Tales from the Well [IC]

[Kirnon_Bhale]

Jardin

mumbling about teaching and payment Jardin moves away from the guard making certain even as he speaks to sandwitch himself in the middle of the group unwilling to be the soft target that the bluethroats might want. With a sigh he see's that he is not able to get as close as he would like to Yergal but with make do.

[Cogito]

Wroen

"So nothing too unusual, then. But thanks for the warnings, nevertheless. Let's go for a drink in the Well once I'm back, it shouldn't take too long."

[Velvet Elvis]

Dugby

The druid seemed rather more interested in certain details, than Wroen.

"Bluethroats again, eh? Pests," said Dugby, nearly spitting the last word. "How far west? And what are they up to, this time?"

[Maurkov]

"Let's go for a drink in the Well once I'm back, it shouldn't take too long."

"Sure, come find me a few days after you're back-- just to make sure you did't bring back a plague of your own, you know?"

"How far west? And what are they up to, this time?"

The guard shrugs and adjusts his collar. The heat is oppressive. "Less than 20 miles, I heard. I heard they chased some treasure hunters. It was a five mile running battle, if they're to be believed (I have no reason to doubt it). Once they smell blood...." He shivers.

[fendrin]

Darryn

Darryn shrugs.

"Well, no one ever said our job was easy. Or safe."

He adjusts his pack.

"Thanks for the warnings. It doesn't sound like anything we can't handle, but it's always a good idea to know what you're headed into."

"Althan, shall we head out? I presume you'll be taking point as usual?"

[The_Lonely_d12]

Althan

Hearing his name called out by his companion, Althan replies
"Of course, unless you want to give it a shot this time. Everyone ready?"

He seems slightly impatient to get out of the city.

[Velvet Elvis]

Dugby

Dugby nodded his assent. "Yes, we're done here," he states as a hand wipes sweat from his brow.

With another nod and a word of thanks to the gate guard, he passes through, pausing a few dozen feet outside to await the rest of the crew. Once everyone was near enough, he laid out the marching order, putting Althan on point as usual, and arranging the old and the new in what seemed to be to best advantage. Bluethroats weren't the only things to worry about on the roads out of Stormreach, so best to be suited for the unexpected as early as possible.

"Let's go," he urges, and after a few moments taken placing his animals in their designated positions, a shup, shup has them in motion along with the others.

"We're looking at about twenty dull miles of road, if we're lucky, before the hills. We'll stop for an hour just before noon." Once fully in motion, Dugby begins twirling his sling, bullet in place, to pass the time until midday.

OOC

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Without hustling, we should get 2 MPH assuming the roads are reasonably good and consistent.

[Maurkov]

The giants made good roads. Apparently it was quite a project to dig this one out from under 40,000 years of debris, but you're appreciating that effort now. The road is 20' broad and never steeper than a 5% grade. Not a speck of vegetation has pushed between nor up under the stones. The road winds north and west away from Stormreach. You pass left around a large hill and then down into a marshy area. The road stays a good ten feet above the water table, where individual pools merge into swaths of water. White pines give way to cypress. The calls of insects battle with the calls of amphibians to drown out all other noise.

As high sun nears, Dugby starts looking for a suitable place for his ritual.

Listen DC 14 (Darryn is at -1, Wroen at -3):

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And then to recognize the noise, Knowledge Nature DC 15:

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A crackling sound from a grassy area off to the right captures your attention. After a moment, you recognize it as the sound of a flesh locust hatch. In 20 to 30 seconds a cloud of ravenous insects is going to rise up and devour any living animal they find. Roll initiative.

[fendrin]

Darryn

Darryn walks down the road in his usual state of mind: lost in thought.

Listen - (1d20-1)[14]

[fendrin]

Darryn

Darryn walks down the road in his usual state of mind: lost in thought.

[roll0]

OOC: Sorry for the double post, but I can't edit my first one without screwing up the roll . I missed the additional -1 Darryn gets, so he only gets a 13.... )

[The_Lonely_d12]

Althan

Althan suddenly yells out from the front
"Everyone arm up, we're about to be attacked! Flesh locusts!

He curses a bit as he pulls a flask out of one of the side bags, apparently preparing to throw it.

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althan's listen, subsequent know nature, and initiative (1d20+4=24, 1d20+3=23, 1d20+2=12). Depending on the nature of the beastie about to try to eat us, I'm either going to pull out my Sharrash or my bow. These bugs are basically a swarm, right? We're not dealing with oversized bugs that are easier to kill, are we? I'll edit when I know for sure.

[Bigmac]

Yergal

Yergal pulls out his sword at the warning of danger. He looks about this way and that. At the mention of locus, Yergal flashes Althan a looks as if the halfling must be crazy.

[Cogito]

Wroen

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Listen (1d20+5=11)
Knowledge(Nature) (1d20+3=23)

Wroen, being in some distance to the rest of the group, doesn't notice the approaching beasts, but draws his bow the moment he hears Althan's cry and looks around frantically.

[Maurkov]

Dugby (on autopilot)

"Flesh locust? Neat! Bizkit, Come. Korn, Stay." Dugby moves down off the road in the direction Althan indicated, bending back the reeds and grass to find the nest. "Jardin, I'm sorry, but we have to feed them your mule."

((Passive spot (1d20+3)[4] Move to (13,16), Active Spot (1d20+3)[21]. Biz moves to (11,17)))

"There!" he says, pointing in the vicinity of (11,13).

[The_Lonely_d12]

Althan

Althan looks to where Dugby pointed, and carefully aims the flask, doing his best not to hit any rushing mongrels.

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to hit the area pointed out, preferably with as little damage to the dogs as possible. (1d20+7=27) So, in other words, trying to hit 11,13. I've got no idea if the bugs are there or not, i didn't even bother trying to figure out the pic-couldn't make the check.

[Maurkov]

Althan's alchemist fire sails in a perfect arc, landing right were Dugby was pointing. Althan manages to strike a rock there amid the rushes and mud. the flask breaks open, but only a disappointing amount of flame errupts.

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4 damage this turn. VE: Injured animals are harder to handle or control via empathy. This might be beyond your abilities, even with a food offering

[Bigmac]

Yergal

Unfamilier with these things that the rest of the people were worried about, Yergal shifts his weight into a fighting stance and watches the flames as his muscles tense, ready to spring into action.

OOC: delay untill I see something to attack.

[Maurkov]

Yergal and Wroen stand together, weapons ready. Darryn too waits to see what will happen.

Jardin steps protectively between the mule and Dugby. "You want to feed them, fine, but use one of your pets."

The locust are starting to climb up the available vegetation and are shaking out their wings. The flames have chared a number, but now it's evident that the nest was large. (10,13)-(11,14)

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Delays on Yergal, Wroen, and Darryn can end at any time. Otherwise, Dugby and Althan are up.

Don't worry too much about posting in order. Feel free to revise your posts (or delete and repost) as people before your initiative change the state of the battle. Conditional clauses are fine, too. I'd like to get back to 1 round/1-2 days (Thursday doesn't count)

[The_Lonely_d12]

Althan

"Damn, didn't get all of them. Hope one of you have a plan, 'cause I think this is the last flask I've got.

Althan grabs an identical flask, and chucks it at one of the masses of locusts.


OoC:

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Attacking (11,14)-1d20+7=18, 1d6=4

[fendrin]

Darryn

"What, none of you prepared... oh whatever."
He holds his club up and rapidly rubs it with a piece of rabbit fur.
The club begins to frost over. Darryn then moves toward the swarm, ready to attack.

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spending an action point to rapidly infuse Weapon Augmentation, Personal 'frost' I don't remember how long it takes when an AP is used, and I neglected to bring my EbCS with me while traveling.

If Darryn has time to attack, let me know.

[Cogito]

Wroen

Wroen does some (more or less) quick thinking before he begins moving in a half circle around the insects.

"Can somebody light me a torch? Or better yet, give me one or two of the fire flasks?"

[Velvet Elvis]

Dugby

Backing off as Althan lobs the incendiary pot, Dugby doesn't stop at just a few feet, but rather continues some thirty odd, placing himself somewhere where the boil of insects could still be seen, but not too close to any of his companions. Bizkit paces along beside him, somewhat unsure of the footing beneath the tall grasses.

Once there, he holds out his right hand, palm upward. The index and middle fingers of his other hand poke the center of the palm, then pull upward suddenly as he intones the necessary arcane words, "Thasti ol!" As the fingers draw up, a flame like that of a bright torch comes into being, its roiling base floating a scant distance above the man's palm, though he seems entirely unaffected by the heat.
.

[Maurkov]

xx00000000011111111112222222222xx   . road
xx12345678901234567890123456789xx ^ rough (5' down)
01~~~"""""~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01 " tall grass and reeds
02~~~"""""~~~~~~~~~~"""~~~~~~~~02 ~ water
03~~~"""""~~~~~~~~~~""""""~~~~~03
04~~~~~""~~~~~~~~~~~""""""~~~~~04
05~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"""""~~~~~05
06~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~06
07~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~07
08~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~08
09~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~09
10~~~~~~~~~~~~~""""~~~~~~~~~~~~10
11~~~~~~~~~~~""""""""~~~~~~~~~~11
12~~~~~"""""""""""""""~~~~~~~~~12
13~~~~"""""**""~~~""""""~~~~~~~13
14~~~""""""**"~~~~~""""""~~~~~~14
15~"""""""""""""~~"""""""""~~~~15
16""""W""""""""""""""""""""""""16
17""""""""""""K""""""""""""""""17
18^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^18
19.............................19
20.......Y.......mJ............20
21....A......BD................21
22..........D..................22
23^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^23
24"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""24
25"""""""""""""""""""~~~~""""""25
26~~"""""""""~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~26
27~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~27
xx00000000011111111112222222222xx
xx12345678901234567890123456789xx

Dugby falls back and lights up.
Althan throws another alchemists' fire, but this flask lands in soft mud and fails to burst. The insects continue to sizzle and die from the first one, however.
Jardan moves his mule toward (what he thinks might be) a safer location.
Wroen advances, keeping out of Althan's line. The ground is getting a little boggy.
Darryn channels energy into his weapon, which takes some time.

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The locust will go on 19 next round, so Yergal, Jardin, Wroen, and Darryn get one more round before the swarm takes flight

[fendrin]

Darryn

"Unless you've got a source of energy, clear out! You'll be less than useless, and you could get seriously hurt. Keep watch and make sure we don't get ambushed while we are distracted."

OOC:
Distance-wise Darryn can reach the swarm with a charge, but I'm not sure whether or not the terrain is movement-impeding.
If Darryn CAN charge he will do so
---attack - (1d20+3)[4]
---damage - (1d6)[4] note: this is just the frost damage
If Darryn CANNOT charge, he will move directly towards the swarm, stopping at the edge of the road, and ready an action to attack the swarm if it comes into range.

[Cogito]

Wroen

"I guess that means no, then."

Slightly annoyed, Wroen moves back to (03,20) and curses himself for not bringing a torch himself.

[Maurkov]

Yergal can see the insects now, but does nothing.
Jardin takes the mule further down the road.
Wroen retreats ->(03,20)
Darryn advances, and not trusting his footing on the road's edge, awaits the swarm.

He doesn't have to wait long. The insects, thousands of them, rise in a cloud and stream directly towards him. He swings once, nearly losing his balance and again as they envelop him. The swarm is bigger than he is, though, and while many of the vicious insects settle on him to feed, more flow past, catching Bizkit as well.

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Darryn AoO: (1d20+3)[14] (1d6)[1] *Miss*
Bizkit snaps at the bugs to no effect.

Darryn takes damage (2d6)[2]
Bizkit takes damage (2d6)[6]

Initiative:
Yergal (delaying)
Dugby make a handle animal roll to control Bizkit. Biz must make a Fort save DC 12 or be nausiated.
Althan
Jardin
Wroen
Darryn must make a Fort save DC 12 or be nausiated.
Swarm (covers (11,19)(11,20)(12,20)and(12,21))

xx00000000011111111112222222222xx   . road
xx12345678901234567890123456789xx ^ rough (5' down)
01~~~"""""~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~01 " tall grass and reeds
02~~~"""""~~~~~~~~~~"""~~~~~~~~02 ~ water
03~~~"""""~~~~~~~~~~""""""~~~~~03
04~~~~~""~~~~~~~~~~~""""""~~~~~04
05~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"""""~~~~~05
06~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~06
07~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~07
08~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~08
09~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~09
10~~~~~~~~~~~~~""""~~~~~~~~~~~~10
11~~~~~~~~~~~""""""""~~~~~~~~~~11
12~~~~~"""""""""""""""~~~~~~~~~12
13~~~~"""""""""~~~""""""~~~~~~~13
14~~~"""""""""~~~~~""""""~~~~~~14
15~"""""""""""""~~"""""""""~~~~15
16"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""16
17""""""""""""K""""""""""""""""17
18^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^18
19..........D..................19
20..W....Y..**.......mJ........20
21....A......BD................21
22.............................22
23^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^23
24"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""24
25"""""""""""""""""""~~~~""""""25
26~~"""""""""~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~26
27~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~27
xx00000000011111111112222222222xx
xx12345678901234567890123456789xx

[fendrin]

Darryn

Fortitude - (1d20+2)[9]

Groaning, sick to his stomach, Darryn stumbles out of the swarm, pulling the feasting bugs off of him to the best of his ability.

(move to 05, 19)

(oh, and to be clear, the +3 in the previous post included the charging bonus, I'm not sure if that applies to the AoO... not that it matters, he missed either way)

[Velvet Elvis]

Dugby

"Ach!" The only exclamation Dugby could make as the swarm flooded up and over the berm. Well, almost.

"Blast it, anyway!" he added as he backed away down the road, expecting Bizkit's natural instincts to spark his vaguely increased intellect to remind him his jaws and claws don't scare little bugs.

Near the reed line at the southern edge of the road, he narrows an eye and throws the flame that's been merrily dancing in his palm. It arcs smoothly, flickering and making that distinctive rushing noise as it cuts through the air.

Dugby likes bugs far more than most, but he grinned ferally as he imagined their little compound eyes seeing a hundred identical flames on the way.

"Everyone ready for roasted 'hoppers for dinner tonight?!" he gloated in a faintly manic voice.

OOC

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Now that I know what the HA check was for, I'll rescind it and let Bizkit flee.

(mv) 22,17 (20'); (mv) Flame Toss at Flesh Locust Swarm - (1d20+3)[16](19) (ranged touch) for (1d6+3)[5](8) (1d6+CLvl)

[The_Lonely_d12]

Althan

OoC:

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Althan will move away from the swarm , knowing full well that there's really nothing he can do about it now. In other words, the Python manoeuvre...or "Run Away!" He'll keep an eye out for any other nasty beasties and such. I'm assuming that we were moving to the left on the map, so i'll continue in that direction along the path.

[Maurkov]

Dugby releases Bizkit, who runs south, shaking off blood and bugs. Dugby retreats in a more controlled fashion, and throws a fistful of fire into the heart of the swarm, dispursing it. There are still a bunch of nasty biting insects around, but they are no longer life-threatening. Yergal helps Darryn remove those that still cling to him.

Jardin looks back, "You know, I have some unfinished business in Stormreach. If I wrap it up, maybe I'll hustle after and rejoin you. Bu-bye*." His body language says don't count on it.



((*KB hasn't logged on in 20 days. I think I'll give Jardin the easy out.))