Tales of Faerun

[mythicdawnmaster]

Rearing up as his strength returned, Xallistine broke the prism around him and made a brisk walk towards the centre of the battlefield, Cultists dropping dead left right and centre, he prayed thanks to the gods inwardly, knowing that the creatures binding magics must have been destroyed.

 

As Valthanarax emitted his ground shaking roar, Xallistine was thrown off balance for a moment, using his nimble tentacles to balance his weight. Looking at the dragon he chuckled as it arrogantly announced his indestructibility Valthanarax of Nine Lives eh? Well, just like a cat, he would find his depleted in the very moment he required it most- It was clear this was not the end of his Journey then, it was to the very far corners of Faerun, in search of this beasts life essence.

 

"Hahaha! Foolish Lich! We will destroy you, you and your entire cult!" As he laughed, Xallistine prepared a powerful spell, aiming at the dragons front paws, he threw the immense pair of thunderbolts through the air, the first destroying the Dracolich's right leg, blowing the limb off in a shower of sparks, and the second narrowly missing his left.

[Flipout6]

The sudden death of every cultist in the room came with great surprise to the Greys and Amendale, though they didn't complain.

 

Weyland looked wildly around. The only remaining foes were Ravenna and Valthanarax.

 

Great, why did the only two ultra-powerful ones have to be amongst the survivors? He thought to himself. He stopped Arland from charging at the wounded Dracolich.

 

"Let me get him, you idiot!" HIs brother protested.

 

"No, a sword that's actually regularly-sized will do next to nothing against that. I have a heavy shield, let me take him. You and Amendale go after the she-devil." Weyland didn't leave any room for argument.

 

"True..." Arland looked around to Ravenna, who was currently occupying Azuris, before lifting both blades and charging at her from behind. With any luck, she wouldn't see him coming, and then both blades would plunge right into her back...

 

Amendale, noting Rhaine's involvement in the struggle against Valthanarax, decided his healing abilities would best be served elsewhere even without Weyland's order, and despite his hatred for his friend's younger brother, supported both him and Azuris against Ravenna, making sure any of their wounds were closed and occasionally launching various spells at Ravenna to disrupt her focus. He didn't stick to any one element, and switched between several (No fire, though.) as he launched them against his foe, although the rarity of him casting an offensive spell was enough to render his efforts obsolete is she had any kind of defences up, but even just one moment with her distracted would let Azuris and Arland rip her to shreds.

 

Weyland charged at Valthanarax, dashing underneath his underbelly and lashing out with blade or shield as many times as he could. The blade wasn't doing much other than giving a powerful electrical shock, but the shield's weight crushed and cracked bones almost every single time it hit, despite Valthanarax's physical power. As he moved towards the front legs, a massive lightning bolt severed it right from the rest of the dracolich's body, and he was knocked off balance as a result. His head drooped close enough to the ground for Weyland to get in close, and he leaped up onto the back of the creature's neck (No way was he stupid enough to get anywhere NEAR those teeth.) and managed to find a good grip for his free hand. With his position relatively secure, he began bringing the narrow edge of his shield down into Valthanarax's skull over and over again, with enough force to shatter a human skull two times over. The dracolich's skull was of course much thicker, but after three solid hits Weyland's shield began cracking and breaking into the skull. This was no easy feat with all the powerful movement Valthanarax was capable of, and Weyland was a hair's edge away from being thrown off several times, but he held on and kept hitting. He didn't know what kind of damage this would do against an undead creature, but considering that the primary way to kill a zombie was to go for the head, this might not be much different. If it was? Well, then it would focus on shaking Weyland off instead of trying to kill Rhaine or anybody else.

 

"Die, die, die! Pathetic pile of bones, trying to re-live the days when it had SKIN!" He taunted, and his next shield blow did little damage as Valthanarax roared and twisted his neck. It was obvious he was weakening, however. The loss of a leg crippled him and the immense damage that Weyland was by now doing to his skull was taking its toll.

 

Farther off, Amendale cast a spell to weaken any arcane defences around Ravenna as Arland approached her from behind at high speeds and lunged, blades poised to kill....

[Alaylyne]

The day was nearing its end and a single figure's shadow was growing longer as light disappeared, not moving for a while now. A female sun elf - or at least something who looked like one - was sitting on a box in the middle of a ransacked cart, pieces of wooden crates, goods, clothes and even some body parts lying around. But it was not the chaos that worried her as she kept looking in a small golden mirrow she held in her hand; quite the contrary, she loved it.

The complete silence was broken every once in a while by a bat familiar that was resting on a nearby tree or grunting of a man lying at the woman's feet. The male human was in his thirties, stomach facing the ground as he looked up at the woman, bleeding from several injuries caused by sharp claws and four even sharper fangs.

"Hnng..." the man spat some blood out as he looked at the mutilated corpses around him, feeling sickened by the view. Looking up at the monster in a beautiful dress who'd done it to them, he tried to reach for his dagger that was lying a bit in front of him, almost getting a hold of it -

"Tsk, tsk," the sorceress glared down at the man with her crimson red eyes, beautiful face revealing a frown, "Wanted to stab me in the back, didn't you? That's not very nice of you."

She stepped on his hand that was about to grab a weapon, sharp heels digging deep into his skin as he yelled, his body not handling even more pain very well.

"You...demon!" he cried, pulling back his hand once the woman broke her hold on it.

"You humans just can't get it right, can you?" The sorceress rolled her eyes, sighing in annoyance.

"Half demon - you know, when one of the demons mates with one of your pathetic kind?" the man didn't seem to pay attention to her explaination, his breathing getting more painful with every moment. But when he looked at the woman again - if she could still be called such - her pupils more resembled one of a cat, nails again turned to sharp claws and four large fangs ornating her mouth when she smiled. The sight itself was even more intimidating when she spread her wings, skin covered in small scales. She was, indeed beautifully frightening sight.

"No...w-what...what are you..."

The merchant was cut off when Sefris knelt down to him and reached out her hand, black claws digging directly in the man's eyes and to his brain, his face in too much horror to scream as he died, sockets where his eyes once were left empty once she tossed them aside. Getting back up as if she was only picking up something she had dropped, the sorceress wiped her claws with a handkerchief which she later tossed aside, still occupied with looking at her gray hairs in once completely black hair.

"I'll kill that witch..."

[mythicdawnmaster]

As her allies dropped like flies, so did the cheerful expression on Ravenna's face. Surrounded by opponents she gazed over to see Valthanarax's skull being broken in viciously by one of these Grey-Brothers, neither of whom she could tell apart, they both just seemed like burly male adventurers to her.

 

As Amendale cast a manner of spells at her, they did nothing but become absorbed by her defences, clear as crystal that this spellcaster was used to defensive spells, and by the almighty array of healing abilities he was utilizing on his companions, a talented healer also, which meant whatever damage she did to her foes would be healed almost instantly.

 

No fool, and certainly not in it to make a Martyr of herself, Ravenna decided it high time to turn-tail, as the distinct clatter of armour came from behind, Ravenna spun to face it, leaning backwards as far as her nimble frame would allow, her knees bent and her ponytail touched the floor, the dual blades of Arland skimmed her face as they were thrust forwards. Returning to her normal height Ravenna smiled as her hand violently swung in a backhanded movement towards her attackers face...

 

The Archdevils fist passed through Arlands face in a gaseous form, her entire body nothing but a cloud, having cast Gaseous Form . Allowing him a glimpse of a large, devilish grin, the misty formation rose high from the ground, headed for a small crack in the caverns ceiling.

 

"Well done, you win this day, Rhaine and friends. Rest assured we shall meet again." With that the companions chance of thwarting such a threat was gone, and the mist dissipated through the cracks.

Edited April 22, 2013 by mythicdawnmaster

[nethgros]

Kowolj had no chance of getting away from the wyrm's flames, but luckily Othos had made his arrival and ran between Kowolj and the incoming inferno.

 

"GO!" Othos yelled as loud as he could as he let forth his own burst of flame from his hands to counteract the dragon's fire. Though, his strength was not equal to that of the beast, and he was soon over taken by the flame.

 

Kowolj took the few precious moments Othos had offered and ran away from the dragon's mouth and to his side, sprinting with all the power his four legs could offer. Approaching the beast he saw a great thunderstrike take out the dragon's right leg, and he saw two of his pride members attacking it from directly on top! Tightening his grip on the grand adamantine sword, he pounced and brought down his blade on the spine of this undead monstrosity. With its lower half completely separated from its upper half, this dragon could no longer serve as a threat.

 

Kowolj entrusted the actual finishing of this monster to the rest of his pride, instead rushing to Othos' side, dropping the blade on the ground next to him and sitting down beside him.

 

"I think we've pretty much got this. You're going to be fine... just breathe."

 

The mixture of Othos' own flames and the flame warding salve had saved him from a direct attack by a dracolich's fire breath attack. The cost was that his energy was sapped from his body, as he had to fight back quite a bit to keep from being roasted.

[josh900]

In another time and place a group of six men stood around a battlefield in a deep cavern, the ground was covered with the bodies of countless Slaad warriors and the men that stood were barely in better shape. A middle aged knight removed his helmet and sighed. "So who's bright idea was this again? Oh wait, it was a stupid one so obviously it was yours." He growled looking at a dark skinned elf with violet eyes and white hair. "Hey now." The half drow said raising his arms in a defensive manner. "It worked didn't it? And besides, if it was so stupid why did you go along with it?" He asked.

The knight scowled. "Cause you would be dead if I hadn't. As always you cause trouble, and i have to clean up your mess."

"He has no discipline, no restraint." Came the voice of a swordsmen from the far east. "You run off ahead of everyone else, trying to be "big damn hero" as you say. Big stupid man is more like it. All guts, no brains makes for dead man, your fighting style too. All over the place, no good, too flashy."

"Hey!" The half-drow snapped. "My style's worked for more years than you've been alive mister samurai so you just hush over there."

"You have no respect for your weapons either, You throw them away like they were trash."

"Throwing knives, that's what they're for!"

"You have broken countless daggers since I have started traveling with you. You have no.. Connection with your blades. Take for instance, my sword." The samurai said as he presented his Katana.

The others in the group rolled their eyes, The elf healer of the group muttering something about crazy eastern philosophy.

"Hush." The Samurai said. "This blade, is several hundred years old. Passed from a man to his son, and from his son to his son. And so on until a man passed it to his son, who them passed it to my father who then, passed it to me. The sword you see, draws strength from the wielder, it becomes a piece of you. The Phoenix Blade in common. When the wielder dies, So does the blade but, is reborn when the son takes it and it begins to draw strength from him. Becoming a part of him, and so you must treat the sword as if it were part of yourself. And as you grow so too will the blade, only breaking or dulling when you break or doubt your will, doubt your self. You... Tannin, have no such thing. Everything is... expendable to you."

 

"Well mister Ikeda.. that's where you're wrong." Tannin said as he pulled a black dagger from his pack, the blade itself appearing like the night sky and a feel of evil that made the other members of the group' hair stand on end. As Tannin held it the sword quickly shifted between shape and size, appearing as a common rapier one moment, Then as a katana similar to Kento's.

"Blackrazor." Tannin said. "Used to be a fixed shape like other weapons but... A couple enchantments here and there and..well."

"Myy father found it." He said. "The only thing I've got of him. Said he was given a choice. To keep it he would have had to kill a Genie with it, or give it to the genie to free it. Was a test and.. My father didn't do too well on test." He said with a chuckle. "Present him with options and he'd come up with his own. in this case heee, made the Genie swear to give him the blade back once he was free. So of course the Genie agreed and... Well this blade's cut into some pretty powerful things lets say that."

"And so.. You keep it to remember him?" Kento asked.

Tannin chuckled. "No.. noo I don't care about that anymore. I keep it cause it's a damn fine weapon, and I don't feel right without it."

"I've never seen you fight without it though." Kento said.

Tannin replied with a smirk. "Pray that you don't."

-------------------------------------------

 

 

That was the first time that Kento had seen the blade that he was now using to find his prey. The shrieks of the dracolich and pull of the blade continued to lead him. It wouldn't be long now.

---------------------------------------

 

 

Knowing he didn't have the strength to do much damage to the Dracolich, Tannin decided to stay back and out of the way, Daggers weren't much use against bones of that strength.

Azuris however had leaped into the fray, slicing at the legs of the dracolich helping the others bring it down.

[AurianaValoria1]

With one final resounding roar, Valthanarax was dead...the blow from Kowolj enough to sever his spine and end him. The bright red glow vanished from the eye sockets of the dragon's skull, and the dracolich became nothing more than a mountain of bones. Ravenna had vanished, thankfully, so it was unlikely she would be an issue - or that those who attacked the devil would suffer any retaliation.

 

It was over.

 

Rhaine's focus gradually broadened again, and she could sense the adrenaline start to fade from her limbs. She shook her head as if to clear it, wondering what had caused such an unearthly experience. The Doomguide had fought many a battle, but never had she felt quite like that. Pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind, she sheathed her blade and wandered back towards her companions, the chamber seeming much larger now that the dracolich had been destroyed. Half of her armor had been torn from her body, the other half dented and shredded - only her helmet remained completely intact.

 

As she approached her friends, she also neared the massive pile of ashes and corpses...Maydiira's included. She wandered over to where she had last seen the drow living. There lay the mithril armor that Kalin had crafted, void of any body now - It was nothing more than mangled lumps of silvery metal. Ginafae's armor had been similarly melted, though not as badly. Velve'drathir was nothing more than a sliver of adamantine, the moonstone pommel the only thing about it left unharmed. Rhaine bent and pocketed the egg-sized jewel without a word. She did not weep nor show any outward signs of sadness...merely an acceptance of her friend's fate.

 

Sighing, she cast a few Flame Strikes and transformed the rest of the corpses in the chamber into ash like the others, murmuring Last Rites all the while; they would be less likely to come back as undead if their corpses were disintegrated. After a few moments, she finished her task and turned to her companions, "Is everyone all right? I can heal anyone who is injured."

 

Her eyes fell on Tannin, and they narrowed at the half-drow, "And you...we've been looking for you, but not in the way you think. Does then name Kento Ikeda ring a bell? Or how about his decapitated wife?"

[GrueMaster]

Tak'we slashed at the bone-lizard's wings as he landed on the abomination's back, slicing them off. He continued to rip off pieces of the dracolich until his clutchmates finally killed it. With the beast, and its minions, defeated, the thri'kreen felt himself return to his original size, the moon spirit's blessing wearing off. He fell to one knee, all of his strength spent and most of his aches and wounds slowly returning. He wasn't in danger of dying anytime soon, but he was severely weakened.

 

Tak'we limped over to where Maydiira once stood and touched at the ashes there, mourning for the dead winged pointy-ear. Another clutchmate gone... he lamented, and stayed there kneeling quietly in respect for the dead.

 

 

Kalin let the flames shrouding him die, his mind feeling worn out from the exertion now that everything was said and done. He simply sat down where he was, numbed by everything that had occurred. He felt guilt that Maydiira had died. "If only I hadn't rushed that bloody salve..." he muttered to no one in particular.

 

But he was more despondent that he had failed to find what he had partly came for: he hadn't found anything concerning what had happened to his family, and now everyone who could have told him here were dead. "I'm sorry..." the elan murmured and remained sitting as the feeling of failure ran amok in his mind.

[josh900]

Tannin let out a sigh. "Figures." He said under his breath. A chortle came out as he looked to Rhaine. "So... you brought me a present did you?" He said in a dangerously low tone of voice, dripping will malicious intent. "Well that would explain why my sword's nearby. Which means that I will have to make a stop at Neverwinter sometime in the future, as it seems that a certain rat has obviously intruded on my privacy. And I cannot abide that." He said as his voice rose in anger. "Now.. if you would be so kind as to tell me where I can find my old friend so that I might finish taking everything which he holds dear in this world, I would greatly appreciate it."

 

Azuris listen to Tannin and raised a brow. "Okaaay.... Maybe we are just naturally bloodthirsty." He said readying him for an attack that might come.

 

"I have my moments." Tannin responded with a smirk.

[AurianaValoria1]

"He will show himself when he likes," Rhaine said, her tone just as dangerous, "And you're not going anywhere until you tell me why...why you murdered his wife and child in cold blood. Perhaps you're just as evil as that Zhent implied you were...or would you like to try and convince me otherwise?"