Round 8 results and Round 9 actions
Subject Round 8 results
Initiative(Ran, Bel, Stranger3, Harp, Kal, Stranger2, Stranger4, Rochelle, Surin, Hippogriff, Salix, Cai, Fal)
Ran is pleased now that he has some more support. Still limiting his chance of getting hit he makes another attack at his foe. His half hearted attack fails to come even close to hitting his opponent. (AC21, 5+3=8, miss)
Seeing Kal in close combat with the man in plate, Bel decides to switch targets. Thinking to make quick work of the magic user, he takes a quick step forward and to his right (5 foot step) and shoots two quick arrows at the other magic user. Being careful not to hit the halfling fighting the magic user hampers Bel's aim a bit, and his first shot is wide. (AC 18, 9+2=11, miss) However his second shot finds the mark. (AC18, 18+2=20, hit) There is a flash of power as the arrow penetrates the magical shield around the man and then it buries itself in his shoulder, spinning him around. Watching the flash of magical energy Bel realizes that the magic user is protected by shield spell.(Spellcraft DC16, 12+6=18, success)
The magic user grimaces in pain and stumbles away from the halfling (5 foot step), grabbing at the arrow in his shoulder, pulling it out and throwing it to the ground. He then grabs at a small vial at this waist and quickly pops the cork and swallows the contents. The wound in his shoulder stops bleeding and the man looks a little bit better.
Harp moves cautiously around the man that he and Ran and Cai have been fighting. He gets into a flanking position and launches his attack. (AC21, 9+12=21, hit) Cai is able to provide just enough of a distraction that Harp is able to slide his blade between the back chest plate and the armored skirt. Harp feels his sword separate the bones in man's back (damage 11) and the man collapses in a pile at his feet.
With the distance between himself and the second stranger, Kal decides to take some time to regroup himself. He takes a step under the tree( 5 foot step) to keep himself between his enemy and Rochelle.
Kal allows his mind to retract even further from the present. Recalling the arcane words he had studied the night before, Kal weaves an intricate pattern with his right hand as he speaks the words. He casts like he fights, each word each and motion of his hand seems like a sword thrust. His entire being commits to the spell casting, his body swaying and dancing involuntarily as he draws up the arcane forces.
As he continues the chant, the opposite becomes apparent. His blade work is a reflection of his spell casting. Each thrust and feint of his blade is a a meaningless piece of a larger picture. What first appeared to be a flourish in his fencing is now obviously required. One different step or one different stroke and his blade work would fail, just as a spell would if a word was misspoken. (Cast True Strike)
As the spell reaches it's climax, the magic dances down his arm and infuses his blade. The true nature of his style is clear now. His sword play is reflected in his spell casting, and his spell casting in his blade work. The common thread is the artist, Kal paints both pictures with the same brush. One with steel, the other Aether. The two arts are inseparable for him, each builds on the other to create something bigger than the two alone.
The man in plate who had been fighting Kal looks around and sees the other man in plate fall to the ground. Deciding that they have taken too many losses he tries to retreat. Disdaining Kal's attacks as ineffective he runs right by Kal, trying to get to the magic users side. As he passes Kal, the elf lashes out with his rapier.(AOO leaving a threatened square.) Normally he would have been correct on Kal's ability to hit him, but he had not counted on the bladesinger's magic. The spell Kal had just cast guides his rapier unerringly into a gap in the man's armor. (AC21, 4+31=35,hit) Kal's rapier slides in between the chest plate and the back plate and punctures a vital organ or two. (Damage 5 The man looks surprised when Kal hits him, but continues moving and ends up next to Bel.
When he gets next to Bel he takes a swing at the ? elf's back. Bel is surprised by this attack and tries to defend himself with his bow. The man bats the bow away with almost contemptuous ease and takes an overhand swing at Bel. (AC18, 20+6=26, hit, critical threat, critical threat roll,AC18,14+6=20, critical hit) The sword crashes down on his shoulder. The fine elven chain does not separate but the blow does crush his collar bone and break his shoulder. (Damage 14)
Rochelle screams as she watches Bel almost get cut in half. She tries to rush around Kal but he holds her back, barely.
Surin ignores the pain of the freezing ray, and laughs instead. "Ah, that's the stuff. Much obliged, mister wizard. 'Fore the poison takes hold too bad, you mind aiming one of those at my water skin? A nice cool drink'll be just the thing once you're down."
Despite his complete lack of success with the rapier so far, he once again thrusts with it. If nothing else, he's keeping the wizard from having the time or space to think of attacking the company. (AC18, 19+11=30, hit, critical threat, critical threat roll, AC18, 4+11=15, no critical hit) This time his rapier punches through the magical shield but the small weapon only scratches the man again. (Damage 1)
Salix, who had been praying to Obad-Hai for nature's help, takes a small step forward as he finishes his prayer, which is answered. A Hippogriff appears next to Harp, startling the ? orc. At Salix's command it charges right at the magic user, trying to get to the opposite side of Surin. The beast moves with amazing speed, his wings flapping a bit and making it seem like his feet almost do not touch the ground. It takes a little bit of a round about path and then darts in and attacks the magic user from behind. (AC18, 19+8=25, hit) The hippogriff's claw catches the magic user by surprise and opens a large cut down his back.( Damage5)
Salix then moves up toward where Ran, Harp and Cai are. Deciding that Ran needs his help more than the other two do, he tells Ran ?Let me see what the healing power of Obad-Hai can do for you.? He than chants the healing prayer and lays his hands on Ran's wounds. Salix feels some healing power flowing through his touch and Some of Ran's wounds closing over. (Cure Light Wounds, heal 5)
Cai, looking around, sees her friend Bel almost get cut in half. Ignoring her own wounds she runs to his aid and swings at the man in plate. (AC21, 11+8+19, miss) The man is able to stop her blow on his shield and her sword bounces off with out doing any damage to him.
OODM: End of round 8. I need round 9 actions. New map attached.
From: Randy
Subject Round 9
OOC: What was the damage of Bel's hit on the magic user? Also, there are two number 2's on the map. From your description, #2 has moved away from Kal and is now near Bel and Cai correct?
Ran, feeling a little better from the healing from Salix, and feeling that the others have things pretty well in hand will move to join Fal and Rochelle. Before doing so he will tell Harp to help Bel and Cai as the man they are fighting seems to be the more serious threat right now.
From: Josh
Subject Round 9
OOC: Happy 4th everyone.
Kal, invigorated by his successful hit, charges his enemy.
From: Kevin
Subject Round 9
Happy 4th as well to every one. If you are reading this on the 4th, you need to get a life. I am just stopping in from the pool to get more beer and then heading back out to bake in the sun and corrupt my liver just a little more.
Horray Buckbeak - hit some more
From: Randy
Subject Round 9
At least one of us had to work on the 4th. I took my break on friday and enjoyed some fireworks and patriotism of my own. Red and White style.
Happy Independence Day to the rest of you though.
From: Mark
Subject Round 9
Sorry
Bel's hit did 5 damage.
Yes the #2 near next to Bel and Cai is the real one.
From: Kevin
Subject Round 9
Sorry for the oversight Randy. I had the same experience last year in the British Virgin Islands. For some reason, our captain, from just outside London, did not seem real keen on our call for some fireworks. Just us unsensitive citizens of the USA.
Hey, you also get Boxing Day, if I remember correctly.
Lets see if we can finish this thing this week
From: Kevin
Subject Round 9
For Harp, time seems to have stopped. Seconds become days, his eyes taking in a myriad of images, his mind trying to decide what to do. Finally, like the rockets used to celebrate a special occasion, his body reacts to what is happening around him. He sees Bel's arrows streak past him, but he does not take the time to see if (or who) they hit. Harp concentrates on the enemy in front of him. Cai's appearance has made this an even more unequal fight, but as Harp had been taught, take adavantage of whatever benefits you have been given. He moves slightly, feeling some appreciation for their opponents bravery at trying to fight against three foes, but it was not like this enemy had planned it that way. Finally, Harp sees an opening as the man is turning to ward of a blow from the other side.
Harp flexes his muscles and slides his sword into the mans back, severing his spine. With a satisfying grunt, he pulls his sword free and looks around for his next opponent. His training may be split between the religious and the martial, but today it was the martial that was leading the way.
As he looks around, he sees the armored opponent fighting Kal run past Kal wtih the appearance that he was trying to flee. He sees Kal get a good stick into him, but Kal's little rapier seemed to be overwhelmed by the man's armor. Then, horrified, he watches as the man runs up behind Bel and strike Bel so hard the Harp could hear the bones break. Harp flashes back to when his own shoulder had been broken, not so long ago. He knows that in that condition, Bel would not even be able to defend himself. He had to help. Harp starts to move that way when, out of no where, appears a huge bird like creature. It's wingspan is easily 12 feet across. Harp, a look of surprise on his face, sees Salix smiling and then speaking some words the Harp does not understand. With that, the huge bird heads off behind Harp.
Wishing it the best of luck, Harp moves on. (OOC: Mark, Harp will move three diagonal squares - that should equal his 20' movement, right (5, 10, 5 on the diagonal). If Bel moves, Harp will try to get within range to do the following.
IC: As Harp moves, he prays to Heironious - Great battle lord, allow your grace to fill me, infuse me, let me become a beacon of your light and good. Allow me to heal this companion who has been injured in this battle against those who follow your brother, Hextor. With that, Harp touches Bel, attemptin to ease his wounds. (OOC: Mark, Harp will sacrafice another 1st level spell - not my domain spells- for cure light wounds on Bel.)
OOC: Rob, if I can make a suggestion, stay where you are, but fight defensively. Harp will get there before your opponent can attack and will give you a little bit of healing. Also, remember that using a ranged weapon in a threatend square provides for an attack of opportunity, while, I think, dropping a weapon is a free action that does not provoke and drawing a weapon is a move action that does not provoke.
IC: As Harp provides his lords grace to Bel, he watches what the opponent does. If the chance permits, Harp will yell to Cai "Cai, try to flank him if you can."
From: Karl
Subject Round 9
Happy 4th to all. I'm still entertaining visiting relatives. The adults wanted to see Philly on the 4th, so I volunteered to keep the six kids (under 9 years old). Chris and I took them to a "Fun Center" and let them run wild. We ended the day with a nice dinner and a walk down the street to watch the fireworks.
From: Rob
Subject Round 9
Bel, staggering in pain from the massive blow he has received, backs away from the man in front of him, and draws his sword. He is far less interested in hitting the man, intending to use his sword to parry any attacks while trying to inflict some damage as well (defensive fighting).