Vast Expectations, (part 9)
Log Info
- Title: Vast Expectations, part 9
- Emitter: Whirlpool
- Characters: Paenitia, Faranmidahn, Jinks, Lysos, Edinaz
- Place: That time in the vast
- Time: Monday, March 14, 2022, 10:28 P
- Summary: Farland, Av-de and the adventurers take cover in the nearby hill. This is only so effective, as the fliers above have a good view of them. Rather than wait, Paenitia leads the attack on the Vrocks, taking one out. Jinks manages to cast a spell that knocks another out of the sky, dropping it in the midst of the others. Lysos and Farland take cover, and Faran, Edinaz and Av-de get ready.
Previously
Farland's expedition looks into the past, and finds nothing. Their ritual is disrupted and a storm approaching swiftly. The gnome determines there is enough time to try again, and does so. Once more the meditating figure appears, and suddenly fills with cracks, claws bursting from his eyes. Claws that are very familiar to a certain paladina. The only solution is to bag the relic Av-de uses to anchor himself in the Vast; it is drawing the time creature. Doing so makes it vanish, but now the party is unprotected and a time tornado approaches.
On the move.
Can one really outrun light? Or is it time itself you're trying to outpace? It's not so easy to tell in these circumstances.
Av-de points towards one of the hills, then, and indeed, there are numerous rocky outcroppings and overhangs. He dives into one, bracing himself against the side of the hill with a grimace. "Ugh. Rock in the flank," he says.
In the meantime, the rest of you have to split up to find your own places to dive into cover. It's better, says Av-de, and he's not wrong.
Up above, the sky seems to have a line drawn through it. A split. Within it, you can see *countless* winged creatures swarming the sky, dive bombing ... something out of view, raining lightning and fire on whatever it is from their position in the sky.
.... but, of course, some of them seem to notice the 'tear'...
The last time demons showed up, Av-de used the gate key to solidify time so they wouldn't.
Guess what can't be used now.
Now
GAME: Jinks casts Mirror Image. Caster Level: 12 DC: 20 GAME: Jinks casts Haste. Caster Level: 12 DC: 20 GAME: Jinks casts Gallant Inspiration. Caster Level: 12 DC: 19 GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18 GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18 GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18 GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18 GAME: Jinks casts Cure Light Wounds. Caster Level: 12 DC: 18 GAME: Jinks casts Shadow Conjuration. Caster Level: 12 DC: 22 GAME: Jinks casts Haste. Caster Level: 12 DC: 20 <OOC> Jinks says, "my count should be good now. Sorry." GAME: Lysos casts Invisibility. Caster Level: 9 DC: 19 GAME: Lysos rolls 1d20+9+7: (13)+9+7: 29
Lysos promptly dismounts (read: stumbles, falls, rolls, bangs her elbow on a rock eliciting a pained yell) and scrambles into whatever cover she can find, then breathlessly draws a circle in the air, a brief and faint glowing line left behind by the power she managed to gather.. then she gasps out, "Obscurio!" and promptly vanishes from sight.
<OOC> Jinks says, "Perform. +3 to hit/damage, +3 to saves vs. charm Fear (move). Cast haste." <OOC> Jinks says, "Hits Fara, Torrent, Edi, Paenitia, Ramirez, and myself." <OOC> Jinks says, "If I can get more in the "no more the 30' apart" I'll get Av-De, Farland, and Lysos in that order." GAME: Jinks spends ONE use of BARDIC PERFORMANCE. GAME: Jinks casts Haste. Caster Level: 12 DC: 20 <OOC> Jinks says, "Net bonus if +4 to hit, +3 to weapon damage rolls, +3 to saves vs Fear and Charm," <OOC> Jinks says, "+1 to reflex saves, +1 to dodge AC, +30' move (up to double base speed)."
The gnome sitting behind Paenitia looks into the sky as the flying demons resolve from between time and into being. He's already holding his bow in one hand and steadying himself in the mount with the other on the paladina's impressive armor. He sucks in a deep breath and finds a melody, singing wordlessly as he coaxes power from the Hymn's potential.
Then he let's go the halfling's pauldron and pushes his hands through the air, tracing along the threads of the Weave until he has the particular strand he's looking for. A finger loops, taps, and time seems to slow.
Jinks' eyelids flutter as he takes personal stock, trying to suss out what all he has left in the reserves after a prolonged day of excitement. Plenty! "Coyote laughs..." he grins.
Av-de unlimbers his bow. Of course he unlimbers his bow. It does look potently enchanted or maybe the runes are just for decoration. He stays behind cover for the moment. "...there's no telling how long this rift will last or how many things will survive coming through it."
GAME: Paenitia rolls perception: (14)+8: 22 GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+5: (4)+5: 9 (Ramirez perception) GAME: Paenitia rolls 1d20+9: (4)+9: 13 (Ramirez Fly)
"Hold strong, we make the quick hop. Ramirez! Up!" Paenitia calls back to Jinks, unlimbering her cold iron lance and tugging on the reins. Her hippogryph hops up into the air, exposed, so she can scan around.
She's not seeing a lot of great options.
Ramirez banks, as the sky fractures. He circles as his little rider directs him back to where they started. "This is the best place. The other rocks would cry out."
<OOC> Edinaz says, "Okay, recast Shield, And grab a javelin for pesky fliers." GAME: Edinaz casts Shield. Caster Level: 8 DC: 13
Edinaz incants, re-conjuring a magical barrier, as he grabs a javelin. He calls out: "If we're fighting, I don't want to be small!"
<OOC> Faranmidahn says, "alright, if we're holding up to get ready to fight," <OOC> Faranmidahn says, "i'll ready my bow and wait for him to dismount to dismiss reduce" <OOC> Faranmidahn doesn't want Torrent getting squished. >.>
With the cover afforded them in the craggy cliffside, Faranmidahn guides Torrent up to a slightly raised nook to avail the trio cover.
She looks back over her shoulder to Edinaz upon his protests and nods, even as she reaches for her bow, "I can dismiss the spell once you're off."
She looks skyward as the shadow of Ramirez passes over them, inquiring of her fellow Knight, "How much time do we have?"
With a knock against the arachnid's shell, she signals for Torrent to belly-down so that Edinaz can dismount safely.
Farland grimaces, then he quickly begins to cast a spell on himself. His form seems to blur, displace. He's not QUITE where he should be.
Just in case.
...more of them are pouring through. It's a veritable flock. Five. Ten. Fifteen of them now.
It does not bode well, actually. That said, they're scattered at the moment. Exploring. Experimenting. Some of them slip back through the rift.
Av-De has his bow ready. HE's not daring take a shot until the Vrocks actively turn their attention onto the group. He doesn't want to start it. Just doesn't.
"Hell, hell, hell," he mutters under his breath.
"You can say that again," adds Farland.
"Hell," repeats Av-De.
The Vrocks *are* noticing the party, but they're more immediately experimenting with the rift.
<OOC> Paenitia says, "so, +4 charging, +4 jinks' spell -2 PA" GAME: Paenitia rolls weapon3+4+4-2: (6)+13+4+4+-2: 25 <OOC> Paenitia says, "thanks dice stay classy my d6" <OOC> Paenitia says, "okay! So I have spirited charge, so that's x3 on the lance damage," <OOC> Paenitia says, "and it's +4 for PA and +10 cav, and +3 from Jinks" GAME: Paenitia rolls damage3+10+4+3: aliased to 1d6+2+10+4+3: (6)+2+10+4+3: 25 GAME: Paenitia rolls damage3+10+4+3: aliased to 1d6+2+10+4+3: (4)+2+10+4+3: 23 GAME: Paenitia rolls damage3+10+4+3: aliased to 1d6+2+10+4+3: (5)+2+10+4+3: 24 (Cold Iron, 72 HP) <OOC> Lysos says, "Henceforth, 'vrock' will be a euphamism for explosion."
They could try and hide. With such a large group, flying baddies, it's an unlikely prospect. The little Red Knight looks at her companions, then the fliers. "Comrades, I draw their attention with the big hola. Jinks. Hold strong. Ramirez, Ole!"
The ivory peacock-andalusian leaps into the air. Paenitia hunches, cinching her lance in under her arm, drawing the tip across the vrocks. She picks one, a leader perhaps. Hopefully.
"Hola! I am Sister Paenitia! You fight only me!" Her challenge is short and sweet. The great white wings of her hippogryph bear her upwards, their gait magically hastened. They zoom towards her target. She strikes!
Her lance plunges into the Vrock and bursts out the other side, and then rips the demon in half as the cavalier passes by. It's totally, instantly... killed.
"I am accepting the other challengers!" She laughs happily.
<OOC> Edinaz will dismount, cast See Invisibility, and ask Faran to dismiss the reduce GAME: Edinaz casts See Invisibility. Caster Level: 8 DC: 14
As violence erupts above them, Edinaz hops off of the spider's back with a pat and a "thank you" -- then turns to Faran. "If you please, I would be large again." Get them gainz, boy!
Once the usually large fellow has slipped out of the passenger's seat, as it were, the Lucht gives him a quick smile and nod before she starts to cycle her hand through slightly different motions than when the spell was first applied as she chants, "Return ye to rightful scale, a next stride in your honest tale."
With the now familiar iridescence and shadows of her willwork, she abolishes the enchantment, leaving Edinaz again at his proper size.
Just in time for Paenitia's charge, and Faranmidahn exults, "Well struck, Sister!" with her bow thrust into the air. <halfling>
<OOC> Jinks says, "Are Pae/Ramirez/I currently between a vrock and a hard place? (threatened)" GAME: Jinks rolls Knowledge/the Planes: (10)+16: 26 <pre><OOC> Jinks says, "I will cast Hold Monster on a nearby Vrock in the hopes of a vrock lobster delivery to Edi." <OOC> Jinks says, "And then I will maintain my song as a free action." <OOC> Jinks says, "And squirm behind Paenitia until she tells me to sit still as my move action." GAME: Jinks casts Hold Monster. Caster Level: 12 DC: 21 GAME: Jinks rolls 1d20+12: (10)+12: 22 (Vs SR - Success) GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+6: (6)+6: 12 (vs DC 21 - Fail) <OOC> Jinks says, "oooh, can I roll the fall damage? :D" <OOC> Jinks says, "Pretyt sure Av-De said it was "good land" so if it's alignment DR....?" GAME: Jinks rolls 10d6: (29): 29
The gnome's voice carries on, bolstered by the Hymn it draws power from. The melody swells even as the gnome's black eyes go wide and wider-still up in the sky and surrounded by demons. He pauses, licking his lips as the song seems to continue without his breath behind it. "Avoid shock and poisoned attacks entirely! Flames and freezing will be less-effective and weapons need a powerful enchantment!"
Jinks leans in the saddle, gripping with his strong little thighs as holds onto Paenitia's belts, looking down, down... down to the ground below. He's singing the song again, sitting straight and selecting one of the demons almost directly over his allies below. He strums as the Weave again and pushes his breath through the ripples.
Reality bends around the vulture-demon, its wings seeming to stutter, skip, and freeze. The monster attempts to push through as the magics take hold but it's no good! With one last tremor the entire form of the vrock freezes and it plummets out of the sky to bounce roughly on the ground below.
"...nice!" Farland says, his voice seemingly doubling as he speaks. It's hard to tell exactly where he is right now.
He dives to one side as the vrock falls to the ground with a wet thud and then proceeds to start a spell. He's summoning something.
Given the Celestial interspersed into it, he's probably going for 'angels'. One can hope, anyway, right?
GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+15: (10)+15: 25 GAME: Whirlpool rolls d20+15: (18)+d20+15: 33 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 1d20+15: (14)+15: 29 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 2d6+5: (7)+5: 12 GAME: Whirlpool rolls 2d6+5: (7)+5: 12 GAME: Whirlpool damaged you for 24 points. 68 HP remaining.
Three of the creatures, seeing the attack from Paenitia and others, quickly join together in an elaborate dance. Lightning begins to gather around them, arcing between their personages. Others spread out, flying individually and calling out to the others in their native, demonic tongues. It's painful to hear, to listen to. Others yet still flutter through the veil and others depart, unconcerned with this matter. It's almost like they've seen it before.
And then a great, baleful eye peers down upon you from above, as if a mammoth demon was staring down through the gap onto you.
It's... very large, yes. Worrying.
"...uh..," says Farland, "That's ... very ... large."
In the meantime, three others zip towards Paenitia's present form, raking her with their claws, biting at her with their beaks. Her armor does serve to protect her excellently, but the harm done is real.
Combatty
===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 1 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
>> 24 Lysos 1 <<
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24 Jinks 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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22 Av-de
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21 Paenitia 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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12 Faranmidahn 1 Flat-footed (0 rnds remaining)
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8 Farland
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8 Horrible Time L
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===================== Current Initiative Order - Round 2 =====================
---Init--Name------------AOO-Notes--------------------------------------------
22 Av-de 1
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21 Paenitia 1
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12 Edinaz 1
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12 Faranmidahn 1
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11 Lysos 1
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10 Jinks 1
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8 Farland 1
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>> 8 Horrible Time L 1 <<
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<OOC> Lysos says, "Henceforth, 'vrock' will be a euphamism for explosion."
<OOC> Faranmidahn says, "Avrockalypse Now"
<OOC> Jinks says, "Vrock the Casbah"
<OOC> Lysos says, "Now to deal with the other thirty nine of them."
<OOC> Paenitia says, "hee, eep!"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "SPLAT."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Vrock is utterly splatted."
<OOC> Paenitia says, "okay! I'll pose"
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "Just ... totally, instantly killed."
<OOC> Whirlpool says, "It was already injured from being in a war, after all, not that you could tell super well :)"
<OOC> Edinaz says, "Somebody went under a dock / And there they saw a vrock / It wasn't a vrock / It was a vrock lobster"
<OOC> Faranmidahn says, "sitting on the vrock of the bay, wasting time..."
<OOC> Jinks says, "They're vrock-sure and headstrong."