Jarovbees
Approved
Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on Apr 22, 2019 18:10:33 GMT
"Of course, friend. Of course. Give a little to get a little, I know how it goes." A piece of meat was a price she would gladly pay for the information, and Solstice smiled as she offered it, patiently awaiting more news. The firbolg woman quirked an eyebrow at mention of white cats, liking the felines of the city as much as any other but not having paid particular attention to them before now. That might have to change. She tilting her head, inviting the crow to elaborate.
"White cats, eh? Are any nearby at the moment? Or if not, how often do they tend to visit?"
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 22, 2019 18:35:17 GMT
The Raven fluttered up into the air - apparently happy to perform a little recon for Solstice. The Firbolg's attitude was refreshing and enjoyable enough that it was happy for the company, and loathe to let the conversation end.
When it came back down to its perch, it was, unfortunately, more bad news.
"None here. They're rare, too. Lots of important places in the City. Few care about the dead."
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Jarovbees
Approved
Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on Apr 22, 2019 18:51:09 GMT
"A fair point, that. But thank you for the information all the same, and the company. I'll not keep you...but if you see anything out of place during the day, come find me. I'll be here, and have more for you." Solstice nodded and prepared to settle in for a lengthy wait.
Throughout the day, she remained and soaked in the details of the area as though to make up for lost time. Every so often, she would find some shade and sit, observing all around her. When that grew dull, she would pace as though part of the official guard though didn't bother to disguise herself. People were greeted with a friendly nod and smile, but she tempered her natural urge to be social, not wanting to get in the way of those visiting for personal reasons...and wanting to remain alert, in general. As sunlight waned and was replaced by Selune's light above, Solstice lingered near where the crow had brought her to earlier, tapping into her divine sense to learn if any undead -or celestial or fiend, if it came to that- were in the area. Darkvision was denied her, it was true, but she had other senses that could prove just as useful.
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 22, 2019 19:03:15 GMT
As it transpired, darkvision would not be necessary to see what was to happen this night. Nor were there any traces of the undead, celestial or fiendish in the area. The foe that was to be fought this night was rarer than the common enemies of the Earth Mother.
The warning given by Mielikki was not nearly so much metaphor as would perhaps have been hoped. Night descended, and it brought with it a lingering, sweaty warmth which was quite unusual for this time of year. It was hot, humid, and muggy – there was some grumbling from the few guards who were on duty after sundown.
And then the fire came.
It was not quite as dramatic as the vision had been; it did not consume the stars from the sky as it descended, but about an hour after night had fallen in its entirety, the graveyard was lit from above by the sudden appearance of a roiling ball of flame.
As it descended, the guards gaped. They were used to dealing with the restless dead, and even then, only truthfully the weakest varieties which tended to stumble up from the crypts and be easily put back down. They were not prepared for a sudden inferno to light up the night.
The fiery sphere was perhaps five feet across, a perfectly-formed, flawless sphere of roiling flame which descended from above and down into the centre of the City of the Dead.
From her position, Solstice was perhaps 30 feet from the roiling mass, which hovered a few feet above the ground. There were shouts of alarm from the guards, and they seemed to be holding position at their respective tombs – some fleeing to get help, but none moving to engage. Whatever this thing was, it was not something they were prepared for, and they were in no hurry to throw their lives away!
(And initiatives!)
Enemy: vWvnmz3y1d20+21d20+2
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Jarovbees
Approved
Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on Apr 22, 2019 23:30:31 GMT
The guards couldn't be blamed for not throwing themselves at what seemed to be a very dangerous unknown; even Solstice couldn't help but stare for a moment, wide-eyed. However, the firbolg hadn't waited all day not to engage with this new threat the moment it appeared. That it was less metaphorical than she would have thought -an actual fiery sphere?!?- was daunting but not enough to send her away. She had made a paladin's oath and fully intended on keeping it, whatever that took. Let the sphere come.
Concentrating, she called upon some divine favor and cast Bless to gain herself what she suspected would be a needed edge to this battle. Only afterward did she assume a defensive stance, sword and shield raised. "Hey! Your fight is with me! No one else!" Please, let none of those guards do something stupid....
Solstice init: v5xrFw5P1d201d20
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 23, 2019 7:44:59 GMT
The apparently-living flame showed no sign of hearing Solstice’s words, with no facial or otherwise distinguishing features it was difficult to tell where its senses might lie, or guess as to how it might perceive the world.
It shed a significant amount of light, illuminating the thirty feet around it. And, as it settled into position, the ground beneath it began to shimmer with… frost?
Perhaps it is Solstice’s imagination, but it looks as though the orb begins to glow just a little bit brighter as the plantlife in the centre of the graveyard begins to wither and die, creeping frost spreading around it as what little ambient warmth remained in the dead of night was drawn from the living matter around it and into the sphere itself.
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Jarovbees
Approved
Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on Apr 23, 2019 14:20:24 GMT
"What the...." Solstice stared in repulsed confusion at the effect the living flame had on the ground. Frost and then...withering? Well, in any case this couldn't be a more obvious threat and one that needed to be dealt with sooner than later. She'd never seen anything quite like this before, but that wouldn't stop her from coming to the defense of life within the area.
Abandoning defense, the firbolg woman glared at the aberration. "I don't think so. This isn't your feeding ground!" Abandoning defense, she moved closer, within ten feet of the being. That was close enough to channel the divine, invoking nature's wrath to ensnare it. Spectral vines suddenly sprung up from the ground and reached for the creature. She wasn't sure how well it would work on what appeared to be a ball of living flame, but if she could restrain it, it would be a good start.
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 23, 2019 17:34:46 GMT
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Jarovbees
Approved
Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on Apr 23, 2019 18:20:46 GMT
Nature’s Wrath. (You can use your Channel Divinity to invoke primeval forces to ensnare a foe. As an action, you can cause spectral vines to spring up and reach for a creature within 10 feet of you that you can see. The creature must succeed on a Strength or Dexterity saving throw (its choice, DC 12) or be restrained. While restrained by the vines, the creature repeats the saving throw at the end of each of its turns. On a success, it frees itself and the vines vanish.)
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 23, 2019 18:43:14 GMT
Saving Throw: cUQS9iKL1d20+21d20+2
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 23, 2019 18:46:02 GMT
The attempt to restrain the flames seemed to get its attention, at least. The spectral vines ignited with ethereal fire as they reached for the sphere, and the orb hovered towards Solstice.
And it didn't stop. The sphere didn't move particularly quickly; ponderous in its motion, it aimed simply to engulf Solstice within its mass, and whilst it left a trail of cold and frost around its arrival, she would swiftly find that the heat radiating from it was no mere illusion. The fire burned with a greater intensity than a bonfire, threatening to ignite the Paladin and set her ablaze.
Attack: 6JfWwknr1d20+4 Damage: 2d6 and DC 10 Dex save on hit.1d20+4·2d6
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Jarovbees
Approved
Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on Apr 23, 2019 20:56:01 GMT
Solstice swore under her breath as the spectral vines failed to contain the entity and in fact seemed to do little more than alert it to her presence. Not that she was trying for stealth, at all, but the firbolg hoped to gain some advantage before it lashed out. She narrowed her eyes as it approached, studying how it moved and behaved. For a moment, she'd wished she had brought over one of the clergy from the Shrines of Nature; maybe they would have a better clue as to what this thing was and how best to deal with it. But it was too late for what-ifs, and it was all she could do to avoid being engulfed by the inexplicable heat. Thanks to raising her shield in time, she was able to avoid feeling that heat directly...this time, but she knew that was a matter of luck that might not hold in the future.
Reacting quickly, she swung her blade and hoped it would strike true.
Attack: 7Jm6mJMn1d20+3 Bless: 1d4 Damage (doubled for nat 20): 2d8+3 Divine Smite: 2d81d20+3·1d4·2d8+3·2d8
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 24, 2019 18:40:41 GMT
The sword passed through the orb of flame without any real tangible resistance. It was like slashing her sword through the flame of a bonfire. The exception came in the fact that bonfires don't scream.
And that's really the only way she can parse the noise that came out of the sphere. It emanated in all directions simultaneously, as though the skein of the perfect flame was one enormous mouth. It was the noise of a volcano erupting, mixed with the roar and crackle of a raging inferno, and it was only after the sword had passed all the way through the sphere that there was a visual sign of it.
A thin white line cut across the surface, and then erupted outwards in a flash of blinding white fire and heat. A moment later, the ground beneath Solstice's feet caught fire; erupting upwards with a crackling orange flame that would stay there in defiance of logic and reason.
(Two reflex checks please! First one DC 10, second one DC 14)
First Check: 3nZzC5Gh1d6 Saved completely on pass Second Check: 2d6 Save for 1/2.1d6·2d6
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Jarovbees
Approved
Playing: Solstice (Paladin 6)/Umbrae (Sorcerer 1/Warlock 4)/Avren Wands (Rogue 2/Sorcerer 1)
Posts: 706
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Post by Jarovbees on Apr 24, 2019 20:07:31 GMT
That noise was an assault of her ears and it took all Solstice had not to cover them, when she needed to keep both shield and sword out and ready for use. She supposed she had earned that, for channeling divine energy into her strike, and the fact that such had provoked a reaction was a good thing...at least, so she was trying to tell herself even as she braced herself for retaliation. The flash of blinding white was met with a grimace, and she had just registered that when the ground had become flame as well.
Save 1: 5CjZox_Y1d20 Bless: 1d4
Save 2: 1d20 Bless: 1d41d20·1d4·1d20·1d4
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Post by Kai Wren on Apr 26, 2019 16:58:45 GMT
(Okay, so you take 2 points of damage - you've still got your action and movement!)
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