulk of my energy to keeping the cats off my friends. :3
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (19)+13+1+2+1+-2: 34
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (14)+13+1+2+1+-2: 29
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (6)+13+1+2+1+-2: 21
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (16)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 26
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (6)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 16
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2: (1)+4+2: 7
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2: (2)+4+2: 8
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2: (4)+4+2: 10
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2: (1)+4+2: 7 (32 damage total to the displacer)
<OOC> Delilah says, "1 misses, 2 hits, a hit stops the chain. No, it resets its protection on its turn."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d2: (2): 2

And coming within arm's reach of Donna was Kessa's *second* mistake. The brawler may act stupid from time to time, but her eyes are sharp. Sharp enough to judge *which* displacer is trying to bite on her friend and companion. Sharp enough to follow up on that knowledge with a flurry of merciless, bone-crushing punches.

Donna might not be a monk, but she's still more than capable of beating the *absolute shit* out of a target if needed.

<OOC> Delilah says, "Illiria just holds her position because the unarmored mermaid with a negative modifier to her AC while on land would rather not get squashed by the King."
<OOC> Delilah says, "Sirri goes stabby on the King."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+10: (10)+10: 20
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d4+3d6+1: (4)+(14)+1: 19
<OOC> Delilah says, "And Rakketh bites Ashes because of course he does."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (18)+8: 26
GAME: Delilah rolls 3d6+5: (10)+5: 15
GAME: Delilah damaged you for 15 points. 47 HP remaining.
<OOC> Delilah says, "And now Illiria uses her held action to channel so she can heal Ashes from over here."
GAME: Delilah rolls 8d6: (28): 28
GAME: Delilah damaged you for -28 points. 75 HP remaining.

As Illiria looks on, her eyes gone wide at the sight of the blade Ashes now wields, Sirri wastes no time. "Oh you're in trouble now!!" the gnome shouts, as she ducks around the King's side and stabs her blade into his mechanisms, right up at the top of his thigh. Something inside breaks, and for a moment it looks like the King might stagger; but he doesn't, and roars his displeasure.

Rakketh utter devotion to the task of killing Ashes as dead as possible continues; and his teeth sink into her flank, almost mirroring the location of the wound that Sirri just visited upon the King, albeit drawing blood instead of... whatever it is that courses through the King's construct body.

"No!" Illiria cries out as Ashes is wounded, and raises her hand, gathering the light in her palm and releasing it in a wave that soothes the wounds of her friends. "The King must fall! The False King must be toppled! I shall do my part!" As she calls out, the wounds of her allies are soothed; and once again, Ashes in particular finds her flesh knit once more.

<OOC> Elyanna says, "ok, i'll try to put two into him"
GAME: Elyanna rolls weapon4+2: (19)+10+2: 31
GAME: Elyanna rolls weapon4+2-5: (8)+10+2+-5: 15
<OOC> Elyanna says, "i'll chance it. spend another panache to double the precise strike dmg"
GAME: Elyanna spends ONE point of PANACHE.
GAME: Elyanna rolls 1d4+2+8: (3)+2+8: 13
GAME: Elyanna spends ONE use of CHARMED LIFE.
GAME: Elyanna rolls reflex+3: (16)+11+3: 30

Sidestepping an feral bit of backbiting, Elyanna casts a scornful glance over her shoulder at the lashing feline. She weighs the clarity of it's outline in the wake of Donna's fervent rebukes against the pronounced damage of their host and chooses to maintain her support of Ashlee in seeing the construct off to keep the mollusc company.

She jukes one way, then tucks down to lunge forward to thrust her blade into another promising structural gap to sunder more artifice the King would likely much prefer to remain intact.

Her second stroke, with the chaos of the brawl, her blade fails to bite, and she's forced to twist away from another eruption of flame.

GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5+2: (8)+7+5+2: 22
GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5+2-5: (4)+7+5+2+-5: 13
GAME: Ashes rolls 2d12+5: (19)+5: 24

Threats. Taunts. Goads.

These are not the currency of the Mourner. Ashlee is not multiloquent; silence is her medium, the silence of the grave and the afterlife. She offers no further verbal response to the Iron King, he has her last words, he has his last sunrise.

She swings again, leaning into her armour, using it to help add weight to her effort. A great sweeping arc as the giant blade rings off the armour again.

Rends it again.

Shearing off faulds, cutting into the chausses and exposing the mechanisms of his hips. The pieces clatter to the floor as she struggles with a back swipe, that doesn't connect.

Heavy panting, and a deadly stare as she winds up again.

GAME: Donna rolls reflex: (10)+8: 18
GAME: Ashes rolls reflex: (7)+8: 15
GAME: Elyanna spends ONE use of CHARMED LIFE.
GAME: Elyanna rolls reflex+3: (14)+11+3: 28
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (16)+8: 24 (Sirri Reflex)
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+2: (20)+2: 22 (Illiria Reflex - slippery fish!)
GAME: Delilah rolls 3d8: (16): 16

Arreth, in Ashes' hands, leaves horrible damage done to the King. Inner workings exposed and what must be fuel leaking out of him, he staggers a step back under furious assault. The hammer falls from his hands, landing with a loud clang on the ground. He growls, a ravaged, enraged sound, as he kicks the weapon out of his way. The fire engulfing his form grows, and he hoists the cage containing the still bawling Alvin high in the air; fire bursts around him, licking all of the heroes with flame, though one and all they manage to just avoid it.

"BRING FORTH MY AXE!" roars the King, while the fire raging inside of him coalesces into a blinding, burning light. "BRING FORTH HELLSCREAM THE BLOODTHRISTER, THE VORPAL HEADSMAN, THE TAKER OF *LIVES*!" Before the King a trio of ghostly figures appear, and deliver into his hands a gnarled and crooked length of wood, sporting a grim metal blade at the end, like a darkened shard of glass made steel; ragged of edge and already dripping with blood. "*NOW* You will DIE," seethes the King, fixing Ashes with his glowing stare.

<OOC> Delilah says, "...And Kessa gives Elyanna the whippins."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (17)+8: 25
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (20)+8: 28
GAME: Delilah rolls 2d6+5: (7)+5: 12
GAME: Delilah rolls 2d6+5: (6)+5: 11

Kessa receives a series of blows from Donna, and for a brief moment it looks like she might change targets; but the glow in her eyes intensifies, and she holds to the orders given her by the King. Her tentacles whip around, and this time both of them find purchase in Elyanna's flesh, tearing out chunks and leaving ragged, bloody wounds in the Keeper.

The Feline snarls, baring her teeth; she smells blood. She smells a kill, and she is all too eager to take it.

<OOC> Donna says, "Then the first, third, and fifth attacks will be so empowered."
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (18)+13+1+2+1+-2: 33
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (8)+13+1+2+1+-2: 23
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (11)+13+1+2+1+-2: 26
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (20)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 30 (THREAT)
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (18)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 28 
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (20)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 30 (THREAT)
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2+2d6: (4)+4+2+(6): 16
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2: (3)+4+2: 9
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2+2d6: (3)+4+2+(8): 17
GAME: Donna rolls 2d4+8+2: (3)+8+2: 13
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2+2d6: (1)+4+2+(9): 16
<OOC> Donna says, "30+32+9=71 DAMAGE."
<OOC> Donna says, "Minus DR*5, but still."
<OOC> Delilah says, "Punch him *Ragged*."

"Y'know what?"

Upon hearing the child wailing more, Donna straightens, fixing burning eyes upon the creature, and the boy it holds aloft.

"How 'bout *fuck that.*"

Conjured water sheathes her right hand as she turns to *wail* upon the Iron King, splashing against armor and exploding into clouds of steam that stresses heated metal, diminishes mystic flame. Punch after punch after punch targets structural elements laid bare by the Mourner's blade, and when she's done her steam-soaked hair hangs limply in strands over her face, as she inhales deeply, and blows out a gust of vapor. "'Ay. Assbutt the Kidnapper. Forget about lives, the only thing that's being taken is your ass, *out.*"

<OOC> Delilah says, "While Donna is posing, Illiria will cast a Cure Critical on Elyanna."
GAME: Delilah rolls 4d8+15: (26)+15: 41
<OOC> Delilah says, "Actually, Sirri backs off, 'cause she just got crisped for half her HP and she's scared."
<OOC> Delilah says, "Rakketh plays nom nom with Ashes."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL)

"Fight! Fight on! You are so close, I know it!" Illiria presses her hand against Elyanna's thigh, and whispers the song of the sea, summoning all her magical strength to heal the Keeper's wounds (once more completing the cycle of injury and healing that has been experienced several times in the last couple of minutes). "You can do it! I believe in you! I have *faith* in my Champions!"

Sirri falls backwards as the flame surrounds her; looking like she's spent too much time with the holiday turkey, while it was in the oven, the Gnome finally backs off from the King, and moves to stand behind Ashes. "Sorry, sorry," she squeaks as she disengages from the fight, "I'm sorry, I'm *scared*, please don't... please *don't* let him hurt me anymore, I'm not brave like all of you are, oh please oh please I don't want to die!"

Nothing has changed, for the Displacer beasts. Orders have not changed, and so Rakketh lashes out with his teeth, snapping at Ashes' leg, but his jaws merely slide off her armor without finding purchase against flesh.

<OOC> Elyanna says, "ms kitty's gonna get hurt, two on kessa"
GAME: Elyanna rolls weapon4: (5)+10: 15
GAME: Elyanna rolls weapon4-5: (10)+10+-5: 15

Elyanna's scream doesn't have a particularly artful quality to it after she's been engulfed in flames, albeit partially warded by the deft swirl of her cloak, when Kessa capitalizes on her distraction to take a couple bites out of prime.

With Illiria's continues efforts keeping her upright, the hobkin whirls on her reinvigorated heel, and she thrusts in two savage strokes at the felinoid, but to no avail.

GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5+2: (14)+7+5+2: 28
GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5+2-5: (19)+7+5+2+-5: 28 (THREAT)
GAME: Ashes rolls melee+5+2-5: (7)+7+5+2+-5: 16 (Confirmed)
GAME: Ashes rolls 2d12+5: (13)+5: 18
GAME: Ashes rolls 2d12+5: (8)+5: 13
GAME: Ashes rolls 2d12+5: (12)+5: 17

Flames! Burning! Rising. Surrounding her head.

Ashlee has been on fire before. She nearly burned to death in a lava explosion. It's not the sort of experience that makes enduring fire easier, only familiar. She feels her clothes and hair catch, her skin blistering. She meets the gaze of the Iron King with a silent stare.

It's Sirri, who deserves and receives her words. In a calm, unhurried voice that is raspy from her seared lungs and forced, from her effort, she reassures the gnome, "It's okay. We've got this."

Underneath it all, Ashlee is still a hobgoblin, a soldier, a monster, and it was drilled into her: Never show weakness. She isn't, and she won't, as much as she wants to curl up and lie down.

She'll rest when she's dead. She's a mourner after all.

"AhhhhhH!" She gasps, swinging Arreth in a wide arc that smashes the head of the Iron King, splitting the helm and leaving it folded in at the point of impact. She wheels and thrusts upwards, the dark blade of her goddess' servant sparking as it rams up the chest cavity, then shatters another swath as she pulls it free.

Appropriately, the Iron King resembles a corpse, hollowed out, insides leaking to form a large puddle. Pulleys, synthetic sinews, small gears rotate off alignment, rattling and squealing.

And through it all, she continues to stare, her skull faced fixed on his ruined one.

<OOC> Delilah says, "OKay. The King is going to attack. Instead of doing his usual two hits,"
<OOC> Delilah says, "he's swinging the axe in a wide arc, with a lower bonus to his to hit,
<OOC> Delilah says, "but he's getting one attack in on... everyone. o.0"
<OOC> Delilah says, "Starting with Ashes 'cause he's pissed, then in an arc getting Elyanna, Illiria, and then Donna,
<OOC> Delilah says, "in that order. Sirri is hiding behind Ashes so she's safe."
<OOC> Delilah says, "And lucky for you all this is the final round that he has -4 to his to-hit from the Evil Eye."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+3: (20)+3: 23 (THREAT)
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+3: (13)+3: 16
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+3: (20)+3: 23 (THREAT)
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+3: (3)+3: 6
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+3: (8)+3: 11
GAME: Delilah rolls 2d12+15: (12)+15: 27
GAME: Delilah rolls 2d12+15: (13)+15: 28
GAME: Delilah rolls 2d12+15: (14)+15: 29
GAME: Delilah damaged you for 27 points. 32 HP remaining.

The Iron King howls with outrage, pain, and... fear? "NO!! NOOOOOOOOOO!!!" he howls, looking down to his chest and then glaring back at Ashes. "I CANNOT DIE! I AM THE IRON KING, I AM IMMORTAL!" He tosses the cage aside, and poor Alvin is rattled about inside as it bounces to a halt against the wall. "YOU WILL ALL PAY FOR THIS!" He winds up with the axe and roars, swinging the weapon in a wide, terrifying arc.

The axe finds flesh. Ashes feels it cut across her chest, just below the neck; in its passing she hears a faint whisper, or perhaps it is the touch of the Grey Plane, calling to her to enter.

But not yet. Not yet.

The axe continues in its course, and dips to catch Illiria, cleaving deep into the mermaid's flesh and drawing a panicked cry; in its passing she is left sitting in a growing puddle of her own blood, clutching a hand to the wound and looking up with eyes gone wide.

Elyanna, too, feels the axe's bite, and after her own trip to the lands of the dead, she too feels the pull. But it is not her time either.

Not yet.

As everyone thus far retains their lives, the Axe flashes before Donna; but the Brawler alone is too nimble for it, and it grinds across the front of her armor.

"DIE!!" screams the King, "DIE! DIE!!! WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!" The blade swings around again and he brings it down on Ashes, but Arreth rises almost on its own to meet it, halting the blade just inches from the Keeper's face. "WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!"

<OOC> Delilah says, "Displacer tries to chomp Elyanna again. 'Cause orders haven't changed."
GAME: Delilah rolls 1d20+8: (8)+8: 16

Kessa looks up at the King, and the glow in her eyes flickers; but then it returns, just as strong as ever, and she snaps at Elyanna's hindquarters, but to no avail as the red hobkin is too fast. The Displacer Beast withdraws, crouching low to the ground and snarling as it seeks another opening, some means to get at Elyanna's flesh so it might be devoured.

GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (9)+13+1+2+1+-2: 24
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (10)+13+1+2+1+-2: 25
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2: (16)+13+1+2+1+-2: 31
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (20)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 30 (THREAT)
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (12)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 22
GAME: Donna rolls finesse+1+2+1-2-5: (11)+13+1+2+1+-2+-5: 21
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2+2d6: (4)+4+2+(11): 21
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2: (2)+4+2: 8
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2+2d6: (3)+4+2+(4): 13
GAME: Donna rolls 2d4+8+2: (4)+8+2: 14
GAME: Donna rolls 1d4+4+2+2d6: (1)+4+2+(6): 13 (69 Damage)

"Fuck off, is why," Donna grunts, unleashing another round of water-augmented destruction on the construct.

First strike buries into the thing's clockwork guts, scalding clockwork with corrosive steam. Second, a looping left that carves a deep dent into the shell where its ribs would be. Third, another water-sheathed crash, into the hip joint. For her fourth, rather than throw a punch, she simply grabs hold of the Iron King's free hand, and tears its arm away.

The momentum of her attack slows somewhat as she carefully places the arm and cage down as much as speed will allow. Then, from her crouched stance puts all of her considerable, magically-enhanced strength into an upward leap, her fist crashing against its jaw and loosing another explosive blast of steam.

The Iron King is finished.

Under the fury of Donna's assault, and with the amount of him that his been torn away (including an arm), the Construct collapses to his knees. The Axe, Hellscream, tumbles from his grasp and lands with a heavy clang on the ground. The King catches himself with his remaining hand, as the searing light shining from his joints and the cracks in his body dims and fades.

"No," he gasps. "You have not... you have not defeated me. You can't have. I'm immortal. I cannot die. I was supposed to live *forever*." As he talks, his armor falls away; his helmet cracks and slides off, and underneath is revealed a man, impossibly old and shrivelled to the point of being skeletal. Hoses filled with vile liquids pierce his body, and his head is held up only with the benefit of a metal brace, taking the weight of his skull now that his neck can no longer support it. "I can't die," he gasps, almost pleading with himself as much as the heroes around him. "I *cannot* die, I can't, I can't!"

"Yes you can," gasps Illiria, the mermaid having gone quite ashen in complexion. "And you must. I know not your crimes, but it is clear they are uncountable. And all in the pursuit of immortality? False king... none may live forever."

The Displacer Beasts' eyes, meanwhile, lose their glow. The twin felines draw up short, as if they have been scalded, and both of them skitter back from the heroes. The two of them growl, low sounds of menace, but... fear, as well, as they retreat back into the room. They back up into a corner, and Rakketh stands in front, crouching low and peeling back his lips to show his teeth, while behind him the much more badly battered Kessa noses and licks at her wounds.

Expecting due dispensation of justice, "Look away, child." Elyanna intones in a level, almost gentle, tone, despite the lingering pain of her wounds, her dagger arm crooking some as the displacer beasts back away.

She answers the show of teeth with her own.

She edges back toward Illiria, considering the damselfish's wounds before looking back toward the architecture of their tattered foe.

A snort and shake of her head, "Another echo, straining against the voice."

The unspoken 'fool' heavily threaded through her tone like a vine.

Despite her own ragged condition, the Keeper gently hefts the mermaid to carry her toward Ashes, that one may heal the other as needs be.

As she draws up anew not far from, her chin lifts imperiously, "Calm yourself and fade with more dignity than the last would be immortal, if such mettle had not already been cut from you."

"Buddy if I were you," Donna says, stepping to the cage, "I would rethink the *hell* outta my assumptions. Iunno where Ash got that sword, but you got yourself a bona-fide Vardaman Priestess standin' over you about to prove you wrong. I figure she might give you a couple minutes to get right, but, we're fuckin' tired an' we got shit to do, so I wouldn't even bet on that much. Elyanna's got it right. Everyone dies, you're gonna die soon, so *have some fuckin dignity about it.* Mebbe you can *die* like a king, since you sure as fuck couldn't live like one."

With that, the brawler begins to examine the cage, to see how to best open it. If this also allows her to block the boy's view of the dethroned King from his fate, well... So much the better.

The Mourner takes a breath, steadying herself, gripping Arreth with unexpected strength. The greatsword is as much a holy symbol of Vardama as anything else she might bear, and she concentrates on her connection to her goddess and lets the peace of the Grey Halls flow from her, through it.

Illiria's wounds ache less, and close, as does Elyanna and the ashen arvek's own. Everyone is healed, except the Iron King.

His time has come; she still has her priorities. Mourner Ashlee Ciaradh removes a small vial of oil from her vestments, uncorks it, and flicks flicks the droplets across the form of the Iron King.

"Feiu of the Tears, one long awaited comes." A simple prayer. She steps closer, her eyes hard and staring out of the skull that is her face. There's a flicker of softness, a sympathy for the dying, but her compassion is not weakness and she has a duty to do.

She steps close, raises Arreth and brings the great blade down in a scything sweep that would impress a reaper. It slices through construct and ancient flesh, dispatching the Iron King in a way only a well practiced Mourner could. A fast, efficient crushing of skull and spine.

Only once the deed is done does she address the remains of their foe. "And then it ends. Everyone dies. Everyone is equal. Everyone is judged."

"Be at peace."

"No, not me," gasps the King, unable it seems to take Donna's advice. "Don't do it to me, I can't--"

The judgement of Ashes and Arreth cannot be denied, or avoided. The sword comes down and the King is dead. Metal and desiccated bones clatter to the floor, and a soft whoosh like a tormented sigh escapes the construct; and then at last, the nightmare of metal is at peace.

The wounds of hte mighty are healed; the battle is won. Illiria tucks her head against Elyanna's shoulder and weeps, letting tears of relief and joy for the heroes and the rescued child roll down her cheeks.

"Did we win?" whispers Sirri, peeking out from behind Ashes's leg. "We did. We won. Well... you all did. I'm not sure I helped much, but all of you were *so brave*.

As for Alvin, the cage opens easily; with the death of the King it almost falls apart in Donna's hands, clattering into a harmless heap around the child.

Free of the bars, Alvin stands up slowly, looking up at Donna; pale blue eyes and little pointed ears, from the hint of elf in his lineage. His face is a mess of tears and snot, and he gulps in deep breaths, looking with wild, barely contained panic at the carnage around him; all while the images of Charn slowly flicker and face, leaving only the cold, dirty interior of a forgotten sewer chamber in their place.

Alvin looks around at his surroundings, then back up at Donna, and at last he can withstand it no longer. "Mm-" he gasps, "Mm-mm," he tries again, "MM-MMAAAAAMAAAAAA!!" he cries, a desperate wail of pain and need.

Quickly, the brawler gathers the child up, holding tight. "Easy, kid, easy. Tell us 'bout your mama, okay? We got places to get to yet, but we ain't leavin' you behind."

The only concession to their purpose here she makes,after a time, is shifting the boy to hold in one arm, a torch brought out to hold to Ashes, in the hopes that she can light it up one way or another.

"Y'know," she sighs, hefting the boy. "This is the longest sewer job I ever been on." No more is really said, for the sake of the boy's ears, but her fellow adventurers can definitely pick up on the subtext. 'And I don't think I'll ever stop smelling them.'

Ashlee takes the torch from Donna. She lights it and ends up holding it in one hand with the other keeping a grip on Arreth and keeping the point of the greatsword very carefully on the front of her cavalry boot.

"I have Calm Emotions," she says, glancing around, "It's not real mental healing but it will help. A little."

In the meantime, she has more healing to share with everyone, especially Illiria, "You kept us going."

"And you helped." She tells Sirri, firmly. Every little bit did.

The Mourner keeps looking around, expecting the other shoe to fall. Specifically, for Tessa to re-appear and take Vardama's instrument.

Elyanna watches the proverbial hammer come down with a dispassionate stare as Eternity is ladled out for the old man's consumption.

She sets Illiria down gently in as clean a spot as she can manage before stepping up to briefly clasp Ashes's shoulder before collecting her falchion and Maidenhead.

She offered to wrangle the tent-o-three-tails with nary a hesitation.

The Keeper has been playing guard and mount for their mermaid companion without complaint.

The red woman makes zero offer to help with the traumatized child in Donna's arms, though, given what they now know of her, it isn't hard to imagine why that would be.

A sigh, then she moves to once again take up Illiria's conveyance and offers, "You all have done well."

Looking to the brawler, the Keeper notes, "Perhaps we can venture to another manions." she deadpans.

A look between her companions.

Did the corner of her mouth just twitch?

From Alvin, no words are uttered as Donna gathers him up. The child, no more than eight years old, just clings to her and bawls his eyes out, clutching to the neck of Donna's breastplate with tiny hands as he weeps. For a time, he just lets it flow. "She," he gasps, at last, "She, she's my Mama, she's... she's busy... busy all the time... but she loves me. She always says she loves me."

Sirri, for her part, digs about in her backpack; she pauses, looking up at Ashes as the compliment is given, and adopts a deep blush. "Th-thank you," she gasps. "I didn't... really think I did much. I hope someday I can be as brave and as strong as all of you." She fishes about in her bag a bit more, and withdraws her packet full of butter tarts, which she tears open and inspects the contents. "Ruined," she pronounces, "Ruined, ruined, ruined," she tosses the tarts aside, one after the other, until only one is left. "This one's fine," she murmurs, holding it up in front of her. Then, she looks towards Donna, and walks up to where the brawler is cradling the child.

"Would you like a tart?" she asks, quietly. "They always make me feel better."

Illiria clings to Elyanna's shoulder as she's picked up once more, and smiles at the Keeper. "Thank you," she murmurs. "You've been very kind to me." The mermaid pauses, and inhales a deep breath, before pointing towards the back of the chamber, opposite the way everyone entered. "That way," she whispers. "Go that way. I can smell the sea."

Through it all, the two Displacer Beasts have stayed out of the way, as far from the heroes as possible. Quietly, without the hint of a growl, Rakketh slinks along the wall of the chamber, followed by Kessa; one after the other they slip past the heroes, darting out the door way and off into the tunnels.

Combatty

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 |     Name      |  CHP (T) |  HP  |
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 | Ashes.........|   32     |  88  |
 | Donna.........|   52     |  68  |
 | Elyanna.......|   15     |  44  |
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Inspirational Video
https://youtu.be/mNJBDHvznWs?t=76