Chapter 3.5: The Temple of Merikka

Round two, continued...

Morton steps back into view from behind the tree trunk and opens himself to the Fiend once more. The searing heat rolls down Morton's arm and explodes out of his palm, blasting a shockwave across the sanctuary toward one of the evil monks...but the attack goes wide!

Aanbo demonstrates Earthshaker superiority; even as the human monk Look is dodging his staff, Aanbo lunges in, connecting with the man's chest with a solid palm strike.
Look takes 4 bludgeoning damage and staggers, gasping!Lyrel lunges past Aanbo and sinks her short sword up under Look's ribs.
Look takes 8 damage and dies!

---

21 - Look Dead
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (17/17)
13 - Chon (-5) Blessed, Mocked
12 - Ember (9/12)
12- Acolyte concentrating, Sanctuary
11 - Mok (-2) Blessed
10 - Lyrel (6/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (1/19)
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round two, continued...

Chase attempts to stab Mok while his focus is divided, by the monk assailant undulates around the blade with each swing.

Sensing his target has little stamina remaining, Chon attacks Arya, but his confidence has been shaken by the ridicule he's endured. Getting back into the rhythm of the Windreaper forms, Chon follows this up with a series of fist strikes...but Myrtha is there, adding her shield to Mother Arkon's defense, and none of the blows connect with the reeling cleric.

Taking advantage of Mok's focus on Chase, Ember perforates the enemy monk with a stab in the back!
Mok takes 12 piercing damage!

The acolyte says "It will be easier for you once you just accept that life with Her is better. See the light!" He casts Sacred Flame on Arya, but Pelor grants her the insight to step out of the path of the beam of searing light that shines down from the ceiling of the sanctuary. "We don't want to hurt you, but we have to if you don't come willingly to Her arms. Don't worry, though: She accepts you even if you're damaged."

Mok kicks back at Ember as he punches with both fists at Chase.
Ember takes 7 bludgeoning damage!
Chase takes 5 bludgeoning damage!

Lyrel lunges past Aanbo and sinks her short sword up under Look's ribs.
Look takes 8 damage and dies!

---

21 - Look Dead
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (12/17)
13 - Chon (-5) Blessed
12 - Ember (2/12)
12- Acolyte concentrating, Sanctuary
11 - Mok (-14) Blessed
10 - Lyrel (6/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (1/19)
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round two, continued...

"Take that one alive!" Myrtha shouts to the room, nodding her head behind her at the acolyte without taking her eyes off of the monk in front of her. She stabs and batters at Chon, but the monk blocks or dodges each swing. "We need him to tell us where they keep their captives!"

Arya nods. With no energy left to pray for more powerful boons (out of spell slots), she sees the wisdom in neutralizing her counterpart, the acolyte. Besides, her blood seethes with the war god's passion for victory, and the acolyte just called on some unholy power to sear her as if she was some evil, unclean thing. Her full lips compress in a thin line and her almond-shaped soulful brown eyes narrow in fury. "I'll show you that the brides of Pelor are not to be roused!" Still shapely under all that armor, Arya rolls her shoulders and tightens her grip on her huge warhammer as she steps toward the acolyte and away from Chon, confident that the other warrior woman, her "big sister" Myrtha, will watch her back. But Chon makes an attempt to hit her anyway. Myrtha's shield interposes, but Chon steps up off the shield, jumps, and spins - classic Windreaper style - and his other foot kicks over Myrtha's shield and catches Arya in the back of the head!
Arya takes 4 bludgeoning damage and flips over onto her face, dying again!

---

21 - Look Dead
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (12/17)
13 - Chon (-5) Blessed
12 - Ember (2/12)
12- Acolyte concentrating, Sanctuary
11 - Mok (-14) Blessed
10 - Lyrel (6/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (0/19) Dying
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round two, continued...

"Who? Orc-face over there?" Ferranzo is having a hard time focusing on the acolyte for some reason - his eyes keep slipping off of him to focus on one of the monks - but as he moves closer to the tree trunk that has incongruously been used as a column, he forces himself to keep his eyes on the man. "I'm talking to you, flea brain. Sir ‘too weak to fight’ is only useful as a greeter. Basically an ugly doormat. Cowardly but not smart enough to run. That’s an unfortunate combination for him."
The acolyte takes 1 psychic damage and will have DISADV if he attacks before the end of his turn next round.

---

21 - Look Dead
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (12/17)
13 - Chon (-5) Blessed
12 - Ember (2/12)
12- Acolyte concentrating, Sanctuary, Mocked (-1)
11 - Mok (-14) Blessed
10 - Lyrel (6/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (0/19) Dying
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round two, completed.

Eugenios saunters over to stand by the door, fingering a rose petal drawn from a pouch.
The acolyte's eyes flutter and close. Then he slumps to the ground, fast asleep.

---

21 - Look Dead
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (25/27)
13 - Chase (12/17)
13 - Chon (-5)
12 - Ember (2/12)
12- Acolyte Asleep, Sanctuary, Mocked (-1)
11 - Mok (-14)
10 - Lyrel (6/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (29/30)
6 - Arya (0/19) Dying
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)

Round three
(this is preceded by round two, followed by round four)

"NO!" Morton screams and runs across the sanctuary, picking up Arya and straightening her broken neck so that her windpipe is no longer blocked, thus preventing her from dying...again.

Aanbo steps up next to Ember, thrusting with the staff and following up with a series of kicks. Mok is able to dodge all of these moves, but while he is thus occupied, the Earthshaker dwarf touches the human rogue and healing ki flows into her body.
Ember regains 5 HP.

Hoping the distraction from Aanbo will help him land his blow, Chase thrusts at Mok with his short sword, but the Windreaper monk seems to have eyes in the back of his head, and evades the blow. Chase sheathes his weapon and steps into the room, pulling his bow from where it is slung across his chest. As he does so, Mok jumps and kicks at him. The Windreaper style seems to favor head strikes; the monk's foot connects with Chase's head, leaving his ears ringing.
Chase takes 6 bludgeoning damage!

With one opponent incapacitated, Chon turns his attention fully on Myrtha, kicking and punching like a spinning top, the blows sounding out like a drum roll!
Myrtha takes 14 bludgeoning damage!



Ember turns on her heel and stabs with her rapier at Mok, but the Windreaper monk twists out of the way.

Mok spins, Disengaging to whirl around Ember to get Aanbo between him and Chase, then he attacks Lyrel with a kick and aims another punch at Aanbo. Lyrel steps out of the way of the kick, but the punch manages to hit Aanbo as he's turning.
Aanbo takes 6 bludgeoning damage!

Lyrel slashes and stabs at Mok with her sword wreathed in green flames, but the monk manages to dodge the blows.

Myrtha takes her beating stoically: she knows from Aanbo how dangerous monks can be. She attacks methodically, hoping to beat the monk’s weaving pattern of movement and impale him. Myrtha manages to whack Chon with the butt of her spear and then, while he's slightly off-balance, she flips the spear around and plunges the point into his thigh.
Chon takes 8 piercing damage!
Myrtha exhales and inhales slowly and steadily while she fights, filling her lungs and holding it to oxygenate her blood and slow her heart rate.
Myrtha regains 8 HP using Second Wind!

Arya lolls, insensate, in Morton's arms.

"You there! Warthead!" Ferranzo lambasts Chon, "How many children did you scare today? Or are you forced to wear a hood and mask outside so people don’t think you’re a zombie? I bet your ancestors hate what you’ve become. You’ll find out soon enough!"
Chon takes another 1 psychic damage and will have DISADV on the next attack he makes!

Eugenios stands over the sleeping acolyte, fingering a bared dagger in one hand. With the other, he summons another glove of deathly frost and flings it at Chon. Despite his wound, Chon manages to step out of the path of the spell.

---

21 - Look Dead
20 - Morton (15/15)
18 - Aanbo (19/27)
13 - Chase (6/17)
13 - Chon (-14) Mocked
12 - Ember (7/12)
12- Acolyte Asleep, Sanctuary (-1)
11 - Mok (-14)
10 - Lyrel (6/13) Mage armor
9 - Myrtha (23/30)
6 - Arya (0/19) Stable
6 - Ferranzo (8/8)
5 - Eugenios (8/8)