Since everyone is on alert, there is no surprise so you get your full Dodge.
Luck never lasts. As you creep up the hall, the opposition gets the drop as you are about to duck into alcoves. You hear someone yell "now". A man in combat armor swivels into view clearing the hatch and raising a blocky, large rifle trailing a long belt of shells. There is a sound like fabric ripping - it is the cacophony of a machinegun firing at full auto.
The gunman sprays the corridor liberally. Dozens of slugs slam into bulkheads, carom off the walls, and spray slivers of steel. Spin and Rai duck and cover, avoiding any direct hits.
Rules-wise. The machinegunner tried to Sweep the squares starting with Rai and going down to Spin. Since Spin is beyond the 4 hex limit of the Sweep, he is automatically safe.
Waco pops out from the other side of the corridor. He leans against the doorframe and puts his red-dot laser sight on Rai's chest. There is only a faint buzz as a pulse of light burns a hole through Rai and continues down the corridor. The soldier gasps but manages to keep moving.
The mercenary rolls across the floor, attempting to get the drop on Spin... and catches a burst of shotgun sleet for his trouble, wounding him. Rai flinches as more of the steel shot speckles the engine around him as well. He glares at Spin, clearly not a fan of friendly fire.
The merc makes it painfully to his feet and fires another burst through the hatch - missing high. The second merc slides across the gap and goes back to back with his partner. He lets loose another burst of lead at Rai. Only the engine takes damage.
The mercenaries advance on either side of the engine space - covering each other from unseen threats. One fires short bursts of bullets through the iris valve where Spin hugs the wall. The slugs rebound down the long corridor. The other gunman, sliding along the wall, steps clear of the covering nacelle and sends rounds down-range at Rai in the rear hatchway. His rounds spang against the walls.
There is an open hatch at AD67 and the corridor you are in is open a long way towards the front of the vessel.The breaching team had to open each door manually and left them open. AA67 to AC67 are doors to a locker and you can open them easily if necessary. From your current position, you can shoot at AK63 and he has 50% cover (while you currently have 75% cover from him). You can't see or shoot at the other gunman from there. Rai has a good shot at the wall-hugging guy but can't see or shoot at AK63.
The smoke and explosions mask the opposition's entrance. Spin spies a set of mercenaries coming in heavy bearing assault rifles from the furthest iris valve. One dives across the floor and rolls to a standing position, enjoying cover from the engine nacelle. He steadies the long barreled rifle against the machinery and squeezes the trigger...
The other, a fan of too many holos, stalks forward growling, "Kill that rat-fvck sumb@&@$!" before adding his own lead to the wall of death being spun by his partner.
The chatter of full auto weapons fire is complemented by the spang of rounds deflecting off the walls and the spack of slugs impacting and piercing the pilot's armor.
Distracted by the hail of bullets seeking his teammate, Rai doesn't even notice the soldier opening the hatch behind him. Spin doesn't have a chance to warn him before bullets stitch up his back.
Spin is at 21 BP - Stunned
Rai is at 23 BP - Stunned
Spin takes cover behind the pool table and steadies his aim off the bumper.
You have 75% cover - so -10 to hit for your opponents.
T-Shirt uses the wall to keep himself vertical and absorb the recoil as his shotgun roars again, spraying buckshot wildly to no effect. The explosion from the shotgun rattles Back-Up's nerves. The small pistol jumps in his hand sending his shot wide of the Nepali.
T-Shirt Shottie v Dodge 28/20
HIT:1d6 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 0 = 3 Short Range, -1D Arm Damage, -3D Incap, (1D is minimum)
DAM:5d6 + 6 ⇒ (3, 2, 4, 5, 2) + 6 = 22 Soak (14/11)
It doesn't take the belligerant locals long to make their decision. T-Shirt scoops up and fires the shotgun from the hip while Back-Up scurries to a crouch behind the bar, pulls a snub pistol from this faded pants, and open fires from cover. Steel pellets and bullets spray across the bar. Whether it is their combat skill or the piss-poor aiming of the drunk locals - Spin and Rai weather the hail of lead unharmed.
T-Shirt attempts to smash his bottle over Spin's head but his busted elbow makes the shot clumsy and ineffective. Unfortunately, Backup takes advantage of the distraction and slams a punch into the pilot's ribs. Spin feels one snap. He hits the wall and spits up a bit of blood.
Near the other end of the bar, the bartender dives free from the shotgun-wielding drunk's grip. He gives her a boot and a low curse as he uses both hands to raise the shotgun at the approaching Rai. The shotgun roars and steel sleet peppers the bar counter, chairs, and tables. Rai emerges from the smoke relatively unscathed.
Spin is knocked to 19 BP and is Wounded (-1D to actions until healed)
The drunk with the shotgun scruffs the bartender and pulls her in front of himself - a shield between him and the pistolero. The blonde waitress runs for cover as the shotgun barrel wavers between the bartender's side and the man with the pistol. "No a$$hole, you drop yur gun or yur guts are gonna be all over the walls."
Shottie Grab (Unarmed):4d6 + 1d6 ⇒ (2, 4, 1, 6) + (2) = 15 v Dodge 14, MA - YES
Shottie Grab (Push):4d6 ⇒ (4, 4, 6, 2) = 16 v Dodge 14, MA - YES
T-Shirt and Back-up turn on Spin and lead with fists, boots, and bottles. Unfortunately, pinned against the wall, he doesn't have room to dodge the blows. He covers up his ribs and head as the blows rain down. T-Shirt's bottle opens a small cut in Spin's scalp.
Spin hops the bar and looks around for a weapon. Below the bar there are any number of booze bottles, a couple of knives, glasses, a cutting board, and the odd mug. You don't see a baseball bat or the like there.
The rabble surges forward and around the bar on both sides as the bartendress backs towards the far wall. She finds herself wrestling with a patron over the sawed off shotgun she keeps below the register screen built into the wall.
T-Shirt grins and waggles his bottle of booze at Spin, "You can ask that other clown 'what happened'... if he ever gets out of the medplex."
T-Shirt swings his bottle and narrowly misses Spin's skull with it. Backup has to check his punch when T-Shirt stumbles into him. Behind Spin the semi-drunk patron manages to wrest the shotgun from the bartendress and levels it at Spin's back taking careful aim.
OK, two guys are in range to attack Spin. T-Shirt managed to get in combat range with a free move, and the other fellow will have to perform his attack with the multi-action penalty.
Knuckles may have a hard body but his head is a touch softer. Spin's elbow catches him across the temple and sends him sprawling against the bar - dazed for a moment.
He shakes his head to clear it and comes away from the bar, swinging... only to have his blow handily slapped aside by the quick pilot.
Knuckle's Status:
Wounded - -1D to all actions until healed
CS: Head - -1D to all Wit based rolls until healed.
Spin easily plants his boot hard in Knuckles gut... and almost comes away with a busted toe. The fat overlaying the muscle absorbs most of the damage.
His confidence in his raw power back, Knuckles tries to relocate Spin's jaw - in another star system. Spin deftly steps back from a blow that would have left him reeling had it connected.
He is easy to hit but hard to hurt. Feel free to tack on his Soak to your DAM rolls -12
Feel free to use the Combat Cheat Sheet to play around with your options.
Also, if you want to Block instead of relying on your static Dodge, let me know and make the roll.
In a surprisingly fast move, 'Knuckles' charges Spin and tries to lay him out with a Haymaker. He just manages to land the blow as Spin is busy setting his drink down. What would be a jaw cracking shot is reduced to a love-tap by Spin's innate aversion to getting beat to death combined with some strategically placed armor.
Moving up to you, is a 4 or 5 meter move which is free so there is no multi-action penalty on his punch.
'Knuckles' proves the truth of Spin's poignant observation. He gobbles air incoherently and turns redder than a beet, and twice as cooked, as he tries to come up with a retort. In the end, he pushes his bulk away from the bar and cracks his fat knuckles, raging impotently, "Oh YEAH? Well, I'm gonna beat so you bad it's gonna be like... erm... worse than.... IT'LL BE A BEATIN'!"
Rumblestone seems intrigued by the idea of a friendly visit from small two-eyes. "You can stop by. You are not dumb-weak two-eyes. I like meat. You bring cow or something... would be nice."
As you make your way through the doorway, Rumblestone makes no offensive action - far more curious about how you vanish through a black doorway and don't step through the back of it.
Rumblestone seemed more sullen than angry at Orin's comment but his feathers are considerably less ruffled after Jofram's compliments and the healing he receives.
I'll have to update his HP when I get to my other computer but I suspect you'll need the equivalent of at least another two channels to get him in the vicinity of 50%
The cyclops considers what little you can still see of the door. "No, never seen magical door before. Never heard of one from others."
He gets up slowly and moves to the door, beginning to dig it out. The cyclops wasn't wrong about the task. The loose shale buries the door almost as quickly as he uncovers it. After 30 minutes of digging it out like a dog - two-handing massive scoops of earth between his legs and flinging them down the mountainside - the flow of new rock into the depression before the door slows to a trickle. Rumblestone then uses his body as a dam to block more material from sliding in and 'sidestrokes' the rock blocking the door. In a bit over an hour, the dusty door is revealed.
I think we are pushing the back-end time limit of your Prayer spell.
Popeye smells something slippery in Ushari's answer but can't pin it down. He hrrumphs. "Wanna feel good enough to hunt and not get hunted."Call it 50% HP.
The cyclops eyes the buried door with a practiced single eye...
"Hmmmm... clearing rock not hard but slope maybe keep coming down, like sand in pit - fill in as you clear it. Could be an hour or two... IF I wanted to do it." Not entirely stupid, he looks at Ushari. "You want stone moved. I want her give me healths. Fair trade?"
Orin - the crew has been up and down the West coast of the island but never to Far Corvosa. The Isles have a heavy maritime bent so it is almost a given that the major cities have trade ships moving between them.
Popeye puzzles through the question before replying in rumbling Giantish, <"You can maybe see the Great Water from the far Southern mountains, but not from here. South is closest ocean.">
I've got no problem with you doing <bracketed> Giantish. In case it isn't clear, you are still on Amador Isle, just on the other side of the the mountain range from Orfallen - approximately 1/3 the way across the island now. Due to his poor roll, Popeye is misstating the village name 'Flyn' as 'Fin'. If you check the map-link below, the very first map, you can see approximately where you are. On the mountains somewhere below Flyn and well above Far Corvosa.
Popeye rubs his bald scalp and points to the nearer, Northern glow. "That one is called Fin or something like that. Don't know other one - but it is much bigger."
Popeye grumbles. "My mountain. My cave. My home. You are trespassers and I am hungry. Small two-eyes stay in valleys and rivers. Mountains belong to us."
Popeye weighs the odds for a long moment before setting the axe down while sitting up slowly. The blade is still close at hand. He doesn't trust Jayse's lack of assurances and it seems clear that he'd rather die with a blade in hand, if it comes to that.
Here's the deal, Popeye won't go for the blade or make any attacks provided you don't either. If anyone tries to get the blade away from him, or something tricky along those lines, you're sure it will precipitate bloodshed.
Popeye is startled to see the monk appear next to him, holding a wicked looking glowing blade. He looks hard at Jayse, distrust evident. "If I drop axe, how I know you won't kill me anyways?"
It's not clear to me that a Hair AoO would work in quite that way. The write up is a bit non-standard and, I think, open to interpretation since it doesn't conform to a standard CM attack. For this battle, we'll go with the way you're expecting and then we can hash it out in the OOC.
FWIW, guys, when you are throwing in attacks with a stack of modifiers, I'd love to see you post the mods the first time they appear. Like so... "Hulk SMASH <ATT Dice+5-2+1+1+4> <DAM Dice> Base, Power Attack, Prayer, Inspire, Fav Enemy".
Orin's hair flows through the pumice undetected, like a python. A thick strand lashes around the cyclop's ankle and yanks it off its feet as it rushes towards both Orin and Jofram. Popeye topples and slams down in a splash of stone dust. But the prescient vision of the cyclops is such that it sees the ruination of its plan to slay both men with a single slash. Instead, it vents its rage on Orin alone - delivering a faultless horizontal slash that would nearly have cut the witch in half at the hip-joint... had it not ddestroyed one of the shifting images instead.
Nevermind. :)...
MOVE: Close w/ Jofram & Orin
STAND: Attack
IMMEDIATE: Flash of Insight (Auto 20 on first attack roll)
Popeye follows carefully in the wake of the avalanche, his massive weight and cloven hoofs providing traction on the shifting rock. He slides to a stop in the 'dam' above the now buried door. Still stinging from the half-elf's arrows and his challenge in the Giant's Tongue, he eyes the dangling ranger like a pinata.
"NOW I EAT GOOD!" He swings the greataxe in a wide arc, gathering speed and powering it with his massive arms. The blow hammers Jofram to one side, cracking ribs, and nearly pulling the hair from Orin's skull.
No thanks needed Jofram - just part of the service... as is this next bit. ;)
Dynamite? I don't need no steenkin' dynamite!
Popeye drops his crossbow and pulls his greataxe while thundering down the mountain at an alarming pace... lumbering easily across the familiar terrain. He roars twice and drives his greataxe deeply into the lose shale and rock above our heroes. The hillside quakes and explodes from the strength of his titanic blow. It is the single hardest strike any of you has ever seen. Sharp boulders are shot like giant, lethal, marbles in all directions - some landing halfway down the hillside and tumbling the rest of the way to the valley floor. You are whipped by a shower of dirt and pulverized rock. Needle shards of rock nick you all as they explode past, forcing you to shield yourselves briefly.
There is an ominous silence. Then there is the sound of stone cracking and splitting as the entire hillside between Popeye and yourself gives way and slides like a deadly grey torrent downhill towards your position. It quickly gathers speed. The avalanche threatens to boil over you or throw you all from the steep slope, even as it smashes the door to Crossroads to utter ruin. Popeye lopes in skillfully behind it, coming towards the half-elf that's caused him so much pain...
Rock falls, everbody... >:D
The graphic shows the leading edge of the avalanche but most of the terrain behind it is sliding and treacherous. The outward edges are also expanding and the slide is at least 7' high - the angle of the slope and concomitant dust make it rather hard to estimate.
You estimate the implacable wall of rock will roll across you at the end of this round - HAVE A NICE DAY. :)
From the darkness, you hear the creature's rumbling voice, "MEAT." This is followed by a loud twang as a crossbow bolt the size of a spear lances from the night and slices across Jofram's ribs. On the steep, loose, slope the blow nearly causes Jofram to slide backwards.
RULES:
The high ground is to the West and the slope is very steep (30 degree incline). Movement up-hill counts as difficult terrain and costs 2 for 1.
The ridges shown are especially steep areas. Any blow from uphill to downhill that connects requires a DEX roll from the recipient or the character slides back 5'. (I'll include these rolls as part of the attacks). This movement doesn't cause an AoO but, if the character lands on or crosses a ridge, another DEX roll is required or the character tumbles - becoming prone. Special movement abilities can mitigate this. The giant is immune to this sliding, being used to moving across this terrain as is Jayse due to his slippers of spider climbing.
DARKNESS effects:
Jayse - 20% Miss Chance due to Concealment (until within goggle range)
Orin & Ushari - 50% Miss Chance due to Total Concealment (until within light range or the giant is illuminated).
The massive metal and wooden club drives Jayse towards the ground with monumental force. His bones flex to the point of shattering. The monk calls on the secret fire of pure chi within him to adamantize his bones, halting the crushing club. With a grunt, Jayse rises and throws the head of the club aside, forcing the giant to take a step back. Black smoke and the runic tattoos across the monk's body glow with power. He is standing in the foot deep hole made by his legs when the giant pile-drove him into the ground - relatively unharmed and resolutely defiant.
Jayse:
Jayse flashes to a forgotten, shielded, or maybe a repressed memory of a scene like this before. He recalls summoning the same chi force to repel a massive crushing force driving him downward. In that case, it was the corner of a building with an ornate and pagoda-like roof that was crushing him. Jayse repulsed the weight, pushed it up and away... and the building collapsed into a pile of shattered beams and smashed masonry. The smell of the dust, the shrieking and grinding sounds of the collapse, and the roar of fire are distinct to him... as is the grim satisfaction this other Jayse felt in that moment -Mission Accomplished.
The giant stares at him with a measure of fear, no one has pushed aside his club before. The giant's look takes on a menacing quality at this unheard of challenge. He grasps the club with both hands, his massive arms flexing. Not satisfied with killing this challenger, he intends to crush Jayse into powder.
The monk isn't done yet. Faster than the eye can see, Jayse lashes out with his blade, shaving a foot of wood off the top of the massive club and then kicking the stump-sized chunk into the face of the giant, breaking its nose and cheekbones.
"AAAHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHRHHHHGGGGRRRRRRRRRR" roars the giant, apoplectic with rage.
Jayse springs from the hole and tumbles around behind the creature. But Jayse's footing is not as sound as it needs to be. Whether the expenditure of energy is too great, or escaping the hole slows him down, or the wash of latent memories is too distracting... the giant sees his foe's deft maneuvering and tries to stop him once and for all.
In a two-handed grip, with all his might, the giant smashes his club down on the monk - trying to put a dent in the world. Jayse dives to the side but even a glancing blow from the club nearly shatters the monk's right side.
The giant glares at the human that stabbed its foot but knows he is the least threat. Again he strikes at the gnome and the blue-bladed one, but he aims his club more carefully...
Straehan's small size saves his life but Jayse is unable to escape the shadow of the massive club. With bone-shattering force, Jayse is driven to the ground.
One ogre sidesteps to get away from the flame-wielding gnome and draws closer to Ushari. Drool drips from his lips as he strikes. She looks tasty. Will she be crunchy? Will she squeak when I bite into her?
The other ogre slips into the gap left by his comrade and slaps negligently at the battered Jax.
Ushari's rapier swipes across the ogre's thumb painfully, causing the big sissy to reassess his attack. His comrade fares no better versus Jax, who expertly dodges his blow.
The giant slaps the flames out then turns a mean eye and a meaner club on the gnome and the quick-bladed fellow who tried to sneak up on him. Two spine-crushing blows fall...
Jayse dives aside at the very last possible second and the sorcerer's size and magical shield save his skin. The giant roars - utterly vexed.
The giant ambles forward. His massive arms drive his iron-studded club against the two obvious targets - the elf and the little gnome.
Straehan's small size prevents the club from taking off his skull. Fin isn't so lucky. The massive club catches her across the shoulders spinning her like a top even as it slams fully into Jax - nearly driving the life from the warrior.
Seizing on her stunned state, the nearby ogre who was recently her target, slams his own club into the elf's back. Fin falls to her knees then collapses.
The blind ogre finally clears the dust from his eyes and attacks the unicorn. But she is girded in a spell of protection from all evil and it is just enough to thwart the ogre's attack.
The giant roars orders in its incomprehensible language and then lumbers past the unicorn, ignoring the whipping horn that stabs into its thigh. The giant palms a very large boulder in one hand and drags its club with the other. It stops near a tree, having a good vantage point to see most of the little hors d'oeuvres in the field. Its beady eyes and small brain look for a target.
The elf woman would be tasty and man would make a nice sized meal but they're fighting my boys and that makes for a tough shot. Them others are around the tree. Hmmm... the small woman, not much meat on her but she ain't mixing it up with my boys yet.
Decision made, a muscle-bound burly arm hurls the rock like a missile, intent on turning Ushari into a tasty condiment i.e. JAM. The rock smashes through some tree branches, taking a good deal of force off it, but it still smashes into the delicate woman like a battering ram.
The Ettin roars and whips its flails around at the two gnats who hurt it most...
The first swing, a horizontal blow, nearly snaps Fin in half. Only Jayse's viper-like reflexes allow him to dodge below the flail as it whips towards him after smashing the tall elf. Jayse's forced exhalation as he bends over backwards to avoid the blow is enough for the blind giant to locate him. It drops its other flail straight down on the monk's position. Jayse throws himself sideways to avoid the blow which slams into the ground like a felled redwood.
The spectral form of the Keening Spirit wavers, shifts, contorts, contracts... but HOLDS. It is now little more than a thick bluish mist. Briefly a snake-like tendril slithers toward Ushari then retreats. Even the voice is weak, though its malevolence is unabated, "I'll have you yet."
The ghostly creature sinks rapidly into the beach.
Round: 5
We are still on rounds but they can be unordered for the moment.
actions:
Full Action - Withdraw
Due to the withdraw, AoOs are not possible for her leaving her starting square. Since her subsequent square is only in AoO range of Jayse (she moved diagonally) and is fully within the ground, it is considered total cover and does not draw his AoO. All further squares are not threatened.
If undead could gasp, the Keening Spirit would. That last blow, a blow she would have sworn was impossible for a mortal to land, eats at her mind. She has not given thought to her own destruction in many long years but now it seems... possible. She debates, coldly and dispassionately, the idea of retreat. But first... there is the hunger.
With a snarl she lashes out at Ushari, her hands clenched into claws. Though she cannot recall the last time she felt compelled to share words, she whispers sinfully, libidinously, as if talking to a lover between the sheets, "I'm going to leave you a withered husk, little one."
The intense cold of the Spirit's embrace is excruciating, setting the slightly built woman shivering with cold... but Ushari's spirit, girded by her faith, resists the soul-siphoning unlife of the ghostly woman and prevents the vile creature from regenerating.
Round: 4
ORDER: Keening Spirit, Jayse, Ushari & Skitter, Straehan, Fin
Like a vile disdainful wind, the Keening Spirit sweeps between the monk and sorcerer, intent on drawing the life from Ushari. The Cleric's soul, not to mention her infernal magic, is a vexing beacon of light and life in the Spirit's territory of despair. She falls upon her prey like a falcon upon a mouse.
Fin, Jayse, Straehan, and Skitter all get AoOs as the Keening Spirit lunges for Ushari. You may all take flanking bonuses on the strikes. Due to her unholy speed and fluidity (read as Feat selection) her AC is 27 against these AoOs. I'm telling you this as an experiment... If you hit, feel free to throw in your own color commentary as to how you hit, etc.
Once we've concluded the AoOs, I'll do her attack on Ushari.
Dark meets Light... and the Keening Spirit's limitless evil blunts the full effect of Ushari's power. Still, the positive energy chips at her unlife-force and angers her greatly. She eyes the cleric like a meal.