Karthan steps out just in time to see four Alpha wolfguards appear. He pulls out a scroll, taking cover against a pillar.
Stealth to avoid being 'noticed' in the melee.
Gray nods to Min and makes his move running to the doorway.
Kelne was, frankly, a bit of a mess, and welcomed the opportunity to heal up. One more blow from anybody would have finished him off, he was sure. Though his first instinct was to attack, if they were suitably sneaky about it, they ought to be able to inflict some serious damage.
"Keep shouting as if we're still fighting," he said quietly, pausing to down his most powerful healing potion, "If we heal up and slip back up without being seen, we can hit them from the flank as soon as they're fully engaged." The icy sheen spread across the ballroom posed no obstacle to him, thanks to his boots. Truly a wise investment, though he'd been thinking of icy conditions outdoors when he bought them.
His next order of business was to sneak stealthily back upstairs, only to find there was nobody to hit in the flank, save for a group of soldiers a good distance across the room. From the sounds of battle, Ormir and however many others were already in the promenade. Decidedly not good he reflected as he downed another healing potion.
Belsarious targets the wolfguard at Y8 with a flamestrike arrow....
Longbow
Attack against favored enemy
Damage against favored enemy
With flames erupting in a 20 foot area
Initiative Order:
Karthan: 24
Belsarious: 19
Wolfguards: 19
Keythan: 17
Baron Ormir: 13
Boy & Monster: 12
Crazy Lenny: 8
Lin: 7
there are a whole bunch of invisible enemies in the promenade with you guys right now...did you catch what Lin last said to Belsarious?[/ooc]
Yep, but I threw one glitterdust already, early in b/c we had two equal threats from two directions. Took one to allow the other one to be dealt with first.....Invisibles are firing arrows (and kinda stupid..sleep arrows) assuming more wolfguards...
I have another Glitterdust but am saving it at the moment!
.....for the right moment
Belsarious's arrow smacks into its target, wounding the more heavily-armored wolfguard and exploding in a shattering wall of flame that burns the wolfguard right next to the one he hit, as well.
There is a brief pause as the wolfguards gather themselves, then another volley of arrows rockets out, this time only two are sleep arrows, and both are directed at the Monster, slamming into the big furry outsider. He growls defiantly, but then lets out a huge yawn and passes out.
The other arrows are Enhathladi backbarb arrows, and two of them find their mark, burrowing under Lin's scale and springing open with that distinctive, muffled *PFOOM* as they tear through muscle and sinew. The two arrows directed at Keythan both fly wide, and though the griffon screeches in anger at the enemy, he then turns and lifts off into the west ballroom, flying over the ice to his rider, Captain Lamorak.
Belsarious, meanwhile, suddenly stands up straight, drops his bow, and then just...stands there, staring straight ahead.
Having taken a moment to study the massive doors, the magus determines that if she and Tora'an time their blows just so, and strike right there, they may just be able to break them down.
Raising her magicked staff above her head as Tora'an prepares to kick, they both simultaneously smash the immense portal.
Aylaeth aid another Str check:
Tora'an Str check:
The boy screams and pounds on the monster until the he awakens, then points to sic him on the Wolfguard archers.
Belsarious suddenly drops his bow....
It falls a few feet til it comes to the end of the weapon cord....and just dangles there.....
Belsarious suddenly seems a bit-inbreed as his mouth opens and drool comes out in the wind of riding around on the back of a dragon.....
The monster raises his head, blinks, and shakes off the slumber.
"NO TIME FOR SLEEP!" he says to the boy before turning to the assembled Wolfguards.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWR!"
He leaps forward, bounding acorss the floor and over the two wolfguards in front of the door, crushing them underfoot.
Similarly, one wolfguard is about to slash Brook with a poisoned blade, and one is poised to do the same to Sarish. Their intent seems obvious; eliminate those two, then take Cassandra without a fight.
Lastly, you see the Baron himself, tall and bald and bearded and muscular and heavily armored, clad in mail and furs and bedecked in jewelry, holding a rod and possessing various wands and weapons, presiding over all.
The two wolfguards see the monster coming and are able to duck off to the side and avoid the worst of his giant pummeling form as he shambles by. From off in the northwest stairwell, over a hundred feet away, that same nasally voice can be heard cackling and swearing. There is a strange slurping noise and suddenly a man clad in a tattered greatcoat and stinking furs, wearing goggles and with phylacteries filled with weirdly glowing fluids strategically placed on bandoleers and in leather pouches all over himself, comes flying over the west ballroom, with all the grace of a boar, giggling and sinisterly grinning. "Wait for me, Baron! Oh do wait for me! hahahahaa BOOM!"
Livain pulls the arrow from her thigh and grits her teeth as she fits a a tier 1 flamestrike arrow and a smoke burst arrow and fires at the sniper hiding to the south. She spins around and fires another flamestrike arrow at the north followed by another smoke burst arrow. She smirked knowing that while its hard to hit them, now for them to see they need to move forward and that's when they would get them.
Karthan steps out to O6, through Ventriloquism - still up - says to the two nearest to Cassandra, "Two invisible attackers, blades out, guard the girl."
In his hand is the rod of Extend Spell, and he begins his incant...which emanates from a place behind Ormir, the Ventriloquism spell still up.
Extended Flaming Acid Arrow
vs Touch AC - I should have a clear shot at Ormir.
Fire damage against Ormir. Round 1 of 8. DR does not protect, only Resist Energy [fire] does. No Spell Resistance. No saving throw. Ormir will need to make a Concentration check against that damage for any spell like effects he wants to use, and will need to continue doing so every time he tries to use one.
A gout of sticky green flame flies from his hand...apparently into empty space. Where it splashes around the silhouette of a man, a stocky man in armor, who was previously unseen, and limns him in writhing green balefire.
Through the message cantrip, he says to Kelne - assuming he's still in range, "Ormir is here. I've just rendered him very easy to spot. Look for the man covered in green flame. I would be much obliged if you came here and finished him off."
Damian prepares for Keythan's arrival, seeing that the griffon has been shaken awake by Lin and will soon be on his way. The 100 feet should be easy for Keythan to cover quickly with powerful wings. To his nearest ally, he issues a quick order. "Kelne, get ready. We're going to pick you up and fly you over." He shouts to the others who they will soon join in battle. "Fight true! The armies of the Baron have fled, for they know their master's time is short!"
Round 1, Ini Last
AC:: 25 (24 because of Fatigue)
HP:: 51/69
Ability Damage: so far -2 str
Modified Stats: STR 14 +2 DEX 12 +1
(Fatigue+str damage reduced STR from 18 to 14, Dex is reduced from 14 to 12 due to fatigue)
CMD 24 (28 vs. Trip)
F/R/W:: +7/+6/+7 (Normally +7 on all 3)
Darkvision 60ft, Scent
Immune to Sleep, Cold, Paralysis
2 rounds left until breath weapon is usable. 4 Rounds of Fatigue Remaining
+1 to hit/damage and against charm/fear, Devotion makes her bonus against enchantment upto +5.
As the pair of arrows slam into her Lin sucks in a pained breath through barred teeth and growls at the Wolfguard. She focuses on advancing towards the children, Brook still hadn't moved since the start of the fight and they couldn't go unprotected. Must... Protect those three, can't let them be taken. Can't let these cretins have what they want...
She lumbers forward, moving quickly over to Brook and Sarish so she could use her great bulk to provide the pair with cover and to better position herself for when she was ready to crush these Wolfguards.
Initiative:
Gray:
As Lin is lumbering across the Promenade, she bangs into something, a person! The muttered oath tells her instantly what's going on; an invisible wolfguard is about to slash Brook! Thankfully, between Karthan's d warning and Lin's inadvertent warning, the boy will now not be caught . He yells a warning over to Sarish; "Sarish, be on guard! There's one right in front of me!" The taciturn cloud dragon huffs out jets of steam and bares his teeth in preparation for the attack.
Meanwhile the Baron, now wreathed in acidic green fire, yells in surprise and pain. "Zhosk! You thrice-damned brat! I'll have your eyes for this. Ouch, this burns!"
Keythan arrives at Sir Damian's side, landing at the top of the stairs.
Kelne shook his head, "I can cover the distance," he said, "If you could intercept that flying loon before he adds to the mayhem in the promenade." He indicated the flying figure even now crossing the ballroom, then took off running, feet effortlessly gaining purchase on the slick ice. Having seen how capable Sir Damian was on griffonback, he didn't thnk much of the man's chances once engaged.
Maiathreen continues heading towards the sniper to the northeast keeping Servais ready for any attacks.
In the East Ballroom: There is silence. Maiathreen approaches the wall of billowing smoke created by Livain's well-placed arrow, but there is neither sound nor movement. After a few seconds, Aylaeth and Tora'an both rear back and with a shattering crash knock down the giant doors leading to the Promenade, revealing the chaotic scene within.
Gray pops out of the doorway and is amazed by all the action and is shocked to see who we assumes to be Ormir just afew feet away from him. He moves into the middle of the hallway to get a better look at his surroundings.
As gray stops moving he reaches into this bag to remove the scroll of searing light.
Shouting back to the people in the hallway which he came from.
"It maybe best if we keep Kevin inside that passageway with Ormir out here. He will control and use the boy against us."
Aylaeth Initiative:
Assuming that Livian and Mai can easily deal with two snipers, the sylph magus turns her attention to the much larger battle going on in the Promenade.
Livain aims for the sniper to the south and releases a volley of arrows one of the arrows clips the wall and is thrown off but the others all ricochet correctly and slam into the sniper.
Emerging from the Tapestry into a scene of battle and chaos, Jorzan swiftly moves around the column in front of him and takes a stance beside his sorcerous ally. Upon seeing Cassandra still safe on the back of the dragon he internally breaths a sigh of relief but at the same time barks out an order born of worry and concern "You! Boy! On the dragon! Get off the damn ground! You can keep her much safer in the air!"
Trusting that the lad will do as he's told, Jorzan next spies who caan only be the Baron himself. Lining up a shot, the rogue steps into the shadows and then lets fly with one of daybreak arrows that he had had prepared for just this purpose. But the glowing shaft goes wide, shattering harmlessly against the wall behind the Baron.
Stealth:
Arrow attack:
Damage:
Plus sneak damage if Stealth is not beat:
South Sniper: 18/65
North Sniper: 51/65
East Ballroom: As Mai approaches the smoke cloud on the north side of the ballroom, being sure to keep out of reach, with Servais held at the ready, the sniper lashes out with a guisarme, crossing the empty space between the smoke and the magus aellar; swinging once, twice, then pulling back into the cover of the smoke. The magus is maybe a bit surprised, but totally unhurt. The other sniper continues launching arrows at Livain, but misses all three times.
Brook is an excellent soldier, for a young boy. Unfortunately the wolfguard that slid silently up behind him is a superb assassin, and a grown man. As the young squire nods at Jorzan's shouted orders, he suddenly cries out in pain. "AGH! Ow! Owwwwwww! Unh it HURTS! Iomedae save me, it HURTS!!" Sarish turns to help his companion but he too falls victim; the first slash cuts him deep, the second his tough scales deflect. The two wolfguards brandish their katanas and sneer at the youths. "Well this should be quick." guffaws one of them.
The other wolfguards all pick their targets and fire, with arrows lancing out at Gray, the Monster, the Feral Boy, and Karthan.
In addition to the sounds of battle in the Promenade, there is also the sound of the crazed alchemist floating across the west ballroom, and the 16 foot soldiers sliding their way carefully, slowly, across the ice made by Lin.
AC: 22 (1 Mirror Images left)
HP:61/61
F/R/W: 7/10/6
CMD: 26
Buffs: Mirror Image (1 Image left), Resist Cold 10, Resist Acid 20, Immune to Sleep
As Min emerged from the Tapestry he couldn't help but stagger momentarily as his mind was bombard by the sudden connection with the Bond and the chaos that Lin was feeling. He quickly regained his senses and took hold of Avenaada as he saw a flash of silver scales, followed by Lin's angry roar. {HELP BROOK!} Despite the pain caused by her booming command, Min moved quickly around the column that was in front of him and brushed past Karthan.
As he saw the pair of woodpecker fletched arrows sticking out of Lin's breast Min grew angry, when he heard the Wolfguards cruel laughter as they taunted the young pair. He found rage. He pulled out a woodpecker fletched arrow of his own. As he took aim at the Wolfguards unprotected back, he decided to aim a little lower. At this range the arrow punched threw the Wolfguards armor like it wasn't even there and buried deep into his rump. As the man cried out, nearly jumping out of his boots from the unexpected strike, Min roared. "How does it feel you cowardly Bastard! I WILL RUIN YOU!!!"
------>
Damian leaps into the air as Keythan swoops towards him, grabbing hold of the horn of the saddle and pulling himself onto the griffon's back. As Keythan wheels around to turn back to the main battle, Damian stows his sword and shield and grabs the holy lance from its place. Keythan and Damian soar over Kelne, still running over the ice, making it to the doors of the ballroom. He takes in the chaotic sight, assessing the threats and figuring out exactly what arrived while he and Kelne were holding off an entire platoon. "Time runs short on your cruel tyranny, Baron! No longer will you be able to terrorize children!"