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Marta moves into position and zaps two of the undead on the bridge with lightning.
◆ Stride
◆ Cast a Spell (Lightning Bolt - Rank 4)
[dice=Electricity]5d12 DC 27 basic Reflex (blue, yellow)↺ If an ally fails an attack by 1 or fails or critically fails a save by 1, Marta will cast amped guidance to retroactively turn the fail to a success or critical fail to a failure. (Assuming the wards bonus isn't a status bonus.)
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Astrid snorts derisively as the claw penetrates her armor. "That's your best? Pathetic! I bled more the last time I did my laundry."
In one swift motion she draws Stormstriker and launches a brace of attacks.
She concentrates on her weapon. The blade warps and curves and changes from a bastard sword into something more exotic, a temple sword.
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As White's claw flashes at Astrid, her shield suddenly snaps into place, causing the first claw strike to bounce off and absorbing the worst part of the damage of the second. Astrid draws her sword and slashes White twice, hitting with her first. Her sword morphs into a more exotic weapon as two arrows flash by, one burying itself in White's eye up to the fletching, and the other striking it in the chest. White looks more dead-dead than un-dead but it's still up.
Red decides Lena is a bigger threat and shifts its aim, loosing three arrows at her.
for
for
for
Red's arrows fly wide of the mark...
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 3
Tactical Map
Special Conditions:
* Bonuses from Freedom Town Defenses (See below)
Before your Turn:
DC 24 Fort Save vs Drain Life: Leo
Active Conditions: Courageous Anthem (1 rd)
------------------
Those with ** may go
Lena Starstrider - AC 32, 150/162
Astrid Gertasdottir - AC 33 (35 w/shield), 151/162 (Shield hp: 93/104)
Red (-20)
**Leo - AC 31, 98/107
**Katrina Caldwell - AC 25, 73/87
**Marta Sanz - AC 26, 80/80
**Jiki - AC 26, 96/96
White (-110)
--------------------------------
CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE
--------------------------------
WARDS (3 DP): +1 to saving throws
SCOUTING (3 DP): +5 Speed, Ignore Difficult Terrain
F: Drained 1 (value increases by 1 on each subsequent save up to 4)
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Leo drops a fireball on Red, who is unable to get away in time. He then launches his sword at it. The sword flies true neatly slicing its leg off before returning to his hand. Marta moves in and slashes more air at White, almost blowing its head off. Jiki waits to see how he can help.
White, practically being held together with burlap and string () slashes at Astrid.
for
for
for
Seems like White's really falling apart...
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COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 4
Tactical Map
Special Conditions:
* Bonuses from Freedom Town Defenses (See below)
Before your Turn:
DC 24 Fort Save vs Drain Life:
Active Conditions:
------------------
Those with ** may go
**Lena Starstrider - AC 32, 150/162
**Astrid Gertasdottir - AC 33 (35 w/shield), 151/162 (Shield hp: 93/104)
Red (-97)
Leo - AC 31, 98/107
Katrina Caldwell - AC 25, 73/87
Marta Sanz - AC 26, 80/80
Jiki - AC 26, 96/96 (Delaying)
White (-130)
--------------------------------
CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE
--------------------------------
WARDS (3 DP): +1 to saving throws
SCOUTING (3 DP): +5 Speed, Ignore Difficult Terrain
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Astrid's first swing removes White's head. As it drops, shards of bone suddenly shoot out of its carcass, spraying everything within 5 feet of it.
She then charges at Red and slashes at it, as well, removing its head. Red collapses and unleashes bone slivers as well.
Searching the bodies, you find a Type II Spacious Pouch (aka Bag of Holding).
You return to Freedom Town and have two more hours of preparation. The following tasks remain:
While Freedom Town has a small fort near its center, most of the town is made of wooden dwellings that lack Fort Freedom’s palisades. PCs can help erect barricades at key locations throughout the town, as well as digging simple trenches or placing smaller barricades outside of the town.
Applicable Skills: Athletics, Crafting, Warfare Lore
The Burning Sun hold makes use of several riding drakes as battle mounts. While the Burning Sun orcs typically use only a few drakes at a time, they plan to use all the hold’s drakes for the assault tomorrow. This has left the hold’s wranglers stretched thin as they work to prepare the drakes for combat. Khagrig Daybreak is helping where he can, but even his assistance isn’t enough. The PCs can help by serving as impromptu wranglers for the hold’s younger drakes.
Applicable Skills: Athletics, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Nature, Survival
Many of Freedom Town’s citizens are still in the town. While many of the citizens are planning to keep out of the way during the attack, they still represent a liability, especially if the fighting spills into the town itself. Mahja prefers that any citizens not willing to fight be evacuated instead. She has set some of her hold’s members aside to serve as escorts for these citizens and lead them toward the safety of Urgir.
Applicable Skills: Deception, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Performance, Society
You retire for the night after working for 2 hours.
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Jiki tries wrangling the fire drakes but also can't keep up with them.
You are able to get some rest after preparing Freedom Town's defenses. It seems inadequate for a battle of this scale, but it will have to do.
The next day, Mahja wakes Freedom Town with a loud note from a horn shortly before sunrise. Most of her fellow Burning Suns are quick to prepare for battle. You have enough time to make your daily preparations while Freedom Town readies itself. During this time Mahja takes some time to give a speech ahead of the day’s battle.
Mahja Firehair makes her way to the center of Freedom Town. There is electricity in the air as warriors of all kinds stretch and prepare for the battle ahead. A wave of murmurs grows into a sea of stomps, rattling of weapons, and loud growls and yelling. Once Mahja reaches the center of the crowd, she jumps onto a wagon and raises a closed fist, which immediately silences the town.
"Brothers, sisters, family, and friends. We don’t know why the dead have chosen to rise and enter our lands once more, but I know that we will respond. Belkzen is our home and we have proven before that any undead that dare tread in our home will only meet destruction. Be they a mass of bones or the Tyrant himself, we will stand together, and we will tear them down!"
A cheer erupts from the crowd. Mahja pauses long enough to allow the moment of levity before motioning for silence and continuing, "I can’t say for sure if all of us are enough to stop the armies of the dead on this day. However, I can say we will give them Hell! Whoever these undead are, or whoever sent them, all will learn that we are more dangerous than they’ve ever imagined. We will fight! Dawnflower, guide us! If I must give my life to protect Belkzen, I am ready to do so! Let’s show these shamblers that even death can’t protect them from the might of an orc!" Battle cries echo throughout Freedom Town and out through the valley as Mahja leads the march out to the wilderness around town.
Shortly after Mahja finishes her speech, several explosions beyond Freedom Town signal the arrival of Geir’s forces. As dozens of zombies detonate throughout the wilderness, the nearby fields and forests catch fire, filling the sky with the light of a burning sunrise. You hear a large explosion and cries of help from a farmhouse on the eastern edge of town. Although the rest of Freedom Town’s forces are focused on undead elsewhere, you hear these cries and rush over to help.
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COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
Special Conditions:
* Bonuses from Freedom Town Defenses (See below)
* Fire Hazards (See below)
Before your Turn:
Active Conditions:
------------------
Those with ** may go
**Marta Sanz - AC 26, 80/80
Green (-23)
Leo - AC 31, 107/107
Jiki - AC 26, 96/96
Katrina Caldwell - AC 25, 87/87
Lena Starstrider - AC 32, 162/162
Astrid Gertasdottir - AC 33 (35 w/shield), 162/162 (Shield hp: 104/104)
Red (-23)
White (-23)
Blue (-23)
Yellow (-23)
Pink (-23)
--------------------------------
CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE
--------------------------------
WARDS (3 DP): +1 to saving throws
SCOUTING (3 DP): +5 Speed, Ignore Difficult Terrain
* Creatures ending their turn adjacent to burning trees: 4d6 Fire Damage
* Creatures entering squares with fire: 4d6 Fire Damage + DC 25 Reflex Save (F/CF: 2d6 Persistent Fire)
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Marta gets the jump on them and surges forward. She unleashes a powerful spell that tears through the area.
◆ Stride
◆◆ Elemental Breath (random element)
Wood!
Roots spring through the ground, tearing through the battlefield and leaving the entire area a mess.
DC 27 basic Reflex
The entire are is difficult terrain for 1 minute!
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Marta turns the battlefield into a mess of roots. Miraculously, Red escapes unscathed but the other zombies take damage, with Pink getting pierced by several roots.
Green shambles forward, its progress severely hampered by Marta's spell.
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COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
Special Conditions:
* Bonuses from Freedom Town Defenses (See below)
* Fire Hazards (See below)
Before your Turn:
Active Conditions:
* Area inside the blue cone (Marta's spell) is difficult terrain.
------------------
Those with ** may go
Marta Sanz - AC 26, 80/80
Green (-41)
**Leo - AC 31, 107/107
**Jiki - AC 26, 96/96
**Katrina Caldwell - AC 25, 87/87
**Lena Starstrider - AC 32, 162/162
**Astrid Gertasdottir - AC 33 (35 w/shield), 162/162 (Shield hp: 104/104)
Red (-23)
White (-59)
Blue (-41)
Yellow (-59)
Pink (-95)
--------------------------------
CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE
--------------------------------
WARDS (3 DP): +1 to saving throws
SCOUTING (3 DP): +5 Speed, Ignore Difficult Terrain
* Creatures ending their turn adjacent to burning trees: 4d6 Fire Damage
* Creatures entering squares with fire: 4d6 Fire Damage + DC 25 Reflex Save (F/CF: 2d6 Persistent Fire)
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Lena's first arrow drills into Pink's eye but she slips and shoots the second arrow straight up.
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COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
Special Conditions:
* Bonuses from Freedom Town Defenses (See below)
* Fire Hazards (See below)
Before your Turn:
Active Conditions:
* Area inside the blue cone (Marta's spell) is difficult terrain.
------------------
Those with ** may go
Marta Sanz - AC 26, 80/80
Green (-46)
**Leo - AC 31, 107/107
**Jiki - AC 26, 96/96
**Katrina Caldwell - AC 25, 87/87
Lena Starstrider - AC 32, 162/162
**Astrid Gertasdottir - AC 33 (35 w/shield), 162/162 (Shield hp: 104/104)
Red (-23)
White (-64)
Blue (-46)
Yellow (-64)
Pink (-134)
--------------------------------
CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE
--------------------------------
WARDS (3 DP): +1 to saving throws
SCOUTING (3 DP): +5 Speed, Ignore Difficult Terrain
* Creatures ending their turn adjacent to burning trees: 4d6 Fire Damage
* Creatures entering squares with fire: 4d6 Fire Damage + DC 25 Reflex Save (F/CF: 2d6 Persistent Fire)
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Leo raises his sword in the air and shouts "Fulgur!. Electricity crackles over the surface of the sword loudly. He then points the sword at the center zombie . A large line of electricity arcs from the sword toward the zombie. Before the arc makes it to the zombie, Leo shouts another word, "Arcus!", and sweeps his sword to the side.
When the arc of electricity hits the zombie it immediately jumps to another zombie, and then another..
At the same time that the arc is jumping, Leo is fully following through on his swing, spinning all the way around and then releasing his sword. It spins, buzzing and crackling with electricity, flying toward the zombie.
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Jiki does bard things.
◇ Cast a Spell
"♪ Notes linger on, a spectral grace,
♪ Echoes of music, time can't erase.
Lingering Composition!"
◆ Cast a Spell
"♪ Anthem of valor, hearts ignite,
♪ With melody's fire, we rise to fight.
Courageous Anthem!"
◆◆ Cast a Spell
"♪ Twilight's grasp, darkness cast,
♪ Shadows surge, the die is cast.
Shadow Blast!"
Basic Reflex or Will DC 27
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Astrid yawns and moves forward to intercept any zombies lucky enough to withstand the onslaught. She taps her foot impatiently. "Ugh! It'll take forever for them to get here. Might as well see if this thing works while I wait." She points her shield towards the zombies and concentrates. A beam of icy cold leaps forth to assault her foes.
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Katrina moves closer and shoots Green, planting a bolt in the thing's shoulder. Unfortunately, Katrina wanders too close to a burning tree and gets singed.
S
CF 122
CF 122
CF 122
F 61
CF 122
Leo points at Pink and sends Lightning at the zombie, which jumps to Yellow, White, Green, Blue and Red, in that order. What follows is a series of detonations. All you see clearly is Astrid ducking behind her shield. ()
You can only look on in shock and awe as one zombie after another collapses and detonates well away from the party. Blue manages to survive the carnage but shortly detonates itself after getting hit by bits of its comrades.
Hero points to Marta and Leo for making this one of the shortest combat encounters for a 9-12 scenario!!
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As the roots and branches from Marta's spell recede, a local farmer emerges from one of the houses. "Well met! I am Trinn Jovas. I had intended to join the fight but grew apprehensive shortly before the attack began and hid. You have my thanks for saving my life. Take this. It is a gift from a well-off uncle in Caliphas. It's not much but now you have inspired me to join the battle." He hands you a silver necklace ().
Most of the battle takes place around the woods surrounding Freedom Town. A large portion of the undead forces are weak undead such as skeletons and zombies, which the Burning Sun orcs, Pathfinders, Knights of Lastwall, townsfolk, and your defenses dispatch with ease. Freedom Town’s forces make use of their knowledge of the environs, hit and run tactics, and their general combat prowess to catch these undead off guard. More powerful undead such as ghouls and wights are mixed in along with these other forces. While they pose a greater threat, many of Freedom Town’s skilled warriors, including your group, can face off with these undead without issue. You can takes some time to ham it up a bit on how your group cuts through weaker swaths of undead as you make your way toward more powerful undead forces. You can also describe key NPCs facing off with undead and giving an acknowledgement to you before returning to battle. The general atmosphere is one of chaos, but also of mounting success as the forces push the undead back over the span of several hours.
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Wow is all Katrina could say. She then turns to Leo. Well I can trick magic items so ... I guess I have to find the right magic power.
Anyway .... we got undead to put down.
For the next few hours she's in the thick of things, flanking off other warriors and bouncing from foe to foe with all her acrobatic skills.
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Leo gives Katrina a nod, "That we do."
Over the next bit, Leo accompanies his fellow pathfinders in wading through swaths of undead. He is a mighty force on the battlefield. He seems to embody the dichotomy of Nethys with massive blasts of destructive fire or electricity, erecting walls of wind that block archer fire, sending out waves of vitality energy to heal wounded soldiers, and sometimes getting into the thick of it with his bastard sword.
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Astrid wades into the rank and file of the undead forces, destroying dozens. She soon becomes bored at the lack of challenge and seeks out any tougher foes. These too prove to be no match for the shield maiden and she eventually climbs atop an overturned wagon for a better view of the battlefield. From her new vantage point she uses her magics to once again amplify her voice and begins to direct the battle and coordinate the troops.
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The main battle is tough, but the defenders of Freedom Town seem to be turning the tide. You play a major part in turning the tide of the undead army. Eventually, you come across some of the powerful undead leading Geir’s army. Geir tasked several powerful wight captains and commanders to lead the charge and face off with the more powerful warriors of Urgir. Various squads of wights move throughout the fight and once such group catches wind of you as they move through the burning wilderness.
------------------
COMBAT TRACKER
Round: 1
Tactical Map
Special Conditions:
* Bonuses from Freedom Town Defenses (See below)
* Fire Hazards (See below)
* The heat of the forest fire causes all creatures on the battlefield to take 6 fire damage at the end of each of their turns. (Rd 1 only)
Active Conditions:
* End your turn beside a burning tree: 9 Fire Damage
* Enter a burning area: 9 Fire Damage, DC 25 Reflex (2d6 Persistent Fire on failure)
Before your Turn:
------------------
Those with ** may go
**Jiki - AC 26, 96/96
**Marta Sanz - AC 26, 80/80
**Leo - AC 31, 107/107
**Katrina Caldwell - AC 25, 75/87
**Lena Starstrider - AC 32, 162/162
**Astrid Gertasdottir - AC 33 (35 w/shield), 162/162 (Shield hp: 104/104)
Red (-19)
White (-19)
Blue (-19)
Yellow (-19)
Pink (-19)
Green (-19)
--------------------------------
CONDITIONS AND EFFECTS REFERENCE
--------------------------------
WARDS (3 DP): +1 to saving throws
SCOUTING (3 DP): +5 Speed, Ignore Difficult Terrain