Sajan vaults over the bar in order to flank with Linah in an effort to finish Grall's flanker off- smashing his brass knuckles into the back of the creature's head.
1d20+13 Acrobatics
1d20+16 (+2 str, +2 flank, +1 bless)
1d8+7
Seeing the leader as the main threat, Grall abandons trying to trade blow's with the Bugbear and tries to end its life quickly!
Possible crit:
Trying to ignore the squelching and tearing sounds coming from Grall, Zeladial concentrates for a second and the flaming sphere rolls merrily around the 2nd level at the southern archer gnoll, with a burning desire to join it.
Flaming Sphere (DC16 negates):
Zeladial backs this up with an arrow to the same gnoll (if required), or to finish off Linah's gnoll.
Longbow +1, Bless:
Damage:
Krikkak was an exceptional bugbear in many ways. Smarter and stronger than his peers. A veteran of dozens of fights. Especially here in the rugged north of Katapesh the goblinoid races had always been surplanted by the more numerous and rapaciously territorial gnolls. Over the centuries Krikkak's tribe had dwindled from several hundred to a mere score of males. But he found a way to put that intelligence and strength to good use, taking hard coin to supply additional muscle for a number of unsavory employers. Falling in with the wrestler Hurvank had expanded his small band's opportunities even further. Times were good for those with the will to take what was offered and this day held the promise of great reward. Kardswann was paying 500 gold pieces a head for these invaders and he meant to take his share.
First, the gnoll. He had killed Ignaz but Ignaz was slow and stupid. He was ferociously strong but for all his fury paid little heed to defense. With Murank behind him it was only a matter of time until he landed another blow and he doubted the gnoll could take another.
With consumate skill he swung his flail in giant arcs, keeping the gnoll's giant falchion at bay. This close in his foe could not use his greater reach. Easy now. Let Murank swing and then.... he dropped his flail. He looked down at it stupidly. How could he have dropped it? How? And then he saw his right arm still attached to the flail. That wasn't right...
The bugbear leader falls to the ground, blood gushing from its severed weapon arm.
The lone survivor has only enough time to gawk before Sajan's fist takes it in the back of the head, slamming its head forward and nearly breaking its neck. The bugbear sways on its feet just barely keeping hold of its morningstar.
Meanwhile, Linah moves up to support Nuveril who is trading blows with the two gnolls near the stage. The priestess rams her magic shield into the burned gnoll, trapping its battleaxe against its own chest. Before the gnoll can work it free she drops it bleeding to the ground with a slash to the neck.
As the leader falls by the wayside, Grall turns back to the remaining bugbear and smiles a blood spattered toothy grin,
You picked the wrrrong side today Bugbearrr, yourrr own evil is yourrr undoing! Wherrre is Karrrdswan, tell us now and you may yet live!!!!
Four more archers come into view on the 2nd level. Each looks at the floating flaming sphere warily but it doesn't stop them shooting at open targets, two at Khalid and two at Grall, the gnoll's large size allowing them to shoot without fear of hitting the remaining bugbear. Their aim is off however, both shots going well over Khalid's head and only one hitting Grall, his tough hide taking part of the impact.
Longbow vs Khalid miss
Longbow vs Khalid miss
Longbow vs Grall miss
Longbow vs Grall hit
A large figure surges through the open guardpost door and moves toward the melee. A lumbering giant, near eleven feet tall, it wears armour of large overlapping metal plates. Wicked looking spikes work their way up its chest in two lines, crossing at the next and then down the back. It wields no weapon, merely a pair of metal gauntlets, oversized to fit its large bulging hands.
If if the beast is disheartened at the sight of dead bugbear it shows no sign of it. It smiles a crooked smile at the sight of Grall but then it sees Sajan and its eyes seem to light up.
It speaks in common in a thick, slurred voice. Come human! Fight Hurvank, fist to fist! It bangs its hands together with a resounding clang and takes up a readied position near the base of the platform, arms wide.
The axe gnolls seem spurred on by the support, one stepping over the benches to take a flanking position behind Linah. Both hack at the priestess in a flurry of swings but her armour and shield are up to the task, she takes several blows but none penetrate and neither axe can so much as dent her magic shield.
Battleaxe (flank) miss
Battleaxe (flank) miss
Current HP 33 or 41 enraged.
As the leader falls by the wayside, Grall turns back to the remaining bugbear and smiles a blood spattered toothy grin,
You picked the wrrrong side today Bugbearrr, yourrr own evil is yourrr undoing! Wherrre is Karrrdswan, tell us know and you may yet live!!!!
Grall- leave the giant to me.
Grall- leave the giant to me.
Grall looks at Sajan like a disappointed puppy but nods his head...
Nuveril swings her hammer again at the gnoll she had charged.
Nuveril's opponent appears to be having second thoughts but the halfling warrior gives it no respite, harrying it with looping swings of her hammer. She feints and the gnolls stumbles to block a blow that never comes, the barbarian instead pivoting to strike the gnoll over the heart. It collapses without a sound.
Khalid quickly moves to engage the last axe gnoll who turns from Linah to meet his assault. The gnoll finds itself badly overmatched however, the inquisitor easily breaking its guard with a series of probing thrusts followed by whirlwind slashes to chest, hip and face. The gnoll desperately tries to bring its axe to bear, its face fanned with its own blood.
Assault on the Battle Market!
Round 3
Ordered Initiative
Zeladiel 21a
Gnoll Rangers 21b
Bugbear 19
Grall 18
Linah 17
Sajan 16
Gnoll Archers (lvl2) 12a
Hurvank 12b
Gnolls 11
Nuveril 7
Khalid 6
??
Effects
- Bless (All)
- Mage Armour (Zeladiel, Sajan)
- Bulls Strength (Grall, Sajan)
- Weapon of Awe (Khalid)
- Shield of Faith (Khalid)
- Enlarge (Grall)
- Judgement healing (Khalid)
Notes
- The barricaded edges of the platform will provide cover up to five feet high (these are noted in brown). Their tables and chairs not hard cover so you could either (1) jump over them, (2) move over them with a successful acrobatics check treating them as difficult terrain or (3)otherwise expend a move action to clear a way. Grall could step over treating it as difficult terrain.
- The platform lip is indicated on the map with the curved line, higher ground attacking from an adjacent square down but otherwise no impediment to movement.
As the leader falls by the wayside, Grall turns back to the remaining bugbear and smiles a blood spattered toothy grin,
You picked the wrrrong side today Bugbearrr, yourrr own evil is yourrr undoing! Wherrre is Karrrdswan, tell us now and you may yet live!!!!
Bleeding heavily from its arm and head, the bugbear looks up almost involuntarily toward the viewing platform on the third level.
Almost on queue several figures move to the right and front of the balcony, coming into full view.
The man with the blue steel breastplate and enormous silver metal greataxe can only be Kardswann.
His build is similar to Sajan's. Perhaps a head taller, a shade less broad along the chest. Completely bald, the Master of the Kulldis tribe is handsome, in a harsh way, and radiates physical power. As Undrella said, his race is hard to guess. His features look human but there is a hint of Zeladiel's elven agelessness in his face, an unatural cast to his eyes. He surveys you like rats in a maze, a slight smile on his lips. He looks like he is enjoying the show.
The Flame Witch steps up to stand next to him, features hidden under the chador, its attention could be anywhere.
Behind them Undrella pushes off from the balcony with a flap of her wings. She takes up position on the top of the skylight to watch the fight her face completely expressionless.
The slayers! In the flesh! Here you are. And in the daylight rather than skulking around like thieves. You come here, to my peaceful town and bring your warmongering. You kill my gnolls, my people.
So righteous! So proud!
I should be angry. But I'm not. Oh no, how could I be? You've answered my prayers. He chuckles. Tell me. Did you bring it with you?
Oh never mind. I'll take it from your corpses. Or those of your friends. You have no idea who I am. What I can do. But you'll learn.
Oh yes.
I'll teach you.
His eyes seem to glow.
At Kardswann's appearance the spirit of Vardishal surges up from dormancy. For a moment, just a moment, you feel a rush of panic at the strength of it, at the thought it might take you over. But it does not.
You can feel Vardishal just beneath your skin. Your feelings merge and you can feel his anger and disappointment. Kardswann. Your student, your friend. Lost to darkness. Tempest quivers at your side.
Trying to ignore the squelching and tearing sounds coming from Grall, Zeladial concentrates for a second and the flaming sphere rolls merrily around the 2nd level at the northern gnoll ranger, with a burning desire to join it.
Flaming Sphere (DC16 negates) Damage:
Zeladial backs this up with a scorching ray to the southern gnoll ranger.
Scorching ray, ranged touch, Bless:
Damage:
With a thought, Zeladiel sends his sphere hurtling at the northern ranger. It attempts to duck under but is too slow and screams in pain as the fire burns its left arm. All of the gnolls on the second level look at the sphere nervously.
Reflex vs DC 16
The invoker finishes by sending a ray of bright orange fire streaking from his hand up through the hole in the 2nd level to slam into the southern ranger. The fire burns into the gnoll hungrily and even from this distance you can faintly smell burnt flesh. It dances around flapping at its smoking clothing.
Then the rangers act. The northern moves quickly to escape the sphere, moving clockwise around the edge of the hole (R,29). It sends a shot down at Nuveril which strikes well short of the halfling. The second moves even further around (Z,25) drawing a bead on Zeladiel. It has little time to aim but the shot is on target, the shaft working its way through the mage's magical protections to take him in the left shoulder.
Composite Longbow miss
Composite Longbow hit
The sole remaining bugbear has nowhere to go. It seems to contemplate throwing down its weapon but with a scream of defiance, swings his weapon at Grall, the spiked ball hurtling past his blocking falchion to bruise him in the chest.
Morningstar hit
Holding Tempest so that Kardswann can not mistake it...
"What has become of you, Kardswann? I may not know what you are, but I do know what you once were..."as Khalid's voice changes to something not his own "Has it been so long that you no longer remember your vows to the Dawnflower, my pupil?"
Round 3, initiative 17
Linah spreads her arms like the wings of the Dawnflower and a wave of warm and soothing energy washes over the room . Her eyes open and she focuses on Kardswann.
You should have rrrun Bugbearrr, I would have let you live...
Grall moves for an overhead chop drawing the bugbears defenses to parry when at the last moment he quickly changes the angle of attack to a horizontal slash. The Bugbear is totally unprepared for the strike, opening up the Bubears midsection. As his innards spill on to the floor Grall offers him some parting comments...
I pity you that the only thing waiting forrr you in the afterrrlife is the rrrough beast...
Move action to 1,2 K,L next to Khalid.
Sajan moves to L1 and drinks his potion of enlarge, taking up squares L/M, 0/1. Now as large as the foe before him, he slams his own fists together in challenge.
AC18
CMD 28
CMD vs Grapple 30
Grall leaves the last bugbear a bloody mess on the ground.
Linah's healing pulse closes the worst of Grall's wounds and heals Zeladiel's completely. It also seems to revive the gnoll that Linah took down and it looks around itself in shock.
Sajan yells out his challenge and drinks his potion, now topping Grall by a foot.
Holding Tempest so that Kardswann can not mistake it...
"What has become of you, Kardswann? I may not know what you are, but I do know what you once were..."as Khalid's voice changes to something not his own "Has it been so long that you no longer remember your vows to the Dawnflower, my pupil?"
Kardswann's good humor vanishes as he stares at the inquisitor.
What? Vardishal? …… No, this must be a trick. A trick.
He stares at Khalid’s sword, his previous confidence replaced by uncertainty.
Tempest… Where did you get that sword boy? WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SWORD! VARDISHAL IS DEAD. DEAD! THAT B!%+~ KILLED HIM!
|
"I assure you, Vardishal is not dead...he is here. As to where Tempest found me? Why at the monastery where you once served, of course. I ask you again, Kardswann, why have you forsaken your oaths as a Templar of the Five Winds? Why do you now seek to ally yourself to servants of the Rough Beast?"
He says, as the inquisitor's gaze nearly bores a hole through the fallen Templar...
"Sarenrae is forgiving and merciful my friend, forsake your current path, return to the Dawnflower while you still can."
"I assure you, Vardishal is not dead...he is here. As to where Tempest found me? Why at the monastery where you once served, of course. I ask you again, Kardswann, why have you forsaken your oaths as a Templar of the Five Winds? Why do you now seek to ally yourself to servants of the Rough Beast?"
He says, as the inquisitor's gaze nearly bores a hole through the fallen Templar...
"Sarenrae is forgiving and merciful my friend, forsake your current path, return to the Dawnflower while you still can."
For a moment Kardswann seems speechless, his mouth works silently. A number of emotions play over his face, anger, pain and what seems like longing. He seems to teeter on a knife edge of emotion but when he speaks it is with cold fury.
ENOUGH! ENOUGH OF THIS! KULLDIS. KILL THEM ALL. RUN AND DIE SCREAMING.
He turns to the Flame Witch, unmoving at this side.
Give them the flame. Start with the race traitor. He nods at Grall. Burn him to ashes!
The regular archers sent another volley down at you and then scatter away from the flaming sphere like frightened quail. The enlarged Sajan and Grall are their targets but only one shaft finds its target, Grall hit again this time in the thigh.
Longbow vs Grall miss
Longbow vs Grall hit
Longbow vs Sajan miss
Longbow vs Sajan miss
Hurvank crush man into mush! Hurvank throws his head back and screams and lumbers forward, both arms outstretched, in an attempt to grasp Sajan. The attack is powerful but the monk, fortified by his enhancing and protective magic, is able to twist aside, forcing the ogre back a step with a kick to the knee. The ogre seems confused that its mighty attack could have failed, slapping its gauntlets together.
Grapple miss
The gnoll fighting Khalid tries to use the distraction of his conversation with Kardswann to send a flurry of desperate blows at the inquisitors head but is no match for the inquisitor's agility and Tempest neatly parries every blow. The gnoll finishes by steeping away, acutely aware that it is surrounded by foes.
Battleaxe miss
The gnoll at Linah's feet, revitalised by her healing, groggily attempts to find its feet.
Nuveril sees her opportunity to finish Khalid's gnoll. She moves forward and swings. "We have to find a way up to the real enemies; these are nothing!" she shouts.
|
|
Khalid shakes his head in disappointment as he moves to flank a gnoll with Linah...
"You disappoint me, Kardswann. If you will not willing return to Sarenrae's Light, you know what must be done. Forgive me old friend."
Khalid then strikes at the gnoll with Tempest...
Attack: (bless, flank)
Damage: (weapon of awe, solo tactics)
Nuveril forces the gnoll back with a series of snapping blows followed by a smack to the neck which staggers it.
Khalid moves to finish it off but the gnoll barely manages to interpose its shield in the way of the killing thrust.
Assault on the Battle Market!
Round 4
Ordered Initiative
Zeladiel 21a
Gnoll Rangers 21b
Grall 18
Linah 17
Sajan 16
Gnoll Archers (lvl2) 12a
Hurvank 12b
Gnolls 11
Nuveril 7
Khalid 6
??
Effects
- Bless (All)
- Mage Armour (Zeladiel, Sajan)
- Bulls Strength (Grall, Sajan)
- Weapon of Awe (Khalid)
- Shield of Faith (Khalid)
- Enlarge (Grall, Sajan)
- Judgement healing (Khalid)
Notes
- The barricaded edges of the platform will provide cover up to five feet high (these are noted in brown). Their tables and chairs not hard cover so you could either (1) jump over them, (2) move over them with a successful acrobatics check treating them as difficult terrain or (3)otherwise expend a move action to clear a way. Grall could step over treating it as difficult terrain.
- The platform lip is indicated on the map with the curved line, higher ground attacking from an adjacent square down but otherwise no impediment to movement.
If Zeladial can see the Flame Witch, then he nods again and the flaming sphere jumps towards the nearest gnoll ranger.
Flaming sphere (DC16 negates) damage:
Otherwise Zeladial ignores his sphere and scampers forward until he can see the Flame Witch.
Zeladiel then readies his magic missile to interrupt the magics of the Flame Witch.
magic missile damage:
Linah brings down her scimitar on the gnoll by her feet but her target manages to parry her slash.
Round 4
As the gnoll rises to his feet she seize the opportunity to strike for a second time but this to is parried albeit with a little more difficulty .
Grapple 1d20 + 15 miss
Grall 5' shifts to 2,3 L,M seeing the 2 Gnolls flanking Linah and attempts to end them...permanently!
Seeing his charge in trouble from the Gnolls, he sidesteps bringing his Falchion down upon the head of one enemy, he then reaches over and savagely bites the face of the other lifting him off the ground before rending him and tossing the other Gnoll to the floor in a bloody heap! Khalid and Linah are sprayed with enough blood to make them raise their hands to block their eyes!!!!!!
You will have to do better than that, Hurvank. Sajan states slowly and calmly, poised on the balls of his feet. Stepping in, Sajan delivers a bewildering array of powerful punches; most designed to feint and distract rather than land home. Once he gets close he swings twice for the Ogre's head, under the chin both times. The first blow surges towards Hurvank with a coating of ice upon Sajan's fist, representing his deadly calm and cold fury. Stepping back smoothly after delivering his punches, Sajan focuses his ki on defence.
Round 4 retcon
Linah covers herself with her shield to avoid most of the blood spray. She lowers her shield as the two gnolls fall to the floor around her and reaches out to cure some of Grall's wounds .
"Nuveril is right. We need to clear the way upstairs", she calls out and moves back towards the stairs .
Zeladiel again sends his sphere at the northern ranger who manages to jink aside. The elven mage prepares to send his force magic hurtling at the Flame Witch should she cast a spell.
Reflex pass
The southern ranger shoots again at Zeladiel seemingly identifying him as a threat needing to be dealt with. As it lifts the bow it realises a section of clothing is still burning from Zeladiel's spell and flaps at it in panic, spoiling its shot. The northern again moves to dodge the sphere (W,29) and shoots at Sajan. The arrow streaks down driving a bloody furrow across the monk's bicep.
Composite Longbow vs Zeladiel miss
Composite Longbow vs Sajan hit
That will unfortunately pop the ward.
Grall continues to deliver bloody death to the Kulldis and their allies, killing one gnoll outright with his falchion while the life blood of the other flows onto the stone from its ruined jugular.
Linah flows further healing into Grall with a spell before moving.
Meanwhile the titanic battle between Sajan and Hurvank swings abruptly in favor of the monk. The ogre tries to weather the assault as best as it can, but Sajan is too fast, too strong and the monk's final two punishing blows have it stumbling on its feet. It shakes its head in an attempt to clear its vision but then comes back at the monk in a vengeance.
They have precise shot? If not they don't hit. If they do... Darn :).
** spoiler omitted **
They don't but your ten feet from the ogre at the time of the shot.
I would be within 5 feet, the reason I put the ki point to defense rather than a third hit is I worried about taking the Ogre down and wanted the protection of being in melee from them. I assumed I was already within 5 feet as I haven't seen a map update on Rounds 3 and 4 (I now work 8-6 every day and pretty much only post as a player from work where I can't get to google sites). Sorry to be a pain :/ but I chose my tactics specifically because Sajan's getting tired of being a human pincushion. Stepping 5 feet in gives me no change other than protection from archers which is what I was after, for some reason I assumed he'd stepped in to me :(.