IC IX: Turning the Tide

[Admiral]

Natalia fires a quick series of arrows at the orc who is most severely held by the tentacles. With the last of them the enemy barbarian falls unconscious.

Kurt's blade slashes into the closest orc, wounding him.

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O3 is down for the count. (I might have said he wasn't earlier, but was miscounting! Can't quite remember.)

O4 is hit but not yet bloodied.

Two other orcs slowly clamber out of the tentacles and move towards Natalia. The one in back fires an arrow through the widening gap in the wall as he approaches, while the other draws his blade.

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O8:
(1d20+14)[21] Critical: (1d20+14)[25]
Damage: (1d8+3)[9] Critical: (1d8+3)[8] (1d8+3)[5]

Three of the other orcs advance, though the tentacles stop them from charging into battle as they move forward.

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O5 had to run (not that it's a big thing with their uncanny dodge and all), the other two orcs just double moved.

The wall of limbs, each resembling Mithril's arms, flails as it holds the other pair of orcs. Suddenly a blast of lightning erupts through it.

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The warmage (O1) is trying to escape by casting Lightning Bolt, and thus dealing 30 or more damage to a 5 foot section (see Wall of Limbs rule.)

Damage: (8d6)[31]

More in next post.

[Admiral]

The warmage clambers out of Mithril's spell as the arms fall apart around him. The other tries to fight his way out.

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(1d20+5)[16]

He fails to escape the spell himself.

The orc in front of Kurt shouts raises his greataxe and takes a pair of terrible swings at the dwarf.

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O4:

Attack: (1d20+17)[18] Critical: (1d20+17)[23]
Damage: (1d12+10)[16] Critical: (1d12+10)[17] (1d12+10)[15]

Attack: (1d20+12)[14] Critical: (1d20+12)[25]
Damage: (1d12+10)[19] Critical: (1d12+10)[11] (1d12+10)[19]

Not impressive rolls, my barbarian friend.

The barbarian's rage seems to blind him as both the axes miss their target.

[CWater]

Rhenner lifts his holy symbol and concentrates on a new spell. It's one he has never cast before, but it's supposed to be one of the stronger ones.

Spoiler: Actions

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Casting Dancing Web. It deals (10d6)[40] non-lethal to all targets in 20 ft. range. Ref DC 19 for half. Also on a failed save those that are Evil become entangled for 1d6 rounds, though not stuck in place, by lingering strands of pure goodness magic*.

If the center is placed three down and one to the right compared to the center of the tentacles, then I think it should hit orcs O4, O5, O6, O8 and O9, and not anyone from the party. It's an instantaneous effect and despite the name doesn't actually leave a web behind.

*Though considering that this spell is from BoED it's actually surprising it isn't the former.

[Admiral]

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Save's for Rhenner's spell:

O4: (1d20+4)[10]
O5: (1d20+5)[6]
O6: (1d20+4)[17]
O8: (1d20+4)[18]
O9: (1d20+5)[20]

Not everyone in a barbarian tribe is evil. In that environment it's not hard for a neutral orc to be pulled along. So about half are (2=evil, as I play dice with their souls)

O4: (1d2)[1]
O5: (1d2)[2]
O6: (1d2)[1]
O8: (1d2)[2]
O9: (1d2)[1]

(Note that who is evil and who isn't remains meta info not known to the players, though you will know who is entangled. Nor is there anything particularly evil about killing a neutral barbarian in self-defense, all else equal, so don't get hung up on it )

All get full damage except O9, and O5 and O8 are entangled. O4 is bloodied.

Natalia + Kurt + Mithril's turn

[Athedia]

Mithril realized the approaching barbarians more than matched the power Kurt and Natalia had to defend the gate and raised her hand summoning another tentacled mass from the depths of the earth. She barely managed to process the man leaping overhead, another odd event in a crazy day.

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Black Tentacles, marked in blue outline on map.

[Admiral]

The orcs try to avoid the tentacles that Mithril calls forth from the earth.

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O4: Grapple: (1d20+14)[22] Tentacles: (1d20+18)[31]
O6: Grapple: (1d20+16)[20] Tentacles: [roll]1d20+18)[/roll]
O7: Grapple: (1d20+15)[31] Tentacles: (1d20+18)[29]
O8: Grapple: (1d20+14)[18] Tentacles: (1d20+18)[23]

[Admiral]

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Oops!

O6: Grapple: (1d20+16)[19] Tentacles: (1d20+18)[33]

One of the orcs escapes the worst of the tentacles' clutches, but the others are ensnared.

[CoffeeIncluded]

A shape flies through the air out of the corner of Natalia's eye, and she whips around with her bow drawn and ready to fire. Only the realization that it's coming from their side and rocketing towards the warmage that clambered free of Mithril's disturbing wall of clenched fists holds her fire. Still, she spends more than a fraction of a second looking in disbelief.

Ooookaay...

A gleam of dancing threads of light entangling the orcs and piercing them, followed by the sound of cracking earth and their shouts as most are grappled, snaps Natalia back to the battle. In an instant she fires three arrows at the orc furthest in the back, both grappled by tentacles and struggling to break free of the thin strands of light.

Spoiler: Attack!

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Sorry about the wait, I just got home and my computer was being a jerk. It's working now though! O8 is currently grappled AND entangled. Sneak attack! If any arrows are left after either killing or knocking out O8 (that means she'll stop if he's KOed from her arrows and Rhenner's spell but not outright killed) she goes for O6.

Attack 1: (d20+18)[30]
Crit: (d20+18)[28]
Damage: (d8)[5] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[25]
Crit damage: (d8)[1] (d8)[3]

Attack 2: (d20+18)[25]
Crit: (d20+18)[21]
Damage: (d8)[1] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[25]
Crit damage: (d8)[2] (d8)[4]

Attack 3: (d20+13)[26]
Crit: (d20+13)[23]
Damage: (d8)[6] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[31]
Crit damage: (d8)[5] (d8)[3]

[Cavelcade]

Kurt concentrates on the foe in front of him, bringing the might of his blade to bear on the enemy, smashing him repeatedly with the holy sword Daybringer. For the moment he keeps his wits about him, his back tensing for just a moment as he hears the ominous sound of rushing feet behind him, but not taking his eyes off the orc before him, instead trusting in Natalia to keep his back secure.

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Power attack: -5/+10

Attack 1:
(1d20+10)[14] Attack = 15
(1d20+10)[22] Crit

(2d6+17)[28] + (2d6)[3] (if evil) Attack
(2d6+17)[24] + (2d6)[7] (if evil) Crit

Attack2:
(1d20+5)[20] Attack = 21
(1d20+5)[13] Crit

(2d6+17)[23] + (2d6)[9] (if evil) Attack
(2d6+17)[25] + (2d6)[9] (if evil) Crit

[Cavelcade]

And thanks to Mithril's prowess, he's able to turn to strike again, his hands a blur as he reverses his grip to bring Daybreaker back around.

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Power attack: -5/+10 still:

Attack:
(1d20+10)[24] Attack = 25 because I forgot haste adds + 1 again.
(1d20+10)[15] Crit

(2d6+17)[23] + (2d6)[7] (if evil) Attack
(2d6+17)[22] + (2d6)[3] (if evil) Crit

[Admiral]

A pair of arrows from Natalia are enough to slay one of the orcs injured by Rhenner's spell. Another of her arrows lands in one of the nearest orcs.

While Kurt's first swing misses the orc trapped in tentacles before him, his second lands true, and his third cuts deep into his chest, killing him.

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O4 and O8 are dead; O6 is bloodied.

BTW I'll count that since Ian did a full turn run + swift action he didn't have time to give any attention to Detect Thoughts (even briefly), but certainly can next round.

The warmage in front of Ian sneers at the newest warrior to join the fray. He opens his mouth and lets loose a powerful yell that washes over him.

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Shout. Damage: (5d6)[17], plus deafness.

Ian gets a Fortitude save to negate deafness and halve damage, DC 18.

The other orc trapped in Mithril's multitude of limbs tries again to escape.

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(1d20+5)[14]

To be continued with other orcs' actions momentarily.

[Admiral]

One of the orcs trapped by the tentacles tries to escape them.

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O6: Grapple: (1d20+16)[31] Tentacles: (1d20+18)[20]

The fire spreads farther along the wall, flames weakening the wooden foundations. The party suddenly hears the sounds of axes chopping against the burning parts. While the entrance is still blocked by the waving tentacles, the enemies appear to intend to break through where the wall is already weakened.

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O7 or O9 are chopping at the walls at L43 and Q43. There is no line of attack for them without stepping into the tentacles.

An Knowledge (Architecture/Engineering) check may be able to figure out how long before they can break through the burning walls.

The remaining orc steps back and fires a pair of arrows at Natalia.

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O5's attack:

(1d20+12)[20] Critical: (1d20+12)[32]
Damage: (1d8+3)[11] Critical: (1d8+3)[5] (1d8+3)[8]

(1d20+7)[25] Critical: (1d20+7)[18]
Damage: (1d8+3)[8] Critical: (1d8+3)[7] (1d8+3)[4]

[Admiral]

One of the orcs breaks free from the grasp of the tentacles. In his rage he lunges forward, shoving his way through the tentacles, drawing a smaller axe from his back as he does. As he bursts out of the tentacles he grabs Natalia.

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Improved Grapple, no AoO.

Melee touch attack to grab: (1d20+16)[30]

If succeed, Grapple check vs Natalia: (1d20+16)[27]

If he fails either, I'm leaving him in the tentacle zone at O43.

K, Natalia's turn to make opposed grapple.

[CoffeeIncluded]

One arrow comes closer to Natalia than the other, but she easily steps aside--and that movement puts her in line of sight to see two orcs cutting through the burning walls. Her eyes widen and she raises her bow as she looks for Lander. "HURRY, THEY CHOPPING TH--Glrrk!"

The orc comes barreling through the tentacles too quickly for Natalia to react, and even as she steps back he grabs her, fury in his eyes as his hands--so big that he only really needs one to do the job--close around her throat.

Spoiler: Natalia's rolls

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Knowledge (Architecture and engineering): (d20+5)[17]
he
Opposed Grapple: (d20+8)[19]

It's a vice-like grip around her throat, and even as Natalia struggles and gasps for air the huge orc lifts her off the ground with seemingly no effort.

Spoiler: Admiral

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Well then. Her turn?

[CoffeeIncluded]

The Orc brings one hand back while the other tightens its grip around her throat. Natalia gasps and flails, ineffectually trying to pull his fingers off of her neck. And then she looks at him and through the throttle she gets an idea. Suspended in the air, Natalia swings her while body back and forth until she gets the momentum to drive her knee under the orc's chin, into his throat, swing her fist into the soft spots on the side of his head, smash the toe of her boot up between his legs and then swing it around into the side of his knee where ligaments pulled taut keep him standing.

Spoiler: -Natalia's actions

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unarmed strike, five times thanks to TWF, improved TWF, and haste. It's a light weapon so weapon finesse and insightful strike. so going off when she was grappled by the drow...I hope I have this right. Can I see what happens before she does her swift action?

Attack 1: (d20+11)[16]
Crit: (d20+11)[20]
Damage: (d3+4)[6] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[13]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[5]

Attack 2: (d20+11)[25]
Crit: (d20+11)[29]
Damage: (d3+4)[7] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[23]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[6]

Attack 3: (d20+11)[30]
Crit: (d20+11)[16]
Damage: (d3+4)[6] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[25]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[6]

Attack 4: (d20+6)[23]
Crit: (d20+6)[24]
Damage: (d3+4)[7] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[15]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[7]

Attack 5: (d20+6)[10]
Crit: (d20+6)[21]
Damage: (d3+4)[6] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[23]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[6]

[Admiral]

The orc wrestling with Natalia is able to dodge the first of the rogue's slashes, but the second two slice into him, though not as deep as Natalia would like.

[CoffeeIncluded]

*Ghrrk!* Natalia flails, frustration spiking as he squeezes. She grits her teeth and smashes her ankles together, activating the anklet and instantly teleporting her a few feet away where she stumbles on the ground but remains upright.

"Hurry!" she gasps, breathing heavily and gulping down every breath of air. She indicates the Orc in front of her that managed to get inside, and the two outside the burning walls. "Cant keep him in, and they...chopping through outside!"

Spoiler: question

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was this ok to finish Natalia's round? Also, what did her knowledge architecture and engineering check get her?

[CWater]

*Ghrrk!* Natalia flails, frustration spiking as he squeezes. She grits her teeth and smashes her ankles together, activating the anklet and instantly teleporting her a few feet away where she stumbles on the ground but remains upright.

"Hurry!" she gasps, breathing heavily and gulping down every breath of air. She indicates the Orc in front of her that managed to get inside, and the two outside the burning walls. "Cant keep him in, and they...chopping through outside!"

Spoiler: question

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was this ok to finish Natalia's round? Also, what did her knowledge architecture and engineering check get her?

Of course they are... Rhenner's expression is grim as he runs forward and heals some of Kurt's earlier wounds.

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Healing now in case Mithril would want to move the two of them away to get to the other orcs.
Master's Touch to CMW: (2d8+14)[21]

Spoiler: Party's HP

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Kurt: 108/118
Natalia: 59/69, 10/120 fire absorbed
Mithril: 49/49
Rhenner: 59/59
Ian 74/83

Lesser Vigor: 4/20 rounds

EDIT: Oh, and Dodge against O5.

[Cavelcade]

Kurt glances around, his wits sharp as he hears the the thud of an axe on the walls, no doubt but that Natalia's correct in guessing their intention. There's a more immediate concern for him, but there is someone already outside the reach of the tentacles who might be able to do something about them.

"Rhennar! Orcs to the left and right of the burning!" His voice booms back to Rhennar focusing his attention on exactly where the orcs are, before focusing on the one that's trying to squeeze the life out of Natalia. "And you!"

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Using White Raven Tactics to move Ian's next initiative to straight after Kurt's.

Power attack at -5/+10

Attack 1:
(1d20+12)[24] Attack
(1d20+12)[18] Crit

(2d6+17)[26] Attack + (2d6)[10] if evil.
(2d6+17)[25] Attack

Attack 2 (haste):
(1d20+12)[13] Attack
(1d20+12)[23] Crit

(2d6+17)[26] Attack + (2d6)[5] if evil.
(2d6+17)[24] Attack

Attack 3:
(1d20+7)[23] Attack
(1d20+7)[24] Crit

(2d6+17)[22] Attack + (2d6)[4] if evil.
(2d6+17)[26] Attack

Daybreaker whirls through the air around Natalia but never once touches her as he cleaves into the orc. "Let go of my friend."

[Admiral]

With his first, devastating swing, Kurt lays waste to the raging orc that had attacked Natalia.

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Mithril and Rhenner's (extra) turn

[CWater]

Kurt's shout draws Rhenner's attention to the enemies. "They won't for long." With the last orc on this side of the tentacles fallen, he figures the warriors are more needed elsewhere. "We can't let them break the wall!" He picks up* his morningstar and activates its protective enchantment and is already chanting a spell as he quickly moves around Mithril and Natalia to make a better formation. Rhenner cringes slightly as a small piece of his energy is sapped to empower the short spell that places an enchantment on the weapon. It's finished a step before he reaches his aimed position, and immediately he begins casting another spell, this one of the teleportation school. Grabbing both fighters he moves them all to the other side of the wall.

Spoiler: Actions

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Move action: To O44.
Free actions: Draw weapon and allocate the Defending enchantment +1 to AC.
Swift action: Casting Blade of Blood (3d6 extra damage to the next attack that hits, Rhenner takes 5 damage) on the morningstar, except in case Admiral allows him to enchant Daybreaker instead. I'm not entirely sure if that is possible, since Rhenner is not the one holding that weapon, but he is close enough to be able to touch it so... It's up to the DM.
Standard action: Casting Dimension Door, placing Kurt in S42, Rhenner in S41 and Natalia in T41. Sorry Cavelcade, that the orc is going to get a chance to hit Kurt before he does, but Rhenner figures it's most important to save the wall right now. Kurt's tough, he should make it! :) Of Rhenner himself, I'm less certain.

Mithril can also reach Rhenner to come along if she likes or stay behind, whichever she prefers. If she chooses to move, she'll be behind Kurt in T42.

Non-action: Dodge against O5.

Yeah, I'm making full use of this extra round.

*I'm still unsure of how to describe this motion really. I mean, you don't actually 'draw' a morningstar do you?

[Athedia]

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Moving to K46 and casting Cloud of Knives

Mithril shook herself out of the stupor she had been standing in, backing up from the wall a little. In preparation for the inevitable breakthrough she summoned the swirling knives to surround her head.

[Admiral]

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1. Rhenner can absolutely enchant Daybreaker (assuming Kurt lets him- it would be different to enchant something an enemy was holding). So as per CWater's instructions, that's the action!

2. Another Mithril turn, another chunk o' damage for O2: (5d6)[23]

The orc standing before Ian is badly injured by the sorcerer's swing. The mage waves his hand, and Ian is surprised by black tentacles springing out from under his feet and behind him.

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He'd hoped to use that on the party but Ian's backed him into a corner. Grapple check for Ian vs (1d20+19)[37] or he's grappled by them.

Gotta run a quick errand, other orcs' turn right when I get back.

[Admiral]

The other orc tries to escape again from Mithril's wall of grasping limbs.

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Str check: (1d20+5)[21]

The sound of axes gets stronger against the wood.

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Some simplified checks:
O7: (2d6+12)[24]
O9: (2d6+12)[20]

[Admiral]

One of the orcs breaks free of the wall of arms, and races around the tentacles his ally had conjured.

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Lucky in some sense for the tentacles, got in the way of O2 coming after Ian.

O2 is wounded but not quite bloodied.

The orcs are startled when the three warriors appear behind them. One of them turns with his greataxe and swings twice; the other has to drop his longbow on the ground just to draw his own axe before attacking.

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They both aim their axes at the same target. But which one? 1 it's Kurt, 2 it's Rhenner. (1d2)[2]

O9:

Attack: (1d20+14)[24] Critical: (1d20+14)[34] -4
Damage: (1d12+16)[22] Critical: (1d12+16)[24] (1d12+16)[21] (1d12+16)[23]

Attack: (1d20+9)[16] Critical: (1d20+9)[14] -4
Damage: (1d12+16)[24] Critical: (1d12+16)[22] (1d12+16)[23] (1d12+16)[28]

O5:

Attack: (1d20+10)[18] Critical: (1d20+10)[27] -6
Damage: (1d12+16)[22] Critical: (1d12+16)[27] (1d12+16)[26] (1d12+16)[18]

[CoffeeIncluded]

Natalia is as always slightly disoriented when Rhenner's spell deposits them outside the burning wall, but she recovers faster this time. Still, she considers herself fortunate that neither orc attacks her. And they seem just as surprised. Good. She breaths in and out, and with her exhalation Natalia pulls the shadows over herself, winking from view. In the same moment she steps forward and launches a flurry of five strikes--punches and kicks to injured tissues, soft spots of the head, weight-bearing ligaments that hold the knee together.

Spoiler: Natalia's action

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Natalia turns invisible with Cloak of Deception (heheh, Kurt's never seen this one before!) as a swift action, 5 foot steps to S40, and starts punching O5 (she dropped her bow earlier and sadly she doesn't have hidden blade sheaths or anything). If he's a barbarian then remove the sneak attack damage.

Don't forget that any orc in range of Kurt who attacks anyone else takes a -4 penalty because he's in Iron Guard's Glare!

Attack 1: (d20+17)[20]
Crit: (d20+17)[21]
Damage: (d3+4)[7] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[24]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[7]

Attack 2: (d20+17)[36]
Crit: (d20+17)[23]
Damage: (d3+4)[7] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[22]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[5]

Attack 3: (d20+17)[28]
Crit: (d20+17)[22]
Damage: (d3+4)[7] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[29]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[6]

Attack 4: (d20+12)[18]
Crit: (d20+12)[14]
Damage: (d3+4)[6] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[21]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[7]

Attack 5: (d20+12)[13]
Crit: (d20+12)[23]
Damage: (d3+4)[5] plus sneak attack: (6d6)[22]
Crit damage: (d3+4)[6]

On her last kick (an attempt to sweep the orc off his feet that goes completely wide and nearly knocks Natalia herself off-balance), Natalia snaps back into view as if she never vanished at all.

[Admiral]

The first three of Natalia's blows land, though through the instinct of battle the barbarian is able to avoid Natalia's attempts to turn them fatal.

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O5 is bloodied.

[CWater]

Being slightly late in adjusting to the new placement by his own spell, the first enemy axe swing comes very close at slashing Rhenner, but on the last second the orc is distracted by Kurt's powerful presence and the cleric is able to evade the blow. He manages to block the other attacks as well, then moves rises his morningstar to strike back, his movement made faster by Mithril's earlier spell. After he takes a step back out of the melee.

Spoiler: Actions

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Free action: Cancel Morningstar's Defending, +1 enchantment back to attack.

Standard action: Attacking O5.
Attack 1:
(1d20+10)[20]
(1d8+3)[4]

Attack 2: (haste)
(1d20+10)[17]
(1d8+3)[9]

Attack 3:
(1d20+5)[9]
(1d8+3)[9]

I believe this is the first time ever Rhenner has attacked 3 times in one round
(though he's still not that good at it ^^')

Misc action: 5 ft. step to T40.
Non-action: Dodge against O9.

[Admiral]

One of Rhenner's swings smashes into the orc's flesh, but the second bounces harmlessly off his armor and the third misses.

[Athedia]

Mithril moved toward the center of the hole, looking out at where the warmage had escaped the writhing arms. Raising a hand she shot out five orbs of force, each racing straight for the warmage. Her other hand had retrieved the rod from her side and quickly activated it as she cast.

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Move: O47
Move (Haste): Retrieve Rod of Empower
SA: Cast Magic Missile x1.5
Damage: (5d4+5)[16]*1.5 =[24]