As the group lurks within the treeline, Bastagar applies poison to his blade. The men's eyes rove along the shadows within the trees before suddenly widening and one of the sword wielding warriors begins to raise arm and open mouth to speak even as his bow wielding companions also begin to stir.
Hilde:
Caerb:
Bastagar:
Kelgar:
Halfhand:
Olaf:
Fey:
Action Tracker (Round 1): Olaf, Banditos, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
Olaf bides his time, waiting for the Bandits to approach a *little* closer...
The bandits hold their ground as the two lead bandits point towards the tree line and seem to be picking out Olaf. One bellows "There he is... big bastard. Drop him Gert." and then the sword wielders ready blade as the two bandits behind shift position slightly before opening fire...
Longbow at Olaf:
Longbow at Olaf:
...and missing the Skald with both bowshots, which elicts fractured cursing from the bandits.
Action Tracker (Round 1): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
Hilde fires the arrow she has drawn at the lead bandit and arms her shield, preparing for the bandits to charge.
Unfazed by her arrow flying wide, she prepares herself for melee.
Olaf, realising that the jig is up, roars, and charges out of the forest, swinging like a madman at the closest bandito!
With sudden ferocity Olaf channels the savagery of his kin and bursts from cover with red handed intent. The bandit is ready for him however and lashes out with longsword as he draws near...
Longsword at Olaf: for
..burying the blade in Olaf's hip inflicting a grievous wound... but at the same time destroying any form he had. Olaf's rejoinder is swift and abrupt... his cold forged axe scything down and across the bandit's chest. Neither leather nor bone check it's passage and the bandit drops to the ground a choking, gasping reddened mess.
Hilde looses an arrow that flies wide of the mark before stepping nearer to the conflict.
Action Tracker (Round 1): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
As the bandits brace themselves against his companions' charge, Bastagar skips from his hiding place and lets his poisoned blade fly at the bandit in the rear ().
Round 1
Kelgar, finally sitting down in the snow, grumbles loudly as he watches Olaf leap to his feet and eviscerate a nearby bandit.
Blast! Ah jes' sat m'arse down!
Sighing, he returns to his feet , his face flush as he huffs in the cold air.
"Hard... t'breath..."
Juggling his greataxe to one hand, he wiggles a stubby finger and winks at the nearest thug.
for
The Halfhand tumbles out from the bushes, shadows clinging to his form as he falls in beside Kelgar , launching a quick shot at the closest bandit, barely nicking the man as the bolt whizzes past.
Bastagar stalks into view and his well aimed throw catches a bandit in the armpit...
Fort:
...the closeness to the man's heart making quick passage for the poison. The bandit's scream of pain is abruptly cut off as the foul liquid drowns his senses in deadened silence and he crumples like a sack of potatoes.
At Kelgar's urging a caustic gobbet flies into the melee, but it's passage leaves none marked by it. As the snow hisses Halfhand steps out and his crossbow bolt whizzes past Olaf to wing the bow wielding bandit by the lodge.
Caerb listens from his lurk in the woodpile and hears movement within the lodge. Creeping forward he peers within one of the windows and hisses quietly to the others "More inside, coming to play. But back door does not look used... sneaky men-folk lock and bar maybe."
The two bandits left standing quaver as Gert blurts "Feck... feck... " they then loose arrows as they beat a fighting retreat...
Longbow at Olaf: for
Longbow at Halfhand (you get +4 AC from cover):
...managing to strike Olaf in the chest, shaft sinking deep and forcing the breath from the skald's lungs with a thump. The bandit cries out with glee as Olaf falls "Ha!"
Action Tracker (Round 2): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
Bastagar scurries out into the clearing, delighted that the poison has done it's work. He retrieves his blade from the limp body and turns his mark onto his back, ready to slice open the unfortunate bandit's throat. He turns to the others, "Bastagar hears them too, and a witch above..." he hisses back to Caerb. "... and get him up!" he adds shrilly, as Olaf spills his lifeblood in the snow.
"Torag's knuckles!" Kelgar curses as Olaf collapses in the snow and he hears muffled voices from within the lodge.
"Jes 'ow many are holed up in there?" he wonders aloud, recalling their early scouting only spotted a lone half-orc.
Stepping up next to Olaf, Kelgar leans down and gives him some of Folgrit's love.
"Get up y'Ulfen - y' kinnae nap jess yet!"
With the healing complete, the dwarf juggles his buckler into his hand and prepares for the expected counterfire.
The Halfhand leans back as the arrow shoots past him, quickly pulling another bolt into place before stepping up to return fire. In his haste he remains oblivious to the surrounding sounds, each keen detail lost in the haze of his mind as he focuses on his target.
Hilde rushes out from the treeline and squats between Olaf/Kelgar and the archers, providing cover for them and trying to put as much of her large shield between herself and the archers as possible.
Perception DC24:
Perception DC12:
Perception DC22:
She will hold her attack action to deal with another attacker should one appear, such as the faerie or someone in the building.
"War's needles have flown,
this shield-biter brought low.
We must fly from here as well,
lest we be easy prey for the foe.
Caullynson please,
attend to our need and
unseal that door before thee.
Best protected inside,
this giant shall be,
with naught but swords
between they and we.
Half-hand attend,
for the way may be barred.
Can thee wisp through that door
should it be required?"
Cearb points up at the roofline, but what he saw is now gone, "Bah, wings above, the sprite has seen us before and sees all now, off it goes to its witch, this way is barred to us lest our Biggun gets to his feet to once again swing his axe..."Cearb looks at the woodpile and then the window. He picks up a split log and says, "Cearb will try to speed things up."
He swings it through the window, moving it back and forth to clear the low glass. Dropping the wood, he jumps up trying to flop over the window sill, hoping to land in a defensive crouch inside beside the door, his knife ready.
Bastagar suppresses a curse as Caerb shatter's the window, warding himself against bad luck as he presses the knife to the unconcious bandit's throat.
Caerb Window Attack: for
Caerb bludgeons at the window with a piece of firewood and strikes it dead center, which helps to shatter it despite the lack of force behind the blow. He then tumbles into the lodge's interior. The main hall that he finds himself in is shared with a single bandit, while through a door to the south he can see another four men readying to fight. Those to the South though appear sickly, white pallor upon their face and their movement unsteady. The sweet smell of vomit is present upon the air.
The main hall contains a large table and two benches run the length of the hall. A twenty-foot-high vaulted ceiling rises into the rafters overhead. To the west, a roaring fireplace provides a welcome heat and light while to the south, a flight of stairs ascends to a wooden balcony overlooking the room. There are a number of straw mattresses and blankets near the fire. The smaller room to the south has four straw beds, two chests and a table.
Kelgar moves to salve the wounds of the fallen Olaf and brings the big Ulfen solace, though his art is insufficient to rouse the man. Halfhand manages a tough shot around the side of the lodge to tag one of the fleeing bandits, but not with sufficient force to drop his mark. Bastagar moves to retrieve his blade and prepares for a darker deed while Hilde moves to provide cover to the fallen Olaf.
The two bandits outside continue to retreat around the side of the building putting another arrow to their bows as they do.
Caerb finds himself beset by a bandit with longsword in hand, swinging wildly...
Longsword at Caerb:
...and missing the gnome with his o'ereager slashes.
Action Tracker (Round 3): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
Caerb Window Attack: for
Caerb bludgeons at the window with a piece of firewood and strikes it dead center, which helps to shatter it despite the lack of force behind the blow. He then tumbles into the lodge's interior. The main hall that he finds himself in is shared with a single bandit, while through a door to the south he can see another four men readying to fight. Those to the South though appear sickly, white pallor upon their face and their movement unsteady. The sweet smell of vomit is present upon the air.
The main hall contains a large table and two benches run the length of the hall. A twenty-foot-high vaulted ceiling rises into the rafters overhead. To the west, a roaring fireplace provides a welcome heat and light while to the south, a flight of stairs ascends to a wooden balcony overlooking the room. There are a number of straw mattresses and blankets near the fire. The smaller room to the south has four straw beds, two chests and a table.
Kelgar moves to salve the wounds of the fallen Olaf and brings the big Ulfen solace, though his art is insufficient to rouse the man. Halfhand manages a tough shot around the side of the lodge to tag one of the fleeing bandits, but not with sufficient force to drop his mark. Bastagar moves to retrieve his blade and prepares for a darker deed while Hilde moves to provide cover to the fallen Olaf.
The two bandits outside continue to retreat around the side of the building putting another arrow to their bows as they do.
Caerb finds himself beset by a bandit with longsword in hand, swinging wildly...
Longsword at Caerb:
...and missing the gnome with his o'ereager slashes.
Action Tracker (Round 3): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
Round 3
Kelgar frowns at the still motionless form of Olaf and considers kicking the Ulfen.
"Dahmit, y'big brute! - now's no time fer a nap!"
Glancing up, the dwarf is relieved to see two of the bandits retreating, but suddenly he imagines what kind of omen their withdrawal signals.
"Heads up lads, we're one big group, and if there's a witch 'bout, that ain't a good thing t'be!"
Praying one last time to his deity, Kelgar gets a stubby hand onto Olaf before shambling off for better cover, and to ensure everyone isn't grouped up for whatever sorcery is unleashed upon them next.
A heavy blade *thunks* heavily into the floor boards near where Cearb lands. Seeing but one assailant, he seeks to make it little more unfair.
Waving his blade before him in feints and threats, he gradually hops closer to the door, until he quickly places his shoulder under the bar and attempts to raise it up and out.
"This will be no ice bridge, but it will brings my friends sure enough."
Bastagar eagerly slits the throat of the fallen Bandit.
DC 27
"I can only go where I can see." the Halfhand says, in response to the Paladin's question. He reloads his crossbow and retreats back slightly , glancing about wildly.
Caerb turns his back to the bandit to focus upon the door...
Longsword AoO: for
...earning a wound upon his arm for his trouble before managing to swing wide the portal and open access within to all.
Kelgar expends the last of his art to return wakefulness to Olaf and the bloodied Ulfen rouses from unconsciousness. Halfhand withdraws and puts another quarrel against the bowstring that has thus far shot true.
Action Tracker (Round 3): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
Glancing back over her shoulder, Hilde sees the door is open.
"Quickly, for the moment is here,
bring our wounded and head to the door.
Two archers, a swordsman and another inside,
and I expect yon fairy to return with yet more."
Hilde moves closer towards the door to better peer within and see a bandit pressing Caerb and more emerging from the southern room... though those appear sickly.
Caerb finds himself hard pressed both by the bandit that cut him, as well as one of the sickly ones...
Longsword at Caerb: for
Longsword at Caerb: for
...though neither strike is difficult for the gnome to avoid. The other bandits from the southern chamber move out and begin to take up positions of aggression.
Descending down the stairs also come creatures more foul than mere bandits... two skeletal draugr, their bones hanging with crystallized ice and a palpable sense of cold surrounding them. They begin to move through the room towards the open door, and while they give some pause to the men... they also lend some steel to their stature with their arrival.
Action Tracker (Round 4): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
Olaf remains prone, not eager to get enfiladed, but grabs his axe, and casts a healing spell...
I intend for Hilde to move in to help Caerb when it is my turn. He is hopefully able to read my intention to charge, flanking his opponent for him.
Olaf calls upon the strength of his ancestors to sublimate the pain and puts hand to the stock of his trusted Bröst-öppnaren.
Hilde readies herself to join the fray...
Action Tracker (Round 4): Banditos, Olaf, Caerb, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde
"Make room, make room, I must carve a nice burrow through you Bigguns, my knives must spread the way, and hurry, scurry, a Witch is upon the stairs."
Cearb squeezes deeper into the hall keeping an eye on the many swords about him, and awaits the matching steel of his companions.
The Halfhand takes a deep breath before launching a wad of acid from his mouth, accompanied by a single, reverberating syllable. The acid flies wide, soaring past the bandits and into the wall with a gentle sizzle. The Halfhand's eyes widen somewhat as he follows the projectile's path to the approaching draugr.
Wiping the blood from his dagger and placing it between his teeth, Bastagar will draw his shillelagh and press himself against the wall at P9, out of sight of the bandits.
Hilde charges the bandit threatening Caerb, her sword carefully positioned to not threaten her friend.
Flanking:
Seeing the color returning to Olaf, Kelgar leans forward and loses sight of the bandit archers before whipping his head about to inspect the lodge.
Narrowing his already narrow eyes, the dwarf snorts at the lack of hospitality, but focuses his gaze on the warm hearth in the main room.
"Draugr in here..."
for
Reinforced, Cearb lashes out against the surrounding sword men. (Against the flanked bandit if still up, otherwise one of the sick ones.
As Cearb steps around his opponent, Kelgar, Bastagar and Hilde all draw nearer. The blades of Kelgar and Cearb are as ill-aimed as the acidic spittle that spends itself on wood rather than flesh. But the blade of the Summer Princess strikes true, marking one of the sickly bandits with a deep cut.
Halfhand knows that the undead are not powerful creations, but instead likely drawn forth from the blackness by a relative novice. The chill on the bones is not known to him... but he can remember an old text that indicated that skeletal forms could be bound with the fires of the underworld such that the bones would radiate heat and erupt upon their committal back to the grave.
Having discerned the presence of chanting, Cearb hears it continue with a different tone and string of syllables, but there is not yet any clear sign of effect.
The approach of the icy draugr makes a couple of the sickly bandits retreat out of their way and also the one bloodied by Hilde's blade also back away from the melee. As the draugr close towards Kelgar, Cearb finds himself flanked by two of the bandits...
Longsword at Caerb: for
Longsword at Caerb: for
...but the wily redcap heir apparent is up to the task of avoiding the blows.
The skeletons approach with a measured cadence and even as the first lashes out with sharpened claw...
Claw at Kelgar:
...nails scraping noisily across his armor, but the real danger becomes evident to both Hilde and Kelgar instantly. A palpable aura of cold surrounds the draugr, seeping through furs, armor and skin to chill you to your core.
Action Tracker (Round 5): Banditos, Olaf, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Hilde, Cearb
Olaf gets to his feet, and moves towards the door.
Hilde is unaffected by the cold. I will post my next action as we get closer to my turn. In the meantime, I believe I am giving Caerb a sneak attack with my flanking.
Swirling blades all about him, Cearb takes advantage of his small size to sneak his blade in low, slashing the swordsman's knee.
Through chattering teeth, Kelgar swears, "Folgrit's heart, these devils're unnatural buggers!"
for
The Halfhand steels himself, casting a wary glance towards the combat. This was something that they'd have to deal with themselves.
Olaf moves forward as Kelgar's chilled fingers render his attack less effective than he hoped. Halfhand similarly girds his loins, but is not blessed with any insight beyond what he already kens.
Caerb has better luck though, his dagger cutting through skin, sinew and marking bone as the bandit is hamstrung. It drops to the ground mewling in pain, well out of the fight.
Action Tracker (Round 5): Banditos, Olaf, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Cearb, Hilde
Bastagar will dash to O6, atop the fallen bandit, staying light on his feet to avoid the druagr's blows.
Standard: Total Defense (AC 20)
Move: to 06, skirting around then pushing through Hilde's square.
Bastagar's movement through the doorway draws a swipe from one of the draugr...
Claw:
...just barely avoiding being left bleeding, before he moves to straddle the fallen bandit.
Hilde's sword rings a sonorous tone as her aim is true, but it ricochets off a rib-bone without causing any lasting damage.
The skeletal creatures focus their assault on the seelie fae maiden...
Claws at Hilde: and and and
...though her armor remains stout and keeps her safe from harm.
The sickened bandits in the southern room stay back, seeming unwilling to join the assault with the draugr in the fray. The bandits that fled the initial assault then rejoin the group from the Western edge of the hall with swords now in hand. The bandit next to Caerb also withdraws to join that line of the fray and the half-orcen lady chef now wielding a shortsword moves comes into view as well.
Action Tracker (Round 6): Banditos, Olaf, Kelgar, Halfhand, Bastagar, Cearb, Hilde
The Halfhand scowls as he regards the draugr's miasma, warped by his twisted mind into a cloying aura of pale lifeless faces. Upon thinking it becomes obvious why the other men backed away as the draugr approached.
"Careful!" he calls out, still gripping his crossbow in hand. "To destroy one will release its essence in a deadly blast!" He turns to Olaf, raising a hand. "Wait - See if they can fell this one first."
He takes a moment to line up his shot and then releases another acid splash with a guttural shout.