Tried a new mapmaking system for this combat. Not entirely happy with the software, but the map should be clear enough for now. Whew...okay...here we go.
Round 1:
Terrana commands the man on the stairs to drop the boy and, with a startled look from both him and the boy, he does so. The boy hits the stairs with a yelp and rolls between the posts of the railing, landing on the floor before Gaius. He hits with a solid thump, which brings a pronounced sob and a wail from the child, as he favors his knee.
Seeing Terrana's action, Bronda raises her crossbow and gets a shot off, striking Jinjer in the shoulder. She then drops the heavy crossbow and pulls a handaxe from her belt.
Jinjer returns fire, her arrow tearing across Bronda's scalp. Blood begins to run down the right side of the dwarf's head.
Gaius casts his spell and washes the stairs in light. The one on the left who had been holding the boy drops, unconscious. The other manages to avert his gaze and avoid the effects.
Stilgar readies his warhammer and buckler this round, preparing for melee.
Brodgar readies his shield and moves, crossing the room with shield raised against further missile attacks.
Magnus moves around the table and the boy, lining up the false innkeeper and Bronda and unleashing a color spray of his own. The tall thin man's eyes roll up in his head as he drops to the floor. The dwarf, however, holds her ground and resists the spell's effects.
The sobbing "boy" suddenly stands, amazingly composed and sporting a nasty smirk. A blade suddenly appears in his hand and he drives it into Magnus' side.
The remaining thug retreats further up the stairs, yelling up to others to come join the fray.
Current Initiative Order:
Terrana
Bronda
Jinjer
Gaius
Stilgar
Brodgar
Magnus
"boy"
Thugs
Character icons listed with asterisks next to them are currently unconscious.
"Ah, a pit of snakes and liars. You gentleman pick the most charming places to rest." Tarrana says as she strides casually around the table almost casually picking out her slin from her belt even as she does so. Turning to the boy she sighs.
Move to D5 while drawing sling.
Cast Command on the boy to drop the dagger.
Jinjer draws another arrow, nocks, and fires at the "boy."
Attack:
Damage:
With things having come to blows, Brodgar continues to make his way around the table, drawing his axe as he does so. As he closes, he intones a few words in Dwarven, beseeching Baal's justice.
Now within striking range, he swings at Bronda, his eyes flashing with anger.
Attack
Damage
Magnus clutches at the gash in his side as he steps away from the source of his pain
"Try doing that again, I dare you.
Magnus casts Vanish, searching his pack for a useful weapon. Tuboo remains hidden,
Amidst the ensuing chaos, Stilgar grits his teeth as he sees his comrade injured and moves forward to try to cut off any chance the so-called hostage has of escaping. Despite the boy's appearance, Stilgar shows no hesitance as he raises his hammer and swings at him.
Move to C2, unless it's too cramped up.
Attack Roll:
Damage Roll:
Round 2:
Terrana moves in front of the doors to the common room, retrieving her sling, and again unleashes the power of command, this time upon the "boy." As he turns to regard her the smirk falls away from his face and, wide-eyed, the dagger drops to the floor with a clatter.
Bronda takes her axe and hucks it at Brodgar, noting his movement. The axe hits him in the shoulder of his weapon arm with crushing force, cutting through a couple armor scales as well as bruising flesh and breaking skin. She then draws a battle axe from her back and prepares for him to close.
Jinjer swiftly nocks another arrow and fires at the "boy." The arrow takes him deep in the shoulder and he lets loose a curse that is most unchild-like. In that moment, the party is swift to realize that he is actually a halfling. Sporting a round, cherubic face and a human boy's work clothes, he was able to provide a very convincing act.
Gaius steps away from the halfling, pulling one of the blue-stained Nocturne darts.
Stilgar moves around the table to the halfling and swings his hammer. His opponent tries to twist out of the way, but the cleric still manages to strike, though not with as much force as intended. Still, the blow catches the halfling's shoulder with enough force to bounce him off the stairwell and draw another bit of caustic profanity from him.
Brodgar moves in on his opponent swinging his axe in a wide arc. Bronda twists aside and the axe skates across her chain shirt rather than through it. This saves her from a lethal wound, but the crushing force of the blow still draws a grunt of pain from her and sets her back a step.
Magnus backs away from the halfling, pronounces his taunt, then promptly vanishes from view.
The halfling, not looking so cheerful any more, fishes a wooden stick out of a pocket. He points his finger at it and pronounces a word, causing the stick to ignite and billow with smoke, obscuring the center of the room and causing the party to lose sight of him in the cloud.
The thug at the top of the stairs pulls a dagger and hurls it down at Jinjer, but misses, the blade thudding into the back of one of the chairs. Two more with short bows move onto the stairs, intending to fire upon the party from that vantage point.
Magnus finds a poisoned dart from his pack. He thinks to himself " I have no clue how to use this thing." He quietly steps further away from the smoke and casts true strike to ensure his success in the following round.
Round 2
Move action:
Gaius moves to F,3 and hops onto the table. for the acrobatics check if needed.
Standard action:
Throw first poisoned dart at Bronda, attack , damage . "A gift for the excellent cook"
Tarrana pulls one of the pots of alchemists fire from her belt and hurls it into the cluster of bow wielding men.
Move: Draw alchemists fire.
Attack B1
Damage:
Jinjer draws another arrow and fires at one of the thugs with a bow.
HP 8/15
Brodgar mutters a curse as his opponent knocks aside his swipe. With the pain of the handaxe just now hitting, he takes a moment to cite another litany to request Baal's aid.
The stiffness in his weapon arm throws off his aim as he makes another attack against Bronda.
Spellcraft Check (if applicable):
Stilgar frowns as part of the room is consumed with smoke, apparently the product of the halfling. As his mind races through his possible options, he sees the thugs above drawing their bows, realizing that he is an open target. Hammer in hand, the dwarf would move right into the smoke, believe that it will provide him with cover as well.
Once within the cloud, Stilgar would swing his hammer blindly (), hoping that his blow reaches the wily halfling.
Attack:
Damage:
Round 3:
Terrana hurls the ceramic pot at the bowman, who ducks at the last minute. The pot shatters against the wall behind him, splashing him and two of the others with the fiery liquid.
Bronda takes up her axe in a two-handed grip, bringing it down in an overhand swipe. There's a great crash as Brodgar brings his shield up, stopping the blow short and sweeping her weapon aside.
Jinjer launches an arrow at the thug in B1, catching him in the upper arm.
Gaius clambers up on the table and hucks his poisoned dart at the dwarven fighter. She ducks aside, but the dart slices a shallow groove into her neck. In response to Gaius' taunt, she responds with some caustic speculations about his father and certain barnyard animals. However, her face quickly becomes paler as the poison seems to take hold.
Stilgar steps into the cloud, peering about for his opponent. With a quick plea to Baal, he takes an arcing sweep with his hammer at waist level. It appears the Forgefather is with him this day, as his scything strike connects solidly. The halfling crumples to the ground, a look of surprise having replaced the smug smirk from before.
Brodgar continues to spar with his opponent, managing to land a glancing blow that skates across her mail without harm.
Magnus pulls forth one of the Nocturne darts, then passes a hand over the weapon and touches an eye, pronouncing a few arcane syllables. To him, the combat seems to slow and blur, as he manages to see the various moves of his enemies shadowed about them before they even think to make them.
The three conscious thugs on the stairway ready their bows and return fire, shooting at Terrana, Jinjer, and Gaius. Jinjer is struck in the shoulder but the other two shots go whistling past their intended targets.
Jinjer grunts in pain and steps toward the table, hoping to have some measure of cover as she quickly draws another arrow and fires at the same thug.
"Gaius! Your father should be ashamed to have done such things to a chicken! He should have taken it on a lovely date first."
Will have proper turn up when i get home from work tonight.
Round 3
Gaius smiles at Tarrana
"The chicken was nothing, You should have seen my mother and the Emu! We sold tickets."
Move action
Draw acid vial from belt pouch.
Standard action
Throw vial at Vile bowman in d,1. . Damage
"Catch!"
5'step into the smoke in e,3.
"Excuse me, back in a moment."
Magnus 5 foot steps into the square where the halfling once was, stabbing with his dart. dart damage, and poison. Not sure what damage is.
Casting Bless. All of you can now add +1 to your various attack rolls.
Surprised yet satisfied by the telltale impact tremor sent through his arm, Stilgar looks about in the cloud, deciding on what course of action to take next. If he can maintain his sense of direction, he will emerge from the cloud, moving towards Bronda on the side opposite Brodgar, so as to flank her.
"Let's end this quickly," he would call out to his fellow dwarf, before lashing out with his hammer.
Attack Roll (w/flank and bless bonuses):
Damage Roll:
Brodgar nods solemnly to Stilgar as he makes another quick swipe, already knowing it wouldn't land but hoping his distraction would aid his brother in arms.
Attack (assuming Flank, including Bless)
Magnus 5 foot steps into the square where the halfling once was, stabbing with his dart. 1d20-2+20 dart damage, and poison. Not sure what damage is.
Round 4:
Tarrana casts, firing up the party with a burst of inspiration.
Bronda takes advantage of an opening and brings her axe down in a vicious backswing, slamming the blade into the inquisitor's side. The scales on his armor crease severely as the force of the blow transfers to his ribs.
Jinjer takes cover behind the table and fires another shot, this time catching the thug in the belly. He wails in pain.
Gaius grabs an acid flask and flings it at one of the bowmen. The projectile breaks open on his chest, soaking his upper body and lower face, eating into armor and flesh. The man staggers back against the wail, howling in pain and desperately trying to wipe the stuff away. Satisfied, Gaius steps off the table into the smoke cloud.
Stilgar moves out of the smoke and around to flank the dwarven fighter. As he moves past her, she notes his intent and swings out at him as he maneuvers around. The strike hits, ringing off his helm as he moves into a flanking position. Unfazed, he lashes out with a return strike, catching the woman soundly in the side of her leg.
Brodgar attempts to capitalize on the situation. Unfortunately Bronda ducks toward the mantle as he swings at her and his axe fails to connect.
Magnus steps in on Bronda, clutching the blue-stained dart like a knife and stabs in a precise motion. The blow is so perfect it looks as if the dwarven woman actually stepped forward in order to be struck. The tip pierces her side, just barely. Bronda utters a surprised oath, but seems unfazed by the poison this time around.
The thug hit by the acid has apparently had all the fight taken out of him. He stumbles up the stairs this round, yelling and crying in pain. He moves past the other two, who concentrate their fire on Jinjer and Tarrana. Jinjer's attacker plunks his arrow into a chair, but Tarrana's opponent connects, slicing over the top of her shoulder. A new opponent, similarly armed and armored, makes his way down the stairs and takes up the position vacated by the man who retreated.
"There's only one sure way to rid clean out this nest of rats, Tarrana!" Jinjer yells as she nocks another arrow. "And that's to burn it to the damn ground! Light it up, girl!"
Jinjer then aims and fires at the same foe she has already hit twice.
[ooc]Shortbow attack:
[ooc]Arrow damage:
Stilgar balks at the resilience of the dwarven woman, gritting his teeth as they rattle from the blow to his head. Seeing that they all now have Bronda surrounded, Stilgar steps in to take another swing.
Attack:
Damage:
"So it is asked! So shall it be done!"
Hopping on the table she points her outstretched arms at the bow armed thugs and a burst of flame erupts from her in an all consuming cone.
Move to B3
Standard: Burning Hands
DC16 for half.
Move.Humming lightly Gaius dances through the smoke to c,3. Acrobatics if needed .
Standard. Cast color spray (dc14) to effect b - d, 1. Or if the archer in d,1 is no longer with us angle the casting to effect a1, b1, a2, b2 and anyone just around the corner upstairs.
The solid wave of twisting silent color hits the archers like Hunter S. Thompson somewhere on the edge of Barsto."I believe someone requested light?"
Hunter S. Thompson somewhere on the edge of Barsto."I believe someone requested light?"
Having exhausted most everything in his arsenal, Magnus switches his staff to his strong arm and steps up the stairs to attack the other troublemakers.
" I'm still open to parlay, anyone care to surrender? Anyone? Going once, going twice..."
Move to e1
Club+bless:
Initiative Order:
Tarrana
Bronda
Jinjer
Gaius
Stilgar
Brodgar
Magnus
Thugs
Round 5:
Tarrana steps up atop the table and strides to the other end, call up her magics and blasting the stairway with fire. The flames catch the two furthest up the stairs, along with the unfortunate unconscious thug. None remain standing when the flames subside.
Bronda growls in frustration, but seems undaunted by being surrounded. She sidesteps Brodgar and pivots past Magnus, placing herself beside Stilgar and out of the prior flanking position, taking a swing at the cleric's midsection with her axe. Stilgar is able to see the powerful strike coming, and deflects it off his buckler, drawing off enough energy to numb his forearm, but also leave the axe without the energy to cut through his armor as it impacts his side.
With Jinjer's opponent finally down, she switches targets to the final thug on the stairs. The arrow catches the man solidly in the chest, drawing a grunt of pain from him.
Gaius moves to the tabletop next to Tarrana and angles his spell up the stairs. The two remaining thugs (including the acid-burned one that retreated) are hanging over the railing keeping an eye on events and receive a face full of magic. It washes over them and both collapse under its effects, one hanging on the rail while the other slumps to the floor above.
Brodgar advances on Bronda, taking an overhead swipe with his axe. (Attack:) She deflects his swing with a savage parry.
Magnus' swing with his club catches nothing but air.
The last thug drops his bow and raises his hands, indicating his surrender. All Bronda's other men are down, but she seems determined not to be taken alive and curses the surrendering bowman for his cowardice. The false innkeeper on the floor regains consciousness, but simply lies there, blinking his unseeing eyes and mumbling incoherently.
Jinjer nocks another arrow and aims at the one remaining thug. "Drop any other weapons you have and come down the stairs...slowly. You're a dead man if you make a threatening move."
Magnus moves to attend the babbling "innkeeper, holding action in case he comes out of his stupor, or if Bronda chooses to attack anyone else in the group. He'll throw his club if need be.
Thrown club
Tiring of the ongoing exchange of blows passing among them, Stilgar raises his hammer once more and brings it down upon Bronda, praying that his aim proves true.
Attack:
Damage:
Seeing the fight taken to Bronda Tarrana hops off the table drawing her belt dagger getting in behind the warrior she lunges out to put an end to this fight. "One can't help but think if you'd just dived out the back window when you saw us you might have avoided all this. Or so the winds tell me."
Move: To F1 flanking with Stilgar.
Attack:
Damage:
Gaius speaks to Bronda, We are not inquisitors or officers. If you surrender now you will probably live"
Gaius draws a non poisioned dart but does not throw it.
Forgoing remaining actions
Round 6:
Tarrana moves into a flanking position with Stilgar, jabbing at Bronda with her dagger. The dwarf evades the attack, and then responds to her statement.
Bronda whirls, bringing her axe down on the oracle. "If you'd just eaten your damn food and gone to your damn rooms, we'd have had this place all winter!" Tarrana attempts to dodge the blow, but the axe connects, the downward slice cutting through the upper part of her weapon arm, and continuing down to open a gash in her thigh.
Jinjer keeps her bow trained on the surrendering thug on the stairs, giving him commands and watching for any trickery.
Gaius offers Bronda a chance to surrender. She seems disinclined to acquiesce to his request.
Stilgar brings up his hammer and takes another swing. Distracted by Tarrana's flanking maneuver, Bronda leaves him an opening. The hammer cracks down on her skull and she drops, axe clattering on the floorboards.
The remaining thug follows Jinjer's instructions, removing a club and dagger from his belt before coming downstairs and lying on the floor.
Combat ends at this point, as the group is easily able to corral and contain the remaining opponents in any manner they see fit. How would you like to proceed?
"AGH!" Tarrana cries out as the axe cuts through her. "Seriously? Who holes up in a roadside inn!"
Magnus goes about gathering as much rope as possible and he gives it to Jinjer to bind the bandits. After this, he and Tuboo begin searching the back buildings for any supplies, or other important clues.
Perception
Stilgar lets out a sigh of relief as Bronda falls, before putting his warhammer back on his belt. He would then assist Jinjer with binding the prisoners.
When all is said and done with the bandits out of the way, Stilgar would turn to the others. "It looks like that fight took a lot out of us; I'll pray to Baal for his blessings," he would say, grasping the holy symbol hanging from his neck. Murmuring a quiet prayer to Baal, he would channel the deity's holy power, releasing two waves of positive energy over himself and his comrades.
Channels:
= 5 hp healed
"Hopefully that took most of the bite off; I can provide additional assistance if needed. Otherwise, a good night's sleep should do the trick."
For those who are dead, I'll prepare a funeral pyre in the morning and ask Tarrana to help me spark it. I am indifferent about those still alive.