Totally understood. Bad luck with the rolls there, and Sarien had been expecting more support from the others. Bad tactics on his part!
One question: Did Sarien succeed in hitting any of the bandits with his attempt to shoot one earlier? I never saw anything about that. With the low rolls, I doubt it and it'd only be a nick nonetheless, but it'd make me feel a wee bit better about the present circumstances.
Then he leaps out of the wagon, taking in the scene.
Round 4, init 21
Satisfied that the wagon is no longer in danger of going up in flames, Freya ducks back between the wagons to the crying girl and her brother. "Hush up your crying and listen to me," she says intently, kneeling down to address the children in a low voice. "You said you have no choice. Well, I'm about to give you one. Whatever's happening out there beyond the mist, you can either go back with your 'da' or men just like him and spend your lives as victims or pawns, or you can say 'To the Abyss with all of them' and walk away without looking back. I know a group of idiot do-gooders who will feed and clothe and shelter you, burbling all the time about what a great privilege it is to influence the next generation of Wiscrani, but you have to make the choice to be free. Otherwise, you will be back here again or somewhere just like here, doing the same thing, with the same bumps and bruises. What's it going to be?"
Initiative Order, Round 3:
Freya - 21
Rauno - 13
>>Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
Tao draws the potion at his belt and drinks it.
"Hardin, I just need a moment to catch my breath. I'll be at your side shortly..."
Initiative Order, Round 3:
Freya - 21
Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarien - 4 (unconcious)
>>Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
Feeling his wounds beginning to heal, the wounded bandit's eyes widen. They've got a healer, boss!
The bandit leader's eyes narrow. Well then, kill him!
The archers turn to train their bows on the Iomedaen.
(with Favored enemy: human)
Although several of the Bandit's shots are well-aimed, they are thwarted by cover and deflected by the Cleric's armor, both physical and spiritual. The melee thugs move in to engage.
Iomedae's servant moves in a blur, his flail parrying two strikes at once, and his spiritual armor turning aside a desperate strike from the Longsword-wielding combatant.
Initiative Order, Round 3:
Freya - 21
Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarien - 4 (unconcious)
Bandits - 4a
>>Hardin - 3
>>>Map, Mid-Round 3, Bandit Attack!!!<<<
Initiative Order, Round 4:
>>Freya - 21
Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
Hardin's flail crashes into the Longswordsman's skull, dropping the man with a sickening crunch.
Freya ducks back between the wagons to the crying girl and her brother. "Hush up your crying and listen to me," she says intently, kneeling down to address the children in a low voice. "You said you have no choice. Well, I'm about to give you one. Whatever's happening out there beyond the mist, you can either go back with your 'da' or men just like him and spend your lives as victims or pawns, or you can say 'To the Abyss with all of them' and walk away without looking back. I know a group of idiot do-gooders who will feed and clothe and shelter you, burbling all the time about what a great privilege it is to influence the next generation of Wiscrani, but you have to make the choice to be free. Otherwise, you will be back here again or somewhere just like here, doing the same thing, with the same bumps and bruises. What's it going to be?"
The girl - age 12 or so - stops sniffling, and looks up at Freya with red, puffy eyes. Well, Miss, either our father wins and beats us again tomorrow, or he loses and we become orphans. That choice is really up to you. We hate our lives, though. We'd love to live differently. I know you're not exactly in a position to trust me right now, but I wish you could. I like you quite a lot, actually... ...her voice trails off.
Initiative Order, Round 4:
Freya - 21
>>Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
As Rauno's flamboyant spell washes over the bow-weilding bandits, an audible "thump" can be heard as their bodies hit the turf.
They're my employees, not my friends, prissy-boy, the man grunts, clearly intending to bury an arrow in Rauno at his earliest opportunity.
Initiative Order, Round 4:
Freya - 21
Rauno - 13
>>Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
"Hop in the wagon then," Freya tells them grimly, "and don't come out for anything."
In moving past the bandit (T17), Tao attempts to dodge his attack.
He then moves into a flanking position with Hardin (R17-18, S17-18) and takes a swing at the flanked bandit (T18, with power attack).
Sarien remains blissfully unconscious.
In moving past the bandit (T17), Tao attempts to dodge his attack.
*fail*
The bandit takes the opportunity to whip his sap around in an effort to catch the big man's clumsy attempt to tumble through.
...however, the attempt is extremely telegraphed, and easily avoided by the half-orc, who subsequently mows down the man's rapier-wielding counterpart.
Looking around for a way to escape and finding nothing, the sap-wielding thug furiously assults Tao.
However, he has no better luck this time, and steps backward into the Obscuring Mist.
The bandit leader looses and arrow at Rauno...
(with Favored Enemy: Human)
...an effort which is thwarted by the Varisian's Mage Armor, and flees to D-17.
>>>Map, Mid-Round 4, Bandit Attack!!!<<<
Initiative Order, Round 4:
Freya - 21
Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
>>Hardin - 3
Having delivered the above instructions to the children, Freya squeezes between the wagons again to see what's going on outside her cloud of mist. She is startled to suddenly see an unfamiliar shape emerge from the mist just as she is about to step into him. Caught by surprise by the enemy lurking in her mist, she spits out an arcane word.
Edit: Woohoo! A crit! Does that double damage on an effect like Telekinetic Fist?
A spell that requires an attack roll can score a critical hit.
Tao glances over to Hardin, gives him a nod, and then follows after the retreating enemy (F18-19, G18-19).
He points his greatsword at the bandit leader, "Drop your weapon and surrender. You will not get another offer."
Edit: Woohoo! A crit! Does that double damage on an effect like Telekinetic Fist?
Rauno's telekinetic fist slams into the Bandit Captain, hitting in the vital area just below the belt.
Oof!
She is startled to suddenly see an unfamiliar shape emerge from the mist just as she is about to step into him. move to U15 Caught by surprise by the enemy lurking in her mist, she spits out an arcane word. casting daze at bandit in T16 (Will save DC 13)
The man looks momentarily puzzled, but shrugs off the effects of the spell, and appears to be poised to strike back.
Drop your weapon and surrender. You will not get another offer.
The bandit captain looks over his shoulder at the hulking warrior, and begins to visibly tremble. He drops his bow and raises his hands.
The man looks momentarily puzzled, but shrugs off the effects of the spell, and appears to be poised to strike back.
The bandit within the mist brings his small cudgel to bear on Freya, clearly put off by the creeping mist around him.
He curses, then moves near the horses. Hardin steps forward, attempting to disarm the man, but the bandit avoids the attempt through blind luck.
Not wanting to pursue the bandit through the mist and perhaps be surprised again, Freya ducks out of her conjured cloud to take a look at the battlefield. Seemingly disappointed that everything seems to be wrapped up, she asks, "Which one's the leader?" then adds as an afterthought, "And is the street rat dead?"
Initiative Order, Round 5:
Freya - 21
>>Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
"You, come with me."
Tao holds his greatsword in one hand, rests the flat of the blade on his shoulder, grabs the collar of the bandit leader and ushers him over to the two sleeping bandits.
"Get on your stomach and place your hands on the back of your head. You are not to move or speak until instructed to do so."
Tao then takes up a position where both sleeping bandits and the leader are within striking distance.
"Rauno, if you bind this one, I'll keep an eye on those two until they wake. I assume the plan is to take them prisoner."
The sound of creaking leather can be heard from the area of the horses.
1-20 misses due to Obscuring Mist.
Hardin wades into the fog, his flail at the ready. As he approaches the horses, he notices the remaining bandit holding one of them by the reins. The horse has been disengaged from the wagon, and the bandit appears to be ready to mount the creature and attempt an escape. As the mists swirl around him, Hardin delivers a blow that he is certain should have caved in the man's head - but it whistles just in front of his face instead, hardin's sense of depth perception clearly thrown by the arcane fog.
Initiative Order, Round 6:
>>Freya - 21
Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
"Fine," Freya shrugs. "If no one else cares he's dead, why should I?" Hearing the sounds from near the horses, she takes a step closer and re-readies her crossbow. "There's one left in the mist," she warns the rest of the group.
(hope I roll better this time)
Initiative Order, Round 6:
Freya - 21
>>Rauno - 13
Tao - 5
Sarian - 4
Bandits - 4a
Hardin - 3
That works. Sarien is unconcious, but seems to breathing peacefully. Tao?
Tao will delay. He will hold unless the bandit leader or one of the other two makes a move. If one of them does make a move, he will tell them to lay prone with their hands on their head. If they don't listen, he will attack.
Through enormous force of will, the bandit manages to control the roan in the midst of combat (DC 20), and urges it to flee South, through the stand of trees and into the countryside. Freya looses a crossbow bolt that she had prepared specifically for this purpose, and sails it high and wide.
Tao yells out, "Watch these three!" He then moves just South of the fleeing bandit. "Surrender bandit or you leave me no choice."
If the bandit attempts to run, Tao will take his AoO.
If the bandit attempts to run
Freya curses and tosses down her crossbow. "Was he the leader?" she demands.