Dorn's Deep

Even with their leader frozen, the Ilmatari continue to fight. For those companions who recognize the symbol of Ilmater, it is jarring and disturbing to find the hands bound with red cord emblem on the clothes of these bloodthirsty fanatics.

The acolytes lash out against anything that moves, a zealous mob determined to please their god (Ug takes 8, Ras takes 10, Reo takes 4, Vince takes 3).

The adepts, hailing from a monastery to the south, are far more troublesome to the party. When Ug makes a break for the statue, two of them try to tackle him mid-route, but though they land solid kicks and punches the barbarian barrels through them and refuses to fall down (Ug takes 36 damage). Ug seizes the idol from Perdiem's rigid fingers and turns about to make the mad dash through the fray once more.

Vincent's fear spell hits the bulk of the acolytes, but their dark devotion proves difficult to override. Some of the Ilmatari do, indeed, turn to flee, but it is fewer than the warlock might have hoped (5 of the acolytes flee).

Despite one adept's best attempts, she cannot lay a finger on Zenithral as he twists and dodges. She stops her assault and gestures to several acolytes nearby, beckoning them to help her.

Meanwhile, the adept near Ras continues to strike at the stunned gnome with a flurry of blows. Fortune is with Ras, however, for his shield and new armor are enough to protect him for a few moments while he clears his head. Still, he cannot help but release concentration on the spell binding the priests to a watery jail. The liquid sphere collapses, and the priests pick themselves up from the drenched floor.

Ug's return trip across the battleground is met by the same two adepts from before. One goes high, delivering a sweeping kick to the face, and the other dives low... and Ug realizes that without his protective loincloth he is NOT safe (Ug takes 17 bludgeoning damage). Still, with his momentum he is able to cover significant ground before he falls to the floor, pain wracking his groin (Ug completes his dash and then falls prone). He can hear the two adepts approaching quickly, determined not to lose their idol to this naked goliath.

Reòthadh finds that for a moment he seems to be overlooked in this battle - perhaps because he is much smaller than usual. Still, it gives him an advantage as he is free to plan his next move (Reo will get 2 turns. Also, he can make an opportunity attack against the adepts bothering Ug, since one of them started next to Reo)

Alalla's eyes burn as brightly as her sword as she fights off the paralysis spell. She can feel control returning to her, first in her fingers and toes... But then one of the adepts jumps nimbly atop the platform, tucks into a roll, then rises up with a kick to Alalla's chest that sends her to her back. A second kick knocks the sword from her hand, and it clatters to the ground below (Al takes 35 damage from the hits). The adept's hand makes a cupping shape, and then he shoves it down hard toward Alalla's throat - but then Erevain is there, shoving the adept back with his shield (Erevain uses his reaction to give one of the attacks disadvantage, causing it to miss).

Several more acolytes reach up from below the platform, clubs swinging wildly to batter Alalla's armor (Al takes 16 damage), but then she feels her spirits lifted as a shining symbol of Ilmater appears in the air above her, its glow helping to shield her from further harm. She shrugs off the acolytes and gets back to her feet, ready to continue the fight.

A wordless growl escapes Perdiem's clenched jaw, but he shows no sign of recovering from Ug's chilling paralysis. Nearby, the two priests begin chanting once more.

Round 3 Player Phase!!!

Though slowed somewhat by his fall, Ug gets quickly back to his feet and continues his dash. Sprinting through rooms and down corridors, he gets sudden flashbacks of a time when he was much smaller, and there was much less rubble to dodge. Still naked though. How many times did dwarf or gnome chase him through these tunnels, demanding that he clothe himself? He is brought back to the present quickly as the adepts behind him gain ground.

Ug’s flight back through the passages of Dorn’s Deep, idol in hand and two adepts in pursuit, draws a handful of the acolytes as well. The adepts give no heed to the flumph that appears in their way, one sliding under the smelly spray, while the other darts to one side and runs along the wall for a moment. The group of acolytes, however, runs straight into the foul ink. Half blind and fully nauseous, they attempt even so to keep running. Unfortunately, several of them end up running straight into a wall (5 acolytes are poisoned).

Meanwhile, the battle continues (Acolytes deal 6 bludgeoning damage to Reo, but I think he has resistance this turn). The adepts recognize Vincent’s martial prowess as greater than their own, and so do their best to focus on the other companions. Zenithral gets a couple of shots off between, dodging punches and kicks, but then the adept before him manages a leaping double-kick to his face, shattering Zenithral’s nose (Zen takes 15 damage, and is stunned for the next round).

Though usually not one for hand-to-hand combat, Ras accounts himself fairly well against his opponent, always managing to stay one step ahead of the blurred fists and sweeping legs.

Strength returned to her, Alalla easily pushes past acolytes to retrieve her weapon. With Perdiem unable to provide the least defense, she easily dispatches him with fire and blade. Unable even to scream, the perverted Ilmatari brother dies in silence.

Erevain duels a third adept, and though he takes a couple of hits he holds his ground and drops a couple of the nearby acolytes with nonlethal strikes (Erevain takes 21 damage, and 2 acolytes are unconscious).

The chanting of the two priests reaches a crescendo as they summon twin columns of heavenly flame down on the companions – in spite of the acolytes and adepts still gathered around them (Zen, Vince, Ras, and Reo failed their saves, so they take 14 fire and 18 radiant. Except Zen, whose radiant damage is reduced to 9 due to resistance). As the roar of fire and light fills the chamber, the acolytes drop to their knees and accept the scouring punishment, dying with twisted prayers to Ilmater on their lips. The two adepts caught in the flames are wiser, however, and do their best to avoid the spells. One of them rolls away, and the other dies with the acolytes (6 acolytes and 1 adept die in the flame strike spells).

The pillars of fire are cut off as Reothadh lays into the two priests with his conjured weapon. The dwarf’s own magical flames sweep from one priest to the other, and both drop with smoking robes (The two priests are unconscious).

Round 4 Player Phase!!!!

The adept near Erevain jabs at the elf warrior with lightning punches, but he deflects each one with his shield or the flat of his blade. When Alalla arrives with flaming longsword, the adept attempts to strike at her as well, but a sudden rush from Erevain knocks him off balance, just in time for Alalla to knock him out with a pommel to the face.

Not hesitating her next action in the slightest, Alalla charges the Ilmatari by Zenithral. She gets there just in time to witness a crushing blow to the archer's chest (Zen takes 17 bludgeoning damage), and then the adept turns to face her. Fists have little hope of getting through Alalla's plate armor, however, and a moment later this adept, too, is down.

Meanwhile, Ug takes off with a spurt of speed just as the pursuing Ilmatari are about to move in for the attack, and then a wall of solid stone slams into place before them, fortunately cutting off the disturbing view of the goliath's naked self.

The adepts skid to a stop just before the wall, puzzled at how to get past it, when Ras' second spell thunders in with a flash of light, slamming into them and flinging them hard against the conjured wall. They stand and turn to find Vincent nearby with sword at the ready. Staying loose on the balls of their feet, they spread out to take the strange warrior from either side.

The three unarmored combatants become a blur of twisting limbs, expert performers in a deadly, dizzying dance. But one of these dancers is clearly superior to the others. Moving impossibly fast, Vincent blocks one attack after the other. One hand comes up to deflect a knife-like hand coming for his head, while simultaneously sidestepping a roundhouse kick from the other foe. Then he ducks low, leaps high, and catches another strike with his shin, pushing the attack wide.

One of the adepts gets in a clever jab to the kidneys (Vince takes 9 damage and casts Shield to avoid the other hit.), and for a moment it looks as though Vincent is vulnerable. When the next blow falls, however, it connects with only shadow and air, and Vincent is suddenly standing several feet away. Did this strange warrior teleport? Or is he just that fast? Breathing hard, the two adepts leap to the attack once more.

Back near the altar, Reòthadh finds a willing helper in Brother Gus. The Ilmatari priest is pale and sweating, but he moves quickly to help bind the unconscious acolytes, all the while mumbling to himself. "They don't mean it... They don't mean it!"

As Vincent abandons his fear spell, the handful of acolytes affected by it show their faces once more, moving in on Reòthadh and Brother Gus (They will need to dash next round, and so won't be able to do much. But that's where they're headed).

Round 5 Player Phase!!!!!