Opening Day and Round 8 actions
Subject: Round 8 actions
OOC - Did Salix miss because he's out of range, or did you write up his "falling short" because his roll missed? If the latter, he will call lightening again. If the former, he will try to move within range and call lightening again.
From: Mark
Subject: Round 8 actions
He was short range. Call lightening does not require an attack roll. However the range is 100 feet +10 feet/level or 180 feet and you are further away then that. They are on the other side of the pass and Salix is on the extreme east side.
From: Kevin
Subject: Round 8 actions
Damn, that hurt. And I haven't even been able to hit that damn big thing. Well, lets change that. IF we let this thing live too much longer and it'll beat the both of us into a pulp.
Risking an attack from the giant creature, Harp steps to Kal's side and attacks the creature.
OOC: Mark, move to J20 (provoking the AOO when leaving I19) and Standard attacking E3.
From: Mark
Subject: Opening day
Most of you probably know this but today is the Grand Opening of Karl's Quiznos.
Good luck Karl.
From: Derek
Subject: Round 8 actions
As Allistair runs to the battlements he shouts up, "How's it going up there?"
From: Randy
Subject: Round 8 actions
Ran, feeling his health renewed, quickly thanks Ragnar as he takes flight once more. He flies as fast as he can, charging (if he can make it that far) to assist Kal with his foe (M19 is his intended position - I can't remember how far he can move right now)
From: Mark
Subject: Round 8 actions
Fying he can move 120 feet. He can charge, I think, but can not run.
From: Derek
Subject: Round 8 actions
With the fly spell Ran has, somehow it seems that everything he is doing would fit right into an anime fight sequence...
From: Mark
Subject: Round 8 actions
You can visualize him running on air, just like in a Crouching Tiger type movie.
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From: Derek
Subject: Round 8 actions
I prefer the 'your legs don't need to move when you're flying through the air' interpretation used more in anime and ninja movies over the 'movement of legs is necessary for all forward movement regardless of the medium you are moving through/on' interpretation more prevelant in kung-fu/wire-fu movies.
From: Josh
Subject: Round 8 actions
Kal takes a 5 foot step to flank the Giant and does a full round attack. OOC: 100 HP's is so much better than 50. Thanks Harp!
From: Kevin
Subject: Round 8 actions
OOC: Josh, since you are before Ran in the order, I don't think you are going to be able to get a flanking bonus this turn. Harp is coming up beside you (he can't get into a flanking position and still get in an attack). Your 5 ft step would get you to J or K 18 - adding nothing of benefit this turn. Next turn, it may be helpful, but I hope this thing is down this turn.
I mean, Kal can still move (he is known for dancing around) but it is not going to do him any good this turn.
From: Josh
Subject: Round 8 actions
Yea. He'll move either way, so the natural position Harp and/or Ranwould step into would create a flanking situation. I like how Kal gets a little bruised and Harp's arm breaks. :) Gonnabe fun trying to play that one off. "No really, I fell down the stairs. Don't blame Kal! He didn't do it."
From: Porter
Subject: Round 8 actions
Mund starts flying upward, trying to fly as quietly as he can (stupid wings!), looking for the magicker who don't know he's dead yet, or for any more spells coming out of him. If
From: Derek
Subject: Round 8 actions
Allistair doesn't seem to get any reply from the top of the fortifications. When he sees Ran streak across from the fort on the right to the one on the left, he assumes that is where help is needed, so he heads for the one on the left. How do I stop that flying mage? I think that last spell he hit Mund with was just a Magic Missle, so maybe he's running out of his more powerful spells. Even so, he will probably target me next now that Mund is invisible. If it's just Magic Missles though, at least I can do something about that.
Allistair will cast Shield on himself, and use the rest of his movement to go to the fortifications on the left.
Round 8
Subject: Round 8
Round 8
Init: Harp (25), Flying Guy (23), Surin (20), Maximus (18), Lady De Blum (15), Kal (14), Ranthir (12), Ally (12), Salix (7), Legionaries (7), Creatures ( E3) (7), Mund (5), Ragnar (5).
Harp realizes that Kal is outmatched. "Going to have to get close and bring that thing down" he thinks. Moving to Kal's side, he tries to avoid the greatclub as it moves to intercept him as he closes (AOO, AC20, 19+16=35, hit, damage 24) but fails miserably. The huge wooden bough crashes into him, crushing ribs. Barely able to breath Harp strikes out with his sword (AC20, 12+13=25, hit, damage 10). With all his might he thrusts his longsword through the things hide armor and into the creatures belly. Looking up he sees the things eyes go wide and then dim. He wrenches his sword free, the blade still crackling with static, and the creature falls to the ground.
Ally is thinking that it might be time to get into some cover. He had not been quite when he had called Mund and to any competent mage he would be obvious as a spell caster. He starts to run towards the doors ahead when 5 bolts streak out of the air ahead and above him and strike him in the chest (damage 25).
Mund, who has been flying around invisible, sees the bolts of force as they leave an area down and to the left of his position. He watches as they strike his brother and almost drive him to the ground. Mund turns and falls like a rock towards where he saw the bolts of force originate. He still can not see the mage and his anger boils up. He feels something build in his gullet and he tries to roar. He roars and frigid air bursts from his mouth. The moisture in the air in front of him turns to ice and he hears a shocked gasp somewhere out ahead of him (Breath weapon, (REF save, DC16, 5+?=?, fail, damage 11). He turns his head and sees his wings again.
Ally stumbles towards the door ahead, trying to get under cover. "That magic missile almost did me in" he thinks. I need to get my shield spell up." He stumbles through the open door, panting and feeling the burned skin on his chest through his robes.
OODM: The combat is over. The characters do not know it yet but the Mage is now flying away while still invisible. You can role play any looking around for him but since he is still invisible and still has the fly spell, there is almost no way you will be able to catch him. I will write up more tomorrow for Maximus and the remaining fighters. Any one on the battlements will find, after a bit of searching, the bodies of about half a dozen dwarf fighters. This is half a dozen on each side. There are also the remains of a giant on the west side.
From: Porter
Subject: Round 8
Crap! He can see me! Mund charges toward where he heard the gasp come from, trying to close the distance and grapple again before he can drop a fireball on him.
After a couple of minutes of circling around in a futile search for the magicker, Mund drops down to check on his brother. When he finds out that he'll stay a dragon for only a few more minutes, Mund flies up to get a better look at their surroundings, looking for other people that might cause problems.
When Mund lands and turns back into his hair ol' self, he asks "OK, somebody wanna explain this to me? What happened, and why?"
Help on the way
Subject: Round 8
Harpnearly collapses to the ground, his arm throbbing, his chest aching as he breathes. Gods, he hated giants. "Kal, check the legionaires - see if any of them live."
OOC: Harp will use Cure Minor to stabilize any legionaires that are still alive. Before Harp does any additional healing, he will wait to hear if they are going to stay in the watch towers for the night and rest. If so, he will sacrafice what prayers he has left to help those who might still live. If asked by Kal, Harp will just say that the giant got in a lucky swing.
After a while, Harp will try to get off by himself where he can use his wand to cure most of his injuries. He knows that if he sleeps the night he is going to heal a bit, so he will not heal all the way up.
Salix will check on the legionaires on his side, aiding any survivors as best he can.
From: Porter
Subject: Help on the way
Retcon a little bit:
While scanning the countryside, Mund sees about 50 dwarves headed their direction. They see him and immediately form a defensive wall and start shooting arrows at him. The arrows don't reach him, but he goes down anyway and tells his companions.
Still in dragon form, he says "We've got about 50 dwarves, maybe 20 minutes away from the fortifications. Maybe longer, depending on how afeared they are of the dragon they saw flyin' up there."
While up in the air, Mund saw a lot of evidence of a battle that he had only been dimly aware of while it was happening, so focused was he on the magicker. "OK, somebody wanna explain this to me? What happened, and why?"
From: Jason
Subject: Help on the way
As he finishes healing Ran, he sees Kal and Harp finish off the giant on the other side as well. "Thank Heironeous" he thinks to himself. These cretins had done more than enough damage. He looks over the bodies scattered on the battlements, his heart sinking as he looks among them for anyone still clinging to life. (He'll still cast CLW on anyone that's left alive.)
***
With his concentration on finding any survivors (including among the dwarf fighters, which is not likely), Ragnar doesn't find out about the invisible mage until several minutes later when Mund is asking about the battle. "Wait, what mage?" After learning about the mage's attack on the Lady de Blum, he inquires about her condition. Finally he asks "Why didn't you shout a warning? I had prepared a petition that could have ended his invisibility prematurely." He bites his lip for a moment and then says "Well there's nothing to do about it now. He's probably long gone if he has any sense. We'll just have to be careful to prepare magical defenses this night. Hopefully the dwarves that Mund saw can shed some light on the situation here."
After seeing to his companions (he has a CSW prepared and will sacrifice remove curse to get another, for whoever is worst injured) Ragnar seeks out Maximus. "Centurion, your men fought bravely and I grieve for your losses. If there are any who need the blessing of Heironeous who have escaped our notice, I offer it freely." (OOC: I can't see if Maximus took any damage, but if he did Ragnar has a CMW for him. He'll want to save his Invisibility Purge and Dispel Magic until he's sure the mage is gone.)
Turn
Subject: Round 8
Allistair runs up the staircase, only to see that Kal and Harp have killed the last creature. A quick glance in the air tells him that Mund is visible, too. However the flying mage is not visible. Mund flies around for a few minutes, and then settles down before returning to human form as the spell dissipates. "What happened to the mage?" he asks Mund. When Mund tells him he blasted him with cold, Ally is impressed. Mund couldn't have been more than guessing at the mage's location from where the spell that hit Ally had originated. "Well, it's been long enough that his invisibility spell has certainly dissipated. Since we don't see him, I'm going to assume he's run away. We'll have to be careful from here on out, he was a formidable battle mage."
After conferring with the others that they were reasonably safe for the time being, Ally goes back down to retrieve the Lady de Blum. He goes back to where he cast the Rope Trick spell (or as close as he can remember) and calls out. "Milady, the skirmish is over. I believe it is safe to come out now. The creatures on the battlements have been killed, and the enemy mage has fled. There is a division of dwarves coming here that should provide additional security."
If the Lady de Blum doesn't answer, he will simply wait, since there is no good or easy way to get someone out of a rope trick that doesn't want to come out.
From: Mark
Subject: Turn
The wife is out on the road for the next couple of days so I am being Mr. Mom and running the kids all over the place. I am going to try and get something out tonight, but it will be after 10.
Waiting for the dwarves
Subject: Waiting for the dwarves
As the party realizes that the fighting is over they start checking on the wounded. Of the sixteen warriors that had assaulted the fortifications, fourteen were dead. Many of the bodies were almost unrecognizable. Harp had been able to save one on the east side and Ragnar another on the west side. When Ally realized that the other mage had run off, he and Mund had gone back to get the Lady De Blum from the rope trick. She seemed a bit shaken and quieter than usual.
Maximus was a different story. He flatly refused Ragnar's aid, though it was obvious the centurion was in serious pain. Without a word he started gathering the bodies of his fallen comrades, quietly telling the others that it was his responsibility and asking Ran to let those on the other side of the pass know this as well. The party watched in uncomfortable silence as the old veteran gathered up his fallen patrol and laid them out in formation.
Before Maximus was done with the east side Ran reports "The dwarf column is just down the way." He turns to Ragnar "How do you want to meet them?" Ragnar thinks for a moment and says "Ran, you and Harp are with me. The rest of you stay here." The fighter and the two clerics head down the stairs towards the pass. When they get there Ragnar leads the other two, whispering instructions "Let me do the talking. Harp, they may recognize that we wear the symbols of Heironious, but they will be suspicious. We will have to explain the dragon and what we are doing here. If you value your life do not pull a weapon." The other two nod and follow a few steps behind the dwarf.
They can see the dwarf column working its way up towards the pass. The dwarves are in a shield wall formation and moving slowly. When the formation sees the three it stops and a voice calls out "Who are you to stand in Backbiter pass and keep us from our places?"
OODM: I will let you guys role play this.
From: Kevin
Subject: Waiting for the dwarves
Harp will join Ragnar. He will respond to any direct questions with the approval of Ragnar and will not respond to any taunting he may receive. If anything out of line or inappropriate is said, he will let Ragnar respond.
From: Jason
Subject: Waiting for the dwarves
Ragnar calls out "I am Ragnar, son of Glim and servant of Heironeous. We travel to the World Spines on a diplomatic mission for the temple at Gorn, and have no desire to keep you from your place.
You should know, however, that on our arrival we were ambushed by giants and a human mage. The giants are slain and the mage fled, but we found the bodies of a dozen warriors on the battlements.
In addition to the three of us, we travel with five other companions, as well as a emissary from Bhyo and the three surviving members of the escort."
With that, Ragnar waits to gauge the dwarves' reaction to the news.
From: Derek
Subject: The dead dwarves
Can Ally make a spellcraft check to try and determine if Sleep, Hold, or some other spell was used to incapacitate them?
Also, what about the one giant that was dead before we got there? Did the dwarves kill him or something else?
From: Derek
Subject: The dead dwarves
Allistair is with the others who aren't down meeting with the dwarves. Some of the others remark that many of the dwarves appear to have been burnt or crushed without a struggle. Around the lifeless dwarves, he notices something strange, a few rose petals.
"These are interesting," Ally says to the group. "Rose petals are used as a material component in sleep spells. By the number of dwarves here that appear to have been killed without a struggle, I would guess our enemy wizard used a powerful sleep spell on most of the dwarves here. Most of them then were killed by these giants and perhaps a fireball from the wizard. The ones that weren't put to sleep were able to kill one of the giants (he points over to the giant that was dead when they got there surrounded by dead dwarves) before they were overwhelmed themselves. Then the remaining three giants and the wizard set the ambush for us."
"Whoever that wizard was, he's long gone now. If only we had some way to track or find him..." Allistair trails off, lost in thought for a second. "Mund! Ran! Both of you skirmished with the enemy wizard. Do you have anything from him on you? A bit of hair, a piece of cloth, or a spot of blood? I think I might be able to find him!"
From: Porter
Subject: The dead dwarves
"I dunno. I tussled with him but then I went flying all over tarnation. I don't see nothin' from him."