5 - 018: The End?

[K Man]

Romar -

Duke Gramble snorts through dried nasal skin.

"I wasn't speaking of who you are and what you have done Romar...those I will certainly leave. I was referring to your ability to close your mouth, or eat properly, and even how to use the privy properly. Those are what I would take Romar."

The Duke straightens himself when he sees the short-lived battle is over.

"I could do with a little peace and quiet now. Leave me!"

The Duke turns and begins to shuffle through some more items, but he makes no attempt at a long distance run. As the day wears on, you do manage to find a sutible bed chamber to rest in, the empty home of a citizen of the Dune Palace.

As you take advantage of the peace and quiet, of course keeping and eye on the creature that is the former Duke, you begin to wonder just how the Elves and the citizens of the Dune Palace have faired. Did Astoril get it's last shard? What will happen if it does?

The rest of the day passes almost instantly, your mind losing track of things as it gets wrapped up in questions. By the time the sun is low in the sky, you watch as the leathery creature is slowly and surely frozen in place...though the heat is still comfortable. As soon as the sun is no longer high in the sky, the Duke begins to frost over...and the rest of the process takes minutes.

By nightfall, he is a solid block of ice and not going anywhere.

You rest peacefully in the empty city. The cool desert breeze brings little relief to your mind, but all the relief needed to your muscles. When dawn comes, though weary, you are ready to move North. About a half hour after sunrise, the iced form of the Duke is unthawed and he has an almost wicked grin spread across his unholy face.

"Lead the way my captor...but I beg you, as we walk, regale me with the tale of this woman the devil's itching for you soul speak of. Veya I believe it is?"

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

Yuri and Adelia {Forgot she was in there} -

Yuri, surprised that something aside from some sort of energy trap was in the room, fires a bolt of energy. [Ranged Touch Attack @ +9]
[dice=20]

The bolt strikes the Golem in the chest, though seems to do little. [If this power allows SR, then it only Slows the Golem. If it doesn't allow SR, then the damage dealt is 34. I will hold off until I know. Can't check here at work.]

Adelia, panicking at the sight of such a monstrosity, moves down the hallway to alert those that went outside.

However, the Golem advances upon Yuri. It reaches out with a huge arm and slaps at the Vampire. [If it is slowed, then it can only move to base. If it is not slowed, then attack @ + 10]
[dice=20]

[Result = Miss anyway]

The Golem groans in anticipation of more battle...

[Inititative: Yuri, Adelia, The Flesh Golem]



Map;

      23         24         25         26         27         28
  ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ 
 |                                                    Y            |
 |     ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____CC____      |
1|    |2   29         30    |    31    |    32    |    CC|  4|4   4|5
 |    |                     |          |          |      |   |     |
 |    |                     |          |          |______|   |     |
3|    |4                    |          |          |         4|2   4|3
 |    |                     |          |          |          |     |
 |    |                     |          |          |          |     |
5|    |6                    |          |          |         4|0   4|1
 |    |                     |__________|__________|           |     |
 |    |                                                      |     |
7|    |8                                                    3|8   3|9
 |    |                                                      |     |
 |    |                                                      |     |
9|    |10                                                   3|6   3|7
 |    |                                                      |     |
 |    |                                                      |     |
1|1   |12  13         14         15         16         17   3|4   3|5
 |    |____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____|     |
 |                                                                 |
 |____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____|
 |          |    18         19         20         21    |    22    |
 |          |                                           |          |
 |          |                                           |          |
 | A        |                                           |          |
 |          |                                           |          |
 |          |                                           |          |<-
 |          |                                           |          |
 |_*________|                                           |__________|

[/pre]

...LEGEND...
* = Blast hole
| or -- = Door
Y = Yuri
CC
CC = Flesh Golem (83/83) (Potentially 69/83)
<- = Exit point of secret Tunnel

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

All Others -

As the Ogre comes to life with the stab, you spring into action.

Galdren lays into the recently revived Ogre. [All Hits, Damage Results = 13/20/13 (46) ] The pieces of rotted flesh fly off the beast in all directions, scattering upon the ground as they smoke from the flaming blade.

Krysta follows suit, slicing off her own bits of this monster to chew. [All Hits, Damage Results = 30] With the expertise of her blades, Krysta cuts off enough of the Ogre to return it to death...a lifeless corpse smoldering on the ground...

Well...one Ogre fell. But there are dozens more, not to mention the colossus and the army scattered for the hundreds of feet around the fortress.

This could be an arduous task, and potentially dangerous if something goes awry...

You wonder if there will be a faster way to do this.

Map;

................................................
................................................
................................................
................................................
................................................
..............******************************....
..............******************************....
........CCCC..******************************....
........CCCC..******************************....
........CCCC..******************************....
........CCCC..******************************....
..............******************************....
.......OOOO...[]****************************....
............OOOxR...T..........OO...............
......OOOO....DKG....................OOO........
..............................OOOO..............
................................................
................................................
................................................
................................................
................................................
..............OOOOO..........OOOO...............
................................................
................................................
................................................

[/pre]

>>Legend>>
*** = 'The Masters' Fortress
[] = The hole made by the pearl
CCCC = Colossus
O = Undead Ogres
G = Girud
D = Galdren
R = Garor
K = Krysta
T = Alton
x = Ogre you killed[rand=11642889716239024967341146195211852985151938837998666343155189217]

[VemuKhaham]

Romar had a good night rest, and surprisingly it did well to lighten his hearth. The lack of sleep during the last few days had made him moody to say the least, and now he felt like starting on an interesting trip, as if it were some sort of pilgrimage.

Sadly though, his companion had not found that same rest during his frozen slumber. But Romar wouldn't allow the 'thing' to ruin his mood so soon; he had decided during his rest, even more certainly than before, that his idea to take this creature along with him could somehow result in something good. He would take this trip to his home first for himself, and he would not let the thing rob that from him, but he could do this too. He wanted to believe in it. After all, he had said some words to Yuri, in his madness, but true nonetheless, while he was taken to the dungeons of Ravenshead Castle: "I can still do good things, Yuri!" And the words of Duke Gramble - that Romar would not dare to say the things in his letter within Yuri's reach - somehow brought that promise back to the fore.

And so, in all seriousness, as if ignorant to the way the question was asked, and as they began to travel, Romar talked of Veya: "I do not know of a person more brave than her. You may drag her name through the mud, but those words coming from you make them meaningless to say the least. You couldn't even stand upright in her shadow.

For Veya and I really had something, but she made a promise no human being can keep; she promised me to wait for me no matter what, and I took five years to come. She was pregnant, and she had found another love. She knew what she had done when I returned, and also that there was no way for her to pay for it in life; so she payed for it with her death. It was more than I could ever ask, and it was my greatest of fear, but she did it, because she was too righteous. Too brave. Let none ever speak badly of her. She is beyond ill words."

For their journey through the desert, Romar had prepared many spells to ease the burden; spells to create water, as well as spells that would repel the heath. He believed that he could cross the desert with his magic.

[Fangor the Fierce]

Krysta turns to the others. "Perhaps we should make one fell swoop at this. These things can not penetrate the fortress, and they are huddled in one large mass. If we could surround them with fire, and let nature take its course, these soul-less monsters will find a fitting end..."

Krysta takes a second to hear what the others have to say. She then remembers that they are not alone. The druid is still here, out there waiting to aid.... Perhaps this is the time to strike....

KMAN - So what about the Druid and her followers? She said she would help when the time came... Is this a good time for her to come and aid?

[Fangor the Fierce]

Then Adelia peeks out of the hole that was blasted into the fortress. "Uh, you might want to get in here and help Yuri. Seems he found another wrong door to open and somethings coming after him!"

She then turns, ready to head back to help Yuri....

[Japic]

Having heard enough Girud and Alton change direction and hurry inside to help Yuri (though it'll take a few rounds to get there)

[GeneralMHB]

(OOC: According to the Psionics handbook, it is your call. Normally, only Power Resistance can stop a psionic spell. But, there is a variant that allows for psionics to be stopped by things that would normally stop spells because sometimes campaigns don't normally include psionics, much less defenses against it. This variant functions as if my Energy Ray is stopped by spell resistance much the same way as power resistance. Again, it's your call.

With this, I'll hold my action until a decision is made.)

[Jevva]

"Maybe it wasn't the best idea to leave Yuri by himself. Besides, these ogres won't do any harm without provocation. Let's go help him."

[BluSpecs]

"Aye let go check on him..."

garor heads back inside....

[K Man]

generalmhb said:

(OOC: According to the Psionics handbook, it is your call. Normally, only Power Resistance can stop a psionic spell. But, there is a variant that allows for psionics to be stopped by things that would normally stop spells because sometimes campaigns don't normally include psionics, much less defenses against it. This variant functions as if my Energy Ray is stopped by spell resistance much the same way as power resistance. Again, it's your call.

With this, I'll hold my action until a decision is made.)

I usually go with the rule that anything that allows SR allows PR as well. It's only fair and holds true to the idea of golems being immune to all spells and powers. Thus the golem is slowed.

Go ahead and post your response. I'll check back in the evening and try to update this post for everyone else.

[GeneralMHB]

It appears psionics is useless to abolish this creature, I can at least slow it down and brace for combat.

With this, Yuri moves away from the construct and manifests a protective shield around him.

(OOC: Casting Force Screen and moving towards where Adelia would be closest, AC is now 32.)