IC The Thirteenth Moon: Night of the Blood Moon

accidental double post

[sblock=DM Notes, not for PCs]Cultists
hp C1: -/7, C2 8/8, C3 -/6, C4 8/8
S 13, D 11, C 12, I 8, W 10, C9
Init +0
AC 12, T 10, F 12
F 14, R 11, W 11
Mel 14 (1d6+1)
Rng 12 (1d4+1)
Feats: WF (club)
In +3
club, leather armor, throwing darts

Shorty
hp 29/29
S 14, D 17, C 12, I 12, W 10, C 8
Init +3
AC 17, T 13, F 14, uncanny dodge
F 14, R 19, W 13, evasion, +2 vs. enchantment/telepathy
Mel +5/+5 or +7 (1d8+2/19-20) (1d6+1/19-20)
Rng +7 (1d4+2/19-20)
SnAt +3d6, trapfinding, trap sense +2
Feats: Least DM Death (inflict light, 3/day), Lesser DM Death (inflict serious, 2/day), TWF
Ba +12, Cl +11, Hi/MS +12, Ju +11, Li/Sp +11, Tu +12, UM +8
mithril shirt, mw longsword, mw short sword, throwing darts, wand of glitterdust, grapple with rope [/sblock][sblock=ooc]I included both the surprise action round and the regular round actions in the NPC actions. Sorry if that was confusing. Under my simplified rules for combat, with an average speed (30-40) you can move to a flanking position either by a) making a double move or b) making a tumble check with a move action (failed tumble check means an attack of opportunity, which you should be able to resolve yourself by knowing the opponent's attack DC and damage, which I will be giving you for each combat). That's the simple way. I will allow for more sophisticated measures in the future, but this should suffice for now. No 5-foot steps though. That is a level of tactical play that really is hard to visualize in this format; NPCs won't use it either. Getting out of melee/flanked will generally require a tumble check + move or a double move (withdraw).

As a rule of thumb though, if you feel it fits the narrative and is reasonable, I am fine with leaving these types of things to player discretion. I will only step in if I feel a flagrant violation of the intent of the rules is being broken. Remember this game is a little more focused on story and narrative than mechanics, so I am not going to be fussy about things. Just try to think of distances in the somewhat abstract terms of adjacent, close, medium, and long as described in the simplified combat system and come up with something that you feel fits the narrative.

For example, Berrent is engaged in melee with C2. He sees that Vigil and Brad have taken out C1 and C3. He can make a tumble check to move up behind C4 who is fighting Dorius and make an attack in the same round. But if he fails the tumble check, he provokes an attack of opportunity from the cultist he was previously engaged with, C2. Hopefully that is simple enough to understand. This battle probably won't last much longer.[/sblock]The two remaining cultists assume a defensive posture as they back slowly towards the window to keep you away from it. "You shall not take the Marked One!" a cultist cries. The other shouts, "The Blood is strong! It shall return!" They deftly attempt to parry blows and defend themselves as they give their leader time to escape.

Dorius parries the cultist's club again, then points with his other hand as a cloud of sparks shoot forth to engulf the cultist's head.