Herral dodges behind the much larger target of Mal and readies for the man to take some serious damage. His holy symbol prepared and the healing magic uppermost in his flighty mind.
Let's start with Mal's Will save:
Unlike Simon and Herral, Mal seems to breath in the strange mist, which gives him pause and he looks a little worse for wear despite his gigantic frame. Mal: See the spoiler above for the result.
Gorzal has fled back from his fight with the bugbear, nearing where Zareby, Will, and Addy were.
Simon positions himself in front of the gurgling fishman, attempting to create a feint while Malatar moves in place. He tries a strike, but finds himself out of position and the fishman uses his trident to block the attempt. However, the bait has worked: Mal moves into position and pierces the fishman from behind. Despite the wavering of his limbs, his strike is hard and true! The thing collapses in a croaking, black-blooded heap.
With their foes down, Herral takes the opportunity to channel healing energy (like floating butterflies) to Simon and Malatar.
Chanelling:
Addy fires and hits her foe again as she moves closer to cover. This time the shot is even deeper - hitting the shoulder joint. But as the man yells in agony, his voice is cut short as a crossbow bolt nails him in the neck and drops him for good. The shot came from...Will!?
Zareby's bolt strikes the bugbear square in the face - icy rime coating it's maw and fur. But it charges without stopping and manages to get right on top of him.
Second armored man hasn't realized his comrade is down, but focuses instead on the giant again. The shot sails wide into the darkness past Mal. Crossbow:
Neheshru emerges from the misty pool next to the armored man who just fired. An evil smile emerges from her face, and she utters "Zarga can sense your fears; let's see if we can't awaken it." She points the scepter in her hand at Mal and utters a black curse.
Finally, there's no further sight or sound of the three Gill-men aside from their shuffling feet somewhere in the room.
Will looks up from his hasty crossbow rewinding at the woman's comments.
"You MUST be joking!" He blurts before his brilliant brain can stifle the impulse.
"Mal's not scared of you! For Desna's sake! He's big enough to STEP on you!" He cat-calls incredulously.
"Go ahead Mal! Tell her how crazy that is! Mal. Mal?,..."
Mal’s feeling somewhat shaken despite his increased stature, and has been trying to ignore all but the battle in front of him, concentrating on taking down that damned fishman – and it works! Despite the slight shakiness of his arm, the fishman collapses in a bloody, gurgling heap .
... But at the woman’s words, a look of horror comes over his looming face. “No ...” he croaks, swallowing hard, backing slowly away.
** spoiler omitted **
Mal:
You have the frightened condition - which means you flee from the source of its fear as best you can. If unable to flee, you can may fight with the minus a –2 penalty on all attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. Since you aren't panicked, you'll try to flee as best you can, but not recklessly - you don't drop weapons or run blindly. My only condition is that you won't want to be near her, but otherwise you can react in other manners.
By the way, the condition lasts 3 rounds and is added to the other effect as well (for a total of -3 on rolls).
Initiative order:
Gorzal: 24
Simon: 22
Herral: 21
Addy: 20
Azlanti Gill-men: 20
Mal: 19
Will: 18
Lire: 13
Zareby: 12
Armored Men: 11
Neheshru: 10
Bugbear: 10
Fishman: 5
Gorzal rallies his courage and will attempt to move around the bugbear for a flanking manuever. This will allow the bugbear to make an AOO.
Morningstar:
Confirm Critical:
Damage:
You hear the crack of ribs as the bugbear's glancing blow strikes the halfling's small frame. Amazingly, Gorzal is still standing, but just barely, as he squeezes by.
GM:
GM: ** spoiler omitted **
Mal:
He can certainly head in that direction and swing at it in a panic. Just remember the ceiling drops to 15' up on the terrace edge, so I need you to roll an acrobatics check to make sure you don't conk your head against the ceiling if you decide to step up there.
“Herral, Simon, we gotta go, we can’t win this,” Mal’s voice echoes around the chamber, all the usual bravado and sarcasm absent from his tone.
He backs away another giant step (right over Herral’s head), then turns and runs, yelling an inarticulate cry of fear and anger – and anger which he seeks to take out on the bugbear up on the terrace, almost directly in his path.
Still yelling, he leaps up onto the five foot high terrace (easy enough at his almost thirteen foot height), and attempts to shoulder barge the bugbear against the wall, but smashes his head against the stone ceiling above, and stumbling back down and away from the bugbear, blood flowing down his face.
Simon charges for the armored woman.
"Dawnflower, guide my sword and let us lay low the children of the Rough Beast!"
Smite Evil:
As the giant Malatar flees, Simon calls out over his shoulder.
"Nay, Master Kane! Hold fast! We have these fiends on the ropes!"
Bugbear AOO:
Bugbear's attack fails to strike Mal.
Zareby: FYI - Gorzal is in position to create a flank, so remember to add +2 to you attack rolls.[/ooc]
No wanting to risk hitting Simon, Addy keeps her attention on the second armored man - hoping to keep him off-balance.
. The shot misses and she moves into position to drop behind the pillar.
Simon:You have room and can charge. Unfortunately the strike misses.
Yelling loudly, Zareby lets his crossbow fall to the floor and lunges at the bugbear in front of him.
"What? Wait! MAL!" Will shouts, stammering incredulously at the sight of the giant Malatar running from his normal-sized opponents.
"What in the name of all of Azlant could have gotten into him?!?" He mutters. The wizard loks back at teh now-visible female, and he frowns.
"I'll give you one guess,..." He raises his crossbow, looks,... and fires,...
"Hey! Not bad! Did you see that Mal?!?" WIll cries gleefully, looking over his shoulder in time to see Mal trying to squeeze into the tunnel, and the bugbear,...
"Mal! Zareby! Back up! I got it!" He cries, dropping his crossbow in excitement as he grabs for something in his belt pouch.
"I'll give you one guess,..." He raises his crossbow, looks,... and fires,...
"I'll give you one guess,..." He raises his crossbow, looks,... and fires,...
Gorzal moves behind the bugbear to help Zareby, and takes a full on blow from the beast despite his best efforts.
"Dawnflower, guide my sword and let us lay low the children of the Rough Beast," utters Simon as he charges the priestess. His sword glows as holy power seems emanate from it like a fiery beacon. The blade comes down, but seems to buffet at the last moment as if hitting stone and Zarga's servant remains unharmed.
Seeing Mal flee and Simon charge, Herral decides to use Bertha to see if he can break the spell Neheshru has cast upon his giant comrade. The shot sails wide as he tries to place himself to avoid hitting Simon.
No wanting to risk hitting Simon and keep more attention off him, Addy fires on the second armored man - hoping to keep him off-balance. She misses him, and continues to move to get into position behind the pillar.
Meanwhile, Mal begins to flee in his giant size and in a state of panic attempts to strike the bugbear in his way to escape. However, in his frightened state he has forgotten his size and instead collides with the lower ceiling at the room's edge. The panicked bugbear responds with knee-jerk attack that does nothing.
Seeing the change of heart in Mal, Will immediately suspects who's responsible and also fires upon the priestess. Will displays incredible sight and accuracy and the bolt looks sure to hit, but suddenly seems to turn and makes a mere glancing hit on the woman's armor.
With the sudden appearance of an enemy in their flanks, Will drops his crossbow and yell to Zareby: "Mal! Zareby! Back up! I got it!"
Zareby decides to use his sorcerous bloodline's talents upclose and unleashes two redddish claws upon the creature. Distracted by Mal and Gorzal's movements, his first claw digs at the bugbear's arm, but the monster is surprisingly quick and deflects his second blow.
Any thought of attack on Gorzal or Mal fly as Zareby's scratch places him squarely in the bugbear attention. It lashes out with its morningstar, and connects on Zareby - jarring him with the blow.
With Mal no longer in his way and Will's near hit of mistress, the crossbow turns his attention towards Will to defend his mistress. The spinning blade flies true, but luckily only grazes the mage's leg before spiraling off into the hallway behind him.
Simon's firey fury is met with Neheshru's cool anger. Again with the scepter she reaches out and she attempts to strike him. The blow is deflected by his armor, but evidence of the blow's power is apparent in that a patch of icy rime suddenly grows on the armor.
Initiative order:
Gorzal: 24
Simon: 22
Herral: 21
Addy: 20
Mal: 19
Will: 18
Zareby: 12
Armored Man: 11
Neheshru: 10
Bugbear: 10
Despite his injuries, Gorzal decides to see if he can press the attack now that the bugbear seems to only be interested Zareby. However, it looks like this time he isn't able to penetrate it's armor.
Herral calls on Desna's aid, then the magical healing washes out in a large circle of scintillating blues and silver soothing all wounds.
Then the halfling moves back next to Zareby and the balcony. "Come closer and I'll give you some proper healing."
Simon attacks Neheshru again.
Smite evil:
Addy drops behind the pillar and fires another arrow, this time targeting the apparently pissed off priestess Neheshru.
attack (w/ -4 for firing into melee)
damage
"Will, if you're going to do something do it fast!", says Zareby as he steps back and fires a ray of icy cold at the bugbear.
"I'm working on it!" Will huffs back, stepping towards Zareby slightly.
"But it's hard if your still in the,... Now, Down!" Will shouts, kneeling slightly while holding up his hands. He mutters a few arcane syllables and flings a small puff of colored sand, and a rainbow of light sprays forth from his fingertips to just miss Zareby and batter the Hobgoblin with all of it's magical incandescence.
Color Spray:
"Mal, you shouldn't be afraid for long. Come back soon!"
Mal's Will Save:
Mal's Dex Check:
Gorzal's Will Save:
Bad News: No effect from the color spray on Mal.
Sorta Good News: He again tries to flee, almost running over Will and instead bashes his head against the ceiling again. Damage:
The battle's quick strikes have turned into a brawl as both sides clash. Gorzal's backstab fails to penetrate the bugbear's armor.
Simon has greater success, his limbs and vision still filled with holy power, when he strikes deeply into Neheshru's side - elicting anger in the woman's grayish-violet eyes.
Herral calls upon his patron once again and bathes almost everyone in the goddess' butterfly radiance - friend and foe alike. He then starts to move towards Zareby.
Addy finally makes for cover, firing as she goes. But the drop down, and hestitation that she might hit Simon results in her shot firing wide.
Mal continues to hestitate in his fear, bashing his giant frame against the ceiling and causing a larger gash to form on his forehead.
Moving quickly towards the threat on their flanks, Will drops down and unleashes a bright spray of color that streaks towards the bugbear and Mal, avoiding Zareby and Gorzal. Mal seems unaffected by the results - possibly due his blinding fear. The bugbear isn't so lucky, and it falls back as if hit by a hammer blow and is unconscious. Gorzal is unable to avoid the creature, and the halfling is promptly buried underneath its bulk.
Zareby takes advantage of the blast to move back from the creature and unleash another blast of cold from his clawed hand. Frost mats its fur accross the neck as it is hit square in the face again.
Seeing again that someone is shooting at his mistress, the crossbowman turns back towards Addy and fires. As she drops down, his shot sails high overhead.
Even after the shot to the face, the bugbear lies unmoving. The only noise is Gorzal's muffled grunts as he lays trapped underneath the creature.
Neheshru's evil smile turns to a grimace of anger, and she responds to Simon's attack with a swing of her fluted mace that crashes against his armor.
Initiative order:
Gorzal: 24
Simon: 22
Herral: 21
Addy: 20
Mal: 19
Will: 18
Zareby: 12
Armored Man: 11
Neheshru: 10
Bugbear: 10
Gorzal manages to extricate himself from underneath the bugbear's massive frame. While he seems to have survived the drop, he holds his right arm and side very gingerly and blood is dripping from beneath his sleeve.
Addy keeps firing, at the remaining crossbowman (who I don't think is in melee, from the map).
Attack
damage
Will blinks, and looks at his fingers in surprise, then back to the unconscious bugbear.
"Well, THAT worked better than I hoped!" He grins, then frowns again. "But I don't think it will keep him down long! He's a big one! Finish him off and let's get the B!tch queen! Oh, and Sorry Gorzal!" He adds with an embarrassed smile and half-wave.
Mal clutches at his forehead, groaning in pain as blood trickles down between his fingers … but unfortunately the pain does not cut through the irrational compulsion to run. Shaking the blood clear from his eyes, he reaches up and hoists himself onto the mezzanine beside Will, keeping low to avoid bashing his head again. “Sorry …” he manages to choke out through a windpipe constricted with fear, as, keeping his head ducked, he dashes past Will and back towards the cloak room.
The paladin continues his assault on the gillwoman.
Smite evil:
Seeing how Gorzal and Zareby are hurt and Mal is still running, Herral cries again for Desna to aid the party in its need.
"Travel down our wounds, succour our ills and free our fears!" Herral nods a little proud of that one as the cloud of butterflies flutter out touching and healing as they go.
"No way I'm letting him get back up..." Zareby plunges his claws into the bugbear's throat.
The fury between Rovgug and Sarenrae's servants continues as Simon plunges his sword into Neheshru's gut - piercing armor and hitting her deeply and making her growl in agony. Despite this, she still stands.
Herral steps back again, and calls upon Desna's holy power to wash away the wounds everyone has received except for Addy and the two foes near Simon.
Addy shoots at the crossbowman this time, but fails to find her mark as she comes out of cover too slowly and can't get a good bead on him.
Despite the pain and the sudden healing Malatar receives, the darkness of fear still clouds his mind and runs off into the hallway behind the group. As he makes his away from the scene, the iciness in his heart seems to fade and his breathing seems to become more normal. And suddenly he wonders why he's so far away from the battle.
Zareby's fury seem certain to kill the unconscious bugbear, but his claws don't strike deep enough. He leaves a bloody mess, but the creature is still alive.
Will pulls his cane and manages to also strike the beast right in Zareby's wound. This time the sounds of a windpipe snapping from the repeated strikes indicates the death blow. The bugbear will never rise from its forced slumber.
At his mistress' cries the armored man drops his crossbow and turns to strike Simon, but all he manages is a glancing blow against his armor.
With blood dripping from between her teeth, Zarga's servant makes an attempt to strike her enemy. Dropping her weapons as the sword impales her, she manages to reach out with her hands and grasp Simon's neck. The scent of ocean and the coldness of deep water radiate out from her hands, causing his limbs to feel numb and his teeth to chatter.
"You will be Zarga's, servant of flame...I...I won't be beaten," she spits between her clenched and bloody teeth.
"Good riddance, you flea-bitten cur," growls Gorzal as he spits on the bugbear. With a battered arm, the halfling limply picks up his sword and heads back towards the hallway to see if there is any further trouble coming.
Initiative order:
Gorzal: 24
Simon: 22
Herral: 21
Addy: 20
Mal: 19
Will: 18
Zareby: 12
Armored Man: 11
Neheshru: 10
“What in the Hells?” Mal mutters, stopping and shaking his head. He’s still a little shakey, but the irrational fear that had gripped him is suddenly gone. He turns around, and squints back into the chamber, assessing the situation for a moment. Least I wasn’t fool enough to drop my sword, he thinks.
Gorum guide my blade and grant me strength, he offers a silent prayer, then charges back into the fray, crouched to avoid bumping his head for a third time, jumping easily down into the lower section with his increased height, heading straight for the armoured guard attacking Simon.
“Arrrgh!” The war cry serves to help Mal overcome his own fear as much as un-nerve his opponent.
Seeing Mal back in action, Herral changes tactics and lifts up Bertha before casting a spell on it. Slowly from front to back a narrow translucent shimmering telescope appears above the bolt.
"Just give me a look at them!"
Simon grimaces as the frost staggers him, but grabs the priestess' wrists and stares her in the eye.
"I-I pity you, fiend. Even... if I fall... my goddess will... embrace me. You have... only the cold abyss."
Breaking the grapple:
"Never turn your back on the sneaky one, dipwad ..." Addy mumbles as she drops her bow and moves to a flanking position behind the armored man and the priestess, drawing her rapier as she goes.
Assuming I can get there with a move action, Addy attacks the armored man first.
attack (w/ +2 for flanking)
damage sneak attack
Mal's strike will miss, but Addy's hits the armored dude.
Herral, you should be in position next round to make your shot.
Simon - you've broken the grapple. Since you've grabbed her wrists, I am assuming you have now grapppled her. That's one option of breaking the grapple.
WIll looks both relieved and disturbed that his aid on the bugbear seemed to work. Seeing Mal pass him once more, (going in the RIGHT direction!), stirs him to action. He snags his crossbow and moves to the end of the hall once more, checking to see that it is loaded, and if there is a target that he might actually be able to hit! (Without perforating one of his friends!)
He notices the happy halflings spell on the ballista, and raises an eyebrow in what may be jealously.
"Now that's a handy spell!" Is all he says,...