IC X

[riftstone]

Thordin the dwarf

Thordin dives in, Innana at his side. He drives his sword into the robed mage, who moves just in time to avoid being gutted, but still comes away bloodied. He readies himself for a counterattack, but is unprepared for what comes next.

A misanthropic symbol of some unhinged beast is thrust out, archaic words are chanted, and a hole opens in the dwarf's mind. In it, he sees swirling mists, from which a horrible eye peers through. Suddenly, a monster out of nightmare grasps the sides of the hole, tearing it wider as it attempts to move through. Its amorphous structure is blasphemous to our world, the sight of which would blast any man's sanity.

A feeling of horror and dread come upon the dwarf, seeing this defiance of natural law coming into our world. Somebody must be told! They must be warned!

[Finglas]

Bregalad the elf

Entangled in deadly combat with the wererat, Bregalad sees Thordin emerge from the trees and sprint straight towards him! "Surely he has killed the mage and doppleganger, and now comes to my aid," thinks the elf, but soon realizes the dwarf is not stopping! In fact, he appears to be overcome with crazed terror! "Thordin!"

The elf recovers from the setback and fights on. "Alas! Even a dwarf can lose his grim composure!"

Bregalad makes another attack upon the giant rat, using his shield and magical spear.

Finely Carved Spear (Skilled): 1d20+5, 1d6+4

[thirdkingdom]

Round Five

Rhys strikes out with his blade but misses his target as a sling stone from Drudsa arcs gracefully into the temple of the remaining sleeping bandit. There is a dull thud and the bandit dies. In retaliation, one of the bandits charges Drudsa and cuts his arm. Three more of the thugs converge on Bregalad; only one is able to do any damage, and that is but a minor scratch. Semele, though visibly shaken by the sight of the fleeing Thordin, moves forward and calls upon her patron to heal Bregalad of his injuries. Aquar attempts to strike the remaining bandit engaged with Rhys, but misses.

Lanny looks about and sees a black robed figure through the trees! He takes aim with his bow, but the figure disappears behind a tree momentarily and the arrow thunks harmlessly into a bough. Bregalad spars with the wererat; neither are able to land telling blows.

Innana cries curses upon the doppelganger and attacks with both her weapons; she delivers a slight scratch with her cestus. The doppelanger counterattacks but misses; the mage draws a dagger and moves forward, but he too is unable to connect. The stout cleric pulls his mace from his belt and strides towards Innana. He swings it in a wide arc and Innana ducks under the blow.

Sorry about the delay, guys, I'm battling to get taxes done. Pretty crappy rolls throughout, except for Drudsa. Bregalad regains 7 hp, then takes 1. Drudsa takes 2 damage.

[zebediah]

Drudsa the dabbler

Drudsa takes a step back while loading another bullet in his sling. He will try to move away as little as he needs to have a safe shot at the enemy attacking him.

Sling (skilled) +2 to hit, 1d6 dmg, -1 AC vs 2 opponents, stun s/m, range 40/80/160

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Post edited. I misread and did not realize that both the mage and the cleric (in addition to the doppleganger) were attacking Innana in melee, thereby making it three-on-one. So Lanny will assist Innana this round.

As he tries to spot the black-robed figure hidden behind the tree, Lanny looks to the right to see a burly armor-clad figure move in to attack Innana. As this is happening, the black-robed figure darts from behind his tree and moves towards Innana with a drawn dagger. Lanny realizes that Innana will need some immediate assistance. He drops his longbow, picks up his shield, draws his sword, and moves in to attack. His first target is the black-robed figure whom he believes is the mage.

Longsword, Masterwork (Basic):
Hit Roll: 1d20+3
Damage Roll: 1d8+1

If and when he kills the mage, he will continue his attack against the cleric.

[Innana]

Innana the Fighter:

As the doppelgänger swiftly dodges Innana's planned strikes, the Warrioress already has plan B ready to execute. Innana uses her spiral move, where she first slashes with the cestus across the neck, and will follow through using the sword to remove the false Rhyse's head, just as she had promised.

Swift Fang Sword (Skilled): +4, 1d12+1 (includes the penalty for silver wire handle)

-2 AC vs 1 opponent (against the doppleganger)

Deflect 1 attack by making a save of 11 vs Death Ray (attempting to deflect the doppleganger's attack)

Semele the Cleric:

Semele sees her healing spell land on Bregalad, and breathes a sigh of relief, then quickly hides behind a tree to stay out of sight. Semele takes a deep breath, and tries to stop shaking, and regain her composure.

[Finglas]

Round Five

.....Semele, though visibly shaken by the sight of the fleeing Thordin, moves forward and calls upon her patron to heal Bregalad of his injuries.

Bregalad the elf

A hand is placed upon Bregalad's shoulder, and from it a foreign but increasingly familiar energy flows into him, closing the wound made by the wererat's sword! Bregalad turns and nods his thanks to Semele, his eyes conveying to her his understanding of just how much she risked to perform the selfless act.

As the young cleric runs for cover, the elf keeps himself between the enemy and her.

Another attack upon the wererat!

Finely Carved Spear (Skilled): 1d20+5, 1d6+4

[Grognardsw]

Aquar, cleric

Aquar grunts and swings Godswrath again.

Masterwork war hammer, basic prof, 1d6+1

[Alethan]

Rhys the Traveler

Rhys continues fighting thugs...

[thirdkingdom]

Rounds Six and Seven

Lanny runs towards Innana, intent on bettering the odds for the warrioress. He is in time to see the mage flip a dagger, which misses Innana, and takes a wild swing to interrupt it, but misses. The magic-user looks up and grasps a medallion around his neck; there is a puff of bluish smoke, and he vanishes! Innana and the doppelganger are locked in a futile struggle, with neither able to get the other hand until Innana is able to slip her cestus into the creature's bicep. With the disappearance of the magic-user, Lanny turns his attention upon the cleric, but his previous attack threw the elf off balance and he just barely misses his target, as does the cleric.

Drudsa backs up and fires a sling at the bandit attacking him, but misses. The man follows him and deals the magic-user a slice that opens a gash on his chest. Rhys and Aquar engage in a struggle with the bandit they face; Aquar misses but Rhys is able to deliver a killing blow. The two see that Drudsa is being threatened and interpose themselves in front of the unarmored mage. Rhys takes a blow from the bandit's sword, and manages a clever riposte that unfortunately does little to take the fight out of the bandit.

Ignoring the bandits threatening him, Bregalad rears back and drives his spear through the heart of his enemy, slaying the were-rat instantly. He leaves himself open to an attack from the others harrying him, but it is but a minor wound. He turns to face the two, and none are able to subsequently strike him, though he is unable to either.

Rhys takes 4 hp, Bregalad 2 and Drudsa 3. Man, what a bunch of lousy rolls. In the effort of wrapping this up, I figured that Rhys and Aquar would defend Drudsa, and Lanny moves to attack the cleric.

[Grognardsw]

Aquar moves to defend Drudsa the dweomer-caster.

"Thou beslubbering spur-galled coxcomb!" he taunts the bandit, swinging Godswrath again.

Masterwork war hammer, basic prof, 1d6+1

[Alethan]

Rhys the Traveler

Rhys is too focused on protecting Drudsa to even wonder what Aquar is yelling about. He hopes to finish the thug off this round, though, because he's not sure how many more hits he can take like that last one...

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Now fighting side by side with Innana, Lanny calls out in elvish to the warrioress:

"The mage has vanished! Let's finish these two!"

Lanny regains his balance and goes for another strike upon the cleric.

Longsword, Masterwork (Basic):
Hit Roll: 1d20+3
Damage Roll: 1d8+1

[Innana]

Innana the Fighter:

The fact the magic user vanishes tells Innana that the enemy was loosing ground. The cowardice move of the magic user fuels Innana's fire, and renewed strength pumps through her as she engages the slippery doppelgänger in yet another round of battle.

Innana replies to Lanny in his Elvin tongue, "Thank you for you aid, I am intent on getting this ones head, focus on the cleric, and try to keep his mind off his friend here."

Innana leaps forward plunging her cestus and sword once again, hoping for the doppelgängers head to at least come loose.

Swift Fang Sword (Skilled): +4, 1d12+1 (includes the penalty for silver wire handle)

-2 AC vs 1 opponent (against the doppleganger)

Deflect 1 attack by making a save of 11 vs Death Ray (attempting to deflect the doppleganger's attack)


Cestus Blade (Basic): +2, 1d3, Offhand Ability (no offhand penalty)

[zebediah]

Drudsa the dabbler

Seeing that all enemies are engaged in melee with his companions, Drudsa draws his whip and tries to hit one of the foes attacking Bregalad.

Whip, basic proficience, +1 to attack, 1d2 damage, chance to entangle.

[Finglas]

Drudsa the dabbler

Seeing that all enemies are engaged in melee with his companions, Drudsa draws his whip and tries to hit one of the foes attacking Bregalad.

Bregalad the elf

The magic user is bleeding, his chest cut by a bandit's blade! And yet, he comes to the elf's aid! Inspired by Drudsa's brave deed, Bregalad raises his shield and spear high, and shouts to the bandits!

"A century is but a day;
a season, a moment!
Your light grows dim,
and you do not know it!"

Bregalad attempts to keep the bandits' attention upon himself, and to cause doubt to enter their hearts. He continues his attack, using his spear and shield.

Finely Carved Spear (Skilled): 1d20+5, 1d6+4


Bregalad has 10 hit points remaining. (Unable to track it on my character sheet, as there is a problem with logging into the Unseen Servant's Dice Roller.)

[thirdkingdom]

Rounds Eight and Nine

Bregalad spears one of his opponents through the chest, killing him, while the other slips on the gore covering the ground. The elf is able to take advantage of the mistake and reverses his spear to end the brigand's life. He rushes forward to aid his companions; Aquar and Rhys spar with the remaining bandit, though no one is able to land a telling blow. Drudsa, however, manages to sneak around the side and cracks his whip, catching the thug in the corner of his eye and drawing blood.

Bregalad rushes over to aid his companions, thrusting his spear forward and catching the bandit in the arm at the same time the tip of Drudsa's whip snakes forward and draws another line of blood. Overcome with injuries, the bandit collapses.

Innana spars with the doppelganger, at first neither able to hit the other. Lanny and the cleric dance a deadly dance back and forth; they exchange blows at first, then when Lanny attempts to land a killing strike the cleric steps back and swing his mace in a compact arc! In desperation, Lanny raises his shield; the mace crashes with terrible force against it, splintering the shield into dozens of pieces. The doppelganger gives a shout of triumph and Innana seizes the opportunity, diving both sword and cestus deep into the creature's body. It collapses wordlessly.

Okay, so the doppelganger is dead, as are all three of the bandits. Lanny took a total of 13 hp and made his first save.

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Lanny loses his balance after his lunging attack and slips to the ground, and just barely manages to get his shield in front of him before the cleric's mace would have crushed his chest. The force of the blow cracks the shield in half, rendering it useless. Lanny rolls over and rises to his feet, his sword in a defensive position. He again calls out to Innana in elvish:

"I am wounded and will withdraw for the moment. Finish him - I will alert the others!"

Not wanting his dead body to become a liability to the group, Lanny attempts to move away from the cleric to allow Innana to take control of the melee, keeping up his guard in case the cleric follows him. As his companions start to draw near, he turns his head slightly and shouts over his shoulder to them:

"Friends, be careful if you are wounded or without shield - his mace is quite lethal!"

Fighting Withdrawal

Movement: away from the cleric, towards the main group
Longsword, Masterwork (Basic):
Hit Roll: 1d20+3
Damage Roll: 1d8+1

Lanny will alert the others as to their location in the woods. If necessary, Lanny will move to intercept the cleric if the cleric tries to attack any of the unarmored members of the party, but otherwise he will let the better fighter finish the job.

If Innana does not kill the cleric in Round 10, Lanny will rejoin the melee by circling around behind the cleric and attacking him from behind in Round 11.

[Finglas]

Bregalad the elf

As the last brigand falls, Bregalad hears the shouts from inside the woods. He searches for his friends, but is certain the enemy will regret picking a fight with the fiery-haired warrioress!

Finely Carved Spear (Skilled): 1d20+5, 1d6+4

[zebediah]

Drudsa the dabbler

Drudsa runs to the woods to aind Innana and Lanny. He will stay on the second row and will try to hit the cleric with his whip.