Dark Hope - Chapter 1 - Pan Town

[Mephiston]

Balpur nods to Renard. He moves with a 5-feet step and attacks the skeleton with his staff and he hits the undead dealing some damage. The undead strikes back and Balpur takes a hard hit on his shoulder (critical hit).

Renard moves to flank the skeletons and then attack. He hits the target and the skeleton disappear.

Ahkash attacks his foe. Again is dagger shine with a dark energy wave. He his the undead crushing his skull and he disappears. The skeleton behind the disappeared one steps foward and attack Ahkash, he hits the rogue with his rusty sword. 4 damages

Tanya attack with White Blossom the nearest skeleton. She hits the target dealing a lot of damange. Many shards of bone spread on the ground. The skeleton disappear, the second moves near Tanya and attacks her.
The rusty mace that he holds hits the right arm of the elf dealing 6 damages.

Atrus swings his sword and his wound spits some blood. The blade of his sword glows of a gray light and the sound of many locks and chains fills the air around him. Then as many tentacles, chains spread from the blade and entangle the daemon that roars for anger! The monster is immobilized.

Thonunian now facing the daemon in chains. it is a quite easy target now that he can't move. His blade leave a red line behind it when he swing it to hit the daemon.
With a mighty attack Thonunian manages to inflict a serious wound to the leg of the monster, but it wasn't enough to sever the leg. The daemon roars in pain and his muscles grows!

Solana Solana attacks the remaining skeleton with both her hooves. The skeleton disappears!

the blood daemon roars in pain but can't do much because he's seriously injuried and also held by the chains of the sword of Atrus.

[Thonunian]

What the!?!...

Thonunian looks startled as he feels the demon's muscles growing while his sword is cutting through its leg.

At this rate, I won't be able to cut it off...
...Wait a moment! My sword absorbed the blood that hit it, and this demon really does get stronger when blood is shed. What will happen if it looses blood...

Thonunian lodges his sword more firmly in the Demon's leg (during the same turn as he tried to cut it) and lets go. He then moves 5 ft to the left, on the map, to flank the Demon, and casts Magic Missile.

[ooc]called shot on the spell to hit the area above the heart, which should make even more of the Demon's blood flow towards the cut with the sword in it, as well as its own damage[/ooc]

[Ahkash]

Ignoring his wound, the half-elf presses forward, attacking the skull of the next skeleton.

[Renard]

Just before Renard sprints away to help Tänya, he is heard to yell, "Yes, magic, as well, try striking the daemon with blunt weapons --- ones that will not actually 'shed' his blood!"

Then Renard scoots through the northeast chamber and then south in order to attempt to flank the skeleton fighting Tänya. Upon seeing the growing bruise from where she was struck by the skeleton, Renard grits his teeth and, gripping his walking stick in both hands, prepares to deliver a mighty blow...

[Tänya]

A yelp of pain as the mace crashes into her arm slips past the druid's lips, despite her best efforts to refrain from showing pain or fear to these animated horrors.

Then Renard scoots through the northeast chamber and then south in order to attempt to flank the skeleton fighting Tänya. Upon seeing the growing bruise from where she was struck by the skeleton, Renard grits his teeth and, gripping his walking stick in both hands, prepares to deliver a mighty blow...

"Astalder, yallume!! Cormamin lindua ele lle. I'narr en gothrim glinuva nuin I'anor!"

...tira ten' rashwe, Melamin...

Focusing her intent on the skeleton in front of her, she allows her injured arm to dangle free, and praising Solaris she is left handed, brings White Blossom down on to the top of the skull directly in front of her with all the strength her left arm can muster.

[Solana's move pending another's action first]

[Atrus]

Concentrating on the demon, Atrus continues to hold him in place while Thonunian attacks.

[Tänya]

Whickering with satisfaction at a job well done as the Empty-Ones vanish, the cry of pain from The-Whitest-One pierces Solana's smugness. Jerking her head around, she finds she does not see her friend, but notices The-Transformed-One and The-One-Who-Seethes-Within still battling The-Servant-of-Spite-Anger-and-Hatred. Having been trained to both Attack and Defend, Solana again bunches her muscles beneath her, charges The-Servant-of-Spite-Anger-and-Hatred (her description of the demon), and bull rushes him into the field of levitating rocks and wood.

[...hoping Atrus decides to move out of the way while concentrating on holding the demon, or that the space Thonunian opened is enough to not push Atrus into the field as well...

...and also hoping that being pushed into that field has some sort of negative effect on the demon...]

[Mephiston]

Balpur charges the daemon from the back, he now grants flanking bonus (+2) on attack rolls for him and Atrus and Thonunian. He attack with his staff, but his strength isn't enough to hurt him.

Renard moves to flank the skeletons in the other room. He has to run to reach them.

Ahkash attacks his foe. Again is dagger shine with a dark energy wave. He his the undead crushing his skull. The skeleton counterattack, he hits the rogue with his rusty sword. 3 damages

Tanya attack with White Blossom the nearest skeleton. She hits the target dealing a lot of damange. Many shards of bone spread on the ground. The skeleton disappear.

Atrus keeps the daemon immobilized.

Thonunian gives a blow to the sword to block it in the leg of the daemon. He succeded to block the sword, then he steps aside and cast a magic missile against the daemon. The darts fly directly to the target dealing some damage.

Solana charges the daemon by the flank. She isn't able to bull rush him because the daemon is entagnled but has too many strength for her at the moment. She wasn't able to charge from behind him because she otherwise could trample also Atrus and Thonunian.

the blood daemon roars in pain but can't do much because he's seriously injuried and also held by the chains of the sword of Atrus.
The monster falls donw on his knees exhausted. A horrible sound of breaking bones and squirting blood spread from the body of the daemon when he collapse under the pressure of the chains.
With a terrifying roar the daemoin perish by the hand of Atrus and Thonunian.
Suddenly something of strange happens. The chains drag the crippled body of the daemon to the blade and like a creeping winch the chains absorb the bleeding corpse in to the sword.
Then again the sound of many locks and chains fill the hair.
The red sword of Thonunian falls to the ground, touching the blood that is already on the marble. The sword "swallows" all the blood in a matter of seconds.

[Renard]

Renard shudders at the sounds of battle in the other room -- the roar of the daemon and the sickening sounds that follow -- and is glad he cannot see what is going on. Only that it sounds as if his companions are prevailing.
Instead, he focuses himself and tries to assist Tanya and Ahkash to finish off the last skeleton.

[Atrus]

As his blades devours the corpse of the daemon, Atrus can feel his rage subsiding. Almost as if repeating after someone else, Atrus whispers "Justice is done." He looks to Thonunian. "Come on, now! Let's go help the others." He runs to attack any skeletons left over.

[Tänya]

...and then there was one...

Her arm dangling limp at her side, Tänya felt a moment's hesitation. The half-blo...she shook her head...stop it! you now know his name! Ahkash seems to know much more about fighting than you do. If there is time, perhaps he can offer ideas for the most effective means of attacking this skeleton between the three of us...

"Ahkash!" she called. "How shall I help? How can Renard and I both help?"

[Thonunian]

Thonunian picks up his sword as he moves towards the room that the others are in, when he gets within range, he casts Disrupt Undead, if the skeleton is still whole by then.

[Ahkash]

Staggering slightly from his wounds, the half-elf shouts back to the Druid, "Somebody flank the damned skeleton!"

Not waiting to see if anybody listens to him, he attacks once more.

[Tänya]

Softly blowing as The-Servant-of-Spite-Anger-and-Hatred is crushed, Solana stays her charge and stands still, breathing heavily. Then, her ears picking forward as she hears the cry of The Whitest One, she watches the two fighters head towards the smaller chamber. Seeing the crowded narrow opening, she slowly moves through the main chamber to the entrance to the smaller chamber, then stands Guard at the entryway in case anything new shows up while the party is preoccupied inside the chamber.

Hearing Ahkash's answer, Tänya smiled grimly as she saw Renard spring into action and move to flank the skeleton directly opposite the rogue. Staying where she was to aid as best she can, she gripped White Blossom ever tighter and prepared to strike again if needed. The Bard flanking the skeleton for the rogue should do the trick, but if not, she and the rogue were also flanking the skeleton for Renard, should they need to attack yet again. Tänya again swings White Blossom towards the head of the skeleton, should it still be standing.

[Mephiston]

Balpur moves near the "a-grav" spot. He seems that something catched his eyes.

Renard moves to flank the skeleton, he moves before Ahkash so he doesn't take advantage of the flanking in this turn. He attacks the skeleton missing him.

Ahkash moves to flank the skeleton. He gets the flanking bonus. He attacks the skeleton and hits him hardly. Bones and leather pieces spreads every where when he splits the skeleton in two with a mighty blow!
The skeleton disappear.

Tanya watches her friends defeating the skeleton.

Atrus runs toward the room where are his friends.

Thonunian moves toward the same room.

Solana moves right near the entrance of the room.

on the "a-grav" spot the blood of the daemon melts with the stones and an incredible number of roots rise from the ground. The roots , stones and blood merge together and a strange humanoid form takes his shape... He seems a sort of elemental but you can't recognize what type is it.
After a moment he speaks "Who are you, strangers? Why are you in the temple of Graveris? Please withdraw your minions they had already destroyed my mates, the Holy Root has been taken... why are you still persecuiting this place?"
Red glowing eyes appear on his woody face.
He doesn't seem to be aggressive.

[Tänya]

Tänya exhales a deep sigh of relief as the last skeleton is smashed by Ahkash before her eyes. Then returns instantly to alert when the new voice is heard. Turning about, her eyes widen at the sight of the elemental composed of roots, and the fact it is remaining grounded where the stones and wooden pieces were circulating in the air just moments before.

Striding out of the smaller chamber, she briefly rests her hand on Solana's neck, and mumbles "Well done," to her as she passes the golden Avelignese, then continues on until she stands right next to the elemental.

Placing her right foot in front of her, she bows low to the roots, attempting to spread wide both arms in a show of respect to the elemental in front of her. [Diplomacy, Knowledge: Nature, Knowledge: Religion for my trained checks, and Knowledge: The Planes untrained, just in case anything is at all known]. Rising chagrined at the lack of control over her injured arm, she addresses the elemental.

"Hail, servant of Graveris. We are newly come to this place, and mean it no harm nor disrespect. We have only recently learned of the existence of Graveris, and would savor learning what we can of your Lady.

"We have come across worshippers of Graveris, and I will admit to you that so far we have cause to fear them. It is my own hope that perhaps these we have seen are not representative of the true teachings of your Lady. Will you tell us about her, and about this place?

"You also mention that "the Holy Root" has been taken. Will you enlighten us on what that is? Is it an artifact that belongs here in this temple? What does it signify? When was it taken and how? And need it be returned?"

[Thonunian]

Thonunian stops, and closes his eyes, seeming to divide his attention for a moment. He opens them again about halfway through Tänya's question. When he glances around and notices the elemental, he seems somewhat shocked.

[ooc]He closed his eyes to listen to a rather long conversation with his sword. He then makes Knowledge: the plane and arcana checks on the elemental.[/ooc]

[Ahkash]

Ahkash, returning to the main chamber, immediately carefully approaches the other doorway, in the northwest corner of the room, searching the room carefully as he goes.

He spares only a glance for the strange root-like creature. If there was one thing elven druids were good for it was dealing with stange bits of nature, and personally he thought making sure they were safe for the moment, and that the other doorway was free of threat was a higher prioriy than stopping to chat about religion with a talking tree-stump.

[Mephiston]

The eyes of the elemental move upon Tanya.

He seems to consider what Tanya said and somehow judge her.
"You seem thrustworthy... Do you swear that you aren't with the pale man and his daemons?"

Ahkash moves to the remaining rooms. Nothing seems to be there.
He can see that something was in that rooms but now the time destroyed it... you can find only debris and nothing of valuable.

[Tänya]

The eyes of the elemental move upon Tanya.

He seems to consider what Tanya said and somehow judge her.
"You seem trustworthy... Do you swear that you aren't with the pale man and his daemons?"

Once more bowing to the elemental, Tänya slowly rises, grasps White Blossom horizontally in both hands while raising him to eye level, then lowers her forehead with her wreath of leaves to his golden wood. "I can only speak for certain for myself, and the golden horse Solana, yet my intuition tells me none of my companions are with the one you refer to as the pale man, if he is the same being that we 'met' above.

"I do only state my vow for myself and Solana, however, and swear upon the wood of my forebears that I am not affiliated with any pale man, nor any daemons, to my knowledge."

Raising her forehead from White Blossom, Tänya feels the bounds of her words with more intensity than any vow she has made since her initiation into her ancient Order a century ago, and decides to think twice before stating a vow through the wood of her clan in the future.

Casting a quick glance towards the astute goblin, Tänya quietly says to him while awaiting a further response from the elemental, "Balpur, I fear I may be wading in over my head here. Feel free to join in at any time..."