Assault on the Borentalon Estate

[Narsuun]

4/22/2012

Final assault. Whether the reasons be to leave no enemy behind or reduce the evils of the world by a considerable force, the final push is not with shard-recovery in mind, but rather the defeat of the Lich herself, and her phlactery. Unleashing his most powerful demons onto the worst the Lich could summon, the Lord throws himself at the shade in order to keep its attention. Meanwhile, Vensyn, Haku, Landi, Valdir, Alov, David Shai, Tathar Maksa and Narsuun, move through the final rooms of the sprawling Manor. Faced with the threat of divisiveness as one of the creatures within enchants two of their party with opposiing influences, in the end it is that diversity of thinkng that wins the party the time they needed for Spellcarver himself to end it all - but not without great cost to himself.

[The Assault on the Borentalon Estate is completed, barring the IC rewards due to those characters who participated. Thank all of you for playing, and we hope you had fun! ]


---------------Older Posts---------------

4/18/2012

Third assault! While the ground forces wage war against the Estate grounds, burning up the Lich's attention, the Lord sends one of his finest sons, Captain Darious Breathstealer, to lead Fenris Wolfshock, Ricardo Suave, and Valencia Bronte to find a cache of shards! Battling the wicked temptations of power, as promised by one of the Mistress's most deadly plants, and the more diffcult temptations of mercy in exchange for betrayal - the team perseveres and succeeds to startling success! Now...there is just one last thing to do.

4/12/12

Second assault! Lord Spellcarver, joined by Tathar, Haku, Illiandi, Vensyn, Hestia, and Delrick returned to the manor to continue the assault. What they found was a decimated battleground, the guards left at the courtyard gates gone! Within, the archmage confronted the shade who has possessed Tathar's previous employer, allowing the party to enter the building. Led by the majordomo's memory of her former home, everyone piled into the basement laboratory where they were confronted with a monstrous sight. After a battle which left the guard captain near death and Delrick sorely wounded, the archmage returned, still fighting the shade, and the party was teleported back to the manor, their numbers increased by one. Lord Spellcarver's demons could be seen taking the limp body of Tathar, and a male who looks quite like her, up to the manor above.

4/7/2012

First assault! The archmage, returned to health, stood in the square and called for volunteers to participate in the first confrontation with the army located on the Borentalen Estate! Among those in this first assault were Narsuun Taceo, Alov, Illiandi Bondsmiller, David Shai, Tathar Maksa, and the archmage himself, along with his demonic army. While the lord's children took care of the strange and twisted plant creatures guarding the Estate, the specialized strike team, lead by Lord Spellcarver, broke through the gates, fighting both spectral canines and a giant fungus monster. The archmage's children currently hold this vital location while the heroes of the day recuperate from this first battle. All were healed before returning home, but many would bear the mental images of this day forever and the archmage is now missing an arm.

3/29/2012

Attack on the Manor! Around dinnertime, the alarms sounded with a summons for any available fighter to arm themselves and defend the upper island! Overtaken by the sudden growth of a maliciously planted Tanglewood Tree, the core of the upper island was being tapped to lash out directly at the Lord and his property. A three pronged defense was lodged with the guardforce on the ground, repelling the few vicious gospogs that tumbled down to wreak havoc; the Lord himself on gryphon back fighting alongside a mysterious great red dragon to repel the Tanglewood roots, and; the Lady Darkhand taking up the Agnen Blade to lead a group of militia into the heart of the Manor, to the Fulcrum itself. While the attack was successfully repelled, the Lord was gravely wounded, and the Island's rule temporarily rests in the vulnerable hands of a bewildered and weakened Lady Darkhand.


3/28/2012

In preparation of war, Spellcarver has begun to gather and amass his ground troops. Seen more and more commonly in the town, the Fallenblades and Duskweavers move in columns from the guardhouse to the beach and back, performing their drills, and by the thousands.

Of particularly foul mood is the island's Trade Minister, Haku Loa, who has been suddenly tasked with making sure one final shipment into the island contains enough food to last. Imports and Exports have been halted, and the people of Dandria's Rest must live off their stores and the land until the crisis has passed...or the island comes under new rulership.

After all, Lord Spellcarver now has struck a deal with his peers that should the Lady Darkhand fall, Spellcarver himself should fall with her.


3/24/12

As word of Lady Darkhand's illness and the subsequent call for Champions begins to spread, it even becomes the buzz for strangers on the Island to hear in even the lightest of day-to-day transactions.

Known to very few, however, is the fact that the Island continues to make her own preparations in an attempt to divert the Lord of the Island from awakening an unspeakable force. It is her fear, and the fear of those learning of that force's nature, that should the Champions fail, the Lord has terrible plans.

Soon the Council of War will be called, and those conscripted or volunteering to aid will be brought to the Lord's table for the deadly details. Lingering more frequently in the town square the garrulous and abrasive imp, Klathaak, has been sent to work as a messenger, collecting the words of those who pledge their skills.

[Illiandi Bondsmiller]

Spellcarver those moments in life where one screams "EUREKA!" were sort of rare. The reality of it was that Spell spent a rediculous amount of time at study, even after all these years, knowlege was limtless if you only applied yourself. He was waiting for everyone to gather, and he seemed disturbed, as well as annoyed.

Narsuun Taceo grunts as he enters the library. He looks tired. He's been spending the last couple of days preparing for his journey, and stressing over it considerably. He's almost finished packing, but he doesn't look happy to have been brought up here. He swallows that, though, as he enters, and looks across the room at Spellcarver. "What is it?" He asks gently.

Tathar Maksa slips into the library with several trays of dinner, having asked for who was invited. The homunculus sees to it that the invisible servants set each of the tables for the other three, the meal consisting of roasted chicken and buttered broccoli. That done, she murmurs pleasantly, "Good evening, Lord Spellcarver, Lord Narsuun."

Ålov was surprised when she was called for to come to the library from the tailor shop. She'd been helping out Eugenia for a few hours, mending some torn clothes and so on -- nothing fancy. She'd caught the tail-end of Narsuun and followed him to the library, however. Smoothing out her dress, she attempted to look presentable. Brows lifted some as she walked into the room, "Good evening. Everyzhing ees okay?"

Spellcarver turned to look at all of them, and notably didn't move to eat. He was hard to convince to eat when he was like this, the goal before him was all consuming. "Son." He nodded to Narsuun, and then again to Alov. "Alright....so soon after the incident with the Cage of Stolen Life, I'm afraid we will likely need to sorte' yet again. I've discovered a disturbing problem, a matter of the security of our little island. Narsuun, you will leave soon, so I will ask that you understand the situation and try to recruit Champions that I will likely need. Everyone settle to eat while I explain." He would wait for them all to sit.

Narsuun Taceo's eyebrows raise. He falls silent and listens, immediately understanding the importance of the situation. When dinner is brought for them he smiles. "That is very kind, Lady Darkhand. Thank you." He crosses to sit at the table where Spellcarver is standing, though doesn't dig in until Alov has been seated as well. "Champions?" He asks gently. "You would rather I bring outside help than ask another fight of the citizens... Very well."

Tathar Maksa bobs her head to Alov, giving her a polite smile. One little hand reaches out to pat at the archmage's arm before she settles at one of the tables, though she does not touch her meal as she looks to the man with a faintly worried frown.

Ålov's eyelashes fluttered a little as it seemed dinner had been prepared for them already. She sat across from Narsuun and smiled to the lady, "Zhanking you." She'd smooth her dress down and look up to Spellcarver again at mention of the cage. She'd been with that group and frowned a little, "Eet ees because we are using zee cage? Island veell turn like zhat place? Eento desert?" Thank the gods she had a snow room now.

Spellcarver turned to sit down across from Tathar and let out a sigh, "No, and no. Narsuun I need you to find Champions from among the citizens. And no, Alov, the Cage may yet again be our salvation. Tathar is....not well..." He reached out to fold his hands over her's. "She is fine right now, but in time, she will not be. Its my fault....I should have thought more clearly, I should have done more tests. Tathar has become exposed to the Vitae Diadem, its a very powerful Starsmithed Artifact, it runs primarly on the energy produced by one's own soul....and its bound to Tathar. However, my darling has only half of a soul. That is very advanced, highly taboo magic, to take a soul from a living being, wipe it clean, and fracture it to simulate the act of creating life. In most cases, a fractured soul will repair itself, forming multiple souls that are full and complete, but that takes a lot of time. Tathar's soul not only has not grown, it is now being depleted each time she puts on the Vitae Diadem. If she uses it for an extended time, say....for a year....she will die."

Narsuun Taceo's ears twitch with some confusion, but he settles to eat, and listens carefully as Spellcarver explains. He frowns when the issue is explained in full, looking over toward Tathar. "That won't do..." He murmurs, looking up at Spellcarver. "I'll do my best to recruit whom I can. But you know more than anyone I can not delay my quest. Perhaps... If I stay for an extra day, or two, I might have time..." He continues to eat as he ponders.

Tathar Maksa smiles at the touch, wrapping her fingers around the archmage's, though that expression falters slightly as he says she is not well. Brows drawing together as he speaks, when her lord finishes explaining, and the feline speaks on how little time he has, she murmurs agreeably, "I, I shall just not use it any more, my lord. I should not like to inconvenience anyone."

Ålov poked around some at her food as Spellcarver explained and Narsuun replied to him. The new apprentice glanced around the room some and frowned, "Vhat is zhere zhat I can do?" She hadn't had any training or anything. She was just... handy to have around in that, well, she was a pretty hard worker and so on. "I do not zhink finding people to be helping vell be hard, really. Everyone on zee island loves zee Lady. I know I veell be helping --" Glancing from Narsuun to Spellcarver, "Eef I am allowed."

Spellcarver nodded to Alov, "You will be allowed, and you won't go alone into the dark." To Narsuun he said, "Just recruit for me, go on your quest, when you return, if we have not set off yet, you can join the fray. And this time.....I will take to the field as well. The Staff of Chains and the Ordrope Diadem will shine again on Kasuria." He looked back to Tathar and smiled lovingly, strained and looking sad, "You don't understand my darling..." He reached up with one hand to carress her cheek, "You must have your Diadem, that's why I gave it to you, it is part of your Fate, and you and it are now inextricably bound. There will come a day when you will scarcely remove it anymore, because once such a thing has Bound itself to you, it will insist that it be worn, and be used. We must heal your fractured soul. There are only two solutions...I could slay you, which would unbind the Diadem, and I could attempt to revive you, but under conditions at best you would be a shadow of what you are now, the other solution is to find out what happened to the remains of the soul that was used to animate you. And...to do that, I have asked a special guest to come, to answer that question and a few others." He looked to the door....

The Village of Nasmara was already there. How long she had been there was unknown. She was there, a human woman's shape, but seemed to be made of anything that was near her, like camoflage. Her lower half looked and was the same color as the tile, one side of her seemed to be books and bookshelf, while the other was the color of the walls, and the same texture as well. "It has been quite some time, my Maker." She said in a clear, and rather beautiful tone of voice.

Narsuun Taceo nods gently. He frowns. He would prefer not to go at all, to help his father in a time of need... If he returns and is wounded he may be of little use. Sighing, finishes his food. It was tasty and satisfying, but he can't quite bring himself to be content even with a full tummy. When another makes her presence known, he starts, and looks around.

Tathar Maksa nibbles on her lip at the archmage's reply, turning a surprised look upon Alov as the woman says everyone loves her! Dropping her gaze to her food, the homunculus's eyes widen as she hears a familiar voice, and she peeks over her shoulder obviously a bit awed.

Ålov picked up a piece of broccoli a bit hesitantly, uncertain what it was. She knew it was a serious situation at hand, but she couldn't help but lean over to Tathar and point to it, "Ees leetul tree?" She didn't really know how else she could help, other than offering her... well, spear-wielding skills if they were needed. The new voice had the woman looking around as she popped the broccoli into her mouth. Not sure if she liked broccoli, really.

Spellcarver stood up as the beign spoke, and he frowned, a note of bitterness to his tone, "It would not be so long between our meetings if you would come when I call for you. You come when not asked, and pay no heed when I call! Before you disappear....tell me why, Tethok. Why did you betray me? Why do you not obey me? I gave you life. I made you powerful beyond measure. I gave you everything, and yet I must beg and plead for the shortest of audiances with you....you should be on your knees in front of me, groveling with gratitude for the gifts I bestowed on you!"

The Village of Nasmara seemed to smile as Spell's anger washed over her, "You need not call me Tethok, Maker. That is no longer my name. I am Dandria's Rest. I am Nasmara. And what betrayal do you refer to? I serve the Lord Darkhand, in ways no one else can or does. When you made me, you made me into a weapon.....you were a broken man, a hollow being who knew only destruction and hunger. I slaughtered thousands in your name in those days, because I believed it was what you wanted. Then I began to change, and yet you did not. When I gained the ability to read your mind, and see that tattered rag you call a soul, I understood what I had to do....and that task is nearly complete. I am this island, I am this house, I am everything around you, and it all bows to your will. It all grovels at your feet in gratitude. You simply do not know what it is you truely desire. I know what your fondest wishes are....and I am giving them to you, one by one. Now you are becoming whole again, as you were in Kenyon. She gestured to Tathar, "You know love." She then pointed to Narsuun, "Forgiveness." And to Alov, "Pride and compassion, all things you lacked when I inhabited this place. For a time, I feared I could not give you what you wanted, as you fought me time and time again....but I knew I was close when I brought the fish-woman here. I set the sharks on her not because I did not want her here, I did it because I knew you would find her....and you didn't slay her. You gave her asylum, and aid, and though you were enraged by your own feelings of pity for a stranger, you felt and acted on them. I have served you, My Maker, in ways you cannot imagin....and I will never betray you."

Narsuun Taceo turns to face the woman, leaning his back against the wall and folding his arms over his chest. Now this is getting interesting... He lets out a long breath, and listens carefully. He glances, once in a while, to Spellcarver.

Tathar Maksa is distracted from staring at the lady as Alov waves a 'little tree' at her, the homunculus murmuring helpfully, "It is a piece of broccoli, Miss Alov, they are a vegetable and grow in bunches." Her eyes then turn surreptitiously toward the other woman's camouflaged feet, listening as her lord and the being speak. One little hand reaches out again to touch against the archmage's fingers.

Ålov considered the broccoli for a moment and listened to the conversation at hand. She too, fell quiet, however and poked around on her plate a little more. Eyes looked towards the door, briefly, before she looked to Narsuun. None of this really made sense to the woman who had, just a few days prior, lived the life of a simple human. Her brain was probably going to break in a few days.

Spellcarver glared at the 'woman' as it spoke, and when Tathar touched his hand, his features softened a moment before he spoke defiantly, "If you know my inner desires so well, creature, then what are they? Why are they hidden from me? And how can I find my wife's remaining soul fragments? That is why I need you here. I must have your aid, as well, to mend her soul once I have it. Like before you left me alone in this damndable mudball I'm chained to!"

The Village of Nasmara again, Spell's anger seemed to not bother the creature. She let out a peal of beautiful, adoring laughter at the man's ire, before answering in a cheerful and loving tone, "Spellcarver, please....you already know all of that....at least you suspect it. Your desires are nothing more or less than to be a man again. A real man, complete and whole. You are obsessed with the idea of passing on your burden so that you can die, and have rest, but even that goal isn't what's truely your deepest desire. You have persued power and legitimacy because of what your own people did to you for so long that you've failed to realize that you already have all of that. More than you need, and you've had it for a long time. Now you wish to be a real person again. You're almost there! If you would stop identifying your own desires as weakness, stop fighting me, we could achieve it so much more quickly! You wanted to be legitimate, recognized....you are Lord of an island, these people swear fealty to you, is that not enough? To be called Lord, to own this land, and me, to weild the power of an Elder Fate? You focus only on what you don't have, and frankly don't need. You don't need more power than the Fate of Wrath, you don't need the recognition of the Kasurian government, before Kenyon was destroyed, you forged your own way, and it was good enough! You have it now, you just need to appreciate it. As for your other needs...I will of course accomodate you. The answer is the one that escaped my grasp. Jhaes....I could not retrieve him before his untimely destruction, but I know where the fragments of his soul are. A portal will be opened in the Fulcrum, you need only assemble your Champions. It will be dangerous, but if you can bring those fragments to the confines of this island, I will again join with you, and we will mend Tathar's soul....but you must do something for me. In the Joining, you could again Bind me, and force me to serve your concious Will without question, imprison me again. If I am to aid you, you must swear to not do this. You must swear by your Name."

Narsuun Taceo leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his fingers together. His wings twitch ever so slightly. Never has he had any insight into the island's motives. To have her speaking so frankly in front of him... Many things become clearer to him. When she makes her request of Spellcarver, his eyes widen.

Tathar Maksa squeezes her husband's hand at his angry words, her gaze remaining lowered as the two speak. A bit fretfully, the homunculus poke her fork at her cooling dinner, not yet having taken a bite. She peeks a brief glance toward the other table of two before sneaking another look at the woman standing near the door.

Ålov's head was hurting quite a bit now as she tried to comprehend all of this. She looked to Tathar, making brief eye contact, before looking to Spellcarver and the woman he was talking to. At least she tried to look at the woman. Whoever she was, she sounded powerful, Alov felt small and rather weak in comparison to everyone else in the room, honestly. Eyes closed tightly as she reached up to rub her temples, making an attempt to stop her head from aching more.

Spellcarver paled with rage and sudden fear at his own creation. She was hideously more powerful than she was when she left him....and yet she still served him? What was her motivation? Her power seemed to possibly rival his own. "What do you want from me?" He whispered. "What, when you finish this goal of yours, do you want?" He didn't swear to anything at first, but once he stared down at Tathar, his eye wide with fear of losing her, he turned back to her and snarled hatefully, "I swear it. By the name of Geteral Darkhand!" He spat the name out at her spitefully.

The Village of Nasmara didn't laugh or seem soothing this time, "If and when I achieve your innermost desire....I request that you reward me by releasing Aaromis the Stormchaser from his prison in the Fulcrum, and replace him with me. That is all." She approached Tathar, reaching down to cup her cheeks and turn her to face the 'woman'. "You, my pretty, have served so well. He has forged you into a Lady, and when you are whole, you can and must forge him into a man." She bent and kissed Tathar on each cheek, before suddenly seeming to blow away like a phantom, leaving the four in the room alone.

Narsuun Taceo spends a few moments in something resembling shock. He watches where the phantom was, as if she were still there, unable to quite find the words. Slowly, he turns toward Spellcarver. The island had named him. Had he been just another part of her plans? The thought of being controlled from every direction disturbs him. "Well." He can't really think of anything else.

Tathar Maksa turns an apologetic gaze upon her lord as he answers the woman, giving his hand another soft squeeze before her face is caught by the woman. Eyes a bit wide she murmurs quietly, "If it pleases him, I shall try, ma'am." Not quite so quick in her thoughts, nor autonomous as the catlord, she merely blinks when the woman fades, expression one of faint disappointment before she murmurs, "Would anyone like dessert? I have made cake."

Ålov's brows lifted a little as she looked to Narsuun, then to Tathar and finally to Spellcarver. Picking up her now empty plate, she'd reach for Narsuun's if he was done. "Vell! Zhat certainly vas eentaresting." She didn't see the point in sitting around and doing nothing, anyway. Never did. "I zhink ve should start trying to find zee Lady's soul, ja? Vhere should ve being looking first?" Standing at the door some, with intentions of helping Tathar, should she need it.

Spellcarver released Tathar's hand and slumped into a seat with a tired expression, before suddenly shouting, "I will never release Aaromis! Do you hear me? Never!" Holy shit he seemed unhinged at the moment. He snarled to Alov, "Go rest. Tomorrow we begin training in earnest. You must be as close to combat ready by the time I prepare the Champions, you will go with them. Narsuun....one week, perhaps two, that's all the time you have if you wish to accompany us."

[Illiandi Bondsmiller]

4/7/12

The sound of roaring from the beach was getting louder. The Fallenblade Clan was whipping themselves into a frenzy tonight, and for good reason. The light of portals opening, the sound of measured steps marching: The invasion had begun. The main body of the army was moving into position, soon blood would be spilled, and it seemed the Lord would make good on his promise to attend personally. With two cerimonial guards beside him, the Lord came down to the village square, the light of the Ordrope Diadem casting a brilliant blue glow across the stones as he passed, the Staff of Chains clutched in one hand. He stood at the village square, and projected his voice magically for all to hear, "After exhaustive work, we have broken through the outer lands of our enemy's stronghold. The invasion has begun. I ask you now for volunteers, no one will be forced to go. If I go alone, so be it. Those who would consider putting themselves to the hazard, join me in the square now."

Tathar Maksa stands quietly at her lord's side, wearing her own glowing green diadem

Landi inhales when he hears the call. Not heading immediately outside, he heads briefly from his shop to his front door. He's been ready, at least in terms of supplies. For a moment, two sillhouettes are seen in the window, standing close together, before the smaller one pulls back in order to shift his armor directly over his work clothes. He is helped, slowly and silently, and then a familiar moment for anyone who has seen the men interact; The taller shadow holds the smaller's ear a moment, and there's a flinch of pain. When Landi arrives to view again, he's alone, and a black silk blind fold covers half his expression. Tucking something small into his armor's jacket, he leaves with his crook in his free hand and a bag slung over his shoulder, walking in the heavy armor wth more weight on him than the wood and thickly layered cloth puts on him.

Try to keep your posts short <3 Otherwise its gonna be a very long night ;-) []

Ålov excused herself from the inn to quickly slink to the guardhouse to grab her armor from her room, hood and all, but no real weapon. Nothing tangible, at least. Thanks to Narsuun, Alov was feeling much clearer of heart and mind. The hood to her outfit wasn't lifted, yet, but no doubt would when they stepped into battle. The roaring from the beach had the woman's heart pounding though and when she appeared next to the stage, jaw squared and brows knitted downwards, she gave Spellcarver a confident, but otherwise stern look. She was certain she was ready.

Narsuun Taceo is quick to arrive. He steps out of his house wearing hardended leather armour. It's not particularly impressive, but it keeps him mobile. Atop it he bears a white surcoat with his heraldry on it, the soaring bird of prey surrounded by flame. He bears no weapons to speak of. He pads toward the stage silently, and stands before Spellcarver.

David Shai had snuck up to where he hid his things and gathered up a bow and arrows. It was all he had but he was highly curious and strongly wanted to be of some use. He rushed out just a bit after Avol and took not of the gathering around the... well... hot tempered Spellcarver. He wanted to be appart of what was about to happen.

Spellcarver stood waiting, and when the people gathered he smiled faintly. "What I am about to propose you kind folk do is nothing short of legendary. The possibility of casualties exist, however I give you my solemn pledge that I will see to your families if you don't come home again. Those of you who are wounded will know the finest care I can bring to bear, and those of you who may not recover fully will know my generosity in years to come. The prize is for me, I will not lie. It benefits you nothing to simply go with me into the hazard, and so I will offer each of you, or your spouses if need be, a reward when the task is done. Regardless of performance. Anyone who does not wish to join the fray may walk away now, there will be no punishment, and I will not think less of you."

Tathar Maksa's expression is grave at her lord's words, a polite mask hovering over her features as she keeps close to the man, gaze upon the stage beneath her feet. Guiltily she raises her eyes to look over those gathered around the stage, though the homunculus looks only a moment before directing her eyes downward once more.

Landi remains silent, feeling the stare on his back. With new empathy for his brother, Landi neither lifts his voice in any support nor walks away. His only action is to look up to the silent Tathar Maksa, meeting her scan before she looks down, and he does as well.

Ålov lifted her eyes upwards and around the square for a moment or two, looking for familiar purple and teal feathers. She seemed a little sad, if only because she hadn't seen Ikarus all day and knew there was a possibility, like Spellcarver said, that she wouldn't come back. Hands lifted however and began to braid back her hair, the slightly shorter piece hanging out, however. Hood was lifted up as she'd prepare herself, not planning on going anywhere, either.

Narsuun Taceo folds his arms over his chest and remains where he is. He glances around for Vensyn and frowns. He would like that sword to be used, whether or not Vensyn is the one to wield it. With a sigh, he puts it out of his mind. He doubts the guard captain would miss this. "To victory or a beautiful death." He calls.

David Shai remained a bit back as curiosity welled up inside him. He could sware that he was a cat in the past life before this one. He had seen a couple of those there more then once or twice and knew at least someone would know whom he was if something were to happem to him. But the slender lad was a bit scared but one male before him he had only seen once and yet, the comment somehow made him think of others he had met before. David was silent but was going to attempt to go.

Spellcarver nodded as there were no objections. "Very well. The portal is open, and I can get us through it from here. We will join the main force, which I must aid for a moment. Once they have cleared our path, we will enter and begin clearing the inside of the compound. We do not have to do so all at once. I'd be happy at just getting into the courtyard right now." He raised his hand, feeling about on something invisible. "We go, now." His hand jerked down after grabbing something, and there was a jarring sensation as everyone was transported. [Join The Village of Nasmara ]

Tathar Maksa stumbles slightly at that jarring sensation of transportation, the homunculus pressing a little hand to her face. Wide green eyes take in the landscape around the group, and she wavers a moment at the familiar crossroads, with a very familiar gate not far up the road. Shrinking, the little woman's breathing grows a bit quick, her expression fearful.

Landi looked back. Of course he looked back. For a moment he shook, feeling the terrible pull to stay, but after a thick swallow, andi follows through with his promises. Immediately suffering the ever-surprising pain of ~distance, coupled with the way the portals always take him through disorientation and nausea, he makes a terrible wet sound in his throat, sounding like a "olp.." and helpless he rests in his crook a moment, bent over the draconic and druidic armor.


Ålov shuddered and went a little green-faced as well as they were transported. As she'd appeared nearby Landi, her eyebrows furrowed and she pressed a gentle hand to his arm, checking to make sure he was okay, but she didn't say anything. Hands were just offered as support, if he needed it. Eyes would stray to David whenever he showed up, to check on him as well.

Narsuun Taceo doesn't move or seem to react much when the group is shifted through space. He's become rather accustomed to this method of travel over the years. His eyes had drifted to his home as they left, but he sternly forced them away again. Those thoughts pushed from his mind.

David Shai He had never EVER in his life experienced ANYthing like that at all. A trip through ANY portal was new enough that when he went through, he certaintly had motion sickness. He almost dropped to his knees but held up and gasped but did not puke. His body shook a bit while he inhaled rather deeply and slowly released. A slight smile would indicate, to Avol, that he was well. "W-Wow..."

The army was there, hulking masses of thousands of Fallenblades and Duskweavers. There was a crashing sound in the woods ahead of them all, and shapes began to emerge, too dark to make out clearly. Some appeared feral, others humanoid, but there were a lot of them. Enough, even, that an army was needed. Then there were more, larger ones, large enough to be ogres or even giants, hulking even above the vaunted Fallenblade clan. Growling from the trees was heard, and it was returned by the demons. It got louder, louder still, until the two sides were nearly roaring at each other, some of the demons clawing lines into their own chests with signs of bloodlust and religious frenzy. Amon stepped ahead of the rest, cracking sounds coming from his body as bones stuck up from his shoulders, which he reached back and casually ripped out, what seemed to be two serrated blades of bloody bone. He pointed one of these at the largest of the dark shapes before bellowing, "The first to fell one of the large ones earns the General's favor!" There wasn't a second, even a breath of hesitation, it was at the full and complete step: some of them even ran on all fours like beasts. War was rarely the romantic vision people had from books, the sound of flesh hitting flesh, of bone snapping and metal bending as the forefront of each army struck one another for the first time was something that one would never forget. And yet there were no screams of pain from the Demons, only exhaultation, only joy, only lust for this moment. Spell stood watching, his gaze calculating, waiting for that moment when he could safely get all of them past this point.

Tathar Maksa watches with a sort of horrified fascination as the two nightmarish armies meet, her breathing still quick and faintly panicked, her body trembling just slightly. The homunculus keeps near her lord, though does not touch the man.

Landi recovers slowly. Surprised to find a hand on his forest green armor, he straightens, and nods. As the din sinks through his disoriented senses, revulsion is the first thing that strikes him. Uncertain for a wild moment which of this was the enemy, and experiencing several angry memories from his brother washing up over him, he pants as he tries to crush them down. He'd been unwell, and he sounds it as he asks, "May I begin to gather energy?" In his armor, he could carry enough to handle five large-scale spells without recharge or exhaustion.

Ålov pulled her hand away when Landi seemed to be okay, glancing to the figures in the distance with furrowed brows, before she looked around them quietly, trying to make herself feel a little more at home and at ease in this situation. That's what was supposed to help her keep calm and not kill the wrong people, right?

Narsuun Taceo does get a shiver. His wings tense against his back and he takes in a shaky breath. He had seen this before, but was on the other side of it. But when the clash begins he does not look away. The memory of his once enemy is vivid and disturbing, but he forces himself to bare the sight. "Fight well, Amon." He murmurs with inexplicable concern for the demon. He breathes deep into his diaphragm, drawing in the familiar scent of battle.

David Shai was not realizing how remarkably stupid he was for heading into the sort of thing that he chose to join. Well, there was not turning back but he was not going to hold back on pulling his shadows around him. There was not going to be any fear of that this time. All he had was a bow, arrows, possibly water(forgot to mention before)and his shadows. Stage on of covering him begon as the shadows seem to spread a bit over him but not yet by much. David made sure all was acounted for on his person before actually taking notice anything more. It was a frightening sight ahead and David did not want to let himself panic because what was there. However, his eyes shifted to Spellcarver in order to focus on something that would lead them rather then his fear.

Spellcarver looked back towords the party and frowned, "No magic. Not yet. That means you too." He pointed to David. "We have to get in first, there are sensitives out there, they are probing for battle mages, which is why I didn't bring any in the main body of the army." There was a brief shimmer of light, and then nothing as Spell cast something on all of them, or around them to be more accurate. "We'll be harder to detect, but we are not invisible. Move fast. When I say run, you will literally run for your life from here to the front gate. Do not stop for anything, do not trip and fall. Until we get to the gate, those who fall behind will remain behind. Now..." he reached out to grab Tathar's hand in his. "....run!" It would be an exercise in terror, Spell sprinted headlong towords the battle, and yet didn't raise his hand to anything even if it looked at him. Things seemed to notice them, but then seemed to change their mind. He ducked and weaved between demons clawing and fell creatures bing one another, rushing for the gate. [Moving forward.]


Tathar Maksa lets out a startled little cry as she is pulled along by her lord, the homunculus keeping terrified eyes mostly upon the back of the man's head as she runs as fast as her short legs can to keep up with his weaving and ducking through the battle before them. Her hand clutching at his, the little woman continues with that fine, fearful trembling.

Landi was also trying to breathe. It was...not easy to be on ~this side of a demonc horde. Not at all. His pack carried one of Hannah's waterflasks, her sustenance spoon, matches and tinder, one candle stub, dressing and bandages, the last dose of medicine he has, socks (of all things, since the man valued dry feet in bad situations), some dried meat and that was it. His belt pouch had another earring, a braid of his brother's and his husband's hair, a proper tinderbox and his last cigarette. His breast pocket - his rosary and his contraband vial of stranglethorn seeds; half his supply. His mental inventory was calming, and so as the order was given, he ~moves. Slower than normal in his heavy armor, he falls to the back of their party as they move, keeping his head down and his crook in tight with him lest it snags on the press of bodies.

Ålov also took to the back of the group, if only to make sure everyone else was herded up, so to speak. That should have been Landi's job, considering his choice of... weapon, but Alov felt that as... sort of Spellcarver's apprentice, she had some sort of responsibility to try and keep everyone together. She was also a bit fat, so that didn't help any either.

Narsuun Taceo notes that the back of the group is well taken care of by Alov and Landi, so he falls into stride alongside David, keeping a close eye on him, hovering like a protective sibling. A few pouches bump against his thighs as he runs, a water flask, a few field rations, and one filled with silver dust. One of Pierette's featers has been sewn into the leather upon his chest.

David Shai never once thought about his abilities as magic. They were appart of him. But, he was not about to argue about it. Especially if he were, and highly likely he was, wrong. He was not going to chance it and dropped his shadow. It was going to take an unbeleivable amount of control on his part but running he could do. If David was anything, do to what he once did to survive, he was quick; light on his feet and he also was very capable of doing what he was told. He would not want to leave people behind but he dare not stop. He did not even realize anyone had been close by. His only stop was where Spellcarver would have them stop

Spellcarver halted when the gates were in sight. "No guards?" He murmered, but it was obvious from his voice that he knew that wasn't true. He eyed the gates. "Blasting that open would be too noisy..." But then there was movement. Over the top of the wall crawled three impossible creatures. Like canines, or...Breathstealers? They were terribly thin, and seemed to be outlined in smoke. Their maws opened, and a hissing sound was heard. Spell's brow lifted, "Well...that's a new one on me. On your life, hold nothing back!" He raised the Staff of Chains, and it began to burn with a grey fire. [Combat starting! Get busy! :-P]

Tathar Maksa halts as her lord does, panting for breath as she stands behind the archmage. At his mumbled words, she looks toward those gates blocking their entry with wide-eyed fear, and as the ghostly canine creatures appear, she lets out a strangled fearful noise in the back of her throat. The homunculus freezes for a few precious seconds before her diadem glows with a bright green light in a fifteen foot radius about her. Those caught within the light would feel their magical abilities enhanced. [Light of Inspiration - .5 prep per round for spell casters. 1/10 channeled]

Landi arrives with barely a glance behind him to check for followers. Hearing a call to arms, he curses with a "Tcha" sound. The aburpt shift in orders from no magic to all magic leaves him flatfooted with nothing stored to immediately punch with, and so his crook comes up in familiar hands as his feet solidly connect wth this foreign soil. Dangerously dividing his attentions in the warm glow of Maksa's sudden light, he finds....his connection extremely easy, and he reaches immediately into the tree to their left, moving out towards it to be a bit away from the others; his melee weapon requires some space. Unless he meets active resistance, the plant would be his soon.

Ålov's fingers clenched a little as she followed the group, eyes widening some at the creatures that greeted them at the gate. Eyes closed as the woman attempted to channel magic from the area to herself. She hadn't had much warning or time to practice Narsuun's newly taught technique, honestly! Symbols were drawn, however as she felt confident that things were flowing appropriately and she'd cast, quietly, "Caries Corporis." Decay of the Corpse, of course. Focus was sent on one of the creature's heads, actually, as that was a limb. Hopefully a withering of that would just... kill the animal right off (Prep 1.5/4)

Narsuun Taceo reacts immediately. He's not wasting any time. He moves to positon himself between the casters of the group and the creatures, putting an obstacle between them and those that need to concentrate. He does not charge, but he does advance, his right paw passing through the air in odd circles and waves. Moisture begins to gather about his paw, making the air around him drier, then colder, as the moisture starts to freeze. Battle comes back to the weary magus quickly. His movements are smoothe and swift, the force of his Will a suddenly striking presence on the field. [1.5/3 Freezing Touch]

David Shai it was all just so fasinating. They were all so damned amazing and he just had his shadows. He watched the creatures and then watched everyone else as he got his bow ready. David was scared but looked rather stoic at that time. The first stage of his shadow haven began but he was not going to be completely engulfed He only needed to shroud himself just enough. As he took aim with his first arrow, he thought about only making his mark like the creatures were going to be meat; not that they were actually edible. [prep 1/3]

The dogs seemed to be more than just feral beasts, there were smart. The two on the ends casually began to circle to either side, seeking to circumvent Narsuun's protective walk, without engaging him. The one in the middle pressed the attack. Even if two people focused on keeping the three at bay, one would get through. The first of the dogs lept right for the center of the group, which was Spell. The other two continued their slow, lazy gait, until the one nearest Narsuun darted for him, dropping down to snap at his legs. Heat. There was heat. Their mouths seemed to burn whatever they touched, if they managed to touch. The one on the far end lunged for Landi, but at the last moment juked to try to get around him and rush for an attack on Tathar and David from behind, snapping low towords the backs of their heels if he got through.
Spellcarver moved up with Narsuun. There were no meatshields, and they were the most experienced that he knew of. The staff burned with grey Magefire, but he cast none of his famous spells or curses. Instead he grabbed the base of the staff and took a fucking golf swing at Narsuun's assailent, catching it in the stomach. There was a hissing sound as the thing was flung back, the mage fire burning it, but rather than continue to whip the creature around and into the ground as he intended, the thing split into two, and reformed as a whole again towords Narsuun. Spell's eye caught a major details, however: The creature was still burned. "Fight them, they can disperse but they are not invincible!"

Tathar Maksa's channeling bobbles for a moment as she watches the canines with terrified green eyes, her body shaking harder in her fear. Panting in gasping breathes of air, she lets out a startled little cry as one of the dogs attempts to lunge past Landi, the homunculus backing up and very nearly breaking off to run for the nearest hiding place. Instead she backs herself against a tree and continues with her channeling, her voice rather high as she mumbles, "Nonononono!"

Landi keeps his eyes open behind his blindfold, and allows his senses to ~gather. Barely able to discern his comrades from the chaos behind them, he begins to funnel the roiling free bonanza of life behind him compassionately into new form. Anything alive back there, falling dead in coincidence with his pull, is used to revitalized the black and twisted tree. "It is mine," he announces to anyone that might be listening. As they are flanked, Landi takes a step to his right to close their ring around Maksa, saying, "Oontanx fethos." Following a sweep of his crook, a frighteningly fast branch rolls, twists, and lances out in a physical display from the revitalized tree, sprouting twigs and branches in a massive rush of growth. It is possible that anything trying to pass or, worse, leap that barrier, would be pinched or skewered on their way in on moist greenwood. (URL: 3.bp.blogspot.com/_mGkoANc7fi0/TUcJjZpQWUI/AAAAAAAAB-Y/pYHHNRL10dw/s1600/bizarre-tree-.jpg)

Ålov clasped her hands infront of her as she sort of tuned out everyone else's cries and their own spells, still focused on the creature she'd decided would be her target. For all the chaos that was around them, they'd find Alov would be... surprisingly (if not a little sickeningly) calm. As hands pulled towards herself, she'd progress the spell, magic ebbing to collect at her center to be projected onto the beast of her choice (3/4)

Narsuun Taceo's eyes dart from side to side, grunting as he notes the tactical error. Too many casters in the kitchen. Oh well. When the dogs, and Spellcarver, leap into action, he instinctively reacts to his father's movements. Rather than going for the one snapping at him, he dashes behind Spellcarver's swing and twists on his feet, spinning as he advances, pressing left shoulderblade to Spellcarver's left shoulderblade and rolling his back along his mentor's to swiftly get in front of him but remain out of his way. But he kicks off with his feet, too, leaping into the air and using Spellcarver's back like a piece of acrobatic euqipment to meet the leaping dog head on - aiming to grab it by the neck with his frozen fingers, passing the harmful magic on, and use the rotary momentum to knock it out of the air, and if all goes well, land on top of it. [3/3 Freezing Touch.]

The dog circling behind Landi was caught by the sudden fence of life in front of it, tangling in its mess, cutting itslef up rather nicely before it turned to black goo, slopped on the ground, crawled out of it, and then reformed. That took enough time that the creature couldn't press the attack right away, but it was obvious the creature had eyes for Tathar. The one Narsuun grabbed had just enough time to hiss out a yelping sound before its throat froze over and cracked as it was slammed to the ground, it was dead...it just didn't know it yet. It snapped weakly at Narsuun's arms, in the throes of its last moments already. The last lept at Spell again, but rather than press the attack from the front, it split into two black balls and darted around him on either side, reforming again behind him and rushing towords Alov.

Spellcarver turned around when he realized he had been faked out, turning around and grabbing the creature as it lept, snagging on to the back of its neck like it were an erring pet, and hauling it back towords him, slamming the butt of his staff down on top of its head, burning it again and causing it to yelp, but physically the creature was stronger than him. It was going to get out of his hasty grasp, it was only a matter of seconds before the sheer suprise of what it just had to go through stopped halting its tactical sense.
Spellcarver: [Skip David this round.]

Tathar Maksa continues to stand rather fearfully amidst the group of casters, the light of her diadem mostly unwavering as she channels its powers. Green eyes gone huge with fear, her movements are jerky and sharp as she watches the dogs around her and pants in a terrified fashion. [Light of Inspiration 3/10]

Landi continues to funnel from the loose-life font of the battlefield, though all of it stores now in his now-glowing armor. Forced to perform hastily by simply smushing the damn thing with a tree, he glances over to the flurry of blue and white to his right. Dogs. Were ~these the dogs set on Maksa's family? Or cruel coincdence? Not able to safely employ the tree further, not as they are forced closer and closer together, he switches to a purely physical defense and as the narrow-necked creature tries to rush past him to her, his crook's hooked end sweeps under. Holding a horizontal bar, hopefully with a part of the strong but spindly thing in the hook, he shouts and heaves up as with an overhead press, trying to repell the creature to buy yet more time.

Ålov, thankfully, had been focusing on the creature that seemed to be after her blood, using a good deal of will power to complete the spell. Clasped hands pulled towards herself to complete the gesture of the withering spell, hoping the creature's head would decay and so on. She'd completed the spell perfectly on Narsuun the night before and was using the same technique now, save she was a bit more confident and slightly more prepared. Eyes closed, however as she instinctively winced, waiting to feel heat and teeth and whatever snap her in two and burn her to a crisp, almost. (4.5/4)

Narsuun Taceo roars out in pain as the dying dog catches his right arm and burns his flesh. He shuts his eyes tight and rolls away from the beast, confident that he's done his damage. He holds his arm against his body and tries his best to get to his feet quickly, but he's not going to be back in the fight for a few moments.

The Village of Nasmara's eye went wide as he saw Alov's motion, then closed very quickly. He was holding the damn dog she was aiming at! The result was inevitable......shrivel shrivel shrivel POP! Squishy decayed brains sprayed out as the creature's head caved in, and Spell was still Lordly enough to find that pretty fucking gross. But no time for celebration or even anger right now. Landi was fighitnng a creature with a natural defense against physical attack. As he hooked the creature, it seemed to ooze out of his crook and back to the ground, but before it could reform, Spell slapped one of the oozes with his staff, and there was a burning light as a completely unformed blast of magic tore through the chunks. The thing snapped back together....but it was all wrong. Bits and bobs were connected in entirely random spots, its head was attached to one of its hips! The thing gave a single strangled cry as it bound up, unable to morph again or fix the problem before it simply died in that horrific shape.>>
Spellcarver totally posted that.[]

Spellcarver stood and panted, leaning against the now dimly glowing Staff of Chains. "Son." He croaked. "Only you, my one graduated student, would get wounded on the first charge." And then he laughed. He laughed a relieved laugh, and looked to Tathar, "Darling, its alright. We are not so bad at this, mm? You did well, love. Focus only on the mission, I command you, let all other emotion go for now." It was for her benefit, to shut down her fear through command.

Tathar Maksa crouches down, little hands lifting to cover her fluffy head as she hears Narsuun roar in pain and everyone was going to be eaten and then she would be alone and they would eat her too! Trembling little whimpers of sound leave her as she waits for the inevitable sounds of tearing flesh and more screams of pain. When instead her lord speaks, huge green eyes peer out from the cage of her fingers to glance around them uncertainly. At the archmage's command, however, she straightens, her expression blanking to one of disinterest as she dusts grass from her skirts. Her attention then turns to Narsuun, "Do you require assistance in healing?"

Landi cries out in pain of his own as a spell stronger than his blindfold was scripted to protect against. Pulling away from the sudden rain of ooze that patters from his smoldering crook, he has teh God-given sense to turn away from the flash of light that strikes close to him. Staring for a moment as the thng dies, he turns to the sound of laughter and takes stock. ~Not the sole or even primary healer here, he makes no offer to Narsuun of his own, and moves up to the gate. "I can try to lift the gates with the roots or branches," he says, gesturing with his striken weapon to the large capped hinges.

Ålov went a little stiff still, one eye peeking open only to see the creature's head shrivelling and then the popping sound? Well, Alov was covered in disgusting brains as well. Shoulders hunched a little bit as her face went green, which looked really horrible since it was scarred and covered in partial brain matter. "Coming to" so to speak, she looked to Spellcarver, reaching up with one hand to wipe her face sort of clean.

Narsuun Taceo manages a pained grin as he rights himself and checks his arm. "It's just a flesh wound. Besides, it wouldn't be any fun otherwise." His eyes turn to Tathar and he shakes his head. "Later. My arm still works. The heat closed the vessels, I won't lose blood. Let's keep moving." He looks toward Landi at the suggestion and nods in agreement.

Spellcarver chuckled to Narsuun and clapped him on his good shoulder, "That's the spirit, son. Its only an arm. You've still got the other one." He looked to Landi and scoffed at his suggestion, "You're going to break that open with....wait that's a brilliant idea!" Spell often discounted druidic magic, it was too hippy for him, but a battering ram was just a fucking tree in the first place! "Do it. Or at least try." [Landi only post now. Landi, roll 1d100 for great justice.]

Landi rolls 1d100 & gets 4.
Spellcarver: [Annnnd now, everyone roll a 1d10]
Tathar Maksa rolls 1d10 & gets 5.
Landi was sadly about to prove the lord's private thoughts right. "Oontanx Ajikis," he directs, but the tree, now much abused in being roused from its ungraceful death and hasty growing, is not stable enough. Though he tries, after only a few seconds, he shakes his head.

The tree rumbles, groans, and nothing....didn't bust open the gate. Spell looked disappointed, and was about to give orders when the gate blew open...from the inside. Ambush! The magic used had been enough to attract more than just a few dogs, in fact it was likely something they hadn't prepared for: Stink. It smelled HORRIBLE, and it was huge. It was also made of rotting plant matter, which is how it sensed them. Perhaps ten feet in total length, and wide enough to look deformed with its 'muscle', it was a Fungasaur, a giant living mushroom with very large teeth and a hideous stench. Two vine like limbs split from its sides, before whipping wildly down at the suprised party. Most notably stunned by the appearance was Narsuun, perhaps slowed by his wounds, who was grabbed up by the creature and tossed hard enough against the wall that one could hear his ribs breaking. He would lose conciousness instantly. Landi was struck superficially in the shoulder, but even that was enough that the poor man would need the next two rounds to get back into the battle after the numbing strike of the Fungasaur. Two party members down, one permanently. Party on, Nasmarans!

Spellcarver reacted with lightening speed, enough that it suprised even himself. He turned and reached up to touch the Ordrope Diadem, before the Staff light ablaze bright enough to light the whole front of the house. You shall not pass? Screw that, you aren't going to survive. He lifted the staff towords the creature and let out a roar of anger, the staff flew from his grasp, exploading into a mass of hooks, chains, razors and wire, which flattened itself against the creature's middle and started to squeeze, tearing into it like a death trap of magical nastiness. [Ordrope Diadem: Mastery. Staff of Chains: Ball O' Hurt.]

Tathar Maksa does not hesitate in her next movements at all, barely flinching as the giant rotting mushroom monster blows through the gates. Instead, her gaze goes immediately to the fallen catlord, flicking briefly toward Landi, and then the homunculus begins to channel the healing energies of her diadem into the feline. [1/5]

Ålov steadied herself a little, still wiping at the brain matter on her face as... something even worse smelling showed up. Ugh. Was everything here disgusting? This new... thing, she wasn't entirely certain about how to approach. She still knew only five spells, total, one of which wasn't even practical to use now, since she had no injuries. Focusing herself again, grounding and centering like Narsuun had taught her, even though the man had collapsed onto the ground, she'd lift her hand and whisper the hushed command hopefully to weaken the creature that was approaching them, without drawing too much attention to herself. [Weakness of the aging warrior 1/3]

Narsuun Taceo: [Skip me for now]

David Shai: roll id10
David Shai rolls 1d10 & gets 7.
David Shai rolls 1d100 & gets 84.
David Shai was far more shrouded then he intended but he went with it. He hoped he could not be seen but one could never tell with some creatures. He was usiing shadows around him but with movement if one looked close enough the could see a slight ripple. In any case, he had been using the shadows most of his life so he hoped he could fire clear and true. David aimed for what he hoped would be a weak spot. He cleared his focus and when he felt he had it, he fired.

The fungasaur roared with a strange tone, it sounded completely alien to anything that had grown up in the wholesome light of the sun. This creature came from caves even most Drow didn't dare traverse, and something had deliberately called it up here. If there was ever a doubt that whoever or whatever controlled this land was intellegent or malicious, it should be gone about now. The creature's body was shredding, slowly, by the Archmage's attack, but the Archmage was down by one staff due to it. The creature swung randomly at the crowd, twice with its vines, and finally spewed rotten green gas towords them.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d5 & gets 5.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d5 & gets 3.
The Village of Nasmara: [Holy god it is NOT landi's day.]
Narsuun Taceo: [Not LANDI's day?]
Narsuun Taceo: [Hmph.]
Narsuun Taceo: [ :-P]
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d5 & gets 2.

The first vine lashed out and struck David just after he loosed his arrow. The arrow, however, managed to sink right into the creatures mouth, which stopped it from breathing posionous gas on them all! Go David go! It was now hacking, coughing, and spewing up some dark green plant matter. They were hurting it, but how quickly? The thing whipped David right in the side, slapping him against a tree weakly, enough to knock the wind out of him and leave him damned sore in the morning. The second vine fell on the unfortunate Landi, who was lashed by the tip....just the tip, across the chest. It cut into his armor, and very superficially into his pale skin. That armor was ruined at this point, it wouldn't take another direct hit, but it had served him damn well thus far.

The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10+1 & gets 2.

Spellcarver had to do something. Something! He had to protect his people. He again reached up, holding one arm to his side, and the other up towords the creature, scrying the runes he needed into the air, but a bit of gas caught in his throat as he started to speak the spell. Massive fail! He coughed and grabbed his throat, staggering back as he turned much more pale than usual. [Holy god. The dice Gods are not kind tonight.]

Tathar Maksa's gaze again sweeps the field of battle as the combatants around her fall prey to the mycelium made monster. Seeing no one wounded worse than the catlord, she continues to channel that living energy into him, and the male would begin to feel the faintest pull of bones beginning to right themselves. [2/5]

Landi proves his other arm to exist manually, and his working arm pushes him to standing. He's just now able to flex his left hand's fingers again, but he's still obviously dumbstruck by the blow and the sparkling, pervasive pain from unwisely looking toward the flash this time. He tries in the ungainly armor, not designed for swift or particularly graceful movement, to get up nonetheless, and in all honesty should have remained ~down. Whipped across his chest, he cries out and slaps his right hand across his chest, rescuing by chance the two contents of the ruined pocket. His rosary beads, and the precious weapons of the seeds, rest in his hands as his eyes and mouth open in shock. Spurred by pain, he tries to rise to his feet, fumbling for the assistance of his crook. In the slicing of his jacket, his plackart is revealed - a golden tower with upraised dragon wings on a crimson field.

Ålov continued in the same fashion she had before, trying to ignore everyone and everything else, aside from the creature before her. Eyes closed as she visualized it in her head and everything flowing and shifting, working with her, rather than her forcing it to bend to her will. Gesture was began, fingers lifted and clenching tightly at first, raised nearly to shoulder-height. Eyes opened and she glanced to Spell, but only briefly from the corner of her eye. Whatever the creature was breathing was making her sick, but she knew she had to keep on and waivered only slightly, grip loosening as fingers slowly "let go" [2/3]

David Shai was sure his shot hit something. However, he did not really get a chance to see where. Something managed to strike him just hard enough to smack his slender form against a tree. His breath pushed out harshly passed his lips as, as they would say, the wind was litterally knocked out of him. He wheezed and pulled a breath back in as he dropped to his knees. His bow had been flung away from him and the dark shadows dropped away from his form. He caughed hard and tried to catch his breath while watery eyes locked on Landi. He glanced over and tried to use his shadow to reach out but the coughing would not allow him to consintrate the bow or his shadow. However, he did manage to catch his breath and move to Landi in hopes to help him stand again.

The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d5 & gets 3.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d5 & gets 5.
Spellcarver rolls 1d10+1 & gets 8.
Spellcarver rolls 1d100 & gets 60.

Spellcarver raised his hand again, trying to summon up the strength to speak through a screaming throat. The arm that was stretched out to his left suddenly turned black, then withered and completely fell off. The Law of Sympathy, sacrificing something magically charged to fuel something else. The vines came up, and then flew down to smash David and Landi again, perhaps for good this time, but hit a solid wall of a magical barrier. The barrier shattered after taking the double dose from the creature, but that was another round to give to the champions to fight back. There was no more posion breath, David had settled that, and the creature was still taking damage from the chains digging into its body. A little more could tip this battle in their favor!

Tathar Maksa again takes quiet stock of the battle around her, that glowing green gaze cool as she turns it back toward the catlord. The homunculus's magical channelling would finally show a visible effect as any cuts upon the male's body begin to close as any broken bones within him are knit together weakly. He would likely be able to move a little, though his wounds would cause him pain, [3/5]

Landi rolls 1d2 & gets 2.
Landi puts an arm against the thin and spindly youth's shoulder to stand the rest of the way up. With the cloth opened in front of hs chest, the leather straps and buckles used to hold it closed are visible. With the clatter of rosary beads against his crook, and the jingle of the seeds in their vial, cupping in his palm, he stares up at what...his mind blanks, and for a moment, he only thinks of his husband and his brother.... The moment of mortal fear passes as through the haze of the migraine he sees the shock-ripple of the shield take the blow instead, and he ...spits? Maksa and Alov have seen that incongrous gesture before, but with all the chaos and blows, it was a god-given miracle that the man hadn't swallowed them. Hurling a loogie down to the creature's...nasty, horrifically smelly base, he concentrates in on them.



Ålov hopefully would be able to help Landi, or Spell or Tathar or someone as her fingers lowered all the way, falling limp-like to complete the gesture that went with the spell, meant to weaken the creature. Unless it was close to dying, or she happened to be particularly in tune with everything, chance were she wouldn't kill the monster, but she certainly could help everyone else do so. [3/3]

Narsuun Taceo stirs and groans, but when he groans, the pain catches up to him. But he can feel the magic and his shifting body. He knows he's being healed. He utters a series of small, rather pathetic pained noises as he struggles to once again, stand. Shakily, slowly, he reaches down and pulls at the pouch of silver dust. "I'm your huckleberry." He grunts out as he sways awkwardly toward the creature. Then he tosses a whole bunch of silver dust into the air in front of him. Yeah. Take that. Now you're going to sparkle you bastard. But... The silver dust does not fall. It floats and flickers about in a shifting cloud. Maybe he's got something planned after all?
Landi rolls 1d100+20 (+10 experience, +10 debuff from Alov): (36) = 56.

David Shai watched Landi and then stepped back as vine came down. He saw Landi spit... something and then glanced over at his bow. David jerked left and dove for that bow in order to retreive it. Once he stood, he got another arrow read. Screw the casting time, he was going to try for another shot. David got ready to take another aim.

Spellcarver rolls 1d10+1 & gets 11.
Spellcarver: [....finally.]
Spellcarver: [It goes to 11]

Spellcarver raised his hand again, knowing that his last effort simply wasn't enough, before the creature could even react to what was happening, Spell clenched his fist and brought it down. There was a scream, and the Archmage burned like a human candle, cracks of black stone appearing over his face, and every other part of his exposed body. It was almost to the point that he would die, right there, another body lost, another week perhaps as a shriveled shroud, but with pinpoint control, with absolute effect, he thrust a hand out towords Narsuun, and then turned it to Landi, and finally to Tathar. Power. Unspeakable power. Provided by the Law of Sympathy, it was not arcane, it would not hurt Landi. It was the Old Magic, as pure and clean as freshly fallen snow, and twice as deadly when concentrated. Alov's spell had weakened the beast, and it was her attack that provided the time for this. [Narsuun, Landi, Tathar now post again, all spells fully complete, 100 of 100 severity.]

Tathar Maksa's body glows very nearly as bright as the sun, the runes which make up the little woman projected upon the ground and the walls and the fungus creature from beneath her black clothing, her gaze a fire of green light. Narsuun would find himself healed to complete health, his body in the prime of life, though the homunculus does not stop there. Momentarily given the powers of a god, her gaze moves over each of the combatants, healing their wounds completely as well before she begins to slowly drift toward the battle behind them, her attention slipping toward any of her lord's demons nearby and wounded.

Landi has seen the Lord do this once before, though with not so much pain attached to it! Whooping with the energy rush that he has once before used to borrow his ~brother's talents, he wastes no time in shouting "Oontanx Ajikis!" once more. THIS time with the nascent stranglethorn plants - a pair of them, to work with; his migraine, sliced chest and impacted shoulder all cleared away by Maksa's spectacular AOE healing; and a clarity of ~purpose, the two little seeds erupt up like green geysers, doing what comes naturally to that deadly species of plant Snarling around the so-easy-to-grow-into fungal surface, the roots dig in, the beast becomes covered, and all of its motions come to a grinding HALT, covered in vines too thick to budge.

Narsuun Taceo's eyes go wide. "Oh shit." He raises his arms and spreads them apart. He takes a deep breath, and lets out a strange note. A hum, but it vibrates with a strange quality. The kind of stomach-churning thumping that one gets by standing too close to a bass amp. [Sorry about that. Only reference I could think of]. His jaw slowly opens and the sounds grows louder, and the cloud of silver begins to vibrate, until each particle glows red hot, then white hot, Narsuun's voice disturbing them at the atomic level. Then he draws his right paw through the cloud and snaps his arm toward the creature. The silver particles collect in long, whip-like strands connected to his fingertips and wrap themselves several times around the bulk of the fungal menace. Then he pulls.

The creature wavered as it was weakened by Alov's spell. Such a small scale curse couldn't affect the creature for long, but if Alov didn't know how much a few extra seconds could mean in a battle, she would now. Vines, they engulphed the creature, and it ceased to move, looking like a standing tree of twisted vines, but still its muffled cries of rage and pain could be heard....and then....plant matter everywhere. It spilled out like blood and bile as the creature was thinly sliced like fresh fungasuar chips. It was done, the battle was won. Amidst all of that rotten plant matter, something glowing green twinkled like a long buried star. [Hold posts.]

Spellcarver dropped to his knees, shoulders smoking, arms as well. He let out a cry of pain, and then seemed to be weeping, before laughter lifted from his lips. The combined sounds of insane marked mirth and pain were....disturbing. He staggered to his feet with only one arm, and moved in a shambleing walk towords the dead creature. His only hand reached into his ruined vest, and retrieved the Cage of Stolen Life, which he held out towords that point of green light. It sucked it inside, sealing the lost life energy they had come to collect.....at least a part of it. He looked towords Narsuun, holding the mask out as he quieted his racket, tears still streaming down his burnt and blackened cheek. "Take them home." He croaked. "I'll be there shortly. Protect the Cage with your life, son."

The Village of Nasmara: [Last posts. Finishing up this round <3]

Tathar Maksa continues to wander toward the edge of the battle behind the group, the homunculus pausing near the wounded on the fringe and beginning to call up her healing abilities again for a demon lying on the ground before her. The glow of magic dims after her mass healing of her lord's villagers, but buffered slightly against the over use of her abilities, she is not worn out after their work today. [1/2]

Landi moves over toward the Lord, until the odd Mask is brought out and he shies back from it, well, like he's afraid ~that will kill him. "I'm...grateful I didn't try to kill it a different way," he whispers, and then reaches over to touch the Lord once more, if he can. "Let me do something for you," he says, with the full kilt of the armor glowing with a shifting, fungal glow. Not understanding the concept of going 'home' - he'd prepared himself and his husband for a separation of months - it doesn't even register in his mind as a thing. After all, some of the life energy stored may very well be from the fallen demons outside; a familiar seepage that he begins to filter into that tortured body.

Ålov stepped back quietly from the group as the foul-smelling creature was sliced and so on. She looked to Narsuun silently, then to Spellcarver and the others. Stepping from the path, she'd find David and approach him quietly, looking him over. "Are you okay?" She hadn't expected him to go, honestly, but he had. Since he was Ikarus' friend, his well-being was of great concern to Alov, she didn't want him to get home and die of an infection or something like that.

Narsuun Taceo flicks his wrist and the deadly strands of silver burst into a harmless cloud. They shower down upon the area, until Narsuun turns up his palm and draws each little piece of dust back. Carefully, he draws them into his palm and then transfers them to the flask. Taking the offered mask, he nods at Spellcarver. "Your will be done." He replies simply. That queezy feeling of bending space returns not long after, as he makes his way toward the group. "Come here."

The issue of Spell staying beihind seemed null. After Landi fed some magic into him, which slowed the spread of the black lines on his body, and stopped some of the smoking, the Archmage fell over into the other man's arms, or on to the ground. He was done for the night, weither he wanted to be or not. The demons did not disappoint, however. They pushed through to the party's location, and there was the sound of more battle as they rushed in to take the now open courtyard, and began setting up fortifications: This was the plan all along. The party spearheaded the assault on the structure, but once they were exhausted, they could go home. The demons would hold each new area and keep it safe until they could return to push ahead again. [Whew. Night guys.]

[Hannah Green]

4/12/12

Spell had misjudged his opponent in the last sorte, he would not do so again. When he came down from the Manor this time, he wore a sword at his belt, the Staff of Chains and the Ordrope Diadem again adorning him. Tathar was already ordered to focus only on the objective, her normally timid expression replaced by a stony mask that somehow didn't manage to take away from how cute she was. Three demons, one from each Clan, stood at their sides and one behind, the Honor Guard. One Breathstealer, one Fallenblade, and a Duskweaver, each one looking even more prone to violence than their average counterparts. Spell stopped at the stage and amplified his voice, "The second wave has begun. I call again on you, my citizens. Report to the town square if you will enter the fray with me."

Kahakuloa was.. in the tub resting. Keyword. WAS. THe second he heard that voice, He jumped out and threw something on, pants and his shirt, his hair still soaked as he looked around the house.. and not finding Landi. He frowned, worried, as he headed out of the house, and looked over to the stage. No Landi. He licked his lips as he headed down the stairs, keeping his eyes peeled for ... Landi, as he saw who was on the stage...

Vensyn had been none too thrilled that he had been requested to stay behind the first time, and he was not about to do so again. He snagged the special weapon Narsuun had given him.. for a last resort only.. and strapped it to his back, moving quickly to the center of town. Fuck if he knew what he was getting into, but he was not going to be left behind either. In uniform, longsword at one side, the slender short blade gifted to him by Landi on the other, and the enchancted shortsword loaned by Narsuun within reach if it should happen to be needed. He approched and gave a slight bow to the Lord and Lady.

Landi exits the house, glancing over to the stage, and meets Haku on the way up. Diverting his path, he approaches with his husband to the grouping. "I'll need my armor," he says, reaching his left hand down for Haku's hand nonetheless.
You say, "[children's house]"

Hestia Mehar frowned upon hearing the loud voice on the Lord accouncing battle was about to begin, and gave a brief look to Delrick before bolting off, "Going to get my gear." The femme took off at a run, quite grateful she was feeling particularly energetic this day, and that she'd left everything prepared by the door since this concern over war had begun.

Delrick looked around at the quickly-gathering crowd. "And me without my sword," he said, "One moment, please." and the gnome rushed off to his shop, to be back very quickly carrying a small sword on his back.

Spellcarver watched as those gathered, taking stock of them carefully this time. Vensyn on point, but it wasn't enough. "Haku!" He said sharply. "Attend me." He pointed to the stage in front of him. [Haku only right now.]


Kahakuloa looked over to landi as he came out and then mentioned.. gear. Haku frowned. "Maybe you should..." and then his hand was taken.. and Haku sighed, and nodded, as he looked to their hands. Then suddenly he was called up and he looked to Spell, slightly confused. Then the order. His face was.. a bit standoffish for that, but he reluctantly let landi's hand go as he moved over to the stage, in front of spell. "Yes?" He.. was thinking he was staying behind again.. and was here to see Landi... off..

Spellcarver smiled faintly to the man, lifting his hands to rest on Haku's shoulders. "I need you to trust me." He said softly. "I know that's difficult for you. But I can't afford to repeat past mistakes. I need you to accept something like an enchantment. It won't hurt, and it is not permanent. Will you do the honor of being my Champion in this venture?"

Kahakuloa arched a brow as he was told to trust ... a mage. So far, haku had trusted everyone.. mostly. He glanced over to Landi.. before the words sunk in. "what... enchantment... I'm going?" He paled slightly before he closed his eyes and then nodded. "so be it.." His shoulders shifted under Spell's hands. The.. last enchantment.. was a curse meant to kill him.... so here goes nothing, right?

Spellcarver let the man go and reached into that void in his cloak, retrieving something Vensyn would recognize. A black sphere of metal: Baraad in its inert form. Spell also withdrew a needle, and after instructing Haku to remove his shirt, he used the tip of the needle to carefully draw a symbol on his chest, marked by the man's own blood. The needle barely broke the skin, there was no real damage, and after a moment it wouldn't matter. "Deep breath, Haku, don't panic. The first time I did this I nearly lost control of my bladder, trust me when I say, its not nearly as odd as it feels." He didn't give the poor man a whole lot of time to brace himself though, he put the black orb to the blood-seal on his chest, and it sunk in like it was being dropped in water. Haku's bronze skin turned black on most of his body, before it hardened like armor. A ball of black formed under his now clawed hands, and stretched out to a wicked looking scythe. [ (URL: forums.playfire.com/_proxy/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.creativeuncut.com%2Fgallery-04%2Fart%2Fhv1-haseo3.jpg&hmac=f37f69a1d5e6d0d1339b8d4f282e18eb) I'm lazy, here's a ref ]

Kahakuloa frowned as Spell pulled things out.. and then Haku nodded as he slowly pulled off his shirt.. and then tensed as.. he was needled, and drawn on, then orb placed. Haku closed his eyes, not.. wanting to SEE this.. let alone feel this. He shuddered as that orb was suddenly pushed.. INTO him. and Haku groaned as he felt very odd. He looked at himself.. panicked before he.. was suddenly holding a scythe. He blinked. as he turned the weapon in his hands, and the slowly moved his arms around. "what.. " He clamped his mouth shut.. and simply accepted.. the change. ".... thank you..." He was.. going. He looked back to landi as he moved off the stage..

Vensyn had been working his forms nearly twice as much since the news of war. Driving himself, honing his skills with the two blades. Mundane skill with a sword, even that of a Blademaster, was nothing that could turn the tide of a war.. But he planned on making a difference, playing his part. Already he was begining to let his mind sink into the Elsewhere.. Not all the way just yet.. but he pushed away bothersome thoughts, stresses and strains of the past week, turning his focus towards the battle ahead. It had been quite some time since he had taken part in an actual battle, one army against another.. But somewhere down inside, it was still a part of him. However, that wavered a bit at what he was seeing before him. Eyebrows shot up as black.. stuff enveloped Haku.. and the scythe appeared. He opened his mouth to make what was probably some kind of snide comment about Haku not cutting his own foot off with that thing... But decided now was likely not the best time smartass commentary.

Kahakuloa: [Spell, Haku, vensyn, landi, hestia, delrick]
Landi had only a moment of comfort between the men. As two others run off to try to get prepared, Landi watches as Haku steps up. Watchng, and listening, his face changes into deep worry that resolves into a grim-faced nod as Haku looks over to him. Haku...was coming with this time. Could he do what ne needed to do with his husband in the fray? But he pales as the Lord cuts him...in front of everyone. His lips part and he breathes more shallowly, and it's only the man's iron-clad will that holds him in place. Horrified a moment, he gets himself under control, turns, and bolts toward the house, following on his comment from earlier. The armor, patched and weakened, was by the door, and so was his ever-packed Go bag, including his charred crook.. He could be seen fetching it all up, and pulling the works onto him.

Hestia Mehar jogged back to town with a set of armor on the normal simply-clothed woman, though it was just as simple and practical as anything else, with plating strapped down her tail to help as a brace if she needed to use it. The femme carefully worked her helm on over her horns as she let out a sigh and double checked over everything. Securing the breast plate, the femme reached back to make sure the handle of her sword and a simple buckler were both easily within reach. She'd look over to Haku with a small bit of confusion at the extensive armoring, then away quietly, focusing more on flexing arms and legs to get a feel for the very old armor set once more.

Delrick stared with wide-eyed fascination as Spellcarver worked his magic on Haku, scarce believe that the result was the same person. Whether it was bravery or naivete, he held his ground and didn't flinch. He was carrying a sword now. A short sword, which for all that was nearly as long as the gnome was tall. He looked ready, at least.

Spellcarver gestured to Delrick, "We'll be needing a bit more than that. And considering your size, I think we can do better." He turned to the Honor Guard, speaking for a moment, before the Duskweaver grudgingly produced what looked like a crossbow with no string, mounted on an arm brace. The whole thing, in total, was fairly small. Spell held it out to Delrick, helping him attatch it to his arm. "It costs your spiritual strength to use it, Delrick, the more you fire, the weaker you will be. Draw back the invisible string, and it will fire bolts as fast as your fingers can work. Its damage is small, but if used properly, it can be devestating." He looked to the rest of them. "Are we ready?"

Kahakuloa was busy looking over the weapon that was given to him, as everyone else filtered on through. He kept looking up to Landi. Haku oddly hadn't freaked, and he found that he could actually move quite freely. Haku never used a scythe as a weapon. He knew staves, and spears, so he was off a ways, slowly turning the weapon around, seeing what.. moves he could do with it. He looked back over to landi, before he looked back to Spell. "yes."

Tathar Maksa had stood silent throughout her lord's talk with the villagers, her expression rather blank. She gives a bob of her head at his question, remaining silent and grave.

Vensyn was unarmored, but had never gotten to the point of aquiring a set. He fought better in lighter armors, as it did not hamper his advantage of speed too greatly. He repressed a snerk at the waist high gnome and his shortsword, which looked a bit too big for him. Well.. at least he had a peashooter now. "I am ready, M'lord." He said, trying to get himself refocused, now that the goodies had been handed out.

Landi returns to town square, and learning from last time, the wooden draconic runes scattered about the heavy kilt are already beginning to bioluminesce with the life from Nasmaran donors. Just glimmers at the edges, now, uneven and smoky. Landi tosses the bag out to Haku, as much to test the man's reflexes in that horrific, but immensely needed armor as it was to free up his hands to work with his jacket. No armor-crafter, the slice that had cut diagonally down the front of his jacket had been a bitch to work with. The buckles holding the jacket in place and the kilt onto his torso were seen through his attempts to close the gaps, and it still looked like a recently stapled wound. Something was better than nothing, however, and he finishes loading the restored breast-pocket. He'd be carrying the same inventory as last time, down some durability and two seeds. "A moment, my Lord," evidentally to close his eyes away from the world behind that needed silk contrivance. "Yes."

Hestia Mehar looked up toward the Lord with a serious face as she mentioned in time with the others present, "Ready, Milord." Her tail twitched about a few times, also adjusting to the added weight of the metal plates now running over it. Her paws gave a brief flex as she took a deep breath and waited for whatever was about to happen to begin. The femme glanced over as Landi approached wearing his own armor, head tipping to the side for just a moment as she noticed a gap in it. Brows furrowed before she turned her attention back to Spellcarver.

Delrick looked over at Vensyn, and gave the guard a sly wink. He looked down at the crossbow affixed to his arm, despite its fundamentally magical nature, it was a clever design. "I'm ready, more or less," He said, "I'd really have liked to finish this blade. It was supposed to be special, but it will do as an ordinary sword."

Spellcarver wasted no more time. Once everyone said they were ready, his hand raised, feeling about that invisible line, before dropping down. The jarring, sometimes sickening experience of teleportation would begin instantly, and the party was gone.

The Village of Nasmara: [We are instituting a 5 minute rule for reactions and combat. I know that's a bit tough, but I have physical therapy in....12 hours. SO, if you go over your limit, you will lose your turn. Its going to get gnarly in here, combats a lot heavier in this crawl. Rolls will be requested. If you have to go afk for any reason, I need to know about it so I can work around you.]

The sounds of battle in the distance were the first thing heard. Amon had been successful in pushing the main battle away from the house, though the price of that was obvious around them. There were monsters, terrible things, strung up in trees all around them, like warnings. But almost as many demons lay in the grass here and there, chests open, Cores shattered, never to rise again. Even though this campaign had been waged for more than a week thus far, there wasn't a single Fallenblade that passed by who didn't look absolutely overjoyed. This is what they lived for. Amidst the distant roars and cries, the sound of battle lust was prevailent. Spell, however, looked worried as the party recovered from teleportation, and he had a hand on his sword. "There were supposed to be guards holding the courtyard...." he murmered.
The Village of Nasmara: [Everyone post a round :-)]

Kahakuloa watched as landi came down the stairs.. and then tossed the bag to him. Haku was prepared, and switched the scythe to one hand, and reached out to barely catch the bag in the other, and shifted it around before he tossed it over a shoulder. Oddly.. Haku and landi.. hadn't much said anything to each other this whole time. He turned attentions to everyone else, letting himself take in what they wore.. and who was there.. and alive. He stood, simply waiting, his face somber. And then suddenly everything disappeared as they were pulled...Everything looked different, but at the same time.. it didn't. Haku knew where they were! he had Seen this place! calmly stood there, scythe in hand, focused on everything around him. He didn't care about the deaths nearby. that wasn't his focus.

Tathar Maksa wobbles only a moment before standing quietly once more at her lord's side. She takes in the sights of battle dispassionately, her focus, as commanded, upon her job there that evening. As the Archmage ponders the lack of gate guards, the gem upon her head begins to glow with a warm green light which fills those magic users around her with an added energy to their casting. [Light of Inspiration. Add .5 to all spell preps.]

Vensyn shook his head, stumbling a step as he recovered from the sudden teleportation. A hand went to his sword instantly, eyes scanning the area, taking in everything. He breathed in and began to still his mind. The sounds of battle were not shocking to him.. No, they were all too familiar. His eyes closed only a heartbeat or so, then opened. He was focused, he was sinking into the Elsewhere.. and he was ready.

Landi looks over across to the demon, staring a moment. That was not a thing he wanted on his team, and he rolls his shoulders uncomfortably, showing a bit of the red plackard through the gaps as he moves. Knowing that Delrick, at least, was capable, he doesn't worry over the gnome's presence.. Finding himself, as it were, on familiar ground, he leans heavily on his crook, needing longer to adjust to the displacement. As he white-knuckles around the crook to keep himself on his feet, the familiar sounds and smells assault him. Struggling to concentrate, Maksa's assistant hits him, and he is able to connect ~quickly to this life-soaked ground.

Hestia Mehar braced herself as soon as they appeared from the transport, sucking breath in with a wince as she was forced to quell the rise in her stomach. She'd mumble softly, "Never liked that." Detecting sounds of battle, the femme recovered far more quickly, and undid her buckler on her back. She'd secure it to her left paw as it was nearly useless for anything else anyway. The right slipped back and unsheathed her sword. Her attention came to looking around and becoming more familiar with her surroundings rather than anyone else.

Delrick stood at the ready, his sword held in a manner that spoke of more skill with a blade than the gnome himself admitted to. Looking around at the demon corpses, again he didn't flinch. Realizing that he couldn't weild the sword in his main hand, and fire the crossbow, he shifted the sword detfly to his off hand, where he handled it no less skillfully. It struck him that he was a total unknown in this. He'd never said anything to any of them regarding any experience in matters like these.

Spellcarver's frown deepend as something came from the gates: Three globes of cracked and blackened glass slowly rolled out of the gates. Spell approached and knelt, brushing his fingers over them. "Daltos, Nelro....Demetar...." Three demonic cores, their owners now a memory. "My friends I think its time we went to meet our generous host. Enter, fan out, no less than two arms length from one another. I can feel her....I know her." He seemed worried, something was definately amiss, and this quickly in the fray would be a serious problem.
Spellcarver:
The Village of Nasmara: [One moment.]

Spell stopped when the creature appeared. It was the Shade he had mentioned, and its power was obvious. There was some hint, some likeness of the woman it used to be, but even that was faint. It was consumed by the Spirit she had summoned. Spell took the lead over the group, speaking in a firm tone. "By right of Mastery I command your Name, creature." The thing let out a hissing noise before speaking in a female voice, twisted and full of hatred, it cackled hideously before answering, "Thank you for the creatures you left behind, Stranger. They were most amusing." Spell's expression was showing his thinly veiled rage as he spoke in answer, "In the name of Old Magic, the Gods of Forest and Stone, I demand your Name, creature!" Again the thing cackled, "Ohhhh if you must. I suppose I should be polite. I am the one who saw the fall of Sarnath. The lady Nivenka." Spell turned a bit more pale than usual, "Nivenka? Nivenka Nieroda? I suppose that makes sense. You swore you'd overcome your mortality. This certainly was one way to go...." The creature stretched out a hand, "Yesss, but the process is incomplete. This woman's soul is depleting. I require more lasting sustence, which is why I let you in here. The woman." It pointed to Tathar. "Give her to me. I will ignore this petty rabble you've brought, and let you leave with your lives intact." Spell let out a sigh and then chuckled, "Enough of this banter, does every bad day for me have to start with a monologue?" He let go of the Staff of Chains, and it raised in the air in front of him as the Ordrope Diadem burned a bright blue. "Lunanor!" He cried, and the creature was thrust back into the wall. "Asssaxtralamanor!" He pointed his hand to it, and the Staff flew directly at it, striking it in the chest where it seemed to split into shadows. Spell held his hand out, and the staff returned to him. "Go. All of you go. I will hold her, but that won't stop her for long. Nieroda is>>
mine. Enter the home and get the shards. Obey me, now."

The Village of Nasmara: [Errr, oh yeah, post.]

Tathar Maksa stares with little interest at her former mistress turned shade, continuing to provide that warm green glow of power to those around her. At the archmage's command, the homunculus jogs into the manor through the nearby door, obedient.

Kahakuloa stared ahead to the gates, hearing the sounds of the fighting. He wasn't.. at all mentally prepared for this. He had never in his life been in a battle, an arena.. nothing save that one time, in his past. He looked around to see where everyone was, as his hands carefully circled the shaft of the scythe, adjusting it, as he looked around once more. Not a word was said to him. None. He spoke not a word himself, silent, focused, and as ready as he was going to get. He looked to spell, and followed him, keeping close, looking for anything, but he.. didn't know what to look for! But then it appeared and Haku paled, watching intently as the conversation took place. He gripped that scythe as all hell broke loose once spell gave orders to go. Haku looked past the stuck entity, and then grunted and suddenly broke free, heading for the closest door he could find...

Vensyn eyed the others briefly as he moved, moving forward and off to the side a bit to spread out from the others. Expecting an attack at any moment, he drew his blades, first the longsword, then the small slender shortsword from his other side. The loaned blade from Narsuun.. that was for a dire emergency only. As he advanced forward, he sank in deeper. The red veil fell and emotion faded. There was a faint sense of eagerness.. but apart from that, nothing. His senses sharpened.. adreniline began to raise. He turned when the strange figure appeared, and his eyes narrowed.. but he stayed where he was, watching. He could not sense any sort of magical power himself.. But, judging from how the Lord reacted to her.. this was a dangerous being indeed. Who was the ghostly thing? The name was not familiar to him. A silent snarl appeared at the woman's >
Vensyn<demands.. and he tensed as Spell attacked.. But he knew both when to just take a damn order.. and also when his skills would be of no use. He could not fight some magical ghostly woman.. but he could fight what lay ahead.. and that was where he went, without fear, because there was no fear in the place his mind had found. Grim faced and prepared to shed blood.. It was time.

Landi watches as the Lord recovers, and looks over for Haku. He watches his Lord's contained grief , and then continues to pull his store of energy to himself. "Yes, my Lord," Landi confirms, and confirmation is needed, since he stays in the back. Following out after the others, the man takes the rear-guard position, standing diagonally even as the shade makes itself known. Here, he fixes his eyes on Maksa, and when the command is given to move, Landi ~moves, herding the slower people if he must, but stying in the back as he can. On the way past, his hand brushes the Lord's shoulder once, offering a minor rejuvination on his way in.

Hestia Mehar padded forward as commanded, her eyes flickering over the rolling globes before looking up and to the front at to each side. Partly to check that people were a decent arm's length away, as well as to make sure she didn't get too far from anyone else. Soon as the being before them was attacked by the Lord, the femme winced, and charged forward when he shouted. She'd glance toward where Delrick was to make sure the little gnome wasn't trampled before she'd head in, ready for battle.

Delrick was keenly aware just how confined the entryway was and manuvered quickly to avoid being trampled. He'd have rather taken the lead, or been at the rear, rather than in the midst of all these big people. How was a gnome to get a clear shot in these circumstances. He tried not to focus too hard on Spellcarver or the frightening thing he held at bay.

The party piled into the second room of the entry hall. As soon as they entered, what looked like a chain ripped through the wall and tore down a bunch of debris, blocking their passage through one hall. Though it would be possible to unblock the debris, the party had to choose which way to go: Open up the other hall, or press on.
The Village of Nasmara: [Post fast.]

Tathar Maksa glances briefly toward the sudden debris blockage before moving to stand in the center of the room. That green glow continues from her diadem, providing its magical aid to those who can use it. [3/10]

Kahakuloa rushed as he could into the doorway, and immediately looked around that scythe held diagonally across his s he noticed two ways.. and Haku didn't think as he wasn't about to deal with a door.. he headed right for the hallway...

Vensyn tensed as the passageway was blocked. "It was probably blocked for a reason..." He mused. "Unless.. it was blocked to make us think we should go that way.." He glanced between the two directions, and muttered a curse under his breath. Or they wanted them to think that it was a trick so they'd go down the other passageway when they should really go down the blocked one.. dammit. "Or we could just follow Haku." He grumbled.

Landi realizes, immediately, the potential folly of being herded through, especially by magical detours. Reaching for Maksa, he pushes up ahead through the people to try to grip her shoulder. Charged full with life energy thanks to her buff, he says, "My Lady, Miss Maksa! Snap out of it. I need you to ~think and tell me which way to go. You know this place." Still, to keep the party intact, he partially drags her with him as he moves with the party.

Hestia Mehar slipped through the second room with the others and then stepped to the side to allow Landi behind her to pass with a swish of her tail. She'd jump back as things came crashing down, through the other hallway, and looked to the other options. It might take too long for them to clearn everything, so the femme turned and followed behind Haku with a wry chuckle to Vensyn's comment. Sword was kept in a tensed grip as she took to guarding the back of the party when Landi moved forward with Maksa.

Delrick had seen too many such situations not to know when a combat team was being led into a trap, but there was little to be done. It wasn't as if he'd built a reputation for himself here. All he could do was follow.

To clarify, there were two doors and one hallway, the hallway was blocked, and the door Haku was heading for was open, revealing a staircase downward. The other door was closed. [Another posting round.]

Kahakuloa wasn't.. meaning to take the lead.. but Haku just wasn't going to dillydally and wait for everyone else to come up with an idea. Leader, he wasn't, and he didn't know where he was going. Path of least resistence? maybe. THe open door was eaiser to deal with. it was open! So Haku headed through the door, possibly with everyone in tow. He was focused, and looking around trying to see what.. was.. or wasn't there, that Scythe ready to be swung if need..

Tathar Maksa's lashes flutter at the tailor's words, and she glances around herself in growing horror, the little woman freezing a moment before her brain catches up on the rest of his commands. Looking around in a frantic way, she finally points toward the door Haku is approaching, "Laboratory! She, she keeps most things there, please, no." Shrinking back, she finally skitters after Haku, through the open door, and the stairs beyond as if going to her doom.

Vensyn growled as Haku surged ahead, torn a moment, he started to follow, but glanced back to see what Tathar had to say.. Landi was right.. She might have the answers.. She would be far more likely to know which way they needed to go.. Tense, he glanced to the doorway, and back to the others. "Haku. Hold the fuck on a moment." He called toward the direction the man had gone. But when Tath gave the confirmation, he bolted forward for the doorway, passing through, and starting down the stairs.. glancing over his shoulder first to make sure everyone was following.

Landi doesn't appreciate a chuckle or a joke yet, not wth a war behind him and the Lord tangled with a Lich behind him, on unfamiliar territory with his husband charging ahead like a bull. Under his hands, the woman wakens and flinches, and he says, "Hold my hand," to her as they move. "Call directions to Haku as we move, so we don't get lost," he says to her, realizing he's giving up his hands in order to keep her functional.

Hestia Mehar seemed to prefer hanging back, cautious by nature and not nearly as bold to run to her death as one might assume. She'd look over to Maksa when the woman snapped out of it and suddenly remembered the way to where they needed to go. Bracing herself, Hestia mentally reinforced herself at the mention of a laboratory. Her short fur bristled for a moment, and the femme gave a shake of her head before passing through the door and padding quickly down the stairs with the others.

Delrick hesitated. This was where the danger begins. Just how out of things was he? How did this danged crossbow work again? How was he supposed to use it AND the sword. He wished there'd been time to practice.

Ever been prepared for something gruesome? Sure you have! Just never prepared for this kind of gruesome. There was a man down there who looked strangely like Tathar, only without the feminine bits. He was hanging limp, held up by several of the black vines seen all about the compound. They seemed to have either impaled him, or were originating from him. At first he was slumped, but as they entered, he snapped up with frightening agility and let out a hollow scream. Tather would recognize him, even through the horror visited on his body: Especially when, with his twisted mouth he smiled and murmered (URL: i.imgur.com/mqB31.jpg) welcome home (Honey may not want to click that. And yes, this is combat. Gird your loins.)

Tathar Maksa's little hand clutches the tailor's tightly, gone quite cold with fear as they make their way down the stairs and into the room beyond. Her voice shaking in a terrified fashion, she calls out, "D-d-down the stairs and it is, and that is the room, and there are, and it has things, don't touch the, keep away from the tables and cages." Wide green eyes taking in the rather demolished state of the laboratory revealed below, it takes the movement of the man in the center of the room to catch her attention, and her gaze goes wide in horror, "J-j-jhaes?" The homunculus attempts to back toward the stairs, the light from her diadem completely failing.

Kahakuloa heard Ven's hold, and then realized.. that he.. had no idea where he was going. He was just.. going whereever. haku stopped, as he heard Landi's voice. That.. was reasonable. Haku paused, letting Maksa.. get ahead of him, shifting the scythe, watching the two of them pass him as he glanced to the others, nodding before he quickly followed Maksa where she led. Down the stairs, and haku skidded to a halt, staring open mouthed at the horror. Haku had seen alot of things.. but this took the cake. He swallowed down the bile that rose, as he gripped the scythe. "where is the shard!" He demanded, as he moved to stand in front of Maksa, glaring at the hideous thing...

Vensyn was expecting an attack at any second as they decended the stairs. He followed not too far behind Haku.. hands tensing on the hilts of his two weapons. He heard Tathar. Stay away from the tables and cages. He wasnt sure exactly what to expect, but the male version of Tathar impaled or growing tentacle vine things.. was not it. Even within the elsewhere, surprise and disgust flickered. Ookay, Yeah, that was pretty fucked up. Kill it? He braced.. Tathar seemed to reconize the thing.. and that was what kept him from just outright attacking it. All the same, as Haku made his demand, Vensyn stepped forward and shifted smoothly into the ready stance. Whether she knew him before or not, he did not exactly look friendly. "Look, whatever the fuck you are. We are just here for the shards. So, we are just going to take them, and you can just go on with this little fucked up demented puppet show. I really don't give a shit."

Landi was now in the second in the pack thanks to needing to be the mettle-source for Maksa. Passing under Haku's new scythe in time to hear the scream and the horrific welcome, instead of allowing Maksa to flee, he wraps his arms around her, crook and all, and jumps off the side of the stairs to allow the melee fighters a path down. "....In him..." Landi takes the logical leap. He'd heard of Jhaes...and he had a damn good idea of what he was being used as now..considering what he'd been used as in life. "Be ready to heal, Maksa," he says, keeping one of his hands in hers and the other protectively around her back. HIS back tries to find a wall, as begins to push that familiar readying energy into Haku, Vensyn, and Delrick. Not knowing what it would do to Hestia - help or harm, he keeps it from her. [Revitalize]

Hestia Mehar looked around as the laboratory downstairs came into view, getting a chill down her spine as she peered at the black vines sprouting from the ground. It took her a moment to realize the thing was actually a being until it moved. She'd tuck her buckler in close against her to make sure she was guarded as the comment was made to avoid the tables. Her normally twitching tail curled in close, prepared to swing with her weapon at the ready, listening to the creature and braced. She looks back over to Landi for just a moment as she feels the man doing something, then looks forward once more.

Delrick scanned the room, mindful of the horror at its center, sword and crossbow ready. He'd probably have nightmares for weeks, but at the moment was showing no fear. Tathar knew it? The shard! The gnome scanned the room again. Rather than fear, what he was feeling now was anger. He wanted this over. "Let's get things done," he said, cocking the crossbow.

The creature didn't answer any questions. It was unknown if it could. It jerked about hideously as it was lifted up by the vines, and then began that sickeningly mad laughter as more vines broke free of its body, lashing out towords Vensyn and Haku, each one tipped with a sharp barb that would pierce flesh easily. Its arms stretched out, and then exploaded in a shower of grey flesh, revealing a mass of those disgusting vines and what looked like hungry little mouths at the end of each, two of these bolting for Delrick's tasty little ass. [Hold for dice rolls.]
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10 & gets 10.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10 & gets 3.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10 & gets 5.
The Village of Nasmara: [Vensyn and Delrick roll, ven a 1d5, Delrick a 1d5-2
Vensyn rolls 1d5 & gets 1.
Delrick rolls 1d5-2 & gets 3.
The Village of Nasmara: [Posts now :-)]

Tathar Maksa trembles at the sound of that laughter, those huge green eyes turning toward the tailor at his commands. She gives a nod of her head, continuing to shake rather uncontrollably as her gaze turns toward those set to fight her former friend.

Kahakuloa gave Landi a perplexed look. Was the shard IN that creature? He looked back to the thing, and looked to Vensyn. Haku wasn't a combat fighter. He was more defense. He was used to restraining, and the things around the room, he was OH so familair with. He quickly looked around the room when SUDDENLy again, all hell broke loose, and haku looked to.. not at the being but the vines. haku snarled, as THIS was what he was USED to. being attacked at, and dodging. The vine came straight for him, and Haku shifted to the side, as well as arcing that scythe around and down, aiming to slice the damn vine in half...

Vensyn was already prepared.. expecting the thing to lunge or do something.. and when he heard the shards they sought where inside the thing.. When the vine shot towards him like a striking serpent, Ven was faster, shifting his stance, and sweeping upward with the blade, blocking the vine from striking him, and perhaps even slicing a peice off. He moved as fluidly as rapidly flowing water, and flowed into the next stance, lunging forward at the thing, aiming to cut deep into a cluster of vines, to give it less to attack with, the shortsword, driving towards the thing's stomach.

Landi aims to stay ~back and out of the way of all the sharp, keeping Maksa protectively close to him. He could plainly see that attacks could come from behind them, but the flailing sets - yes...he knew intimately how dangerous those could be. It was how ~Landi could fight. "Mind your feet!" he calls to those who haven't had to see this sort of combat before. Delrick would have, Haku would have....but Vensyn he knew hasn't, and Hestia was completely unknown. Remaining still, however, he reaches forward with his senses, creeping along to the nearest vine, and attempts to see ~what it is.

Hestia Mehar jumped and reacted immediately as the vines sprouted out from the creature, her tail swinging around to be held up infront of her so it would be the first line of defense against an attack. Seeing the vines going for the fellas, the femme's ears laid back as she took a step forward. Gathering from what she'd heard, the shards they were looking for were within that being. Her tail finally gave a swing low as she made to approach, hacking like a harvester of grain with the tail blades as she swung her sword higher in hopes it could reach close enough to strike the creature. Her buckler was kept tucked against her body to help cover from being attacked by the mass. The shout to watch her feet was met with a flicker of her ear, a good reminder indeed even if she was already mindful of it, "Thank you, Sir." Polite still.

Delrick staggers back, swinging at one of the vines with his sword, unable to bring the crossbow to bear on the other. Although he sliced his targeted vine in two, the second strikes him, and starts to chew on his arm before he can pull it off. Grimly his strives to staunch the wound. "For the love of all that's holy!" he screamed, "I'm supposed to be retired from this!" That's a pretty nasty wound on his left arm. The gnome is in quite a bit of pain. "Bear it, up," he mutters, "Nothing you haven't done... before...." He staggers again, but manages not to fall.

The Village of Nasmara: [Landi, 1d5. Vensyn, 1d100, Hestia, 1d100-20 ]
Landi rolls 1d5 & gets 4.
Vensyn rolls 1d100 & gets 40.
Hestia Mehar rolls 1d100-20 & gets 27.

While Landi probed at the creature's origins, Haku slashed at the vine to protect himself, severing it cleanly, but reducing the effectiveness of the creature by a miniscule amount. For every vine cut down, two more came up from the floor. Vensyn's attack was only minimally successful, he hacked down vines, but never managed to actually reach Jhaes. Hestia, however, was tearing up more vines than Vensyn, and still not making headway....it was perhaps this that earned her the creature's full ire. The floor under Jhaes split open, and a huge head of what looked like twisted plant matter pushed up, opened its maw, and spat out vines towords Hestia, trying to loop around her and draw her into its maw. Meanwhile the tortured Jhaes was lashing its vines again at Vensyn and Haku.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 36.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10 & gets 7.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10 & gets 1.

Tathar Maksa cries silently as she watches the villagers cut into poor Jhaes's tattered body, having to watch her friend die again a rather hard thing to handle. As Delrick falls victim to the frighteningly tentacled male, she takes in a sharp breath and gets to work, gentle glow of her diadem showing as a healing light traces out to the Gnome. His wound would feel slightly numbed by the magic, though does not appear healed yet. Her tone shaking, she calls out, "Jhaes, please!" [1/2 Life's Whisper]

Kahakuloa heard Landi's caution. oh yes, Haku knew this fighting VERY well. Landi had used it a few times, and haku had been there. His back was to Landi and maksa, mostly still standing in front of those two, as Ven rushed in. Then Hestia was in, but Delrick was hit! "help Delrick." he muttered, as he stayed his ground, regardless if he hit the vine that came at him or not. He turned and aimed that scythe at the vines near Delrick, again aiming to slice those vines in half... and stopped dead as he noticed more vines had strung up! "NO.. NO don't HIT THEM! Dammit!" He turned the scythe around, not aiming to slice them anymore.. but to more so knock them away with the butt of the weapon, if he could!

Vensyn was able to do some damage, but the thick tangle of vines kept him from getting to the damned zombie man thing itself. He growled under his breath, right beside him, the thing burst from the ground.. and that was when the vine struck him, hard enough to send him flying backwards, likely breaking a shelf or a table as he went. He struck the wall and fell in a heap. Pain was there.. muffled by the Elsewhere.. But he was pretty sure he had cracked or broken some ribs, and his left arm was not wanting to work right. His right.. He could still move it, but he'd dropped his longsword as well.. Blackness threatened to swim up on him.. With a shaking hand, he snarled and reached to draw the short sword on his back. "Fuck.. you..." The pain sharpened with the movement, but he got hold of the hilt.. >
Vensyn<and pulled the sword free of the sheath.. Able to draw it, but he could not get his feet under him to rise.. the room seemed to pitch and shift, and a trickle of blood obsured the vison in his left eye.. But now backup was here.

Landi learns, and looks down at the floor. While anyone glancing at him might see him looking down, due to the blindfold no one could see his guilty flick to Maksa's white tuft of hair as it begins to take on the colour of her diadem's light. "The attacks are from under this all!" But knowing that they couldn't spend time trying to crack through the shifting floor, he adds, feeling like a traitor to his friend, he shouts after Haku's calls, "He's being used as the source! We need the center of him!" Pulling his hand from Maksa's but keeping her trapped to him with his crook, he reaches up to pull from his armor's jacket the vial of stranglethorn seeds and lifts it up to his mouth to pop the cork. "I'll get Vensyn."

Hestia Mehar stayed focused upon the goal ahead, it was a wonder she paid attention to anything else but Jhaes with her eyes narrowed. Seeing the mouth open up before her to try and pull her in, the daemoness sidestepped just in the nick of time to avoid getting roped and tangled up in them. This didn't seem to stop her, but she made her pursuit toward the thing a little more cautiously as she tried to keep an eye where her feet were going. An ear flicked as Vensyn was pushed back and away, and the feline aimed the next strike of her sword to focus on the mouth that was trying to hinder her getting closer.

Delrick felt his arm go numb, as Tathar's healing did its thing. Meanwhile his sword was useless. Not that it mattered, slicing the vines just caused them to multiply. With only the crossbow as his option he took aim for... Wait, what did Landi say? The center? He took careful aim, which was hard to do through the pain... "Damn!" He said, "How do I fire this thing?"

The Village of Nasmara: Hestia, 1d100[]
Hestia Mehar rolls 1d100 & gets 30.
The Village of Nasmara: Going to be a very long night ><]
Vensyn rolls 1d10 & gets 2.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 33.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 1.
The Village of Nasmara: [Holy GOD]
The Village of Nasmara: [Nope, nope nope.]

Hestia's attack may have been effective, if the head didn't see her coming first. It vomited up a green substance towords her feet that would begin to burn if it splattered right (Giggity) Jhaes, meanwhile, was currently unharassed by anyone, began to bunch up its vines in perperation to land a killing blow on the fallen Vensyn....and then two ghostly knights shot out of his sword. Jhaes was suddenly fighiting off two new combatants. The mouth-thing's vomit seemed to catch in its throat, and it started to hork like a sea lion that just swallowed its own genitals. Hurray for mishaps! +20 to severity rolls next round.

Tathar Maksa, concentrating on healing the gnome, for the moment does not allow Landi's words to sink into her understanding. That glowing green light continuing to channel into the injured male, his wound would be healed enough that he could use his arm, though too vigorous a use would quickly injure it again. [2/2 Life's Whisper]

Kahakuloa flinched as Ven took a rough hit, and Haku cursed. Haku should have been the one hit, not the MORTAL. Damn. Haku snarled, as he glared at the creature. "Just give us the shard, it's all we want! tell us where the shard is!" and then Haku heard Landi's words. It was all haku wanted to know... as He shifted his stance, and the weapon... and then charged suddenly right for the being, the scythe's blade out and pointed toward the .. thing he was rushing at, as Hestia focused on something else that was attacking her. Kill or be killed. there was no compromise, and Haku knew that, as he aimed to plant that scythe right into a shoulder, or even the neck.. or anywhere on the vile beast, providing he reached him...

Vensyn knew he was pretty bad off. He couldn't seem to get oriented enough to even try to stand. His head was pounding, his left shoulder roaring with pain.. his ribs throbbing horribly.. and something seemed damaged in his back. He'd hit hard. Dizzy, he did manage an expression that was half crooked grin, half grimace of pain, as he held the enchanted short sword out infront of him. Godamned thing had better work. He shook it feebly a bit. Yeah, okay there it goes. Two massive knightly figures in full armor, burst out of thin air right in front of him. Ven was barely aware of them.. His arm slumped. Hearing some sort of Hoarking sound coming from somewhere... He laughed almost childishly, the groaned in pain. Yep, someone's brain was a bit addled from his encounter with the wall.

Delrick knew he needed to get a shot off with the bow, any shot, magic or no, but he needed the sword ready, and his off-hand was still not ready to wield the weapon vigorously enough. The sword had to go somewhere, but he couldn't just drop it. Thankfully, this sword was some of Hestia's best work. Very well balanced. The gnome juggled the sword, tossing in in a low arc in front of him as he took aim again and fired the crossbow, then caught the sword as the bolt went flying toward the target. Was his aim true?

Landi unable under the circumstances to lay his hands on Vensyn personally, he knows he'll have to heal from afar, and that always took far more concentration. More than he could spare right now. Knowing that doing so would leave the lady as vulnerable as he would be, he says around the cork, "Protect yourself first, and keep every one of us you can alive and working second." Landi was an observant man. He watched people, he investigated when he could first, and when he first walked in here he took stock of what he could see. Thumbing into his hands two seeds, he recorks his vial, grabs a dagger from the table behind him and darts forward, throwing the knife toward one of the vines plunging into Jhaes' body. "Cut him free!" he shouts, and then tosses himself low and down to stay out of scythe and sword swings, grabbing forward to anything of the guard he could reach with an immediately burst of power.

Hestia Mehar was, with her armor, thankfully not bare-pawed this time around. Atleast, the tops of her feet and fronts of her legs were covered to protect her from the spew of green slime. Seeing the ghostly knights coming to the aide of the group, and noticing the mouth seeming to become.. indisposed, the femme went for Jhaes finally from the other side. Sidestepping the green puddle and hearing Landi's command, she'd aim for a swipe at a vine on the right side of the man's body to try and sever a vine connected to him. Though up until now, the femme had seemed rather blank and focused on the task, she let out a, "Ha!" In the moment of hacking as if that might help guide her sword all the better to cutting the man free as suggested.
The Village of Nasmara: [Landi, 1d100+10 Hestia Haku and Del, 1d100+20 If you roll under 50 this time I want you to picture me calmly bashing my head against the nearest hard surface.]

Landi rolls 1d100+10: (28) = 38.
Delrick rolls 1d100+20 & gets 49.
Hestia Mehar rolls 1d100+20 & gets 93.
Delrick: [shit!]
Kahakuloa: roll 1d00+20
Kahakuloa rolls 1d100+20 & gets 108.
The Village of Nasmara: you're all fired.....EXCEPT HAKU! *Dances*]
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 89.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 72.

The creature was crawling free beneath the stones, who knew how deep it went? But Haku and Hestia come to save the motherfucking day. Like warrior's of old they waded in, and those weapons rang with a deadly song as they quickly severed the ties Jhaes had with the creature below it. The warriors summoned by Vensyn served to distract and finally kill the creature once it was cut off from its life source. Jhaes fell bonelessly to the ground, letting out a groan of pain before it turned once to aim those sunken eyes at Tathar, a softer, less terrifying smile on his face as he muttered thank you, over and over, until his lips stilled, and a glowing green shard fell from his mouth. The beast was defeated.

Kahakuloa: [phone]
Tathar Maksa's face remains wet with tears as she watches the villagers tearing into the body of her friend, the homunculus's diadem going dark as tiny sobs sound from her throat. Keeping eye contact with the male as he falls beneath their blows, she takes a step, and another toward her male counterpart once all goes still, "Jhaes?"

Hestia Mehar flickered an ear as the creature that resembled Tathar fell to the ground. Her lips turned into a small frown as Jhaes spoke what seemed to be his final words, and kneeled down with Haku to inspect the man rather than the shard. She'd comment quietly, "That is... one shard, Mr. Loa, were there not supposed to be more?" Back to calm for the moment, the femme tried to check and see if the man laying there was capable of being helped. She had no clue about their anatomy unfortunately, and her paw hesitated to touch him as she breathed out. Finally, Hestia looked down to the shard that had fallen, "Can this be touched safely?" Never knew when it came to these types of things. Just in case, she'd fumble inside of her armor for a bit of cloth stuffed in her pants pocket.

Delrick grimmaced. He was holding his sword in his main hand, the sole successful result of his actions. He wanted to swear, but didn't. "I seem to be okay, more or less, Haku," he said, "Left arm's a bit sore. Good thing I'm actually right handed.' ...and a very small good thing at that.

Tathar Maksa hesitates a moment at Haku's words, glancing briefly to Landi and Delrick, though she soon turns to the fallen male. Kneeling down at the fallen homunculus's side, she picks up the shard and presses it to his chest hopefully, lips working on words left unspoken. The diadem upon her head begins to glow rather brightly, power pouring from the little woman. [Caress of the Undying.]

Kahakuloa quietly stood there, as he watched everyone and everything around him. he shook his head as he held the scythe to him, breathing hard, watching , and waiting. One shard? did they get others. How many shards were there. and this was only one room. ONE. Helicked his lips. "We.. have one shard, we need others. We also need to heal first before we continue." and.. again.. Haku was not injured.. in the least...

Vensyn shuddered and gasped and then clenched his jaw, as his shoulder suddenly wrenched itself back into the socket, and his ribs and damaged back began to knit back together. The gash on his head scabbed over, and the swollen knot began to go down. Sweat beaded on his forhead. He managed to sit up about halfway, leaning against some of the rubble that was pushed against the wall for support. He sheathed the blade and touched Landi's forearm in a silent thankyou. His head was starting to clear.. He felt he could actually string a coherent thought together.. The dizziness was mostly gone.. He nodded as Landi's request.. and didn't try to rise yet.. but he did try to get a clearer look at what was going on. "Did... we get it?" He asked. He saw a bright light.. Was that coming from Tathar? "What's she doing?"

Landi continues to work on Vensyn. Repairing bone was nasty and difficult, but battle-side triage healing was what he knew best. A soldier's pain and resolve to get through the pain, the chaos that still roared outside, the panting, sweating remains of the survivors....he knew these things. When a riot of power opens up nearby, however, he pauses at Vensyn's questions, and looks over. "We got one...." Having not seen her try to press the shard back into the man, he looks back down and continues his work on Vensyn. "Trying to save her brother," is his quiet reply. He shifts his hands, nearly done knitting bone. The newly healed muscles were going to be painfully tight, and the bones sensitive to barometer a few days, making it more of a feat for Vensyn to be agile, but soon he'd be able to stand unaided, if extremely sore and still deeply bruised. In fact he was causing some of the bruising himself, moving nutrients around through patches of blood.

Hestia Mehar: bowed her head, and stood, stepping back and away from the man when Tathar came to his aid. She'd tip her head to the side when the diadem began to glow and the shard they'd just fought for was pushed against Jhaes' chest. Clearing her throat, the femme pulled out the cloth she'd been looking for, and gave a good wipe to her sword before tucking it back away. Replying to Vensyn with a look back, " Seems trying to heal him, Mr. Vensyn." Hestia simply opted, for the moment to stand guard, looking over to see Landi working on the injured guard with curiosity. She'd stay silent for a time until the cat in her forced the question hanging on her tongue to be voiced, "How are you able to do that, Mr. Bondsmiller?"

Delrick made a little grumbling noise, and tried not to say anything negative. It was a bitter victory at best, and they had more fights ahead. One shard. One... He looked over at Hestia as she asked Landi about his healing abiilties, but kept his mouth shut. Not his place to say, and he didn't know the details anyway. "Beekeeping," he said, "Growing a tomato garden," he continued, "Sorry I was so worthless in this fight. Bad luck, unfamilar magical weapon..." He looked over at Vensyn. The guard had taken the brunt of the attack, and somehow managed to get off a shot with HIS magical weapon that turned the tide. He had to admit that was worth something.

Vensyn frowned when he was told the thing they had fought had been Tathar's brother. Had he been possessed by those vine things then? Fucking hell he felt like he'd been rolled down a flight of stairs and then trampled by a carthorse. He touched the place where he'd struck his head.. and found only a tender bruised place, and a slight scab remaining. He moved his left arm a bit, and found the shoulder was stiff and very sore.. but he could move it. Carefully, wincing a bit, he sat up the rest of the way.

The shard sunk back into Jhaes, and he gasped in one deep breath, his eyes shot wide and clearing up, before he was cocooned in light. Tathar would slump over beside him, seemingly unconcious, but there was no time to think about that. There was a loud rumble above them, before the cieling blew open and in came Spellcarver! He hit the ground in a heap, and stood up, panting hard, looking like he had been in a fight for his life. And it wasn't over....he yelled up at the hole in the cleing, "I'll be back, you big dumb bitch! No one calls me Magician, you hear me?! I'll be back!" he looked around at them, frowning as he saw Tathar and the creature contained in the ball of light. "Everyone ready to go? I think its time for us to go."

Tathar Maksa slumps over her brother as he gasps in a breath, unconcious.

Kahakuloa jumped as Spell came into the room and he looked.. just way too flustered. He kept out of the way, and helped where he could.

Landi encourages Vensyn to sit up when he tries, and keeps one of his hands on the man's back. By now, several runes of his kilt have winked completely out, and even more are fading. He'd not needed the seeds, thankfully, and so his second hand curls to keep the two tiny, sticking seeds in his hands. He partially turns to look, as he always does when someine calls his name, but then? No more ceiling! As Haku jumps, Landi struggles to get half over his patient, in case of debris, but he recovers due to the ...odd normalacy of the Lord shouting, and says, "Yes! We need Maksa's patient too!"

Hestia Mehar was intent on hearing Landi's reply, almost... eager. The femme had done her duty though, and that was more than enough for her when he didn't immediately reply due to another disturbance. She'd jump back abruptly in shock as Spell came crashing down through the ceiling, enough that she gave a couple flaps of her not-so-pretty wings from the startling. With his mention of going, she'd step forward, and offer, "Milord, shall I help in carrying?" Her sword was sheathed in the scabbard across her back as she knelt down by the two passed out homunculi.

Delrick couldn't help but stare as Tathar restored what the gnome had already assured himself was the corpse of her dead brother to life. Tenuous life, it seemed, but nonetheless. "I'm ready to go, too," he said. The victory looked ever so slightly less bitter at the moment.

Vensyn raised a hand in a slightly dazed wave to Spellcarver. Probably looking a bit silly in how casually he waved at him, even smiling a bit. Judging from the blood matting his hair and one side of his face, the Captain had taken a nasty head injury.. At least it was most of the way healed.. although he still was not completely sharp and coherent. As Landi backed up from him.. "Wait.. gotta get my swords.." His longsword was closeby, just half a pace away, and he reached for it, wincing, but managed to close a hand on the hilt and pull the weapon to him. "Is T..Lady Darkhand all right?" He said, noticing she was slumped over then. Groaning with pain, he tried to pull himself to his feet.. gaze sweeping over the floor and the chaos of vine bits and who knows what else, for the dropped shortsword. >
Vensyn<He was unsteady on his feet.. a hand on the wall to keep himself upright.. but he was standing. Wait what was he doing? Oh yeah, looking for the other sword. He had his longsword, and the enchanted one from Narsuun, but he didnt want to leave behind the blade Landi had given him as a gift.

Spellcarver looked to all of them, marking their locations. Once Vensyn grabbed his sword, he marked out the lines of the spell carefully, adding on the new passenger, before pulling on the string. The party would land again in the square. Once there, the Honor Guard would move quickly to help Tathar and Jhaes to the manor. Spell lingered only long enough to remove Baraad from Haku, thanking him for his trust and compliance. "Rest, all of you. Do not dispair, we did not make it far, but we lost no one.....indeed it seems we've gained someone. You have all done well."

[Hannah Green]

Third Assault Placeholder

[Hannah Green]

The sound of screams could be heard vaguely from the town center. The portal to the warfront was open, and that terrible sound ushered in the Archmage's arrival. "My people, we've broken through to Nieroda! I need able men and women to fill the leading assault, the final assault! Come and aid me in pushing this darkness from the world once and for all!"

Darious Breathstealer's ears perked up as he heard his Father's voice. "Ah, that would be your call, gentlemen." He finished with the armor. "I will doubtlessly be needed with my Clan. I'm afraid I can't go with this party, though I did rather enjoy going with the last one. It was nice to be...." He smiled faintly, "To vent my rage on something I loathe more than myself." He turned, waving to them both, "Good luck, Gentlemen. Don't get hurt. Though you must admit....it is often most exciting to have to win the honor of coming back home again." And with that, he was gone!

Tathar Maksa rushes into the square, diadem of silver and emerald worn around her head and her brother close on her heels. Stopping at the edge of the stage, she looks up at her lord uncertainly, and then to the rather angry homunculus at her side, "Do, do you wish me to go this time, My lord?"

Jhaes Maksa walks at his sister's side, a harsh gaze turned upon the archmage at the woman's words, "You cannot possibly wish her to go. She is not well, Lord Spellcarver."

Valdir's entity spawned... but that'd be a lie from the start. Gliding along the stone as he donned the monk pose of arms at front and posture straight, the peculiar wizard moved into place nearby where he was sure to find the others. Coming to a halt in the vicinity of the calling, the ole creature took his stand. Stance made, and yet, kept neutral as he seemed more or less awaiting to be issued an order. It was clear by the energy he put off, that the oddity was ready to go.

Landi hears the sound of tummult outside, and hs face grows alarmed until the voices...assure him that it's not being waged ~here. At least some training shows in his motions, next, as he reaches out for the kilt and plackart and begins to bucket it on, needing to half-squat to get the jacket buckles, whole and hale, fastened to the plackart and everything cinched up. As always the past year, the buckles intended for his shoulderpieces and his gloves remain missing. The blindfold comes out, and he ties it on, half-following Darius as he moves to the Go-Bag by the door, lifting it up in order to remove two essential things from it. Into the jacket with the braid and the vial, and just like that, Landi's ready and moving over to Haku to help him with the last of his.

Narsuun Taceo is quick to the scene. He looks much like he had during the first battle, his robes replaced with functional reddish brown leather armour. This time, however, there are two containers falling from his belt. Still weaponless, the magus carries an extra container of silver dust, since he discovered quite how useful it could be. His features are stern as he approaches the stage, silently coming to stand in front of Spellcarver.

David Shai after talking with Valencia, he was not so sure about what happened. He wondered what part was honest or teasing. In any case, he grabbed his bow and arrows from their home and was going to go out to practice his aim. However the sounds from the town square had him wince. He moved over to where the call had come from and saw just whom he figured.

Kahakuloa looked ot the door and then to Landi as Landi geared up. He too, headed over to grab up his armor chest piece and put it on when he looked over to landi "No you don't. Where's the earring." He stated, and if Landi didn't have that on yet, haku would have requested that he pierce landi's ear before they headed out. "Landi, I want you to know that I'm here, and I love you, and that we'll get through this." He leaned forward and kissed Landi, before letting him go and nodded to Landi to head out the door so Haku would follow.

[Please do not whisper Spell for any reason unless you need clarification for something important pretaining to the Dungeon Crawl. This takes a lot of focus to pull off.]

Landi allows the piercing, and heads out of the home wthonly a last detour to pick up the waterflask. In his newly mended armor, wth his husband, he only glances back saying, "Have your bow?" to Haku, and shoving him lightly if the man needed to go back and get it. With the kiss still on him, he waits, and then arrives to the gathering crowd with his usual solemnity.

Kahakuloa was quietly following Landi out the door, when... Landi mentioned his bow. Haku shook his head as the answer. "I didn't need it the last time. I don't think I'll need it now. if anything, I'd rather use the spears I make." He shrugged as he headed down to the stage to see a crowd already gathered there.

Ålov actually looked rather surprised when she appeared near the stage, clutching a rather grisly and crudely-made harpoon in both hands. She'd been on her way to try to catch up with Vensyn and see about fishing with him. Brows lifted some as she saw the small gathering, which really only meant that something was going on. For now, the woman stepped back and kept her eyes and ears open.

Kahakuloa: [NPC/spell, maksa, Jhaes, Valdir, landi, narsuun, david, haku, alov]

Spellcarver through the portal behind him, one could see the pride of the Fallenblade Clan, the Elite amongst an already select group of murderers. They were waiting for the party to arrive, and ahead of that, demons fought with fell creatures to keep the way clear, keep the portal open. Spell seemed unhurried in spite of this. He turned a cold gaze to Jhaes, "Of the many parts of me that have improved from Tathar's kind nature, patience while being questioned in public is not one of them. Be silent, Jhaes. By marraige you are my brother, that will only get you so far from my wrath at any given time, but especially now. Yes, Tathar, I will need you this time." He looked back to the people assembled and nodded. "Nieroda is exposed. The Duskweaver Clan has found the location of her Phylactery, the object which binds her to this world. We have reason to believe the old badger woman's corpse is the chain that keeps Nieroda here. We have what we came for already. The shards needed to restore Tathar were acquired last trip. But we have an obligation to this world, to protect it from the dark currents called forth by that woman. Given time, Nieroda will unchain enough horrors to cause serious, wide spread damage to Kasuria. I am not the kind of man who would leave an enemy behind me, its just not good policy, but there is another fear, even greater than that: In ten years, perhaps more....will we be able to defeat Nevenka Neiroda at her strongest? Will anyone? The World behind the World is open, and from that dark place comes creatures best left forgotten. I say we stamp them out now, before they can do so to us! Once more into the breach, my friends. Who will go? Speak now."

Tathar Maksa's lips firm into a line as the archmage threatens her brother, and she frowns at her shoes so she doesn't have to watch either of their faces. As her position in the party leaving the village is already decided, she remains silent at his question.

Jhaes Maksa's eyes show a spark of anger at the master of the island's words, and the homunculus draws his shoulders back in a challenging position, "Then I will allow you to put my pregnant, ill sister's life in danger, shall I? That certainly sounds like a fine plan to me. Certainly, I shall not question you further, Lord Spellcarver." He steps up to the little woman's side, gripping a hand upon her shoulder, "Tathar, you should not be going to war, stay."

Valdir's body had yet to budge after he had attained a pose of readiness! Alas, it was with the words of Spell that he sought one to be ready, that Valdir echoed in his resonate tone. "As a colleague, I give you my spells!" He still hadn't fallen from that monkesque pose, but his monocle gave a swivel, letting it be affirmed he was prepared.

Landi looks up to his husband with an expression almost totally absorbed by his blindfold, and thinks, for a moment, of backtracking to the house. Arrving nonetheless with his crook and Haku's bare hands, he listens. His lips press together at the word 'phylactery', knowing what that is and what it means. His brother has heard a call like the one presented to him, and he knows the answer of his soul. He looks down, and then up to his husband's face. This was Haku's world. "I will," he says, his voice clear, even though his hand reaches out to touch Haku's hand, asking for silent forgiveness. As he'd told a weeping Tathar - it wasn't just about her. As for mention of her status as a primagravida, however - that penny will take a few seconds to drop.

Narsuun Taceo folds his arms across his chest, glancing back and forth between those around him, he calls up simply. "You know my answer, father." His eyes rest upon the new arrivals in turn, first Jhaes, and then Valdir. His wings twitch, nervous tension building as the sounds of battle pour from the portal.

David Shai would agreed with Jhaes on her staying. Hell had he known she was pregnant he would have tried harder not to let her clip a nasty whip-people-in-the-face plant. In any case, he was quiet about that and sighed out a, "I am going too.." and then glanced at those that already joined. He would also think of it as more then just being about Tathar. All that matter to him in the entire world was on that island.

Kahakuloa arched a brow as he looked around to the group, seeing new faces as well as familiar. He looked to landi as it seemed spell's patience was already short. Haku nodded, and placed a hand to Landi's shoulder before he squared his own shoulders, stood tall (which wasn't hard for the nearly 7 foot tall human to begin with) and looked over to spell. "I'll go." Already clad in his upper (URL: i41.tinypic.com/xqlsvb.jpg) armor of leather and drawstringed tanned pants, and even though he was bare handed, everyone had seen that he could use anything handy as a weapon, even himself at times. He kept careful watch over the group, as well as the portal.

Ålov really shouldn't have had to have said anything in response towhether she was going or not. She did look a little aghast at the white-haired man, however. Nasty-looking harpoon was thrust up into the air above her head, "La oss dele åpne magen til våre fiender!" Her tone alone already stated that she'd like to stab something with the weapon in her hand. She'd prefer monsters to sharks anyway.

Spellcarver turned again to look at Jhaes. "Children." He said simply. Two Duskweavers seemed to come out of nowhere, grabbing Jhaes by his arms, one on each side. "Confine Jhaes to his quarters. He is not to leave....nor is he to be harmed." He looked towords the others as they drug him away, kicking and screaming or otherwise. "Then we will go." He raised a hand, hearing no further objections. "Focus on the mission, Tathar." Before his hand dropped down, and that familiar lurch of teleportation was felt. [Join The Village of Nasmara ]

The Village of Nasmara: [Alright, one second]
The Village of Nasmara: [We're going to do this as best we can, so pay attention.]
The Village of Nasmara: [See the post order? Everyone remember where you are. Post order, if needed again, can be confirmed and recieved through WHISPERS from Haku. Don't post it in the main chat anymore, please. Post time is 5 minutes. If you can't be Bojesus in 5 minutes, be less Bojesus. Got a bigger group here than I anticipated.]
The Village of Nasmara: [SO, 5 minutes per post, if you miss the mark, you lose your turn, this applies to combat as well.]
The Village of Nasmara: [Do not whisper Spell or the Village unless you need specific clarification on something in the scene.]
The Village of Nasmara: [And since its already 9 pm, we're going to skip the arrival posts, moving right into the scene, emits coming.]

Spell wasted little time. Of the elite on half had been seen through the portal. The other half of the elite, suprisingly, were all Breathstealers. Darious and Amon stood beside each other, an event seen about once every century, the hatred between the two was legendary. As Spell approached, they both knelt. "Children....your sacrifices will not be forgotten. Are you ready?" The others of the elite backed away, and formed loose groups on either side of the walk. Down the road, the sound of battle had fallen to a random scream or bellow here and there, and that was more disturbing than the cacophany of before. There were creatures down there, they looked like exceptionally tall, thin, and armored humans, their eyes letting out a pale light. Some kind of Undead, surely, but they seemed different. Amon looked up and grinned that horrific grin of his, "Unleash me, Father." Darious looked up as well, a hateful sneer on his lips, "As if I could refuse." Spell nodded, reaching to rest a hand over the outstretched talons of both demons. "Theis Darkhand, Prince of Gnihton, I unleash you unto this world. Make my proud." In Amon (Theis'?) Hands blood spilled over, forming runes that crawled up his body in liquid that behaved unnaturally enough to be repulsive. "Theldurin Darkhand, Blade of Woe, I unleash you unto this world. Behold Daubendiek." The thing that Darious recieved was a sword, nearly a long as his own body. The two stood, Darious wreathed in pale light, Amon covered in blood runes. "First to fifty, Theis?" Darious asked casually. "Make it a hundred, Theldurin." He rumbled, before the two, followed by the remaining elite, rushed towords the undead legions. "Death to the Toal!" Amon roared. Narsuun would know that word. Toal...a kind of undead even Spell had only dared to summon once, and never again. The sound of battle was renewed, and with a vengence. Blood, bodies, and pieces of the Toal flew everywhere, but the way was clearing quickly. "Ready yourselves!" Spell bellowed, standing, waiting for an opening to again enter that house of nightmares.

Tathar Maksa looks up with wide eyes at her lord's command, the homunculus's last view of the village her brother's silently furious face as he is dragged away. Focusing on the task at hand, she is teleported off to war. The little woman watches the interaction between the lord and his sons quietly, flinching at the feel of magic in the air. When the archmage commands them to ready themselves, she keeps close to his side, and at the next command, runs along at his side.

Valdir's body to grow in height? Only a minimal amount, as slender digits of metal mitts that were his hands reached high to place the cowl on his head. The reticulating monocle began to swivel swiftly about in the space provided on his face as posture straightened. A whip of his shoulders and robes were loosened as they fell from his frame if only to unveil a crude visual of what he was. It was not flesh that mixed in with metal parts, but suffice it to say, the wirey musculature that had clung to the frame of his form.. churned. Hands opened up as palms
aimed forward and hung low at his sides, with only a look given to the front as he awaited to be told to unleash.

Landi arrives with his usual disorientation, struggling to recover while the Lord deals with his children. It was diffcult enough to be near poor Valdir, as pleasant as the construct's company was, he needs to focus more carefully with that disruption, due to his sensitivity. Without any warning against magic use, Land immediately begins to pull on the surroundings, even before he can fully stand. The armor, completely impractical for fighting, serves its true purpose as a conduit, focus, and conduit - the wooden ruines stitched all through it begin to glow with a bioluminescent pulse, gettng stronger with every beat of attention he can bring to it. It's intermitant, since he is sacrificing some ability to focus on the neccesity of immenent movement. Only now does he look to Spellcarver.

Narsuun Taceo settles into a lower stance and sets his eyes upon the goal. The mention of the undead causes him to frown, but now is not a time to be fazed. So he sets his jaw, perks his ears, and awaits the command. One final run into the breach. Hopefully, this would be the killing blow.

David Shai was not so sure he liked how Jhaes was treated but then, he was not there to serve Spell or bicker. He had his own reasons for helping and that was that. Do to Spell being in lead, he would choice to follow the commands with no arguement.. or make an effort. David still had not let himself get use to the portal travel and almost staggard from it but he did fall. As he glanced forward and even listened, he inhaled deeply and made sure to check his bow. With everyone else, he kept his attetion on Spellcarver and tried not to become unnerved by what was going to happen and a particular companion that would not be named.

Kahakuloa had been prepared for the teleport.. just.. not for the fact that.. he wasn't given a weapon, not like the last times. This time.. haku didn't even have time to grab a damned stick, as they were portaled in to the middle of shouts and rushes. Haku looked around after the initial uncertainty.. and grabbed an abandoned pole that was on the ground. Good enough. He warily kept an eye on everyone, before he looked to see Landi already pulling energies to himself. He looked to spell, waiting, ready. He wasn't going to be the first to rush in headlong this time.

Ålov situated herself a bit easier than she had in the past when they arrived. The place was familiar and Alov very easily centered herself. As two of Spell's children spoke and prepared themselves, Alov's fingers worried the long handle of her harpoon, knuckles whitening as she gripped it. Pupils narrowed a bit before widening again, her toes pressing into the ground to get a feel for it as she fixed her breathing.

Vensyn had seen them preparing to leave and had bolted to the guardhouse for the blade Narsuun had loaned him, after all he still had one more use of it. When he ran out, he saw they really were leaving, and right that second. "Dont fucking think so, not again!" He'd dove through at the last second, landing in some bushes, climbed out, and scrambled to catch up. He watched the ordeal between the demons, with a mix of wariness and curiosity... and frown at the undead, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Eyebrows rose at the explosion of carnage, and he drew the longsword at his side.. Ready, at his Lord's word to advance. He moved up towards the front of the group, waiting.

Spellcarver raised his arms as if he were about to fly, and indeed did raise off the ground about six inches. Balls of light started to form in an arc in front of him, and he zipped across the ground at a fast speed, as if skating over the ground. "Run! Don't stop until we've breached the courtyard!" Each time something got remotely close to one of the adventurers, or to himself, one of the balls of light would burst, shooting a beam that impaled the offending creature and shot it across the ground like a stone skipping over the surface of water. [Moving up!]

The party would have no time to rest, even when they reached the courtyard. Nevenka was waiting for them. Spell raised his hands, yelling in counter to Nieroda's own ghostly chanting, and deflecting a bolt from the sky close enough to their heads that their ears would be ringing. "Get inside! Go, now! I will hold Nieroda!" She screamed something in defiance to his words in a language dead even to Spellcarver, and he bellowed back, "One more time, bitch! One more time! I've left more magical talent laying around in my chamberpot than you have in your whole damn body!" Another bolt crashed down, again deflected, and those lines of black were already creeping up the Archmages neck. They didn't have a lot of time. [Everyone in! :-)]

The Village of Nasmara: [From here on all decisions are your own. I suggest you use the tactical resources you have....like Tathar knowing where things are in this place! :-) Post occording to order, no emit this round.]

Tathar Maksa races along at her lord's side in a single-minded fashion, keeping her attention mostly for her feet and the path directly in front of her. At his next command, she flinches from the powerful magics at play and races into the door of the manor. Once inside, she looks to the others uncertainly, and the gem upon her forehead flares with magic. [Light of inspiration. All Spell preps are 1.5 per turn. =)]

Valdir's gone machine! Sort of. Intellect in tact, physical body still that odd combination, but he held more of a mental state capable of the battlefield tactics needed. Precision! Decisive! With a stride that in turn would seem more befitting or a warrior, the tall walking frame that was the construct radiated energies galore. His pupils searing to the air itself, as steam rose from the small specks. In his palms one could easily spot the pooling magic that was ready to be molded to whatever the caster wielded. (Magical Bolt, 1.5/3)

Landi's blindfolded eyes take in the states of others, and tries to get a hang of who is armed with what. Seeing that Haku had, indeed, come barehanded, as they move Haku's chest would be impacted with Landi's crook. He makes eyecontact, such as he can through the blindfold, and lets go, forcing Haku to lose the crook or take it as Landi's head is forced down by the massive arcane spell in front of him, and he runs. Aware that the Lord needs to taunt the Lich, Landi releases a portion of his charge into the man, as hehad last time, via hand to a shoulder in passing, and makes it into the cover of the room, coming to a halt behind the Lady. His armor...was NOT made for running, and he's already sweating. "A Lich won't use the same place twice. He said the Duskweavers found it, though. My Lady, if one's here, I need you to command it to show itself and guide."

Narsuun Taceo starts immediately, dashing forward and picking his way through the battle as it changes about them. When they reach the courtyard his first instinct is to remain with Spellcarver, but he tears himself away in order to stay with the others. Dashing inside, he takes a quick survey of the room, and makes his way toward the front of the group. He was about to speak when Landi takes care of it for him. Instead, oddly, he begins to hum. [1.5/6 Dancing Silver]

David Shai glanced at everyone once and then at the rising Spellcarver. And there it was, the call to run. David stayed a bit low ad ran hard not looking back or he would fail. He nearly got distracted but forced himself to focas and when ordered in, he did just that. He also servey the room and mostly saught out shadow so he knew what he had to work with but he also unsheathed and arrow to be ready.

Kahakuloa hated fights, but he was here for many reasons. He nodded as he hurried with the group. he wans't the leader this time. Not this time. He held the pole in one hand as he kep... he was suddenly shoved at by the crook and Haku dropped the pole, and grabbed the crook instead frowning, before he hurried with the rest. This place was famliar. Too familiar. He looked to the place they had gone the last time. "Not that way, that is a dead end. Take the other door." The one they DIDN'T go through the last time. Well those that were there before would have known what Haku was talking about. He nodded, and started for the other door, looking over to Maksa, for confirmation. So much for ... not taking charge.

Ålov followed after the others, careful to not point the harpoon at anyone or put it in a position that she might fall and impale herself before the battle even started. The woman was reluctant to leave the Lord outside on his own, like Narsuun, and as she followed the others inside, rounding up the back of the group as usual, she turned her head to watch the man until she was well inside the building. Her own armor seemed to be a bit more comfortable than Landi's, for running, the bottom portion of it really just a... knee-length skirt of the strip variety. Boots were tall however and kept her shins well-guarded. The top part was a bit more difficult to twist in and so on, but she'd manage. She hadn't gone inside the last time she was here, but made motions and so on, gathering up her will. (Decay of the corpse 1.5/4)

Vensyn ran the moment Spellcarver gave the order to. No time to watch the light show after all. Soon, he was all too aware of what it was for.. as their would be attackers were knocked back. He did cringe at the booming crash, but did not stop, only glancing to make sure the others were still following. He was little use against poweful magics.. Even if some part of him hated leaving Spellcarver back there. He did a quick headcount once they were inside... and then eyed the doors. It made sense to go through the one they hadnt yet, and he too, looked to Tathar, wanting to confirm that before charging ahead like a loon, or a Haku.

Tathar Maksa looks to the tailor at his command, and then to Haku as he begins to again run rashly ahead and give everyone random orders. Hesitantly, she murmurs, "I, I think he said last night that the body is upstairs. Perhaps in Mistress's bedroom, or the library?" She gestures to the trade minister, who is already forging a path based on his random inclinations, "That way, and up the stairs just before the dining hall." That said, she moves along with him.

The Village of Nasmara: [Going to emit, then posting order will continue, starting with Tathar (As if she had not posted once this round]

Oh yes. It was cold up here. Cold enough, dispite the warmth everywhere else, that one could see their own breath. It looked normal enough, if your usual residence was the Temple of Doom. The ground was covered in a thick fog, obscuring their feet, and maybe that was best....the ground seemed squishy. Looking up at the cieling was fun. It was covered in bone, blood, and tissue. Thankfully nothing dripped from it, though why it was like that, no one knew. The sound of something shuffleing could be heard behind the door nearest Narsuun. No other apparent clues could be gathered without some investigation.

Tathar Maksa looks around the rather disgusting hall, her expression rather frightened, though the gem on her head continues to glow with a soft green light, "The, the door beside Lord Narsuun is the library. The Mistress's bedroom is down the hall opposite, at the very end." She points to both.

Valdir's being to maneuver hastily about in pursuit of the others, but he seemed to be striving for a frontman in this endeavor. Perhaps the construct felt his situation, or apparent lack of, made him more the suitable position taker as a battlemage. Roving on, moving between the others to make himself a known presence at the frontline, he was still pooling energies into his palms. But, by now, it seemed it had at this point adapted to their circumstances. (Magical Bolt, 3/6)

Landi was severely hampered by Valdir's presence. The more powerful the monk-stranger got, the less Illiandi could do with all that uncontrolled arcane energy pulsing so very close to him. Barely able to look up at this point, Landi reaches out to touch the nearest person, Tathar ."Thank you," he says to her. It was her turn to lead him, it seems, as he's having to keep his eyes shut against the loose magic. As the temperature drops, it's almost a relief for the man wearing two layers of clothing even before the armor, which added another inch to inch-and-half in places. With his head down, he misses the full disgusting effect of the room, as well as the significance of audio clues. With his hand on her, however, his armor begins to glow very bright indeed, and he's reached a full level of charge.

Narsuun Taceo takes in a long breath and his humming becomes louder, rising gradually in tone. His paws drop to the containers attatched to his belt, pulling out the stoppers and making fluid motions with his fingers, guided by his wrists. From each rises a small cloud of silver dust, drawn upward with simple magic to hover in front of Narsuun. The tiny particles dance and twinkle in the light as Narsuun follows along with the group. "Don't get too close to me." He warns. Upon hearing the noises, he sets himself up beside the door, nodding at Tathar's information. He raises his voice. "Storm it quickly. Melee to the front. I need a shock trooper, knock the door in!" Then, returns to high pitched humming.[3/6]

David Shai rushed up following whome ever was aheadshivered slightly from the cold. His hair was still wet from earlier that day. However, he did notive the ceiling and cringed. But the fog at their feet was useful. He began to use his shadow haven to creat a shroud around him and make it harder to see him. This time, he was careful not to go to far with it and not to get to close to anyone. [Shadow Haven only [1/2]

Kahakuloa frowned as they heade like a maze up the stairs and carefully spread themselves out. Haku made sure to follow Maksa of course, keeping close to her, and.. keeping a bit of distance from the hulking bit of machine like structure. He looked over to everyone before Maksa spoke. haku, too heard rustlings behind a door near them.. but Maksa mentioned, and then pointed where the 'mistress chambers' were. "then we'll go to the chanbers..." He kept looking to the door by narsuun though, his grip on the crook tightening. "watch the doors.." He warned.. He looked to Maksa. "Let's go to the chambers. Lead the way." Of course.. that was where Nars piped up about charging the door. Haku stopped and looked to Nars. "... or maybe we should see what's behind that door first. can't have things coming up behind us!" He pointed to the door near Narsuun...

Ålov felt... strangely at home when they arrived upstairs. Eyes peered down to the ground, but she didn't see much of anything. Harpoon lifted some to very very gently prod some of the things. Eyes lifted then and she looked to Narsuun as he suggested someone knock the door in. The woman shifted her position from the back of the group to the front, offering Narsuun a small smile. Eyes shifted to Haku as he spoke, then back to Narsuun, "Eef you steell need somevun, I veel do eet." Because Alov always charged headfirst into everything without thinking of the consequences, this wasn't any different, really.

Vensyn gave a nod, and followed where Tathar directed, she after all knew the place. Vensyn, had only been there once, and they had been going down, not up. He stuck close however, wary.. knowing they could be attacked at any moment. Through several rooms, up a flight of stairs.. His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword as they stepped into an area with several hallways leading off different directons. It was cold, but Vensyn was certainly not bothered. "Hmm.. the break from the heat is nice..." then suddenly, his expression turned to surprised and disgust. "But that's not." He said, indicating the ceiling. He turned at the shuffling sound, eyeing the door, even before Tathar mentioned it. "There is something on the other side." But it seemed others had noticed as well.. He moved closer to the door.. Determined to be one of the first, if not the first through. "Thank you Captain Obvious." He called to Haku. “Be sure to remind everyone to breathe and put one foot in front of the other while walking too." He moved up to the door, and kicked it as hard as he could, if it opened, in he went. Dont have to ask him twice, if they were to charge right in? That he could do.


The Village of Nasmara: [Everyone roll 1d100-5 ]
Tathar Maksa rolls 1d100-5 & gets 42.
Vensyn rolls 1d100-5 & gets 75.
Kahakuloa rolls 1d100-5 & gets 42.
Landi rolls 1d100-5 & gets 83.
David Shai rolls 1d100 & gets 73.
Narsuun Taceo rolls 1d100-5 & gets 48.
Ålov rolls 1d100-5 & gets 56.
David Shai rolls 1d100-5 & gets 86.
Valdir rolls 1d100-5 & gets 30.

There was a squeak of suprise as the door was kicked in, and in came the warriors!!!!! What horrors lie behind this door? What terrors of the Deep? ....it was a woman. A small, frail woman who was unarmed, unarmored, and barely clothed. Hell, it was a mouse! Her ears perked up and she cowered in fear from the group, "P-please, please don't....don't.....no more! No more!" She seemed in hysterics. [Hold posts a moment]

Tathar Maksa keeps to the back of the group, continuing to provide her magical assistance as she stares at the mouse woman with absolutely no recognition. Settling near the wall out of the room with the Tailor at her side, she stares. [light of inspiration]

Valdir's metal mesh frame to take a frontal position. He didn't step beyond the wall of shields (Haku, Ven), however. In the cold atmosphere his body put off a billowing fog, the pooling energy in body and wielded within grip putting off a radiant heat. When the woman/mouse was caught in view, instead of momentary pause, the Construct became more hostile as it positioned its' frame in a wide stance and propped forward both arms with palms aimed directly at said stranger! Valdir had no voice at this point, only a hiss of steam. Unless told to cease the action, given the situation, it was clear he might unleash his spell on the mouse woman! (4.5/6, Magical Bolt)

Landi is not purposed here as a hand-to-hand fighter, and he remains as much in the back as he can. Not out of fear, but out of duty. Healers stay out of the way until they are ~needed. Opening his eyes to stare at Maksa's shoulder through his blindfold, he hears....what is very likely a ruse. Having encoutnered lies like this before, he immediately uses some of his energy to course along the fog-ridden ground, warping it around the disturbances caused by David and Valdir, until he sends it blindly toward the voice, trying to see what it was.

Narsuun Taceo blinks a few times as everyone seems to stumble around. When Alov and Vensyn step forward he looks relieved. "Good." He replies to them both, but looks happiest when Vensyn just goes ahead and does what he asked. Piling into the room with the others, he is given a moment's pause by the sight. He interrupts his humming once more as the silver dust trails behind him. "Don't trust it." He simply says. His arms shift to guide the dust around him in circles, and the tone of the sounds coming out of his mouth become extremely annoyingly high.[4.5/6]

David Shai watched for everyone to start moving in and started to carefully move in as well. However, as he entered, he stopped and felt ill from a terrible smell that offended his nose. "G-Guys.." He was so queezy from the aweful sent that his black flame aura began to show and somewhat strongly. He brought a sleeved covered had over his nose and muttered, "Does anyone else smell that.... How can you not sm---smell that? So foul...."

Kahakuloa groaned as Vensyn suddenly kicked the door in. Ok so we're going this way! haku hurried in after ven, or more like.. after everyone and as soon as he was in, and noticed the room, and who was in it...as well as an amazing aroma of .. something wonderful, despite Davis's claim of something smelling foul! He deeply inhaled, his eyes closing a moment before he reopened them, Haku's gaze immediately went to the mouse femme. "Oh no." He murmured, as he immediately left the safety of the group and marcehd right on over to her, and carefully crouched, with a bit of a smile, his eyes searching her frame. "It's ok. we won't harm you." he assured, as he held his hand out to her, to help her up. He looked back to the group, to see the huge constructlike machine raising arms to .. "NO. NO, cease!" and haku moved to stand directly in front of the mouse, to block her. "Don't fire! Not yet!"

Ålov followed after Vensyn unless she was held back by Narsuun or one of the others, seeming a little... thrown off as there was a squeak and... a mouse woman? It wasn't a monster at all, apparently. Alov knew that sometimes... things in places like this had disguises though. She didn't let her guard down and when Narsuun spoke, her harpoon pulled back as if to thrust it into the woman. She fumbled when Haku hurried infront of the mouse-woman, having to drop the weapon to keep from thrusting it into him, "Vhat ees vizh you people?!" Meaning... Something like this had happened before (4.5/4)

Vensyn charged in, ready to face some sort of abomination, in order to obtain the remaining shard, or shards for Tathar. He skidded to a halt.. and blinked. A mouse woman? He was not sure if she was what she appeared to be.. On one hand, she seemed to be just a frightened defensless female.. But what if it was a trick? "We are here for the shard." He said firmly. He did not lower his blade.. not yet. "Who are you?" Not shouting at her by any means, his voice was quiet and calm, but firm. "Magic users. Do any of you sense anything abnormal about her? I find it hard to believe it would be this simple.. and this room would be unguarded.. He scowled at the golem thing. "Watch where you point that.. We don't know if she is an enemy or not." While he would not want an innocent harmed, much less slain, he did not want to trust what his eyes told him. Damn Narsuun's humming was starting to get on his nerves. It was like the man was full of plum sized gnats. "Haku get back away from her you idiot.." He growled.

The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10+4 & gets 8.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100+10 & gets 38.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d10 & gets 2.

For once, the adventurers were lucky. Damn, damn lucky. Landi detected the creature's nature before anyone else. His sudden yell of "IPO. Ah- Kah- Hay-Lay -" Was all that gave Haku time enough to turn around. The creature spread out into some kind of horrific spider creature with a vaguely human head, hissing at Haku and sinking one of its legs, tipped at the end in sharp metal, into Haku's upper thigh. His armor, the fact that his back wasn't turned to the creature anymore, and that he had a moment to dance away is all that kept him from losing a leg, as it stood all he got was a very unhappy game of 'just the tip' with the spider's bladed leg, enough
to draw blood, but no serious injury. The creature, strangely enough, abandoned its attack on Haku after that, and instead lunged right for David, but could find no opening to attack. David was the only one who could sense it: The stink, that terrible smell, and it was coming from the creature's rear near where the thing's web would emerge if it had one. That smell that was clouding Haku's mind seemed to have the opposite effect on David. It was, over all, (URL: www.bolman.nl/cgtalk/supervlieg_chow35.jpg) a terrible sight to behold

Tathar Maksa lets out a startled little squeak of sound at the sudden transformation, those wide green eyes staring in fear at the huge monster. Noticing Haku is wounded, though not how bad, she begins to call upon a minor healing spell. [1/2]

Valdir's faulty to a command line issued by Haku or Vensyn, as it seemed he was pooling energies in palms and seemed to have no halting of it in mind. Preparations finalized, the Construct took a step or two in a precision strike attempt to lob the now oblong magical bolt straight toward the spider creature! The golems arms were rapt in electrical bands of energy that leeched onto the bolt as it soared from palms with a loud thunder. Valdir seemed to be in a solid pose, to feel no effects of the kickback from his spell. (6/6, Magical Bolt)

Landi andi releases an immediate wave of life energy to the forefront of the group. Bolstered by physical contact with Maksa, he feels her gathering energy, but not knowing for whom. Logically assuming she aims for the first wounded - his husband - Landi opens his eyes. Finding his targets, he releases to Alov, Vensyn, and - attempts Valdir...withdrawing physically from what he finds there. Forced to divert, it's David who gets the monk's portion - enough energy each to immediately close light wounds and mitigate moderate for the next several seconds. Landi cries out in pain, however, at having to witness the bolt in order to get the heals cast.

Narsuun Taceo was about to also shout at Haku but it was too late. The best thing he can do now is complete his spell. As the creature morphs Narsuun's jaw loosens and his humming turns to screeching. It's not the volume, but the rising pitch of his voice that burns the ears however, until... It stops. But Narsuun hasn't stopped shouting - the magically enhanced tone is simply no longer audible to most ears. With sweeping arm movements he gathers the silver dust in front of his mouth, and the particles vibrate until, when the spell completes, and they burst from his paws to surround him like an aura, each piece is white hot, creating steam from the moisture in the air, aggravated at the atomic level to such an extent as to become tiny balls of molten metal. One paw slides backward, and he raises his arm with a growl, preparing to attack. [6/6]

David Shai"Get out..." David muttered and that was his plan but he was not leaving them. He was thrown off by the smell that made his eyes water. His eyes watered and David staggered back when he thought something tried to get to him. David held his breath and then pulled up his bow. In such a space and so many people, he was not sure he could hit the thing and not hit anyone else. But he took that moment to try and get a good aim on the thing.

Kahakuloa had just enough time to turn back around to see a horror that had him screaming like a little girl, and jump back, but not fast enough as the leg sliced at his leg, hitting him. He gave a shout, and clutched at his leg, but that smell, was just... so.. inviting! Even jumping back, his pants along his thigh now ripped, he was still blocking the path to it, as he circled around near the beastly creature, like a moth to the flame, even though his face showed complete stark terror, he wasn't moving from her! The thunder had Haku jump, and duck a bit, but it didn't deter him from being near the thing, as he hovered near out of striking range from everyone else, as well as the beast. His pants leg was ripped, with a few splotches seen...and the wound was no where to be seen, even with Landi's immediate rush of energy. It seemed haku.. wasn't going to be leaving this creature alone...

Ålov was being driven a little crazy by Narsuun's humming as well, but it only helped the woman focus on the... now spider-thing's head. Landi's channeling also helped Alov as she'd make the motions to cast the spell, which would ideally cause the creature's head, or some limb near its front to wither and rot. Thankfully, Alov's nose was pretty... well, it didn't seem to pick up on the smells of rotting flesh and blood and all that. Hushed words were spoken in a forceful and direct manner as she concentrated. Hopefully, her gathered will would make this easier on everyone and the spell would just... Wither the head of the monster. [6/4 Decay of the Corpse]

Vensyn would smack Haku in the head for that one later. As the man got just the tip, to his leg.. he drew the second blade at his side, the shortsword gifted to him by Landi. Expecting the golem and any other casters would blast the thing head on, he cut to the right side, He charged for a front leg/arm, bringing the longsword around in an arc, putting force behind the strike, his intent to chop through the leg/arm and cripple the thing. With his left, he jabbed hard for the thing's head, trying to put a blade into it's temple, twisting as he struck out. He'd seen horrors, abominations before. The thing was terrible, but damned if he wasn't determined to see it terribly dead.

The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 17.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 18.
The Village of Nasmara: [Alright, if you attacked this round with magic, I need 1d100 , if you attacked with melee, I need a 1d10
Valdir rolls 1d100 & gets 93.
Ålov rolls 1d100 & gets 38.
Vensyn rolls 1d10 & gets 9.
David Shai rolls 1d10 & gets 3.
The Village of Nasmara: [Roll again David.]
David Shai rolls 1d10 & gets 10.
The Village of Nasmara: [(For reference, due to David getting the 'buff' this round, he gets two dice, I take the better of the two)]
The Village of Nasmara: [Alright! David, 1d100+30 and Vensyn, 1d100]
David Shai rolls 1d100+30 & gets 37.
Vensyn rolls 1d100 & gets 46.

It was a good day to be Valdir! Alov's Spell was resisted, knocked away with a very faint twinge of pain for Alov as he spell was turned, but not reversed on her. Valdir's however, struck the creature hard enough that it fell to the ground, legs spread out around it, twitching. It wasn't dead, not yet, though while it tried to get back up, David and Vensyn's attacks on the creature, while minimally effective, provided enough that it would not rise again. David and Haku's noses would clear almost immediatly after, and no further injuries were suffered. Its back split open at the top, and a small green shard popped out of the top, but this was in no way a phylactery.

The Village of Nasmara: [For the remainder: No preps will be needed. Only a roll to determin if it hit, and severity. So we can speed up :-)]

Tathar Maksa's eyes squint as the magical deluge is unleashed, and she finishes her minor healing spell upon Haku, whether he needs it or not. When the creature falls, and only a shard tinkles to the ground, she looks toward the door out, "I, I suppose, I suppose we had better try the Mistress's bedroom then?" She waits upon someone else to take the lead, however.

Valdir's job done, for now! Albeit, the construct took a retreat once that spell had been launched. Straightening posture, it seemed that the being was moving toward the door. "I will retreat to assist colleague Lord Spellcarver." This battle tactic was obviously something that the creature had been plotting from the get-go. Aid and assist to a certain degree or extent, then fall back and maintain the lines best he could! (That, and player must retire to bed. Thanks for the chance to do the run!)

Landi's hands are shaking as things fall quieter, and he places one back on Maksa. No longer trusting the energies up here as a safe place to draw from, and no longer in any state to draw while walking anyway, his silence must serve as consent. His healing magics do nothing to quell a migraine, and Valdir's departure comes too late. Forced to simply cope with the nerve damage until it unworks itself or someone else provides the right kind of help, Landi stands wth Maksa, to move when she does. Any channeling he had been maintaining ceases.

Narsuun Taceo blinks when his comrades quickly fell the creature. He grunts, adjusting his feet and calming himself. At least it's not a wasted spell - he has the silver prepared, the dust dancing around him and obscuring his form somewhat. Steam continues to rise about him as the molten silver contacts moisture in the air. "Vensyn with me at the front. Alov, Haku, the rear in case we're snuck up on. Everyone else stick close to Tathar in the middle. Let's move on."

Kahakuloa blinked.. as the spider thing dropped. Suddenly, as if he came to his own senses, Haku backpeddaled so fast away from that thing he tripped backwards, his face paled. The crook clattered and skidded across the floor, as he scrambled to his feet. He back up all the way to the door, to near Landi, grabbed up the cook his eyes as large as saucers."Auwe, da fucka be doin heah, ya, no, I pau, I be leavin, we be going, ya. We gon grab da kine green rock and we go da otah way, like now." and that was all that was said, as Narsuun apparently was telling haku to .. stay in the back? Oh fuck that. Haku was keeping CLOSE to everyone now, almost herding them out the door! Then he realized.. no one took the shard.. and haku.. shaking.. darted over to grab for the shard, because.. that shard might be needed. THEN he rushed back toward the door.





David Shai caughed a little hard when he realized he not only hit but the thing had fallen and there was no more smell. After a sharp gasp, he began to try and move towards where he figured his arrow. Whether he found it or not, once an order was given and they were on the move again, David would follow in the middle as asked. If given the chance, he would quietly ask, "Are you doing alright Ms. Maksa," if he could even get close enough to ask.

Ålov winced some and stepped backwards a little as that wave of pain shifted through her. Teeth clenched and lips pulled back. Anyone that could see Alov's face would note the grimace on it. She'd started for the small green object when Haku got it. She seemed a little disoriented herself, confused maybe as to why her spell didn't seem to work. Bending forward, the woman picked up her harpoon and followed after Haku, following behind the group like she'd been told.

Vensyn scowled and stepped back from the foul corpse. Oh look, a shard. He gave a nod to Narsuun, and moved to the front, pausing only to wipe his blade on a tablecloth. He had zombie-spider-monster stuff on it. "That seemed a bit anti climatic.' He said.. expecting something worse to be coming soon after that. After all, they still had to find that Flylactatetree or whatever the fuck it was called. "You all right there Haku? Don't worry if we see any more bugs Ill step on them for you." He grinned. Onwards to the bedroom. Ven had no problem leading the way so long as he knew which way to go.

If the previous room was bad...this one was worse. A lot worse. The huge spider nest near the door was empty, thank the Gods for that. Perhaps it had once belonged to the creature they just killed? But the room wasn't empty. This place was cold. Like witch's titty, brass bra doing push-ups in the snow cold. And there she was! On the bed, looking all peaceful and...not dead. Old badger woman, laying in a state of repose, who turned to look towords Tathar with a smile....filled with black, crooked teeth. "Hello, girl." She said in a quivering voice. Quivering everything, really, her cheeks were moving awfully funny. "Have you come back to apologize, stupid little girl? Have you come back to apologize for murdering me, ungrateful whore?!" She screeached the words, before she started convulsing. A sudden wash of power would rip from the bed, pressing everyone to the back wall, crushing the spider's nest with the weight of their bodies as the badger woman stood up in bed,>> and started to ....break open? Bones cracked, head jerked about, eyes fell out, and as its mouth opened, octopus tenticales spewed out, and pushed out to break open the seal of her mouth, splitting her head open like the shell she had become. What was beneath was only a mass of tentacles, which slowly spread out, opening like a flower, to reveal a woman inside. Her veins were visible, all of them black, and most of her skin was covered by some kind of organic metal that intersected randomly with bare skin. Her eyes, as black as the night, stared cruelly down on those before her. It was Nevenka Nieroda. "Your Lord has lead you to your doom." She said in a cold voice, holding a hand up and gesturing down slowly, "Fall down on your knees.....and I might spare you." That pressure, that terrible pressure pushing them back, began to increase. Already they couldn't move, soon they would be crushed. "My darkness is made of all those things you wished no one knew about you. I am>> your every dark desire, each willful desecration, I am everything you are afraid of when the lights go out. When you dream of horrors you cannot name, I am that unspoken name. I. Am. GOD HERE!" And there was the killing blow! Except it didn't come. She suddenly curled in on her self and let out a scream of rage, "Foolish magician!" She screamed, turning from the party in a moment of distraction. Spell was working for them still, distracting her as best he could while fighting her appirition outside.

The Village of Nasmara: [Oh, yeah. Didn't mention...heh. You're released now ICly :-P]

Tathar Maksa leads the tailor as the party moves down the hall, her steps faltering slightly as she nears the dreaded door. Shivering in the chill of the room, her fear keeps her from responding to David's polite inquiry. Letting out a cry of horror as she notices her Mistress's body upon the bed, it is cut short as everyone is shoved into the wall. Forced to listen to the ramblings of the badger woman, and then the sorceress, she falls to her knees once released. The homunculus, no longer faced with the terror of her old life, but instead a momentarily disabled woman, calls out, "Please excuse me." Raising one little hand, she shoots out the bolt witnessed earlier at the woman, Valdir's arcane spell, diminished. [3/3 light of recognition]

Landi enters on the leash of his own arm, mostly because at this point leaving him behind would potentially allow the enemy to weaponize him. Finally starting to feel the cold to an uncomfortable, it rings against his migraine - just as the wall and probably parts of Alov as well! Breathing in great, agonized gulps until the pressure and the awful shouting passes, Landi collapses against a mass of crushed spider-silk. Having nothing offensive to offer in his state, he instead pours the remainder of energy into the two nearest bodies to him - Alov, and Tathar Maksa himself. Spent, he doesn't get up when others do.

Narsuun Taceo nearly joins the rest of them against the wall with the force of the spell. He raises his arms and the silver rushes to his front, forming a barrier so thin that it's transluscent as cloudy glass. With his arms raised protectively in front of him he cringes against the force, struggling to maintain his position. But he does not give the woman an inch - even if he can't move otherwise. When he feels the pressure drop he wastes no time. The barrier shatters and he swings an arm through the resulting shower of glittering shards. "I've seen a god." He snarls. "You're nowhere close." The molten silver connects to his fingertips and outward in five long, thin strands like puppet strings, and he swings his arm toward her, sending the whip like strands out to rake wrap around whatever parts of her he can get at. Then, his second paw thrusts forward, sending thin spikes of the silver out toward her body, to try and pierce her at the core.

David Shai An instant expretion of disgust was written all over his face as he walked into the next room. However, he felt himsilf knocked back and his bow dropped from hand. The arrow he found in the other room was still held. But a lot of good it would do when pinned to a wall and bow on floor. "Christ..Like one of my..nightmares..." He pushed out through clinched teeth. When freed, he just dropped to his knees and head canted forward. His hair fell around his face as he gavea chesire grin. "Hows that for anti-climatic..." He shivered and groaned as he picked up his bow and staggered to his feet. "Freakin dark place..."

Kahakuloa damn near clung to whoever was closest to him, which most likely was whoever was in the back with him. He was shaking, paled, and pissed off, as they entered the room. He shied away from the webs that clung to the walls before he stopped dead to see the woman on the bed say something aobut murder, and then gave a shout as he was thrown against the wall, and then pinned there, seeing stars. It was Haku's past all over again as he felt the weight of his body against the wall and increasing. He graoned as the pressure, unable to do anything as he could only watch and listen.. until he was suddenly released, and he slid to the floor coughing. Haku wasted no time as he shook his head to clear it, and suddenly, everything came back to him. His past indeed filled his mind, as he snarled, feral and deep, golden eyes showing utter rage and hatred. He couldn't get to her becuase of the mess of bodies.. but Kahakuloa has something he could hurl, which was the crook. He wasn't staring at the woman.. no, it wasn't the woman in his mind, it was the mage, and with a shout, he hurled the crook like a spear, at the woman right as Narsuun did his attack...

Ålov was starting to feel a bit more uncomfortably cold as well, particularly her legs where the skirt she'd been given didn't really cover the same way trousers might. Nose began to take on a reddish hue as she clutched her harpoon. She'd been in the back with Haku and gave him a furrowed-brow look, glancing around the room. The badger-woman made Alov a little sick, really and her nose started to run some from the cold. As they were pressed against the window, Alov moved just her eyeballs, listening to the sound of the glass her back was pressed against, rather than the woman talking to them. It was cracking a bit. Taking a deep breath when they were released, Alov moved towards Landi quickly to check on him first, before she'd navigate on feet as quick as she could to get a better vantage point. At this time, Alov was abandoning any fancy spells and resituated herself, casting the lashing spell she knew focusing on the creature on the bed as she'd call out after Haku a firm, "VEKT!"

Vensyn scowled at the thing.. prepared to battle whatever it turned into. THe wash of power pressed him back.. But he braced, fighting it, trying to surge forward again. "Shut the fuck up, no one talks to Tathar like that!" Fighting to get at the woman, his expression had darkened. "Eat steel, you dried up old bitch." Trying to also, get the attention on -him- and off of Tathar. "Lets see how much of a fucking mouth you have when you have to be swept up off the fucking floor, hag." His eyes widened as she split apart. "Okay.. So.. seafood? uugh." The pressure increased, and he saw it was the head bitch. "Blah blah fucking blah, yeah you sort are all the same. 'Im the baddest bad there ever was' He said in a high mocking tone. "Well, fuck you." He snarled but then the scream came. As soon as the pressure vanished, he charged headlong at the bitch, then veered slightly to the left, striving to get past the tentacles and bring the longsword around in a swoop at her neck, the second blade, aimed for her stomach, jerking it upwards, if it sank into flesh.

[Hannah Green]

The Village of Nasmara: [Alright, roll um up! Anyone who attacked except Tathar and Haku, roll 1d10 ]

Ålov rolls 1d10 & gets 6.
Narsuun Taceo rolls 1d10 & gets 3.
Vensyn rolls 1d10 & gets 4.

The Village of Nasmara: [Alov, Narsuun, roll 1d100, narsuun gets a +10, Tathar, 1d100-10 ]
Tathar Maksa rolls 1d100-10 & gets 25.

Ålov rolls 1d100 & gets 3.
Narsuun Taceo rolls 1d100+10 & gets 87.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d7 & gets 3.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d7 & gets 4.

Well now. Bad news first. The crook flew straight and true, bouncing off of Nieroda's left breast with a delightful little jiggle for his efforts, before she looked at him in suprise. "Are.....are you serious?" She asked, confused and enraged. "I just told you I'm a God, and you're going to assault me with a walking stick?!" Alov is pointed to, and with a counter word spoken, her spell is turned on her, the cut smashing the magical protection of her armor and leaving a shallow gash across her stomach. Tathar's spell came in, and Nevenka lifted a hand, snatching the ball of arcane energy out of the air and crushing it in her hand, leaving only sparkly dust. Whew, batting a thousand here. Vensyn's sword was blocked with one forearm, doing no damage, but she didn't have time to counter, as Narsuun's searing blades of silver ripped over her shoulder and down her chest, causing her to screech in pain, molten hot black fluid pouring out of the long wounds on her horrific body.>> she looked down at herself, and then growled, "My turn." She hissed, pointing to Narsuun and hissing out a series of words, there was a sharp crack from the mage as three of his ribs suddenly decided that breaking was a good idea. No outside trauma at all, but it was a good enough break that if he worked much harder at this, he could puncture a lung with his own rib. Then for whatever reason, she turned on David, again speaking those scathing words, and suddenly two long serpants of David's own shadow aura would begin attacking him, biting at his shoulders and arms.

Tathar Maksa shrinks back at the woman's actions, and at the sharp crack of sound from Narsuun, the homunculus begins work on a healing spell instead of lobbing another attack. A stream of green light leaving her upheld palms, the man would find his ribs are no longer wobbly. [breath of life]

Landi remained conscious, but only because of that damnable pain in his ear. Viewing flatly peoples feet and a whisp of spider silk, the pain in his head was utterly relentless, and his store of life energy was gone - the last of ~it channeled via Maksa into Narsuun's ribs for a full heal. Unable to do anything but lay and suffer, suffer he does.

Narsuun Taceo's jaw drops and the only sound he seems capable of making is a pathetic squeaking hiccup. He doubles over, trying to cough, but it's too painful. Even through it all, he keeps his grip on those strands of silver. "Y-you..." He growls, ribcage rattling as he tries to speak. "You like silver..." As Tathar's spell begins to take effect, he breathes a sigh of releif and begins to straighetn. "Don't you bitch?" His teeth grind in a maddened grin, and he thrusts his arms forward, sending the molten silver into the wounds he just created in her body. The molten dust forces its way into the flowing black blood and up through the veins housing it, travelling throughout her body, and if all goes well, beginning to burn her from the inside out. "Thank you Tathar..." He calls with tears in his eyes from the sudden pain.

David Shai Well if nothing else would snap him out of it then serpants would SERPANTS! He yelped as on bit at his shoulder. David dropped his bow to grasp it and drop it towards the floor to stab with the arrow in his other hand... possibly getting bit by the seccond serpant. "Fucking serpants! WHY?" He would try to capture the other and stab it as well. Stabbing several times in fact.

Kahakuloa cursed as haku watched the stick just.. do nothing. he snarled, and then looked around for any other weapon... and noticed David had dropped his bow. and was being attacked. Shit. Haku wasted no time in going over to David, and snatching what he could of the bow and any arrows left from the quiver. He didn't know how to use this bow but by gods, he knew how to shoot the fucking thing. Bows came naturally for the man, who made his own bows and arrows in the past. There was nothing in his mind except for revenge as he placed two arrows against the string, and took deadly aim (hopefully) right for the woman again...

Ålov ignored the wound that came into her stomach, for now at least. Harpoon was gripped even tighter as Alov skittered across the room. Will was quickly gathered again, though her belly was burning a bit from the shallow wound in it. Closing her eyes tightly, she went over the spells she knew and what she thought would be best. Hoping to take this "God" down to at least "Demi-god" she'd cast her weakening spell on the woman. (Weakness of the aging warrior)

Vensyn scowled as his attack was blocked, and her body did not seem as though it could be harmed by mundane weapons. He winced as she seemed to have broken something in Narsuun, and he sheathed the shortsword in his left hand, and drew the one loaned to him by Narsuun. Time for some backup.. If he couldn't carve her up like a turkey with his own blade, he'd see if the ghostly Knight folk could do the job. He gave the sword a little shake, like last time, almost as though he was trying to get the mystical helpers out the way one would try and get rather thick syrup out of a bottle. "Wakey wakey, could use a little help here if you don't mind." Feel free to facepalm a bit there, Narsuun.

The Village of Nasmara: [Okay....man you guys are fucked up lol.....Haku, 1d10+2 with your thievin ass. Vensyn, 3 1d10's, Narsuun who is attempting the endgame....show me a 1d5 and lets see what happens. Everyone will get bonuses to severity due to Alov's timely use of a debuff :-) Provided you actually HIT her :-P]
Narsuun Taceo rolls 1d5 & gets 2.
Vensyn rolls 1d10 & gets 2.
Vensyn rolls 1d10 & gets 3.
Vensyn rolls 1d10 & gets 10.
The Village of Nasmara: [Go sit down ben. Just got sit down. You too Ven. OH GOD. You're all fucking fired.]
Kahakuloa: Roll 1d10+2
Kahakuloa rolls 1d10+2 & gets 6.
The Village of Nasmara: [Haku! 2 1d100+40, Ven, 1d100+30 Seriously guys. Seriously. Just. Ugh.]
Kahakuloa rolls 1d100+40 & gets 63.
Kahakuloa rolls 1d100+40 & gets 92.
Vensyn rolls 1d100+30 & gets 84.
The Village of Nasmara rolls 1d100 & gets 14.

Now we're talking! Here's some serious action! The silver begins to crawl up into the wound, and Nevenka panics a moment before focusing on the magic, and Narsuun would just straight up be overpowered by Nevenka. The silver blew out from the wound and pooled on the floor in front of Narsuun. Vensyn's pretty little ghost attack was only marginally effective. Two of the three knights that appeared were slaughtered on contact by whipping tenticles, but a third made a heroic leap over the top of her defenses, and clove deeply into her body, causing another gush of blood and a cry of rage. Then here comes Ramku! Haku-bo....fuck that joke doesn't work. I need to point out here, that Haku took the time to observe David's distress, said "Nah, fuck you." stole his freakin bow, and attacked with it. That's....I'm still over here giggleing about that. ANYWAY! The arrows both thud in to Nevenka's FACE! Causing her to rip them free from her skull and scream, covering her face. There was another scream, it was her apparition losing power, losing the fight with Spell and Valdir. Spell burst through the back window suddenly. Clothing torn, revealing a network of magical runes tatooed across his body. He stepped in front of the party, unwrapping the bandage from his head to reveal the hole that had once been an eye. Everyone by now should know what it meant when he did that: It meant you are dead. "The Master hungers, Nieroda." He exclaimed triumphantly, and there was a howling sound as the creature that was Nevenka Nieroda was quite literally sucked INTO SPELLCARVER'S SKULL! For a moment, the hollow cry of some terrible beast could be heard, that was neither Spell nor Nevenka, but something much stronger, and much more terrifying. When it was done, there was only a dessicated corpse on the bed....clutching a glass globe filled with green shards. The mist was already clearing, and the sounds of victory from outside were heard. Spell recovered his eye before turning to the party, "You are all magnificent! You are all legends amongst mortals!" He was exhausted, covered in black marks where his body was failing. "Its over.....wait..." he looked around suspiciously, "It really is over? We won?" Yeah. He was confused. But who wouldn't be after sucking someone into his face?

Tathar Maksa watches with wide eyes as the action continues, the homunculus taking this time to heal the cut on Alov's stomach and David's bitey wounds from the snakes. Her hands held toward both, the moderate healing spell is split between them. Her lord's entry is watched with wide, worried green eyes, and she looks around uncertainly at his question. [Breath of Life]

Landi remained in that terrible place of not being able to drop unconscious and not being able to move or even see well through the tears. Migraines suck

Narsuun Taceo looks down at his puddle of silver with a pout. "Pah. I suppose I should know better than to test new magic in combat." Only a passing glance is spared to Spellcarver once he realizes what's going on. He doesn't need to see the rest. Instead he turns to survey the group, blinking when he sees fallen. He moves immediately toward Landi, looking down sympathetically at him. "And thank you." He murmurs. "Mr. Bondsmiller needs help." He calls up.

David Shai[well I thought it was funny] David pulled out the arrow and soon after, it vanished. "Snakes.. filthy.. filthy... gah.." he mutttered madly as he pulled back. Oh and he missed the lovely show? David groaned as he looked over at Haku. "Give me the bow and help your husband out maybe?" He gave a pout and held out his hand. It might be snakes or was it something bigger that caused that angered fear. Something like snake people. Whatever, he waited for his bow and would look around to see where his arrows were and if everyone was alright after all of that.

Kahakuloa stood there, statue still after the mayhem and the screaming. His face was expressionless as he watched as Spell suddenly was there, and then the femme was gone. Just gone. Haku looked over to David and then silently held the bow out to the man. Then Narsuun's words about Landi sank through his head, and haku blinked and then slowly turned to landi. he crouched, and frowned, and then without anything, He reached over to the side of Landi's face.. and pulled something out from Landi's ear. "He'll be fine in a few days, I think." he muttered. Haku remained crouched by Landi, still looking eerily.. expressionless. The shard he had taken from the other room, was in his pocket.

Ålov would wave Tathar off towards Landi if the woman so much as even turned towards Alov with the intent to heal her. She wasn't that badly hurt, she felt great, actually. Maybe it was endorphines from battle, or the wound that she actually sustained, or Landi's magical powers. Oddly enough, even though there still was a corpse on the bed, Alov didn't move to try and take out any of the teeth that may have been there -- mostly because they'd looked digusting and probably would have crumbled anyway. Instead, she simply stood off to the side, finger sliding along the damaged part of her armor, the other hand still gripping her harpoon.

Vensyn at least managed to do some good with the sword. He sheathed it at his back.. once the knights were out.. Eyes widened at Spellcarver's appearance and.. the uncovering of his eye. With the bitch down.. he glanced to the corpse.. and the orb with its shards.. And then around the room. "It .. would seem that way, M'lord." Still he did not sheath the weapon just yet, for all he knew there could be some straggling undead or manor guards of some sort on the way out. "So much for being a god." He said to what was left of the terrible woman. Then, he overheard the comment about Landi, and turned around. "Landi?" Worried suddenly.

Spellcarver turned towords Narsuun, clapping him on the shoulder, "You are a fucking buffalo." He said casually, walking over to the bed and grabbing the globe of shards. "Mmmrf. We need to get home. I have about enough power left in me to...." There was a puff of black as a large chunk of his shoulder just disentigrated, "Ah, yes, no. No sir. Time to go. Everyone gather up. Get Landi, unless you enjoy the idea of walking home."

Tathar Maksa steps to her feet, glancing to the trade minister as she wavers slightly, "If you wish it, I will visit tomorrow if he has not woken to work a healing upon him, Mister Loa." That said, she steps toward her lord at his command, worry upon her face.

Landi was unable to ignore his name, and some small spike of pain twitched a jaw muscle, but he doesn't move until Haku comes and does....something. Landi sighs, and his body finally falls completely unconscious, the only apparent wound was the one in his ear. Unwakeable, he is now just so much heavy, armored baggage. Crookless. Because Haku threw it at a lich.

Narsuun Taceo looks up at Spellcarver and grunts. He stands, and wanders over to his pathetic little puddle of silver, collecting it back into his pouches. "The silver needs work. But it's good magic. I'll have to keep at it."

David Shai was happy about everyone seeming fine but grunted about damn snakes always being able to find him even in shadows. He took the bow, sighed and then moved towards the others so he could go home.

Kahakuloa remained crouched by landi as Landi 'died' (or so it seemed) and Haku seemed to have ignored everyone else and everything else as he silently gathered Landi as best as he could in his arms, flinching and groaning as his shoulders were in pain from being slammed up against the wall. "let's leave." He muttered, his voice flat, as he glared ahead. "Oh. I have another shard." as he watched Spell take the shards on the bed. "I'll give it to you when we get back."

Ålov peered out the windows for a while, looking through the dust and remnants of spidersilk and so on as everyone sort of collected themselves. When directed to, she'd step over towards the group, moving towards Haku quietly, offering to him, "Let me help you carry heem?" She knew armor and Landi must have been heavy in combination.

Vensyn moved back over towards Spellcarver, once Haku had Landi. He spotted something sticking up from desicated busted bits of something or other he'd rather not have to lable, and pulled it free. Landi's crook. Yep he might want that back. Sheathing his sword and carrying the crook in his other hand, he moved to his Lord's side.

Spellcarver walked first to Tathar, taking her by the hand before waiting for everyone to gather. "Hold on to what you want to keep." Especially around Haku, the king of Kick 'Em While They're Down. Teleporation was quick, and blissfully easier after doing it so often lately, but Spell had to be half-carried back to the Manor. His body was giving out quickly....but it was over. No more threat from Nieroda. And the losses? Well, bodies were being arranged in the forest ruins, the Demons doing their odd rituals before the bodies were consumed. Darious was no where to be found. Amon was said to be near mortally wounded.