IC-The Lesser Evil

[phaedrusxy]

Grimtooth says "Let me help speed us to him." and blood pours out from his hand, and where it touches the ground four giant eagles appear, their feathers black and eyes red. He climbs aboard one, and says "They are fast, and hopefully can keep up with his mount."

[oslecamo]

As  you take to the skies, either riding Grimtooth's bats or by your own means, you somehow manage to catch up with Rothul Shuh. As you get closer, you notice the reason: his griffon mount is partially covered in some mysterious, crackling dark energy, probably a leftover from his battle against the tomb legion flying undeads. This energy is clearly sapping its vitality, slowing down its movements.

However, said dark energy is clearly dissipating. It will not be long before Rothul Shuh's mount regains its full speed, and easily lets you behind once more.

For now, Rothul Shuh doesn't seem to have noticed you flying behind him under the blanket of the night, too worried observing the burning city below, as the Tomb Legion steadily pushes the Order of Truth defenders back.

(click to show/hide)

Rothul Shuh now at 130 feet away from you, performing a "flying run" of 160 feet each turn, meaning his mount's base flying speed is now just 40 feet.

[phaedrusxy]

Grimtooth grins evilly and says "Yes... we've caught him. Now to bring him down!" As he points his toothed black staff at Rothul's mount, a crackling beam of dark energy shoots out from it, striking the beast and threatening to cause its muscles to seize up entirely and plunge both it and rider to the ground.

(click to show/hide)

Grimtooth's cohort/weapon casts Ghoul Gesture on the paladin's mount. Fort save DC 17 or it is paralyzed for 6 rounds. On a successful save, it is sickened instead.

[oslecamo]

The griffon's limbs suddenly freeze and stop moving-including its wings. Beast and rider start falling downwards into the darkess below at extreme speed! Rothul Shul seems caught completely by suprise as he pulls his mount's reigns trying to get a reaction out of it.

(click to show/hide)

You estimate you're around 1000 feet high from the ground, so it will still be some turns until your target his the ground. As a reminder of falling rules, he'll fall 150 feet this turn and then 300 per turn on the next ones.

[McPoyo]

Yurgret, suspended upside down below two of his gnollish companion's vile servants, stretches his maw wide in Anticipation before urging his mounts forward into a rapid dive after his target, limbering his mighty arms for a strike.

[oslecamo]

The halfling proves a nimble foe all the way down, desesperately fending off Yurgret's blows while they both plummet down faster and faster. But when they finally arive to the ground below, there's nowhere for the champion of the order to dodge between the hard earth and the ogre's bloated body. With a last scream of defiance, the halfling and his paralyzed mount are crushed between the two tough surfaces. There's not much left to eat besides squashed pieces of meat besides bone and metal fragmments, but you do find an intact, ivory amulet with carefully crafted platinium runes of an unknown language. It seems something important, an insignia for a high-ranking individual.

Behind you, the city that the Tomb Legion was invading is burning.

(click to show/hide)

Yurgret takes 64 damage from the fall.

[phaedrusxy]

Grimtooth lands nearby, doubling over while bellowing out loud, hyena-like peals of laughter at the flattened mess that is the paladin's remains. He slaps Yurgret on the back saying "Good one, bro! Totally worth the broken bones, I bet!" Then he notices that Yurgret isn't moving either, and says "Well, shucks... is he dead too?"

[McPoyo]

Yurgret picks himself up off the ground, taking the amulet with him and tucking it into a pouch for later investigation with the others.

"No, thanks to the fast healing. Come on, let's go take the burning city." he says with a deep growl and a wince, before trundling off, leaving the goo of the former paladin to slough off as he shifts back to his non-spider form for faster travel.

[oslecamo]

You quickly return to the Order town, and see its streets filled with the lack and gold forces of the Tomb Legion. There's however a red and white nucleus of resistance at the center, where they seem to he formed a circle of barricades and are managing to hold the undead at the bay.

There's also an eerie figure in robes with an onyx crown and clad in dark purple robes and carrying a staff with a jeweled skull on top, riding a skeleton horse with silver barding over one of the conquered walls. He's surrounded by a small contigent of undeads carrying numerous standards and flags. He looks just like he may be the main leader of this Tomb Legion, overseeing the movements of his unliving troops inside the city. You probably failed to notice him earlier because he was surrounded by his minions, but now most of them are inside the city and he seems to prefer to hang back from a position where he can oversee the situation.