Lord of Azure Flame: Chapter 8: To Catch a [s]Predator[/s] Demonic, soul-sucking mesh

[Balcerzak]

OOC: The first part is non-combat, the second part is combat.

Tessa had maneuvered Trevor carefully around to where she'd heard Esphyr scream out from. A leech had plastered itself to her face, and rapidly grown fatted with blood. Unsure quite how to proceed, she pried it off with the tip of her sword, then threw it into the marsh. The bizarre creature seemed to emit a buzzing sound, and was once again floating around the vicinity, its hunger apparently still not yet sated. Turning back to the mercenary woman, and seeing that she was dreadfully pale and her breathing had gone quite shallow, Tessa apologized to her, "Esphyr... sorry for being late. Sorry, for once again causing you trouble. But let me do what I can to help."

The troubadour did what she could for the woman, then headed over to Isotov's direction. While she was still unsure just how she felt about the fire mage, the fact was, his blasts were vital for dispersing the leech clouds. "Excuse me, but you look like you could use a hand. Hold still, this won't take long."

So saying, she touched her staff to the back of his shoulder and channeled the power of the divine through it. (Iso +5 HP)

Arrin was nearby and swatting off leeches, so she called out to the boy, "Are you doing okay over there?" Beginning to feel a bit overwhelmed, she said to the group in general. "Maybe we should get out while we can, there seems to be no end to these things!"

[Phoenix]

Isotov and Irina

Tessa arrived just in time and healed Iso's cut(and blood loss? :/ )!

Iso: I appreciate this ... now ... time to send another group straight to hell!

Iso quickly summoned another blood red fireball and hurled it into the crowd! Three were killed, and the fourth flew straight at him! He dove to the ground just as Irina swung her lance, and the leech was carved in half! She quickly used her momentum and cut down another one!

Irina: Take that! Hahah! Dominated!!

Isotov rolls 5,6,1

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2562874/

HIT 8 vs EVADE 6 = HIT Iso loses 1 hp due to Proxima

DMG 10 vs RES 1 = leech takes 3 dmg and dies, second leech takes 3 dmg and dies, third leech takes 3 dmg and dies, fourth leech takes 1 dmg!

Leech rolls 2,2,4

HIT 4 vs EVADE 4 = MISS

Irina rolls 6,5,2

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2562879/

HIT 9 vs EVADE 6 = HIT

DMG 5 vs DEF 0 = leech takes 2 dmg and dies, second leech takes 3 dmg and dies

Iso HP 8/9

Irina HP 11/12

Leech DEAD

Leech DEAD

Leech DEAD

Leech DEAD

Leech DEAD

[-Cynthia-]

Morgan decided to kill some leeches.

(2,6,2) 2+3 Hit- 4 Avo 6+7= 13 damage

3 Leeches dead. Other leech takes 1 dmg

Leech counter (2,5,2)

Morgan takes 3 damage. (5/9 overall)

Edited June 14, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Snowy_One]

"L-Leeches! Leeches are everywhere!" exclaimed Esphyr, squirming back into the corner of the cart. Goosebumps covered her skin from head to toe, each and every inch of her flesh as bumpy as a freshly plucked chicken. Her eyes were with with both terror and horror, glancing back and forth with a panicked look at the leeches swarming about them. "They're flying! Oh GODDESS! THEY'RE FLYING LEECHES! They're going to track us and never stop! Never stop! We won't be able to sleep, they'll get us then. They're in our food! They'll fly into our food and eat us from the inside out! They're-"

*THONK!*

Katie's tome came down hard on Esphyr's head, knocking the traumatized mercenary flat out and shutting her up.

Meanwhile, behind the wall of leeches, Helenos grinned with a thin smirk. Her plan had worked to perfection! Already the group was splintering under the burden of the leeches. Just a bit longer... and she would have them! Acting like a idiot hic had put quite a toll on her mental capacity, but no more would she need to act like such a idiot. No... She finally had them in her grasp!

From Helen's back, like the explosion of a volcano, twin wings made of little more than bone, sinew, putrid grey skin, and the nightmares of small children burst forth; sending hunks of flesh flying into the water. A second later, what can only be described as an outright explosion sundered Helen's body into thousands of disgusting parts, sending bits of the fleshy disguise shattering through the barrier and splattering into the water, causing the leeches to chase after the draconic magic which had made the body. There, standing where Helen had once been was a single, massive dragon wide enough to block the entire path. Yellow bone, flesh of purple and brown, and scale that had once been ebon now corrupted to a rotten midnight with thousands upon thousands of tendrils lacing through her flesh like some form of sickening blood formed her body while a skull made of flesh that seemed to have been boiled before flowing down over a skull like molten slag to cover eyes made of the dark purple glow of elder magic formed the head. Beside her, twin tendrils of meshwork had risen up as well to aid her.

Helenos was ready to claim her prize! And she wasn't alone

Stats: HP: 40 (120), STR: 15, MAG: 15, SKL: 5, SPD: 8. Luck: -4 DEF: 7, Res: 7.

Weapons: Rotten Claw: Counts as a Axe. Poisons target for 1 damage every action.

Rot Breath: A tendril laden breath that counts as dark magic and causes tendrils to cause the target to rot alive, healing Helenos for 1 HP so long as the target is conscious. Attacks three targets.

Death Aura: All enemy units get -1 to their HP cap and Res when they attack Helenos. (stacking)

Recently shed disguise: Lacking other abilities.

Tendrils X2: HP: 5 (15) STR: 3, MAG: 3, SKL 3, SPD 3, SKL: -2 Def: 1 Res 1

Tendril Swarm: Targets highest defense stat (defense or Res), counts as lance.

Regeneration: Returns at full health upon defeat, but loses any further actions that combat round.

Tendrils: Immune to tendril-type attacks (Helenos's breath)

Helenos link: Whenever Helenos heals, the tendrils heal. Additional health increases their cap.

OOC: All character who survived the leeches get fully healed.

Edited June 14, 2010 by Snowy_One

[Inactive Account]

"Well that answers the-- question--"

Kelas pulled Amari down. The horses were rearing, everyone was shouting... she wheeled around, grabbed someone--Isotov, it looked like, pulling him up into the saddle behind her. "Tessa! Arrin!" she called, motioning that they should run too. "Hold on," she told her unidentified passenger, as Amari sped around the wagon and back down the path. It was a perilous ride; Amari kept stumbling... but they were gaining distance...

Arrin held out a hand to Kamilla. "Come on!" he said, eager to follow his sister.

OOC: If you guys come up with a better strategy than GTFO'ing, just have someone's character shout it... Edited to make it clear exactly who I rescued.

Edited June 15, 2010 by The Clockwork Alchemist

[Kanami]

Kamilla didn't like the evil energy she felt radiating from Arrin, but took his hand regardless, leeches, panic and the driver lady sprouting wings was definetely not a good sign. And by the looks of the others, they were not fit enough to repel a small group of bandits, nevermind a legion of leeches, and some winged lady that reeked of evil.

She considered saying her thanks, but didn't really have time to chat at the moment, so she just accepted the offer, and got on.

[Psych]

The giant beast roared. Cess was practiaclly immoble. He had never seen anything like this. Esphyr had climbed into the cart, after being devoured by leeches, next to Katie and him. He couldn't fight that thing. He could hardly move. His tome was at his hands, but he could make himself even open it. He was going to get eaten by that thing along with everyone else. He screamed out.

"Someone...someone help us!"

Edited June 15, 2010 by psychout50

[Psych]

THe giant beast roared. Cess was practiaclly immoble. He had never seen anything like this. Esphyr had climbed into the cart, after being devoured by leeches, next to Katie and him. He couldn't fight that thing. He could hardly move. His tome was at his hands, but he could make himself even open it. He was going to get eaten by that thing along with everyone else. He screamed out.

"Someone...someone help us!"

[Phoenix]

Isotov and Irina

As Helen became Helenos, the party panicked! It was a dragon! Not only that, but a seemingly undead one! Even Kiev was horrified by the beast!

Irina: Oh my goodness! What the hell is that thing?!

Iso: It's a dragon! We have to pull back, or we're finished!

[Balcerzak]

Her suggestion of retreat having been ignored, Tessa had started looking around for her next mark for healing. That effort was rudely interrupted, however, when an explosion tore through the swamp, and debris was flying everywhere. Curious as to the sort, she turned towards where some of the matter had pelted her from, and her eyes opened wide in surprise. A creature of legends was there before her, but unlike anything from the epics, what Tessa saw was twisted and perverse, not at all the sort of noble beast that knights would honorably challenge to battle.

From where the dragon stood, a fell aura emanated, and familiar tendrils of meshwork were roping themselves together near its feet. Finally, it seemed someone else was also ready to flee, as a cry came out from Kelas, "Tessa! Arrin!" and she had motioned urgently towards the direction opposite the monstrosity.

Tessa couldn't go quite yet though. "Sis! Are you there?" she called out, doing her best to keep Trevor calm until she could locate and rescue Morgan.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Balcerzak

[Snowy_One]

A sly and nasty laugh, akin to the wails of slicing a toddler with a knife, cut through the air. It seemed the dark dragon was laughing at the prospect of escape! She wasn't going to waste words, not was she going to delay any longer. A lion uses all it's muscles to catch a mouse after all. The wielders were firmly in the position of the mouse, and she finally had them where she wanted them; easy to defeat without risking losing their powers. There was no roar of terror as she attacked. She wasn't about horrifying her prey or some boast of power. She was hungry for the azure flame, and she would have it! Like a black mamba striking forth, she lunged at the group planning to swallow up the cart in one motion. Her maw easily engulfing the horses at the front; thousands upon thousands of the tendrils digging into their flesh, biting and squeezing through it as it pried the very flesh from their bones and devoured the life from what remained of their bodies. A fitting fate for beasts too stupid to run from flying leeches and a dark dragon she thought.

Yet, as her head passed over the cart, she suddenly felt something grasp her heel, causing her to stop and withdraw from her desired goal. Looking behind her she saw attached to her rear left foot a single hand. A single hand that was oddly familiar. Helen's hand. Then, from out of the water came the other; attached to a fetid arm, came Helen's other, soon to be joined by twenty more hands each in various states of decay.

"What?" she hissed, her voice sharp as a razor meant to skin the hide off of the living. Why was a rotten thing rising up against her?

Then, from the fen, a massive pile of mud, laced with runes of dark purple, bubbled up. About her four more rose up in the shape of a pentagram before suddenly bursting forth to form a horde of demonic beasts! Each terrifying in their own right to the point that a faint squeak of sheer horror came from inside her throat. Until the demons started to pile atop the rotten dragon, stabbing into her flesh with their various weapons.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?" she bellowed in utter confusion. Why would demons attack her? One of the three entrusted by the lord himself? Surely they could not be informed of her impending betrayal, could they?

Stats: HP: 40 (30/120), STR: 15 (-11), MAG: 15(-11), SKL: 5, SPD: 8 (-3). Luck: -4 DEF: 7(-2), Res: 7(-2).

Weapons: Rotten Claw: Counts as a Axe. Poisons target for 1 damage every action. Can only counter melee.

Rot Breath: A tendril laden breath that counts as dark magic and causes tendrils to cause the target to rot alive, healing Helenos for 1 HP so long as the target is conscious. Attacks three targets.

Death Aura: All enemy units get -1 to their HP cap and Res when they attack Helenos. (stacking)

Demon Bile: Infected and swarmed with demons, negating poison effects and reducing stats.

Zombie hands: Immobilized and losing speed.

Recently shed disguise: Lacking other abilities.

Tendrils X2: HP: 5 (15) STR: 3, MAG: 3, SKL 3, SPD 3, SKL: -2 Def: 1 Res 1

Tendril Swarm: Targets highest defense stat (defense or Res), counts as lance.

Regeneration: Returns at full health upon defeat, but loses any further actions that combat round.

Tendrils: Immune to tendril-type attacks (Helenos's breath)

Helenos link: Whenever Helenos heals, the tendrils heal. Additional health increases their cap.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Snowy_One

[Psych]

Note to self: Eat a horse, lose powers.

[-Cynthia-]

Morgan scrambled out out of the cart and heard Tessa calling her name. She managed to hoist herself onto Trevor's back.

"Everyone get on a mount and go!" Morgan yelled at the assorted group members.

So she isn't aligned with the Lord of Azure Flame then...a most curious development.

Edited June 15, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Phoenix]

Isotov and Irina

Irina: That dragon just got swamped ... Iso! This is our chance! Common!

Iso: Are you crazy?!

Irina: Sometimes the crazy plans are the ones that work!

Irina and Kiev charged Helenos and scored a quick hit! As they passed though, Helenos swung at them and struck Kiev from behind, nearly sending them both to the ground! They barely managed to remain airborne!

Irina: Grrr! I'll get you!

HAWKEYE Activated!

Irina rolls 3,3,6

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2563003/

HIT 6 vs EVADE 5 = HIT

DMG 6 vs DEF 1 = 5 dmg

Helenos rolls 4,4,1

http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2563006/

HIT 9 vs EVADE 4 = HIT

DMG 8 vs DEF 3 = 5 dmg

Irina HP 7/12

Helenos HP 25/30

Edited June 15, 2010 by Phoenix

[Inactive Account]

Amari stumbled, and Kelas jerked forward. Somehow neither she nor Isotov fell, though, and Amari was on her feet again. "Can you look back behind us, tell me what's going on now?" Kelas asked as she watched the ground ahead of them.

Arrin followed, trying to breathe despite Kamilla's arms wrapped around his ribs. Francis had put on a considerable turn of speed, and they'd managed to dodge the worst of the holes and mud... perhaps they would make it?

Edited June 15, 2010 by The Clockwork Alchemist

[Ansem]

Helios ran. No one would come help him. He just ran for his life expecting the worse to happen.

[Balcerzak]

Morgan now safely accounted for, Tessa wheeled Trevor about, and began to follow after the nomads who were leading the retreat. Passing by Helios and Eric she called out to them, "Keep running, you can do it! Don't look back." in what she hoped was an encouraging fashion. Sparing a glance backwards, she was trying to see if the others had managed to escape from the wreckage of the cart yet.

When they'd reached a reasonable distance Tessa turned to her passenger and told her, "Okay, you should be safe if I let you off here, I need to go back and help those who've fallen behind."

[-Cynthia-]

OOC: Are people running past the demon fight into ??? territory or past the soldiers heading in a Elysisman direction?

Morgan got off of Trevor and nearly opened her mouth to tell Tessa to just keep going, but realized that those without mounts were in signficant danger without help.

"Don't do anything foolish." she warned Tessa. "Leave them behind if necessary."

Edited June 15, 2010 by -Cynthia-

[Phoenix]

Isotov and Irina

Iso: Damn, she's crazy!

He called out hoping Irina would hear him while trying not to look back and startle Amari again!

Iso: Irina!! Forget the dragon!! Save Katie and Cess!!

Barely hearing him while zooming through the air, Irina turned to face her fleeing brother!

Irina: Katie and Cess? *gasp* :o

Without a second to waste, she flew straight down onto the remains of the cart! Katie and Cess were there, along with an unconscious Esphyr!

Irina: Three people?! Come on, man!! Alright, I can maybe handle two of you, but we need another horse or something for the third person! Make up your minds fast people! That dragon's going to come at us any second!

[Inactive Account]

Arrin had pulled ahead of Kelas, and was nearing the area where the soldiers had tied their horses. "Kamilla, stay here. I've got to go back," he said, stopping to let her down.

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

"Hold-- on--!" Kelas leaned forward as Amari vaulted a ditch full of water, stumbling for a perilous moment in the mud on the other side. Then they were running again, onto flatter, dryer ground. She spotted the soldiers' horses up ahead. "I'll let you off up there, then head back for the others," she explained. She noticed something off with Amari's gait. "Blast, she's going to go lame. Mind her?" she asked as she leapt from the saddle, untying and mounting one of the cavalry horses and turning back towards the ruins of the wagon.

[Snowy_One]

As the fight with both leech and dragon had been going on, Katie had been absent beside her thwacking of Esphyr. Rather, she had been quietly scribbling away into the very bottom of the cart, having figured out the betrayal the moment the leeches had arisen. There was accidents, and there was sheer out obviousness. This was firmly in the latter. Now, down upon the bottom of the cart were several alchemical symbol, each one carefully drawn and scribed. Katie didn't know a thing about alchemy besides that it required a lab and lots of hard work to perform. She had no intention of performing alchemy.

She intended to blow the freaking cart up! She had carefully laced the pattern with dust from her own tome, intending for the pattern to focus the blast when she tried to hex it; intending to fail. In the dirt behind the cart, Katie had quickly scribbled a improper pentagram, intending for only a small spark of magic to be born. Kicking Esphyr and anyone else she could off the cart, she finally put her plan into action and gave the cart a swift kick! With a creak, it started to roll down the wooden path towards Helenos. Once it was close enough, she placed her own wind tome upon the pentagram, ready to hex.

As the cart stopped beside Helenos, the rotten Dragon looked down just in time to see seven little words scribbled beside the symbol. I prepared explosive runes this morning; bitch!. With that, Katie cast her improper hex. The explosion shook the very trees as zombie parts and mud splatters went flying every which way and Helenos's pained roar pierced the night. Between the explosion and the demon ambush, the plan that would have worked was now nearly foiled!

Katie deals 15 damage to Helenos with Cart Explosion!

Katie deals 15 damage to Tendrils 1 and 2 with Cart Explosion!

Helenos: Stats: HP: 40 (10/120), STR: 15 (-11), MAG: 15(-11), SKL: 5, SPD: 8 (-3). Luck: -4 DEF: 7(-2), Res: 7(-2).

Weapons: Rotten Claw: Counts as a Axe. Poisons target for 1 damage every action. Can only counter melee.

Rot Breath: A tendril laden breath that counts as dark magic and causes tendrils to cause the target to rot alive, healing Helenos for 1 HP so long as the target is conscious. Attacks three targets.

Death Aura: All enemy units get -1 to their HP cap and Res when they attack Helenos. (stacking)

Demon Bile: Infected and swarmed with demons, negating poison effects and reducing stats.

Zombie hands: Immobilized and losing speed.

Recently shed disguise: Lacking other abilities.

Tendrils X2: HP: 5 (0/15) STR: 3, MAG: 3, SKL 3, SPD 3, SKL: -2 Def: 1 Res 1

Tendril Swarm: Targets highest defense stat (defense or Res), counts as lance.

Regeneration: Returns at full health upon defeat, but loses any further actions that combat round.

Tendrils: Immune to tendril-type attacks (Helenos's breath)

Helenos link: Whenever Helenos heals, the tendrils heal. Additional health increases their cap.

[Kanami]

Kamilla jumped off the horse and crumpled to the ground, "Kamilla's legs hurt" she complained as she picked herself up wiping her hands on her clothes and then making wrinkling her face up. "Kamilla wait Tessa's friend come back safely too~" she said waving her hand as Arrin headed back.

She looked around and noticed Kelas and Isotov nearby, as well as half-a-dozen horses. She frowned, she wanted to go over but Arrin had told wait, did that mean she wasn't allowed to move her legs? They hurt so badly >_< She looked over, and since Arrin was out of sight, decided she was at least allowed to squat down.

[Balcerzak]

"Heh, if I were a hero, maybe you'd have to worry about a heroic last stand to buy you time," Tessa smiled wryly, "But I know full well my skills wouldn't even prove to be a distraction, and have no wish to die needlessly."

She distinctly avoided acknowledging the possibility of leaving anyone behind, however, but without waiting for protest, she turned and headed back towards the monstrosity, and while Trevor neighed, as if to ask "Why," he didn't refuse. A large explosion up ahead caused a momentary pause, but pressing forward it seemed that nobody was injured, save perhaps the dragon.

When she'd reached the area where the wagon had been, she saw that Irina was loading up two of the members on her wyvern, Katie and the other shaman, she wasn't sure his name. However so many people were still left! Chase, Esphyr, and someone she didn't know but who she'd seen flinging knives at the leeches.

She hesitated for a brief moment, but she didn't really see any other options. Swinging down from the saddle she said to Chase, "Get on. I'll help you take Esphyr up too, but you've got run. Sis... Morgan's over there, as are the rest who are retreating. Don't worry, I'll catch up as soon as I can." While she didn't particularly trust the outlaw, and he'd had his moments of questionable behaviour, he'd not yet betrayed them, and better the evil you know...

Turning to the other man, she called out, "Don't just stand there stupified! We've got to fly!" Grabbing him by the arm, she turned and they started to stumble back, trudging through the muck as fast as they could manage.

[Inactive Account]

Kelas galloped back into the swamp. The big warhorse was rather reluctant, but could tell that her new rider knew what she was doing... still as they neared the dragon, the wagon exploded, and the big mare shied. Kelas threw all her weight into bringing the mare back down to all fours, then kneed her onward.

Seeing the dragon reel under the force of the explosion, Kelas saw her shot. She raised her bow, firing from far enough that she thought she wouldn't draw a counterattack.

Kelas: (5,1,2) Hit! No damage!

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

She'd been too far; the shot hit uselessly. She galloped on, seeing Irina trying to decide who to rescue. "I'll get Katie! You get the others!" she shouted over the noise, offering Katie a hand.

Arrin noticed Francis slowing; there was nothing he could do. Up ahead the wagon exploded. Fracis reared; Arrin fell. This was his chance... He took aim and called for all of Daranau's strength.

Arrin: (4,5,5) Hit! Critical hit! Arrin does 12 damage! Arrin loses 1 HP! (link)

A great ball of lightning splashed against the dragon's side, and he saw it teeter and fall. Grabbing Francis' reins, Arrin ran forward to help collect the others.

Edit: Added narration. No idea for EXP... I'm assuming Arrin doesn't get any, cos I accidentally math and plotdeath.

Edited June 15, 2010 by The Clockwork Alchemist

[Kanami]

As the cart exploded, two soldiers who had valiantly been trying to ward off the demons got mixed up in the blast and perished, A third was decapitated when a bit of steel from the cart flew over and pierced him through the neck. It was a miracle that the Katie herself seem unharmed by the explosion, but that would soon change.

Seeing the tentacles get destroyed, and Helenos in no shape to move, one of the soldiers who'd been near the explosion limped over to Katie, blood coursing down the side of his head, one ear missing and his hair singed to the point where he looked bald.

They'd seemingly been winning the battle against the Dragoness due to the help of the demons until Katie had decided to blow everyone up with her magic. And several other soldiers laid strewn about unconscious or injured.

The man approached Katie in a fit or rage, "You stupid wench! You killed Dones and Jalton!" he raised his sword, his eyes, that of a madman bloodshot and blood thirsty.