Black Zenith [Adventure RPG / Chapter Four: Fires of Heaven]

With a wide-eyed stare, Watson looks up as the huge hydra rises out of the smashing waves of water. He's heard of them in tales but has never seen one up close that wants to kill him.

Upon Watson hearing Bohw's command, he breaks his gaze from the hydra and instead uses his Mana Leapers to propel him over the Wrathful Head's head where he pours an entire brandy of iodic acid.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Watson laughs. "Let's top things off now, shall we?"

Watson uses Dragon of the Red Wine to breathe flames in the now-deteriorating spot in its head.

Savannah raises her arm, blocking the spray of water as the Hydra erupts from the water. "Augh, my sweater! Jeez, that was my favorite too. And uh..." She glances around. "My only one. I guess." She shakes her head and mumbles to herself. "Whatever, there's more important things than sweaters right now."

With a deep breath, Savannah runs forward, slowing down slightly as she hits the water. She jumps out, catching Mayor's shoulders and using the Manacharge Conduits and her momentum to propel herself forward. She overshoots a little, going past the Wrathful Head. To remedy this, Savannah jabs the Champion Blade into the Wrathful head's neck and jamming her heels into the Hydra's water slicked hide.

Myra squawks as she furiously attempts to avoid getting splashed by the water as the Hydra comes up.
"Woah, that's a mighty beastie! Let's make this a battle people will raven about!" she exclaims before cawing in laughter.

Myra begins an incantation that is meant to weaken the enemy temporarily, targetting all three of the heads with the spell. Magical symbols circle around the ravenfolk, until with the final word, they are shot at the three heads. Hopefully the spell will make the Hydras' attacks weaker for at least long enough for everyone to get three hits in, ideally. (3 turns)

Nos stares at the hydra in surprise, and naturally some awe, for a couple seconds. He starts trembling, a small smile breaks out into a savage grin as Nos gets Overexcited and rushes at the Wrathful head screaming as he brandishes his weapon and starts swinging regardless of whether the head is in reach or not.

(You thought I fell asleep, didn't you? Acting)

Ghosts? Nothing. Ominous messages? Not a problem. But THIS? Snacktime's over, time for work.

"Oi! Beasty! You hungry after your little nap?"

The rabbit throws the hallow gorde at the Malevolent head to get its attention, moving to the side to turn its gaze away from the rest of the party. He then prepares a Blade of Light, throwing it straight for the head's left eye.

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Spoiler

As the hydra lunges forwards in an attack and you respond in kind, the misty figure quietly reappears along the edge of the room, by the gap into the ruins. While you are distracted, it swirls with magical resonance... And the device in the center of the previous room responds with a magical hum of its own. A field of energy appears where the antimagic zone was previously located, and it is growing in size. Casting another spell, a magical barrier, swirling with mist, covers the only exit. The spirit dissipates, leaving you alone with the hydra.

Bohw snarls and raises her new weapon, at least she knows that the treasure is here now, nothing guards an empty room. She ignores the beast's taunting shouts an order.

"Focus your attacks! Everyone attack the same target!"

She then shoots an arrow at the Wrathful-looking-head, hoping the others get the message that it should be their focus. Mayor bolts forwards into a charge, across the water and leaping at the Wrathful Head, punching the beast right in it's jaw with all he's got!

You plant an arrow in the hydra's face! Well, one of its faces. You deal 192 damage (roll 12+4)! Despite this, the creature only roars its anger, though it does not strike out after you.

Mayor has even less luck. He punches it, but as he cant reach the head which is wavering in the air far above, ready to strike. Instead, he punches the long neck in the side for 99 damage (roll 6+5).

With a wide-eyed stare, Watson looks up as the huge hydra rises out of the smashing waves of water. He's heard of them in tales but has never seen one up close that wants to kill him.

Upon Watson hearing Bohw's command, he breaks his gaze from the hydra and instead uses his Mana Leapers to propel him over the Wrathful Head's head where he pours an entire brandy of iodic acid.

"Ha-ha-ha!" Watson laughs. "Let's top things off now, shall we?"

Watson uses Dragon of the Red Wine to breathe flames in the now-deteriorating spot in its head.

You leap into the air! Only to realize that you have no idea how to control your new leapers, launching yourself waaaaay past your target! Another blast of the leapers takes you back to the shore, though you crashland against the rock wall, taking 50 damage. (Hit 1)

Savannah raises her arm, blocking the spray of water as the Hydra erupts from the water. "Augh, my sweater! Jeez, that was my favorite too. And uh..." She glances around. "My only one. I guess." She shakes her head and mumbles to herself. "Whatever, there's more important things than sweaters right now."

With a deep breath, Savannah runs forward, slowing down slightly as she hits the water. She jumps out, catching Mayor's shoulders and using the Manacharge Conduits and her momentum to propel herself forward. She overshoots a little, going past the Wrathful Head. To remedy this, Savannah jabs the Champion Blade into the Wrathful head's neck and jamming her heels into the Hydra's water slicked hide.

You do much better at controlling your new magic toys, perhaps because they are spread out about your body more evenly than Watson's. You dash at the head and, as you pass it by, impale it with your blade and using the momentum to swing yourself into the hydra for further harm. Your blade lights up with righteous might, searing the hydra as you hang from it by the hilt of your sword. You deal 345 damage to the head (roll 15+6)!

Myra squawks as she furiously attempts to avoid getting splashed by the water as the Hydra comes up.
"Woah, that's a mighty beastie! Let's make this a battle people will raven about!" she exclaims before cawing in laughter.

Myra begins an incantation that is meant to weaken the enemy temporarily, targetting all three of the heads with the spell. Magical symbols circle around the ravenfolk, until with the final word, they are shot at the three heads. Hopefully the spell will make the Hydras' attacks weaker for at least long enough for everyone to get three hits in, ideally. (3 turns)

You would love to cast such a spell! But you're too busy watching the sparkles of your new friends' magical assault. And also not getting wet, that is of the utmost importance. You fail in not getting wet. (hit 1)

Nos stares at the hydra in surprise, and naturally some awe, for a couple seconds. He starts trembling, a small smile breaks out into a savage grin as Nos gets Overexcited and rushes at the Wrathful head screaming as he brandishes his weapon and starts swinging regardless of whether the head is in reach or not.

As you charge at the hydra, it lunges for you. You bring your hammer up and down, smashing into the hydras head, delivering a skullshattering blow for 658 damage (roll 17+8)! And then an arcing smash, dealing 191 damage (roll 13+8), and also hitting Mayor who stood nearby. And the backswing! Which hits Mayor and the hydra for 137 damage (roll 7+8).

And even though you've beaten the head into a bloody pulp by now, it just bites you anyway instead of collapsing. Its massive (if somewhat gap-toothed by your recent attack) jaws bite down on you hard for 263 damage! But rather than the warm stinky breath you would expect from a living creature, its maw is bone-chillingly cold! After smashing you into the ground, the head lets up, wobbling unsteadily but refusing to die.

Ghosts? Nothing. Ominous messages? Not a problem. But THIS? Snacktime's over, time for work.

"Oi! Beasty! You hungry after your little nap?"

The rabbit throws the hallow gorde hollow goard at the Malevolent head to get its attention, moving to the side to turn its gaze away from the rest of the party. He then prepares a Blade of Light, throwing it straight for the head's left eye.

The head only briefly glances at the perfectly good fruit as you throw it at it, bouncing off its hide. It then settles its gaze on Myra, of all people. But you can use that to your advantage. Even as you summon the blade of light, the hydra opens its maw, in which magical energies swirl and gather. This amalgamation of raw power it spits at Myra! As it makes contact, it violently explodes, dealing 315 damage! Rather than being blasted out of the sky, through, the raven miracolously manages to stay in the air, though only barely.

Oh and you throw the sword. Right in the things eye. It roars its rage as you take out its eye! You think it probably maybe also pierced partly into the brain, but if so it doesnt show as it stays upright. Maybe only the skull, then. Your attack dealt 690 damage! (roll 18+5)

---

Mael, too, attacks the Wrathful Head, as ordered. His strike deals 210 damage, but doesnt seem to have much of an effect on the already beaten head, which stubbornly stays upright, if only barely.

The last head, which seems to have waited until everyone else struck, snaps out to smash Bohw forcefully into the floor for 263 damage! Mayor whacks it for 135 damage in turn.




Stats

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Spoiler
Thunderpaw: 1300/1300
Farstrider: 1000/1000
Fury Comet ready!
Vendetta ready!
Blade of Light Cd 10
Restoration ready!
Slowfall ready!

Bohw: 567/830, Disorientation (-2)
Leader: +0
Mayor: 984/1512
Sabotage Cready!
Selfless ready!
Hellbent ready!
Block ready!

Nos Reaper: 937/1200, Frostbite (-2)
Kill Time: +1, -2
Calming Breath Cd 5
Overexcited Cd 5
Madness Dance ready!
Spell Focus ready!

Savannah: 1200/1200
Aromatherapy ready!
Absolute Zero ready!
Parasitic Relationship ready!
Manacharge ready!
Wand of Healing: 23

Watson: 1340/1400,
Wits ready!
Fine Wine ready!
Dragon of the Red Wine ready!
Runeguard ready!
Water Vase: 3 charges

Myra: 885/1200, Arcane Disruption (-2)
Change Form cd 1
Winds of Fate ready!
Punishment ready!
Wraithstrike ready!
Shield of Feathers ready!
Farsight ready!

Mael: 1000/1000
Inner Focus ready!
Deathstroke ready!

---

The Hydra

Wrathful Head: 1/1000, Dazed
Baleful Head: 865/1000
Malevolent Head: 310/1000

"Oof!" he grunts as his body hits the wall.

"Blasted feet!" Watson says, cursing his own incompetence in using the leapers.

"The old-fashioned way then."

Watson walks up to all three heads. As he does this, Watson takes a hearty drink from the bottle. He has a fierce expression. Watson tries once more to breathe fire at the hydra.

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SpoilerDragon of the Red Wine

"Gyagh!"

Bohw cries out when she is crushed by the Hydra's attack, it will take way more than that to put her out of commission however. Still, between trying to find her footing and being dazed from the blow, there is a certain pain in her voice when she shouts the second command.

"Now-! Gah, all on the second head! Thunderpaw, take the last one!"

Finding too much trouble to rise to her feet, she stays mostly on the floor to steady her aim, shooting a 2nd arrow at the Baleful Head. If Watson hits all of them and the rest goes to plan, they should be dead in no-time.

Mayor attempts to leap on the Baleful Head that just smashed Bohw into the ground, attempting to climb up and ride the horrific beast. He then tries to keep his footing on the beast's neck by punching a hole through the back of it for him to latch onto.

"Ha! Hahaha! Take that, everything near me!"

Nos steps back to admire the monster in front of him. Staring at the dazed head, he takes out his newest toy, the Focus, and hefts it in the air and catches it as he takes a step back from the beast. Throwing the focus into the air again, he casts the spell of Claim Life, which places a powerful necromantic spell upon a target that causes them to be resurrected as a durable undead minion enthralled to Nos when the target dies.

Suddenly taking greatly care with the orb he catches it with both hands and puts it away for the moment and grabs his weapon again, still staring at the hydra.

((Assume a normal attack on the second head if the spell I tried to put in the focus before -did- take. Accompanied by some banal text describing how Nos is probably creepy and weird.))

"Haha!... oh god!" Savannah's cry of triumph is cut short as Nos' attack rocks the Wrathful Head into next week. She scrambles for purchase on the creature's neck, barely managing to yank the now bloodied blade out of the beasts neck as it shakes her off.

With a splash, Savannah hits the water. She resurfaces only a moment later with an angry cry. She sucks in a deep breath, activating the conduits' Manacharge and focusing the energy to the Champion Blade. She then hurls it up, the sword firmly imbedding itself into the Baleful Head's jaw.

((Assume a normal attack on the second head if the spell I tried to put in the focus before -did- take. Accompanied by some banal text describing how Nos is probably creepy and weird.))

i dont remember what you put in it though. i should probably start writing stuff like that down.

((I tried to do it while in the magic-denying area, because not paying attention I was. And I was all like "just ignore this unless you wanna let me get away with technicalities yo".

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Spoiler

((Edit: Blurp, didn't read earlier posts well enough. Either pretend Nos did this before walking into the room of no-magic, or just pretend I didn't try to cast anything for the moment!))
As the party entered the room Nos had ignored everything at first, eager to put another spell into his new orb. He tosses the orb into the air recklessly, then moves his arms as though heaving something heavy up after it. A gust of magical wind hits the orb and the orb absorbs that wind, preserving a spell of Wind Spirits that would temporarily grant someone of Nos's choosing greater movement and jumping speed as well as increased evasion while the spell lasted. Satisfied, he looks at the room and what the rest of the party has been up to and chuckles.

))

Oh right. Well its got that spell in it then. You can replace it with this other spell though if you want to, but if so youll have to wait for next turn to cast it with the orb.

Myra has taken quite a hit, but has managed to stay in-flight. She quickly glides to Bohw's side to flap the water off furiously. Being wet in general is annoying, but being wet as a bird in the middle of a fight would make any bird wonder if they're cursed, or so Myra thinks. Nonetheless, she makes an attempt at another spell, this time, a heal-over-time spell directed on Bohw and herself. The spell should last for about 3 turns, if all goes well this time.
"Some way to start a battle," she mutters to herself, glaring over at the Hydra.

A good opening blow! Now that he has the caster head's attention, Thunderpaw will close the distance with a Fury Comet and get himself on top of the creature, smashing the skull as he goes.

((I wasn't going to cast the new spell this turn anyway, so if I can just replace the current spell with this new one this turn that's fine.))

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Spoiler

"Oof!" he grunts as his body hits the wall.

"Blasted feet!" Watson says, cursing his own incompetence in using the leapers.

"The old-fashioned way then."

Watson walks up to all three heads. As he does this, Watson takes a hearty drink from the bottle. He has a fierce expression. Watson tries once more to breathe fire at the hydra.

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SpoilerDragon of the Red Wine

You breath a great gout of flame at the three heads! Each of them take 270 damage (roll 7+5), and Mayor is scorched aswell as he is standing pretty much in the middle of everything.

"Gyagh!"

Bohw cries out when she is crushed by the Hydra's attack, it will take way more than that to put her out of commission however. Still, between trying to find her footing and being dazed from the blow, there is a certain pain in her voice when she shouts the second command.

"Now-! Gah, all on the second head! Thunderpaw, take the last one!"

Finding too much trouble to rise to her feet, she stays mostly on the floor to steady her aim, shooting a 2nd arrow at the Baleful Head. If Watson hits all of them and the rest goes to plan, they should be dead in no-time.

Mayor attempts to leap on the Baleful Head that just smashed Bohw into the ground, attempting to climb up and ride the horrific beast. He then tries to keep his footing on the beast's neck by punching a hole through the back of it for him to latch onto.

Even as you nock your second arrow, the baleful head lunges at you again, nimbly smashing both arrow and bow from your grasp, ruining your attack (Hit 3) and dealing 140 damage! It seems particularly focused on thwarting your efforts for some reason, and keeping your bearings under its assault is becoming increasingly difficult.

Mayor hit-climb-punches it, though! He latches onto it by pounding his fist deep into its meaty side, dealing 189 damage (roll 16+5)! He tries punching it a second time, but misses (Hit 8-1 Vs Defense 9).

"Ha! Hahaha! Take that, everything near me!"

Nos steps back to admire the monster in front of him.

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SpoilerStaring at the dazed head, he takes out his newest toy, the Focus, and hefts it in the air and catches it as he takes a step back from the beast. Throwing the focus into the air again, he casts the spell of Claim Life, which places a powerful necromantic spell upon a target that causes them to be resurrected as a durable undead minion enthralled to Nos when the target dies.

Suddenly taking greatly care with the orb he catches it with both hands and puts it away for the moment and grabs his weapon again, still staring at the hydra.

((Assume a normal attack on the second head if the spell I tried to put in the focus before -did- take. Accompanied by some banal text describing how Nos is probably creepy and weird.))

Nos smash! As the baleful head attacks Bohw, you make good use of its very long and very exposed neck to pound your hammer into it, dealing 428 damage (roll 17+8-1) and probably breaking plenty of bones in the process!

Also, Nos is neither creepy nor weird. He's just... Challenged. And maybe a little weird. But not creepy. Nope. Not in my description. Also also adjusted the damage you took last round since one of your traits applies to this situation.

"Haha!... oh god!" Savannah's cry of triumph is cut short as Nos' attack rocks the Wrathful Head into next week. She scrambles for purchase on the creature's neck, barely managing to yank the now bloodied blade out of the beasts neck as it shakes her off.

With a splash, Savannah hits the water. She resurfaces only a moment later with an angry cry. She sucks in a deep breath, activating the conduits' Manacharge and focusing the energy to the Champion Blade. She then hurls it up, the sword firmly imbedding itself into the Baleful Head's jaw.

With the head above you, you activate the conduits, the magical energy streaming from each conduit and empowering you with unnatural strength! You shove your blade upwards into the creatures' jaw, impaling it on your blade! You deal 300 damage (Roll 3+6, auto crit).

Myra has taken quite a hit, but has managed to stay in-flight. She quickly glides to Bohw's side to flap the water off furiously. Being wet in general is annoying, but being wet as a bird in the middle of a fight would make any bird wonder if they're cursed, or so Myra thinks. Nonetheless, she makes an attempt at another spell, this time, a heal-over-time spell directed on Bohw and herself. The spell should last for about 3 turns, if all goes well this time.
"Some way to start a battle," she mutters to herself, glaring over at the Hydra.

You cast Binding Renew on yourself and Bohw, healing both of you for 82 health each turn for 3 turns (roll 14+7-1).

A good opening blow! Now that he has the caster head's attention, Thunderpaw will close the distance with a Fury Comet and get himself on top of the creature, smashing the skull as he goes.

As it turns out, despite just taking out its eye, it has turned its attention on Nos instead of you! It breathes a beam of arcane energy, which rips into Nos! At close range, the effect is devastating, dealing 630 damage to him! Ouch. You dont take the time to worry about that, though, instead launching yourself at its face with unbound power, dealing 540 damage (roll 7+5, crit)! You are now standing in a crater in the hydra's face.

---

The wrathful head strikes out at Watson, taking a bite out of him for 263 damage! Though it seems pretty beat up, the wrathful head continues to perform as though it wasnt mortally wounded. Seeing this, Mael steps up. As the head tries to retreat from its attack, he swings his blade at its neck with all his might, severing the head and letting it crash to the ground, finally dead. Ofcourse, this has the effect you could expect on a hydra. The headless neck trashes about, then splits in two! Each half rapidly regrows, forming into a pair of whole new heads!



Stats

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Spoiler
Thunderpaw: 1300/1300
Farstrider: 1000/1000
Fury Comet cd 8
Vendetta ready!
Blade of Light Cd 9
Restoration ready!
Slowfall ready!

Bohw: 447/830, Disorientation (-4), Binding Renew (82)(2)
Leader: +0
Mayor: 714/1512
Sabotage Cready!
Selfless ready!
Hellbent ready!
Block ready!

Nos Reaper: 530/1200, Frostbite (-2), Arcane Disruption (-2)
Kill Time: +2, -4
Calming Breath Cd 4
Overexcited Cd 4
Madness Dance ready!
Spell Focus (Wind Spirits) ready!

Savannah: 1200/1200
Aromatherapy ready!
Absolute Zero ready!
Parasitic Relationship ready!
Manacharge ready!
Wand of Healing: 23

Watson: 1113/1400, Frostbite (-2)
Wits ready!
Fine Wine ready!
Dragon of the Red Wine Cd 8
Runeguard ready!
Water Vase: 3 charges

Myra: 1047/1200, Arcane Disruption (-2), Binding Renew (82)(2)
Readiness: +1
Change Form cd 1
Winds of Fate ready!
Punishment ready!
Wraithstrike ready!
Shield of Feathers ready!
Farsight ready!

Mael: 1000/1000
Inner Focus ready!
Deathstroke Cd 4

---

The Hydra

Wrathstrike: 2000/2000
Overpowering Force ready!
Frozen Blood ready!
Wrathful Head: 1000/1000
Baleful Head: 1/1000, Dazed
Malevolent Head: 1/1000, Dazed

((I wasn't going to cast the new spell this turn anyway, so if I can just replace the current spell with this new one this turn that's fine.))

damnit ninja'ed

(Gah! I was planning on having my fire burn one of the heads off, thus preventing it from regrowing! Oh well)

Watson is shocked by the bite. He suddenly finds himself grabbing at his shoulders and shivering. His teeth begin to chatter as he looks at the rest of his teammates. Watson feels numb.

"Brrr!!! C-c-curse this c-c-cold!!" Watson says, while rubbing his hands together. He rubs the frostbitten area of his body. That's a pretty large chunk taken out.

Watson shakily grabs a wine bottle from his hat and purposely drops it to the floor. The group hears a bell sounding. Bohw, Watson, Mayor, Nos and Myra are enveloped in a wine-coloured aura as Fine Wine takes effect. He doesn't notice the intoxicating effect even though it affects him on account of feeling cold as hell.

Watson makes a grab for the Runespear that he had dropped on the ground alongside the Greatsword. "Thank g-goodness I didn't ffforget this!" Watson speaks between clattering teeth.

Watson ties the spear to his back for easy access. He wields the Greatsword.

e: Edited accordingly. I wasn't aiming for the Wrathful head though, but the baleful c:

Recently Blazer introduced a rule over in his game that states that switching weapons takes one turn to accomplish. Im going to agree with that. However since you can technically use Runeguard without even wielding the spear and you didnt specify which weapon you were using, sure. Just this once
You may not however take two actions and i believe fine wine counts as one. i might be wrong on that account but i doubt it. Also also the wrathful head left no stump behind the neck literally split in two and then suddenly there were two necks. Theres a decapitated head quickly sinking into the water though.

Also also, if you are going to decapitate one of the heads please state clearly that that is what you are doing, else i am going to go ahead and assume that youre just stabbing it or something.

"..." Savannah watches in morbid silence as the beheaded hydra neck suddenly splits into two. She mutters to herself as she wades to shore, "So this actually is hydra. That... really sucks."

Shaking herself off like a wet dog, Savannah reaches into her pants pocket and pulls out a seed. "Here we go." Gripping it lightly in her fist, Savannah reels back her arm and throws it as hard as she can, casting Parasitic Relationship when it hits the Wrathstrike.

It's then that she looks back at the rest of the hydra to find the Champion Blade still stuck in the Baleful Head. "Aww man."

((Ennh, let's just go with Nos smash for now. I'll handle orb finagling later.))
Nos catches sight of the monster growing a new head, and it consumes his attention.

"Hahaha! Wow! Wow! This thing can DO that!? I gotta get it as a pet! Think of all the neat tricks I could teach it... and if I'm ever hungry I could just slice off a spare head! Heehee. Heck, a guy could probably sell bulk meat like that for a tidy sum..." Nos shrugs, and leaps at the Wrathful Head to deliver a hammering.

Thunderpaw will jump between heads, making sure they stay down. These hydras have a tendancy of being extremely bothersome.

Thunderpaw will jump between heads, making sure they stay down. These hydras have a tendancy of being extremely bothersome.

Which head in particular are you attacking?

The other downed one I guess.