Tyrant's Grasp [GM Battle Book]

[lostsole31]

This is the GM-only Battle Book for the Tyrant's Grasp campaign.

If you are a player in this game, looking at the contents therein is cheating. I have removed a player from my server and from several games it was obvious that they did a simple search for this channel and used the information found here.

Spoiler: Battle Tracker

Show

Gwennid: 22.
Drake: 18.
Camael: 16.
Helena: 15.
Sal: 11.
Grum: 10.

[lostsole31]

Begin Round One ...

R1T32: Grum barely opened the door and already Sal is already moving, getting right next to Helena while drawing what is nothing more than a simple shortbow and shoots. With the narrow angle and doorway and people in the way, it is an expected miss, especially as he drew a little deeper, likely hoping for a more powerful connecting shot. While it is obvious to Helena that he doesn't nearly have the same level of archery training, she can respect from his stance and training that he knows how to handle himself in a CQB firefight.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

His combat instincts aren't as developed as hers (BAB), but his training shows (Precise Shot).

He calls out, "The skeleton's just a vehicle, not an undead. It's a chariot for an ostovite, but you have to beat down the skeleton first, preferably with something designed to break bones."

R1T22: It seems nearly an eternity passes before something glows and appears around Gwennid. A perfectly-fitted suit of chainmail with leaf-motif (not leitmotif, mind you, even though the leaf motif is a leitmotif) forms around her even as a glowing shortspear made of green light appears in her hand. There's even a jeweled crown that fits around the leafy helmet she seems to wear. She zooms right out the door and then throws her spear. But the spear isn't "thrown so much as it turns into green light and a ray of green light shoots forward from her hand to go through the thing and strike the wall behind. The thing takes 10 light damage.

R1T20: That got its attention. The skeleton claws at Gwennid - completely missing the first time, and then bony nails barely scraping along the strange, magical chain she wears on the second.

R1T19: Helena, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 32.
Gwennid: 22.
Ostovite: 20.
* Bone Chariot: (18:28).
Helena: 19.
Drake: 8.
Grum: 7.
Camael: 5.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T19: Helena spies the beast and instinctively brings up the bow. Silvery fire bursts from her hands and the bow as she takes aim before she steps back for a better angle and let’s fly. She knows better than to aim for center of mass, but instead aims for a lower arm where the two bones meet to create a "larger target" for herself. Her pinpoint accuracy just manages to hit the two bones as they meet the elbow. The arrow doesn't hurt it, but it does slam long enough against it before breaking away that the skeleton takes 2 fire.

R1T8: Drake darts through and across, and a claw scrapes hard along the chain under his coat. He elbows it in the head as hard as he can for 10. "Damn, that thing is sturdier than a normal skeleton!"

R1T7: Grum, what do you do?

Joey on deck, Sal in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 32.
Gwennid: 22.
Ostovite: 20.
* Bone Chariot: (6:28).
Helena: 19. RS.
Drake: 8. RS.
Grum: 7.
Camael: 5.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T7: Pushing forward Grum drops south to be beside the skeletal thing. ”Aye, I’ve not time fer you today..” he grunts as wielding the massive blade defensively he lashes out and readies to party. His akashic blade destroys the skeleton, and left behind in the rubble is a Tiny creature that is very strange and bug-like.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Hard corner. He had to take a move action to get to that point. I am sneaky; I already updated chakra power's damage into your weapons chart.

R1T5: Joey leaves that initial room, taking the lantern with him, leaving only Helena's magical light to help the two humans remaining in the first room.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T32: "There it is! The ostovite! It's a magical creature, not an actual bug of any kind," calls out Sal. He doesn't even bother trying to waste an arrow shooting at so small a creature in that scrum, but doesn't get in Helena's way, either.

R2T22: Gwennid, her light-spear now gone, reaches out her hand and fires a dart of magic at it to strike the ostovite for 3.

R2T20: Not knowing what's in store for it, it moves into Grum's space, but the dwarf drops his blade on it for 22 with a grievous strike, and the thing stops moving after giving a hideous little shriek.

Combat Ends...

Drake will stamp on it several times for good measure.

"Yeah, no," says Sal as he comes in to collect his errant arrow, "it's not like I didn't want to study it to maybe find out more about the dangers it represents if there are more of them."

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 32.
Gwennid: 22.
Ostovite: 20. (17:20).
Helena: 19. RS.
Drake: 8. RS.
Grum: 7. Readied to parry if he is attacked.
Camael: 5. Holding hooded lantern (6 hours oil left), lit.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

Surprise Round ...

S18: Something skitters out from inside the body to zoom into Helena's space before coiling up almost snake-like but with countless feet to bite Helena in the right knee 1 NL + 1 acid.

S17: Camael takes out the mace, ready for battle.

S15: Sal, who is weighed down by his pack, steps back and drops his pack off his shoulders, while getting ready to shoot his bow if needed.

S13: Grum had heard the faint scraping of feet first, but only turned around to see the battle in 1-1/2 seconds mid-progress. The body is so lacking in core materials due to mutilation that it does not count as difficult terrain. This is a surprise round (so MA or SA but not both). What do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Ostovite: 18. (20:20).
Camael: 17. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left), lit, on ground.
Sal: 15. Dropped pack.
Grum: 13.
Gwennid: 11. FF.
Helena: 9. FF.
Drake: 8.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

S13: Grum turns - hefting the juggernaut blade - and strides nearer to Helena, waiting to strike at the beast.

S8: Drake steps up and tries to curb stomp the thing, but misses.

End Surprise Round, Begin Round One ...

R1T18: The ostovite - for it is another one of these bug creatures - bites Helena in the foot, this time for 1 NL + 5 acid.

R1T17: There is the sound of flapping wings and from a position now flanking with Grum, Camael just manages to tag the creature, but tag it he did for a crunchy 16, though it is still active.

R1T15: Sal takes his knife and does some type of special knife attack that strikes for 2 + staggered.

R1T13: Grum, Helena was attacked so quickly and viciously that she still hasn't her wits about her (nor has Gwennid, for that matter). What do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Ostovite: 18. (4:20). STAGGERED til R2T15!!!
Camael: 17. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left), lit, on ground. Mace in hand.
Sal: 15. Dropped pack. Knife.
Grum: 13.
Gwennid: 11.
Helena: 9.
Drake: 8. Knife.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T13: Grum spins for a second to look for the flapping wings and eyes Camael for a second before snarling as Helena squeaks with pain from the acid. Hefting the blade, he shifts it into a defensive posture and swings down as hard as he can, splattering the magic bug.

Combat Ends!

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Ostovite: 18. (4:20). STAGGERED til R2T15!!!
Camael: 17. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left), lit, on ground. Mace in hand.
Sal: 15. Dropped pack. Knife.
Grum: 13.
Gwennid: 11.
Helena: 9.
Drake: 8. Knife.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

Begin Round One ...

R1T27: Sal hustles into the eastern room while taking out his bow.

R1T21: Camael picks up the hooded lantern and heads that way as well.

R1T19: With Drake blocking the way south, a creature slithers out from behind the wall. It resembles a Small snake, but it has absolutely no flesh remaining and is just bone. Its entire body is made up of overlapping bony plates, and its eyes are pinpoints of red light. It slithers down the stairs and right up to Grum, darting at him to bite him.

R1T11: Grum, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 27. Dropped pack. Bow.
Camael: 21. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left), lit, on ground. Mace in hand.
Bone Cobra: 19.
Grum: 11.
Helena: 10.
Drake: 7. Machete.
Gwennid: 5.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T11: Grum looks at the bone snake and leaps at it, shouting, ”Die ye foul, beastie!” as he swings hard at its head, his blade just barely tipping off of its bony skull.

R1T10: Helena, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 27. Dropped pack. Bow.
Camael: 21. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left), lit, on ground. Mace in hand.
Bone Cobra: 19.
Grum: 11.
Helena: 10.
Drake: 7. Machete.
Gwennid: 5.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T10: Helena hears the commotion and darts forward. ”Blast! More ostovite,” she grumbles without being able to see what is happening. That changes as she reaches the doorway, "What is that!” followed by the twang as she launches an arrow at it. The arrow strikes the bone snake for 2 mod + 3 fire. A fine shot, and one hopefully that will get it to focus on her.

R1T7: Drake comes around the side while taking out his pistol and says, "It's a bone cobra - ain't a ghost, but a cheap form of guardian, like a bargain basement sale version of an iron cobra. Careful, the bite on this guy is gooey and cause you to start getting stuck to things."

He levels his arm directed at the bone cobra and then the most obnoxiously loud report you've ever heard erupts from the end of his gun, belching a little bit of smoke and seemingly spitting a little fire.

Once the sound dissipates, because people were wincing with eyes shut, the bone cobras shattered body is all that's left.

Combat Ended!

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 27. Dropped pack. Bow.
Camael: 21. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left), lit, on ground. Mace in hand.
Grum: 11.
Helena: 10. RS.
Drake: 7. Machete. Monster Slaying +1 vs. bone cobra.
Gwennid: 5.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

Begin Round One ...

R1T21: In light of this unholy terror, there is a strange sensation all around. Everyone can almost hear a faint ringing in their ears as if something in local reality is no longer in line with the rest of reality. Camael's eyes glow a golden yellow as he intones some eldritch language, his voice becoming almost super-real with an echoed quality, while his free hand goes to something under his shirt and narrow cravat. Completing some rite, everyone feels rejuvenated with a sense of victory over one's enemies. That feeling remains, though the sense of disjunction from reality - the tinnitus and Camael's glowing eyes - fade.

He sets the hooded lantern down on the ground.

R1T19: Helena, you are still girded with buckler, but not bow. What do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

HEROES: +1 morale vs. fear & on attack rolls.
Camael: 21. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left) held. Bless til R31T21.
Helena: 19.
Sal: 15. Dropped pack. Bow.
Grum: 13.
Gwennid: 8.
Drake: 6. Machete. Monster Slaying +1 vs. bone cobra.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T19: Helena looks up from the bead in surprise at the commotion seeing the bony horse over Grum’s head. ”By Her light,” she mutters as she whips out her bow, drops into an elaborate crouch and launches an arrow that sizzles with glowing red fire that completely misses and hits the far wall with a shatter of splinters and ember. Not even the bless spell she recognized Camael casting could help her with how badly she lined up her shot.

R1T15: Sal gets into his own archer's stance, one as distinct as Helena's, but distinctly different. He concentrates, and there is a thrumming sound around him only momentarily, including a slight distortion of the air in front of him that is gone as quickly as it might have been noticed. He then steps up behind Grum.

R1T13: Grum, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

HEROES: +1 morale vs. fear & on attack rolls.
Camael: 21. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left) held. Bless til R31T21.
Helena: 19. Stance of Piercing Rays.
Sal: 15. Dropped pack. Bow. Sniper's Eye Stance. Shield til R31T15.
Grum: 13.
Gwennid: 8.
Drake: 6. Machete. Monster Slaying +1 vs. bone cobra.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T13: Grum looks up at the massive collection of bones and hooves. Stepping in to attack he chops down once with aggressive force for 12 mod. He then spins the blade to block anymore attacks and in doing so, he is inspired with martial prowess.

R1T11: Grum sees that creepy little ostovite sitting inside the rib cage. Many tendrils extrude from it to keep the bones together and move them like some morbid puppet master. The thing yanks around on the weird flesh puppet strings it made to kick at Grum. Grum's blade smashes into the bone horse chariot for 13 mod, blocking the attack.

R1T8: Gwennid dashes past Grum inside that room. The horse awkwardly kicks them with a bony hoof, clobbering Gwennid in the wing as they pass by for 7 mod. Gwennid gives a start and turns, casting some sort of fey magic. A riot of colors burst forth to wash over the horse and its rider, but missing Grum. The tendrils all reflex, and the bone chariot collapses around its rider.

R1T6: Drake moves in and takes a quick look at it before dropping his machete and powerfully as he can ... critting and splattering the ostovite

Combat Ends!

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

HEROES: +1 morale vs. fear & on attack rolls.
Camael: 21. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left) held. Bless til R31T21.
Helena: 19. Stance of Piercing Rays.
Sal: 15. Dropped pack. Bow. Sniper's Eye Stance. Shield til R31T15.
Grum: 13.
Ostovite: 11. (20:20). UNCONSCIOUS/ BLINDED/ STUNNED til R4T8!!!
* Bone Horse Chariot: (25:50).
Gwennid: 8.
Drake: 6. Machete. Monster Slayer +1.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

Begin Round One ...

R1T20: Hearing the mentioned beetles come to life, Gwennid forms their spear in their hand and flies in to aid their fellow small folk (height, not size category, mind you). They maintain a flying position at level and strike the southernmost beetle with the spear for 12, and it falls off the wall to the ground.

R1T17: Sal closes while re-entering his shooting stance, passes Helena, and then lets loose with a perfect strike that hits Blue for 8 + disabled + sickened.

R1T14: Then it is Drake's turn and he runs in and hits the third beetle for 10, knocking it to the ground.

R1T12: Helena, two downed beetles, and one that barely has anything left in it. What do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

HEROES: +1 morale vs. fear & on attack rolls.
Gwennid: 20.
Sal: 17. Bow. Shield til R31T15.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Drake: 14. Machete.
Helena: 12.
Blue Fire Beetle: 11. (0:8). DISABLED!!! SICKENED til R2T17!!!
Camael: 10. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left) held. Bless til R31T21.
Grum: 6.
Red Fire Beetle: 5. (-2:8). DYING!!!
Ostovite: 4. (20:20).

Green Fire Beetle: 19. (-4:8). STABLE!!!

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T12: Helena looks at the carnage and then sighs. ”Poor beasts” she murmurs as she begins rummaging through the supplies on the shelf.

R1T11: Blue hops from the wall to the ground, but is too badly crippled to continue the fight.

R1T10: Camael hustles down to the beetle-room to see what's happening.

R1T6: Grum nods in approval, a cheerful, ”Nice one lassie,” to Gwen and a nod to Drake and Sal. “Aye, heading upstairs, aye?” he suggests as he moves to stomp on up the stairs once Helena has finished.

R1T4: From the shattered carapace of the beetle under Helena's and Sal's feet bursts forth an ostovite that was hiding! It snaps at Helena with its weird little mouth and a shrill screech.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T20: Gwennid tries to put the disabled bug out of its misery but the beetle flaps its wings to protect itself. That startles Gwennid and they drop their glowing light-spear and accidentally punt it. It bounces all around the room, nearly missing everyone, before it winks out of existence. "Sorry," Gwennid mutters forlornly.

R2T17: Sal seems to study the ostovite, concentrates, and puts a hand on Helena's shoulder - the only member of the party to be able to do that comfortably. Sal's eyes take on a faint red, lambent glow as he does so.

R2T14: Drake hits the disabled beetle for 7, dropping it.

R2T12: Helena, Sal's touch almost overwhelms you with a weird euphoria. So much information flashes in your mind. Your analytical mind can't parse it out, but you still have an ostovite at your feet (in your square). What do you do?

Camael on deck, Grum in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

HEROES: +1 morale vs. fear & on attack rolls.
Gwennid: 20.
Sal: 17. Bow. Shield til R31T15.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Drake: 14. Machete.
Helena: 12. GUIDANCE!
Blue Fire Beetle: 11. (-7:8). DYING!!!
Camael: 10. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left) held. Bless til R31T21.
Grum: 6.
Red Fire Beetle: 5. (-5:8). DYING!!!
Ostovite: 4. (20:20).

Green Fire Beetle: 19. (-4:8). STABLE!!!

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R2T12: Helena lets out a squeak as the ostovite leaps out at her. Jumping back she lashes out with buckler seeking to bash it away. She shakes her head, ”What did you do?” she calls to Sal as she strikes. But it is at the instant that she goes on muscle memory and instinct and no longer thinks directly about what he did so much as ask him, that she gets a sense. As she attacks, her mind sees a series of possibilities, like slight adjustments this way or that leading to greater success ... or abject failure. Her mind latches on a possibility and her buckler comes down onto the ostovite for 5.

"Did it help?" asks Sal.

R2T10: Camael says to the two in his room, "They aren't dead yet," before coming north to join the fray. He swings his mace down hard for 13, then again more quickly and and with greater he strikes again for 17, smushing the ostovite.

"I just imparted a bit of my sight to you," says Sal.

Combat Ends!

Given Camael's advice, Sal and Gwennid make short work of the fire beetles.

"Hey, we can save your magic and our oil if we coat something sizeable in the bioluminescence of of the beetle-juice," offers Sal.

"Hey!" says Drake sternly. "Don't say that anymore."

"What, Beetlejuice?" asks Sal with a smirk.

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

HEROES: +1 morale vs. fear & on attack rolls.
Gwennid: 20.
Sal: 17. Bow. Shield til R31T15.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Drake: 14. Machete.
Helena: 12.
Camael: 10. Hooded lantern (6 hours oil left) held. Bless til R31T21.
Grum: 6.
Red Fire Beetle: 5. (-5:8). DYING!!!
Ostovite: 4. (2:20).

Green Fire Beetle: 19. (-4:8). STABLE!!!
Blue Fire Beetle: 11. (-7:8). STABLE!!!

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

Admin Tracking ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Gwennid: 20.
Sal: 17. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Drake: 14. Machete.
Helena: 12.
Camael: 10. Hooded lantern (5.7 hours oil left) held.
Grum: 6.

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

Surprise Round ...

S28: Once again, before any sense of anything has even happened, Sal steps in front of Helena while getting into a stance and shoots at a spot between the pillars. "Use cold iron!" he says even as there is a cry of pain from something hiding to the east.

S18-3: Several small projectiles come at Grum, having been tossed from behind those pillars. One of them is a lucky soft crit, hitting Grum in his left forearm for 2.

S10: While the above is happening, the sounds of feathers flapping is heard and suddenly Camel is in front of the northern pillar.

Begin Round One ...

R1T28: "They're mites!" Sal calls. "Evil, little blue fey. Not hard to kill, but cold iron helps if you have it."

Sal does another shot, but this time it is really bad and he somehow avoids suffering archer's elbow. Botching that, he steps out of the way for clear fire for Helena.

R1T22: Helena, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Mite's Stealth
Sal: 28. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 22. Bow.
Grum: 20. Juggernaut blade.
Blue Mite: 18. (6:6).
Brown Mite: 16. (6:6).
Drake: 15. Machete.
Green Mite: 12. (2:6).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Gwennid: 9.
Red Mite: 3. (6:6).

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T22: Helena looks up, her head snapping towards Sal, ”Where did you even see them?” She plucks an arrow from her quiver as she slides into her Silver Crane stance and letting fly with an arrow of immense accuracy ... had the little buggers not been taking cover behind the pillars, as that is exactly what the arrow bounces off.

R1T20: Grum, you have a feeling that was the very best these little creatures could possibly do. They are so pitiful, these oversized-squashed-headed, blue meanies. What do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 28. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 22. Bow.
Grum: 20. Juggernaut blade.
Blue Mite: 18. (6:6).
Brown Mite: 16. (6:6).
Drake: 15. Machete.
Green Mite: 12. (2:6).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Gwennid: 9.
Red Mite: 3. (6:6).

DEAD/OOC
x.

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Grum spins the blade seeking to demolish as many as possible and swings the blade in a great horizontal arc, "Disgusting little beasties, away wit' ye." he bellows trying to kick them away. He completely murks Brown, but the pillar is in the way and he finds he can't quite get over to Green as well. In fact, the small area keeps Grum from really getting effective use out of his blade, and he doesn't even get a consolation prize against Blue.

Spoiler: Inspiration

Show

Red Zephyr Strike

R1T18: Blue, partially protected by the pillar, chants, "Tombe sur toi ! Tombe sur toi ! Tombe sur toi !" ... in a squeaky language neither Helena nor Grum recognize. Grum feels a faint tickle of something at his mind, but crushes whatever power was attempted.

RT1T15: Drake moves forward while drawing his machete. "Yeah, nerd. Because everyone has cold iron, amma right?" he says to Sal, which gets more hard-edged towards the end as he tries to hit Green but fails.

R1T12: Green chants the same thing as Blue did, but this time towards Sal. Drake's demeanor changes. His face darkens in expression (not color), but he seems more hesitant now.

R1T0: Camael swings twice at Red ... the first, carefully and missing; the second given much faster and more wildly, and hitting for 12 mod and dropping it.

R1T9: Gwennid now completes the front rank and as something from her headpiece seems to flash, they say in their own voice in that same language, "Le destin est à vous !"

Unfortunately, nothing seems to happen, and Gwennid's shoulders sag a little.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T28: "Wow, fascinating," remarks Sal.

"What's that?" calls Drake.

"I'm pretty sure the mites ... and our new friend Gwennid ... speak French."

"What?!?"

Sal steps up to Grum and says, "Here, try this. Oh, and 'Warning!'"

Grum sees and senses everything normally, but there seems to be an overlay to his vision ... many, myriad possibilities of a split-second in the future.

"Give in to it on your next attack, Grum."

R2T22: Helena, what do you do?

Grum on deck, Blue in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 28. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 22. Bow. RS.
Grum: 20. Juggernaut blade.
Blue Mite: 18. (6:6). Used doom.
Drake: 15. Machete. RS. SHAKEN!
Green Mite: 12. (2:6).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Gwennid: 9.

DEAD/OOC
Red Mite: 3. (-6:6). STABLE!!!
Mite (1).

[lostsole31]

R2T22: ”First mites, then ostovites. It is a strange place here,” she mutters, wincing at the force of Grum’s swing. Focusing on accuracy, she goes to place an arrow in Blue’s chest. Her arrow strikes true and he is flattened against the back wall before slowly drifting down to the ground.

R2T20: Grum, what do you do?

Drake on deck, Green in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 28. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 22. Bow. RS.
Grum: 20. Juggernaut blade. Guidance til R12T22.
Drake: 15. Machete. RS. SHAKEN!
Green Mite: 12. (2:6).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Gwennid: 9.

DEAD/OOC
Red Mite: 3. (-6:6). STABLE!!!
Mite (2).

[lostsole31]

R2T20: Grum stares down at the mite, the vile creatures' long enemies of the dwarf. "Vermin, aye, infesting this place like bugs, ye be," he growls, chopping the blade down in a single, large vertical chop towards its head, but it ducks behind the pillar. The overlay ends, but Grum realizes that he ignored the way it was guiding him, and tried to make the vision go the way he wanted. In the end, the now fading vision showed a better way to attack it, but Grum's desire for dramatic pronouncement on the final enemy was his undoing.

R2T15: Completely wild with fear, Drake clangs the machete against the side of the pillar to get Green.

R2T12: Green tosses a dart at Drake, but he ducks.

R2T10: Camael stands back, figuring the battle well in hand.

R2T9: Even though they are only a little bigger than the mite, Gwennid is also having trouble spearing it.

End Round 2, Begin Round 3 ...

R3T28: Sal shakes his head and says, "Get ready, Helena, I'm going to give you another short-term vision. Lean into it when you attack. Trust what it shows you."

He concentrates and touches her shoulder as before, and she gets the same sensation as before.

R3T22: Helena, what do you do? If you attack, do you do as Sal had said?

Grum on deck, Drake in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 28. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 22. Bow. RS.
Grum: 20. Juggernaut blade.
Drake: 15. Machete. RS. SHAKEN!
Green Mite: 12. (2:6).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Gwennid: 9.

DEAD/OOC
Red Mite: 3. (-6:6). STABLE!!!
Mite (2).

[lostsole31]

Surprise Round ...

As Helena reaches out to stroke the wig, the wig rears up, and looks like it tries to grab her hand, but Helena recoils in shock just in time as it plops to the floor at her feet, writhing angrily!

Begin Round One ...

R1T32: "Animate hair!" calls Sal as he draws his knife. "You have to cut it!"

He slashes it for 4.

R1T16: Helena, you still have your bow in hand. What do you do? It is in the same square as you now.

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 32. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 16. Bow. RS.
Grum: 10. Juggernaut blade.
Drake: 9. Machete. SHAKEN!
Animate Hair: 6. (14:18).
Gwennid: 5.
Camael: 4. Mace.

DEAD/OOC
x

[lostsole31]

R1T16: Helena squeaks in shock as the hair leaps out at her, "AH... what in the nine realms" she mutters as she hops back away from it, dancing away as elegantly as she could even as she smashes at it with her buckler, but the Tiny head of hair is agile and darts out of the way.

R1T10: Grum, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 32. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 16. Bow. Buckler. RS.
Grum: 10. Juggernaut blade.
Drake: 9. Machete. SHAKEN!
Animate Hair: 6. (14:18).
Gwennid: 5.
Camael: 4. Mace.

DEAD/OOC
x

[lostsole31]

R1T10: Grum spins around and looks at the tiny mop of hair. ”I ain’t ‘fraid of no hair. Nae be a beard,” he jokes as he leans into the massive blade and swipes down hard, splattering the thing such that it is no longer moving.

Combat Ends!

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 32. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours).
Helena: 16. Bow. Buckler. RS.
Grum: 10. Juggernaut blade.
Drake: 9. Machete. SHAKEN!
Animate Hair: 6. (14:18).
Gwennid: 5.
Camael: 4. Mace.

DEAD/OOC
x

[lostsole31]

Begin Round One ...

R1T26: Sal darts right past his brother and into the room, taking a guarded position by Grum. He then concentrates briefly, looking around and calls out, "We have what appear to be three giant cockroaches - mindless vermin ... sensitive to daylight-level illumination ... they're not that tough, but they are hard to put down."

R1T20: Gwennid takes wing and flies past those at the door and gets a little bit of height (5') before a quick visual. She sends a shadowy beam towards the cockroach on the easternmost pile (Red), striking it for 3 cold. That cold is not from ice and raw energy, but seemed more like the cold of death and the grave.

R1T19: The cockroach on the center pile to the south charges down its hill of food at Drake. The cockroach is the size of a working dog, not a larger mastiff or riding dog. As it skittered forth to snap at him, it greedily clicked its filth-slicked mandibles.

R1T17: Helena, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 26. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours). Moment of prescience (3 hours or until discharged).
Gwennid: 20.
Blue Cockroach: 19. (12:12). Charged!
Helena: 17. Bow & Buckler (-1 attacks).
Red Cockroach: 13. (9:12).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Grum: 6. Juggernaut blade.
Drake: 5. Machete.
Green Cockroach: 13. (12:12).

DEAD/OOC
x

[lostsole31]

R1T17: Helena's face cracks slightly into a look of near-disgust at the massive bugs as a shiver runs down her spine. As the dog sized bug runs towards Drake, she steps to the right and peers through the door to fire past Drake point blank with flaming arrows. The first arrow completely misses, but the second hits for 6 + 3 fire.

R1T13: Red comes down off of its yummy dinner plate of dead mite corpses to snap at Gwennid.

R1T10: Camael moves to the doorway and jumps through, moving surprisingly acrobatically for a man in a "trenchcoat." He copies his pattern done so many times now ... attack full power and miss, and then attack with a faster, wilder swing that through pure luck connects. In this case, he completely spatters himself, Drake, and Helena in the guts and gore of the recently departed, who even now is singing with the choir of cockroaches.

R1T6: Grum, what do you do?

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 26. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours). Moment of prescience (3 hours or until discharged).
Gwennid: 20.
Blue Cockroach: 19. (3:12).
Helena: 17. Bow & Buckler (-1 attacks).
Red Cockroach: 13. (9:12).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Grum: 6. Juggernaut blade.
Drake: 5. Machete.
Green Cockroach: 13. (12:12).

DEAD/OOC
x

[lostsole31]

R1T6: Grum sees one with Gwen and the strange outlanders near the eastern bug and thinks it’s covered. With a great roar he charges on stumpy legs towards the western bug on the far side of the room and swings down with a great hacking chop that cuts deep into it for 17 + disabled + staggered. How it is still moving is beyond Grum.

R1T5: Drake takes a quick look at the beasties for his own purposes. He steps up to Red and overswings against the small creature, hitting himself with the very point of his own machete for (1 bleed). He grunts more in wounded pride and frustration than pain.

R1T3: Green stumbles down its meal pile, snapping its mandibles at Grum.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T26: Sal falls back to the west and takes some type of stylized shot that hits Red for 7 + staggered.

R2T20: Though their flying style is clumsy, yet Gwennid is able to hover with big flaps of their plant-like wings, immediately reforming their green light spear and stabbing the creature for 11 + disabled + staggered.

R2T17: Helena, what do you do?

Red on deck, Camael in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 26. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours). Moment of prescience (3 hours or until discharged).
Gwennid: 20.
Helena: 17. Bow & Buckler (-1 attack rolls w/ bow).
Red Cockroach: 13. (-9:12).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Grum: 6. Juggernaut blade (Titan). Charged.
Drake: 5. Machete. Monster Slayer (+1). BLEED 1!!!
Green Cockroach: 3. (-5:12). STAGGERED!

DEAD/OOC
Giant Cockroach (1).

[lostsole31]

R2T17: Helena sees the three beasts almost destroyed by her allies and holds off wasting any more arrows. Advancing a little she walks into the room ready for anything sense to appear.

R2T13: Sal was right, these things are hard to put down even though they look like they can barely do anything. Either because of Drake's attack, or because his bleeding spurs on the cockroach, it bites at him furiously, catching the man in the chest for 4.

R2T10: Camael masterfully staunches Drake's bleeding with mundane, but effective, medical knowledge. He then moves around the eastern side of the pile of mites to threaten Red from a different angle.

R2T6: Grum's turn!

Drake on deck, Green in the hole ...

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 26. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours). Moment of prescience (3 hours or until discharged).
Gwennid: 20.
Helena: 17. Bow & Buckler (-1 attack rolls w/ bow). TD!
Red Cockroach: 13. (-9:12).
Camael: 10. Mace.
Grum: 6. Juggernaut blade (Titan). Charged.
Drake: 5. Machete. Monster Slayer (+1).
Green Cockroach: 3. (-5:12). STAGGERED!

DEAD/OOC
Giant Cockroach (1).

[lostsole31]

R2T6: Grum steps back a tiny bit in surprise at the fact it still lives and chips down again hard - completely splattering the bug this time - before stepping back, trailing the blade behind him.

R2T5: Drake steps directly under Gwennid to finish off the last cockroach.

Combat Ends!

Spoiler: Battle Tracking

Show

Sal: 26. Bow.
* Ant haul (6 hours). Moment of prescience (3 hours or until discharged).
Gwennid: 20.
Helena: 17. Bow & Buckler (-1 attack rolls w/ bow). TD!
Camael: 10. Mace.
Grum: 6. Juggernaut blade (Titan). Charged.
Drake: 5. Machete. Monster Slayer (+1).

DEAD/OOC
x