Lords of Sin [D&D 3.5, PBP]

[Juco Aki]

Juco dashes toward a creature and grips his scimitar. He slashes at the abomination.

He'll charge one if he can. Move close enough if he cannot.

Attack:7
Damage:5

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes grips her sword in determination and charges at the creature who has just shaken off her fire bolt. She keeps a wary eye on the warforged and the other warrior, making certain that her footing is in time with the delicate dance of death they were now performing.

Spellcraft (1d20+7=13)

Longsword Attack (1d20+4=15, 1d8+3=4)

[Ulm]

As Ulm chants "Rustning av mine Fedre, beskytte meg!" the air around him seems to shimmer. It looks as if light is glinting off chainmail, though he wears none.

Dwarven:

Armor of my Fathers, protect me!

I try to remember learning anything about creatures like these in my arcane studies.

Spellcraft (1d20+7=27) Knowledge (Arcana) (1d20+7=21)

"They are not afraid of fire, try something else if you can."

[Sergeant]

The Storyteller wrote:

armored warrior: "Use silver instead of steel if you have it, it works better!"

"Unfortunately I do have any silvered weapons so I will have to beat them the normal way, savagely".

Attack = 9
damage = 15

[The Storyteller]

With the light from Ilantes' dancing lights, you see the creatures a little more clearly. Their pale flesh hangs like tar dripping from the wretched frames. They have blank rolling eyes, and their maws issue huffing noises, hungrily snatching at anything near them.

Initiative:
21 Galstak
18 Ulm
13A Juco
13B Sergeant
10 Ilantes
3 Rider [-1 hp]
1 Creatures

Galstak does ?

Ulm moves up to the group and casts a protective spell on himself.

Juco swings his sword at the nearest one, but gets deflected off of the creature's tough hide.

Sergeant also gets a glancing blow that deflects off harmlessly.

Ilantes' swing lands better but as she draws her blade back she notices that all it did was dent in the flesh of the creature. It didn't look like it harmed the beast.

The rider shouts out in response to Ilantes' question as he moves around trying keep up his defense, "Don't know! Fiends!?!" He again tries to hit the one that Sergeant badly wounded before.
Attack: 1d20+3+1+2=13 his blade skids off the head of one of the creatures.

The creatures turn their attention from the group and seems to renew their focus on the rider.
Attacks: 1d20+4=19, 1d20+4=5, 1d20+4=9, 1d20+4=19, 1d20+4=18, 1d20+4=24
Confirm: 1d20+4=12
Damage: 4d4=7
Stay in the Seat Check (falls on 1): 1d4=1
Falling damage: 1d6=6 Ouch!

The creatures stash into the rider with their claws. He goes unconscious and dragged from the saddle landing hard on the ground. His blood mixes with the mud and the rain and begins to pool around him.

[Galstak The Hawk]

Galstak hurls the ball of flame at one of the things before Ulm says that they're fire-resistant and draws his axe.

1d20+2=20, 1d6+1=7

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes eyes the combat warily, trying to get a feel for the tide of battle.

She forcefully assaults the creature she had attacked, driving the blade towards the enemy.

Longsword attack (1d20+4=16, 1d8+3=6)

DM:

What is the tactical layout? Is there a way I can get around to where I'm flanking one of the creatures without being cut down by Attacks of Opportunity on the way? Can I still see the longsword on the ground? How far away is it from where I'm at?

She steps back a little (takes a five foot step away from the creature) when her blade surges back to her side.

[Ulm]

Ulm continues to advance and chants "Brennevin av jorden guide min knyttneve." His arms and hands appear to gray, resembling the color of stone.

Dwarven:

Spirits of earth guide my fist.

I cast Stone Fist and continue to approach the creatures.

[The Storyteller]

Galstak's ball of fire slams into one of the creatures. The creature appears unharmed by the fire.

Galstak:

Actions for round three?

Ulm:

Are you getting within melee range?

A few comments about how I am doing combat:

If two characters are in melee with a foe, they are considered flanking (I think I've been keeping track of that for the attacks up to this point).

There is always a way to withdraw from melee without drawing an AoO.

Firing into melee is treated as the target having (soft) cover, so typically there will be -4 penalty (shooting into melee) and the target with have a +4 AC bonus (cover bonus).

While in combat, I'm not going to worry too much about speed unless there is a chase. In most cases characters will be in (a)melee, (b) within a step (within 5 ft), (c) close (can make a single move and attack), (d)medium (would need to charge to make an attack), and (e)long (need to run to get to the target). Everybody started close once the arrived on the scene during this fight.

[Juco Aki]

Juco grits his teeth and slashes again at the creature.

Attack:23
Damage:10

Crit Confirmation:19

[Ulm]

I started outside of melee, cast the second spell, then get into position to flank with whichever one Sergeant is fighting

[The Storyteller]

Juco:

Why did you roll 1d8 for your weapon?

Since you did crit, we'll just use your roll and add an additional 3 points of damage to it (for x2 strength), giving a total of 13 damage.

[Juco Aki]

The Storyteller wrote:

** spoiler omitted **

DM:

Ah, sorry. I confused him with my dwarven druid, who uses a warhammer.

[Sergeant]

Sergeant takes a five foot step placing the creature between Ilantes and himself.

"Does anyone know if blunt weapons would be more effective?"

If yes Sergeant drops his greatsword and punches the creature.
If no Sergeant cleaves at it again with his greatsword.

Attack = 15
Damage [fist] = 7
Damage [greatsword] = 11

[Ulm]

Not yet, but we will next round after I hit it with my fist.

[Ilantes Merblaem]

DM:

I just want to know if the longsword that we saw on the ground is anywhere where I can reach it. If it belonged to the warrior, and he knew to use silver weapons, that sword might be better suited to our current combat.

[The Storyteller]

Ilantes:

The sword is in the area occupied by the horse at the moment, so it might be a little hard to get to. Also you might remember that he was using his dagger at the time he said that, with the sword on the ground. He didn't appear to be making any effort to get the sword, but seemed satisfied to continue attacking with the dagger. The dagger is also in the square occupied by the horse at the moment, just FYI.

[Galstak The Hawk]

Galstak moves up to the things and attempt to slash it with his axe.

Moving to melee range and, if possible, attacking. 1d20=9, 1d6=5

[The Storyteller]

Initiative:
21 Galstak
18 Ulm
13A Juco
13B Sergeant
10 Ilantes
3 Rider [-14 hp]
2 Horse
1 Creatures -7

Galstak moves forward attacking one, but only gets a glancing blow and does no damage.

Ulm changes the state of his hands.

Juco slashes into the hurt creature, his blade partially decapitates the creature. The creature slumps and then disolves into a bit of smoke which dissipates almost instantenously.

Spellcraft DC 11:

The creature appears to have been summoned.

Sergeant hearing Ulm's response decides to stick with his sword for the moment, and is able to cut into another creature, wounding it.

Ilantes takes advantage of Sergeant's attack and attacks the same creature, this time she is able to wound it a bit, but still not badly.

Rider
Stablize check (10% or less): 1d100=5 Yeah!

The horse, no longer under the control of the rider leaps out of the fight and bolts through the woods towards the road.

The two remaining creatures seem to have forgotten about the rider breathing shallowly on the ground and start slashing out randomly at the party.
Attacks on: Juco, Sergeant, Ulm, and Galstak
Attacks: 1d20+2+2=20, 1d20+2+2=7, 1d20+2+2=20, 1d20+2+2=10
Damage for Juco and then Ulm: 1d4=1, 1d4=4

[Galstak The Hawk]

"These have not come naturally to this world! They were summoned here!"

Spellcraft: url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2174412/]1d20+2=17[/url]

[Juco Aki]

Juco slices at the creature nearest him, wishing his blade was silver...

Attack:1d20+3=23
Damage:7

Now watch, all my rolls tommorrow are going to get me killed... Anyway,

Crit Confirmation:21
Damage:7

DM:

Okay, so how are we doing crits? Roll again or double(triple, quadruple, etc) damage?

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes tries to gauge the new situation.

"Cover me, friends! I'll try to get the warrior's dagger. It seems more useful than this blade."

On my next action, I'll run to grab the dagger.

[Sergeant]

Sergeant uses his power attack to increase his damage.

Attack = 14
damage = 15

[Ulm]

Ulm smashes one of the creatures, pinning one between himself and Sergeant.

Attack (1d20+5=24) (+2 if flanking), Damage (1d6+7=12) (+1 fire, but that's ignored)

[The Storyteller]

Initiative:
21 Galstak
18 Ulm (-4 hp)
13A Juco (-1 hp)
13B Sergeant
10 Ilantes
3 Rider [-14 hp]

Ulm smashes into the hurt one, it smokes out and disappears.

Juco cuts across the throat of the last remaining one and it seems staggered, just as Sergeant brings his blade down into its skull. It disappears in a puff.

Ilantes picks up the dagger and looks around for any other creatures.

After a moment, nothing else appears to challenge you.

Break initiative.

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes looks around, breathless, as the last creature crumples to the ground and disappears in a puff... she sighs and looks at the dagger.

"Well, that was anticlimatic... And to think I was so proud to be an Acolyte of Flame."

Ilantes turns to the wounded man, but realizes she does not have the skill to tend to his injuries.

[Juco Aki]

Juco moves to inspect the man. He places his hands over the worst of the wounds and chants softly. A pale green light pulses and the injuries begin to heal...

Cure Light Wounds:4

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes solemnly gathers up the longsword and any other possessions that had been dropped during the battle.

As the hovering globes of light blink out, Ilantes salutes the air with her own blade, whispering a word, and four more globes of light shoot from the sword to surround the battlesite again.

Dancing Lights: one minute duration

Ilantes glances at her blade, half-expecting to find some extraplanar goop congealing on its edge.

[The Storyteller]

The open wounds on the rider heal close, but he still seems unconscious.

EDIT: 180 xp for each of you.

[Sergeant]

"We should leave, more of the creatures may be lurking around. They also may be after the rider so we should leave him here to avoid his problems becoming ours".

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes shakes her head at Sergeant's suggestion.

"We should take him with us, at least to the nearest house, and find him a healer. He is alive now, perhaps thanks to us, and I for one intend to make certain he stays that way."

[Sergeant]

"If we are to take him with us should we not go after his horse as well?"

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ride check (1d20+4=18)

"Once the horse calms down and realizes it is not in any danger, it will probably return to the last place it was stabled at. At least, that has been my experience so far."

[Ulm]

"I agree. Our primary duty is to take him back to the cart and then to the safety of town. Sergeant, will you carry the man?"

I will be at a convention (comic con SD) until Sunday, so my posting will be sporatic

[The Storyteller]

The armored warrior can be seen more clearly now. He is dressed in splint mail. A heavy steel shield is strapped to his left arm. Empty scabbards sized to hold a dagger and a sword hang from his belt along with two pouches. On his armor and shield are a symbol that looks like a sword, but the crossguard at the ends of it radiate out in spikes in various directions.

Knowledge (religion) DC 10:

The symbol is that of Iomedae, goddess of valor, rulership, justice, and honor.

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes glances down at the warrior, her lips draw tighter as she sees the armor and the symbol on the shield. She turns to Sergeant.

"Help us to get him on the cart. This man is very likely important. This armor is not inexpensive, and this symbol... It means something. I think this man can help us find out what is going on here."

[Sergeant]

After sheathing his greatsword Sergeant reaches down with one hand and grabs the front of the knight's armor, lifts him and carries back to the carts.

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes is a little alarmed.

"No. No, not like that!"

Ilantes tries to soothe her voice as Sergeant turns toward her.

"You want to use two arms, so he doesn't get hurt further."

[Sergeant]

"I forgot how fragile you fleshlings are"; Sergeant adjusts his hold on the knight trying to be gentler.

[Juco Aki]

Juco laughs openly.

"Ttah eda ochi cor magicka!"

Sylvan:

That made it worth the spell!

[The Storyteller]

As your return to the road and your wagon, you see the horse the warrior was riding standing near by. When Sergeant leaves the woods carrying the warrior, the horse stamps its front hoofs agitatedly, but doesn't approach.

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes places the longsword and dagger next to the unconscious man and turns toward the horse.

"We'll get him to a healer. Do not fear."

[Juco Aki]

Juco speaks to the horse in Sylvan, trying to soothe it...

WildEmpathy:1d20+1-1=10

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Ilantes glances at Juco.

"Calathan miguen asarsha, lestath calamis. Linguam esthe."

Sylvan:

For some reason, I think this horse is more intelligent than most. Speak to it normally.

[Juco Aki]

"Tekna fel. Terrasm tnhe tosm muhanis, ta elast."

Sylvan:

Of course. Smarter most humans, at least.

Juco turns back to the horse.

"Dekkathe, nadgre srohe."

Sylvan:

Apoligies, grand horse.

[The Storyteller]

Sense Motive DC 20:

You sense that the horse though well trained is not smarter than a normal animal. It seems a bit confused as to what to do. It reacted to the sight of its rider, though didn't approach the warforge carrying him.

[Juco Aki]

Sense Motive:16

Juco's doesn't sense anything.

[Ilantes Merblaem]

Sense Motive (1d20+4=20)

"An sheran. Kailith selamn."

Sylvan:

Or perhaps not. Still, well trained though.

[Juco Aki]

"Y tilsl hinkt s'ti terrasm tnhe tosm muhanis."

Sylvan:

I still think it's smarter than most humans.

Its getting harder and harder to make this language. Fun though! :)