Something Wicked this way Comes...

[Mr. X]

In less than a minute, the riders are upon you, thundering down the cobbled street at a full tilt.

They ride in a staggered double-line formation, but given your angle of vision from your hiding places, and the speed at which they're riding, it is difficult to discern one from another, and only the first rider is clearly visible...

Now dismounted, your ambush requires split second accuracy to succeed, or they will be gone before they even realize they were to be hit...

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Taalkar, make your attack... But read the OOC post I am about to make before you do.

[Barthac]

His anger seethes as the sounds of hoof beats begin to fill the narrow street with a kind of echoing thunder. He feeds the fire of his anger. These are the slavers. The ones that put a collar on him. The ones that wanted to keep him. His rage lit into a fiery furnace threatening to burn him from the inside.

Taalkar eyes the quickly approaching riders. They must know someone might try this are they wouldn't be moving so quickly. The flickering torches in the darkened street cast strange shadows that trick his eyes. By the time he can make out which rider is the leader, his chance will have been gone. He aims for the only thing he can make out clearly, the first horse. He grips his axe and leaps towards the charging steed with a might roar and heave of his heavy blade.

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Here goes nothing. YOLO!
Punishing Stance: +1d6 damage -2 AC
Manuevers: Iron Heart Surge, Claw at the Moon, Mountain Hammer, Steel Wind

HP:62 AC:17

Charging Leap Attack with Power Attack (6) but shifted to my AC with Shock Trooper Feat.

Jump Check (DC20) (1d20+33)[39]
ToHit:(1d20+13)[24]
Damage:(1d12+24)[28]+(1d69)[10]
The math: 1d12+6(PA +6)(Leap Attack+12)(Stance +1d6)

AC:11

[Barthac]

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Reroll on the 1d6 (derp) (1d6)[4]

[Mr. X]

Taalkar's axeblade sings as with two quick steps he takes to the air, smashing into the horse with such force that the poor beast is driven to the ground, all but decapitated, and its rider is sent flying out of his saddle, and smashing into a closed vegetable stand.

The horse of the second rider shrieks and veers away, but doesn't slow, and you catch a glimps of an embroidered doublet, rather than a guard's boiled leather jerkin, as he passes...

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Reflex Saves:

Rider 2: (1d20+3)[10]
Rider 3: (1d20+3)[8]
Rider 4: (1d20+3)[5]
Rider 5: (1d20+3)[23]

[Mr. X]

As Taalkar turns to watch the rider pass him, His twin completes his incantation, and the earthen spirits of the area leap to fulfill his will...

For a moment it seems as though the man must escape, when suddenly the very earth beneath you heaves and lurches, the stones of the cobbled street crack and split apart, and in a moment the entire area has become a roiling sea of quaking stone...

Taken again by utter surprise, the fleeing man's horse stumbles badly on the violently shifting stones, and breaks a leg, whinnying pitifully as it collapses to the ground, and dumps its rider unceremoniously from his saddle.

Behind Taalkar, the next two approaching riders' mounts likewise lose their footing, and tumble to the ground... Only the last man mannages to keep his horse's footing, as he urges the creature forwards through the shifting terrain.

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Taalkar, please make a Reflex Save against Karazi's spell (DC 14, I think).

If you fail, you shall be knocked prone.

Jamish is off his horse, a little ways passed Taalkar, and perhaps 20ft shy of the edge of the effect.

The first horse Taalkar hit is dead, and his rider is lost in the wreckage of the vegetable cart. He may be presumed either unconscious or dead.

Riders 3 and 4 both failed their reflex saves, and are prone, their horses crippled.

Rider 5 made his save, and is taking a double move action to push passed the rest, and get to Jamish's side. Horses move pretty good, even at half speed, and so he'll reach Jamish at the end of this round.

He'll have to pass Taalkar to do it, however, so if Taalkar makes his Reflex Save, He may make an Attack of Opportunity against him.

Also, Initiatives:

Guards and Jamish: (1d20+2)[16]

Quickblade: (1d20+8)[21]

[Mr. X]

Combat Order:

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Quickblade: 21
Taalkar: 17
Bad Guys: 16
Karazi: -3

[Barthac]

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Reflex Save: (DC14)(1d20+5)[17]

[Barthac]

Taalkar spots the remaining horse with a rider and snaps his axe back at the lone horse as it passes

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Again aiming at the horse, I assume this is still the surprise round? are they still flatfooted?

Power attack 6 is still in effect and so is punishing stance

ToHit:(1d20+11)[12]
Damage:(1d12+12)[24] + (1d6)[2]

[Mr. X]

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Quickblade's attack: (1d20+8)[20]

Damage: (1d4+3)[6]
Sneak Attack: (3d6)[10]

[Mr. X]

The ground lurching beneath him, Taalkar steadfastly keeps his feet, taking a wide slash at the last rider as he struggles passed...

But just as he begins his swing, the ground beneath his back foot bucks, toppling him forward onto the ground, and under the hooves of the struggling beast...

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Taalkar take damage (Trample): (1d6+3)[7]
[/roll]

... As Taalkar tumbles beneath the hooves of the horse, Quickblade, still ahorse and huddled against the ally wall, in a single fluid motion slips a dagger from his boot, and flings it towards the last rider...

True to his name, the blade flies swift and true, burying itself deep into the back of the horseman...

The man topples out of his saddle, just as he reaches the jostling prone form of Mr. Jamish.

[Barthac]

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Reflex Save (DC14):(1d20+5)[17]

[Mr. X]

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Nice. Taalkar, it's your move.

[Barthac]

Taalkar eyes Jamish and sees him almost rescued by his guard when Quickblades dagger intervenes.

Nice shot! he hollers as he again charges and jumps at Jamish aiming to smash him with flat of his axe.

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I think I am in range (60') and I have your grapple rules right.
I an going to drop my stance and charge in with leap attack to hit him with a nonlethal axe attack and then grapple.

Jump:(DC10)(1d20+33)[37]
ToHit:(+2 charge, -4 nonlethal) (1d20+9)[20]
Damage:(1d12+6)[9]

[Mr. X]

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Jamish resists Taalkar's grapple: (1d20+4)[7]

Just as the trader manages to get to his feet, Taalkar's axe is there, slapping him flatside the face, before the dwarf whips the haft around, catching the man around the neck with it.

[Mr. X]

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Guard Reflex Saves(DC 14):

Guard 1: (1d20+2)[8]
Guard 2: (1d20+2)[7]

Damn, it's a bad day for the slavers.

Behind, the other two fallen guards struggle ineffectively to gain their feet amidst the lurching stones, as their horses shriek and scream in terror and pain.

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Karazi, it's your turn.

[LordDice]

Karazi seeing Jamish under control turns to the guards still fumbling trying to find their footing. Gripping his axe tightly he raises it to the sky as small sparks start to dance on the edge of it.

A second later with a slight flash the shining weapon appears normal once more, only for a massive bolt of lightning to crash down in the alleyway mere feet away.

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DC 16 Call lightning on one of the remaining stumbling guards. the nearest one lets say.
(3d6)[9] OR (3d10)[14] (I hadn't asked what the weather was like tonight, heh)

[Mr. X]

A blinding flash, and a deafening blast of thunder rip through the clear night skies... As the spots fade from your vision, and the ringing leaves your ears, you see one of the guards blackened and smoking, like a piece of burned meat...

... But he's yet alive, his shrieks now joining those of the horses and the tumultuous stones toss him about on his raw and burnt flesh.

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Quickblade's attack:
(1d20+8)[12]

Damage:
(1d4+3)[5] + (3d6)[9]Sneak Attack.

This time the dagger comes from Quickblade's belt, streaking through the air, and catching the jostling prone form of the second guard beneath his chin, just over his gorget... The man dies, choking on his own blood.

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Taalkar, it's your turn.

Jamish has taken 4 lethal damage from falling of his horse, and 6 more non-lethal from your attack. He has 18hp remaining.

Edit/: Ack, you rolled 9 damage, not 6. Jamish has 15hp remaining.

Both the guards took 4 damage falling off their horses as well. The one Karazi hit has 2hp remaining, the other is dead.

[Barthac]

Taalkar reaches back and slams his fist into Jamish's face.

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Unarmed Damage: (1d3+2)[5]

[Mr. X]

Taalkar deals Jamish a solid blow to the face, and the taller man gives in and stops struggling, allowing himself to be subdued.

It takes only a moment longer for Karazi and Quickblade to put the dying guard out of his misery, and the scene quites down.

"Alright, you bastards, you've got me. If you were gonna kill me, you'd've done me in with the rest of my men. So what do you want?'

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Congratulations on handily putting down your first group of slavers. Each gain 1000exp. (Karazi, I'm fairly certain you could finish off that last guy easily.)

Also, while most the bells you hear ringing are coming from the harbor, you made quite the racket in this attack, and so you would do well to expect a guard patrol to come along before long.

Take your actions.

[LordDice]

Seeing Jamish subdued he calms down a bit from the heat of battle, muttering a short plea to the spirits causes his eyes to gain the slight glow of reflected fire.

Turning to Jamish he brandishes his still sparking axe before saying as menacingly as possible "If you want to live the next few minutes, hand every bit of coin to my friend with the axe around your neck. Every item of magic and control rod you've got.

Lets not do anything foolish either, you want to get home to that little girl of your right ?"

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Detecting magic, focusing on him to determine what magic items he's got. If he tries to pass off a fake control rod...that sort of thing

Oh and Intimidating the hell out of him to keep him compliant
(1d20+5)[12]

[Mr. X]

Jamish looks furious, but relaxes, and starts emptying his pockets... Untill you mention the rod.

You see the wheels quickly turning behind his eyes as he makes the connections.

"You... You're after my shipment!" He sags, a pleading look in his eye, "No... Please, you'll ruin me! That shipment is my last chance to recover my losses!! I'LL BE OUT ON THE STREET!!"

He collapses to the ground, sobbing, as Quickblade jerks the rod out of his hand.

"...It was Claremont that put you up to this, wasn't it. WASN'T IT!? Bastard couldn't stand to see me get ahea--"

He cuts off, as Quickblade slips a sap from his belt, and smashes the slaver over the head with it, knocking him out cold.

Without another word, Quickblade takes the rod and focuses for a moment.

"The shipment is on it's way back to the stockhouse. We'll need to ride hard to catch them where we want them, but we've got the guards now, so we shouldn't have any trouble dealing with the drivers."

[LordDice]

Kicking Jamish solidly in the ribs before heading to his horse and even if the man was unconsious he can't help but comment."Letting you off lightly all told".

As the rush of the magic starts to fade away a bit he pulls his horse out of the alley, trying to calm it down a bit from the chaotic actions just a few moments ago.

Finally getting it settled enough he hauls himself up upon the horse, seeing Taalkar do the same.

"Lets get a move on then" and with a grin at Quickblade just as they head off "We can't keep Claremont waiting after all can we"

Commenting to Quickblade a few hundred yards down the road as they get along "I couldn't resist, best if those bell-rung guards confirm we're a rival stealing his shipment than actively looking for the likes of us eh?"

[Mr. X]

Quickblade smirks mirthlessly, pulling himself up into his saddle, and kicking his horse into motion.

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Karazi would you give me a Sense Motive roll please?

[Mr. X]

As you hurry down the darkened streets, you note a cold, grim, air coming off of Quickblade... Having just handily beat down, and potentially ruined, a wealthy slaver, you'd expect him to be in higher spirits...

It's not entirely unexpected though. When you worked with him before, he never seemed to take much joy in the simple violence of his work. He was a slave once himself, and his hatred for the 'masters' runs much deeper than a simple beating could ever suffice to cure.

And so you press on, eventually pulling up in an alley off Kellar Street, down which the slave column is approaching. Off in the distance a bell tolls the hour...

Once you're all together, Quickblade withdraws two maps of the city, and hands one to each of you, each with a separate route marked on it.

"Lori's been watching the patrols for the last few days, an' these are the routes that'll be clear... With this many slaves, and the added weight of the guards, we'll never be fast enough or quiet enough if we stay together, so we're splitting up.

Follow your route out of town, and meet back at that oak grove we passed coming in.

I'll say it again though, cuz the patrols don't keep perfect schedules. Sometimes they're early, sometimes they're late. If you run into trouble, ditch your slaves and get out. They're not worth getting caught for."

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Guys, feel free to interject here, but if you've nothing to say, just let me know OOC, and I'll move on with the next scene.

[LordDice]

"Sounds good, we'll see you at the grove then, Still got a few tricks up our sleeves to get past some patrols ! But we'll be careful"
Boasting slightly and grinning all the while.

[Barthac]

Taalkar snorts, I din't think we would'a made it this far. Getting them out should be the easy part.

[Mr. X]

"Heh, trust me." Quickblade chuckles, "this is the hardest part."

So saying, he takes the rod, and again focuses for a moment...

Before the drivers can comprehend what's going on, six of the guards have broken formation, and butchered them like animals...

Quickblade steps out from the alley, walks up to the fallen drivers, and takes their control rod. Holding both rods high, he turns to the amassed group of slaves, and shouts,

"WE'RE HERE TO GET YOU OUTTA HERE! BUT WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPLIT YOU UP TO DO IT!"

He indicate's Karazi, and a swath of the slaves.

"YOU LOT FOLLOW THAT DWARF! AN' DO WHATEVER HE SAYS!"

Indicating Taalkar, and another group, he says,

"YOU LOT FOLLOW THAT ONE, AN' DO WHATEVER HE SAYS!!

THE REST OF YOU, FOLLOW ME!!

MOVE!!"

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Taalkar and Karazi, please give me a check of whichever of the following is your best roll: Survival, Knowledge(Urban), Knowledge(Local), Flat Int, or Flat Wis.

Doilin, the magic of your collar compels you to follow Quickblade's orders, but you may choose which person you end up following.

[GiedalCaine]

Hrmpf, if I still believed in the charity o' the gods I might thank them fer this.

Doilin rises, his collar forcing him to comply but even if it hadn't he'd have quickly beat feat after the nearest indicated dwarf.

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(1d2)[1]high means I'm following Taalkar.

[LordDice]

Rounding up his group he hollars as he starts to move out "Keep up fellas, ain't time to be getting lost..I damned sure don't intend to be getting caught cause one of ya is slacking"

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Survival check
(1d20+11)[26]

[GiedalCaine]

Hey buddy, if you can free my hands, get me a piece of chalk or something like it and about 20 seconds I can help out if we get in a jam.