Advancement

[Ebiris]

This should be it then. Lets hope her team doesn't get ambushed and off to a bad start... she's not sure about all their sensory abilities but Mandol might be able to smell succubus.

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=4]

The party goes out - none of them seemingly the wiser when abruptly...

> roll 1d20+24
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=14]

A hand comes up, pulling Curlah into the earth, vanishing within it with a cry.

"Treachery!" Darmor declares, as with a savage, demented grin the succubus dives down, blade glowing with blue spellfire, all while her two minions are right behind her.

They will triumph. They have faith in me, I will have faith in them.

[Ebiris]

It'll be interesting to see someone else fighting with the rare weapon Alicia herself favours, if nothing else.

Yes. Watch and see them prove themselves.

[Anastasia]

From here the battle is joined.

Darmor brings up his metal shod arm to parry - and the bracers you gave him blocks the blow, spellfire scorching them but nothing more. It's a moment as Bylthel flies up, meeting the hooded man in midair. The two clash in a song of steel and blood, whilst Mandol turns - only for several armed humanoids to pounce him - a mix, really, but it becomes a melee of fur and iron.

> roll 1d20+27
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=4]
> roll 1d20+28 (+3 arcane strike)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 31 > [d20=3]

Darmor and the succubus trade blows, a flurry of them, neither hitting. That's when deep, greasy darkness around both of them, the succubus grinning even wider, too wide, "Your intestines will line my dinner plate tonight, mortal!"

Meanwhile the hooded man hits the ground hard, holding his stomach as Bylthel pounces down, a swing right for his head.

> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 29 > [d20=4]

> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 42 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+22 crit?
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 39 > [d20=17]
> roll 1d20+25 +4 vs poison
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 28 > [d20=3]

Yet the hooded man rolls out of the way, through the deva's legs. He stabs up, into the deva's leg with a needle-like knife. He pulls it out a second later, blood gushing from th ewound, far more than it should, as immediately Bylthel staggers in the air, color around the wound blackening by the moment, spreading.

[Ebiris]

Alicia is... concerned, to put it mildly.

How's Curlah doing, does she look like she might escape from her underground imprisonment any time soon?

[Anastasia]

You look down. Curlah is grappling wildly with a nude woman made of stone, humanoid shaped and intensely snarling. The two are fighting, but it's clear Curlah is at a disadvantage. Then...

> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=2]

Curlah tries to break away but the other is too much, bringing her head down for a headbutt.

> roll 1d8+12
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 15 > [d8=3]

The blow cracks Curlah's nose open, leaving her eyes glazed over, unresponsive a few moments as she bleeds.

[Ebiris]

Her concerns intensify. It doesn't even look like Marchalu's information was wrong, it's just that her team is getting outmanoeuvred and allowing the demons to dictate the flow of battle.

Silently she wills them to regroup so they can at least support each other and get Curlah out of that mess she's in, since none of the current match-ups seem favourable.

[Anastasia]

Antenora is then there, "It goes poorly," she says, "The fortune of battle disfavors them greatly."

[Ebiris]

"It's teamwork," Alicia says. "Say what you will about the succubus and her minions, but they trust each other in battle and act to complement each other. Ours don't have that flow to their tactics."

[Anastasia]

"It may have been a mistake to send them to this without more teamwork practice," Antenora admits, breathing long and slow.

Meanwhile...

> roll 1d20+27
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 36 > [d20=9]
> roll 2d6+20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 25 > [d6=4,1]

A heavy blow by Darmor knocks the succubus away, giving him a moment. He taps his armor, energy filling his body with a white glow. Healing - not much, but a little. A moment later the succubus spits out blood and grins, "Die! DIEDIEDIEDIE!" she howls, lunging for him.

> roll 1d20+28 (+3 arcane strike)
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=10]
> roll 1d8+15+3d4
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 20 > [d8=2][d4=1,1,1]

A sharp blow across Darmor's shoulder, drawing blood as he moves to block it, at least on even terms with her. As they fight, meanwhile...

> roll 1d20+25
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 45 > [d20=20]
> roll 1d20+25 crit?
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 44 > [d20=19]
> roll 3d8+60
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 65 > [d8=3,1,1]

Bylthel stumbles - and in that the hooded man sees his chance. He lunges, only for the astral deva to push forward. A simple back handed blow, catching the man dead on. He reels back, a spray of blood. It opens up the perfect chance, a heavy mace blow crushing the man's head, his body flung backwards from the shot.

[Ebiris]

"This was supposed to be practice in itself, and they were the best candidates we had for the job," Alicia shakes her head. "Individual skill is at least beginning to show its worth, Bylthel's brought some room but he has to hurry before that poison weakens him further."

[Anastasia]

> roll 1d20+20
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 21 > [d20=1]
> roll 1d20+28
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 38 > [d20=10]

Meanwhile Mandol is holding his own, ripping out the throat of one minion while holding off the others. It's ugly, but working.

"We've too often seen those who tried and failed. How many tears and lamentations came from above when they failed?" Antenora muses, "Does Malcanthet or whomever claimed that soul even now lament over his timely demise?"

> roll 1d20+22
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 24 > [d20=2]
> roll 1d20+21
<Penuche> Kotono invokes Penuche's magic: < 23 > [d20=2]

Down below, Curlah seems to be holding her own, or at least neither of them can score an advantage. The battle hangs in the balance with each moment, as you can also hear noises in the taverns, people starting to react to the din.

[Ebiris]

"Malcanthet has feelings too," Alicia says. "Whether annoyed at a loss of face or angry at potential being thwarted, few can be immune to such feelings even if they express differently."

[Anastasia]

Antenora says, "Yes, but the only feelings of Malcanthet's I care about is the terror she feels when I impale her with my spear, since I doubt she'll ever accept atonement."

[Ebiris]

Alicia can only shrug at that. "You were the one who asked. I'll be there when you do."