So far everything had been going against the party in this fight. The mysterious intruder easily deflected their attacks and even those that hit did little damage. It was not until Jiminous summoned an undead monstrosity did they find success, the brute’s raw size and strength allowing it to easily grab the normal sized man.

The man struggled for a moment, before he went limp and seemed almost fluidic in his motions. It took only a moment, but he had slipped out from the beast’s grip and was now able to move again, his leather slightly stained but otherwise no worse for wear. Without missing a beat, he darted away from the undead giant, avoiding Lheriel who made a quick attempt to wound him as he darted away. As he darted past the still shocked Raen he drew a second dagger from his boot and moved ever closer to the cargo and the last person in front of it, Raiel.

Kaene reacted quickly to their foes newfound freedom and reached over to the crate and in the instant they (as well as the nearby Raiel) disappeared. Raen finally regained her senses and ripped the knife from her shoulder, grunting in pain as she did. Throwing the knife aside she reached into her belt and drew out a bottle of clear liquid, downing it quickly as its magic closed the wound in her shoulder. She turned just in time to see the cargo disappear and ripped her sword off the table, ready to get some revenge for the injury this attacker had caused her.

Katriana, having recovered from being struck into the air by the intruder’s defences, decided to try once more. She rushed across the room at the man, slicing through the leather on his back and this time cutting into the flesh beneath as well. The man gave a slight, gasp as Katriana carved a short gash across the small of his back, but seemed to shrug it off with little difficulty, barely even giving a look back over his shoulder as she struck.

His single minded focus one where the crate and Raiel used to be seemed to serve him well however, as without warning an arrow shot out of that space, followed closely by another two. With barely a second to react, the man ducked gracefully, twisting his body in such as way as to pass between the arrows harmlessly.

”You can’t hide forever!” he screamed loudly at the emptiness that had just attacked him. ”There is no escape for fools!”
Lheriel quickly turned and rushed at the man, hoping the various diversions that encircled him would allow him to this time make contact with his blades. He weaved passed his allies in order to get in an advantageous position, the man now had Lheriel and Katriana on either side and Raen at this back. However, despite this advantage, Lheriel was again unable to land a hit, the man’s armor turning aside his thrust much to the half-elf’s surprise. Jeskell however, had more success, his arrow catching the man in the side as he avoided Lheriel’s blow. It didn’t sink deep, but the wound was noticeable.

Jiminous turned back to the fight, he had been hoping his ogre would be able to restrain the man longer. Now the poor brute was standing outside the door, ramming into the frame in some sort of vain attempt to fit through. With a mental command he sent the ogre off down the hallway, heading back to the chapel to ensure there were no others here to endanger the group. That done, he again invoked a vile incantation, calling a swarm of spiders into being right on top of the man. While the swarm could not find its way through the mans armour, they continued to cling to him, seeking some way to get to his flesh. The man turned to the mage, rage in his eyes. Jiminous stared straight back, gesturing with his halberd with a disdainful motion. This was not over yet.

(OOC: Horribly written, short and to the point.)

Raen shrugged off the stiffness and dull ache in her shoulder as she moved back into position. The potion had done enough to stop the bleeding at least. And it didn't hurt like hell every time she moved, either. Rolling her longsword backwards once, Raen set herself behind the intruder, shield up and at ready.

"You can't hide forever!" he screamed as two arrows flew from the empty space to their left. "There is no escape for fools!"

An arrow from the ranger buried its head into the man's side, barely penetrating his armor but it still punctured the skin. Raen sidestepped as the other two clattered away against the far wall. The feline and half-elf each took their shots at their foe, the former connecting and leaving long gashes through the black leather. Raen grunted again at the lack of Lheriel's ability to strike.

But now, it was her turn and she wasn't exactly pleased to begin with...

Jiminous found this man cute. He was like a bunny rabbit, thrashing against the noose that the hunter had built into a trap for it. The man was hardly capable of an action that Jiminous hadn't forseen. All that was left was to ensure the man didn't get out alive. After all, the man had walked in here asking to become part of Jiminous' army of undead creatures. He would make a fine addition. The only matter to settle, was his death.

((assuming less than 5 hp damage and a ranged attack or no movement at all, all other actions were explained, pm me if you forget them))

Jiminous gripped his axe, preparing a defensive position against the attack he knew was coming. The man was glaring at him after all. Still, the next spell used only verbal components. "Sizzzle inSssside Sissstic optixssssssssss" With any luck, the man would be blinded and incapable of further attacks.

Katriana figured she had the intruder at a disadvantage, especially with allies closing in on all sides. She had uttered her warning, and saw fit to judge this transgressor under Warder Law, and in the name of Ragnarok her patron deity. With the enemy flanked and covered in a focused swarm, Katriana continued to claw at the man with the chevron tattoo. She would rend him limb from limb I need be.

(Short and to the point, Katriana Full Attack taking any AoO’s that present themselves.)

Raiel got ready to fires again as rapidly as possible. Her target clearly in sight it would have like target practice but he was a a difficult target with his ability to duck and dart. So she planned t0 use a trick she had learned when facing such a foe. Simple it was deception. Such a foe reacted not to the arrow but to the distinctive twang of the bow string.

Raiel drew her composite bow bow and then twanged the string with her fingers trying to get the man committed to a dodge from the sound. Only suddenly the bow disapeared. along with her arrow and her hand She could feel the bow inher hand butnot see it. Looking down the box too was invisible.

Raiel changed her plans in a flash,retuning arrows she slung her bow to her back and she felt for the handles of the box. she had stood next to it to protect it it wasn't hard to do Gripping the handles on both sides she hefted it up and picked her way the room to sind a spot to hide it or if she could get out of the door and the room with it entirely.

That he wanted it so badly made her even more determined he would not get it.

Lheriel could'nt believe it. This had dodged almost every attack he has thrown at him. The only thing he could do was attack and attack. He twirled around his short sword and lunged again, striking down onto the assailant again and again. He was bound to penetrate in one place or another.

Jeskell smiled as he seen his arrow lodge into the foe. He wasn'nt invulnerable after all. He notched another arrow, and stepped back to try an get a better shot, hoping his next arrow bites in deeper than last.

Despite the cloak of miniature arachnids that coated him, the intruder seemed to have little difficulty concentrating as he effortlessly kicked himself up onto the table, leaping over the clumsy strikes of Katriana and Lheriel has he did. Raen managed to hit home, but only barely, cutting a slight slash across the small of the man’s back as he made his escape from the trio. The moment he was clear of the group he made a beeline for Jiminous, his twin daggers held at the ready. It took only a second, a twist of his wrist and a quick lunge, and one of the daggers and ripped through the mage’s chainshirt and cut a wide and bloody swath across his chest. His second dagger went the exact opposite way, cutting up into his arm through his cloak. The mage gave a prolonged groan as his body reacted, nerves aflame from the pain. There was something else then the pain however, and Jiminous felt a sudden shiver go through him. Poison.

”Not so fierce now are you necromancer!”. The man laughed in Jiminous’s pain stricken face. ”I shall teach you to truly embrace death you fo- -“
The intruder’s words were cut short by the sound of metal making contact with flesh, a sick slopping noise as Raen’s longsword burst forth bloodied from his side. With a second sickening noise it was withdrawn, and Raen stood behind the man, her sword dripping with his blood. The intruder let loose a pained shout as the gaping wound in his side bled profusely, his blood mixing with the already diverse collection which coated the floor. Before he could turn to face the warrior woman he was struck swiftly by the black blur that was Katriana. The feline-like humanoid sliced along his side with a claw as she made contact, cutting deep and leaving a gash through the leather he wore.

Pain visible on his face, the man turned to face the new threat, and no sooner did he the Lheriel finally made himself noticed in the fight, striking him quickly in the flank with his rapier as another of Jeskell’s arrows sailed harmlessly overhead. The tables it seemed, were starting to turn.

Raiel however, was slightly occupied. The sudden realisation that she was invisible, coupled with the fact that the crate was invisible gave her a quick plan. Fumbling blindly for a moment she grabbed the sides of the crate and with a quiet grunt lifted the thing. Looking about she noticed a small enclosure surrounded by other crates at the far end of the room. Muscles straining, she began carrying the thing over there, hoping to hide it should he get past the group surrounding him.

Jiminous was pretty much cornered. Nowhere to run, he launched a last ditch effort at self preservation. He could feel poison rushing through his system, but he managed to painfully call upon his necromantic reserves, releasing a burst of negative energy around him. The wave broke on the intruder’s face and then something interesting happened. The gash along his side for Katriana closed completely, the black energy sealing the wound as it passed over.

”Figured it out yet necromancer?” the intruder laughed, and for the first time Jiminous noticed his pronounced canine teeth.

”So that’s what you are…” Jiminous muttered, now forced against a wall with little left in his arsenal.

The man smiled, and looked straight at Jiminous, a hungry look in his eyes.

(OOC: See Q&A)

"Blood suckin hellspawn* Katriana seethed as the intruder revealed himself for what he truely was. As the vampire struck out at Jimminous leaving a vicious swath across his chest, the necromancer responded with a wave of blackened energy which subsequently healed the vampire!

"What fool dabbling in death cannot spot one of the greatest threats every to rise from the black of night!" Katriana was furious at the situation, and saw the hunger in the vampire's eyes as he bared his fangs at his prey.

Katriana readied her action to strike the vampire as soon as he made his move. There was no reason to believe the vampie wouldn't revel in trying to finish off the 'master of undeath' who was already weakened by injury and poison, and had just healed him in glorious irony.

As the Vampire Strikes, so does Katriana, moving in a flurry, hoping her numerous attacks would find an opening in the distracted vampire's defenses.

(Full attack FLurry of blows Plus Bite attack:
+11main/+11main/+11 off/+0 Bite
(BAB+4+1 Sacred Strike+1Exalted Strike+1 Weapon focus+6 Weapon Finesse=13 (-2 FLurry of Blows) =11
Secondary attack -5 (BAB+4+1sacred strike+1 exalted strike+1 str =7-5 =2 (-2 for flurry of blows =0)

Jiminous waited for the others to complete their actions before taking his. He had only one chance to succeed before this thing surely would strike him down.

"Sssssinssskssss Sssoft KneessssssSsss"

It was a sad effort to be sure, but with a little luck, the battle could be over.

((assuming it works))

"He's under my control now, stop attacking him or he'll no longer be under it. Perhaps we can find out who sent him."

((assuming it doesn't work))

Jiminous grasped his halberd protectively, praying he could last just a bit longer.

Lheriel smiled as his rapier finally penetrated the evil ones defences. With renewed vigour, he assailed the fiend once again, rapier and shortsword jabbing and stabbing away.

Jeskell reached for another arrow, now even looking to see if his second shot hit. He needed to help down this creature, and the only way he would do that is try an make a pin cusion out of him. He left another arrow sail through the air.

Their enemy darted away from the three attackers towards Tall, Dark and Ugly. The dark mage had been an unending source of annoyance for the intruder and he was following the most basic plan of attack that Raen would have followed. Take out the mages and clerics as quick as possible. The others only have swords and arrows.

Raen managed to make a quick slash at his heels as he moved onto the table, catching the small of his back below the thicker part of the leather. The other two swung and missed as the evil intruder nimbly danced down the table.

As he reached the dark mage, two daggers appeared in his hands, both slicing opposite each other. Two long gashes appeared on the body of the necromancer and he staggered, falling back against the wall. Raen could see his face contort in pain and she hopped around the wooden chair, half-elf and feline drawing back her blade. The intruder seemed to forget about the others in the room as he stood a little straighter from his strike, taunting his victim.

Raen smirked as she lunged forward, stabbing her longsword cleanly into the man's side. Twisting her blade and making sure to put downwards pressure on the blade's edge as she drew it outwards, Raen jerked it back and was pleased with the blood that spilled out onto the floor. Katriana followed from her left with a slash of her claws and the half-elf, too, took advantage of their opponent's stunned state to draw a line his flank even as he turned to try and deal with the three attackers.

"Let me tell ya, motherfu**er, pain's a bitch," said Raen over her shield as she set for the counter and another measure of the dance. But over the contorted figure of their opponent, who remarkably still stood, was the necromancer who was still backed into a corner. Raen knew that most animals, when backed into a corner like this, had some sort of last resort to try and kill or send off their assailants. This animal was no different.

He seemed to convulse slightly and let out a low growl, or perhaps a gurgle. The chain shirt he wore beneath his dark cloak hung loose from the shoulders, a large hole in it where the intruder's daggers had cut through. His grip tightened around his halberd and Raen ducked her head down behind her shield.

A wave of shadowy energy rolled over them, breaking on the intruder. Once the color and nauseating feeling left, Raen looked up over her shield in time to see the blood flow from their intruder slow and the wound that Katriana had caused actually closed, crackling with the dark power.

Their enemy laughed deeply and lifted his head towards the necromancer while the other three braced themselves.

"Figured it out yet, Necromancer?" hissed the intruder.

Raen didn't quite know what was going on, nor did she really care beyond the point that whatever just happened was not good for them. Cursing, again, she was beginning to get fed up with how long this was taking.

"Fine," she said. She wasn't the target being beaten on and it probably wouldn't matter as long as they stood this way.

"Here," she said, tossing her longsword at whatever kind of creature the intruder was. "Hold this for a minute. I need both hands."

Dropping her wooden shield from her right hand, Raen reached over her right shoulder with both, grasping the handle of her greatsword. With a grunt, she drew the finely crafted blade and attacked with the downstroke.

Since their target had so kindly obliged her and stepped up so high Raiel have as clear shot at him. She had seen the dark wave of energy heal the man that it should have harmed. Curse dark powers.

Raiel tool a stride away from where she had places the invisible box and readied her bow and fires two arrows as one (many shot I think that is all I can take this round as I had to take out my bow) if I get another one then I take one single shot more.continue to fire her bow since she had hurt him before.)

"Heal this," she growled lowly as she released her arrows that speed on their way, while she notched another one ready to fire again.

Jiminous had seen death before, came with the territory, but the look in the foul creature’s eyes shook him. There was intelligence behind those eyes, a creature with needs and desires, capable of thought. Looking into those eyes, Jiminous saw his own death.

”So that’s what you are…”
Jiminous’s words hung heavy in the air. He has sought to destroy this creature, but his efforts had been less than fruitless, his dark magics undoing the wounds his companions had caused. This had done little to lessen his rage however, and with a swift fluid motion he was atop the mage, his daggers rending fabric and flesh as he swung. It took only a second, and Jiminous’s body hung a moment in the air, held by unseen hands. His eyes widened a moment and spurt of blood jutted forth from his lips before he fell back, his limp body slamming hard against the wall. The intruder gave a feral roar as the necromancer fell, licking what blood has splattered on his own lips.

”ENOUGH!”
The cry came from nowhere, and Kaene suddenly appeared, his hands aglow. He pointed a finger at the vampire and a bright white beam of light shot out, striking the creature and causing it to hiss in pain. It spun in place, facing the cleric, and was struck directly in the head by Raen’s longsword.

"Hold this for a minute. I need both hands.", the warrior said, her hands already on the massive sword strapped to her back. The intruder only had time to gasp before Raen brought the blade to bear, slicing twice across his chest. Both times the sword cut deep, leaving a rather large pair of gashes in the vampire’s chest. Katriana seized on this moment of distraction by going back to her monastery training. In the time a normal warrior might swing a punch, she launched a flurry with her claws even snapping with her jaw as she tore at the intruder. Lheriel joined the assault as well, but was first very nearly struck by his friend Jeskell’s arrow as he did. This accidental attack threw him off balance it would seem, as he failed to hit his target on every thrust. Lheriel had nothing to fear the next second however, as a pair of Raiel’s arrows sailed past him cleanly, catching the undead creature in the side causing him to once more turn and try to locate the invisible archer.

Pressed into a corner and the fight quickly turning against him the undead abomination was quickly running out of options. His objective had eluded him, and should he remain here much longer he would soon be ash. He did not cherish that thought. Quickly he twisted toward the wall those that surrounded him unable to react quick enough to strike him as he moved. With inhuman speed he grabbed the lifeless corpse of Jiminous and dragged it with him directly up the wall as he scuttled up it like a spider. He turned his for a moment to hiss loudly at Kaene before he (and the body) disappeared with a loud crack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The Krim Mountains, Far Northern Tar’Talon
Ishkanna was not a hardy individual. Both by virtue of her training and physical fitness she was not suited for a long walk, especially in the rocky wasteland that was the Krim Mountain Range. A priest of Carselt, she was not even sure why she was here. She had been dispatched along with two others to seek the last known location of a thievery ring that had apparently attempted to enter her temple the previous ring. Surely however her church had access to hardier servants than her for such an arduous task. Nevertheless she had been elected for the quest, and she would complete it. She didn’t know the others that travelled with her however, a pair of mercenaries hired by the church.

The first was an enigma. He called himself Toby, and his green dragonhide breastplate marked him as something other than ordinary. As far as Ishkanna could tell the man either slept little or not at all, and seemed unbothered by such troubles as hunger. The other was less odd, although still suspicious. He spoke little, but she had learned from her superior before she left that he was called “Chancer” by those near him, although no one was sure if this was his real name or not. He always seemed to be scouting ahead while they walked, and she had seen little of them except when he returned as they set up camp. Odd companions indeed.

This had been the third day of their trek, and the information she had been given had concluded their destination was in their immediate area. Before they could fan out and search however, Chancer announced rather crudely that he would take a moment now relieve himself. The remaining waited, and the mysterious mercenary stepped off behind a rocky outcropping. No sooner did he do than a loud cry was heard off to the left of the pair. Turning quickly Ishkanna had just enough time to twist out off the way of a speeding bolt, and her eyes suddenly focused on a shape hidden just beyond a rocky bluff not fifty feet before them. Within seconds six men rushed over the bluff clothed in the ragged and dirty clothes of men that had been out here far too long. Their gibbering cries echoed over the mountain as they rushed toward the pair brandishing axes and swords, obviously intent on causing them harm.

(OOC: Ok, Ryst and Reralae you’re in. Sui you’re dead and kidnapped. Main group react and do whatever. Ask questions. Lalala. Other group…combat woo. (Fear my killing of PCs).)

Iskanna nearly freaks out after being shot, but then instantly tries to calm herself. They were after a group of criminal types, of course there'd be fighting and even maybe an ambush, she should have anticipated it. Iskanna reaches over her shoulder and pulls out her own bow. I'll save my magic for now, at least until after I get this one shot in. She thinks.

Her coal black eyes go flat as she nocks and draws the bow. Around the arrow a slightly black outline appears, the black of the void. Iskanna fires the bow, the arrow leaving a slight black trail behind it as it heads towards the man with the crossbow.

After the attack, Iskanna steps behind her companion, knowing she'll have to rely on her magic at some point.

(One Aspect of the Destroyer Arrow aimed at the bowman (+7 attack and 1d8+7 damage) and one 5 ft step behind Toby)

Bandits... Men who lived in the wilderness waiting for a chance to take from others rather than learning to do for themselves. More often than not, such men were perfectly willing to kill to get what they wanted, and this particular group had likely done so many times. Why else shoot from hiding? Luckily the man with the crossbow had missed, and young Ishkanna had not been wounded.

She was perhaps not entirely confortable around Toby, his tireless way marking him as different, but he had grown rather fond of her in their travels. She was clearly one who would prefer to make peace with nature than despoil it, and that touched Toby in a deep place, a place from his own youth, so very many years ago.

A frown played across his wrinkled features, the skin tanned and dark as leather from many years wandering under the sun. These men were wickedness of the worst sort and innocent blood would not be spilled by them if he could do anything to stop them. He could do no less while he yet lived.

Seeing that his companion carried a bow, he trusted her to handle the one with the crossbow, and unshouldered his shield, the light dragonhide as strong as steel darkly reflecting the morning sunlight. Calmly he strode directly towards the men rushing over the rocks, seeming to grow slightly with every step, as though the coming battle already filled him with strength and power. As he walked, he uncoiled a long length of leather from his belt, gripping it tightly in one hand as he advanced behind his shield, cold blue eyes watching for an opening in the men's guard. There were many of them, but Toby was not fighting for the first time, and though they might underestimate him because of his age, he was still as fast as he had ever been, and it was speed which would win this fight today...

OOC: Readying my weapon and shield and walking forward (unless they close the distance first). Using trip attacks to try to prevent them from getting past me and taking out Ishkanna. Toughness Aura in case they manage to close.