Ghaernan
Gundar <== Up
Caius <== Up
Sasha
Nayven
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid
"A plan! Oh, I approve," Caius utters sardonically. "We could easily wait for their torches to burn out and take them in the dark..."
"That creature is a wererat! A Lycanthrope... Strike it with silver if you've got it!"
Caius charges! With Power Attack.
19-20/x2 S
Caius misses with his attack!
Ghaernan
Gundar <== Up
Caius
Sasha
Nayven
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid
Wererat! Don't let it bite ye! Gundar says as he uses his resistance touch on Caius.
As Caius rounded the corner, his fiery eyes locked on Nayven, a wiry Varisian woman crouched behind the overturned table, her dark hair framing a sharp, cunning face. Next to her stood Embyr, her dagger gleaming faintly in the dim firelight. Both Tower Girls looked tense but ready, their posture that of cornered predators. Behind them stood Sasha, the wererat, and presumably the senior among this little group.
Caius wasted no time, his molten gaze fixed on Nayven. With a fierce bellow, he charged across the chamber, his greatsword raised high. The Tower Girl’s eyes widened as the Ifrit bore down on her, the flickering light reflecting off his blade as it cleaved downward. But Nayven twisted away with street-honed agility, the sword slicing harmlessly into the stone floor with a loud clang.
Embyr stood rooted next to Nayven, her grip tightening on her weapons. She held her ground, the tension in her frame suggesting she was waiting for just the right moment to strike. Her gaze darted between Caius and the others moving into the room, her readiness palpable.
Taking advantage of Caius’s overreach, Nayven tumbled gracefully around him, her movements fluid and quick. She emerged behind the Ifrit with a wicked grin, her short sword darting forward in a precise thrust aimed at his side. But Caius shifted instinctively, her blade scraping harmlessly against his armor.
Before he could fully recover, a third figure emerged from the shadows—Sasha, the wererat, her hybrid form a grotesque blend of human and rodent. Her narrowed eyes gleamed with predatory hunger as she darted in, flanking Caius with her ally. With a hiss, she lunged, her short sword slashing through the air in a savage arc, but Caius moved again, her strike grazing his armor without finding purchase.
The combatants swirled in a chaotic dance of steel and instinct. The Tower Girls fought with desperation and skill, their movements practiced but edged with the knowledge that their position was precarious. The crackle of the distant fire and the clatter of blades echoed through the chamber, the ancient stones bearing silent witness to the clash. Caius stood firm amid the onslaught, his determination undeterred by the near-misses, ready for the next strike in the battle.
Round 1
Ghaernan
Gundar <== Up
Caius
Nayven
Sasha
Embyr Readied
Verilich <== Up
Khalid <== Up
Verilich literally face-claws his face in disbelief of Caius's seeming duplicity of mind. Agreeing to the plan Ghaernan suggested and ignoring the same plan by wading into the fray.
"Sorry bard. I still like your plan. Oh and remember, I do not succumb to sleep magic." Verilich winks and rounds the corner.
Seeing only 1 tower girl and a wererat, "Where did the second one flee to?" But not waiting for the answer, Verilich closes with the biggest threat going around the table barrier to provide opportunities for Caius and he to flank.
"You have a chance to parley before violence begins. We did not come here to invade or take your lives. Merely exploring the area looking for something. What say you?"
As Verilich moved with stealthy precision out of the relative safety of the stairwell, his wings tucked close to his body and his sharp eyes scanning for threats, a sudden glint of metal caught his attention—too late.
From behind the overturned table, Embyr, the Varisian Tower Girl, smirked with dangerous confidence. Her slender hand crossbow was already leveled, the bolt shimmering faintly in the dim firelight. She squeezed the trigger, the faint *thwip* of the bowstring releasing cutting through the tension in the air.
The bolt flew true, its trajectory flawless, and before Verilich could react, it struck him squarely in the chest with a sickening *thunk*. Pain exploded through his body as the bolt pierced his scales, sinking deep into the vulnerable spot between two ribs. A crimson stain spread quickly around the wound, the critical strike sending a wave of agony through his frame.
Embyr’s smile widened, her eyes alight with the thrill of the shot. “Not so sneaky now, are we, lizard?” she taunted, her voice dripping with venom as she began to reload with practiced efficiency.
Verilich staggered slightly, his claws clutching instinctively at the bolt embedded in his chest. The searing pain threatened to overwhelm him, but his resolve burned brighter. Gritting his teeth, he locked eyes with Embyr, the fire of determination blazing within him despite the injury.
The room seemed to grow quieter for a brief moment, the distant crackle of the fire a faint backdrop to the tension between predator and prey. Around them, the battle continued to swirl, but Verilich remained focused, the pain fueling his resolve to turn the tide of this confrontation.
Critics confirm:
"For the record, your shot answered my question." Verilich grasps his 3-secton staff instead of coming in unarmed as he closes with his new target.
Round 1
Ghaernan
Gundar
Caius
Sasha
Nayven
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid <== Up
Khalid charges the whereat and swings at it with his horsechopper.
With a burst of determination, Khalid surged forward, his horsechopper gripped tightly in his hands. The dim light of the dungeon danced along the wicked edge of the blade as he charged toward Sasha, the towering wererat. Her crimson eyes narrowed, and her elongated snout twisted into a sneer as she braced for the assault.
The sharp sound of steel slicing through air echoed through the chamber as Khalid struck true. The horsechopper bit deeply into Sasha’s side, ripping through fur and flesh. She let out a guttural snarl of pain, her clawed hand clutching at the wound as blood spattered the stone floor.
For a brief moment, victory seemed tangible—until something unnatural happened.
Before Khalid’s eyes, the wound he had carved into her body began to close. The ragged edges of torn flesh knit themselves back together with unnerving speed, her pale, matted fur regrowing over the injury as though it had never happened. The sight was both horrifying and infuriating—a clear reminder of the monstrous nature of their foe.
Sasha grinned wickedly, baring jagged teeth, her voice a rasping growl. “You think steel can stop me? Foolish human, you’ll need far more than that.”
Her confidence was palpable as she prepared to retaliate, her stance unwavering despite the blood that still glistened faintly on the stone where she had stood. Khalid tightened his grip on his weapon, his mind racing to comprehend what he had just witnessed and how they could possibly overcome such a regenerating foe.
The battle was far from over, and the stakes had just become even higher.
Round 2
Ghaernan <== Up
Gundar <== Up
Caius <== Up
Sasha
Nayven
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid
Gundar will double move to catch up to the party.
Ghaernan rounds the corner, shaking his head upon assessing the "evolution" of his engagement concept. Still, the Bard observes, the essence of the plan remains mostly salvageable, and he swiftly transitions to the arcane whispers and glittering sand patterns of his Sleep Spell forming and shifting around his outstretched hand. With a final decisive gesture, the sands arc across the distance beyond the wererat, shimmering in the light of Khalid's wayfinder, to concentrate and burst along the wall about five feet behind the monstrous creature, enveloping both the wererat and the adjacent Tower Girl...
As Ghaernan’s words of magic reached their crescendo, the enchantment wove itself into the air, an unseen force cascading over the battlefield like a whisper of unseen lullabies. The energy of the sleep spell resolved behind Sasha and Embyr, its reach seeking to ensnare them in a moment of enforced rest.
Sasha, the wererat, faltered for the briefest moment. Her crimson eyes flickered, her snarling growl softening as her body swayed slightly. It seemed as though the spell had claimed her, her movements growing sluggish. Then, with a feral shake of her head, she snarled and forced herself free of the magic's grasp. Her clawed hand clutched at the air as she reasserted her focus, her voice dripping with venom. “You’ll have to try harder than that, little bard!”
Embyr, however, was not so fortunate. The Tower Girl’s legs gave out beneath her as the spell took hold, her weapon clattering to the stone floor as she collapsed into a heap. Her eyes fluttered shut, her form completely still save for the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest.
The subtle hum of the spell’s energy dissipated as quickly as it had arrived, leaving the room to the sounds of clashing steel and Sasha’s guttural growls. The battlefield shifted yet again, the absence of one combatant potentially tipping the scales, but Sasha and Nayven remained imposing foes to be reckoned with.
Round 2
Ghaernan
Gundar
Caius <== Up
Sasha
Nayven
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid
Ignoring its witless banter, Caius assesses his opponent and uses the momentum of his previous wild swing to make another strike at the wererat, bringing his blade down in a sweeping arc.
19-20/x2 S
Caius steps forward with a growl, his molten orange eyes narrowing as he brings his massive greatsword around in a powerful arc aimed at Sasha. The blade whistles through the air, but the wererat, with her unnerving agility, shifts just enough for the weapon to glance harmlessly off the stone floor beside her.
Behind her overturned table, Embyr remains motionless, still deep in enchanted slumber, her form crumpled on the stone floor.
Seizing the advantage of her position, Sasha bares her sharp teeth, her hybrid form a horrifying mix of human and rat. She slashes viciously at Caius with her claws, her feral grin widening as she tries to sink them into her foe. Yet Caius’s movements are deliberate and practiced; he deftly avoids her attacks with a sidestep.
From her position behind Caius, Nayven lunges forward, her blade seeking a gap in his defenses. However, her weapon is met by the hardened leather of Caius's armor, her strike deflected with a sharp clang. Her Varisian features twist in frustration, her voice laced with venom.
“Stay still, damn you!”
Caius stands firm, his stance unwavering despite being surrounded. The Tower Girls press the attack, but their strikes fail to find their mark against the steadfast warrior. The tension in the chamber rises as the battle continues to unfold.
Round 2
Ghaernan
Gundar
Caius
Sasha
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr
Verilich <== Up
Khalid <== Up
Round 3
Ghaernan <== Up
Gundar <== Up
Caius <== Up
Sasha
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid
Verilich steps forward 5' and does a flurry of attacks on the wererat as the main target. In stead of wailing on the rat with his 3-section staff, Verilich instead strikes with a pommel strike first and then a head butt.
seeing that his fist was unable to connect, he shifts and attempts to grapple the rat with another fist attack.
Retcon:
Does a 17 hit Caius?
Gundar will take a five-foot step forward and touch whoever that is in front of him with his resistance touch.
Khalid will accept the resistance bonus and attempt to drop Nayven to the ground.
Khalid knocks Nayven prone.
Ghaernan assesses the developing situation, with Caius’ continued inability to harm the wererat causing a mounting alarm within him. Steeling himself for the exposure to harm forthcoming, the Bard draws the ornate Thassilonian masterwork…silver…dagger still in his possession, and rushes down the wall until he can place the small blade in one of the Slayer’s hands, even as the act brings him within the threat range of the remaining Tower Girl standing…
”Use this well, Caius; I think you’ll need it to take the beast down. Friends, I fear I’m also about to need your help with my new…situation…”
"Keep moving then, so the wererat can't take a 5' step and hit you! If so, I'll keep them off you."
Who exchanged Ghaernan with one that has balls? I like it!
Embyr takes an AOO on Ghaernan as he comes by...
...and misses.
Ghaernan hands off the dagger to Caius.
---------------
Round 3
Ghaernan
Gundar
Caius <== Up
Sasha
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr: Prone
Verilich
Khalid
Holding his greatsword in his offhand, Caius 5-foot adjusts to flank the wererat with Verilich and stabs the silver dagger into it's throat.
19-20/x2 P/S
"Be silent," he grates.
Ghaernan darts forward with remarkable courage, his focus on delivering the silver dagger to Caius. As he steps past the prone Embyr, she reacts with a swift swing of her sword, aiming for the bard's unprotected side. The blade whistles through the air but finds only empty space as Ghaernan's reflexes carry him just out of reach.
With a triumphant flourish, Ghaernan reaches Caius and presses the silver dagger into his hand.
Taking advantage of the moment, Caius grips the silver dagger tightly and turns on his heel, moving swiftly to position himself behind Sasha, flanking the wererat with precision. With a calculated strike, Caius plunges the silver blade into her side. Sasha screeches in pain as the dagger bites deep, her supernatural resilience failing to stave off the effects of the silver weapon.
Sasha’s glowing eyes lock onto Ghaernan, her lips curling back to reveal razor-sharp teeth. With a feral snarl, she lunges at him, swinging her sword in a vicious arc and snapping her jaws toward his neck. Both attacks fail to find their mark, her ferocity thwarted by Ghaernan's quick movements and perhaps a bit of luck.
Behind them, Embyr scrambles to her feet. Her movement provides Ghaernan an opportunity to strike, the bard instinctively reacting to the opening her rise affords him.
---------------
Round 3
Ghaernan AOO vs Embyr
Gundar
Caius
Sasha
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr: Rising
Verilich
Khalid
As Embyr rises from the ground, Ghaernan watches her movements closely but makes no effort to strike her, choosing instead to maintain his focus on the greater battle unfolding around him. She brushes off the dust from her fall, her eyes narrowing as she grips her weapon with renewed determination.
Taking a deliberate step to the north, Embyr maneuvers to flank Ghaernan, her movements precise and calculated. With a swift strike, she lashes out at the bard, her blade aiming for an opening in his defenses. Yet, Ghaernan’s keen awareness and agile reflexes prove too much for her as her attack misses its mark entirely, the blade cutting through nothing but the empty air.
The tension between the two is palpable as Embyr’s frustration begins to show, but Ghaernan remains steady, his resolve unshaken in the face of her aggression.
Round 3
Ghaernan
Gundar
Caius
Sasha
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr
Verilich <== Up
Khalid <== Up
With no flank buddies to be had, Khalid will step back to give his horsechopper more room and try to trip Sasha.
Verilich thinks he hears grumblings from his companions that reminisce about the plan or lack of a plan. But that is for after the fighting is over to deal with.
Verilich tumbles through the slayer's space to find an obstructed place from which to strike the wererat.
Verilich raises his 3-section staff high above his head and grunts with all the power he can muster to beat on the prone target.
I would argue that the table does not give melee cover, though your acrobatics should let you avoid the AOO. I moved to where I did because I thought the table would not provide her with cover (it's not a hard corner). If it does, and I knew that, I would move 5' further north.
Even with flanking and prone, I don't think 19 hits.
Sasha is tripped by Khalid.
Verilich is not flanking with Khalid, and misses Sasha.
Round 4
Ghaernan <== Up
Gundar <== Up
Caius <== Up
Sasha Prone
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid
Feeling slighted at being ignored by the were creature he just stabbed with a silver weapon, Cauis redoubles his effort to slash it once again with the dagger. This time he puts more muscle behind it.
19-20/x2 P/S
The battlefield buzzes with chaos, but Caius’ molten orange eyes remain fixed on Sasha, the wererat, who dared to turn her attention away from him. His grip tightens on the silver dagger, its edge glinting ominously in the dim light, as Khalid’s expertly executed trip sends her sprawling to the ground.
Emboldened by the opening, Caius steps forward with deliberate menace, his fiery aura seemingly intensifying. The dagger arcs through the air in a deadly, calculated strike.
The silver blade finds its mark, piercing deep into Sasha’s unnatural flesh. The impact is brutal, the glimmering weapon cutting through her regenerative defenses with ease. Sasha lets out a choked, guttural cry as the dagger bites deep, her monstrous form writhing in pain. Her body falters, collapsing in a heap as the last vestiges of her strength fail her.
Caius stands over her lifeless body, his chest heaving with exertion and fury. He pulls the dagger free with a sharp motion, the silver blade gleaming triumphantly. “That is the justice you deserve,” he mutters, stepping back to prepare for the next threat. Around him, the tension in the air thickens, but for the moment, a sense of victory burns bright.
Round 4
Ghaernan <== Up
Gundar <== Up
Caius
Sasha Dying
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr
Verilich
Khalid
Ghaernan swiftly reacts with the wererat's fall, stepping beside her crumpled, bleeding form and away from the last Tower Girl standing. In the same fluid motion, the thumb of his free hand brushes along the length of twisted woolen cord wound and secured around the base of his ring finger in a dissonant cadence to whispered arcane words, as the Bard raises his hand before the eyes of his attacker and releases a Daze Spell upon her...
DC 14 Will Save, targeting the Tower Girl now only adjacent to Gundar. Thanks!
Ghaernan’s voice rings out with clarity and precision as he completes the incantation for his spell, his hand gesturing subtly yet purposefully toward Embyr.
The effect is immediate. Embyr’s fierce expression falters, her blade lowering slightly as her movements slow. Her eyes glaze over, unfocused, and her body stiffens for a brief moment. The spell’s power takes hold, overwhelming her mind with a sudden and irresistible daze.
She wavers in place, her aggression momentarily replaced by a vacant, bewildered look. The fierce Tower Girl seems utterly disarmed, caught in a haze of magical disorientation.
Around her, the battle continues to rage, but for Embyr, the world appears to pause as Ghaernan’s magic asserts its control.
Round 4
Ghaernan
Gundar <== Up
Caius
Sasha Dying
Nayven : Asleep
Embyr Dazed
Verilich <== Up
Khalid <== Up
Verilich moves forward and drops his staff after moving up to the helpless last target. He reaches out to take control of the situation.
"Really? What are we going to do with them if we capture them? They haven't really done anything wrong to truss them up and bring them in. They will just be more paperwork and then let go. Are we going to let them go if they give us some intel? Seems unwise."
"I could take this one's head off pretty easily." Khalid says pointing to Nayven's neck with the horsechopper.
Ghaernan nods his concurrence with Khalid's conclusion...
"Agreed; the Tower Girls were actively seeking our deaths before we came here. I didn't incapacitate both of them for capture; I did so because I can...and because I'm not the one wielding the monstrous pole axe. Your proposal is as merciful as it gets, I think..."
Sounds like we are learning, not very sporting, but here goes.
Khalid will attempt to Coup de grace the sleeping tower girl.
Verilich winches at the sight of the coup de grace performed by Khlaid, but remembers I did give you a chance and you declined. So this is your fate, so be it.
"You. who are held and not going anywhere. What say you? do you wish a chance to parley or shall the headsman come for you too?"
Anyone hurt? Gundar will ask his friends.
[dice=intimidate]1d20+6
Gundar looks purposefully at his companions, his eyes sharp with concern as he assesses their condition. He pauses beside each ally, his experienced hands ready to intervene should any wounds require immediate attention. “Anyone hurt?” he grunts, his tone both gruff and reassuring as his gaze sweeps over the group.
Meanwhile, Verilich springs into action, taking advantage of Embyr’s dazed state. His movements are swift and precise as he seizes her arms, locking her in a firm grapple. Her struggles are sluggish, the spell clouding her mind making resistance feeble. Verilich’s serpentine wings flare slightly as he mutters, almost to himself, "You. who are held and not going anywhere. What say you? Do you wish a chance to parley or shall the headsman come for you too?"
At the same time, Khalid steps toward the slumbering Nayven, his expression one of grim resolve. With a heavy grip, he raises his horsechopper high, the weapon gleaming menacingly in the dim light. The blade crashes down with brutal force, the curved edge biting deep and clean. The impact is both efficient and horrifying, leaving no doubt that Nayven’s end was instantaneous. Blood pools quickly, dark and thick, beneath her lifeless form, staining the stone floor.
The room feels heavier for a moment, the silence after the strike broken only by Khalid’s labored breaths. As he straightens, his eyes glance toward his companions, the grim reality of their mission reflected in his unyielding expression.
Round 5
Ghaernan <== Up
Gundar <== Up
Caius <== Up
Sasha Dying
Nayven : Dead, dead, dead
Embyr: Dazed and Grappled
Verilich
Khalid
Ghaernan remains troubled, by both the violence and the alarming proximity of it to nearly injuring him, above and beyond the compelling sense that came over him earlier to attempt something 'courageous'...troubling indeed. The Bard harnesses and turns his frustration upon the surviving murderous Tower Girl, immobilized in Verelich's grapple, and speaks to her with an ominous resonance to his voice...
"Your death can be far more painful than hers, 'Tower Girl', if you don't speak now of your remaining numbers, human and wererat, in this infested hideout of yours. I will not wait long..."
Caius will drive the silver dagger to the hilt into the were creature's chest.
Caius will drive the silver dagger to the hilt into the were creature's chest.
Roll your coup damage.