a Very (un)Common Quest -ic

[moskeeto]

Tommy swallowed hard at the sight of the incoming Orcs. He adjusted his armor and prepared himself for the upcoming fight. His knees began to wobble slightly as nerves took over. He looked around and watched as some of the townspeople began setting traps and taking care of other things. He simply looked down at his spear and shield and let out a quiet sigh. It wasn't much, but he would do whatever he could to contribute.

[Trivino]

Ellie:

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Caltrops are placed, rope is set, and you are hidden from view.

As the Orcs begin to close in, Val tightens his grip on his sword and exhales.

"Tighten the perimeter! Get those weapons drawn! We cannot let these Orcs break through!"

The Orcs (a total of about 10 Orcs) make their way to the small town in a matter of time. They pass through the area that Ellie had trapped with her Caltrops, and three of them pass through the Caltrops...

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Caltrops attack- (1d20)[20]

From here, the Orcs stop and let out a vicious roar. They look around, determining which party member to attack first.

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Here is a (crude) map for reference points.
Map

Also, for the initiatives, I will handle the initiative rolls outside of the forums and post the order in the OOC.

[nersxe]

Charles swings his sling so fast in blurs in midair, then launches the sling stone within at one of the orcs in-between him and where Ellie sits in her tree.

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Attack roll: (+3 modifier, -1 distance): (1d20+2)[10]
Damage roll: (1d4+2)[3]

[Dudeons]

Aaron anxiously stands near the entrance to the graveyard, looking for orcs off in the distance. Swallowing with anticipation, Aaron grips his shovel firmly and prepares to attack the first orc he sees.

"They will not have me or my graveyard," Aaron decides, "They'll have to kill me first, and I plan to take a few of them down to hell with me."

Aaron looks over at the grave where he buried his father years ago.

"I'll be there soon, father," Aaron says to that small tombstone in the distance. Tears well in Aaron's eyes, but he brushes them back and looks out to the distance again, grimly prepared for whatever may come.

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Making a Spot check to see incoming orcs.

(1d20+4)[10]

Readying a action; first orc in melee range gets a shovel to the face

[Elrihm]

Aldaer swears as the orcs close in faster than anticipated. The ground shakes ever so slightly beneath his feet, as he watches the approaching raiders. After a quick glance around to see if an orc is trying to sneak through (Spot +3), he settles in.

In that short quiet before the storm, his brain floods with adrenaline in anticipation, and the world takes on a strange surreal feel. There an orc, here a tree, a building, all pieces that he can't put together into a battle. Strangely, there is no emotion, no fear or bravery and he would have expected at least one.


Attacks

When he has picked his target, Aldaer will give a deep retching cough, hacking until he launches a stream of clear liquid that splatters, and sizzles where it lands. His psicrystal will draw in the same colored mist around him, until it coalesces into a liquid that spins around him until it launches out at the same target.

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If an orc looks like it's making its way to him, he'll launch his salvo at them. Otherwise, he'll attack any who engage with Charles or Randolph.

Attack, Ranged Touch Attack, Aldaer: (1d20+1)[9]
Damage, Acid, Aldaer: (1d6)[5]

Attack, Ranged Touch Attack, Psicrystal: (1d20+2)[10]
Damage, Acid, Psicrystal: (1d6)[4]

[Newcomer]

Ellie crouches in the tree, remaining hidden. She can hear the rough breathing and the vicious roar of the orc warriors below her, and she trembles. She sees the other villagers standing around Val, and knows she must help. Ellie draws back her sling, but she freezes in place as terror seizes her.

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Readied action: if any of the orcs turns to attack her, or if all of the orcs advance at least 10 feet forward past her (so row 6 or lower on the map), she will fire, aiming for the one threatening her or the nearest orc.

[moskeeto]

Tommy nervously clutches his Shortspear as he stumbles his way towards the Orcs. He swallows hard as the Orcs close in quick.

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Move to D19

[redzimmer]

Randolph

Randolph ducks in time to not be hit by Charles' whirling sling.

Self-preservation and common sense war with each other a moment, then he determines that it would best to give Val some room to swing his sword and Charles to sling his...er, sling.

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Moves to A22, wielding his quarterstaff two-handed as if a club.

[Chilingsworth]

Jackson lights one of his firebombs and moves to G14.

[Trivino]

Begin Round 1-

Jackson-19

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Jackson lights his firebomb and moves slightly away from the band of Orcs and towards Morgana's.

Val-18
Val delays his turn as he patiently waits for the Orcs to close the gap...

Tommy-16

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Tommy carefully moves towards the Orcs.

Ellie-15

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Ellie waits patiently as the Orcs move past her in her over-sized tree. With her sling in hand, she patiently waits as they continue towards the rest of the party.

Randolph-14

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Randolph hurries to get out of the way and tightly grips his Staff with both hands as he waits for the Orcs to close in. He lets out a quiet breath as he looks over at Charles.

Aldaer-12

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Aldaer holds his position as he readies himself to protect his dear friends, Charles and Randolph. His psicrystal shines brightly behind him, anxious for the Orcs to get in range.

Charles-11

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Charles furiously swings his sling and watches as the stone soars across the town square to the Orcs. It hits the armor of the front Orc, but simply bounces off the armor. The Orc looks over to Charles, brow furrowed.

Aaron-10

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Aaron grips his shovel tightly as he readies himself for his first true test of protecting the graveyard. Ready to sacrifice himself, Aaron clutches his shovel and waits for an Orc to dare challenge him.

Rodney-9

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A butterfly lands on Rodney's nose, distracting him for the next 6 seconds...

Orcs-5

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The Orcs notice movement from all across town and spread out immediately towards different targets. As the Orcs pass her, Ellie fires her sling at the nearest Orc (Orc3 at C7) and hits it for a total of 1 damage. The Orc turns and looks at her, eyes red with rage.

As the Orcs come closer, Val takes the opportunity to charge at the Orcs. He charges all the way to C10 and takes a vicious swing at Orc8 (in C10). The Orc drops immediately as its head comes clean off. Val then looks back at the Orc who had taken a swing at him while charging (Orc at D11 made an attack of opportunity, but missed). Val takes another vicious swing at the Orc and blasts the Orc for 10 damage. The Orc looks at the blood flowing from its body before collapsing in a crumpled heap.

Begin Round 2.

Edited Map

[Chilingsworth]

Jackson runs up behind Val, and tosses his first firebomb into the orcs in front of him.

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Move to C12, then toss the firebomb at orc2.

attack:
(1d20-1)[9]
Break chance (low breaks):
(1d100)[28]
Damage if hit:
(1d6)[5]

Plus splash damage to adjacent orcs.

[nersxe]

Charles re-loads his sling, firing it at another orc. I hope Ellie is okay, he thinks to himself, worrying despite the fact that he knows he'd have seen it if one of the orcs got to her.

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Firing at Orc1, unless that counts as firing into melee, in which case firing at Orc4.

Attack: (1d20+3)[11]
Damage: (1d4+2)[5]

[Elrihm]

Aldaer will watch the battle unfold, and shakes himself out of his stupor at Val charging forward.
"Alright, move, you coward, move!", he'll mutter to himself.
He will cautiously move up, and stand at 22c, ready to launch his salvo at any orc that comes in range.

[Newcomer]

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Promised IC post of Ellie's attack, from last round. Note that due to the readied action, Ellie's initiative count is now 4? or 5?

None of the orcs seem to notice Ellie, and they all pass by her towards the other townspeople. Phew! Ellie breathes a sigh of relief, and the terror that had frozen her subsides for a moment. Then she realizes that the orcs are attacking the other villagers, and before she even thinks through what she's doing, she releases her sling bullet towards the nearest orc. It hits with a solid thud. Yes! .. Uh...

The orc turns and makes eye contact with her. She's been seen, and he looks terribly angry. Ellie emits a tiny squeak as she ducks her head behind a branch, a moment too late.

[moskeeto]

Tommy watched in awe as Val single-handedly took down two Orcs. Snapped back into reality, Tommy nervously makes his move. As he gets within reach, Tommy tosses his spear at the approaching Orc, then gets ready for the coming attack.

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Move to A13, then throw Shortspear at Orc4 at A11.

Attack-(1d20+1)[20]
Damage- (1d6)[5]

Mark Orc4 for Dodge.

[inexorabletruth]

Rodney gets a bead on an orc closest to where he saw the child last, then lets one bolt loose towards its foul heart. It hisses through the air and buries itself deep into the orcs neck. His eyes brighten with hope and thrusts a free fist in the air. Ha!" He exclaims triumphantly as the orc falls dead to the ground.

He humbles himself quickly as the orcs continue to press, and backs up to a safe distance while loading another bolt.

Attack:
(1d20+3)[13]
(1d8)[8]

Confirm, if threat:

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(1d20+3)[10]
(1d8)[2]

Move:
*Moving back 30' to keep a safe distance from the orcs.

[Trivino]

Round 2-

Jackson -19

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Jackson runs behind Val and anxiously tosses his first firebomb. Sadly, the firebomb misses the Orcs and instead hits an empty area behind the Orcs.

Tommy -16

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Tommy rushes to the left of Val and tosses his shortspear at the Orc directly in front of him. The spear pierces through the Orcs, dropping it to the ground. It lets out one final growl before officially dying...

Randolph- 14

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Randolph is distracted at the moment by the growling of his stomach...

Aldaer- 12

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Aldaer is in awe at Val's vicious effort and slowly follows the older man. He moves forward, ready to attack any Orcs that happen to make it past Val.

Charles- 11

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Charles breathes slowly as he prepares to launch another stone at another Orc. The stone hits the Orc, but sadly bounces off the Orc's armor. The Orc shoots a death glare at Charles and clenches his hands around his weapon tightly.

Aaron- 10

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Aaron thinks he hears something from the graveyard behind him. He looks quickly to simply see a squirrel chattering as it munches on an acorn...

Rodney- 9

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Rodney hurries to fire off an arrow at the Orc that has been staring at Ellie for quite some time now. The arrow pierces the Orc from behind, sending him to the ground face first in a pool of his own blood.

Orcs- 5

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The Orcs continue to make their moves towards their specific targets and take swings at their target (those within range)...

Luckily for the townspeople of Ro, every single Orc misses their target and lets a vicious growl of anger...

Val- 4

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Val angrily takes a powerful swing at the Orc directly to his right with his oversized weapon. He slices the Orc in half as the helpless Orc collapses in a bloodied heap. Without hesitation, Val focuses on the Orc next to the one he had just killed. He pauses a moment to enjoy the fear he can see in the Orc's eyes before taking a second powerful slice. This Orc lets out a painful grunt before crumpling to the ground...

Ellie- 4

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Ellie ducks behind a tree branch as the Orc notices her up in the tree. Luckily for her, another townsperson strikes the terrifying Orc with an arrow and kills it. She is safe and undetected... for now.

Begin Round 3.

Updated Map

[Chilingsworth]

Jackson steps away from the orc threatening to disembowel him to regroup with Val. Then, lights and throws his second firebomb at said orc.

Actions:

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5ft step to B11
Light firebomb
Toss at orc 10. (yes, I know this draws an AoO from orc 6.)
(1d20+1)[8]
break chance (low breaks)
(1d100)[62]
damage: (1d6)[4]

[redzimmer]

Randolph

Hmmm. I missed breakfast. Wow these orc are big. I wonder if they speak elf?

Seeing no reason not to, Randolph attempts to fake out the orcs while assisting Tommy.

In elven he shouts:

"Archers! Fire on the survivors!"

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Bluff if any orcs speak elf (Randolph ain't that sharp.)
(1d20+8)[24]
Move toward B17

[Newcomer]

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Ellie's Round 2 action. I was waiting for the orcs to move first.

Ellie sees the threatening orc fall, and the tide of battle seems to be turning. She quickly slings another bullet towards the nearest orc.

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Attacking Orc 1
Attack: (1d20+3)[13]
Damage: (1d4-2)[1]
Critical: (1d20+3)[20]
Crit Damage: (1d4-2)[-1]

[nersxe]

Charles pulls his 'lucky' sling bullet out of his vest. I've missed every other shot, he thinks to himself, but not this one.

Hoping against hope he hits this time, Charles winds up and fires.

Spoiler: Combat Actions

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*Draw masterwork sling bullet (free action)
*Fire (standard) (1d20+4)[11]
*Damage (1d4+2)[6]
*Confirm critical (if necessary) (1d20+4)[7]
*Critical damage (1d4+2)[4]

[Elrihm]

Aldaer is inspired by his compatriots actions, and wants to get in on a little bit of the action. He'll draw his smiths hammer, move to f20, and unleash his salvo at orc7.

Ranged touch attack, Aldaer:
(1d20+1)[9]
Acid Damage:
(1d6)[6]

Ranged touch attack, psicrystal:
(1d20+2)[12]
Acid Damage:
(1d6)[1]

[moskeeto]

Tommy watches in amazement as the Orc before him drops to the ground. He lets out a quiet chuckle as he is overcome with glee. His celebration is cut short, however, as a second Orc makes its way towards him, now standing between him and the Orc he had killed. Nervously, Tommy takes a step back and tosses some Caltrops to the ground.

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5ft step back to A14, then drop Caltrops at A13.
If Orc steps on the Caltrops- (1d20)[12]

[inexorabletruth]

Rodney points his crossbow at Orc7, not happy about how close he is. But he holds his shot as Aldear zooms by, launching his weird acid attack at monster.

"That's nasty, Aldear..." he mumbles. "That's just nasty." He smirks and pulls the trigger.

Attack Orc 7: (1d20+3)[15]
Damage: (1d8)[6]

Confirm if threat:

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Attack Orc 7: (1d20+3)[16]
Damage: (1d8)[7]

"Two for two! These orcs ain't so tough!" He laughs. Liking the idea of a meat wall between him and orcs, he decides to move left this time, behind Charles, as he loads another bolt. "You can do it buddy." He says with a reassuring clap on the shoulder. "We got em on the run! And I've seen you drop finches mid-flight with that sling of yours. Let's finish em off!"

[Trivino]

Jackson- 19

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Jackson makes a quick move towards one of the lumbering Orcs and prepares to fire his second firebomb. While doing so, he catches the attention of a nearby Orc that promptly takes a shot with its blunt weapon. The Orc hits Jackson for a total of 4 damage (no Fort save is needed. You are fine.). Sadly, the fire bomb misses and lands, without exploding in a nearby patch of grass.

Tommy- 16

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Tommy slowly takes a step back from the oncoming Orc and drops some Caltrops in hopes of slowing the raging enemy.

Randolph- 14

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Randolph yells for the help of (imaginary) Elven archers. While his bluff is very convincing, and may fool some Elven-speaking allies, the Orcs did not understand his words and simply continue.

Aldaer- 12

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Aldaer confidently makes his move to the lone Orc standing making a move towards Aaron in the graveyard. He takes a distance shot at the Orc, but sadly misses. His crystal on the other hand, connects for a total of 1 damage.

Charles- 11

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Charles feels a rush of adrenaline as he shoots off another stone at an Orc. He feels confident as the stone soars through the air, but sadly, it simply bounces off the Orc's armor...

Aaron- 10

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Aaron is mesmerized at the moment by Aldaer's crystal...

Rodney- 9

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Rodney watches as Aldaer takes a shot at an Orc to his right. Without hesitation, Rodney coolly aims his crossbow at the Orc and fires, shooting the creature directly in the chest and sending it to the ground in a crumpled heap.

Orcs- 5

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The Orcs, dwindling in numbers, fill with fury as they make one last attempt at the villagers. They all swing furiously, but they all miss their targets...

Val- 4

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Val watches as an Orc lands a hit on one of his villagers. He personally takes it upon himself to send the Orc to the Inferno (or wherever evil Orcs go). He lands a powerful blow on the Orc, killing it instantly. In one fluid movement, Val continues his powerful swing at the second Orc in his range and slices the creature in half.

Ellie- 4

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Ellie watches from her tree as Orc after Orc continue to fall. She can't help but feel excited as she launches a stone at the last remaining Orc. She manages to hit the Orc for a total of 1 damage. The Orc lets out a painful yell as the stone connects.

1 Orc left! Finish it!

Updated Map

[Newcomer]

Ellie fires again at the remaining orc, as she begins to feel the thrill of victory.

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Attack: (1d20+3)[6]
Damage: (1d4-2)[-1]
Crit Confirm: (1d20+3)[21]
Crit Damage: (1d4-2)[1]

In her excitement, she fails to focus on the angle of the shot, and her bullet sails wide.

[Elrihm]

With the battle wrapping up, Aldaer is left trembling after the grip of battle lust has left him. He slowly hangs his hammer from his belt as in the distance an orc is terribly, horribly murdered. His party is celebrating amidst the gore and horror of battle, when the smell finally penetrates his sense. He retches, and then vomits , the acid bile eating into the ground in front of him. Slowly, he'll get up, clean his mouth, and move to disassemble the traps, lest they hurt someone.

[Chilingsworth]

Jackson clutches the side the orc bashed.

Then, he casts ray of frost at the remaining orc:

Spoiler: Rolls

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Touch Attack (into combat):
(1d20-3)[11]
Damage (1d3)[3] cold
Crit Confrim (threatens on 20):
(1d20-3)[12]
Crit Damage: (1d3)[3] cold

Then he moves further away from the orc, to C8.

[nersxe]

Charles dashes off to the side to line up a clear shot, heartened by his comrade's words. He tosses a bullet in his sling, winds up, and lets fly at the last orc.

Spoiler: Combat Actions

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Move: C17
Attack:(1d20+4)[24]
Normal damage: (1d4+3)[4]
Confirm: (1d20+4)[8]
Critical damage: (1d4+3)[6]

If someone else has already killed the orc by the time his turn comes up, Charles dashes off to the side anyway, readies his sling- and then deflates, realizing it's dead.

[moskeeto]

Tommy looks around the town square and notices that the only Orc standing is the one directly before him. He feels a bit of nerves overcoming him, yet he still violently bashes at the Orc with his shield.

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(1d20-4)[4]
(1d4)[3]