Nikolai nearly lets out a small cheer as the beast suddenly succumbs to Ling's magic and drops to the ground. He quickly gauges out the distance and smiles as he breaks into a run, squeezing between Shiva and the nearby wall. He reaches out with his hand and slaps Ling on the butt as he passes around her with a grin. "Not a lady, but don't mind if I do!" He leaps past Alaris and mid-jump his form suddenly explodes into a cloud of silvery-black star motes that streak through the tunnel in a maddening blur only to reform back into Nikolai's shape right next to the massive beast. He winks at Caio as he takes a moment to examine the beast with a curious glance as he lowers the barrel of Astra furora to its forehead. "Well, my friend, sadly you have no place in this world. Neither do your spawn." There's a swirl of dark energy near the barrel as Nikolai concentrates the power of his patron into the focus and a barely audible click sounds just before two dull thumps echo down the tunnel followed by the sickening crunch of bone as the massive fleder's skull is simultaneously crushed and ripped open! Thick, dark blood, bone, and brain matter splatter all around along the tunnel walls, Nikolai, and Caio. Nikolai looks curiously upon the mess before absently removing a rag from a pocket and wiping off his gore splattered weapon and hand. "Too easy, my friends."
The slumped form of the enormous fleder rocks as Nikolai unloads his eldritch power into its skull. Blood, ichor and grey matter trickle in rivulets between the gaps in the flagstones, and, for a moment, all is quiet.
A ripple of motion crawls beneath the monster's thick hide. It's almost too subtle to be seen, but the movement does not escape Caio's keen senses. The brutal sound of tearing flesh and the cracking of bone echoes about the subterranean passage, and something tears a hole to the surface from inside the fleder's thorax. Whatever it is, it's accompanied by a billowing cloud of smoke and shadow that fills the area, swallowing up both Nikolai and Caio. It's a sight intimately familiar to those used to working with Ling.
Only Shiva sees what happens next. A human-sized insect-like creature, covered in dense chitinous plates, clambers out of the fleder corpse and bears its claws at the two oblivious hunters. Beyond it two more fleder come rushing out of the dark, headed down the corridor towards the group.
Meanwhile, the heavy beating of wings rushes towards the others from the north, as a group of fledgeling fleder swarm up the stairs towards them.
With the enormous creature locked in combat with Caio, Shiva readies herself once more, when Ling appears at her side. Just as Shiva is about to tell her to stay out of its range, she watches as the surrounding darkness coagulates around Ling's arms, her eyes cold with blood-lust. As her ensuing movements latch the darkness onto the fleder and tear open its skull, Shiva gives an exacerbated laugh, totally taken aback at this display of power and ferocity. "**** YEAH LING." She's all teeth and fangs as she smiles broadly, the wildness of rage still present in her wide eyes. Her own voice then echoes within her once more, though this time it sounds hushed, as if further away "Such rage, such unwavering volition. You are truly sisters."
But the moment is short-lived, as the sickening rip of flesh catches her attention just in time to see the insect creature emerge from the fleder. Then the coloration of the surrounding area changes in a manner that she is all-too familiar with, and she understands what has just happened. Without thought, she rushes towards the creature, now accustomed to this new speed. As she strikes into its hide, its chitinous protection causes her initial blow to rebound harmlessly off its body. Putting her full body weight behind her next strikes, they find purchase, but she must forcefully wrench her blade out each time. Knowing that only she can see, her bellowing roar fills the passage once more "**** YOU!!!"
Alaris approaches the globe of Darkness warily. Setting themselves very close to its edge, the paladin readies themselves to swing a massive blow with their glaive. As they draw closer, though, their weapon bangs heavily and loudly against the stone wall! Foregoing the stealthy approach, they bellow, "Someone get rid of this beshitted globe of darkness!" and prepare themselves to take attacks.
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 the corpse of the massive fleder telegraphs... something about to burst from its form Caio again repeats his prayer and throws out a protective arm in front of Nikolai. Though he is expecting the appearance of some unholy beast, he is not expecting the sudden jet black void that swallows them up. “Nik! Let’s go!” His hand fumbles for a moment as he tries to grab his friend while simultaneously raising his heavy blade with one arm, leveling it at whatever might mow be standing there in the darkness. Thankfully he is moving at double speed, and he finds a grip on the warlock’s arm. Within a moment the pair emerges from the inkwell. Caio calls over to Alaris as they pass them. “Something burst out of the beast’s chest. Shiva is engaging it.”
When Nikolai passes her, Ling quips back: "Have I ever?" She locks eyes with Shiva and both grin broadly, celebrating their victory. Just then, the darkness descends and Shiva rushes forward. Ling is left behind, a bucket of cold water washing away her triumph as Shiva vanishes into the dark. Curses and the sounds of the tiefling's blade being wrenched free repeatedly leave no doubt that she has engaged the enemy. A second later, Caio bursts out of the pitch black globe, his arm around Nik. "Nik, Caio!" Ling can't help herself from shouting their names in relief, but Shiva? Only eyes for the boys, but what about your parabatai?
Again, Ling has not time to react to the voice which, by now, definitely feels foreign in her head. A swarm of what appear to be fledgling fleder moves up the northern staircase towards them and she backs up, suddenly finding herself next to Astrid, separated from the others. Great, just perfect. Manifesting her knives once more, she snaps her fingers at the swarm, but she is too focused on keeping Shiva and Caio protected with this ring she has only begun to master and too distracted by Astrid at her side. Most of the creatures avoid her blades easily. A few knives continue to hover around Ling, their tips jerking from the swarm over to Astrid, betraying her unease.
Just as Nikolai glances over at Caio with a very self-satisfied smirk everything goes black just as an awful ripping sound fills the air right next to Nikolai. He hears Shiva's furious screams as her blade rings with resounding blows bouncing off *something*. Before Nikolai could even think to retreat, he hears Caio's voice filled with dread and as a hand clamps upon his forearm, Nikolai bats it away before realizing it was Caio. He realizes his friend was trying to get him out of harms way and allows himself to be dragged out of the darkness. He stares at the black globule hanging in the air with disbelief. "What was it?! That fleder was dead!" Behind Caio, Ling sends one of her psychic daggers hurling down a side hallway just as Astrid calls upon the power of her goddess to bring about an end to the magical darkness.
Nikolai spins around to spot the creature engaged with Shiva. His eyes widen and he immediately directs the silvery-black motes of starfire swarming around the monster as they begin to sap it's strength. He spins and raises Astra furora to engage when the echoing shrieks of the flederlings ricochet off the wall and Nikolai spends a moment of indecision as his horned head spins back and forth between the daemon and the oncoming rush. He side steps to get a better visual of the unseen threat and lets out a curse as he spots the swarm heading their way. "Shit!" He takes a moment to center himself and quickly reaches down into one of the many pouches on his belt, removing a long cylinder with a threaded end on it. With practiced ease he quickly screws the attachment into the barrel of his dwarvish pistol all the while maintain an eye on the baby fleders rushing towards him, pushing aside the thoughts of how they were not supposed to exist. He raises his modified pistol and levels it towards the babies, depresses the trigger....
There is a high pitched whine that fills the air around Nikolai as the dark, celestial energy gathers into a pitch black ball at the end of the cylinder... a briefest moment of silence... and a explosion of sound and energy as the pistol recoils heavily and a 5' wide line of silvery black energy rips out of Nikolai's pistol. It streaks past the spiritual weapon of Astrid's and blasts into the flederlings! Nikolai sweeps the line of energy across the entire swarm as each of the tiny monsters scream as they explode into a shower of blood, entrails, and bone fragments that coat the walls and ceiling of the tunnel! As Nikolai releases the trigger his body rocks forward from the strain against the recoil is no long pushing against any force and the tip of the attachment glows white hot...
He looks back at the others and starts retreating behind the intersection close to Ling. "Everyone back! Do not let them flank us!"
He looks back at the others and starts retreating behind the intersection close to Ling. "Everyone back! Do not let them flank us!"
Alaris Forien barely hears the words from Nikolai, so fixated is their consciousness on the creature revealed when Astrid's prayer consumes the magical darkness. They bend their knees slightly, feet finding solid purchase on the stone as Alaris brandishes the symbol of Freja that dangles near their throat.
Devourer of Light, you will not prevail! Faithless creature of bitterness and ruin, Despoil not my lovely companions - Flee the Light of Joy and Love!
The words ring with divine power, and wrack the soul of the carapaced creature! Its eyes shift from malevolent flame to skittering terror, and the paladin stares past it to the approaching fleder. Almost crooning to them as the knight walks forward -- stopping almost nose to nose with the daemon, Alaris growls, "Approach and taste my silver."
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...
"Oh dear!" Astrid steps forward and sees the swarm of the fleder pups. She pulls her spectral clock toward the young ones. The face opens up and rains down a number of gears and springs but they seem to have little affect. She steps back just in time as a beam of energy comes from Nikolai, thoroughly taking care of that threat.
Her curvy posterior brushes Ling as she retreats back down towards the vestibule and she smirks. Seems that one is always running in the opposite direction. She turns her attention back where the others emerged from the thick sphere of darkness filling the hallway. "This will not do," and she waves her hand to wipe the darkness out of existence. She beams at the success of her spell, but that changes quickly as the insect-like creature is revealed. She recalls her studies on creatures of the lower planes. "This is not some monster from our plane! That one is a daemon from the lower planes!" She then ducks into one of the nearby alcoves.
The daemon recoils from Alaris's divine light and vanishes in a pulse of darkness, reappearing sixty feet down the corridor. It scuttles off to the left and out of sight.
On the right hand side of the passage a second swarm of fledgelings comes scrambling up the stairs towards Ling, leaping atop the corpses of the fallen fleder as they clamber towards her and Astrid.
The two remaining fleder turn and snarl at Shiva, rushing towards her with their fangs exposed. They're preternaturally fast, and the first one grabs the tiefling before she knows what has hit her. She elbows it in the stomach, knocking the monster back as it pulls her close to bite down on her exposed neck, but the second is close behind and graps at Shiva from the other side, sinking its teeth deep into her deep blue skin.
Shiva takes 7 piercing damage, halved to 3 for rage, and 5 necrotic damage to vigour. Her vigour max is reduced by 5 -> 42/45 Vigour
In the darkness beyond, two more fleder emerge from the shadows, rushing down the corridor to join the feast.
As the second fleder wraps around Shiva and sinks its teeth into her, she feels a nausea-inducing pull across her body that momentarily disorients her. Even in her rage, she realizes that she is not strong enough to break the monster's hold before she is torn to pieces. Relaxing enough to focus on her weapon, she reaches back with her free hand and wills herself across the passage. In a flash of light and booming sound, she is instantaneously back behind Caio and Alaris and out of the clawed clutches, while the fleders are wracked with electricity left in Shiva's place. Instinctively, she thrusts her blade forward, causing a blast of eldritch energy to shoot back across the passage and slam directly into the upper torso of the fleder that was holding her.
Catching her breath, she pats Caio on the back "Thanks for giving me the idea. And thanks for driving that thing off, Alaris."
“Yes, we’re quite the slippery bunch aren’t we?” he responds to Shiva before dashing forward towards the oncoming horde. With each bounding step he recites a line of elvish prayer, asking the Raven Queen to propel him with gusts borne from black wings. The breeze which already precedes his hastened form roars into a gale-force wind as Caio rockets at the fleder. His sword crashes down upon the beast, the added impact shredding into the creature’s flesh. The initial strike is followed by two more swings, the latter of which again finds its mark. Before the fleder can even react, another burst of wind sends Caio gliding backwards to where he had been but a moment before.
With a nauseating wet noise, the tiny fleder are hit and splatter all over the walls - and Ling. "****! Nikolai!" She is about to hurl some more obscenities his way as she stands there dripping with fleder blood and guts, but when she opens her mouth, she is suddenly bumped from behind by Astrid's butt. Directing her wrath at the dwarf next, she decides to bite her tongue instead when the newcomer wipes the darkness out of existence and it reveals Shiva and several fleder right behind her. As Alaris goes for the daemon, Ling stares in disbelief as itblinks out of existence and reappears in the northern staircase before skittering off into the darkness. "It's gone north!" Is all she manages to shout before she sees one of the creatures sinking its teeth into Shiva's neck. "SHIVA!" Ling surges forward, only pausing briefly to hurl a dagger at Nikolai's command without even looking.Having just reached the staircase, she hears the telltale booming of Shiva's teleportation spell and sees Shiva reappearing behind Caio and Alaris. Safe. Oh thank heavens. Ling laughs, full of adrenaline and slightly giddy with relief: "Hold off on your sexy vamp action until we're done fighting, Shiva!"
Seeing that everyone is retreating down the passage, Ling steps back into the alcove.
"Magic has a hard time taking hold... And it can also...,"Astrid continues to spout off her knowledge of the fiend but cuts herself short as it blinks out and then back in further down the hallway out of her sight. "Yeah... Do that! Dammit!"
With the group now staring down four of the bat creatures, she places a hand on her hold symbol and calls on her god to bless those on the front line. "Brightmantle, provide efficiency to their movements!" A radiant aura in a blue hue falls over the three fighters before coalescing into their forms. She then slips back into her hiding spot, not before causing the spectral clock to come crashing through the second swarm of fleder pups.
Alaris shuffles forward with measured steps towards the adult fleder swarming up the passage. Everpresent in their thoughts, though, is the mezzoloth that vanished. That horror from the depths of the Lower Planes, encroaching on the Lands of Light, was an atrocity that could not be allowed to continue. A surge of anger rushes into the warrior's muscles and they slash at the fleder, hard! Too hard, and unbalanced... the fleder bats away each blow and follows as Alaris shuffles back to the line. It knocks away another strike and snarls in glee, horrid slaver dripping onto the silvered blade of the paladin's glaive as it reaches to strike!
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...
Nikolai turns to grin as Ling when he hears the maddening shrieks of the baby fleder as another swarm of them rounds the corner and streak towards him in a rush. The tight confines of these tunnels echoes the noise maddeningly and distorts the directions of their enemies to a point where Nikolai immediately regrets this decision to come here. 'Well done, fool, have you learned nothing?! We will be the death of them yet!' Nikolai suddenly lets out a scream of demonic rage at his failures at the tiny little monstrosities in his path as the weight of his constant regret bursts forth! Bright orange and yellow flames erupt and spark along his hands around Astra furora, but the very arcane nature of his infernal blood allows Nikolai to redirect that energy and focus it into the weapon. He grits his teeth as a cone of excruciatingly bright, pale yellow flames and sparks bursts forth from the barrel and completely engulfs the flederling swarm lighting up the oppressive darkness of the tunnels with a flash of angry fire. The smell of burnt animal hair and flesh is overpowering as the heat melts and chars all of the tiny flederlings, filling the tunnels with an acrid smoke that chokes Nikolai and burns his nostrils. As he catches his breath and can now see the numerous number of fleder trying to break through the line of his companions he shouts of the screams echoing in the darkness. "Perhaps we should fall back and try to collapse the tunnels on top of them?!"
The gathered fleder lunge forwards towards Alaris and Caio, darting past the paladin's glaive and bringing their wicked claws to bear as they slash with wild abandon at the two warriors. It's a brutal assault, but they hold the line, their armour taking the brunt of the blows. The last monster is so aggressive with its assault that it overbalances, allowing the ranger to beat it back with a well-placed kick.
Alaris takes 11 slashing damage to vigour, reduced to 7 by DR -> 40/58 Vigour
Caio takes 26 slashing damage to vigour, reduced to 14 by DR -> 38/52 Vigour
As Caio and Alaris receive the vicious attacks of the fleders, Shiva squeezes herself into a nearby alcove to support them and held them maintain their positioning. Striking at an injured fleder, her first attack carves into its abdomen. As it recoils and attempts to move back, Shiva takes the opportunity to make a more visceral attack as she cuts into its face. It screams with the ferocity of a cornered animal, and as it comes to face her once more she can see that where a yellow eye once was, there is now only a large gash. After making one final slash across the creatures chest she steps back, focused and ready for retaliation.
Caio takes the savage attacks with a grimace, then presses forward with the momentum of his kick and retaliates. Another three rapid slashes with his silver sword, two of which find their mark and leave long open cuts on the monstrosity’s chest.
Nikolai nearly lets out a small cheer as the beast suddenly succumbs to Ling's magic and drops to the ground. He quickly gauges out the distance and smiles as he breaks into a run, squeezing between Shiva and the nearby wall. He reaches out with his hand and slaps Ling on the butt as he passes around her with a grin. "Not a lady, but don't mind if I do!" He leaps past Alaris and mid-jump his form suddenly explodes into a cloud of silvery-black star motes that streak through the tunnel in a maddening blur only to reform back into Nikolai's shape right next to the massive beast. He winks at Caio as he takes a moment to examine the beast with a curious glance as he lowers the barrel of Astra furora to its forehead. "Well, my friend, sadly you have no place in this world. Neither do your spawn." There's a swirl of dark energy near the barrel as Nikolai concentrates the power of his patron into the focus and a barely audible click sounds just before two dull thumps echo down the tunnel followed by the sickening crunch of bone as the massive fleder's skull is simultaneously crushed and ripped open! Thick, dark blood, bone, and brain matter splatter all around along the tunnel walls, Nikolai, and Caio. Nikolai looks curiously upon the mess before absently removing a rag from a pocket and wiping off his gore splattered weapon and hand. "Too easy, my friends."
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
The slumped form of the enormous fleder rocks as Nikolai unloads his eldritch power into its skull. Blood, ichor and grey matter trickle in rivulets between the gaps in the flagstones, and, for a moment, all is quiet.
A ripple of motion crawls beneath the monster's thick hide. It's almost too subtle to be seen, but the movement does not escape Caio's keen senses. The brutal sound of tearing flesh and the cracking of bone echoes about the subterranean passage, and something tears a hole to the surface from inside the fleder's thorax. Whatever it is, it's accompanied by a billowing cloud of smoke and shadow that fills the area, swallowing up both Nikolai and Caio. It's a sight intimately familiar to those used to working with Ling.
Darkness.
Only Shiva sees what happens next. A human-sized insect-like creature, covered in dense chitinous plates, clambers out of the fleder corpse and bears its claws at the two oblivious hunters. Beyond it two more fleder come rushing out of the dark, headed down the corridor towards the group.
Meanwhile, the heavy beating of wings rushes towards the others from the north, as a group of fledgeling fleder swarm up the stairs towards them.
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
With the enormous creature locked in combat with Caio, Shiva readies herself once more, when Ling appears at her side. Just as Shiva is about to tell her to stay out of its range, she watches as the surrounding darkness coagulates around Ling's arms, her eyes cold with blood-lust. As her ensuing movements latch the darkness onto the fleder and tear open its skull, Shiva gives an exacerbated laugh, totally taken aback at this display of power and ferocity. "**** YEAH LING." She's all teeth and fangs as she smiles broadly, the wildness of rage still present in her wide eyes. Her own voice then echoes within her once more, though this time it sounds hushed, as if further away "Such rage, such unwavering volition. You are truly sisters."
But the moment is short-lived, as the sickening rip of flesh catches her attention just in time to see the insect creature emerge from the fleder. Then the coloration of the surrounding area changes in a manner that she is all-too familiar with, and she understands what has just happened. Without thought, she rushes towards the creature, now accustomed to this new speed. As she strikes into its hide, its chitinous protection causes her initial blow to rebound harmlessly off its body. Putting her full body weight behind her next strikes, they find purchase, but she must forcefully wrench her blade out each time. Knowing that only she can see, her bellowing roar fills the passage once more "**** YOU!!!"
Alaris approaches the globe of Darkness warily. Setting themselves very close to its edge, the paladin readies themselves to swing a massive blow with their glaive. As they draw closer, though, their weapon bangs heavily and loudly against the stone wall! Foregoing the stealthy approach, they bellow, "Someone get rid of this beshitted globe of darkness!" and prepare themselves to take attacks.
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 the corpse of the massive fleder telegraphs... something about to burst from its form Caio again repeats his prayer and throws out a protective arm in front of Nikolai. Though he is expecting the appearance of some unholy beast, he is not expecting the sudden jet black void that swallows them up. “Nik! Let’s go!” His hand fumbles for a moment as he tries to grab his friend while simultaneously raising his heavy blade with one arm, leveling it at whatever might mow be standing there in the darkness. Thankfully he is moving at double speed, and he finds a grip on the warlock’s arm. Within a moment the pair emerges from the inkwell. Caio calls over to Alaris as they pass them. “Something burst out of the beast’s chest. Shiva is engaging it.”
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
When Nikolai passes her, Ling quips back: "Have I ever?" She locks eyes with Shiva and both grin broadly, celebrating their victory. Just then, the darkness descends and Shiva rushes forward. Ling is left behind, a bucket of cold water washing away her triumph as Shiva vanishes into the dark. Curses and the sounds of the tiefling's blade being wrenched free repeatedly leave no doubt that she has engaged the enemy. A second later, Caio bursts out of the pitch black globe, his arm around Nik. "Nik, Caio!" Ling can't help herself from shouting their names in relief, but Shiva? Only eyes for the boys, but what about your parabatai?
Again, Ling has not time to react to the voice which, by now, definitely feels foreign in her head. A swarm of what appear to be fledgling fleder moves up the northern staircase towards them and she backs up, suddenly finding herself next to Astrid, separated from the others. Great, just perfect. Manifesting her knives once more, she snaps her fingers at the swarm, but she is too focused on keeping Shiva and Caio protected with this ring she has only begun to master and too distracted by Astrid at her side. Most of the creatures avoid her blades easily. A few knives continue to hover around Ling, their tips jerking from the swarm over to Astrid, betraying her unease.
Just as Nikolai glances over at Caio with a very self-satisfied smirk everything goes black just as an awful ripping sound fills the air right next to Nikolai. He hears Shiva's furious screams as her blade rings with resounding blows bouncing off *something*. Before Nikolai could even think to retreat, he hears Caio's voice filled with dread and as a hand clamps upon his forearm, Nikolai bats it away before realizing it was Caio. He realizes his friend was trying to get him out of harms way and allows himself to be dragged out of the darkness. He stares at the black globule hanging in the air with disbelief. "What was it?! That fleder was dead!" Behind Caio, Ling sends one of her psychic daggers hurling down a side hallway just as Astrid calls upon the power of her goddess to bring about an end to the magical darkness.
Nikolai spins around to spot the creature engaged with Shiva. His eyes widen and he immediately directs the silvery-black motes of starfire swarming around the monster as they begin to sap it's strength. He spins and raises Astra furora to engage when the echoing shrieks of the flederlings ricochet off the wall and Nikolai spends a moment of indecision as his horned head spins back and forth between the daemon and the oncoming rush. He side steps to get a better visual of the unseen threat and lets out a curse as he spots the swarm heading their way. "Shit!" He takes a moment to center himself and quickly reaches down into one of the many pouches on his belt, removing a long cylinder with a threaded end on it. With practiced ease he quickly screws the attachment into the barrel of his dwarvish pistol all the while maintain an eye on the baby fleders rushing towards him, pushing aside the thoughts of how they were not supposed to exist. He raises his modified pistol and levels it towards the babies, depresses the trigger....
There is a high pitched whine that fills the air around Nikolai as the dark, celestial energy gathers into a pitch black ball at the end of the cylinder... a briefest moment of silence... and a explosion of sound and energy as the pistol recoils heavily and a 5' wide line of silvery black energy rips out of Nikolai's pistol. It streaks past the spiritual weapon of Astrid's and blasts into the flederlings! Nikolai sweeps the line of energy across the entire swarm as each of the tiny monsters scream as they explode into a shower of blood, entrails, and bone fragments that coat the walls and ceiling of the tunnel! As Nikolai releases the trigger his body rocks forward from the strain against the recoil is no long pushing against any force and the tip of the attachment glows white hot...
He looks back at the others and starts retreating behind the intersection close to Ling. "Everyone back! Do not let them flank us!"
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Alaris Forien barely hears the words from Nikolai, so fixated is their consciousness on the creature revealed when Astrid's prayer consumes the magical darkness. They bend their knees slightly, feet finding solid purchase on the stone as Alaris brandishes the symbol of Freja that dangles near their throat.
Devourer of Light, you will not prevail!
Faithless creature of bitterness and ruin,
Despoil not my lovely companions -
Flee the Light of Joy and Love!
The words ring with divine power, and wrack the soul of the carapaced creature! Its eyes shift from malevolent flame to skittering terror, and the paladin stares past it to the approaching fleder. Almost crooning to them as the knight walks forward -- stopping almost nose to nose with the daemon, Alaris growls, "Approach and taste my silver."
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...
"Oh dear!" Astrid steps forward and sees the swarm of the fleder pups. She pulls her spectral clock toward the young ones. The face opens up and rains down a number of gears and springs but they seem to have little affect. She steps back just in time as a beam of energy comes from Nikolai, thoroughly taking care of that threat.
Her curvy posterior brushes Ling as she retreats back down towards the vestibule and she smirks. Seems that one is always running in the opposite direction. She turns her attention back where the others emerged from the thick sphere of darkness filling the hallway. "This will not do," and she waves her hand to wipe the darkness out of existence. She beams at the success of her spell, but that changes quickly as the insect-like creature is revealed. She recalls her studies on creatures of the lower planes. "This is not some monster from our plane! That one is a daemon from the lower planes!" She then ducks into one of the nearby alcoves.
The daemon recoils from Alaris's divine light and vanishes in a pulse of darkness, reappearing sixty feet down the corridor. It scuttles off to the left and out of sight.
On the right hand side of the passage a second swarm of fledgelings comes scrambling up the stairs towards Ling, leaping atop the corpses of the fallen fleder as they clamber towards her and Astrid.
The two remaining fleder turn and snarl at Shiva, rushing towards her with their fangs exposed. They're preternaturally fast, and the first one grabs the tiefling before she knows what has hit her. She elbows it in the stomach, knocking the monster back as it pulls her close to bite down on her exposed neck, but the second is close behind and graps at Shiva from the other side, sinking its teeth deep into her deep blue skin.
Shiva takes 7 piercing damage, halved to 3 for rage, and 5 necrotic damage to vigour. Her vigour max is reduced by 5 -> 42/45 Vigour
In the darkness beyond, two more fleder emerge from the shadows, rushing down the corridor to join the feast.
Shiva'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
Nikolai’s eyes widen as the second swarm of flederlings round the corner immediately in front of him. “Ling! I need your mind blades again!”
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
As the second fleder wraps around Shiva and sinks its teeth into her, she feels a nausea-inducing pull across her body that momentarily disorients her. Even in her rage, she realizes that she is not strong enough to break the monster's hold before she is torn to pieces. Relaxing enough to focus on her weapon, she reaches back with her free hand and wills herself across the passage. In a flash of light and booming sound, she is instantaneously back behind Caio and Alaris and out of the clawed clutches, while the fleders are wracked with electricity left in Shiva's place. Instinctively, she thrusts her blade forward, causing a blast of eldritch energy to shoot back across the passage and slam directly into the upper torso of the fleder that was holding her.
Catching her breath, she pats Caio on the back "Thanks for giving me the idea. And thanks for driving that thing off, Alaris."
“Yes, we’re quite the slippery bunch aren’t we?” he responds to Shiva before dashing forward towards the oncoming horde. With each bounding step he recites a line of elvish prayer, asking the Raven Queen to propel him with gusts borne from black wings. The breeze which already precedes his hastened form roars into a gale-force wind as Caio rockets at the fleder. His sword crashes down upon the beast, the added impact shredding into the creature’s flesh. The initial strike is followed by two more swings, the latter of which again finds its mark. Before the fleder can even react, another burst of wind sends Caio gliding backwards to where he had been but a moment before.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
With a nauseating wet noise, the tiny fleder are hit and splatter all over the walls - and Ling. "****! Nikolai!" She is about to hurl some more obscenities his way as she stands there dripping with fleder blood and guts, but when she opens her mouth, she is suddenly bumped from behind by Astrid's butt. Directing her wrath at the dwarf next, she decides to bite her tongue instead when the newcomer wipes the darkness out of existence and it reveals Shiva and several fleder right behind her. As Alaris goes for the daemon, Ling stares in disbelief as it blinks out of existence and reappears in the northern staircase before skittering off into the darkness. "It's gone north!" Is all she manages to shout before she sees one of the creatures sinking its teeth into Shiva's neck. "SHIVA!" Ling surges forward, only pausing briefly to hurl a dagger at Nikolai's command without even looking.Having just reached the staircase, she hears the telltale booming of Shiva's teleportation spell and sees Shiva reappearing behind Caio and Alaris. Safe. Oh thank heavens. Ling laughs, full of adrenaline and slightly giddy with relief: "Hold off on your sexy vamp action until we're done fighting, Shiva!"
Seeing that everyone is retreating down the passage, Ling steps back into the alcove.
"Magic has a hard time taking hold... And it can also...," Astrid continues to spout off her knowledge of the fiend but cuts herself short as it blinks out and then back in further down the hallway out of her sight. "Yeah... Do that! Dammit!"
With the group now staring down four of the bat creatures, she places a hand on her hold symbol and calls on her god to bless those on the front line. "Brightmantle, provide efficiency to their movements!" A radiant aura in a blue hue falls over the three fighters before coalescing into their forms. She then slips back into her hiding spot, not before causing the spectral clock to come crashing through the second swarm of fleder pups.
Alaris shuffles forward with measured steps towards the adult fleder swarming up the passage. Everpresent in their thoughts, though, is the mezzoloth that vanished. That horror from the depths of the Lower Planes, encroaching on the Lands of Light, was an atrocity that could not be allowed to continue. A surge of anger rushes into the warrior's muscles and they slash at the fleder, hard! Too hard, and unbalanced... the fleder bats away each blow and follows as Alaris shuffles back to the line. It knocks away another strike and snarls in glee, horrid slaver dripping onto the silvered blade of the paladin's glaive as it reaches to strike!
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...
Nikolai turns to grin as Ling when he hears the maddening shrieks of the baby fleder as another swarm of them rounds the corner and streak towards him in a rush. The tight confines of these tunnels echoes the noise maddeningly and distorts the directions of their enemies to a point where Nikolai immediately regrets this decision to come here. 'Well done, fool, have you learned nothing?! We will be the death of them yet!' Nikolai suddenly lets out a scream of demonic rage at his failures at the tiny little monstrosities in his path as the weight of his constant regret bursts forth! Bright orange and yellow flames erupt and spark along his hands around Astra furora, but the very arcane nature of his infernal blood allows Nikolai to redirect that energy and focus it into the weapon. He grits his teeth as a cone of excruciatingly bright, pale yellow flames and sparks bursts forth from the barrel and completely engulfs the flederling swarm lighting up the oppressive darkness of the tunnels with a flash of angry fire. The smell of burnt animal hair and flesh is overpowering as the heat melts and chars all of the tiny flederlings, filling the tunnels with an acrid smoke that chokes Nikolai and burns his nostrils. As he catches his breath and can now see the numerous number of fleder trying to break through the line of his companions he shouts of the screams echoing in the darkness. "Perhaps we should fall back and try to collapse the tunnels on top of them?!"
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
The gathered fleder lunge forwards towards Alaris and Caio, darting past the paladin's glaive and bringing their wicked claws to bear as they slash with wild abandon at the two warriors. It's a brutal assault, but they hold the line, their armour taking the brunt of the blows. The last monster is so aggressive with its assault that it overbalances, allowing the ranger to beat it back with a well-placed kick.
Alaris takes 11 slashing damage to vigour, reduced to 7 by DR -> 40/58 Vigour
Caio takes 26 slashing damage to vigour, reduced to 14 by DR -> 38/52 Vigour
Shiva'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
As Caio and Alaris receive the vicious attacks of the fleders, Shiva squeezes herself into a nearby alcove to support them and held them maintain their positioning. Striking at an injured fleder, her first attack carves into its abdomen. As it recoils and attempts to move back, Shiva takes the opportunity to make a more visceral attack as she cuts into its face. It screams with the ferocity of a cornered animal, and as it comes to face her once more she can see that where a yellow eye once was, there is now only a large gash. After making one final slash across the creatures chest she steps back, focused and ready for retaliation.
Caio takes the savage attacks with a grimace, then presses forward with the momentum of his kick and retaliates. Another three rapid slashes with his silver sword, two of which find their mark and leave long open cuts on the monstrosity’s chest.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger