Lady Sable makes her choice after a long look at the approaches to the fortress.
"If it's a choice between a hard climb and a prepared and defended wall, I'll take the hard climb every time. Shall we make for the cliff?"
Xing nods, "Maybe we will find the owner of those prints." She shrugs, "Maybe they can be convinced to give us more information."
she stalks off in the direction of the lone footprints, watching for threats along the way.
Senna nods. "I'd rather not cross an expanse of open ground, if possible. Let's look for a way up the cliffs."
Xing in the lead, our heroes move along quietly under the cover of the rocky cliffs. Very quickly the beach narrows and the high tide - which touches the base of the cliffs - quickly wipes out any remaining footprints.
You move along the beach for two hundred feet before you pass the remains of the first tower high above you. Shortly thereafter you stop... as you can clearly see a narrow and winding trail that serpentines up the cliff. In portions higher up, you even spy worn steps that were carved into the rocks. Looking at the lowest areas of the trail, above the high tide mark, you see more of those large footprints going both up and down the path.
Lady Sable skulks up the pathway behind Xing, keeping her eyes peeled for sentries or other threats.
Xing remains in front, her long legs easily carrying her quietly up the trail. Her golden eyes constantly range across the steep landscape, then back to the trail in front of her clawed feet, then back again.
Mama follow along and tries not to make comments on how trapsing around like this is for younger people. Still, she does her part in watching every tree for an ambush.
Xing ghosts forward, eyes and ears alert for danger as they climb the path towards the structure.
Our heroes stealthily climb the serpentine cliff path and, thankfully, remain undiscovered. No rocks rain down on them and no archers send volleys of arrows in their direction. As they approach the top, Xing crawls forward with Sabelina close behind. Sabelina is below the rise and sees nothing while Xing slowly lifts her eyes above the lumpy tuft of grass and turf – her leonine ears pinned back.
Xing sees the inside of the keep/monastery/structure. The front gate is collapsed and the remains of what once was a walking path leads from the destroyed gates towards the large square building at the north end of the compound. She also notes the inhabitants… several large, overly-muscled and hairy creatures with oversized milky eyes and prodigious ears. She instantly recognizes them, bugbears. The battle-cat debates whether slinking back and discussing the options with the team is best when the nearest bugbear who is pissing against a tree some 30’ away just happens to turn in Xing’s direction. They lock eyes and… the bugbear’s stream peters out.
Round 1
ORDER: Xing, Senna, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Buggies
HPs
Cookie: 32
Sable: 36
Senna: 31
Xing: 30
Yash: 30/30
Xing scans the area, then quickly ducks down. "About a half-dozen threats. Bugbears, I think. They know we're here. There are two gaps in the wall on our right side. Head towards the second one. I'll distract them momentarily, and try to meet you over there."
Without wasting a moment, she breaks from cover, exploding across the open expanse and pouncing the peeing bugbear. Her bo staff whistles as it rushes towards its head.
Sabelina quickly follows Xing and does as she directed, making for the second gap.
Xing smacks the nearest bugbear across the skull. The damage is appreciable but the hard-skulled goblinoid survives the attack.
Sabelina races past the tree on her way towards the downed gates. Only then does she see the bugbear acting as something of a sentry.
Round 1
ORDER: Xing, Senna, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Buggies
Senna scrambles up the final bit of cliffside and moves forward surveying the terrain for herself. Yup… that’s an assload of bugbears.
With Yash and Cookie still climbing the cliff, she knocks an arrow and tries to put Xing’s flat-footed opponent down rather than running further. Her aim is true and her arrow bites deep... but the bugbear is 400 lbs of pure muscle and rage. It refuses to die.
Arrows: xxxxxxxx
Blunts:
Perfect Strike (3):
Ki Pool (4):
1st Spells (6):
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
effect = x
Mama continues up the cliff, but she's slower than the rest, so she waves Yash forward. Come! Battle calls! she urges. As his long legs eat up the distance and take him past her, she smacks his rump and says, Spirits guide you!
And for some reason everyone feels affirmatively slapped and encouraged!
Lady jumps from Mama's shoulders to Yash's as he passes and barks viciously. Let's get'em!
With the dirt and rocks digging into his hands, Yash continued his climb up the cliff path. At Xing's warning, he halted and began to call his grandfather for support.
"Grandfather, I have need of your protection."
Shield of Faith - 30 rounds remaining
Yash and Cookie gird themselves and others in magic, while teetering at the edge of the cliff.
The bugbear caught with his pants down, bellows an alarm, and drops his junk in favor swinging his morning star. The pants around his knees throws his aim off. His blow misses by a foot.
The sentry near Sabelina notes the group of intruders, shouts to his comrades on the east side of the compound, then slowly circles around the lone bladeswoman in an attempt to isolate and kill her. Surprise at the intruders in their midst steals the wind from his attack and Sable easily dodges the blow.
Hearing the warnings from their allies, a horde of bugbears race towards the heroes from multiple angles.
|
Round 2
ORDER: Xing, Senna, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Buggies
Sabelina sidesteps the bugbear's attack, circling partway around him. She doesn't expect her duel with the beastly thing will take long, but it's best not leave her back open to his friends if she's wrong.
As she goes, Lady Sable spies an opening for her as the bugbear recovers from his swing. Her sword thrust finds its way into his underarm, where there is no armor coverage.
The point drives in, but not as deep as she'd wanted. Still, it's a bad wound, possibly making it as far as a lung. Lady Sable quickly withdraws from her lunge and comes to guard.
Sable’s blade strikes deep - puncturing a lung. The bugbear coughs up blood but remarkably stays in the fight despite the grievous injury.
Senna whistles tunelessly at the approaching group of bugbears…
Is that a flock of bugbears? A murder? No, a BUTCHERY of bugbears. That sounds better. I should have Sabelina use that in her book. Speaking of her…
The archer notes Lady Sable is about to face three opponents. She scoots south for a clearer view and crouches so the tree limbs don’t spoil her aim, then sends three arrows down range. Two of them bite into the wounded bugbear’s back. The creature drops dead, overcome by the combined sword and arrow wounds.
Arrows: xxxxx xxxxx x
Blunts:
Perfect Strike (3):
Ki Pool (4): x
1st Spells (6):
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
Bless = +1 on ATTs and Fear Saves
Round 2
ORDER: Xing, Senna, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Buggies
Yash crested the hill and looked around, taking in the scene before him. He could see numerous bugbears spread out, coming to welcome them. He could see what he could only describe as a castle, in disrepair, and he could still smell the salt in the air, the sweat and the blood. It was a good day for battle. He continued to whisper prayers to his ancestors as he closed in on Xing and her foe.
"Grandfather, guide my hands."
Shield of Faith - 29 rounds remaining
Divine Favor - 10 rounds remaining
When the creature doesn't drop, Xing drops into a low stance, one claw swiping up to disembowel her prey. As she fights, her focus remains on getting the group to a defensible position inside the structure.
Mama surveys the field and shuts to Yash, The Fury of the Ancestors be with you!
And it is
Xing eviscerates the bugbear with one swipe of her claws and then charges toward Sabelina's position.
Yash and Cookie weave more magics to improve their odds.
The distant bugbears close the distance while yelling in their fell tongue. The nearer bugbears roar their battle cries and charge! An earless bugbear slams into Yash and Cookie, sweeping his rusty morningstar like a scythe. Even Yash’s mystic defenses cannot deflect the spiked iron ball that cracks the bones in his shoulder.
In the shadows of the fallen gates, Xing faces the charge of two bugbears looking to kill her where she stands. She dodges the first blow but the second spiked head smashes into her hip with so much force, her rear leg goes numb and nearly buckles.
Round 3
ORDER: Xing, Senna, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Buggies
HPs
Cookie: 32
Sable: 36
Senna: 31
Xing: 19/30
Yash: 20/30
Sabelina turns around in Senna's direction. She sweeps the hat off her head and bows deeply to acknowledge the archer's fine shooting. Then, she turns about again and hustles off toward Xing and the danger while putting her hat back on.
Rather than coming at them head-on, Sabelina skirts out to the right, stopping a few feet away before calling up a magical solution and slathering the ground under the bugbears' feet in a greasy layer.
"Liukastua kaatua äiti kusipäät!
A pained shriek rips from Xing’s maw as she tries to pivot with the strike. Her staff falls forgotten as she lashes out with both claws, trying to remove one of her attackers.
With a growl, Yash raised his axe and swung hard for the bugbear's stomach.
Shield of Faith - 28 rounds remaining
Divine Favor - 9 rounds remaining
Xing slashes one bugbear as Sable slides toward their flank muttering an eldritch incantation. Suddenly both bugbears lose their footing and slam into the ground amidst angry bellows!
Yash buries his axe deeply into the stomach of his enemy but it is not quite enough to drop 7’ of raging goblinoid warrior.
Round 3
ORDER: Xing, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Senna, Buggies
HPs
Cookie: 32
Sable: 36
Senna: 31
Xing: 19/30
Yash: 20/30
Senna’s eyes shift between the two battle lines. Seeing Yash nearly fell his enemy, she decides that Xing and Sable might appreciate her help a bit more at this moment. She carefully aims… then sends arrows whistling past Xing’s knees. Two of them catch the wounded bugbear in the chest as he struggles to regain his feet. He hits the ground and moves no more.
Arrows: xxxxx xxxxx xxxx
Blunts:
Perfect Strike (3):
Ki Pool (4): xx
1st Spells (6):
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
Bless = +1 on ATTs and Fear Saves
Cookie draws her longspear and tries to intercept any attack that comes Yash's way.
Cookie's spear stabs at the approaching bugbear...
At the Gate…
The greased bugbear manages to regain its feet and skitter free of Sable’s trap on its hobnailed boots despite Xing’s punishing claws raking the bugbear twice. The bugbear racing from the building sees the struggles of his comrade and checks his headlong rush at Xing. He sweeps around the edge of melee to avoid the trap, losing an opportunity to attack.
By the Cliff…
Yash faces off against the nearly crippled bugbear along with his ally who sprints the last few yards and crashes into the half-orc with a vengeance. Yash - assisted by Cookie’s spearwork - stands firm and turns the charging bugbear’s attack. But while bracing against the fury of one enemy, the half-orc misses the cowardly attack of the other. The wounded bugbear’s morning star smashes into his knee, eliciting a stoic grunt of pain.
From the Keep…
Drawn by the shouts, screams, and the clash of arms, three more bugbears emerge from the keep and move in a tight battle formation, their long-legged strides bring them quickly toward the conflict.
Round 4
ORDER: Xing, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Senna, Buggies
HPs
Cookie: 32
Sable: 36
Senna: 31
Xing: 19/30
Yash: 13/30
Lady Sable advances on the newly arrived bugbear and attacks him.[/ooc]
At the sounds of more approaching attackers, Xing growls. Her words are punctuated by frenzied slashes of her claws. ”We must finish these quickly! If one of us falls, our survival chances drop.”
Ignoring the pain in his knee and the new foe, Yash swung his greataxe again at the wounded bugbear, a feral snarl escaping his mouth.
Shield of Faith - 27 rounds remaining
Divine Favor - 8 rounds remaining
Mama continues running interference for Yash.
At the Gate…
Sable’s sword deflects off the bugbear’s armor but she finds solid footing and prepares to counter any attack from the trio of approaching warriors or the enemy they are currently facing.
Xing tears the throat out of her wounded enemy then steps onto the monster’s body to attack his ally. Unfortunately, the other bugbear is too wary and his defenses are strong.
By the Cliff…
Yash’s axe proves its mettle – biting deep into the bugbear’s side and snuffing out the creature’s life like a candle.
By the Tree…
Senna eyes the approaching force… and estimates that they are more of an immediate threat to Xing and Sable. Given that, she slides forward and aims carefully at the bugbear currently threatening the two women. Her first arrow slams into the bugbear’s ear hole, tickling its brain. The second missed. The third takes the monster in the neck. The creature drops, on its way to death.
Arrows: xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xx
Blunts:
Perfect Strike (3):
Ki Pool (4): xxx
1st Spells (6):
Blood Intensity (1):
Dancing Lights (3):
Inspired (1):
Effects:
Bless = +1 on ATTs and Fear Saves
Round 4
ORDER: Xing, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Senna, Buggies
HPs
Cookie: 32
Sable: 36
Senna: 31
Xing: 19/30
Yash: 13/30
At the Gate…
The phalanx of fresh bugbears rush toward Xing. Hampered by the terrain, the hedge along the road, and their allies, only one of the enemies is in a position to strike. Xing kicks the weapon from the monster's hairy fist before its blow can be delivered. The other bugbears move to flank the battle-cat and intercept Sable.
By the Cliff…
The sight of a half dozen dead or dying bugbears demoralizes Yash's and Cookie's opponent. His half-hearted blow is easily turned aside.
Round 5
ORDER: Xing, Yash, Cookie, Sable, Senna, Buggies
HPs
Cookie: 32
Sable: 36
Senna: 31
Xing: 19/30
Yash: 13/30
Bugbears are arriving faster than they are falling! Xing fights her growing desperation, trying to focus her fear into killing before she can be killed. She retreats another step, risking a glance back at Mama Cookie and Yash as another flurry of claws slices at the bugbear on her flank.
Lady Sable is becoming a little concerned about the rate of bugbear arrivals. There sure seem to be a lot of them, more than she expected. She continues to edge her way around the the crowd of them and attacking.