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[Kilojoule Proton]

Surveying the image of White-Gold, Lleras frowns and scratches his beard thoughtfully. "Something tells me the New Selectives may be involved. It might be a good idea to avoid setting foot on the centers of circles in this place. Be on the lookout for anything that looks...more out of place than usual for a haunted fort, really."

Lleras walks in behind the Ebonach, looking for potentially magical things. If something interesting comes up, he'll put his Mysticism skills to the task of  figuring out whatever magic is involved, but since this takes 15 minutes, it will likely have to be saved for only the most significant hits.

[chubby2man]

The Dream

Svorga looked startled by this, peering at Walks-in-Shadow furtively, and glancing around.
 
“But Rilfar is imprisoned. . . he must have broken free? Has he gathered an army? Who aids him, has he gone to Whiterun, Winterhold maybe?”
 
She starts to look around frantically and ushers the Argonian into a nearby building. He can hear the echo of marching boots around the corner, presumably summoned to justify her fears. Walks-in-Shadow has control of the dream still, but decides to play along for a moment.
 
“Faris is always watchful, he is squeezing the life out of our people. I’ve tried to step in where I can, but he listens to me less and less. The other Thanes will welcome him back; they have no love for Faris, but Rilfar will need an army at his back.”
 
She looks at Walks-in-Shadow hopefully.
 
“Does he have one?”
 

The Fort

The gate opened with a shudder, and a chill breeze flows over the party as they step into the courtyard.
 
It is jarring.
 
Alien plants pushed through the cobblestones paving the courtyard, pulsing with strange and malignant energies. A gaping crater lies in the center of the courtyard, and ruined tents and burnt wooden structures lie around it.  To the left lies a stone building, built into the wall, complete with a balcony to overlook the courtyard. Banners worn and tattered flutter in the breeze, Imperial colors faded.

Magic glows from the walls, it appears someone set wards to keep whatever is in here, trapped and contained. From the crater you can almost see wafts of Magicka, and perhaps something else. . .
 
At first it appears that the pantheon arrived to a deserted courtyard, but slowly some of the larger plants shift and groan. Emerging from the tangle of vines and stems, worn, pale faces struggle free and look wildly around before settling on the Godbound.

It begins as a murmur, but as they repeat it becomes louder and louder until they are screaming.

“Fresh. Fresh. Fresh. FRESH. FRESH. FRESH!”

From alcoves, doorways, crawling from beneath tattered tents, and even from the crater, they come, the tattered survivors of Fort Sauntar. Garbed in their Imperial gear still, their forms were each changed in unique ways. One had large scales protruding from one half of his body, another streaming red tears down his face, scorching through his armor. Another, dressed as a mage, had eyes black as midnight and cracks running over her body, red stained dagger in her hand. And they still kept coming, one with feathers instead of hair, one who seemed to have crystallized, another who had twisted claws instead of hands. Each shared a hungry twisted look in their eyes as the mob begins to approach. Behind them 3 black shadows flit from the crater before hiding in the ruin around you.

AC of Large mob of  Survivors :5
AC of Shadows:??

 

The Grove

Deciding to clear the Springs first, the group begins on the path to the Sacred Springs, tall trees letting dappled sunlight onto the dirt path below. It is not long until they arrive, stone pillars marking the entrance to a lush grove with a pool of sparkling water that eventually flows out the side of the hill into a stream.

Of course the beauty of the grove is marred somewhat by a host of draugr standing in the way, eyes regarding you without emotion. Dried skeletal hand clutch ancient weapons, most wearing little more than ragged mail. There is a smaller number of them, rising above the others, clad in plate and wielding great and fearsome blades and axes.

One, bearing great antlers on its helm, tilts its head at Rilfar  and points its sword at him. It speaks in an ancient guttural language, that nevertheless that Girtek and Rilfar understand,

”Come challenger, face your doom at my blade.”

AC of Large Mob of Draugr:7
AC of Small Mob of Draugr Scourges:3
AC of Draugr Deathlord: 3
 
 

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

You can decide if you are bringing in your allies or not, and you are responsible for giving them orders in battle and rolling for them. Sudo you can decide which battle you are participating in still.

[IronyOwl]

"Indeed we are!" Breaks-the-Chain agreed, brandishing his beautiful new sword and stepping forth. "But you lose nothing by hearing us out. We are not bound by the wards, after all."

He had left the bandits behind, of course. They'd melt like butter in a ruin this potent, and he needed them for pitched battle against the vampires and dead rabble.

Attempt diplomacy. Apply greatsword to anything that attempts to access my marrow.

[Kilojoule Proton]

Lleras halts the Ebonach, ordering it to guard the party, and waits to see if parleying with the survivors will work out. Hoping the wards will hold up against the mutants if not the shadows, he prepares a nice fireball while taking notes on the survivors' appearances and the possible theurgic underpinnings of their mutations.

[SOLDIER First]

Krihrada mutters an order to her animunculus and it moves to take the Ebonach's side, weapons at the ready. She holds her own rapier aloft in a stiff duelist's stance. Open combat is not her forte - she hopes the distorted forms of the soldiers would listen to Breaks-the-Chain's offer and save them all the trouble of a battle. Perhaps there was even something to be learned from them, if they were still capable of high thought.

If not, she won't hesitate to defend herself.

[Sudurandom]

"We did indeed break out, Rilfar, myself, and several others. But more importantly we gained powers of the divine.
You may have noticed this is a dream. It's no mere magic that's letting me speak to you, but something far more powerful."

"As for the army, we are gathering that now. Some of our forces are unconventional, but they should be effective. And our own abilities in combat are not insignificant   
I was hoping you could help with our planning. Can you tell us anything about Faris' forces? Numbers? Deployments? If you know of any weaknesses that would be very helpful."

"I've also heard rumours about people being taken. If you know anything about that I'd like to hear it."


(I'll go on the grove expedition.)
Walks-In-Shadow steps away from his companions as darkness start to flow around him in a concealing veil. He stands shadow daggers in hand ready to fight.
(Activate Welcoming the Dusk, Knives of Night, and since I have the effort and would have it going all the time Secrets of the Deep. 2 points fray damage to the large mob if no one has a nonviolent solution.)

[Kilojoule Proton]

As negotiations appear to have broken down, Lleras commands the Ebonach to attack the darkness (always hits, 6 straight damage) while hurling a fireball at the shadows (attack roll: 5, probable miss) and flares elsewhere (Fray die: !

[chubby2man]

The Dream

Svorga stares at Walks-in-Shadows and glances around the area. The landscape begins to shiver as Svorga realizes that is indeed a dream, and she is beginning to wake up.

She grimaces as she fights to stay in the dream.

“Okay, I’ll tell you what I know,” She mutters, and she lays out what she knows.of the Jarl’s forces. Most consisting of  undead draugr, but there are also vampires and necromancers acting as leaders. They number in the low thousands, but most are concentrated in a fortress built on an old dwemer ruin, overlooking a crossroads leading to Markarth and Hammerfell. This fortress, called Skull Keep by many, is about a days march to the west of the hold. The hold also contains a significant portion of the Jarl’s forces.

Svorga shrugs when asked about weaknesses.
“Faris is not well loved, but he is feared. I will help where i can, there are some who still remember their old oaths.”
“And as for those who are taken? I have had them discreetly followed, but we lose the the trail when they enter the mountains. There seems to be a steady stream of wagons carrying goods and those taken. He marched at the head of his army from the same direction.”

The dream begins to darken and mist intrudes, as the waking world intrudes once again. Svorga seems to recognize this and grasps the Argonian’s arm.

“Keep Rilfar safe, please. He’s our people’s only hope.”

 
The Fort:

The ravaged survivors did not appear to be swayed by Breaks-the-Chain’s words. They approach, eyes hungry and weapons bared. As one approaches Breaks-the-Chain strikes with his greatsword, only to be intercepted by his foe’s legionary shield, the imperial sigil faded but still visible. He quickly recovered and strikes at a survivor foolish enough to expose themselves to his blade. The sword strikes true, and the survivor stumbles away with a cry and collapses. Deals 2 damage.
 
Krihrada, on guard with her rapier, lunges at a one survivor charging at her, forcing him to stop to avoid impaling himself on her blade. Her rapier flickers, and the mad survivor loses his eyes. Snarling, he readies prepares to leap on her with his axe before getting a hammer to the face from the animunculus, smashing him to the ground. Another blow shattered the armored carapace of another approaching survivor. Deals 1 damage from Krihrada, 2 from animunculus.
 
Lleras calls froth fire from his hands, only to see to go wide and splash fire against the wall. Another quick flare caught a survivor in the chest, burning a hole through her torso. The Ebonach, obeying the command of its master looked for the hiding shadows but fails to find any. As an sword clanks off its armor, it looks down and in order to fulfill its mandate of protecting the party, begins to tear through its attackers, sending limbs and bodies flying. Deals 2 damage from Lleras, and 6 damage from Ebonarch.
 
Tiros remains in the back, but a survivor creeping around the back trips and breaks his neck. Deals 1 damage.
 
Though they are somewhat daunted by their losses, the survivors press on with their attack, perhaps spurred by the thought of more loot and meat for themselves. They surge and slash and hack against the Pantheon, dealing wounds that would have slain any lesser beings. Only the Ebonarch stood unharmed and unmarred, until the survivors threw themselves desperately against it. Focusing their efforts, they pry open a seam in the armor before being brushed off the automaton.
2 Damage to everyone except Ebonarch, and then Ebonarch receives 1 damage.
 
Then the Shadows revealed themselves. The first, shaped like boiling black tar, rolls across the ground and splashes against Lleras, burning his skin with a terrible cold. 2 damage to Lleras.
 
The second, a grinning scamp covered in black feathers leapt upon Tiros and tore at him with terrible claws formed of madness. 2 damage to Tiros.
 
The third Shadow, shaped like a muscular hound, charges the Ebonarch and begins to bite into its armored form, ebony crunching under its teeth. 3 damage to Ebonarch.
 
As this happens, a robed member of the survivors, face gaunt and worn, blond hair alive and writhing like a snake, raised her staff and a nimbus of magicka begins to form above the ruin, crackling with potential.
 
Remember you can use Gifts and or Miracles instantly to resist or avoid damage, even retroactively. Just include it in your next post if you wish to do so.
 
Also, I will request that now you include a spoiler at the end of your combat posts, which should include your name, current health, AC, current effort, and any active effects you have active by the end of your action. You should also include those same stats for any minion you have with you, and also the attack stats if you would like me to roll for.
                                                                                     
Survivors have 14 hit die left.

Shadows have an AC of 6.

Due to the Cold Breath of Sithis, costs 1 Effort to access your Gifts.

[SOLDIER First]

What a sight these poor, mangled mortals are. Corrupted by magic far beyond their comprehension, driven only by their lust for blood and the flesh of other men... A truly pitiful excuse for an existence. They remind Krihrada of the Falmer that her people once corrupted in much the same way. Ending their lives is a mercy, for certain. A trickle of pity wells up within her heart.

...Hold on. The one with a staff was-- oh, she knows the sight of a spell when she sees it. Cast from one's Magicka; its form wrested into existence by force. Inelegant. The magic of the inferior. The magic of mortals. Cast against her ilk? A flame of prideful wrath erupts inside Krihrada, evaporating that little trickle in an instant. It was a moment of weakness. She will rectify her mistake.

"How endearing," she spits, venom on her tongue. "The little beast thinks she can cast a spell." With a flick of her wrist and an uttered order to Mundus itself to Cease, the corrupted mage's spell sputters and dies like the littlest candle in the face of a puff of one's breath.

"Let me show you what true magic looks like, you misbegotten filth!" She draws that hand up to the sky, and sings hence: "Rive!"

An indiscriminate cadence - messy, perhaps. But in her fury, precision is ignored in favor of proliferation. The soldiers who feel its beauty in their minds are struck with the smallest eternity of incomprehensible agony, and then drop dead.

Spoiler: Actions (click to show/hide)

Krihrada invokes the power of the Sorcery Word to negate the corrupted mage's spell at the commitment of 1 Effort for the scene.

Overcoming the Cold Breath of Sithis is taxing, and so she is forced to commit an additional 1 Effort in order to do so.

She then unleashes the Divine Wrath of her Sorcery through the haunting beauty of Tonal Magic, costing a third and final 1 Effort for the scene. Her Divine Wrath deals 2d8 [11] damage, and her sheer godly might Frays their opponents for an additional 1d8 [2] damage.

Spoiler: Krihrada's Combat Panel (click to show/hide)

Krihrada Ychotchzan
HP: 10/12
AC: 5
Current Effort: 0/3
Active Effects: None

[IronyOwl]

Breaks-the-Chain glances at the seething horde, but shifts to face the shadows instead. The mob has been thinned anyway, and will likely break soon, whether by flight or attrition.

Attack the first Shadow (15 + their unknown AC to hit, 2 damage), Fray against Survivors (1 damage)

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Breaks-the-Chain
16/18 HP
AC 2
3/3 Effort

-4 Spirit/Evasion saves
Greatsword +3, 1d10+1 damage
1d8 Fray

[Maximum Spin]

Scandalized by the rudeness of the feathered scamp, Tiros tore right back at it with terrible claws formed of claws.

Unfortunately, this almost certainly didn't work. (roll before AC: 10, no fray damage either)

Spoiler: Tiros (click to show/hide)

8/12 HP remaining
AC 2
1/3 Effort remaining

Active effects: being split between timelines

Base Attack Bonus: +2
Weapons: magic (2d6 psychic damage); bow (1d8+1, +2 to hit, 2h, 300yd); kitty claws (1d6+1, +2 to hit)
1d8 Fray

[Kilojoule Proton]

Even as the chilly Shadow splashed menacingly at him, Lleras noticed the Ebonach's destruction and sighed. At least it took down its fair share of survivors before falling. Concentrating on the center of the crater and aiming at the wild-haired caster, all reachable shadows, and all survivors up or down (i.e. target literally all hostiles in the room), Lleras channeled the singing/singing warmth of the hearth, sending embers raining down from above. (-1-1 Effort for this scene for Firestorm, damage roll: 3->1 point of damage, Fray die: 8->2 points of damage)

Spoiler: Ebonach (destroyed) (click to show/hide)

Codename: "Ebonach"
Description: A hulking golem made up of ebony slabs and plates, the Ebonach almost looks like a walking suit of plate armor except for its joints which bend any which way and its inconvenient size.
Hit "dice:" 0/4
Effort: 5/5
AC: 0
Attacks:
   GHARTOK aka greatsword (always hits, straight 1d10)
Movement: 30'

Gift-like abilities:
   Might/Descent of the Mountain: The Ebonach can turn most anything into a throwing weapon.
   Passion/Terrifying Mien aka Fear: Fake daedric ornamentation on its plates and fear enchantments forged on the Ebonach's greatsword combine to make the Ebonach a fearsome figure indeed.
   Fire/Nimbus of Flame aka Fire Shield: The fake daedric ornamentation is still perfectly conducive to conjuring fire shields. Touching the Ebonach when it recalls the heat of its birth-forge is somewhat inadvisable.

Spoiler: Lleras Hlaalu (level 2) (click to show/hide)

Name: Lleras Hlaalu

Hit Points: 13/15

AC: 3
Armor: None (Robes)

Base attack bonus: +2
Weapons:
   (Fiery?) Staff (2h (Heavy-ish?), Str, +2 to hit): 1d10+1
   Knife (Light, Dex, +3 to hit): 1d6+2
   Fireball (1h ranged, Dex, +3 to hit, up to 50ft, magic weapon): 1d10
Fray Die: 1d8

Resources
   Effort: 3/3

Active effects
   Cold breath of Sithis: +1 Effort needed to activate gifts

[Madman198237]

I guess I'll use Lines of Rule to mess with all the mooks and convince them to just let us pass, while allowing Tiros to convince any worthy foes that we're totally on his side.

Spoiler: Rilfar, Combat Reference (click to show/hide)

Attributes:
Attribute: Score/+Modifier/Check
Strength:      19 / +4 / 2
Dexterity:     13 / +1 / 8
Constitution: 16 / +2 / 5
Wisdom:       15 / +1 / 6
Intelligence:  14 / +1 / 7
Charisma:     16 / +2 / 5

Hardiness: 10
Evasion: 13
Spirit: 12

Hit Points: 15/15
AC: 2
Effort: 3/3

Two-Handed Axe (1d20 + 6 to hit---1d12 + 4 magical)

Fray Die: 1d8
Attack Bonus: +2

[Maximum Spin]

Oh, are we doing the grove too, now?
Tiros lies to anything that asks that we are sacred grove inspectors sent by the Jarl to make sure the grove is still sacred enough, and that we therefore have the authority to go anywhere within the grove and remove anything we deem to be compromising its sanctity.

[chubby2man]

The Fort

    Burned, battered and broken bodies lie scattered across the courtyard, and the battle still continued. The Ebonarch, rent by the supernatural teeth of the living Shadows, toppled over. The disfigured survivors were only encouraged by the sight of the Ebonarch that tore through their ranks.

Krihrada, last of the Dwemer, saw the magic gathered by one of the practitioners, and with a word the Lord of Magicka dismissed the spell, dispelling the gathered power. The sorceress collapsed, exhausted by her effort.

But she was not done, and with her will focused she sang death into existence, and one unfortunate attacker dissolved from the pure magicka being poured into their frame, exploding and blowing several of their comrades away. 4 damage to Survivors.
(Note that Divine Wrath focuses on one target, Corona of Fury targets groups)

Breaks-the-Chain swiftly dispatches one of their attackers, and turns to strike the Shadow, formed as a rolling ball of black tar, and the divine blade strikes true, cutting deep into the shadows essence and sending it glibbering away.  1 damage to Survivors, 2 damage to Shadow 1. 

Tiros attempts to strike back at the Shadowy Scamp attacking him, but it is a nimble foe and dodges the Khajiit’s strikes.

Lleras calls upon his divine fire, and where there was once a nimbus of magic in the are only fire remained, and it fell down on there foes. The tattered remnants of Empire burned in their armor, and at this they fled, unable to bear the heat and the flame. The shadows bore it better, eternal night outlasting the flame, but the fire took a toll on them regardless.    3 +2 damage to Survivors, 1 damage to each Shadow. Survivors flee.



The rolling black Tar struck at Lleras, a tendril of darkness boiling with a cold heat. Two blows in quick succession, but the dark elf blocked both of the blows with his staff. Hissing in frustration, the black Tar shimmered with an unholy light. Its body turned into a ribbon, and flew in the crater at the center of the courtyard. (⅔ effort left)

The grinning scamp lunges at Tiros, its shadowy claws pierces armor and flesh, leaving only blackened ruin in its wake. Having left its mark, it joins its companion, a mocking laugh all that remains as it flies to the crater and the darkness below. Deals 3 damage to Tiros (2/3 effort left)

The dark hound, having ripped through the Ebonarch, now turned on the servitor’s master. It charges Lleras, its terrible teeth sunk mage’s flesh before being shaken off. It growls and blurs into a misty shadow, bounding away from the Godbound and into depths of the fortress. Deals 2 damage to Lleras. (0/3 effort left)

As the dust settles, the pantheon lies master of the battlefield. Bodies lie scattered, torn apart by physical force, magical explosion, or burned to a crisp. The hosts trapped in their plants burn a strange color, almost a purple, but at least they now lie silent. There are a pair of survivors in a corner hiding, a few others fleeing down the path of the crater. The doors to the interior of the Fort's walls also lie open now.

The Shadows, of course, surely lie in wait below. Do you pursue now, or take time to regroup and recover?


The Grove:

In the dappled grove, the trickle of water and the chirp of birds is the only sound as the two groups stare at each other. Rilfar attempts to see and subvert the bonds between the Draugr and their master, but the binds of undeath and magic have little to do with the power between a leader and their follower which is his domain. (No effort cost)



The Antlered Draugr, armored in plate inscribed with great runes, inclines its head at Tiros. Eyes burning blue, it laughs and bids,

“Approach, Cat-Man, inspect this grove!”

Its sword lies easy in its hand. Tiros pauses, sensing that his lie did not convince the Draugr lord.

Its eyes burn bright, and the lord charges forward, unexpectedly quick. Tiros is not caught unprepared, and tries to dodge out of the way, but the deathlord is cunning and its sword quick, and the greatsword slashes deep. The single blow would have slain a mortal, but the Khajit is made of sterner stuff. Deals 4 damage to Tiros. (3/4 effort left)

With a shout the Deathlord commands his forces forward, and turns its antlered helm towards Rilfar.

Unnoticed by most, two draugr at the back disappear into the dark Walks-in-Shadows 2 damage to Draugr mob..