Shiva makes as wide a circle as she can around the large statue in order to get a good view of the chanting's source. She moves quietly, mindful of the few markers left by her presence.
Alaris is silent and expressionless as the group hustles to the graveyard. Even Ling's quips and elbow only elicit soft grunts of noncommittal response. The shadowhunter keeps their hands on their stele and collapsible bow, eyes searching the night. A strange wave of emotion roils inside them - a powerful urge to protect the others. Finally, they whisper, "I do not know exactly what we are getting ourselves into, but please do not do anything stupid tonight. I love you all, and we need to take care of each other. I have a bad feeling about this... keep your heads on swivels and stay close enough to support each other."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
As Shiva rounds the curve, she sees a circle of cloaked figures stood in front of the statue. They are surrounded by candles and each holds their hands out towards the centre of the circle.
As Shiva begins to make her way back towards the north end of the cemetery, a sudden howling goes up from all sides. Several other warlocks appear around those chanting, and start pointing and giving each other instructions. Over her shoulder, Shivala hears the unpleasant sound of growls and pants. The rank smell of a carnivore's breath fills the air.
Shiva turns slowly to see a hound composed of seemingly coagulated darkness, sniffing and snapping at the air around it. She will continue to move as silently as possible, taking extreme care to avoid detection.
Behind Shiva, the shadow beast sniffs at the ground and starts to follow her footprints in the snow. It's rapidly gaining on her.
Meanwhile, the shadowhunters have crept around the western side of the cemetery and scaled the wall. Ling expends a great deal of effort trying to shimmy up one of the conifers, but only makes it about a meter up the trunk, leaving her leather clad rear hanging at face level. Fortunately, a major height advantage doesn't seem necessary. They can all see the circle of warlocks gathered in front of the statue from here.
It's at this point that the howls go up from across the cemetery. Something knows they are here.
Realizing that she will be unable to simply outrun the hound, Shiva will drop her invisibility to cast Expeditious Retreat on herself. She will then use all her movement to run.
The enormous hound bolts after Shiva with a yowling wail that is echoed from trees to her left and her right. The chase is on!
Shouting can be heard from back towards the statue, and the chanting intensifies, accompanied by a high-pitched ringing and a strange suction like noise. There's a whiff of ozone on the air.
Ling clings to the tree, unable to see much more than she could on the ground. When the howling starts, she drops down. "Sorry about that, but you had a better view of me from down here than I did of those bastards from up there. That sounds like hellhounds to me, we have to get in there and help Shiva. I don't know how long she can outmanoeuvre them!" Ling takes off towards the statue, sticking to the trees and blending with their dense shadows.
(not running, but snail-stealthing, for mechanical reasons *SULK*)
Nikolai watches Ling intently as she climbs back down, but then his ears pick up the strange sound and the smell. He closes his a grimace. “We need to hurry. They just opened the portal. It’s likely not complete as this is usually a process, but there is definitely an inter-dimensional tear active right now.”
Alaris snaps their bow out and says, "Remember - we're not here to fight them. We're not here to win. We're here to get that ring through the portal and whatever happens after that... We do it together." Alaris takes off with Ling, moving towards the statue.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Ling darts from the tree line, moving silently between the gravestones and bushes as the advances on the gathered warlocks. The cloaked figures weaving their ritual in front of the statue grow ever clearer as she draws closer. The flat front of the plinth that the monument is built upon shimmers light blue and purple, and a thin line of bright light runs up the middle like a narrow crack.
As the shadowhunters flit across the cemetery between the graves, a dark, canine beast with glowing red eyes steps out of the underbrush heading purposefully towards them. It seems to be consumed in streaming whisps of shadow, and globs of darkness drip from its maw as it faces them.
Silently moving with Alaris, Ling whispers back: "Only if we can't stop them from opening that portal. I'm not going to throw myself to some random place, possibly a demonic, deadly plane, if I can help it. Or you, for that matter. Even on your worst days." She winks at Alaris and quickly presses their hand before the two move on.
When they get closer, Ling's eyes widen. Damn, I've never seen this many warlocks in one place.
Without wasting anytime Nikolai whips up his hand and rapidly blasts off two Eldritch blasts towards the beast, but his haste causes the beams to streak off into the darkness. “They know we are here now! Quickly!”
"Well I guess it doesn't matter now!" Ling locks eyes with the hellhound and pulls out her witchlight, holding it up high above her head. "By the angel, Fiat Lux!" Light erupts from the witchlight, as bright as the sun, momentarily blinding everyone. The hound yelps and Ling uses the moment to seek cover behind a tree, leaving her witchlight behind to illuminate the hounds and readying her bow. She focuses on the hound and activates her fiend rune. ( Daylight, Hunter's Mark)
The hound is still yelping and recoiling from the bright light when the first arrow from Alaris' Shadowhunter Bow whistle-thuds into its form. A second arrow slams in beside it, and the beast's yelp becomes a yowl of pain and fury. It staggers under the brutal force of the two arrows.
Like Ling, Alaris also takes cover behind a nearby tree and takes a deep, calming breath. "This is only the beginning..." they remind themselves as the familiar battle lust begins to roil within them.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid,Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions! I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Two more hell-hounds burst out of the brush as Shiva runs, baying and snarling at the warlock as they leap after her. One dashes forwards to cut the girl off, while the others break into a sprint as they race to catch up.
The hound near Ling wails and hisses as it shies from the bright light and its shadowy tendrils flicker, as though struggling to maintain their form. The monstrous beast leaps at the young Shadowhunter, biting down hard on her ankle as it tries to drag her from her feet. However, the light has weakened the creature, and Ling is able to yank her leg free.
Meanwhile, two of the warlocks guarding the ritual by the statue turn and begin to hurl bolts of fire at Alaris. However, their sheltered position amongst the trees protects them.
“Well, we can fight them just a little.” he responds to Alaris as everyone begins to prepare for action. His stele zigzags across his form and the edges of his body begin to buzz. His companions’ next words drag out, and he watches as the hellhound runs up to ling in slow motion. Alaris’ arrows lazily plunge into its form, and Caio adds his to the barrage. Before it hits the ground, Caio is off towards the warlocks now launching arcane fire at them. He bursts from the treeline and by the time they pivot to see him, one already has an arrow in their thigh and their gut.
As Shiva sprints away from the pursuing hell-hounds, she catches sight of another running directly towards her. Reacting in the nick of time, she pivot on her heels and avoids barreling into it. As she continues sprinting back towards the group, she hears Nikolai and the ensuing commotion.
Shiva makes as wide a circle as she can around the large statue in order to get a good view of the chanting's source. She moves quietly, mindful of the few markers left by her presence.
Alaris is silent and expressionless as the group hustles to the graveyard. Even Ling's quips and elbow only elicit soft grunts of noncommittal response. The shadowhunter keeps their hands on their stele and collapsible bow, eyes searching the night. A strange wave of emotion roils inside them - a powerful urge to protect the others. Finally, they whisper, "I do not know exactly what we are getting ourselves into, but please do not do anything stupid tonight. I love you all, and we need to take care of each other. I have a bad feeling about this... keep your heads on swivels and stay close enough to support each other."
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
As Shiva rounds the curve, she sees a circle of cloaked figures stood in front of the statue. They are surrounded by candles and each holds their hands out towards the centre of the circle.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
After scouting out all information that she felt was pertinent, she will silently return to the group and recount what she has learned.
As Shiva begins to make her way back towards the north end of the cemetery, a sudden howling goes up from all sides. Several other warlocks appear around those chanting, and start pointing and giving each other instructions. Over her shoulder, Shivala hears the unpleasant sound of growls and pants. The rank smell of a carnivore's breath fills the air.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Shiva turns slowly to see a hound composed of seemingly coagulated darkness, sniffing and snapping at the air around it. She will continue to move as silently as possible, taking extreme care to avoid detection.
Behind Shiva, the shadow beast sniffs at the ground and starts to follow her footprints in the snow. It's rapidly gaining on her.
Meanwhile, the shadowhunters have crept around the western side of the cemetery and scaled the wall. Ling expends a great deal of effort trying to shimmy up one of the conifers, but only makes it about a meter up the trunk, leaving her leather clad rear hanging at face level. Fortunately, a major height advantage doesn't seem necessary. They can all see the circle of warlocks gathered in front of the statue from here.
It's at this point that the howls go up from across the cemetery. Something knows they are here.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Realizing that she will be unable to simply outrun the hound, Shiva will drop her invisibility to cast Expeditious Retreat on herself. She will then use all her movement to run.
The enormous hound bolts after Shiva with a yowling wail that is echoed from trees to her left and her right. The chase is on!
Shouting can be heard from back towards the statue, and the chanting intensifies, accompanied by a high-pitched ringing and a strange suction like noise. There's a whiff of ozone on the air.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Ling clings to the tree, unable to see much more than she could on the ground. When the howling starts, she drops down. "Sorry about that, but you had a better view of me from down here than I did of those bastards from up there. That sounds like hellhounds to me, we have to get in there and help Shiva. I don't know how long she can outmanoeuvre them!" Ling takes off towards the statue, sticking to the trees and blending with their dense shadows.
(not running, but snail-stealthing, for mechanical reasons *SULK*)
Nikolai watches Ling intently as she climbs back down, but then his ears pick up the strange sound and the smell. He closes his a grimace. “We need to hurry. They just opened the portal. It’s likely not complete as this is usually a process, but there is definitely an inter-dimensional tear active right now.”
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Alaris snaps their bow out and says, "Remember - we're not here to fight them. We're not here to win. We're here to get that ring through the portal and whatever happens after that... We do it together." Alaris takes off with Ling, moving towards the statue.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Ling darts from the tree line, moving silently between the gravestones and bushes as the advances on the gathered warlocks. The cloaked figures weaving their ritual in front of the statue grow ever clearer as she draws closer. The flat front of the plinth that the monument is built upon shimmers light blue and purple, and a thin line of bright light runs up the middle like a narrow crack.
As the shadowhunters flit across the cemetery between the graves, a dark, canine beast with glowing red eyes steps out of the underbrush heading purposefully towards them. It seems to be consumed in streaming whisps of shadow, and globs of darkness drip from its maw as it faces them.
Nikolai reacts first.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Silently moving with Alaris, Ling whispers back: "Only if we can't stop them from opening that portal. I'm not going to throw myself to some random place, possibly a demonic, deadly plane, if I can help it. Or you, for that matter. Even on your worst days." She winks at Alaris and quickly presses their hand before the two move on.
When they get closer, Ling's eyes widen. Damn, I've never seen this many warlocks in one place.
Without wasting anytime Nikolai whips up his hand and rapidly blasts off two Eldritch blasts towards the beast, but his haste causes the beams to streak off into the darkness. “They know we are here now! Quickly!”
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
"Well I guess it doesn't matter now!" Ling locks eyes with the hellhound and pulls out her witchlight, holding it up high above her head. "By the angel, Fiat Lux!" Light erupts from the witchlight, as bright as the sun, momentarily blinding everyone. The hound yelps and Ling uses the moment to seek cover behind a tree, leaving her witchlight behind to illuminate the hounds and readying her bow. She focuses on the hound and activates her fiend rune. ( Daylight, Hunter's Mark)
The hound is still yelping and recoiling from the bright light when the first arrow from Alaris' Shadowhunter Bow whistle-thuds into its form. A second arrow slams in beside it, and the beast's yelp becomes a yowl of pain and fury. It staggers under the brutal force of the two arrows.
Like Ling, Alaris also takes cover behind a nearby tree and takes a deep, calming breath. "This is only the beginning..." they remind themselves as the familiar battle lust begins to roil within them.
Eshuvenniel Kazander Ravid, Valor Bard and Acolyte of the Goddess of Luck
Caradoc Langham, Halfling Rogue - Lost Magics - Epic of Pre-made Proportions!
I'm not looking for heaven or hell... just someone to listen to stories I tell...
Two more hell-hounds burst out of the brush as Shiva runs, baying and snarling at the warlock as they leap after her. One dashes forwards to cut the girl off, while the others break into a sprint as they race to catch up.
The hound near Ling wails and hisses as it shies from the bright light and its shadowy tendrils flicker, as though struggling to maintain their form. The monstrous beast leaps at the young Shadowhunter, biting down hard on her ankle as it tries to drag her from her feet. However, the light has weakened the creature, and Ling is able to yank her leg free.
Meanwhile, two of the warlocks guarding the ritual by the statue turn and begin to hurl bolts of fire at Alaris. However, their sheltered position amongst the trees protects them.
Caio's action.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
“Well, we can fight them just a little.” he responds to Alaris as everyone begins to prepare for action. His stele zigzags across his form and the edges of his body begin to buzz. His companions’ next words drag out, and he watches as the hellhound runs up to ling in slow motion. Alaris’ arrows lazily plunge into its form, and Caio adds his to the barrage. Before it hits the ground, Caio is off towards the warlocks now launching arcane fire at them. He bursts from the treeline and by the time they pivot to see him, one already has an arrow in their thigh and their gut.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
As Shiva sprints away from the pursuing hell-hounds, she catches sight of another running directly towards her. Reacting in the nick of time, she pivot on her heels and avoids barreling into it. As she continues sprinting back towards the group, she hears Nikolai and the ensuing commotion.
"I've got some company over here!"