Follow the Priest
It's been a long day since you first set out on your trek. This mission is simple really. All you have to do is escort one seemingly paranoid priest of Daeus through the wilderness to various shrines. He explains very seriously that he's hoping to gain the blessing of these shrines in order to stop the vampire who has been plaguing Alexandria. It's an important mission, and the priest himself is a serious man who seems very concerned that the vampire might try to stop him from achieving his goal.
Yet... it's been quiet. A few squirrels, and a handful of birds have kept you company but so far no sign of any trouble. In fact the road ahead of you spills into the site of the first of the shrines and the priest makes his way over to it without a single sign that anything is going to bother you today. Not even the weather which has been surprisingly warm today.
Hood down, Gareth has his walking stic- ... 'Magic staff' in hand, moving with a quiet, natural grace even as he looks about. Oh, he's definitely a city dweller, that much can be seen from his movements, yet still he has a touch of ethereal grace. Hair obscuring his delicately pointed ears, nonetheless, he is evidently a half-sildanyar. He does, however, look closely at the people whom are with him from where he remains a bit more at the back of the pack, not in the safe place of the center, and has a slightly distracted look in his eyes.
Zapolklnex is trying to be pleasant and jokey since the cleric in Alexandria communed with Tarien directly, and got the answers (or properly, non-answers) he was seeking for so long. To mope would not be fitting.
So he's on a mission. Head covered, raven perched on his head, he travels with the group. "Sometimes these sorts of missions to go wrong, and some one gets murdered. Be on guard. Crax would have a berry." The raven will then fly over, and if offered, take a few with beak.
Nels ambles along with the group, yawning occasionally, he seems like he must have slept poorly, though he keeps up eagerly enough, in between yawns. The goblin carries a thunderbelcher, though a bit haphazardly. At least the muzzle's toward the ground. That's /his/ magic staff, and it does tend to magically make things stop fighting, when he uses it over and over. That's pure goblin magic.
Keeping silent, but close by, Mal'thael keeps pace with everyone else. the best part is that he seem unhindered by the overgrowth at the ground....
Several murmured words come from Gareth, including a gesture of his hand, before he causes one of the berries within Lainer's hand to slowly float up and come to him. Having cast prestidigitation, he decides his next course of action is, of course, to clean his clothes with magic and to chill the air a touch around him. He is, after all, wearing a thick cloak around his shoulders. After a moments thought, he glances towards Lainer as he pops his single berry in his mouth, asking curiously, "You're a ranger, aye?"His words thoughtful even as he continues following along towards the shrine, letting his eyes go back to their charge, frowning slightly as he adds lightly, "We /really/ should have someone in front of him." He then looks over the rag tag group, before letting his gaze fall upon Mal'Tael. "Your a swordsman, right?"
"Not quite as skilled with the sword as many of my brethren, but...of a sort. The blade is only a backup, should I need it." Mal'thael says as he shifts his shoulder with a wooden shield upon his back. "Earth Warder Clan...rather than Burning Blade."
Lanier lifts a berry from his hand and then offers it to the raven that lands near him, Crax. He then looks over to Gareth, nodding his head, and then asking a question of his own, "Is that really the verification you want AFTER you've eaten the berry?" He looks forward towards their charge and then nods his head, "Yes, he does tend to get far out ahead of us in spite of our warnings."
Zapolklnex lets Crax eat the berries he gets, then sends the bird to scout ahead, to fly above the priest, circling, watching him and seeing what he's up to. "Crax will watch him. If there is trouble, we all will charge ahead."
GAME: Mal'Thael rolls perception: (14)+9: 23 GAME: Nels rolls perception: (9)+8: 17 GAME: Zapolklnex rolls perception: (17)+5: 22 GAME: Zapolklnex rolls 1d20+6: (12)+6: 18 GAME: Lanier rolls Perception+2: (9)+9+2: 20 GAME: Gareth rolls perception: (9)+6: 15
As you watch the priest approach the alter you all notice that the sky is darkening. Shadows lengthen and as the shadows do they grow /upwards/ forming quickly into clawed beasts that make no sound. They are not alone however, a woman with red hair appears with them, her silvery eyes roam over you and she flashes a smile that has too-long fangs in it. Just that, and then she's diving for the priest who is far too close to her for comfort. He really should have listened and not gone on ahead…
GAME: Nels rolls 1d20+11: (15)+11: 26 GAME: Nels rolls 1d10+6: (4)+6: 10
Nels acks and is suddenly awake as the skies darken, and so foreboding is it, he's dropping powder and a shot into his thunderbelcher. His fears are proven correct as the beasts appear, and the vampire woman. He shoulders his weapon, spinning around to face the shadow demon behind him, and he fires at it point-blank. The roar is loud, thunderous even, and there's a momentary cloud of smoke. It's hard to tell if he's hurt it, it's a shadow.
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+MW+PA: aliased to 1d20+Melee+1-2: (5)+9+1+-2: 13 GAME: Lanier rolls 2d6+Str+Str+4: (5)+Str+Str+4: 9 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+MW+PA: aliased to 1d20+Melee+1-2: (16)+9+1+-2: 24 GAME: Lanier rolls 2d6+Str+Str+4: (5)+Str+Str+4: 9 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (13)+4: 17 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (18)+4: 22 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (17)+4: 21 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (6)+4: 10 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (19)+4: 23 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (14)+4: 18 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (1)+4: 5 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+4: (3)+4: 7 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (3)+1: 4 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (1)+1: 2
Lanier looks up as the skies darken, his eyebrows knitting together as his jaw slackens. He mutters a simple, "What in the Abyss is that?" As the demon dives for the priest, Lanier becomes very aware of a form behind him and also one behind Nels. Reaching up, the ranger grasps the hilt of the greatsword sticking out from around his cloak, yanking on it to free it from the scabbard and draw it around in front of him. With a hop forward and a feral growl, he pulls the sword to his side and then muscles it into a sweeping slash that cuts into the demon in front of him. Using the momentum of the blade, he carries it over into the demon that threatens to tear Nels to pieces with growl.
Together the demons attack, and they spill the blood of the adventurers that were unable to avoid their deadly claws onto the dirt. Gareth in particular is badly injured by the demon that appeared behind him. Meanwhile the vampire grabs the priest and sets her teeth to his neck while he struggles with her in vain. Offended by the attack he yells at her. "LET ME GO YOU VILE CREATURE!"
GAME: Mal'Thael rolls ranged: (2)+4: 6
Mal'th peeks behind him and does a quick jump away from his shadow. He then tosses a fire bolt at the Shadow nels hit, but he misses horribly.
GAME: Gareth rolls knowledge/arcana: (20)+13: 33 GAME: Gareth casts Flaming Sphere. Caster Level: 3 DC: 16 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20: (3): 3 GAME: Gareth rolls 3d6: (14): 14
"Oy, holy guys, call a bit of sunlight, would you?" He calls out before looking towards the priest, and then back towards the shadow demons, blue eyes cold with calculation as Gareth tilts his head and starts backing up swiftly. "Someone shoot that Vampire in the head." Is an added growl before Gareth starts hooking his fingers together, snarling out eldritch words towards his own demon, staring at it before ending with a gesture that causes a flaring of heat to show up, a five foot sphere thats scant inches from Gareth's face but managing to smoother large hunks of his shadow.
GAME: Zapolklnex casts Summon Swarm. Caster Level: 4 DC: 17 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+5: (17)+5: 22
Zapolklnex is displeased with another demon. He rapidly takes a step back, warns Crax not to get too close, and gestures with an arcane shout to bring a swarm of nasty spiders into being, to run toward the demon and harass it!
GAME: Nels rolls 1d20+11: (2)+11: 13
GAME: {*} Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+MW+PA+FE4: aliased to 1d20+Melee+1-2+4: (11)+9+1+-2+4: 23
GAME: {*} Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+MW+PA+FE4: aliased to 1d20+Melee+1-2+4: (13)+9+1+-2+4: 25
GAME: {*} Lanier rolls 2d6+Str+Str+4+FE4: aliased to 2d6+4+4+4+4: (11)+4+4+4+4: 27
GAME: {*} Lanier rolls 2d6+Str+Str+4+FE4: aliased to 2d6+4+4+4+4: (8)+4+4+4+4: 24
Nels is avoiding the shadow demon as best he can as he frantically reloads, spilling as much powder as he gets into the gun. He rolls his ball down, tamps it down, and, still ducking the shadow demon, draws a bead on the vampire lady. Alas, his thunderbelcher does not thunder, instead producing a soft whoosh and a cloud of smoke from the barrel. And a cloud of muttered curses from the goblin, himself.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (2)+8: 10 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (1)+8: 9 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (13)+8: 21 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (16)+8: 24 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (2)+1: 3
The demons continue their attacks, moving around the obstacles that threaten them in order to spill more blood. The vampire likewise seems to be enjoying her tasty treat; draining the priest of his blood.
Looking over his shoulder towards their charge, Lanier looks about to say something, but Nels is already on it. When the gun misfires, it gives the Gilead ranger a visible startle, and he almost loses a step. Almost. He covers this by baring his teeth at the demons before him, the object of his fury. Those that do not belong here. With a blood curdling yell of pure hatred, he turns the blade of the greatsword over in his hand, and takes a step to set up his next attack. What comes is a very intricate reverse slash the heads up at an angle to him, which cuts deeply into the demon in front of him, leaving a puddle of bowell and ichor between them. Not quite finished, the Ranger pivots on his feet, using the tension in his muscles to redirect the momentum of the greatsword into a slash across the neck of the demon that is threatening to attack the Gobber next to him. That was enough, and this demon falls back to the shadows as well.
With his teeth still gritted, Lanier turns to survey the action around him to see what might be next.
GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+8: (9)+8: 17 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d4+1: (4)+1: 5 GAME: Dorne rolls 1d20+4: (10)+4: 14 GAME: Mal'Thael casts Flame Blade. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15
Dorne glances behide for obly a heart beat! With the sound of fury he drats forward, a spray of bright read mixed into the light blue of the back of his tabard. He actually moves swiftly forward. Quickly suddenly a ten foot area burst into a brilliant white light!
Stepping away again from the shadow, Mal'th just takes a deep breath. "Right. I need to free myself up before I can help others." He says to himself, before holding his hand out....and a flaming sword appears in his hand with a snap hiss.
GAME: Dorne casts Burst of Radiance. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+11: (11)+11: 22 GAME: Dorne rolls 3d4: (6): 6 GAME: Gareth rolls 5: (3)+5: 8
Gesturing, Gareth moves his ball of flame closer to the vampire now that his shadow demon is gone, turning to face the vampire, and looking towards his staff in hand, frowning slightly before lifting it up, and making a mock throw or two, before he snaps his hand forward and guides his staff towards her with his will... And misses utterly, the staff flying past before suddenly vanishing and returning to Gareth hand, him with an annoyed look on his face.
GAME: Zapolklnex casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16 GAME: Zapolklnex rolls 2d4+2: (8)+2: 10
Zapolklnex was about ready to beat a hasty retreat, when the radiance took care of the very urgent and dangerous problem clawing at him. So... he gathers himself,lets the spiders poof back into non-existence, and fires a couple of potent bolts of force at the vampire.
GAME: Nels rolls Craft/Gunsmithing: (10)+11: 21 GAME: Nels rolls 1d20+11: (5)+11: 16
Nels ducks the shadow demon, and then it falls to Lanier's mighty sword. That absolutely saves him a step! He's frantically scraping out ball and burnt powder with the other end of the ramrod, working as fast as he possibly can. Turns out, he's pretty savvy, and has the weapon reloaded faster than might've been guesses. He takes aim at the vampire as quickly as he can, and fires. Unfortunately, his haste to get the shot off spoils his aim, and his shot goes wide.
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Ranged+MW+Bracers: aliased to 1d20+Ranged+1+1: (5)+8+1+1: 15
The vampire stands where she is, seemingly unphased by your efforts to stop her from drinking the priest dry. He's making little, smaller protesting noises now. He seems to be weakening by the moment.
Lanier turns and takes note of the vampire still attached to their charge, and he immediately drops the greatsword on the ground next to Nels. He moves as quick as he can to tactically approach the vampire and the priest, reaching up to unshoulder his longbow. He pulls an arrow from the quiver as his belt, nocking it, and letting it fly. Unfortunately, in his effort to be caution, he aims a little too high and misses the vampire.
GAME: Mal'Thael rolls melee: (18)+5: 23 GAME: Mal'Thael rolls 1d8+1: (2)+1: 3
Mal'th smiles once he realizes his shadow is gone. SO he runs forward to the priest and puts his blade through the face of the vampire. "Let him go."
GAME: Gareth casts Magic Missile. Caster Level: 3 DC: 15 GAME: Gareth rolls 2d4+2: (4)+2: 6 GAME: Zapolklnex casts Grease. Caster Level: 4 DC: 16 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d20+11: (3)+11: 14 GAME: Aftershock rolls 1d100: (87): 87 GAME: Nels rolls 1d20+11: (16)+11: 27 GAME: Nels rolls 1d10+16: (3)+16: 19
With a soft utterance and the wave of his hand, a pair of purple, glowing magic missiles fly forth to pelt the vampiress in the face, to possibly little avail, even as Gareth's ball o' flame poofs out of existence.
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+PA: aliased to 1d20+Melee-2: (20)+9+-2: 27 (THREAT)
Nels reloads, now a bit more relaxed and less frantic about the misfire, better able to concentrate. The vampire is a tougher target now that she's prone, and with all the feet jogging around the area, but with the priest out of the way, he just picks his moment and fires. The thunderbelcher erupts, his lead ball nailing the vampire, though not a lethal shot.
GAME: Lanier rolls 1d20+Melee+PA: aliased to 1d20+Melee-2: (13)+9+-2: 20 GAME: Lanier rolls 1d8+2H_Str+2H+PA: aliased to 1d8+6+2H-2: (3)+6+2H+-2: 7
Casting aside the bow now, Lanier completes his tactical approach as he reaches down to unhook the heavy mace from his belt. Taking it in two hands, he lifts the bludgeon high above his head and takes a moment to look down at the fallen vampire with pure fury in his eyes. With a deep breath and a primal warcry, a puts his back into the swing that threatens to kill and bury their vampiric attacker in one fell swoop.
The weapon crushes the vampire's face in, and rather than any expected outcome the vampire vanishes into a sudden puff of steam. The cloud quickly rises straight up into the air and the priest watches it go with wary, tired eyes. "She'll survive. But I see now that this mission was cursed from the beginning. They will never allow me to make this journey and gain the power to destroy them." He bows his head.
He tilts his head as Gareth watches Lanier go ham on the vampiress. When she poofs, he merely furrows his brows and then looks back towards the Ranger, coming up towards the group as he mutters to himself, "If I ever need a tent, I know who I'm having hammer it into the ground... How the hell I'd get it up again, though, is the true question." Even still, he comes towards the Priest and claps him on the back, stating cheerfully, "So, now that we know why the escorted should remain in the center, and not far to the front, are you feeling okay, old sport?"
Nels will look around for more enemies to fight, but there are none. He looks over to the priest, but it won't help him crowding, too, so he calls out, "How is he? Only it looks like maybe he was on to something, if he can continue? Or do we take him back to Alexandria to his temple?" To the priest, he calls, "Don't lose heart, sir! Tell us this quest, and every adventurer in Alexandria will brave it! They can't take us all."
"It was an inspired effort. But we couldn't get to you safely." Mal'thael says as the blade retracts with a 'svip!' sound. "How're you feeling?"
Dorne throws the priest arm around his neck as he helps him to his feet.
Zapolklnex raises his hand, bringing Crax back to him after the quick fight. The bird lands on his head. "We have been hired to protect you. It is true that you should remain close to us. You were at great risk because of that choice."
Blinking as the priest eats some dirt, Gareth looks down at the ground and asks, only partially sarcastically, "Did you see something shiny down there?" His tone light and faintly amused, before he looks to Nels, raising an eyebrow before asking curiously, "You know, they /can/ take us all, but maybe they won't survive a fight /against/ us all?" His a small frown as he states this, and then he looks towards Zapolklnex. "Not just him, but us as well. We /really/ dropped the ball on organizing the protective sphere. We shoulda had the ranger and the gobbo in the back, him in the center, Mister flaming sword and the priest in front, and me and you on either side. O' course, that volunteers us to be cannon fodder, but a jobs a job, until its a death sentence, no?"
The priest looks up, he's wane and pale now. "Would you all continue on with me then? Even with me n this condition?" He looks like he's on his last leg. "I can not heal the lack of blood in me, not until after my mission is completed. I need all my strength for the rituals I meant to perform. If you all will continue on with me, I will endeavor though the life be stricken from my bones, but..." He glances away. "I would understand if we were to turn back now."
Lanier grins as his mace impacted with a sickening thud, but the grin fades when the vampire disappears. He grunts, turns head to the side, and spits, "Thank you for your favor in that hunt, Master of Beats." He turns his head to look at the priest they are currently tasked to defend. He takes a look around and then shrugs his shoulders, "We were lax in the beginning. Now, we're less so." He then looks around, "Does anyone want a snack before we go? I know a good recipe for that filth we just killed."
Dorne mutters something about "Nice plan, what now "
Nels says to Gareth, "I'm talking about every adventurer in the city trying to do this. I don't think they can stop -everyone-." He looks to the highly motivated priest, and says, "I can go if you can, sir. But stay with us, we'll form a cordon and move carefully." Tactics isn't something that comes naturally to him, but he's flexible, and this seems pretty important.
Zapolklnex folds his arms back into his cloak. "Unless one of us has the means to restore you to good health," he says to the drained priest, "I would suggest we do go to the nearest temple and return you to good health before we try further. Since we now know you are targeted. You might not survive the next attack, in your condition."
Dorne glances about, "I can restore you however, I will need maybe six hours before I can call upon the correct prayer."
"Then we rest here, and we begin again in the morning." The priest moves away from you toward the horses that have been carrying the extra gear. Clearly he expected that you'd all be out on the road for several days as there's tents and equipment enough for all of you for a few of them. So you set about making camp and getting things ready as the day begins to fall into night.
-TBC