IC IX

[Grognardsw]

Aquar / camp

The sounds of pans clanging on rope...Aquar eyes snap open as he lithely rolls to the side, scooping his shield up in one hand and hammer in the other. He exits tent, platemail gleaming in the moonlight, his profile heroic, his sharp eyes taking in the scene. "Feel Procan's wrath!" yells the cleric valiantly as he throws himself into battle.

Aquar / waking from a dream

Aquar stirs, dreaming again of the damnable cat. He's been thinking too much about it. A voice calls him from sleep.

"Whagghh?" moans Aquar groggily. Was that Iannana yelling? He peeks out of the tent. Why did I take my armor off? he wonders. "Give me strength oh mighty Procan," prays the cleric in aspiration*

Aquar is split on whether to put on his cumbersome armor or face the cat in his nightshirt. He straps on the breastplate as he considers his next move.

* Aspiration orison: http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Orisons

[thirdkingdom]

GSW:I'm not quite sure, based upon what you wrote IC and then in the spoiler, if you intend Aquar to spend the two minutes putting on his armor or not. Please clarify. Also, we are using the Shields May be Splintered rule (see House Rules thread), which makes shields much more valuable, especially in situations like this.

[Grognardsw]

Aquar prays the aspiration and puts his breastplate on, more pieces if possible in the time of one round, as he considers his next move.

[Alethan]

Aquar prays the aspiration and puts his breastplate on, more pieces if possible in the time of one round, as he considers his next move.

Here was the post on donning armour, for reference...

viewtopic.php?p=76881#p76881

... so it takes 12 rounds (aprox 2 minutes) to completely don plate mail.

[Alethan]

Rhys the Traveler

Rhys springs from his sleep roll, sword in hand, and maneuvers around to the back of the large cat, attacking it from behind.

Hey, he needs all the help he can get!

Sword, Normal (Basic): +1 To Hit (+1 BAB); 1d8 Damage

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

The elf awakens with a start and instinctively grabs his sword and shield. He surveys the scene in a brief instant, a thousand different plans racing through his mind... Seeing Innana take a direct hit, Lanny turns to Semele.

"Don't get too close, Semele, you must remain alive to tend to anyone that should fall... Here, take this potion, it will protect you from fire if you need to cover yourself in fire to repel the beast..."

Lanny hands Semele the Potion of Fire Resistance, and then looks around at his awakening companions and shouts in his loudest voice:

"Surround the beast! It can't kill us all!"

Lanny races in to attack the beast on its side, leaving the better fighters to attack it directly.

Longsword, Masterwork (Basic): 1d20+3, 1d8+1 damage

Lanny is at AC 7 with only a shield.

[thirdkingdom]

Lanny the Elf. Here, take this potion, it will protect you from fire if you need to cover yourself in fire to repel the beast..."

[Alethan]

Lanny the Elf
"Surround the beast! It can't kill us all!"

I wouldn't be so sure about that...

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

So, one of the ideas racing through Lanny's mind in that split second involved the use of fire. Unfortunately, he did not have the time to explain the plan in full to Semele, or to contemplate all possible repercussions of said plan... But he wanted to make sure that Semele (or anyone else) who might contemplate a similar plan would have an important tool (ie. the fire resistance potion) at their disposal.

I wouldn't be so sure about that...

I know that, and you know that, but don't tell the PCs!

[Innana]

Innana the Fighter:

Lanny the Elf
"Surround the beast! It can't kill us all!"

I wouldn't be so sure about that...

We will not die.... We will not die... We ...omg..I might die!

Innana yells, "Aquar....you have a prayer left in you to heal this wound?"

[thirdkingdom]

Round Three

Aquar pauses in the middle of fastening his breastplate and mutters a quick prayer to his Immortal patron, unsure of what action to take. Innana calls for Semele to aid her, but the young cleric blanches at the idea and refuses, and instead continues to wake the others. The great cat pounces on Innana, rending with both claws and ripping her throat open with razor-sharp teeth. Thordin's blow comes an instant too late, striking the space the Beast once occupied. Lanny rushes forward and in a flurry of blows is able to pierce the creature's hide.

Innana is dead. Everyone else can act as normal in the subsequent round(s). A quick word about Semele's actions: PCs are entitled to act as bravely/foolishly as desired. As an NPC, however, Semele has a morale score, which I use to essentially determine how brave she is in any given situation. I usually make judicious use of this mechanic, but judged that this situation warranted a check.

Please note that there are options for dead characters:
1)You could always create a new character.
2)The PCs have a stone that will bring the dead back to life, albeit with some potential downsides.
3)Characters can be returned to life through high-level clerical magic.

[riftstone]

Thordin the dwarf

"Innana! No!" The dwarf glares at the giant cat, a grim smile on his lips barely seen through his beard. "Death comes for all of us; it is here now! Use all your spells, knowing we are but the Dead holding off the Reaper for a few moments more!"

Thordin attacks, using sword and shield.

I am good with you using NPC morale checks, makes them more than just slaves to our whims.

Sword, +7 to hit, 1d12+3 damage, -2 AC bonus vs. 1 opponent, 1 deflection attempt/round at a 7 or better chance. Thordin will save the deflection attempt for the bite attack.

[Innana]

Innana the fighter:

Innana raises her magical sword, and sees the cats eyes narrow. Everything turns into slow motion. Innana sees the large feline beast swipe at her neck. Innana can't breathe, and feels the life leaving her body as she hits the ground. Innana says a dying prayer as all goes dark. "If there is a God, or Goddess, please....help my friends..."

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

Seeing Innana fall to the ground left a sick feeling in the Lanny's soul. Perhaps she could still be saved... Yet he knew that all would be lost if the party did not do something decisive right now. He decides to move out of melee range of the beast, dropping to a knee with his shield raised high in front of him to cover as much of his vital organs as possible. He turns and yells to the party in the campsite.

"We need fire, or a warrior of fire, at the front, and many more shields for Thordin, in case his shatters. Everyone else keep clear and attack at range... we cannot afford any more casualties!"

After shouting this, Lanny whispers the words to summon forth a magical arrow to fire at the beast.

Casting Magic Missile: 1d6+1 damage

Questions for TK:

Is it safe to assume that the ground in pretty well saturated with water after 18 hours of rain?

Can a beast of this size be targeted with missile fire if there is just one person engaging it in melee?

Also, I believe the beast should have lost 5 hit points (66 remaining) from Lanny's last hit.

To be clear, Lanny is calling for any spare shields available to be brought to Thordin while he engages the beast head on, so that he can continue to effectively carry on the fight by picking up another shield if his is splintered. Lanny realizes that a single hit from the beast would probably make him a corpse as well, which would not do any body any good. He still has a few cards to play if the situation continues to deteriorate...

[Alethan]

Lanny the Elf

He still has a few cards to play if the situation continues to deteriorate...

I would just assume deterioration at this point and play your cards...

[zebediah]

Drudsa the dabbler

As soon as he wakes up and sees what is going on Drudsa casts Magic Missile on the creature.

"Stay focused everyone, we can heal Innana if we bring the beast down!"

[frobozz]

Lanny the Elf

I would just assume deterioration at this point and play your cards...

Cards have been played (please see my post). Lanny is recommending a bold fire-based attack (as a way to potentially unnerve the beast) as well as attempting to utilize the "shields shall be splintered" rule to maximum effect. He is currently waiting for Rhys and the other PCs to act in this round (they are free to act as they see fit of course). He is open to other suggestions if anyone has them.

[Grognardsw]

Aquar / camp

The cleric hears the sounds of combat outside, the calls for fire and shields. Breastplate and shield will have to be enough armor, he decides. Praying a canticle of protection* under his breath, Aquar grabs his hammer, torch and first aid kit and exits the tent looking for those who may need healing.

Outside Aquar is alarmed to see Iannana's prone body. He stays at the perimeter moving to heal those he safely can. If there are none, he will see if he can throw his shield to Thordin or Lanny.

* Canticle and Aspiration orisons in effect. http://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Orisons

[Finglas]

Thordin the dwarf

"Innana! No!".....

Bregalad the elf

Bregalad hears Thordin's voice call out for Innana from far away. The cry snaps the elf out of his disturbing dreams. His eyes dart about, taking in the chaos around him -- the immense beast, Innana down, Thordin fighting with nothing more than sword and shield and heart!

Thordin the dwarf

....."Death comes for all of us; it is here now! Use all your spells, knowing we are but the Dead holding off the Reaper for a few moments more!"

These words ring loudly in the elf's ears! He picks up his spear and shield, and answers the dwarf!... "Who wants to live forever?" (in dwarvish) ...and then closes in!

Bregalad intends on positioning himself behind Thordin. Should the dwarf fall, Bregalad will step in front of him. Knowing that this beast needs to be brought down quickly, Bregalad will his cast his guaranteed damage spell, Magic Missile, in rounds 4 and 5. He will then attack with his spear after his spells are depleted.

[Alethan]

Lanny the Elf

Cards have been played (please see my post). Lanny is recommending a bold fire-based attack (as a way to potentially unnerve the beast) as well as attempting to utilize the "shields shall be splintered" rule to maximum effect. He is currently waiting for Rhys and the other PCs to act in this round (they are free to act as they see fit of course). He is open to other suggestions if anyone has them.

I read it. At the very end of it, you said, "He still has a few cards to play...". I took that to mean in addition to what you just said in the post. Apologies if I misunderstood...