Warm jungle mist, a canopy of big leafed jungle trees that break the sunlight into a thousand tiny pieces, butterflies with wingspans the size of targe shields, roaring waterfalls down cliffs so tall they look like cracks in the sky. The jungle of Bhutan, twelve days since the adventurers had their confrontation with a rakshasa in the wide streets of Kota.
The rakshasa himself, had gotten away with his "prize" the young woman Ajjira--grabbing her up over his shoulders and leaping off down the streets as soon as the orcblooded beggar had produced her--and left his cohorts behind to eliminate the "witnesses". Unbeknownst to the rakshasa he had actually abducted Aellana, an Avenger, a defender of freedom, so insensed at the thought of Ajjira being forced back to her homeland to face a compulsitory marriage to an odius man, that she had volunteered to switch places with her. No doubt she will find ways to make herself troublesome later...
The seven adventurers had surged out from the Tale of Glory and as the rain began to patter down again. It was there they had their first of many battles together against the six masked assailants. They killed the assassins and depart the city that same night, heading off into the jungle searching for Teksor.
So many days later, morning is turning to afternoon. The adventurers departed Dobudi at first light--a large half orc village built into a grove of giant mushrooms that had been a welcome place of rest and resupply. Enough trade passed through to offer a decent itinerant blacksmith and a real bath for the first time in days. There had been work too--enough to restock supplies spent in the last week of grinding travel from one ambush to the next. The village was also known for its strong traditions and ties to the past--the elders there living libraries of myths and legends as well as captivating storytellers, offering the opportunity for those of a scholarly bent to sit and listen.
The village was well behind them, out of sight beyond a thick growth of gnarling trees and a small stream that bubbled out from the roots. It was then that they heard the attack, the cries of battle, the splintering of wood. Rushing back to the village, the party carefully worked their way over wet roots and mud, sprinting where they could, until finally they were at treeline at the village's edge. The battle already thickly joined, they watched it unfold. Full-blooded wild orcs pouring into the clearing at the center of the village through a hole in the defensive line, as reserve fighters with spears rush out to face them. At the hole in the line a massive two-headed giant stood, an ettin. Both heads bellow, spraying spittle, as it brings a massive two-handed club down onto two more of the village's defenders crushing them flat. The other orcs, even in their frenzy, give the juggernaut a wide birth, unwilling to themselves become victims of its directionless hate...
The stout dwarven warrior strode ahead of the rest of the group, motioning for them to follow.
"Eyes forward, lads!"
Without a second thought, Harumn charged directly at the ettin, eyes focused on its knees.
"Taste m'steel, ye two-'eaded git!"
The dwarf buckled down on his shield and let loose a powerful swing of his axe.....
(Initiative total: 12; Charging attack roll: 18 - DMG: 12 if successful. The ettin is TOTALLY my Dodge target for the round. Don't forgot my dwarven AC bonuses against giants! :D)
"... he's going to need all the help he can get to take that thing down..." Kutok pauses momentarily at the sight of the monster, before sprinting after the foolhardy dwarf.
Kutok attempts to flank the ettin, or get as close as possible, before snapping out a kick that merely grazes the giant's skin.
Init (9), charging attack (9)
Genji's eyes narrow as he see's the two headed behemoth.
His quick hands notch an arrow to his bow before most of his comrades can move. His jaw clenched so tight he can taste blood as he takes aim at the space where the two necks converge.
Initiative total-15
Quick draw/Rapid Shot
attack rolls: +16/+16
damage if successful: 1st=7 2nd=5
Glad that the ranger had convinced him that wearing his leather armor was a better idea than continuing on through the jungle in his priestly robes, Isaeldan is stunned by the sight of the massive creature and its destructive rage.
Never have I seen such a sight as this he thinks to himself, watching the orcs swarm like deadly ants across the village, the natives doing their best to repulse the attack. The elf's stunned reverie is broken, however, as the dwarf calls out, and charges ahead towards the towering, two-headed foe.
"Vaedryn, may your eyes be mine and give truth to the flight of my arrows," he murmurs softly, dropping his shield and slinging his bow off his back. He pulls back, trying to aim his shot towards the gulf between the two massive necks, and lets the arrow fly as he contemplates this, his first shot in a true battle.
(AC is now 14, flat-footed 12)
Initiative: 5
Attack roll: Critical threat; Confirmation: 19 (natural 20, wow!)
Damage: 16 if critical, 2 if not
Moving with haste that might be surprising or even unseemly in an elf, Keria draws her bow and maintains a safe distance from the two headed beast; even so, she hesitates in firing her shot. Surely, it would be wiser to guide her companions' attacks.
"When I was but a youth," she looks to her younger comrades, "my grandmother found me struggling with myriad problems, trying to solve them all at once..."
(Initiative 19, spending one use of Bardic "Music" to inspire courage in my allies. You may need to retool your numbers a bit -- +1 to Attack and Damage rolls)
Amid the furor of the battlefield, Keria begins to speak. The words, their meaning lost somewhat in the frenzy of action, nonetheless lose none of their power. Their cadence gives strength and direction, and harmony to the actions of the others. And more than this--they grant purpose...
Gengi rolls up and lets fly two arrows. They arc through the air toward the collarbone that joins the two howling heads of the ettin as it stoops low to meet them. The first cuts through the top of the scalp of one head, hitting bone and flipping away. The other is swatted off by the thrashing second head, hitting flat side against the creature's knobby cheekbone.
Harumn calls out his rallying cry and charges forward, bounding first into the attack radius of a charging orc, but ducks low and throws himself through before the mad creature can launch an attack. A second orc comes into range in the charge and swings his thick axe overhead but is caught in the sternum with an armored pauldron of the charging dwarf cutting short his attack. He finishes his charge swinging his axe around in an underhand swipe and bites into the underthigh of the ettin coming out in a gout of foul smelling blood. Both heads raise up to the sky and roar as the monster drops to one knee.
Kutok, trailing a circle around the approaching orcs, keeping them carefully out of range, places himself behind the two-headed giant and as it goes down snaps out a fierce kick. It hits, landing halfway down the ettin's hip, but seemingly with no damaging effect.
It does attract the creature's attention however. It hands the club over into the hand on Kutok's side and takes two furious swings at him. The impacts buckle Kutok's legs under him and the ground on either side of him is turned up into great trenches, but neither blow hits him.
Isaeldon releases a shot, carefully tipping up his bow so as not to hit the others and releases a graceful shot which arcs through the air and catches the etten in the forearm. It growls and swears an oath in giant mixed with orc, and begins to look around for something to throw at the archers.
Meanwhile the village levvy throw themselves into the path of the charging orcs, slowing some while others aren't as lucky, batted aside or cleft asunder with morningstars and axes. The overhanging layered tattered caps of the giant mushrooms are rimmed with what meager archers the village can manage, and they choose their targets, laying careful shots into the melee below. Here and there an enemy falls, but most thud harmlessly into the packed dirt. Meanwhile noncombatants are moved away from the fighting, up the great beige trunks of the fungi on rope ladders, assisted by guards tasked with moving them to safety. Among them are the elders and the children of the village.
Here and there as guards fall and no immediate targets present themselves, the maddened orcs drop to their knees and begin to take up the bodies of the fallen--and they begin to eat them.
Ajjira, quickly and without words, produces two daggers and weaves her way through the battle. Using her blades defensively, she moves toward a strategic position behind the ettin. Lashing out, she aims for the beast's hamstrings...
Technical: Initiative 14. +1 AC/-1 AB via Combat Expertise. Attempt to flank the ettin opposite Harumn or Kutok, whichever is more convenient. She successfully tumbles 15 ft. to avoid AoOs, and makes a stab at the ettin (total 21; possible crit roll 14). If she hits, she does 6 damage. Crit +3, SA +1...poo on my dice.
Ajjira, quickly and without words, produces two daggers and weaves her way through the battle. Using her blades defensively, she moves toward a strategic position behind the ettin. Lashing out, she aims for the beast's hamstrings...
Ajjira matches pace with Harumn, dashing back and forth between orc berzerkers and harried defenders, weaving her way toward the massive ettin giant. She gets there mere moments before the dwarf, barely stopping to whirl the steel in her hands. In a flash of blood she slices through the tendons behind the opposite foot just as Harumn's axe bites into the creature's inner thigh. As it crashes to a knee, its foot goes out, wrenching the severed tendons in a second spray of blood--providing an easy way up for any of the three melee fighters, to climb up atop it...
As soon as the second arrow leaves the string Genji slings his bow into place and pulls free his battle axe, charging directly at the hobbeled giant. He dashes close trying to swing upward at it's temporarily lowered body.
Attack roll 8 including charge
did not bother rolling damage
Ac is now 15 vs orcs
19 vs ettin
As soon as the second arrow leaves the string Genji slings his bow into place and pulls free his battle axe, charging directly at the hobbeled giant. He dashes close trying to swing upward at it's temporarily lowered body.
Darting forward Genji is met by the imposing form of an orc, heavy dirt caked axe aloft over head, jaws wide under his half-helm. The blade of the axe comes down just after him and he dodges past. Then another orc felling a village guard turns with his still bloodied warhammer and upswings it into Gengi's midriff. The armor takes the majority of the damage (3 pts), but still he feels the impact through every inch of him--making him go numb and dizzy as he's planted on his rear. Another guard, a desparate looking kid--maybe fourteen years old, but only just-- rushes in, and interposes himself to give the gnome a chance to get to his feet...
Gillad's inexperience and youthful innocence shows as he takes a moment to fully realize the horror that is occurring around him.
(Init roll - 5)
http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?u=Gillad&limit=on
Seeing Genji and the brave youth in danger of becoming surrounded, Gillad begins to incant a spell to incapacitite the Orcs threatening both of them.
(Starting full round cast of sleep, trying to center it beside Genji to hit at least 2 orcs)
Seeing the giant brought low before him, the dwarf grins and lets forth a coarse laugh.
"C'mon down 'ere, lad! Lemme show ye how to play in th'dirt!" He mockingly tells the ettin as he takes an overhead swing with his axe, hoping to catch the monster in one of it's chins.
(I don't know if we're rolling INIT every round or not, but if we are, I rolled a 4 for init and a 15 to hit or 17 if I have a flanking bonus now. 13 damage if successful thanks to Inspire Courage. Heh... rolling max damage twice in a row!)
"C'mon down 'ere, lad! Lemme show ye how to play in th'dirt!" He mockingly tells the ettin as he takes an overhead swing with his axe, hoping to catch the monster in one of it's chins.
Harumn sweeps the axe overhead, sure he connected with one of the throats of the ettin, but as he follows through and spins to look up, the creature pulled itself just out of range, the axeblade passing just in front of it--argh! And such a pretty swing too.
(I'm only worrying about it when two actions might interfere with each other or at the start of a conflict.)
Harumn sweeps the axe overhead, sure he connected with one of the throats of the ettin, but as he follows through and spins to look up, the creature pulled itself just out of range, the axeblade passing just in front of it--argh! And such a pretty swing too.
Harumn growls deeply at the ettin.
"Quit movin' ye smelly pile o' dung!"
Visibly enraged, Harumn nonetheless maintains his stalwart posture, keeping his shield close to his body and minimizing his target profile on all sides, his head glancing briefly to check his flanks as he pulls the axe back for another swing.
(No action here, just describing the results of the round.)
"Grandmother took me outside," Keria continues her story calmly, taking careful aim at the two-headed beast, "and showed me an old tree that split in two directions near the base."
So saying, she gently lets her arrow fly toward her target.
(Attack Roll 21, 17 for firing into melee. 6 damage if successful)
I must remain close in the event they should need me Isaeldan thinks to himself. The elf knows full well that he is not and experienced archer, and will risk much by firing into the melee that has enveloped the twin-headed best. Donning a severe countenance, he quickly strides forward, staying out of the reach of the orcs, and looks for an easy target. He spies a beast-man bearing perilously close to a stranded child
"Vaedryn is the Lord of Learning, and the rearing and teaching of children is precious to him. It is against His will that you harm him, foul beast, and I will see to it that he is not defied!"
Speeking more to himself than anyone else in an attempt to build his confidence, or perhaps due to the swelling of morale he feels as his grey elf companion speaks, Isaeldan simultaneously knocks another arrow, and takes aim at the offending orc.
Attack roll: 7 total, 8 if within 30 feet.
Damage: None likely.
Ajjira, seeing an opportunity, makes a stab at the creature's lower back. She remembers her mentor explaining to her about the placement of kidneys and their vulnerability...
Technical: Argh! Attack roll not worth mentioning. If she is not yet flanking, Ajjira takes a 5 ft. step toward the nearest flanking position.
Keria looses an arrow, which flies straight and buries itself midway up the shaft in the creature's chest, through the thick hide and into the muscle beneath. It spasms under the arrow hit, jerking back and forcing Ajjira, who had sprung up onto it's back with her daggers raised, to jump down before she can thrust in either blade.
Speeking more to himself than anyone else in an attempt to build his confidence, or perhaps due to the swelling of morale he feels as his grey elf companion speaks, Isaeldan simultaneously knocks another arrow, and takes aim at the offending orc.
Isaeldan looses an arrow, but it whistles by the orc. It doesn't even force the foul creature to look up. It raises a spiked club and the business is done before Isaeldan can turn away. The child falls flat like a rag doll just as one of the guards comes for him. Seeing the child the guard goes down to his knees, "Tari! Tari!" He throws down his spear and just looks up hatefully at the orc, waiting to join him.
Visibly enraged, Harumn nonetheless maintains his stalwart posture, keeping his shield close to his body and minimizing his target profile on all sides, his head glancing briefly to check his flanks as he pulls the axe back for another swing.
Rearing back onto it's knees, nearly ready to topple, both heads lost in a private world of pain from the creature's many wounds, suddenly one set of eyes snaps open, wild with fury and glares down at Harumn directly below it. It's arm swings up high over it's head and the big greatclub comes crushing down, hitting the dwarf in the shoulder and staggering him back (8 pts). Splinters of wood explode from the shield, broken planks sticking through the leather facing like a compound fracture. The shoulder of the breastplate is crushed down painfully, pinching the muscle underneath and limiting the upward movement of his arm until he gets to an armorer.
It's arm swings up high over it's head and the big greatclub comes crushing down, hitting the dwarf in the shoulder and staggering him back (8 pts). Splinters of wood explode from the shield, broken planks sticking through the leather facing like a compound fracture. The shoulder of the breastplate is crushed down painfully, pinching the muscle underneath and limiting the upward movement of his arm until he gets to an armorer.
Harumn stands firm, biting down hard from the pain of the blow. He looks back up at the ettin, incensed at the creature's audacity, his eyes filled with fury. Unable to move his left arm up due to the crushed pauldron, Harumn ditches the devastated shield and brings his hand to bear on his waraxe and swings for the creature's ankle.
"Like choppin' wood..." he thought to himself as he swung with all his might.
(I get the impression that we aren't doing initiative every round. This attack roll - 26!, 11 to confirm; add +2 to those if I'm flanking now. DMG: 7, 24 if crit confirms. Harumn is now using the axe 2-handed and has ditched the shield, reducing his AC to 21 against the ettin, 20 against all others.)
(Hm. There was a post about the effects of the sleep spell hitting 2 orcs and the guard I was trying to help, but it's gone now - waiting for the end of the round and new round, I assume?)
Gillad feels his stomach drop as the young guard drops to the ground; the intention to help others may have put the youth in even more danger.
Gillad begins the gestures and chant of another spell, hoping his magic will not go awry.
(Casting Acid splash, targeting the orc who knocked down the child, and is menacing the guard: Ranged touch attack roll 14, damage 2)
"No!" Isaeldan shouts as he sees the orc finish his bloody deed. A glob of acid shoots across the battle field, a roar comes from the ettin, and the elf's anger wells inside of him. He now understands perfectly the reason for his people's hatred of the orcish race.
Isaeldan begins to murmer a prayer to Vaedryn, asking for truth and knowledge once more as he prepares his bow again.
Action: Casting true strike on my next round. Will attack on the following one. Provided there aren't any obvious and dire threats in the way, Isaeldan will march grimly forward after his casting and before his shot next round, attempting to get within 30 feet to use Point Blank Shot.
DM CLARIFICATION:
Two different scenes going on here! Gillad dropped two orcs and a guard with a sleep spell, leaving Gengi to shake off a bad hit...
Meanwhile elsewhere Isaeldon shoots an arrow at a different orc who's menacing a child who broke away from the efforts to evacuate the noncombatants. This is a different kid! The results here are that the missed arrow doesn't stop this orc from killing the kid and another guard (probably a relative of the now fallen child) has fallen to his knees and dropped his spear just wanting to die.
Two different things going on in the same battle.
--If folks want to edit or delete their posts, then I'll delete this one once things are fixed.--
Genji rises from his injury and straps on his wooden shield.
"Fall back and help those that are fleeing! Let us hold this wave! " He screams at the young guard. Trying to make his words as forceful as possible to ensure the youth doesn't stick around for what he plans next. Charisma check 18
Genji springs forward and swings his ax at the orc in front of him to cover the boys retreat.
Attack roll:23 damage: 4 (+1 for bardic music)
His anger swelling at the sight of the orc raiders and their savagry Genji screams at the top of his lungs all the most vile and stinging orcish insults he can bring to memory. He spits his words at all orcs within shouting distance hoping to draw them away from the overwelmed defenders.
Genji now has an AC of 19 with his shield. 23 vs the ettin
(I can't edit or delete my posts which are older than about 5 minutes - I'm not sure if I have some weird cookie settings or what. To try and clarify, Gillad meant to shoot the acid splash at the orc menacing the guard who dropped his weapon, rather than an orc near the ones dropped by the sleep spell. If necessary, he could spend a round, or a move action positioning to be able to see that area properly.)
Roused from her focus by the familial cries of the guard, Keria grits her teeth a moment. The two-headed beast seems taken care of by her allies.
"She asked me," the elf forces herself to continue retelling the story, "how I might destroy such a foe. Childlike, I began with the outliers."
Moving to get a clear shot, Keria takes careful aim at the orc Isaeldan had missed, and fires without further comment.
(Attack roll 17, or 13 if the orc is "in melee". 3 damage if successful.)
Harumn stands firm, biting down hard from the pain of the blow. He looks back up at the ettin, incensed at the creature's audacity, his eyes filled with fury. Unable to move his left arm up due to the crushed pauldron, Harumn ditches the devastated shield and brings his hand to bear on his waraxe and swings for the creature's ankle.
(High init. allows characters the ability to pre-empt other characters and NPC's actions. If none is posted, then I'll assume either first post, first to act, or simultaneous action depending on what makes the most sense in a given situation)
Harumn lets the shield drop and brings the axe laterally against the gnobby trunklike ankle. There is a crunch and as he twists the knife free he can see the white of bone through the wound. The massive leg goes out and the ettin keels over sideways--still alive, but now totally immobile and unable to stand. One ankle is gashed to the bone, his hamstring cut, and his inner thigh split. Still it waves around it's club defensively, to discourage any from coming near, yowling curses in three languages, its misshapen heads contorted in pain.
A sizzling flash of acid green sprays the orc, even as he prepares to lay his warclub across the back of the prostrate guard. Even as flesh bubbles under a haze of acrid smoke, the orc looks up at Gillad, a grin of baleful sadism on it's beastial face--and an arrow catches it in the sternum, shot from Keria's bow. It slides to the ground on all fours, pulls out the arrow with a grunt, and slips into unconsciousness.
Meanwhile Genji strides out amongst the orcish attackers, axe aloft, the most bitter of orcish curses--many orcish curses crude beyond the capacity of many humanoid tongues, and these ones well chosen. He gets the attention of four. One of whom, in turning, catches a village spear in his side of the knee for his trouble and drops. The three remaining leave the defenders to strengthen the line elsewhere and begin to lope toward Gengi, hefting their weapons and patting them in their hands, circling in like wild dogs sniffing for a weakness in his defense.
At his side is Isaeldan, his weapon glowing with the charged enchantment--almost moving on its own, pausing in line with each opponent it is leveled with, as if hungry to leap forth and find the blood of a foe.
Harumn grins victoriously as the ettin hits the ground, taking a glance around to see how his other compatriots are faring.
"'jira, Kutok, git yerselves o'er there'n help the midget! Ol' boy 'eres as good as gone!" Harumn directed his two meleeing companions over towards Genji and Isaeldan where the orcs were beginning to close in. He then turned his attention back to the ettin, holding his axe out to one side as he spat into the nearest face just before delivering the killing blow.
(Initiative - 8; Atk: 11... probably didn't hit but 13 damage if it did.)
"'jira, Kutok, git yerselves o'er there'n help the midget! Ol' boy 'eres as good as gone!" Harumn directed his two meleeing companions over towards Genji and Isaeldan where the orcs were beginning to close in. He then turned his attention back to the ettin, holding his axe out to one side as he spat into the nearest face just before delivering the killing blow.
The ettin was prone, but thrashing, waving his greatclub in great defensive arcs and jabs, it made it fiendishly difficult to find an opening to attack. Summoning his courage, Harumn waited for the big column of wood to whistle overhead and took his step in raising his axe as best the limited upward flexibility of his armor would allow. He rushed in, but couldn't get the swing off as the massive club came crashing down right in front of him, exploding the dirt in front of him, caking him in a snowstorm of black dirt forcing him to stagger back a step.
Ajjira, gritting her teeth in frustration, lowers her defensive off-hand dagger and lunges right-handed at the ettin.
Technical: No more Miss Combat Expertise! Attack total 16 (I'm assuming she's in a flanking position by now). If successful, she does 6 damage. If unsuccessful, well, Weapon Finesse is only a level away...
Ajjira, gritting her teeth in frustration, lowers her defensive off-hand dagger and lunges right-handed at the ettin.
She dives forward, just as the huge club impacts on the opposite side, looking for an opportunity to plunge her dagger into it's putrid hide. She powers it in with everything she's got, but the skin is much tougher than she would have imagined. The blade stops dead in the rhinocerous leather of the creature, and she just doesn't have the angle or the power behind the weapon for it to punch through. Before she can readjust her grip, the big elbow slams back to dissuade her attacks.
(Weapon finesse is a good one--particularly against a customer like this. His AC is 18--and it's all hide and natural armor. If you negate his -1 Dex from him being flatfooted, his AC just gets better--paradoxically (though I'm keeping it at 18, cause that's just wierd) You guys fighting him in melee are at least doing better than the archers are. With that -4 for firing into melee they're looking at the equivalent of rolling 22s!)
EDIT: Hope everyone is adding in their flanking bonuses and +1 from the bardic inspiration!
Gillad waves a quick thank-you to Keria, for felling the acid-damaged orc he was afraid he would have to face on his own.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he glances back toward the young guard his wayward sleep spell affected, and begins to prepare himself mentally to rush over into danger to assist the boy, who seems not much younger than himself.
Almost as an afterthought, he reaches into his spellpouch to find a worn piece of leather, and with it firmly in hand, begins the incantation to afford himself a bit of magical protection. (casting Mage Armor - new AC is 16)
The familiarity of the gestures and words calms him a little, but a sinking feeling sets in as he realizes that his tiny supply of spells is dwindling fast.
"... he's not dead yet..."
Inspired by Keria's words, Kutok flies into a massive flurry of attacks, taking full advantage of his position and the prone status of the giant.
Mechanics: (flurry of blows & two-weapon fighting for -4, +1 from inspiration, +2 from flanking, +4 from the ettin being prone = +7 total)
1st Atk: 24 (8 damage)
2nd Atk: 25 (6 damage)
3rd Atk: 10 (--)
If that waylays the ettin, Kutok takes a 5-foot step toward the nearest orc, an angry expression on his face. "Their actions disgrace a proud legacy..."
(Placing my actions before Kutok's in chronology -- hey, if you put words in my mouth, I'll use my higher initiative to put them in context. :P)
Keria nods in response to Gillad's wave, and turns back to the fray. One way or another the battle cannot last much longer.
"Even with all the years ahead of me, working from the outside in would have taken too long." She looks to the field before choosing another target. "Strike to the root of the problem, and the rest will fall easily in time...
"He's not dead yet!" She calls to Kutok, firing distractedly at one of the more obnoxious looking corpse devourers.
On seeing the orc-blooded warrior's frenzy, she glowers down on the barbarians, speaking as much to herself as to anyone else. "Their actions disgrace a proud legacy."
(Attack roll got the d20 a stern lecture)
(I'm assuming that the true strike continues to apply to my critical confirmation roll. I have a scene in my mind; let me know if I'm overstepping my bounds as a player)
Isaeldan stands as close to back-to-back as he can with the shorter ranger. Without looking from the circling orcs, he speaks to Genji in Common. "I suppose now would be a good time to break my habit of deliberation and show some initiative."
Refocusing on the orcs, moving like predatory sea beasts who've caught the scent of blood, the elf calls out in their gutteral tongue: "The first one to take another step closer to either of us will recieve my arrow in their face!"
One of the creatures chuckles and boldly puts his foot forward.
Mechanics: Attack- Natural 20 on attack, 23 to confirm; Damage- 17 (assuming confirmation; 3 if unsuccessful somehow).
The others cease chuckling. "A cleric of Vaedryn never lies!" Isaeldan says with a smile, his confidence swelling.
Ajjira tries a different angle as she lunges at the ettin yet again.
Technical: Attack total 23, damage total 7.
Kutok's eyes blaze as he strikes a stance that moors him to the ground like a mighty ox, arms lashing forward as if driven by pure elemental fury. Ribs break inward, the ettin sucks in paniced breaths--wheezing, unable to take in air. Finally Ajjira silences it's thrashing with a clean slice to the kidneys, shuddering the creature to into a final cold rest.
Isaeldon goes back to back against Genji, loosing an arrow into the face of the first orc to charge, the first half of the shaft tearing through the hide helm as the rage leaves it and it drops limply to the ground.
All around them the tide is turning. The orc missed by Keria's arrow is almost instantly dropped by three village spearmen. All around there is a surge, and a gathering cry of relief from the defenders, turning against the still snarling orcish horde, but without their giant, and with the evacuation having been completed, the line has been reformed and the second and third waves of reinforcements have forced the orcs into a last stand.
Ajjira looks over the huge body to Kutok and Harumn. "Perhaps we were a bit overzealous with this one? Let's go collect an information source."
Can Ajjira see the Genji-Isaeldon v. Ring of Orcs situation? If so, she advances toward a likely flanking position there. If not, she'll do similarly to help the town defenders.
Grunting victoriously and nodding at Ajjira and Kutok, Harumn spits on the ettin's body and turns back to face the melee. He surveys the immediate battlefield, looking first for a shield and second for a solid place to stand and drive the foul orcs back.
(He's looking for any discarded shields that look like they're still intact. If he doesn't spot one, he'll shrug and move towards the bulk of the fighting. If he does, he'll snag it, put it on, and THEN move towards the bulk of the fighting.)
Genji rushes toward the remaining two orcs and meets them as they charge. The elf is a crack shot, maybe I can buy him enough time for some more
Genji makes an attempt the flanks of the nearest orc but his axe nearly falls from his hand in the attempt (natural 1, man this is not my battle) . After nearly loosing his weapon he resigns his full attention to defence, battering their crude weapons away with his shield and ax, until he sees another opening.
If Genji had enough room between him and the orcs he would have charged, so his AC might be lowered to 17 in that case.
(Lucky for Harumn, Isaeldan dropped his light wooden shield back at the beginning of the fight. Speaking of which...)
Isaeldan looks around him. His smile fades as he realizes that his advantage has quickly dissappeared. The orcs are now engaged with Genji, and the elf doesn't trust his aim that well now that Vaedryn's power has left him. He would simply take aim at anothe band of savages, but many are already engaged by the defenders, and he can't just leave the gnome to fight on his own.
Isaeldan places his bow back on his back. That accomplished, he rushes over to try locating an advantageous position to ally with Genji in the fight against the orcs. His blade is drawn as he moves.
"I should have had the foresight to keep my shield with me rather than discarding it so soon! Forgive my foolishness, Vaedryn."
Mechanics: A move action to put away my bow, and a move action to close as well as I can with Genji with hopes of assuming a flanking position, drawing my longsword as I do so.
Harumn stoops down and picks up a shield, overheavy and shod from greenish splintery wood framed in sharpened scrap metal bits set like jagged teeth. He sprints to the line of defenders, a stout broadchested man at his left and a fierce-looking woman on his right. To either side there are three defenders sharing a single orc apeice and victory seems immenent as yet more defenders drop down from ropes from the mushroom caps above.
Ajjira and a handful of other guards rush the three remaining orcs circling Gengi and Isaeldan. One of the guards twists his shortspear into the shoulder of an orc which grunts and turns into the blow. Another orc takes a viscious swing at Isaeldon, barely missing, the rusted ball of hammered scrap that served as a macehead ripping a swath from the cleric's cloak and leaving abrasions across the leather armor beneath. The stink of the dying saturates the air.
Noting Isaeldan's plight, Keria ceases her tale. Better to bolster their spirits again later than to ignore the more important matters at hand. With haste, she stows her bow and snatches up the priest's shield, assuming a defensive posture as she readies herself to enter the fray.
"Isaeldan," the bard shouts in the Elven tongue, "you cannot craft victory if you leave your tools lying about!"
(Mechanics: stowing my bow as a move, grabbing the shield as a move. Ceasing to Inspire Courage so that I can communicate effectively, the effects will continue for five more rounds. Finally, I'm fighting defensively if there are any foes nearby, raising my AC to 17 for this round.)
Gillad takes a deep breath, and strides over with purpose to correct his mistake, even though it brings him close to danger.
The foul grunts and shouts of the orcs looming large before him, Gillad does his best to concentrate on his personal mission at the front lines.
(move action to get over to him, standard action to wake up the young guard he mistakenly caught in the speel spell radius).
Unless Ajjira can get a flanking position, she attempts a Feint and then an attack:
With an expression of sudden carnal rage, Ajjira stabs forward with one blade. When her orcish foe swings its weapon to parry, she smirks and whips her other blade upward toward its exposed jugualar...
Tech: Bluff check 8 (argh, nat 1!). Attack total 19 (21 if flanking). Damage 3 plus a possible 5 SA.
Harumn joins the line of defenders, shield in hand, and bellows an order to press forward and drive the enemy before them.
Harumn steps forward, advancing with the guards, and takes a swing at the nearest foe.
(Attack roll: 11; 4 dmg if successful.)
Ajjira lashes out with her first dagger, and the orc swings his metal banded warclub to meet it, intercepting it and nearly knocking it out of Ajjira's hand--though the weight of the blow upon the blade is enough to send a rattle of pain up her arm. Ajjira's other blade rushes up under the chin of the orc, thick with greasy stubble--and carves herself a chunk from it. She ducks out from the spray of blood before she dirties herself.
Keria makes her way across the battlefield, meeting no resistance from the many but totally overwhelmed orc invaders, still it's a tense trip, knowing there's no time to grab a weapon--that all she would be able to do is hold up Isaeldon's shield and hope. Finally she arrives at the leather clad cleric and profers him his shield with some good natured chiding advice to go with it.
Gillad cautiously steps through the big slumbering orcs and gives the guard a shake on the shoulder. His eyes lazily open, and he looks up, smiling dumbly as though throughout the battle he had been taking a cozy little nap in a glade. Suddenly his eyes snap wide with horror, realizing he had somehow been asleep during the fighting and he panics, looking around and finding his spear. He casts Gillad a guilty pleading look and rushes to go support the line. The other two orcs, hair matted with gore, are snoring with unsettling gentility. One has even reached over a spiked bloody gauntlet and has draped it over the other.
Harumn, steps up, taking a step to one flank of an outnumbered orc and rings his battleaxe off his backplate, dropping the frothing savage forward onto the waiting spearpoints of the attacking defenders, who alternate plunging their spears into him until he drops.
Looking around...the battle is nearly done. The last of the attackers is falling--strange that not a single orc ran--and a cheer of exhausted victory goes up along the parts of the line free to rush upon the last handful of stubborn invaders. Tonight there promises to be a party the likes of which this village has never seen in celebration of their lives and the heroes who turned the slaughter into an unbelievable victory.