Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 48 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 41 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+30 = 41 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+25 = 41 (Miss)

Fartooth unleashed another flurry of arrows, but shook his head as they all missed once again. “It is no use! I can’t hit him with his defenses like that.”

Nimbly, I dodged across the tops of the statues, until I was back at the door. As I landed in front of the kobold, I pulled a staff from my bag, and said the words that would unleash a portion of the magic inside. A thick wall of ice sprouted up between us and the sentinel, stretching from one end of the room to the other.

Turning back to the others, I said, “That should hold him for a second. I have a crazy idea, but it might work. Siora, I need you to cast a greater invisibility spell on me. If I can take out his sword and shield, then he should be a lot easier to deal with.”

Ebonheart whinnied in approval. “Yes! Shatter his defenses, and prove that, even though he is stronger, none can prevail against us!”

WS’s Damage Roll (Wall of Ice): 1d8+47 = 54 (Slashing)

WS’s Damage Roll (Wall of Ice): 1d8+47 = 53 (Slashing) (Broken)

Two great impacts hit the wall of ice. It only took two slashes of the sentinel’s blade to slash through a wall of ice two feet thick! The sentinel turned to look at me, and said, “Your efforts are futile. You will be terminated for trespassing.”

Siora looked at the hole the sentinel had made in the ice wall, and gulped. Looking back at me, she said, “I hope you know what you’re doing, Mel,” and cast the spell on me, turning me invisible to everyone.

Vestele’s Mass Aid: 1d8+15 = 19 (Temp HP)

Vestele uttered a quick prayer to her demon goddess, and said, “This will help, at least a little. Make sure to make the best of it!” As she spoke, my wounds seemed a bit less dire, and I felt a bit of courage take root, despite the terrible situation we were in.

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 46 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 52 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+30 = 35 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+25 = 26 (Miss)

Fartooth continued firing his psychic arrows, just hoping to get lucky, perhaps. I couldn’t fault him. There wasn’t much else he could do to help, and it wasn’t like he would run out of ammunition. And there was always the chance he might slip an arrow through the creature’s defenses. At the very least, it gave the sentinel something else to think about.

Melinda’s Tumble Check: 1d20+49 = 51 (Success)

Wall of Ice Damage: 1d6+24 = 25 (Cold) (Cold Immunity)

Melinda’s Sunder Roll: 1d20+33 = 49

WS’s Opposed Roll: 1d20+61 = 64

Invisibility Miss Chance: 1d100 = 25 (Fail, Miss)

Melinda’s Sunder damage: 3d6+3 = 11 (Bludgeoning) (Hardness 10)

Vitriolic Channeling Damage: 15d6 = 46 (Acid) (Half Damage to Objects) (Destroyed)

Seizing my chance, I vaulted through the gap in the ice wall, the remaining cold air not troubling me in the slightest. Thankfully, the sentinel did not seem to be able to track my movements. Which was very fortunate, considering that I knew it would object to what I was about to do.

Foot clad in acidic energy, I lashed out at the main threat, as I saw it, the sentinel’s sword. A swordsman without his sword was far less of an issue, in my experience. Thankfully, my foot found the sentinel’s blade, and hit hard, just above the hilt. The blade melted under the acid and clattered to the floor, ruined beyond repair.

I could hear Ebonheart cheer as he watched on from the corridor. “Get his shield next!” I had to smile. Normally, I would be against destroying obviously valuable magical items, but, well, gold was useless to you when you were dead, so I’d make an exception.

WS’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+51 = 68 (Hit)

Invisibility Miss Chance: 1d100 = 49 (Miss)

The Sentinel turned, and tried to grab me, probably to get me into a grapple where my invisibility would not be as useful. Thankfully, I managed to avoid that, because I was invisible. But we still hadn’t done any real damage to the thing.

Wall of Ice damage (Siora): 1d6+24 = 27 (Cold)

With the sentinel distracted, Siora turned herself invisible with a spell, likely the same one she used on me. Either way, the only sign of her presence was a brief disturbance in the icy mist as she passed through the remains of the ice wall. Fortunately, the sentinel was too focused on trying to find me to catch wind of her.

Vestele’s Disarm attempt (WS): 1d20+32 = 52

WS’s Opposed Roll (WS): 1d20+47 = 53 (Success)

WS’s Disarm Attempt (Vestele): 1d20+47 = 65

Vestele’s Opposed Roll: 1d20+32 = 37 (Fail, Disarmed)

Vestele, too, tried to seize the initiative, and stepped forward to face the sentinel. Her whip-dagger cracked in the air, and wrapped around the sentinel’s tower shield. Back and for they tugged, but, in the end, the whip was ripped from Vestele’s hands.

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 54 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 37 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+30 = 48 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+25 = 28 (Miss)

Fartooth kept up his assault, launching arrow after arrow. At this point, it was clear he was going more for distraction than anything else. But that was fine. The more distracted the construct was, the better for us.

Melinda’s Sunder Roll: 1d20+33 = 50

WS’s Opposed Roll: 1d20+47 = 54

Invisibility Miss Chance: 1d100 = 48 (Fail, Miss)

Melinda’s Sunder damage: 3d6+3 = 12 (Bludgeoning) (Hardness 5)

Vitriolic Channeling Damage: 15d6 = 56 (Acid) (Half Damage to Objects) (Destroyed)

Capitalizing on my success from the last attack, I slipped down, behind the construct, so that it couldn’t try and escape, to raise an alarm. Once again, my foot, clad in acid, lashed out, and, this time, I was pleased to see that annoying as hell shield melt and burn away from the acid. Now, things should be easier, right?

“Hah! Keep it up, Mistress! Show that pile of scrap whose boss!” Ebonheart called out, urging us forward from the sideline. The tight spaces were clearly designed to hamper anyone who could match this construct in strength based on size.

Melinda’s AoO (WS): 1d20+35 = 55 (Crit Immune)

Damage: 3d6+3 = 14 (Magic) (DR 10/Epic)

WS’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+47 = 61

Invisibility Miss Chance: 1d100 = 10 (Miss)

“Situation non-optimal. Must retrieve reinforcements.” The construct apparently decided that this wasn’t going his way, so he attempted to turn, and run. Unfortunately for him, I was standing there, and I struck him with my fist, doing the first actual damage the thing had taken. The construct swung blindly at me, but I easily managed to duck under the blow.

Siora’s Attack Roll (WS): 1d20+18 = 28 (Touch) (Miss)

Siora said the words of a spell, but whatever it was didn’t seem to work. “Damn! This bastard is still too slippery by far! Mel, can you do anything about that?”

Vestele’s Disarm attempt (WS): 1d20+34= 45

WS’s Opposed Roll (WS): 1d20+41 = 44 (Fail, Disarmed)

Vestele frowned as she called her whip to her hand. “I’ll try and help out how I can, stripping some of his jewelry, but I don’t know how well it will work.” As she spoke, her whip-dagger flashed out, and snagged the pendant around the construct’s neck. With a quick tug, the clasp popped, and the amulet fell away.

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 45 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+35 = 52 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+30 = 38 (Miss)

Fartooth’s attack (WS): 1d20+25 = 30 (Miss)

Another round of shots from the kobold, and another round of misses. However, with every bit of protection we pulled off this construct, the closer his arrows came to hitting. Just a little bit more should do it.

Melinda’s Disarm Attempt (WS): 1d20+31 = 48

WS’s Opposed Roll: 1d20+41 = 48

Invisibility Miss Chance: 1d100 = 20 (Miss)

With that thought in mind, I dashed nimbly forward, taking that moment to relieve the construct of another item, the ring that he had on his finger. Thankfully, being invisible made it all but impossible for the construct to defend itself against these attacks. Every little bit helped, though. Had to keep telling myself that.

WS’s Fast Healing: 20 HP Healed

Melinda’s AoO (WS): 1d20+35 = 53 (Hit)

Damage: 3d6+3 = 14 (Magic) (DR 10/Epic

WS’s Attack Roll (Melinda): 1d20+47 = 51 (Miss)

The construct actually looked to regenerate what little damage I’d done to it! No matter. When it tried to swing wildly at me again, I struck back with a counter, hitting it again. It was definitely easier to hit, now.

Siora’s Attack Roll (WS): 1d20+18 = 37 (Touch) (Hit)

Siora’s CL Check: (Cloaked Casting, Ignores SR)

WS’s Will Save (Overwhelm): 1d20+24 = 26 (Fail)

Overwhelm: 436 (Nonlethal) (Unconscious)

There was the flash of a spell going off against the construct’s armored back, and a cheer from Siora as the construct wobbled, and then fell to the floor. When she spoke again, she was further back. “Sister, quickly! He’s not dead, just unconscious. Get that item you deactivated earlier before it wakes back up!”

Wall of Ice damage (Vestele): 1d6+24 = 27 (Cold)

“On it!” the Priestess cried, and jumped into the gap. She shivered slightly at the frosty air that was left behind by the spell, but that didn’t stop her from getting to the construct, and quickly stripping the bracers off his arms. After all, stripping someone, even a construct, was much easier when they were asleep. Looking up in the general direction of my invisible form, she said, “All right, Mel. Please smash this thing until it is dead.”

“With pleasure,” I replied, and then proceeded to spend the next minute or so repeatedly striking the unconscious construct with my feet and acidic magic, staying ahead of its healing abilities by sheer throughput. Fartooth also came up to help, taking out his frustrations on the thing by shooting it repeatedly in the face while it was down.

Your party has defeated the Warforged Sentinel!

Melinda earns 44122 xp.

Ebonheart earns 39031 xp.

Siora earns 44122 xp.

Vestele earns 44122 xp.

Fartooth earns 44122 xp.

Loot

Ring of Deflection +5

Amulet of Natural Armor +5

Crystal of the Stalwart Blade

Crystal of the True Defender

Crystal of the Mighty Guardian

Bracers of Relentless Might

You have Leveled Up!

You are now Level 26.

354874 / 351000 XP to level 27.

+1 Epic Save Bonus

HD: 1d8+6 = 13

+1 Bluff, +1 Diplomacy, +1 Intimidate, +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Spellcraft, +1 Use Magic Device

Warlock Abilities:

Eldritch Blast damage increases to 14d6.

You have Leveled Up!

You are now Level 27.

354874 / 325000 XP to level 28.

+1 Epic Attack Bonus

HD: 1d8+6 = 8

+1 Bluff, +1 Diplomacy, +1 Intimidate, +1 Perform (Dance), +1 Sense Motive, +1 Spellcraft, +1 Use Magic Device

New Feat!

Improved Combat Casting – Do not provoke attacks of opportunity when casting spells while threatened.

Marshal Abilities:

Major Aura – Bonus improves to +2.

New Minor Aura: Art of War – Bonus on disarm, trip, bull rush, and sunder attempts.

I staggered slightly as I breathed out a sigh of relief. Looking up at the others, I saw that, at some point, the invisibility spell had worn off, and Vestele had gone about healing me. “Auril’s Breath! I wasn’t expecting something like that!”

Siora nodded, slowly, crashing off the battle high as I was. “Yes. I guess the designers of this vault decided that the secret back entrance was best guarded by their best warrior.”

Fartooth chirped. “Don’t be so sure. Yes, the Voice of the World used ‘the’ when it spoke of the creature, but that just means it is a singular entity. It doesn’t mean there aren’t other, just as nasty, entities around.”

Vestele nodded her head. “Yes, that’s true. And while we beat this enemy, we only did so by breaking most of its equipment. That sword and shield had to be powerful, and worth a pretty pouch of coin.”

I chuckled. “Yes, there’s a reason I don’t usually go around breaking people’s shit. But dead warlocks can’t spend gold, as a rule, so I’ll quite happily sacrifice a couple items, no matter how powerful they may be, if it means I see another dawn.”

Siora grinned. “Well said. Now, I think we’re all healed, yes? Let’s put those things in the bag, and see what else we can loot.”

“Fine, fine. But everyone be on guard. If there are other guards down here, we have to assume that they heard our fight, and will be waiting on us.”