Var darts in in an attempt to get to Phia. Unfortunately there is still a wall of fur and muscle between him and her to be dealt with. The bugbear was uncertain, but seeing Var's approach seems to sort all of that out for him- and to his satisfaction if his snaggle-toothed grin says anything. It obviously wasn't counting on Var's speed though. The ursine goblinoid is barely able to get its chain spinning before Var's sword darts out piercing through its hide armor and deep into it's torso. It looks down stupidly only just beginning to realize how angry and injured it is.
The hobgoblin squaring off with Phia hunches back into a combat stance and grins wickedly. Unarmed he circles with her, free hand trailing through a series of arcane gestures while he moves in rhythm with her thrusts and feints. Eyes glittering he hisses, "Don't you know when to be afraid old woman?! Now! THIS is the time to be afraid!" The hobgoblin roars again this time infusing his shout with some kind of raw arcane energy. Phia feels it wash over her pure terror eroding her will to fight. Host, I have to get out of here!
That done he reaches for the dull silvery warhammer hanging from his belt and bares his teeth at Phia.
The bugbear with the chain steps back winding up and his companion rushes in after Var, an enormous axe raised over its head. Var's breastplate catches the worst of it, but the pure force of the blow is staggering. The injured one lashes out with his chain shattering the tree's clay planter and sending terra cotta shards flying everywhere.
The image of Phia standing with Isaac and Durel (which has been frozen mid-gesture) flickers becoming translucent for a second then vanishes.
"Darn, stormed off into melee..." His first option taken away, Janras aims at one of the skirmishers up on the next level and lets loose a bolt from his small crossbow.
Phia begins to back away rapier and kukri held in front of her, but panic clear on her face.
Janras bolt hits the stone railing of the floor above with a loud *clack* and falls down.
Feanor clutches the mask of the Undying Court around his neck and calls on their protection before moving in behind Var.
Uttering words of power with a gesture of seeking a beam of crakling lightning shoots from my hand toward the bugbear with the chain. Seeking Feanor's protection I then move to L4.
Uttering words of power with a gesture of seeking a beam of crakling lightning shoots from my hand toward the bugbear with the chain. Seeking Feanor's protection I then move to L4.
Var feels the cool aura of Feanor's protection as a chill tingle on the nape of his neck. He grunts his appreciation as his companions take up position behind him, their magics licking out to assault the enemy.
"I'll hold the line here -- let's take them down one by one," he calls over his shoulder, his eyes flicking between the hobgoblins as he carefully maintains guard with his shield.
For DM Ithuriel
Durel's arc of lightning snakes through the tower but (in an moment of pure dumb luck) the bolt curves around the bugbear at the last second missing him entirely. It hits the far wall with a thunderous crack, leaving a blackened scorch mark on the stone.
Overcome by fear, Phia withdraws cautiously making her escape on the bridge.
From above the goblins scurry around repositioning and with a series of twangs fire off another volley of crossbow bolts. Feanor's invisible barrier shimmers slightly as they approach and each bolt's trajectory alters slightly sending them off target. Still, Var has to raise his shield and catch one coming in too close and another manages to hit Feanor solidly.
Meanwhile the goblin spokesman who had been stalking you all, backs off yelling in goblin as the hobgoblin snarls and barks back in kind.
In reply, "I don't bow to Krenuul runt! Out of my way!"
The door nearest Isaac opens and a middle aged dwarf in trousers and an undershirt holding a rolled up newspaper begins shouting, "What in Xoriat is going on out..."
Half way through his rant realization dawns and his voice trails off to nothing. Eyes wide he promptly slams the door shut and those nearby can hear him furiously locking a series of bolts from inside.
"Let me help you get your underlings under control." Issac says to the goblin leader.
The bugbear with the axe tosses his head, but seems to shake off whatever effect Isaac's invasion might have had.
The bugbear with the axe tosses his head, but seems to shake off whatever effect Isaac's invasion might have had.
Var grins over his shield at the bugbear infront of him, "Why don't you calm down and do what the nice goblin says?"
As Var holds for the moment observing, the bugbear facing him draws back his great axe for another swing while the chain wielding bugbear is falling back to give the hobgoblin room to get into the fray.
The axe comes crashing down in a deadly arc, but Var steps inside his guard and drives his shield up hard into the bugbear's forearms and elbows before the axe gains full momentum. The position leaves Var with the opportunity to strike out though the weight slamming down on his shield will make it difficult.
As Var holds for the moment observing, the bugbear facing him draws back his great axe for another swing while the chain wielding bugbear is falling back to give the hobgoblin room to get into the fray.
The axe comes crashing down in a deadly arc, but Var steps inside his guard and drives his shield up hard into the bugbear's forearms and elbows before the axe gains full momentum. The position leaves Var with the opportunity to strike out though the weight slamming down on his shield will make it difficult.
Var punches forwards with his shortsword, flexing his knees slightly to absorb the weight of the axe strike.
Var draws back to thrust his sword into the bugbear's midsection, but it manages to throw a kick driving him away and putting some space between them. Just then the chain comes crashing down from behind the axe-man, but quick instincts save the soldier yet again as he nimbly steps aside and reassesses the situation.
The wild-eyed hobgoblin charges in at top speed throwing himself past the axe-man and nearly knocking him aside. He snarls, "This one is MINE!" buckler held forward and his hammer drawn back already swinging as he closes the distance. Var again manages to get his shield up to meet the blow, but this time the force of it carries through the barrier leaving his arm tingling and throbbing with pain. Once he breaks away the soldier grimly notes a hammer head sized dent in his shield.
Janras, hunches down behind the railing of the stairway considering his options.
"Form a line!"
I take my scroll in hand and cast from it.
I then retrieve another scroll
Feanor silently grips his enormous falchion with both hands and dares anyone to step within his reach. Meanwhile Durel casts from his scroll and seems to step out of himself in all directions at once. The swarm of Durel's simultaneously reach into their scroll cases and unfurl another parchment as one. From the stairwell, Janras slides another bolt into his crossbow and rises up enough to take a shot. His bolt sails well over the railing above and the goblins cackle while they reload their own crossbows and peek over the rail to note targets.
Var risks a brief look over his shoulder as the hobgoblin approaches, checking his companions are getting into position. Maintaining his careful guard for now he grins at his foe over the lip of his shield, then edges forwards with a series of feints and thrusts.
Phia will go back to her original position. She will also attack the injured chain fighter as stated above. Attack: 12+6=18 Damage=3 not sure if you wanted or needed damage or not but here it is. Let me know what else you need.
"Is this how you talk business? Get your men under control friend."
Issac calls out to the goblin leader.Cursing at the bugbear's resilience Issac incants quickly sending another burst of mental energy at the stubborn humanoid. [ooc] whelm Will DC 17 11 nl damage
Atk; Dmg at nearest enemy (1d20+6=14, 1d8+3=10)
"For my ancestor!"
Halfway to the next tower the overpowering fear driving Phia ends abruptly. One second she was running for her life and the next wondering what just happened. Slightly chagrined, the changeling turns and runs back. The bugbear with the chain's ears prick up at her approach and he turns to face her. His cheap hide armor is stained with blood running from a wound in his midsection, but he spins his chain at his side challenging her to try him.
Phia does just that rushing her huge opponent. His chain lashes out, but she stops short jumping back just out of range as it whooshes by. As the chain continues its arc passing her, Phia darts in thrusting with her rapier which punctures his armor but deals only a glancing blow. Her followup, a wide cross slash with the kukri, opens a gash across his lower stomach right through the hide he is wearing. The bugbear yelps in pain and blanches, clutching his stomach with one hand while continuing to work the chain with his other.
Above crossbows twang in quick succession. Two of Durel's images vanish as bolts pass through them striking the wall behind. Another is deflected by Feanor's ancestral ward, while the last still manages to graze his shoulder after being turned off course.
The goblin cackles when Isaac tells him to get his men under control, "MY men?! Hoo hooo!" Then over his shoulder, "Hear that boys? Longshanks recognize leader material even if you don't!" Then back to Isaac he says, "I think we'll talk again, you and I." So saying he strikes the stick in his hand against the barrier wall and thick smoke begins to pour off of it. The cloud of smoke trails behind as he makes for the stairs and then becomes stationary expanding to fill the stairwell.
Isaac focuses his will again and lashes out at the axe swinging wall of fur and muscle now headed to meet Phia. The bugbear staggers mid-step momentarily clutching his temples with one hand, but steels himself and brings the axe to bear.
Var is focused on the hobgoblin, and for what it's worth the wild-eyed nearly unarmored hobgoblin appears to be enjoying it. Var feints and jabs and the hobgoblin tries continually to catch the sword point on his buckler, hammer raised over his shoulder ready to followup. Eventually Var makes his move, lunging in, but finding his blade forced off its initial mark by some unseen force. Still, even driven downwards the thrust was hits his opponent in the thigh enough to elicit a grunt. Immediately the hammer falls with force, but Var again catches it on his shield with a resounding *CLANG*.
The chain spinning bugbear recovers enough to stumble backwards and his partner with the axe is eager to step in. A little too eager for his own good maybe. The axe zooms by Phia but she barely even has to step out of the way before it strikes the wall with a spark and sends chips of stone flying. The chain lashes out again as well, but he is clearly more concerned with his injuries right now than pressing the attack.
A ways behind Var four Durel's begin casting and a writhing bolt of lightning snakes around the fighter to blast his opponent. Even so, smoking and somewhat blackened from the blast, the hobgoblin tosses his dreds and slaps his chest with the buckler strapped fist.
Janras reconsiders his crossbow. Nearly every potential target is locked in melee now making them difficult to hit without risking hitting an ally. So the gnome pops a scroll case and sneaks up the stairs into the open floor. When he finishes the bugbears find themselves standing in a thick field of grease coating everything around them. Both freeze in place treading extremely carefully to keep their balance. The hobgoblin isn't so lucky. As he was going in for a strike when the grease manifests, he continues to spin with the momentum and crashes to the ground trying to right himself.
ar is focused on the hobgoblin, and for what it's worth the wild-eyed nearly unarmored hobgoblin appears to be enjoying it. Var feints and jabs and the hobgoblin tries continually to catch the sword point on his buckler, hammer raised over his shoulder ready to followup. Eventually Var makes his move, lunging in, but finding his blade forced off its initial mark by some unseen force. Still, even driven downwards the thrust was hits his opponent in the thigh enough to elicit a grunt. Immediately the hammer falls with force, but Var again catches it on his shield with a resounding *CLANG*.
...
The hobgoblin isn't so lucky. As he was going in for a strike when the grease manifests, he continues to spin with the momentum and crashes to the ground trying to right himself.
"Not so fearsome now!"
Seizing his chance, Var drives the full force of his weight down through the point of his shortsword, angled for the prone hobgoblin's exposed and lightning-scorched belly.
"Good job Janras," Var shouts hoping the gnome is in earshot.