Brinor gathered himself quickly and marched directly towards the red stone at the chamber's heart.  Passing through the nearly invisible, gossamer like wall which separated the two chambers.  The remnant of whatever illusion which had concealed the existence of the elevator chamber.

  Noting stired in the chamber besides Brinor, and his companions as they entered.

[Initiatives for Phelan, Brinor, and Moonchild are: 17, 22, and 13 respectively.  Which means the total party initiative averages out to 17.]

Gyr stayed back as the larger, burlier, melee-r lads strode in.  His paws still glistened with the shiny residue of a hasty goo-walking ritual, a rather clever concoction that would give them a fighting chance warring in a giant pool of otherworldy ooze.  His focus narrowed on the Old Moon Chunk thrust from the very center... just like how Malus showed him... he exhaled.  Gyr looked up at Brinor -- their spearhead -- and readied his staff, glancing about at the unnerving lack of any welcoming committee...

The telepathic miasma affected him worse than he thought it would...

Gyr rolled 16 using 1d20+12.  Perception: Too Quiet on the Ooztern Front.

Goo-walkers: Brinor, Ruuk, Drex, Gyr
You or an ally can move on water goo as if it were solid ground. Rapids or choppy seas are considered difficult terrain. The target of this ritual can end its benefits as a free action. The target can immerse itself in water goo or swim underwatergoo if desired without needing to end the ritual.

The Ulh stooped to clap Phelan's back; a viney snake of pure primal magic slithered from his shaggy mane to coil down his arm and around the Narayah's shoulders and down his chest, tail spiraled around his heart to then form into a tattoo disappearing beneath his armor.  "We'll need all our wits about us," he said, "Let ancient knowledge about the gods and their machinations be yours for a day."

Serpent's Cunning
Daily ✦ Primal
Minor Action   Melee 1
Target: Phelan
Effect: The target gains the following benefits until the end of his or her next extended rest.
> +1 power bonus to Intelligence attack rolls.
> Training in one skill of the target's choice (Religion)
> +2 power bonus to Intelligence-based skill checks and Intelligence ability checks.

Move: F3 -> H7

CONTINGENCY:
Earth Roots
Daily ✦ implement, primal, zone
Standard Action
Area burst 1 within 10sq
Trigger: A group of enemies get w/in 3sq of Drex
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: 25, 19, 25, 16 vs. Fortitude (w/ -2; left-to-right, top-to-bottom)
Hit: 15 damage
Effect:  The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of your next turn.
Any enemy that starts its turn within the zone is slowed until the end of its next turn.
Sustain Minor:  The zone persists, and you can slide one enemy within 2sq of the zone 4sq to a square within it.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:25, Mon 26 June 2023.

Willa had been made part of a plan.  She knew what the others wanted her to do, but that didn't make it easy.  And it was too much to ask of her.  She couldn't move a step closer to even touch Ruuk, let alone climb up on him, so she just froze.  Stood still, eyes closed, arms pinned to her side, waiting and wincing.
This message was last edited by the player at 12:59, Thu 08 June 2023.

Still unsure what dangers this room holds, Drex will attempt to ferret out some reactions by moving deep into the room.

Move Action: RUN Form G4 to L12
Grant Combat Advantage to all enemies until the start of your next turn.

Standard Action: Total Defence
+2 bonus to all defences until the start of your next turn.

Ruuk sighed and nodded. "Alright. Time to move. Pardon the intrusion, Willa."
The big serpent carefully but quickly scooped up the Umbryan, depositing her on his shoulder.
He pulled his weapon and slithered quickly into the room.
He slowed slightly past the doorway, trying to keep quiet so as to avoid waking the sleeping Umbryans unnecessarily.





Move: "Grapple" Willa
Action: Run 4+2 Squares
This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Tue 20 June 2023.

Brinor locked his eyes on the Fragment. He grit his teeth, clawed feet pawing the ground.
As the door opened, he charged out after Ruuk, staying close enough for Willa to swap places.


Move: Run 4+2 Squares
Action: Ready to attack if something comes within range.

    Phelan walks forwards stand beside Brinor, trying to ready himself for anything he hefts his crossbow and scans about the vast chamber.

Phelan moves from E4 towards I9 and readies his crossbow.

**CONTINGENCY**
Immediate Interrupt: Shocking Feedback
Trigger: An enemy hits an ally
Target: Triggering Enemy
Attack: 14 vs AC
Hit: 19 Lightning damage. Attacked ally gets Resist 5 all until end of next turn.

  Moonchild slips forward across the ground to stand between the nearest wall and Brinor bracing himself for attack.

Moonchild moves from D7 towards J7 and takes a Total Defence action.


[NPC turns up next.]

    Stepping into the chamber the air is stale with a heavy sweet, and tangy smell of umbreans and mixed in with that a scent not unlike rain.  You immediately feel thousands of eyes upon you.

  Both Gyr and Willa are suddenly suffocated, drowning in a deep, tumultuous ocean of psychic energy.  Akin to a city but far larger and much more concentrated.  Part of Willa wanted to feed but she knew if she did she'd almost certainly collapse from overfeeding or worse, pop like a swollen waterskin.

[Both Gyr and Willa suffer a -2 penalty to all attack rolls, and skill checks, until the end of the encounter or unless they can counteract the effects of the dense psychic haze.]

  Between Drex and the pool the air ripples as curtains of red and yellow light spread out before him.  Blocking the path directly between the party and the pool.  The radiant barrier rose to just about twenty feet tall, and wove around a nearly 50 feet long, diagonal wall.

  The dark ooze of the Gathering stirs as parts near the rim bulge and sag, waves of ooze travelling near the rim towards the adventurers.

[Two large wavefronts are visible at K-L 18-19, and R-S 10-11.  And that's the end of the enemy turn as well as round 1, its the start of round 2 and the player's turn.]

Willa recoils from the wall of psychic saturation she is suddenly engulfed by.  Forgetting her normal hesitancies, she grips Ruuk tightly against the assault until she manages to somewhat adapt to the situation, at which point her attention turns immediately to her friends.  And most urgently, the little one she carries with her.  Momentarily putting aside the situation, she plunges her head into her pack to find the little octopus-like entity's box.'

Muffled words can be heard outside the bag as she talks with her head entirely inside her pack:

"P...Pedi, okay is?  Heads poppers no problem?"

OOC
Willa does nothign this turn, except checking on Pedi and staying on Ruuk.

Gyr braced the door frame, eyes wide and jaw slack at thousands of telepathic voices screeching at once.  His efforts to block it out proved useless and his only solace was that some cleverer Gyr asked the Dragon King for a telepathic barrier and is having a better time than he is now.

"It's a wall of pure telekinetic force," he finally managed, squinting through the pain at the obstacle before them.  "Phelan, you've got the best shot at disabling it, unless someone wants to punch it really hard..."


No action:
Gyr rolled 17 using 1d20+10.  Perception: Battlewise Druid.

Minor action:
Gyr rolled 7 using 1d20.  Arcana, for mental focus.

Standard Action:
CONTINGENCY
Earth Roots
Daily ✦ implement, primal, zone
Standard Action
Area burst 1 within 10sq
Trigger: A group of enemies appear w/in 10sq
Target: Each creature in burst
Attack: 12, 27, 12, 10 vs. Fortitude (w/ -2; left-to-right, top-to-bottom)
Hit: 17 damage
Effect:  The burst creates a zone that lasts until the end of your next turn.
Any enemy that starts its turn within the zone is slowed until the end of its next turn.
Sustain Minor:  The zone persists, and you can slide one enemy within 2sq of the zone 4sq to a square within it.

    Phelan's brows furrowed as he looked at the curtains of light.  The additional red glow made Phelan's fur look completely red rather than his usual oranges and browns.  "No need to disable it." he shook his head.  "If it could've shield itself completely it would have." his brow unfurrowed but still crinkled a little as he added.  "That's probably all the telekinetic might it can muster, so it'll probably fizzle out shortly.  Hitting it hard enough should make a hole."

[The barrier has a duration of "EONT" and any section of the wall can be destroyed if hit by a single attack which deals 15 damage or more to it.]

  Phelan kept his crossbow at the ready.  Keeping to Brinor's side as best he could for the time being.

Phelan keeps position with Brinor moving from I9 to K8

**CONTINGENCY**
Immediate Interrupt: Shocking Feedback
Trigger: An enemy hits an ally
Target: Triggering Enemy
Attack: 31 vs AC
Hit: 21 Lightning damage. Attacked ally gets Resist 5 all until end of next turn.

  Pedi was out of his box and appeared to have been waiting for Willa.  As she peaked inside the tiny antiquitan quickly floated upwards and attached itself to her helmet.  His tiny, segmented tentacles holding onto the armour.
  It took here a moment but Willa realized the psychic roar around her had vanished, replaced instead by the long, distant echoes of otherworldly voices harmonizing to another melody so deep as to be all but silent.  All together the strange musics were beautifully haunting and eerie.  Like some great orchestra overheard before dawn.

[Pedi can block the psychic noise of one person he attaches himself to.  It takes a move action fro him to attach to a subject though.]

  Moonchild slips forward across the ground to stand between the nearest wall and Brinor bracing himself for attack.

Moonchild moves from J7 towards K11 and takes a Total Defence action.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:34, Thu 03 Aug 2023.

Drex follows Phelan's suggestion and attacks the red-yellow wall of light. Not sure what will happen next.



Standard action
Overwhelming Strike
Target: red-yellow wall of light position M13.
Attack: 17 vs. AC.
Hit: Miss
This message was last edited by the player at 12:19, Thu 06 July 2023.

Brinor growled, stomping his feet. He glared at the wall before lifting his falchion.
"We don't have time for this!"

He stepped closer, reaching past Drex to swing at the barrier. Unfortunately, his reach wasn't quite enough, missing the barrier.

He pawed at the ground, upset about missing his attack.

Move -> LM 9-10
Heedless Fury - 7+11 bonus - Miss
-5 to all defenses until end of next turn.

Ruuk, for his part, merely lowered himself, slowly coiling his tail beneath himself.
As soon as the wall gell, he was going to bolt to the Fragment and help Willa down so she could swap with Brinor and not crush his shoulder.

Ruuk Ready's action to Run
-Condition: The shield drops.

    As suddenly as it appeared the sunset veil faded.  And shortly there after two great, blobs, twisted mockeries of the forms of men waded from the black depths onto the stone.  No eyes or face, just streams of slime flowing around a vaguely humanoid body.  Willa just barely recognized them for what they were.  Vague memories, perhaps her own, maybe the weyr's Gathering.  These were Dwellers.  The terrible defenders of the umbreans, devised many millennia ago to be the colony's greatest defenders.

  Both of the gigantic, black oozes converge on the party as the first throws itself at Brinor, Ruuk and Drex, managing to snare the latter two in its oozey form while the second surged forward and struck Drex with a huge, malformed fist.

Gathering Guardian 1 (red) emerges from R-S 10-11 and moves to N-O 10-11.
This triggers Gyr's Contingency though unfortunately the attack misses.
Gathering Guardina 1 (red) then attacks Brinor, Ruuk and Drex with Engulf.  The attack misses Brinor, but hits Ruuk, and Drex.  The attack deals 26 acid damage and grabs both targets (escape DC 16).
The hits on this attack triggers Phelan's Contingency which hits the Gathering Guardian

  As the first of the two oozes attacked Phelan stuck back and his attack hit home.  His target crackled with electrical energy, and part of the great blob splatters to the ground and writhes and wriggles around as it quickly knits itself into a spindly, and miniature version of the greater beast from which it fell.  The fragment joined the attack on the already wounded Drex before it skittered off beneath the ooze which had spawned it.  Making its way towards Moonchild.

Guardian Splinter 1 (red) appears at M12.
Gathering Guardian 2 (blue) emerges from K-L 18-19 and moves to K-L 14-15 and uses Slam shifting (up to its speed) from K-L 14-15 to J-K 12-13 (flanking Drex) and attacking Drex, and hits dealing 21 acid damage.
Guardian Splinter 1 (red) attack Drex with Slam and hits dealing 10 acid damage, then shifts (up to its speed) from M12 to O8 .

  "I have seen you, and I will not allow you to destroy me!" a panicked tumult of different voices scream from the centre of the room as smokey tendrils, ethereal as cloud try to wrap themselves about Brinor only to be shaken off by the great keatyma.

Old Moon Fragment attacks Brinor with Mind Fray and misses.

[Round ends and its the Player's turn!]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:53, Wed 19 July 2023.

Willa clambers back along Ruuk as the black ooze envelopes him.  She would be outraged at the things audacity, covering her friends in so much slime, were she not so disgusted by the  smell of acid-burnt flesh.

She tried to quickly assess the situation.  Their plan could not proceed for as long as the mannerless blob held her friend.  Or it could, but in a different way.  If she was willing.  She peered around her friend's assailant, barely able to see the fragment in the middle of the pool.  It might be possible for her to make it to the stone by herself.  But that would mean forsaking her companions.  Something she would never do!  But then again, willingly riding someone was also not something she thought she'd ever do...

She shook her head clean of those thoughts.  If they could just beat this thing, if not both of them, then maybe she wouldn't need to be so drastic.

It would help knowing what this thing was.  Willa didn't know it.  Or she did and didn't.
 Something inside her from ages past knew.  But could she too know?  Her connection to her previous lives' memories had always been fickle.  And it was so annoyingly so, like having a word on the edge of your tongue, but not being able to speak it.

She took a moment to think.

Whilst hoping for one of her pasts to be awake and willing to help, she reverted to tried and tested tactics.  A rod in each hand, she called out a curse upon Ruuk's attacker.

"Maybe umbrean thing, but in wrong being!  Release friends of Willa's, or will pop blob and spill innards!"

As usual, after declaring her outraged intent, a small, spoked circle etched itself into her target's menbranous skin. A stylised engraving of an umbrean pool.  As soon as the carving completed, she unleashed what had become her go to attack at this point, with brilliant luminance beaming down onto her foe...hopefully injuring it.

OOC
Free Action: Monster Knowledge Check: Gathering Guardian: Arcana: 26
17:27, Today: Willa rolled 26 using 1d20+9.  Arcana - Goology.

Minor Action: Curse Gathering Guardian 2 (b).

Standard Action: Dire Radiance vs Curse Gathering Guardian 2 (b)
To Hit: 30 vs Fortitude
(1d20 +Cha:4, +Expertise: 1, +Enhancement: 1, +Proficiency: 2, +Disquiet: 2, +Accurate Implement: 1)
Primary Damage: 7 (6 Radiant, 1 untyped)
(1d6 Radiant +Cha: 4, +Enhancement: 1, +1d6 untyped)
Effect: If Curse Gathering Guardian 2 (b) moves towards Willa it will take further damage:
Secondary Damage: 13 (6 radiant, 7 untyped)
(1d6 Radiant +Cha: 4, +Enhancement: 1)

Notes:
 - Willa does not have shadow Walk.
 - No Hidden Sniper bonuses to hit as no concealment.
 - I have no idea if the ooze crawling over Ruuk would cound as getting closer to Willa or not.  I assume not.
 - I also don't think she can claim 'Prime Shot', because Ruuk is actually inside the thing!

This message was last edited by the player at 17:14, Tue 18 July 2023.

Pain and confusion wracked Gyr's mind.  All of the tricks he learned living with telepathic brothers to shut out annoyances meant nothing to such an evil power.  He braced the doorway.  I just need a minute to think... he pleaded, and then reached for something in his pocket: the vial that Malus gave him.  Or maybe... just half a minute?  He glared through hazy agony to get a scope of where everyone stood.  "Moonchild, to me!" he bellowed over the psychic din, and commanded his Earth Roots to yank the Guardian Splinter out of the way.

Standard -> Minor:
Sustain Earth Roots
Slide Splinter Guardian 2sq to Q8

The Ulh staggered from his brace and hobbled as quick as he could to the very center of his cohorts.  I really hope this works...

Move:
H7 -> L11

Minor:
Activate Malus's "Give Me a Minute" potion.
Burst 1
All creatures in affected area gain 5 turns.
You'd be shifted in a space between the material and underworld.
You would not be insubstantial.
Able to move around and interact to a degree.
Any damage done would be done as though you are in the weakened state, so half damage.
Conversly any damage done to you from the material world while in this state (say a fire) would be reduced to by half.
Effects applied to those ENTERING the timestop has time run normally.
Effects applied outside will apply afterwards.

Ruuk grunted, trying to shove the Gathering Guardian away, but since he had curled his coils to move, he could barely position to push.
Ruuk rolled 12(+5) using 1d20+11.  Athletically Escape Grapple.
Thankfully, due to being partially out of sync with the Guardians, he managed to slip free, ducking under it's arm and continuing forward, likely proccing two opportunity attacks. "Hold on, Willa! I've got you!"

------------

As for Brinor, he was level-headed enough to know charging in on his own was a terrible idea. He made a short leap over Gyre and Drex, laying into the Guardian previously holding Ruuk.
Ruuk rolled 14+2 using 1d20+11.  Ardent Strike.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:16, Wed 26 July 2023.

    The thrown vial made a loud 'klink' as it struck the floor and it looked like it was going to bounce when in the blink of an eye the glass was criss-crossed by a spiderweb of cracks and the vial exploded with black smoke.  The smoke quickly flowed around the area, engulfing it.  Then it vanished.

  The world beyond was much the same as it had been, but the colours were muted, almost purely black and white.  Everything was strangely quiet and almost still.  The furious motion of the oozes was now a lethargic crawl.  The sounds the adventurers made were much louder than they would normally be.  A whisper nearly as loud as a shout.

  Phelan had been taking the time to prepare an infusion for Drex, to heal some of the harm he'd take from the huge oozes.  Before firing a shot from his crossbow.

Minor: Healing Infusion: Curative Admixture
Target: Drex
Effect: Heal for Surge+5

Standard Action: Magic Weapon
Target: Gathering Guardian 1
Attack: 32 vs AC
Hit: 7 damage

Minor: Reload.

  Moonchild glances around quickly and dashes from one giant ooze to the other, drawing down their blows.  The first blow was a solid hit but appear to have far less of an effect on Moonchild than it should have.  The second blow missed him completely so slow was it compared to the blitz of Moonchild.
  Stepping onto the ooze, Moonchild felt as though he was walking onto a stiff mattress.  His feet barely sinking into the unsteady 'ground' across which he moved.  Not wasting any time he seized upon the opportunity to attack the ooze before him and his spear slashed away a small piece of the ooze.  That separated landed not far from its source and began to move around atop the surface of the gathering pool.

Moonchild moves from K11 to N12, inviting attacks of opportunity from Gathering Guardian 1 (r) and Gathering Guardian 2 (b).  Both attack him with Slam.  Gathering Guardian 1 (r) misses, though Gathering Guardian 2 (b) hits (for 30), dealing 7 (half of 15) acid damage to Moonchild.  Both Gathering Guardians shift (part of the effect of their Slam attack) to 16-17 J-K (for 1), and 12-13 O-P (for 2) respectively.
Moonchild attacks Gathering Guardian 1 (r) with Piercing Strike dealing 4 (half of 8) damage.  Triggering Gathering Guardian 1's (r) Split power generating Gathering Splinter 2 at 11O.

[In the absence of Drex's player I'll play his turn for him, addendum to house rules for later.  Add to tactics a note that rather a 'will use basic melee or ranged attacks appropriate to the situation' clause.]

  Drex shortly followed Moonchild seeing a chance to flank the shifting mounds of ooze and using Moonchild's own dashing as cover for his own movement, to shield him from even more blows given his own injured state.  He suspected he'd probably be scolded for being so reckless but he figured that with time on their side he'd have an opportunity to compose himself before things became really dangerous again.
  His blow found its mark though much like the blows others had dealt it seemed woefully ineffective, though a chunk of ooze was still separated from the main body.  It too began to move of its own accord once it landed.

Move Action: Move from 12L to 12Q (moving around below the Guardian to achieve a flank with Moonchild).
Standard Action: Overwhelming Strike against Gathering Guardian 1 (r)
Attack: 33 vs AC (roller says 31 but I forgot to add in the 2 from the flanking)
attacks Gathering Guardian 1 (r) with Overwhelming Strike
Damage: 8 untyped damage (half of 16) .

[End of Player's turns.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:38, Sat 05 Aug 2023.

Gyr could breathe again.  That ephemeral realm let him think and hear without a splitting headache, and how wonderful it felt.  And then he saw his cohorts attacking the time-stopped umbreans.  "Guys, run past them!" he pleaded, and grimaced as one the Guardian split into the  smaller splinters.  "Snakes alive, they multiply when you hit them, like spores," he observed, "so let's not hit them.  Here, I'll clear a path.  Remember, we're for a task."  He pointed at the Old Moon Chunk.

Minor
Sustain Earth Roots
Slide Gathering Guardian 4sq to O8

Standard Action
Magic Stones
At-Will ✦ Implement, Primal
Standard Action Ranged 10
Target: One, two, or three creatures
Attack: 13, 23, 11 vs. Reflex (G.Guardian Blue, G.Splinter Blue->9Q, G. Splinter Green)
Hit: 9 dmg, push 3

Move
L11->S19
This message was last edited by the player at 15:16, Mon 07 Aug 2023.

Willa watched in wonder as the world slowed to graceful languidity.  The goolems almost beautiful in their time-lagged movements, were it not for the fact that they were trying to kill her and her friends!

"Is not spores." Willa quietly retorted to Gyr, whose words had boomed uncomfortably in her ears.  "Is all living stuffs.  Cut piece off, lives lifes by self.  Is more like, uh, worms!"  She declared having heard tales of the incredible creatures, though she'd never tried it herself.  Not wanting to hurt the little things.  "But only weapons do.  Magic not making new goolems."

Ruuk
Ruuk growled, sheathing his sword as he began to move. "Like black, amorphous starfish - cut off a limb, and all you've done is make another starfish. Brinor be ready!"
He ducked his head, slithering past Moonchild, one hand keeping Willa in place.
Ruuk 2x Run (6+6 sq) - M13|N14->X24|Y25
"Your turn, Willa. You've got this." The Musadi scooped the Umbrean off his shoulder, letting her slide off his armor to the ground next to him.

Brinor
The Kaetyma was lifting his weapon again, pausing as the world faded to strange colors. His head snapped to Ruuk at hearing his name, nodding before he leapt back, turning on his hind legs to charge towards the Fragment.
On reaching the shard, he put his hands out. Brinor closed his eyes for a moment, reaching into the white and yellow flame he imagined his divine connection to be. Curiously, it was now shot through with sparks of lightning and surrounded by a pure light like the sun.
Brinor opened his eyes and smirked. "I am his champion, and I fight in his name. Fragment of the Old Moon, I come to ease your pain! In the name of Ryukhan, be at peace!"
He gathered some of the flame, distilling it into a soothing light, and pushed it through his hands to wash over the Fragment.
Move: Run L14|M15->X26|Y27
Standard: Ready Action "After Willa swaps places, Interact with the Shard" Run
Minor: Lay on Hands (on the Fragment)
This message was last edited by the player at 17:09, Tue 15 Aug 2023.

Willa quickly found herself sped over the gooey surface of the umbrean pool and then placed down upon it.  Surprised to find solid footing, at least for now and understanding, at least on some intrinsic level that time was on their side somehow.  At least for now, Willa chose to withhold switchign places with Brinor, despite the original plan and Ruuk's expectations.

She looks back to her travelling companion apologetically, not that he could see her face hidden as it was behind the gruesome visage of her helm.  "Willa no switch." She jumped up and down on the surface.  "Brinor come by self!"

She then turned back to the group at the edge of the pool and crept towards it, still staying close to Ruuk, but moving enough to drawn the shaddows about herself into a comforting cloak.

From here she might actually be useful and she thrust her rods toward the other guardian she has not cursed before and spoke veeerrryy slooowly so that it could understand her.  Sounding like some sort of haunting entity from a ghost story:

"Goooooooo soooooo slooooow.   Wiiiilllaaaaa'sss cuuuurssed toooouch yooooo nooooow knooooooowww!"

The little oozling's brand cut itslef into the large creature's goo, which quickly disappeared beneath a layer of slime.  Though a scattered sub-surface glow gave its existence away.

After that, Willa once again called starlight down upon her foe.  Though this amorphous entity seemed to endure the radiance much better than its companion had.


OOC
Move Action: Move W24 -> V21 (gaining Shadow Walk)
Minor Action: Curse Gathering Guardian 1 (r)
Standard Action: Dire Radiance vs Gathering Guardian 1 (r)
To Hit: 16 vs Fortitude
(1d20 +Cha:4, +Expertise: 1, +Enhancement: 1, +Proficiency: 2, +Disquiet: 2, +Accurate Implement: 1, +Hidden Sniper: 2)


Notes:
 - Willa currently has shadow Walk (concealment)
 - Willa has +2 to all defences against cursed enemies
 - Any ally within 10 squares of Willa has +2 to Will Defence vs illusion, charm and fear

    As Brinor neared the crystal in his charge smoky shadows erupted from the air beside him and formed a tall, vaguely humanoid figure cloaked in shadows.  Emerald-tinged flames flicked from within the folds of the cowl and sleeves, but no face could been seen.  The folds of the cowl always obscured it.
  A voice like the crackle and pop of a roaring fire shrieked "You must not be allowed to succeed!" as a sword of bone struck at Brinor's flanks.  The writhing blade of ectoplasm boiling as it struck.

Shadowy Spectre appears at 25U and attacks Brinor with an attack of opportunity Weeping Blade and hits dealing 15 Necrotic Damage and weakening Brinor until the end of the spectre's next turn.

  Moonchild rushed back towards the edge of the bowl and knelt down by its edge, he discarded his psychokinetic spear and it vanished without his attention.  He paused for a second then pressed his hands to the edge of the bowl an shouted "Oh stars above, guard these children, once lost now found!"
  Casting his gaze about Moonchild groaned fiercely, then turned to look at Willa.  "Something's wrong!  Willa I think its up to you now.  Try your song!"

 "Lovely!" Phelan all but cursed, for a moment he gazed intently at the shadowy thing.  Straining slightly at another problem to deal with as he held onto Brinor's back with feet and tail.  "Some kind of wraith?  A big and unusual one by the looks of it." he didn't much care for it as he aimed his crossbow and fired.  The ensorcelled bolt flying only a foot past the wraith.  "Oh that's just perfect!" he nearly hissed.  The bolt bounced off the distant  walls.

Standard: Magic Weapon
Target: Shadowy Spectre
Attack: 20 vs AC
Hit: 12 damage.
Minor: Reload

  Hearing his ally's cry, runs across the battlefield to confront the shadow himself.  Standing at the ready he gather's his strength and readies himself for a counter attack.

Move Action: Run Action to 24U
Standard Action: Second Wind, spent a healing surge restoring 14 hp.
Minor Action: Uses Oath of Enmity on Shadowy Spectre.

  As Brinor brought his hands to bear on the great red stone, two circles of brilliant white appeared.  One around Brinor's feet and the other a few feet above the spire of the stone. Simple yet elegant designs adorned each circle, not unlike something you might expect to see in a spell or ritual.  Even the Supernal script, which danced and transformed itself as you watched, formed part of the symbols themselves.  The two circles echoed each other, not unlike mirror images.
  Cool fire poured out of Brinor's mouth and flowed down his chin, his throat, and danced across his shoulders.  Down his arms the flame went.  He did not burn, nor did the air waver as the fire surrounded his hands.  Sweeping over his hands and spreading to the stone.
  "NO!" wailed the dark presence.  Motes of shadow appearing across the battlefield.  Some where closer to the adventurer's than others.  Most seemed to be in proximity to the stone.

  Brinor's eyes had turned white and he held his hands to the stone, his spirt drawn outward to confront that which lie within the stone.
  The twilight sky was a wash of oranges and pinks giving way to blues and purples.  Large, fluffy clouds grazed their way across the heavens.  The smell of salt and sea.  The sussurration of wind and waves.  The beach was a ribbon of black sand against low, rounded cliffs of grey and black stones.
  There was a small, kaetyma, little more than a child, desperately trying to pull large shards of red stone from the sea.  He fell, tripping over his own feet.  Crashing into the sand.  He started crying but got back onto his feet.  Sniffling he pulled at the red stone.  Other pieces of red stone were slowly being pulled by the lapping tides towards the sea.
  Brinor felt himself stirring then.  No longer a mere observer of this vision but an active agent within it.  He stood a few dozen yards away from the scene of the kaetymic child wrestling with the heavy stone.

  The shadowy sprites floated lazily about the as if some wind brought them forth.  Like seeds on the wind.  They tumbled through the air like giant dandelions.  They floated besides the adventurers but made no other moves.

To save some time all the Sprites movements have been noted on the map with lines, indicating their starting position at one end and the current position at the other end where their token is now located.

  Moving with unearthly grace the hooded shadow reaches out to grab at Brinor but the blinding flash of light from the contact the paladin had made with the stone startled the shadow and made him miss his target with a loud, bone chilling shriek.

Shadowy Spectre uses Shadow Glide and shifts U25 to W25 and attacks Brinor with Life Draining Touch and misses.

[Round ends and its the Player's turn!]
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:55, Tue 29 Aug 2023.

Willa was unnerved by the shadowy creatures coming over to say hello.  Not to mention the sheer amount surrounding her friends.  She could escape, if she wanted to, but so far she hadn't noticed them attacking anyone.  Perhaps they were friendly?  Or perhaps they were waiting for some unseen order or command to attack?  She dediced to test the waters whilst trying to recall anything she may have stumbled across in the academy about such things.

Taking a cautionary step aside, moving away from one of the sprites whilst staying close enough to the other two to hopefully not upset them all.  As she carefully moved away, she could be heard quietly asking the those around her:

"Willa is.  Be friends?"

After maneouvering away from one without incident she felt confident that she was safe enough to put a little space between her and the others, whilst appreciating the cute little way they bobbed around. Then she cheerfully called out to the others, though careful not to raise her voice too much, still very much aware of the weird amplfication effect that seemed to happen here:

"Little shadows just curious be.  No hurt, no fight!"

Taking a few more steps aside, she was able to keep her shadows about her, smiled from behind her mask at the little bobbers and then turned an annoyed eye upon the Spectre.

"No: no succeed.  Yes: yes succeed! So umbreans be freed!  Another chance please!"

It was less accusatory and angry than her usual cursings, but the result was the same.  A telltale brand appearing upon the shadow spectre's form.  Though in this case there was little of substance for it to actually etch itself into.  Instead appearing as a wispy discolouration within the creature's smokey form. A small orange-yellow puff.

She considered trying to teach it a lesson there and then but, as one of the few casters in the group (even phelan used his crossbow), thought it better to try and focus on the guardians whilst she could.

She cast one last warning glance at the spectre then summoned a ball of eldritch energy that she flung towards the giant goo mass opposite her.

At the last moment something insider her little head reminded Willa that Moonchild had made a request of her.  She had almost forgot and she wasn't about to let her friend's request go unanswered, so calling upon som hidden reserves, she began to sing.  As best she could anyway.

OOC:
Free action: Monster Knowledge Check: Shadow Sprites: Arcana 23
14:33, Today: Willa rolled 23 using 1d20+9.  Arcana: Knowledge Check: Little shadows.

Move Action: Move to Y19 (via W21 and maintain shadow walk)

Minor action: Curse Shadow Spectre (Willa does not consider the Sprites enemies now so, curse Shadow Spectre)

Standard Action: Eldritch Blast on Gathering Guardian 1
To Hit: 16 vs Reflex
(1d20 +Cha:4, +Expertise: 1, +Enhancement: 1, +Proficiency: 2, +Hidden Sniper: 2, +Accurate Implement: 1)
Damage: 15 (untyped)
15:12, Today: Willa rolled 15 using 1d10+5+1d8.  Eldritch Blast Damage (Try again!).

Action Point! 

Standard Action: Performance (sing): 18
15:52, Today: Willa rolled 18 using 1d20+8.  Sing, sing, sing!

Notes:
 - Willa currently has shadow Walk (concealment)
 - Willa has +2 to all defences against cursed enemies
 - Any ally within 10 squares of Willa has +2 to Will Defence vs illusion, charm and fear
This message was last edited by the player at 14:53, Tue 29 Aug 2023.