Hunting Fiends pt22

When last we left our brave and noble hereoes, they were fighting the expanding-black-veined crystalline statue of the dead God, Animus, at its heart something created by a tiny speck of his divine essence. A 'shard' of Animus, onme might ven say, on a landscape of floating islands and distorted realities. You're being chased by created statues, having the islands that swirl about him in a maelstrom of energy destroyed one by one, while fighting the statue itself.

And all the while, corruption is growing.

GAME: Kore rolls strength+2: (9)+4+2: 15

Kore starts, then returns to pulling, glancing around at the remaining platforms as she does.With a groan of effort shetears thespear free of the rapidly crumbling ground and tosses it aside to tumble int othe abyss beneath them.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 23.
     It is now Morgan's turn! Hun'rar is next!

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (7)+8: 15

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (20)+8: 28 (THREAT)

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (20)+8: 28 (THREAT)

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (19)+8: 27

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (7)+8: 15

GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (17): 17

GAME: Morgan rolls 8d6: (28): 28

GAME: Morgan rolls 8d6: (30): 30

Morgan floating in the air her voice hollows out as her eyes glow blue as three bolts shoot out from her hand hitting the main crystal pretty hard making it bleed black ooze.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 22.
     It is now Hun'rar's turn! Sasha is next!

GAME: Hun'rar rolls weapon22-2+4: (17)+16+-2+4: 35

GAME: Hun'rar rolls weapon22-2+4-5: (9)+16+-2+4+-5: 22

GAME: Hun'rar rolls 1d10+9+4+4+2+1d6 fire: (1)+9+4+4+2+(1 fire): 21

Hun'rar continues to do battle with the crystal monolith, his sword striking to find cracks in the darkness within. One way or another he intends to burn it out with his sword alight with arcane fires.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 22.
     It is now Sasha's turn! Iskandar is next!

Sasha takes wing to fly up to Iskander and puts a hand to his back. She calls for her lady's blessing to heal his wounds....and most of them are mended fairly fast.

GAME: Sasha rolls 4d8+12: (25)+12: 37

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 19.
     It is now Iskandar's turn! THe Wings of AnimUS is next!

GAME: Iskandar rolls weapon6+2: (8)+13+2: 23

GAME: Iskandar rolls weapon6+2: (5)+13+2: 20

GAME: Iskandar rolls weapon6+2-5: (11)+13+2+-5: 21

Iskandar stands a little straighter after healing magic washes over him. Even in the heat of this bizarre combat he spares a moment to give Sasha the tiniest of grateful nods. Then he sends a series of arrows streaking towards the shard. Each sails off into the maelstrom. "How do we fight this?!" he bellows. "Just keep hitting it? Is this even working?!"

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 18.
     It is now THe Wings of AnimUS' turn! THe Shard of Animus is next!

The great wings beat upon its back, spears generating from them slowly. The latest set are even more twisted and bent than before, as if the corruption within it is becoming more and more visible.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 16.
     It is now THe Shard of Animus' turn! Constantin is next!

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+22: (20)+22: 42

With its massive hand, the statue reaches out and snatches Hun'rar into its palm.

It's huge enough to do so, of course, and it's like grabbing a particularly aggravating fly.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 16.
     It is now Constantin's turn! The Hands of Animus is next!

Constantin triees to scale the next set of islands, in a hurry. He nearly falls.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 8.
     It is now The Hands of Animus' turn! Cookie Monster is next!

The spear in Kore's hand begins two twist and distort in her grasp, like it's trying to.. /become/ something in her grasp.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Seven - Init 5.
     It is now Cookie Monster's turn! Kore is next!

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 13-3: (6)+13+-3: 16

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 8-3: (17)+8+-3: 22

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 1d10+5+9: (9)+5+9: 23

GAME: NEW ROUND!

     Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.
     Round Eight - Init 27.
     It is now Kore's turn! Morgan is next!

GAME: Kore rolls weapon0+1: (13)+13+1: 27

GAME: Kore rolls 1d8+strength+2d6+2+2+1: (7)+4+(10)+2+2+1: 26

Kore takes a running leap for the edge of her platform as it crumbles beneath her and vaulsthe distance between it and another of the islands easily. SHe uses the momentum to launch into a furious sliding kick, hunks of stature falling free as the blow connects. She's never still, not even for a moment, though the tiny woman is beginning to breathe heavily between moments of furious violence. Breaking stone with your hands is hard work, apparently.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 23.
     It is now Morgan's turn! Hun'rar is next!

GAME: Morgan casts Scorching Ray. Caster Level: 11 DC: 19

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (17)+8: 25

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (12)+8: 20

GAME: Morgan rolls ranged: (19)+8: 27

GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (14): 14

GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (12): 12

GAME: Morgan rolls 4d6: (12): 12

Morgan sends three more firey bolts at this thing cracking it pretty not as good as before "I have no idea if this is good but I will keep at it." said to the group but she is starting to think now.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 22.
     It is now Hun'rar's turn! Sasha is next!

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+16: (6)+16: 22

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+11: (8)+11: 19

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+15: (20)+15: 35

So, there he is in the creature's hand, firmly grasped, but somehow Hun'rar manages to force open its palm. It looks ridiculous, but there you go.

He's standing there in its palm, forcing it open.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 22.
     It is now Sasha's turn! Iskandar is next!

GAME: Sasha rolls 1d8+7: (6)+7: 13

Sasha makes sure no one else is in dire need of healing, before touching her own chest and healing her own wounds...

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 19.
     It is now Iskandar's turn! THe Wings of AnimUS is next!

GAME: Iskandar rolls weapon0+3: (1)+13+3: 17 (EPIC FAIL)

Iskandar leaps after the others to the main shard. Only he angles his jump so that he can punch at it as he lands. The large fist thuds into the crystalline surface with a slight crack. The giantborn winces. When he withdraws his hand, the shard is unharmed. And the way his last two fingers don't quite curl all the way into a fist anymore imply that perhaps his own hand is jammed. Or perhaps even broken.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 18.
     It is now THe Wings of AnimUS' turn! THe Shard of Animus is next!

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+18: (3)+18: 21

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+18: (17)+18: 35

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+18: (3)+18: 21

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 2d8+6: (9)+6: 15

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 2d8+6: (7)+6: 13

Three spears are fired as it holds Hun'rar in its grasp. One lances across Kore's back, the two othhers zip towards Morgan and Iskandar. Isk is able to knock his aside by one seems to writhe as it strikes Morgan, trying to punch through her abdomen and, indeed, seeming to make an effort to burrow into her. These things are growing more twisted by the moment.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 16.
     It is now THe Shard of Animus' turn! Constantin is next!

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+24: (1)+24: 25 (EPIC FAIL)

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 1d20+21: (17)+21: 38

GAME: Whirlpoopin' rolls 4d6+18: (13)+18: 31

A major backhand *smashes* Hun'rar, sending the flying warrior spinning away from the shard end over end, after its initial effort to squeeze him is ended with him slipping out of its grasp. There's something different, though, in that statue. It's expression has changed from one of violent rage to confusion and agony.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 16.
     It is now Constantin's turn! The Hands of Animus is next!

GAME: Constantin rolls 1d20+21+3-3: (17)+21+3+-3: 38

GAME: Constantin rolls 1d20+21+3-3: (15)+21+3+-3: 36

GAME: Constantin rolls 1d20+21+3-3-5: (18)+21+3+-3+-5: 34

GAME: Constantin rolls 1d8+11+6+1+1d6: (2)+11+6+1+(2): 22

GAME: Constantin rolls 1d8+11+6+1+1d6: (7)+11+6+1+(3): 28

GAME: Constantin rolls 1d8+11+6+1+1d6: (5)+11+6+1+(4): 27

Constantin strikes harshlu at the central body of the shard, stressing the crystals, and causing black-and-shifting stuff to push into the cracks, coming to the surface in response. ...this could be bad.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 8.
     It is now The Hands of Animus' turn! Cookie Monster is next!

The spears each transform, even the ones that missed, into large, black, twisted, ever-shifting and shapeless things of hands and claws and teeth and maws.

And blackness.

They seem to be getting ready to fling th4emsleves back at you now.

GAME: Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.

     Round Eight - Init 5.
     It is now Cookie Monster's turn! Kore is next!

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 13-3+2: (20)+13+-3+2: 32

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 13-3+2: (14)+13+-3+2: 26

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 8-3+2: (15)+8+-3+2: 22

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 13-3+2: (10)+13+-3+2: 22

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 2d10+10+18: (10)+10+18: 38

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 1d10+5+9: (9)+5+9: 23

GAME: Cookie Monster rolls 1d10+5+9: (5)+5+9: 19

Serraphine is flying around near the wings thanks to the magic that Morgan placed on her, it mostly leaves her floating in a slightly disconcerted manner where she tries to control it and not slide sideways or upsidedown. It was the result of a number of misses with her sword because of it. Her frown growing deeper (or looking like the biggest smile when she flipped) and it was becoming clear maybe this wasn't the best idea.

"I'm terrible at flying!" Serraphine tries for an upward slash at the wing, her body suddenly lurching up in the same direction, the sound of her sword shrieking as it cleaved into it. Her eyes shot open and the next two hits were equally strong, the last one cutting straight down over top and lopping the wing off -- sending it spiraling down and way from her.

"I'm still bad at flying!"

GAME: NEW ROUND!

     Whirlpoopin' advances the initiative order.
     Round Nine - Init 27.
     It is now Kore's turn! Morgan is next!

GAME: Kore rolls weapon0+2+1+1+1: (14)+13+2+1+1+1: 32

GAME: Kore rolls weapon0+2+1+1+1: (19)+13+2+1+1+1: 37

GAME: Kore rolls weapon0+2+1+1+1: (4)+13+2+1+1+1: 22

GAME: Kore rolls weapon0+2+1+1+1-5: (16)+13+2+1+1+1+-5: 29

GAME: Kore rolls 1d8+2d6+strength+1+2: (3)+(11)+4+1+2: 21

GAME: Kore rolls 1d8+2d6+strength+1+2: (6)+(5)+4+1+2: 18

GAME: Kore rolls 1d8+2d6+strength+1+2: (2)+(7)+4+1+2: 16

Kore begins to wail on the thing furiously. She staggers as one of the spears slices across her back, but uses the impetus to lean into the thing and just continue to punch. Cracks form as the tiny half Mul'niessa woman punches it, and darkness begins to seep from the cracks, leaking over the woman's fingers and seeming to pool around her in waves of terrible blackness. Each punch draws more of it out, malevolent corruption with a sickly purple tint surrounding it, until it threatnes to envelope her. She doesn't stop.

.... as Kore strikes her last blow, it as if it time itself ceases to be. Everything seems to freeze in place.

And then it goes white. Completely white. Not the white of a blinding flash, but rather, the white of nothingness.

For a moment, all seems suspended. You are conscious, but in a sort of... state of calm even as it seems you've ceased to be.

For a moment.

Gradually, form and thought begin to return to you as you coalesce around a simple spark of light that has begun swirling in the middle of this nothing. You are no place, yet /present/.

You stand admist nothing, on nothing, surrounding that spark of energy. It seems like it should be humming. You /feel/ it humming, resonating within you, but it is not audible since sound has ceased to exist.

Before you, you see flashes of imagery. A dragon sitting upon a mountain of his fallen kin, eyes black as the void itself. His scales shred and torn, a blackness of the void itself leaking from its gaping wounds.

A robed figure hunched over a blackened book, stroking its blasphemous lettering with his fingers, murmuring to himself.

An eidolon court, a place where the Gods once walked, all marble pillars and ever-present song of creation. Tall and pristine for a moment before the blackness spreads to them, distorting the hymn as the map of the world beneath your feet -- there was a map of the world beneath your feet? -- seems to fall away into nothingness.

And thne a voice, and you instinctively know that it not the God itself, or the Shard speaking to you, but something connected to them reaching to you through it: "THAT WHICH IS DONE CAN NOT BE FULLY UNDONE. EQUILIBRIUM CAN BE RESTORED BUT YOU MUST FIND ME, YOU MUST NOT C-"

and then it fades away.

You find yourslves back in the temple of Animus, a dead gate to the planes before you. There, in front of you and on the ground, is a simple wooden quarterstaff. You know immediately that it is the shard of Animus, but its power is spent for the moment.

"uuuugh...I feel like I'm gonna hurl..." Sasha says as she sits up from her 'fall'. She sighs and grabs for the shard, provided no one else does. Rather than gaze upon it, she'll put it in a pack. "If that Angel is still in the temple of Daeus, we should talk to him....to take the shard to Eluna...."

Serraphine lets out a gasp as she stands there -- having gone through that entirety of a vision. One would say she almost looked shaken, her hand shoving its way into her bag of cookies.... and finds that it is indeed still empty. She frowned, and looked down at the staff. A glance to Sasha, her head tilting, then looks back down to the staff. "Either I or Sasha should take it. This story will be hard enough to believe, it would be best someone very tied to the temples should take it there." She scratches at her chin.

Constantin stays there for a moment, one knee and one palm on the ground. He blinks, blinks again. "Did anyone see anything on the map?" Did he? He doesn't... know. He sounds high, like he's not quite connected to reality yet.

"You can carry it," Iskandar says agreeably. "Both of you, taking turns if it helps. But the rest of us will come along. The more of us that travel with you, the better. That must be the most valuable staff in the world. Not to mention, the quest is not complete. What kind of heroes would we be if we abandoned it now?" He looks at Kore, Constantin, Hun'rar.

Constantin stretches up. "This seems like a beginning, not an end, Iskandar." He agrees. "We all should come."