Adventure: Echoes of O

[sblock=What I’d like to do]Les flashes a nasty grin to the bartender. “You attack a bunch of armed soldiers with some drunken thugs and an axe? You expect whatever you get. And as for your friend…”
The githyanki looks up to where the crouched fighter in the rafters is and waves at him “You look lonely, want some company?” The gith crouches low and suddenly leaps straight up, propelling herself up onto the rafters and landing one square away from him. She cackles at his wide eyes and unwinds her chain from around herself, spinning it in slow circles around herself. ----[/sblock]
Les dashes across the floor and swings her chain out in a spiraling loop around herself, forming a twin pattern of swinging circles as she swings part in each hand. She flashes a nasty smile to the bartender and nods to him before lashing out with an overhand throw that launches heavy chain into his face. When the attack goes wide, she scowls at him.


[sblock=Actions]
Sorry for the delay
Initiative: 12
Minor: Draw Chain
Move: To one square right of where Raiyek currently is.
Standard: Viper’s Strike: url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1939764/]11[/url][/sblock]

Right after Brynden stops talking, Vlastos feels two sharp pangs of pain as a pair of rocks hit him in his head. After taking a moment to feel what will surely be a pair of nasty bruises, he looks up just in time to see the small humanoid in the rafters hurling a third rock at Seven Rabbit before giggling and running off to a better vantage point. (Vlastos takes two sling hits, 7 and 8, totaling 15 damage. Seven Rabbit takes only one, for 7. The thing in the rafters moves to J5).

Enraged, Vlastos draws his new orb and begins to channel his icy arcane might into it. The bruises on his head have him slightly groggy, as even though his spell seemingly goes off without a hitch, freezing the ground around the Brynden, the barkeep himself looks unharmed. Vlastos takes a step forward, wedging himself between Seven Rabbit and Les (Icy Terrain misses, Brynden's square is considered to be difficult terrain).

The warriors of the party spring into action. Raiyek, in one fluid motion, draws his sword, twirls it around his head as he spins, and finally brings the weapon across the nearest drunkard's neck. The force of the blow decapitates the man immediatly, and the poor man's body falls to the floor seconds after his head, which continues to spin for a few moments before slowing to a stop (Raiyek shifts to D4, kills C5 with a fantastic critical hit for 9 damage).

Kruk, on the other hand, draws his weapon and zig zags toward a patron at the opposite side of the bar. The man seems almost suprised to find Kruk's axe buried within his chest. The dwarf smiles grimly and pulls his weapon back, yanking it free from the man, who stumbles backwards a foot or two before collapsing onto a barstool, shattering it in the process (Kruk draws his greataxe, moves to H5, kills H4).

Raiyek hears a slight plinking sound as a crossbow bolt bounces harmlessly off of his plate armor. He spins and surveys the area, but can't deduce where the attack came from.

Iniative:
Guy in the rafters: 22
Vlastos, 9/24: 20
Sessadore: 17
Dimsdale: 17
JNC: 23/30: 15<< Your turn!
H4: 14
Dawn Raven: 12
K4: 10
J6: 10
Brynden: 8
A7: 7
C5: 5
J8: 2

Map the first
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: thebarum2.png
Map the second
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: battleraftersei4.png

Blue is difficult terrain.

[sblock=OOC]JNC is next, followed by Dawn Raven, followed by the baddies, who are all actually rakshasa shapeshifters and will surely kill you all with their powerful sorcery.

Sessadore, if you make it a point to say that your shield is hanging on your back during a character description, then your shield is hanging on your back during combat. You can spend a minor action next turn to draw / ready it next turn.

Kruk, I'm going to do you a favor and assume you meant Reaping Strike rather than Spinning Sweep. There is no power called "Spinning Strike". This problem could have been cleared up if you had bothered to post your stat block, as a crossed out encounter power lets me know when you pull out the big guns, as well as saving me the hassle of having to scramble to look up your AC. Please post your stat block with all combat actions in the future.[/stern finger]

The rafters are three squares above you, putting them well within Leap / Starlock attack range (assuming you position yourself correctly).[/sblock]

7 Rabbit spins around as the rock hits him in the head. He glares at the bartender. "You will be next," he growls as he backs up to gain a better vantage point. Shadows grow around him as he brushes past Vlastos, becoming momentarily occluded. Finally he reaches the point he wants and raises his hand toward the figure in the rafters, fingers crooked into a claw. He mutters in a strange language, and shadows seem to grow around the figure.

[sblock=Magari]
"Feel the moon turn his face away from you. Feel the light leave you. Feel yourself alone. Now... JOIN ME!"
[/sblock]

With his last shouted word, he abruptly squeezes his hand into a fist and jerks it towards him. The figure cries out in pain and stumbles forwards, directly towards open space!

[sblock=Rolls]
There are two earlier rolls in my character history, from a plan when I thought he was only 2 squares up. (It was basically the same except I hit him with Dire Radiance and then used an action point to use Diabolic Grasp, but without Prime Shot I wouldn't want to risk spending both an encounter power AND an action point.) Here's the new one:

Move action: Move to F9. Gain concealment from Shadow Walk.

Now I'm 4 squares away from the figure in the rafters and the two drunks in J6 and J8 (except that the line to the rafters goes diagonally upward), so he's tied for closest enemy.

Minor action: Warlock's Curse on the figure in the rafters
Standard action: Diabolic Grasp on the figure in the rafters, pulling him to I6. If it hits he gets a save to avoid falling off the edge, and takes 1d10 damage for falling over 10 feet if he misses it.

Hit: 13 vs Fort; Damage: 15; Falling damage: 6

If this guy is what I think he is, he might force me to reroll that. Here's my reroll if needed:

11 vs Fort Aww, man.
[/sblock]

[sblock=7 Rabbit stat block]7 Rabbit- Male Dwarf Warlock 1
Passive Perception: 11, Passive Insight: 16
AC:15 (17 vs. OA), Fort:14, Reflex:14, Will:13 -- Speed:5
HP:30/30, Bloodied:15, Surge Value:7, Surges left:10/10
Initiative -1
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: not used
Powers: Dire Radiance, Eldritch Blast, Diabolic Grasp, Armor of Agathys
[/sblock]

Kruk, I'm going to do you a favor and assume you meant Reaping Strike rather than Spinning Sweep. There is no power called "Spinning Strike". This problem could have been cleared up if you had bothered to post your stat block, as a crossed out encounter power lets me know when you pull out the big guns, as well as saving me the hassle of having to scramble to look up your AC. Please post your stat block with all combat actions in the future.[/stern finger]

Click to expand...

[sblock=OOC]
Stern finger well deserved! My apologies. Reaping strike is what I meant. I don't know what the heck I was thinking when I wrote the post. I have created a stat block as you requested. [/sblock]

[sblock=stats]
Kruk- Male Dwarf Fighter 1
Passive Insight 12 Passive Perception 12; Senses low light vision
HP 31 Bloodied 15 Surge Value 7; Surges Per-Day 12
AC 18 Fortitude 16 Reflex 10 Will 12 Speed 5
+ 5 poison
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: not used

Powers
At will: cleave, reaping strike
Encounter: spinning sweep
Daily: brute strike

[/sblock]

OOC: Ahhgh!!! Ahhhgh!!!! We're surrounded by rakshasas, screams the terrified Wizard as he spins in a circle and wets himself! Just kidding - those slobs clearly aren't the royal shapeshifters.

OOC: "Rakshasas!" Dimsdale screams, then spontaneously combusts.

Vlastos said:

OOC: Ahhgh!!! Ahhhgh!!!! We're surrounded by rakshasas, screams the terrified Wizard as he spins in a circle and wets himself! Just kidding - those slobs clearly aren't the royal shapeshifters.

Click to expand...

OOC: Shows what you know. Who's the DM here, anyway?

OOC: LOL - I thought you were kidding about Rakshasas, but if not, well then, I'll just have to kill some rakshasas if they really have been reduced to CR.5 monsters - also, your descriptions, pacing, and curveballs have been excellent, so you're the DM, dude.

Seven Rabbit and Les move to more strategically viable positions, unleashing their attacks. The foreign dwarf unleashes his foul magics on the figure in the rafters, but the attack fizzles and fails to land. Les draws her chain, takes her place beside Raiyek, and swings her chain at Brynden, who deflects the attack with the broad side of his axe (Rabbit and Les to F9 and E4, respectively. Both miss with Diabolic Grasp and Viper's Strike. Respectively).

The pair of drunkards nearest to Kruk look at each other, briefly nod, then try to flank the dwarf. Unfortunately, the alcohol has clouded their judgement, and their plan quickly falters as one of the men steps onto the strange liquid and loses his balance, falling on his back. The other swings a chair leg at the armored dwarf, who doesn't even bother to try and dodge. The attack hits Kruk in the shoulder, and the piece of wood shatters. The man looks at his now splintered weapon in horror as the dwarf seems unphased by his attack (K4 moves to I4, misses Kruk. J6 triest to move to H6 to flank, but slips and falls prone at I6).

Brynden reaches behind the bar, grabs a bottle, and with a grim grin, shouts "Nobody hits me in my bar!" as he hurls the bottle at Vlastos. Time seems to slow down for the wizard, who sees the bottle come slowly flying toward him. He even has time to read the label on the bottle; Rakshasa Brand Ale (Now with 40% more vile sorcery!). The wizard snaps to his senses and ducks at the last moment, feeling the rush of air as the bottle misses him by inches. The ale shatters against the wall at the back of the bar. Brynden scowls, and takes a step backward (thrown weapon attack misses Vlastos, Brynden moves to F1).

Now angered, the barman shouts orders to one of the patrons. "Hey! Get over here and help me out!" The man nods, placing himself between the Brynden and the elven paladin (A7 moves to B2).

Brynden then turns upward and gives another order to the rafters. "Go fer the bald one! Nobody hits me in MY bar!" There is a grunt of agreement from the shadows, and another small humanoid emerges from the shadows. A rock flies from the sling in his hands, and it catches Vlastos in the head. Brynden lets out a solid "YES!" as the wizard to the ground, blood slowly oozing from his wounds (another rafter-man appears, hits Vlastos for 12 damage. Vlastos falls unconscious).

The final patron, emboldened by his the success of his fellow, moves towards Seven Rabbit and Vlastos. The man considers his options, seemingly torn between the prospect of kicking a man while he's down and taking out another threat. He looks to Brynden for support, who gestures toward the exotic dwarf. The drunk man nods, and lunges toward Seven Rabbit with a poorly made shank. The man retreats back after his lunge, showing the dwarf that his crude weapon has indeed drawn blood (J8 to G9, hits Seven Rabbit for 4 damage).

ROUND 1 CONCLUDED

The first man in the rafters lets out another giggle, and moves to join his new comrade on the northern plank. He lets loose a stone at Seven Rabbit, but the attack goes wide. The small man sighs in dissapointment (first rafter guy moves to I4, misses Seven Rabbit)

INITIATIVE

I4 Rafters: 22
Vlastos, -3/24: 20, unconscious<<Your turn!
Sessadore: 17
Dimsdale: 17
JNC: 19/30: 15
???: 14
H4: 14
Dawn Raven: 12
I4: 10
J6: 10, prone
Brynden: 8
B2: 7
C5: 5
F4 Rafters: 5
G8: 2

Map the first
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: thebardo5.png

Map the second
ImageShack - Image Hosting :: battleraftersdd1.png

If the drunk that hit me is still standing by the time my turn comes around, I'll do the following:

7 Rabbit recoils from the attack and instinctively thrusts his palm toward the drunk, lashing out with an eldritch blast. The drunk swipes clumsily at him as he weaves and dodges, almost by accident.

[sblock=Action]
Standard action: Eldritch Blast at the drunk (inviting an OA): 8 to hit, 8 damage (not that the damage matters)
If by some miracle the drunk goes down, moving to I5 with a move action. Note that the halfling at I4 is still under my curse.
[/sblock]

Otherwise, this:

Seeing that Vlastos is out of danger for the moment, 7 Rabbit advances singlemindedly on the figure in the rafters, weaving between the struggling bodies. "You will suffer yet," he mutters as he prepares to unleash an eldritch blast.

[sblock=Action]
Move action: move to I5
Standard action: Eldritch Blast on the halfling at I4: 8 to hit, 12 damage
(If by some miracle the halfling dies, Warlock's Curse on the nearest enemy as a minor action)
[/sblock]

[sblock=7 Rabbit stat block]7 Rabbit- Male Dwarf Warlock 1
Passive Perception: 11, Passive Insight: 16
AC:15 (17 vs. OA), Fort:14, Reflex:14, Will:13 -- Speed:5
HP:24/30, Bloodied:15, Surge Value:7, Surges left:10/10
Initiative -1
Action Points: 1, Second Wind: not used
Powers: Dire Radiance, Eldritch Blast, Diabolic Grasp, Armor of Agathys
[/sblock]