The Truth About The Darkness (Closed)

Livia’s world went darker then before as something was slipped over her head and a cord was tied around her neck to hold it in place. She continued her fight but without being able to see what was going on and her wrists still tied behind her back the half elf was at a great disadvantage. What was worse, she no longer heard the sounds of a fight, nore Sir Dallyn’s voice. Could he have fallen to the attacks of her captors or did he take the offer to walk away given by the one she saw casting spells? Both were doubtful but her fear and present state did little to reassure her of that. Still she would not go without a fight.

As a pair of hands grabbed her by the shoulders and began to drag her again, she kicked and twisted, making the task less than easy. She felt a second set of hands grab her under her arms and begin to pull her at a speed that took what little control she had regained. Livia felt the threshold of the balcony doorway slide beneath her butt and the warm evening air on her skin. The hem of her sheer black silk nightgown catch and tare. It pulled against her body, slowing their progress till she felt a hand reach down and tare open the front of it. As they continued on, the garment remained behind. All she wore now was a pair of black lace panties and some sort of bag over her head.

“He said she was to be untouched…. And you don’t have time for that anyway.” a woman voice whispered with little patience.

“As much as I would love to fuck her, that garment was showing us down. If you want to dress her before presenting her to the master, you can give her your cloths.” the male voice barked back. “I’m much rather see that anyway.” he mumbled under his breath as she continued on towards the balcony railing.

Dallyn watched the seen through the extra-dimensional view presented by his shadow form spell. He had melded with the wizard’s shadow, having determined much earlier that the mage was the most dangerous of the captors. The dark knight might have winced when the wretched black robe tore at Livia’s garment. He might have ground his teeth as they so brazenly discussed whether or not they would violate her before delivering her to whomever their employer was. He might have exploded into a counter-productive rage, but he did not have a physical form for the moment. Dallyn would continue to bide his time and wait for the opportunity to cripple them.

As time went on, and he listened to the clues of their discussion, Nightlord Ironstrike could not believe how easily they had turned their attention from him. He had to have proven himself at least a reasonable threat, but they’d written him off as defeated already?!? Could they be so careless? It dawned on him then that these captors were not likely very seasoned at the task at hand. Perhaps they were better suited to other work. This realization made him more confident in his course. Maybe he could take them, but was their more immediate death worth losing the identity of their employer? No, it was not. But Dallyn wasn’t sure that they wouldn’t lead him into a scenario where the odds were not completely against him and Livia. Better to act before they had support, even if it meant he’d have to torture the details from whichever one he let live.

Dallyn began the transformation process back to solid as he flowed along the wizard’s shadow like a cloak of darkness. He’d regain his physical form and bury his blade in the damned wizard’s back before the fool had a chance to reach for his components. Then it would be time to have a little fun with the woman of the party.

OoC:

Moving along in the wizard's shadow. Transforming back to solid so I can strike next round.

Stealth check: 1d20+16 = (27)

Neither the rogue nor the magic user noticed Dallyn’s appearance. Both were far to intent on their task. “You talk to much.” the rogue said under her breath as she continued pulled Livia towards the railing, despite her attempts to fight off her kidnappers.

The magic user stopped and stood. “You have ignored my advances, despite the fact that I know you find me attractive. I have looked out for you, defended you, kept you from harm's way….”

“Shhh you talk to much!” she snapped, keeping her head down as she concentrated on the task at hand, but he continued.

“I could have taken you on so many occasions when the master wasn’t around.” He growled as he stepped towards her, pulling the rogue to her feet, leaving Livia on the stone floor.

“Shut up you fool!” She barked as she tried to pull free of his grip but he continued.

“Don’t you get it? The first time I saw you, I felt it… and you did too. You belong with me…. And only me.” he growled as she finally pulled her arm free.

“You know nothing.” she mumbled as she turned and reached down, dragging Livia the last few feet to the edge of the balcony. She turned with a glare. “Get on with it.” the rogue said, her eyes remaining down cast as she reached around Livia, wrapping a small rope around herself and her victim.

The magic user pulled a black wing feather from his sleeve and spoke the spidery language of magic as he brushed the feather down both his arms. After a moment, he gave a sigh and reached out his arms, grabbing onto the rope tied around both the woman.


OOC:
Neither noticed Dallyn’s reappearance.

Both now stand on the balcony, in the center of the railing.

A shame Dallyn thought as his eyes solidified and his vision returned to the more mundane world view that he was accustomed to. His disappointment was only partially due to that metaphysical change. More, it was due to the pathetic nature of Livia’s captors. He cared not for the strange lust one had for the other. He cared not for the reluctance in the woman’s actions, or the dominating will of the wizard. He cared only for Livia’s safety, and if the gods were kind, he hoped that the idiots would give him more clues as to who had employed them. But alas, the gods were unkind. Perhaps it was time for new gods…

The Nightlord stepped forward and thrust his glowing sword at the back of the wizard, but not before charging the sword with arcane power. The blade thrummed with the power of pure, concentrated force. It was the same arcane element that powered rudimentary spells like Magic Missile, or could be harnessed as a defensive measure to create a field of protective force, like the spell that currently provided some semblance of armor for the dark knight. The blade slammed forward like a lance with the wizard’s spine as its target.

OoC:

Full attack action with Longsword. +15/+10, and if the wizard is truly flat-footed, as your post seems to indicate, he’ll be pretty fucked unless I roll really badly. (flat-footed AC or no DEX)

Using a swift action to activate arcane strike. This adds +2 damage to the Longsword attacks for 1 round and the weapon is treated as magical for purposes of damage reduction.

Attack 1: 1d20+15 (32)

Attack 2: 1d20+10 (19)

Damage 1: 1d8+8 (9)

Damage 2: 1d8+8 (10)

The dark robed man let out a grunt of pain and surprise as Dallyn’s blade puncured his back just as the last silobol of his spell left his lips. Over his shoulder, he could see the rogues big blue eyes grow wide with shock then turn to a glare of irritation.

The dark knight pulled his blade back and thrust it forward again but this time the magic user was ready and dodged to the left. Dallyn’s opponent reached his finger out towards him with hatred flaring in is eyes. With a whisper, a cone of fire shot out of his digit towards the dark knight. "You should have taken me up on my offer."

As the magical attack came, Dallyn glimpsed the rogue and Livia, both now perched on the heavy stone railing of the balcony. Livia still fought but the Rogue had the advantage. She grabbed onto the rope that was around both her and Livia’s slender waists and pushed off, sending both woman over the edge, dropping out of sight. Not knowing what was happening, Livia let out a scream of terror.

The robed figure followed his female co conspirator to the railing, pressing his back to it in a defensive manner.

OOC:
Magic user casts burning hands
(DC17) Danage 7d4=20
Save Throw Ref, success takes half damage

Rogue jumped over the rail, now out of sight

Magic user is backed against the rail where the women went over.

Dallyn smirked as his sword bit through cloth, flesh, and bone. He'd punctured the wizard deeply with the first hit, but his second thrust only caught air. The smirk vanished from his lips and the Nightlord realized too slowly that his opponent was tougher than he looked.

Was it shock that made his muscles freeze? He felt like his legs had turned to jelly and the weight of his blade was momentarily too much to bear. Whatever it was, the wizard turned and began casting, and before Dallyn knew what hit him, a fan of flame washed over his mostly naked form.

Skin bubbled and seared under the onslaught and the numbness faded away. Adrenaline pumping and the very real fear of death was motivation enough to get him moving. He lowered his head under the bent crook of his sword arm and pressed forward with a yell born of burning pain. He felt his elbow make contact and shoved with everything he had, hoping to send the wizard over the balcony and down.

"Die!" he growled through clenched teeth.

OoC:

Reflex save vs Burning Hands (14)


Bull Rush to the wizard to send him over. He is awarded an attack of opportunity before the shove, so slap away lol!

If your attack is successful, your target is pushed back 5 feet. For every 5 by which your attack exceeds your opponent’s CMD you can push the target back an additional 5 feet. You can move with the target if you wish but you must have the available movement to do so. If your attack fails, your movement ends in front of the target.

Attack roll vs his CMD against Bull Rush is (Nat 20 = 32) Woo!

Dallyn pushed the magic user over the rail and he watched for a moment as the man’s dark robes bellowed about his body as her fell to the balcony below. There was a moment of silence as the man tried to grab for the rail but his hand just slipped by it and he was gone into the darkness below. A moment later, the sound of the kidnappers body crashed into one of the heavy wicker chairs. Dallyn could hear the scraps of what was left of the furniture, the sound of the rogue swearing then Livia muffled cries of fear and frustration…. Then a loud gasp for air directly below where the dark knight stood. In that moment, the full moon finally made an appearance from behind a dark cloud, illuminating the screen below.

In a pile of white wicker and blue cushions lay the magic user. He gasped for breath and grabbed onto his chest as he struggled to get to his feet. He rolled back and forth twice then rolled over onto his hands and knees, struggling to rise, but did so without the help of his co conspirator. The rogue now hand her arms wrapped under Livia’s armpits and up around her shoulders. The half elf’s porcelain skin almost shown in the moonlight as the rogue continued to her drag her naked body to the next railing.




OOC:
Magic gets to his feet and looks like he’s in pain.

Rogue has dragged Livia to the rail on the third floor balcony.

Dallyn leaned against the edge of the short wall that overlooked the street below. He could see the rogue and Livia slowly making their descent one floor at a time. The Nightlord also saw the wizard sprawled out amid destroyed furniture, and curse the Gods, the damned mage lived! As he watched the man slowly rise amid the wreckage, it occurred to Dallyn that he had a choice to make. Would he race after Livia and risk that the wizard got ahold of himself and brought his foul magic into the mix? Or, perhaps the more prudent course, attempt to put the wizard down from the high ground?

There was no denying the strategic advantage of his position. Dallyn need only focus his offensive magic upon the fool and the fight should be over in short order. He did risk losing track of Livia though. No, that would not work. He needed to find a way to neutralize the wizard and get back after the rogue. Decisions…Livia’s frightened cry stabbed through his mind like a psychic knife and he decided how to proceed.

He gripped his sword hilt a little tighter and balled his fist as the cold air chilled his mostly naked and sweaty form. Then the sorcerer gestured towards the lowly wizard and conjured the offensive spell that he’d used earlier on the Minotaur. Twin rays of intense heat fired forth from his outstretched hand on a path to strike the wizard before the fool could stumble away.
Then Dallyn whispered the trigger word to reactivate his shadow form. As his body dematerialized into the familiar extraplanar state, he thought of flowing down the front of the manor and intercepting the female captor at the bottom. He’d take her alive if he could help it.



OoC:

Casting Scorching Ray at the wizard as a standard action.
This spell will send two rays that do 4d6 fire damage each. It’s a ranged touch attack, so the attack goes against the wizard’s touch AC.
Ray 1: 1d20+13 (21) 4d6 (21)
Ray 2: 1d20+13 (22) 4d6 (18)

Move action to shift back to shadow form

As the magic user got to his feet, he made an attempt to cast another spell towards the rogue but before he could finish Dallyn’s two scorching rays caught him in the back. He let out a eary cry as the life left his body, collapsing to the stone floor.

The rogue cried out, “No!” and paused for a moment before she grabbed onto Livia even tighter and pushed off, disappearing, once again over the railing, propelling herself and her captive down the side of the building. It was a good 40 feet from the railing to the Green’s well manicured front garden which was cast with eerie shadows now that the full, red moon had made its appearance.


OOC:
Magic user’s dead body lay on the 3rd story balcony

Rogue has dragged Livia over the rail and is now Rappelling down the side the manor.

There was a certain amount of relief when the scorching rays struck and the wizard’s back arched in agony. The Nightlord would have in sighed in relief when his quarry fell to the ground, apparently dead, but Dallyn wore the insubstantial form of a shadow. There was no breath he could take. There was no expression of joy he could muster. He’d see about that later though. The female captor was still making her getaway with Livia in tow and he needed to move.

Silent as the night, the shadow poured over the edge of the balcony and flowed over the side of the manor. Unlike the rappelling rogue, he needed no ropes or gadgets to make his descent. In his shadow form, Dallyn could stick to the wall like a spider and slide down with impunity. He’d meet her on the ground with a surprise she was sure to regret. His only regret was that he could not reassure Livia and let her know that she would be safe soon enough.



OoC:

Full round movement 30’ down the building in shadow form. I’ll spend the entire next round shifting back to solid if you want to cover the entire round in your post. The only thing that will change this decision is if the rogue decides to go back up or avoids the ground altogether.

Stealth check for the hell of it 1d20+16 (24)

The black cloth bag that was still over Livia’s head was becoming stiflingly hot with the humide night air. The cable that was wrapped about her slender neck to keep the bag in place was working to well, cutting into her neck slightly under her chin. She feels the hot sticky leather armor of her captor pressed behind her and the heavy rope wrapped around her waist, she assumes, suspending her in the air and to the kidnapper. She kicks out, but feels nothing but air. She tried to kick the shin of her one holding her there but she doesn’t make contact.

Suddenly, Livia felt herself falling and the sudden impact of the grass on her feet as she and her captor fall only a few feet. Desperately, Livia gave a quick struggle, hoping to free herself from her bindings at the very least. The half elf let out a soft cry and feels the cold steel of a blade at her throat. Freezing in place, afraid to breath, Livia feels the woman press her body against hers, pressing her lips to her ear, through the bag. “Scream, and I will slit your throat. Run and your blood will run freely. Fight and I will deliver your lifeless body to my master. Do you understand?” the woman’s voice had a melodic tone to it but within it, Livia could hear fear as well.

After a moment, Livia answered softly. “Yes.” was all she could get out.

Livia felt the heavy rope that bound them together loosen and then slide down over her bare hips and down her legs, pooling on the cool grass at her feet. The blade remained at her throat so she dared not move and provoke the woman. She felt her moving her free hand around then a piece of soft fabric drape over her shoulders then her body, covering her nakedness to her upper thighs.




OOC:
Rogue drops herself and Livia to the garden below. She holds a dagger to Livia’s throat as she removes the heavy rope around both of then then removes her own cloak and drapes it over Livia.