<div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Status</div><div class="spoiler_body">AC 23   HP 80/94   Speed: 65'   Dex 24<br/>Cat's Grace (+4 Dex)<br/>Haste (extra attack when using full attack, +1 attack, +1 AC, +1 Reflex, +30 speed)<br/>Heroism (+2 attack, +2 saves, +2 skill checks)<br/>Protection from Evil (+2 AC, +2 saves)<br/>Resist Energy (10 acid)<br/>Profane Gift (Telepathic link to Ishtar, +2 Dex)<br/><br/>Spells remaining: 7 of 7 1st, 5 of 5 2nd, 1 of 1 from bonded object<br/>Quiver: 6 common arrows, 10 silvered, 9 cold iron, 2 Tangleshot, 5 adamantine arrows, 2 greater hushing arrows, 19 +1 Dragon Bane, 1 Greater Dragon Slaying<br/>     (pack: 40 common, 5 silvered, 9 cold iron, 1 tangleshot, 5 adamantine arrows)<br/></div></div><br/><span class="bbc_u"><em>Flashback: the night before the battle</em></span><br/><br/>"Ishtar, please, come in."  Rayne set aside the arrow and the emory-cloth she was using to hone the point of one of her arrows.  It probably wouldn't matter in practice, but the way EHO felt - and with the time she had available being here full-time - such preparations seemed the right thing to do.  But now she moved away from her little table, standing and facing the taller succubus.<em>Reformed</em>succubus, that is.  That brought up an interesting question - one they didn't have time now to waste testing, but perhaps after the battle: would magic still detect Ishtar as chaotic, and evil?  Was this something locked into the "game", or spells now reflect Ishtar's new outlook?  Interesting, for another day.  For now, she focused on the displaced demoness' words.<br/><br/>"Not everyone, perhaps, but... it wasn't such a leap of faith.  This world has changed, and so have its inhabitants.  It's only fair to look at it with new eyes."  Especially considering what had clearly been a traumatic, world-shaking event for Ishtar, but Rayne was not about to bring up the GM now!  Better not to even think of him.<br/><br/>Rayne was pleased Ishtar's Profane Gift would still work - that, too, was something she had wondered about.  She smiled guilelessly as the succubus expressed her amazement and pleasure at the feeling of righteous joy.  The reminder of how demons felt pleasure in plots was unfortunate, but minor.  "Yes, it is a wonderful feeling - welcome to it."  She was still smiling, though her eyes opened a bit more in surprise, when the succubus guided their lips together.  Definitely a bad idea in other circumstances, but now... astounding, overwhelming.  The famous temptation of the succubus was everything one might have imagined.  Soft but exactly firm enough, seeming to know exactly how long to hold it, and her tongue... Rayne felt bursts of pleasure at every contact, and she had just presence of mind enough to mentally "check her pockets", to confirm that she had not lost power to the succubus.  Quite the contrary... the surge of vigour, the additional limberness she felt flowing through her, was proof of Ishtar's good intention.<br/><br/>The arcane archer, lying in her bed, stared up at the beautiful - so unreally beautiful - demoness.  "Oh!" she gasped, at Isthar's words in her mind... then:<em>Oh!  This... I hadn't realized.</em>She smiled semi-blissfully into her new ally's face, considering.  Part of her advised caution, not least because they had a major undertaking to prepare for.  But her tingling lips, and the warmth spreading through her, argued far more persuasively.  The enhanced "feedback" of pleasure EHO now offered was quite difficult to resist.  And besides, it might even give Ishtar pleasure, so... it was almost being generous, allowing this to happen.  Rayne's smile broadened, and she stroked Ishtar's arms, gliding up to her shoulders, then inward to glide around her breasts.  "You don't have to, but... I'd like that."<em>Very much</em>she added, and coaxed Ishtar down, to press together.<br/><br/><br/><hr/><span class="bbc_u"><em>The battle vs Telethrax</em></span><br/><br/>Rayne let out a very-pleased "Yes!" as she watched her arrows stick into Telethrax, clearly biting deeply.  From the sound of the dragon's bellow, they had hurt more than she had hoped.  Good.  Perhaps all their preparations would pay off!  Yet that didn't take away from the dread she felt when that huge eye fixed on her- she had never felt so small as at that moment.  But she didn't quail - already she was reaching for another of those wonderful Dragon Bane arrows.  Not, however, quickly enough to prevent Grogza from being horribly snapped up, and carried aloft with a few strokes of those huge wings.  Even the gold of the treasure-horde shifted under the breeze of the quickly-climbing dragon.  Losing that strong melee warrior - no, that wouldn't do!  But as Rayne stared way up, it seemed a strong likelihood.  "The agony of seeing your friends fall" he had said - and she wondered if he meant that literally as well figuratively.  Grogza dropped from that height... but oh!  The arcane archer remembered what had often been her most-useful spell - she'd always used Feather Fall on herself, but she could target another... and would if the dragon released her friend.  It wouldn't even slow her archery down... the corners of her mouth tweaked slightly up.  "It's you who will fall, monster!  After what you were doing out there..." she tipped her head towards the stone slab that blocked them from the breeding room.<br/><br/>At the thought of that place, she thought of something more.   Thinking of Ishtar, Rayne projected:<em>Fighting Telethrax now... get his victims out!</em>It was best those on the rear teams understood the A team was still engaged, and alive.<br/><br/>Then... to the battle.  It would be best to free Grogza... so Rayne took special care, aiming for the dragon's jaw, hoping a hit on that smaller target would free her friend.  Still she saved the precious Slaying arrow, using the Dragon Bane exclusively.  "Hang on, Grogza!"<br/><br/>The called shot missed - it was a terrible shot in fact, cutting the air without threatening Telethrax at all.  Her second shot - without the benefit of such careful aim - she simply targeted at the dragon's bulk, and was rewarded as the shaft sank in a little.  She risked another called shot, taking advantage of her<em>Haste</em>... and cursed as another arrow flew very wide.  "Sloppy... sorry."  Not good at all...<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Rolls</div><div class="spoiler_body">Called Shot: Mouth: 1d20a22 DC: 36 Result: <strong>24</strong> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=79017) Miss<br/>Full Attack 2: 1d20a17 DC: 31 Result: <strong>34</strong> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=79018)    Damage: 1d8a5 Result: 6 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=79020) + Combined Bane and Holy damage: 4d6 Result: 12 (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=79021) = <strong>18 damage</strong><br/>Called Shot: Mouth: 1d20a22 DC: 36 Result: <strong>25</strong> (https://elliquiy.com/forums/dicebot.php?r=79019) Miss<br/></div></div><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">OOC</div><div class="spoiler_body">Two almost-fumbles, yikes!<br/>Thanks, by the way, for the option of called shots - it makes the combat even more interesting, and is fitting in the circumstances.  Difficult choices!  Though in this case, it made no difference.</div></div>