Fantasy Hunter's Moon [IC] [CLOSED]

[Infab]

Castle Ellisgate - Keep Rooftop - FINAL BOSS BATTLE - TURN 2
Ashwood is on fire. Suffers 6 DMG (The Cleansing Flame.) Ashwood HP = 149.
Ethraeil = 4 + 2 (6, The Lich King.) Does 5 DMG (The Lich King) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 144.
Wesley = 2. Misses Ashwood.
Galina attempts to curse Ashwood (Dread's Whisper.) The Ring of Adona nullifies the curse.
Camille = 8 + 1 (9, Infallible Focus.) Does 3 DMG (Pinpoint Thrusts) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 141.
Theodore = 1 (Calculated Risk.) Does 4 DMG (Calculated Risk, Man of Science) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 137.
Aleister attempts to distract Ashwood. D6 used. Chance Roll = 4. Chance successful. Ashwood is partially distracted for a turn. (-2 chance to hit.)
Francis = 10. CH Roll = 5. Does 3 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 134.
Valeria = 5 + 3 (8, The Prince and the Puppet.) Does 26 DMG (Senior Inquisitor, The Prince and the Puppet, Sword of Velin) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 108.

Castle Ellisgate - Keep Rooftop - FINAL BOSS BATTLE - TURN 2 (ENEMY)
Ashwood is no longer on fire.
Ashwood = 9 - 2, 10 - 2, 2 - 1, 8 - 2 (7, 8, 1, 6, True Pureblood.) Targets Wesley, Galina, Valeria, and Theodore. Does 5 DMG (Pure Determination) to Wesley, Galina, Theodore. Misses Valeria. Wesley HP = 20, Galina HP = 20, Theodore HP = 20.

---
​

As the flames on Ashwood's pants began to die down, and a sudden group of lights appeared to mess with his eyes, the group attempt to launch another attack on the pureblood. Ethraeil hurled his swords at the Duke, one stabbing him in the shoulder while the other sliced through his thigh on the way by. He grunted, frowning intensely as he jerked the icy blade out of his shoulder and shattered it on the stone beneath him. "Are you going to actually hit me, or simply keep trying to cut or stab me?" he spat, just as Wesley attempted to punch him. He simply caught the young vampire by the hand, cutting a look to him, before plowing his own fist into the boy's face. It sent Wesley spinning, eventually falling to the ground atop one of the corpses of the dead guards.

As Wesley was sent away, Ashwood was suddenly hit by Theodore's acidic bomb. The thick liquid coated Ashwood's arm, forcing the Duke to look it over as it started to burn through his clothes and flesh. "Hmm...I think your measurements are a bit off, inquisitor." he said, flicking his arm and sending most of the acid off onto the ground. "Too thick. Not sticky enough." he said, before disappearing in a blur. A moment later, Theodore felt himself being lifted into the air before being violently slammed onto the stone roof of the keep. Hard enough to shatter the man's mask. Camille then managed to slice the Duke across his back several times before driving the weapon through. She didn't stick around, however, as she snatched her weapon out and rolled out of the way to avoid Francis's buckshot. It peppered the Duke in several spots, the wounds oozing blood onto his clothes and the roof. Yet the Duke remained standing, almost unfazed.

Galina attempted to try something else, since her shout had been preemptively canceled. And as quickly as the whispers and hallucinations started to appear in the Duke's mind, they faded. He cut her a look, before glancing down to the ring on his finger. It was glowing. "The ring canceled out your dark magic, banshee. Consider that next time you try to cast your witchery on me." he said, before darting over and driving his fist into her sternum. She was almost floored instantly, sliding for a full foot to a stop.

Then he felt the familiar sting of the sword again, this time slicing across his side. He yelled out in pain, stumbling away from it as he grasped at the wound. Valeria was swinging the weapon with ease, despite its weight and her lack of knowledge on how to use it. Perhaps Sazak was assisting her in its use? The Duke spun about, and moved to attack her, but found himself distracted by the orbs of light obscuring his vision. He missed, as Valeria quickly stepped out of the way.

Above the fight was a crack of thunder, as clouds began to gather. The wind also slowly began to pick up. A storm was brewing. Whether it was due to the ring or not, the group didn't know.

 

[Dmaster]

Rolling out of her last series of strikes she popped back up, managing to avoid both Francis' gunfire and the Duke entirely. If she could keep providing hit and run attacks she could continue to whittle him down like this, and she stared her opponent down as the lightning cracked above them. Odd, she didn't remember the clouds being so dense earlier. The fact that it may have been the ring at work did not really occur to her, as she was too concerned with killing Ashwood at the moment. Once more she leaped into combat, delivering several stabs into his torso yet again.

 

[joshuadim]

Ethraeil looked up to the sky, seeing the ensuing storm. This was definitely not natural, and it was an omen of something to come. Was their fight fated to bring about something terrible from the Duke? Or worse, as the man from his vision described, a greater threat comes along? Ethraeil kept this in mind as he conjured a ball of ice in his hands and threw it at the Duke.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Everywhere he looked the Duke was dealing out some rough hits on members of the inquiry. Like most situations, it was difficult to heal everyone at once, but he would have to do as he had with Cassandra - summon a healing vapor to saturate the air.

 

[Breadman]

Theodore struggled to get up after that last hit. The mask was useless to him broken, so he threw it off. It would just get in the way now. He prepared another bomb for the duke. This one incendiary. "Your notes are taken into account. Enfoiré"

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina gasped for air as she was knocked down to the ground. That cursed ring had prevented her abilities from taking effect. Once the Duke continued to his next target Galina grabbed her rifle and fire a salvo at him.

 

[K0mori]

Given how strong Ashwood was and how he could move from point to point almost instantly, Francis feared that he could be killed by the pureblood while reloading. He wasted no time; as soon as he had fired both barrels of his shotgun, he switched to Rosanna's rifle and took another shot at the Duke, as the other weapon was already loaded.

 

[KRIY]

Wesley looks up to see where he landed and felt the area where the Duke had hit him, his right hand held the bottom part of his jaw and pushed it back into place, after a few tries, it went back to its original position with a satisfying crack, "Ugh... Now that feels great." he looked towards where the battle was going before noting the gored, headless stump of the dead Vampire Knight he had fell on top, "Heh, Rough day?" Wesley joked.

He pushed off from the dead body and grabbed his Rapier near him. while some of the Inquiry would attack The Duke head on, Wesley would sneak behind the Duke and stab him right through the knee, effectively limiting his ability to move.

 

[Infab]

Castle Ellisgate - Keep Rooftop - FINAL BOSS BATTLE - TURN 3
Ashwood regenerates 5 HP (True Pureblood.) Ashwood HP = 113
Camille = 2 + 1 (3, Infallible Focus.) Misses Ashwood.
Ethraeil = 9 + 1 (10, The Lich King.) CH Roll = 7. Does 7 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 106.
Aleister attempts to heal the group. D6 used. Chance Roll = 4. Group regenerates 5 HP (Holy Miracles.) Wesley, Galina, Theodore, Camille, Ethraeil HP = 25. Valeria HP = 21.
Theodore = 3 (Calculated Risk.) Does 6 DMG (Calculated Risk, Man of Science) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 100.
Galina = 5. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 99.
Francis = 7. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 98.
Wesley attempts to impede Ashwood's movement. Chance roll = 1. Chance failed.
Valeria = 3 + 3 (6, The Prince and the Puppet.) Does 26 DMG (Senior Inquisitor, The Prince and the Puppet, Sword of Velin) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 72.

---
​

Aleister's magics lingered in the air, healing the members of the group as they continued to try and take down the Duke. Camille lunged forward, attempting to stab the Duke in the torso repeatedly, but each attempt he easily dodged by leaning out of the way. During his dodging, Wesley attempted to stab Ashwood in the back of his knee to try and damage his movement. He failed, as the Duke glanced back to see him coming. "No you don't." he said, moving his leg out of the way and forcing Wesley to stumble by into Camille. As Ashwood stepped out of the way, he was hit by Ethraeil's ball of ice magic, partially flash freezing the Duke's shirt and vest. "You'll need more than that, Lich." he spat, cutting a look to Ethraeil.

A moment later, things would heat up a bit for Ashwood. Theodore's bomb detonated before hitting him, bathing him in fire. He attempted to pat out most of the flames, which were burning through his clothing and flesh, before being hit with a shot from both Francis and Galina. Simple silver bullets. Nothing worth worrying about.

And then he felt it once again. The blade of Velin's executioner sword sliced across his chest horizontally, as Valeria darted by. He yelled out in pain once more, clutching his chest and staggering backwards. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU." he barked at Valeria, once he regained his composure. As the group turned to the Duke once more, they witnessed him begin to shift, the ring on his finger flowing quite brightly as his body began to morph into something new. Cute. He's changing himself to kill you....Too bad it won't help. Sazak's voice sounded off inside Valeria's head, as she watched Ashwood

The Duke's clothes began to tear off, as his skin began to shift and change color. No longer was his flesh humanoid in appearance, but was morphing to a charred black color. At first, he vaguely resembled Edmond and his fellow nosferatu, but hen he continued to shift. Becoming more beast-like. The ring seemed to change shape with him, staying firmly attached to his finger as it changed in size and length. He ended up hunched over on the stone roof, using his now six creepy elongated fingers as supports beneath him as his legs and feet finish changing.

Soon the transformation was complete, and a hulking monster was crouched before them. The large head of the creature, with exposed fangs and piercing blood red eyes, turned to look upon Camille. "You saw me as a monster, so now I'll kill you as one." he spoke, his voice guttural and reverberating.

Ashwood (Mutant Pureblood) (Final Boss)
100 HP
Trait 1: Mutant Pureblood - Regenerates 20 HP every two turns. Can attack multiple targets a turn (up to 5.)
Trait 2: Ring of Adona - Immune to Holy Magic and Dark Magic. Sword of Velin does 20 DMG against Ashwood.
Trait 3: Pure Determination [Tier 2] - Does 10 DMG instead of 1.​

 

[K0mori]

"All the power of a god, and that's the form you take!?" Francis exploded as the creature stained the world with it's presence. He was dumbfounded. He had no idea of how to attack the monster aside from loading another round into the chamber of Roseanna's rifle. He raised the barrel and tried his damnedest to shoot the Duke in the face. If he could put an eye out, then maybe the group would have a chance before Aswood's vampiric healing would bring him back with a vengeance.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Aleister watched in muted disgust as the Duke transformed into a twisted, monstrous new figure. If there was one thing he could possibly agree with Francis on, it was his view on the Duke's new form. Who would willingly wish to look like a monster?

He had a feeling the fight was only just beginning, and that in a new brutal form such as the one he was in now, he would be more adept at his attempt to harm and kill. Aleister held steady and continued to summon the healing mist.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille sneered at the horrifying display as Ashwood went through his grotesque transformation, and she narrowed her eyes as he looked upon her. Disgusting. It was hard to say whether this was purely through the ring's power or it was also the Duke's ancient abilities at work working in tandem with the artifact. It hardly mattered, the research and interactions with these horrors and godly artifacts was Theodore's jurisdiction, not hers.

"You were a monster already." she spat back. "Without a single shred of humanity left in you, you've only become that much easier for me to kill!" With that she charged into the fray once again, doing her best to avoid whatever attack Ashwood would dispense at her on the way. If she could close the distance, she would weave around his hulking form and perform pinpointed strikes with her blades.

 

[joshuadim]

Ethraeil looked on in shock as the Duke transformed, the situation now more dire than ever. This was power unlike anything most would ever see, and Ethraeil knew he needed to keep the Duke in check. He quickly clasped his hands together before moving the palms of his hands out to bring out a steady stream of ice straight at the Duke, intent on freezing him in place for as long as possible.

 

[Viper Actual]

Galina felt a mix of awe and shock as their enemy transformed. He was truly terrifying. A nightmare. She lowered her rifle and let loose another scream. Perhaps this one wouldn't be muted.

 

[Breadman]

"And the mask comes off." Theodore prepared another bomb for Ashwood. Whatever visage he took didn't bother him much. The creatures of the night that succumb to their wicked side all look the same in the end. Too late for him now. Far too late.

 

[KRIY]

Wesley annoyingly grunts as he stumbles down to the floor. when he regain his balance, he look backwards as the Duke slowly transforms into a grotesque being, humanity has left the Duke, only hate and anger fills him.

"Ugh... gross." Wesley focuses his attention toward the head inquisitor "Well Miss Witlock.. What's the course of action?"

 

[Infab]

Castle Ellisgate - Keep Rooftop - FINAL BOSS BATTLE - TURN 4
Valeria regenerates 3 HP (The Prince and the Puppet.) Valeria HP = 24.
Francis = 7. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 99.
Camille = 4 + 1 (5, Infallible Focus.) Does 3 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 96.
Ethraeil attempts to freeze Ashwood in place. D6 used. Chance Roll = 1. Chance Failed.
Galina attempts to stun Ashwood (Shatter-wail.) D6 used. Chance Roll = 3. Chance Failed.
Theodore = 5 (Calculated Risk.) Does 8 DMG (Calculated Risk, Man of Science) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 88.
Wesley = 6. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 87.
Valeria = 7 + 3 (10. The Prince and the Puppet.) CH Roll = 8. Does 29 DMG (Senior Inquisitor, The Prince and the Puppet, Sword of Velin) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 58.
Aleister attempts to heal the group (Holy Miracles.) D6 used. Chance Roll = 3. Chance Failed.

Castle Ellisgate - Keep Rooftop - FINAL BOSS BATTLE - TURN 4 (ENEMY)
Ashwood = 9 - 1, 6, 9 , 4 - 2, 6 (8, 2. Grand Duelist, The Lich King, Mutant Pureblood.) Targets Camille, Valeria, Aleister, Ethraeil, Galina. Galina and Aleister attempt to dodge (Banshee's Foresight, Vampire's Finesse.) D6 used. Chance Rolls = 3, 2. Chances Failed. Does 10 DMG (Pure Determination) to Camille, Valeria, Aleister, Galina. Camille, Aleister, Galina HP = 15. Valeria HP = 14.

---
​

"Well Miss Witlock.. What's the plan?"

"What else? We kill it." responded Valeria, glancing to Wesley. There was something odd about her voice. It bore a sort of echo to it, as if it were two people speaking instead of one. Valeria's eyes were a bit different as well, the irises having changed from her blue to a matte gold. Sazak's influence over her was growing stronger, the closer the Duke came to death. "You may try, of course." responded Ashwood, before he attempted to make his play. He was abruptly stopped for a moment by Ethraeil, whom attempted to freeze Ashwood's legs in place. The ice wasn't strong enough to hold him, as he easily cracked and shattered it just as Francis fired on the Duke's face. The shot connected, putting out one of his eyes in the process. But it didn't seem to hinder his movement...or his accuracy.

He roared, before darting directly for Camille with incredible speed. He was a bit slower now than he had been before, but his hits were far worse. His long three fingers were razor sharp, and sliced through Camille's side like a hot knife through butter. His next target was Alister, whom was still attempting to heal the party. His claws ripped through Aleister's stomach, before the Duke moved to engage his next foe. Theodore managed to score a hit with his bomb, the blast knocking the Duke off balance as he ran towards Ethraeil. Forcing him to miss his swing at the Lich. Ashwood soon corrected himself, moving instead to hit Valeria and Galina. He sliced through both with rapid speed, catching Galina across the leg and almost ripping her leg clean off. Valeria, meanwhile, was sliced across her dominant arm. She didn't drop the sword, however, as she twirled about and carved a gash through the creature's back. Ashwood yelped out in pain, sliding to a stop a short distance away. Camille and Wesley quickly rushed in, stabbing the Duke while they could before he knocked them away.

---
​

The storm clouds continued to gather above, as lightning cracked across the sky. Soon enough, a few rain droplets would begin to dot the ground. Cassandra stood there, looking up at the castle from the front gate. She had heard the Duke yell out from above on the top of the keep. "Interesting! They're fighting him already." she remarked, with a smile. She would need to act fast to get involved herself! She soon darted into the castle, heading immediately to her...special place! A hidden room in the library where she stashed all her vials of Romanov blood. It didn't take her long to arrive, especially with her pureblood speed. Once inside, she gathered up the vials that she had and looked them over. "Well...bottom's up!" she said, with a grin. She then uncorked each, and every, vial of blood.

Consuming it all.

 

[Dmaster]

Camille's side was torn open by three viciously sharp claws, unable to dodge fast enough yet she had managed to get a stab in on the Duke. Knocked away a good distance, she had taken a knee and slowly began to rise up before pain shot through her and forced her back down again. A terrible blow to take, but not one she couldn't recover from.

She got up to her stance yet again and sucked in air through gritted teeth, rage dulling the pain as per usual in these circumstances. The slow rise had her draw a few more needles from her thigh, which she quicklh brandished in a throwing position. Frail as she was compared to him, she wouldn't allow herself to fall here. The huntress bound forward again, tossing a barrage of quills at his head as she closed the distance.

 

[joshuadim]

The Duke was weakening and the storm forming above grew stronger. The time was coming close, he needed to prepare for the deed that was to come. And at that moment, he decided to use the corpses of the knights on the roof against the Duke. Ethraeil took a few steps back and brought his hands to the ground before slowly raising them upwards. The corpses nearby began to twitch and fidget a bit before slowly beginning to rise to their feet at his behest. They opened their dead, soulless eyes and awaited their orders.

Without saying a single word to them, three of them took their weapons and rushed the Duke while the others went back down into the keep. Their mission was more subtle, and needed to be kept from the prying eyes of Sazak.

---

As the reanimated knights moved through the castle at unholy speed, they made their way around and searching for iron chains wherever they could. This was their sole purpose for which they were needed, for this was crucial for the plan.

 

[Breadman]

The duke was cornered but he still could devastate anyone of them. His attacks becoming more desperate and devastating with each swipe. He was losing and they could finish him off, just a little bit more. Just a bit more fire.

The fuse was lite to yet another bomb and another and another. There were more still.

 

[Emperor Sagan]

Aleister stumbled back as he grasped his midsection from the slash he had taken, unable to even dodge the Duke or even see it coming. It was a bad cut and possibly fatal had he been mortal. As it was, he could only think about how another shirt was ruined. He wrapped one hand over his stomach to cast a healing spell directly back into himself so that he could get back into the fight quicker. Naturally healing would be too slow for this.

At the same time, he tried to formulate a magical orb in his other hand, charging it. The mist wasn't going to heal the inquiry like it should, at this rate. If he could imbue several light orbs with his spells and send them out to the wounded, perhaps he could manage a near full heal without having to lay hands on anyone.

 

[Viper Actual]

He had done it again. Galina wondered if there was even a point to try fighting the Duke at this rate. She quickly sat her thoughts aside to focus, firing another volley of silver at the now twisted creature.

 

[K0mori]

By now, Francis could see the futility of using ordinary weaponry against the Duke. It didn't matter whether he struck the monster in the eye, the heart, or even the loin, unless he could set Ashwood ablaze again, he wouldn't be making a worthwhile contribution to the battle. Setting the dullahan's rifle on the ground, he scrambled to reload, placing one of the only two remaining incendiary rounds into one barrel and regular buckshot into the other. Reserving the final fire-causing round for later wasn't any attempt to increase burn time or damage, thanks to the ballistic shells, but rather it was insurance in case he missed on his first attempt. Having not been targeted since the first punch dented his armor, Francis suspected that the Duke intended to kill him "slowly" as he had mentioned earlier, and probably wouldn't even attempt a fatal attack until after Valeria was already dead.

Snapping the gun shut again, he took up aim, knowing that these were the final, deciding moments of the battle.

 

[Infab]

Castle Ellisgate - Keep Rooftop - FINAL BOSS BATTLE - TURN 5
Camille = 10. CH Roll = 6 + 1 (7, Grand Duelist.) Does 5 DMG (Pinpoint Thrusts) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 53.
Ethraeil summons three undead minions.
Ethraeil's Minion #1 = 7. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 52.
Ethraeil's Minion #2 = 6. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 51.
Ethraeil's Minion #3 = 5. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 50.
Theodore = 9 (Calculated Risk.) Does 12 DMG (Calculated Risk, Man of Science) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 38. Ashwood is now on fire.
Aleister attempts to heal the group. D6 used. Chance Roll = 5. Chance Successful. Group regenerates 8 HP. Camille, Aleister, Galina HP = 23. Valeria HP = 22.
Galina = 6. Does 1 DMG to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 37.
Francis = 10. CH Roll = 8. Does 9 DMG (The Cleansing Flame) to Ashwood. Ashwood HP = 28.
Wesley attempts to stun Ashwood (Knockout Blow.) D6 used. Chance Roll = 4. Chance successful. Ashwood stunned for two turns.
Valeria = 9 + 1 (10. The Prince and the Puppet.) CH Roll = 6. Does 29 DMG (Senior Inquisitor, The Prince and the Puppet, Sword of Velin) to Ashwood. Ashwood is dead.

---
​

This was it. The final clash against the Duke, and the end of this long inquiry. Camille's needle daggers zipped from her fingers, striking true and hitting Ashwood in his other good eye. He roared in pain, now blinded and thrashing about in an attempt to hit someone. Anyone. He would get pelted by hits from the three minions that Ethraeil summoned, what was once his own guards. Theodore's bomb would detonate, bathing the Duke in intense fire, which was only added onto by Francis' incendiary shells. Galina's shot would hit as well, distracting Ashwood long enough for Wesley to move in quickly. He would deliver a devastating blow to the Duke, hitting Ashwood as hard as his vampiric abilities would allow him to. Ashwood stumbled backwards, stunned by the sudden impact. Right into Valeria's swing.

The Duke's head rolled across the stone roof, stopping several feet away, as his body slumped and collapsed to the floor. They had done it. They had finally slain the monster and ended this horrible nightmare. Still, there was one thing left to do. As the group gathered themselves, some being healed by Aleister's divine magics, they turned their attention to one person. The one wielding the Sword of Velin...whom now had a wide smile adorning their face. Their eyes jet black with the signature golden irises they had come to know too well. "...Simply divine." said Sazak. Valeria's grip tightened on the sword to the point where visible veins had appeared on her arm. She wasn't letting go of the weapon, as the corner of the flattened end rested against the stone.

The rain picked up, becoming a true storm. More bright flashes appeared above, as lightning cracked across the sky. Masking the noises coming from inside the castle below them. But Ethraeil felt it. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

 

[K0mori]

As soon as the Duke's head came tumbling down, Francis felt an exhilaration unlike any personal triumph in his mediocre life, but no sooner had the feeling arrived before the immediate, terrifying reminder of the demon amongst them, as Sazak spoke aloud. There was nothing he could do, as his shotgun was freshly empty and the rifle was already discarded. He knew he had one last burning shell in his pocket, but he'd never have the chance to load it.

Grunting in incoherent, instinctual terror, he threw the gun away and sprinted toward the Duke's body, desperate only to keep the ring far away from the possessed woman. He pounced on the monster's arm and grabbed at it's hand, trying to get the ring.

If I could just pull it loose from his finger, he thought, I'll leap from the rooftop to my death if I have to...!