In reply to Keef (msg # 4):

The Tunnel

The erinyes look at each other, nok their bows, and dive down into the crevice after the dragon.

In reply to DM (msg # 5):

"Right then.  Let's step lively now."

With a quick glance about her to be sure that no more erinyes are hiding just out of sight, Maeve (presumably) begins to quickly lead the others toward the tunnel exit.

Once the Erinyes are out of sight, Boreas and the other mages step over the narrow gap and head down the tunnel.

In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 7):

The Tunnel

Boreas, Maeve, Drake, Stevens, and Jenkins, hurry past the chasm, leaving Keef to his own devices in the chasm. Les has yet to return from his double-back mission.

In reply to DM (msg # 8):

The Spire

Edrahil et al. work their way up the staircase, pausing to search every room on the way up to ensure it is uninhabited before continuing to the next floor. There are no doors at all on the 13th or 14th landing, and the library nearest to the top floor has been ransacked. The approach to the final chamber at the top is blocked by a stack of wooden doors, which have been wedged into the staircase and filled it entirely to an unknown depth -- likely no more than 10 feet.

Unable to find the clearance he needs to swing his hammer or even his sword in the narrow, twisted stairway, the knight captain draws a small handaxe from his belt instead and gets to work hacking away.

It is slow and tedious work, but it does appear to be making progress.

Lyriel looks on helplessly in frustration as Edrahil hacks slowly through the wooden obstacles.

We do *not* have time for this...

She steps forward, throwing back her cloak. Stand back, Knight-Captain.

[Casting Flame Strike]

The priestess extends a palm to the stairway, and as soon as Edrahil is clear, speaks a single word. A howling fills the air and a blinding column of emerald fire blasts forth, whipping loose hair and cloaks in the backdraft. The jet of flame, partially composed of raw divine energy easily pulverizes the intervening obstacles.

She flashes a wan smile at the Knight-Captain. We priestesses are useful to keep around sometimes, she says.

In reply to Lyriel Vesper (msg # 10):

"Without a doubt," Edrahil says with a tight smile. "Now then... shall we?"

In reply to Edrahil Silendril (msg # 11):

The Spire

The group reaches the top of the spire without further incident, but the scene that awaits them is anything but expected. The bookshelves of scrolls are completely empty, and an armored solider stands next to the crate of potions, which is now empty. Broken and empty vials are strewn all around haphazardly, leaving puddles here and there that boil in the open air.

You recognize him as Benson, the soldier who was left on look-out duty. He is jittery beyond measure, shifting his weight from one foot to the other and drooling from the corner of his mouth. He has a glassy expression in his eyes, and magical liquid is splattered across his chest, face, and neck as though he had taken a long, sloppy drink from a river.

He holds an enormous glass bowl above his head with both hands, in which sloshes a cacophony of colors that sizzle, spark, and steam of their own volition.

The ladder leading to the roof is laying in the center of the room, shattered into a thousand splinters, and the eyepiece seems to be missing from the ceiling -- in its place is a dark hole which does not seem to lead outside. Perhaps there's an attic.

"Don't... come... BURP..." Benson stammers, sloshing the glass bowl unsteadily above his head. "Go... away!"
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:36, Tue 29 July 2014.

Boreas and the others continue down the tunnel as Keef and the other mage presumably make their way to catch up.

In reply to Boreas Highwind (msg # 13):

ROOOOOOAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!

Stay back! Lyriel warns sharply. There's no telling what such a volatile mixture will do.

She passes her longbow to Zuriel. In case this doesn't work...

As Edrahil and the others back away, Lyriel points her finger at Benson. [Casting Spiritual Weapon]

A brilliant longsword springs into existence, slicing downward with a blow that shatters the glass bowl into fine crystal dust.

[Damage: 7]

Lyriel gasps with recognition at the blade. That can't...

In reply to Lyriel Vesper (msg # 15):

The Spire

The glass shatters under the impact, pouring over the unfortunate Benson. His sobbing screams and shrieks intensify as the boiling liquid sears the flesh from his bones as easily as acid, and the man wails piteously before doubling over to puke a rainbow-colored stream of disgustingness onto the floor. After heaving mightily two or three times, he collapses into the puddle he just created.

The various potions swirl and collasce like an oil slick over water, twirling and mingling together to release a cloud of yellowish-green smoke that rolls toward the staircase and out the various windows like a vaporous tide.

The vapors quickly engulf the entire area, causing Lyriel, Faye, Zuriel, and Edrahil to begin caughing uncontrollably as the poisonous fumes make contact.

[Fort (Faye, Lyriel, Zuriel, Edrahil): 21, 11 (fail), 18, 32]

The fumes sap away your very lifeforce, lingering even as they slowly work their way across the room and down the stairs.

[CON Damage (Faye, Lyriel, Zuriel, Edrahil): 1,4,1,1]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:30, Tue 29 July 2014.

In reply to DM (msg # 16):

"Blazes!" Edrahil swears, coughing as the fumes affect his group. He peers up at the hole, and then at the broken ladder. "Can you fly, priestess? Or clear the air?"

In reply to Edrahil Silendril (msg # 17):

The Spire

Brooks appears in the opening of the ceiling, peering down with palm outstretched threateningly.

"Leave, Flamebringers! Flee, or die!"

Edrahil snorts (though perhaps he is still coughing from the fumes that engulf the P.A.R.T.Y.), and raises his warhammer.

"Surrender, or face Tassada's Justice!"



***

The Tunnel

The P.A.R.T.Y. (minus Les and Keef) easily crosses the chasm and waits on the fair side of the tunnels. Though they wait for a generous amount of time, Les does not reappear.

"Let's go!" Reginald says. "Les is lost, your boy can take care of himself. We're vulnerable here."

The sound of metallic footsteps echoing from the tunnels through which the P.A.R.T.Y. came reiterates the steward's point. An enormous explosion rocks the tunnels seconds later, followed by a high-pitched squeal that sounds very Les-like.

***

The Chasm

The erinyes continue to futilely chase the Keefdragon, flying deeper and deeper into the pits of Hell. If the mage wants to pop back to the surface using a dimensional door, he's running out of time to do so...
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:28, Tue 29 July 2014.

Lyriel coughs uncontrollably, eyes watering. Seeing Zuriel reach for his sword and anticipating what he was about to do, she yells out sharply. Zuriel, give me a *cough* chance to *cough* the ladder...

The priestess rushes over to the shattered remains of the ladder, braving the poisonous fumes. Through her blurred vision, the limply writhing form of Benson is mercifully blurred.

[Mending]

Emerald energy swirls around the ladder, restoring the wood to its full integrity. She then throws herself onto the ground.

Now! she chokes out.

Zuriel's eyes sting, though not nearly as bad as Lyriel's. "If you had asked me but an hour earlier Father, the answer would have been yes to both. But for now, I'll have to settle for the latter!"

The paladin crouches in the staircase, leveling his sword upward at Brooks. "Corwynd!" he yells.

[Casting Gust]

The length of Zuriel's gilden sword flares with runes, and the golden maple leaf glows a verdant green. A sudden hurricane erupts in the room, blasting a column of poisonous air directly into Brook's face and beyond at 60 miles per hour. The wind continues unabated, venting the room of its poison in a matter of seconds.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 21:34, Tue 29 July 2014.

In reply to Zuriel Silendril (msg # 20):

The mage raises an arm to shield himself from the poisonous fumes, but is only partially successful.

[Fort damage: 3]

He narrows his eyes and makes a dismissive gesture at the room in general while uttering arcane words.

[Concentration: 28]
[Casting: Fireball]

A pea-sized ball of flame explodes in the center of the room, catching everyone within it with gouts of horrible fiery death.

[Reflex (Faye, Edrahil, Lyriel, Zuriel): 12 (fail), 28, 7 (fail), 10 (fail)]
[Damage (Faye, Edrahil, Lyriel, Zuriel): 36, 18, 36, 36]

The ladder, puddles of potion, and Benson are all consumed in smoke and blazing tendrils of flame, which lap at the consumable fuel until it's charred and unrecognizable.

In reply to DM (msg # 21):

"No!" Edrahil says as the flames explode around him. He grabs Zuriel by the shoulder, and a torrent of light-green energy suffuses him.

[Lay on Hands (Zuriel): 40]
This message was last edited by the player at 21:57, Tue 29 July 2014.

In reply to Edrahil Silendril (msg # 22):

Faye staggers, touching her forehead with a similar motion -- though her healing magic looks dark green, like Lyriel's does.

[Lay on Hands (Faye): 15]

Benson gurgles as the flames consume his clothing and what little remains of his ragged flesh, dead.


This message was last edited by the GM at 21:59, Tue 29 July 2014.

Maeve hesitates for a moment, assessing the situation.

"Let's get a move on.  Nothing we can do for Les, by the sound of things.  Garfunkel: if we're beset further on, take these men and get yourselves out of here.  I'll do my best to hold off anyone who tries to waylay us.  Keef's a smart boy; he can find us."

Hopefully.

That sounds like a plan.  Let's move out.  Keef will get to us.  He has more than a few tricks up his sleeve.

Faye, help me with this ladder! Zuriel strides to the center of the room, gesturing towards the mage with his sword. "You had your chance, Brooks."

A sudden calm comes over him, and his eyes begin to burn white. "He'ir!" he roars, as a dazzling explosion of light bursts from the paladin, washing over the room.

[Holy Nova: 14]

[Brooks' Reflex vs. DC 19: 6 (fail)]

Everybody, everything is bathed in pure white light. Zuriel, Lyriel, Faye, and Edrahil find it soothing, and it clears away much of their burns. Brooks, on the other hand, cries out in agony as the energy clings to his flesh, scalding it.

[14 healing to good, damage to evil. Daylight effect prevails in room]

At the center of the holy nimbus stands Zuriel, swirled in white mists. One cannot help but notice the myriad of armored shadows cast on the walls of the room. Shadows each sporting feathered wings.

Lyriel looks up at the mage towering above her as Zuriel's healing light bolsters her. With her mind, she directs the spiritual sword towards her assailant.

Help me...

[Attack: 23; Damage: 6]

The sword floats inexorably towards the mage in a swooping uppercut that draws blood along the still-scalding flesh of Brooks' torso.

Satisfied that the sword was engaged, she looks to a point in space behind and above Brooks.

[Casting Silence]

The mage's cries of pain are suddenly cut, though his face was still contorted in pain, and he was clearly crying out.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:40, Tue 29 July 2014.

In reply to Lyriel Vesper (msg # 27):

The Tunnels

Boreas, Maeve, Les, Drake, and Jenkins bravely flee the chasm, leaving Les and Keef to their respective fates with nothing but well-wishes to urge them onward.

In time, the group reaches the room in which it arrived... though there is no obvious way to make the three stark, rune-encrusted walls take them back from whence they came.

Drake, Les, and Jenkins glance at each other, then each walks toward a different wall, hands tracing the runes gingerly.

"We can make this work," Drake says after a moment. "But we must not be interrupted while the ritual is cast. Can you see to it?"

Boreas sighs at the convenient delay.

I'll go back and see what Keef is doing.  Mariah, can you take the choke point?

Boreas fades from view, heading back toward the chasm.

[Casting Walk Unseen]
This message was last edited by the player at 02:55, Wed 30 July 2014.