SJE/Session31
Session 31
At the last- the betrayal of the Evil Orchid demonic doppelganger has at last been revealed, though too late for the city defences. The wards are broken, the gates blown up and the army in disarray. And though Brand and the Captain have just finished off Evil Orchid with a Smashfist through the head, the demon army is racing towards them, Octavion and Stanewald in the lead. An enormous host is about to descend upon them, the earth screaming under the feet of Octavion, Stanewald dancing already. In the van of the demon is a cage wherin is confined the real Orchid. Nearby the corrupted DB sorcerer Artom Thule directs the army towards Gem, a terrible, bright green smoke curling from the Emerald Thurible at his waist. Surely the Doom of Gem has come at last?
Brand turns to the Captain- “Whats the last thing they would expect, Captain?”
A glinting smile comes to the Captains eyes. “A FRONTAL ASSUALT! RARRR! LAST ONE TO KILL A DEMON PRINCE IS A BIG GIRLS BLOUSE!”
Meanwhile, the more sensible one-Alana, rallies the troops, asking them to hold the line before she and cousin Anaria head for the Big Fight. Orchid struggles unsuccessfully with the black lead padlock on her cage. Rav and Jaq decide to free Orchid before taking on the Second Circle demons? So, sprouting wings into Warform, Rav airlifts Jaq over the cage. With a bounding leap, Jaq’s sling knocks down one of the Erythanoi guarding the cage as Orchid manages to surprise and strangle the second against the bars, Oz-style. Jaq kicks the padlock with a Lock Opening Touch, and the mighty lock falls open, Orchid escaping.
Even so, the demon army isn’t just sitting still. Assorted demons attack our heroes, and Rav in particular comes under concerted Charm attack from two Luminita- using Confusion they attempt to invert the flying Lunars sense of up and down… Rav musters a supreme effort of willpower and concentrates on the horizon, realising the blue bit should be on the top…
Jaq however is all out of Willpower, so she is affected when she suddenly perceives that Orchid’s eyes are flashing a Malfeas green, and cackling with delight at the “Foolish Solar- releasing me once again! MWA-HA-HA!!!” as the 1st Circle demon decides to imitate his 2nd Circle betters plan. Once more Jaq loads up her sling to fire two stones- one at each of the heads of the apparently demonic Orchid and the Blood Ape she is strangling.
Her oricalcum slings wizzes around in a golden blur and the two stones fly out and supersonic speed! As she fires, Jaq suddenly realises the nature of the illusion presented to her and her hand whips to a throwing dagger. Throwing it even faster, it just manages to deflect the sling stone aimed at Orchid, even as its twin smashes through the brow of the choking Blood Ape!
Orchid is at last free from her long captivity- (since session 25, or almost a whole day in game time) and she and Jaq dialogue as they race over the demon horde, sprinting from demon head to head. Needless to say Orchid is astonished at the news of events while she was away (it was only a day, but in Hell that’s an eternity) and the actions of Evil Orchid.
”I slept with WHO!” she cries.
Rav meanwhile has taken to the wing and decides to use his shiny new Moonsilver powerbow. Mostly to fire silver arrows straight into Artom Thule. The Sorceror responds with a Flying Guilliotine that the Lunar easily shrugs off. Two new arrows sprout from Thules shoulders as he staggers back, near death.
Octavion massive fists have been bashing Brand who is trying to hide behind Fivefold Bulwark Stance and a few Heavenly Guardian Defences. Alana and Anaria have raced forward (ducking a cloud of Obsidian Locusts from the sorcerer) and assaulted the Big Guy. But their most powerful blows barely scratch him! Octavion tires of their constant blocking, and wiping his ham sized fingers across his perspiring brow, launches an unblockable spray of his blinding, deafening black oil at them. Fortunately they dodge that too.
Jaq gets within range of the near dead Artom Thule, and seizing the smallest, least valuable coin from her purse, launches a Cascade of Brass Shekels at the DB. He looks up from trying to pull Rav’s arrows from his gut as a tidal wave of loose change hits him at Mach2!
KA-CHING! Artom gets cashed out and Rav swoops down through Tomescu anti-aircraft fire to grab the dreaded Emerald Thurible.
But all is not going their way. Octavion launches an all out assault on Brand, swinging his staff overhead to flatten Brand. One last HGD comes up again and irresistible force meets an immovable object with an awesome “CLANG”. An explosive shockwave erupts out from the connection, sending demons and soldiers flying in an expanding radius. However at long last Burning Brand has exhausted all his Willpower, and the Living Tower swings Equitable Retribution again. Brands daiklaive comes up to block again, but this time the staff batters through it, crashing into Brand ribs with an audible ‘Umph!’ as Brand is sent flying high into the air like a golfball heading for the Fairway!
Brand flies higher and higher, the air growing thin as Octavions awesome strength causes knockback on a truly epic scale. Brand travels so far and so high, that his ascent is only stopped by crashing through the Palace Solarium windows at the very peak of the volcano! Landing on Aunties comfy sofa, he quickly downs a cup of tea.
”Time for medals yet, dear?” inquires an unflappable Auntie, apparently accustomed to blood stained Exalts crashing through her drawing room window in a cloud of glass and dust.
”Not just yet, Auntie” says Brand girding his loins and starting out on the long run back down the mountain to rejoin the battle!
(End session 31, mid-battle)
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