Orcs of the endless and unconquered Forest (IC)

[Man on Fire]

(I have only moment, so writing out of order again, sorry)

What a sight it had to be to the hunters - a hulking monster in blod-strained black armor, wielding burning sword in her hands, standing over two ripped apart bodies, that once were Gnoll warriors.

Rada looked at them for a moment. She knew these hunters but her eyes didn't recognized them. She now saw everything in red, three in front of her only obscured figures. Armed.

"Armed. Enemies Kill. Burn. Burn them all!" Her thoughts screamed. But some part of it, probably the one mostly climbing to the reason, told her to look behind her. And then she saw Hassnak.

"Enemy. Chief. Strong. Very Strong. Kill. Kill. KILL!" Her thoughts exploded and she was so happy to submit to their demands.

She gave the roar of angry beast, as she charged at Gnoll chief, her sword raised high in the air, ready to feed him to her blade, to cut him in half, to burn him alive.

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Basically again Charge, power attack +8.
(1d20+13)[20], damage (1d20+34)[41] plus any additional damage from Burning retaliation if he scores AoO on Rada.

[Re'ozul]

Hassnak's eyes clear again. Incensed at having been manipulated, he brings his shortsword up to attack Kusque, but falters as three glowing projectiles bury themselves into his back, shattering his spine. Knowing that at least he has achieved what he wanted, he manages to summon up one last snarling grin before the beyond claims him.

Directed by Grazik, Zalgrin jumps at the gnolls. Claws rend flesh and teeth dig deep as the target loses his footing and becomes entangled in Zalgrin's powerful limbs.

Grazik's burst of blinding dust meanwhile settles on the gnolls. However, they have long since known about such tactics and on appearance of the first motes of glitter quickly close their eyes until they feel it settle on their skin, evading the blinding effect it has. They retaliate against the hunter closest to them, but he is ready and while wounded manages to stay on his feet dealing some wounds himself.

Kusque ghosts over the battlefield, feet touching the ground at distances not usually possible. His weapon virtually flies into the back of his target, the lightened state reducing its ability to hurt, but cutting deep nonetheless. Emboldened by this, the hunter fighting the same target manages to cut down the gnoll with his attack.

Gell's arrow flies true, but distorts Grazik's dust as it passes through it. Alarmed by this, the gnoll it was aimed for manages to bring his shortsword to bear against it at an oblique angle. The coiled air is disrupted and expands prematurely, blowing away some of Grazik's dust and washing over the gnolls harmlessly.

As Rada starts to charge Hassnak is impaled a barrage of three missiles of light. A derisive smirk forming on his face for a moment, he drops to the ground. Angered at her chance for more bloodshed being taken from her, she changes direction, charging towards the gnolls close to Mal's position.

A bastion of calm, Smith walks towards the center of the camp, knowing that his abilities lend themselves more towards support. He channels his energies through the link suffusing his companions increasing their ability to resist whatever wounds are to be inflicted upon them.

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New Map:

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Grazik/Zalgrin: Red
Kusque: Purple
Smith: Blue
Rada: Yellow
Gell: Orange
Mal: Grey

Round 3: Fight!

[GnomeGninjas]

Mal turns his tiger and rides 30 feet in the direction he had came from [south]. He isn't feeling anything after killing the ememy leader. After the battle he will probably brag about but know he has finally got to the same state of mind that he enters most battles. He accepts that his friends may die, that he may die, and that there is nothing he can do to stop it but to kill as many of the enemy as quickly as possible [he enters a whirling frenzy]. He fires 4 arrows at his foes.

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Attacks, shooting closest target first until dead, then move on to next closest and so on.
(1d20+11)[12]
(1d20+11)[20]
(1d20+11)[21]
(1d20+6)[11]
Damage
(2d6+8)[15]
(2d6+8)[15]
(2d6+8)[16]
(2d6+8)[17]
Skirmish (Improved)
This probably doesn't apply to all the attacks since it only effects foes with in 30 feet, in case I roll horrid and all of my attacks.
(4d6)[15]
(4d6)[12]
(4d6)[14]
(4d6)[10]

[Man on Fire]

"Out of the way!" Rada yells, through her scream sounds more like a bestial roar, at two hunters standing in her way, as she runs towards remaining Gnolls. If they won't be able to make it in time, she doesn't stop running, but she jumps over them. If they will, she just charges at two remaining Gnolls, to deliver another strike.

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If hunters won't move, Rada tries to jump over them. Jump Check (1d20+15)[25], this and move action will probably be all I can do this turn.

If they do move, Rada attack one Gnoll and, if she drops him, then another, so it will be Charge + Power Attack + Cleave like before.

(1d20+13)[27] and (1d20+34)[35] dmg and additional attack (1d20+13)[25] and (1d20+34)[42] dmg

[Winds]

...Oh. I did not think that through.


Gell notes the southern group is already pretty well finished, and moves to help Zalgrin finish the northern group.

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Move action: 20 feet north, 20 feet northwest (ending at F-19)

Free action: Create airblade arrow

Nonaction: Spot check vesus gnoll at C-25
(1d20+17)[33]

Standard action: Attack gnoll C-25

Attack roll: (1d20+19)[21]

Damage roll: (1d4+4)[8]

Skirmish: (2d6)[7]

[rweird]

Grazik Extends his and hurls bolts of energy at a Gnoll by Zalgrin as Zalgrin lashes out at the Gnolls with his flaming claws.

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Grazik Casts Magic missile at the Gnoll at C|25, dealing (5d4+5)[18] force damage.

Zalgrin will full attack the Gnoll at D|24, attacks continuing on C|25 if he has left over attacks.
Claw 1: (1d20+12)[30]
Damage: (1d8+7)[12]
Claw 2: (1d20+12)[20]
Damage: (1d8+7)[10]
Bite: (1d20+7)[15]
Damage: (2d6+3)[14]
Improved Grab if any of the attacks hit grapple checks (in order): (1d20+15)[20]
(1d20+15)[22]
(1d20+15)[34]
If any grapple attempts are successful (6d6)[24] fire damage.

[Kantolin]

Smith continues moving forward - still ensuring his shield is able to cover him in case of something occuring. He maintains the protection effect a bit longer - ensuring that the group would not be struck.

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Smith does guardian's pulse again, maintaining everyone's DR 2/-

He then doublemoves to I-33

[Sutremaine]

The gnoll fell quickly, Kusque's blade setting up a killing blow from the hunter. "You alright?" he asked, checking briefly for any serious wounds and then turning to take in the rest of the battlefield. There were only a few gnolls left now, split between Rada and Grazik's tiger. He could reach them all from here, tiny as they looked right now. They were so far away that he could barely hear Rada as -- <Tell those hunters to duck out of sight,> he called through the link. <If she can't get back in control they'll be dead too.>

Grazik's tiger seemed like it was controlling the battle, but he wanted to feel the wind in his face as he charged. If there were enemies to fight, then that's what he'd do.

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Round 3 actions

Full-round: Charge and attack either C25 or D25, whichever looks more wounded.

Roll results copied from here:
Attack: 17
Damage: 21
AC: 14

Alternatively, if neither target is alive:
No action.

[Re'ozul]

Grazik's glittering Dust on the gnolls makes it difficult to look at them for Mal. The light reflected by them causes him to develop spots in his sight. As a result only half of his arrows hit their marks, as both impact the same gnoll, one shattering his shoulder and the other's force snapping the gnoll's head sideways fast enough to simply break its neck causing it to collaps lifelessly.

Grazik and Zalgrin meanwhile have the slightly more capable gnolls to north to deal with. Grazik's projectiles twirl in the air passing over and through the assortment of limbs that is Zalgrin and his target. All of them impact simultaneously all over the target gnoll's torso, their force causing it to cave in as the gnoll itself is first thrown against the hut by their impact then collapses to the ground. It gives a short series of hacking coughs, each accompanied by copious amounts of blood due to its ribs having punctured its lungs. Then the coughs abruptly stop as life leaves its eyes.
Zalgrin ignores the glowing beads of power that momentarily cross his view. Only having eyes for his target, claws break both skin and bone. Assured of his victory, he rears up to deliver the final blow, something the gnoll had been waiting for. It knows it will not leave here today, but in the very moment of Zalgrin's victory it mobilizes all of its remeining strenght, stabbing its short sword into Zalgrin's soft stomach and wrenching it sideways causing a nasty wound. Fractions of a second later, Zalgrin, now enraged by his target's audacity, throws his claws down to on the gnoll's shoulders and uses this leverage to quite literally bite its head off.

Kusque takes in this gruesome spectacle and decides that the most pressing issue right now is Rada's battle-crazedness. His shout to inform the hunters to get away from her tears through everyone's mind, but it is too late for them to act on it.

The shout comes too late for Gell to change his actions, as the arrow has already left the bow, the condensed air ripping through its like, impacting the back of the gnoll's head right where spine meets skull. It easily penetrates the soft flesh before it uncompresses. In a split second the gnoll's brain is liquified and it falls to the side.

Red Fog has settled over Rada's vision by now. Only seeing targets, barely being able to deifferentiate between friend and foe. Rage drives her to greater and greater heights, her mind no longer being able to comprehend a need to stop. As the last gnoll falls, her mind loses the ability to differentiate completely, now all that moves is a viable target. Already charging, her mind transmutes the closest hunter to the thing to be eliminated. Her sword screams through air, slashing deep into the hunter only his quick reflexes saving him from being killed outright. His eyes meet the glowing slits that is the canine helmet of Rada's armor. Old stories of the clan wars come to his mind as manages to place the armors appearance at last. In the next moment, utter fear etches his face and a scream rips from his throat.

Taking in all of this, Smith is at a loss of how to react. The fight is over, but it is not at the same time. Countless reactions and ideas move through his mind at speeds incomprehensible to anyone else. Not being able to settle on any one of them, he decides to keep the transferred energies where they are for now, hoping to alleaviate at least some of the potential damage that Rada could cause.

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@ Grazik

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Zalgrin takes 21 damage before DR (so unless you have any higher DR than the 2/- granted by Smith he takes 19)

New map:

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Grazik/Zalgrin: Red
Kusque: Purple
Smith: Blue
Rada: Yellow
Gell: Orange
Mal: Grey

And so we enter glorious carnage of Rada.

[rweird]

Grazik - Shaman

Everyone! Get out of here! I'll try to deal with this. He says "Just run!"

With that, he and Zalgrin fly towards Rada Grazik stoping ten feet in front of her, 20 ft. in the air, Zalgrin stopping behind him. Reaching to he belt his hand is coated in healing energy, and placing it on Zalgrin's muzzle, the wound begins to heal.

Taking a breath, Grazik speaks into Rada's head, hoping it will get through her bloodlust. <Rada, listen to me, the enemies are dead, only allies are here now, protect the clan, listen to me. You did well, now control yourself! An out of control warrior is of no use to the clan.>

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Move action to move to O|17, and got up to 20 ft. in the air. in the air,Using a charge from my healing belt to heal Zalgrin (2d8)[15] HP. The rest is me just talking.

Zalgrin moves to N|17, 20 ft. up as well.

[GnomeGninjas]

If Grazik can speak before his turn:Mal seems confused though rides 5 feet north and 30 feet west in hopes that this will satisfy him. He is still alarmed by Rada's action but he isn't very smart and doesn't associate it with Grazik's warning. Is this good?
If Grazik can't: Mal is confused by Rada attacking the hunter, it looked almost intentional. You weren't trying to do that right? When Rada doesn't respond he says Right? Rada! Right? Speak to me! This isn't a joke. Okay okay, sorry? Did I do something? Stop! Respond to me! RADA, IF YOU ARE STILL YOU THEN SAY SOMETHING!

[Winds]

Gell shifts to a better position, and readies an arrow.

<You won't do this alone. Let her come after me if it comes to that, I can keep her occupied if needed.>

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Move action: to O-18
Free action: speak through the link
Standard action: ready to fight defensively
Current AC, should it matter: 27

[Sutremaine]

Less screaming, more running, Kusque thought as the hunter standing next to Rada began to panic. <Don't worry Grazik, I can run if necessary.>

He jogged towards Rada, yelling at the screaming hunter as he drew closer. "Retreat! Now!" He stopped just outside the range of Rada's sword, searching the featureless armour for some indication of what lay beneath. The glowing slits concealed any expression, and the predatory body language belonged to something else completely. In any other circumstance it would have been an impressive transformation. "Rada! What the hell are you doing?"

He'd just about heard Grazik's warning, but he had no idea that Rada would attack her fellow orc with the same ferocity as an enemy. He twisted to the side a little, ready to run if he was the next target.

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Round 4 actions

Move to P15, Ready an action to Move away from Rada and also anyone else on the field if she comes after me.

[Kantolin]

Hrm.

<I'm the one with the thick armour and shield.> Smith reminded as he marched forward, but was nowhere near as close as Gell or anyone else, really.

Still, there was nothing more to be said - combat was not the place for a lengthy discussion, and Smith wasn't one to do that anyway. Gell was closest, thus he concentrated on bolstering him with additional defenses.

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Reminder to everyone: You can spend your swift actions to have Smith heal you, and can also spend immediate actions to use aid another.
(The latter may be useful for 'AC' at the instant :P)

Aaanyway, Smith manifests an augmented biofeedback on Gell! Gell gets DR 3/- for 8 minutes. I sense he'll need slightly more protection more than everyone needs slightly less right now. :P

[Sutremaine]

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I'll do Aid Another for AC if it becomes an available option.

[Re'ozul]

Taking heed of the bellowed warning, the hunters move away from Rada. However, their pride as hunters does not allow them to go too far from her. They are confused for they know of her, but now she seems to have turned against them. As such they hold themselves at the ready should the situation deteriorate.

Rada focusses on the closest moving object, Kusque. With a roar, she steps up to him and slices at him in a furious overhead chop. Kusque however, having predicted this, moves out of the way in time, the missed swing burrying the sword a good foot into the ground, its flames wilting what little grass there is.
Having been denied her kill, Rada starts charging after Kusque in utter fury, but the difference in nimbleness is all too apparent, with him being easily able to stay just a step out of reach.
This difference is great enough to penetrate even the haze of rage fogging Rada's mind, the urge to kill warring with the knowledge of futility. It seems that both parts of her mind come to aconclusion as as she turns away from Kusque towards a target perhaps easier to dismember, Gell.

In all of this, the pleas and shouts of her comrades are only so much noise to her. They are easily drowned by her rage and its echoes coming from both blade and armor as they sing their own duet of carnage to her song of insanity.
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New Map:

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Grazik/Zalgrin: Red
Kusque: Purple
Smith: Blue
Rada: Yellow
Gell: Orange
Mal: Grey

Poor dumb Harry Gell

[rweird]

Grazik - Shaman

"Everyone, get out of here, don't attack or do anything to provoke her, and get away from here, I can deal with this!" Grazik shouts, closing his eyes and summoning the dew of Motherforest to fall around Rada, and with a few words in an ancient tongue, caused it to lose traction and try to trip Rada. <Rada, get a grip!> he mutters into her mind, hoping the words will get into her head and she'd calm down.

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Casting Grease, DC 17 on M/N|12/13. Moving to N 14, still 20 ft. up.

[GnomeGninjas]

Mal moves due west as fast as possible. He doesn't want Rada to kill him and he trust Graziks plan, whatever it may be.

[Winds]

Well...Kusque has the right idea there.


Gell conjures an arrow, then watches Rada closely, preparing to react.

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Free action: Create burst arrow
Hold action: If Rada comes after him, use double move action to evade in a circular pattern, trying to force her back into the Grease if possible. Can move up to 80 feet if using two move actions.

[Sutremaine]

Kusque continued to lead Rada, his eyes frequently straying to the burned gouge she'd left in the earth, but she was losing interest in her unreachable target. Gell was nearby, but he was just as aware of Rada's movements.

He watched Grazik as he cast his spell. Whatever it was doing, it didn't seem to have any visible effects. He'd already disappointed Sorunnar once by not listening to commands, but like then he couldn't do anything else that could help. If he didn't do anything and simply joined the hunters... He glanced around the camp. The hunters had drawn back out of the immediate battle, but by his reckoning Rada could turn on the one she'd nearly killed and finish him off. "Haa..." Rada was worth taking down. He pulled Agares to the front of his mind and flicked his sword at the ground beneath him, the gesture more of a scything swipe than a controlled focus, and the ground rumbled around him as he forced the spirit's energy into it with an irritated stamp. Without looking back at the effect, he walked away from Rada and made his way to the closest hunter. <Grazik, what's going on? Isn't she ever going to get tired?>

To the hunter he said: "You're still a little close. Is that the fastest you can move?"

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Round 5 actions:

Standard: Earthshaking Step, 10ft radius centred on self, all targets in range knocked prone. DC19 Reflex negates.
Move: Move to T10.

I assume based on the positioning that the hunter who was at S16 last round and took a hit from Rada is the one now at U9?

[Kantolin]

Smith remained put at this point. Enough people were gathered around Rada that it was likely counter-intuitive for him to get closer.

In a way, it was good that nothing in his repretoire was useful at this particular instant - meant he had no desire nor need to get closer. Thus, he remained put - playing the waiting game.

Perhaps the spells would do it.

[Re'ozul]

This spectacle is one the hunters do not see very often. Arcane energies being thrown around, not to kill, but to disable. A dance of evasion and non-lethal means. Realizing that they are very much outclassed, they retreat further, to the very edge of the camp.

In a two pronged attack between Grazik and Kusque, the ground loses its friction and starts quaking, causing Rada to nearly fall. But her mind is focussed entirely on combat now, the very notion that she could fall and be deprived of it stoking the fire in her mind further as she rams her blade into the ground to stay upright.
A moment later, as the quaking subsides, she braces herself against the blade using it as a stable point to propel herself forward. As her body passes the blade and she once more has stable ground under her feet, her speed increases as she rips the sword out of the ground, holding it at her side.
However, her plan to cut open Gell as she passes him does not bear fruit. The Archer manages to dodge at the last moment scrambling along the way she just took, placing himself behind the frictionless area of ground.
Rada comes to a stop ten feet beyond his previous position, ripping around her body to face him once more.
Having been denied bloodshed again, a scream of frustration flies from Rada.
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New Map

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Grazik/Zalgrin: Red
Kusque: Purple
Smith: Blue
Rada: Yellow
Gell: Orange
Mal: Grey

Maybe Rada likes frenzying?

[rweird]

Grazik - Shaman

Grazik flies towards Rada, trying to get in her line of sight, Zalgrin flying behind. Touching Zalgrin's muzzle, a pulse of healing light darts down his belly, leaving no trace of the wound. "She can't keep it up much longer, just stay away, soon she'll to to tired!"

Rada, please control yourself. he thinks to himself worriedly, I hope I'm right about this.

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Moving to O|20, Zalgrin to M/N/19/20. I'm using another healing belt charge to heal him (2d8)[9] HP.

[GnomeGninjas]

Mal will fire a single arrow at Rada, he doesn't want to kill her but he thinks that since Grazik's magic is ineffective he might have to kill her. He thinks of what he knows about orc anatomy and chooses the most effective place to strike, her heart.

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Powershot:5
Attack: (1d20+10)[16]
Damage: (2d6+11)[20] +3 from knowledge devotion
Knowledge Devotion (I'm assuming that hunanoids are knowledge local): (1d20+9)[29]

[Winds]

I hope he's right about that...

Gell pauses, waiting for Rada's next move.

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Holding action.

If Rada comes after him again, move action backward, and fire the burst arrow to try and push her back into the Grease if she passes it.

[Sutremaine]

<Are you sure?> he asked Grazik, eyeing Rada warily as she remained upright despite the earth itself trying to shake her feet off. <Nothing else has slowed her down.> He braced himself for a potential strike, but instead she carried on chasing after Gell and failing to hit him as he dodged and withdrew to the patch of still-glistening earth.

Kusque's eyes widened as an arrow flew out of nowhere and embedded itself in Rada's armour. He darted from out behind the hut to find the arrow's source, and saw only Mal. <What's going on? Are we being attacked again?> It was good that Rada couldn't reach anybody now, if the gnolls were trying yet another trick. He ducked back behind the cover of the hut.

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Round 6 actions:

Move: T10 to Q8, via P8.

[Kantolin]

<Give it time.> Smith stated through the link, supporting Grazik's statement.

Not a thought from Rada - meaning she probably wasn't doing any thinking at all at the moment. So hrm.

He utilized his pulse once more - but waiting it out seemed to be the most wise tactic.

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Using guardian's pulse again! Giving everyone Damage Reduction 2/-

[Re'ozul]

An arrow of pure force suddenly impales Rada, piercing straight through the armor before dispersing. On most hunters, the damage would be severe, but to Rada it is only a minor though still significant injury.

However, the pain does nothing to deter her from her target and she charges for Gell. Her step so heavy she breaks the very ground she is walking on, the frictionless patch of dirt in her way is virtually meaningless to her.

But Gell was prepared for this, moving swiftly backwards, he lets loose another arrow like the one previously defused by one of the gnolls, but this one strikes true. Made of air, it has little penetrative power, but that is not what it was made for. The coiled and compressed air is released from its packed state and a burst of wind not only stops Rada's charge, but blows her backwards.
Barely she manages to brace herself and keep her footing as she is once more slid through the patch of slippery ground.

Standing straight again, she notices her previous prey ducking behind cover from something. Deciding, that perhaps it has lost its evasive capacities, she turns towards it. Kusque is once more the only thing in her mind.
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New Map:

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Grazik/Zalgrin: Red
Kusque: Purple
Smith: Blue
Rada: Yellow
Gell: Orange
Mal: Grey

Since Rada will stop frenzying on her initiative count, I'd say everyone but Smith (who is slower than Rada) gives one last round of "frenzy Rada"-Actions, then Rada can give a "clearing head" action and we go back to non-combat.
Unless you want to go beating on each other.

[Sutremaine]

Again? Kusque sighed as Rada continued to ignore Grazik's spell despite being shoved back into its effects, and sharpened his attention as Rada's faceless helm turned in his direction and remained pointing at him. He noted that the first arrow had disappeared.

Time to get moving again, he thought. He made for the longer hut to the north, using both the lingering spell and pure distance as defence. The corpse of the gnoll was still there, something which seemed almost surprising. The battle had been so... trivial, and while he was still ready for a fight this particular one seemed to be long over.

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Round 7 actions:

Move: Q8 to C8

[GnomeGninjas]

Mal calls back to the rest of the group. I don't think my arrows can stop her! I could provide covering fire if I still need to! He prepares to bombard Rada if someone gives the word, or if she hits someone.

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Ready an action to shoot Rada if she hits with an attack or someone tells him to shoot.
Powershooting for 5
Attack: (1d20+10)[28]
Damage: (2d6+14)[21] (including +3 from knowledge devotion)