"The dread necromancers used their foul magics even on simple-minded beast?  The chaos they rein must be stopped!"  Solomon is saddened by having to put this beast down, when ordinarily he may have allowed it to live.  He tapped Cho'kobo with a heel once more spurring it into action.  "Let us put it down quick then and end its sufferring."

Solomon:

Initiative: 7

Current/Max HP: 72/72
  Current AC: 22
   - Touch: 12
   - Flat-Footed: 20
  CMD: 22

Target:  Grey Render
  Rolls:
08:33, Today: Solomon rolled 4 using 1d6. acid damage.
08:33, Today: Solomon rolled 15 using 1d10+12. solomon damage.
08:33, Today: Solomon rolled 32 using 1d20+13. Solomon attack.

Actions:
   - Full-Round:
   - Standard: Tetsubo attack
   - Move: Ride-by attack 50' straight ahead (no AoA's)
   - Swift: Elemental Assault

Cho'kobo:

Initiative: 7

Current/Max HP: 52/52
  Current AC: 20
Ride check 21 for "Mounted Combat" feat to avoid any damage if Cho'kobo is hit.

Target: Grey Render
  Rolls:
08:31, Today: Solomon rolled 19 using 2d6+15. cho'kobo damage.
08:31, Today: Solomon rolled 23 using 1d20+11. Cho'kobo attack.
 

As she skips past the body on her way to the beast, Felecia has to tramp down a strong urge to investigate it. The beast was her first priority. She comes around it's back side and lashes out with both sets of flaming claws once she's in range.



OOC:
Initiative: 21

Current/Max HP: 58/58
Current AC: 21
 - Touch: 15
 - Flat-Footed: 21
CMD: 21

Target:
Rolls:
12:47, Today: Felicia Armstrong rolled 28 using 1d20+10. Attack claw 1.
12:45, Today: Felicia Armstrong rolled 12,6,8 using 2d6+5,1d6,4d6. Claw 1 damage, fire, backstab.
12:46, Today: Felicia Armstrong rolled 14 using 1d20+10. Attack claw 2.
12:46, Today: Felicia Armstrong rolled 13,2,12 using 2d6+5,1d6,4d6. Claw 2 damage, fire, backstab.



Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard:
 - Move: to B-5
 - Free:

This message was last edited by the player at 16:53, Fri 29 June 2012.

Raznik flings another bullet at the beast as Yx'raul continues its assault, aiming for the creature's belly. As he reloads he looks at Temnir, his own pain resurfacing once more.

Raznik:

Initiative: 16

Current/Max HP: 64/64
Current AC: 14
 - Touch: 10
 - Flat-Footed: 14
CMD: 16

Target: Enemy at C6-D7
Rolls:

22:30, Today: Raznik Tayn rolled 6 using 1d4+4. Damage.
22:30, Today: Raznik Tayn rolled 23 using 1d20+8. Attack.

Buffs: Inspire Courage (+2 morale vs charm, fear; +2 attack; +2 damage)
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Attack
 - Move: Load Sling
 - Free:

Yx'raul:

Initiative: 15

Current/Max HP: 52/52
Current AC: 27
 - Touch: 13
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 23

Target: Enemy at coordinate C6-D7
Rolls:

22:36, Today: Raznik Tayn rolled 16,12,10,8 using 1d8+8,1d8+6,1d4+6,1d4+6. Damage.
22:35, Today: Raznik Tayn rolled 23,18,14,20 using 1d20+12,1d20+12,1d20+12,1d20+12. Yx'raul Bite, Slam, 2x Claws

Buffs: Mage Armor (+4 armor AC), Inspire Courage (+2 morale vs charm, fear; +2 attack; +2 damage)
Debuffs:

Actions:
 - Full-Round: Full-Attack (successful bite has Eidolon poison - type poison (injury); save Fort negates; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d4 Str damage; cure 1 save DC 14)
 - Standard:
 - Move:
 - Free:

Kuldar let out a heavy 'OOF!' when he collided with the boulder, falling to his feet. "Och...tha' took the wind out of me..." He made a strained noise as he started to get up, then noticed the proximity of the Grey Render, and saw it still wit ha hold of Kilgur. He looked around, and yelled out. "Damn it all! Can someone help me up?" He called out, not wanting to see his trusted friend and mount be torn to shreds by some necromantically altered beast. Once up from some magical assistance, Kuldar raises his shield and moves around the beast to try and get into a favorable position, using his lasting inspiration to try and hack some more flesh from its frame.

All the while Kilgur continues his fight against the thing, hoping to pay it back for the damage it had caused, but can't quite get a good hold of the thing to really deal any damage.

Kilgur
Initiative: 19(delayed until Kuldar)

Current/Max HP: 37/51
Current AC: 23
 - Touch: 10
 - Flat-Footed: 23
CMD: 18(+4 vs Trip)

Target: Grey Render at coordinate C6-D7
Rolls: 22:29, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 17,16 using d20+10,d8+14. Kilgur Gore.

Buffs: Inspire Courage +2
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Attack Grey Render
 - Move:
 - Free: 5ft step to E7

Initiative: 19(delayed until Renard)

Current/Max HP: 62/75
Current AC: 25
 - Touch: 13
 - Flat-Footed: 24
CMD: 20(+4 vs Trip/Bull Rush)

Target: Grey Render at coordinate C6-D7
Rolls: 22:27, Today: Kuldar Balak rolled 30,13 using d20+13,d10+6. Dwarven Waraxe.

Buffs: Inspire Courage +2
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Attack Grey Render
 - Move: Move to B7
 - Free:
This message was last edited by the player at 05:55, Sat 30 June 2012.

More than a little disturbed by the idea that this monster was somehow alive despite it's gory wounds Renard decides to focus on healing and support for the time being.  He moves a bit closer to the action, though staying just out of reach of the creature, letting the others keep it's attention, while maintaining a position central to most of the group members so he can easily reach anyone fairly quickly.  It was Kuldar and his boar that Renard was focused on now, both having taken at least a little damage.  He was planning on some healing, but neither looked particularly bad off.  What would be more effective, likely, would be getting Kuldar back on his feet, and so that's what he does, casting a spell of levitation.

Initiative: 19

Current/Max HP: 68/68
Current AC: 20
 - Touch: 15
 - Flat-Footed: 17
CMD: 21

Target: Kuldar
Rolls:

Buffs: (Bonuses from spells, abilities, etc.)
Debuffs: (Ailments from spells, abilities, etc.)

1: 6/6 (DC 15)
2: 5/6 (DC 16)
3: 3/4 (DC 17)

Actions:
 - Full-Round:
 - Standard: Cast levitate
 - Move: Move to G-8
 - Free:

Felicia comes barreling around the corner of the rock outcropping at linking speed, keeping her body low to the ground as she moves into the gray render's blind spot. Her claws extend and burst into flames as she slices once, twice. The first claw suffers the same fate as many of the prior attempts to harm the beast and the second is thrown off by the loss of balance from expecting to meet resistance.

"Och...tha' took the wind out of me..." Kuldar groans, pushing his top half off the ground and taking a look around, trying to regain his bearings after having the wind knocked out of him. "Damn it all! Can someone help me up?" The gray render being right on top of him, he didn't seem quite pleased with the idea of getting the creature's attention in this vulnerable of a position. Meanwhile, Kilgur squeals and tries to draw attention to himself to defend his downed master as it makes a play for the flesh of the thing's stomach but can't quite get in close enough.

Renard surveyed the battlefield and saw that he had something that he could help with, providing Jeeves didn't see it as a marvelous opportunity for a prank and send the dwarf flying out of sight into the mist. Luck was on his side today though as he motions with both hands and the dwarf quickly is lifted to his feet by an unseen force. Nodding in the oracle's direction, he flips his waraxe in his hand and moves into the render's blind spot, looking to pay it back for the insult and injury. Half expecting his axe to go through the creature, Kuldar finds himself slightly shocked when the axe embeds itself in the creature's flesh a good 10 inches. What really surprises him though is that the creature doesn't even flinch, much less show any reaction to the agonizing pain a blow like that would normally cause someone if it didn't outright kill them first.

Finally turning his attention to the eidolon who had continually been tearing at its leg and side, the render lowers it's body, grabs Yx'razul by the shoulders and begins running full tilt, sending the eidolon backwards at alarming speed before it lets him go, sending him rolling across the ground for some feet before he comes to a stop, largely unharmed but a bit surprised. Not deterring him in the least bit, Yx'razul charges headlong back into base to base, dodging under an arm as it swings for his head and sinks his teeth into the creature's stomach, each puncture mark releasing a small stream of dark red blood down its front. Raznik had shot a sling bullet at the render as it passed but it seemed to go right through it and reloads while shooting Temnir a sympathetic glance.

"The dread necromancers used their foul magics even on simple-minded beast?  The chaos they rein must be stopped!" Solomon announces solemnly but sternly as he turns Cho'kobo back towards the deformed creature. "Let us put it down quick then and end its suffering," he says sympathetically as he charges, tetsubo at the ready. Felicia dives out of the way of the charging axe beak at the last moment with reflexes borne of years of practice, allowing the two to move on unimpeded. This time the results of the duo's attacks are reversed. While Cho'kobo's attack hits nothing but air, Solomon's giant acid covered tetsubo slams into the creature's back in the same spot that Kuldar had chopped at it with his axe, tearing a large chunk of flesh clean off and sending it flying into the mist.

Temnir meanwhile swears as the render moves away from where he had been positioning himself and jogs closer to the beast to bring it into better view, the mist partially hiding its form from him. Temnir raises both hands before him, wrists crossed and calls out to Solomon urgently, "Watch yourself! This is going to be close!" Before he even finishes his sentence, fire begins to spark into life from the palms of his hands. Solomon, fearing what was about to happen, yanks Cho'kobo's reigns to the left and raises his arm over his head from the jet of flame that erupts from the mage's hands. The flames pour over the render's body as it turns, lightning fast, towards its assailant and roars horrifyingly, the flames entering it's throat not seeming to deter it in the slightest as the giant monstrosity takes a step towards Temnir, all six beady red eyes fixed on the mage. "Have some more then, damn you!" he yells at the creature as the flames burst forth stronger still, engulfing the whole beast. It almost seemed as if it was going to continue towards Temnir and rip him apart limb by limb but it slowly drops to one knee, opens its mouth as if to roar defiantly again, and drops face-first into the ground, causing the ground to shake violently.

Temnir keeps the flames going for a few more seconds before relenting and stepping back from the now charred black corpse of the gray render. Even in death, the thing continues to put off a displaced image of itself when the oddest thing happens. It begins to disappear. But it isn't actually gone. The few places of its flesh that were still aflame remain visible and upon looking closely, it seems that it is merely invisible as it lays motionless.



Party Status
Kuldar: -13 hp
Kilgur: -14 hp
Everyone Else: Full hp
This message was last edited by the GM at 08:22, Sat 30 June 2012.

Temnir stutter steps back a few feet and then falls back onto the ground, arms stretched out behind him and back arched as he pants for air, partly from the exertion, partly from the fear and emotions raging inside him. This was turning out to be one bitch of a day and he would be happy when it was over and done with. He quickly shoots a glade at each of his team mates, making sure nobody had succumb to any injuries before sitting up but remaining on the ground for the time being.

Felecia lets out a huff of breath in disgust that she did not get to really help the others, then remembers something.

Solomon pats the axe beak's powerful neck.  It had done well, far better than any camel would have.  He then looked around the battlefield to make sure none were seriously injured.  Kuldar and his boar seemed a little batterred and bruised, but everyone else seemed untouched.

"Well, our journey isn't over yet.  We had best move soon.  The noise of battle may yet draw more attention our way.  While Heldenburg may have fallen that doesn't mean Temnir's friends have.  They may yet have found a way to escape.  Temnir, do you know if there were any tunnels beneith the castle?  Felicia, did you see any thing that may give hope that there were survivors?"  Solomon was doing his best to give hope even though the situation seemed most dire.

"Something that large.. honestly I was expecting more of a fight."  He shuffles over towards Kuldar and Kilgur and channels some healing energy into them (likely catching Felicia and Temnir within the range of the healing as well.)  "What's our next move?  Can't heal a city like you can a person, but maybe there's some folks who got away hiding nearby?"

08:14, Today: Renard Waywynd rolled 17 using 4d6. Channel Energy - healing.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:15, Sat 30 June 2012.

Felecia comes out from behind the rocks holding something in her hands. As she approaches she answers Solomon, "Not really. There looked to be a few building that might not have been destroyed, but I did not get close enough to really check them out. Thing where moving out there in the mists."

To the others she says, "There was a body behind the rocks there. I found these vials on it. Anyone here know how to figure out what they are?"

She holds them out to the others and hands them over if anyone wants to try and figure them out.

OOC:
four vials of different colored liquids; a clear one, a yellow one,
a light brown one, and a swirling pink and white one.

"Sounds like one hell of a drinking game," he said with a chuckle to lighten the mood.  He shrugged in answer to Felicia's quesion.  He didn't know what fluids were contained in the vials.

Spellcraft = 6
This message was last edited by the player at 21:32, Sat 30 June 2012.

Raznik spends the immediate aftermath of the battle in silence, standing apart from the group once more, deep in contemplation. As Felicia retrieves the vials his attention is drawn back to the present, and he casts a cantrip, examining them.

Kuldar clears his throat, before taking the vials and spending a few minutes looking them over with an appraising glance.

Casting Identify 4 times, taking 10 on spellcraft, so total 22.

Between the various people examining the vials and their contents and the differing opinions helping to check and balance each other, the group is able to determine the effects of each of the vials in relatively short order. The yellow potion is an oil that, when it makes contact with steel, emanates light as if it were the sun's rays itself. The clear potion, when imbibed, calls upon divine protection to dissuade blows from causing harm to the imbiber. The light brown potion has healing properties that will help cure ailments of the senses, specifically blindness and deafness. Finally, the pink and white swirling potion seems to have properties similar to the recently deceased render smoldering behind the group and, even contained within the vial seems to be in two places at once.

OOC: Updated the descriptions on the XP / Loot Thread to account for them
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:19, Sun 01 July 2012.

Solomon strolls over and offers Temnir and hand up.  "Until I am convinced your friends are truly lost, this mission is not yet over.  Besides even after we succeed or fail, and our paths part ways, I have a new mission.  Pelor's justice must be delivered upon these necromancers.  Their spread of death and destruction must be stopped.  Even if I die, I will make sure tales of my glory live on long after."

After allowing the others time enough to catch their breath and to identify the magic potions Solomon speaks up.  "Everyone gather your belongings and your wits.  We continue on."  Once again he mounts Cho'kobo, this time electing to take point.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:51, Sun 01 July 2012.

Temnir stares at the paladin's hand for a moment but in the end takes it and gets to his feet. "Well it's nice to know that if my companions should be lost to us that I will at least have one ally left to me. I don't exactly fancy walking into the mouth of the underworld by myself." Raising his eyebrow in a joking way, "After all, I'll need someone to stand in front of me and catch swords for me." Clapping Solomon on the back, he walks over to where he had dropped his belongings and begins making sure none of this things had been lost out of the pack before slinging it over his shoulder at the paladin's suggestion.

His somber demeanor forced back in place, he turns back to the group as they prepare to make way, "If Heldenburg is all but a pile of rubble as you say Felicia, then I suggest we bypass it completely. There is nothing else we can do for the people there, assuming any are left. I suggest instead that we perhaps make way to the cave in which I saw my companions last before I found myself back in the desert with you lot. Any objections?"

Nodding, Raznik motions for Yx'raul, which had been approaching its master, to move away, before following Soloman, moody as ever, and once again wary of his eidolon. As they walk, he looks over at Temnir, watching him quietly. After a few moments, he approaches the man. "I too once had a master." Saying nothing more, he continues to walk alongside the man in silence. For Raznik this was as close to outwardly asking about someone's past as it got, without being extremely impolite.

Felecia quietly takes up a lead position as the group once more heads out. She stays closer this time unless one of the others asks her to scout further ahead. She occasional looks a bit distracted if anyone is walking with her.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:40, Mon 02 July 2012.

Kuldar notes the potions' abilities, trying to memorize which was which. "Now then...who carries what? These may yet come in handy, after all." He says as they begin moving forward, thanking Renard for his healing, and the spell earlier- even if floating was not exactly his favorite thing in the world.

GM Edit: Let's take this side convo to OOC so we don't get too caught up in one place with it. I'll be moving the store along here momentarily. If you have any last things you want to do in the area, do them now or give a retroactive post at the beginning of your next one if I've already posted by then.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:52, Mon 02 July 2012.

Solomon heads the traveling party with Temnir keeping nearby giving the paladin directions on where he believes the cave to be. He had only been there once after all and the mist was not helping his sense of direction. It takes until mid-afternoon to find the entrance to the coal mine and with the mist a little less pervasive in this area, the mountainside above seems as if it is a never-ending wall, stretching forever upwards and as far as the mist will allow sight to either side. The mouth of the cave is as wide as it is tall, about thirty feet, allowing even Solomon mounted on Cho'kobo in without trouble. Some of the mist seems to enter the cave but does not continue too far in from what you can see.

There is a set of tracks on the floor which are used to push the mining carts from deeper within the cavern, which seems to be natural, out into the open to be collected and sent to Heldenburg for refinement. No light seems to come forth from the opening and the only sound from within is the steady dripping of condensation off of the stalactites that populate the ceiling.



OOC: Looking for party order, an effective leader to choose the path the group takes, and any preparations you make before going into the cave. I'll have a map in a different thread that I update as you make progress.
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:59, Tue 03 July 2012.

"Felicia, you've proven yourself an adept scout.  If you wouldn't mind taking the lead?  Not too far ahead this time though.  I'll be right behind.  Raznik, Kuldar, and Renard in the middle.  Temnir and Yx'raul in the rear in case we are followed from behind."  He gives everyone a moment to shuffle about into their assigned positions.  As of yet no one had questioned him, and he was thoroughly enjoying his role leading the party.

Solomon had always felt confident in his ability to lead others.  However, his tribe was very traditional, and Solomon was always breaking those traditions.  Thus, until now, he was never entrusted to lead.

Solomon drew close to Raznik.  "I've noticed you alway send Yx'raul to lead the way, and after seeing him fight, I can understand why.  I also don't know if he is more man or beast, but he is unnatural.  You must make sure that he knows his role.  You are the dominant one, not him.  If you always let the dog lead, he'll never learn to heel," he advised.  In a more light-hearted tone he continued, "You kind of know the story of how I met Cho'kobo.  When next we camp, you must satisfy my curiousity on how you met your beast."

Raznik seems reluctant to allow Felicia and Soloman to lead when the expendable beast could take the brunt of any surprises, though Soloman's words struck home. "It is a hard tale to tell, but perhaps it is owed." Motioning to Yx'raul to move to the back, the beast grins a toothy grin, but follows directions, taking up the rear with the tasty looking pig.

Solomon, wary of what dangers may lurk inside the cave, leaves Cho'kobo at the entrance.  The large bird could not see in pitch black dark.  If ever the cave were to become to thin for the bird to pass through, then it would not be able to make its way out on its own. "Guard," he ordered.  The Axe Beak seemed reluctant to leave his master's side.  It clacked its massive beak in defiance, but then sat down against the stone wall.  Its head swivled back and forth as it stared off into the mist.  "Take care my friend."

Solomon then starts to move into the cave, pausing only momentarily to light a torch.  With a torch in one hand and Pelor's Thumb, his tetsubo, in the other he stood ready.

Felecia starts off into the cave. She sets a pace slow enough to give a good chance of spotting most traps. As Solomon had said, there was likely no living things in here friendly to their group and as such, no hurry.