G2’s Concentration check: 1d20+22 = 34 (Success)

G2’s Greater Dispel Check (G7): 1d20+20 = 37 (Success)

G3’s Concentration check: 1d20+22 = 27 (Success)

G3’s Heal (G3): 150 (healing)

G4’s Concentration check: 1d20+22 = 30 (Success)

G4’s Mass Cure Light Wounds: 1d8+20 = 27 (healing)

G5’s Concentration check: 1d20+22 = 30 (Success)

G5’s Greater Dispel Check (G6): 1d20+20 = 33 (Success)

Melinda’s AoO (G6): 1d20+27 = 43 (Success)

Damage: 1d10+7 = 15 (DR 10/Cold Iron)

Ruinous: 1 CHA damage

G6’s attack (Vestele): 1d20+22 = 38 (Fail)

G7’s attack (Siora): 1d20+22 = 24 (Fail)

G8’s attack (Fartooth): 1d20+23 = 24 (Fail)

One of the guards yelled out, “Staggered heals and dispels! Keep those back three engaged!” As he said that, he unleashed a spell, which cleared the haze of domination from one of the guards (as well as stripping his blade of that glowing aura). A series of other spells followed, with the other guard being freed from Vestele’s control, and the worst of the still-living guards’ wounds being healed.

Three of the guards, including the ones who had just been freed from mind control, turned, and flew towards Siora, Vestele, and Fartooth. I lashed out with a backhanded stroke at one of the guards, as they turned their back on me, and connected, though I could tell it did not do as much damage as it ought. Their attacks, however, fared no better, not being enough to wound any of my allies (in fact, the one swinging at Fartooth barely managed to keep hold of his blade), but that was not the point. Those three would have to look to their own defenses, instead of being able to simply unload on the enemy.

Lingering Damage (G2): 4d6 = 16 (Acid)

Lingering Damage (G3): 4d6 = 12 (Acid)

Lingering Damage (G4): 4d6 = 20 (Acid)

Lingering Damage (G5): 4d6 = 18 (Acid)

G2’s AoO (Melinda): 1d20+23 = 39 (Miss)

G3’s AoO (Melinda): 1d20+23 = 39 (Miss)

G4’s AoO (Melinda): 1d20+23 = 26 (Miss)

G5’s AoO (Melinda): 1d20+23 = 30 (Miss)

G3’s Fort Save (Baleful Polymorph): 1d20+7 = 16 (Fail)

Falling Damage: 15d6 = 69 (bludgeoning)

I sighed, seeing that the guards had healed themselves. If we played this the way they seemed to want, it would become a race to see who could outlast the others’ healing. And they had more healers than we did. That wasn’t a winning plan. So, I changed the rules.

Nimbly avoiding their strikes yet again, I flew up, and around, arcing back until I got close enough that I could almost touch one of the guards. He readied his shield clearly expecting me to attack with the black blade in my hand, or the acidic blast I’d used earlier. Unfortunately for him, I had other plans.

As my fey aura settled over him, I stretched out with my magic, and twisted. There was a brief resistance, and then a pop as the magic took hold. The guard was replaced by a rabbit, one hundred and fifty feet in the air, his gear left behind. Hare and gear fell to the ground below with a rather sickening splat.

Siora’s Bluff Check: 1d20+25 = 41

G7’s Sense Motive: 1d20+23 = 27 (Fail)

Siora’s Concentration check: 1d20+28 = 34 (Success)

Siora’s attack roll (G7): 1d20+12 = 20 (Touch) (Hit)

G7’s Will save (Overwhelm): 1d20+24 = 27 (Fail)

Damage: 173 (Nonlethal) (Unconscious)

Falling Damage: 15d6 = 50 (Bludgeoning) (DR 10/Cold Iron)

“Don’t touch me, fool!” Siora shouted, loud enough for the others to hear her, as she slapped the guard who had tried to attack her. Except that she slapped him with a spell, which he was not expecting. The guard instantly lost consciousness, and fell from the sky.

G8’s AoO (Fartooth): 1d20+23 = 30 (Hit)

Displacement Miss Chance: 1d100 = 60 (Hit)

Damage: 1d8+8 = 9 (Slashing)

Fartooth’s Manyshot (G8): 1d20+21 = 36 (Hit)

4 Arrows Damage: 4d6+44 = 51 (Piercing) (DR 10/Cold Iron)

Wounding: 4 (CON Damage)

Fartooth flew with the power of his cloak, and took a passing graze from his foe’s shining blade. But the kobold only seemed lightly annoyed by the wound, and turned about in the air to unleash four arrows which all stuck hard into the guard’s back, dealing a substantial amount of damage. “Silly elf! You’ll have to be better than that to catch a Mukblood!”

Vestele’s Concentration Check: 1d20+24 = 27 (Success)

G6’s Fort Save (Implosion): 1d20+17 = 26 (Fail) (Dead)

Vestele nodded her head, as she came to a decision. “Very well, then! If these fools can heal themselves, then we just need to give them wounds they can’t heal from!” And with that, she pointed at the elf closest to her and uttered a word of power. The elf did not even have time to scream before his body collapsed in on itself, utterly destroying him, and all he carried.

Melinda’s Fort Save (Implosion): 1d20+26 = 28 (Success)

Vestele’s Fort Save (Implosion): 1d20+21 = 37 (Success)

Siora’s Fort Save (Implosion): 1d20+13 = 32 (Success)

The guard that had taken command before cursed as he saw his people dropping from the sky, in ways that simple healing magics wouldn’t fix. “Zaleria, retreat! Send word to the Queen! We will buy you time!” And, with that, three of the guards cast the same spell that Vestele had just used, but none of us were harmed by it.

The last guard just nodded, and cast a spell that surrounded each of them in golden light. In a voice full of grief, she called, “I’ll see you at the garrison! Don’t be late!” Then, she turned, and flew off.

Lingering Damage (G2): 4d6 = 19 (Acid)

G2’s Concentration check: 1d20+18 = 26 (Fail)

Lingering Damage (G3): 4d6 = 9 (Acid)

Lingering Damage (G4): 4d6 = 13 (Acid)

Lingering Damage (G5): 4d6 = 18 (Acid)

G5’s Concentration check: 1d20+18 = 29 (Success)

G2’s AoO (Melinda): 1d20+23 = 29 (Miss)

Melinda’s CL Check: 1d20+20 = 33 (Success)

G4’s Fort Save (Baleful Polymorph): 1d20+7 = 16 (Fail)

Falling Damage: 15d6 = 44 (bludgeoning)

“I’ll get the one trying to escape. You guys handle these ones!” Ignoring the leader, for the moment, I turned, and flew after the fleeing guard. She was fast, but I was faster. A word as I flew up to the woman, and her rabbit form fell from the sky, along with all her gear.

Siora’s Bluff Check: 1d20+25 = 45

G8’s Sense Motive: 1d20+23 = 24 (Fail)

Siora’s Concentration check: 1d20+28 = 33 (Success)

Siora’s CL Check: 1d20+20 = 33 (Success)

G8 Stunned (Power Word Stun): 2d4 = 3 rounds

Siora batted her eyelids at the elf that was trying to kill her, followed by a flash of pale skin. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to draw the guard’s eye, distracting him just enough. The Beguiler uttered a word of power, and the guard’s eyes glazed over, as his sword and shield fell from his hands. If his wings weren’t still just barely keeping him in the air, one would think he was dead to the world.

Fartooth’s Manyshot (G5): 1d20+21 = 37 (Hit)

4 Arrows Damage: 4d6+44 = 59 (Piercing) (DR 10/Cold Iron)

Wounding: 4 (CON Damage)

G5’s Concentration check: 1d20+18 = 35 (Fail)

Fartooth flew around to the side, and his arrows found their mark. A guard that had, until now, only received light wounds cursed as the arrows bit deep. “Elf dumber than goblin! Should know not to think too much on spells!”

G5’s Fort Save (Implosion): 1d20+17 = 33 (Success)

G5’s AoO (Vestele): 1d20+23 = 26 (Hit)

Damage: 1d8+8 = 10 (Slashing)

Vestele’s Concentration Check: 1d20+24 = 37 (Success)

Vestele pointed at the guard in front of her but nothing happened, as he fought off the spell. Flapping her wings, she moved away from the guard, and earned a small nick from his blade as she did so. But such a small wound could not stop her concentration on the spell she held.

“You may have defeated us, pirate scum, but know that Silverwood will never fall to the likes of you!” The leader of the group’s eyes grew cold, as hate replaced fervor. He took a breath, and, holding up his shield emblazoned with the holy symbol of Corellon, called out, “Oh, great Creator of the Elves, hear my plea! Do not forsake your servants in this time of need! Grant us passage to the palace of our Queen, so that we might warn her of the evil that approaches!”

Clearly, there was more than just a simple prayer in that plea, as I could clearly feel the magic swelling as he spoke. There was a flash of golden light, and, when it cleared, the elves were no longer there. Flying down to the ground, I found that even the bodies of the fallen, and their gear, had disappeared. It seemed that Corellon answered the warrior’s prayer.

Your party has 8 Silverwood Elite Guards!

Melinda gains 12000 XP.

Ebonheart gains 10737 XP.

Siora gains 12000 XP.

Vestele gains 12000 XP.

Fartooth gains 12000 XP.

You have Leveled Up!

You are now Level 20.

192500 / 210000 XP to level 21.

+1 BAB

+1 Fort, +1 Ref

HD: 1d8+3 = 9

+1 Bluff, +1 Escape Artist, +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Sleight of Hand, +1 Spellcraft, +1 Tumble, +1 Use Magic Device

Warlock Abilities

Damage Reduction – Increases to 4/Cold Iron

Eldritch Blast damage increases to 9d6.

New Invocation

Eldritch Doom (8th) – Blast Shape. Eldritch Doom deals Eldritch Blast damage to all enemies in 20’ radius of you. Ref save for half damage.

Frostchylde Wardancer Abilities

Fimbulwinter (Sp): 1/month cast Fimbulwinter as a spell-like ability (CL 20).

“Damn it all!” I cursed in frustration. There wasn’t anything we could do, now. Continuing on across the border as we were now would only invite more problems. If we brought the ship any closer, the next attack would probably involve actually assaulting the ship. Airships were very useful things, but unless they could be cloaked, or flew well above ground level, they were definitely vulnerable.

Our thoughts were decidedly mixed when we ended up landing back on the ship. After all, we had won the fight, and hadn’t lost anyone. Given that we were outnumbered, and that we were facing warriors with casting abilities, that was impressive in its own right. On the other hand, the enemy had escaped, and would be able to warn people that we were coming, making our job all the harder. Worse, they took all the loot with them, as well!

“Don’t worry too much about it, lassie. When ye be dealing with people as strong as those types were, things aren’t always up to you. But you’re not dead yet, yeah?”

I chuckled at Captain Dawson’s comments. “That’s right, Captain, but we’re going to have to change things up, now. I’m not going to risk the ship by sailing close to ground, where mages and the like can hit us from below. How high can the Wraith fly?”

“Highest I ever took her was sailing up around the clouds. Two, maybe two and a half thousand feet. She could have handled three, no question, but the air is a mite thin up there. Still, it would be a damn fine mage to hit us from the ground at that range.”

The Captain leaned in towards me, and said, “Of course, we could maybe go lower, if we could use some magic to help. Our priest and mages know the spell to control the weather, and are damn good at their work. We can make clouds enough to hide ourselves. Anyone trying to hit us with spells would be firing blind, or coming up where we could see them before they started sending nasty presents our way.”

I nodded. “Then, Captain, I think it best if we gain some altitude, and some cover. The elves were keeping watch on the border, and not with any small fry. They’ll definitely be looking for us now. I’d rather not give them an easy target.”

“Aye, lassie.” He turned to the crew, and began barking orders. Soon, we were rising in altitude as we began moving once again, heading into Silverwood. As we did so, heavy clouds began to form, surrounding our ship. It would be damp and chilly until we no longer needed the cover, but a bit of chill was much better than fireballs up the ass.