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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Sage lets out a nervous groan and says, "If we're to do this, let's get it over with... If anyone sees a group coming from the cave, let me know and I can web it up to keep them from swarming us. When the fighting starts, I'll grease the ground beneath one of them."
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Initiative: (1d20+1=16)
Actions - if there's a surprise round and Sage can act during it, he will cast grease beneath the closer of the two guards, and trying to use the spell to block the cave entrance as well.
During the first actual round of combat, Sage will cast grease if there was no surprise round. If the surprise round happens, he will instead use a charge from his spellbow.
Spellbow ranged touch attack/damage(Sonic): (1d20+3=12, 1d6=5)
If we see more orcs coming for us from the cave, he will cast Web instead.
The reflex save for Grease is 15, 16 for Web.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
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I'm not going to declare actions until I know Hekesh's place in the init order
[roll0]
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Paggan smiles grimly as she takes her bow and draws an arrow. "I know I can't get too close until they know we're here, but I've got something that's relatively quiet. Personally, I'd like to not kill any more than possible. We need to know who's behind this organized activity - and we also need to make sure that this particular band was responsible for the ambush on the wagon."
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I'll do my best at a hide and MS, but Paggan will hang back as far as she can and still be within composite longbow range.
Hide [roll0]
Move Silently [roll]1s20-5[/roll]
Initiative: [roll]1d20+1
On another note, we're moved but there's only one computer online right now for the whole house - my posting may well be slow until we can resolve that
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Edgar
"A good point, Paggan," Edgar says. "We need at least one for interrogation, preferrably more."
He spreads his empty hands. "I have no long-range weapon, so I will wait until the first volley and charge in."
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Initiative: [roll0]
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
{table=header]Player/NPC | Initiative
Edgar | 21
Paggan | 21
Sage | 16
Miyuki | 14
Bresk | 14
Hekesh | 8
[/table]
{table=header]bad guys | initiative
Orcs | something
Someone | something +5
[/table]
The group slowly crawls toward the hill, making sure to keep a low profile. Edgar crawls closer than the others, stil able to maintain his cover.
Surprise Round
Once she feels her range is adequate, Paggan rises up and unleashes her arrow. The shaft speeds straight and true, striking one of the guards in his chest. The arrow is lodged deep. He cries out in orcish, accented heavily with pain and surprise. "Some bastard shot me!"
(Edgar, you're up)
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Edgar
Before charging into the fray, Edgar focuses his will. His muscles bulge with sudden strength and supernatural toughness. Ready, he swiftly closes in on the orc Paggan did not shoot.
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Standard action: Using Divine Vigor to gain 6 temporary HP and +10ft speed for 2 minutes.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Miyuki lets loose an arrow, attempting to strike Paggan's target.
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[roll0]
forgot to roll for damage. It's in the out of character thread.
After firing her bow, Miyuki drops it and moves forward. She keeps a healthy distance (90 feet) between her and the orcs as she strides ahead, drawing her sword as she goes.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Hekesh
Hearing the Orc's cry and, though not comprehending the content, knowing that surprise had been lost, Hekesh prepares for what is likely going to be a protracted battle. He stretches his mind, reaching for a spell that he had yet to truly master. He then moves as close to the orcs as he can, ready to strike any that should close within his striking range.
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Casting Bull's Strength, using Precocious Apprentice
requires DC 8 caster level check: [roll0]
If successful, +4 str for 3 minutes = 30 rounds.
He then moves to about 35' from the orcs.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
The thick bowstring of Bresk's longbow twangs loudly, launching the arrow directly into the ground about half-way down the path.
But Miyuki's shot is true and accurate, burying itself in the wounded orc's left shoulder, sending the green skinned brute spinning around briefly with the force of the impact. He completes his morbid pirouette of pain, collapsing on the ground in a dead heap.
Bresk curses loudly in some strange language.
Edgar rushes forward, closing with the remaining orc, who is surprised to see the human before him.
Hekesh also closes in, stopping with about a third of the way to go before reaching the lone guard, who yells out loudly in orcish "Lok-Narash!"*
FIRST ROUND
Edgar, Paggan
Sage
Miyuki, Bresk
Hekesh
Bad guy(s)
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Bresk attack/crit confirm
1d20-1=3, 1d20-1=1
*"Lok-Narash!" in orcish means "Arm yourselves!"
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
((For Sage, the actions posted earlier remain unchanged.))
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Paggan
Now that their suprise was lost, Paggan shifts her bow and runs as quickly she can toward the orc at the entrance, shouting a challenge. "Lay down your arms!"
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I don't know exactly how far Paggan has to travel, so she might not get there this round, but I think she probably would. She has a run movement of 80' a round.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Miyuki focuses for a moment, charging herself with arcane energy. With supernatural fleetness of foot she hurtles down the hill at incredible speed. Leaping into the air she flies over Edgar and the orc slicing down in a hard but still graceful strike.
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Arcane stunt swift action to expeditious retreat for 1 round.
Charge 120 feet (or less) to get to the orc.
The idea is to flank it with Edgar...
Jump check enhanced by ER: [roll0]
Attack +7 +2 Charge +2 Flank -3 Power Attack: [roll1]
Damage: [roll2]
SA: [roll3]
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
(skipping Edgar)
Paggan runs up to within thirty paces of the opening and shouts at the orc to lay down his arms and surrender. The green-skinned creature looks shocked, and the grip on his spear seems to lessen slightly, and then grow tighter.
At that very moment, Sage unleases a ball of pure sound from his 'spell bow'. The howling orb strikes the orc in the chesk, exploding in a cacaphony of sound. The orc is staggered by the blow, but remains on his feet, though not for very long.
For some unknown reason, Edgar hesitates as he reaches the orc. Behind him, though, Miyuki charges across the floor of the small valley and leaps high into the air.
With a graceful swing of her razor sharp katana, she deftly lops off the head of the orc. The surprised look still remains upon his severed head as it falls to the ground, accompanied by its newly dead body.
Bresk rushes forward and flanks the side of the cave opposite Miyuki.
(Hekesh, you're next)
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Paggan is wearing full plate, so her run-speed is only 3x her normal movement. i.e. 60'.
Normal: You move four times your speed while running (if wearing light or no armor and carrying no more than a light load) or three times your speed (if wearing medium or heavy armor or carrying a medium or heavy load), and you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC.
It was 95' to the guardsmen when we started.
:smallsmile:
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Hekesh
Hekesh moves to the front of the cave, making sure to stand no closer than 10' from any of his comrades-in-arms.
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I think that's just a move action... what he does next will depend on what he can see in the cave, if anything.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Sage cringes a bit as Miyuki decapitates the orc, turning somewhat green at the sight. Still, he tries to retain his composure, and prepares to cast a spell to hinder any orcs coming through the cave. He seems uneasy, and not just because of the unsightly gore.
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Next round, he will cast Glitterdust a little ways inside the cave, such that anyone who runs through it would have to make a will save (DC 16) or be blinded. This only applies assuming no allies have entered the cave; if he would catch any allies in the effect, he'll do something else instead.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
((OOC: Heh, sorry about the slow response, guys.))
Edgar
Edgar hesitated, trying to figure out a way to drop the orc without killing him. But he hesitated too long, and was beaten to the metaphorical punch by Paggan's impressive decapitation.
He peeks inside the cave to see if the orc's cry had alerted his comrades.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
(sorry, was at an insurance awards banquet yesterday/today)
(Hekesh)
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The cave inside is dimly lit from the outside sunlight. The entrance is about twenty feet across and fifteen feet high. The rocky entrance-path of the cave quickly descends at a mild angle. There is a sense of open-ness...of..large-ness...that you can feel.
http://www.burningwell.org/gallery2/...4/dscf2316.jpg
The bright daylight illuminates enough of the cave for you to see about thirty feet in. At the moment, you do not see any enemies.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
As there seems to be no one else immediately charging out, Miyuki cleans and sheathes her blade. After hearing the report from Hekesh and seeing for herself she states, "Well it seems we have a couple of options. One, we could wait out here for them to try to escape. This has the advantage of being relatively safe and easy for us. The disadvantages are that we do not know if this was a rendezvous point of some sort. There may be reinforcements on their way. Secondly we do not know if this cave has deeper passages, allowing them to escape that way. It seems unlikely, but I do not know the geology of the region and so I cannot rule it out.
Our second option would be to follow them down. The advantage of this is that it is proactive and will likely end quicker. The disadvantage is that it is at least a 100 times more dangerous for us as they will be laying the ambush for us instead of the other way around. Additionally, excepting a few in our party."
she gestures towards Paggan and Sage,
"We cannot see in the dark."
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I'm aware that gnomes only get lowlight vision, but I'm presuming Miyuki hasn't really had much contact with them since this is her first time in "gnome country." I'm thinking that she'd presume they're akin to dwarves in terms of eyesight as halflings have similar eyesight to humans.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Sage relaxes a bit and sighs. "I think we should take the safe way for this. I cannot see without at least a little light to guide me. My primary concern is that there is another way for them to escape, though... Had I only the proper divinations..."
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Edgar
Edgar gave up peering into the recesses of the cave. He shook his head and admitted, "Without knowing if there are other exits, we can't simply block this opening and wait. And for all we know, they have the provisions to out-last us. The only recourse I see is to invade the cave ourselves, despite any advantages our enemies would have from the dark and their knowledge of the area. I don't suppose anyone thought to bring torches? I am afraid I was anticipating a battle in the open air."
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Miyuki goes back to the other side of the hill where she left Rakuda and brings her faithful steed nearer to the entrance. Out one of the numerous packs tied to the beast she draws a few torches at Edgars request.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
The light from the torches provides some illumination in the dim cave. The ten-pace pool of light surrounding each who holds a torch reveals a rocky/sandy cave floor.
Your eyes adjust to the dim light, and you see a few more details about the inside of the cave complex.
To your left is a large ring of stones. Inside the ring is a blazing fire. It provides some good light to see by. Directly before you are two long wooden tables. On each table is a candle-holder with three candles in each. They provide enough light for anyone sitting at the table. You quickly count twenty chairs total. Two semi-burnt slabs of meat are sitting on the table. Looks like you might have disturbed their supper time!
To your right is a haphazardly stacked pile of wooden cargo boxes and three large wooden casks sitting upright.
You notice now that the cave is not completely without light. Make-shift iron torch holders have been secured to the inner cave wall at various points. The torches in them give off small pools of light, the same as the torches that you are carrying.
You can see that there are three natural tunnels leading from this main chamber.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3080/...2ac46d24_o.jpg
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Do we have a marching order?
You guys are the blue dots, right now.
The red dots/squares are torches, and the orange circles around them is the radius of light that they are giving off.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Paggan
Having returned briefly to Alphie, Paggan too brings a torch back with her. Rejoining the others she smiles. "If more light is what we need, that will not be a problem, and it may be that we can even use it to our advantage." She takes a deep breath as her eyes adjust to the dim light of the cave and she looks intently around her.
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Sorry for not posting earlier. Things have been... interesting. Anyways some rolls:
Spot: [roll0]
listen: [roll1]
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Miyuki ***** an eyebrow at Paggan's comment but sys nothing about it.
"Torches? For orcs? The mystery deepens... Well do we search this room first or just look for tracks and hunt them down?"
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...what? oh for crying out loud, fine she RAISES an eyebrow.:smalltongue:
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Sage enters the cave warily, allowing his low-light vision to take in the details. He frowns as he stays near the back.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Sxoa
Miyuki ***** an eyebrow
:smallbiggrin:
Edgar
Edgar decides to take a quick look at the upright casks, suspecting more stolen merchant booty. Alcohol, perhaps?
"And where might the orcs have gone?" he wondered aloud. "They apparently didn't hear their sentinel's yell, or we'd likely be hip-deep in the creatures by now."
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
The barrels have a large spigot on the end that is facing up toward the ceiling, it would indeed seem that there is some type of liquid inside. Sniffing it briefly, a strong smell of alcohol assaults your nose.
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
"Normally I would agree Edgar, but these are no ordinary orcs. Perhaps they did here and have moved on into the tunnels to lay a trap, or warn their master..."
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Edgar
Edgar winced. "And isn't that a lovely thought, Miyuki. But our job is still to find and deal them, so it seems we must still pick a tunnel and see what lies beyond."
((OOC: So, paper-rock-scissors to decide our fate, maybe?))
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Re: The World of Athema (IC)
Paggan
"It appears there's a great deal that's not what it seems," Paggan says quietly as she looks around the cavern. "Those torches - there's no smoke. Some sort of magic, I'm guessing?"