Old Ways IC II

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

Artanis momentarily forgot his oath to kill the man who had wounded Mycah and shouted in order to be heard over the clash of arms.

"Talsarios! Don't let them cut that thing free! We've got enough on our hands right now! Take the one closest to you! I've got the other!"

Artanis decided that he could not afford to miss. He quickly let his bow drop so that he could send a Magic Arrow into the Fang.

As the Arrow flew towards the Fang, he tried to identify the creature that they were trying to release.

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So does Artanis' shouting allow us to choose seperate targets? I don't want whatever it is to get free because we only got rid of one of them.
HP: 3/3
AC: 2
Attack (if using Shield spell): (1d20)[1]
Damage:(1d6+1)[6]

Trying to find out what the creature is. I'm not exactly sure what I need to roll but here they are in the order I think it should be.

Alertness DC 14: (1d20)[7]
Int. (to identify monster) DC 14: (1d20)[10]

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


Bran loses his smile and shouts, "Ash, you're the best armored. I'll handle these, you have to protect the others from the monster!"

And he attacks again at the two sword-wielding Fangs.

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Level 3 Fighter
Hit Points: 12/12
AC: -1

Attack: (1d20+1)[9]
Thac0: 19
Damage: (1d8+1)[5]

[Koren n'Rhys]

Mycah shouts out a cry of jubilation as his arrow and Talsarios' spell drop the crossbow-wielding Fang. He holds his position as Alanna tends to his wound, shuddering as he feels her holy powers course through his body and wiping away the injury. He stammers out a quick, "Thank you, now stay safe." Before rejoining the fray.

Hearing the warning about the beast in the hold, Mycah will try to reach the quarterdeck and position himself for a backstab as it emerges through the hatch.
(Dropping his bow and drawing his new sword)

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Mycah, Thief, Lvl 4
AC: 6 HP: 4/5
Attack (Sword/Backstab): (1d20+4)[8] Thaco 19
Damage: (1d8*2)[6]

That may be a lot to do in one round. Hopefully it can happen that way...

[Matthew]

Nathros attempts to slay the rope cutters before they can release the beast.

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Nathros, Level Three Dwarf: AC 3(2); HP 13(13); THAC0 19.

Attack Roll: (1d20+4)[22]
Damage Roll: (1d10+4)[9]

[Altair_the_Vexed]

"Oh, good grief!" spits Talsarios, dashing to a spot where he can aim at the Fangs who are cutting the Beast's restraints. "Have at you!"

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magic missile - (1d6+1)[2]

[Nevaera]

ASH

Ash winces as the unexpected pain of the weapon cuts under her arm, even past her nearly impenetrable armor.

She nods at Brandon's brave decision and slashes at the Fang nearest her before taking up his advice. She'll move into a defensive position near Talsarios and Artanis and take a look at what they could see down below.

"Be careful everyone. If you don't have good armor, stay behind me and use your ranged attacks if you can."

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AC: -2
HP: 14/16
Thac0: 17 (sword)
Attack: (1d20)[18]
Damage: (1d8)[2]

[MeanMrsMustard]

As Alanna finishes up with Mycah, she looks around, trying to figure out whom she should heal next. The mental triage is a trying task, and she shudders when she hears the word "beast."
I don't know if I'll have enough healing for everyone! I hope the team can make it through this fight… I didn't think I'd have to use the potions so soon after getting them!

[Roland St. Jude]

Ash dealt the man a blow that caused him to wobble a bit. He and the other swordsman managed to hold off Brandon's attack. Nathros turned and struck one of the swordsman below, decapitating the man.

Talsarios and Artanis each struck one of the Fangs in the hold below with a magic arrow. Both men were obviously pained, but neither stopped his frantic rope cutting. They rushed out of sight to somewhere below decks as the beast broke loose, its exact size and shape still something of a shadowy blur.

Mycah and Ash reached the opening to the hold below just in time to see the men disappear into a dark corner of the hold below. Artanis, Talsarios, Mycah, and Ash all stood around the hatch in the deck as the beast emerged.

---

The thing was like something out of nightmare. It was black as night and blurry as a shadow. It had a somewhat feline look and it had a half dozen legs. Most troubling however was its toothy maw, lips drawn back in grim smile, and a pair of long, spiny tentacles protruding from its shoulders. The whole thing was difficult even to look it let alone aim an attack.

It clambered up to the main deck, and reached out with its tentacles, one just passing over Talsarios' head and the other packing a powerful punch into Ash's torso.

Across the main deck, the swordsman facing Brandon pauses at the horrible death of his comrade, but after only a moment's hesitation he swings again but misses.

On the main deck, a single swordsman continued to battle aft and the beast faced off near the front of the ship. Somewhere below decks lurked the two Fang beastmasters and the mysterious commanding voice.

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Ash -5 hp

PCs lost initiative again.

Fang Morale check made.

PCs' turn.

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Talsarios quickly backs away from the beast, with a look of horror and revulsion.

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I assume that withdrawing from the fight is a full round action (if I don't want to give away a free hit).
If it's easier than that to back off, then after backing away, Talsarios will look to get up high, out of reach of the beast, either up onto the quarter deck, or into the rigging.

[Matthew]

Nathros attempts to finish off the remaining Fang, and head towards the "real" fight.

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Nathros, Level Three Dwarf: AC 3(2); HP 13(13); THAC0 19.

Attack Roll: (1d20+4)[19]
Damage Roll: (1d10+4)[7]

[Nevaera]

ASH

When Ash is more or less back-handed by the tentacle arm, she lets out a winded groan and still tries to stay between the beast and Mycah and Artanis. Sword and shield at the ready, she wheezes for air and takes a swing at the shadowy feline beast, hoping to make it connect.

[If the Beast has gone after Talsarios for some reason, she'd try to taunt/distract it again with yelling and hopefully injuring it.]

"Alanna, remember your magic sling if you get a clear shot! Also, don't worry about healing me unless I go down or ask for it, 'kay?"

"Brandon, Nathros, let's try and corner this thing somewhere where it can't reach anyone else! Maybe drink that strength potion while you're at it. Couldn't hurt." She quarks her head to accentuate the last remark.

She speaks through gritted teeth as she tries to fend off the beast, "It'd be good to know if silver or holy water could help too."

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AC: -2
HP: 9/16
Thac0: 17 (sword)
Attack: (1d20)[7]
Damage: (1d8)[4]

[Koren n'Rhys]

Mycah, too, falls back away from the beast, seeing what it did to Ash. He is familiar with the creatures of the forest, and knows the great cats that hunt and dwell within, but this abomination is so beyond his experience he can hardly believe it exists.

As it focuses it's attention in another direction, Mycah takes advantage of his position to strike it unawares, just once, before trying to put plenty of space between him and it and taking up his bow once again.

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Displacer Beast! Nice play, Roland - totally not what I expected.

Mycah, Thief, Lvl 4
AC: 6 HP: 4/5
Attack (Missile): (1d20+1)[21] Thaco 18
Damage: (1d6)[2]

*EDITED: Melee/Backstab Attack - still Nat 20, damage 1d8 x2 (maxed?)
We'll see if it makes me pay for my backstab before i can get away.

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


Bran pants, "Hang on. I have to deal with this scoundrel first."

Silently calling upon the Immortal Petra to bless his blade, Bran once again attacks the Fang swordsman he has been fighting.

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Level 3 Fighter
Hit Points: 12/12
AC: -1

Attack: (1d20+1)[5]
Thac0: 19
Damage: (1d8+1)[6]

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

Artanis scooped up his bow and fired on the abomination after putting the mast between him and the deadly beast. He had no intention of giving it an easy target after what it had done to Ash.

"MOSS FLUFF! WHY DOESN'T HE COME OUT AND FIGHT US BY HIMSELF!?"

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Mycah, as soon as I read your post I thought it has to be a Displacer Beast and then I opened your Spoiler. I was laughing at how quickly we both came to that conclusion.

HP: 3/3
AC: 2
Thac0 (longbow) 17
Attack:[roll]1d20+1[/roll]
Damage:(1d6)[4]

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

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Sorry, accidentally put spaces in the attack roll.
Attack: (1d20+1)[9]

[Roland St. Jude]

Brandon continues to cross swords with the weakened Fang swordsman as Nathros deals another deathstrike from above.

Mycah slides around to the beast's blind spot and lunges in for a fierce strike. It seems a significant wound

Talsarios retreats cautiously, keeping an eye out for those unnaturally long tentacles. He backs up the stairs toward the quarterdeck, which gives him a good view of the deck.

Artanis swings around to the opposite side of the mast, using it as cover as he peeks out and fires an arrow past the beast.

Nathros and Talsarios stand on the front edge of the quarterdeck, with Talsarios still at the stairtop. Below them stands Brandon at the threshold of both the up and down stairs. Artanis stands just aft of the mast, and Ash, face-to-face with the beast stands just fore of it. Mycah has snuck around to the back of the beast a little farther toward the front of the ship. Alanna stands mid-deck, near Artanis.

Five men lie dead on the ship's deck and four more lie in magic slumber (one up in the crow's nest). Two Fangs remain hidden below along with their unseen commander. The beast stands firmly mid-deck, its tentacles waving wildly in search of a target.

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PCs win initiative this turn. Go!

Note that my recap description there only states things the party knows about. Who knows what else might be below decks...

Those who might have heard or read about such things would now recognize the things a displacer beast, a rare creature with the annoying trait of appearing to be other than where it really is.

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


Bran runs towards the fight with the beast, and he sees it.

"Water," he whispers after a moment of standing there, stunned.

"Water!" he roars at the three hirelings.

"Grab buckets! I want you to dump water all over the deck that beast is standing on! As much water as you can! Now!"

If he still can, he returns to attacking the displacer beast.

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Don't know if Bran can attack the displacer beast this round after talking and moving, but if he can, this is his attack roll.

Level 3 Fighter
Hit Points: 12/12
AC: -1

Attack: (1d20+1)[18]
Thac0: 19
Damage: (1d8+1)[7]

[Nevaera]

ASH

"Good job, Mycah, now get out of there! - Try your bow next. This thing hurts!"

In response to Brandon"Seriously? - If water was its weakness," Ash takes another swing at the beast, " - this is a terrible location to keep it!" She chuckles a little.

With most people having a clear shot at the beast while mostly in fairly safe positions, Ash won't move from where she is unless the beast moves. Then she'll try to intercept it.

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AC: -2
HP: 9/16
Thac0: 17 (sword)
Attack: (1d20)[18]
Damage: (1d8)[1]

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


Bran answers, "No. Water splashes. Lets us know where it really is."

[Nevaera]

ASH

Ash blinks and shrugs, "Works for me."

[Tsunamiatunzen1]

Artanis moved out from the mast long enough to take another shot at the beast and ducked back behind the sparse cover.

"Well unless any of you have any objections, I think I'm going belowdecks to keep that thing from manuevering!"

He then prepared to make a break for the hatch that had previously held the beast's dwelling.

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HP: 3/3
AC: 2
Thac0 (longbow) 17
Attack:(1d20+1)[3]
Damage:(1d6)[5]

[Altair_the_Vexed]

Talsarios steps away from the top of the companionway, and flourishes his wand again, sending a ghostly bolt of force at the unnatural beast.

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Magic missile damage - (1d6+1)[5]
(IIRC, stairs on a ship are called "companionways".)

[Nevaera]

ASH

She replies to Artanis, "I'd prefer you didn't! Any bit of ranged aid here would be greatly appreciated." She tries to block the beast if it's tentacles swing about again.

[Koren n'Rhys]

Mycah
Feeling emboldened by his success, or perhaps misguided by foolish optimism, Mycah makes a last-second decision to hold his ground just a bit longer. Drawing back his sword and praying that Ash can continue to hold the beast's attention, he once more takes advantage of his position and stabs from behind.

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Mycah, Thief, Lvl 4
AC: 6 HP: 4/5
Attack (Missile): (1d20+4)[8] Thaco 19
Damage: (1d8*2)[6]

Why? I have no idea. This will no doubt end badly for the boy. My instincts are screaming to get back and use the bow...

EDIT: That's what I get for not listening to Ash.

[Matthew]

Nathros heaves his bloody pole-axe in the air, and leaving the dismembered bodies of his enemies sprawled piteously on the deck runs to meet the beast!

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Nathros, Level Three Dwarf: AC 3(2); HP 13(13); THAC0 19.

Attack Roll: (1d20+4)[6]
Damage Roll: (1d10+4)[7]

[MeanMrsMustard]

Alanna has never seen anything like the beast before in her life, and she gawks at it before clearing her head with a shake and pulling out her sling. As she gets ready to hurl a bullet at the "cat," she notes that the sling seems of inherently higher quality than her old one.
It's magic, remember?
She unleashes her best shot at the shadowy foe but doesn't check to see if the attack connects, instead closing her eyes for a bit -- staring at it seems to give her a headache.

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All right, time to "break in" the magical weaponry!
Attack: (1d20+1)[20]
Damage: (1d4+1)[3]

[Roland St. Jude]

Brandon and Ash converge on the displacer beast and slash it with well-placed sword-strikes. Alanna fires her magic sling, which also finds the beast's hide. Talsarios' magic arrow finds its way through the crowd and strikes the beast as well. It snarls in pain and while it is difficult to judge it seems to be very seriously wounded.

The beast swats Ash again with a spiked tentacle and nearly misses Mycah with the other, but most shockingly, the beast, who seems not to be near enough to do so, clamps a vicious bite on Brandon.

A pair of crossbow bolts fly up and out of the hold, one catching Mycah in the leg and the other hitting the deck near Ash's feet.

Out of the corner of his eye, Talsarios spies another figure with him on the quarterdeck. A large man, no, he realizes it's an orc, has climbed out of the small hatch at the very rear of the boat. Another figure seems to be right behind him, clambering out of the hatch now.

---

The beast again lashes out with his tentacles and lunges for a bite at Ash, but this time he was unsuccessful.

No other quarrels fly up from the hold. On the quarterdeck, the orc draws his large axe as the cloaked man finishes climbing out of the hatch behind him.

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Ash -3 hp
Brandon -6 hp

The hirelings search about for buckets without success.

PCs lost initiative. Foes' actions are posted above. PCs turn.

[Frivolous]

Brandon Bor


"Aaargh!" Brandon cries out from the bite in pain , which swiftly transmutes into rage.

"Eat my steel, monster!" Bran slashes hard with his sword.

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Level 3 Fighter
Hit Points: 6/12
AC: -1

Attack: (1d20+1)[5]
Thac0: 19
Damage: (1d8+1)[7]

[Matthew]

Nathros presses his attack on the beast!

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Nathros, Level Three Dwarf: AC 3(2); HP 13(13); THAC0 19.

Attack Roll: (1d20+4)[15]
Damage Roll: (1d10+4)[8]

[Altair_the_Vexed]

"Oh, bloody hell - that's just great, isn't it!"
Talsarios scrambles back down to the lower deck, unleashing a magic missile at the orc from his wand as he flees. "There's more of them up there!" he exclaims to his companions - keeping well back from the beast's tentacles.

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Alastor Talsarios, MU 3, AC 9, HP 3/5, THAC0 19
Another charge off the wand!
Magic Missile damage - (1d6+1)[4]