The Forsaken and the Dragon (IC)

[Solaris]

(Yeah, I know. Double-posting. I'm just doing this to move the game along. Does anyone want to do anything with this festival - like buy up last-minute gear? If not, I'm gonna go straight to the next encounter.)

[Rettu Skcollob]

OOC:

[Nah, I'm fine. I was feeling kind of awkward not posting, but I couldn't think of anything really decent to add.]

[Solaris]

(Alrighty, then. We're gonna move it along - expect a post some time in the next day or two, hopefully.)
(Tuesday: I make plans, and I swear the Army has this whole collective 'let's see how much we can screw them up' thing going. It doesn't look like that post is gonna happen today.)

[Solaris]

(Double-post again! Honestly, why do I even have the OOC thread if I never use it?
When you came in the gates, the guards had you peace-bond your weapons, put bags over axes, tie swords in sheathes, that sort of thing. Spellcasters not native to the town have their middle and ring fingers tied together - Magorah, you didn't exactly come in the usual route, so you're good. There's a reason magi like to have wandering houses, natch.
It's up to y'all whether or not you want to maintain this status or not. It'll take you a full-round action and provoke an attack of opportunity to unbind your gear.)

As you leave the Archmagus's tower, you realize the streets of Brindinford bustle with activity far increased from what you saw in the early morning as the harvest festival engulfs the main street through town. The main street—none too wide in the first place—is narrowed further by the carts and booths lining its sides. You can tell this part of Brindinford was built before the Mandate established solid rule over the region, as the roads aren't large enough for wagons to get through. Fortunately, wagons are barred, but pedestrians clog the road effectively enough. Artisans, entertainers, and merchants staff the fair booths, calling to potential customers and trumpeting their wares.
Above it all, two notable features define the town’s landscape. A walled keep crowns the hill at the western end of the town, where you're at, and in the center of town a huge bell tower stands like a sentry.

[Rettu Skcollob]

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Shar will let his Bastard Sword be peace-bonded, and won't un-bond it.

The short, muscled Dwarf moves very slowly outside, standing stock still when he can, as if afraid to be noticed. The consensus in his mind was to let the others do the planning, and then wait until he had an opportunity to hit things.

[WillWolf]

Wuli:

Wuli, who had remained silent through this entire process, nodding in agreement every once in a while, happily strolled (very close to a prance actually) down the market square, every so often grabbing the hilt (but not unsheafing) his rapier; smiled at the people who passed him by, and generally took in the sights and sounds of the area.

Anyone who made eye-contact with him, would find something just a wee-bit off. Something that was just not right with the young man.

[Solaris]

Sadly, Wuli was far from being the only thing not right in this fair. As he prances down the street, a good twenty feet ahead of the bulk of the group, a shout from the middle of the busy fair spreads into an expanding ripple of cries and screams. In seconds, these are accompanied by loud crashes that sound like carts and booths being overturned. These ripples of sound immediately transform into a wave of people as bystanders try to escape whatever is wreaking havoc behind them.

(Wuli, you're about sixty feet from the disturbance and you have a crowd in the way - you can see where it is, but not what. The rest of the group is eighty feet from the disturbance - you can really only see Wuli Bai.)

[Beschoren]

Lessur

The cries of the folk cross lessur's mind and widen his eyes - "And I was worried on how to find our prey!". He moves straitgh to Wuli as fast as he can, dodging some of the townsfolk and trampling most of them "OUT OF THE WAY!!!"

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I can move 50 feet, but I'm not sure how much would he really move in a crowd. only action is to get to Wuli and stand by him. I'm still using the senses aura! +1 spot/listen/initiative

[Bitzeralisis]

Magorah

"Well, that was quick," says Magorah, rather surprised at how fast they had come across a disturbance.

[WillWolf]

Wuli:

"HA ha," he spoke for the first time, drawing his rapier. "Allow me to save you fair citizens!"

He started to run ahead, not really knowing whether or not he was being followed, "For I am the greatest swordsman of them all! And with my devilish good looks; I shall save you. Swish. Swish."

[Rettu Skcollob]

The short, armoured Dwarf stands stunned for a few moments as he hears the chaos ahead.

Oh yes, finally some Violence! Go Banad! We haven't killed anything in ages!

Move it Banad! It sounds like people are being hurt over there!

Suddenly, Shar begins to run towards the sounds of the disturbance, his heavy armour clanking loudly as he slowly makes his way to the fight, encumbered by his set of plate.

Spoiler

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Actions:

Full Round: Run [3x Speed = 45 Feet]

[Beschoren]

(OCC: the point on going towards Wuli is not leaving anyone alone, so I guess I just keep following him instead of standing still on where he was. if there's time to unlock the axe, good then...)

[Solaris]

Alright. Here's what goes down.

Wuli, you manage to slip through the crowd with relative ease, while Lessur curses under his breath in a frantic effort to catch up, trying to undo the leather bag around the axehead at the same time. At the start, it seems as though our Kanorati friend would be quickly left behind - but nothing stops a dwarf on a rampage.
Nothing.
Except for some things. But not crowds of panicked people.
Shar charges forward, roaring like a steam engine as he plows through the crowd, an armored bowling ball scattering people like pins.

Lessur closes to about 55 feet from the disturbance, actually losing ground to Wuli. Shar roars past him, leaving a momentarily open pathway through the crowd - I advise he takes it. Shar's closed to a distance of 35 feet from the disturbance, right behind Wuli.
Wuli moves to 30 feet from the disturbance. He can see that the crowd's thinned out a lot where he is, and he can catch glimpses of pushcarts knocked over, booths smashed, and their goods strewn about the cobblestone ground. Merchants are fighting something, but he can't quite make out exactly what.
Magorah, on the other hand, is hanging back and letting the ablative meat-shields charge on ahead.

(Thought no armor slowed dwarves down. I'mma gonna have to double-check on the heavy plate.)

[Rettu Skcollob]

His muscled limbs barely even recognising strain the extremely heavy plate, Shar continues to bowl through the crowd, using his bulk to clear any more fleeing civilians.

Spoiler

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Move Action: Move 15 Feet Forwards
If whatever is causing the disturbance becomes visible by then, then I'll post according to what it is. If it is still obscured, then Shar will use another move action to get however close he needs, to be able to see it.

Edit: Should start putting my Combat Tracker up.
[Combat Tracker]

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VP: 41
WP: 17
AC: 19 [10 Touch, 19 Flat-Footed]
Immune to Poisons, Phantasms and Paralysis
Fire Resistance 5
Active Buffs: None
Active Debuffs: None

[Beschoren]

Lessur
bashing the civilians and cursing loudly over the "Stupid bag! die! die!" (that he proves almost uncapeble of removing) the barbarian keeps up to the heat of the shouts.

"Out of the way dammit! I'm trying to save yo-UFF!"(pateticly crashes with a cart)

(keeps moving to the center of the disturbance and removing the bag. about to rage... boss, can we get a map of the situation or you don't use maps?)

[WillWolf]

Wuli:

Wuli, galloped (as hobgoblins gallop) toward the beast/aberration/whatever, and begins to poke it with his rapier, allst the while with his left hand in the air, yelling things like: "Fear not good time people your avenger is at hand!" and "Ah hah."

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Move action to get there. Drawn weapon already done. Poking it with my rapier of doom!

Attack: (1d20+10)[24] Damage roll: (1d6+3)[6] ... If the creature in question is immune to critical hits or sneak attacks, please minus two from my damage roll. Insightful strike is a wonderful ability.

[Bitzeralisis]

Spells picked.

Magorah Starbright
Magorah wishes he could fly, and swiftly moves towards the disturbance.

Actions
Move to the disturbance as fast as possible.

Status Block
VP: 11/11
WP: 12/12
AC: 15 (Touch 12, FF 13)
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5

[Solaris]

(Be afraid! I'm posting in the OOC thread!)

Shar, you get within 25 feet of a group of three merchants surrounded by a pack of savage giant rats. The merchants are ineffectually swatting at the rats with brooms and other implements, keeping them at bay but not putting any of them out of commission.

Lessur, despite almost knocking over a cart and the hapless merchant desperately trying to fend off the crowd, manages to cover more distance this time - and wins victory over the gods-cursed leather bag by the end of the round. You're a 5-foot-step from the pack of rats - next round you can work on earning the name "Lessur Acelaw, Rat-Hacker".
(Sorry, bro. I don't have any maps for this scenario mocked-up - and I don't think I'll be able to do 'em for anything but the really important stuff.)

Wuli galloped up to the pack of rats and speared one on the end of his rapier, killing it almost instantly. Looks like you beat Lessur to the punch. The rest of the rats don't look too happy with you and leave off harrassing the merchants to try eating you.
Dire rats (because y'all like dice rolls - and rats aren't cool enough to warrant a halfway-decently-written battle):
1 - 5-foot adjustment, attack roll 5. Miss.
2 - 5-foot adjustment, attack roll 12. Miss.
3 - Dead. Good job, Rat-Hacker.
4 - 5-foot adjustment, attack roll 19. Hit for 4 VP damage - no Fort save for filth fever as you haven't taken WP damage yet.
5 - Move action to come into melee, attack roll 9. Miss.

(In case you haven't figured it out already, I'm not a stickler for initiative. If it becomes important, we'll roll it. If not, initiative order is "You guys" and then "Monsters".)

Magorah, you get the benefit of being a magus - despite being in a near-panicked stampede, most of these people are actually getting out of your way. Still, it's tough enough going that you only cover 30 feet to get 50 feet from the disturbance - and you don't have line-of-sight to anything, yet.

[Rettu Skcollob]

Finally seeing the cause of the disturbance, Shar stops dead in his tracks for a moment, taking the time to first strap on his over sized shield to his left arm, and draw his bastard sword in his right.

Spoiler

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Move Action: Draw Weapon
Move Action: Strap on Shield

[Beschoren]

Lessur Acelaw

Once the barbarian can finaly see the reason of the trubles... he gets... unhappy. They were just animals, creatures he learned to live with all the time. Not villans, not monsters, just animals.

Sure, those big guys were quite grotesque, and were killing people. no doubts on what's need to be done, but no joy on killing the little furry things... Nevertheless, the cursing and shouting and raging keeps on and on. the bag and the cart and the people anoyed him enought to just smash the rats, caring not for their felings.

beside that, his presence... changes. shouting and striking against the rats somehow feels inspiring and motivating. grabing his axe with both hands and using it so fiercely is merely flashy, something ELSE is in play there... a dragon's power, now emerging... and raising your spirit...

Spoiler

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1° - move action: draw wepon! using the drwaven waraxe as a two-handed wepon
2° - swift action: changes to POWER aura. + 1 to all melle damage rolls for himself and allies in 30 feet
3° - BARBARIAN RAAAAAAAGEEEEEEE!!!
4° - 5-foot step toward the vile rat
5° - standard action: ataaaaaaack!!!(the rat) (1d20+9)[22] (damage: (1d10+8)[13])
edit: HP 40, WP 22, AC 15.

[Bitzeralisis]

Magorah Starbright
Magorah smiles slightly, almost arrogantly, as the crowd ripples away for his passage.

Actions
Continue moving to the disturbance.

Status Block
VP: 11/11
WP: 12/12
SP: 19/19
AC: 15 (Touch 12, FF 13)
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5

[WillWolf]

Wuli:

Wuli smiles and laughs a great chortling laugh. 'Ha ha ha' as the fell rat-thing falls and then goes forth to smite another, specifically the one that bit him. "Take that, and that you fiend!" He buckled and swashed.

Spoiler

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Move action to go to next nearest rat if it's necessary and then he attacks it.

I'm really, really sorry, but I miscalculated my BAB to be 10, instead it's actually only 8. My mistake, I apologize. If I actually missed in my last attack then I'm sorry. I'll minus two AP's for it.

Attack: (1d20+8)[4](12) ... Damage: (1d6+3)[5]

[Beschoren]

(OCC: wulli, like everyone, gets +1 on melee damage rolls due to the dragon shaman power aura )

[Solaris]

(Everyone start putting in status blocks like Magorah, if you please.)

Shar gears up. You're still twenty-five feet from the little melee.

Lessur, your attack connects. The rat you just hit goes flying in a shower of chunky red gore.

Magorah, you continue to move until the end of the round. You close to Shar, only 20 feet from the ratfight.

Wuli, in the thick of the melee, stabs another rodent for a whopping four damage. It just kinda looks at him and snickers before attacking, getting a nasty bite in. It's bleeding pretty badly.

1 - Dead.
2 - Uninjured. Attacks Lessur. Roll 19. Miss.
3 - Dead. Good job, Rat-Hacker.
4 - Uninjured. Attacks Wuli. Roll 14. Miss.
5 - Wounded. Attacks Wuli. Critical hit. 3 WP damage, 3 VP damage.

Shar and Magorah notice a group of four creatures that look like a twisted combination of human and monstrous rat emerge into view. They're in two groups - one group of three is coming from the left, starting about 10 feet from the melee, while the lone wererat is coming from the right, about 30 feet from the melee. The lone wererat has a pistol in its paws and a snarl that means business on its face. The lone gunrat takes aim at Lessur, while the other three rats charge the merchants. If anything good comes of this, at least the pistol shot will make sure the guards come running.
Lone Gunrat - Uninjured. Attacks Lessur. Roll 20 (adjusted). 10 VP damage.
WR 1 - Uninjured. Attacks Merchant.
WR 2 - Uninjured. Attacks Merchant.
WR 3 - Uninjured. Attacks Merchant.

The wererats are in melee range of Wuli and Lessur, while the Lone Gunrat is 30 feet from y'all. Thanks to the fact that he's positioned just right, he's also 30 feet from Magorah, 35 feet from Shar.

[Rettu Skcollob]

Shar, brandishing his large shield in his left hand, and his massive sword in his right, barely glances at the were-rats as they enter, silently dismissing them as being too far away, and filing them away for further notice soon. Bellowing indiscernible curses in his native tongue, Shar charges at the melee, his eyes wild.

Spoiler

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Actions:
Full Round: Charge (At nearest Rat) [30 Feet +1 Attack at +2 Bonus, -2 to AC until next turn]

To Hit
(1d20+11)[12]
Damage
(1d10+6)[14]

Edit: Natural One for my first roll of the day, and an infraction? This is not my day.
[Combat Tracker]

Spoiler

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VP: 41
WP: 17
AC: 17 [10 Touch, 19 Flat-Footed] -2 Charge Penalty
Immune to Poisons, Phantasms and Paralysis
Fire Resistance 5
Active Buffs: None
Active Debuffs: None

[Solaris]

(Heh. Not really an infraction - I'm just too lazy to pull up y'all's character sheets every round.)

[Bitzeralisis]

Magorah Starbright
Mogorah moves as far as he can from the monsters without being obstructed, muttering spells as he goes along.

Actions
Move Action: Exactly what the fluff states. Be a maximum of 100 feet from the disturbance, while having clear passage and vision to it.
Standard Action: Cast Mage Armor.

Status Block
VP: 11/11
WP: 12/12
SP: 18/19
AC: 19 (Touch 16, FF 17) [+4 Mage Armor]
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +5

[Beschoren]

Lessur Acelaw

(OCC: forgot to tell you guys iºm in a trip and with few internet time. sorry for todayºs the lame post and response delay)

"GRRWAAAAAA!!!!"
[spoiler]Atacks nearest ratman(1d20+9)[16] damage(1d10+8)[9][spoiler]



Status Block
VP: 30/40
WP: 22/22
AC: 15 (Touch 11, FF 14)
Power aura: +1 melee damage
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +11

[Solaris]

(Don't worry, guys, I haven't forgotten about this! I just PMed WillWolf. He's got 24 hours until I control his character for this round, and this round only. Hopefully, anyhow.)

[Solaris]

(Oi. Well, here's the continuing bit. I'mma gonna try and see what's what with Will - my guess is real life got in the way.)

Shar, you charge into battle roaring... only to stumble on a piece of wood from a broken cart. You barely manage to not blunder into your ally, that smelly barbarian chap whatsisname Lessur. The rat you were charging grins toothily, showing yellowed fangs and sniggering.
Cheeky blighter.

Magorah, you take a move action away from combat, inadvertantly helping to prove the theory that magi are cowards. You cast your spell, tracing glowing runes in the air to conjure up ghostly armor to protect your precious person.
Unfortunately, this draws attention to yourself.

Lessur, you take a step to assist one of the merchants the ratmen are mauling. Raising your axe above your head, you come down with all the furious power of the Beastlander barbarians, dealing 9 points of vp damage. It's bleeding pretty badly, but it's not quite down and out yet.

Wuli attacks one of the other wererats. Attack roll 19+8, confirmation roll 10+8. Critical hit. The wererat has no VP; it's immediately dropped to -1 wp and dying.
Oh, sure. I can't roll like that when I'm trying to kill PCs, now can I? Bah!

1 - Dead.
2 - Uninjured. Attacks Lessur. 23, hit. 2 vp damage.
3 - Dead. Good job, Rat-Hacker.
4 - Uninjured. Attacks Lessur. 6, miss.
5 - Wounded. Attacks Lessur. 10, miss. When I'm not, I'm hot. When I'm not...

Lone Gunrat - Uninjured. Attacks Magorah. 18. That bullet just barely missed you, magus. It's a blessing and a curse that you just cast that spell.
WR 1 - Wounded. Attacks Lessur. 18. Hit for 4 damage.
WR 2 - Dying. Just kinda lies there bleeding. From a rapier.
WR 3 - Uninjured. Attacks Merchant.

Except for Magorah, the positions are mostly unchanged. The crowd's pretty much cleared out by now, but there's no sign of the watch yet.