Tristan attemps some Counter-Ambushing by setting up trenches and such.
The Inquisitor seems to be also sowing bells to everyone's uniforms....
Feeling so extremely Gallantly Inspired by the.....Tristan decides that maybe tying bells to the uniforms would be counterintuitive.
Tristan winks at Junior!
Junior offers some advice to Tristan, "Just paint your clothes purple and then they won't see you."
Benedic exhorts the army to stand strong against the evil spells the cultists use against them.
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Amelia spies several likely points of ambush and marks them for the crusaders so that they can set up counter-ambushes of their own.
Before setting off for the chaos of battle Fred doesn't forget to give Selann a bit of help, "Hey man, just reframe your mind so that it's outside a box, you know?"
Junior offers some advice to Tristan, "Just paint your clothes purple and then they won't see you."
Junior leads a brazen charge against the cultist armies in the streets, based on the intel given by the Amelia and the spotters. He leads an irregular band of former cultists, grey paladins, and other dispossessed but still eager to contribute to the cause. Their push through the streets is unstoppable, though a few are injured in the crush.
Selann sneaks ahead with Tristan and the scouts, disarming the traps the cultists left as contingencies against the recapture of Drezen. With the traps not slowing the advance of the fighters in the streets, the cultists scramble to organise their defenses for what seems to be a prescient strategy.
Tristan grabs a unit of scouts to counter-ambush a group of cultists, deciding to leave the bells behind and focus on stealth rather than style. The strategy pays dividends as the cultists become distracted.
Caliban joins a group of paladins as they crash from building to building, seeing the cultists begin throwing spells at the armored figures around him, the elf begins battling their foul magics, sending spellcasters to slumber, and counterspelling the magic attempting to overcome his allies. "There, I shall neutralize the spellcaster, as they go down - charge the formation!" he orders the troops... And they gloriously charge the formation, now bereft of magical support.
With the majority of spellcasters in the opposition suppressed by Caliban and his support the Paladins and Clerics are able to push through. The pathetic magics that are able to push through the counterspells of Caliban are unable to break through as Benedic exhorts the army to stand strong against the evil spells the cultists use against them. The final charge pushing the cultists out of the streets.
Broken and unable to rally, the remaining tieflings and cultists flee the streets across the bridges towards Paradise Hill and Citadel Drezen. Though the victory was decisive, the house-to-house fighting was as difficult as predicted, and many casualties are counted at the end of the battle. It's a large area, and by the time the battle is over, the sun is beginning to set.
Cumulative DC: 200
DC Achieved: 27+23+31+34+29+32= 176/200
24 damage to split amongst your scores. (6 points paid from Might and Mobility, 12 paid from Discipline).
Current Scores: Mgt: 14/20 // Mob: 14/20 // Dis: 16/30
The sun is setting, casting shadows into the streets of Drezen.
Irabeth and Anevia approach the crusaders.
"A decisive battle hard-won," says Irabeth.
"Our scouts are reporting the remnants have fled across the bridges to the Fortress and Paradise Hill. Those choke points are incredibly dangerous for our armies to cross en-masse. It would be wise for a small party to investigate any bridge prior to the army crossing. Did you want to scout it out under the cover of darkness or should we set camps and watches?"
Tristan raises his hand.
US scout as a small party under the cover of Darkness against fiends and undead that are the darkness.
The Inquisitor ponders that option for like 6 seconds.
Probably going at Dawn would be better.
Selann agrees with Tristan. "Too many of us can't see in the darkness as well as the fiends. Although, I can cast a spell to let us see in the dark. I would have to use the mythic power to do it."
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"It is a shame to lose the time, but I agree, our army would be at a great disadvantage moving forward in darkness."
The next morning after a breakfast of hardtack and jerky Junior readies for the fight ahead. He gets his poking finger out and jabs at his companion's sides.
Early during breakfast o$ flapjacks, sausage and fried potatoes with hot sauce, Tristan peers at the maps of both bridges provided by the scouts.
... Broken and unable to rally, the remaining tieflings and cultists fled the streets across the bridges towards Paradise Hill and Citadel Drezen. Which shall we investigate? Seems both should b scouted and cleared.
Caliban looks over the maps, scanning the cultist-held city skyline. I would say that taking Paradise Hill would give us a defensible point should they sally and attempt to encounter us, of course, that does mean we need to attack uphill a few times, but we continue to prove that our magical and holy might does well in these encounters.
Benedic considers everyone's comments. "Caliban's points are well-made. Let us scout the Paradise Hill bridge. We must also meet with our lieutenants and make sure there were no incidents in the night-time while we rested. Shall we say we will depart in an hour?"
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Your party approaches Paradise Hill bridge. From a distance you keep a watch over the bridge. You notice that the bridge is manned by a group of fiendish Minotaurs. While they do not appear particularly disciplined, the skulls they wear as trophies around their necks speak to their deadly efficacy.
You're also lucky enough to see a change of shift, as a group of tieflings exit the bridge, walking the walls on either side of the bridge. They carry crossbows, and unusual ammunition, glass bolts, filled with multicoloured fluids. Hard to identify from a distance.
It's clear that before Paradise Hill can be taken, the bridge must be secured. The choke point would render the numbers in the army useless against the minotaur defenders, but the challenge should be within the power of the Heroes of Kenabres.
Fiendish Minotaur
CR 5
Fiendish Minotaur
XP: 1,600
CE Large monstrous humanoid
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14 (+5 natural, -1 size)
HP 45 (6d10+12)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +5
Defensive Abilities natural cunning; DR 5/good; SR 10; Resist fire 10, cold 10
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee greataxe +9/+4 (3d6+6/x3) and gore +4 (1d6+2)
Space 10 ft., Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks powerful charge (gore +11, 2d6+6), smite good (1/day)
STATISTICS
Str 19, Dex 10, Con 15, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 21
Feats Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack
Skills Intimidate +5, Perception +10, Stealth +2, Survival +10
Racial Modifiers +4 Perception, +4 Survival
Languages Giant
ECOLOGY
Environment temperate ruins or underground
Organization solitary, pair, or gang (3-4)
Treasure standard (greataxe, other treasure)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Natural Cunning (Ex) Although minotaurs are not especially intelligent, they possess innate cunning and logical ability. This gives them immunity to maze spells and prevents them from ever becoming lost. Further, they are never caught flat-footed.
Smite good (Su) Once per day, as a swift action, the fiendish can smite good as the smite evil ability of a paladin of the same level as the fiendish's Hit Dice, except affecting a good target. The smite persists until target is dead or the fiendish rests.
With the body of a powerfully built man and the head of a snarling bull, this creature stomps its hooves as if preparing to charge.
Nothing holds a grudge like a minotaur. Scorned by the civilized races centuries ago and born from a deif ic curse, minotaurs have hunted, slain, and devoured lesser humanoids in retribution for real or imagined slights for as long as anyone can remember. Many cultures have legends of how the first minotaurs were created by vengeful or slighted gods who punished humans by twisting their forms, robbing them of their intellects and beauty, and giving them the heads of bulls. Yet most modern minotaurs hold these legends in contempt and believe that they are not divine mockeries but divine paragons created by a potent and cruel demon lord named Baphomet.
Tiefling Bomber
XP: 600
Tiefling alchemist 3
NE Medium humanoid (goblinoid)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +2 natural)
HP 32 (3d8+15)
Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +1; +2 vs. poison
Resist Cold 5, Electricity 5, Fire 5
OFFENSE[/b]
Speed 30 ft.
Melee short sword +2 (1d6/19-20)
Ranged Launching Crossbow +8 (2d6+1 fire)
Space 5 ft., Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks bomb 4/day (2d6+1 fire and catch fire, DC 12, 10-ft. radius)
TACTICS
Before Combat Once the bombers see the PCs, they drink their Constitution mutagens.
During Combat The bombers stay behind their arrow slits and fire their bomb launchers at the PCs, trusting the fiendish resistances of the minotaurs to protect them from their alchemical attacks.
Morale The tiefling bombers fight to the death, but if there is only 2 remaining they will flee to Paradise Hill.
Base Statistics: When not under the effects of its mutagen, a goblin bombers stats are: AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 armor, +4 Dex, +1 size); hp 26 each; Fort +5; Con 14, Cha 6
STATISTICS
Str 10, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 10, Cha 8
Base Atk +2; CMB +2; CMD 15
Feats Brew Potion, Improved Initiative, Throw Anything, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Launching Crossbow)
Skills Climb +3, Craft (alchemy) +7, Ride +10, Stealth +10, Swim +3
Racial Modifiers +2 Bluff, +2 Stealth
Languages Common, Abyssal
SQ alchemy (alchemy crafting +3, identify potions), mutagen (+4/-2, +2 natural, 30 minutes), discoveries (explosive bomb*), poison use, swift alchemy
Gear potions of cure light wounds (2), alchemist fire (3), tanglefoot bag (2), thunderstone (3)
Other Gear +1 studded leather, short sword
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Shatter (Sp) Standard action cast Shatter (DC 13)
Selann casts Haste on the party, then move forward.
Junior's brain registers facts and figures faster than his body can react.
Benedic squints into the distance as he prepares and casts spells on the party. "Those look like fiendish minotaurs," he says. "They cannot be surprised, and they love to charge. They are evil and can smite those of us with celestial powers opposed to theirs."
"We must bring the fight to them, or their tiefling forces can hold back and throw their splash weapons at us while the minotaurs charge." He glares in the creatures' direction. "Let's take that bridge, my friends!" he suggests. He rushes at the closest minotaur in a sudden flash of movement, swinging his sword in an arc as he reaches it.
Caliban takes a larger form of himself, and listening to Benedic's instructions on the Minotaurs, he takes flight, looping to the right over the bridge, and coming to settle in front of the second minotaur in line. The elf alights, swinging his blade with a pair of massive cuts at the monster.
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Benedic ... casts mythic heroism on Caliban ...
Tristan places his hands on each of the group prior to chaos erupting on the bridge.
The Inquisitor also casts Expeditious Retreat, Shield of Faith, Heroism, and Divine Favor just prior to joining them!
Tristan looks hard at the minotaur. He shrugs.
They really hate Good
Smiling at the tiefling’s ahead, the Inquisitor begins striding forward 60'.
Never heard of them, so most likely just illusions.
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Selann casts Haste on the party, then moves forward.
Tristan places his hands on each of the group prior to chaos erupting on the bridge. Protection from Evil, communal and Tactical Acumen on everyone.
The Inquisitor also casts Expeditious Retreat, Shield of Faith, Heroism, and Divine Favor just prior to joining them! Tristan looks hard at the minotaur. He shrugs. They really hate Good
Smiling at the tiefling’s ahead, the Inquisitor begins striding forward 60'. Never heard of them, so most likely just illusions.
Caliban takes a larger form of himself, and listening to Benedic's instructions on the Minotaurs, he takes flight, looping to the right over the bridge, and coming to settle in front of the second minotaur in line. The elf alights, swinging his blade with a massive cut at the monster. His black blade not digging as deep into giant-bovine flesh as he hoped.
The minotaur returns with a pair of strikes and an attempted gore. Only one of the axes swings through.
Benedic squints into the distance as he prepares and casts spells on the party. "Those look like fiendish minotaurs," he says. "They cannot be surprised, and they love to charge. They are evil and can smite those of us with celestial powers opposed to theirs."
He casts mythic heroism on Caliban, and mythic encouraging heroism, shield of faith, and divine favor on himself. He also activates his scale and his touch of glory power.
"We must bring the fight to them, or their tiefling forces can hold back and throw their splash weapons at us while the minotaurs charge." He glares in the creatures' direction. "Let's take that bridge, my friends!" he suggests. He rushes at the closest minotaur in a sudden flash of movement, swinging his sword in an arc as he reaches it.
His blade flashes with unrivalled speed, cutting the minotaur into little more than steaks.
With its ally slain another Minotaur races forward with a powerful charge at Benedic, and slams headlong into the champion's shield with a resounding clang, and Benedic stands firm.
The other minotaurs move into flanking positions.
From the nearby towers bombs begin to rain down on Benedic and Caliban.
Grey Minotaur Smite Good: greataxe +9/+4 (3d6+6/x3) and gore +4 (1d6+2)
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Blue Minotaur, Smite, Powerful Charge
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Tieflings: Launching Crossbow +8 (2d6+1 fire) (+1 Higher Ground)
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Benedic narrows his eyes at the surrounding minotaurs, then swiftly charges past the eastern one, again slicing at it as he passes.
Ending next to another minotaur and flanking with Caliban, Benedic stabs at it with the legendary sword he wields.
Finally, he plants himself behind his shield and releases a burst of holy energy that covers the entire bridge.
Caliban, being severely wounded by the bombs and minotaur sees Benedic get his strike in, and immediately pulls back from the combat for a moment to gather himself....
Junior shouts, ”You heard the man, move, move, move!” Only to realize that everyone’s left him behind already and Caliban is nearly dead. He runs up but a thought occurs to him and he backs up a little bit. As he drops his ransuer he takes out a magical longspear that had been hanging out in the pile marked “To be sold.” He waives the nearby minotaur forward grinning.
Junior with Amelia strikes up the band with an otherworldly orchestral number.
If an ally has her own rage class ability (such as barbarian's rage, bloodrager's bloodrage, or skald's inspired rage), she may use the Strength, Constitution, and Will saving throw bonuses, as well as AC penalties, based on her own ability and level instead of those from the skald (still suffering no fatigue afterward). Inspired rage does not allow an ally to activate abilities dependent on other rage class abilities, such as rage powers, blood casting, or bloodrager bloodlines; the ally must activate her own rage class ability in order to use these features.
Celestial Blood, Lesser (Su)
Quick Reflexes (Ex)
Amplified rage on everyone
Amelia accompanies Junior while magically readying her glaive.
Selann disappears and checks the door beside him. If it will open he enters, hoping to get up to the bombers.... If locked he will try to open the lock and open the door.
Caliban, seeing he's surrounded and potentially on fire, thinks for a split second, and pulls a trick from Selann's playbook. Eyes flashing with magical energy, he disappears!
And flies out over the gorge, reappearing a second later!
Tristan Rallys his allies!
As a swift action, you can expend one use of mythic power to rally your allies. This gives you and each of your allies within 30 feet the option to reroll any one d20 roll after the roll is made. The granted reroll must be used before the beginning of your next turn, and the creature must take the result of the reroll, even if it is lower.
Next, the Inquisitor Strides all the way across to stand on the far side of the Grey demom-minotaur!
The Inquisitor has a Commanding Entrance!
When you first enter an area or make your presence known to a group of strangers, as a free action you can expend one use of mythic power and attempt a single Diplomacy or Intimidate check to modify the attitudes of everyone within 10 feet per tier, and an additional number of characters equal to your Charisma modifier who are outside that range but have line of sight to you. (For instance, you could affect everyone near the entrance of a throne room and key people on the dais at the far end.) Alternatively, when you reveal yourself during the first round of combat (not counting the surprise round), you can expend one use of mythic power as a free action to use Intimidate to demoralize your targets.
Smiling, Tristan then Strikes at Grey!
Benedic accepts the effects of Junior's rage song and swings at the nearby minotaur, ignoring the fact that he is on fire. He simultaneously channels energy again while he is still surrounded by the creatures.
Finally, he channels his holy energy inward to heal some of his wounds.