Demona Martial Check:
71+35+30+35=171
Manhattan Clan contest:
28+21+20+38=107
Success!
Demona lept for her own kind utterly without hesitation, alternating between spear and claw seamlessly even as Coldstone aided her with covering fire. While the gargoyles were able to keep themselves from being impaled, it came at the cost of several smaller injuries.
Janna Martial Check:
64+13+12+7+44+5+7=152
Demona contest:
55+35+30+35=155
Bare failure!
Raising Feldrake, Janna let loose a burst of sickly green light, arcing through the room straight for Demona. Tom was not far behind, sending a great conflagration of flame after it. Demona raised her shining spear, and the instant the attacks impacted, they exploded in a burst of searing light. Demona was pushed a few inches back by the force of it, but seemed unharmed.
Janna grimaced. "I'm starting to think there might be some downsides to using exclusively black magic."
"Nonsense!" Feldrake declared. "Try again."
Xanatos Martial Check
93+21+20+38=172
Demona contest: 65+35+30+35=165
Bare success!
Demona turned to face the Manhattan Clan again; this would prove a mistake. Xanatos' manservant had slipped away, aware he was not fit for combat most likely, but David was still here. Xanatos used the opening to open fire, forcing Demona to leap desperately to the side. The burst of what looked like laser weaponry grazed the gargoyle, causing her to hiss in rage.
Marco Martial check: 4+29+44+5= 82
Demona Contest: 66+35+30+35= 166
Critical Failure!
Marco thought he saw an opening. Throwing aside the chainsaw, he leapt for Demona, grabbing on to the spear with both hands and trying to pry it out of her arms.
Demona was stronger.
With one claw she held Marco's efforts at bay, keeping a death grip on the weapon. The other she raked across Marco's face, talons ripping deep into flesh.
"Marco!" Janna screamed.
Janna Combat Check:
35+13+12+7+44+5+7=123
Demona contest:
17+35+30+35=117
Bare success!
Leopold roared in time with Janna, both of them charging wildly at Demona. The gargoyle, focused on the great beast, did not stop Janna until she was already on top of her. Janna slammed into Demona, knocking the wind out of her and placing her onto the metaphorical and literal back foot.
Marco fell to the ground, clutching his face and swearing under his breath. "Oh, shit that hurts." Marco tried to wipe the blood away from his eyes, but more flowed every second.
Marco has been removed from the fight!
Coldstone Martial Check:
24+35+30=89
Janna contest:
35+13+12+7+44+7=118
Coldstone whirled around from engaging the Manhattan Clan to fire a rocket at Janna, but before the projectile could even leave its launcher she summoned up a wall of purple fire, incinerating the device as it passed. A slight shockwave rippled through the warehouse, accomplishing nothing but pulling attention off Demona for a brief moment.
The Manhattan Clan took advantage of that.
Manhattan Clan martial check:
53+21+20+38=132
Demona Martial contest
15+35+30+35=115
"I know what you did, Demona!" Lexington declared, leaping from spot to spot to keep out of the taller gargoyle's range. "I can recognize the effects of flash maturation when I see it."
"You couldn't find any gargoyles to listen to you, so you had to make your own!" Broadway added.
"It's brilliant, is it not?" Demona replied. "Finally, gargoyles that can be taught the truth."
"You're playing god, Demona." Lexington said.
Demona grinned. "More than you know."
Unfortunately for her, Demona's tendency to boast once again got the better of her. While the others kept her busy, Hudson leapt forward with skill that belied his age, scoring a hit across her flank and drawing out a savage roar.
Janna attempted to follow up on the attack, but before she could, the red gargoyle, Brooklyn, reared up and grabbed on to Feldrake.
Brooklyn Diplomacy Check:
1+5+20=26
Janna contest:
67+6+26-5=94
Critical Failure!
"Who are you?" Brooklyn asked, fighting to keep a level tone even as he struggled to keep hold of the staff. "Why are you working for Xanatos?"
"I dunno, maybe because I like being alive?" Janna retorted.
"Listen to me. Xanatos is a monster! He's tricked and manipulated my kind more often than I can count. And now, he's helping the man who killed Goliath, our leader, our clanmate, and his enemy! We want justice!"
Janna grimaced, gaze flickering uncertainty around the room.
Then she felt something tugging at her sleeve.
"Hey." Marco said gingerly, pulling himself up into something like a sitting position. Despite the blood in his eyes, he gazed directly at the being in front of him. "Look at me. Does this look like justice to you?"
"I…" Brooklyn replied, barely-held together righteousness fraying in the face of the gouges in Marco's head.
"Listen." Marco said slowly, each word stretching his skin and making him wince. "I don't know your friend. I don't know what happened. But her?" Marco waved his arm at where Demona was still fighting off the Manhattan Clan. "I know people like her. And so does she." Marco turned to Janna.
"Janna. I know it's hard." Marco said. "We can talk about what happened out there later. But right now? I need you to end that bitch.
"And if this idiot gets in the way?" He finished weakly. "Beat him unconscious."
There was a brief pause as Marco allowed himself to slump back to the ground, breathing slowly.
Janna kicked Brooklyn in the chest.
His grip was not tight enough to hold on.
Demona martial check:
67+35+30+35=167
Manhattan Clan contest:
71+21+20+38=150
Demona Success!
Demona again harried the other gargoyles, the spear seeming to imbue her with speed and strength even other gargoyles could not match. After a few moments of frantic combat, she finally managed to slam Hudson into the wall of the room, spear held to his neck.
"I will not allow you to get in my way, old man." Demona snarled icily. "You have no idea how long I've waited for this day."
"I think I might have some idea." A voice replied.
Macbeth martial check:
20+21+20+38+30(centuries of hatred)=129
Demona martial check:
27+35+30+35=127
Macbeth success!
Demona was so fixated on Hudson that she neglected to check her surroundings. If she had, then perhaps she might have caught the man aiming a kick at her before it landed. The new combatant's blow struck true, sending Demona tumbling back away from Hudson, though she still kept a solid grip on the spear.
Demona clambered to her feet, snarling like a panther, before her eyes caught the figure standing in front of her.
"You."
"Me." The man replied with a gentle Scottish brogue. He was tall, well built, clearly old but clearly strong. His hair was a shocking white, a tall widow's peak and well trimmed beard framing a strong jaw.
"You two know each other?" Lizzy asked dispassionately.
"You could say that." the man replied.
"You took your time, Macbeth." Xanatos commented.
"Do not look a gift horse in the mouth, Xanatos. Besides." He continued, pulling forth a large, esoteric looking rifle. "You know I'd not miss the chance to settle the score."
Macbeth Martial Check:
92+21+20+39+30(centuries of hatred)=202
Demona martial contest:
87+35+30+35=187
Macbeth Success!
"Wait." Janna asked. "Did you say Macbeth, like, the-"
"Janna. Maaaybe… later?" Tom suggested.
Ignoring the byplay, Macbeth hounded Demona like a man possessed. With every blow he landed on the woman he would wince in sympathy, but still he did not let up. He did not falter.
Demona Martial check:
49+35+30+35+30(centuries of hatred)=179
Macbeth martial contest:
54+21+20+39=134
Demona Success!
Demona retaliated, dodging the latest of Macbeth's blows and returning the favor with several vicious strikes of her own. Oddly, it seemed as though she was wincing with every strike landed as well, certainly not in sympathy, but perhaps in hatred? The two were more or less evenly matched, each gaining the upper hand in combat only for a moment.
With three booming thuds and an enormous clatter, the door to the room fell off its hinges as a very battered Pack stumbled into the room. Jackal and Hyena had their armor marred by carbon scoring, Wolf's fur was smouldering in places, and the Tasmanian Tiger looked like he was rethinking his life choices. All four appeared combat ready, but much worse for wear.
"Demona!" Wolf bellowed. "We want overtime!"
"I promise, you will get what's coming to you." Demona replied in between parries. "Just fight!"
Pack Martial roll
69+35+52-30(beaten and battered)=126
Janna contest
48+13+13+7+44+7=132
Bare failure!
The Pack moved forward as one, intent on taking Janna out of the fight. In response, she summoned a wall of bones to block the multiple projectiles coming her way, taking advantage of the Pack's exhaustion at having run through Xanatos' bunker filled with traps and turrets.
"You cannot evade us any longer, vile beast!" a voice shouted from above the hole in the ceiling. The imposing figure of the Huntsmaster and a handful of his men were glaring down at the fight, coldly analyzing the duel between the gargoyles and Macbeth, awaiting the perfect opportunity to strike.
Huntsmaster Diplomacy check: Are any of these filthy creatures worth allying with for a moment?
DC 100
54+26-50(hatred)=30
(entirely expected) Critical Failure!
"No, wait-!" Janna began, but the Huntsmaster would not have listened even if she wasn't too late. Heedless of the situation, The Huntsman and his elite circle opened fire upon every gargoyle in sight.
Huntsmaster Martial check: Scourge the beasts!
78+30+10+20=138
Demona Contest:
10+35+30+35=110
Success!
Manhattan Clan Contest:
57+21+20+38=136
Bare Success!
A rain of plasma flew across the entire room, forcing everyone to stop their battle and run for cover. The gargoyles found their fight most thoroughly ended as they all went for cover, taking scorch and burn marks along the way.
Demona Intrigue check: Take cover… right where you want to be.
DC 120
85+34+28=147
Success!
"You idiot." Lizzy said caustically.
"Cower, monsters!" the Huntsmaster declared, leveling his own stave at the Manhattan Clan's cover. "You cannot hide from us. Your army lies broken, your allies have fallen, where else is there for you to go but into the earth where you belong? You made a mistake in revealing yourselves to the world, for while the Huntsclan would have exterminated you eventually, now you have earned the eternal ire of all humanity..." the Huntsmaster boasted, leaping from his spot on the roof into the chaos below.
"Cower yourself." Demona grinned, standing from behind the pedestal and snatching the square box off of it.
Demona ripped open the container with ease, talons grasping the object inside… and then snarled.
"WHAT?!?" She screamed. "What is this?!?!"
Demona pulverized the context of the box in fury, allowing a few pieces of what look like bark or twig to crumble out.
"Check." Xanatos replied, striding forth. "I knew you were coming, Demona. Tell me honestly. Did you think I would be foolish enough to place the one thing you needed, brightly lit, in the middle of the room? You've expended the last of your resources just getting here. As planned. It's over, Demona."
"No!" Demona screamed. Raising the spear, she allowed it to spin, whirling above her head faster than the eye could see. Then, suddenly, it stopped, snapping towards the pedestal still crowned with its false prize. "The Lance knows its own! It has to be here!"
"I knew you had the Lance as well." Xanatos replied. "After all, you stole half of it from me and outbid the rest. I'd say better luck next time, but Macbeth is still here. And I believe he may have something of his own to say about a 'next time'."
Demona Intrigue Check: Where is the actual Crown?
DC 140
50+34+28+60 (Doom from Stone)=172
Success!
Demona screamed, a feral, monstrous wail of rage. Then, in directionless fury, she struck out against the nearest object- the stone pillar.
The stone parted at the spear's touch, shattering into pieces, and revealing... the compartment hidden inside.
Demona stared.
For the first time Janna had ever seen, Xanatos' face dropped its smarmy grin and was replaced by a look of horror. "No!"
Xanatos leapt forward, but even as he did, Demona lunged into the remains of the pillar. Her hand clenched.
A burst of energy blasted throughout the room, throwing everyone, human, gargoyle, or otherwise, back against the wall. Demona's form was surrounded in a searing corona of light. In her hand was a small, brown circlet, plain and unadorned, made of thorny briars knotted and twined together. A drop of blood fell from where one spine pricked her finger.
"Let them pray."
Slowly, Demona placed the crown of thorns atop her head. The spear in her hand shuddered as the thorns bit deep into Demona's scalp. A trickle of blood began to flow down Demona's face, and she spoke aloud.
"My kingdom comes, my will be done. On Earth, as it is in the heavens. For the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory are mine, now and forever!
"Amen."
As Janna watched Xanatos collapse, her own legs fell out from under her.
"Now," the Demon said. "KNEEL."
