What, No Pony?
Subject: Re: The chase; Avenging Sa'id (5)
Mission will move with Sa'id, guarding him as before.
From: Dan
Subject: Re: The chase; Avenging Sa'id (5)
Cadfael attacks the halfling again and attempts to finish the job.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The chase; Avenging Sa'id (5)
Garyth hisses as the ranger's blade lays open his forearm. He can't take much more of this. He's outmatched, but has no choice but to continue. A small prayer to whomever might be listening crosses his mind as he steps in and swings. [Full Attack]
OOC: Dear Dice Gods, a triple critical would be very nice right about now. Thank you. Oh, and I want a pony for my birthday.
From: Karl
Subject: Re: The chase; Avenging Sa'id (5)
LOL
From: Ty
Subject: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
[Initiative Rennik 24, Tichenor 22, Garyth 22, Farron 22, Eagle1 22, Eagle2 22, Ranger 21, Witch 21, (11)black tentacles 21, Sa'id 19, halfling 18, halfling 15, Mission 14, Cadfael 4]
At Rennik's insult, the ranger whips around to face him, a look that Rennik can see is stark fury on his face. Tichenor immediately cuts to the right, to get to the ranger's left flank. Garyth sees the ranger's right flank open up before him [Rennik Intimidate roll 22 vs DC 13]. Then the halfling is swinging the shortened halberd in a heavy sideways chop [Attack 21, hit; Damage 8; Save 16, saves]. The half elf moves his sword down in a swift block, but Rennik powers through the parry and slams the heavy blade into the ranger's side. It doesn't penetrate his chain vest, but there is an audible crack and the ranger expels all his air in a loud "oof".
Tichenor leaps at his side while his guard is down [Attack 6, miss], but the ranger recovers quickly and the wolf snaps at air.
Garyth, dripping thick viscous blood from two wounds, leaps at the half turned ranger like a whirlwind of metal. [Attack 20, critical threat 26, critical hit; damage 21; Attack 1, automatic miss; Attack 12, hit; Damage 13] The half elf turns to parry the first blow, but Rennik's curse has done its work. The ranger just isn't able to turn fast enough, and Garyth's blade slices down, slashing open his neck and shoulder before sliding off his surprisingly durable chain shirt. The blood from that wound sprays across Garyth, causing him to lose his grip on his mace, and it flies out of his hand, landing a few feet away. The ranger starts to bring his sword up, but Garyth grips his own blade in both hands and hammers it down, slashing the ranger's right hand off at mid forearm. The half elf falls back, his life pumping out like a tapped winecask.
Farron, starting to worry about his own blood loss, points his finger at the wounded halfling and riddles his body with magic missiles [Damage 10]. The halfling drops to his knees, then slowly keels over onto his face.
Above the trees, the eagle and witch continue their aerial battle. Their cries and shrieks can be heard below, though it is impossible to see what is happening.
Sa'id staggers into range of the single remaining halfling. He points at it, and speaks in a harsh whisper. [Ranged touch attack 17, hit; damage 20] The halfling immediately bursts into flames, screaming at the top of his lungs. He runs off, but only makes it a few steps before collapsing into a small bonfire.
By his side, Mission scans the battle field. There are no enemies in sight.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
Btw, Garyth's third attack was a 22, not a 12.
Damn my fat fingers!
From: Dan
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
Sure Garyth's attacks were cool and all. But do you see a pony? I know I sure don't.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
As much as I laughed when I rolled his first critical, I found the follow up fumble even funnier.
"Ha! Take that!"
*mace flies out of hand*
"Please ignore that."
From: Karl
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
Sorry, I didn't memorize Mount last night. I'll conjure him one in the AM if we live through this.
From: Matt
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
(OOC: I would just like to point out that our party laid down 72 points worth of smack that turn. Not too shabby.)
Quickly scanning the area for other threats, Rennik sees none. His mind returns to his original plan for escape.
"We must fly! Now! More are on the way!"
Running around the black tentacles at a healthy distance, he circles back towards the camp to grab his bow. Coming around the other side of the writhing mass of tentacles, he skids to a halt as he sees Sa'id walking unsteadily with Mission alongside. Surely he was... but... but he had watched the man die...
The darker corners of his mind swimming with the knowledge of Sa'id's tinkering with the undead and his intimate understanding of death, Rennik shudders at the thought of the deathweaver's return. What dark pacts had he made to keep his body animated, or to close the wound at the back of his head? What violation of nature had been commited to allow him to walk once more, and with Mission who mistrusts spellweavers close at his side?
Unsettled, Rennik collects his bow and looks up to see if he can spot the witch.
If he can, he will begin to fire arrows, two per turn. If he cannot, he will look once more toward the pile of moss.
(OOC: When Garyth returns to the group, he will ask for his oil and his tindersticks to light the moss as the party runs off toward Kalama territory. If luck holds, the witch will be in the cloud as it billows up and that'll be the end of that ruckus.)
From: Raja
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
Sa'id watches the halfling intently. He takes a deep breath -- and gags on the smell of burning flesh. He shakes his head quickly to clear it, immediately regretting this decision as a wave of dizziness washes over him. Turning, he sees Mission standing near him. The monk had seen everything... what would he think? Sa'id puts that thought out of his mind. There would be time to grapple with this later. And he owed thanks... to Pelor, this time, for his life. He resolves to find some time with Cadfael, if they both live.
"Thank you," he says quietly to the monk. Alertness returns to him somewhat, and he is finally able to absorb the entire battle scene. His mind begins, slowly, to function again. The witch had tracked them somehow, in spite of everything. How? Could they sense Promise? That was the simplest explanation. Their only choice, then, was to outrun the pursuit. Unless it was only the witch who could sense Promise... but that was probably more than they could hope for.
"I think they can feel Promise somehow," Sa'id says. "We have no other choice but to run, with minimal rest, until we are safe."
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
Garyth stands dumbly for a moment as the half-elf dies. The ranger had been better than him. Better than both of them and the wolf together. And now he was dead. Maybe the gods are helping them after all. He squats down to grab his mace and mechanically wipes the blood off of his sword blade with a leaf.
As Garyth sheathes his own sword, a cold gleam catches his eye and he turns to look. The half-elf's sword lays on the ground, the disembodied hand still clutching it. A little blood is still seeping from the stump of a wrist, running down the hilt onto the blade where it mingles with the blood already there. Garyth's blood. He could take it if he chose to. It's a tempting thought, but no... The chill is not yet gone from his wounds, and he has no wish to handle the weapon that put it there.
Running a wide arc around the tentacles, Garyth meets Rennik on the other side. At the halfling's request, he nods and quickly digs the remaining oil flasks out. He hands them to Rennik and begins to move off toward Kalama territory.
OOC: Garyth doesn't have any tindersticks, and I actually don't remember how many oil flasks he brought, but Rennik is welcome to as many as he wants.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
Of course, you guys have the 'walking mobile tinder stick'. Or, Sa'id to his friends.
From: Ty
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
Garyth has two remaining oil flasks in his backpack.
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
That's what I thought, but I didn't actually write that down on my sheet.
From: Matt
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
(OOC: Rennik ponders running back for the damn sword. And the chain shirt. And the bow. And...)
From: Matt
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
(OOC: Rennik also mentally slaps Garyth in the head.)
From: Mike
Subject: Re: The Chase; Avenging Sa'id (6)
OOC: Heh, I've been having this conversation with Ty already. I think Garyth is about to realize his mistake.
IC: Garyth has already run a few steps when he realizes just how stupid it would be to leave weapons--and most likely magical weapons--for their pursuers. But his pack is already full, carrying anything more would slow him down beyond what the group can afford. He skids to a halt and races back toward the fallen ranger, calling for Rennik to help him.
OOC: Hey, look at that. I was right. If I calculate right, having used one flask of oil and given his bow and arrows to Rennik, Garyth should be able to carry 7 more pounds before he hits the light encumbrance limit. He'll carry whatever he can manage without slowing himself down.