Part III: Cellar Doors

The member 'Artimus' has done the following action : Diceroller

'SKILL CHECK' : 1, 2

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*twitch*
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damage = 2/1 = 1 damage
now at -4

The member 'Skyler Terska' has done the following action : Diceroller

'DAMAGE' : 2

The blinding flash that had burned his flesh and singed his hair had since passed, but Garvans rage still lingered. He was spared the brunt of the blast of arcane fire that had consumed Skylar but his trident burned his palms and minature bonfires skittered about on his vestments. He could not fathom how Skyler must feel. A quick glance in his direction showed a broken man smouldering on the ground where the magic has thrust him.

Garvans teeth were bared like that of a rabid beast. He was blind to much else now. Artimus had left his side and now he stood, locked eye to eye with the cultist. Garvan was a tall man but this behemoth stood at least a head taller then he. Not knowing which of his companions still drew breathe, Garvan struck out with all his might at the man, hoping to bring him to his knees...




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Garvan attacks. See fiends and foes

Fellowship - The 3rd of Septem, 4:41 AM

The mariner crashed into the altar at the moment of crux, his arms wrapping around the fragile, writhing woman and lifted her from the stone bed. They flew through the air, and Artimus could feel Midnorton's arrow barely graze his back as he landed on the cold platform, the maiden beneath him.

[Midnorton's arrow missed Artimus vs.dodge]

The woman screamed in agony as her eyes rolled back into her head, a ghastly visage appearing upon her face as her stomach ripped open, Artimus envelloped by a black ichor that exploded upon his person as a whirling vortex of unholy energy washed past him and materialized in the air.

He scarcely got a glimpse of the horrendous figure suspended above him amidst the swirling gales, a naked, pale human with white eyes standing tall above them, its tongue hanging from its mouth like an animal's tail.

It reached down slowly, almost in a moment of silence, when a great explosion rocked the room.

The Golden Daemon statue shattered upon the altar in a deafening cacaphony, its great head crashing through its body as pieces of the painted metal sprayed in all directions, pelting the fellowship.

[3D6 shrapnel damage to all in Zone 3, 2D6 in zone2, 1D6 in zone1]

Suddenly the smell and taste and sensation of choking smoke and burning fire washed over the fellowship as it enveloped them, emanating from the statue like a deviant brushfire.

"MY LORD!" screamed the cultist, his voice washed away in the torrential emanation of demonic brimstone that seemed to fill the room from the remains of the fallen statue.

Garvan stumbled backwards, his face locked on the face of the cultist as red smoke swirled around him. Suddenly, from behind the man a white, scaly clawed hand reached across his throat. The cultist screamed, a squeal that sounded like pleasure and pain dancing across his tongue.

"MY LORD!" he screamed again, and suddenly the cultists' throat exploded in a crimson geyser of death as the demon behind him crushed his throat, blood spattering upon the heaving tongue.

Those white eyes remained on the fisherman for just a moment, and then disappeared into the red smoke.

[...]

Moments later the dust had settled and the red smoke had disspated. The statue lay shattered across the room, the corpse of the head cultist crumpled upon his flaming axe amidst the field of his slaughtered followers.

Geiss' daughter lay motionless, her eyes rolled back into her head, her stomach bloodied and shredded.

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OK guys, might want to re-read that to fully grasped what happened. Artimus saved Geiss' daughter from the statue and Midnorton's arrow, but whatever was inside her sprung forth through her stomach upon the impact.

Valaren, it seems to me that you have two very injured individuals to help...Skyler and the lady Geiss.

I will permit you to help one.

Skyler needs a significantly smaller amount of HP healed. Get him above 0 and he'll be fine (he's still at -3, not -4)

The woman needs a Heal spell rolled at at least 19 or higher to not die instantly.

EXP: +300 each for defeating the cultists
GDP: +200 each for defeating the cultists


THERE IS NO SIGN OF THE WHITE-SKINNED MAN CR

Cheers,

-LK

With the battle over, Midnorton cleared his eyes as the smoke cleared. He looked over the carnage and at his companions.

“Don’t know if that went well or poorly.”

He moved, carefully through the room, he gingerly stepped over the debris and dead bodies as he approached Valaren and Skyler.

“Heal Skyler, I will check the woman.”

Midnorton moved toward Artimus and the woman. He looked over the woman carefully and frowned.

“I will try to save her, but I’m not sure if my power is sufficient enough to restore her from that much damage.”

Midnorton took off his armor and then proceeded to take off the rest of his clothing until he remained naked among his companions.

He smiled at them and then spoke, “Do not be alarmed by what happen next, I am still Midnorton. Your friend and companion.”

With that said, Midnorton’s skin started to change color and extent in various areas. Leaves started to sprout out of his skin and protrusions that looked like branches. Finally, after the metamorphosis completed, a humanoid shape plant-like creature stands before you all.

Midnorton extended out his arm and placed his hand on the dying woman. Roots begin to extend from his hand and bury themselves into the woman’s flesh. Midnorton closed his eyes and concentration for some time. He finally removed his hand, the roots left the woman’s flesh. Drops of some green liquid leaving them as they submerged back into the hand.

Midnorton with his emerald colored eyes looked at the others, “I’m sorry. It looks like the damage done by the demon to her is too great for me to heal.”

His form started to change again eventually the human formed Midnorton stood there again. He then proceeds to put his cloths back on and then his armor…

He smiled at his companions. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but now is not the time. I'll just say that I am actually a Dryad."

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Heal spell check:
Charm [4d6] + Charisma [1d6]
[Roll: 2+6+2+2+3 = 15 vs. 19 TN: FAIL!]

The member 'Midnorton' has done the following action : Diceroller

'SKILL CHECK' : 2, 6, 2, 2, 3

Valaren had a decision to make. Skyler had been wounded in the fight, and his situation had worsened after Valaren attempted to heal him. There was no movement.

The fight had come to a sudden halt, the room visibly damaged by the fight. There was debris shattered over the room, stones filling every square inch, telling a story of a haunting presence. This was not the end. Perhaps it would be for now, but there was definitely more to it.

Valaren let out a deep sigh. He would have to make the choice now. The woman was visibly hurt. She was the reason they were here in the first place. They would have to save her in order to fulfill their quest. The sigh ended in another gasp as Valaren witnessed Midnorton's transformation. This was not the first time he had seen a Dryad. However, it came as another shock in this short period of time Valaren had spent with the group.

Midnorton did not manage to save the woman. Not by himself. Valaren would have to choose which person he could save. Both lives were held in the balance. He decided that Skyler had shown no visible improvement. The chances of his survival were very low, and even if he were to survive, the damage done to him would be near-impossible to overcome.

"I'm sorry." He said, as he picked up his staff and paced towards the young woman. Valaren kneeled down next to her and repeated the same process, although much louder than before. This was not going to be an easy task.

"As suncta perra be! Thy power perra sterk. Ferrum natre per"

Valaren began breathing heavily, repeating the same words over and over. It appeared to be working, but how bad would her wounds be? The cold air breezed between himself and the woman. This was no easy task, not even for him.

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Rolling Heal: 6d6+2

NICE! ACED THE 19!

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The member 'Valaren' has done the following action : Diceroller

'SKILL CHECK' : 4, 5, 5, 1, 3, 1

Artimus choked and gasped on the gritty black ichor and smoke pith that covered his body and invaded his lungs. His head reeled throbbing, shaken from the blast. Disoriented the mariner managed to roll from his back to his knees. As he shifted he could feel the metal buried deeply in his flesh. He clawed at the black webbing stuck to his limbs trying to free himself from his limbs.

Then suddenly a sharp pain.

The metal was moving.

Valaren's brow furled as he worked furiously over the young woman, sweat dripping from his face as he crouched in the midst of the battleground, tiny tendrils of red smoke still swirling around the base of the collapsed statue.

Suddenly, her eyes shot open and she drew a deep breath, a whimper on her lips. A great scream brewed in her lungs, and she let loose a bloodcurdling cry as the magic washed over her stomach, mending the gaping wound together with a golden sheen.

She cried aloud again and again for what seemed like ever, choking on bile and saliva as her eyes rolled around in her head.

Finally, the healing was done. Valaren could feel life-force in her, and she was stabilized for now. But death would have his way with her for certain, if she did not find the care of a priest promptly.

[...]

The fellowship stood in the cavernous room, still recovering from the battle. Corpses lay strewn across the battlefield, Skyler still shaking in agony.

[Skyler Loses 1 HP, at -4]

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OK guys short post today, given the fact that Im missing some posts here. One good heal and Skyler will be fine, but to determine whether he lives or dies I need him to make 3 MIGHT checks, and I need the healer to make 3 HEAL checks. I will cross reference.

EXP: +100 to Art, Valaren and Midnorton (post + successfully saving the woman)

Cheers
-LK

Back in his human form, Midnorton looked around and frowned.

“We need to hurry. We don’t know if there are other cultists around, but if there are, this battle has most likely alerted them that something went wrong. So, Valaren, try to get Skyler up on his feet. If you can’t, we might have to leave him.”

Midnorton reached down and lifted up the woman gently and put her over his shoulder.

“I’ll carry her. Garvan and Artimus should take the lead. We can’t go back the way we originally came. The guards are most likely waiting for us above the trapdoor at the prison cells. The only other way I can possibly think is to go back to the room we fought the statue and head up the stairs there.”

Artimus rocked to his feet, tossing bits of blacken womb entrails to the floor. His vision focused abit offering the outline of the venerable sage Valaran hovering over the Lady Giess, working miracles of light and hope, speaking small truths. His awe at the ethereal occurrence was muted by the blast that still echo’d in his head and by the crumpled form of Skyler that lay twitching and singed at the center of the antechamber.

One hand covering his forehead, Artimus stumbled to where a brambled man stood. Artimus had heard something through the fog of his concussion, but his mind reeled to make sense of it. Was this tree-creature actually Midnorton?... ‘Dryad’, he had heard the word before and knew it as well; in passing though, in the same way he knew of angels or mermaids. Through tales told in the flicking firelight of his Brettonian home. Stories imparted just before bed sending him into dreams of adventure and enchantment. Still he no doubt that all the things of fairytale could exist. In his adventures Artimus had seen joined forces with creatures of pure energy, battled a mighty Kraken’s, sundered dark gods risen from ash, thwarted fleshy demons and a survived an encounter manner of creature that stretched the sanity of his mind.



In this moment he found himself able to accept very easily Midnorton’s true form, perhaps this was an effect of the dryad or perhaps it was the energy that exudes from an ally.



Artimus lumbered back to his knees at Skylars side and retrieved his waterskin. Pulling the cap off with his teeth put the spot to the badly burned man’s cracked lips and slowly let the water eek out, bringing moisture to the parched flesh that riddled his body.

“ Eazy, Eazy mon ami, drink zlowly. You are very brave Mon Galliard, you have zaved uz all, zaved Lady Giezz, and you are our zaviour.”

Artimus Paused, pulling the wineskin back. He looked over the young man’s body. The still smoldering wounds were dire that much he could see himself. He looked up to Midnorton entreating him with his visage, “is there nothing you can do” his face questioned without words.

Even through the haze of Artimus vision and the hued bark of Midnorton’s face he could see the response. Skylar was beyond the aid of these men. Artimus drove his clenched fist into the unholy earth.

Artimus fed another measure of water into Skyler’s thirsty mouth.

“Do not fear Mon Galliard, I will not leave you here beneath the earth, you will zee the zky again.”

Artimus stood, gathered his blade from where it had fall, at the inception of his mad dash for the alter. The mariner walked over to one of the lifeless cultists and removed its robes, taking a moment to examine the person that bought in to the vile lunacy that was carried out in this sub-terrain coven.

Artimus wrapped Skylar gently in the robe and scooped him up in his arms.

“You will beneath the ztarz again mon ami...”

Midnorton? A dryad? Garvan was no stranger to the supernatural. In a world where demons lurked in the shadows, mean could have their diseases lifted, and cultists flung fireballs, there were few things that were hard to behold. The simple man found it shocking, however, that one of his companions, friend even, was such a creature and had hidden it so long from them. Thoughts and questions raced through his mind. Garvan was curious by nature and demanded to know more of Midnorton but this crypt was neither the time nor the place.

The wounded were being cared for but there were still questions that needed resoltuion in Garvans mind before they left. What was that creature and why was he being summoned? What roll did the woman play? What roll did he and friends play for that matter.

Perhaps some answers would be scattered about the room, now turned graveyard...



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Garvan searches the room for information and goodies

Edit: This includes bodies, robes, chests, cavities, nooks and/or crannys, sepulchers, statues, and pockets.

Skyler remains on the ground. No twitching this time.

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3 might checks?

The member 'Skyler Terska' has done the following action : Diceroller

#1 'SKILL CHECK' : 3

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#2 'SKILL CHECK' : 6

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#3 'SKILL CHECK' : 3

If only for a brief moment, Valaren felt relief. Something had gone right for the first time this day. The woman had been screaming in agony just a few moments ago, but she appeared to vastly improve. But the process of healing someone was more to it than just speaking certain words and performing a ritual. It was a draining experience. Both physically and mentally.

Valaren stood up, mentally preparing himself for one last attempt to save Skyler. His movement speed visibly deteriorated from the last time he moved accross the field.

Kneeling down next to Skyler once more, his eyes were cast upon the ceiling of the room. This was a last-ditch effort.

Once more, with all the strength he could muster, he attempted to heal Skyler. His fingers touching the ground in circular motions. A few times his fingers would push away bits of debris that had fallen on the floor.


"As suncta perra be! Thy power perra sterk. Ferrum natre per"


"As suncta perra be! Thy power perra sterk. Ferrum natre per"

A gentle wind could be felt. Skyler's life-force was weak. It was difficult to reach him. Would this all be for nothing?

"As suncta perra be! Thy power perra sterk. Ferrum natre per"

The member 'Valaren' has done the following action : Diceroller

#1 'SKILL CHECK' : 3, 6, 3, 6, 5, 3

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#2 'SKILL CHECK' : 4, 3, 6, 4, 6, 2

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#3 'SKILL CHECK' : 5, 5, 4, 3, 5, 2

Fellowship - The 3rd of Septem, 5:00 AM


The mariner stared down into the eyes of the young man, a deep shivering taking over the victim of the fireblast. His face was charred and red, burns spread out over this body bleeding and weeping profusely.

Valaren stood gravely over Skyler, watching as his healing magic hung between them like a thread. The elder healer felt a pull, a gentle tug from the other realm. He had felt it before, the grip of the faceless Gods wrapping their influence around the souls of the living.

It was a cruel thing to die in a place like this. Entombed beneath the earth before the altar of an evil God, surrounded by the unholy dead that spread about before them like a vignette. The darkened corners of the room were foreboding, as if from the very shadows a new evil would lurk forth.

Skyler shuddered, the soft words of the mariner falling upon his deafening ears. His eyes shot open suddenly, Valaren's renewed attempt sweeping fervent healing around the swollen and broken appendages of the youngest. The healers chant echoed morosely off the walls, more desperate by the minute.

Skyler drew a deep breath, his chest rising fully... and then, as Artimus gazed into his eyes, his pupils grew small and the quiet knowing behind them gave way to the cold embrace of death.

[Skyler Dies]

[...]


Garvan stared round, standing before the crushed corpse of the cultist. His neck spilled out upon the stairway, a river of blood pooling around his boots and reminding him of the fishy fluid that sloshed about the bottom of his boat, back on the Sea of Claws.

The fisherman watched as Midnorton swiftly scooped up Geiss' daughter, the silence of the healer behind him demarking the passing of their young companion.

Garvan did what he did best. Swiftly and purposefully, he set himself to work.

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OK fellows, we have our first death in the game. Skyler, your rolls were inadequate (ah, the woes of 1D in Might )

Valaren, your healing was extensive but not enough to stem death's embrace. Well efforted, however.

You find yourselves in the cold, cavernous room beneath the earth. I will be placing the results of Garvan's search in The Marketplace, and you may all take what you will.

EXP: +50 for everyone

Skyler, you will be rolling up a new character, my friend. Godspeed.

(THERE WILL BE ANOTHER DM POST AT 4PM. Sorry for the delay, its been a long weekend of moving into a new apartment!)

-LK

It was sad that the young man Skyler had died, but their current situation didn’t allow time for remorse or delay.

“Let us be on our way…” He didn’t look in the direction of the dead Skyler and headed for the exit to this altar room.

“We should head for the statue room and head up the stairs there. But I’m afraid we probably will run into other cultist wanting to prevent our escape. We need to make it back, not only to save our own lives, but also to inform the proper authorities of this demonic cult and the summoning they did here.”

Garvan collected his portion of the gold from the cold stone earth that he had seperated from the larger pile and bid his companions do the same. The coins were as cold as the air had become in this crypt and a few boasted drops of sticky blood. The room was eerily quiet in contrast with the recent chaos. Geiss' daughter was scooped up in Mid's - the dryad - arms and skylers burnt husk was slung over Artimus' shoulder.

Garvan hardly knew the man, but he was upset at the loss all the same. He had counted him as a team mate, perhaps he could have one day been a friend. Looking about the room he could sense similar feelings from the rest of his party. Somber looks on every face.

He couldn't help but feel pangs of guilt. They had saved two captives from their cells and dragged them to their deaths. Skylar and Lesale had no business in their affairs, yet they had died for them all the same.

"Let's make haste. I dont want to linger near all this death longer then we have too." A chill crept up the fishermans spine as he recalled the ghostly white Demon. "Mid is right. we should try heading up the stairs in the main hall. Our best bet on escape i'd wager."

He stepped slowly around the corpses littering the room and made his way back out into the hallway..


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Garv is leadin up to the main hall where the stairs decended up