Snapshots (IC Thread)

[Shade Kerrin]

Just keep up the pressure, it will fall eventually. About to release her standard attack again, Hatia realizes that the foes are in range for something more....fun

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Standard Action: Cast Burning Hands in a NE direction. Will apply to the orc and the worg
Damage: (2d4+3)[8] Fire, Reflex 14 to halve.

Stats:
HP: 15/15; AC: 16(+cover), 12 Touch, 14 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +6
Spells: 0/6 0th, 4/5 1st

[Dralnu]

A surprised yelp is herd from the worg as its rider yanks it to the left, narrowly avoiding a strike from the halfling that would otherwise surely have hit.

A cone of searing flames erupts from Hatia's hands, burning the worg and its rider, the orc once again taking the majority of the spell's damage. The flames stop just short of Aldus, but the trickster definitely feels its heat.

Map:

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Initiative:
Vincent / Tsukido / Saphira

[Wyntonian]

Tsukido attacks once more, trying to regain his inner balance lost in the last few swings.

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Standard action to attack the orc in J8, swift action to regain all expended maneuvers.
Attack:(1d20+7)[27]
Damage: [roll]1d10+3[/roll}
HP: 24/24; AC: 18, 11 Touch, 17 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +1, Will +0
Readied Maneuvers: Steely Strike, Moment of Perfect Mind, Steel Wind
Active Stance: none at the moment

High ground bonus accounted for in the roll.

[Zoomba]

The wolf's jaws bite deep into Vincent's flesh, and the fighter struggles to avoid being pulled down by the beast.

Dex check

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(1d20+3)[17]

He fails and he falls. Wary of the worg's jaws, Vincent shimmies back on the stopped cart, then jumps to his feet once clear.

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Five-foot step to 10H, then move action to stand.

[Hawkflight]

Saphira growled and lunged at the worg.

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Attacks:

(1d20+6)[14]
(1d20+4)[12]
(1d20+4)[19]

Damage:

(1d6+3)[4]
(1d4+1)[3]
(1d4+1)[3]

[Dralnu]

Round 4 Cont'd

A quick horizontal slash from Tsukido's bastard sword cuts cleanly through the orc's neck, sending the head rolling to the ground with the rest of the bloody body following.

Saphira lunges at the closest worg, biting its neck while raking a claw into its side. The beast snarls, displaying its fearsome teeth, but the creature is very bloodied at this point.

Round 5

With their masters killed and themselves outnumbered and heavily wounded, the worgs rush off the road in a full-out retreat. The southern worg bolts south, while the northern one runs in the northwest direction. With their incredible speed, they're both already 100ft. away.

Initiative:
Me, You

[Shade Kerrin]

Well, the threat seems to be gone. As tempted as she is to fire off one last blast of energy at the tail of the wolf, Hatia was hired for bodyguard work, which means they need to reunite with the body they're supposed to guard, which she tells her companions in the same words as she clambers out of the trashed wagon.

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Stats:
HP: 15/15; AC: 16(+cover), 12 Touch, 14 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +6
Spells: 0/6 0th, 4/5 1st

[Hawkflight]

Saphira growled and chased after the worg she'd attacked, breathing out another bolt of lightning to try and take it down.

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Move south and use my breath weapon against the fleeing worg. DC 14 ref save.

(2d6)[6]

[Dralnu]

A surge of lightning strikes the worg's hind legs as it sprints away but doesn't slow down its pace.

[Lv. 21 commoner]

"Just let them go," says Aldus "it's not like we could keep up with them anyway. Let's find Deevin and get moving."

[Zoomba]

"Let's just hope the crafter has enough sense to stop and wait before running headlong into a whole horde." Vincent glances down at the worg's bite. Already the blood has begun to clot. Good, nothing more than a scratch.

"Anyone injured?" he asks. Then, hopping off the cart to examine the damaged wheel, "And for that matter, does any of you know happen to be able to repair this? Wouldn't be very good guarding if we had to leave these goods out here."

[Shade Kerrin]

Hatia:

"Goods? Weren't we just riding in the wagon for comfort? Anyway, there's nothing I can do for the wagon, right outside my area of expertise."

[Dralnu]

After about five minutes, Deevin returns, having (poorly) snuck back to the area through the forest. When asked why he fled, the flustered gnome quickly mentions how he could not let the newly discovered holy symbol fall back into the enemy's hands, how he's terrible in a fight, and other excuses before changing the subject. "Time is of the essence! We must scout their forward base. Who knows if they're already mobilized?"

[Wyntonian]

"I'd rather we do what we were ordered to do, namely getting the symbol where it needs to go. We repelled one attack,but those worgs got away, and I don't know what's on its way back. We need to get out of here as soon as we can, preferably to a friendly place, especially now that that wagon's broken."

[Dralnu]

With your main method of transportation ruined, you agree to head back on foot to the port town of Triscan. You arrive in the afternoon.

You, along with Deevin, bring the holy symbol to the town speaker Dorro Wiston, who agrees to have it sent to the Dawn's Way Citadel for further study. Dorro also laments to you the troubles of his peoples. The orcs are becoming more and more aggressive and the outlying farming villages have been raided and burnt to the ground, with refugees fleeing to Triscan for safety. The only messenger to successfully deliver a plea for aid from the king and return only brought worse news: the king promises to send aid as soon as "the terrible beast" that recently appeared has been dealt with. It seems all military resources are currently spent trying to stop the creature's rampage, all in vain, and Dorro suspects the king has no true way of dealing with the creature but must nonetheless attempt to defeat it as a symbolic gesture for his people.

When Dorro is called away for business matters, you enter the town market and stock up on supplies. The general populace seems on edge, mainly due to the horror stories of the refugees.

Night has come when a sentry at the wall raises the alarm. Everyone is shocked at what they see. The flicker of numerous torchlights in the darkness reveal a small army of undead backed by orcs marching towards the town. There are easily hundreds, maybe even a thousand of them. The sentries estimate that they will be here within five hours. Dorro immediately seeks you out, pleading for your assistance, promising as much payment as the treasury can handle in return for helping defend the town. When you accept, you're quickly ushered into a meeting with the town council, where the most important figures of Triscan must quickly devise a plan. As seasoned adventurers, your voice holds much weight on the matter, and the council eagerly awaits your ideas.

Some General Info:

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Looks something like this:


Small Town, Population 1,150, 800gp limit, 46,000gp assets
Authority Figure: Dorro Wiston, Human Aristocrat 5, leader of the Town Council
Town Council Members:
- Sona Anith, Human Fighter 4, leader of the Town Guard
- Brother Ferny, Dwarf Cleric 3 of Pelor, highest-ranking local Cleric
- Berterian the Wise, Halfling Abjurer 3, most powerful local arcane spellcaster
- Zelora, Human Rogue2/Fighter2, retired adventurer
- Rellin Shadowbanks, Halfling Rogue 3, innkeeper owner and ex-adventurer

Town Guard:
Sona's professional guards include 2x Fighter3, 5x Fighter2, 9x Fighter1, and 14x Warrior1

Militia:
New recruits that only started training in the last few days include 6x Commoner3, 15x Commoner2, 55x Commoner1, 4x Warrior3, 14x Warrior1

All Town Council members have pledged all their resources to protecting the citizens.

What do you do?

[Dralnu]

The council meeting works fast but with great efficiency, spurred on by the slow advancement of the hundreds of orcs and undead marching towards the port town. After some debate, you've agreed that setting out for "diplomacy" is the best option, while the rest of the town sets up for a siege as per your instructions.

The town moves at a level of speed and coordination never before seen. In only three hours, over a hundred more civilians are conscripted into the militia, some of which are seasoned fighters and powerful spellcasters. The armory, marketplace, blacksmith and bowsmith, all are thoroughly cleaned out of any useful item in preparation for the threat of war. The vast majority, which are unskilled with weapons, are given crossbows. The stone wall perimeter is packed with militia wielding ranged weapons, including alchemist's fire, tanglefoot bags, even boiling oil. A handful of scrolls and potions are delivered to you, the seasoned adventurers, to make use of.

Four hours pass. The army has arrived, parking itself 500ft away. Spotters estimate the number at around 700 and primarily undead, zombies and skeletons. The moral inside the town is low. The people are shocked to see the main gate open and the five or you riding out towards the army, bearing large white banners. They're aware of this ruse. The scene is strangely uplifting for them. Are these strangers entirely mad, or are they far stronger than they appear? Surely beings that associate with dragons must be powerful. Maybe, just maybe, they can save this town?

You move within 200ft. of the army's frontlines. The entire front consists of unarmed zombies. They do not strike you. You wave your white banner high up in the air and wait. And wait. Five minutes go by when finally, there's a parting in the front lines and three figures stride forward towards you. Two of them are clearly orcs, while the third is an incredibly tall, powerfully built humanoid with shaggy fur and a bull-like face. It wears scratched half plate and carries a massive greataxe in its hands. Its scarred face is stuck in a permanent scowl.

The orc moving in the middle carries a longsword and wears leather armor. Bone necklaces, tribal tattoos, and ritual scars adorn his body, and a banner sticks out from a holster on his back. He carries himself with the cool confidence of a leader and, unlike most orcs you've encountered so far, his sharp looking face has a grin on it.

The final orc wears scale mail and carries a blood-crusted morningstar. He wears a holy symbol that looks identical to the one you've been protecting.

The trio stop 15ft. of you. The middle orc with the banner narrows his eyes as he sizes you up. "Hmph. So, the weak-flesh wish to surrender? He asks in surprisingly good Common. "Smarter than you look, then! Otherwise you'd have quickly joined your countrymen," he says, gesturing to the front row of zombies behind him. "Please, humor me. What do you think the surrender conditions should be?" He grins, and the other orc snickers as well. The intimidating bull-man simply glares forward.

[Dralnu]

Vincent clears his throat and addresses the orc in the middle. He makes a good show of surrender, asking that the women and children not be killed, stating that the king will pay handsomely for the civilians if left unharmed, and on... Until suddenly, mid-sentence, he shouts, "Now!" You were ready for this. Your adversaries were not.

Map:

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Surprise Round!

[Lv. 21 commoner]

When he hears Vincent's command to attack, Aldus flicks his eyes down to his hands, which erupt with blue flames. Looking back up at his enemies, he draws a javelin. As the flames engulf the javelin, Aldus launches it at the center orc.

As the flames disappear from his undamaged hands, Aldus draws his longsword, holding it in both hands.

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Swift action to invoke Indigo Spark. Free action to draw a javelin. Standard action to attack 2 with the javelin. Free action to draw longsword and hold it with 2 hands.

Attack: (1d20+8)[11]
Damage: (1d4+2)[4]

Stats:
HP: 20/20; AC: 21, 17 Touch, 18 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +2
Active Invocations: Indigo Sparks
Active Effects:
Arcane Surge: 0/3 --> 0/3

[Shade Kerrin]

Hatia could do things one of two ways: Aggressively or tactically. She opts for tactical. Hatia brings a spell to the tip of her mind, and concentrates on the one with the symbol, but doesn't cast anything...yet

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Ready an action to cast Magic Missile once again, if the cleric-y looking orc attempts to cast a spell.
damage is 2d4+5. I will not roll, so as to keep things random. Will provoke a Conc roll for him to keep a hold of his spell

Stats:
HP: 22/22; AC: 16(+cover), 12 Touch, 14 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6
Spells: 0/6 0th, 0/6 1st

[Wyntonian]

Tsukido took a pair of bounding steps, his sword hissing out of his sheath, and the shield looping onto his arm. As he reached the orcs, he swung low to high, attacking the tall bull-man, then upwards and across to the leader in a single fluid motion.

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Move action to draw sword/shield and move forward to I-12, Standard action to initiate Steel Wind and attack 1+2

Attacking 1:(1d20+6)[10]
Damaging 1:(1d10+3)[13]

Attacking 2:(1d20+6)[11]
Damaging 2:(1d10+3)[4]

HP: 33/33; AC: 19, 11 Touch, 18 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +2
Readied Maneuvers: Steely Strike, Emerald Razor, Steel Wind
Active Stance: none at the moment

.

[Dralnu]

With lightning fast reflexes, Aldus launches a fiery javelin straight at the middle orc. However, the halfling traded speed for accuracy, and the weapon flies just past the surprised orc's face.

Tsukido is quick to follow, but the warblade's sword cannot penetrate the bull-man's half-plate and slices harmlessly into the orc's wooden shield.

[Hawkflight]

Saphira hissed and unleashed her lightning breath on the nearest enemy.

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Move up four spaces then lightning breath, (3d6)[11]

[Shade Kerrin]

OOC: See previous post. Still holding action.

[Dralnu]

Crackling streams of electricity slam through the orcs and the bullman, causing large burns on all of them but especially the orc in scale mail, who seems to be the least agile of the bunch.

The minotaur howls with rage at the warblade, swinging its massive greataxe at the human and lunging forward with its razor-sharp horns. Every single deadly blow is narrowly dodged by Tsukido.

The orc in the middle growls, "Filthy cowards! WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!" As Tsukido dodges the minotaur's horns, the orc slices at his side with a quick slash of his longsword, drawing blood.

@Tsukido:

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You take 10 damage.

Deeply burned, the orc in splint mail moves away from the blue dragon and begins chanting and waving his arms at Saphira's direction. His chant is cut short, however, when orbs of force fly from Hatia and crash into the green-skin's jaw, slamming his mouth shout and causing him to spit out teeth and blood. He isn't looking good.

@Hatia:

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You identify the botched spell as what would've been Spiritual Weapon. The caster has lost the spell.

Map:

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[Wyntonian]

"Cowards? You couldn't even get a single orc to attack this city with you! What a brave war chief you must be!" Tsukido strikes upwards, towards the leader's throat. He focused on moving through the physical armor there, moving through it and hitting the soft yielding flesh behind it.

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Standard action to initiate Emerald Razor at #2. This is a touch attack, not a standard melee strike.

Attacking 2: (1d20+6)[20]
Damaging 2:(1d10+3)[12]

HP: 23/33; AC: 19, 11 Touch, 18 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +3, Will +2
Readied Maneuvers: Steely Strike, Emerald Razor, Steel Wind
Active Stance: none at the moment

[Lv. 21 commoner]

With a furious cry, Aldus charged headlong at the leader. His sword burst into blue flames as he ran. When he reached the orc, he brought his blade down in a powerful, but reckless slice.

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Swift action to invoke Indigo Sparks. Charge attack against 2 (move to J12. Power attack for a -2 penalty to attack.

Stats:
HP: 20/20; AC: 19, 15 Touch, 18 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +2
Active Invocations: Indigo Sparks
Active Effects:
Arcane Surge: 0/3 --> 0/3

[Lv. 21 commoner]

OOC

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Forgot my rolls.

Attack: (1d20+8)[19]
Damage: (1d6+4)[6]

[Shade Kerrin]

As her mark is still reeling from her first assault, Hatia chants the words to her encore performance. She knows she only has a limited opening for her strike before he is able to counterattack, hopefully she can take him down before then

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Magic missiles, same target.
(2d4+5)[7] Force damage

Stats:
HP: 22/22; AC: 16, 12 Touch, 14 Flat-Footed
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +6
Spells: 0/6 0th, 2/6 1st

OOC: Hope we can come back to life

[Dralnu]

"Hurrk!" The orc chieftan stares wide-eyed at Tsukido as the human's blade tears open his throat and leaves him bleeding profusely. The orc staggers and feebly clutches his gaping wound with his free hand, but it is for naught as Aldus charges toward him, plunging a flaming blue sword down into his chest and dropping him.

The spellcasting orc never even saw his end coming. A follow-up volley of orbs are launched from Hatia and slam into the orc's head, crushing his skull and sending him to the ground.

Initiative:
Saphira

[Dralnu]

Saphira lets out a growl and lunges towards the minotaur, but the towering bull-man knocks the wyrmling away with a powerful fist.

Enraged at seeing his leader get cut down beside him, the minotaur lets out a terrifying roar and swings his mighty greataxe at Tsukido. The powerful blow rips through the warblade's breastplate and leaves a gaping wound. The staggered human has no chance to evade the follow-up downward blow, which buries deep into his shoulder and sends him crashing face-first into the ground.

@Tsukido:

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You take 35 damage.

Map:

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Initiative:
You, Minotaur