The Shackled City - Golarion Prelude
Dragonwriter
First Post
Marcus swings his guisarme around into a ready position. He calls out over the din of the beetles, "Orin, Adofo and I should handle the adult beetles. The rest of you grab torches and smash the juveniles with them. Don't take any unnecessary risks, work together, and don't let any beetles get past you!"
[sblock=OOC]
Continue Ready action to strike first beetle that comes into reach, using Power Attack and Pushing Assault (10-ft reach, +4 attack, 2d4+6 damage, moves enemy back 5 ft.) and ready to AoO 3 more times with the same trick.
For later rounds, if you plan on just fast-forwarding, attack nearest adult beetle, trying to move without taking AoOs and setting myself up for several available AoOs of my own. Move actions are fine, so long as I'm not in a threatened area or moving through one. I plan to keep using Power Attack and Pushing Assault (with Combat Reflexes, too) to keep enemies off of me as much as possible.
AC 15 HP 13/13
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[sblock=OOC]
Continue Ready action to strike first beetle that comes into reach, using Power Attack and Pushing Assault (10-ft reach, +4 attack, 2d4+6 damage, moves enemy back 5 ft.) and ready to AoO 3 more times with the same trick.
For later rounds, if you plan on just fast-forwarding, attack nearest adult beetle, trying to move without taking AoOs and setting myself up for several available AoOs of my own. Move actions are fine, so long as I'm not in a threatened area or moving through one. I plan to keep using Power Attack and Pushing Assault (with Combat Reflexes, too) to keep enemies off of me as much as possible.
AC 15 HP 13/13
[/sblock]
Walking Dad
First Post
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Nia keeps her distance from the beetles, ceding ground when necessary. She uses her javelins first, loading each into an odd, clever little contrivance of leather thongs that looks a little like a sling, but is designed to throw a spear instead of a bullet. Before each shot she murmurs and invocation to the powers to guide her casts.
When the javelins are gone she fights with her spear...but bizarrely, her short black hair seems to come to life, swaying about her head as if she were underwater. It shoots out in length abruptly, becoming a long, glossy mane that twines together to make a thick braid. The reason for this becomes abundantly clear.
As the beetles approach, Nia's hair lashes out like a whip, striking them even when they're too far for her spear to reach. She then stabs at them as they come forward, and backs off...giving her plenty of chances to stop the oversized insects before they can reach her. At her feet prowls the hand-sized spider...as large as some of the smaller beetles itself.
[sblock=Action breakdown] Throw remaining two javelins at larger beetles...both at the same, unless the first one kills one. Shooting for adult beetles not currently in melee with anyone. Each throw is preceded by a casting of Guidence for +1 to hit on following throw. This means +4 to hit instead of +3 (including Point Blank Shot bonuses). It also means the 2 throws take 4 turns to complete. Range is 30'.
Once javelins are gone she casts Mage Armor on herself and readies her spear to enter melee. Tactics are as follows: Animate her Prehensile Hair to full 10' reach and use as secondary natural attack at any beetle entering that reach. This attack is at -5, and does 1d3 damage. She then readies an action to attack when the beetle closes into melee. Assuming the beetle advances, she stabs at it with readied action, endures the beetle's attack, and stabs again, taking a 5' step to try to avoid other beetles that might be nearby. If the situation is safe...which is to say, there's just that one beetle nearby, Shelob will flank with Nia. Otherwise it stays back.
If things start looking bad...like she takes a hit or two, or is reduced to 3 hit points or less, Nia will disengage and retreat to get some range, then cast Ear Piercing Scream on the biggest, baddest beetle she can see. She'll then use a CLW scroll on herself and rejoin the fray.
If another named NPC or PC falls, she will try to get within touch range to use one of her CLW scrolls on him as quickly as she can without exposing herself to undue risk.
AC is 16, HP 10. Shelob has AC 19 and HP 5. Its attack is at +6, but only does 1 damage plus poison.[/sblock]
When the javelins are gone she fights with her spear...but bizarrely, her short black hair seems to come to life, swaying about her head as if she were underwater. It shoots out in length abruptly, becoming a long, glossy mane that twines together to make a thick braid. The reason for this becomes abundantly clear.
As the beetles approach, Nia's hair lashes out like a whip, striking them even when they're too far for her spear to reach. She then stabs at them as they come forward, and backs off...giving her plenty of chances to stop the oversized insects before they can reach her. At her feet prowls the hand-sized spider...as large as some of the smaller beetles itself.
[sblock=Action breakdown] Throw remaining two javelins at larger beetles...both at the same, unless the first one kills one. Shooting for adult beetles not currently in melee with anyone. Each throw is preceded by a casting of Guidence for +1 to hit on following throw. This means +4 to hit instead of +3 (including Point Blank Shot bonuses). It also means the 2 throws take 4 turns to complete. Range is 30'.
Once javelins are gone she casts Mage Armor on herself and readies her spear to enter melee. Tactics are as follows: Animate her Prehensile Hair to full 10' reach and use as secondary natural attack at any beetle entering that reach. This attack is at -5, and does 1d3 damage. She then readies an action to attack when the beetle closes into melee. Assuming the beetle advances, she stabs at it with readied action, endures the beetle's attack, and stabs again, taking a 5' step to try to avoid other beetles that might be nearby. If the situation is safe...which is to say, there's just that one beetle nearby, Shelob will flank with Nia. Otherwise it stays back.
If things start looking bad...like she takes a hit or two, or is reduced to 3 hit points or less, Nia will disengage and retreat to get some range, then cast Ear Piercing Scream on the biggest, baddest beetle she can see. She'll then use a CLW scroll on herself and rejoin the fray.
If another named NPC or PC falls, she will try to get within touch range to use one of her CLW scrolls on him as quickly as she can without exposing herself to undue risk.
AC is 16, HP 10. Shelob has AC 19 and HP 5. Its attack is at +6, but only does 1 damage plus poison.[/sblock]
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ahayford
First Post
Wilbur
As you utter the final phrase of Aklo, your mind bends inward. You are aware of each and every mind in the swarm charging toward you. Simple thoughts of hunger and rage. You could snuff out each tiny mind with but a thought, or drive it to a frenzy on a whim. You sense a spirit of guilt holding and driving them as one creature, its only desire to consume your flesh and revel in the blood letting. For a moment, it is as if time has stopped.
You are then aware of another presence in your own mind.
You have proven obedience by traveling to this place, but like all mortals...you are weak and cowardly. You are my conduit, my chosen. My power runs through you. Use it to destroy your enemies. Prove yourself worthy.
You scream again as your body is wracked by pain. Your arms wither and fall off as tentacles covered in fanged screaming mouths sprout from your torso. Your eyes go blind, but just as suddenly you can see the world in your mind eye just as if it were a summer’s day. Your skin sloughs off your body, leaving behind a scaled hide like that of a fish. You know that with but a thought you could incinerate the creature trapped in time before you.
As you utter the final phrase of Aklo, your mind bends inward. You are aware of each and every mind in the swarm charging toward you. Simple thoughts of hunger and rage. You could snuff out each tiny mind with but a thought, or drive it to a frenzy on a whim. You sense a spirit of guilt holding and driving them as one creature, its only desire to consume your flesh and revel in the blood letting. For a moment, it is as if time has stopped.
You are then aware of another presence in your own mind.
You have proven obedience by traveling to this place, but like all mortals...you are weak and cowardly. You are my conduit, my chosen. My power runs through you. Use it to destroy your enemies. Prove yourself worthy.
You scream again as your body is wracked by pain. Your arms wither and fall off as tentacles covered in fanged screaming mouths sprout from your torso. Your eyes go blind, but just as suddenly you can see the world in your mind eye just as if it were a summer’s day. Your skin sloughs off your body, leaving behind a scaled hide like that of a fish. You know that with but a thought you could incinerate the creature trapped in time before you.
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Walking Dad
First Post
Wilbur
Wilbur stares down at his body and the insectile wave. He will not be just a pawn. If he gives in to much, he will loose himself in his otherworldly... patron. Defiantly he answers:
"As you said, I'm just your mere conduit. If you want to burn them, burn them through me. I'm ready to channel your burning light."
[sblock=OOC]
Wilbur 2
Wilbur Warrington
[/sblock]
Wilbur stares down at his body and the insectile wave. He will not be just a pawn. If he gives in to much, he will loose himself in his otherworldly... patron. Defiantly he answers:
"As you said, I'm just your mere conduit. If you want to burn them, burn them through me. I'm ready to channel your burning light."
[sblock=OOC]
Wilbur 2
Wilbur Warrington
[/sblock]
ahayford
First Post
Wilbur
You feel the dark energy flow through you. The temptation to take just a small fraction for yourself is intense. What could you accomplish with but a fraction of that power? You force yourself to resist. Down that path lies madness and oblivion. You shield your mind against it, allowing the energy to flow through you without tasting it. The energy fills you like an eldritch capacitor. As it does, time resumes.
The beetle create continues its stride, charging towards you. The dark one's power jumps from your tentacles like lightning, striking the creature square in the chest. The dark bolts of energy jump from beetle to beetle, incinerating the swarm in mid step. All that remains of the creature is the animating spirit. You feel the dark one's power reach out and take hold of the spirit. Its cries of anguish are cut short as its pitiful existence is simply snuffed out.
You are stronger then you appear mortal. You show obedience but maintain the strength of will to channel my power without succumbing to madness. You have proven yourself....for now.
The arid plane melts and disappears like water down a drain. All is blackness. Points of light strung on strands of ether like a spider's web slowly appear in your vision. The strands entwine themselves with each other, sometimes separating and going their own ways. Other times, they reconnect only to separate again. As the lights get brighter, the beauty of the scene before you is almost too intense to bear. You are looking upon the strands of fate, the sparks of life traveling along each thread. As you watch, threads change. Mortal choices force threads apart and bring new ones together. Few mortals glimpse upon this artifact of the divine.
Your focus changes, as if by the direction of another. You now see your own thread, and follow it through the course of your life. You spot childhood friends connect and separate...and finally your thread breaking off from that of your family. It is remarkably solitary until it reaches a new junction. You see the threads of Nia, Marcus, Svexyn, Val, and Caytis twist with yours.
As you watch, your thread pulls from the twist. The web begins unravelling. Threads begin unraveling like a poorly made quilt. Finally, a giant hole rends itself in the center of the web as thousands of threads snap loose. The chain reaction continues to ripple through the web as your vision fades.
Do not fail me mortal
The first sensation you feel is the loose stones of the access path against your face. Soon, your senses return to you and you spot Garthun's men still running down the path to the main trade road. You stand up and are unsure how much time has passed. You realize you are holding something in your hand. When you open it you hand holds a dark polished stone. You sense the power within is fleeting, but could be used if tapped quickly.
You feel the dark energy flow through you. The temptation to take just a small fraction for yourself is intense. What could you accomplish with but a fraction of that power? You force yourself to resist. Down that path lies madness and oblivion. You shield your mind against it, allowing the energy to flow through you without tasting it. The energy fills you like an eldritch capacitor. As it does, time resumes.
The beetle create continues its stride, charging towards you. The dark one's power jumps from your tentacles like lightning, striking the creature square in the chest. The dark bolts of energy jump from beetle to beetle, incinerating the swarm in mid step. All that remains of the creature is the animating spirit. You feel the dark one's power reach out and take hold of the spirit. Its cries of anguish are cut short as its pitiful existence is simply snuffed out.
You are stronger then you appear mortal. You show obedience but maintain the strength of will to channel my power without succumbing to madness. You have proven yourself....for now.
The arid plane melts and disappears like water down a drain. All is blackness. Points of light strung on strands of ether like a spider's web slowly appear in your vision. The strands entwine themselves with each other, sometimes separating and going their own ways. Other times, they reconnect only to separate again. As the lights get brighter, the beauty of the scene before you is almost too intense to bear. You are looking upon the strands of fate, the sparks of life traveling along each thread. As you watch, threads change. Mortal choices force threads apart and bring new ones together. Few mortals glimpse upon this artifact of the divine.
Your focus changes, as if by the direction of another. You now see your own thread, and follow it through the course of your life. You spot childhood friends connect and separate...and finally your thread breaking off from that of your family. It is remarkably solitary until it reaches a new junction. You see the threads of Nia, Marcus, Svexyn, Val, and Caytis twist with yours.
As you watch, your thread pulls from the twist. The web begins unravelling. Threads begin unraveling like a poorly made quilt. Finally, a giant hole rends itself in the center of the web as thousands of threads snap loose. The chain reaction continues to ripple through the web as your vision fades.
Do not fail me mortal
The first sensation you feel is the loose stones of the access path against your face. Soon, your senses return to you and you spot Garthun's men still running down the path to the main trade road. You stand up and are unsure how much time has passed. You realize you are holding something in your hand. When you open it you hand holds a dark polished stone. You sense the power within is fleeting, but could be used if tapped quickly.
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Fangor the Fierce
First Post
He then wonders just what he can do in this situation. Spotting the cart behind him, a plan begins to form. They could not be dealt with in numbers, but if they could funnel the foes into a line, then they might be able to handle them...
"You two! Help me to get that cart moving and run the bugs over! The rest of you shoot at the larger ones!" he says, pointing to the guards with melee weapons.
He then moves behind the cart, waiting for the other guards to help him get the cart and run over the bugs at the gate.
"You two! Help me to get that cart moving and run the bugs over! The rest of you shoot at the larger ones!" he says, pointing to the guards with melee weapons.
He then moves behind the cart, waiting for the other guards to help him get the cart and run over the bugs at the gate.
ahayford
First Post
East Gate
Svexyn dashes to the cart near the gate and motions for a guard to assist him in moving it across the entrance. Marcus watches the rogue dash quickly and shouts some words of encouragement. He readies his polearm, waiting for the chance to strike.
Valinnan charges from the other side of the courtyard, trying to close the open flank and defend Svexyn as he works his plan. He steps into a beetle's path and tries to skewer it with his rapier, but the heavy chitin shell deflects the blow. Another beetle crawls out from under a cart and flanks him, but Val is simply too fast for both bugs. Their attacks snap empty air. Several of the other beetles continue to harass Garthun's carvan animals, bringing down a horse and breaking into Garthun's stock of rich food and wine.
The crossbowmen in the rear line take shots at the large fire beetle crawling from the front of the gate, but their nervousness spoils their shots, sending the bolts wide into the wood of the gate.
The swarms of beetles charge the front lines, but the defenders are ready. Marcus takes two swipes at the oncoming bugs but both prove ineffective. He starts hitting the fist sized bugs off his armor as they begin crawling over him. One finds some open flesh and draws blood before Marcus smashes it with his fist.
One of Adofo's men is a bit more successful at fending off the insects, his flaming brand crushes dozens of the crawling menaces and ignites several others, but still he too starts panicking as he tries to knock the bugs from his armor.
Nia readies a spear, murmuring words of power known only to the women of her clan. The spear glows warmly, and she smiles, confident it will strike true.
Adofo gets his fight. The enraged beetle charges strait for him. The beeltes jaws clatter as it leeps for the burly warrior. Adofo was ready for it. He cleanly slices the beetle from head to tail with his falchio, splattering himself in dark ochre.
Svexyn and the remaining caravan guardsman move the cart into position, further bolstering the gate, and making it more difficult for the bugs to get through the tunnels they have dug.
More bugs begin to emerge from beneath the wall, but seem to be struggling to get out from under the cart.
North wall
Tamecia's guard drops momentarily after her victory, and it scores her a vicious slash across her thigh as a beetle leaps onto her. The beetles mandibles have no problem slicing through her meager linen clothes. She utters a curse but maintains her ground, blocking the open rear entrance of the cart. A slight smile curls on her face as she sees Caytis run around the back of the cart and motion towards the open drainage grate. Caytis whirls into combat, attempts to stab at a beetle blocking his access to the grate, but the stab slides off its armored plating. The beetle hisses angrily and snaps at his wrist, but he spins out of the reach of the snapping mandibles. Tamecia blocks another beetle leeping from a pile of crates with her staff, its mandibles snapping harmlessly on the heavy weapon. Tamecia takes one step back, trying to edge closer to the drainage grate.
Caytis can hear the buzzing he knows all too well echoing from inside the storm drain.
Svexyn dashes to the cart near the gate and motions for a guard to assist him in moving it across the entrance. Marcus watches the rogue dash quickly and shouts some words of encouragement. He readies his polearm, waiting for the chance to strike.
Valinnan charges from the other side of the courtyard, trying to close the open flank and defend Svexyn as he works his plan. He steps into a beetle's path and tries to skewer it with his rapier, but the heavy chitin shell deflects the blow. Another beetle crawls out from under a cart and flanks him, but Val is simply too fast for both bugs. Their attacks snap empty air. Several of the other beetles continue to harass Garthun's carvan animals, bringing down a horse and breaking into Garthun's stock of rich food and wine.
The crossbowmen in the rear line take shots at the large fire beetle crawling from the front of the gate, but their nervousness spoils their shots, sending the bolts wide into the wood of the gate.
The swarms of beetles charge the front lines, but the defenders are ready. Marcus takes two swipes at the oncoming bugs but both prove ineffective. He starts hitting the fist sized bugs off his armor as they begin crawling over him. One finds some open flesh and draws blood before Marcus smashes it with his fist.
One of Adofo's men is a bit more successful at fending off the insects, his flaming brand crushes dozens of the crawling menaces and ignites several others, but still he too starts panicking as he tries to knock the bugs from his armor.
Nia readies a spear, murmuring words of power known only to the women of her clan. The spear glows warmly, and she smiles, confident it will strike true.
Adofo gets his fight. The enraged beetle charges strait for him. The beeltes jaws clatter as it leeps for the burly warrior. Adofo was ready for it. He cleanly slices the beetle from head to tail with his falchio, splattering himself in dark ochre.
Svexyn and the remaining caravan guardsman move the cart into position, further bolstering the gate, and making it more difficult for the bugs to get through the tunnels they have dug.
More bugs begin to emerge from beneath the wall, but seem to be struggling to get out from under the cart.
North wall
Tamecia's guard drops momentarily after her victory, and it scores her a vicious slash across her thigh as a beetle leaps onto her. The beetles mandibles have no problem slicing through her meager linen clothes. She utters a curse but maintains her ground, blocking the open rear entrance of the cart. A slight smile curls on her face as she sees Caytis run around the back of the cart and motion towards the open drainage grate. Caytis whirls into combat, attempts to stab at a beetle blocking his access to the grate, but the stab slides off its armored plating. The beetle hisses angrily and snaps at his wrist, but he spins out of the reach of the snapping mandibles. Tamecia blocks another beetle leeping from a pile of crates with her staff, its mandibles snapping harmlessly on the heavy weapon. Tamecia takes one step back, trying to edge closer to the drainage grate.
Caytis can hear the buzzing he knows all too well echoing from inside the storm drain.
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