• The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!

The Closed Eye, part II (DM: covaithe, Judge: garyh)

Dunamin

First Post
Even as the golem smashes into Woe again, he staggers back in for more – too stubborn to die and too cocky to quit.

“Well, it’s been fun dancing with you rotten abominations, but we’re sorta on the clock here.”

Too cocky, in fact, to stop talking thrash, even while it’s getting near impossible to see through his own blood.

“So, I think I speak for everyone here - including all the people of the isles, the gods, your momma, and potential readers if this was a story - when I say:”

“Will you just die already!”


Woe pounces on the flesh golem before it can lash out at Hacker, making a roundhouse kick that manages to crush all five-and-a-half pairs of its stitched-up testicles in true domino-style. As the golem leans forward in pain, Woe delivers a shield-held uppercut to send splinters of its nasal bone flying, thus more than returning the favour for his broken nose.

Finally, Woe skips onto one of the golem’s knees, hops up to its head and fully drives his spear through it in a spectacularly gory display that rains blood and brains down on Hacker and Kathalia. The warrior doesn’t stop until he’s penetrated hilt-deep into its eye – which happens to be at the same position where Woe earlier suffered a burning splinter lodged in.

Even as the colossus falls, Woe leaps onwards to the last standing zombie, despite working through a haze of pain. Though his strike seems out of reach, its chest gives way to coils of lightning that mimic the form of his spear.

Having eradicated all opposition, the fighter wipes blood from his face and turns back to his allies.

“That enough a-*****-propriate behaviour for ya?”

[sblock=Actions]Woe slides adjacent to the golem via Hacker’s Virtue of Cunning upon its miss.
When the golem takes an OA on Hacker, Woe crits on the Combat Challenge attack – turning a damage roll of the minimum 7 into the maximum 14! :D (the crit also deals an extra 7 lightning damage)
Assuming the golem dies with this total of 21 damage, on his turn Woe attacks the zombie with the reach attack of his spear and hits AC 20 for 10 damage.
Woe just barely fails his save.

Yeah, I’m taking liberties in describing actions and have damned well earned the right to do it! :cool:

Woe Chinua - Human Fighter 3
Passive Perception 12, Passive Insight 12
AC 20, Fort 19, Reflex 17, Will 14
HP 16/46, Bloodied 23, Surge Value 11, Surges 8/11
Speed 5, Initiative +3
Action Points: 0, Second Wind
Powers: Cleave, Knockdown Assault, Tide of Iron; Pass Forward; Spear of Myrdroon's Shard;
Passing Attack, Rain of Blows; Comeback Strike, Inspiring Word; Spear of Myrdroon's Shard
[/sblock]
 
Last edited:

log in or register to remove this ad

KenHood

First Post
Don't forget Woe gets 4 HP per hit.

"What the ****?" drawls Hacker, "You expectin' applause for doin' what fighters are supposed to do? Stop ***** around and kill that gawds-***** zombie. I swear, some people's kids..."
 
Last edited:


nerdytenor

First Post
OOC: Assuming enemies are all dead. Phew. Nice heriocs, guys.

Kathalia's eyes open slowly and at last focus on Hacker's face.

"Hacker?" She says, disoriented. "Hacker, you... you saved me! Oh my sweet, sweet gnome!" She gets up to embrace him (OOC: stand), but is still disoriented. "Where is the other human? Oh, there! He needs the help of the Earth!" She starts walking toward the fallen Atreus, but is still weakened from the battle and swoons (OOC: Still dazed this turn, and failed save. Again.)

OOC: *facepalm* Now Hacker will never be rid of her. :)


[sblock=Kathalia Stat Block]
Kathalia, Elf Druid 3
Passive Perception 22, Passive Insight 15
AC 19, Fort 14, Reflex 17, Will 17
HP 10/36 Bloodied 18, Surge Value 9, Surges 6/9
Speed 8, Initiative +5
Action Points: 1

Current Effects
human form
bow on ground at F15
dazed (save ends)
failed two death saving throws

Encounter Resources
USED Darting Bite
Predator's Flurry
USED Elven Accuracy (+ feat)
USED Screaming Hide Armor
Second Wind
Use Action Point

Daily Resources
Healing Word
USED Amulet of Resolution
Fleet Persuit
Fires of Life
[/sblock]
 


covaithe

Explorer
[sblock=retcon narrowly averted]When I started this post, I thought I had a real mess on my hands. As I dug deeper, it turns out that it all works, barely, with some creative juggling.

In the first place, Woe is dazed. The dazed condition specifies "You can't take immediate actions", and a combat challenge attack is an immediate interrupt. I made that mistake last round, but it didn't really matter then, since the attack I rolled was a miss.

So, Woe's crit happens on his turn, not on Hacker's. Does it drop the golem? Yes, to exactly 0 HP. It's an elite brute 5, with 152 HP, which is about average. If I'd made its Con score one point higher, we'd be in retcon city.

What about the zombie? Well, it turns out Woe hasn't used Passing Attack yet in this encounter. If he uses that to crit the golem, then shifts back towards the zombie, the secondary attack will drop it.

Phew, retcon averted. But, that's really a whole lot more creativity than I want to be applying, to make your actions fit your narrative. I like your narratives; they're fun for all of us, and you guys are pretty good at them. Unfortunately, it's my job to enforce a modicum of reality, and when in-game reality contradicts the narrative, it puts me in an awkward position. I think this combat was pretty cool, but it would have soured it for me quite a bit to have to choose between handwaving the end of the fight and stomping on a substantial chunk of IC narrative.

I'm definitely going to start posting defenses and HP totals for monsters in the future, to try to offload some of the reality-checking onto you guys.

IC post to follow. What are you guys doing about Atriden? He's still dying, as far as I can see.
[/sblock]
 

covaithe

Explorer
Round 9

Hacker ducks past the golem, somehow avoiding all of its flailing appendages, and dumps a potion down Kathalia's throat.

Woe's boot crashes devastatingly up into the golem's groin. It falls over, and one of its legs falls off. Woe reels, still dizzy, but manages to direct his stumble back towards the zombie, sending his spear crashing through what remains of its face.

Kathalia crawls to Atreus' side.

[sblock=ooc]Still in rounds, since A is dying. A needs a death save for round 9, then everyone is up in round 10.[/sblock]

[sblock=status]

Atreus -4/29 HP, 7/7 surges, dying
Woe 16/46 HP, 8/11 surges, bloodied, dazed (se)
Kathalia 10/36 HP, 6/9 surges, human form, prone, dazed (se) 2 failed death saves
Hacker 8/36 HP, 8/9 surges, bloodied

Resources used:
  • Woe: AP, Comeback strike
  • Hacker: AP, 2 potions, stirring shout
  • Kathalia: Amulet of Resolution, 1 daily magic item power.
  • Atreus: AP, Blinding Barrage, Deathstalker dagger, 1 daily magic item power
[/sblock]
 


KenHood

First Post
Hacker waves off Kathalia with a grunt, and then lights a cigarette.

"Let Whistle-britches bleed out. He's about as useful as teats on a boar-hog."
 


Voidrunner's Codex

Remove ads

Top