We Join This Battle Already in Progress (Part Three)

For those of you who may have missed part one and two, here are links that will take you to them...

Part One: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/we-join-this-battle-already-in-progress.html


Part Two: https://beekaydubya.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-batle-rages-on.html

The battle continues.  I now present Round Five of combat against the dreaded Jabberwock!


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DAY THIRTEEN (December 11th), 8:11:30 am
 
Shadow floats in midair over the battle, “Where I come from a dwarf would ever heal a drow.  I am glad we are friends and not enemies.  Hopefully, I will not be thanking you again any time soon.  Shadow stares down at the Jabberwock and calls upon one of his race’s innate abilities and summons a globe of darkness around its head.  The monster doesn’t react to the darkness at all but as Drax sees the spell take effect, he remembers that the creature possessed some ability that allowed it to see him even under the effects of an invisibility spell.
 
Kysek turns and snatches the bundled weapon out of the air.  He gives the blanket wrapped around the blade a quick shake to loosen it and pulls the vorpal blade free of its sheath.  The enchanted kukri screams, “SNICKER SNACK!  I KNEW YOU WOULD COME CRAWLING BACK TO ME!  ALL OF YOUR TALK AMOUNTS TO NOTHING!  I AM BEDLAM AND I AM GOING TO TAKE ALL OF YOUR HEADS!”
 
“SHUT UP!” the gold elf yells at the vorpal blade, “OR I SWEAR I WILL MELT YOU DOWN AND MAKE HORSESHOES OUT OF YOU!”  Kysek turns his other hand, the one controlling the giant disembodied fist and grabs at the Jabberwock once more.  He gets a hold of the beast just beneath the jaw and pulls, trying to drag the monster’s neck out as straight as possible so he can bring the vorpal weapon to bear.  For all of its strength, the hand is unable to budge the Jabberwock as the monster continues to rage across the clearing, digging mighty furrows into the ground with its wicked claws and splintering trees with every lash of its long serpentine tail.
 
Grotto “We will kill this beast and the bards write a song about is!”  The scarred dwarf drops low and calls upon his god once more, reciting a prayer that will further bolster his companions’ fighting prowess.  The spell bursts forth from the dwarf and washes over all of his allies, bringing the favor of Hanseath to each of them.
 
Drax dashes to one side, shouting “Bab Albued!” as he runs.  An upright floating disk appears before him and the assassin leaps through it and vanishes, reappearing back at the party’s entrance to the clearing, behind the front line warriors.
 
With the Vorpal Blade delivered, Morn snaps his whip and comes to his feet.  He mentally commands the leather cord to grow longer as he lashes at the beast with the enchanted thong.  The leather whip snaps and cracks around the Jabberwock’s head but even with its powerful enchantments, it is unable to penetrate the monster’s thick scales.
 
The Jabberwock continues to heal from the wounds inflicted by the adventurers swarming all around it.  It flares its wings and batters Arthur as the paladin sits astride its back.  Both blows hit the knight directly in the neck and Arthur’s head snaps one way then the other, leaving him momentarily disoriented but he still manages to cling to his perch on the beast.  It then turns the massive fist holding Korbin palm down and brings its crashing down atop Raven, crushing the elf and the bird into the ground.  Its other claw slashes at Ra’ziir and even through the defense spell that has turned his body to iron, the bladesinger can feel bones cracking beneath the impact of the powerful blow.  Finally the monster snaps its tail up between its wings, smashing Arthur from behind and knocking him loose.  The knight is thrown forward over the beast’s shoulder and plummets toward the ground but his shield’s enchantment holds catches him and bears him aloft before he can strike the ground.
 
Niklas takes aim at the monster’s exposed wounds and continues launching arrows, hoping that his efforts to keep the beast distracted will allow Ra’ziir or Raven another chance to land a telling blow.
 
Ra’ziir shrugs off the hit from the Jabberwock and steps in closer, his fiery sword blazing.  Strength enhanced by muscles turned to iron, the bladesinger crashes into his foe.  Blood sprays as huge gashes are torn through the monster’s scales.  The beast roars and rears back onto its hind legs, eyes narrowing as it faces the metal elf, rage spreading across its monstrous face.
 
There was a moment of light as the Jabberwock’s fist turned over and opened.  Korbin saw his chance and tried to fly clear but was pounded into the ground alongside Raven.  The crow from Aesopica staggers to his feet and caws once, spitting out dirt, gravel, and snow as he straightens his wings to see if anything is broken.
 
Cedron grabs the bottom corners of the Witching Cloak and pulls them out to arm’s length.  The cloak’s magic carries him aloft and the priest flies toward his wounded drow ally.  “May the grace of Malazzarr heal you and set you on the path of progress to end this foul beast’s reign of terror!”  Magic flows through minstrel and into the drow, mending the wounds suffered in this pitched battle.
 
Hansuke shakes his fist, clearing away the pain and shouts “ZENSHIN TETSU NO KEN DE PANCHI” again and drives the heel of his palm into the side of the Jabberwock’s ankle.  Scales crack under the weight of iron-fisted strike and the one that follows.  The monster jerks its foot away, carrying it out of the monk’s reach before a third blow can land.
 
Arthur swoops around, climbing back toward the jabberwock, carried by the magic of his flying shield.  Lawbringer shines with holy light as the First Paladin races toward the monster.  The Jabberwock’s head lunges forward, striking like a snake and teeth crash down on Arthur.  The knight drives his blade through the monster’s cheek, slicing a long slit along the side of its face.  His other two blows fall short as he is slapped away by the creature’s lashing claws.
 
Raven continues pounding away at the Jabberwock while wires from the electrified gauntlet snake their way along his veins and nerves, digging ever deeper into his flesh.  The elf grits his teeth to keep from screaming in pain as he hacks with his nigh-unbreakable blade.  He works his sword back and forth, high and low, stabs, thrusts and slashes, seeking any opening he can find in the Jabberwock’s defenses.  The first cut chops off one of the beast’s toes, the second slices through the tendon on the back of the ankle opposite the one Drax severed earlier.  His third strike catches nothing but air but his last two strikes, the final one granted him by Ra’ziir’s spell of haste tear holes in the scales just above the monster’s knees.
= = = = = =


• Extended Haste (21 rounds remaining) – everyone except Grotto and Shadow


• Prayer (5 rounds remaining)


• Arthur: 38% health;

• Bubo: 100% health;


• Cedron: 100% health; Displacement (6 rounds remaining)

• Drax: 100% health;

• Grotto: 75% health; Fly (5 minutes, 5 rounds remaining), Protection from Evil (5 minutes, 6 rounds remaining)

• Hansuke: 63% health;

• Korbin: 39% health;

• Kysek: 96% health; Displacement (2 rounds remaining); Bigby’s Grasping Hand (+27 Attack/+32 Grap, 120 hp, 8 rounds remaining); Stoneskin (100%, 60 of 60; 59 minutes, 6 rounds remaining)

• Morn: 74% health; Inspire Courage (+2 save vs charm/fear, +2 attack/damage, 2 rounds remaining)

• Niklas: 100% health;

• Raven: 85% health; Enlarge Person (2 minutes, 7 rounds remaining, Nightwatcher 2d6+20), Bull’s Strength (14 minutes, 8 rounds remaining)

• Ra’ziir: 72% health; Iron Body (24 minutes, 7 rounds remaining, DR15/adam, +6 Str, immunties)

• Shadow: 50% health; Overland Flight (14 hours, 59 minutes, 4 rounds remaining); Stoneskin (86%, 130 of 150; 149 min, 6 rounds remaining); Thunderlance (12 rounds remaining, +22 hit, 2d6+8 damage); Darkness (199 minutes, 9 rounds remaining)

• Spewer: 100 % health;

I have included the running totals for spells in progress and remaining health this time.  Tune in tomorrow to see what happens in the next exciting round of combat!





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