Veldygar rethinks his guesses. The nearby facility, he realizes, is not very likely to be at the far ends of the Earth District. The large, mostly empty, dark cavern is an area that has already been previously excavated. So his thought is that his current location is closer to the center.

The guards with shaven heads and robes described by Gugoona are definitely Immaculate Monks. Veldygar is more inclined to think that what's behind the door is some sort of Immaculate Order facility, as if it were a general entrance, it would be guarded by Peace Force, not Immaculates. Thinking on it, he remembers that Immaculate monks usually staff the hospitals of Five Coils, and that a hospital nearby a facility where heavy loads are moved and dangerous machinery employed would be sensible. But then, why the guards?

Veldygar's assessment is that the door is the best option to try first. The Inner Temple, to his knowledge, does not have any obvious entrances, but rather has several outer 'nodes' with back entrances connecting to the larger Temple complex.

[Private to Veldygar Arhandor: there, posted with an extra bit of info to make your decision easier.]

"I think our choice is obvious..." Veldygar said, sharing his thoughts with Eternal. "We must neutralize those two guards quietly - and if they have no key, let Gugoona eat the door." Veldygar started to unwrap his shock pike.

[OOC: What's the approximate scale? Would shouting or fighting be easily heard in the other caverns?]

There would be about a hundred yards from the opening leading into the refinery compound. A fang of guards and a guard captain are stationed on that side, not so dangerous as Immaculate monk guards for certain, but still a threat.

The noise of the machinery would cover the Celestials somewhat, but the refinery guards are also alert for outside interference, and they do have access to an unobstructed view down the corridor leading to the door should they notice something that way. So it would be better to err on the side of stealth and caution. Even better, should they be able to move any combat past the door once the metody burns through it.

---

OOC: Mechanically I'd say the bonus from alertness wouldn't be enough to completely nullify the penalty from noise/darkness/distance. So the refinery guards are at -1 for awareness. Anyway, let's move on. Dex+Stealth rolls, you've time to activate any charms/powers as needed.

Now that was a course of action that Broken Eternal could get behind.  True, it was only two immaculate monks, but those were some of the sweetest Dragon-Blooded to kill.  Their faith was unshakable, which made it that much more satisfying to watch the life leave their eyes, knowing full well that their precious elemental dragon had abandoned them.  "Any plan that ends with their deaths is a plan I will abide by."  He said gravely.

Slowly he unsheathed his new weapons, the Short Darkglaives, and looked at them ruefully.  Not his chosen combat implements, but they were a far cry better than the mundane pieces of weaponry he had been forced to use in the past.  They would be great instruments of destruction in his hands--until he found something more to his liking, that was.  Then these, like everything else he came into contact with, would be discarded without a second thought, as long as it brought him closer to the destruction of Five Coils.

He looked down at the blades, regardless of their heritage, and for a moment there was a sadistically kind look on his face.  He could hear the screams of the Monks now, before he even struck them.  He could taste the blood before it streamed from their veins, and he could feel their fear before they realized they were staring at the Harbinger of Oblivion.  All these things and more--he coveted them.  Breaking his glance, he looked up at Veldygar, and that kind, almost tempered smile turned cruel and malicious.  "Lets not keep them waiting, shall we?"

Still holding his blades, Veldy would see something that very few people had.  There was a dark glow around the outline of his body, outlining his dangerous physique.  Then in a lightning fast moment, twisting streaks like spider-webs crawled over his body, writhing and and almost beckoning the Solar to reach out and touch the display of Abyssal power.  Come, join us, that dark energy seemed to say...and if he entertained the thought, perhaps he did hear the slightest whisper?  Behind the dark lines of energy followed nothing, as the lines consumed him, leaving naught behind but those glowing red eyes...and then nothing at all.

There was no noise, no sound to betray that he was moving, but Veldy knew quiet well where the Dark Chosen was going--and it wasn't going to be pretty.

Veldygar frowned. The aura aroud Broken Eternal was slightly unnerving, but he tried to ignore it as he did his best to sneak towards the guards once he was reasonably sure the deathknight was within striking range. It would certainly be difficult, but with his shock pike's range he needed only come within eighty yards to be able to make his attacks. He hoped the Immaculates, despite their rigorous training, would not actually pay too much attention to the background. He had given Gugoona instructions to start eating at the door once they had engaged the monks.

[OOC: Ok, with their vigilance bonus and the fact that I'm not exactly inconspicuous, am I right in assuming that Easily Overlooked Presence Method would not avail me here?
If you deem it otherwise, then assume I activated it (I guess Veldygar would know his Charm's chances of success). In the meantime, I'll try to position myself within under 80 yards of the door, far enough from the refinery but not too close to the guards:
20:27, Today: Veldygar Arhandor rolled 2 successes using 7d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 1,1,7,3,7,4,3
Not so stealthy...]

Eternal and Veldygar, calling on their respective Essences -- dark and light, corrupted and pure -- are effectively cloaked from sight. In the Abyssal's case, it is an invisibility so absolute even the Loom of Fate would be fooled, as he steps between the threads of destiny and vanishes. More than merely a shadow, he is a spectre guided by madness.

Veldygar follows, with Gugoona slithering ahead and the tomescu taking up the rear, its dematerialized body advancing backwards -- facing the group of idle guards on the opposite side. While he does not actually vanish, the refinery guards simply seem unwilling or unable to glance straight at him, as they might do if attempting to stare at the bright, hot sun.

In any case, their attention is focused in the exact wrong places, and the two Celestials turn right at the T-intersection without a problem.

100 yards down the adjacent corridor, they see for themselves the iron door the metody mentioned. Gugoona is already surging forward, eager to carry out its orders. It will, however, need to materialize in order to affect the metal with its acidic foam, and there's the matter of the two Immaculate guards in front of it. They are a male and female pair, one of earthy skin and the other like ivory marble, their heads completely shaved. Both wear white jade lamellar over their robes, and wield goremauls shaped like gigantic, spiked clubs rather than the traditional hammer shape.

---

OOC: Huh, apparently everyone rolled kind of crappy with their initial awareness, even the monks. So now we've established you're unnoticed, for now -- though that may change. Should you be actually attacking the monks right away, pose and roll your attack as well. Then we'll establish tick count.
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:58, Tue 12 May 2009.

Veldygar bit his lips when he remembered that Broken Eternal and he had not convened of a signal or attributed a target. He prepared to fire a shock pike discharge at the guard would who not be suffering from massive blood loss in a few moments.

It was a normal day for the Immaculate Monks who guarded the door.  Though their training and meditation made every day vital, every day important, there was only so much importance they could impart on what was ultimately a trivial task, especially for people of their considerable skill!  They were Immaculates Monks of the Earth Dragon Style!  There had been trouble below this level, true enough, but here, with the soft rumblings rolling off the walls from the mining machinery nearby, even those whispered threats seemed far off and unrealistic.  Five Coils had existed for untold centuries, and it would no doubt stand for centuries more.

Or so they thought.

Nestled in the shadows of Creation, Eternal slowly crept into the entrance of the hallway that they guarded, red eyes invisible to their 'intense' training, surveying the two of them with such hate as to almost be palatable.  Surely Veldygar would be able to taste the outright rage he felt toward the two monks, a man and a woman that had done no wrong save for being born Dragonblood, and born within Five Coils.  Both offensives a grave, grave injustice that Broken Eternal intended for them to atone for.

In blood.

There was no warning that foretold the first strike, no battle cry or reason given.  The two guards, forbade to talk while on this most sacred of duties, had allowed each other a small smile.  The shift wasn't too far from being over, after all, and friendship was not uncommon in the brotherhood...and the smiles exchanged, albeit brief, hinted at a bit more than a simple link of comrades in arms.  And as that subtle smile began to fade from the man's lips, as thoughts of what the end of the shift might potentially bring, the first blood was drawn.  At first he wasn't entirely sure what had happened.  There was an ear rending screech as a powerful blade tore into durable armor, and he felt a very colt line extend from his navel to his shoulder...and then he saw the blood, surely not his own, suddenly spray outward from the flayed flesh.  The large droplets of blood did not simply sail into the air, however, but a few essence guided droplets found purchase on something solid--something unseen, and something very, very deadly.

Still in shock at the sudden blow struck against him, the monk began to raise his maul, though what he was going to swing at, he wasn't entirely sure.  The pain of his chest had not quiet registered yet, and something inside his mind, in that infinitely wise place where all universal truths met, he knew it was just a flesh wound--messy, but nothing that would kill him.  But it was only the beginning, he knew, and he had to do something, and he had to do it quickly.  But the Sons of Pasiap were not known for their quickness of body, and before his great weapon moved but inches, the malicious force struck yet again.

Two blades covered in gore suddenly appeared from within him--one from the center of his chest, just shy as his heart, while the other burst from his stomach.  Unlike the comparatively dainty first strike, these two blows struck with massive force, sending bits of bone and tissue erupting from the wounds as the blades twisted in tandem, coaxing a tortured gasp of belated horror from his partner, who had just began to notice the attack.  As soon as they had entered, the blades quickly vanished, pulled out in arcs as the monk's blood was splattered against the walls as the invisible force of nature retracted the artifact blades.  The monk lurched forward, his legs faltering as the shock deepened, and the realization began to surface that, perhaps, he was dying.  Or, even more darkly and realistically....that he was already dead.  Massive maul dropped, he reached out for the woman he had known for most of his life--who he had trained with, eaten with, and had grown to care about very much.  He tried to speak, to say words forbidden by tradition, but could not find them.

Before she could reach out for him, before she could even bring to bear her own weapon in his defense against the unseen assassin, he struck again.  The short Darkglaive whistled through the air is malevolent intent, and quickly discovered a geyser of blood and shattered bone as the Immaculate Monks massive left arm was completely severed.  The meaty limb fell to the ground with a defeated thud as jet-streams of precious vitae pumped from the cleanly severed stump left behind.  Unlike the spare droplets before, these shot out with violent rebellion, and finally gave shape to their attacker.  Though most of his body still laid behind the veil of creation, the crimson life within the monk revealed splashes of the attacker, of his swift movements and deadly strikes.  And they revealed that the final assault on the poor monk was not, in fact, over with.  The blade arced high, stained with Immaculate blood as the sanguine-bathed attacker surged forward one more, this time kicking the monk full in the chest, sending him hurtling backwards and slamming into the wall with such force that cracks splintered out behind the dying man.  Then, just as he caved into the wall, Eternal was there once more, one of his blades digging into the man, pushing through him and into the hard rock beyond--pinning the gushing unfortunate like the bleeding insect that he was.

With his hand still on the hilt of the impaling blade, Broken Eternal slowly turned to look at the surviving monk who was still untouched, save for the mess of blood that has splashed onto her face and armor.  Dark veins of the blackest energy sizzled as the blood began to evaporate off of his body, leaving spider-webs of his form for her eyes to latch onto--to refuse and hate, to question and fear.  He turned completely then, giving the impaled blade a final twist into the hard rock wall and the man caught between them, and then left him there, bleeding and speechless, his eyes already starting to fade into the black abyss that awaited him.

"Watch carefully..." He said to the dying warrior, while his blazing red eyes, visible from the betraying blood, were locked on the woman left still living.  His right hand dropped to his side and carefully, almost tenderly cupped the Monk's chin, and made his eyes rise to look at the woman.  "I've only just begun to make you suffer."

For the Sun's sake, what does he think he's doing? Veldygar cursed.

"Gugoona, eat a man-sized entry in the door, quickly!" he ordered as he lifted his shock pike and aimed at the remaining female guard. "Dezephiel, get ready to materialize and intercept reinforcements coming from the other caves, at my command!"

As he spoke, he focused a bit of his Essence into the pike's circuitry. The jade linear accelerator hummed softly as the energy was guided along the pike's length into the collimating chamber, where it arced into scarcely perceptible lines of power.

Then the contactors opened at a brush of his finger, and the Essence was released as an invisible pulse of force travelling at immense speed. Aimed at the Immaculate's head.

He hoped that the distraction created by Broken Eternal would be enough to prevent her from noticing the silhouette suddenly appearing at the edge of her perceptions still striving to remain in the shadows, or turn her attention away from sensing the incoming bolt of Essence.

[Private to GM: [OOC:11:22, Today: Veldygar Arhandor rolled 1 success using 6d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,4,9,4,4,5. Join Battle.
13:58, Today: Veldygar Arhandor rolled 3 successes using 6d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 9,10,1,4,1,1. Dex+Stealth -mobility. (forgot the penalty the first time)
11:26, Today: Veldygar Arhandor rolled 7 successes using 16d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,7,5,8,7,3,3,1,10,1,3,2,10,3,1,4. Shock pike (ranged).
Speed 5, Damage +12L. Spent 5 personal of First Melee Excellency.
Tell me if the stunt mote recovery applies, I need the personal ;)]]
This message was last edited by the player at 11:58, Sun 17 May 2009.

The female monk allows shock and horror to show on her face while the man who could never be her beloved is eviscerated by an invisible blade. With every gout of blood that gushes from her body, the silhouette of his attacker is revealed in the crimson spray, and she gazes upon it, upon him, with a cry of anguish that abruptly recedes into cold, hard determination.

Much to Eternal's surprise, she neither collapses in despair nor flees in abject terror. She gazes upon her male counterpart, knowing he will die, and all the questions in her heart will go unanswered. And she will die like him, cut down by the merciless blade of a free Anathema who thought to make her suffer.

Knowing this, the Immaculate Chosen of Pasiap willfully stands her ground. For the last thing her partner would witness before the light leaves his eyes is not just his killer's gloating, bloodied face. He would see HER bravery as well, HER marble-flecked anima, flaring bright and pure and resolute against impossible odds. Just long enough, and the monks of the Inner Temple would surely rise to avenge the both of them.

"Do you think you alone can take on the Order? A single, wretched shadow?" She does not see Veldygar at all, not even when his shock pike surges with unseen force and strikes her forehead so hard her head whips backward. Her bare scalp splits open, and her own blood drips into her eyes, onto her once pristine white armor, mingling with the spattered gore of her fellow monk. (3L damage)

At the Eclipse Caste's command, Dezephiel prepares itself for battle, arranging its spear, axe and bladed limbs to intercept the contingent of refinery guards splitting off to investigate the grisly scene ahead. Gugoona slithers gleefully toward the metallic door, uncaring of the fates of any mortal. Both demons have yet to materialize... but in the next few seconds, that will change.

Even with limited space between her and Eternal, the female monk still summons to herself Pasiap's strength, recalling mentally the slow but powerful motions of the katas of Earth. With this mindset she assumes the Earth Dragon Form, raising her goremaul solidly in front of her. "My name is Caras Anya. And he is Ragara Kiros." She gazes into the eyes of the dying man pinned to the wall, perhaps for the last time. "You won't remember us, murderer. But Pasiap will."

---

OOC: actions
tick 0 - Dezephiel (tomescu)
tick 2 - Female monk, Eternal, Veldygar
tick 3 - Gugoona (metody)

Monk rolled 4 successes on a valor roll of 3, so I made her justifiably brave. Veldy was seen by the refinery guards when he did his attack, and Anya crying out and talking loudly pretty much did the rest. You can both still reestablish surprise, of course. After this first round of ticks, the other guards will Join Battle.

[Private to Veldygar Arhandor: And +2 stunt for you! 4 motes back.] [Private to Broken Eternal: You can get 6 motes back from +3 stunt. Try to keep track of your expenditures. You've spent 13 motes, with the stunt motes counted.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:44, Mon 18 May 2009.

Cursing under his breath, Veldygar rushed towards the gate, ordering Dezephiel to get closer to the door as well. As he did so, he swung his shock pike, calling into existence another pulse of force as he targeted the Immaculate. He would stay out of reach of the monk's blows, but he would not let himself be rejoined so soon by the soldiers.

I will summon a friggin' army next time!

[OOC: Dashing, + one ranged attack. Speed 5, Dmg +12L, -1 to target's Parry DV, 8 y/t speed.
19:31, Today: Veldygar Arhandor rolled 2 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 6,5,9,7,5,3,1,6. Shock Pike (ranged).]

The blood upon the dark Abyssal began to boil and sizzle off of him as he stared at the female monk, and for a moment allowed himself a moment of appreciation for the amount of stalwart bravery the woman showed.  He knew it wasn't easy for her to show such stoic determinism.  He knew, because few others would have been able to simply stand there, little less prepare to defend themselves and talk about their faith in the process.  So, for a mere moment, he allowed himself an iota of respect for her.  She was still a filthy Dragon-Blooded...and for that, she would die, and in no less a gruesome way than before--she simply gave him a glimmer of what her people were capable of.

"Let him remember you, then.  He can recite your deeds with my hands around his throat."  He said, as the last remnants of her companions blood left his body, forcing his form to again leave no trace in this world, and slipping into the shadows of this and the next.  Whether or not she would lose sight of him was largely dependent on her abilities of perception--after all, she no doubt knew he was going to attack her, and so she would be on her guard.  But could a lowly monk of the Earth Dragon truly perceive the position of an Abyssal Assassin?

[Private to Gatekeeper: I rolled my stealth and Dex, and out of ten, I only got a 1!  A ONE!  But I read about the charm, and it says I get an automatic 2 sux when trying to stealth with the charm active, plus she gets a -2 to see me or attack me, so I thought it might still fly, even with a paltry 3 sux.  Other than Stealthy, Eternal is going to let her have the next move...after all, few people fight well while so angry/disgusted.  Though, if she really IS that brave, I'll be damned if Eternal might not want to keep her alive to see why in the hell she IS so brave.  (Possibly a step toward his redemption!)]

A second blast of force propels through the air from Veldygar's pike. Distracted by Eternal and the monk impaled on the wall, Anya is oblivious of the Solar running her way. But when the force projection strikes her torso, the Earth Dragon Form diverts the majority of the force toward the ground. Blood wells from a shallow puncture wound on her chest that might otherwise have killed her. (1L, total of 4L damage on her now)

She renews her solid stance, grim and bold despite the odds sharply against her. "If the Dragons be merciful, he will die before you get your hands on him again, Anathema," Anya replies to Eternal. Her voice is hard and calm. "Or you will."

Though he may be hidden to fate, shrouded by shadow, the female monk's senses are honed by her long training as an Immaculate of Earth. She is able to sense his position, hear his footfalls, his breathing, the muted sizzle of her partner's blood on his body. It is a moment of utter clarity, and she thanks her god for it. "Pasiap, guide my hand, for to end this monster's life is just," she utters, and strikes twice at Eternal -- an overhead blow to the head, followed by a second, two-handed crushing blow aimed at his back to knock him flat to the ground. Her anima ignites briefly in a pure white glow, pale marble shards surrounding her like petals chiseled from stone.

[Private to Broken Eternal: She got 7 successes on her Awareness roll! yikes! Even with a -2 successes, she still has 5 sux to your 3. Mostly, it's just the dice being lucky for her and not lucky for you. That happens! On the bright side, I gave you +2 stunt, so you can get back either 1 temporary willpower or 4 motes.

As for the attacks, first strike is 11 successes, second is an unfortunate 3 successes (she got a -2 due to specifically attempting to knock down). Since you've not used your charm use this turn, you could use whatever Charm you wish for defense. There may be additional effects to the attacks but we have to see if it hits you first ;)

I should also mention, that despite the treatment Eternal got, few people, even Dragon-blooded know the truth about the Abyssals being used as assassins in Coils, or just how badly Celestials can be treated in captivity. The treatment a slave gets depends largely on the owner -- though of course, slavery itself could be considered a sin, whether slavemaster is kind or not.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 06:10, Fri 22 May 2009.

Meanwhile, the dematerialized metody, Gugoona, continues slithering its way toward the door. Even pushing all its efforts toward moving in position, it is not the swiftest of creatures. Dezephiel keeps pace with Veldygar until about halfway down the corridor, stopping to materialize in a flare of acrid smoke that thickens into a dark fog. Something lurks beyond that cloud, a vaguely chitinous insectoid shape, with a multitude of limbs holding a bristling host of sharp and blunt weapons.

Shouts of alarm comes from the guards at the refinery. The fang of guards and their captain arm themselves and start to move.

---

OOC: actions
tick 6 - female monk, Eternal, guards (moving)
tick 7 - Veldygar (53 yards from door)
tick 10 - Gugoona reaches door
tick 11 - Dezephiel (after Materialize)

I realized there's still some space left for the metody to move before it *gets* to the door, duh. I had Gugoona dash, but it's kind of slow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:01, Tue 26 May 2009.

Perhaps Pasiap DID guide the Monk's actions, as Eternal watched her from the shadows of creation.  His form left no visible sign on this side of the tapestry, but still she watched him.  Perhaps the spirit of her fallen friend helped guide her senses as well?  Whatever it was that helped her discern what the looms of fate could not, it would not help her lay a hand on the Abyssal Assassin.  To see him was not to know him, and as those skilled blows came raining down, she found that despite what her senses had told her, her foe was not standing there--not at all.

As the first blow was about to collide with the murderer of her friend, the air in front of her seemed to visibly shake and distort.  It was a sudden thing and very quick, but its effect was immediate--her attack clearly missed the target it was meant to hit.  There was no sound to betray his movement, no scuffing of stone or leather to cue to her where he had ran, or flecks of blood to perhaps catch a trail.  The malevolence he exuded, however, was practically palatable...and no matter how much the woman's bravery might have intrigued Eternal, or how interesting he found the fact that she had managed to sense him, these did not change the fact that she was a Dragon-Blood...especially the fact that, what more, she was an Immaculate Monk, the brown-nosers of the Elemental Dragons, the lords of the Terrestial Exalted.

There were few people he hated more.

He was behind her in that same instant, and maybe for a moment she might even realize it--but not before he was upon her.  His blade sliced out with dark intent, meaning to gut the woman completely--happily adding more gore and blood to the scene while the guards began to converge on their location.  Whether or not his super-naturally fueled attack did what he intended it to do, a malicious smile rose on his face.  Yes, the two of them had been chosen to guard this entrance, just as Veldygar and himself had been chosen for their stealth-related skills.  It seemed both sets had failed at their appointed rounds...though certainly not for any like of trying.  Except for perhaps Eternal.  Death, it seemed, was his only real appointed round, and thus far, he was more than capable of making those rounds, and with visceral accuracy.

[Private to GM: Going on my own here, since you're not on AIM, but I figure 10 for melee and Dex, 4 for the blade, and I'll 3 on the excellency charm for a total dice pool of...17?  I'll double check before I roll and, of course, give you results!  Sorry this took a while, I'll try to pick up the posting here, since combat is going to be coming in waves now.  ^_^]

Anya's crushing blows strike thin air, outdone by the Abyssal's mastery over shadow and spectral energy. Even to her keen senses, he has disappeared.

She braces herself grimly. "There is but one of me. But I will not fall just because you will it."

The female monk's defense against his single, precise blow is simple: Earth endures. Eternal's daiklave strikes to gut her from behind, but the Earth energy shielding Anya against harm makes the air around her thick and heavy, momentarily dulling the sharp edge. The slash leaves a thin line of blood as it pierces her armor shallowly. (1L, total of 5L damage!)

Unfortunately, Anya is made of stronger stuff than most any mortal. Though bloodied, she is not yet too weak to stand her ground. She knows now that Broken Eternal has at least one more ally, and harbors no hope of surviving the attack. Only that she may delay them long enough for the Temple to prepare a retaliation.

[Private to Broken Eternal: as calculated in PM you've spent a total of 18 motes now, out of 16 Personal, 29 Peripheral. This is after all stunts have been considered.

Having struck at her once after her Earth Form I'll let you know she has a soak of 15L. And she has a total of 11 health levels, so 6 remain.]

[Private to Veldygar Arhandor: Guards won't make it close enough to attack you yet so you can go ahead.]

Tough bitch, Veldygar thought upon seeing the Immaculate's determination. His budding admiration was however cut short by the memories of his time of servitude.

Where was your self-righteous ass when I was compelled to summon real demons for your perverted experiments?

He did not hesitate. While he did not share Broken Eternal's homicidal hatred of the Dragon-Blooded, this woman was an obstacle, one he would overcome, even if it meant her death.

Holding his shock pike as a lance, he charged and extended his arm, a pulsing wave of force darting towards the monk's head.

[Private to GM: [OOC: Dashing, + one ranged attack. Speed 5, Dmg +12L, -1 to target's Parry DV, 9 y/t speed (the mobility is only 1 so my previous Dash was also 9)
13:18, Today: Veldygar Arhandor rolled 4 successes using 8d10 with the White Wolf Exalted system with a target of 7 with rolls of 9,7,6,1,8,2,9,5. Shock Pike (ranged).]]

Veldygar's shock pike blast meets Anya's will. She grunts and lifts her goremaul to deflect it, but the invisible blast is too hard for her to see with the blood dripping in her eyes. It surges right past the massive jade club, and slams into her face, splitting one of her cheeks open and cutting open the side of her mouth. She chokes, spitting blood and staggering. Her face is nearly unrecognizable now, the alabaster skin gaping open and marred with crimson. (3L more damage. she is at -2 penalty now)

[Private to Veldygar Arhandor: whoa! lucky hit for you. 3 health levels on a ping. Since you've hit her a couple times now I'll tell you her stats, she has 15L soak and 3 HLs remaining (out of 11).

Another thing I'll note, purely OOC, is that not all Dragon-blooded knew of the experiments in Wood District, in fact not all of them would even approve of them. The idea of using Anathema as slaves to increase Dragon-blooded power was actually mostly a secular one. Veldy, though, may well be too righteously angry to care about the difference ;)]

Anya raises her goremaul again, spinning to face Eternal. Her anima flares in an ivory blaze, the earth itself groaning and rumbling in response. The resulting elemental flux engulfs her Abyssal foe, a flurry of marble shards that nick at his armor but do not harm him -- yet. Shouting wordlessly, knowing perhaps her end is near, she pours her Essence into a single, demolishing blow meant to stop Eternal in his tracks.

[Private to Broken Eternal: Anya does a single 13 success attack. Note that this is still before your next turn, and you don`t have a combo, so you can only use Melee Excellency to boost your defense. If you do so, you spend the motes, roll as many dice as motes spent, and add the successes to your DV. You can of course also stunt to add to your DV as well!

In addition you'll be taking 1 die lethal damage per tick now while engaged with Anya.

This time, I'd like you to just post your defense first, since if Anya's attack hits there are additional effects that may keep you from attacking.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:08, Wed 27 May 2009.

The guards continue their approach from the far end of the corridor. It's hard to see them with the massive fog-cloaked form of the tomescu in the way, but they all appear to be wearing at least light magitech armor (ashigaru?), and their captain is in dragon armor. They all carry pikes. "It looks like some Malfean spawn got free. Rebels, maybe. We're not sure but there's two humanoids with them," reports the captain, likely speaking on a transceiver or through a Charm. "And at least one of them appears to be Anathema."

"I repeat. Demon attack with possible Orichalcum Breach. The Immaculate guards at B25 Eastern Refinery Hospital are under attack, right now. Inform the B25 Master Monk and request backup!"

Gugoona, having rushed ahead of Veldygar, slithers right past the combat near the door and materializes as a sizzling gush of shapeless acidic foam. The vitriol elemental latches to the iron doors leading into what seems to be (if the captain's report is to be believed) a rather unusually well-guarded hospital.

Dezephiel rears up, letting out a keening wail as its multi-jointed limbs prepare to attack -- starting with the self-bow arms, pairing with the weaponless arms to nock arrows it had acquired in Water District. Two arrows fly toward the group of guards dashing to intercept. One collides uselessly with a distant wall; another sticks one of the mortal guards in the shoulder, shallowly.

---

OOC: my apologies, I edited tick count cause I misunderstood what 'y/t' meant.
tick 10 - Anya, Gugoona (at door - Materialize), Eternal
tick 11 - Dezephiel, guards
tick 12 - Veldygar (26 yards from door)
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:19, Sun 31 May 2009.

The mistake of many fighters, both Celestial, Immaculate, and mortal, was lack of respect.  Refusing to admit the skill of your opponent was one of the fastest ways to find yourself impaled by their blade, or bludgeoned by their maul.  Appearances, at first, may lead some (Veldy, for example) that the Dark Assassin that was Broken Eternal had no respect for the Immaculate monks that he was fighting, or for the one that he all-but slaughtered.  This could not be further from the truth.  Eternal respected the Immaculate Order a great deal--but he loathed it even more.  From the lowliest grunts to the Immaculate Dragons themselves, he hated every strand of hair, every fiber of clothing, every single scale in question to those that had imposed and created such a place as Five Coils...and created a being such as he.

He struck back at the Immaculate Monk after dodging her through the Abyss, and was briefly surprised that his blow did not cut as deeply as he wanted--the blood of Pasiap ran deeply in this one, and she would not go down without more effort, it seemed.  And for her part, she was not so ready to fall without giving every ounce of strength she had--the work and effort of a dying fool, Eternal thought, but even a foolish display of power was a sight to behold, and her sudden surge of Elemental energies was stunning.  Had his heart not been devoured by the Neverborn, Eternal might have well been stunned by the sight of it, trapped in awe of such power.  As a mortal, surely he would have.  But he was far from mortal--and far from helpless himself.

He knew the weapon she wielded, as he knew most weapons--he had been trained as a assassin, after all, even before he crossed the threshold.  After all, the Dragon-Blooded had wanted a strong weapon to use--what good would he have been to them unable to channel the dark powers bestowed upon him?  But before he was the stuff of Nightmares, he was a highly skilled mortal, and it was those skills that he depended on now, as the energies of the nether still crackled from his form, preventing him from tapping into those forbidden talents as he did just moments before.  With his other blade still entertaining the other monk, Eternal improvised with what he had in attempt to deflect the foreboding blow that threatened him.

With tactical grace, Eternal stepped toward the blow, swinging his body quickly and efficiently as he quickly turned his darkglaive upside down in his grip, so that the blade ran along his right forearm.  His right side toward her as he stepped, he brought his arm up, fortified by the blade, and made to bat the massive hammer aside as it threatened to crush him, just enough so that it would glide past him--no doubt annihilating whatever wall or floor that weapon did collide with, but if he was successful, that wretched weapon would not be breaking his bones, or spilling his marrow.  He was not going to be bested by the first Dragon-Blood he saw since this mission began.  Oh no--there were going to be more.

Many, many more.

Despite Eternal's best efforts to deflect the goremaul, sliding it toward the wall, Anya redoubles her efforts and pushes against the parry, actually pressing the daiklave against the Abyssal's arm and following through.

"I... won't... let you!!" growls Anya thickly, spitting blood as her heavy weapon slams Eternal's arm toward his body, shoving him back with enough force to knock the wind out of him.

Nonetheless, the blade interposed in the way manages to absorb the large part of the otherwise massive impact. (3B damage on Eternal.) But he feels the overwhelming energy of Earth welling from that strike, seeping into his body, turning his muscles and bones slowly rigid. It is with a sudden cold shock that Eternal realizes he is being frozen in place, though his senses can still absorb everything that is going on around him.

Yet Anya does not immediately strike to defeat him. Her next move appears to be to reach Kiros and find a way to save him before his life dwindles completely, disregarding even the vitriol phenomenon eating through the door.

---

OOC: Eternal is inactive for 3x5 ticks... in the meantime I'll play out Veldygar's moves, as he's busy with finals.

Dezephiel continues to fight off the guards approaching its position. The guard captain attempts to coordinate his troops, but they're too green and unused to combat with demons. Shouting wordlessly, they blast their shock pikes wildly at the clamoring cloud arsenal, and manage to damage it shallowly. The demon lets out a shriek and sends out two more arrows that bury into two guards' ashigaru armor.

Veldygar blasts at Anya with his shock pike, determined to make it inside no matter what might happen. The female monk swings her goremaul around, catching the flicker of motion before the ripple of invisible force comes her way, but the parry attempt is ineffectual. The force blast nicks her neck, adding to the blood already pouring from her ravaged face.

Anya reaches Kiros, pulls Eternal's other sword free of him and discards it, holding him protectively. She remains on guard for further attacks from Veldygar, clearly intending to withdraw, but with Gugoona ruining the door she cannot unlock the door any more. Faced with no choice but to endure, she attempts to stop Kiros' bleeding -- and prays to Pasiap to protect her long enough to save them both.

Gugoona, fully materialized, continues eating through the door while the guards push on towards the tomescu. The guard captain's fire lance belches a streamer of hot flame, bathing the tomescu in elemental fire. The demon hisses warningly, rearing back as the guards follow suit, projecting force thrusts from their shock pikes in hasty succession. Its many limbs rise to parry, effortlessly blocking four out of five with spears and hook sword limbs. One powerful attack very nearly pierces its fog-shrouded carapace, and it musters a surge of Essence to forcefully deflect the pike attack so it dissipates harmlessly.

While Dezephiel continues to hold a defensive position, inching closer and closer to the door, Veldygar slashes at Anya from afar once more, sending another ripple of force that impacts harmlessly with her armor. He starts to run toward the door, his focus shifted from outright killing the guards and towards getting inside safely as Gugoona's acid does its work. Knowing that challenging him now would be foolish, Anya rises to her feet and presses back against the wall, holding Kiros close.

And Gugoona finishes with the door. A man sized hole has been bored through the metal. The guards continue their barrage on Dezephiel, who is starting to weaken -- another accurate flame-blast from the guard captain's lance roasts the cloud arsenal's carapace, and the foul stench of cooked demon-flesh fills the corridor.

---

OOC: I rolled for about 10 ticks, moving the battle ahead.
tick 22 - Veldygar
tick 24 - Anya (running), Dezephiel (continue guarding)
tick 25 - Eternal, Gugoona
tick 26 - guards

Dezephiel (damaged 7L): 38 yards from door
Guards (3 damaged 1L, 2L, 2L): 85 yards from door
Eternal, Gugoona: at door
Veldygar: 2 yards past door
Anya (damaged 9L): 6 yards past the door, carrying Kiros

[Private to Veldygar Arhandor: If you still can't post in the next couple days, I'll assume you'll hide/use stealth charm as you mentioned in PM, rather than help Eternal. You haven't been hurt at all, and your only potential mote expenditure was using the shock pike twice. I'll let you decide if you used the battery or not. Also, I'm going to assume you'll also have Gugoona dematerialize unless you say otherwise.]

[Private to Broken Eternal: So... I decided Anya would prioritize saving Kiros over taking you out. Could make for an interesting future confrontation. On tick 25, you have a chance to attempt to hide and find a place to rest while the demons guard. Or you can chase down Anya and kill her and Kiros both. Your call. :)]
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:03, Sun 31 May 2009.

Cursing, Veldygar grabbed Eternal's clothes (and his remaining darkglaive, assuming the Immaculate had let it lying there) and ran into the opening, dragging the Abyssal with him. "Gugoona, ambush and delay them!" he whispered to the metody, and shouted: "Dezephiel, fall back!"

[Private to GM: [OOC: Strength+Athletics 6, I think I can pull him with me without too much difficulty. I'll drop him in a dark corner and activate my stealth before going away. I'll use the battery from now on. Gugoona will stay behind the door and clinch the first to go through (hopefully the officer). Sorry for the terse post, but I'm kinda busy ;p]]
This message was last edited by the player at 09:56, Sun 31 May 2009.

Taking a chance, Veldygar dashes through the opening in the door, grabbing Broken Eternal and the discarded daiklave and hauling them through. It's difficult considering Eternal is pretty much a dead weight, but he isn't rooted to the earth, at least. It does mean the Abyssal is pretty much dragged on the ground and is prone, on his knees, when he's released on the other side. At this point, though, the guards still facing Dezephiel cannot see either of them.

Anya, seeking escape for herself as well, hesitates briefly between saving Kiros and taking Eternal out. But Veldygar's intervention pushes her to rush through the hole Gugoona made, carrying her companion right past their position without stopping, shouting, "This man has been hurt! He needs help immediately!"

Past the door, the two Celestials have the opportunity to hide and assess their surroundings. The hospital lobby, unlike the caverns outside, is built with solid granite walls. The room is lit by Essence lighting, with pillars near the four corners keeping the structure stable. From their position (just right of the entrance, covered by the shadow of a pillar, at least for now) they can catch sight of three exits besides the acid-eaten door, one on each wall besides the entrance. The exit on the back wall is several yards behind and to the left of a small shrine and statue to Pasiap.

A pair of monks in acolyte robes rush forward to receive Anya and Kiros and bring them to safety, while another figure addresses Anya from just beyond the back door. "Caras Anya, do not be rash. You cannot fight in that state. Alert the hospital staff that we are under attack; we will handle the demon invaders. Their summoners must be near--be alert!" He steps through the door with two junior monks flanking him.

---

OOC: Another crappy map... I'm having a hard time describing all this in just text. I am going to assume for now that you will both be hiding and thus out of combat for the time being. Veldygar used a charm to avoid notice, Eternal should be able to do the same.

[Private to Veldygar Arhandor: it's fine. I wasn't necessarily expecting an IC post, even. I'll have Dezephiel and Gugoona dematerialize once you can get away, but I'll also warn you: part of all Immaculates' training are basic charms that let them see dematerialized spirits.]

    \5
  --- ---------------   [[O]]  small shrine

	o      pillars
o  [[O]]  o	-	granite walls
	{ }    cavern walls
4	I      door (closed)

  I                 I   \      door (open)

	1 - Eternal and Veldygar (hiding?)
o         o	2 - Gugoona (at acid eaten door)
1	3 - Dezephiel and guards (still fighting)

  -------- 2 --------   4 - Anya, Kiros, 2 acolytes
         {   }              (moving toward left door)
         {   }          5 - 3 monks (moving out of rear door)
         { 3 }

Veldygar hid in the shadows, hoping that the two storming demons would prove a suitable distraction. He observed the three issues, trying to identify symbols or clues.

[OOC: Guarding. Are there symbols or a map (I think there should be in a hospital, but hey, it's science fantasy), and is Eternal able to move?]