Star Of Madness [Pathfinder] (Inactive)

Game Master Stiehle

The heroes dream. As though disembodied, they fly above endless plains with nomadic tribes roaming the grasslands in large groups, riding their fleet horses with an easy grace that Dayeinu recognizes instantly. They are his own people, after all! Soaring past the plains heading far to the west, the land becomes increasingly rocky and arid, though a broad track of some kind stretches out beneath them, arrowing ahead toward a mountain range that cuts across the entire horizon like a jagged wall.

Suddenly, a dark star hurtles from the sky and crashes into the ruins, and in the next moment, a great darkness flows forth from that place in a vast tidal wave that washes over all the lands, blossoming like a dark flower that destroys all it touches. The lush realms to the north fall to the darkness first after the village is swept away. Then that darkness turns east, rolling toward the heroes as they watch the scene with terror, unable to move or scream. But they all can feel a terrible and formless evil within that darkness that threatens to engulf all of creation, something that has been fed with power from far beyond this world. And now nothing is strong enough to stand in its path, and all creation will fall before its awful hunger. O Discordia!

Hanno slides around to avoid being flanked, though the rogue knows that so long as the centaurs remain mobile, he will be unable to avoid his unenviable tactical situation. Still, he fights on, swinging his heavy morningstar as he infuses the weapon with a bit of his innate magic.

Morningstar Attack DRR: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12 vs AC (Centaur #5)
Includes Bless (+1 to attack roll)
Morningstar Damage DRR: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 bludgeoning
Includes Arcane Strike (+2 to damage roll)

Llennawar turns away from the downed centaur and again calls upon his magic to cause the one in front of him to fall asleep.

Use Slumbering Hex on Centaur #7

Dayeinu continues his desperate fight, focusing on the tough leader - though the Paynim is badly outnumbered by his foes and badly injured, at least the ranger has Nashi to assist!

The fight is fierce, but there is no way they can flee now that their horses have ran away. Orm keeps firing his bow, hoping they will get the upper hand of the fight soon and that the centaurs will withdraw to lick their wounds. He focuses on the enemy Matilda is harassing before going after what he thinks is the centaur leader.

Volund charges the nearest centaur, which happens to be one of the two ganging up on Hanno!

Urgrosh Attack DRR: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (15) + 13 = 28 vs AC (Centaur #5)
Urgrosh Attack DRR: 1d8 + 13 ⇒ (6) + 13 = 19 vs AC (Centaur #5)
Charge Attack with +2 for charge action, -2 Power Attack, +3 for Bless, Prayer & Sacred Weapon to attack roll; and +6 Power Attack, +2 for Prayer & Sacred Weapon to damage roll.

Godsday, 11th Day of Fireseek, 594 C.Y.
Weather is clear and very cold, with strong winds coming from the north.
Current time is 11:00 a.m.

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Hanno swings his moringstar at one of his foes as he moves to get out of the exposed flanking position, but he fails to connect. Dayeinu continues his own battle with three of the centaurs, focusing upon the leader and though Nashi is unable to hurt the creature, the Paynim ranger lands a tremendous blow (Critical Hit! Damage = 11 + 9 electricity), that the centaur is a bit slow to shrug off - the wounds beginning to take their toll.

Llennawar casts a hex to put one of the creatures to sleep Will Save DRR: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (8) + 6 = 14 vs DC 18. The centaur drops to the ground, snoring loudly.
(Centaurs #3, 6 & 8 were the only ones close enough to have been affected by the earlier Prayer spell, and they are dead.)

Orm calls out encouragement to Matilda as he employs his bow, trying to bring down the centaur that his companion is harassing. And though the mastiff fails to grab hold of the centaur’s equine leg, it is distracted sufficiently to give the ranger all the opening he needs, two arrows finding the mark (Critical Hit! Damage = 34 + 4 electricity), but the centaur is a tough foe, and it refuses to go down easily, though it looks like it must certainly be on death’s door. Volund also charges one of those attacking Hanno, the dwarf’s urgrosh striking deep (Damage = 19), also inflicting a terrible wound.

Round 6

Hanno is up!

Combat Map

Combat Table

Glad to see something go right, but wishing these creatures would stop fighting and talk, Llennawar puts his spear to the chest of the sleeping creature and drives it deep into its body.

OOC: Unless something interrupts me, CDG with spear. 3d8 damage. If it survives, Fort Save DC: 10 + the damage done. I need to do something to increase my STR. My CDG is weak for my level!

Dayeinu is feeling the pinch but hopes the pressure is lessening on his comrades. Hoping he can make the most of a perceived weakness he focus his attacks and Neshi's on the centaur begind him.(#11)

OOC: So sorry, totally missed the migration. I was getting irrelevant notices from the old board, and all the relevant ones were going to spam. Might be glad we moved.

Dayeinu is feeling the pinch but hopes the pressure is lessening on his comrades. Hoping he can make the most of a perceived weakness he focus his attacks and Neshi's on the centaur begind him.(#11)

Glad to see something go right, but wishing these creatures would stop fighting and talk, Llennawar puts his spear to the chest of the sleeping creature and drives it deep into its body.

CDG Damage: 3d8 ⇒ (1, 1, 7) = 9 piercing

Hanno continues to fight!

Morningstar Attack DRR: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15 vs AC (Centaur #5)
Includes Bless (+1 to attack roll)
Morningstar Damage DRR: 1d8 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8 bludgeoning
Includes Arcane Strike (+2 to damage roll)

Godsday, 11th Day of [color=#9900ff]Fireseek[/color], 594 C.Y.
Weather is clear and very cold, with strong winds coming from the north.
Current time is 11:00 a.m.

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Hanno continues to battle ferociously but fails to connect. Dayeinu also battles heroically among his foes, but the Paynim’s strength is flagging, and only one of Nashi’s iron-shod hooves connects solidly against the equally weary and injured centaur leader.

The centaur archers continue to fire upon Dayeinu and Orm, the latter after stepping away from the ranger’s angry animal companion and though one of the arrows sinks into Dayeinu’s shoulder, the other has no luck against Orm.

Llennawar stabs at the sleeping centaur before him Fort Save DRR: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 vs DC 19. The centaur’s eyes open wide, ablaze with surprise, hate and anger as the spirit shaman’s weapon sinks into his chest! He claws at the haft of the spear, but then weakens and falls back as life leaves him.

The badly wounded centaur leader facing Dayeinu grits its teeth against the pain of its injuries then bellows a mighty war cry as it tries to bring down its enemy, scoring a solid hit with his first blow, weakening the Paynim ranger further.

Bolded names below may post their actions!

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Initiative Order/HP Condition:
Round 6
3 Centaurs - #5 is badly wounded, the other two have taken a fair amount of damage
Hanno - 31/54
Dayeinu - 9/65
2 Centaur Archers - #10 is badly wounded, the other has taken a fair amount of damage
Llennawar - 46/51
Centaur Leader - Badly wounded
Orm - 36/62
Volund - 52/70

Combat Map

Combat Table

Orm still focuses on the wounded enemy he is engaging with his bow. The ranger hopes he will kill his opponent with another couple of arrows and hopefully turn back to attack the centaur leader.
Matilda is likewise harassing the legs of the centaur.

With his immediate opponent down, Llennawar scans the battlefield and assesses where he is needed most and acts. Running north he mutters the words to a prayer to aid the Paynim....

OOC: Looks like Volund and Hanno can handle their two, and Orm is good too. Moving to aid Dayeinu and casting Ball Lightning.

Since these are larger opponents, can I target both balls on the closest one? Or do I need to pick separate targets for each ball? 5' diameter spheres. Range 180'. DEX save DC18 or take 3d6 electrical damage. Note: Targets get -4 on their saves if they were metal armor.

Godsday, 11th Day of Fireseek, 594 C.Y.
Weather is clear and very cold, with strong winds coming from the north.
Current time is 6:00 p.m.

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Orm brings down the centaur archer, and Volund slays the foe he faces alongside Hanno a moment later. With the odds now entirely even and heir leader critically wounded, the centaurs shout harshly and retreat, though obviously angered that they had the hated Paynim on the brink of death and couldn't finish the job.

Unable to pursue the surviving aggressors even if they wanted, the adventurers heal wounds, gather their horses and look over the slain centaurs, looking for anything worthwhile. A strong bow is found on the slain centaur archer (Composite Longbow [STR +2]), but little else, for much of their equipment is makeshift and their armor sized for non-humans besides.

Even as they make ready to continue onward, more hoofbeats can be heard coming from the direction in which the centaurs originally attacked (but the opposite direction in which they fled), and the adventurers wearily make ready for another fight as more centaurs, more than a score this time, ride hard across the plains directly toward them.

But then Dayeinu gives a welcome shout and tells his companions to put aside their weapons. The Paynim ranger is beaming as the distant figures come into clear focus - not centaurs, but riders! Dayeinu shouts in his native tongue and the mounted plainsmen slow their advance and ride up cautiously. The Paynim shouts again, and his allies recognize his name being given, and a responding cry is heard from among the group of riders.

One of their number peels away from the main group, riding straight toward Dayeinu, the brown skin of his face broken by a beaming smile and a whooping shout as he nimbly leaps from his horse and catches Dayeinu in a crushing hug. The two speak animatedly for several minutes in their own tongue, and then moments later Dayeinu is speaking excitedly to the others. The mounted plainsmen are of a closely allied clan, some of them even kin to his own tribe. The one he'd been speaking with is, in fact, his second cousin Muhtadi who has seen Dayeinu’s own immediate family just weeks past! The Paynim band has invited the adventurers to their camp, where they can rest for as long as they need.

As they journey to the Paynim camp, the adventurers learn that the centaur group they encountered had been dealt a blow by Muhtadi’s band a short time earlier and had fled like whipped dogs. The centaurs, angry and still sporting fresh wounds, had likely thought to vent their frustrations out on the party, and the Paynim cheer when they learn that the centaurs had very nearly been wiped out after making that particular mistake. The campsite itself is simple and relatively small, considering that it shared by nearly fifty plainsmen, but room is made for the adventurers and over the next several hours they are able to relax and relate what they know about their strange vision. They also learn that several of the Paynim, mostly the elders and shamans have also had similar dreams…

OOC: I have decided to try and recruit some new players to bolster the ranks of those of you that still remain, if at least three or better yet four of you are still around? If everyone still interested in continuing on will make a post, I can get an idea of who I've still got, and then I'll make the decision whether to continue on as-is, recruit one or two new players from the Paizo board, or just end this adventure. Thanks, folks!

Orm lets out a sigh of relief when the centaurs break contact and run away. He calls for the barking Matilda to come back to him. It is almost like the dog takes pride in scaring away the enemy all by herself. The ranger checks her for wounds and how her paws are doing. He pats her affectionately and tells her how brave she is. Then he tries to salvage as many arrows he can and look through the killed centaurs’ belongings for anything of value.

They have just enough time to collect their horses and start their journey again, before new company is sighted. Orm readies his bow again, but as Dayeinu signals to them to relax a little later, the ranger lowers his weapon.

Orm welcomes the change to recover and resupply at the small camp they arrive to some time after meeting the riders. He is getting more used to riding and the open grass plains but is somewhere still aware he is getting further away from home with each day. The Paynims also seem to be affected by the fallen star in similar ways though, so the quest continues.

Glad that the battle is over without more killing Llenawar is still saddened at the deaths that did happen. He works to heal those that are wounded and is happy when what seems like a new battle turns in to a reunion.

OOC: I'm happy to continue this any way possible. Was a notification sent/posted? I didn't see any and just chanced across this as I was looking for the CS on Crap-a-talk....

Home. Not so much a place when you are a nomad, but a people. Dayeinu has been waiting for so long to come back home. Working so hard to find his way to here. Here were his people and everything he thought he'd ever wanted, and yet he couldn't stop thinking about the other people he had met on the way. Dertonis and Sol, so long ago. So many months now with Llenawar, Orm and Volund. Something felt unfinished and home wasn't what he remembered. He wasn't sure what he would do next.

OOC:I have a feeling I may be the slow poster in the group. So I guess I want to know what posting rate you think you'll be at. Don't really want to leave the game, but it's a great leaving point, and I don't want to be dead weight either.