(PF) maggie's Rise of the Runelords: Hook Mountain Massacre IC

[Bhaakon]

Brin
40/40 HP
19 AC (14 touch)

Brin glares at the arrow sticking out of the big gristly oaf of an ogre and mutters things best not said audibly. Might as well have been tossing a dart into a pillow for all the good it did. Besides, now Setsuna and Rico were in the way, making it that much more difficult to plant a shaft in an eye or crotch or somewhere else that mattered.

"Fine then. Fine. I'll just help Red." She says to herself and jogs forward, right up to the door where three more of the giant meatsacks were bearing down on the groups reluctant burglar. Well, would be bearing down once the drooling jowls of bamboozlement resolved into the slavering mandibles of rage. Brin herself was somewhat surprised to see that Red had already made a corpse. It was easy to forget that her lack of confidence was so unjustified.

But there's be time for thinking later. "Lady, please, light them up." She mutters and points, releasing an explosion of mauve-tinged brilliance in the midst of the giantkin.

Spoiler

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Move action to V14. That should give me LoS into the room.

Cast Burst of Radiance on the intersection of O/P 14/15. Should hit all 3. DC 16 Ref save of Blinded for (1d4)[3] rounds (dazzled for (1d4)[3] rounds if passed). Assuming they're Evil, (5d4)[16] damage.

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

As Setsuna appears out of the thin air right in front of the ogre, Naya, not having a clear line to aim anymore, looks around in search of the next target... and finds it - well, not quite, but Red, no longer invisible, darting out of one of the side rooms is a pretty good indicator... and, seeing as Brin moves towards the very same door, it seems the elf has largely the same idea. Naya rushes after the priestess... and stops dead, seeing four - no, three already - ogres just getting ready to fight... Lacking a spell to cover the whole room, she instead focuses on one target at a time... starting with the closest one. It's been a while since she practiced with her shurikens, but magic is magic - you don't just forget how to use it... Spoiler: OOC Show Move to U14 Cast Fiery Shuriken (switched to electricity) and launch all 4 at Ogre P: Shuriken 1: Attack (1d20+9)[28] touch, damage (1d8)[3] Shuriken 1: Attack (1d20+9)[24] touch, damage (1d8)[3] Shuriken 1: Attack (1d20+9)[17] touch, damage (1d8)[3] Shuriken 1: Attack (1d20+9)[20] touch, damage (1d8)[2]

[Ilorin Lorati]

Avei

Spoiler: Stats

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F N Lavasoul Ifrit Fighter (Dragonheir Scion) 7 / Brawler (Exemplar) 1, Level 8, Init 5, HP 72/72, DR Fire 10, Speed 20
AC 25, Touch 11, Flat-footed 24, CMD 23, Fort 11, Ref 6, Will 1, CMB +12/+7, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
+1 Trident (SELF) (M) +17/+12 (R) +14/+10 ((1h/R) 1d8+8 (2h) 1d8+10, x2)
+1 Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield (+10 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex, +2 Deflect)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 12
Condition Quite Wet, Irritated
Martial Flexibility 3/4

"You must be jesting," the woman called out with consternation as the party proceeded to go two completely separate directions. Don't they know to never split up like this? With her blade in hand, however, she had a choice to make - and that choice was to help the person she could. Rushing south as fast as she could and hooking around the corner at speed by digging her trident into what remained of the wooden frame that marked the passage into a neighboring room, Avei brought her sword and shield to bear in front of her once she placed herself between the ogres and breathed out a blanket of burning embers into the room.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move to S14 (just west of Red)
Burning Sands Racial SLA at N14-O15

[Desril]

Setsuna
HP 55/55
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-Footed 19

Doing her best to ignore the grisly sight, and not get too much of the bloated monstrosity's blood on herself, Setsuna just steels herself for what has to be done. Luckily for her mental well-being, the ogres made their horrible natures clear, and she had little trouble bringing herself to strike more lethal blows than she would against more human opponents as she slashed twice more at the one towering over her and Rico. This foe, however, wasn't one that she started unleashing her magics against, saving them for the battles to come, and only offering a quick incantation to hasten another strike.

Spoiler

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Spell Combat to arcane mark, otherwise just slashy

Concentration to cast arcane mark defensively (DC 16) (1d20+14)[22]

Spellstrike (1d20+13)[31] Damage (1d8+8)[10] + (1d6)[4] electric
Confirmation? (1d20+13)[33] Additional Damage (1d8+8)[16] (If the critical hit is enough to down him then technically this only cost a standard action so I'll use the rest of my turn to move to P18, but if it doesn't then I'll stay and keep up the attack)
Attack (1d20+13)[27] Damage (1d8+8)[9] + (1d6)[4] electric
Iterative (1d20+8)[17] Damage (1d8+8)[12] + (1d6)[3] electric

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Brin and Naya

Spoiler

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Ogre reflex saves
Ogre o: (1d20)[13] - failed
Ogre p: (1d20)[17] - passed
Ogre q: (1d20)[16] - passed

With one hand clenched about the shard of flint in her pouch, Brin casually extends two fingers in the direction of the ogres in the barracks, the spiral tattoo at the centre of her palm already glowing with the gathering strength of the Lady's divine power. Almost immediately, the room is flooded with a dazzling light that sends the three ogres bellowing in mingled shock and pain, knocking over furniture as they flail about in vain attempts to shield their faces with fists or the nearest pillow.

Within a second or two, the purple light fades to reveal two of the ogres knuckle clumsily at their now watering red-rimmed eyes, smoke rising from raw patches on their charred skin. The third ogre, however, appears to have fared the worse. The blast of the radiance seems to have seared his piggy eyes shut. And judging from his frantic howls as he swipes at his own swollen eye sockets, raking shallow furrows in his own cheeks with his long fingernails, he was also quite unable to see a thing out of them.

Not to be outdone, Naya crouches behind Red and sends forth her own volley of magical projectiles. The hulking ogres, even without the bane of Pharasma's light, are easy targets. All four of the sylph's shurikens hit the nearest ogre in the belly and back, causing him to lurch as the miniature flurries of lightning trace blackened scorch marks in his tough hide.

Ogre o is now blinded for 3 rounds. Ogre p and q are now dazzled for 3 rounds.

*****

Setsuna

Quick to press the attack, Setsuna wastes no time. For what her blows lack in strength, the tiefling makes up with sheer speed. With a ferocious scowl on her face that promises no quarter, Setsuna carves another swift line into the ogre's blubbery skin before salting the fresh wound with crackling electricity, causing the exposed flesh to discolour and pucker like paper set aflame.

However, just as Setsuna wheels her katana around for a follow-up strike to the neck, she finds her second attack blocked - her blade smacking harmlessly into the open palm of the ogre's fat fist. Yanking her sword away before the ogre can grab it, she is suddenly and keenly aware of just how huge the ogre is. Indeed, she is little more than nose-to-belly with a brute more than twice her height. Glowering down at her with creased yellow eyes, the ogre burbles a pain-flecked growl, blood dripping down his broken nose before he lets loose a bone-shuddering spittle-flecked roar right in the tiefling's face, blasting her with his rotten breath.

*****

Ogre n and Gragavan Kreeg

Spoiler

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Ogre n
Double move to U17/18

Ogre GK
Free action - Quick Draw
Attack: (1d20+16)[31], Damage: (2d8+13)[20] - +2 to hit from flanking, hits
Attack: (1d20+11)[13], Damage: (2d8+13)[26] - +2 to hit from flanking, misses

The finer points of the Giant language are quite lost on Setsuna and Rico. Nevertheless, even as the wounded ogre's rumbling shout echoes down the corridor, the pair prick up their ears at the sound of a distant clanging commotion in some unseen room, along with the sound of hurried, clanking footfalls that grow steadily louder.

Soon enough, a most ludicrous sight trundles into panicked view over your shoulders - yet another ogre, but bedecked in a tiny clinging suit of man-sized leather armour that is evidently far too small for him. Still huffing and puffing from his sprint over, this new ogre hoots aloud in fear at the sight of his tribe-mate accosted by two warriors, baring his stumpy blackened teeth.

The wounded ogre in the room wastes no time. Hoarsely barking what must surely be some sort of command to the new arrival, he moves with astonishing speed for one so grievously injured. He snatches up the crude metal hook that dangles at his side with such force that he snaps the cords holding it in place, before hacking wildly at Setsuna in a frenzied rage, aiming right for her torso as if hoping to spike her through with a single fell blow.

*****

Ogre q

Spoiler

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Move to Q13/14, 10 foot reach, draws weapon
Attack: (1d20+7)[25], Damage: (2d8+7)[18] - -1 to hit from dazzled, hits

Over in the other room, the ogre closest to Red peers blearily through his dimmed eyes, rumbling confusedly to himself as he blinks and shudders in an effort to focus. Staggering in the direction of the door with one paw against the wall for support, he drags a primitive iron-tipped cudgel in his other fist, waving it wildly about in desperation to find his prey. Unfortunately for Red, one of his swings catches her on the chest, cracking bone through her armour while nearly sending her flying backwards into the corridor where Naya stood.

*****

Avei and Ogre p

Spoiler

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The SLA says Burning Sands. The PC description says embers. Who am I to judge?

Damage to ogres if they end their turn in the BS radius:
Ogre o: (1d4)[2]
Ogre p: (1d4)[1]
Ogre q: (1d4)[3]

Ogre p
Move to Q16, draw weapon
Attack: (1d20+7)[10], Damage: (2d8+7)[19] - -1 to hit from dazzled, misses

For those watching, Avei boldly dashing into the room and squaring up to the nearest ogre, just scant seconds after it'd clobbered Red, seems like the height of foolishness. As for Avei herself, the ifrit knew exactly what she was doing and what she was about to do.

Raising a cupped fist to her lips, Avei inhales and almost smiles - but that luxury was yet to come. Breathing out, her air is plumed with wispy smoke and fire, the bright flames licking hungrily at the ground with impossible speed to transform it into a wide swathe of glowing, churning embers riven with molten orange. For the hapless ogres caught in the wake of her fiery assault, they yelp as they abruptly find themselves mired ankle deep in smouldering cinders, struggling to free themselves from the ghastly heat lapping at their skin. Although one of them gnashes its teeth and manages to stump towards Avei with its own cudgel raised, its rapidly blistering feet prove to be too much of a distraction, causing its brutal swing to go wide and pass harmlessly over her head.

All terrain within the radius of Avei's Burning Sands is considered as difficult terrain.

Ogre p takes (1d4)[1] fire damage.

*****

Ogre o

Spoiler

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Double move to K15
Acrobatics check: (1d20-1)[16] - passed

Unable to see and now with some horrible menace scorching his hoary feet, the third ogre in the barracks room doesn't hesitate to flee to safer ground. Wailing aloud, he gropes about in a mad open-palmed frenzy and by sheer luck, manages to find the door and muscle himself through it - right into the stone wall of the corridor outside, crashing into it with such force that his bulbous head actually bounces from the impact.

Ogre o takes (1d4)[2] fire damage.

******

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
16 - Ogre n
13- Ogre GK (no, he's not dead yet, shockingly)
13 - Ogre q - dazzled (3 more rounds)
10 - Avei
7 - Ogre p - dazzled (3 more rounds)
6- Ogre o - blinded (3 more rounds)
> 3 - Rico
2- Ogre m

It is now Rico's turn.

*****

Combat Map

[Miraqariftsky]

Constable Rico
HP 67/67 (14/14 Rage bonus HP)
AC 21/22
(-3 no shield, -2 Rage, +4 Mage Armor potion)
*Jump potion also consumed, but don't know if it will come in handy.
Rage I/III, round 2/8

Leaping off the staggered foe, ducking her head and raising her arm to catch the blood-spray lest it gunk her eyes or mouth, Rico swiftly steps aside as she hears Setsuna sweeping in. A pair of arrows whistles past in that same breath.

She glares and growls at the beast before them as it roars in her comrade's face. She grits her teeth, knowing that it's only a matter of time before enemy reinforcements become inevitable, holding herself back from roaring in kind...

...and then its own weapon, that hook that Rico has come to dread, flashes out, hacking hard at Setsuna. In doing so, however, he leaves himself overextended, his right flank wide open.

Too good to pass up, Rico throws her whole weight into a Wrath Cut right at the exposed neck. Her wave-edged sword cleaves right through fat and muscle and bone and out the earlier wound on the other side. Off pops the head in a great gout of gore.

Before it fully falls, she sharply pivots, catches it by her boot, then kicks the severed head towards the new ogre trooper who'd come tromping up, too late to help. Steel-toed leather crunches into a hard skull, sending it spinning hard towards the other ogre's crotch.

Exploiting the momentum, she lunges in... slashing swiftly upwards and across at the throat, then kicking off again and jabbing a thrust right at the heart.

Spitting off to the side, she hisses while still keeping keen towards the foe before her, just in case.
"Setsuna? Ye arright there?"

Spoiler

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Vengeance Strike activated in response to Setsuna having been struck by GK.
Rolled in Rolls Thread, kill confirmed by Da Chief.

Full Attack against Ogre N
(1d20+15)[18]
(1d10+22)[25]

(1d20+10)[20]
(1d10+22)[30]

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Rico and Ogre m

Spoiler

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Vengeance Strike + actual turn

Ogre m
double move to P18/Q18
BS Damage: (1d4)[4]

Something deep in Rico's heavy breast sings - nay, almost purrs - as she spits the taste of metal from her mouth, her vision flecked with red mist, sweat dripping from her brows. At her feet, the ogre in the risible man-sized armour shudders as he bleeds out in a rapidly widening pool of brackish blood, his sternum cloven and his yellow eyes already rolled up into his craggy skull. Just by his arm, she spots the newly-severed head of the first ogre, from which blood still pumps in uneven spurts from the blade-bitten veins.

Blinking, Rico licks her lips. Then bites back a wolfish grin as her blood surges pure adrenaline, crooning the sweet notes of battle-lust. Fighting the temptation to give the head a sound kick against the wall for good measure with all her years of guardswoman discipline, the half-orcess turns her attention to Setsuna, checking her comrade for further injuries.

From somewhere outside in the corridor comes a fresh howl of pain and more clanging, raising the hairs on Rico's neck. There were definitely more of this ill-bred ilk out there that needed a-killing. And if she didn't move fast, the alarm would be raised and that grimy pack that Brin had seen outside in the Fort courtyard would surely descend.

Ogre GK and Ogre n are now both dead. Ogre m takes (1d4)[4] fire damage.

*****

Red
HP: 44/62
AC 24

Spoiler

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5-foot step to S13
Attack: (1d20+11)[29], Damage: (1d4+7)[10] - hits
Attack: (1d20+11)[20], Damage: (1d4+7)[10] - hits
Attack: (1d20+6)[14], Damage: (1d4+7)[8] - missed
Attack: (1d20+6)[8], Damage: (1d4+7)[11] - missed

Confirm Crit
Attack: (1d20+11)[20], Damage: (1d4+7)[8]

Regaining her balance, Red crouches over and shakes her head to clear the sudden dizziness. At the sudden movement, she narrows her eyes and winces, her breath a low hiss of pain between her teeth.

Apologies to Naya would have to wait for later. Clenching her teeth against the sharp bloom of pain in her ribs, she re-enters the fray next to Avei. She aims for the stumpy legs of the ogre, scoring deep wounds in his flanks with her first blow, though a fresh twinge of pain that shoots through her chest as she pulls back for a second blow sends her slice awry.

******

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
> 16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
13 - Ogre q - dazzled (3 more rounds)
10 - Avei
7 - Ogre p - dazzled (3 more rounds)
6- Ogre o - blinded (3 more rounds)
3 - Rico
2- Ogre m

It is now Brin's turn.

*****

Combat Map

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

Naya, hearing the terrible roar from the end of the corridor, turns that way momentarily just in time to notice Rico beheading two ogres in as many swings of her sabre. She gives the constable an appreciative smile - though how much that be noticed from a distance and in the heat of a battle is hard to say - and turns back to focus on the ogres in front of her... and the one in the back of the room, trying to escape. That can't be allowed! He'll warn the others... Not that there was any chance of the "others" not noticing the battle anyway, but still. Better not to give the beasts a chance to regroup... too bad, Naya doesn't have a clean shot at the creature. Not without harming her friends, at least. Instead... It was something she wanted to try for a while. Truth be told, Naya always felt more affinity to the wind. It's just, ever since she engaged in adventuring business, blasting mosters with bolts of lightning became her job, and she did her best at that, too... still. Who said wind couldn't be a weapon? one just needs a lot of wind... and a lot of wind was just what Naya had summoned with her new spell. A mass of wind that, following her gestures, formed into a swishing battering ram and struck the fleeing ogre at the back of his knee... Spoiler: Mechanics Show Casting Telekinetic Maneuver Using trip on Orge O: (1d20+13)[25]

[Ilorin Lorati]

Avei

Spoiler: Stats

Show

F N Lavasoul Ifrit Fighter (Dragonheir Scion) 7 / Brawler (Exemplar) 1, Level 8, Init 5, HP 72/72, DR Fire 10, Speed 20
AC 25, Touch 11, Flat-footed 24, CMD 23, Fort 11, Ref 6, Will 1, CMB +12/+7, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
+1 Trident (SELF) (M) +17/+12 (R) +14/+10 ((1h/R) 1d8+8 (2h) 1d8+10, x2)
+1 Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield (+10 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex, +2 Deflect)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 12
Condition Quite Wet, Irritated
Martial Flexibility 3/4

With two of the ogres now front and center, Avei shifts her stance to cover her face against the blows that were sure so come, opting to instead line her trident up with the edge of the metal sheet and thrust in their direction. As the side of her spear taps the shield, they both light up dimly with magic that threatens to leave jagged wounds behind if she strikes.

"You call yourselves ogres? Don't make me laugh; you're livestock and chattel. Look around at the cinders I have already begun to cook you in. You will leave a roast. Your bones will be used for stock! I will feast on your remains and when I am done I will escort you myself to the deepest hells for what you've done here."

Spoiler: Rolls

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Swift: Arcane Strike (+2 Damage)
Power Attack (-3 Hit, +6 Damage)
Full Attack; Attack Q, then if the first hits, attack P on attack 2.

Attack 1: (1d20+14)[31]
Damage 1: (1d8+16)[23] + (1d4)[4] Fire (Dragonheir Scion Bonus)
Cornugon Smash: (1d20+17)[37]

Attack 2: (1d20+9)[13]
Damage 2: (1d8+16)[17] + (1d4)[2] Fire
Cornugon Smash: (1d20+17)[24]

[Bhaakon]

Brin
40/40 HP
19 AC (14 touch)

Tch Brin bites back some keen invective about how ogres were supposed to be big ponderous brutes whose eyelids generally only blinked shut several seconds after their little pea brains issued the command, but the fact that two of the big oafs had somehow managed to fend off the worst of Pharasma's brilliant display left her without much time to do anything but step out from behind Naya and launch arrows as fast as she could pull them.

Spoiler

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5ft step south. Full attack with rapid shot on P, +1 attack and damage from PBS:

(1d20+10)[16]
(1d8+3)[5] + (1d6)[5]

(1d20+10)[30] (25 crit confirmation in OOC)
(1d8+3)[10] + (1d6)[5] (+12 crit damage in OOC)

(1d20+5)[12]
(1d8+3)[6] + (1d6)[3]

[Desril]

Setsuna
HP 37/55
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-Footed 19

Wincing as the ogre's hook grazes her, drawing blood, Setsuna doesn't let up her attacks until the apparent leader falls with Rico's help. Gingerly moving her free hand to the wound, she just nods at the constable's question, "I will be fine, we can tend the wound after the battle!"

Leaving it at that, the tiefling dashes back out of the room, leaping over the corpse of the ogre in her way, to see yet another ogre blocking the hall further on. Without hesitating, she charges forward, incanting a spell as she does to make her blade surge with an even more intense electric arc before slashing upward at the next threat, hoping to clear the way for her companions so none of them had to suffer any wounds or surprise attacks from the rear.

Spoiler

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Casting Shocking Grasp
Move to R18
Spellstrike (1d20+15)[24]
Damage (1d8+8)[10] + (6d6)[17] electric

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Brin and Naya

Spoiler

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Brin takes 5-foot step to V15

Naya's TM vs ogre o's CMD - passed

Pea brain or not, and even with his feet slowly being roasted to cinders by Avei's conjured embers, the ogre seems more than capable of defending himself from Brin's onslaught. With an angry heart-stopping roar, the ogre swats aside the first arrow with the back of a anvil-sized fist. Taking the next arrow to his chest with aplomb, he ignores the third arrow that zips harmlessly over his shoulder and turns to glower at Brin with his tiny piggy eyes.

Brin's chances to gazes face-to-face with a full grown ogre had hitherto been scant. Now, with an unimpeded view of the ogre's blackened teeth as he curls his bulbous lips in a snarl, his pock-marked face nearly obscured by a matted curtain of lank hair, she's not so sure this is an opportunity that needs to be grasped ever again.

As the ogre draws back to bellow his defiance once more, he is abruptly seized by a series of barking coughs, his stooped shoulders jerking as he hacks up gobbets of blood. Her arrow - it must have reached his lungs after all. Still, this is no time to celebrate. Not with the brute still standing. Though the same couldn't be said for the blinded ogre on the other side of the room, as Naya sends the winds to pummel the back of his legs, sending him crashing to the floor in a flailing, ungainly heap.

Ogre o is now prone.

*****

Setsuna

As she daringly leaps back out into the corridor, Setsuna's ears are pricked and her blade is poised, ready to strike at the next savage foe to present itself. The newest ogre in the corridor, however, hardly seems worth the martial effort. Like its newly-dead companion, this ogre is outlandishly clad in man armour far too small for its ponderous bulk. The cuirasses haphazardly strapped over its chest might as well have been bands for his sagging bosom; the helm jammed atop his head more like a knobby growth.

She would take no chances. Eyeing the wicked club that the ogre grasps in his left hand, the tiefling advances and slashes at the ogre's chest, doing her best to eviscerate him in a single blow. Though her stroke comes short of spilling his guts - her black blade forced short by those ridiculous cuirasses, skittering along their chain links in a shower of sparks - the ogre nevertheless howls aloud in pain as the electric currents wreathing her blade wrack his frame, reeling as the smoke rises from his now raw flesh.

*****

Ogre q and Avei

Spoiler

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Attack: (1d20+7)[18], Damage: (2d8+7)[19] - minus 1 from Dazzled, misses

Still foggy-eyed from Brin's earlier assault, the ogre with the iron-tipped cudgel can barely distinguish between the dim humanoid shapes at his knee. He blinks once, twice, then gives up and hastily slams his cudgel down squarely into the empty space between Red and Avei, the force of his blow sending small chips of stone and wood flying.

It was Avei's turn now. Her trident suddenly blooming with the same golden glow that now lights up her eyes, the ifrit almost laughs as she mocks the ogres, each word deliberate and edged with a sweet, poisonous malice. And as she speaks, it is as if words have a magic all of their own - the already tall woman grows yet taller in the eyes of the giant-blood before her.

The ogre doesn't need to understand Common to parse the meaning of her words - he was going to die in here, like a squealing sow, without mercy. As a slow terror grips his heart with cold talons, Avei thrusts her trident forward with viper-like precision, its jagged tines pierce through the soft flesh under his jaw and up through his misshapen skull. The ogre barely has time to register what is happening before he crashes knee-first to the floor, his final breaths a dim rattle in his throat.

Ogre q is now dead.

*****

Ogre p and Ogre o

Spoiler

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Attack: (1d20+7)[19], Damage: (2d8+7)[16] - -1 from Dazzled, misses
Move to P16

Extra damage from BS:
(1d4)[2]
(1d4)[2]

Ogre o - stand up (move) + move to K18 (difficult terrain)
Acrobatics: (1d20)[13] - passed

Still wheezing from the arrow lodged between his ribs, the remaining ogre attempts to swipe at Avei, but misses at the last instant. Instead of attempting to bash in her head, his greatclub merely clatters weakly along Avei's shield as his whole body spasms from what seems to be a sudden burst of fresh pain.

Groaning indistinctly in Giant, the ogre staggers backwards into the mass of embers, barely feeling them scorch his feet. Meanwhile, on the other side of the room, those of you alert enough can spot the blinded ogre tottering to his feet and feeling his way along the walls in a frenzied panic of swinging arms and frightened hoots.

Ogre o is no longer prone. Both ogre p and o take (1d4)[2] fire damage.

*****

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
10 - Avei
7 - Ogre p - dazzled (2 more rounds)
6- Ogre o - blinded (2 more rounds)
> 3 - Rico
2- Ogre m

It is now Rico's turn.

*****

Combat Map

[Miraqariftsky]

Constable Rico
HP 67/67 (14/14 Rage bonus HP)
AC 21/22
(-3 no shield, -2 Rage, +4 Mage Armor potion)
*Jump potion also consumed, but don't know if it will come in handy.
Rage I/III, round 3/8


Spitting stray flecks of gore,
Skidding on guts-slick
Craving to purge yet more
Of the hated foe, she wastes nary a tick

And skelters off, hopping
Over mounds of the slain
Sighting on the ogre Setsuna's slashing
Hauls back her sparking, thirsting foe-bane

Pushing off of the wall at an angle
She launches herself at the bleeding ogre's flank
Being careful not any limbs to tangle
On Setsuna's distraction, so well does bank

As she swipes at the ogre's left elbow with a pommel strike
Then thrusts at the throat, impaling like the butchering shrike

Spoiler

Show

Move to R-17, standard stabby
(1d20+15)[31]
(1d10+22)[30]

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Rico

Her eyes glowing faintly in the dim corridor, a wolfish snarl upon her lips, Rico falls upon the hapless ogre. A swift rap to the elbow suffices to knock his pathetic attempt to shield his head with his arm aside, the blubbery rolls of fat around his neck offering little resistance to her blade as she pierces his throat with a single precise thrust.

Unlike his companions, this ogre has no defiance to spit in her eyes. With widened eyes and a piteous whimper that immediately resolves into a gurgling wheeze as she whips her blade free and spume bubbles up in his windpipe, the ogre's eyes rapidly roll back up into his skull. To Rico's eyes, it even seems as if his ashy skin turns a shade paler as he slowly keels over, sinking to the stone floor and shivering with each spurt of warm blood from the gaping hole in his neck.

Ogre m is now dead.

*****

Red
HP: 44/62
AC 24

Spoiler

Show

Move to R16 and Power Attack
Attack: (1d20+12)[28], Damage: (1d4+9)[10]
Attack: (1d20+9)[19], Damage: (1d4+9)[10]

Red nods imperceptibly to herself as Avei takes care of the ogre that had clubbed her with admirable efficiency. Ruthlessness, even. And when had the floor become covered with so much smoking coal?

Skirting around the newest of their companions, Red goes for the ogre with the arrow in his chest. As he totters forward, his shoulders hunched with the effort of breathing, she hacks at his lowered skull with her kukri. The first blow chops clean through one of his ears, while the next splits his skull - baptising both herself and Avei in an uncontrolled splatter of yet more blood and brain.

Ogre p is now dead.

*****

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
> 16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
10 - Avei
6- Ogre o - blinded (2 more rounds)
3 - Rico

It is now Brin's turn.

*****

Combat Map

[Bhaakon]

Brin
40/40 HP
19 AC (14 touch)

Maybe they're not as tough as they look. Brin thinks to herself, second guessing all the effort she'd put into finagling a surreptitious approach. Maybe they should have just stood outside the gate and challenged the lot of them to a mass melee.

"Oh, well." She sighs at no one in particular, and moves down the hall the mirror the movement of the scorched, blindly groping behemoth on the other side of the building. She lines up a shot on the pathetically bellowing oaf, hoping another pinprick would be enough to put it out of its misery.

Spoiler

Show

Move 2 spaces south, stands to attack O

(1d20+11)[17]

(1d8+2)[8]+(1d6)[3]

[Desril]

Setsuna
HP 37/55
AC 27, Touch 21, Flat-Footed 17 (includes -2 from charging)

Glancing at the burning sands roiling across the floor, it doesn't take Setsuna much thought to realize she wouldn't be able to swiftly reach the ogre just trying to keep her footing on the sands...but then didn't put much thought into what she did next. Shifting her posture a bit, she charged forward and leaped, doing her best to keep her momentum and run along the stone wall very briefly before landing with a cut carrying the momentum of her jump to deal with the last ogre standing in the building.

Spoiler

Show

Charge remaining ogre
Use Acrobatics to leap and avoid the difficult terrain! (1d20+16)[28]
Attack (1d20+17)[28]
Damage (1d8+8)[15] + (1d6)[1] electric

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

With two more orges falling to the group's coordinated assault, Naya looks around, picking the next target, and... doesn't find one. There is only one ogre left - in sight, that is - and he's in an awkward position to aim the spells... and besides the sorceress has little doubt the group's frontliners will do a quick job of him anyway - and Setsuna's assault only confirms that expectation. Time for a quick breath... there will be many more targets for her magic out on the grounds... not to mention there's the second floor... and some rooms on this one that Red couln't check without opening doors - but can ogres even fit through doors that size? Well... probably, with difficutly... have to check later either way. "Doing great, everyone!" she gives her friends an enouraging smile, cautiously moving towards the main gate. Spoiler Show Move to S18; keep concentration on Telekinetic maneuvers (6 rounds left)

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Brin and Setsuna

With her target down the end of a straight corridor, it is hard for Brin to miss her mark. Her arrow strikes true in the side of the blinded ogre's neck, lodging deep into gristle and fat. In response, the ogre flinches and groans aloud, swatting clumsily at his cheeks and shoulders as if trying to shake off a particularly vicious horsefly.

Too preoccupied with this new, stinging pain in his neck, the ogre fails to hear the patter of feet against stone walls. Being blind, he also quite fails to notice the shadow of one Setsuna Yuki loom ominously across his face - right before the tiefling slashes downwards with lightning speed, carving a deep furrow across his chest before bouncing to a crouched halt at his feet.

*****

Naya

Caution proves wise for Naya. As she sidles up to where Rico stands next to the twitching corpse of a smallish ogre had been wearing human armour for some reason, she becomes aware of the fact that the main doors of the Fort (B11) stand wide open, leading out into the courtyard...

The mingled smells of wet smoke, roasting meat and what she now recognises as ogre musk assail the sylph's nostrils, as she spots the outline of several ogres clustered together, quarrelling over something. The winds, gods be praised, were blowing in her direction. Which probably accounted for why none of the noise and tumult of their skirmish had alerted the other ogres outside. Still, it would only take for one of them to turn around and see the dead body lying at Rico's feet.

*****

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
> 10 - Avei
6- Ogre o - blinded (2 more rounds)
3 - Rico

It is now Avei's turn.

*****

Combat Map

[Ilorin Lorati]

Avei

Spoiler: Stats

Show

F N Lavasoul Ifrit Fighter (Dragonheir Scion) 7 / Brawler (Exemplar) 1, Level 8, Init 5, HP 72/72, DR Fire 10, Speed 20
AC 25, Touch 11, Flat-footed 24, CMD 23, Fort 11, Ref 6, Will 1, CMB +12/+7, Base Attack Bonus +8/+3
+1 Trident (SELF) (M) +17/+12 (R) +14/+10 ((1h/R) 1d8+8 (2h) 1d8+10, x2)
+1 Full Plate, Heavy Steel Shield (+10 Armor, +2 Shield, +1 Dex, +2 Deflect)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 7, Cha 12
Condition Quite Wet, Irritated
Martial Flexibility 3/4

Seemingly satisfied at the responses to her attack and monologue, Avei placed her trident against her shoulder and turned to stroll out from the room, letting the magically smouldering embers glisten in the emptying room. "One left in here, I believe?" There was no urgency to her voice at this point, simply contentment as she turned the corner and held her spear at the ready in the ogre's direction as she stopped.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

2 Move, R18.

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Avei and Ogre o

Spoiler

Show

Attack: (1d20+7)[24], Damage: (2d8+7)[15]
Concealment: (1d2)[2] - 1 for hit, 2 for miss - missed (anyway)

The ogre's battered ears twitch as Avei's voice echoes down the corridor, before quickly flattening themselves against his skull. His rheumy eyes are already wide in fear, his breath coming in short panicked whimpers of pain as his feet continue to blacken and blister from the heat of the glowing embers underfoot. Baring his misshapen teeth, the ogre hesitates - before abruptly lurching towards Setsuna in a bid to flee into the shelter of the room behind her, frenziedly swinging an iron cudgel fisted in his meaty paw.

The cudgel misses Setsuna's head by several inches, bashing instead into the corridor walls and showering the tiefling in a miniature cloud of dusty stone shrapnel. The ogre, snuffling at the foul air, is immediately aware of his failure and gnashes his teeth in a barely suppressed groan of frustration. Mumbling indistinctly to himself in the Giant tongue, his bulked shoulders sag in defeat, a muted whimper that is almost a sob escaping his throat.

*****

New Event

Spoiler

Show

Initiative: (1d20-1)[12]

As Avei casually steps up to stand shoulder to shoulder with Rico and Naya, the three women become aware that they are being watched. For those who turn their heads to the left, they find a single stunned ogre staring back at them, the massive dripping half-chewed haunch of some roasted animal hefted in his fist. His lips are still greasy and smeared with shredded meat, and they hang open in slack-jawed surprise as his piggish eyes shift suspiciously from Naya to Rico, then to the dead ogre corpse at their feet, trying to process this most unexpected of sights.

*****

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
16 - Brin
16 - Naya
20 - Setsuna
12 - Ogre e - flat-footed
10 - Avei
6- Ogre o - blinded (1 more round)
> 3 - Rico

It is now Rico's turn.

*****

Combat Map

[Bhaakon]

Brin
40/40 HP
19 AC (14 touch)

"Really?" Brin mutters as the newcomer rushes past her, forming the last block in the meatwall between her and the ogre. "It's like they all want to be shot in the back." Still, the ogre was taller than them. She could probably arc her shots over their heads.

No way to tell until she tried.

Spoiler

Show

Full attack:
(1d20+10)[20]
(1d8+2)[9] + 5

(1d20+10)[25]
(1d8+2)[6] + 5

(1d20+5)[8]
(1d8+2)[7] + [/roll]1d6[/roll]

[jamieth]

Naya HP 30/30 AC 18

As Brin's arrows fly true, downing the last ogre, Naya feels some presence... must be presence, no way to feel the scent among all the stench that's already there... and turns only to meet the eyes of another Krieg. Luckily, the ogre is slower to react - even luckier, Rico is fast to react, already ready ro rush the new target, but... "One moment, miss Rico", Naya almost whispers as she turns the wind she was holding around and throws it around the gore to push him in the back... bringing enemy even closer? yes, but... hopefully, it would be enough to force him to fight insode the fort. And the fort's corridors, while plenty wide for Naya - and even for heavier-armored members of the group - were, as they prover earlier, a bit hard for ogres to maneuver. Not to mention, she didn't really like the idea of going outside yet... Spoiler: Mechanics Show Concentrating on Telekinetic Maneuver (5 rounds left) Using reposition on Orge E: (1d20+13)[26]

[Miraqariftsky]

Constable Rico
HP 67/67 (14/14 Rage bonus HP)
AC 21/22
(-3 no shield, -2 Rage, +4 Mage Armor potion)
*Jump potion also consumed, but don't know if it will come in handy.
Rage I/III, round 4/8

"Time to fulfill a promise, y'all. Hammer and anvil!"

So she says as she grimaces
Then hauls back her leg and savage kicks
The nearest ogre head looses
Like a solid onager's licks

Crotchward hurtles the severed head
While she herself surges forward
Through many a pelting neck-shred
Sudden whipping her spear out hard

Through her belt, jams the gore-dripping sword
Iron fists grasp the darkwood shaft
Poor damned fool, soon to lose his gourd
As the Impaler screams its craft

Whooshing towards the hapless heart
She hardens hers to murder's art.

Once the first blow is struck
She sucks in a deep breath
To call for the Rangers' luck
To cleanse this house of death

"WAAAAAAAAAGGH!!"

Spoiler

Show

mOVE TO r21

Stabby at E
(1d20+15)[20]
(1d8+22)[30]

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Rico delays turn until after Naya.

*****

Red
HP: 44/62
AC 24

Spoiler

Show

Move to U19

Ow.

Red regards the still smouldering floor of embers warily - how long more was it going to be there? Wiping the spit from the corners of her mouth with the back of her wrist, she hurries out the room the direction Avei had gone, only to wince as a sharp twinge of pain shoots through her head. She'd never liked wearing helms before - those bronzy, choking sweat-soaked things you could barely see out of. But if she was going to be facing more bigfolk capable of crushing bone in a single blow, then perhaps that ought to change.

Almost skidding on the blood-slick floor outside, Red regains her balance and scrambles past Brin. She is about to venture down the corridor to where she can see Rico, Naya and Avei already squared up, when she instinctively glances up at Brin. Then back down to where the others are. Then back again, before ducking meekly into the nearest open doorway.

Given the vaguely murderous flash in the priestess's eyes, it was probably best not to make her life any more difficult than it already was.

*****

Brin

Having the two tallest among their number blocking the corridor does not improve Brin's temper one bit. Nevertheless, the sheer bulk of the blinded ogre as it fumbles about gives her a clear enough target to aim for as she squints for patches of pasty brown flesh.

Brin's first arrow, by freakish chance, strikes the blinded ogre in his left eye - rupturing the soft tissues within his brain, his groans of frustration choked into strangled silence as his limbs jerk and shiver. Her second arrow, which coyly zips just over Avei's tousled hair, pierces his throat clean through to the other side and seals his fate.

Ogre o is dead.

*****

Naya and Rico

Naya's telekinetic push catches the ogre completely by surprise. The brute is easily bowled to his knees, his mouth still stupidly hanging open as he is rudely flung nearly 10 feet closer to the slyph with such force that it not only knocks the air out of him but also sends the half-eaten roast haunch in in his fist flying right at Avei.

As the (unfortunately tasty-smelling) morsel clangs dully off the ifrit's armour, Rico wastes no time in launching herself at the startled enemy. Naya's spell had been sufficient to drag the ogre just past the Fort's open double doors - a half-cracked oaken portal that still bore the scorches and dents of the ogres' assault. Aiming the Impaler's notched blade at the ogre's chest, Rico snarls and catches him between the ribs, thrusting with such force that she actually levers the ogre back to his feet and pins him to the remnants of the fortress door.

The battered doors shudder from the impact of the blow, raining dirt and splinters down on those of you who are nearest. The ogre, though skewered like a fish, is still very much alive and his eyes bulge in mingled pain and fear as he tries in vain to free himself from the partisan's spikes, merely shredding his fingers to ribbons as he paws at the shaft in his side. On the other end of the weapon, Rico herself grunts, her eyes edged with crimson. She shakes the tension from her shoulders as a lion ruffles its mane, takes a deep breath, then lets loose her best battle-cry - a high-pitched scream in contrast to the throatier tumult of ogre-squabble outside.

The angry voices chattering in Giant abruptly cease, quickly replaced by the stomp and hustle of running feet. If Shalelu and the rangers are alert, hopefully they will decipher Rico's signal for what it is and launch their own attack.

2 rounds to arrival of the nearest ogres.

Initiative Order:
25 - Red
16 - Brin
16 - Naya
3 - Rico
> 20 - Setsuna
12 - Ogre e - flat-footed
10 - Avei

It is now Setsuna's turn.

*****

Combat Map

[Desril]

Setsuna
HP 37/55 (+Temp)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-Footed 19

With the ogre before her fallen, Setsuna quickly scans the immediate area, sighing in relief for just a moment. Before the breath even fully escapes her, however, she hears the stunned ogre coming in from the front door and Rico's battlecry. Knowing the path is blocked well enough that she'll never make it back in time without resorting to invoking some magic, the tiefling nods to herself and rushes back the way she came. She couldn't leave her friends alone against the rest of the camp, after all, even if she exhausted herself getting to the front. Relying on the superhuman swiftness granted by her enchanted undershirt, she leaps over the fiery sandpit again, weaving magic runes with her right hand even as she runs up to Rico's side to slash upward at the newcomer, Maethilur now clad in a deep crimson aura.

Spoiler

Show

I wanted to save the QRS for later in case it was needed, but I do so hate sitting out rounds!

Using QRS for an extra move action
Move to dash and jump (Acrobatics (1d20+16)[26]) across the sand pit back to P18
Casting Vampiric Touch
2nd Move to move to S21
Spellstrike to use the attack the spell gives! Woo for magus' overcomplicated action economy! (1d20+15)[24]
Damage (1d8+8)[10] + (1d6)[5] Electric + (4d6)[8] Negative Energy (I gain this as temp HP)

[maggie_mcknife]

GM post

Setsuna

It has been long enough since Setsuna had last deigned to draw on the power of her sarashi that even those of you used to the tiefling's lightning-quick combat style are momentarily stunned by what happens next. Dashing back into view, the tiefling hurtles over the cinder sands with near ethereal speed, her ivory skin gleaming molten gold in the underglow cast by the flames. She lands lightly on the balls of her feet, barely pausing as she veers under Avei's lance and heads straight towards Rico and the ogre.

Months ago - it seems like almost a lifetime ago - the tiefling might have hesitated. Even argued for mercy, her blade stayed by the strictures of Minkan honour. There was no merit in cutting down an opponent who was mewling, outnumbered, and not to mention skewered through like a capon bound for the butcher's block, after all.

But Setsuna had seen too much since then. Lost too much. Her black blade now alight the same deep crimson of her eyes, Setsuna carves open the rest of the stricken ogre's chest with ruthless grace and precision, his blood sizzling aloud in his skin as her electric magic jolts through his torso. As his life force ebbs, a heady, tingling glow fills the tiefling's chest like a swig of warm brandy on a cold winter's night; her nostrils flaring as the sudden rush of energy goes to her head.

Ogre e is now dead. Setsuna gains 8 temporary hp for 1hr.

*****

Combat is over, initiative ends.

There's still 2 rounds to the arrival of the nearest ogres. The front doors of the Fort (QRS22) are broken and unable to be closed (and also have a dead ogre pinned to them). All visible rooms on the map may be assumed to be free of enemies. Yes, that is a ladder in room B17 and the stairs going up to the second floor are at S7.

*****

Map

[jamieth]

Naya

“Great job, Miss Setsuna… great job, everyone!” Naya exclaims as the last – for now, at least, and, judging by the sounds coming from outside, likely not for long – ogre falls to the tiefling’s blade, “There will be more, but… this corridor is plenty wide for us, but I don’t think two ogres can fight here side by side. And… I think all the doors and stairs I saw back in the keep are too narrow as well – that is, ogre could probably squeeze through them, but I doubt there’s many, if any… so I guess we can keep defending the main entrance for now… but we don’t know how many of them are there outside. Maybe… maybe try and break through to the mail gates? If we open them, the Arrows will be able to strike them from the other side…”

The sylph bites her lip, “I can fly out and scout the courtyard again… give signal to the rangers…” the idea of leaving her friends back doesn’t really sit well with her, but then… If scouting and delivering messages is the best way she can help right now, it would be silly not to. “Still have power to spare, it’s just… there in the courtyard, I doubt ogres would be so nice as to line up to let me blast them.”

Finishing her speech, the sorceress looks around, waiting if anyone has other suggestions… after all, it’s easy for her to say ‘Defend the entrance’, but it won’t be her who would have to stand there against the ogres’ clubs, cleavers and… whatever else those beasts might carry.

Brin

Brin mutters darkly about rushing in headlong while patching up Setsuna, but keeps her thoughts on that (mostly) silent as in the face of the sylph’s optimism. "Maybe just lure them in here. They seem dumb enough for that, and we have a bit of advantage in tight places. I think we should...Red, you're...hmph, stand still for a moment..." She stutters, not having noticed the mauling the woman had taken. Clearly they'd have to come up with a way to kill big things more efficiently.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Convert Lesser Restoration into CMW to heal Setsuna for 18. Turn Bountiful Banquet into Cure Critical Wounds to heal Red for 25

Avei

With the ogre down, Avei let loose a breath she didn't even know she was holding, willing her heart to still and the thrill of battle to subside. She failed, and thusly while Brin was taking the time to heal others, the dragon-blooded woman paced from one wall to the other. "I can hold any number of the stupid beasts from coming through this doorway, and have enough power left to pull the same trick," she motioned towards the other room, where she laid magically burning embers as if she had breathed them herself, "once more. It should slow them down from this doorway. Are there any other entrances they could get through?"

Setsuna

"Fighting them in here does seem to be the smartest way to deal with them," Setsuna adds to the conversation after smiling and nodding her thanks at Brin for the healing. "I can defend from them one or two at a time in here, but even I can not be sure I can defend myself from all sides if we fought in the open," she admits in a rare moment of insight into her own weaknesses. "Do you think they would come running if I just walked to the door and shouted?"

Naya

"Very well", Naya nods, "In that case... I'll try to stop them from getting too many in at the same time... that new spell, the wind one, I think it suits me", she adds, summoning two small hurricanes around her arms, "Truth be told, I never really felt that comfortable with lightnings..."

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Casting Telekinetic Maneuvers, 8 rounds left