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Roni watches as his opponents attack the hydra, and suddenly it clicks. They could attack the body until the cows come home--the only way to kill the beast was to sever its heads and burn them before they grow back twice over.
"Oi!" he shouts at the others, "Slice the heads off like you're harvesting wheat. Only way to kill the damned thing!"
__________________
ON VACATION 5/23-5/31. Posting may be slow or nonexistent until the first week in June, but I'm still around.
Faien ducks and weaves through the mud to try to find an opening, but the swarm of snapping jaws doesn't leave him a good target. The beast tries to gnaw on the magistrate's sword arm, then roars as Roni's cloud of glowing motes settles over its many eyes and blinds it. Auran takes advantage of the distraction to strike a telling blow, and the beast rears back in pain as the fire sears it. It tries to retaliate, but between not being able to see its prey and the Captain weaving a defensive screen with spear and shield it doesn't manage to connect.
Soranna hears Roni's shouted advice and goes for the beast's throat--well, one of them, anyway. She plants her spear butt-first in the muck for later retrieval, draws a short sword from her back, and lunges in to the attack. The woodsmen on the causeway keep firing, not nearly confident enough in their abilities to risk charging in, and between the two of them and Vaeri's spell the hydra begins taking wounds faster than it can heal them.
Hydra's attacks; if it's blinded, it has a 50% miss chance against Soranna and Faien and has to make a Perception check to find Auran
vs. Soranna
Bite: (1d20+8)[11]; Damage: (1d10+3)[6]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[27]; Miss chance: (1d100)[61]
Bite: (1d20+8)[22]; Damage: (1d10+3)[13]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[21]; Miss chance: (1d100)[77]
vs. Faien Bite: (1d20+8)[28]; Damage: (1d10+3)[8]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[27]; Miss chance: (1d100)[17]
Bite: (1d20+8)[26]; Damage: (1d10+3)[5]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[15]; Miss chance: (1d100)[52]
vs. Auran
Perception (1d20+8)[27] vs. Stealth (1d20)[14]
If it succeeds, the hydra attacks
Bite: (1d20+8)[28]; Damage: (1d10+3)[10]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[10]; Miss chance: (1d100)[96] Bite: (1d20+8)[28]; Damage: (1d10+3)[8]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[23]; Miss chance: (1d100)[31]
-------------------------
Soranna's Sunder attempt
Short sword (1d20+5)[16] vs. Bite (1d20+8)[18]; Damage: (2d6+3)[5] plus (3d6)[15] fire
Militia Attacks
Longbow: (1d20+3)[19]; Damage: (1d8+1)[2] plus (3d6)[8] fire
Longbow: (1d20+3)[6]; Damage: (1d8+1)[9] plus (3d6)[10] fire
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
Faien manages to avoid injury, shield and sword warding away the many jaws and forcing them to find less potent avenues of attack - only to glance off his fine plate. At Roni's call, he takes a moment to charge his blade, the edge humming with the contained current as he judges the path of the whipping necks. Certainly, it had not proven fruitful to close further, so... with the crackle of unleashed electricity, he lashes out at the first opening he sees, utilizing the blade's superior length to slice across the thick stump.
Auran blocked high with his shield, glowing with faith, and blocked a killing bite from one of the heads, but the creature used the opening to strike low with another of it's thrashing appendages, apparently still deadly accurate in spite of it's new sightlessness.
Realizing he had no weapon suitable for a severing cut, Auran pressed on. "You two take the heads! I'll work on the body..."
Waiting for an opening, he smashed the heavy end of his long warstar into the huge flank of the beast.
The spellscale smiles, glad to see that his tactics were having an effect against the creature. He strums another song to help keep up his friends' strength before winking back at his sister. "Stay safe, Vaer," he admonishes the younger Quickwing, "come what may." He hops off the causeway into the marshy grass with a splash and trudges off toward Soranna, Faien, and Auran. "We want stabbing, Sol," he calls out as he draws his longsword, "not smashing."
Swift Action: cast Inspirational Boost Standard Action: activate Inspire Courage for a +3 morale bonus to attacks and a +2 morale bonus to damage. Move Action: move towards those in melee with the creature, drawing a longsword as he moves.
__________________
ON VACATION 5/23-5/31. Posting may be slow or nonexistent until the first week in June, but I'm still around.
"Actually, I should think cutting would be the most effective type of instrument. Anyone have an extra blade to lend?" the Dragonborn called query to his allies.
"I've a dagger you can borrow." Vaeri says, chagrin in her voice, "but I'm not sure how much help it'll be!"
In the meantime, she sends another orb of cold at the fell creature.
Spoiler
Side note: Vaeri should be 15 feet closer, off the road. (Mainly 'cause orbs are short range spells.)
Auran shook his finned head, grimacing against the pain shooting through his leg. "Dirk's are for thrusting. This calls for a cleaving instrument with some heft, a sword, or better an axe. If none can be found, I will make do regardless."
Presently, the Dragonborn steeled himself behind his shield in preparation for the swiftly incoming counter-attacks.
The elder spellscale shrugs as he draws near his allies. "Slicing, stabbing, slashing. Six of one, half a dozen of the other. Take this, Sol," he says as he offers the dragonborn his longsword.
__________________
ON VACATION 5/23-5/31. Posting may be slow or nonexistent until the first week in June, but I'm still around.
The beast lashes out blindly, snapping at the three warriors near him or at least the last places it remembers them being. A frenzy of gnashing teeth descends upon them, then, unable to see and still smarting from Vaeri's blast of frost, the creature staggers backwards with jerky movements--not from injury, but from uncertainty about where to place its feet, as is logical for a beast used to seeing with twelve eyes and now seeing with none. The three warriors next to it take advantage of its distraction to strike at its necks; the magistrate just misses, but a four-part chorus of pained screeches greet the soldier's and paladin's successful strikes.
"Hit it before it gets down!" Soranna calls, but the woodsmen don't quite get their shots off before the creature is back in the water, the bulk of its body below the surface and the heads and necks behind the wagon's bulk. Though it cannot see, its heads are still facing the threat; one or two of them move to face in the direction of the bridge before turning back to the warriors, earflaps twitching as if it expects everyone to try to dash to safety. "Host-damned snake-head," the Captain growls, still brandishing her short sword warily. "Come back here, you filthy creature, I dare you."
Spoiler
Hydra's attacks
vs. Soranna Bite: (1d20+8)[18]; Damage: (1d10+3)[11]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[28]; Miss chance: (1d100)[12]
Bite: (1d20+8)[17]; Damage: (1d10+3)[5]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[23]; Miss chance: (1d100)[62]
vs. Faien Bite: (1d20+8)[18]; Damage: (1d10+3)[12]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[14]; Miss chance: (1d100)[46] Bite: (1d20+8)[17]; Damage: (1d10+3)[9]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[17]; Miss chance: (1d100)[41]
vs. Auran
Bite: (1d20+8)[18]; Damage: (1d10+3)[4]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[25]; Miss chance: (1d100)[91]
Bite: (1d20+8)[9]; Damage: (1d10+3)[13]; Crit Confirm: (1d20+8)[21]; Miss chance: (1d100)[62]
The hydra now has concealment (from the water) and cover (from the wagon) against attacks.
Everyone should make Move Silently checks with their actions if they're going to try to move across the bridge.
Soranna readies a sunder attempt for when the hydra comes back within reach
Short sword (1d20+8)[14] vs. Bite (1d20+8)[9]; Damage: (2d6+3)[14] plus (3d6)[10] fire
Militia Attacks
Longbow: (1d20+6)[12]; Damage: (1d8+3)[6] plus (3d6)[8] fire
Longbow: (1d20+6)[13]; Damage: (1d8+3)[5] plus (3d6)[8] fire
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
"Retreating it may be, but we can hardly leave it here to menace traffic. Although I suppose the hobgoblins are the only traffic it's seen lately," Faien says sourly, struggling forward and holding his blade low to the side as he awaits an opportunity.
Spoiler
Faien does not deal well with difficult terrain. :3
Move 5ft north, ready action to sunder a head if one comes in range.
Attack: (1d20+10)[11]
Damage: (1d8+6)[13] + (4d6)[22] electricity + (3d6)[7] fire
__________________
Away until Monday.
Thanks to Arokh for the avatar.
Move closer if she needs to, cast orb of cold, no save, no SR, ranged touch attack still.
(1d20+5)[17] (3d8)[12]
"At least my spells seem to hurt it. I don't have anything that will remove the heads but maybe if we damage it enough, it will fall into the water and drown."
Vaeri edges around the wagon to try to get a clear shot.
Auran stepped up next to Soranna, who clearly had a knack for phalanx fighting. Brandishing the blazing longsword Roni had lent him, Auran prepared again to cleave into the beast.
Spoiler
Justiciar applies to this round (free action from AoO).
Longsword Readied Sunder: (1d20+16)[19]
Damage: (1d8+11)[19]+(3d6)[7] fire
Protection Devotion: 7 Rounds (+3 Sacred AC to allies 30' radius)
Divine Shield: Expired
Auran's AC: 27
The beast must have been scared by the last onslaught of swords, arrows, and frost, for it ducks down as low as it can in the water, the tips of its heads just barely peeking above the surface and poking around slowly as if not sure why they can't see anything.
The Captain holds her position warily, glancing back at the bridge. Her eyes narrow suspiciously, and she says, "Don't know what it's up to. Probably nursing its wounds. Should probably try to get everyone across--either it lets us get across unharmed, or we draw it out and finish it, a win for us either way."
Spoiler
The hydra is below the surface of the water, giving it cover and total concealment. Photobucket still isn't working for me, so no map again, but you all are easily within range to move up to it in melee if you want--just remember that the bank is eroded and you'll probably end up in the water if you try to get next to it.
Soranna continues readying a sunder attempt for her action.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
"I'm fine with running across the bridge." Vaeri says, dusting invisible specs of dirt from her robes. "If it comes out of the water after me, the rest of you can attack it, yes?"
Spoiler
OOC: If no objections, Vaeri will try to get a running start, snap her wings and glide to the other side. Double move to get 60ft across.
"Well, it's now two-thirds of the threat it used to be," Faien says wearily. "Still, I'd rather see it finished before we leave. It seems to recover easily, and if it chases the others across before we can follow, it would be difficult to catch it in time."
He closes his eyes for a few seconds, and his tabard dissolves into streaks of blue energy, which bind around his feet before solidifying into an extra pair of soles beneath his armoured boots, boosting his feet up through the mud. "If you begin the retreat and guard the others as they cross, I can chase it over the river as necessary."
Spoiler
Rapid Meldshaping, swapping the Spellward Shirt for Cerulean Sandals, and reinvesting essentia into them. If a Water Walk would remove the difficult terrain of the mud at this point, he'll also take a 5ft step north.
__________________
Away until Monday.
Thanks to Arokh for the avatar.
The paladin also flared his wings, flapping them once, then twice for a couple of leaps allowing him to clear the distance back to the bridge, before climbing back up to the slick surface.
Spoiler
Take 10 on 2 jumps to close the 20' gap, then a second move action to climb back up. This puts Auran at 2 squares above B on the last map that was posted, since I moved 5 feet up last turn.
Will have to go back for mace and wand after we defeat it.
Vaeri gracefully glides above the slick wood of the walkway, Auran lifts himself back onto it, and Captain Soranna begins backpedaling through the muck towards the bridge, keeping her shield facing the water where the hydra was last seen. "Davis, Baden, Zeke! Grab Bors and get your asses across that bridge!" she calls. One of the woodsmen grabs Bors's still-unconscious body and begins dragging him along while the other walks carefully along the slippery walkway.
Zeke, looking more than a bit overwhelmed by the situation, climbs back onto the walkway and begins jogging across to clear the danger as fast as possible. His boots slap noisily against the wooden boards. Slip-slap-slip-slap-slip-slap-THUD. One foot slides out from under him as he passes Roni and he falls loudly and face-first into the boards.
As the echoing thud of his fall fades, the river surges and the hydra rises out of the water near the bridge, mouths snapping wildly. It doesn't come close to hitting anyone--it's still blinded and hasn't risen near enough to seriously threaten anyone--but the crossing has suddenly gotten a lot more dangerous.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
Seeing more of the party in imminent danger, Auran's instincts kicked in and he took charge. "Soranna, follow my lead. Everyone else be silent. Faien, flank from the water. Roni, Vaeri, withdraw safely and keep up the barrage. Let it focus it's attacks on us three."
The paladin sidestepped across the bridge, then made an avian-like wing assisted hop to land and balance on the railing, wings outstretched. Pulsing another burst of brilliant platinum fire to coat his shield, Auran held it forward. He started clanging Roni's longsword, blazing with orange dragonfire, againt it. This created a terrific din accompanied by impressive explosions of incandescent orange sparks and micro-eruptions of platinum firebursts, which of course did nothing to impress the sightless hydra. The din however was, as stated, quite terrific.
"UP HERE! THIS WAY! ATTACK ME! I"M OVER HERE YA BIG BLIND BEAST!!!"
Spoiler
Auran takes one diagonal step up, just out of the hydra's current reach, the another diagonal hop to the northwest, to land on the railing.
A couple of acro rolls, for the jump, and the balance.
(1d20+11)[20] (1d20+11)[25]
Spend another turn attempt (swift action) to up my Shield AC for another two rounds.
AC 27, or 32 if Auran still counts as adjacent to Soranna.
Protection Devotion: +3 Sacred bonus to AC within 30 feet of Auran: 5 rounds.
Defender Aura: +2 Divine bonus to saves 30' emanation, constant.
Vaeri continues to move away from the hydra. Shielding her eyes from Auran's display, Vaeri again calls on her magic, this time she shoots darts of ice at the hydra.
Spoiler
(1d20+5)[14] ranged touch, no SR
dmg (6d4)[16] 1/2 dmg is cold
OOC: Can't see map at work, so assume she moves 30 ft away but then stops to cast.
Pushing forward out of the mud, Faien skates across the surface of the river, rounding the bend with rather more alacrity than he displayed on land. As he slides to a stop next to the hydra, the glow from his sandals flows back into his gauntlets and belt, his skin toughening in anticipation of further attacks. "You have your foes, creature," he says, more to make sure it knows he's there than as any sort of threat.
Spoiler
Double move along the river to the square just west of the hydra's centre, reassign essentia from Sandals to Gauntlets and Belt.
__________________
Away until Monday.
Thanks to Arokh for the avatar.
Roni desperately wants to stay and fight with the others, but realizes when his skills are redundant. Instead, he joins his sister on the other side of the bridge and pulls out his mandolin once more, ready to continue inspiring his allies.
__________________
ON VACATION 5/23-5/31. Posting may be slow or nonexistent until the first week in June, but I'm still around.
Vaeri's freezing darts sink into the beast's hide and its many necks slump into the river in exhaustion, its many wounds too much to bear. The woodsmen raise their bows, but the beast ducks under the river's surface and slinks away to nurse its injuries.
Spoiler
Sorry for the additional delay, folks; I was trying to get Photobucket to work since the maps still aren't showing up on my end...but I waited until I got it working to resolve everyone's actions and it turns out that Vaeri's spell drops the hydra to below the retreat HP threshold so the map wasn't needed after all. I'm an idiot.
The hydra's defeated, yay! Everyone gets 375 XP.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
Auran leapt down from the railing, stowing his borrowed longsword as the flames licking the blade died down. He then moved to retrieve his wand, warstar and longspear, before cautiously approaching the scuttled cart.
Spoiler
d'oh! Too bad we couldn't have finished it off...with it's fast healing it will no doubt be back to further harass us, or others...no way to follow it underwater I suppose...
"Damn the creature. This river is deeper than it looks." Sighing as the hydra vanishes from view, Faien lets his blade fade away and skates across the surface of the water toward the half-sunken remains of the cart.
"Well, at least we should be able to take our time with this now. You should regroup on one side or the other while we search, in case it returns." Pausing on the opposite side of the cart, his ethereal sandals keeping him from sinking into the mire, Faien removes his vambrace and takes a small hammer from his pack, setting the armour piece down on the edge of the cart and beating the dent from the hydra's teeth back into shape. That done, he takes a look at the contents of the cart and the possible identities of the fallen.
__________________
Away until Monday.
Thanks to Arokh for the avatar.
The militia men continue dragging the fallen across the bridge to a safe spot, and as soon as Soranna assures herself that they all will live--if barely--she begins to give the conscious woodsmen a tongue lashing they won't soon forget.
The interior of the wagon is full of muck as one would expect, all sloshed up against the side nearest the bridge as if something had pulled the wagon toward the river through the bog. Up close, the very faded remnants of a symbol painted on the side of the wagon can be seen, an indeterminate outline colored in with what is now a smattering of rust-red paint flakes. The rotted remnants of cloth bags and sacks are scattered haphazardly inside surrounded by buzzing flies; most are empty except for a few that contain chunks of rotting meat, wilted half-bushels of grain, and other supplies.
Several skeletons lie under the wagon, one the upper torso of a tall and bulky humanoid that was probably a hobgoblin or bugbear, two more intact skeletons that were probably either goblins allied with the big skeleton or halflings or gnomes who were killed and had their wagon stolen by said big skeleton. Any remnants of skin or clothing are gone, but there are two metal objects there that don't seem to have been too badly affected by the swamp: one is a breastplate that comes out of the bog nice and shiny, the mud sliding off like a well-oiled sword sliding out of a sheath, and the other is a dagger sized for a human, plain aside from a copper filigree in the hilt.
__________________
Better to DM in Baator than play in Celestia
You can just call me Dice; that's how I roll.
Sig of Holding
Spoiler
Quote:
Originally Posted by abadguy
Darn you PoDL for making me care about a bunch of NPC Commoners!
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Re: Circle of Life's Red Hand of Doom IC Thread
