The Battle with Cathezarr

Before having gone more than a few steps more, the lady whirls around, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Something bad comes!" she says distinctly in an urgent tone that sounds strangely like Deethan's distinctive accent. Backing a few more steps towards the wall of the street, the woman scans the area, looking all around, including upwards as she/he starts to cast a defensive spell.

Her spellcasting and warning draw every eye on the street and in a moment she is surrounded by a wavering bubble of magical energy which the spellcasters easily recognize as a globe of defense to restrict the effectiveness of certain magical spells.

With the ability to see things as they truly Deethan can see what the others might not.

An invisible portal opening has appeared in the middle of the street in the direction that the party had been walking. Its size is staggering if something is going to come out of it. It is a good 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. The portal appears to be like an arch or an oval. Its boundaries are defined by a shimmering purple black radiance of magical energies common to portals that are capable of crossing planar boundaries unlike the normal blue and red swirls of magical energy that are common with portals that are limited to opening connections on the same plane of existence.

Deethan can see the street continuing on through the portal but see a slight shimmer/haze as if he might be able to see what was on the other side of the portal if he tried hard enough.

A powerful creature steps forth. Again with Deethan's ability to see things as they truly are he knows death has stepped thru the portal.

It is sheathed in layers upon layers of defensive magics which Deethan can piece together with his high skills and currently cast spells. Mirror Image, Blur, Displacement, Blink, ( and a unique spell that has him 50% of the time not on this plane… similar to blink but it is definitely not the ethereal plane that he goes to ), Haste, Mind Blank, (and a unique spell that seems to be able to thwart Dismissals/Banishments for a time ), Spell Turning, some form of Contingency,

The creature is a blend of Chain Devil and marilith, which Deethan can see with his true sight, but the magics to blend such opposite creatures is staggering. It is hosted by a being of this plane which seems to be trapped at the core of the blended devil/demon. It is armed with chains and swords. A plethora of magical devices are scattered around its body.

ROUND ONE

The luckpriest of Tymora hearing and seeing the merchant woman’s cries and warnings tries to aid the party as best as he can with no idea of what is about to happen. He raises his hands and begins the magical gestures as he calls upon a prayer to Tymora to shed her favor upon those near him. He, Garrett, the elven lass Leathynos, Faelar and Shayla all begin to shed a soft pearly white glow which fades leaving them invigorated and feeling luckier than normal. OOC: A Blessing of Tymora.

Deethan ( disguised as the merchant woman ) already plucking the necessary spell components from his pockets, yells "TRUE TANAR'RI!" loudly, immediately starting to cast a dispel magic at the huge portal which only he and Faelar can apparently see opening nearby, hoping to dispel it before the horror beyond can make it fully through...

In a twisting ripping of magic in the direction that the others had seen him gesturing as he cast his spell, a previously invisible portal opening has appeared in the middle of the street in the direction that the party had been walking. Its size is staggering if something is going to come out of it.

It is a good 20 feet tall and 15 feet wide. The portal appears to be like an arch or an oval. Its boundaries are defined by a shimmering purple black radiance. The shimmering twisting boundaries of magic are outlined as the whole scene seems to shimmer and shake and with an ear splitting explosion comes ripping apart.

With a great thundercrack an expanding cloud of shattered stones from the streets cobbles and outrushing air moving at gale force explodes outwards. None of the party is caught in the shockwave when it is traveling at its most intense but pieces of shattered stone and strong winds tumble and race by all the party.

Deethan ( the merchant woman ) and Faelar however both seem to watch something tumble thru the air thrown by the explosion and come to a halt somewhere before the party. Something no one else seems to be able to see look and try as hard as they might.

OOC: The dispel of the portal was successful. It had a backlash effect which ejected the unknown assailant here stunned for the remainder of the round as well as a probable equally violent rupturing of the portal on the opposite side. Deethan and Faelar note the creature took damage from the portal collapsing.

Derrick’s old friend Kyle with his very large bastard swords moves with smooth grace as he steps into the shadows of an overhanging cloth awning in front of the tea shop and grabs a bit of shadow and hides. Those who saw him move there even have difficulty keeping track of him now.

Faelar notices the portal forming, and stops in his tracks. Quickly he realizes that this is yet another attack from the groups enemies, although as complicated as the construction of the portal is, it seems to be a rather quick response from those they just attacked. He utters the command word for his winged boots and takes to the air (climb 30'). He drops his mind shield to send a mental note "something comes". Unfortunately Garrett has stopped maintaining the psychic link and none hear his thoughts.

As the...creature appears, the elf is struck by just how powerful those arrayed against them truly are. If he survives this encounter, he promises himself to delve deeper into the magic it takes to create and control such a foe. Faelar calls out, "Invisible foe in the middle of the street. True seeing!"

Shay’la is at a complete loss for what to do but she calmly pulls out the reagents for a powerful spell and readies herself for battle. She scans all around trying to find anything which may be invisible, hidden, or somehow using magic to slip around the borders of the planes and dimensions to come at the party unseen.

Derricks looks around, shocked that the entire crowd has moved on and that the group is completely exposed in the streets of Waterdeep during the carnival.

Without a word, he makes a couple of gestures, points back at the crowd, gives Kyle a single nod, and then sprints down the street joining back up with the crowd, seeing it as the only viable location for cover and concealment at this point. He runs at a speed that is unbelievable crossing the 200 feet in a matter of seconds before simply fading into the edge of the throng of the carnival which still continues to stream past though many have turned to watch what is causing the loud noises down the wide thoroughfare where the party finds itself.

Leathynos is caught somewhat offguard and simply backpedals a good 30 feet or so away from the others putting her back up to a wall of a nearby building as she gets out of the middle of the street.

-------

ROUND TWO

Though apparently only Deethan and Faelar can really see what there foe looks like both have the shocked and somewhat despairing looks indicating that this is a very powerful foe.

A flickering appears as five semi-visible creatures step into being less than a dozen feet away from the party and in the middle of the street in the direction that they had earlier been walking. The creatures are blurry and hard to make out apparently moving around and not being centered in this plane by magics. The creatures appear to shift in random directions every couple of heartbeats. Some even simply wink out and remain gone for a few more heartbeats so that the exact number may be even more than the five that you can see at any one time. The creatures apparently are a good 10’ or more in height and are very broad and well muscled and have six arms wielding swords. They stand on two legs and apparently have a very long and powerful tail as well. They would easily weigh several hundred pounds apiece. Though draped in swirling mists which hide there true location and appearance there also appear to be a great many chains wrapped around them and dragging along on the ground when they move. Innumerable small sparkling lights of magic like fireflies dance around them as the attacking creatures are literally sheathed in layer upon layer of magics.

As one they attack.

Deethan ( the merchantwoman hears inside his head ). “Your soul belongs to me mortal.”

As well as Garrett hearing inside his head. “The Cabal will have your blood Garrett of the fallen state.”

Moving incredibly fast and attacking in eerie unison the creatures whip long barbed chains at Garrett and dance in to strike at Deethan with there swords.

Garrett is flayed alive as one after another of the chains wraps around him and then jerks back with tiny barbed hooks in the chains ripping out hunks of flesh amid gouts of blood. He is literally ripped to shreds and falls to the ground in a massive outwelling of blood as huge ugly gashes in his flesh expose deep muscle tissue and in some cases bone. Several ribs snap and rip thru his flesh and doubtless into his lungs as well as he falls to the ground with blood oozing out of his mouth and nose ( OOC: 4 severe wounds one of which is a bleeding critical with broken bones ).

Deethan fares little better as the deadly swords dance around him slashing and stabbing into his flesh with abandon. One stabs him through the abdomen nearly ripping out his spine in the process, another catches him in the side of the head ripping open his face and cheek and nearly causing him to lose an eye, his left hand is impaled and then ripped free in a spray of blood, a similar strike takes him in the forearm laying flesh open to come grinding to a halt against the bone inside, a lightning fast stab takes him in the right thigh cutting loose a large chunk of muscle which flops in the wind amongst a spray of blood, and his head is again caught as his forehead is laid open and his head slammed backwards. Deethan’s body dances like a marionette under the power of impossibly powerful strings as he bounces around in the midst of semi-seen foes as blood flies out in all directions for the powerful strokes ( 9 severe wounds with 3 of them being criticals ). Deethan is not even able to keep to his feet as he simply swoons over and hits the ground to lay in a pool of spreading blood as his body absorbs so much damage.

And then just as suddenly all the creatures are gone with only a slight blurring in the air dancing all around and between Deethan and the main clustering of the party.

Kyle moves to any nearby cover and hides he has moved from his original point to find a more secure vantage point to study his foes. He selects a hiding spot that will grant him some way to observe whatever is happening at the "front". He will primarily try to get a read on whether Derrick is traveling with good people or wicked ones. Right now, Kyle will not involve himself unless Derrick is threatened, or if one side or the other seems to be Good or Evil (with capital "G" and "E"). He feels bad as he moves to see the fighting happen, but uninformed action is as likely to inflame things as resolve them.

But he is shocked in the extreme when out of nowhere a lashing barbed chain reaches across the 20 feet or so of distance as a half a dozen figures seem to step back into this world for a moment more before disappearing again. The chain whips around his left leg and yanks him with a powerful jerk causing him to loose his footing and land flat on his backside and slide a good 2 feet out into the street toward where the attack came from. His leg is lanced and filled with pain ( serious hit ) as the sharp barbed hooks lace through his flesh even as the heavy chain bangs him hard enough to even possibly snap a bone if it would have hit more direct on.

Kyle is shocked and angered that his motion provoked an attack of opportunity at such a range and that even hidden as well as he was the creature somehow saw him.

Deciding that this creature is definitely in the truly evil category he draws forth his twin bastard swords and tries to think of someway to isolate the creatures location as well as cross the distance to engage him.

Still rising into the air now nearly 60’ above the street, Faelar thrusts a hand into a pouch and grasps a recently gifted crystal. "Khelben, Laeral, Waterdeep is threatened" he sends. It is but a moment before he hears a response back. “Where are you? Is it the drow? Send again or else I will scry you. Lhaeral can not come. In Skullport looking for Durnan.”

Seeing Faelar rise into the air, Shay'la follows him up, spacing herself thirty feet away from her lord. Her head snaps back and forth as she tries to spot the foe. She too is struck by a fast moving barbed chain lashing out of nowhere as four of the creatures reappear. It catches her in the chest and hammers her hard knocking the breath out of her and backwards a good 4 feet ( 1 serious hit that is also a critical ). Her armor absorbs some of the damage but the speed and power of the flailing chain takes her a bit by surprise.

Being close enough to Garrett to cast a spell without provoking an attack of opportunity, the luckpriest lays his hands on his side and both are enclosed in a soft yellow radiance as some of the worst of Garrett’s injuries are healed as he receives a very powerful spell from his long time and trusted friend.

ROUND THREE (of the slaughter)

Kyle is the first to attack but he holds his action until he can get a good attack in on his foe. Seeing a need to act immediately but chosing to take a wise course to study them for a couple of rounds if possible, gauge their strength, look for weaknesses. If it looks like combat is necessary or would serve to better thwart evil than more planning would and he can get there he will do so.

Deethan loses his guise of the merchantwoman as the concentration he needed to maintain the illusionary disguise is lost. The dark skin of his Chultan heritage lay bloodied and covered in his own gore. He stands and begins to cast a spell. Apparently the foe has yet to recover from his earlier attacks as he is unable to make an attack of opportunity against him. Or else he simply chooses not too and is playing with them all. A very large and deadly cat with a few small mice at his feet.

Deethan quickly rolls off the words to a second powerful spell designed to shatter magical emanations but is disappointed to see that it has had no effect whatsoever. Or at least none that anyone can see directly. He shakes his head as he hears eerie laughter inside his own head.

Again the half a dozen creatures step out of empty nothingness right between Will and Garrett and flitting around them on all sides.

The swords dance and stab and the Tymoran priest is slashed and stabbed even as the swaords sometimes pass through emptiness and sometimes pass thru flesh as Garrett has again become somewhat insubstantial ( 4 serious wounds and 3 serious wounds with 2 pass thrus ).

Bloody gobbets of flesh fling out as the chains lash out in all directions. A pair goes for Shayla, but she is too high, and it doesn't reach. A third leaps out at Deethan and a fourth go leaping out towards Kyle. Deethan is slammed hard in the chest and arm and thrown backwards up against the wall behind him ( a serious wound ). Kyle is caught in the arm and even as the chain wraps around and around it digging in its sharp barbed hooks Kyle attacks ( light wound and entrapped ). Displaying an amazing grasp of combat one of the blades of the two bastard swords touches the chain and shrieks as metal on metal as Kyle runs forward keeping a steady pressure on the chain going straight at the foe even though his eyes are deceiving him in all regards. Even as the chain goes limp right in the middle of the attacking creatures Kyle has isolated at least the general location of where the true enemy stands. His bastard swords whip out and arc in tight arcs designed to cover and cross as much of the space between them as possible so that he does not even have to aim at any single one of the flickering images. He even simply closes his eyes at this point trusting in his instincts to guide his hands.

One of the blows lands against something solid and then a second. He is unsure if he caused the attacker any harm but he has at least landed the first blows against this creature whom everyone present can feel evil radiating off of as if they were all paladins and this was one of the foulest creatures of the Abyss which it very well is.

As he opens his eyes he is again confused by the visual panoply before him as there simply is no creature anywhere within 5 feet of him though he can swear he just hit it.

Ensuring that he's out of reach, Faelar fires magic missiles at the illusionary mirror images of the devil/demon to dispel them. One by one creatures simply wink out of existence leaving but one creature who continues to flicker and fade and jump from place to place to the left of Garrett and Will.

Even entrapped Shayla casts quickly and a shimmering column of flame drops onto the creature but seemingly misses as impossible as that seems as the blurred image appears a few feet to the side and more or less directly in front of Kyle.

ROUND FOUR

With a trained eye Kyle quickly notes a thin streak of greenish blood coating one of his blades for a good handspan along its edge and knows for certain that he has at least hit the creature. Kyle in a display of speed and agility as he tries to find and connect with his opponent swings about with a bastard sword in each hand. Far from being overpowered and thrown of balance by their weight and length. They instead seem to dance in his hands as his body moves in perfect grace with the paired weapons as if they were extensions of his own arms. His simple brown robes with the white cord belting it at his waist swirling as he moves.

He lunges in at a shimmering in the air and strikes nothing but air but stepping through he pulls his leg around in a sweeping arc throwing the other blade in a long and deadly arc which connects with something from the metal on metal sound of impact. The follow thru is just as swift as his primary sword leaps forward and then sweeps around. He is rewarded by a second powerful impact against his unseen foe. But he is not satisified. He is sure that without the many enchantments cloaking the summoned monstrosity he would have been able to deal it a serious blow.

The creature for so it had been revealed by Faelar’s fast thinking. For it is a single creature. The creature wastes not time in attacking Kyle whom it has determined to be its primary threat. The being whom Kyle had just struck in front of him now appears behind him in a swirling as if a desert mirage had parted as his magics to fool the eye fade in its aggressive attack.

Kyle is not started by the silent attack but is slammed by the thrusting and slashing swords and the whipping barbed chains. He is pummeled repeatedly by the heavy weighted chains and there sharp barbed hooks. Kyle manages to shrug off most of the bruising blows with receiving only minor scraped from there barbed and razored edges until the last one whips him around the neck. The length of chain wraps around and around with the painful barbs and razors slicing into the soft and unprotected flesh in sheets of blood ( serious damage and a critical hit ) and as the sharp barbs enterwine they become fest entangling Kyle.

The swirling of the half seen monster and its multiple arms whirls like a drow blade master as the swords are criss crossed and lunged thru. Kyle is deeply slashed repeatedly in the lower back, the left leg, the back of his left shoulder, and his right leg. The left leg is flayed as if he were a slaughtered animal in a butcher’s shop. The muscle is severed down to the bone in three separate locations seriously hampering his movement ( 6 serious hits with 3 of them being critical movement is reduced to ½ until some form of magical or mundane healing ). Kyle dodes manage to see that the creature has been attacking him has mistepped and overextended with at least one attack and manages to throw out a wild wing of his own in a riposte blow but does not connect ( AKA a House Rule.
If the combatant has any of the improved combat feats I allow for an instant riposte when the opponent rolls a ‘1’ based at your lowest attack numbers ).

Half lying against a nearby building in a spreading pool of his own blood, Deethan quickly prepares the spell reagents to a powerful defensive spell slowly sprinkling powdered diamond over his body as he recites the words to his spell. His skin glimmers a dull gray in shade for a moment before returning to its normal color.

Considering that she'll not want to entrap her allies, and that the blink would just allow it to escape a grapple anyway, Shay'la realizes that precision, not coverage, is called for here even though the latter would be much fun. She maintains her altitude and calls up a spell to improve her aim in the following round.

Garrett’s ally, the priest of Tymora, calls upon his faith as he lays his hands over his torn and ripped chest and side as he calls forth healing. His hands glow a soft pearly white which seems to seep into his flesh and the great bloody gashes of his wounds slowly close.

Garrett turns and his semi-insubstantial head glows softly as his eyes blaze a white radiance. The darting about and semi-visible attacker seems caught in midstep and shimmers as Garrett manages to catch him full on with a blast of mental energies. But as he does so the creature continues to move and again assumes a somewhat blurry and displaced appearance. Garrett meanwhile snaps back into the real world as whatever mind energies he had been trying to use on the creature snapped back at him and all of the magical, quasi-magical, and innate abilities that he possessed were simply disrupted. He stands fully solid dripping his own blood onto the cobbles cursing in a silent voice.

"I am coming now." hears Faelar. Faelar sighs inwardly and hopes that Khelben will be sufficient to stop the beast. Meanwhile, they'll have to do what they can. The elf calls up a spell similar to the one cast by Shay’la unconsciously following the same battle tactics of his long time friend and ally.

He is the first to see the black robed man bearing the trademark black staff appear a hundred feet away in between them and the carnival. The grey streaked beard and dark piercing eyes waste but a few moments become oriented and seeing the deadly spell and steel battle before hitching up his robe with one hand and beginning to run in that direction.

Faelar’s relief is heartfelt as he sees his one time mentor and one of the most powerful archwizards in all of Faerun answer his call.

Unseen by all over the last few seconds Derrick had slipped back quietly along the side of the street keeping to the shadows as he returned to aid Kyle and his new found friends. Derrick’s moving out of the crowd, into the shadows and cloesr to the combat area is akin to a silent and unseen stalking cat. Very few indeed would have spotted hjim at all with or without magic and lots of experience.

Why the group is still standing together when this thing is ripping them apart is very confusing to him, but he'll do what he can to help.

As the creature materializes again and Kyle is ableto hit it, Derrick will use leap from the shadows simply appearing to fly out of a shadow and leap across the distance in a running attack, strike it, and disappear back into the shadows. He knows with a sinking feeling that the powerful thrust kick which he had aimed at the shifting creature had struck but done no damage as his angle was off and the chains which he believes to be wrapped around the creature had absorbed the blow. As mere moments before his curse silently mirrors that of Kyle that he knows he could have hit without the myriad enchantments circulating around the creature.

ROUND FIVE

Faelar finishes a second incantation and hurls a small glowing silver and grey skull down at the shimmering creature. Faelar is angered that he seems to have missed but at the last moment the skull hits a spinning and half glimpsed chain. But just as quickly the skull bounces and flies back up at Faelar as the magical defenses turn the spell back against its caster. Faelar is struck in the thigh by his own glowing skull. As it does the grey radiance that suffuses the skull leaps out and surrounds Faelar even as the skull crumbles to dust.

Khelben is the second to react as he nears enough to point his hand and utter the arcane words to a powerful dispelling magic designed to strip off the magical defenses of whatever is tearing its way thru the party.

“Show yourself.” He shouts in his deep baritone.

The spell causes the creature to stop flickering in and out of existence for a brief moment. But just as it had before with Garrett it somehow rebounds against Khelben Blackstaff. But unlike the other the blackstaff in Khelben’s hand seems to shimmer and hum and Khelben is no worse the wear for the rebounded spell.

“That is the way is it.”

Khelben looks angry.

But what he does not see and Faelar and Deethan do is that the magic that turn spells back against the caster has failed around the creature. And not only that but that myriad layers of glittering spell defenses falters and shakes as some of their magics are unraveled. ( Invisibility is gone, Displacement is gone, Haste effect is gone ).

What the rest see is that the invisibility of the creature has failed. It still continues to blur in and out of reality as it is sometimes on this plane and sometimes on another or border dimension. It still blinks from place to place and now that the invisibility is gone the mages present are amazed that it is moving a good 15’ with each blinking which is far more than a normal spell of similar abilities.

The party gets the first real look at the creature before them. It seems to be a powerful creature standing about 10’ tall and draped in a long tattered grey and black cloak which is seemingly made of mere tattered threads. Its body is strangely feminine with large jutting breasts and wide hips. But it is far from human. It bears six arms each gripping a sword. There is layer after layer of chains wrapping the creature in some form of protective armor. A dozen lengths of chain dangle and in some places drag the ground around it. It has a great prehensile chain wrapped tail like that of a powerful lizard or dragonkin. It wears numerous necklaces, baubles, rings, gem studded items and decorative items pinned or wrapped about the chains on its body. The look of hate filled fury in the partially chain covered face is directed solely at Khelban. A couple of places show slowly dripping greenish icor where it had previously been wounded.

“Khelban. An unexpected pleasure.”

Shay’la is the first to take advantage of the creatures appearance.

Quickly shouting out the last words to one of her most powerful spells she points her arm and a multiple leaping beams of shimmering colors strikes down towards the creature. It simply turns its head and within a mere heartbeat it vanishes from this dimension as the lashing beams strike down to where it had been standing engaged with Kyle.

Kyle too leaps and rolls with uncanny skill as the septet of beams lash down where he and the creature had been battling. The chain that had been wrapped around his throat having vanished with the creature.

A fifteen foot wide swath of the city cobbles explode and burst sending shards of stone in all directions.

The creature reappears back where it had been standing and turns back to face Khelban.

OOC: Deethan and Faelar note that the unique spell which was similar to a blink but probably went to other planes is now gone. Obviously whatever the creature has done to avoid the attack has drained the remainder of the spell.

Deethan’s hands blur as he remains seated but casts a powerful spell.

A jagged bolt of lightening leaps from his fingertips but as it stretches across the distance to reach out to the creature it turns into a bubbling green and black bolt of bubbling acid. It strikes the creature with unerring accuracy with great globs of bubbling churning acid eating at its flesh and the chains covering its body even as it screams in horrible female anguish.

Garrett and Will scramble to the side to get out of the ravaging effects of magic even as the priest begins to cast another spell of healing on Garrett closing some of the worst of his wounds.

Rolling to his back and kip kicking himself back to his feet, Kyle charges into engage the creature again now that he can clearly see it. His blades are a whirl as he manages two savage blows which set the creature stumbling slightly as he is able to put his full weight and finesse into the strikes.

The creature completely ignores Kyle and brushes past him enabling Kyle to swing at his retreating side. He lands a powerful blow which snaps chain links and a fountain of green blood sprays from the wound as Kyle knows he has scored a critical hit against the monster.

It does not even slow in pain as it charges with sheer hatred at Khelban. It moves fast. Much faster than an unarmored man could but far slower than you have seen Derrick move. But it closes the distance between itself and Khelban and goes into a flurry of blows.
Though it can not attack as it had before the six arms work in parallel and with smooth grace as they lash out at Khelban. All are stopped short of hitting the archwizard as a shimmering bubble of energy appear around Khelban.

The creature leans back its head and screams in sheer rage.

At which point Derrick somehow again steps from the shadows and delivers a powerful kick to its right knee. As he leaps to get out of the way the shadows seem to part and stretch and simply absorb him.

BUT Derrick gets the feeling that the creature has spotted him ( aka a failed roll to reenter and be unseen … a bad time for a ‘1’ there is a small opportunity for the creature to attack you.

ROUND SIX

The rattle of chains as the creature lets the chains dancing around its body fall back and lie loose where they are attached to its flesh and its ‘armor’ of wrapped chains follows the creatures previous cries of rage. The creature blinks to a location 15’ behind Khelban and away from the party back towards the carnival which has in the meantime turned into a chaos of confusion as those who can see the epic battle unfolding are breaking and running away as fast as they can which tangles up the smooth artificial chaos of the well rehearsed troupe of performers. Acrobats fall as does one of the clown dressed men walking on the long stilts. His fall is softened as he crashes into the soft cloth awning over a bookshop. The sounds of musicians playing is replaced by the screams of those panicked trying to get away and the roar of various caged beasts which are being run pell mell thru the adjoining street as the wagon drivers try to control and at the same time get to move faster the panicked draft horses.

As it reappears it sheaths two of its middle swords in sheaths on its hips even as the other four spread out into an engard pattern of defense and attack aimed in all four directions around it. The now empty hands begin a rapid series of gestures as the creature mouths words to a spell. A shimmering appears before it as if a thin line had opened into nothingness. The chain wrapped middle arms reach thru and pull out a mantle of shimmering energy which it deftly flips over its upper set of shoulders. A long pair of epaulets hang down the front of the creature. The mantle shimmers and glows with woven cloth of gold and threads of platinum. Gems stud its surface in mystical patterns. Even the non-spellcasters recognize it as a powerful item of magic.

Faelar and Deethan are able to see that it is a garment in which complex spell patterns have been woven along the gold and platinum threads and embedded in the arcane symbols of the gem work. Spell after spell seem to layered and woven together in a pattern too complex to decipher. Faelar however has seen similar and knows what it is immediately from his previous associations with the high mages of Evermeet.

A battle spellmantle. Ancient Cormathyrian magic. No normal spell something a cross between epic magic, elven high magic, Netherese aracna, and powerful magical artifact creation is required to even begin to understand the constructing of such powerful mantles.

Though he doubtless does not have the preparation of the other two mages Khelban’s eyes widen as he sees the mantle go over the creatures body. They widen even further as he shouts.

“Cathezarr. How can it be.”

Khelban has finally recognized your foe.

Kyle rotates one shoulder and then the next causing the great bastard swords held in either hand to spin in tight arcs flipping off the green gore along there edges as he sizes up the foe. This Cathezarr. He slowly walks the distance between the two of them as he stays outside of sword reach studying his foe and avoiding any hasty attacks while preparing himself for his next assault. The soft slap slap of his sandals is strangely … incongruous with the screams and frantic panic of the citizens and visitors to Waterdeep who flee only a few hundred feet away. His eyes rove up and down the Cathezarr as he studies him for weaknesses.

Garrett meanwhile shimmers and becomes insubstantial again as whatever powers he had tried to assault the Cathezarr with and were reflected against him fade away. A soft glow continues to cover his head as his eyes glow a bright white as he focuses his mind on the enemy.

As he does so a swirling white oval spinning like a wheel appears a few hand spans above the Cathezarr and a shimmering globe of energy forms around it.

Garrett looks surprised and the glow around his eyes and head fade.

Roni ( aka Will ) the Luckpriest of Tymora raises his holy symbol and calls the words to a prayer. A shimmering column of fire and pure raw magical energy drop from the heavens aiming straight at the Cathezarr and are absorbed into the spinning oval causing it to glow a little brighter and to emit a low hum of power which it did not display before.

Deethan and Faelar study the twin appearances of magic and are able to ascertain that a anti-magic shell now surrounds the Cathezarr. But one that seems subtly different in some fashion perhaps weaker and maybe smaller as it seems to bend around his body and not form a perfect sphere. But the second spinning oval of magic is completely unknown. It is composed of complex alteration and abjuration magic.

OOC: You would need to spend an action to really study it. The spells that you have active and spellcraft counterspelling would not identify it without investigation.

With the appearance and success of Khelben against the creature, Faelar feels that the tide may have turned. He glances over to where the portal was to see if it is still open as is relieved to see that it has not reformed, then moves to an optimal location by the simple expedient of flying there to isolate the creature with his attack and calls up a favorite combat spell from his memory. He draws his sword out with his right hand and after a short chant and quick gesture with his left hand, he hurls his sword at the monster. As it flies, he calls to Khelben, "Blackstaff! It's earlier defensive magics are gone! It has a strange form of a weak anti-magic shell now and something else."

The spinning sword tumbles blade to hilt blade to hilt as it crosses the distance to the creature its blade glimmering with powerful enchantments and its flight fueled by Faelar’s latest spell. As the blade approaches to within a few feet of Cathezarr its angle changes and seems to be sucked up into the spinning oval which glows a little brighter and humms a little lighter. The sword does not come back out.

Deethan, still sitting in a pool of his own blood, grits his teeth against the pain, grinning macabrely at the damage his warped chain lightning spell had done. With the metallic taste of his own blood in his mouth, the blood free flowing from his head wound, he draws upon his years of training, honing his concentration to focus on the monster's precise location. Moments later, he starts to invoke a necromantic spell, mentally stretching out his hand to touch the chain wrapped demon and drain some of it's energy.

A shimmer appears between him and the creature as some spell starts to take effect and then the end of the shimmer redirects and vanishes also into the spinning oval. Again its sound increases as does the glow.

As the spell ends and somewhat disappointed, Deethan struggles to his feet. "GET BACK FROM IT SO I CAN BLAST IT!" he yells loudly to everyone, starting to back off down the street away from the creature himself.

“A spell trap. It has cast a rare spell called a spell trap. It will absorb your direct attacks. Use area of effect. Or overload the spelltrap as it can hold but so many spells at once” shouts Khelban as he raises his staff over his head and speaks the words to a spell of power. As he shouts the final words of power and gestures with the black staff which shimmers with a black, crawling radiance, a quartet of huge fiery spheres fall from the air and streak at the Cathezarr. All aimed directly at him. The fiery balls leave streaming trails of ash and drifting sparks of fire in their wake as too are absorbed into the spinning oval which screams now in a high pitched tone and spins so fast that its edges have become a blur.

Shay'la, obviously chagrined that her Prismatic Ray spell missed, but pleased to see that the creature is not immune to elemental effects, calls forth a personal favorite. A series of small flames leap from her fingers to impact in tiny, 5' bursts on the spinning oval being absorbed but also increasing its pace and shrill sound.

The spell trap overloads and detonates with an earshattering explosion. A fifteen foot area surrounding it is immolated in a powerful outburst of energy as all the magical energy it had absorbed is released all at once. But as the after images fade from everyone’s eyes the shimmering globe of the anti-magic effect around the Cathezarr seems to have prevented it from taking any damage although there lies shattered and smoking cobbles on the street all around him which lie outside his defensive ward. Tiny shards of molten shattered steel lie in the wreckage all that remains of Faelar’s sword.

Derrick will continue to use spring attack on the creature... If it does see him and wants to take its attacks on him, there isn't anything he can do about that, but he'll certainly continue to avoid the attacks of opportunity with agility and dodging in and out of the combat area. As he seems to slip from shadows forming in midair to the side of the Cathezarr his spinning kick lands cleanly in the small of its back. But in less than an eyeblink there is a grey shimmering as the few areas of the Cathezarr’s exposed scaly skin seem to thicken and turn darker in color. And then it vanishes as if a slow swirling of water had seeped over it as it was rendered invisible again.
Derrick meanwhile has landed light footed and is absorbed by the shadows again as he dashes off.

OOC: Game Summaries.
Cathezarr: Summoned a precast spellmantle.
Spelltrap. Modified anti-magic shell. Stoneskin.
Greater Invisibility. Apparently it is still readied and able to fight with four of its 6 arms even when spellcasting. But the chains have fallen inactive.

ROUND SEVEN

The Cathezarr turns to face Khelban and begins a powerful spellcasting. One which Deethan himself cast not so long ago. Though the gestures are a bit different and he is casting his spell in a strange language of spellcraft. The beginnings of a Disjunction spell are unmistakable. As he finishes he claps his hands together and points them at Khelban.

Khelban staggers as shimmers and sparks of magical energy around him fade and falter. His robes crumble to dust as do quite a few of his other magical possessions including his staff. He is left standing there in his small clothes and little else but a few non-magical trinkets.

The hearty throaty laugh of the Cathezarr fills the air.

“Come now CHOSEN. You can do better than this can you not.” Shakes its throaty voice in contempt at Khelban.

Undaunted and seemingly in her element, Shayl’ya seems gleeful and she follows up by casting a Blade Barrier in the creatures position to add injury to injury.
Not knowing if she can actually reach him or not but trying to see what happens with that anti-magic shell around him. Knowing him to be trapped by his own spell and unable to leave it because of her barrier of spinning blades. She casts the spell directly at their foe to make sure that it is absorbed. It is as she had expected and the spinning blades screams at an ear shattering pitch as they enter the zone directly around the Cathezarr but come out again around him.
He stands inside the edge of the torus of spinning blades. Several directions of movement are prevented for him if he were to try and step out of the protected area.

Khelban grins.

“Why yes. I can.”

Khelban begins a spell which none even begin to comprehend. A spell which takes him a very long time to complete. The energies that he summons seem to swirl around him as he seems to absorb energy out of the very fabric of the Weave which is momentarily visible as strands of multicolored hues which streak into his flesh. A spell of epic proportions is about to be unleashed.

Faelar, Deethan, Roni and Garrett seem to have nothing to direct at the creature so simply wait and bide there time.

Kyle and Derrick however can.

Kyle has spent time enough to study his opponent and there is a slim opening in the whirling of blades where the magic of Cathezarr would allow him to slide in and strike. It is not where he would need to be for the attack he has in mind. But with a shrug he steps forward ignoring the whirling of the blades and begins to lash out with his bastard swords. The four remaining longswords dance with lightening precision and intercept Kyle’s blades with ringing echoes of steel on steel.

Derrick slides on the ground as he has gone to one knee and lashed out with his free leg balanced on both hands. He slams a powerful blow into the Cathezarr’s leg even as Kyle steps back slightly. Continuing his momentum he rolls over forward across his shoulder and back up and on his feet and swift as thought vanishes into shadow.

Khelban now literally glows from the inside as he has pulled in so much powerful force.

But instead of release it he does something else entirely. His body seems to split into multiple images. One powerfully glowing Khelban and six others which shimmer in half seen partial reality as they all begin to cast the spells that had been cast over the last few moments. As the real Khelban keeps his arms outstretched and tiny flickers of lightening leap from his fingers into the six shadowy images. And to the astonishment of all the figures each begin casting spells. Seemingly pulling them out of nothingness.

Spells which had just been cast and which were pulled back in from the weave itself. A powerful Disjunction first stripping the Cathezarr of his magical defenses. Then a second blade barrier, a whirling blade, a meteror storm, a vampiric touch, and a firebrand. Every single spell is recreated and sent at the Cathezarr and in a blaze of magic.

In its aftermath lies a very large smoking charred spot on the ground.

Khelban staggers and falls to his knees. The images of him are all gone. The spell has taken quite a lot from him.

“He is not gone. Only sent back to his plane. The Cathezarr can not be killed here.”

END OF COMBAT

Faelar descends to Khelben's side, and a moment later, Shay'la follows him. Faelar signals her to be quiet and stay alert. "Lord Blackstaff, I wish to thank you for your aid. I fear that the...'Cathezarr' would have caused much ruin and woe here in the City". The sun elf looks around at the crowds slowly coming back to stare at the group, and comments to the nearly naked arch- mage, "Khelben, I'm sure the Lords of Waterdeep, whomever they might be, will not look upon this incident with kind eyes. I need to know more about this Cathezarr, but in a private place. We were enroute to my villa at the Embassy, but perhaps we" he gestures to the others "would be welcomed for while at Blackstaff Tower? I think you should here the tales of these others, as there is much awry in Faerun". Faelar waits for a response, and as he does, he notices the remains of his rapier. "That was a good sword. I'll miss it".

Shay'la, on guard, manages to keep her back to the pair of arch-mage and mage-knight in conversation. Although she makes no noise, her shoulders shake noticeably as she succumbs to the sight of one of the Realms' most powerful spellcasters standing in the middle of the street in the City of Splendors in his underclothes.

Khelban looks over at Faelar and with a quickly worded spells dresses himself in an illusion of his normal attire.

"Yes to that. The Lords are currently... In session. Apparently the Elven Ambassador of Evermeet here in Waterdeep and his captain of the Amabassadorial Guard have staged a coup attempt on the primarch of Saerloon and its noble houses. There is currently a Sembian delegation meeting with the Lords to discuss the attempted assassination of the Primarch and the murders of half a dozen leading nobles of the city.
They are quite irrate I fear and seeking extradition and recompnesation. All but declaring that no elf will be allowed in the borders of Sembia ever again. I fear a further purge of elves and perhaps an even more aggressive stance in the region. I hear that there is a second delegation currently at the embassy itself more or less accusing it and Evermeet of acts of war."

"I can not imagine what the ambassador has to say about all of this but the Waterdhavian Coucil is hearing out the Sembians and will discuss this later I believe."

"I believe all of the Lord's Council members will be quite ... detained for some time and unable to attend to any other more personal matters. Perhaps later when all of this is resolved."

"However. You are right the Cathezarr is most dangerous. I will seek to learn what I can of how it escaped the Simbul's imprisonment. If it is after you you should be extremely careful. Especially with all of your other worries."

He looks as if he were about to say something but then simply nods to himself and adds.

"Mirt and Durnan have been located and are safely back where they belong. Perhaps look them up and settle some old scores may be in order in light of the circumstances of how they got to be back in Waterdeep."

"I will send word to you when I have more time to entertain."

"I must return as I have quite a few things left undone for the day. Take care Faelar. Especially now."

With that he utters a word and disappears with a pop of teleportation.