Action Thread #12: The Lower Valley

[ragnboneshopper]

Round 1

party Initiative: [1d6] = 6; Monster Initiative: [1d6] = 2 The party's string of winning initiative rolls continues!

With the now giant sorceress's declaration of hostile intent, Andrin grasps mistletoe and begins to cast a spell. Stonjuz and Thurinor also begin casting. The dwarf produces holy water and sprinkles it around on his friends while chanting a spell of blessing in Boccob's uncaring name (Bless spell; +1 to attack rolls goes into effect next round).

As if answering Stonjuz's calm blessing with something glitzier, from the elf Thurinor's fingertips, a bolt of magical energy streaks forth, striking the sorceress with a flash! (Damage: [1d4+1] = 3+1 = 4)

Meanwhile, Ogirdor fits arrow to bow but cannot get a shot off due to the crowd in front of him. Fairfax likewise lingers in the rear of the party. Ozborn freezes in place, still hiding by aid of the magical elvish cloak, hoping the sorceress will lose track of him in the commotion and frenzy of combat. (Readied action: wait to see if sorceress focuses on Oz's friends, then move.) Likewise, Malone holds back just outside the door, waiting cautiously for the right moment to join the action.

Swilbosh, the grim one-eyed lizardman, swiftly advances on the sorceress, and at this moment Andrin's spell takes effect, wreathing the party's foe in magical fire. With this aid, Swilbosh hacks with his axe and drives the sorceress back toward the tower's lone window! (3 damage) Thurinor's snake scepter has by now obtained its full serpentine form and also attacks but is not able to wrap around its foe with its tendrilous body. Python attack: [1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6

Taking the initiative, the sorceress raises her wand and points it at the snake. The wand emits a pale gray beam that falls on the snake and renders it once again nothing more than a golden scepter with a snake's head that now lies inert on the floor. The sorceress falls back further, with the window right at her back. Smiling, she taunts Swilbosh in a voice that, with her size enlarged, has grown uncharacteristically deep for a woman: "How did you lose the eye, lizard man? Surely you don't want to risk losing another. I can show you many worthy things..."


So Oz can't get right at the sorceress's back, but I never liked the idea of taking "backstab" too literally. The sorceress has lost track of Oz for the moment. If Oz can move silently and if the cloak maintains its effectiveness, Oz has a chance at a backstab next round. Just make rolls for moving silent and hiding, if you intend to do so, in addition to the attack roll. Of course, by attacking you then risk revealing your position.

If anyone wants to shout commands to NPCs Stonjuz or Ogirdor, you can do so and I will make a morale roll to see if they agree with your suggestion. Otherwise, they will remain helpful and will defend themselves but will not overtly place themselves in direct danger unless necessary.

Next actions?

[saalaria]

Undaunted Swilbosh continues his assault:

Battle Axe To Hit [1d20+2] = 13+2 = 15 Damage [1d8+2] = 6+2 = 8

And strikes a mighty blow!

[Sir Clarence]

OOC: With the size of the sorceress, I suppose that Andrin has a clear shot with his sling over the heads of his fellows, so...

Andrin places a stone in his sling, aims, and lets loose at the sorceress. With the blessing of Stonjuz and his own magic, the stone seems to find his goal nearly by himself.... but unfortunately it's only a glancing hit.

To hit with sling, blessed & faerie fire [1d20+4] = 9+4 = 13
Damage with sling stone: [1d4] = 1

[onlyme]

Malone hears enough to know he needs to help with the attack.
He will move into the room and attack the sorceress if clear...

To Hit with Halberd: [1d20+3] = 14+3 = 17, Dam(s/m): [1d10+6] = 3+6 = 9, Dam(l): [2d6+6] = 12+6 = 18

[Grognardsw]

Thurinor, elf

"Shoot her!" yells Thurinor to Ogridor and Stonjuz.

The elf fires his crossbow at the sorceress.

Crossbow to-hit: [1d20+1] = 12+1 = 13; Damage S-M/L: [1d4+1] = 4+1 = 5/[1d4+1] = 1+1 = 2 And the +1 to hit from Bless.

[Majik]

Fairfax watches his companion’s fire into melee with surprised confusion.
Yet does not engage the sorceress with his sword or bow out of concern for hitting his friends, and of course not wanting to be hit.

Thus he takes up a defensive position in besides the elf mage.
If needed Fairfax will parry or put himself in harms way to protect the elf.

[ChubbyPixie]

Ozborn takes the snake attack as his sign to resume setting up for the SIDE attack that he'd planned all along attempting to scurry as quietly as possible up next to the giantess without jostling any more retorts, beakers or monkey skulls.
Move Silently (45%) = [1d100] = 14, Hide in Shadows (45%, but not sure with the cloak) = [1d100] = 27

Whoohoo!

Side Stab! [1d20+6] = 15+6 = 21, damage (s/m): [1d6+3] = 3+3 = 6, damage (L): [1d8+3] = 7+3 = 10

So with double damage, that would be 20 damage to the lower thigh/upper calf!

[saalaria]

Woohoo - nice one Chubby!

[Sir Clarence]

OOC: She's dead, Jim.

[ragnboneshopper]

Apologies once again for taking so long to get back to this. I honestly hadn't gotten a chance until tonight to see what you guys had rolled that last round. Whoa! The dice turned your way! Now it just comes down to initiative...

Round 2

Party Initiative: [1d6] = 4; Monster Initiative: [1d6] = 1 No problem there, the adventurers seize the initiative!

Everything happens fast now! As Fairfax moves to take up a defensive position in front of them, Andrin and Thurinor pepper the sorceress's upper body with missiles. She lifts her arms to try to block them, but with the aid of faerie fire and Boccob's blessing, a sling stone and a crossbow bolt find their marks, causing flesh wounds only, but more importantly, harrying the sorceress so that her spell casting is interrupted.

With that, Swilbosh lands another mighty blow with his axe as Malone charges in and adds an even more brutal blow from his halberd, carving a hole in her side. Her eyes wide with shock, the sorceress falls to one knee as Ozborn appears out of nowhere at her side, withdrawing his bloody sword after a vicious cut that all but severed her other leg. Gouts of blood spurt from her wounds as the sorceress's life flows out. She looks wildly about at you all, but no last words are able to escape her lips.


You've won the day. Now what? And I'll try to be a little quicker updating from here out...

[Grognardsw]

Thurinor, elf

"The gods are with us this day!" exclaims Thurinor. "The frog men and swamp denizens will rejoice that her evil is vanquished. Perhaps they will provide us guidance and help for the journey ahead."

He retrieves the serpent rod, picks up the sorceress' wand, and searches her.

[ragnboneshopper]

The light coming through the tower window is dim now. The bones of small animals and various implements of divination, including ceremonial bowls for the examination of entrails, litter the low tables and shelves on each wall of the room. It is clear that the sorcerer/ess must have gone through specimens at a fair rate. The only other interesting feature of the room is the hole in the ceiling, twenty feet above your heads. There seems to be no obvious way of reaching the hole, but it gives the same impression as a church or temple belfry would. There appears to be a further opening up there, an enclosure or space of some kind, though what its purpose might be, you can't tell.

Thurinor snatches up the Rod of the Serpent, tuning his eyes to the magical sight, and is assured that its magic has not been permanently dispelled. As he searches the sorceress, his sight shows him other things of magic: the sorceress carries her spell book in a satchel, which glows furiously from the edges of its pages even before being opened; the wand glows, of course, with the magic of abjuration; and the cracked mirror also glows, with the magic of divination.

Stonjuz takes a step toward the mirror, clearly interested in its mysteries, but hesitates at the ghastly sight of the sorceress's dead body.


Ok, next? Anything you want to look at more closely? What are your plans?

[saalaria]

Whilst the others look at the sorceress, Swil searches the room. He looks in particular for a folding ladder.

[Sir Clarence]

Andrin looks up to the hole in the ceiling. "Can we get up there with the help of the magic rope?"

[onlyme]

Malone looks up as well, for any object that might work to toss a rope over and pull up toward. Or, perhaps to toss up an grappling hook to the outer roof?

[Grognardsw]

Thurinor, elf spellweaver

"Aye, the sorcerope will do it," Thurinor answers Andrin. He gives him the rope.

The elf then checks the spell book for defensive glyphs. If none, he peruses the tome to see what dweomers may be within.

[Sir Clarence]

Andrin looks for a place close to the hole where the rope can tie itself to. If he locates something, he calls "Snakus ropus! Extendiosus" and lets the rope go.

[Majik]

Fairfax gives the dead mage no regard and nodes in agreement at the plan to use the magic rope to ascend to the next level in the tower.

[onlyme]

Malone will look around the room, then, not about to touch that magic rope if he can help it. He will peer out the window if able to make sure there is no gathering mob of froggies.

[ChubbyPixie]

Ozborn gives a hoot of triumph as the sorceress goes down, then gags a bit and backs up quickly to avoid the spreading pool of blood. He turns away and takes a deep breath. "Ew," he says.

Unfastening the cloak, he hands it back to Thurinor. "Thanks, buddy. I may ask to borrow it again if the situation warrants. Magic is pretty great! I can see now why you made your career choice." Ozborn will poke around the room to see if he sees any more obvious treasure or non-obvious secret compartments in bookshelves, the floor, etc. when he's satisfied, he'll go stand in front of the magic mirror and look in, waving his hand around. "What do you make of this? Can it transport us back to town?"