I'm glad I was able to find a decent picture for this. It's reprinted without permission, so WOTC can demand that I remove it; in the meantime, I'm going to enjoy the effect it has.Try to imagine this creature having one more arm on her right hand side, making seven arms altogether. Now imagine that she is 12 feet tall. There. We should have a degree of terror now.
She is standing in a pit which consists of earth scooped out, about six feet deep, but with shallow enough sides that Delfig can easily see into it. To the Demon's right there are the carcasses of two horses, more or less correct in proportions to her size (25' long, 11 feet at the shoulder), now obviously dead, and the broken remains of a cart somewhat attached to them. All about her, in the pit, in piles or scattered, are bodies and body parts, perhaps a hundred humans in all.
Against this huge demon stands only one individual, quite beautiful in appearance, in stature all of five-foot-nine. He is fighting with a long sword, toe to toe. Each round the demon's blows land in a series, one after another...but it is quite clear after less than a half minute (and Delfig stands agog during that time) that she is unable to hurt her opponent. There is some sort of invisible shield, which glistens golden-yellow each time one of her blows lands. Two of the weapons she is using, a mace and a morning star, each spin off a ball of green or blue lightning each time the strike the human fighter's shield of impenetrability, these breaking into bolts which then dance over the buildings surrounding the square, causing the effects Delfig witnessed from the top of the building a distance away.
Though it is clear that the creature cannot strike the human, it is equally clear that he is keeping her from moving off; he has her trapped against the sheer edge of the mound as it appears on this side; he occasionally strikes and causes her damage, and she cannot leave as long as he lives.
It is also true that he is growing weary. Often times he must use both his arms to swing his sword; his face and his body show that he is at the edge of his reserve to go on fighting.
(d20 roll is 11)
ReplyDeleteIf at all possible, if Kazimir feels like he is aiming at Delfig, he will try to sabotage his own shot by jerking his arms up or stepping sideways or anything else he can.
Kazimir will behold the battle between the lone fighter and the demon with terror.
"By all the devils in all the Hells," he will swear.
Kazimir,
ReplyDeleteThe roll is sufficient (intelligence check) to resist shooting Delfig.
Weird question - do I feel any sort of "compulsion" in any specific action or with any sort of feeling towards either the demon or the man or Kazimir? (I'm assuming the man is Hornung)
ReplyDeleteIf it is not already so, Kazimir will loosen the crossbow to 2/3 tension such that it will give Delfig one round's warning should he be overcome with the desire to shoot him. Is it still too loud to communicate?
ReplyDeleteDelfig,
ReplyDeleteNo. Having been brought to this place, the power that might compel you to take some action seems weaker than it ought to be. It is clear it comes from the demon--who seems less than able at the moment. See below.
Kazimir,
Yes, too loud.
~
It is clear that the human is getting the better of the demon. She is striking only three times per round now. Both are at the end of their strength, it is only a question as to which will collapse first.
IF I have a clear shot at the demon without hitting Hornung (which it sounds like I might not) then I'll take the shot with my loaded crossbow. If it's not going to work, then I have a more suicidal action. (OK, now I'm testing your 'prick' attribute there, aren't I? *grin*)
ReplyDeleteYou can fire. Roll a d20.
ReplyDeleteKazimir will stare in disbelief at Delfig for a moment, then he will ready his crossbow for a shot.
ReplyDeleted20: 3 (hoping for reversal)
ReplyDelete(just on offhand chance there is a reversal: 2d6+2 for heavy cbow: 7)
After firing, I'm going to drop the crossbow and draw Jan's crucifix.
(BTW, OOC, I don't care of WotC has a fit or not, that's one cool looking demon and this is a crazy setup. Love it!)
ReplyDelete(...crazy setup)
ReplyDeleteWhich, thankfully, gets to end.
While your crossbow bolt flies wide, and Kazimir readies his to fire, the fighter manages to produce the killing blow. His sword wedges its way up through the demons' ribs, then comes free from his hand. The demon writhes, drops half her weapons, rolls out her tail and screams. Both players fall to their knees.
The fighter stumbles, staggers, then collapses about five yards from the roiling, twisting demon's death.
The sound ebbs away, the echoes of the horror left in Delfig and Kazimir's thoughts. The lightning diminishes. The clouds above the city visibly darken...only then do you begin to realize that it is night, that the light that was left was given off by the clouds, not sunlight that was filtered.
The scene, by degrees, grows darker and darker, until it becomes difficult to see one's hand in front of one's face. It is as though being in the wilderness on a cloudy night, far from the city, with no moon in the sky.
I will move forward slowly, feeling my way if needs be, trying to feel/listen my way towards where I saw the fighter fall.
ReplyDelete"Kazimir!" I'll call out. "Follow the sound of my voice!" I'll keep talking as I move forward.
"Hornung! Are you there!?"
It will take you perhaps a minute or so to find the fighter. He doesn't respond. You're able to rapidly tell that he is near death from exhaustion--perhaps at minus 8, or minus 9 hit points.
ReplyDelete(Is there anything I can do for him with regards to first aid, to keep him from dying?)
ReplyDeleteI'll take the crucifix and push it into his hands and whisper "Brother Jan sent me to find you."
"Kazimir! Please help me carry this man to safety!"
Kazimir will try to locate Delfig by voice, and if he can, he will help carry the unconscious man.
ReplyDeleteDelfig,
ReplyDeleteRead your character.
At the moment the man is unconscious, unable to answer, and moving him will probably kill him.
Heh. Delfig shakes his head to clear himself of the stupidity, no doubt from the horror and sheer overwhelming forces he's been dealing with. (Heh. Duh)
ReplyDeleteDelfig will do what he can, in the darkness, with sacrificing water from his waterskin out of his back and cutting off strips of cloth from his clothes to bind any wounds.
"Kazimir... can you provide any light? No wait... you can't. Damn!"
"Sorry, lad... too bad you tossed your lantern...wait, can't you make that lute of yours glow? I could try to bind 'em at your instruction, though generally I'm better at causing wounds than patching 'em."
ReplyDelete"Can you get to the cathedral, see if anyone is there? It's damn dark.."
ReplyDeleteIf he's unable to see enough to bind, Delfig will yell out for help and light, if anyone can hear him.
Delfig is able to make use of his physician's experience to preserve the fighter and keep him alive a few hours, but not to heal him. Past that, he will die.
ReplyDeleteThe front of the cathedral is collapsed, and so is likely empty.
Kazimir will bellow out a "Halloooooo!" with his mighty half-orcish lungs.
ReplyDelete*deep breath* *small thanks*
ReplyDelete"Kazimir, I think this man will live, but we will need to get him some aid soon."
Can I see the demon from where I'm at? Or hear any movement?
Kazimir and Delfig,
ReplyDeleteRead my last comment under the "Gate Closes" post.